Cover Story
Diagnosing healthcare in America: The case for Medicare for All
Senator Bernie Sanders made reforming America’s healthcare system a central pillar of his 2020 campaign for president, rallying for a proposal to provide Medicare for All. By the time he suspended his campaign in April, the need for major healthcare reform was ever more apparent as the coronavirus pandemic gripped the nation and the world.…
Scammer Phone Number Lookup: How to Find Suspicious Phone Numbers
Phone scams are an ever-present reality for many people these days. Most people get many phone calls a day that are scams or other kinds of intrusive efforts to gain access to personal information. CNBC highlighted a study that showed that 1 in every 3 Americans had fallen prey to a phone scam. So how do…
Detroit rapper Trick Trick stars in new FX series ‘Hip Hop Uncovered’
Hip-hop is more than the world’s most dominant musical genre — it’s a culture that spans across colors, creeds, and several generations. For every moment, there are people in front that are the voices and faces that lead it, and then there are people behind who support, encourage, and sometimes even finance it. Several of…
Annual Tour De Fork fundraiser for Detroit’s Children’s Center goes virtual with SheWolf chef
Fans of Chopped, Top Chef, or any show in which Gordon Ramsay calls struggling cooks “idiot sandwiches” can now experience some of the challenge for themselves — minus the televised humiliation — all while giving back to metro Detroit families. This year’s annual “Tour de Fork” tasting fundraiser event for The Children’s Center — a…
Nearly 90% of Black restaurant workers saw massive decline in tips during the pandemic, study finds
A new report adds to the growing evidence that the pandemic is heightening disparities in the United States. Nearly 90% of Black restaurant employees report that their tips declined by half or more since the health crisis began, according to a new study by labor advocacy group One Fair Wage. By comparison, only 78% of…
Sen. Shirkey baselessly claims U.S. Capitol riot was ‘staged’ by Trump haters, recording shows
Michigan state Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey suggested the Jan. 6 insurrection at the national Capitol was a “hoax” perpetuated by opponents of former President Donald Trump. The state Senate’s top Republican made the bizarre and unfounded claim in a video-recorded meeting at a diner last week with leaders of the Hillsdale County Republican Party,…
Weed and chocolate go great together for Valentine’s Day — just be careful not to get too high
As many stoners already know, chocolate and weed go together like, well, chocolate and peanut butter. Except it gets you high. Natalia Cardenas, the merchandising manager at New Standard in Hazel Park, says that the dispensary has created a special bundle box containing five cannabis-infused edibles in time for Valentine’s Day. The package includes a…
Michigan state Sen. Shirkey censured by Hillsdale County GOP, says he doesn’t ‘give a shit’
The Hillsdale County Republican Party voted Monday to censure Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey for condemning the armed protesters who stormed the state Capitol, surrendering to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and other alleged “actions and inactions.” At a tense, video-recorded meeting at a diner last week, county party members hurled insults at Shirkey for not…
The Supremes’ co-founder and Motown trailblazer Mary Wilson dies at 76
Mary Wilson — the Motown icon who, at just 15 years old and while living in Detroit housing projects, co-founded what would become the Supremes, the groundbreaking hit-making pop trio that rose to fame in the 1960s — died in her Henderson, Nevada, home on Monday. She was 76. Wilson’s publicist Jay Schwartz has confirmed…
Michigan GOP candidate for governor is a Black man who wants to cancel Black History Month
Michigan’s “deeply conservative” 2022 gubernatorial hopeful Austin Chenge — a Black Army veteran and businessman and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s first Republican challenger — announced that if elected, he will abolish Black History Month in favor of an “American History Month.” Yeah, no. “I will cancel #BlackHistoryMonth in #Michigan,” Chenge announced in an Instagram post. “It’s…
Washtenaw County sheriff forgives more than $500k in prisoner debt, ending ‘absurd cycle’
Washtenaw County made a progressive move to erase debt accrued by inmates, making it easier to meet basic needs and succeed upon release. Last week, the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office announced that it would forgive all outstanding jail debts from 2013-2020, which, according to a review of inmate debt, totals more than $509,000 and impacts…
Prominent defense attorney killed in car crash with Detroit police
Prominent defense attorney Clifford Woodards II was killed after his car crashed into a police SUV on Detroit’s west side early Monday morning. Woodards, 58, was traveling south on W. Chicago when a Detroit squad car collided with his Lexus IS 250 at the intersection of the Jeffries Service Drive. Two officers were injured and…
Why you should get your lover (marijuana) flowers for Valentine’s Day
A few years back I had a discussion with some folks who were looking to open up a marijuana business in Detroit. According to these investors, analytics told them that in four years the vast majority of the marijuana market would be extracts rather than flowers. That hasn’t happened yet. Flowers are still the queens…
Tlaib introduces $5B bill to revitalize communities impacted by COVID-19, systemic racism
Rep. Rashida Tlaib introduced a bill that would provide $5 billion in housing grants to help revitalize underprivileged communities impacted by COVID-19, disinvestment, and systemic racism. The Restoring Communities Left Behind Act, also introduced by Rep. Kaptur, D-Ohio, last week, would fund neighborhood revitalization activities such as homeowner rehabilitation assistance, weatherization, improved housing accessibility for…
Jeep’s Super Bowl LV ad omitted Michigan’s U.P. from ‘ReUnited States’ map
We’re not sure if this is the Mandela Effect in, well, full effect, or if it’s just that major brands, media companies, and sketch comedy shows simply have no idea that 33% of Michigan even exists. On Sunday, during Super Bowl LV, Jeep joined Mountain Dew, Saturday Night Live, Poo-Pourri, and Fox News in just…
Ordering wings for the Super Bowl? Here are the 20 best spots in Detroit
Moist towelette? Check. Ranch? You bet. A frosty cold one to wash down the Detroit delicacy most commonly known as the humble chicken wing? Pass the brewski and ready yourself as the city of Detroit’s wing masters are serving up some truly special dishes. Don’t undervalue or under-appreciate the preparation of the common chicken wing…
Let’s jazz up our Black History Month with some cannabis
For better and mostly for worse, due to prohibition and the War on Drugs and more, marijuana has been tied to communities of color. But there is one shining example of marijuana being a huge positive influence: jazz. Jazz has been recognized as America’s only original art form. While that shining light emerged as a…
Michigan sheriff uses county email to peddle baseless conspiracy theories
A controversial Michigan sheriff peddled baseless conspiracy theories about the election using his county email address and suggested Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson could be arrested for “a handful of violations.” In one email obtained by The Detroit News, Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf falsely claimed in December that Benson broke the law by…
The Scarab Club is celebrating Black History Month for the first time with a show by Detroit artists
Though it was founded 111 years ago in what is now the nation’s largest Black-majority city, the Scarab Club had never celebrated Black History Month with an exhibition — nor had it ever held an exhibition of all-Black artists. That changes this week with Souls of Black Folk, an exhibition featuring all Detroit artists. “The…
Iconic Detroit artist Charles McGee has died
Charles McGee, an iconic Detroit artist known for his bold, abstract murals and sculptures throughout the city, has died. He was 96. Anthony Curis of the Library Street Collective, which represented McGee in recent years, confirms to Metro Times that the artist died Thursday evening. When MT interviewed McGee in 2017, he said his journey…
Detroit gets green light to begin demolishing, renovating thousands of blighted homes
Detroit’s ambitious project to renovate and demolish thousands of homes will move forward soon after the city announced Friday that it has sold $175 million in bonds to finance the endeavor. Voters in November approved the sale of the bonds as part of Prop N, an initiative to sell $250 million worth of bonds to…
Michiganders drank more than the CDC defines as ‘heavy drinking’ in 2020, according to survey
Michiganders coped with the pandemic by drinking about 18 alcoholic drinks a week on average in 2020 — which is more than the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consider to be “heavy drinking.” That’s according to a survey by DrugAbuse.com, which surveyed more than 3,500 adults over the age of 21 in January. The…
Rashida Tlaib cried while recounting the death threats she’s received in House Floor speech
U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib got emotional while recounting the death threats she’s received since joining Congress during a House Floor speech on Thursday. As the Senate prepares for its impeachment trial of ex-President Donald Trump, it’s considering whether the rally Trump held on Jan. 6 incited the mob who attacked the Capitol, leading to a…
Michigan man sentenced for pointing BB gun at Black man who was grilling with his child
A Kent County man who pointed a BB gun at a Black man who was grilling with his 8-year-old son in the parking lot of a motel was sentenced Thursday to 222 days in jail and probation. Police said Mark Tiffany, 45, also made racist comments before and after he pointed the long BB gun…
Some Michigan restaurants are deciding not to reopen for indoor dining, even though it’s allowed
Before you make a reservation for a table for two at a romantic restaurant for Valentine’s Day, consider this: some workers don’t want you there. Michigan allowed restaurants to reopen for indoor dining at the beginning of the month, following a “pause” ordered in November to blunt the surge of COVID-19 cases. The news was…
Black and Mobile food delivery service promotes Detroit restaurants during Black History Month
Black and Mobile, the mobile food delivery service, is launching a monthlong campaign in honor of Black History Month to highlight Black-owned restaurants. Every Thursday throughout February, participating Detroit restaurants will take delivery orders exclusively through the Black and Mobile. Detroit-area participating restaurants include: • Moor Herbs; 16140 W. Seven Mile Rd., Detroit; 313-583-9709; moorherbs.com…
Detroit man imprisoned for 26 years on murder conviction is freed over flimsy evidence
A Detroit man who spent more than 26 years in prison for murder was released Thursday after prosecutors said his conviction relied on flimsy evidence. Larry D. Smith was 19 years old when he was convicted of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Kenneth Hayes in 1994. Smith is now 46 years old. During…
Ex-Detroit drug cops accused of corruption, face potential felony charges
Wayne County prosecutors are mulling felony charges against four former Detroit cops as part of a corruption investigation that has forced eight other narcotics cops to leave the city’s police department. DPD’s internal affairs is leading the ongoing probe, dubbed “Operation Clean Sweep,” which has found “a pattern and practice of corruption” in the department’s…
Proposal would replace Union Street Detroit restaurant with grocery store
Looks like it could be the end for a longstanding Detroit restaurant. According to a new report from Crain’s Detroit Business, developers are eyeing the building at 4145 Woodward Ave. that has housed the Union Street Detroit restaurant since the 1970s to make way for a “future grocer.” A popular brunch spot and bar, Union…
Michigan orders Marathon refinery to pay fines, improve air quality in Southwest Detroit
Marathon Petroleum Co. will cough up nearly $540,000 in fines and community investments in Southwest Detroit under a consent order with state environmental regulators over multiple air quality violations. The Michigan Department of Environmental, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) reached an agreement with Marathon on the consent order this week. The oil giant failed to…
Democratic Senators say they’ll file legislation to legalize weed
This is the first time we’ve heard this kind of thing from as high up the ladder as the U.S. Senate. On Monday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, along with Sens. Cory Booker and Ron Wyden, all Democrats, announced that they’re working on comprehensive marijuana reform legislation. This could be the big chance with a…
New Apple Music playlist highlights Michigan rappers like Sada Baby, Payroll Giovanni, Icewear Vezzo, and more
Video killed the radio star, but these days, streaming playlists are the new hitmakers in music. To dig deeper into local indie music scenes, Apple Music launched a series of new curated playlists on Wednesday. One of them, “The New Midwest,” highlights lesser-known Detroit rappers like Sada Baby, Payroll Giovanni, Icewear Vezzo, 42 Dugg, and…
Senate bills would ban Confederate flag from Michigan Capitol, declare Juneteenth as official state holiday
State Sen. Sylvia Santana introduced bills Tuesday to ban the Confederate flag from the state Capitol and declare Juneteenth an official state holiday. The Detroit Democrat’s bills come after protesters carried the Confederate flag at anti-lockdown demonstrations at the state Capitol last year. “The Confederate Flag is synonymous with hatred and racism and solely used…
The Weeknd reschedules Detroit date at Little Ceasars Arena for 2022 so we can finally be sad and horny together
Halle-fucking-lujah. Just as we were giving up hope that we may never get to cry and grind simultaneously to the musical stylings of notable sad boi and bandaged bae The Weeknd at Little Ceasers Arena, he swoops in with a new, seemingly more realistic rescheduled tour. After all, we earned it. The Weeknd, aka crooner…
Some older Michigan residents express frustration over vaccine
Michigan is ahead of most states in its COVID-19 vaccination work, but there’s still a long way to go. More than 1 million doses have been administered so far, the seventh-most among states. Right now, health-care providers, educators and other front-line essential workers can be vaccinated, along with people age 65 and older. Melissa Seifert,…
Free Will Astrology (Feb. 3-9)
ARIES: March 21 – April 19: Herman Hesse’s novel Siddhartha is a story about a spiritual seeker who goes in search of illumination. Near the end of the quest, when Siddhartha is purified and enlightened, he tells his friend, “I greatly needed sin, lust, vanity, the striving for goods, and the most shameful despair, to…
The Republican Party cannot decouple itself from extremism
Last Wednesday, the Department of Homeland Security issued a bulletin warning of a heightened threat from “ideologically motivated violent extremists with objections to the exercise of governmental authority and the presidential transition, as well as other perceived grievances fueled by false narratives.” That day, Senate Republicans announced that they would seek to delay the confirmation…
Detroit rock ’n’ roll photographer Leni Sinclair unearths works for new exhibit
It’s not a photo of Iggy Pop that is iconic Detroit photographer and activist Leni Sinclair’s favorite of her prolific collection, much of which spans more than six decades of American counterculture, revolution, and rock ‘n’ roll. Nor is it a capture of Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Prince, Bob Marley, John Lennon, the MC5, John…
Savage Love: Quickies
I’m a 30-year-old straight woman in a three-year relationship with my live-in partner, who is also 30. I love him and he loves me and he wants to make a life with me. However, in this pandemic, the stress is so great that I have lost all desire to have sex. I don’t want anyone…
