The Detroit Blog

Podcast: All Good Things...

Madison Gray — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 19:27:33 +0000

It's TIME to say goodbye for now. As we end our yearlong look at the people, the events and the issues facing the Motor City, what have we learned? What are Detroit's most serious challenges? What are some of the best things Detroit offers? Most importantly what is Detroit's outlook going five and ten years [...]

A Detroit Food Bank Gets Food To Where It's Needed Most

Kristy Erdodi — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 19:10:58 +0000

Since 2001, the number of people requesting food from southwest Michigan's pantries, shelters and soup kitchens has increased by approximately 70 percent. Gleaners Community Food Bank is trying to do something about that. Last year, the food bank provided over 36 million pounds of emergency food to more than 484 partner soup kitchens, shelters and [...]

Our Donation to Detroit

Dennis Wong — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 17:03:49 +0000

The home of Assignment Detroit, a house in the city's West Village neighborhood that served as a residence for Time Inc.'s journalists during the yearlong project, will now have a new purpose. Time Inc.'s editors plan to sell the house and use the proceeds for a $100,000 donation toward the city's future: its young people. [...]

Outta Here

Darrell Dawsey — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 22:00:44 +0000

As you all know, today marks the final day of the Assignment Detroit Blog. And while I can hardly believe an entire year has flown by since we started, I know that, as a writer, reporter and Detroiter, I'm richer for the experience. For that, I say, to both TIME and to everyone of you [...]

How Detroit Became My Sexy City

Kristy Erdodi — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 21:38:04 +0000

In a 2009 issue of Sports Illustrated, Mitch Albom explained why he loves Detroit. He wrote: “Maybe because when our kids finish college and take that first job in some sexy faraway city and a year later we see them back home and we ask what happened, they say, ‘I missed my friends and family.' [...]

The End or What I Learned This Year

Karen Dybis — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 19:36:07 +0000

Today is the last day (for me) of Assignment Detroit. And there is so much to say...and nothing more to say. So much because Detroit's story still needs to be told. I've written thousands of words, but I've barely said anything. I've told stories, profiled leaders, shared my life. But nothing has truly conveyed what [...]

A Literary Arts & Film Festival to Honor Michigan Talent

Kristy Erdodi — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 23:03:20 +0000

Earlier this year, ten people sat in a meeting at the Community House, a nonprofit dedicated to cultural, social and educational enrichment, in the Detroit suburb of Birmingham. First question on the agenda for Community House members: “What could we do to create excitement in the community?” Then, Question Two: “What kind of event could [...]

Speaking of (Jazz) Music...

Karen Dybis — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 22:27:40 +0000

Two more days...Can you stand it? To start your (last) Assignment: Detroit weekend... Moving Jazz (back) into the Main Stream By Lars Bjorn and Jim Gallert Once upon a time, long ago, Jazz was America's popular music. Around 1940, Swing was indeed King, and people danced to it, it was functional. Live music was heard [...]

Feeding Detroit Body and Soul

Karen Dybis — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 13:42:17 +0000

Feeling the minutes slipping by... Had to share this great write-up about Detroit, its foodies and the "buy local" scene. Great storytelling in The Atlantic about how Detroit restaurants are cultivating a tradition toward fresh-off-the-vine produce, proteins and the like. A read like this actually makes me -- a complete non-believer -- believe in the [...]

A Little Night Music in Detroit

Karen Dybis — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 18:17:43 +0000

Remember the Victorious Secrets? Well, they have a new name, a new gig (which you helped them win!) and a concert tonight. So if you're in the mood to celebrating something other than Halloween, please check it out. First, they became the American Secrets. They are the freecreditscore.com band (say that five times fast) and [...]