District Detroit developments move forward

1 big thing: The District rolls on 

City Council's chambers. The members face a packed audience.

2. Finding Korean fried chicken near Detroit

A small order of popcorn chicken with soy garlic and Korean "Sassy sauce" from Kimchi box. Photo: Samuel Robinson/Axios

3. The Grapevine: You heard it here

Illustration of music note-shaped pepperoni on a Detroit-style pizza.

4. Benchmarks

On the job hunt?

Expected tax cut could only last 1 year

5. Expected tax cut could only last 1 year

⏳ Can we all agree that yesterday was 49 hours long? 

🌧️ Today's weather: Rain and snow in the early afternoon that should become rain after 3pm. High of about 49°.

Today's newsletter is 884 words — a 3.5-minute read. Edited by Everett Cook and copy edited by Joyce Laskowski.

✈️ Joe is starting to think about summer travel plans.

🚶🏽 Sam is walking around downtown again thanks to the warmer weather.

🎸 Everett has a hungry heart and can't wait for the show tonight.

Detroit

Axios Detroit

1 big thing: Michigan State's March Madness dance continues

A.J. Hoggard, center, celebrates a play during MSU's win over Marquette.

2. Pothole problems less severe in Metro Detroit

Illustration of a construction crane hook with a downward arrow instead of a hook.

Illustration of a map of Detroit, Michigan and the title "The Grapevine".

4. Picnics and splash pads

A map shows underused park land on Detroit's east side about three miles from downtown along the river. 

A new career is waiting for you

Go-to breakfast sandwich in downtown Detroit

5. Sam's go-to downtown breakfast 

The song of the day is officially Simon and Garfunkel's "Cloudy."

🌂 Today's weather: Rain showers mostly before noon, with temperatures holding steady around 50°.

Today's newsletter is 893 words — a 3.5-minute read. Edited by Everett Cook and copy edited by David Chiu.

🍕 Joe really wants to try some of this Denino's pizza that Tyson Walker delivered to coach Izzo.

🦇 Annalise is reading in Bridge Michigan about how bats being killed everywhere by white-nose syndrome are somehow thriving alongside it at Tippy Dam in the Manistee River.

🙇🏽‍♂️ Sam is watching this absolutely ridiculous performance of "Bad News" from 2015.

🥳 Everett is headed to New Orleans — happy 2023 wedding season to all who celebrate! 

What readers say Michigan can do to keep talent

1 big thing: What Michigan can do to keep talent

Illustration of The Spirit of Detroit exiting its usual position.

Popular New Center restaurant Baobab Fare plans second spot on east side

2. Scoop: A second location for Baobab Fare

Things to do this weekend

3. Things to do this weekend

Reports: Nessel is shielding search warrant records

4. FOIA Friday: Shielding search warrant records

Attorney General Dana Nessel at a 2022 campaign rally

New jobs to check out

5. Michigan schools at NCAA hockey tourney

Illustration of a sparkling hockey puck under multiple lights

☁️ Today's weather: Mostly cloudy with a high near 45°.

🏀 Situational awareness: Michigan State was eliminated from the NCAA Tournament last night in heartbreaking fashion, losing 98-93 to Kansas State in an overtime thriller.

Today's newsletter is 980 words — a 3.5-minute read. Edited by Carlos Cunha and copy edited by David Chiu.

🥴 Joe is still trying to figure out how Markquis Nowell so thoroughly dominated last night's game against MSU.

❤️ Sam is so appreciative of everyone who reads our newsletter!

1 big thing: Using gas to get to our EV future 


Illustration of an electric vehicle with dollar signs flowing out of its charger

Council member opposes sale of occupied houses

2. Sale of occupied houses opposed

Storms hit DTW on-time departures

3. Storms hit DTW's on-time departures 

BET+ Detroit show stars Diarra Kilpatrick

4.  BET+ Detroit show stars Diarra Kilpatrick

Is a new job in your future?

📸 1 stunning Northern Lights pic to go

Northern Lights in the sky in Gaylord, Mich. on March 23.

Welcome back to our humble newsletter, Detroit. Mondays are for new beginnings.

🌧️ Today's weather:  Rain likely, then cloudy. High of 47°.

Today's newsletter is 928 words — a 3.5-minute read. Edited by Carlos Cunha and copy edited by Joyce Laskowski.

🍣 Joe has been eating a lot of Blufin Sushi lately. 

😶 Annalise is muting every word on Twitter that has to do with “Succession” since she won’t be watching the season premiere for a couple days. Spoilers, be gone.

🤠 Sam is feeling like a cowboy lately. 

Demolishing an eyesore along the Joe Louis Greenway

1 big thing: Demolishing an eyesore along the Joe Louis Greenway

The La Choy building is demolished on March 27, 2023.

Capitol catchup: Prevailing wage, third grade reading law signed

2. Capitol catchup: Prevailing wage, third grade reading law signed

Illustration of a vinyl record that says "The Grapevine."

4. 🐯 Zoos on patrol 

Take your career to the next level

1 historical transit photo to go 

Detroit streetcars are shown traveling along the road with buildings in the background. Black-and-white photo.

📹 Good morning! Time flies by, and that's surely evident in how the news has changed.

Here's what Channel 4's newscast looked like on this day 37 years ago.

☀️ Today's weather: Mostly sunny, with a high near 50°.

❤️ It's a great day to contribute to our local journalism by becoming a member.

Situational awareness: Detroit City Council could make a pivotal vote today on tax abatements and a community benefits deal for the $1.5 billion District Detroit project.

Today's newsletter is 845 words — a 3-minute read. Edited by Everett Cook and copy edited by Joyce Laskowski.

🎧 Joe is listening to Benny Sings' new album, "Young Hearts."

♈️ Sam is wishing everyone a happy Aries season.

🤘 Everett is busy crafting a 15,000-word email to Sam about Bruce Springsteen's greatest albums. Will we see anyone else at LCA for the Boss tomorrow?

📸 Annalise is awaiting some sick pics of Everett and Sam at the Bruce concert.

The anticipated reduction to the state income tax rate as outlined under a law passed by Republicans in 2015 would last only one year, according to a formal opinion published by Attorney General Dana Nessel Tuesday.

Driving the news: Michigan's income tax rate would return to its current rate of 4.25% even after a future reduction, despite the law mandating an automatic rate cut if government revenue grows faster than the rate of inflation, Nessel wrote in the opinion.

Between the lines: Republicans want income tax to be cut to 4.05%.

Democrats have pushed back against the policy, most recently while negotiating their tax package earlier this year.

What's next: State courts could have the final say in how the law is interpreted and if you're paying more in taxes.

Attorney General Dana Nessel wrote in a formal opinion that the law is temporary.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel speaks in East Lansing last year. Photo: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

Michigan

The anticipated reduction to the state income tax rate as outlined under a law passed by Republicans in 2015 would last only one year, according to a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="formal opinion" data-vars-click-url="https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/MIAG/2023/03/28/file_attachments/2449811/%237320.pdf" data-vars-content-id="279de094-8567-4f30-b177-84129c024cc4" data-vars-headline="Expected tax cut could only last 1 year" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/MIAG/2023/03/28/file_attachments/2449811/%237320.pdf" target="_blank">formal opinion</a> published by Attorney General Dana Nessel Tuesday.Driving the news: Michigan&#x27;s income tax rate would return to its current rate of 4.25% even after a future reduction, despite the law mandating an automatic rate cut if government revenue grows faster than the rate of inflation, Nessel wrote in the opinion.

Politics

👋🏽 It's Sam,writing to you from Troy's Kimchi Box.

The intrigue: The fast-casual spot serves fried chicken, kimchi and more with comfortable seating in a clean space.

Kimchi Box's Korean fried chicken is fried twice for the perfect crispy texture. It somehow lasts in your fridge way longer than you'd expect a piece of chicken slathered in soy garlic or sassy sauce — their house hot sauce.

I got the popcorn chicken ($12) with a side order of the kimchi ($2).

If you go: Open 11am-9pm Monday-Friday, 11:30am-9pm Saturday and Sunday.

💭Sam's thought bubble: Someone really needs to bring Korean fried chicken to the city. Having to drive 25 minutes to the nearest spot severely diminishes the amount I consume.

When I lived in Ann Arbor, Hola Seoul and Miss Kim's were part of my weekend routine.

Here's a roundup of where you can get Korean fried chicken in Metro Detroit.

Finding Korean fried chicken near Detroit

Kimchi Box's chicken is fried twice for the perfect crispy texture.

Small popcorn chicken from Kimchi Box. Photo: Samuel Robinson/Ax

👋🏽 It&#x27;s Sam,writing to you from Troy&#x27;s<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" Kimchi Box" data-vars-click-url="https://kimchiboxusa.com/" data-vars-content-id="4fc7ffbb-7f51-49a1-bd82-a264bbb56886" data-vars-headline="Finding Korean fried chicken near Detroit" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://kimchiboxusa.com/" target="_blank"> Kimchi Box</a>.The intrigue: The fast-casual spot serves fried chicken, kimchi and more with comfortable seating in a clean space.

Food and Drink

A new show set in Detroit is coming to BET+ later this year.

Driving the news: "Diarra from Detroit," a comedy about a teacher looking for love, stars Diarra Kilpatrick, who currently plays the role of Clara Drake on HBO's "Perry Mason."

Kilpatrick earned an Emmy nomination in 2018 for best actress in a short form comedy for her "American Koko" series.

Kenya Barnes of ABC's "black-ish" is an executive producer.

What they're saying: "We are so excited to partner with Diarra. She represents the next generation of content creators, boldly embracing the role of a multi-hyphenate as a writer, actress, and producer," BET executive vice president Aisha Summers Burke said in a statement.

Of note: Kilpatrick is the half-sister of former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, whose 28-year prison sentence was commuted in 2021 by then-President Donald Trump.

He's been out of politics since his release, but was a featured speaker at the Social Conservative Policy Conference in Charleston, South Carolina, last week.

Diarra Kilpatrick at a premiere in Los Angeles in 2019. Photo: Michael Buckner/Variety, via Getty Images

A new show set in Detroit is coming to BET+ later this year.Driving the news: &quot;Diarra from Detroit,&quot; a comedy about a teacher looking for love, stars Diarra Kilpatrick, who currently plays the role of Clara Drake on HBO&#x27;s &quot;Perry Mason.&quot;

Things to Do

Council Member Mary Waters and the Detroit Land Bank Authority are at odds over a pending real estate deal that involves already occupied homes.

Driving the news: The Detroit Land Bank Authority (DLBA) wants to sell 42 houses it owns to Bedford Development for $105,000. The development company plans to renovate them for $2.7 million.

A City Council committee held off on voting to approve the sale, after Waters held a news conference pushing against the sale and the DLBA's actions.

What they're saying: Waters says the DLBA is "favoring profit over people." It's moving forward with this sale while not giving the people who are unofficially occupying 26 of the homes an appropriate chance to buy the homes themselves first, she argues.

Some of the occupants spoke at Waters' Wednesday news conference, saying they've been trying to buy their homes but are unable to do so due to scams, ineligibility or getting what some called the "runaround" from the land bank. Many said they have spent money improving the homes.

The other side: The DLBA did substantial outreach and occupants either didn't respond or weren't eligible for its Buy Back program that's meant to allow those staying in the houses to become homeowners, a spokesperson says.

1,159 people have entered the Buy Back program and 984 have completed it.

The developer is required to work with occupants to help them become tenants or homeowners in the house and if not, connect them with relocation assistance.

What's next: Waters requested proof of the DLBA's outreach, which officials said they would provide. The matter will be back before the committee on April 6 for a potential vote, and then would require approval from the full Council.

Waters says the DLBA is "favoring profit over people."

Council Member Mary Waters speaks at a formal session meeting. Photo: Courtesy of the city of Detroit, via Flickr

Council Member Mary Waters and the Detroit Land Bank Authority are at odds over a pending real estate deal that involves already occupied homes.Driving the news: The Detroit Land Bank Authority (DLBA) <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="wants to sell" data-vars-click-url="https://pub-detroitmi.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=85574" data-vars-content-id="8e35cf81-26eb-41ca-8141-fc0a2545fa8b" data-vars-headline="Council member opposes sale of occupied houses" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://pub-detroitmi.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=85574" target="_blank">wants to sell</a> 42 houses it owns to Bedford Development for $105,000. The development company plans to renovate them for $2.7 million.

News

Democrats in Lansing have wasted little time getting their legislative priorities to the governor's desk during the first two months of their new majority.

Driving the news: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last week signed into law bills to:

Repeal the law requiring students whose reading skills are lagging to repeat the third grade.

Repeal right-to-work, which allows nonunion employees to reap the same benefits as members without paying dues.

Restore the prevailing wage, which requires contractors on state projects to provide union-level wages and benefits.

Between the lines: Both bills include appropriations that make them referendum proof, meaning they would need to be overturned through a constitutional amendment.

As a candidate, Whitmer promised to veto bills that include spending designed to block a referendum vote.

The other side: Business groups and Republicans say the legislation will hurt Michigan's ability to compete for new jobs.

Meanwhile, some Republicans have distanced themselves from their state party after recently elected chairperson Kristina Karamo tripled down on controversial social media posts comparing Democratic gun legislation to actions taken by Nazi Germany during the Holocaust.

In an appearance on WKAR's "Off the Record," Karamo said  that so-called red-flag gun bills, which allow a judge to confiscate the firearms of a person who may be a danger to themselves or others, are a slippery slope.

"With the red flag laws, it starts with someone making a sole accusation and another individual can have their weapons taken away from them," she said.

What's next: Michigan will soon have updated gun laws, as Democrats sent legislation to curb gun violence to the governor's desk last week.

Whitmer has indicated she will sign them.

Democrats have wasted little time getting their priorities to the governor's desk.

The Michigan State Capitol in Lansing. Photo: Samuel Robinson/Axios

Democrats in Lansing have <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="wasted little time" data-vars-click-url="https://www.npr.org/2023/03/17/1164040738/michigan-democrats-abortion-guns-labor-right-to-work-whitmer" data-vars-content-id="a10d4810-2d7c-4800-9af5-bc88fc54e10a" data-vars-headline="Capitol catchup: Prevailing wage, third grade reading law signed" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.npr.org/2023/03/17/1164040738/michigan-democrats-abortion-guns-labor-right-to-work-whitmer" target="_blank">wasted little time</a> getting their legislative priorities to the governor&#x27;s desk during the first two months of their new majority.Driving the news: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last week signed into law bills to:

Samuel Robinson

Stories

Expected tax cut could only last 1 year

Finding Korean fried chicken near Detroit

Capitol catchup: Prevailing wage, third grade reading law signed

BET+ Detroit show stars Diarra Kilpatrick

Council member opposes sale of occupied houses

Newsletter editions

💸 District dollars approved

🐆 Heightened zoo security

⛽️ Gas-funded EVs

🍽️ Scoop: Baobab Fare 2

🏀 Spartans still dancing