Authorities in Louisiana continue to search for seven inmates who were among a larger group that escaped the jail at the Orleans Justice Center in downtown New Orleans on Friday.
The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office said three members of the group of escaped individuals have been brought back into custody after being found in various areas.
Members of local, state and federal law enforcement are still searching for seven men at large:
Corey Boyd Derrick Groves Jermaine Donald Lenton VanBuren Antoine Massey Leo Tate Gary Price
A group of 10 men who were being held in the Orleans Parish Jail on a variety of charges including some with murder escaped from the facility in the early morning hours on Friday, the sheriff's office said.
The individuals were able to get out of their cells just after midnight due to faulty locks, the sheriff's office said.
Around 1 a.m., the detainees were able to go through a hole in the wall behind a toilet in one of the housing unit cells. The group was then able to leave the building through a back door used for unloading supplies and scale a wall before they were seen on surveillance running across a nearby interstate.
It is believed members of the sheriff's office may have aided in their escape, officials said.
The discovery of the missing inmates was made during a morning headcount at the jail around 8:30 a.m.
The sheriff's office acknowledged that this escape has highlighted several critical issues with the jail's infrastructure. Officials said in addition to the defective locks and wall opening, about one-third of the security cameras throughout the facility are currently inoperable, including three cameras in the unit from which the escape occurred.
"These security breaches, combined with ongoing staffing shortages, have made it difficult to maintain the level of security required. Currently, the OJC houses 24 pods, and the facility is operating with insufficient staff to properly monitor all areas at all times," the sheriff's office said. "We are committed to ensuring that the necessary repairs are made to restore full functionality to the facility and to improve the overall safety and security of both detainees and staff."
A Troy man was arrested for driving with a high blood-alcohol content recently after his son called police to report he’d left their home intoxicated.
According to the Troy Police Department, the son made the call shortly before 4 p.m. on May 9, and officers located the man driving on Crooks Road near Maplelawn Road. He was pulled over for a traffic violation, police said.
The man, 58, showed signs of drunkenness and submitted to a preliminary breath test which measured his blood-alcohol concentration at .28% — more than three times the legal limit for drivers — police said.
He was arrested and taken to the Troy lock-up facility where a chemical breath test was administered and measured his BAC at .25%, police said, leading to a charge of operating while intoxicated.
NOAA oceanographer Rick Stumpf tells WDET on a scale of 1 to 10 — with 10 being the worst — this year’s bloom should be relatively mild.
“Right now, we’re estimating between 2.5 and 4.5,” he said.
Listen: WDET’s Pat Batcheller discusses efforts to monitor harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie
What is a harmful algal bloom?
According to NOAA, harmful algal blooms form when colonies of microscopic algae called cyanobacteria grow out of control, creating a bluish green scum on the surface of the lake.
“It looks quite green, almost like a green sawdust,” Stumpf said.
Under the right conditions, the algae produce a toxin that can make people sick if they swallow it. In 2014, a toxic algal bloom contaminated Toledo’s drinking water, shutting the system down for several days.
When it rains, it pours
Stumpf says the size and severity of a bloom depends on how much phosphorus the algae can feed on. The main source of phosphorus is farm fertilizer that runs off into the Maumee River when it rains. Stumpf says scientists take water samples from the river, which empties into the lake.
Stumpf says harmful algal bloom research is vital.
“Our goal is to protect health so that people are aware there are blooms and that there’s a risk,” he said.
But it’s not just people. Stumpf says toxic blooms can be fatal to pets.
“It does, unfortunately, kill several dogs each summer somewhere in the U.S.,” he says. “So, I can’t emphasize enough, if you see scum in a pond or the lake, please keep your dog out of the water.”
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
A former teacher at a school in Highland Park has been arrested and charged with sexual assault.
Vincent Weaver, 29, was arrested at an off-site school event on May 16, the city said. Highland Park police officers worked with school security to identify Weaver, who was allegedly dressed in disguise so he wouldn't be recognized by staff members.
According to police, Weaver allegedly engaged in sexual misconduct with a student during a time when the student was between the ages of 10 and 12.
He was a teacher at George Washington Carver Academy starting in August 2023 as a fine arts teacher and also served as a coach of the school's dance team. He was fired this month.
Police say Weaver allegedly groomed the student, and it also included sexual acts performed while on school grounds.
Weaver is expected to be arraigned Monday afternoon on charges of:
Count 1: Criminal Sexual Conduct 1st Degree Count 2: Criminal Sexual Conduct 2nd Degree Count 3: Criminal Sexual Conduct 2nd Degree Count 4: Misdemeanor Indecent Exposure
Highland Park officials are also holding a press conference at 4 p.m. and WXYZ will live-stream the press conference.
The iconic childrens series will debut its 56th season on the streaming platform later this year, along with 90 hours of previous episodes, Netflix and Sesame Workshop announced Monday. New episodes will also continue to air on PBS stations and PBS KIDS platforms on the same day.
Episodes will now center on one 11-minute story, allowing for even more character-driven humor and heart, Sesame Workshop said in a statement.
Under the agreement, Netflix will also gain the rights to develop video games based on both Sesame Street and its spinoff, Sesame Street Mecha Builders.
A release date for the new season has not been announced.
The move to Netflix comes after HBOs streaming service, Max, dropped the show following its 55th season as part of a shift in programming strategy. New episodes stopped airing on Max in January.
It’s no secret that the city of Detroit has a rich music history. But when most people think of the city’s most famous labels, Motown is usually the first — or only— one that comes to mind.
But there are many other lesser known labels that contributed to the city’s thriving music scene and deserve more recognition.
Fortune Records is definitely among them, and yet somehow the influential mom and pop label has largely faded into obscurity.
Fortune Records moved to 3942 Third Avenue in Detroit’s Cass Corridor in 1956.
Detroit author and music historian Michael Hurtt aims to change that with his book “Mind Over Matter,” which he co-wrote with his longtime friend Billy Miller.
The book offers a comprehensive history of Fortune and the many “myths and mysteries” associated with the label.
Hurtt spoke with WDET’s Jenny Sherman and Natalie Albrecht about the label for the latest episode of CuriosiD, and he joined The Metro on Thursday to share more.
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
ATLANTA (AP) — President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to overhaul how U.S. elections are run includes a somewhat obscure reference to the way votes are counted. Voting equipment, it says, should not use ballots that include “a barcode or quick-response code.”
Those few technical words could have a big impact.
Voting machines that give all voters a ballot with one of those codes are used in hundreds of counties across 19 states. Three of them — Georgia, South Carolina and Delaware — use the machines statewide.
Some computer scientists, Democrats and left-leaning election activists have raised concerns about their use, but those pushing conspiracy theories about the 2020 presidential election have been the loudest, claiming without evidence that manipulation has already occurred. Trump, in justifying the move, said in the order that his intention was “to protect election integrity.”
Even some election officials who have vouched for the accuracy of systems that use coded ballots have said it’s time to move on because too many voters don’t trust them.
Colorado’s secretary of state, Democrat Jena Griswold, decided in 2019 to stop using ballots with QR codes, saying at the time that voters “should have the utmost confidence that their vote will count.” Amanda Gonzalez, the elections clerk in Colorado’s Jefferson County, doesn’t support Trump’s order but believes Colorado’s decision was a worthwhile step.
“We can just eliminate confusion,” Gonzalez said. “At the end of the day, that’s what I want — elections that are free, fair, transparent.”
FILE – People vote at voting booths in the Georgia’s primary election at Park Tavern June 9, 2020, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)
FILE – A worker returns voting machines to storage at the Fulton County Election preparation Center Nov. 4, 2020, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
FILE – A worker returns voting machines to storage at the Fulton County Election preparation Center Nov. 4, 2020, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
1 of 3
FILE – People vote at voting booths in the Georgia’s primary election at Park Tavern June 9, 2020, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)
Whether voting by mail or in person, millions of voters across the country mark their selections by using a pen to fill in ovals on paper ballots. Those ballots are then fed through a tabulating machine to tally the votes and can be retrieved later if a recount is needed.
In other places, people voting in person use a touch-screen machine to mark their choices and then get a paper record of their votes that includes a barcode or QR code. A tabulator scans the code to tally the vote.
Election officials who use that equipment say it’s secure and that they routinely perform tests to ensure the results match the votes on the paper records, which they retain. The coded ballots have nevertheless become a target of election conspiracy theories.
“I think the problem is super exaggerated,” said Lawrence Norden of the Brennan Center for Justice. “I understand why it can appeal to certain parts of the public who don’t understand the way this works, but I think it’s being used to try to question certain election results in the past.”
Those pushing conspiracy theories related to the 2020 election have latched onto a long-running legal battle over Georgia’s voting system. In that case, a University of Michigan computer scientist testified that an attacker could tamper with the QR codes to change voter selections and install malware on the machines.
The testimony from J. Alex Halderman has been used to amplify Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, even though there is no evidence that any of the weaknesses he found were exploited.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, has defended the state’s voting system as secure. In March, the judge who presided over Halderman’s testimony declined to block the use of Georgia’s voting equipment but said the case had “identified substantial concerns about the administration, maintenance and security of Georgia’s electronic in-person voting system.”
Can the executive order ban coded ballots?
Trump’s election executive order is being challenged in multiple lawsuits. One has resulted in a preliminary injunction against a provision that sought to require proof of citizenship when people register to vote.
The section banning ballots that use QR or barcodes relies on a Trump directive to a federal agency, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, which sets voluntary guidelines for voting systems. Not all states follow them.
Some of the lawsuits say Trump doesn’t have the authority to direct the commission because it was established by Congress as an independent agency.
While the courts sort that out, the commission’s guidelines say ballots using barcodes or QR codes should include a printed list of the voters’ selections so they can be checked.
Trump’s order exempts voting equipment used by voters with disabilities, but it promises no federal money to help states and counties shift away from systems using QR or barcodes.
“In the long run, it would be nice if vendors moved away from encoding, but there’s already evidence of them doing that,” said Pamela Smith, president of Verified Voting, a group that focuses on election technology and favors ending the use of QR and barcodes.
Counties in limbo
Kim Dennison, election coordinator of Benton County, Arkansas, estimated that updating the county’s voting system would cost around $400,000 and take up to a year.
Dennison said she has used equipment that relies on coded ballots since she started her job 15 years ago and has never found an inaccurate result during postelection testing.
“I fully and completely trust the equipment is doing exactly what it’s supposed to be doing and not falsifying reports,” she said. “You cannot change a vote once it’s been cast.”
In Pennsylvania’s Luzerne County, voting machines that produce a QR code will be used in this year’s primary. But officials expect a manufacturer’s update later this year to remove the code before the November elections.
County Manager Romilda Crocamo said officials had not received any complaints from voters about QR codes but decided to make the change when Dominion Voting Systems offered the update.
The nation’s most populous county, Los Angeles, uses a system with a QR code that it developed over a decade and deployed in 2020 after passing a state testing and certification program.
The county’s chief election official, Dean Logan, said the system exceeded federal guidelines at the time and meets many of the standards outlined in the most recent ones approved in 2021. He said postelection audits have consistently confirmed its accuracy.
Modifying or replacing it would be costly and take years, he said. The county’s current voting equipment is valued at $140 million.
‘Train Wreck’ in Georgia?
Perhaps nowhere has the issue been more contentious than Georgia, a presidential battleground. It uses the same QR code voting system across the state.
Marilyn Marks, executive director of the Coalition for Good Governance, a lead plaintiff in the litigation over the system, said her group has not taken a position on Trump’s executive order but said the federal Election Assistance Commission should stop certifying machines that use barcodes.
The secretary of state said the voting system follows Georgia law, which requires federal certification at the time the system is bought. Nevertheless, the Republican-controlled legislature has voted to ban the use of QR codes but did not allocate any money to make the change — a cost estimated at $66 million.
Republicans said they want to replace the system when the current contract expires in 2028, but their law is still scheduled to take effect next year. GOP state Rep. Victor Anderson said there is no realistic way to “prevent the train wreck that’s coming.”
Associated Press writer Christina A. Cassidy contributed to this report.
Kramon is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Kramon on X: @charlottekramon.
FILE – Voting machines are seen at the Bartow County Election office, Jan. 25, 2024, in Cartersville, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File)
Among pacifier users, 79% did so at bedtime or naptime, while 47% used them when stressed or fussy. Nearly one in five parents said their child used a pacifier almost all the time.
Getting a child to stop using a pacifier can be challenging, and parents use a variety of tactics to help their child break the habit.
Around 30% limited use at bedtime, while 31% of parents said they hide the pacifier and about 20% said they explained that their child was too big for one. A third let the child decide when to stop.
Most parents believe pacifier use should end by age 2 (79%), while 57% felt the same about thumb-sucking. Some parents admitted they waited too long to intervene9% for pacifiers and 16% for thumb/finger-sucking.
Experts warn that prolonged use of either habit can affect mouth shape, teeth alignment, and even speech.
Planning your summer? There are endless experiences right outside your door.
Watch WXYZ-TV's Metroparks: Endless Experiences special on Wednesday, May 21, at 7:30 p.m. to check out all of the great activities and experiences available through Huron-Clinton Metroparks, from hiking to camping to swimming and beyond.
The on-air encores will be held on the following dates:
WXYZ-TVSaturday, 5/24 at 11:30 a.m.Monday, 5/26 at 5 p.m.WMYDThursday, 5/22 at 6:30 p.m.
You can catch an encore of the show streaming on your favorite devices on the following dates:
Thursday, 5/22 at 8 p.m.Friday, 5/23 at 9 p.m.Saturday, 5/24 at 12 p.m.Sunday, 5/25 at 7 p.m.Monday, 5/6 at 10 a.m.
For more information on Huron-Clinton Metroparks, click here.
Also, new and old Counting Crows, classic Death Cab, George Duke and Beck, Flint’s Tunde Olaniran, Toronto’s Tanika Charles and much more!
See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.
Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for May 17, 2025
HOUR ONE:
“How Big Is The Rainbow” – TuneYards
“Dirty Harry” – Gorillaz (Demon Days released this week, 2005)
“Having A Time” – Tanika Charles
“Beg, Steal, Borrow” – The Head & The Heart
“Liminal Space” – Joe Reilly & The Community Gardeners
“Spaceman In Tulsa” – Counting Crows
“Movin’ On” – George Duke
“catch these fists” – Wet Leg
“Hotwax” – Beck
“Moody” – Royel Otis
“I Believe In Miracles” – The Jackson Sisters
“Let’s Celebrate” – The Jones Girls
“Dreams” – Infinity Song
HOUR TWO:
“Soul Meets Body” – Death Cab For Cutie
“Waterfalls” – Death Cab For Cutie
“Meet On The Ledge” – Counting Crows
“How Long” – The Pointer Sisters (Steppin’ released 50 years ago)
“Too Bad” – Tunde Olaniran
“How Come” – Ray Lamontagne
“SOBER” – elbow
“We Don’t Have To Be Alone” – Thee Sacred Souls
“Half As High” – The Devil Makes Three
“The Cobbler (Good For My Sole)” – Matt Andersen
“Rain King” – Counting Crows
“I Ain’t Gonna Stand For It” – Stevie Wonder (turned 75 this week!)
“Uptight” – Stevie Wonder (turned 75 this week!)
Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org.
Support the shows you love.
WDET’s unique music programs are dedicated to exploring the music and culture of our region and the world. Keep the music going. Please make a gift today.
Two former Detroit Tigers known for their improbable journeys and unforgettable moments on the field were named Monday to the Baseball Reliquary’s Shrine of the Eternals, a hall of fame that celebrates baseball’s most memorable, offbeat, and inspirational figures. Kirk Gibson, the hard-charging outfielder who helped lead the Tigers to a World Series title in 1984, and Ron LeFlore, who went from prison inmate to All-Star center fielder, were among four inductees selected this year by the Southern California-based nonprofit.
A 3-year-old boy has died after being found unconscious in a pool in Chandler, Arizona last week, officials said.
The Chandler Police Department has identified the boy as Trigg Kiser.
Officials said the incident happened just after 6:45 p.m. last Monday at a home near the intersection of Cooper and Chandler Heights Roads.
First responders said the boy was unconscious when they arrived, and they immediately began CPR.
It is unknown how long the boy was in the pool.
"Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the child's family and loved ones during this unimaginable time," the Chandler Police Department said on Sunday. "The investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident remain ongoing. This is still an open investigation. Out of respect for the familys privacy, we will not be releasing additional details until the investigation is closed."
WASHINGTON (AP) — An appeals court has cleared the way for President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at ending collective bargaining rights for hundreds of thousands of federal employees while a lawsuit plays out.
The Friday ruling came after the Trump administration asked for an emergency pause on a judge’s order blocking enforcement at roughly three dozen agencies and departments.
A split three-judge panel in the nation’s capital sided with government lawyers in a lawsuit filed by unions representing federal employees. The majority ruled on technical grounds, finding that the unions don’t have the legal right to sue because the Trump administration has said it won’t end any collective bargaining agreements while the case is being litigated.
Judge Karen Henderson, appointed by Republican President George H.W. Bush, and Justin Walker, appointed by Trump, sided with the government, while Judge Michelle Childs, appointed by Democratic President Joe Biden, dissented.
The government says Trump needs the executive order so his administration can cut the federal workforce to ensure strong national security. The law requiring collective bargaining creates exemptions for work related to national security, as in agencies like the FBI.
Union leaders argue the order is designed to facilitate mass firings and exact “political vengeance” against federal unions opposed to Trump’s efforts to dramatically downsize the federal government.
His order seeks to expand that exemption to exclude more workers than any other president has before. That’s according to the National Treasury Employees Union, which is suing to block the order.
The administration has filed in a Kentucky court to terminate the collective bargaining agreement for the Internal Revenue Service, where many workers are represented by the National Treasury Employees Union. They say their IRS members aren’t doing national security work.
Other union employees affected by the order include the Health and Human Services Department, the Energy Department, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Communications Commission.
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters as he and first lady Melania Trump depart on Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, April 25, 2025, in Washington. The President and first lady will be traveling to Rome and the Vatican to attend the funeral for Pope Francis. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
A Pontiac man who killed a 3-year-old child while driving a bus in Hamtramck last summer was sentenced recently in Wayne County.
Marvin Lee Flentroy, 64, was sentenced to three years probation for reckless driving causing death — which he pleaded no contest to in April.
A no contest plea is not an admission of guilt but is treated as such for sentencing purposes. It can also offer some liability protection in civil cases.
Flentroy was working for Auxilio Services — which transports Hamtramck Public School students — when he reportedly struck the child with the bus, killing her. It happened July 16, 2024 while Flentroy was turning onto Burger Street from MacKay Street.
The child was transported to a local hospital where she died from her injuries.
Flentroy faced up to 15 years in prison and a fine. Sentencing was handed down May 15 by 3rd Circuit Judge Tracy Green.
The WNBA is investigating racial comments directed toward Angel Reese by fans during the Chicago Skys loss to Caitlin Clark and the Fever at Indiana on Saturday.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on Sunday on condition of anonymity because the league had not publicly identified the subject of the taunts or who made the allegations.
The WNBA strongly condemns racism, hate, and discrimination in all forms they have no place in our league or in society, the league said in a statement. We are aware of the allegations and are looking into the matter.
Reese, who is Black, and Clark, who is white, met for the seventh time in their ongoing and much-talked-about rivalry. Clark was named Rookie of the Year last season and Reese finished second in the voting.
The WNBA Players Union released a statement soon after the leagues comment on the matter.
The WNBPA is aware of reports of hateful comments at yesterdays game in Indianapolis and supports the WNBAs current investigation into this matter. Such behavior is unacceptable in our sport, the statement said. Under the WNBAs No Space for Hate policy, we trust the league to thoroughly investigate and take swift, appropriate action to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all.
Sky president and CEO Adam Fox said later Sunday in a statement that the organization welcomes the league's investigation.
We will do everything in our power to protect Chicago Sky players, and we encourage the league to continue taking meaningful steps to create a safe environment for all WNBA players, he said.
The Sky and Fever will play four more times during the regular season.
We are aware of the allegations of inappropriate fan conduct during yesterdays game and we are working closely with the WNBA to complete their investigation, the Fever said in a statement. We stand firm in our commitment to providing a safe environment for all WNBA players.
Reese had 12 points and 17 rebounds in the 93-58 loss to the Fever. The Sky forward and Clark had an incident on the court with 4:38 left in the third quarter. It started with Reese grabbing an offensive rebound and Clark slapping Reeses arm hard enough to jar the ball loose and knock Reese to floor.
When Reese got up, she tried to confront Clark before Indiana center Aliyah Boston stepped in between the players. Clarks third personal foul was upgraded to a flagrant 1, while Boston and Reese each drew technical fouls following a replay review by the referees.
The league launched No Space for Hate this season, a multi-dimensional platform designed to combat hate and promote respect across all WNBA spaces both online and in arenas.
The league is focused on four areas: enhanced technological features to detect hateful comments online; increased emphasis on team, arena and league security measures; reinforcing mental health resources; and alignment against hate.
This will be the league's first test of it.
It's nice in words, but we got to see actions, Aces star A'ja Wilson said Friday after practice. Hopefully people can take actions and understand this is bigger than basketball. We're true people behind it. Any shoe that we wear, any jersey we have on, we're human. People have to respect that. I hope they pay attention and listen to the words.
The Big Ass Stadium Tour certainly lived up to its name on Sunday night, May 18, at Detroit`s Ford Field — even above and beyond Post Malone’s plus-sized headlining set.
Jelly Roll performs Sunday night, May 18, at Detroit’s Ford Field (Photo by Mike Ferdinande)
The night’s headline was actually made by support act Jelly Roll, and hometown hero Eminem. The Tennessee singer and rapper declared Detroit his “second home” early during his fourth Detroit performance in 13 months, including at the Michigan Central Open concert last June and his own headline date at Little Caesars Arena in November. As usual he paid tribute to favorite singer-songwriter Bob Seger (“The GOAT”) with a bit of his “Old Time Rock and Roll,” and his rendition of Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” later in Jelly Roll’s hour-long performance appeared to be another homage — until the Detroit rapper came swaggering out during the second verse, prompting a response from the more than 46,000 fans that was as loud as a Detroit Lions’ touchdown (or Eminem’s July 13, 2025 surprise appearance with Ed Sheeran at the stadium).
Post Malone performs Sunday night, May 18, at Detroit’s Ford Field (Photo by Mike Ferdinande)
Eminem bestowed greetings and left with a hearty, “I love y’all. Peace!,” after which Jelly Roll — who guests on Eminem’s latest album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace), and also joined Slim Shady and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra on “Sing For the Moment” at the Michigan Central concert last June — gushed “that was a childhood dream come true.” Jelly Roll incorporated an Eminem Mom’s Spaghetti sign and the rapper’s reverse-E logo into his visuals for the occasion and also shouted out Eminem’s manage and Detroit native Paul Rosenberg for his support of his career.
That — along with anthems such as “Son of a Sinner,” “I Am Not Okay” and “Save Me — certainly threw down gauntlet for Malone, who answered with a diverse and, yes, big-ass two hours that spotlighted the unlikely, genre-hopping career the Texas-raised artist has pursued since his hip-hop beginnings just under a decade ago.
Post Malone performs Sunday night, May 18, at Detroit’s Ford Field (Photo by Mike Ferdinande)
It would certainly have been hard to imagine that the Malone who performed as part of the Monster Energy Outbreak package during 2016 at the Fillmore Detroit would wind up fronting a version of Nirvana and topping the Alterative Rock (with 2023’s “Austin”) and Country (with last year’s “F-1 Trillion”) charts. But Malone has, and Sunday’s 26-song show certainly celebrated that latter ascent, from the country-style tailgate party outside Ford Field during the afternoon to the makeup of the crowd inside, the giant cowboy and cowgirl neon sculptures flanking the stage, the decidedly 10-gallon country opening acts (Chandler Walters and hoop-skirt sporting Sierra Ferrell) and even Malone’s honky-tonk worthy belt buckle and frequent swigging (of beers he ordered up from a crew member named Pat) from red Solo cups.
His brand of country has a swagger of its own, however, which Malone — in a long-sleeved Bob Dylan 1978 tour T-shirt and very tight jeans — exercised as he loped along a runway that stretched to the middle of the stadium floor and another ramp that took him to floor level on the right side of the audience, frequently flashing his metallic, diamond-encrusted smile. And while it took him nine songs in to get into “F-1” mode — with “Losers” and Jelly Roll coming back to recreate their duet on the album — Malone and his band delivered a generous half of its 18 tracks, back-ending the show with spirited roll through the likes of “Finer Things,” “Pour Me a Drink,” “Dead at the Honky Tonk” and the buoyant “I Had Some Help.” He also threw in “I Ain`t Comin’ Back,” his new collaboration with Morgan Wallen from the latter’s new album.
Much of Malone’s older material — “Wow.,” “Go Flex,” “Hollywood’s Bleeding,” “White Iverson,” “rockstar,” “Sunflower” and more — took on slightly different flavors in the context of the show, but he gave his hip-hop roots props, too, bringing on Houston rapper BigXThePlug for a rendition of his “Texas.” And Malone picked up an acoustic guitar (and lit a cigarette) for a solo acoustic rendering of “Feeling Whitney” followed by the tour debut of “Yours,” an “F-1…” song about his daughter, who he said was about to turn three years old.
Malone, whose father was a concessions manager for the Dallas Cowboys, poked at Lions fans during his show, playfully acknowledging the team as “the second best” in the NFL — even though the Lions beat the Cowboys 47-9 last October — before admitting to rooting for them after his team faltered.
The show was visually Big Ass too, of course, with a Fourth of July fireworks (from the get-go, during the opening “Texas Tea”) an abundance of fire and an elaborate video presentation with screens positioned throughout the stadium. Malone saved his best stunt for the very end, singing “Congratulations” in an elevated cage of light at the back of the floor; it should have been positioned earlier, however, as a great many fans began exiting after “Sunflower,” while the band jammed as Malone worked his way to the prop.
Nevertheless, you’d be hard-pressed not to be impressed with the stylistic breadth of Malone’s musicality and his aw-shucks genuineness that, 13-letter epithets aside, owes more to country than any of the other genres he dipped into. “Congratulations” were certainly in order.
Post Malone performs Sunday night, May 18, at Detroit's Ford Field (Photo by Mike Ferdinande)
The federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial for Sean "Diddy" Combs entered its second week on Monday with more witness testimony.
Dawn Richard, a singer and former member of the musical group Danity Kane, formed by Combs, was back on the stand after briefly testifying on Friday.
Combs, 55, faces a life sentence for charges of sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution and racketeering. He has pleaded not guilty.
Richard testified that she saw Combs frequently get violent with his ex-girlfriend, Casandra Ventura Fine, who goes by "Cassie." Cassie was a key witness who testified during the first week of the trial.
According to CNN, Richard claimed she saw Combs punch, choke and kick Cassie on several occasions.
Cassie and Combs dated for a little over a decade from the early 2000s to 2018. She said the relationship was psychologically and physically abusive, but that she was young and in love and feared leaving him because he allegedly threatened to release videos of her performing sexual acts in what they called "freak offs."
Prosecutors allege Combs used his money, power and fame to orchestrate an empire of exploitation and coerced women into abusive sex parties. The music mogul's lawyers said he may have been violent at times, but maintain that all sexual acts were consensual.
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters is warning the United States could lose a competitive advantage to other nations if federal funding for research projects were to end.
He toured the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering at Michigan State University on Friday.
During the tour, he saw locusts that could detect the smell of cancer in cells and mice that researchers hope will provide insight into how memories form and change.
Researchers at the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering at Michigan State University in East Lansing, demonstrate how they study locusts that may be able to detect the scent of cancer on May 16, 2025.
But he said that research could be at risk of losing federal dollars, arguing people don’t understand the work being done.
“When we tell the story, when we talk about how this basic research can transform lives and power our economy to greater and better things and better lives for everybody else, we can make the case that this is government funding at its best,” Peters said.
Peters said it would take years to rebuild if funding were to lapse even temporarily.
“This has to be an ongoing enterprise, you have to continually invest in this,” Peters said. “You can’t just stop the research today and say we’ll take it up maybe next year or a few years from now or whenever. It’s not going to look the same. It’s not going to be as efficient.”
He said ongoing uncertainty will make it easier for other countries to recruit researchers from the United States.
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, third from left, tours the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering at Michigan State University in East Lansing, May 16, 2025.
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, left, tours the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering at Michigan State University in East Lansing, May 16, 2025.
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, left, tours the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering at Michigan State University in East Lansing, May 16, 2025.
Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering Director Christopher Contag speaks to reporters after U.S. Sen. Gary Peters toured the labs at Michigan State University in East Lansing, May 16, 2025.
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, center, tours the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering at Michigan State University in East Lansing, May 16, 2025.
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters speaks to reporters after touring the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering at Michigan State University in East Lansing, May 16, 2025.
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, right, tours the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering at Michigan State University in East Lansing, May 16, 2025.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
By PAUL WISEMAN, CHRISTOPHER RUGABER and ANNE D’INNOCENZIO, Associated Press Business Writers
WASHINGTON (AP) — For months, American consumers and businesses have been hearing that President Trump’s massive import taxes – tariffs – would drive up prices and hurt the U.S. economy. But the latest economic reports don’t match the doom and gloom: Inflation actually eased last month, and hiring was solid in April.
For now, the disconnect has businesses and consumers struggling to reconcile what they were told to expect, what the numbers say and what they are seeing on the ground. Trump and his supporters are quick to point out that the trade wars of his first term didn’t translate into higher overall inflation across the economy.
So is it time to breathe easy?
Not yet, economists say. Trump’s tariffs are still huge – the highest since the Great Depression of the 1930s. They’re unpredictable: The president frequently announces tariffs only to suspend them days later and to conjure up new ones. And they are still working their way through the system.
“We had a good jobs report. We had a cool inflation report, and that’s great,” said Ernie Tedeschi, director of economics at Yale University’s Budget Lab. “But that should not give us comfort about what next month will be, particularly on inflation.’’
FILE – Trader Daniel Kryger works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on May 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
Walmart, for example, warned its customers last week that prices will be going up for everything from clothing to car seats. Prices for some items like bananas have already increased.
True, the truce with China last Monday dramatically reduced the risks to the U.S. economy, and U.S. and global stock markets rallied last week in relief. The United States dropped the import tax that Trump angrily imposed on China – America’s third-biggest source of imports – from an eye-watering 145% to 30%; Beijing cut its retaliatory tariffs from 125% to 10%. Economists at JPMorgan Chase, who had forecast last month that the China tariffs made a recession likely, don’t expect one now.
Trump’s tariffs are the highest since the Great Depression
But even with the lower levies on China, the Yale Budget Lab reported that the cost of Trump’s trade war will be high. Climbing prices will reduce the purchasing power of the average household by $2,800. Shoe prices will rise 15% and clothing 14%. The tariffs will shave 0.7 percentage points off U.S. economic growth this year and increase the unemployment rate — now a low 4.2% — by nearly 0.4 percentage points.
The Yale Budget Lab estimates that Trump policies will push the average U.S. tariff rate to 17.8%, highest since 1934 and up from around 2.5% when Trump took office. (Other economists put his tariff rate at 14% to 15%.) During Trump’s first term, the average tariff rose just 1 percentage point despite all the headlines generated by trade policies. Now, according to the budget lab, they are rising 15 percentage points.
And the tariffs have only begun to bite. In April, the import tax revenues collected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection came to a tariff rate of just 4.5%, a fraction of what’s coming, Tedeschi said. That’s partly because of delays in rolling out the tariffs, including technical glitches that prevented customs agents from collecting them for a couple of weeks.
The full impact has also been delayed because companies beat the clock by bringing in foreign goods before Trump’s tariffs took effect. Retailers and importers had also largely halted shipments of shoes, clothes, toys, and other items due to new tariffs, but many are resuming imports from China.
Shown are shipping containers at the port of the port of New York & New Jersey in Elizabeth, N.J., Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Tedeschi, who was chief economist at President Joe Biden’s Council of Economic Advisers, also notes that it just takes time for tariffs to translate into higher prices. During Trump’s first term, his January 2018 levies on foreign washing machines didn’t yield more expensive appliances until April that year. Still, a Federal Reserve study this month found that duties Trump imposed in 2018 and 2019 meant higher prices as soon as two months later, suggesting consumers could start paying more in June.
Consumers are less willing to accept higher prices
Things have changed from the first time Trump was in the White House, when companies essentially passed along the entire cost of his tariffs. Now American consumers, still scarred by the burst of inflation that followed the COVID-19 pandemic, may be more reluctant to accept higher prices.
FILE – People shop at a party supply store in the Toy District of Los Angeles on April 9, 2025, where the majority of items are imported from China. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
“Consumers weren’t inflation exhausted in 2018 the way that they are now,’’ Tedeschi said. Surveys by Federal Reserve banks in Atlanta and Dallas have found that most companies would eat at least some of the tariff costs this time around. And one reason that the Labor Department’s producer price index fell in April was that retailers and wholesalers reported lower profit margins, a sign that they may have been absorbing some of the tariff cost.
Trump, who has long insisted that foreign countries and not U.S. companies or consumers pay his tariffs, on Saturday lashed out at Walmart for saying it would raise prices. On social media, he demanded that the giant retailer “ EAT THE TARIFFS, and do not charge valued customers anything. I’ll be watching, and so will your customers!!!’’
The economic damage doesn’t just come from the cost of tariffs, but from the erratic way the president imposes them. For instance, the 145% China tariffs were just suspended for 90 days. Likewise, Trump has paused high taxes he slapped last month on imports from countries with which the United States runs trade deficits. Could those levies come back?
Consumers are clearly fearful that the duties will boost prices, as consumer confidence surveys have plummeted since Trump began ramping up his tariff threats in February. The Conference Board’s consumer confidence index has fallen for five straight months to its lowest level since the depths of the pandemic in May 2020.
Costlier coffee and Christmas wreathes are coming
Snowy Owl Coffee Roasters in Sandwich, Massachusetts, which imports beans from Brazil, Nicaragua, Burundi and other countries, is only now planning to raise its prices this week to cover the cost of the 10% tariffs. It plans to add 25 cents to 35 cents to the price for each cup.
“Tariffs are increasing costs and they’re adding to a lot of uncertainty around the potential for a downturn,” said Shayna Ferullo, 44, co-owner of Snowy Owl. “We are looking closely at the year ahead with the goal of consolidating and operating really, really tightly.”
Ferullo will also have to pay much more than she budgeted to renovate her shop in Brewster, Massachusetts — one of her three retail locations — because the contractor has raised his estimate, partly due to tariffs on building supplies. She has already elected to not fill one job after an employee left and is looking at ways automation could help reduce her labor costs, though she hasn’t laid off any of her 35 employees.
Jared Hendricks, CEO of Village Lighting Co., last month halted shipments of supplies he gets from China – holiday storage bags, wreathes, holiday lights and garlands. Now that the U.S. and China have reached a truce, he’s trying to get the products to the United States in time for the holidays.
He estimates that it will take 10 to 20 days from China to the West Coast ports via ship and another 20 days to 40 days for the goods to go through U.S. Customs, then travel via Union Pacific Railways to his company in Utah. Given all the expected delays, Hendricks said he’s worried that his holiday décor won’t arrive by Sept. 1 when it should start appearing in stores.
Meanwhile, he’s figuring out how to foot a $1 million bill for the tariffs. He’s hoping he can cover the cost by raising prices 10% to 15%.
In the meantime, he’s trying to secure a loan against his house to pay for the levies.
“We are moving forward,’’ he said, “but at great cost, personal risk, and weariness.”
D’Innocenzio reported from New York.
FILE – Empty shopping carts are collected from the parking lot at Walmart store in Burbank, Calif., on Thursday, April 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)