‘House of Orfeus,’ a modern take on the Greek classic, heads to Detroit’s Spot Lite
Panamanian American baritone singer Nmon Ford is in town rehearsing for Detroit Opera’s production of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly. But between shows of the updated classic, he’ll be heading to Spot Lite to perform excerpts of his own work, House of Orfeus, a modernized tale about the mythological Greek bard and musician Orpheus, who descended into…
Michigan’s presidential primary may not occur early after all, SOS admits in lawsuit
Democrats celebrated when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill earlier this year that moved Michigan’s presidential primary election forward to February 2024, saying the earlier date would encourage candidates to focus on issues important to voters in Michigan. But in response to a lawsuit challenging the Feb. 27 election date, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s…
‘Forest of Dreams’ at Frederik Meijer Gardens is all about trees
The Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park will soon host an exhibit of tree-related works by 15 artists. Forest of Dreams: Contemporary Tree Sculpture includes abstract sculptures, some combining human and tree anatomy to help us rediscover our connection to nature. “We are excited to present this lavish exhibition that celebrates the grandeur and value…
Detroit, Eastpointe violated state law aimed at preventing abusive cops from getting new jobs
A disgraced former Detroit cop was able to get another job at the Eastpointe Police Department because both cities failed to comply with a state law aimed at preventing officers from moving from agency to agency after committing misconduct. Kairy Roberts landed a job in Eastpointe last year, despite an internal investigation in Detroit that…
Trump-endorsing James Craig announces bid for open U.S. Senate seat in Michigan
Retired Detroit Police Chief James Craig, who was booted from the Republican gubernatorial ballot last year and recently endorsed former President Donald Trump, is launching a bid for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat. Craig, 67, announced his candidacy on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, and in an interview with Fox News,…
Michigan students get ahead of emerging science in cannabis
Cannabis is an emerging science in which students can make new discoveries and contributions. Wayne State University in Michigan has introduced an undergraduate certificate program this fall. Andrea Matti, assistant professor of chemistry, Wayne State University, noted students are eager to participate, and schools across the country are experiencing a similar surge of enthusiasm. “We…
Benefit concert planned for Jake Kmiecik of Detroit indie rock band Bonny Doon
Got a Detroit music tip? Send it to music@metrotimes.com. Benefit for Bonny Doon’s Jake Kmiecik: For local music fans, especially us here at the Local Buzz desk, Jake Kmiecik has been a key figure in the scene for the past decade or so. I first became a fan of him in the band Growwing Pains…
For Banned Books Week, Michigan advocates take a stand against censorship
Book bans are no longer a distant problem but an alarming reality in the United States. According to research conducted by PEN America, instances of book banning increased 33% nationwide from the 2021-22 to 2022-23 school year. With Michigan caught in the crossfire, concerned parents, educators, and bookstores are joining forces to protect the diversity…
Skilla Baby’s Detroit birthday bash gets shut down early after venue issues
Detroit rapper Skilla Baby’s “We Eat The Most Birthday Bash” seemed doomed before it ever even began. Originally intended to be held at the Masonic Temple Theatre, the show was canceled at the last minute and moved to a new venue only to be shut down midway through. Skilla Baby’s manager Eastside Juan confirmed to…
Emagine Theatres to screen Beyoncé ‘Renaissance’ tour film
In case you missed Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” tour when it stopped in Detroit, or the fabulous show is still living in your head rent-free, here’s your chance to relive it. Emagine Theatres in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, and Wisconsin will be screening Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé from Dec. 1-24. Pre-showings will start on Thursday, Nov.…
‘Bimbo’: Text messages reveal internal outrage over Michigan State Police’s ‘Barbie’ post
Within minutes of Michigan State Police posting an image of a blonde Barbie doll in a blue law enforcement uniform on social media in July, women in leadership positions at the agency expressed outrage and demanded the post be taken down, according to emails and text messages obtained by Metro Times through a Freedom of…
Michigan Tech Week heads to Ann Arbor’s Big House
Now in its second year, Michigan Tech Week will be held in Ann Arbor from Monday, Oct. 9 through Thursday, Oct. 12. This celebration of Michigan’s tech industry is geared toward those interested in starting their own tech startups, and includes speaking panels and networking opportunities with a “founder-first” lens. Featured topics include mobility, AI,…
Festival of Darkness returns to Detroit with 12 horror shorts
The second annual Festival of Darkness film festival returns to Detroit on Saturday, Oct. 7, and will feature 12 horror shorts. The films, six of which were made by filmmakers from Michigan, will be screened at The Narthex, a reanimated historic 1900s church in Detroit’s East Canfield neighborhood. The films, selected for being dark, independent,…
Ms. Lauryn Hill and the Fugees bring ‘Miseducation’ 25th anniversary tour to Detroit
Last month, singer Ms. Lauryn Hill surprised fans by reuniting with her former group the Fugees during the headlining set of the Global Citizen Festival in New York City. Due to popular demand, the Fugees will now join Hill on as co-headliners on additional dates of her The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 25th anniversary tour,…
Falling in love on Belle Isle all over again
No man is an island, John Donne wrote in the seventeenth century. He didn’t say no man could love an island. Here’s a tale about such a man and that island, and a U.P. Ph. D. business prof determined to make it a menage a trois. The woman, originally from Oakland County suburbs, taught college…
Five hours of sleep, not enough money for food: GM Lansing Delta Twp. facility workers talk strike
General Motors Lansing Delta Township plant employees were called on Friday to join the United Auto Workers (UAW) strike — and those on the picket line say they’re ready for change. Friday marks the beginning of a third week the UAW will be striking at 43 locations across 21 states for the Detroit Three auto…
At University of Michigan color garden, plants are used to make natural dyes and paper
Bright orange marigolds and vibrant cosmos grow alongside Japanese Mitsumata at the University of Michigan’s Sustainable Materials & Color Garden. Soon, these plants and flowers will be used to make natural dyes and handmade paper at U of M’s Stamps School of Art and Design. The Sustainable Materials & Color Garden was built by Stamps…
First historical marker in Michigan honoring Mexican community placed in Southwest Detroit
Detroiters gathered on Friday to celebrate the unveiling of two historical markers at the Mexicantown Community Development Corporation Plaza: one honoring the legacy of Texas-Mexican migration to Michigan and the Tejano music community that those migrants forged, as well as a smaller marker that memorializes Martin Huron Solis Jr. and other Detroit Tejano music pioneers.…
Detroit-area strip club says UAW workers get in free for duration of strike
As the UAW strike continues, a local strip club is doing its part to help out the autoworkers during their historic labor dispute. Dream Girls Detroit in Lincoln Park says that it will offer complimentary admission for UAW members for the duration of the strike. “The United Auto Workers are not only essential to the…
‘Rogue’ ex-Detroit cop resigns from another department after losing law enforcement license
A former Detroit cop who resigned in August 2021 after an internal investigation found he had punched an unarmed man in the face and then lied about it has left another local police department in disgrace. The Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) suspended Officer Kairy Roberts’s license on Sept. 15, preventing him from…
As of noon, 25,000 UAW members will be striking against the Detroit Three automakers
Two more plants, employing 7,000 workers, are joining the United Auto Workers (UAW) strike at noon Friday, UAW President Shawn Fain announced Friday morning on Facebook Live. This brings the total number of workers who will have walked off the job to 25,000. The strike against Detroit Three auto manufacturers Ford, General Motors and Stellantis…
‘First Lady of BMF’ Tonesa Welch biopic to debut on BET+ in October
Tonesa Welch is considered the First Lady of Detroit’s kingpin Black Mafia Family. Interest in BMF has surged since 50 Cent’s BMF series started airing on Starz, but a new biopic on Welch will shine a light on her story. First Lady of BMF: The Tonesa Welch Story is set to debut on BET+ on…
Megan Heeres uses invasive plants and repurposed ‘junk’ to tend time in Matéria show
A pile of concrete slabs and glass window blocks sits outside of Matéria Gallery, slumped against the wall like a haggard traveler taking respite. Tufts of blue paper pulp seem to crawl over the brick stack like moss spreading on downed trees. Vibrant green grass and tomato plants sprout from the rubble. It’s part of…
Embattled Eastpointe mayor pleads to reduced charge after lying about COVID-19 grant
Eastpointe Mayor Monique Owens pleaded no contest Thursday to a reduced misdemeanor charge after authorities say she fraudulently applied for a $10,000 COVID-19 CARES Act grant in 2020. Before entering the plea, Owens paid $10,000 in restitution. No contest pleas are not an admission of guilt but are treated as such for sentencing purposes. The…
Developers plan to transform an old Pizza Hut in Detroit into East Warren Public Market
In recent years, new developments have sprouted up in the East Warren area of Detroit’s east side, largely thanks to the Strategic Neighborhood Fund that has been targeting different areas of the city. On. Sept. 19, Urbanize Detroit reported the area’s newest development project — the East Warren Public Market — which will turn an…
Preservationists win fight to save partially collapsed historic building in Eastern Market
The historic building that partially collapsed in the Eastern Market district earlier this month will soon be repaired after the city of Detroit backed off from its demands to demolish the 126-year-old structure. The Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental Department (BSEED) agreed Wednesday to allow the owner of the four-story Del Bene Building at 2501…
Lapointe: In Macomb County, Trump gets the blood boiling
Donald Trump — the former and possibly future president of the United States — is notoriously sloppy with words and reckless in his mob-boss allusions. So what are we to make of his blood-curdling, throwaway lines Wednesday night in a speech in Clinton Township? After telling his audience what a successful businessman he was before…
Activists to rally at state Capitol to urge Gov. Whitmer to grant clemency to more inmates
Hundreds of people are expected to gather at the U.S. Capitol on Saturday afternoon to call on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to grant clemency to more inmates languishing in prison. And there’s a treat for those who participate: Everyone will receive a free serving of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream as part of the company’s national…
Belleville’s Bayou Grill serves up a ‘Deep South Cajun/Creole’ gumbo
The neon outside the Bayou Grill advertises “Alligator, Seafood, Steaks.” To hammer home the point, a huge plastic alligator, jaws agape, dwells on the roof and an authentic alligator skin hangs near the entrance. Yet alligator appears only once on the Bayou Grill menu, in the form of breaded deep-fried bites. They’re by far the…
Hubert Massey unveils new mural at Detroit’s Huntington Tower
Longtime fresco muralist Hubert Massey has a new piece on display at Detroit’s Huntington Tower. Massey’s mural “Forging the Future” was unveiled on the ground floor of the Huntington Tower in downtown Detroit on Tuesday. It contains iconic images of the downtown area like the Detroit River, Renaissance Center, and the under-construction Gordie Howe International…
UAW president says Trump visit to non-union Michigan company is a ‘pathetic irony’
A day after President Joe Biden joined striking United Auto Workers on the picket line in Michigan alongside UAW President Shawn Fain, the labor leader says he has no intention of meeting with former President Donald Trump when he speaks Wednesday at a non-union automotive parts manufacturer and supplier in Macomb County. Fain, speaking Tuesday…
Activist files lawsuit to force Trump off the ballot in Wayne County
Community activist Robert Davis on Wednesday filed a second lawsuit aimed at removing former President Donald Trump from the primary election ballot, this time targeting Wayne County. Davis argues that Trump is barred from appearing on the county’s ballot because he violated the U.S. Constitution when he engaged in an insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021.…
Motor City Brewing Works closes Avenue of Fashion location due to ‘staffing challenges’
After being open for a little more than two years, Motor City Brewing Works announced the abrupt end of its Livernois Avenue location. In a social media post on Tuesday, the company blamed the closure on “staffing challenges.” “We are saddened to say Motor City Brewing Works will cease operations at our Livernois Taproom as…
Skilla Baby concert finds new venue after questionable cancellation at Masonic Temple
Detroit rapper Skilla Baby had plans to host a big all-ages birthday bash at the Masonic Temple Theatre this weekend, but they were derailed when the concert was abruptly canceled, forcing organizers to find a new venue for the event. The rapper alleges the Detroit Police Department brought concerns of potential violence to the venue,…
Biden makes historic visit to metro Detroit picket line to rally with striking auto workers
In the midst of ongoing negotiations between striking auto workers and Detroit’s Big Three manufacturers, President Joe Biden on Tuesday made an appearance on the picket line in Belleville. Speaking to picketers from UAW Local 174 at Willow Run Redistribution Center in metro Detroit, Biden said that unions “saved the automobile industry” in times of…
On death, near-death, and immortality
Chowhound is a weekly column about what’s trending in Detroit food culture. Tips: eat@metrotimes.com. A day at Greenfield Village left me and two lifelong friends marveling over times in our lives. In our 60s, seeing one or two museum pieces that served our parents and grandparents as practical home appliances during our boyhoods triggered a…
Free Will Astrology (Sept. 27-Oct. 3)
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Author Diane Ackerman says it’s inevitable that each of us sometimes “looks clumsy or gets dirty or asks stupid questions or reveals our ignorance or says the wrong thing.” Knowing how often I do those things, I’m extremely tolerant of everyone I meet. I’m compassionate, not judgmental, when I see people…
