Michigan
This popular Michigan bar has a working cigarette machine inside — but it dispenses art.
FLINT, MI — There is a working cigarette machine at Soggy Bottom Bar, but what’s inside isn’t what you’d expect.
It’s contents are open to interpretation and meant to inspire be enjoyed.
No, it does not dispense cigarettes. It dispenses art.
And not just any art, but works by local Flint artists — a mini Flint art market now known and branded as the MarTket.
Jewel Brown, 26 of Flint, said she first had the idea while working at Factory Two when a larger vending machine came through that needed repairs.
Brown, a 2017 Flint Kearsley graduate who grew up on the city’s east side, knew she wanted to make something unique and to give a voice to artists from the start.
But now, she needed to buy an old cigarette vending machine. The one that came in was too expensive for her pocketbook.
So, she did what anyone would — she turned to Facebook Marketplace in hopes of finding a cheaper one. And in August 2024, she found one for sale in Metcalf, Illinois.
“It was a teeny, tiny town in southern Illinois,” Brown said. “The lady who sold it to me was so sweet. She had been running the bar she just bought two years ago. She had still been selling cigarettes out of it, and just decided she didn’t want to deal with the hassle anymore.”
Brown borrowed a truck from friends Jeff and Mary Mintline, even having help from Will Mintline, who drove with her to provide some extra muscle to retrieve the new dispensary device.
Brown said she was fortunate the machine was in good condition with fully working slots. Though, she admitted, it needed a deep clean, calling it “pretty, pretty grody.”
“I knew the idea right from the get — I knew it was going to be local artists. That was my intention the whole time,” Brown said. “My goal is to make Flint artists’ art more accessible for people. Not only in Flint, but people who are visiting Flint.”
The MarTket — which sells local artists work for $5 each — is an old cigarette vending machine that was cleaned and repurposed to fuel Flint’s art scene, making art more accessible and affordable. It is located inside of Soggy Bottom Bar.(Photo provided by MarTket)
That’s why Brown said it was crucial to have a home for the MarTket machine in Soggy Bottom Bar in downtown Flint — one of the city’s most popular bars.
Brown and Soggy Bottom’s regulars even threw a party for its grand reveal in March.
“The place was packed,” Brown said, noting she invited all the participating artists. “And a few artists sold out completely, which was awesome.”
The art vending machine holds up to 22 artists’ work at a time, and, Brown said happily, she has not had to turn a single artist away.
Inside the vending machine, you’ll find art in the style of poetry, zines, photographs, stained glass, leather, prints, collages and paintings.
“I really wanted to make sure there was a lot of options — something that everyone would enjoy,” Brown said. “I think Flint has a really rich art scene, but accessibility to it is not always there. So, a lot of times when we think about Flint art, the first things that are going to come to mind are the FIA and Buckham Gallery. And for a lot of these artists and a lot of people, these things are not super easily accessible.
“I think Flint does a great job of combating that with things like Art Walks where it’s a much more casual way to get involved in the arts community, giving an opportunity to see what the Flint arts community has to offer. But really the goal with it is to keep it affordable for people.”
Scenes from the grand opening party for The MarTket — which sells local artists work for $5 each. It is an old cigarette vending machine that was cleaned and repurposed to fuel Flint’s art scene, making art more accessible and affordable. It is located inside of Soggy Bottom Bar.(Photo provided by Hayley Murray)
Everything in the MarTket vending machine is $5, and artists get 60% of each purchase. Brown said it was important to her to ensure artists are compensated fairly as well.
The remainder of the money goes into packing materials and repairs to sustain the machine.
But Brown’s ambitions for the project don’t stop there. She aims to have two more by the end of the year, but in a different style and at other locations.
She plans to do the same with a full-size snack vending machine and a sticker vending machine as well.
The MarTket is stationed in the secondary room to the right after you enter Soggy Bottom Bar, located at 613 Martin Luther King Ave. in Flint.
You can follow the MarTket on Facebook and Instagram.
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Michigan
3 dead after vehicle collides with semitruck on Interstate 94 in Wayne County, Michigan State Police say
Three people are dead after a vehicle hit the back of a semitruck on Interstate 94 in Southeast Michigan late Friday, state officials said.
The Michigan State Police responded to the crash on eastbound I-94 near Michigan Avenue in Wayne County around 11:44 p.m. Investigators said the semitruck was stopped in traffic due to flooding when it was struck by the vehicle.
Three passengers in the vehicle that crashed into the semi died at the scene, according to the state law enforcement agency, and the driver was taken into custody.
The ages of the individuals involved in the collision have not yet been disclosed by officials.
As of Saturday afternoon, the investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Michigan
What to know about cyclosporiasis as Michigan health officials investigate 300+ cases in outbreak
Over 300 cases of cyclosporiasis have been reported within a week in Southeast Michigan, and Michigan health officials are investigating.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) are actively investigating the potential source of the “large and growing outbreak” of cases confirmed in Monroe, Lenawee, Washtenaw, Wayne, Shiawassee, Jackson and Livingston counties.
Health officials also reported 24 cases across 11 other Michigan counties, including in the city of Detroit. Typically, Michigan only gets around 50 cases per year.
On July 1, MDHHS reported there were at least 170 cases. On Thursday, the number of cases jumped to at least 300.
Read more –> Michigan health officials warn of ‘large and growing outbreak’ of cyclosporiasis
The age range of individuals who were diagnosed with the illness ranges from 8 years old to 84 years old, with a median age of 41, according to MDHHS.
Health officials are working to determine the common exposure of the outbreak in Michigan.
Here’s what to know about cyclosporiasis:
What is cyclosporiasis?
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by a parasite and infects the small intestine.
Healthcare providers can diagnose the illness by testing a stool sample.
Signs and symptoms
If infected with cyclosporiasis, people may experience watery diarrhea with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements.
The illness can last from a few days to over a month if the illness is not treated. Symptoms could relapse.
The timeframe from becoming infected to becoming sick usually takes about one week but can range from two days to two weeks or more.
In the US, outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of fresh produce. People can get infected with Cyclospora more than once.
Anyone who experiences symptoms of cyclosporiasis should see their healthcare provider.
How it spreads
The illness can spread when people eat food or drink water that was contaminated with feces.
The CDC said it can take at least one or two weeks outside the body for Cyclospora to become infectious after passing in a bowel movement, making direct person-to-person transmission unlikely.
How to prevent cyclosporiasis
According to the CDC, people can prevent infection by avoiding food or water that may contain feces and by following food safety recommendations for safe preparation and storage.
The CDC recommends washing hands with soap and water before and after handling or preparing raw fruits and vegetables.
Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water before eating, cutting or cooking. Cut away any damaged or bruised areas on fruits and vegetables before preparing and eating.
Read more on prevention here.
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A shooting altercation between two groups of young people at a shopping mall in Dearborn, Michigan, left two people dead and a third injured over what is typically the most violent weekend of the year in the US, police said.
The shooting occurred as the US began celebrating the Fourth of July, historically a holiday weekend that sees higher rates of gun violence across the country. In 2024, the Gun Violence Archive reported more than 500 shootings over Independence Day weekend.
The shooting at Fairlane Town Center on Friday sent mall patrons scrambling, including a person who was hit by a vehicle outside the mall while attempting to flee, said Issa Shahin, the Dearborn police chief.
People believed to be linked to the fight were being questioned at the police station, but no one was immediately taken into custody, he said.
Shahin said the altercation was not a random act: the two groups knew each other and after they came into contact at the mall a fight started that escalated into gunfire. Members of both groups had handguns, he said.
One of the victims died inside Fairlane Town Center and the other died at a nearby hospital. Details on the third person who was shot were not released.
The mall was evacuated after the shooting and police planned to keep it closed while they investigated.
A video posted to social media appeared to show people running from the shopping center after gunshots could be heard.
Fairlane Town Center has more than 125 stores and restaurants, according to its website.
Dearborn is a suburb of Detroit with a population of more than 100,000 people about nine miles west of Detroit.
Tyhrann Howard, Michigan state police specialist lieutenant, said the agency was assisting with the investigation and referred questions to the Dearborn police.
A person who answered the phone at the telephone number for mall security declined comment.
Associated Press contributed reporting
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