Ho Ho Holiday Homicide is a new, original Christmas-themed murder mystery walking tour taking over downtown Ferndale this holiday season.
Part comedy, part scavenger hunt, and part interactive theatre, this limited-run event transforms the city into a festive crime scene starring a cast of mischievous, over-the-top holiday elves.
Two people are dead and three others are hurt following a shooting Saturday afternoon in Muskegon, according to the Muskegon Police Department.
Police were called to Jackson Avenue near McLaren Street around 3:15 p.m. following a report of shots fired. When officers arrived, they found multiple people who had been shot.
According to police, a 25-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. A 22-year-old woman was taken to the hospital, but was later pronounced dead.
Two 25-year-old men are hospitalized in critical condition. A 4-year-old child was hospitalized with minor injuries, but is expected to be released.
When speaking with FOX 17, family identified the 25-year-old man found dead as Joshua Fondren Jr. His mother says she's heartbroken for the people he leaves behind.
"He has a baby on the way, and he has an eight month old baby. So his baby will never get to see his daddy, ever," Deborah Wyrick told FOX 17.
Watch the video story below: Two dead, three hurt in Saturday shooting in Muskegon
Muskegon police say this incident does not appear to be a random act, and the circumstances surrounding the shooting are under investigation.
Police didn't share any information about a suspect.
In a news release Saturday night, the department said that it does not believe there is any threat to the general public, and that the investigation is still very active.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Muskegon Police at (231) 724-6750 or reach out to Silent Observer.
Spencer Deery's son was getting ready for school when someone tried to provoke police into swarming his home by reporting a fake emergency.
Linda Rogers said there were threats at her home and the golf course that her family has run for generations.
Jean Leising faced a pipe bomb scare that was emailed to local law enforcement.
The three are among roughly a dozen Republicans in the Indiana Senate who have seen their lives turned upside down while President Donald Trump pushes to redraw the state's congressional map to expand the party's power in the 2026 midterm elections.
It's a bewildering and frightening experience for lawmakers who consider themselves loyal party members and never imagined they would be doing their jobs under the same shadow of violence that has darkened American political life in recent years. Leising described it as a very dangerous and intimidating process.
Redistricting is normally done once a decade after a new national census. Trump wants to accelerate the process in hopes of protecting the Republicans' thin majority in the U.S. House next year. His allies in Texas, Missouri, Ohio and North Carolina have already gone along with his plans for new political lines.
Now Trump's campaign faces its greatest test yet in a stubborn pocket of Midwestern conservatism. Although Indiana Gov. Mike Braun and the House of Representatives are on board, the proposal may fall short with senators who value their civic traditions and independence over what they fear would be short-term partisan gain.
When you have the president of the United States and your governor sending signals, you want to listen to them, said Rogers, who has not declared her position on the redistricting push. But it doesnt mean youll compromise your values.
On Friday, Trump posted a list of senators who need encouragement to make the right decision," and the conservative campaign organization Turning Point Action said it would spend heavily to unseat anyone who voted no.
Senators are scheduled to convene Monday to consider the proposal after months of turmoil. Resistance could signal the limits of Trump's otherwise undisputed dominance of the Republican Party.
Threats shadow redistricting session
Deery considers himself lucky. The police in his hometown of West Lafayette knew the senator was a potential target for swatting, a dangerous type of hoax when someone reports a fake emergency to provoke an aggressive response from law enforcement.
So when Deery was targeted last month while his son and others were waiting for their daily bus ride to school, officers did not rush to the scene.
You could have had SWAT teams driving in with guns out while there were kids in the area, he said.
Deery was one of the first senators to publicly oppose the mid-decade redistricting, arguing it interferes with voters' right to hold lawmakers accountable through elections.
The country would be an uglier place for it, he said just days after Vice President JD Vance visited the state in August, the first of two trips to talk with lawmakers about approving new maps.
Republican leaders in the Indiana Senate said in mid-November that they would not hold a vote on the matter because there was not enough support for it. Trump lashed out on social media, calling the senators weak and pathetic.
Any Republican that votes against this important redistricting, potentially having an impact on America itself, should be PRIMARIED, he wrote.
The threats against senators began shortly after that.
Sen. Sue Glick, a Republican who was first elected in 2010 and previously served as a local prosecutor, said she has never seen this kind of rancor in politics in her lifetime. She opposes redistricting, saying it has the taint of cheating.
Not even the plan's supporters are immune to threats.
Republican Sen. Andy Zay said his vehicle-leasing business was targeted with a pipe bomb scare on the same day he learned that he would face a primary challenger who accuses Zay of being insufficiently conservative.
Zay, who has spent a decade in the Senate, believes the threat was related to his criticism of Trump's effort to pressure lawmakers. But the White House has not heeded his suggestions to build public support for redistricting through a media campaign.
When you push us around and into a corner, were not going to change because you hound us and threaten us, Zay said. For those who have made a decision to stand up for history and tradition, the tactics of persuasion do not embolden them to change their viewpoint.
The White House did not respond to messages seeking a reaction to Zay's comments.
Trump sees mixed support from Indiana
Trump easily won Indiana in all his presidential campaigns, and its leaders are unquestionably conservative. For example, the state was the first to restrict abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
But Indiana's political culture never became saturated with the sensibilities of Trump's Make America Great Again movement. Some 21% of Republican voters backed Nikki Haley over Trump in last year's presidential primary, even though the former South Carolina governor had already suspended her campaign two months earlier.
Trump also holds a grudge against Indiana's Mike Pence, who served the state as a congressman and governor before becoming Trump's first vice president. A devout evangelical, Pence loyally accommodated Trump's indiscretions and scandals but refused to go along with Trump's attempt on Jan. 6, 2021, to overturn Democrat Joe Biden's victory.
Mike Pence didnt have the courage to do what was necessary, Trump posted online after an angry crowd of his supporters breached the U.S. Capitol.
Pence has not taken a public stance on his home state's redistricting effort. But the governor before him, Republican Mitch Daniels, recently said it was clearly wrong.
The proposed map, which was released Monday and approved by the state House on Friday, attempts to dilute the influence of Democratic voters in Indianapolis by splitting up the city. Parts of the capital would be grafted onto four different Republican-leaning districts, one of which would stretch all the way south to the border with Kentucky.
Rogers, the senator whose family owns the golf course, declined to discuss her feelings about the redistricting. A soft-spoken business leader from the suburbs of South Bend, she said she was very disappointed about the threats.
On Monday, Rogers will be front and center as a member of the Senate Elections Committee, the first one in that chamber to consider the redistricting bill.
We need to do things in a civil manner and have polite discourse, she said.
The doors of Carmela Diaz's taco joint are locked, the tables are devoid of customers and no one is working in the kitchen. It's one of many once-thriving Hispanic businesses, from Nicaraguan eateries to Honduran restaurants, emptied out in recent weeks in neighborhoods with lots of signs in Spanish but increasingly fewer people on the streets.
In the city of Kenner, which has the highest concentration of Hispanic residents in Louisiana, a federal immigration crackdown aiming for 5,000 arrests has devastated an economy already struggling from ramped-up enforcement efforts this year, some business owners say, and had far-reaching impacts on both immigrants and U.S. citizens alike.
Fewer and fewer people came, said a crying Diaz, whose Taqueria La Conquistadora has been closed for several weeks now with both customers and workers afraid to leave home. There were days we didnt sell anything. Thats why I made the decision to close the business because there was no business.
On Wednesday, convoys of federal vehicles began rumbling back and forth down Kenner's main commercial streets as the Department of Homeland Security commenced the latest in a series of immigration enforcement operations that have included surges in Los Angeles, Chicago and Charlotte, North Carolina. Bystanders have posted videos of federal agents detaining people outside Kenner businesses and at construction sites.
Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino also made an appearance in the city, surrounded by agents in tactical gear, to tout to reporters the launch of the operation dubbed Catahoula Crunch, a name derived from the big game hound that is the Louisiana state dog.
A community on edge
The state's Hispanic population has boomed in the last two decades, with many of them arriving in the aftermath of 2005's Hurricane Katrina to help rebuild. In Kenner, just west of New Orleans between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, Hispanics make up about 30% of residents.
Diaz, who is from El Salvador, arrived in 2006 after years of doing farm work in Texas. She opened food trucks, earning enough to buy a home in Kenner, and her business has since expanded to a fleet of trucks and two brick-and-mortar restaurants.
Nearly all that is shuttered at the moment because of the crackdown, and Diaz is scraping by through making home deliveries to people fearful of being swept up by agents regardless of their legal status.
They dont respect anyone, Diaz said. They dont ask for documents. They dont investigate. They slap the handcuffs on them and take them away.
Mayra Pineda, CEO of the Louisiana Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and a Kenner resident for decades, fears for the future if the crackdown continues for months as planned.
How are these business owners going to survive? she said. I dont know. But lets be clear its not only on the Hispanic community but bad for all of us, for the economy in general.
Local police chief backs operation
Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley described the federal immigration operation as a prayer answered for us.
The chief said while crime is decreasing in the city, he has raised concerns about violent crimes involving immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally. The police department shared a dozen press releases documenting crimes between 2022 and 2025, where they say the person arrested had entered the country illegally. The cases included sex crimes, a murder, gang activity and shootings.
Based on the most recent crime report published by the Louisiana Statistical Analysis Center, in 2023 in Kenner a total of 4,436 total offenses were committed, which included 863 crimes against persons.
Conley said that while violent crimes are concerning, one of the blights" that we see and feel every day are traffic stops and car accidents, that involve drivers who are illegal immigrants that are uninsured and unlicensed.
State Sen. Kirk Talbot, a Republican who represents a portion of Kenner, said he believes the federal operation will ultimately benefit the city and that residents who are in the U.S. legally have nothing to be afraid of.
I think the people that come here illegally, who flee authorities and, especially, ones that have criminal records, need to obey the law and they need to be caught and deported, Talbot said.
While Kenner has closely worked with federal immigration agents before, especially under the 287(g) program that allows local police to question the immigration status of suspects in their custody, Conley said local officers are not currently aiding in the federal operation. However, he said, the department is ready to assist in the operation if asked.
DHS says operations target violent offenders
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said Thursday that federal agents have already made dozens of arrests, though the agency has not released a full list of people detained.
Americans should be able to live without fear of violent criminal illegal aliens harming them, their families, or their neighbors, McLaughlin said in a statement. In just 24 hours on the ground, our law enforcement officers have arrested violent criminals with rap sheets that include homicide, kidnapping, child abuse, robbery, theft, and assault.
The office of Mayor Michael Glaser, a former police chief, declined to comment on his stance on the operation. But it said the crackdown falls under federal jurisdiction and the mayor expects all agencies operating in the city to conduct themselves professionally, lawfully and with respect for our community.
However, the city's police are among the hundreds of local and state law enforcement agencies nationwide that have signed agreements to be part of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement program that authorizes them to hold detainees for potential deportation.
Fearing for vulnerable relatives
Sergio Perez, a Guatemalan immigrant and U.S. citizen who has lived in Kenner since 2010, said he has loved ones there who lack legal permission to be in the country and risk being detained or deported. He also worries that anyone who is Hispanic is at risk of abuse by federal agents, regardless of their immigration status.
While Perez considers Kenner home a place where it is easy to find favorite dishes like caldo de res, a hearty beef and vegetable stew he is prepared to leave the country if family members are deported.
They dont want us here, Perez said. Its like you are in someones house and you dont feel welcome. Theyre just killing our spirit.
More Arctic air is on the way this week, but many of us want to know if it will persist through Christmas. As one bitterly cold blast of Arctic air pushes out of the region, another surge of frigid air is already set to move back in. We will experience a bit of a break from the really cold air this weekend. However, another surge of unseasonably cold air driven by the breakdown of the polar vortex will likely expand from central Canada through the Midwest and move into the eastern United States again by early next week. And, to make matters worse, this next blast is the first of more cold spells that may linger through the middle of December.
Polar vortexes are not something new. However, the term polar vortex has only recently been popularized but has always been present. It is a large area of low pressure and cold air surrounding both the Earths poles. It always exists near the poles but weakens in the summer and strengthens in the winter. When a storm is strong, it tends to keep the coldest air locked up over the pole. However, many times during the winter, the polar vortex will expand or stretch sending frigid air southward through Canada and over the United States. This sets the stage for those large outbreaks of Arctic air that may persist for days. We have been in this pattern since late November. This shift in the Polar Vortex is creating more opportunities for below-average temperatures to continue over the Great Lakes, which may continue in waves for another couple of weeks.
Along with these waves of Arctic air will come a parade of quick hitting Alberta Clippers.
These systems will line up bringing the potential for accumulating snow across much of Michigan on Tuesday and a wintry mix possible on Wednesday. The arctic air will seep back into the region likely triggering bands of lake-effect snow on Thursday. The last Clipper of this series will bring another chance for snow to wrap up the week on Friday.
This wintry pattern is expected to continue bringing rounds of snow chances through mid-month. There is some indication that the Arctic air may finally ease its grip on the state by the week of Christmas.
The Marshall Mathers Foundation, along with Beasley Media Detroit, International Outdoor, Forman Mills, and The Bel Air Luxury Cinema, proudly announce a community partnership to distribute hundreds of new free coats to school children in the metro Detroit area.
The free coat giveaway will take place from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 6th, at the Bel Air Luxury Cinema on Eight Mile Road in Detroit.
This event is open to all school-aged children in the metro Detroit area. No prior registration is required. The child must be present to receive a coat. The outwear will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis while supplies last.
Three years after catastrophic flooding devastated eastern Kentucky, claiming more than 40 lives and destroying entire communities, 18 families in Knott County, Kentucky, are receiving a Christmas miracle.
Samaritan's Purse, a Christian international disaster relief organization, dedicated brand-new homes for the families at no cost, marking a significant milestone in the region's ongoing recovery.
The dedication ceremony took place on Friday afternoon in the Chestnut Ridge neighborhood as volunteers handed over keys to 13 families affected by the 2022 flood. Another five families will move into their new homes next Friday.
Following the flood, Samaritan's Purse stationed a team in eastern Kentucky and helped more than 600 families mud out their flooded houses. Meanwhile, caseworkers worked to identify recipients for new homes, prioritizing the uninsured and most vulnerable residents.
"People here are used to being beaten down, they don't have hope. They don't think things can get better. This shows it can get better. Right here," Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan's Purse, said.
The homes are brand new, built on higher ground, fully furnished and provided at no cost. The project was made possible in part by local donors like the Craft family.
For many residents in this region, even the sight of a new appliance represents a significant burden lifted from their shoulders.
"This is the laundry room with washer and dryer, I'm so excited about that. No more laundromat," Paul Johnson said, giving our reporter a tour of his new home.
When Johnson and his mother Joyce escaped their flooded home, they knew they had been lucky to survive. However, recovery proved to be an uphill battle.
"It's been tough, you never knowyou have to adjust your life and everyday is something different, a new strugglewe've had to live in a camper for 3 years. That's been difficult. Winters are cold, I have a lung condition so it's been hard to keep myself healthy," Paul said.
Johnson also faced a massive setback during his flood recovery. After losing permanent housing, he was removed from the lung transplant waiting list a requirement for transplant candidates. For him, this home means far more than shelter. It represents stability, dignity and a chance to get back on the transplant list.
Chief Justice John Roberts has led the Supreme Court 's conservative majority on a steady march of increasing the power of the presidency, starting well before Donald Trump's time in the White House.
The justices could take the next step in a case being argued Monday that calls for a unanimous 90-year-old decision limiting executive authority to be overturned.
The court's conservatives, liberal Justice Elena Kagan noted in September, seem to be raring to take that action.
They already have allowed Trump, in the opening months of the Republican's second term, to fire almost everyone he has wanted, despite the court's 1935 decision in Humphrey's Executor that prohibits the president from removing the heads of independent agencies without cause.
The officials include Rebecca Slaughter, whose firing from the Federal Trade Commission is at issue in the current case, as well as officials from the National Labor Relations Board, the Merit Systems Protection Board and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The only officials who have so far survived efforts to remove them are Lisa Cook, a Federal Reserve governor, and Shira Perlmutter, a copyright official with the Library of Congress. The court already has suggested that it will view the Fed differently from other independent agencies, and Trump has said he wants her out because of allegations of mortgage fraud. Cook says she did nothing wrong.
Humphrey's Executor has long been a target of the conservative legal movement that has embraced an expansive view of presidential power known as the unitary executive.
The case before the high court involves the same agency, the FTC, that was at issue in 1935. The justices established that presidents Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt at the time could not fire the appointed leaders of the alphabet soup of federal agencies without cause.
The decision ushered in an era of powerful independent federal agencies charged with regulating labor relations, employment discrimination, the air waves and much else.
Proponents of the unitary executive theory have said the modern administrative state gets the Constitution all wrong: Federal agencies that are part of the executive branch answer to the president, and that includes the ability to fire their leaders at will.
As Justice Antonin Scalia wrote in a 1988 dissent that has taken on mythical status among conservatives, this does not mean some of the executive power, but all of the executive power.
Since 2010 and under Roberts' leadership, the Supreme Court has steadily whittled away at laws restricting the president's ability to fire people.
In 2020, Roberts wrote for the court that the Presidents removal power is the rule, not the exception in a decision upholding Trumps firing of the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau despite job protections similar to those upheld in Humphreys case.
In the 2024 immunity decision that spared Trump from being prosecuted for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, Roberts included the power to fire among the president's conclusive and preclusive powers that Congress lacks the authority to restrict.
But according to legal historians and even a prominent proponent of the originalism approach to interpreting the Constitution that is favored by conservatives, Roberts may be wrong about the history underpinning the unitary executive.
Both the text and the history of Article II are far more equivocal than the current Court has been suggesting, wrote Caleb Nelson, a University of Virginia law professor who once served as a law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas.
Jane Manners, a Fordham University law professor, said she and other historians filed briefs with the court to provide history and context about the removal power in the country's early years that also could lead the court to revise its views. I'm not holding my breath, she said.
Slaughter's lawyers embrace the historians' arguments, telling the court that limits on Trump's power are consistent with the Constitution and U.S. history.
The Justice Department argues Trump can fire board members for any reason as he works to carry out his agenda and that the precedent should be tossed aside.
Humphreys Executor was always egregiously wrong, Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote.
A second question in the case could affect Cook, the Fed governor. Even if a firing turns out to be illegal, the court wants to decide whether judges have the power to reinstate someone.
Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote earlier this year that fired employees who win in court can likely get back pay, but not reinstatement.
That might affect Cook's ability to remain in her job. The justices have seemed wary about the economic uncertainty that might result if Trump can fire the leaders of the central bank.
Russia unleashed a major missile and drone barrage on Ukraine overnight into Saturday, after U.S. and Ukrainian officials said theyll meet on Saturday for a third day of talks aimed at ending the nearly 4-year-old war,
Following talks that made progress on a security framework for postwar Ukraine, the two sides also offered the sober assessment that any real progress toward any agreement ultimately will depend on Russias readiness to show serious commitment to long-term peace.
The statement from U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner as well as Ukrainian negotiators Rustem Umerov and Andriy Hnatov came after they met for a second day in Florida on Friday. They offered only broad brushstrokes about the progress they say has been made as Trump pushes Kyiv and Moscow to agree to a U.S.-mediated proposal to end the war.
Russia used 653 drones and 51 missiles in the wide-reaching overnight attack on Ukraine, which triggered air raid alerts across the country and came as Ukraine marked Armed Forces Day, the countrys air force said Saturday morning.
Ukrainian forces shot down and neutralized 585 drones and 30 missiles, the air force said, adding that 29 locations were struck.
At least eight people were wounded in the attacks, Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko said.
Among these, at least three people were wounded in the Kyiv region, according to local officials. Drone sightings were reported as far west as Ukraines Lviv region.
Russia carried out a massive missile-drone attack on power stations and other energy infrastructure in several Ukrainian regions, Ukraines national energy operator, Ukrenergo, wrote on Telegram.
Ukraines Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant temporarily lost all off-site power overnight, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Saturday, citing its Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi.
The plant is in an area under Russian control since early in Moscows invasion of Ukraine and is not in service, but it needs reliable power to cool its six shut-down reactors and spent fuel, to avoid any catastrophic nuclear incidents.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that energy facilities were the main targets of the attacks, also noting that a drone strike had burned down the train station in the city of Fastiv, located in the Kyiv region.
Russias Ministry of Defense said its air defenses had shot down 116 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory overnight into Saturday.
Russian Telegram news channel Astra said Ukraine struck Russias Ryazan Oil Refinery, sharing footage appearing to show a fire breaking out and plumes of smoke rising above the refinery. The Associated Press could not independently verify the video.
Ukraine did not immediately comment on the alleged attack. Ryazan regional Gov. Pavel Malkov said a residential building had been damaged in a drone attack and that drone debris had fallen on the grounds of an industrial facility, but did not mention the refinery.
Months of Ukrainian long-range drone strikes on Russian refineries have aimed to deprive Moscow of the oil export revenue it needs to pursue the war. Meanwhile, Kyiv and its western allies say Russia is trying to cripple the Ukrainian power grid and deny civilians access to heat, light and running water for a fourth consecutive winter, in what Ukrainian officials call weaponizing the cold.
The latest round of attacks came as U.S. President Donald Trumps advisers and Ukrainian officials said theyll meet for a third day of talks on Saturday, after making progress on finding agreement on a security framework for postwar Ukraine.
Following Fridays talks, the two sides also offered the sober assessment that any real progress toward any agreement ultimately will depend on Russias readiness to show serious commitment to long-term peace.
The statement from U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner as well as Ukrainian negotiators Rustem Umerov and Andriy Hnatov came after they met for a second day in Florida on Friday. They offered only broad brushstrokes about the progress they say has been made as Trump pushes Kyiv and Moscow to agree to a U.S.-mediated proposal to end nearly four years of war.
A chance encounter at Detroit's tree lighting ceremony led to an unexpected act of kindness that brought three strangers together on Friday.
Dave Hillyard lost his wallet during the crowded downtown Detroit tree lighting event attended by thousands. What happened next restored his faith in humanity.
Watch Christiana Ford's video report below: Couple meets woman who returned lost wallet to their home after Detroit tree lighting
Sierra Williams, a Detroit resident working at a pop-up bar during the tree lighting, was given Hillyard's wallet by a coworker and couldn't locate a lost and found. Instead of leaving it behind, she made a decision that would surprise everyone involved.
"I'm like I want them to have their stuff because I know how it is on the weekend when you need your ID or even if you want to go out that night, so I'm like I'm just gonna take it to them when I get off. No worries," Williams said.
After her shift that same night, Williams drove from downtown Detroit to Farmington Hills to return the wallet to Hillyard's front door. Their security camera captured her dropping off the wallet with all cards and cash still inside.
"I mean, it was delivered back to the house that's just wild," Hillyard said.
What Williams didn't realize was that she had been caught on camera, and the couple was trying to find her to say thank you. Their social media post went viral.
"I was like who's looking for me because it never crossed my mind that I was on camera. Like I pressed the doorbell hoping that somebody gonna catch it," Williams said.
On Friday, Hillyard and his girlfriend Shelby Lukas met Williams at a Coffee and Bark in Berkley to express their gratitude in person.
"I greatly appreciate it," Hillyard told Williams during the meeting. "You saved a lot of heartache, that's for sure."
For Williams, the gesture came naturally.
"I just wanted them to get their stuff back. I did the right thing because that's what I was taught to do," Williams said.
Previous report: 'We owe her a lot': Stranger returns lost wallet to Farmington Hills couple's doorstep 'We owe her a lot': Stranger returns lost wallet to Farmington Hills couple's doorstep
The experience reinforced her belief in helping others.
"It feels good to be able to help someone. I feel like we're always on the go or we're always busy and it just feels good to really help somebody, actually have a community," Williams said.
Hillyard hopes their story inspires others.
"I just hope this is a good message for everybody that good people are out there still. We are surrounded by good people still. It's not all negativity," Hillyard said.
The reunion proved that sometimes, small acts of kindness can create lasting connections between strangers.
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.
President Trump met with both Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum as well as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday, while on the sidelines of the 2025 FIFA World Cup draw.
The meeting comes at a time when the countries are not only focused on their hosting responsibilities for the World Cup next year, but also on trade and immigration measures.
President Trump has enacted tougher reciprocal trade measures at times against each nation and has taken steps to cut down on illegal border crossings.
"Are you going to be meeting with the president of Mexico today?" A reporter asked on Friday.
I might, yeah. I might do that," President Trump said.
"Will you be discussing immigration?" the reporter asked.
The White House has not yet shared specific details about the topics of the meeting.
This week was also the first public hearing over the USMCA, the landmark trade agreement between the 3 nations brokered under President Trump's first term.
That trade deal is set for another significant review next summer.
Downtown Lake Orion is gearing up to glow like never before as the community prepares to celebrate the 30th anniversary of what organizers say is Michigan's biggest lighted Christmas parade.
Watch Jeffrey Lindblom's video report below: 30th Orion Lighted Holiday Parade happening this weekend.
The milestone celebration takes place Saturday, marking three decades of holiday tradition that began in 1995. This year's parade will feature 75 entries showcasing lights, Christmas-themed cars, floats and costume characters.
"You see the emotions of the kids getting excited and it just gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling, and that's what the parade is," said Bill Kokenos, president of the Orion Lighted Christmas Parade.
Behind the scenes, the Golling Buick GMC Dealership is hosting the "Holly Jolly Folly," a fundraiser that foots most of the bill for the parade. The dealership transforms into what Executive Manager John Cooper calls a "Christmas carnival."
"We raise money for the parade group, so they can raise money for the community, and it's just a big fun night here at the dealership," Cooper said.
The dealership's fundraiser has supported the parade for 20 years, representing the biggest fundraising event for the annual celebration.
"My employees are all in. They jump in, they help. It's really incredible what they do," Cooper said.
Organizers expect crowds of up to 10,000 people despite cold weather conditions. The parade promises special visitors from the North Pole, adding to the festive atmosphere that kicks off the Christmas season for many families.
"I think we're all kids at heart. So this, for me, kicks off Christmas," Cooper said.
The community celebration highlights the collaborative spirit that makes the event possible year after year.
"And the community is fantastic," Kokenos 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.
On Sunday, December 7, Spotlight on the News will interview Omi Bell, Founder & CEO of Black Girl Ventures (BGV), from Los Angeles. What's her connection to Detroit and how is BGV helping communities by creating access to capital for aspiring entrepreneurs? We'll also talk to Alexandra Bahou, WXYZ Digital Director, about our station's big social media milestone. What does it mean for you and Southeastern Michigan?
Spotlight on the News, now in its 60th season, is Michigan's longest-running weekly news and public affairs television program. It airs every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. on WXYZ-TV/Channel 7 in Detroit, is streamed live on wxyz.com and broadcast at 11:30 a.m. on 23.1 WKAR-HD in East Lansing.
Hundreds of volunteers gathered at Oakland County International Airport to sort and pack nearly 19,000 personalized gifts for children in foster care across Michigan as part of Operation Good Cheer, a massive holiday effort that ensures every child feels remembered this season.
Watch Meghan Daniels' video report: Volunteers pack gifts for Michigan foster children at Oakland County airport
About 800 volunteers showed up for the event, packing, sorting and loading gifts that will be flown to 32 airports and driven by truck to another 17 locations throughout the state. The operation relies on hundreds of volunteers and dozens of pilots to deliver Christmas joy to thousands of Michigan children.
"Growing up, one of my favorite memories was having presents under the Christmas tree, opening them with my parents, and I personally can't imagine what it would be like waking up on Christmas morning and not having anything to open up," said Ethan Samuel, flight coordinator for Operation Good Cheer 2025.
For many volunteers like Patrick Young, the event has become an annual tradition and a chance to give back in a hands-on way.
"My team does it every year and it's something that I look forward to every year," Young said. "It's really fun to actually just be with them doing the stuff, go to lunch after and doing community help in the process."
"We're just a small part of what all of this is and we don't even see the impact, but it's really cool to know that you're contributing to something like this."
For others like volunteer Zachary Cumper, the effort is about making sure every child feels the joy they once experienced themselves.
"This is just a small thing to do to really give back to people who maybe didn't get the opportunity that I did growing up," Cumper said.
While volunteers may never see the reactions on the other end, the impact still resonates with those involved.
"There's so many people volunteering their time, effort and support to make this happen," Samuel said.
"It makes me excited knowing that people are going to get that on Christmas Day where they maybe wouldn't have before," Cumper said.
The statewide network comes together each year to make Christmas morning a little brighter for thousands of Michigan children in foster care.
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.
For some teachers across metro Detroit, resources can be hard to come by, but a massive book giveaway is helping change that, with more than 20,000 books being donated to support students who need them most.
Watch Carli Petrus's video report: Detroit teachers receive more than 20,000 free books to support students
Tens of thousands of books for middle schoolers all the way to young adults are going directly to teachers in Detroit, thanks to the nonprofit "Making Spirits Bright."
"This is something that we thrive on, is just putting together the pieces so the community has access to books," said Maria Dismondy, Executive Director of Making Spirits Bright.
The nonprofit gave away more than 20,000 new and gently used books Friday. The donation came from Store House of Community Resources in Grand Rapids, with Two Men and a Truck stepping up to transport everything to the Wayne State Field House for the giveaway.
"We're just finding ways to get books into the community, and we're 100% volunteer-run," Dismondy said.
Volunteers like Carrane Dillard say this work is personal.
"I am a current resident of the city of Detroit, I grew up in Detroit, I went to Detroit Public Schools, and so does my son, so being able to provide resources such as free books can not only help him but also his peers," Dillard said.
All of these books are going straight to local teachers. Kelly Watson, a special education teacher at Pershing High School, says she's hoping to find stories she can share with her students.
"Some of the things I'm getting for my classroom, some I'm getting for my church," Watson said.
"Any time I'm able to try to spark interest in kids, things that they might not have access to, then I like to be able to do that."
Madison Heights teacher Laura Shultz says she's looking for books to help rebuild a school library.
"Our library had been closed for about 8 years, so, prior to COVID, and it was just kind of a dark, sad space, and we've taken it upon ourselves to refresh it," Shultz said.
Both teachers emphasize the importance of these donations.
"They can't get better and more knowledgeable if they don't have access to the materials, so we want them to have them at home, to keep, to be theirs to put their hands on them, to revisit and all that good stuff," Watson said.
Shultz says Making Spirits Bright is doing just that.
"I just really appreciate organizations like this that realize there's a need and reaches out to communities that need the books, and I'm just really happy to be here. They're such a good group, and I'm happy I found them," Shultz 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.
The unusually cold temperatures sweeping through Michigan may not be welcome news for everyone, but there's at least one industry banking on them ski resorts.
Watch Peter Maxwell's video report: Cold weather brings relief to Michigan ski resorts after difficult years
The past few years have been difficult for area ski slopes, and this weather is exactly what they need. Alpine Valley, Mount Holly, Mount Brighton, and Pine Knob are all open now, giving winter sports enthusiasts reason to celebrate.
At Pine Knob Ski and Snowboard Resort in Independence Township, the sound of snow guns has been the soundtrack of the week as crews work around the clock to give skiers and snowboarders a reason to smile.
"It's just fantastic to be here. My wife's and mine 11-year anniversary that we are celebrating, so the kids are at school and we snuck out," David Fudge said.
The colder temperatures are helping crews get a solid base for the start of the ski and snowboard season.
"We got a little bit of a late start this year with Mother Nature not cooperating, but once they were here, they were here," said Andy Brown, Assistant Snow Sports Director at Pine Knob.
Brown said the snow-making crew has been working around the clock since Thanksgiving, trying their best to cover more ski runs in snow so they can open them.
"We've been pumping 5,000 gallons a minute, so about 300,000 gallons of water onto the hill. We're almost 100 percent open on the sixth day of the season for us, so it's going good," Brown said.
With the chairlifts running and skiers and snowboarders carving out turns on the hill, many had smiles on their faces and were excited to buckle in for the day.
"There's not too much wind right now, the sun's out it's absolutely gorgeous for anybody," said Michael Hooper of Clarkston.
Charlotte Oliver from Detroit was making the most of her time off.
"If I don't use my PTO, I lose it, so tick tock on the clock," Oliver said. "We only get to ski one or two days per year, so the more snow, the more odds are we can get out on the hills."
Hooper, who has been skiing for 55 years, was excited to get some runs in at the start of the season.
"You know it's manageable if you've got some edges you can work with it," Hooper said.
David and Jennifer Fudge were impressed by how much work the crew at Pine Knob put in to get most of the hill open.
"I mean, the crew here is to blame for how great it looks and that it's open," Fudge said.
Pine Knob is hoping to have all of their runs, including the terrain park with all of its jumps and rails, open soon.
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.
A DHS immigration enforcement operation dubbed "Operation Catahoula Crunch" began earlier this week in New Orleans, Louisiana, with a goal of 5,000 arrests over two months.
Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, who is leading the operation, arrived in the city earlier in the week.
CBP has posted videos on social media showing arrests. One video shows agents pulling roofers from a job in Kenner, Louisiana, west of New Orleans.
This focus on New Orleans comes after similar high-profile operations in cities like Chicago and LA, as part of the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration.
Target are largely in Democrat-led states and cities identified as sanctuary jurisdictions.
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who is from Louisiana, said Thursday he supported the operation.
"Democrats' sanctuary city policies have failed making our American communities dangerous. The people of our GREAT city deserve better, and help is now on the ground," Johnson wrote.
On the ground, communities are on edge. Streets and businesses are empty in cities with high concentrations of Hispanic residents and Vietnamese communities.
Many of those Vietnamese residents in particular endured waves of displacement to the U.S. at the end of the Vietnam war, after the fall of Saigon in 1975.
Some have spent the past half century building lives and deep roots in New Orleans.
Thi Bui, a resident who was born at the end of the war, came to the U.S. as a refugee at age 3 and lives in New Orleans. She told Scripps News this DHS operation feels like a betrayal for the community that has sought refuge here and has had a significant cultural impact on cities like New Orleans.
"The folks who came here in the 70s were allies of the U.S. in a proxy war that the U.S. got involved in, you know, probably shouldn't have gotten involved in, but because the U.S. was there, now the refugees of that war have to come here," she said. "And they rebuilt their lives from scratch, and now this is their home. It's been over 50 years that the Vietnamese have been in the U.S. and in New Orleans. They've raised families, opened businesses, become part of the culture, the fabric of this country. And now they're getting ripped apart. Their families are getting torn apart. They are in a constant state of dread. And it's really hard to live like that."
An 88-year-old Army veteran working as a cashier at Meijer in Brighton became a millionaire this week thanks to the kindness of complete strangers from around the world.
Ed Bambas' story began to spread after a social media influencer from Australia shared his story and started an online fundraiser to help him retire. In less than a week, that fundraiser far exceeded its goal and everyone's wildest dreams.
Watch Brett Kast's video report: 88-year-old Army veteran receives $1.77 million from strangers after viral TikTok video
The story started when 88-year-old Bambas met social media influencer Sam Weidenhofer in the checkout line at Meijer a week and a half ago. It was a simple question that got Bambas' attention, and his story grabbed the attention of the world.
"My wife died seven years ago and since then, I've been trying to re-establish myself," Bambas said in the viral video.
When asked how many days a week he works, he responded: "I work five days a week, eight hours a day." He said he has to because he doesn't have enough income without it.
See the moment the check is unveiled: RAW VIDEO: 88-year-old veteran who became social media sensation receives $1.7M check to help him retire
Bambas is an Army veteran and a former employee at General Motors. In the original TikTok video, Bambas said that part of his financial struggles came after General Motors' bankruptcy in 2009 and that his pension was taken away from him in 2012. However, General Motors says that is inaccurate, and Bambas later clarified he received a buyout and used the buyout to pay for his ailing wife's medication.
General Motors responded to the story with a statement saying: Mr. Bambas personal story is deeply moving, and its wonderful to see the outpouring of support for him. We are grateful for what he has contributed to GM and to our country. While we don't share details about individuals, in 2012 salaried GM retirees who were receiving monthly pension payments were given several options, including continuation of monthly lifetime payments or a lump sum payout, if they preferred. Additionally, starting in 2008, retirees older than 65 receive a $300 monthly lifetime payment for supplemental Medicare coverage.
In less than a week, the TikTok video was viewed more than 10 million times. A GoFundMe was created for Bambas to help him retire, and in a matter of days, donations poured in from supporters worldwide.
Watch Brett Kast's original video report below: 88-year-old veteran becomes social media sensation as thousands rally to help him retire
During the big reveal at Foguth Financial Group in downtown Brighton, Weidenhofer announced the final total to a room full of supporters.
"With everyone's support in the room, I want to reveal this is one of the largest individual fundraisers in GoFundMe history and if you want, you will be able to retire because we raised you $1.77 million," Weidenhofer said.
Bambas was overwhelmed with emotion, and in a room full of supporters, Bambas was all smiles and tears, especially knowing his biggest supporter was only there in spirit.
"I wish my wife were here, but it's something that dreams are made out of, trust me, from my beginnings to here," Bambas said.
The person who nominated him was Lexi Wallace, a 26-year-old shopper at Meijer, who like everyone else is still in shock at what has happened.
"He deserves it, he earned it, it's all him," Wallace said.
Foguth Financial Group in downtown Brighton hosted the giveaway and is offering Bambas help setting up a trust and a plan for his newfound wealth.
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.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday said it would hear full arguments in a case brought by the Trump administration over birthright citizenship and whether it violates the 14th Amendment.
A federal appeals court ruled in July that an executive order on birthright citizenship in the U.S. is unconstitutional.
The order, which President Donald Trump signed on his first day in office on January 20, 2025, placed sharp limits on eligibility for birthright citizenship. It would no longer automatically grant citizenship at birth to children of immigrants in the U.S. without legal status.
The appeals court wrote that the executive order "contradicts the plain language of the Fourteenth Amendments grant of citizenship to 'all persons born in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof.'"
The Trump administration said the phrase subject to the jurisdiction thereof meant the U.S. could deny citizenship to children born from women in the country illegally.
It appealed the case to the Supreme Court in September.
The high court previously ruled on part of the case, but addressed only whether courts had the constitutional ability to issue nationwide injunctions like the one that originally paused the administration's changes to birthright citizenship.
"Universal injunctions likely exceed the equitable authority that Congress has given to federal courts," the Supreme Court wrote at the time.
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