Cover Story
Company run by GOP Senate candidate John James lost tax exempt status after failing to create promised jobs
In 2017, as much of the nation was still nursing a major hangover following the election of President Donald Trump, there was a very real possibility that Michigan could have a celebrity-turned-politician of its own — with none other than Kid Rock, the performer from Macomb County once crowned “Boob of the Year” by Metro…
Public restaurant and event facility coming to Pontiac’s M1 Concourse
Typically, Pontiac’s M1 Concourse is reserved for the well-to-do and their souped-up rides, but on Tuesday officials broke ground on a new restaurant and event space that will open the “87-acre playground for auto enthusiasts” up to the public. The “state-of-the-art” facility includes a 28,500 square-foot event center, gift shop, and restaurant, which M1 Concourse…
Anqunette Sarfoh supports the Metro Times Press Club because MT supports cannabis
I admit I was part of the problem. I used to sit behind the anchor desk and present stories with people rolling their eyes and air quoting “medical marijuana.” Someone would always joke, “It’s research man,” in his or her best stoner voice. “Dispensary” was just a code word for “drug den.” Then I developed…
Michigan voter data published on Russian dark web forum
A news story making the rounds on Tuesday says that information on nearly all of Michigan’s voters has been posted on a Russian dark web forum, renewing fears that the 2020 election could be “hacked.” The news was first shared by the Russian newspaper Kommersant. According to an English article on the Russian website Meduza,…
Tlaib demands investigation into claims that Muslim detainees are being fed pork
U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib is among three Muslims in the U.S. House who are calling for an investigation into claims that Muslim detainees at an ICE facility in Florida are being served pork, in violation of their religious beliefs. In a letter to the Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday, Tlaib, D-MI, and Reps. Ilhan…
Michigan vies for place in space race
Forget the Motor City — Michigan could become a Great Space State. Multiple sites in the state are being considered in the aerospace field. On Monday, the Michigan Aerospace Manufacturing Association announced it had winnowed down a list of potential locations for a new space launch command center to six sites across the state, including…
Nearly 7% of Adrian college students and faculty test positive for COVID-19
Schools and colleges that are reopening on time this fall may want to look at Adrian College, where nearly 7% of the students and staff have already tested positive for COVID-19. Classes at the small private liberal art college began on Aug. 24, earlier than most colleges and universities. Since then, 152 students and staff…
New Michigan legislation would strengthen consumer protections around cannabis products
Michigan’s Regulatory Reform Committee is set to hold a hearing on Tuesday over new legislation that would clear the air concerning consumer protections around cannabis products. SB 1057, introduced by Sen. Curt VanderWall, a Grand Rapids Republican, would amend the current cannabis licensing act to make requirements that cannabis licensees have proper insurance or financial…
Long live the king
Chadwick Boseman’s legacy is that he was able to show the world who Black people really are through his art. He was a one-man Harlem Renaissance. Boseman had the gift of bringing to life Black history icons that had been forgotten, intentionally hidden, or intentionally dismissed. When I saw 42, even though it wasn’t about…
Kid Rock ‘married’ cougar Loretta Lynn over the weekend in spontaneous ‘tabloid fodder’ ceremony
A picture might be worth a thousand words and a six-pack of Badass Beer if that picture just so happens to capture a tender moment between notorious Michigan-bred douche bag Kid Rock and country legend Loretta Lynn, both of whom said “Bawitdaba” at the altar in Tennessee this weekend. OK — so they probably didn’t quote…
City of Detroit pledges to counter sue protesters who filed federal lawsuit over excessive force
The City of Detroit’s top attorney said he was “pleased to hear” that injured protesters filed a federal lawsuit against city officials and police on Monday because now the city plans to sue demonstrators. “The litigation will provide the City an opportunity to counter with our own suit — to stop further violations of law…
‘King of Farmington’ rapper is back with more bars about Detroit suburbs
Earlier this summer, white-dude rapper Matt Cloonan, aka Clooner, went viral for his ode to “Farmington, Farmington Hills” — perhaps Detroit’s unlikeliest suburbs to spawn a rap song that, frankly, goes hard. While Clooner was widely praised for his track — even Danny Brown tweeted, “This actually slaps!” — he received some backlash, too. Some…
U-M staffer accuses one of Ann Arbor’s biggest landlords of pushing for school to reopen amid pandemic
Coronavirus be damned, school campuses across the country are reopening for the fall semester. In Ann Arbor, the University of Michigan opened on Monday with a hybrid plan calling for both online-only classes, as well as in-person classes scaled down for social distancing, plus rules requiring mask use and restricting large gatherings like parties. Despite…
Here’s a fan video of Solange riding a Detroit pedal pub
Superstar Solange grabbed a seat and the whole damn table when she was spotted cruising on a Detroit pedal pub while singing along to Rihanna — and a fan captured his encounter with her. The sighting was a dream came true for Detroit singer Shawn Rule, known artistically as Gully G. Que. It happened last…
Federal lawsuit accuses Detroit police of using excessive, brutal force against peaceful protesters
A group of protesters filed a federal lawsuit against Detroit city and police officials on Monday, saying officers used unnecessary, excessive force to break up peaceful demonstrations against police brutality. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Detroit, alleges police violated protesters’ constitutional rights by responding to peaceful demonstrations with “beatings, tear gas, pepper…
Agenda answers: ‘What do Michigan’s rural voters want?’
There’s a new blueprint for how candidates in 2020 might be able to sway rural voters from Michigan and other states. People’s Action, a coalition of grassroots organizations, has released a “Rural Relief, Recovery and Reimagination Agenda.” Shawn Sebastian, senior rural strategist with People’s Action, explained it as a vision of how investments in healthcare,…
Takoi owners’ Magnet restaurant closes as Detroit hospitality group dissolves
Less than a year after it opened its doors in Detroit’s Core City neighborhood, one of the city’s most anticipated restaurants is closing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Magnet, known for its wood-fired Mediterranean-inspired fare and “tipless” pay structure for employees, will not be reopening, The Detroit Free Press reports. Top Young Hospitality,…
Woodford Reserve’s Tips for celebrating the Kentucky Derby® at home
Woodford Reserve always honors the best of Kentucky on Kentucky’s best day as the Presenting Sponsor of the Kentucky Derby…and this year, in partnership with Churchill Downs, we are again celebrating the Derby on September 5. Join us in toasting the 146th Run for the Roses no matter where you are. Here are our favorite…
Shepard Fairey takes on Trump’s vile stance on police brutality in new Detroit billboard campaign
Not all Detroit-area billboards are looking to sell you injury lawyers, jewelry, and pro-life damnation. In fact, a new billboard campaign is using powerful imagery and real quotes straight from the mouths of the country’s top deplorables — President Donald Trump and his lackeys — to energize voter turnout in key battleground states. The #RememberWhatTheyDid…
People of faith in Michigan demand end to child detention
Some Michiganders of faith are among those around the country urging President Donald Trump to stop detaining immigrant children at the border. More than 450 evangelicals, Catholics, and mainline Protestants — including many faith leaders — signed an open letter this week calling on the administration to release all migrant children still detained, and to…
![Altai Balance Blood Sugar Support: Ingredients Analysis [Review]](https://i0.wp.com/www.metrotimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/image4.webp?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1)
Altai Balance Blood Sugar Support: Ingredients Analysis [Review]
Altai Balance is an all natural, anti-aging proprietary blood sugar support blend that tackles unbalanced blood sugar levels at the root level using 19 of the highest quality plant-based detoxifying nutrients. Made available only at the official website AltaiBalance.com, the Altai Balance blood sugar support supplement is a league-leading formula that provides users with exact…
Coronavirus cases surpass 100,000 in Michigan since outbreak began in March
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Michigan has surpassed 100,000 — nearly enough to fill Ann Arbor’s Michigan Stadium. Michigan is the 16th state to reach that grim milestone, with 741 new cases on Friday. The state also reported six new deaths, bringing the total to 6,446. Michigan confirmed its first infection on March…
Loves Furniture to open in former metro Detroit Art Van locations starting next week
Art Van Furniture, once the most popular furniture retailer in the Midwest, is finally getting a second chance as Loves Furniture after it announced it would be closing all of its company-owned stores back in March. A U.S. bankruptcy judge approved a $6.9-million agreement in May that would allow a Texas-based private-equity firm called U.S.…
Chef Maxcel Hardy plots two new Detroit restaurants, including seafood boil and Afro-Caribbean spots
Detroit will be gaining a pair of new restaurants from celebrated chef Max Hardy, one a bit sooner than the other. Hardy, who in 2019 was named by The New York Times as one of 16 Black chefs in America responsible for elevating the culinary scene, currently helms Caribbean-fusion stall COOP inside Midtown’s Detroit Shipping…
‘Racist’ robocall dissuades Detroiters from mail-in voting ahead of presidential election
Michigan authorities are investigating a robocall targeting Detroiters that falsely claims mail-in voting could lead to arrest, debt collection, or mandatory vaccines. Describing the call as a “racist” attempt to intimidate Black voters, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said they’re trying to track down whoever is responsible. Detroit, which…
Alice Cooper is the face of Arizona-based chocolate milk to benefit little rock ‘n’ rollers
Cow’s milk may not be immediately synonymous with Detroit-born shock rocker Alice Cooper, who spent years beheading himself on stage with a giant prop guillotine, but calcium is important, especially for 72-year-olds with a serious eyeliner habit. Cooper, who now lives in Paradise Valley, Arizona, recently offered his gnarly mug and disconcerting mustache for a…
Whitmer deploys Michigan National Guard to streets of Kenosha, Wis., amid unrest
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is sending Michigan National Guard troops to Kenosha, Wis., where unrest has broken out after police shot a 29-year-old Black man in the back seven times. Whitmer authorized the use of two National Guard companies at the request of Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, also a Democrat. They are expected to join National…
Policy is hard. Demagoguing is easy. Fear is effective.
Shortly after noon on August 26, Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz tweeted, “The mob wants to destroy America. We need PATRIOTS who will defend her.” Gaetz, a quintessential Florida Man, is no one’s idea of an intellectual. But this particular tweet was nonetheless a masterpiece of bad timing. The night before, a 17-year-old Trump superfan had…
Photos show the early days of Detroit’s medical marijuana industry — before the crackdown
Michigan voters approved the legalization of medical marijuana in 2008, and within a few years, dispensaries started cropping up all over Detroit — reaching a peak of nearly 300. Photographer Dave Jordano knew he had to act fast. “My sense was this new social experiment wasn’t going to last long, so for three months, I…
Former Metro Times art director memorializes Detroit’s COVID-19 victims using 900 photos
Former Metro Times art director Eric Millikin is making waves with a powerful image commissioned by the City of Detroit. Using 900 photos of Detroit’s COVID-19 victims provided by their families, Millikin created a montage that forms the iconic Spirit of Detroit. The photo represents the 1,500 Detroiters who have died from COVID-19 from the…
Royal Oak’s Emagine movie theater to serve as optional classrooms for nearby Catholic school
As many schools, administrators, and teachers look for new ways to safely start a school year that has been crippled by a national health crisis, one metro Detroit school is using its imagination — and pocketbook — to offer more options for its students. Starting Monday, Shrine Catholic High School in Royal Oak will rent…
Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum launches GoFundMe in face of possible closure
It could be game over for a metro Detroit institution, which is currently fighting for a 1-Up amid its months-long shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum in Farmington Hills is asking for help — $75,000 worth of it. Opened in 1980 by Marvin Yagoda, the coin-operated arcade has since evolved…
COVID-19 outbreak at popular Birmingham sushi restaurant sickens up to 9 employees
At least six front of house employees of Birmingham sushi restaurant Adachi have tested positive for COVID-19 in recent weeks, while another two are experiencing infection symptoms. Multiple current and former employees confirmed the outbreak to Metro Times. Several former employees charge that the restaurant often hasn’t followed social distancing guidelines, capacity rules, mask mandates,…
Civil rights pioneer Alma Stallworth, a longtime Michigan lawmaker, has died
Alma G. Stallworth, a civil rights pioneer and longtime state lawmaker who founded the Black Caucus Foundation in Michigan, has died. She was 87. Born in Little Rock, Ark., Stallworth earned an associate of science degree from Highland Park Community College in 1956 and attended Wayne State University and Merrill Palmer Institute. Stallworth, a Democrat…
As election failures loom over the general election in Detroit, state weighs how to help
Appalling. Alarming. Concerning. That’s how members of the bipartisan State Board of Canvassers described Detroit’s primary election Aug. 4. Less than three months before the presidential election, when a record number of people are expected to vote by mail, no one knows how to fix the city’s chronically defective election system. In the primary election,…
Detroit’s controversial ‘Illuminated Mural’ has been ‘irreparably damaged,’ will be replaced by new mural
It’s the end of an era for a colorful yet polarizing mural that has been called both “drop-dead gorgeous” by the Detroit Free Press and “just paint slid down the side of a building” by at least one unimpressed churchgoing neighbor. Art, after all, can be subjective. But what isn’t open to artistic interpretation is…
Geoffery Fieger tapped to represent woman who spent ‘two hours’ in body bag before being discovered alive by Detroit funeral home staff
Disturbing details have emerged regarding the case of a Southfield woman who had been thought to be dead after suffering a cardiac event over the weekend — only to be found alive, breathing and with her eyes open at a Detroit funeral home. The family of 20-year-old Timesha Beauchamp has retained high-powered attorney Geoffery Fieger…
Detroit Lions offer Ford Field and staff to help with November election, becoming first NFL team to do so
The Detroit Lions have offered the use of Ford Field and its staff to help with the November election, part of a partnership with Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced on Tuesday. The team is the first in the NFL to do so, following a call for NFL teams to offer their arenas and…
Black workers are more likely to be unemployed but less likely to get unemployment benefits
ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox. Record numbers of Americans are receiving unemployment insurance during the pandemic. That’s because of the enormous scale of jobs lost — but also because Congress greatly expanded the number of workers eligible…
Letters: I’m new to Michigan. What are the marijuana laws?
Hello, I’m curious on the recreational use guidelines in Detroit. I will be moving here and I’m curious on the laws. —Alexis M. Hi Alexis. Thanks for reaching out, and welcome to Michigan! We covered these issues in last year’s 4/20 issue; look up our article “Michigan’s cannabis laws for dummies: The dos and don’ts…
A comic book-obsessed serial killer haunts Netflix’s ‘Unknown Origins,’ plus other things to stream this week
Premieres Thursday: Ravi Patel’s Pursuit of Happiness – In the 2014 documentary Meet the Patels, actor Ravi Patel went on a quest to find a spouse. Now he’s spearheading a four-episode docu-series in which he welcomes the world into his family – and vice versa. In each installment, Patel takes a relative or close friend…
Savage Love: Tall order
I’m a cis male in my late twenties. I’ve recently become consumed by a specific fantasy I fear is unattainable, a fear that has been made worse by several failed attempts to research it. A little background: except for a couple dates and make-out sessions with other men, my sex life has always been exclusively…
Free Will Astrology (Aug. 26-Sept. 1)
ARIES: March 21 – April 19 Aries author Kareem Abdul-Jabbar writes, “Some stuff can be fixed, some stuff can’t be. Deciding which is which is part of maturing.” I offer this meditation as your assignment in the coming weeks, Aries. You’re in a phase when you’ll be wise to make various corrections and adjustments. But…
