Detroit, MI
Priority Waste CEO shares progress on plan to fix disruptions, delays across Metro Detroit
The CEO of Priority Waste announced the progress of the company’s recovery plan following numerous customer complaints across Metro Detroit.
CEO Aaron Johnson sent a letter to residents on Wednesday, July 1, outlining the progress so far on Priority Waste’s recovery plan after numerous communities across Metro Detroit experienced service delays and collection disruptions.
Previous coverage –> Priority Waste apologizes to Metro Detroit customers, outlines plan for improvements
“Our objective is not simply to restore service, but to build a stronger, more reliable company than the one that existed before,” said Johnson. “We will continue to communicate openly, share our progress, and hold ourselves accountable for delivering measurable results. Most importantly, we are committed to earning back your trust, not through words alone, but through sustained improvement and reliable performance which we have detailed for you.”
The letter sent out on Wednesday outlined a 30-day service recovery report.
You can view the full letter below:
Dear Residents:
One month ago, I was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Priority Waste after serving as a senior advisor behind the scenes. From my first day in this role, my focus has been clear: observe, assess, and correct. First and foremost, we want to acknowledge and sincerely apologize for the frustration and inconvenience many of you have experienced. We take full responsibility for the service failures that have occurred. While the challenges we face today were not created overnight, we are committed to addressing them with urgency, transparency, and accountability.
At Priority Waste, we are embracing a culture of continuous improvement. Every day, we are working to be better than we were the day before. Our objective is not simply to restore service, but to build a stronger, more reliable company than the one that existed before. We will continue to communicate openly, share our progress, and hold ourselves accountable for delivering measurable results. Most importantly, we are committed to earning back your trust, not through words alone, but through sustained improvement and reliable performance which we have detailed for you below.
Priority Waste’s 5 Point Recovery Plan
1. Fleet Expansion
To strengthen our operations, Priority Waste has purchased 198 trucks previously operating under rental agreements, as well as 91 new automated side-load collection vehicles equipped with upgraded technology to improve efficiency and reliability. To date, we have received 30 of the 91 new vehicles, with the remaining trucks expected to arrive by the end of August due to manufacturing and delivery timelines. Frequent vehicle breakdowns have been one of the primary causes of service interruptions. As these new trucks enter our fleet, they will improve route reliability and provide more consistent collection service for your household.
2. Staffing Enhancements
Over the past three weeks, we have hired 41 qualified drivers, and our recruitment efforts continue every day. Our goal is to maintain approximately 20 percent excess driver capacity, ensuring we can effectively respond to employee absences, seasonal demand, and unexpected operational challenges without disrupting customer service.
3. Container Reinvestment
Limited investment resulted in a significant backlog of container deliveries and repairs. During my first week as CEO, we invested more than $2 million to purchase 19,000 new containers to begin eliminating that backlog. In addition, we have expanded our container delivery operation from five crews to nine crews over the past 30 days. We anticipate completing all outstanding container requests within the next two weeks.
4. Customer Service Improvements
When service issues occur, our customers deserve timely answers and responsive support. Previously, our customer service operation was not adequately staffed to handle the volume of incoming calls. To address this, we quickly expanded our customer support capacity through a partnership with a Michigan-based contact center, allowing us to significantly improve responsiveness. As service performance has improved, customer call volume has declined by approximately 50 percent.
Ultimately, however, our goal is not simply to answer more calls, it’s to eliminate the need for them by consistently providing on-time service.
5. Recovery Operations
While our goal is always to provide on-time service, we recognize that issues can still occur. When they do, missed collections will be recovered the very next day.
We understand the burden these service disruptions have placed on you and your family, and we sincerely apologize. Over the coming weeks, we anticipate increased operational demands surrounding the Fourth of July holiday, which will provide another opportunity to further strengthen our operations and services. I look forward to providing another update in 30 days and sharing the measurable improvements we continue to achieve. Thank you for your patience, your feedback, and the opportunity to earn back your trust.
Sincerely,
Aaron Johnson
Chief Executive Officer
Priority Waste
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
Tigers call up Ben Malgeri from Triple-A Toledo; Trei Cruz sent down
Ben Malgeri called up from Triple-A Toledo; Trei Cruz optioned, Burch Smith to 60-day IL. Malgeri: 9 HR, .322 vs LHP.
NEW YORK – The Detroit Tigers showed no fear or intimidation facing Cam Schlittler, the New York Yankees superstar who entered Tuesday, June 30, as the favorite to win the American League Cy Young award.
The Tigers weren’t timid, either. They were aggressive and decisive, launching four homers off Schlittler in a 9-3 victory at Yankee Stadium.
It was stunning, to say the least.
Meanwhile, lefty Tarik Skubal was his usual outstanding self for the Tigers (37-49). Skubal picked up the win, allowing one earned run off two hits while racking up nine strikeouts.
The Tigers danced off with their second straight win at Yankee Stadium. Meanwhile, the Yankees (48-37) drew plenty of boos after losing their sixth straight. The Tigers will go for the three-game sweep on Wednesday (1:35 p.m., Detroit SportsNet).
At the plate: Tigers use long ball to crush Yankees
Schlittler has had a historic start to the season for the Yankees. He came into the game with a 1.62 ERA, the second lowest ERA by a Yankees pitcher through his first 17 starts of a season since it became an official stat in 1913.
“He’s the best pitcher in the American League right now,” Skubal said before the game.
Which was obviously no small statement coming from Skubal.
But the Tigers played with no fear. Catcher Dillon Dingler started it off by hitting a ball 337 feet. Yes, it was caught. But it was a sign of things to come.
The next Tigers hitter, Kerry Carpenter, smashed a ball to deep center. Spencer Jones, the Yankees outfielder, went above the wall and it looked, for a split second, like he robbed the homer. But the ball hit the palm of his glove and it popped out, squirting over the fence for a 410-foot round-tripper.
It was a massive moment, considering a catch would have ended the inning.
But that left a door open for the Tigers to start jacking more homers through.
Riley Greene, the next batter, smashed a homer to right, a 424-foot blast that landed in the second deck.
That was also an important moment, considering Schlittler had only given up two homers all season to lefties – the Tigers had equaled it in back-to-back plate appearances.
In the first inning, no less.
Colt Keith continued the onslaught, pounding a single up the middle.
Then Spencer Torkelson got into the act, launching a homer to left on the 10th pitch of the at bat. It was a no-doubter that went 405 feet.
To recap: Facing the best pitcher in the American League, at least to this point in the season, the Tigers crushed three 400-foot homers in one inning.
Another fun Schlittler fact: He had allowed one run or fewer in 13 of his starts this season, leading MLB.
Then, Greene did it again. He hit his second homer of the game in the third. Yes, maybe he should get more days off, like he did on Monday.
Schlittler gave up six runs in four innings, his worst start of the season.
Tigers outfielder James Outman turned it into a rout with a three-run homer in the sixth.
On the mound: Tarik Skubal was dealing
The Tigers had a 4-0 lead before Skubal even took the mound.
He did allow a homer to Ben Rice, which was not exactly a stunner. The Yankees slugger crushed his 23rd homer of the season, cutting the Tigers lead to 4-1.
But after that point, Skubal just rolled and the Yankees never really had a chance to get back into this game.
He gave up one earned run in six innings of work, recording nine strikeouts with no walks.
The Tigers took a 9-2 lead into the ninth. Tyler Holton came in to pitch the ninth and he gave up a run.
Next up: Tigers try for the sweep
The Tigers will finish their three-game series in Yankee Stadium, a day start that will feature right-hander Troy Melton (4-1, 2.39 ERA) against right-hander Will Warren (7-3, 3.75).
Melton will try to keep up the Tigers’ outstanding starting pitching.
In the first game, on Monday, Tigers righty Casey Mize became the first pitcher in the Tigers’ 126 seasons to throw seven or more innings, allow one hit or less, no runs, no walks and strike out 10 or more in an outing. The 10 punchouts matched his career high.
Contact Jeff Seidel at jseidel@freepress.com or follow him @seideljeff.
Detroit, MI
5 realistic cornerback trade targets for the Detroit Lions after Terrion Arnold’s release
Detroit Lions may not need to overpay to replace Terrion Arnold. One former first-round pick, a familiar face, a young ascending starter, and two experienced veterans could all make sense as trade targets.
Mike Hughes
Hughes might be a name Lions fans remember. He spent time with Detroit in 2022 and had a pretty decent season before the Atlanta Falcons signed him. He started for Atlanta across three seasons. Hughes isn’t flashy, but he’s reliable. He averages about two penalties a year, which is a welcome change given what Arnold was doing in that department. Last season, he allowed a reception percentage of just 56.1 and posted a passer rating against of 84.5, the best of his career.
He’s going to turn 30 by the end of the season, so the price tag shouldn’t be steep. The Lions could probably call Atlanta, offer a sixth-round pick, and get him. Hughes could come in and compete with Rock Ya-Sin for the starting job, or he might just take it outright. He’s someone who has been in the Lions’ system before and knows what Detroit expects. That matters.
Renardo Green
Green is a younger option who plays for the San Francisco 49ers. They took him in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the same class as Arnold. The problem for Green is that San Francisco’s cornerback room is stacked right now with Jack Jones, Deommodore Lenoir, their rookie Ephesians Prysock, Jakob Robinson, and veteran Eli Apple. Green was the starter all of last season, but there’s a growing thought that with so many options, the 49ers might consider moving him before the season starts. Plus, San Francisco is eventually going to have to pay him, and trading him now frees up future flexibility.
This one would probably cost a fourth- or fifth-round pick, and it might be the most unrealistic of the bunch. But the talent is real, and it’s worth monitoring.
Deonte Banks
Banks was the 25th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and it hasn’t worked out with the New York Giants. He’s been a starter, but the results haven’t matched the draft capital. Now he has to compete with Greg Newsome, Colton Hood, and Paulson Adebo for playing time, and there’s a real chance he gets beat out. The Giants might feel comfortable going with someone like Kori Black or Rico Payton and flipping Banks for whatever they can get.
Because he hasn’t lived up to his draft slot, the Lions wouldn’t have to pay a first-round price. A fifth- or sixth-round pick could get it done. This is a riskier play because the production hasn’t been there consistently, but Banks has been a starter for multiple years and has shown flashes. You’re betting on potential, which is exactly why you’re not giving up much to acquire him.
Paulson Adebo
Adebo signed with the Giants as a free agent last year, and it seemed like the Lions would be in on him at the time. He played under Dennis Allen in New Orleans, and Allen, Aaron Glenn, and Kelvin Sheppard all run a similar defensive scheme to what Detroit operates. It just made sense. The Lions ultimately went after D.J. Reed instead, which was the better move. But after a rough first year in New York, the Giants may feel Adebo isn’t what they paid for. If they decide to give Banks a longer look under Jon Harbaugh, Adebo could become available. The Lions would be smart to get on top of that because Adebo fits Detroit’s defense better than whatever New York has been running through its recent coaching changes.
Kristian Fulton
Fulton spent most of his career with the Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Chargers before moving to Kansas City in 2025, where injuries derailed his season. He’s still just 27 years old. In 2024, his last full season, he allowed a 65.2 reception percentage. In the few games he played last year, he posted a 50% reception percentage and had four pass breakups before the injury shut him down. In the two games he started for the Chiefs down the stretch, he played pretty well, but Kansas City had already moved on from him as a long-term starter.
The Lions could probably get Fulton for a sixth-round pick. He could come in, compete for the starting job, and likely win it. At 27, he has multiple years of productive football ahead of him. That’s the kind of low-cost, high-floor move Detroit should be making right now.
Those are five names worth watching as the Lions look to fill the hole Arnold left behind. None of them will shake up the league, but the Lions don’t need that. They need someone who can step in, compete, and play solid football. Any of these guys could do that.
Detroit Lions News
Looking for the newest family attractions in Metro Detroit? You’re in luck! Just halfway through 2026, southeast Michigan has welcomed an incredible lineup of new playgrounds, museums, indoor play spaces, splash pads, interactive exhibits, and family attractions. Whether you’re planning a weekend adventure, looking for somewhere new to explore with toddlers, or trying to keep older kids entertained this summer, these brand-new destinations deserve a spot on your family’s bucket list.
Here’s where families are heading in Metro Detroit this year.
Detroit’s newest riverfront attraction features an interactive water garden where kids can run through playful fountains while enjoying spectacular views of the Detroit River. The surrounding park also includes nature-inspired playgrounds, walking paths, picnic areas, and one of the city’s most beautiful waterfront destinations.
Michigan Science Center has unveiled a giant cardboard maze experience that celebrates Detroit neighborhoods, landmarks, and creativity. Families can wander through immersive pathways filled with colorful murals while also enjoying hands-on STEM activities like robot challenges, cardboard building stations, and interactive games. Best of all, the exhibit is included with general admission.
History comes to life in a powerful new way at Greenfield Village with the opening of the Jackson Home, relocated from Selma, Alabama. The home belonged to Dr. Sullivan and Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson, close friends of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and served as an important meeting place during the Civil Rights Movement.
West Lincoln Well Park (Birmingham)
West Lincoln Well Park is located on the south side of Lincoln Street at Westchester Way. The park contains open space, two tennis courts and play equipment including swings, slides, shaded sandbox, a play structure and rockers. Address: 1801 W Lincoln St, Birmingham, MI 48009
The new Erb Discovery Trails at the Detroit Zoo is a 7-acre immersive experience set to open on Saturday, May 23rd. The trails will feature a mix of new animal habitats, hands-on encounters, and nature-inspired play spaces where kids can climb, explore, and engage their senses. Guests can expect interactive experiences like feeding animals, exploring multi-sensory pathways, and even encountering species like stingrays and bamboo sharks, all while learning about conservation through storytelling and outdoor adventure. Created to blend education with play, the Discovery Trails aim to inspire curiosity, connection to nature, and memorable family experiences in an entirely new section of the zoo.
Step into a world of magic this summer at The Lost World of Dragons at Sloan Museum of Discovery, running May 16 through September 13. This exciting, family-friendly exhibit brings dragon legends to life with interactive displays that blend science, history, and imagination—perfect for curious kids and adventurous families. Admission is $25 for ages 12+, $17 for kids ages 2–11 (under 2 free) and includes full access to the museum, making it an easy and unforgettable day trip option.
Great Lakes Serpentarium brings reptiles out of the pages of books and into the real world with more than 100 animals from around the globe. From snakes and turtles to iguanas and alligators, this unique reptile house lets visitors see and interact with creatures most people only read about.
At Slick City Troy is the most popular place in town! The action lineup is packed with thrilling attractions you won’t find anywhere else. Feel the rush of wind as you zoom down, enjoying a safe and thrilling descent that’s fun for all ages – thing the adrenaline rush of a roller coast but on massive slides. In addition to giant slides, there are also traditional multi-level climbing structures for school age kids and toddlers. Location: 1820 Crooks Rd, Troy
2D DIY Studio has opened a brand-new location in Sterling Heights, offering a fun, welcoming space where kids, teens, and adults can tap into their artistic side. Whether you’re planning a girls’ night out, a birthday party, or a family outing, this DIY studio delivers colorful, crafty fun for all skill levels — no experience required.
Oak Park Woods Playground (Oak Park)
Uniquely designed, Oak Park Woods features towering green play structures, connected by rope bridges, climbing nets, tunnels, and elevated pathways. . The massive play structure features towering climbing elements, a giant slide, inclusive play equipment, and plenty of room for kids to explore. Lower climbing features, smaller slides, and ground-level play elements create opportunities for toddlers and preschoolers to safely explore. Best of all the park’s signature train and monster truck have been refurbished and remain at the park. Address: 24198 Church St, Oak Park, MI 48237
At Kids Castle Fun Center guests can race around in exciting bumper cars, bounce in colorful and safe bounce houses—including obstacle courses and an adventurous Pirate Ship—play a variety of arcade games from classic favorites to modern hits, and enjoy kiddie ride-ons and prize-filled crane games. Address: 5100 Dixie Highway, Suite 400
A new entertainment destination for families has arrived in metro Detroit. Gotta Gacha brings together classic arcade fun, modern gaming, and collectible culture all under one roof—making it a must-visit spot for kids, teens, and gamers of all ages. Address: 29200 Dequindre Rd Ste 3, Warren
One of the most unique new play spaces in Metro Detroit, Sandverse brings the beach indoors with Michigan’s first immersive indoor sandbox experience. Kids can dig, build, and create in soft, natural sand, using tools and prompts that encourage open-ended, sensory-rich play. Designed especially for younger children, the space blends creative exploration with early learning and motor skill development, while also offering a sand-free zone for additional play.
ITAVA IMAGINATION Station is all about hands-on discovery, creativity, and imaginative play. This interactive space encourages kids to explore, build, and engage in STEAM-inspired activities that blend learning with fun – inside AND out! Designed for a wide range of ages, it offers an environment where kids can experiment, problem-solve, and let their imaginations run wild.
Specializing in children’s art classes, camps and art themed birthday parties, Kidcreate Studio is an art studio just for kids. At Kidcreate Studio, your child will create fridge-worthy masterpieces, learn art concepts, and experiment with many different art materials.
After renovations and updates, Plymouth District Library is celebrating its grand reopening this June. Families can explore refreshed spaces, updated collections, and community-centered improvements designed to make the library even more welcoming for children and visitors of all ages.
The wait is over! Ford Field Park is finally reopened in downtown Northville and the signature wooden playground is now trek! Say bye to splinters an wood chips in sandals and enjoy a similar playtime experience in a modern, more enjoyable environment. Address: 151 N. Griswold, Northville, MI 48167
The RED Children’s Museum is a first-of-its-kind children’s visual arts museum focused entirely on hands-on creativity, expression, and imagination. Families can explore interactive exhibits that encourage kids to paint, build, design, and experiment with art in a completely immersive way. Unlike traditional museums, this space invites kids to be active participants—making it perfect for curious minds who love to create.
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