Cover Story
How one police chief and his 110 reserve officers have split the village of Oakley and its 286 residents
You’d be forgiven for being unable to point out the Village of Oakley on a map. The town of nearly 300 is a blip on the radar, distinguishable from the rest of the emptiness along M-52 only thanks to a pocket of businesses — D’s Party Store, Crossroads Cafe, Studio 221 — and homes and…
Andrew WK, Black Lips, Fucked Up, Alvvays + more to headline the 18th Metro Times BLOWOUT!
Metro Times is pleased, stoked, and super happy to announce the headliners for our 18th Blowout festival, with Andrew W.K., Black Lips, Alvvays and many more!
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at the brand-new Motor City Gas
Motor City Gas opens today
Today in Detroit history (1915): Police banned from saloons
Tip of the hat on this drinking holiday to the proprietors of Michigan’s Past on Twitter. On this day in Detroit, one long century ago, Detroit police were apparently banned from saloons. Detroit Police Cannot Enter Saloons Kalamazoo Telegraph newspaper 3/17/1915 pic.twitter.com/tUao1vhemm — Michigan's Past (@MichiganHist) March 17, 2015 Check out more from Michigan’s Past here.
New Detroit Meijer store seeking 270 positions
The new store is now in need of employees to fill 270 open positions — from cashiers to meat cutters to cake decorators and more.
ICYMI: Detroit Party Marching Band at the Hamtramck Music Festival
This pro-looking footage of the Detroit Party Marching Band at Hamtramck Music Fest the other week is just a little bit festive and fun.
Report: 26,000 residential homes in Detroit could face water shut-offs this year
Anywhere from 26,000-28,000 residential customers in Detroit could face water shut-offs starting in May, according to a report from investigative reporter Curt Guyette at the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan. The report, over at the ACLU’s Democracy Watch blog, is based off minutes of a meeting held by an advisory group for the newly-formed…
Emails: Aramark employee served cake eaten by rodents to mid-Michigan inmates
In one Michigan prison last year, rodents were apparently first in line for dessert. Last July, an employee for Michigan’s food service contractor in state prisons ordered a kitchen worker to serve cake that was nibbled and pawed by rodents to inmates at the St. Louis Correctional Facility near Mt. Pleasant, according to emails obtained…
Update: NASCAR driver, mayor defend Rochester Hills after Madonna diss
After Madonna called Rochester Hills “basic,” NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski defends his hometown.
Toast to Corrado Parducci’s 115th birthday this Wednesday
Parducci Society plans to celebrate Italian-American architectural sculptor.
Tool maker is the most unique occupation in Michigan, according to the Washington Post
While it’s not something nearly as odd like tire builder (South Carolina*), or mining roof bolters (Kentucky), here in Michigan, we boast a considerable amount of one occupation that’s unquestionably unique and cool: tool makers. According to the Washington Post, that’s our state’s most unique job, based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor…
VIDEO: Texans try to pronounce Michigan words and fail miserably
Late last year, we shared a video with you of West Coasters taste-testing some of Michigan’s famous foods for the first time ever. The results were pretty funny. Now, here’s a video, shared on YouTube by the folks at Grand Rapids’ 979GRD, of a group of Texans trying to pronounce hard-to-say Michigan words like “paczki” and “Dowagiac.” It…
ACCESS to host job fair with over 100 employers
View image | gettyimages.com The employment and training department of ACCESS, a Dearborn-based nonprofit, will host a job fair next week featuring over 100 employers from a wide variety of fields. ACCESS says companies seeking new employees that are expected to participate include: Comerica Bank, Quicken Loans, Lowe’s, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Beaumont Health, AARP, the…
Ink 2 art show seeks Miss Ink Detroit 2015
There will be cash prizes for a winner and two runner-ups.
Local battle rap vet Quest MCody waxes eloquent in new video interview short
In this recent video for Rap Grid, veteran Detroit battle rapper Quest MCody talks about losing his parents at a young age and how he’s gotten to travel the world thanks to his talent and his community.
Ryan Gosling praises Detroit’s legacy of refrigeration
Speaking about his new film ‘The Lost River,’ Ryan Gosling waxes poetic about Detroit.
Detroit’s D.S. Sense premieres new video
Watch this.
Planet Ant invades L.A.
Alumni from Hamtramck’s Planet Ant theater are forming a weekly improv set in Los Angeles.
Get everything you need for St. Patrick’s Day at Twisted Shamrock
Check out these photos from Twisted Shamrock.
Warren Evans says most cost-effective solution for Wayne County jail fiasco ‘might’ be finishing what was started
Just days after announcing a spending and hiring freeze to address Wayne County’s dire financial situation, County Executive Warren Evans riffs on the continuing problems surrounding the partially-completed jail site on Gratiot Avenue in downtown. Writing in the Detroit Free Press, Evans says the most cost-effective solution “might” be to finish the jail fiasco. From…
Better Made chips turns 85
Detroit’s favorite snack food company is turning 85 tomorrow, and to celebrate owners will announce details about the upcoming publication of a book on the company and its thriving potato chip business in southeast Michigan. The book,”Better Made in Michigan: The Salty Story of Detroit’s Best Chip,” written by Detroit writer Karen Dybis, will be…
Breaking news: adorable doggy fashion show not yet sold out
Adorable doggy fashion show and adoption events takes place at the Townsend this Sunday.
Celebrate this stupid fake-Irish drunken holiday with four amazing versions of Irish songs by folk revival genius Nic Jones
Nic Jones is probably the single greatest arranger of British folk song from the entire British folk revival of the 1960s and ’70s. His album Penguin Eggs is as close to perfect as it gets, in fact. Jones, whose first band the Halliard recorded an entire album of arrangements of Irish songs, recorded quite a…
Michigan Artisans, under new ownership, will have an open house tomorrow
Under new ownership, Michigan Artisans will host an open house tomorrow.
‘Not in this town’ — A look at the fight to test Detroit’s rape kits
View image | gettyimages.com Above: Wayne County Michigan Prosecutor Kim Worthy (L) and Law and Order actor and Joyful Heart Foundation founder and president Mariska Hargitay attend the Sexual Assault Kit Evidence Submission Act press conference at Frank Murphy Hall of Justice on March 10, 2014 in Detroit. (Photo by Paul Warner/Getty Images) It all started…
The Satanic Temple launches petition for ‘discrimination transparency’
Last month, a story about a Roseville doctor who refused to treat a same-sex couple’s baby — citing religious convictions — made the rounds. Meanwhile, Michigan has been considering a so-called “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” that would allow a person or business to refuse services that conflict with their religious beliefs. The Satanic Temple, an activist group that…
Crews will conduct I-94 bridge work at Woodward this weekend; prepare for closures
Motorists will have a stressful time driving along the I-94 corridor this weekend, following Wednesday’s fuel tanker eruption on the freeway near Wyoming Avenue. Eastbound lanes on I-94 will remain closed from the Southfield Freeway to I-96 through the weekend because of Wednesday’s accident, which, surprisingly, has no reported injuries. Beyond that, MDOT will begin…
Musicologist: ‘Blurred Lines’ not a Marvin Gaye rip-off
Earlier this week, a jury ruled that Robin Thicke, Pharrell, and T.I.’s 2013 hit “Blurred Lines” plagiarized Marvin Gaye’s 1977 song “Got to Give It Up.” A musicologist compares the two songs note-by-note.
Thrillist makes a list of Detroit’s best Irish bars according to a guy named Sully
A few weeks ago, we reported on this Thrillist listicle about about how all Detroit suburbs suck. Written by former Detroit-based food writer Nicole Rupersburg, the cheeky list really got people going. Well, Rupersburg is writing about Detroit again, this time talking up the city, rather than taking funny jabs at its outlying suburbs. Published…
Ann Arbor legislator proposes bill to end daylight savings time in Michigan
Jeff Irwin has such a major beef with daylight savings time, the Democratic legislator introduced a bill this week to forever banish the practice in Michigan. Calling it a “stressful and unnecessary” endeavor, Irwin, of Ann Arbor, said in a statement, “In the days after the spring time shift, there are well-documented increases in road…
Sights and sounds of spring along the Detroit River
YouTube spoonyfork’s channel posted this video to the social sharing site yesterday of the ice floe along the Detroit river during the recent warm spell. The footage is taken just outside of the Joe Louis Arena. Watch below:
Hurry — there might still be tickets left for Jonathan Richman at UFO tomorrow night
Original emo man Jonathan Richman, who starred in ‘Something About Mary,’ plays UFO Factory tomorrow night. This is kind of a big deal.
Rochester Tap Room opens tomorrow
Rochester’s newest beer hall opens tomorrow.
Looking back at Watts Club Mozambique
An all-male strip club burned down on Detroit’s west side this morning. Here’s a look back at the club’s infamous commercials.
MT’s Michael Jackman talks Detroit food in new Zagat video
While it’s been a wonderful experience to report on food in Detroit these last 10 years, during which so many new things have cropped up, I haven’t lost my obvious affection for the classic foods of old Detroit, whether they’re Boston coolers, coney dogs, square pizza, or those old cans of Vernors that would practically…
Here’s the worldwide premiere of the new video by Autumn Wetli (Rebel Kind) for the brand new Western Where label
We’re premiering the new video by Autumn Welti from Rebel Kind Urinal Cake’s for the brand new jukebox 45 country label Western Where.
Here’s the names of 140 people who applied to be an Oakley reservist
If you read this week’s MT cover story on the small village of Oakley, a one-square-mile hamlet just west of Flint, and the myriad problems it has faced in recent years, this might be of interest: Below, you’ll find the names of all applicants who applied to become an unpaid volunteer cop on the force…
Country Living lists two Michigan farmers markets on their list of 8 must-visit American markets
Two metro Detroit markets get a nod from Country Living .
A new collective is hoping to bring black-owned businesses some much needed media attention
Black-owned Detroit businesses are banded together to get more media attention.
MDOT installing temporary support beams at I-94/I-75 interchange in Detroit; closures planned
Following a routine inspection, the Michigan Department of Transportation has opted to install temporary bridge supports Wednesday at the I-94/I-75 interchange in Detroit, after workers discovered deteriorating concrete on a supporting column. The installation of 10 temporary bridge supports begins at 9 a.m. at northbound and southbound I-75 located under the eastbound I-94 ramp, according…
Savage Love: Truth be told
Q: When I was 15, I had a three-month-long sexual relationship with a 32-year-old woman. She was a friend of the family, and my parents were going through a divorce. I stayed with her for the summer, and she initiated a sexual relationship. Looking back, I can see that she had been grooming me. We…
‘What We Do in the Shadows’ goes for the jugular
What We Do in the Shadows: A- Can we grade on a curve? The cinematic landscape of late has be so ruthlessly denuded of genuine laughs — Adam Sandler has played no small part in this — that anything with a hint of cleverness or originality is like an oasis in the desert. Making matters…
Drink Up
Jameson The day has come, friends, to pretend you’re Irish, dress in traditional Irish garb (i.e. green tutus), take copious shots of Irish whiskey, and generally get plastered before 10 a.m. That day is known as St. Patrick’s Day, and it’s Monday, March 17. How does one accomplish all of that on a Monday? Well,…
Cartoonist Phoebe Gloeckner comes to Comic Jam
Philadelphia-born, San Francisco-raised Phoebe Gloeckner is a cartoonist and novelist, known for penning brutally honest stories (e.g., the last panel of her comic Minnie’s 3rd Love or: “Nightmare on Polk Street” is some harrowing stuff). She’s also a professor at the Penny W. Stamps School of Art and Design at the University of Michigan, where…
Om Café: A classic refreshed
With dozens of restaurants opening in Detroit and Hamtramck over the last two years, it may have passed notice that Ferndale’s Om Café, a fixture since 1985, has been under new ownership since October 2014. This is terrific news, because Om was up for sale for quite a while, and some of the café’s most…
Hot Shotz: Cornerstone Barrel House’s Colleen Cox whips us up a ‘Cornerstone Manhattan’
Colleen Cox hasn’t been bartending for very long. In fact, this pink-haired pixie got her first gig serving strictly booze at Cornerstone Barrel House. The brand-new bar in downtown Detroit used to be Oslo, but after switching owners it underwent a major renovation and rebranding. They’ve been open since last fall serving just alcoholic beverages,…
Seven things you need to know about Detroit dining this week
Get your Irish up — You could argue that St. Patrick’s Day has earned every “amateur night” joke ever made about it. It’s a recipe for disaster: People who never drink whiskey are pressured to suddenly begin pouring Jameson (and always Jameson) down their throats in volume. Instead of trying that and seeing what happens…
Old Shillelagh is Detroit’s three-story Celtic funhouse
Everyone has a story about Old Shillelagh. The towering, three-story edifice on Monroe Avenue in Greektown is unfamiliar to hardly a single metro Detroiter. We once mused that the Old Shillelagh doesn’t just stand on a foundation of brick and mortar, but upon a base fortified by drunken debauchery and inebriated revelry held together by…
R&B/soul singer Bettye LaVette takes us through her new covers album track by track
In the wake of the release of her new album, Worthy (Cherry Red), singer Bettye LaVette played a residency at the Café Carlyle in New York City, kicking off a four-month promotional tour, with stops in Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, London, and Amsterdam. That’s an extensive outing for a woman who turns 70 this…
Ask a Juggalo: What’s your take on the spiritual or religious aspect of the Dark Carnival mythos?
Q: What’s your take on the spiritual or religious aspect of the Dark Carnival mythos? A:You know, that’s really deep. Bottom line, I’m straight-up Christian, and I believe in God. At the end of the day, it’s apparent that the Insane Clown Posse believes in God. They understand that there is definitely a higher power.…
Shop for Mexican-inspired clothes, jewelry, and handbags at Frida
Yes, this boutique is named after Frida Kahlo, the artist and wife of Diego Rivera. And no, the store doesn’t have any connection to the new exhibit that’s about to open up at the Detroit Institute of Arts. Actually, the name has more to do with the fact that Kahlo once lived in the Park…
Reader responses on masturbation songs, DPS, and ‘Garthlock 2015’
Pointing fingers Dear Mr. McGonigal, I saw your article on masturbation songs in the issue of 2/11. I am a fan of Pink. There is no song called “Fingers” on the I’m Not Dead album. There is a song on there called “U + Ur Hand.” That seems to be about masturbation. Maybe that is…
Higher Ground: Creature comforts
Alan and Christi Marshall own 10 English Bulldogs so it seems like a natural extension that the company they own along with Phil Sable would take on that moniker. Bulldog Provisioning Center even sports a picture of a rather tough-looking bulldog on its logo. But Pullo, the dog wandering the premises the day I visited,…
Horoscopes (March 11 – 17)
ARIES (March 21-April 20): All of you are getting ready to move into the next thing. At times like this it doesn’t work to be scattered and it won’t serve you to perform at anything less than your highest expression. Those who are there for you need to be aware that their needs are far…
Berserker II: Super-electric Boogaloo
What a great time this is for music festivals in Detroit. We just had the second Hamtramck Music Fest, and also back for its second year is the Berserker Fest. As you might guess from the name, Berserker revels in everything your parents cautioned you against: speed metal, death metal, black metal, metal metal, thrash…
Jeff Mills on the importance of 12-inch label art, and the future of the human race
Click here for Part One of Mike McGonigal’s interview with Jeff Mills. In the second part of our interview with Detroit-born techno pioneer Jeff Mills, we address his work as a designer, the need to create limited edition objects for fans, and what it might be like to be a fly on the wall while…
Politics and Prejudices: Turning on Snyder
Last week was a bad one for our poor old “relentless positive action” governor, Rick Snyder. First, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce refused to help him out, even though Snyder has been a towel boy for their interests since the moment he took over as governor, more than four years ago. Why, the very first…
