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A pit stop at Michigan's oldest bar, the New Hudson Inn

The New Hudson Inn is believed to have been a stop on the Underground Railroad.

Business

The divey New Hudson Inn in western Oakland County claims to be the oldest bar in the state, and it&#x27;s worth a visit for history buffs.The big picture: The neighborhood spot with a rich history dating <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="back to 1831" data-vars-click-url="https://www.newhudsoninn1831.com/" data-vars-content-id="ffef79f5-efbe-4a09-9d0f-322c380ecbd4" data-vars-headline="A pit stop at Michigan&#x27;s oldest bar, the New Hudson Inn" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.newhudsoninn1831.com/" target="_blank">back to 1831</a> is known for its burgers, jovial atmosphere and popularity with the biker crowd.

Michigan tops UConn to win NCAA title

The Wolverines used defense and transfers to secure their first title since 1989.

Sports

U-M survived a brawl with UConn Monday night, 69-63, to win the men&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="college basketball" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2026/04/03/michigan-arizona-final-four-2026-matchup-preview" data-vars-content-id="9a7afb30-8742-4856-b3b6-ac1b296c4ed2" data-vars-headline="Michigan tops UConn to win NCAA title" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2026/04/03/michigan-arizona-final-four-2026-matchup-preview" target="_self">college basketball</a> national championship.Why it matters: It&#x27;s the first Wolverines title since 1989, snapping a four-game losing streak in the title game.

Metro Detroit small businesses weigh in on economy

Confidence is falling among small-business owners, per a recent national survey.

Some Metro Detroit business owners are echoing the economic stress felt by entrepreneurs across the country.Driving the news: Confidence among American small-business owners fell for a second consecutive quarter, according to the recently released <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index" data-vars-click-url="https://www.uschamber.com/small-business/small-business-index-q1-2026" data-vars-content-id="3e70fab0-836b-47da-b649-189d083e546b" data-vars-headline="Metro Detroit small businesses weigh in on economy" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.uschamber.com/small-business/small-business-index-q1-2026" target="_blank">U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index</a>.

Things to do this weekend in Metro Detroit: April 10-12

Events April 10-12, including a clothing swap festival, vendor fair and giant car show.

Things to Do

🏒 Cheer on the Red Wings for the final time at Little Caesars Arena this season.<ul><li>5pm Saturday. <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Resale tickets" data-vars-click-url="https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/080062EAAC852CC4?brand=redwings&amp;artistid=805938&amp;wt.mc_id=NHL_TEAM_DET_SCHEDULE_GM41&amp;utm_source=NHL.com&amp;utm_medium=client&amp;utm_campaign=NHL_TEAM_DET&amp;utm_content=SCHEDULE_GM41&amp;_gl=1*1krhd14*_ga*MTc0NDAwMzU4Ny4xNzYyODc3MjAy*_ga_XZHCNEQSGP*czE3NzU3NjA2NjEkbzQzJGcwJHQxNzc1NzYwNjYxJGo2MCRsMCRoMA.." data-vars-content-id="2fc15005-dac1-45d4-a790-994a8631635d" data-vars-headline="Things to do this weekend in Metro Detroit: April 10-12" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/080062EAAC852CC4?brand=redwings&amp;artistid=805938&amp;wt.mc_id=NHL_TEAM_DET_SCHEDULE_GM41&amp;utm_source=NHL.com&amp;utm_medium=client&amp;utm_campaign=NHL_TEAM_DET&amp;utm_content=SCHEDULE_GM41&amp;_gl=1*1krhd14*_ga*MTc0NDAwMzU4Ny4xNzYyODc3MjAy*_ga_XZHCNEQSGP*czE3NzU3NjA2NjEkbzQzJGcwJHQxNzc1NzYwNjYxJGo2MCRsMCRoMA.." target="_blank">Resale tickets</a> start at around $84.</li></ul>🛍️ Shop local for handmade goods, treats and home decor at <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="All Things Detroit Day" data-vars-click-url="https://events.allthingsticketing.com/events/ATDDAY2026" data-vars-content-id="2fc15005-dac1-45d4-a790-994a8631635d" data-vars-headline="Things to do this weekend in Metro Detroit: April 10-12" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://events.allthingsticketing.com/events/ATDDAY2026" target="_blank">All Things Detroit Day</a> at Eastern Market.

Spring gardening season starts in Metro Detroit

Gardeners are prepping soil and starting seeds as spring planting season gets underway.

Environment

Whether you&#x27;re a green gardener or an old hand with well-worn raised beds, it&#x27;s time to rejoice and get started — planting season is here.Why it matters: Anyone who&#x27;s watched their herbs fade from green to brown knows gardening is a fickle hobby, and timing is of the essence.

Tiny ambush bug photo lands global contest spot

A macro photo taken in a Ferndale yard is a finalist in a global wildlife contest.

News

The natural world&#x27;s beauty can be found anywhere, even in the front yard of a suburban Detroit photographer.Why it matters: Joseph Ferraro, of Ferndale, is among 24 finalists for the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Wildlife Photographer of the Year People&#x27;s Choice Award" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/wpy/peoples-choice" data-vars-content-id="572321c1-9c61-427b-9531-b3e4b9c4a327" data-vars-headline="Tiny ambush bug photo lands global contest spot" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/wpy/peoples-choice" target="_blank">Wildlife Photographer of the Year People&#x27;s Choice Award</a>.

Axios Detroit readers' first impressions of Ralph Wilson Park

The riverfront park just opened last month after years of planning and construction.

Culture

We recently asked readers to send in their first impressions of the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new Ralph Wilson Park" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2025/10/30/ralph-wilson-park-detroit-riverfront-open" data-vars-content-id="2bc22596-719f-4916-a31f-256b08ab9981" data-vars-headline="Axios Detroit readers&#x27; first impressions of Ralph Wilson Park" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2025/10/30/ralph-wilson-park-detroit-riverfront-open" target="_self">new Ralph Wilson Park</a> that opened along Detroit&#x27;s west riverfront late last month.<ul><li>Here&#x27;s some of what you said, edited for brevity and clarity:</li></ul>

Bird life thrives on Detroit's vacant land

Researchers found 54 bird species across Detroit's vacant land over four years.

Vast swaths of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="vacant Detroit land" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2023/05/18/empty-space-detroits-gratiot-7-mile-area" data-vars-content-id="ab5b3295-7986-4b57-8b00-ef8f9057b788" data-vars-headline="Bird life thrives on Detroit&#x27;s vacant land" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2023/05/18/empty-space-detroits-gratiot-7-mile-area" target="_self">vacant Detroit land</a> are unexpectedly rich in bird life, according to a new study that found 54 species over four years, from eastern wood pewees to northern cardinals.Why it matters: Researchers hope this bird diversity will provide a blueprint for &quot;deindustrialized&quot; cities like Detroit to leverage vacant land in ways that benefit both residents and the natural surroundings.

EPA's "forever chemical" rollback could impact Michigan

The EPA is halting and reevaluating some drinking water chemical limits that the Biden administration enacted.

The EPA aims to roll back Biden-era limits on some &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="forever chemicals" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2024/04/10/forever-chemicals-drinking-water-epa" data-vars-content-id="53d94b82-94ad-4453-a8bb-5f1422dcea02" data-vars-headline="EPA&#x27;s &quot;forever chemical&quot; rollback could impact Michigan" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/04/10/forever-chemicals-drinking-water-epa" target="_self">forever chemicals</a>&quot; in drinking water, in a move that would impact Michigan and other states.Why it matters: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of chemicals used in nonstick and fire-resistant products that are <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="widespread" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/07/07/forever-chemicals-tap-water-pfas-study" data-vars-content-id="53d94b82-94ad-4453-a8bb-5f1422dcea02" data-vars-headline="EPA&#x27;s &quot;forever chemical&quot; rollback could impact Michigan" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/07/07/forever-chemicals-tap-water-pfas-study" target="_self">widespread</a> in U.S. tap water. They&#x27;ve been <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="linked" data-vars-click-url="https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-finalizes-first-ever-national-drinking-water-standard" data-vars-content-id="53d94b82-94ad-4453-a8bb-5f1422dcea02" data-vars-headline="EPA&#x27;s &quot;forever chemical&quot; rollback could impact Michigan" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-finalizes-first-ever-national-drinking-water-standard" target="_blank">linked</a> to cancers, as well as immune and developmental damage in children.

Detroit and other cities are slowly sinking

A new report found the issue is widespread, even far from the coasts.

The biggest U.S. cities are sinking, and Detroit is among those where the problem is most widespread.Why it matters: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Land subsidence" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2025/05/05/cascadia-quake-could-sink-washingtons-coastal-towns" data-vars-content-id="18a53e8e-2925-42ce-8e94-0dcc8010e0f7" data-vars-headline="Detroit and other cities are slowly sinking" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2025/05/05/cascadia-quake-could-sink-washingtons-coastal-towns" target="_self">Land subsidence</a>, or elevation loss, is an invisible and slow but growing threat to urban infrastructure. It&#x27;s cracking roads, destabilizing buildings and making low-lying areas even <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="more flood-prone" data-vars-click-url="https://www.seattle.gov/emergency-management/hazards/floods" data-vars-content-id="18a53e8e-2925-42ce-8e94-0dcc8010e0f7" data-vars-headline="Detroit and other cities are slowly sinking" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.seattle.gov/emergency-management/hazards/floods" target="_blank">more flood-prone</a>.

Rouge River nonprofit raises money amid federal cuts

The Rouge River is vital to the region's public health because it flows into the Detroit River.

The nonprofit caretaker of the Rouge River faces <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="federal funding" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/04/13/federal-funding-states-map" data-vars-content-id="d63ad6b9-39f9-4d7e-938e-1d8a95211f60" data-vars-headline="Rouge River nonprofit raises money amid federal cuts" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/04/13/federal-funding-states-map" target="_self">federal funding</a> cuts that could slash its budget by up to $1.5 million, the group&#x27;s executive director says.Why it matters: The Rouge River is vital to the region&#x27;s public health because it flows into the Detroit River and, ultimately, Lake Erie — both sources of our drinking water.

Billboards popping up in Michigan slam national park cuts

More than 20 of the 300 billboards going up across the U.S. are in Michigan.

A pro-labor news outlet is putting up seven billboards in Metro Detroit this week to protest the Trump administration&#x27;s cuts to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="national parks" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/03/05/national-park-federal-workers-layoffs-trump" data-vars-content-id="b0941ec0-0ec7-449c-8dc4-7270040ee2bc" data-vars-headline="Billboards popping up in Michigan slam national park cuts" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/03/05/national-park-federal-workers-layoffs-trump" target="_self">national parks</a>.The big picture: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="More Perfect Union" data-vars-click-url="https://perfectunion.us/about/" data-vars-content-id="b0941ec0-0ec7-449c-8dc4-7270040ee2bc" data-vars-headline="Billboards popping up in Michigan slam national park cuts" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://perfectunion.us/about/" target="_blank">More Perfect Union</a> launched a multimillion-dollar national ad blitz in more than 40 cities decrying the gutting of &quot;one of our nation&#x27;s most treasured assets.&quot;

Detroit area ranks sixth worst in pollution report

The findings come as the White House is reconsidering EPA rules and regulations.

The Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor region is the sixth worst in the country for year-round particle pollution, per a new report.Why it matters: The findings, which predate the current Trump administration, come as the White House is <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="reconsidering EPA rules and regulations" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/04/04/trump-climate-change-energy-policy-paris-targets" data-vars-content-id="5a0a43f9-ef43-4455-8f40-5426286bb393" data-vars-headline="Detroit area ranks sixth worst in pollution report" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/04/04/trump-climate-change-energy-policy-paris-targets" target="_self">reconsidering EPA rules and regulations</a> meant to curb pollution and promote cleaner air.

Environment

Spring gardening season starts in Metro Detroit

Tiny ambush bug photo lands global contest spot

Axios Detroit readers give their lawn care advice

Axios Detroit readers' first impressions of Ralph Wilson Park

Bird life thrives on Detroit's vacant land