Before the end of February at least 454 people working in Oakland County will lose their jobs.

That’s according to notices filed with the state by three companies that sent Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notifications last month. The WARN Act requires employers planning mass layoffs to give workers a 60-day notice.

“Not every employer has to file WARN letters – there are a couple different criteria and smaller companies don’t always have to file these letters,” said Jennifer Llewellyn, Oakland County’s manager for workforce development and the county’s Michigan Works! Offices.

The 454 people facing job losses are at:

•  Webasto Roof Systems at 2700 Product Drive in Rochester Hills. The plant will close and 244 employees will be let go on Feb. 21 through July. Webasto makes flexible soft- and hard-top roof systems for vehicles. The company’s announcement said the 50-year-old Rochester Hills plant is closing because it would cost too much to modernize it.

•  Samsung SDI America EV plants at 4121 North Atlantic Blvd. and 50 Continental Drive, both in Auburn Hills will lay off 179 people between Feb. 24 and Feb. 28. When Samsung asked Auburn Hills officials for a 5-year, 50% tax break worth more than $140,000 in 2019. At that time, company officials promised they would lease the Continental Drive building for 10 years and the deal would lead to 400 new jobs.

•  Hyzone Motors USA Inc., 1208 E. Maple Road in Troy, where 32 people will lose their jobs over two weeks starting Feb. 18. The company makes hydrogen fuel cells and announced the layoffs in December, citing an “inability to raise funding and the future uncertainty relating to the availability of government subsidies.”

Last year 11 WARN notices affected Oakland County businesses, totaling 1,173 workers. In 2023, the state received 10 WARN notices were filed affecting 1,903 Oakland County workers, which includes 945 GM workers in Lake Orion, part of the planned shutdown and retooling for electric vehicles. The 945 GM employees represent about 50% of the total for the entire year and many of those workers were reassigned.

Last year’s complete unemployment figures for the county won’t be released until next month. As of November, it was 3.9%, up just over 1% from November, 2023. In 2023, the state’s unemployment rate was under 4%, a 20-year low.

The unemployment rate in Oakland County in November was 3.9%, up slightly from 3.8% in October and up by 1.2 pts year-over-year from November 2023 when the rate was 2.7% All those figures remain below the overall metro Detroit total, 5.1% in November.

The WARN Act exists to give employees time to prepare for a job loss by updating their resumes and either finding a new job or learning a new skill to enter a related or different field of work.

“This addresses the ebbs and lows of workforce development,” she said. “Layoffs happen when companies shift priorities or lose accounts or face difficult times for other reasons.”

Her office works with state and regional officials to attract new businesses and help unemployed workers find new jobs quickly or retrain with skills in fields that have opportunities.

“The exciting part is helping people either find new jobs or getting them retrained,” Llewellyn said. “We also support refreshing that resume and boosting their interview skills.”

Oakland County’s economy is growing in four main sectors, she said:

•  Advanced manufacturing: Robotics, automation, aerospace, 3D printing and support for the electric-vehicle industry and battery production.

“There’s so much research and development talent in the county as well as engineers and production professionals,” she said.

•  Construction: From General Motors’ Orion plant renovations to new homes being built, infused by federal infrastructure money. “We need skilled construction workers, engineers, plumbers and electricians,” she said.

•  Technology: Cybersecurity, intelligence software development and more. “Everyone has a smart phone, so when I say ‘technology,” that’s not necessarily an industry. It’s technology across the board for all areas – advanced manufacturing, construction, government, education, health care, all industries,” Llewellyn said.

• Health care and health science.

“It’s not that we don’t support industries outside those four quadrants,” she said. “It’s where we’re spending time and investing money. We support other industries and occupations. Transportation is another area that is an across-the-board opportunity, for example. But we’re prioritizing four areas where we see demand and growth.”

Because the business climate is fluid and depends on lots of factors, Llewellyn can’t cite a specific number of jobs the county will definitely see added in 2025.

“We get regional projections and are always gathering workforce intelligence,” she said. “We look at the state’s 50 ‘hot jobs’ outlook, and University of Michigan projections. We’re constantly looking at jobs data but the most important thing we do is working with employers that have jobs open now.”

She said that’s how the county tailors retraining programs via Michigan Works!.

“We don’t use the train-and-pray model, hoping people will find jobs with the new skills they obtain,” she said. “I want them to make a smooth transition, so they get retained and have five companies willing to hire them.”

People looking for new jobs don’t have to wait until a layoff starts and they are competing with others for openings, she said.

She cites research that shows Oakland County produces more than 20% of the entire state’s gross domestic product. It’s the reason she and others say Oakland County is Michigan’s economic driver.

“Despite that, we still have residents working two and three jobs to make ends meet. These are the folks who need retraining along with those being laid off,” she said. “We have many people doing extremely well in the county, but we never lose sight of the ones who need more opportunity.”

That is why the county applied for workforce grants recently announced by Pontiac. The city is using $800,000 in American Rescue Plan Act money for the grants.

“If we get this grant, the money will support an initiative to expand the summer internship program we have for 16-to-24-year-olds. We place them in jobs and we pay their wages,” she said, adding that it’s a way for young people to explore career paths that doesn’t add to a businesses daily cost.

The county has a partnership with Oakland Community College to offer healthcare courses for such career tracks as sterile processing technician course, certified nurse aide and patient care technician. These jobs pay $15 an hour or more, she said, and “are a great pathway for getting more medical certifications if they feel further inspired to earn associates or bachelors degrees.”

The county’s Michigan Works! office also offers virtual career workshops so people can determine which field to pursue.

“And we help people fill out FAFSA forms for college tuition and financial fitness classes – what to do with your 401k if you get laid off, for example,” she said.

She said anyone facing a layoff should take advantage of the early notice and contact Michigan Works!.

“Don’t wait until you’re two weeks away from losing your unemployment check,” she said. “Take time now to get help getting your resume online, building a network and starting your job search. We have coaches who can help navigate all that with them.”

Companies considering expanding or even hiring one or two new employees can contact the county to see if the roles will work as apprenticeships, she said. The county can also help businesses with employee-retention efforts, she said.

There are still many job opportunities in the county – and retraining for people affected by a layoff. Learn more by contacting the county’s Michigan Works! office online at https://www.oakgov.com/business/business-development/workforce-development or call (248) 858-5520. People can get in-person or virtual appointments.

The Farmington Hills City Council will hold a public hearing on Monday, Jan. 13, on a request by Sheetz to open a 24-hour gas station, convenience store and drive-through restaurant at 12 Mile and Middlebelt roads.

The council meets at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall, 31555 W. 11 Mile Road.

The Planning Commission voted 4-1 in November to recommend approval of the proposal.

Opponents packed the commission meeting, raising concerns about the possibility of increased crime and traffic or driving other area gas stations out of business.

The Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce and other business groups also expressed opposition, fearing over-saturation of gas stations in the area.

Sheetz is proposing six pumps, creating 12 fueling stations and a 6,100-square-foot convenience store and restaurant. It would occupy the site of the former Ginopolis restaurant, which closed five years ago.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WORKS 

The commission voted unanimously last month to approve Sheetz’ site plan for a location on Grand River Avenue at Middlebelt Road. It would also operate 24 hours but its restaurant would not have a drive-through lane. The company plans to demolish a vacant auto repair shop and build a new facility.

Sheetz does not need the council’s approval for the Grand River-Middlebelt proposal. The company may need a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals for a proposed dumpster location.

The Grand River-Middlebelt proposal did not draw widespread opposition from the community.

Just outside of Farmington Hills, Sheetz is also proposing a location at the southeast corner of Eight Mile and Newburgh roads in Livonia.

The Livonia City Council is expected to vote this month on whether to approve a zoning change to allow the store, which would be on the site of a closed Rite Aid store.

A Sheetz spokesman said at a previous meeting that all of its locations are open 24 hours.

The Sheetz family owns all locations; they do not have franchisees.

Sheetz opened its first Michigan location in late August near Detroit Metro Airport in Romulus.

The company plans to open 50-60 stores in the Detroit area in the next five to six years, including approved sites in Fraser, Warren, Ypsilanti, Eastpointe, Taylor and Macomb and Chesterfield townships.

Sheetz officials have said each store will employ 30 to 35 workers, the majority of them full-time. The company touted competitive pay, benefits packages for all employees, quarterly bonuses, paid time off and more.

Sheetz ranked second in the latest Best Workplaces in Retail in America by Fortune and in the top 10 of the “Companies that Care” list from People magazine.

The company, based in Pennsylvania, operates more than 700 stores in several states.

The Detroit News contributed to this report.

It’s befitting the Sparkle Network’s Comedy Night on Feb. 8 at the Emerald Theater is held annually around Valentine’s Day, since it conjures up feelings that are both heartbreaking and heartwarming.

“We have four charities that will benefit this year,” said Moe Lietz of Rochester Hills, founder of the Sparkle Network and one of four comedians including Chris Young, Justin Divozzo and Diego Attanasio performing.

Every year since Lietz and her troupe of comedians started doing the event a variety of charities throughout Macomb and Oakland counties have benefited from the fundraiser.

One such charity is the Great Lakes Burn Camp.

While it’s heartbreaking the incidents that bring a child to attend the camp, it’s a joy to see how the summer experience, supported by a corps of volunteers including firefighters and other first responders, fosters healing, self-esteem, confidence and general well-being for burn-injured children.

It’s also heartwarming to know proceeds from Comedy Night will help to support this mission to provide unconditional love and acceptance for the campers.

“Last year we raised $6,500,” said Lietz, who started the Sparkle Network as a way of supporting local causes and to support signature events and programs for young people including its Dream, Believe and Do Scholarship, which will also receive a portion of the proceeds from Comedy Night.

The scholarship is given to high school seniors in Macomb and Oakland counties who have completed 40 hours of community service and have a dream they believe in.

The other two charities benefiting from #Heartbreakers Comedy Night include:

Susie Q’s Kids: Comfort Bags for Kids — The nonprofit works to support the mental health and well-being of children in the community through a variety of services that include creating comfort bags that feature panda bears, blankets, socks and other essential items for children in hospitals, hospice, shelters, foster care, grief centers, schools, camps or wherever there might be a need. The group also serves as an advocate for suicide awareness and prevention and individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities.

Meadowbrook Center for Learning — Based in Rochester Hills, Meadowbrook Center is a nonprofit dedicated to removing barriers to learning, fostering life success for all individuals and promoting community awareness and understanding of learning challenges such as ADHD, dyslexia and autism.

Besides being a great fundraiser it’s a hoot-of-an-opportunity to treat your Valentine to a fun night out.

Tickets for are $30 each.

This includes the show and a brown bag of snacks, plus the infamous Comedy Night swag bag.

However, Lietz encourages buying them as a couple ($50 pair) or a group of 8 ($300 dinner and table on main floor), unless you’re the outgoing kind who enjoys meeting new people.

“We seat everyone by tables,” she said. “So, I have to play matchmaker every year to those who buy only one ticket.”

Tickets can be purchased online at sparklenetwork.org/heartbreakers-2024-comedy-event/. Once you purchase a ticket you will be asked to designate what participating charity your ticket money will go to.

The Emerald Theatre is at 31 North Walnut St., Mount Clemens. For more information visit sparklenetwork.org/.

Today is Monday, Jan. 13, the 13th day of 2025. There are 352 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Jan. 13, 2021, President Donald Trump was impeached by the U.S. House over the violent Jan. 6 siege of the Capitol, becoming the only president to be twice impeached; ten Republicans joined Democrats in voting to impeach Trump on a charge of “incitement of insurrection.” (Trump would again be acquitted by the Senate in a vote after his term was over.)

Also on this date:

In 1733, James Oglethorpe and some 120 English colonists arrived at Charleston, South Carolina, while en route to settle in present-day Georgia.

In 1794, President George Washington approved a measure adding two stars and two stripes to the American flag, following the admission of Vermont and Kentucky to the Union. (The number of stripes was later reduced to the original 13.)

In 1941, a new law went into effect granting Puerto Ricans U.S. birthright citizenship.

In 1979, singer Donny Hathaway died in a fall from a hotel window in New York. He was 34. Hathaway was known for his duets with Roberta Flack and the holiday song “This Christmas.”

In 1982, an Air Florida 737 crashed into Washington, D.C.’s 14th Street Bridge and fell into the Potomac River while trying to take off during a snowstorm, killing a total of 78 people, including four motorists on the bridge; four passengers and a flight attendant survived.

In 1990, L. Douglas Wilder of Virginia became the nation’s first elected Black governor as he took the oath of office in Richmond.

In 1992, Japan apologized for forcing tens of thousands of Korean women to serve as sex slaves for its soldiers during World War II, citing newly uncovered documents that showed the Japanese army had a role in abducting the so-called “comfort women.”

Today’s birthdays:

• Golf Hall of Famer Mark O’Meara is 68.
• Actor Julia Louis-Dreyfus is 64.
• Country singer Trace Adkins is 63.
• Actor Patrick Dempsey is 59.
• TV producer-writer Shonda Rhimes is 55.
• Actor Orlando Bloom is 48.
• Actor Liam Hemsworth is 35.
• Actor Natalia Dyer is 30.
• NHL center Connor McDavid is 28.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jayden Daniels ran for a critical first down to set up Zane Gonzalez’s 37-yard field goal that clanged off the right upright and went through as time expired, and the Washington Commanders beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20 in an NFC wild-card game Sunday night for the franchise’s first playoff win in 6,945 days.

Daniels, playing with a bandage beneath his right eye after his face was bloodied, became the third rookie quarterback in three years to win a playoff game.

The Commanders (13-5) will face the No. 1 seed Detroit Lions (15-2) in the divisional round. The game will be Saturday at 8 p.m. (FOX) at Ford Field.

Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers (10-8) missed several opportunities and the veteran quarterback committed a critical turnover in the fourth quarter. The Bucs couldn’t get 1 yard on two tries from the Commanders 12 and settled for a field goal to tie the game before Washington’s winning drive.

Daniels threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns, joining C.J. Stroud and Brock Purdy as rookie QBs to win playoff games in the past three seasons.

Washington hadn’t won in the postseason since beating the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay 17-10 in a wild-card game on Jan. 7, 2006.

— By ROB MAADDI, The Associated Press

DETROIT — The Red Wings have won in different ways during this, what is now, a seven-game winning streak.

On Sunday, they did it relatively quick and easy fashion.

The Wings breezed to a 6-2 victory over Seattle at Little Caesars Arena, exploding for four first-period goals and coasting the final 40 minutes.

The last time the Wings won seven consecutive games was Jan. 12-23, 2012. The Wings (20-18-4) conclude a four-game homestand Tuesday against San Jose, and then head out for a rugged four-game road trip.

“You don’t want to take your foot off the gas and we’ve struggled with leads,” said captain Dylan Larkin of the explosive start. “Today was a great challenge. That first period, we score four early and we have to play, there’s a lot of hockey left and we answered it. Our details were good.

“That’s how you play with the lead and we stuck together when we needed to and it’s good to close that one out.”

The Wings are 7-1-0 under coach Todd McLellan, who took over Dec. 26, including the seven straight wins. It has been a different-looking Wings team, one playing with confidence and many players who weren’t succeeding with the previous staff now playing better.

“You’re either, in my opinion, moving forward or repairing and right now we’ve been able to have some success,” McLellan said. “The nuggets we’ve tried to give the players, because they’ve had success, they’re waiting for more and what else do you have for us? What more can we add to it? Because it’s been working for us, but also players buying in and applying it.”

Six different Wings scored goals against Seattle. Marco Kasper, J.T. Compher, Alex DeBrincat (power play), Patrick Kane, Erik Gustafsson (power play) and Dylan Larkin (power play) had goals, while Lucas Raymond, Mortiz Seider, and Vladimir Tarasenko each had two assists.

“(It builds) individual confidence but (also) team confidence,” McLellan said of the balanced scoring. “The offensive players are excited for those guys to score. The bench is excited, and that’s a real positive for us. You can’t have just Patrick Kane and Dylan Larkin and Razor (Raymond) doing all the scoring. It has to be balanced.”

While going 3-for-4 on the power play, the Wings extended their streak of scoring a power-play goal to eight consecutive games, matching an eight-game streak from March 19-April 2, 2016.

Goaltender Cam Talbot stopped 31 shots, earning the victory.

Oliver Bjorkstrand (power play) and Matty Beniers (Michigan) had goals for Seattle (18-23-3).

The Wings jumped Seattle early. Kasper (his fourth goal), deflected Raymond’s shot at 3:22 and 11 seconds later, Compher won a face-off and redirected Tarasenko’s shot for Compher’s sixth goal.

The Wings added two more goals 1:37 apart a short time later. DeBrincat made it 3-0 with his 19th goal, on the power play at 6:16, and Kane made it 4-0 with his 10th goal, on an easy tap-in of Gustafsson’s pass at 7:53.

Gustafsson reached the goal-scoring column at 4:17, his second goal, with a drive from the high slot, making the score 5-0. Larkin scored his 18th, and the Wings’ third power-play tally, converting a nice feed from Kane at 15:21.

“We knew they played (Saturday afternoon), but it’s a lot about us,” Kasper said. “How we prepare for a game, and we had a good practice (Saturday) and coming in with a six-game win streak, just our confidence is high. We skated our first two minutes and that set us up for good second and third periods.”

The good, fast starts were also something that were inconsistent earlier in the season for the Wings. But they’ve become gradually more of a staple of the Wings’ lately, and they checked off pretty much everything they wanted to do against the Kraken.

“We got on the forecheck, and we had a good shot mentality,” Larkin said. “We knew they would be hard to play against and they battle in the defensive zone. We got pucks to the net and they went in early, and after we got to one and two (goals) we kept the foot on the gas.

“It was a great start for us.”

ANN ARBOR — Michigan coach Dusty May and the Wolverines have made it a goal to fill up Crisler Center.

That mission, it’s safe to say, is being accomplished.

Off to its best start in Big Ten play in four seasons, No. 24 Michigan gave fans more reason to keep packing the stands by extending its win streak and taking down Washington, 91-75, on Sunday.

Vlad Goldin had 19 points to lead another balanced scoring attack. Nimari Burnett scored 16 on 6-for-6 shooting and made four of Michigan’s 11 3-pointers to highlight another offensive performance where the Wolverines shot better than 50% from the field.

It all resulted in a fifth straight victory by a double-digit margin for Michigan (13-3, 5-0 Big Ten).

“Everybody contributed in this game. It wasn’t a single effort,” said Goldin, who finished 6-for-7 from the field and added seven rebounds. “So many people stepped up when we needed it the most, when the game didn’t go the way we wanted it to go.

“It’s helpful when everybody plays the right way. It makes it feel amazing.”

Even though the Wolverines had to deal with foul trouble with the frontcourt trio of Danny Wolf, Will Tschetter and Goldin much of the game, it didn’t prove detrimental. Instead, they built on a 10-point halftime lead and widened the margin to 55-42 early in the second half on a three-point play from Roddy Gayle Jr.

And even when Michigan waded through a stagnant stretch where it had a four-minute scoring drought and Wolf headed to the bench with his third foul, Washington couldn’t put a serious dent in the deficit. Instead, the Huskies (10-7, 1-5) could only muster two free throws in a span of six minutes.

Once Wolf checked back in, the Wolverines blew the game open. He whipped a pass to Sam Walters for a corner 3-pointer. Two possessions later, Wolf knocked down a deep ball during a 7-0 burst. Michigan pulled ahead 79-60 with 7:45 to go.

The Wolverines led by at least 13 points the rest of the way as they continued their best start to conference play since the 2020-21 campaign, when Michigan began 6-0 in league and won the Big Ten regular-season title.

Great Osobor had 23 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out late for Washington. The Huskies shot 41.3% from the field (26-for-63) against Michigan, which mixed in zone and man-to-man defenses, lost the turnover battle (12-11) and led for a meager 18 seconds during the first two minutes of the game.

Gayle finished with 15 points in his return to the lineup after missing last game with knee soreness. Walters chipped in 12 points off the bench. Wolf added 11 points and eight rebounds.

The Wolverines missed 10 free throws but shot 52.7% from the field (29-for-55), marking the 10th time this season they’ve made at least half of their shots in a game.

“I think the style of play that we play, the pace that we play, the ball movement, finding open cutters and open shooters attributes to that,” Burnett said. “I think the everyday process — the shots that we get off and on the court, the film we watch every single day — helps with the style of play we play.

“The Cleveland Cavaliers have said they play an ethical style of basketball, and I feel like we have a lot of those traits.”

Michigan, once again, showed that from the jump. And just like they did during their West Coast sweep of USC and UCLA, the Wolverines got off to a strong offensive start against a new Big Ten member.

Goldin capped a string of seven unanswered points by draining a 3-pointer on an out-of-bounds play. Wolf scored on a driving layup and backed down a defender for a finish at the rim. The Wolverines set the tone by making six of their first nine shots and grabbing a 15-7 lead with 15:01 left in the first half.

Osobor kept Washington close and gave Michigan fits after Goldin picked up his second foul at the 13:44 mark. With Goldin on the bench, Osobor took advantage of mismatches, made four consecutive shots and scored 10 straight points for the Huskies.

The Wolverines shrugged off Osobor’s hot stretch and created separation, even after Wolf joined Goldin with two fouls at the 8:23 mark. Gayle pulled down a rebound and went coast-to-coast for a layup to cap a string of six unanswered points. Burnett canned three 3-pointers over the final six minutes of the half.

Michigan navigated the foul trouble with its big men down the stretch — and produced a highlight along the way, with an alley-oop slam by Goldin off a half-court pass from Tre Donaldson — en route to a 48-38 lead at the break.

“I thought we did some nice things overall for a choppy Sunday afternoon game,” May said. “I don’t think either team would have been pleased with the flow of the game, but we both contributed to it. We were changing defenses. We were both in foul trouble.

“Just an odd game. But over the course of a 20-game Big Ten season, you have to be able to play a lot of different styles, a lot of different ways, and we definitely got something done today. … We need to continue to stay strong, healthy, and figure out different ways to win.”

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Reserve Grace VanSlooten scored 19 points and grabbed 12 rebounds —her third double-double this season — and Julia Ayrault also scored 19 points with eight rebounds to help No. 20 Michigan State beat Washington 80-68 on Sunday.

Theryn Hallock and Ines Sotelo each scored 11 points for Michigan State (13-3, 3-2 Big Ten).

Elle Ladine hit two free throws, Sayvia Sellers scored in the paint and Ladine added a 3-pointer in a 7-2 spurt that gave the Huskies a one-point lead a little more than 2 minutes into the second half. Michigan State scored seven consecutive points to take a 48-42 lead with 4:58 left in the third quarter and the Spartans led the rest of the way.

Sellers led the Huskies with 21 points, Ladine added 17 and Hannah Stines scored 11. Dalayah Daniels grabbed 11 rebounds to go with six points, three steals and two blocks.

Washington (13-5, 3-2) had its five-game win streak snapped.

Hallock scored seven points in a 9-4 spurt to open the fourth quarter that gave Michigan State a 12-point lead three minutes into the period and the Huskies trailed by at least seven points the rest of the way.

The Spartans scored 22 points off 20 Washington turnovers and Michigan State outscored the Huskies 31-13 in bench points.

Washington plays at No. 25 Michigan and the Spartans hit the road to take on Rutgers, both on Wednesday.

The 2025 preseason baseball coaches poll from the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association has been released.

Here are the preseason top 20 teams in each division:

 

DIVISION 1

1 Birmingham Brother Rice

2 Bay City Western

3 Novi

4 Jenison

5 West Bloomfield

6 South Lyon

7 Hudsonville

8 Detroit Catholic Central

9 Anchor Bay

10 Lake Orion

11 Grand Blanc

12 Saline

13 Sterling Heights Stevenson

14 Portage Northern

15 Midland

16 Mattawan

17 Hartland

18 Northville

19 Rochester

20 Dexter

DIVISION 2

1 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s

2 Ada Forest Hills Eastern

3 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep

4 Standish-Sterling

5 New Boston Huron

6 Trenton

7 Flint Powers Catholic

8 Spring Lake

9 St. Clair

10 Flat Rock

11 Dearborn Divine Child

12 Coopersville

13 Grand Rapids Christian

14 Richland Gull Lake

15 Macomb Lutheran North

16 Richmond

17 North Branch

18 Williamston

19 Grand Rapids West Catholic

20 Detroit Country Day

 

DIVISION 3

1 Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett

2 Jackson Lumen Christi

3 Detroit Edison

4 North Muskegon

5 Traverse City St. Francis

6 Algonac

7 Hemlock

8 Ottawa Lake Whiteford

9 Ann Arbor Greenhills

10 Hanover Horton

11 Blissfield

12 Lansing Catholic Central

13 Schoolcraft

14 Kalamazoo Christian

15 Watervliet

16 Negaunee

17 Elk Rapids

18 Onsted

19 Ecorse

20 Brooklyn Columbia Central

 

DIVISION 4

1 Beal City

2 Portland St. Patrick

3 Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart

4 Marine City Cardinal Mooney

5 Kalamazoo Hackett

6 Fowler

7 Merrill

8 Vermontville Maple Valley

9 Marcellus

10 Norway

11 Plymouth Christian

12 Riverview Gabriel Richard

13 Muskegon Catholic Central

14 Decatur

15 Rudyard

16 Indian River Inland Lakes

17 Rogers City

18 Ubly

19 East Jordan

20 Maple City Glen Lake

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Jaden Akins scored 14 points and No. 16 Michigan State extended its winning streak to nine games with a 78-68 win over Northwestern on Sunday.

The Spartans (14-2, 5-0 Big Ten) closed the first half on a 33-12 run and led 47-28 at intermission after all 10 players chipped in at least a field goal. The Wildcats (10-6, 1-4) finally got their deficit under 10 points in the game’s final minute.

Jase Richardson scored 13 points and Jeremy Fears Jr. had 12 points and eight assists for the Spartans, whose six dunks in the first half drew plenty of roars from visiting fans who seemed to make up half of the sellout crowd.

Nick Martinelli scored 27 points and Jalen Leach had 17 to lead Northwestern, which lost for the first time at home and dropped its third straight overall.

Takeaways

Michigan State has one of the nation’s most productive benches, and the reserves delivered again. The Spartans’ subs (24 points) nearly outscored the Wildcats in the opening half.

Northwestern had beaten five straight top-25 opponents at Welsh-Ryan Arena, but compounded the decisive first-half run with four turnovers while going 3 for 18 from the floor.

Key moment

Richardson got fouled on a putback and added the free throw to give the Spartans a 17-16 lead with a little more than 13 minutes to play in the first half. It started a 14-point run that gave his team control of the game.

Key stat

Northwestern’s Brooks Barnhizer started the day averaging 19.3 points, but missed his first seven shots and finished with four points on 2-for-13 shooting.

Up next

Michigan State hosts Penn State on Wednesday, and Northwestern hosts Maryland on Thursday.

One of the top offensive linemen in the transfer portal committed to the Michigan State football team Saturday. All it took was a little visit to Breslin Center.

Just two days after visiting East Lansing, former Montana State offensive tackle Conner Moore committed to Michigan State. The 6-foot-5, 310-pound rising redshirt junior announced his decision via social media.

Moore just finished a run to the Football Championship Subdivision national championship game, where he and Montana State fell to powerhouse North Dakota State. Moore earned FCS second team All-American honors last season.

Michigan State has extensively targeted both sides of the line in the transfer portal, having already picked up commitments from center Luka Vincic (Oregon State), guard Matt Gulbin (Wake Forest) and tackle Caleb Carter (Western Carolina). But Moore might be the most important pickup yet. Across 904 offensive snaps with Montana State, he stood out as a threat in the run game while also making a difference in pass protection.

Pro Football Focus, a football analytics company that grades players on a scale of 0 to 100, gave Moore an overall grade of 76.7, which ranked 59th among all offensive tackles in both subdivisions of Division I football. Moore stood out with a 77.1 grade in run blocking, which ranked 39th in the country. While those ratings come from film against lower level competition than what he will face in the Big Ten, he was one of the top offensive linemen left in the transfer portal.

To put these figures into context, Michigan State left tackle Ramil Stanton ranked 482nd with an overall grade of 55.4. Run blocking, he rated 57.9. Right tackle Ashton Lepo checked in at 45.3 and 51.4, respectively.

The help is much needed for the Spartans, whose line struggled to make a difference in both the running and passing game. Michigan State picked up an average of 115.3 yards rushing, which ranked in the bottom 25 of the Football Bowl Subdivision. Thirty times last season, quarterback Aidan Chiles found himself sacked, and that number should’ve been higher had the sophomore not frequently escaped the pocket to avoid danger. Moore should be an upgrade to improve those figures, as are the three other linemen Michigan State already picked up.

It’s clear that Michigan State knew how much Moore could bring to the team next season, as shown by Moore’s recruiting visit. As the Michigan State men’s basketball team ran Washington off the court in an 88-54 blowout, Moore took in the game with head coach Jonathan Smith and offensive line coach Jim Michalczik. And whatever pitch the two coaches laid out was clearly convincing enough to earn Moore’s pledge.

Moore is the 15th transfer to join the Spartans since the portal opened on Dec. 9.

Michigan State’s transfer additions include: offensive linemen Luka Vincic (Oregon State), Caleb Carter (Western Carolina), Matt Gulbin (Wake Forest) and Conner Moore (Montana State); wide receivers Evan Boyd (Central Michigan), Chrishon McCray (Kent State), Omari Kelly (Middle Tennessee) and Rodney Bullard (Valdosta State); running back Elijah Tau-Tolliver (Sacramento State); defensive tackle Grady Kelly (Florida State); defensive backs NiJhay Burt (Eastern Illinois), Joshua Eaton (Texas State) and Malcolm Bell (Connecticut); and edge rushers/outside linebackers David Santiago (Air Force), Anelu Lafaele (Wisconsin) and Aisea Moa (Brigham Young).

Current events clearly demonstrate that longevity is the new norm. We recently lost a former president at the age of 100. We have a sitting president who will soon exit the Oval Office as the oldest president to ever finish a term. And we will soon inaugurate the oldest incoming president in our nation’s history.

Age isn’t limited to politics. Not by a long shot. Speaking of which, LeBron James, one of the most famous professional basketball players, is 40. Former professional football coach Bill Belichick is beginning to coach college football at 72. At 73, a year older, former Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is looking for a new job. And who can forget the great Gordie Howe?

Colonel Sanders started his Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise in his late 60s. At the time, that was considered somewhat unusual. In today’s environment, starting a business and succeeding in your 70s and 80s hardly merits front-page news. Thriving later in life is not out of the ordinary.

A major life insurance company’s new promotion says that 100 is the new 70. In essence they’re suggesting that 100 could eventually become the new “typical” retirement age, similar to how 70 is currently perceived.

The point is that you may need to consider planning for a longer retirement period. And I think it’s prudent that everyone in the workforce does just that. Be prepared to adjust your finances accordingly.

Counting entirely on Social Security to get you through the retirement years is probably not a good idea. The program, after all, was designed more as a safety net to supplement your retirement income.

The trustees have been warning us that Social Security is in dire need of reform. I have little doubt there will be changes in the upcoming years. So again, don’t put yourself in the position where you’re overly dependent on Social Security.

Some people feel when they retire their working days are over, and that may be true for some. But longevity has changed that. For many, a part-time job or cash producing sideline is needed to generate an additional income stream. After 30 or so years in the workforce, chances are good you’re going to live another 30-40 years.

Another option, of course, is to keep on working. Wherever you go it seems like we’re seeing a greyer workforce. Some keep working because they need those regular paydays just to maintain. Some like the financial benefit of having an additional income stream. And some even do it for social reasons. They simply enjoy interaction with other people.

At the end of the day, I encourage people to at least consider working past their initial retirement. In a perfect world, that would mean turning a passion into a source of income. The bottom line is that longer lifespans are real, and we need to adjust accordingly. So, enjoy the longer journey and prepare to do your best physically, mentally, and financially along the way.

Email your questions to kenmorris@lifetimeplanning.com

Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. Society for Lifetime Planning is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS. https://kestrafinancial.com/disclosures

The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regard to your individual situation. Comments concerning the past performance are not intended to be forward looking and should not be viewed as an indication of future results.

Higher Social Security payments coming for millions of people from bill that Biden signed

Alan Ruck was taken aback when he learned “Star Trek: Generations” turned 30.

“Wow, 30 years already! It’s gone by in a blink!” recalled Ruck, who appeared at the Motor City Comic Con In November and the Royal Oak Music Theatre in May.

“I am amazed,” said Jacqueline Kim, an alumna of Lahser High School in Bloomfield Hills, who played Ensign Demora Sulu. “It marks the anniversary of my arriving in Los Angeles, though which for me is a benchmark that stings a bit.”

The seventh film in the “Trek” movie series, “Generations” opened Nov. 18, 1994, and served as a transition from the cast of “Star Trek: The Original Series” to the cast of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” on the big screen. It’s most notable for the historic meeting of its two famous captains: William Shatner’s James T. Kirk and Patrick Stewart’s Jean-Luc Picard. Although it received mixed reviews from both critics and fans, “Generations” was a box office hit, grossing $118 million on a $35 million budget.

Ruck — best known for “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and “Succession” — played Capt. John Harriman in the opening sequence. Kirk, Cmdr. Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) and Capt. Montgomery “Scotty” Scott (James Doohan) of the original Enterprise attend the maiden voyage of the Enterprise-B, which is under Harriman’s command.

“I was really happy to have landed that gig,” Ruck said. “Harriman was supposed to have been starstruck by the presence of Kirk, Scotty and Chekhov, his boyhood heroes. And so, Alan was starstruck by his boyhood heroes, Shatner, Doohan, and Koenig. No acting required.”

Among Harriman’s crew is Demora, Capt. Hikaru Sulu’s (George Takei) daughter. Demora’s appearance only compounds Kirk’s feelings of nostalgia, restlessness and loneliness in retirement, something Scotty points out.

The maiden voyage was supposed to be a “quick run around the block” for PR purposes. However, the Enterprise-B — which wouldn’t be fully operational until “Tuesday” — answers a distress call and must rescue two ships ensnared by a massive energy ribbon called the Nexus. Unprepared for such a crisis, Harriman defers to Kirk, who dies saving the Enterprise-B as a result. Unbeknownst to them, Kirk actually survives and is trapped in the Nexus for 80 years until Picard frees him to battle Malcolm McDowell’s Dr. Soran, who kills Kirk in the end.

“When I read the scenes, I realized the guy was completely out of his depth. He’s got no moves, no experience, he’s got nothing to offer in this situation,” Ruck said. “(Director) David Carson said: ‘Alan, in this scene, you get two pieces of bad news rather quickly. Then there’ll be a brief pause; then you’ll receive another piece of bad news.’”

“Generations” was Kim’s first big film. She wasn’t familiar with “Trek” previously; it was simply a role she auditioned for and was offered.

“There was a lot of socializing onset, but I had a ‘serious disposition’ because it was my first significant role in a film,” recalled Kim. “(Koenig) definitely broke the ice and passed messages between (Takei) and me. Meeting George and hanging out at several cons has been quite meaningful for me. I affectionately call him ‘Sunshine in Human Form’ and mean it.”

Kim — who later appeared in 1994’s “Disclosure,” 1999’s “Brokedown Palace” and a memorable two-part episode of “Xena: Warrior Princess” in 1997 — spoke highly of Carson and Ruck.

“David was a great director, calm, clear, patient — he taught me really important things about the camera frame and how to communicate/transmit energy. His kindness and patience stayed with me in the many years to come,” Kim said. “Alan was delightful. I felt like we were adult kids home alone — and it being my first big film, he helped me understand the at first maddening rhythm of working hard and then having nothing to do at all. He’s really a playful presence. I wish we had had more stuff to do together.”

Ruck returned the compliment.

“Jacqueline Kim was a delightful person: smart, funny and beautiful,” he said. “I’ve only run into her once since we made the movie. I hope she’s well and happy.”

Kim is a regularly invited guest lecturer at the University of Southern California on the intersection of feminism, religion and technology. In 2011, she formally began releasing music under the moniker This I Heard. By 2014, she decided to focus her skills on multi-disciplinary artwork with a social justice focus, specifically looking at public spaces and conditions for people living outside.

Her latest project was called “Concerted/Rest.” Fully funded by state and city grants, “Concerted/Rest” was a live music performance/sculptural installation for the people living/surviving in two public parks in L.A. On her Vimeo channel, there is a documentary short about the event.

Being part of the “Trek” phenomenon is something Kim eschewed at first. However, over time, she’s come to embrace her association with “Trek,” especially after attending conventions.

“Trekkies are usually quite forward-thinking and liberated people. Also, the two films I’ve had a large hand in as a writer – my first short, ‘Present: A Moment in the Future,’ and my last feature, ‘Advantageous’ – were both speculative fiction. At its best, the genre conjures insights about where we sit right now as a society. That interests me, so it feels relevant for me to be part of this phenomenon. I’m proud of it.”

Visit Kim at jacquelinekim.com.

Shatner returns in ‘76584: Unification

With the exception of playing Capt. James T. Kirk in Seth MacFarlane’s controversial song-and-dance number “We Saw Your Boobs” at the 2013 Oscars, William Shatner — who appeared in Detroit in September — hasn’t played his most famous role since 1994’s “Star Trek: Generations.”

On Nov. 18 — the 30th anniversary of the release of “Generations” — Shatner reprised his role as Kirk in “76584: Unification,” a 10-minute short fan film executive produced by Shatner, Susan Bay Nimoy (widow of the late Leonard Nimoy, alias Spock), and Rod Roddenberry (son of the late “Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry). Directed by Carlos Baena, “Unification” has no dialogue other than a line from 1982’s “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.”

Occurring after Kirk’s death in “Generations,” Kirk appears in the afterlife where he encounters Saavik (Robin Curtis, reprising her role for the first time since 1986’s “Star Trek: The Voyage Home”), whom it was implied Spock married in an episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and later confirmed in “Trek” novels. Saavik introduces Kirk to Sorak (Mark Chinnery), her and Spock’s son.

“I put on the costume and became teary, became emotional. The fabric, the design, the lushness of it, the gorgeousness of it gave me a whole life,” Curtis said. “Saavik lived a good life; she was regal, she had integrity. They just gave me this whole character that you see onscreen and in every molecule of my body. That’s how the costume made me feel. I felt like I had memories that didn’t exist until that moment… I was grateful because a spectacular part of playing a character is how you feel in your body and how you appear in the looking glass to yourself. In the mirror, I saw Saavik, not Robin. It made me very weepy.”

Curtis spoke about Kirk’s relationship with Saavik. Kirk’s son, Dr. David Marcus (the late Merritt Butrick), saved Saavik and Spock’s lives in 1984’s “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock,” at the cost of his own.

“Imagine the bond between Kirk and Saavik; his son gave his life to save her,” she said. “Now I step aside to introduce him to my son who would not be in the world were it not for the loss of (David). It was so loaded and so lovely.”

From there, Kirk encounters a bed-ridden Spock (Lawrence Selleck, whose face is replaced by Nimoy’s via deepfake CGI technology), who died in 2016’s “Star Trek Beyond.” No words are exchanged as Kirk holds his brother-in-arms’ hand as they watch the sunrise, Alexander Courage’s “Trek” theme playing in the background.

The last time Shatner’s Kirk and Nimoy’s Spock appeared together on-screen was 1991’s “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.” Nimoy died Feb. 27, 2015.

According to Curtis, writer Jules Urbach was inspired to create “Unification” after interviewing Shatner several years ago. He was taking pieces from “Generations,” “Khan,” “Voyage Home,” and Shatner and Nimoy’s estrangement at the end of Nimoy’s life.

“Jules was knitting together the death of Kirk in ‘Generations’ with the fact that Bill didn’t get to say goodbye to Leonard and did it such a beautiful, dialogue-less way,” explained Curtis. “According to the feedback, people get it. It was a much-needed benediction or coda, like someone had laid their hand on your heart — ‘It’s OK. You’re at peace. We’re at peace.’ I loved it. I just loved it.”

So did Grosse Pointe native and lifelong Trekkie Charlie Carden, who co-hosts the podcast Secret Friends Unite.

“Frankly, I was blown away by the sheer emotion it evoked,” he said. “All the Easter eggs threaded into what is, sadly, a noncanonical work. Fans have been robbed all these years of seeing Kirk and Spock have a truly special moment of ‘goodbye’ now rendered impossible in the real world by Nimoy’s passing. That last two minutes when Kirk sits by Spock’s deathbed on New Vulcan really struck a chord with me, as I’m sure it did with fans around the world.”

The 93-year-old Shatner also was de-aged via deepfake CGI technology to resemble his appearance in “Generations.” Younger versions of Kirk are played by Sam Witwer whose face was replaced by Shatner’s.

“This is on the cusp of technology,” Shatner said.

Curtis praised Witwer.

“Sam studied (Shatner) so, so carefully and devotedly and was able to bring his mannerisms and facial expression to life beautifully. It was like I was looking at (Shatner),” she said. “It was like he was wearing Bill’s skin onset. I had the good fortune to be looking at James Kirk even though it was Sam standing there. He put on Bill’s skin. His persona was amazing.”

Filmmaker Adam Nimoy, Leonard’s son who appeared in West Bloomfield in November, was impressed by the technology, production design and score.

“There’s, of course, an emotional, heartwarming reunion of Kirk and Spock,” said the younger Nimoy. “The question is, can the filmmakers now create fully realized stories with actual performances? The universe awaits.”

“Unification” is dedicated to Nimoy.

“I think Mr. Nimoy would’ve been so pleased with how (Baena and Urbach) chose to interpret those very profound moments between Kirk and Spock,” Curtis said. “I’d like to think that he’d feel that way.”

Blood drives

• The City of Troy is hosting American Red Cross Blood Drives, 1-7 p.m. Jan. 14, Jan. 20, and Jan. 21; at the Troy Community Center, 3179 Livernois, Troy. Donation appointments can be scheduled by calling 313-300-9617 or visiting www.redcrossblood.org and entering zip code 48083. Photo ID or Red Cross Donor Card will be required. Donors must be at least 17 years old, weigh more than 110 pounds, and be in good general health.

Business/Education activities

• “Selling Your Home Made Simple” free event is 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Jan. 14, at Hechtman Independent Living, 6690 W. Maple Road, West Bloomfield Twp. Reservations are required, call Jackie Rosender at 248-444-2430 or email jrosender@jslmi.org.

• Bank of America is accepting applications for the 2025 Student Leaders summer internship program through Jan. 15. Students Leaders receive first-hand experience in serving their communities through a paid eight-week internship with local nonprofits. They also travel to Washington, D.C. for the national Student Leaders Summit. Students should apply at www.bankofamerica.com/studentleaders and submit a letter of recommendation from a teacher, coach, guidance counselor or school administrator.

• Main Street Pontiac is accepting applications for vendors through 5 p.m. Jan. 17, for the Saginaw Green Maker’s Village, at Saginaw Green Park (111 N. Saginaw Street) from March through December 2025. Cost is $150 per month, plus a $50 monthly fee for electricity and other shared amenities. Mandatory operating hours from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Saturday. Eligible to Pontiac-based startups and small businesses without an existing storefront in Pontiac, mainstreetpontiac.org/saginaw-green-makers-village.

• Kevin’s Song 9th Annual Conference on Suicide is Jan. 23-25 at St. John’s Resort, 44045 Five Mile Road, Plymouth. Rate for the three-day conference is $450+ per person; and single day pricing is $225+ per person. Student rates are available. Faith-based training for the faith-based community is 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Jan. 24, register at https://kevinssong.org.

• Get published: Are you a writer? A photographer? An illustrator? A cartoonist? An artist of another kind? A creative person with your own style? If so, we’d like to showcase your work! Submit at t.ly/michcall

• Free Zoom Program – outlining Michigan’s new Power of Attorney Act for Caregiver, is 2-3 p.m. Jan. 14, register for the free virtual program, email Joanna Dorfman at jdorfman@jslmi.org or call 248-661-6390 ext. 1, with a presentation by estate planning attorney Howard Collens of Collens Estate Law PLLC in Huntington Woods.

• Introduction to Lakes Online, presented by MSU Extension of Oakland County, six-week online class taught via pre-recorded video lectures, topics include lake ecology, aquatic plants, and water law. Register by 5 p.m. Jan. 28, at www.canr.msu.edu/courses/introduction-to-lakes

Charitables/Fundraisers

• Party Palooza Fundraiser is 6-10 p.m. Jan. 17, at Pontiac Transportation Museum, 250 W. Pike St., Pontiac, cocktails, food, live entertainment, tickets are available at https://events.getlocalhop.com/pontiac-transportation-museum-pop/event/3AxmNbdcA5 or call 248-977-4410.

• Kroger shoppers will be greeted by Gleaners’ volunteers with donation lists of needed nutritious foods and personal items. Volunteers will collect customer donations on Saturdays and Sundays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Jan. 18-19 at Kroger locations in Oakland County.

• Gorman’s Home Furnishings and Interior Design is hosting its annual Charity Recliner Promotion. Customers who visit any of Gorman’s four Southeast Michigan showrooms (Farmington Hills, Novi, Southfield and Troy) from now through Jan. 20, and make a minimum donation of $50 to The Arc of Oakland County, will receive an extra $200 off the price of any leather recliner from Gorman’s 10 Best Brands or up to $400 off Stressless recliners, www.gormans.com/arc.

• The Furniture Bank of Metro Detroit is seeking donations of gently used furniture for families in need, especially smaller sofas, dining tables, and chairs that fit in modest-sized homes, items should be free of stains, rips, tears, and pet hair. Call 248-332-1300 to schedule a pick-up.

• Child Abuse Survivor and former NFL Player to speak at CARE House of Oakland County’s 2025 Circle of Friends Luncheon event to raise funds for child abuse treatment and prevention programs. The luncheon is Jan. 23, at the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham. CARE House will also host a preview party on Jan. 22. Ticket prices for the luncheon start at $125. Ticket packages and tickets for the preview party are also available to purchase. Call 248-332-7173 ext. 206 or visit www.carehouse.org.

Community events

• Traditional Ice Harvesting Open House is 1-4 p.m. Jan. 12, at Orchard Lake Museum, 3951 Orchard Lake Road, Orchard Lake Village, free admission, donations welcome. Another open house will be held the following Sunday, from 1-4 p.m. Jan. 19, exhibits of local area history and culture, www.gwbhs.org.

• The League of Women Voters Oakland Area is hosting a public presentation featuring Casandra Ulbrich, Chancellor for Institutional Advancement at the University of Michigan-Dearborn at 1 p.m. Jan. 15, at Bloomfield Township Public Library, 1099 Lone Pine Road, Bloomfield Township. The event is free and open to the public. RSVP to Geri Rinchler at LWVOAMI@gmail.com, https://my.lwv.org/michigan/oakland-area.

• Anthony Grupido “Magic of Hope” is 7-8:30 p.m. Jan. 23, at Groves High School Auditorium, 20500 W 13 Mile Road, Beverly Hills, addressing mental health awareness and suicide prevention with magic, humor and storytelling, www.birminghamyouthassistance.org, free admission.

Expos/Festivals

• Detroit Auto Show is Jan. 11-20, at Huntington Place, One Washington Blvd., https://detroitautoshow.com, ticket prices vary.

• Detroit Model Railroad Club Open House Shows are noon to 5 p.m. Jan. 11-12, Jan. 25-26, March 1-2 and March 15-16, at 104 North Saginaw St. Holly, 248-634-5811, dmrrc.org, $5 gen adm., $2 for ages 5-17 and $2 for younger than 5.

• The City of Rochester Hills invites the community to enjoy holiday lights at Innovation Hills Park, 2800 W. Hamlin Road, Rochester Hills, 5-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 5-8 p.m. Friday-Sunday, through Jan. 15, www.rochesterhills.org/news_detail_T9_R385.php.

• Rochester Hills Public Library to host “Winter Wonder Library,” 6-8 p.m. Jan. 17, outside at the library’s garden, 500 Olde Towne Road, Rochester. An after-hours event packed with crafts, hot cocoa and cookies, dancing and seasonal fun for all ages, open to the public, no registration required. For information, visit calendar.rhpl.org or call 248-656-2900.

• Downtown Rochester’s Frost Festival is 5-9 p.m. Jan. 17 and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Jan. 18. Frozen in Time-themed ice sculptures, Frost Fest BINGO. Map of ice sculptures is online and a physical map is at Rochester DDA’s Downtown Collaboration Studio, 431 Main Street. Ice carving competition is 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Jan. 18, on W. 4th Street. Lions’ Club warming station on E. 3rd Street to feature a warm fire, marshmallow roasting, and ice corn hole, downtownrochestermi.com/frost-festival.

• The Big, Bright Light Show: 5 p.m.-midnight, nightly through Jan. 19, downtown Rochester, www.downtownrochestermi.com/the-big-bright-light-show.

Library activities

• Expedition Quartet with Ralph Koziarski will perform at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 15, at the Southfield Library, 26300 Evergreen Road. Southfield, www.kozimusic.com, 248-701-4888, $7 cover charge.

• Rochester Hills Public Library presents “Resources & Guidance for the 2025 Tax Filing Season” at 7 p.m. Jan. 16, at the library, 500 Olde Towne Road, Rochester, open to the public, registration is required at calendar.rhpl.org or call 248-656-2900.

• Tinker Tuesday, Mo Willems’ Pigeon Books maker event is 6 p.m. Jan. 21, at The Madison Heights Public Library, 240 W 13 Mile Road, Madison Heights. Register at: https://secure.rec1.com/MI/madison-heights-mi/catalog, 248-588-7763, ages 5+, free.

• Math and Science tutoring for middle and high school students is 1-4 p.m. every other Saturday at Pontiac Library, 60 E Pike St., Pontiac, registration required by email at pont@pontiaclibrary.org.

Parks/Outdoor activities

• Winter Park at Bowers School Farm, 1219 E Square Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, is open through Feb. 23, family-friendly 200-foot tubing hill, designed for fun in any weather, no snow needed, night display of neon lights, farm animals, bonfires, farm and kitchen store, food to purchase. Hours are 4-10 p.m. Friday, noon-10 p.m., Saturday and noon-9 p.m. Sunday, tickets are $17 each, www.schoolfarm.org/winter-activities.

• The Rink at Royal Oak is open daily through Feb. 17, at Centennial Commons Park, Royal Oak, festive lights, royaloakholidays.com, admission is $10-$12, skate rental if needed is $5, weather permitting.

• The Rink at Stine Community Park is open daily through March 16, at 241 Town Center, at the City of Troy Civic Center Campus, free admission, skate rentals are $3 residents, $5 non-residents, https://rec.troymi.gov/parks___facilities/the_rink/index.php, weather permitting.

• Riley Park Ice Rink is open daily through February, at 23600 Liberty St., Farmington, open daily, weather permitting, free admission, bring skates, https://farmgov.com/Community/Parks-and-Recreation/Riley-Park-Ice-Rink.

• Oakland County Parks and Recreation offers free admission. General park entry fees and vehicle permits have been eliminated for all parks operated by Oakland County Parks, www.oakgov.com/community/oakland-county-parks.

• Huron-Clinton Metroparks in Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw and Wayne, metroparks.com. Park entrance fees apply. Annual vehicle passes are $40 for residents ($29 for seniors 62+) or $45 for non-residents ($34 for seniors 62+).

• Michigan State Parks and Recreation Areas, michigan.gov/dnr. Park entrance fees apply.

Support activities/Resources

• For access to local community services, dial 211 (844-875-9211) or text zip code to 898211, for information and referrals to physical and mental health resources; housing, utility, food, and employment assistance; and suicide and crisis interventions, United Way, https://unitedwaysem.org/get-help.

• Common Ground’s Resource & Crisis Helpline is available 24/7 – call or text 800-231-1127.

• The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7 confidential support for people who are suicidal or in emotional distress, or who know someone who is. Calls and text messages to 988 route to a 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline call center, www.fcc.gov/988Lifeline.

• Veterans Crisis Line, dial 988 and then press 1 to connect to the Veterans Crisis Lifeline. For texts, veterans should text the Veterans Crisis Lifeline short code: 838255.

• National Domestic Violence Hotline, 800-799-7233, available 24/7.

Submit community events online at https://bit.ly/40a2iAm.

Today is Sunday, Jan. 12, the 12th day of 2025. There are 353 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Jan. 12, 2010, Haiti was struck by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake that the Haitian government estimated killed some 300,000 people.

Also on this date:

In 1915, the U.S. House of Representatives rejected, 204-174, a proposed constitutional amendment to give women nationwide the right to vote.

In 1932, Hattie W. Caraway of Arkansas became the first woman to win election to the U.S. Senate after initially being appointed to serve out the remainder of the term of her late husband, Thaddeus.

In 1935, aviator Amelia Earhart completed an 18-hour trip from Honolulu to Oakland, California, making her the first person to fly solo across any part of the Pacific Ocean.

In 1948, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Sipuel v. Board of Regents of University of Oklahoma, unanimously ruled that state law schools could not discriminate against applicants on the basis of race.

In 1959, Berry Gordy Jr. founded Motown Records (originally Tamla Records) in Detroit.

In 1966, “Batman” premiered on ABC, starring Adam West and Burt Ward.

In 1969, the biggest upset in Super Bowl history occurred as the New York Jets of the American Football League defeated the Baltimore Colts of the National Football League 16-7 in Super Bowl III, played at the Orange Bowl in Miami.

Today’s birthdays:

• Author Haruki Murakami is 76.
• Filmmaker Wayne Wang is 76.
• Football Hall of Famer Drew Pearson is 74.
• Writer Walter Mosley is 73.
• Media personality Howard Stern is 71.
• Filmmaker John Lasseter is 68.
• Broadcast journalist Christiane Amanpour is 67.
• Actor Oliver Platt is 65.
• Basketball Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins is 65.
• Entrepreneur Jeff Bezos is 61.
• Musician-filmmaker Rob Zombie is 60.
• Rock singer Zack de la Rocha (Rage Against the Machine) is 55.
• Rapper Raekwon (Wu Tang Clan) is 55.
• Singer Melanie Chisholm (Spice Girls) is 51.
• Hockey Hall of Famer Marián Hossa is 46.
• Actor Issa Rae is 40.
• Singer Zayn Malik is 32.

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) — Despite a career-high 20 points from TJ Nadeau leading three Detroit Mercy freshmen in double figures, Rasheed Bello’s 26 points helped Purdue Fort Wayne defeat the Titans 90-67 on Saturday night.

Bello added five rebounds for the Mastodons (13-6, 6-2 Horizon League). Corey Hadnot II shot 7 of 10 from the field, including 4 for 5 from 3-point range, and went 5 for 5 from the line to add 23 points. Jalen Jackson shot 7 of 13 from the field, including 1 for 3 from 3-point range, and went 4 for 4 from the line to finish with 19 points.

Nadeau (Detroit Catholic Central) led the way for the Titans (6-13, 2-6) with 20 points, eight rebounds and two steals. Detroit Mercy also got 19 points, six rebounds and five assists from Grant Gondrezick II. Nate Johnson also had 19 points and six rebounds.

Nadeau’s previous season high was 16 at Eastern Michigan, while he had nine rebounds at Wake Forest.
He has made a 3-pointer in 14 of his 19 games on the season, while he also had three 3s in the first meeting with the Mastodons

Purdue Fort Wayne’s next game is Wednesday against Wright State on the road. Detroit Mercy hosts Oakland on Saturday.

DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 22 points, 17 assists and 10 rebounds, and the Detroit Pistons beat the Toronto Raptors 123-114 on Saturday night.

Cunningham fell one assist of his career high, set on Dec. 16, and has the second-most triple-doubles in Pistons history.

Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 27 points for the Pistons, who have won nine of 11. Malik Beasley added 18.

Immanuel Quickley had 25 points for Toronto, which has lost five straight and 16 of 17. Scottie Barnes had 16 points and 11 rebounds as Toronto had seven players score in double figures.

Quickley’s jumper tied the game at 109 with five minutes left, but Toronto missed four straight free throws to allow Detroit to take a 113-109 lead on Cunningham’s short jumper with 3:48 to play.

Takeaways

Raptors: Toronto came up empty on a key fourth-quarter possession despite grabbing three offensive possessions.

Pistons: Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff has settled on Ausar Thompson to fill Jaden Ivey’s spot in the starting lineup. However, sixth man Beasley gets all of the playing time down the stretch.

Key moment

Toronto led 66-65 at halftime, but Hardaway had 11 points in the third quarter as Detroit built a 99-93 lead.

Key stat

The Pistons had 10 first-half turnovers, leading to 19 Toronto points, but the Raptors only got four points off their seven second-half turnovers.

Up next

Both teams return to action on Monday. Toronto will host the Golden State Warriors while the Pistons will travel to New York to face the Knicks.

— By DAVE HOGG, Associated Press

FRASER – The Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood Cranes scored three goals in the first period then held off a late comeback to defeat the Bloomfield-Birmingham Black Hawks 3-2 in the Michigan Girls High School Hockey League College Showcase on Saturday morning.

“I really liked our perseverance. We didn’t really have too many highs, too many lows. We played a solid game all three periods,” Cranes head coach Paul Marcus said. “Bloomfield-Birmingham had a nice push there in the third period, but I think we played a nice even-keeled game that turned out to be a close one in the end.”

The Cranes dominated much of the first period and scored all three of their goals in a span of just under five minutes during the middle of the period. Julia Asfor set up Abbey Hardey to get things going for Cranbrook, threading a pass across the deep slot that found Hardey on the back side, and she quickly rammed it home to give Cranbrook a 1-0 lead.

Lela Lantigua added a pair of goals for Cranbrook less than a minute apart to give the Cranes their three-goal lead with 3:58 to play in the opening frame.

But the Black Hawks slowly righted the ship. Bloomfield-Birmingham managed to get out of the first period without further damage and played better in each succeeding period, saving their best for the final one.

Bloomfield-Birmingham started to get chances from in deep as opposed to the perimeter, and the goals began to come. The Black Hawks got on the board with 6:26 to play in the third period when Lily Ehmann walked the puck down the left side and snapped a shot home from in close to narrow the gap to two. Paige Garder then cut the deficit to just one with 2:34 to play when she scored a wraparound goal.

“The third period we started playing more as a team. I think we had a little more individual play in the first two periods,” Black Hawks assistant coach Chris Koch said. “It slowly came together, getting the puck in deep, putting pressure on them, and that seemed to be our success there.”

But the Cranes had enough to see off the Black Hawks in the end, in part due to their face-off dominance. The Cranes had a clear edge on faceoffs much of the game, and that translated into more possession and more shots.

“Obviously, (face-offs) are a critical component to the game,” Marcus said. “Really, in all three zones, it’s highly important to maintain possession. In our own zone, but also when you win those face-offs in the forward zone, it creates better opportunities of driving the net.”

Photos of Cranbrook-Kingswood vs. Bloomfield-Birmingham at the Michigan Girls High School Hockey League College Showcase

Cranbrook out-shot the Black Hawks 32-19 in the game, though most of that margin came in the Cranes’ dominant first period where they piled up a 16-6 edge.

With the win, Cranbrook evens its record at 5-3. The Cranes return to divisional action on Friday when they host Sacred Heart at Wallace Ice Arena.

Bloomfield-Birmingham is now 6-5 on the season. The Black Hawks faced a quick turnaround, hosting Washtenaw United on Sunday in a divisional matchup.

“I just want to give it all to the girls,” Koch said. “We have a couple of new girls that have come into the hockey program, and they’re really learning from some of these veterans that are out there. I think it says a lot for this program and the girls that have all been through it to be able build all these girls up, build up that confidence, and bring this team together.”

Three Cranbrook goals in the first period proved to be enough as the Cranes held on to defeat Bloomfield-Birmingham 3-2 at the Michigan Girls High School Hockey League College Showcase in Fraser on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025.