First tornado touches down in Detroit in 29 years and hundreds of thousands lost power

Any day I have failed to post here has been because of two events, either I'm in the hospital or the power went out. This time, it was the latter, which is playing second fiddle to Detroit Tornado Strikes Eastside, Causing Major Damage as WXYZ reported in a rare video of theirs I can embed.

For the first time in nearly three decades, a tornado has touched down in Detroit, leaving extensive damage and dangerous debris across parts of the city — with the lower Eastside hit the hardest.

I had to take shelter during the tornado warning. While there had been severe thunderstorms the night before, which had knocked out the power for more than 100,000 customers, and all day on Thursday, I had avoided having to take any action because of the weather other than driving to an appointment instead of walking until about 3:30 P.M., when public safety came to my office and told me to take shelter. There, I waited with the rest of the employees and students until the all clear sounded about 4:30 P.M. I also called my wife to see and hear how she was riding through the storm. She was about to seek shelter herself when the livestream she was watching cut off because our house lost power. That was quite a moment, hearing the sudden dead silence on the phone.

I'll have more to say after a third video, but first, a second tornado touched down in Metro Detroit, as ClickOnDetroit/Local 4/WDIV reported in NWS: EF2 tornado tears through Detroit, EF0 confirmed in Lincoln Park.

An EF2 tornado packing estimated peak winds of 115 mph tore through Detroit on Thursday afternoon, leaving considerable damage across parts of the city and becoming Detroit's first confirmed tornado in 29 years.

WDIV added an objective angle from the studio that complemented WXYZ's man-on-the-street perspective.

I close the videos with FOX 2 Detroit reporting Volunteers across Metro Detroit clean up, rebuild after tornado and storms.

NWS confirms a tornado touched down on Detroit’s east side Thursday, causing massive damage and leaving thousands without power.

I'm glad FOX 2 Detroit covered the suburbs, because the straight-line winds and lightning did as much damage as the tornado; it was just more dispersed and the individual incidents were generally not as spectacular. Also, the power being out is the same everywhere, including the suburb where I live. It's disruptive.

I just hit a wall for whining about what my wife and I went through. I'm tired, hot, sweaty, hungry, need to replace the half-and-half that spoiled during the blackout, and don't want to write any more about it today. Instead, I'm telling my readers to stay tuned for the first Emmy winners tomorrow as the Sunday entertainment feature followed by a sequel to Alexis Dahl describes 'The Incredible Engineering Behind Michigan's Iconic Bridge' for Labor Day.

Nonprofit thrift shops in Michigan for National Nonprofit and Thrift Shop Days

Happy National Nonprofit Day! I'm finally embedding a National Day Calendar video via KX News, NATIONAL DAY CALENDAR: National Nonprofit Day.


Today is also National Thrift Shop Day | August 17th - National Day Calendar.


So what's today's topic? Michigan thrift shops operated to support nonprofits! Follow over the jump.

A joyous Juneteenth from Michigan!

A joyous Juneteenth to all! This year's theme is Juneteenth in Michigan and I begin with Click on Detroit/Local 4/WDIV reporting Juneteenth 2026 in Metro Detroit — what to know.

From parades and block parties to artist markets and talks, there are plenty of ways to commemorate Juneteenth across Metro Detroit this week.

Sounds like a lot of fun! WXYZ has more in Juneteenth celebration scheduled at Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park on Fri[d]ay.

The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy is celebrating Juneteenth with an event at Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park.

This entry has now earned the poem label.

Detroit isn't having all the fun in the Great Lakes State. WNEM TV5 in Saginaw, Flint, Midland and Bay City reported Juneteenth plans in Flint for 54th year.

Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley said Flint was the first city in Michigan to officially recognize Juneteenth in 2020, a year before the federal government.

I didn't know that about Flint, so I learned something new. That makes today a good day.

I close by crossing the state with WOOD-TV reporting Juneteenth Solidarity Parade and Celebration happening in Grand Rapids.

Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday in 2021. (June 19, 2026)

That's a wrap for today's celebration of the newest federal holiday. Stay tuned for more, American Eagle Day, National Seashell Day, the Summer Solstice, World Giraffe Day 2025, Father's Day, World Rainforest Day, Detroit-style Pizza Day, and the first of two World UFO Days. I love holidays!

Detroit's population increases for third consecutive year

I promised a follow-up to Detroit's population increases for first time since 1957 three times, so watch Click on Detroit/Local 4/WDIV report New census data shows Detroit population grows for third consecutive year.

Detroit’s population continues to climb, according to new estimates released this week by the U.S. Census Bureau, marking the city’s third consecutive year of growth.

Good news! In fact, such good news that I'm recycling what I wrote two years ago: "This is such good news that it's enough to make me repost Professor Farnsworth."


I'm also repeating what I wrote in Across the Globe explains 'How Detroit Went From Good to Bad to Good Again': "Detroit moved up from 29th last year to 26th in U.S. cities by population this year, passing Memphis, Louisville, and Portland. Things are looking up for the Motor City!" Detroit has maintained its position and is catching up to Boston. Should I still be blogging when that happens, I'll be sure to celebrate that event.

By the way, Detroit isn't the only Midwestern city with good population news. FOX 32 Chicago reported Chicago population up for third year in a row, new Census data shows | ChicagoNOW.

New U.S. Census estimates show Chicago’s population increased for the third year in a row, while fast-growing suburbs like Plainfield and Lockport continue to expand. Chicago Tribune reporter Robert McCoppin breaks down what the latest numbers reveal about where people are moving across Chicagoland.

McCoppin listed affordability, taxes, and crime as issues in Chicago. Those same issues apply to Detroit, and Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield specifically mentioned affordability as a reason people were moving into Detroit. Detroit is also actively engaging in programs to make home ownership more appealing and sustainable; I didn't hear McCoppin or the ChicagoNOW hosts mentioning the City of Chicago doing such things. The Motor City's population loss was a crisis; Chicago's was merely a concern.

McCoppin and the ChicagoNOW hosts also mentioned Illinois' population decline as people left for warmer climates and lower taxes (Florida and Texas have each gained about 2 million people in the past five years, while Illinois lost about 100,000). That's no longer an issue for Michigan; the Great Lakes State's population has actually gone up since 2020. Again, good news.

That's a wrap for today's positive post. Stay tuned for the Sunday entertainment feature.

Moon safe from 2024 YR4 and fireballs for Apophis Day

It's Apophis Day, when I report on the perils of space. Today, I have good news to follow up on 'NASA Expert Answers Your Questions About Asteroid 2024 YR4' for Apophis Day, when there was a significant chance 2024 YR4 would hit the Moon. Space.com reports No Impact! Famous Asteroid Will Not Smash Into Moon (or Earth).

New James Webb Space Telescope imagery of asteroid 2024 YR4 confirmed that it “will safely pass the Moon at a distance of more than 20,000 km. (~12,427 mlles),” according to the European Space Agency.

It also poses no danger to Earth[.]

As I wrote, good news!

That written, smaller objects have been plowing into Earth, or at least its atmosphere. Follow over the jump for those.

Holi, Purim, and lunar eclipse

An early happy Purim and Holi, two usually coinciding holidays! I begin with i24NEWS English reporting Indian Embassy blends Holi & Purim holidays in Jaffa festival.

India Naftali reports from the Jaffa port, where the Indian Embassy in Israel and Tel Aviv-Jaffa municipality have organized a special Holi-Purim festival to celebrate both holidays.

To paraphrase what I wrote three years ago in India Naftali's first appearance on this blog, I don't celebrate Purim or Holi anywhere else but this blog, but I'm all in favor of fun holidays and both qualify.

Both holidays happen during the full moon, very often the same one. Another event that happens during the full moon is a lunar eclipse. Watch WDIV/Click On Detroit/Local 4 report Michigan to see total lunar eclipse early Tuesday morning -- what to know.

Early Tuesday morning, the moon will go red and we will witness a total lunar eclipse.
At around 3 a.m. on March 3, we will see March’s full moon pass through Earth’s shadow, turning it a copper color for 58 spell-binding minutes.
Shannon Schmoll, the director of Abram’s Planetarium at Michigan State University, joined Local 4 Live to talk more about the eclipse.

It might be clear enough to see the Moon early this morning. I'll probably be asleep, but if I'm up, I'll look.

So ends today's bonus holiday post. Stay tuned for Marching Music Day, closer looks at the Iran war, and more Saturn Awards coverage.

Nature on PBS presents 'Learning to Coexist with Detroit's Urban Wildlife'

For today's evergreen educational entry, I'm sharing Nature on PBS's Learning to Coexist with Detroit's Urban Wildlife | WILD HOPE.

As Detroit’s population declined and nature reclaimed the city’s vacant spaces, wild carnivores like coyotes, raccoons, and skunks are now returning and making themselves at home.

Ecologist Nyeema Harris studies how these opportunistic predators and scavengers are adapting to urban life. Through a series of experiments in city parks, and with the aid of camera traps, she's uncovering unexpected interactions — like dogs acting as a buffer with the coyote population — which provide valuable insights into how wildlife navigates urban environments. Her research suggests that peaceful coexistence is achievable when humans make small changes to accommodate their wild neighbors.

My readers should not be surprised that I embedded this video; they should only be surprised that it took me a month to get around to it. It's exactly my kind of content.

Local news has reported relatively recently on Detroit's urban wildlife, including WXYZ explaining Wildlife is making a comeback in urban areas of metro Detroit; here's why in 2022.

Wildlife is making a comeback in metro Detroit, from river otters to foxes and coyotes. Last week, we caught coyotes along Detroit's riverfront, and the wild animals are becoming more brazen. Terry McFadden has been with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for over 20 years. He said he isn't surprised coyotes are making a comeback in urban areas like Detroit.

I'm not surprised, either. I first posted about urban coyotes in 'Meet the Coywolf': Evolution in action for Darwin Day and coyotes in metro Detroit in Happy Labor Day from metro Detroit plus National Wildlife Day! Both of those were eight years ago. I'm only surprised I was able to find a WXYZ video I could embed. Based on when I started complaining about WXYZ not allowing embedding of its YouTube videos, this was from just before that happened.

I close with one more video about coyotes in metro Detroit, WDIV/Click on Detroit/Local 4 explaining Coyote mating season: What Michiganders should know from January 2024.

Over the next few weeks, it’s coyote breeding season, which means you may see more than usual.

That's a wrap for learning to coexist with Detroit's urban wildlife. Stay tuned for the Sunday entertainment feature.

Giving Tuesday in Michigan 2025

Happy Giving Tuesday! Like last year, I'm concentrating on Michigan, beginning with WDIV/Click on Detroit/Local 4 explaining How to ensure donations go to the right place on Giving Tuesday.

Ahead of Giving Tuesday, Nakia Mills from the Better Business Bureau advises donors to verify charities before donating to ensure their money is used as intended. The BBB recommends checking the accreditation and financial practices of charities on their website as a precautionary measure.

Good advice, the kind I would given about security if I had celebrated Cyber Monday yesterday instead of World AIDS Day.

WDIV suggested a charitible cause in Donate to THAW this Giving Tuesday to support Michigan families with utility bills.

On Giving Tuesday, donations will be collected for THAW, the Heat and Warmth Fund, to assist people in crisis with utility bills during winter. THAW offers more than just bill assistance, including energy-efficient home improvements as experienced by beneficiary Byron Spivey. Serving families with children, seniors, and veterans, THAW helped 11,000 homes with $10 million last year, with over 80% of donations going directly to services. The organization aims to enhance the long-term health and financial security of Michigan neighborhoods with additional support like home assessments and appliances.

Not only does THAW pay people's utility bills, it pays for energy conservation upgrades. I approve.

Moving to the other side of the state, WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids described The mental health benefits of giving.

Learn more about the mental health benefits of giving ahead of Giving Tuesday. (Dec. 1, 2025)

I used to be a director of a nonprofit. I can tell you that a physical quarter in a Salvation Army kettle will probably be a net benefit, but any online donation less than a dollar will likely cost the charity money in processing fees.

That's a wrap for today. Stay tuned for comedy tomorrow.

Election results from New Jersey, New York, Virginia, and Detroit add many firsts

I messed up when I wrote "I plan on re-examining ABC suspending Jimmy Kimmel" today. No, that's tomorrow. Today, I'm looking at election results, beginning with Morning Joe on MSNBC declaring 'As big as it gets': Joe on why it was a massive, massive night for Democrats.

Democrats swept key races on Tuesday night, gaining momentum against President Trump. Zohran Mamdani won the NYC mayoral race, while the party notched victories in Virginia and New Jersey governor's races. The Morning Joe panel discusses.

While I selected this video for the preview image, which made a great visual headline, I'm glad I selected it because the panel told a much bigger story of victories for Democrats, democracy, and diversity. In addition to Democratic wins in New Jersey, New York, and Virginia, which added the first female Governor and Muslim Attorney General in Virginia, first female Democratic Governor in New Jersey, and first Muslim Mayor of New York City, former U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill listed victories for Democrats, voting rights, and gun control in Maine and Georgia. Joe Scarborough added that the Pennsylvania voters retained three Democratic State Supreme Court Justices in Pennsylvania. It's not just blue states that voted for Democrats and against Hoover Cleveland and his policies. Speaking of pushing back, Mika mentioned Proposition 50 passing in California, which counteracted Texas's redistricting to gain more Republican seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Fight fire with fire!

One of the notable results in New Jersey was the swing of Latino voters toward Democrats. That reminds me of what I wrote last year.

Latino support for Trump was even more pronounced in Michigan, where exit polling showed 62% of Michigan Latinos voting for Trump. That could be enough to swing the state to him...For Latinos, there is nothing I can do that Trump and his core supporters would do more effectively except be a positive example. Who knows, Trump might actually overcome his bigotry and cater to his new voters. We should be so lucky.

We, including Donald "Hoover Cleveland" Trump, the rest of the Republican Party, and Latinos themselves, were not that lucky. As Scarborough pointed out, Hoover Cleveland and Stephen Miller couldn't help themselves. This is still a democracy and the voters pushed back.

That was the national picture, what about the local one? For that, I turn to Click On Detroit | Local 4 | WDIV reporting History in Detroit: Voters elect first woman mayor with decisive victory.

Detroit made history Tuesday night by electing its first woman mayor, marking a significant milestone as the city continues its post-bankruptcy revival. The Associated Press called the race at 9:17 p.m., about an hour after polls closed. Mary Sheffield built on her primary success by securing more than 75% of the vote over Solomon Kinloch Jr. Sheffield addressed the city for the first time just minutes after the race was called, celebrating the victory and the opportunity to lead Detroit into its next chapter. But Detroit was not the only community making decisions Tuesday. More than a dozen other cities also voted on new mayors and important proposals that could shape their neighborhoods for years to come.

Congratulations, Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield! Add your victory to those of Mikey Sherrill and Abigail Spanberger to history-making wins by women!

WDIV's anchors mentioned other mayoral contests being decided last night. One that might take longer than the rest is the Hamtramck mayoral race: Why it’s too close to call, how a few rejected votes could change outcome.

The Hamtramck mayoral race remains undecided, with dozens of rejected ballots potentially impacting the outcome in what has become a razor-thin contest. Adam Alharbi currently leads Muhith Mahmood by just 11 votes with all five precincts reporting, but city officials say the final results could change as voters have an opportunity to correct rejected ballots.

File this story under every vote counts.

That's a wrap for today. Stay tuned for Vox and the Marsh Family on free speech tomorrow.

Happy Hanukkah 2024 (5875) from Detroit!

Happy Hanukkah! For this year's festival of lights, I'm returning to a theme I haven't used since 2018, Hanukkah celebrations in Michigan. Watch CBS Detroit report Menorah in the D returns to downtown Detroit.

It's the first time since 2005 that the first night of Hanukkah falls on Christmas, and there were celebrations all throughout the area. For over a decade, Metro Detroit's Jewish community has come together at Campus Martius on the first night of Hanukkah for Menorah in the D. This is the 14th year Menorah in the D has taken place in downtown Detroit, and organizers said they hope this tradition continues to grow year after year.

Ah, the events I missed during the pandemic and also not waiting the next morning to post about them!

WDIV/Click On Detroit showed more in Detroit celebrates Hanukkah with 'Menorah in the D'.

Detroit celebrated Hanukkah with the annual Menorah in the D event.

WDIV previewed last night's celebration in Dare to be the light: Menorah in the D 2024.


I looked like everyone was having fun, including the dancer in the dreidel costume.

That concludes the holiday posts until New Year's Eve. Stay tuned for year-end retrospectives. What did you think were the best and worst of 2024?

Giving Tuesday in Michigan 2024

Happy Giving Tuesday! Since this is a Michigan-based blog and I believe in shopping local, I also believe in giving local. To that end, I'm sharing three local news reports from the Great Lakes State about the day, beginning with WILX News 10's Giving Tuesday tips to avoid scammers.

Giving Tuesday donations can mean a lot for local charities.

Not only do I believe in giving locally, I believe in giving safely and effectively.

Moving to the west side of the state, I'm sharing Fox 17 WXMI asking and answering Giving Tuesday? One movement is opening doors to impact Grand Rapids nonprofits.


That was fun and informative, but let's see how long it remains here, as WXMI disabled embedding on the video I used for Cyber Monday. Enough of that and I'll stop using their YouTube uploads, just like I did WXYZ's. Instead, I use WDIV's clips, like Tips to avoid holiday-season scams in Metro Detroit.

[Here] are some tips to avoid holiday-season scams in Metro Detroit.

Good advice from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.

If my readers want to give nationally instead of locally to affect the political environment, I can vouch for the organizations that belong to Bridge Alliance, since I'm a volunteer for them. One of them, the 92nd Street Y, created Giving Tuesday!

This concludes the long holiday weekend. Stay tuned for topical non-holiday programming tomorrow.

Happy Sweetest Day from National Day Calendar and Live in the D!

Happy National Sweetest Day! I begin today's celebration of a day unfairly called a Hallmark Holiday with National Day Calendar's NATIONAL SWEETEST DAY - Third Saturday in October.


It was about time Marlo Anderson created a video for today!

Since this is a Metro-Detroit-based blog, I can't resist Live in the D's What's The Buzz about Sweetest Day on Live In The D.

What's The Buzz is all about Sweetest Day and how people do or do not celebrate the big day.

Dave Moskowitz (His name doesn't sound like that, but that's what the closed captioning calls him) says he won't celebrate Sweetest Day because the holiday started in Cleveland and he's salty about the Guardians beating the Tigers to advance to the ALCS.* Apparently, Dave doesn't know about the Detroit connection to today, which I outlined in Conflicting histories of the origin of Sweetest Day plus a drink and song to celebrate with your sweetheart, quoting National Day Calendar.

National Sweetest Day found its beginnings in a holiday founded by the National Confectioners’ Association in 1916 called Candy Day. On October 14, 1916, candy shops around the country filled newspapers announcing their sweetest treats and delights. Originally designated to be celebrated the second Saturday of every October, the confectioners’ convention in Detroit in May of 1916 made the final resolution. Walter C. Hughes, the secretary of the National Confectioners’ Association, encouraged Americans to patronizes (sic) their local candy shops, bakers, and druggist for the highest quality confections.
...
Sweetest Day’s theme of charity and giving became apparent in 1921. At the time, four Michigan confectioners united with the Red Cross. Those confectioners included the Detroit Retail Confectioners, Detroit Wholesale Confections Club, Detroit Jobbing Confectioners Association, and the Michigan Confectioners Club. Together, they distributed thousands of bags of candy to hospitals, orphanages, shelters, and homes across Michigan. The celebration also included 100 regulation army target balloons, which dropped coupons worth a box of candy.

I'm willing to advocate for Detroit's role in creating Sweetest Day. If Dave knew, would he at least celebrate today?

I close with my tradition for today, embedding a video of Control Freq's Sweetest Day.


That's a wrap for today's holiday. Stay tuned for a highlights post of tonight's Saturday Night Live as the Sunday entertainment feature — Michael Keaton and Billie Eilish! — followed by a late celebration of Wester.

*I never thought I'd type this, but go Yankees! I'm rooting for a retro Subway Series between the Dodgers and the Yankees over a modern Subway Series between the Yankees and the Mets. It would so disappoint the cast of SNL, but at least they'd be unconflicted over who to root for.

I return after a power outage spanning four days and three nights

I'm back. To explain, I'm reusing the opening to I had an eventful three days and two nights because of a severe storm knocking out my power from July 9, 2021.

It's rare that I miss a day here, let alone two, but the usual cause when it has happened was a power outage (the other time I was in the hospital). That's why I was offline the past two days.

History repeated itself this month, first a hospitalization and now a power outage. I'm cutting to the chase with CBS Detroit's Outraged Michigan residents blast DTE after four-day power outage.

Throughout Friday the number of DTE customers without power has slowly ticked downward, but those living south of Six Mile near Farmington Road were cranking their generators to stay cool otherwise they were planning to sweat it out for another night.

I can relate to this. My wife called me late Tuesday afternoon to report the power went out and the power and cable or phone lines in my neighbors' yards caught fire. I came home to brownout conditions, with enough power to run some lights and the freezer, but not the refrigerator. Power gradually increased through the evening until everything could run except the air conditioning. My wife and I could even watch the season premiere of Only Murders in the Building. I thought the worst was over until one of the power lines in front of the house fell and caught those cable/phone lines on fire. The fire department taped off the street and left a notice on the door.

I went to sleep with the power mostly on. I woke up Wednesday morning with the power completely off. It didn't return until this afternoon, so I had part or all of four days and three nights with no power at home. At least I could charge my phone and enjoy air conditioning at work, but returned home to no electricity. I saw crews in the area all four days, but no one actually fixed the problem until today. My wife and I got fed up with the situation last night and checked into a hotel with our dog. We returned this afternoon after we learned the power had returned. I don't think we're in as bad shape as Matt Hutchinson from Brighton; at least some of our food is still good, but we'll find out tomorrow when we start throwing the spoiled food out. We decided to save our medicine that requires refrigeration, like my insulin and Ozempic by putting them into the hotel fridge. Just the same, a $38 rebate from DTE will hardly make a dent in the lost food, to say nothing of the hotel bill.

Now to return to the beginning as WDIV/Click on Detroit reported on the initial storm and power outages in Fast-moving storms leave massive damage across SE Michigan Tuesday night.

The clean-up begins acoss SE Michigan as fast-moving storms hammered Metro Detroit.

We didn't experience any strong wind gusts or see downed trees like WDIV showed, but those definitely explain why the outages were so widespread and persistent. Yikes!

Michigan is not out of the woods yet, as Fox Weather uploaded an overview of the situation in the entire state in Major Michigan Power Outages Persist Amid New Round Of Storms Friday.

Thousands of Michiganders are still without power after severe storms earlier in the week tore across the state as they are bracing for another round of potentially destructive weather Friday.

So far, we haven't seen the severe weather forecast for our area. May we remain so lucky.

I plan on finishing the month with a double driving update. Stay tuned.

Detroit Hives for World Honey Bee Day on National Nonprofit Day

Happy World Honey Bee Day! Today is also National Nonprofit Day — a double celebration! The best way I found to combine the two is to feature nonprofits that benefit bees, particularly honeybees. I found one based in Detroit, Detroit Hives. Watch Lightbeam tell their story in Detroit Hives: Transforming Vacant Detroit Lots into Urban Bee Farms.

The work of Detroit Hives is simple. They are transforming vacant Detroit lots into urban bee farms. The mission is three-fold: Conserve the bees, educate others about how hard-working bees really are, and revitalize the community.

Not only are they rebuilding the bee community, but they are rebuilding the beautiful city.

Detroit Hives connected what they are doing to urban agriculture in Detroit, a major topic during the early years of this blog. It was about time I revisited it.

WDIV/Click On Detroit also told Detroit Hives' story in Detroit nonprofit organization educates students about importance of bees nearly five years ago.


This was much more about education and redevelopment than urban agriculture, but it's still a positive story about the Motor City.

I close with CBS Detroit's Science of Weather: Detroit Hives.


The Brightmoor location looks even more interesting than the one featured in the first two videos and I'm glad CBS Detroit used it to discuss the effect of weather on bees.

By the way, Detroit Hives has a Charity Navigator page, which means I can include the nonprofit among those I recommend to my students. That means that I learned something new and useful today, so today's a good day. It's always a good day when I learn something new.

That's a wrap for today's double celebration. Stay tuned for the Sunday entertainment feature.

Detroit's population increases for first time since 1957

I am sharing good news that I didn't expect to happen this soon, Detroit reversing its population decline. I begin with Click On Detroit/WDIV 4 reporting Detroit population rises after decades of decline last week.

Detroit had seen an exodus of people since the 1950s. Yet the estimates released Thursday show Detroit's population rose by just 1,852 people from 631,366 in 2022 to 633,218 last year.

That's a great use of graphics to give the numbers impact and make people pay attention to them!

CBS Detroit provided more context and human interest in their report, Detroit sees population growth for first time since 1950s.

After decades of decline, Detroit's population population is finally growing once again, according to new estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.

This is such good news that it's enough to make me repost Professor Farnsworth.


I haven't shared this particular meme since 2022, so it's a big deal.

I can't let this silver cloud pass without showing its dark lining, which WDIV reported in Experts call for action as population in Michigan dwindles on March 21, 2024.

Michigan's population growth is among the worst in the nation, and it has experts sounding the alarm for some action in Lansing.

Michigan being a climate haven in a warming world will not be enough for more people to move here. The state has to makes itself and especially its cities more appealing, as I wrote last year.

I'm in favor of getting people to move here, both because it's a safer place to live (but not immune from the extreme weather associated with climate change as the second video mentioned) and because the state has room. Detroit alone lost more than one million people since its 1950 peak and other Michigan cities have lost people as well, so they alone could take up the slack — that is, if they can become better places to live and work. People moved out of Michigan to seek work, so state and local governments need to work with businesses to promote and create sustainable industries to employ the people who move here and rebuild infrastructure to support them in a warmer and, for Michigan, wetter world. Infrastructure and housing construction to accommodate people moving here will provide a lot of jobs by themselves, but that only lasts so long. Ask Las Vegas, for example.

Looks like Detroit is succeeding in this department. Just the same, it needs to improve its mass transit, as CityNerd ranked metro Detroit as the fourth worst city in the U.S. for transit. I might share his video next week for a driving update. Stay tuned, after tomorrow's Sunday entertainment feature, where I plan on writing about Ticketmaster.

Marche du Nain Rouge returns

As I promised yesterday, I'm resuming coverage of Marche du Nain Rouge for the first time since the pandemic began. Because it's been five years since I last covered the parade and I have lots of new readers, I'm reintroducing the subject with The History of Detroit's Nain Rouge by MLive.

Throughout Detroit's history, the legend of the Nain Rouge (Red Dwarf) dates back to its founder, Antoine Cadillac. This Detroit Devil has been spotted on the eve of Detroit's worst events in its history and as the legend goes, is feared to be the harbinger of disaster for Detroit if spotted.

MLive produced that video in October 2020, a year of no Marche du Nain Rouge, and disaster did befall the city, although no one claimed to see the Nain Rouge. I guess that's because the disaster was global, not local, so not a result of the Nain Rouge's curse.

Under the Radar Michigan uploaded Marche du Nain Rouge - Detroit just before the parade returned in 2022.


That's the Nain I remember, a complete jerk!

WDIV/Click on Detroit covered the return in Revelers march to banish Nain Rouge from Detroit in annual tradition.


I'm glad to see the event return, too.

WDIV has a preview of this year's parade, which is forming up as I type this, in Marche du Nain Rogue in Midtown Detroit: What to know.

What started as a parade attended by a couple hundred people back in 2010 has grown into a parade that draws in thousands of attendees every year.

Here's to everyone enjoying themselves at today's celebration of Detroit's hidden history. May they have even more fun marching and partying that I had writing this entry!

Four years of the COVID-19 pandemic

Today is the fourth anniversary of the WHO declaring COVID-19 a global pandemic. ABC 7 News - WJLA in Washington, D.C., observed the occasion with 7News marks 4 years since COVID-19 pandemic declaration with survivor's harrowing tales.

By March 11, 2020, there were more than 118,000 cases and 4,291 worldwide deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Four years later, 7News is reflecting on how the pandemic impacted local communities.

That's a graphic and terrifying retrospective of how fast the disease spread, how much it disrupted everyday life, and how that felt to everyone affected. I had half-forgotten all of that, but realized how important it was to be reminded. The last time I felt like that was watching the opening of season 2 of The Morning Show, when my reaction was "You poor people. You have no idea what you're in for."

That's the past. Fox 5 New York described the effects of the pandemic on the present when it asked COVID-19: 4 years later: Where are we now?

NYC's health commissioner, Dr. Ashwin Vasan shares the progress we have made since COVID hit our nation four years ago.

That's good news and bad news. The good news is that we are better able to protect ourselves against COVID-19. The bad news is that people have become more vaccine-skeptical, not only about the COVID-19 vaccines, but about the MMR vaccine as well. That's led to a measles outbreak. WDIV talks about all of the above in 4 years of COVID: Michigan's top doctor on COVID today, measles & more.


I live in Metro Detroit, so of course I'd include a local report when I can find a good one, even if it was about bad news.

Vaccine skepticism is not the only bad effect of the reaction to the pandemic. MSNBC uploaded ‘COVID stole our optimism’: Reminding Americans how bad things were four years ago.

Polls show a big difference between what Americans think of President Biden’s economy compared to what we had under Donald Trump. Now the GOP is reminding everyone what life was like four years ago - when the COVID pandemic transformed our country. Molly Jong-Fast, Maya Wiley, Christine Romans, and Mary Harris discuss with Stephanie Ruhle on this week’s Nightcap.

Are you better off now than you were four years ago? No? Really? Feelings are not facts!

Today is also the 13th anniversary of the Fukushima triple disaster, but I've had enough of tragedy. Stay tuned for this year's edition of Marching music for the Washington, Mississippi, Democrats Abroad, and Georgia primaries.

MSU shooting remembered one year later plus new Michigan gun laws take effect

I told my readers yesterday "stay tuned for Valentines Day. May it not be a sad occasion." Once again, I'm not feeling it. I'm in an Ash Wednesday mood and I'm not even a practicing Catholic. I'm also in a Spartan Strong mood and I went to Michigan. I'm going to give into both feelings by sharing Emotional day on MSU campus one year after mass shooting from Fox 2 Detroit.

Most students had the day off at Michigan State University Tuesday to honor the victims of a mass shooting that shook the campus and traumatized both students and their parents.

Fox 2's clip had the better preview image. WZZM/ABC 13 On You Side had the better story in SPARTAN STRONG | Michigan State marks 1 year since deadly campus shooting.

A gunman killed three Michigan State University students and wounded five others on Feb. 13, 2023. This is where the campus and community stand one year later.

One of my students wore a Spartan Strong sweatshirt to class yesterday. I told her I appreciated that.

At least the response to this mass shooting was stronger than Thoughts and Prayers as new gun laws took effect yesterday. Click On Detroit/Local 4/WDIV explained those in What to know about Michigan's new gun laws.

Following the deadly and horrific mass shootings at Michigan State University in February 2023 -- which occurred just over a year after the deadly mass shooting at Oxford High School in 2021 -- state lawmakers quickly passed a series of bills related to firearms in an effort to address gun violence.

Gun store owner Bill Kucyk was pretty pessimistic about how well the laws will work, but, as The Dude says, "that's, like, just your opinion, man." I think the new laws are a good thing.

That's a good place to end this post. Stay tuned for some non-holiday programming tomorrow. Comedy, anyone?

UAW strike enters second month, a driving update

I foreshadowed today's post at the end of Seth Meyers takes a closer look at Trump's gag order and Jim Jordan running for Speaker.

I haven't mentioned the UAW strike since Meyers' and Colbert's guests on strikes and labor issues. I plan on posting a driving update tomorrow, so it will be the perfect opportunity to do so. After all, both are about cars.

I begin with WDIV/Click On Detroit reporting UAW strike against Detroit 3 could have potential long-term consequences.

Ford chairman Bill Ford sent a warning to the United Auto Workers Monday and its President Shawn Fain. He said unless the company and the union get together on a contract, the industry could suffer and its future put in doubt.

Ford is preaching (domestic) industry solidarity, Fain is preaching class solidarity. Those could potentially be working in parallel, but right now they are at right angles to each other.

WDIV reported on decisions GM and Stellantis, formerly Chrysler, made in UAW strike: Week 5 sees both friction and hopefulness, Big Three layoffs.

The UAW has yet to reach a deal with any of Detroit’s Big Three automakers, though contract talks that started in July have continued since the historic strike was initiated one month ago.

I tell my students how computerized cars are every semester and the auto companies going to the Computer Electronics Show (CES) serves as an example of that. That Stellantis is not going next year is a sign of how severe the effects of the strike have become. Speaking of which, Fox 2 Detroit mentioned that the auto industry has already lost $8 billion from the strike in As UAW strike marches on, smaller auto suppliers may be left behind.

Marick Masters, a Wayne State University business professor, says the small suppliers make the plastic and metal parts that go into the cars we love. And right now, they risk running out of money.

A partial but escalating strike has cost the big three U.S. automakers $8 billion in just one month, while two complete strikes cost the entertainment industry nearly $6 billion over five-and-one-half months. The comparison shows that manufacturing is more important to the economy, even though entertainment is more fun to write about.

That's the current snapshot of the big picture involving cars. Follow over the jump for my personal driving update.

Five, now six, days of the UAW strike

Now that Talk Like A Pirate Day is over, it's time to return to the UAW strike. I begin with WTOL asking Five days of the UAW strike: How did it reach this point?

UAW President Shawn Fain says if there's no deal by the end of the week, more plants will walk out on Friday.

The preview image alone shows the timeline, which is why I featured this video.

WDIV has more from metro Detroit in UAW ramps up pressure as strike hits day 5 in Metro Detroit.

The UAW and the Detroit Big Three are having what's been characterized as around-the-clock discussions, but there has been no update from the automakers.

At least the Canadian Auto Workers have reached an agreement. The reporter on location seemed pretty pessimistic about the UAW reaching agreements with the Big Three any time soon.

The location reporter in Fox 2 Detroit's UAW strike effect could send massive waves through economy sounded more optimistic despite the dire possible effects of a prolonged strike.

As UAW members continue protesting outside three plants in the U.S., Michigan's economy could be derailed if the strike lasts for several weeks.

Unlike the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, talks are taking place and progress toward an agreement is happening every day, so I think the strike will end before suppliers start to close, although not before more UAW members go out on strike. Stay tuned.