The City of Detroit switched to a new parking app the last week of December. The old ParkDetroit app only allowed drivers to pay for metered parking spaces. The new app allows users to pay for parking in both the city’s spaces and some private parking garages and lots. It also lets drivers search parking..
Program Aims to Breathe New Life into Buildings, Spaces That Have Been Underutilized During the Pandemic
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is launching a program to help communities repurpose buildings and outdoor spaces that are underutilized because of COVID-19. The Revitalization and Placemaking Program is funded by $100 million from the federal American Rescue Plan. Michele Wildman is the MEDC’s senior vice president of community development. She says her organization has been helping Michigan municipalities bring life to vacant and neglected spaces for a while now. “We knew that following the pandemic, that was even more important than ever, and..
Why Does Steam Sometimes Come Out of Manhole Covers in Detroit?
While driving around downtown Detroit, have you ever noticed a plume of steam coming out of a manhole and wondered where it came from? If so, you’re not alone. It’s something WDET's Laura Herberg has wondered for the past decade. This year, she finally looked into the origin of all that steam. Climbing Down a Manhole Dorothy Hernandez/WDET On a recent Thursday afternoon, I’m looking into a manhole..
Kick Off Your New Year’s Resolutions with First Day Hikes
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is encouraging people to get out in nature and move on Jan. 1. The department is hoping Michiganders will sign up online and collectively log 2,022 as part of the “First Day Hikes” program. Maia Turek is an engagement and innovation specialist for the DNR. She says the program is a good way..
Red Cross Is Facing a Critical Blood Shortage and Is Urging People to Donate
The Red Cross is urging people to donate blood amid an emergency blood and platelet shortage. Meghan Lehman, a spokesperson for the Michigan Region of the American Red Cross, says the nonprofit is experiencing historically low blood supply levels. The Red Cross is especially looking for people to step up who’ve never given blood before. “It is a critical situation that we..
Deadline for Low-Income Detroiters to Apply for Property Tax Exemption is December 13
The deadline for low-income Detroiters to apply to have their 2021 property taxes reduced or eliminated through the city’s Homeowners Property Exemption, or HOPE program, is Monday, December 13. Applications must be delivered to the City Assessor’s office, deposited in a sealed envelope in a dropbox in front of the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, or..
Solar Power Bulk Buying Program Allows Homeowners and Businesses to Cut Electricity Bills
Homeowners and businesses can generate their own electricity by installing solar panels. That can greatly reduce electric bills. “Right now, DTE is charging between 15 to 18 cents per kilowatt hour for every kilowatt hour you use in electricity. Well, if you're producing that with your solar panels, you are not paying that money,” says..
Michigan’s Roads Worse Than Average in the U.S., Report Says
A new report backs up what many Michigan drivers already know: The roadways in the state are worse than average. In the Annual Highway Report released this year by the nonpartisan think tank the Reason Foundation, Michigan ranked 34th. That’s down from 24th the previous year. The rankings are based on data from 2019-20. Baruch Feigenbaum, the senior managing director of transportation policy at the Reason Foundation, says..
Black Detroiters Weigh in on What They Hope a Reparations Task Force Will Endorse
Reparations is the idea of making amends for a wrong. The concept is usually tied to slavery or other unfair treatment toward African Americans. Conversations on reparations are happening across the country. The concept has gained traction in cities like Evanston, Illinois, where officials recently began a reparations program where eligible Black residents can get..
FEMA Deadline to Apply For Aid From Michigan Storm is This Friday
Correction: This story has been updated from a previous version to clarify the deadline for appealing FEMA's decision regarding your assistance. Southeast Michigan residents looking to apply for Federal Emergency Management Agency aid have until Friday. The agency has already issued more than $150 million in assistance to residents in the state as of October 31,..