SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Houston’s suffocating defense wiped away a 14-point deficit over the final eight minutes and erased Cooper Flagg and Duke’s title hopes Saturday night in a 70-67 stunner over the Blue Devils at the Final Four.

Duke made a grand total of one field goal over the last 10 1/2 minutes of this game. The second-to-last attempt during its game-ending 1-for-9 stretch was a step-back jumper in the lane by Flagg that J’Wan Roberts disrupted. The last was a desperation heave by Tyrese Proctor that caught nothing at the buzzer.

It was Roberts’ two free throws with 19.6 seconds left that gave the Cougars their first lead since 6-5. LJ Cryer, who led Houston with 26 points, made two more to push the lead to three. It was Houston’s biggest lead of the night.

“No one ever loses at anything as long as you don’t quit,” coach Kelvin Sampson said. “If you quit, you’ve lost.”

The Cougars (35-4), who have never won a title, not even in the days of Phi Slama Jamma, will play Florida on Monday night for the championship.

Florida’s 79-73 win over Auburn in the early game was a free-flowing hoopsfest. This one would’ve looked perfect on a cracked blacktop and a court with chain-link nets.

That’s just how Houston likes it. It closed the game on a 9-0 run over the final 74 seconds, and though Flagg finished with 27 points, he did it on 8-for-19 shooting and never got a good look after his 3 at the 3:02 mark put the Blue Devils (35-4) up by nine.

It looked over at that point. Houston was just getting started.

“We had a feeling that we could still win this game,” Roberts said.

A team that prides itself on getting three stops in a row — calling the third one the “kill stop” — allowed a measly three free throws down the stretch. One came when Joseph Tugler got a technical for batting the ball from a Duke player’s hand as he was trying to throw an inbounds pass.

That didn’t make it any better for Duke.

On the possession following the technical, Tugler rejected Kon Knueppel (16 points), then Emanuel Sharp (16 points) made a 3 to cut the deficit to three.

Mylik Wilson stole the next inbounds pass and missed a game-tying 3, but Tugler tipped it in to cut the deficit to one.

Proctor missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 20 seconds left to set the stage for the Roberts free throws.

Duke’s slow walk off the court came through a phalanx of Houston fans who waved goodbye to Flagg, who will likely be off to the NBA as the first pick in the draft.

Houston finished with six steals and six blocked shots, including four from Tugler, who might be the best shot blocker this program has seen since Hakeem Olajuwon, who was on hand at the Alamodome to see the program’s first trip to the final since 1984.

Big win for AI

The huge comeback also netted a $1 million win for artificial intelligence. An AI disruptor bet a professional gambler that his program could do a better March Madness bracket, and it all came down to the Duke-Houston game.

Even if the Houston loses in the final, the AI bracket will get more points in the contest and the disruptor, Alan Levy, will pocket the million.

— By EDDIE PELLS, Associated Press

On Saturday, thousands of people throughout Michigan were protesting President Trump and Elon Musk.

One of the protest took place in Detroit outside of the Detroit Institute of Arts.

Organizers have dubbed the rallies the Hands Off protests.

I actually cried on the steps when I saw all the people who have come together in a very peaceful protest, said Kim Berkal of Lake Orion.

Berkal came to midtown Detroit on Saturday to join the hands off protest.

We need to be heard, we need to know that whats going on in our country is not right and we are here representing ourselves, our families, my three daughters, its the right thing to do, said Berkal.

The protesters spoke out against President Trump and Elon Musk who heads the Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE.

The rich and the entitled are oppressing us and if we dont fight back, our countrys going to be dead, said Kathleen Symes of Armada.

Demonstrators also criticized decisions on tariffs, the firing of federal workers, deporting migrants, scaling back protections for transgender people, and reducing the size of government.

Were out here today to defend our constitution, to defend the rule of law, and to defend our way of life basically, said Gina Keller, organizer of the Ferndale protest. Its extremely important for people right now to show the federal government that we do not consent to the destruction of our services.

What Trump is doing to our economy is damaging to everyone, me, you, all of us, hes gotta stop, said Keller.

We also caught up with one man who was counter protesting in midtown.

I want Trump and Elon Musk to cut, cut, cut and mass deportations, those are two main issues, said Gregory Creswell.

Michigan Republican Party Chairman Jim Runestad says President Trump is trying to save the economy not destroy it.

We are blowing money like drunken sailors and the democrats say we have to spend it faster, all those people out there say yes keep spending the money, hire more, hire more until this country goes bust faster, said Runestad.

There were also Hands Off protest in Troy, Ann Arbor, Wyandotte and Grand Rapids.

TROY – The newly opened complex with turf fielding at Troy allowed the Colts and Dakota to get in a nine-inning contest Saturday afternoon that the Cougars took, 13-3.

Dakota improved to 3-0 on the early season thanks a quartet that produced quality innings and two big frames of offense.

“We had a plan going in about who we were gonna throw and play, and got it worked out where everybody a little playing time, got some swings and some pitching,” Cougars head coach Angelo Plouffe said when asked about how the plan changed when the teams opted for a longer game over the originally scheduled doubleheader due to a delay with rainfall. “We’ve got a lot of good arms and we’ve got to get them throwing, and it waws fun to watch them throw today.”

The Cougars deployed Josh Geill, Chase Thornton, Landon Leidlein and James Neucterlien, who all tossed at least two complete innings and combined for 17 strikeouts.

“I thought our pitchers competed,” Troy head coach Joe D’Orazio said. “A lot of young guys, first time throwing today for varsity experience. Some of them did compete, we’ve just got to learn that against really, really good teams, one pitch can make the difference. And I think overall, too, a lot of it was guys not being aggressive enough up there hitting-wise. I thought we didn’t swing the bat that well today at all, so that’s probably where most of the frustration comes in. Because some of these guys are getting some opportunities to kind of showcase if they want to be in that lineup in (league play), and some of them kind of didn’t swing the bat much.”

Dakota’s bats got off beginning with Andrew Borowicz’s RBI single into left with runners at the corners to open the scoring in the top of the second, and Evan Morrison drove one in as well in the third inning to make it 2-0. But the Cougars began to break it open in the fourth as Jacob Gjonaj and Borowicz walked, then Luke Kavalick was hit by a pitch before Braylon Ryan stepped up and drove a 1-0 offering over the fence in right field for a grand slam that made it 6-0.

“Honestly, I was just looking for the ball up in the zone,” Ryan said. “He was throwing a lot of off-speeds, changeups, curveballs. I got a fastball that I could drive, and that was it. It was gone. It was actually my first home run on varsity. Very exciting.”

Colts junior Jack Sobotka pulled it back to 7-2 with a two-out, two-run single up the middle in the bottom of the fifth that helped give the home side a chance, but Troy remained behind by five going into a ninth inning that Dakota’s bats made another long one. Leidlein, Dylan Beitelshees and Michael Ross all drove in runs in the final frame to help the Cougars seal the deal.

Morrison ended the day with a team-high three hits for the Cougars, who had a dozen on the afternoon.

Coleton Steward, Carlos Aguierre and Noah Ordway had the other hits for Troy, who came into the day 4-0. Their 5-4 win over Utica to open the season back on March 19 also served as the Colts’ first game in their new digs.

“We had a bond pass about two years ago, and this is all brand new and the first year on turf, so that’s kind of why we had to push back (the start) a little bit,” D’Orazio said. “This morning, we weren’t really sure how it would handle all that rain, but it’s done a pretty nice job. We’re pretty blessed to have this.”

Photos from Macomb Dakota vs. Troy in D1 baseball action

Despite some frustration with the bats Saturday, D'Orazio still welcomed the challenge that the Cougars, a regional finalist last year and a Final Four team the season before, brought. "They're a very good team, probably one of the better ones in the state, and it's what we're about here, trying to play the best competition," he said. "It's a great task for us, especially going into next week against a tough West Bloomfield team. That's why we had it on the schedule. Kids battled today, but we came up short."

A stellar staff that includes arms like Luke DeMasse and Ryan Petrovich believing that the Cougars can get back to East Lansing at spring's end. If they do, Dakota will also be tested by seeing some of the state's best. After already beating West Bloomfield, some more top arms should be on deck when the Cougars face Brother Rice and Novi in the coming days.

"You want to see the best pitchers," Plouffe said. "Last year, we lost (in regionals) to one of the better pitchers in the state, Brennan Hill from Grosse Pointe North, and he's going to Michigan for a reason. The more kids we see that are plus arms, it's going to make us better. Win, lose or draw, we see those guys, and at the end, we have to learn how to beat them when the tournament comes."

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Walter Clayton Jr. scored 34 points and Florida beat Southeastern Conference rival Auburn 79-73 in the Final Four on Saturday night, sending the Gators to the national championship game for the first time since their titles in 2006 and 2007.

The All-America guard for the Gators (35-4) had a driving layup with 2:24 left, on the possession right after Australian big man Alex Condon drew a charge against Johni Broome, the other All-America player in this national semifinal — and who was dealing with an injured right elbow.

After a record 14 SEC teams made this NCAA Tournament, seven got to the Sweet 16 before the league made up half the Elite Eight and then this Final Four filled with No. 1 seeds.

The Gators will have the chance Monday night to win the SEC’s first title since Kentucky in 2012, the only one since they won in back-to-back seasons. Florida takes an 11-game winning streak into the title championship game in the Alamodome against either Duke or Houston.

“We’re just all together, on the court and off the court,” Clayton said.

Even at the end of the first SEC matchup in a Final Four, Clayton chased a loose rebound and tipped it back inbounds to keep the clock running out on the win. When he started to walk back on the court, teammate Alijah Martin was standing watching him at the end line nodding with a smile to greet him.

The Tigers (32-6), in their second Final Four with coach Bruce Pearl, were the top overall seed and had an eight-point halftime lead.

“Auburn had us on our heels in the first half but we came out with a great start and we didn’t look back,” said 39-year-old Florida coach Todd Golden, who joined Pearl’s first staff at Auburn in 2014.

Clayton became the first player with consecutive 30-point games in the Elite Eight and semifinals since Larry Bird for Indiana State in 1979, according to ESPN Stats. Clayton got over 30 with his three-point play with 1:33 left, scoring on a layup while being fouled and adding the free throw.

Martin, who played in the Final Four with FAU two years ago, added 17 points for the Gators. Thomas Haugh had 12.

Florida opened the second half with a 13-3 run, with Clayton capping an 11-0 run with a layup after Rueben Chinyelu’s steal. That put the Gators up 51-49 with 15 1/2 minutes left.

Chad Baker-Mazara, with his left hand partially wrapped because of a thumb issue, led Auburn with 18 points, including four 3-pointers. Broome finished with 15 points on 6-of-14 shooting and had seven rebounds — he had only three points after halftime.

Even before the final buzzer sounded, Broome was hunched over and then was surrounded by cameras to capture his reaction. He eventually stood up to shake hands, then walked off the court with his eyes red from crying — pulling up his jersey to wipe his face as cameras continued to follow his exit.

Broome and Baker-Mazara both were injured in the win over Michigan State last Sunday that sent the Tigers to the Final Four. Broome’s right elbow bent awkwardly during a hard fall in the second half, and in the Final Four he wore some kind of brace on his arm covered by a sleeve.

— By STEPHEN HAWKINS, Associated Press

WXYZ-TV was named Station of the Year for the second straight year at the annual Broadcast Excellence Awards from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters.

The awards, which took place Saturday night at MotorCity Casino Hotel, celebrate the best in broadcasting around the station.

7 News Detroit won in several categories announced Saturday, including for:

They were:

Breaking News Story

WXYZ-TV - Jennifer Crumbley Verdict (WXYZ News Team)

Weathercast

WXYZ-TV - Mike Taylor February 28, 2024 (Mike Taylor)

Newscast

Finalist: WXYZ-TV - NFL Draft Round 1 (Tony Chiudioni, Mike Clous, Carolyn Clifford, Mike Duffy)

The station was also a finalist for Digital Excellence and Community Involvement.

WXYZ was also previously honored with more than 20 awards, including including Continuing Coverage and Investigative Story.

Commercial

Best: WXYZ-TV - Kitch Law, Light Up The Season (Alissa Lincoln, Andrzej Milosz)

Continuing Coverage

Merit: WXYZ-TV - Crumbley Parents on Trial (WXYZ News Team) Best: WXYZ-TV - 2024 NFL Draft (WXYZ News Team)

Feature Story

Merit: WXYZ-TV - Caroline House (Sarah Michals, Johnny Sartin Jr., Mike Glover) Best: WXYZ-TV - Family continues to heal after splash pad shooting (Simon Shaykhet, Mike Glover)

Investigative Story

Merit: WXYZ-TV - Shielded: How Troubled Cops Keep Their Badges (Ross Jones, Randy Lundquist, Johnny Sartin Jr., Ronnie Love) Best: WXYZ-TV - Against Their Will: For-Profit Psych Wards (Heather Catallo, Johnny Sartin Jr., Randy Lundquist)

Marketing Materials & Promos

Merit: WXYZ-TV - Splash Pad Shooting Survivors Speak Out (Phil Wrobel, Katie Chupailo, Jeff Blevins, Joe Orban) Best: WXYZ-TV - 7 News Detroit - Where Your Voice Matters (Phil Wrobel, Katie Chupailo, Jeff Blevins, Joe Orban)

Meteorologist

Merit: WXYZ-TV - Mike Taylor

News Anchor

Merit: WXYZ-TV - Carolyn Clifford Best: WXYZ-TV - Mike Duffy

News Reporter

Merit: WXYZ-TV - Sarah Michals Best: WXYZ-TV - Heather Catallo

News Series

Merit: WXYZ-TV - Problems in Probate: Guardianship Reform Bills (Heather Catallo, Johnny Sartin Jr., Randy Lundquist) Best: WXYZ-TV - Law and Disorder: Inside the Wayne County Sheriff's Office (Ross Jones, Randy Lundquist, Johnny Sartin, Jr., Ronnie Love)

News Special

Merit: WXYZ-TV - Detroit on the Clock: A WXYZ NFL Draft Special (Brad Galli, Marie Gould, Matt Bellehumeur, Carolyn Clifford)

OTT Content

Best: WXYZ-TV - Against Their Will (Heather Catallo, Johnny Sartin Jr., Randy Lundquist)

Photojournalist

Merit: WXYZ-TV - Mike Glover

Special Interest Programming

Merit: WXYZ-TV - Countdown to the Draft: A WXYZ NFL Draft Special (Marie-Terese Gould, Brad Galli, Andrzej Milosz, Pravin Sitaraman) Best: WXYZ-TV - Woodward Dream Cruise (Marie-Terese Gould, Matt Bellehumeur, Andrzej Milosz, Pravin Sitaraman)

Sports Feature or Series

Merit: WXYZ-TV - Brad Galli one-on-one with J.J. McCarthy (Brad Galli, Chad Britton)

Sportscast

Merit: WXYZ-TV - Aug 9, 2024 Sportscast Taylor Decker Make a Wish (Brad Galli) Best: WXYZ-TV - January 10, 2024 Michigan Wins the National Championship (Brad Galli)

For more information on MAB and for the full list of winners, click here.

DETROIT (AP) — Desmond Bane scored 38 points, Zach Edey had a career-high 21 rebounds and the Memphis Grizzlies held off the Detroit Pistons 109-103 on Saturday night.

Ja Morant was a late scratch for the Grizzlies, who had lost seven of nine, because of an illness. Jaren Jackson had 27 points and 11 rebounds.

Cade Cunningham, returning after missing six games with a calf strain, had 25 points and nine rebounds for the Pistons, who have lost three of four. Ausar Thompson added 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Detroit trailed 91-85 when center Isaiah Stewart sat with five fouls. With Detroit’s usual starter, Jalen Duren, missing the game with an injury, the Pistons were forced to use 6-foot-6 Thompson against the 7-3 3/4 Edey.

The Pistons were as close as 93-91 with four minutes left, but struggled to stop the Grizzlies around the rim. Bane hit a 3-pointer to make it 104-98 with 56 seconds left and Memphis wrapped it up at free-throw line.

Takeaways

Grizzlies: Memphis has beaten the Pistons nine straight times. Detroit’s last win came on May 6, 2021.

Pistons: Duren missed the game with a contusion of the peroneal nerve in his right leg.

Key moment

Detroit was within two with 3:56 left, but Thompson fouled Santi Aldama on a 3-point attempt, then could only split a pair of free throws at the other end.

Key stat

Memphis struggled from the field in the first half, shooting 36.7% (18-49) and making just four of 18 3-point attempts (22.2%), but only trailed by one point at the intermission by grabbing 11 of 30 (36.7%) offensive-rebound opportunities. The Grizzlies finished the half with a 10-2 advantage in second-chance points.

Up next

Memphis is at Charlotte on Tuesday night. The Pistons host Sacramento on Monday night.

— By DAVE HOGG, Associated Press

Dakota put up a handful of runs in the fourth inning, then did so again in the ninth to help secure a 13-3 win at Troy on Saturday, April 5, 2025.

DETROIT — Justyn-Henry Malloy doesn’t seem like a prototypical leadoff hitter, at least not in any old-school sense. But he has certainly produced like one.

“I started to think about how it’s a privilege to set the tone,” Malloy said after he again helped spark the Tigers’ offense in a 7-2 romp over the White Sox on a dreary Saturday afternoon at Comerica Park. “To be able to try to set the tone. And of course, when you have Carp and Riley right behind you and you wear them out a little bit and they get a good pitch to hit and they get to eat.

“And then the rest of the lineup eats.

That’s been the formula as the Tigers have won four of five after dropping the first three to the Dodgers in Los Angeles.

In Malloy’s first start at the top of the order last Monday in Seattle, after he was hastily summoned early that morning from Toledo, he ignited the offense with a leadoff double, an RBI single, two walks and scored two runs in the Tigers’ first win of the season.

He went 0 for 4 with a walk in the home opener on Friday, but saw 27 pitches, helping to drive White Sox starter Jonathan Cannon out of the game in the fourth inning.

“J-Hen hunted the first pitch in that game, so he wasn’t looking to take (pitches),” manager AJ Hinch said. “You look back at his at-bats and man, he grinded the living you-know-what out of their pitcher from the leadoff spot. He didn’t get a lot of love to show for it but those were five-, six-, seven-, eight-pitch at-bats.”

Malloy was back at the top of the order Saturday and kicked things off with a first-pitch double in a two-run first inning and a two-out walk in the second ahead of Kerry Carpenter’s third home run in two games.

“He’s super impressive,” said Carpenter, who blistered a first-pitch curveball on a line (109-mph exit velocity) inside the foul pole in right field. “I love hitting after him. I’m confident even with two outs when he gets up that I’m going to get an at-bat that inning. He’s going to work the pitcher and he never gives up an at-bat. I’ve always been super impressed with him and his growth this year has been special to watch.

“He’s a great table-setter for us.”

In four games this season, Malloy is 3 for 12 with two doubles, four runs and six walks.

“He knows the strike zone but he’s not a take artist,” Hinch said. “He’s a really good hitter. Some of that comes with aggressiveness, some of it comes with patience and some is a mixture of both. He’s putting up really good at-bats.”

Malloy’s plate discipline was lauded even before he made his debut last season but, as Hinch often points out, there’s more to his offensive profile than drawing walks.

“When a guy controls the zone the way he does, there becomes this infatuation with walks,” Hinch said. “Walks are a byproduct of exactly what he’s trying to do, which is to get a good pitch to hit and hit it. The first pitch he saw today he ambushed it for a double.

“I’m proud of him because his identity gets morphed into a couple of different hitters. But he’s dangerous.”

The Tigers were up 7-1 after three innings, producing seven hits off White Sox right-hander Davis Martin, with the middle of the order doing major damage. Carpenter had the two-run homer. Spencer Torkelson doubled and hit his second homer of the season. Riley Greene was 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI.

“Can we do that all year, just sign up for a two-spot in the first couple of innings and see a couple hundred pitches,” Hinch said. “There’s confidence that grows with that and there’s an identity and belief that comes when you do it a couple of games in a row.”

The White Sox contributed to their own demise in this one, as well.

The three-run third inning was ignited by Torkelson’s homer, but Martin put more meat on the table by walking Colt Keith and hitting Andy Ibáñez.

After Jake Rogers singled to load the bases, still no outs, Trey Sweeney hit a ground ball to first baseman Andrew Vaughn. Vaughn fielded it going to his right and threw home to catcher Korey Lee.

Problem: Lee was standing a few feet in front of the plate, expecting Vaughn to throw to second base and start a potential double play. It was a gift run for the Tigers and extended the inning, allowing Malloy to cap it with a sacrifice fly.

“Any win in the big leagues is awesome,” Carpenter said. “We’ve won four out of five and have a lot of good momentum. Beating teams in our division, beating good teams and hanging with the Dodgers like we did, we feel real confident right now.”

The run-cushion was beneficial because it was day of grind and labor for Tigers starter Reese Olson.

“I think that this was the first time I’ve managed Reese when almost every inning he came in shaking his head mad about something,” Hinch said. “Reese doesn’t get mad often but he didn’t execute at his best today.”

On another cold (46 degrees at game time) and damp day at Comerica Park, Olson’s velocity and spin rates were down on all of his pitches and he struggled to keep them in the strike zone.

“Didn’t feel great mechanically today,” Olson said. “It’s something I’m not worried about. It’s something that’s frustrating to deal with during the game, but I’m happy the way I dealt with it.”

To his credit, Olson soldiered through six innings and made a quality start out of it, allowing two runs and seven hits with three walks.

“I kind of fought and grinded through the outing,” Olson said “But I know the guys (pitching coaches) will have something for me tomorrow and we’ll work on it all week and get back on track for the next start.”

He got some good help from his defense, especially Ibáñez at third base. Ibáñez got Olson out of the second inning, making a diving stop and then starting a 5-4-3 double play from his knees on a ball hit by Jacob Amaya.

It was important play ending Olson’s inning in 11 pitches after he endured a 25-pitch first inning.

“That first inning was key for us to get out of,” Hinch said. “If Reese doesn’t do his part to limit the mess, all of a sudden it’s 2-0, 3-0. We’re playing the infield in with runners at second and third with one out, that inning could’ve been so different if Reese doesn’t lock it in. That was nice to see.”

With the bases loaded and no outs in the fifth, Ibáñez turned a 5-3 double play on a ground ball hit by Luis Robert, Jr., helped by a superb scoop by Torkelson at first.

The White Sox erased a scoring chance for themselves with some foggy-headed baserunning in the fourth inning. Down by six runs, they had runners on first and second with two outs.

Tigers’ catcher Rogers, on the first pitch to Lee, threw a dart to first base and picked off Brooks Baldwin.

“It’s nice to get these wins at home and stack these wins together,” Carpenter said. “We need to keep it going.”

With back-to-back series wins under their belts, the Tigers will go for the sweep Sunday with rookie Jackson Jobe getting the start.

DETROIT — Patrick Kane added to a long list of career achievements during Friday’s 5-3 victory over Carolina.

Kane’s second-period goal gave the Wings a 3-1 lead and was his 20th goal of the season. That gave Kane 17 20-goal seasons in his career, passing Westland’s Mike Modano (16 seasons) for most among U.S.-born skaters. Kane is tied with Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby among current players, while both trail Alex Ovechkin, who has 20 20-goal seasons.

The all-time leader? Gordie Howe, with 22.

But catching Modano, who finished his Hall of Fame career with one season on the Wings after a legendary career in Dallas, was an honor for Kane.

“He was one of my favorite players, to be honest with you,” Kane said. “I remember him a lot, just the way he skated up and down the ice, his jersey flapping behind him. He was one of the best American players of all time, so (there’s) a lot of respect for him and what he’s done in this league.

“And obviously he broke my heart in ‘99 when they beat the (Buffalo) Sabres in the Cup finals,” said Kane, who was a youngster growing up in Buffalo. “But definitely watching him growing up and how fun he was as a player, so explosive. He scored so many highlight-reel goals.”

Kane (at 36 years and 136 days) also became the oldest Wings’ player to score 20 goals in a season, passing Pavel Datsyuk (36 years, 218 days).

As coach Todd McLellan was walking to Friday’s post-game media conference, he was informed of all of Kane’s Friday accomplishments by media relations director Todd Beam.

“The walk wasn’t long enough to get through everything, which is remarkable,” McClellan said. “It’s an honor to be around him and watch him play and perform. He’s still like a young kid.”

Friday’s victory kept the Wings near the playoff chase, with Sunday’s home game against Florida (5:30 p.m./TNT/97.1) the next crucial game on the Wings’ schedule. There are only seven games left for the Wings, who need to continue to win and home the three teams close to them (Montreal, New York Rangers, Columbus) slip.

“You look at our schedule the rest of the way, it doesn’t really get any easier,” Kane said. “We can play against these top teams in the league, we proved that (Friday).”

‘Story isn’t done yet’

McLellan asked his team after the Four-Nations Tournament break whether they were more like the team that struggled up until the Christmas break, or the one that got on track after McLellan replaced Derek Lalonde as head coach.

The Wings have shown enough consistency since McLellan came aboard to believe they are closer to the post-Christmas team. But there’s plenty to play for in these final two weeks, with an opportunity to end an eight-year playoff drought for the organization.

The Wings were in a similar position late last season and missed the playoffs on the final night of the season on a tiebreaker. Did they learn from the experience to help them this time around?

“We’re going to find out,” McLellan said. “We talked about how the story isn’t done yet. We can still write another chapter, so let’s get playing the way we can. Don’t worry about standings or scores or anything like that. Last year’s experience with this group, I’m sure it helps. It can’t hurt. The belief system should be ‘we’ve been through this before, let’s keep pushing.’

“We’ll see what happens (Sunday) after Florida.”

Talbot starting again

Goaltender Cam Talbot will get his fourth consecutive start in net Sunday. McLellan wouldn’t speculate as to how he’d plan on using Talbot, or Alex Lyon, or Petr Mrazek (recovering from injury) next week, with a game Tuesday in Montreal, and a back-to-back in Florida and Tampa (Thursday/Friday).

The Wings need to be careful in not overusing Talbot, 37, with such a compact and pressure-packed schedule in the final seven games, and two weeks.

But Talbot loves the workload.

“I’m always kind of like that, I’ll play any game they tell me to play,” Talbot said. “I just try to keep myself in as good a shape as possible and just be ready anytime I get the call. This time of year is when you want to be playing and have the team and the coaching staff to have confidence in you.

“It’s not something I take lightly, and I prepare myself accordingly.”

By Luke Ramseth, The Detroit News

Two major Stellantis parts plants in Metro Detroit are preparing for a combined 330 temporary layoffs scheduled to begin on Monday and last several weeks.

The staffing cutbacks — about 170 at the Warren Stamping plant and 160 at the Sterling Stamping plant — are tied to the automaker’s decision to idle two  assembly factories in Canada and Mexico impacted by President Donald Trump’s new 25% tariffs on imported vehicles. Stellantis said last week that it expected about 900 workers in the United States to be laid off due to the new tariffs, with additional cuts coming at transmission and parts plants in Kokomo, Ind.

Both Metro Detroit stamping facilities are especially impacted by the Windsor Assembly plant closing because both supply parts for the Chrysler minivans and Dodge Charger electric muscle cars made there, said Romaine McKinney III, president of United Auto Workers Local 869, which represents about 800 workers at the Warren Stamping plant. McKinney said the plant also is affected by the nearby Warren Truck Assembly plant, which will soon pause production for several weeks due to engine shortages.

With the additional cuts this week, McKinney said more than 260 union members at the Warren Stamping will be temporarily laid off following previous cutbacks.

“They’re terrified,” McKinney said of the members. “They’re in an uproar because they knew it was coming, they could see it coming — but it’s reality now.”

McKinney has mixed feelings about Trump’s tariffs. Right now they are fueling coming layoffs and leading to lower morale among the members. And the tariffs are set to push up prices on various goods, which also won’t be good for UAW members.

Yet he also supports the goal of bringing back manufacturing work to the U.S.— even Warren Stamping has plenty of space where it could rebuild assembly lines and add staff to increase parts output, a projects he estimates might take a year at the soonest.

“It’s just so early in the game,” McKinney said, and it’s unclear how the tariff strategy will all shake out.

Warren Stamping worker Daiquiri Harris said the automaker’s layoffs caught him off guard. He knew job cuts were possible due to tariffs but figured his plant had already seen such deep cuts recently, it wouldn’t be able to reduce its workforce much further. The 47-year-old said he wondered why General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. hadn’t yet announced similar cutbacks yet due to tariffs, and whether Stellantis may have been looking to cut back production and staff anyway.

Harris said he’s torn about the White House’s tariff strategy.

“It’s tough, man,” he said. “I know they want to bring the manufacturing back and this is how they propose to do it. But I don’t know. Maybe in the long run, this’ll work out and we’ll all look back at it and be glad it happened. But for right now, it’s not looking good.”

Democratic U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar of Detroit joined a handful of supporters in front of Stellantis’ Detroit Assembly Complex-Jefferson plant on Friday afternoon to discuss Trump’s tariffs and the automaker’s plans to temporarily trim jobs in response. He argued tariffs can be helpful to the United States if used judiciously and strategically — but the Republican president’s onslaught of new levies on nations, the auto industry and more was instead a “macho, bully approach to dealing with the economy.”

Thanedar acknowledged this approach might work in some instances, scaring certain countries or companies to change their practices. But he said it also appeared set to damage the interconnected auto industry, which he noted sends parts back and forth to be manufactured and assembled between countries.

The congressman also questioned whether Stellantis really needed to idle plants and cut its workforce in response to the new tariffs, a sentiment that has been echoed in recent days by UAW officials.

“These 900 jobs that they are cutting, supposedly a temporary job (cut) … is that really a result of these tariffs or is this where a company is taking advantage of the situation to trim and cut some of the workforce?” Thanedar asked. “If that’s what they are doing, Stellantis should not be doing that.”

Thanedar said he had not discussed the tariff issue with Stellantis. The automaker declined to respond to his comments. But executives have said the company needs to pause production and shipments due to the new 25% tax, and as they seek to work out new levies with the Trump administration.

UAW retiree and former engine plant worker Willie Wyatt, 85, who attended Thanedar’s gathering on Friday, said he watched many good auto jobs leave the Detroit area over the years. But he’s not convinced Trump’s tariffs will bring them back. He said he’s worried the tariffs will just raise prices and lead to more layoffs for the autoworkers that remain.

“Them companies don’t leave and say, ‘I’m gonna build a new plant tomorrow and come back here,'” Wyatt said. “Donald Trump’s term is supposed to end in three or four years from now. It takes you two to three years to build a plant.”

lramseth@detroitnews.com

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All residents in Falmouth and Butler in Pendleton County, Kentucky, are under a "mandatory evacuation" due to high floodwaters.

The major flooding comes as severe weather continues to impact the Mid-South and Ohio River Valley. Tornado watches were issued for parts of six states on Saturday, marking a fourth straight day of severe weather for the region.

The Pendleton County Emergency Management announced Saturday that the evacuations are effective immediately.

Both evacuations in Falmouth and Butler were issued shortly after 11 a.m.

"(Falmouth) residents are being given until 8 p.m. tonight April 5th to leave town," the county EMA wrote on Facebook. "After 8 p.m., the utility services are not guaranteed."

Officials said that at some point Saturday evening, access to Falmouth would be limited.

Falmouth sits along the Licking River, which is expected to hit 41.50 feet by Sunday, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA describes this flood stage as "Major." The city is expected to hit a "Moderate" flood stage, which is 37 feet, by Saturday evening.

"If you think your house is safe from water, you may not have utilities and rescue emergency responders may not get to you," the county EMA wrote.

In Butler, residents are being given until 4 p.m. Saturday to leave town. After 4 p.m., utility services are not guaranteed, and access to the city will be limited.

Anyone in Falmouth or Butler who needs their utilities shut off can contact 859-654-6540.

"Now is the time to leave," the county EMA wrote.

Alongside the Licking River, ohio major rivers in the Cincinnati region are expected to reach at least a "Moderate" flood stage Sunday.

The Ohio River is forecast to crest at 60 feet, a height it has only reached once in the last 28 years.

This article was written by Molly Schramm for Scripps News Group.

If Yaxel Lendeborg returns to college for next season, he’ll play for coach Dusty May and the Wolverines.

Lendeborg, the UAB star big man who’s regarded as the top player in the transfer portal, shared the news of his commitment on his social media accounts Saturday.

Lendeborg has declared for the NBA Draft and is expected to go through the predraft process while maintaining his college eligibility. The 6-foot-9, 240-pound forward is projected to be a late first-round pick by Bleacher Report (No. 26) and The Athletic (No. 28) and a second-rounder by ESPN (No. 53).

“I’m focused on the draft process and making the NBA right now,” Lendeborg told ESPN. “I want a guaranteed contract. That’s the biggest thing. Make sure I am in a good spot. I would prefer to play college basketball in Ann Arbor than be in and out of the G League on a two-way (contract). I want to find a safe spot.”

CBS Sports, On3 and 247Sports all rank Lendeborg as the top transfer in the class, while The Athletic and ESPN have him ranked second and third, respectively. Based on his numbers and production, it’s easy to see why.

Lendeborg averaged 17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.7 steals per game at UAB last season, his second year with the program. He shot 35.7% from 3-point range (25-for-70), 55.2% on 2-pointers and 75.7% at the free-throw line.

He was named the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year and was a first-team All-AAC selection each of the past two seasons. Before joining UAB, Lendeborg spent two years at Arizona Western, a junior college, and was a two-time juco All-American.

May has firsthand experience with Lendeborg and faced him twice during his final season at Florida Atlantic in 2023-24. Lendeborg had eight points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals in the first meeting and a 17-point, 21-rebound outing in the second encounter.

The NCAA deadline to withdraw from the draft is 10 days after the NBA combine, which will take place May 11-18 in Chicago. That means Lendeborg will have to decide where he’ll play next season by May 28.

“Honestly, I’m stuck,” Lendeborg told The Birmingham Banner of his decision. “Obviously, I want to be in the NBA. I want to be a pro, but one more year college does sound fun. It does sound like I get to prepare myself a little bit more. … Ultimately, I can’t even say (for sure), but I would say like 80-20 NBA to college.”

Lendeborg is the third transfer to commit to Michigan, along with North Carolina point guard Elliot Cadeau and Illinois big man Morez Johnson Jr.

Opponents of President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk rallied across the U.S. on Saturday to protest the administration's actions on government downsizing, the economy, human rights and other issues.

More than 1,200 Hands Off! demonstrations were planned by more than 150 groups, including civil rights organizations, labor unions, LBGTQ+ advocates, veterans and elections activists. The protest sites included the National Mall in Washington, D.C., state capitols and other locations in all 50 states.

Protesters assailed the Trump administration's moves to fire thousands of federal workers, close Social Security Administration field offices, effectively shutter entire agencies, deport immigrants, scale back protections for transgender people and cut federal funding for health programs.

Musk, a Trump adviser who owns Tesla, SpaceX and the social media platform X, has played a key role in government downsizing as the head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency. He says he is saving taxpayers billions of dollars.

Speaking at the Washington protest, Paul Osadebe, a lawyer for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and a labor union steward, criticized Trump, Musk and others in the administration for not valuing the work federal employees do in creating a baseline of economic security and power for working people.

Billionaires and oligarchs don't value anything other than profit and power, and they sure as hell don't value you or your life or your community, he said. And we're seeing that they don't care who they have to destroy or who they have to hurt to get what they want.

In Massachusetts, thousands of people gathered on Boston Common holding signs including Hands off our democracy, Hands off our Social Security and Diversity equity inclusion makes America strong. Hands off! In Ohio, hundreds rallied in rainy conditions at the Statehouse in Columbus.

Roger Broom, 66, a retiree from Delaware County, Ohio, said at the Columbus rally that he used to be a Reagan Republican but has been turned off by Trump.

RELATED STORY |Senate GOP approves framework for Trump's tax breaks and spending cuts after late-night session

Hes tearing this country apart, Broom said. Its just an administration of grievances.

Hundreds of people also demonstrated in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, a few miles from Trump's golf course in Jupiter, where he spent the morning at the club's Senior Club Championship. People lined both sides of PGA Drive, encouraging cars to honk and chanting slogans against Trump.

Archer Moran from Port St. Lucie, Florida, said, They need to keep their hands off of our Social Security."

The list of what they need to keep their hands off of is too long, Moran said. And it's amazing how soon these protests are happening since hes taken office.

The president plans to go golfing again Sunday, according to the White House.

Asked about the protests, the White House said in a statement that President Trumps position is clear: he will always protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid for eligible beneficiaries. Meanwhile, the Democrats stance is giving Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare benefits to illegal aliens, which will bankrupt these programs and crush American seniors.

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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Lions made several signings in the first wave of NFL free agency that bode well from a culture and talent standpoint.

Cornerback DJ Reed, nose tackle Roy Lopez and linebacker Grant Stuard all fit the profile of talented players who represent the right things, Lions coach Dan Campbell said at the NFL’s annual league meetings this week.

“For what they’re asked to do, they’re all three competitive, productive players. And I think that’s just, man, it’s the way they play the game. They don’t back down from anybody,” Campbell said.

Reed was the headliner of Detroit’s free-agent class. After three seasons with the New York Jets, he signed a three-year, $48 million contract with Detroit to uphold the expectations for a man-heavy scheme with corners who get busy in the run game. Reed was a replacement for Carlton Davis III, who left for the New England Patriots on a deal that paid him slightly more (three years, $54 million).

“He’s got cover ability. He can play man-to-man. … But he’ll bite on the perimeter, right? He’ll come up. He’ll tackle. He’ll squeeze the edges. He’ll mix it up, and then he’ll challenge you at the catch point,” Campbell said. “Man, he’s feisty. He’s competitive.”

Campbell said he fell in love with Reed’s competitiveness while watching crossover tape last year. His favorite moment was actually one where Reed got beat and recovered, showing a never-say-die attitude on his way to getting back in the play.

“You get beat at corner, that’s part of this league. He gets beat, he puts his foot in the ground, and I mean, he is on an all-out — he doesn’t have time to think about recovering. He is just on beeline to try to angle this guy off,” Campbell said. “I thought that was one of the most impressive things. Man, this guy doesn’t go in the tank, he’s not worried about what it looks like. He’s just trying to compete and win. And he lines up and he’s back for more.

“That says it all. He’s got the attributes. He’s got the skill level. But man, he’s feisty. He’s competitive. He doesn’t get down, man.”

Campbell didn’t have to watch crossover tape to become familiar with Lopez. He saw Lopez’s ability firsthand when the Lions traveled to play the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3 last season. He was impressed with how the 6-foot-2, 318-pound former wrestler competed against second-team All-Pro center Frank Ragnow, calling Lopez a “down and dirty” player.

“He’s taking on the double-teams. He’s keeping people off the backers. He can get an edge on you,” Campbell said of Lopez, who signed a one-year deal with Detroit in March. “And he’ll just do it time in, time out, again over and over. One of the things that impressed me about him was when we played him. I mean, him going against Frank all day. We ran the heck out of the ball, but man, that guy held his own now and we’ve got a pretty damn good center. That was impressive.”

Campbell brought Stuard’s name up earlier in the session, following a question about how the Lions continue to refine their culture with free-agent additions. At the time of his signing, Stuard said the selling point for coming to Detroit was playing against the Lions last season. He remembered thinking, “Man, if there’s a whole building of people like that, I’d love to be there.”

“If you’ve got some tools and you’ve got some talent but you’ve got a little bit of a chip on your shoulder and you’re a guy who believes you can do it in this league, and it doesn’t matter if you have the big name or the flash or the most money, then you belong here because you can play,” Campbell said. “It’s one of the reasons we brought in Stuard, too. It’s a guy that flies under the radar.”

Campbell added: “Stuard can do it all, man. He’s a guy that’s been counted out, but just continues to make plays in this league. He’s a dynamic special-teams player, in my opinion, and he can play defense.”

Campbell is taking a wait-and-see approach to determining whether the Lions’ defense will be better than the one that started last season.

“We’ll find out on the grass,” he said. “I have no idea until we get on the grass. I’ll be able to tell you that (in) probably September. I don’t know, maybe late September.”

The owners of the Cleveland Browns, the Haslam family, had given more than $100,000 to the top legislative leaders at the Ohio Statehouse in the months before they requested $600 million for their new football stadium. The House's proposed budget gave it to them.

The Browns have presented a proposal to build a new domed stadium outside of Cleveland, in the suburb of Brook Park. The stadium would be financed with a mixture of public and private dollars and would replace the NFL team's current 26-year-old stadium in downtown Cleveland.

At the intersection of policymaking and money, House Speaker Matt Huffman defended the integrity of the Ohio Statehouse.

"There is no donor or group that is so important in terms of what they do or how much money they give that it can really affect the outcome of legislation," Huffman told me.

But some Democrats argue the exact opposite may be true when it comes to the Cleveland Browns.

The House version of the state budget gives the Browns exactly what they came to Columbus looking for a pledge of $600 million from the sale of bonds to help finance their new stadium project.

"This is a nice little handout for the Haslam family," House Minority Leader Allison Russo said.

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The Browns' owners, Jimmy and Dee Haslam, are known as frequent donors to state politics.

Since 2020, the Haslams and their family have given at least $1,145,000 to candidates and ballot issues in Ohio, with the majority coming in election years. Of the total, 94% of their spending goes to Republicans and their causes.

Campaign finance reports show that Huffman has received significantly more than any other Ohio politician, with almost $110,000 since 2020. In 2024, he received $61,000, more than any other candidate had received from the Haslams since 2020, in an election year where Huffman ran unopposed.

Senate President Rob McColley, the other key Statehouse Republican decision maker, had the second largest amount of money from the Haslams just short of $59,000. Most of that came in last year, when McColley was not up for reelection.

Another Statehouse leader, Senate Finance Chair Jerry Cirino, received $15,000 in 2024, despite not having a primary or competitive general election.

On the proposed $600 million for the Browns, the president has not said what he plans to do with the House's budget.

"These budget bills are caucus decisions at the end of the day," he said broadly about the House's proposal. "It's not one person's decision as to what these are going to look like."

Browns Attorney Ted Tywang said it will bring in more revenue than it will cost.

"There's going to be a return for the state on this investment," Tywang said while presenting at the Statehouse in early March.

And Case Western Reserve elections law professor Atiba Ellis explained that no campaign finance laws have been violated.

"It's not unusual at all," Ellis said. "The campaign finance system, and frankly, the system of governance is designed to allow people to petition their lawmakers, to lobby for causes."

Donating money only becomes illegal once there is an expectation that the donations will be used to get what they want which there is no evidence of. But Ellis did want to consider the optics.

"When the donations are this large and the governing has such huge consequences on the budget and on how money is spent throughout Ohio, this gray area of 'Is this, if not illegal influence, but maybe inappropriate influence,' that question I think is fair to ask," he said.

But Huffman also argued that he has shown he wouldn't let anything convince his vote.

"Opponents of the bonds for the Browns have argued that the Haslam family are big donors. They donate both to Republicans and Democrats but mainly Republicans," Huffman was asked. "What would you say about the ethics of that? Do you think that there is merit to that or do you think that that's just how politics is?"

"Well, I think, probably, if you look across the spectrum of this budget and every other piece of legislation... There is no donor or group that is so important," he responded.

He referenced the energy bill that the House passed the prior week.

"Last week we passed a bill that none of the utilities, in fact they were parachuting in guys from all over last Tuesday night to keep us from passing that bill," he told me. "I don't know that anybody's gonna write an article saying 'Despite the utility's power, the General Assembly said no,' or maybe you will we'll see, who knows?"

But Russo wondered why the Statehouse leaders aren't prioritizing education, property taxes or hunger relief. She received $2,500 from the Haslams in 2024.

"Even talking about or even it's in the realm of consideration that we're going to give a $600 million giveaway to billionaires is absolutely absurd," Russo said.

This article was written by Morgan Trau for the Scripps News Group.

An email shared with Scripps News indicates that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) plans to cut 80% of its 200 employees from its Office of Civil Rights and Compliance. About 75% of the employees will be laid off, while about 5% of the workforce are taking buyouts.

A handful of employees are leaving the office through buyouts offered to federal workers. The majority will be cut as part of the Trump administrations efforts to reduce the size of government.

The office was formerly known as the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and was tasked with upholding and protecting the civil rights of taxpayers.

It was responsible for investigating discrimination against the IRS and several programs funded by the agency. The Office of Civil Rights and Compliance stated that it investigated complaints related to age, sex, color, disability, race, religion, and national origin discrimination against taxpayers.

About 20% of the employees in the office will be moved to the IRS Office of Chief Counsel.

RELATED STORY | Many Americans hesitant to file taxes amid IRS workforce cuts, survey finds

Staffing reductions that are currently being considered at the IRS will be part of and driven by process improvements and technological innovations that will allow the IRS to collect revenue and serve taxpayers more effectively. The rollback of wasteful Biden-era hiring surges, and consolidation of critical support functions, are vital to improving both efficiency and quality of service. The Secretary (of the Treasury Scott Bessent) is committed to ensuring that this efficiency is realized while providing the collections, privacy, and customer service the American people deserve, a spokesperson for the Department of the Treasury told Scripps News.

IRS staffing declined for years before congressional Democrats approved the Inflation Reduction Act, which was signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2022. The Inflation Reduction Act, which provided $80 billion for the IRS to strengthen its staffing, was universally opposed by congressional Republicans.

The bolstering of IRS staff came as audit rates declined and many taxpayers claimed that it was becoming increasingly difficult to contact the IRS.

RELATED STORY | New tariffs take effect: US starts collecting 10% duty on imported goods

The Trump administration, however, has pledged to reduce the size of the IRS. The Associated Press reported on Friday that the administration plans to cut up to 25% of the agencys staff this year.

Emergency crews found the body of a Kentucky boy who died after being swept away by flood waters on Friday morning, according to Frankfort Police.

Frankfort Assistant Police Chief Scott Tracy said the boy was walking to his school bus stop around 6:35 a.m. when the water got him. His body was recovered about two hours later, approximately half a mile from where he reportedly was swept away, according to the Franklin County Coroner's Office.

It happened in the Hickory Hills area of Frankfort.

The Coroner's Office identified the boy as 9-year-old Gabriel Andrews. An autopsy is scheduled for Saturday morning in Frankfort and the investigation is ongoing by the Frankfort Police Department.

Franklin County Schools confirmed the child was one of their students.

"We are deeply saddened at this horrific tragedy that claimed the life of one of our students," the district said in a released statement. "The entire Franklin County School System is praying for the family and friends of those directly affected by the events this morning. We are more than a school system; we are a family at Franklin County Schools, and we share this loss together. At this time, we are working with support staff at our schools and offering services to our students, faculty, and staff who need assistance during this time. We are eternally grateful for our community first responders from both city and county agencies who selflessly responded to assist in this situation."

Neighbors in the Hickory Hills questioned why school was not canceled in the first place.

RELATED STORY | South and Midwest pounded by rains and floods while still reeling from tornadoes

"They call off school because of a possibility of snow, but you don't call off school when there's flood waters all over and more bad weather coming in? You know, this could've been prevented," said Jennifer Hogan, who has lived in the area for 24 years.

Neighbors said that emergency crews were focused on the storm drains during their search this morning.

"I just don't know how it happened. This is sort of crazy," said Hogan. "And you get to thinking - oh my god, my kids stood out here for years waiting for the bus. I don't know. It's sort of mind blowing."

This article was written by Karolina Buczek for the Scripps News Group.

Senate Republicans plugged away overnight and into early Saturday morning to approve their multitrillion-dollar tax breaks and spending cuts framework, hurtling past Democratic opposition toward what President Donald Trump calls the big, beautiful bill that's central to his agenda.

The vote, 51-48, fell along mostly party lines, but with sharp dissent from two prominent Republicans. It could not have come at a more difficult political moment, with the economy churning after Trump's new tariffs sent stocks plummeting and experts warning of soaring costs for consumers and threats of a potential recession. Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky both voted against the measure.

But with a nod from Trump, GOP leaders held on. Approval paves the way for Republicans in the months ahead to try to power a tax cut bill through both chambers of Congress over the objections of Democrats, just as they did in Trumps first term with unified party control in Washington.

RELATED STORY | House Republicans face budget vote amid economic concerns

Let the voting begin," Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Friday night.

Democrats were intent on making the effort as politically painful as possible, with action on some two dozen amendments to the package that GOP senators will have to defend before next years midterm elections.

Among them were proposals to ban tax breaks for the super-wealthy, end Trump's tariffs, clip his efforts to shrink the federal government, and protect Medicaid, Social Security and other services. One, in response to the Trump national security team's use of Signal, sought to prohibit military officials from using any commercial messaging application to transmit war plans. They all failed, though a GOP amendment to protect Medicare and Medicaid was accepted.

Democrats accused Republicans of laying the groundwork for cutting key safety net programs to help pay for more than $5 trillion tax cuts they say disproportionately benefit the rich.

Trump's policies are a disaster," said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York, as is Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, he added. Republicans could snuff it out tonight, if they wanted.

The Republicans framed their work as preventing a tax increase for most American families, arguing that unless Congress acts, the individual and estate tax cuts that GOP lawmakers passed in 2017 will expire at the end of this year.

RELATED STORY | White House defends Trump's tariffs as stocks crater for second straight day

The Senate package pulls in other GOP priorities, including $175 billion to bolster Trump's mass deportation effort, which is running short of cash, and an additional $175 billion for the Pentagon to build up the military, from an earlier budget effort.

Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the No. 2 ranking Republican, said voters gave his party a mission in November, and the Senate's budget plan delivers.

It fulfills our promises to secure the border, to rebuild our economy and to restore peace through strength, Barrasso said.

The framework now goes to the House, where Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., could bring it up for a vote as soon as next week as he works toward a final product by Memorial Day.

The House and Senate need to resolve their differences. The House's version has $4.5 trillion in tax breaks over 10 years and some $2 trillion in budget cuts, and pointed at changes to Medicaid, food stamps and other programs. Some House Republicans have panned the Senate's approach.

Republican senators used their majority to swat back Democratic amendments, often in rambunctious voice votes.

Among the more than two dozen amendments offered were several to protect safety net programs. Several Republicans, including Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, joined Democrats in voting to preserve some of those programs, particularly regarding health care. Collins opposed the entire package in a warning against steep Medicaid cuts.

Collins said the potential reductions for that health program in the House bill would be very detrimental to a lot of families and disabled individuals and seniors in my state.

Paul questioned the math being used by his colleagues that he said would pile on the debt load. Something's fishy, he said.

Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky's record for the most goals scored in an NHL career on Friday as Ovechkin's Caps defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 5-3.

Ovechkin's two goals give him 894 for his career, tying Gretzky, who retired in 1999. The tallies, his 40th and 41st of the 2024-25 season, also pushed Ovechkin over the 40-goal plateau for a 14th season.

Gretzky was on hand to see Ovechkin tie his record.

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"Alex has been so great for the city of Washington," Gretzky said. "Hes been so great for the National Hockey League. And hes encouraged so many kids in his home country of Russia to play the sport of hockey. Hes been nothing but a champion, and I am so proud that were tied. I can live with that for another 24 more hours. I can still say I am tied for the most."

Ovechkin reached the 894-goal mark in 1,486 games, one fewer than Gretzky.

"Its a special moment. Its great for DC. Its great for all our fans. Doing it here in Washington is fun. Its a pleasure to be in that category with those names," Ovechkin said.

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Although Ovechkin will almost assuredly become the NHL's all-time goal leader, there is one record he likely will not come close to catching Gretzky for: Gretzky collected 2,857 points in his career, which is more than 1,200 points more than Ovechkin.

Gretzky is the only player in NHL history with over 2,000 points.

The Capitals travel to New York to face the Islanders on Sunday, where Ovechkin could surpass Gretzky.