It’s been 25 years since Trans-Siberian Orchestra began touring — starting with just seven shows during December 1999, including a date at Detroit’s State Theatre (now the Fillmore Detroit).

The orchestral rock troupe had a hit single, “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24,” and two multi-platinum albums to its credit, but guitarist and musical director Al Pitrelli acknowledges that: “We didn’t know if people would come out to see us or not. Records are one thing, selling tickets is another. It was a brave new world.”

Any concerns were quickly dispelled, however, and TSO — founded in 1996 by the late Paul O’Neill and members of the band Savatage — is now a holiday season monolith with two companies that cross-cross North America each November and December presenting pyrotechnic-laden spectacles twice daily in most cities. Last year, the group sold 920,000 tickets and grossed $66.7 million, with $1 per ticket donated to local charities.

And on Nov. 16, meanwhile, the group celebrated its 20 millionth fan in Denver.

For this year’s trek, TSO is commemorating the 20th anniversary of “The Lost Christmas Eve,” the double-platinum third album in its Christmas trilogy, by playing it in its entirety for the first time since 2013, along with other TSO and Savatage favorites. “We like to change it up,” Pitrelli, 62, explains. “The people we see every year — I consider them ‘repeat offenders.’ They’ve made (TSO) a part of their holiday tradition. They love the stories and they want to come in and be comfortable and familiar, but we want to keep them on their heels as well and do something different.

“So we change it up enough, musically, to make it interesting, and with the advances in technology, what the crew can do now is unbelievable compared to the last time we did it. It’s new but very familiar, which is the balance I like to keep.”

The year’s TSO tour wraps up on Dec. 30, and Pitrelli says ideas for next year’s production are already being discussed. Meanwhile, there’s the perennial question of new TSO recordings, as O’Neill had begun work on several projects before he died in 2017.

“It’s the biggest punch in the gut ever when you lose a family member like that,” Pitrelli explains. “We’re still catching our breath and continuing his legacy. Paul left us a lot of demoed work, half-started things we want to kick the tires on and bring to life.

“We’ll get to it. I wish I could tell you, ‘There’s these three songs that are gonna come out’ but, no, not yet. All of us … the question we always ask is ‘What would Paul do?’ We were all fairly well trained by him, but at the end of the day, it’s about him and honoring his vision, so we’re taking our time to make sure it’s right.”

Trans-Siberian Orchestra performs at 3 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 28 at Little Caesars Arena, 2645 Woodward Ave., Detroit.  313-471-7000 or 313Presents.com.

Other music events of note this weekend (all subject to change) include …

FRIDAY, DEC. 27

• Former Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley will be back in the Detroit Rock City groove at 7:30 p.m. at the Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Road, Westland. 734-513-5030 or tokenlounge.com.

• Poor Player celebrates the release of a new album at the Lager House, 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. Joe Serrapere and Mike Galbraith also perform. 313-500-1475 or thelagerhouse.com.

• Sidepiece, Botex and Sillygirlcarmen man the decks in Building 6 at the Russell Industrial Center, 1600 Clay St, Detroit. Doors at 9 p.m. 248-434-7699 or paxahau.com.

• The Beastie Boys tribute Imposters in Effect hosts a “Fake Ass NYE Party” at the Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-544-1991 or themagicbag.com.

• Drummer Jeff Canady and his band hold forth through Saturday, Dec. 28 at the Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe, 97 Kercheval, Grosse Pointe. 313-882-5399 or dirtydogjazz.com.

• Trumpeter Karim Gideon and his Quartet play through Saturday, Dec. 28 at Cliff Bell’s, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit. 313-961-2543 or cliffbells.com.

• Virtual: Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros — including Detroit native Don Was — livestream at 7:30 p.m. from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and also on Saturday, Dec. 28 as well as Dec. 30-31 via nugs.net.

• Virtual: Kitchen Dwellers play at 8 p.m. from Ardmore, Pennsylvania, for subscribers to nugs.net.

• Virtual: “Grammy Greats: The Stories Behind the Songs,” hosted by Mickey Guyton and Gayle King and spotlighting award-winning tunes by Adele, Alicia Keys, Bonnie Raitt, Sting, the Doobie Brothers and more, airs at 9 p.m. on CBS (Channel 62 in Detroit) and Paramount+.

SATURDAY, DEC. 28

• Homegrown rock favorite Sponge will plow through at 8 p.m. at The Roxy, 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester. 248-453-5285 or theroxyrochester.com.

• Bane, Koffin Cats, Throw Rag and Bill Kozy and His Rising Force are among nearly three dozen acts playing as part of a Black Christmas festival at 3 p.m. throughout the Majestic complex, 4120-4140 Woodward Ave. 313-833-9700 or majesticdetroit.com.

• Michigan favorite Joe Hertler & the Rainbow Seekers bring a joyful noise to the Crofoot Ballroom, 1 S. Saginaw St., Pontiac. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-858-9333 or thecrofoot.com.

• Rapper Jahshua Smith celebrates the release of his new album, “But I Do,” at the Lager House, 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. Joe Serrapere and Mike Galbraith also perform. 313-500-1475 or thelagerhouse.com.

• Jim McCarty & Mystery Train keep the blues rockin’ at 8:30 p.m. at the Cadieux Cafe, 4300 Cadieux Road, Detroit. 313-882-8560 or cadieuxcafe.com.

• Turner Porter, 800cc and four others play a fundraiser for the American Civil Liberties Union at the Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-820-5596 or thelovingtouchferndale.com.

• Tribute acts The Nightmare (Alice Cooper) and Ten Years Gone (Led Zeppelin) rock at 8 p.m. at the Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Road, Westland. 734-513-5030 or tokenlounge.com.

• Crossroads Celli offers a night of between-holidays Celtic fare at 8 p.m. at The Ark, 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. 734-761-1818 or theark.org.

• Virtual: Twin Atlantic’s “Meltdown: Live in the Studio” documents the Scottish alt-rock band during the recording of its latest album, in Glasgow, at 3 p.m. Tickets via veeps.com.

• Umphrey’s McGee plays at 10 p.m. and again on Sunday, Dec. 29, from Denver, for subscribers to nugs.net.

SUNDAY, DEC. 29

• MJ Live pays tribute to Michael Jackson at 7:30 p.m. at Sound Board in the MotorCity Casino Hotel, 2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit. 800-745-3000 or soundboarddetroit.com.

• RJ Spangler and James O’Donnell’s All-Stars play a 3 p.m. matinee, followed by the Leftovers Jaxx Sextet at 7 p.m. at the Cadieux Cafe, 4300 Cadieux Road, Detroit. 313-882-8560 or cadieuxcafe.com.

• The In The Tradition ensemble blends styles at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. at Cliff Bell’s, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit. 313-961-2543 or cliffbells.com.

• Virtual: Icelandic singer Laufey hosts “A Night at the Symphony: Hollywood Bowl” at 3 p.m. Tickets via veeps.com.

• Virtual: The Decemberists hold a Veeps Watch Party at 8 p.m., via veeps.com.

• Virtual: Billy Strings livestreams at 8:30 p.m. from New Orleans, for subscribers to nugs.net.

• Virtual: “Grammy Greats: The Most Memorable Moments,” hosted by Jimmy Jam and Gayle King and featuring performances by Dua Lipa, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Keith Urban, St. Vincent and more, airs at 9 p.m. on CBS (Channel 62 in Detroit) and Paramount+.

• Pianist Jon Cleary performs at 10:30 p.m. from the legendary Tipitina’s in New Orleans, for subscribers to nugs.net.

An Azerbaijani airliner with 67 people onboard crashed Wednesday near the Kazakhstani city of Aktau, killing 38 people and leaving 29 survivors, a Kazakh official said.

Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbaev disclosed the figures while meeting with Azerbaijani officials, the Russian news agency Interfax reported.

The Embraer 190 was en route from the Azerbaijani capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus when it was diverted and attempted an emergency landing 1.8 miles from Aktau, Azerbaijan Airlines said.

Speaking at a news conference, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that it was too soon to speculate on the reasons behind the crash, but added that the weather had forced the plane to change from its planned course.

The information provided to me is that the plane changed its course between Baku and Grozny due to worsening weather conditions and headed to Aktau airport, where it crashed upon landing, he said.

Russias civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, said preliminary information showed the pilots diverting to Aktau after a bird strike led to an emergency on board.

According to Kazakh officials, those aboard the plane included 42 Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russian nationals, six Kazakhs and three Kyrgyzstan nationals. Azerbaijans prosecutor generals office previously said that 32 of the 67 people on board had survived the crash, but told journalists that the number wasnt final.

The Associated Press could not immediately reconcile the difference between the numbers of survivors given by Kazakhstan and Azerbaijani officials.

RELATED STORY | Are Americans' thoughts on plane safety swayed by recent incidents?

Mobile phone footage circulating online appeared to show the aircraft making a steep descent before smashing into the ground in a fireball. Other footage showed part of its fuselage ripped away from the wings and the rest of the aircraft, lying upside in the grass. The footage corresponded to the planes colors and its registration number.

Some of the videos posted on social media showed survivors dragging fellow passengers away from the wreckage.

Flight-tracking data from FlightRadar24.com showed the aircraft making what appeared to be a figure eight once nearing the airport in Aktau and its altitude moving up and down substantially over the last minutes of the flight before impacting the ground.

FlightRadar24 separately said in an online post that the aircraft had faced strong GPS jamming, which made the aircraft transmit bad ADS-B data, referring to the information that allows flight-tracking websites to follow planes in flight. Russia has been blamed in the past for jamming GPS transmissions in the wider region.

Azerbaijan Airlines said it would keep members of the public updated and changed its social media banners to solid black. It also said that it would suspend flights between Baku and Grozny, as well as between Baku and the city of Makhachkala in Russia's North Caucasus, until its investigation into the crash has been concluded.

Azerbaijans state news agency, Azertac, said that an official delegation of Azerbaijans emergency situations minister, the deputy general prosecutor and the vice president of Azerbaijan Airlines were sent to Aktau to conduct an on-site investigation."

RELATED STORY | Despite recent scares, air travel crashes down worldwide, data shows

Aliyev, who was traveling to Russia, returned to Azerbaijan on hearing news of the crash, the presidents press service said. He was due to attend an informal meeting of leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States, a bloc of former Soviet countries founded after the collapse of the Soviet Union, in St. Petersburg.

Aliyev expressed his condolences to the families of the victims in a statement on social media. It is with deep sadness that I express my condolences to the families of the victims and wish a speedy recovery to those injured, he wrote.

He also signed a decree declaring Dec. 26 a day of mourning in Azerbaijan.

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to Aliyev on the phone and expressed his condolences, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Speaking at the CIS meeting in St. Petersburg, Putin also said that Russia's Emergency Ministry sent a plane with equipment and medical workers to Kazakhstan to assist with the aftermath of the crash.

Kazakhstani, Azerbaijani and Russian authorities said they were investigating the crash. Embraer told The Associated Press in a statement that the company is ready to assist all relevant authorities."

Waterford Township may have a new supervisor but Anthony Bartolotta has promised to continue a path set by predecessor Gary Wall over the last 12 years.

In 2024 alone, the township debuted a new master plan, saw growth in the business community and received the most requests for permits to raise backyard chickens since the ordinance was approved.

Residents approved a 21-year $36.4 million bond for a new community center. The township purchased part of the former OCC Highland campus for the new site. Community center planning included a deal with the school district for the township to take charge of the senior center.

New community center is in Waterford Township’s future after voters approve 21-year bond

Public transit, first introduced with routes by the Western Oakland Transit Authority in 2020, now includes multiple SMART bus trips on weekdays and Saturdays.

The business climate also looks bright: By June, for example, four of the township’s six approved marijuana shops had opened. The other two requested extensions and were denied. In September the township reached a milestone of 12 approved short-term rentals, after a regulating ordinance was passed in 2023.

Waterford Township marijuana licensee asks for more time

DTE Energy opened its new service center on part of the former Summit Mall site.

The township’s director of development, Jeffery Polkowski told The Oakland Press earlier this year that he expected more than 70 business applications in 2024, which would exceed 2023 figures.

Four Waterford businesses get special approvals

The township’s master plan, updated this year, includes a long-term strategy to revitalize the Drayton Plains community to create a walkable Main Street-style area along Dixie Highway.

A master plan helps township officials determine best places for future development, including transitional areas between neighborhoods and business, and is a guide for best land-use practices related to environmental issues, transportation, public services and facilities.

Management change planned at Waterford Township senior center

Today is Thursday, Dec. 26, the 361st day of 2024. There are five days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Dec. 26, 2004, a 9.1-magnitude earthquake beneath the Indian Ocean triggered a tsunami with waves up to 100 feet (30 meters) high, killing an estimated 230,000 people.

Also on this date:

In 1908, Jack Johnson became the first Black boxer to win the world heavyweight championship as he defeated Canadian Tommy Burns in Sydney, Australia.

In 1941, during World War II, Winston Churchill became the first British prime minister to address a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress.

In 1966, Kwanzaa was first celebrated.

In 1990, Nancy Cruzan, a young woman in an irreversible vegetative state whose case led to a U.S. Supreme Court decision on the right to die, died at a Missouri hospital.

In 1991, the USSR was formally dissolved through a declaration by the Supreme Soviet.

In 2006, former President Gerald R. Ford died in Rancho Mirage, California, at age 93.

In 2021, South African Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu died at 90; the retired archbishop had been an uncompromising foe of apartheid and a modern-day activist for racial justice and LGBTQ rights.

Today’s Birthdays:

• “America’s Most Wanted” host John Walsh is 79.
• Baseball Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk is 77.
• Baseball Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith is 70.
• Humorist David Sedaris is 68.
• Rock musician Lars Ulrich (Metallica) is 61.
• Actor-musician Jared Leto is 53.
• Rock singer Chris Daughtry is 45.
• Actor Beth Behrs is 39.
• Actor Kit Harington is 38.

CLARKSTON – Nothing could have been a better holiday present for Clarkston than getting a win over one of the top teams in the state, Detroit U-D Jesuit, on its own hardwood last Saturday.

And for at least one half, it seemed totally plausible.

Call it a consolation stocking stuffer then that hanging around with a D1 frontrunner could provide the gift of belief.

“We talked to our guys about that,” Clarkston head coach Tim Wasilk said after the 65-52 defeat, which was just a two-point game midway through. “If we can do it for two quarters, we should be able to do it for four.”

That didn’t necessarily make the loss any easier in the moment.

“The message is that we can play with at team like that,” said Clarkston senior John Kaul, who poured in 24 points just several days prior in a win over West Bloomfield, but finished with only four against the Cubs. “Like me, I’ve got to hit shots. That’s my fault. And we’ve got to take care of the ball. That’s kind of the problem in the second half. It led to them getting ahead, and we couldn’t really get back. It’s hard to come back against a team like that down 10-plus in the fourth.”

It’s that first part, though, that proves the big picture isn’t long amongst players even in the face of immediate disappointment.

In that big picture, Kaul is a major piece of this year’s bunch that began 6-0, the best start for Clarkston since it won a state title back in 2016-17.

With more games like that one against the Lakers, there’s a chance Kaul cracks the program’s top-10 for career 3-pointers made, one that includes Foster Loyer (first with 272), Dugan and Dane Fife, and Waslik himself. He has size around him with 6-foot-6 senior Quinn Rosenberg, who had 15 points himself in that West Bloomfield win, and 6-8 junior Hayden Flavin, who is bound to post a few double-double stat lines before the year is through. There’s production throughout the rest of the lineup as well in Hayden Barrow and Cole Charter (team-high 17 pts. against Jesuit).

There appears to be some nice complementary pieces on the bench developing, too.

“We only lost one game in the summer, two in the fall, so our kids gained a lot of confidence,” Waslik said. “Our six-through-eight guys are sophomore (Ace Walters), freshman (Shane Dasuqi), sophomore (Max Harmon); we didn’t have those guys last year. They’re three new pieces bringing really good minutes.”

Since winning that Class A title, the Wolves have had some good teams, though probably none better than when they went 21-1 before COVID cut their run short of a district championship. They’ve won four in as many years between then and now.

“We’ve had some good teams, and we could have made a run that COVID year, which was tough,” Waslik said. “We’ve had three regionals where, we’ve lost to St. Mary’s right in the last possession, Catholic Central in the last minute, Adams in the last three minutes. We’re right there knocking on the regional door and haven’t been able to break through. We’ve been in those battle, it’s been good, and now we’ve kind of regrouped here.”

Tradition that dates back even further than those district titles continues to fuel these Clarkston players. “That was my childhood, going to those games,” Kaul said. “I think it’s inspirational to all of us. When we were little, seeing those teams going that far, seeing Foster, CJ (Robinson), our assistant coach, and how they played. They’re just an inspiration to us to do the same thing and work hard.”

Photo gallery from Clarkston vs. Detroit U-D Jesuit boys basketball action

There's another more immediate goal Clarkston has in mind as well: a league title. Everyone is well-aware that the last time the Wolves added one to the banner was 2020, the 14th they had won in a row.

"We want more than just a district this year," Kaul said. We want to win the league. We haven’t done that in a while, since I’ve been here. One of our biggest goals is to win the Red."

Wins over Ferndale and West Bloomfield have the Wolves 2-0 to begin their slate of games in the Red. And though it may have spoiled the unbeaten start, last weekend's loss should help prepare them in the long run to try and add a "25" or two to that banner in Dan Fife Fieldhouse.

"Credit to Ferndale, North Farmington, West Bloomfield; there's been some really good teams in the league, and the talent level's been good," Waslik said. "But it's something we've talked about, we'd like to compete for a league title. We know it's gonna be tough, but we think we've got a team that can do it."

A Christmas Day fire injured a mother of three and dampened the holiday spirit for several families in Southfield.

The early Wednesday morning fire happened at the Radius apartment and townhomes near 10 Mile Road and Telegraph Road.

It left five units unlivable and destroyed many of those families' belongings, according to the fire chief. Now, they're spending the holiday figuring out their next move.

Its nerve-racking. Its scary, Paige Robinson, a displaced resident, said.

Instead of sounds of joy on Christmas morning, Robinson said she woke up to the sound of her mother screaming about a fire.

We tried to bang on everyone else's (door) in the small complex, in our duplex you can call it, to make sure everybody gets out," she recalled.

Jasmine Boney said, I never would have thought that we would be impacted by a Christmas fire at all, let alone a fire for Christmas morning.

She said her sister, Tiffany Mcrae-Alston, was injured after an LED lamp next to her bed exploded. However, it's unclear what happened before that. Boney said neighbors reported hearing a loud boom in what they described as a chain reaction of blasts.

"She said that her furnace had blew, and my mom said that she had smoke coming off of her skin," Robinson said.

Boney said, "She has second-degree burns on her chest and on her leg. Yeah, so she's OK right now."

That's the good news and the fact she said her sister was the only person in her family home at the time. However, like Robinson's family, the Alstons lost their belongings.

You know, when you work hard to buy gifts for your kids and you really wanna see that joy, you just get woken up with terror," Boney said.

Southfield Fire Chief Johnny Menifee confirmed everyone got out, but it's unclear at this point how the fire started and where it originated.

Were working with the management company now as far as investigation, cause and determination of the fire as well as what were gonna to do help the residents, especially on a day like Christmas, he explained.

The chief said firefighters managed to salvage some Christmas gifts in various units.

He said there are two victims, including Mcrae-Alston, who was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The other victim was treated and released at the scene.

A Gofundme has been started for Alston that can be found here.

Boney said, "But even though its unfortunate, we are honestly very, very grateful. Like, the whole time on our way here, I was like just thank God, thank God, thank God. There are no casualties.

Robinson said, I dont know where we go next or what we do, but well fight to get through it.

DETROIT (AP) — At the beginning of November, the Pittsburgh Panthers were 7-0 and dreaming of finishing the season in the College Football Playoff.

Instead, they were spending their Christmas in Detroit.

Pitt went 0-5 in November, losing to SMU, Virginia, Clemson, Louisville and Boston College before accepting an invitation to the GameAbove Sports Bowl on Thursday at Ford Field, where they face Toledo.

The Panthers have made this trip before, beating Mid-American Conference opponents in Detroit in 2013 (30-27 over Bowling Green) and 2019 (34-30 over Eastern Michigan), but this trip is a little different. More than a dozen players have left the program to enter the transfer portal, and the Panthers will be missing one of their top offensive weapons.

Konata Mumpfield, who caught 52 passes for 813 yards and five touchdowns, is preparing for the NFL draft and won’t be participating in the bowl game. Pitt expects to have quarterback Eli Holstein back after he missed the BC game with an injury sustained against Louisville. Holstein threw for 2,225 yards and 17 touchdowns while rushing for three more.

Even with the missing players, coach Pat Narduzzi was not treating the game as an afterthought.

“I’m always looking forward, not backward,” he said. “Every win is important, and we want to play the best possible football game.”

Home for the holidays

For Toledo, playing at Ford Field is practically a home game. The drive is only about an hour, and whatever name the bowl game at Ford Field goes by, it often draws some of its biggest crowds when the Rockets are representing the MAC.

“It’s a great opportunity for our fan base to support the team in our last game of the season,” Toledo coach Jason Candle said. “We could have been out of the country or in one of many distant cities, some of which aren’t easy to get to, but this is accessible and I think our fans are excited.”

One-man attack

With Mumpfield gone, the Pitt offense is fairly simple. Desmond Reid is the team’s leading rusher, with 794 yards and four touchdowns, and he’s now the leading receiver, with 564 yards and four more scores. He didn’t reach 100 yards rushing in any of the five losses to end the regular season, but he did reach triple figures in total yards in three of them and had 99 against Virginia.

There’s not much behind him — Holstein (328) is the only other rusher with more than 250 yards, and wide receiver Kenny Johnson (520) is the only other player with more than 400 yards receiving.

Not much of a ground game

While Toledo quarterback Tucker Gleason threw for 2,457 yards and 22 touchdowns, including 949 yards and 11 scores to wideout Jerjuan Newton, they don’t pose much of a threat on the ground.

Connor Walendzak led the team in rushing with 457 yards but scored only once, and Gleason is second with 330 yards. He did score six times, but the Rockets were likely to struggled badly against a Pitt defense that allowed only 3.1 yards per carry and held opponents to 17 rushing touchdowns in 12 games.

Not a heated rivalry

Although Pitt and Toledo are separated by only 230 miles, the football rivalry has never taken off. The Panthers and Rockets have faced each other three times, all between 2002 and 2006.

Pitt won twice at home, including a 45-3 victory in 2006, but Toledo pulled off a 35-31 victory at the Glass Bowl in 2003.

Climbing the record books

If Toledo beats the shorthanded Panthers on Boxing Day, Candle will tie Gary Pinkel’s school record of 73 career victories.

— By DAVE HOGG, Associated Press

This is the season of giving and many people across metro Detroit spent Christmas Day giving back to others.

I love to help in any way I can, Marni Millard of Berkely said.

Millard volunteered at the Detroit-based nonprofit Cass Community Social Services on Wednesday. She was a part of a group that came out for Mitzvah Day, which is a volunteer project created by the Jewish Federation of Detroit.

Being Jewish, you dont always get to wake up to the presents and Santa coming to your house, so this is a good way for us to give back and be a part of the community, Millard said.

Cass Community Social Services helps those experiencing homelessness with housing, food and more.

We house over 400 people a night in emergency and permanent housing, said Faith Fowler, executive director of Cass Community Social Services.

She says the volunteers that help out on Christmas allow for her staff to take the day off.

They work hard every day pumping out about 700,000 meals a year so to have one day off to spend with their family or whatever their doing we appreciate having the help, Fowler said.

Related video: DAAA and DTE deliver 5,000 meals to seniors, adults with disabilities on Christmas Day DAAA and DTE deliver 5,000 meals to seniors, adults with disabilities on Christmas Day

Giving back to those in need was also top of mind for music producer and Detroit native Filthy Rockwell.

He brought gifts to kids at Peggys Place, which is a part of Detroits Coalition of Temporary Shelter. 

This is our sixth year doing it, so we're back again spreading some love and peace and positivity to the community, Rockwell said.

He said seeing the kids smiling opening presents is a great feeling.

It feels great This is the dream. Its always what I imagined it would be like, Rockwell said.

Caitlin Clark raised the profile of women’s basketball to unprecedented levels in both the college ranks and the WNBA, and Tuesday she was named the AP Female Athlete of the Year for her impact on and off the court.

After leading Iowa to the national championship game, Clark was the top pick in the WNBA draft as expected and went on to win rookie of the year honors in the league. Fans packed sold-out arenas and millions of television viewers tuned in to follow her journey. Clark’s exploits were far reaching, casting a light on other women’s sports leagues along the way.

A group of 74 sports journalists from The Associated Press and its members voted on the award. Clark received 35 votes, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles was second with 25 and boxer Imane Khelif was third, getting four votes.

Clark is only the fourth women’s basketball player to be honored as the female athlete of the year since it was first presented in 1931, joining Sheryl Swoopes (1993), Rebecca Lobo (1995) and Candace Parker (2008, 2021).

“I grew up a fan of Candace Parker and the people who came before me and to be honored in this way, is super special and I’m thankful,” Clark said in a phone interview. “It was a great year for women’s basketball and women’s sports.”

Shohei Ohtani won the AP Male Athlete of the Year on Monday for the third time.

Clark broke the NCAA Division I career scoring record for both men and women finishing her career with 3,951 points while guiding Iowa to its second consecutive national championship game. After her Hawkeyes lost t South Carolina for the title, Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley took the mic during her team’s celebration and said, “I want to personally thank Caitlin Clark for lifting up our sport.”

For all the success Clark has had and the attention she has brought to women’s basketball, she is often the centerpiece of debates and online toxicity towards her and other players in the league.

For her part, Clark has disavowed the toxic discourse.

Lobo also has been impressed with the way the 22-year-old Clark has handled the pressure and attention that has come her way.

“I would say she’s navigated it almost flawlessly. she hasn’t had an big missteps or misspeaks at a time you’re under constant scrutiny,” Lobo said. “She’s seemed to say and do all the right things. That’s just incredible at a time when it’s constant attention and scrutiny. She has not done anything to tarnish this sort of mild persona she has.”

As Clark handled the praise — and the backlash — during the heat of competition, it was hard for her to appreciate just what she was able accomplish over the past year. But after having time to reflect on the whirlwind tour, she appreciates those who were there alongside her for the ride.

“I’m thankful for the people I got to do it with,” Clark said. “A year ago I was still in the early part of my senior year in college. … How fast things change, and now I can see how great a college season it was.”

Iowa sold out all of its games at home and on the road with Clark as the main attraction. That momentum continued into the pros. Her No. 22 jersey was prevalent wherever she played during her rookie season and will be retired at Iowa.

“You’d be remiss not to acknowledge how crazy her fan base is and the eyes she gets with everything she does,” said Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, who was often spotted courtside at Clark’s Indiana Fever games. “It’s a different type of popularity, she’s one of the most popular athletes in the world. It’s not just women’s sports anymore.

“It’s really cool to see and she just handles it with such grace.”

Clark said she enjoys spending time with fans at games, usually taking a few minutes before and after games to sign autographs.

“For me it’s still really fun,” she said. “Whether it’s 15 seconds or 10 seconds or 5 seconds can be very impactful in a young girl and young boys life. Seeing the fans going crazy an hour before tipoff, I never take that for granted. That’s super cool and I never want that to go away.”

After a slow start to her WNBA career, Clark eventually found her stride there too. She set the single-game assist record with 19 and also had 337 assists on the season to break that mark as well. Clark, known for her logo-distance 3-pointers, was the fastest player to reach 100 3’s when she did it in 34 games which helped Indiana reach the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

Lobo, who won the AP female athlete of the year award after lifting UConn to its first national championship, was on the court for launch of the WNBA two years later. The ESPN analyst sees Clark’s ascension as something different.

“She’s brought unprecedented attention both in the building, but also viewership to the sport that was worthy of it but didn’t have it yet,” Lobo said. “There’s never been anything like this.

“That timeframe from 1995-97 was a baby step in the progression of it all. This is a giant leap forward. I’ve never seen anything like this. There’s more attention then the sports ever had.”

The numbers have been record breaking when Clark is part of a broadcast:

— TV viewership in the WNBA was up 300% thanks in large part to Clark with ABC, CBS, ION, ESPN, and ESPN2 all having record viewers when Fever games were on.

— The NCAA women’s championship game outdrew the men on TV for the first time in the sport’s 42-year history with 18.9 million viewers tuning it to watch the event. It was the second most watched women’s sporting event outside of the Olympics in the history of U.S. television.

— The 2024 WNBA draft was the most-watched in league history with 2.4 million viewers.

Clark credits the community of women athletes for the popularity increase of women’s sports, saying “we” did this or “we” did that when asked about it.

“It’s fascinating, you don’t always appreciate how many people 18 million is,” Clark said. “You see that number against a college football game or the Masters or whatever it is as far as the biggest sporting events in our country and it puts it in perspective. We outdrew the men’s Final Four.”

— By DOUG FEINBERG, Associated Press

By Myesha Johnson

The Detroit News

The Madison Heights Police Department is investigating the death of a 60-year-old man found unresponsive on Christmas Eve.

Officers found Robert Cavanaugh on the ground near the 26000 block of Dequindre Road around 7:39 pm Tuesday, the department said in a release.

Police said the city resident appeared to have suffered from blunt force trauma and was transported to Henry Ford Hospital in Madison Heights, where he was pronounced dead.

“Because of the suspicious circumstances, responding officers began an on-scene investigation,” officials wrote.

Officers located and arrested a suspect believed to be responsible for Cavanaugh’s death, according to the release.

The investigation is pending the Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office determining the cause and manner of death. The case will be presented to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victim and his family during this tragic time,” police said.

A man was arrested in connection to another mans death in Madison Heights on Tuesday.

Police and fire crews said they responded to the 26000 block of Dequindre Road south of E. 11 Mile Road around 7:40 p.m.

When they arrived, they found a man unresponsive on the ground.

The victim has been identified as 60-year-old Robert Cavanaugh of Madison Heights. Investigators said he suffered from blunt force trauma.

First responders provided aid to the victim and he was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Officers investigated at the scene, which they said was suspicious. They found and arrested a man they believe was involved in Cavanaughs death.

Police said theres no threat to the community.

The Oakland County Medical Examiners Office will determine the victims cause of death and send potential charges to the prosecutors office.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victim and his family during this tragic time, the Madison Heights Police Department said in a statement.

One person is being held in custody following a Christmas Eve shooting that left three people suffering from gunshot wounds in Oxford Township in what investigators called a “major incident.”

One of the victims has died, officials report, in what appears to be a random attack that involved a convicted felon involved in violent confrontations in multiple locations.

The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office said gunfire broke out about 6:32 p.m. Tuesday on Ray Road, between Lapeer and N. Oxford roads.

Responding deputies found three people injured from gunshots. All three were transported to area hospitals.

“Deputies have the suspect in custody and have recovered a gun,” the sheriff’s office said in a social media post.

Early Wednesday afternoon, the sheriff’s office updated the situation, reporting that one victim had succumbed to their injuries.

“One of the victims of the shooting last night has passed away,” the sheriff’s office stated on its Facebook page. “The other two should be on the road to physical healing.”

In anticipation of coming criminal charges, officials also addressed the nature of the attack while not yet revealing details of the circumstances.

“At this point, it appears that the terrible events of last night were completely random with the suspect just passing through the community when he went off on a violent spree at multiple locations,” the sheriff’s office said. “He is a convicted felon with multiple past weapons offenses and we intend to seek every possible charge against him. He is being held in our jail pending formal charges.”

No further information was released on the suspected shooter or the ages and hometowns of the three victims. Also unknown is the specific motive in the attack.

At 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, investigators said: “We are asking that people stay out of the area while the major incident is being processed. The area is an active crime scene. It is believed there is no further danger to the public.”

Deputies used their patrol vehicles to block access to the scene on Tuesday night. The road has since been reopened.

The shooting scene is just north of Oxford High School, where four students died and seven people were injured in a mass shooting in November 2021. There was no immediate indication the school was in any way involved in Tuesday’s incident.

WDIV-TV (Channel 4) reported a heavy police presence at a nearby Meijer store, but authorities say the shooting did not happen there, and it was just the staging area for first responders.

Neighbors told WXYZ-TV (Channel 7) they heard at least four gunshots

“Well, we were just sitting inside watching a holiday program and we heard four very quick gunshots; I mean it’s pretty distinct when you hear gunshots,” Tom Binkowski, who lives in the area, told the TV station. “It’s Christmas Eve. What are people thinking?”

Binkowski and other neighbors believe the victims may have been helping the shooter, who was off the road in a vehicle, when the shots rang out.

It was unknown when the accused shooter will be arraigned or when further information on the incident will be released.

 

Four Farmington Public Schools teachers were surprised in their classrooms on Friday, Dec. 20,  by Superintendent Kelly Coffin to inform them they were named the district’s Teachers of the Year in their respective levels.

The 2024/25 FPS Teachers of the Year are Joseph Lazzarino of Farmington High School, Susan Kim of Power Middle School, Laura Orlowski of Beechview Elementary School and Lara Ligerakis at Farmington Early Childhood Center.

Lazzorino was nominated as High School Teacher of the Year for his calm demeanor, caring for his students, and having a genuine interest in helping his students succeed.

He is the auto technology teacher at the high school and began teaching at Harrison High School as the Vocational/Auto teacher in 2011. He moved to Farmington High School in 2020 where he currently teaches ninth through 12th grade.

Lazzorino graduated from Siena Heights University with a Bachelor of Applied Science degree, and a Masters of Arts in Education/Teacher Leadership from the University of Phoenix.

“He is not only a great teacher but a great person,” said student nominator Jason Kazensky. “It’s always easy to ask questions and you never have to feel worried about falling behind.”

Kim was nominated as Middle School Teacher of the Year for her kindness, respectfulness, welcoming demeanor and desire to help anyone in need.

“I would just like to add that Susan Kim truly is a pillar within Farmington Public Schools and deserves to be honored for her dedication and work done to help students succeed in mathematics and in life,” said nominator Alexandra Borseth.

Kim is an 8th grade math and algebra teacher at Power Middle School.

She started off her career in FPS in 2000 as a third grade teacher at Longacre Elementary and was there until 2009 and then headed to East Middle School as a math teacher. From there, she became a traveling teacher between Power Middle School, Warner Middle School, and Beechview Elementary School until 2018 when she landed solely at Power.

She graduated from the University of Michigan Ann Arbor with a Bachelor of Art degree. She earned her teaching certificate from Eastern Michigan University and continued on to get her Master of Arts in Teaching from Oakland University.

Orlowski was nominated for her enthusiasm while teaching and providing a warm and approachable environment for all of her students.

She teaches fourth grade at Beechview Elementary and has been there her entire teaching career. Laura began subbing with FPS in 1997, and became a full-time teacher at Beechview after earning her Bachelor of Arts from Wayne State University, obtaining her Teaching Certificate from Madonna University, and earning her Masters in the Art of Teaching from Marygrove College.

“Laura is truly a wonderful, caring, person deserving of this honor,” said nominator Allison Jesiel.

Ligerakis was nominated for her compassionate, engaging, and over the top dedication to her students.

She is a preschool special education teacher at Farmington Early Childhood Center.

Lara started with FPS in 1998 when she was hired as an SXI teacher at Cloverdale (now closed). She went back and forth as an SXI and SMI (both meaning Severely Mentally Impaired) teacher until 2009, and in 2010 she became an Early Childhood Special Education teacher at the Farmington Community School. She transferred to Alameda, which is now the Farmington Early Childhood Center, in 2016 where she has been ever since.

She graduated from Wayne State University with a Bachelor of Science in Education. She then graduated from Oakland University with a Master of Education in Early Childhood.

“Her dedication, patience, and unwavering commitment have touched the lives of students every day,” said nominator Eva McDermott. “She has gone above and beyond to make every child feel valued and showed kindness in every moment. Her impact is truly immeasurable.”

 

 

 

A man was arrested after a vehicle crashed into a home in Warren on Tuesday afternoon.

The crash happened around 1:20 p.m. near Sutherland Avenue and Bradner Drive.

Detail about what led up to the crash have not yet been released, however, police say the driver involved took off from the scene.

The driver, who police said is a man, was tracked down and found at a home nearby. He was arrested without incident, police said.

Additional details about the driver have not been released.

Police say charges in the crash are pending.

One thing’s for sure about this year’s Planet Antics variety show — you won’t get bored.

The fourth annual celebration of the creative community built around the Planet Ant Theatre in Hamtramck features a diverse night of entertainment on Saturday, Dec. 28.

Live music? Check, from Detroit favorite Duende and Alison Lewis. Improv? Check, from the Planet Ant Home Team and Soul-Prov’s blend of “R&B, Soul & Fun.” Performance art? Yes, from Hot Talent Buffet. There will be more comedy from the Planet Ant Farm Team and the Independent Comedy Club, videos by Aaron Johnstone and Big Big Baby, and performances from Rouge Reveal, Lilith’s Big Ol’ Golden Show and Midnight Garden.

The evening also includes special episodes of Planet Ant’s monthly blind-dating show Match Made on Stage and the Tapes only live VHS movie-watching series, while Devin Jetski and DJ PP Girlfriend host an after-party.

Festivities begin at 8 p.m. at the theater, 2320 Caniff St. 313-403-1814 or planetant.com for tickets and other information.

Hundreds of volunteers packed thousands of meals for seniors and adults with disabilities on Christmas Day in Detroit.

The annual event, hosted by the Detroit Area Agency on Aging and the DTE Energy Foundation, on Wednesday took place at Trio Community Meals.

Five thousands hot meals were served to people in Detroit, Highland Park, Hamtramck, Harper Woods and the five Grosse Pointes. 

Year-round, we serve the needs of seniors and adults with disabilities, and we work hard to make sure none of them go without a hot home-cooked meal on Christmas, " says Ronald Taylor, president and CEO of DAAA, said in a statement. "Many live alone, and a meal delivered by a caring, smiling volunteer can brighten the spirits of many who might otherwise be alone most of the day.

The post Tickets to drive-through holiday light show at Eloise Asylum available through the New Year appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

Most Americans say they enjoy getting gift cards, but sometimes they go to waste.

According to a 2023 report by Credit Summit, nearly $21 billion in gift cards go unspent. Thats as 60% of Americans surveyed said they have at least one unused gift card.

The National Retail Federation said it expected Americans to spend $28.6 billion on holiday gift cards this year. The National Retail Federation said shoppers planned to purchase between three to four gift cards and spend an average of $51.18 per card ($170.48 per person).

Many Americans surveyed by Credit Summit reported not immediately using gift cards because they want to save them for something special or until they need something in particular. Only 19% say they use their gift cards immediately.

RELATED STORY | Nearly half of parents are going into debt over Christmas gifts

Although it might make sense to wait to use a gift card for a special occasion, experts say that might not be a good idea. With inflation at 2.7%, as prices go up, gift cards lose their value.

Additionally, gift card recipients run the risk of a company going out of business, or of the person losing the card. Store closings are of particular concern in recent months as major chains such as Big Lots and Party City have announced plans to close all locations, and other retailers like CVS and Family Dollar have made significant cuts.

There are many ways the value of them can go to zero, Peter Harms, professor of management at the University of Alabama, said in a release. You can lose the card, misplace it, the target business can stop accepting them or go bankrupt. But even if none of those things happen, the current rampant inflation will eat away its value regardless.

Experts say its OK to sell gift cards rather than letting them go to waste.

My advice, if you receive a gift card, is to treat yourself immediately before you lose the card or forget you have it, Dorothy Kelly, personal finance lecturer at University of Virginia McIntire School of Commerce, said in a release. If possible, add it to your digital wallet, or your online account with that vendor.

RELATED STORY | Parents of kids who believe in Santa say they're spending more on Christmas

Those two options will make it more likely that you will actually use the entire balance. For givers, I recommend gift cards from well-known retailers that are ubiquitous and have an easy-to-use app which can accept and track electronic gift card balances.

Although gift cards can lose value, 90% of Americans say they enjoy receiving them. Amazon, restaurant and grocery stores are among the most-liked cards.

The main advantage of gift cards is that they are easy to purchase, Steven Meyers, professor of psychology at Roosevelt University, said in a release. They dont require special insights into what the recipient may want or need. They are easy to store and deliver, and it reduces the likelihood that the person would need to return an item that they do not like.

Returns after December 25 are inevitable, but they dont have to be stressful.

Most places even say they dont need a receipt anymore, said shopper Julie Sons.

Around the winter holidays, retailers expect their return rates to climb an extra 17% on average, according to the National Retail Federation, as shoppers return unneeded or unwanted gifts.

There is some good news for consumers though.

RELATED STORY | These 5 reputable sites let you sell gift cards online

A lot of retailers extend their return policies around the holidays, said Samantha Gordon, deals editor for Consumer Reports.

While most chains extend their return windows into January, Gordon said no policy looks the same.

"Target might have a different return window than Best Buy, than Walmart, than Amazon, she said.

If you are planning to make returns, check store websites for their return deadlines for return-eligible items. We did some of the work for you:

Apple Store: January 8  Best Buy: January 14  Old Navy: January 15  Lululemon: January 23  Amazon, Macys, Kohls, and Walmart: January 31 

When making holiday returns, Consumer Reports recommends shoppers:

Bring ID  Dont open boxes or remove tags  Keep all receipts 

If you paid full price, the items now on sale and you don't have a receipt, Gordon said, you might only be able to get the value back for what it's currently selling for.

RELATED STORY | Fake reviews are costing consumers thousands of dollars each year, report says

If you dont like juggling paper receipts, shopper Briana Green has one last tip.

"You can have them email it to you, so thats a really good way to keep up with all your stuff.

That way returns are simple, and you dont waste your money.