This Week on One Detroit:

Schoolcraft vs. Dust: Residents raise concerns over air quality, living conditions on Detroit’s west side

A concrete crushing company started operating in Detroit’s Schoolcraft neighborhood a few years ago to the surprise of many people living nearby. Longtime resident Carol Couch lives in the west side neighborhood near Dino-Mite Crushing and Recycling and said she believes residue on her car comes from the crushing operation.  

Schoolcraft residents said they are concerned about their quality of life and health. “There’s a lot of pride in our community,” said George Perdue of the Schoolcraft Improvement Association. “It doesn’t make me feel good to tell somebody take 96 to Greenfield on your way to my house because I know they’re going to pass this dust-laden area.”  

Schoolcraft resident Audrey Moses Sims spoke during a public hearing last year and said her son has asthma and is on a breathing machine. “I had no idea that this facility would be opened up here,” she said. “I would have totally been against it.” Dino-Mite’s representative and the company’s attorney have not answered One Detroit’s requests to talk about problems in the neighborhood. BridgeDetroit reporter Jena Brooker found the city cited the company operating the crushing operation with nearly 300 blight violations over two years. 

The city of Detroit has taken legal action to reduce the dust, even to possibly force it to shut down. There is a hearing scheduled in Wayne County Circuit Court March 21. One Detroit’s senior producer Bill Kubota teamed up with filmmaker and One Detroit contributor Nicole Macdonald to talk with residents about their concerns over heavy industry operating in city neighborhoods.

Grow Detroit’s Young Talent jobs program kicks off 10th year of summer employment

The annual Grow Detroit’s Young Talent (GDYT) summer jobs program has returned for its 10th year, and applications for the program are now open. The program matches Detroit residents ages 14-24 with employers in a wide variety of industries including manufacturing, IT, construction, entrepreneurship, and corporate work. An estimated 8,000 teens and young adults are expected to be matched up with employers this summer.  

The Grow Detroit’s Young Talent program was started a decade ago by the City of Detroit, the Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (DESC) and Connect Detroit. During its tenure, the program has grown from serving roughly 5,000 teens and young adults in the first year to more than 8,000 in recent years. The program offers free transportation for enrolled employees through a partnership with the Detroit Department of Transportation. 

As part of Detroit Public Television’s Future of Work initiative, host Stephen Henderson speaks with three guests connected to the GDYT program: DESC President & CEO Dana Williams, Connect Detroit VP of Programs Shuna Hayward, and past GDYT participant Naeema Muhammad.

They talk about the wide range of job opportunities the young people receive, how these experiences will help them as they pursue careers and post-secondary degrees, and what it takes to pull together the employers, funders and young people each year for this massive $13 million summer jobs program.

One Detroit Weekend: March 15, 2024

It’s St. Patrick’s Day weekend in Detroit and there are ways for everyone to celebrate the Irish festivities this weekend. See the Trinity Irish Dance group perform, enjoy some Irish food specials and live music, or pair a craft beer with some science at the Brewsology Beer Fest. Plus, learn about the life of Cher during “The Cher Show,” bring your four-legged friends to Dog Dayze on the Farm, and more. See what’s coming up on “One Detroit Weekend” with Dave Wagner and Cecelia Sharpe of 90.9 WRCJ.

Upcoming Events:    

  • The Trinity Irish Dance group will perform traditional Irish dances with some modern twists at the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts in Detroit on Friday, March 15. 
  • River’s Edge Brewing in Milford hosts a slate of St. Patrick’s Day events throughout the weekend including food specials, live music and more. On March 18, the brewery will host dinner and a movie in partnership with the Milford Independent Cinema. 
  • The Michigan Science Center in Detroit hosts Brewsology Beer Fest Saturday, March 16, where you can learn about science while enjoying craft beers, ciders and some science demonstrations. 
  • Broadway in Detroit brings “The Cher Show,” a musical that takes you through Cher’s life from childhood to the present day and includes over 35 hit songs, to the Fisher Theatre March 19-24. 
  • The Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory in Grand Rapids is sharing its “Butterflies are Blooming” exhibit, which features over 60 species of butterflies, through April 30.  
  • The Detroit City Jazz Orchestra Plus performs “A Tribute to the Jones Brothers,” three renowned jazz musicians from Detroit, at The Cube at Orchestra Hall in Detroit Saturday, March 16. 
  • Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill hosts Dog Dayze on the Farm for St. Patrick’s Day, featuring a 1-mile trail walk, a doggy kissing booth, a costume contest and more Sunday, March 17. 
  • The Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi hosts the Novi Boat Show, featuring a one-of-a-kind Barbie boat, a wooden pirate ship, a boater safety course and more through March 17. 

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