Hey friends, it's Jer.
It’s only Monday night and there’s already a lot to cover. Summer used to slow down; this year it definitely isn’t. So let’s jump right in.
What's Happening
🇨🇦 President Trump just signed orders for a 50% tariff on a wide range of Canadian exports, from wine and dairy to hockey sticks and furniture. He's claiming Canada is discriminating against U.S. cars, cheese and alcohol. [New York Times]
The move uses a legally untested, obscure Great Depression–era law and is expected to reignite a trade fight with one of America’s closest partners, with certain fallout for cross-border trade through Detroit–Windsor.
Trade fights like this have already hurt Southeast Michigan’s economy, costing thousands of jobs and shrinking profit‑sharing checks. The Detroit Regional Chamber says more than 234,000 jobs in our area are tied to trade with Canada.
All this is happening just as the new Gordie Howe International Bridge is supposed to open July 27. [Canada]
🥬 The Food and Drug Administration says a Taylor Farms lettuce sample that tested positive for cyclospora was actually a false positive.
This is as the outbreak grows to more than 6,100 cases and 102 hospitalizations in Michigan alone.
There are still zero confirmed positive product samples for the parasite, but the recall stands. Taylor Farms is keeping its central Mexico iceberg lettuce off shelves “out of an abundance of caution,” and Taco Bell has already pulled the product from its restaurants in Michigan and four other states
The public messaging around all of this has been a mess, and a local crisis-comms pro says it shouldn't be this way.
🧱 We now have more confirmed detail on the RenCen timeline. The Free Press reports Bedrock is aiming to have demolition of the two riverfront towers closest to the water underway by summer 2027. [Detroit Free Press]
🎭 For more than 30 years, Planet Ant in Hamtramck has been a home for the arts, from stage shows to comedy and more. I've had a ton of good times visiting friends and seeing a vital part of the region's creative scene.
Like many inclusive, creative spaces right now, they’re feeling the impact of mass disinvestment in the arts through cuts to grants and support, and they’re staring at a $50k budget hole. They’re looking to the community for help. [FB Post] [Planet Ant]
🏀 Mitch Albom’s SAY Detroit is launching a $12‑million‑plus project to transform the historic St. Cecilia School and Gym on the west side into its second youth academic and recreation center, backed by a $5 million gift from Steve Ballmer. [Crain's Detroit]
There's been a waitlist at their first location for years.
🎧 Can Highland Park roar back? Shamayim “Mama Shu” Harris says yes.
Today on the Daily Detroit podcast, I sat down with the Highland Park mayoral candidate and Avalon Village founder.
She’s one of the most persevering people I’ve ever met — turning tragedy into a torrent of warm energy. It’s a reminder that a lot of people who carry themselves with positive energy aren’t naive; they’ve just seen how dark it can get.
We get into how she turned one of the city’s most notorious blocks into a grassroots hub with streetlights, a homework house, basketball courts, and shipping‑container retail.
We also talk about what that work taught her about transforming blight into beauty, rebuilding housing and neighborhood businesses, and why she believes Highland Park can stand strong as its own city.
Listen free wherever you get shows. [Apple Podcasts] [Daily Detroit]
News Bites
☕️ Washed Up Coffee is expanding with a second location inside Stadt Garten in Midtown.
The team tells me they’re building a “stunning” bar setup with indoor and outdoor garden seating, aiming for an intentional, higher‑end coffee program without losing the laid‑back, fun personality that’s made their first spot on Kercheval in Detroit’s West Village a hit.
Almost every time I go, it's busy. They're expecting to open at Alexandrine and Second within the next month. [Washed Up]
🍝 A new Italian restaurant is headed to one of downtown Detroit’s most visually interesting spaces.
Prime Concepts Detroit plans to open Aurora Italiana Detroit later this year inside the historic former Michigan Oriental Theater at Grand Circus Park — the former home of PAO.
If they hit the promise of their renderings (I’ve included three here), it’ll be visually stunning. The concept is modeled after a traditional Italian trattoria, pairing a rustic, hospitality‑forward vibe with the ornate architecture that earned the space a “most beautiful restaurant in America” nod in 2024.
The restaurant is expected to seat around 110 guests across two floors, with an open kitchen and a menu focused on house‑made pastas, breads, and sauces. They’re also promising a seed‑oil‑free kitchen, if you’re into that sort of thing.
There’s no opening date yet. The project is part of a broader shift for the building, with plans in the works to convert the adjacent Briggs Houze property into a Hyatt hotel.
🛑 After more than a decade, the Time Out Bar and Grill in Livonia has run out of time... and is closing at the end of the month. [Instagram]
🛑 Lincoln Yard in Birmingham is closing. It had been open just two years. [Detroit News]
That's it for tonight. If you've got feedback, hit up our contact form.
Later this week I'll share my reading list. There's some great longer form pieces I'd love for you to check out. Hopefully tomorrow.
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Remember that you are somebody,
-Jer
