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Axios Detroit
Detroit's Diarra Kilpatrick stars in new BET+ mystery
"Diarra From Detroit," a new show on BET+, could follow "Sister, Sister" and "Martin" as the next hit Black comedy series set in Detroit.Why it matters: Detroit native Diarra Kilpatrick is the show's creator, executive producer, writer and star, Axios' Maxwell Millington reports.Prior to this series, Kilpatrick was a comedy writer and had recurring roles in HBO's "Perry Mason" and Tracy Morgan's sitcom "The Last O.G."Zoom in: Kilpatrick's artistic background started at Bates Academy. She was part of the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit and went to high school at Detroit Country Day.What they're saying: Kilpatrick told Axios about capturing...
Detroit back to investment-grade credit rating
Detroit's debt has received an "investment grade" rating for the first time in 15 years.The big picture: Since its bankruptcy more than a decade ago, the city has been moving notch by notch toward investment status using conservative spending practices to get the city's finances back in order.Driving the news: Moody's Investors Service upgraded the city's bond rating two notches to "Baa2" on Friday.Context: The ratings depict the quality of a government's debt — or how likely the city is to be able to repay that debt without defaulting on it.A lower rating means buying the city's "junk" bonds is...
Detroit flight departure times improving
Data: Bureau of Transportation Statistics; Chart: Kavya Beheraj/AxiosAlmost 88% of flights out of DTW departed on time in December.Zoom out: Nationwide, more than 83% of domestic flights departed on time last December, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj report from the latest Transportation Department data.That's a big upswing compared with December 2022, when Southwest Airlines' epic meltdown dragged the industrywide average down to about 70% for the month.The bottom line: DTW's annual departure performance has been slightly better than the national average in each of the last five years.Sign up for Axios Detroit for free.
Detroit back to investment-grade credit rating
Detroit's debt has received an "investment grade" rating for the first time in 15 years.The big picture: Since its bankruptcy more than a decade ago, the city has been moving notch by notch toward investment status using conservative spending practices to get the city's finances back in order.Driving the news: Moody's Investors Service upgraded the city's bond rating two notches to "Baa2" on Friday.Context: The ratings depict the quality of a government's debt — or how likely the city is to be able to repay that debt without defaulting on it.A lower rating means buying the city's "junk" bonds is...
Detroit flight departure times improving
Data: Bureau of Transportation Statistics; Chart: Kavya Beheraj/AxiosAlmost 88% of flights out of DTW departed on time in December.Zoom out: Nationwide, more than 83% of domestic flights departed on time last December, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj report from the latest Transportation Department data.That's a big upswing compared with December 2022, when Southwest Airlines' epic meltdown dragged the industrywide average down to about 70% for the month.The bottom line: DTW's annual departure performance has been slightly better than the national average in each of the last five years.Sign up for Axios Detroit for free.
New bus service connects DTW to downtown
A new bus route taking riders from downtown to DTW started Monday.One-way tickets are available online for $6, or $8 at the door.Why it matters: Taking about 30 minutes, the service is the fastest, most direct bus service from the city to DTW and vice versa.Driving the news: The Regional Transit Authority's Detroit Air Xpress (DAX) runs daily from 3:30am to 11pm.There are 16 round trips available each day with stops at both the McNamara and Evans airport terminals, as well Washington Boulevard and State Street, which is blocks away from the Rosa Parks Transit Center downtown.Between the lines: The route begins weeks ahead of the NFL Draft, which is expected to bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to downtown April 25-27.Travelers will ride in a luxury coach bus that includes WiFi, charging ports and luggage storage.Sign up for Axios Detroit for free.
Oakland's March Madness run ends, but memories endure
Oakland's brief yet unforgettable NCAA Tournament run is what March basketball is all about.Why it matters: The Golden Grizzlies captured the nation's adoration as they flirted with the Sweet 16, eventually losing to NC State Saturday in overtime.Between the lines: The underdog Grizzlies had the elements of a March Madness Cinderella story: A veteran coach reaching career heights, a star in Trey Townsend whose parents played at Oakland and an unheralded sharpshooter, Jack Gohlke, whose 10 three-pointers helped bury No. 3 Kentucky in the first round.Context: It was Oakland's best season ever, the Detroit News declared.The Grizzlies won regular-season and...
Celebrating Aretha Franklin's birthday
The legendary Queen of Soul was born on this day in 1942.To commemorate, we're bringing some facts you may not know about the "voice of Detroit," who died in 2018.🇺🇸 Franklin sang at three presidents' inaugurations, as well as the funeral of Martin Luther King Jr., according to the Detroit Historical Society.✈️ She developed an intense fear of flying after a bout of high turbulence in the 1980s and even took a class to try to overcome it, per Biography.com. She took buses instead of planes.🍬 Franklin hung around with friends in the North End growing up in the 1950s, going to the Echo Theatre and a sweets shop at Oakland and Belmont, according to the Detroit News.🎤 She gave many an inspiring quote, including when she told Elle magazine: "In terms of helping people understand and know each other a little better, music is universal — universal and transporting." Left photo: Franklin performs at MotorCity Casino's Sound Board Theater in 2013. Right photo: Franklin recording at Columbia Studios in 1962 in New York. Photos: Scott Legato/Wire Image via Getty and Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty ImagesSign up for Axios Detroit for free.
Podcast explores Whitmer kidnap plot
A new true-crime podcast examines the 2020 plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, backed with three years of reporting and "hundreds of hours of never-before-heard audio."The big picture: Hosted by journalists Ken Bensinger and Jessica Garrison, "The Michigan Plot" centers on one big question: Did this group of men devise an organized, credible plot, or were they disorganized stoners who were egged on by informants?State of play: Through in-depth interviews and FBI informant recordings, the reporters go deep into the lives of far-right Wolverine Watchmen militia members who were involved.The seven-part series' final episode was released this month.Catch up quick:...
Angelo Colina upends the comedy scene ahead of Detroit show
U.S. Latino comedians have largely become successful by performing in English. But Venezuelan comic Angelo Colina is flipping the narrative by selling out shows and drawing a massive online following with his entirely Spanish-language sets.Why it matters: Colina's show is coming to Detroit at 9:30pm April 5 at the House of Comedy on Woodward Avenue.The big picture: The 29-year-old's surging popularity of comes as demand for Spanish-language content grows, Axios' Kim Bojórquez reports.The U.S. is home to the second-largest population of Spanish speakers in the world.Of those in Metro Detroit who speak a language other than English at home, nearly...
March Madness: Oakland makes history, stuns Kentucky
The underdog Oakland Golden Grizzlies vanquished Kentucky in a March Madness thriller Thursday night, 80-76, advancing to the NCAA Tournament's second round for the first time in school history. Why it matters: By outplaying a Kentucky team stacked with NBA prospects, Oakland looks poised for an even deeper tournament run.What they're saying: "We wanted this stage and our kids came through," coach Greg Kampe told CBS after the game. "We win all close games ... that's all we said in the huddle."Between the lines: Guard Jack Gohlke shot the lights out, scoring 32 points on 10-for-20 shooting from three.The big picture: Oakland joined Michigan State in victory Thursday.The Spartans crushed Mississippi State, 69-51, setting up a showdown at 5:30pm Saturday against No. 1-seeded North Carolina on CBS.What's next: Oakland's next game is Saturday, too, at 7:10pm against NC State on TBS.Sign up for Axios Detroit for free.
Rite Aid on Woodward is latest Midtown retail closure
Longtime customers are questioning the closure of a Rite Aid on a busy stretch of Woodward Avenue.Why it matters: Next month's scheduled closure means many Midtown residents, some who get around on foot or via public transportation, will have to travel farther for small groceries and prescriptions.The store has been serving residents in the area for nearly 20 years.State of play: Customers have until March 25 to use its pharmacy — the store is set to close entirely on April 21, and there already are plenty of empty shelves.What they're saying: Above the Rite Aid in the Albert Kahn building...
Rite Aid on Woodward is latest Midtown retail closure
Longtime customers are questioning the closure of a Rite Aid on a busy stretch of Woodward Avenue.Why it matters: Next month's scheduled closure means many Midtown residents, some who get around on foot or via public transportation, will have to travel farther for small groceries and prescriptions.The store has been serving residents in the area for nearly 20 years.State of play: Customers have until March 25 to use its pharmacy — the store is set to close entirely on April 21, and there already are plenty of empty shelves.What they're saying: Above the Rite Aid in the Albert Kahn building...
Underachieving Spartans get a fresh start in NCAA Tournament
Michigan State's chance to rediscover its March magic and salvage the season starts Thursday.The big picture: The Spartans' struggles have confounded fans who expected them to compete for a national championship.A quick tournament exit could start to tarnish Tom Izzo's reputation as a first-rate NCAA Tournament coach.What they're saying: "Everybody knows that we underachieved," veteran forward Malik Hall told the Free Press."We all know it. We also know we can completely right that situation."Driving the news: MSU's first tournament game, against eighth-seeded Mississippi State (21-13, 10-11 SEC), is at 12:15pm in Charlotte.CBS is broadcasting.Catch up quick: MSU (19-14, 11-11 Big...
Things to do this weekend in Detroit
It's a back-to-winter weekend, weather-wise. But if you get your parka out of storage, there are plenty of shenanigans to get up to. We have ideas:👺 Watch the Marche du Nain Rouge crowds scare away the "harbinger of doom" as they parade from Second and Canfield to the Masonic Temple.Sunday, with entertainment starting at noon and the parade's opening ceremonies starting at 1pm. Free!😠 Discover if the actor who plays Roy Kent in "Ted Lasso" — Brett Goldstein — is as grumpy as his on-screen counterpart. Goldstein's stand-up tour is coming to the Fox Theatre.Friday, 7pm. Tickets start at $89.⛳...
Underachieving Spartans get a fresh start in NCAA Tournament
Michigan State's chance to rediscover its March magic and salvage the season starts Thursday.The big picture: The Spartans' struggles have confounded fans who expected them to compete for a national championship.A quick tournament exit could start to tarnish Tom Izzo's reputation as a first-rate NCAA Tournament coach.What they're saying: "Everybody knows that we underachieved," veteran forward Malik Hall told the Free Press."We all know it. We also know we can completely right that situation."Driving the news: MSU's first tournament game, against eighth-seeded Mississippi State (21-13, 10-11 SEC), is at 12:15pm in Charlotte.CBS is broadcasting.Catch up quick: MSU (19-14, 11-11 Big...
Things to do this weekend in Detroit
It's a back-to-winter weekend, weather-wise. But if you get your parka out of storage, there are plenty of shenanigans to get up to. We have ideas:👺 Watch the Marche du Nain Rouge crowds scare away the "harbinger of doom" as they parade from Second and Canfield to the Masonic Temple.Sunday, with entertainment starting at noon and the parade's opening ceremonies starting at 1pm. Free!😠 Discover if the actor who plays Roy Kent in "Ted Lasso" — Brett Goldstein — is as grumpy as his on-screen counterpart. Goldstein's stand-up tour is coming to the Fox Theatre.Friday, 7pm. Tickets start at $89.⛳...
How to experience the solar eclipse in Michigan
Data: NASA; Map: Erin Davis/Axios VisualsA total solar eclipse is coming April 8, a once-in-a-lifetime experience that's become one of the country's hottest attractions.The next one won't reach the lower 48 until 2044.Why it matters: The southeast corner of Monroe County will be the only part of Michigan where the total eclipse can be seen.Detroit will see a partial eclipse between 2:41pm and 3:46pm, per NASA, with max coverage of 99.2% at 3:14pm.Reality check: 99% sounds pretty close to a full eclipse, but don't be fooled, Space.com warns."Just like there's no such thing as being 99% pregnant — it's all...
Oakland Golden Grizzlies shoot for Cinderella NCAA Tournament run
Oakland men's basketball coach Greg Kampe will add another chapter to his legendary career this week.Why it matters: In a college sports world that's never been more transitory, Kampe's 40-year stint — entirely at Oakland University — has included four trips to the NCAA Tournament, a proud achievement at a mid-major program like Oakland.Driving the news: The Horizon League champion Golden Grizzlies earned the No. 14 seed in the South region of the NCAA Tournament. They'll face the 3-seeded Kentucky Wildcats and coach John Calipari, who is a friend of Kampe's.It's Oakland's first trip to the tournament since going back-to-back...
A game-changing real estate settlement in Detroit and beyond
A landmark court settlement could change the way we buy and sell homes in Metro Detroit and elsewhere.The big picture: The deal does away with realtors' standard 6% commission fee and could reduce the total amount in commissions agents receive by a third, CBS News reported, as the fee becomes something truly negotiable.It could disrupt the way real estate agents work — maybe driving some from the business altogether.State of play: The National Association of Realtors will pay $418 million in damages to settle allegations it conspired to boost agents' commissions, the organization said last week, as reported by Axios'...
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