By PAT GRAHAM

Before Mikaela Shiffrin, Lindsey Vonn and other World Cup ski racers chase gold at the Milan Cortina Olympics, they will star in a new docuseries that gives a behind-the-scenes glimpse of what it’s like on the circuit.

Some of the biggest names in the sport are featured in ESPN’s five-episode series called “On the Edge: World Cup Ski Racing,” which starts Friday with three segments. Besides Shiffrin and Vonn, the docuseries features Swiss standout Marco Odermatt and Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, the Norwegian-born racer who represents Brazil and definitely likes to entertain.

The last episode in the series, titled “The World’s Stage,” will air on April 10 and focus on Swiss racer Camille Rast as she reflects on the fatal fire in a bar in the ski resort Crans-Montana during a New Year’s celebration. That particular episode will also look back at the Olympics and how the 41-year-old Vonn, who returned to the circuit after a partial knee replacement, and others performed.

The Milan Cortina Games are Feb. 6-22.

The series kicks off with the spotlight on Shiffrin and her fiancé, Norwegian standout Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, as they support each other following their returns from severe injuries.

“This kind of storytelling is so important to the future of our sport,” Sophie Goldschmidt, the president & CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, said in a text to The Associated Press. “‘On the Edge’ gives ski racing an even bigger platform and broader reach — and that’s how you inspire participation.

“We hope this series encourages more kids to fall in love with ski racing and dream of becoming the next Mikaela Shiffrin, Lindsey Vonn or Ryan Cochran-Siegle. We have so many amazing stories to share about both our U.S. and international athletes.”

The project is directed by filmmaker Pat Dimon, who explores the journey of racers toward Olympic gold and the grind behind the World Cup season. It also features racers such as New Zealand’s Alice Robinson; Italy’s Sofia Goggia, Federica Brignone and Dominik Paris; and Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen.

“Growing up a lifelong skier in Vermont, I learned that what matters most often happens away from the gates and finish line,” Dimon said of the series that premieres on the ESPN app and ESPN on Disney+. “’On the Edge’ is about seeing past the polished surface and dropping into the real line of World Cup racing — the grind of travel, the toll of injuries, the pressure, and the mindset it takes to be and stay at that level.”

AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing and AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

President Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Kevin Warsh as the next Federal Reserve chair, replacing Jerome Powell. Warsh has previously called for a "regime change" with the Fed.

Despite Trump tapping a potential Fed chair who has been critical of Powell, Danny Moses, Scripps News financial contributor and host of the Danny Moses Show, said in an interview that Trump picked someone with global credibility.

"I think the belief is.. that it will remain somewhat independent, hopefully fully independent going forward, so I think people around the world are happy to see that," Moses said.

RELATED STORY | President Trump names Kevin Warsh as his pick to replace Powell as Fed chair

The Federal Reserve's most important function is setting the federal funds rate, which influences the interest rates banks charge each other for overnight loans. This indirectly affects consumer lending rates for mortgages, auto loans and credit cards, as well as borrowing costs for businesses.

Warsh and Trump share in their criticisms of Powell for not lowering interest rates fast enough.

Moses suggested that Warsh's selection won't have a major impact on the future of interest rates. Warsh's term would begin in June pending Senate confirmation. Powell had projected just one rate decrease in 2026.

"I think the belief is that he'll watch inflation carefully and not try to make a mistake here on policy," Moses said.

PAST REPORTING | Fed Chair Powell under fire from Trump ahead of tense Jackson Hole address

Low interest rates generally spur economic growth by making borrowing cheaper. However, Fed policymakers argue that keeping rates too low for too long can fuel inflation.

But Moses says Warsh's deregulatory stance could naturally lead to lower inflation.

"I think this is the best case scenario as far as the markets are concerned," Moses said.

The Danny Moses Show airs on Scripps News at 7 p.m. Eastern Fridays.

Canadian actress Catherine OHara, who entertained audiences for decades on television and in film, has died at 71, according to TMZ and Variety. No cause of death has been announced.

OHara rose to prominence in the 1970s with Torontos Second City comedy troupe before becoming a founding cast member of SCTV, earning an Emmy Award for writing.

She went on to star in several Tim Burton projects, including Beetlejuice and voicing Sally in The Nightmare Before Christmas.

RELATED STORY | Chicago-area house from 'Home Alone' is back on the market

In the early 1990s, OHara became widely known as Kate McCallister, the mother in Home Alone and its sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.

She enjoyed a major career resurgence from 2015 to 2020, playing Moira Rose in Schitts Creek, a role that earned her Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards.

Her contributions to entertainment and Canadian culture were recognized with her appointment as an Officer of the Order of Canada.

RELATED STORY | Macaulay Culkin gets emotional during Hollywood Walk of Fame speech

By GRAHAM LEE BREWER, SAVANNAH PETERS and STEWART HUNTINGTON

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — When U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement flooded Minneapolis, Shane Mantz dug his Choctaw Nation citizenship card out of a box on his dresser and slid it into his wallet.

Some strangers mistake the pest-control company manager for Latino, he said, and he fears getting caught up in ICE raids.

Like Mantz, many Native Americans are carrying tribal documents proving their U.S. citizenship in case they are stopped or questioned by federal immigration agents. This is why dozens of the 575 federally recognized Native nations are making it easier to get tribal IDs. They’re waiving fees, lowering the age of eligibility — ranging from 5 to 18 nationwide — and printing the cards faster.

It’s the first time tribal IDs have been widely used as proof of U.S. citizenship and protection against federal law enforcement, said David Wilkins, an expert on Native politics and governance at the University of Richmond.

“I don’t think there’s anything historically comparable,” Wilkins said. “I find it terribly frustrating and disheartening.”

As Native Americans around the country rush to secure documents proving their right to live in the United States, many see a bitter irony.

“As the first people of this land, there’s no reason why Native Americans should have their citizenship questioned,” said Jaqueline De León, a senior staff attorney with the nonprofit Native American Rights Fund and member of Isleta Pueblo.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security didn’t respond to more than four requests for comment over a week.

Native identity in a new age of fear

Since the mid- to late 1800s, the U.S. government has kept detailed genealogical records to estimate Native Americans’ fraction of “Indian blood” and determine their eligibility for health care, housing, education and other services owed under federal legal responsibilities. Those records were also used to aid federal assimilation efforts and chip away at tribal sovereignty, communal lands and identity.

Beginning in the late 1960s, many tribal nations began issuing their own forms of identification. In the last two decades, tribal photo ID cards have become commonplace and can be used to vote in tribal elections, to prove U.S. work eligibility and for domestic air travel.

About 70% of Native Americans today live in urban areas, including tens of thousands in the Twin Cities, one of the largest urban Native populations in the country.

There, in early January, a top ICE official announced the “largest immigration operation ever.”

Masked, heavily armed agents traveling in convoys of unmarked SUVs became commonplace in some neighborhoods. By this week, more than 3,400 people had been arrested, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. At least 2,000 ICE officers and 1,000 Border Patrol officers were on the ground.

Representatives from at least 10 tribes traveled hundreds of miles to Minneapolis — the birthplace of the American Indian Movement — to accept ID applications from members there. Among them were the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Ojibwe of Wisconsin, the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate of South Dakota and the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa of North Dakota.

Turtle Mountain citizen Faron Houle renewed his tribal ID card and got his young adult son’s and his daughter’s first ones.

“You just get nervous,” Houle said. “I think (ICE agents are) more or less racial profiling people, including me.”

Events in downtown coffee shops, hotel ballrooms, and at the Minneapolis American Indian Center helped urban tribal citizens connect and share resources, said Christine Yellow Bird, who directs the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation’s satellite office in Fargo, North Dakota.

Yellow Bird made four trips to Minneapolis in recent weeks, putting nearly 2,000 miles on her 2017 Chevy Tahoe to help citizens in the Twin Cities who can’t make the long journey to their reservation.

Yellow Bird said she always keeps her tribal ID with her.

“I’m proud of who I am,” she said. “I never thought I would have to carry it for my own safety.”

Some Native Americans say ICE is harassing them

Last year, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren said that several tribal citizens reported being stopped and detained by ICE officers in Arizona and New Mexico. He and other tribal leaders have advised citizens to carry tribal IDs with them at all times.

Last November, Elaine Miles, a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Oregon and an actress known for her roles in “Northern Exposure” and “The Last of Us,” said she was stopped by ICE officers in Washington state who told her that her tribal ID looked fake.

The Oglala Sioux Tribe this week banned ICE from its reservation in southwestern South Dakota and northwestern Nebraska, one of the largest in the country.

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North and South Dakota said a member was detained in Minnesota last weekend. And Peter Yazzie, who is Navajo, said he was arrested and held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Phoenix for several hours last week.

Yazzie, a construction worker from nearby Chinle, Arizona, said he was sitting in his car at a gas station preparing for a day of work when he saw ICE officers arrest some Latino men. The officers soon turned their attention to Yazzie, pushed him to the ground, and searched his vehicle, he said.

He said he told them where to find his driver’s license, birth certificate, and a federal Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood. Yazzie said the car he was in is registered to his mother. Officers said the names didn’t match, he said, and he was arrested, taken to a nearby detention center and held for about four hours.

“It’s an ugly feeling. It makes you feel less human. To know that people see your features and think so little of you,” he said.

DHS did not respond to questions about the arrest.

Mantz, the Choctaw Nation citizen, said he runs pest-control operations in Minneapolis neighborhoods where ICE agents are active and he won’t leave home without his tribal identification documents.

Securing them for his children is now a priority.

“It gives me some peace of mind. But at the same time, why do we have to carry these documents?” Mantz said. “Who are you to ask us to prove who we are?”

Brewer reported from Oklahoma City and Peters from Edgewood, New Mexico.

A federal bankruptcy judge on Thursday stopped a fast-tracked auction of the historic Leland House in downtown Detroit, rejecting the building owner’s proposed sale and delivering a temporary win for displaced tenants who said the proposed sale would strip them of their rights without due process.

The post Judge halts rushed Leland House auction, intervening again in fight over Detroit’s historic building appeared first on Detroit Metro Times.

A Waterford Township man is facing multiple felony charges for allegedly robbing two stores at knifepoint at Great Lakes Crossing Outlets on Tuesday, allegedly threatening police officers when they confronted him and then fleeing in his car.

Ryan David Kissel, 29, is charged with two counts of armed robbery, felonious assault, fleeing/eluding police-third degree, and two counts of assaulting/resisting/obstructing police in connection with the Jan. 27 incident.

According to the Auburn Hills Police Department, officers responded to the mall, located at 4000 Baldwin Road, at around 7:30 p.m. on Jan, 27 after receiving 911 calls about a man armed with a knife who had robbed two stores. Kissel reportedly threatened officers who approached him the parking lot, then got into his car and drove away.

As stated in a news release from the police department, “Officers pursued the suspect until it was deemed too dangerous to continue, and the pursuit was terminated.” A “Be On the Lookout” alert was sent out to area police agencies as an investigation continued, police said.

No injuries were reported in the alleged robberies, police said.

At approximately 9:30 p.m., on Jan. 27, Kissel was taken into custody at his home in Waterford. Charges were issued the next day. At Kissel’s arraignment on Jan. 29 in 52-3 District Court, Magistrate Marie Soma set bond at $250,000 with no 10% provision. If he posts bond, and is released from the Oakland County Jail, Kissel is to be monitored by electronic tether and prohibited from returning to Great Lakes Crossing Outlets.

Kissel’s next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 12 for a probable cause conference followed by a preliminary exam a week later. Armed robbery is punishable by up to life in prison.

In the news release, the Auburn Hills Police Department acknowledged assistance from the mall’s security staff and the Waterford Police Department for “outstanding cooperation and professionalism.”

“Their timely communication, coordinated response and investigative assistance were instrumental in the safe identification and apprehension of the suspect. This incident highlights the importance of strong partnerships between private security and law enforcement agencies in protecting our community,” the news release stated..

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has additional information about it is asked to call the Auburn Hills Police Department at 248-370-9460.

The Justice Department has opened a federal civil rights investigation into the death of a 37-year-old U.S. citizen who was killed by federal immigration enforcement agents in Minneapolis.

Alex Pretti was shot during a chaotic encounter with agents on Jan. 24.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Friday that the investigation will examine all available evidence to shed light on the incident.

"I expect that the folks that are doing this are the most experienced in the space and are doing that," Blanche stated.

In a letter to Congress, the Department of Homeland Security provided a timeline of the incident. At about 9 a.m. on Jan. 24, officials say a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer was confronted by two women who were blowing whistles. The officer ordered them to move out of the roadway, but officials say the women refused.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Footage reveals Jan. 13 clash between Alex Pretti and immigration agents

After pushing the woman out of the way, Pretti intervened. Officials say officers then attempted to take Pretti into custody, at which point they allege he resisted. It was at that point at least two officers fired shots, killing Pretti.

Those two officers were placed on standard administrative leave following the shooting.

RELATED STORY | Bystander videos highlight Trump administration's pattern of deception in Minneapolis

Members of the Trump administration initially described Pretti as a would-be assassin who brandished a gun. Those claims, however, appear to be contradicted by witness video.

Pretti was a licensed concealed-carry permit holder and was armed, but video does not show him pointing the weapon at officers. Instead, footage shows an officer removing the gun from Pretti before shots were fired.

The Senate reached a deal Thursday night to fund the Department of Homeland Security for just two weeks as lawmakers raced to avoid a partial government shutdown, but they left without voting to advance it. Democrats say the agreement marks progress in the latest political fight gripping Washington over funding for ICE.

A government shutdown appears increasingly likely as funding expires at midnight Friday, with House Speaker Mike Johnson telling reporters the House will not return to Washington until Monday. This means there will be at least a short-term government shutdown through the weekend.

RELATED STORY | Democrats lay out demands for ICE as government funding impasse enters final hours

The Senate is expected to return to the Capitol Friday evening to vote on five of the six remaining annual government funding bills, along with the two-week extension for DHS funding.

Democrats push for ICE reforms

Democrats have made clear since last weekend's shooting of Alex Pretty in Minnesota that they want major changes to the Department of Homeland Security, specifically to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Their proposals include banning masks for agents, requiring body cameras and identification, and ending some roving patrols seen throughout mostly Democrat-run cities like Minneapolis.

"I wish we'd have seen movement from our Republican friends beforehand," said Sen. Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat. "We knew this was going to be an enormous issue after the activity over the last few weeks in Minneapolis, particularly after the second killing. Let's get this done, have a path towards reforms and move forward."

Republican support uncertain

While President Donald Trump reached the agreement with Senate Democrats to give them two weeks for broader discussions, it's unclear whether many Republicans support the proposed changes to ICE and DHS.

However, Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally, expressed openness to some reforms.

RELATED STORY | Democratic lawmakers dig in against bill to fund ICE as deadline for government funding looms

"I think Democrats are wanting some reforms that make sense to me," Graham said. "Body cameras, making ICE more like other agencies. But that's the Band-Aid. I'm willing to entertain some reforms to make sure that we rein in ICE appropriately and make it more professional."

Noem impeachment threat

Three-quarters of House Democrats have signed articles of impeachment against DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

"We intend to proceed with impeachment proceedings if Kristi Noem is not fired," Jeffries said. "She's got to go. We are dead serious. She needs to be put on ice permanently."

However, Democrats indicated that Noem's removal alone would not satisfy their demands, as they worry about potential replacements. No Republican House members have indicated they would support impeachment proceedings.

The major question remains whether the Trump administration will tell agencies to continue operations and pay employees during any brief funding lapse, or whether Americans will experience disruption from a partial government shutdown.

BLOOMFIELD HILLS – Birmingham Groves dictated tempo from the start and raced to an 80-39 victory over Bloomfield Hills in a battle for first place in the Oakland Activities Association White Division.

Both teams came into the game unbeaten in league play. But it didn’t take long for Groves to assert control of the game. After the teams battled to an 8-8 start, the Falcons closed the first quarter on a 14-2 run and never looked back.

The Falcons full cast came to play. Groves came in waves, pressed all night, and generally filled the stat sheet every which way. The Falcons dressed 10 players and all of them scored, each had at least one rebound, and eight players had at least one steal as everyone got into the act.

“We wanted everyone to score, so that was the cool thing,” Falcons head coach Jessica Duleba said. “I think you got to see our style of play is pretty fun.”

Still, when the Falcons needed a bucket to get on track or stem a brief run by the Black Hawks, it was either Harlem Simpson or Jacey Roy that they turned to. Simpson, who recently hit 1,000 for her career, finished with a game-high 26 points, including 20 points in the first half. Roy added 17 points, and Mallory Killian added 13 points for the Falcons.

“I’m happy with our performance. The shooting was good tonight,” said Duleba, whose team has now equaled or exceeded 80 points in eight games during its current win streak that followed an 0-2 start to the year.

The Black Hawks played well in spurts. When they could break the press or get a defensive stop or two, Bloomfield Hills was very competitive. But as soon as they started to turn the ball over, Groves would score in transition, put on a quick spurt, and extend its lead.

“I felt that we threw the ball away three times in the first half, and they scored three threes,” Black Hawks head coach Renardo Brown said. “That’s what we’ve got to learn. We’ve got to learn to break it (the press), and then run something,” he added.

Photos of Birmingham Groves vs. Bloomfield Hills in OAA White girls hoops action

Raina James came off the bench to lead the Black Hawks with 12 points. Julianna Socha had a game-high nine rebounds for Bloomfield Hills, and though they also spread the scoring around, outside of James, no one else came close to double figures for the Black Hawks.

With the win, Groves (10-2 overall) improves to 5-0 in the OAA White and assumes full control of the league race. The Falcons begin their second trip through the league on Tuesday with a road game against Auburn Hills Avondale.

“We really wanted this one. We lost to them in districts last year, so we had this one on our list,” Duleba said. “We’re just happy to get this one. We split it last year (in the regular season) and lost in districts, so we keep that as our motivation. We have a lot of teams on our list this year, and we’re trying to prove that we belong and that we should be in the top teams around here, that we deserve some recognition, too.”

The Black Hawks (7-3, 3-1 OAA White) have a quick turnaround, hosting Walled Lake Central in a non-league contest on Friday.

The teams could meet two more times this year – once more in league play and possibly again in districts.

“I played four freshmen tonight,” Brown said. “We’re going through some growing stages right now. But I think give us three or four more games down the road, we work on what we need to work on, and we probably can put a better show out there. But we’ve got to meet them again, probably in the playoffs here, and that’s what it’s all about.”

A Walled Lake marijuana producer is under state investigation.

Michigan’s Cannabis Regulatory Agency filed a formal complaint against Prism Triangle at 850 Ladd Road in Walled Lake.

The complaint lists two counts of not employing a lab manager, one count of not using state-approved testing methods and one count of not meeting state standards for sampling and testing marijuana and marijuana products.

State officials who inspected the company in 2025 found evidence that the company did not meet standards for testing recreational marijuana for pesticides and did not have a lab manager with an advanced degree in medical or laboratory science.

In August, 2025, state officials were alerted to the fact that the company was not using approved testing methods to detect a mold called aspergillus, which may cause people to develop a fungal lung infection.

Investigators found that the company improperly recorded test results and used equipment that was not property calibrated.

The state has the right to impose fines or sanction a license by suspending, restricting, revoking or refusing to renew it. The company has 21 days to respond to the complaint and request a formal hearing.

Prism Triangle officials did not respond to requests for comment from The Oakland Press.

ROCHESTER HILLS — Stoney Creek relied on the free-throw shooting of junior forward Calista Ivezaj to pull out a 41-38 win over visiting West Bloomfield on Thursday.

She made 11 of 14 free-throw attempts overall and only missed one of her eight tries in the fourth quarter, leading all scorers with 21 points in the Cougars’ success.

“Going into it, we were just prepping a lot, taking practice very seriously,” said Calista, who was coming off a career-high 26 points in Stoney Creek’s last outing, a 59-16 win against Fenton. “We know these league games are gonna be tough. It’s a rivalry, everything there, but we were just focusing on what we do best and locking in on what we know we can execute.”

Stoney Creek, West Bloomfield and Clarkston have been the top-three teams in the OAA Red in some order going back to 2023-24, but the league title has eluded the Cougars. In the first of their four games against those two opponents, a victory over the Lakers is a first step toward claiming one this winter.

“One of our biggest goals has always been winning the OAA Red,” Calista said. “Coming out (of it), (Stoney Creek head coach Columbus Williams) just said, ‘This is the start. We’re sending the message we’re here to play, not play around.’ We’re be focused for the rest of the OAA (schedule).”

After a commanding 15-4 start by the hosts, West Bloomfield (9-4, 3-2) scored five unanswered early in the second quarter to make it a four-point contest, and from there little separated the two league contenders. The Lakers finished off the opening half on a 6-0 spurt that included a 3-pointer by star senior guard Sheridan Beal, and it was Stoney that led by one, 29-28, after three quarters of action.

“We were trying to control the tempo at that point with the lead that we had,” Williams said of the early action. “Their guards put a lot of pressure on us and our girls didn’t read the flow of the game the right way, then we threw a few turnovers in that second quarter that allowed them to get back into the game.”

Following a floater by freshman guard Bailey Finnie’s floater that had the Lakers within one early in the fourth, both teams went scoreless over the course of several trips until the Cougars rebounded a missed 3-pointer and senior Jadelynn Freeman sank a baseline jumper with 3:20 to go.

After two Calista Ivezaj free throws and a split pair by Malia Taylor, Izzy Ivezaj hit Calista underneath for a bucket that made 37-31, but Beal sliced the lead in half with 1:40 to go when she was fouled on a made 3-pointer, though she didn’t sink the free throw.

Photo gallery from Stoney Creek vs. West Bloomfield in an OAA Red girls hoops contest

Beal missed her next two shots, but teammate Tiara Hopkins-Butler deposited the second miss to keep the Lakers within two at 38-36 with 1:09 remaining, and after the Cougars committed a backcourt violation, Beal drove the lane and knocked down a pull-up jumper that tied the game as 50 seconds remained.

Despite that, West Bloomfield fouled afterward and sent Isabelle Sutton to the line, where she made one of two with 43 ticks left, and the last four shots by the Lakers, including a potential game tying 3-pointer after Calista Ivezaj's final two free throws, didn't fall, preserving Stoney's triumph.

The Ivezajs -- Calista, Izzy and Abby -- used their height and length to combine for at least a handful of blocks.

That helped take advantage of one of West Bloomfield's shortcomings. The Lakers are down a pair of key players from the beginning of the year, including forward Londyn Hall (ACL), the only other returning starter other than Beal from last year's team that reached the Division 1 semifinals.

"We're down two starters, and I don't have a floor general, someone who's going to get them where they're supposed to be," Lakers head coach Darrin McAllister said. "It's tough from where we started, what we expected to do. We had to pivot."

Beal, who saw a ton of attention from Freeman and the rest of the Cougars' line of forwards, finished with a team-high 19 points. She's yet to be held to single-digit scoring this season.

"Sheridan's doing a lot more things now," McAllister said. "Going back to losing your starting point guard, at the end of the game, we're putting the ball in her hands as opposed to her being the off-guard. London, she was a tremendous post player, and it's putting pressure on other post players. But hopefully, and I'm confident, we'll get it together and by the postseason we'll be better than we are now.

"If I had hair, I'd be pulling it out right now. But I'm not crying over spilt milk. I can't do that. We've been to the Breslin four times in four years and some people haven't gone in a 30 or 40-year career. So I'm putting it on me."

West Bloomfield and Stoney Creek will rematch in the final league game of the season for both teams on Feb. 24. Meanwhile, the Cougars play Lake Orion on Tuesday, then will face Clarkston, the Red Division's other 4-0 team, in back-to-back games, beginning with an away game against the Wolves on Feb. 6.

"With the snow day we had, looking at both our crazy calendars, that's how we put it," Williams said of the consecutive matchups upcoming with Clarkston. "Personally, I like it, because if we win (both), we've got the league settled within four days."

The Justice Department on Friday said it released more than 3 million additional pages of records related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Scripps News is going through the latest documents for any new revelations.

The DOJ says the newly published materials include more than 2,000 videos and about 180,000 images.

The records were collected from five primary sources, according to the DOJ: The federal criminal cases against Epstein in Florida and New York, the New York prosecution of Ghislaine Maxwell, investigations into Epsteins death, a Florida case involving a former Epstein employee, multiple FBI investigations, and a Justice Department inspector general review of Epsteins death.

RELATED STORY | Limited Epstein files release includes extensive redactions, images of notable figures

The release was made under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was passed by Congress in late 2025 and signed by President Donald Trump. It required the DOJ to release all of its investigative files related to Epstein within 30 days. Officials said it did not meet that deadline because of the number of documents it possessed.

The DOJ said some files were not being released, including those that depict violence. The department added that redactions were narrowly applied to protect victims and their families. Some pornographic images were also redacted, with officials saying the department treated all women depicted in such images as victims. The department said notable individuals and politicians were not redacted in any of the released files.

RELATED STORY | Epstein survivor says she's losing faith that all of the DOJ's files will be released

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche claimed during a press briefing on Friday that there is an untrue narrative that the files contain hidden evidence of powerful men that the government is choosing not to pursue.

"There's this built-in assumption that somehow there's this hidden tranche of information of men that we know about, that we're covering up or that we're not, we're choosing not to prosecute. That is not the case," Blanche said. "I don't know whether there are men out there that abused these women. If we learn about information and evidence that allows us to prosecute them, you better believe we will. But I don't think that the public or you all are going to uncover men within the Epstein files that abused women."

Meanwhile, officials cautioned that some of the released material may contain false or misleading information, reflecting reports that were investigated but later cleared.

The post Washtenaw County sheriff says cooperating with ICE puts community members at risk appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

By Charles E. Ramirez, cramirez@detroitnews.com

Southeast and central Michigan continue to feel the freezer burn on Friday morning.

Dangerously frigid temperatures prompted the National Weather Service to issue a cold weather advisory, and dozens of schools canceled classes.

The advisory is in effect until 10 a.m. for areas north of Interstate 96, including Michigan’s Thumb and the Bay City-Midland-Saginaw area, the weather service said.

NWS warns temperatures across the region will start at between 5 and 20 degrees below zero. Detroit had reached 3 by about 8 a.m. Friday and was expected to reach a high of 14. The city’s normal high temperature in January is 32.3.

Wind chills are expected to drop to 20 below zero north of I-96 and 15 below zero near Flint and the M-59 corridor, according to the forecast.

NWS also said the coldest conditions are expected by mid-Friday morning.

Some areas of the region may also see some snow on Friday. The eastern part of Michigan’s Thumb could get 1 to 3 inches of snow from Friday night through Saturday morning, thanks to lake effect snow showers from Lake Huron.

Light snow and flurries are possible for the rest of the region, with a dusting to a tenth or two of an inch possible, the NWS said.

Meanwhile, among the districts closed amid the extreme cold is Dearborn Public Schools.

“All Dearborn Public Schools will be closed on Friday 1/30/26. Wind chill temps for Friday A.M. forecasted between -15 to -20 depending on conditions. District uses -20 as a threshold for closing. Temps expected to rise throughout the day but out of an abundance of caution for students in the A.M. schools will be closed,” officials said in a statement on the district’s website.

The Crestwood School District in Dearborn Heights followed suit.

“All Crestwood School District school buildings and offices will be closed on Friday, January 30, 2026 to address building needs due to the recent extreme cold conditions,” it said.

Detroit Public Schools Community District remained open on Friday. Earlier this week, district officials said the school system had used its sixth and final ‘forgiveness’ day for weather, but planned to petition the state for more.

The cold will stick around over the weekend. On Saturday, Detroit’s high should climb to 19, according to the weather service. The city is also looking at isolated snow showers between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m.

NWS also predicts wind chills will range between 10 below zero and minus 15 for parts of southeast Michigan, the weather service said. Wind chill values in Detroit could fall as low as minus-5.

On Thursday, Detroit officials said they were keeping the city’s overnight stand-by shelters and respite locations open for an additional day due to the continued cold.

Shelters provided by the city with Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries at 13130 Woodward Ave., the Pope Francis Center at 2915 Hancock, and the Neighborhood Service Organization at 882 Oakman Blvd. will remain open until Monday. Earlier this week, officials announced the shelters would be extended through Sunday.

“Our priority is keeping every Detroiter safe and warm,” Mayor Mary Sheffield said in a statement. “During these bitterly cold conditions, the City of Detroit is making sure every resident has access to a safe and warm place.

“If you need shelter, call our Housing HelpLine at 866-313-2520, visit any police precinct, or go directly to a stand-by shelter. No one should have to face this extreme cold alone.”

NWS meteorologists predict that sunshine on Sunday will push temperatures into the lower 20s, and highs in the 20s will linger over the next week.

In Detroit, the mercury could reach 22 on Sunday. The city’s average high temperature in February, which begins Sunday, is 35.2.

As the deep freeze continues across the region, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office on Friday reminded the public to be careful when venturing out onto lakes, ponds, and rivers.

The office said fluctuating temperatures and underwater currents can create dangerous, unstable ice conditions often invisible from the surface. Officials also said there is no such thing as ice that’s 100% safe.

“We want everyone to enjoy the winter season, but safety must be the priority,” Sheriff Troy Goodnough said in a statement. “Ice conditions can change rapidly. Just because the ice was safe yesterday, or appears safe from the shore, does not mean it is safe today. We urge everyone to check the ice thickness prior to venturing onto it.”

Extended Detroit Forecast

Saturday: Partly sunny; high 19, low 5.

Sunday: Sunny; high 22, low 6.

Monday: Mostly cloudy; high 26, low 14.

Tuesday: Partly sunny; high 26, low 13.

Wednesday: Mostly cloudy; high 25, low 12.

Thursday: Partly sunny; high 26.

Source: National Weather Service

©2026 The Detroit News. Visit detroitnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By MICHAEL BIESECKER, REBECCA SANTANA and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has opened a federal civil rights investigation into the shooting of Alex Pretti, the Minneapolis resident killed Saturday by Border Patrol officers, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Friday.

“We’re looking at everything that would shed light on what happened that day and in the days and weeks leading up to what happened,” Blanche said during a news conference.

Blanche did not explain why DOJ decided to open an investigation into Pretti’s killing, but has said a similar probe is not warranted in the Jan. 7 death of Renee Good, who was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis. He said only on Friday that the Civil Rights Division does not investigate every law enforcement shooting and that there have to be circumstances and facts that “warrant an investigation.”

“President Trump has said repeatedly, ‘Of course, this is something we’re going to investigate,’” Blanche said of the Pretti shooting.

Steve Schleicher, a Minneapolis-based attorney representing Pretti’s parents, said Friday that “the family’s focus is on a fair and impartial investigation that examines the facts around his murder.”

FBI to take over federal investigation

The Department of Homeland Security also said Friday that the FBI will lead the federal probe into Pretti’s death.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem first disclosed the shift in which agency was leading the investigation during a Fox News interview Thursday evening. Her department previously said Homeland Security Investigations, a departmental unit, would head the investigation.

“We will continue to follow the investigation that the FBI is leading and giving them all the information that they need to bring that to conclusion, and make sure that the American people know the truth of the situation and how we can go forward and continue to protect the American people,” Noem said, speaking to Fox host Sean Hannity.

Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said Homeland Security Investigations will support the FBI in the investigation. Separately, Customs and Border Protection, which is part of DHS, is doing its own internal investigation into the shooting, during which two officers opened fire on Pretti.

DHS did not immediately respond to questions about when the change was made or why. The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

It was not immediately clear whether the FBI would share information and evidence with Minnesota state investigators, who have thus far been frozen out of the federal investigation.

In the same interview, Noem appeared to distance herself from statements she made shortly after the shooting, claiming Pretti had brandished a handgun and aggressively approached officers.

Multiple videos that emerged of the shooting contradicted that claim, showing the intensive care nurse had only his mobile phone in his hand as officers tackled him to the ground, with one removing a handgun from the back of Pretti’s pants as another officer began firing shots into his back.

Pretti had a state permit to legally carry a concealed firearm. At no point did he appear to reach for it, the videos showed.

Videos emerge of previous altercation

The change in agency comes after two other videos emerged of an earlier altercation between Pretti and federal immigration officers 11 days before his death.

The Jan. 13 videos show Pretti yelling at federal vehicles and at one point appearing to spit before kicking out the taillight of one vehicle. A struggle ensues between Pretti and several officers, during which he is forced to the ground. Pretti’s winter coat comes off, and he either breaks free or the officers let him go and he scurries away.

When he turns his back to the camera, what appears to be a handgun is visible in his waistband. At no point do the videos show Pretti reaching for the gun, and it is not clear whether federal agents saw it.

Schleicher, the Pretti family attorney, said Wednesday the earlier altercation in no way justified the shooting more than a week later.

In a post on his Truth Social platform early Friday morning, President Donald Trump suggested that the videos of the earlier incident undercut the narrative that Pretti was a peaceful protester when he was shot.

“Agitator and, perhaps, insurrectionist, Alex Pretti’s stock has gone way down with the just released video of him screaming and spitting in the face of a very calm and under control ICE Officer, and then crazily kicking in a new and very expensive government vehicle, so hard and violent, in fact, that the taillight broke off in pieces,” Trump’s post said. “It was quite a display of abuse and anger, for all to see, crazed and out of control. The ICE Officer was calm and cool, not an easy thing to be under those circumstances!”

Associated Press reporter Eric Tucker contributed from Washington.

By Max Bryan, mbryan@detroitnews

Oakland County’s community mental health agency and a nonprofit that provides mental health services in the county are accusing each other of acting in bad faith as the county absorbed part of the nonprofit’s services Thursday.

Crisis care nonprofit Common Ground announced in a statement Thursday afternoon that it was ending its adult crisis services at its Pontiac location because the Oakland Community Health Network “failed to issue multiple monthly payments” to the nonprofit.

Adult services at Common Ground include a crisis helpline, walk-in assessments and a sober support unit for adults experiencing mental health crisis or substance abuse. Common Ground CEO Heather Rae said 8,000-9,000 people use the nonprofit’s adult crisis services annually.

In its own statement following Common Ground’s, OCHN announced it was immediately assuming responsibility for the services. OCHN is contracted through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to lead the county’s provider service network.

“That the attempts to cause panic among the Oakland County residents and the citizens of the county are very shocking and disappointing, because you’re talking about people whose lives have been put at risk when they believe help is no longer available for them at their most vulnerable,” said OCHN CEO Dana Lasenby.

Common Ground members have attended county meetings since November opposing OCHN absorbing its services.

“Transition meetings between the organizations were initially productive and focused on program continuity and collaboration. However, discussions ultimately stalled as Common Ground shifted its focus toward financial demands rather than operational coordination for the people served,” OCHN’s statement reads.

Rae contends OCHN hasn’t paid the nonprofit since November for its crisis residential unit or sober support unit and hasn’t paid for its main contract since December. In its statement, Common Ground claims OCHN told them Tuesday they didn’t plan to make these payments, citing “outstanding cost settlement reviews.”

Rae said the cost settlement — more than $1 million — is usually worked out in late spring or summer. OCHN claims those funds that Common Ground owes the network were an overpayment.

“It is premature for them to have a number because it is not as simple as that. We go through an audited process, an in-depth review of payments made, expenditures, and we arrive together at a number, and we work that for as long as it takes,” Rae told The Detroit News on Thursday. “Usually, it takes a month or two to arrive at what is the reality of who owes who and how much.”

Rae also claimed Common Ground’s amount would be much smaller if the amounts OCHN hasn’t paid them were factored in.

Lasenby called Rae’s claims about the $1 million and monthly payments “inaccurate.” She said they have tried to work out the overpayment amount with Common Ground “for quite a bit of time now.”

Lasenby also said the last payment they made to Common Ground was in December.

“January payment was not made because of a contractual breach of the provider,” Lasenby said.

In addition to the money claims, Rae said Common Ground issued 155 layoff notices in December for Feb. 13, when OCHN was originally supposed to absorb the services. OCHN claimed in its statement that it has transitioned more than 55 employees from Common Ground “to support the continuation of crisis services” and expects that number to grow as employees transition from the nonprofit.

Protests were being staged outside of the Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis Friday morning, one of many sites where demonstrators are planning to gather for immigration enforcement activities this weekend.

Organizers of last years No Kings protests are calling for a day of boycotts followed by a day of demonstrations after the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.

The 50501 Project is urging U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to scale back its operations amid a surge in immigration enforcement activities in Minneapolis and elsewhere. The group is asking supporters not to conduct business Friday, calling it a day of no school, no work and no shopping.

Several hundred immigration and civil rights advocacy groups are promoting the events.

The economic boycott will be followed by a day of protests on Saturday.

RELATED STORY | 2 federal officers fired shots during encounter that killed Alex Pretti

The protests follow a month of unrest in the Twin Cities amid a surge of immigration enforcement activities. Two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were fatally shot by immigration enforcement agents in separate incidents weeks apart.

By ERIC TUCKER, MICHAEL R. SISAK and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER

NEW YORK (AP) — The Justice Department said Friday that it was releasing many more records from its investigative files on Jeffrey Epstein, resuming disclosures under a law intended to reveal what the government knew about the millionaire financier’s sexual abuse of young girls and his interactions with rich and powerful people including Donald Trump and Bill Clinton.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department was releasing more than 3 million pages of documents in the latest Epstein disclosure, as well as more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images. The files, which were being posted to the department’s website, include some of the several million pages of records that officials said were withheld from an initial release of documents in December.

The documents were disclosed under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the law enacted after months of public and political pressure that requires the government to open its files on the late financier and his confidant and onetime girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell.

“Today’s release marks the end of a very comprehensive document identification and review process to ensure transparency to the American people and compliance with the act,” Blanche said at a news conference announcing the disclosure.

The prospect of previously unseen records tying Epstein to famous figures has long animated online sleuths, conspiracy theorists and others who have clamored for a full accounting that even Blanche acknowledged might not be met by the latest document dump.

“There’s a hunger, or a thirst, for information that I don’t think will be satisfied by review of these documents,” he said.

He insisted that, “We did not protect President Trump. We didn’t protect — or not protect — anybody,” Blanche said.

After missing a Dec. 19 deadline set by Congress to release all of the files, the Justice Department said it tasked hundreds of lawyers with reviewing the records to determine what needs to be redacted, or blacked out.

Among the materials being withheld from release Friday is information that could jeopardize any ongoing investigation or expose the identities of potential victims of sex abuse. All women other than Maxwell have been redacted from videos and images being released Friday, Blanche said.

The number of documents subject to review has ballooned to roughly six million, including duplicates, the department said.

The Justice Department released tens of thousands of pages of documents just before Christmas, including photographs, interview transcripts, call logs and court records. Many of them were either already public or heavily blacked out.

Those records included previously released flight logs showing that Trump flew on Epstein’s private jet in the 1990s, before they had a falling out, and several photographs of Clinton. Neither Trump, a Republican, nor Clinton, a Democrat, has been publicly accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, and both have said they had no knowledge he was abusing underage girls.

Also released last month were transcripts of grand jury testimony from FBI agents who described interviews they had with several girls and young women who said they were paid to perform sex acts for Epstein.

Epstein killed himself in a New York jail cell in August 2019, a month after he was indicted on federal sex trafficking charges.

In 2008 and 2009, Epstein served jail time in Florida after pleading guilty to soliciting prostitution from someone under the age of 18. At the time, investigators had gathered evidence that Epstein had sexually abused underage girls at his home in Palm Beach, but the U.S. attorney’s office agreed not to prosecute him in exchange for his guilty plea to lesser state charges.

In 2021, a federal jury in New York convicted Maxwell, a British socialite, of sex trafficking for helping recruit some of his underage victims. She is serving a 20-year prison sentence at a prison camp in Texas, after being moved there from a federal prison in Florida. She denies any wrongdoing.

U.S. prosecutors never charged anyone else in connection with Epstein’s abuse of girls, but one of his victims, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, accused him in lawsuits of having arranged for her to have sexual encounters at age 17 and 18 with numerous politicians, business titans, noted academics and others, all of whom denied her allegations.

Among the people she accused was Britain’s Prince Andrew, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor after the scandal led to him being stripped of his royal titles. Andrew denied having sex with Giuffre but settled her lawsuit for an undisclosed sum.

Giuffre died by suicide at her farm in Western Australia last year at age 41.

Tucker and Richer reported from Washington.

Follow the AP’s coverage of Jeffrey Epstein at https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein.

The death penalty is now off the table in the federal case against Luigi Mangione.

Mangione is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York in December 2024.

A federal judge on Friday dismissed two charges against Mangione, including a firearm-related murder count that made the case eligible for the death penalty.

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Mangione still faces federal stalking charges that carry a possible life sentence without parole.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty.

In addition to his federal case, Mangione is facing state charges related to the killing of Thompson. His attorneys have tried to get evidence thrown out ahead of a trial.

RELATED NEWS | Luigi Mangione's latest federal hearing focuses on officers' rules for searches

A key point of contention is the backpack Mangione was carrying at the time of his arrest. Defense attorneys are seeking to exclude its contents, arguing police searched the bag without first obtaining a warrant.

A judge is not expected to make a ruling about the evidence until March.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty in the state case as well.