Today's episode Producer Shianne and Devon O'Reilly join Jer to talk about things around town.
- We're going back to the Mackinac Policy Conference this year. We talk about why we do it and how we've
Mark your calendars: Ferndale Pride is in downtown Ferndale on Saturday, May 31st, 2025. The party kicks off with an opening ceremony at 12:30p, vendors and stages open at 1p, and the energy
"Cozy' and "neighborly" are two words that popped into my head when I attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new café and plant shop in Detroit's Midtown neighborhood today.
Having had the idea for a couple years, co-owners Alan Alexander and Adam Cichy opened last November but waited until warmer weather for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Key in making this happen was a $70,000 Motor City Match grant to help with construction, equipment, and furniture.
I enjoyed light snacks made by Alan, and I sipped a warm, honey vanilla latte.
With training at the Culinary Institute of America and an eye for design, the owners created a space that made me want to return.
On the menu you'll find coffee and tea, plus lunch items like chicken salad sandwiches, and smoke salmon carpaccio.
Plus, there's unique home goods, and you will be given care guidance if you purchase a plant.
Alcohol may be in the future as Alan and Adam are working on obtaining a liquor license.
dose. detroit is located at 3706 4th Street. It is open every day except for Monday.
I was headed down Oakland Avenue over the weekend and saw some big construction work happening on what will become a mixed-use building with retail spaces, apartments and a parking lot out back.
Built in 1925, the commercial block was on the city's demo list until the non-profit Stafford House put the project forward.
It'll have four ground-floor commercial spaces at about 1,000 square foot each. Last I could find, there'd be a coffee shop, training center, retail and offices for an engineering company.
The second floor will have 10 affordable apartments.
The project aims to be complete by the end of this year.
Detroit is getting ready for a pivotal election! Residents will choose the next mayor in 2025. This is important because the mayor leads the city and helps solve problems for the next four years.
Daily Detroit wants to help you learn about the people who want to be mayor. There are 10 people running, and we are talking to them one by one. So far, we've shared talks with 3 of them.
In these talks, you can hear about who the candidates are and what they plan to do for Detroit. It's a good way to understand their ideas before you vote.
Here are links to the three conversations we have so far:
Fred Durhal III
Jer Staes
Saunteel Jenkins
Jer Staes
Mary Sheffield
Jer Staes
We plan on talking to more people running for mayor soon, so keep listening to Daily Detroit!
Remember these important dates for the election:
- Primary on August 5, 2025: A vote to pick fewer people to run.
- General on November 4, 2025: The final vote to choose the mayor.
If you're a candidate and would like to join us (for mayor or city council), get in touch.
Fletcher Sharpe and Jer Staes hit some of the stories you might have missed and talk about the heartbreaking loss by the Detroit Pistons on Sunday afternoon.
The rundown:
01:00 - Detroit Basketball playoffs
Yes, Detroit Can
In the third in our series of conversations with candidates for Mayor of the City of Detroit, I sit down with current Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield on a number of issues from entrepreneurship
On this edition of your Daily Detroit, Fletcher and Jer talk Detroit stuff:
02:06 - Fletcher and Jer discuss Mayor Mike Duggan's recent comment about courting Tesla at the auto show. More: https:
One of the most common pieces of listener feedback we get is why are we often positive about Detroit? Why don't we generally cover mayhem? And how can we think Detroit and Metro Detroit is
The free festival this year is the weekend of May 3rd and 4th. It's been running since 1966.
You can get all the details here but I'm looking forward to the traditional Polish food and the strawberry pies. Since I can eat there or take it home, I'll grab an extra pie for the road.
I'm Polish, but you don't need to be to attend.
Both days. there will be live music from local bands like the Polish Muslims, Kamerton, and the Kielbasa Kings. And don't miss the folk dances Sunday.
If you didn't know, St. Florian is the patron saint of firefighters. To honor that, on Saturday there's a firefighters march at 3:30p from the Hamtramck fire station to the church — followed by a mass at 4p.
St. Florian is at 2026 Poland Street in Hamtramck.
How do organizations with deep roots and old traditions handle the challenges of today's communities? Especially in a city like Detroit, which has such a unique and sometimes difficult story.
The 5% overall increase in service (starting today) means 13 routes will see more frequent buses, and 17 routes are to see expanded service hours on weekends, says press materials from the Detroit Department of Transportation.
This is in large part thanks to a $20 million increase in DDOT's budget, with money for additional maintenance, mechanics and bus stop staff. Another $2.7m is for more shelters and benches across the city.
45 new buses are joining the fleet, which will become nearly a quarter hybrid coaches.
Weekday Frequency Improvements
- 2-Michigan, 5-Van Dyke/Lafayette, 31-Mack: Improve daytime peak frequency to 20 minutes (up from 30 minutes)
- 3-Grand River, 7-Seven Mile, 10-Greenfield : Improve midday base to every 15 minutes (up from 20 minutes)
- 17-Eight Mile: Improve midday base service to every 20 minutes (up from 30 minutes)
- 18-Fenkell: Improve daytime frequency to every 40 minutes on weekdays (up from 45-50 minutes)
Weekend Frequency Improvements
- 1-Vernor, 5-Van Dyke/Lafayette : 45 minute daytime frequency on Sundays (up from 60 minutes)
- 3-Grand River, 6-Gratiot, 7-Seven Mile : Improve Saturday daytime service to every 20 minutes (up from 30 minutes)
- 8-Warren: 30 minute daytime frequency on Saturdays and 45 minute daytime frequency on Sundays (both up 15 minutes each)
29-Linwood: 50 minute daytime seven days/week (up from 60 minutes)
23-Hamilton/John R: 45 minute peak weekday service (up from 60 minutes)
Saturday and Sunday span improvements
17 routes will run from 7a to 9p. Previous hours had started later and ended earlier, be sure to check your schedules.
My pro tip: For now, I'm using the Transit app. I'm a regular bus rider, and having real-time tracking is quite helpful because although progress, there's still a long way to go.
According to press materials, it'll open on April 24, 2025 and will be in the old Andiamo spot on Main Street in downtown Royal Oak.
This will be the 71st location for the chain that was founded in 2010. They offer broths simmered for 20 hours, traditional Japanese rice bowls, handcrafted noodles, craft cocktails, craft beer, and more.
They also have what they call "premium" toppings like tender pork chashu, shrimp wonton and seasoned eggs.
The Royal Oak location will be open Sunday through Wednesday from 11a to 10p and Thursday through Saturday from 11a to 11p.
Devon, Norris, and Jer respond to your listener feedback on recent stories - specifically around Michigan Central seeming to be very quiet, and the prospects for improved transit in the city and area - and
Producer Shianne, Engineer Randy, and Jer sat down at the studio at TechTown and rank Michigan-made Hudsonville Ice Cream flavors against eachother to decide which flavor reigns supreme in our very unofficial taste test.
The
There's a story we often tell ourselves about the American economy, particularly when we talk about trade, manufacturing, and small business.
It is often simplified in political debates. One focused on bringing jobs back, on
Join me and Devon O'Reilly on your Daily Detroit for a packed episode covering everything from hopeful superstitions to major downtown developments and exciting new food spots!
Recorded live from TechTown, there's also a video
Creative communities, on one hand, offer spaces for connection, self-expression, and profound meaning-making. Awesome things.
But on the other, particularly in scenes built around music and nightlife, they can become entwined with cultures of substance
On today's show, we talk about what makes a great comedy night on Detroit's west side, to the Pistons making the playoffs — to Daily Detroit over the weekend being the top local daily news podcast
As Opening Day faded into the night, I noticed a vacant commercial space in Downtown Detroit come back alive as the new High Spirits bar soft opened.
Located in the old Garden Pub space (also known as St. Brigid's Bathtub Pub) between Lafayette Gardens and Lafayette Coney Island, the interior of the space has chic vibes without being overly dapper.
Owner Nick Kefallinos told me the grand opening is aimed for the middle of April.
Because of the limitations of the building — High Spirits will be drinks only, and might partner with others for food.
Located at 125 Michigan Avenue in Detroit, they have an Instagram you can follow.
Locally, the Hands Off protests filled the sidewalks of Woodward Avenue with thousands of people, running from the DIA to Little Caesars Arena and back on Saturday, April 5. They also popped up across Metro