Daily Detroit

On today's show:

• Turns out the demolishing a theater might not be a requirement to get financing for a redevelopment project that has preservationists up in arms.
• Nancy Schlicting steps down from the Michigan State University board. Sven breaks it down and talks about putting wins on the field or court over everything else.
• Some Wayne State University board members aren't happy with a pledge for all high school grads in Detroit to get college and how the plan was rolled out. They're calling for the resignation of the president.
• There's a Listeria outbreak with some Michigan Apples.
• An update and design tweak to the upcoming Oudolf Garden on Belle Isle.
• Warren wrestles with the question of medical marijuana.
• What's happening to the KMART site across from the new Amazon center in Warren?
• And Clawson's school district is at a crossroads with declining revenue and enrollment.

Lead in our drinking water has been in the news, with quite a few suburban communities learning they have levels of lead that require action. To help explain what's actually happening, our guest on the show is Elin Betanzo.

In August of 2015, Elin played a critical role in uncovering the Flint Water Crisis by encouraging Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, a Flint pediatrician, to conduct a study that discovered elevated lead levels in children living in Flint, Michigan. Elin continues to work on lead and drinking water policy at federal, state, and local levels.

She's also the founder of Safe Water Engineering LLC, a small consulting firm working to improve access to safe drinking water through engineering and policy consulting.

Plus 5 Things To Know Around Detroit:

- The longest-serving African American Congressman, John Conyers, has died.

- A new poll puts Rashida Tlaib at the front of the pack in her Detroit congressional district.

- Uber Eats unveils a new delivery drone at the Forbes Under 30 summit in Detroit.

- Detroit-based internet provider Rocket Fiber expands into Grosse Pointe

- The Ford Flex will be no more

In this episode of the Daily Detroit podcast, we're talking about the raging inferno of controversy that has engulfed Founders Brewing Company in Detroit.

We quickly run down the latest developments following a racial discrimination lawsuit - and then we're going to play a new game on the podcast we're calling "Waaaaaaaiitttt a minute."

Inspired by Lovett or Leave It's "OK Stop," where a news clip plays with commentary and comedy, we annotate an interview one of the founders of Founders gave to WJR, one of Detroit's AM radio stations.

So why is the conversation cringeworthy? Well, there are a few reasons and you'll have to listen to the show. Here's a quote from David Engbers, referring to Founders, that stands out:

Paul W. Smith: "600 employees, 22 years for Founders. How many other racial discrimination suits have you had against Founders in your 22 years."

Engbers: "Zero."

Smith: "Interesting. Zero."

Engbers: "I always thought we were the poster child for diversity and inclusion."

When someone starts from that place of thinking, all of this controversy isn't that surprising.

Of course, if you'd like to listen to the original Paul W. Smith piece in its entirety without our commentary, you can do so over here.

It's an interesting episode recapping a very interesting week in around this controversy.

If you want to subscribe to the podcast totally free in your app of choice, you can on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever fine shows are found.

On today's show, a piece on Vice focusing on Warren, their mayor and his survival despite scandal has been making national rounds. We have the journalist who wrote it, Trevor Bach, on to talk about it.

https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/d3ak5j/james-fouts-mayor-macomb-county-michigan-racist-tape-scandal

Also:

- The theater portion of the historic United Artist Theatre is in danger of being demolished as part of a $56 million apartment project. More on Historic Detroit and Crain's.

https://www.facebook.com/HistoricDetroit/photos/a.189073331159430/3310916022308463/?type=3&theater

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-estate/united-artists-building-developer-seeks-tax-abatements-plans-tear-down-theater

- Governor Gretchen Whitmer wants to set Michigan's own overtime pay floor

- Popeye's is bringing their Chicken Sandwich back

- One of the last KMART stores in Michigan and the last in Macomb County is closing... additional info here: https://www.macombdaily.com/news/local/macomb-county-s-last-remaining-kmart-to-close/article_20fb581e-f5e6-11e9-9536-13f5701410c1.html

- Workers for a local bus company vote to join the Teamsters

- A cat cafe is expanding in Ferndale

- Business magnate Roger Penske is getting the Presidential Medal of Freedom

- And our conversation with Trevor Bach about Jim Fouts, Warren, and the parallels to the national conversation.

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On today's show:

- A big pledge from Wayne State to give free tuition to Detroit high school graduates

- The largest periodic table in the world

- Lead in the water concerns spread to Dearborn Heights

- The Detroit Historic Museum is going to start charging, add Thursday hours

- A local language learning company, Mango Languages, is working to help save an almost-lost Native American language

- Orchestra Hall turns 100 years old

On today's show:

- Findings of an Inspector General report don't look good for Mayor Mike Duggan and Chief of Staff Alexis Wiley

- Founders Brewing is finding itself at the center of controversy again, making national news with absurd testimony. Now, businesses are starting to stop carrying the popular Michigan-made brew over the issue.

- And Fletcher Sharpe joins us to wrap up the Detroit City FC season and look forward to the Detroit Pistons. He'll be joining us weekly throughout the Pistons season.

On today's show:

- Sven helps us understand the UAW/GM Tentative Agreement nearly 50,000 striking GM workers are reviewing

- It looks like by 2024 I-375 in downtown Detroit will become a boulevard. It's the focus of our most recent piece on Detroit Public Television's One Detroit, and we break down our thoughts. Here's the DPTV piece: http://www.dailydetroit.com/2019/10/18/i-375-in-detroit-planned-to-become-a-boulevard-by-2024/

- The streetscape project on Detroit's Avenue of Fashion - Livernois - has suffered delays and now won't be completed until the spring. What does that mean? Here's an interesting piece in Bridge Magazine: https://www.bridgemi.com/detroit/can-detroit-businesses-survive-citys-push-walkable-neighborhoods

- 7,000 pounds of apples were stolen up in Linden. A caper that is rotten to the core (sorry couldn't help the pun).

- And Shianne talks about the winner of the Hatch Detroit contest. A book store and podcast/sound studio is coming to Detroit's far east side near the Grosse Pointe border.

Like the show? Be sure to leave a review or tell a friend! We're on Apple Podcasts and wherever fine shows are found. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-detroit/id1220563942

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On today's show:

- Detroit City FC are NPSL Members Cup champions

- One of Detroit's larger employers, Strategic Staffing Solutions, to move to the Fisher Building

- Ford is rolling out a charging network for their electric cars

- The UAW plans to take a tentative strike deal to members

- Rafi and Nina is a restaurant in Atlanta that serves Detroit-style pizza. How does it stack up? Take a listen! Also, we'll have pictures up on http://www.dailydetroit.com

Like the show? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or tell a friend. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-detroit/id1220563942

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Joining me on the podcast is chief New York Times television critic James Poniewozik. The Monroe, Michigan-born author has a new book out, "Audience of One: Donald Trump, Television, and the Fracturing of America."

So if you haven't figured out by now, I'm a total media geek. Over the last two decades, I've seen upfront the power that media has, for better or for worse.

I'm fascinated by the decisions made, the incentives all the players have, and the impact that media has to change a community - whether it's a city like Detroit, the nation, or the world.

This book caught my eye because it's kind of a look behind the curtain involving our media landscape and our current president, who became nationally known by using the power of television and the media.

So since James — a University of Michigan grad — is coming through town this month as part of the Fall Metro Detroit Book & Author Luncheon this October 21, 2019 at Burton Manor in Livonia, I thought it'd be a good time to talk with him.

And if you want a link to tickets at the Book & Author luncheon, here's a link to bookandauthor.org.

If you want to get more episodes of your Daily Detroit, our podcast is on Apple Podcasts here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-detroit/id1220563942

Episodes like these are only possible thanks to our members like you. If you want to push Detroit's conversation forward, join us as a Patreon member.

On today's show:

The Lions got robbed on Monday Night Football, but also could have made some key plays and the after of the effects of the game have made it all the way up to ownership meetings.

Is the team cursed?

Also, Detroit City FC has a big win in New York that puts them in the catbird seat for their season. Fletcher Sharpe - who nailed the score prediction of the game - joins us to break it all down and set the path ahead.