Daily Detroit

It's among the best of time in Detroit sports as the Lions clinch the NFC North, bringing home a division title for the first time in more than three decades. It's also among the worst, as the listless Detroit Pistons have an NBA-record losing streak and the team just looks defeated.

For one of our two New Year episodes, Fletcher and Jer discuss the joy and difficulty; as well as make some predictions for 2024 in sports.

Rundown:

00:30 - The Detroit Lions take the NFC North to the cheers of many. Some randome facts about 1993.

09:30 - What Fletcher (and others) got wrong about Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell when he got here.

17:14 - The Detroit Pistons are pretty yikes. It's not just a good look, it's hard to watch.

25:20 - Our 2024 sports predictions.

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Happy Friday! As a heads up, we're going to be doing two episodes next week for the holiday break. On today's show:

02:25 - Where is the good Decaf coffee in town? Whether at shops or for take home?

05:23 - Details of a new hotel that'll be connected to Huntington Place were announced, we discuss. Can we get a real connected to the riverfront restaurant?

11:28 - Coming up on January 11, 2024 is the Detroit Policy Conference. One of the key focuses is the new Growing Together Michigan report and focusing on ways to encourage Michigan and Metro Detroit to grow.

Predictions episode next week, if you have any, feel free to send them in.

Feedback as always - dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or 313-789-3211

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Norris Howard is in and we're talking...

02:46 - Jer went to "Ain't too proud to beg" at the Fisher Theatre, and saw the story of the Temptations. Excellent performance, and as a surprise, saw Dr. Otis Williams himself (one of the original Temptations).

06:23 - Norris is off traveling next week

07:19 - Refurbished Toronto transit cars may be coming to Detroit to help bolster the Detroit People Mover. Also, a free ride pilot program starts in January. We discuss it all.

14:24 - Is Bird not the word anymore? Bird filed for bankruptcy. Though it'll still operate, the bigger question is - is the scooter craze done?

18:53 - We discuss some of your very local Festivus grievances

Feedback as always - dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or 313-789-3211

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Thanks to our members: http://www.patreon.com/dailydetroit

Or those who do a one-time contribution: http://www.buymeacoffee.com/dailydetroit

Hello Wednesday! Producer Shianne is in studio and we talk about the stories and events of that interest us... plus, Jer shares a yarn his pops told him about his bobcat when he went to Wayne State in the 60s.

01:38 - Shianne brought some of the new Caribou in the studio to try from the new Ferndale location. Do the vibes live up?

07:00 - The Woodward road diet in Ferndale and Pleasant Ridge is finished for the season, and traffic has opened up so we can get a better look at what was built. Shianne has thoughts (there's still some more work to do in the spring, but in short, Woodward went from four lanes to three)

12:20 - The city of Oak Park is suing the owners of the old WWJ building as a restaurant project has been stalled for years.

16:41 - A story about a wiley pet bobcat, Wayne State, and a reflecting pool.

19:17 - In our Tell Me Something good segment, the first Holidays in Greektown is this weekend, something to check out if you're looking for some ice carvings, tasty food and caroling.

Feedback as always - dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or 313-789-3211

Follow us on Apple Podcasts: https://lnk.to/dailydetroitonapple

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Or those who do a one-time contribution: http://www.buymeacoffee.com/dailydetroit

Happy Tuesday! From a new location for a popular shwarma spot to a new scoreboard and Lions talk, we have you covered on this Tuesday with Fletcher Sharpe.

00:23 - Fletcher went and tried the new Bucharest location in Grosse Pointe Woods

04:49 - The Lions return to form as their offensive line heals and runs the Broncos back to Denver

10:02 - Pistons fans are frustrated, with some calling for Gores to get rid of the team. Fletcher doesn't think we're at that point.

13:46 - Comerica Park is getting a new scoreboard. It'll be the second largest video scoreboard in the league, and it seems Chris Ilitch has finally listened so that our scoreboard isn't worse than a AAA team.

On the positive side, it's a sign that the team wants people at the ballpark, and the investments are good.

Feedback as always - dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or 313-789-3211

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Or those who do a one-time contribution: http://www.buymeacoffee.com/dailydetroit

Today on the show, my guest is State Representative Mike McFall. The 8th House District he serves spans from Madison Heights, through Hazel Park, and into Detroit down into Midtown.

Our conversation is wide-ranging and talks about bridging divides between the city and suburbs, transit, changes in our region in the last couple of decades, and a lot more.

Before going to Lansing, Mike served as a councilperson in Hazel Park, with one of his focuses being on improving the downtown district.

The Rundown:

03:02 - The issue with calling Hazel Park "Hazeltucky"

04:15 - It's not your fathers Hazel Park

07:35 - New residents coming in

08:13 - Where young professionals are really going - Hazel Park, Madison Heights, etc.

10:51 - In many ways, the intersection of I-696 and I-75 is a huge draw say realtors

12:10 - With so many changes, it's time to update the mental map about Metro Detroit

13:54 - How do you handle the responsibility of a house district spanning so many communities with differences in their needs

17:46 - The inner ring areas have changed dramatically

18:37 - Starting a transit caucus in the state legislature

22:46 - What would you say to a constiuent who is against transit?

23:38 "I don't know how else we're gonna move our region forward without transit"

24:10 - Do you have a vision of what that could look like?

24:40 - What about public-private partnerships to fund transit?

27:26 - What are things you're looking forward to in 2024?

29:14 - What do you say to people frustrated with legislative progress in 2023?

Thanks to today's sponsor, City Bird Detroit. Support the businesses that support us this holiday season.

Feedback as always - dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or 313-789-3211

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Thanks to our members: http://www.patreon.com/dailydetroit

Or those who do a one-time contribution: http://www.buymeacoffee.com/dailydetroit

Devon O'Reilly is in for his Friday appearance. We talk about a few thigns around town, but the big focus of conversation is food trucks. Where should they be allowed? Do they compete with local businesses? Devon has some strong opinions about a proposed ordinance in Dearborn that would put some strong limits on them.

The rundown:

Where we've been:

01:50 - CIBO is open in the Cambria, and it looks amazing

04:27 - Jer went to see Waitress the Musical movie with Sara Bareilles at the Birmingham 8. Good show, historic theater.

Stories:

07:02 - Dearborn food truck ordinance discussion (would love your feedback and opinions) Rapid fire food news

18:56 - Caribou coffee drive thru opening in Ferndale on Monday. Do drive-thrus work for you? Do you prefer a coffeeshop to sit in?

21:27 - Batch Brewing has launched a full menu

22:21 - Cinema Detroit finds a pop-up home in Planet Ant in Hamtramck

Feedback as always - dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or 313-789-3211

Follow us on Apple Podcasts: https://lnk.to/dailydetroitonapple

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Thanks to our members: http://www.patreon.com/dailydetroit

Or those who do a one-time contribution: http://www.buymeacoffee.com/dailydetroit

A new poll from the Detroit Regional Chamber and Glengariff Group shows that Michigan voters are for investing in infrastructure over tax cuts; that there's real concerns about our education system making us uncompetitive, and more.

Norris Howard is back after a week on the west coast.

00:52 - A few words about Norris' trip to San Francisco

06:01 - We unpack the most recent Detroit Regional Chamber voter poll. From investing to education to job availability for young people, there are concerns. Would love your feedback, and here's a link to the thing: https://www.detroitchamber.com/poll-michigan-residents-worry-about-economic-competitiveness-and-lagging-public-schools/

22:35 - Our new segment, "Tell me something good," and today we feature the Holiday Market happening this Saturday at the Fisher Building in partnership with TechTown. Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/368524632328882?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[]%7D

Feedback as always - dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or 313-789-3211

Follow us on Apple Podcasts: https://lnk.to/dailydetroitonapple

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Thanks to our members: http://www.patreon.com/dailydetroit

Or those who do a one-time contribution: http://www.buymeacoffee.com/dailydetroit

Robin Runyan from Urbanize Detroit joins us today to give a bit of an update on development stories around town and answer a listener question.

• Can the Belle Isle Boathouse be saved? We discuss.
• We talk about what could be Detroit's icon of incompletion, the long-stalled Perfecting Church project at Seven Mile and Woodward. There's a new deal to get it going, but community (and our) skepticism after 20 years of lack of progress is high.
• A pair of buildings in Corktown that have sat vacant for years have been sold, raising hopes they'd be redeveloped. Robin shares the details and we discuss.
• A new affordable housing project kicks off in Southwest Detroit on Michigan Avenue.
• Robin has three big development themes for 2023. We get into them and why they matter.
• If you're a listener who comes in from out of town, how do you get from the airport now to wherever you're going?
• And she answers a listener question.

Feedback as always - dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or 313-789-3211

Follow us on Apple Podcasts: https://lnk.to/dailydetroitonapple

Or Spotify: https://lnk.to/dailydetroitonspotify

Thanks to our members: http://www.patreon.com/dailydetroit

Or those who do a one-time contribution: http://www.buymeacoffee.com/dailydetroit

Fletcher Sharpe is in studio to talk about the Lions, Dylan Larkin's situation, and Detroit City FC re-signing Nate Steinwascher.

01:03 - Detroit City FC re-signs Nate Steinwascher, more to come

06:16 - The vibe is deteriorating with the Lions. There's time to pull up, but they need to stop making mistakes.

14:25 - We dsicuss the idea that maybe the NHL and hockey in general needs to take concussions more seriously, and that violence is part of what makes sports popular in America. Fletcher says if they took the fighting out of hockey, it'd fall behind soccer to the fifth sport here.

17:56 - Listener Dana writes in about their frustration we don't blame the referees

Feedback as always - dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or 313-789-3211

Follow us on Apple Podcasts: https://lnk.to/dailydetroitonapple

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Thanks to our members: http://www.patreon.com/dailydetroit

Or those who do a one-time contribution: http://www.buymeacoffee.com/dailydetroit