Today is the start of the NFL Draft, broadcasting live from Detroit’s Campus Martius downtown, where more than 300,000 spectators are expected to visit over the next three days. Maybe you’re interested in keeping up when the league’s 32 teams announce their picks alongside your fellow Detroit football fans (maybe while enjoying a snack), but are less enthusiastic about the prospect of dealing with crowded park and ride shuttles, waiting in line to use a porta potty, or paying surge prices for beers and well drinks.
A number of food and drink establishments are taking the Draft action to the neighborhoods, by offering livestreams of the event from television screens, where guests can enjoy a cozy meal with friends without the hassle. Here are a few last-minute options of restaurants, bars, and cafes in the neighborhoods for those of you looking for a way to watch the Draft, just not sandwiched between masses of people downtown.
Ivy Kitchen and Cocktails(9215 E Jefferson Avenue) — Ivy Kitchen and Cocktails in Detroit’s East Village is showing the NFL Draft on TVs both in the restaurant and bar area. Reservations are encouraged for brunch and dinner service throughout the weekend.
El Rancho Mexican Restaurant(5900 Vernor Hwy) — Southwest Detroit stalwart El Rancho Mexican Restaurant is playing the Draft live from TVs in the bar area. Enjoy a plate of tacos, a sizzling fajitas platter, or share a bunch of appetizers like queso flameado and Detroit-style botanas.
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The Commons(7900 Mack Avenue) — Any multitaskers out there? Catch up on that pile of laundry at the Commons — the eastside’s coffee shop/laundromat — and then stop by later to catch Draft festivities on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. And maybe even squeeze in a little fellowship among neighbors. The Christian-based nonprofit MACC Development (which operates the cafe) will feature food trucks, giveaways, games, and Faith Night on Friday, with special guest Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield. Programming kicks off at 5:30 p.m. each day. On Thursday, things wrap up at 8:30 p.m., 9 p.m. on Friday, and 3 p.m. on Saturday. Registration is required for each day.
The Congregation(9321 Rosa Parks Boulevard) — Set in a restored 1920s church with a sprawling patio and garden, the Congregation is an any-occasion type of spot where you can get a charcuterie board and a bottle of Beaujolais with friends or a veggie sandwich and a cold brew while reading a book. For each day of the Draft, the Congregation hosts a tailgate party from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., featuring yard games and food from Mr. Pit Master BBQ.
Atwater Brewery and Tap House(237 Jos Campau) — Sip on Detroit-style beers at Atwater’s Tap House just under two miles from all of the Draft hype and only a short stroll to the Robert C. Valade Park on the Detroit Riverfront. To commemorate the momentous time in Detroit, the brewery has launched Big Pick IPA, brewed in the Midwest style. The beer has a 6.5% ABV and is brewed with Centennial and Cascade hops.
Several parents said they were unaware of any problems at the school
DETROIT – Videos and photos sent to the station show standing water and buckets inside Carleton Elementary School on Detroit’s east side, and an anonymous source says students were expected to attend class even as the water pooled in hallways.
The source also said the water smelled like sewage.
Several parents said Wednesday they were unaware of any problems at the school, though one said the building flooded last week and that students were given the day off.
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The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department said it received a complaint of water backing up at the school last Friday and determined the problem was private.
Crews were seen working at the school on Wednesday (March 11) afternoon.
The Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) was contacted for comment; the newsroom is awaiting a response.
The school’s principal said the district is working on building issues, but there was no flood on Wednesday.
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
A 4Warn Weather Alert has been issued for Wednesday morning in Metro Detroit following overnight thunderstorms.
A Flood Watch is in effect for most of Southeast Michigan through 2 p.m. on March 11, prompting a 4Warn Weather Alert as rounds of rain and storms move across the region during the morning commute and through midday.
Full forecast –> Wild weather: Heavy rain leading to flood concerns in Metro Detroit
What is a 4Warn Weather Alert?
We issue a 4Warn Weather Alert when we’re expecting weather conditions that will be inconvenient to our viewers.
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Why did we issue an alert for Wednesday morning?
Early Wednesday morning, thunderstorms were rolling through Metro Detroit. While severe weather was a possibility overnight, most storms in Southeast Michigan remained below severe limits. Stronger storms developed across West Michigan earlier, and a Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for the Saginaw area.
Meanwhile, parts of the Thumb and Mid-Michigan are dealing with freezing rain and icy conditions, while Northern Michigan is under Ice Storm Warnings, including Alpena.
The biggest concern in Southeast Michigan Wednesday morning is heavy rainfall.
Several rounds of rain could produce localized flooding, especially in areas that typically collect water, such as low-lying neighborhoods, underpasses and roads with poor drainage.
A Flood Watch is in effect for most of Southeast Michigan through 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (WDIV)
Flood safety tips
Drivers should be cautious of standing water on roadways. Even shallow water can hide hazards or stall vehicles Here is an important rule during flood events: Turn around, don’t drown.
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Just a foot of moving water can sweep a vehicle away. Drivers should never attempt to cross flooded roadways and should seek alternate routes if water covers the road.
Just a foot of moving water can sweep a vehicle away. Drivers should never attempt to cross flooded roadways and should seek alternate routes if water covers the road. (WDIV)
Heavy rain can also lead to basement flooding in some homes. Residents are encouraged to check sump pumps, clear nearby drains if possible and monitor lower levels of their homes for water intrusion during prolonged rainfall.
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
The free agency tampering period has begun for the NFL, and the Detroit Lions are among the active teams acquiring players as they try to get back to the playoffs after they did not meet their own standard for last season.
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On Monday, it was revealed that 2025 Lions backup quarterback Kyle Allen was heading to Buffalo, leaving another hole in the roster to fill. Nearly 24 hours later, that hole has been filled, as veteran quarterbackTeddy Bridgewater is heading back to Motown.
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Bridgewater spent the 2023 season with Detroit, in what initially was going to be his final season in the league.
However, after coaching Miami Northwestern Senior High School to a state championship in Florida during the 2024 season, he announced he was planning to unretire, and Detroit picked him up for their push towards the top seed in the NFC.
Bridgewater then resigned as head coach at Miami Northwestern and signed with Tampa Bay to backup Baker Mayfield last season.
He appeared in four games last season, throwing 15 passes for the Buccaneers, which were his first NFL pass attempts since 2022.
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Bridgewater is a safe option at backup quarterback in Detroit, as the former Rookie of the Year has had a steady career since entering the league with Minnesota out of Louisville in 2014.
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Bridgewater returns to back up Jared Goff under new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, as this is a situation where Detroit stuck with a player they knew. For Petzing, this is not the first time coaching Teddy Bridgewater, as he was an offensive assistant with Minnesota when they drafted Bridgewater in 2014.
A leg injury derailed his career after a Pro Bowl season in 2015, but he has started 37 games since the injury as a journeyman. Bridgewater left Minnesota and Drew Petzing and would overlap with Dan Campbell when the quarterback played for New Orleans in 2018 and 2019. In addition to Minnesota, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, and Detroit, Bridgewater has also played for Carolina, Denver, and Miami.
Detroit stuck with a safe and familiar option in Bridgewater, as a majority of their offense, alongside most of their offensive staff, have worked with the quarterback before. If Bridgewater is turned to in any situation, there will be full confidence in the Louisville product to make the right play.
NFL Draft Implications
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This puts Detroit in a unique position when looking ahead towards the NFL Draft, as a popular mock draft pick for Detroit was taking a quarterback, with Cole Payton, Luke Altmyer, and Taylen Green all being among the names mentioned.
Bridgewater is an excellent mentor alongside Goff, but having three quarterbacks on the Lions roster after injury-riddled campaigns in the last two seasons may not be the wisest allocation of a roster spot.
For the time being, Detroit has their backup quarterback for the season, and there is not a better option than Bridgewater when it comes to familiarity and adaptability. While the former Pro Bowl quarterback has yet to throw a pass in Detroit, he has the familiairity and trust of the coaching staff to be a backup entering a pivotal year.
