Cover Story
Remembering the extraordinary lives of mostly ordinary folks (and two cats) who died in 2019
We all missed a lot this year. Too much happened, a decade’s worth of chaos crammed into 12 months. Among the scandals, battles, and Congressional hearings, some of the most interesting people — and internet cats — slipped away with too little time allotted to their deaths. That’s why Metro Times has again teamed up…
Veteran hip-hop duo Atmosphere will go wherever — including Detroit’s Saint Andrew’s Hall
Though Slug and Ant may sound like Pixar characters, they are, in fact, the stage names of Sean Daley and Anthony Davis, who perform as prolific Minneapolis hip-hop group Atmosphere. For more than two decades, the duo has worn pain, struggle, and anti-establishment vibes on their sleeves, all the while producing raps and beats that…
World Record-breaking guitarist to live score a screening of ‘Nosferatu’ at Hamtramck’s Planet Ant
Enough with the talking, already! Maybe 2020 is the year we all take a moment to embrace the simple act of watching and listening, instead of, you know, yammering on and on to your coworker about how your boyfriend hasn’t proposed to you yet. (Shut up, Karen.) Anyway, Planet Ant knows what’s up and is…
Queen Elsa has nothing on the 38th Annual Plymouth Ice Festival returning this weekend
In the words of Vanilla Ice: Ice, ice baby. Though the ’90s hip-hop jam might be, well, mostly nonsensical, it’s fitting for the return of Plymouth’s Ice Festival. The 38th annual celebration of what happens when water freezes will return for a weekend of winter fun in downtown Plymouth. Though southeast Michigan has been basically…
Pornographic body-horror, anyone? Cult film ‘Videodrome’ heads to midnight madness in Royal Oak
Now that Blade Runner is officially set in the past, it’s time to revisit David Cronenberg’s cosmic body-horror film, Videodrome. A pre-#MeToo’d James Woods stars as Max Renn, a president of a sleazy television network. Ratings are low, shit is bad, and Renn discovers Videodrome — a fever dream of a mysterious TV show that…
The Prince Experience will pay tribute to ‘Purple Rain’ at the Fillmore
Dearly beloved, we have gathered here today to get through this thing called life. And since the untimely death of Prince Rogers Nelson in 2016, getting through life has been a bit of a drag. OK, so it’s been more than a drag; it’s been an orange-tinged totally purpleless nightmare. Though nothing may ever truly…
Let’s dance — Stardust at the Senate returns to celebrate all things Bowie with art, film, and a costume contest
There’s a starman waiting in the sky — and his name is David Bowie. This year will mark the four-year anniversary of losing Bowie to cancer two days after the release of his final and self-eulogizing opus, Blackstar, which coincided with the glam-rock chameleon’s 69th birthday. While many of us may honor Bowie every damn…
Baby, don’t hurt former ‘SNL’ star Chris Kattan — he’ll be performing at Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle
Mango, Mr. Peepers, and Gay Hitler. No, this isn’t a list of Democratic stragglers vying for the 2020 presidential nomination. It’s just a few of the many characters played by Chris Kattan during his eight years on Saturday Night Live. Last year found the 49-year-old actor and one half of the unforgettable Roxbury-dwelling clubbing duo…
ICE says immigrants knew they enrolled in a fake university, but recordings show some were confused
Authorities have said that the more than 600 immigrants who enrolled in a fake university set up in Farmington Hills by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) knew it was a sham and were using it to fraudulently stay in the U.S. on student visas. However, undercover recordings obtained by the Detroit Free Press suggest…
Here’s a video of a snowy owl swimming in Lake St. Clair
Spiritual and psychological practices have often praised the power of taking a simple 10-second break when you’re feeling stressed out, anxious, or confrontational. Simply close your eyes, breathe through your nose, out of your mouth, repeat for 10 seconds, and ta-da — a healthy dose of tranquility. But if you call bullshit and you don’t…
Michigan considers adding gender-neutral option to driver’s licenses
Michigan may join a growing number of states providing a third gender option on driver’s licenses. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is exploring adding a nonbinary designation, which the transgender community has been calling for. More than a dozen states and Washington D.C. have added “X” as an alternative to the traditional gender options…
Expect a fight before Detroit gets recreational cannabis stores
We’re about three weeks out from Jan. 31. That’s the date Detroit City Council has set for ending its temporary opt-out of the state recreational marijuana system. But so far we’re not hearing anything from the city regarding its plans for recreational marijuana retail sales. City Council’s provision is that it will be at least…
City of Detroit starts to get serious about recycling
The city of Detroit is about to drastically increase its recycling efforts. Using nearly $800,000 in grants, the city plans to buy 16,400 curbside recycling carts, about 4,000 multifamily containers, and a collection vehicle. Part of the funding comes from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), which is striving to double…
Here are the rights people should know when traveling through airports
Last week, President Donald Trump ordered a drone strike on a Baghdad airport, which killed Iranian Major Gen. Qassem Soleimani. The military attack dramatically increased tensions between the U.S. and Iran, with the latter indicating that it will abandon portions of the 2015 nuclear deal. Then, U.S. immigration authorities detained and questioned at least 60…
Royal Oak’s Bistro 82 to close this month
Downtown Royal Oak staple Bistro 82 will be closing its doors on Jan. 25. The upscale French-inspired eatery, located at Fourth Street and Lafayette Avenue and headed by executive chef Derik Watson, opened in February 2014 — so it will be closing just a few weeks shy of its sixth anniversary. Last year, the restaurant…
Owner of factory responsible for toxic green ooze sent to prison
The owner of a now-shuttered factory that was so contaminated that it sent a hazardous, bright green ooze onto I-696 in Madison Heights reported to federal prison on Friday. Gary Alfred Sayers, 70, was sent to FCI Morgantown, a minimum security detention center in West Virginia, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. He is…
Michigan activists, lawmakers denounce Trump’s assassination strike against Iran
Hundreds of protesters gathered at Detroit’s Campus Martius Park to speak out against war in the Middle East on Saturday. Speakers included U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, who denounced an airstrike ordered by President Donald Trump on Friday that killed Iranian military leader Major Gen. Qassem Soleimani. “The drone strike in Iraq ordered by the…
Detroit ranked last in report on best cities for jobs
Source: WalletHub Detroit came in dead last when WalletHub compared more than 180 cities to determine which of them had the strongest job markets. Unemployment across the country is at 3.6 percent (a near 50-year low), according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Plus, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, employers…
Michigan Supreme Court declines to restore ban on flavored nicotine vaping products
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s motion to reinstate a ban on flavored vaping nicotine products has been denied by the Michigan Supreme Court. The 6-1 decision last week ruled against Whitmer’s request “because the Court is not persuaded that the question presented should be reviewed by this Court before consideration by the Court of Appeals.” Whitmer issued…
Burning home used as backdrop for Detroit firefighters’ photo was not abandoned
Grinning Detroit firefighters who posed in front of a burning house for a group photo on New Year’s Eve have responded to criticism by claiming the home was abandoned. It wasn’t. The home is owned by 70-year-old Dorothy Higgenbotham, who raised her family in the house. “They just let it burn to the ground ……
Major Magic’s plots resurrection in metro Detroit with games, pizza, and yes, the animatronic band
Looks like 2020 is shaping up to be a majorly magic one in Clinton Township. It was announced Thursday that the beloved family-focused midwest pizza and entertainment chain Major Magic’s would return to southeast Michigan, not too far from its last location on Gratiot Avenue, which opened in 1982 and shuttered in the early 2000s.…
Domino’s criticized for selling $30 pizzas on New Year’s Eve
Ann Arbor-based Domino’s is under fire for jacking prices up to $30 per pizza delivered to New Year’s Eve revelers in New York City’s Times Square. The brand caught flak after The New York Post reported that a local franchisee was selling the pizzas at more than double their usual rate. New York City Mayor…
Don’t take ‘OK, Boomer’ away from us yet — we’re just getting started
Once again, as it has done for the past 45 years, Sault Ste. Marie’s Lake Superior State University started the year by releasing its “Annual List of Words Banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness.” As always, it’s a fun read: “Literally,” “totes,” “I mean,” “vibe,” “living my best life,” and…
Mariah Carey’s Twitter was hacked on New Year’s Eve, claims Eminem has a small penis
Can’t a diva get some pre-New Year’s Eve beauty sleep without having her social media hacked? And can we please avoid having to imagine Eminem’s little rap god? In a strange close to 2019, Carey, 49, celebrated two major career milestones: Her 1994 holiday earworm, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” shattered the Spotify…
Detroit firefighters may face discipline after posing in front of burning house
Detroit firefighters are facing possible discipline after posing in front of a burning house in Detroit on New Year’s Eve. The photo was posted on Facebook and later taken down after firefighters discovered they may be in trouble. More than 15 firefighters were photographed posing in front of a vacant house with flames burning through…
Michigan should look to Illinois as a model of how to expunge marijuana crimes
Illinois continues to make headway in recovering from the War on Drugs. Last week Illinois’ Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker pardoned 11,000 low-level marijuana convictions. There are many more convictions eligible for expungement under Illinois law. Again Illinois has stepped to the forefront in evolving marijuana policy. It’s not clear if Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has…
Oh shit, we just realized April is 4/20
It’s only going to happen once in our lifetimes, but this April, the fourth month of 2020, represents an entire month of 4/20 observations and events. Of course the Hash Bash is part of that, but folks are gearing up for some very cool 420 events that are not in Ann Arbor. Detroit, get ready…
2019 was the year Trump’s bullshit won
I’ve been eligible to vote in five presidential elections. In four of them, the Democratic candidate earned the most votes. In three of them, the Republican won anyway. Both Republican presidents of my adulthood, in fact, were elected by minorities. They benefited from a constitutional anachronism and went on to inflict grievous harm to our…
Scientists discover two new cannabinoids, THCP and CBDP
Those of you who like to learn more about the science of cannabis might be interested to hear that a new cannabinoid has been isolated. The newly discovered THCP stands out because it has an affinity for CB1 receptors in the human body more than 30 times stronger than THC. THC and CBD are the…
Detroit’s Magnet restaurant is not so simple
“A little piece of non-Detroit in the heart of Detroit,” riffed a dinner companion at Magnet. “Could anyone living within a quarter mile of here afford to eat here?” When the cheapest way to order is the Chef’s Selection at $60 a head, and yet the owners call the place “a simple new restaurant,” there’s…
The Muggs are now elder statesmen in Detroit’s rock scene. How the hell did that happen?
If you’ve followed their 20-year run as a band, then by now you might already have your own idea of what the Muggs sound like. But I realize I was wrong. Because what it comes down to is a pair of lifelong best friends simply following their hearts toward whatever sound felt truest and most…
Obama’s Netflix doc ‘American Factory’ looks at Chinese-owned Rust Belt factory
As much an elegy as an investigation, this documentary (distributed by and now streaming on Netflix, and the first film released by Higher Ground Productions, founded by the Obamas) examines the events surrounding a Dayton-area factory’s re-opening after its shuttering under General Motors. Once a union-driven plant, the space is now under the aegis of…
2020 will be the year of marijuana in Michigan and beyond
It’s the end of the year and indeed the end of a decade; both have been filled with propitious events in the fight against marijuana prohibition. We can celebrate that we now have a handful of stores where adults can buy recreational marijuana. That’s a huge step — particularly considering that it took a decade…
Horoscopes (Jan. 1-7)
ARIES | March 21 – April 20: I see lots of tests pinning you to the wall. With Pluto and Saturn T-boning your Sun, it could be your health, your job, or your love life. There could also be family matters that are over the top. Getting through these types of stresses and pressures leaves…
