WDET-FM (Detroit MI)

It’s the 4th of July weekend and many Michiganders are celebrating by going to their favorite parks to go swimming, hiking, camping and fishing. This week on MichMash, WDET’s Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow discuss the recent investments  put into parks. They are joined by Kristen Kosick. She is the chief of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation division. In this episode How did the American Rescue Plan Act affect Michigan state parks?

Shifting the business model Angela Davis, a recipe developer, digital content creator, and freelance chef who goes by Thekitchenista on Instagram said both items not being available and cost have affected her business. Smoked duck sandwich with Carolina vinegar sauce and slaw. by Angela Davis TheKitchenista on Instagram. Davis has scaled back some services, and eliminated others like her  pop-up events due to uncertainty around cost and customer turnout.

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield issued an executive order today that maps out guidelines for city departments to prioritize protecting residents and workers during the heatwave. The executive order instructs the water department not to shut off water service unless directed by the customer or to fix a broken main. The Building Safety, Engineering and Environmental Department (BSEED) must expedite all temperature-related requests at all cooling centers.

This Saturday is the Fourth of July — and it’s a big one. Two hundred and fifty years since the Declaration of Independence. In that time, this country has done extraordinary things. It has built one of the most diverse democracies on Earth, a haven where people can speak freely and chase a better life. And it’s done real harm: it took land by force, enslaved millions, broke treaties and lives.

In Huntington Woods, a battle has ensued over what you are allowed to say at the city’s Fourth of July parade. New rules would strip protest signs down to nothing but a group’s name and logo. A University of Michigan law clinic has told the city that those rules are unconstitutional and demanded their repeal.

Though Clark Park became famous for hosting ice hockey during the winter, they are teaming up alongside Chandler Park with Motown Lacrosse to teach children box lacrosse this summer. For those unfamiliar, founder of Motown Lacrosse Liam McElroy says, “it’s a more fun version to train and compete in.” As the U.S. celebrates a 250th birthday, these practices also serve as a secret history lesson; lacrosse began on Native American soil before the country was founded.

Celebrating Canada Day, today’s playlist is dedicated to Canadian artists, featuring music from Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Broken Social Scene, KAYTRANADA, The New Pornographers, Leonard Cohen, Feist, and more. We also revisit Feist’s special live performance of “Mushaboom,” recorded right here at WDET. Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

The Michigan House proposes a complete elimination of funding for the Michigan Arts and Culture Council (MACC). If the MACC becomes disenfranchised, then museums, historic sites, and other cultural organizations will lose out on $11 million. “When people are considering budget cuts, then that’s the first thing to go,” Arts Education Program Manager Chad Swan-Badgero said. MACC is an agency whose grants are accessible to creative projects across the state.

The United States of America is celebrating its 250th anniversary this week. There will be parades and fireworks and lots of speeches. But does this holiday mean the same thing to African Americans as it does to other Americans? Vincent Hutchings is a political science professor at the University of Michigan. WDET’s Jerome Vaughn asked him about the meaning of “Independence Day” for the country’s Black citizens.

It has been almost two centuries since Canada declared independence. After the Constitution Act of 1867, Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick began governing themselves. That independence is observed annually as Canada Day on July 1.But there is another, earlier date marking freedom that Canada also celebrates: Emancipation Day. Britain passed the Slavery Abolition Act on August 1, 1834.