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Axios Detroit
Vote for Detroit's best coffee shop
Bracket: Axios VisualsThis week, we're hosting an NCAA Tournament-style bracket to crown Detroit's best coffee shop.The big picture: These shops can be integral to the culture of the city, serving as beloved spots that fuel us, introduce us to new people and ideas, or comfort us when we need a break.The scene is always changing, with 11 shops closing so far this year and 18 opening, Detroitography founder Alex Hill wrote as of May.There were around 100 total shops, per Hill, including bakeries and large chains.How it works: For this bracket, we came up with a list of 16 shops,...
The no good, very bad death of Slim Shady
Eminem's new album, "The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grรขce)," is being panned by critics, so we decided to put our music reviewer hats on and let you know for ourselves.Why it matters: He's remained one of the most streamed artists and, taking numbers over impact, is the biggest artist from Detroit, period.Yes, but: Edgelord culture has changed in the 24 years since Eminem walked into the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards with an army of look-alikes to perform "The Real Slim Shady."Em's perception of it, though, hasn't changed a bit.Our reviews:Annalise: One thing about me, I have always...
Michigan Olympians competing in the Paris Games
The Paris Olympics start next Friday, and there are plenty of Michiganders going for gold.The big picture: The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced the 592-member 2024 team last week, which includes more than a dozen athletes from our state.They'll be competing in wrestling, rugby, track and field and other sports.Zoom in: NBA superstar and Grand Rapids native Devin Booker is among the most well-known in-state Olympians.Others hailing from southeast Michigan include Zach Hammer, an 18-year-old climber from Ann Arbor, and Sorin Koszyk, a rower from Grosse Pointe Park.What they're saying: "Climbing was honestly just for fun until a few...
Samantha Woll murder trial ends with mixed verdict
A Wayne County jury acquitted Michael Jackson-Bolanos of premeditated, first-degree murder in the death of synagogue leader Samantha Woll, the Free Press reports.The big picture: The jury found him guilty of lying to police but remained deadlocked on felony murder and home invasion charges. They returned a not-guilty verdict on premeditated murder.A July 25 pretrial hearing is scheduled for the two deadlocked counts, according to the Free Press. Prosecutors must decide by next week if they're going to retry the case on those charges.Between the lines: The more than monthlong trial ended with five days of jury deliberation, Channel 4...
Things to do this weekend in Detroit: July 19-21
The weekend weather looks ideal to get out and enjoy summer while it lasts!Here's what's going on:๐ Jam out at the Concert of Colors, the city's free annual global music festival. Performances โ here's the lineup โ are on the Detroit Institute of Arts' lawn and various other locations.Thursday-Sunday.No tickets are required for outdoor stages. Shows in the Detroit Film Theatre require online registration.๐ Indulge your inner bookworm at the 7th Annual Detroit Festival of Books. Vinyl records, comic books, vintage board games and other stuff will also be on sale.Sunday, 10am-4pm, at Eastern Market, Shed 5.Free!๐จ Spend a day...
Detroit People Mover to close for track replacements
The Detroit People Mover is scheduled to close after Labor Day through November to replace worn tracks.The big picture: The 11-week project is part of regular maintenance on the 37-year-old transit system, which is free to ride through the rest of the year when it's open.This marks only the third rail replacement in the 2.9-mile elevated loop's history.Between the lines: Nine curved sections of rail, and straight connecting track, are due for "proactive replacement" to maintain "safe, reliable operation," the People Mover's website says.It totals 7,000 feet, or 20% of the overall track, at a cost of nearly $5 million...
NOVA24 photo and film festival fills gaps in Detroit art scene
The founders of a new art festival in Detroit were inspired to create more opportunities for photographers and filmmakers to address the scarcity of options, compared with other art forms.The big picture: NOVA24 runs through Aug. 1. It showcases the innovative work of local and international lens-based artists with exhibitions, film screenings, discussions and more.The founders, artists and curators Mara Magyarosi-Laytner and Raymar, tell Axios they wanted to help fill gaps and bring together the region's siloed photography and film communities.Flashback: The idea for NOVA24 began when Magyarosi-Laytner, who has shown internationally and participated in other cities' photo festivals, sought...
Detroit solar neighborhood plan prompts land use debate
As Detroit pursues approval for its neighborhood solar initiative, Mayor Mike Duggan's administration is answering questions about the legality of constructing solar facilities in residential zones.The big picture: The plan proposes transforming 104 acres of mostly vacant land, which includes some occupied homes across three neighborhoods, into new solar arrays. The city plans to compensate the 21 homeowners who would be displaced by offering them double market value for their properties.The initiative is a significant example of the city using its authority to repurpose land in a manner it believes will benefit residents, although opinions among residents and policymakers are...
Metro Detroit's retirement-age population is surging
Data: U.S. Census Bureau; Chart: Alice Feng/AxiosMetro Detroit's retirement-age population is surging while other age groups are leaving the area, new U.S. Census data shows.Why it matters: The growth in the number of residents 65-plus places pressures on services targeting older adults, including health care, affordable housing and transportation.An aging population can also drain the economy if people drop out of the workforce to care for older relatives. Nearly 70% of older adults will need long-term care services, according to Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies.The big picture: The fluctuations in Metro Detroit's population reflect a broader national phenomenon.Nationally, the 65-plus population grew 9.4% between 2020 and 2023, per Census data.Zoom in: Metro Detroit's 65-and-older population grew 8.6% during the same period.Overall, the area's population dropped 1.1%, the data shows.What they're saying: "What's particularly remarkable is the near-universal increase in the older population for metro areas across the country," Lauren Bowers, chief of the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Branch, said in the agency's analysis.๐ฃ๏ธ Tell us: Do you know someone choosing to relocate to Detroit for retirement? Why did they choose to come here?Email detroit@axios.com and let us know.
What residents think about their neighborhoods after investments
A new study shows that residents' satisfaction with local amenities recovered more quickly since the pandemic when they lived in areas the city targeted for revitalization through the Strategic Neighborhood Fund.Why it matters: The survey data from U of M researchers offers a glimpse into the efficacy of the fund โ an influential and prominent force that pumps philanthropic, corporate and public dollars into specific areas outside downtown to improve them.$260 million in investments so far has included streetscape improvements, affordable housing, parks and commercial development.State of play: The 2019-2023 surveys analyze Detroiters' perceptions of their neighborhoods over time, comparing...
East-side wants answers after fatal mass shooting
Mohican Regent neighborhood leaders want answers as neighbors mourn the block party shooting that happened around the corner from where city officials held a vigil Wednesday.The big picture: Nearly a week after the early Sunday shooting, east-side residents at Marbud Park said they want to know who is responsible and why police didn't respond to 911 calls about the growing party made before the shooting that left 19 injured and two people dead.Catch up quick: The shooting is Michigan's worst since 2013, the Free Press reports.As of Thursday, no arrests have been made.Detroit police reported 11 victims were released from...
NFL Draft brings $200 million to city: report
The economic impact from the NFL Draft in downtown Detroit in April totaled $213.6 million, per a study released Thursday.Why it matters: Officials say the event, which broke the NFL Draft attendance record with 775,000 people, allowed the city to shine in the national spotlight in a way they hope will have reverberating impacts beyond the three-day celebration.By the numbers: Visitors coming to the region for the event spent $161.3 million alone, per the economic impact report. It was created by the sports business program director at Washington University in St. Louis, Patrick Rishe.The report found that 30% of those who attended traveled more than 100 miles to do so. They came from all U.S. states and more than 20 counties.$12.1 million went to local minority-owned businesses and 40% of the NFL's local contracts for the event went to Black-owned businesses.A total of 1.3 million people were downtown during the draft, according to Visit Detroit.
West-sider turning empty Puritan building into bookstore
Jerjuan Howard's plan to bring life and resources to an abandoned building in his west-side neighborhood is a full-circle moment.The intrigue: Howard purchased an empty building on Puritan this year and wants to turn it into a bookstore and community space. The building was owned by late judge and former deputy mayor Adam Shakoor, a civil rights attorney who represented Rosa Parks.Howard, 26, said Shakoor's wife and daughter were excited that someone with shared values planned to activate the unfinished 2,201-square-foot space.Between the lines: Howard wants to install a commemorative plaque honoring Shakoor's legacy once finished. This summer, he's talking...
HBCU student film festival coming to Detroit
A national film festival for students of historically Black colleges and universities is coming to Michigan Central Station next month.The big picture: Two days of events โ including film screenings, panels and a gala โ will draw in student filmmakers from 107 HBCUs across the country, officials announced Wednesday at a press conference.The Autumn Sun film festival's founder Bruce Clifton, a Detroit native, said he wants to "invite the world" to the city "because we deserve it."Between the lines: Film screenings will take place Aug. 23 at Newlab at Michigan Central, a startup hub next to the renovated train station....
Burbs Bites: Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken
Guy Fieri's foray into Metro Detroit's fast-casual scene faltered last month with the closure of his Chicken Guy restaurant in Livonia.The glut of competing chicken restaurants nearby was partly to blame, the Detroit News reports.๐ Joe here. Since I couldn't get to Chicken Guy before it closed, I decided to check out one of its competitors: Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken.The vibe: It's a standard strip mall fast-food spot. It looked clean and the staff's demeanor was pleasant.Best bites: The two-piece combo with a drum, thigh and side was well worth the price ($7.49).The chicken was juicy and the coating was light and crunchy. I ordered the spicy option; it was mild. Chicken strips with hot sauce and honey on a biscuit.What to skip: The side of baked beans had an overwhelming smoky aftertaste. I'd try any other side before ordering it again.Pro tip: The chicken strips go great on the biscuit they come with, topped with honey and hot sauce.Stop by: 33351 Plymouth Road, Livonia. Open 10am-9pm daily.
Things to do this weekend in Detroit: July 12-14
Art, food and high temperatures are in the forecast across the city this weekend.Here's what's going on:๐ฅ Celebrate 20 years of Obie Trice's debut album "Cheers" at Art Park from 7-11pm Saturday. Cannabis vendors and food trucks will complement the laid-back vibes.Tickets: $50๐ Attend the African World Festival from Friday through Sunday, with headliners including rapper Rapsody, reggae-fusion band Third World and the Urban Art Orchestra with De'Sean Jones.$15 for a ticket and $35 for a weekend pass.โพ๏ธ The Tigers host Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers for a weekend series beginning at 7:10pm Friday.Tickets start at $30.๐ค Method Man and Redman perform at the Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre at 8pm Sunday.Tickets start at $40.๐ฎ Raise your eyebrows at strange specimens as you walk through the Detroit Oddities and Curiosities Expo, 10am-4pm Saturday, at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi.Tickets are $14 online in advance.๐ป Listen to Detroit Symphony Orchestra musicians and see local artists in a community festival at Chandler Park on Saturday, 1-4pm.Free!๐ Eat grilled food, listen to music and play games at Hour Detroit Magazine's GrillFest in Campus Martius Park, 1-7pm Saturday and 1-5pm Sunday.Tickets are $25.
Detroit City Council considers neighborhood solar fields
City Council is considering a plan to build ground-mounted solar arrays in predominantly vacant sections of Detroit neighborhoods. Why it matters: The solar fields program, announced last year, is part of the city's effort to clean up blighted areas, repurpose them and bring them into new uses. It also aligns...
Cool down in Corktown with a fresh smoothie
๐ Joe here, with a temporary cure for especially hot and humid days this summer. Dig in: I stopped by Corktown's Summertown Fresh Bar to recharge after a steamy round of golf left me dehydrated. The vibe: Summertown is part of the Ima family of restaurants and is located...
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