text stringlengths 237 126k | date_download stringdate 2022-01-01 00:32:20 2023-01-01 00:02:37 ⌀ | source_domain stringclasses 60 values | title stringlengths 4 31.5k ⌀ | url stringlengths 24 617 ⌀ | id stringlengths 24 617 ⌀ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arts, Beats & Eats will hit the streets of downtown Royal Oak Sept. 2-5, organizers announced Monday as Michigan's biggest Labor Day weekend festival gears up for its 25th year.
The four-day music, food and arts party has also locked up multiyear sponsorship arrangements with longtime partners Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort and Flagstar Bank, as well as a new deal with Jim Beam, which will lend its name to the national stage.
Title sponsor Soaring Eagle is aboard through 2024, while presenting sponsor Flagstar Bank has reupped through 2025, said AB&E director Jon Witz.
The full music lineup will be announced in July.
AB&E was founded in Pontiac in 1998 and moved to Royal Oak in 2010, where it has been held since. Last year's fest drew more than 365,000 guests over four days, organizers said, generating about $400,000 in charitable contributions for area organizations.
A makeshift edition featuring drive-in concerts and virtual events was staged in 2020 as in-person gatherings remained limited by the pandemic.
Troy's Midcoast Studio has designed this year's commemorative Arts, Beats & Eats poster. | 2022-06-13T16:44:03Z | www.freep.com | Arts, Beats & Eats festival to return to Royal Oak streets Sept. 2-5 | https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/music/brian-mccollum/2022/06/13/arts-beats-eats-labor-day-september/7608606001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/music/brian-mccollum/2022/06/13/arts-beats-eats-labor-day-september/7608606001/ |
The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline crossed the $5 mark, a psychological threshold that could cut into summer vacation plans and likely will continue to ratchet up demand for electric vehicles — and ride sharing services.
In Michigan, the average price for gas is 87 cents more than a month ago, and $2.05 a year ago. That means Michiganders are paying more than $78 just to fill up a 15-gallon tank of gas.
The national average could hit $6 — or more — later this summer, analysts predict.
High gas prices add to transportation costs and threaten to increase the price of goods. And according to a Seattle Times editorial, are causing economic hardship and even threatening democracy. | 2022-06-13T16:52:33Z | www.freep.com | Michigan gas prices at $5.22 a gallon, likely cutting into vacations | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/13/gas-prices-michigan-gallon-fuel/7607564001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/13/gas-prices-michigan-gallon-fuel/7607564001/ |
In 2021, the Metroparks conducted a survey throughout five counties: Macomb, Oakland, Livingston, Wayne and Washtenaw. The self-reported survey reveals that Detroit residents and people of color are less proficient swimmers than others. In fact, 70% of kids in the City of Detroit don't know how to swim.
The survey also examined the possible barriers to these demographics learning to swim. The No. 1 reason kids are not able to access lessons: cost. Swimming lessons are simply not affordable for all.
More:#Seizethedays makes a splash as writer learns to swim
More:Mumford's Brian Williams overcomes near-drowning to become top swimmer
The partnership with Wayne County Parks opens the Chandler Park Family Aquatic Center and Brennan Pool at Rogue Park for lessons.
In Macomb County, the Huron-Clinton Metroparks are partnering with The Y, with Oakland and Livingston county programs still being formed. | 2022-06-13T16:52:36Z | www.freep.com | Huron-Clinton Metroparks launch free swimming lessons: What to know | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/13/huron-clinton-metroparks-free-swimming-lessons/7458133001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/13/huron-clinton-metroparks-free-swimming-lessons/7458133001/ |
Like already-tossed lawsuits at the state level, a longshot challenge in federal court from Republican gubernatorial candidate Perry Johnson was denied Monday, likely ending the Oakland County businessman’s bid to get on the primary ballot in August.
Johnson’s suit, filed June 6 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, was tossed on account of the campaign's failure to demonstrate the Michigan Bureau of Elections did not adequately assess the validity of signatures submitted to get on the ballot, U.S. District Judge Mark Goldsmith wrote in his opinion.
In the lawsuit, Johnson argued because the Bureau did not individually review each of the signatures submitted by his campaign against the state's Qualified Voter File, it was unfair to disqualify him from the ballot.
When reviewing signatures, Bureau staff identified issues with those submitted by some circulators, leading the Bureau to toss all the signatures submitted by those circulators. Election staff argued the presumption that signatures are valid is forfeited when a signature circulator intentionally commits fraud.
Goldsmith agreed with lower court opinions that Bureau staff was not obligated to individually review each signature if there was suspected fraud from circulators.
"These accusations mischaracterize the deliberate and objective methodology employed by the state agency tasked with enforcing election laws," Goldsmith wrote. "The BOE utilizes established procedures for determining whether candidates have submitted sufficient valid nominating petitions. The BOE enhanced these procedures in response to its observation of an unprecedented intrusion of fraud.
"Contrary to Johnson’s charge that the BOE was invalidating signatures 'without any review whatsoever,' the BOE reviewed all signatures submitted by fraudulent-petition circulators under the supervision of staff experienced in signature review, and then it engaged in the more intensive process of double-checking thousands of these signatures against the QVF."
The lawsuit asked the court to get Johnson on the ballot through a variety of legal procedures — he asked the court to declare Michigan law requiring 15,000 valid signatures to run for governor unconstitutional as applied to him; issue an order stopping state election officials from enforcing the 15,000 signature requirement for candidates to get on the ballot; issue an order putting his name on the ballot or decreasing the signature requirements, and stop the state from printing ballots until he has had the chance to argue his case.
The court's decision not to grant relief to Johnson likely ends his pursuit to appear on the primary ballot after his past efforts in state court were also unsuccessful. Johnson could pursue a write-in campaign, as James Craig, who also was disqualified from appearing on the ballot, announced he would last week.
Previous attempts by Johnson to get on the August primary ballot included a lawsuit filed in the Michigan Court of Appeals and a subsequent appeal to the Michigan Supreme Court, where justices declined to hear the case, along with similar appeals from fellow-disqualified candidates Craig, Donna Brandeburg and Michael Markey.
Johnson was one of five Republicans aiming for governor left off the ballot after an unprecedented signature fraud scandal rocked the race. The Michigan Bureau of Elections announced May 23 it found issues with signatures submitted by Johnson, Craig, Markey, Brandenburg and Michael Brown, leaving them short of the 15,000 valid signatures needed to qualify for the primary ballot.
Five candidates will appear on the Republican primary ballot to face Gov. Gretchen Whitmer this November — Norton Shores businesswoman Tudor Dixon, Ottawa County real estate agent Ryan Kelley, Farmington Hills pastor Ralph Rebandt, Bloomfield Hills businessman Kevin Rinke and Kalamazoo chiropractor Garrett Soldano. | 2022-06-13T19:07:27Z | www.freep.com | Perry Johnson appeal to get on GOP governor primary ballot dismissed | https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2022/06/13/perry-johnson-appeal-governor-primary-ballot/10001535002/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2022/06/13/perry-johnson-appeal-governor-primary-ballot/10001535002/ |
The judge partially granted the plaintiffs' motion for a preliminary injunction, which will halt collection activities, such as garnishing wages or seizing tax refunds, for unemployment insurance claimants who were told by the agency that they were overpaid benefits and protested that decision, and have yet to exhaust all their appeals.
Nick Assendelft, a spokesperson for the agency, didn't immediately have a comment on the order.
The order came nearly a month after a hearing for the class-action lawsuit in which the attorney for the plaintiffs argued that the agency was violating claimants' rights by making monetary redeterminations more than one year after the original
determinations, failing to provide a process for a claimant to seek a waiver and engaging in collection efforts during the administrative appeal process.
More:Michigan unemployment agency will give workers waivers for overpaid federal benefits
More:Michigan Unemployment agency says claimants made big mistake. Claimants say UIA is lying | 2022-06-13T19:07:33Z | www.freep.com | Judge orders Michigan unemployment agency to stop collection efforts | https://www.freep.com/story/money/business/2022/06/13/judge-michigan-unemployment-agency-overpaid/7610538001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/money/business/2022/06/13/judge-michigan-unemployment-agency-overpaid/7610538001/ |
Hold onto your hat, metro Detroit is in for a week of wacky weather.
"It's still kind of uncertain how things will exactly play out," said Dave Kook, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in White Lake. "But there's a large complex of thunderstorms right now over Wisconsin that's going to track southeast through lower Michigan this evening, and that'll bring the first possible round of severe weather to the area. Strong winds are probably the biggest threat, but with these systems, large hail and isolated tornadoes are also possible."
Rather than an isolated storm, Monday night's rainfall is a long line of storms that will impact a large group of people. Kook said the line could stretch 100 miles.
There's also risk of minor flooding and widespread power outages, Kook said. He advises Detroiters to monitor the weather throughout the evening and put away anything outside that could fly away.
In the case of flooding, NWS advises residents to avoid driving, if possible, until the conditions improve.
After Monday's storm, metro Detroit is in for extreme heat that could hit over 100 degrees. Temperatures will start to rapidly climb Tuesday, and they'll peak on Wednesday.
"Humidity is going to be very high, so the temperatures are going to feel even warmer," Kook said. | 2022-06-13T21:17:34Z | www.freep.com | High winds, flooding possible in Monday night thunderstorm | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/13/high-winds-flooding-detroit-weather/7612533001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/13/high-winds-flooding-detroit-weather/7612533001/ |
Emma Stein Eve Sampson
The Somerset Collection in Troy caught fire Monday evening.
Firefighters arrived quickly to battle the blaze and extinguished the fire by 6:25 p.m., the Troy Fire Department said. The fire department is still working on removing smoke.
Troy fire believes it started in the kitchen of the Capital Grille and the flames spread up to the roof through the ventilation system.
The east end of the mall was evacuated, and there are no reported injuries. The fire department will conduct a full investigation once the smoke clears.
Marquia Potter, 37, was in Macy's when the fire started.
“People were yelling “fire!” and running out of the building. You could see smoke inside the Macy’s on the first floor.”
More:New owner of Oakland Mall wants an 'anti-mall' with TikTok stars
Troy Fire advised everyone to avoid the area. | 2022-06-13T23:23:32Z | www.freep.com | Somerset Collection fire extinguished; Troy fire reports no injuries | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/13/firefighters-battle-blaze-somerset-collection-troy/7616720001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/13/firefighters-battle-blaze-somerset-collection-troy/7616720001/ |
As inflation heats up and gas stations at intersections across the country post prices of $5 a gallon and higher, Wall Street wonders: Is the next recession around the corner?
Fear built into a frenzy Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled by 876.05 points or 2.79% Monday to close at 30,516.74.
Investors have witnessed a miserable meltdown over the past week. The Dow has lost 2,663.4 points or 8% since closing at 33,180.14 on June 7.
No one really knows whether the Federal Reserve will be able to cool inflation down — or if any economic slowdown will be long lasting or temporary.
We know for certain that higher interest rates — significantly higher — are down the road. The Federal Reserve is expected to drive up short-term rates by at least a half of a percentage point Wednesday. More rate hikes are expected later this year.
Will the Fed be more aggressive?
Buzz has begun building, though, that the Fed could shock markets with a larger-than-expected 0.75-percentage-point interest rate increase Wednesday.
We received yet another sign that inflation isn't under control when the Labor Department reported Friday that the consumer price index was up 8.6% for the 12 months through May. That's the highest level since December 1981.
The Fed starts a two-day policy meeting Tuesday, one that will now have much more debate and ultimately could end with a 75-basis-point rate hike, according to an online scoop Monday afternoon by the Wall Street Journal.
The year on Wall Street has been touch and go in 2022. The Dow closed at an all-time high of 36,799.65 on Jan. 4.
But the market has turned into a rickety amusement park ride of stomach quaking 1,000-point drops and losses after Russia invaded Ukraine in late February and inflationary pressures kept building.
The Dow is down 6,282.91 points from its all-time high — falling by 17%. The Dow isn't officially in a bear market but the broader Standard & Poor's 500 index is down more than 20% from its all-time high set in January, which puts the S&P 500 in an official bear market.
Auto stocks among casualties
Higher interest rates, higher gas prices and higher anxiety are creating casualties all over Wall Street, including among auto stocks.
General Motors fell $2.73 a share or 7.8% to close Monday at $32.28 a share. GM closed below its $33 initial offering price set after it moved out of its 2009 bankruptcy.
GM had closed at $65.74 a share on Jan. 4 but the market meltdown this year drove GM down nearly 51% Monday from that January close.
GM Chief Executive Mary Barra said at the automaker's shareholder meeting Monday that the automaker is "selling every truck we can build," even as gas prices break records.
Ford fell by 94 cents a share or 7.37% to close at $11.81 Monday. In trading Monday, Ford touched at its 52-week low of $11.74.
Ford's close on Monday was 53% below its close of $25.19 on Jan. 14.
Chrysler parent Stellantis NV fell by 64 cents or 4.69% to close at $13 a share. Stellantis had closed at $21.76 on Jan. 14 and as of Monday's close was down about 40% since that high.
Morningstar auto analyst David Whiston said the fear of a recession has been building along with worries inflation and high prices will stifle the ability of consumers to spend.
Higher interest rates trigger affordability issues, he said, for budget-sensitive consumers who are already looking at very expensive vehicles due to the microchip shortage.
"The more of one’s monthly payment that is going to interest the less that goes to principal, which can eventually mean someone opts out of a SUV and goes to a crossover or sedan," Whiston said. Such a switch would hurt the profit mix for automakers.
Borrowers will continue to face higher interest rates in 2022 as the Fed raises short-term rates.
The average five-year new car loan rate is 4.53%, according to Bankrate.com. But it is expected to hit 5.75% by early 2023.
Garrett Nelson, a senior equity research analyst covering the automotive sector at the research firm CFRA, said U.S. new car and truck sales already started to roll over as consumers have begun pulling back on their discretionary spending.
Sales of new cars and light trucks fell to 12.7 million in May for a seasonally adjusted annual rate — down nearly 25% from a year ago. That was down from a rate of 14.5 million new light vehicle sales in April. Analysts are blaming a tight supply from the semiconductor shortage, supply chain issues and record low incentives for cutting into the spring selling season's gains.
More:Famous investors buy, sell GM stock as automaker shifts to EVs. Here's what it means
More:Wall Street woes build after Russia invades Ukraine
More:Stock market's deep sell-off puts 401(k) investors on edge
"Prices remain near a record high though because of cost-push inflation and inventories that are still near record lows," Nelson said.
New car and truck sales are highly correlated, he said, with consumer confidence.
"And we just got the weakest monthly consumer confidence number on record on Friday," Nelson told the Detroit Free Press. The data goes back to 1952.
Significantly higher gasoline prices — with some people now fretting that it's costing them $10 to $15 a day just for gas to drive to work and back — will only cut further into what people can afford to spend each month on a car payment.
Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist for U.S. equities at CFRA Research in New York, said automakers will suffer squeezes on their profit margins as consumers pull back from buying larger, more expensive SUVs and trucks now that rates and gas prices are high.
"The risk of recession is rising," Stovall said.
On the plus side, though, economists say that consumers, while pessimistic, have far more savings overall on the sidelines that can shore up some purchases. Much may depend on how soon the war in Ukraine is resolved, how soon some supply chain disruptions improve and how well the Fed's actions will cool down inflation.
Not all of the slowdown in autos can be attributed to higher interest rates — or fears of a recession. The production disruptions relating to semiconductor issues remain.
"There’s still tons of pent-up demand because of the chip shortage," Morningstar's Whiston said.
"Autos have been at severe recession levels most of the time since last fall due to poor supply caused by the chip shortage."
Bill Adams, chief economist for Comerica Bank, told the Free Press in a phone interview that many potential new car and truck buyers have above-average savings and household wealth that's accumulated over the last two years.
Auto sales, he said, can continue to rise in spite of the headwind from higher interest rates.
"Carmakers are finding ways to manage the chip shortage so that is becoming less of a problem for production, though inventories are very low on dealer lots," Adams said.
He said car sales are likely to continue to recover this year and next year.
Many consumers who might have bought a new or used car in the past two years delayed those purchases as inventories remained tight and the vehicle they wanted was either priced at a premium or not available.
"The deferred buyer is going to be still buying cars over the next two years even though demand for other durable consumer goods is going to soften," Adams said.
And some, he said, may consider buying an electric vehicle now that gas prices are so high, which can help drive some new car and truck sales.
Even so, investors and consumers must brace themselves for more uncertainty. All eyes and ears will focus on the Fed this week. Will a recession — even a temporary one — be inevitable to put a stop to out-of-control inflation? | 2022-06-13T23:49:36Z | www.freep.com | High inflation drives another stock sell-off; auto stocks hit hard | https://www.freep.com/story/money/personal-finance/susan-tompor/2022/06/13/high-inflation-drives-stock-sales-autos/7610367001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/money/personal-finance/susan-tompor/2022/06/13/high-inflation-drives-stock-sales-autos/7610367001/ |
Dearborn Schools to close Wednesday due to extreme heat
With temperatures expected to soar above 100 degrees on Wednesday, Dearborn Public Schools announced that school is canceled.
"Although Thursday temperatures are also forecasted to be in the 90s, the heat index on that day is forecasted to not be as severe," the schools said in an announcement to families. "Several Dearborn Public Schools are air-conditioned throughout the building and those that do not have at least one common area with air conditioning."
The heat will start to climb on Tuesday, reaching around 90 degrees, and it will peak on Wednesday, said Dave Kook, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service.
"Wednesday looks to be the hottest day of the week, and Thursday, we'll have a third day where temperatures could reach into the lower 90s," Kook said. "And besides those temperatures, humidity is going to be very high. So the temperatures are going to feel even warmer than that, and we're kind of looking at that Wednesday period when the heat indices will exceed 100 degrees."
The district said a similar issue might arise during its summer school program, but there are fewer students, and it is easier to manage with the sometimes-limited air-conditioned rooms.
More:Detroit shines at Tony Awards as Cass Tech alum takes home top prize
More:Jan. 6 panel: Trump advisers told him his election claims in Michigan were bogus | 2022-06-13T23:49:42Z | www.freep.com | Dearborn Schools to close Wednesday due to extreme heat | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/13/dearborn-schools-close-wednesday-due-extreme-heat/7615800001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/13/dearborn-schools-close-wednesday-due-extreme-heat/7615800001/ |
The Detroit Tigers fell behind in the top of the first inning.
Early runs for the opposition typically results in a loss, considering the Tigers average an MLB-worst 2.78 runs per game, but in Monday's game, manager A.J. Hinch's offense punched back several times.
Still, the Tigers lost, 9-5, to the Chicago White Sox in the first of three games in the series at Comerica Park.
A throwing error led to three runs for the White Sox in the top of the sixth inning, and although the Tigers (24-36) kept the score close, they couldn't complete a comeback.
MORE TIME MISSED:Eduardo Rodriguez placed on restricted list due to 'personal matters'
Right-handed reliever Joe Jimenez gave up a two-run home run to Jose Abreu — his second homer of the game — in the ninth inning. Abreu finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs and a walk.
The White Sox already controlled a 4-3 lead when left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin crumbled in the sixth inning. The first two runners reached safely, and Reese McGuire dropped down a sacrifice bunt to advance them into scoring position.
On the bunt, Chafin made a crucial throwing error.
He threw the ball in the dirt and past third baseman Harold Castro, a failed attempt to get the lead runner out at third base. As the ball rolled to the wall in foul territory, Yoan Moncada and Leury Garcia scored.
Two batters later, Andrew Vaughn hit a two-out single to score McGuire for a 7-3 advantage.
Chafin completed the sixth on 21 pitches, of which 18 went for strikes, and struck out two batters. Righty relievers Jason Foley, Michael Fulmer and Jimenez covered the final three innings.
The Tigers countered the White Sox with two runs the in bottom of the sixth, trimming the margin to 7-5, thanks to a RBI singles from Harold Castro and Miguel Cabrera off left-handed reliever Bennett Sousa.
Sousa returned for the seventh and retired three straight batters.
In the eighth, the White Sox turned to left-hander Tanner Banks. Hinch used Jonathan Schoop (for Tucker Barnhart) and Eric Haase (for Kody Clemens) as pinch-hitters against the lefty.
Schoop grounded out and Haase struck out swinging for the first two outs. Willi Castro flied out to the back of the warning track in left field for the third out. White Sox righty Kendall Graveman fired a scoreless ninth.
Clemens finished 2-for-2 with a walk, and Barnhart went 1-for-2 with a walk.
Three runs early
Trailing 2-0, the Tigers cut their deficit in half on the first pitch from White Sox starter Lance Lynn. Returning from right knee surgery, Lynn completed three rehab starts in the Triple-A Charlotte before his first MLB start in 2022 at Comerica Park.
The 35-year-old righty wasn't sharp.
Leadoff hitter Willi Castro turned on a first-pitch fastball for a solo home run to right-center field. The first leadoff home run of his career traveled 398 feet with a 102.4 mph exit velocity.
The Tigers posted three consecutive hits: Willi Castro (home run), Harold Castro (single) and Cabrera (single). With one out, Javier Báez sent a 3-1 pitch to right field for a sacrifice fly to tie the game, 2-2.
Robbie Grossman picked up the Tigers' fourth hit in the first inning with a two-out single, but rookie Spencer Torkelson stranded a pair of runners when he struck out swinging on a full-count fastball in the middle of the strike zone.
Torkelson, hitting .181 in 55 games, finished 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.
In the second inning, the Tigers attacked Lynn for three more singles.
The first single came from Clemens, the first hit of his MLB career in his 10th game. He connected on a second-pitch sinker and put the ball through the hole and into right field.
Barnhart followed up with a single of his own, but Willi Castro grounded into a double play. The double play, though, pushed Clemens to third base, and Harold Castro drove him home on a bloop single to center field.
Castro's RBI single put the Tigers ahead 3-2.
Lynn allowed four runs on 10 hits — without a walk — and racked up four strikeouts over 4⅓ innings, throwing 52 of 88 pitches for strikes.
Four runs vs. García
Before the Tigers could take the lead, the White Sox had the advantage on a two-run home run from Abreu with two outs in the top of the first inning. He destroyed a 2-1 curveball in the strike zone from right-hander Rony García, making his fourth start this season.
García put zeros on the scoreboard in the second, third and fourth innings. He worked around two walks during the three-inning scoreless stretch. Once the fifth came around, the White Sox broke through and chased him from his outing.
McGuire (double) and Danny Mendick (single) recorded back-to-back hits to open the fifth, with Mendick's single in a full count scoring McGuire to tie the game at three runs.
That's when Hinch replaced García.
Righty reliever Will Vest took over and allowed a second-pitch single. A double play helped him, but he couldn't put away Luis Robert in an 0-2 count. Robert singled to score Mendick for a 4-3 White Sox advantage.
García, throwing 41 of 75 pitches for strikes, gave up four runs on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts in four innings. He pitched into the fifth but did not record an out; Robert's RBI single was charged to his tab.
For his 75 pitches, García tossed 27 four-seam fastballs (36%), 20 sinkers (27%), 20 curveballs (27%) and eight changeups (11%). He generated five swings and misses and 17 called strikes. | 2022-06-14T03:13:43Z | www.freep.com | Detroit Tigers' pitching, defense stumble in 9-5 loss to White Sox | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/06/13/detroit-tigers-game-recap-chicago-white-sox/7617466001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/06/13/detroit-tigers-game-recap-chicago-white-sox/7617466001/ |
Little Caesars now the new official pizza sponsor of NFL
[ Little Caesars' Hot-N-Ready pizza now has more pepperoni and slightly higher costs ]
"We’re thrilled to welcome Little Caesars to the NFL family,” Renie Anderson, chief revenue officer and executive vice president of NFL partnerships, said in the release. “With a focus on quality and convenience, Little Caesars offers unmatched value for our fans, and we look forward to working together to positively impact communities across the United States.”
Little Caesars was founded in 1959 by Mike and Marian Ilitch as a single, family-owned restaurant in Garden City. The company has grown into the third-largest pizza chain in the world, trailing only Domino's Pizza and Pizza Hut.
“This partnership aims to enhance the fun of game day by bringing the quality and convenience Little Caesars is known for to NFL fans across the country,” Little Caesars president and CEO Dave Scrivano said in the release. “And because we’re a value leader, hungry fans can enjoy weekly game time meals and still have money left for that favorite player jersey or those home game tickets.” | 2022-06-14T05:32:49Z | www.freep.com | Little Caesars named new official pizza sponsor of NFL | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2022/06/14/little-caesars-named-new-official-pizza-sponsor-nfl/7609256001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2022/06/14/little-caesars-named-new-official-pizza-sponsor-nfl/7609256001/ |
Lyndsay C. Green Susan Selasky
At the 2022 Restaurant and Chef Awards, the James Beard Foundation awarded Warda Bouguettaya, owner of Midtown’s Warda Pâtisserie, the title of Outstanding Pastry Chef.
Related:Chef of the Year: Warda Bouguettaya owner of a Detroit patisserie
This is the first time in nearly 30 years that a Detroit-based chef has taken home a James Beard Award, one of the most prestigious recognitions of culinary excellence in the nation. (In 2003, acclaimed chef Takashi Yagihashi took home the award for Best Chef: Midwest for his ownership of the notable Farmington Hills restaurant Tribute, a win for metro Detroit but not exactly Detroit proper.) It is also a record year for Michigan-based semifinalists at the James Beard Awards. In total, 16 restaurants and chefs made it to the semifinalist round, the largest number for the state to date.
Related:These 3 local chefs and Detroit restaurant move on as James Beard finalists
More:Best New Restaurant No. 9: Barda in Detroit
More:Omar Anani closed award-winning Detroit restaurant. What food fighter did next changed him | 2022-06-14T22:55:47Z | www.freep.com | Warda Bouguettaya wins James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef | https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/06/14/warda-bouguettaya-wins-james-beard-award-outstanding-pastry-chef/7625283001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/06/14/warda-bouguettaya-wins-james-beard-award-outstanding-pastry-chef/7625283001/ |
There’s a new tropical beach-themed spot for lunch, dinner, drinks and happy hour open in Campus Martius Park.
Brisabar is an outdoor bar and restaurant where patrons can relax, enjoy a cocktail and dine al fresco.
Its bar is more than 30 feet long with covered seating on three sides. There are also tables and lounge chairs at the makeshift beach at Campus Martius.
Brisabar is operated by the Iconic Collection, which also runs the nearby PARC restaurant and iconic Anchor Bar on Fort Street.
“Our team has created a sumptuous escape right in the center of the city and people have responded. Brisabar has quickly become the place in Detroit to see and be seen this summer,” said Zaid Elia, founder of the Iconic Collection.
Brisabar’s menu is on the summery side. There’s kale and arugula Caesar salad, a chopped salad, and an avocado and cucumber salad. Brisabar’s Shared Bites ($13-$16) menu features honey chile chicken wings, sweet and spicy tempura-style calamari with chili hoisin, scallion and sesame, truffle fries, chips, salsa and guacamole. Its main menu ($16-$23) features Maine-style mini lobster rolls, the Brisa burger, Key West shrimp tacos and a grilled chicken wrap.
On the drink menu, there are eight specialty cocktails, including Havana Hurricane, Kiss by the Beach and Motown Mojito Brisabar specialty cocktail menu. All are $12 each. There are also slushy-style drinks, a selection of champagnes, beer, and seltzers.
Happy Hour at Brisabar is 3-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri. The food menu includes Brisabar Bites, many of the items from its regular food menu at $12 each. There are also some of the specialty drinks at $8 each.
BrisaBar, 800 Woodward Ave., is open for lunch Wednesday through Sunday. Regular hours are 3-10 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Wednesday 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday.
For info: 313-209-5301 or brisabar.com. | 2022-06-15T10:48:02Z | www.freep.com | Brisabar at Campus Martius features tropical-themed food, drink | https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/06/15/brisabar-campus-martius-features-tropical-themed-food-drink/7627172001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/06/15/brisabar-campus-martius-features-tropical-themed-food-drink/7627172001/ |
Mason Young Chandler Engelbrecht
Michigan baseball coach Erik Bakich is leaving Ann Arbor to become the next head coach at Clemson, according to multiple reports.
Maize & Blue Review, the Michigan Rivals site, first reported the news Tuesday, with Kendall Rodgers of D1Baseball confirming. Clemson Rivals site Tigers Illustrated and On3 Sports’ ClemsonSports.com also substantiated the reports.
Rogers reports Bakich will be taking associate head coach and recruiting coordinator Nick Schnabel with him to South Carolina. The Free Press reached out to Michigan and Clemson’s athletic departments for comment but has yet to receive a response.
After reports surfaced, Clemson announced it will hold a press conference at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 16, to introduce its new baseball coach, but didn't unveil the coach's name.
PREVIOUSLY:U-M baseball was in a rut. Here's how they got out of it to make another NCAA tournament
Bakich was previously a Clemson assistant under longtime coach Jack Leggett in 2002 and helped the Tigers to a College World Series appearance. U-M finished last season 34-28 with a 12-12 record in Big Ten play. The Wolverines’ season ended following consecutive losses to Louisville in the Cardinals’ NCAA Regional.
Hired in 2013, Bakich led Michigan to a 328-216 record across 10 seasons. His Wolverines won the 2015 and 2022 Big Ten tournaments and qualified for the NCAA tournament four times. Bakich was named the 2019 NCBWA National Coach of the Year after leading U-M to the College World Series championship, where it fell to Vanderbilt in three games.
Bakich was also the head coach at Maryland from 2010-12, leading the Terrapins to a 70-98 overall record. Prior to that, he was an assistant at Vanderbilt under fellow former Clemson assistant Tim Corbin from 2003-09.
Bakich’s annual salary with Clemson will reportedly be around $1 million.
Contact Mason Young: MEYoung@freepress.com Follow him on Twitter: @Mason_Young_0. Chandler Engelbrecht can be reached at cengelbrecht@freepress.com and @ctengelbrecht on Twitter. | 2022-06-15T15:56:43Z | www.freep.com | Michigan's Erik Bakich now head coach at Clemson: report | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2022/06/15/michigan-baseball-erik-bakich-clemson-tigers/7633472001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2022/06/15/michigan-baseball-erik-bakich-clemson-tigers/7633472001/ |
Social media giant Meta has added new tools and resources for parents to monitor their children’s online experience using virtual reality and Instagram, according to a company news release.
These tools include the ability to monitor the apps a teen uses on their virtual reality headset, receive notifications if their child reports bullying on social media, and new Instagram “nudges” to manage social media use.
Meta developed these new updates after taking input from teens, parents, experts, and policymakers. It’s the latest move by social media companies to better manage the impact of social media on teens. The impact of social media apps, such as Instagram, on teens’ mental health is widely documented and has led to criticism over the years.
On the virtual reality Quest headset, parents can now allow or block certain apps, view the apps their teen owns, receive notifications when their teen purchases an app, view their teen’s list of Quest friends, and monitor headset screen time from the Oculus app.
The virtual reality parental supervision process can only be initiated by the teen and must be agreed to by both the parent and the teen.
Meta also launched a Parent education hub to spark meaningful conversations with their teens on virtual reality.
On Instagram, parents can now also initiate supervision tools along with their teens. They can set specific times during the day when they want to limit their teen’s use of Instagram, and view more details regarding when their teen reports an account or post.
More: Miserable heat wave walloping metro Detroit
More: Now you can buy Faygo-flavored ice cream
Teens will also now receive “nudges” or reminders to switch to a different topic if they are repeatedly looking at the same content on the Explore page. This is especially geared to limit topics that may be concerned with appearance comparisons.
Instagram is also launching its “Take a Break” feature, which will encourage users to take a break if they have been scrolling on Reels for a prolonged period of time. | 2022-06-15T18:11:23Z | www.freep.com | Meta announces new parental supervision tools for VR, Instagram | https://www.freep.com/story/news/2022/06/15/meta-parental-supervision-tools-vr-instagram/7634523001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/2022/06/15/meta-parental-supervision-tools-vr-instagram/7634523001/ |
EPA: No level of nonstick PFAS compounds of water is safe for public health
Keith Matheny
No level of two common PFAS compounds is safe in drinking water, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday as it revised drinking water health advisories to account for the substances.
Industries and consumer products have used per- and polyfluroalkyl substances, PFAS, since the mid-20th century for their nonstick and water-resistant properties. They were found in Teflon cookware, Gore-Tex jackets and boots, fast food containers and even in toothpaste. But the qualities that made the compounds useful also means they don't break down in nature.
PFAS now contaminates the blood of 99% of Americans and pollutes most of the globe. Michigan has 219 known sites of PFAS contamination, a number that is rising. Many of them are current and former military bases and local airports where PFAS-containing firefighting foam was used for years.
The EPA had previously set a drinking water health advisory guideline on two of the most commonly used PFAS compounds, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, PFOS. That guideline was 70 parts per trillion for either or both of the two compounds in drinking water, meaning drinking water with PFOS and/or PFOA at levels above that guideline were determined to pose a potential health concern with long-term exposure.
But on Wednesday, the EPA revised those guidelines to essentially no safe limit of PFOS or PFOA in drinking water.
"The updated advisory levels, which are based on new science and consider lifetime exposure, indicate that some negative health effects may occur with concentrations of PFOA or PFOS in water that are near zero and below (the) EPA's ability to detect at this time," agency officials said in a release.
"The lower the level of PFOA and PFOS, the lower the risk to public health."
More: PFAS contamination: Michigan's biggest environmental crisis in 40 years
More: Internal documents show 3M hid PFAS dangers for decades
The EPA's action was welcomed by Anthony Spaniola, a Troy attorney whose family has for decades owned frontage property on PFAS-tainted Van Etten Lake near the former Wurtsmith Air Force base in Oscoda, who has become an outspoken critic of the Air Force's response to the contamination.
Though Michigan in 2020 enacted its own drinking water standards for PFAS — setting limits of 16 parts per trillion for PFOS and 8 parts per trillion for PFOA — the Air Force has continued to maintain that it only needs to comply with the EPA's 70 parts per trillion combined PFOS and PFOA guideline in its remediation efforts in Oscoda.
"This now puts the onus on them to expand the scope of their cleanup effort," Spaniola said. "They have been saying anything below 70 (parts per trillion) is fine. They can't say that anymore."
People on the front lines of PFAS contamination "have suffered for far too long," EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said in a statement Wednesday.
"That's why EPA is taking aggressive action as part of a whole-of-government approach to prevent these chemicals from entering the environment and to help protect concerned families from this pervasive challenge," he said.
The EPA's revised drinking water health advisory also added guidelines for two new PFAS compounds, perfluorobutane sulfonic acid and its potassium salt, known as PFBS; and hexafluoropropyline oxide (HFPO) dimer acid and its ammonium salt, known as "GenX" chemicals. U.S. chemical manufacturers began using these compounds as they voluntarily phased out the production of PFOS and PFOA under EPA pressure in the early 2000s. The newer compounds, which feature a shorter carbon chain in their molecules, were touted by the chemical industry as safer for public health and the environment.
"This blows a hole in the notion that the newer, shorter chains are safe," Spaniola said.
The EPA on Wednesday also invited states and territories to apply for $1 billion — the first of $5 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law grant funding — to address PFAS and other emerging contaminants in drinking water.
The revised drinking water health advisories don't carry regulatory teeth against PFAS polluters. Instead, EPA officials said Wednesday that the guidelines "provide technical information that federal, state and local agencies can use to inform actions to address PFAS in drinking water, including water quality monitoring, optimization of existing technologies that reduce PFAS, and strategies to reduce exposure to these substances."
Spaniola said EPA officials have indicated they are working on maximum contaminant level regulations that would require businesses not to discharge into the environment PFAS compounds at unhealthy levels.
There are more than 11,000 known PFAS compounds, and many are created as byproducts while the chemical industry is making another, desired compound. Still others are created when compounds in the environment begin to change. Spaniola said it's time that federal and state regulators set rules for PFAS compounds as an entire class, not one or two at a time. He noted that the EPA has understood the concerns about PFOS and PFOA since at least the 1990s, and it took until 2022 to declare it unsafe at any level in drinking water.
"It's time to stop assuming the chemicals are innocent until proven guilty — flip the switch, turn the tables, and prove they are safe," he said. "That would require a change in the whole concept of how we regulate chemicals. But the whole process now is messed up. It doesn't work."
Contact Keith Matheny: 313-222-5021 or kmatheny@freepress.com. | 2022-06-15T18:11:35Z | www.freep.com | EPA revises health advisory guidelines on PFAS in water | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/15/epa-pfas-water-pfos-pfoa-genx/7633934001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/15/epa-pfas-water-pfos-pfoa-genx/7633934001/ |
Consumers all across the country feel burned by high prices everywhere from the grocery store to the gas station. But will that frustration — and their increasingly overstretched budgets — cause the economic recovery to go up in smoke?
The Fed, our chief inflation fighter right now, is dealing with a blaze that won't be easily put out by a few rate hikes. On Wednesday, the Fed's battle led to a dramatic, sudden 75-basis point rate hike instead of the smaller, long-expected increase of a half of a percentage point.
"Inflation remains elevated, reflecting supply and demand imbalances related to the pandemic, higher energy prices, and broader price pressures," according to the Fed's statement released at 2 p.m. Wednesday.
The Fed referred to economic hardship relating to the invasion of the Ukraine by Russia. In addition, the Fed noted: "COVID-related lockdowns in China are likely to exacerbate supply chain disruptions."
The Fed usually moves in dribs and drabs, a quarter point here, a quarter point there. The last time we saw the Fed engineer a hawkish, 75-basis-point hike was when then Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan took action in late 1994.
The target range for the federal funds rate — the rate that determines borrowing between banks — had been 0.75% to 1%. This rate directly influences the interest rate you pay on many consumer loans, too, including credit cards.
Now, Wednesday's 75-basis-point hike puts the federal funds rate at a new target range of 1.5% to 1.75%.
The average 30-year mortgage rate shot up above 6% this week in anticipation of a steeper Fed rate.
Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody's said, the 75-basis point hike is designed to send a strong signal that the Fed will do whatever it takes to get inflation back down.
By moving aggressively, he said, the Fed is managing inflation expectations and making it more likely it can get actual inflation down. But there are risks.
"In my humble opinion," Zandi told the Free Press, "I don’t think they need to raise rates by 75 basis points to keep inflation expectations down."
By raising rates so quickly, he said, "they raise the odds of pushing the economy into recession."
The theory was that the economy could withstand a temporary bout of inflation to avoid massive unemployment during the pandemic. Early on, the theory worked.
The economic emergency response to the COVID-19 crisis got the country out of a short but deep recession in 2020 by throwing out trillions of dollars in stimulus spending — accompanied by a Fed policy for keeping interest rates extraordinarily low to support borrowers.
Vaccines rolled out in late 2020 and early 2021, the jobless rate fell from shocking double digits, the economy saw a robust rebound but the spending kept going and the Fed kept short-term rates at nearly 0% for two years. We only saw the first quarter-point interest rate hike in March; and then a half point hike in May.
For decades, the Fed has nudged rates higher before prices got out of control. Now, though, the Fed is behind the curve as it fights accelerating inflation.
Many people have long forgotten the financial mess the country faced in 2020. They're now hyper-focused on how much more they're paying for gas, groceries, rent and airplane tickets.
High demand and short supply on many goods have driven up prices on everything from bacon and eggs to new and used cars to home furniture and houses, too.
Inflation is far more stubborn than the Federal Reserve and many economists had forecast a year ago. The consumer price index has run hot at 6.8% and higher since last November for each month measuring the 12-month change.
June's inflation numbers — which won't come out until July 13 — could top May's 8.6% rate. May's inflation figure was the highest level since December 1981 and the worst in the last inflation surge.
Given that inflation has roared ahead for months, the Fed's playbook will include more rate hikes ahead.
Bill Adams, chief economist for Comerica Bank, told the Free Press in a phone interview that he's expecting a similar sized rate hike again at its next meeting July 26 and July 27.
After that, Adams anticipates that the Fed will raise rates by a quarter of a percentage point at each of its meetings in September, November and December.
If — and this a big unknown — economic growth or inflation end up slowing down more than expected, Adams said, there's a possibility that the Fed could pause a bit in September.
More:High inflation anxiety drives stocks into bear market territory
More:Biggest rate hike in decades to fight highest inflation in 40 years expected Wednesday
The Fed has to watch the data and try to avoid slamming the brakes entirely on economic growth.
While some analysts say it will be hard to avoid a recession here, Adams puts the odds of a recession in 2022 at one in 10. His odds go up to one in four for 2023.
The odds of a recession have increased, but he maintains it is "still more likely that we see the U.S. economy muddle through."
When will inflation actually cool off?
Gas prices at $5 a gallon and up and a meltdown in the stock market aren't reassuring — and only put consumers more on edge. Some wonder if the economy will face an economic slowdown and escalating prices at the same time.
The war in Ukraine and economic sanctions on Russian oil complicate the inflation outlook in the United States.
"As long as the energy supply is disrupted by that war, prices of basic necessities are going to stay high," Adams said.
He notes that high prices for gas and utilities are a big headwind.
More:Federal Reserve interest rate hike may not be the last as inflation skyrockets
Gas prices rose 48.7% year over year through May, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Gas prices of $5 a gallon and higher are likely to be with us for some time, according to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and various economists.
Right now, many consumers can cover price hikes by tapping into a larger than usual savings cushion from some wage gains and a flood of pandemic-related stimulus money. That can help shore up growth somewhat.
"Americans are still buying. And incomes are rising but gas prices are rising much faster," Adams said.
Things are far worse for those who don't have much savings or those who didn't see their pay rise at all in the past year. They're having to make serious cutbacks and experiencing a lower standard of living.
"A lot of Americans who thought they were ready to retire in 2020 or 2021 are now having to reconsider that decision," Adams said, "because of the increase of the cost of living."
Rate hikes will cool down borrowing
By boosting interest rates, the Fed is blocking many consumers from borrowing big time.
Some who had planned to take on a mortgage or a car loan also need to reconsider what they're willing to spend, as rates are expected to keep climbing in 2022.
The average five-year new car loan rate is currently 4.53%, according to Bankrate.com. But it is expected to hit 5.75% by early 2023.
Credit card borrowers will see immediate pain, as cards have variable rates that go up as the Fed drives short term interest rates higher.
If you locked in ultra low promotional rates on credit cards for several months, watch out when those introductory periods end. "The rate your card will jump to at the end of the promotional period is rising every time the Fed boosts rates," warned Greg McBride, chief financial analyst for Bankrate.com.
The average credit card rate is currently 16.68% and could hit 17.9% by early 2023 but that average also reflects new attractive offers to some consumers, McBride said.
Homeowners who have a home equity line of credit will see their interest rates go up directly with every single Fed interest rate hike, too.
Mortgage rates surged above 6% Monday when anticipation of the Fed rate hike Wednesday led to a major sell off in the bond market.
The average 30-year rate had been 5.23% for the week ending June 9 — up from an average 2.96% a year ago, according to Freddie Mac's latest data.
Zandi said mortgage rates could approach 7% in coming weeks before pulling back in 2023. Long run, he said, the average 30-year mortgage rates should be closer to 5.5%.
We're already starting to see price declines on appliances, furniture, home decorating items and other household goods, according to the latest CPI data for the past 12 months through May.
"It does seem like we're starting to see the fever break in housing," Adams said.
Some retailers, including Target and Walmart, have reported that they will need to offer significant discounts on electronics, furniture and other items after a shift in consumer buying patterns.
"Americans splurged on consumer goods in 2020 and 2021 when they were stuck at home and afraid to go on vacation and go to restaurants, concerned about the pandemic," Adams said.
"Now that lifestyles are getting back to normal, people are spending more on services and more on recreation and they're spending less on consumer goods," Adams said.
Consumers just aren't happy
Consumers feel bad — even though the national jobless rate was a mere 3.6% in May — because they have far less money to spend when everyday expenses, including rent, food and car payments, rise dramatically.
University of Michigan economist Don Grimes said he's tended to have a higher forecast for inflation than most colleagues.
Even so, he said, "inflation has been even higher and more persistent than I thought."
"Everyone seems to be underestimating inflation, and it is only a matter of the size of the error, not the direction of the error."
Fighting the uptick in gas prices isn't easy because it will be tough to boost supply, Grimes said. "Nobody is going to want to invest in developing new wells or refineries if they think that the demand for fossil fuels will be diminishing over the next few years," he said.
Demand has been brisk up until lately in many areas. Real consumer spending was up 5.2% in the United States on a per capita basis between February 2020 and April 2022, Grimes said, even though people weren't making a great deal more money. Real disposable personal income per capita was only up 0.2%.
People were able to spend more because of the massive federal stimulus programs, including three rounds of stimulus cash being sent to households and relief that included a payment pause on student loan debt that currently runs through Aug. 31.
"They accumulated over $2 trillion in excess savings in 2020 and 2021 due to government checks and an inability to shop during the worst months of the pandemic," Grimes said.
All that savings can help cushion economic blows but it also makes putting a stop to inflation more complicated.
Thanks to inflation and no more stimulus money being sent to homes, Grimes said, this year real disposable personal income per capita is on track to see the largest decline — 5.6% — since 1932 during the Great Depression.
That's why people are so unhappy, he said. Rampant inflation and higher prices make it feel like they're already dealing with a recession.
"Will consumers gradually pull back as they run through that accumulated savings, or will the Federal Reserve need to engineer a recession so that real disposable income declines even more?" Grimes asked.
Eventually, he said, inflation will go down substantially and not stay at 8% or more. But it's anyone's guess how quickly the economy will get there and what it will take.
Consumers could voluntarily cut back their spending. Or they might end up involuntarily reducing their spending as they lose their jobs due to a recession.
"Wall Street looks like it's betting on the recession method to reduce demand," Grimes said.
The Standard & Poor's 500 index officially fell into bear market territory Monday after falling more than 20% this year from its all-time high set in January.
Consumers see worse financial picture
Consumer sentiment hit its lowest recorded level between May and June based on preliminary data released Friday by the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers. Sentiment has tumbled by 41.3% year over year.
The reading is comparable with the trough reached during the 1980 recession, wrote Joanne Hsu, director of the much-watched Surveys of Consumers.
Consumers are upset about high gas prices, inflation and shortages of items that they want to buy. "Consumers' assessments of their personal financial situation worsened about 20%," according to the report. The final report will be released June 24.
Consider that it would take you about $11,300 in 2022 in general to buy the same goods you could have bought for $10,000 two years ago, according to the Inflation Calculator at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis site. And even that is a lowball figure. The calculator only has been updated with data through March 31. An update with second quarter data is expected in July.
Like it or not, consumers must hand over more money to buy practically anything. Many are forced to cut back elsewhere on spending to cover necessities.
Now, they'd be wise to have a backup plan for the possibility of a recession, too. | 2022-06-15T18:54:50Z | www.freep.com | Federal reserve hikes interest rates to battle inflation | https://www.freep.com/story/money/personal-finance/susan-tompor/2022/06/15/interest-rates-fed-inflation/7565870001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/money/personal-finance/susan-tompor/2022/06/15/interest-rates-fed-inflation/7565870001/ |
In the face of inflation and rising commodity costs General Motors is lining up strategic partnerships with suppliers to keep its electric vehicle launches on schedule.
GM CFO Paul Jacobson said the automaker will continue to form partnerships or invest in raw material suppliers to ensure GM has the parts it needs to hit a production target of 400,000 EVs in North America by the end of next year.
“Everything is on the table when it comes to the way we have to be thinking about some of these commodities that might be in tighter supply in the future," Jacobson said Wednesday during the Deutsche Bank Global Auto Industry Conference webcast.
That means GM is willing to invest money and equity in suppliers, partner with them or finance some startups, he said. Jacobson did not specify which commodities might be in short supply, but GM has lined up deals for the supply of cobalt and lithium — which are key to EV battery production — and, most recently, wind energy.
"We’re thinking really creativity because what we can’t do is limit ourselves to the way business has always been done with some of these trends in the future," Jacobson said.
The trends he is referring to are various supply chain issues in recent months as well as inflation.
GM, like all automakers, has struggled to produce enough vehicles to meet demand since early last year when a global shortage of semiconductor chips crippled new-vehicle production across the industry.
More:Chip shortage makes finding perfect car a challenge but could help get you out of a lease
Jacobson said that as of mid-June GM is "several hundred thousand" vehicles short of what it traditionally would have held in inventory due to the chips shortage and other supply issues. But supply is improving and he stands by GM's projection that it will build 25% to 30% more new cars this year compared with last year.
Jacobson regularly checks GM metrics to watch for impacts on consumer demand for GM vehicles from inflation. So far, he said, demand remains strong and prices are holding high.
He also watches rising commodity costs to keep GM well-supplied and able to mitigate any shortages beyond chips that might impact EV production.
“We have to make sure we prepare for a world where maybe inflation persists a little longer," Jacobson said. "That’s our job as a finance team. We just have to make sure we’re very nimble and very practical in how we think of it.”
More:GM says no to hybrids, reveals more about future EVs
More deals to come
GM is making a big bet on EVs where it can't afford a mistake in a launch. The automaker is investing $35 billion through 2025 in EV and autonomous driving technology. It will launch 30 new EVs by then.
To make sure all that can happen, GM has made strategic investments in key raw material suppliers and will do more, Jacobson said.
In March, GM partnered with lithium metal battery developer SolidEnergy Systems, which is based in Singapore. As part of its joint venture with SolidEnergy, GM will build a manufacturing prototyping line in Woburn, Massachusetts, for a high-capacity, pre-production EV battery by 2023.
In April, GM and Glencore entered into a multiyear sourcing agreement. Glencore, which is headquartered in Baar, Switzerland, will supply GM with cobalt from its Murrin Murrin operation in Australia. Cobalt is a metal used in the production of EV batteries. It gives the batteries energy, density and longevity.
“When you look at the strides we’ve made with lithium and other raw materials, I think we’re in a really, really good position” to build 400,000 EVs by 2023, Jacobson said. “We feel very comfortable where we are with raw materials.”
Wind Catching
Earlier on Wednesday, GM announced that its investment arm, GM Ventures, has invested $10 million in Wind Catching Systems, a Norway-based developer of floating, offshore wind energy production.
GM will support the design, engineering, and supply chain formation that will help Wind Catching Systems develop its technology.
The idea is to enable offshore wind operators and developers to produce electricity at a cost that competes with other energy sources. GM said the technology will increase efficiency significantly in comparison to conventional floating offshore wind farms.
“As GM continues to move towards an all-electric future, it’s critical that we simultaneously drive the transition of the grid to low-carbon energy sources,” says Kristen Siemen, GM’s chief sustainability officer. | 2022-06-15T20:13:22Z | www.freep.com | GM open to more supplier arrangements to ensure EV production | https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/general-motors/2022/06/15/gm-electric-vehicle-production/7636682001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/general-motors/2022/06/15/gm-electric-vehicle-production/7636682001/ |
Michigan pre-orders COVID vaccines for babies, preschoolers 'on the cusp' of authorization
Christina Hall Kristen Jordan Shamus
The first regulatory hurdle was leapt Wednesday toward authorization of COVID-19 vaccines for America's youngest children when a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel voted to recommend both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for babies and preschoolers.
For many parents, it's the moment they've been waiting for — the first greenlight that could soon allow them to vaccinate their children ages 6 months to 5 years old against COVID-19.
If a vaccine advisory committee for the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agrees, and the agency's director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, signs off, it would make COVID-19 vaccines available to "essentially every American, from our oldest to our youngest," said Dr. Ashish Jha, White House COVID-19 response coordinator.
More:Whitmer: Pfizer's plan to make Paxlovid in Kalamazoo 'a great source of pride'
Rollout plans in Michigan are already in motion in anticipation that the CDC could grant final authorization as early as Saturday.
"We have waited a long time for this moment. More than two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, ... we are on the cusp of having safe, highly effective vaccines for kids under 5," Jha said.
More than 400,000 Michigan kids would be newly eligible, said Chelsea Wuth, a spokesperson for the state health department.
As of Wednesday, the Michigan health department had pre-ordered 65,600 doses of vaccines for the state's youngest children — 38,100 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 27,500 doses of Moderna.
Doses will be delivered to local health departments, federally qualified health centers, doctor's offices, hospitals and pharmacies. Parents can check vaccines.gov to see which medical providers have received vaccines and their availability.
Wuth said 700 doses were pre-ordered by tribal health centers and 39,800 doses were pre-ordered by pharmacies in Michigan, both of which use a separate ordering system.
"We are monitoring the orders to assure vaccine is available across the state," Wuth said.
If approval comes over the weekend, Wuth said there's a chance people still won't be able to get shots for their kids right away. That's because workers will need time to set up appointments and/or walk-in clinics and be trained to administer the vaccines.
The Pfizer vaccine would be given in a three-dose regimen for kids ages 6 months to 4 years old. The first two doses would be given three weeks apart, with a third dose administered at least two months after the second shot. The company's data from a very small subset of children suggested the vaccine is 80% effective after a third dose.
But only 10 children were included in that analysis, and the FDA committee said Wednesday that it's not enough to be able to reliably say Pfizer's vaccine is that efficacious. Actual effectiveness could be far lower.
More:For kids with autism, getting the COVID-19 vaccine isn't as simple as a shot in the arm
The Moderna vaccine would be given in a two-dose series four weeks apart to kids ages 6 months through 5 years old. It was shown in clinical trials to be 51% effective in preventing illness in kids ages 6 months-2 years old and 37% effective in children 2-5 years old.
The company is testing a third dose now for children in this age range.
If the authorizations go through, here's how to get your youngest children vaccinated in Michigan.
Most pharmacies to have shots only for kids 3 and up
Most pharmacies in Michigan, including Walgreens, will be able to vaccinate only children ages 3 and older, Wuth said, following rules set by the federal Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act.
One exception is CVS Pharmacy, which plans to administer COVID-19 vaccines to younger children — those ages 18 months and up — at its national network of 1,100 MinuteClinic locations, spokesperson Matt Blanchette said.
That's because MinuteClinic clinicians are board-certified family nurse practitioners, physician associates and nurses who have experience providing vaccinations to a younger population, he said. The clinics have private rooms to make the process easier for children, parents and guardians.
Parents should call ahead or schedule an appointment online to ensure the pharmacy has doses available.
For those whose children are too young to get COVID-19 vaccines at pharmacies, other options are to go to local health departments, federally qualified health centers or their primary health care providers for their shots.
Health departments get ready
STATEWIDE: People looking for COVID-19 vaccines can call the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services' COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6136 (press 1). The hotline is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Mondays-Fridays and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Or they can go online to Michigan.gov/COVIDvaccine and click on "Find a vaccine near you."
OAKLAND COUNTY: The day after pediatric doses of COVID-19 vaccines for the nation's youngest kids win authorization, the Oakland County Health Division plans to have them available, said Bill Mullan, spokesman for county Executive Dave Coulter.
COVID-19 vaccines will be available for those ages 6 months and older at:
The North Clinic office, 1200 N. Telegraph Road, Pontiac
The South Clinic office, 27725 Greenfield Road, Southfield
"Our experience with the pediatric dose is the majority of parents choose to take their kids to a pediatrician or trusted pharmacy," Mullan said. "We anticipate, given the age for the new vaccine, the number opting for a pediatrician (to) do it will be even higher."
WAYNE COUNTY: A pre-order of 2,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines for children younger than age 5 has already been placed by the Wayne County Public Health Department, said spokesperson Tiffani Jackson.
Additional orders will be placed on a rolling basis, she said.
The county plans to begin administering vaccines as soon as it receives notification from the state health department, which should come immediately after CDC authorization, Jackson said.
More:Coronavirus Watch: Baby vaccines + teaching during a pandemic
More:Heart dysfunction seen in kids weeks after recovery from post-COVID inflammatory syndrome
All of the health department's current, active COVID-19 vaccination sites will offer shots to children younger than 5, she said. Those sites are:
Sheldon School Building, 44649 Michigan Ave., Canton
Berwyn Senior Citizen Center, 26155 Richardson St., Dearborn Heights
Hamtramck City Hall, 3401 Evaline St.
Ernest T. Ford Recreation Center, 10 Pitkin St., Highland Park
Lincoln Park Community Center, 3525 Dix Highway
Livonia Senior Center, 15218 Farmington Road
River Rouge City Hall, 10600 W. Jefferson Ave.
WCCCD - Downriver Campus, 21000 Northline Road, Taylor
Wayne County Health Department Clinic, 33030 Van Born Road, Wayne
For hours and more details, go to www.waynecounty.com/covid19/.
Doses also will be distributed to local COVID-19 vaccine providers, including pediatric and family medicine clinics and pharmacies, Jackson said.
CITY OF DETROIT: No specific details were available about the city health department's plans to roll out vaccines to infants and preschoolers.
The city health department currently offers doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines to anyone 5 and older at two sites by appointment:
The health department, 100 Mack Ave., Detroit
The Northwest Activities Center, 18100 Meyers Road, Detroit
WASHTENAW COUNTY: The health department has 1,500 doses pre-ordered, but some of that will be distributed to other providers or pediatricians to use in their practices, spokesperson Susan Ringler Cerniglia said.
The department will need a day or two after federal authorization to update its orders and procedures before shots will be given, she said.
Many local health departments may be closed Monday for the Juneteenth holiday and that could mean a delay for some. Ringler Cerniglia said Washtenaw County will start offering COVID-19 vaccines to this age group "as soon as possible."
"There are regular clinic times available every week. Information and updates are available at www.washtenaw.org/covid19vaccine," she said. "We also expect area pediatricians will offer COVID vaccination for this age group, and many families will likely choose to see their regular provider."
More:96 Michigan children hospitalized with COVID-19, breaking pandemic record
MACOMB COUNTY: Vaccines will be available through the Macomb County Health Department for this newly eligible population as quickly as possible, said Andrew Cox, county health department director/health officer.
The department requested a supply of pediatric doses of the Pfizer vaccine and plans to request Moderna doses after it learns more from CDC committee recommendations.
Cox said officials are preparing to vaccinate children at health department vaccination clinics clincs at:
The Verkuilen Building, 21885 Dunham Road, Clinton Township
The Southwest Health Center, 27690 Van Dyke Ave., Warren
Appointments are encouraged and can be scheduled online at www.macombgov.org/healthappointment shortly after the CDC grants emergency use authorization. Until then, parents or guardians can schedule an appointment by calling 586-463-3750.
Health systems plan to distribute vaccines to pediatrician's offices
Many Michigan health systems plan to offer COVID-19 vaccines to infants and preschoolers through their networks of affiliated primary care and pediatrician offices, rather than through large immunization clinics.
At Henry Ford Health, 1,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine were ordered for use in the metro Detroit area and 500 doses were ordered for use in the Jackson area, said spokesperson Lauren Zakalik.
"Before we can start administering vaccines for the 6-month to 4-year-old cohort, we must first make crucial updates to our electronic medical records system, which tracks vaccine dosage and schedules," Zakalik said. "The platform we use doesn’t provide those updates until the FDA and CDC give their final authorization and recommendation."
The aim is to begin giving the vaccines by the end of the month by appointment only at Henry Ford's primary care and pediatric offices, she said. Those appointments can be made by calling doctor's offices or through MyChart online accounts.
Children also can get COVID-19 vaccines during already scheduled primary care appointments, including routine childhood vaccination visits, she said.
University of Michigan Health ordered 1,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine and 1,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine for infants and preschoolers, said spokesperson Beata Mostafavi.
"Because the FDA is reviewing both at the same time, our teams wanted to ensure we’d have some of whichever vaccine gets approved," she said. "We may end up choosing one over the other due to rollout logistics, in which case the unused vaccine could go to other entities."
Doses are expected to arrive in the week of June 20, she said, adding that appointments can be scheduled through the U-M patient portal within days of vaccine authorization.
At Lansing-based Sparrow Health, 500 doses of the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 6 months to 4 years have been ordered, said spokesperson John Foren.
"There will be no walk-in clinic, per se, or a mass vaccination site," he said. "It will be available for patients already established at our Sparrow Medical Group Family Medicine practices."
Parents or guardians should call their family medicine practice to schedule a vaccine appointment or get it during a regularly scheduled office visit, he said.
Trinity Health IHA Medical Group pre-ordered at least 500 doses of the Pfizer vaccine for outpatient primary care and pediatric offices. That number is expected to grow once authorization is finalized and based on patient demand, spokesperson Bobby Maldonado said.
Trinity Health's hospitals will not be administering the vaccines.
Patients can call their physician's office to schedule an appointment or go online at ihacares.com or request the vaccine at their next appointment. The medical group is prepared to set up walk-in clinics depending on demand. | 2022-06-15T21:26:53Z | www.freep.com | Michigan pre-orders COVID-19 vaccines for kids ages 6 months to age 5 | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/15/covid-19-vaccines-preorders-for-babies/7600565001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/15/covid-19-vaccines-preorders-for-babies/7600565001/ |
Dearborn chef and baker gets another shot on the new MasterChef cooking competition
Amanda Saab knows the pressures of competing on a cooking show.
More:Michigan women's baklava cheesecake, spaghetti recipes featured in new American cookbook
More:Amid Muslim anxiety, woman welcomes strangers to dinner
In 2015, the Dearborn self-taught chef and baker competed on MasterChef season 6, though was eliminated in the eighth episode. She was the first Muslim woman in a hijab to compete on the show.
Fast forward and the former contestant, Saab, 33, is back. She's on the new show MasterChef: Back to Win, airing at 8 p.m. Wednesdays on Fox TV. Saab made the final cut in the first of three audition round episodes securing her spot as one of 20 chefs, narrowed from a field of 40 competing.
Gordon Ramsay, a celebrity and well-renowned chef, hosts and judges the competition. He’s also well-known for his sharp and often harsh critiques of the competing chefs and the dishes they present. Celebrity chef Aaron Sanchez and restaurateur Joe Bastianich are also judging the competition.
The show involves previous MasterChef contestants, including those on MasterChef Junior who now are adults, getting a second chance at the coveted MasterChef title.
Saab, reached by phone Wednesday morning, said she is excited to be competing. But she also asked thought long and hard about going in front of Gordon Ramsay and going through the whole process again.
"You have to be super vulnerable," Saab said. "Your food is being criticized on national television. It takes a special level of vulnerability and confidence to be able to do that."
Saab, of course, can’t reveal any details about the show filmed late last year in California.
But Saab admits being on the new show was different from the first time on Season 6 as a self-taught home cook and baker.
"I'd never done anything professionally, I never cooked for that volume of people," Saab said. "So just the personal growth in the last six years that I have in my professional cooking and baking skills definitely gave me the confidence to go back. "
She's hosted dinners, cooked for a number of people, had the bakery (Butter Bear Shop in Livonia) and has done cooking pop-ups, with one most recently at Frame in Hazel Park.
Saab said that this time around, Ramsay, was different.
"Gordon was definitely, I think, a lot softer this time," Saab said. "He's since had another baby, maybe that brought on an additional empathy."
But Saab feels the pressure with this competition since she's established herself in the food world.
"Now there's more on the line and the stakes are definitely higher," she said.
That pressure is also felt among others competing, she said, because "they've also gone on to do some amazing things."
"You really don't want to mess up at this level."
When she made the final 20 making a Za'atar Olive Oil Cake, Saab said the feeling was amazing. Her mindset stepping into the kitchen, she said, is to do the best she can and get to the next round.
"Those are like the two things I am thinking about and that are at the forefront of my brain," Saab said. So, when I got the apron ... thank goodness and a sigh of relief. "
Saab has been featured in cookbooks and written about nationally and in the Free Press spotlighting her Dinner with Your Muslim Neighbor events, where she invited strangers in her home to gather around the table for a meal, to build bonds across cultures and talk about Islam and Muslims.
Though Saab works full time for Tech Down Detroit supporting small businesses and is mother to daughter Hannah, who is four years old. She plans on more pop-ups and baking workshops this summer. Saab also has more than 43,000 Instagram followers and you can also follow her recipes on amandasplate.com. | 2022-06-15T22:14:55Z | www.freep.com | This Dearborn chef and baker is back on the new Masterchef show | https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/06/15/dearborn-chef-and-baker-back-new-masterchef-show/7639244001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/06/15/dearborn-chef-and-baker-back-new-masterchef-show/7639244001/ |
"We knew it was a short-term program and it did what it was intended to do. It gave folks interim rent, utility assistance while they were in lockdown, but today, people are by and large back to work," Duggan said.
More:Hotel program to temporarily house evicted Detroiters may end soon for some
More:Detroit City Council wants statewide housing agency to speed up rent aid applications
The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) — which is responsible for administering the $1.1 billion program that's been in place for a little more than a year — said that it will continue processing applications until all funds are used up.
Those who have already completed a CERA application should check their status, but should not apply again because that can slow down the overall processing time, said Julie Schneider, acting director of the city's Housing and Revitalization Department.
Detroiters with eviction cases in district court will continue to get paid lawyers as the city's new right to counsel program gears up later this year, he said.
"The most important thing to remember is for tenants — that they come to court if they are served an eviction notice," even if they've applied for CERA and already received some other assistance, said Ashley Lowe, CEO of Lakeshore Legal Aid.
Detroiters looking for work can also apply for the city's "rapid jobs" program connecting residents to employment that's immediately available. There are currently more than 12,000 job vacancies, Duggan said.
Here's a rundown of what to know about the CERA program as it winds down: | 2022-06-15T22:15:01Z | www.freep.com | Michigan rent aid program will stop taking new applications soon | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/15/michigan-rent-aid-program-stop-taking-new-applications-soon/7626547001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/15/michigan-rent-aid-program-stop-taking-new-applications-soon/7626547001/ |
Tickets for the next Top 10 Takeover dining series event go on sale at noon Thursday for Free Press subscribers, with general ticket sales following at noon Friday. The event is July 6 at Mudgie's Deli and Wine Shop.
The series invites foodies in metro Detroit and beyond to experience the cuisine, service and ambience of the Freep’s 10 Best New Restaurants, Restaurant of the Year Classic and 2022 Restaurant of the Year.
Mudgie's, the much-loved Corktown spot, was owned by the late Greg Mudge and was named the 2022 Detroit Free Press Restaurant of the Year Classic. Mudge died at age 46 last year.
His death shocked the Corktown and restaurant communities.
Mudge posthumously earned the 2022 Sylvia Rector Lifetime Achievement Award for Hospitality.
"Mudgie's ... with its hearty sandwiches layered with inches of fresh-cut meats, slices of local cheese and unexpected spreads, has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with its white-tablecloth contemporaries that opened in the early 2000s, and has since embroidered itself into the fabric of Detroit’s culinary scene," Green wrote about Mudgie's.
Mudgie's has been nationally recognized for its sandwiches, topping many best sandwich lists. The spot is also known for its laid-back, comfy atmosphere and as well as its extensive wine shop.
More:2022 Restaurant of the Year Classic: Mudgie’s Deli and Wine Shop, Detroit
More:Detroit sandwich spot Mudgie’s Deli and Wine Shop is 2022 Restaurant of the Year Classic
More:'Corktown has lost its heart': Greg Mudge, owner of Mudgie's Deli, dies at age 46
Seatings for this Top 10 Takeover are at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The cost is $68 per person and includes a donation to Forgotten Harvest.
Mudgie's Top 10 Takeover menu will feature five courses and has a vegetarian option.
Mediterranean olive tapenade with artisanal crackers and flatbreads
Heirloom tomato gazpacho with seasonal vegetables, basil, cherry and heirloom tomatoes, served chilled, topped with vegan sour cream and fresh chives
Cranberry mandarin summer salad featuring dried Michigan cherries, mandarin oranges, roasted walnuts and shaved vegan Parmesan cheese served on a bed of mixed greens with a side of Mudgie's house-made raspberry vinaigrette
And the Horseradish You Rode In On, which features oven-roasted roast beef brisket, smoked sharp cheddar cheese, romaine lettuce, roma tomatoes and house-made creamy horseradish sauce served on a grilled brioche roll
The McNabb with roasted tempeh, mixed greens, pickled red onions, walnuts, cucumber, avocado, and vegan provolone wrapped in a flatbread and served with a side of vegan agave mustard dressing
Feral bakes raspberry, Earl Grey parfait featuring vanilla custard, raspberry Earl Grey sauce, vanilla cake, coconut whipped cream and topped with shortbread crumble | 2022-06-15T23:45:49Z | www.freep.com | Top 10 Takeover dinner: Tickets for Mudgies go on sale Friday | https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/06/15/top-10-takeover-dinner-tickets-mudgies-in-corktown/7640551001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/06/15/top-10-takeover-dinner-tickets-mudgies-in-corktown/7640551001/ |
A Michigan Republican lawmaker at the heart of legislative efforts to debunk allegations of sweeping election fraud following the 2020 presidential contest said Thursday he received a subpoena from the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol.
State Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, said in an impassioned speech on the Senate floor that the request issued to him in December surprised him. He said he agreed to answer preliminary questions, but lambasted the high-profile congressional panel for attempting to get him to testify at a public hearing.
"I simply could not acquiesce to such a request. To do so would have violated my rights as a member of this body as well as my oath of office," McBroom said.
"I believe it is a flagrant commandeering of our Legislature and violative of federalism. Every member of this body should take offense to the notion that we should be expected to present our work to the federal government."
More:Michigan Republican-led investigation rejects Trump's claim that Nov. 3 election was stolen
McBroom leads the Senate Oversight Committee, which dedicated substantial time in late 2020 and early 2021 to investigating allegations of election fraud. Ultimately, the committee issued a report rejecting the idea that there was widespread fraud in the Michigan election.
The acknowledgment of the subpoena is the latest evidence of the congressional committee's focus on Michigan and its role in the efforts by former President Donald Trump and his supporters to undermine President Joe Biden's victory. The committee is set to meet again Thursday afternoon and several other times later this month.
Multiple other Michiganders have been subpoenaed by the committee, including ex-Michigan Republican Party Chair Laura Cox and multiple Republicans who posed as fake Electoral College delegates in an effort to inappropriately award the state's 16 electoral votes to Trump.
The congressional committee ultimately acquiesced and rescinded its demand for McBroom to testify, he said. But the congressional committee adopted the report on Michigan election fraud issued by McBroom's oversight committee "without my foreknowledge or not by my request."
McBroom stressed his reticence to speak before Congress is not political, and he's glad to have the committee's endorsement of his committee's work. That work has prompted pushback from a wide array of Republicans, including Trump and some GOP members seeking statewide office this year.
"After months of meetings and innumerable hours of testimony and investigation, the committee adopted a report that cited numerous problems and made many recommendations for needed reforms to our system," McBroom said Thursday.
"The report was also able to conclude that many proffered theories of inaccurate or fraudulent election results that were false."
As McBroom noted, the report issued recommendations for changes to state election law. It also specifically called out people spreading allegations, including Matthew DePerno and Pat Colbeck.
"The committee recommends the attorney general consider investigating those who have been utilizing misleading and false information about Antrim County to raise money or publicity for their own ends," the report states.
"The Committee finds those promoting Antrim County as the prime evidence of a nationwide conspiracy to steal the election place all other statements and actions they make in a position of zero credibility."
Colbeck, a former Republican state senator, continues to spread misinformation about the election. DePerno led the legal efforts in Antrim County that also garnered national attention but have been repeatedly tossed by Michigan judges. He has since earned the endorsement of the Michigan Republican Party in his race to be the state's next attorney general and also still maintains the unfounded accusation that there was widespread fraud.
More:Ex-Michigan GOP Chair Laura Cox subpoenaed by Jan. 6 committee
More:Michigan fake GOP Electoral College delegates subpoenaed by Jan. 6 committee
The work of fake electors in Michigan and several other political swing states is the subject of investigations by both the congressional committee and the U.S. Department of Justice. It's anticipated it'll be the focus of one of the congressional committee's public hearings later this month.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has already said she believes the fake electors committed crimes, but she referred her findings to federal officials with the hopes they are incorporated in a broader national investigation. | 2022-06-16T17:21:36Z | www.freep.com | January 6 committee subpoenaed State Sen. Ed McBroom | https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2022/06/16/ed-mcbroom-january-6-committee-subpoena/7646137001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2022/06/16/ed-mcbroom-january-6-committee-subpoena/7646137001/ |
Michigan Medicine nurses rally for new contract, say mandatory overtime needs to end
One after another, nurses from Michigan Medicine asked the University of Michigan Board of Regents Thursday to give them a fair contract.
"Two years ago, they called us heroes," said pediatric ICU nurse Adam Paulsen, referencing U-M officials' words during the COVID-19 pandemic. But now, he continued, the nurses are being offered contract cuts. "I'm not a cost. I'm an investment," he said.
The 6,200 members of the Michigan Nurses Association-University of Michigan Professional Nurse Council, which represents nurses throughout the health system, will see their contract run out at the end of June.
Holding signs and standing as various members talked, the nurses flooded the board meeting. They detailed various issues, including staffing.
Paulsen said his department has been losing one to two nurses a week and doesn't have enough staff to train replacements.
Michigan Medicine said it is on pace for record recruitment of nurses this year and its vacancy rate is far below the national average.
"Our nurses are exemplary and a valued part of our healthcare team, and we empathize with the strain this puts on individual nurses, as well as our patients and entire community," Michigan Medicine said in a statement. "Our desire is to develop solutions that work for all nurses and provide competitive salary, benefits, professional development, and support for wellness and well-being.
"We are hopeful that an agreement can be reached before the contract expires. As always, our focus will be on providing the highest quality patient care and continuity of care through negotiations and beyond."
More:U-M holds tuition flat for most students after financial aid increased
More:U-M forms task force to 'mitigate the impact' of possible abortion ban
Regent Denise Ilitch thanked each person for speaking and said the board has been told the issues being raised are being addressed. She told speakers they should keep letting board members know if the issues aren't resolved.
The nurses said in a news release they are asking for:
An end to understaffing through safe and contractually enforceable nurse-to-patient workload ratios.
Fair compensation that recruits and retain nurses and outpaces inflation.
An end to unsafe mandatory overtime.
“Nurses are frustrated and alarmed by not being able to provide the quality of care our patients need and deserve. We need a contract that invests in nurses and patients, not an approach that is about building more buildings and padding the university’s bottom line," Renee Curtis, a registered nurse and president of the U-M nurses union, said in the release.
Several speakers also said Michigan Medicine officials were more focused on building a new $1 billion patient tower than issues raised by nurses. | 2022-06-16T23:13:35Z | www.freep.com | Michigan Medicine nurses ask for new contract, seek end to mandatory OT | https://www.freep.com/story/news/education/2022/06/16/michigan-medicine-nurses-rally-new-contract-end-to-mandatory-overtime/7650980001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/education/2022/06/16/michigan-medicine-nurses-rally-new-contract-end-to-mandatory-overtime/7650980001/ |
Ann Arbor’s Washtenaw Community College (WCC) will host training events for union trainers from four national skilled trades organizations this summer.
Training sessions will be held on the WCC campus between June to August, according to a news release. Trainers from the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers, Operative Plasterers' and Cement Masons International Association, International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers Union and United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters are expected to attend.
Trainers will spend a week on campus taking classroom credit classes and participating in hands-on laboratory instructional training in order to stay updated with the latest skills and technological developments in their fields, the release said. Following the program, trainers will be able to impart their learning to union members across the country.
The training events began in the week of June 13, with about 175 members of the United Union attending training sessions on campus covering topics such as computer skills, fall prevention and safety, among others.
In the week of July 11, about 110 members of the Operative Plasterers' and Cement Masons International Association will participate in the sessions. Following this, about 650 members of the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers Union will attend in the week of July 18.
August will see the most union trainers on campus with more than 3000 members of the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters attending the training sessions.
“We are thrilled to welcome back to campus so many of our valued trades partners, WCC President Dr. Rose B. Bellanca said in the release. “The skilled trades play an essential and important role in supporting and building better communities, and we are very proud of the relationships we’ve built with these organizations.”
The sessions will conclude on Aug. 15 with a block party with live entertainment and sidewalk dining in the downtown area organized by Destination Ann Arbor and the 10th annual UA Plumbers and Pipefitters 5K run.
More: Cass Avenue bridge in over I-94 in downtown Detroit closed for emergency repairs
More: 11-month-old baby among 3 Michigan kids in CDC's acute hepatitis investigation
A similar training event was hosted on the campus last year with trainers from the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers. | 2022-06-16T23:13:47Z | www.freep.com | Ann Arbor's Washtenaw Community College to train trade union trainers | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/16/washtenaw-community-college-hosts-training-sessions-for-union-trainers/7651067001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/16/washtenaw-community-college-hosts-training-sessions-for-union-trainers/7651067001/ |
At this time last year, Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel told the Board of Regents his department was projecting a deficit of nearly $63 million for the 2021 fiscal year, with revenues expected to plummet as the COVID-19 pandemic quashed ticket sales and fan attendance.
Twelve months later, Manuel addressed the Board of Regents once more and gleefully presented new projections for balanced budgets in both the 2022 fiscal year, which ends later this month, and the 2023 fiscal year while offering an encouraging update on the department’s debt, the vast majority of which has been paid off.
“And I do thank this board,” Manuel said at Thursday’s meeting. “I do thank President (Mary Sue) Coleman and my colleagues for the support. That which you have seen could not have been done without your support and your encouragement to keep moving through. Particularly when two years ago I presented a budget that had, I think, a $60 million deficit. And you guys were there for us, (you) were there for this entire university.”
STUDENT COSTS:Michigan holds tuition flat for most students after financial aid increased
RECRUITING WATCH:What to watch for during Wolveriens' biggest weekend
ON THE FIELD:Is a 25-year-old European ready to become Michigan football's next star pass rusher?
Manuel said the debt was reduced by pairing a loan from the university with additional funds from the athletic department’s reserve. All that remains from what was officially a $49.4 million deficit for the 2021 fiscal year — the final number, while significant, was markedly less than initial estimates — is a $5 million chunk of the loan from the university, according to a comment Manuel made on an athletic department podcast last week.
Addressing the debt with a loan from the university and a withdrawal from the department’s reserve allowed Michigan to zero its budget for the 2022 fiscal year. Manuel reported projected operating revenues of $197.6 million and projected operating expenses of the same amount. Those totals will be finalized when the university’s 2022 fiscal year ends on June 30.
Projections for the 2023 fiscal year are forecasting the largest athletic department budget in school history at $201.9 million, according to figures shared by Manuel at the meeting. But projected revenues are expected to match that figure and, if realized, would allow U-M to finish without an operating deficit for the second consecutive year.
“So two years after projecting a significant deficit to you, we have zero deficit,” Manuel said. “And we move forward.”
The lofty budgetary projections for 2023 include increased costs in the following areas:
• $4.2 million in financial aid stemming from education benefits and increased tuition.
• $3.7 million in expenses stemming from larger non-conference guarantee payments and the cost of hosting an extra football game.
• $2.8 million in salaries and wages stemming from adjustments for inflation and contractually mandated raises.
But this year's friendly football schedule will offset most of the damage. The Wolverines have an eighth home game this season that, along with increases in ticket prices, should generate $6.5 million in additional revenue to cover the added costs.
“That helps a lot,” Manuel said at Thursday’s meeting. “And we’re thankful to our fans for their support to make that happen.” | 2022-06-16T23:13:53Z | www.freep.com | Michigan athletics projects balanced budgets for 2022 and 2023 fiscal years | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2022/06/16/michigan-athletics-projects-balanced-budgets-2022-and-2023-fiscal-years/7653681001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2022/06/16/michigan-athletics-projects-balanced-budgets-2022-and-2023-fiscal-years/7653681001/ |
In A.J. Hinch's words, on Thursday, the Detroit Tigers found another way to lose, falling 3-1 to the Texas Rangers.
Detroit's bullpen had been used so frequently earlier in the week, Hinch needed to use three position players to pitch on Wednesday. On Thursday, Beau Brieske tried to do the heavy lifting himself.
The rookie turned in the best performance of his career, with seven shutout innings on three hits and two walks with six strikeouts.
The 24-year-old threw 94 pitches — 63 for strikes — and generated 13 swings and misses, six of which came on his slider in 17 pitches.
PING PONG:How Tigers are paddling away the blues during dark season
JEFF SEIDEL:The one thing that would make miserable Tigers season worse: Losing Chris Fetter
That gave the offense time to get him a lead; Robbie Grossman hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning to put the Tigers up, 1-0.
It looked like that would be enough until the ninth inning. Gregory Soto walked leadoff hitter Corey Seager, hit Kole Calhoun with a pitch and walked Nathaniel Lowe to bring up Ezequiel Duran with two outs and the bases loaded.
On a 1-1 pitch, Duran ripped a triple down the right-field line, plating three and propelling the Rangers to a 3-1 victory. The loss drops the Tigers to 24-39.
"Every lefty until (Brad) Miller, he didn't locate pitches," Hinch said of Soto's night. "Obviously he lives on the edge sometimes and tonight was too much, it was a little bend until you break, and then you break. I think that's (Duran's) first extra-base hit against a lefty.
"It's a gut punch."
In between the first walk and hit batter, Soto took an Adolis Garcia ground ball off the leg, before flipping it to first base to get the out. Hinch went out to check on Soto, who stayed in the game.
Hinch said he did not believe that played any role in his inability to throw strikes, but Soto was not made available postgame. Eric Haase said it appeared as if it was just an off night.
"I just don't know if he was ever really comfortable out there," Haase said. "It was just kind of tough. Obviously we love Greg and anytime there's a matchup we can get him out there. Hopefully it's just a little bump in the road, and he will bounce back.
"He's an All-Star closer for a reason, so we're not worried about him."
Brilliant Brieske
Brieske was in control from the beginning, opening the game with a 10-pitch first inning, getting three ground ball outs.
After a bloop single with two outs in the second, he retired nine straight, getting through the fourth inning at an economical 50 pitches.
That brought him to the fifth and his first adversity of the night.
The Tigers employed a shift against catcher Jonah Heim, who countered by laying a bunt down the third base line for a single. On the next pitch, Lowe laced a single to center, putting runners on first and second with no outs.
Next, Duran appeared to ground into a 5-4 double play, but the ball was ruled foul. Two pitches later, Brieske appeared to have thrown a third strike , but home plate umpire Jose Navas ruled it a ball.
Brieske didn't flinch.
After a six-pitch battle, he got Duran to hit a soft line drive to Javier Báez, who then flipped it to Schoop at second to double up Heim.
Brieske followed by striking out Miller on three pitches — fastball, fastball, slider.
Hinch was impressed by Brieske's performance.
"He was really good at attacking the strike zone, got into a lot of good counts," Hinch said. "He was able to spin enough, landed good changeups; his fastball location was the best it's been since he's been a big-leaguer."
Then, the defense came alive in the sixth inning. Brieske issued a one-out walk to Marcus Semien and started Seager at 2-0.
Semien tried to steal on the next pitch, but was picked off by Brieske, who threw to Spencer Torkelson at first, who relayed it to Báez waiting at second.
Haase, Brieske said, was the one who called for the pickoff.
"I think Haase called a really great game, we were on the same page pretty much all night," Brieske said. "He called that and we were varying holds because we knew they were an aggressive base-running team. We wanted to negate the running game. ... It worked definitely. That was a big out"
Seager then worked a walk, bringing up Garcia.
On a 1-1 count, Garcia popped up a foul ball that looked as if it would land in the Rangers bullpen. But Torkelson sprinted in, lunged over the guardrail to snare it for the final out.
Brieske worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning with strikeouts of Calhoun and Heim to end his night, making him just the second Tiger this season (Tarik Skubal is the other) to last seven innings.
"Really I feel like I'm starting to feel a little bit more comfortable up there and more consistent in my mechanics," Brieske said. "You can make adjustments better when you're repeating your mechanics more and more, and we can attribute a lot of that to the work I've been doing with (pitching coach Chris Fetter) in between my starts.
"It's just one of those night where I did put the position in a team to win but it didn't work out, so you just have to focus on tomorrow and keep working."
Offense can't get the big hit
The Tigers had a few chances, out-hitting the Rangers 8-4 on the night, but frequently failed to cash in.
Haase singled to open the third and advanced to second on a groundout.
Miguel Cabrera, who'd already singled in the first, followed by lacing a 107 mph single to right with two outs. Tigers third base coach Ramon Santiago sent Haase home, but Garcia's throw easily nabbed him.
"We're trying to give ourselves any opportunity we can, it's no secret we haven't scored a lot of runs," Hinch said. "That's being very aggressive, Garcia's got a great arm, but clearly we're trying to score one run as often as possible."
In the fifth, Haase hit a two-out double to left, but Victor Reyes followed with a groundout to shortstop.
Finally, in the sixth inning, Willi Castro led off with a sharp single to center and two batters later Báez launched an elevated changeup 413 feet to center.
It landed just beyond Leody Tavares' outstretched arm, bouncing into the shrubs for a ground-rule double.
Up came Grossman, who got into an 0-2 hole before hitting a flyball to right. This time, Castro beat Garcia's throw to go up 1-0.
Detroit got runners on in the seventh and eighth, but failed to score.
Torkelson worked a one-out walk in the ninth — Detroit had at least one runner in every inning except the fourth — before Harold Castro hit a deep fly ball to left that was caught at the warning track.
Haase, who was 2-for-3 entering his final at-bat, struck out looking to end the game.
The offense, which continues to struggle, has scored just two runs in its past three games, with one home run since June 3.
For all of the team's struggles this season, the bullpen has been a bright spot.
Michael Fulmer entered in the eighth and worked around a one-out walk to get a strikeout of pinch hitter Sam Huff and a weak flyout from Semien to get out of the inning.
It's the ninth consecutive appearance for Fulmer without allowing an earned run, dating back to May 18.
Soto had also been on a heater. Since May 13, he'd allowed just one earned run in 14 outings
But Thursday, Soto issued a leadoff walk to Seager, before the grounds crew came in to clean up the mound. He took a one-hopper from Garcia off his leg in the next at-bat, before getting the force at first.
He hit Calhoun in the next at-bat, bringing Heim to the plate. Heim then struck out looking on a ball just below his knees before Lowe walked on five pitches to load the bases.
Duran, who entered the at-bat hitting .304, got his first extra-base hit off a left-handed pitcher all season to stun the Tigers. | 2022-06-17T03:34:20Z | www.freep.com | Detroit Tigers collapse in 9th inning, lose to Texas Rangers, 3-1 | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/06/16/detroit-tigers-score-texas-rangers/7654143001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/06/16/detroit-tigers-score-texas-rangers/7654143001/ |
First-pitch forecast: Upper-70s.
Probable pitchers: Tigers LHP Tarik Skubal (5-3, 2.71 ERA) vs. Rangers RHP Jon Gray (1-3, 4.85 ERA).
Game notes: The Tigers will try to avenge defeat after losing the first game of the series Thursday night. Skubal is finally looking mortal after a hot start to the season. He's given up seven runs in 11 innings over his past two starts after allowing just five runs (31 innings) across five May starts. He beat the Rangers last July, throwing six innings of one-run ball with four strikeouts.
Since Skubal last faced the Rangers, they've overhauled their lineup, but it hasn't necessarily led to more wins. Marcus Semien, Corey Seager and Kole Calhoun, among others, were signed this past winter, as was Gray — but the Rangers are nine games behind the first place Houston Astros in American League West. They also have a slew of teams to climb to grab a wild-card spot (though those seem reserved for representatives of the AL East, which has four teams above .500). Adolis Garcia (12 home runs and 41 RBIs) is another bat to watch for, as is Nathaniel Lowe (eight homers and a .276 batting average).
Gray has had two solid starts and one clunker in June. He sandwiched two starts of at least six innings with double-digit strikeouts and just one run allowed around a five-inning outing in which he gave up five runs and walked four. Luckily for Gray, he gets a Tigers lineup that has scored more than three runs once in its past eight games.
The teams finish the four-game series with daytime starts Saturday (4:10) and Sunday (1:40). | 2022-06-17T09:39:07Z | www.freep.com | Detroit Tigers game vs. Texas Rangers: TV, time, radio info | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/06/17/detroit-tigers-game-score-texas-rangers-live-updates/7649385001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/06/17/detroit-tigers-game-score-texas-rangers-live-updates/7649385001/ |
A few days ago, I stood in line at TJ Maxx watching a teenage kid nearby ask his mom's advice about what to get dad. The kid held something in his hands that appeared to have a beer theme.
The two talked awhile, undecided, reflecting classic Father's Day gift anxiety.
Stores display big signs that market T-shirts and sunglasses and ballcaps and cologne. I've always been a daughter who went the tie or sock route. Thoughtful, yet practical. Papa didn't grill, really, so I couldn't buy an apron or meat thermometer. He preferred a small bowl of Kellogg's Raisin Bran cereal for dinner when no one else was cooking.
One year, after running out of gift inspiration, I considered golf balls. But my Papa didn't golf. He preferred to cross-country ski on golf courses.
The coolest gift I gave him in his 92 years was a $300 cotton shirt with sailboats all over it. My father loved it so much that he kept it folded, unworn, telling me it would be best to save that shirt for a special occasion, like his burial.
He saved it for decades, wrapped in plastic, and it yellowed.
He never did wear it.
What was I thinking, spending $300 on a shirt? An old friend, a tailor, owned the shop. And I wanted to support his small business and my dad loved sailboats. Ah well.
Fact is, my Papa really just preferred a small bag of chocolate covered almonds or chocolate-dipped orange peels from The Sweet Tooth of Marine City instead. Nothing fancy. A jar of orange marmalade or a can of sardines always inspired hugs.
This year, I'll buy no card and no gift.
Instead, I just find myself standing in front of the card section at Kroger and Barnes & Noble and Rite Aid and Kohl's. I look at the Father's Day gift wrap. My email in-box is filled with special gift offers for that special dad.
Mom used to call these designated days "Hallmark holidays."
I think she wanted to ease the pressure of gift giving.
But now the season feels different.
For days, I've written and re-written my words.
I've taken long walks, sat in the backyard staring at a sunflower garden not yet in bloom and skipped rocks alone on the lake.
Goodbye never ends
The last card I sent Papa sat on his table bedside, unopened.
I wonder now what ever happened to it.
I mailed that card to his home in Algonac early so that it would be sure to arrive in time. He always called right when cards arrived.
But Father's Day a year ago was different than all the other years.
He would be unable to open his mail.
He died 24 hours after that Father's Day, on the summer solstice.
Quiet now
For weeks and months, I've been reflecting on Papa's silence.
Every day passes without his voice.
The strong absence of his presence is something I can't explain.
He always wanted me to stop by his house, anytime day or night.
He called every single morning. Sometimes we spoke. Often he left messages because I was reporting or on deadline.
Usually he would say, "Hey, Phoeb. It's just your daddy calling to check up on you." He critiqued my word choices and headlines and left funny, sweet comments. On his last December 25, he thanked me for the "nice Christmas present" of having a story on the front page. A month later, his message included, "I love your writing."
He didn't buy me things. It was not about stuff.
We had our differences. We argued. He drove me nuts with stubbornness.
And I, he said, was bossy.
These days, people complain that my personal cell phone voicemail mailbox is full. I still can't delete my Papa's messages.
I listen to them when alone.
Papa's ashes remain in a a box on the dining room buffet. We haven't felt ready to scatter them in the Michigan waters he sailed. He asked that we remember his favorite swim spot with his big sister Janet, near Strawberry Island in Anchor Bay.
Miss Betty Patrick
We had a memorial service for Papa and more than 100 people attended. Family flew in from Texas and Mississippi. My sister played the flute. Sailors told stories.
Betty Patrick Key, Papa's friend since kindergarten at McFarlane Elementary School on Cheyenne in Detroit, gave a spontaneous speech about childhood with Bobby Wall of Ward Avenue.
What stays with me from that emotional day is the image of my colleague Mark Phelan, standing at a window overlooking the St. Clair River in Port Huron, collecting his thoughts.
Phelan never met Papa. Phelan came to speak because I asked him to be there. My father so admired Phelan, an auto critic whose writing my father savored.
People in the room, including current and retired engineers from Ford and General Motors and Chrysler, all knew of Phelan.
He stood before a packed room and talked about cars and family memories of road trips and what lasts forever are the smallest moments that never fade.
He made me cry that day.
Everything seems so long ago.
I glance up at a little wooden sign hung years ago in my living room that says, "Enjoy the little things in life, for someday you will realize they were the big things."
Until now, I really never understood the power of such simple words.
More:I swore I'd never return to Detroit. But here I am, covering the auto show
More:My dad just died and I've already broken 2 of his final wishes
More:A visit with papa to a private car museum that has been a secret for years
Contact Phoebe Wall Howard at 313-618-1034orphoward@freepress.com.Follow her on Twitter@phoebesaid. Sign up for our autos newsletter. | 2022-06-17T12:32:54Z | www.freep.com | My first Father's Day without my dad, Robert Wall | https://www.freep.com/story/opinion/2022/06/17/father-day-robert-wall-phoebe-wall-howard/7632001001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/opinion/2022/06/17/father-day-robert-wall-phoebe-wall-howard/7632001001/ |
A cohort of 17 Michigan House Republican lawmakers asked Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel on Wednesday to launch criminal investigations into Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, her staff and others in relation to inaccurate allegations of voter fraud raised in the discredited film "2,000 mules."
"As the top legal officer in the State of Michigan, you are tasked with the enforcement of our state’s laws. You have a statutory obligation to investigate reported violations of the law and we urge you to look into the new evidence brought forth in 2000 Mules and to review the security of our elections," reads a letter to Nessel signed by the lawmakers.
More:Investigation into those who fought 2020 election results heats up ahead of Aug. primary
It does not indicate what "new evidence" is offered by the film. But it appears lawmakers want Nessel to investigate essentially the core tenet of the movie, allegations involving cellphone tracking technology debunked by experts and numerous media outlets and recently deemed "singularly unimpressive" by former Trump U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr.
Tracy Wimmer, a Benson spokeswoman, blasted the request as a clearly partisan ploy.
"The legislators who drafted and signed this letter are clearly desperate to profit politically, even at the expense of the free and fair elections of all Michiganders," Wimmer said.
"No legislator of integrity should cite '2000 Mules' as anything other than a shameful exercise in grift and misinformation, given that it has been entirely and thoroughly debunked by numerous nonpartisan sources and numerous Republicans — including most recently former U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr — and no reliable evidence for its assertions has been presented to any law enforcement agency in the nation."
A Nessel spokeswoman did not say whether her office would embark on any new investigation. In a brief response to questions about the letter, Nessel spokeswoman Lynsey Mukomel said, "Any credible concerns should be reported first to local law enforcement."
Nessel has repeatedly said she is investigating people who have spread misinformation about the 2020 election, and the Michigan State Police recently issued a series of warrants in relation to an inquiry involving people who allegedly gained improper access to voting equipment after the election.
The call for an investigation originated with Rep. Steve Carra, a West Michigan conservative endorsed by former President Donald Trump who's touted election conspiracies. A Carra spokesman did not immediately say whether the Three Rivers Republican has referred any allegations to other law enforcement agencies.
The list of legislators who signed on to the request include at least two key representatives: state Rep. Matt Hall, R -Comstock Township, and Matt Maddock, R-Milford. One of these two is almost assuredly going to be the next House speaker if Republicans retain control of the lower legislative chamber.
Maddock, husband of Michigan Republican Party Co-Chair Meshawn Maddock, is endorsed by Trump. In late 2020, Hall presided over a legislative hearing where ex-Trump campaign attorney Rudy Giuliani spread substantial misinformation about the election before calling on lawmakers to do something to give the state's 16 electoral votes to Trump instead of President Joe Biden, who won the state by more than 154,000 votes.
More:Michigan GOP co-chair says Trump campaign directed fake electors, per CNN audio
More:Fiery Giuliani tells Michigan lawmakers election stolen, offers no credible evidence
Their involvement may foreshadow how legislative leaders treat any allegations of election misconduct following the 2024 contest, when many expect Trump to make another run at the White House.
The film, by conservative activist Dinesh D'Souza, alleges 2,000 people referred to as "mules" ferried hundreds of thousands of forged absentee ballots to drop boxes in Michigan and other swing states in an effort to steal the election from Trump.
Many, from PolitiFact to Reuters to the Associated Press, have debunked the allegations. Some note D'Souza's history of inaccurate claims, touting conspiracies and previously pleading guilty to charges of campaign finance fraud.
Specific to the film, they highlight the implausibility of the claims of being able to use cellphone tracking data to indicate not only someone's location within inches, but also their intentions.
"It is conspiracist thinking," Kenneth Mayer, a professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told PolitiFact. "They are interpreting data that confirms their pre-existing conclusions. It’s a zombie claim; no matter how many times you kill it, it keeps coming back."
A National Public Radio fact check noted, "D'Souza himself has acknowledged the film does not show any person on camera going to multiple dropboxes." So, the only evidence to corroborate the allegation is the cellphone tracking data.
The GOP legislators list other allegations they say have gone unreviewed by Nessel, including:
Benson's office using federal COVID-19 aid money to send absentee ballot applications to every registered voter in the state;
Her office telling local election clerks to presume the validity of signatures on absentee ballot envelopes;
An alleged refusal to comply with Freedom of Information Act requests by local organizations.
Absentee ballot applications are readily available online, and plenty of Michigan organizations — including both major political parties — sent out applications ahead of the 2020 election.
Benson cited several factors for sending out the applications in the spring of 2020: it was the first statewide election where any Michigan voter could use an absentee ballot for any reason, and the raging COVID-19 pandemic had many concerned about standing around lots of other people into crowded polling places on Election Day.
After Benson's decision, Trump incorrectly suggested she'd sent actual absentee ballots to every voter. The claim spurred months of misinformation about absentee ballots in the state.
More:Benson: No mass mailing absentee ballot applications, but clerks need help
More:Surge in new GOP poll workers could be headed for Michigan’s big cities after 2020 chaos
While legislative critics have argued voters getting multiple applications may have also led to fraud, the idea that Benson or her staff committed a crime in relation to mailing these applications is new.
The focus on Benson's advice to clerks on signatures is not new, although Wimmer called the lawmaker's assertions misleading. Benson was rebuked by the Michigan Court of Claims in 2021, which determined she incorrectly advised clerks to deem signatures on absentee ballot envelopes as valid. But that was based on a judge's decision that her office did not go through the proper rule-making procedure before issuing that guidance, not due to the underlying guidance itself.
Wimmer notes clerks were told to presume they were valid, "but rejecting it if differed sufficiently from the signature on file."
Legislators also want Nessel to review local clerks who used funding from the Center for Tech and Civic Life, which received millions from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan.
Democratic and Republican clerks received grant funds from the group to purchase personal protective equipment, pay election workers and cover other expenses during the 2020 election.
Other lawmakers who signed the letter include:
Rep. Bob Bezotte, R-Marion Township;
Rep. Brad Paquette, R-Berrien Springs;
Rep. Pat Outman, R-Six Lakes;
Rep. Michele Hoitenga, R-Manton;
Rep. Terrence Mekoski, R-Shelby Township;
Rep. Julie Alexander, R-Hanover
Rep. Ken Borton, R-Gaylord;
Rep. Brian Posthumus, R-Canon Township;
Rep. Steve Johnson, R-Wayland;
Rep. John Reilly, R-Oakland Township
Rep. Andrew Beeler, R-Port Huron;
Rep. Gary Eisen, R-St. Clair Township;
Rep. John Roth, R-Traverse City;
Rep. Greg Markkanen, R-Hancock.
Reporter Clara Hendrickson contributed to this report. | 2022-06-17T12:33:42Z | www.freep.com | Michigan GOP reps want AG to investigate debunked fraud claims in film | https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2022/06/17/michigan-gop-reps-want-ag-investigate-debunked-fraud-claims-film/7650502001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2022/06/17/michigan-gop-reps-want-ag-investigate-debunked-fraud-claims-film/7650502001/ |
Twenty Oxford students and their families plan to file a lawsuit against Oxford Community School District in federal court, claiming the district created dangerous conditions for high school students before the Nov. 30 shooting.
The group of parents and their attorney announced their plans in a virtual news conference Friday.
The group is not asking for money, but for a court to order policy changes within the district, including how to address students who appear to pose a risk of harm to themselves or others. The parents also want Oxford to retract statements officials have made about its handling of the shooting.
"We continue to wait for answers and get the policies in place that we desperately need so that another tragic event does not play out in our community," Andrea Jones, the parent of an Oxford High student, said.
The parent-led group behind the planned lawsuit, Change4Oxford, formed after the deadly November shooting, which left four students dead, plus six students and one teacher injured. The group earlier this year called on the district to conduct an independent review of the events around the shooting.
More:Prosecutor goes off on Crumbleys: 'They're concerned only about themselves'
District leaders initially said they would wait for such a review until all legal action, civil and criminal, was resolved, which could take years. Parents speculated that the decision was driven by a fear of legal liability. But after a significant outcry from students and parents, Oxford's board reversed course and hired an outside firm to conduct the review.
The board, however, denied Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's offer to conduct a review with the resources of her office. Parents at school board meetings have expressed anger over that decision.
The suit the families plan to file asks for a fully transparent and independent third-party investigation of the actions leading up to the shooting.
"I don't have faith or trust we will get a clear and honest review," April Ventline, another parent, said during Friday's news conference.
Lori Bourgeau, also a parent, said the district needs to make sure policies and procedures around students facing mental health crises are clearly written.
More than six months after the shooting, Oxford Community Schools and school officials are facing nearly a half dozen lawsuits in federal and state courts. Several suits have been filed by parents of the students killed, Hana St. Juliana, Tate Myre, Justin Shilling and Madisyn Baldwin. Families of injured students have also sued. | 2022-06-17T17:15:19Z | www.freep.com | Families of 20 Oxford school students plan to sue district | https://www.freep.com/story/news/education/2022/06/17/oxford-school-shooting-district-lawsuit-sue/7657641001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/education/2022/06/17/oxford-school-shooting-district-lawsuit-sue/7657641001/ |
Michigan Senate leader summoned to White House by Trump also subpoenaed by Jan. 6 panel
The Michigan Senate leader summoned to the White House`days after the 2020 election was also subpoenaed by the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol.
Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, received a subpoena from the Jan. 6 congressional committee, confirmed spokesman Matt Sweeney. In an email late Friday afternoon, Sweeney provided few details about Shirkey's participation in the ongoing inquiry.
"The Majority Leader did receive a subpoena and met with staff from the committee. He is no longer under an active subpoena and was not asked to testify in a public hearing," Sweeney said.
He did not immediately respond to additional questions about Shirkey's comments to the committee.
More:Trump tweets undermine Michigan leaders; images show Chatfield drinking at Trump hotel
More:Michigan GOP leaders say COVID-19 assistance, not election, focus of White House meeting
He's the latest Michigan Republican to confirm receiving a subpoena from the committee. Earlier this week, Senate Oversight Committee Chairman Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, said he too was subpoenaed. McBroom's committee authored the report that rejected the concept of mass voter fraud in the 2020 election.
McBroom too said he complied with the subpoena, but refused to publicly testify, despite the committee asking him to do so.
Former Michigan Republican Party Chair Laura Cox and several of Michigan's fake GOP electoral college delegates — who signed on to an effort to try and award the state's 16 electoral votes to Trump — were also subpoenaed.
Shirkey never suggested the GOP-controlled Legislature had the capacity to overturn Biden's more than 154,000-vote victory in Michigan. But Trump's campaign explored ways to reverse election results in key states, including Michigan.
Trump invited Shirkey and other Michigan legislative leaders to the White House roughly two weeks after the election. They visited with him on Nov. 20, 2020.
Gideon D'Assandro, a spokesman for current House Speaker Jason Wentworth, said he is personally unaware of any of the House members who attended the White House meeting receiving a subpoena. While Wentworth was not speaker at the time, he also traveled to Washington, D.C. with his colleagues.
Immediately after the meeting, Shirkey and other attendees said it was focused on discussing federal COVID-19 assistance during the meeting.
Both Shirkey and then-House Speaker Lee Chatfield, R-Levering, indicated after the meeting they were not planning to intervene in the certification of the election results.
"We have not yet been made aware of any information that would change the outcome of the election in Michigan and as legislative leaders, we will follow the law and follow the normal process regarding Michigan’s electors, just as we have said throughout this election," the leaders said in a press release.
Yet Trump tweeted at both, indicating incorrectly that "massive" fraud would be revealed. It was not.
After the meeting, ex-Trump campaign attorney Rudy Giuliani testified before a Michigan House legislative committee. He called on lawmakers to intervene in the traditional election certification process.
Shirkey and other legislative leaders did not partake in this effort, drawing Trump's ire. The former president attacked both Shirkey and McBroom after the release of the Senate report noting there was not rampant fraud in the election.
However, Shirkey did draw additional scrutiny in February 2021 after GOP activists recorded him saying aspects of the Jan. 6 assault were a "hoax" and "staged."
"That wasn’t Trump people. That’s been a hoax from day one," Shirkey says in the video. "It was all staged," he added.
Although Shirkey issued an apology, days later he was caught on a hot microphone — this time at the state Senate — saying "I frankly don’t take back any of the points I was trying to make."
The Jan. 6 congressional committee plans several additional public hearings in the coming days, including one focused on efforts by Trump and his team to influence state legislatures. | 2022-06-17T23:03:12Z | www.freep.com | Sen. Mike Shirkey also subpoenaed by Jan. 6 congressional committee | https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2022/06/17/january-6-committee-sen-mike-shirkey-subpoenaed/7664896001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2022/06/17/january-6-committee-sen-mike-shirkey-subpoenaed/7664896001/ |
Hearing boos at Comerica Park is normal these days, as the frustration from fans rolls on through June.
The product on the field is abysmal.
The Detroit Tigers' offense has scored one run in the past 35 innings and is averaging 2.56 runs per game. The pitching staff — punching above its weight due to numerous injuries — can't be expected to post zeros on the scoreboard every game.
Friday's game was another example. The Tigers lost, 7-0, in the second of four games to the Texas Rangers, dropping to 24-40, still the third-worst record in the American League. The shutout was the 10th against the Tigers in 2022, in just 64 games.
THE FUTURE IS NOW:Riley Greene to be called up for his MLB debut
The Tigers recorded five hits but did not draw a walk.
Willi Castro, pressed into emergency duty replacing Austin Meadows, finished 2-for-4 with one strikeout.
The losing streak is at six games. Detroit has been outscored 54-11 in its past eight games, with two games left in this 10-game homestand.
Shortstop Javier Báez, batting .192 with three home runs in 52 games, committed one of the Tigers' two errors. He was charged with fielding errors in the seventh and eighth innings, but his error in the eighth was later changed to a single by the official scorer.
Skubal diving
The first four batters against left-hander Tarik Skubal, on the receiving end of some jeers despite his 3.13 ERA in 13 starts, were more than enough to propel the Rangers to victory: Marcus Semien walked, Corey Seager singled, Adolis Garcia doubled and Jonah Heim doubled.
Just like that, the Rangers took a 3-0 lead.
Garcia drove in one run, while Heim plated two runs. After a mound visit from pitching coach Chris Fetter, Skubal retired the next three batters in order to escape further damage in his 27-pitch first inning.
The Rangers tacked on another run in the third inning.
Corey Seager blooped a hit between left fielder Victor Reyes and second baseman Jonathan Schoop. A clear fielding mistake was ruled a double. Nathaniel Lowe followed with a two-out RBI double to put the Rangers ahead 4-0.
In the fifth inning, Heim crushed a solo home run to make it 5-0.
Skubal allowed five runs on eight hits and two walks with four strikeouts, throwing 62 of 100 pitches for strikes. He completed the fifth with his 100th pitch and did not return for the sixth.
More runs vs. Tigers
But Skubal's departure didn't slow down the Rangers' offense.
Right-handed reliever Will Vest opened his appearance by allowing three consecutive singles.
Ezequiel Duran singled, advanced to second base on Vest's throwing error and scored on Charlie Culberson's single for a 6-0 lead. Leody Taveras added a single to put two runners on, and a one-out walk from Seager loaded the bases.
Garcia upped the Rangers' advantage to 7-0 with a sacrifice fly, then Vest walked Heim on four pitches. That's when left-hander Tyler Alexander took over on the mound. He needed one pitch to end the inning.
Alexander completed 2⅓ scoreless innings on 30 pitches.
Right-hander Joe Jimenez pitched the ninth inning.
Gray skies on a clear evening
Rangers right-hander Jon Gray entered Friday's start with a 4.85 ERA across 10 outings. When he finished his 11th start, Gray's ERA improved to 4.27 behind seven scoreless innings.
The Tigers had their first scoring chance in the fourth inning, when Castro clubbed a one-out double. Miguel Cabrera and Báez, the next two batters, struck out swinging and flied out, respectively, for the second and third outs.
A second opportunity came with one out in the seventh.
Castro and Báez hit singles to reach safely, but just like in the fourth, the next two batters were retired consecutively: Robbie Grossman (strikeout) and Jonathan Schoop (flyout).
Gray fired seven scoreless innings, allowing just five hits. He had six strikeouts and didn't concede a walk, throwing 68 of 102 pitches for strikes. Gray posted 13 swings and misses — eight with his slider — and 18 called strikes. | 2022-06-18T02:40:09Z | www.freep.com | Detroit Tigers stymied again by Texas Rangers, 7-0 | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/06/17/detroit-tigers-score-texas-rangers/7666293001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/06/17/detroit-tigers-score-texas-rangers/7666293001/ |
The word “courage” can mean different things to different people.
Curt Schilling pitches an American League Championship Series game with a bloody sock and people from around the country hail him as a courageous hero for ... throwing a ball while wearing a bloody sock?
According to collinsdictionary.com, "courage" is: “The quality shown by someone who decides to do something difficult or dangerous, even though they may be afraid.”
Accompanying that definition could be a picture of Tate Myre.
Myre was one of four Oxford students who died after being shot in the school by fellow student Ethan Crumbley on Nov. 30.
MORE FROM FRIDAY:Meet all the Detroit High School Sports Awards winners
TEAM OF THE YEAR:Orchard Lake St. Mary's baseball
COACH OF THE YEAR:Hartland's Rick Gadwa wins Herrington Award
Several students said they saw Myre, a standout football player and wrestler, running in the direction of the shooter while others were running out of the school.
“Knowing Tate, knowing how he was raised, he’s the kind of kid that wouldn’t think about it twice,” said Ross Wingert, who coached Myre in football and wrestling. “And he’s gonna do it.”
Myre is being honored as the Free Press’ 2022 recipient of the Detroit High School Sports Awards Courage Award.
Although only a junior, Myre had quickly established himself as one of the top athletes at Oxford.
“In my opinion, he was the face of Oxford,” senior wide receiver Alec Brown said. “Especially next year, he would have been the face of Oxford.”
Juniors are rarely made captain, but Myre was a rare athlete and teammate.
[ Oxford star athlete Tate Myre was willing to sacrifice for others ]
“His leadership and the things he brought on and off the field made him special,” Brown said. “He brought everyone up around him; he made everyone else better that was around him. He was always getting extra work. He was just a really good person.”
Some athletes are vocal leaders and others prefer to lead by example. Myre was a little of both and opposing coaches could tell he was a special player.
A few days after Clarkston’s regular season victory over Oxford, former Clarkston coach Kurt Richardson during a team film session highlighted four or five plays Myre so his players could see how hard the youngster played.
“The first series we throw a pass and our kid catches it, probably about the 50,” Richardson said. “And he’s running down and he’s got a 20-yard lead on Tate and all of a sudden it just closes, and this is one of our faster kids. All of a sudden it closes and he catches him right at the goal line. Our guy scored, but the effort was just unbelievable.”
Myre was an immediate standout and was brought up to the varsity as a freshman, something rarely done at Oxford.
[ Read more from Mick and all of our sports reporters by subscribing here. ]
He learned the importance of having cohesiveness on the team among each and every player.
“It was his ability to include everybody,” said tight end/defensive end Mitchell Viviano. “He was a great, great teammate. It didn’t matter if you played a single second or you played a lot, he was going to look at you and treat you the same. That’s a thing people should try to replicate a lot more.”
Oxford coach Zach Line understands that Myre’s death changes the football program forever. And Line is determined to make sure he will never be forgotten — nor will the courage he displayed in the final moments of his life.
JEFF SEIDEL:Shoulder to shoulder, they came to say goodbye to Tate Myre
“Next year is going to be interesting, but I think Tate will be with us,” Line said. “Eventually we’ll learn to walk with Tate and not have a cloud over our heads, which I think will give this team a lot of strength.”
Mick McCabe is a former longtime columnist for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at mick.mccabe11@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @mickmccabe1. Order his book, “Mick McCabe’s Golden Yearbook: 50 Great Years of Michigan’s Best High School Players, Teams & Memories,” at McCabe.PictorialBook.com. | 2022-06-18T15:02:57Z | www.freep.com | Detroit High School Sports Awards 2022 Courage Award Winner: Tate Myre | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/high-school/sports-awards/2022/06/18/tate-myre-oxford-detroit-high-school-sports-awards-2022-courage-award/7668489001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/high-school/sports-awards/2022/06/18/tate-myre-oxford-detroit-high-school-sports-awards-2022-courage-award/7668489001/ |
Cash Only Supper Club — an exclusive, posh, fine-dining concept below Prime + Proper in Detroit's Capitol Park — is featuring a special two-day pop-up dinner with Einat Admony, a New York celebrity chef.
The Balaboosta Takeover is June 21-22 and modeled after Admony’s New York City restaurant Balaboosta, noted for its Middle Eastern and Israeli cuisine. Seating for this event is 5 p.m. both days. The cost is $150 per person, not including beverages.
Admony's four-plus-course pop-up menu presents a “journey through the evolution of Israeli cuisine.” The meal begins with salatim, a salad featuring salatim and Israeli-style pita. Following are a trio of ceviche, bourekas, and caviar, Yemenite soup dumplings. Entrée choices are branzino, beef cheek, stuffed onion, or shipudiya-inspired lamb chops. Dessert features a baklava sundae.
“I am super curious to experience the market in Detroit while popping up with Heirloom Hospitality,” Admony said in a news release. “The opportunity to bring my food to a new city with top-level industry professionals is an honor. There is a lot of potential for continued collaboration, and I am so excited to see what’s next!”
A James Beard-nominated chef, Admony is known for popularizing Israeli cuisine in the United States. She grew up in Tel Aviv and eventually landed in New York City.
You might recognize Admony from the Food Network competition shows "Chopped" and "Throwdown! with Bobby Flay." She’s also an author of two cookbooks featuring Mediterranean recipes and Israeli home cooking. More recently, she’s been doing stand-up comedy.
Cash Only Supper Club is part of Heirloom Hospitality Group, founded by Jeremy Sasson, and includes Townhouse Birmingham, Townhouse Detroit and Prime + Proper. The fine dining club is open on Fridays and Saturdays with an exclusive prix fixe menu.
Bringing this dinner to Detroit, Sasson said, is a dream come true. “Working with my dear friend, chef Einat, who has single-handedly popularized Israeli cuisine in the United States, along with her talented team, is an honor for us all,” Sasson said in a news release. “With Einat’s Israeli and Sephardic roots, paired with my own Israeli heritage, we’re excited to share our perspective through this unique lens.”
At the dinner, all guests receive gift bags featuring signature items from the Cash Only Supper Club and Balaboosta pantries. The supper club has a strict dress code of fancy cocktail attire. You can make reservations through Resy or go to cashonlydetroit.com.
Cash Only Supper Club is beneath Prime + Proper, 1145 Griswold in downtown Detroit. | 2022-06-18T15:03:03Z | www.freep.com | Celebrity chef Einat Admony to cook at a Detroit supper club | https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/06/18/einat-admony-detroit-cash-only-supper-club/7668964001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/06/18/einat-admony-detroit-cash-only-supper-club/7668964001/ |
Jicama adds crunch and a healthy amount of fiber to summery mango salad
If you’ve never tried jicama (pronounced HEE-kah-ma), let me introduce you to this low-calorie root vegetable. It's terrific in today's Jicama Mango Salad.
Jicama looks like a large, round potato with brown skin. The skin needs to be peeled away as it is inedible. The inside is white and has been compared to a cross between an apple and a turnip.
It can be eaten raw (add it to a veggie tray with your favorite dip or wrap it in a spring roll) or cooked (use it in a stir fry or roast it in the oven).
It's also known as “yam bean,” Mexican turnip” and “Chinese potato.”
Jicama grows mostly in Mexico and Central America but is also found in Indonesia, China and west Africa. It is generally a winter crop and is available from November through spring. One cup of jicama has just 49 calories but provides 6 grams of fiber and 43% of the Daily Value of Vitamin C. It also contains small amounts of folate, iron, potassium and manganese.
Look for it in the produce section of most grocery stores.
Jicama has a mild, slightly sweet flavor and satisfying crunch, It pairs well with sweet mango, citrus fruits like oranges or limes and even a little spicy heat. This recipe combines those flavors and textures, along with sliced almonds and cilantro.
Jicama-Mango Salad with Spicy Lime Vinaigrette
Serves: 4 / Prep time: 20 minutes / Total time: 20 minutes
1 jicama, peeled and julienned
2 mangoes, peeled and julienned
2 oranges, peeled and chopped
Juice of 2 limes (approximately ¼ cup juice)
3 tablespoons sliced almonds
4 teaspoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Place the jicama, mango and oranges in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime zest, lime juice, olive oil, cayenne, salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to make sure everything is evenly coated. Sprinkle sliced almonds and cilantro on top.
Cook’s note: The mango is easier to julienne when it is not fully ripe.
319 calories (29% from fat), 10 grams fat (1 gram sat. fat), 56 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams protein, 160 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 87 mg calcium, 18 grams fiber. Food exchanges: 3 fruit, 2 vegetable, 2 fat. | 2022-06-18T15:15:53Z | www.freep.com | Jicama adds crunch, fiber to summery mango salad | https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/06/18/jicama-adds-crunch-fiber-summery-mango-salad/7634905001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/06/18/jicama-adds-crunch-fiber-summery-mango-salad/7634905001/ |
Evan Parks' dominance leads Forest Hills Eastern to MHSAA Division 2 baseball title
EAST LANSING — Evan Parks did it all in his final game at Forest Hills Eastern.
The senior Butler commit pitched a complete game shutout and went 3-for-3 with an RBI and run to help the Hawks (39-4) beat Grand Rapids Christian 3-0 in the MHSAA Division 2 state finals Saturday at McLane Stadium on the campus of Michigan State.
The 6-foot-3, 179-pound right-hander struck out nine and walked three while allowing only one hit to Eagles (27-9) batters and taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning.
"The thing is, that's Evan Parks," FHE coach Ian Hearn said. "So what you saw today is what he's been doing for four years offensively (and) pitching wise. You didn't get a chance to see him play defense today, but that's just the way Evan plays. He always puts us in position to win. We're very fortunate to have him."
More:Detroit High School Sports Awards 2022 Team of the Year: Orchard Lake St. Mary's baseball
More:Detroit High School Sports Awards: All the 2022 winners
After striking out a pair through two scoreless innings on the mound, Parks smoked a two-out opposite field double off the right field wall to score senior right fielder Caleb Kuiper.
The Hawks took a 1-0 lead into the third, where Parks worked around an error to strand a runner at second. A diving catch by senior center fielder Collin Fridsma helped maintain the lead.
Parks received additional support in the top of the fourth. With one out, senior first baseman Mac DenBraber singled and senior third baseman Brian Messing doubled. That set up an RBI groundout by freshman outfielder Max Ferrick to put FHE up 2-0.
The lead grew to 3-0 after Parks started a two-out rally with a single up the middle, and scored on a single to right field by senior catcher Leo Hearn, son of the Eagles' coach.
"That's a big hit," Parks said. "You need runs to win games, and if you've got extra runs that always helps. It makes (you) more confident on the mound. You can kind of work behind in counts, maybe (roll the) dice a bit up late in the count. But that helps pitching a lot better with staying confident."
Back on the mound, Parks showed the confidence the extra run provided. He struck out the side in the bottom of the fifth and pumped his fist as he jaunted off the field six outs away from history.
"You gotta get outs to win this game, and when you strike out the side it kind of locks up the other team, especially when you have runs before that," he said. "And it kind of shuts down the other team, and you just keep pumping strikes, makes it a lot harder to come back."
He surrendered his first hit in the bottom of the sixth on a swinging bunt single by the Eagles' Nathan Hedlund, but rebounded to induce a groundout and strikeout.
"Brian Messing made a great play on it," Parks said of the Eagles' lone hit. "Tough that he couldn't get it, but (I was) just staying dialed in to just throwing strikes."
A 6-4-3 double play in the bottom of the seventh inning handed Forest Hills Eastern its first state title in its first finals appearance. Hearn, who completed his seventh season with the Hawks, picked up his second career MHSAA championship.
For Grand Rapids Christian, junior right-hander Camden Seth took the loss on the mound, surrendering 10 hits in seven innings. The Eagles also made two errors to the Hawks' one.
With Parks headed to Indianapolis to become a Bulldog next season, FHE will miss its dugout-leading senior, but Hearn expressed optimism about his program's future.
"We are we are graduating some outstanding seniors, phenomenal baseball players, and we do believe that we have some amazing outstanding returners," Hearn said. "And as far as I know, we're really thick with talent all the way down through fifth grade. So we're really excited, so the plan is to reload." | 2022-06-18T18:01:10Z | www.freep.com | Evan Parks' dominance leads Forest Eastern Hills to D2 baseball title | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/high-school/2022/06/18/evan-parks-forest-eastern-hills-mhsaa-baseball-state-finals-division-2/7668729001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/high-school/2022/06/18/evan-parks-forest-eastern-hills-mhsaa-baseball-state-finals-division-2/7668729001/ |
EAST LANSING — Sporting flip-flops, a long sleeve shirt and Oakley sunglasses, Allen Park softball coach Michael Kish said he was far from surprised by his team's 5-0 victory over Macomb Dakota in Saturday's Division 1 championship game.
In actuality, Kish expected the win the second his Jaguars stepped on the field at Secchia Stadium.
"This is how it was supposed to be," Kish said. "These girls put so much time and so much energy into it, they've earned it. ... They were confident (and) collected, and I told them to just keep investing. Like I tell everybody, I ask so much of these girls. I want them to do more than they're comfortable with, that way it's easier for them out here. ... The more you invest, the bigger the return."
Allen Park's win comes one year after they fell short in the state final to South Lyon. Kish said that loss fueled the Jaguars (39-4-1) throughout the season, especially during postseason play. To make it back to the finals, Allen Park bested Garden City and Woodhaven in regional play, knocked off Farmington Hills Mercy in the quarterfinals and then edged out Mattawan in the semifinal round.
Kish is now 99-18-3 in his three year careers with the Jaguars.
The Jaguars got on the board in the third on freshman Kiley Carr's RBI triple, scoring senior Madison Hool. Moments later, a throwing error by the Cougars brought Carr in and a sacrifice bunt by sophomore infielder Avery Garden allowed for another run, giving Allen Park a 3-0 lead.
The Jaguars' lead grew in the sixth inning thanks to deep homer to right-center field by Madilyn Ramey (Michigan commit). In the seventh, Garden provided another sacrifice bunt to score Faith Peschke.
Morgan Sizemore went for seven innings, notching two strikeouts and allowing five hits for the win.
"Those girls allowed me to become a better coach and learn," Kish said of his senior leadership. "They took care of any mistakes I would make. They're so good, they're like erasers ... they allowed me to push (the team) in a different direction.
"I've said this before, they make so many spectacular plays it's no longer exciting. It's like, 'OK, they're special. ... (But), it's not about the results. It's about the journey. They believed in it from day one. We built a family here."
Megan Nuechterlein pitched six innings, getting six strikeouts while allowing four hits and four runs for the Cougars (33-5). Dakota, making its first final since 2017, defeated Warren Reina and New Baltimore Anchor Bay in regionals, Walled Lake Northern in the quarterfinal and Hudsonville in the semifinal.
"(Our girls) never gave up," said Dakota coach Dan Vitale, now 60-14-1 in his three years with the team. "We weren't expected to get this far and we did. ... We plan on making a dynasty at Dakota from here on out. We got some great kids coming up, (and) next year we're gonna be on the other side of this." | 2022-06-18T18:09:39Z | www.freep.com | MHSAA Division 1 softball: Allen Park wins first state title | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/high-school/2022/06/18/michigan-high-school-softball-allen-park-macomb-dakota-state-title/7668692001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/high-school/2022/06/18/michigan-high-school-softball-allen-park-macomb-dakota-state-title/7668692001/ |
EAST LANSING — Riverview Richard coach Mike Magier just wanted a ground ball to end the game.
Freshman left-hander Drew Everingham got it for him, inducing a 6-4-3 double play that clinched the Pioneers' 4-3 win over Beal City in the Division 4 state finals Saturday at Michigan State's McLane Stadium. It's Richard's first state title since 2018.
Last season, it took the Pioneers (20-12) around 25 games to turn two, Magier said, after the COVID-19 pandemic stalled player development. But Richard harped on it in practice this season and was rewarded for it.
"I want to say our first couple of games, we turned like three double plays, and they're like, 'it's not gonna take 25 games this year coach,'" Magier said. "We work hard at it. We make sure that we get our fastest runner out there and saying, 'Hey, this is our time to first base, we gotta do it in as many seconds every time. ... It's something that we really put some time into."
Senior Ashton Nowak pitched 6⅓ innings for the Pioneers, striking out four and walking four while allowing three runs. Connor Silka had three of Richard's 10 hits, which Nowak appreciated.
"It felt great, especially since I had our entire defense behind me and I had a lot of help with offense as well," Nowak said. "Everybody did their part, everybody did their job and everybody played their best that they have all season."
Richard struck first in the top of the third inning when Brenden Hills doubled to right-center and scored on a single to left field by Silka.
When Beal City threatened in the bottom of the third by putting runners on second and third, Pioneers first baseman Ryan Rainey made a crucial defensive play. He caught a pop up well down the foul line, then fired home to get Konnor Wilson out at the plate.
Rainey's effort was noticeable throughout, as he stayed on the bag during a dropped third strike throw despite being spiked by the runner, and later fell into the dugout chasing a pop fly.
"I really give a lot of credit to him, because he didn't have the best game Thursday," Magier said. "And we talked about it, and he came back and put it all on the line to play great."
The Pioneers added two runs in the second inning after Nowak walked and Hills singled to begin the inning. With two outs, Bryan Tuttle roped a bases-clearing double to left field for a 3-0 lead.
"He's the backbone of our team," Magier said of Tuttle. "I think he's caught every game, and I think maybe two or three innings he didn't catch all season. ... Sometimes his at-bats he gets a little tired at, but today he came ready to play and he just he smoked that ball."
Beal City (30-3) found new life in the bottom of the sixth when Jack Fussman doubled to left field with two outs, scoring Brayden Hanes and Wade Wilson.
The Aggies entered the contest averaging a state record 12.3 runs per game and needed those two runs Saturday to maintain it for the season. Thanks to Fussman's clutch hit, Beal City surpassed Three Oaks River Valley (11.9 runs in 1994).
Richard went up 4-2 in the top of the seventh when Nick Wisniewski drilled a line drive up the middle with the bases loaded. The ball, registered as a hit, squirted out of the glove of Beal City shortstop Kaiden Andrews, scoring Tylor Morehouse.
"That was a hard hit ball, and I was wondering if he was gonna get to it from my angle or not," Magier said. "And he made a nice play, just didn't get the glove on it. ... Good things come when we barrel the ball up."
An RBI single by Haynes in the bottom of the seventh made it 4-3, leading Magier to replace Nowak with Everingham to close out the Aggies. Soon after, Silka fielded the grounder and flipped it for the decisive turn, impressed by his freshman teammate's poise.
"He's gotta have some balls for sure," Silka said. "If I was in that position, I don't know what I would've done." | 2022-06-18T20:46:03Z | www.freep.com | MHSAA baseball: Riverview Richard outlasts Beal City in Division 3 | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/high-school/2022/06/18/michigan-high-school-baseball-state-title-riverview-richard-beal-city-division-3/7669343001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/high-school/2022/06/18/michigan-high-school-baseball-state-title-riverview-richard-beal-city-division-3/7669343001/ |
EAST LANSING — The ball flew off of Dylan Holmes' bat with a loud thud, bringing Millington's side to their feet and causing the Cardinals' Trinity Fessler to round the bases during Saturday's Division 3 state title game.
Seconds after Holmes' hit landed in the outfield of Secchia Stadium, Fessler strolled onto home plate to secure a walk-off 3-2 win over Evart in eight innings for the Cardinals' second championship since 2019.
For Holmes, this is a moment she's waited for her entire life.
"Since we were 8, (this team) has all been together," Holmes said. "It's awesome to see it all finally pay off. ... We just work together, and (they had) back the whole time. That's what we do. We're a family. That's how we win games."
The win also marked the second straight walk-off for Millington. On Friday, the Cardinals defeated Algonac, 4-3, after scoring three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
OTHER FINALS:
Millington struck first Saturday after Kendall Payne scored on a sacrifice fly from Lila Sherman in the bottom of the third. Two innings later, Evart tied the game after a throwing error allowed Brooklyn Decker to score.
In the bottom of the sixth, a double from Emma Dickie scored Fessler for the first time. Millington appeared poised to win thereafter, but another costly error in the bottom of the seven scored Decker again and sent the game to extra innings. There, Holmes' heroics helped will the Cardinals to victory.
Millington ended with five total errors in the championship game while Evart had one.
"Obviously, not our best game," Greg Hudie, in his 13th year as the Cardinals' coach, said. "I don't think we've had a game this year where we've had three or more errors. We didn't play clean ball, but we played together (and) finished it out somehow."
Millington ended with eight hits and three RBIs. Ashley Ziel went all eight innings and recorded nine strikeouts and four allowed hits across 150 pitches.
Evart's Addysen Gray went seven innings, notching six strikeouts while surrendering eight hits.
Playing its first ever state final, Evart is in its 11th season under coach Amanda Brown. The Wildcats previously bested Hart and Beaverton in regionals, Kalkaska in quarterfinals and Granville Calvin Christian in the semifinals. After entering the tournament unranked, Brown believes her team can learn a lot from the loss.
"I think we surprised people," Brown said. "This is what we've talked about since Day 1 of practice, and since (last year's playoff loss). We've talked about going back to East Lansing, and they did it. They should be proud of themselves. (Now), no one's going to hand us anything and (we'll) definitely have to work for every single game.
"We're not going to fly under the radar next year, people are going to know who we are." | 2022-06-18T23:09:24Z | www.freep.com | MHSAA softball: Millington wins Division 3 title over Evart | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/high-school/2022/06/18/mhsaa-softball-millington-wins-division-3-title-over-evart/7671121001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/high-school/2022/06/18/mhsaa-softball-millington-wins-division-3-title-over-evart/7671121001/ |
EAST LANSING — Once broadcast cameras turned away from longtime Stevensville Lakeshore coach Denny Dock after the Lancers' 6-2 win over Trenton in the Division 2 finals at Secchia Stadium on Michigan State's campus, his wife, Sue, carefully snuck up behind him as he fielded one last question.
Dock's postgame interview was nearing the 10-minute mark. Sue, who'd been standing just a few yards behind Lakeshore's now eight-time state title-winning coach, grew impatient. In the middle of his answer, Sue slowly hugged her husband from the side, briefly catching him off guard.
"I waited long enough, sorry," Sue said, hugging him tighter as they both shared a laugh. "That's eight. ... Everybody wants to know if you're coming back next year to get nine."
"If we can pitch," Dock responded.
DIVISION 1:Allen Park cruises by Macomb Dakota for first state title
The Lancers' defense was what made them a title-contending team this season, Dock said. It helped them defeat Otsego and Wayland Union in regionals, Jackson Northwest in the quarterfinals and Escanaba in the semifinals — never allowing more than one run along the way. Against the Trojans, pitchers Ava Mullen and Avery Arwood combined for six strikeouts and six allowed hits on 102 total pitches.
Still, Trenton scored first. A single from Annika Segedi brought home Aleah Tanguay in the bottom of the third inning. Then in the fourth, Tanguay picked up a single to right-center, scoring Kendyl Gearhart.
Lakeshore (41-4) answered back to start the fifth inning. A single from Gabby Solloway mixed with a fielding error by Trenton allowed Gianna Kerschbaum and Aley Chavez to reach home. Next at-bat, Solloway scored an unearned run after Anna Chellman grounded out to put the Lancers ahead.
In the top of the sixth, a sacrifice bunt by Olivia DenDooven brought in Pallas Dominion, giving Lakeshore a 4-2 lead. The Lancers added two more runs in the seventh thanks to RBIs from Chellman and Eden Gray.
"(In) our program, there's tears and there's cheers," Dock said. "We have a little bit of both, but fortunately, we have a lot more cheers than tears. ... (This season), we stopped talking about getting here. I think that was a big help ... we just dropped that and we got better again."
Chellman led the Lancers with two RBIs in four at-bats. Trenton (34-11) had six hits, two RBIs and two errors in the game. Aila Johnson pitched all seven innings, recording two strikeouts and allowing seven hits.
Appearing for the first time in the finals since their runner-up finish in 2005, the Trojans defeated Milan and Flat Rock in regional play, Center Line in the quarterfinals and Essexville Garber to make to Saturday's game.
"We will be back," Trenton coach Rick Tanguay said. "We made a couple bad decisions on a couple balls. That's it. It was good softball (today), and the girls tried their hardest." | 2022-06-18T23:09:36Z | www.freep.com | MHSAA softball: Stevensville Lakeshore wins Division 2 state title | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/high-school/2022/06/18/michigan-high-school-softball-stevensville-lakeshore-division-2-trenton/7669757001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/high-school/2022/06/18/michigan-high-school-softball-stevensville-lakeshore-division-2-trenton/7669757001/ |
EAST LANSING — Fueled by pitchers Matthew Hoover and Macoy West and infielder Cade Preissing, Buchanan defeated Detroit Edison 3-1 to win the Michigan high school baseball Division 3 state championship Saturday.
The Bucks were outhit, 6-5, by the Pioneers at McLane Stadium but committed just one error to Edison's four. The title is Buchanan's first since winning the Class C championship in 1985.
The win was especially sweet for Hoover, whose father Lonnie Hoover is now an assistant for the Bucks but was their head coach when they finished runner up in 2015.
"This meant the world to us," Hoover said. "I just didn't want it to end, but at least it ended on a happy note. I've been playing with these guys since I was eight, so it's good to finally just win it all."
MORE BASEBALL FINALS
DIVISION 2:Evan Parks' dominance leads GR Forest Hills Eastern
DIVISION 3:Riverview Richard outlasts Beal City, 4-3
FRIDAY'S D-1 SEMIFINAL:Brock Porter for OLSM with no-hitter
Hoover and West tallied two hits apiece while Preissing walked three times, stole two bases and scored all three Buchanan runs. Jordan Jones added two hits for Detroit Edison.
Right-hander GregPace, a Michigan commit and potential 2022 MLB draft pick, pitched for Edison. He allowed two runs over five innings on four hits and three walks with six strikeouts.
Buchanan countered with Hoover, a right-handed Western Michigan commit, who pitched 5⅔ innings with seven strikeouts and allowed four hits and one run.
"I was so nervous," Hoover said. "We had two good communities here cheering on a good game of baseball. I've never played in front of so many people. Their fans made it intense with just cheering on their boys. It was really fun to play 'em."
Edison nearly had a loud start to the scoring when Caleb Sanders smoked a pitch to left in the bottom of the second. The ball appeared to hit the yellow line signaling a home run atop the fence before bouncing back into play, but after conferencing, umpires kept Sanders at second.
"That was a home run!" one fan shouted from the stands, frustrated with the outcome.
Fortunately for that Edison supporter, Marwynn Matthews singled to left-center immediately to score Sanders.
Buchanan battled back in the top of the third after Preissing walked with two outs. Hoover then lined an RBI double to left that knotted the score at 1-1.
"He's a very important part of our team," West said of Hoover. "And he's one of the most talented baseball players in Michigan, in my opinion."
His slide into second, bloodied Hoover's arm but he returned to the mound after being examined. With two outs in the bottom of the third, he beaned Sanders to load the bases.
Hoover worked out of the jam by getting Matthews to ground out to short. Priessing's throw narrowly beat a sliding Matthews to first base.
The top of the fifth produced a near-repeat of the third. After Preissing walked with two outs and stole second, Hoover smashed an RBI double, this time to right-center, and put the Bucks up, 2-1.
"Like we say all the time, just get runners on for me, me and (Murphy Wegner) will execute, we'll get him in," Hoover said of Preissing setting the table. "(Preissing) played a hell of a game getting on every time, not base hits, but those runs obviously meant the game. And he also had an incredible play at shortstop, and it was so fun to watch him play."
In the top of the sixth, left-hander Kole Waterman relieved Pace and pitched the final two innings, ceding one run on one hit and two walks with one strikeout.
Buchanan took a 3-1 lead in the top of the seventh off an RBI single from West, scoring Preissing after his third walk.
The right-handed West entered for Buchanan in the sixth inning and pitched a scoreless frame. Then Bucks coach Jim Brawley returned Hoover to the mound to close in the seventh, but after he exceeded his pitch limit, West re-entered to record the final out.
"Well, I know there's a lot of pressure, but I've trained for it my whole life," West said. "All of us together, we put in countless hours to be where we were.
With the Pioneers' defeat, a public school from Detroit still has yet to win a state championship in baseball. West threw his glove in celebration after striking out Sanders to end it.
"I dreamed about it as a kid laying in my bed," West said, "And the fact that I got to live it is just crazy to me." | 2022-06-19T01:19:43Z | www.freep.com | Buchanan wins MHSAA baseball Division 3 title over Detroit Edison, 3-1 | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/high-school/2022/06/18/michigan-high-school-baseball-division-3-championship-buchanan-detroit-edison/7672756001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/high-school/2022/06/18/michigan-high-school-baseball-division-3-championship-buchanan-detroit-edison/7672756001/ |
EAST LANSING — For the third straight time, Unionville-Sebewaing softball is on top of the mountain in Division 4.
The Patriots bested Ottawa Lake Whiteford 4-1 on Saturday in Secchia Stadium on Michigan State's campus. Unionville-Sebewaing previously won the 2019 and 2021 state finals over Kalamazoo Christian and Rudyard, respectively. The 2020 final was canceled due to COVID-19. In total, the Patriots now have eight state titles alongside three runner-up finishes.
"If you're a competitor, you love that game," said Unionville-Sebewaing coach Isaiah Gainforth. "Regardless of the outcome. We knew who they were, they knew who we were. No. 1 versus No. 2. ... That's a really good team. Fortunately, we came out on top.
"It's not pressure when its expectation. We expect to get the last week, we expect to win a championship every year."
USA's Lauren Green and Jenna Gremmel both reach home plate after a muffed throw out of Whiteford's outfield in the fourth inning to open the scoring.
Millington wins Division 3 title with walk-off over Evart in extras
Two innings later, a double by Macy Reinhardt scored Green and Ella Neumann. The Bobcats finally scored in the bottom of the sixth inning, where a single from pitcher Unity Nelson brought home Patrina Marsh to cut the lead to 4-1.
Unionville-Sebewaing's three-run lead was too much for Whiteford to overcome in the seventh.
As a team, the Patriots finished with five hits, two RBIs and zero errors. Reinhardt and Gabriella Crumm had an RBI each. Pitcher Laci Harris went all seven innings, notching nine strikeouts while allowing nine hits across 112 total pitches.
"To quote Ron Burgundy, I've been coming to the same party for the last three years, and in no way is that depressing," Gainforth said of his third title victory. "I love being here. ... And we want to be here again."
USA's path to the 2022 finals saw wins over Kingston and Ubly in regional play, Riverview Gabriel Richard in the quarterfinals and Pickford in the semifinals.
Whiteford ended with nine hits and one error. Six Bobcats had at least one hit in the game. Nelson went all seven innings, getting 11 strikeouts and allowing five hits in 130 total pitches.
The Bobcats previously knocked off Dansville and Reading in regional play, Kalamazoo Christian in the state quarterfinal and Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart in the semifinal.
Making its first finals appearances since its 8-0 loss to Indian River Inland Lakes five years ago, Whiteford last won a state championship in 1987. Overall, the Bobcats now have four runner-up finishes and three titles. | 2022-06-19T01:19:49Z | www.freep.com | MHSAA softball: Unionville-Sebewaing wins Division 4 title | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/high-school/2022/06/18/michigan-high-school-softball-unionville-sebewaing-division-4-ottawa-lake-whiteford/7673340001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/high-school/2022/06/18/michigan-high-school-softball-unionville-sebewaing-division-4-ottawa-lake-whiteford/7673340001/ |
It is time, once again, to eat, Detroit. On Aug. 3, EAT Detroit returns.
Lick your chops.
Three years ago, we created an event where participants could wander from one top Detroit restaurant to another, eating and drinking to their heart's content, all for the price of a single wristband.
It was a huge success, beyond our wildest dreams. Nearly 1,200 people gathered on a warm June evening and walked or rode special shuttle buses between 19 of Detroit’s hottest and trendiest restaurants, who served up samples of signature dishes and drinks to the participants.
[ Here are the Top 10 best new restaurants in metro Detroit for 2022 ]
All profits went to help our neediest citizens through the charitable programs of SAY Detroit. We raised a good amount of money. And diners got to sample 19 restaurants in a single night, took mental snapshots of their interiors and menus, and came back to their favorites over and over.
The restaurants were happy. The participants were happy. The beneficiaries were happy. The event received a 92% approval in a survey from those who took part.
We put it on the calendar for the following summer, with plans to make it an annual event.
And then COVID-19 came.
Back for seconds
I don’t need to tell you what that virus did to the restaurant industry. “Gutted” is a word that comes to mind. We watched restaurants closed by law, then fear, then economics.
Even when COVID faded enough for restaurants to reopen, many were shells of their former selves. Cooking staff had moved on. Wait staff was impossible to find. Customers remained reticent. A number of eateries simply couldn’t take the endless barrage of bad news. Some closed for good. If not for takeout business, many more would have joined them.
But seasons pass and clouds lift. And after canceling EAT Detroit in 2020 and 2021, we spoke to the restaurant owners about 2022 and got a courageous and grateful thumbs up.
And so, we’re thrilled to announce that this summer, more than 20 of the finest and most desired eateries in Detroit have agreed to take part on Aug. 3, from 5:30-9:30 p.m., in the second EAT Detroit event.
These 20 restaurants include Baobab Fire, the incredible East African eatery that was voted Best Restaurant of 2022 by the Free Press, as well as top 10 finishers Barda, the hot new dining spot by Argentine chef Javier Bardauil, and Supergeil, German for “super cool” where the Free Press noted “lamb, beef and chicken are seasoned spectacularly and cooked on vertical rotisseries.”
Also this year, the Corktown area, which has exploded into a culinary hot zone, will be a large part of EAT Detroit, with celebrated restaurants like Slows Bar BQ, Cork & Gabel, Ima and Takoi all taking part.
Those restaurants will be linked by shuttles that run constantly between clusters of others. So you can chow down in Corktown, then head up to the Whitney, traditionally one of Detroit’s most elegant restaurants, then shoot over for amazing pizza at Mootz Pizzeria, or the incomparable vegan coney dogs at Chili, Mustard Onions, then continue down Woodward for some Mexican fare at Calexico, then cut to Library Street for some of Vicente’s Cuban offerings, then back to Woodward for some mouth-watering offerings from Townhouse Detroit, then over to the famed steakhouse Prime + Proper, just blocks away.
And we haven’t even mentioned trendy and award-winning spots like Grey Ghost, La Lanterna, Leila, Lumen Detroit, Oak and Reel and La Feria Spanish Tapas.
The award-winning San Morello restaurant, created by famed chef Andrew Carmellini, will serve as the centerpiece for a VIP reception at the Shinola Hotel.
There will also be local musical acts performing at many of the eateries.
And we will be honoring the late Jack Aronson, who through his Garden Fresh company and endless philanthropy fed so many in Detroit.
All of this in a single night. All to help others.
Come hungry. Do good.
Bring your appetites
Here is how it works. Tickets are strictly limited to the first 1,000 people, with 750 general admission tickets, and 250 at the VIP level.
The general admission ticket of $150 gets you the wristband that allows unfettered access between 14 of the restaurants, starting at 5:30 pm. You pick the restaurant where you wish to begin, get your wristband there, and off you go.
The VIP ticket of $275 gets you into the VIP reception at San Morello, featuring the music of jazz great Alexander Zonjic, and then full access to all 20-plus restaurants (the VIP-reserved spots are Baobab Fire, Prime + Proper, Townhouse, Takoi and Barda, for capacity reasons.)
Each restaurant serves three of its specialty dishes for you to sample, plus a signature drink. You dine and dash from one to the other. (The idea was actually inspired by the Dine and Dash concept created by chef José Andrés in Washington, which I got to attend in 2018.)
You can even win VIP tickets through a contest the Free Press is running at https://freep.secondstreetapp.com/EAT-Detroit/.
Now, an event of this size doesn’t run itself. Volunteers are a huge part, and you’ll see them everywhere, guiding you, riding the buses and wearing signature aprons provided by Gordon Food Service, which has returned as a sponsor.
More sponsors and volunteers would be welcome. There’s still time. Any companies or volunteers interested, and all those who wish to purchase tickets, should go to eatdetroit.info.
Tickets go on sale at that site at 10 a.m. Monday. In 2019, we sold out in less than a day. We’re hoping people come back with equal enthusiasm. After all, it has been three years since we could even conceive of doing this again.
So in the spirit of great food, supporting local business and furthering the resurgence of Detroit’s culinary scene — and most of all to help the needy children, veterans, families and seniors in our community — we hope you’ll come eat, Detroit, at EAT Detroit on Aug. 3.
Eat, drink, repeat — and do good.
How much better does it get?
List of participating restaurants in Eat Detroit 2022
*Baobab Fare
*BARDA
Chili Mustard Onions
Cork & Gabel
La Feria Spanish Tapas
Lumen Detroit
Oak & Reel
*Prime + Proper
*San Morello (catering VIP reception at Shinola Birdy Room)
Slows Bar BQ
*Takoi
*Townhouse Detroit
Vicente’s Cuban Cuisine
The Whitney
*VIP ticket only. | 2022-06-19T05:22:58Z | www.freep.com | Mitch Albom: EAT Detroit is back: Come hungry, do good Aug. 3 | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/columnists/mitch-albom/2022/06/19/mitch-albom-eat-detroit-back-come-hungry-do-good/7669084001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/columnists/mitch-albom/2022/06/19/mitch-albom-eat-detroit-back-come-hungry-do-good/7669084001/ |
USFL Week 10: Michigan Panthers game score vs. Pittsburgh Maulers: Time, TV and odds
USFL: Michigan Panthers (1-8) vs. Pittsburgh Maulers (1-8)
TV: USA Network.
Line: Panthers by 2½.
LAST WEEK:Panthers drop to 1-8 following heartbreaker to the Generals, 25-23
GOODBYE, SHEA:Ex-Michigan football QB Shea Patterson won't give up dream: 'I believe I am an NFL quarterback'
Game notes: The Michigan Panthers, at 1-8,wrap up their USFL season against fellow 1-8 squad Pittsburgh at noon today on USA Network. But unlike that other pro football team that calls Detroit home, the usual final-week victory won’t ruin the Panthers’ draft status. In fact, it’ll help it.
The USFL announced this week that, due to the unusual circumstance of its two worst teams facing off in the season finale (and having all four playoff berths already set), it will be awarding the No. 1 overall pick in next year’s draft to the WINNER of Sunday’s game, rather than the loser. (Of course, the Panthers had the No. 1 overall pick this year, which they used on former Wolverines QB Shea Patterson, now a New Orleans Breaker, so who knows...)
The Panthers should have a good scouting report on the Maulers, considering they beat them, 24-0, on May 1 and signed quarterback Josh Love from them last month. Love is unlikely to play today, as he’s listed as questionable with a lower leg injury. Instead, former NFL first-rounder Paxton Lynch likely will take the snaps; he has completed 60.4% of his passes for 275 yards, two TDs and three picks.
The Panthers and Maulers are done after this week, but the USFL moves into its postseason home at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, for Saturday's semifinals. The Philadelphia Stars will face the New Jersey Generals for the North Division title (3 p.m., Fox), and the Birmingham Stallions will face the New Orleans Breakers for the South title (8 p.m., NBC), with the championship game set for July 3.
THE LAST MEETING:USFL Week 3: Panthers beat Maulers, 24-0, for first win | 2022-06-19T12:33:51Z | www.freep.com | USFL: Michigan Panthers score vs. Pittsburgh Maulers: Time, TV, odds | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/2022/06/19/usfl-michigan-panthers-game-score-vs-pittsburgh-maulers-time-tv-odds/7674699001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/2022/06/19/usfl-michigan-panthers-game-score-vs-pittsburgh-maulers-time-tv-odds/7674699001/ |
First-pitch forecast: Clear, high-60s.
Probable pitchers: Tigers RHP Alex Faedo (1-3, 4.28 ERA) vs. Red Sox RHP Josh Winckowski (1-1, 4.50 ERA).
SUNDAY'S VICTORY:Robbie Grossman keeps power stroke going as Tigers beat Rangers, 7-3
Game notes: Much-maligned, much-defended and, well, much-discussed Tigers shortstop Javier Báez is riding a four-game hit streak since sitting out Wednesday’s series finale against the White Sox. He went 4-for-15 over four games against the Rangers, but seeing as how those hits included a double (Thursday) and a home run (Saturday, his first since May 22), you could make the “quality over quantity” argument for his recent performance. On Sunday, Báez was also active on the bases, swiping two bases to spark a suddenly frisky Tigers offense, which scored seven runs for just the fifth time this season (in, sigh, 66 games).
Still, the question is always, “What can he do today?” On that, there’s some good news for Báez and Tigers fans, though we’re working off some small sample sizes with Monday’s starter, Josh Winckowski, who is making his third career MLB start, with seven strikeouts over eight innings combined in his first two. Winckowski does throw a slider, the bane of Báez ’s existence this season. (He’s hitting .120 on sliders in 2022, with a strikeout rate of 39.5% and a whiff rate of 52.8% on the pitch.) Of the 80 pitches he has thrown against righties, 29, or 36.3%, have been sliders. (That’s compared to 13 of 61, or 21.3%, to lefties.)
But while it has drawn a 36.4% whiff rate against fellow righties, Winckowski doesn’t rely on it as his out pitch. Instead, the 23-year-old (for eight more days) falls heavily on his sinker, throwing it 48.8% of the time to righties while drawing a 13% whiff rate with a .462 average. Likewise, Báez hasn’t hit sinkers well this year, with a .130 average, but his whiff rate is just 23.9% on them. And then there’s Winckowski’s most effective pitch, his four-seam fastball; he has thrown it 10 times to righties, producing two whiffs and four batted balls, with just one hit. But Báez has handled four-seamers best this season, with a .273 batting average and just a 25.3% whiff rate and 15.2% strikeout rate on them.
Of course, Báez isn’t the only Tiger batter, but considering Winckowski’s limited MLB experience, there isn’t much to draw on. One Tiger with some time against the righty? Kody Clemens, who faced Winckowski, pitching for the Worcester Red Sox, on May 5 with Toledo. Winckowski held the Mud Hens to just two hits over five innings, but one of those was a first-inning triple on a 2-2 count.
The Tigers, meanwhile, will send Faedo to the mound for the ninth time. After opening his MLB career with seven straight starts of at least five innings and two runs or fewer allowed, the 2017 first-round pick was touched up for seven runs over three innings by the White Sox on Wednesday.
After Monday’s series opener, the Tigers and Sox play Tuesday and Wednesday, both at 7:10 p.m. The Tigers then get Thursday off before heading west for a three-game series against the Diamondbacks. The Red Sox, meanwhile, will have Thursday to travel to Cleveland for a three-game set. | 2022-06-20T13:19:40Z | www.freep.com | Detroit Tigers game score vs. Boston Red Sox: Time, TV and starters | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/06/20/detroit-tigers-game-score-vs-boston-red-sox-time-tv-and-starters/7679715001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/06/20/detroit-tigers-game-score-vs-boston-red-sox-time-tv-and-starters/7679715001/ |
Gas prices in metro Detroit are marginally down from last week, ending a weeks-long trend of increasing costs at the pump per gallon, according to AAA.
The average cost for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline in metro Detroit was $5.27 on Monday, 3 cents down from last week's average of $5.30.
In Michigan, the statewide average is $5.16, a nickel down from last week's average of $5.21.
More:Gas prices in Michigan: How the price at the pump has increased during COVID-19
Costs for fuel in Michigan are above the national average — across the U.S., the average cost for a gallon of gas is $4.98, per AAA.
AAA noted Thursday total domestic gasoline stocks fell by 700,000 barrels to 217.5 million barrels in the U.S., and gasoline demand dropped from 9.2 million barrels daily to 9.09 barrels daily, leading to fuel prices coming down. | 2022-06-20T16:34:21Z | www.freep.com | AAA: Michigan gas prices decrease for first time in weeks | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/20/detroit-michigan-gas-prices/7681294001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/20/detroit-michigan-gas-prices/7681294001/ |
The Chicks have postponed their scheduled Wednesday concert at Pine Knob after struggling through a Sunday show in Indianapolis. The country trio said Monday it was now under "strict doctor's orders for vocal rest."
The Detroit-area stop has been rescheduled for Sept. 28 at Pine Knob, the group announced Monday evening.
More:Black Women's Expo returns to Detroit, bringing entertainment, businesses to downtown
More:The man who built Pine Knob: 50 years later, a family reflects on a concert venue legacy
Tickets will be honored for the new date. Refunds are available for 30 days.
The group (formerly known as the Dixie Chicks) also postponed its planned Cincinnati show, which is now set for Oct. 2.
The Indianapolis show, cut short Sunday, has been reset for Sept. 30.
The Chicks got through five songs in Indianapolis before pulling the plug. Fans on the scene reported that frontwoman Natalie Maines appeared to be vexed with voice issues and told the crowd she was hoping a steroid shot would kick in.
The group's tour, in support of the pandemic release "Gaslighter," kicked off last week in St. Louis and included a Friday performance at the Bonnaroo festival in Tennessee. | 2022-06-20T21:55:51Z | www.freep.com | The Chicks postpone Pine Knob show to September amid vocal issues | https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/music/brian-mccollum/2022/06/20/chicks-postpone-detroit-pine-knob-concert-tickets/7683543001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/music/brian-mccollum/2022/06/20/chicks-postpone-detroit-pine-knob-concert-tickets/7683543001/ |
The Detroit Tigers scored 21 runs in their past two games at Comerica Park, winning back-to-back matchups with the Texas Rangers to split the series. For the first time this season, the Tigers scored at least five runs in consecutive games.
Then, the Tigers traveled to Fenway Park.
A date with the Boston Red Sox reminded the Tigers of their reality: The recent offensive surge, a product of quality plate appearances throughout the lineup, was much needed, but the Tigers aren't close to climbing out of the hole they dug.
The Tigers lost, 5-2, to the Red Sox in Monday's three-game series opener, with the offense producing 10 hits and one walk against five pitchers. In 2022, the Tigers (26-41) average 2.87 runs per game.
Red Sox right-hander Josh Winckowski, who entered with a 4.50 ERA, fired 6⅔ innings of two-run ball in his third MLB start. After facing the Tigers, Winckowski's ERA dropped to 3.68.
The 23-year-old, a 15th-round pick in 2016, gave up seven hits and one walk with two strikeouts. Tigers rookie Riley Greene, in his third MLB game, finished 1-for-3 with one walk and one strikeout.
Tigers right-hander Alex Faedo, making his ninth MLB start, allowed five runs (four earned runs) on eight hits and two walks with two strikeouts across 4⅓ innings, throwing 58 of 93 pitches for strikes.
Although 10 hits weren't enough, the Tigers got them from eight different players: Báez (two hits), Torkelson (two hits), Greene, Candelario, Schoop, Victor Reyes, Robbie Grossman and Tucker Barnhart.
Torkelson went 2-for-3 with one RBI.
The Red Sox scored their five runs on nine hits and two walks.
An opportunity to score several runs occurred late in the game, as the Tigers put two runners in scoring position in the eighth inning. Báez set up the chance with a two-out, two-strike double on a slider from right-handed reliever John Schreiber.
But Greene stranded both runners by striking out looking for the third out.
Rookie Spencer Torkelson tied the game, 1-1, with a sacrifice fly to center field. He plated Greene, who drew a five-pitch walk with one out. Between Greene's walk and Torkelson's sacrifice fly, Jeimer Candelario — fresh off the injured list — singled to left field, though he didn't score.
Greene advanced from first base to third base on Candelario's single.
One player reached base in the third, fourth and sixth innings, including Javier Báez's ground-rule double in the fourth, but the Tigers couldn't score again until the seventh frame.
Winckowski returned for the seventh and allowed a leadoff single to Greene, but he bounced back by getting Candelario to ground into a double play for the first two outs.
Torkelson and Schoop chased Winckowski with a pair of two-out hits. Torkelson singled to center field on a two-strike sinker, and Schoop drove him in on a second-pitch slider he hammered to deep right-center field for an RBI double.
At that point, the Tigers trailed 5-2.
After Schoop's RBI double, Red Sox manager Alex Cora pulled Winckowski in favor of left-handed reliever Jake Diekman. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch countered by pinch-hitting Eric Haase, a righty with power, for Barnhart.
Haase lined out to end the top of the seventh.
Not Faedo's finest hour
The Red Sox wasted no time against Faedo.
Faedo, though, didn't do himself any favors by walking Jarren Duran, the first batter, on five pitches. Duran stole second base and scored on J.D. Martinez's one-out single, putting the Red Sox ahead 1-0.
Back-to-back doubles from Duran (on a third-pitch slider) and Rafael Devers (on a full-count fastball) in the third inning made it 2-1 Red Sox, but Faedo escaped further damage by retiring the next three batters: Martinez, Xander Bogaerts and Alex Verdugo.
Faedo, who didn't have his best slider, needed 60 pitches to complete three innings.
The Red Sox tacked on their third run in the fourth inning, which began with Greene's fielding error. Trevor Story advanced to third base on Franchy Cordero's single, and he scored for a 3-1 advantage on Christian Vazquez's sacrifice fly.
Sending Faedo to the mound for the fifth inning proved costly for the Tigers. He put runners on the corners — Verdugo (single) and Story (double) — with one out before left-handed reliever Tyler Alexander took over.
Cordero drilled Alexander's first-pitch cutter for a two-RBI single. His hit put the Red Sox up 5-1.
For his 93 pitches, Faedo used 45 four-seam fastballs (48%), 43 sliders (46%) and five changeups (5%). He recorded seven swings and misses — four with his slider — and 15 called strikes. Faedo rarely used his changeup, which he has used 15.6% of the time this season.
Following Faedo's outing, the Tigers' bullpen posted zeros on the scoreboard with 1⅔ innings from Alexander, one inning from right-hander Joe Jimenez and one inning from righty Will Vest. | 2022-06-21T02:21:12Z | www.freep.com | Detroit Tigers' offense still humming, but lose, 5-2, at Red Sox | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/06/20/detroit-tigers-game-recap-boston-red-sox/7684290001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/06/20/detroit-tigers-game-recap-boston-red-sox/7684290001/ |
Detroit City Council postpones $60M tax break vote for Hudson project again
Dana Afana
Detroit City Council again postponed a vote that could have cleared the way for Dan Gilbert to capture $60 million in tax breaks for his Hudson site project.
Council President Mary Sheffield requested holding off until next Tuesday to allow council members time to digest details of the request and solidify in writing some of the commitments Gilbert may have expressed.
There were no objections from other council members to the postponement.
Officials were expected to vote on the tax break last week but postponed after heavy opposition from residents who said they wanted to see taxes used on schools, libraries and neighborhoods to develop communities. Others supporting the abatement said it would help Detroiters find jobs and benefit the city in the future.
More:In face of opposition, Detroit City Council delays $60M tax break vote for Hudson project
Gilbert's real estate firm, Bedrock, has said the abatement is a critical component of its debt financing for its Hudson's site project. The project's costs soared to $1.4 billion, up from $909 million five years ago.
The skyscraper would be Detroit's second-tallest tower after the Renaissance Center. Its two components include a 12-story mid-rise building with more than 500,000-square feet of office and events space, and a skinnier 49-story tower with a 225-room hotel and about 100 luxury condos or apartments on the upper floors.
More than half of the council members also received thousands in campaign contributions from Gilbert's Rock Holdings PAC, the Free Press reported earlier. Some members who who responded said campaign contributions do not influence votes.
More:Detroit officials who will decide Gilbert tax break got major campaign contributions
Bedrock says the requested abatement was anticipated back in 2017 when the project broke ground. But officials could not apply for the abatement until now due to several design changes during construction.
Known as the Commercial Rehabilitation Act, PA 210, the tax abatement is a common one for large Detroit developments. It would freeze property taxes that typically go to the city’s schools, libraries and Wayne County educational entities. Because the project is located in downtown, taxes are instead captured by the Downtown Development Authority.
The authority generally uses its captured taxes to help finance economic development projects, such as construction of Little Caesars Arena. Once the structure is built and the requested abatement kicks in, the site would generate $2.6 million annually. After 10 years, when the tax freeze expires, the taxes would rise up to about $10 million a year.
"The proposed tax abatement doesn’t take any revenue from city services, schools or the library," Gilbert's top lobbyist Jared Fleisher previously told the Free Press. "It only takes money from the DDA and other downtown projects."
Free Press staffers JC Reindl and M.L. Elrick contributed to this report.
Dana Afana is the Detroit city hall reporter for the Free Press. Contact Dana: dafana@freepress.com or 313-635-3491. Follow her on Twitter: @DanaAfana. | 2022-06-21T16:28:03Z | www.freep.com | Detroit city council postpones $60M tax break vote again | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2022/06/21/detroit-city-council-bedrock-tax-break-vote/7686324001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2022/06/21/detroit-city-council-bedrock-tax-break-vote/7686324001/ |
Detroit Tigers game score vs. Boston Red Sox: TV, time, radio info for series
First-pitch forecast: Mid-60s.
Probable pitchers: Tigers LHP Tarik Skubal (5-4, 3.13 ERA) vs. Red Sox RHP Michael Wacha (5-1, 2.28 ERA)
RELATED:Why Tigers are going to a four-man rotation on current road trip
Game notes: Wacha is one of the few American League pitchers who's started as well as or better than Skubal. Of his 11 starts this year, Wacha has given up more than two runs just twice. Granted, most of the Iowa native's appearances last fewer than six innings (these days, two times through is all you need to do) but he did drop a complete-game shutout vs. the Seattle Mariners earlier this month.
Skubal has come back to earth after a dominant first eight weeks or so. He's allowed nine runs over his last nine innings spanning two starts. In his seven starts before this rough ministretch, he'd allowed eight runs in 48 innings, with three scoreless starts of six innings or longer.
The Tigers continue their cross-country road trip in Arizona vs. the Diamondbacks then have two games at the San Francisco Giants before heading back home. | 2022-06-22T12:53:51Z | www.freep.com | Detroit Tigers game vs. Boston Red Sox: TV, time, radio info | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/06/22/detroit-tigers-game-score-boston-red-sox-live-updates/7692855001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/06/22/detroit-tigers-game-score-boston-red-sox-live-updates/7692855001/ |
A Muskegon County woman had winning Michigan Lottery for three months before realizing she had won $500,000.
The 61-year-old player, who wants to remain anonymous, bought the Cashword Times 10 ticket at the BP gas station at 3592 East Apple Avenue in Muskegon.
“I always purchase my tickets from the same store and was planning to stop there on my way home to get a Cashword ticket,” the woman told the Michigan Lottery. “I accidentally made a wrong turn and had to take a different route home, so I stopped at a gas station on the way.
More:Macomb County lottery winner, 28, screamed at top of lungs after hitting jackpot
She plans to pay off her home and save the rest for retirement. | 2022-06-22T16:00:45Z | www.freep.com | Michigan Lottery: Woman wins $500,000 on instant ticket | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/22/michigan-lottery-muskegon-county-winning-instant-win-game/7697973001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/22/michigan-lottery-muskegon-county-winning-instant-win-game/7697973001/ |
Rocket Mortgage Classic field commitments: Will Zalatoris, Tony Finau are in
The 2022 Rocket Mortgage Classic announced nine player commitments Wednesday, headlined by Will Zalatoris and Tony Finau.
Justin Rose, Jason Day, Cameron Young, Rickie Fowler, Matt Kuchar, Kevin Kisner and RMC defending champion Cam Davis have all agreed to play so far. The tournament is scheduled for July 28-31 at the Detroit Golf Club.
Zalatoris is No. 12 in the latest Official World Golf Ranking and finished runner-up at the U.S. Open and PGA Championship. Last season in Detroit, he finished last among the 77 players to make the cut, shooting even-par 288 for the tournament after rounds of 2-over 74 and 4-over 76 on the weekend.
More:This might be Michigan's most underrated golf course
More:Popular Michigan golf course gets big honor for great views, vibes
More:Michigan is a top 10 state for private golf courses. Here are the 15 best tracks
Finau is ranked No. 17 and has represented the U.S. on its past two Ryder Cup teams.
Day will playing in his third straight Rocket Mortgage Classic after finishing 14th in 2021, while Rose will be making his debut. Both are former World No. 1's and own 12 and 10 PGA Tour victories, respectively.
More:Rocket Mortgage Classic to offer Detroiters free admission for special events
More:Former Michigan State golfer James Piot is blundering by playing in LIV series
Young is in his first full PGA Tour season and boasts three-top five finishes entering his first RMC. Kuchar is a veteran with nine PGA Tour titles, but this is also his first start in Detroit.
A five-time PGA Tour winner and Rocket Mortgage ambassador, Fowler has played in each of the previous three RMCs since its inception in 2019, his best finish (12th) coming in 2020. Kisner has also played in every Rocket Mortgage Classic and tied for eighth last year and finished third in 2020.
Davis won the 2021 RMC by shooting 18-under-par 270 and defeating 54-hole co-leaders Troy Merritt and Joaquin Niemann in a five-hole playoff. He has played in every Rocket Mortgage Classic and boasts three top-10 finishes this season.
Notably, the 2022 RMC will be without past players like Phil Mickelson, Patrick Reed, Dustin Johnson and ex-Rocket Mortgage ambassador Bryson DeChambeau, who have signed with Saudi-backed LIV Golf.
Before the departures, Langwell told WXYZ-TV that RMC officials had talked with Justin Thomas and Patrick Cantlay about playing in Detroit for the first time.
More:These 6 public golf courses in Michigan are among the best in the country
Hideki Matsuyama, Joaquin Niemann, Sungjae Im, Max Homa, Harold Varner III and Keegan Bradley are former RMC participants who could still sign on.
The field will be finalized July 23.
Two factors that could help draw more of the top players into the field: This year's RMC is two weeks after The Open Championship, the season's final major, at St. Andrews Links in Scotland, and is the second-to-last regular season event before the start of the PGA Tour's FedExCup Playoffs — which will pay a record $18 million to the winner.
The previous three winners of the Rocket Mortgage Classic: Davis (2021; 18 under par), DeChambeau (2020; 23 under par) and Nate Lashley (2019; 25 under par). | 2022-06-22T16:01:15Z | www.freep.com | Rocket Mortgage Classic 2022 field: Will Zalatoris, Tony Finau are in | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/golf/2022/06/22/rocket-mortgage-classic-2022-field-commitments-will-zalatoris-rickie-fowler-tony-finau/7698211001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/golf/2022/06/22/rocket-mortgage-classic-2022-field-commitments-will-zalatoris-rickie-fowler-tony-finau/7698211001/ |
Federal lawmakers have reached a bipartisan deal that doesn't continue pandemic-era free universal lunch in schools but does increase the number of students who could qualify based on income.
Universal free lunch was instituted at the start of the pandemic to ensure children wouldn't go hungry through the crisis.
U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., announced the new $3 billion deal Tuesday, along with U.S. Sens. John Boozman, R-Ark., and Bobby Scott, D-Va., and U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C. Congress must pass the legislation, called the Keep Kids Fed Act, by June 30, when current meal waivers are set to expire.
Michigan school nutrition advocates, including those who lead district cafeteria operations, had worried earlier this year that Congress would fail to act, throwing their food service programs into financial crisis. Stabenow told the Free Press in April that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell opposed extending meal waivers another year.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture acted to make meals free for every student at the start of the pandemic, extending waivers for schools to serve free meals to all children and increased the amount schools are normally reimbursed.
Free-and-reduced lunch eligibility is typically determined by income criteria based on household size. Families are normally required to fill out forms to receive the benefit, but that paperwork was waived during the pandemic.
The increased reimbursement rates and flexibilities around the kinds of foods schools can serve would remain through the end of next school year under the deal announced Tuesday. The legislation would bring back the school meal paperwork for students to qualify and provide free meals for students normally eligible for reduced-price meals.
Advocates say that paperwork and a lack of knowledge among parents about the free and reduced lunch program in schools is a barrier to getting every child a free meal. Extending the waivers in the pandemic temporarily removed that barrier.
School officials say they need another year, especially as the cost of food and other supplies rise with inflation.
Diane Golzynski, director of the Office of Health and Nutrition Services at the Michigan Department of Education, also said in April that another year would help school nutrition workers educate families around the requirements of the meal program.
On Wednesday, Golzynski wrote in an email to the Free Press that she is "encouraged" by the deal, but that it doesn't go far enough to protect children from going hungry.
"The plan being proposed still falls short of providing the full flexibilities that schools and families relied upon during the past two years of the pandemic," she wrote. "More work still needs to be done to protect our children from lapsing back into experiencing hunger during these challenging economic times." | 2022-06-22T18:41:06Z | www.freep.com | Keep Kids Fed Act gets bipartisan support as universal lunch ends | https://www.freep.com/story/news/education/2022/06/22/universal-lunch-school-meal-funding/7698491001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/education/2022/06/22/universal-lunch-school-meal-funding/7698491001/ |
A handful of House Republican lawmakers want to create lengthy new prison sentences for Michigan abortion providers and those creating or distributing abortion-inducing medication, filing legislation Wednesday in anticipation the U.S. Supreme Court erasing federal abortion rights as soon as this week.
The measure, led by Rep. Steve Carra, R-Three Rivers, clarifies the person seeking the abortion could not be prosecuted and specifically indicates contraceptives like Plan B would be allowed.
But it creates a 10-year prison sentence for doctors performing any abortion deemed illegal, and a 20-year sentence for anyone manufacturing, selling or distributing medications intended to induce abortions.
It also says a pregnant person could have an abortion in the event of a life-threatening condition — but expressly indicates the pregnant person promising to kill themselves if forced to give birth would not count as a qualifying medical emergency.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer would assuredly veto the bill if it ever emerged from the Legislature. Yet it's the latest salvo in state-level abortion battles erupting across the country as sentiment spreads that the U.S. Supreme Court will soon overturn the landmark 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade.
Abortion remains legal in every state, despite Michigan and many others having dormant state laws that criminalize all abortions except those performed to protect the life of the pregnant person. If the high court overrules Roe -- a decision expected as soon as Thursday and some time before the end of June -- prosecutors could immediately start using those laws again to charge doctors and others connected to abortions.
In May, Michigan Court of Claims Judge Elizabeth Gleicher issued a temporary injunction that seeks to block enforcement of the state's abortion ban if Roe is overturned. In a statement, Carra said that ruling prompts the need for new legislative action.
"Although the Legislature is doing its best to defend (the existing abortion ban), it will most likely result in a defeat for the pro-life movement, and it is time to begin exploring other avenues to protect the sanctity of human life," Carra said.
The injunction was issued in response to a lawsuit filed by Planned Parenthood of Michigan, in which the advocacy organization argues the state's existing abortion ban is unconstitutional and the state constitution guarantees the right to an abortion.
Conservative attorneys representing local prosecutors in the case say Gleicher's injunction was inappropriate and want the Court of Appeals to throw it out. But Carra's new measure could render the ruling irrelevant, by establishing an entirely new law criminalizing abortion.
The measure mirrors the existing ban, but clarifies several issues raised by pro-abortion right advocates:
It specifically says the woman seeking the abortion cannot be prosecuted;
It clarifies contraceptives taken "before the time when a pregnancy could be determined through conventional medical testing" are allowed. That likely means Plan B and other medication typically referred to as morning-after pills would not be criminalized by this bill;
The medication misoprostol expressly used for the "treatment of a miscarriage" is allowable under the bill.
The bill also adds some clarity to what would constitute a situation where an abortion could legally be performed. It defines a medical emergency that would necessitate an abortion as "imminent harm arising from the pregnancy by a physical disorder, physical illness, or physical injury including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself."
It expressly indicates a "mental condition" does not constitute a medical emergency that would warrant an abortion allowable under the proposed law.
"Medical treatment may not form the basis for an exception to prosecution under this section if it is based on a claim or diagnosis that the pregnant woman will engage in conduct intended to result in her own death or some other form of self-harm," the bill states.
Other bill sponsors include Rep. Matt Maddock, R-Milford; Rep. Gary Eisen, R-St. Clair Township; Rep. Bob Bezotte, R-Marian Township; Rep. Daire Rendon, R-Lake City; and Rep. TC Clements, R-Temperance.
The bill is now before the House Judiciary Committee, but it's unclear whether House Republican leadership will push for action. A spokesman for House Speaker Jason Wentworth, R-Farwell, said the leader had yet to review the bill. Judiciary Committee Chairman Graham Filler, R-St. Johns, did not immediately return a voicemail seeking comment. | 2022-06-22T18:41:18Z | www.freep.com | Michigan GOP lawmakers urge 10 years in prison for abortion providers | https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2022/06/22/michigan-gop-prison-abortion-sentence/7699868001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2022/06/22/michigan-gop-prison-abortion-sentence/7699868001/ |
Dodge returning to Woodward Dream Cruise, capping week of unveilings, Roadkill Nights
Dodge is returning to the Woodward Dream Cruise.
The Stellantis brand, which thrives on a reputation of heavy horsepower, said in a news release that it will once again host a display during the area's premier one-day car culture showcase, this year scheduled for Aug. 20.
Details on what Dodge has planned for the 2022 Dream Cruise haven't been released, but the "full brand display" will be in Bloomfield Township, near Pontiac, according to Darren Jacobs, a company spokesman.
It'll be the brand's first display at the Dream Cruise since 2019, when it had one in Pontiac, Jacobs said. Prior to that, Dodge had a display for years in Royal Oak at 13 Mile and Woodward, the former home of Northwood Shopping Center, later redeveloped as Woodward Corners by Beaumont, but that ended in 2016.
The Dream Cruise showing will cap a week of big Dodge events — the automaker is dubbing it "Speed Week" — along the Woodward corridor.
Those events are to include three nights of "worldwide Dodge brand product unveils" Aug. 15-17 for members of the media and invited guests, according to the news release.
The product unveilings are expected to include a look at the long-awaited Dodge Hornet, which would align with timing that Dodge brand CEO Tim Kuniskis discussed in April, as well as a Dodge electric concept vehicle.
The Hornet, which will resurrect a legendary automotive name dating to the Hudsons of the 1950s, is believed to share an architecture with the Italian-built Alfa Romeo Tonale, coming to the United States next year.
More:Dodge Hornet confirmed by brand CEO, on its way as early as summer 2022
The news release tied the week's events to going "wide open throttle" on the brand's two-year business plan, which it calls "Never Lift," a reference to not taking one's foot off the accelerator. The next two years will be key for Dodge as it rolls out the beginnings of its electrification strategy and launches its first electric muscle car.
“There’s no better place to unveil a new performance direction for the Dodge brand than right on Woodward Avenue in metro Detroit, with tens of thousands of our closest fans and friends,” Kuniskis said in the release. "All I can say is the future of our brand will be on display during Dodge Speed Week, and we’re throwing open our garage doors so our fans can get a peek for themselves."
Perhaps in a bit of foreshadowing, Kuniskis noted that "it’s going to be an electric summer for Dodge.”
All of the festivities begin Aug. 13 with MotorTrend Presents Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge at M1 Concourse in Pontiac. The legal street drag racing event held on a closed section of Woodward Avenue will mark its seventh year. More than 38,000 people came out for last year's Roadkill Nights, according to the company. | 2022-06-23T15:28:01Z | www.freep.com | Dodge returning to Woodward Dream Cruise, capping week of unveilings | https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/chrysler/2022/06/23/dodge-woodward-dream-cruise/7706376001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/chrysler/2022/06/23/dodge-woodward-dream-cruise/7706376001/ |
Detroit fireworks 2022 set for June 27: Everything you need to know
Detroit's spectacular firework show is finally back where it belongs – along the city's riverfront – after being shot off over Lake St. Clair for the last two years due to the pandemic.
More:Ford-sponsored fireworks set to return in downtown Detroit
Hart Plaza and other prime viewing spots are expected to be packed with crowds. The theme for this 64th firework show is “Hey Detroit, The Sky Shines for You.”
New this year: enhanced security by Detroit Police. Expect officers to sweep for weapons, thanks to 10 new mobile metal detectors created by Evolv Technology. The specialized devices work faster than ordinary metal detectors yet are highly accurate and offer a touchless experience.
When are the Detroit fireworks 2022?
The 2022 Ford Fireworks take place Monday, June 27. Expect the fireworks to begin at around 10 p.m. , along the city's riverfront.
Where to watch the Detroit fireworks
There are multiple prime viewing areas including:
Hart Plaza, 1 Hart Plaza
Detroit International Riverfront, 1340 Atwater St.
Belle Isle Park, 99 Pleasure Drive
Mt. Elliott Park, 110 Mount Elliott St.
If you can't watch in person the event will be available live on WDIV-TV (Channel 4) at 8 p.m. and a pre firework show will be available with News/Talk 760 WJR and Paul W. Smith from 7- 9 p.m.
Ford Fireworks events
The Parade Company and Ford will host their annual "The Rooftop Party on the Center Garage" to help sponsor the show. Tickets are $300 per person.
Rooftop party guests can expect live music from Your Generation in Concert, catering from Andiamo, giveaways, games and more.
Where to find parking
The two best options:
Ford Underground Garage, 30 E. Jefferson
Millennium Garage, 432 W. Congress
Where to find food
Firework watchers can expect food vendors and restaurants open nearby.
Safety concerns and curfews
In the previous years, the city of Detroit has placed curfews, road restrictions and other special rules regarding the event. In 2019, there was a curfew for youth under 17.
This year at Hart Plaza, the event will feature mobile weapon detectors that patrons will have to walk through. These metal detectors have been featured at the Movement music festival that took place in May, Pride events and the Grand Prix, and they will also be at other events downtown throughout the summer.
And on Tuesday the Detroit City Council approved a curfew for youth under 17. This curfew will require youth to have a parent or guardian from 8 p.m. Monday to 6 a.m. on June 28.
The curfew will take place in only in the areas within or bounded by Third Street, Detroit River, the Lodge Freeway, Fisher Freeway, the extension of the Fisher Freeway east to Gratiot Avenue, and carries onto Vernor Highway, Chene Street, Atwater Street, and the Aretha Franklin Amphitheater.
Parents and children who fail to comply with the curfew will be ticketed. | 2022-06-23T17:34:09Z | www.freep.com | Detroit fireworks 2022: Everything you need to know | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/23/detroit-fireworks-2022/7487252001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/23/detroit-fireworks-2022/7487252001/ |
A deadly mosquito-borne virus has been detected in Bay County, state health officials said Thursday.
The Jamestown Canyon virus, which is a virus spread through mosquitoes that have fed on deer or other animals with the virus, was found in a pool of mosquitoes collected in Bay County.
So far, there have been no confirmed cases in Michigan. In 2021, six people contracted the virus statewide.
This is the first infected mosquito pool detected in 2022.
The virus is spread to people through bites from infected mosquitoes. The best way to stay safe from the virus is to prevent mosquito bites.
Signs of the JCV infection include fever, headache and fatigue which can progress to severe diseases like encephalitis and meningitis in the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms can develop within a few days to two weeks following a bite from an infected mosquito. There is currently no vaccine to prevent the virus or medicines to treat it
“It only takes one bite from an infected mosquito to cause a severe illness,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, the state’s chief medical executive. “We urge Michiganders to take precautions such as using an EPA-registered insect repellent when outdoors, avoiding areas where mosquitoes are present if possible, and wearing clothing to cover arms and legs to prevent bites.”
Other mosquito-borne illnesses include the Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile virus (WNV). Last year there were 46 cases of WNV with seven fatalities and one case of EEE.
More: A tiny mosquito bite took away Michigan teen Savanah DeHart's ability to talk, walk
More: Michigan teen was selling her bean muffins in school — until recipe caught USDA attention
You can protect yourself from mosquito-borne diseases by making sure to apply insect repellents containing DEET, or other EPA-approved products, on exposed skin and clothing to prevent bites.
Use window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside living areas and empty water from areas mosquitos could lay eggs like buckets and unused pools to prevent breeding.
Wearing light-colored long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors will also prevent bites. | 2022-06-23T17:34:15Z | www.freep.com | Deadly mosquito-borne JCV virus detected in Michigan's Bay County | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/23/mosquito-borne-jcv-virus-michigan-bay-county/7711268001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/23/mosquito-borne-jcv-virus-michigan-bay-county/7711268001/ |
Ford Motor Co. filed a report with federal safety regulators this month confirming that 53,103 four-door Bronco vehicles may have a faulty child lock.
The letter dated June 13 and sent to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, with another letter sent to Ford dealers, said the child safety lock in the back seat on the passenger side only may indicate it is locked when it is not and allow children to open the vehicle door while inside.
Dealers who have orders pending but haven't delivered the vehicle yet have a stop order on delivery until the defect is fixed.
Affected vehicles were built between Sept. 23, 2020, and April 11, 2022. Ford said the first nonfunctional child safety lock was spotted during a quality audit inspection on March 2, 2022, at the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne.
"All vehicles at the plant were quarantined and inspected for this condition, with 1.5% exhibiting the condition on rear right-hand latches and no reports on rear left-hand latches," Ford said in its regulatory filing.
"Enhanced inspection protocols were also implemented at the rear door latch module supplier because the rear door latch module includes the child safety lock mechanism. The supplier inspection found that the child safety locks were functional prior to installation in the sheet metal doors."
Holes in the sheet metal were not within design specifications because changes were made to create a bit of flexibility in final production known as "manufacturing tolerance expansion," Ford said in its letter.
"Door latch attachment hole locations on the rear door sheet metal assemblies were returned to design specification positions at Ford’s stamping plant, without the manufacturing tolerance expansion, which corrected the concern," Ford said in its government filing. "Review of sheet metal stamping plant records did not identify any changes or factors believed to contribute to out-of-specification sheet metal attachment hole location dating from Job #1 through the date of the vehicle stop-ship. Ford is not aware of any warranty or field reports related to this concern."
Ford said it is not aware of any reports of death or injury involving faulty child safety locks. The company plans to send out recall letterson July 25 advising owners to have their vehicle's child safety locks inspected and replaced if necessary. | 2022-06-23T19:35:43Z | www.freep.com | 2021-22 Ford Bronco child safety lock could be defective | https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/ford/2022/06/23/ford-bronco-child-safety-lock-defective/7712982001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/ford/2022/06/23/ford-bronco-child-safety-lock-defective/7712982001/ |
At least one of Michigan's fake electors has been served with a subpoena and interviewed by federal agents, a sign of widening interest in states where some Republican organizers pushed slates of illegitimate electors for former President Donald Trump in 2020.
Michele Lundgren, one of the individuals who signed documents attempting to elect Trump, said she was subpoenaed and met with federal agents from the FBI, Department of Justice and Inspector General for two hours Thursday.
Lundgren plans to comply with the subpoena, she said.
Though President Joe Biden won the state by more than 154,000 votes, individuals in Michigan and other states produced documents where slates of people posing as electors attempted to send votes to Trump instead.
The Washington Post was first to report on more individuals being subpoenaed by the Justice Department in relation to the invalid electors.
The New York Times reported that Shawn Flynn, a Trump campaign aide in Michigan, was served with a subpoena by federal agents Wednesday. Flynn was an aide for the Trump campaign in Michigan in 2020. He did not respond to a message seeking comment Thursday.
Lundgren was one of 16 people to sign that document in Michigan. That slate was eventually transmitted to Congress and the National Archives as if Trump had won, although the state's electoral votes were awarded to Biden.
Lundgren said she signed a blank piece of paper with lines for each of the signatures.
"We were wrongly persuaded to come to Lansing and sign a blank piece of paper," she told the Free Press. She could not identify who persuaded her to sign the document.
"Who and what pulled this s*** out of the bag and tried to throw it at the wall?" Lundgren said.
Video released Tuesday by the U.S. committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol included testimony from former Michigan Republican Party Chair Laura Cox. Cox said a plot to seat alternate electors in favor of Trump included plans to potentially stay overnight in the Michigan Capitol, which she called "insane and inappropriate."
More:Jan. 6 Committee: Organizers of fake GOP electors talked about staying overnight in state Capitol
Sixteen alternate electors had attempted to gain access to the Michigan Capitol on Dec. 14, 2020, to cast votes for Trump, but were denied entry by Michigan State Police.
Messages seeking comment left with several others who signed the document, including current MIGOP Co-Chair Meshawn Maddock, Kent Vanderwood, Mayra Rodriguez and Stanley Grot, were not returned Thursday.
A Michigan Republican Party spokesperson did not respond to a question asking if any subpoenas had been issued to party officials in regard to the fake electors plan.
Marian Sheridan, another attempted elector, said she had not been served with a subpoena and had not heard of any others being served. Clifford Frost, who also attempted to cast a vote for Trump, declined comment when called by the Free Press Thursday. | 2022-06-23T19:35:55Z | www.freep.com | Subpoenas hit Michigan as feds expand fake elector probe | https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2022/06/23/michigan-fake-elector-probe-subpoena/7710326001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2022/06/23/michigan-fake-elector-probe-subpoena/7710326001/ |
Former Red Wing Darren McCarty teams with local chicken wing spot for competition
Detroit Wing Co.'s Woodhaven location on Monday will host a chicken wing eating contest emceed by former Red Wing Darren McCarty.
The competition is between members of Woodhaven's police and fire departments. Those representatives will set out to eat as many bone-in classic-style Detroit Wing Co.(DWC) wings as they can within 20 minutes.
The department that eats the most chicken wings will be deemed the winner. Along with bragging rights, the eatery will donate $5,000 to Forgotten Harvest, a food rescue and hunger-relief organization.
Guests and fans can stop in for a meet-and-greet with Darren McCarty from 11 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. ahead of the competition.
The competition follows from 2-3 p.m.
Also on Monday. Detroit Wing Co. will have an all-day at the Woodhaven location only. The chain's classic bone-in chicken wings and boneless wings will be discounted at 40% off.
Gus Malliaras is the founder and president of the Detroit Wing Co., which got its start in 2015 with a single location in Eastpointe specializing in all-fresh and all-natural chicken wings paired with 20 house-made sauces. Its menu also includes sides of mac n' cheese, poutine, cole slaw, and more.
Malliaras has grown and franchised the business exponentially since then, with 21 locations.
More:Skip most of the cooking with these easy dishes when it's too hot to cook
More:Michigan Taco Fest is back in Lake Orion this weekend: What to know
Detroit Wing Co.'s Woodhaven location is at 23141 Allen Road. | 2022-06-24T10:39:37Z | www.freep.com | Former Red Wing Darren McCarty emcees local chicken wings contest | https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/06/24/darren-mccarty-emcees-local-chicken-wings-contest/7712497001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/06/24/darren-mccarty-emcees-local-chicken-wings-contest/7712497001/ |
Detroit Pistons general manager Troy Weaver pulled off another strong NBA draft on Thursday night, taking Purdue guard Jaden Ivey at No. 5 and trading with the Charlotte Hornets and New York Knicks to nab Memphis center Jalen Duren at No. 13.
The Pistons also added Italian wing Gabriele Procida in the second round, with the 36th overall pick. Grading Detroit's three selections:
THE EXPERTS:'Dynamic and explosive': What pundits say about Pistons draft pick Jaden Ivey
SHAWN WINDSOR:Ivey and Pistons: A match made in heaven where both sides wanted the other
No. 5: Jaden Ivey: A+
Ivey wanted Detroit, and the Pistons wanted Ivey.
If ESPN analyst — and unabashed New York Knicks fan Stephen A. Smith had his way, Ivey would be heading to New York, but it was obvious the former Boilermaker wouldn't fall that far.
Ivey's quick first step and his ability to attack the basket and get to the free throw line should complement backcourt mate Cade Cunningham well. The duo's potential certainly has Weaver and fans excited.
If there's any rub, it's that Ivey shot just 35.8% on 3-pointers at Purdue last season. His midrange shot has also been criticized, but he told The Athletic during the draft that he has worked on it all summer.
Ivey will probably play off the ball more than some of his NBA comparisons, such as Ja Morant and Russell Westbrook, so honing his jump shot would be beneficial. But continued development there shouldn't take away from the burst and bounce the 6-foot-4, 195-pounder brings to the Motor City.
No. 13: Jalen Duren: A
Another win for Pistons fans and another loss for Smith and fellow Knicks supporter Spike Lee.
Duren doesn't turn 19 until November, but he's already 6-11 and 250 pounds with a 7-5 wingspan. He fills a frontcourt opening following Detroit's trade of Jerami Grant and profiles as the team's center of the future.
He doesn't shoot 3-pointers, so he isn't likely to stretch into a power forward, but he averaged 8.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game last season as the AAC Freshman of the Year.
Duren's addition may change the Pistons' fit with top free agent center Deandre Ayton, who they've been heavily linked to in the past 24-48 hours; they could use their sizable cap space elsewhere.
On Thursday, Weaver said he wasn't concerned about playing Duren and Isaiah Stewart together. That said, he might still be interested in making Duren an understudy to Ayton.
No. 36: Gabriele Procida: B-
Procida, acquired via a pick swap with the Blazers in Wednesday's Jerami Grant trade, will likely be a draft-and-stash, so don't expect to see him at Little Caesars Arena soon.
He averaged only seven points on 4.3 field goal attempts and 18.5 minutes per game for Fortitudo Kigili Bologna of Serie A last season.
However, ESPN's Bobby Marks said he considers Procida a great value at No. 36 and potentially one of the best shooters in this draft class. Procida shot 38.3% on 3-pointers in 26 games.
Arkansas center Jaylin Williams was ESPN draft expert Jonathan Givony's final mock pick for the Pistons at this spot, but he ended up going to the Oklahoma City Thunder at No. 34.
Overall: A
Taking Ivey at the top and making a splash with the Duren trade solidified a second consecutive A for the Pistons. Ivey should be the exciting co-star Detroit needed next to Cunningham, and Duren has a promising future down low. | 2022-06-24T10:39:55Z | www.freep.com | Grading Detroit Pistons' 2022 NBA draft: A for Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2022/06/24/nba-draft-grades-2022-detroit-pistons-jaden-ivey-jalen-duren/7717751001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2022/06/24/nba-draft-grades-2022-detroit-pistons-jaden-ivey-jalen-duren/7717751001/ |
Arpan Lobo Dave Boucher
Abortion access in the U.S. has been upended after the U.S. Supreme Court issued an opinion Friday to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade case, which protected abortion access in the U.S. for close to five decades.
The 6-3 decision sends the abortion decision to the states, touching off what many anticipate to be a massive fight in Legislatures across the country.
The ruling had been expected after a leaked draft opinion revealed in early April a majority of the court’s justices were in favor of overturning Roe. The decision is celebrated by anti-abortion advocates, but polling both nationally and in Michigan indicates a majority supports protecting abortion access.
Roe, decided in 1973, gave constitutional protection to abortion access throughout the U.S. Its reversal undoes nearly 50 years of precedent and returns power over deciding the legality and parameters around abortion access back to individual states.
Here is what we know about the Supreme Court’s ruling and abortion access in Michigan currently:
What does the SCOTUS decision say?
The Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision along ideological lines, ruled in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade case.
The majority opinion was written by conservative Justice Samuel Alito. Fellow conservative justices Clarence Thomas, Brett Kavanaugh, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett joined Alito in his opinion. Chief Justice John Roberts filed a concurring opinion. Liberal justices Elena Kagan, Thomas Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor disagreed, writing a dissent.
"The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision, including the one on which the defenders of Roe and Casey now chiefly rely — the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment," the majority opinion states, citing two previous rulings that substantially shaped national abortion policy.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, 26 states — including Michigan — have laws that either heavily restrict or ban abortion and are now in play with Roe’s reversal.
How does Roe's overturning affect abortion access in Michigan?
The most recent law on abortion in Michigan is from 1931, and it presents a ban on all abortions unless performed to save the life of the pregnant person. The law contains no exceptions for rape or incest.
The 1931 law also criminalizes selling or advertising medications that could induce an abortion.
Seven county prosecutors — in Wayne, Washtenaw, Marquette, Oakland, Kalamazoo, Genesee and Ingham counties — have said they will not prosecute anyone under the 1931 law. But other prosecutors in counties where abortion providers currently operate have either not taken a stance or have said they will enforce the law as written.
The 1931 law currently cannot be enforced, due to an injunction issued by Michigan Court of Claims Judge Elizabeth Gleicher in May.
Lawsuits aim to maintain abortion access in Michigan
The injunction protects abortion access in Michigan while a lawsuit brought by Planned Parenthood of Michigan proceeds. In her injunction order, Gleicher wrote that abortion access should be protected under the Michigan Constitution's clauses on bodily integrity.
Attorney General Dana Nessel has vowed not to appeal the injunction, which technically is ordered against the state. Nessel has called the law antiquated and said she will not use the resources of her office to endanger the lives of women in Michigan.
Anti-abortion advocates have intervened on Nessel’s behalf, including the Republican-led Michigan Legislature, prosecutors in Kent and Jackson counties and Right to Life of Michigan.
Another lawsuit may be taken up by the Michigan Supreme Court, which agreed to hear a legal challenge filed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Whitmer sued prosecutors in 13 Michigan counties with abortion clinics in April, aiming to prevent them from enforcing the 1931 law, and has asked the court to determine the 1931 law's constitutionality.
Petition drive aims to put abortion access on the ballot
The proposed language of the constitutional amendment would include specific language indicating people are guaranteed the right to an abortion in the state. It would also nullify the 1931 abortion ban.
Michigan could still regulate abortions "after fetal viability," but the language would ban the state from preventing any abortion deemed medically necessary by a health care professional.
Abortion rights advocates announced in January they aim to gather the 425,000 valid signatures needed to get the ballot initiative to voters this November.
The amendment defines "fetal viability" as the point where a health care professional determines there is a significant likelihood that a fetus could survive outside a uterus without extraordinary medical means.
The groups — Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan and the nonprofit Michigan Voices — have until July 11 to gather the signatures. If they do, voters in Michigan will decide whether to amend the state's constitution to put certain restrictions on how lawmakers can regulate abortion. | 2022-06-24T15:26:15Z | www.freep.com | Roe v. Wade overturned: What we know about abortion access in Michigan | https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2022/06/24/roe-v-wade-overturned-abortion-access-michigan/7551716001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2022/06/24/roe-v-wade-overturned-abortion-access-michigan/7551716001/ |
Roe v. Wade overturned, rallies planned across Michigan: Live updates
Darcie Moran
A temporary injunction is all that keeps abortion legal in the state of Michigan after the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday overruled the nearly 50-year-old landmark Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationally.
The court, in a 6-3 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, threw the decision of abortion's legality back to the states. In the Great Lakes state, that means a fierce battle, as an anti-abortion law is already on the books in the form of a 1931 statute that only allows abortions "necessary to preserve the life of such woman. ” It does not allow exceptions for cases of rape or incest.
Lawsuits filed before the ruling by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Planned Parenthood have sought to keep the statute from being enforced and ask courts to find the right to abortion in Michigan's Constitution.
Court of Claims Judge Elizabeth Gleicher recently issued an injunction keeping the 1931 law from being enforced while she considers the Planned Parenthood matter, but should that injunction be lifted somehow, abortion would be illegal in the state.
Now Michiganders are responding to the news – previewed by a leak of a drafted opinion in May – and scheduling rallies.
Catholic bishops cheer Roe v. Wade's end
Catholic leaders in Michigan are celebrating the fall of Roe v. Wade saying it resulted in the loss of millions of unborn children, in a statement released by the Michigan Catholic Conference on Friday and signed by Archbishop of Detroit Allen Vigneron and 10 other Catholic bishops in Michigan from across the state.
"Nearly fifty years after the unjust decision in Roe v. Wade, our country draws closer to a society that recognizes the God-given right of life for all persons, at any stage or in any condition," the bishops wrote. "While today’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that overturns Roe is a cause for joy, we must remember that life is and always will be a gift from our Creator; it cannot be given or taken by governmental structures, judges, or elected officials."
-- Niraj Warikoo
More:Catholic bishops in Michigan cheer Supreme Court's abortion decision, 'a cause for joy'
Abortion rights rally planned for 5 p.m. in Detroit
An emergency rally is being held at 5 p.m. Friday at the Theodore Levin Courthouse, 231 W. Lafayette Blvd. with attendees expected to "take to the streets" after, according to a release from the Michigan Coalition for Reproductive Liberation.
The group, which planned for the gathering ahead of the decision dropping Friday, is demanding free, safe, legal abortion for all and a nationwide mass movement to assure it.
"The rich will always have access to abortion and other basic healthcare," the group said in its release. "It is poor people – and disproportionately Black people, other people of color, and trans people – whose lives will be put at risk if we lose the federally protected right to abortion."
Post-Dobbs vigil planned in Ann Arbor
A community vigil is expected at 7 p.m. Friday at the University of Michigan Diag, Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit said in a tweet.
Savit is among prosecutors in the state who have said they will not enforce the 1931 abortion ban.
More:Detroit Zoo's oldest tiger dies
More: Body of 3-year-old Detroit boy found in freezer
Savit described the gathering as an event "to share space--and talk about what it means, where we go from here, and how folks can help."
"Dark, dark days for our country. But for now, in Michigan, abortion remains protected," he said.
Michigan officials speak out on Roe's demise
Savit wasn't the only one to offer thoughts on the ruling Friday.
Whitmer, on her personal and professional Twitter accounts, said she will continue to fight the 1931 ban. She called the news Friday "devastating."
"Women and families should be the ones making decisions about if and when they want to become parents," she said. "Not politicians. End of story."
She also issued at statement saying the ruling was made by "an unelected group of conservative judges" and that it doesn't follow medical expertise.
Darcie Moran is a breaking news reporter and podcaster for the Detroit Free Press. She's served as an investigative reporter and covered justice issues, crime, protests, wildfires and government affairs. Contact Moran: dmoran@freepress.com. Twitter: @darciegmoran. | 2022-06-24T16:57:23Z | www.freep.com | Live: Roe v. Wade overturned, rallies planned across Michigan | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/24/roe-vs-wade-supreme-court-michigan-abortion-rights-protests-live/7722852001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/24/roe-vs-wade-supreme-court-michigan-abortion-rights-protests-live/7722852001/ |
Editorial: Supreme Court ruling would make abortion illegal in Michigan. Voters can fix it.
Detroit Free Press Editorial Board
In a 6-3 ruling Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned its decision in Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 case that granted American women the right to end a pregnancy.
It is a titanic shift for all Americans of childbearing age. Roe has been the law of the land for their entire lives.
The implications of this court's decision reach beyond whether any individual person chooses to end a pregnancy: The right the court conferred in Roe is bodily autonomy.
The Supreme Court's decision to vacate its decision in Roe v, Wade means our state's courts and voters must act swiftly to preserve the reproductive rights of Michigan women.
In Michigan, the high court's repudiation of Roe v. Wade could revive a 1931 statute that made ending an unwanted pregnancy a felony. Unless state Supreme Court justices intervene, more than 2 million Michigan women of child-bearing age could be forced to carry unwanted or medically doomed pregnancies to term.
The recriminalization of abortion may just be the first in a cascade of rulings that eviscerate other privacy-based rights not explicitly enumerated in the Constitution. Writing for the majority, Alito attempts to ward off that fate, saying that the demise of Roe should not presage the overturn of other landmark cases, like Griswold v. Connecticut and Eisenstadt v. Baird, rulings that barred states from restricting access to birth control, or Obergefell v. Hodges, striking down laws against same-sex marriage.
But in a concurrence, Justice Clarence Thomas argues the reverse: The Court's ruling in Dobbs, he writes, ought to prompt the review of other due-process cases.
Yet the threat before us is to the ability of women to control their own bodies.
More:Nessel calls Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe 'a dangerous precedent'
Champions of reproductive freedom have been preparing for this day since former President Donald Trump appointed three anti-abortion conservatives to the court, and their efforts took on greater urgency this spring when a leaked draft opinion presaged today's ruling. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Planned Parenthood of Michigan have asked state courts to declare that Michigan's 91-year-old abortion ban violates the state constitution. A state court has issued an injunction barring enforcement of the 1931 law— meaning that despite the high court's ruling, Michiganders can still access abortion care — but foes of abortion rights hope to overturn that injunction, restoring the force of the 1931 law.
A state court's ruling in favor of abortion-rights advocates would blunt the impact of a U.S Supreme Court ruling overthrowing Roe.
The 7-2 Supreme Court majority in Roe v. Wade was on solid ground 49 years ago when it ruled that the federal Constitution protects every woman's reproductive freedom, and we find the argument that Michigan's state constitution does the same persuasive. But abortion foes would surely criticize any state Supreme Court ruling striking down Michigan's 1931 abortion ban as judicial overreach, the same charge leveled against Roe.
More:Opinion: If Roe falls, middle-class women won't be 'just fine'
The most satisfactory antidote to the crisis Justice Alito and his conservative colleagues have precipitated would be for Michigan voters to adopt a state constitutional amendment that explicitly forbids the state Legislature from interfering in the decisions Michigan women and their physicians make about birth control, pregnancy and childbirth.
Abortion rights activists have spent more than five months collecting signatures for a ballot initiative that would put the issue squarely before voters this November. Under Michigan law, the grassroots coalition known as Reproductive Freedom for All has until July 11 to collect the signatures of 425,000 voters — 10% of the number who participated in Michigan's 2018 gubernatorial election — in support of a proposed amendment to Michigan's state constitution that reads as follows:
Every individual has a fundamental right to reproductive freedom, which entails the right to make and effectuate decisions about all matters relating to pregnancy, including but not limited to prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, sterilization, abortion care, miscarriage management, and infertility care. An individual's right to reproductive freedom shall not be denied, burdened, nor infringed upon unless justified by a compelling state interest achieved by the least restrictive means. Notwithstanding the above, the state may regulate the provision of abortion care after fetal viability, provided that in no circumstance shall the state prohibit an abortion that, in the professional judgment of an attending health care professional, is medically indicated to protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant individual.
If the state Board of Canvassers certifies the required number of signatures, the proposed amendment would appear on the ballot in the statewide election scheduled for Nov. 8. If approved by a majority of voters, the amendment would re-establish the fundamental rights today's Supreme Court ruling threatens to snatch away.
More:Opinion: Prosecution wouldn't be only option for abortion foes in a post-Roe Michigan
More:Opinion: Michigan GOP can have my birth control when they pry it from my cold, dead hands
The Republican state Legislature's record of adopting abortion restrictions that lack popular support is a powerful argument for enshrining reproductive autonomy in constitutional language that is immune to legislative tinkering.
And for Michigan women, reproductive autonomy — bodily autonomy — should be sacrosanct, enshrined in our foundational document, not to be granted at the whim of our Legislature.
Preventing the legal chaos that would be unleashed if Michigan's abortion ban is abruptly resurrected is too important to defer until another election cycle, so it's critical that Michigan voters have the opportunity to weigh in at the earliest possible moment. So we encourage all Michigan voters to who have not signed the petition being circulated by Reproductive Freedom for All to do so. Instructions are available at mireproductivefreedom.org.
More:Editorial: It's up to voters to preserve abortion rights justices are ready to scrap
Abortion opponents and advocates for reproductive choice both claim the support of a majority of Michigan voters. Surveys that invite voters to declare themselves either pro-life or pro-choice suggest a more closely divided electorate than those that measure support for restoring a wholesale ban. But when pollsters ask Michiganders who should make such decisions — a woman and her doctor, or the government — a clear majority selects the former.
Michigan voters have consistently rejected candidates for statewide office who support criminal prosecution of women who undergo abortions or physicians who perform them. A referendum would dispel any illusion that Michiganders desire a return to the pre-Roe past, or would tolerate such a catastrophic step backward. | 2022-06-24T16:57:41Z | www.freep.com | Editorial: Michigan voters can fix Supreme Court ruling on abortion | https://www.freep.com/story/opinion/editorials/2022/06/24/michigan-abortion-roe-supreme-court/7712370001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/opinion/editorials/2022/06/24/michigan-abortion-roe-supreme-court/7712370001/ |
The Detroit Pistons appear to be drafting their way out of a rebuild.
With Thursday's 2022 NBA draft over, experts and analysts are applauding Detroit's haul. General manager Troy Weaver was all-in on finding players who could contribute right away alongside last year's No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham, and some experts believe he did just that.
ROOKIE SENSATION?:Pistons gifted Jaden Ivey in NBA draft; they love him for more than just athleticism
Weaver started the night by draft Jaden Ivey fifth overall before swinging a trade to acquire to 13 pick Jalen Duren. The Pistons last pick of the was a second-rounder (No. 36 overall) Gabriele Procida.
Here's a roundup of grades and analysis of the Pistons' moves from those who cover the NBA:
Israel Gutierrez and Tim Bontemps, ESPN
ESPN believes the Pistons were one of the draft's biggest winners.
"After moving Jerami Grant before the draft, the Pistons made it clear they would be building around a young core — and maybe Deandre Ayton in free agency," Gutierrez wrote in a breakdown. "If that's the case, a guard combination of Cade Cunningham, Saddiq Bey and No. 5 pick Jaden Ivey is a good place to start. Ivey brings some of the flair that the more reserved Cunningham doesn't. If they can find a way to complement each other, Ivey and Cunningham could be a lethal combination in a few seasons. Jalen Duren was also a necessary pickup for a team that needs toughness up front."
INSIDE MAN:Pistons double-down in NBA draft, acquire Jalen Duren to dominate the paint
For Bontemps, he was impressed by how the Pistons managed to trade their way to the No. 13 pick.
"For Detroit to come away with Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren is a pretty nice haul — especially since the Pistons only had to take on Kemba Walker and give up the future Milwaukee first-round pick from the Jerami Grant deal," Bontemps wrote. "Ivey has massive upside and could be a terrific fit alongside Cade Cunningham, while Duren adds athleticism and shot-blocking potential inside. Now, the Pistons have money to spend in free agency to continue to supplement their young core, too."
Sam Vecenie and John Hollinger, The Athletic
Vecenie ranked Ivy as the fourth-best player in Thursday's draft, and he and Hollinger were stunned to see him fall to Detroit at No. 5.
"Evaluating Ivey’s pro future is all about how much you value athletic traits and how much you think teams can fix some of the issues," they wrote. "There is not a guard in this class with a higher ceiling if it all comes together. His ability to get downhill with power, force and speed is an immediately translatable skill. He can separate from just about any defender. But the difference between him and, say, a player like Ja Morant is what happens after. Whereas Morant is a natural as a passer and playmaker in addition to his vertical pop as a finisher, Ivey doesn’t have that natural feel right now and makes too many negative-value plays because of that. He’s going to get away from his man and collapse the defense, but he has to be able to make the right choice after that happens. If things go right, he could easily turn into a 25-point, six-assist guy. But his floor is something like Eric Bledsoe without the elite defense."
Hollinger believes Ivey will fit in nicely in Motor City.
"The Pistons pounce on the best pure perimeter prospect in the draft despite landing just fifth in the lottery," Hollinger wrote. "Ivey has some boom-bust potential, but his blast-off quickness off the dribble should be a nice complement to Cade Cunningham’s more nuanced approach. Between this pick and a surfeit of cap space, Detroit’s rebuild seems ready to move into a more fruitful phase."
Zach Buckley, Bleacher Report
Buckley gave the Pistons an "A" for drafting Ivey, a "B+" for Duren and a "C-" for Procida.
"(Detroit) could have the Association’s most electric backcourt combo sooner than later after the Pistons paired Cade Cunningham with Ivey, who gives off serious Ja Morant vibes," Buckley wrote. "Ivey is electricity personified. He pairs the burst of a track star with the aerial antics of a Cirque du Soleil performer to form a highlight-friendly arsenal. He looms as the likeliest candidate to lead this draft class in viral moments.
"His jumper is often there when he needs it, though not quite what you’d call consistent. He could also take his passing and on-court leadership to another level, but that’s probably true of any 20-year-old guard. If a perimeter player emerges as the best player in this draft, Ivey is the likeliest candidate. Detroit’s future brightened considerably Thursday."
The Bleacher Report columnist also sees Duren making a big splash for Detroit in his first year.
"Even as a rookie, (Duren will) send NBA veterans to the wrong kind of viral fame as a shot-blocker and finisher on lob passes from both Ivey and Cunningham," Buckley wrote. "He is a traditional center, though, and those are always tough to value in the modern NBA. He also displays a notable lack of polish, though that’s not surprising (or particularly alarming) considering he might be the youngest player selected (won’t turn 19 until mid-November).
"If Detroit’s guards are as dynamic as they look on paper, it makes sense to invest in an athletic rim-runner."
Kevin O'Connor, The Ringer
The Ringer gave Ivey a "B+" draft grade and Duren an "A-."
"Talk about a dream fit," O'Connor said. "They’ve got to be thrilled about arguably the best guard in the draft falling to No. 5. Ivey might be the most explosive player in this class and should provide some much-needed burst to Detroit’s offense. He can be inconsistent on defense, but that should change in Detroit, where a strong culture has been instilled.
"... after locking up their backcourt of the future earlier in the draft, the Pistons are now potentially locking up the center position for the next 10 years with Jalen Duren. He’s one of the youngest players in the draft, but his upside is undeniable. He’s an incredible rim protector and could fill a role right away for the Pistons, possibly backing up Isaiah Stewart. The Pistons are shipping the 2025 first-round pick they got in the Jerami Grant deal to Charlotte in exchange for Duren."
Kyle Irving, The Sporting News
To Sporting News, Detroit's draft was second to none. The site ranked the Pistons' class No. 1 overall and gave it an "A+."
"The Pistons were without a doubt the biggest winners of the night," Irving wrote. "When Ivey — the best guard in this class — fell to them at No. 5, that locked up their backcourt of the future alongside Cade Cunningham. Then, Detroit traded for an athletic and physically imposing big man in Duren, rapidly building its core of young and talented players."
Garry Parrish and Kyle Boone, CBS
CBS gave the Pistons an "A+" for getting Ivey, another "A+" for Duren and a "C" for Procida.
"Ivey is an explosive athlete who plays big and is capable of attacking the rim in a variety of ways," the CBS crew wrote. "Comparisons to Ja Morant don't really add up for Ivey, but he's an outstanding player nonetheless. There are questions about whether he's actually going to be a point guard in the NBA, but now he's paired with Cade Cunningham, a natural distributor."
CBS labeled the Charlotte Hornets' decision to trade the No. 13th pick as one of the draft's biggest suprises.
"Duren isn't the type of floor-spacing big franchises prefer these days, but he's such a physical specimen and great athlete that there's probably a place for him in the modern NBA anyway," Parrish and Boone wrote. "He'd have been a top five pick 20 years ago, and he's got great upside to be successful in rim-attacking offense and interior defense.
"Procida brings great positional size and projects as a quality shooter after showing some promising development over the last year. He's probably a stash candidate who won't be in the NBA for a while, though, and as someone who was ranked outside our second round projections, it's difficult to see the value at No. 36." | 2022-06-24T16:57:47Z | www.freep.com | Detroit Pistons NBA draft grades: What ESPN, CBS thinks | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2022/06/24/detroit-pistons-nba-draft-grades-jaden-ivey-jalen-duren/7721403001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2022/06/24/detroit-pistons-nba-draft-grades-jaden-ivey-jalen-duren/7721403001/ |
Detroit Pistons introduce Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren at Rouge Park: Live updates at 3 p.m.
The Pistons picked Purdue guard Jaden Ivey at No. 5 overall and then traded for Memphis center Jalen Duren, who was picked 13th overall.
In Round 2, the Pistons picked Italian wing Gabriele Procida at 36 overall.
The first-rounders, along with Pistons general manager Troy Weaver and head coach Dwane Casey, are expected to speak.
Be the first to see and hear what they say, beginning at 3 p.m.:
Don't see the updates? Refresh the page or check it out on Twitter. | 2022-06-24T17:53:53Z | www.freep.com | Detroit Pistons introduce Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren: Live updates | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2022/06/24/detroit-pistons-nba-draft-jaden-ivey-jalen-duren-live-updates/7724215001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2022/06/24/detroit-pistons-nba-draft-jaden-ivey-jalen-duren-live-updates/7724215001/ |
The owner of Bobcat Bonnie's restaurants in metro Detroit posted a special on Friday on its Facebook page directed at women that took some good and bad flack.
"We know you may be in need of a drink, all Signature Cocktails are $5 for those who lost their reproductive rights today. We support and love you. Grab a friend and come hang with us," the post read.
Though what followed in many of the comments was back and forth about whether it was a good idea for the restaurant, with several metro Detroit locations and one in Toledo, Ohio, to offer the drink special.
While many of the comments were positive, several took aim directly at Bobcat Bonnie's saying that it was a bad idea, and they were profiting from Friday's Supreme Court decision.
Owner Matt Buskard responded to some comments stating offering the drink special was a decision he ran by his entire staff, many of who are women.
"The intent and the goal was to get women, who, right now feel ... some feel frustrated, some feel angry, some feel depressed, all of that a place to grab a friend or two, to come in and have a cheap cocktail on us and to talk, cry, laugh, whatever they need to do in a safe environment that's Bobcat Bonnie's. In a place that's supportive of them," Buskard said.
Buskard added that he was not profiting from offering the drinks at those prices. The drinks, he said, are normally priced at $9 to $10.
More:Roe v. Wade overturned, rallies planned across Michigan: Live updates
More:Roe v. Wade overturned: Michigan leaders react to Supreme Court abortion decision
More:Michigan ballot initiative seeks to guarantee abortion rights after Roe v. Wade decision
To say it's a money grab, Buskard said, is twisting their intent.
"It's presenting it through a lens that is just inaccurate and shows you don't anything about us or our concept," Buskard said. "And I am not going to apologize for a post made for and by women." | 2022-06-24T23:02:16Z | www.freep.com | Bobcat Bonnie's gets blowback for women's drink special | https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/06/24/bobcat-bonnies-reproductive-rights-drink-special/7728414001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/06/24/bobcat-bonnies-reproductive-rights-drink-special/7728414001/ |
PHOENIX — Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Báez stepped out of the batter's box, flipped his bat and turned toward the on-deck circle. He pointed toward a taunting fan and shouted. Amid the intense interaction, the ball cleared the wall in left-center field for a grand slam.
Báez, signed to a six-year, $140 million contract this past offseason, is riding an eight-game hitting streak and a three-game home run streak. He singlehandedly propelled the Tigers to a 5-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Friday's series opener at Chase Field.
Finally, Báez is clicking.
HAASE-HOLD NAME:Tigers' Eric Haase thinks playing time is reason for underwhelming power production
IN THE BULLPEN:Tigers closer Gregory Soto is avoiding his slider in 2022. That's a bad sign
STAYING FETT:Fetter removes name from consideration for Michigan baseball job
The grand slam traveled 459 feet, the longest home run by a Tiger this season and the team's longest since Jeimer Candelario hit a 467-foot homer in July 2019. Báez crushed the ball — a curveball at the bottom of the strike zone in a 1-2 count from Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly — with a 111 mph exit velocity.
It was Báez's seventh home run this season and the seventh grand slam of his nine-year MLB career.
The Tigers (27-43) snapped a three-game losing streak, though they've won just three of their past 12 games and sit 11½ games back of first place in the American League Central.
Over his past eight games, Báez is hitting .387 (12-for-31) with three doubles, one triple, four home runs, nine RBIs, two walks and three strikeouts. Overall, he has a .216 batting average across 58 games in 2022.
To set up the grand slam, the Tigers posted three singles in a row to begin the third inning: Eric Haase on a first-pitch sinker, Victor Reyes on a second-pitch changeup and Riley Greene on a fifth-pitch changeup.
Then, Báez took advantage of his bases-loaded opportunity.
But Kelly lasted six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and one walk with five strikeouts. The only other scoring chance against Kelly occurred in the second inning, when Robbie Grossman walked and moved up to second base on Spencer Torkelson's one-out infield single. Grossman and Torkelson were stranded on the bases.
The Tigers finished with nine hits, one walk and eight strikeouts. Jeimer Candelario tallied two hits, while Reyes, Greene, Báez, Torkelson, Grossman, Miguel Cabrera and Eric Haase each logged one hit.
Báez went 1-for-4 with four RBIs and one strikeout.
Rony on the spot
Opposing Kelly, right-hander Rony García dominated the Diamondbacks into the sixth inning. He was removed from the mound after walking Ketel Marte with one out in the sixth.
Righty reliever Alex Lange took over and walked the first batter he faced, Christian Walker, on four pitches. He escaped the jam by striking out David Peralta — but not before a mound visit from pitching coach Chris Fetter after two more balls — and inducing a Josh Rojas groundout.
García allowed one run on three hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 5⅓ innings, throwing 51 of 81 pitches for strikes. The 24-year-old, the Tigers' 2019 Rule 5 draft pick, has a 5.52 ERA in six starts this season.
The Diamondbacks didn't get to García until two outs in the fourth inning, when they pushed across their lone run on a sacrifice fly from Rojas. Walker and Peralta produced back-to-back one-out singles to put runners at the corners for Rojas.
For his 81 pitches, García tossed 35 four-seam fastballs, 20 two-seam fastballs, 17 curveballs and nine changeups. He recorded seven swings and misses, all with his four-seamer, and 12 called strikes.
The Diamondbacks didn't make hard contact against García, averaging an 80 mph exit velocity.
Closing it out
As the Tigers' bullpen followed García's strong start, the offense tacked on an insurance run in the eighth inning. Grossman doubled off righty reliever Sean Poppen and scored Willi Castro — pinch-running for Cabrera — from first base for a 5-1 advantage.
Four relievers combined for 3⅔ scoreless innings: Lange for the final two outs in the sixth, right-hander Michael Fulmer in the seventh, left-hander Andrew Chafin in the eighth and lefty closer Gregory Soto in the ninth.
Fulmer, who has a 2.08 ERA in 26 outings, has completed 10⅔ innings in a row without an earned run over his past 11 games. During the streak, he has four walks and 16 strikeouts.
In a non-save situation, Soto pitched a perfect ninth inning to secure the four-run win.
The Diamondbacks were held to three hits and four walks. | 2022-06-25T05:07:15Z | www.freep.com | Detroit Tigers unleash on Diamondbacks, 5-1, in series opener | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/06/25/detroit-tigers-score-arizona-diamondbacks-opener-javier-baez/7731537001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/06/25/detroit-tigers-score-arizona-diamondbacks-opener-javier-baez/7731537001/ |
TV personality Al Roker will be broadcasting live from the Detroit Riverfront as part of the "Today" show on Wednesday and then will head to a couple of the city's Coney dog restaurants to tape a segment for his food-based digital steaming show.
American Coney Island and the Chili Mustard Onions (CMO) restaurant will be featured in a special segment of "Family Style with Al Roker" that will focus on Detroit's Coney dogs, the Detroit News and WDIV-TV (Channel 4) reported.
For the "Today" show, Roker will be broadcasting live beginning at 6:30 a.m. from the Cullen Plaza at the Detroit Riverfront. Guests are welcomed but you have to bring your COVID vaccination card.
"Family Style with Al Roker" is a digital streaming show in which Roker tries different iconic dishes around the country while connecting with family owned businesses that are keeping the food industry booming.
CMO is a newer Coney dog location in Detroit's Brush Park that specializes in vegan hot dogs, with plant based ingredients.
More:Willow, Detroit’s first Black-owned craft cocktail bar, opens downtown
American Coney Island is an iconic downtown restaurant that sells a Coney dog with a natural casing in a steamed bun, their secret chili sauce, topped with mustard and sweet diced onions.
The famed restaurant at the corner of Michigan, Lafayette and Griswold has been featured on shows like "Man v. Food" , the "Today" show and more.
Earlier this year, Chuck Keros, the second generation owner of American Coney Island, died at age 88. He was the son of theGreek immigrant Gust Kero, who founded the eatery. The restaurant is still owned by the Kero family with Chuck's daughter Grace Kero running it.
More:51-year-old family auto shop in Detroit doesn't advertise, treats customers like family | 2022-06-27T00:20:35Z | www.freep.com | Al Roker supporters can head to the Riverfront Wednesday | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/26/al-roker-today-live-american-coney-riverfront/7740256001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/06/26/al-roker-today-live-american-coney-riverfront/7740256001/ |
Beau Brieske grew up watching baseball games at Chase Field. Brieske, a native of Chandler, Arizona, returned to his hometown ballpark this weekend with the Detroit Tigers.
In Sunday's series finale, the 24-year-old stood on the mound and pitched in front of his family and friends. The Diamondbacks crushed Brieske for five runs. He didn't escape the fourth inning.
Offense wasn't at a premium for either team.
TRADE YA?:How Tigers can use MLB trade deadline to bolster future
The Tigers allowed five runs in the sixth inning — all against right-handed reliever Will Vest — which led to an 11-7 loss after back-to-back wins in the three-game series.
Entering the sixth, the Tigers (28-44) were in position to sweep the series. The offense had been rolling, and despite poor pitching, the game was tied, 6-6. The Tigers, by the way, finished with eight hits and six walks with 13 strikeouts.
Vest, who recorded all three outs in the sixth, faced eight batters and threw 30 pitches.
The Diamondbacks took the lead on an RBI single from Pavin Smith, then increased the lead to 8-6 on a sacrifice fly from Buddy Kennedy.
Vest failed to escape with minimal damage.
Daulton Varsho received a changeup down the middle and blasted it 436 feet for a three-run home run to right-center field, giving the Diamondbacks an 11-6 lead.
Vest gave up five runs on four hits and one walk in his inning.
The Tigers scored one run in the top of the ninth inning, when Greene grounded into a force out to score Kody Clemens.
Trading runs
The Tigers opened the high-scoring clash with two runs in the second inning.
Spencer Torkelson advanced into scoring position by ripping a double to the left-center gap off Diamondbacks left-hander Dallas Keuchel. He wasted no time, either, pounding a first-pitch sinker.
It marked Torkelson's third extra-base hit in June.
Eric Haase followed with a single, and Willi Castro cleared the bases with a triple — his second this season — for a 2-0 advantage. He clobbered the ball with a 102.4 mph exit velocity.
[ How a secret Tigers meeting ignited Javier Báez's turnaround ]
The Diamondbacks answered with two runs in the bottom of the third inning, as Brieske needed 30 pitches to record three outs. Carson Kelly hit a solo home run, and Christian Walker — with the bases loaded — tied the game with a sacrifice fly.
The sacrifice fly could've been a bases-clearing hit. Rookie center fielder Riley Greene hauled in the ball with a diving catch in the left-center gap to take away extra bases.
With two outs in the fourth, the Tigers regained the lead, 3-2, with three consecutive base runners against Keuchel: Jonathan Schoop (single), Harold Castro (walk) and Robbie Grossman (RBI single).
Trading more runs
The Diamondbacks, again, countered.
A two-out RBI single from Jose Rojas knotted the score, 3-3, in the bottom of the fourth inning. The single chased Brieske from his 12th MLB start, but he was still responsible for the runners on base.
Facing righty reliever Alex Lange, Pavin Smith hit a two-RBI single to put the Diamondbacks ahead 5-3. Brieske, also charged for those two runs, allowed five runs on five hits and three walks with two strikeouts in 3⅔ innings.
Brieske threw 44 of 75 pitches for strikes.
[ A.J. Hinch won't quash contract speculation: 'I feel good being here' ]
The Diamondbacks posted a three-spot in the bottom of the fourth, but the Tigers got those runs back in the top of the fifth with a three-run home run from Haase, his fourth homer in 2022.
Keuchel exited after walking Greene with one out in the fifth, and right-handed reliever J.B. Wendelken began his outing by walking Torkelson. Haase made him pay by hammering a first-pitch slider into the left-field seats.
Haase's homer made it 6-5 Tigers.
The Diamondbacks tied things up, 6-6, in the bottom of the fifth on Kelly's sacrifice fly off righty reliever Wily Peralta. | 2022-06-27T00:20:41Z | www.freep.com | Detroit Tigers snake bitten in 11-7 loss to D'backs, denying sweep | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/06/26/detroit-tigers-game-recap-arizona-diamondbacks-pitching/7741573001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/06/26/detroit-tigers-game-recap-arizona-diamondbacks-pitching/7741573001/ |
The Detroit Pistons made their second move of the NBA free agency 2022 moratorium, and they're again trying a reclamation project on a former lottery pick.
The Pistons agreed on a free agent deal with forward Kevin Knox II on Thursday evening, a league source confirmed to the Free Press. The contract is for two years and $6 million, according to The Athletic.
The Pistons re-signed power forward/center Marvin Bagley III to a three-year, $37.5 million contract earlier Thursday.
Knox was the No. 9 overall pick out of Kentucky in the 2018 draft by the New York Knicks. He has averaged 7.7 points on a putrid 36.9% shooting and 2.9 rebounds over 18.9 minutes in his four-year career in 212 games (61 starts). He's a career 34% 3-point shooter on 6.3 attempts per 36 minutes.
TRENDING:Don't expect a Blake Griffin or Josh Smith type move from Troy Weaver's Pistons
HE'S BACK:Pistons re-sign Marvin Bagley III to 3-year deal
He turns 23 in August. At 6 feet 7 and 215 pounds, Knox can play both forward positions, adding depth to the wing for the Pistons who were lean beyond Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Livers.
Knox's best season came as a rookie, when he averaged 12.8 points over 75 appearances, starting 57 games. But his playing time has decreased each of the past three seasons, and he fell out of the rotation under Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau.
Knox was dealt to Atlanta in January in the Cam Reddish trade. He played in 30 games last season combined for the two teams, averaging 3.1 points in 7.4 minutes.
NEW CORE:Here's what makes Cade Cunningham-Jaden Ivey-Jalen Duren Pistons so tantalizing
FREE AGENT TRACKER:Latest news, rumors and buzz as NBA free agency opens
JEFF SEIDEL:I learned a big lesson watching Pistons GM Troy Weaver crush NBA draft week
The pursuit of Knox follows the blueprint espoused by third-year Pistons general manager Troy Weaver. He has added four former lottery picks still in their early 20s who had fallen out of favor in previous stops: Bagley, Josh Jackson, Jahlil Okafor and now Knox.
The move brings the Pistons' roster to 15, though a trade could still be made to open up a spot. The Pistons have around $9 million in cap space.
GET READY:Jaden Ivey headlines Pistons' NBA summer league roster
WHO IS GABRIELE PROCIDA? Pistons' 2nd-round pick may go from unseen to NBA draft steal
LARRY SPEAKS:Why Larry Brown believes Jalen Duren is in a 'perfect situation' with Pistons
The Pistons on Tuesday night took on $19 million in contracts in a deal with the Knicks. They made two trades last week, acquiring Jalen Duren with the No. 13 pick in the 2022 NBA draft, and dealing Jerami Grant to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Want more Pistons news? Download our free mobile app on iPhone & Android!
Listen and subscribe to our new podcast "The Pistons Pulse" hosted by Freep's Omari Sankofa II and Motor City Hoops' Bryce Simon. Find our show wherever you listen to podcasts or on freep.com.
To access our most exclusive sports content, like the stories linked above, become a Free Press subscriber with this special deal. | 2022-07-01T01:13:58Z | www.freep.com | Detroit Pistons to sign Kevin Knox in NBA free agency 2022 | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2022/06/30/detroit-pistons-kevin-knox-nba-free-agency/7774152001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2022/06/30/detroit-pistons-kevin-knox-nba-free-agency/7774152001/ |
Lawsuit: Harper-Hutzel operating rooms are unsanitary, beds crusted with dried blood
Two employees of the housekeeping and environmental services company contracted to clean Detroit's Harper-Hutzel Hospital sued Thursday in U.S. District Court in Detroit, alleging they were fired after they spoke out about a lack of cleaning supplies and staffing that led to dirty operating rooms and other unsanitary conditions.
The workers — Denise Bonds, 52, of Detroit, and Shenesia Rhodes, 48, of St. Clair Shores — sued Tenet Healthcare, the for-profit parent company of the Detroit Medical Center, which operates Harper-Hutzel, along with the Compass Group, which owns Crothall Healthcare, and was contracted to provide cleaning services.
More:Thousands miss out on HIV-prevention treatment in Michigan, nationally | 2022-07-01T10:56:17Z | www.freep.com | Lawsuit: Workers fired after reporting dirty rooms at Detroit hospital | https://www.freep.com/story/news/health/2022/07/01/whistleblowers-lawsuit-harper-hutzel-hospital-detroit/7777695001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/health/2022/07/01/whistleblowers-lawsuit-harper-hutzel-hospital-detroit/7777695001/ |
Mychelle Johnson, wife of former Michigan State basketball standout and current Charlotte Hornets player Miles Bridges, shared a disturbing series of photos on social media that occurred during his alleged assault against her.
BIG TEN BLOCKBUSTER:USC, UCLA voted in to join Big Ten in 2024, creating 16-team super conference
TAKING THE NEXT STEP:Marcus Bingham Jr. preparing for jump from Michigan State basketball to NBA summer league
Friday morning, Johnson, the wife of Bridges and alleged victim in the incident, took to social media to share photos, what appears to be notes from a medical examination and her experience of what happened.
The Pistons entered the week with enough money to make a lucrative offer, and Bridges filled a need at the power forward spot and fit the rebuild timeline. But the team decided to take on contracts for draft picks instead. | 2022-07-01T15:34:40Z | www.freep.com | Miles Bridges' wife posts photos detailing alleged violent abuse | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state/spartans/2022/07/01/miles-bridges-wife-photos-domestic-violence-abuse-charlotte-hornets/7786103001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state/spartans/2022/07/01/miles-bridges-wife-photos-domestic-violence-abuse-charlotte-hornets/7786103001/ |
Hotel operators and tourism groups near Mackinaw City reached an agreement with the state attorney general's office Friday, following complaints about taking reservations when the establishments were closed — and not giving refunds.
"Our Consumer Protection Team is working to ensure residents and tourists to our great state can relax and enjoy their northern Michigan vacations," Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said. "I encourage eligible consumers to file with us right away to secure these reimbursements."
Consumers booked rooms at hotels that, while advertised as available and the reservations ultimately confirmed, were in fact closed, Nessel's office said. And then, when customers tried to get refunds, they said they were out of luck.
It turns out, the attorney general's office said, the hotels were advertising through a tourism website that was owned and operated by people who also had ownership interests in the entities running the properties.
The state worked out agreements with several groups, including Enjo Properties, Jade Enterprises, Lieghio’s Hamilton Inn Select, Mackinaw City Chamber of Tourism, Quality Properties of Macknaw and Queen’s Properties.
The groups agreed to no longer take reservations for rooms in hotels that are closed for the season and when a room reservation cannot be fulfilled at other times, assurances are given consumers will have ability to cancel and receive a refund.
3 Mackinaw City hotels accused of bait-and-switch tactics, misleading customers
Consumers also will have 90 days to submit claims for reimbursement and are eligible for 100% reimbursement by the entities if they can document a fully paid reservation at one of the hotels that was closed for the season.
Groups will be responsible for up to $25,000 total in consumer payments. In addition to consumer payments, the entities will pay $5,000 to the State of Michigan and $35,000 to the Michigan Strategic Fund. | 2022-07-01T19:33:34Z | www.freep.com | Mackinaw hotels reach agreement after bait-and-switch complaints | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/07/01/hotels-michigan-agreement-repayment/7790500001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/07/01/hotels-michigan-agreement-repayment/7790500001/ |
In the wee hours of Friday morning, Michigan Republican senators used legislative maneuvering to quickly pass two bills that would criminalize conducting research on cells derived from an abortion.
Both bills are headed to the desk of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who will almost assuredly veto them. The measures come at a time of renewed focus on all Michigan policies related to abortion following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn national abortion rights granted in the landmark Roe v. Wade case.
Spokesmen for Whitmer and Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, did not immediately respond to questions about the legislation.
More:Michigan's largest health system reverses course on abortion stance
More:Michigan officials: Abortion remains legal due to injunction against 1931 law
The bills passed the Senate after 2:30 a.m. Friday, by a 21-16 vote following no discussion or debate. The margin largely followed party lines, although Traverse City Republican Wayne Schmidt joined his Democratic colleagues in voting against the measures.
Neither measure was scheduled for a final vote. But after the Senate finished approving next year's budget — generally one of the last votes taken before lawmakers go on a two-month summer break — the GOP majority pulled both bills from a committee and put them up for a vote.
One bill, House Bill 5558, specifically bans research performed on an "organ, tissue or cell taken from a dead embryo, fetus or neonate obtained from an abortion." The second, House Bill 5559, says anyone who violates this proposed law would be guilty of a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.
Michigan law currently allows pregnant people who obtain an abortion to donate cells and tissue for research. Abortion providers are banned from earning any compensation from researchers obtaining the cells, and research conducted on such cells is heavily regulated under state and federal law, notes an analysis of the bills by the House Fiscal Agency.
Funding for fetal research was largely banned under former President Donald Trump, but it was restarted after President Joe Biden took office, according to the analysis.
More:Michigan GOP lawmakers propose 10-year prison sentence for abortion providers
Research on cells and tissue derived from abortions is common and widespread, according to the American Society for Cell Biology. Fetal tissue research is the foundation for a litany of medical advances, from advances in treating Alzheimer's disease and spinal cord repair to the production and manufacture of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.
"My message is simple: fetal tissue and cells that would otherwise be discarded play a vital role in modern cutting edge medical research," said Dr. Lawrence Goldstein, now an emeritus professor of cellular and molecular medicine at the University of California San Diego, in 2016 during a congressional hearing on fetal tissue research.
"Without fetal tissue, vital research...will be slowed down that would otherwise lead to therapies and vaccines sooner in the future and which could literally be life changing for individuals and their families in the future."
Supporters of banning such research say comparable information can be obtained "without subjecting aborted embryos and fetuses to indignities and disrespect," according to the bill analysis.
Anything related to abortion will remain a massive issue for the Michigan Legislature this year. After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe, a 1931 state law banning most abortions went into effect. While Whitmer and others challenge the constitutionality of the ban -- and a court injunction is currently barring its enforcement -- Republican and Democratic state lawmakers have proposed laws to either increase or decrease access to abortion in the state.
It's unlikely the GOP-controlled Legislature will approve any bill granting additional access to abortion, and Whitmer has already promised to veto any measures that take away abortion rights. That means an ongoing push to expressly include abortion rights in the Michigan constitution through a ballot proposal may prove to ultimately dictate the course for abortion in the state. | 2022-07-01T19:33:46Z | www.freep.com | Michigan GOP lawmakers OK bills criminalizing aborted cell research | https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2022/07/01/aborted-cell-research-michigan-gop/7788904001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2022/07/01/aborted-cell-research-michigan-gop/7788904001/ |
Grand Valley State’s Nick Krueger defeated Eastern Michigan’s Patrick Deardorff in a one-hole playoff in the Michigan Amateur final on Friday at the Hawk Hollow Golf Course in Bath.
This was the 111th Michigan Amateur.
COMING TO DETROIT:Why Rocket Mortgage Classic field may be more attractive than ever, even with LIV Golf
TEE IT UP! These 6 public golf courses in Michigan are among the best in the country
After Krueger birdied to win the first hole, Deardorff tied the match with a birdie of his own on No. 4. A bogey by Krueger on No. 6 gave Deardorff his first lead, but it was short-lived. Deardorff bogeyed No. 7 and triple-bogeyed No. 9 to put Krueger 1-up at the turn.
Krueger then won No. 11 to go up two with seven to play, but Deardorff stormed back with wins on Nos. 13-15 to take the lead with three holes remaining. His lead held until No. 18, when Krueger sank a 15-footer for birdie and a win on the hole.
Krueger entered Friday’s final coming off a one-hole semifinal win over Michigan State’s August Meekhof, an Eastmanville product. A redshirt sophomore at GVSU, Krueger earned first-team All-GLIAC honors last season after six top-20 finishes.
Deardorff, meanwhile, took down David Szymanski, the lone non-college golfer in the final four, 2-and-1 to reach the final. | 2022-07-01T23:14:52Z | www.freep.com | Michigan Amateur: GVSU's Nick Kruger wins in playoff | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/golf/2022/07/01/michigan-amatear-nick-kruger-golf-grand-valley-state-hawk-hollow/7791108001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/golf/2022/07/01/michigan-amatear-nick-kruger-golf-grand-valley-state-hawk-hollow/7791108001/ |
Niraj Warikoo
After months of effort that included a last-minute push by volunteers to ensure accuracy, Arabic-language ballots for Dearborn and Hamtramck voters appear to be finally ready in time for the August primary, officials announced Friday.
Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said in a news release that for the first time in Michigan's history, there will be ballots and election instructions available in the Arabic language. The names of the candidates will remain in English, but other parts of the ballot will be in Arabic.
The move comes after Dearborn City Councilman Mustapha Hammoud introduced a resolution in March calling for Arabic ballots in a city that has the highest percentage of Arab Americans among cities in the U.S. Hamtramck followed suit with a similar resolution in April, but it was unclear at the time whether the cities and Wayne County could create them before the printing deadlines for the Aug. 2 election.
Adding to the problem was a poorly-done Arabic translation by an outside company contracted with the city of Dearborn, said Arab American leaders.
"It's important that our democracy continue to be accessible and secure for every Michigan voter," Benson said in a statement Friday. "In a moment where there are so many efforts to divide and deter citizen engagement, it's inspiring to see Dearborn, Hamtramck and Wayne County leadership come together to show government can be responsive to citizens' needs and deliver results."
Compared to other large states and metro areas, Michigan and metro Detroit has few municipalities with non-English ballots. In addition to the Arabic ballots for two cities, Michigan offers Bengali ballots in Hamtramck and Spanish ballots in two small municipalities: Colfax Township and Fennville, said Benson spokesperson Tracy Wimmer. In contrast, many cities and entire counties in states like Illinois and Texas offer non-English ballots in various languages.
The news release from Benson contained quotes of approval from the clerks of Dearborn and Wayne County. Both of them were initially critical and hesitant to have Arabic-language ballots, but Friday, they were all on board.
“I celebrate the achievement of Arabic ballots in Dearborn and Hamtramck for the August 2 primary, and all future elections,” said Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett in a statement in Benson's release.
In March, Garrett had written a letter blasting the city of Dearborn and the Secretary of State's office for being "beyond negligible" in how they were planning to have Arabic ballots. Garrett even questioned whether Arabic qualified since the federal government doesn't classify it as a minority language deserving protection under the federal Voting Rights Act.
But in her statement Friday, Garrett said her office and the county's elections division "worked extensively to help facilitate this landmark accomplishment and assure a positive outcome for greater ballot access."
Dearborn City Clerk George Darany, who also was initially cautious and resistant of Arabic ballots, said in Benson's release that "the Arabic ballot is yet another tool to help non-English speaking voters cast their vote and make their voice heard."
Darany added that Arabic sample ballots have been around since 2019 and that Arabic-speaking poll workers have helped voters for the past 20 years in Dearborn.
He estimated that providing Arabic ballots in the city will cost at least $45,000, which includes translation, printing and testing costs.
About 47% of Dearborn's residents have Arab ancestry and about 46% of the city's residents ages 5 and over speak Arabic at home, according to 2020 census data. There are 16,600 Arabic-speaking residents in Dearborn who did not speak English very well.
"I'm happy to see that we were able to get this done and appreciative of the support from the state and county level to assist our city in trailblazing this additional voter accessibility and security," Hammoud, the councilman who introduced the measure, told the Free Press. "Allowing residents to read ballots on their own will reassure them that their votes are being cast in the manner in which they intend."
More:Push for non-English language ballots in Michigan finds obstacles, challenges
The Dearborn council had to pass three resolutions in support of the Arabic ballots to help specify how it would be done.
The city contracted with Global Interpreting Services in Clinton Township to translate thousands of regular and absentee ballots.
After the city received the translations from the company last month, it shared them with some Arabic speakers to see if they were OK.
But the quality was at the level of "maybe Google translation," said Osama Siblani, publisher of the Arab American News, which publishes in English and Arabic. "It just did not make any sense. Some of the translations I saw, they were just horrible. And they needed to be fixed. ... They have absolutely no idea what they're doing as far as Arabic is concerned."
Global Interpreting Services did not comment Friday on the concerns raised by Siblani and others.
The city appointed a three-member volunteer committee that included Siblani, Kassem Doghman and Ali Ajami to fix the translation in less than two days. The committee scrambled, putting in long hours to rectify the mistakes.
The committee and city decided not to translate the names of the candidates into Arabic because it was difficult to make sure they would be accurate in the translation process, Siblani said.
"That reduced the risk of having many problems on the ballots," Siblani said.
They also initially faced some technical issues with the Dominion machines in Wayne County initially not being able to read the translated ballots, but the committee helped solve that, Siblani said.
Darany told the Free Pres the city, committee and the translation company "worked hard to provide the best translation possible despite very tight timelines."
Darany said "the requirements of the ballot layout, ballot language, and the voting equipment added to the complexity. In the end, we are proud of the final translation that all those involved worked hard to create."
In Hamtramck, where there is a large Yemeni American population, 38% of residents ages 5 and older speak Arabic, according to the 2020 census.
Hamtramck City Clerk Rana Faraj said in the release from Benson she hopes the Arabic ballots will offer voters "the tools they need to vote confidently.”
Hamtramck Mayor Amar Ghalib, who was elected last year as the city's first Arab American mayor, said "this is a historic moment for the Arab community, especially in Hamtramck and Dearborn, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact it brings to our community."
Hammoud said the next step for the city is to pass an ordinance that would establish a more permanent procedure to offer Arabic ballots for future elections.
Below is a copy of an Arabic-language ballot in Dearborn's 40th precinct. | 2022-07-02T02:39:04Z | www.freep.com | Arabic-language ballots may soon be available in Dearborn, Hamtramck | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/wayne/2022/07/01/arabic-language-ballots-may-soon-available-dearborn-hamtramck/7791654001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/wayne/2022/07/01/arabic-language-ballots-may-soon-available-dearborn-hamtramck/7791654001/ |
The Detroit Tigers took Thursday to rest.
An off day following a three-city road trip gave the Tigers a chance to reset before returning to work Friday at Comerica Park. The series opener with the Kansas City Royals kicked off a grueling stretch of 19 games in 17 days.
The Tigers lost 3-1 in Friday's matchup to begin the three-game series against the Royals, the worst team in the American League Central. The first pitch was delayed 16 minutes, until 7:26 p.m., due to inclement weather in the area.
E-ROD UPDATE:'No communication' between Tigers, Eduardo Rodriguez (restricted list)
TOUGH TORK:Tigers rookie Spencer Torkelson leaves game vs. Royals after hit-by-pitch
The Tigers (29-46) scored one run or less for the 23rd time this season and finished 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position. The offense is averaging an MLB-worst 3.01 runs per game.
Detroit scored its lone run in the ninth inning on pinch-hitter Eric Haase's sacrifice fly.
This time, the Tigers were shut down by Royals right-hander Brad Keller.
Keller, who entered with a 4.56 ERA and an AL-worst nine losses, dropped his ERA to 4.24 and notched his third win with an 89-pitch performance. He fired six scoreless innings — pitching into the seventh — on five hits and two walk with five strikeouts.
The 26-year-old recorded just four swings and misses.
Crumbling with RISP
The Tigers stranded runners in scoring position — with no outs — in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings.
In the fourth, Willi Castro singled and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. The next three batters were retried: Javier Báez (strikeout), Miguel Cabrera (groundout) and Harold Castro (lineout).
In the sixth, Riley Greene singled and Willi Castro drew a six-pitch walk.
The quality plate appearances put pressure on Keller and forced a mound visit in what ended up being his final inning. Just as he did in the fourth, however, Keller retired three batters in a row: Báez (flyout), Cabrera (strikeout) and Harold Castro (lineout).
In the seventh, Robbie Grossman reached safely with a six-pitch walk. Spencer Torkelson, the next batter, was hit in the helmet with an 88 mph pitch, and after he exited the game, Jeimer Candelario came off the bench to replace him.
That put two runners on with no outs.
Royals right-handed reliever Taylor Clarke replaced a tiring Keller and retired three batters in a row: Jonathan Schoop (pop out), Victor Reyes (groundout) and Greene (strikeout).
Greene struck out on three changeups.
Michael Pineda back from the IL
Right-hander Michael Pineda returned from the injured list and started his first game for the Tigers since May 14. He allowed three runs across seven innings and threw 65 pitches (41 strikes).
The Tigers didn't want to overwork Pineda, so manager A.J. Hinch kept the veteran on a pitch limit.
The Royals didn't draw a walk against Pineda, but they tallied seven hits and struck out three times. Two of those hits were solo home runs in the fourth inning: Vinnie Pasquantino (for his first MLB hit) and Hunter Dozier drilled back-to-back homers.
Those homers put the Royals ahead 3-0.
Kansas City scored its first run in the third inning, ignited by Whit Merrifield's double. Third baseman Harold Castro was too far away from his bag, so Merrifield stole third base easily.
He then scored on Andrew Benintendi's single.
For the most part, Pineda worked efficiently. Even in the Royals' two-run fourth inning, the 33-year-old needed 17 pitches for three outs. He threw nine pitches in the first, 10 pitches in the second and 14 pitches in the third.
Pineda was replaced by right-handed reliever Jason Foley, who completed a scoreless sixth inning. Left-hander Tyler Alexander handled the next two innings, and righty Will Vest tossed the ninth. | 2022-07-02T02:39:10Z | www.freep.com | Detroit Tigers strand too many in scoring position in 3-1 L to Royals | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/07/01/detroit-tigers-strand-too-many-scoring-position-3-1-l-royals/7793479001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/07/01/detroit-tigers-strand-too-many-scoring-position-3-1-l-royals/7793479001/ |
The state of Michigan is auctioning off properties throughout the Upper and Lower Peninsulas starting on Aug. 2 through Sept. 9. The state Department of Natural Resources will host 15 online auctions for vacant land, including lots with waterfront access to lakes and rivers.
Many parcels do not have public road access or may be unbuildable because of water proximity. Others feature large acreage with water access – true steals. A few are located in metro Detroit, including Macomb and Washtenaw countie
Here are some glamour buys:
This 36-acre residential property is forested with water frontage on the east side of Garkinghouse Lake.
On the southwest corner of the Johnson Road and Thompson Road intersection, the property's lowest bid goes for $55,500.
More:Corvette not yet built sells for $1M at auction
More:Your 2022 summer guide to dining, cooking and beer in metro Detroit
Although it is landlocked, 40 acres of residential property three miles south of Paradise, Michigan, has frontage on a bay of Preacher Lake. The south end of the property is granted easement to an electric cooperative. The site lists it for $14,500.
A 40-acre property has about 1,200 feet of water frontage on Sturgeon River and is zoned Timber Production. The river runs through the land, isolating a small portion of the property. The State of Michigan does not own mineral rights on this waterfront location. The lowest bid runs at $45,000.
Despite having no road access, 18.5 acres of vacant land with 3,000 feet of water frontage on Torch Lake Bay lists for $169,000. Only 5.5 miles from Lake Linden, the property is located west of Bootjack Road and south of Mud Lake Road intersection near five other landowners.
Register at Tax-sale.info prior to the property's auction date. Absentee votes are valid up to 30 days before the auction.
Interactive bidding begins at 10 a.m. on the day of the auction and goes until 7 p.m.
Here are the dates by county:
Aug. 2 – Washtenaw
Aug. 4 – Huron
Aug. 5 – Arenac and Iosco
Aug. 11 – Macomb, Saint Clair and Sanilac
Aug. 16 – Saint Joseph
Aug. 18 – Berrien and Van Burien
Aug. 26 – Chippewa, Luce and Mackinac
Aug. 30 – Dickinson, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Marquette and Ontonagon
Aug. 31 – Antrim and Charlevoix
Sept. 1 – Roscommon
Sept. 6 – Alcona and Alpena
Sept. 7 – Emmet
Sept. 8 – Mason, Newaygo and Oceana
Sept. 9 – Grand Traverse
For further details, visit the Michigan Department of Natural Resources website. | 2022-07-02T11:59:55Z | www.freep.com | Michigan Department of Natural Resources hosts and auction | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/07/02/michigan-department-natural-resources-hosts-and-auction/7790958001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/07/02/michigan-department-natural-resources-hosts-and-auction/7790958001/ |
Sweet watermelon is lycopene-rich and refreshing in this summertime salad
Watermelon is an iconic summertime fruit. Sweet and refreshing, it can be included in more recipes than you ever imagined — starting with this salad.
Blueberry-Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint blends several flavors: sweet watermelon, tart blueberries, salty feta cheese, cool mint leaves and tangy vinegar. The salad’s colors (red, white and blue) add a festive flair to any potluck table and are especially fitting this Fourth of July weekend.
Watermelons can be oval, oblong or spherical. The pulp is usually red but can also be white, yellow or pink. Some varieties contain numerous seeds, but seedless varieties are readily available. It’s hard to know whether a watermelon will be flavorful until you cut into it and taste it, but you can increase your chances of getting a tasty melon by choosing one that's firm and heavy. Look for a pale or yellow area on the skin where the melon would have rested on the ground during ripening. If that’s missing, it means your watermelon was picked prematurely. Avoid melons that have cracks or soft spots.
More:Turkey salad wraps: 6 ways to pack them with plenty of nutrients
You might think that the pulp is the only edible part of the watermelon, but there are uses for the whole melon. In the past, kids often had watermelon-seed-spitting contests. Now smart cooks roast the seeds with a little salt and oil and serve them as a snack.
The watermelon rind is also edible. Blend it into smoothies for a subtly tangy flavor or add it to a sweet and sour stir-fry. The green skin is similar to that of its cousin, the cucumber. You can choose to peel it off or use the whole rind.
Food safety tip: Before cutting into any melon, wash it with water to remove any dirt and bacteria that could spread onto the fruit or cutting board.
Watermelon has only 10 grams of sugar and 46 calories per cup. A one-cup portion provides 14% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C, along with lots of lycopene, the red carotenoid found in red and pink fruits and veggies. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that reduces the risk of some cancers and of age-related macular degeneration, a common and serious eye disease.
Watermelon is 92% water and 100% fun to eat, especially in our colorful salad. Enjoy some today!
Blueberry-Watermelon Salad with Mint and Feta
Serves: 8 / Prep time: 30 minutes / Total time: 30 minutes
¼ cup finely diced red onion
In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pepper, and diced red onion. Add the diced watermelon, blueberries, mint and feta cheese to the bowl. Gently toss to coat.
122 calories (47% from fat), 6 grams fat (1 gram sat. fat), 19 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams protein, 74 mg sodium, 4 mg cholesterol, 53 mg calcium, 3 grams fiber. Food exchanges: 1 fruit, 1 fat. | 2022-07-02T12:00:19Z | www.freep.com | Quick and easy watermelon salad is lycopene-rich and refreshing | https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/07/02/quick-and-easy-watermelon-salad-lycopene-rich-and-refreshing/7760128001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/07/02/quick-and-easy-watermelon-salad-lycopene-rich-and-refreshing/7760128001/ |
Just look for the stick figure running man.
If for some reason you, or a kid you know, is inside the all-electric 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning front trunk (also known as a "frunk") and you close the hood, well, there's an easy escape.
The button inside the frunk, on the driver's side, will set you free.
Press it.
"The front trunk space is large," Joe Rocco, of Silver Spring, Maryland, told the Free Press on Thursday.
"We were playing hide and seek and my niece insisted both her and my wife could fit. Sure enough, they did," Rocco said. "I was still able to find them though. Her giggling gave it away a little bit."
After tweeting an image of the pair, he told the Free Press: "It was my niece's birthday and she loved the frunk. ... She kept wanting to play in the frunk."
People on Twitter have asked whether the frunk has an emergency release inside.
Yes, it does. By federal safety regulation.
The stick figure looks a little like Keith Haring's graffiti-inspired art.
The Lightning front truck, which exists because the battery-operated electric vehicle has no engine taking up all that space, can hold 14.1 cubic feet of stuff and safely carry 400 pounds, known as payload.
A golfer can fit two big bags of clubs and extra gear.
Tailgaters fill it with ice and cases of beer and keep it open.
The space could easily be a naptime site if someone curled up a little.
Rocco tweeted a video June 18 of the hood of his big frunk closing after loading it.
Steve McInally, Ford F-150 Lightning frunk feature supervisor, told the Free Press on Thursday that the "Mega Power Frunk" is an industry game changer.
While other vehicles on the market may have a front trunk, the washable Lightning frunk is enormous. In addition to the emergency button, the Lightning frunk may be opened with the the key fob, the touch screen, the instrument panel, the door keypad, the customer’s phone via the Ford Pass app and an exterior manual button.
The emergency release inside the frunk is made with a phosphorescent plastic similar to a glow-in-the-dark Frisbee, so it's easy to find, McInally said.
4-year-old makes discovery
Jake Fisher, senior director of auto testing for Consumer Reports, said safety releases inside trunks is common these days.
"There have been cases where kids have inadvertently gotten themselves stuck in a trunk and not been able to get out," he said Friday.
Tesla has them in its all-electric trunks. Porsche, too.
But an early experience at Toyota raised industry awareness about the need for a strong latch on the inside of a trunk space.
When Fisher was testing a Lexus in 2012, his 8-year-old son Ben asked about the glow-in-the-dark handle with a stick figure. He begged and pleaded to get his dad to close the trunk and test the handle, as part of the safety evaluation. Fisher hesitated, he said, but finally agreed. Worked fine in the driveway of their central Connecticut home.
Then the younger brother, 4-year-old Alex, wanted to try, too.
"I put him in the trunk, close it, and he doesn't come out," Jake Fisher recalled Friday. "I hear, 'Bang bang, Dad!' And when I open the trunk, Alex is looking at me. He's got that little glowing handle in his hand. It's not connected to the car anymore. He pulled on it, and it snapped right off. We called Toyota right away."
Dad also contacted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
More:They're the 1st owners of Ford F-150 Lightnings
More:Her family has worked for Ford for 100 years. Now she's part of Lightning launch.
More:Power outage fails to disrupt F-150 Lightning launch
The accidental discovery led to a redesign and replacement of 700,000 emergency latches on the 2007-13 Lexus ES, 2006-12 Lexus IS, and 2013 Lexus GS models. Alex Fisher was even credited in The New York Times on Dec. 12, 2012.
Just remember
"It's not enough to put this safety feature in the car," Jake Fisher said. "You have to make sure it's tested and durable."
More:'On The Line': Ford to make history with electric F-150
Contact Phoebe Wall Howard: at313-618-1034 orphoward@freepress.com.Follow her on Twitter@phoebesaid. Read more on Ford and sign up for our autos newsletter. | 2022-07-02T12:00:31Z | www.freep.com | Ford F-150 Lightning frunk size fits people, escape button can help | https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/ford/2022/07/02/ford-f-150-lightning-frunk/7785830001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/ford/2022/07/02/ford-f-150-lightning-frunk/7785830001/ |
Josh Cowen
Although these cases have little immediate implications for Michigan schools beyond assurance that public employees could conceivably begin to hold prayers on school grounds, they’re important nonetheless to debates about how to move Michigan education forward. For example, last week’s decision on religious schools paved the way for Michigan’s Let MI Kids Learn proposal, the voucher-like plan by former Education Secretary and Michigander Betsy DeVos, to eventually use state tax dollars to fund religious education, among other expenses.
Even after missing a key May filing deadline, supporters of the DeVos plan are still gathering signatures. Advocates for that proposal and others like it all over the country are fond of saying they’re part of a movement toward “educational freedom,” fighting for families trapped in community schools because of where they live. DeVos even has a new book out called “Hostages No More.”
I’m a researcher who has spent 17 years studying vouchers across the country in official evaluations and in an advisory capacity, and I serve on the board of the US government’s new evaluation of Washington DC’s voucher program. I have been critical both in print and on social media of the DeVos plan in our state, because after nearly two decades of studying these programs I know on balance they don’t work very well.
What does work? Well, money for one thing. The evidence overwhelmingly shows —surprise! — money matters. In fact the latest study comes from right here in Michigan: after Proposal A equalized resources in the 1990s, and after districts passed bonds to further fund their schools, not only did academics increase but outcomes like reductions in crime followed as well!
Beyond resources, though, there are some effective school choice programs. Even if the DeVos scheme never takes hold most Michiganders still have choices. Today, about 1 in 4 Michigan kids learn in a public school outside their resident district either in a charter school or through our Schools of Choice system that lets students learn in other districts. In Detroit alone, more than 20% of kids leave the city each day to attend schools in neighboring districts, and the vast majority of students who stay attend schools outside their home neighborhoods.
The good news, too, is that charter schools have a much better track record than tax-funded private schools. My view is that Michigan charters need more oversight — we need to know a lot more about how these schools staff, fund, and teach our kids — but there’s some recent data to show that at least kids are learning in them, which is more than we can say for voucher systems in other states right now.
What if the DeVos plan passed? Here are some things I’d want to see in the final law. Most important are tough anti-discrimination rules. In Maine, whose voucher program was at issue before the Court when it ruled last week, the state attorney general responded by requiring any religious schools that participate to follow the same anti-discrimination admissions policies as other private schools. If the DeVos plan passed, I would press for Michigan to treat all kids fairly as well.
What about what gets taught? We know many voucher schools teach creationism for example, but what if they teach bigotry, too? Requiring private schools that took tax-subsidized tuition to meet the same academic standards, take M-STEP, and have the same teacher certification as districts and charter schools would help prevent some of that (though not perfectly). Same with oversight on private school financial records. Our public schools are required to have a parent dashboard to provide lots of information that private schools could have to disclose, too, if they want tax-supported students.
The simple rule could be if you take a public check the public checks on you.
Michigan schools faces enormous challenges and opportunities in the coming years. Any changes we make to our public and private schools — whether with the DeVos plan or others like it — should come with oversight, transparency, and good faith efforts to keep the needs of students ahead of partisans pushing ideological agendas. And we have to pay for what we require our schools to do. Educational freedom is already part of our school landscape, but with freedom comes responsibility.
Josh Cowen is a professor of education policy at Michigan State University. | 2022-07-02T14:09:58Z | www.freep.com | Opinion: A school voucher plan in Michigan? Here's what it should include | https://www.freep.com/story/opinion/contributors/2022/07/02/opinion-school-voucher-plan-michigan-heres-what-should-include/7778100001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/opinion/contributors/2022/07/02/opinion-school-voucher-plan-michigan-heres-what-should-include/7778100001/ |
Michigan baseball has reportedly found its next head coach.
The Wolverines are hiring former Arizona State coach Tracy Smith to helm the program, D1 Baseball's Kendall Rogers reported Saturday. Smith would replace Eric Bakich, who became head coach at Clemson on June 15.
A U-M spokesperson said the school has not made any announcement on the job opening.
Michigan went 34-28 (12-12 Big Ten) last season and made the NCAA tournament after winning the Big Ten tournament. The Wolverines' season ended with consecutive losses to Louisville in the Cardinals' NCAA Regional. | 2022-07-02T18:00:12Z | www.freep.com | Michigan baseball hiring Tracy Smith as head coach: Report | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2022/07/02/tracy-smith-michigan-baseball-coach/7795715001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2022/07/02/tracy-smith-michigan-baseball-coach/7795715001/ |
When: 12:05 p.m. Sunday
TV: Peacock (online-only).
Starting pitchers: Tigers LHP Tarik Skubal (5-6, 3.75) vs. Royals RHP Brady Singer (3-3, 4.33 ERA).
TIGER TALK:Toss playoffs out the window, but Detroit Tigers have great chance to make up ground
INJURY UPDATE:Detroit Tigers pitching prospect Garrett Hill to debut; Rony García to 15-day injured list
Game notes: A day before the nation celebrates its birthday, the Tigers and Royals take part in helping celebrate the national pastime. Sunday's finale will take on a different look as well. The game will not be on a typical network, instead fans will need to head over to Peacock, NBC's streaming service, for live coverage.
The matchup between the Tigers and Royals is part of MLB's Sunday Leadoff series where games have an unconventional broadcast feel to them. This one will be no different, as the broadcast crew for this game will be live from various parts of Comerica Park. The Tigers won't have much time to rest following Sunday, as part of a stretch of 19 games in 17 days. They host a split doubleheader against Cleveland on Monday, with a pair of rookie hurlers, Alex Faedo and Garrett Hill, on the mound. | 2022-07-03T10:00:23Z | www.freep.com | Detroit Tigers vs. Kansas City Royals: TV, radio, game info | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/07/03/detroit-tigers-game-score-kansas-city-royals-tv-radio-game-info/7797900001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/07/03/detroit-tigers-game-score-kansas-city-royals-tv-radio-game-info/7797900001/ |
Holiday weekend heat expected to continue into the week
High holiday weekend temperatures are predicted to continue into the week, with scorching heat indexes expected in the coming days, according to the National Weather Service in White Lake.
Higher-than-normal temperatures are expected to continue into Monday afternoon, with the chance of severe thunderstorms coming Monday night into early Tuesday morning. The heat index is predicted to be as high as 100 degrees Tuesday throughout metro Detroit and Ann Arbor.
Wind gusts to 60 mph, hail and flooding are possible, NWS said.
More:Cooling centers in metro Detroit can help beat the heat
More:As heat wave continues, wildfire risk is extreme in the Upper Peninsula
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends utilizing air conditioning, if possible, drinking lots of water and limiting outdoor activity to prevent heat-related injuries. | 2022-07-04T18:05:23Z | www.freep.com | High temperatures expected into the week | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/07/04/high-temperatures-metro-detroit-forecast/7803167001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/07/04/high-temperatures-metro-detroit-forecast/7803167001/ |
Garrett Hill walked down the dugout steps and received a firm handshake from Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch. Once the right-hander reached the bottom step, many of his new teammates were there to congratulate him.
He couldn't have asked for a better major league debut.
A former 26th-round draft pick, Hill completed six innings of one-run ball in the Tigers' 4-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians in Game 1 of Monday's doubleheader at Comerica Park. He became the first pitcher in franchise history to toss at least six innings and allow no more than two hits in his debut.
FREELING A DRAFT:Breaking down several players Tigers could select No. 12 overall in MLB draft
Scoring four runs was important, too.
The Tigers (31-47) — averaging 3.01 runs per game — scored two runs in the first inning off Guardians right-hander Zach Plesac.
Riley Greene drew a four-pitch walk and advanced to third base on Willi Castro's single to right field. Although Javier Báez struck out swinging on a slider, Miguel Cabrera drove in both runners for a 2-0 lead with a single that bounced up the middle.
The first inning ended when Jeimer Candelario was thrown out trying to steal third base on an 0-2 pitch for a ball to Robbie Grossman. Candelario, who reached on a force out and took second base on a throwing error, has stolen seven bases in his 544-game career and none since 2020.
The offense posted 10 hits and four walks, with Jonathan Schoop finishing 4-for-4 with four singles, boosting his batting average from .191 to .203 through 75 games this season.
[ Tigers monitoring Akil Baddoo's success in Triple-A Toledo: 'He absolutely factors in' ]
Castro went 2-for-4 and extended his hitting streak to six games.
But Game 1 belonged to Hill, who allowed one run on two hits and one walk with three strikeouts in six innings. He is scheduled for two more starts in the big leagues ahead of the All-Star break.
Hill retired the first six batters he faced.
The 26-year-old completed the first two innings on 23 pitches, a testament to his ability to throw strikes. He finished with 52 of his 78 pitches for strikes. Hill racked up two of his three strikeouts in the second inning: Josh Naylor on three pitches and Andres Gimenez on five pitches.
The Guardians have the best contact rate in the majors, at 80.8%.
Cleveland put 16 balls in play — while Hill logged just five swings and misses — but averaged an 87.3 mph exit velocity. (The Tigers, by the way, rank 23rd in MLB with a 75.6% contact rate.)
Walking the first batter in the third inning — Gabriel Arias — didn't deter Hill from continuing to pound the strike zone. He retired the next two batters and benefitted from catcher Tucker Barnhart's play for the third out.
With Myles Straw (grounded into a force out) on second base, Steven Kwan hit a single into left field. On the play at the plate, Barnhart received the ball, lunged and tagged out Straw before he touched home plate.
Initially, Straw was called safe by umpire Erich Bacchus. Manager A.J. Hinch challenged the play and the call was overturned.
In the fourth inning, the Guardians scored their lone run against Hill.
Josh Naylor, who exited the game in the seventh inning with back spasms, saw three straight changeups. He smashed the third one for a two-out home run to put Cleveland on the scoreboard.
After that, Hill retired the next seven batters to conclude his MLB debut.
He threw 10 of 11 pitches for strikes in the fifth inning and came out on top in an important eight-pitch battle with Kwan for the second out in the sixth. His final opponent, Amed Rosario, grounded out to second base.
Two more runs, zeros from bullpen
Picking up where Hill departed, three relievers posted zeros in the run column across the final three innings.
Left-hander Andrew Chafin faced the ever-dangerous Jose Ramirez for his first assignment in the seventh inning. He struck him out swinging with a slider and worked around Naylor's ensuing walk.
The Tigers tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh, as Báez poked a second-pitch curveball into shallow center field for an RBI single off right-handed reliever James Karinchak. He drove in Schoop for a 3-1 advantage.
Candelario struck out swinging to strand the bases loaded.
Chafin returned for the eighth inning to retire Gimenez, a left-handed hitter, then gave way to right-hander Michael Fulmer for the final two outs. Fulmer struck out Arias with a slider and induced a pop out against pinch-hitter Richie Palacios with a first-pitch slider.
The Tigers scored their fourth running in the eighth on Barnhart's RBI double. Left-handed closer Gregory Soto tossed a scoreless ninth, despite two walks, to record his 16th save in 18 opportunities. | 2022-07-04T21:29:51Z | www.freep.com | Detroit Tigers' Garrett Hill dazzles in debut; 4-1 win in Game 1 of 2 | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/07/04/detroit-tigers-game-recap-cleveland-guardians-game-1-doubleheader-garrett-hill/7803771001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/07/04/detroit-tigers-game-recap-cleveland-guardians-game-1-doubleheader-garrett-hill/7803771001/ |
If you dig out your assessment notice you'll spot words in bold print on the left side of the page, about half way down the page. That section shows approximately how much the change in taxable value will increase your 2022 tax bill based on last year's tax rates.
Oakland County Management and Budget Director Kyle Jen agreed that it is a reasonable assumption that the 5% level could be hit in the 2023 tax year, based on the inflation data that’s already been reported.
Inflation rates had been mild for many years since March 1994 when Michigan voters approved the constitutional amendment, known as Proposal A, which put a limit or cap on rising property taxes for many homeowners.
When the home is sold in Michigan, the so-called "cap" on property taxes is lifted. Many new homeowners don't realize how much their property taxes will go up, compared with what a long-time owner was paying.
More:Complaints say majority-Black and Hispanic cities, including Detroit, overtax homeowners
More:Biggest rate hike in decades to fight highest inflation in 40 years expected Wednesday
More:Think homes in Michigan are overpriced? You might be right.
The paperwork states on the top right hand corner in bold letters: "This is not a tax bill."
In Wayne County across all local communities and all classes of property, for example, Vandemergel said the average assessed value increased by 8.56% from the 2021 tax year to the 2022 tax year.
"People for years are going to be playing catch up," Anderson said, predicting higher taxable values and property taxes ahead for Michigan homeowners for a few years at least.
"They're going to have baked in property tax increases." | 2022-07-05T14:30:56Z | www.freep.com | Inflation to drive up Michigan property taxes now — and next year | https://www.freep.com/story/money/personal-finance/susan-tompor/2022/07/05/michigan-home-property-taxes-inflation-increase/7765790001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/money/personal-finance/susan-tompor/2022/07/05/michigan-home-property-taxes-inflation-increase/7765790001/ |
Following its addition to Michigan's invasive species watch list last year, beech leaf disease has been found in an area of St. Clair County, according to the Michigan departments of Natural Resources and Agriculture and Rural Development.
Beginning in 2020, surveys have been conducted across the eastern part of the country after beech leaf disease was detected in Ohio in 2012, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said.
Michigan is now one of nine states with confirmed cases, the DNR said.
Beech leaf disease harms the leaf tissue of beech trees. According to DNR, there are 37 million American beech trees in the state and the species is important to the forest and its wildlife.
Leaf damage can weaken trees, causing fatal consequences within six to 10 years, the DNR said.
"We don’t yet know all the ways the disease might be spread, and currently there are no known treatments to protect trees or reduce disease impacts," said DNR forest health specialist Simeon Wright.
Michigan beech trees have already been made vulnerable by beech bark disease, and with no remedy for either sickness, the trees could face a deadly outcome in years to come, the DNR said.
The DNR said the report prompted the department to send forest health staff to visit the area and retrieve samples for testing to be done by the Michigan State University Forest Pathology Laboratory.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed the results and the test for beech leaf disease was positive, according to the DNR.
More: Oak wilt's spread threatens Michigan trees
More: Gypsy moths could strip trees bare in southern Michigan this year, experts warn
For residents of Michigan on the lookout, the symptoms of beech leaf disease include "damaged leaf tissue, dead buds and darkened, thick tissue bands between leaf veins," the DNR said.
As time passes, distortion and curling of leaves may occur, causing them to become dry or yellow, according to the DNR.
On heavily infested trees, major leaf loss may occur at the start of summer, but the DNR said that there is not enough information on beech leaf disease yet to know the full long-term effects.
Since the disease may be spread by movement of infected material, the DNR said that foresters should be cautious and not move beech material and firewood from areas of known infestation.
In an attempt to manage the new disease, the DNR Forest Health Program plans to train Michigan's cooperative invasive species management area staff to verify and collect samples.
The DNR encourages landowners to be on the lookout for the disease and take photos if there are any sign of symptoms.
However, residents should be aware of similar invasive species and know how to tell the difference so false reports are not made, the DNR said.
Sightings of beech leaf disease can be reported by contacting the DNR Forest Health Division at DNR-FRD-Forest-Health@Michigan.gov or 517-284-5895, using the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network online reporting tool, or downloading its smartphone app. | 2022-07-05T15:57:33Z | www.freep.com | Beech leaf disease confirmed in Michigan: How it affects trees | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/07/05/michigan-beech-leaf-disease-trees-invasive-species/7809211001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/07/05/michigan-beech-leaf-disease-trees-invasive-species/7809211001/ |
Ford CEO Jim Farley, a longtime race car driver who finds relaxation behind the wheel in a fire resistant jumpsuit, competed in the biennial Le Mans Classic in France over the July 4th weekend, the company confirmed Tuesday.
The iconic race is made up of different cars in different classes, based on the age of the vehicle. He placed second in class driving his 1965 GT40, Ford spokeswoman Lori Arpin confirmed Tuesday.
"A dream come true ... Three hours of flat-out racing against some of the best drivers I know," the auto executive tweeted from @jimfarley98 on July 4.
"This was Jim’s best-ever performance at the Le Mans Classic, which is regarded as the premier sports car race for historic vehicles in the world," Arpin said.
The GT40 that Farley drove is chassis number 1109, one of the last four cars built, she said. "Jim has owned and raced this car for a few years now, having converted the car from red to a factory Ford dark blue with Wimbledon white stripes."
The vehicle, purchased and kept in Belgium, is prepared by the renowned Mec Auto for races around Europe and beyond. Farley has raced the car at Le Mans Classic, Goodwood Revival and the Spa 6 Hour race in Belgium with his race partner, Eric van der Poole, Arpin said.
Previously, Farley raced his 1978 Lola 298 at the Le Mans Classic.
Bill Ford, executive chair of Ford Motor Co., officially signed off on Farley continuing to race his vintage cars after Farley took the helm as CEO in October 2020. The company sees it as keeping a unique connection to the product.
The GT40 can reach 200 mph, Farley told the Free Press in 2019.
In February 2021, he raced his beloved 1978 Lola T298 to first in class, fourth overall, at the Sebring SpeedTour in Florida. It's a 17-turn, 3.74-mile airport course that trained bomber pilots during World War II. After the war, the property was turned into a race course.
He also made the podium racing his 1966 Cobra. Farley reached 150 mph in his Lola and 140 mph in his Cobra.
Farley isn't the only auto executive who has a passion for speed; others include General Motors President Mark Reuss, Toyota President Akio Toyoda and Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares.
'Talented driver'
In May 2021, Farley flew to California to compete in the Trans Am SpeedTour at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca series organized by the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association. His race came after Ford released a first-quarter earnings report that exceeded investor expectations. He raced his 1966 Cobra and won.
More:Ford archivist warned everyone photo release would be big. No one believed him
More:Private moments with Ford CEO Jim Farley reveal how he works
More:Farley gets personal with Tom Brady, Jimmy Kimmel in top-secret 'Drive' podcast
“Jim Farley is a very talented driver and a true sportsman," Tony Parella, CEO of Parella Motorsports Holdings, which owns the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association, told the Free Press in February 2021.
"You would never know he is the CEO of Ford," Parella said. "He is fun to have in the paddock." | 2022-07-05T18:47:10Z | www.freep.com | Ford CEO Jim Farley places 2nd in class at Le Mans Classic in France | https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/ford/2022/07/05/ford-ceo-jim-farley-le-mans-classic-france/7810342001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/ford/2022/07/05/ford-ceo-jim-farley-le-mans-classic-france/7810342001/ |
Over the last week, Michigan reported 13,102 new COVID-19 cases, an average of 1871.7 cases per day, and 64 new deaths, according to data released Tuesday by the state health department.
New cases decreased by 8.7% compared to last week, and new deaths represent a 63.2% decrease from the previous report.
More:Children under 5 start receiving COVID-19 vaccines | 2022-07-05T18:47:22Z | www.freep.com | Michigan reports 13,102 COVID-19 cases, 64 deaths over 7 days | https://www.freep.com/story/news/health/2022/07/05/michigan-reports-covid-19-cases-deaths/7809662001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/health/2022/07/05/michigan-reports-covid-19-cases-deaths/7809662001/ |
The latest attack from John Gibbs against his GOP primary opponent Rep. Peter Meijer, R-Grand Rapids, misrepresents the freshman congressman's vote on the congressional committee currently investigating the deadly Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol.
To back up its claim, Gibbs' campaign pointed to Meijer's vote for a bipartisan commission to investigate the Capitol attack that was never created because Senate Republicans blocked the proposal. But Meijer voted against creating the committee that is currently carrying out the probe and whose members were selected by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
The closely watched primary in Michigan between Gibbs and Meijer is one of a handful where an incumbent Republican faces a Trump-endorsed candidate.
Meijer was among the 10 Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives who voted to impeach Trump for inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection on the day members of Congress convened to certify Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 election.
Gibbs — who worked in the Trump administration at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — has made Meijer's vote to impeach the former president following the Jan. 6 insurrection a key talking point against his GOP opponent.
"I believe it is essential we have a thorough, credible Jan. 6 investigation in order to produce an objective report to get at the truth and clear away fictions and lies," Meijer wrote. "I fear the structure of this partisan select committee will not produce that critical outcome."
Pelosi appointed the committee's two Republican members: Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois. But Pelosi rejected two GOP lawmakers nominated by McCarthy, stating they would undermine the committee's work because of their previous claims about the Jan. 6 attack. | 2022-07-06T11:26:46Z | www.freep.com | Meijer's GOP primary opponent makes false claim on key vote | https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2022/07/06/meijer-gop-primary-opponent-jan-6-committee/7778656001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2022/07/06/meijer-gop-primary-opponent-jan-6-committee/7778656001/ |
Before tragic Shockwave crash, I rode fastest semitruck on Earth: What it was like
I sat securely belted into the passenger seat of a truck that happened to have three jet engines strapped to the back of it.
It was the mid-1990s and we waited at the end of an airport runway in Bloomington, Illinois. I had an idea of what was to come, but not a clear, realistic understanding of it.
It was summer in central Illinois. A heavy, fireproof suit weighed on my work clothes underneath it. The truck's team required that I wear the suit and the heat was stifling. As a young TV reporter, I was rather naive when I signed a waiver to ride in the Shockwave.
An airplane appeared above us and the driver, Les Shockley, reached across, pushed down the face shield on my helmet, hit the throttle with his foot and my life would never be the same. The world went white.
Shockley built and designed the truck to be a stunt show novelty. And it was just that, successfully performing without incident at air shows across the country for more than three decades.
On Saturday that show, at least the one using the Shockwave, came to a tragic end in a matter of seconds when the jet truck crashed on a runway at the Battle Creek Field of Flight Airshow. The accident killed the driver, Chris Darnell, 40, the only one on board this time. Darnell had been operating the Shockwave since 2012, according to the International Council of Air Shows.
'Living the dream'
The accident Saturday was the result of a mechanical failure, according to a Facebook post written on Saturday by Darnell's father Neal Darnell.
"My youngest son passed away from his injuries at approximately 1:01 pm. No one else was involved," Neal Darnell, founder of Darnell Racing Enterprises, wrote. "We are so sad. He was so well loved by everyone who knew him. Chris so loved the Air Show business. He was 'Living the Dream' as he said."
The Battle Creek Police did not return a call seeking details on the cause of the accident. But a report by Kalamazoo-based WWMT TV News on Tuesday said a blown rear tire likely set off a chain of events that caused the truck to catch fire and roll off the runway. A severed fuel line likely caused the explosion, Battle Creek Police Chief Jim Blocker said in the article.
In online videos, the crash happened just as pyrotechnics exploded on the airfield, but that fireball did not come from the truck.
“He did deploy his parachute early, so we can surmise from that he knew something was wrong,” Blocker said to WWMT.
The Darnell family did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But Darnell Enterprises' website shows it owns other stunt trucks, including a military version of the Shockwave:
Aftershock Jet Fire Truck: A 1940 Ford Fire Truck with twin Rolls-Royce Bristol Viper Jet Engines totaling over 24,000 horsepower. It holds the Guinness record for Fire Trucks at 407 mph.
Flash Fire Jet Truck: The Flash Fire has a 12,000 horsepower jet engine and reaches speeds exceeding 350 mph.
Neal Darnell told WWMT, despite this accident, his other stunt trucks will appear Saturday at a scheduled event in Goshen, Indiana, because his son would have wanted the show to go on.
Fastest semitruck on earth
I did not know the Darnells. When I rode in the Shockwave, Shockley was the driver and his wife, Donna, did everything else including help me get into the fireproof suit and sign the legal waivers before I climbed on board.
Shockley was in his early 50s at the time. He had custom-built his beast in the 1980s by taking the shell of a Peterbilt cab and attaching three Pratt & Whitney jet engines to it. The result was the fastest semitruck in the world, producing 36,000 horsepower.
I remember Donna told me if they set the truck on its rear end, the jets could launch it straight up into space.
According to www.shockwavejettruck.com, the jet engines originally were in the USA Navy T2 Buckeye. The Buckeye is a "tandem-seat, carrier-capable, all-purpose jet trainer" used to train Navy and Marine Corps pilots and naval flight officers, according to military.com.
The Shockwave's engines make a total of 21,000 lbs. of thrust, "which easily propels this truck to speeds over 350 mph while racing planes at air shows all over North America!" Shockwave also holds the record speed for semitrucks at 376 mph, the website said.
I don't remember the top speed Shockley and I got up to that day, but I know it was close to 300 mph.
He told me our ride elevates the heart rate to the equivalent of running a mile.
The uninformed volunteer
I found myself sitting next to Shockley by a fluke.
Every year, the Friday before the air show at the Central Illinois Regional Airport in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois, there would be a media day.
I was the Bloomington-Normal bureau chief for the Peoria-based WHOI-TV so a photographer and I went. After interviewing a few stunt pilots, the media coordinators asked all the reporters and photographers if one of us would like to ride in the Shockwave.
No one was volunteering. I raised my hand to ask what the Shockwave was and somehow that segued into me being the volunteer.
I remember it being explained to me this way: It's a truck that goes to the end of the runway and waits for one of the stunt planes to fly overhead, then the truck races the plane and wins. That sounded harmless and I was assured that it's totally safe and only lasts a few seconds.
No one mentioned 300 mph.
The cockpit was full of black roll bars for safety and bucket seats. I was strapped in by a series of safety belts over my hips and chest. Shockley told me there were three braking systems and four parachutes to stop it.
Despite that, I still did not comprehend the speed we were about to achieve.
Shockley was an extremely nice man. He told me that we'd pause in front of the media audience for a minute so that I could wave to them. The truck was roasting hot, rattling and shaking. The reporters were hollering at me and waving. I waved back, oblivious to the fact that Shockley was revving fire from the jet engines to put on a display for the crowd.
We slowly drove across the tarmac to the end of the runway, as a calm Shockley kept chatting with me.
We sat there waiting, and then a plane flew overhead. Shockley reached over and pushed down my face shield — and I felt instant regret.
To describe the feeling of thrust from a standstill to nearly 300 mph is almost impossible.
The most striking part for me was how everything turned white. I lost all vision. We were going so fast, the world was literally a white blur. I also remember I couldn't really breathe because of the pressure of air coming at me. And the G-forces bent my neck back and pulled hard at my face. Just think about going down the steepest, fastest roller coaster and then multiply that by ten.
The worst was the psychological terror. I was certain I was going to die. I could not fathom how we'd ever stop at that speed. I knew that any little thing that could go wrong would kill us at that speed.
The only way I can characterize the fear would be to liken it to what I imagine it would feel like to jump from a building and hurtle toward the ground.
When we finally did stop, the pressure of the safety belts against my chest nearly squeezed the wind out of me. It took me several minutes to recover and feel like I could breathe.
Yet when I looked over at Shockley he was as nonchalant as my dad was when he pulled the family car into our driveway. Shockley asked if I was all right and I remember nodding because I couldn't talk.
Shockley, who died in 2019 at age 75 from complications from a stroke, had a gift. I imagine Chris Darnell had that same gift. They could do something the average person cannot: They could read their instrument panel, see the road ahead of them and operate the controls at 300 mph the same way you and I can at 45 mph.
And, for that reason, they both lived the dream. | 2022-07-06T14:11:43Z | www.freep.com | Years before Shockwave jet truck crash, I rode it at 300 mph | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/07/06/shockwave-jet-truck-chris-darnell/7813402001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/07/06/shockwave-jet-truck-chris-darnell/7813402001/ |
General Motors reported a 35.5% decline in sales of new vehicles during the second quarter in its largest market, China, Wednesday.
More:GM's Barra: 'We can reenter Europe as an all-EV player'
On Friday, GM reported its U.S. new car sales declined 15.4% for the quarter as it grapples with a global shortage of semiconductor chips and other production disruptions. For the quarter, GM sold 582,401 new vehicles compared with t688,236 vehicles a year earlier. | 2022-07-06T16:08:58Z | www.freep.com | GM China reports 2nd quarter sales results down as COVID-19 cases rose | https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/general-motors/2022/07/06/gm-china-sales-second-quarter/7820217001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/general-motors/2022/07/06/gm-china-sales-second-quarter/7820217001/ |
LANSING — A motorist seriously injured when a 20-pound piece of concrete broke away from I-696 and crashed through his windshield can sue the Michigan Department of Transportation, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.
The 6-1 decision reverses earlier rulings by the Michigan Court of Claims and Court of Appeals, which said Norman Champine failed to give proper notice of the lawsuit under state law.
The ruling could be significant for other motorists who are injured or have their vehicles damaged as a result of state highways in disrepair, said Christopher Desmond, a Detroit attorney with Ven Johnson Law representing Champine.
"I think it's extremely significant," Desmond told the Free Press Wednesday. "Governmental immunity is an issue that impacts many cases. Any time you can get a court in this state to say a citizen has a right to be in court to pursue a claim against the government, that's important."
Champine was driving on I-696 in Macomb County in 2017 when the concrete smashed through his windshield and struck him in the head, knocking out all his teeth and causing a traumatic brain injury, Desmond said.
And Champine wasn't the first motorist to encounter flying concrete on that section of highway around that time, so the state should have addressed the problem sooner, he said.
More:Opinion: To fix the damn infrastructure, we have to spend the damn money
The lower courts had ruled that before filing his lawsuit in the Michigan Court of Claims, Champine was required by state law to first file a notice giving state details of the incident.
But Desmond argued that because the lawsuit was filed within the time period allowed for sending such a notice, and because the lawsuit included all the information required to be part of the notice, the suit itself could serve as the required notice. Also, MDOT was on the scene of the incident the same day it occurred, so it clearly had notice, he argued.
In an opinion written by Justice Richard Bernstein, the Michigan Supreme Court agreed.
Nothing in the Governmental Tort Liability Act, "suggests that notice cannot be provided through the filing of a plaintiff’s complaint within the statutory notice period," Bernstein wrote.
Justice Brian Zahra dissented, saying the notice should have been given in a document separate from the lawsuit.
Officials with MDOT and the Attorney General's Office had no immediate comment on the ruling. | 2022-07-06T17:57:44Z | www.freep.com | Michigan Supreme Court says motorist hurt by concrete can sue MDOT | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/07/06/supreme-court-lawsuit-injured-motorist-mdot/7821507001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/07/06/supreme-court-lawsuit-injured-motorist-mdot/7821507001/ |
2 women steal Michigan State Police recruiting tent from Cherry Festival in Traverse City
Michigan State Police are in search of two women after one of the agency's tents was stolen Monday morning at the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City.
MSP set up a recruiting booth on Union Street near Garland Street, according to ClickonDetroit, and were also asked to provide security at the festival.
Security footage shows two women stealing the recruiting tent a little after midnight on July 4.
Officers are reviewing the films in an attempt to identify the suspects.
Anyone with information is asked to call the agency's Cadillac Post at 231-779-6040.
In a Twitter post on Wednesday from northern Michigan MSP, officers stated that the criminal act will not stop recruiting efforts. | 2022-07-06T19:33:17Z | www.freep.com | Michigan State Police recruiting tent stolen from Cherry Festival | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/07/06/michigan-state-police-recruiting-tent-national-cherry-festival/7822422001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/07/06/michigan-state-police-recruiting-tent-national-cherry-festival/7822422001/ |
Tim Allen’s yacht spilled gallons of oil into Traverse City area marina
The Northport Village Marina temporarily closed Sunday after Tim Allen’s yacht leaked diesel fuel into the water.
The spill was mostly contained in the marina, and the Northport Village Marina Harbormaster Bill Rosemurgy estimated it to be nearly 30 gallons. The beach south of the marina also closed due to oil in the sand.
The marina, located north of Traverse City, reopened Monday evening.
The spill was first reported Sunday afternoon, though the fire department wasn't notified of the spill until over an hour after the incident. The U.S. Coast Guard was also brought in to provide oversight and help with clean-up. The clean-up crew used brooms and a thousand oil absorbent pads to soak up the diesel from the water.
Leelanau Township Fire Chief Hugh Cook told the Traverse City Record-Eagle that the leak resulted from a fuel filter issue with the yacht. This led fuel to spill into the yacht’s engine compartment, and when there was too much fuel, the bilge pump dumped it into the marina.
Though Allen knew the fuel filter gasket popped while he was out in Omena Bay, he was not aware that his boat was leaking diesel fuel until he docked his boat and onlookers pointed it out to him.
Leelanau Township Fire Chief Hugh Cook told the Traverse City Record-Eagle that he does not believe the spill affected wildlife. However, an eyewitness named Helena Marano told the Record-Eagle that she saw several dead ducklings, carp and pike, and tried to clean one oil-covered duck before it died in her hands.
The actor, known for his roles in “Home Improvement” and “Toy Story,” grew up in Birmingham, and later attended college in the state.
More: Mackinac Bridge to welcome Labor Day crowds for 64th annual walk
As the owner of the boat, Allen will be responsible for the clean-up costs. | 2022-07-06T21:34:59Z | www.freep.com | Tim Allen’s yacht spilled oil into Traverse City area marina | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/07/06/tim-allen-yacht-spilled-oil-into-traverse-city-area-marina/7825297001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/07/06/tim-allen-yacht-spilled-oil-into-traverse-city-area-marina/7825297001/ |
Three Michigan Lottery tickes worth $1 million were sold on the same day in June, according to the Michigan Lottery.
The tickets were all purchased June 21 and included a Mystery Multiplier in Mattawan, 20X Cashword in Owosso and Lucky X50 sold in Gladstone.
However, they weren't the top amounts won last month. An $80 Million Cash Payout ticket sold in Jackson worth $2 million was the top prize. The second highest was a Lotto 47 ticket worth $1.85 million sold in Ortonville.
More:Macomb woman couldn't breathe after learning she hit lottery for $2 million
More:Tuscola County woman didn't realize she won $100,000 in Michigan Lottery online game
They were a few of the 17 prizes worth $100,000 of more sold in June. Here's a look at all the big winning tickets. | 2022-07-07T13:31:05Z | www.freep.com | Michigan Lottery: Winning tickets sold in June | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/07/07/michigan-lottery-winning-tickets-sold-june/7810259001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/07/07/michigan-lottery-winning-tickets-sold-june/7810259001/ |
Wondering how to watch the Detroit Pistons' late-night Summer League opener against the Portland Trail Blazers?
Top 2021 draft pick Cade Cunningham is on the roster but isn't likely to suit up in the Summer League after averaging 17.1 points, 5.6 assists and 5.5 rebounds last season and finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting. But 2022 picks Jaden Ivey (No. 5 overall) and Jalen Duren (No. 13) are expected to play and you could see 2021 draft picks Killian Hayes and Saben Lee as well.
The Blazers, who acquired Jerami Grant from the Pistons last month, will be headlined this summer by 2022 No. 7 pick Shaedon Sharpe, who was on the Pistons' radar; 2022 No. 57 pick Jabari Walker; second-year players Greg Brown III, Keon Johnson, Trendon Watford and Brandon Williams; and Didi Louzada, now in his third season
MORE:Buddy Boeheim goes way back with Pistons, but 3-point shot is how he'll stick around
RELATED:Pistons set up to strike in 2023 NBA free agency with loads of cap space | 2022-07-07T14:36:22Z | www.freep.com | NBA Summer League: Detroit Pistons vs. Portland Trail Blazers updates | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2022/07/07/nba-summer-league-detroit-pistons-portland-trail-blazers-score/7825298001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2022/07/07/nba-summer-league-detroit-pistons-portland-trail-blazers-score/7825298001/ |
Before starting his acting career, the New York City native played football at Michigan State. He later transferred to Hofstra.
More:Ann Arbor couple take 'Great Muslim American Road Trip' for PBS docuseries
Rob Reiner, who directed Cann in his 1990 film "Misery," wrote in a tweet Thursday that he was "so sorry to hear the news. I loved working with him. And the only Jew I knew who could calf rope with the best of them."
Caan seemed to posses the energy of a coiled cobra, his typically fit body barely containing an intensity that kept movie-goers on the edge of their seats.
Nowhere was that trait more on display than in the "Godfather" movies, where Santino, the hotheaded son of Don Corleone, played by Marlon Brando, Caan always seemed on the verge of violence.
That energy almost provided a liability to Reiner, as he set about to tell the Stephen King penned story of a successful novelist who is held captive by a psychotic fan, played to Oscar-winning perfection by Kathy Bates.
Free Press sports editor Kirkland Crawford contributed to this report. | 2022-07-07T18:44:06Z | www.freep.com | James Caan, star of 'The Godfather,' 'Misery,' dies at 82 | https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/movies/2022/07/07/james-caan-the-godfather-star-dies-82/7832430001/ | https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/movies/2022/07/07/james-caan-the-godfather-star-dies-82/7832430001/ |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.