Metro Times, 06/12/2024

NEWS & VIEWS

Feedback

We received feedback for freelancer Odell Waller’s cover story on the late Amp Fiddler.

Thank you for this beautiful remembrance, even though there was no way to describe Amp in wordly terms, this was the first piece that conjured his spirit perfectly. I thank God that i knew him.

—Joel Martin, email

A cross between George Clinton and Prince and Sun Ra.

—Vanessa Middleton, Facebook

Happy to have been able to call him

friend, just the nicest guy. I still fondly remember walking around Afro punk festival in Brooklyn NY 2016 and him spotting me and yelling “My Detroit Family!!!” And scooping me up in a big hug. RIP

—Aubrey M Smyth, Facebook

This is the Metro Times I miss. Great article.

Chad L. Forester, Facebook

Editor’s note: The original version of the article misspelled the names of Fiddler’s sister Deborah, Stacey Willoughby, and Monica Blaire. There were also some chronology errors, and those who knew Fiddler say he did in fact play the harmonica. The corrections have been made to the online version.

NEWS & VIEWS

Mayor accused Mott Foundation of pulling strings that caused Flint water crisis

By Jordan Chariton

In a recorded conversation, obtained by Detroit Metro Times and reported at length in my upcoming book, We the Poisoned: Exposing the Flint Water Cover Up and the Poisoning of 100,000 Americans (out in bookstores on Aug. 6., available for pre-order now), then-Flint mayoral candidate Sheldon Neeley, unaware he was being recorded, told me that the Mott Foundation — a powerful entity that’s funded city hospitals, schools, cultural centers, youth programs, and more for decades — pulled the strings behind ex-Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s appointment of the city’s unelected emergency managers whose decisions helped cause the Flint water crisis. Neeley also implied the foundation’s decisions, and history, were driven by racism.

In the past, the powerful foundation, named after pioneering General Motors stockholder Charles Stewart Mott, has been accused of enabling

and supporting racist policies. In the 2015 book, Demolition Means Progress: Flint, Michigan, and the Fate of the American Metropolis, author Andrew R. Highsmith laid out the foundation’s history in the 20th century of institutionalizing “patterns of racial segregation, educational disadvantage, and economic inequality that helped to make Flint one of the most racially and spatially divided cities in the United States.” Mott strongly contested the book’s account.

Terry Bankert, the late former Flint city clerk and ombudsman, described Mott as more of a kingmaker than charitable foundation. “I don’t think two boards get nailed together in this town without Ridgway getting the first look,” he told me about Mott CEO Ridgway White.

Many residents I’d spoken to over several years expressed suspicions and criticisms of the foundation, viewing it as an entity aiming to gentrify Flint

Neeley broke the Mott silence by asking me if I had read a major civil rights report on the Flint water crisis that had been submitted to the Michigan Civil Rights Commission. I had. The analysis, authored by Wayne State law professor Peter Hammer, found structural and strategic racism to be the dark underbellies of the water crisis.

“Did you read the book about the Motts and their relationship…” Neeley began before another person jumped into the conversation specifying the book Neeley was referring to is called Demolition Means Progress — the aforementioned book that laid out Mott’s role in allegedly advocating for, and helping engineer, racist government policies in Flint. (We’ve edited the third person out of the audio as they are not a public figure.)

After Neeley invoked the book outlining Mott’s alleged racist past, he dropped a stunning comment — unprodded by me.

“So, they [Mott] don’t give $100 million dollars to a cause because they just say, ‘Oh, we want to help out,’” Neeley said with a deadpan, no-shitthe-sky-is-blue expression. I didn’t even have a chance to respond to his shocking comment before he added another: “They [Mott] picked the first two emergency managers,” Neeley said, referring to Snyder’s appointment of unelected, Mott-connected bureaucrats, Michael Brown and Ed Kurtz, to run Flint in 2011 and 2012. The casualness, yet force, behind Neeley’s comments seemed major — and carried major implications.

and drive poor and minority residents out.

So when Sheldon Neeley, fresh off announcing a run for mayor, approached me at a church event in Flint in April 2019, I decided to ask him about Mott. I suspected he might have loose lips; I also didn’t trust him not to spin that I had misquoted him. Since Michigan’s laws allowed me to tape the conversation without permission, I hit the record button on my phone.

“What do you think about, a lot of residents keep complaining to me about Mott,” I began. I added that residents had told me they thought Mott basically controlled Flint’s politicians — and wanted the water crisis declared over in order to continue a citywide gentrification campaign.

As my question floated in the air, an awkward silence ensued. After a few seconds, I asked, “Is that a big elephant in the room?”

First: I had not brought up Mott’s controversial past or accusations that the foundation had helped enable Flint’s history of racist educational and housing policies — Neeley did through his invoking of both the Flint civil rights report and the book Demolition Means Progress

Second: His invoking of Mott’s $100 million dollar donation toward relieving the Flint water crisis, followed by his accusation that the foundation handpicked Snyder’s first two emergency managers — the latter which I’ve been told by several other sources — implied that Mott was funneling its cash toward the water crisis in order to sweep its role in causing it under the rug.

Here was Neeley, vying to become the top government official in Flint, validating what both residents and some frustrated politicians had passionately insisted to me for years. The state representative was all but confirming Mott’s role as the puppet master behind Governor Rick Snyder’s hijacking of democracy in Flint.

Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley, left.

PUBLIC DOMAIN

Rick Snyder: “I don’t recall”

In 2020, under oath as part of confidential testimony in the major Flint water civil case, Governor Snyder was asked why he selected Michael Brown as his first emergency manager in Flint. “I don’t recall at this point in time,” the then-former governor testified as part of a major Flint civil class-action lawsuit.

When asked if he ever met with Brown or Kurtz before appointing them… ditto. “I don’t recall,” he said.

His answers were hard to believe; the former governor, self-described as “one tough nerd,” was known for his meticulousness. How is it he could not answer why he selected a leader for the important role of running the city he unilaterally seized control over? At the very least, wouldn’t he remember meeting with the two men before appointing them as the unelected rulers of Flint?

Before he proclaimed a financial emergency in Flint in 2011, Snyder dispatched his treasurer there. In a classic, good-ol’-boys backroom meeting, State Treasurer Andy Dillon met with a who’s who of the Mott Foundation and those connected to it, a source revealed. Representing the foundation was the late Bill White, the longtime president of the foundation. Also present was Phil Shaltz, an investor and cofounder of the Mott-funded real estate company Uptown Reinvestment Corporation; and the heads of the Mott-funded Genesee County Chamber of Commerce. Joining them were two Mottconnected bureaucrats the foundation was putting forth as choices for Governor Snyder to appoint as emergency manager (EM) of Flint. Michael Brown was a longtime fixture in Flint’s political and nonprofit scene. He was also a Mott guy. He had served as executive vice president of Mott-funded Genesee County Chamber of Commerce and as interim Flint mayor. Additionally, Brown ran two Mott-funded foundations. Mott’s floating of Brown as an emergency financial manager was curious considering Brown had no real financial management background.

Ed Kurtz, another Mott fixture, appeared with Brown at the shadow meeting. A decade earlier, controversy swirled around Kurtz after Michigan governor John Engler declared a financial emergency in Flint in 2002. Engler appointed Kurtz as the city’s first-ever emergency manager; Kurtz made major financial cuts to city jobs and services. Like Brown, Kurtz had no financial management

background. He was plucked out of academia, having run Flint’s Baker College for thirty years. Mott showered the college with millions and named a scholarship after Kurtz.

The backroom convention of aristocrats might have been missing the cigar smoke and top hats, but it set in motion a wrecking ball of disaster for Flint. Treasurer Dillon and Mott officials struck a deal: over the fierce objections of residents, Governor Snyder would declare a financial emergency in Flint and then insert Michael Brown as Flint’s EM. For Mott, its own puppet would now be calling the shots in Flint. For major decisions — say like the city’s water source — Mott would have a seat at the head of the table.

Ex-state Treasurer Dillon acknowledged the foundation’s role in Brown’s appointment. “There were a lot of recommendations, from like [former state senator Bob] Emerson, for example, to Mott Foundation who had a real interest in Flint,” Dillon told Flint special prosecutor Todd Flood during confidential testimony in 2016.

When I reached out to Dillon in 2020 about, among other things, his summit with Mott and Mottconnected officials, Dillon answered: “I may respond to this but would like to get legal advice before doing so… there is more I would like to share but I need to check.” He then pivoted to the topic of the controversial Karegnondi Water Authority [KWA], which he signed off on Flint joining as a water customer in 2013. The move meant that Flint, after 50 years, would stop purchasing water from the city of Detroit. A year later, in 2014, Flint began temporarily using the Flint River as its water source while the KWA was under construction. Millions in necessary equipment upgrades were not made to Flint’s dilapidated water plant at the time of the Flint River switch — and legally required corrosion control chemicals were not added to Flint River water being piped to city residents homes. The rest, tragically, is history.

Dillon insisted his approval for Flint joining KWA was for the city to be a water customer purchasing water from the KWA — not as a cofinancier borrowing nearly $100 million dollars to help Genesee County Drain Commissioner Jeff Wright fund construction of the new water pipeline.

“When I was there the only financial obligation of Flint was [to] purchase water when and if supplied. I was against them taking

any financial risk on the project,” he said. (More to come on how Flint morphed from customer to partKWA funder is in my upcoming book.)

When I followed up with Dillon on the specifics of any meetings, or negotiations, he partook in with Mott and Mott-connected individuals, he declined to further answer my questions, deriding them as “gotcha reporting style” and stating my “assumptions are wrong.” At no point did Dillon deny or offer specifics to contest my reporting.

Likewise, the Mott Foundation did not offer a firm denial that it had met with Dillon to discuss Snyder’s appointment of Flint’s emergency manager.

“The Mott Foundation has not been able to confirm that a meeting of all of these participants took place. But there is general agreement that many organizations and individuals were meeting with representatives from the state to discuss the appointment of an emergency manager,” a spokesperson told me in 2020. The spokesperson disputed that the foundation “picked” Snyder’s emergency managers — or “negotiated for their appointment.”

In the church basement, Neeley

didn’t stop at spilling tea on Mott as Snyder’s puppet master. He stressed that after years of the Flint water criminal investigation, Brown and Kurtz were “names you never hear in criminal culpability.” He added: “Ed Kurtz is the one who made the decision to use Flint River water.”

In 2020, Mayor Neeley’s office responded to a request for comment — by disputing that he made the comments.

“To his recollection, he did not ever grant you an interview so we have no idea how you could possibly be quoting him,” the office said. “What he does know is that these alleged quotes are complete misrepresentations of him and his beliefs.”

The quotes are not alleged — you can hear Neeley’s exact words. See the online version of this article at metrotimes.com.

The spokesperson continued that the Mott Foundation’s relationship with the Flint community is “more than money” and Neeley was thankful to the foundation for its “ongoing assistance in our time of crisis.”

Sheldon Neeley recently dropped his Congressional bid to replace outgoing Flint Congressman Dan Kildee. He is currently serving in his second term as Flint’s Mayor.

Opinion: Detroit police struggle to adjust to legalized weed

Police love the scent of marijuana. If they detect the odor during traffic stops in jurisdictions where cannabis is illegal, they can search the vehicle and seize any cash they find. They can even take the car.

Once the government has possession, it can start civil forfeiture, a law enforcement maneuver that allows agencies to keep seized assets permanently. It works like highway robbery, except with court permission.

No arrest or conviction is necessary. Once the process ends, participating agencies can split the proceeds among themselves. State and federal forfeiture revenue topped $439 million in Michigan during the 20 years from 2000 to 2019.

Civil forfeiture is big business, and paydays often start with the wafts of weed. But police have a problem in Michigan. Voters legalized cannabis for recreational use in 2018.

Consuming marijuana in a car remains illegal. But drivers can possess the drug, killing the best excuse officers had to open doors, rummage through trunks, and look in gloveboxes without a warrant.

The Detroit Police Department is having a hard time accepting the new normal.

On Oct. 8, 2020, five Detroit officers were driving to a home compliance check when they passed a parked Jeep Cherokee. One police corporal said she smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle, so she stopped and initiated a roadside interrogation with the driver and her passenger, Jeffery Scott Armstrong.

“How long you been smoking weed in the car?” the corporal says in a transcription of bodycam video. “I can smell it from outside. Don’t act shocked. I can smell it.”

Prior to 2018, a confrontation like this would have been fine. But smelling marijuana, by itself, no longer signals a crime. So, the corporal should have kept driving.

Her decision to stop and search the Cherokee violated the occupants’ Fourth Amendment guarantees against unreasonable search and seizure. Officers did not care. They ordered Armstrong out of the vehicle, revealing a gun under his seat, and they arrested him for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The police found nothing else illegal. They did not even find marijuana, which is not surprising. The odor can linger on a person long after they have lawfully smoked it or been around

someone else using it. Officers can also lie or be mistaken. One study shows that in 3,300 marijuana odor-based vehicle searches in Philadelphia, police found contraband less than 10% of the time.

Despite the poor track record, police take pride in their sense of smell. Three Indiana officers even testified in 2019 that they detected less than 1 gram of unlit marijuana in a closed container in a moving car over 100 yards away, while a breeze cut across traffic.

Even drug-sniffing dogs are wrong more than half the time. They are trained to detect weed, but they cannot distinguish between fully legal hemp cigarettes and semi-legal marijuana. Nor can K9s communicate when they detect marijuana versus some other narcotic like cocaine. They give one-size-fits-all alerts, which makes them useless in states like Michigan.

All marijuana sniffers — human and canine — must adjust. Armstrong gave Michigan courts a chance to provide guidance when he filed a motion to suppress evidence from the 2020 search. A trial court granted his motion and the Court of Appeals of Michigan upheld the decision in 2022. Unsatisfied, the state petitioned the Michigan Supreme Court to intervene, and the justices have agreed.

Our public interest law firm, the Institute for Justice, together with the Cato Institute, filed a friend-of-the court brief in the case. Our position is simple: If a substance is legal, then its odor cannot create probable cause for a search.

More broadly, Armstrong’s case provides an opportunity for robust judicial review of probable cause determinations that officers make in the field. Civil forfeiture can taint these decisions, creating financial incentives for aggressive policing.

Armstrong did not lose cash during his police encounter, and officers did not seize the Cherokee. But many cases go differently, and innocent property owners can suffer. Cases we have litigated in Wayne and Oakland counties show how.

Anyone can look guilty — or smell guilty — when officers need an excuse for a warrantless search.

—Robert Frommer, Daryl James

Robert Frommer is a senior attorney and director of the Project on the Fourth Amendment at the Institute for Justice in Arlington, Va. Daryl James is an Institute for Justice writer.

Palestinian group calls anti-Israel vandalism ‘deeply hurtful’

A

long-standing and prominent Palestinian-American organization in Michigan denounced “deeply hurtful and offensive” graffiti scrawled across the Southfield law firm of a Jewish member of the University of Michigan Board of Regents.

In an open letter to Jordan Acker of the Goodman Acker law firm last week, leaders from the American Federation of Ramallah, Palestine (AFRP), a Westlandbased group that calls itself the largest and oldest pro-Palestinian group in the U.S, said the vandalism was hateful and did nothing to advance calls for peace.

“Such actions are not only unlawful but deeply hurtful and offensive to all,”

AFRP President Chuck Farah wrote on behalf of the group’s directors and members. “This action not only hurts our local Jewish community, but it also hurts our Palestinian cause. As Palestinians, we are committed to working on exposing and stopping Israel’s crimes against our people and families.”

Acker condemned the graffiti as “antisemitic” because he was the only member of the Board of Regents to be targeted. The graffiti read, “Free Palestine,” “Divest Now,” “UM Kills,” and “Fuck You Acker.” Red handprints were also left on the office’s doors.

AFRP, which strongly opposes Israel’s brutal assault on Palestinians, said it’s committed to “a peaceful solution to all.”

“We are cognizant that our stance on Israel/Palestine is sharply different; however, we would be remiss if we didn’t rebuke this despicable act,” the letter states. “Those who committed this re-

pugnant act are trying to distract us from our mission and put a wedge between our communities. Hate for the sake of hate has no room in our midst. This act of vandalism is meant to discredit the legitimate protests led by our students who are fighting for genuine peace and justice.”

Police are searching for four suspects who were caught on surveillance video, three of whom were shown spray-painting the building. A fourth person drove a getaway car.

Southfield police are investigating the vandalism as a hate crime. The FBI is assisting.

AFRP said it hopes the suspects are captured.

“As a community who faces daily hate, we understand your fear,” the letter states. “We must stand together and fight for peace and justice. We must stand united against all forms of hatred and bigotry. We are confident that, together, we can foster a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment for everyone.”

Acker expressed his gratitude.

“There is so much hope in this world, and seeing things like this gives me even more,” Acker wrote on X. “We may not agree on everything, but I am so heartened to hear from my Palestinian brothers and sisters in Southeast Michigan. Hate has no home here.”

Pro-Palestinian activists have targeted Acker and other members of the U-M Board of Regents for refusing to divest from companies linked to Israel.

—Steve Neavling

Vandalism at the Goodman Acker law firm. AP PHOTO/COREY WILLIAMS

NEWS & VIEWS

Lapointe

What timing! New Lions book looks at past, present

By Joe Lapointe

Two summers ago, I lunched with author Bill Morris in Lower Manhattan at a place called “Paul’s Da Burger Joint.” Although long a resident of New York City, Morris grew up in suburban Detroit and never forgot his roots.

Among them is to root, root, root for the Detroit Lions, and Morris told me then he wanted to write a book about more than a half-century of ineptitude and heartbreak from a team its own depressed fans scornfully called the “Same Old Lions.”

“My original idea was to write a story about futility,” Morris said recently. “America is built on success and this organization was terrible. My original working title was ‘Natural Born Losers.’”

I told Morris then the book might sell well in Michigan but maybe not so much beyond the Great Lakes State. Then came a strange turn of events. After Morris signed a deal with Pegasus Books, the Lions got good. First, kind of good. Then, real good.

As he finished reporting his book and began to write it last fall, the Lions had turned into one of the best stories in American sports, winning two of three playoff games and almost reaching the Super Bowl.

“All of a sudden, they turned it around,” Morris said. “And I thought ‘Holy wow!’ This ending is really changing.”

Spoiler alert: Although the Lions lost that last playoff game to San Francisco, the book The Lions Finally Roar (that’s Morris’s new title) still has a happy ending for both the readers and the author. It will be published in hardcover in July and can be ordered in advance from pegasusbooks.com.

With a new season looming and a team on the upswing, Morris’s timing couldn’t be better.

“It never hurts to be lucky,” Morris said.

The cover alone might draw eyes.

Most of it is Honolulu Blue, the Lions’ primary color, with a sky of smoky silver (sort of their other team color) as a backdrop to a sketch of the Motor City skyline. The subtitle is: “The Ford Family, the Detroit Lions and the Road to Redemption in the N.F.L.”

Morris is also the author of Motor City Burning, a novel about the riot and rebellion in 1967. He grew up in Birmingham, attended Brother Rice high school, and worked as a caddy at Oakland Hills Country club.

At the time, his father — Dick Morris — was the executive assistant to William Clay Ford, Sr., the grandson of the original Henry Ford and the owner of the Lions who took control of the team from a group of partners on Nov. 22, 1963 (the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated).

This occurred a few years after Ford had been edged from power at Ford

“He was a horrible man. He could be a monster.”

As the subtitle suggests, the team’s ownership and management is the most intriguing through line.

Much of it discusses the alcoholism of Bill Ford, Sr., and the role of Dick Morris as official drinking buddy. After work at the auto company, Ford would join cronies to booze it up at the Dearborn Inn before maybe sideswiping a few cars on East Jefferson while driving back to his mansion in Grosse Pointe.

“As the losses piled up, Bill Ford’s drinking went from dark all the way to black,” Morris writes. “Like most alcoholics, he now existed inside an impenetrable bubble of self-absorption … No one could get in and he couldn’t, or wouldn’t, come out. Bill was in a permanent fog and he was killing himself.”

Warned by his family to straighten up, Ford joined a support group, gave up alcohol, and stayed sober for the rest of his life. For years, it was assumed that his son, William Clay Ford, Jr., would take over the team. However, when Ford died in 2014, his widow — Martha Firestone Ford — assumed control.

In 2020, she turned over the car keys to her daughter, Sheila Ford Hamp, who led the housecleaning that brought in general manager Brad Holmes, Coach Dan Campbell, and a whole bunch of good players to try to win Detroit’s first league championship since 1957.

Motor Co. by his brother, Henry Ford II. The Lions were seen by some as Bill Ford’s consolation prize. When Ford bought the team, he offered the general manager’s job to the senior Morris, the book says.

After Morris turned down the job because he felt himself unqualified, Ford hired Russ Thomas, the boogeyman of coaches, players, and frustrated fans for decades. Before his father died, Morris interviewed him extensively and recorded the conversations.

Although the book uses few direct quotes from his father, its point of view is clearly informed by his dad’s perspective. He didn’t like Henry Ford II (Morris never calls him “the Deuce”) who called his younger brother, Bill, “the Kid.”

“What an Irish peasant at heart,” the young Morris said of The Deuce.

Unfortunately, the author got turned down for interviews with Sheila Hamp and Bill Ford, Jr. He relies on informed speculation to suggest that the transition was due to family bitterness over the way Sheila’s husband, Steve Hamp, had been treated by Bill Ford, Jr., when Hamp was fired as the chief of staff for Bill Ford, Jr., during a major corporate shuffle.

Perhaps Sheila’s takeover of the team, Morris suggests, was payback by his mother against Bill, Jr., for sacking Hamp.

“The precise thinking that led Martha Ford to elevate her daughter instead of her son is unknowable because the Fords, as noted, are private people who are disinclined to air their business in public,” Morris writes, adding, “Martha Ford must have found something wanting in her son.”

All this is not to suggest The Lions Finally Roar ignores the actual football players and coaches toiling under the Ford family. Not at all. There’s plenty about “The Curse of Bobby Layne” and how the trade of this

The Lions Finally Roar by Bill Morris offers a review of Ford family stewardship. PEGASUS BOOKS

hard-living quarterback to Pittsburgh in 1958 created bad karma that lasted into the next century.

Outsiders might not be aware of all the hoary Lions’ lore that has accumulated since they washed up on these shores in 1934. They may be surprised and amused at the misadventures of a colorful history. But much will be familiar and perhaps nostalgic to locals.

There’s that anecdote about Joe Don Looney refusing to take a play to the huddle because he wasn’t “Western Union”; and Alex Karras brawling with Dick the Bruiser at the Lindell AC; and “Another One Bites the Dust”; and the bloody bar brawl between two Lions’ roommates, one a quarterback, the other his blocker.

On the more serious side, there is the death of Chuck Hughes on the field at Tiger Stadium in 1971 and the paralysis of Mike Utley at the Silverdome in 1991; and the death of Coach Don McCafferty before the 1974 season; and the hurt feelings upon departure of stars like Barry Sanders, Calvin Johnson, and Charlie Sanders; and this candid insight from Morris’s interview with Joe Schmidt, the captain in their three-championship era of the 1950s at Briggs Stadium.

A Hall of Fame linebacker, Schmidt was one of their greatest players ever

and one of their better coaches. But he was happy to leave the patriarchal grasp of the dynastic family that owns the team.

“The Fords were very kind to me and very good to me,” Schmidt told the author, “but I felt like I was being released from prison.”

In retrospect, near the end of the book, Morris points to October of 2022 as the turning point, the moment when a new type of Ford family leadership inspired the franchise.

The Lions were 1-5, worst in the league. Hamp had been booed loudly at Ford Field the previous year during a ring ceremony for Calvin Johnson.

Hamp showed up at practice and spoke words that proved prophetic.

“I know this is difficult,” she said. “I know this is hard …. We’re going to turn this thing around the right way … It requires patience. Am I frustrated? Absolutely. Are the fans frustrated? Absolutely … But I think we really are making progress … I just don’t want everyone to push the panic button.”

Since that day, the Lions are 22-9, including the three playoff results. There is no panic, although happy hearts are producing joyous palpitations. If this keeps up, a lot more authors will write many more books about these Different New Lions.

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GAME CHANGER

CHANGER

how i learned to stop worrying and enjoy pickleball by steve neavling

While the world moved on from the COVID-19 pandemic, I stayed cooped up in my third-floor apartment in Detroit, too anxious to venture outside.

I stopped visiting friends, only went to restaurants for carry-out, and worked from home.

To keep myself occupied, I began collecting rare indoor plants and read a copious amount of books. My cats and wife were my constant companions. For exercise, I rode a stationary NordicTrack bike.

The prolonged isolation had made social interactions daunting.

Nearly three years into the pandemic, I came to the unsettling realization that I had missed too many summer days outside and too many nights out with friends and my wife.

Then I discovered pickleball, and it changed my life.

While visiting my wife’s family in Washington Township, they introduced me to pickleball, a game I associated with bored, old people in Florida. On their driveway were a net, paddles, and a plastic yellow ball. My initial thought was, “What a silly game.”

But as we hit the ball back and forth, I began to see its appeal: Pickleball is easy to learn, fast-paced, and promotes social interaction. It reminded me of ping-pong, which I had excelled at in college, but it required far more physical exertion.

On a sunny day in September 2023, my father-in-law and I met at a park in Dearborn to play pickleball. He’s an avid tennis player and in great shape, so it was no surprise that he trounced me for two straight hours.

But winning was not the point — not yet anyway. I was soaked in sweat and exhausted, and the heavy weight of my anxiety began to lift.

For the first time since the pandemic, I felt a craving to be outside and around other people.

Later that month, I joined a pickleball league at Belle Isle in Detroit. Organized by Come Play Detroit, the league exposed me to various players and skill levels.

And this is where the fun began: Pickleball is predominantly played with a partner, so there are usually four people on a court. In a league, you change partners every game, so it’s a simple way to meet new people.

Pickleball combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, and matches are fast-paced, with volleys involving close-range exchanges near the net. The court is about half the size of a tennis court, so it requires quick reflexes and hand-eye coordination to time shots and make accurate contact with the ball.

While pickleball is easy to learn, it’s incredibly difficult to master.

At higher levels, as I’d later learn, strategy and game awareness are a big part of the game. More than hitting the ball hard, pickleball is about finesse and outmaneuvering opponents.

But most of all, it’s about fun and building camaraderie.

On the recreational level, pickleball embraces an open-play format, which allows players to mix and match with a variety of people. With each game lasting an average of

about 15 minutes, pickleball enables players to interact with a lot of different people they’d otherwise never come across. In fact, a recent New York Post article showed that pickleball is replacing dating apps as a new way to meet singles.

For me, it has meant connecting with new people and reestablishing myself with the post-pandemic world. Not only was I getting fresh air and exercise, but I was creating a network of new friends.

It’s no surprise that pickleball has become the fastest growing sport in the U.S. In the past three years, pickleball has grown 223.5%, according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association.

It’s even become a spectator sport. ESPN and CBS Sports Network recently inked deals to air pickleball tournaments this year, and the Olympics is even considering adding pickleball to its list of future events.

Until COVID-19, pickleball had a small, dedicated community. When team sports became largely off-limits, pickleball gained popularity because it offered a way to stay active while social distancing. It brought people together after several years of isolation.

“These participation numbers are positive for the country and for our industry,” Tom Cove, president and CEO of SFIA, said in a statement. “Frankly, they are not a surprise, as we know Americans are valuing and pursuing active lifestyles post-pandemic. Our industry’s role now is to fulfill that interest with positive sports and fitness experiences and quality, innovative, and inspiring products.”

The growth is hard to miss in metro Detroit. Bash Pickleball Club, the first pickleball-only facility in the Detroit area, opened last month in Warren, and dozens of parks across the region now have outdoor pickleball courts. In the cold months, recreation centers are converting gymnasiums into space for pickleball.

In Michigan, there are about 1,625 pickleball courts in more than 375 locations, according to USA Pickleball.

Pickleball was born in 1965, when three men in Bainbridge Island, Wash., wanted to entertain their families. They planned to play badminton, but didn’t have enough rackets. So they used what they had — pingpong paddles, a net, and a wiffle ball.

Nick Hernandez, the head pro at Bash, teaches the ins and outs of pickleball to everyone from beginners to advanced players. I asked him why he believes pickleball has become so popular.

“It’s very addictive,” Hernandez

tells me. “A lot of people are realizing when you come out and play, it’s easy to pick up and learn how to play. It’s user-friendly in the beginning. But like any sport, when you try to master it, it’s very complicated.”

Then there is the social part, he says.

“It’s easy to find people to play pickleball,” Herndandez says. “You go to the local tennis court right now and you might not find anyone. It’s hit or miss. You have to join an organization or know people. But for pickleball, you go to a public court, and there are people playing.”

Hernandez, who played tennis at Fort Valley State University in Georgia, was in his fourth year of pharmacy school in Florida when he passed what he thought were tennis courts in 2019. At the end of his shift, he took a closer look and discovered about two dozen people playing pickleball. He was still in his scrubs.

“I watched and someone asked me to play. I had no idea what it was,” Hernandez says. “I jumped in and played one game. It was a blast. From there it took off. I tried to play as much as I could at that point.”

And he got quite good. At the Royal Oak Classic Pickleball Tournament last year, he won gold medals in singles, mixed doubles, and men’s doubles.

Unlike tennis, which largely maintains a country club tradition, pickleball attracts a diverse array of people because of its accessibility and affordability.

“It’s a massive melting pot of cultures and different personalities,” Hernandez says. “I think it’s a great equalizer.”

For me, pickleball became a way to reconnect with people and the world outside my apartment. At a time when the country is sharply divided, pickleball gives me a reprieve from what’s going on outside the 40-foot court and allows me to live in the moment, as if I’m a kid again without the worries of adult life.

It has taught me to be mindful and to appreciate the small joys of friendly competition and social connection.

Eight months after my first pickleball game, I now play at least five days a week. I play in leagues and tournaments and drop in for open play.

But the best part is, pickleball has helped me find myself again, or a younger version of myself — one that worries less and smiles more. I’m a far different person than the one cooped up in my apartment, letting life pass me by.

If you haven’t tried pickleball yet, what are you waiting for?

Hamtramck artist pioneers premium, eco-conscious pickleball paddle in basement shop

In a small workshop nestled in the basement of a Hamtramck rowhouse, Forrest Hudes wraps a long strip of leather around the handle of what they call “the world’s first hollow-core” wood pickleball paddle.

As a wood-working artist, Hudes, who uses the pronouns they/them, has spent the past decade transforming pieces of wood into unique and stunning furniture and home decor.

Then last summer, Hudes began playing pickleball with friends at Clark Park in southwest Detroit, and it changed the course of their life.

“I got two points into my game, and I was like, ‘This is my life now,’” the 34-year-old tells Metro Times. “I have an addictive personality. I was hooked.”

Hudes was surprised by the poor quality of pickleball paddles. Most are made of plastic and deteriorate quickly, which means they’ll end up in a landfill “for all eternity,” Hudes explains. Some are made of wood, but they are known for being cheap, heavy, and prone to splintering. They generally lack power and consistency.

Most serious pickleball players use paddles made of a variety of toxic, composite materials such as carbon fiber, polymer, graphite, and fiberglass.

As pickleball becomes more popular, Hudes worries that America’s fastest growing sport is contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and overflowing landfills.

“I researched pickleball and the history of the sport, and it opened my eyes to how big the pollution was,” Hudes says. “It’s shocking how fast it rose in popularity. It adds up to a lot of impact on the environment, and because of the popularity of the sport, it multiples that impact by millions of paddles a year. It’s an amazing sport that has so many positive social and health impacts, but it’s taking this ecological toll that is invisible to a lot of people.”

Hudes, a Pennsylvania native who received a master’s degree in 3D design at Cranbrook Academy of Art, put their other artwork on hold and transformed their basement into a full-fledged paddle production studio, where they’re churning out a natural product that aims to be as good, if not better, than the toxic alternatives that have taken over the market.

In September 2023, Hudes launched Bigwood Sporting Goods (named after their partner, whose last name is Bigwood) and is offering the first high-performance paddle that is made exclusively of wood. For now, Hudes is the company’s sole fulltime employee, but they hope to expand as their paddles get more attention.

Before settling on the current version of their paddle, Hudes experimented with 50 design variations and 28 full prototypes since last summer.

What makes these paddles so unique and effective is the lightweight basswood core that is carved into an intricate honeycomb pattern, which enhances their strength and durability while evenly distributing impact with the ball. Hudes has a patent pending for the hollow-core design.

Other wood paddles “are basically a piece of plywood,” Hudes says. “They are super heavy because a solid sheet of anything is too heavy, and it’s completely solid so the surface reaction with the ball gives it no control or spin.”

The face of the Bigwood paddles is covered in a dark, rich walnut veneer. Unlike plastic paddles, each Bigwood paddle is unique because of the intricate grain patterns.

The handle is wrapped in leather, and Bigwood’s logo is laser cut into the walnut face.

The paddles come with an organic cotton sleeve.

At $220, the Bigwood paddles are competitively priced and more inexpensive than many other performance paddles. They also come with a one-year warranty.

In April, the U.S. American Pickleball Association (USAPA) approved the paddle, which means it was inspected and can be used in professional tournaments.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, pickleball has exploded in growth, with more than 13.6 million players nationwide. The global pickleball paddle market is expected to reach $322.6 million by 2028, up from $148.5 million in 2021, according to Business Research Insights. A vast majority of those paddles are made of toxic materials.

According to USAPA, there are more than 735 manufacturers that have created nearly 2,900 different models.

But when it comes to premium paddles, there are fewer than two dozen companies, such as Joola, Selkirk, Engage, Diadem, and CRBN, that rise to the top. I’ve tried most of these paddles, and my preferred choice was CRBN.

Until I tried a Bigwood.

At first, I was skeptical that a wood paddle would offer the same versatility, control, and spin as a carbon fiber paddle.

But I was wrong.

After adjusting to the wood paddle over the course of a game, I discovered the Bigwood offers more power and control than most other premium paddles I have used.

The paddle is surprisingly light and very responsive, with a large sweet spot that provides consistency and minimizes vibrations.

My dinks, lobs, and drives were as good, if not better, when I used the Bigwood.

“There are a lot of power paddles out there, but you lose that touch and control,” Hudes says. “Because wood is a natural material and has the ability to flex because of the fact that it comes from trees, it has the ability to hold onto the ball and have dwell time. You get this combination of power and touch, and that is really awesome.”

One of the biggest complaints about pickleball is the high-pitched sound, which is notoriously annoying to neighbors. But the thwack of a ball coming off a wood paddle is far more pleasant, producing a lower tone.

Of the more than 100 people I have played pickleball with, only a handful have used a wood paddle, and it was primarily a cheap brand. To be sure, the sight of a wood paddle at a competitive pickleball game prompted quizzical looks.

At a tournament at Court4 in Detroit, Hudes and their partner defeated me and my teammate using Bigwoods.

Hudes’s paddles have made me rethink pickleball and its impact on pollution and climate change. While the industry is currently dominated by plastic composites, Hudes has the chance to spur a revolution in performance paddles.

Hudes is as surprised as anyone that they’ve created a transformative product.

“I never imagined myself as a business person,” Hudes says. “It has been a wild ride.” —Steve Neavling

Forrest Hudes runs Bigwood Sporting Goods.

STEVE NEAVLING

THOU SHALT Party

detroit summer commandments you must obey

by metro times staff

Summer in Detroit isn’t just a season — it’s practically a religion, complete with its own set of commandments. You’ve got your classic coney dog and Tigers game, sure, but there’s many other traditions you simply must

SHUTTERSTOCK

partake in to have a true Detroit summer.

Here are all of the things you absolutely have to do as a Detroiter this summer if you don’t want to head into fall with regrets.

thou shalt ride the belle isle slide (it’s coming back).

Belle Isle’s nostalgic giant slide returned in the summer of 2022 after several years being closed down. The slide made national headlines after videos of riders flying down it and landing hard went viral. Well, this summer, the notorious slide will be reopening with a softer landing, and this wild ride is a must. Your ass may burn, but the fun experience will not disappoint.

thou shalt listen to “good ass day” at least once.

You’re not a real Detroiter if rap group Doughboyz Cashout isn’t on your playlist, and hit track “Good Ass Day” is a summer classic perfect for getting lit. If you don’t play it, you simply won’t have a good ass day.

thou shalt swim at belle isle.

As soon as the weather heats up, Belle Isle’s beaches are packed, whether people are actually swimming, having a

barbecue on the beach, or just soaking up the sun. Many people do swim in the Detroit River at Belle Isle, but many others think it’s gross and never do. Either way, Belle Isle is a big part of summer in Detroit.

thou shalt host or attend a cookout.

In Detroit, cookouts are a part of culture. Whether it’s a barbecue on the side of the road or a backyard family party, hosting or attending at least once food-filled event is a must during the summer.

thou shalt get lit on at least one rooftop bar.

When it comes to drinking in the summer, nothing beats a rooftop lounge. Detroit has a handful of them too, some long-standing favorites and some brand new. There’s something about drinking with a view that makes us all feel lavish.

thou shalt attend a summer concert or festival.

A summer is not a good one without art and music, and Detroit isn’t Detroit

without its creative energy either. And there are tons of options for summer concerts and festivals, whether big or small. We’ve got Pride festivals and small art fairs happening all over metro Detroit throughout the summer, plus the global Black music festival Afro Nation happening in August, and the Detroit Jazz Festival to cap it all off during Labor Day weekend. Do not miss out on experiencing at least some of these magical events.

thou shalt visit eastern market.

Summer means it’s farmers market season, and Detroit’s top farmers Market is Eastern Market, filled with produce, flowers, and various vendors weekly. On Saturdays, vendors sell everything from tacos to produce to flowers. On Sundays, the space is packed with local jewelers and artists. Surrounding walls and warehouses are adorned with murals and live music is played at nearby venues. This is one great place to take visitors who want to be immersed in Detroit’s culture.

thou shalt complain about the heat.

In the winter, Michiganders complain about the cold and snowy weather, so you’d think we’d be grateful when the temperature rises. Not so much. Summers in Detroit are often characterized

by at least some people whining about the heat and humidity. As a Midwwesterner, it’s your birthright.

thou shalt eat good food on a local restaurant patio.

Much like drinking on a rooftop, al fresco dining in the summer is also a must. You can enjoy good food and soak in the sunlight at many eateries in the Detroit area.

thou shalt search all summer for a pool.

For those who are too bougie for the beach, looking for a pool in the area is a constant summer task, and actually going to one sometimes never even happens. If you don’t have a hook-up, you can always just jump in the river.

thou shalt take a stroll on the riverwalk.

Detroit’s revitalized riverfront has been named the best in the nation by USA Today for three consecutive years, but visiting it has been a tradition for Detroiters for much longer. Whether you just want a walk with a view or to splash in the fountains, strolling the Riverwalk makes for a great summer activity. In recent years, the riverfront

has gotten many new parks that host regular events and free activities for all. And now, you can bike it all the way to Belle Isle.

thou shalt indulge in a coney dog.

A delicacy of Detroit is the coney dog, and on a late night (especially after drinking), the humble staple becomes the most delicious thing ever. Hot dogs are a big part of outdoor summer events, and Detroit does them the best.

thou shalt attend a tigers game at comerica park.

Whether Detroit’s baseball team is having a good season or a bad one, many locals support them by going to at least one game a summer. It’s America’s pastime.

thou shalt explore the detroit Institute of arts.

The DIA, which houses one of the largest collections of art in the nation, is great to visit during any season. In summer though, you can get cute in a summer dress and have a whole day in Midtown seeing art, eating great food, and feeling good. (Plus, it has air conditioning.)

thou shalt bike or hike a local trail.

Detroit is lucky to have plenty of nature in the city and the surrounding areas. We’ve got the fun Dequindre Cut, which is just one public trail of the Joe Louis Greenway, an upcoming 27.5 miles of biking and walking trails throughout the city and connecting suburbs. These greenways also connect to the Detroit Riverfront, which just recently got connected to Belle Isle, where there’s all the greenspace you need. Plus, there are many great trails just outside of Detroit that can be a great new experience with just a short drive.

thou shalt see an outdoor movie screening.

For a classic date that has been a metro Detroit tradition since 1950, bring your boo to the Ford-Wyoming drive-in and cuddle up for a movie. Or, be on the lookout for free movie screenings at Campus Martius and other local parks.

thou shalt walk around downtown for some fun nightlife.

While most night clubs are open yearround, there’s just something about the warm weather that makes us feel hotter than ever and ready to party. Going out and looking good is a must in the summer, and sometimes this means just walking around downtown and seeing where the night takes us. Detroit’s nightclub culture is under-

rated and hot venues continue to sprout, so take your pick and dance the night away with friends until the morning.

thou shalt enjoy a beer at a local brewery.

The city of Detroit and its surrounding suburbs are well-stocked with breweries and bars that serve up great drinks and food, some no-frills and unpretentious, and others more high-end. Some even have extra fun activities for you to have a good time. Whatever you have in mind for summer fun, sipping brews is a necessity. (Besides, it’s Oberon season.)

thou shalt see some fireworks.

For Detroiters, the main reason that the Fourth of July is celebrated is so that we have an excuse to party, eat good, and light some fireworks. Whether it’s just some sparklers in your backyard or viewing a big annual fireworks show over the Detroit River, seeing fireworks at some point during the summer is a must.

thou shalt take a road trip to one of the great lakes.

Michigan is one of the best states because it is surrounded by the Great Lakes, which means the city of Detroit is too. Lake Huron isn’t very far and the others can be visited on a weekend trip. There’s always water nearby if you want to swim, boat, or fish.

WHAT’S GOING ON

Select events happening in metro Detroit this week. Be sure to check venue website before events for latest information. Add your event to our online calendar: metrotimes. com/AddEvent.

MUSIC

Wednesday, June 12

Live/Concert

A Day To Remember, The Story So Far, Four Year Strong, Militarie Gun 6:30 p.m.; Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill, 14900 Metropolitan Pkwy., Sterling Heights; $39.50-$99.50.

Artistree 8 p.m.; The Crofoot Ballroom, 1 S. Saginaw, Pontiac; $31.

Corinne Bailey Rae, Dixson 8 p.m.; Sound Board, 2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit; $43-$56.

Will Downing, Randy Scott 7:30 p.m.; The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, 2600 E. Atwater St., Detroit; $15-$51.

Live Music at Sunset Point 7-8 p.m.; Belle Isle, Belle Isle Park, Detroit; no cover.

Matt Lorusso Trio & Special Guests 8-11 p.m.; Northern Lights Lounge, 660 W. Baltimore St., Detroit; no cover.

NEKTAR 7:30 p.m.; The Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Rd., Westland; $25-$140.

Thursday, June 13

Live/Concert

Candlelight: A Tribute to Queen and More 6 p.m.; Redford Theatre, 17360 Lahser Rd, Detroit; $25.00.

Eric Benét 8 p.m.; Sound Board, 2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit; $40-$53.

Sarah McLachlan, Feist 7:30 p.m.; Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill, 14900 Metropolitan Pkwy., Sterling Heights; $40.50-$150.50. Karaoke/Open Mic

Drag Queen Karaoke 8 p.m.; Woodward Avenue Brewers, 22646 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; no cover.

Friday, June 14

Live/Concert

Bachman-Turner Overdrive 8 p.m.; Caesars Palace Windsor - Augustus Ballroom, 377 E. Riverside Dr., Windsor; $33-$88.

Big Boss BBQ: The Old Breed, Dirty Notion, Bad Assets, Killer Diller, Crombies, J Navarri and

the Traitors 7 p.m.; Small’s, 10339 Conant St., Hamtramck; $15.

Billy Currington, Larry Fleet, Redferrin 7 p.m.; Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill, 14900 Metropolitan Pkwy., Sterling Heights; $29.75-$99.75.

Sunshine Anderson 8 p.m.; Club Echelon, 13330 E. 10 Mile Rd., Warren; $20-$150.

Girthquake, Mickey Shorr and The Radio Shacks, Drive Safe!, Of House 7 p.m.; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck; $13.

Melanie Martinez, Beach Bunny, Sofia Isella 7 p.m.; Little Caesars Arena, 2645 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $49.50-$129.50.

The Temptations 8 p.m.; Andiamo Celebrity Showroom, 7096 E. 14 Mile Rd., Warren; $35-$99.

Tusk (Fleetwood Mac tribute), Sarah Sherrard & the Sugar Ham Band 7 p.m.; District 142, 142 Maple St., Wyandotte; $20-$30.

DJ/Dance

Inferno: Detroit with Versa, DumDum, Hamro, Sqishi, Sanzu, Chango, 7L, and more 7 p.m.; The Crofoot Ballroom, 1 S. Saginaw, Pontiac; $15.

Lavern, Hotpxl 9 p.m.; Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $15-$20.

The Taylor Party: The TS Dance Party (18+) 8 p.m.; Saint Andrew’s Hall,

431 E. Congress St., Detroit; $13-$28.

Saturday, June 15

Live/Concert

The Temptations 8 p.m.; Andiamo Celebrity Showroom, 7096 E. 14 Mile Rd., Warren; $35-$99.

Brothers Osborne, Stephen Wilson Jr. 8 p.m.; Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill, 14900 Metropolitan Pkwy., Sterling Heights; $29.50-$69.50.

Dexter and The Moonrocks, Edgehill 7 p.m.; Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; $18. Donny Osmond 8 p.m.; Meadow Brook Amphitheatre, 3554 Walton Blvd., Rochester Hills; $39.50-$129.50.

Fiends From Mars (Misfits/ Samhain tribute) 7 p.m.; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck; $13.

Juggalo Prom Night: The Hatchetman Project, Tre LB, Klokwerk E, Clooner, Danny Dollars, Zitro 6 p.m.; Harpo’s, 14238 Harper Avenue, Detroit; $17.

Boosie Badazz, Trina, Webbie, Juvenile, Trick Daddy 8 p.m.; The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, 2600 E. Atwater St., Detroit; $45-$125.

Satinder Sartaaj Shayar 7 p.m.; The Music Hall, 350 Madison Ave., Detroit; $45-$495.

DJ/Dance

Heartbreak Beats (’80s New

Wave) with DJs Zumby & Josh 8 p.m.; Bowlero Lanes & Lounge, 4209 Coolidge Hwy., Royal Oak; no cover.

Sunday, June 16

Live/Concert

Cosmic Psychos, Nine Pound Hammer, Bill Kozy’s Rising Force 7 p.m.; Small’s, 10339 Conant St., Hamtramck; $22.

PVRIS, Pale Waves, Sizzy Rocket 6 p.m.; Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; $37.50. Quasi, Jeffrey Lewis 7 p.m.; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck; $25.

Sincerely, Secret Gardens, Clipboards, Death Dance 7 p.m.; Pike Room, 1 S. Saginaw, Pontiac; $13. The Isley Brothers, A’ngela Winbush 8 p.m.; The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, 2600 E. Atwater St., Detroit; $45-$150.

The Teskey Brothers, Leah Senior 7 p.m.; The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $44-$84.

Monday, June 17

Live/Concert

GUARDIN, Nico North 7 p.m.; The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; $19.99.

Detroit Symphony Orchestra: Schubert & Black Angels 7 p.m.; True Worship Church, 13031 Chandler Park Dr., Detroit; $15.

The Temptations perform at Andiamo Celebrity Showroom June 14 and 15.

SHAHAR AZRAN

Sky Covington’s Satin Doll

Revue 7 p.m.; Aretha’s Jazz Cafe, 350 Madison St., Detroit; $50.

DJ/Dance

Adult Skate Night 8:30-11 p.m.; Lexus Velodrome, 601 Mack Ave., Detroit; $5.

Tuesday, June 18 Live/Concert

Fat Nick, Lu, SixNickSix 7 p.m.; The Shelter, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; $20.

Global Sunsets, Blackman & Arnold Trio 7-10 p.m.; Northern Lights Lounge, 660 W. Baltimore St., Detroit; no cover.

Pixies, Modest Mouse, Cat

Power 6:30 pm; Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill, 14900 Metropolitan Pkwy., Sterling Heights; $35-$129.50.

Texas King 7 p.m.; The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; $18.

DJ/Dance

B.Y.O.R Bring Your Own Records

Night 9 p.m.-midnight; The Old Miami, 3930 Cass Ave., Detroit; no cover.

THEATER

Performance

Detroit Repertory Theatre

Between Riverside and Crazy; $25 in advance, $30 general admission; Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sundays, 2 p.m.

Marygrove College Theatre Black Couples Therapy; $30; Saturday, 7-8:30 p.m.

Plowshares Theatre The House That Will Not Stand; $15 -$49; Thursday, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Friday, 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Saturday, 8-10 p.m.; and Sunday, 2-4 p.m.

Musical

Meadow Brook Theatre Ella, First Day of Song; $46; Wednesday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Thursday, 8 p.m.; Friday, 8 p.m.; Saturday, 6 p.m.; and Sunday, 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

COMEDY

Improv

Go Comedy! Improv Theater

Pandemonia The All-Star Showdown; $20; Fridays, Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Planet Ant Theatre Hip-Prov: Improv with a Dash of Hip-Hop; $10 second Wednesday of every month, 7 p.m.

Stand-up

Fox Theatre Daniel Tosh Live; $35$79.50; Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle Scott Seiss; $20-$25; Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; Friday, 7:15 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.; Saturday, 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Sound Board Jeremy Piven; $45-$57; Friday, 8 p.m.

The Independent Comedy Club Tales From The 313: Dirty Talk — Live Storytelling featuring Skippy Rose, Lauren Noelle ,Emma Stevenson, Chris Barrett, David Lesnieski, Heather Kyles, Bruce Pych, and Scott Sviland; $10 online, $15 at the door; Friday, 9-10:30 p.m.

Continuing this week

The Independent Comedy Club at Planet Ant The Sh*t Show Open Mic; $5; Fridays and Saturdays, 11 p.m.

THEATER

Artist talk

Artist Talk: The Cuban Contemporary Lens This special artist talk will feature Marco Castillo and other Cuban artists featured in the exhibition series: A Modernist Regime: The Contemporary Cuban Lens. The conversation will be moderated by cocurators Laura Mott and Abel González Fernández. No cover with museum admission.

Art exhibition opening

Cranbrook Art Museum Constellations & Affinities: Selections from the Cranbrook Collection.

Habatat Galleries 52nd Annual International Glass Show (GLASS52). Through Aug. 30.

Janice Charach Gallery 5th Annual Michigan Regional Glass Exhibition. Through June 26.

Stamelos Gallery Center, UMDearborn Piece by Piece: Recent Work from Regional Fiber Artists. Through Aug. 18.

University of Michigan Museum of Art Unsettling Histories: Legacies of Slavery and Colonialism.

WELLNESS

Self-care

Girls Street Smarts Safety Awareness Program Saturday, 4:305:45 p.m.; Ambrose Academy Wing Chun Do, 28239 Plymouth Rd., Livonia; $99; ambroseacademy.com.

Self Care Sunday No cover; 2-7 p.m.; New St. Mark Family Life Center, 24331 W. Eight Mile Rd., Detroit; abayomicdc.org/selfcaresunday.

SPORTS

Baseball

Comerica Park Detroit Tigers vs. Seattle Mariners; Thursday, 1:10 p.m.; Wednesday, 6:40 p.m.

MISC.

Fundraiser

Detroit Zoo 2024 Metro Detroit Stroll for Epilepsy; epilepsymichigan.org/ stroll; adult $30, child $20, no cover for infants); Saturday, 7:30-10 a.m.

Singles event

Michigan By The Bottle Tasting Room-Royal Oak Not Online Dating presents - speed dating and wine tasting (ages 30-45). In person, interactive, and hosted by a funny MC; $45; Tuesday; 7-10 p.m.; eventbrite. com.

Drink

Summer Sips Cocktail Class: Rooftop Edition Learn how to mix up refreshing summer cocktails like a pro. Saturday, 5-7 p.m.; The Shadow Gallery, 1533 Winder St., Detroit; eventbrite.com.

Games

Cranbrook Art Museum Father’s Day Mini-Golf at Cranbrook Art Museum; no cover for Dad; Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Festivals

Civic Center Park 2024 Madison Heights Juneteenth Celebration; no cover; Saturday, noon-6 p.m.

Downtown Pontiac Juneteenth Freedom Day Festival; no cover; Saturday, 4-11 p.m.

Exhibits

Detroit Historical Museum In the Neighborhood: Everyday Life on Hastings Street.

Youth

Teen HYPE Adventure Camp at Teen HYPE From June 17– June 21. (There will not be programming on Wednesday, June 19 in recognition of Juneteenth); $20-21.

Bites

FOOD Detroit’s UFO Factory is closing

French-inspired coffee shop Café

Noir opens

Hopefully third time’s the charm for this new coffee shop at 9405 John R. St. in Detroit’s North End.

The French-inspired Café Noir opened a few weeks ago in the space formerly home to Black Coffee, which opened in late 2022. A year before that, the coffee shop was named Kenilworth Cafe.

Now, new life has been breathed into the community spot once again.

While Café Noir is a play on the name Black Coffee, the space has been heavily reimagined and updated, with a French-inspired menu and ambiance, rather than the Afro-centric vibe that Black Coffee took on. The spot serves up a variety of coffee drinks alongside pastries and sandwiches, aiming to “provide a welcoming space for people to connect, socialize, and build community.”

While there’s a lot that is new, the space’s unique and fun outdoor coworking circles, as well as free community WiFi access, are still present.

“It’s a modern vibe, but still has a French provincial aesthetic where we have tables outside and we really want to invite people just to come in [and] relax,” new owner Evan Fay says. “If you want to do work or just grab a quick lunch, we want to have a really cool vibe and be a neighborhood cafe.”

Fay bought the entire seven-unit building that the coffee shop is located in around three months ago. As the coffee shop’s previous manager didn’t plan to continue running the space, Fay decided to take on the challenge himself. But first, he needed some help.

With a background in real estate, the owner was in search of a coffee professional, and quickly found one in Asher Van Sickle. Fay says it was a “match made in heaven,” so he asked Van Sickle to join him as a partner to help create a strong brand for Café Noir.

“He comes from the development side and I come from the coffee and cafe side, but our connection point is community and neighborhood development. That’s a really important thing for both of us,” Van Sickle says. “We want to provide a really good space and

we want to provide an excellent cup of coffee, but more so than any of that, we want to be a neighborhood spot that is truly just developing community for the neighborhood here in the North End.”

Not only has Van Sickle worked with other cafes in Detroit, but he has also traveled the country competing in barista competitions and sees the importance baristas and coffee shops have in people’s everyday lives.

“When I visit a city, I travel via coffee shops. I’m a firm believer that every neighborhood deserves a good cafe, and that’s something that this neighborhood really needed was just a really good solid cafe to provide excellence and a sense of community,” Van Sickle says. “Café Noir is developed with that in mind, just a pursuit of excellence and a pursuit of quality and just fostering that sense of community for the North End neighborhood.”

Being from a military family who moved frequently, Fay is not originally from Detroit, but chose to settle down in the city after moving from Alaska. Van Sickle has lived in Detroit for 12 years. Both of the business partners now live very close to the cafe.

“I love, really, everything about the North End and its cultural diversity,” Fay says. “The inspiration for our logo is Josephine Baker, so we did a mural on the side of the building of a young Josephine Baker, and the quote that we use is, ‘To realize our dreams, we must decide to wake up,’ which really kind of captures how in order to realize your dreams, you have to be willing to step out and invest, and the North End really kind of embodies that.”

Van Sickle adds, “It’s full of people chasing after a dream and building something and that’s what we’re also trying to do here at Café Noir.”

In addition to a mission of building community, Café Noir also has a goal of being sustainable, partnering with food waste app Too Good To Go to allow community members to purchase excess pastries and coffee at a lower price.

Looking forward, Fay and Van Sickle hope that the new coffee shop can be a long-standing “quintessential third space” for the local community.

“Yes, we want to offer coffee and really good food but we also want to be community-centric… We just want to offer a space that is inviting and if you need to use it or there’s a private event or whatever, we want to make sure that we’re that space,” Fay says. “We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback, a lot of people have been very excited about coming to the space and showing support. We’re really thankful to the community in the North End. We’re really excited. We’re here to be consistent and be available for people to come.”

Currently, Café Noir is still in a softlaunch period, but the plan is to have a grand opening in July alongside other new and rebranded businesses in the same building. While a date is not yet solidified, the event promises to be a fun day showcasing the plaza and the greenspace behind it to the community.

Café Noir is open Monday-Saturday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. More information and updates can be found on Instagram @cafenoir.det.

—Layla McMurtrie

The UFO Factory will soon close, its owners say.

The popular rock ’n’ roll venue and bar announced the closure Monday on Instagram, saying that the last day of business will be Saturday, June 15.

“[We] are getting out of the bar/ restaurant/venue biz!” the Instagram post reads. “it’s been a real cool time but we are moving on to other projects - it’s time! we will miss the music, art, fun, and the #ufopeople most of all, of course [...]”

It sounds like the venue, located at 2110 Trumbull, could still operate in a new form under new owners.

“[What’s] next to come at 2110 Trumbull???” the owners wrote. “All will be revealed soon soon soon and fear not if you loved OUR #ufoFACTORY you are likely to be pleased with the next evolution (more info coming soon�� ).”

In 2010, UFO Factory owners Dion Fischer, Aliccia Bollig-Fischer, and Matthew Bihun acquired the former Hoot Robinson’s bar, which had been a watering hole for baseball fans until 1994, when Tiger Stadium was in the neighborhood. It opened as UFO Factory in 2014.

The venue soon became a beloved Detroit spot known for booking indie rock bands and DJ nights. Its quirky gender-neutral bathrooms had also become a favorite selfie destination for hipsters, which were routinely reposted on the UFO Factory’s Instagram page with the hashtag “#ufopeople.”

The business also included a gourmet hot dog restaurant, Laika Dog (named after the first dog sent to space, in keeping with the interstellar theme).

In 2017, a construction crew for the next-door Elton Park mixeduse development damaged a UFO Factory wall, forcing the venue to close for more than a year. The club opened 15 months later following a $400,000 renovation funded by its insurance policy.

Fischer could not immediately be reached for comment.

The owners say that UFO Factory will keep regular hours for its remaining days in business, with a number of events planned.

—Lee DeVito

Asher Van Sickle (left) and Evan Fay.

COURTESY PHOTO

CULTURE

Arts spotlight

SKALAR light and sound show draws inspiration from Detroit techno

You must see SKALAR for yourself to truly experience its magic.

The large-scale immersive art installation, created by German light artist Christopher Bauder in collaboration with electronic music producer Kangding Ray, merges movable mirrors with reflective light and dynamic audio to evoke a range of emotions in the viewer. The dark space and hazy atmosphere give the experience an otherworldly touch.

Walking in, no one knows exactly what to expect.

Through the Library Street Collective and Bedrock Detroit, the show is currently on display downtown at 1001 Woodward Ave. This is the first time the exhibit has been shown in the United States, following showcases in Berlin, Zurich, Mexico City, Amsterdam, and Riyadh.

Detroit however, holds a special place in the artist’s heart.

As a lifelong fan of techno who has always been intrigued by the visual side of electronic sound, Detroit’s music scene has inspired the way Bauder

By Layla McMurtrie

creates his pieces.

“I grew up with techno music in Berlin, of course, in the ’90s and that techno scene was fueled by all the DJs and the creators, the music composers, from Detroit,” Bauder says. “What we still have in Berlin today, which is the minimal techno trend, that’s music coming from Detroit and that’s why I always was very curious to actually be there and see this environment and see where this all came from.”

SKALAR fittingly opened in Detroit during the Movement Music Festival, and that weekend, Bauder visited Detroit for the first time ever, recognizing similarities between Berlin and the Motor City.

“I found it very interesting to see that Detroit today resembles very much Berlin in the ’90s,” Bauder says. “There’s a lot of opportunity coming from the trouble of the past. There’s a lot of empty space in Detroit that’s now used to kind of be rejuvenated and redeveloped and so on and there’s a lot of space for culture and art and music to grow. I think there’s a really

first crossed paths with SKALAR’s sound composer, Ray, at a festival years ago and proposed a collaboration. When the partnership happened, Ray created the entire album for the show within two weeks.

“The music was so fantastic. When I first listened to it, I was like, ‘Wow, that’s that’s totally it,’” Bauder says. “He kind of nailed these different emotional states on the musical side really well and then we tried to match that with visual ideas and went back and forth.”

Bauder is proud of the collaboration. “I still think SKALAR is maybe the most complete show that I did so far concerning the connection between the visual and the music,” he says. “I think it’s actually really strong and works well together and it’s also kind of timeless. When I saw it again in Detroit, I still wouldn’t change anything about it.”

The artist says he first connected with Library Street Collective nearly five years ago, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, but a show wasn’t able to happen until now. When he saw a picture of the downtown space around a year and a half ago, he immediately was on board.

“I like spaces that have a kind of architectural texture or history where I can play with the room, the same way how in Detroit, it was an old bank building, so you have the marble columns in the space and the structure of the floor and so on,” Bauder says. “It’s always hard to find a space that has some kind of a character that we can work with.”

very strong connection in both directions between Berlin and Detroit.”

In SKALAR, Bauder uses bright and dim lights of various colors to portray human emotions such as fear, anger, and happiness. As viewers sit, lay, or walk around the exhibit, they are offered a moment of reflection and meditation.

“I’m trying to kind of move you through a series of those emotions in a way that you kind of forget with what kind of background or thoughts or mood you came into the exhibition,” Bauder says. “When you leave the show, in the best case, you’re in a totally different state than the one you came in. But which state that is, I don’t know. It depends on the individual visitor.”

Bauder adds, “For me it’s important that these are life experiences that I’m creating. You cannot buy my art pieces or collect them, they’re not made for that. They’re meant to be exclusive experiences that you have to go and see for yourself.”

Already a fan of his work, Bauder

In other cities where SKALAR has been shown, it has been a tradition to have live performances in the space and bring a Berlin-style party to the exhibit. While there’s nothing like that planned for Detroit yet, we’re hoping it happens.

“The live show part is always kind of an enhanced version of the exhibition and more like ecstatic, more like a concert-style experience where we are pushing the electronic music aspect a little bit further and partying more,” Bauder says. “We’re always trying to bring a little party with us.”

Besides SKALAR, Bauder has multiple shows touring the world, keeping the artist busy. He emphasizes that his shows, including the current one in Detroit, are for everyone — regardless of age, education, or interest in electronic music.

“It really works from small children to older people,” he says. “It’s not specifically tailored to a certain taste or background or something, so it’s really for everyone to experience.”

SKALAR is open to the public until July 28. Admission is free, but registration is required at lscgallery.com.

SKALAR can be viewed for free in Detroit through July 28.

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CULTURE

Savage Love

Feathered Friends (With Benefits)

By Dan Savage

Dear Readers: I’m away this week. Please enjoy this infamous column from the first decade of Savage Love. —Dan

: Q As an avid reader of your column, I thought of you and only you for help with this problem. My grandmother, 78 and widowed, is a kind, generous woman who has seen her share of difficult times. She is a bit offbeat, but extremely conservative and religious. After my grandfather passed on, she purchased a lively little parakeet and named him Pretty Baby.

Pretty Baby has provided wonderful companionship and entertainment for my grandmother, even learning to speak to her. Pretty is an amazing mimic, repeating phrases she has taught him: “I love you,” “lock the door,” “give me kisses,” etc. The problem is the kissing... or what I recently witnessed the kissing leads to. One evening Pretty began to squawk “give me kisses, give me kisses” and my grandmother walked over to the cage and slipped one finger between the bars. Pretty Baby proceeded to “kiss” her fingernail and flutter about. Then my grandmother — my grandmother — purred, “Give Grandma lovin’, Pretty Baby, give Grandma lovin’.” She then turned to me and said, “Pretty Baby wants to give me lovin’ and he won’t quiet down until he does.”

Pretty Baby proceeded to screech more and more loudly, as he humped my grandmother’s finger. She also moved it back and forth for him. I was stunned and unsure of what was happening, so I sat quietly in my chair looking in the opposite direction, hoping I wasn’t really witnessing what I thought I was. My grandmother cleared things up quickly, saying, “He’ll calm down after he climaxes,” smiling away and continuing to repeat, “Give me your lovin’, Pretty Baby, give me your lovin’.” When Pretty Baby was finished, she looked back at me and said, “I better wash my hands!” I left

minutes later, unable to process what had just happened. Grandmother, however, never flinched, acting like it was an everyday occurrence.

I’m still horrified. Should I be concerned, Dan? About my grandmother? About Pretty Baby? Help! —Polly Wanna Wanker

A: I’ve been doing this job for a while now, PWW, and rarely do I get a question about a subject, sex act, position, kink, or bodily fluid that I’ve never had the pleasure of addressing before. But your question, PWW, is a first. And a treat! A grandmother whacking off her pet parakeet? That’s the kind of question I live for! I almost hate to admit it — I don’t want you to think I’m as sick a fuck as your grandmother is — but I was thrilled to receive your letter. Thrilled! I was also suspicious. Could PWW be making this up? Did this grandma exist? Can you actually beat off a parakeet? Before I sought out some guest experts to address the whole beatingoff-a-parakeet issue, I wrote back to PWW personally and demanded more background info. After speaking with PWW I can confidently assure my other readers that, yes, PWW exists, her grandmother exists, her grandmother owns a parakeet, and her grandmother is one sick fuck.

“Birds often begin to exhibit mating behavior when they reach sexual maturity,” said Pierre Brooks, who owns 33rd & Bird, a bird shop in New York City, and agreed to discuss this delicate issue with me. “For a singly kept pet bird this can include attempts at mating with one of their toys or perches.” How about the little old lady that owns ‘em? “We have not come across an owner who becomes the bird’s surrogate mate, but it is not unrealistic.”

But is it healthy? Is it good for the bird? Is it good for Grandma?

“If this were one of our customers, we would advise the customer that the bird may be lonely and suggest introducing another parakeet for companionship,” said Brooks. “However, this may not solve the problem. Birds are similar to humans: They are selective about their mates. Simply putting a male and female bird together does not guarantee that they will like one another, let alone breed.”

And as much as you may want to tell your grandmother she’s a sick fuck and she’s got to stop beating off the bird, that might not be in the bird’s best interest. “A bird [can] feel lonely

and sexually frustrated if its mate is taken away,” Brooks added.

And like it or not, PWW, your grandmother is Pretty Baby’s mate now.

Seeking a second opinion, I spoke with Jesse B., who owns Ford’s Feathers in Torrance, California.

“When it comes to a bird, they can be stimulated by any object,” said Jesse B. “A toy, a perch. I haven’t heard of anyone masturbating their parakeet before.”

Did he think it was wrong?

“If she’s doing it because the bird wants it and she wants to make the bird feel better, that might be OK,” said Jesse B. “But if she’s doing it for self-pleasure or because it excites her? Then she’s got a problem.”

When it came to any long-term harm, Jesse B. agreed with Pierre that it’s not going to hurt the bird — or your grandmother.

“It’s good that the bird is male, though,” Jesse B. added. “You can induce the production of eggs in a female by stimulating her, and if they start releasing eggs, there’s always the risk of the bird becoming egg-bound, basically an egg stuck in the bird’s stomach, and that can kill the bird. But this is a male parakeet, so it’s not a problem.”

Not a problem unless, of course, you’re the poor grandchild who has to watch her widowed, generous, kind, conservative, religious grandmother finger-bang her parakeet. That can’t be easy. But while I sympathize with your plight, PWW, I would urge you not to confront your dear ol’ gran. Even if she is “doing it for self-pleasure,” as Jesse B. and everyone else reading this hopes she’s not, your grandmother probably isn’t long for this world. Besides visits from her grandchildren, she probably doesn’t have much in her life to distract her from impending death… so let’s not take this small pleasure, however sick and twisted it might be, away from this sad old lady. Your grandma isn’t hurting the bird and she’s not hurting herself, and it’s not like she’s going

to turn into a bird molester and start jumping on pigeons in parks. Why say anything that might make the old broad feel self-conscious about what she’s been up to with Pretty Baby? So, keep your mouth shut, PWW, and just pray grandma doesn’t leave you that bird in her will.

: Q I just had to write in after reading about the two gay penguins who adopted a chick. Loved that story! I had two pet female ducks who fell in love and used to try to mate all the time. They’d perform all the ritual courtship head-bobbing, and then one would lower herself to the ground and the other would climb on top. The behavior was exactly the same as the mating behavior between male and female ducks. So anyone who says animals don’t engage in homosexuality is just plain ignorant. It’s been documented time and time again.

—Lesbian Duck Mom

A: Thanks for sharing, LDM, and for sending in a note that works so well with the “feathered friend” theme of this week’s column — it’s also nice that it’s a story about birds mating with birds, as God intended. Oh, and speaking of those gay penguins: I made a mistake in the column where I mentioned Roy and Silo, the gay penguins who were given an egg to hatch and raised the chick together. The couple doesn’t reside in the Bronx Zoo, as I wrote in Savage Love a few weeks back. What self-respecting gay penguins would live in the Bronx, for crying out loud? Roy and Silo and their adopted child, Tango, all live at the Central Park Zoo, in Manhattan, with the rest of New York City’s trendy gay parents.

Dear Readers: I got an update from the Polly Wanna Wanker a few years ago. Still an avid reader of Savage Love, she wanted to let me know she took my advice: she never said anything to her grandmother, who passed away a few years after her letter appeared in my column. I don’t recall what became of the bird. Roy and Silo, the gay Central Park Zoo penguins, have also passed away, but the children’s picture book written about them — And Tango Makes Three — is one of the most frequently banned books in the United States because of course it is. Back next week! —Dan

Got problems? Yes, you do! Email your question for the column to mailbox@ savage.love! Or record your question for the Savage Lovecast at savage.love/ askdan! Podcasts, columns and more at Savage.Love.

CULTURE

Free Will Astrology

By Rob Brezsny

ARIES: March 21 – April 19

The term “maze” has various meanings. Most commonly, it signifies a puzzling cluster of choices that lead nowhere and bode frustration. But there are more positive meanings of the word. In ancient myths, a maze was where heroes underwent ritual tests. There they might summon ingenuity to win access to a hidden treasure. In modern psychology labs, the maze is a structure used to stimulate learning in rats. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, the maze you are now in is metaphorically akin to the second two meanings, not the first.

TAURUS: April 20 – May 20

There is an abundance of good news, Taurus. In the coming weeks, your conversations could awaken realizations that will augment your wealth — both the financial and emotional kind. So be eager to commune with vigorous souls who inspire

your power to attract resources and goodies. Furthermore, you could generate enriching benefits for yourself by engaging with unfamiliar influences that are outside your web of expectations. Don’t be too sure you already know everything you need. Helpful surprises could arrive if you’re extra open-minded.

GEMINI: May 21 – June 20

Though 2024 isn’t even half over, you have already earned the title “Least Boring Zodiac Sign of the Year.” Or maybe a more positive way to frame it would be to award you the title “Most Scintillating, Interesting, and Stimulating Zodiac Sign of the Year.” Please keep doing what you have been doing, Gemini. Entertain us with your unruly escapades and gossip-worthy breakthroughs. Encourage us to question our dull certainties and dare us to be more fun. If we seem nervous to be in your stirring presence, disarm our worries with your humor.

CANCER: June 21 – July 22

Your subconscious mind is full of marvelous capacities and magic potencies. But it also contains old habits of feeling and thinking that influence you to respond to life in ways that are out of sync with what’s actually happening. These habits may sabotage or undermine your conscious intentions. Now here’s the good news: In the next nine months, there’s a lot you can do to dissolve the outmoded imprints. You will have more power than ever before to perform this wizardry. So get started! How? Ask your subconscious mind to send you intuitions about how to proceed.

LEO: July 23 – August 22

The fairy tale “Jack and the Beanstalk” will serve as a prime metaphor for you in the coming weeks. Ruminate on its themes as being applicable to your life. I’ll refresh you with the main points of the story. Young Jack and his mother need money, so she decides to take drastic measures. She bids him to sell the family cow at the marketplace a few miles away. But on the way into town, Jack meets a man who coaxes him to sell the cow in exchange for magic beans — not money. When Jack returns home, his mother is angry at his foolishness. In disgust, she flings the beans out the window into the dirt. Later, though, the beans live up to their promise. They grow into a giant beanstalk that Jack climbs to

reach the lair of a giant who lives in the clouds. There Jack retrieves three of his family’s lost treasures, which had been stolen by the giant long ago.

VIRGO: August 23 – Sept. 22

Before the reign of Emperor Qin Shi Huang in the third century BCE, Chinese people had built many local walls designed to keep out invaders. Qin Shi Huang initiated a great public works project to connect all of these fragments into what’s now known as the Great Wall of China. He also erected a vast system of roads and a city-sized mausoleum filled with the Terracotta Army: sculptures of 8,000 soldiers with their chariots and horses. Qin Shi Huang was a big thinker who was also highly organized! In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to glide into your very own Qin Shi Huang phase. What long-lasting structures do you want to build in the next 11 months?

LIBRA: Sept. 23 – Oct. 22

Psychologist Carl Jung believed we could accomplish profound selftransformation by working hard on our psyches’ unripe and wounded aspects. That might entail honest selfexamination, objective observation of how we affect others, and a willingness to recognize and forgive our mistakes. Jung also recommended another way to heal our neuroses: through the power of numinous experiences. By “numinous,” he meant mystical, sublime, or awe-inspiring. Jung said that such visitations could radically diminish our painful habits of mind and feeling. They might arrive through grace, thanks to life’s surprising interventions. They may also be coaxed to appear through meditation, dreamwork, communing with myth and fairy tales, and spiritual practices. I foresee a wealth of numinous events in your life during the coming months, Libra. May they bring you a steady stream of healing.

SCORPIO: Oct. 23 – Nov. 21:

In a moment, I will list events I foresee as being possible for you during the next 11 months. They are cosmic tendencies but not cosmic mandates. Whether or not they actually occur will depend on how you wield your willpower — which, by the way, could be freer and more muscular than it has been in a long time. Now here are the potential developments. 1. An offer to create one of the most symbiotic unions or robust collaborations ever. 2. Great chances for you to capitalize on the success of others. 3. Alterations in the family configuration. 4. Major shifts in loyalty and affinity. 5. A raise in rank. 6. Revelations of secrets you can use to your advantage.

SAGITTARIUS: Nov. 22 – Dec. 21

Have you been metaphysically itchy and psychologically ticklish? Are you unsure whether those tingling sensations you’re feeling are worrisome symptoms or signs of healing and awakening? I believe they are signs of healing and awakening. They suggest you are doing the metaphorical equivalent of what a snake does when it sheds its skin. Expect imminent redemption, Sagittarius! Reframe the discomfort as a herald of relief and release.

CAPRICORN: Dec. 22 – Jan. 19

It’s time for Super Mom to make an appearance. Some circumstances in your life could benefit from healing tweaks best initiated by her. And when I say “Super Mom,” I’m not necessarily referring to your actual mother. I’m envisioning a wise older woman who sees you as you really are and who can assist you in living your destiny according to your own inner necessity, no one else’s. If you have no Super Mom in your world, see if you can locate one, even hire one. I also recommend creating an inner Super Mom in your imagination. You need and deserve sympathetic input from the archetype of the sage crone.

AQUARIUS: Jan. 20 – Feb. 18

I suspect that later in 2024, I will authorize you to commune with boisterous adventures and tricky risks. But right now, I advise you to flirt with modest adventures and sensible risks. Can you contain your burning, churning yearnings for a while? Are you willing to coax your crazy wild heart into enjoying some mild pleasures? By early autumn, I’m guessing you will have done the necessary preparations to successfully roam through the experimental frontiers. Until then, you are most likely to corral X-factors on your behalf if you pace yourself and bide your time.

PISCES: Feb.19 – March 20

“Oh God, if there is a God, save my soul, if I have a soul.” That prayer was the handiwork of Piscean philosopher Joseph Ernest Renan. If his ironic minimalism is the only spiritual aspiration you can manage right now, so be it. But I hope you will strive for a more intimate, expansive, and personal connection with the Divine Intelligence. The coming weeks will be an extra favorable time for you to speak and listen to mysterious powers beyond your rational comprehension. Please take advantage! Go in quest of the sweet, deep lowdown directly from the Sublime Source!

Homework: Try letting go of a burden that’s not necessary to bear any longer.

Happy Father’s Day and Flag Day. I like to think fathers are more important than flags, not that I’m against the flag. Symbolism has its place. Enjoy the summer heat and if you spend a lot of time in the bar, sunscreen is your friend.

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