The Metro

Detroit is having a moment — especially downtown, where sports arenas have been playing host to the Lions, Pistons, Red Wings and soon the Tigers again. These arenas are also the venues where big-name artists and performers draw people from across the state. In April of last year alone, the Downtown Detroit Partnership counted over 100,000 visitors. 

But a recent survey led by a Wayne State researcher found that many stadium and arena workers in Detroit are struggling to make ends meet. Over 60% of respondents reported living paycheck-to-paycheck. Meanwhile, more than 50% of respondents also indicated they cope with dire financial circumstances at or below the federal poverty line. 

Survey lead and Wayne State social work professor Kess Ballentine joined The Metro on Wednesday to discuss her findings and share her perspective as an expert in low-paid labor conditions and work-family strain.

Hear more stories from The Metro on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Corporate America can be a pathway to a stable financial future. It often comes with a salary, a retirement account and vacation time. 

But corporate offices have historically been mostly white, forcing people of other races to adapt. Efforts over the years to diversify workplaces have helped, but some say that change does little for higher positions. To discuss this, Justin Grant, a communication expert and the CEO of JPMorgan Black Pathways, joined The Metro. He’s also the author of the book “Company Men: A Wellness Guide for Black Men in Corporate America.”

Hear more stories from The Metro on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

The city of Detroit passed a new animal husbandry ordinance in November allowing residents to keep up to eight chickens or ducks and four honeybee hives for personal use within the city limits.

The change, which went into effect Jan. 31, is part of an ongoing effort to promote urban agriculture in the area. The ordinance not only provides city residents with more opportunities to grow their own food, but it also encourages a closer connection to the environment and sustainability practices. 

Associate Director of Urban Agriculture for the City of Detroit Patrice Brown joied The Metro to discuss the impact of the new ordinance on local residents. 

Hear more stories from The Metro on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into educational environments, there are growing debates about its long-term effects on student learning.

The concern is not just about students relying too heavily on these tools, but whether this reliance will impact their ability to think critically, communicate effectively and retain knowledge. 

Despite the promise of AI’s capabilities, the future of education in an AI-driven world remains uncertain. Today on The Metro, we’re talking to educators on the front lines adjusting their teaching methods and guiding students through this complex landscape. 

Guests: 

We also asked listeners: Where do you stand on artificial intelligence in schools? Are you optimistic about AI in education or are you worried?

Join the conversation by calling 313-577-1019 or leaving us an Open Mic message on the WDET app. 

More stories from The Metro on Feb. 12, 2025: 

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Michigan has tried a few different approaches to help create jobs in the state. 

One strategy has been increasing taxes to create government jobs in education, health care, or for park maintenance. Another includes giving corporations subsidies, and tasking them with hiring more people. 

But this corporate subsidy tactic isn’t the bang for the buck legislators expected.

According to a recent report from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, a free market think tank, corporations that received subsidies to create jobs in Michigan only created 9% of the jobs they said they would from 2000 to 2020. That’s only one job for every 11 jobs created. 

To discuss this discrepancy, Metro Producer Sam Corey sat down with Director of Fiscal Policy at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy James Hohman, who helps provide context for why legislators give money to corporations to create jobs even though they often don’t come to be.

Hear more stories from The Metro on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025.

Wednesday’s question: Should students use artificial intelligence in schools?

Join the conversation by calling 313-577-1019 or leaving us an Open Mic message on the WDET app.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Roughly 200 public schools have closed in Detroit between 2000-2015. These integral neighborhood hubs left many holes in communities when they closed. 

The organization Life Remodeled turned the former Durfee Elementary Middle School building on the west side into the Durfee Innovation Society, providing youth programs, workforce development opportunities and more to people in the Durfee neighborhood. 

The nonprofit is now working on a new opportunity hub on the east side, Anchor Detroit, that will open up in the Denby neighborhood December 2025. WDET’s Jack Filbrandt dodged construction and toured the building with Vice President of Opportunity Hubs Brandi Haggins. 

Hear more stories from The Metro on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025.

Wednesday’s question: Should students use artificial intelligence in schools?

Join the conversation by calling 313-577-1019 or leaving us an Open Mic message on the WDET app.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Art in all its forms, from the written word to an easel and paint supplies, has the unique ability to tell nuanced stories about society at any given moment. 

Umoja Fine Arts in Southfield is giving kids a creative outlet for their voices to be heard. During Black History Month, they’re hosting a series of workshops, an exhibition and award ceremonies.

Curator with Umoja Fine Arts Ian Grant joined The Metro on Tuesday to talk about the gallery's upcoming programming and its efforts to support young artists.

Hear more stories from The Metro on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025.

Wednesday’s question: Should students use artificial intelligence in schools?

Join the conversation by calling 313-577-1019 or leaving us an Open Mic message on the WDET app.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

The city of Detroit ranks No. 3 in the nation for pedestrian fatalities, but we're not alone.

It’s getting more dangerous to be a pedestrian or cyclist just about anywhere you look in the U.S. — where pedestrian deaths have gone up 68% since 2011, according to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Roughly 30% of Detroiters don’t own a car, so the question of how to stay safe navigating the city’s roads and sidewalks is a serious one for many. Today on The Metro, we discussed bike and pedestrian safety and how Detroit is making our streets safer. 

Guests: 

Use the media player above to hear the conversation.

More headlines from The Metro on Feb. 11, 2025: 

Tomorrow’s question: Should students use artificial intelligence in schools?

Join the conversation by calling 313-577-1019 or leaving us an Open Mic message on the WDET app. 

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

There’s a hidden gem in Southwest Detroit that's keeping hockey, ice skating and the wintertime spirit alive — and it needs support.

Back in 1991, the ice rink at Clark Park — like several others throughout the city — was in disrepair, leading the city to shut down several parks it could no longer maintain due to financial constraints. By 1992, the rink at Clark Park was the only outdoor rink left in the city, and community members created a coalition to restore the rink and the rest of the park.

Anthony Benavides, director of the Clark Park Coalition, has been integral to saving the rink and making it part of the thriving neighborhood meeting place that Clark Park is today. He joined The Metro to discuss the coalition's efforts and what park events are on the horizon.

Hear more stories from The Metro on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2025.

Tuesday’s question: Are you afraid to get in an accident when walking and biking around Detroit?

Join the conversation by calling 313-577-1019 or leaving us an Open Mic message on the WDET app.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

President Donald Trump said he will shut down the U.S. Department of Education. While a lot of education policy happens at the state and local level, the department of education manages student loans and grants, and it monitors how schools are treating vulnerable kids, like those with disabilities.

In the weeks since Trump took office, he’s also made swift changes to the country’s immigration policies, promising mass deportations. In immigrant communities like Southwest Detroit, that has led to some kids staying home from school out of fear.

It’s also been tough for young people already struggling to get by and fit in. Trump has used ugly rhetoric to talk about transgender people and he’s ended DEI efforts at the federal level. 

Imani Foster, communications lead for the student advocacy organization 482 Forward, joined The Metro on Monday to help us better understand how this changing political climate is affecting young people in Detroit.

Hear more stories from The Metro on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2025.

Tuesday’s question: Are you afraid to get in an accident when walking and biking around Detroit?

Join the conversation by calling 313-577-1019 or leaving us an Open Mic message on the WDET app.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.