Latest news with #AxiosDetroit
Axios
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Frame Work: Interactive art tells intergenerational Vietnamese American story
Editor's note: Frame Work is the new name of Axios Detroit's regular arts coverage, highlighting local exhibitions, artists and trends in the art world. Have a story idea? Reply to this email. Touch a bead on an embroidered map to unlock a family's memories of the journey from Vietnam to America. Why it matters: Viewers interacting with art is a key tenet of artist Linh My Truong's upcoming exhibition in Highland Park, " Threads of Passage: From Vietnam to America." Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War's end, the show centers on cultural memory and delves into the Vietnamese refugee experience. How it works: For "Threads of Passage," Truong weaves together hand-embroidered art, video and touch-activated technology. On one of the two main installations, metal beads are attached to conductive threads and wires sending signals to project video. The stories told through the artwork — from Truong's family and other Vietnamese Americans — explore survival and the generational legacies shaped by migration. What they're saying: "The exhibition is about the refugee experience, but more broadly, the impact of the refugee experience on future generations. They're impacted in the way those emotional scars get passed on," Truong tells Axios. Children and grandchildren "want to know more, are motivated to figure out their history, their heritage." The intrigue: The exhibition is at the Annex Gallery, an artist-run space in the historic old Lewis Stamping Plant. It is now called 333 Midland, a maker's space for artists and sculptors crafting larger works. If you go: "Threads of Passage" opens Saturday with a free reception, 6-9pm. Enjoy Vietnamese food from Về Lại and Truong's family.
Axios
17-04-2025
- Business
- Axios
Detroit sees drop in visitors from Canada
Trump-era tariffs and political rhetoric are dampening travel — and costing Michigan. Why it matters: About 10% of Detroit's tourism comes from Canada. Rising political tensions and new tariffs are driving a noticeable drop in visitors — and threatening the region's tourism economy just as the busy summer season approaches. The big picture: President Trump's recent rhetoric — including talk of making Canada the "51st state" — has triggered a rally-around-the-flag effect across the border. Travel warnings, economic uncertainty and a push to "buy Canadian" are weakening interest in U.S. destinations. Zoom in: Detroit border crossings are already down about 13% in February and March compared to last year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection data shows. Typically, more than 40,000 people — commuters, truck drivers and tourists — cross the Detroit-Windsor border daily. Meanwhile, bookings for Canada-U.S. flights in April-September are down over 70%, per aviation data firm OAG. Threat level: A mere 10% drop in Canadian visitors could cost U.S. businesses as much as $2.1 billion in revenue, according to The Points Guy. State of play: From Mackinac Island to Detroit, officials are monitoring the tariff situation and hoping for clarity by summer. Canadian travelers represent a small fraction of the state's approximately 128 million tourists annually. But Detroit, Port Huron and other border destinations face heightened impacts, Bridge Michigan reports. The latest: Earlier this month, a Canadian travel advisory warned residents to "expect scrutiny" when entering the U.S. U.S. border agents don't need to give a reason for requesting a password to open your phone or electronic device. "If you refuse, they may seize your device," the advisory says. Behind the scenes: Axios Detroit reporters faced some scrutiny last week when crossing the border into Windsor. After driving through the tunnel, we were asked to pull over and get out of our car to answer some questions from the authorities about the nature of our work. We were allowed in after about a 15-minute stop. What they're saying: Visit Detroit president and CEO Claude Molinari said the organization prioritizes "seamless cross-border travel," adding that long-term tariffs create unnecessary barriers to tourism and trade. "Maintaining a strong, cooperative relationship with Canada is essential to the economic and cultural vitality of our region," Molinari said in a statement to Axios. The view from Canada Axios Detroit reporters ventured into Windsor last week to see how Trump's policies and statements toward Canada are landing across the border. The interviews were conducted after crossing the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. Paul Rigelhof, a retired resident of Lakeshore, Ontario, next to Windsor, said the tariffs have been a "little bit of a problem" for folks. Rigelhof said he and others are concerned about the health of retirement funds and pensions. He's not too worried overall and believes the economy will bounce back. Robin Cross, who works at Rogues Gallery Comics in Windsor, said he feels like Detroit and Windsor still have a pretty good relationship. "I think for the most part, us here in Canada, we still love the American people. We don't love the country right now. We know it's not the people who are choosing to do this. We try to keep that in mind. It's tough to have as friendly an outlook on America as we always have." Joanne Paradis, 83, said that her views of Trump are separate from her opinions of Americans in general. "We realize what that idiot's doing shouldn't reflect on everybody," Paradis said last week while waiting for a bus in downtown Windsor. "When I'm buying products, it's got to be not made in the United States," she said. "We've got to stand up for our country."
Axios
21-02-2025
- Business
- Axios
Canadian advocates back Detroit train route amid tension with U.S.
Canadian transit advocates say they're optimistic about the proposed Windsor-to-Detroit passenger train route despite recent tensions with the U.S. The big picture: The potential connection is part of a broader effort to expand passenger rail services between Chicago and Toronto, with a possible transit hub at Michigan Central Station along the way. Zoom in: The need for another public transit option from Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit became clearer this month with Mayor Drew Dilkens' move to eliminate the city's tunnel bus to Detroit, says Josh Sankarlal of Activate Transit Windsor Essex. What they're saying:"There's so much instability right now for people who rely on the tunnel bus to go to work, to visit family, to see their loved ones, because transit is consistently under attack in Windsor," Sankarlal tells Axios Detroit. "Whether or not the tunnel bus remains, knowing that there's something else in the works is good." Catch up quick: Plans for the extended Chicago-Detroit-Toronto passenger rail route have been percolating since at least 2023. The local impact of those plans came into clearer view this month after we reported on Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada's visit to Michigan Central late last year. Possible plans for a new rail connection include a combined bus and train station at the revived train depot. Details have not been released, however, about the project's cost and exactly where on Michigan Central's campus the transit hub would be located. The other side: VIA Rail did not return our messages seeking comment. Dilkens' office declined an interview request due to travel. Friction point: President Trump's tariff threats have escalated U.S. tensions with Canada. "We're concerned about the temporary hostilities between our two countries, but hopefully that will resolve soon, and then we can proceed ahead with this project," Peter Miasek of Transport Action Ontario tells Axios Detroit. Canadians want and need high-quality passenger rail service options for regional transportation, according to a letter that Miasek signed in November to government officials in support of the Windsor-Detroit rail link. What's next: A spokesperson for MDOT, which contracts with Amtrak to operate in Michigan, says it's continuing to meet with community partners and other groups on both sides of the border to discuss the project.
Axios
31-01-2025
- Politics
- Axios
FOIA Friday: Local post-election Trump emails
It would take thousands of dollars to learn what Detroit city employees emailed about President Trump right after he was elected. Why it matters: We sought public employee emails via a FOIA request to gain additional context on how city officials reacted to, and plan to handle, President Trump's administration. Not too much was said publicly by Mayor Mike Duggan's administration in the immediate aftermath, aside from Duggan pledging to work with the new president on common ground. Driving the news: This is the latest story in our FOIA Friday series that shows how the state's public records law works and how difficult it can be to access public information. Government emails can be particularly tricky, as their sheer volume makes it time-intensive for employees to sift through them, often leading to high costs for reporters. How it worked: On Nov. 12, Axios Detroit requested emails to or from city employees containing the word "Trump" on Nov. 6-7. Our request was due be granted or denied by Dec. 6, but it took until Jan. 9 to receive a formal answer — possibly because this FOIA request turned out to be more than 40,000 pages. The cost was more than $11,000, though the city discounted that by half. Flashback: It's not our first email FOIA that was cost prohibitive. One seeking context on an Olympia Development parking lot controversy back in 2022 would have cost $29,440 for 52,000 pages. What's next: We plan to narrow the request to only top city officials and will update you on what we learn.
