Cover Story
The problem with Duggan’s Land Value Tax plan for Detroit
In Mayor Mike Duggan’s campaign for legislation that he says will cut residential property taxes in Detroit and stimulate economic growth, he is stalled. His legislation, called the Land Value Tax plan (LVT), proposes to split property taxes into two rates, one for land and one for structures on the land. While he touts its…
Detroit’s MLK Day rally will feature Rashida Tlaib and Shawn Fain as speakers
Monday, Jan. 15 is Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Detroit is celebrating with its 21st Annual MLK Day Rally and March, beginning at noon and concluding at 3 p.m. with a community lunch. This year, while honoring the historic legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the event will explore how all struggles for…
Historic African American film exhibit headed to the DIA this February
A new exhibit at the Detroit Institute of Arts is highlighting old-school African American films. Regeneration: Black Cinema 1898-1971 will open at the DIA on February 4, exploring work by African American actors and directors in early Hollywood. It includes nearly 200 historical film posters, costumes, props, and photos alongside excerpts of rare films that…
Michigan’s wealthy are being taxed less than the rest of us, according to study
According to a new study, low- and middle-income Michiganders are paying more in taxes than the rich. The nonprofit policy organization Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy released the findings in a national study called “Who Pays?” The report analyzed tax systems in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The study found that…
Detroit’s weed-infused Apotheculture Club celebrates Chevalier de Saint-Georges
Detroit’s cannabis-infused dinner and performance arts club is at it again with an evening at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Launched in 2023, the Apotheculture Club hosts multi-course infused dinners crafted by Detroit’s cannabis chef Enid Parham, aka Chef Sunflower, before taking attendees to live theater, symphony, or other events via luxury shuttle. On Saturday, the…
Detroit monthly event Technically, Yeah celebrates 50th show with first-ever vinyl release
Congratulations are in order for Technically, Yeah, the monthly performance night celebrating its 50th show this week. Launched in 2017, the event typically features live performances — Monica Blair, Tammy Lakkis, Rebecca Goldberg, Charles Trees, and Illingsworth are among the artists to grace its stage — sandwiched by all-vinyl sets by hosts Eddie Logix and…
Governor Whitmer declares Jan. 9, 2024 ‘Wolverine Day’
Following the University of Michigan’s victory on Monday in the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship, Governor Gretchen Whitmer has dedicated Jan. 9, 2024 as Michigan Wolverine Day. The Michigan Wolverines defeated the Washington Huskies in Houston, Texas with a 34-13 win at U-M’s first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoff. The game marked only…
Three things the dining scene can do to bring customers back
Chowhound is a weekly column about what’s trending in Detroit food culture. Tips: eat@metrotimes.com. Self-improvement is January’s rallying cry. Once again, here we are. So, how can we get better this year? Who’s up for a shot at sobriety? New gym membership, anyone? Maybe I should just mind my own business. Failing that, let me…
28 clergy from Diocese of Gaylord accused of sexual misconduct, Nessel reveals
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel revealed Monday that her office investigated sexual abuse allegations against 26 priests and two deacons from the Discose of Gaylord in northern Michigan. The 130-page report details disturbing allegations of sexual misconduct by clergy between 1951 and 2021. Despite the numerous accusations, no charges have been filed as part of…
Rap mogul Dame Dash brings his rock group Black Guns to Detroit
Few entrepreneurs and record executives have made the kind of impact on hip-hop as Damon “Dame” Dash. As the co-founder of Roc-A-Fella records along with Jay-Z and Kareem Burke in 1994, Dash also co-founded the Rocawear clothing line in 1999 and helped spark the careers of Kevin Hart, Kayne West, and Cameron, just to name…
MIGOP members vote to remove Karamo, her supporters rip the effort as ‘illegitimate’
At a closed-door meeting on Saturday, members of the Michigan Republican Party voted in favor of removing a number of party officials, including party Chair Kristina Karamo. Karamo, a failed 2022 secretary of state candidate, has faced increasing opposition within the party in recent weeks, with eight of the 13 district chairs signing on to…
Lapointe: Setting the night on fire in Jefferson-Chalmers
Just before Christmas, the St. Martin neighborhood reunion committee met to plan this September’s picnic event. One member joked: “Are we going to have the Christmas tree burning this year?” That flashback referred to the 1960s and what was then known as Hansen Field, across the street from St. Martin of Tours church and school…
Progressive Art Studio Collective artists radiate exuberance and joy in first museum show at MOCAD
Metro Detroit’s art studio for artists with developmental disabilities and mental health differences has only been around for three years and has already landed a museum exhibit. Progressive Art Studio Collective (PASC) was launched in 2021 and is the first art studio and program of its kind in Detroit and Wayne County. In Intimacy: The…
Gretchen Whitmer for president? How about Rashida Tlaib? Andy Levin?
A November New York Times-Siena College poll suggests reason for concern among Democrats: According to the survey, President Joe Biden trails Donald Trump by four points in five out of six swing states — Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, and Michigan. However, the poll also made an interesting observation: a hypothetical generic, unnamed Democrat led Trump…
Tamara Greene’s daughter claims police killed her mother because of Kwame Kilpatrick affair
Who killed Tamara Greene? It’s one of Detroit’s most popular murder mysteries. Nearly 21 years after Greene was killed in a drive-by shooting, her daughter, Ashly Jackson, revived the unsolved mystery in a viral TikTok video posted Thursday. In the video, which has gained more than 3.4 million views, Jackson claims that Detroit police killed…
Jollibee’s first Michigan location finally has a new opening date
It’s finally happening. Metro Detroiters have been waiting in anticipation for Michigan’s first Jollibee restaurant to open. In September, the popular Philippines-based fast-food chain said it would open doors at its new location in October, but that didn’t happen. Now, Jollibee took to Facebook on Jan. 4 to announce that it has set a new…
Planted Detroit is back with new salads after closing urban farm last year
Planted Detroit is looking to make a fresh start this year. The indoor urban farm in Detroit’s Islandview neighborhood has announced its relaunch, including its salad delivery program, with five new salad bowls that can be ordered online. Planted Detroit grows its salad greens indoors using hydroponics, allowing the farm to provide its fresh…
JJ’s Custard Company preparing to open in Little Caesars Arena
A new dessert spot is coming to Little Caesars Arena. JJ’s Custard Company, a Dearborn-based specialty ice cream shop, is opening its new long-term storefront at the Detroit sports and concert venue after a successful residency from March to September 2023. The store is set to open to the public on Wednesday, January 17. The…
400-pound student sues Wayne State over allegations of weight discrimination
Before his health problems, David Lopez thrived as an athlete, deriving joy and purpose in team sports. While enrolled at Wayne State University, Lopez realized he wanted to become a gym teacher and football coach. In 2022, he finished all of his classes and just needed to complete his student training requirements to graduate from…
‘The Zone of Interest’ radically upends the idea of a Holocaust movie — to brilliant effect
If silence is violence, then I’d deem Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest the most brutal film in theaters today. Emotionlessly presenting a daily report on one of Führer und Reichskanzler Adolf Hitler’s most loyal soldiers, the film quietly explores its nightmarish concept with zero frills. There’s no blatant depiction of the monstrosities occurring in…
Detroit farmers and chefs drop gems on food access and ‘land alchemy’ in Netflix series
On January 1, Netflix dropped a docuseries called You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment to help us be more mindful about our diet. It’s Dry January and Veganuary, and everyone is in their “new year, new me” era of trying to make healthier choices, we get it. What surprised us about the experiment…
Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra makes Detroit debut
For the first time in the group’s 95-year history, the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra (A2SO) will perform in Detroit. The concert is set for 8 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 26 at Detroit’s Orchestra Hall as part of the Sphinx Organization’s 2024 SphinxConnect conference. “Our Detroit performance is a momentous occasion for the Symphony,” A2SO Executive…
Oakwood Bar & Grill in Dearborn’s OK for what it is
Getting a good grub on in a tavern business model can be a crapshoot. A safe bet for drinks and maybe a bite of something, but beyond that it can become a bit of a gamble. Playing with house money (much appreciated, Metro Times), I came to the table at Dearborn’s Oakwood Grill hoping to…
Detroit artist accuses Urban Outfitters of copying design
Johanna Ulevich was surprised to log on to a Reddit message board for crafting and see people making fun of a hat made of a mishmash of colorful yarns of varying textures. The hat, sold by retail chain Urban Outfitters, bore an uncanny resemblance to her own work — a line she called “YARNMAGEDDON.” “Someone…
Ben’s Friends relaunches Detroit chapter at Freya
The restaurant and food service industry has among the highest rates of workers struggling with addiction or alcoholism — who along with high stress and long hours, face being in the presence of alcohol. In 2021, Ben’s Friends, a national support group for people in the food and beverage industry struggling with addiction, launched a…
Ann Arbor delays Unarmed Response Program
The city of Ann Arbor has canceled its Request for Proposal, or RFP, for an unarmed response program. This was to be the first policing alternative of its kind in the state of Michigan and despite overwhelming support, city staff decided to cancel the RFP in a closed meeting on December 18. According to the…
Free Will Astrology (Jan. 3-9)
ARIES (March 21-April 19): The plan I will propose in this horoscope is for temporary use. I’m not recommending you stick to it for all of 2024, but just for the next 15 to 18 days. If you do, I believe it will set you up for beautiful success in the coming months. Here’s my…
