Police are investigating a potential threat against Groves High School, officials said Friday.
The Beverly Hills campus is part of the Birmingham Public Schools district.
School staff alerted the police department’s school resource officer at 9:30 p.m. Thursday about a “concerning” image posted on social media, according to authorities. The image displayed several hunting rifles lying side by side. It had no captions and was posted on a group thread related to the school district, police said.
Officers visited the student’s home to conduct a welfare check. Investigators said the student and his parents were cooperative.
“It was determined last night that there was no immediate threat to the community and there were no guns located at the individual’s residence,” Edward Arnold, the village’s Director for Public Safety, said Friday.
He said there are no firearms registered to the parents, and the photo had been taken several months ago when the student was in the Upper Peninsula.
On Thursday, district officials told parents in a letter that the police department received a tip from the state’s OK2SAY system for reporting school threats anonymously.
The report involved a social media post made by a Groves student that included an image depicting several rifles, the letter said. “Importantly, there was no direct threat made toward any individual or toward the school.”
School officials said although police deemed there was no immediate threat to the school’s students and staff, they will “continue to exercise due diligence and work closely with law enforcement to thoroughly review all aspects of the situation.”
The district also said the student suspected of posting the image of the weapons will not return to the school while the investigation is conducted.
“Additionally, families can expect an increased police presence at Groves and our feeder schools throughout the day (Friday) to provide added reassurance for students and staff,” officials said.
Groves High School has about 1,100 students.
In August, Michigan State Police said the OK2SAY system received 11,671 tips in 2024, a 20% increase from the previous year and the highest reporting level of the program since its inception in 2014.
More than 600 of those tips related to threats, 252 were about guns,125 were about bombs, and 73 involved weapons possession, according to the program’s annual report. That compares to 741 tips about threats, 185 about guns, 64 about bombs, and 73 about weapons possession in 2023.
There is no doubt this year’s toy wish lists will include new versions of classic toys such as Barbie, G.I.Joe and even others such as Furby, Lite-Brite, Barney’s World and even Tamagotchi.
Many parents will be able to rely on their own experience to guide them with familiar toys but it becomes difficult to choose from the crop of new toys being introduced every year.
To help parents narrow their store and online searches The Macomb Daily has compiled a list of hot new toys and what’s being said about them. Some of the reviews were provided by our team of toy-testing tykes, while others were suggested by experts in the field including parents and teachers.
Have a look at what reviewers from schools in Clinton Township and Birmingham had to say about some of the newest games, gadgets and gizmos:
Infant and up
Animated Peeki the Puppy from Gund (infant-up, $44.99) is an animated plush pal with floppy ears and his own cute personality. Landyn, 5-months, took to the toy immediately. He loved the song it played although it only plays one and was especially excited to see the puppy’s ears moving. Five stars!
Sweet Pea Snuggle Pod (6-months-up, $24.99) is a cute little doll that fits snugly in a plush green peapod. It’s a great first doll for developing nurturing skills. Its small size and soft features make it easy for toddlers to tote and tuck.
My First Tackle Box (infant-up, $34.99) from Gund. The five-piece soft plush playset features a self-contained plush tackle box along with a fishing rod with touch and close fastener for sticking to a worm crinkle toy or fish squeaky toy.
Smart Steps Balance Buddy Learning Monkee (18-months-up,$29.99 ) from Baby Trend is a STEM toy for little ones. The toy has an intelligent recognition system that interacts with babies in two play modes, one helping them to count and follow directions and another teaching them about balance and direction. Our preschool teacher said the children loved the movements, bright colors and sounds. One suggestion: Make it out of a softer material or add a stand so it doesn’t tip over.
Glo Pals Light Up Library (18-months-up, $21.99) was named to Toy Insider’s hot list of toys for little ones. Bedtime stories take on a whole new light with the magic magnifier that children can use to light up each page in the story. Five stars!
Barney’s World Sensory Barney (2-up, $11.99) features a variety of textures and activities for little ones to explore. Many of the parents buying the purple dinosaur this year are likely to have known Barney when they were kids. Each plush comes with a heart-shaped fidget.
Miko 3 (3-5, $199) was a big hit with Brynn. The new AI interactive robot features interactive games, academic content and a personality. What Brynn loved most about it were the games, that she could talk to Mike and that she and the little robot could make a video call to her parents.What she didn’t like was that many of the activities were only accessible with a monthly membership. .
and educational toy designed to improve problem-solving skills and an understanding of basic mechanical concepts. Our toy testers Roger and Hayden said it took a while to assemble but once they were done they loved the lights and sounds it made.
Luna Storytime Projector (3-up, $59.99) was a big hit with the little ones in Clintondale Community Schools childcare program. The starter set comes with one story and a character. Our toy-testing toddlers enjoyed seeing the story projected on the wall and the songs that played along. Other story figures include: Unicorn Stories, Paw Patrol, Sesame Street, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and Thomas & Friends.
Alpha Group’s Super Wings Electric Heroes (3-up, $27.99 ) is a 3-in-1 Transforming World Spaceport is another toy that children transform from a robot to a vehicle. Our toy tester liked it but wasn’t crazy about it. Whereas another child who likes playing with transformers might love it.
The Dragon Eggmazing Egg Decorator (3-up,$27.99 ) from Hey Buddy Hey Pal Investments is a decorating kit that comes with two dinosaur eggs, markers and a machine and holder that turns the egg children are decorating. Our toy testers did not like the smell (could’ve been the markers) but loved the dinosaur that pops out of the egg when you’re done decorating it. Other eggs with 12 other collectible dinosaurs are available.
Barbie Color Reveal 6 Surprises (3-up, $24.97) joins the list of fun toys for kids who love Barbie. Our tester was pleased with her surprise and had fun with the fashion accessories including a plug-in ponytail that undergoes a color transformation using icy cold or warm water. Note to parents: It’s a tad messy because of the changing color ponytail.
Fisher-Price Montessori Wooden Sorting Tree (3-up, $15.99 ) is a cool wooden sorting toy that features fruits and vegetables that fit in the tree and can be used for several levels of play. Our preschool teacher from Clintondale Community Schools Childcare Program gave it a thumbs up for teaching children colors and sorting. One suggestion for Santa: Make the sorting compartments a tad bigger.
Imaginext Jurassic Park Rebirth Ultimate Action Chomp T. Rex (3-up, $75) was named among the top toys this season by Toy Insider magazine and got a thumbs up from our youngest toy testers. Their teacher said it’s big, it talks, it walks and its eyes change color. Tip for parents: Consider a storage space as it’s a big toy with no compartments for the projectiles and small figures. Five stars!
Tame & Train Interactive Toothless Dragon from Spin Master (4-up, $52.99) is a cute animatronic toy. It features advanced technology touch sensors for interactive play and while our 5-year-old tester and his dad were unable to figure out the directions it didn’t matter to L.J. He loved the toy. He fed the dragon the little fish that came with it and when the wings didn’t move he used his imagination to make it fly around the room on his own.
Eye Connect Crafts 3D Tunnel Book (4-up,$39.97) a kit that comes with pre-cut card stock animals that you assemble, watercolor paints and markers and instructions to create a 3D Tunnel Book. One of our testers was unable to review it because of missing parts but a second tester loved coloring the dinosaurs in the kit that he was given to test.
Fanroll Dungeons and Dragons Orb (4-up, $28) is an automatic dice roller. It’s a cool gadget and our toy testers had fun playing with it but to be really great parents might want to pair it with a game that requires a roll of the dice.
Age 5-up
Math Made Fun, Music Made Easy (age 5-up, $99) is designed to improve a student’s math skills by playing the latest popular songs on the piano. It comes with a STEAM curriculum and app for children in second-through twelfth-grade. Our fifth-graders from McGlinnen Elementary’s student council loved the piano but did not use the books or the app. However, other testers did use the two together and found it fun as well.
Smartivity Activities for Smarter Learning Hydraulic Plane Launcher (6-14, $28.99 ) is a cool STEAM set that includes everything a young engineer might need to build a hydraulic-powered plane launcher. Our toy testers Kyler and Brayden, who are fourth-graders, however, could have used some help as they found it very difficult to put together. Great project for kids who have a parent helping or for older kids who love construction projects. Smartivity Activities sets are available for a number of other building projects including a telescope.
Primal Hatch T. Rex Tyrannosaurus from Spin Master (5-up,$65.99) was a big hit with the preschoolers in the Clintondale Community Schools Childcare Program. They loved watching it hatch and then they loved feeding it, once it broke out of its shell. Their teacher did say the shell was hard to crack, which might make it a good toy for an older child as well. Five stars!
DIY Sticki Rolls Wearable Shareable Bracelet Kit (5-up, $9.99-$27.99) from Sky Castle could not have been more popular with our toy testers Ma’Leah, Aria and Silvia. They played with the award-winning kit that comes with 500 stickers to create cool bracelets during the entire toy-testing event and other members of Clintondale Community Schools student council joined in as well. Their advisor said Santa really nailed it this time. Five stars!
Infinity MadQ from Alpha Group (5-up, $44.99). Our toy testers said the new battle set that comes with glowing Nados, two sword launchers and arena was hard to assemble but fun to play.
Smartivity Activities for Smarter Learning Rocket (6-up, $24.99). If you’re looking for a great toy that teaches kids about rocket propulsion this would be it. Our toy testers Benji and Hamza said it was a challenge to assemble but loved how high it flew. Their teacher Darrin Winkler was also impressed but said the rocket launcher should definitely be used outside, as it almost put a hole in their classroom ceiling. Five stars!
Hootenanny Games Feelin’ Cute (6-up,$19.99 ) is a 15-minute game featuring cute animal cards that players rate according to a cuteness meter. Our third- and fourth-grade toy testers Destiny, Mia (Pangori), Mia (Davis), Abriella and Patricia said the name alone made them want to play and it kept their interest.
D20 Foam Oversized Dice (6-up, $24.99 ) from Kess is a new dice game for youngsters but even adults would find it fun, indoors or outside. Our testers loved its size, how easy it was to roll and that it’s pink.
Hootenanny Games Early Bird (7-up, $19.99) was a big hit with Jade, Juliet and Noelle, who loved how it made them laugh. They also loved the funny cards and the things they came up with during the game. Five stars!
Strikesphere Soccer Bot (6-up,$59.99 ) was a big hit with our toy testers including Clintondale Community Schools Superintendent Kenneth Janczarek and two members of the student council, Blake and Kellan. Janczarek said the toy was hard to set up. They had to google directions but once they did they loved it. The smart soccer ball uses built-in sensors to track the ball and has three speed settings you can switch from indoor to outdoor use. Five stars!
Also available from Strikesphere is the Counter Ball (6-up,$59.99), a soccer ball that glows, cheers and counts your kicks. Our fourth-grade testers liked that it counted their passes but said it was really loud.
Tech Dech Shred N’ Blast Sk8Board (6-up, $29.99) from Spin Master features a cool character who does big air stunts. The toy inspired by skateboarders takes the popular pastime to new heights. Our toy tester had some trouble with the ramp (it wouldn’t stay together) but loved how high the skateboard character jumped, at one point reaching almost 7 feet in the air.
Headbanz from Spin Master (6-up, $17.99) continues to be a popular game for tweens and family game nights. Our testers from Clintondale Community Schools had fun playing the game of “What Am I?” This version is for younger kids but their teacher suggested adding more cards for older players.
Clixo Dino Adventures (6-to-forever, $15.99-$59.99) is a magnet construction building toy. Jack’s imagination kicked in as soon as he saw the pieces and within a few minutes had several creatures built before he even knew his kit was made to build a dinosaur. He’s a second-grader but even our third and fourth-grade testers Brooklyn, Ava and Alaya had fun with the toy and said they liked that it inspired them to be creative. Choose from a variety of kits including: Creator Pack with 40 pieces, Sparkle Jewelry Pack, 34 pieces and Marine Marvels featuring 36 pieces for assembling sea creatures. Five stars!
Pokemon Trainer Expert from Ultra Pro (6-up, $34.99) is an electronic game for Pokemon fans. Our testers had fun but had some difficulty in guessing the Pokemon, making it truly a game for experts and even older players.
Squishy Verse Snackipoos from Kandico (5-up, $24.99) features three DIY characters, glitter packets and surprise accessories for making fun creatures. Our fifth-grade testers Liliam, Leila and Sergio loved the toy but did not have enough time to see their creations completed. Be sure to set aside enough time to finish the task. Five stars!
Shark Strike from Spin Master (5-up, $21.99) is a new game that combines the fun of bowling, fishing and sharks into one funny game. Our toy testers loved everything about the game and had only one suggestion: Add more sharks. Five stars!
Mush Meez Taba Squishies ((8-up, $11.99) from Beverly Hills Teddy Bear company are among this year’s favorite squishy and sticky toys. Alaya and Ava loved the fidget, play foodie toys that come in a variety of delicious choices including a hot dog, hamburger, cinnamon bun and peanut butter and jelly sandwich. They said all of the other kids wanted to play with them including Daniella and Chloe, who loved the hot dog squishy. Noelle said they’re great because they’re a lot like slime toys but not sticky, which is perfect for parents who don’t like slime. Five stars!
Smartivity Activities for Smarter Learning Pinball (8-up,$29.99) is an award-winning STEAM toy kit that children can use to build their own pinball machine. It was a hit with our fourth-grade testers Daniella and Jack. They said it was easy to build but it did take a long time to do it.
Virtual Reality ESPN (age 8-up, $59.99) from Abacus Brands is a cool idea for any kid looking to learn more about sports. Our toy tester couldn’t wait to try it out but was unable to hook up the virtual reality portion created with the phone app. He liked the DK Book filled with facts and cool stories but his favorite part was the Olympic medals that come with it.
Wise Block Build and Play RC Military Armored Truck (8-up, $36.99) was a big hit with our fourth-graders, who said it’s a very cool toy. It features 371 pieces that are interchangeable with other block building toys and can be used to create a RC tank. Henri-Paul and Hugo had great fun building the tank and playing with it afterwards. One suggestion for Santa: Add some accessories like toy soldiers. Five stars!
Also from Wise Block is the Build and Play RC Racing Car (8-up), another award-winning STEAM set featuring 414 pieces for aspiring engineers interested in building a RC racing car. Mason said his favorite aspect was all of the creativity that was dedicated to this car and how enjoyable it was to create.
Hipster The Music Party Game (16-up,$39.99) from Galt is geared for teens who enjoy a variety of music. Each player picks a card and then scans the QR code to automatically play it on Spotify. Then they must guess what year it came out.
Hipster Guilty Pleasures (16-up,$39.99) was a hit with our ninth-grade tester Lauren Hampshire. She said the variety of music was great and that it was a fun game. However, she was not keen on the old songs and would probably enjoy a version with newer music even more.
Rubik’s Pulse Cube (8-up, $15.99 ) from Spin Master starts with a sleek mirrored finish that lights up with Rubik’s iconic colors as players work to solve the puzzle. It was challenging but that’s what Juliet, our fourth-grade tester loved most about it.
Tetris The Board Game (8-up,$24.99 ) from Spin Master Games has players completing as many lines as they can before the first player adds another piece to their grid. Our fourth-grade testers said it was fun to play but suggested making it so the pieces could be placed in more than one direction.
My Robotic Pet Coding Chameleon ($54.95) from Thames and Kosmos is a construction and coding toy rolled into one robotic reptile. It’s recommended for 8-up but with an adult’s help or age 12-up for kids without supervision. Once built it’s designed to respond to gestures, change colors and automatically fire and retract its tongue, but our 8-year-old testers found it difficult to snap together and never got to try the coding.
3Doodler Candy (8-up, $59.99) by Wobbleworks is a new tool that makes 3D printing a little sweeter. Kids just load the pen up with candy and then press a button to make delicious treats. Five stars!
Stocking stuffers
Looking for a few little things to add to your list? These are a few items to consider, some were award-winners last year and others are new this season including a whole lineup of squishy toys:
Incredible Novelties’ Squishi Toys were a big hit among our testers who liked the feel and scent of them. Noelle, Lucy, Alex and Ella, fourth-graders at Pierce Elementary School were all particularly fond of the Oreo Squishi Toy. Choose from a variety of options for different ages including: Bazooka and Scented Ring Pop Squishi Toy (6-up) or Sour Patch Kids Scented Squishi (13-up).
bottle featuring an easy-open-nob (eyeball) and belt for kids on the go. Jack loved the eyeball opener and that it comes attached to a belt for easy carrying.
The Macomb Daily’s annual holiday review of the season’s hottest toys is a newsroom tradition that started when virtual pets and Tamagotchi were the buzz words on Santa’s Wish List.
Our editorial staff started doing the reviews to help parents navigate the growing number of toys on the market. It is readers’ interest that fuels this tradition but it’s the work of many that make it possible.
That includes the toy manufacturers across the United States and Canada, and many other parts of the world who provide free toys for testing and jump through many logistic hoops in order to make sure they are submitted on time. Some even include batteries to make sure testers have everything they need.
Most importantly, we would like to thank our toy-testing tykes from Macomb and Oakland counties.
Working collectively for Clintondale Community Schools were members of its student council at McGlinnen and their advisor Amanda Madson as well as students in the Clintondale Childcare Program at Parker and Rainbow Elementary schools. A special shout-out goes to Clintondale Community Schools Superintendent Kenneth Janczarek, who joined in the fun of testing the toys and Alexandra Hichel and Melissa Kloposki for coordinating the teams and logging the results.
Tackling many of the STEAM toys this year were the fourth-graders in Darrin Winkler’s class at Pierce Elementary in Birmingham.
Our thanks to all of you for your enthusiasm and help in making this year’s mission a success.
What if…
We’ve been told by toymakers over the years that they follow reviews not only as a means of improving their products but also for ideas on how to expand a line or even introduce something new. So we asked our toy-testing tykes to answer a bonus question: If anything was possible what kind of toy would you invent?
Here’s a few of the gadgets and gizmos our fourth-grade testers came up with:
Henri-Paul Rias and Hugo Zhou said they would create a construction building set for a military shop complete with firing cannons and toy soldiers. It would also have the pieces to build a smaller ship and helicopter that you could land on the ship.
Noelle Simmons would create a realistic robotic dog. She said her parents don’t really love dogs but she would love it and play with it every day. She might even create a robot that can do household chores or make her dinner and name it the magical assistant.
Ella Ebiner said she would create a 3D printer that makes squishy toys.
Jack Schroeder and Daniella Fraser said they would create a fidget toy that gives you any superpower in the world.
Benji Papaghanian and Hamza Alwan said they would like to create a toy that lets you build an entire city like maybe Detroit or Parish.
Letty Eilander would make a remote-controlled bird that would fly or sit on her shoulder.
Jade Ransford said he would create a magical robotic cat in rainbow colors covered with stars and sparkles that teaches people how to talk to cats.
Clintondale Community Schools’ students Kyler Berryhill, 9, left, and Brayden Kryscynski, 7, put Smartivity Activities for Smarter Learning Hydraulic Plane Launcher (6-14, $28.99 ) (SUBMITTED PHOTO)
An Israeli airstrike Sunday struck Beirut for the first time since June. Its military says it was targeting a Hezbollah militant.
The strike, in the south of the capital, comes as Israeli airstrikes over southern Lebanon have intensified in recent weeks.
Israel's military did not provide any other details on what it called a precise strike, nor has Hezbollah commented on the incident yet. A large plume of smoke can be seen in the busy Haret Hreik neighborhood.
One video widely circulated on social media shows dozens of people crowded around the area of the strike, which appears to be just next to a building.
There was no immediate word about casualties.
Israel and the United States have been piling the pressure on Lebanon to disarm the powerful militant group. The Lebanese military issued a plan the government approved in September that would disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year across the country.
Israel says Hezbollah is trying to rebuild its military capabilities in southern Lebanon, whereas the Lebanese government has denied those claims.
The biggest travel week is upon us and the weather across Metro Detroit will range from mild and wet earlier in the week to cold and wintry to wrap up the holiday.
The first storm system will bring a chance for light-to-moderate rain showers across the area throughout the day Tuesday. However, temperatures will remain on the mild side for late November with highs in the low 50s.
A second front will sweep through the area on Wednesday with another round of rain trying to scoot through Metro Detroit. This time it will trigger strong winds and much colder weather with temperatures tumbling throughout the day.
Youll definitely need to bundle up on Thanksgiving! The blast of frigid air settles in for the holiday and sticks around for the weekend. Morning lows will start in the 20s and afternoon temperatures will only rise into the 30s. There will be a biting wind chill in the teens and 20s. This winter-like chill will ignite the lake-effect machine across the Great Lakes, including Metro Detroit. If youre traveling across Michigan on Thanksgiving Day, youll need to watch for slick and snowy road conditions through the heavier snow belt areas, like northwest Lower Michigan, the U.P. and the southwest portions of Lower Michigan. It looks like we may catch a brief break from the snow across Metro Detroit on Friday, but the typical Michigan snow belts will likely see more lake effect to finish the week.
Well keep an eye on next weekend for another potential storm system moving through Lower Michigan. Its still a bit far away but be on alert for a hit of wintry weather, which could lead to messy travel after Thanksgiving with snow developing next Saturday changing to a wintry mix to close out the weekend.
The Climate Prediction Center has consistently displayed an upcoming atmospheric pattern shift bringing this winter-like weather across Metro Detroit.Again, the initial taste of arctic air filtering in midweek and maintaining its cold grip on the region into, at least, early December.
A Coloradan who purchased an abandoned Douglas County storage unit found that it contained 1.7 million counterfeit fentanyl pills, plus several pounds of meth and fentanyl powder, law enforcement officials said Monday.
The discovery amounted to a record seizure of fentanyl in Colorado, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the sixth-largest in U.S. history.
The unit was purchased at auction after its previous renter lapsed on its payments.
The new owner then called law enforcement, including the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, after opening it to discover the pills. The unit also contained 12 kilograms of fentanyl powder and two and a half pounds of methamphetamine. Law enforcement subsequently learned that the unit’s previous owner had been arrested by the DEA in April, which is why the unit’s rent went unpaid.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that’s at least 50 times more powerful than morphine. While it has legitimate medical uses, illicitly created fentanyl has become the dominant opioid on the U.S. drug market, and it fueled an overdose crisis that surged in Colorado and across the rest of the United States. The street version of the drug is primarily pressed into pill form, typically to mimic the look of other legitimate opioid pills.
“I want to thank the citizen who reported this discovery, the storage facility staff for their cooperation, and the deputies who responded quickly and professionally,” said Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly said in a statement. “Let me send a strong and unmistakable message: fentanyl and illegal narcotics will not be tolerated in Douglas County.”
The powder seized in the operation was enough to create another six million pills, the DEA said.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office seized approximately 1.7 million fentanyl pills from a storage unit after its new owner reported finding them on Nov. 11. The Drug Enforcement Agency said an additional 12 kilograms of fentanyl powder, enough to make 6 million more pills, and 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine were in the unit. (Provided by Douglas County Sheriff’s Office via X.com)
With just one week left in the regular season, the Mid-American Conference championship chase is absolutely bananas.
Five of the conference’s 13 teams remain in the hunt to play for the MAC title at Ford Field on Dec. 6, with Western Michigan in the driver’s seat and four others, Central Michigan included, still with a chance.
The Broncos are 6-1 in the MAC and can get into the MAC championship game for the first time since 2016 with a win over state rival Eastern Michigan on Tuesday. Central Michigan, Toledo, Miami and Ohio all are 5-2 in the MAC, which pending next week’s outcomes might just have to reach deep into its bag of tiebreaker scenarios. By the end of the regular season, there could be as many as four teams that have to go to the tiebreakers.
The only team that doesn’t have to worry about tiebreakers for now is WMU; win at EMU, and the Broncos are in.
“We have built a foundation and mentality of going 1-0. I’ve been saying this since training camp … our players are probably tired of me saying it,” said Lance Taylor, WMU’s third-year head coach, who has the Broncos bowl-eligible for the second straight year. “You’ve gotta fight human nature, whether it’s complacency, whether it’s blocking the noise and distractions, looking at all the what-ifs. None of that stuff matters.
“The only scenario that matters is how we prepare this week, and going 1-0.”
Western Michigan, of course, still could get into the MAC championship game, even with a loss to EMU, depending how other games shake themselves out, thanks to the one-game lead entering the final week of the regular season.
Western Michigan has won three straight games, including thrilling comebacks over rival Central Michigan and Ohio, and this past week’s 35-19 win over Northern Illinois. In that game, the Broncos trailed, 13-0.
There remains the possibility that WMU could play CMU in the MAC championship game for the first time ever. It wasn’t possible from 1997-2023, when the winners of each division played for the title. The MAC did away with divisions in 2024.
Central Michigan has won two straight games since the loss at Western Michigan to stay in the mix, including this week’s 28-16 victory at Kent State.
The Chippewas host Toledo next Saturday, meaning one of those teams will fall out of title contention with a loss. It’s the only MAC game in the final week of the regular season between two teams still in the championship mix. CMU needs a win, and some help to get to Ford Field. If WMU wins, CMU needs a win and Ball State to beat Miami. If WMU loses, CMU needs a win and Buffalo to beat Ohio, or Ohio to beat Buffalo and Ball State to beat Miami. Got all that?
Either way, it’s been quite a resurgent season for CMU under first-year head coach Matt Drinkall. It’s the Chippewas’ first winning season and first time being bowl-eligible since 2021. They last played for a MAC championship in 2019.
“To be in the position we’re in I think is just a testament to the kids’ buy-in,” Drinkall said. “We have a very good plan and these guys attack it every single day, every week. They have bought all the way in. … We might not have the flashiest, most talented roster, but it’s talented enough, and we’ve got elite leadership and elite heart.”
Here’s the MAC schedule for contenders in the final week of the regular season:
• Western Michigan (7-4, 6-1) at Eastern Michigan (4-7, 3-4), 7:30 p.m. Tuesday (ESPN2)
• Toledo (7-4, 5-2) at Central Michigan (7-4, 5-2), noon Saturday (ESPN+)
• Ball State (4-7, 3-4) at Miami (6-5, 5-2), noon Saturday (CBSSN)
There are up to seven MAC tiebreakers to determine the two participants in the championship game, starting with head-to-head if there are two teams tied, and starting with head-to-head winning percentage among the tied teams, if there are more than two. But that tiebreaker might not work with a multi-team tie because the MAC now plays an unbalanced schedule. The second tiebreaker for multi-teams is if one tied team defeated the other tied team(s). The third tiebreaker is winning percentage among all common opponents. Things should finally be settled by then, well before the seventh tiebreaker ― which is actually a random draw by commissioner Jon Steinbrecher.
In other words, it’s good to be Western Michigan right now, even though it is a rivalry game, and Eastern Michigan, despite being out of bowl eligibility, has won its last two games.
“When you take care of the opportunity that you’re given,” said Taylor, “you’re given more.”
Tickets to this year’s game start at $18.80, and they are available at detroitlions.com.
In last year’s MAC championship game, Ohio beat Miami, 38-3.
Michigan wide receiver Donaven McCulley, center, is tackled by Central Michigan defensive backs Jaion Jackson, left, Brenden Deasfernandes, right, and Elijah Gordon during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, in Ann Arbor. (RYAN SUN — AP Photo, file)
The growing awareness of the value among parents wanting to develop and inspire their child’s interests is not only driving more companies to develop educational products but pushing sales.
According to a report by Global Market Insights the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) toy market is projected to reach $13 billion by 2032. Among the toymakers meeting the demand is Assaf Eshet, CEO and founder of Clixo , a flexible, origami-inspired magnetic system that was recently named one of Time magazine’s Best Inventions of 2025. As an industrial designer who has worked for some of the top names in the toy industry, Eshet said his mission has always been to create toys that inspire exploration rather than dictate outcomes.
Brooklyn Knott, 9, left, and Ava Salcio, 9, fourth-graders at Clintondale Community Schools’ McGlinnen Elementary School and members of its student council try out Clixo, one of several STEAM toys not only earning awards but the attention of kids who love to build things. (Photo courtesy of Alexandra Hichel/Clintondale Community Schools)
“Kids should have a real appetite for curiosity,” said Eshet. “Our job as parents, teachers and toymakers is to strike that nerve of wonder and keep it alive.”
That’s what Playmobil did for him as a child.
“I used to assemble them and then reassemble them to make them my own,” Eshet said during a phone interview from New York City.
Now children are taking his kits, assembling them as they are and then reimagining them to be something else.
“Things that we can’t even imagine they are already creating,” said Eshet, who launched the brand in 2020 with a few kits and has expanded it to include 20 kits ranging from $15 to $200. New this year for aspiring paleontologists is Dinosaur Adventure (6-up, $49.99).
“It’s an amazing set,” Eshet said, of the newest addition to the Clixo family featuring 36 pieces that can be used to make a variety of dinosaurs or whatever creature comes to mind.
“You can mix and match them, too,” said Eshet, whose Clixo brand is also in the running for the Toy Foundation’s Best Creativity Toy of the Year.
The company also earned the Best Creative Fun Award by Tillywig and was named to Toy Insider’s Top Holiday Toys list in 2023.
Clixo is a new favorite but the launch of STEM toys happened around the same time as the space race and the inauguration of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in 1958.
“The scientific achievements of the next three decades from the moon landing, artificial heart, personal computing and cell phones all yielded a call for enhanced science education,” according to a report from Forbes. “The call was answered by the National Science Foundation (NSF), which established guidelines for the teaching of science, math, engineering and technology in grades K-12, introducing the acronym SMET. However, educators and policymakers found the term awkward and unappealing, evensuggesting it sounded like ‘smut’. So in 2001, the NSF officially rebranded the initiative STEM and more recently STEAM, as ‘Art’ was added.”
“A lot of parents are buying STEAM toys that have educational value and those toys become treasures,” said Julie Everitt, co-owner of Whistle Stop Hobby and Toy in St. Clair Shores, which has been in the business of selling toys for more than 50 years. Everitt said there are a number of cool new STEAM toys out this year including Rail Cube by Sanko Toys (3-up, $99.99-$199.99).
“The set comes with magnetic tubes that you connect to create a little monorail for a little engine,” Everitt said. “It’s a super cute set and it really goes.”
Another favorite at Whistle Stop is Hape’s Lock and Learn Playboard (3-6, $34.99), a wooden busy board featuring little exercises that teach kids meaningful tasks like how to unlock a latch or turn on a light. Among the STEAM toys growing in popularity among older kids is Rolife’s miniature kits ($49.99). Tweens and teens, even adults can build everything from little houses and book nooks to tiny greenhouses.
“Most of them are for ages 14 and up but we do carry some for 8-plus,” Everitt said, sharing but a few of the STEAM toys making this year’s hot list.
More toys
Looking for a few more toys. Check out our kids’ review of this year’s lineup of STEAM toys along with many others that are expected to make Santa’s Wish List inside the Homefront section and on our website.
Meet toymaker Assaf Eshet, an industrial designer who came up with the idea for Clixo, a STEAM toy that’s been making everyones hot list of toys this holiday season including Time’s 2025 Best Inventions. (Photo courtesy of Clixo)
• National Collection Week of gift-filled shoeboxes is Nov. 17-24, to benefit Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse. The public is invited to pack gift-filled shoeboxes and deliver to a local drop-off location in Michigan. Drop-off locations and a step-by-step guide, How to Pack a Shoebox are at www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child. Participants can donate $10 per shoebox gift online through “Follow Your Box” and receive a tracking label to discover its destination.
• Focus: HOPE is hosting The Giving Machine, in collaboration with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Nov. 19–Jan. 4 at Great Lakes Crossing Outlets at Entrance E (at Nike Store and Bass Pro Shops) in Auburn Hills, and Nov. 18–Dec. 7 at Campus Martius Park in Detroit. Visitors can purchase donations to support Focus: HOPE’s mission to help end food insecurity and build equitable opportunities for families in Metro Detroit, www.focushope.edu.
• Meijer announced it will donate the equivalent of one meal to local Simply Give food pantry partners for every Meijer brand, Frederik’s by Meijer, True Goodness, or Purple Cow food item purchased, from Nov. 23-29. Meijer customers can also contribute to the fight against hunger by adding a $10 Simply Give donation card to their order, https://meijercommunity.com/simply-give.
• Southfield Parks & Recreation invites the community to “Skate for a Cause” 5-6:50 p.m. Nov. 24, at the Southfield Sports Arena, 26000 Evergreen Road. Admission and skate rental are free with the donation of a non-perishable food item, to help support local families. A second Skate for a Cause event will also be held 5-6:50 p.m. Dec. 23, (248) 796-4620, www.cityofsouthfield.com/deaprtments/parks-recreation.
• The annual Mighty Gobbler 5K Run/1Mile Walk is 8-11 a.m. Thanksgiving morning, Nov. 27, hosted by Lutheran Church of the Master, 3333 Coolidge Hwy., Troy. Pre-registration for the 5K is $37 through Nov. 25 and $32 for the 1M, and then fees increase by $5 November 26 and 27. Portion of the proceeds will benefit Micah 6 Community in Pontiac and Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers, two local non-profit organizations serving people in need. Runners are also encouraged to bring canned goods to help stock the food pantry at Troy People Concerned. To register, visit mightygobbler.com or call 248-643-0176 for information.
• “Coats for the Cold” Coat Drive is through the month of November, donations sought of new or gently-used, clean coats at one of the 95 drop-off sites around Oakland County. Look for the box with the “Coats for the Cold” Coat Drive sign on it and place your donation inside. Partners in this effort: Genisys Credit Union, Max Broock Realtors, Real Estate One, Christ Church Cranbrook, @1800SelfStorage.com, McKenzie Moving. For a list of drop-off sites, visit www.facebook.com/OCSOMichigan.
• Rochester and Rochester Hills announce a friendly food drive competition to support Neighborhood House, from Nov. 10 to Dec. 1. Rochester residents should drop off non-perishable food items at 400 Sixth Street in Rochester, while Rochester Hills residents should bring donations to 1000 Rochester Hills Drive in Rochester Hills, ranh.org.
• Easterseals MORC 10th annual Cheers Gala is 7 p.m. Dec. 5, at M1 Concourse Event Center in Pontiac,holiday fundraising event to honor donors and community partners, features strolling dinner, cocktails, a silent auction, a photo station, interactive gaming and casino activities, live entertainment, tickets are $150+ for general admission at www.cbo.io/app/public/bidapp/cheers.
• Urban League of Detroit & Southeastern Michigan’s 60th Annual Guild Gala is 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 6, at Westin Southfield, 1500 Town Center, Southfield, www.deturbanleague.org, tickets are $100 for adults, $50 for youth.
• The Bloomfield Township Police Department is hosting Holiday Charity Campaign-Gift Cards for Veterans. The police department is collecting gift cards to any major box stores and grocers to distribute to multiple Oakland County veterans and their families this holiday season. Gift cards can be donated through Dec. 18 at the front desk of the Bloomfield Township Police Department, 4200 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Twp., https://bloomfieldtwp.org/police.
• “Crafted in Kindness,” a handmade hat and mitten drive, at The Hawk Makerspace. Knitters, crafters can donate crafted items from Nov. 29-Dec. 20, which will then be distributed to older adults in need through the City’s Adults 50 & Better Division. Crafters will be entered for a chance to win prizes from The Hawk Makerspace. The Hawk Makerspace is hosting workshops to teach aspiring makers to sew fleece hats and mittens on Nov. 29, www.fhgov.com.
• To fulfill a holiday wish list in the Senior Secret Santa program, contact Teresa at 248-473-1826 or tjergovich@fhgov.com. Wrapped gifts must be dropped off at the Costick Activities Center at 28600 W. Eleven Mile Road in Farmington Hills by Dec. 5.
• Farmington Hills police and firefighter/paramedics are teaming up with Toys for Tots, through Dec. 16, donate unwrapped toys in the lobby of the Farmington Hills Fire and Police Departments on the campus of Farmington Hills City Hall, 31555 W. Eleven Mile Road, Farmington Hills, www.fhgov.com.
Holiday activities
• Royal Oak Holidays Opening Weekend is Nov. 21-23, in downtown Royal Oak. With its merger with Royal Oak Winter Blast, festivities include The Rink at Royal Oak skating season opening, located in Centennial Commons, visits with Santa, mini carnival rides with a small donation to the Holiday Basket Food Drive. The Rink at Royal Oak is a collection site for The Bottomless Toy Chest. Royal Oak Holidays features five themed weekends of festive activities through Dec. 21, www.royaloakholidays.com.
• Visits with Santa are Friday-Sunday Nov. 21-Dec. 14, and daily Dec. 18-24, during Santa’s hours by walk-up only at The Village of Rochester Hills Outdoor Shopping Center, Festival Park, 104 N. Adams Road, TheVORH.com. Pet Night is 2-6 p.m. Nov. 23, guests are encouraged to bring their furry friends to The Village to take photos with Santa. Visits with Santa’s Reindeer take place 1-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 29-Dec. 21.
• Annual Lagniappe event and Big Bright Light Show: 6-9 p.m. Nov. 24. Lagniappe, a Creole word for “a little something extra,” embodies the spirit of giving and appreciation, hosted by Rochester merchants. The program starts at 6 p.m. on stage on the crosswalk of W. 4th Street & Main, downtown Rochester. At 7 p.m., The Big, Bright Light Show will illuminate buildings downtown, followed by a fireworks display. Afterward, children can visit with Santa from 7:15-9 p.m. The Big, Bright Light Show will run nightly from 5 p.m. to midnight through Jan. 18. During the Lagniappe event, Main Street will be closed to traffic from Second Street to University Drive from 5-9:30 p.m. For information, visit www.downtownrochestermi.com/lagniappe.
• Holly Dickens Festival lighted parade is 6 p.m. Nov. 28, (includes a sensory-friendly portion). Festival continues 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and noon-5 p.m. Sundays, Nov. 29-Dec. 14, downtown Holly. Stroll the streets of historic Battle Alley, visit shops, enjoy strolling Christmas carolers, street performers, holiday lights, roasted chestnuts, hot chocolate, children may visit with Santa in the Tiny Tim Children’s Tent, Run like the Dickens Race is Dec. 6, register at www.hollydickensfestival.org.
• Holiday Walk and Winter Wonder Lights take place on select dates Nov. 28-Dec. 30, Meadow Brook Hall, 350 Estate Drive, Rochester, on the campus of Oakland University, annual indoor daytime Holiday Walk, and the outdoor evening light show, featuring music and concessions, meadowbrookholidays.com, (248) 364-6200, ticket prices vary.
• Very Merry Brunch is held Nov. 28 and Dec. 22 in Meadow Brook Hall’s ballroom, 350 Estate Drive, Rochester, brunch before exploring the three main floors of the mansion decorated for Holiday Walk, meadowbrookholidays.com, tickets are $75 each.
• Holiday House Tours and All Aboard! Model Railroad Exhibit are noon-4 p.m. Nov. 28-30 and select Saturdays, Sundays and weekdays in December, at Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm, 1005 Van Hoosen Road, Rochester Hills, buy tickets at the door, general adm. is $5/adults, www.rochesterhills.org/musprograms.
• Birmingham Santa Walk: 9:30-10:30 a.m. Nov. 29, walk with Santa, hot chocolate while supplies last 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Santa visits are noon-4 p.m. Nov. 29 and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 30. Free horse Drawn Carriage Rides are 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 29-30, Small Business Saturday activities, register for Santa Walk at www.allinbirmingham.com. Birmingham Winter Markt is Dec. 5-7.
• Holiday Tea & Tour: select dates Nov. 30-Dec. 21, in Meadow Brook Hall’s Dining Room, 350 Estate Drive, Rochester, includes admission to Holiday Walk. Tickets are $85 each.
• Annual holiday lights celebration is 6:30-8 p.m. Dec. 2, ceremony, tree lighting and 20-foot candle, carols, and Santa will arrive via fire truck at Farmington Hills City Hall, 31555 W. Eleven Mile Road, Farmington Hills, followed by free cookies and hot cocoa, and Santa visits inside Fire Station #5 on the campus of City Hall, www.fhgov.com.
• Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony: 6-8 p.m. Dec. 2, on the front lawn of the Southfield Municipal Campus, 26000 Evergreen Road, www.cityofsouthfield.com.
• Starlight Stroll: Dec. 3, Meadow Brook Hall’s ballroom, 350 Estate Drive, Rochester, holiday elegance that includes live music, open bar, strolling dinner, and complimentary valet, meadowbrookholidays.com, tickets are $150 each.
• “Holly, History & Harmony”: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 9, at the historic Buhl Estate at Addison Oaks, 1480 West Romeo Road, Leonard, event includes an educational tour, live seasonal music provided by the Twelfth Night Singers, who will sing a cappella selections while dressed in traditional Renaissance attire, and buffet meal, $45/person. Register by Nov. 24. Call 248-858-0916 or reserve at www.oakgov.com/community/oakland-county-parks/events.
Holiday markets
• Festival of Trees is Nov. 22-23, (10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday), The Rochester Community House, 816 Ludlow, Rochester, www.downtownrochestermi.com/festival-of-trees. Admission is free, proceeds benefit The Big, Bright Light Show.
• Arts & Greens Market is Nov. 22-23, Bogie Lake Greenhouses, 1525 Bogie Lake Road, White Lake Twp., (10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Sunday), 18th annual event, partnership between Huron Valley Council for the Arts and the greenhouses, www.huronvalleyarts.org, free admission.
• Davisburg Christmas Market: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 23, at Springfield Oaks, 12451 Andersonville Road, Davisburg, thebespokemarkets.com, $2 admission, www.facebook.com/groups/618971923690444.
• Holiday Market Pop-Up: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 23, Friendship Circle’s Soul Gallery, 5586 Drake Road, West Bloomfield Twp., featuring limited-edition, handcrafted items created by artists with special needs, 50% of the purchase price goes directly to the artists, and the other 50% is reinvested into the studio and its mission, shop online through Dec. 31 at https://gallery.friendshipcircle.org.
• 53rd Annual Elf Shelf Arts & Craft Show is 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 29, at Troy High School, 4777 Northfield Parkway, featuring over 200 booths of handcrafted gifts, seasonal décor, jewelry, textiles, hosted by the Troy Women’s Association, (248) 988-0426, www.troywomensassociation.org, $3 donation at the door to benefit scholarships and local charities.
Parks/Outdoor activities
• Oakland County Parks and Recreation offers free admission. General park entry fees and vehicle permits have been eliminated for all parks operated by Oakland County Parks, www.oakgov.com/community/oakland-county-parks.
• Huron-Clinton Metroparks in Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw and Wayne, metroparks.com. Park entrance fees apply. Annual vehicle passes are $40 for residents or $45 for non-residents. Senior citizen pricing on annual passes are available in-person at toll booths or park offices with ID as proof of age.
• Michigan State Parks and Recreation Areas, michigan.gov/dnr. Park entrance fees apply.
Support resources
• For access to local community services, dial 211 (844-875-9211) or text zip code to 898211, for information and referrals to physical and mental health resources; housing, utility, food, and employment assistance; and suicide and crisis interventions, United Way, https://unitedwaysem.org/get-help.
• The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7 confidential support for people who are suicidal or in emotional distress, or who know someone who is. Calls and text messages to 988 route to a 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline call center, www.fcc.gov/988Lifeline.
• National Domestic Violence Hotline, 800-799-7233, available 24/7.
• Common Ground’s Resource & Crisis Helpline is available 24/7 – call or text 800-231-1127.
• Veterans Crisis Line, dial 988 and then press 1 to connect to the Veterans Crisis Lifeline. For texts, veterans should text the Veterans Crisis Lifeline short code: 838255.
The annual Mighty Gobbler 5K Run/1Mile Walk is 8-11 a.m. Thanksgiving morning, Nov. 27, at Lutheran Church of the Master, 3333 Coolidge Hwy., Troy. (Photo courtesy of The Mighty Gobbler)
Months after federal officials demanded voter data from Colorado and several other states, Secretary of State Jena Griswold and several peers are trying to determine what exactly the Trump administration is doing with the data.
“As Secretaries of State and chief election officials of our respective states, we write to express our immense concern with recent reporting that the Department of Justice has shared voter data with the Department of Homeland Security, and to seek clarity on whether DOJ and DHS actively misled election officials regarding the uses of voter data,” Griswold and nine other secretaries of state wrote in a letter sent Tuesday morning.
It was addressed to Pam Bondi, the U.S. attorney general, and Kristi Noem, the Homeland Security secretary.
Bondi’s Justice Department sent letters to Colorado and other states in the spring asking for voter rolls and, in some cases, it has sought more detailed data, including partial social security numbers and birth dates.
The state officials’ new letter asks Bondi and Noem whether the voter rolls were shared with Noem’s department, which has served as the tip of the spear in the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, or any others. The secretaries of state who signed on are all Democrats.
Colorado provided some of the information requested by the Justice Department as required by law, Griswold said in an interview Monday. Other states, particularly those tasked with turning over more extensive voter data, refused; six of them have since been sued by the federal government.
Griswold said federal officials had provided shifting answers on whether the Homeland Security Department had been given access to the data that had been turned over to the DOJ, including from Colorado.
Heather Honey, the agency’s deputy assistant secretary for election integrity, told the secretaries of state in September that DHS hadn’t received or asked for the data, according to the secretaries’ letter. But the next day, the agency confirmed to Stateline that it was collaborating with the Justice Department to “scrub aliens from voter rolls.”
Six weeks later, on Halloween, the agency posted an administrative update indicating it was expanding a tool — used previously to ensure federal benefits don’t go to immigrants without proper legal status — to check voting rolls.
“We would like the attorney general and the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to explain what they’re doing collecting mass voter data on American voters,” Griswold said. “It also looks like the DOJ or DHS misled secretaries of state.”
Attempts to reach both federal departments for comment Tuesday were not successful.
Griswold said some of her staff members also had a brief conversation with officials from the Justice Department’s criminal division earlier this summer. The federal officials asked if Colorado election officials had a way to report election crimes to the state attorney general, Griswold’s office said. State officials replied that they did, and the conversation ended.
The state officials request a response from Bondi and Noem by Dec. 1.
In addition to Colorado, the secretaries of state from California, Minnesota, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Maine, Vermont, Oregon and Washington also signed the letter.
Two-year-old Alessandra Caffa holds her toy bunny while watching her father Juan Pablo Caffa vote for the first time after recently becoming an American citizen, at a voting center in the McNichols Civic Center Building in downtown Denver on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post)
The Social Security Administration has abandoned plans to block thousands of older Americans from qualifying for disability benefits after an uproar that reached senior officials in the Trump White House, according to people familiar with the decision.
The agency is also halting a plan to use modern labor market data to help judge whether disability claimants can work, a project that has cost the federal government more than $350 million so far. The new data would have replaced a long-outdated jobs database that until recently included obsolete occupations such as nut sorters and telephone quotation clerks.
The policy affecting older people would have fundamentally altered who qualifies for the two federal disability programs by eliminating or limiting a person’s age as a factor to consider. It fulfilled a long-held goal of Trump officials to tighten the federal safety net and had been on track to be announced in the Federal Register as soon as December.
But widespread opposition mounted following an article in The Washington Post in October that reported the new policy could result in a loss of future benefits for hundreds of thousands of people.
Jason Turkish – an attorney representing disabled people and co-founder of the advocacy group Alliance for America’s Promise – said SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano and other administration officials assured him in meetings over the past week that the proposal would not move forward. A former Social Security executive familiar with the disability program confirmed that Bisignano has scrapped the proposed rule.
“The commissioner took a decisive, unambiguous role in concretely ruling out that this mega-regulation would move forward,” Turkish said.
A White House spokesperson said that “the White House has not seen any such proposal. However, President Trump remains fully committed to protecting and strengthening Social Security while making it easier for millions of Americans to engage with the Social Security Administration.”
Social Security officials did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday.
The about-face follows months of turmoil at the agency that issues retirement and disability benefits to 72 million Americans. Thousands of staff cuts, voluntary departures and reassignments, service failures, and an aggressive takeover by Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service early in the Trump administration have led to widespread customer complaints and low morale in the agency’s workforce.
Social Security evaluates disability claims by considering age, work experience and education to determine if someone can adjust to other types of work. Applicants over 50 have a better chance of qualifying because age is treated as a limitation in adapting to many jobs.
But with prodding from Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought earlier this year, the agency began to consider eliminating age as a factor entirely or raising the threshold to 60, according to people familiar with the plans, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share private discussions. Leland Dudek, the acting commissioner at the time, instructed officials to begin drafting the new rule shortly after he took office.
Advocates for the disabled and elderly applauded the decision to back off.
“Social Security disability insurance is a critical lifeline for people who find themselves no longer able to work,” Jenn Jones, vice president of financial security for AARP, said in a statement. “We appreciate Commissioner Bisignano’s commitment to a careful and transparent process, because any changes to [disability insurance] can impact older Americans across the country who rely on Social Security for their independence and livelihoods.”
A cut in disability benefits could have significant political consequences, advocates and lawmakers have warned, pointing to Trump’s campaign promise to not touch Social Security.
“I’m incredibly pleased to see Commissioner Bisignano and the administration decided not to pursue proposed cuts to Social Security’s disability programs – cuts which would have been out of step not only with what the American people want, but also with President Trump’s repeated promises not to cut Social Security,” Rebecca Vallas, CEO of the National Academy of Social Insurance, said in a statement.
Conservatives have long argued that since Americans are living longer and fewer have jobs that require manual labor, many physically disabled workers could adapt to desk work, with the result that fewer people would qualify for disability benefits. Social Security had prepared a similar rule at the end of the first Trump administration but ran out of time to formally propose it.
To determine the jobs a disability applicant might be able to do, Social Security has long relied on a database compiled by the Labor Department, which abandoned the list more than 30 years ago as the economy shifted away from blue-collar work to information and services. Martin O’Malley, who served as Social Security commissioner during the Biden administration, removed many of those jobs from consideration after scrutiny from lawmakers following a Post investigation in 2022.
But the agency did not replace them with a sophisticated database of jobs in the modern U.S. economy compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics over the course of years. Among the Trump administration’s concerns with using the new data is that younger disabled people with cognitive and mental impairments would probably qualify for fewer jobs, potentially leading more of them to be awarded benefits, the former Social Security executive said.
According to two former officials, starting next year the agency planned to develop a database using the BLS data to help determine which jobs, if any, someone seeking benefits could perform. Disability advocates say they worry that such a database would be programmed to come up with a vast array of jobs – particularly if advancing age was no longer a limiting factor – and would end up denying benefits to tens of thousands of claimants every year.
Michelle Spadafore, a New York-based disability attorney, said that advocates were most concerned about the proposal that could have made more older Americans ineligible for disability and are willing to wait until the agency moves forward with a modern jobs database.
“I don’t know if there’s a way to not throw out the baby with the bathwater,” she said. “The threat of taking age out of the equation is so great that even though we want to see modernization of job data, we’re willing to wait on that.”
Today is Sunday, Nov. 23, the 327th day of 2025. There are 38 days left in the year.
Today in history:
On Nov. 23,2005, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was elected president of Liberia, becoming Africa’s first democratically elected female head of state. She guided her nation through recovery after its exit from a decade-long civil war.
Also on this date:
In 1863, thousands of Union soldiers under Gen. Ulysses S. Grant marched out of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and battled Confederate forces through Nov. 25, forcing their retreat into Georgia in a significant blow to the South in the American Civil War.
In 1939, early in World War II, the British armed merchant cruiser HMS Rawalpindi was on patrol when it was shelled and sunk in an engagement with two German warships southeast of Iceland, leaving more than 200 dead aboard the Rawalpindi and only a few dozen survivors.
In 1963, President Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed Nov. 25 a day of national mourning following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
In 1971, the People’s Republic of China was seated in the United Nations Security Council.
In 1980, an estimated 2,500 to 3,000 people were killed by a series of earthquakes that devastated southern Italy.
In 1984, Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie completed one of the most famous passes in college football history, connecting with Gerald Phelan for a 48-yard touchdown with no time left on the clock as Boston College defeated the Miami Hurricanes 47-45.
In 1996, a hijacked Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 767 ran out of fuel and crashed into the Indian Ocean near the Comoro Islands, killing 125 of the 175 people on board, including all three hijackers.
In 2006, former KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko (leet-vee-NYEN’-koh) died in London from radiation poisoning after making a deathbed statement blaming Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In 2008, the U.S. government unveiled a bold plan to rescue Citigroup, injecting a fresh $20 billion into the troubled firm as well as guaranteeing hundreds of billions of dollars in risky assets.
In 2011, Yemen’s authoritarian President Ali Abdullah Saleh (AH’-lee ahb-DUH’-luh sah-LEH’) agreed to step down amid a fierce uprising to oust him after 33 years in power. (After formally ceding power in February 2012, he was killed in 2017 by Houthi rebels who were once his allies.)
In 2024, Israeli airstrikes in central Beirut killed at least 20 people and wounded dozens more, the latest strikes in renewed fighting between Israel and Lebanon-based Hezbollah militants. (A U.S.-brokered cease-fire would be reached on Nov. 27, with sporadic violations of that truce for months afterward.)
Today’s Birthdays:
Actor Franco Nero (“Django”) is 84.
Singer Bruce Hornsby is 71.
TV journalist Robin Roberts (“Good Morning America”) is 65.
Composer Nicolas Bacri is 64.
Poet and author Jennifer Michael Hecht is 60.
Olympic gold medal sprinter Asafa Powell is 43.
Ice hockey player Nicklas Bäckström is 38.
Singer-actor Miley Cyrus is 33.
**FILE** Liberian President elect Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, center, after she gave an address to the nation in the city of Monrovia, Liberia in a Nov. 23, 2005 file photo. Johnson Sirleaf takes office as Africa’s first elected female president Monday, Jan. 16, 2005 but rebuilding war-scarred Liberia will be no easy task. (AP Photo/Pewee Flomoku, File)
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 29 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds as the Detroit Pistons capitalized on sizzling shooting to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 129-116 on Saturday night for their 12th straight victory.
Detroit’s Jaden Ivey played 15 minutes and scored 10 points in his first game since breaking his left fibula on Jan. 1. Tobias Harris scored 18 points while playing for the first time since Nov. 1 after dealing with a sprained right ankle.
Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo missed a second straight game due to an adductor strain.
The Pistons are one victory away from matching the longest winning streak in franchise history. Detroit won 13 straight games in 1989-90 and 2003-04, and the Pistons went on to win the NBA title both seasons.
Detroit also ended a 13-game skid in this series by beating the Bucks for the first time since a 115-106 triumph at Milwaukee on Jan. 3, 2022. That had been tied for the second-longest active win streak by any one team against another.
The longest such active streak is owned by the Los Angeles Clippers, who beat the Charlotte Hornets for a 15th straight time Saturday as James Harden scored 55 points in a 131-116 game.
Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff said during his pregame availability that Cunningham had brought up the Pistons’ lack of success against the Bucks to the rest of the team earlier in the day.
Jalen Duren had 19 points and Duncan Robinson 15 for Detroit, which shot 53.3% (16 of 30) from 3-point range and 62.8% (49 of 78) overall. Ryan Rollins had 24 and Bobby Portis added 18 for Milwaukee.
The Bucks have lost four straight to drop below .500 for the first time this season.
Detroit pulled ahead for good in the second quarter and led by as many as 29.
Up next
Pistons: Visit the Indiana Pacers on Monday night.
Bucks: Host the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night.
— By STEVE MEGARGEE, Associated Press
Detroit Pistons’ Cade Cunningham dunks over Milwaukee Bucks’ AJ Green and Andre Jackson Jr. during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
The newly renovated Helen Moore Community Center officially opened Saturday on Detroit's west side.
Watch Tiarra's report in the video player below Community center and park honoring 2 Detroit community leaders opens to the public
The building, formerly known as the Dexter-Elmhurst Community Center, was renamed to honor Helen Moore, a longtime Detroit activist who has spent six decades fighting to improve education for Black children in the city.
"I'm so happy that it's completed and I will be here quite often," Moore said.
Moore also led the fight to reopen the community center on Dexter Avenue after it closed in 2019.
"It was totally empty in there, there were all kinds of violations, that's why we lost the center but it wasn't done by us, it was done by the people who owned the center and they kept changing ownership," Moore said.
The city took over ownership of the building and completed much-needed renovations before the official reopening. Moore was present as officials cut the ribbon to the community center that now bears her name.
"It gives me a lot of joy to know that we are going to continue what we started and that our people will have a beautiful place to come to with their families," Moore said.
The renovated facility includes a gym, computer lab, STEM and art rooms. Outside the community center, a brand new park was named after Ed Davis, the first African American new car dealership owner in the United States.
"It's like a dream come true, it really is," said Detroit City Council member Fred Durhal III.
Durhal grew up attending the community center. His father, Fred Durhal Jr., a former Michigan state representative, advocated for the center. Durhal Jr. died earlier this week.
"I know he is smiling today because Dexter is a little bit brighter," Durhal said.
Meanwhile Helen Moore emphasized the community center's importance to the neighborhood and expressed joy that residents can enjoy it once again.
"We had children they came in here that didn't have water in their buildings and some of their houses even had holes in the roof, this was home to them and we made sure that they knew they were welcomed here," Moore said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Wednesday marks the 60th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. It happened in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963, and the limo he was riding in at the time is on display in metro Detroit.
That limo is part of the "Presidential Vehicles" exhibit at The Henry Ford in Dearborn, which also includes limos from Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower and more.
According to The Henry Ford, the 1961 Lincoln Continental Presidential Limousine was called X-100 by the Secret Service. It was assembled by Ford Motor Company at its Lincoln plant in Wixom in January 1961 and was customized in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The Secret Service leased the car from Ford Motor Company for $500 per year, and some of its special features included removable steel and transparent plastic roof panels, two steps on the rear bumper, four retractable steps for agents, a rear seat to elevate the president and more.
Kennedy was sitting in the back right seat of the limo when it went through Dallas with the roof off when the shooting happened around 12:30 p.m. central time. He was hit in the neck and the head and was pronounced dead shortly after.
According to The Henry Ford, the X-100 was impounded for evidence in the weeks after the assassination and then plans were made to modify the car in Cincinnati.
The White House approved a plan to revamp the car in December 1963 and work was completed in May of 1964 with the help of a committee of six people representing the Secret Service and more.
The car was then put through testing in Cincinnati and Dearborn before it was delivered to The White House, according to The Henry Ford.
Once again, the X-100 went through major modifications in 1967, and went on to be used occasionally through the Carter administration.
The Henry Ford said it remained in service until early 1977 when it was returned to Ford after its lease and then went on display at The Henry Ford.
Turkey trots are a popular way for novice and experienced runners to burn a few calories before sitting down at the Thanksgiving dinner table and theyre growing in popularity.
According to RunSignup, more than 1.1 million people participated in a turkey trot last Thanksgiving at one of over 936 races across the United States. The number of people who registered through RunSignup has nearly quadrupled over the past eight years.
In 2023, 920,000 participants used RunSignup to sign up for a Thanksgiving Day race, though the actual number was higher because some races use other registration platforms.
While some turkey trots welcomed just a few dozen runners, RunSignup noted that 322 races on Thanksgiving last year had at least 1,000 participants, up from 249 the year before.
These races happen nationwide all 50 states had at least one Thanksgiving Day event, with Florida leading the way at 56.
The vast majority of races (91.6%) offered a 5K (3.11 miles) distance. Fewer included one-mile, 10K and half marathon options.
Beyond fitness, turkey trots raise significant funds for charity. RunSignup said turkey trot registrations it managed in 2024 raised more than $3.6 million for various causes.
Expert tips for running a turkey trot
With so many runners hitting the starting line, these races can be a good introduction to running for beginners. If youre signed up for a race, here are tips from Cleveland Clinic exercise physiologist Katie Lawton:
Pick a manageable distance. Turkey trots range from one mile to a half marathon, but Lawton says a 5K is often best for beginners. Train ahead of time. Even with race day close, try to log a few miles beforehand. Run with a group. Invite friends or family to join for added fun. Wear comfortable shoes. Any athletic shoe works for a one-time 5K, but if you plan to keep training, invest in running or walking shoes. Specialty stores can help find the right fit. Dress for the weather. Layer clothing so you can remove pieces as you warm up. Hydrate. Drink water before and after the race, especially if you sweated or drank alcohol the night before. Pace yourself. Slower runners should start toward the back of the pack to give faster runners a clear path. Cool down and refuel. Keep moving after the race and eat a light snack, such as a banana or granola bar.
A Washington state resident is believed to be the first person to die from a rare strain of bird flu, but state health officials said Friday the risk to the public is low.
The person, an older adult with underlying health conditions, was being treated for a bird flu called H5N5 after becoming seemingly the first known human infected by the strain, according to a statement from the Washington State Department of Health.
The person from Grays Harbor County, about 78 miles southwest of Seattle, had a backyard flock of domestic poultry that had been exposed to wild birds, health officials said.
The risk to the public remains low," the statement from state health officials said. No other people involved have tested positive for avian influenza.
Health officials said they will monitor anyone who came in close contact with the person, but there is no evidence of transmission of this virus between people."
Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a statement about the infection that said no information would suggest the risk to public health has increased as a result of this case.
H5N5 is not believed to be a greater threat to human health than the H5N1 virus behind a wave of 70 reported human infections in the U.S. in 2024 and 2025. Most of those have been mild illnesses in workers on dairy and poultry farms.
The distinction between H5N5 and H5N1 lies in a protein involved in releasing the virus from an infected cell and promoting spread to surrounding cells.
A bipartisan group of senators echoed concerns over a peace deal pitched by President Donald Trump to end the war between Ukraine and Russia.
Five senators three Democrats, a Republican and an independent released a statement saying they share significant concerns about the peace deal. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.; Thom Tillis, R-N.C.; Peter Welch, D-Vt.; Chris Coons, D-Del.; and Angus King, I-Maine, gave the joint statement.
We share significant concerns over the details of the reported peace plan that has been released, the senators said. For over 10 years, Russia has illegally occupied Ukrainian territory and for almost four years, Ukraine has admirably defended itself against Russias attempts to fully occupy Ukraine. No one wants a just and lasting peace more than the Ukrainian people.
However, we will not achieve that lasting peace by offering Putin concession after concession and fatally degrading Ukraines ability to defend itself.
Trump has given Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy until Thursday to accept the deal.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine risks losing its dignity and the support of the United States as a key international ally if it signs the agreement.
Circulated points of the plan, which have not been independently confirmed by Scripps News, indicate Ukraine would be called on to give up some eastern territory, including the Donbas, and areas it currently controls. It would be required to cap its military size and forgo seeking NATO membership, instead relying on security guarantees from the U.S.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the agreement could represent the basis for a peace deal but denied that Russia had substantive talks ongoing.
Wed like to get to peace. It should have happened a long time ago. The Ukraine war with Russia should have never happened. If I were president, it never would have happened. Were trying to get it ended one way or the other. We have to get it, he said.
But the group of senators suggested the cost of ending the war might be too high.
History teaches us that Putin only understands strength and will not abide by any agreement unless it is backed by force. We must consult closely with our Ukrainian and NATO partners on the path forward, they said. We should put real pressure on Russia to come to the negotiating table. And we must make clear to the Kremlin and would-be aggressors in Beijing that America will stand unwaveringly in defense of freedom.
In the meantime, Zelenskyy met with several key allies Saturday at the G20 conference, which Trump did not attend.
European Union President Ursula von der Leyen expressed concerns over aspects of the deal, saying it would need additional work.
We are ready to engage in order to ensure that a future peace is sustainable. We are clear on the principle that borders must not be changed by force, she said. We are also concerned by the proposed limitations on Ukraines armed forces, which would leave Ukraine vulnerable to future attack.
Cracker Barrel shareholders voted Thursday to keep company CEO Julie Felss Masino in place despite a debacle over the company's logo that continues to hurt its sales.
But one of the company's directors, Gilbert Davila, resigned from Cracker Barrel's board Thursday after preliminary results indicated that shareholders rejected his reelection.
Davila, who joined Cracker Barrel's board in 2020, is the president and CEO of DMI Consulting, a multicultural marketing firm. He reviewed Cracker Barrel's advertising as part of his role on the board. Two influential shareholder advisory firms, Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass Lewis, had recommended against Davila's reelection ahead of the vote.
Sardar Biglari, a longtime Cracker Barrel shareholder and activist investor, was among those pressing for the ouster of Masino and Davila. Biglari is the chairman and CEO of Biglari Holdings Inc., a San Antonio, Texas-based company that owns Steak n Shake. He also owns 3% of Cracker Barrels shares.
Our campaign is about saving Cracker Barrel from a board and management team that are out of touch with Cracker Barrels customer base, Biglari said in a letter sent earlier this month to Cracker Barrel investors.
In its own statement, Cracker Barrel thanked its shareholders and said it was committed to returning the company to sales growth.
We are more focused than ever on delivering high-quality food and experiences to our guests while staying true to the heritage that makes Cracker Barrel so special, ensuring we are here to welcome families around our table for generations to come, the company said.
Cracker Barrel's shares fell nearly 5.5% Thursday to close at $25.97 per share. They are down 52% from the start of this year.
Cracker Barrel hired Masino, a longtime Taco Bell and Starbucks executive, in July 2023. She was chosen for her record as an innovator, with the hope that she would attract new customers to Cracker Barrel, which operates 660 restaurants in 43 states.
Masino introduced updated menu items, like Hashbrown Casserole Shepherds Pie, to increase Cracker Barrels dinnertime traffic. She also started remodeling the companys dark, antique-filled restaurants, lightening the walls and installing more comfortable seating.
But her decision in August to simplify the chains logo had disastrous consequences. Fans didnt like that the new logo didnt include Cracker Barrels longtime mascot, an overall-clad man leaning on a barrel, or the words Old Country Store. They also rebelled against the store redesigns.
Cracker Barrel reversed course a week later, saying it would keep its old logo. In early September, the company also suspended the remodeling of its restaurants.
The moves could hurt Cracker Barrels sales well into next year. Cracker Barrel said in September that store traffic would likely be down between 7% and 8% in its fiscal first quarter and could decline 4% to 7% for the full 2026 fiscal year, which began Aug. 2.
After the NCAA voted to allow college athletes to wager on professional sports, Division I school leaders have decided to rescind the rule change.
The reversal follows a Justice Department investigation alleging that an active NBA player and coach were involved in an illegal sports and poker gambling scheme.
Last month, Division I leaders approved allowing athletes to bet on professional sports. Later, leaders of Division II and Division III schools voted in favor as well. While Divisions II and III typically consist of smaller universities whose athletes are less likely to turn professional, much of the talent in the four major U.S. pro sports leagues comes from Division I programs.
The rule change was set to take effect Nov. 1, but schools were given until Nov. 21 to rescind their approval.
After a procedural 30-day period, two-thirds of Division I member schools have voted to rescind a previously approved rule change that would have allowed student-athletes and athletics department staff members to legally participate in sports betting on professional sports only, the NCAA said Friday. Because sports betting rules are common legislation, the ban on all forms of betting for sports in which the NCAA sponsors a championship will remain in place for all three NCAA divisions.
An anonymous NCAA survey in 2024 found that, despite bylaws prohibiting it, 22% of male athletes and 5% of female athletes wagered on sports.
The NCAA has faced several gambling scandals in recent months. On Friday, the organization said a former Temple basketball player and two former staff members bet on professional and college sports. The former player, Hysier Miller, admitted to betting on his team and was accused of betting against Temple three times.
Earlier this week, the NCAA said more than one-third of Division I mens basketball players reported being harassed by bettors.
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