Michigan’s SNAP Standoff

Your spooky soundtrack to Halloween is returning to the WDET airwaves at 6 p.m. Friday, October 31. Jon Moshier, host of Modern Music on WDET, produces his annual Halloween special with an ear for the classic and the offbeat. This year's blood-curdling setlist includes tracks from Bert Convy, Vincent Price & The Young Spirits, and Detroit's own The Incurables. The radio special combines novelty music with radio theatre into a perfect radio companion for handing out candy to trick or treaters. Jon Moshier spoke with The Metro's David Leins about how he makes his selections, the pinnacle of spooky soundtrack LP's and what to expect in this year's special.

The federal government shutdown is now stretching into its second month and food assistance programs are in limbo, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that more than 1.4 million Michiganders rely on. On this episode of The Metro, co-host Robyn Vincent is joined by Amanda Brezzell of Fennigan’s Farms in Detroit to discuss what the pause in benefits means for families, food-pantry networks, and urban farms across the state. 

The Carr Center is a hub for the visual and performing arts in Detroit focused on promoting and sharing the work of Black artists.  For the last 3 decades, it has thrived on collaborations with local community groups and organizations.  The Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club is a local art enthusiast group that supports the fine arts in Metro Detroit.  Recently, The Carr Center and Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club teamed up to present Bridges: Because of Them – Honoring the Past, Uplifting the Present, Shaping the Future.  The show is curated by co-founder of Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club, Henry Harper, local art buyer Kendale L. Jones and multi-disciplinary artist Andre Reed Jr.  Oliver Ragsdale Jr. is the CEO of the Carr Center and Henry Harper, the co-founder of Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club, and owner of Harper Galleries of Art and Interior. Henry and Oliver joined The Metro to talk more about the exhibition and Detroit’s fine arts scene.

As the federal shutdown stretches into November, food assistance is on hold for more than a million Michiganders. Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks joins host Robyn Vincent on The Metro to talk about what the state can do to keep families fed and what must happen in Washington. The conversation looks beyond policy to the everyday stakes: groceries, budgets, and the fragile bridge between hunger and hope. Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Next week, the Hamtramck will residents will elect a new mayor. The candidates include Adam Alharbi, Hamtramck City Council Member Muhith Mahmood, and write-in candidate, Lynn Blasey.  WDET reporter Nargis Rahman reported on the race, and joined The Metro to discuss.

There’s a new park on the riverfront in downtown Detroit, and you can’t miss it.  The 22-acre Ralph C Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park is located along Detroit's riverfront between the Ambassador Bridge and the Renaissance Center. It features a whimsical playground and splash pad, two covered basketball courts, hundreds of newly-planted trees and a water garden. The park's opening is the result of 8 years of outreach, planning and design. The seed funding was provided by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and the project was led by the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. Jim Boyle, Vice President of Programs and Strategy at the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation told The Metro the new park connects neighborhoods that border downtown via the Joe Louis Greenway and the Riverwalk. "It's a regional asset that's an economic driver for talent, and a major place where people want to be. But, it's also a neighborhood amenity that makes living in those neighborhoods that much better." The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Centennial Park is now open to the public on Detroit's Riverfront.

The Masonic Temple is a popular a venue on the edge of the Cass Corridor that hosts events and concerts. It opened in 1926 after being designed by architect George Mason. In addition to being a venue, it serves as a meeting space for the Free Mason fraternity.  Around this time of year, rumors typically begin to spread about the history of the temple, George Mason’s passing and whether the building is haunted.  Rob Moore, the Executive director of the Detroit Masonic Temple Library, Archive, and Research Center joined the program to set the record straight.

It’s been over five years since the COVID-19 pandemic and local autoworkers are have taken steps to move its employees back into the office. Ford Motor Company implemented a new policy in September that requires employees to be in office four days a week. General Motors is moving its headquarters to the brand-new Hudson's site downtown. At the same time, co-working spaces continue to be a popular work place option for companies. The mix between traditional office space, co-working space and hybrid work has us wondering what the future of the workplace could look like. Melissa Fisher is an anthropologist whose work focuses on workplace culture and design. She joined the The Metro to discuss what employees and managers take into account when determining an ideal work place. Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

One of the biggest issues Detroiters face has to do with their homes. There are a fair number of homes in the city, but over 20,000 of them are in dire need of repairs. That includes leaky roofs, electricity issues, and asbestos in the walls. The problem is large, but one retired firefighter, Gary Ringer, is trying to chip away at it. He joined The Metro to discuss the challenges he encounters and why he volunteers around the city.  Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Three teenagers and a four-year-old were killed in a string of deadly shootings in Detroit during the summer. In response, Mayor Duggan and Police Chief Todd Bettison announced plans to ramp up enforcement of the city's curfew policy and more than double the penalty fees. The city fines parents of teenagers who stay out past curfew hours without adult supervision. Officials say fines will encourage parents to step up and help reduce the violence, but experts argue this approach doesn't work and that it could cause more hardship for families.  Caitlin Cavanagh is a developmental psychologist who teaches in the School of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University. She joined the show to discuss the impact of the fines and potential alternative solutions.