Officials arrested a delivery driver earlier this month wanted in connection with a string of home invasions across multiple townships.

According to the St. Clair County Sheriffs Office, the suspect reportedly broke into more than six homes while on his delivery route starting on November 28.

Deonte King, 32 years old of Redford, was taken into custody after he was stopped in a white box truck not far from a reported home invasion in the area of Werner Road in Columbus Township.

King was arraigned on one count of home invasion first degree and five counts of home invasion second degree on December 9. The judge set a $200,000 cash/surety bond.

St. Clair County Sheriff Matt King is urging the community to keep doors and windows locked. If anyone notices anything suspicious, theyre asked to call 911.

Thank you to the road patrol deputies for detailing each incident, allowing for a thorough description of the suspect and vehicle to be compiled, allowing the detectives to connect the cases. With the help of local and federal agencies in the area, we were able to locate King and prevent further incidents, says Sheriff Mat King in a statement.

A federal judge is ordering the Trump administration to release Kilmar Abrego Garcia today.

Judge Paula Xinis said that Immigration and Customs Enforcement held him without a legal removal order. Xinis has ordered the Trump administration to provide a status update on his release by 5 p.m. Thursday.

Abrego-Garcia has been in U.S. custody after being returned by officials in El Salvador. He was deported on March 15 as the U.S. sent three planes from the U.S. to El Salvador, purporting that those on the planes were members of the Tren de Aragua and MS-13 gangs. The deportations came after President Donald Trump enacted the Alien Enemies Act regarding the invasion of the United States by the Tren de Aragua.

PREVIOUS REPORTING | Judge to rule on whether to release Abrego Garcia from federal custody 

Immediately upon Abrego Garcias return to the U.S. from El Salvador, he was charged with human smuggling and conspiracy charges in Tennessee allegations he denies. He remained in custody in Tennessee until ordered released by the judge overseeing that case in August and returned to Maryland.

Just days later, however, Abrego Garcia was re-arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers while appearing at a routine parole check-in appointment in Baltimore.

In August, it was revealed that the government offered to deport Abrego Garcia to Costa Rica a Spanish-speaking, Latin American nation but only if he agreed to plead guilty to the human smuggling charges he faces in Tennessee.

He refused, and ever since, the government has not included Costa Rica as an option for his removal.

"This inexplicable reluctance seemed at odds with continued detention for purposes of third-country removal," Xinis wrote in Thursday's order.

Originally from El Salvador, Abrego Garcia entered the U.S. without proper documentation in 2011. In 2019, after a lengthy legal process in the immigration court system, Abrego Garcias request for asylum was denied by an immigration judge. But he was issued an order of withholding of removal, a document that prevents his deportation to his home country because officials believed he faced a likelihood of torture or violence should he return there.

The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Northern Great Lakes began ice-breaking operations in the Great Lakes on Wednesday for the winter shipping season.

Currently, the U.S. Coast Guard cutter SPAR will manage the ice-breaking needs of Western Lake Superior, specifically Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin.

It's being called Operation Taconite and is the largest domestic icebreaking operation, the Coast Guard said. It encompasses Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, the St. Marys River, the Straits of Mackinac and the Georgian Bay.

Those areas are critical to the shipping industry, and icebreaking operations will expand as ice coverage grows. The Soo Locks close in mid-January for annual winter maintenance before reopening in late March.

According to the Coast Guard, some commercial waterways may close after consideration is given to the protection of the marine environment, the need for cross-channel traffic like ferries, or those wo use naturally-formed ice bridges for transportation.

"The Coast Guard recommends all recreational ice users plan their activities carefully, use caution on the ice and stay clear from shipping channels," the Coast Guard said.

Federal health officials on Wednesday expanded an outbreak of infant botulism tied to recalled ByHeart baby formula to include all illnesses reported since the company began production in March 2022.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said investigators cannot rule out the possibility that contamination might have affected all ByHeart formula products ever made.

The outbreak now includes at least 51 infants in 19 states. The new case definition includes any infant with botulism who was exposed to ByHeart formula at any time since the product's release, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The most recent illness was reported on Dec. 1.

No deaths have been reported in the outbreak, which was announced Nov. 8.

Previously, health officials had said the outbreak included 39 suspected or confirmed cases of infant botulism reported in 18 states since August. That's when officials at California's Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program reported a rise in treatment of infants who had consumed ByHeart formula. Another 12 cases were identified with the expanded definition, including two that occurred in the original timeline and 10 that occurred from December 2023 through July 2025.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Thousands of blood pressure medication bottles recalled due to cross-contamination

ByHeart, a New York-based manufacturer of organic infant formula founded in 2016, recalled all its products sold in the U.S. on Nov. 11. The company, which accounts for about 1% of the U.S. infant formula market, had been selling about 200,000 cans of the product each month.

News that ByHeart products could have been contaminated for years was distressing to Andi Galindo, whose 5-week-old daughter, Rowan, was hospitalized in December 2023 with infant botulism after drinking the formula. Galindo, 36, of Redondo Beach, California, said she insisted on using ByHeart formula to supplement a low supply of breast milk because it was recommended by a lactation consultant as very natural, very gentle, very good for the babies."

That's a hard one, Galindo said. If there is proof that there were issues with their manufacturing and their plant all the way back from the beginning, that is a problem and they really need to be held accountable."

Amy Mazziotti, 43, of Burbank, California, said her then-5-month-old son, Hank, fell ill and was treated for botulism in March, weeks after he began drinking ByHeart. Being included in the investigation of the outbreak feels like a win for all of us, she said Wednesday.

Ive known in my gut from the beginning that ByHeart was the reason Hank got sick, and to see that these cases are now part of the investigation brings me to tears a mix of relief, gratitude and hope that the truth is finally being recognized, she said.

In a statement late Wednesday, ByHeart officials said the company is cooperating with federal officials to understand the full scope of related cases.

The new cases reported by CDC and FDA will help inform ByHearts investigation as we continue to seek the root cause of the contamination, the statement said.

Lab tests detected contamination

The FDA sent inspectors last month to ByHeart plants in Allerton, Iowa, and Portland, Oregon, where the formula is produced and packaged. The agency has released no results from those inspections.

The company previously reported that tests by an independent laboratory showed that 36 samples from three different lots contained the type of bacteria that can cause infant botulism.

We cannot rule out the risk that all ByHeart formula across all product lots may have been contaminated, the company wrote on its website last month.

Those results and discussions with the FDA led CDC officials to expand the outbreak, according to Dr. Jennifer Cope, a CDC scientist leading the investigation.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Half a million bottles of blood pressure drug recalled for high carcinogen levels

It looks like the contamination appeared to persist across all production runs, different lots, different raw material lots, Cope said. They couldn't isolate it to specific lots from a certain time period.

Inspection documents showed that ByHeart had a history of problems with contamination.

In 2022, the year ByHeart started making formula, the company recalled five batches of infant formula after a sample at a packaging plant tested positive for a different germ, cronobacter sakazakii. In 2023, the FDA sent a warning letter to the company detailing areas that still require corrective actions.

A ByHeart plant in Reading, Pennsylvania, was shut down in 2023 just before FDA inspectors found problems with mold, water leaks and insects, documents show.

Infant botulism is rare

Infant botulism is a rare disease that affects fewer than 200 babies in the U.S. each year. Its caused when infants ingest botulism bacteria that produce spores that germinate in the intestines, creating a toxin that affects the nervous system. Babies are vulnerable until about age 1 because their gut microbiomes are not mature enough to fight the toxin.

Baby formula has previously been linked to sporadic cases of illness, but no known outbreaks of infant botulism tied to powdered formula have previously been confirmed, according to research studies.

Symptoms can take up to 30 days to develop and can include constipation, poor feeding, loss of head control, drooping eyelids and a flat facial expression. Babies may feel floppy and can have problems swallowing or breathing.

The sole treatment for infant botulism is known as BabyBIG, an IV medication made from the pooled blood plasma of adults immunized against botulism. Californias infant botulism program developed the product and is the sole source worldwide.

The antibodies provided by BabyBIG are likely most effective for about a month, although they may continue circulating in the child's system for several months, said Dr. Sharon Nachman, an expert in pediatric infectious disease at Stony Brook Children's Hospital.

The risk to the infant is ongoing and the family should not be using this formula after it was recalled, Nachman said in an email.

Families of several babies treated for botulism after drinking ByHeart formula have sued the company. Lawsuits filed in federal courts allege that the formula they fed their children was defective and ByHeart was negligent in selling it. They seek financial payment for medical bills, emotional distress and other harm.

As artificial intelligence becomes part of daily life for millions of Americans, Time has named its 2025 Person of the Year: the Architects of AI.

The magazine cited leaders such as Jensen Huang, Elon Musk and Sam Altman among those considered for this years honor. Musk was previously named Time Person of the Year in 2021.

While the designation is generally seen as an honor, Time has named controversial figures in the past, including Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin and Vladimir Putin.

Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs explained the decision.

A LOOK BACK AT 2024 | Donald Trump named Time's Person of the Year for a second time

This was the year when artificial intelligences full potential roared into view, and when it became clear that there will be no turning back or opting out, Jacobs said. Whatever the question was, AI was the answer. We saw it accelerate medical research and productivity, and seem to make the impossible possible. It was hard to read or watch anything without being confronted with news about the rapid advancement of a technology and the people driving it.

In announcing its choice, Time described the sweeping influence these figures have had on society.

It is the story of how Huang and other tech titans grabbed the wheel of history, developing technology and making decisions that are reshaping the information landscape, the climate and our livelihoods, Time wrote. Racing both beside and against each other, they placed multibillion-dollar bets on one of the biggest physical infrastructure projects of all time. They reoriented government policy, altered geopolitical rivalries and brought robots into homes. AI emerged as arguably the most consequential tool in great-power competition since the advent of nuclear weapons.

RELATED STORY | Google plans to launch its first AI-powered glasses in 2026

Time has occasionally chosen groups rather than individuals. In 2018, it named The Guardians journalists who faced persecution for doing their work as its Person of the Year. The year before, those leading the #MeToo movement, activists who spoke out against sexual harassment and assault, received the honor.

Last years recipient was Donald Trump, marking the seventh consecutive time a president-elect was chosen.

OUR Credit Union announced that they were able to collect $4,000 and hundreds of new toys this month in partnership with the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots initiative.

Its the first year OUR Credit Union has collected for Toys for Tots.

The credit union still has one more day of collection, with the final drop off event happening on Thursday, December 11, at the Shelby Township branch at 54870 Mound Road. The credit union is accepting new toys and monetary donations.

We were hopeful this fundraiser would be a success, but being that it was our first time, we didnt know what to expect. We are deeply appreciative of the remarkable generosity shown by our members, said Evita Beadle, Accounting Manager and Care Committee Co-Chair at OUR Credit Union, in a statement.

For more details about the drive, click here.

The FBI is conducting a raid at a home in Detroit on Thursday morning, the agency confirmed to 7 News Detroit.

The raid is happening at a home near Toledo St. & Morrell St. in Southwest Detroit. That's just off Junction Ave.

See the latest report in the video below

FBI conducting raid at home in Southwest Detroit

Our crews at the scene also see Detroit police officers and troopers from Michigan State Police.

We are working to confirm more information about the raid and will update this story as we learn more.

There is no indication that this raid is connected to several other raids in the area over the past few months. There was the Halloween raid in Dearborn for the alleged terror plot, another raid in mid November in Dearborn for a felonious assault case, and a raid in late November in Southfield.

The Senate is expected to reject legislation on Thursday that would extend Affordable Care Act tax credits for millions of Americans. The subsidies expire Jan. 1, meaning many people who buy health insurance on ACA marketplaces could face steep cost increases at the start of the year.

As the Democrats' plan is expected to fail, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said that Senators will vote on a proposal from Republican Sens. Bill Cassidy and Mike Crapo.

RELATED STORY | Premium Pain: Why your health care monthly premium is going up & what you can do about it

The GOP-led "Health Care Freedom for Patients Act" proposes sending money directly to patients rather than insurance companies and lowering insurance premiums and health care costs. It also seeks to expand Health Savings Account (HSA) eligibility, which is intended to help Americans cover out-of-pocket costs.

However, one part of the proposal that is likely to draw criticism from Democratic lawmaker, is that it calls for ending taxpayer-funded abortion or transgender services. The Republican plan also calls for reducing Medicaid funding to states that provide health insurance coverage to migrants who are in the country illegally and requires states to verify citizenship or immigration status before providing Medicaid coverage.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | You can now check 2026 Obamacare plan prices but costs could still rise

Up to this point, the lack of Republican consensus on health care has lingered, posing a political challenge as the 2026 midterm elections approach and swing district Republicans brace for possible political fallout if those ACA tax subsidies expire.

It has been since Sept. 6 that anyone has hit all six numbers in the multistate Powerball lottery, causing the jackpot to grow with each drawing.

On Wednesday, the streak of drawings without a winner grew to 41, as no one matched the five white balls and one Powerball. Without a winner, Friday's jackpot will hit $1 billion, making it the seventh-largest jackpot in the lottery's history.

If someone wins the jackpot, they have the option of choosing the $1 billion payment spread over 29 years, or a lump sum worth about $461.3 million before tax.

The Sept. 6 drawing, which marked the last time someone hit all six numbers, produced two winners. The winners opted to split that drawing's $1.7 billion jackpot.

Although Wednesday's drawing did not result in a jackpot winner, players in Maryland, Michigan and New Jersey won $1 million by matching all five white ball numbers.

RELATED STORY | Jackpot claimed: About the $1.3 billion Powerball win

The numbers for Wednesday's drawing were 10, 16, 29, 33, 69 and red Powerball 22.

The odds of winning the jackpot are about 1 in 292 million.

Powerball also offers prizes ranging from $4 to $2 million, and the odds of winning a smaller prize are about 1 in 25.

Powerball is played in 45 states and Washington, D.C.

Since Powerball lengthened the odds of hitting all six numbers in 2015, the multistate lottery has generally had six to nine winners a year. All 10 of its largest jackpots have also occurred since 2015. The largest Powerball jackpot in history was $2.04 billion, won on Nov. 7, 2022.

A Sheetz project in Roseville may have just cleared its last hurdle. A Macomb County judge has tossed a lawsuit aimed at stopping the sale of the proposed site.

Some Roseville residents have been fighting in support of that lawsuit since the beginning of this year.

The plan is to build the gas station on the property of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. It's one of 50-60 new locations Sheetz is planning to build in metro Detroit over the next couple of years.

However, Roseville isn't the only community where people are speaking out against a Sheetz moving in. Residents in Livonia, Farmington Hills, Waterford Township and Royal Oak have all expressed concerns about proposals for the gas station-convenience store in their communities.

In Roseville, residents are mixed on what to do with the former church. One idea is a shelter that would keep the building standing. Those who wanted the structure demolished still say they didn't need a gas station on the corner.

"I think it's time to demo this and do something. I don't see a gas station improving downtown," one resident told us.

"It would take a lot of money to kind of revamp it, so I would say move on," another said.

"I don't think they need to tear down the church; they can do something else with it. There are too many homeless people walking the street who need something like this," a third told us.

The man fighting to keep it a church is Pastor Curtiss Ostosh of Harvest Time Christian Fellowship, A Macomb Circuit Judge just threw out his lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Detroit which asked to stop the sale and demo of the church.

Ostosh said in 2021, he made an agreement to buy the church for $1.5 million and put money into the restoration, but vandals broke in and damaged the building. The diocese said his claim lapsed when final payments weren't sent.

"We were negotiating with the Archdiocese of Detroit and Mooney Real Estate, their real estate division in terms of how we could work this out. It was never worked out. We were in active negotiations and it all just fell apart," Ostosh said.

He said he's going to repeal the circuit judge's decision tossing out his lawsuit.

If you or a loved one is facing long-term care choices, figuring out what to do can be overwhelming. That's where the MI Options Call Center can help. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services launched the system in August to offer free, one-on-one help.

I had a chance to talk with a couple of people who really benefitted from the program and two of the key individuals behind the service, which aims to support older adults and people with disabilities.

Watch Alicia's report in the video player below New state-run call center helps Michiganders with long-term care & support plans

Lynn Higgs and her husband Jerry, from Wayne, Michigan, have five children. But none of them live in Michigan.

In 2019, Jerry had a stroke, then was later diagnosed with Parkinson's. Their daughter, Colleen, decided to find them extra help. They were eventually connected with a counselor with Michigan's MI Options program.

"It was really informational," Lynn said of the counseling session.

The counselor didn't just hand them a list of agencies. She walked them through in-home care options, fraud alerts, transportation assistance, and even researched a walking cane for Jerry during their very first visit.

What changes have you made that were recommended or discovered during your one-on-one counseling?" I asked Lynn.

Well, the first thing we did was get in-home health or in-home care -- more for my husband getting to do his exercises and things that he's supposed to do," she replied.

Daksha Patel of Dearborn welcomed her Mom into her home after her Dad passed away. She turned to MI Options for help with home modifications.

The MI Options program is like a one-stop shop," Patel said.

"

What are some of the ideas that you got from your one-on-one counseling session to help your mom? I asked Patel.

"

One of the things that really helped us was an organization that we were referred to called St. Joseph Helpers," she explained.

They basically work with helping you with things around your home, like carpentry and things like that.

The helpers installed a handrail for the front porch and a handheld shower head and grab bars in the bathroom.

"It's been very helpful," Patel said.

MI Options has a call center (1-800-803-7174), available Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m., where you can make an appointment with a certified options counselor.

Since launching the program in August, MDHHS said it has already received about 7,000 calls.

The goal is to connect callers with a certified counselor who will meet them in-person to look at what are the best options and resources for them or their loved one. And this service is totally free.

"

No, there is no cost for the individual or the caregiver for this counseling. It is free and unbiased," said Kristina Leonardi with the MDHHS Aging and Community Services Division.

There are no income requirements either.

I think that it's just never too early or too late to start planning," Kristina said.

The program partners with counselors across the state, including experts with The Senior Alliance like Kari West.

I do love this program because once you start working with a person-centered options counselor, you continue working with them along the way. And you just have to tell your story once," West said.

Lynn and Jerry have met with their counselor multiple times.

Knowing that we can get more help in the future is really positive," Lynn said.

I asked West about what the 'aha moment' is that she hears about most from caregivers; she said, overall, they're just glad to not feel alone anymore.

Where Your Voice Matters

Oakland University students are facing disruptions as heating problems persist across multiple buildings, with a newly discovered third leak impacting repairs.

Since late November, many buildings on campus have had only partial heat as the school works to fix leaks in its hot water pipe system. The repairs were expected to be completed on Thursday, Dec. 11, but the discovery of a third leak this week appears to have delayed that timeline.

Watch Demetrios Sanders' video report below: Oakland University heating issues persist after third hot water pipe system leak

"It's been pretty stressful these past few weeks," said Nathyn Popoff, an Oakland University student.

Due to his dorm being one of the buildings experiencing reduced heat, Popoff is now commuting from Milford for classes he needs to attend in person.

"It's about a 45-minute drive to an hour, probably more than an hour in this weather now," Popoff said.

The heating problems are affecting not just how students get to campus but also where they need to go for their finals.

"I've been having issues with just my finals. They've been moved around a lot. So it's hard to keep track of where I'm supposed to go for my finals because it's completely different than initially planned," said Benedict Brenner, another Oakland University student.

The university acknowledged the ongoing issues, writing "Many buildings on campus continue to have only partial heat, and modified university operations will remain necessary until further notice."

The school continued, "The community is also advised that the university is executing plans to ensure that the campus is fully open and operational for the Winter 2026 semester."

For students dealing with the disruptions, the situation raises concerns about the future.

"Will this same pipe have any issues in the future? Will we be forced to leave the campus? I don't want that to happen to anyone," Popoff said.

Watch our Nov. 20 coverage when the university was set to close for 10 days for repairs: Oakland University closing for 10 days to repair hot water pipes

"I'm just really worried things aren't going to fixed by next semester," Brenner said.

Despite the ongoing challenges, students remain hopeful that the issues will be resolved soon and campus life will return to normal.

"I hope that this is the end of the problems that the university faces, at least in term of the heating," Popoff said.

Oakland University has assured students that upcoming commencement ceremonies will proceed as planned despite the heating issues. Staff and faculty have also been encouraged to remote work when possible.

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.

Residents packed up and prepared to flee rising rivers in western Washington state Wednesday as a new wave of heavy rain swept into a region still reeling from a storm that triggered rescues and road closures a day earlier.

In the Pacific Northwest, an atmospheric river was swelling rivers toward record levels, with major flooding expected in some areas including the Skagit River, a major agricultural valley north of Seattle. Dozens of vehicles were backed up at a sandbag-filling station in the town of Mount Vernon as authorities warned residents within the river's floodplain to be ready to evacuate.

Were preparing for what increasingly appears to be a worst-case scenario here," Mount Vernon Mayor Peter Donovan said.

In the Mount Rainier foothills southeast of Seattle, Pierce County sheriffs deputies rescued people at an RV park in Orting, including helping one man in a Santa hat wade through waist-deep water. Part of the town was ordered to evacuate over concerns about the Puyallup Rivers extremely high levels and upstream levees.

A landslide blocked part of Interstate 90 east of Seattle, with photos from Eastside Fire & Rescue showing vehicles trapped by tree trunks, branches, mud and standing water, including a car rammed into the metal barrier on the side of the road.

Officials also closed a mountainous section of U.S. 2 due to rocks, trees and mud. The state transportation department said there were no detours available and no estimated time for reopening.

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency Wednesday. Lives will be at stake in the coming days, he said.

Skagit County officials were preparing to evacuate 75,000 people, said Robert Ezelle, director of the Washington Military Department's emergency management division.

Gent Welsh, adjutant general of the Washington National Guard, said hundreds of Guard members will be sent to help communities.

Flooding rivers could break records

The Skagit River is expected to crest at roughly 47 feet (14.3 meters) in the mountain town of Concrete early Thursday, and roughly 41 feet (12 meters) in Mount Vernon early Friday.

Those are both record-setting forecasts by several feet, Skagit County officials said, adding that upriver communities should evacuate to high ground as soon as possible and that those living in the floodplain should be prepared to evacuate.

Flooding from the river long plagued Mount Vernon, the largest city in the county with some 35,000 residents. In decades past, residents would form sandbagging brigades when floods threatened, but businesses were often inundated. Flooding in 2003 displaced hundreds of people.

The city completed a floodwall in 2018 that helps protect the downtown. It passed a major test in 2021, when the river crested near record levels.

But the city is on high alert. The historic river levels expected Friday could top the wall, and some are concerned that older levees could fail.

Weve seen our floodwall in action and we know it works to a large degree, said Ellen Gamson, executive director of the Mount Vernon Downtown Association. But the concern about that kind of pressure on the levy and dike system is real. It could potentially be catastrophic.

Gamson said many business owners were renting tables to place their inventory higher off the floor. Sheena Wilson, who owns a floral shop downtown, said she stacked sandbags by the doors and cleared items off the floor.

If the water comes in above table height Ive got bigger problems than my merchandise, she said.

Jake Lambly, 45, added sandbags, tested water pumps and moved valuables to the top floor of the home he shares with his 19-year-old son. Lambly said he was concerned about damage in his neighborhood, where people are just on the cusp of whether or not we can be homeowners."

This is my only asset, he said from his front porch. I got nothing else.

RELATED STORY | Families sue Camp Mystic, claiming negligence over deadly flash floods in Texas

Cities respond to flooding

Harrison Rademacher, a meteorologist with the weather service in Seattle, described the atmospheric river soaking the region as a jet stream of moisture stretching across the Pacific Ocean with the nozzle pushing right along the coast of Oregon and Washington.

Authorities in Washington have knocked on doors to warn residents of imminent flooding in certain neighborhoods, and evacuated a mobile home park along the Snohomish River. The city of Snohomish issued an emergency proclamation, while workers in Auburn, south of Seattle, installed temporary flood control barriers along the White River.

Climate change has been linked to some intense rainfall. Scientists say that without specific study they cannot directly link a single weather event to climate change, but in general its responsible for more intense and more frequent extreme storms, droughts, floods and wildfires.

Another storm system is expected to bring more rain starting Sunday, Rademacher said. The pattern looks pretty unsettled going up to the holidays.

Several churches across the country are setting up nativity scenes this holiday season that make a political statement about immigration enforcement, with some depicting the Holy Family as missing or detained.

These nativity displays come as faith leaders continue to advocate for immigrant communities amid the Trump administration's aggressive immigration agenda.

At St. Susanna Parish in Dedham, Massachusetts, the traditional nativity scene is empty except for a sign reading "ICE was here" and noting "the Holy Family is safe in the sanctuary of our church."

Similarly, at Urban Village Church in River Forest, Illinois, the nativity scene displays a sign stating: "Due to ICE activity in our community, the Holy Family is in hiding."

Another at Lake Street Church in Evanston, Illinois, shows a more dramatic scene where baby Jesus is zip-tied and wrapped in an emergency blanket, separated from his parents by a wire fence. Mary and Joseph wear gas masks, while figures representing Romans wear makeshift vests labeled "ICE."

MORE ON IMMIGRATION | A signal for safety: Arizona pastor distributes whistles to warn of ICE raids

In a Facebook post, Lake Street Church explained their installation "is not subtle because the crisis it addresses is not abstract."

"The Holy Family were refugees," the post continues. "By witnessing this familiar story through the reality faced by migrants today, we hope to restore its radical edge, and to ask what it means to celebrate the birth of a refugee child while turning away those who follow in that child's footsteps."

Abby Holcombe, site pastor at Urban Village Church just outside Chicago, told Scripps News she intentionally created the nativity showing the Holy Family as missing after seeing the display at St. Susanna Parish.

"I was very intentional when when I made the sign to just like say the facts. There has been ICE activity in our community. And if a child who is brown, who was born into a refugee family today in the Chicagoland area, they would probably be in hiding if not already disappeared. And that's not a political statement. That's just stating the facts. If that's a political statement, then Jesus' life was political," Holcombe said.

Since President Trump's second term, houses of worship and faith leaders have increasingly entered the debate around immigration policy in the U.S.

Holcombe pointed to the United Methodist Church updated its stance on immigration at the start of President Trump's second term. The statement "urged United Methodists to welcome migrants, refugees and immigrants into their congregations and commit themselves to providing concrete support, including help with navigating restrictive and often lengthy immigration policies, and assistance with securing food, housing, education, employment and other kinds of support."

RELATED STORY | Zohran Mamdani tells immigrant New Yorkers about their right not to comply with ICE

Last month, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a special message for the first time in 12 years, opposing "indiscriminate mass deportation," advocating for "meaningful immigration reform," and calling for an end to "dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement."

ICE acting Director Todd Lyons criticized nativity display outside of St. Susanna Parish, calling the pastor an "activist reverend" and saying his actions "are absolutely abhorrent" and add to dangerous narratives responsible for assaults on ICE officers.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Boston told the Dedham church to remove the ICE-related sign. However, the church's pastor says the nativity scene aligns with the U.S. Catholic Bishops' message on immigration and that it has received overwhelming support from parishioners.

A man was arrested for allegedly driving under the influence after crashing into a pole in Eastpointe Tuesday afternoon, but police discovered he wasn't alone in the vehicle a dog was hiding in the backseat.

Watch Carli Petrus's video report: Alleged drunk driver arrested in Eastpointe with dog hiding in the backseat

The incident occurred near Donald Avenue and Semrau, where Eastpointe police found the suspected drunk driver after he hit at least one pole. When officers approached the vehicle, they heard growling and realized there was a dog inside protecting the car.

"They heard a growl, and then they looked and saw this big, beautiful girl just doing her job and protecting her car," said Animal Control Officer Ashley Sanchez.

Sanchez and her partner were called to the scene to safely remove the dog, named Bella, from the vehicle. Their priority was keeping the animal calm in what was already a stressful situation.

"We're fortunate because our PD trusts us and trusts our skills so that they don't have to intervene and do anything harmful to the animal," Sanchez said.

The officers coordinated with the tow company to delay removing the vehicle until Bella's sober owner could arrive to retrieve her. The strategy worked, allowing the dog to remain in familiar surroundings until she could be safely reunited with her owner.

"Because she got to stay in her familiarity, so we waited, the owner came, the sober owner came, got the dog out very peacefully and quietly on her own," Sanchez said.

To educate the public about the incident, Sanchez posted Bella's story on Facebook, where it reached thousands of people. Many praised the two-person animal control department's patience in handling the situation.

"It happens a lot more than people realize, where people are just making the wrong choices for themselves, but they're also involving animals," Sanchez said.

Some readers expressed surprise that the dog wasn't immediately removed from the scene, as often happens in similar situations. Sanchez explained that Eastpointe Animal Control has advantages other agencies may lack.

"I think other agencies, other ACO agencies are very limited in their resources, so some may not have the benefits that we do, where we are attached to our PD system, so we have access to gaining phone numbers and addresses, as where they don't," she said.

Sanchez recommends pet owners get microchips for their animals as an additional safety measure. Eastpointe Animal Control is offering free microchip and registration services this month, which resident Jim Burman recently used for his son's dog.

"For their safety, you never know," Burman said.

The incident serves as a reminder that impaired driving affects everyone, including animals who cannot speak for themselves.

"Be smarter, don't make dumb decisions. If you're going to make a stupid decision, like get drunk, do it at home, stay at home. Stay at home, keep yourself safe, keep your pets safe, keep others safe," Sanchez said.

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A Macomb County judge ordered an independent psychiatric evaluation for a man accused of attempting to kidnap two children in separate incidents after his defense team entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.

Watch Faraz Javed's video report: Mental health battle amid kidnap case

Judge Matthew Sabaugh ordered 24-year-old Endi Bala to undergo the evaluation during Wednesday's hearing at Macomb County Circuit Court. Family members of the victims, who say they have been demanding a second evaluation for months, packed the courtroom and expressed their frustration.

"I'm pleased that the judge heard our battle cry," Alecia Swejkoski said after the court session ended.

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The case stems from October 2024 incidents in which Bala allegedly tried to kidnap two girls in separate communities. In the first incident in Clinton Township, prosecutors say Bala targeted a 15-year-old walking near her home. Days later in Sterling Heights, police say Bala attempted to abduct a 7-year-old while running over Swejkoski's 8-year-old son as Swejkoski tried to stop the abduction.

"Not alleged. She was in his car and almost got away. He was going to take her had I not fought like hell to get her out of that car and had people not stopped and blocked his car," Swejkoski said.

Good Samaritan Scott Van Luven, who helped stop the Sterling Heights incident, was also present in court.

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"I'm having a tough time. I mean, I go by that park every day, twice a day, back and forth to work, and I can see everything happening all over again," Van Luven said.

The 15-year-old's grandmother, Lori Demars, and the 7-year-old's mother, Coryne Childers, also attended the hearing.

When asked what justice looks like, Demars said if Bala is mentally insane, "Justice to me is, then plead guilty. So it's on your record."

"Keep him locked up the rest of his life. I mean, my daughter, she has to, you know, her innocence was stolen. She has to deal with that every day," Childers said.

Swejkoski expressed frustration with the legal process, saying she feels exhausted and "like I'm on trial."

Related story: Family recounts terror when man grabbed 7-year-old in Sterling Heights Family recounts terror when man grabbed 7-year-old in Sterling Heights

The family members say they have repeatedly contacted the prosecutor's office requesting a second evaluation for Bala and case updates. Prosecutor Pete Lucido addressed their concerns directly.

"If they found that he was culpable, we would have been setting trial dates and having witnesses go forward. But because he's not culpable, according to the expert, I can't go against my own expert and prepare to go to trial on a case when my rules of professional responsibility and my ethics rules as a prosecutor tell me I can't," Lucido said.

Lucido added that anyone can contact his office, stating he has not received calls from anyone involved in this case.

The independent mental health evaluation is expected to be completed within 90 days. Bala is scheduled to return to court on March 20.

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.

With the holiday season underway, people are once again deciding between a fresh-cut or artificial Christmas tree.

While both options fill living rooms, sustainability experts say one of them is far better for the environment and its not the one many people expect.

At Sullivan Hardware and Garden in Indianapolis, Christmas tree sales are already brisk.

We have a large seasonal business which includes fresh-cut Christmas trees and artificial trees, said Pat Sullivan, President of the hardware and garden store.

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Millions of families buy a tree each year, but the environmental impact varies widely depending on whether they choose real or fake.

When looking at options, it sometimes seems like the more sustainable option is to get a fake tree that you can use for multiple years, but the real tree is actually the way to go, said Lizzie Hortviz, a sustainability expert and founder of Finch, a platform that educates consumers on sustainability.

Horvitz told the Scripps News Group that the carbon footprint of artificial trees is far heavier than most people realize.

Real Christmas trees typically carry an average carbon footprint of 3.5 kg of CO2, if disposed of through burning or wood chipping, she said. A two m artificial Christmas tree has a carbon footprint of around 40 kg, more than 10 times that of a real tree then, unfortunately, at the end of life, the only thing we can do is landfill them.

At Sullivan, both types of trees are popular, but this year, the store says fresh trees are stocked up again on their store shelves.

There's been a shortage of trees and fresh-cut for the last five years, and it's kind of coming to an end, Sullivan said. We're paying big dollars just to try to get trees, so the prices of fresh cut around town should either be stable or drop.

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The National Christmas Tree Association and the American Christmas Tree Association estimate the average fresh tree cost in 2024 was between $80 and $100. Artificial trees ranged from $85 to more than $1,000.

Beyond price, Horvitz says real trees offer environmental benefits long before they end up in someones home.

Christmas trees are also doing all that good tree stuff. They're absorbing carbon, they're providing wildlife habitat, etc., she said.

"The most important thing is that we support these Christmas tree farms, because for every tree purchased, farmers plant one to three seedlings in its place. So, this guarantees the future of green space and farmland, she added.

WATCH | Melania Trump welcomes 2025 White House Christmas tree

For those who prefer artificial trees, Horvitz says the key to sustainability is longevity.

If you have a fake tree and if you're really set on getting one, you should have it for a minimum of 10 years to get the best payoff, she said.

Experts even recommend using an artificial tree during the off-season to maximize its value. And when its time to toss a real tree, local pickup sites and drop-off options are widely available, often with help from farms or stores.

This story was originally published by Naja Woods with the

Scripps News Group in Indianapolis.

A Macomb County judge has dismissed a lawsuit aimed at stopping the sale of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Roseville, clearing what may be the final legal hurdle for a proposed Sheetz gas station project.

Watch Randy Wimbley's video report: Warren church lawsuit dismissed, clearing path for Sheetz project

Circuit Court Judge Diane Druzinski tossed the lawsuit filed by Pastor Curtiss Ostosh of Harvest Time Christian Fellowship in Warren, who had been fighting to halt the sale and demolition of the church.

"Unfortunately, we lost round one, but the fight's not over. Round two is coming," Ostosh said.

The legal dispute centered on Ostosh's 2021 purchase agreement to buy Sacred Heart for $1.5 million. He sued after the Archdiocese of Detroit accepted Sheetz's offer to buy the church, tear it down, and build a gas station on the site.

Ostosh said he invested significant money in the property before the deal fell through.

"We put up $25,000, plus we put up another $75,000 in costs. We had the electric turned on here, the heat, and the gas turned on here. We had contractors come in to check the boilers, and electric, and HVAC systems," Ostosh said.

The church's owner says Ostosh's claim to the property ended when he failed to send the remaining funds to complete the purchase. But Ostosh said he wanted the owners to restore the property to its original state after vandals caused extensive damage.

"We were negotiating with the Archdiocese of Detroit and Mooney Real Estate, their real estate division, in terms of how we could work this out. It was never worked out. We were in active negotiations, and it all just fell apart," Ostosh said.

Community members remain divided on the church's fate. Some residents believe the historic building should be preserved.

"I don't think they need to tear down the church; they can do something else with it. There are too many homeless people walking the street who need something like this," John Hardyway said.

Others say it's time to move forward with redevelopment.

"It would take a lot of money to kind of revamp it to restore it to a good church or a good place that we can worship, so I would say move on," Charles Laster said.

Gary Wilczynski expressed mixed feelings about the gas station proposal: "I think it's time to demo this and do something. I don't see a gas station improves downtown."

Sheetz provided a statement saying: "We respect the court's decision on this matter and look forward to being part of the Roseville community in the future."

Ostosh plans to continue his legal fight.

"We're going to proceed to the court of appeals and appeal judge Druzinski's opinion because to us this is sacred ground," Ostosh said.

Ostosh has until December 30 to appeal the judge's decision.

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.

As snow continues to blanket metro Detroit, one Ann Arbor nonprofit is stepping into action to make sure sidewalks are clear for community members.

Watch Peter Maxwell's video report: Snow Buddy nonprofit faces equipment repairs during Ann Arbor snowfall

Snow Buddy is a group of volunteers that plows neighborhood sidewalks, ensuring residents stay safe on the snowiest days. The organization has three different snow removal machines responsible for clearing 16 miles of Ann Arbor neighborhood sidewalks, but for the first time in five years, they weren't out after Wednesday's storm because their machines need repairs.

"It's really nice to wake up and look at the snow and think about going out to shovel and then thinking, remembering oh yeah... Snow Buddy," Jim MacDonald said.

MacDonald, an Ann Arbor resident, was out clearing his driveway and sidewalk after Wednesday's storm. He hopes Snow Buddy will be up and running to clear the sidewalks soon.

The Ann Arbor nonprofit helps keep the sidewalks in the Water Hill neighborhood clear of snow during the winter months.

"We started with one tractor," Kary Kocher said.

Kocher serves as Snow Buddy's operations manager. The organization was founded 12 years ago and has since expanded to three snow removal machines and eight volunteer plow drivers. However, all three machines are currently in for repairs.

"We had an electrical problem with one vehicle and a leaky valve cover," Kocher said. "The second unit had to go in because it's leaking hydraulic fluid. And the third one is just being unbent today."

Snow Buddy relies heavily on donations from Ann Arbor residents in the Water Hill neighborhood. To successfully operate, they need $45,000 to $50,000 per year to help cover everything from fuel to maintenance and repairs.

"We depend on our neighbors, and they're very generous, and they do pitch in. But year after year, they move away, and people move in and don't know about the cause," Kocher said.

"It's a small price to pay when the machines are down," MacDonald said.

Middi Potter lives in the neighborhood and volunteers his time to help Snow Buddy maintain their machines.

"Whenever they have a mechanical problem, they'll come over," Potter said.

Potter emphasized the community spirit behind the organization's mission.

"I've lived here for 45 years, and it's all about helping the neighbors out," Potter 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.