Ten years of the Foilies: The Electronic Frontier Foundation looks back at the games governments played to avoid transparency

In the year 2015, we witnessed the launch of OpenAI, a debate over the color of a dress going viral, and a…

By Dave Maass, the Electronic Frontier Foundation

Ain’t no party like a [redacted] party!
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The 2025 Foilies: Recognizing the worst in government transparency

The public’s right to access government information is constantly under siege across the United States, from both sides of the political aisle.…

By By the Electronic Frontier Foundation and MuckRock News

The Exorbitant FOIA Fee of the Year: Rapides Parish School District After a church distributed a religious tract at Lessie Moore Elementary School School in Pineville, Louisiana, young students quickly dubbed its frank discussion of mature themes as “the sex book.” Hirsh M. Joshi from the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a lawyer representing a parent, filed a request with the Rapides Parish School District to try to get some basic information: How much did the school coordinate with the church distributing the material? Did other parents complain? What was the internal reaction? Joshi was stunned when the school district responded with an initial estimate of $2 million to cover the cost of processing the request. After local media picked up the story and a bit of negotiating, the school ultimately waived the charges and responded with a mere nine pages of responsive material.While Rapides Parish’s sky-high estimate ultimately took home the gold this year, there was fierce competition. The Massachusetts State Police wanted $176,431 just to review — and potentially not even release — materials about recruits who leave the state’s training program early. Back in Louisiana, the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s office insisted on charging a grieving father more than $5,000 for records on the suspicious death of his own son.
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Bernie Sanders draws massive crowd in Macomb County to fight oligarchy

On Saturday, some 10,000 people came to Lincoln High School in Warren to listen to U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders speak as part…

By Lee DeVito

Sen. Bernie Sanders greets supporters outside Lincoln High School in Warren.
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Estate sale of Noir Leather founder Keith Howarth shows a life lived on the wild side [PHOTOS]

For nearly 40 years Keith Howarth owned and operated Royal Oak kink shop Noir Leather, which helped make the once-sleepy suburb one…

By Lee DeVito

Image: Estate sale of Noir Leather founder Keith Howarth shows a life lived on the wild side [PHOTOS]
308 slides

Metro Detroit celebrates Fat Tuesday 2025 [PHOTOS]

From lines that wrap around the block at New Palace Bakery in Hamtramck to paczki coneys at American Coney Island, metro Detroit…

By Joe Maroon

Image: Metro Detroit celebrates Fat Tuesday 2025 [PHOTOS]
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Photos from Autorama 2025

The 72nd Autorama hot rod show rolled into Detroit’s Huntington Place over the weekend. Here’s some of what we saw.

By Joe Maroon

Image: Photos from Autorama 2025
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Papa Roach, Kaleido perform sold-out suicide prevention benefit at District 142 [PHOTOS]

On Friday, alternative rock veterans Papa Roach and local act Kaleido performed stripped-down acoustic sets at Wyandotte’s District 142 for a good…

By Lee DeVito

Image: Papa Roach, Kaleido perform sold-out suicide prevention benefit at District 142 [PHOTOS]
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Bret Michaels brings his ‘Party-Gras 2.0 Tour’ to MotorCity Casino Hotel [PHOTOS]

MotorCity Casino Hotel hosted the Bret Michaels “Party-Gras 2.0 Tour” on Thursday.

By Joe Maroon

Image: Bret Michaels brings his ‘Party-Gras 2.0 Tour’ to MotorCity Casino Hotel [PHOTOS]
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What we saw at the final weekend of the 2025 Dirty Show

The Dirty Show returned to the Russell Industrial Center for the second and final weekend of its 2025 event (see photos from…

By Mikel O.D.

Image: What we saw at the final weekend of the Dirty Show 2025
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New Detroit-area restaurants for 2025

While the restaurant industry has been facing especially difficult headwinds lately, that hasn’t stopped a number of exciting new establishments from opening…

By Lee DeVito

Dime Store Rochester Hills 6920 N. Rochester Rd., Rochester Hills; eatdimestore.com This Detroit brunch favorite celebrated a decade operating out of downtown’s Chrysler House Building with exciting news — an expansion to the ’burbs. Attached to a Papa Joe’s Gourmet Market, the new location is more than double the size of the original Detroit spot, allowing for an expanded menu including pancakes and former limited-time specials like the General Tso’s Benny. The extra space also means it can accommodate reservations for parties of up to 12, private events, and catering orders.
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Ranking the best Detroit-style pizzas

Thick, crispy, cheesy, and unmistakably Detroit. The city’s signature square pizza is a true local classic that has earned its place alongside…

By Steve Neavling

Loui’s Pizza in Hazel Park is one of the best purveyors of Detroit-style pizza.
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Everything we saw at the Dirty Show 2025’s opening night

The temperature may have dropped on Valentine’s Day but Detroit’s Dirty Show kept things hot. Celebrating 25 years, the international erotic art…

By Josh Justice

Image: Everything we saw at the Dirty Show 2025’s opening night
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Notable Dirty Show artists through the years

Erotic art likely started on cave walls and continued for millennia, reaching its zenith in the year 2000 with the first Dirty…

By Jerry Vile

Colin Christian, 2016 I was enamored with Colin’s work after seeing pictures in Juxtapoz. His sculptures are beautiful, beyond cool, and he dominated every art show he was in. He was in our earlier shows going back to the Tangent. His work always stops viewers in their tracks. He is my favorite artist. In Colin’s own words: “I love taking part in the Dirty Show, none of us would be here without the feelings that the work on display can generate, of all the shows I’ve done the Detroit crowd is the warmest, most open-minded and diverse in nature, the city should be proud of this wild event.”
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The most romantic restaurants in metro Detroit

Sure, romantic restaurants can be pricey, but you deserve to treat yourself and your partner sometimes, especially for Valentine’s Day. If you’re…

By Layla McMurtrie

Highlands 400 Renaissance Center, Floor 71, Detroit; 313-877-9090; highlandsdetroit.com For an amazing view of Detroit, Canada, and the river, this is the place to be. Located on the 71st floor of the Renaissance Center, the sights are breathtaking — but you better not be afraid of heights.
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Forest Bakery is making good mornings in Oak Park

I asked the owners of Forest Bakery how many layers were in their croissants. I hadn’t researched beforehand so was dumbfounded when…

By Jane Slaughter

Forest Bakery bakers Jo Burke, Humna Tak, and Kyle Suczynski are morning people.
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Winter Guide: 10 events for your Detroit calendar this season

It’s the coldest, darkest, grayest, and iciest time of year — but it doesn’t have to be boring. Mark these wintertime events…

By Metro Times editorial staff

Friday, Feb. 14-Saturday, Feb. 15, and Friday, Feb. 21-Saturday, Feb. 22 The Dirty Show 25 The filthiest art show in Detroit — and maybe beyond? — is celebrating its 25th anniversary. The show features dozens of works of art in a variety of mediums from artists from the world over, burlesque and drag shows, the Cinerotic Film Festival, and probably more skin than you are likely to see during this time of year otherwise. From 7 p.m.-2 a.m.; Russell Industrial Center; 1600 Clay St., Detroit; dirtydetroit.com. Tickets are $50 general admission, $85 for weekend passes, and $110 for VIP with lounge access and a swag bag.
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The Big Show warmed up Little Caesars Arena with hip-hop

A day after downtown Detroit was reeling from losses by both the Detroit Lions and Pistons, a much needed dose of hip-hop…

By Kahn Santori Davison

Image: The Big Show warmed up Little Caesars Arena with hip-hop
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Rio Da Yung Og’s homecoming show celebrates Flint rapper’s freedom after release from prison

Rio Da Yung Og’s five-year career in the national spotlight is really just getting started. The pioneering Flint rapper is back with…

By Sam Robinson

Image: New Slideshow
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Flo Rida performed at the Detroit Auto Show charity gala

For Friday’s annual Detroit Auto Show charity gala, organizers tapped rapper Flo Rida who lit up the black-tie event with a raucous…

By Joe Maroon

Image: Flo Rida performed at the Detroit Auto Show charity gala
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Unique buried ‘earth shelter’ house hits market in Michigan

So-called “earth shelters,” also known as earth-bermed houses, are sustainable, energy-efficient dwellings that are partially buried in soil, similar to the Hobbit…

By Lee DeVito

Image: Unique buried ‘earth shelter’ house hits market in Michigan
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Beautiful Detroit steel shines in auto show exhibit

The Detroit Auto Show rolls into Huntington Place from Jan. 10-20, and this year’s expo includes a special showcase on Motor City…

By Lee DeVito

1970 Dodge Charger R/T.
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18 movies we’re looking forward to seeing in 2025

Not to compare watching movies to some sort of eternal Herculean struggle, but the weirdest thing about writing about cinema for a…

By Jared Rasic, Last Word Features

4/18: Sinners A new Ryan Coogler (Black Panther, Creed) film starring Michael B. Jordan that sees the actor playing twin brothers in what looks like a disturbing period horror thriller. Coogler doing a horror movie should be thoughtful and intense in all the best ways.
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A Detroit landscaper takes a look at the state’s architectural gems in new book

Peter Forguson says he first developed his passion for architecture as a child, when he saw photos of iconic skyscrapers like New…

By Lee DeVito

Melvyn Maxwell & Sara Smith House; Frank Lloyd Wright, 1949; Bloomfield Hills.
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Young, grassroots car club Modded Detroit brings its modified magic to the Detroit Auto Show

They weren’t always the cool kids. As teenagers, Mitch McSweeney, founder of the Modded Detroit auto club and car expo, and co-founder…

By Eddie B. Allen Jr.

Modded Detroit, a club for young car enthusiasts, joins the Detroit Auto Show this year.
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10 epic ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Detroit

Ring in 2025 with style at Detroit's hottest New Year's Eve events! Whether you're into glamorous soirées, high-energy club nights, or unique…

By Sydney Catinna

Image: 16 best New Year's Eve events in Detroit
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Everything We Saw At The Holiday Spectacular Hosted by Lilith Von Tal and Eartha Kitten

Ending the year with a bang, Lilith Von Tal and award-winning producer and performer Eartha Kitten hosted their second annual Holiday Spectacular,…

By Josh Justice

Image: Everything We Saw At The Holiday Spectacular Hosted by Lilith Von Tal and Eartha Kitten
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See who made Detroit's Naughty List with these NSFW photos

Doomvana hosted her third annual Naughty List party at the Crofoot Ballroom in Pontiac Saturday night. The bad kids on Santa's list…

By Josh Justice

Image: See who made Detroit's Naughty List with these NSFW photos
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The best things we ate in metro Detroit in 2024

As always, downtown Detroit continued its ascent with the addition of some awesome new eateries that are helping turn our city into…

By Jane Slaughter, Tom Perkins

Stuffed shawarma pizza slice at Tania’s Pizza and Kal’s Lunch Bowl Tania’s Pizza in a Royal Oak party store has quietly assembled one of metro Detroit’s top pizzas, becoming something of an institution for its incredible stuffed pies. Meanwhile, Mr. Kebab, a carryout restaurant in a Berkley Mobil gas station, grew in recent decades to become a nationally lauded shawarma spot, which largely owed to the work of its chef, Kal Al-Amara. He now runs the awesome Kal’s Lunch Bowl in Royal Oak. Folks, the universe has smiled upon us: The two restaurants at the top of Detroit’s shawarma and pizza games have teamed up, creating a dish that deserves to be in the region’s best slice conversation — the stuffed shawarma pizza. Kal’s makes the chicken or beef shawarma, and Tania’s stuffs it between its garlic-butter crusts with a combo garlic-red sauce and pickles in the chicken pie, or, in the beef version, garlic-red sauce, onion, tomatoes, and beets. The Tania’s-Kal’s stuffed shawarma pizza ascends to the same high echelon of Detroit slices as all the kings — the Salami Kilpatrick from Pie-Sci, anything from Loui’s, the eponymous pizza from Supino, and the dill pickle soup pizza from HenriettaHaus. That’s high praise. —Tom Perkins
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PHOTOS: The Chaos And Carnage We Saw At ICP's Juggalo Championship Wrestling

Thursday night heated up with some amazing wrestling from The Insane Clown Posse's Juggalo Championship Wrestling. The juggalos in attendance at The…

By Josh Justice

Image: PHOTOS: The Chaos And Carnage We Saw At ICP's Juggalo Championship Wrestling
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New book digs into the Michigan roots of long-standing food and beverage brands

Ready-to-eat cereal, commercial baby food, and frozen garlic bread all share a surprising connection: their rise to success can be traced back…

By Layla McMurtrie

Author Gail Offen (right) conducting early research for the book while visiting Kellogg’s Headquarters in Battle Creek (circa 1967).
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Detroit's legendary Edward F. Fisher mansion in Boston-Edison district is now for sale

The Edward F. Fisher Mansion is more than a home—it’s a work of art. Designed by Richard H. Marr, known as the…

By Sydney Catinna

Image: Detroit's legendary Edward F. Fisher mansion in Boston-Edison district is now for sale
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24 holiday pop-up bars in Metro Detroit with immaculate vibes

Bars and breweries across metro Detroit are breaking out the tinsel and holly for some festive fun. Plus, some seasonal bars are…

By Sydney Catinna

Detroit City Distillery 2462 Riopelle St., Detroit; detroitcitydistillery.com DCD’s Eastern Market tasting room is decked out in festive lights, what it’s calling a “Winter Whiskey Wonderland.” It has also released a new holiday menu with 15 new craft cocktails and is also hosting pop-ups from local chefs.
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