Daily Detroit

In Metro Detroit, it's not enough to talk about transit plans. There are tons of ideas out there. It's about action.

I sat down with SMART General Manager and CEO Tiffany J. Gunter to dig into what it really takes to run a 2,000‑square‑mile suburban transit system that people can rely on.

We get into the essential stuff: on‑time performance, keeping buses maintained and in service, and why Tiffany started by "going back to basics" while also upgrading shelters, adding Wi‑Fi, and insisting on more dignity for riders.

We also also talk about the culture shift of running transit in a region dominated by the car, the 30% rise in ridership SMART is seeing, and how free student rides and better communication are building a new generation of riders who don't see the bus as "for someone else."

You'll hear how Oakland County's all‑in vote opened the door for SMART's first new routes since the 1990s, why microtransit in places like Pontiac and Dearborn is exploding, and what's at stake as Wayne County voters consider going all‑in this August.

Tiffany also explains why she rides the buses herself, why collaboration with DDOT and the Transit app matters, and where autonomous vehicles actually fit — as a last‑mile tool, not a silver bullet like many may think.

If you care about where Metro Detroit's economy and talent go next, this one's worth the ride.

As always, feedback welcome at dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or leave a voicemail at 313-789-3211.

If this is your first time here, be sure to follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Detroit's drink is turning 160, and there's a big Vernors party in Eastern Market to celebrate. Today, Jer heads into one of the largest Vernors collections anywhere with Keith Wunderlich, founder of the Vernors Club, to talk about how a Civil War–era pharmacy experiment became a Detroit icon.

We get into the history behind "Detroit's Drink," from the original Woodward bottling plant to the family business days and beyond, and why the Vernors story still resonates with Detroit's legacy of manufacturing and great food. Then, we look ahead to Sunday's street celebration on Riopelle in Eastern Market, where the Vernors Club is marking the 160th anniversary.

Expect a Vernors brunch at Marrow in the Market (yes, gnome waffles and Vernors barbecue), special cocktails, a Boston Cooler cream ale from Eastern Market Brewing, Vernors cream ale tastings, and Milk & Froth scooping Vernors ice cream and floats for the first time since the 1980s. It's family-friendly, too, with Henry the Hatter making gnome hats for kids, coloring tables, and even the Vernors gnome and James Vernor V on hand.

If you love Detroit, this one's for you.

More event details about Sunday: https://easternmarket.org/events/vernors-160th-anniversary-celebration/

Follow the Vernors club: https://vernorsclub.weebly.com/

Detroit's only PGA Tour stop is ending, a landmark Detroit high school is coming down, and the Detroit River is getting a major cleanup — plus, we ask the question: Would you actually swim in it? In this episode, we break down the coming opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge and why its freeway connections and pedestrian path matter for trade, traffic, and everyday Detroiters. We get into Rocket Companies ending its Rocket Mortgage Classic sponsorship after 2026, what that means for Detroit Golf Club, tourism, and the city's national image. Then we tackle the demolition of historic Cooley High, the plan for a new state-funded athletic complex, and the bigger fight over whether Detroit is really "full" — or if the city needs more people, more housing, and more creative land use. Finally, they talk EPA and EGLE's $10 million plan to pull toxic sediment from the Detroit River near Harbortown and Belle Isle, and ask listeners: are you Team Yes or No on swimming in the river? Feedback as always - dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com, 313-789-3211, or on Instagram, Facebook or Threads. Look for Daily Detroit and Phezzy!

Airbnb is betting on Detroit as a destination — and the numbers back it up. On today's Daily Detroit, I'm at the Grand Hotel talking with Vince Frillici, Airbnb's policy lead for the Great Lakes, about how short-term rentals are reshaping travel in the city and across Michigan.

We dig into the data: about 700 Detroiters hosting on any given day and just under 150,000 guests who stayed in Detroit Airbnbs last year, with nearly half of them staying 11–30 nights.

That points to Detroit quietly becoming a long-stay city for remote workers and people here on temporary assignments.

Vince also lays out how Airbnb is leaning into that demand, from curated Detroit "Experiences" and food tours to bringing independent hotels like Trumbull & Porter and the Siren onto the platform, plus new partnerships for Eastern Market groceries in your fridge and airport curbside pickup.

Then we zoom out to Lansing and talk about Michigan's pre‑internet tourism tax laws, why Airbnb is backing bills to modernize them, and what a fairer system could mean for local communities that host all this new visitor activity.

Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever podcasts are found!

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

Did you know Metrop Detroit now has five innovation districts?

MICHauto executive director (and new Southwest Detroit pub co‑owner) Glenn Stevens joined us to talk about why Michigan needs a 'moonshot' for innovation.

Plus, we get into why he's personally excited about helping open the Regal Eagle, a soccer bar in the shadow of Michigan Central and the new stadium.

They get into what the next governor's roadmap should look like, how autos, AI, and China are reshaping Michigan's economy, and why places like TechTown, Michigan Central, Black Tech Saturdays, and the Ann Arbor–Detroit innovation corridor matter for founders across the state.

More on MICHAuto: https://michauto.org/

Thanks as always to our members on Patreon for supporting us: https://www.patreon.com/c/DailyDetroit

Busy episode today on your Daily Detroit. Here's your rundown of nine stories we talk about today with timestamps:

0:55 - The new New High Société restaurant in Dearborn

05:08 - Revisiting Republica in Berkley

06:18 - Is there a law of diminishing returns on a burger?

08:04 - Wright & Co in downtown Detroit is part of a big trend of restaurants switching to private event venues

12:11 - Atwater is back under local ownership

15:49 - The popular Midway in Downtown Detroit might return

19:29 - University Boards in Michigan Stay Elected, despite Matt Hall and Gretchen Whitmer agreeing

21:29 - Road funding from marijuana money runs short, this could be a big issue

23:52 - Do Michiganders actually want better roads? Do we want to pay for them or deal with the construction? Or would we really rather have potholes?

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

Three stories we talk about today on your Daily Detroit, finished as finalist in Hour Detroit's Best of Detroit (thank you!)

Detroit's beloved Dutch Girl Donuts is back in the headlines, and we start today's episode with the sweet news: a free donut sneak peek of their new East Grand Boulevard location this Friday morning. We talk through what the second shop means for the growing Milwaukee Junction / New Center corridor that's picking up steam.

Federal prosecutors allege a former Detroit People Mover procurement director and a contractor steered more than $300,000 to a company for work that was never done, using a string of phony invoices. We dig into what that kind of money could have meant for real projects, why oversight failures keep eroding public trust, and why Detroiters are rightfully tired of people stealing from the city.

And lastly, a response to a listener question about Governor Gretchen Whitmer's support for the massive Stargate AI data center in Saline Township. Instead of another hot take, we lay out a "steel-man" case for why state leaders might say yes: jobs, tax base, Michigan's long-term economic challenges, and the reality that AI isn't going away.

We also get into the other side and wrestle with the environmental concerns, local democracy blowback, township vs. city power, and what it means for a small community that loudly said "no" and was overruled anyway.

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

Make sure to follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get shows.

Detroit sits under two major migratory flyways, making it one of the best places in North America to see birds on the move. Gretchen Abrams from the Detroit Bird Alliance joins us to preview the first Pheasant Flock Party coming up this weekend, talk spark birds (the birds that first get you into birding), and share how vacant lots turned meadows are helping wildlife across the city.

Detroit Bird Alliance: https://www.detroitbirdalliance.org

Pheasant Flock Party event listing (Eventbrite): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pheasant-flock-party-tickets-1987392430258

As always, feedback is welcome - dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or 313-789-3211.

Follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get shows.

Daily Detroit is on the porch at the Mackinac Policy Conference, and Jer and Devon have a wide‑ranging conversation about Michigan's political future and Detroit's urgency problem.

From Governor Gretchen Whitmer's emphatic "no" on a presidential run to the very real possibility she ends up as the top choice for vice president, they unpack what her popularity says about the broader electoral landscape and 2024's lessons for Democrats in a swing state.

(That said, after we recorded, she hedged her bets later in the day).

On the island, the 2026 governor's race was present (but not in a debate), and we talk about it.

Then, they zoom in on one of the most revealing moments of the week: A years‑long legislative delay on the RenCen brownfield deal, even with a billion‑dollar offer on the table and no profit motive. What does it say about how Michigan makes decisions, and we talk about why "maybe" is often worse than "no."

The conversation closes with a look at the dysfunction of elected university boards in Michigan in the wake of the resignation of the MSU president, the talent pipeline, and the physical glow‑up on Mackinac Island — from the Grand Hotel to Lake View and Mission Point — as Michigan lives up to its billing as a top national destination.

Today we talk about how Michigan slipped from a top‑tier state into the bottom 10 on key measures like education, income and population — and why acknowledging the crisis is the first step to fixing it.

Today's conversation is with Detroit Regional Chamber president and CEO Sandy Baruah gets into this year's urgent theme at the Mackinac Policy Conference: "The house is on fire."

Sandy explains why he thinks more common ground between business and policymakers, and between Democrats and Republicans, is the only way to reverse those long‑term trends.

We get into how constant partisan whiplash on policy, from electric vehicles to economic development, makes it nearly impossible for Michigan's signature industries to plan long term.

They close on what success at Mackinac would look like over the next one to five years — from educating a whole new wave of elected officials to locking in 70‑percent solutions instead of all‑or‑nothing showdowns.

And, despite the alarms, Sandy lays out why Michigan's quality of life, workforce, and higher‑ed system still give the state a real chance to win.

Feedback as always, dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or leave a voicemail, 313-789-3211.

Follow Daily Detroit on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or wherever you get shows.