Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'detroit'

Auto Models Rev Up To Sell At Detroit Auto Show

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 11:26:00 EST

Auto models have been showing off cars for decades, but now they play a much bigger role in selling vehicles, according to Margery Krevsky who runs an auto modeling talent agency. They may be needed this year more than ever with the industry in the tank.

The Stories Behind The Statistics

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:00:00 EST

A recent report on the rise of young black males being killed in the U.S. continues to raise concern among youth, parents and community leaders. Some say the findings reflect a much larger problem, the failure of society on many levels. A roundtable of people directly affected by violence share their perspective — Sylvia Banks, whose son Deon was killed in Detroit in 2003; Karen Graham whose son Aaron was killed in Milwaukee in 2004, and Ron Moten, of the D.C. group Peaceaholics.

IRS Sends Confusing Letters To Detroit Man

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 05:41:00 EST

James Howarth of Detroit has a new pen pal — the Internal Revenue Service. First came a letter in November. The IRS said Howarth owed a nickel and should pay up or face additional penalties or interest. Then came the second letter. Howarth told the Detroit Free Press that letter said the IRS owed him four cents. That letter said Howarth won't get the money back automatically since it's less than a dollar. Howarth called an IRS toll free number to sort it out. But after waiting on hold for a long time, he gave up.

Despite Everything, Detroit Still Has Fans

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 13:53:00 EST

A power outage is just the cherry on top of a year in Detroit that saw the auto industry running on fumes, a housing industry wracked by foreclosure and unemployment rates among the highest in the nation. So why is Detroit still so lovable?

Dump Trucks Used to Pick Up Spilled Eggs

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 08:05:00 EST

Police near Detroit say a truck driver fell asleep, crashed and spilled his payload of eggs. Hundreds of cartons of eggs were bounced across a 300 foot stretch of I-94. Single-digit temperatures made for a frozen mess. Cleanup crews used front-end loaders to scrape up the eggy hazard and then hauled it away in dump trucks.

The Last Shul In Detroit

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST

Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue is the last shul in Detroit. The shrinking congregation has been without a rabbi since 2003. Members often have to recruit bartenders and waiters from a next-door night club to achieve the number of worshippers required for prayer service.

Crews Work To Restore Power In Michigan

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 11:25:00 EST

More than 125,000 Michigan residents could face New Year's Eve in the dark as downed trees and power lines slowed the progress of crews trying to restore electricity to the Detroit area.

The Detroit Lions, Worst NFL Team Ever...

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 06:00:00 EST

The Detroit Lions have become the first NFL team to finish the regular season with zero wins and 16 losses. The Lions season ended Sunday with a 31-to-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Green Bay, Wisc.

Reclaiming Detroit Means Reinventing A City

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 15:54:00 EST

These days, stories about Detroit paint the American auto mecca as a city that's lost its way. But for the remaining residents of the shrinking city, it's also an urban frontier of the imagination.

A Christmas Story For The Times

Sat, 27 Dec 2008 11:46:00 EST

Joseph and Mary got off the bus in Detroit. He had worked as a carpenter for 20 years, but lost his job. His pension was invested with Bernard Madoff, and there was no federal bailout for carpenters. He and Mary had no place to live, and Mary was pregnant.

Detroit's Firefighters Battle Dangerous Ghosts

Sat, 27 Dec 2008 00:03:00 EST

They fight in neighborhoods they describe as being like "a mouthful of broken teeth" — a burned-out building here, an abandoned home there. Calling themselves "urban warriors," Detroit's firefighters face a landscape that grows more treacherous as the city's vacancy rate climbs.

Cutting Worker Costs Key To Automakers' Survival

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 12:54:00 EST

For decades, U.S. automakers have been paying more for the same hour of work than foreign manufacturers with plants in the U.S. If General Motors and Chrysler fail to cut those costs, they face bankruptcy, President Bush said in extending $17.4 billion in loans to Detroit.

For Detroit Lions Fans, It Just Keeps Getting Worse

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST

Detroit Lions fans — many of whom are auto-workers — are having a tough year. The team has no wins and 15 losses. We visit a Detroit sports bar to hear what fans have to say during and after Game 15.

More Help, New Hopes For Chrysler

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST

Canada will join the U.S. in loaning billions of dollars to struggling automakers General Motors and Chrysler. But a worker at one Chrysler plant in Detroit remains optimistic, even as his plant shuts down for a month.

Hockey's Sharks On The Cusp Of New Record

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST

Do you know the way to San Jose's heart? Achieve the winningest record in hockey — at least that's what their Sharks have done. Though they've lost two in a row they could still pass Detroit's 1995-1996 record of 62 wins. Host Scott Simon talks with NPR's Tom Goldman about the week in sports from hockey to college football to the Atlanta Falcons.

New From Detroit: The Desperado

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:54:00 EST

In light of Detroit's request for money to help the ailing carmakers, satirists Bruce Kluger and David Slavin suggest a good ad campaign for a car that answers all the questions raised by Congress. The Detroit Desperado is energy efficient and the product of the Big Three in collaboration.

Detroit Gets $17 Billion In Short-Term Loans

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:46:00 EST

President Bush has announced the terms of the rescue package for automakers. GM and Chrysler have said they might not be able to pay their bills without federal help. Ford says it's okay, for the moment. Most of the $17.4 billion comes right away, and gets them through the holidays. The rest of the money comes next month, provided Congress approves it.

Chrysler Shutdown Worries More Than Detroit Three

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:12:00 EST

The Bush administration said on Thursday that it wouldn't let U.S. automakers fall apart — at least not without some structured plan. But it's not just the Detroit Three that are in dire straits. Inventories are stacking up and consumers are steering clear of car purchases for all makes and models.

Chrysler To Shut Plants For A Month

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 19:26:00 EST

Ailing automaker Chrysler is shutting down all its manufacturing operations for at least a month. All three Detroit automakers routinely close for a couple of weeks around Christmas, but Chrysler says it is extending the shutdown because there isn't enough demand for vehicles.

Detroit Newspapers Cut Back Home Delivery

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 16:43:00 EST

Detroit's two daily newspapers said Tuesday they will deliver only three days a week: Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Like others papers across the country, The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press are dealing with shrinking circulation and declining ad revenue.

Detroit Papers Expected To Cut Delivery Days

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 06:00:00 EST

Detroit's two daily newspapers are expected to make a major announcement Tuesday. It's been widely rumored that management plans to cut home delivery to three days a week and significantly scale back their print editions. Noah Ovshinsky reports for Detroit Public Radio.

Autoworkers React To Bailout Collapse

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:19:00 EST

In the wake of talks over the auto bailout collapsing on Capitol Hill, auto workers in Detroit ponder their increasingly dismal fate. Many say the failure of the package in the Senate was a political attack by Republicans who blocked aid for Detroit automakers.

Auto Bailout Stalls In Senate

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST

A proposed rescue plan for the American auto industry has failed in the Senate. Now, the White House says it will consider using funds from a federal bailout to help stop an industry-wide collapse. For more, Farai Chideya speaks with Jerome Vaughn, news program director for WDET in Detroit.

Senate Says No; Automakers Scramble For Cash

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 07:39:00 EST

The Senate's rejection of the auto bailout plan left Detroit's automakers scrounging for a short-term cash infusion Friday to forestall imminent bankruptcy. World stock markets dropped on the news and stock futures pointed to a big sell-off when U.S. markets open.

Will Senate Buy The Auto Industry Bailout...

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 07:49:00 EST

The House has given its OK to $14 billion worth of bridge loans to help Detroit's struggling car makers, but the measure was heading into likely trouble in the Senate, where it could come up for a vote as early as Thursday.