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Yesterday — 21 November 2025The Oakland Press

Slotkin gets security detail in wake of Trump death penalty remarks, threats

21 November 2025 at 17:55

By Melissa Nann Burke, mburke@detroitnews.com

Washington ― U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin has been assigned around-the-clock police protection, her office said, following calls by President Donald Trump on Thursday morning that the Michigan lawmaker should be arrested and possibly put to death over a video that she made with other Democrats.

Slotkin told NBC News that she has received “hundreds and hundreds, if not, you know, closer to 1,000 threats” since the video first picked up traction in the news earlier in the week and then Trump suggested on Thursday that her message was “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”

Now, a U.S. Capitol Police officer is following Slotkin around everywhere she goes to ensure her safety, her office said late Thursday.

The Holly Democrat had posted online the video recording of Democratic veterans in Congress on Tuesday. The video features Slotkin and five other lawmakers who contended that the Trump administration is pitting the uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against U.S. citizens, and urged them not to follow unspecified illegal orders: “Don’t give up the ship.”

Trump accuses Slotkin, other Democrats of ‘seditious behavior, punishable by death’

Trump lashed out at the Democratic lawmakers on Thursday in a torrent of posts on his Truth Social platform.

“It’s called SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL,” Trump wrote. “Their words cannot be allowed to stand – We won’t have a Country anymore!!! An example MUST BE SET.”

The second-term Republican president followed up with other posts about the Democratic lawmakers: “This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country. Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???”

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, told reporters Thursday that he’d requested extra security for Slotkin and Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, who was also in the video. Schumer railed against Trump’s language toward the lawmakers on the Senate floor, saying the president’s language “is an outright threat, and it’s deadly serious.”

“When Donald Trump uses the language of execution and treason, some of his supporters may very well listen,” Schumer said.

The other Democrats in the video with Slotkin besides Kelly were U.S. Reps. Jason Crow of Colorado, Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, and Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire.

Trump’s social media comments suggesting Slotkin and the other Democratic lawmakers could face execution for their remarks prompted the president’s spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, to argue the lawmakers had encouraged service members “to defy the President’s lawful orders.”

At a White House briefing Thursday with reporters, Leavitt said “no” when asked whether the president wants members of Congress executed.

“The president expects his Cabinet officials in the administration to follow the law and to demand accountability and hold people accountable for their dangerous rhetoric,” Leavitt said. “And I would just add that if this were Republican members of Congress who were encouraging members of the military and members of our United States government to defy orders from the president and from the chain of command, this entire room would be up in arms. But instead, it is the other way around, and I think that’s quite telling.”

 

U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) speaks to a group of business and community leaders among others attending Tuesday’s roundtable discussion at Macomb Community College’s University Center hosted by Macomb County Chamber. GINA JOSEPH – THE MACOMB DAILY

Once a patient’s in custody, ICE can be at hospital bedsides — but detainees have rights

21 November 2025 at 17:43

By Claudia Boyd-Barrett, KFF Health News

In July, federal immigration agents took Milagro Solis-Portillo to Glendale Memorial Hospital just outside Los Angeles after she suffered a medical emergency while being detained. They didn’t leave.

For two weeks, Immigration and Customs Enforcement contractors sat guard in the hospital lobby 24 hours a day, working in shifts to monitor her movements, her attorney Ming Tanigawa-Lau said.

ICE later transferred the Salvadoran woman to Anaheim Global Medical Center, against her doctor’s orders and without explanation, her attorney said. There, Tanigawa-Lau said, ICE agents were allowed to stay in Solis-Portillo’s hospital room round-the-clock, listening to what should have been private conversations with providers. Solis-Portillo told her attorney that agents pressured her to say she was well enough to leave the hospital, telling her she wouldn’t be able to speak to her family or her attorney until she complied.

“She described it to me as feeling like she was being tortured,” Tanigawa-Lau said.

Legal experts say ICE agents can be in public areas of a hospital, such as a lobby, and can accompany already-detained patients as they receive care, illustrating the scope of federal authority. Detained patients, however, have rights and can try to advocate for themselves or seek legal recourse.

Earlier this year, California set aside $25 million to fund legal services for immigrants, and some local jurisdictions — including Orange County, Long Beach, and San Francisco— have put money toward legal aid efforts. The California Department of Social Services lists some legal defense nonprofits that have received funds.

Sophia Genovese, a supervising attorney and clinical teaching fellow at Georgetown Law, said law enforcement officers, including federal immigration agents, can guard and even restrain a person in their custody who is receiving health care, but they must follow constitutional and health privacy laws regardless of the person’s immigration status. Under those laws, patients can ask to speak with medical providers in private and to seek and speak confidentially with legal counsel, she said.

“ICE should be stationed outside of the room or outside of earshot during any communication between the patient and their doctor or medical provider,” Genovese said, adding that the same applies to a patient’s communication with lawyers. “That’s what they’re supposed to do.”

ICE guidelines

When it comes to communication and visits, ICE’s standards state that detainees should have access to a phone and be able to receive visits from family and friends, “within security and operational constraints.” However, these guidelines are not enforceable, Genovese said.

If immigration agents arrest someone without a warrant, they must tell them why they’ve been detained and generally can’t hold them for more than 48 hours without making a custody determination. A federal judge recently granted a temporary restraining order in a case in which a man named Bayron Rovidio Marin was monitored by immigration agents in a Los Angeles hospital for 37 days without being charged and was registered under a pseudonym.

In the past, perceived violations by agents could be reported to ICE leadership at local field offices, to the agency’s headquarters, or to an oversight body, Genovese said. But earlier this year, the Department of Homeland Security cut staffing at ombudsman offices that investigate civil rights complaints, saying they “obstructed immigration enforcement by adding bureaucratic hurdles.”

The assistant secretary for public affairs at DHS, Tricia McLaughlin, said that agents arrested Marin for being in the country illegally and that he admitted his lack of legal status to ICE agents. She said agents took him to the hospital after he injured his leg while trying to evade federal officers during a raid. She said officers did not prevent him from seeing his family or from using the phone.

“All detainees have access to phones they can use to contact their families and lawyers,” she said.

McLaughlin said the temporary restraining order was issued by an “activist” judge. She did not address questions about staffing cuts at the ombudsman offices.

DHS also said Solis-Portillo was in the country illegally. The department said she had been removed from the United States twice and arrested for the crimes of false identification, theft, and burglary.

“ICE takes its commitment to promoting safe, secure, humane environments for those in our custody very seriously,” McLaughlin said. “It is a long-standing practice to provide comprehensive medical care from the moment an alien enters ICE custody. This includes access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care.”

Protections in California

Anaheim Global Medical Center did not respond to a request for comment. In a statement, Dignity Health, which operates Glendale Memorial Hospital, said it “cannot legally restrict law enforcement or security personnel from being present in public areas which include the hospital lobby/waiting area.”

California enacted a law in September that prohibits medical establishments from allowing federal agents without a valid search warrant or court order into private areas, including places where patients receive treatment or discuss health matters. But many of the most high-profile news reports of immigration agents at health care facilities have involved detained patients brought in for care.

Erika Frank, vice president of legal counsel for the California Hospital Association, said hospitals have always had law enforcement, including federal agents, bring in people they’ve detained who need medical attention.

Hospitals will defer to law enforcement on whether a patient needs to be monitored at all times, according to association spokesperson Jan Emerson-Shea. If law enforcement officers overhear medical information about a patient while they’re in the hospital, it doesn’t constitute a patient-privacy violation, she added.

“This is no different, legally, from a patient or visitor overhearing information about another patient in a nearby bed or emergency department bay,” Emerson-Shea said in a statement.

She didn’t address whether patients can demand privacy with providers and attorneys, and she said hospitals don’t tell family and friends about the detained patient’s location, for safety reasons.

Sandy Reding, who is president of the California Nurses Association and visited the Glendale facility when Solis-Portillo was there, said nurses and patients were frightened to see masked immigration agents in the hospital’s lobby. She said she saw them sitting behind a registration desk where they could hear people discuss private health information.

“Hospitals used to be a sanctuary place, and now they’re not,” she said. “And it seems like ICE has just been running rampant.”

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote Nov. 18 on a proposal to provide more protections for detainees at county-operated health facilities. These include limiting the ability of immigration officials to hide patients’ identities, allowing patients to consent to the release of information to family members and legal counsel, and directing staff to insist immigration agents leave the room at times to protect patient privacy. The county would also defend employees who try to uphold its policies.

Solis-Portillo’s lawyer, Tanigawa-Lau, said her client ultimately decided to self-deport to El Salvador rather than fight her case, because she felt she couldn’t get the medical care she needed in ICE custody.

“Even though Milagro’s case is really terrible, I’m glad that there’s more awareness now about this issue,” Tanigawa-Lau said.

©2025 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

A small group of veterans, healthcare workers and supporters, gather outside the Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital in protest of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who are using part of the facility to facilitate Operation Midway Blitz, on Sept. 15, 2025, in Hines, Illinois. (Scott Olson/Getty Images North America/TNS)

Giants QB Jaxson Dart remains in concussion protocol and won’t play at Detroit

21 November 2025 at 17:41

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart will miss a second consecutive game because of a concussion.

Interim coach Mike Kafka said Friday that Dart remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol and will not play Sunday at Detroit. Journeyman Jameis Winston is set to start again in Dart’s absence, with Russell Wilson backing up.

Dart was knocked out of the Giants’ game against the Bears on Nov. 9 after taking a hit to the head. He did not play last weekend when New York hosted Green Bay.

The team hoped Dart would progress quickly enough to get cleared to face the Lions. The 22-year-old was a limited participant in practices Wednesday and Thursday and would have needed to take part fully Friday to play.

Winston was 19 of 29 for 201 yards passing with a rushing touchdown and an interception in a 27-20 loss to the Packers that dropped New York to 2-9 this season.

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart, center, looks to throw during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

ICE courthouse arrests meet resistance from Democratic states

21 November 2025 at 17:25

By Jonathan Shorman, Stateline.org

A day after President Donald Trump took office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued a new directive to its agents: Arrests at courthouses, restricted under the Biden administration, were again permissible.

In Connecticut, a group of observers who keep watch on ICE activity in and around Stamford Superior Court have since witnessed a series of arrests. In one high-profile case in August, federal agents pursued two men into a bathroom.

“Is it an activity you want to be interfering with, people fulfilling their duty when they’re called to court and going to court? For me, it’s insanity,” said David Michel, a Democratic former state representative in Connecticut who helps observe courthouse activity.

Fueled by the Stamford uproar, Connecticut lawmakers last week approved restrictions on civil arrests and mask-wearing by federal law enforcement at state courthouses. And on Monday, a federal judge tossed a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Department of Justice that had sought to block similar restrictions in New York.

They are the latest examples of a growing number of Democratic states, and some judges, pushing back against ICE arrests in and around state courthouses. State lawmakers and other officials worry the raids risk keeping people from testifying in criminal trials, fighting evictions or seeking restraining orders against domestic abusers.

The courthouse arrests mark an intensifying clash between the Trump administration and Democratic states that pits federal authority against state sovereignty. Sitting at the core of the fight are questions about how much power states have to control what happens in their own courts and the physical grounds they sit on.

In Illinois, lawmakers approved a ban on civil immigration arrests at courthouses in October. In Rhode Island, lawmakers plan to again push for a ban after an earlier measure didn’t advance in March. Connecticut lawmakers were codifying limits imposed by the state Supreme Court chief justice in September. Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont is expected to sign the bill.

States that are clamping down on ICE continue to allow the agency to make criminal arrests, as opposed to noncriminal civil arrests. Many people arrested and subsequently deported are taken on noncriminal, administrative warrants. As of Sept. 21, 71.5% of ICE detainees had no criminal convictions, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a data research organization.

Some states, such as New York, already have limits on immigration enforcement in courthouses that date back to the first Trump administration, when ICE agents also engaged in courthouse arrests. New York’s Protect Our Courts Act, in place since 2020, prohibits civil arrests of people at state and local courthouses without a judicial warrant. The law also applies to people traveling to and from court, extending protections beyond courthouse grounds.

“One of the cornerstones of our democracy is open access to the courts. When that access is denied or chilled, all of us are made less safe and less free,” said Oren Sellstrom, litigation director at Lawyers for Civil Rights, a Boston-based group that works to provide legal support to immigrants, people of color and low-income individuals.

But in addition to challenging the New York law, the Justice Department is prosecuting a Wisconsin state judge, alleging she illegally helped a migrant avoid ICE agents.

“We aren’t some medieval kingdom; there are no legal sanctuaries where you can hide and avoid the consequences for breaking the law,” U.S. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to Stateline. “Nothing in the constitution prohibits arresting a lawbreaker where you find them.”

Some Republican lawmakers oppose efforts to limit ICE arrests in and near courthouses, arguing state officials should stay out of the way of federal law enforcement. The Ohio Senate in June passed a bill that would prohibit public officials from interfering in immigration arrests or prohibiting cooperation with ICE; the move came after judges in Franklin County, which includes Columbus, imposed restrictions on civil arrests in courthouses.

“The United States is a nation of immigrants, but we are also a nation of law and order. To have a civilized society, laws must be respected, this includes immigration laws,” Ohio Republican state Sen. Kristina Roegner, the bill’s sponsor, said in a news release at the time.

Roegner didn’t respond to Stateline’s interview request. The legislation remains in a House committee.

Knowing where a target will be

Courthouses offer an attractive location for ICE to make immigration arrests, according to both ICE and advocates for migrants.

Court records and hearing schedules often indicate who is expected in the building on any given day. Administrative warrants don’t allow ICE to enter private homes without permission, but the same protections don’t apply in public areas, such as courthouses. And many people have a strong incentive to show up for court, knowing that warrants can potentially be issued for their arrest if they don’t.

“So in some respects, it’s easy pickings,” said Steven Brown, executive director of the ACLU of Rhode Island.

In June, ICE arrested Pablo Grave de la Cruz at Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal in Cranston. A 36-year-old Rhode Island resident, he had come from Guatemala illegally as a teenager.

“They pulled up on him like he was a murderer or a rapist,” friend Brittany Donohue told the Rhode Island Current, which chronicled de la Cruz’s case. “He was leaving traffic court.”

An immigration judge has since granted de la Cruz permission to self-deport.

McLaughlin, the Homeland Security assistant secretary, said in her statement that allowing law enforcement to make arrests “of criminal illegal aliens in courthouses is common sense” — conserving law enforcement resources because officers know where a target will be. The department said the practice is safer for officers and the community, noting that individuals have gone through courthouse security.

Still, ICE’s directive on courthouse arrests sets some limits on the agency’s activity.

Agents “should, to the extent practicable” conduct civil immigration arrests in non-public areas of the courthouse and avoid public entrances. Actions should be taken “discreetly” to minimize disruption to court proceedings, and agents should generally avoid areas wholly dedicated to non-criminal proceedings, such as family court, the directive says.

Crucially, the directive says ICE can conduct civil immigration arrests “where such action is not precluded by laws imposed by the jurisdiction.” In other words, the agency’s guidance directs agents to respect state and local bans on noncriminal arrests.

Trump administration court actions

But the Trump administration has also gone to court to try to overcome state-level restrictions.

The Justice Department sued in June over New York’s Protect Our Courts Act, arguing that it “purposefully shields dangerous aliens” from lawful detention. The department says the law violates the U.S. Constitution’s supremacy clause, under which federal law supersedes state law.

New York Democratic Attorney General Letitia James argued the state law doesn’t conflict with federal law and sought the lawsuit’s dismissal.

U.S. District Court Judge Mae D’Agostino, an appointee of President Barack Obama, on Monday granted James’ motion. The judge wrote that the “entire purpose” of the lawsuit was to allow the federal government to commandeer New York’s resources — such as court schedules and court security screening measures — to aid immigration enforcement, even though states cannot generally be required to help the federal government enforce federal law.

“Compelling New York to allow federal immigration authorities to reap the benefits of the work of state employees is no different than permitting the federal government to commandeer state officials directly in furtherance of federal objectives,” the judge wrote.

The Justice Department didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The department is also prosecuting Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan, who prosecutors allege helped a person living in the country illegally avoid ICE agents in April inside a Milwaukee courthouse by letting him exit a courtroom through a side door. (Agents apprehended the individual near the courthouse.) A federal grand jury indicted Dugan on a count of concealing an individual and a count of obstructing a proceeding.

In court documents, Dugan’s lawyers have called the prosecution “virtually unprecedented and entirely unconstitutional.”

Dugan has pleaded not guilty, and a trial is set for December.

Lawmakers seek ‘order’ in courthouses

Rhode Island Democratic state Sen. Meghan Kallman is championing legislation that would generally ban civil arrests at courthouses. The measure received a hearing, but a legislative committee recommended further study.

Kallman hopes the bill will go further next year. The sense of urgency has intensified, she said, and more people now understand the consequences of what is happening.

“In order to create a system of law that is functioning and that encourages trust, we have to make those [courthouse] spaces safe,” she said.

Back in Connecticut, Democratic state Rep. Steven Stafstrom said his day job as a commercial litigator brings him into courthouses across the state weekly. Based on his conversations with court staff, other lawyers and senior administration within the judicial branch, he said “there’s a genuine fear, not just for safety, but for disruptions of orderly court processes in our courthouses.”

Some Connecticut Republicans have questioned whether a law that only pertains to civil arrests would prove effective. State Rep. Craig Fishbein, the ranking Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, noted during floor debate that entering the United States without permission is a criminal offense — a misdemeanor for first-time offenders and a felony for repeat offenders. Because of that, he suggested the measure wouldn’t stop many courthouse arrests.

“The advocates think they’re getting no arrests in courthouses, but they’ve been sold a bill of goods,” he said.

Stafstrom, who chairs the Judiciary Committee, said in response that he believed the legislation protects many people who are in the country illegally because that crime is often not prosecuted.

“All we’re asking is for ICE to recognize the need for order in our courthouses,” Stafstrom said.

Stateline reporter Jonathan Shorman can be reached at jshorman@stateline.org.

©2025 States Newsroom. Visit at stateline.org. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Federal agents patrol the halls of immigration court at the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building on Oct. 22, 2025, in New York City. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and other federal agencies continue to make detainments in immigration courts as people attend their court hearings despite a government shutdown thats going on it’s twenty second day. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images North America/TNS)

Case advances against cop accused of sexually assaulting police cadet

21 November 2025 at 17:23

The case against a Farmington Hills police officer accused of sexually assaulting a police cadet has advanced from district court to Oakland County Circuit Court for possible trial.

At the conclusion of a Nov. 20 preliminary exam, 52-1 District Judge Travis Reeds bound over the case against Michael Rybinski, ruling that the evidence presented established probable cause.

Rybinski, 31, of WIxom, is charged with one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct and three counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct for an alleged assault that reportedly happened outside of work on June 16.

Rybinski is on administrative leave, according to the Farmington Hills Police Department.

As previously reported, the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office said the alleged victim stated that the incident happened in her car after she agreed to give Rybinski a ride home. He had reportedly called her for the ride, stating he was drunk. He’s accused of groping, forcibly fondling and trying to kiss her despite her repeatedly telling him to stop. The alleged victim reported the incident the next day, the prosecutor’s office said. The Farmington Hills Police Department subsequently referred to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit, the prosecutor’s office said.

Rybinski is out on bond after posting $2,000 — the required 10% of the $20,000 bond set at his district court arraignment. With the bindover, his arraignment in the higher court is scheduled for Dec. 4 before Judge Mary Ellen Brennan.

Third-degree criminal sexual conduct carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison. Fourth-degree CSC is punishable by up to two years in prison.

 

file photo (Aileen WIngblad/MediaNews Group)

OU adopts Okanagan Charter

21 November 2025 at 16:29

On Nov. 10 Oakland University President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz formally adopted the Okanagan Charter.

The charter provides institutions with a common language, principles and framework to become a health and wellbeing promoting campus and outlines two calls to action: to embed health into all aspects of campus culture, across the administration, operations and academic mandates, and to lead health promotion action and collaboration locally and globally.

“We know that a mentally and physically healthy community leads to a thriving campus. Adopting the Okanagan Charter means we’re joining a global movement of health-promoting universities and reaffirming our commitment to embed health into every part of campus life,” said Becky Lewis, director of University Recreation and Well-Being and chair of OU’s Healthy Campus Network. “As part of the adoption, and as we move forward, we will foster an environment where everyone can live well in all areas of wellness – physical, mental, social, environmental and financial.”

Oakland is one of the first 50 universities in the country to adopt the charter.

“We’re so proud to lead by example and adopt the Okanagan Charter,” said Pescovitz. “By doing so, we are reaffirming our commitment to care for one another, nurture a campus where all can flourish and build a future rooted in health.”

President Pescovitz signs the Okanagan Charter, reaffirming OU's commitment to promoting health and wellbeing across campus and in surrounding communities. Photo courtesy OU

Roeper school will have new transportation service next year

21 November 2025 at 16:25

The Roeper School has announced a new transportation service beginning in the 2026–2027 school year.

O’Neal Turner, Roeper’s director of enrollment and financial aid, said inaugural routes will serve families in and around the Livonia area and the southwestern suburbs.

“We’re proud to partner with Cranbrook Schools to make this service possible. By sharing a single route, both schools can reduce costs for families and minimize environmental impact,” Turner said in a statement. “This collaboration helps meet the needs of families who commute from communities as far as Ann Arbor while ensuring their children can continue to enjoy a Roeper education.”

The annual fee includes round-trip transportation and before-care/after-care services. For 2026–27, the cost will be $2,500 for the first child with a $500 discount for each additional sibling.

The proposed schedule includes a 6:45 am pick-up and 5:45 pm drop-off, though these times may be adjusted.

Registration for new and returning families will open in spring 2026. The exact pick-up locations and additional details will be shared before registration begins.

The Roeper School is a pre-kindergarten through grade 12 day school for gifted children located in Bloomfield Hills and Birmingham.

The Roeper School, founded in 1941 by George and Annemarie Roeper, is a prekindergarten through grade 12 independent day school for gifted children located in Bloomfield Hills and Birmingham, Photo courtesy the Roeper School

CareerQuest offers a world of opportunities in one space

21 November 2025 at 16:17

Thousands of students from southeast Michigan experienced hands-on learning in a new way.

Over 9,000 high school students from 132 schools across six counties turned out for MiCareerQuest Southeast, the region’s largest career exploration, at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi.

The event in its fifth year featured more than 210 career demonstrations in advanced manufacturing, construction, health sciences and technology. The interactive exhibits and hands-on demonstrations exposed students to industrial technology and may have helped some decide what their career choice will be.

“Some of these engineering tools really make me want to pursue something in that field when I go to college next year,” said Jared Jackson, a senior at Novi High School. “The tools they use to create cars and buildings and other things is amazing.”

“Hands-on events like MiCareerQuest open our students’ eyes to real-world career paths and inspire them to imagine their futures,” said Lisa Butts, director of K-12 Career Focused Education at Oxford Community Schools.

Nyla Rushin from Children's Village tries on fire department gear from the Novi Fire Department. Several municipalities brought in personnel and equipment to show students what career opportunities they have.Photo by Matt Fahr
Nyla Rushin from Children’s Village tries on fire department gear from the Novi Fire Department. Several municipalities brought in personnel and equipment to show students what career opportunities they have. Photo by Matt Fahr

Alyssa Valdwin, a sophomore at Brandon High School, was interested in a specific career, but got a chance to see what other careers were available.

“I really want to be a postpartum nurse so the healthcare area was what I really wanted to see, but I wanted to see what other things they had to offer,” Baldwin said after she helped take lugnuts off a tire at the Baker College Auto Diesel Institute display.

One display that drew a crowd was a virtual reality set up from Emerge.

The company, started in 2017 and based in Troy, offers “virtual extended reality experiences”, according to Joe Bamberger, co-founder of the company.

Carissa Hanna and Apple Gillum from Royal Oak High School walk among the planets at the Emerge display.Photo by Matt Fahr
Carissa Hanna and Apple Gillum from Royal Oak High School walk among the planets at the Emerge display. Photo by Matt Fahr

Students put on virtual reality headsets and to explore the galaxy, oceans, deserts and more. Emerge can bring those experiences into classrooms through virtual field trips.

“We can do anything related to any educational area and we can provide in-building field trips and educational lessons in an immersive way,” said Bamberger. “Students can dissect things, try anything that is too dangerous or impossible or expensive to create in a classroom setting we can do over and over again. If you can think of it, we can create it.”

The company has been to all 28 school districts in Oakland County and last year went to schools in 29 different counties in Michigan.

“The kid that usually has his head down and asleep in class is usually the kid that we can’t get out of the headset,” said Bamberger.

Carissa Hanna and Apple Gillum, juniors at Royal Oak High School, gave their evaluation of the technology after a few minutes of moving planets around.

“It was fun and it was weird and it was cool,” said Hanna. “We were walking among the planets!”

Ken Gutman, superintendent of Oakland Intermediate Schools, explained the value of the event.

Students from Oakland Community College work with Tom Coates from the Marine Trades Institute in Cedarville, Michigan on woodworking.Photo by Matt Fahr
Media News Group
Students from Oakland Community College work with Tom Coates from the Marine Trades Institute in Cedarville, Michigan on woodworking. Photo by Matt Fahr Media News Group

“With industry having the opportunity to share what they do, they can fill jobs they struggle to fill, but they can also show the value in what they do,” said Gutman. “There are over 200 careers here that they (students) may have never heard of. What a great opportunity for our kids.”

“I would recommend this to everyone because it is very helpful if you are still looking for your career and you get to do hands-on things and learn what you want to be in life,” said Erandy Ferreyra from Avondale High School.

A survey of students and administrators from last year’s event shows how effective the event can be:

89%t of students said they learned about career and training opportunities previously unfamiliar to them.
78% said the event helped them plan their post-high school education.
93% of educators said it effectively showcased potential career paths.
98%t agreed it represented a strong cross-section of in-demand careers

 

 

 

Students from around the county got a chance to try out construction, health and technology equipment through the 400,000 square feet of displays during CareerQuest. Photo courtesy CareerQuest

Oakland County employees deliver a day of service

21 November 2025 at 15:56

Oakland County employees will be busy Saturday sorting groceries and delivering Thanksgiving boxes.

Nov. 22 is the county’s annual Day of Service. County Executive Dave Coulter said it’s important to help families experiencing food insecurity. He praised county employees who volunteer.

“Their generosity reflects the best of public service, and I’m grateful to our nonprofit partners who work every day to ensure no one in our community goes hungry,” he said.

So many employees volunteered that some had to be put on a waiting list, according to county officials.

The volunteers will be distributing Thanksgiving food at Hospitality House at 2075 E. West Maple Road in Commerce Township from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Others will be at:

•  Forgotten Harvest, 15000 Eight Mile Road in Oak Park sorting and repacking rescued grocery items on the box line.

•  Oakland HOPE, 20 E. Walton Blvd. in Pontiac, loading food, assisting clients with pantry shopping and lending a hand at the charity’s thrift store.

•  Neighborhood House, 1720 S. Livernois Road in Rochester Hills, to label and organize thousands of donated food items from a local high school food drive.

The November Day of Service was launched three years ago by the county’s Equity Council and organized by the county’s diversity office. The effort is one part of the countywide Season of Giving campaign, which includes a second Day of Service on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

In addition to volunteering during and beyond the Season of Giving, employees donate food and pet supplies for fellow employees and for partner organizations like Children’s Village, the Animal Shelter and Oakland HOPE.

Nate Gilling used a day off from his job as a youth and family casework supervisor for Oakland County’s court system to help those lined up for food at Lighthouse on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (Peg McNichol/MediaNews Group)

OCC art professor has work displayed in Paris

21 November 2025 at 15:50

An Oakland Community College faculty member continues to make an impression in the art world.

Tylonn Sawyer had two pieces in art exhibitions this fall, ART Basel Paris and Palais de Tokyo, as well as fashion magazine W.

Art Basel is a global series of art platforms connecting collectors, galleries and artists, while Palais de Tokyo (Tokyo Palace) hosts contemporary art exhibitions as part of Paris Art Week. This marks Sawyer’s second consecutive year exhibiting in Paris.

His pieces were selected to represent Detroit artists by Detroit-based cultural organization Salonnière.

Sawyers’ 30 x 22-inch oil on paper, “The King James Version,” featured at ART Basel Paris depicts a young Black man holding an American flag.

At the Palais de Tokyo, his 8 x 6-foot charcoal, pastel and glitter on paper, “Black Man on Horse Bayard,” shows a Black man in a white riding suit on a black horse.

“This is the second year Salonierre has sponsored my trip to Paris to display my work. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to participate in Paris Week alongside other Detroit-area artists and curators,” Sawyer said.

His art was also highlighted in “W” magazine’s feature, “How Two New Art Exhibitions Are Spotlighting Black Queer History.” The magazine showcased his 72 x 48-inch lavender pencil on paper piece, “Strata Drawing 4: Cake Walk.”

Sawyer has taught art at OCC since 2016, covering all levels of drawing and oil painting.

He has also created public murals and collaborative projects for organizations such as Quicken Loans Corporation, Market International Festival at Eastern Market, Detroit’s Museum of Contemporary Art and The Detroit Institute of Arts.

“I like to teach art students as if they have never seen a pencil,” Sawyer said. “Once a student has learned foundational skills, then we work on establishing ways to use those skills to manifest whatever they observe or imagine.”

Tylonn Sawyer with his 8 x 6-foot charcoal, pastel and glitter on paper, “Black Man on Horse Bayard,” Photo courtesy OCC
Before yesterdayThe Oakland Press

Super Bowl champs put clamps on Lions’ offense, Eagles prevail

17 November 2025 at 05:20

PHILADELPHIA — A week after the Detroit Lions’ offense kicked into gear, it found itself stuck in the mud at Lincoln Financial Field.

In a game that was supposed to be a litmus test for this team’s title hopes, the Lions came up short offensively on just about every big play against the reigning Super Bowl champions.

Detroit went 4-for-15 on third down and tied an NFL record, according to TruMedia data, by whiffing on all five of its fourth-down attempts as they were K.O.’d by the title defenders in a 16-9 loss on “Sunday Night Football.”

Detroit’s key cogs in the passing game — quarterback Jared Goff, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and the entire offensive line — all earned their fair share of the blame for Detroit’s shortcomings.

The Lions (6-4) entered the day in first place in the NFC North and are now in third. The Eagles are 8-3.

Could the protection have been better? Sure. The Eagles’ pass rush was humming on Sunday night, and it was most noticeable during a fourth-and-goal from the 4-yard line: Goff had a wide-open Brock Wright for a would-be touchdown, but with edge rusher Jaelen Phillips, the Eagles’ shiny deadline acquisition, barreling down on him after cleanly beating Penei Sewell, he made an ill-advised throw to St. Brown that fell incomplete.

Still, a number of the conversions just came down to poor execution — an underthrown pass here, a blatant drop there — as the Lions let the opportunity they’ve waited for slip right through their fingers. Goff targeted St. Brown six times on third and fourth down, connecting on none of them. He targeted Jameson Williams once on fourth down; the pass was low, but catchable, and dropped.

Goff set a career-low in completion rate (14-for-37, 37.8%) as he threw for 255 yards, a touchdown and an interception with a passer rating of 60.1. St. Brown had two catches for 42 yards on a whopping 12 targets. Williams had four catches for 88 yards and a 40-yard touchdown.

The Lions’ defense held up its end of the bargain, holding the Eagles to 273 yards of offense and 3-for-13 on third down. It was repeatedly put in bad spots — the Eagles had three drive starts in Lions territory during the first half, including an early field-goal drive that started at Detroit’s 11 after an interception. Saquon Barkley was held to 3.2 yards per carry (83 yards on 26 attempts).

Not all the blame can be attributed to the players. Sunday night was not Dan Campbell’s best coaching performance. He kept going for it on fourth down until perhaps the most important one of the game; with 5:10 remaining and the Lions down 10, Detroit surrendered their weapons and punted it away.

Detroit miraculously had a chance to get back in the game on Philadelphia’s final possession. After cutting the deficit to 16-9, the Lions appeared to get a stop on third-and-8 with 1:47 remaining that would’ve given them the ball back, but the officials — who’d let handsy cornerback play go all game — threw a pass-interference flag on Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin.

Of course, the Eagles deserve their credit, too. They were far and away the better team on Sunday night, which is perhaps a more difficult reality to grapple with than the one in which the Lions simply wasted their opportunities.

Football players
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) is stopped by Detroit Lions defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad (96) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Philadelphia’s pass rush sure looks Super Bowl-caliber, and they made sure Goff felt the heat down-in, down-out. He was 0-for-10 with an interception when pressured, according to Pro Football Focus live data.

And the Eagles’ run defense was as mean as ever. Jahmyr Gibbs was limited to 39 yards on 12 carries — but had a career-high 107 receiving yards — as David Montgomery carried it six times for 27 yards.

The Lions got a quick stop to start the game and immediately started moving the ball on offense. The Eagles reversed the momentum when Jordan Davis deflected a pass at the line of scrimmage, and it was intercepted by Cooper DeJean, who returned the ball to Detroit’s 11-yard line.

Detroit’s defense held and limited the Eagles — the NFL’s No. 1 red zone offense entering Sunday — to a field goal that made it 3-0 at 9:43 in the first quarter.

The Lions gambled on fourth-and-1 from their own 48-yard line, rushing to the line after getting stuffed on third-and-short to try another handoff. But Gibbs was stuffed again, resulting in a turnover on downs. But Detroit’s defense got another stop, forcing a three-and-out on the ensuing possession.

Detroit was stopped again in its own territory during the following series. Facing a fourth-and-2 at their own 43, the Lions ran a direct snap to Grant Stuard, who was stuffed short of the line for another turnover on downs. The Eagles turned this stop into points, adding a 34-yard field goal off the foot of Jake Elliott for a 6-0 lead with 6:02 to go in the half.

The failed fake punt was the first of two costly coaching decisions in the first half.

The Lions’ offense got on track in the blink of an eye, taking the ball 74 yards in three plays as Jameson Williams exploded for a 40-yard touchdown. He caught a pass from Goff over the middle and accelerated into the end zone, drawing a personal foul for excessive celebration when he celebrated by hugging the goalpost.

The Eagles then marched right down the field for a touchdown to regain the lead near the end of the first half. After A.J. Brown caught an 11-yard pass to set up first-and-goal at the 5-yard line with more than a minute left in the half, Campbell — who had all three timeouts in his pocket — allowed Philadelphia to burn off most of the remaining clock and give the ball back to Detroit with a 13-6 lead and only 16 seconds left in the half.

Photo gallery from Sunday Night Football matchup between the Lions and Eagles

Jalen Hurts gave Philadelphia the lead with a 1-yard rushing touchdown via the “Tush Push,” the Eagles’ infamous quarterback sneak.

The Lions caught a break early in the third quarter when Philadelphia was called for a false start before attempting the “Tush Push,” which NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay said should have been a neutral-zone infraction on Lions defensive tackle Tyleik Williams.

Detroit’s defense got off the field with a stop on the ensuing third-and-6, then raced down the field behind some significant gains from Gibbs, including a 42-yard reception. The Lions again failed to convert on a money down as Goff, under heavy pressure, threw an incompletion to a covered St. Brown instead of a wide-open Brock Wright on fourth-and-goal at the 4 for the turnover on downs.

Takeaways as lifeless Lions offense flounders in 16-9 loss to Eagles

The Lions’ defense continued to get stops as the offense continued to sputter. Detroit had another fourth-down attempt near midfield near the end of the third quarter, but again the St. Brown connection faltered, as Goff misfired to his most trusted weapon for Detroit’s fifth turnover on downs.

The Eagles took a big step toward putting the game away when they added a 49-yard field goal from Elliott with 10:15 remaining.

The Lions gave themselves an opportunity when they stopped a pair of “Tush Pushes” to force a turnover on downs in Philadelphia territory with 2:57 to go. Detroit made it a one-score game with a 54-yard field goal from Jake Bates.

But after kicking the ball away with all three timeouts, the Lions couldn’t get the stop required as officials made a controversial third-down pass interference call on Ya-Sin to all but end the game.

Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun, left, and Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell (30) bring down Detroit Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs (0) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Takeaways as lifeless Lions offense flounders in 16-9 loss to Eagles

17 November 2025 at 05:14

It was a cold and blustery evening at Lincoln Financial Field, when the the Detroit Lions arrived to face a Philadelphia Eagles squad that had won seven of their first nine games of the season.

Dan Campbell is quite familiar with the hostile environment, as he spent several seasons playing for the New York Giants.

“To go back to all this, in my own history I was in the NFC East for seven years. Philly, I know it well and it’s a special place to play,” Campbell said in an interview with FOX-2. “It is hostile, it’s gonna be as hostile as a place we’ve ever been to. It is an electric atmosphere, man. Our guys are going to love this. We get a champion, get to play a champ, it’s gonna be a heavyweight fight. We’ve got to be on cue, and it’s just the type of game that we love, so this is perfect.”

Both teams understood the significant ramifications of the NFC heavyweight showdown.

After 60 mins of action, the Lions’ offense was not able to overcome Vic Fangio’s stingy Eagles defense.

Next up is a home contest against the New York Giants at Ford Field.

Here are several takeaways from the Lions’ 16-9 loss to the Eagles:

 

Eagles defense forces early turnover

After Detroit won the opening coin toss, the defense was able to force a stop on the Eagles opening offensive drive.

Campbell decided to start the game on their first possession passing the football, finding Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs for early completions.

Unfortunately, the Eagles defensive line made a play early in the Week 11 contest. Jordan Davis was able to tip a Jared Goff pass that was intended for tight end Brock Wright, resulting in Cooper DeJean interception that was returned to the Lions 11-yard line.

After a sudden change of possession, Detroit’s defense held, as the Eagles were forced to settle for a Jake Elliott 27-yard field goal.

Lions offense struggles to establish rhythm in first half

It was tough sledding for Detroit’s offense throughout their first four offensive possessions.

Last week, Detroit was able to move the football quite easily. In the rougher weather conditions, the ability to extend drives early in the game proved to be quite difficult.

Unfortunately, rookie right guard Tate Ratledge left the game during the team’s third offensive possession. He was replaced by Trystan Colon for a brief period of time before returning to action.

Eagles linebacker Jaelan Phillips made his presence felt by sacking Goff in the first quarter.

Early in the second quarter, Campbell made the decision to go for it on fourth-and-1 near midfield. The Eagles defensive line, which stuffed Jahmyr Gibbs the play prior, was able to again stuff Detroit’s rushing attack, forcing a turnover on downs.

Jameson Williams helps team, also hurts team

The Eagles capitalized on sniffingn out Detroit’s attempt at a fake punt in the second quarter.

After taking a 6-0 lead, the Lions found their top two offensive weapons on their sixth offensive drive of the first half.

Amon-Ra St. Brown was on the receiving end of a 34-yard reception. The very next play, Goff found Jameson Williams, who was then able to easily scamper for a 40-yard touchdown.

After jumping into the uprights, the speedy wideout incurred an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, forcing kicker Jake Bates to try a 48-yard extra-point. Williams celebration ended up costing his team.

In tougher conditions, Bates sent the extra point wide right, keeping the game tied at 6-6.

Super Bowl champs put clamps on Lions’ offense, Eagles prevail

Lions do not execute at championship level on fourth down

Last week, Gibbs recorded three touchdowns against Washington, becoming the sixth player in NFL history to score 40 prior to his 24th birthday.

On Detroit’s first drive of the second half, the team was not able to execute on fourth down, as a Goff pass was low and unable to be caught by Williams.

Following a defensive stop, Gibbs sparked the offense, assisting the team move down the field and into the red zone. He took a screen pass for a big gain, bursting 42 yards to the Philadelphia 24-yard line.

However, after Gibbs took three more runs inside the Eagles’ 10, the drive stalled out. On fourth down, the Eagles defensive line pressured Goff, forcing the incompletion on a toss to St. Brown.

Photo gallery from Sunday Night Football matchup between the Lions and Eagles

Eagles defensive line exposes Lions offensive line

The Eagles feature one of the top defensive line units in the league. As the game went on, and noticeably in the third quarter, the offensive line struggled to protect Goff enough to allow him enough time to make throws.

It was pointed out on the television broadcast just how much difficulty Detroit’s offensive line had with Phillips and Jordan Davis.

As a result, Goff was regularly pressured, hurried and struggled to consistently find his receivers in stride or in position to allow for yards after the catch. He had multiple passes batted at the line of scrimmage and was forced off platform routinely.

This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions

Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Kelee Ringo (7) tackles Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (11) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Photo gallery from Sunday Night Football matchup between the Lions and Eagles

17 November 2025 at 05:08

The Detroit Lions’ offense couldn’t get anything going in their Sunday Night Football matchup, turning the ball over on downs five times in a 16-9 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, their fourth loss of the season, dropping them to third in the NFC North standings.

Here are all the sights from the game:

  • Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) is brought down by...
    Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) is brought down by Detroit Lions middle linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
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Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) is brought down by Detroit Lions middle linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Expand

Takeaways as lifeless Lions offense flounders in 16-9 loss to Eagles

Super Bowl champs put clamps on Lions’ offense, Eagles prevail

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) makes a catch as Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Adoree’ Jackson (8) chases during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Raymond scores tiebreaking goal in 3rd period as Red Wings beat Rangers 2-1

17 November 2025 at 03:48

NEW YORK (AP) — Lucas Raymond scored the tiebreaking goal late in the third period and the Detroit Red Wings beat the New York Rangers 2-1 on Sunday night.

Alex DeBrincat also scored and Cam Talbot had 18 saves as Detroit rebounded from a 5-4 overtime loss to Buffalo at home on Saturday.

Mika Zibanejad scored for the Rangers, who snapped a three-game winning streak and fell to 1-7-1 at home to go along with their league-best 9-1-1 road mark. Jonathan Quick finished with 40 saves.

Raymond scored his fifth of the season with 3:47 remaining as he brought the puck into the offensive zone up the right side, skated around the back of the net and beat Quick from between the circles.

DeBrincat opened the scoring with his ninth on the power play at 9:30 of the second. Raymond and Patrick Kane had assists on the play, with Kane getting his 1,352nd point — one behind Guy Lafleur for 30th place on the all-time scoring list.

Zibanjead tied it with his seventh on the power play with 8:01 remaining in the middle period. Artemi Panarin had an assist on the play, giving him 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in his last six games.

New York, which beat Nashville last Monday for its lone home win, has been shut out five times and scored once in two other losses at Madison Square Garden.

Before the game, the Rangers honored Hall of Fame journalist Larry Brooks, who passed away on Nov. 13 at 75. Brooks primarily covered the Rangers for the New York Post in a career spanning five decades.

Up next

Red Wings: Host Seattle on Tuesday night to start a three-game homestand.

Rangers: At Vegas on Tuesday night to begin a three-game trip.

— By ALLAN KREDA, Associated Press

New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick, right, blocks a shot as defenseman Braden Schneider, center, defends Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin during the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Four cops responding to domestic violence call shot in rural Kansas

16 November 2025 at 23:02

By JOHN HANNA and JACK DURA The Associated Press

CARBONDALE, Kan. (AP) — Four law enforcement officers were shot Saturday morning while responding to a domestic violence call at a home in a rural area south of Topeka, and a 22-year-old male suspect died of gunshot wounds at the scene.

The suspect’s 77-year-old grandfather also was wounded in the gunfire but he and the law enforcement officers are all expected to recover, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation said.

The shooting occurred around 10:30 a.m. Three Osage County sheriff’s deputies and one Kansas Highway Patrol trooper were shot, the KBI’s director and the patrol’s superintendent said.

Two deputies underwent surgery at a Topeka hospital and were in good condition, the KBI said, and the third deputy was discharged. The trooper was transferred from the same hospital to the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas.

“After being on scene less than 10 minutes, gunfire erupted,” patrol Superintendent Erik Smith said during a news conference at the Carbondale City Library.

Carbondale is a town of about 1,300 people about 16 miles south of Topeka, the state capital, off Highway 75.

The shooting stunned neighbors John and Heather Roberts, who live about a mile north of where it occurred on the same two-lane road. They never sensed any problem in any of the family members, such as drugs, alcohol abuse or violence, and they said the suspect’s grandmother gave Christian books to area children she knew.

They said it is not uncommon to see law enforcement vehicles on the road outside their home because they live at the line between Osage County, home to Carbondale, and Shawnee County, home to Topeka, and vehicles turn around there or the counties exchange prisoners.

John Roberts said he was putting siding on his barn when two law enforcement vehicles flew down the road in the morning.

“Both of them were running, I would say, well over 100 miles an hour as they went by,” he said. “Then the city of Topeka officers started going by. That’s when I started to really get concerned.”

He said the suspect visited the shop he has at his home to return tools and was “a good kid.” Roberts added that many families in the area own guns because hunting is a common hobby, and that was the case with this family.

“I love the family. They’re great people,” Heather Roberts said, adding that she and her husband were praying for the wounded officers too.

She said every time the suspect visited their home, he would give her a hug and he was “very respectful.”

“I don’t know what snapped in him today, but his grandparents loved him very much,” she said.

___

Dura reported from Bismarck, North Dakota.

Kansas Bureau of Investigation Director Tony Mattivi speaks at a news conference about a domestic violence incident that resulted multiple casualties, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, at the Carbondale City Library in Carbondale, Kan. (AP Photo/John Hanna)

Jeffrey Epstein was dismayed Trump dodged scrutiny as sex abuse scandal exploded

16 November 2025 at 22:02

Exiled by the elite after his conviction for sexually soliciting a teenage girl and failing to rehabilitate his image as a sexual predator, an embittered Jeffrey Epstein in 2011 believed his old friend Donald Trump had escaped scrutiny.

“I want you to realize that that dog that hasn’t barked is trump,” Epstein wrote to his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell that April, noting Trump had “spent hours at my house” with Virginia Giuffre, one of the most prominent women to speak out about being abused by the financier, who died by suicide in April.

Ghislaine Maxwell.
Ghislaine Maxwell in 2013 file photo. (Photo by Laura Cavanaugh/Getty Images)

The correspondence, obtained from Epstein’s estate by the House Oversight Committee, was included among more than 20,000 documents released this week that brought the men’s relationship history into greater focus. Scores of emails in the cache chart Epstein’s obsession with Trump as he spiraled into scandal and his Palm Beach neighbor ascended to the presidency.

Epstein was at a low point when he sent the missive to Maxwell after serving jail time in Florida for soliciting a 16-year-old. Two months earlier, a Manhattan judge had rejected a bid to downgrade his sex offender status, despite the well-connected wealth manager having then-District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr., in his corner.

Giuffre had publicly spoken out about her allegations that Epstein trafficked her to powerful men for sex, sharing with the Daily Mail a now-infamous photograph of her with his friend Prince Andrew and Maxwell as apparent evidence.

Epstein’s 2011 email to Maxwell marveled that Trump, then hosting “The Apprentice” and floating a run for president had “never once been mentioned.”

Virginia Roberts Giuffre speaks at a press conference following a hearing where Jeffrey Epstein victims made statements at Manhattan Federal Court Tuesday, August 27, 2019 in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams for New York Daily News)
Virginia Roberts Giuffre speaks at a press conference following a hearing where Jeffrey Epstein victims made statements at Manhattan Federal Court Tuesday, August 27, 2019 in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams for New York Daily News)

“I have been thinking about that…,” Maxwell replied.

Democrats released Epstein’s 2011 message to Maxwell among a set of emails early Wednesday that appeared to suggest the president knew about the financier’s depraved lifestyle and its young victims.

Claiming that their colleagues across the aisle had engaged in a cherry-picking mission, House Republicans later published thousands of Epstein’s digital files online, revealing Giuffre’s identity in the 2011 message, which the Democrats had previously redacted. Many came to the president’s defense, arguing that it proved nothing. Giuffre, they noted, had denied that Trump had abused her or that she’d seen him abuse others in the years before her death.

The president has long denied engaging in any abuse and claimed he stopped talking to Epstein — whom he’d counted as a friend since the 1980s — in the early 2000s over a dispute related to real estate.

On Friday, following a barrage of reporting about the emails, Trump took to his social media site Truth Social to slam what he calls the “EPSTEIN HOAX.” He demanded the Justice Department investigate Epstein’s “involvement and relationship with Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Reid Hoffman, J.P. Morgan, Chase, and many other people and institutions, to determine what was going on with them, and him.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi said Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, would head the probe.

US President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, DC on November 7, 2025. (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, DC on November 7, 2025. (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

Dirt on Trump

The trove of Epstein emails released this week, massive in volume and spanning 2011 to 2019, includes 1,625 references to Trump, although there is no direct communication between the two men.

Made clear throughout is that — whether or not he did — Epstein maintained he had dirt on Trump.

Messaging ahead of a presidential debate in December 2015, Epstein asked his quasi-consultant, Trump biographer Michael Wolff, with whom he spoke regularly, how Trump might best answer a potential question about their relationship.

“I think you should let him hang himself. If he says he hasn’t been on the plane or to the house, then that gives you a valuable PR and political currency. You can hang him in a way that potentially generates a positive benefit for you, or, if it really looks like he could win, you could save him, generating a debt,” Wolff responded.

“Of course, it is possible that, when asked, he’ll say Jeffrey is a great guy and has gotten a raw deal and is a victim of political correctness, which is to be outlawed in a Trump regime.”

Wolff suggested it could be time to pull the trigger less than two weeks before Trump won the presidency in 2016, following the release of “Filthy Rich,” a book about Epstein’s perversions.

“There’s an opportunity to come forward this week and talk about Trump in such a way that could garner you great sympathy and help finish him. Interested?” Wolff wrote on Oct. 29. It’s not clear from the release whether Epstein responded.

The batch of emails released this week, made searchable online by the Courier Newsroom, is separate from the federal government’s investigative records — the so-called “Epstein files” — whose release the House of Representatives is set to vote on next week.

The trove sheds light on Epstein’s state of mind in the years before his death, and how closely he followed the president’s whereabouts, policy moves, and his own set of scandals. In countless typo-laden emails, the Brooklyn-born financier situated himself as a POTUS expert in conversations with journalists and various confidants, spoke with members of Trump’s inner circle, and sought to shape U.S. policy.

In June 2018, he asked former Norwegian Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland to convey a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin about his willingness to provide insight on Trump.

His correspondence with Wolff is featured throughout the records, and Epstein also frequently spoke about Trump with former New York Times reporter Landon Thomas Jr., joking about sending him a photo of Trump with girls in bikinis in his kitchen in December 2015.

Epstein communicated regularly with the often foul-mouthed former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, whom he told Trump was “borderline insane,” the emails show.

He also chatted often with Trump adviser Steve Bannon, who in August 2018 told the financier they had to discuss “a crazed jihad against u,” and that “somebody big has u in the gunsights.”

After Trump’s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, pleaded guilty to breaking campaign finance laws for then-President Trump in the now-notorious Stormy Daniels hush money scheme in 2018, Epstein alluded to his insider’s perspective in correspondence with Kathy Ruemmler, a former Goldman Sachs executive and Obama aide, with whom the cache shows he frequently chatted.

“You see, i know how dirty donald is,” the financier quipped. “my guess is that non-lawyers ny biz people have no idea. what it means to have your fixer flip.”

“The real villain”

That December, The Miami Herald published the most complete account yet of allegations Epstein had serially exploited vulnerable teenage girls. The piece laid out how Epstein had effectively gotten off with a slap on the wrist in his 2008 plea deal due to former U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta, who Trump had tapped as his Labor Secretary.

Epstein strategized with Wolff, who believed “directly debunking” the claims wasn’t the right move.

“That’s going against virtue itself,” Wolff wrote. “What I’d like to do is game out everything, creating a structure for thinking this through. Definitely not a piecemeal response. Figure out where we want to be and where we can reasonably get and work backwards.”

Epstein replied, “im thinking what would trump do.”

“Claims are ludicrous and self-serving, media is working with the other side’s lawyers, this is all about Donald Trump,” Wolff responded.

“…all about Donald Trump, the real villain,” Epstein said.

Less than two months later, Epstein explicitly implicated Trump, mentioning Mar-a-Lago to Wolff in a partially redacted email on January 31, 2019, and writing, “trump said he asked me to resign, never a member ever. . of course he knew about the girls as he asked ghislaine to stop.”

Epstein was apparently still focused on the president the following June, when an email outlining some of Trump’s potentially questionable financial dealings landed in his inbox. Epstein’s accountant Richard Kahn sent over “interesting findings” from financial disclosures, or what Kahn called “trumps 100 pages of nonsense.”

Within eight weeks, Epstein was dead. Officials said he’d killed himself in his lower Manhattan jail cell a month after his arrest on sweeping sex trafficking charges.

Maxwell, his longtime partner in crime, was indicted a year later for aiding the abuse for at least a decade in the 1990s and convicted at trial in December 2021. This summer, she was transferred to a cushy prison facility in Bryan, Texas, after meeting with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Trump’s former personal lawyer, for a highly unusual sit-down.

Transcripts of the meeting showed that Epstein’s longtime right-hand revealed little new information but notably praised the president, whom she is reportedly now planning to ask for a pardon.

FILE – This photo provided by the New York State Sex Offender Registry shows Jeffrey Epstein, March 28, 2017. (New York State Sex Offender Registry via AP, File)

Isaline Alexander scores 20 points and No. 24 Michigan State women drub Western Michigan 98-44

16 November 2025 at 22:00

EAST LANSING (AP) — Isaline Alexander scored 20 points off the bench and No. 24 Michigan State thrashed Western Michigan 98-44 on Sunday.

Alexander, a senior whose past two seasons were cut short by injury, was 9-for-9 shooting and made 2 of 5 free throws.

Grace VanSlooten had 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists for Michigan State (4-0). Kennedy Blair delivered 14 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Rashunda Jones scored 13 points.

The Spartans scored the first 18 points of the game and led 31-5 after one quarter. Michigan State dominated the third quarter in similar fashion, outscoring the Broncos 33-7 due in large part to a scoring streak of 21-2.

The Spartans had a huge 39-1 advantage in points after turnovers. Western Michigan turned it over 29 times compared to only four miscues for Michigan State.

De’Ahna Richardson scored 11 points and Kailey Starks 10 for the Broncos (1-3). Ariana Wilkes had 10 rebounds and the Broncos outrebounded the Spartans 43-37.

Michigan State entered the game second in the NCAA and second in the Big Ten in assists per game, averaging 27.3. The Spartans had 28 assists on Sunday.

The Spartans have won 12 in a row in the series after trailing 8-7 in the early days of the in-state matchup.

Up next

Michigan State: Eastern Illinois visits on Thursday.

Western Michigan: The Broncos host Roosevelt on Tuesday.

Michigan State’s Isaline Alexander (34) celebrates a play as Michigan’s Ari Wiggins (12) looks on during an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023, in East Lansing, Mich. (AL GOLDIS — AP Photo, file)

Saline QB Tommy Carr switches commitment to Michigan

16 November 2025 at 21:08

Saline quarterback Tommy Carr, the grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, has switched his college commitment to the Wolverines.

He had been committed to Miami of Ohio.

Carr (6-foot-3, 195 pounds) is ranked a three-star prospect by 247Sports. He is ranked the No. 7 player overall in Michigan in 2026 and the No. 29 quarterback nationally in the 2026 recruiting class.

Saline’s run in the Michigan high school football playoffs ended Friday night with a 42-28 loss to Detroit Cass Tech in a Division 1 regional final. Carr led Saline to a 10-2 record this season, passing for 2,797 yards and 37 touchdowns

Carr is the younger brother of Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr and the son of former Michigan QB Jason Carr.

Michigan’s 2026 recruiting class has 25 commitments and is ranked No. 10 nationally by 247Sports.

Saline quarterback Tommy Carr changed his commitment from Miami (Ohio) to Michigan on Sunday. (JOSE JUAREZ — The Detroit News)

Trump cuts ties with ‘lunatic’ Marjorie Taylor Greene in wild social media clash

16 November 2025 at 21:02

President Trump announced he’s withdrawing his support of Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, calling his former ally a “ranting lunatic” and a “disgrace to our great Republican party” for publicly blasting his handling of various issues, including the Epstein files.

In a wild post shared on his social media platform Friday night, Trump wrote that despite accomplishing what he called “record achievements for our country” and turning the U.S. into the world’s “hottest” nation, all that “Wacky Marjorie” does is “complain, complain, complain.”

He said he would endorse a challenger against Greene “if the right person runs” in next year’s midterm elections, claiming the people of her district are similarly “fed up with her and her antics.”

The political breakup appears to be the culmination of a dispute that had been simmering for at least six months, which the president suggested began when he discouraged Greene from running for Senate or governor.

She also “told many people that she is upset” that Trump doesn’t “return her phone calls anymore,” the president said.

“With 219 congressmen/women, 53 U.S. senators, 24 Cabinet members, almost 200 countries, and an otherwise normal life to lead, I can’t take a ranting lunatic’s call every day,” Trump wrote on Truth Social around 8:30 p.m. Friday.

President Trump just attacked me and lied about me. I haven’t called him at all, but I did send these text messages today. Apparently this is what sent him over the edge.

The Epstein files.

And of course he’s coming after me hard to make an example to scare all the other… pic.twitter.com/EcUzaohZZs

— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) November 15, 2025

Less than an hour later, the polarizing Georgia lawmaker — and former MAGA powerhouse — fired back at Trump’s claims in a lengthy post on X, sharing a screenshot of a text message she said “sent him over the edge.”

“President Trump just attacked me and lied about me. I haven’t called him at all, but I did send these text messages today,” she wrote, posting a message in which she tells the president about the importance of “releasing the Epstein files.”

Greene was one of a handful of Republicans to sign on with House Democrats to force a vote over releasing the files related to the sex trafficking investigation into the disgraced late financier.

“It’s astonishing really how hard he’s fighting to stop the Epstein files from coming out — that he actually goes to this level,” Greene continued.

Despite being a longtime and ardent supporter of the president and the MAGA agenda, Greene said she doesn’t “worship or serve Donald Trump.”

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Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., speaks as President Donald Trump listens at a campaign rally in support of Senate candidates Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., and David Perdue in Dalton, Ga., Monday, Jan. 4, 2021.
Brynn Anderson/AP
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., speaks as President Donald Trump listens at a campaign rally in support of Senate candidates Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., and David Perdue in Dalton, Ga., Monday, Jan. 4, 2021.

Early Saturday morning, Trump doubled down on his attack, slamming “Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Greene” as someone who has “betrayed the entire Republican party when she turned left.”

A few hours later, Greene suggested the exchange is making her fear for her life.

“I am now being contacted by private security firms with warnings for my safety as a hot bed of threats against me are being fueled and egged on by the most powerful man in the world,” she wrote on X. “The man I supported and helped get elected.”

“As a Republican, who overwhelmingly votes for President Trump‘s bills and agenda, his aggression against me, which also fuels the venomous nature of his radical internet trolls (many of whom are paid), this is completely shocking to everyone,” wrote Greene, who in 2019 famously stalked and confronted Parkland school shooting survivor David Hogg with claims that his gun control activism was being funded by Democrats.

“The political industrial complex and the toxic violent nature of American politics must end,” she said. “Our country is worth saving and it can only be done if we pull together and save ourselves.”

FILE – Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., waves while former President Donald Trump points to her while they look over the 16th tee during the second round of the Bedminster Invitational LIV Golf tournament, July 30, 2022, in Bedminster, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
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