Cover Stories
Metro Detroit canna-business directory
After the state repeatedly kicked the can on issuing licenses for medical marijuana provisioning centers, there’s been a lot of uncertainty about the fate of many businesses. Metro Times will attempt to keep track of all of the available provisioning centers (and, eventually, recreational pot shops). You can find our database here, or by clicking…
How to smoke, vape, dab, and otherwise get super duper high
When asked in 1992, Bill Clinton, then Democratic frontrunner for president of the United States, said he had, in fact, tried marijuana once in college, but never inhaled. Right. A saxophone-playing politician never inhaled marijuana. OK. So, what does this mean in 2019? Well, for one, the stigma surrounding marijuana use is not nearly as…
Michigan’s cannabis laws for dummies: The dos and don’ts of dope
As of Dec. 6, 2018, recreational use of cannabis was officially legalized in Michigan. But there are plenty of aspects of the new law that are hazy. To help break it all down, we spoke with Detroit-based criminal defense lawyer Matthew Abel, one of 15 people to sit on the drafting committee for Proposal 1.…
A beginners guide to marijuana
Related Related Related Related Related This year’s Hash Bash in Ann Arbor was a beautiful sight to behold. Instead of being a pro-marijuana protest, as the annual event has been for much of the past 47 years, this time it was a celebration. It was the first held since voters approved Proposal 1 in November,…
Michigan Republicans cash in on the cannabis industry
Some Republicans are scrambling to get in on the ground floor of Michigan’s budding marijuana industry just a few years after resisting it. Lured by the promise of big profits, Republicans are becoming lobbyists, consultants, attorneys, and entrepreneurs in a new, emerging market that is expected to soon rake in more than $1 billion in…
Finding the best marijuana strains for you
Alien OG, Bubba Kush, Durban Poison, Ghost Train Haze, Death Star. There are hundreds of marijuana strains that provide different effects on the mind and body, and keeping track of them all can be confusing. To find the right strains for you, we consulted with dispensaries, growers and marijuana connoisseurs to identify the best strains…
Strap in — Chelsea Handler’s sit-down comedy tour will pay a visit to Detroit’s Fillmore
Comedian and writer Chelsea Handler has pretty much built a career on oversharing. For more than 15 years, Handler has provided her brand of celeb commentary and heavy doses of TMI as the host of a slew of late-night talk shows, and has gone full tilt in many a stand-up special. Lately, though, Handler has…
Detroit public school students to showcase art in annual exhibition at DIA
For those who may be in doubt that children are the future, or could use a surge of inspiration, welcome back Detroit Public Schools Community District Student Exhibition, which is returning for its 82nd year. Despite Secretary of Education Cruella DeVos’ villainous attempt to cut educational budgets and thereby threaten Detroit’s public school programs, artistic…
P!nk will give Detroit a reason to get the party started with back-to-back performances at LCA
What about us, P!nk? The badass acrobatic diva better known as P!nk was forced to reschedule last year’s Detroit performance due to illness, proving that not even one of the world’s best-selling artists is immune to such mundane inconveniences. To make up for it, she’ll get the party started in Detroit with her imaginative aerial…
Local picks: Ohtis, Death, and the 28th Annual Detroit Music Awards
Each week, Metro Times rounds up must-see performances by metro Detroit’s own. Mic Phelps and the Plug Detroit’s Mic Phelps might try to tell you that he is a heavily decorated Olympian swimmer, but that would be a lie. (That’s Michael Phelps.) He is, however, a poet, rapper, comedian, father, speaker, and self-described “humble servant…
Yas, girl — the annual all-women Venus Rising art exhibition returns to Tangent Gallery
Identifying as a woman has never been so liberating as it is now. Who would have thought pussy-grabbin’ Trump could bring us closer together, and even closer to achieving our goal of eternal international girl power? The folks behind the Venus Rising Art Show have been championing this very power for seven years running. The…
Hamtramck’s Hamtown Farms shuts down after it’s repeatedly vandalized
Hamtramck’s Hamtown Farms is shutting down following a series of incidents in which the .75-acre urban farm was vandalized. Michael Davis, who runs the farm with his husband, Andy Rice, tells Metro Times that about a dozen of Hamtown’s fruit trees were destroyed on multiple occasions, the rain collection system was damaged, and they’ve dealt…
Parent successfully lobbies to remove ‘cotton picking’ lesson at Flint middle school
Candice Davis attended her first-ever school board meeting on Tuesday night after learning that her son’s class was presented with picking cotton as part of a social studies lesson on slavery. Her son is black. “Me and my son frequently have conversations about history and culture, but this hit me a bit different,” Davis says.…
Trevor Noah of ‘The Daily Show’ will return to stand-up roots with 2 Detroit sets
Last year, Trevor Noah compared President Donald Trump to cancer during the inaugural Barbara Berlanti Heroes Gala benefitting Fuck Cancer. Also in 2018, Noah landed a role in the record-breaking Marvel blockbuster Black Panther. OK, so The Daily Show host may not have yet gotten any real facetime on the big screen. (He was an uncredited…
Sign up for our new weed newsletter to get nuggets of marijuana news and deals delivered to your inbox
Ever since Michiganders voted to legalize recreational marijuana in 2018, it’s likely plenty of people around here are cannabis-curious. Even seasoned stoners will likely need help keeping up with the new industry, as pot shops are expected to open in the next year. It’s a new era for marijuana in Michigan. For that reason, we’re…
Toronto’s MorMor will satisfy lovers of sensual dream pop at El Club
Toronto’s Seth Nyquist, who performs as MorMor, has been hailed a “wary” indie pop star on the rise. His smooth and explorative dream pop calls to mind the driving-with-no-hands-along-the-coast chill of artists like Tame Impala and Mac DeMarco. But where MorMor is able to distance himself from his influences is in his versatility, which is…
Will the real Slim Shady please stan up? Merriam-Webster adds Eminem-inspired word
Queue up some Dido, Eminem has a stan in Merriam-Webster’s dictionary. Well, sort of. Not only did Detroit’s Slim Shady celebrate 11 years of sobriety this week, but he has also, indirectly, been immortalized in the annals of the online word authority. Merriam-Webster’s dictionary on Tuesday announced the addition of 640 new words. While the…
Internal polling shows Bernie Sanders up 11 points on Trump in Michigan
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders’ new internal polling shows him leading President Donald Trump by 11 points in a hypothetical Michigan match up. NBC News also reports that Sanders leads Trump by 10 and eight points in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, respectively. The poll also showed strong support on one of his main proposed policies,…
‘Mafia-esque’: Hamtramck, Detroit cops named in federal Breakthrough Towing lawsuit
A class-action lawsuit filed last year in District Court against allegedly predatory company Breakthrough Towing has been moved to federal court and now names the city of Hamtramck, the city of Detroit, and the two cities’ police departments as defendants. Among a wide range of allegations, the suit alleges police received kickbacks, and that Breakthrough…
The Black Lips, Tokyo Police Club among 30-plus bands to perform during Ferndale Spring Fever
Metro Detroit has a reputation for organizing tiny music festivals that pack a big punch. We also have a reputation for complaining about our severe and totally justifiable case of spring fever. In an attempt to free us of our winter doldrums with sonic treats for our eardrums is Ferndale’s Spring Fever music festival. The…
The Raconteurs add second Detroit Masonic Temple show
Here’s good news for fans of the Raconteurs, the Jack White side project that he co-fronts with Brendan Benson. The band just added a second show at Detroit’s Masonic Temple Theatre after its first show on Friday, July 12, sold out. The new show is scheduled for Saturday, July 13. Tickets go on sale here at…
US Supreme Court to rule on workplace bias in Garden City transgender case
A transgender woman who alleges she was wrongfully fired from a metro Detroit funeral home after transitioning to female is at the center of a landmark civil rights battle before the U.S. Supreme Court. The court announced on Monday that it will decide whether the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects people from being fired…
Russell Street Deli is closing after wealthy developer buys Eastern Market building
Add Russell Street Deli to the list of Eastern Market businesses that are closing after the buildings they’re in were recently purchase by wealthy developer Sanford Nelson. While rumors of a dispute between Nelson and Russell Street owner Ben Hall have been swirling, the Free Press confirmed that the deli’s last day will be September 28.…
Police searching for suspect in deadly shooting near Detroit’s Brush Park
The suspect in a deadly shooting outside of an apartment complex near Brush Park and Midtown on Friday is still on the loose. Detroit police released a photo of the suspect, who was last seen running toward Brush Park in a gray hoodie and black pants. The shooting broke out around 1:30 p.m. in the…
Pinky’s Rooftop now open in Royal Oak
Pinky’s Rooftop has opened in downtown Royal Oak on the second level of 100 S. Main St. The eatery, a new concept from Adam Merkel Restaurants, offers a unique, vintage vibe and a lush rooftop outdoor garden. The menu was created by both Merkel and culinary director Craig Myrand, and it features American- and Asian-inspired…
HBO looks at unfulfilled commitment to develop Little Caesars Arena’s ‘District Detroit’
On an upcoming episode of Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel titled “Motown Blues,” HBO is looking into the unfulfilled commitment made by the Ilitch family to create five new neighborhoods near Little Caesars Arena. The one-hour episode, which premieres at 10 p.m. on Tuesday, discusses how “District Detroit” was once promoted as Detroit’s largest residential…
‘Pitchfork’ gave Lizzo’s new record a 6.5 — and she’s pissed
Lizzo is taking her temper off of the internet. Or so she says. The Detroit-native took to Twitter on Sunday night after what can only be called a whirlwind couple of weeks. First, Lizzo’s debut set at Coachella is plagued with an unbelievable number of sound and tech glitches, leaving the 30-year-old powerhouse to proclaim,…
Detroit rejects Marathon’s request to store petroleum coke without roof
The city of Detroit on Monday rejected Marathon Petroleum’s request to skirt an ordinance that requires petroleum coke to be stockpiled in enclosed containers. Petroleum coke is a byproduct of the oil refinery process and is so dirty that it can’t be burned in the U.S. The city’s Buildings, Safety Engineering & Environmental Department (BSEED)…
Rivertown named Detroit’s No. 1 ‘fastest gentrifying neighborhood’
Realtor.com released its list of the 10 fastest gentrifying neighborhoods in America, and Rivertown in Detroit tops the list. The website reported that about a decade ago “warehouses and factories lined the Detroit River in the Rivertown-Warehouse District,” but now the area is filled with converted lofts and low-rise condominium buildings. The area initially transitioned…
Belle Isle is a construction zone nearly 6 weeks ahead of Grand Prix
The smell of exhaust, hundreds of concrete barriers, the rumble of dozens of 18-wheelers, orange construction barrels, road closures, grandstands, miles of fencing — spring has returned to Belle Isle. The annual setup for the controversial Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix started today, nearly six weeks ahead of the race. The occupation of the island…
Fiat Chrysler wants $160M in tax incentives for its proposed Detroit plant
Fiat Chrysler is asking Detroit and state taxpayers to kick in at least $160 million dollars for its proposed Mack Avenue plant on Detroit’s east side. Of that total, around $13 million in tax incentives would provide relief from city taxes, while the remainder would come from the state. The automaker was supposed to present…
Detroit’s Le Petit Zinc abruptly closes
After a little more than a year in business, Midtown’s Le Petit Zinc announced in a Facebook post on Saturday that it is permanently closing. Its last day of business is Sunday. “Thank you for your loyalty and showing up everyday to visit and support our little Café,” the post reads. “Le Petit Zinc has exciting…
From Bulgaria to Detroit, artist Dessi Terzieva debuts nostalgic exhibition, ‘Proof of Identity’
It’s been a whirlwind year for Detroit-based artist and *Paid Actor founder Dessislava Terzieva. Shortly after the debut of her Fidana exhibition last year, a multimedia exploration of the “absurd and obscure,” Terzieva returned to her hometown of Sofia, Bulgaria, to fulfill an artist residency which drove her to travel to surrounding countries with her…
Happy holi-blaze — 4/20 is upon us and here’s where you can celebrate
It’s here. It’s finally here. The first 4/20 since Michigan gave the green light to recreational legalization. Now, while it may still technically be illegal to consume marijuana in public (boo hiss!) that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate the occasion at some of these metro Detroit weederies. ElevatedYogi 2930 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit; 313-44-9264; elevatedyogi.com…
Detroit man in critical condition after shooting near Brush Park and Midtown
A 23-year-old man was clinging to life Friday after he was shot in the parking lot of an apartment complex just east of Brush Park and Midtown. The shooter fled the Brewster housing complex at Mack and I-75 and was seen running toward Brush Park, where hundreds of market-rate apartment units are under construction. At…
Check out this thicc snake on a Detroit garage roof
A surreal video went viral on Thursday showing a massive, 18-foot python on a Detroit roof. The thicc snake drew a crowd of onlookers on Seven Mile on the east side, including gawkers and the police. Eventually, the animal was revealed to be Juliet, an 8-year-old pet reticulated python. Somehow her owner, Devin Jones-White, managed to coax…
Hopes of ousting Warren Mayor Fouts may hinge on one man
Hopes of ousting Warren Mayor Jim Fouts in the November election may hinge on one man — former state lawmaker Steve Bieda. As the Tuesday deadline nears for mayoral hopefuls to file for candidacy, opponents of Fouts are encouraging Bieda, a popular Democrat, to run. No formidable candidates have filed as of Friday afternoon. In…
Judge continues restraining order, allowing Michigan marijuana provisioning centers to stay open
“There’s been a reluctance on the part of those with political power to enact when they should have. There’s no reason why in 2019, other than a lack of political will, we’re having to deal with any of these issues.” Those words came from Court of Claims Judge Stephen Borrello on Thursday regarding the sad…
Ferndale’s Como’s starts serving Detroit-style pizzas on May 4
Como’s completes its transformation from a troubled, iconic Italian restaurant to a hip, chef-driven, Detroit-style pizzeria on May 4. Chef Zach Sklar said via a press release that the restaurant will use high-end ingredients, make sausage in-house, and make gluten-free and vegan pies. In addition, the menu will offer pastas, sandwiches, and a build-your-own salad.…
Tlaib renews call to impeach Trump after release of Mueller report
U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib renewed calls for a congressional investigation to determine whether Trump should be impeached after the recent release of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. “Everything outlined in the #MuellerReport is further proof of what I’ve been saying for a long time: it’s…
Sports fans, do not use Larry Nassar to heckle MSU
A heckler is reported to have repeatedly shouted “Larry Nassar!” to taunt MSU during the NCAA Final Four men’s basketball game in Minneapolis. Nassar, of course, is the former MSU sports medicine doctor who sexually abused hundreds of girls and young women for years. Kate Mahon, a survivor of Nassar’s abuse, happened to be walking…
Madonna gives Detroit a shoutout in her new Latin, ASMR single, ‘Medellín’
What do a Colombian drug cartel, ASMR, and the cha-cha-chá have in common? They are all fixtures in Madonna’s latest single, which can mean only one thing — Madge is back on her bullshit. The 60-year-old pop icon released the sultry, Latin-infused “Medellín,” the first single from her forthcoming record Madame X, which marks her…
Was it suicide or an accident? Michigan AG reviews death of worker at Little Caesars Arena
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and the U.S. Department of Labor are reviewing the June 2017 death of a 46-year-old electrician at Little Caesars Arena. Michael Morrison, of St. Clair Shores, was working on a steel beam when he plunged seven stories to his death. Was it an accident or suicide? The Detroit Police Department…
Child crashes Jeep into College for Creative Studies
Last year, Kanye West came storming through Detroit’s College for Creative Studies unexpectedly. On Thursday, a Jeep did. Photos circulated on social media on Thursday morning showing a Jeep in the middle of the school’s Taubman Center lobby. According to a security alert sent to CCS students and faculty from Mike Bruggeman, the director of security: At…
‘Time’ names Detroit filmmaker behind ‘Surviving R. Kelly’ one of its 100 most influential people
Since the airing six-part documentary Surviving R. Kelly earlier this year, three cities have launched investigations against the “Pied Piper of R&B,” including Detroit. The lengthy, brutal doc expertly laid out the case against Kelly, following decades’ worth of allegations of underage sexual misconduct and child pornography. It seems to have stuck in a way…
A nostalgic event with Nintendo 64 and early-2000s R&B will be held at Artist Village Detroit
Sukari May was thrilled when she saw boy band B2K announced a throwback “Millennium” tour — but was disappointed when she saw that the group did not initially have a Detroit stop. So instead, she decided to host her own ode to the late ’90s and early 2000s. On Friday, April 19, May will host…
You can headbang on 4/20 with a some of Detroit’s heaviest up-and-coming metal bands
There is never a shortage of fun, peaceful, hippy-dippy events to experience on 4/20. But if you’re looking for a bit more edge on Saturday, you can take a buzzsaw to your buzz with some up-and-coming metal bands at the Sanctuary in Hamtramck. Local death metallers Breaking Wheel are celebrating the release of their latest…
These excellent Michigan nonprofits need donations more than the Notre Dame rebuild
Paris, France’s historic Notre Dame cathedral was damaged in a fire on Monday, and people and corporations from all around the world are chipping in money to help pay for the promised rebuild. All told, donations have topped $1 billion. However, the French government, its associated foundations, and the Catholic Church’s charity that funds the…
LGBTQ groups praise Michigan’s new adoption anti-discrimination bills
LGBTQ advocates are speaking out in favor of three bills just introduced in the state Legislature that would outlaw discrimination on the basis of religion or sexual orientation by state-funded adoption and foster-care agencies. The bills would reverse laws passed in 2015 that allowed such practices in the name of religious freedom. Erin Knott, executive…
Former MSP trooper found guilty in Taser death of ATV-riding Detroit teen
Mark Bessner, the former Michigan State Police trooper involved in the death of a Detroit teenager, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter on Wednesday. On Aug. 27, 2017, Bessner and his partner attempted to pull over 15-year-old Damon Grimes, who was riding his ATV on city streets on Detroit’s east side. Bessner and his partner pursued…
Detroit activist jumps into 2020 presidential race, advocating reparations
Anita Belle, a reparations activist from Detroit, has jumped into the 2020 presidential race. “I am not a career politician or even a billionaire,” Belle, a Democrat, said while announcing her candidacy on YouTube on Tuesday. “In fact, like President Barack Obama, I am a community activist.” Belle, who briefly ran for U.S. Senate on…
Ann Arbor’s Mighty Good Coffee to close 4 cafes after racial discrimination accusations
Ann Arbor’s Mighty Good Coffee is closing its four cafes. The move comes after its baristas unionized following August 2018 accusations of racial discrimination made by a former black employee. Those allegations were detailed in Munchies. Though Mighty Good’s cafes are closing, its coffee roasting business and wholesale component will remain in operation. The former…
Why Michigan pensioners should be saying ‘thank u’ to Ariana Grande
While Cardi B might be inching her way to acquiring a shit ton of red bottoms by trademarking her signature pigeon-purr, “Okurrr,” the ponytailed, doe-eyed diva Ariana Grande is putting money in the pockets of Michigan pensioners with her latest chart-topper, “7 Rings.” Wait, what? For those who may have escaped the incredibly catchy and…
Sada Baby says Eminem not a top 5 Detroit rapper: ‘Females don’t know how to shake their ass to it’
There’s no doubt about Eminem’s outsize influence in pop culture, especially here in metro Detroit. He’s the most commercially successful rapper of all time and the top-selling artist of the 2000s, with 32.2 million records sold. “Lose Yourself” remains a workout playlist staple, “Rap God” is undeniably some varsity-level rapping, and his quasi-autobiographical 2002 film…
State police raid Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office over suspicious spending
Michigan State Police are raiding Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith’s office in Mt. Clemens after he was accused of misspending asset forfeiture funds. Attorney General Dana Nessel launched an investigation into Smith’s use of forfeiture funds earlier this year after several county officials questioned whether some of the spending violated state forfeiture laws. State law…
5 top Michigan corporations paid $0 in federal taxes under Trump’s new tax law
You may have paid federal taxes, but four Fortune 500 companies in Michigan did not. In fact, they received hundreds of millions of dollars in refunds collectively. DTE Energy, Penske Automotive Group, Whirlpool, and General Motors are among 60 corporations nationally that paid $0 in federal taxes in 2018 despite billions in profits. That’s partly…
Grateful for Michigan’s marijuana legalization? Thank John Sinclair
Most folks around here figure that the beginning of the drive for marijuana legalization in Michigan started in 1971 with the John Sinclair Freedom Rally in Ann Arbor. Those with a bit more acumen might waggle a finger and point out that in 1967 The Michigan Daily, the student newspaper at the University of Michigan,…
Review: ‘Wild Relatives’ doc offers an understated metaphor of the refugee crisis — through seeds
Wild Relatives, which plays this Thursday at the Arab American Museum, is largely a study in counterpoints. Tugging at a fraying, ropelike thread that stretches from Svalbard to Aleppo with some detours into Lebanon, Jumana Manna’s documentary explores the collective, cross-cultural efforts to preserve seed varieties grown in Syria amid the threat posed by their…
Trump views rule of law as something that applies to others, not him
In the last few weeks, we’ve learned the following: • Donald Trump would like to do away with immigration courts, which he finds inefficient in deporting asylum seekers. (Exact quote: “We have to do something about asylum. And to be honest with you, you have to get rid of judges.”) • During a recent trip…
Nolan the Ninja drops his most mature record so far with ‘Sportee’
The building on the corner of Custer and St. Antoine is like other industrial spaces in Detroit’s North End — you know lots of folks are using it, but you’re not exactly sure for what. Today, rapper and producer Nolan Chapman, aka Nolan The Ninja, is on the spacious but cold second floor shooting a…
The siblings of Wild Belle create a universe of their own
Wild Belle — Elliot and Natalie Bergman — are much more than just a brother and sister duo. While it’s charming that the two are siblings, each of them is an accomplished artist in their own right, musically and otherwise, and the duo’s melding of influences makes for a type of delightfully unconventional pop music.…
Health goes heavy on ‘Slaves of Fear’
John Famiglietti is lamenting the state of heavy music in the early 2000s while looking out at the Swiss Alps the afternoon before a show in Stockholm. After the demise of nu-metal, it seemed that to be taken seriously, bands playing aggressive music had to keep getting angrier. The result was bands lost sight of…
Review: Lucky’s Noble BBQ goes big and bold in Detroit’s Fort Street Galley food hall
I never thought I’d be tempted to write that a restaurant has “too much flavor” or “tastes are too intense.” But I did feel that way one evening at Lucky’s, where I couldn’t find any respite even in the side dishes, from umami that came on like gangbusters. No palate cleansers here. Take that semi-complaint…
Savage Love: ‘I snooped on my girlfriend and found out she dated her married boss’
When I first started dating my girlfriend, I asked her about past boyfriends and she said she hadn’t met the right guy yet. After dating for nine years, I found out about a past boyfriend and looked through her emails. I found out she dated her married boss for three years. She broke up with…
Horoscopes (April 17-23)
ARIES: March 21 – April 20 Everything is up in the air and ready to pop. If it’s driving you crazy, I can see why; high levels of uncertainty, combined with tons of anticipation and too much excitement can be hard for those of you who thrive on needing to remain focused. Underneath all of…
