Twisted Storytellers

The recent decision by the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade was nothing if not polarizing. Many across the country were devastated — feeling emotionally overwhelmed and scared for a future without abortion access. Others were elated, having worked for decades to overturn the right to an abortion — they felt relief and reassurance that they saved an untold millions of unborn lives. But those who were hurt by the recent decision have not been sitting on their hands. Across the country, they have been organizing to keep or otherwise ensure that abortion is a right in their respective state. In Michigan, organizers are working to ensure that abortion access is enshrined in the state’s constitution. The organizations leading the charge submitted a record amount of signatures to get the initiative onto the November ballot. “It would protect the fundamental right to make decisions about pregnancy, including prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, abortion, miscarriage management and infant fertility care.” — Loren Khogali, executive director of the ACLU of Michigan. Listen: Organizers of the Reproductive Freedom for All campaign discuss the ballot proposal.   https://wdet.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DT-REPRODUCTIVE-FREEDOM-07-14-2022.mp3 Guest Loren Khogali is the executive director at ACLU of Michigan and one of the leaders of the Reproductive Freedom for All ballot initiative campaign. The ballot campaign initiative aims to guarantee access to an abortion in the state’s constitution. “It would protect the fundamental right to make decisions about pregnancy, including prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, abortion, miscarriage management and infant fertility care,” says Khogali. Nicole Wells Stallworth is the executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan. Planned Parenthood is also leading the charge on the ballot initiative campaign. She says, if put on the ballot and passed, the measure would go beyond protecting abortion access, also allowing people to carry out their full reproductive decisions with the facilitation of their doctor. “There is a component of this that allows the state to regulate at the point of fetal viability, which is a medically determined process that we really feel strongly that it’s really important that people make these decisions between themselves and their medical professionals.” Trusted, accurate, up-to-date. WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today » The post Organizers of Michigan abortion ballot proposal campaign say measure goes beyond protecting access appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Waterford) and U.S. Rep. Andy Levin (D-Bloomfield Township) are facing off in the newly redrawn 11th Congressional District. That’s partly because the new districts in Michigan were drawn up by an independent citizens commission. Levin fashions himself as a pragmatic progressive, and has won support of labor unions and the backing of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont). He also talks a lot about our warming climate, and the need to bring more clean energy jobs to Michigan to combat climate change. Stevens, on the other side, talks about her work in the Obama administration, helping to bail out the auto industry and lowering health insurance costs. She’s won support from political staples like retiring Rep. Brenda Lawrence. The cities that are included in the 11th District have become more diverse by class, race and political affiliation and it leaves questions about how far to the left the area is shifting. “I think it’s a very interesting race in terms of what that district looks like and where that district is gonna go, and, of course, this race, like always, is going to be determined by who actually votes in this primary.” — Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press Listen: Why the race in Michigan’s 11th Congressional District looks so close.   https://wdet.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DT-11-DISTRICT-07-14-2022.mp3 Guest Todd Spangler is a Detroit Free Press writer covering politics. He’s been covering Reps. Andy Levin and Haley Stevens. He says the race is likely going to be close, and may be a contest between swing voters and more progressive-leaning individuals. “I think it’s a very interesting race in terms of what that district looks like and where that district is gonna go, and, of course, this race, like always, is going to be determined by who actually votes in this primary,” says Spangler. Trusted, accurate, up-to-date. WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today » The post Michigan’s 11th Congressional District race: The differences between Andy Levin and Haley Stevens appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

The United States is facing a reckoning with how American history is taught in schools nationwide as education becomes an increasingly partisan issue. While concepts like critical race theory are the latest point of interest, this is not a new phenomenon. The 1619 Project is an example of an effort to correct this issue. Still, many find it hard to reconcile the romanticized version of American history with its nuanced and complicated realities. For example, recently, a tour detailing the history of slavery at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello estate led to claims from some commentators that Monticello is ruining the founding father’s legacy. So how do we reconcile the complex realities of American history and come to terms with our past? “We try to tell the truth about what happened in ancient Rome, or in the French revolution, or whatever else, and there’s no reason that we shouldn’t be telling everything we know about what happened in this country too.” —Bill McKibben, author Listen: Author Bill McKibben says we’re still deciding what American history means.   https://wdet.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DT-MCKIBBEN-07-13-2022.mp3 Guest Bill McKibben is an educator, environmentalist and author of “The Flag, the Cross, and the Station Wagon: A Graying American Looks Back at His Suburban Boyhood and Wonders What the Hell Happened.” He says while we are learning much more about history, often it is still tragically reduced to bumper stickers that fail to give us a rich sense of our past. “All people are trying to do, I think, when they introduce things like the 1619 Project, is let young people grow up with an actual understanding of what our history is about. And that doesn’t mean that you have to hate the country, or anything like it,” says McKibben. “That’s what history is. We try to tell the truth about what happened in ancient Rome, or in the French revolution, or whatever else, and there’s no reason that we shouldn’t be telling everything we know about what happened in this country too.”   Bill McKibben photo credit: StoryWorkz Trusted, accurate, up-to-date. WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today » The post Why it is important to teach the good, bad and ugly of American history appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

The Michigan Reproductive Freedom for All campaign turned in petitions this week to put abortion rights into the state Constitution. That’s several hundred thousand registered voters who’ve put their names on paper as supporting the cause. And that support could extend beyond abortion rights and offer some help for Democrats and progressives going into this November’s elections. The U.S. Supreme Court decision to strike down Roe v. Wade was expected, but was still a gut punch, says Danielle Atkinson of the group Mothering Justice. But, she said, there was a perverse benefit because that’s exactly when the reproductive rights campaign that she’s part of was in the field collecting signatures. “People were just itching for something to do after Roe was struck down, so it was like something tangible,” she told Michigan Public Radio. Several thousand people joined as petition circulators. The campaign turned in 753,759 signatures that are being vetted now by state elections officials. The campaign gathered so many signatures that thousands and thousands would have to be disqualified for the question to be denied a spot on the ballot. Flipping the script Atkinson is also part of another petition campaign to enshrine voting rights in the state constitution, and both have collected a record number of signatures. She says the information gleaned from those petitions can be a treasure trove used to create new voter networks. “The smartest way to do it is to mobilize your volunteers in a way that they are talking to their friends and family,” she said. “They’re starting a continuous conversation and that they are collecting names and that you are immediately following up, right?” That could, in a way, flip the script when it comes to abortion rights campaigns in the state. Right to Life of Michigan and affiliated organizations have over decades effectively used the petition process to enact laws and build local voter networks that elected officials fear and respect. The result has been laws that ban the use of Medicaid funds for abortion, require parental consent in most cases for minors seeking abortions, and demand 24-hour waiting periods. Republican political consultant Jamie Roe said those measures remain popular with the party base, who are also fired up after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling. And, he said, Republicans also have voter lists. “I don’t think it’s the end all be all that some people might make it out to be,” he told Michigan Public Radio. “And it is also going to turn out Republicans and it’s going to turn out conservatives. There’s a lot of pro-life people. The state’s pretty equally divided on it.” And he says Right to Life has played a long game as it’s grown its influence. Lessons learned “I think so many people who maybe hadn’t been part of the political process realized how powerful they actually are,” says state Sen. Mallory McMorrow. State Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak) said the abortion rights movement has learned lessons from the campaigns to erode abortion rights. She said petition drives are a form of direct democracy that can inspire voters. “In a moment when it feels like we are so powerless to do anything, I think so many people who maybe hadn’t been part of the political process realized how powerful they actually are.” She said that includes people who have felt detached from politics and might be persuaded to turn out, and that could be the game changer over the longer term. “This is step one in showing people that you have a direct say in this process. You have the ability to change how your government works, what rights you have, what freedoms you have, but also giving people an avenue to keep going.” Along with ballot questions, control of the Legislature is at stake this year and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel, and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson are seeking reelection. All support abortion rights while the yet-to-be officially selected Republican nominees oppose them. So, the question in 2022 is: Will getting many thousands of people to sign petitions in the summer translate to political clout come November and beyond?   Top image credit: Nate Pappas/WDET Listen: How support for campaign could extend beyond abortion rights.   https://wdet.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Ballot0712-Ftr.mp3   Trusted, accurate, up-to-date. WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today » The post Abortion rights drive could help seed future campaigns appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

There are serious systemic blockages from passing significant federal legislation.  However, state and local governments generally have fewer structural problems passing legislation to improve American life. Now in Michigan, gerrymandering has been eliminated with the creation of new, citizen-created political maps. This makes the upcoming political primaries very exciting and more complicated in Michigan, according to two local political consultants. “The days of L Brooks Patterson-type politics where, you know, it’s only about my backyard and nobody else’s, are pretty much gone.” — Greg Bowens, political consultant Listen: What local candidates are saying about why they are running.   https://wdet.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DT-DETROIT-PRIMARY-07-12-2022.mp3 Guest Sheila Cockrel is a former Detroit city councilmember, a political consultant and the CEO of CitizenDetroit . She has been allowing candidates in southeast Michigan to express to the public why they are running and what issues they are running on with CitizenDetroit. Cockrel says that there is real concern about not having an African American representative in Congress, but also notes that Michigan’s state legislature may become more representative by race. “The possibility out here is that there will be no Black person running the city of Detroit in the United States Congress — I think that’s a real concern,” Cockrel says. Greg Bowens is a political consultant in Detroit. He says the new political maps allow for more regionalism in the southeast Michigan, which could produce better coalition building. “The days of L Brooks Patterson-type politics where, you know, it’s only about my backyard and nobody else’s are pretty much gone,” says Bowens. You can find who is running where and short speeches from some of the candidates running at this link. Trusted, accurate, up-to-date. WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today » The post Why it’s important to vote in the primaries appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

Tonight, BridgeDetroit will help host a free town hall event on Belle Isle to give Detroiters the chance to express what we need from city government and how we want city tax dollars spent. Thus far, the local media outlet has spoken with over 135 residents across six city council districts. The discussions have mostly focused on the distribution of federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars, the need for money to help with home repair, and the services of utility companies. “Detroiters are overburdened by their utility costs. They’re frustrated by broadband or lack of broadband access or options.” — Catherine Kelly, managing editor and director of BridgeDetroit. Listen: What issues local journalists have been hearing about the issues facing Detroit residents.   https://wdet.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DT-BRIDGEDETROIT-07-12-2022.mp3 Guest Orlando Bailey is the co-host of the Authentically Detroit podcast and engagement director for BridgeDetroit. Bailey says the public forums are meant to allow Detroiters to drive the outlet’s reporting. “We are trying really hard not to be a newsroom that sort of gatekeeps in our ivory tower and decides what’s news. We are letting Detroiters drive that,” Bailey says. Catherine Kelly is the managing editor and director of BridgeDetroit. Kelly says the outlet has been talking with local residents about community engagement and focusing on issues that are showing up in residents’ lives. “Detroiters are overburdened by their utility costs,” Kelly says. “They’re frustrated by broadband or lack of broadband access or options. Public transportation continues to be a real challenge in the City of Detroit as well as auto insurance.” Trusted, accurate, up-to-date. WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today » The post BridgeDetroit to host free public forum tonight at 6 p.m. on Belle Isle appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

Art lovers rejoice. On Saturday, downtown Berkley is set to transform into an outdoor art studio for the Berkley Street Art Fest. From 11 a.m. until 5 p.m., chalk artists will create colorful street art with a chance to win prizes. The fair will feature a closed street environment for residents and visitors alike to experience the city. The fair will feature a closed street environment for residents and visitors alike to experience the city. Chalk will be provided and visitors can pick a spot on the pavement to create art that will be on display until it rains. The Berkley Street Art Fest aims to bring awareness to “good” products, items that are made to benefit the communities they serve. The Shop for Good Village was introduced to the street art fair last year. It features upcycled and recycled items that are ethically produced global products, like vegan or organic goods. Darlene Rothman, executive director of the Berkley Area Chamber of Commerce, says the items produced in the Shop for Good Village are made to have a lasting impact. “It’s a whole different level of commitment and conversation that I think the public walks away from feeling strengthened and more whole-hearted, in addition to coming to a fun day for seeing and participating in art.” One of the artists participating in this year’s Shop for Good Village is Angie Schultz from Michigan-owned Better Way Designs. Her company works to help women out of trafficking and into stability. Schultz says it feels good to be a part of the Shop for Good Village. “The more we sell, the more women we can hire. Anytime that we can get our name out there and our products out there, the better.”   Photos courtesy of Kamryn Lowler, Account Executive for Catalyst Media Factory  Listen: Darlene Rothman and Angie Schultz talk this year’s festival and its importance to the Metro Detroit art community.   https://wdet.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/CS-Berkley-Art-Fair-WEB.mp3 Trusted, accurate, up-to-date. WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today » The post Berkley Street Art Fest to transform downtown into an outdoor art studio appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

“Communities of Hope” features Detroiters from communities of color who have been looking for ways to persevere during the pandemic. As the COVID-19 pandemic raged on, Fares Abdulmalek decided he had to find a different way to earn income. He decided to lean into one of his dreams of opening a Yemeni shop called Finjan Cafe in Garden City. His goal was to educate the world about Yemen’s rich coffee history. Abdulmalek is a 34-year-old Yemeni man with a 5-foot 11-inch frame. He smiles shyly. He stands behind the counter in a bright yellow T-shirt, khakis and black sneakers. Abdulmalek was born in Yemen, and later moved to the United States with his family. He attended Dearborn schools, then studied radiation therapy and health and nutrition at Wayne State. He worked at Starbucks during his college days. During a trip to Yemen in 2008, Abdulmalek was looking for a cup of dark roast coffee when he stumbled upon the age-old, traditional ways of cultivating and brewing Yemeni coffee. “I saw the different kinds of coffee that we didn’t serve at Starbucks.” Fares Abdulmalek serves customers at Finjan Cafe. Yemen is known as the birthplace of commercial coffee, originating around 1500 A.D. A couple of centuries later coffee beans were being shipped from the Port of Mokha to different parts of the world. Over the years Abdulmalek brewed the idea of combining his love of coffee with a way to educate Metro Detroiters about Yemeni culture. Then COVID-19 hit in 2020. At the time he was working as a pediatric cardiology assistant at local hospitals. “You’re just scared to spread it to your family going home,” he says. Abdulmalek realized he no longer wanted to work in health care clinics or hospitals. Instead, he thought of safer ways to make income like opening up his dream coffee shop. He took a leap of faith and opened Finjan Cafe in October 2021 while working part time at his day job. “I was inspired to mix the two cultures and also help Yemeni farmers. So we’re importing coffee from Yemen, and we’re having other cultures try the Yemeni coffee.” He’s referring to helping farmers who are living through a civil war and famine. Adeni chai, Khaliat Nahl, or honeycomb bread, and Turkish milk cake are popular items at Finjan Cafe. “A very homey feeling” at Finjan Cafe Abdulmalek says opening the cafe wasn’t easy during the pandemic. “Couldn’t find workers,” he says, “… just challenging for also me running it going back home or going home have the family get COVID or anything so it’s just like it was hard.” Eventually, he staffed the café and quit his health care jobs. The name of the café comes from the Arabic word “finjan” or a small handle-less coffee cup. “I remembered my dad yelling at me saying go get gave me my finjan qahwa … That means cup of coffee.” The name stuck. Malak Dorra of Dearborn Heights recently discovered the cafe with a friend. “We came here and first impression was the decor is amazing. Very, very homey feeling. And the staff was just absolutely amazing,” she says. Fares Abdulmalek, owner of Finjan Cafe, recommends a drink for Malak Dorra of Dearborn Heights. Dorra tells Abdulmalek she needs a strong brew to keep her awake. It’s something other customers do too, describing what they are looking for in caffeine or flavor. “So far, my favorite is the chai latte. It’s just amazing. But he made this concoction. I don’t know specifically what it’s called. But I think it’s the Yemeni adeni (chai) with a couple of shots of espresso,” she says. Abdulmalek mostly imports coffee from the Port of Mokha. Recently he purchased land in Yemen and hired a family to plant 4,000 coffee trees. The plants grow in mountain valleys spiraling downward to stagger the rainwater. Plants take about four years to grow and bear fruit twice a year once they start producing bright red berries. Afterward, the coffee cherries are picked by hand, sorted and peeled. Then they are sun-dried before being shipped in containers to the U.S. Nagwa Ali is a public school administrator and the president of the nonprofit Promise Relief Organization, dedicated to helping women and orphans in Yemen. She says the group held its first pop-up fundraiser at Finjan Cafe in April. “The cafes are definitely bringing people together. I’ve met so many new people. It’s just a great thing … to have in the community and teaching load about our culture,” Ali says. Ali says Yemeni coffee shops are bridging the gap between the public and the Yemeni community, which is often misunderstood or misrepresented. “Coffee is this common thing that makes everyone happy,” Ali says. “I think that it’s wonderful. I think it’s amazing that they’re popping up everywhere and that recognition is that of a positive nature,” she says. Ali says the cafes present a unique opportunity to preserve Yemeni culture and heritage through education and investment. Building a legacy Inside the cafe, Abdulmalek boils water on a pot on a burner and adds loose tea, spices and milk. And then he watches and waits, keeping a close eye on the concoction so it doesn’t boil over. He says opening Finjan gave him the opportunity to pursue a legacy. “You just kind of just keep on working and push forward,” he says. “You know you’re doing it for yourself and you see a result so you’re always happy. Every time you’re tired and you say you work too much, you see the other end, your success in what you’re building for the future, for your family and that’s why keeps you happy.” For Fares Abdulmalek opening a Yemeni cafe is more than just serving coffee and sweets. It’s about preserving culture and community. He’s found a way to introduce Yemeni heritage to Americans through their love of coffee. Abdulmalek says opening Finjin Cafe is the best of both worlds — providing for his family while doing something he loves —  and helping rebuild his childhood homeland in Yemen.   All photos by Nargis Hakim Rahman Listen: How Fares Abdulmalek is preserving culture and heritage at Finjan Cafe.   https://wdet.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/COH-10-Finjan-Cafe-FTR.mp3 Trusted, accurate, up-to-date. WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today » The post Finjan Cafe owner sets out to build a Yemeni legacy appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

The rise of gun violence is a serious threat in this nation. Over 40% of Americans rank gun violence as a top issue. Considering that the vast majority of gun violence and mass shootings are committed by men, it’s leading to more introspective thought about masculinity, what we expect of men and what role these expectations play in society. “We frankly lie about what masculinity looks like.” — Frederick Joseph, Author Listen: How strict definitions of masculinity can harm men in society.   https://wdet.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DT-JOSEPH-07-08-2022.mp3 Guest Frederick Joseph is the author of “Patriarchy Blues: Reflections on Manhood” and a Forbes Under 30 list-maker for marketing and advertising. He says many interpretations of what means to be “masculine” are misguided, as masculinity and femininity are defined by the individual. “We presuppose what it means to be masculine — who gets to be masculine, how masculinity shows up,” says Joseph. “And we frankly lie about what masculinity looks like.” Trusted, accurate, up-to-date. WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today » The post What does it mean to be masculine? appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

The rumors are true: The legendary Cass Café is closing its doors after 29 years. Melody Baetens of The Detroit News confirmed with the café’s owner, Chuck Roy, that July 17 will be their last day of business. As the restaurant industry faces rapid changes, she says Roy is just looking to retire. “If you want to get your favorite stuff, you gotta get in there.” — Melody Baetens, The Detroit News Situated prominently in Cass Corridor, the café was a staple to both students from Wayne State University and to local artists. Artists like Tylonn J. Sawyer, Gilda Snowden and Paul Johnson (also known as FFTY) had some of their first shows at the Cass Café’s gallery, and the space served as an influential gathering place for emerging artists. As for the food, though the menu hasn’t changed much since the late ’90s, it was ahead of its time for vegetarian and vegan dining, Baetens says. “It was also one of the first places where you could get a vegan anything or a vegetarian anything besides a salad or a grilled cheese. They really catered to a lot of different dietary needs before it became the norm in restaurants.” Baetens says the future of the building is still uncertain. “[Roy] said they have some commitments at the end of the summer, they may reopen for Dally [in the Alley]. There’s a lot of uncertainty, but we do know that after July 17th, it’s gonna be dark for a while. So if you want to get your favorite stuff, you gotta get in there.”   Photo credit: Ryan Patrick Hooper/WDET Listen: Melody Baetens talks Cass Café closing and new restaurants opening.   https://wdet.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/CS-Melody-Batens-Web.mp3 Trusted, accurate, up-to-date. WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today » The post Cass Café to close its doors appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

Oakland County is the second most populated place in Michigan. It’s where some of the state’s most highly educated residents reside. And it’s also a significant driver of the state’s economy, with many white-collar jobs produced there. But over the last decade or so, Oakland County has changed demographically. And that means the politics of the area have changed as well, creating a liberal stronghold. “We’ve seen Oakland County go from being a red county to being a purple county to now pretty solidly blue.” — Dennis Darnoi, Republican political consultant Listen: What the political makeup of Oakland County looks like and how that will show up in the primaries.   https://wdet.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DT-OAKLAND-COUNTY-07-07-2022.mp3 Guest Dennis Darnoi is a Republican political consultant who tracks voter data. He says there’s a divide between the urban, suburban and rural voters within the Republican Party — adding that most urban and suburban conservative voters are focused on quality-of-life issues, such as crime and education. “We’ve seen Oakland County,” says Darnoi, “go from being a red county to being a purple county to now pretty solidly blue.” Dave Woodward is a Democrat and the chair of the Oakland County Board of Commissioners. He says the new political district lines that were drawn have helped liberals in southeast Michigan work together to improve on things like education, health care and job creation. “Our partnership with our surrounding communities — particularly Detroit, Wayne County and surrounding areas — I think the new lines lend itself to a new opportunity to be working together, to approach these problems with a regional lens,” says Woodward. Find out who’s running in Oakland County here and find out more about the candidates here. Trusted, accurate, up-to-date. WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today »

The Michigan government reached a budget deal last week. The $77 billion amount the Republican state legislature and Democratic governor settled on was close to what was originally proposed in February. Education, special local projects, infrastructure work and local government pensions received some of the highest priority. “When you have this unprecedented run up in revenues… there’s just so much money available that everybody should be able to go home pretty happy.” — Zach Gorchow, publisher and executive editor of the Gongwer News Service Listen: Where Michigan’s budget money was prioritized.   https://wdet.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DT-GORCHOW-07-07-2022.mp3 Guest Zach Gorchow is the publisher and executive editor of the Gongwer news service in Lansing. He says lawmakers had an easier time making a deal on the budget because there was so much state revenue available from federal assistance that came during the pandemic. “When you have this unprecedented run up in revenues — I mean just billions and billions and billions of dollars beyond what the state had had until very recently — there’s just so much money available that everybody should be able to go home pretty happy,” says Gorchow. Trusted, accurate, up-to-date. WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today »

The United States Supreme Court’s ruling that the Environmental Protection Agency doesn’t have the power to regulate carbon emissions deals a dramatic blow to the efforts to limit the effects of climate change. Cutting greenhouse gas emissions was a key environmental policy for the Biden administration. The ruling could have a chilling effect and limit the federal government’s ability to regulate. Jonathan Overpeck, the dean of the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan, says the Supreme Court’s decision is disastrous for America’s fight against climate change. “The Supreme Court’s decision really should be considered an affront to Americans.,” Overpeck says. “You have in the southwest United States heat waves — the longest drought ever, the worst drought ever  — a water crisis that is only growing as well as a looming agricultural crisis. “This ruling will make it difficult to save the day, just as in Michigan, where we have heat waves and more and more flooding, and our big fluctuations in the lake levels of the Great Lakes. The Supreme Court is saying, ‘Hey, you can’t stop this.’ We know how to stop it. Just as we know how to stop the big worsening hurricane problem on the Gulf and Atlantic coasts. Sea level rise, we know how to stop it. But the Supreme Court is limiting the ability of our federal government to stop it fast enough to save the day.” Listen: How the Supreme Court’s decision slows down the ability to address climate change.   https://wdet.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/MCNAMARA-ATC-SCOTUS-EPA-2-WAY.wav University of Michigan climate scientist Jonathan Overpeck Russ McNamara, WDET News: Are we at the point where we’re running out of time to absorb any kind of setback? Jonathan Overpeck the dean of the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan: We’re getting the effects of air pollution from the same fossil fuels that when burned cause climate change. Now we’re also seeing [Russian President] Vladimir Putin using fossil fuels to get the money he needs is to wage war on us and in the West. So we need to rein in the use of fossil fuels and the burning of fossil fuels. And [the SCOTUS decision] makes it a lot tougher. Nonetheless, the huge price increases we’re seeing in fossil fuels makes them quite a bit more expensive. So hopefully, economics will start to play a bigger role. But there’s no doubt that this slows down our ability to stop climate change, and all the mayhem that’s causing around the planet. If the Supreme Court truly is hostile to federal environmental regulation, what could this mean for the Clean Water Act? This means a lot these landmark environmental bills that were passed decades ago couldn’t imagine all of the types of pollution that could be hurting Americans at that time. So they passed laws that empowered federal agencies to act on pollution types that develop subsequently. And what the Supreme Court is saying is that that isn’t going to fly. And Congress must be specific on each and every type of pollutant, whether it’s an air pollutant hurting our health or causing climate change, or it’s a water pollutant affecting our health. So this is pretty devastating in terms of what it means for America and Americans. Trusted, accurate, up-to-date. WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today »

It’s not news that mass shootings are common in the U.S. This past fourth of July, at least ten people were killed in different mass shootings in Illinois, Indiana, New York and elsewhere. These tragedies occurred in the wake of the federal government finally passing gun control legislation. But many — including President Joe Biden — don’t believe the bill went far enough, which leaves questions about what more needs to be done to prevent mass shootings. “Really, the most significant thing about it is really the politics, is the fact that it did pass.” — Mike Debonis, Washington Post Congressional reporter. Listen: What the Senate’s gun control legislation means for limiting future mass shootings.   https://wdet.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DT-GUNS-07-06-2022.mp3 Guests Mike DeBonis is a Washington Post congressional reporter covering the House of Representatives. He says what matters most is the fact that after about 26 years of gun control laws not passing Congress, the most recent one did. “Really, the most significant thing about it is really the politics — is the fact that it did pass,” says DeBonis. Stephanie Hartwell is the dean of Wayne State University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and a professor of sociology. She says fostering trust between people is one of the most crucial values in order to keep each other protected and safe against gun violence. “I’m always amazed at how wonderful human beings are,” says Hartwell, “but losing that trust, and not being able to trust human beings, it impacts everything.” Trusted, accurate, up-to-date. WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today »

“Neptune Frost” is a critically acclaimed film from multidisciplinary artist Saul Williams and Rwandan-born cinematographer Anisia Uzeyman. Presented as a dynamic Afro-futuristic musical, it tells the story of escaped coltan miners who form an anti-colonialist computer hacker collective in the hilltops of Burundi. They attempt to take over the country’s brutal authoritarian regime, which is exploiting the region’s natural resources and its people. “This has been a dream that has been a long time in the making,” Williams says of the film. Set between states of being – past and present, dream and waking life, colonized and free, male and female, memory and prescience – the film follows an intersex runaway who crosses paths with one of the escaped miners, and their connection sparks glitches within the greater divine circuitry. Williams says this duality was reflective of existing mythologies. “Our film is not a documentary. It’s actually a joyful celebration of Black ingenuity, of the power that lies within us.” —Saul Williams “We told this story to an elder Burundian woman who we were auditioning for the film, who was very religious and who we thought might be turned off by the story of this transformation. When we told her the story of the film, her response was, ‘Oh, that’s an old Burundian folk tale. I know this story.’”   Still from “Neptune Frost.”   While it is rooted in real concepts, Williams says the film is more than a biopic. “Our film is not a documentary. It’s actually a joyful celebration of Black ingenuity, of the power that lies within us.” He says the project benefitted from having a cast and crew who were from Rwanda and Burundi, where the film was shot. “I think it’s a gift for us here in this country, because it allows us to bask in African languages that we don’t hear unless we happen to be in certain communities that connect us to it. Otherwise, we operate in a system that says, ‘This thing isn’t going to sell unless it’s in English, this thing isn’t going to sell unless there’s a star in it, blah, blah, blah.’” Uzeyman insists that the optimal viewing experience is in the theater. “Please go see this on a big screen because there is a beautiful, amazing collaboration in terms of music, sound and imagery.” The final screening of the film will be on Thursday at Cinema Detroit, and Williams says you won’t want to miss it. “One thing we can guarantee for any viewer who is listening now: You’ve never seen anything like it. That, we know.”   Photos courtesy of Saul Williams Listen: Saul Williams and Anisia Uzeyman talk connection between technology and mythology.   https://wdet.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/CS-Neptune-Frost-Web.mp3 Trusted, accurate, up-to-date. WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today » The post “Neptune Frost” is an Afro-futuristic musical unlike anything you’ve seen first appeared on WDET 101.9 FM.

In the United States we have the right to freedom of press, which is protected under the First Amendment.  However, that right does not exist in many places around the world. Danny Fenster is a journalist and Huntington Woods native who works with Frontier Myanmar — a news magazine based in Myanmar. On his way home to Michigan in May of 2021, he was arrested and denied bail for allegedly criticizing the Myanmar government. Fenster was held in a seven-by-nine-foot cell for six month until his release that November. “You start to go a little stir crazy staring at a wall, and then slowly, because you just can’t dwell on boredom, your mind starts entertaining itself in other ways.” — Danny Fenster, journalist Listen: Danny Fenster recounts being detained in Myanmar.   https://wdet.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DT-FENSTER-07-05-2022.mp3 Guest Danny Fenster is a journalist who was imprisoned in Myanmar during a period of instability following a military coup that occurred in the country. ​​Currently editing remotely from the U.S. for Frontier Myanmar, he says it was difficult to adjust to his life behind bars. “You start to go a little stir crazy staring at a wall,” says Fenster, “and then slowly, because you just can’t dwell on boredom, your mind starts entertaining itself in other ways — and it’s just a slow process of, kind of, normalizing the situation.” Fenster says its important to appreciate the freedoms in the U.S. that are often taken for granted. “You need to be aware of how dangerous the situation in the United States is getting,” he says, “and you also have to be somewhat appreciative of the freedoms that I think we still have.” Trusted, accurate, up-to-date. WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today » The post Journalist Danny Fenster on being held as a prisoner abroad first appeared on WDET 101.9 FM.

“The Book of Drexciya, Volume One” The graphic novel series “The Book of Drexciya” is inspired by the music from Detroit techno duo, Drexciya. This story spans back to the late 1980s when Drexciya joined forces. Together, the two created “Aquatic Invasion” in 1994, the first of a thematic series of releases. Drexciya’s James Stinson and Gerald Donald created a complex mythology with music depicting the sound of an underwater race called the Drexciyans. Under the name Drexciya, both Stinson and Donald worked together, fusing sounds and influencing artists across the globe. Along with other Detroit techno legends like Juan Atkins, Drexciya’s underwater music heavily shaped the sound of Tresor Records in Germany, founded in 1991. Related: WDET’s Chris Campbell Says Detroit’s Reach on Music Extends Far Beyond the City Until Stinson’s sudden death in 2002, the duo created multiple albums for Tresor Records, including “Neptune’s Lair” and “Harnessed The Storm,” with sounds that roll over you with captivating aquatic atmospheres and pulsating drums. Donald is still making music with Tresor Records. AbuQadim Haqq, along with a team of people, created the graphic novel directly from the complex stories told through the music from Drexciya. Haqq got involved with the duo by creating album covers. “‘Neptune’s Lair’ was a really big album for me. I got to meet with James Stinson. And he talked about all the concepts behind Drexciya and what he wanted to see in the art, and he gave me a basic structure of how Drexciyans were.” After crowdfunding campaigns and help from Tresor Records, Haqq released the first book in the series, “The Book of Drexciya, Volume One,” in 2020 and quickly followed with volume two a year later. The latest edition will dive deeper into the underwater fantasy world, while using inspiration from real people to create the characters.     One of these people is Devon McClean, who had his own idea for a comic book when he connected with Haqq. “So what I wanted to do was make a comic book about me and my son being in construction working together and the enemy would have been discrimination,” McClean shares. McClean later found himself as the lead character of the third volume in the Drexciya series. He says the story represents determination and perseverance. “It represents being hated on, but it also represents not stopping. They could have stopped. They did not have to build their civilization, they could have just dwelled in negativity and said, ‘Why is this happening?’ They could’ve stayed there [but] they chose to keep going.” They hope to release the third novel by the end of the year.   Photo courtesy of AbuQadim Haqq Listen: Dive into the underwater fantasy world of “The Book of Drexciya.”   https://wdet.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/CS-The-Drexiyans-WEB.mp3 Trusted, accurate, up-to-date. WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today » The post This Detroit techno-inspired graphic novel will take you on an underwater journey first appeared on WDET 101.9 FM.

The Flint Water Crisis began with government mismanagement. As a result, tens of thousands of people and thousands of children in Genesee County were exposed to lead. The overall impact is not yet known. Lead does not leave the body and can lead to a loss of cognitive function and developmental delays. Civil settlements have put a small price to the suffering of Flint residents, but justice and accountability have lagged far behind. The Michigan Supreme Court ruled last week that the use of one-man grand juries violates the state constitution. The prosecution of former state health officials – and former Gov. Rick Snyder – headed by the Michigan Attorney General’s office will essentially have to start over. MichMash: State hits roadblock in Flint Water Crisis case Kayla Ruble has been covering the Flint Water Crisis for national outlets since 2015 and is still reporting on it now for The Detroit News. She tells WDET’s Russ McNamara that justice for Flint residents varies from resident to resident. “So much of the water crisis, the decisions that were made, happened in agencies at the state level, or at the county level, or state-appointed officials running the city,” Ruble says. “And so I think that feeling of a lot of this was decided by people outside of our city, and we’re the ones left with this effects that we want to see officials being held accountable. I think some sort of criminal prosecution is probably one of the only ways that they will really feel satisfied in terms of that level of accountability.” Listen: Kayla Ruble on Flint officials, residents and activists’ reaction to the ruling.   https://wdet.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/MCNAMARA-ATC-FLINT-RUBLE-2-WAY.mp3 Russ McNamara, WDET News: In the initial decision to start over from scratch and now going with the use of one man grand juries. Is this a huge mistake by Attorney General Dana Nestle and Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud, in making this switch, and now essentially having to start over? Kayla Ruble, The Detroit News: I think there’s people that would say it was not a mistake. I think there’s people that would say it was a mistake. I’m not super privy to the thinking inside the Attorney General’s office. One interesting thing that I think often gets left out of the discussion is that during the first round of investigations, the [former Attorney General Bill] Schuette era, when those cases went to their preliminary preliminary hearing process, the preliminary hearing process took a very long time. [Former health director] Nick Lyon, I think, was in preliminary for almost a year before his case was bound over. It was a lot of days in court, it was very expensive. Tens of millions of dollars were spent on defense attorneys during that time period. So I do think there probably was some thinking that with the one-man grand jury, [the state] might be able to help avoid that really lengthy preliminary hearing process. I think, if that was sort of the thinking behind it, there probably be people that would have probably differing opinions on whether that was smart or not, I’m not a legal expert. So I can’t really say but I think there’s probably some interesting discussions to have around why they chose that route. In your latest article for The News, you talked with Flint officials, residents and activists. What’s their reaction to this latest setback? From people I talked to [recently], there’s anger. I would also say a lot of people were kind of shocked. Not that they didn’t necessarily know something like this could happen, but the decision kind of felt like it came unexpectedly. I think that anything [the ruling] has created a lot of uncertainty and [residents are] just sort of feeling like OK, it’s been eight years since this crisis started. Are we ever going to see justice? What does justice even look like for the people of Flint at this point? It’s been so long since this entire process started. Will there ever be some sort of satisfaction that people were held accountable? I can’t say whether people in Flint will ever be satisfied with whatever justice and accountability they end up with. And I think a lot of Flint residents would say that you can’t change what happened, like the water crisis still happened, no matter who gets held accountable for that. And I also think justice looks different to every single person in Flint. I think for some people, it’s literally just having the lead pipe fixtures in your home replaced, which wasn’t done through the program where they were replacing the service lines, I think everyone has sort of different things that would make them feel whole. But pretty much across the board, most people do not feel like they’ve been made whole. But I do think this baseline idea of someone being held accountable in some manner, for the decisions that they made, I think that’s something that Flint residents don’t feel like they have gotten or unsure if they will get and it’s something that’s very important to them. Because so much of the water crisis, the decisions that were made were happening in the agencies at the state level, or at the county level, or state-appointed officials running the city. And so I think that feeling of a lot of this was decided by people outside of our city, and [residents are] the ones left with this effect that we want to see officials being held accountable. I think some sort of criminal prosecution is probably one of the only ways that they will really feel satisfied in terms of that level of accountability. Photo credit: Carlos Osorio/AP Trusted, accurate, up-to-date. WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today » The post Justice delayed: Michigan Supreme Court ruling restarts prosecutions related to Flint Water Crisis first appeared on WDET 101.9 FM.

On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court closed out a historic term by significantly reducing the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate carbon emissions. In the case of West Virginia v EPA, the court limited the EPA’s ability to regulate the entire sector, but the agency may still use some measures against specific power plants. This represents just the latest in a series of historically expansive Supreme Court decisions significantly reducing bodily autonomy, vastly expanding gun rights and further eroding the separation of church and state. Increases in greenhouse gas emissions have significantly increased temperatures and climate change on the planet. Last year, the country experienced 20 separate billion-dollar weather and climate disasters. “To cut through all this, I’ll just say it flat out — a lot of this has to do with money.” —Nick Schroeck, University of Detroit Mercy Law School Listen: The status of climate change regulation following the Supreme Court’s latest decision.   https://wdet.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DT-SCOTUS-07-01-2022.mp3 Guests Nick Schroeck is an environmental law expert and the associate dean of experiential education and associate professor at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. He says Congress passed the laws at issue in this case so they could allow the experts in the field to determine what safe levels of pollution to have in the air, and pass regulations to make sure we didn’t cross thresholds harmful to human health and the environment. “To cut through all this, I’ll just say it flat out — a lot of this has to do with money,” Schroeck says. “The Clean Power Plan back in 2016 was going to be expensive. Now it would save a lot of money in reduced hospital visits and reduced asthma — fewer kids getting asthma from air pollution. It would have saved a ton of money from a health perspective, and it would have provided all of these environmental benefits, but it would have been expensive, you know, to transfer away from coal more quickly.” Schroeck continues: “That’s really what was at issue here … the power of EPA, the power of agencies in general, and a court that really wants to rein that in. And I think that most of that has to do with economic reasons.” Jeremy Orr is the director of litigation and advocacy partnerships at Earthjustice. He says the court’s decision not only limits the EPA, but also potentially limits citizens from addressing companies that pollute in their backyard. “We’re not just stripping EPA of a tool to regulate, we’re also looking at potentially stripping our communities of the few legal tools that they have to protect their own health and wellbeing,” says Orr.   Photo credit: Lance L Lowry/Wikimedia Commons Trusted, accurate, up-to-date. WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today » The post How the U.S. Supreme Court’s latest decision affects the EPA’s ability to combat climate change first appeared on WDET 101.9 FM.

The first-ever Royal Oak Taco Fest is happening now through the Fourth of July. The inaugural event offers a deliciously fun-filled weekend with tacos, tequila, live local music and other family entertainment. Jon Witz is the producer of the Royal Oak Taco Fest. He says there will be something for everyone to do during the weekend. “This is just going to be a ton of fun. With 40 different kinds of tequilas and 40 different taco trucks, that is going to be a great time.” Witz says the evolution of food trucks and festivals has created a new atmosphere for supporting small business and shopping locally. “These are very creative culinary family-owned businesses that just thrive on having events like this.” The event is sponsored by Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort and the Royal Oak Downtown Development Authority. Witz says anyone interested should head over to the Royal Oak Taco Fest website. The festival will take place from 4-11 p.m. Friday, from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday. “[We’re] just expecting great times, and a great Fourth of July weekend featuring of all things tacos.”   Photo credit: Nicole Rupersburg Listen: Producer Jon Witz on what to expect from this year’s Royal Oak Taco Fest.   https://wdet.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/CS-Tacofest-web.mp3 Trusted, accurate, up-to-date. WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today » The post Try some tacos, tequila and live music this weekend in Royal Oak first appeared on WDET 101.9 FM.