Cover Story
The COVID-19 vaccines are finally here, but many in Michigan are skeptical
When Zack Taylor heard about the coronavirus vaccine coming to Michigan, the 22-year-old Detroit hip-hop artist responded with an indifferent shrug. COVID-19 claimed the life of his aunt and infected more friends, neighbors, and loved ones than he can remember. He rarely leaves his house, but when he does, he always wears a mask and…
Trump was right to commute former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s sentence
Rumors that Donald Trump would set ex-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick free had cropped up so many times during his term as president that it was starting to feel like the endless hunt for Jimmy Hoffa’s body — every so often a headline would dominate the news, only to unceremoniously fizzle out. And with Trump’s chaotic…
Coffee Down Under will finally open in Detroit’s Financial District this week
Can we get a g’day mate? Nearly a year after announcing plans to bring Australian-style coffee to Detroit’s Financial District, Coffee Down Under is preparing to open Thursday, Jan. 21. The venture comes by way of Tarun Kajeepta, owner of the since shuttered car subscription service Condor Detroit. According to Eater, Kajeepta spent a year…
Supply shortage causes COVID-19 vaccine delays in Wayne County
Wayne County and Henry Ford Health System are postponing some COVID-19 vaccinations because of a supply shortage. Health officials said they’re receiving fewer vaccines than expected. The Wayne County Public Health Department recently learned it would no longer receive the Pfizer vaccine for first doses. The county is rescheduling about 1,400 first-dose vaccine appointments that…
Former Flint mayor is ‘disappointed’ charges against Snyder weren’t more severe
Count former Flint Mayor Karen Weaver among those who were pleased to see the recent criminal charges filed against ex-Governor Rick Snyder and eight others in the ongoing fallout of the city’s water crisis Weaver believes Snyder was right to be charged, but says she believes the charges don’t go far enough. Weaver made the…
Gov. Whitmer will attend Joe Biden’s inauguration ceremony
On Wednesday, President-elect Joe Biden will take the oath of office at an inauguration ceremony that will look quite a bit different from ones in the past. The crowd will be intentionally small due pandemic (so we won’t be starting things off with any gaslighting about crowd sizes), and security will be heightened following the…
Michigan-based Kevin’s Song suicide awareness conference goes virtual with a focus on equity and equality
Gail Urso is going to miss the in-person hugging. Urso, the co-founder of Kevin’s Song — a charitable organization focused on raising awareness about suicide, as well as offering support to loss and attempt survivors — says that though this year’s annual suicide conference has gone virtual due to the pandemic, it’s still going to…
Michigan Freedom Fund leader to replace Van Langevelde on Board of State Canvassers
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer appointed a new Republican to the Michigan Board of State Canvassers to replace the GOP member who voted to certify Joe Biden’s win in November. The announcement on Tuesday comes after the Michigan Republican Party failed to nominate Aaron Van Langevelde to another four-year term. Tony Daunt, executive director of the Michigan…
Saucey Crab seafood boil restaurant opens second location in Detroit
The seafood boil trend continues as Southfield-based restaurant Saucey Crab has opened a second location in Detroit. The new spot, located at 21639 Eight Mile Rd., Detroit, opened Monday. Saucey Crab opened its first location in 2019 at 21754 W. 11 Mile Rd., Southfield. Both locations are open for carry-out only; see sauceycrabs.com for more…
Washtenaw County Prosecutor bans drug charges stemming from racist ‘pretext stops’
Washtenaw County Prosector Eli Savit has announced a new policy directive aimed at combatting racial profiling, the latest of a string of progressive directives the office has announced in recent days. Issued on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the 10-page policy directive prohibits assistant prosecuting attorneys from filing drug charges that stem from “pretext…
Michigan Republican Party plans to replace canvasser who refused to sabotage Biden’s victory
The Michigan Republican Party is throwing Aaron Van Langevelde to the curb after he voted to certify Joe Biden’s win in November. One of two Republicans on the Michigan Board of State Canvassers, Van Langevelde was hailed as a lone voice of reason after he resisted pressure from inside his party to delay certification. He…
This Michigan marijuana dispensary is giving free weed to anyone who got the COVID-19 vaccine
To help encourage Michiganders to get vaccinated against COVID-19, a local marijuana dispensary is offering a “Pot for Shots” promotion. Anyone who brings in written proof that they received a COVID-19 vaccine to the Greenhouse of Walled Lake will get a free pre-rolled joint, the dispensary says in a press release. “Our goal is to…
Whitmer says armed protest in Lansing was prelude to violent U.S. Capitol siege
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Sunday blamed President Donald Trump’s divisive and combative rhetoric for spurring the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. In an interview on MSNBC, Whitmer pointed to the armed protest at the Michigan Capitol Building in April, which occurred just days after Trump tweeted “LIBERATE MICHIGAN.” “When the President tweets something like…
Indiana state Senator introduces two bills to decriminalize and regulate marijuana
Legal pot could soon be coming to our neighbor, the Hoosier State. Indiana state Senator Karen Tallian, a Democrat, has introduced two bills to decriminalize and regulate marijuana for adults. The two measures, SB 87 and SB 223, were introduced earlier this month. SB 87 would establish a commission to regulate all forms of cannabis…
Remembering Dr. King: Peaceful leader and ‘agitator’
Michiganders are not letting the pandemic stop observances honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King, Junior. Elaine Hardy, chair of the Martin Luther King Junior Commission of Mid-Michigan, said in the wake of global outrage against racism, Dr. King’s message of equality and justice is more important than ever. She noted while King was a…
The U.K. coronavirus mutation has arrived in Michigan
A new mutated form of the coronavirus that’s 50% more transmissible than the original and raised alarm after emerging in the United Kingdom has arrived in Michigan, according to the state’s health department. The variant, known as B.1.1.7. was identified on Saturday in an adult woman living in Washtenaw County who recently traveled to the…
Judge drops charges against 28 Black Lives Matter protesters in Detroit
The 36th District Court in Detroit dismissed charges against 28 protesters who were arrested during anti-police brutality demonstrations last year. Judge Larry Williams Jr. tossed the cases after the city of Detroit failed to provide discovery of information, including the identities of arresting officers and body cam footage, that could be used during a trial.…
In least shocking news ever, Michiganders miss going to bars more than going to the gym, survey finds
Is the Earth round? Is skin the largest organ in the human body? Does the Pope wear a funny hat? Was Bruce Willis trying to die hardest by refusing to wear a mask in a Los Angeles Rite Aid? Has J.Lo made a pact with the devil in order to age in reverse? Among these…
Biden picks Gov. Whitmer to serve as a Democratic National Committee vice chair
President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday nominated Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to serve as one of the Democratic National Committee’s four vice chairs. In a news release, Biden’s team called Whitmer a “trailblazer” who has served with “grit and compassion” and “committed her life to building a stronger Michigan for everyone.” Biden’s other vice chair nominees are…
Flint water crisis investigation leads to charges against Snyder, 8 others
A years-long investigation into the Flint water crisis has led to 41 charges against nine former state and city officials, including ex-Gov. Rick Snyder, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced Thursday. The defendants, including Snyder’s top aide Richard Baird, his two lead health officials, and former Flint emergency managers Gerald Ambrose and Darnell Earley, turned…
‘Suspicious phone calls’ linked former Gov. Snyder to Flint case, according to report
Former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder was charged Wednesday with two counts of willful neglect of duty as part of an investigation into the Flint water crisis — misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $1,000 each, according to court documents released Wednesday. The revelation that Snyder would…
Rashida Tlaib was right: we impeached the motherfucker (again)
On her first day in U.S. Congress, Rep. Rashida Tlaib from Detroit famously promised, “We’re going to go in and impeach the motherfucker!” She was right. She was so right that the House even voted to impeach President Donald Trump twice — making him the first President in U.S. history to earn that dubious distinction.…
Whitmer says restaurants could be allowed to reopen for indoor dining in February if COVID-19 cases stabilize
Indoor dining could be allowed to resume at Michigan bars and restaurants if COVID-19 cases continue to stabilize, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and other officials said in a press conference on Wednesday. “If numbers continue to head in the right direction, our hope is that we will be able to resume indoor dining with strong safety…
Apple to open its first U.S. based Developer Academy in Detroit later this year
Detroit will soon get its own slice of the big Apple. As part of the tech giant’s $100 million Racial Equity and Justice Initiative, Apple announced its plans for an Apple Developer Academy in Detroit, the first of its kind in the U.S. Launched in collaboration with Michigan State University, the academy —which will roll…
Michigan Dems call on 3 Republicans to resign for trying to overturn election
The Michigan Democratic Party is calling for the resignations of three Republican members of Congress for casting a vote to prevent the certification of the Electoral College last week. Reps. Jack Bergman, Tim Walberg, and Lisa McClain supported President Donald Trump’s failed, anti-democratic plan to stop Joe Biden from becoming the 46th president, even after…
Home heating help available in Michigan
Michigan is entering the heart of home-heating season, so it’s also time for a reminder that help is available for households unable to afford their heating costs. Anne Armstrong, director of customer assistance at the Michigan Public Service Commission, said higher energy bills are typical for this time of year, but the burden is worse…
Dilla’s Delights doughnut shop permanently closed in Detroit, but owners are looking for a new home
Dilla’s Delights, the doughnut shop run by the family of the late Detroit hip-hop beatmaker J Dilla, is permanently closed — but the owners say they hope to reopen at a to-be-determined new location. Owner Herman Hayes, aka “Uncle Herm,” says that the business has officially closed for good in the flatiron building at 242…
21 questions for 2021, part 2: Now that the insurrection changed everything, what exactly will change?
Leave it to me to publish the first of a two-parter just before MAGA terrorists stormed the Capitol — which, of course, upended my plans for this week’s column. In the moment, it’s difficult to know whether seemingly transformative events will transform anything. Intuitively, however, this feels like an inflection point. The authoritarian current flowing…
Why 1/6 was worse than 9/11
Imagine on that sunny Tuesday morning in 2001, instead of flying planes into buildings terrorists armed with guns, pipe bombs, and batons attacked Capitol Hill; waving unamerican flags, bashing cops in the head, forcibly entering offices while elected officials don gas masks and scurry away in underground tunnels to undisclosed locations. Imagine Bush doing nothing.…
Imprisoned for nearly 48 years, artist and former boxer Ray Gray might finally see the light of day
Regarding a possible commutation of Gray’s life sentence, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy tells Channel 4, “I would be fully on board with that.” If you’re a regular reader of this rag, you know the heartrending tale of Ray Gray, the Michigan man stuck behind bars for nearly 50 years for a crime he insists…
Savage Love: Cum again
As you can see by my signature, Dan, I’m a linguist. On your podcast, you frequently ask researchers “whatchyougot” on all kinds of sex- and romance-related questions, I thought maybe you’d be interested in some expertise on linguistic matters, too. And I have some on “cum,” “cumming,” and (shudder) “cummed.” The technical term here used…
Free Will Astrology (Jan. 13-19)
ARIES: March 21 – April 19: As you ripen into a more fully embodied version of yourself, you will summon ever-greater discrimination about where to seek your inspiration. I trust that you will increasingly divest yourself of any tendency you might have to play around with just any old mediocre fire. More and more, you…
