WDET 101.9FM

2009 brings the 50th Anniversary of one of Detroit’s greatest cultural treasures: Motown Records. We’ll talk with Audley Smith, director of the Motown Museum in the original Hitsville USA building about the museum’s plans for the year’s festivities.

Then, we’ll talk with Kenneth Anderson, artistic director of Detroit’s Mosaic Youth Theater, about the research he’s done with many of the original members of Motown’s greatest groups and the music’s effect on kids in the city today.

Detroit Today Producers John & Amanda with Duke Fakir

Plus, we’ll talk with Duke Fakir, member of the Four Tops about what Motown felt like from the inside.

Then: we’ll run live coverage of President-elect Obama’s major economic announcement, and take your calls right after his remarks. Give us a call at 313-577-1019.

Former Kwame Kilpatrick Chief of Staff Christine Beatty started her 120-day stay in the Wayne County Jail yesterday. We’ll talk with WDET’s Noah Ovshinsky about what Beatty’s incarceration means for Detroit politics.

Another notable Michigan figure had his first day in a new place yesterday, as Gary Peters spent his first day in Congress after defeating incumbent Joe Knollenberg last fall. We’ll talk with representative Peters about his hopes for Michigan this year in congress.

Some may find the attempt mercurial or obsequious, but a new web site from Wayne State University called wordwarriors is attempting to revive lesser used words in the English language. We’ll talk with Jerry Herron, is the dean of Wayne State's Irvin D. Reid Honors College and co-founder of the site.

Kids today… a seminar at University of Detroit Mercy called “Project Millennials: Make it Work with Generation Y” will investigating the unique skills and challenges that the new generation brings to higher education and the marketplace. We’ll talk with organizer Matthew J. Mio of UDM’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. “Project Millenials” is today and tomorrow at University of Detroit Mercy.

The city of Detroit recently created its first office of Energy and Sustainibility. We’ll talk with its new chief, Rick Bowers.

A New Beginning: A Woman's Guide to Self-Respect In Order To Make a Stand is a new book by Detroiter Madena Williams. Pulling wisdom from her own experiences, Madena offers no-nonsense advice to women in domestic violence situations.

Wayne State recently received a new driving simulator that will help researchers find new ways to reduce automotive injuries. We’ll talk with Occupational Therapy Associate Professor Joseph Pellerito, Jr.

Today, we begin our new series Dear Detroit, featuring letters written to our city from a wide variety of the city’s resident. Today’s letter is from high school student Kelly Azar about her experiences living in Detroit as a child.

And the week’s Metro Times Cover Story- Wayne State University History Professor Ron Aronson has made a name for himself disputing one of the oldest and most popular stories around. His new book is titled Living Without God: New Directions for Atheists, Agnostics, Secularists, and the Undecided. We’ll talk with Ron and Metro Times Editor W. Kim Heron.

Michigan is now one of three states in the country with laws protecting stem cell research, and scientists across the state are planning new studies into possible cures for diseases like type 1 diabetes and Parkinson’s. We’ll talk with Sean Morrison, director of the University of Michigan Center for Stem Cell Biology about Michigan’s controversial new research industry.

President-elect Obama Is taking office in just a few weeks and there’s rumors that he may have a massive financial stimulus bill to sign on his first day. Local municipalities are banking on the promise of federal assistance, and Michigan is no exception. The state’s initial wish list came to nearly $17 billion worth of potential federally funded projects. We’ll talk with Governor Jennifer Granholm about the promise that the Obama administration holds for our state. Then, we’ll talk with Southeast Michigan Council of Governments Executive Director Paul Tate about SEMCOG’s $500 million list of projects around the region. And we’ll take your calls- what do you think should be the new administration’s spending priorities? 313-577-1019, or leave us a comment here on the blog.

Michigan Now's Chris McCarus will give us a personal look at Detroit Symphony Orchestra Maestro Leonard Slatkin.

The ongoing war between Israel and Palestine shows few signs of slowing. We’ll talk with Juan Cole, University of Michigan Professor of Middle Eastern and South Asian History and author of the influential blog Informed Comment. His new book Engaging the Muslim World comes out in March.

Rooted in Detroit while maintaining an eye to the national and international arts community, Detroit: Stories is the third issue of the literary journal published by Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD). We’ll talk with editor Lynn Crawford, former guest editor Harmut Austen and future guest editor Aku Kadago about Detroit’s literary scene and how the journal reflects the mission of the museum.

On a somber note- Ron Asheton, guitarist for Iggy Pop and the Stooges was found dead in his Ann Arbor home early this morning. He was 60. We’ll reflect on the legacy of one of Michigan’s most influential rock guitarists with Mick Collins of The Dirtbombs.