Families & Community

Today on Stateside, despite an upward economic trend in Michigan, nearly half of households in the state are struggling to afford basic necessities. Plus, it’s (finally) spring! We hear about the cultural significance of this transition for different cultural groups across the state.

Today, New Orleans is celebrating Fat Tuesday, also known as "Mardi Gras" in French. It's the last day before Ash Wednesday and the forty days of Lent, when many observers give up certain indulgences in anticipation of Easter Sunday. 

Delegates from the United Methodist Church voted Tuesday to continue a ban on same-sex marriage and gay and lesbian clergy.

The proposal - called the Traditional Plan - was approved by church members at the United Methodist General Conference in St. Louis.

Today on Stateside, a new plan to boost Detroit says restoring the city's African-American middle class is key to a successful revitalization effort. Plus, we hear about the Anishinaabe Theatre Exchange, a program that draws on indigenous storytelling traditions to talk about current social issues.

Today on Stateside, Michigan's new cyberbullying law goes into effect next month, but will it actually make kids safer from online harassment? Plus, a recent study from the University of Michigan finds that tens of thousands of Michigan kids and teens aren't getting the mental health treatment they need. 

William Thomas opens the front door of his house on the south side of Benton Harbor and leads the way to the kitchen.

He has a white goatee, and he has on a dark grey collared shirt and gold rimmed glasses.

He sits down at a round table with a stack of papers stuck to a clipboard. He pulls one out, a white sheet that was sent to him in the mail last fall.

Eight children and teens die by firearms every day in the United States. 

That's according to a recently-published study examining the leading causes of child and teen death in the country. 

Update, February 1, 2019, 10:26 a.m.:

Deadline Detroit reported Thursday that Dearborn Mayor Jack O'Reilly, who refused to send out the issue of The Dearborn Historian because of Bill McGraw's story, has now fired McGraw as editor of the magazine. 

They also report that the Dearborn Historical Commission passed a resolution Thursday night in support of McGraw and his article. However, the resolution is not "binding on the mayor." 

Original post:

He's known for ushering in the five-dollar workday, the auto assembly line, and the Model T.

100 years ago this month, Henry Ford also bought his hometown newspaper, The Dearborn Independent, and used it as a platform to promote his anti-Semitic views.

Journalist Bill McGraw published a story on this topic in Deadline Detroit and joined Stateside today. He says Ford’s anti-Semitic views drew on hundreds of years of harmful stereotypes.

Cannabis, it turns out, is not just for smoking.

Since its legalization for both medical and recreational purposes, marijuana has been making its way into kitchens across Michigan, including the kitchen of Gigi Diaz. 

Diaz has been cooking professionally for years and recently, she’s started making cannabis-infused meals. She even won Best Chef at the 2017 High Times Michigan Cannabis Cup. Her business, Cannabis Concepts, does regular pop-ups all around Detroit.

“It’s really come a long way since your average pot brownie,” Diaz said.

Today on Stateside, how have communities across Michigan fared in the nearly 10 years since the official end of the Great Recession? Plus, a conversation with a chef from Detroit who’s elevating the art of cannabis edibles beyond the usual pot brownie. 

Earlier this month, Lifetime released the six-part documentary series Surviving R. Kelly. It features more than 50 interviews with women who claim that they were sexually, physically, and emotionally abused by R&B artist R. Kelly.

Lawsuits against Kelly and rumors accusing him of sexual assault, rape, and possession of child pornography date back over two decades. The singer has denied all such accusations, and has never been convicted of any crime. 

The release of Surviving R. Kelly has spurred discussion, both within and outside of African-American communities, about how black women who have experienced sexual assault are treated. 

The stereotypical picture of someone with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) tends to be a young hyperactive boy, who just can’t sit still in class. But that picture doesn't tell the whole story.

There is increasing evidence that girls with the disorder are underdiagnosed. And while the symptoms might change over time, ADHD doesn’t just disappear when you reach adulthood. So what does that mean for adult women with the disorder?

My name is Matthew Green. I am from the eastside of Detroit. When I say I know the inner city. I mean that I know the inner city! I am 24 years old. I am old enough to have a mature mind-state about things, but young enough to connect with the youth.

As one of 11 states that does not require homeschooling parents and their children to have any contact with state or local education officials, Michigan’s approach to homeschool oversight is one of the most relaxed in the nation.

On yesterday's show, we talked about concerns that lax regulation allows some parents to conceal abuse and neglect at home. 

In recent years, the number of American families choosing to homeschool their children has been on the rise. Federal data estimate that the number of homeschooled students more than doubled between 1999 and 2012. 

Michigan is one of 11 states that does not require parents who are homeschooling their children to have any contact with state or local education officials.

It was supposed to be a day of fun at AJ's Family Fun Center near Grand Rapids in 2015. Rachel Gibbs wore a scarf on the cool August day.  Staff at AJ's made no mention of the potentially dangerous item as Gibbs and her youngest son loaded into a go-kart and zipped off. During the ride, Gibbs’ scarf got caught in one of the go-kart’s axles, snapping her windpipe. 

On today's show, Believed co-host Kate Wells breaks down a recent report that found top officials at the U.S. Olympic Committee knew former sports doctor Larry Nassar was sexually abusing his patients, yet took no disciplinary action against him. Plus, a conversation about the changing field of classical music between a graduate student and aspiring conductor, and the retired music director for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

Listen to the full show above or find individual segments below.