Daily Detroit

On today's show:

Should we pay people to move to Detroit? Detroit native Monica Williams posed the idea in a recent Detroit Free Press op-ed. We discuss it.

Background reading: https://www.freep.com/story/opinion/contributors/2021/02/18/detroit-housing-incentives-pandemic/4488055001/

Plus:

The Detroit City Council says no to about half of the proposed demo contracts before them.

And the Robocop statue no longer has a home as the Michigan Science Center isn't doing their grounds improvement project they previously planned. So where should it go?

More in depth at the Metro Times here: https://www.metrotimes.com/detroit/robocop/Content?oid=26514744

Show notes:

00:45 The Hate Has No Home Here rally supporting Black Lives Matter happened, in part, outside of Fletcher's front door. We were going to cover this on the show in a different way, but we ended up talking about about what happened in his community plus the bigger picture of a changing Southeast Michigan region as a whole.

10:58 The Detroit Pistons have continued woes as their season struggles.

18:01 Fletcher shouts out fellow UDM alum and a Detroit native, Steve Perry

19:17 The Detroit City FC Women's side is losing a familiar face to an international team

Voicemail: 313-789-3211

Fletcher on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/saintfdw

Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/dailydetroit

Our feature conversation is with Karen Dybis talking about the new Portillo's in Sterling Heights. She went to the media preview and spills the details.

Show notes w/ timestamps:

00:30 COVID-19 update. A restaurant and bar association in Macomb County sues seeking damages due to the state-ordered pandemic shutdown. Wayne County has a series of vaccination sites.

02:50 Detroit vs. Everybody is collaborating with Gucci for Gucci vs. Everybody.

03:50 The Art Van name goes back to the founding family of the defunct furniture chain.

04:50 Guy Fieri's ghost kitchen restaurant expands in Metro Detroit

05:30 Karen Dybis joins me to preview the new Portillo's in Sterling Heights. From decor to menu, she's got the details. Follow her on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/karendybis

Or buy her books: http://www.karendybis.com

Support our work: http://www.patreon.com/dailydetroit

On your Daily Detroit for Friday, February 19, 2021:

00:37 Michigan's marijuana industry has skyrocketed, with more people employed in the cannabis industry than police; and roughly as many as there are auto mechanics.

03:23 There's new leadership at the QLINE, and it's a familiar face to Daily Detroit listeners. What are the challenges ahead and when will it get back on the rails?

08:01 Fernando Pallazuelo is falling futher behind at the Packard Plant. His plans were sky high from the beginning, but never found enough funding. We discuss this from earlier this week: https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-estate/packard-plant-owner-said-he-would-pay-hundreds-thousands-late-taxes-end-2020-he-hasnt

12:07 Onassis Coney Island in Corktown has closed. What's next? And Corktown changed alot in decade - including becoming less, well, Irish among other things.

14:57 There's a new speakeasy in town called The Shelby

16:44 Restaurant openings have slowed during the pandemic

Today, Fletcher Sharpe joins us to talk:

00:46 Blake Griffin's benching until the Pistons find a place to trade him or something else.

07:11 Michigan is doing very well in the AP College Basketball rankings, but so is the rest of the Big 10 with three teams in the top five for the first time ever.

10:24 For the first time Fletcher can remember, Michigan State University basketball is in the basement.

Follow Fletcher on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SaintFDW

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