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Toilet to table: Michigan farmers feed crops with ‘toxic brew’ of human and industrial waste
Each day, tons of human excrement flows from southeast Michigan’s toilets to its sewer system, mixing with industrial waste from Zug Island, Ford’s auto plants, Detroit Receiving Hospital, and every factory, industry, home, and commercial building in the region. Once it reaches the Great Lakes Water Authority’s (GLWA) treatment plants, water is pulled from the…
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Peak BioBoost Review: Does It Really Work? [2020 Update]
Getting up early in the morning to the maddening sound of the alarm clock already feels like an unpleasant chore. Moreover, if you have to struggle every morning in the toilet while doing your business, then it becomes nothing less than a waking nightmare! We know exactly how you feel! Despite the discomfort, you need…
Family of deceased woman sues Ferndale Police after leaving her with suspected serial killer
Family members of a deceased woman have filed a wrongful death lawsuit aimed at three Ferndale Police officers, claiming the officers were negligent in transporting her with a suspected serial killer, Fox 2 reports. Deborah Reynolds, 64, was last seen in August 2018 when she was picked up by the police along with DeAngelo Martin…
Hazel Park marijuana dispensary New Standard is now open for in-person customers
As Michigan’s economy re-opens from the coronavirus lockdown, Hazel Park marijuana dispensary New Standard is now welcoming in-person medical and adult-use customers. “We opened our first New Standard dispensary in April during Michigan’s stay-at-home mandate which meant we weren’t able to celebrate with the community like we would have hoped,” Howard Luckoff, New Standard Co-Founder…
Some polling stations in Detroit opened late because workers didn’t show up
Several polling locations in Detroit failed to open on time Tuesday morning because election workers didn’t show up, according to the Michigan Secretary of State’s Office. The state dispatched about 35 workers to polling stations that were short-staffed. Polls were supposed to open statewide at 7 a.m. At least one polling station at Northwest Baptist…
Detroit Pistons offer J. Cole a tryout after Master P dished advice on how to make it on the court
The Detroit Pistons could gain a notable hoop dreamer for their upcoming season. The team took to Twitter on Monday to offer rapper J. Cole an opportunity to try out for the team’s 2020 lineup after learning that the Dreamville Records head was seriously training for an NBA contract. They even rendered a Detroit jersey…
Civil rights complaint urges Michigan to halt the environmental racism of hazardous waste sites
A Detroit-based nonprofit has filed a landmark civil rights complaint with the state’s environmental regulatory agency over the disproportionate number of hazardous waste sites in lower-income communities of color. In the complaint, the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center is urging the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to end the “long history”…
Movie Nights in the D has returned to Campus Martius Park
Free family-friendly movies have returned to downtown Detroit’s Campus Martius Park. Movie Nights in the D is back for the month of August. To accomodate social distancing, the movies will be split up into 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. showings. Guests are required to register online ahead of time and check in up to 30…
Republicans are victim-blaming Gov. Whitmer
Sometimes we come across a headline here at the Metro Times quarantine office where the gulf between what it promises and the content of the actual story is so vast that we get whiplash. Such was the case with an MLive exclusive published Monday. “Michiganders are bitterly divided on the coronavirus response,” the headline declared.…
Dark money group spends $50,000 on shady campaign to oust Rep. Tlaib in primary election
A dark money group contributed $50,000 to a super PAC that has attacked Rep. Rashida Tlaib with false claims. A newly formed nonprofit, The Community Election Committee, donated the money to The Concerned Citizens for Michigan PAC, which is supporting Tlaib’s primary election opponent Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones. Unlike political action committees, nonprofits…
Detroit sees uptick of absentee ballots ahead of primary, but Black voters are still wary of voting by mail
There’s no question that Detroit will likely play an important role come the November presidential election, seeing that President Donald Trump narrowly won in Michigan by just 10,000 votes over Hillary Clinton, due in part to a low turnout by Black voters. But 2020 is shaping up to be different. The Secretary of State’s Office…
Henry Ford declines further comment on Dr. Fauci’s assessment of ‘flawed’ hydroxychloroquine study
Henry Ford Health System released a statement in response to Dr. Anthony Fauci, who last week said its study of hydroxychloroquine, a controversial drug touted by President Donald Trump as a possible COVID-19 cure, was “flawed.” In an open letter posted on its website on Saturday, two of the health system’s executives said that while…
Industry scorecard for Michigan politicians shows cannabis support has become increasingly bipartisan
It looks like pot really has the power to bring people together. At least that’s what the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association’s new election scorecard, released ahead of Tuesday’s primary election, suggests. The results of the questionnaire, the industry group’s first, showed that state lawmakers across party lines have adopted attitudes more favorable toward cannabis. The…
3 Macomb County morgue employees fired amid allegations of racism and sexism
Three employees at the Macomb County Medical Examiner’s office have been fired amid an investigation into claims of sexual harassment and racism. A death investigator launched a complaint after an employee brought a cake decorated with a black penis to the office, a day after George Floyd died at the hands of Minneapolis police. And…
Viral anti-Trump ad urges Michigan voters to ‘bring back America’ by voting for Biden
A viral ad is urging Michigan voters to “bring back America” by voting for Joe Biden in November. The progressive MeidasTouch political organization tweeted its two-minute #DearMichigan ad Monday morning. Within two hours, the video racked up more than 600,000 views, making it one of the top trending hashtags on Twitter. 📺 VIDEO Dear Michigan,…
The Ultimate Guide to CBD and Seniors With Arthritis
This article was originally published on CBD Seniors. To view the original article, click here. The Ultimate Guide to CBD and Seniors With Arthritis In the United States, 23 percent of adults suffer from arthritis. Around the world, 350 million people have this condition. While most people who have arthritis are age 65 or older,…
Grace, Black teen jailed for not doing her online coursework, is released
ProPublica Illinois is an independent, nonprofit newsroom that produces investigative journalism with moral force. Sign up for The ProPublica Illinois newsletter for weekly updates. A Michigan teenager who has been detained since mid-May after not doing her online schoolwork was set free on Friday, after the Michigan Court of Appeals ordered her immediate release from…
Dr. Fauci says Henry Ford hydroxychloroquine study touted by Trump is ‘flawed’
Dr. Anthony Fauci is among the experts who are critical of a study by Detroit’s Henry Ford Health System that found the drug hydroxychloroquine lowered the death rate in COVID-19 patients. The study made waves when its results were announced earlier this month because they contradicted a number of other high-profile studies that found the…
Charivari Detroit techno festival is now a month-long 24/7 livestream celebration
Charivari Detroit Music Festival has expanded. Now in its seventh year, the festival initially pivoted to a livestream event due to the coronavirus crisis. But now the festival will feature a month of programming, with things kicking off Friday evening at 6 p.m. The new format will see eight DJs per day, with the sets…
Longtime Harper Woods Mayor Kenneth Poynter resigns after ‘white supremacist’ remark
Longtime Harper Woods Mayor Kenneth Poynter has resigned after he reportedly said that he understands why someone would become a white supremacist. Poynter issued his letter of resignation Friday after activists and City Manager John Szymanski called for him to step down. “We think it’s in the best interest of the city of Harper Woods…
Rep. Tlaib-backed amendment would cut funding for influx of federal agents in Detroit, other cities
The U.S. House passed a bill Friday that would prohibit the use of funds to send federal agents into Detroit and other cities as part of Operation Legend and Operation Relentless Pursuit. Rep. Rashida Tlaib and a handful of her progressive colleagues amended the appropriations bill Thursday to include cutting funds to the controversial operations.…
Detroit police now have a duty to intervene when officers use excessive force
Detroit police are now required to intervene when they witness another officer using excessive force or engaging in other misconduct. DPD Chief James Craig announced Thursday that he signed a “duty to intervene” executive order as part of an overhaul of the department’s use-of-force policy. Police who violate the order can be fired. Before the…
Prosecutors say they support releasing girl who was detained for not doing her schoolwork
ProPublica Illinois is an independent, nonprofit newsroom that produces investigative journalism with moral force. Sign up for The ProPublica Illinois newsletter for weekly updates. The Oakland County prosecutor’s office has told the Michigan Court of Appeals that it supports the release of a 15-year-old high school student who has been in a juvenile facility since…
Detroit City FC taps Iggy Pop for public stock-selling campaign
Detroit City Football Club is tapping into some “Raw Power” to garner support for their latest play: to raise $1.2 million by selling club stock to the public. After going pro last year, DCFC has since endured a major blow due to COVID-19, which has prevented the team from being able to host in-person games…
New analysis: Fewer Michigan kids are getting immunizations
Some policy analysts believe new childhood vaccination data in Michigan show cause for concern. According to a new report, statewide immunization rates over the past decade were at their lowest in 2009, with only four Michigan counties with rates higher than 75%. Noah Urban, director of projects for Data Driven Detroit, explained that the rates…
High bills, energy demand during pandemic revive call for renewables
As families brace for further economic downturn, many are struggling to pay their utility bills. Some say the novel coronavirus pandemic is a rallying cry for integrating more renewable-energy sources such as solar and wind into the state’s electric grid. The fossil-fuel industry is feeling the pinch from an overall drop in demand for energy…
Even if Detroit’s facial recognition contract expires, DPD can still use the software ‘in perpetuity’
Last week, it was reported that Detroit’s three-year, $1 million facial recognition technology contract was set to expire that Friday. The surveillance program has come under increasing scrutiny in recent months, with two cases of the technology leading to the arrest of innocent men coming to light. Though DPD has said it would ask City…
Michigan stoners bought $200 million worth of recreational weed this year already
Damn, Michigan. You sure do like your legal weed. Seven months into 2020, Michiganders have already bought $200 million worth of recreational marijuana products, according to a report from Michigan Radio. According to the Marijuana Regulatory Agency, sales have been rising nearly every week, and for the past two months, cannabis businesses have been reporting…
Harper Woods city manager calls on mayor to resign over ‘white supremacist’ remark
Harper Woods City Manager John Szymanski is calling on the city’s longtime mayor to resign after he reportedly said at a recent meeting that he understands why someone would become a white supremacist. Activists, a former city councilman, and the Harper Woods Schools superintendent said Tuesday that Mayor Kenneth Poynter made the remarks during a…
Detroit Jazz Festival announces lineup for virtual edition including Pharoah Sanders and Robert Glasper
Though the 2020 Detroit Jazz Festival will not be held in its usual location at Hart Plaza due to the coronavirus pandemic, organizers have announced a star-studded lineup to perform for a special virtual version, which will take place Labor Day Weekend, Friday, Sept. 4 through Monday, Sept. 7. The lineup features mostly Detroit-based artists,…
Trump wants to delay the election. Big Gretch says, ‘If we could hold an election in 1864 in the midst of a Civil War, we can and will hold one in 2020.’
President Donald Trump is now suggesting that the 2020 election should be delayed due to the coronavirus crisis — dealing a blow to sane people everywhere who are so fucking sick of his bullshit. Trump made the comments on Thursday, plugging his latest favorite conspiracy theory — that mail-in voting will lead to massive voter…
Detroit area venues and promoters need you to tell Congress to #SaveOurStages
It’s no secret that live music venues have been among the hardest-hit businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. Until a vaccine is developed, it’s up in the air when we’ll be able to watch the magic of live music in an indoor venue again. A bipartisan “Save Our Stages” relief bill, introduced by Senators John Cornyn…
109-year-old former Detroit Public Library branch may soon get a new life
A former Detroit Public Library branch that has been vacant for a decade may soon get a new life. Designed by famed architect Louis Kamper, the George S. Hosmer Branch was built in 1911 on Gratiot Avenue, about one block north of Mack Avenue. The Italian Renaissance building eventually operated as an HIV and substance…
Gov. Whitmer reopens casinos, cracks down on bars and indoor gatherings as Michigan COVID-19 cases surpass 80k
Big Gretch is making some big changes to her MI Safe Start Plan, which includes reopening casinos and rolling back indoor gathering capacity, as well as bar services. Effective Thursday, July 31, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has announced statewide revisions to a previous executive order which will limit indoor gatherings to 10 people and will close…
If animatronic dinos are your kink, there’s a drive-thru dinosaur safari coming to metro Detroit
For anyone not following the viral satirical Jurassic Park Updates account on Twitter, then lucky for you, you have no clue just how dangerously mismanaged the fictitious capitalist dino attraction really is. just had a dinosaur that we didn’t make show up at our front gate — Jurassic Park Updates (@JurassicPark2go) July 29, 2020 the…
RIP Honest John’s proprietor John Thompson, a colorful Cass Corridor character
John Thompson, the former owner of Honest John’s bar in Detroit, died earlier this month of congestive heart failure, The Detroit News reports. He was 66. Known equally for his brutal wisecracks and a big heart, Thompson appeared in the pages of Metro Times many times throughout the years thanks to being a quote machine.…
Trump campaign stops buying ads in Michigan as Biden’s lead widens
President Donald Trump’s campaign has stopped buying television and radio ads in Michigan, where polls show Joe Biden leading the president by double digits. The news, first reported by McClatchy and The New York Times, is significant because Michigan is a critical battleground state that Trump won by fewer than 11,000 votes in 2016. The…
Detroit’s UFO Factory to reopen for ‘Paradise City’ tiki menu
Corktown bar and music venue UFO Factory will reopen starting on Friday — but no, not for live music… yet. Instead, the spot is opening its recently installed rooftop deck for “Paradise City,” a new tiki-themed drinks and snacks menu. In an email, UFO Factory head honcho Dion Fischer describes “Paradise City” as “tropical drinks,…
Feds deploying dozens of agents to Detroit to combat gun violence, not protests, they say
More than 60 federal agents and analysts are headed to the streets Detroit to combat violent crime as part of “Operation Legend,” but they won’t be monitoring Black Lives Matter protests, top law enforcement officials insisted Wednesday. As long as the agents leave protesters alone, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and police Chief James Craig said…
MOCAD fires executive director following toxic workplace allegations
Updated 8:22 p.m.: Elysia Borowy-Reeder tells Metro Times she learned of her termination from MOCAD in a press release. Her statement: I was deeply disappointed to learn this morning from a press release that I was terminated from my contract by the MOCAD Board of Directors after an investigation I disagree with, and was not…
Madonna deletes Instagram post after getting flagged for spreading COVID-19 misinformation
The provocative pop star Madonna has once again been censored — this time for sharing a debunked viral video on her Instagram account. On Tuesday, Madonna shared a viral video of Houston doctor Stella Immanuel, who claims that the drug hydroxychloroquine is a proven cure for COVID-19. “They would rather let fear control the people…
Attorney General Barr accused of double standard in treatment of Black Lives Matter and anti-Whitmer protesters
Attorney General Bill Barr took heat during a congressional committee on Tuesday over the differences in the way the Trump administration has treated Black Lives Matter protesters and the armed right-wing anti-lockdown protesters. In Portland, Oregon, federal enforcement agents have used teargas on BLM protesters and even detained them in unmarked cars, leading to public…
The White House has no intention of stopping the coming economic disaster
Typical of the Trump era, this past week offered countless stories that warrant your attention and indignation: the president dispatching stormtroopers to “Democrat cities,” asking the UK to relocate the British Open to his golf course, and sending well-wishes to an accused pedophile, to name just three. But there’s a looming crisis we shouldn’t overlook.…
A new season of ‘The Umbrella Academy,’ and more things you can stream this week
Premieres Wednesday: The Speed Cubers — Remember when Linus from Peanuts tried to make sugar cubes by pressing sugar together with his bare hands? I was hoping that’s what this documentary would be about. Turns out it’s actually a profile of two of the world’s best Rubik’s Cube solvers. So, yeah; looks like I’m in…
Savage Love: How can I flirt with a coworker without making things awkward?
I’m a twenty-something more-or-less lesbian in an East Coast city. I’m primarily into women, and I’m only interested in relationships with women, but I’m sometimes attracted to men and have enjoyed sex with men in the past. For various reasons, I decided a few years ago not to pursue physical stuff with men anymore and…
Free Will Astrology (July 29-Aug. 4)
ARIES | March 21 – April 19: Aries poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti is renowned for his buoyancy. In one of his famous lines, he wrote, “I am awaiting, perpetually and forever, a renaissance of wonder.” Here’s what I have to say in response to that: Your assignment, as an Aries, is not to sit there and…
The Unbelievable Trump
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Groups call for stronger response in Enbridge Line 5 saga
Some water-quality groups say Michigan needs to take a stronger stance against Enbridge for its refusal to assume responsibility for losses related to a Line 5 oil pipeline failure in the Great Lakes. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced yesterday that the pipeline company has not agreed to provide a minimum of $900 million…
