Pat Batcheller

2 weeks ago | wdet.org | Pat Batcheller

Journalist Luther Keith didn’t just tell the stories of Detroiters–he was a Detroiter. He cared about the city. But he didn’t care for the way out-of-town media reported on it. That’s why he started ARISE Detroit! in 2006, to help change outsiders’ perceptions of the city. The next year, the group established Neighborhoods Day to encourage people to get involved in their communities and take pride in them. Keith died in March 2025 as he was preparing for the 19th Neighborhoods Day on Aug. 2.

3 weeks ago | wdet.org | Pat Batcheller

An American religious leader will preside over an LGBTQ+ pride service in Ireland on June 13. The Rt. Rev. Bonnie Perry is the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan, which includes metro Detroit. The head of Dublin’s Christ Church Cathedral invited Perry to preach at the suggestion of one of her former parishioners. Perry, the first woman and the first lesbian to lead the diocese, says it’s an opportunity to nurture Ireland’s support for the community.

1 month ago | wdet.org | Pat Batcheller

Michigan’s Secretary of State office issues driver’s licenses, REAL ID cards, and a variety of permits. It also administers Michigan’s elections. It’s a big job, and Barb Byrum says she’s best qualified to do it. The Ingham County Clerk is seeking the Democratic Party nomination in 2026. She hopes to succeed Secretary Jocelyn Benson, who’s running for governor. Who is Barb Byrum? Byrum had served six years as a state lawmaker before Ingham County voters elected her clerk in 2012.

1 month ago | wdet.org | Pat Batcheller

A new study highlights the importance of removing “forever chemicals” from drinking water. What are PFAS? PFAS are chemicals that take a long time to break down in the environment. They can also build up in the human body and cause a variety of health problems. Researchers took blood samples from people living near a contaminated site in southwest Michigan. They compared PFAS levels in those who drank city water to people who have private wells.

1 month ago | wdet.org | Pat Batcheller

They’re back. Algae are growing in western Lake Erie as they do every year, posing a potential health threat to people and pets. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration monitors Lake Erie for harmful algal blooms. Each spring, it estimates how large and toxic they might become. NOAA oceanographer Rick Stumpf tells WDET on a scale of 1 to 10 — with 10 being the worst — this year’s bloom should be relatively mild. “Right now, we’re estimating between 2.5 and 4.5,” he said.