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Photograph or avatar of Jer Staes
Detroit-based auto supplier American Axle & Manufacturing to merge with UK-based Dowlais in a $1.44B cash and stock deal

The merger brings together AAM's expertise in driveline systems with the global metal forming capabilities of Dowlais, creating a more diversified automotive supplier with a bigger geographic footprint. They expect cost savings through operational efficiencies and scale. [AAM Newsroom]

Driving the news: Electric vehicles require far fewer parts than combustion ones, and suppliers are adapting. Whatever happens in the U.S. with EVs, the auto industry is global and players are dealing with different sets of regulations and increased Chinese competition.

Photograph or avatar of Jer Staes
Public House is shutting down after 12+ years

On February 9, it's curtains for one of the long-time spots of downtown Ferndale.

From a statement by Brian Kramer, the CEO of parent company Hometown Restaurant Group who owns the joint:

The restaurant business is very difficult right now. In my 30-plus years in the restaurant business, I’ve never experienced a tougher economy than what we are experiencing today. Add to this the high food costs, high labor costs, intense competition, the need for constant quality control, tight profit margins and endless hours of work — we just agreed the time was right to close the restaurant, take a step back, focus on our other restaurant operations and give someone else a chance to re-concept the location.
📸 via Public House Facebook

The space at 241 W. Nine Mile Road is going to become a Sidecar Slider Bar. That's a local outfit that started in Birmingham and is expanding, with locations in Farmington, Brighton, Lansing, Plymouth, Grosse Pointe, and Sterling Heights.

My two cents: I had some good memories at Public House and went to a holiday party there just a few weeks ago. But listeners of our podcast tell me service at times was mixed.

Today, we discuss two major news stories affecting Michigan, but have national ties.

You can download the mp3 of the episode here.

The first is a sudden federal government funding freeze, the second is the

The people behind the popular Noble Fish sushi restaurant and White Wolf Japanese patisserie,will be opening two new Asian food halls in Metro Detroit called "Noble Village."

Listen to the episode (mp3)

The first,

What are Detroit's movers and shakers thinking and talking about?

 We went to the 2025 Detroit Policy Conference on Thursday and have some highlights and thoughts on our Daily Detroit podcast (download the episode

Perceptions of Downtown Detroit among residents and the wider region are up, according to a new survey. What are the areas that have made progress, and where is there still work to do? Eric Larson,

Today's episode is in the three parts.

First, a 21-story smaller tower of the RenCen complex is up for auction and the starting bid is under $3m. Should we buy it? Should we turn parking

Today’s episode gets into the need to increase Detroit’s transit funding, and what advocates at Transportation Riders United (TRU) say is the path toward a better transit system in the city. Our guest

On today's all-local podcast:

  • An update on the proposal to cover  I-75 in downtown Detroit with parks, including funding and what's next
  • New Center's potential sparks optimisim with a listener
  • Another listener says that