What To Know And Where To Go In Southeast Michigan

How Do You Make Good Grow In Detroit?

On today's show, we look at a group making a garden grow on the east side of the city, Eden Gardens; as well as a non-profit that's helping more than 100 organizations grow in Detroit, Michigan Community Resources.  Our guests are Karen Chava Knox from Eden Gardens Block Club, and the CEO of Michigan Community Resources, Shamyle Dobbs.  PLUS: A couple of restaurant …

10 Things To Know In Metro Detroit Plus Sven Goes To Belarus

On today's show (yes, we're moving to mornings! Finally!) - A film focusing in part on a Detroit automaker, "Ford V. Ferrari," takes the top spot at the box office - Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer is in Israel - A Metro Detroit gas price update from AAA - Taxpayers are on the hook for free health care for Warren's elected officials for life. In-depth …

Detroit Graffiti Jewelry Maker Rebel Nell Gets National Attention On NBC

It's good to see good works in Detroit get good press. Rebel Nell is a jewelry maker based in the city of Detroit. They're turning graffiti chips into new beautiful works of art. But there's more to the story. And full disclosure — I own a couple pairs of Rebel Nell cufflinks. Why? It's about a lot more than just the art. The program, founded by former big league …

Here’s How You Can Help Clean Up The Rouge River

The nonprofit group Friends of the Rouge needs volunteers to help with the annual cleanup of the Rouge River. This year’s Rouge Rescue event takes place Saturday, May 18. Volunteers are needed to help remove trash and invasive plants, maintain land and water trails and plant native wildflowers. Volunteers at last year’s event cleared the equivalent of 24 pickup trucks …

Farewell, Hated Livernois Median: One Of 7 Things To Know

Good Wednesday afternoon, and welcome to a super Detroit-y edition of your Daily Detroit. Today, we walked over to the Avenue of Fashion, where Mayor Mike Duggan came to speak about the streetscape redevelopment of a roughly 1-mile section of Livernois to calm traffic and make the commercial district more attractive to pedestrians and, hopefully, prosperous to business …

Nearly 20 Detroit Charities Compete In Fundraising Challenge

Since 2015, the Give Detroit Challenge has raised more than $130,000 for Detroit-based non-profits, and it’s back for another year. The Give Detroit Challenge is hosted by Hour Detroit Magazine. It’s an online fundraising competition that’s running through Thursday, April 18. Winners of the Give Detroit Challenge will receive: First place - $15,000Second place - …

Let’s Go Fly A Kite: Detroit Kite Festival To Return for Third Year

There are few things better than flying a kite on a weekend afternoon. What's turned into an annual event — the Detroit Kite Festival — allows you to do just that with a bunch of new friends in one of Detroit's more magical settings. The free event will be held this year on Belle Isle on Sunday, July 14 at the Cricket Fields. That's near the historic Belle Isle …

PODCAST: I-75 Is Crumbling Plus 11 Things To Know Around Detroit

We thought when we went into the office today, it'd be a short day. We were wrong. Here's what to know around town: I-75 is crumbling. Both the Northbound and Southbound lanes have major emergency repairs underway. A highly dispiriting for Martin Luther King Jr. Day - The Detroit News reports that a former political aide to Warren Mayor Jim Fouts says the mayor …

PODCAST: New Purpose Awards Aims To Highlight People Doing Good Work In Detroit

There are a lot of people doing good work in Detroit. Folks that put their shoulder to the wheel and are making things happen and making the community better. But often, those folks don't get as much recognition as they should. That's why Ryan Landau and Re:Purpose, a Detroit-based firm, started the Purpose Awards. Ryan joins us on the show to to talk about them, why …

Local Organizations To Receive $20 Million In Grants

The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan announced $20 million in grants this week that will be awarded to a variety of local organizations. Some of the highlights include: $225,000 to expand the partnership of the University Musical Society and Michigan Opera Theater to offer dance performances to Detroit. $70,000 to Gleaners Community Food Bank for a Diabetes …

$50 Million Gift From The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Will Transform West Riverfront Park

Detroit’s riverfront just took another major step forward. The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation — in honor of what would be Ralph C. Wilson’s 100th birthday — is making a $50 million grant to redevelop West Riverfront Park. Who gets what: $40 Million will go to the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy (a group that’s been on a roll as of late) and $10 million will go to the …

Belle Isle Aquarium Gets $1.7 Million Grant

Here’s some more good news for Belle Isle. The Belle Isle Conservancy says it received a $1.7 million grant from the William Davidson Foundation to upgrade and restore the historic Belle Isle Aquarium. The foundation named for the former owner of the Detroit Pistons awarded the grant last year, so infrastructure repairs are already under way. The news adds to a recent …

LISTEN: Previewing TedXDetroit With Terry Bean & Shawn Lee

TedXDetroit is returning for a 10th year on Wednesday, September 26. But what can you expect at this day-long conference about ideas worth spreading? Sven Gustafson sat down with Terry Bean and Shawn Lee at the Founders Midtown Taproom to get the details. That discussion is in the player above. If you're interested in attending, the link is here. …

53 Finalists Named In Knight Arts Challenge, Final Prize Is Share Of $3 Million

53 finalists were named on Thursday for the Detroit Knight Arts Challenge. They are all in the running for a share of $3 million. The the grant contest is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. It's a matching grant, so the artist will have to find a way to raise the money to match the amount provided by the foundation. The idea of the program is that it …

Detroit Institute Of Arts To Hold Their First Adoption Event Sunday

Dogs and Degas apparently do go together. The Detroit Institute of Arts is holding their first-ever animal adoption event. The event is with the Michigan Humane Society on the DIA’s north lawn on Sunday, Aug. 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., or until all the animals are adopted. “Meet Your Best Friend at the Museum featuring Kitties and Pitties!” will have 20–25 cats and dogs, …

LISTEN: Meet Detroit City Lacrosse w/ Christianne Sims Malone

One of North America's oldest sports is lacrosse. The sport, a creation of Native Americans and First Nations, has seen a resurgence as of late. Among that? A program for youth. So on the Daily Detroit News Byte, Sven interviewed Christianne Sims Malone. She's the founder of Detroit City Lacrosse. From their website: Detroit City Lacrosse is a citywide youth …

Bike Ride Fundraiser This Weekend For Joe Louis Greenway Rail-To-Trail Loop

The Detroit Greenways Coalition will hold a group bike ride Sunday to create awareness and raise money to build a 26-mile rail-to-trail greenway loop in the city. The Joe Louis Greenway is a proposed pedestrian loop through Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park. Previously known as the Inner Circle, it’s currently a network of abandoned rail lines and local streets. But …

Help Clean Up 8 Mile This Saturday, June 16

The Eight Mile Boulevard Association is looking for some help sprucing up the namesake thoroughfare. Volunteers are being sought for the 2018 Hands On 8 Mile community cleanup and flower-planting event which takes place on Saturday, June 16. Participants will meet at Eight Mile Boulevard Association’s headquarters at 9:30 a.m. then travel to their cleanup site. The day …

Jason Hall Quits Slow Roll, Talks About What’s Next

Jason Hall is retiring – sort of. The co-founder of Detroit’s beloved Slow Roll is stepping down from his role as the public personality behind the city’s now-famous neighborhood bicycle ride. Slow Roll isn’t going away – and Jason isn’t going anywhere. He’s definitely staying in Detroit. But his role will change and his commitment to the city is going to grow in terms of …

LISTEN: How Mama Shu Is Saving One Of America’s Most Blighted Blocks

What do you do when a neighborhood… and your city… crumble? Leave? Throw your hands up? Not Mama Shu. She’s taken tragedy — the death of her son by a hit and run driver, Jakobi Ra — and turned that energy into Avalon Village. Avalon Village is a magical corner of Highland Park where Mama Shu and a group of people who love their city have made a safe place. A homework …

Plans Emerge For The New Girl Scouts Of Southeastern Michigan’s Headquarters In Detroit

Now that cookie season is over, you might not think much about the Girl Scouts...unless you have a kid involved in a troop. But there are 32,000 girls and adult volunteers involved with the Girl Scouts in and around metro Detroit. Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan is the council that oversees this region. They have a new headquarters in Eastern Market. The new 16,000 …

PODCAST: A Streetcar With Much To Be Desired, Giant Star Wars Photo & More

This is your Daily Detroit News Byte for Tuesday, May 1. Here's what we're talking about today. New data shows struggles for the QLINE (LINK: Bridge Michigan). The team talks about the missed opportunities, how it should have ran down the center lane and a winter story of beating the streetcar in the snow. 18 New Townhouses are coming to Corktown May the Fourth be …

Gleaners Women’s Power Breakfast Kicks Off Million Meals Match Campaign On Thursday, April 19

Currently one in five Michigan children face hunger. Nearly 300,000 school aged children who live in southeast Michigan are at risk of not having enough food to eat. That number is staggering and honestly heartbreaking. Most of these school aged children are eligible for free or reduced meals during the week. However, once the weekend and summer vacation hits they often have …

Happy Hour Podcast: Fighting Hunger In Metro Detroit With Gleaners

Hunger is a real challenge throughout metro Detroit, and an organization at the front of dealing with that challenge is Gleaners. Sven Gustafson has Children's Hospital of Michigan CEO Luann Thomas Ewald and Bridget Brown from Gleaners on the show to talk about the upcoming Women's Power Breakfast, Women's Power Happy Hour, and their Million Meal Match Campaign. Of …