A few weeks ago, I was about to pay the HVAC technician who had repaired my home’s heat pump. Out of habit, I pulled a credit card from my wallet — I figured I’d earn rewards on this pricey transaction — but then the tech warned me that his company assesses a 3% surcharge on credit card payments. Thankful for the heads-up, I wrote him a check instead.

Credit card surcharges aren’t new, but they’re becoming more common. According to J.D. Power’s 2025 U.S. Merchant Services Satisfaction Study, “34% of merchants are adding surcharges for customer purchases made using credit cards.” Compare that number to just a year before, when 20% of merchants reported assessing surcharges, per a 2024 State of the Industry Report from CMSPI, a payments consultancy firm.

Surcharging at restaurants, in particular, can at times feel like the rule, not the exception. One Reddit thread from August 2025 pointedly asked: “Since when did 3% CC [credit card] fees at restaurants become the new normal?” In other words, why now?

Several factors are at play, but a short version is that it’s simply become more expensive, over time, for businesses to accept credit cards, and surcharges help offset those costs.

The practice, though, is changing the math for users of rewards credit cards. While it used to be a no-brainer to pick up the tab with a card that earns a flat 2% back, now that same decision on a bill with a 3% surcharge could result in a loss.

“We’re approaching a tipping point where consumers are actively saying they won’t pay the surcharge,” says Don Apgar, director of the merchant payments practice at Javelin Strategy & Research.

In the moment — stuck in the restaurant booth when the check arrives — you don’t exactly have much of a choice. But you do have longer-term options.

» MORE: NerdWallet’s best credit cards for restaurants

Why surcharges exist

The payment processing company Stripe defines a surcharge as “an additional fee that a business may add to a transaction when a customer pays with a credit card,” meant to recoup “the costs that the business incurs for processing credit card payments.” These costs to businesses, known as interchange fees, totaled more than $160 billion in 2022, according to Stripe.

Interchange fees are set by the payment networks that credit cards run on: Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover. The rewards that your credit card earns — cash back, points or miles — are largely funded by those interchange fees. As such, merchants generally pay more in interchange fees to accept rewards cards as a payment method. Apgar estimates that 75% of the credit cards that consumers pay with today earn rewards.

It’s become a flashpoint in the payments industry, pitting credit card companies against merchants. The former argue they’re providing an essential service and that interchange fees are simply the cost of doing business, while the latter argue that those costs are spiraling out of control.

Lawmakers, too, are paying attention. In 2022, the Credit Card Competition Act was introduced in Congress. It aims to create more competition in the credit card payment network market, which supporters argue would lead to lower interchange costs for merchants. The bill hasn’t passed, but supporters continue to push for it every year.

Why they’re ‘becoming de facto’

So for now, merchants are leaning on surcharges to defray interchange fees, when they can. Some states ban surcharging outright, while others allow it as long as merchants abide by certain rules.

For example, businesses must tell their customers — through written or verbal notices — if they impose a surcharge for credit card payments. And in general, surcharges cannot exceed the limit set by the payment network that the card runs on. (You may have encountered such language on a restaurant bill: “Non-cash adjustments are not greater than our cost of acceptance.”)

It’s a patchwork system that can be hard to follow for both customers and merchants. And on top of that, rewards credit cards are getting even more generous for consumers — and thus more expensive for businesses to accept.

“U.S. cardholders have an insatiable appetite for rewards and benefits,” says John Cabell, managing director of payments intelligence at J.D. Power. “We continue to see an upward spiral for rewards, cash back percentages [and] the number of rewards categories.”

Cabell also believes the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the surcharging trend. “Since the pandemic, additional fees and charges have become more commonplace,” he says. For instance, some restaurants that remained open during the pandemic tacked on a COVID-related surcharge to make up for the extra costs required to operate safely.

Today, restaurants may be more inclined to surcharge with the recent memory that their patrons were willing to pay extra fees before.

“Surcharging was few and far between … but now it’s becoming de facto,” Apgar says.

What are your options?

‘Do the math’

When faced with a surcharge, you could opt to pay the bill with cash, check or debit card, instead of credit. You won’t be alone. J.D. Power’s 2025 U.S. Merchant Services Satisfaction Study found that “41% of credit card users … decided not to use a card payment method at a large or small business because of a surcharge.”

If you insist on paying with a credit card, try to use one whose rewards outweigh the surcharge. And remember, it’s not always about the percentages. To come out ahead on a restaurant tab with a 3% surcharge, a card that earns 3% cash back on dining would cover you — but so might a card that earns 2 points back per $1 at restaurants, depending on how much those points are worth. For that matter, so might a card with a large welcome bonus that you’re trying to snag.

“You have to do the math to figure out if it’s worth it based on the type of rewards and benefits you’re pursuing,” Cabell says.

Stack rewards

Use a card that earns bonus rewards on dining, then “stack” those savings with a cash-back app or card-linked offer.

Chain restaurants and local eateries alike are often featured in both.

Flag improper charges

If you suspect a restaurant is illegally surcharging, you can dispute the charge by filing a complaint with the card issuer, who will escalate it to the payment network and then the payment processor for that particular merchant.

You could also file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau or your state’s attorney general. To recover a surcharge, you could ask for a refund from the restaurant, or go to small claims court. However, Cabell warns that it could “take a real effort for a very small amount of money.”

Go next door

If you see a sign on the door or menu mentioning a “non-cash service fee” or a “discount for all cash purchases,” you could walk out and take your business elsewhere.

That’s cold comfort to, say, foodies who love trying out the latest trendy spots, surcharges be darned. In that case, it may help to keep in mind that rewards are only one benefit of paying with a credit card. You’ll also get stronger fraud protections, easier budget tracking and opportunities for credit-building. Depending on the card and the purchase, you may also get insurance coverage or extended warranties.

Whether it’s worth paying a surcharge for those benefits is up to you.

Jae Bratton writes for NerdWallet. Email: jbratton@nerdwallet.com.

The article Restaurant Surcharges Are Changing the Math for Credit Card Rewards originally appeared on NerdWallet.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Multiple people who had been allegedly plotting a violent attack over the Halloween weekend were arrested Friday morning in Michigan, FBI Director Kash Patel said in a social media post.

Patel didn’t release further information about the arrests, but said more information would be coming.

Dearborn Police said in a social media post that the department was made aware that the FBI conducted operations in the city on Friday and assured residents that there is no threat to the community.

 

In a nod to the building's past, a giant Teddy Bear has been placed between the Hudson's Detroit buildings in Downtown Detroit.

See more in the video below

Giant teddy bear takes a spot outside of Hudson's Detroit building

That spot is part of Nick Gilbert Way, a plaza in between the buildings that honors Dan Gilbert's late son, Nick, who died in 2023 at the age of 26 from neurofibromatosis.

According to the Detroit Historical Society, Hudson's was known for its Santa bears in the past when the department store was still around.

According to plans from Bedrock filed with Detroit City Council earlier this month, part of the holiday programming for Decked Out Detroit includes the return of a Teddy bear.

The plans show a kiosk in Nick Gilbert Way that will "feature nostalgic keepsake swag."

FBI Director Kash Patel said early Friday that the agency thwarted a potential terrorist attack planned for the Halloween weekend.

In a brief statement posted on X, Patel said multiple suspects were arrested in Michigan in connection with an alleged plot to carry out a violent attack.

Patel did not say what charges, if any, the suspects face. He said more information will be released later.

Thanks to the men and women of the FBI and law enforcement everywhere, standing guard 24/7 and carrying out our mission to defend the homeland, Patel said.

Police in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, confirmed FBI activity Friday morning.

"The Dearborn Police Department has been made aware that the FBI conducted operations in the City of Dearborn earlier this morning. We want to assure our residents that there is no threat to the community at this time," Dearborn Police said in a statement.

By CLAUDIA LAUER, Associated Press

A U.S. Senate investigation has uncovered dozens of credible reports of medical neglect and poor conditions in immigration detention centers nationwide — with detainees denied insulin, left without medical attention for days and forced to compete for clean water — raising scrutiny about how the government oversees its vast detention system.

The report released by Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Democrat from Georgia, is the second in a series of inquiries examining alleged human rights abuses in the immigration detention system. It builds on an August review that detailed mistreatment of children and pregnant women and draws from more than 500 reports of abuse and neglect collected between January and August.

The latest findings document more than 80 credible cases of medical neglect and widespread complaints of inadequate food and water. Senate investigators say that points to systemic failures in federal detention oversight.

The report cites accounts from detainees, attorneys, advocates, news reports and at least one Department of Homeland Security employee, describing delays in medical care that, in some cases, proved life-threatening. One detainee reportedly suffered a heart attack after complaining of chest pain for days without treatment. Others said inhalers and asthma medication were withheld, or that detainees waited weeks for prescriptions to be filled.

A Homeland Security staff member assigned to one detention site told investigators that “ambulances have to come almost every day,” according to the report.

Ossoff said the findings reflect a deeper failure of oversight within federal immigration detention.

“Americans overwhelmingly demand and deserve secure borders. Americans also overwhelmingly oppose the abuse and neglect of detainees,” Ossoff told The Associated Press. “Every human being is entitled to dignity and humane treatment. That is why I have for years investigated and exposed abuses in prisons, jails, and detention centers, and that is why this work will continue.”

The medical reports also detailed how a diabetic detainee went without glucose monitoring or insulin for two days and became delirious before medical attention was given and that it took months for another detainee to receive medication to treat gastrointestinal issues.

Expired milk, foul water, scant food are reported

The Senate investigation also identified persistent complaints about food and water, including evidence drawn from court filings, depositions and interviews. Detainees described meals too small for adults, milk that was sometimes expired, and water that smelled foul or appeared to make children sick. At one Texas facility, a teenager said adults were forced to compete with children for bottles of clean water when staff left out only a few at a time.

The Associated Press asked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for comment on the report’s findings multiple times Wednesday and Thursday, but the agency did not provide a response. The Homeland Security Department previously criticized Ossoff’s first report in August, saying the allegations of detainees being abused were false and accusing him of trying to “score political points.”

Attorneys for some of those detained at facilities across the country said they’ve seen some of the issues with medical care and food firsthand.

Stephanie Alvarez-Jones, a Southeast regional attorney for the National Immigration Project, said one of the organization’s clients was denied a prescribed medical device while being detained at Angola’s Camp J facility in Louisiana in the last two months. The man, in his 60s, experienced stroke-like symptoms, including partial paralysis, and was eventually taken to the hospital, where he was transferred to an intensive care unit for several days.

Doctors there prescribed him a walker to help him move during his recovery, but Alvarez-Jones said the detention staff would not let him have it when he first returned and placed him in a segregation cell.

“He still could not walk by himself,” she said. “He still had paralysis on his left side.” She added: “He was not able to get up and get his food, to shower by himself or to use the bathroom without assistance. So he had to lay in soiled bedsheets because he wasn’t able to get up.”

Alvarez-Jones said the guards had insinuated to the man that they believed he was faking his illness. He was eventually given the choice of staying in the segregation cell and being allowed a walker, or returning to the general detainee population. She said he’s been relying on the help of others in the general population to eat and use the bathroom as he recovers.

The Baltimore field office is examined

Amelia Dagen, a senior attorney with the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, is working on a lawsuit against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations Baltimore Field Office as well as officials in charge of national immigration enforcement efforts.

Dagen said several of the organization’s clients have had to fight for access to medication at the Baltimore holding facility. Through the lawsuit, she said the government agency had to admit in the court record that it does not have a food vendor to provide three meals a day or any onsite medical staff at the facility that was initially only supposed to hold detainees for about 12 hours.

But since January and the various immigration enforcement actions, it’s much more likely that detainees are held for as much as a week in the Baltimore Hold Room.

“What we started hearing very quickly, maybe in February, was that the food they were being fed three times a day was incredibly inadequate,” Dagen said. “We would hear sometimes it would be a protein bar or sometimes just bread and water. There is very little nutritional value and very little variety. I mean, sometimes it was a military ration component, but just the rice and beans, not a full meal.”

Dagen said the detainees also have to ask for bottles of water and they aren’t always given. The ICE office has taken the stance that the sinks attached to the cell toilets are a continuous supply of water. But Dagen said the detainees complained the sink water has a bad taste.

“This is 100% a problem of their own making,” she said of the authorities. “These hold rooms were not used in this way prior to 2025. They are setting themselves these quotas, removing discretion to release people and trying to arrest numbers of people that are just impractical … fully knowing they don’t have the ability to hold these people.”

GENEVA (AP) — The U.N. human rights chief said Friday that U.S. military strikes against boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean allegedly carrying illegal drugs from South America are “unacceptable” and must stop.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk called for an investigation into the strikes, in what appeared to mark the first such condemnation of its kind from a United Nations organization.

Ravina Shamdasani, a spokeswoman for Türk’s office, relayed his message on Friday at a regular U.N. briefing: “These attacks and their mounting human cost are unacceptable. The U.S. must halt such attacks and take all measures necessary to prevent the extrajudicial killing of people aboard these boats.”

She said Türk believed “airstrikes by the United States of America on boats in the Caribbean and in the Pacific violate international human rights law.”

President Donald Trump has justified the attacks on the boats as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States, but the campaign against drug cartels has been divisive among countries in the region.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday announced the latest U.S. military strike in the campaign, against a boat he said was carrying drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean. All four people aboard were killed. It was the 14th strike since the campaign began in early September, while the death toll has grown to at least 61.

Shamdasani noted the U.S. explanations of the efforts as an anti-drug and counter-terrorism campaign, but said countries have long agreed that the fight against illicit drug trafficking is a law-enforcement matter governed by “careful limits” placed on the use of lethal force.

Intentional use of lethal force is allowed only as a last resort against someone representing “an imminent threat to life,” she said. “Otherwise, it would amount to a violation of the right of life and constitute extrajudicial killings.”

The strikes are taking place “outside the context” of armed conflict or active hostilities, Shamdasani said.

For most Americans, clocks will turn back one hour early Sunday morning, shifting sunrise and sunset times. Next week, the sun will rise nearly an hour earlier, while sunsets will occur more than 60 minutes earlier.

As the U.S. moves toward the winter solstice, sunset times will continue to get earlier, while sunrises will gradually start happening later.

A recent APNORC poll shows most Americans are not in favor of the practice. Only 12% of respondents support the current system of changing clocks back in November and forward in March. Forty-seven percent oppose the changes, and 40% are neutral.

RELATED STORY | Why are clocks set forward in the spring for daylight saving time?

If Americans dont want to change the clock, would they prefer to keep daylight saving time year-round or remain on standard time year-round?

It depends on whom you ask.

Overall, 56% of respondents prefer permanent daylight saving time rather than year-round standard time. Among self-described morning people, however, standard time has a slight edge 50% support compared to 49% for daylight saving time.

Congress has debated ending the clock-change practice for years. The closest the U.S. came was in March 2022, when the Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act, which would put states on daylight saving time year-round. It passed under unanimous consent, meaning no senator objected to moving the bill forward. That does not necessarily mean it had broad support.

President Donald Trump has said he would support permanent daylight saving time but has called it a 50/50 issue.

FBI Director Kash Patel said the department thwarted a "potential terrorist attack," arresting multiple suspects in Michigan.

Watch the latest information in the video below FBI Director says potential terror attack in Michigan was stopped

According to Patel, the suspects were allegedly plotting a violent attack over Halloween weekend.

A spokesperson for the FBI Detroit office said agents in Michigan were in Dearborn and Inkster conducting law enforcement activities on Friday morning.

He said more details will be released in the future, and thanked the men and women of the FBI.

On Friday morning, the Dearborn Police Department released the following statement to 7 News Detroit:

"The Dearborn Police Department has been made aware that the FBI conducted operations in the City of Dearborn earlier this morning. We want to assure our residents that there is no threat to the community at this time. For additional information or inquiries regarding the FBIs operations, please contact the FBI at 313-965-5749 or De_Media@fbi.govThe Dearborn Police Department remains committed to the safety and security of all who live, work and visit our city."

President Donald Trump is calling on the Senate to scrap the filibuster, so that the Republican majority can bypass Democrats and reopen the federal government.

THE CHOICE IS CLEAR INITIATE THE NUCLEAR OPTION, GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER, Trump posted Thursday night on his social media site, Truth Social.

The filibuster is a long-standing tactic in the Senate to delay or block votes on legislation by keeping the debate running. It requires 60 votes in a full Senate to overcome a filibuster, giving Democrats a check on the 53-seat Republican majority that led to the start of the Oct. 1 shutdown when the new fiscal year began.

Trump's call to terminate the filibuster could alter the ways the Senate and congressional dealmaking operate, with the president saying in his post that he gave a great deal of thought to the choice on his flight back from Asia on Thursday.

Trump spent the past week with foreign leaders in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea, finishing his tour by meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

RELATED STORY | Senate adjourns until Monday, leaving shutdown in place and SNAP unfunded

The president declared the trip a success because of a trade truce with China and foreign investment planned for American industries, but he said one question kept coming up during his time there about why did powerful Republicans allow the Democrats to shut down parts of the government.

His call to end the filibuster came at a moment when certain senators and House Speaker Mike Johnson believed it was time for the government shutdown to come to an end. It's unclear if lawmakers will follow Trump's lead, rather than finding ways to negotiate with Democrats.

From coast to coast, fallout from the dysfunction of a shuttered federal government is hitting home: Alaskans are stockpiling moose, caribou and fish for winter, even before SNAP food aid is scheduled to shut off. Mainers are filling up their home-heating oil tanks, but waiting on the federal subsidies that are nowhere in sight.

Flights are being delayed with holiday travel around the corner. Workers are going without paychecks. And Americans are getting a first glimpse of the skyrocketing health care insurance costs that are at the center of the stalemate on Capitol Hill.

People are stressing, said Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, as food options in her state grow scarce.

We are well past time to have this behind us.

While quiet talks are underway, particularly among bipartisan senators, the shutdown is not expected to end before Saturday's deadline when Americans' deep food insecurity one in eight people depend on the government to have enough to eat could become starkly apparent if federal SNAP funds run dry.

Money for military, but not food aid

The White House has moved money around to ensure the military is paid, but refuses to tap funds for food aid. In fact, Trump's big, beautiful bill signed into law this summer, delivered the most substantial cut ever to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, projected to result in some 2.4 million people off the program.

At the same time, many Americans who purchase their own health insurance through the federal and state marketplaces, with open enrollment also beginning Saturday, are experiencing sticker shock as premium prices jump.

RELATED STORY | You can now check 2026 Obamacare plan prices but costs could still rise

We are holding food over the heads of poor people so that we can take away their health care, said Rev. Ryan Stoess, during a prayer with religious leaders at the U.S. Capitol.

God help us, he said, when the cruelty is the point.

Deadlines shift to next week

The House remains closed down under Johnson for the past month. Senators are preparing to depart Thursday for the long weekend. Trump returned late Thursday after a whirlwind tour of Asia.

That means the shutdown, in its 31st day Friday, appears likely to stretch into another week if the filibuster remains. If the shutdown continues, it could become the longest in history, surpassing the 35-day lapse that ended in 2019, during Trump's first term, over his demands to build the U.S.-Mexico border wall.

The next inflection point comes after Tuesday's off-year elections the New York City mayor's race, as well as elections in Virginia and New Jersey that will determine those states' governors. Many expect that once those winners and losers are declared, and the Democrats and Republicans assess their political standing with the voters, they might be ready to hunker down for a deal.

I hope that it frees people up to move forward with opening the government, said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.

GOP cut SNAP in Trump's big bill

The Republicans, who have majority control of Congress, find themselves in an unusual position, defending the furloughed federal workers and shuttered programs they have long sought to cut including most recently with nearly $1 trillion in reductions in Trump's big tax breaks and spending bill.

Medicaid, the health care program, and SNAP food aid, suffered sizable blows this summer, in part by imposing new work requirements. For SNAP recipients, many of whom were already required to work, the new requirements extend to older Americans up to age 64 and parents of older school-age children.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Republicans now have the nerve to suggest it's a political strategy to withhold food aid.

We are trying to lift up the quality of life for the American people, Jeffries of New York said about his party.

The American people understand that there's a Republican health care crisis, he said. The American people understand Republicans enacted the largest cut to nutritional assistance in American history when they cut $186 billion from their one, big, ugly bill.

During the summer debate over Trump's big bill, Johnson and other Republicans railed against what they characterized as lazy Americans, riding what the House speaker calls the gravy train of government benefits.

The speaker spoke about able-bodied young men playing video games while receiving Medicaid health care benefits and insisted the new work requirements for the aid programs would weed out what they called waste, fraud and abuse.

What were talking about, again, is able-bodied workers, many of whom are refusing to work because theyre gaming the system, Johnson said in spring on CBS' Face the Nation.

And when we make them work, itll be better for everybody, a win-win-win for all, he said.

What remains out of reach, for now, is any relief from the new health care prices, posted this week, that are expected to put insurance out of reach for many Americans when federal subsidies that help offset those costs are set to expire at the end of the year.

Democrats have been holding out for negotiations with Trump and the Republicans to keep those subsidies in place. Republicans say they can address the issue later, once the government reopens.

DETROIT — Slow starts have been a significant issue for the Pistons through the first five games. They have yet to win a first quarter and have consistently ranked near the bottom in every statistical category.

The Pistons rank 30th in points per game (25.6) and field goal percentage (36.8%) in the first quarter heading into Saturday’s interconference match against the Dallas Mavericks in Mexico City. Detroit also ranks 27th in points allowed in the first quarter, giving up an average of 34 points.

From the coaching staff to the players, everyone has emphasized the importance of solving their first-quarter woes, but no one can pinpoint the logic behind the team’s subpar starts.

“There are a lot of things we can point out, but we just have to self-reflect and see what is going on. Eliminate the problem and go out there and try to (solve) it,” forward Ron Holland II said.

The slow starts have forced the Pistons to rely on their resilience to claw back into the game. Playing catch-up has led to a 3-2 start to the season.

While Cade Cunningham’s second-half average of 14.2 points on 44.2% shooting has been a central figure in Detroit’s comeback efforts, nothing has been more essential to the Pistons’ rally success than the production from the bench.

“If there is a slow start, the bench mob, we can get into the game and bring the energy. That is what we are here for,” Holland said. “As a bench mob member, we are all waiting for our names to be called. Once we get out there, we are like, ‘Let’s do it, we are here now,’ no matter how the game is going. If the first five get off to a great start, we want to keep it going. If they get off to a slow start, we want to lift them so we can get a run going.”

The Pistons’ bench has been one of the most productive in the league. Detroit’s reserve unit ranks 10th in scoring league-wide, averaging 40.2 points per game while shooting 44.2% from the field. On defense, they have held opponents to an average of 43.4 points per game.

While averaging 11.6 points, Holland has taken the helm as the unit’s leading scorer. Still, the Pistons’ bench production has been a collective effort, with Javonte Green and Isaiah Stewart displaying their two-way talents and leading the Pistons in 3-point field goal percentage at 41.7% and 58.3%, respectively.

Having a greater offensive responsibility has not hindered Stewart’s role as Detroit’s defensive anchor. He is in a four-way tie league-wide for the most rejections as a reserve, averaging two blocks per game.

“Those guys are dependable. They’re pros. They work their tails off, and they just make sure that they keep themselves in position to be ready when their numbers are called,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “They’re competitive, they’re team-first guys. They’ve given us a spark, and they’ve changed the game for us when they’ve come in with that energy and tried to propel our starters.”

In each of their three victories, the Pistons have had several players come off the bench and play essential roles. Paul Reed was critical in last week’s 115-111 victory over the Houston Rockets, recording 13 points, nine rebounds and two blocks after the losses of Jalen Duren (ejection) and Stewart (foul trouble).

Reed wasn’t the only reserve to step up for the Pistons in that game. Late in the fourth quarter, two-way guard Daniss Jenkins hit a 3-pointer that gave Detroit a 101-99 lead, as the Pistons’ second unit outscored the Rockets’ bench 43-25.

The Pistons’ bench received an additional boost in Wednesday’s 135-116 victory over the Orlando Magic with Caris LeVert’s return. After missing the last three games due to hamstring tightness, LeVert’s energy and intensity on both ends complemented the second unit.

“We have to start games better, that has been a point of emphasis for us,” LeVert said. “We know once we get back into the game, it’s in our hands. It is tough when you are playing from behind.”

A strong bench unit is crucial for the Pistons to achieve their ambitious goals and expectations, as it can significantly enhance the team’s overall performance.

However, Detroit must find a way to address a troubling trend just nine days into the season. If the Pistons continue to risk slow starts in games, their comeback efforts could eventually lead to disaster.

“I don’t like them (slow starts),” Cunningham said. “I want to start fast. I want to start playing well.”

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Halloween is on Friday but it also marks the 99th death anniversary of one of the most famous magicians ever. You may not have known, but Harry Houdini performed his last show in downtown Detroit before dying at a Detroit hospital in 1926.

See the full story in the video below

Remembering Harry Houdini's Halloween death in Detroit 92 years later

Days before his show in Detroit, he was performing in Montreal when someone asked to punch him in the stomach. Houdini was known to be a strong man with powerful abs.

"Legend has it, he wasn't ready for the punch and they hit him pretty good," Jeff Horner, a senior lecturer at Wayne State said.

Horner, who is an urban planner and calls himself an amateur historian, said Houdini wasn't feeling well on the train ride down to Detroit. 

Houdini gave his last performance at the Garrick Theater, which stood near the corner of Griswold and Michigan Ave. in downtown Detroit.

"He was supposedly in great pain during the performance but gave folks their money's worth," Horner said.

Detroit was roaring in the 1920s and it was the place to be and be seen. Horner said it's no surprise Houdini continued with his last performance. Years before, he performed an underwater escape off the bridge connecting Belle Isle.

But after his 1926 performance at the Garrick, Houdini couldn't recover. He died at Grace Hospital, which is near the current DMC Campus. According to the Reuther Library at Wayne State, he died in room 401. The original Grace Hospital was demolished in 1979, according to the library.

According to Horner, people led seances in the hospital room Houdini died in for years to come in hopes to make contact with Houdini.

"The ultimate trick of any illusionist is to come back from the dead," Horner said.

Jim McCarty and Johnny “Bee” Badanjek may not be household names, but in the music world, the guitarist and drummer, respectively, are legends.

And now the two Detroiters are the subject of a documentary series, “Jim and the Bee,” that will have a premiere screening this weekend before airing next spring.

The three-part series examines the duo’s careers, which include tenures with Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels, Detroit, Cactus, the Rockets and more. McCarty currently leads his own band, Mystery Train, while Badanjek — whose session resume includes work with Alice Cooper, Edgar Winter, Nils Lofgren and others — is also a noted painter who released a solo album.

Ken LaPlace, whose Ortonville-based Living Legends Motion Pictures directed and co-executive produced “Jim and the Bee,” says the plan began after Badanjek appeared on its syndicated PBS cooking show “The Melody Grill.” “The original plan was to produce a simple half-hour feature on Johnny,” he explains. “Word got out and pretty soon, we had a list of well-known rockers calling to be in it, and here we are today.”

Filming took place between March 4, 2024, and Oct. 2, 2025, including interviews with Cooper, Lofgren, Suzi Quatro, Ted Nugent, ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, the E Street Band’s Max Weinberg, Mark Farner, the Smithereens’ Dennis Diken and others. It’s slated to be shown in three parts on WDCQ in Saginaw, most likely in March, and is being pushed to other PBS outlets. An extended trailer is available on YouTube.

The “Jim and the Bee” premiere takes place at 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, at Harpo’s Concert Theatre, 14238 Harper Ave., Detroit. 313-824-1700. Proceeds will benefit sick, injured and disabled first responders through the nonprofit Living Legends Organizations. Attendees will have the opportunity to sign a petition requesting Ryder and the Detroit Wheels to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

ALLEN PARK — Amid a host of other self-scouting initiatives that were undertaken during the bye week, the Detroit Lions want wide receiver Jameson Williams to get the ball on a more consistent basis.

It was fairly reasonable to expect that Williams would see a jump in production after he surpassed 1,000 yards last season, but the numbers have significantly regressed after he signed a three-year, $83 million contract extension on the eve of this year’s opener. Through seven games, Williams has just 17 catches for 289 yards and two touchdowns.

Still, coaches are hesitant to blame Williams for the situation. Lions offensive coordinator John Morton pointed the finger at himself, saying he needs to do a better job of getting Williams open.

“There (have) been opportunities where it just didn’t happen. It’s not like we aren’t going to try to target him,” Morton said Thursday. “So, that was the biggest thing. I looked at everything, and I failed him. That’s what I told him. I have to do a better job with that.”

As many coaches have noted during the drought, Williams holds value outside of being a pass catcher. His speed puts fear into the hearts of opposing defenses, forcing them to play with two high safeties and opening up the receivers underneath. Williams is also a terrific and willing run blocker, so it’s not like the lack of production is causing him to slack in other areas.

Williams has been a good sport about it in his weekly media sessions as well.

“I ain’t frustrated at all, bro. How could I be frustrated? I’m me,” Williams said. “It’s a part of the game, but I got catches. I would like more, but I’m never frustrated.”

Asked what he’s seeing from defenses, Williams said: “They try to take … my ability to go over the top out of the game. That’s the main thing that I’ve been seeing in the first half (of the season). We’ve got plans to attack it, and we’ve got a lot of players, so we’re never really worried about one person getting (taken) out of the game, because we got other players who go make explosives and touchdowns and plays for us.”

Morton is thrilled with how Williams has responded to the lack of opportunities.

“He was great. He doesn’t sweat it. I’m like, ‘Listen, man, I’m going to do a better job.’ That’s my job during the bye week, because I stayed here. And that was my job — and third down — to really study that,” Morton said.

“Because there’s a lot of — especially on third down — they’re doubling (Amon-Ra St. Brown), they’re doubling him, there’s a lot of stuff that’s going on. So, I have to be creative. I have to go in the archives to try to get these guys open better.”

No tricks, just treats

The Lions haven’t used one of their patented trick plays on special teams this season, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t called them.

“We always have something available, but it just hasn’t come up, whether it be the situation of the game, the look we wanted,” special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said.

During the early stages of Dan Campbell’s tenure in Detroit, the team gained a reputation for its propensity to gamble on fourth down by using trick plays out of punt formation. These days, the Lions still have the gambling reputation — but they typically run fourth-down plays using their offense instead.

Fipp said one of the reasons why opportunities have been so limited is that teams are always prepared to have to defend a fake punt. Which, in turn, does benefit their punt unit.

“It’s definitely gotten harder,” Fipp said. “You definitely see a lot more people around the box, and some guys playing with eyes inside, and just a lot of different things. But yeah, I would say it’s definitely gotten harder. But theoretically, it should help us punt the ball better, too.”

Hometown heroes

Among a host of standouts in the “Legion of Whom” — the nickname affectionately given to the Lions’ patchwork secondary, which dominated in the win over Tampa Bay — the story of cornerback Nick Whiteside shined through.

Whiteside grew up in Auburn Hills and attended Avondale High School, where Morton also attended. Morton’s brother, Tim, was the head basketball coach at Avondale for multiple seasons and coached Whiteside.

“I think it’s awesome to have somebody from my high school that can do that,” Morton said. “It’s kind of like my story a little bit. He’s had a lot of ups and downs and has fought his way. And listen, he had an opportunity, he did a good job. And hopefully that gives him confidence, and you never know what can happen. When you get confidence, guys change in different environments.”

After high school, Whiteside went on to play college football at Saginaw Valley State and was most recently in the United Football League before getting a chance to participate in Detroit’s training camp, where he made a positive impression. When health woes struck Detroit’s secondary, Whiteside got the call and lived up to the challenge. He had three pass breakups and two tackles against Tampa Bay.

“It’s nothing better to see than when I click on my Instagram and I see 100 articles talking about Nick Whiteside. That is unbelievable,” defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said. “A guy that was in the UFL, probably thought honestly, ‘Man, this is the end of the road for me. Oh, I get a practice squad spot.’

“And they’re grateful for those moments, but those guys never see themselves lining up mano a mano on (Buccaneers receiver Emeka) Egbuka. They never see themselves lining up mano a mano on (Buccaneers receiver) Mike Evans. That’s just real. And for him to not only get that opportunity but make the most of it — Erick Hallett, (cornerback) Art Maulet, (edge defender) Tyrus Wheat.

“I mean, the names go on and on of the guys that went out and not only just played, not only held the line, but they’ve put some pressure on some of our starters now.”

Return of the Mac

Defensive tackle Alim McNeill immediately made his presence felt in Detroit’s win over Tampa Bay.

He recorded five pressures and made one tackle, but his impact can better be measured by the production of Detroit’s edge rushers. Edge defenders Aidan Hutchinson (12 pressures), Al-Quadin Muhammad (nine), and Wheat (two) all set a season high in pressures, with Wheat adding 1 1/2 sacks.

“Mac is exceptional. I know Hutch is glad to have him back, but more importantly, I’m glad to have him back,” Sheppard said. “Because if you try to double, nudge Hutch and things like that, you’re leaving your guard one-on-one on one of, if not the best, three-(techniques) in the NFL.”

Fipp not worried about Bates

Kicker Jake Bates missed a 54-yard field goal in the Lions’ last game, bringing him to 2-for-5 on field goals of 50-plus yards this season. Bates, whose massive leg is a defining trait, also missed a 67-yard attempt against Baltimore in Week 3 and a 55-yarder against Chicago in Week 2.

But he’s a perfect 6 for 6 on all field goals under 50 yards and has made all 27 extra-point attempts, so Fipp isn’t sweating the misses. Still, it’s something they plan to work on throughout the season.

“Practice-wise, the numbers that I have, I mean, he’s been exceptional,” Fipp said. “So, I feel really good about what he’s doing, where he’s at. I have a lot of confidence in him. But yeah, he hasn’t made all of the long kicks that we would love for him to make. Can he hit that at a higher percentage? For sure. Will that be something to work on? Yeah, no doubt.”

A beloved Birmingham burger joint is relocating after more than seven decades of serving sliders on the same corner.

Hunter House Hamburgers, which has been serving customers since 1952, is moving about a mile down Woodward Avenue to a new building. The iconic white building that has housed the restaurant for 72 years will soon be empty as the business transitions to a former KFC location.

Watch Christiana Ford's video report below: Hunter House Hamburgers moves to new location after 72 years

Longtime customer Cynthia Wilsher has been visiting Hunter House since she was a child.

"Since they opened when I was 8 or 9 years old and we've been eating burgers here every since," Wilsher said.

The small restaurant continues to draw loyal customers who wait for sliders fresh off the grill. Regular customer Rashad Straughter praised the consistent quality.

"I come here all the time," Straughter said. "The onions are always good, fries are always good, crispy. Everything is always fresh."

Despite the location change, customers say they plan to follow the restaurant to its new home.

"Gonna be a little different but as long as they still on Woodward, they're right here," Straughter said.

Wilsher emphasized the importance of maintaining the restaurant's character in the move.

"I will continue to come wherever they go," Wilsher said. "They have to bring the grill with them. The store is one thing, but the grill is well seasoned."

Co-owner Kelly Cobb assured customers that the famous grill and nearly everything else from the original location will make the journey to the new site.

"We're literally replicating it on that site and whatever we can take here to put in there, we're gonna do it. It needs to be the same place," Cobb said.

Cobb explained that the decision to move came after years of property disputes and the current building's inability to handle customer demand.

"Extremely hard decision, but the reality for us is there's been property dispute on this land for about 20 years and we had to file lawsuits, we had to fight for it and at the same time that's been happening, our store was built to handle 20% of the people that come through here every day," Cobb said.

The new location promises improvements including faster service and twice as much parking space.

Starting Nov. 1, Hunter House will serve food from the kitchen while customers dine in a heated and sealed outdoor tent during the building's transformation. The same staff will be in place.

"We're gonna make it look just like this Hunter House," Cobb said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

By Breana Noble

MediaNews Group

Ford Motor Co. is opening the doors of its new world headquarters to the public on Nov. 16.

Attendees must register online for free to enjoy the festivities that include self-guided tours, a car show, live entertainment, food trucks and other activities for families from 11 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

The Dearborn automaker last month announced it was moving its headquarters across town to the new, enormous, glassy product development center known as “The Hub” off Oakwood Boulevard across from the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. It’ll serve as the home for the company that first made vehicles accessible to the masses as it pursues a future toward greater electrification, autonomous driving and other advanced technologies.

The new headquarters will get the 1 American Road address that has marked the location of the Glass House at Michigan Avenue and Southfield Road that has served as Ford’s headquarters since 1956. That building will be demolished and is expected to be turned into a park-like community space in partnership with the city.

On Nov. 16, a grand opening ceremony will occur at noon and a closing ceremony at 4 p.m. Guests can make reservations to see the inside of the building, including workspaces and employee wellness areas. The walking, self-guided look likely will take 15 to 30 minutes, according to Ford.

Guests still can register to attend, even if tour reservations become fully booked. The Ford Community Car Show will show privately owned Ford classics from custom designs and sports models to heavy-duty trucks.

For now, The Hub is listed at 2100 Carroll Shelby Way on Google Maps. Ford’s invitation encourages guests to enter at Village Road and South Pond. Parking is at Deck 300 at 21324 S. Military St. and the PDC lot at 21000 S. Military.

Friday is day 31 of the federal government shutdown and there are some new developments in Michigan as SNAP funding faces a possible pause starting at midnight.

The Michigan Senate has approved a new bill that would direct $71 million in state funding to keep benefits flowing beyond Nov. 1 if the federal program is frozen.

Related: List: Food resources in metro Detroit as pause in SNAP funding expected

The majority of the money would go to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and would support assistance programs, food banks and the surplus system within the Department of Agriculture. The rest would strengthen the Double Up Food Bucks program that helps SNAP recipients buy fresh fruits and vegetables.

The bill heads to the Michigan House next week for consideration, but metro Detroit families are still worried about missing out on their SNAP benefits as the shutdown drags on.

Forgotten Harvest's CEO said the organization is expecting to see a lot more people needing food, and they are ready to meet it.

Residents whose EBT cards will stay empty on Saturday say they're already struggling, and they're going to have to start making desperate choices.

"I have to make the choice of do I take an Uber to work because I don't have a car right now or do I put food on my table," Kimberly Gooley, a SNAP recipient, said. "It's my harsh reality and it just sucks."

Gooley said she's working on getting a second job, as she works as a server and bartender.

"I'm more worried about the old people next door, or the mom that has three kids down the hall from me. What are they going to do?" Gooley said.

Anna Blasdel, a senior in Macomb County, also receives Social Security, said it doesn't cover the grocery bill.

"I was kind of freaking out a little bit. It's like, now what do I do?" Blasdel said. "I don't get a whole lot of money every month from SNAP benefits but what I do really really helps me a lot."

36% of households in the state have older adults; 43% have children, and nearly 80% include someone with an earned income. The struggle is already being felt.

Forgotten Harvest CEO Adrian Lewis said across their 200 food pantries, they've seen a combined 15% increase in demand.

"Inflation has definitely driven that demand for quite some time. When you compound that with removing SNAP benefits of course that's going to be as much as double I believe," Lewis said. "We're down about 20% of our inventory based on last year's total."

He said if the shutdown goes longer than 30-45 days, they'll have to look at fundraising to offset so they can purchase food.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that $4.5 million will be going to the Food Bank Council of Michigan, helping organizations like Forgotten harvest.

Federally, there is $6 billion in contingency funds that can be tapped for SNAP funding, but hasn't.

DETROIT — The appetizer portion of Tarik Skubal’s offseason is just about over.

With the main course — likely his second straight American League Cy Young Award — coming in a little over a week, Skubal has nibbled on a pair of honors this week.

On Wednesday, he won the MLBPA Players’ Choice Award for the most outstanding pitcher in the American League. And on Thursday, in a vote of the Detroit Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America, Skubal was named Tiger of the Year for the second straight season.

Skubal received 20 of 23 votes, with Riley Greene, Dillon Dingler and Kerry Carpenter each receiving one vote.

This one was a no-brainer.

Skubal led the American League in 12 different statistical categories this season, including WAR (6.6), WHIP (0.891), strikeout-walk ratio (7.3) and was second in strikeouts per nine innings (11.1).

“He’s just a complete bulldog out there,” said Pirates ace Paul Skenes, who is favored to win the National League Cy Young Award. “You talk about predator versus prey, he’s the predator. Always attacking, just attacking the strike zone with his stuff. Obviously, it’s really good stuff and, you know, he trusts it.”

Skubal’s plus-51 run value ranks in the top percentile in baseball. In 31 regular-season starts (195.1 innings), he limited hitters to a .200 average and a sub-.600 OPS (.559), with a 32% strikeout rate and 4% walk rate.

And in three postseason starts, he allowed four runs in 20.2 innings with 36 strikeouts and four walks.

All of that is why he is expected, on Nov. 12, to become the first pitcher since Pedro Martinez in 1999-2000 to win back-to-back Cy Young Awards.

Around the horn

The Detroit Chapter of the BBWAA also named Spencer Torkelson as the recipient of the 2025 Good Guy Award, given to the player who best exemplifies a cooperative spirit with the beat writers who cover the team. In a clubhouse full of worthy recipients, Torkelson stood out especially during the team’s slide in the final two months of the regular season. He stood in front his locker after a lot of tough losses and never ducked a question.

… Per MLB transactions, the Tigers have re-signed veteran catcher Tomas Nido to a minor-league contract. Nido, 31, spent the entire 2025 season in the Tigers’ system, appearing in 10 games with the Tigers. He was also on the club’s postseason taxi squad.

Kids across metro Detroit will put on their costumes tonight and head outdoors for a night of trick-or-treating fun.

See the full story in the video below

For cities known for their Halloween spirit, they're preparing to attract thousands of people to their streets, and I went out and checked out the neighborhoods that are known for their candy and over-the-top decorations.

Related: Here are the trick-or-treat times for metro Detroit cities and townships

In Romeo, resident Vicki Lee has always loved Halloween, which is also her birthday.

"My mom decorated for me as a child, and then when I had my boys, I continued it," she said.

Lee's love for dressing up her home on Tillson St. in Romeo eventually caught on with the neighbors in the 1990s. What's now known as Terror on Tillson has become one of the most iconic trick-or-treating spots in metro Detroit.

"Maybe 15,000 people on this street at once. That's parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles," Lee said.

Her son, Mike, says make no bones about it, there's definitely a sense of pride about the tradition.

"The majority of people love it. They love the attention. We love seeing everybody, we float between houses and see each other, it's just a great time.

Moving to Downtown Northville, the skeletons are alive. For the 14th year, the city has positioned hundreds of skeletons throughout the city's downtown area.

"It's a great opportunity to meet up, walk, get a strolling beverage, buy some Halloween merchandise, or gear, in our beautiful downtown," Kate Knight, the executive director of the Northville Downtown Development Authority, said.

It all leads to Halloween night, when some streets are closed and home after home is decked out in decorations, while thousands of kids fill up with candy.

"That's the spice of life. I love seeing them come by. They're all excited, they're all having a great time. We love this time of year," John Wohlgemuth, a Northville resident, said.

In Detroit, one hotspot for families is the Indian Village neighborhood.

"The first year was quite a surprise. Everyone said it was busy, so I went out and bought the big candy bars. I bought 200 thinking we'll be the house with the good candy, and we were out in like 20 minutes," Jacques, an Indian Village resident said.

Jacques has lived in Indian Village for nine years and estimates that nearly 1,500 kids come by each year. He said the number of neighbors getting involved just keeps growing.

"It's amazing, especially having two young kids. It's the best neighborhood to trick-or-treat in," he said.

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