Why Detroit's mayor's office is under scrutiny

Among college-educated women in their prime working years, Black women are the most likely to be working, yet they make up about 2% of private sector managers. Marketplace Morning Report host Kimberly Adams joins Robyn Vincent to talk about why, and about the unpaid work that holds women back. She also traces her own path, from reporting in Cairo the night Egypt's military seized power to the host's chair, and explains why she still believes better information can lead to kinder choices.

For about a year, Mayor Mary Sheffield seemed to be riding high. To get elected, she mounted an impressive campaign, taking 77% of the vote. Many have commented on her leadership skills, balancing confidence and intellect with openness, and a willingness to listen. Now, the mayor’s office is under scrutiny. Sheffield’s ex-boyfriend, Marvin Walker, says when she was council president, she took $200,000 in kickbacks from city real estate deals. She denies that. Walker also had private photographs of the two of them. Detroit activist Jahdante Smith posted them on Facebook. Sheffield calls it harassment.  Then Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison called the two men and asked them to take the photos down. Weeks later, police seized Smith's phone during an allegedly unrelated arrest. The city's Inspector General is now investigating Bettison. There's a lot of speculation surrounding these events...so what do we actually know?  Detroit Free Press investigative reporter Violet Ikonomova has been looking into this. She spoke with The Metro's Robyn Vincent.

In March 2025, President Donald Trump passed an executive order to “restore truth and sanity” to American history. His administration has pressured the removal of "negative history"— which often surrounds the historic struggles of people of color—while restoring Confederate statues. That's part of why Mario Moore's efforts to erect a statue of Civil Rights leader Malcolm X feel more important than ever.  He joins The Metro to discuss his work and how art serves to preserve history and start conversations.  

As the Iran war continues, gas prices hit a weekly average of $4. 88 in Metro Detroit. The average price of diesel is $2 more than that. The stock market is strong, but inflation is at least 1% than the federal reserve’s target. And the U.S. is in a trade war with Canada. This hasn’t caused a recession, but all of this does make it harder for small businesses to operate, like the corner bar on your street, and the auto repair shop in your suburb. Mark Lee runs The Lee Group, where he’s been advising small businesses in this region for nearly 20 years. He spoke with The Metro’s Sam Corey.

WDET listeners may be familiar with “Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!”  It’s the NPR news quiz that we air every Saturday morning. One of the frequent panelists on that program is comedian Paula Poundstone. She’s currently on tour and has a couple of stops coming up in Michigan. Poundstone will perform at the Wharton Center for Performing Arts in East Lansing at 7:30 p.m. this Friday night.  On Saturday night she’ll be at the Flagstar Strand Theater in Pontiac at 8:00 p.m. Paula Poundstone spoke with The Metro’s Alex McLenon about how she got involved in public radio and about doing comedy.

Nationally, one of the most watched races is in Michigan's 7th Congressional District. That area includes Lansing, East Lansing, and the farm counties and exurbs around them, out to Livingston County and the edge of Oakland County. Republican Congressman Tom Barrett won the seat two years ago by less than four points, and both parties think it could decide who has a majority in the House of Representatives. Congressman Barrett joined The Metro's Robyn Vincent to discuss where his positions overlap — and don't — with President Trump's, and what his plans are if he's able to keep his seat.

The calendar has officially turned to fall. The leaves will soon turn colors and with that people are starting to think about their favorite autumn activities. There are no shortage of food and drink experiences in around Detroit to wear your favorite cozy sweater to. Melody Baetens is a dining and entertainment reporter for The Detroit News. She stopped by The Metro to bring us up to date on what’s happening in the dining scene.

Chaos. That’s the trendline in the auto sector of our economy. A war in Iran has raised gas prices. A Trump administration antagonistic to electric vehicles has reshaped the auto industry, causing Stellantis, General Motors and Ford to lose a combined $52 billion as they’ve shifted away from their electric investments. And through it all, the Trump administration has enacted tariffs. In August, America enacted new tariffs on Canadian aluminum and steel. Canada responded with tariffs on many U.S. goods, including those aforementioned products. Meanwhile, the price of cars — especially used cars — are increasing. What do these trends mean for auto companies and auto workers? How are customers affected? Paul Eisenstein is the editor of headlight.news. He’s also the publisher and editor of “The Car Collective” Substack. He spoke with The Metro's Sam Corey.  

Michigan buries more trash per person than any state in the country. What happens to it is mostly invisible. A landfill is sealed, and the waste inside keeps breaking down for decades — making methane, liquid and heat. Even on an ordinary day, it releases benzene and other chemicals into the air nearby, and when the waste heats up, those emissions climb with it. One landfill west of Northville has been running hot since 2019. A well there hit 177 degrees last year, and the state approved running it hotter. Now the company wants to expand. Katherine Blauvelt of Full Circle Future joins host Robyn Vincent on what's underneath, what gets out, and who's supposed to be watching. Michigan's environmental agency, EGLE, told The Metro the landfill is being properly managed. GFL Environmental said it couldn't answer our questions by deadline. Have thoughts? Email the show at [email protected]

In a city that's nearly 80% Black, Detroit had almost no Black-owned grocery stores. So for more than a decade, a group of Detroiters worked to build one they would own themselves. The Detroit People's Food Co-op opened on Woodward in 2024. Two years later, it's asking for help — 500 new owners, and $10 more from every shopper, every trip. Lanay Gilbert-Williams, the co-op's board president, joins host Robyn Vincent to talk about prices, who's shopping, and whether a community can afford to own its own food. Have thoughts? Email the show at [email protected]