A Newspaper for the rest of us • www.lansingcitypulse.com FREE March 27 - April 2, 2019 27 - March Top of the Town Voting Starts NOW! See page 17 -Nevin ‘19 2 www.lansingcitypulse.com City Pulse • March 27, 2019 Tickets On MAY 31ST, 2019 Sale Now at MAY 31 etix.com LANSING CENTER’S RIVERFRONT PLAZA facebook.com/MargaritaFestLansing PRESENTED BY: City Pulse • March 27, 2019 www.lansingcitypulse.com 3 Favorite Tings Metro Retro owner Ted Stewart and his TV art YEFIM BRONFMAN Dennis Burck/City Pulse Ted Stewart’s special TV in the window of Metro Retro’s storefront. I grew up lower middle class and his apartment at the time, he had this “…one of the most was never rich enough to buy the hanging on his wall and I loved it. He gifted and brilliant things I wanted. got it from an artist, who I think may and versatile Growing up in Lansing was awful, have died from AIDS. The porn direc- but it has gotten way cooler. I was tor told me he was thinking to clean [pianists around].” from the south side and went to out. I said “If you ever want to part –The Washington Post Everett High School, dropping out with it, I’ll take it off your hands.” the last semester of my senior year. One day he told me he had no After that I hopped on a Greyhound room in his new place so he brought bus with $100 and moved to San it over to me. When I moved back APRIL 2 Francisco. I burned through the to Lansing, I had this in my entry- money in two days and it was the way, but it was put in my attic after 7:30PM start of becoming homeless for three a while. months. From there, I moved to It is not for sale, but I would take Hawaii and was homeless for another $5,000 for it and not a penny less. three months. I like to think of it as giving the I got back on my feet, coming back artist respect to have it in my window. whartoncenter.com home to Lansing before I moved It will be three years for Metro 1-800-WHARTON to LA. While there, I used to run a Retro in April and I love doing what Sponsored by MSU Federal Credit Union with ghetto fab thrift shop on Hollywood I do. But I did pay my dues doing additional support from ProAssurance Casualty Boulevard for six months. Then I dishwasher jobs, telemarketer jobs Company. Media Sponsor: WKAR. divorced my partner and walked and the nine to five grind. away. I used to try to sell people insur- If I had to choose one item as my ance and hair restoration products favorite, it would be my TV. that could “change their lives.” It holds quite a scene. The guy The biggest thrill with this job is at looks like John Waters. I like the the end when I see somebody happy whole dining, bar scene and, most with a smile on their face after they important, her cone tits! It also actu- found something in my shop. ally lights up on the inside and has (This interview was edited and these giant antennas. condensed by Dennis Burck. If you I got my TV from a retired gay porn have a recommendation for “Favorite director. He had a studio apartment Things,” please email dennis@lan- and was downsizing. When I went to singcitypulse.com.) 4 www.lansingcitypulse.com City Pulse • March 27, 2019 VOL. 18 ISSUE 33 (517) 371-5600 • Fax: (517) 999-6061 • 1905 E. Michigan Ave. • Lansing, MI 48912 • www.lansingcitypulse.com ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: (517) 999-5061 or email [email protected] PAGE CLASSIFIEDS: (517) 999-6704 EDITOR AND PUBLISHER • Berl Schwartz 9 [email protected] • (517) 999-5061 ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR • Skyler Ashley Billman: Trump's hair's on fire [email protected] • (517) 999-5068 EVENTS EDITOR/OFFICE MANAGER • Paul Shore [email protected] • (517) 999-6704 PRODUCTION MANAGER • Abby Sumbler PAGE [email protected] (517) 999-5066 43 STAFF WRITERS • Lawrence Cosentino [email protected] • (517) 999-5065 Learn the secrets of Jerusalem Bakery Kyle Kaminski • [email protected] (517) 999-6715 Dennis Burck • [email protected] (517) 999-6705 PAGE SALES EXECUTIVE Lee Purdy • [email protected] • (517) 999-5064 16 Contributors: Andy Balaskovitz, Justin Bilicki, Daniel E. Bollman, Capital News Service, Bill Castanier, Lauded Michigan authors teach a writing workshop Ryan Claytor, Mary C. Cusack, Tom Helma, Gabrielle Lawrence Johnson, Eve Kucharski, Terry Link, Andy McGlashen, Kyle Melinn, Mark Nixon, Shawn Parker, Stefanie Pohl, Dennis Preston, Allan I. Ross, Nevin Cover Speerbrecker, Dylan Tarr, Rich Tupica, Ute Von Der Heyden, David Winkelstern, Paul Wozniak -Nevin ‘19 Art Distribution manager: Paul Shore • (517) 999-6704 Delivery drivers: Dave Fisher, Dale Gartner, Art by Nevin Speerbrecker Thomas Scott Jr., Jack Dowd, Gavin Smith, NOW AT 10:00 A.M. SUNDAYS on City Pulse • March 27, 2019 www.lansingcitypulse.com 5 PULSE NEWS & OPINION bills pushed out by Snyder last year, how did legislation designed to address FOR The Legislature and Nassar arguably the biggest issue of 2018 get left behind? DESIGN Of 23 bills inspired by the sexual abuse scandal, not one Former Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand was signed into law in 2018 Ledge, who chaired the House Judiciary Committee — where the bills had been assigned after they came Strict condi- sures crafted last year as part of a over from the House last session — POLITICS tions on when 23-bill House package in wake of the was asked why the package ultimately a doctor can Larry Nassar sexual assault scandal at stalled in 2018. penetrate the Michigan State University. “Different groups, like the Catholic vagina or anus of None of them were signed into law. Conference and MSU, came in and an ailing minor. In fact, 18 of the 23 bills — including bitched to leadership that those bills The creation of a new mandatory reporting require- shouldn’t be passed,” Jones said. “So, 20-year felony for ments for athletic trainers — never they were stopped, and we only passed physicians who made it to Gov. Rick Snyder’s desk. bills that would allow the Nasser sur- persuade a minor They died in the Senate, falling victim vivors to bring a lawsuit. Anything that sexual contact is to poor timing, a legislative stalemate beyond that died.” necessary for their health. The creation and the reality that nobody went to bat Both MSU and the Catholic of age-appropriate information mate- for them amid a whirlwind lame duck. Conference object to that categoriza- rial on sexual assault for middle and Nearly all of them are coming back tion. high schoolers. this session as part of a bipartisan/ Michigan State University Board John Dye All three of these ideas were mea- bicameral effort, but with nearly 400 See Melinn, Page 6 Water Conditioning Plant Andrea Satoh of Holt was the first reader to correctly identify the Feb. 27 Eye for Design as the pair of doors Medical pot fees: Boon, bust or boondoggle? at the John Dye Water Conditioning $885,000 has poured into city coffers issue six licenses — along with dozens of Plant in Lansing (pictured above). Records show surplus; through nearly 180 applications for conditional approvals — to local pot-re- The facility is named after a former city points to deficit medical marijuana dispensaries, grow- preneurs. The rest of the money “could Lansing Board of Water & Light ing facilities and more. And after partial not be monetized,” the city replied to chemist. Most visitors overlook the The city of Lansing has netted over refunds were granted to denied appli- a request filed with the City Attorney’s doors, being drawn instead to the $700,00 in medical marijuana licens- cants, Lansing still collected $712,500, Office under the state Freedom of 32-foot limestone relief sculpture ing fees, but city officials can’t provide records indicate. Information Act. The records don’t “Aquarius” just above them. any specific accounting for how about The city’s medical marijuana ordi- exist, the city said The detail below may be found in 85 percent of that cash was spent. They nance mandates every applicant for “Medical marijuana has been a com- Okemos. The first person to correctly just know it’s gone. would-be pot shops to pay a $5,000 plex challenge,” said City Clerk Chris identify its location will receive a City And despite the lack of verifiable application fee — along with a $5,000 Swope. “The Clerk’s Office alone has Pulse Eye for Design mug. Send your expenses, city officials still point to a annual renewal fee — to maintain a put in over 7,000 hours with multiple answer to [email protected] by deficit. Lansing Mayor Andy Schor valid license to operate. State law caps staff members working on this project next Wednesday, April 3. insisted that cash collected for pot those licensing fees at that amount and in addition to other responsibilities in — Daniel E. Bollman, AIA licenses isn’t enough to cover the city’s requires they only be used for costs coordination with staff from informa- still-untracked administrative costs. associated with regulating medical tion technology, police, fire, zoning, And that has invariably led to a reduc- marijuana, such as processing applica- building safety and treasury. tion in the quality of other city services tions, inspecting buildings and policing. “There was no separate tracking of as the marijuana industry grows, offi- The statute essentially ensures that work done on this project in terms of cials said.