Cover Stories
Welcome to our first-ever Boat Issue
It’s pretty much pointless to live in the Great Lakes State and not enjoy the water. For nine long months, it’s too cold to even let your clothes get damp. But during the high-water mark of the summer, Michiganders flock to the lakes, rivers, and ponds — and for good reason. Michigan has a vibrant…
Five excellent metro Detroit waterfront restaurants to visit by land or sea
When it comes to waterside dining in Michigan, there seems to be a formula that just about every restaurant with a dock and nice view of the sunset follows: Buy a bunch of frozen stuff and drown it in a deep fryer. The food may be mediocre, but that’s often forgiven if it’s on a…
Detroit magnet fishers find toolbox of treasures at bottom of canal
Though he’s owned a home on one of Detroit’s canals for decades, Arnold Holmes, 80, has never much been into fishing. “A jerk on one end waiting on a jerk on the other end. That’s fishing,” he said as we sat in his neighbor’s backyard on Harbor Island one recent evening. “I feed the fish.”…
Captain Jeff Pidcock stands ready to tow you out of trouble
Here’s something you landlubbers may not have considered: How do you get roadside assistance when your “road” is the Detroit River? Stranded motorists, of course, call their insurance company to arrange for a tow truck to haul their car off to the shop. What does a marooned boater do? Well, it turns out they often…
Behind the gates of Detroit’s exclusive boat clubs
A year ago, a friend and I were denied service at a local yacht club that shall remain nameless for merely mispronouncing the name of the member we’d accompanied (he was outside on his boat). It was my first brush with the exclusivity of a club where boats are kept, and it left me wondering…
Short plays and coffee on offer with Extra Mile Playwrights Theatre
A group of local playwrights have come together hoping to engage Detroiters via art and community. The even, fittingly, is called “Community Night” and it will be held July 8, with the Extra Mile Playwrights, at Detroit Sip, a coffeehouse in northwest Detroit. The evening will feature readings of several short plays, giving audience members…
Janelle Monáe will give us life at the Fox Theatre
Angels are real, y’all. Singer-songwriter, actress, activist, and visionary Janelle Monáe is living proof. Hot off her highly anticipated third full-length record, Dirty Computer, Monáe tackles blackness, queer identity, and the danger of surveillance states. “For the culture, I kamikaze,” she says on “Django Jane”, a track that introduces the album’s second of three acts…
Husband and wife cult punk duo bring obscure band Immersion to Third Man Records
Before Colin Newman teamed up with wife Malka Spiegel, Newman was busy fronting Wire — who are often revered as punk’s ultimate cult band. Hell, its debut, 1977’s Pink Flag, is still regarded as a hallmark of the first wave of British punk. Meanwhile, in Tel-Aviv, Spiegel was busy with her Israeli rock band Minimal…
Why the Cass-Henry Historic District hearings matter
Updated July 3, 2018: A final discussion and vote were reportedly postponed by Councilmembers Ayers, Jones, McCalister, Leland, Spivey, and Sheffield for “more time” — one week. Councilmembers Benson and Castaneda-Lopez tried for the vote but were unsuccessful. The issue seems bound to come up on July 10, 2018. Originally posted on June 28, 2018: Update:…
Here are 10 places in metro Detroit you can watch fireworks on the Fourth of July
Bust out your star-spangled banners, because it’s America’s dang birthday. You can celebrate the Fourth of July at any of these dazzling firework displays in the metro Detroit area. Most of the events are free, and include parades and activities throughout the day. So don’t just settle for snakes and sparkler —, make sure to…
Detroit hot dog named one of the nation’s best supermarket wieners
Michigan doesn’t quite receive the respect that it should when it comes to hot dog and sausage making. I’m not talking about the style of hot dog. Our much-loved coney dog is finally getting the national attention that it deserves. But when it comes to the actual dogs, Detroit and Michigan boasts one of the…
Chesterfield Township resident has zero chill, threatens neighbors over fireworks
On Sunday, a resident in Chesterfield Township was shook after receiving a threatening letter left on his doorstep, which detailed a vague plot for vengeance from a neighbor after being disturbed by the block’s fireworks celebration last year, FOX 2 reports. The letter opens with a list of grievances from the anonymous author, saying, “I…
The Guardian runs excerpt from Anna Clark’s Flint book ‘The Poisoned City’
The British daily newspaper The Guardian has published what appears to be a lengthy excerpt from Anna Clark’s new book, The Poisoned City: Flint’s Water and the American Urban Tragedy. The approximately 5,000-word taste of the book, entitled “‘Nothing to worry about. The water is fine’: how Flint poisoned its people,” appears a week before the book’s scheduled…
Schwarzenegger slams Michigan GOP over gerrymandering tweet
Former Republican California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger took a shot at the Michigan Republican Party after it posted false information about California’s independent redistricting commission. On Monday, the Michigan GOP posted on Twitter a picture of a map allegedly showing the districts that an independent redistricting commission drew. The map shows large districts carved out for…
Madison Heights’ Green Lantern pizza is planning two new locations
Metro Detroit mini-chain Green Lantern Pizzeria and Lounge is opening two new locations — one in Rochester Hills and another in Berkley. Metromode reports that the Rochester Hills location at Walton and Livernois roads will offer carry out and delivery only, while the Berkley store will go in the former Sila Italian Dining & Pizza restaurant on Twelve Mile…
Trick Trick to host the Takeover featuring Ice Cube and Too $hort at the Fox Theatre
Check yourself before you wreck yourself — otherwise you might miss self-proclaimed “crazy mother fucker” and triple-threat Ice Cube. Detroit Goon Squad’s Trick-Trick will host the 97.9 WJLB Takeover along with the radio station’s own Bushman for a night of hip-hop greatness on Saturday, Sept. 29. N.W.A. founder Ice Cube will headline with support from the godfather…
Court ruling on Kentucky’s Medicaid work rules could affect Michigan
In case you missed it — a federal judge on Friday blocked Kentucky’s new requirement that some Medicaid recipients show they’ve worked a certain number of hours in order to keep their health benefits. The ruling could spell trouble for a recently passed Michigan law, which would require an estimated 540,000 Healthy Michigan enrollees to…
Here’s Johnny — catch ‘The Shining’ at the Main Art Theatre’s midnight madness
Even if you have memorized every line and shot, Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining never gets easier to watch. Hailed as one of the greatest horror films of all time — though calling it a psychological mind-fuck nightmare might be more fitting — in the 38 years since its release The Shining still shimmers with, well,…
Relish in the glitter and gloom of Arcade Fire’s existential crisis at DTE Energy Theatre
Keep the car running, baby — Canada’s heavyweight champions of whimsy and depression are headed to the suburbs. For 17 years, Win Butler and wife Regine Chassagne have led the ensemble baroque pop outfit through many a universe. 2004’s Funeral mourned, 2007’s Neon Bible scorned an unkind world, and Reflektor forced us to take a…
Bill would create single-payer health care system in Michigan
A bill to be introduced in the Michigan House would transform the way the state approaches health care by creating a government-administered single-payer system to provide coverage to every Michigander. The MiCare plan unveiled today by Rep. Yousef Rabhi (D-Ann Arbor) would provide state residents with comprehensive care, including dental, mental health, and prescription drug…
Gretchen Whitmer pulls way ahead in latest governor’s race poll
A new poll released by Michigan Information & Research Service (MIRS) shows Gretchen Whitmer pulling ahead of Shri Thanedar and Abdul El-Sayed in the race for the Democratic nomination for governor. MIRS found Whitmer polling at 40 percent, while Thanedar and El-Sayed landed at 19 and 17 percent, respectively. MIRS polled 400 Democratic voters over…
U.S. Court: Detroit students have no right to access to literacy
On Friday, dumped out with the least desirable news of the week came word that a lawsuit arguing that Detroit students were being denied an education had been dismissed. Perhaps you remember the case. MT presented a cover story about it last year. With the help of a public interest law firm, a handful of…
Neapolitan-style pizza maker Tomatoes Apizza is opening in Birmingham
Neapolitan-style thin crust pizza maker Tomatoes Apizza will open a new location in Birmingham. That’s welcome news for those of us who love Tomatoes but don’t often eat it because its two current locations are in Farmington Hills. Tomatoes specializes in thin crust pies it bills as New Haven, Conneticuit-style pizza, which is essentially a…
Updated: Fist of Curry will close in early July
Mexicantown’s Fist of Curry is closing on July 9. The restaurant made the announcement on Friday on its Facebook page. We came, we saw, we curried…and now it’s time to curry on. Though it may have been brief, it was most certainly sweet. From everyone on our team, we want to thank you for helping…
Jeopardy contestant says Mackinac wrong and wins
Proper pronunciation doesn’t appear to be a requisite for winning Jeopardy. Indiana resident Scott McFadden pronounced Mackinac like many non-Michiganders might when he responded to a clue about the bridge Thursday night. The answer was, “Dedicated in June, this bridge linked Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas.” McFadden’s question — though right — came out oh so…
Gov. Snyder to sign ‘polluter panels’ bill into law
In recent years, no state agency has had as high a political profile as the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. It was created by Gov. Snyder as one of his first acts as governor, lifting the regulatory functions out of the state Department of Natural Resources as did his Republican predecessor, John Engler. The agency…
Debbie Stabenow facing pressure to approve Trump’s next Supreme Court pick
A right-wing group has launched a digital ad campaign pressuring Sen. Debbie Stabenow to support whoever Trump nominates to the Supreme Court to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy. The ad, by the Karl Rove-connected group One Nation, urges Stabenow to “say no to the left” and “help put another great justice on the Supreme Court.” Stabenow…
80 years ago, Detroit’s black heavyweight took down Nazi Germany’s star boxer
The legacy of Joe Louis, the greatest boxer in Detroit history, has faded over time. The legendary arena bearing his name is unlikely to see the end of the year. The iconic landmark bearing his name and representing his thunderous right arm in Hart Plaza is increasingly known simply as “the fist.” That artwork, commissioned…
Detroit — here’s where to join tomorrow’s ‘Families Belong Together’ protest
Hundreds of people are expected to gather in Detroit’s Clark Park tomorrow for one of more than 600 “Families Belong Together” rallies to take place across the nation. The protests are a response to the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance policy requiring the prosecution of all immigrants alleged to have crossed the border without authorization. More than…
Gold Cash Gold launches new summer menu, Corktown brewers unveil new beers
Brew Detroit, Batch Brewing release new beers Two Corktown brewers are launching new can beers on Saturday. Brew Detroit will unveil its Cerveza Delray, a Mexican-inspired 16-ounce can. At the same time a few blocks away, Batch Brewing is releasing its Rainbow Colors Blended can. It’s described as a milkshake double IPA with mango and…
Detroit to open cooling centers to combat weekend’s extreme temperatures
Detroit has been experiencing a pretty wet and humid summer. This weekend, however, the city will see its first real heat wave of the season. According to the the National Weather Service, the heat index for Detroit could reach 105 degrees on Saturday. Mayor Mike Duggan’s office has announced it will offer relief to residents looking…
Detroit hip-hop collective APX celebrates community with ‘Big Friends’ event
Brewing in Detroit’s underground scene for the past few years, a new hip-hop collective, APX (pronounced “Apex”) is living up to its name by reaching new heights as nationally renowned rappers. The group’s star-studded roster of artists — including Earlly Mac, Supakaine and Prada Leary — is setting them up to break the mold set…
An estimated 1 in 3 Detroiters has a job. Yes, this is a cause for celebration
New federal data shows Detroit’s employment picture is brighter than it’s been in 10 years, the mayor’s office says. What does that mean? It means that, as of May, an estimated 227,894 Detroiters had jobs — 1 in every 3 residents, or 43 percent of the working-age population. That’s more Detroiters than have been employed…
Expungement fair aims to give Detroiters with criminal histories a second chance
Formerly incarcerated Detroiters face many barriers when trying to reintegrate back into their communities. These job seekers are often denied employment, and even housing, based on their criminal histories. Lack of employment, compounded by persistent conditions of poverty, has led to an ugly cycle of recidivism for many of the city’s residents. Project Clean Slate…
Detroit’s Trinosophes to close for remodel, is expected to reopen in the fall
It looks like big changes are in store for Trinosophes, Eastern Market’s coffee shop, art gallery, and performance space. According to a Facebook post by co-owner (and former Metro Times arts editor) Rebecca Mazzei, the spot will close in August so she and Joel Peterson can “renovate and re-invent the space.” “Over the past few months,…
Homeland Security dismantles ‘Occupy ICE’ encampment in Detroit
Homeland Security protective police officers have dismantled an “Occupy ICE” encampment in Detroit that played home base for five days of protests calling for an end to the separation of immigrant children and their families. In video posted by the Metro Detroit Political Action Network, officers can be seen taking down two tents in front…
Protest planned for tonight’s Republican gubernatorial debate in Detroit
Hundreds of low-wage workers plan to converge on downtown Detroit this evening to protest Michigan’s Republican candidates for governor as they prepare for a televised debate. The protest, organized by Detroit Fight for 15, will aim to “highlight how Republican state lawmakers and politicians have undercut unions, wages, and healthcare for low-income Michiganders,” according to…
Against their self-interest, Republicans attack anti-gerrymandering proposal
Michigan Republican attorney general and gubernatorial candidate Bill Schuette is asking the state’s Supreme Court to kill an anti-gerrymandering ballot proposal that could go before voters in November. The initiative would require an amendment to the state constitution, and is billed as a way to take power from politicians and give it to people. It…
Belle Isle denies ‘Seven Nation Army’ event permit, performance up in the air
Earlier this week a call to metro Detroit musicians was made in hopes of putting on a 1,000-person performance of the White Stripes’ pulsing-rock anthem “Seven Nation Army” — simultaneously. The performance was to be recorded for an unnamed “huge popular award-winning television show” and would take place on Belle Isle on Tuesday, July 3.…
Modern Roman restaurant SheWolf opens in Cass Corridor on Friday
The long-awaited restaurant from former Bacco chef Anthony Lombardo debuts on Friday in the Cass Corridor’s Selden Building. SheWolf Pastificio & Bar bills itself as a modern Roman restaurant that will focus on housemade pasta made with organic, heritage whole wheat flour milled in-house by Lombardo and his team. The menu will offer 10 varieties…
Warren Mayor Jim Fouts just wants to jog in peace
Those who partake in some form of cardiovascular exercise know how important it is to keep their heart rate elevated. Cardio boxers, for example, will keep swinging at their bags between combos. Joggers run in place at street crossings as they wait for traffic to pass. Then there are the more diehard joggers, who are…
Punk, indie, and hip-hop super-producer Martin Bisi comes to El Club this weekend
A New York music producer who played an early role in punk, rap, and indie music comes to Detroit this week. It’s Martin Bisi, of B.C. Studios, who has lived and worked in a hulking building in Brooklyn’s Gowanus neighborhood since the 1970s. Back then, it was the perfect setting for recording the fringe bands…
Aurora Borealis could be visible in Michigan tonight, if not for that pesky rain
The natural phenomenon known as the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, could be visible in Michigan tonight — weather permitting. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center has predicted a G1 geomagnetic storm for this evening. For Michiganders, the best visibility is predicted to be between 11 p.m. Wednesday and 5 a.m. Thursday. If…
Detroiters help propel New York socialist Ocasio-Cortez to stunning primary win
If you follow national politics, you likely already know that, yesterday, progressive Democrats dealt stunning defeats to the party’s establishment in three major primary battles around the country. Progressive Rep. Jared Polis and Bernie Sanders ally and former NAACP president Ben Jealous won gubernatorial primaries in Colorado and Maryland, respectively. But no win was more…
Urban Ramen opens in Midtown Detroit
Midtown gains a new ramen shop when Urban Ramen hosts its soft opening on Woodward Avenue near Willis Street. The Los Angeles-based noodle shop’s first Detroit location is open to the public after 5 p.m. Wednesday. It will celebrate its grand opening when it opens at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 2. Owner Kohei Robert…
Review: Remas is another Hamtramck Yemeni gem
On the Remas menu, the word “Yemeni” only appears in English tucked away in a reference to bread. But maybe you don’t need to say “Yemeni” about a restaurant in Hamtramck any more than you need to say “American” about a McDonald’s. Owner Fahmi Alfreri estimates that his countrymen compose 55 to 60 percent of…
On marijuana, Detroit City Councilmember James Tate attempts to dispense justice
The recent amended marijuana zoning ordinance being considered by city officials has something people on both sides of the issue can hate. For instance, the number of caregiver centers is capped at 75, which means there just are not going to be as many licenses as there used to be facilities. That is simply going…
Savage Love: Both & baggage
When I started dating my husband, he told me he had a low libido. I said I could deal with that. We waited several months before having sex, and then after we started, it was infrequent and impersonal. There was some slow improvement over the three years we dated. Then we got married, and suddenly…
Horoscopes (June 27-July 3)
ARIES: March 21 – April 20 It’s funny how we get pushed by our experience to wake up and smell the coffee. Your best laid plans were supposed to keep things on track for a while. Now, all of a sudden, random events have shown up to say, “Maybe now is the time” to break…
Why L.A.’s Hit Bargain wants to bring you pleasure and pain
L.A.-based art-punk outfit Hit Bargain has never been gentle. From walking on a trampling fetishist during one of its shows to using a bright red butt plug-shank as cover art for its latest record, Potential Maximizer, the band — Nora Singh, Mike Barron, Anton Hochhiem, Sean Robert Monaghan — uses BDSM imagery and bold tactics…
A discussion with author Dave Lory about his time with the late Jeff Buckley
It wasn’t until Dave Lory had a curious encounter with a psychic in England during the summer of 1999 that he was able to entertain the idea of life after Jeff Buckley, who drowned in the Mississippi River two years earlier. The psychic made references to water and told a stunned Lory that Buckley wanted…
Flint Eastwood returns with a whole lot of love
Jax Anderson is no stranger to throwing emotional punches. Anderson, whose stage name is Flint Eastwood, wrote her most recent song in a frenzy. This should come as no surprise, as her long-standing reputation for writing openly about deeply personal experiences is evidenced by her nearly five years spent working under the moniker. On 2015’s…
