DETROIT (AP) — Bo Bichette’s two-run single broke a scoreless tie in the eighth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the slumping Detroit Tigers 6-1 on Saturday night.
Nathan Lukes, George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered in a four-run ninth as the Blue Jays won their fourth in a row and increased their AL East lead to 6 1/2 games over the New York Yankees.
The Tigers have lost six straight and 12 of 13, but still hold a comfortable lead in the AL Central. They’ve scored only 33 runs during that stretch (2.5 per game) and were held to a pair of Jake Rogers singles on Saturday.
Four Toronto pitchers combined for 13 strikeouts and one walk. The Blue Jays are 8-1 since the All-Star break and have won 21 of 26 overall.
Riley Greene’s ninth-inning groundout plated Detroit’s only run.
Tarik Skubal allowed five hits in six scoreless innings for the Tigers. He walked three and struck out seven.
Toronto starter Kevin Gausman permitted one hit and one walk in six shutout innings, striking out 10.
Braydon Fisher (4-0) pitched a perfect seventh for the win.
Detroit threw out a runner at the plate on an unusual play in the sixth. With the bases loaded and one out, Tyler Heineman hit a soft flare into center field that Matt Vierling grabbed on a short hop. Springer had to hold up at third to see if the ball would be caught on a fly, and Vierling’s throw home was in time to get him.
Key moment
Pinch-hitter Joey Loperfido and Springer started the eighth with singles and moved up on a wild pitch by Will Vest (5-2). Guerrero grounded out before Bichette hit a two-run single past diving second baseman Gleyber Torres.
Key stat
Detroit has been outscored 89-33 over the last 13 games.
Up next
RHP Max Scherzer (1-0, 5.14 ERA) faces one of his former teams Sunday when Toronto tries for a four-game sweep. RHP Jack Flaherty (5-10, 4.77) pitches for the Tigers.
Detroit Tigers’ Gleyber Torres, middle, strikes out swinging as home plate umpire Paul Clemons, right, signals the out as Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk walks away during the third inning of a baseball game, Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Detroit. (JOSE JUAREZ — AP Photo)
DETROIT — Round and round it goes. The Tigers’ bullpen carousel continues to spin through veteran right-handed relievers.
Carlos Hernandez and Geoff Hartlieb have come and gone. Next up, 33-year-old Luke Jackson.
“There’s no question we’ve been cycling through some arms,” manager AJ Hinch said before the game Saturday. “And I feel for some of the arms that are now gone. But Luke is going to get an opportunity here. He’s a veteran guy who I think has some upside to recapture some of the usage he’s had in the past.”
The Tigers designated Hartlieb for assignment and signed Jackson, who had been released by the Texas Rangers on Friday. The Rangers will pay the remainder of his $1.5 million contract for this year. The Tigers will pay him the prorated MLB minimum.
Jackson, who has 15 games of postseason experience and was part of the Atlanta Braves’ 2021 World Series championship run, features an elite slider, which he throws off a 94-mph four-seam fastball.
In 2019, he posted a 36.7% whiff rate. In 2023, it was still at 30%. This year, it’d fallen to 22.4%. In 39 games with the Rangers this year, he had a 4.11 ERA with a team-high nine saves.
But his strikeout rate (15.8%) and walk rate (12.5%) were both well off his career norms.
“The swing-and-miss hasn’t been there this year, but we’re hoping to get more out of that,” Hinch said. “The breaking ball is real. He’s a guy who has been there and done that a little bit.”
He got five outs against the Tigers on Sunday.
“We try to give opportunity when it’s there and to the guys we feel can help us win,” Hinch said. “On the front end, I don’t know how long the opportunity is going to be for some of these guys.”
The Tigers gave Hernandez 11 games. Hartlieb got two.
“This one could be anywhere,” Hinch said of Jackson’s potential run. “Luke has been through the league and has run the gauntlet. He’s pitched in the back end of games this year. But performance matters and certainly we expect Luke to make a better impact.
“But the message is, when opportunity opens up, however big or small, try to come in, take it and run with it. We clearly are searching for the right combination of bullpen arms to stay here.”
Important to note, the signing of Jackson does not preclude the Tigers from pursuing other bullpen arms this week prior to the trade deadline.
Montero optioned
The Tigers optioned right-hander Keider Montero back to Triple-A Toledo after the game Friday to clear a roster spot for Tarik Skubal’s return from the paternity list.
“Keider has been on the shuttle between Toledo and the big leagues,” Hinch said. “Some of it has been where the health of our team has been. Some of it has been an execution issue.”
After getting tagged for six runs (five earned) and nine hits in four innings Friday, Montero’s ERA ballooned to 4.66 with a 1.432 WHIP.
“It’s about execution and he’s going to work his tail off,” Hinch said. “He really takes to a plan that’s laid out in front of him. You see it when he’s good. He’s got two types of spin, two types of fastballs and the occasional changeup. But when he’s not, it’s long at-bats and big counts and he’s spraying the ball and getting himself in harm’s way.
“The ebbs and flows of a young pitcher can be sometimes hard to navigate. But he’s going to put the work in and that’s why we sent him down — to work.”
Hinch said Montero would continue to start at Toledo, but did not rule out the possibility of him being a bullpen piece in the final two months.
“We’ve proven we’re willing to do anything,” he said. “We’ll use our players accordingly. We’re not pursuing that right now but I don’t think we’d turn our backs on an idea like that.”
The move also clears the way for rookie right-hander Troy Melton to take the fifth spot in the rotation.
The emergence of Troy is part of this conversation when you make a move like this,” Hinch said. “Troy was at a really good place at a really good time. He needed the challenge of being up in the big leagues.”
Around the horn
The Tigers traded outfielder Brewer Hicklen, who was designated for assignment Wednesday, to the Phillies for cash considerations.
Texas Rangers relief pitcher Luke Jackson throws to the Houston Astros during a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (JEROME MIRON — AP Photo, file)
ALLEN PARK — Here are some observations from Day 6 of Detroit Lions training camp.
• Saturday marked the first practice of the year with fans in attendance, and per usual, there was a noticeable change in the energy. Supporters in attendance gave Lions owner Sheila Hamp a standing ovation when she arrived, and later started a chant for linebacker Alex Anzalone, who returned to practice amid a contract dispute with the team.
• Ultimately, Anzalone didn’t partake much in team activities while continuing to work through rehabbing his hamstring. Neither did edge defender Al-Quadin Muhammad, who was spotted running the hill near the practice field alongside cornerback D.J. Reed. UDFA safety Ian Kennelly, who missed Friday’s practice with an undisclosed injury, did not practice again Saturday but was spotted working off to the side with trainers.
• Saturday was also the second day with pads, and the defense was feasting early on. Linebacker Jack Campbell dropped running back Jahmyr Gibbs for a loss on the second play of the day. Two plays later, edge defender Aidan Hutchinson brought down running back David Montgomery for no gain.
Defensive linemen Keith Cooper Jr. and Ahmed Hassanein immediately got a stop for the second team, and Roy Lopez, who returned to practice for the first time since suffering a foot injury on Monday, stuffed running back Jabari Small for no gain.
UDFA running back Kye Robichaux eventually snapped the drought for the offense, breaking off an explosive run after being sprung by UDFA tackle Mason Miller in the open field. Two plays later, Robichaux had another run of 10-plus yards.
• Rookie defensive tackle Tyleik Williams returned to practice on Saturday after missing Friday for personal reasons. On the first team’s second session of 11-on-11 reps, he and veteran DJ Reader teamed up to stuff Gibbs on a run. And on the very next play, Williams was at the front of another run stop for minimal or no gain. Hutchinson ended the set with a tackle-for-loss on Montgomery. A few plays later, Grant Stuard dropped Craig Reynolds for a loss, and Cooper and Chris Smith also teamed up for a stop for no gain.
• Fans hoping to see some plays from third-round receiver Isaac TeSlaa were treated to big plays from multiple rookie receivers.
UDFA Jackson Meeks ran a slot fade down the left sideline and got perfect placement on a ball from quarterback Kyle Allen, hauling the pass in with one hand while going to the ground. Seventh-rounder Dominic Lovett caught a tight-windowed pass between two defenders on another great throw from Allen for a touchdown in a 7-on-7 red-zone drill.
“I love being able to sit back and watch those guys work,” veteran receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown said of the rookie class. “It’s a lot of fun cheering them on. They make big plays. I mean, Meeks had a one-hand catch today, Dom had one the other day, Isaac’s ending practice with touchdowns, so it’s awesome to see.”
Between TeSlaa, Lovett and the rest of the veteran receiving core, the Lions have about six receivers who have a pretty good shot of making the roster. But if Lovett can uphold his production while remaining a factor on special teams, he’s going to have a huge opportunity to be a weekly contributor come this fall.
“You guys know, and they know, they’ve been told, ‘Man, if you can help on special teams and continue to develop at your role in your position, there’s a place for you,’” Lions head coach Dan Campbell said.
TeSlaa closed the practice with one of the plays of the day. He ran a slot fade to the end zone against cornerback Dicaprio Bootle and went up to haul in a throw from Jared Goff, going down at the 1-yard line and electrifying the crowd one last time.
“I would say, Lovett has…popped more early out on the field, but I thought TeSlaa had a really good day yesterday,” Campbell said before Saturday’s practice. “I can see the uptick now with him. He’s got to stack another good day, but that was good to see yesterday. And that’s the first day of pads, by the way.”
• For the third straight practice, veteran Graham Glasgow took reps at center while rookie Tate Ratledge played left guard. In addition to struggling with the interior defensive line on run plays, Ratledge also registered a false start early in the practice.
• Hutchinson’s 2025 Defensive Player of the Year campaign is officially on. He had another standout practice, sacking Goff in team period off a nasty spin move to beat offensive tackle Dan Skipper. Hutchinson also had another highlight-reel spin on Skipper during one-on-one drills.
“I see a player that is very confident in his abilities. I see a player that appears to bend even better than last year, and I see a player who was hungry that’s even hungrier,” Campbell told NFL Network after practice. “He’s gonna have a hell of a season for us.”
• Linebacker Zach Cunningham was the most noticeable player on the field Friday, but he got off to a rough start on Saturday. He bit on play-action on the first pass attempt of the day and got torched by tight end Sam LaPorta, who ran wild after making a catch to give the offense an early explosive play.
• The best reps from the offense came in 7-on-7 red-zone drills, with all three strings making light work of the defense.
The first team got things rolling with a first-play touchdown to receiver Jameson Williams, as Goff fed the ball into a tight window for the connection. Goff then had two really nice passes to receiver Kalif Raymond and fed the ball to tight end Shane Zylstra for a completion near the sideline. Goff finished things off with a dart to receiver Tom Kennedy in the end zone.
Kennedy connected with quarterback Hendon Hooker two plays later, going up to high-point a ball on a fade route and getting two feet down in the end zone while working against cornerback Tyson Russell.
Allen, meanwhile, went 5-for-6 on red-zone attempts, with his only incompletion coming on a ball to Lovett in the end zone where the receiver could only get one foot in.
• The first-team defense got its revenge after the 7-on-7 period during full-team red-zone drills. Cornerback Terrion Arnold defended a throw to St. Brown on the first play, followed by a sack in which Reader pressured first before the whole line converged on Goff.
• During the final 11-on-11 period of the day, Raymond caught a crosser from Goff and took it 45 yards to the house for a score. Shortly after, Hassanein pressured Hooker for a near-sack after beating tackle Giovanni Manu. TeSlaa ended the day with his phenomenal catch over Bootle.
• Manu had a tough day. He got beat cleanly twice in a one-on-one pass-rush drill, losing to edge defender Mitchell Agude on a speed rush and getting beat by defensive lineman Pat O’Connor on a swim move. He was almost beaten by Hassanein on a bull rush but recovered in time to anchor and stave off the rush.
Hassanein continues to stand out in a positive way. In addition to the win over Manu during one-on-ones, he used a Hutchinson-esque spin move to beat Miller. Cooper also had a terrific rep, using a push-pull move to beat veteran Trystan Colon.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa catches a ball after an NFL football practice in Allen Park, Mich., Tuesday, July 22, 2025. (PAUL SANCYA — AP Photo)
At least 11 people were stabbed at a Walmart in Traverse City on Saturday with six in critical condition in what the sheriff said appeared to be a random act. A suspect was in custody, authorities said.
Watch the latest report on the incident below: 11 injured in Walmart stabbing incident in Traverse City
Eleven is 11 too many, but thank God it wasnt more, Grand Traverse County Sheriff Michael Shea told reporters.
Video from the scene of the Traverse City Walmart, courtesy Jerome Hartl Video from the scene of the Traverse City Walmart
Emergency vehicles and uniformed first responders were seen outside the store following the incident.
Tiffany DeFell, 36, who lives in Honor, about 25 miles from Traverse City, said she was in the parking lot when she saw chaos erupt around her.
It was really scary. Me and my sister were just freaking out, she said. This is something you see out of the movies. Its not what you expect to see where youre living.
Munson Healthcare said via social media that 11 people were being treated at the regions largest hospital in northern Michigan. Spokesperson Megan Brown said all were stabbing victims. Six were critical and five were in serious condition late Saturday, she said.
Shea said the weapon involved appeared to be a folding-style knife. Earlier in the day, the Michigan State Police said the suspect had been taken into custody. Shea said the suspect is believed to be a Michigan resident but declined to share further details.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said: Our thoughts are with the victims and the community reeling from this brutal act of violence."
Walmart said in a statement that it would continue to work closely with law enforcement in the investigation.
Violence like this is unacceptable. Our thoughts are with those who were injured and were thankful for the swift action of first responders, the statement said.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said in a social media post that bureau officials were responding to provide any necessary support.
Traverse City is a popular vacation spot on the coast of Lake Michigan. It is known for its cherry festival, wineries and lighthouses and is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
Members of a Venezuelan team were unable to obtain travel visas to the U.S. to participate in the organization's Senior League Baseball World Series in Easley, South Carolina, Little League International confirmed to Scripps News.
It is unclear why the Cacique Mara Little League was not able to obtain visas for its members.
"While this is extremely disappointing, especially to these young athletes, the Little League International Tournament Committee has made the decision to advance the second-place team, Santa Maria de Aguayo Little League (Victoria, Mexico), to participate in the Senior League Baseball World Series and ensure the Latin America Region is represented in the tournament and that the players, coaches, and families from Mexico are able to have a memorable World Series experience," Little League International said in a statement.
The U.S. State Department did not provide details on why the visas were denied.
"Our consular officers are currently working to review the case to confirm proper procedures were followed and necessary appeals were submitted by the visa applicants," the State Department said.
The denial of visas comes as the Trump administration ends temporary legal protections for immigrants from Venezuela who were granted Temporary Protected Status.
The Trump administration has also recently banned Venezuelan nationals from obtaining certain types of visas, including tourist, academic, and business visas.
Athletes are generally given P-1A visas. The Trump administration is still granting Venezuelan nationals P-1A visas.
The tournament starts today and runs through Aug. 2. It includes six U.S. teams and six international teams comprising children ages 13-16.
Little League International is the same organization that hosts the Little League World Series for 11- and 12-year-olds in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
Caitlin Clark has set yet another record, this time with her 2024 WNBA rookie card selling for the most money yet for a female athlete at a public auction.
Clark's Rookie Royalty WNBA Flawless Logowoman 1/1 card sold Thursday night for $660,000. That sale price tops the previous mark of $366,000 for Clark's 2024 Panini Prizm WNBA Signatures Gold Vinyl 1/1 PSA 10 in March.
The card that sold Thursday night is signed and inscribed with Clark's scoring total for her rookie season. The card also includes a Logowoman patch seen on WNBA jerseys, making such cards a top pick for collectors. This card entered extended bidding at $336,000 before reaching the final sale price.
The Flawless Logowoman was one of seven Clark cards sold at Fanatics Collect on Thursday night and one of four cards from Panini America's 2024 Rookie Royalty WNBA collection.
Now 14 cards featuring Clark have sold at public auction easily topping her salary this season with the Indiana Fever, with the latest going for more than Clark is scheduled to make over her rookie contract with Indiana.
This mark may be challenged Aug. 9 when an Immaculate Logowoman 1/1 Clark card is scheduled for sale. The price for that card was at $180,000 on Thursday night before a buyer's premium on 17 bids.
Amid a federal overhaul of student loan plans, many borrowers have been left wondering what it means for their hopes of loan forgiveness. In particular, those who are enrolled in a repayment plan known as income-based repayment, or IBR, have wondered if forgiveness will still be available to them.
A recent update from the Education Department said forgiveness through the IBR plan is paused while systems are updated. IBR forgiveness will resume once those updates are completed, the agency said.
IBR is not affected by a federal court's injunction blocking former President Joe Biden'sSaving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, plan. The IBR plan was created by Congress separately from other existing repayment plans, including those known as PAYE and ICR. It's also exempt from some changes coming from President Donald Trump's tax and spending bill.
Here's what to know.
Which income-driven repayment plans are affected by the court's injunction?
Following a court injunction last summer, loan forgiveness for the SAVE, Income-Contingent Repayment, or ICR, and Pay As You Earn, or PAYE, plans is currently paused because those plans were not created by Congress. The legal action called into question whether student loan forgiveness was authorized under the federal statute that governs those plans. The IBR plan was created under a different authority.
IBR, created by Congress, reduces monthly payments for borrowers with lower incomes. It also invokes a statute that authorizes student loan forgiveness of the balance at the end of a 20- or 25-year repayment term.
When will IBR forgiveness resume?
The Education Department hasn't given a timeline for when its system update will be complete and forgiveness will resume.
Should a borrower continue to make IBR payments in the interim?
Borrowers enrolled in IBR who have reached the threshold for forgiveness but who are not seeing their loans discharged as a result of the pause may continue to make payments with the expectation that the Education Department will refund the excess payments. The plan offers forgiveness after 240 or 300 monthly payments, depending on when borrowers enrolled.
Borrowers can also request forbearance from their loan servicer. In that case, interest would continue to accrue on any remaining balance.
What changes are coming from Trump's big beautiful bill?
Trump's tax and spending law will eventually phase out the ICR, PAYE and SAVE plans, replacing them with the Repayment Assistance Plan. IBR plans will continue to exist and to provide forgiveness after 20 or 25 years. RAP, in contrast, will require 30 years of repayment before forgiveness is granted.
A 31-year-old man is in jail after his girlfriend told police he kidnapped her, hit her with a liquor bottle and threw her down a set of stairs.
Michigan State Police said the woman fled the man’s home and sought help at a nearby residence when he fell asleep.
At about 1:05 a.m. Friday, dispatchers received a report that a woman with “obvious injuries” was sitting on the porch of a home on Ithaca Avenue in Royal Oak Township, according to an MSP social media post.
Authorities said troopers arrived and found the woman with two black eyes and bruises and cuts on her body. She told police that her boyfriend had held her against her will at his home on Cloverdale Avenue for the last three days.
There, he allegedly took her cell phone so she couldn’t call for help, strangled her, struck her with a liquor bottle and threw her down the stairs when she attempted to leave. The woman told police she was able to escape when he fell asleep.
She was transported to a nearby hospital while troopers responded to the suspect’s home, according to the MSP post.
He initially refused to exit the house. Troopers first removed the man’s father and the suspect later complied with orders and was taken to the Oakland County Jail.
The suspect has not yet been identified by name. The case is under review by the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, MSP said.
A spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for an update on the case.
A move from the group Let’s Open Northville to remove on-street dining from Northville’s downtown has drawn opposition from the city, a statewide organization and area business owners.
Described as a group of businesspeople and residents who want to permanently reopen Main and Center streets in the downtown area, Let’s Open Northville won a lawsuit against the city this month to remove bollards that blocked access to cars and trucks, restricting the area to pedestrians. The bollards were initially installed to allow for socially distanced dining during the COVID-19 epidemic, but were left up on a seasonal basis.
Wayne County Circuit Judge Charlene Elder ruled in her July 9 decision that the downtown streets are meant for street traffic.
Now, Let’s Open Northville wants to remove street dining blocked off by concrete barriers from the two thoroughfares. The group alleges in a July 18 motion that the city’s installation of concrete barriers that allow patrons of certain restaurants to dine in parallel-parking spaces violates Elder’s order. Elder said in her order that the streets would “close only for festivals, parades, and special events as they always have.”
“(The city) never used concrete barriers to create on-street dining or block temporary on-street parking spaces pre-COVID,” the motion reads.
Let’s Open Northville said in their motion that the city told them they would not remove the concrete barriers because some of the restaurants had on-street platform dining before COVID. The city also allegedly told the group that the restaurant owners gave them permission to install the barriers.
Kate Knight, director of Northville’s Downtown Development Authority, said the city would file a motion in response Friday. Knight said the city has allowed for dining on the streets since the early 2010s.
“(The motion) feels punitive toward a long-established restaurant tradition in Northville,” Knight said. “We complied with the court order to open streets with a very quick turnaround last week.”
The city’s move has garnered support from the Michigan Downtown Association. In a letter to Knight and City Manager George Lahanas, MDA chairwoman Cristina Sheppard-Decius said public roads are meant to be flexible “to work with the current environment and needs of the community.”
“Historically, communities such as Birmingham, Royal Oak, Grand Rapids, Northville, and many more have long-established ordinances and policies dating back to 2007 allowing for on-street platform dining cafes − establishing a best practice in public space, street and curbside management in Michigan,” Sheppard-Decius’ letter reads.
Knight also said business owners who use the barriers have invested thousands of dollars in temporary infrastructure because it’s uncertain if they’ll be able to have on-street dining in the future.
Some business owners who use the barriers have spoken out about the motion. Paul Gabriel, owner of Browndog, said he had street dining before COVID-19.
“They opened the streets. They’ve just allowed the restaurants to have their outdoor street dining like they always have, so I’m not exactly sure of how this is in violation,” he said.
Gabriel said getting rid of on-street dining would “dramatically” impact his business. He said Browndog, which offers ice cream and shakes, generates a good amount of revenue in the summer months from outdoor seating.
Michelle Lussier, owner of Table 5, said she would lose up to 15% of her business if her on-street dining were to go away.
Lussier also said she would like to move past the legal battle.
“Let’s just realize that we have this great downtown, and let’s do what we can to keep it great,” she said.
Restaurant seating on Main Street in Northville on July 22, 2025. (David Guralnick, The Detroit News)
A quarter-size device that tracks the rise and fall of sugar in your blood is the latest source of hope and hype in the growing buzz around wearable health technology.
Continuous glucose monitors, small patches that provide 24-hour insight into concentrations of sugar in the blood, could be a tool for Americans to take control over their own health, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently told federal lawmakers.
They can take responsibility, Kennedy said. They can begin to make good judgments about their diet, about their physical activity, about the way they live their lives.
The devices have lifesaving benefits for people with diabetes, the disease caused when blood sugar remains high because their bodies don't make enough insulin or become resistant to it. The condition, which affects more than 38 million people in the U.S., raises the risk of serious health problems such as heart and kidney disease and vision loss.
But the devices have surged in popularity among people without diabetes. Sales have been driven by high-profile marketers such as Casey Means, the nominee for U.S. surgeon general.
Theres scant evidence the monitors are useful for people with normal blood sugar levels, said Dr. Jody Dushay, an endocrine specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Healthy bodies can effectively regulate glucose after meals and provide the energy they need to function. Glucose monitors may lead people to misinterpret normal swings in blood sugar that happen after eating or activity. In addition, the devices can be notoriously inaccurate, providing misleading readings, she said.
The problem with wearing these is that you can just be zooming in on and creating pathology when its not there, Dushay said.
Heres what you need to know about the devices:
Here's what a continuous glucose monitor does
The device is a small patch, about the size of two stacked quarters, usually placed on the upper arm or stomach. It uses a needle to painlessly pierce the skin for a tiny sensor.
The sensor measures the glucose in fluid under the skin, delivering a signal every few minutes to a phone app or a handheld display. The apps typically record blood sugar levels and help people track the foods they eat and how they impact those levels.
When healthy people eat a meal that contains carbohydrates, their blood sugar rises, peaks and falls in response to the food.
A healthy fasting blood glucose level for a person without diabetes is roughly 70 milligrams per deciliter to 99 milligrams per deciliter. A range from 100 to 126 milligrams per deciliter indicates prediabetes and above 126 milligrams per deciliter indicates diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association.
In adults without diabetes, blood sugar levels can climb to 140 milligrams per deciliter or more within an hour of a meal, before falling back to baseline levels within two or three hours, according to the association. It's a sign the body is processing sugar normally.
Continuous glucose monitors have been available since the late 1990s
For decades, these devices were available only for people with diabetes. The monitors revolutionized care by allowing more precise adjustment of insulin used to treat diabetes and giving people the ability to modify meals and activity more accurately.
Last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first over-the-counter monitors. Since then, many companies have emerged to market them, claiming to provide intensive, individualized health monitoring. Cost is generally about $100 a month.
Theyve really caught on with consumers curious about how food and activity affect their blood sugar levels. For instance, Noom, the weight-loss and fitness app, launched a blood glucose feature last year that has proven extremely popular, said Alexander Fabry, a company executive.
Of the people who are using a CGM, the vast majority of them dont have a diabetes diagnosis, he said.
Who can use the monitors?
The devices have been lifesaving for people with diabetes. And they can be helpful for people with risk factors for the disease, including obesity, prediabetes, a history of gestational diabetes or a family history of the condition.
The devices can allow users to see how specific food and activity choices affect their blood sugar in near real-time, said Dr. Alaina Vidmar, a pediatric obesity specialist at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.
After a large meal, you may watch your blood sugar go up and sort of learn something about yourself, Vidmar said. For example, I drink a sugar-sweetened soda and my blood sugar goes up really high, really fast. And maybe I don't feel as good, right?
What are the cautions?
People without risk factors for diabetes may turn to the monitors just because theyre curious, said Dr. David Kessler. A former FDA commissioner, Kessler doesnt have diabetes, but he wore a monitor for a couple months during research for his recent book, Diet, Drugs and Dopamine.
I think its a very interesting tool to experiment with if youre so inclined, Kessler said.
But, he noted, the devices cant be used to diagnose or treat disease. Even experts don't agree on how to interpret or provide health advice for people without diabetes based on blood sugar data.
No one knows whats optimal in the nondiabetic state, he said.
Before using a monitor, Dushay asks patients to consider their motives.
What do you think you're going to get from the data? she said. What is to be gained from wearing that monitor?
It’s been 20 years since the Metzger brothers of AJR began busking on the streets of their home town, New York City, and 10 since they the trio released its debut album, “Living Room.”
Since then they’ve released four more studio albums and a series of EPs, including the upcoming “What No One’s Thinking.” AJR has also hit the charts with singles such as “I’m Ready,” “World’s Smallest Violin,” “Way Less Sad” and the Top 10 “Bang!,” and the siblings — who record and perform under the surname Met — have also collaborated with Weezer, Ingrid Michaelson, Mike Love of the Beach Boys and Grosse Pointe-raised Quinn XCII.
This year finds them hot off AJR’s first full-scale arena tour last year, and in the midst of working on a Broadway musical. The summer tour also finds Jack (nee Evan) and Ryan (nee Joshua) out mostly as a duo, while oldest brother Adam, who’s an adjunct professor at Columbia University and works on climate issues, has a Ph.D. and is executive director of the promotes his new book “Amplify: How to Use the Power of Connection to Engage, Take Action, and Build a Better World.” But his brothers are carrying the torch around the country, with a new single, “Betty,” advancing the EP…
* Jack Met says via Zoom that AJR’s career trajectory isn’t exactly what he expected but adds that “if it was going to happen, it’s exactly the way that I guess I thought it would or I expect it to go. We’ve never been the coolest thing…It’s been a very slow trajectory; we’ve been doing this for 20 years all told, and it took about 10 years to kinda start getting popular. And it really has been, like, one fan at a time, and I think that’s actually made us able to stay for such a long time.”
* He adds that he and his two older brothers have largely gotten along, without any Oasis or Kinks kind of drama between them. “We grew up in a pretty small apartment, and we all shared a bedroom growing up, like three of us, for 15 years until Adam went to college. It kind of forced us to be close. There was nowhere else to go. There was no other bedroom, couldn’t sleep in the bathroom. So it kind of forced us to make up games together and put on fake shows together in the living room, `cause you had no option. And once we started getting on (tour) buses and sharing dressing rooms, it just felt like we were back in the bedroom.”
AJR, seen during a recent performance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," performs Tuesday, July 29 at the Pine Knob Music Theatre) Photo by Randy Holmes/ABC)
* The “What Everyone’s Thinking” EP is due out Aug. 29 and came as a bit of a surprise for AJR. “We didn’t really have a plan to write this year at all. We were planning to work on this Broadway show that we’re writing, and essentially what happened was I said to Ryan, ‘I’m just curious in the moment, if we sit down, what will happen.'” After experiencing some writer’s block, he says, “we realized and we remembered that we’d been through some kind of crazy stuff during the last few years; we’ve dealt with the loss of family members (including their father during 2023), career stuff, friendships and everything. When we realized that, OK, we’re suppressing some stuff, it was like, ‘OK, there it is. Let’s just inject it into the music.’ So we did, and the songs kind of came pouring out — five songs that are very personal and very emotional. It’s definitely our most emotional body of work.”
* The song “Betty,” Jack says, “is about the fear of commitment and the fear of the idea of forever. It’s not so much about relationship issues as just issues within yourself, of that fear. We thought that was a brutally honest and scary thing to write about, but we kind of had to.”
* The Broadway musical, meanwhile, is an adaptation of Crockett Johnson’s 1955 children’s novel “Harold and the Purple Crayon; AJR is writing songs, while Rick Elice (“Jersey Boys,” “The Addams Family,” “The Cher Show”) is collaborating on the book. “We loved that book forever and reimagined it, basically. We took Harold’s character and reimagined him into an adult, facing adult issues and realizing that he kinda can’t draw his problems away anymore. He’s dealing with loss. It’s very much based on our own experiences. We’re in the middle of working on it now. This was conceptualized back in 2020. We’re a good amount down the road now, and we’ve written a bunch of songs and a story and everything like that. We just love it, ’cause Broadway is the first thing we ever wanted to do. It’s impacted every single song I think we’ve ever made, to some degree.”
AJR, Goth Babe, Cavetown and Madelyn Mei perform at 6:20 p.m. Tuesday, July 29 at the Pine Knob Music Theatre, 33 Bob Seger Drive, Independence Township. 313-471-7000 or 313Presents.com.
AJR performs Tuesday, July 29 at the Pine Knob Music Theatre (Photo by Austin Roa)
This week, Brian Kuch, of Akron, New York, got a text message from CVS that said: "Your Rite Aid prescriptions have been securely transferred to CVS."
However, Kuch said he transferred medications from Rite Aid to Walgreens months ago, after Rite Aid announced it was closing dozens of stores. In May, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
WATCH: Confusion over prescription transfers as Rite Aid stores begin to close
Confusion over prescription transfers as Rite Aid stores begin to close
Kuch said he never gave authorization to CVS to have his medication records.
"It's not against HIPAA," said Jon Vorreuter, co-owner of Clarence Pharmacy. "Even if records are sent to a store they dont want to go to, they still have the option of where they want to go."
A CVS spokesperson said that they did purchase medication records from many Rite Aid stores across Western New York, but not the one in Akron that Kuch went to. The spokesperson said it could be that Kuch went to a different Rite Aid in the past, and that location had records acquired by CVS.
Meanwhile, some pharmacies like Vorreuter's are seeing a spike in business from former Rite Aid customers. He said he had to hire five to six new employees and add a second register just to keep up.
The potential closure of additional Rite Aid stores could exacerbate U.S. access to prescriptions.
According to a 2024 study published by Ohio State University, 46% of U.S. counties had a pharmacy desert.
"Poor access to pharmacies is often associated with lower medication adherence. Patients in socially vulnerable communities may lack the means to travel to other pharmacies or may have limited access to broadband internet to find telepharmacy options," the study reads. "Furthermore, pharmacies often offer diagnostic, preventive, and emergency services. As high pharmacy desert density counties also have a lower primary care density, patients residing in these regions face increased barriers to accessing primary health care needs."
This article was written by Michael Schwartz for the Scripps News Group in Buffalo.
The Trump administration is releasing billions of dollars in withheld grants for schools, the Education Department said Friday, ending weeks of uncertainty for educators around the country who rely on the money for English language instruction, adult literacy, and other programs.
President Donald Trump's administration had suspended more than $6 billion in funding on July 1, as part of a review to ensure spending aligned with the White Houses priorities.
The funding freeze had been challenged by several lawsuits as educators, Congress members from both parties and others called for the administration to release the money. Congress had appropriated the money in a bill signed this year by Trump.
Last week, the Education Department said it would release $1.3 billion of the money for after-school and summer programming. Without the money, school districts and nonprofits such as the YMCA and Boys and Girls Club of America had said they would have to close or scale back educational offerings this fall.
The Office of Management and Budget had completed its review of the programs and will begin sending the money to states next week, the Education Department said.
Republican senators pressed the Trump administration to release the money
A group of 10 Republican senators on July 16 sent a letter imploring the administration to allow the frozen education money to be sent to states, saying the withheld money supported programs and services that are critical to local communities.
The programs are ones that enjoy longstanding, bipartisan support, U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said Friday. She pointed to after-school and summer programs that allow parents to work while their children learn and classes that help adults gain new skills contributing to local economies.
In withholding the funds, the Office of Management and Budget had said some of the programs supported a radical leftwing agenda.
We share your concern, the GOP senators had written. However, we do not believe that is happening with these funds.
School superintendents had warned they would have to eliminate academic services without the money. On Friday, AASA, an association of superintendents, thanked members of Congress for pressing to release the money.
Grants supported camps and other programs for working families
In Harford County, Maryland, some of the withheld federal money made up more than half the budget for the districts annual summer camp for kids learning English. The money helps the district hire certified teachers to staff the camp, incorporating learning into children's play for four weeks during the summer. The program helps kids keep their English and academic momentum over the summer.
The district serves roughly 1,100 students who are non-native English speakers. Many of them are born in the U.S. to parents who came to the area seeking job opportunities, often in the restaurants and warehouses that have popped up in the past decades in the region northeast of Baltimore. During the school year, the soon-to-be-released federal money pays for tutors for kids learning English.
On Thursday, more than 350 children filled the second floor of Bel Air High School for the second-to-last day of summer camp. Young learners crowded around an alphabet wheel, jostling with each other to push each letter button as they thought of foods starting with letters from A to Z.
Middle school students watched a robotics team demonstration, and a few sheepishly raised their hands when asked if they would be interested in joining. High school student volunteers, some of whom had been campers learning English themselves not many years ago, helped the youngest children with art projects.
The uncertainty around the funding was an unnecessary distraction for schools, said U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wa.
Instead of spending the last many weeks figuring out how to improve after-school options and get our kids reading and math scores up, because of President Trump, communities across the country have been forced to spend their time cutting back on tutoring options and sorting out how many teachers they will have to lay off," Murray said.
The grants that were under review included $2 billion for teachers professional development and efforts to reduce class size; $1 billion for academic enrichment grants, often used for science and math education and accelerated learning; $890 million for students who are learning English; $376 million to educate the children of migrant workers; and $715 million to teach adults how to read.
It added up to millions of dollars for the nations largest school districts. Data available from the Census for three of the grant programs teacher development, academic enrichment, and bilingual education shows the Los Angeles Unified School District, for example, received $62 million in the 2022-23 school year. Philadelphias school district got $28 million, while Miamis got over $24 million.
Smaller districts got more modest amounts, but they still would have represented sizable gaps in their budgets. For example, schools in Burlington, Vermont; Pine Bluff, Arkansas; and Norristown, Pennsylvania, each got more than $300 per student from the same three grant programs.
The community is invited to celebrate the official ribbon cutting and grand opening of Mouvement Dance Studios brand-new headquarters in Redford, MI on Sunday, August 10 at 1:30 p.m. The studio is located at 25917 Plymouth Rd.
Owner and Artistic Directors Miqua Chapman and her team will welcome local leaders, families, and dance lovers for an afternoon of high-energy performances, studio tours, and kid-friendly activities. Were here to do more than teach pirouettes, says Chapman. At Mouvement, we choreograph
confidence, kindness, and community
one eight-count at a time. Opening our doors in Redford means creating a safe, joy-filled space where every child can find their voice and feel they belong.
Mouvement Dance Studio offers classes in ballet, hip-hop, tap, contemporary, tumbling, and competitive company lines. Scholarship opportunities are offered for for families in need. To learn more or sign up, visit dansedamour@att.net
As artificial intelligence technology becomes part of daily life, adolescents are turning to chatbots for advice, guidance and conversation. The appeal is clear: Chatbots are patient, never judgmental, supportive and always available.
That worries experts who say the booming AI industry is largely unregulated and that many parents have no idea about how their kids are using AI tools or the extent of personal information they are sharing with chatbots.
New research shows more than 70% of American teenagers have used AI companions and more than half converse with them regularly. The study by Common Sense Media focused on “AI companions,” like Character. AI, Nomi and Replika, which it defines as “digital friends or characters you can text or talk with whenever you want,” versus AI assistants or tools like ChatGPT, though it notes they can be used the same way.
It’s important that parents understand the technology. Experts suggest some things parents can do to help protect their kids:
— Start a conversation, without judgment, says Michael Robb, head researcher at Common Sense Media. Approach your teen with curiosity and basic questions: “Have you heard of AI companions?” “Do you use apps that talk to you like a friend?” Listen and understand what appeals to your teen before being dismissive or saying you’re worried about it.
— Help teens recognize that AI companions are programmed to be agreeable and validating. Explain that’s not how real relationships work and that real friends with their own points of view can help navigate difficult situations in ways that AI companions cannot.
“One of the things that’s really concerning is not only what’s happening on screen but how much time it’s taking kids away from relationships in real life,” says Mitch Prinstein, chief of psychology at the American Psychological Association. “We need to teach kids that this is a form of entertainment. It’s not real, and it’s really important they distinguish it from reality and should not have it replace relationships in your actual life.”
— Parents should watch for signs of unhealthy attachments.
“If your teen is preferring AI interactions over real relationships or spending hours talking to AI companions, or showing that they are becoming emotionally distressed when separated from them — those are patterns that suggest AI companions might be replacing rather than complementing human connection,” Robb says.
— Parents can set rules about AI use, just like they do for screen time and social media. Have discussions about when and how AI tools can and cannot be used. Many AI companions are designed for adult use and can mimic romantic, intimate and role-playing scenarios.
While AI companions may feel supportive, children should understand the tools are not equipped to handle a real crisis or provide genuine mental health support. If kids are struggling with depression, anxiety, loneliness, an eating disorder or other mental health challenges, they need human support — whether it is family, friends or a mental health professional.
— Get informed. The more parents know about AI, the better. “I don’t think people quite get what AI can do, how many teens are using it and why it’s starting to get a little scary,” says Prinstein, one of many experts calling for regulations to ensure safety guardrails for children. “A lot of us throw our hands up and say, ‘I don’t know what this is!’ This sounds crazy!’ Unfortunately, that tells kids if you have a problem with this, don’t come to me because I am going to diminish it and belittle it.”
Older teenagers have advice, too, for parents and kids. Banning AI tools is not a solution because the technology is becoming ubiquitous, says Ganesh Nair, 18.
“Trying not to use AI is like trying to not use social media today. It is too ingrained in everything we do,” says Nair, who is trying to step back from using AI companions after seeing them affect real-life friendships in his high school. “The best way you can try to regulate it is to embrace being challenged.”
“Anything that is difficult, AI can make easy. But that is a problem,” says Nair. “Actively seek out challenges, whether academic or personal. If you fall for the idea that easier is better, then you are the most vulnerable to being absorbed into this newly artificial world.”
The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
Bruce Perry, 17, demonstrates the possibilities of artificial intelligence by creating an AI companion on Character AI, Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Russellville, Ark. (AP Photo/Katie Adkins)
ALLEN PARK — If you hang around the Detroit Lions‘ practice field, it won’t take long to hear Ahmed Hassanein’s voice.
The sixth-round rookie isn’t shy in letting out a roar while getting in reps alongside his new teammates, whether that’s before the ball is snapped to amp himself up or after in reaction to the play’s result. It happened at least twice Friday, as the Lions completed their fifth practice of training camp.
“In my mentality, it gets the whole defense together,” Hassanein said of his shouts. The habit began at Boise State, where coaches would know the defensive end was ready when they could hear him. “I get encouraged when somebody else yells. … This is just me. I love playing like that. Whatever it takes, you know?”
Hassanein’s relentless motor has been as advertised since the Lions selected him with the 196th overall pick in April’s draft. His physical abilities need to be honed — he only started playing football in 2018, after moving back to the United States from Egypt — but his hustle is never questioned, and that effort, as general manager Brad Holmes has previously pointed out, can “make up (for) a lot of things.”
“With the way he plays, the mentality he plays with, the effort he plays with, he’s everything we’re about here,” defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said of Hassanein on Thursday. “Like I said, it’s just that development piece, the learning curve.”
Hassanein, trying to absorb all the information available to him, has made a concerted effort to observe and learn from Aidan Hutchinson. Hassanein imitated one of the Hutchinson’s signature moves — a swim move to the inside — during Tuesday’s practice.
Hutchinson took notice, jokingly telling the rookie to “stop studying my tape.”
“He’s really been helping me a lot, and I’m super grateful for him,” Hassanein said. “Everybody in the room, honestly, (defensive line) Coach Kacy Rodgers, they’ve been teaching me. Because I’ve only been doing this for seven years, so I just want to learn and want to grow. … Being an open book and being a sponge. Not to have that like, ‘Oh, I know everything’ type of guy. No, I know nothing. But at the end of the day, I’m gonna give you 100%, I’m gonna run to the ball, I’m gonna run through somebody’s face.”
Fans have been clamoring for a long-term answer on the edge opposite Hutchinson. Perhaps the role could be filled by Hassanein, but that’s likely a down-the-road development than something we’ll see immediately. Sheppard doesn’t want expectations to get too high for Hassanein in Year 1, but there are clear reasons for optimism going forward.
“This guy is a rookie. He just started playing football six years ago,” Sheppard said. “He just learned the English language six, seven years ago. … (But) that guy’s all in. Whatever his potential is, Ahmed will reach it because he’s going to work at it that way.”
Detroit Lions defensive end Ahmed Hassanein runs a drill during an NFL football practice in Allen Park, Mich., Friday, May 30, 2025. (PAUL SANCYA — AP Photo)
No question is too small when Kayla Chege, a high school student in Kansas, is using artificial intelligence.
The 15-year-old asks ChatGPT for guidance on back-to-school shopping, makeup colors, low-calorie choices at Smoothie King, plus ideas for her Sweet 16 and her younger sister’s birthday party.
The sophomore honors student makes a point not to have chatbots do her homework and tries to limit her interactions to mundane questions. But in interviews with The Associated Press and a new study, teenagers say they are increasingly interacting with AI as if it were a companion, capable of providing advice and friendship.
“Everyone uses AI for everything now. It’s really taking over,” said Chege, who wonders how AI tools will affect her generation. “I think kids use AI to get out of thinking.”
Bruce Perry, 17, demonstrates the possibilities of artificial intelligence by creating an AI companion on Character AI, Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Russellville, Ark. (AP Photo/Katie Adkins)
For the past couple of years, concerns about cheating at school have dominated the conversation around kids and AI. But artificial intelligence is playing a much larger role in many of their lives. AI, teens say, has become a go-to source for personal advice, emotional support, everyday decision-making and problem-solving.
‘AI is always available. It never gets bored with you’
More than 70% of teens have used AI companions and half use them regularly, according to a new study from Common Sense Media, a group that studies and advocates for using screens and digital media sensibly.
The study defines AI companions as platforms designed to serve as “digital friends,” like Character. AI or Replika, which can be customized with specific traits or personalities and can offer emotional support, companionship and conversations that can feel human-like. But popular sites like ChatGPT and Claude, which mainly answer questions, are being used in the same way, the researchers say.
Bruce Perry, 17, shows his ChatGPT history at a coffee shop in Russellville, Ark., Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Katie Adkins)
As the technology rapidly gets more sophisticated, teenagers and experts worry about AI’s potential to redefine human relationships and exacerbate crises of loneliness and youth mental health.
“AI is always available. It never gets bored with you. It’s never judgmental,” says Ganesh Nair, an 18-year-old in Arkansas. “When you’re talking to AI, you are always right. You’re always interesting. You are always emotionally justified.”
All that used to be appealing, but as Nair heads to college this fall, he wants to step back from using AI. Nair got spooked after a high school friend who relied on an “AI companion” for heart-to-heart conversations with his girlfriend later had the chatbot write the breakup text ending his two-year relationship.
“That felt a little bit dystopian, that a computer generated the end to a real relationship,” said Nair. “It’s almost like we are allowing computers to replace our relationships with people.”
How many teens are using AI? New study stuns researchers
In the Common Sense Media survey, 31% of teens said their conversations with AI companions were “as satisfying or more satisfying” than talking with real friends. Even though half of teens said they distrust AI’s advice, 33% had discussed serious or important issues with AI instead of real people.
Those findings are worrisome, says Michael Robb, the study’s lead author and head researcher at Common Sense, and should send a warning to parents, teachers and policymakers. The now-booming and largely unregulated AI industry is becoming as integrated with adolescence as smartphones and social media are.
“It’s eye-opening,” said Robb. “When we set out to do this survey, we had no understanding of how many kids are actually using AI companions.” The study polled more than 1,000 teens nationwide in April and May.
Adolescence is a critical time for developing identity, social skills and independence, Robb said, and AI companions should complement — not replace — real-world interactions.
“If teens are developing social skills on AI platforms where they are constantly being validated, not being challenged, not learning to read social cues or understand somebody else’s perspective, they are not going to be adequately prepared in the real world,” he said.
The nonprofit analyzed several popular AI companions in a “ risk assessment,” finding ineffective age restrictions and that the platforms can produce sexual material, give dangerous advice and offer harmful content. The group recommends that minors not use AI companions.
A concerning trend to teens and adults alike
Researchers and educators worry about the cognitive costs for youth who rely heavily on AI, especially in their creativity, critical thinking and social skills. The potential dangers of children forming relationships with chatbots gained national attention last year when a 14-year-old Florida boy died by suicide after developing an emotional attachment to a Character. AI chatbot.
“Parents really have no idea this is happening,” said Eva Telzer, a psychology and neuroscience professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “All of us are struck by how quickly this blew up.” Telzer is leading multiple studies on youth and AI, a new research area with limited data.
Telzer’s research has found that children as young as 8 are using generative AI and also found that teens are using AI to explore their sexuality and for companionship. In focus groups, Telzer found that one of the top apps teens frequent is SpicyChat AI, a free role-playing app intended for adults.
Many teens also say they use chatbots to write emails or messages to strike the right tone in sensitive situations.
“One of the concerns that comes up is that they no longer have trust in themselves to make a decision,” said Telzer. “They need feedback from AI before feeling like they can check off the box that an idea is OK or not.”
Bruce Perry, 17, poses for a portrait after discussing his use of artificial intelligence in school assignments and for personal questions Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Russellville, Ark. (AP Photo/Katie Adkins)
Arkansas teen Bruce Perry, 17, says he relates to that and relies on AI tools to craft outlines and proofread essays for his English class.
“If you tell me to plan out an essay, I would think of going to ChatGPT before getting out a pencil,” Perry said. He uses AI daily and has asked chatbots for advice in social situations, to help him decide what to wear and to write emails to teachers, saying AI articulates his thoughts faster.
Perry says he feels fortunate that AI companions were not around when he was younger.
“I’m worried that kids could get lost in this,” Perry said. “I could see a kid that grows up with AI not seeing a reason to go to the park or try to make a friend.”
Other teens agree, saying the issues with AI and its effect on children’s mental health are different from those of social media.
“Social media complemented the need people have to be seen, to be known, to meet new people,” Nair said. “I think AI complements another need that runs a lot deeper — our need for attachment and our need to feel emotions. It feeds off of that.”
“It’s the new addiction,” Nair added. “That’s how I see it.”
The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
Bruce Perry, 17, demonstrates Character AI, an artificial intelligence chatbot software that allows users to chat with popular characters such as EVE from Disney’s 2008 animated film, WALL-E, Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Russellville, Ark. (AP Photo/Katie Adkins)
Recognized as one of Americas Top 100 Art Shows, the Orchard Lake Fine Art Show returns to West Bloomfield, July 26 & 27, 2025.
The show is set in a high-traffic area off Orchard Lake Road, just south of Maple, ensuring great visibility. Since 2003, this juried fine art & craft show has featured talented artists showcasing original, handmade works across all disciplines. Show hours are Saturday, 10am-6pm, & Sunday, 10am- 5pm. For more information, visit
NEW YORK (AP) — After five years of working long nights as a truck driver, Julius Mosley wanted a change. He found driving unfulfilling, and his teenage son needed him to spend more time at home.
So Mosley took a job as a customer service representative at a telecommunications company near his home. The employee benefits included being able to take job-related classes for free. He decided he wanted to study leadership so he could learn about managing teams and helping people become the best versions of themselves.
His company, Spectrum, paid for a 10-week front-line manager certificate program that Mosley went on to complete. Then it covered the tuition cost for a bachelor’s degree in leadership and organization studies that he’s currently pursuing. The company also promoted him to a management position while he took college courses online.
“It’s completely changed the course of my life,” Mosley said about the education benefit, which took care of his tuition up front instead of requiring him to pay and seek later reimbursement. “It’s truly a blessing to be able to do this.”
As higher education costs have grown to heights many U.S. residents find unattainable or illogical, some adults are looking to their employers for help defraying the expense of college and professional credentials. Nearly half of public and private employers have a tuition reimbursement program for employees, according to the Society for Human Resource Management, or SHRM.
Many employers that provide tuition assistance reimburse staff members up to $5,250 per year because that amount is tax-deductible, said Amy Dufrane, CEO of the Human Resource Certification Institute, which offers credentials to HR professionals.
Some companies offer more, including Bank of America, which provides tuition assistance of up to $7,500 annually, and Spectrum which, in addition to its prepaid tuition program, reimburses employees earning master’s degrees or enrolled in classes that fall outside the scope of its prepaid program up to $10,000 per year.
“For companies who are looking to attract Generation Z and Millennials, it’s a great way to bring them in because they’re keenly interested in how companies are investing in them and the benefits that are available,” said Dufrane.
Because many college graduates start jobs after accumulating student loan debt, about 8% of employers also offer help with student loan repayment, according to James Atkinson, vice president of thought leadership at SHRM.
If continuing education feels out of reach financially or seems incompatible with job demands, experts say there are ways to explore the possibility, either by by making the case to your employer or seeking a position at a place that provides education benefits.
A pay-it-forward model
In traditional tuition reimbursement programs, employees lay out thousands of dollars to pay for tuition, books and fees at the start of a semester, and usually must complete the course with a passing grade before a company would kick in its contribution.
That means employees would often wait four to six months before being reimbursed, which only works for more affluent workers, said Paul Marchand, chief human resources officer at Spectrum.
“The person that can afford to put it on their credit card and sit with $3- or $4- or $5,000 of expenses due back to them and not be concerned about that cost, that is not our average worker,” Marchand said. “Our average worker is making $25, $28, $30 bucks an hour, maybe having a second job, maybe a single parent with kids, … and they’re important workers for us, and we want to help develop them and grow their careers.”
Spectrum launched a program that lets employees sign up for an array of certificates or college courses while paying nothing themselves. The eligible courses and where to take them came from Guild, a Denver company that works with employers on workforce development and tuition assistance.
Walmart offers a similar benefit to its front-line associates, who can enroll in college or certain classes without ever seeing an invoice, according to company spokesperson Jimmy Carter. The benefit also extends to family members of the employees, he said.
Help with loan repayment
As recent college graduates have struggled with debts from college, some employers have added student loan repayment programs as well as tuition assistance.
Morgan Woods, 29, a training analyst at semiconductor manufacturer GlobalFoundries, graduated from college with a $20,000 debt load. Her employer is paying $125 per month toward her student loans, a sum that will increase over time.
Woods now expects to pay off her loans four years earlier than she anticipated doing on her own and hopes it will improve her options as she explores buying a house.
“The fact that I’m now ahead of where I thought I would be a little over a year ago is very nice to see,” she said.
Making the case
Not all employers offer education benefits, and when they do, they’re not always widely publicized. To find out if your employer offers such benefits, ask a manager or a human resources representative.
Show how a course or training directly relates to your role and how it would help you do your job more effectively, Dufrane advised. Even if there’s no formal tuition reimbursement program, your employer might have a training or professional development budget.
“If you’re taking on a stretch role or entering a new industry, you can advocate for training as part of your offer. Say something like, ‘I’d like to take a course to help me get up to speed in this area.’ In my experience, that shows initiative and employers often respect it,” Dufrane said.
You can also approach your boss and say, “I want to move up and I want to invest in myself. What recommendations do you have for me?” Dufrane added.
Finding the time
Fitting in classes, study sessions and paper writing can be daunting when holding down a full-time job, but there are ways to make it work.
Rene Sotolongo, a cybersecurity analyst at the Human Resource Certification Institute, earned a master’s degree in cybersecurity using tuition reimbursement benefits from his employer. To manage his time, he switched to working Monday through Thursday, studied on weeknights and dedicated Friday through Sunday to other schoolwork.
“Without the tuition reimbursement or the organization’s flexibility, there’s no way that I would be able to” earn advanced degrees, said Sotolongo, who is now pursuing a PhD with assistance from HRCI. “It’s rewarding in every aspect.”
Providing flexibility shows commitment to employees, Dufrane said. “You’ve got to be flexible around learning because people have parents they’re taking care of and kids they’re taking care of, and going home at night isn’t always the best time to be writing a paper,” she said.
Fitting in schoolwork while also meeting the needs of a son, a fiancee, a full-time job and a puppy has been challenging for Mosley, but it also provided a way to model studious behavior for his son.
“Instead of me just telling him he needs to do his, now he’s seeing me doing schoolwork, so that actually helped out with him wanting to do his work more,” Mosley said. “We actually take time to sit down together some days to work on our homework, so it’s been a life-changing situation.”
Share your stories and questions about workplace wellness at cbussewitz@ap.org. Follow AP’s Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health at https://apnews.com/hub/be-well
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