Cover Stories
Welcome to the 2019 Made in Michigan issue
While Michigan is unlikely to return to its heyday as a manufacturing powerhouse anytime soon, that doesn’t mean we don’t make stuff here anymore. We do. In our annual Made in Michigan issue, we like to take a look at what Great Lakes State makers are up to, and as usual there’s a lot going…
Heat seekers: A taste of seven excellent Michigan hot sauces
When it comes to local foodstuffs, Michigan’s best-known exports are its cherries, coney dogs, pizza, and even pickles, but it’s quietly become a place for some of the nation’s finest hot sauce. I spent a week sampling some of the state’s offerings, and now I got Michigan hot sauces in my bag. Brown’s Among Michigan’s…
Michigan’s auto industry is gearing up for cars of the future
The meteoric rise of the auto industry nearly a century ago created the middle class and placed Detroit at the center of the modern industrial world. But the automakers eventually became complacent, made bad cars and bad decisions, and underestimated overseas competition. By 2009, General Motors and Chrysler entered bankruptcy. Ford was drowning in debt.…
Now that recreational marijuana is legal, Michigan’s home-grown cannabis companies are scaling up — and getting vertically integrated
Before Michigan legalized recreational marijuana, you could say much of its cannabis industry was vertically integrated, if not quite by the books. But as the state gets ready for recreational pot shops to open next year, local cannabis companies are scaling up to get ready for an industry that experts believe is on track to…
How Michigan helped make Kelly Reemtsen the fine artist she is
About a decade ago, not long after Flint-born, Los Angeles-based fine artist Kelly Reemtsen first linked up with the metro Detroit-based David Klein Gallery, she had stumbled upon what would become her signature style: colorful paintings of women, all dolled up, but holding tools — hammers, saws, wrenches, you name it. It’s a simple yet…
Flint is reclaiming its narrative through fashion
Flint resident Oaklin Mixon launched his business, GoodBoy Clothing (522 Saginaw St. #2, Flint; 877-778-4329; goodboyclothes.com) in March of 2014 — one month before the city, under a state-appointed emergency manager, switched water sources from Lake Huron to improperly treated water from the Flint River, causing the Flint water crisis. Understanding how GoodBoy survived launching…
The Grand Prix’s construction takes a lot longer than Detroit’s other major events
Spring and summer are a time when Detroit hosts world class concerts, festivals, and other events that draw visitors from all over the world. Detroiters barely notice the setup and breakdown for most events, but construction for one takes much longer and causes a bigger headache than the others — the Detroit Belle Isle Grand…
Writer and luminary Toni Morrison subject of documentary at Detroit Film Theatre
“She’s a friend to our minds,” Oprah says of Toni Morrison in the new documentary, Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am — a reference to her seminal 1987 novel, Beloved. Filmmaker Timothy Greenfield-Sanders (Lou Reed: Rock and Roll Heart, The Trans List) provides an intimate look at the evolution of the prolific iconoclast, novelist, and…
Smooth as sheepskin — Smog’s Bill Callahan heads to MOCAD
There are some voices that have emerged from the various corridors of the labyrinthian underground rock scene that just… do it for you, you know? Be it Jonathan Richman’s sultry matter-of-factness, or the soothing lo-fi tones behind Guided by Voices’ Robert Pollard, or the plush contemplative velvet of Bill Callahan, the revered solo artist and…
Dave Matthews Band will crash into DTE Energy Music Theatre
If she doesn’t remember the time when Dave Matthews Band’s bus driver dumped 800 pounds of human waste on an unsuspecting boat tour while driving over a bridge in Chicago, then she’s too young for you, bro. For more than 25 years, Dave Matthews and his band have been providing smooth mainstream jam band funk.…
Tal National brings lush West African rock ‘n’ roll to Trinosophes
Hailing from Niger, West Africa, Tal National has slowly built a reputation for energetic live performances — sometimes spanning five hours per set — starting with 2006’s debut, Apokte. The ensemble, which has been known to travel with 12 performers, has scaled down to just six members to deliver the ambitiously layered arrangements, all of…
No water? No problem — ‘Jaws’ in concert will still freak you out
“You’re going to need a bigger string section.” We have Steven Spielberg’s 1975 shark movie to thank for years of irrational fears of fucking sharks lurking in, like, every possible body of water just waiting to gobble our unsuspecting asses up. A sonic pairing with a live symphony orchestra should ease the anxiety a little,…
More than 200 artists will show their stuff at the 58th Annual Wyandotte Street Art Fair
Don’t underestimate the unassuming downriver town of Wyandotte. Returning for its 58th year is the Wyandotte Street Art Fair. Following suit with years previous, more than 200,000 visitors are expected to peruse the wares of 200 fine artists from all over the country while dining on delicious eats from more than 25 restaurants, as well…
WDIV-TV’s Kevin Dietz fired after racial remark to Black reporter
Kevin Dietz, an investigative reporter for WDIV-TV, said he was abruptly fired from the news station for a racial joke he made at a recent journalism conference in Houston. In a long Facebook post late Monday night, Dietz said he huddled for a photo with a group of journalists when he “jokingly” said, “We are…
Know your states: This is where recreational marijuana is legal in North America
In case you’re traveling this summer, it’s a good thing to know the status of marijuana where you are. At this point, adult-recreational use of marijuana is legal in Alaska, Oregon, Washington state, Washington D.C., California, Nevada, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Maine. And if you wander across a border, marijuana is legal in…
A new Indian restaurant is headed to the Cass Corridor
A new carryout Indian restaurant called Detroit Masala is in the works in Detroit’s Cass Corridor. Crain’s reports that the owner of Royal Oak’s Moti Mahal plans to open the shop in the former Cake Ambition space at 4154 Third Ave. The menu will include traditional Indian food as well as fusion dishes like a…
Detroit’s 2019 OABI paddle board event has been canceled
Sadly, it appears that OABI, or Once Around Belle Isle — a seven-year tradition of stand-up paddle board races around Detroit’s Belle Isle scheduled for early August — was abruptly canceled. Event organizers posted a notice on their Facebook page last week saying they set a save the date, hoping to ink a deal to…
Downtown Detroit Chicago-style pizzeria Giordano’s closes
Downtown Detroit’s Giordano’s pizzeria appears to have abruptly closed. The shop at 1224 Randolph St. was locked with newspaper over the window on July 1, the Detroit Free Press reports, but it’s unclear when the Chicago-based chain shut down. No reason for the closure was provided. Giordano’s was one of about a dozen pizzerias to…
The symbolic power of the marijuana leaf
Images of marijuana leaves are on just about anything these days. They’re on T-shirts, hats, cigarette lighters, underwear, posters — you name it, and somebody somewhere has slapped a marijuana leaf on it. The leaf has entered the realm of iconography that goes well beyond marijuana culture. And plenty of folks are getting busy with…
A new taco shop is headed to downtown Royal Oak
Taco chain Condado Tacos plans to open a new location in downtown Royal Oak on Aug. 8. The shop, which is planned for 310 S. Main St., specializes in “build-your-own” tacos with toppings like barbecue jackfruit, tequila-lime steak, shrimp ceviche, and Thai chili tofu. Diners also pick the type of shell, which include flavored hard…
Chief Craig responds to viral video of cars blowing donuts on Lodge freeway
Detroit Police Chief James Craig delivered a strong message to the public after a viral video surfaced showing cars blocking off traffic and blowing donuts on a darkened stretch of the John C. Lodge Freeway over the weekend. “The bottom line is, we’ll find you and we will deal with you,” Craig said during a…
Shri Thanedar is moving to Detroit with plans to run for political office
Former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Shri Thanedar is moving to Detroit with plans to run for political office. “I will definitely be on the ballot but have not yet decided which position,” Thanedar tells Metro Times. The Ann Arbor businessman, who spent $10.3 million of his own money on the 2018 gubernatorial race, edged out his…
Harvard University slammed over Snyder fellowship
What was Harvard University thinking? That’s the question people on social media are asking after the prestigious university selected former Gov. Rick Snyder to begin work as a senior research fellow with the school’s Taubman Center for State and Local Government. Missing from the university’s announcement is the Snyder administration’s role in the Flint water…
Jack White denies using heroin after joke falls flat
Rock star Jack White released a statement on Instagram over the weekend to clarify that a reference to heroin use in a recent interview was just a joke. The whole mess started with an article published over the weekend in The Irish Times about Help Us Stranger, the first record from his band the Raconteurs…
Anti-gerrymandering group Voters Not Politicians presses on, despite U.S. Supreme Court ruling
Despite a blow from the U.S. Supreme Court, anti-gerrymandering groups are pressing on to implement the Michigan voter initiative that gives redistricting power to an independent citizens’ commission. The high court ruled late last week that federal judges can’t interfere with electoral maps drawn for partisan gain, which means that Michigan’s highly gerrymandered districts will…
Tlaib pushes to repeal Muslim ban, introduces anti-poverty legislation
The offices of Michigan congresspeople Rashida Tlaib, Debbie Dingell, Brenda Lawrence, and Andy Levin held a press conference on Friday to call to repeal President Donald Trump’s Muslim ban. The event highlighted the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to allow for a travel ban that largely targets majority-Muslim countries. Congress has introduced…
Charges dropped against Detroit artist Sheefy McFly
Detroit artist Sheefy McFly will not face charges following his arrest by Detroit Police last week. McFly, whose real name is Tashif Turner, was arrested on June 19 after being mistaken for vandalizing a viaduct east of Seven Mile Road and John R when in fact the 29-year-old artist was completing a mural, his first…
Marianne Williamson was Michigan’s most Googled candidate following Dem. debates — and we might know why
One nation, under GOOP — Marianne Williamson cast a spell on Michiganders during the second night of the Democratic presidential primary debate on Thursday. While Sen. Kamala Harris walked away having commanded the four-hour debate, most notably with her takedown of former Vice President Joe Biden’s opposition of federally ordered school bussing during the 1970s, during…
Lily Tomlin to receive Lifetime Achievement Award during 15th annual Traverse City Film Festival
Everything is coming up lilies. Detroit-born actress and comedian Lily Tomlin will be honored with a lifetime achievement award at the 15th annual Traverse City Film Festival. The festival, which was founded by activist filmmaker Michael Moore, will take place July 30 through Aug. 4. Moore will present the award following a conversation with the 71-year-old…
These Michigan reps voted for more ‘concentration camp’ funding
Call them what you will — migrant detention camps, concentration camps, internment centers. Regardless, the conditions are undeniably awful. Kids are dying and being denied medical treatment. The Trump administration deosn’t want to give kids toothbrushes, soap, or other items for basic hygiene. Many sleep on the floor, lice infestations are common, and the Trump…
A condescending Chief Craig breaks silence about Detroit’s facial-recognition technology
Detroit Police Chief James Craig finally broke his silence Thursday about the city secretly using facial-recognition technology for the past two years, castigating the media for asking questions about privacy rights and flaws in the system. Condescending and irritated, the chief showed little concern about the serious constitutional issues that have been raised by legal experts…
AG Dana Nessel files lawsuit to shut down Great Lakes oil pipeline
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel today filed a lawsuit asking a court to shut down an aging oil pipeline that partly runs through the Great Lakes. At the same time, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration directed the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to issue an opinion on whether the pipeline’s owner, Canadian oil giant Enbridge, is…
Detroit will host a chicken wing festival this summer
Detroit is a chicken wing town so it makes sense that the city finally has a chicken wing festival, which is planned for Roosevelt Park in August. Among the restaurants participating at the first annual WingOut are Detroit Wing Company, Cork and Gabel, Firebird Tavern, The Jolly Pumpkin, McShane’s Irish Pub, Park’s Old Style Bar-B-Q,…
Remembering Millie Felch Coffey, a behind-the-scenes legend in Detroit’s recording scene, dead at 72
Millie Felch Coffey is seated in a green room at NBC Studios in New York, where her husband, legendary Motown “Funk Brother” guitarist Dennis Coffey, is preparing to sit in with Jimmy Fallon’s house band, The Roots. “One of the NBC employees came in wearing this gold peacock badge, apparently a symbol of his seniority,”…
Kash Doll gave Big Sean a pair of Cartier sunglasses
Is this the most Detroit gift exchange ever? Detroit rapper Kash Doll gifted Big Sean a pair of Cartier Buffs. Kash Doll shared the exchange in a video on Twitter with the caption, “Detroit love ❤️,” and fans went crazy. Detroit love ❤️ pic.twitter.com/b7NkDJ2ueY — Kashdoll Sr. (@kashdoll) June 26, 2019 One person tweeted, “This…
Rep. Amash teases third-party bid against Trump in 2020
U.S. Rep. Justin Amash — the “lowercase ‘L’ libertarian” from Michigan who is the only Republican in Congress so far to call to impeach President Donald Trump — has teased that he could mount a third-party presidential campaign in 2020. “I haven’t ruled anything out,” 39-year-old Amash told The Hill on Wednesday when asked about…
Video shows 2 white Grosse Pointe girls calling each other slaves and the N-word
A video posted to Twitter reportedly shows two white Grosse Pointe South High School students calling each other slaves and the N-word, while also physically fighting each other. The video was shared to social media amid accusations that the Grosse Pointe School System board of education’s decision to close Poupard Elementary school was racially biased.…
Detroit’s pervasive facial-recognition system never got police commission approval
Detroit police began using a pervasive and controversial facial-recognition system without getting approval from the elected Board of Police Commissioners. More than a month after Metro Times reported the police department was using the technology with little to no oversight, the commission is planning to vote on the issue at 3 p.m. Thursday. The commission’s…
Eminem’s estranged father, Marshall Bruce Mathers Jr., reportedly dead after heart attack
Marshall Bruce Mathers Jr., the estranged father of Detroit rapper Eminem, has reportedly died. TMZ reports that Mathers suffered a heart attack while at home near Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was 67 years old. Eminem’s familial struggles have famously played out throughout the 46-year-old’s lyrics, most notably those involving his mother, Debbie Mathers, who once…
Recently opened Detroit izakaya Katsu is closing already
Recently-opened izakaya Katsu Detroit appears to be preparing to close. A sign posted on the Woodbridge restaurant’s door states that it’s holding a “closing down sale” from June 25 to June 30. The Japanese gastropub that offered small plates, noodle dishes, and meats cooked on a yakitori grill just opened in December. Co-owner Katsu Yama’s…
Review: ‘Toy Story 4’ is no child’s play
The Toy Story movies have always interacted directly with the fundamentals of animation. As Pixar’s prowess (for the company does feel like a single creature), the series’ engagement with drawing, puppeteering, and overt artifice has gradually broadened — all the while the series’ trappings have become less of a construct for delivering some idea than…
Savage Love: How do I, a quiet guy, let people know I’m kinky?
I’m a single gay guy in my late 30s. I’m quite introverted and a bit shy, yet I have a big sexual drive and a rich libido. I’ve always found the gay scene overwhelming, and my several attempts at online dating were not very successful. I feel my quiet ways tend to put people off…
Horoscopes (June 26-July 2)
ARIES: March 21 – April 20 The sense that it’s time to fish or cut bait could be surfacing in a number of different areas of your life. The idea that you’ve been pushing this rock up a hill for quite some time and getting nowhere might be giving you pause to wonder whether you…
Review: Ochre Bakery serves up clean cuisine in Core City
At this point in time, the idea of a restaurant trading in fare that’s local, seasonal, fresh, etc., has lost a little of its meaning. It’s hard to find a new spot that doesn’t highlight something like “local greens,” for example, but local greens with Sysco dressing is a little pointless. And even among those…
How Mitch McConnell — and all white people — benefit from white supremacy at the expense of our Black neighbors
“I don’t think reparations for something that happened 150 years ago for whom none of us currently living are responsible is a good idea,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters last week, as House Democrats prepared the first-ever hearing on the subject. (Detroit Rep. Rashida Tlaib was a co-sponsor of H.R.40: The Commission to…
