Detroit, MI
In Detroit, Republicans pray pastors can help them win black votes
DETROIT — With a Michigan win all but guaranteeing Donald Trump the White House, his campaign deployed disciples in downtown Detroit last week to boost his backing among black voters.
Pastor Lorenzo Sewell of 180Church, who gave a fiery prime-time speech at last month’s Republican National Convention, emceed the Thursday roundtable, which aimed to route Republican outreach through a trusted source in the community: the black pastor.
Sewell said he has always voted Republican, though few knew — until Trump’s July appearance at his church, which Sewell calls his “coming-out party.”
“My whole life, I’ve had the honor to serve in Detroit, Pontiac and Saginaw,” he said. “Always serving in Democratic strongholds but always voting Republican.”
Why?
“I believe in the Bible.”
A fellow churchman echoed his remarks at the event, held at restaurant Table No. 2.
“I’m often asked why I’m even involved with this whole political madness going on our country right now,” said Apostle Ellis L. Smith, who leads Jubilee City Church in neighboring Redford. “But I’m not politically motivated. I’m really not a Republican, I’m not a Democrat, I’m a Bible-crat.”
“We have to begin to think biblically,” Smith said. “Not culturally, biblically. Not black or white, biblically. As a grandparent, and now I’m a great grandparent, I don’t want little boys who think they’re girls going into the bathroom with my grandchildren.”
“As Detroit goes, so goes America,” Smith added. “And as America goes, so goes the world. So what we do and how we do it has the capacity to change everything.”
Clinton Tarver, 74, knows firsthand what the Trump campaign is up against.
The Clint’s Hotdog Cart and Casual Catering owner is running as a Republican for the Ingham County Commission. He and his wife, Linda, have been involved in GOP politics for years; she’s a former civil-rights commissioner for the state.
When Tarver hits the campaign trail, he has to fend off two foes: general apathy and particular antipathy when people learn he’s a Republican.
“One friend of mine asked for a Trump sign,” Tarver told The Post. “So he could burn it. That’s cold, you know? But it’s the kind of stuff that we go through.”
Tarver hopes to move the Overton window to the point where it’s not a shock for someone to see a black Republican at the door.
“People need to be free to make their own choices,” he said. “We have to give them something to choose.”
Martell Bivings, the black Republican running against Democrat incumbent Shri Thanedar in the congressional district that covers Detroit, was not in attendance. But he has warned the Trump campaign that without a real outreach effort to the African-American community, the black votes Trump hopes for won’t materialize.
“I know those black men. I’m related to those black men,” Bivings told The Post. “They’re not going to go to the polls. They’ll say ‘I ain’t make it to the polls; was Election Day last week?’”
Alexandria Taylor, executive vice chair of the 13th District Republicans, agreed with Bivings on the importance of reaching out and said the pastors’ roundtable was a good start. The campaign is ramping up its outreach efforts every Saturday through Election Day.
So how can Republicans win more of the black vote?
“I think it has to be the ground game, the door knocking,” Taylor said. “I’m someone that spent majority of my adult life in the Democrat Party, and then I switched and came over here, and there are stark differences.”
“The Democrats, to me, take advantage of the black vote. So we can’t do that same thing and expect it to just pop out of thin air,” she continued. “We have to be willing to do the work and have the conversations. There’s no way around the hard work.”
Mike Rogers, Michigan’s Republican Senate candidate, was the only non-pastor with a speaking part.
The former congressman had recently joined Sewell on the east side of Pontiac — “the ‘hood,” Sewell noted — to reach black voters.
He told them what he told the pastors Thursday.
“I’m not asking you to be a Republican,” Rogers said. “I am asking you to take a chance on a set of ideas that will help this community, that will help us all grow.”
While the pastors talked about the many ways America strays from God’s word, including abortion and transgenderism, Rogers focused on literacy.
Illiteracy in the black community is robbing people of their futures, he said.
“We have a literacy crisis in America, and it’s not just in black neighborhoods or Hispanic neighborhoods or white neighborhoods, it’s all of us,” Rogers said. “Eighty percent of Michigan students cannot read at grade level.”
“I think education today may be the biggest civil rights issue of our lifetime,” he added. “If you can’t read by the fourth grade, you have a 70% chance of going to prison or being on welfare.”
Detroit, MI
A New Day for Detroit’s Dakota Inn – Hour Detroit Magazine
For generations of Detroiters, the Dakota Inn Rathskeller has been more than a bar—it’s been a ritual. A place where communal tables, steins raised high, and the familiar sound of German folk songs have created a sense of belonging that transcends time. Now, as the city continues its cultural resurgence, the Dakota Inn is entering a bold new chapter—one that honors its storied past while opening the doors to an entirely new kind of experience.
This summer, the transformation is unmistakable.
At the heart of the revival is a sprawling outdoor Biergarten—an ambitious expansion that reimagines the Dakota Inn as both a neighborhood anchor and a destination venue. Designed to evoke the charm of traditional European beer gardens while embracing Detroit’s gritty, creative energy, the space invites guests to linger. Long wooden tables stretch beneath open skies, string lights glow into the evening, and the hum of conversation blends with live music and clinking glasses. It’s communal, celebratory, and distinctly Detroit.
But the evolution doesn’t stop with beer.
The Dakota Inn is broadening its cultural reach with a thoughtfully curated lineup of events that extend far beyond its traditional roots. Jazz & Film Nights promise to turn warm evenings into immersive experiences, pairing live performances with classic and contemporary cinema. The concept feels both nostalgic and fresh—an echo of Detroit’s rich musical heritage layered with a modern, cinematic sensibility.
Wine tastings, too, are joining the calendar, signaling a more expansive approach to hospitality. These events aim to attract a wider audience while maintaining the venue’s approachable, convivial spirit. Whether you’re a seasoned enthusiast or simply curious, the goal is the same: bring people together around shared experiences.
And then there’s soccer.
With World Cup excitement on the horizon, the Dakota Inn is positioning itself as one of the city’s premier gathering spots for international watch parties. The Biergarten will come alive with fans from all backgrounds, united by the universal language of the game. Large screens, cold drinks, and a festival-like atmosphere will transform match days into something closer to a civic celebration than a simple viewing.
What makes this moment particularly compelling is the balance being struck. The Dakota Inn isn’t abandoning its identity—it’s expanding it. The familiar sing-alongs, the old-world décor, the sense of history etched into the walls—all of that remains. But now, it exists alongside new programming that reflects the diversity and dynamism of Detroit itself.
This is not a reinvention for reinvention’s sake. It’s a thoughtful evolution, rooted in the belief that historic spaces can—and should—adapt to the communities they serve.
On any given summer night, you might find a table of old friends singing a German drinking song, a couple discovering the space for the first time over a glass of wine, or a crowd gathered around a screen, erupting in cheers as a goal is scored thousands of miles away. Different scenes, different energies—but all part of the same story.
A new day has arrived at the Dakota Inn Rathskeller, and if this summer is any indication, its next chapter may be its most vibrant yet.
The Dakota Inn
17324 John R St, Detroit, MI 48203
(313) 867-9722
Detroit, MI
Boston Red Sox vs. Detroit Tigers Game Delayed on Monday
Original Story: The Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers clash on Monday night was anything but smooth.
Boston got an excellent start from Payton Tolle, who went seven innings in the contest and allowed just one base hit and two earned runs. After a five-run seventh inning, Boston took a 5-2 lead. Then, in the top of the eighth inning, the consest was delayed due to inclement weather.
This story will be updated as information surfaces.
Updated: The weather certainly played a role in Monday’s contest. Midway through the contest, fans at Comerica Park had to take cover due to lightning in the area.
Fans forced to move to cover, threat of lightning. Well that last play was lightning for our Tigers!! pic.twitter.com/HvY96mFROR
— Iffy The Dopester (@IffyTheDopester) May 4, 2026
The rain came fast and hard, but the action continued for a few innings afterward.
Eventually, with the crowd looking empty, the action started to get a bit sloppy. Tolle allowed the two earned runs on just one base hit. That’s in part due to two errors from the Red Sox behind him in the sixth inning. Detroit scored both of its runs in the sixth inning. Fortunately, the Red Sox followed suit with five runs of their own in the seventh inning in equally weird fashion. Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran smashed a homer to left field that on the broadcast looked like it was going to be a pop-up to left field, then all of a sudden it was out.
Jarren strikes for the lead ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/B0jcRTj8j6
— Red Sox (@RedSox) May 5, 2026
Wilyer Abreu followed up with a base hit to push Boston’s fourth run of the inning across.
Wilyer drives in Masa! pic.twitter.com/4Bj2E8Z1a2
— Boston Sports (@bahstonspahts) May 5, 2026
Finally, Marcelo Mayer came through with a base hit to drive in the fifth run of the inning for Boston.
This Marcelo Mayer heater is the only reason I still watch the Red Sox pic.twitter.com/m6wO97NGiF
— MayerIsKing (@MayerIsKing) May 5, 2026
Then, in the eighth inning, the contest was put into a rain delay with the weather getting worse.
“The game is currently in a delay due to inclement weather in the area. We will continue to provide updates,” the Tigers announced on X.
At the time, Enmanuel De Jesus was on the mound for Detroit with Andruw Monasterio at the plate with one ball. As of writing, neither the Red Sox nor the Tigers has provided an estimated time for the resumption of the contest, although the grounds crew did start to move the tarp on the field. When the game does resume, Boston will be just six outs away from getting back in the win column. For Boston, it’s a game it certainly needs to win and currently is in a good position to do so. But, again, it’s not over.
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Detroit, MI
Gas prices up 84 cents in Michigan from last week, up 76 cents in metro Detroit
DEARBORN, Mich. (WXYZ) — Gas prices in Michigan are up 84 cents from last week in the state of Michigan, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).
Michigan drivers are now paying an average of $4.86/gallon for regular unleaded fuel, which is 99 cents more than this last month and $1.64 more than this time last year.
This means that for a full 15-gallon tank of gas, drivers are paying an average of $73, up $22 from last year’s highest prices.
“Michigan drivers are feeling the squeeze as gas prices spike 85 cents in one week,” said Adrienne Woodland, spokesperson, AAA-The Auto Club Group. “Until oil prices ease and gasoline stocks rebuild, drivers may continue to feel pressure from higher prices at the pump.”
Metro Detroit’s current average is $4.83 per gallon, up 76 cents since last week and up $1.66 from this time last year.
Here’s a look at the priciest and cheapest gas prices across the state:
- Most expensive gas price averages: Benton Harbor ($4.94), Ann Arbor ($4.92), Grand Rapids ($4.91)
- Least expensive gas price averages: Marquette ($4.65), Flint ($4.82), Metro Detroit ($4.83)
For more information on gas prices near you, click here.
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