WDET-FM (Detroit MI)

Hours before the Ford Fireworks last month, a Detroit police officer shot 18-year-old Alonzo Lee-Perkins several times during a foot chase. Police say officers were trying to stop him over a suspected gun, that the officer feared for his safety, and that a gun was recovered. His family doesn’t dispute that he was carrying one — they say he’d been shot before and was afraid for his life. What they dispute is what he did with it.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy has issued an air quality alert for the state of Michigan. That’s due to smoke from Canadian wildfires. The air quality can harm those who are unhealthy or sensitive groups… potentially reaching the unhealthy range. EGLE has published a page for resources on how to respond to wildfire smoke. The state’s health department advises people to limit outdoor activity by monitoring the air quality in their area.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy announced a statewide Air Quality Alert for Wednesday, July 15. Smoke from Canadian wildfires is expected to spread across the state. This will likely cause higher levels of air pollution which can be harmful to health. EGLE stated that thick smoke from wildfires north of Minnesota will start reaching the Upper Peninsula overnight and then spread south across the Lower Peninsula during the day and into the evening Wednesday.

Steve Yzerman won 3 Stanley Cups as the captain of the of the Detroit Red Wings. His time as general manager wasn’t nearly as successful. The team announced that Yzerman is stepping down as GM after seven years, during which the Wings never qualified for the National Hockey League playoffs. His departure comes about two months after team captain Dylan Larkin asked Yzerman to trade him to a contender while he can still be productive. Larkin turns 30 on July 30.

The City of Dearborn is receiving federal funds to improve its sewer system. FEMA awarded $8.1 million for the upgrades. Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud says the project is installing a series of flapgates for flood mitigation efforts. “Rather than installing a backflow and individual homes, the flap gate is a backflow for a whole neighborhood, and so this will actually help us prevent flooding to a greater degree for about 3,000 homes in a neighborhood in Dearborn,” he says.

The Concert of Colors is celebrating its 35th anniversary and commemorating Ismael Ahmed, who co-founded the event and passed away earlier this year. Building on a spirit of inclusivity and collaboration, the festival organization is now led by Njia Kai.“One thing Ismael was clear about is that we are all brothers and sisters, and that we should all take care of each other,” says Kai.

In America, the “amber waves of grain” have come to represent the strength of American agriculture. But not all Americans are included in this idyllic picture. Those same waves of grain contain wheat, a crop that can pose serious health risks for people with celiac disease. Raleigh Minning, a cancer survivor, is the owner of a gluten-free bakery: Made With Love Donuts. Through her work, she said she has come to understand some of the harmful symptoms her customers experience.

Houses of worship may soon be added to the list of sensitive locations where certain advertisements are not allowed within a 1000-foot radius. Councilmember Scott Benson says posting ads for things like alcohol and cannabis near a house of worship is inconsiderate.

You never really know why you’re attracted to a certain style of music, but I’ve always had an ear for dub. It’s a wonderful side product of the ska / reggae movement that emerged from Jamaica in the 1960s. With dub tracks, they’re making them heavier, with bigger bass and more reverb and a sense of weightlessness with the vocals, as though the singer were drowning and their voice only carries through when they come up for air.

Heat advisory? More like beat advisory! We’re turning up the summer soundtrack with songs to help you keep cool, from Jonathan Richman, Hannah Cohen, LCD Soundsystem, The Cure, Teddybears, Twin Shadow, Talking Heads, and more. Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.