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How will the Flint crisis end for Snyder?

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, it seemed to many, recently gloated over surviving the Flint water crisis. “The reports of my demise are overblown,” he told the audience June 1 at the Mackinac Policy Conference, before calling “negative” members of the press a bunch of “Eeyores.” He’s partly right. In April, the Michigan attorney general’s office…

Free book vending machines installed to combat Detroit book deserts

Detroit is often described by the absence of things: abandoned lots, food deserts, busses that never arrive, dreams that never come to fruition. And in some areas of the city, there’s another thing missing — books.   To help get books into the hands of some of the children who need them most, JetBlue launched its…

22 things to do for free in Detroit this weekend

All the events that won’t break the bank, happening in metro Detroit this weekend.  Wednesday June 29: Wednesday Music in the park Kellogg Park Downtown Plymouth, 298 S Main St. Plymouth MI, 48170 12pm-1pm Community Reiki Share Whole Foods Market 111 Mack Ave, Detroit MI, 48202 6pm-8pm DYP Open House at Exodus Rooftop Lounge Exodus…

Mo Pop reveals daily lineup and single day passes

It’s hard to believe, but July is almost upon us and that means that Detroit’s very own Mo Pop Festival is in clear sight.  With just a couple weeks to go, Mo Pop takes over the West Riverfront Park on Saturday, July 23 and Sunday, July 24, the festival announced its daily lineup along with…

Learn to move like an assassin at the Canton Public Library

If you ever wanted to move around like they do in Assassin’s Creed, now is your chance. On July 8th the Canton Public Library will host staff from Phoenix Freerunning Academy, and will instruct guests ages seven and up on aspects of parkour and freerunning.  Eric Zimmerman, of Phoenix Freerunning Academy, gives his view of…

Mark Wahlberg visits Detroit, announces opening date for Wahlburgers

Mark Wahlberg is roaming the streets of Detroit talking about everyone’s favorite things: burgers and movies.  “I’m so excited to be in downtown Detroit,” Wahlberg told reporters in Greektown on Saturday. WXYZ reported Wahlberg revealed the resturant will open around July 20.  Besides checking on the resturant construction, Wahlberg is in town shooting Transformers 5. “We’re…

Supreme Court rejects Kwame Kilpatrick’s appeal

Local news outlets confirm that the United States Supreme Court has declined to hear the appeal of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s conviction, which saw him sentenced to prison for 28 years. Kilpatrick had argued that his lawyer in the original trial had a conflict of interest, and his current attorney argued that federal agents were given…

Violent Ramp gets violent on New Years Eve 2002

Ok, not literally violent, like the shit we’re numb to seeing on the TV, but sometimes we happen across a video that takes us back and makes us feel all kinds of rage-y.  In today’s installment, we’ve got an archival video of Ann Arbor skate rock supergroup Violent Ramp, recorded at the Elbow Room in Ypsilanti…

Guns N’ Roses show at Ford Field, described in GIFs

It was a historic evening at Ford Field last night as Guns N’ Roses kicked off their official summer tour featuring most of the band’s original lineup. Duff McKagan, Slash, and good ole’ Axl Rose were there and sounded better than ever.  Since this millennial was a wee little one when GnR was in their…

Hatch Art launches crowdfunding campaign to restore Hamtramck Disneyland

There is a colorful medley of plastic horses, fan propellers, and other contraptions that needs your help. It’s Hamtramck Disneyland, of course, the popular art installation by the late Ukrainian-born artist Dmytro Szylak that was recently sold to Hatch Art, a non-profit arts organization based in Hamtramck. About a month and a half ago, Hatch…

F*cked up from the neck up: ‘The Neon Demon’ is real weird

Hypnosis is some scary shit. Not because you could potentially do something stupid in front of a crowd while being hypnotized — we’ve all been drunk. No, the fact that a stranger has the ability to control your consciousness is … frightening. Nicholas Winding Refn taps into that fear in The Neon Demon. Falling into…

Guns N’ Roses open reunion tour in Detroit with a bang

There must have been a frost advisory in hell on Thursday, because Axl Rose was onstage at Ford Field by 9:43 p.m. for night No. 1 of the Guns N’ Roses reunion tour. There were moments — when Axl was charging with the mic stand, or doing the snake dance with Slash shredding nearby —…

A guide to spoken word open mic nights in metro Detroit

You’re in the mood for something intimate: murky lights, fresh roasted coffee, chapbooks. Maybe you’re a great poet searching for an underground outlet or someone interested in being part of a small, artistic community. Chances are you can find what you’re looking for in one of the many open mic series that dot metro Detroit’s…

Just announced: Amy Schumer at Joe Louis Arena

Rejoice, comedy fans! Stand-up comedian and all around badass feminist Amy Schumer announced this morning that she will be performing at Joe Louis Arena on Friday, October 7.  In case you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t seen Schumer in any of her work, she wrote and starred in last summer’s blockbuster hit Trainwreck.…

This Deadspin article about Dan Gilbert is everything

Speaking the name Dan Gilbert can cause polarizing reactions. Some people believe the mortgage tycoon to be a demigod who blesses the people of Detroit with access to housing while building up our dilapidated downtown by buying up real estate left and right. Others see him as a predatory lender with a big ego and…

A guide to all the fireworks shows you can see in metro Detroit

What better way to celebrate the abstract idea of our freedom by literalizing a symbol of it? Watch the rockets’ red glare at these metro area firework shows (arranged by date). June 23 Bay-Rama Fishfly Festival Where: Waterfront Park, 36300 Front Street in New Baltimore When: 10 p.m. June 24 St. Clair Shores Fireworks Extravaganza Where: Veterans Memorial Park, 32400 Jefferson…

Bobcat Bonnie’s adds daily breakfast, outdoor patio

Gastropub Bobcat Bonnie’s in Corktown continues to expand its offerings, now with daily breakfast service. Also, just in time for summer, an outdoor patio is in the works. Managing partner Matthew Buskard tells us breakfast rolled out softly on Wednesday (June 22). Expect to find entrees that make several references to ’80 and ’90s pop culture, like the Uncle Jesse (house potatoes,…

22 free things to do in Detroit this week

O shit waddup, here’s another rundown of all the free things happening in the D this week. You’re welcome.  Thursday June 23: SK8Rock with Todd Osborn UFO Factory, 2110 Trumbull St, Detroit  9 p.m. – 2 a.m. Jimi King: Summer Fashions  Detroit Fiber Works, 19359 Livernois, Detroit 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.  Lonesome Leash, Stretched…

Michigan AG sues water engineers in connection with Flint lead crisis

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette has filed a civil lawsuit against water engineers Veolia and Lockwood, Andrews & Newman, alleging the companies were negligent and contributed to the poisoning of Flint’s drinking water with lead. Veolia and LAN should have known high chloride levels in the Flint River would corrode lead pipes if left untreated,…

Man killed by Chicago-bound Amtrak in Royal Oak

An Amtrak train traveling from Pontiac to Chicago struck and killed a man in Royal Oak on Wednesday morning. According to WWJ, CBS Detroit, the Oakland County Sheriff’s office is working with federal investigators to learn more about the incident.  The train was approaching the station when those who were waiting report hearing an emergency…

Video captures Lodge shooting, good Samaritan sought

A shocking video showing a man exiting his vehicle on the Lodge, taking aim, and firing a shot at another vehicle is grabbing headlines this morning.  Warning: this video contains images OF A GUY AIMING A GUN AT ANOTHER CAR ON THE LODGE AND FIRING, and the person filming uses language that gets bleeped out…

Puppy play | Savage Love

Q There is a guy at my work who is into puppy play. I know this because I have some friends in the gay puppy community. I don’t give two shits what anyone I work with does to get off. All well and good, except… he wants us to call him Spike, his puppy name.…

Marijuana: The painkiller alternative

“I had a run-in with Vicodin; that turned into a habit that I had to kick,” said Laurent. “Opiate withdrawal — I never want to deal with that again.” Laurent isn’t this Detroiter’s real name. He didn’t want to use it because he uses marijuana both medically and recreationally, and because he’s young and hopes…

Horoscopes (June 22-28)

ARIES (March 21- April 20): I can’t even begin to break this down. You guys could be going every which way but loose. Reining things in is where it’s at. Knowing exactly how much to push, and how much to hold back, and being wise enough to navigate people and their issues without screwing things…

Saint Andrew’s Hall recalls tradition with major renovation

A Detroit cultural and architectural gem, the concert venue St. Andrew’s Hall has opened a gorgeous new lounge space: the Society Room. The name pays homage to a time when the venue headquartered the Saint Andrew’s Society of Detroit, which preserved and celebrated Scottish heritage. The renovated space was formerly known as the Burns Room,…

Looper: Julianna Barwick is beautifully directionless

As I walk around my neighborhood, listening to Will by Julianna Barwick, I abandon my usual route and begin to wander. I let go of my destination. The looping of Barwick’s voice washes over me, intensifying the beauty of the fallen rose petals on the cement in my path and celebrating the little boy I…

We tried the Rugby Grille’s $55 foie burger

Birmingham has a reputation for pretentious behavior, and it’s well-deserved. Go out to the many eateries and bars in town, and you just might overhear the intoxicated, desperate housewife talking to the bartender about the struggles of owning personal aircraft. There are the teens who, armed with their parents’ credit cards, spend afternoons splurging in…

Mountains and Rainbows: moving on, and going back

It’s no secret that Metro Times has a bit of a crush on Detroit’s Mountains and Rainbows; heck, they even topped our list of best new bands last year. We considered them “new” at the time, despite having been around for at least a handful of years, because they hadn’t released a proper full length…

Politics & Prejudices: Get a grip on political reality

I’ve never, as far as I remember, met Michael Paul Goldenberg, a mathematician, but I have noticed he is one of the most intelligent people commenting on my columns. That doesn’t mean he always agrees with me; he doesn’t, and at times he has shown me a different way to look at things. This is,…

On the patio at Northern Lights Lounge

Just off the Lodge Freeway, smooshed between a parking garage and a block of tall buildings, is a little bar that looks pretty inconspicuous on the exterior, save for a funky sign that reads: Northern Lights Lounge. Frequenters of this New Center bar know there’s nothing inconspicuous about this place. Northern Lights is a stylish…


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