Happy New Year! We've made it to season 2! On to the stories: Detroit Police James Craig  told the Detroit News on Tuesday there were 261 criminal homicides in 2018. That’s down six from last year and the lowest number since 1966. But for now, we’re going to put an asterisk on this statistic. We talk about why. We don’t often wade into U.S.-Russia relations on Daily Detroit, but we are today. That’s because Russia’s Federal Security Service says it has arrested a man from Novi who’s being accused of espionage. Russian authorities arrested Paul Whelan December 28th in Moscow, where he had reportedly planned to attend a wedding. Whelan is an ex-Marine who works as director of global security for the auto supplier BorgWarner in Auburn Hills.&nbsp; The city of Detroit is cracking down on six types of businesses in the city.  Used tire sales and storage Used auto sales Scrap iron and metal processors Junk dealers Auto dismantling and wrecking New major and minor auto repair places  And our guest today is Emily Lawler. She's MLive's Lansing reporter and she talks about what actually came out of the frenetic lame duck session in Lansing,  her recent piece examining outgoing Governor Rick Snyder and looks ahead to what's next for new Governor Gretchen Whitmer.&nbsp;You can follow her on Twitter here.

Your Detroit Headlines And Diving In On Lansing's Lame Duck Results With Emily Lawler

A ritual of regional togetherness is no more. The annual “Big Four” gathering of the Detroit Mayor and the three county executives from Wayne, Oakland and Macomb will not happen this year around the North American International Auto Show.  (Oakland Press) The Seller-Lehrer Family Foundation, founded by Detroit native and Broadway producer Jeffrey Seller and his partner Josh Lehrer, has given the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit a $1 million grant. It’ll fund their Summer Camp and Mosaic Experience Empowerment Program. Yesterday we brought you the bizarre tale of a 48-year-old Novi resident arrested in Russia on accusations of spying. Today there’s word that Paul Whelan has been indicted on espionage charges. A couple bits of news from General Motors. On Thursday, the automaker named Mark Reuss its new president to oversee autonomous and electric vehicle development. Also,&nbsp;GM has hit a milestone of 200,000 cumulative electric vehicles sold. That’s the threshold where a 75-hundred-dollar federal tax credit for purchasing EVs starts to phase out. The credit will drop to $3,750 starting in April, to $1,875 in October and then disappear completely by April 2020. Embattled Detroit City Councilman Gabe Leland may face a recall effort. And... Legendary counterculture figure and marijuana advocate John Sinclair has opened a new coffee shop in Detroit.&nbsp; Have questions? Tips? Ideas? Email us at dailydetroit@gmail.com. Really like what we're doing? Become a monthly supporter on Patreon.

John Sinclair's New Pot Hangout & 5 Things To Know Around Town

On today’s episode, we check in with soccer correspondent Fletcher Sharpe about Detroit City FC’s&nbsp;new coach, Trevor James, and what it means for the club as it prepares for its first (semi) season of professional soccer. Elsewhere, I-696 has now been almost fully reopened after the long delay following a labor dispute and problems encountered by cold and wet winter weather. In Warren, construction has apparently loosed a plague of rats on Jim Fouts’ fair city. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer traveled to the Affirmations community center in Ferndale today to sign her executive order prohibiting discrimination against gay and transgender state employees. Her directive goes farther than a similar order signed by Republican Gov. Rick Snyder during his waning days in office last month. Greta Van Fleet, the pride of Frankenmuth, will headline&nbsp;Saturday Night Live&nbsp;on Jan. 19. And we catch up on some key restaurant/bar openings and closings. Among them:  Shimmy Shack is gearing up to open its brick-and-mortar eatery in Plymouth Township later this month. (Facebook) The Royal Oak nightclub Luna has closed its doors after 19 years of getting people really drunk. (Facebook) There’s a new Biggby Coffee on Livernois in Detroit (Daily Detroit) In Birmingham, Hunter House might be demolished for a five-story mixed-use development. (Hometown Life) And Woodbridge’s latest eatery is Japanese izakaya Katsu Detroit, with tatami-style tables up in front. (Eater Detroit)  And in our “reads” section,&nbsp;check out this piece by Robin Runyan in Curbed Detroit about a Detroiter that’s rehabbing their childhood home they found on the Land Bank auction site. Thanks for listening! If you like our work, here a couple ways to support the show. One, be sure to tell a friend via social media! And secondly, please consider&nbsp;supporting us via Patreon.

Talking Detroit City FC's New Coach W/ Fletcher Sharpe, Warren's Rat Fight, And 5 Restaurant Openings and Closings

Happy Tuesday, automatons! Today your Daily Detroit gets wonky and talks all about bike lanes and trail projects with Todd Scott of the Detroit Greenways Coalition. He put together an interesting (and lengthy!)&nbsp;list of bike and trail projects due to see action in 2019. They include groundbreaking at the long-delayed Uniroyal site near the bridge to Belle Isle, movement on the long-planned Joe Louis Greenway (formerly known as the Inner Circle Greenway) and new protected bike lanes on Grand River Avenue in northwest Detroit. As Scott says, it’s remarkable how far the city has come with its bicycling and greenways infrastructure in just the last few years. And it’s remarkable that it’s all happening here in the Motor City, a place that’s been indelibly built and shaped by the automobile — and not always for the better. If you’re a fan of Jane Jacobs and urbanism, you don’t want to miss this show. And if you like what we’re doing, considering supporting us through&nbsp;our Patreon campaign. Have feedback for the show? Email us at dailydetroit at gmail.com.

Some Big Bike And Trail Projects Are Coming In 2019, With Todd Scott, Detroit Greenways Coalition

A single-family home, leaning to the one side, swallowed up by the ground on Christmas Eve.&nbsp;It’s a visual people won’t forget. And it made national news. Today on Daily Detroit, we’re digging into what officials now believe caused a major sinkhole in the Macomb County suburb of Fraser back in 2016.&nbsp; Then we look into the wider topic of Southeast Michigan’s infrastructure, both above and below ground. Like much of the country, it’s been mostly neglected for decades. And the bill is coming due. By the way, you can be part of this story. Become a monthly member through Patreon http://www.dailydetroit.com/patreon.

What Caused The Massive $75M Sinkhole In Macomb County?

On today’s show we focus on everyone’s favorite suburb, Funky/Fabulous/Fashionable Ferndale. There, the city is preparing to break ground on a $28 million mixed-use parking structure adorably named “the dot” —&nbsp;short for “development on Troy” Street. It’s a major development for the city, nearly tripling parking capacity on the site, adding four stories plus one underground level of parking, adding more than 11,000 square feet of new retail space and, possibly, new office space and housing. But it also means taking downtown Ferndale’s busiest parking lot offline for more than a year, adding to parking woes and stresses for local businesses. We speak with Ferndale Assistant City Manager Joseph Gacioch about the project and how a parking structure fits in with the city’s vision for placemaking and a more vibrant downtown for business owners. More renderings are below. The city’s website for&nbsp;all things the dot is here. Like the show? Monthly membership makes the world go round. Support us on Patreon.

How The Mixed-Use 'dot' Parking Structure Will Change Downtown Ferndale

A major water main break in Detroit is causing havoc for residents, nearly a hundred thousand downtown Detroit office workers…. and auto show attendees staying at hotels. Then, a local ice cream shop is getting a new flavor when it comes to their decor. Hopcat has a new name for their fries. And finally, I went out to Dearborn to check out historic artifacts from Michigan Central Station and give you the details on how you’ll be able to see them for yourself.

4 Things To Know Around Detroit

For today's Daily Detroit, we talk everything North American International Auto Show with our Sven Gustafson who spent a couple days on the floor at Cobo Center. Topics covered include the general feel of the show, plans for next year's show that will be held in June, the Toyota Supra reveal, the new Ford Explorer, the power of the Mustang brand, the Kia Telluride, a new Ram Heavy Duty pickup with insane torque numbers, Cadillac vs. Lincoln and Ford's new partnership with Volkswagen. We also share the details on what you need to know to go to the public show later this month.&nbsp;

Your 2019 Detroit Auto Show Highlight Guide

First, huge news from East Lansing, where former Gov. John Engler is expected to resign as interim president of Michigan State University in the wake of comments he made about victims of the Larry Nassar sexual-assault scandal. Engler, you’ll recall, was brought in to clean up the mess after former President Lou Ann Simon resigned over her handling of the Nassar affair. But Engler last week told&nbsp;The Detroit News&nbsp;that some victims were “enjoying the spotlight.” It was the latest in a long line of controversial moves and comments he made about the scandal, and we talk about why we believe he was the wrong man for the job from the outset. Elsewhere, more than 60 unlicensed medical marijuana dispensaries will be allowed to temporarily reopen amid a marijuana shortage. There’s also big news in Ferndale, where Baker College wants to open a flagship urban campus in 2020, a move that could give the city an economic jolt. Also hoped to deliver an economic jolt is a new partnership between Microsoft and Wayne State University. It targets developing skills for in-demand high-tech jobs. Staying on the jobs theme, Pontiac-based mortgage lender United Shore is looking to hire 800 people this year. And going back to Wayne State, researchers there will study fatbergs after winning an $80,000 grant.&nbsp; There’s more for your listening pleasure in the episode above. And don’t miss our guide for&nbsp;how to score tickets&nbsp;to see the acclaimed musical “Hamilton” when it comes to the Fisher Theater.

Why Engler Failed, Baker College Coming To Ferndale Plus 7 Other Things To Know

Questions? Comments? Email us at dailydetroit@gmail.com&nbsp;  Former Governor John Engler is indeed out as interim president of Michigan State University. Replacing him will be Satish Udpa. The United Auto Workers says it plans to stage a candlelight vigil outside the North American International Auto Show tomorrow night during the Charity Preview event. A giant golden ring has been installed in Sterling Heights on Hall Road near Schoenherr as part of a beautification project. Detroit’s oldest drinking establishment got some national love today. The Two Way Inn on Mt. Elliott in Detroit was just named the Best Dive Bar in the country for the 2019 Nightclub &amp; Bar Awards. One of Detroit’s Tiki Bars, Lost River, has taken a top spot nationally in Yelp’s ranking of the kitschy (but fun) genre. This weekend kicks off the first Michigan Central Station Winter Festival. It will run Friday, January 18 until Sunday, January 27. If you’re looking for something fun to do that will have a positive impact on projects in Detroit….. you really need to get to Detroit SOUP this Sunday night. Also happening Sunday is Back Alley Bikes’ 7th annual Bike the Blizzard bike-a-thon fundraiser. It runs from midnight to midnight. It’s going to be cold this weekend!

6 Things To Know Plus 3 Places To Go Around Detroit

Daily podcast sharing what to know and where to go in Metro Detroit.

DailyDetroit