Daily Detroit

On today's episode of your Daily Detroit for Wednesday, March 11, 2020:

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that two cases of Covid-19 had been identified in the State of Michigan. We have updated information as of this recording.

Amazon has opened a new brick and mortar store called Amazon 4 Star inside the Somerset Collection. We have the details in a conversation with Amazon's Celeste Donahoe.

And finally, Jer and Sven break down Tuesday's Primary election. How did Biden do so well? Was there a Hillary protest vote in 2016? The DIA millage passed with strong margins, and then we go even farther down-ballot.

Michigan still has no confirmed cases of the Coronavirus, or COVID-19, as we record this. But it's inevitable it will come to our state.

And frankly, there's good information out there around it. But there's lots of noise and not a ton of signal. So we turned to some smart people to help us make sense of it all.

Today, we do a deep dive on what the dangers are from coronavirus with an infectious disease expert from Beaumont Health, Dr. Matthew Sims, including what you can do for yourself and how to help prevent the spread.

Plus, a lot of people are being told to work from home. So we have some practical tips from freelance marketing expert Latasha James, who has been doing it for years.

Finally, we dive into what the impact on the economy could be as it stands today.

On today's show:

The city of Detroit, DWSD and the State of Michigan have a new plan to turn on the water for Detroiters that's been shut off or prevent shutoffs to help keep COVID-19, or the Novel Coronavirus, at bay. We have details.

A new poll doesn't look good for one Democratic candidate for president (link)

The first recreational marijuana dispensary in Oakland County opened Sunday

And, we meet Fred Paul. His new sneaker shop and exchange Fahrenheit 313 opens on the Avenue of Fashion on 3/13.

The weekend is here and that means the fun lane is open here at Daily Detroit. Joining Jer and Sven Gustafson in the studio is our "man about town," who drinks and eats all the things, Devon O'Reilly.

We're going to hit on some of the fun stuff happening around town this next month, the hot spots and openings to go to. And, sadly, the closings.

Some of the places and events covered include:

St. Patrick's Day in Corktown: 3/15 Marche Du Nain Rouge: 3/22 Detroit Tigers Opening Day: 3/30

Openings: Ferndale Project Joe Louis Southern Kitchen Condado Tacos Planthropie Congregation Farmer Frank's Bea's

Closings: Fort Street Galley Craftwork, last day is March 7 Gold Cash Gold Greenspace Cafe in Ferndale El Guapo Granite City in the RenCen Kid Rock Made in Detroit

For sale: Polonia in Hamtramck

Today's show is two-fer for topics.

First, the big news in town is that Art Van is closing their company stores. We covered a bit on the site here, but joining us in studio to break it down is business and technology expert Laura Khalil.

She's the host of the Brave by Design podcast and has worked with brands like Intel, Twitter and GE. We break the multiple factors down.

Second, politics is all the talk right now as Michigan's primary is very relevant in the race between former Vice President Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders for the Democratic nomination.

To sort it out - including talking about who President Donald Trump would rather face in the general election - Sven Gustafson's guest is David Dulio.

He's a Professor of Political Science and the Director of the Center for Civic Engagement at Oakland University.

We're gonna need a new hashtag to keep track of all these false starts on expanding transit in Detroit. Maybe #TransitFailDET?

On today's show, we dissect the latest blow to hopes that the Detroit region might finally be able to come to its senses and expand public transit. This after House Republicans in Lansing chose to shelve a bill that would have allowed Macomb County, long an opponent of regional transit expansion plans, to opt out, while letting Oakland and Wayne counties and the city of Detroit to put a proposal asking for up to a 3-mill tax to support a plan.

This after Republicans in exurban Oakland County argued they would pay too much under the tax and receive too little. But the larger picture is that it reflects that as a region, we're stuck in a crippling paralysis. We lack any ambition to invest in our own self-improvement, whether it be transit, our decaying roads or our suffering K-12 education system.

In cheerier news, we check in with sportsball correspondent Fletcher Sharpe to discuss Detroit City FC's 2020 season opener, a 2-nil win away to the Los Angeles Force. Plus we now have the schedule for City's women's team for its inaugural season in the United Women's Soccer League. Fletcher sizes up the competition.

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.

Most people in our region live in the suburbs, and we've found many want to know about their — and their neighbors — communities. so today's conversation is a continuation of our occasional series visiting the various cities that, well, frankly, are not Detroit proper.

Eastpointe is a city of about 32,000 people, bordered by Eight Mile on the south, I-94 to the east, about 10 Mile to the north, with Hayes and Beechwood on the west.

It's full of single-family houses, tasty food, and a grid street pattern like much of it's big neighbor to the south. First incorporated as the village of "Halfway," as it was halfway between Detroit and the county seat of Mount Clemens on horseback.

In 1929, it became the city of East Detroit — and in 1992, the city changed its name again to Eastpointe. The goal was to associate it more with the more affluent and nearby Grosse Pointes, complete with adding an "e" on the end of "point."

It's also the only Michigan city to use ranked-choice voting, after a lawsuit that was settled with the U.S. Department of Justice that the previous system discriminated against African American voters.

So our guest is the first black mayor in Macomb county, Monique Owens.

I met up with her in Eastpointe and we had a wide-ranging conversation about the city she represents, how it fits into the region, and what's next.

We'll also share a couple things you should know around town.

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.

On today's Daily Detroit podcast:

A Detroiter known the world over, James Lipton, has died. We talk about his career and childhood home.

A new law aims to help keep low income residents in their homes and avoid foreclosure. You can find out more information here.

We get the lowdown on what to do if you voted for a presidential candidate that is no longer in the race from Hamtramck City Clerk August Gitschlag.

Finally, we visit Eastern Market to talk to Beatrice Wolnerman, a cofounder of Bea's Detroit a new coworking and maker space.

If this is the first time meeting our show, we're on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-detroit/id1220563942

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Yhv8nSylVWxlZilRhi4X9

Happy Friday everyone!

On today's food-focused episode of Daily Detroit for Friday, February 28, 2020.

Fort Street Galley is no more after today, after being open for only 14 months.

Alley Taco in Midtown is now for sale, you can buy it for $185,000.

And finally, Randy Walker joins us for an in-depth taste test of seven new Extra Indulgent Hudsonville Ice Cream flavors. Which ice cream reigns supreme?

Don't forget to tell a friend about your Daily Detroit! We're on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-detroit/id1220563942

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Yhv8nSylVWxlZilRhi4X9

And although the show will always be free, our members help make it available for everyone else. Become a member on Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/dailydetroit

On today's episode:

• A state representative is planning on personally delivering a letter to President Trump asking for him to free Kwame Kilpatrick. Shianne argues there are plenty more wronged people to free first than the former mayor.
• The city of Detroit's financial health has improved, according to the Moody's rating service.
• Macomb County lawmakers are looking to opt out of the Detroit Institute of Arts Millage that is up for renewal early next month. Opinion: It's more of the shortsighted thinking that got Metro Detroit in this place. (Read more on the Freep)
• Polonia Restaurant in Hamtramck is up for sale for a cool $450,000. And so is Craftwork in West Village, they are asking $300,000 for the space.
• Matt and Mo's Italian Beef has kicked off a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for a brick and mortar location in Hazel Park.
• Royal Oak Commissioners have approved plans for City Ramen to use a liquor license that was transferred from a Mod Pizza location in Rochester Hills.
• There will soon be a new sculpture in Kellogg Park in downtown Plymouth thanks to the Detroit Institute of Arts.