Detroit, MI
Freep Film Festival to open with documentary on storied River Rouge basketball team
A group of youths striving to uphold the triumphant legacy of a storied high school basketball program in an unassuming Detroit suburb will be the subject of the opening movie at this year’s Freep Film Festival.
The annual documentary-focused festival will begin April 10 at the Detroit Film Theatre, inside the Detroit Institute of Arts, organizers announced Thursday.
In keeping with the tradition of opening the festival with a local production, “Rouge,” filmed entirely in Michigan and led by a filmmaking team from metro Detroit, will kick off the five-day series of screenings and discussions.
“Rouge” makes its Michigan debut as a coming-of-age story set in the downriver community of River Rouge. The film follows the lives of four Black student-athletes at a school with the most state basketball championships in Michigan history, situated in one of the state’s most economically and environmentally challenged communities.
These are the best Michigan high school boys basketball programs of all time
“The selection of ‘Rouge’ for this year’s premier slot is just another example of how rich and important Michigan stories are to the festival — and to our audiences,” said Kathy Kieliszewski, the festival’s artistic director.
“We are thrilled to be hosting the Michigan premiere of this Michigan-made story that captures the heart of River Rouge and its beloved basketball team.”
Past festival openers such as “12th and Clairmount,” “The Russian Five” and “Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale” drew thousands for their local debuts.
“Rouge” director and producer Hamoody Jaafar, a Detroit native and Wayne State University graduate, described premiering the film in metro Detroit as “magical.”
“My hopes are that the community feels it was an authentic, honest, truthful and noteworthy representation of the city and school district’s historic basketball program and achievements both on and off the court,” said Jaafar. “The community was overly welcoming of us from day one, and they deserve all the credit and recognition in the world. I just hope they are proud of what we created.”
In the 1950s, legendary high school basketball coach Lofton Greene led the racially integrated River Rouge High School Panthers to a record number of state championships in a league of otherwise segregated schools. Now, almost 70 years later, LaMonta Stone, a former Panther himself, has returned to the struggling industrial town to help the Panthers chase the school’s 15th state championship.
Jaafar’s previous films include “Detroit Diamond” (2018) and “Enter the Cavaliers” (2020).
“Rouge” producer Razi Jafri, another Detroit-based filmmaker, has previous credits that include “Hamtramck, USA” and “Three Chaplains.”
In addition to its primary characters, the film features appearances by Michigan State Basketball Head Coach Tom Izzo, Detroit Pistons announcer George Blaha and longtime Free Press high school sports writer Mick McCabe, among others.
The April 10 screening will launch the 11th annual Freep Film Festival, which will feature about 40 events (in-person and virtual), including screenings, parties, filmmaking gatherings and more, spanning five days, April 10-14.
Tickets for opening night are $15 and can be purchased at freepfilmfestival.com. Early purchases are recommended as Freep Film Festival screenings often sell out. If tickets are still available, they will be sold at the DIA on the evening of the show. Doors will open at 6 p.m. The program will begin at 7 p.m.
Reservations to watch the at-home stream of the movie are also available, with streaming April 11-16.
Brendel Hightower is an assistant editor at the Detroit Free Press. Contact her at bhightower@freepress.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe to the Detroit Free Press.
Detroit, MI
4Warn Weather Alert issued for Wednesday morning in Metro Detroit — What this means
A 4Warn Weather Alert has been issued for Wednesday morning in Metro Detroit following overnight thunderstorms.
A Flood Watch is in effect for most of Southeast Michigan through 2 p.m. on March 11, prompting a 4Warn Weather Alert as rounds of rain and storms move across the region during the morning commute and through midday.
Full forecast –> Wild weather: Heavy rain leading to flood concerns in Metro Detroit
What is a 4Warn Weather Alert?
We issue a 4Warn Weather Alert when we’re expecting weather conditions that will be inconvenient to our viewers.
Why did we issue an alert for Wednesday morning?
Early Wednesday morning, thunderstorms were rolling through Metro Detroit. While severe weather was a possibility overnight, most storms in Southeast Michigan remained below severe limits. Stronger storms developed across West Michigan earlier, and a Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for the Saginaw area.
Meanwhile, parts of the Thumb and Mid-Michigan are dealing with freezing rain and icy conditions, while Northern Michigan is under Ice Storm Warnings, including Alpena.
The biggest concern in Southeast Michigan Wednesday morning is heavy rainfall.
Several rounds of rain could produce localized flooding, especially in areas that typically collect water, such as low-lying neighborhoods, underpasses and roads with poor drainage.
Flood safety tips
Drivers should be cautious of standing water on roadways. Even shallow water can hide hazards or stall vehicles Here is an important rule during flood events: Turn around, don’t drown.
Just a foot of moving water can sweep a vehicle away. Drivers should never attempt to cross flooded roadways and should seek alternate routes if water covers the road.
Heavy rain can also lead to basement flooding in some homes. Residents are encouraged to check sump pumps, clear nearby drains if possible and monitor lower levels of their homes for water intrusion during prolonged rainfall.
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
Detroit, MI
Detroit Lions Sign QB Teddy Bridgewater To Backup Jared Goff in 2026
The free agency tampering period has begun for the NFL, and the Detroit Lions are among the active teams acquiring players as they try to get back to the playoffs after they did not meet their own standard for last season.
On Monday, it was revealed that 2025 Lions backup quarterback Kyle Allen was heading to Buffalo, leaving another hole in the roster to fill. Nearly 24 hours later, that hole has been filled, as veteran quarterbackTeddy Bridgewater is heading back to Motown.
Bridgewater spent the 2023 season with Detroit, in what initially was going to be his final season in the league.
However, after coaching Miami Northwestern Senior High School to a state championship in Florida during the 2024 season, he announced he was planning to unretire, and Detroit picked him up for their push towards the top seed in the NFC.
Bridgewater then resigned as head coach at Miami Northwestern and signed with Tampa Bay to backup Baker Mayfield last season.
He appeared in four games last season, throwing 15 passes for the Buccaneers, which were his first NFL pass attempts since 2022.
Bridgewater is a safe option at backup quarterback in Detroit, as the former Rookie of the Year has had a steady career since entering the league with Minnesota out of Louisville in 2014.
Bridgewater returns to back up Jared Goff under new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, as this is a situation where Detroit stuck with a player they knew. For Petzing, this is not the first time coaching Teddy Bridgewater, as he was an offensive assistant with Minnesota when they drafted Bridgewater in 2014.
A leg injury derailed his career after a Pro Bowl season in 2015, but he has started 37 games since the injury as a journeyman. Bridgewater left Minnesota and Drew Petzing and would overlap with Dan Campbell when the quarterback played for New Orleans in 2018 and 2019. In addition to Minnesota, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, and Detroit, Bridgewater has also played for Carolina, Denver, and Miami.
Detroit stuck with a safe and familiar option in Bridgewater, as a majority of their offense, alongside most of their offensive staff, have worked with the quarterback before. If Bridgewater is turned to in any situation, there will be full confidence in the Louisville product to make the right play.
NFL Draft Implications
This puts Detroit in a unique position when looking ahead towards the NFL Draft, as a popular mock draft pick for Detroit was taking a quarterback, with Cole Payton, Luke Altmyer, and Taylen Green all being among the names mentioned.
Bridgewater is an excellent mentor alongside Goff, but having three quarterbacks on the Lions roster after injury-riddled campaigns in the last two seasons may not be the wisest allocation of a roster spot.
For the time being, Detroit has their backup quarterback for the season, and there is not a better option than Bridgewater when it comes to familiarity and adaptability. While the former Pro Bowl quarterback has yet to throw a pass in Detroit, he has the familiairity and trust of the coaching staff to be a backup entering a pivotal year.
Detroit, MI
Detroit ‘Sloppy Chops’ restaurateur\u00a0killed: What to know
How to anonymously submit a tip to Crime Stoppers of Michigan
Here are the three ways to submit a tip to Crime Stoppers of Michigan safely and anonymously: by phone, online, and through the P3 Tips mobile app.
Mourning continued and no suspects were in custody a week after the fatal shooting of Detroit restaurateur and nightlife figure Mikey “Mike B” Brown at the end of February.
Brown was the beloved figure behind the “Sloppy” brand of restaurants, and remembrances have been rolling in online since his death.
Here’s what to know:
Shooting outside cocktail bar
“Mike B” Brown, 51, and two others were shot about 4:30 a.m. Feb. 28 in the area of 15789 Schaefer, police previously said.
The two others were found in front of the location, and Brown was found across the street, police said.
Police have asked those with information on the shooting to come forward.
There were no suspects in custody and no further updates in the case as of Monday, March 9, according to a statement from the Detroit Police Department.
Updates on the conditions of the two other individuals shot were also not provided.
Who was Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown?
Brown was a husband, a father of five and a restaurateur.
He opened Sloppy Chops Restaurant, a steakhouse, in 2020 on West McNichols off the Lodge Freeway and later opened a seafood restaurant called Sloppy Crab, which was renamed the Crab Sports Bar, on East Jefferson Avenue near the Renaissance Center. Brown previously had two clubs, as well.
His downtown dining spot served as an answer to questions on offerings for Black diners in the city’s renaissance. His other “Sloppy” location showcased successful reach beyond downtown and into the city’s neighborhoods. Brown was also a cultural figure in not only the world of dining, but in the nightlife, the Free Press reported.
When are funeral services for Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown?
A family hour was set for 9 a.m. March 13 and a funeral was set for 10 a.m. March 13, both at Triumph Church –North Campus at 15600 J.L. Hudson Drive in Southfield.
What’s been the fallout since Mike ‘Mike B’ Brown’s death?
Outside of the community hurt, there’s also been calls for a crackdown on establishments that stay open into early morning hours in residential areas, ClickOnDetroit reports.
How to report tips on Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown’s shooting
Those with information tied to the triple shooting can contact the Detroit Police Department’s homicide unit at 313-596-2260 or submit anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-Speak-Up or DetroitRewards.tv.
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