Trees please: Detroit needs about 1.2 million more trees, according to recently released “tree equity scores” from the non-profit American Forests. These scores are based on whether or not an area has enough trees to provide residents with the health and economic benefits provided by a good canopy. Among other things, a healthy canopy can help […]
Posted inCommunity
PARKS REPORT: Bishop DIY Skatepark
Find your way to this park! View on Instagram >>> Find your way to this park! Bishop DIY Skatepark This week I journeyed to Bishop DIY Skatepark located at 6017 Grand River Ave right behind Northwestern High School. Bishop Skatepark is the product of COVID-19 induced ingenuity! Started by Jamison Shaffer in April of 2021 […]
Posted inAccountability
Detroit, Biden bet big on electric vehicles; critic says that’s ‘a very American answer to climate change’
As new vehicle announcements go, it’s hard to top Ford’s recent reveal of its brand-spanking new electric F-150 Lightning pickup truck. President Joe Biden, a self-professed “car guy,” flew in on Air Force One to mark the event. And he wasn’t there to simply cut a ribbon or stick a ceremonial shovel in the ground, […]
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From the Headlines – June 14-18, 2021
Who will green the environment?: DTE Energy received the go-ahead from the Michigan Public Service Commission to create community solar projects in Detroit, River Rouge, and Highland Park, which would give low-income subscribers a monthly deduction on their energy bills. Why are they doing this? Is it because they’re serious about projects that are “greening up the environment,” […]
Posted inVoices
OPINION: Why we’re seeing the fine print price for cheap food (and what we can do about it)
This piece was originally posted to Chef Rigato’s Facebook page. The world of food production, distribution and foodservice continues to face challenges and disruptions from many factors. There’s currently a distribution issue with Sysco in southeastern Michigan. Many people like to say “Sysco sucks, buy local” and while I ultimately agree, Sysco provides a lifeline […]
Posted inAccountability
A tale of two census tracts: Why do people live longer in West Bloomfield than on Detroit’s east side?
When Fiat Chrysler began expanding its east side auto plants last year, the construction noise vibrated homes, heavy trucks rumbled down the street and toxic particulate matter levels spiked. The sum made Binh Phung’s home on neighboring Beniteau Street unbearable, he said, and with a two-month-old infant in the house, the family left to stay […]
Posted inGuides
PARKS REPORT: Pingree Park
View on Instagram >>> Find your way to this park! Pingree Park Pingree Park located at 8501 E Canfield Street is a small park great to take your kids to on a hot day. The park features mature trees that completely shade sitting areas and the playground, allowing kids to play and grown ups to […]
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From the Headlines – June 7-11, 2021
End of an era: On Memorial Day evening, the River Rouge Power Plant sent its last electrons into the grid. Opened in 1956, the DTE Energy-owned facility is one of five coal-powered plants the utility is planning to close by 2022. The facility was no longer burning coal; it converted to “recycled gas” in June 2020. DTE […]
Posted inAccountability
Belle Isle closures reignite concerns over Grand Prix and state control
Last weekend, the hottest of the summer so far, Detroit’s Belle Isle Park closed down to car traffic for several hours on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons because it reached capacity. The shutdown followed a Memorial day closure the week before for the same reason. Representatives for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) say the […]
Posted inAccountability
‘Not just an inconvenience’: Study shows flooding is a public health crisis in Detroit
In Detroit’s Jefferson Chalmers neighborhood, Blake Grannum is experiencing an almost remarkable flood-free spring. The water-filled “Tiger Dams” that the city installed still stand in her backyard, forming a bulwark between her neighborhood and the system of canals that connects to the Detroit River. She now has a working washer and dryer, as well as […]