Hey friends,
I hope you had a good weekend, whatever you celebrated, honored — or, finding a way to do nothing, you do you!
For some of my friends it is Ramadan; others were getting their Easter brunches and dinners ready; and still others, Passover.
For me, cooking was going to be too much for such a small group so I picked up a to-go dinner at the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Warren.
It was a great deal and anything connected to Ukraine needs all the help they can get right now.
One of the things about our region I enjoy is our diversity and I think, when we embrace it, it’s a big strength.
If this is your first time here, my thoughts on stories are in italics. And if you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up to get future editions free in your inbox.
What to know…
» The family of a slain 14-year old student at Oxford High School is suing the district. The family of Hana St. Juliana alleges that the Oxford Community Schools have refused to take responsibility for its role in the shooting, and are requesting damages on behalf of Hana's estate. They’re also looking for a judge to order an independent investigation of the incident. [WXYZ] [WDET]
This is yet another twist in a story that will likely take years to fully play out. I believe this the third civil lawsuit filed.
» Cuts could be coming at local Stellantis plants. I put this solidly in “unconfirmed” territory and I’m well aware the source has a strong worker bias. But, they say that 900 jobs are on the block at Sterling Heights Assembly, 500 at the recently rebuilt Jefferson North in Detroit, and an unspecified number in Warren. Something to watch, if even half of that comes to pass. [WSWS]
» BBQ entrepreneur Tim Idzikowksi has died at the age of 36. The co-founder of the popular Detroit BBQ Company food truck passed in his sleep on Thursday. The cause of death wasn’t given. A public memorial will be on Thursday (4/20) at Batch Brewing. [Batch] [Freep]
» Detroit City Council approved a $1.2 billion general fund budget. The total budget, including money for things like blight removal is close to $2.5 billion. It now goes to the mayor’s desk for approval. [Freep]
» Posting on TikTok apparently can get illegally dumped trash cleaned up. Andy Didorosi of the Detroit Bus Company has a neighbor that likes to treat empty land like a big trash can. When the city at first didn’t respond, he took to TikTok. And then things started to happen. [WXYZ] [ClickOnDetroit]
» 17 exonerated ex-prisoners have pending lawsuits against the city of Detroit for wrongful convictions. The city has spent $20 million settling cases in the last year, and could be on the hook for a lot more. [Detroit News]
» After nearly a half century, the New Martha Washington bakery in Hamtramck is done. It had been one of the top choices for many for pączki on Fat Tuesday. It quietly closed April 9. [Metro Times]
» Should surface parking lots in downtown be deleted in favor of garages with retail, and then close Woodward to car traffic from Campus Martius to Grand Circus Park? We discussed that idea and more on the Friday edition of our podcast. [Daily Detroit]
» Goose cam! A 24-7 cam of a Canada goose sitting on her eggs is my kind of jam. The goose is located on the canals on Detroit’s east side. [Twitch]
Where to go…
» Detroit’s old Central Market Vegetable Shed is now standing, reconstructed, at Greenfield Village. The project took nearly 20 years to come together. Built in 1861, it was in service as a market shed until 1894. Then it spent more than a century sheltering horses, operating as a public riding stable, and as a storage facility. [Greenfield Village]
One of my favorite buildings in the village is in the background of this picture. It’s a replica of a Detroit power station from the 1880s.
» Earth Week is starting, so maybe it’s a good time to give back to the planet? The Friends of the Rouge have a number of events including tree plantings, cleanups and presentations. [Friends of the Rouge]
» If you’re in Trenton or nearby, there’s a Detroit River cleanup that happens every year at their Rotary Park. [Friends of the Detroit River]
» Mark your calendars as the DIY Street Fair will return September 23-25 in Ferndale. [Instagram]
» Are you up for tacos? The first Royal Oak Taco Fest will be over the Fourth of July weekend. Food truck slots are already filled up. I talked with organizer Jonathan Witz about the plans. [Daily Detroit]
» Looking for a sandwich without the bread? Breadless just opened on the Dennis Archer Greenway off of East Jefferson. I went to their grand opening and talked with the owner who has big plans to build something headquartered in Detroit — but with reach all over the country. [Daily Detroit]
⚜️ Le Rouge Report
» Detroit City FC is now solidly in fourth place, far exceeding pre-season expectations as they beat Birmingham Legion 1-0 in USL Championship play.
It’s crazy to think this — but with just a few different breaks, they could be higher in the standings.
» Major League Soccer squad Columbus Crew is in town Tuesday night for the U.S. Open Cup. We break down the chances of a DCFC victory, and look at the strengths and weaknesses on the podcast. It’s one of the biggest matches in club history. [Daily Detroit]
It’s going to be a good time, even if the weather’s a bit chilly. [Tickets]
Before we go, a couple shout-outs.
It’s the birthday week of Mickey Lyons. She’s a barchaelogist and friend of the pod. Cheers for all the great stories new and old — but always well-told.
And one of our team, podcast (and cocktail) engineer Randy went through a procedure this week and we’re all wishing him a speedy recovery. Can’t wait to see him back in the studio and behind the camera at a DCFC game in a couple of weeks.
And that’s it for today’s edition. It takes many hours to curate this and produce our daily podcast, so consider buying us a coffee if you can swing it.
Or, refer this note on to a friend!
Until next time, remember that you are somebody — and I’ll see you around Detroit.
-Jer
p.s. - It looks like we’re going to be doing a happy hour event on a Friday to celebrate 1,000 episodes of the daily podcast. We’re at episode 965. I’ll keep you in the loop with more details as they get confirmed.
