The whales are visible again on the side of downtown's Broderick Tower.

Driving the news: Thursday night's extreme weather managed to undo a temporary mural created by westside artist Phillip Simpson and installed by Rocket Companies in 2021.

Why it matters: The advertisement is unpopular among some — especially Tigers fans — because it has been covering up the humpback whale scene painted by artist Robert Wyland about 25 years ago.

• "Nature is healing," The Athletic's Max Bultman posted to social media.

What they're saying: "Wowww," Simpson posted on Instagram. "What happens now?"

• Simpson, whose familiar smiles can be found across the city, tells Axios he reached out to Rocket Companies Friday about the future of his work and hasn't yet heard back.
• Rocket Companies did not respond to our request for comment.

The other side: "I was really disappointed that a company like Rocket Mortgage would even consider, you know, destroying the integrity of a work of art that is loved by so many," Wyland told Local 4 last year.

• "It was my favorite part of Comerica when it opened," Macomb County resident Ailene Hicks tells Axios. "That ad just looks terrible in comparison to what is underneath … Mother Nature has a way with karma."

Catch up quick: "Such a high-profile location — seen all around the world during Tigers' home games — needs to be a place to display the work of Detroit artists," the company's chief marketing officer told Metro Times when the banner went up.

Of note: Simpson is also one of the artists chosen by the city for its City Walls project.

What's next: It remains unclear whether Simpson's work will be put back up.

💭 Sam's thought bubble: Some see the mural as a win for Simpson and other Black Detroiters who were never as connected to the original mural as Tigers fans who iconified the whales from their seats at Comerica Park.

• It's a shame that we even have to debate one piece of art over another.

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The United Auto Workers (UAW) voted Friday to authorize a strike if the union can't reach new contracts with the Detroit Three automakers before Sept. 14, Axios' Nathan Bomey reports.

Why it matters: With about 150,000 members at the three companies, the UAW has carved out an aggressive bargaining position over the summer, raising the serious prospect of a production-hobbling work stoppage.

Driving the news: The UAW's fiery new president, Shawn Fain, announced the strike authorization vote Friday morning, saying 97% of members approved the move.

• "You know that we do have the power, that we are united and we're not afraid," Fain said during a Facebook live about the vote.

Threat level: Although a strike authorization vote is relatively routine at this stage in talks, a strike is "highly likely," Barclays analyst Dan Levy wrote in a research note.

What's next: Typically the union selects a target automaker to first focus its negotiations on and later launches a strike against that company if it can't reach a deal.

• Analysts say Stellantis is the most likely target after Fain recently threw the company's proposal in the trash during another public address.
• But Fain has also hinted that the union could strike against all three automakers at once, which would be unprecedented.

🧍Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's population growth task force won't have anyone younger than 28 on it — but she did announce the inclusion of Emily Hoyumpa, 20, and Aidan Sova, 24, in work groups that will help guide the task force. (Michigan Advance)

🧠 The agency providing much-needed mental health services in Wayne County, the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network, is not well-known by the public. The exact operations of the network with a $1 billion budget "can be difficult to pin down." (Outlier)

👋 Annalise here. This week we're bringing you some go-to spots for late-night dining, which Detroit is sorely lacking.

I chose the east side's Joseph's Coney Island, which has been serving the city since 1984, per its Instagram.

• Sure, a Coney is the obvious pick. But I'm chuffed about Joseph's particularly intense fervor around the fact that it's always open — its Insta proclaims: "24/7 ANYTIME WE DON'T STOP."
• A scrolling sign outside also says, "WE DON'T STOP." I think that makes it a full-on motto, and I'm fine with that.

What we ate: On a recent nighttime visit, a friend chose chili cheese fries — they give you a lot, with a choice of cheddar or squeeze cheese — while my ever-present sweet tooth drove me to a monumental helping of cinnamon roll French toast.

• It was about $18.50 total.

📬 Check back tomorrow for another late-night pick — and respond to this newsletter letting us know your favorite spot! We'll run the best responses later this week.

👋🏼 Sam here! We asked you to guess where in Detroit this Old English D-inspired city flag is painted.

The intrigue: I've started to see more city of Detroit flags since investigating our lack of them. This one is painted on the side of a North End building on the corner of Oakland and Custer, where a vintage market was happening.

👏 State of play: B.J. T., Megan W. and Kenny H. were among the lucky few who guessed correctly!

• We'll reach out soon to send you Axios Detroit swag and a handwritten letter thanking you for being a faithful reader.