Detroit, MI

Mallory McMorrow: Legislators who don’t work on transit needs should be voted out

Published

1 year ago

January 31, 2024

Press Room

Mallory McMorrow: Legislators who don’t work on transit needs should be voted out

For state Rep. Donavan McKinney, going to high school was a challenge.

It wasn’t the subject matter, it was the trip to and from school.

McKinney, a Democrat who now represents parts of Detroit and Macomb County in the Michigan Legislature, recounted the regular trip from his home near Seven Mile Road and Van Dyke Avenue in northeast Detroit to Renaissance High School in northwest Detroit. Like plenty of other kids, he didn’t attend his neighborhood high school so he had to travel, but transit limitations meant a long journey of riding the bus and walking for considerable time each way.

“Most of that time spent was just waiting,” he said Tuesday night. “We need to do better.”

McKinney, who noted that he loved the bus growing up, was speaking to a crowd at the Wayne State University Industry Innovation Center in Detroit that appreciates what he went through but also has hopes that the region is moving toward something better. It was part of the State of Transit 2024, an annual event hosted by the advocacy group Transportation Riders United.

This year in addition to discussions with leaders from metro Detroit’s main transit agencies, the event included a state policymaker panel with state Sens. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak, and Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor; and state Reps. McKinney and Jason Morgan, D-Ann Arbor, along with state Chief Infrastructure Officer Zach Kolodin.

All spoke of their desire to improve transit.

Irwin described transit as one of the “big gaping holes” in the region, noting that “when you connect people good things happen.” He said he’s working on efforts to fix Regional Transit Authority legislation, which he said basically takes rail projects off the table. He implored the audience to keep asking officials about transit.

McMorrow spoke of transit as economic development, pointing to the region’s failed bid to attract Amazon’s second headquarters in 2018 or even be considered as a finalist because of a lack of education and transit investments, despite offering $4 billion in incentives.

Local community leaders, she noted, often describe transit needs but fail to seek funding for it.

More: Detroit boosting service on key bus route as it begins bus rapid transit pilot project

McMorrow and Irwin implored the audience, estimated at more than 75 people, mostly transit supporters and those affiliated with transit agencies, to spread the word to elected officials about how important they view transit as an issue. McMorrow said it needs to be made clear that elected officials will get voted out of office if they don’t act on it.

Morgan identified the recently formed transit caucus, which now has 36 members, including one Republican, as a key effort in the Legislature. He said he’s looking toward legislation that would significantly boost local bus operating funds.

Megan Owens, executive director of Transportation Riders United, described reliability as the biggest struggle locally and nationally. But some changes could help on that front.

More: RTA weighing proposal for QLINE control

Those include a $3-an-hour wage increase for Detroit Department of Transportation drivers and what was described as a potentially historic increase expected for drivers at the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation, or SMART, as contract negotiations move forward there. Higher bus driver salaries, it’s hoped, will help alleviate what’s become a chronic driver shortage. That situation isn’t unique to metro Detroit, but this region is notable for its lower rates of driver pay.

Talk of the pay increases garnered significant applause from the audience, which also clapped when talk turned to progress so far on making transit available, specifically SMART expansion into Novi and Wixom with Rochester and Waterford listed as being up next.

Highlighting an area of potential opportunity, Owens referenced filling in the gaps in Wayne County, which has numerous communities that opt-out of SMART.

Despite the areas of progress, transit in Michigan has been hampered by chronic underinvestment for many years, according to advocates, who point to that as a key reason young people choose to leave the state.

Owens used a chart to show how state funding for transit has been largely flat for more than 20 years while funding for roads, which already outpaced transit substantially, has continued to climb.

Another chart, showing 2016 per capita transit funding, showed dozens of cities, with Detroit near the bottom, just behind Virginia Beach, Virginia, and just in front of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@freepress.com. Become a subscriber.

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Detroit, MI

Northern lights, wildfire smoke, fire risk, heat top Metro Detroit’s weather headlines

Published

15 hours ago

June 2, 2025

Press Room

Northern lights, wildfire smoke, fire risk, heat top Metro Detroit’s weather headlines

From the northern lights to wildfire smoke leading to more vibrant sunrises and sunsets, Metro Detroit is getting more reasons to look toward the sky.

The skies will be mostly clear to partly cloudy on Sunday night, which will allow viewing opportunities for the aurora borealis, commonly called the northern lights.

People may need a jacket while staring at the sky. After evening temperatures in the 50s, Sunday night’s lows will range from the lower- to upper-40s. Lows will be near 40 degrees in the Thumb and upper-40s in Allen Park, Flat Rock, Detroit, and Warren.

Northern Lights

How to view the northern lights? For the best chance to see the display, look toward the north and find a location away from urban centers and light pollution. Living or traveling farther north will also increase the chances of seeing the lights. Best viewing will be until about 2 a.m.

For the best chance to see the northern lights, look toward the north and find a location away from urban centers and light pollution. (WDIV)

The Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a “G4” (or severe level) Geomagnetic Storm Watch due to a recent burst of plasma from the sun. The northern lights are produced as electrically charged particles from the sun’s atmosphere crash into Earth’s upper atmosphere.

Canadian wildfire smoke

Apart from the northern lights, Southeast Michigan is still keeping an eye on the smoke from Canadian wildfires. The smoke is forecast to become denser Monday evening.

Wildfire smoke is forecast to become denser Monday evening and stick around for Tuesday in Southeast Michigan. (WDIV)

Fire conditions emerging in Southeast Michigan

Meanwhile, the dry and hot conditions will elevate Southeast Michigan’s own fire danger ratings to “high” and “very high” for the start of the workweek. Dead leaves, fallen twigs, or dead grass could become fuel for grass fires. Use heightened caution or consider postponing open burning, and always check for burn bans.

Monday

Under mostly sunny skies, highs will jump to around 80 degrees on Monday. Westerly winds will be 5 to 10 mph.

Light smoke will linger into the night. Otherwise, skies will be partly cloudy. Lows will be in the upper-50s.

Tuesday

Temperatures will go up another notch on Tuesday. Highs will be in the mid- to upper-80s. Skies will be mostly sunny, but wildfire smoke could lead to haze. Lows will be around 70 degrees.

Looking Ahead

With temperatures returning to the mid- to upper-80s on Wednesday, rain will also return. Plan for rain showers and the chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening as a front moves in. Showers are possible into early Thursday. Another chance of rain will arrive Thursday afternoon and last into Friday morning.

Highs will slide into the mid- to upper-70s for the second half of the week.

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Detroit, MI

Wenceel Pérez provides Detroit Tigers something they don’t have without him

Published

1 day ago

June 1, 2025

Press Room

Wenceel Pérez provides Detroit Tigers something they don’t have without him

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Detroit Tigers expected Wenceel Pérez to be their primary center fielder, relying on him for stability while waiting for fellow outfielders Parker Meadows and Matt Vierling to return from their injuries.

That was the plan — until the final game of the Grapefruit League schedule in spring training, when Pérez reported a back injury. As his teammates boarded a plane, he had to stay behind at the Tigers’ facility in Lakeland, Florida.

“It was tough because I was trying to get through it,” said Pérez, who has dealt with the same lower back injury multiple in his professional career, beginning in 2022. “It was just getting worse and worse and worse.”

This time, Pérez was sidelined for 65 days.

He returned Tuesday, May 27.

“I’m so excited to play this game again,” Pérez said.

In his return game, Pérez — starting in center field and batting sixth — hit a solo home run off All-Star right-hander Logan Webb in the second inning of Tuesday’s 3-1 win over the San Francisco Giants at Comerica Park.

Buy our book: The Epic History of the Tigers

More notably, Pérez hit the homer on his first swing of the 2025 season.

Webb threw him three sinkers in a row. The first two were inside for balls, but the third one stayed in the strike zone, allowing Pérez — a switch-hitter batting from the left side — to turn on it for a solo home run to right field. It was just the fourth homer allowed by Webb this season, spanning 73⅓ innings in 12 starts.

“I was just thinking to be patient,” Pérez said. “I was trying to come down a little bit. I was a little bit excited. And then I tried to get a good pitch, and that’s what I got. It feels great to be back and help the team out right away.”

To get to that moment, Pérez had to play six games during a rehab assignment: two games for High-A West Michigan, two games for Low-A Lakeland and two games in Triple-A Toledo.

He started in West Michigan because the Tigers had the maximum number of players rehabbing in Toledo, transferred to Lakeland due to weather issues in Toledo and completed his rehab with a normal stint in Toledo.

“That was not a vacation,” Pérez said.

Pérez, 25, is hitting .308 (4-for-13) in four games since his return to the Tigers.

His switch-hit ability — the Tigers’ lone switch-hitter — provides flexibility in the batting order, as well as allowing rest days for left-handed hitters Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter and Zach McKinstry. He performs significantly better as a left-handed hitter against right-handed pitchers, but still provides competitive plate appearances from the right side.

Pérez took over as the Tigers’ primary center fielder upon his return, but only until Meadows returns from the injured list, which seems likely to happen Monday, June 2.

“So proud for the kid,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “He put in a ton of work. Injuries are hard on everybody, but think about the last game of spring training, and we’re getting on the plane to go to the exhibition game, and he’s got to report that he’s not feeling great. That’s a crushing blow anytime during the spring, but that’s like the most exciting day of the year at that point.”

Two months later, Pérez rejoined the Tigers with the same joy he has always had. He laughed with teammates in the clubhouse, smiled in pregame warmups, bounced around in the outfield and showed no fear in the batter’s box.

Pérez also made an immediate impact with his first swing.

“The team is doing great,” Pérez said. “It wasn’t good for me (to be on the injured list), but it made me stronger to come back again and play good again.”

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

Order your copy of “Roar of 125: The Epic History of the Detroit Tigers!” by the Free Press at Tigers125.PictorialBook.com.

Listen to our weekly Tigers show “Days of Roar” every Monday afternoon on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts.

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Detroit, MI

2025 Detroit Grand Prix: Full list of drivers for IndyCar and Indy NXT races

Published

2 days ago

May 31, 2025

Press Room

2025 Detroit Grand Prix: Full list of drivers for IndyCar and Indy NXT races

This is the full list of drivers participating in the 2025 IndyCar and Indy NXT races at the Detroit Grand Prix through downtown.

The 2025 Detroit Grand Prix is approaching quickly, with drivers from all around the world looking to capture a critical win on the IndyCar calendar.

The big race is on Sunday, June 1, when the NTT IndyCar series will start at 12:30 p.m., broadcasted on Fox. Before that race, the lower-level Indy NXT circuit will hold its race at 10:30 a.m., televised on FS1. Both can be streamed on Fubo (free trial).

This will be the third race since the Grand Prix returned to downtown Detroit in 2023 after years at nearby Belle Isle. The winner of the first revamped downtown race was IndyCar legend Scott Dixon, while his teammate at Chip Ganassi Racing Álex Palou won in 2024.

Palou is looking to continue his dominance of the 2025 IndyCar season, as the Spanish racer has won five of the year’s first six races, including his first Indianapolis 500 win one week ago.

Here is the field for both of Sunday’s races:

Who is racing in the 2025 Detroit Grand Prix?

Here is the full list of all 27 drivers scheduled to race in the IndyCar Grand Prix in Detroit on Sunday, with drivers listed by car number, team and engine:

#2: Josef Newgarden – Team Penske (Chevrolet)
#3 Scott McLaughlin – Team Penske (Chevrolet)
#4 David Malukas – A.J. Foyt Enterprises (Chevrolet)
#5 Pato O’Ward – Arrow McLaren (Chevrolet)
#6 Nolan Siegel – Arrow McLaren (Chevrolet)
#7 Christian Lundgaard – Arrow McLaren (Chevrolet)
#8 Kyffin Simpson – Chip Ganassi Racing (Honda)
#9 Scott Dixon – Chip Ganassi Racing (Honda)
#10 Álex Palou – Chip Ganassi Racing (Honda)
#12 Will Power – Team Penske (Chevrolet)
#14 Santino Ferrucci – A.J. Foyt Enterprises (Chevrolet)
#15 Graham Rahal – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (Honda)
#18 Rinus VeeKay – Dale Coyne Racing (Honda)
#20 Alexander Rossi – Ed Carpenter Racing (Chevrolet)
#21 Christian Rasmussen – Ed Carpenter Racing (Chevrolet)
#26 Colton Herta – Andretti Global/Curb-Agajanian (Honda)
#27 Kyle Kirkwood – Andretti Global (Honda)
#28 Marcus Ericsson – Andretti Global (Honda)
#30 Devlin DeFrancesco – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (Honda)
#45 Louis Foster* – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (Honda)
#51 Jacob Abel* – Dale Coyne Racing (Honda)
#60 Felix Rosenqvist – Meyer Shank Racing/Curb-Agajanian (Honda)
#66 Marcus Armstrong – Meyer Shank Racing/Curb-Agajanian (Honda)
#76 Conor Daly – Juncos Hollinger Racing (Chevrolet)
#77 Sting Ray Robb – Juncos Hollinger Racing (Chevrolet)
#83 Robert Shwartzman* – PREMA Racing (Chevrolet)
#90 Callum Ilott – PREMA Racing (Chevrolet)

*Rookie of the year candidate

Who is racing in Indy NXT at Detroit?

Here is the full list of drivers scheduled to compete in the Indy NXT race in Detroit on Sunday, with drivers listed by car number and team:

#2 Sebastian Murray – Andretti/Cape Motorsport
#3 Ricardo Escotto – Andretti/Cape Motorsport
#9 Bryce Aron – Chip Ganassi Racing
#10 Niels Koolen – Chip Ganassi Racing
#11 Nolan Allaer – HMD Motorsports
#14 Josh Pierson – HMD Motorports
#16 Tommy Smith – HMD Motorsports
#17 Callum Hedge – Abel Motorsports
#18 Max Taylor – HMD Motorsports
#26 Lochie Hughes – Andretti Global
#27 Salvador De Alba – Andretti Global
#28 Dennis Hauger – Andretti Global
#29 James Roe – Andretti Global
#30 Liam Sceats – HMD Motorsports
#38 Hailie Deegan – HMD Motorsports
#39 Jaun Manuel Correa – HMD Motorsports
#40 Jack William Miller – Abel Motorsports
#48 Jordan Missig – Abel Motorsports
#76 Caio Collet – HMD Motorsports
#99 Myles Rowe – Abel Motorsports

All Indy NXT drivers use AER engines.

How to watch Detroit Grand Prix

Series: NTT IndyCar.

Warmup: Sunday, June 1, 9:30 a.m. ET (FS1)

Race: Sunday, June 1, 12:30 p.m. ET (Fox)

All IndyCar practices, qualifications and races for the Detroit Grand Prix can be streamed on Fubo, which hosts Fox Sports Networks including FS1 and FS2, and offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

Watch the Detroit Grand Prix on Fubo

You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.

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