Wayne County's "library of land records," where residents record deeds, mortgages and other documents, has required appointments for in-person service since October.

Why it matters: The county's Register of Deeds provides essential property services, yet the new policy can leave residents waiting days for access and walk-in visitors turned away.

What they're saying: Bernard Youngblood, the elected official in charge of the office, told Axios it's the first time in his 25 years that service has been appointment-only.

• "I'm hoping that we will return and eliminate the need for appointments after the training of the new staff we have hired and the enhanced software implementation is fully engaged," Youngblood wrote in a March 5 email.
• Youngblood said about half of scheduled appointments result in no-shows. In some cases, reception staff may allow walk-ins to enter if space is available. Residents facing time-sensitive filing deadlines can request a supervisor, he said.

Behind the scenes: Axios Detroit regularly visits Youngblood's Greektown office for access to property records, and has witnessed visitors without appointments turned away on multiple occasions. They are given a business card with a QR code to book online.

• As of March 5, the earliest available appointment through the county's booking system was March 13 — eight days later.

State of play: The office does not track how many walk-in residents are turned away, Youngblood told us.

• He also said the office does not maintain statistics showing whether the total number of in-person customers served has increased or decreased since the appointment-only system began.
• He described the shift as a business decision rooted in declining revenues. His office is not funded by the county's general budget and it raised fees in January for the first time in 30 years, he said.

Zoom out: Neighboring Oakland County does not require appointments for Register of Deeds services.

• "We are here to serve the public," Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds Lisa Brown told Axios, adding that walk-in visitors are typically helped within minutes.
• Brown, in her fourth term, said she is not aware of other Michigan Register of Deeds offices requiring appointments.

What's next: "Hopefully, in about three months we should be back to normal," Youngblood said.

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One indicator that spring is upon us? Friday marks 313 Day, the holiday marked by Detroit's area code that celebrates its spirit, culture and history.

Start making your plans now:

🌅 Park party: Celebrate sunrise to sunset at our natural gem, Belle Isle. The park's conservancy plans include the 3pm reopening of its historic casino after a nearly $5 million restoration.

• Belle Isle Casino house party: 6-8pm, with a DJ, limited to the first 313 attendees.
• Belle Isle Aquarium: Nab exclusive 313 Day merch, enjoy family activities and win a chance to name a baby sturgeon, 10am-7pm.
• Music at Flynn Pavilion, 3-7pm.
• Free and extended hours at the Belle Isle Nature Center and Dossin Great Lakes Museum.

🍕 Food and drink deals:

• $3.13 pizza slices at Mootz downtown.
• $3.13 food and beverage deals at Atwater Brewery.
• Latin music and $13.13 premium margaritas at Mezcal in Midtown.
• $3.13 select draft beer at the Brakeman and $3.13 macaroni and cheese at neighboring Penny Red's.

🚶 Riverfront: Find live music, trivia, performances, interactive art and small business vendors during a free party at Valade Park starting at 3:13pm.

👟 Streetwear and sneaker seller Snipes will mark the day with an exclusive 313 Adidas Top Ten High sneaker available at its stores starting Friday.

• Plus, it's hosting a free 6-10pm concert headlined by rapper Skilla Baby at the Garden Theater in Midtown.

📦 StockX is hosting a pop-up shop to celebrate 10 years downtown at 1001 Woodward Ave., with shoes, apparel and collectibles.

• 11am-6pm Friday-Sunday.

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Cleanup work continues and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency over the weekend after devastating tornadoes killed four people when they struck southern Michigan, touching down in the Three Rivers, Calhoun County and Union Lake areas. (Free Press)

🎸 Keanu Reeves will play at Saint Andrew's Hall in August with his band, Dogstar. (Detroit News)

⏱️ The Allen Park Planning Commission postponed making a decision on a data center planned there by Solstice Data, citing the need for more data and studies. Residents at the meeting said they were concerned about noise, water and the impact on utility rates. (WXYZ)

"Pizza Hut Classic" locations take the chain's fans "on a time trip back to a simpler, warmer era," The New York Times reports.

• The retro-themed restaurants have everything you remember from the Pizza Huts of the '80s and 90s: red checkerboard tablecloths, branded hanging lamps, original menus.

Yes, but: They're typically in "small towns far from urban centers, like Iron Mountain, Mich.," per the Times.

🤷 Pizza Hut parent Yum Brands doesn't promote them or acknowledge their existence.

• But "retrologist" Rolando Pujol has assembled a list of about 80 locations.

Pujol tells The Times: "I did feel like I was giving people a passport to find a piece of their personal history that they had lost track of."

• "I am doing a public service."

🍕 Joe's thought bubble: Ah, my youth. The old Pizza Hut in Ypsilanti on Washtenaw Avenue had those tablecloths and red cups. It was maybe the first place I experienced tableside parmesan cheese. So fancy!

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