Daily Detroit

On a weekend edition of your Daily Detroit, we unpack how national news has pushed its way into local conversations, why we're limiting our social media lately and why it's more important than ever to get together in person.

03:37 - Minneapolis, terrible violence, and how national news and federal forces are forcing their way into local

04:13 - Why we're spending way less time on social media

08:30 - Are Happy Hours dead? Also, we're having more happy hours and in-person events

Free coffee and conversation, Saturday morning the 17th at the studio: https://www.facebook.com/share/14XWN3tcPNo/

Or on Eventbrite if you don't have the FB https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-coffee-donuts-and-community-talking-detroit-and-the-region-tickets-1980178680739

As a heads up, it's likely that Devon's episodes will now air on Saturdays going forward.

Keep this project free for everyone else and support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/DailyDetroit

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Local media across America is in its most tumultuous moment in decades, and Detroit is at the center of it.

From the end of the joint operating agreement between the Free Press and the News, to shifts in public media funding, to the chaos around how you watch the Tigers, Pistons, and Red Wings, there's a lot to sort through.

I talk with longtime PR pro and media watcher Matt Friedman of Tanner Friedman Public Relations about what's really happening, what's at stake for Metro Detroiters, and why your media subscriptions matter more than ever.

The Rundown:

01:56 - People are confused in today's fast-changing media landscape.

02:58 Detroit's JOA (Joint Operating Agreement) is dissolved and the Detroit News and Free Press are separate now. What does that mean?

Matt walks through how joint operating agreements emerged in the 1980s to keep multiple daily papers alive, and how Detroit's JOA kept the News and Freep tied together on the business side while competing in the newsroom for decades. He explains why their recent split into fully separate business and news operations is such a big deal in a market many don't think is "big enough" to support two robust metro newsrooms.

We also get into the financial pressures facing local media, how Pittsburgh has lost two papers recently, how the New York Times makes more money and more profit than all of the USAToday/Gannett papers combined, and more.

18:08 The state of PBS and Public Media today: In short, it's not dead. With federal funding clawed back through a budget rescission and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting dissolved, local stations now have to replace that money through philanthropy and memberships, which Detroit has managed so far — but smaller markets may not.

22:57 The local sports TV rights business is a mess right now. There's real uncertainty about how fans will watch first‑place teams if the parent of the regional sports network can't find a buyer, and that contingency planning is already underway. Plus, might we see some games on free TV?

This was a conversation as a media nerd I was glad to have with someone who has a 360 degree view of the landscape, and I hope you get some value out of it.

If you've got feedback, email me - dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com, hit up our contact form, or leave a voicemail at 313-789-3211.

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Jer and Norris talk Detroit nightlife nostalgia and a viral TGI Fridays "club" promo, a wild DDOT discipline case, where auto trends are really heading in 2026, and Jer's feature in Hour Detroit on Michigan politics and social media.

Topic list:

• The last TGI Fridays in Michigan in Southfield turning into "the club" with paid booth service on a Wednesday; memories of Fridays, Club Blue, and early‑2000s happy hour culture.​

• "The club is dead" argument; bottle‑service pricing, booths vs dancing, and how nightlife has shifted.​

• Case for bringing back happy hour instead: coffee hangs at the studio, listener suggestions for meetups, and shout‑outs to Zuzu, Ema's Izakaya happy hour, Bastille bar, and Marrow in Eastern Market (including Jer's steak eview).​

• DDOT discipline story: Office of Inspector General report on a supervisor and driver whose on‑the‑clock romantic hookup caused a 115‑minute service delay and further issues after abandoning a running bus.​​

• Transit talk for "bus nerds": SMART's FAST Woodward and Gratiot routes moving to 20‑minute headways between Detroit and the suburbs, plus 30‑minute headways on Nine Mile and why that actually makes the bus useful for commutes and events.​

• Auto talk: GM becoming the number‑two EV seller in the U.S.; Cadillac Lyriq and new EV SUVs, Ford Maverick's popularity and pricing, Lightning discontinuation, and why hybrids are quietly winning.​

• Are EVs "failing"? Pushback on the narrative that "people don't want EVs," with Norris talking about living with an EV and never wanting to go back to gas.​

• Jer in Hour Detroit/Hour Magazine: being featured alongside other Detroit voices on 2026 political outlooks, including concerns about Michigan's governor's race, U.S. Senate race, and Democrats' name ID.​

• Why medium‑form, edited work (magazines, newsletters, podcasts) matters more than hot‑take social media for political and civic coverage.​

• Rethinking social media in 2026: Daily Detroit shifting emphasis to newsletter, podcast, and live streams; gaining followers even while posting less; frustration with junky, "engagement first" content.​

• Norris talks about the viral fake DoorDash "backend engineer" post as an AI‑generated hoax; term "enshittification," and why platforms stay quiet even when misinformation blows up.​

• Community over algorithms: We're using in‑person events to build local connection instead of chasing feeds. Mark your calendars for Saturday morning the 17th of January.​

Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/DailyDetroit

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Today, a conversation about what happens when a clever design school project turns into something much bigger.

From a 20‑pound prototype stitched in a grandparents' bedroom to a 21,000‑square‑foot facility on Detroit's east side… and 100,000 coats later... Empowerment Plan has become a made‑in‑Detroit way of literally keeping the world warm.

These are coats that turn into sleeping bags, sewn by Detroiters who have themselves experienced homelessness and are using this job as a stepping stone to what is next.

Founder and CEO Veronika Scott is my guest, and talks about building an uplifting ecosystem around that coat.

You will also hear how feedback from people actually using the coat reshaped its design and how a product made from seconds and dead‑stock fabric ends up serving people from Detroit to more than 20 countries.

Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/DailyDetroit

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Detroit has a new mayor making moves, school funding is on the line over attendance rules, Highland Park is pushing back on a possible ICE site, Sheetz keeps expanding, and there's a very cool archaeology event you can actually go to.​

On this episode of Your Daily Detroit, ive stories to kick off 2026:

Detroit makes history as Mary Sheffield becomes the city's first woman mayor, steps into office after a landslide win, and immediately signs on to the RX Kids program that delivers cash assistance to pregnant and new moms. ​

Detroit's main school district is staring down more than $2.2 million in state penalties because daily attendance has fallen below the 75% threshold, putting a spotlight on how the rules land hardest in high‑poverty communities. ​

In Highland Park, local leaders say they'll fight any move to put an ICE detention and processing center in the city after it appeared on an internal federal shortlist. It's still in rumor‑and‑draft territory, but the conversation raises bigger questions about local control.​

You'll also hear about Sheetz opening a new Warren location on the old Pampa Lanes site.

And to close, I give you the details on Wayne State's Public Archaeology Day at Old Main, a free, all‑ages Saturday event with artifacts, shipwreck finds, and more.

01:23 Detroit has a new Mayor, RX Kids, and new City Council officers

03:04 Detroit Schools fined millions for low attendance

04:34 An ICE Detention facility for Highland Park?

06:12 More Sheetz, This Time In Warren

07:38 Public Archeaology Day at Wayne State

Coming attractions: Live stream tomorrow (Tuesday) with Norris Howard; in-depth conversation on 100,000 coats from Detroit keeping peopel warm; and check out Hour Detroit this month (January) in print.

Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/DailyDetroit

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Today's episode is all about Detroit sandwich culture, community, and the power of sharing good food with good people.

I'm joined in studio by Carlos Parisi, the mind behind Sandwich Week, for a wide-ranging conversation on where to find great sandwiches across the region – and how those places help you make real-life connections, not just grab lunch and go.​

We start by remembering the late Greg Mudge of Mudgie's, whose new honorary street sign that went up over the weekend recognizes just how much he did to shape Detroit's modern restaurant and bar scene.

Carlos shares personal stories about Greg as a mentor, community builder, and straight shooter who helped countless businesses get off the ground and pushed people to be better.​

Then I put Carlos through 10 rapid-fire sandwich questions, starting with the eternal "Is a hot dog a sandwich?" (he says no, emphatically).

We get into toasted vs. untoasted bread, mayo vs. mustard, pickles, diagonal vs. straight cuts, fries and chips on the sandwich, bologna nostalgia, and why texture, temperature, and proper "shredduce" (shredded lettuce) make or break a great bite.​

From there, we dig into Sandwich Week 2025, running December 26–31 in its 12th year. Carlos walks through the schedule:

• Friday, Dec. 26 – Mudgie's (12–3 p.m.): Kicking things off where so much started, with the Uncle Carlos sandwich back on the menu.​

• Saturday – Vesper Books & Wine (12-3 p.m.): A first-ever Sandwich Week pop-up with Ayiti Spaghetti​

• Sunday – Ladder 4 (12-3 p.m.): Wild, creative sandwiches from one of the top spots in the country, plus that off-the-beaten-path wine-bar vibe.​

• Sunday night – Dakota Inn Ratskeller (ticketed dinner, 6 p.m.): A 15-foot sandwich built on a giant table in the newly revived basement German wine bar! Plus sides, Aunt Nee's chips and salsa, and two drinks with your ticket.​

• Monday – Rocco's (12-3 p.m.): A must-visit Italian market stop with art between two slices of bread.​

• Tuesday lunch (12–3 p.m.) – Tall Trees: Ferndale's small-but-mighty cafe, with obsessive attention to thoughtful sandwiches.​

• Finale – Batch Brewing (6 p.m.): Closing things out under the big tent with a special smoked-meats sandwich lineup and a big community raffle with concert tickets, gift cards, and more from businesses across Metro Detroit.

There are also a number of sidequests with deals at Gonella's, Pietrzyk Pierogi, JP's Makes and Bakes, Last Chance Saloon, Bev's Bagels.

Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/DailyDetroit

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Jer and Devon cue up our annual mild, hot, and spicy predictions for Detroit, Metro Detroit and Michigan things in 2026!

From fun, to development, to automotive, to transit, to politics - we cover all of the bases. If you've got your own predictions (or agree or disagree with ours!) let us know.

It's one of our must-listen local podcast episodes of the year.

Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/DailyDetroit

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Soccer in Detroit is about more than just a game — it's a tool for community building and civic engagement.

In this episode, Maxwell Murray joins Fletcher and Jer to share how the Urban Football League and Detroit City FC are using "the beautiful game" to reclaim urban spaces and help people feel a connection to something bigger than themself.

Maxwell walks through the mission behind the league: creating a street soccer culture that serves as a modern-day "Sunday service" by and for Detroiters.

He explains how these matches blend sport, food, and education to build a unique sense of belonging and cultural expression across the area.

He also discusses the importance of breaking down barriers to entry for youth, ensuring that soccer is accessible to every Detroiter regardless of their socioeconomic background.

At a time when Detroit is entering its next chapter, Maxwell argues that these community-led efforts are essential for empowering the up and coming generations.

Feedback as always: dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com.

Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/DailyDetroit

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Michigan's auto industry is still a global leader, but Glenn Stevens of MICHAUTO argues in this episode that "innovate or be left behind" is no longer a slogan — it's the stakes of the moment for the state's economy.

Glenn walks through the forces reshaping the industry — rapid technology shifts like automation, AI, and EVs, fierce global competition from places like China, and whiplash in trade and domestic policy that makes long-term planning harder.

He explains why the real battle is for talent: from skilled trades to high-end software and digital jobs, Michigan needs better K–12 outcomes, clearer career pathways, more counselors, affordable housing, and reliable transit if it wants people to build their lives and careers here.

Here's the full report if you want to check it out for yourself: https://michauto.org/michauto-report-michigan-must-innovate-or-be-left-behind-amid-rapidly-changing-automobility-industry/

Feedback as always: dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com

Thanks to City Bird for their support. Get grat local gifts this holiday season: https://www.citybirddetroit.com/

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State House Speaker Matt Hall's move to cancel $645 million in already-approved state funding is the political equivalent of a rug pull, and it has real consequences for projects and people across Michigan.

This episode digs into what happened, why it matters, and what comes next for cities, nonprofits, and everyday Michiganders.

This wasn't theoretical money on a spreadsheet. It hit projects that were already underway with contracts signed and local dollars already spent on the promise of state reimbursement.

The cuts touch everything from Motown Museum improvements and the BAMF Cancer Center in Detroit to an emergency shelter in Sault Ste. Marie, RX Kids cash support for new parents, police infrastructure in Dearborn, Detroit Zoo funding, and Detroit's right-to-counsel program.

To break down the facts, impacts, what could be next and what you could do about it is Steve Watson. He is a Partner and COO at Watson and Yates, a consulting firm here in Detroit that serves public sector and non-profit clients.

He knows his stuff. Formerly, Steve was budget director for the city of Detroit.

His post, "Speaker Hall's How the Grinch Stole Christmas" took what I had seen in other outlets to another level with his in-depth understanding and I knew I just had to talk to him. https://watsonyates.substack.com/p/speaker-halls-how-the-grinch-stole

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