Daily Detroit

Daily Detroit has learned that Chipotle Mexican Grill, the fast-casual chain known for its burritos and bowls, is planning to open a new location on Woodward Avenue in Ferndale this fall. A spokeswoman tells us the new store will open at 23123 Woodward Ave., on the corner of Cambourne Street, in the site of a former Dickey's Barbecue Pit, which recently closed.

Rumors about a new Chipotle had been swirling on a Facebook group, and Daily Detroit producer Shianne Nocerini recently took photos of the shuttered storefront that showed piles of construction materials lying on the floor with the name Chipotle written on them.

Also, Chicago-based chain Portillo's, known for their Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches, is planning to open a new location on Hall Road in Sterling Heights in the second half of 2021. Portillo's is a mostly Midwest-based chain, but it has opened locations in California, Florida and Arizona. This will be its first Michigan location.

The two planned openings are a rare bit of good restaurant news during the coronavirus, when many restaurants have shuttered temporarily and some are closing their doors for good. Newport Beach, California-based Chipotle, in particular, has weathered the coronavirus pandemic well and attracted renewed interest from Wall Street investors, thanks to brisk business and a strong digital ordering system. Chipotle currently has 10 metro Detroit locations and is also reportedly eyeing a location on Detroit's east side on the site of a vacant church.

In our main conversation, we speak with Matt Friedman of Tanner Friedman Strategic Communications about the recent switch of sports-talk WDFN-AM to the Black Information Network. Friedman is a former broadcaster and close observer of media trends. He tells us the move is part of a broader trend of local radio stations going with more national content to save money.

And of course, we update you on all the latest on COVID-19.

Coronavirus Updates (and Detroit City Hall opens for some in-person services)

Bronco launches

Lincoln Continental fades away

A Detroit City Council Staffer is dead in an apparent murder-suicide

A group erects a billboard outside of Livonia to call out police practices

Republicans lose challenge to the new anti-gerrymandering laws

Petition language approves to curtail Whitmer's executive power

And Sven has thoughts about Michigan's thumb and how to inject some economic life into the area.

On today's show:

We track the state's official COVID-19 numbers, plus highlight a new tool to look at the situation by county across the nation from the Harvard Global Health Institute. This will help us understand things better as Michigan is a geographically large state.

Look up your county: https://globalepidemics.org/

Karen Dybis stops by virtually to talk about the Detroit Kite Festival coming up, a great way to have some fun in a socially-distanced manner. https://detroitonthecheap.com/detroit-kite-festival-encourages-this-years-participants-to-socially-distance/

And of course, we had to ask the author of a book about a drive-in movie theater about Walmart popping them up in parking lots.

Karen's book: https://www.karendybis.com/ford-wyoming-drive-in

Walmart drive-ins: https://twitter.com/Walmart/status/1278445015870640131?s=20

Then Sven Gustafson and Fletcher Sharpe talk upcoming Detroit City FC men's and women's team news and talk about if we should even do pro sports with the pandemic.

Follow Sven: https://twitter.com/sveng

Follow Fletcher: https://twitter.com/SaintFDW

Welcome to the holiday weekend, everybody. This is certainly a strange one, with coronavirus numbers once again on the upswing in Michigan and across much of the country, adding a complicated wrinkle to what is normally one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.

On today's show, we make a house call to our friend Dr. Paul Thomas, founder of Plum Health Direct Primary Care in Detroit, for help answering your burning questions about COVID-19. We talk face masks, whether it's safe to eat at restaurants or fly on airplanes, what to make of coronavirus liability waivers and more. And we'll remind you that if you've got health-related questions about coronavirus, send 'em to us at [email protected] and we'll do our best to include them in future episodes with Dr. Paul. You can even send us audio of your question and we'll try to work that audio into the show.

Also, we talk the latest, dispiriting COVID-19 data from the state and how we're holding up from a mental health perspective more than three months into this weird, horrible quarantine that unfortunately shows little sign of ending anytime soon.

Thanks for listening to Daily Detroit. If you like what you're hearing, tell a friend about us, leave us a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, or support us by becoming a Patreon member. http://www.patreon.com/dailydetroit

On today's Daily Detroit: Indoor bars across the lower half of Michigan have been ordered closed because of the coronavirus uptick. Plus:

A conversation with Jarrett Schlaff, co-founder of Pingree Detroit. Their worker-owned business has some big news from a pivot - one of the recurring themes of these Coronavirus times - and they're expanding. He joins us for more.

And Journalist Tiffany Esshaki of the Birmingham-Bloomfield Eagle brings us the wild story behind Bloomfield Township leaders suing social media platform Nextdoor… as well as some of the township's residents.

On today's show:

A Coronavirus update, with new numbers and school start guidelines.

A University of Michigan study says 1/3rd of parents will keep their kids home when the school year starts.

Slaveholding former Michigan Governor and Senator Lewis Cass - his name is no longer on a state office building. It's now named after two representatives that fought for civil rights.

Dearborn removes signs that used shawarma sandwiches to display distance apart from people after some pushback

The nonprofit advocacy organization Friends of the Rouge River says it's won a grant to develop a large rain garden project near its headquarters in downtown Plymouth.

The Motown museum in two old houses on West Grand Boulevard will reopen its doors July 15th after four months of being shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The museum will also allow you to take video inside the museum for the first time.

Hello Detroit. I'm back from Michigan's vacation wonderland and here to report about the efforts that many vacationers appear not to be taking to safeguard themselves and others against the coronavirus. Based on my experience, I'd recommend limiting your visits to businesses and other public spaces if you're planning to head Up North. And wear a mask!

Other things you'll hear on today's show:

• The 2020 Woodward Dream Cruise is officially canceled. What does that mean?
• We discuss the latest COVID-19 numbers from the state of Michigan.
• Detroit police are investigating after one of their officers drove an SUV through a crowd of protesters over the weekend.
• Ford unveiled its redesigned F-150 pickup truck for 2021, while Lordstown Motors revealed its production Endurance, which aims to be the first battery-electric pickup on the market. And I add my thoughts about Rivian moving operations from Detroit to California.
• We discuss some of the region's most dangerous intersections from 2019, based on this post from Michigan Auto Law.
• And we've got an update about the dot, Ferndale's big mixed-use parking structure, after two months of construction went on pause.

Thanks for listening to Daily Detroit. If you like what you're hearing, tell a friend about us, leave us a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, or support us by becoming a Patreon member.

When we can, it's important to take a break. To have something fun, to help us get away mentally from what's going on.

So today, a tasting of Anteel, a Detroit-based Tequila brand - then a conversation with their co-founder, Don Ferguson.

Three segments today:

First, local Coronavirus news. Cases are up, gyms are angry they can't open, the DIA is reopening, a local drive-in movie theater takes top spot in the nation, and the city of Detroit is going to crack down on n'er do wells when it comes to bars and restaurants.

Then, Eater Detroit's Brenna Houck joins us to talk about progress with To-Go cocktails as well as how restaurants are dealing with the Coronavirus and masks.

Pieces discussed:

Michigan Legislature Passes Bill Paving the Way for To-Go Cocktails: https://detroit.eater.com/2020/6/24/21301831/michigan-legislature-to-go-cocktail-bill-takeout-liquor-passes-senate

Coronavirus Cases Tied to Michigan Bar Are a Reminder of the Risks of Pandemic Dining: https://detroit.eater.com/2020/6/23/21300673/michigan-restaurants-bars-east-lansing-close-covid-19-positive-cases

Finally, Nina Thekdi from Varnum talks about the impact of President Donald Trump's quick ban on H1B and some other visas, and how that's going hurt Metro Detroit's economy; especially since no alternative plans or supports were put into place.

Want to support thoughtful coverage? Join us on Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/dailydetroit

Today's show is in two parts.

First, electric automaker Rivian is moving their future operations to Irvine California. This is a big blow to investment and future jobs in our state and region. Jer breaks down the story and talks about why we need to stop promoting yes-man slappys, and make some structural changes to how business is done in Metro Detroit and the state to be competitive.

And that means investing in what makes our place a better place to live instead of handing out incentives like candy.

Second, sports journalist Fletcher Shape breaks down the transfer of ownership at the Detroit Lions, plus the Detroit Pistons have a new GM Troy Owens. Will the organization is going to support the new General Manager? Or will owner Tom Gores continue to be an absentee landlord of one of Detroit's beloved sports institutions?