The United Auto Workers strikes may have ended, but marching continues on picket lines in the Motor City. Detroit casino workers are still fighting for better wages and benefits, and earlier this week they took a break from their respective lines to lobby for support in Lansing.

@keith_lee125

The Spot Truk taste test 💕 would you try it 💕 #foodcritic

♬ original sound – Keith Lee

Speaking of support, Detroit native and TikTok food critic Keith Lee has shaken the table at Atlanta restaurants, sparking controversy across social media. After Lee spoke about unfavorable experiences at some ATL establishments, people questioned his character and his intentions. Others made online threats against his family members, he said. 

While some followers might have reservations about how genuine Lee’s videos are, I can’t help but think the blowback has been misdirected. Typically Lee shares positive reviews of small restaurants — sometimes with mild criticism — on the platform he’s been growing since 2020. 

But his trip to Atlanta had Lee share opinions he normally doesn’t have to give. Should we be upset that Lee spoke about the poor experiences he had, or should those small businesses take the criticism as a chance to improve their customer experience? So far Lee has visited Detroit and Chicago on his food tour without any major issues, so is this just an Atlanta problem?

Keep reading for your weekly news roundup. Have a hot local food take or more to talk about? Email me at alex@outliermedia.org. 

What’s happening

🐶 Dog owners will quickly let you know how much they prefer to spend time with their four-legged friends than two-legged ones. Now they don’t have to choose. Barkside Dog Bar, an indoor-outdoor dog park opening on the eastside on Saturday, gives your furry companions a place to roam and play off the leash. And yes, there really is a bar that serves mocktails, beer, wine, coffee and cocktails for the humans on-site. Barkside is a membership-based operation that offers annual and monthly options, as well as a day pass that starts at $15/day per dog (people can come in for free). Dogs must be at least 6 months old and up-to-date on vaccinations, and dogs older than 1 year must be spayed or neutered. (Barkside, Fox 2 Detroit)

🎢 Amusement parks may be closed for the season, but that doesn’t mean their owners have stopped working. Cedar Fair, the owner of Michigan’s Adventure, King’s Island and Cedar Point, has joined forces with Six Flags in a mega amusement park merger. The companies combined will have 27 amusement parks and 15 water parks across the U.S., Mexico and Canada. (Associated Press)

🐕 Pit bulls and breed-specific dog bans remain a wedge issue among Detroit-area residents. Shortly after the city of Grosse Pointe Shores passed a pit bull ban — only to later reverse it — two incidents involving the breed have reignited the controversy. On Oct. 18, a 4-year-old boy on Detroit’s westside was killed in his backyard when one of his neighbor’s pit bulls attacked him. Just a few days later, a couple and their dog in Grosse Pointe Park were attacked by two stray dogs they described as resembling pits. (The dogs fled before they could be captured.) Online reactions to the idea of banning dog breeds vary from “ban all pits” to “blame the owner, not the dog.” Municipalities vary just as widely, with dozens of Michigan towns having breed-specific legislation on their books. Michigan Humane believes the bans avoid dealing with the real problem — that existing laws can already address most incidents and need to be enforced. (WDET, Detroit Free Press, WXYZ, Reddit, BSL Census, Michigan Humane)

More to talk about

🍝 Eminem is selling jars of his mom’s spaghetti sauce. (Eater)

🎅 You may not like it but the holiday season is here, and the jolly guy is already making appearances around metro Detroit. (Freep)

🎉 Looking to get out of the house? There’s plenty happening around Detroit this weekend. (Outlier)

Before you go, more from Outlier Media

Alex (she/her) believes that the best journalism is done by members of the community being served, and the stories should always reflect those people. When it comes to Detroit, the city is her playground, but her favorite place to go is the Detroit Institute of Arts.