Cover Story
Inside the grassroots fight to end gerrymandering in Michigan
Thanksgiving 2016 was not an easy one in America. The holiday fell just weeks after Donald Trump’s upset presidential win in an especially contentious, dramatic election, and the divide in American politics was represented at plenty of the nation’s Thanksgiving tables. Katie Fahey was one of those not looking forward to that year’s dinner. Her…
Pass the Weed PAC focuses on bumpy road that would follow pot legalization in Michigan
For our latest installment of political action committees with funny names and noble missions, we bring you Pass the Weed PAC, a PAC designed to support cannabis-friendly candidates in Michigan. Why do we need candidates who are pro-marijuana when many polls suggest Michigan is poised to free the weed through ballot initiative Nov. 6, you ask?…
Detroit teens reimagine criminal justice with alternative to new jail
Last Saturday on Detroit’s near east side, groups of teens sat huddled around tables talking about the future of their city. They were discussing something that normally doesn’t include the perspective of students — jails. Or, more specifically, what Detroit would look like if a restorative justice center was built instead of a new Wayne…
‘RoboCop’ actor to partake in panel discussion at the Senate Theater following screening
Of all of the characters committed to celluloid, perhaps no one represents Detroit more fittingly than murdered Motor City cop Alex Murphy and his superhuman android second-life as RoboCop. The 1987 sci-fi classic tackled everything from gentrification to dystopia and is as relevant now as ever. (Don’t bother with the 2014 remake.) The film kicks…
Chan Marshall brings Cat Power to Detroit with new record in tow
Mainstream listeners were likely introduced to Cat Power through her heartbreaking cover of Phil Phillips’ 1959 “Sea of Love” — just one of the 12 haunting song reinterpretations on her 2000 cover record. Though Wanderer — Charlyn “Chan” Marshall’s forthcoming record and 10th in Cat Power’s discography — features a cover of Rihanna’s “Stay,” what…
The Wright Museum will celebrate fashion with eighth annual gala
Not only does the Charles H. Wright Museum hold the world’s largest permanent exhibit focused on African-American history and culture, but it is also a revolving door of diverse programming. For its eighth annual Wright Gala, the museum is upping the ante based on its current exhibit, “Oh, You Fancy!” An exclusive celebration of African-Americans’…
Prince’s beloved band the Revolution will paint the town purple at the Majestic
Dearly beloved, we have gathered here today to get through this thing called life. What better way to get through life without Prince than to soak in the sounds of his Revolution? Assembled in 1983 by Prince himself in Minneapolis, the Revolution became vital to Purple Rain — the rock opera film and companion album…
Study: Detroit is actually more expensive than Seattle, relatively speaking
As far as the mainstream narrative goes, Detroit is supposed to be your quintessential post-industrial Midwestern burg — a former big city with room to grow, and a much cheaper rent than what you’ll find in other metropolises. Meanwhile, Seattle is the poster city for tech-fueled gentrification, a place where a booming industry has caused…
No cell phone policy enforced for Kevin Hart’s Irresponsible Tour at LCA
Comedian Kevin Hart doesn’t pull punches — not even when it comes to airing out his own real-life dirty laundry, as he did in rapper J. Cole’s salacious video for “Kevin’s Heart.” Hart, who first hit the scene nearly 16 years ago under the name Lil Kev, refers to himself as a “grown-ass little man”…
Eleanor Friedberger goes on the ‘Rebound’ as she heads to El Club
“Are we good?” singer-songwriter and former Fiery Furnaces vocalist Eleanor Friedberger begs on her Arcade Fire-esque, lament-heavy fourth record. Since her progressive sibling duo disbanded in 2011, Friedberger has churned out a slew of indie pop records which offer a micro-view on her inner workings. 2018 finds Friedberger questioning just about everything on a macro…
Kanye West blew through Detroit straight GUZZLING that Gilbert Kool-Aid
Fresh off the heels of his pro-Trump SNL rant, Kanye West touched down in Detroit Tuesday to guzzle the Kool-Aid of another rich white guy with too much power — Dan Gilbert. Yes, rapper-producer Kanye West popped up in DETROIT, MICHIGAN and apparently beelined for the high-rise offices of Gilbert’s various companies, where he went on…
More than 1,650 pounds of marijuana have been seized at Michigan-Canadian border
Don’t attempt to mail your cannabis crop across the border, because the feds are on the prowl. Today, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection released a statement revealing that more than 1,650 pounds of marijuana have been seized at the Blue Water Bridge in the past five weeks. The first seizure at the Michigan-Canadian border…
Abdul El-Sayed, Rashida Tlaib among 18 arrested at Fight for $15 rally in Detroit
Former gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed and future 13th District Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib were among 18 people cited for disorderly conduct at a rally today by Detroit fast food and other workers. The demonstrators were taken into custody outside the McDonald’s on Woodward in Detroit’s Midtown, where about 400 people gathered to demand the company and…
Kanye West says he is meeting with Dan Gilbert today
Suffice it to say, Kanye West talks a lot of shit. The outspoken rapper has been in the news a lot lately due to a number of increasingly erratic recent interviews and public appearances. West sat down with TMZ for a rambling Q&A on Monday, where he talked about his support of President Donald Trump (while…
Detroit designer launches ‘Supreme Cunt’ t-shirt with Kavanaugh’s rat face
Like many of us, Bethany Shorb, founder of Detroit-based retailer Well Done Goods, was struck with a brilliant idea while perched upon the toilet. And no, that’s not a euphemism for the experience of scrolling through Twitter last Thursday while America divided itself over the unstable ramblings of Supreme Court justice hopeful and alleged sexual predator Brett…
Keith Crain thinks people in Detroit can’t bike in the winter
Another column from Keith Crain is once again making the rounds on social media, with the Crain’s Detroit Business head honcho doubling down on his distaste of what he calls the “bikeification” of the Motor City. “This is an idea that was carried way too far, with no end in sight,” Crain writes, unironically, in…
Protesters injured as truck strikes Fight for $15 rally in Flint
Multiple people at a “Fight for $15” rally in Flint were struck by a vehicle early Tuesday morning. MLive reports that eight people were rushed to the hospital after a pickup truck hit a crowd that had gathered outside of a McDonald’s near Dort Highway and Lapeer Road. Police say that people were crossing the street…
New jewelry line features gerrymandered Michigan district
You can now wear a symbol of our eroding democracy around your neck: A gerrymandered district. A new line called Gerrymander Jewelry features six of the nation’s more crudely carved Congressional districts, and unsurprisingly, the near-perfect zigzag that is MI-14 has made the cut. The district snakes from Downriver to Pontiac, cutting east and west…
West Village restaurant and butcher shop opens this week
Detroit chef Sara Welch’s new restaurant focusing on whole-animal butchery opens on Thursday in the West Village. The space — in the Garland building at 8044 Kercheval Ave. — holds a restaurant and patio on the east end of the building that will work with the butcher shop occupying the space next door. The butcher…
Premiere: Double Winter confront the male gaze with new video for ‘Oxen’s Eye’
The last time Metro Times checked in with Detroit’s Double Winter they were gracing the 2018 incarnation of our annual bands to watch roundup. At the time, Holly Johnson (vocals and bass), Morgan McPeak (drums), Augusta Morrison (electric violin), and Vittorio Vettraino (guitar) were scheming on how to properly follow their well-received 2016 EP, Watching Eye.…
After their school abruptly shut down, these Detroit students are scrambling to secure their futures
The abrupt closure of a Detroit charter school last week has forced students and parents to figure out new accommodations as the school year marches on. On Wednesday, the board for Delta Preparatory Academy for Social Justice voted 4-1 to close the school with no explanation. The closure went into effect Monday. The charter was…
New streetwear boutique Urban Angelo looks to set up shop in Brush Park
Detroit-based clothing boutique, Bird Bee, will soon be serving up new looks through a new soon-to-be-launched sister-store. Bird Bee’s latest venture, Urban Angelo, is getting a brick and mortar location at 90 Erskine Street within The Scott at Brush Park apartment complex. Urban Angelo can be described as Bird Bee’s answer to streetwear fashion, offering…
Neisha Neshae drops ‘Me and My Dawgs’ video
Ypsilanti’s self-appointed “queen of R&B trap,” Neisha Neshae, is back with a bass- and bounce-heavy single, “Me and My Dawgs.” In the video, a purple-haired Neshae raps and sings in front of backup dancers and ruin porn. The video also features Kevo Hendricks, production Dre Butterz, and was directed by Cedric Louis and Alec Aretakis. You…
Meet the 2018 Detroit Food Power Award winners
Among the things that make Detroit’s food system great is the generally high level of dedication to ensure that there is fair representation and inclusivity in it, as well as food security across the entire community. Each year, the Detroit Food Policy Council honors with the Food Power Awards those who are putting in the…
Obama backs Gretchen Whitmer for Michigan governor
The midterm elections are a little over a month away and with that comes a final push by Republicans and Democrats to get their candidates elected. Today, Barack Obama released his “second wave” of midterm endorsements, following his initial round of endorsements announced on Aug. 1. Included in this second round are a slew of…
Viral video appears to show maggots in food at Warren Chinese restaurant
(Ed Note: This story was updated with comment from Wing Wah at 5:17 p.m.) A video posted to Facebook appears to show maggots crawling on a plate of almond boneless chicken at Wing Wah, a Warren Chinese restaurant. The video, posted by Yvette Williams, was accompanied by a short account of what Williams claims happened…
Detroit fast food workers to strike for union rights
Around 1,000 fast food workers in Detroit and Flint will strike on Oct. 2 to demand union rights. The workers will walk off the job on Tuesday, and return at their next scheduled shift. The Flint and Detroit strikes kick off a nationwide walkout by fast-food workers demanding union rights from their employers in battleground states…
Moodymann’s Instagram speaks for every sane person in America
Moodymann — the iconic Detroit DJ-producer who, thanks to his frequent refusal to give interviews, remains somewhat of an enigma — has begun to regularly share his political views with the world. And, wouldn’t you know it, Moodymann is right. Our window into the mind of Kenny Dixon Jr. is his Instagram, which features quite…
Report: GOP super PAC gives up on key race featuring Michigan Rep. Mike Bishop
A super PAC aligned with GOP House leadership is reportedly cutting off support for Rep. Mike Bishop, the Republican incumbent trailing in a tight race for Michigan’s 8th Congressional District. According to Politico, the Congressional Leadership Fund is pulling a whopping $2.1 million it had planned to put toward television advertising for Bishop as he…
Founders changes mind on Schuette, decides it’s cool with homophobia after all
On Sept. 19, Founders Brewing Co. announced via Twitter that it was terminating its membership with the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce over the chamber’s endorsement of gubernatorial candidate and noted homophobe Bill Schuette. In the tweet, Founders said, “We stand with our LGBT Community and ask that the GRChamber reverse their decision.” Sane, kind,…
John Legend will deck the halls of the Fox Theatre with ‘Legendary Christmas’
We have some really good news and some deeply disturbing news. Good news: it was announced Monday that R&B crooner cutie and piano man John Legend is bringing his “Legendary Christmas” spectacular to the Fox Theatre. The bad news? That means Christmas is just 85 days away and please just let us die. Anyway, let’s…
Shoemaker Pingree Detroit employs vets to make the first sneakers manufactured in the Motor City
In the fall of 2014, Jarret Schlaff, president and co-founder of shoe company Pingree Detroit, stumbled upon two struggling veterans in Detroit. “In the same week, back-to-back, I found veterans that wanted to work but couldn’t find work,” he says. The first man he encountered was Ryan, a homeless veteran squatting near Schlaff’s Detroit home…
Detroit Cocktail Week announces 2018 line up
Detroit Cocktail Week announced its line up for the event, which begins Monday and includes,”creative and immersive programming including seminars, cocktail-paired dinners, and spirit-driven events,” according to a release. It culminates Friday with the Detroit Cocktail Classic at the Eastern Market, which DCW bills as “the cocktail party of the year … featuring over 40…
Following outcry, deaf Detroit immigrant allowed to stay for another year
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will allow Francis Anwana — a Nigerian immigrant and longtime Detroiter with disabilities — to stay in the country for at least one more year. The news follows a public outcry that ignited both sides of the immigration debate, with Ann Coulter losing her shit on the right and Rep. Dan Kildee…
‘I believe Dr. Ford’ — Whitmer and others respond to the Kavanaugh hearings
In what can perhaps best be described as a supreme spectacle, Thursday’s hearing between Dr. Christine Blasely Ford and Judge Brett Kavanaugh broke precedent, turned stomachs, and dominated Twitter feeds. During the two weeks leading up to Kavanaugh’s confirmation for Supreme Court following his July 9 nomination from President Donald Trump, three women have come…
Amazon wants to deliver Detroit’s groceries — here are five better local options
(Update on 10/1: An Amazon spokesperson denies that Jeff Bezos is a union-busting, tax-dodging, low wage-paying, local-business bankrupting, homeless-hating, billionaire ghoul.) Union-busting, tax-dodging, low wage-paying, local-business bankrupting, homeless-hating, billionaire ghoul Jeff Bezos wants his Seattle-based company, Amazon, to deliver Detroit’s groceries. It recently announced that Amazon Prime customers can get Whole Foods groceries delivered to…
Ann Arborite and ‘The Voice’ finalist Laith Al-Saadi celebrates birthday with concert
Ann Arbor musician Laith Al-Saadi already had his teeth in the game when he scored his 15-minutes of fame as a finalist on NBC’s The Voice in 2016. Since hitting the national stage with his blues-infused grit, Al-Saadi has received a surge of uplifting support from the Michigan community of music fans. In order to…
Democrats give boost to GOP state Supreme Court candidate shunned by her party
Some Democrats are coming to the aid of Republican-nominated Supreme Court justice Beth Clement as members of her own party turn on her for voting to allow a proposal to end political gerrymandering to advance to the November ballot. Civil rights attorney Deb Gordon, a longtime contributor to Democratic candidates and Democratic-backed justices, recently held…
Unfurled: Supports/Surfaces to bring art inspired by the Paris riots to MOCAD
“The French are bored,” Le Monde, France’s leading newspapers, proclaimed in March 1968. The French were bored, according to Le Monde, because they had not lent their participation in the protests that had engulfed the rest of the world. Bored because their youth had provided them with a faulty moral compass, which absolved them…
On cusp of flu season, Michigan looks to improve vaccination rates
With flu season fast approaching, the most recent figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are far from encouraging. An estimated 80,000 Americans died of flu and flu-related complications last winter, according to Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of the CDC. That would make the last flu season the deadliest in more than…
Give ’em three feet – new Michigan law goes into effect to protect cyclists from vehicles
Michigan cyclists will be able to breathe a sigh of relief knowing that they’re protected from motorists by a new law that goes into effect today. The new law will require motorists overtaking cyclists to give three feet of distance. The law is in response to an alarming 133 percent increase in cyclist fatalities since…
Township votes to allow Michigan boy with autism to keep his therapy support ducks
It’s good news for 12-year-old Dylan Dyke of western Michigan, who was told he may lose custody of his two autism support ducks earlier this summer. After extensive public outreach and an ongoing appeal process, Dylan can officially keep on duckin’. The Georgetown Township family faced a series of complaints in July filed by neighbors…
Southwest Detroit is hosting its first ever restaurant week
Southwest Detroit is arguably the city’s richest food neighborhood, and the restaurants that make it such will be on display in its first ever restaurant week. SW Detroit Restaurant Week runs from Friday, Oct. 5 to Sunday, Oct. 14, and will feature around 20 participants. Though Southwest is known for its Mexican fare, it holds…
Libertarian candidate proposes splitting Detroit, Wayne County
One of the candidates running to be Michigan’s next governor has proposed splitting Detroit and Wayne County — a sort of “Detrexit,” if you will. Libertarian Bill Gelineau unveiled his plan while meeting with the Young Americans for Liberty student group at MSU on Wednesday. Dubbed “Detroit 84,” the proposal would split Wayne County in two.…
Detroit is getting a third electronic scooter service as Spin plots rollout
The latest to join Detroit’s single syllable, dockless electric scooter trend is San Francisco-based Spin. “The new big 3… Bird, Lime, and Spin,” Reddit user tonydelight says in response to the scooter news, illuminating the question on everyone’s minds: Does Detroit really need hundreds of scooters? Probably not. But Spin wants in. What sets Spin…
Four restaurants headed to new downtown Detroit food hall
Forthcoming Detroit food hall Fort Street Galley has announced the line up for the 8,600-square-foot space inside the downtown’s Federal Reserve Building. Eater reports that it includes Allenby, a sandwich and small plates restaurant with a Middle Eastern influence by former Selden Standard staff; Isla, a restaurant built around Filipino diaspora cuisine; Lucky’s Noble BBQ, a…
Keegan-Michael Key to host voter registration event in Detroit today
You know what’s funny? Michigan native Keegan-Michael Key doing literally anything. You know what’s not funny? Not voting because shit is fucked and every single vote counts. In the time it took you to read this, you could have registered to vote and/or reported one of Trump’s tweets . Anyway, back to Key who has teamed…
Ford CEO says Trump’s tariffs will cost the company $1 billion in profits
Ford Motor Co. CEO Jim Hackett says President Donald Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs have already cost the automaker $1 billion in profits. Hackett made the comments on Wednesday in an interview with Bloomberg. “From Ford’s perspective the metals tariffs took about $1 billion in profit from us, the irony of which is we source most of…
Another Detroit charter school abruptly closes, leaving students hanging in the balance
Less than a month into the school year, Detroit’s Delta Preparatory Academy for Social Justice suddenly sent students packing today as education officials announced its permanent closure to the shock of parents and students. The board of education for Delta Prep, a public charter school, voted 4-1 to shut down the school effective Oct. 1.…
Cadillac headquarters plots relocation from New York to Warren
Cadillac is coming home – or at least this is true of its headquarters. Nearly four years after the luxury car brand moved its headquarters from Detroit to the fashionable SoHo district in New York, representatives at General Motors have announced that Cadillac will make its move to Warren. The initial move to New York…
Conan O’Brien announces Detroit stand-up show
Detroit fans of surrealist funny man Conan O’Brien are in luck — the well-coiffed comedian announced a Motor City date on his upcoming tour, his first since 2010. Dubbed the “Team Coco Presents Conan & Friends: An Evening of Stand-Up and Investment Tips,” the 18-date tour kicks off in Washington, D.C. in November. It has a…
Poll: Democrats have edge in Rust Belt states Trump won
There’s plenty of reason to believe that the Midwestern states that helped land President Donald Trump his surprise victory in 2016 are having buyer’s remorse — whether it’s because of Trump’s repeated attempts at cutting Great Lakes funding, the culture wars waged on the African-American and Arab-American communities, a lack of confidence in the economy,…
Stupid-ass tornado warning ruined ‘This is Us’ premiere for metro Detroiters
For diehards of the NBC emotional family drama This Is Us, few words elicit a guttural response quite like “Jack Pearson” and “fire.” Last night, however, “Tornado warning in Southeast Michigan” and “This Is Us season 3 premiere” came in a close second as metro Detroiter’s lost their collective shit when Tornado warnings tore through the…
Legal marijuana is far from in the bag in Michigan
The Nov. 6 vote on legalizing recreational marijuana is not looking quite as sure as it did a few months ago. During a Sept. 19 blitz of press conferences sponsored by law enforcement and the anti-marijuana group Healthy and Productive Michigan, the results of a MIRS poll showed more Michigan voters opposing legalization than supporting…
Savage Love: I looked at my boyfriend’s internet history and it was lots of porn
I’m a 62-year-old woman. I was married for 33 years and left five years ago. We hadn’t gotten along for years, but he never stopped wanting or valuing me for sex — in spite of treating me like a household appliance and cheating on me regularly. Not long after the marriage ended, I met a…
Horoscopes (Sept. 26-Oct. 2)
ARIES: March 21 – April 20 Everything is timing. When you’re in one of those places where you can’t start this until you’ve finished that, sometimes it’s hard to hang tight and stay clear about your intentions. Having plenty of time to think brings up all kinds of doubt. It’s in these tight places that…
On latest record, Detroit rapper Illingsworth further develops his rap prowess
Detroit hip-hop artist Illingsworth has been serious about music for quite some time, yet he’s never been afraid to add some levity to his songs. While he has gained the most notoriety as a producer, he’s also an accomplished MC. His beats are glitchy, off-kilter, and always seem to find the pocket. Meanwhile, his raps…
From public access to ‘Tim and Eric,’ David Liebe Hart has no idea what’s going on — and neither do we
David Liebe Hart cares about three things: trains, aliens, and finding love. But mostly, trains — as nearly 30 minutes of our hour-long conversation were spent discussing the Chicago Milwaukee North Shore Railroad which, to his dismay, discontinued rail service in 1962. Hart’s is far from a household name. But for fans of the eccentric…
Review: ‘In the Last Days of the City’ offers a street view from Cairo
One of the most elementary measures of a movie’s success is whether it can deliver images or experiences we’ve never seen or had before. Going by that rubric, Egyptian filmmaker Tamer El Said’s debut — which opens at the Detroit Institute of Arts and Ann Arbor’s State Theatre on Friday following a Cinema Lamont screening…
Yo, Schuette: You’re running against Whitmer, not Granholm
The advertising in the gubernatorial race between Democrat Gretchen Whitmer and Republican Bill Schuette so far has shown fascinating contrasts. Schuette has mostly spent his advertising dollars to declare that Whitmer is Jennifer Granholm 2.0. — a scary proposition. Schuette’s tactic in the primary season was to attach lieutenant governor Brian Calley to Granholm for…
Review: Why Detroit’s SheWolf is so hot right now
SheWolf is so hot right now it’s hard to land a table. Last week you couldn’t get a Friday or Saturday seat four weeks out, and on weekdays only at 5:15 p.m. or 9 p.m. Could it really be that metro Detroiters are that excited about house-milled flour for their pasta? Do they know Roman…
‘Evil Dead: The Musical’ celebrates 10 gory years of music and mayhem
The campy cult horror classic Evil Dead is, after nearly four decades, revered as a hallmark of the horror genre — and also perhaps one of the most unlikely candidates for a musical adaptation. For 10 years, Jamie Warrow has had a hand in the Detroit production of the off-Broadway sensation Evil Dead: The Musical.…
