Cover Story
Quaaludes, misfits, and spilled milk: A new doc about the made-in-Detroit rock mag ‘Creem’ is finally here
Let’s get a few things straight. Subscription kid-turned-writer and unofficial KISS correspondent Jaan Uhelszki wasn’t a goddamn groupie in tight jeans with a tape recorder; and editor Dave Marsh may have coined the term “punk rock” and played the Who’s “I Can’t Explain” 23 times in a row during his stint at a college radio…
Ousted MOCAD director hired one of Detroit’s most prominent Black lawyers, accuses museum of violating her civil rights
The drama at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit is not over yet. On Monday, The Detroit News reported that former MOCAD director Elysia Borowy-Reeder — who was fired last month after dozens of employees came forward alleging racial insensitivity and a toxic work environment — has hired attorney Melvin Butch Hollowell to represent her.…
Surprise! Betsy DeVos has been hiding in her mansion, not doing shit for K-12 schools
This year has felt a bit like a never-ending haunted house filled with frightening surprises, chainsaws, and killer clowns. It should not come as a surprise, however, that the inexperienced billionaire U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has been more than hands-off when it comes to ensuring the safety of America’s 51 million children returning to…
Before celebrating all the jobs the new Detroit Amazon center will bring, remember that this is grueling, ruthless work
On Tuesday, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan revealed that online retail powerhouse Amazon was eyeing the site of Detroit’s former State Fairgrounds as the location for a $400 million distribution center. The new facility, which is expected to open in 2022, would bring 1,200 jobs to the Motor City, Duggan said. Yay, jobs! Right? Well, talk…
Amazon wants to build $400M distribution center with 1,200 new jobs at Michigan State Fairgrounds site in Detroit
Amazon is hoping to build a large distribution center that would create at least 1,200 new jobs at the old Michigan State Fairgrounds in Detroit, Mayor Mike Duggan said Tuesday. If all goes as planned, the center would open in 2022. The fairgrounds site has been largely abandoned since 2009, but the city began using…
Detroit ranked worst spot to be stuck at home amid coronavirus pandemic by *checks notes* Lawn Starter dot com
If you live in Detroit, you live in the absolute worst place to be stuck at home during this coronavirus pandemic. Well, at least that’s according to a new “study” by… LawnStarter.com, a website that pairs people with lawn care services. So take this with a grain of salt. The study ranked Detroit as the…
Massive Detroit anime convention Youmacon is moving forward with 2020 event despite coronavirus
Updated Saturday, Aug. 15: Youmacon has released a statement explaining its side of the situation. You can read it here. Originally posted at 12:10 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 11: Amid a pandemic, one of the largest cosplay conventions in the country is getting Spirited Away and proceeding with its 2020 plans. Youmacon — Detroit’s annual celebration…
Oakland County judge ends probation of teen who was incarcerated over schoolwork
An Oakland County judge who incarcerated a 15-year-old girl for not doing her schoolwork while on probation decided Tuesday morning to release the teen from probation. Circuit Court Judge Mary Ellen Brennan agreed with a caseworker’s recommendation to terminate Grace’s probation and allow her to receive treatment at home. The decision came less than two…
McConnell slams Pelosi for saying pot is a ‘proven’ therapy amid COVID-19 pandemic
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell criticized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last week, accusing her of saying that marijuana is a “proven” therapy for COVID-19. But it seems like McConnell and the Republicans are twisting Pelosi’s words, and going full Reefer Madness. The comments came while Congress is discussing new COVID-19 relief bills. McConnell has opposed…
DNC lineup of speakers suggests Whitmer is not Biden’s VP pick, unless schedule changes
The lineup of speakers for next week’s four-night Democratic National Convention was released Tuesday morning, spurring speculation that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will not be Joe Biden’s running mate, as many have speculated. The convention schedule, first reported by MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” shows Whitmer speaking on Monday, Aug. 17 – the first day of the convention.…
Socialist streaming service Means TV’s Detroit home and office attacked in drive-by shooting
The Detroit-based duo behind Means TV, a socialist streaming service that launched earlier this year, say they were attacked in a drive-by shooting on Saturday. Nobody was hurt. In a Facebook post, Nick Hayes says the shooting happened around 2 p.m. when a car pulled up in front of their east-side home and fired through…
Michigan autoworker to speak in favor of Joe Biden at Democratic National Convention
An autoworker at General Motors’ Lake Orion assembly plant will speak in support of presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden at the Democratic National Convention next week. Gerald Lang, a 47-year-old UAW member and team leader at the assembly plant, wants “a president who will fight for workers like him, so that American workers build American…
Archdiocese of Detroit bans longstanding LGBTQ+ groups from holding service
Two Catholic LGBTQ+ groups have been banned from holding services or recruiting clergy to perform mass after the Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit pulled the “lest we confuse the faithful by seeming to endorse an alternative and contradictory path to sanctity” card in March. The oldest of the two barred community groups, Dignity Detroit, which was…
You can get a free ice cream from Huddle if you visit David Klein Gallery’s Detroit location this Saturday
Art and ice cream, anyone? Detroit’s David Klein Gallery is offered a free ice cream cone from Huddle Soft Serve to anyone who visits the gallery this Saturday, Aug. 15. The promotion started last week. Huddle opened last year, and is located a few blocks from David Klein’s downtown Detroit location. Visitors can check out Elise…
Paris Hilton vacationed in Traverse City and all we got was this stupid blog post
Celebrities. They’re just like us! Well, OK, not quite. While we’ve been fumbling with the tragic unemployment system, rationing snack foods, and neglecting all forms of personal hygiene, the stars have been shining bright (no, really, how the fuck do they get their teeth that white?) with their enviable #VacationAesthetic. Paris Hilton, the hotel heiress,…
Scientists warn smoking weed could be bad for your heart
Though the medicinal properties of marijuana have become increasingly embraced as cannabis use grows in popularity, some doctors are worried about the potential negative effects it could have on the heart. About a dozen cardiologists published a scientific statement through the American Heart Association warning of potential heart risks in the AHA journal Circulation last…
Activists demand recusal of judge who incarcerated Oakland County teen for not doing schoolwork
The 15-year-old Oakland County girl who was incarcerated for not doing her schoolwork while on probation will face the same judge who took away her freedom. Less than two weeks after the Michigan Court of Appeals ordered Grace’s immediate release from a Children’s Village in Pontiac, she’s due back in court Tuesday for a review…
As expected, Ted Nugent responded to the NRA lawsuit in the most batshit way possible
On Thursday, New York Attorney General Letitia James made headlines when she announced she was suing the National Rifle Association with the intent to dissolve it, accusing the nonprofit of running a massive scam on its members including misuse of funds and tax violations, among other things. Naturally, Ted Nugent had to weigh in. The…
Why Are Car Title Loans a Great Choice?
If you are trying to borrow money for whatever reason, one thing you have to do is think about the various loan options that are available. There are many different options available for those who are looking to take out a loan, but not all options will necessarily be available to you. It is important…
Whitmer extends state of emergency as coronavirus cases continue to climb
As the coronavirus continues its comeback in Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extended the state of emergency through Sept. 4, giving her the authority to impose restrictions to combat the spread of the virus. The order comes as schools prepare to offer classes, either in-person or online. “We are in a crucial time in our fight…
Comedian Marc Evan Jackson talks Detroit and improv as self-care ahead of virtual Improv Weekend benefit
Bananapants. This one word describes comedian, actor, distinguished gentleman, and lover of malapropisms Marc Evan Jackson’s perception of the current state of, well, everything. Jackson, who stars on Brooklyn 99 and The Good Place, is quarantined in Venice, California, with his wife and three cats, and is only slightly disappointed at just how little he’s…
Detroit has second-highest levels of light pollution in the U.S., and highest percentage of people getting less than 7 hours of sleep each night
Could Detroit’s light pollution be keeping the city’s residents up at night? That’s what the authors of a new study by Sleep Junkie and Savvy Sleeper believe could be happening. Analyzing the top 100 most populous cities in the U.S., the researchers found the Motor City has the dubious distinction of ranking as No. 2…
‘Zola,’ the movie about a Detroiter’s wild Twitter thread, finally has a teaser trailer
In October of 2015, Detroit waitress A’ziah “Zola” Wells took to Twitter for what would become a viral, 148-tweet thread in which she detailed her harrowing, mostly true, and somewhat embellished road trip journey with a new friend, starting at the Hooters where they met all the way to Tampa, Florida, where the two would…
Why this Detroit photographer is taking 200 pictures of young people of color
One time, while partying in the dorms at Wayne State University, photographer Darryl DeAngelo Terrell’s friend started crying when rapper Kendrick Lamar’s “Chapter Six” came on: “Pray that we make it to twenty-one, one, one, one…” “I’m sitting here, like, what the fuck are you crying about?” Terrell says. “And he goes into saying how…
The new ‘Creem’ doc is out today, here’s how you can watch it
Boy howdy! Four years after the project launched with a crowdfunding campaign, the documentary about the Detroit-founded Creem, “America’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll Magazine,” is finally here. The film is released on video on demand on Friday, Aug. 7. You can get tickets here. (Metro Times can earn a commission from ticket sales.) The project…
How to Find the Right Car Title Loan
If you need to borrow money, one of the things you can do is to look at taking out a loan. These days, there are lots of different loan products you can choose from, and this means that you can look forward to different choices and flexibility. However, you need to remember that there are…
Longtime Michigan dog trainers claim to have trained dogs to detect COVID-19
Fact: we do not deserve dogs. Some dogs can sniff out drugs and bombs. Others, like those service animals at Paradise Dog Training in Fenton, have been trained to successfully detect everything from bed bugs t0 changes in blood sugar levels in diabetics. And now, they’re taking on COVID-19. According to an MLive exclusive, Paradise…
Ferndale’s Imperial announces restructuring following sexual harassment allegations
Owners of popular Ferndale taco spot Imperial say they bought out former partner Jeff King following allegations of sexual harassment at the restaurant last month. In a statement, Sharon and Perry LaVoisne of restaurant group Working Class Outlaws say that King has been relieved of all his responsibilities, and say that they hired an outside…
Ughhhhhh. There’s a MAGA Classic Car Cruise in Oakland County next week.
Buckle up. Or don’t. A nightmare on wheels is about to tear through Oakland County, all in the name of President Donald Trump — the man who, earlier this week during an interview with Jonathan Swan, said “it is what it is,” in reference to America’s COVID-19 deaths. If bumbling authoritarianism and old cars get…
Detroit chef called in to feed NBA players in Orlando ‘bubble’
When NBA players began complaining on social media about the poor quality of the food in the pro basketball league’s coronavirus isolation zone “bubble” in Orlando, officials called in a Detroit chef to help kick it up a few notches. Enter certified-Master Chef Shawn Loving, the department chair of Schoolcraft College’s Culinary Arts program. Loving…
Michigan marijuana pre-rolls recalled because worker licked them
If you bought pre-rolled joints in Michigan recently, we’ve got bad news for you. Officials at the Marijuana Regulatory Agency announced an expansive recall “in the interest of the public health and safety” because a worker at the processing facility licked the products while making them. The MRA did not say if the employee had…
Jonathan Swan is all of us
With good reason, much ink has been spilled about Donald Trump’s trainwreck interview with Axios’s Jonathan Swan. It offered plenty of easy targets for mockery: Trump’s horrifyingly tone-deaf remarks about John Lewis (“Nobody has done more for Black Americans than I have”); his absurd insistence that the number of COVID deaths didn’t matter (“It is…
It’s back! Vote now in the Best of Detroit 2020 poll!
Nothing can stop Detroit! After a delay, it’s back: You can vote for your favorite food, drink, music, arts, and more in our relaunched Best of Detroit poll. You can vote now at www.metrotimes.com/BestOfDetroit. Voting closes at 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 4. We’ll share the winners in our Best of Detroit issue, due on newsstands…
Pierogi tacos exists in metro Detroit — and we want to make love to them
When the corned beef egg roll, a deep-fried Jewish deli-Chinese mashup was introduced to our refined, very sophisticated metro Detroit palates a few years ago via Detroit chain Asian Corned Beef, our minds were blown. What could possibly follow in its freaky fusion footsteps? The answer: Pierogi tacos. That’s right. Part pierogi, part, well, taco,…
How immigrant businessman-turned-politician Shri Thanedar turned a gubernatorial loss into a Michigan House win
Multimillionaire Indian-American businessman Shri Thanedar may have lost the 2018 race for governor, coming in third behind Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Abdul El-Sayed, but he did carve out a somewhat surprising victory: he wound up getting more votes than Whitmer in Detroit. So Thanedar decided to dust himself off and try again, putting his opulent…
River Rouge dispensary begins selling recreational marijuana with drive-thru window and delivery services
Herbal Healing in River Rouge will begin selling recreational marijuana on Friday. The dispensary, which has sold medical marijuana since January 2017, also will offer delivery and a drive-thru service — the first of its kind in the state for recreational cannabis, owner Tarek Jawad tells Metro Times. The building that houses the dispensary at…
Tabloid chatter pegs Michigan’s Kristen Bell as favorite to replace Ellen DeGeneres
While embattled talk show host Ellen DeGeneres faces a possible freeze-out after allegations of fostering a toxic and abusive work environment, it’s rumored that a Frozen star may be groomed to fill DeGeneres’ dancing sneakers. Michigan’s Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars, The Good Place) is being called by OK! Magazine as the favorite to replace DeGeneres,…
‘Squad is here to stay,’ Rep. Tlaib says in declaring victory in congressional race
Rep. Rashida Tlaib declared victory in her 13th District rematch against Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones. With 87% of the precincts counted Wednesday morning, Tlaib garnered nearly two-thirds of the votes. “Voters sent a clear message that they’re done waiting for transformative change, that they want an unapologetic fighter who will take on the…
Free Will Astrology (Aug. 5-11)
ARIES: March 21 – April 19 In her book Sticks, Stones, Roots & Bones, Stephanie Rose Bird reports that among early African Americans, there were specialists who spoke the language of trees. These patient magicians developed intimate relationships with individual trees, learning their moods and rhythms, and even exchanging non-verbal information with them. Trees imparted…
A primer on Detroit’s Real-Time Crime Center
Police surveillance as a concept can be difficult to wrap one’s mind around. Since it’s about the collection and flow of information, it feels intangible and conceptual, even as the physical manifestation of surveillance — from the cameras in convenience stores to the lenses attached to cops’ uniforms — has become so ubiquitous it’s almost…
Alleged comedian Rob Schneider has a Netflix special, plus other things you can stream this week
Premieres Wednesday: Anelka: Misunderstood – Documentary cameras followed French-born Soccer Star Nicolas Anelka for seven years to find out what makes this “bad boy” of the sport tick. Let me guess: le narcissime toxique? (Netflix) World’s Most Wanted – Meet five of the most dangerous international criminals, profiled one to an episode in this exposé…
Savage Love: I’m freaked out by my boyfriend’s foot fetish
I’m a gay guy who’s involved with a guy I met a few months before COVID-19 took off. He’s a great guy, smart, funny, hot, healthy, and easy to be around. It started as a hookup, but we have chemistry on several levels and, without either of us having to say it, we started seeing…
How to steal an election
There are four plausible interpretations of Donald Trump’s suggestion that we delay the November election over the supposed threat of mail-in voting fraud: 1) He’s an idiot who impulsively farts out whatever thought enters his brain. 2) He was trolling. 3) He was trying to distract from the abysmal economic data that had just been…
