This week on One Detroit: 

Barn Sanctuary, Michigan’s only certified animal refuge, gives farm animals a second chance

A farm in Washtenaw County called Barn Sanctuary has an uncommon mission, providing care for ailing farm animals. 

“We do everything that farming is except for the last part, taking the animals to the market,” said Dan McKernan, president and founder of Barn Sanctuary, who started the operation with his father Tom McKernan.  

Barn Sanctuary is included among a list of animal sanctuaries worldwide approved by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. There are just a few such certified sanctuaries in the Midwest and as of now Barn Sanctuary is the only one in Michigan. 

The McKernan family farm goes back almost a century-and-a-half, but when new developments started popping up nearby, they made the decision to do something different with their property. Dan McKernan had been working in the technology field in Texas when he heard about another sanctuary and brought the idea to his father. 

Barn Sanctuary began eight years ago as a nonprofit. At that time, Dan took to social media to raise money to finance and expand the operation. The farm takes care of animals big and small including cows, sheep, goats, donkeys, pigs, chickens, ducks and turkeys. About 140 animal residents call the sanctuary home. 

One Detroit’s Bill Kubota and photojournalist Scott Rensberger visited the farm to learn how the sanctuary works and hear the stories of some of the residents who will live out their time in a way few other farm animals do. 

Michigan’s hot 50 jobs through 2032: High demand in STEM fields, changing workforce trends

Michigan’s workforce is set for a significant shift over the next decade, according to a recent report from the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics (MCDA). The “Michigan Hot 50 Job Outlook through 2032” highlights the state’s fastest-growing jobs, with a focus on fields requiring specialized skills and higher education. 

The report ranks the top 50 jobs in Michigan based on projected job growth, median wages, and the number of available openings. The data is drawn from state and federal sources to provide valuable insights for policymakers. 

Among the top 50, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers are projected to have over 6,400 new positions. Other notable jobs include registered nurses with nearly 6,000 projected openings and software developers, with more than 3,300 openings. Michigan’s workforce will also see a high demand for jobs within STEM fields over the next decade. 

At the same time, jobs that have traditionally had lower barriers to entry—such as those with shorter training periods—are declining. MCDA Research Manager Evan Linskey pointed to technological advancements, which are automating certain tasks, making these positions less viable in the long term. One Detroit producer Will Glover sat down with Linskey to discuss Michigan’s evolving job market and economic landscape.  

DJ Minx and DJ Holographic discuss Movement Music Festival, queer culture in electronic music

Detroit is known as the birthplace of techno music in America, which originated with The Belleville Three in the 1980s. The city is also home to the Movement Music Festival, which brings thousands of electronic music fans to Hart Plaza on Memorial Day Weekend. 

Leading up to World Techno Day on Dec. 9, BridgeDetroit reporter Micah Walker recently sat down with two Detroit electronic music artists, Jennifer Witcher who goes by DJ Minx and Ariel Corley known as DJ Holographic. The two are passionate about techno and house music and have both performed at Movement. 

Both Witcher and Corley are queer artists. Witcher said the festival highlights electronic music artists and brings together people in the LGBTQ+ community. “It’s like building another family on top of the one we already have,” she said.   

Witcher and Corley talk with Walker about how their friendship began, their musical influences, and the excitement of playing on the Movement stage. Plus, they each share their personal coming out stories as well as what projects are on their respective horizons. This story was produced by One Detroit’s Zosette Guir. 

Things to do in Detroit this weekend: December 6, 2024

The holiday season is in full swing around metro Detroit with a handful of events to get in the spirit. There is the Winter Markt at Shain Park in downtown Birmingham, Channel 95.5’s Jingle Ball at Little Caesars Arena and “Who Brought the Humbug” at the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts in Detroit.  

Plus, visit Santa’s Reindeer Farm at Grandpa’s Tiny Farm in Frankenmuth and the Holly Dickens Festival at Battle Alley in Holly. One Detroit contributors Cecelia Sharpe and Haley Taylor of 90.9 WRCJ share some events coming up around the region on “One Detroit Weekend.”