Today is Monday, March 3, the 62nd day of 2025. There are 303 days left in the year.
Today in history:
On March 3, 1991, motorist Rodney King was severely beaten by Los Angeles police officers after a high-speed chase; amateur video that captured the scene aired on local news that evening, sparking public outrage.
Also on this date:
In 1849, Congress established the U.S. Department of the Interior.
In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed the act creating the National Academy of Sciences.
In 1931, President Herbert Hoover signed a bill making “The Star-Spangled Banner” the national anthem of the United States.
In 1943, in London’s East End, 173 people died in a crush of bodies at the Bethnal Green Tube station, which was being used as a wartime air raid shelter.
In 1945, Allied troops fully secured the Philippine capital of Manila from Japanese forces during World War II after a monthlong battle that destroyed much of the city.
In 1969, Apollo 9 blasted off from Cape Kennedy on a mission to test NASA’s lunar module.
In 2022, OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma reached a nationwide settlement over its role in the opioid crisis, with the Sackler family members who own the company boosting their cash contribution to as much as $6 billion in a deal intended to staunch a flood of lawsuits.
Today’s birthdays:
Filmmaker George Miller is 80.
Singer Jennifer Warnes is 78.
Author Ron Chernow is 76.
Football Hall of Famer Randy Gradishar is 73.
Musician Robyn Hitchcock is 72.
Actor Miranda Richardson is 67.
Radio personality Ira Glass is 66.
Olympic track and field gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee is 63.
Rapper-actor Tone Loc is 59.
Hockey Hall of Famer Brian Leetch is 57.
Actor Julie Bowen is 55.
Actor David Faustino is 51.
Actor Jessica Biel is 43.
Singer Camila Cabello is 28.
NBA forward Jayson Tatum is 27.
FILE – This file photo of Rodney King was taken three days after his videotaped beating in Los Angeles on March 6, 1991. The photo is one of three introduced into evidence by the prosecution in the trial of four LAPD officers in a Simi Valley, California Courtroom, March 24, 1992. The acquittal of four police officers in the videotaped beating of King sparked rioting that spread across the city and into neighboring suburbs. Cars were demolished and homes and businesses were burned. Before order was restored, 55 people were dead, 2,300 injured and more than 1,500 buildings were damaged or destroyed. (AP Photo/Pool,File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mikey Madison won the best actress Oscar on Sunday for “Anora,” a role that catapulted the 25-year-old into a burgeoning film career after achieving initial success on television.
The Brooklyn-set comedy-drama had received six nominations.
Madison had been best known for playing a sullen teenager in the FX comedy series “Better Things,” which ended in 2022. She also appeared in the hit movies “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” and the fifth installment of the horror franchise “Scream.”
Those jobs attracted the attention of director-writer Sean Baker, who penned the title role in “Anora” for Madison. She studied Russian and did her own stunts in the film, in addition to learning to pole dance to play an exotic dancer who marries the son of a Russian oligarch.
The film debuted to critical acclaim at Cannes last year, winning the Palme d’Or. It has gained momentum ever since, with its box-office success easily outearning its $6 million budget.
Hollywood veteran Demi Moore of “The Substance” had been the Oscar front-runner, having won over Madison at the Golden Globes and SAG Awards. However, Madison beat out Moore for the BAFTA two days before Oscar voting ended, as well as at last weekend’s Independent Spirit Awards.
She was born Mikaela Madison Rosberg in Los Angeles, one of five children of psychologist parents. Her mother signed her up for an acting class in her mid-teens after Madison had trained in competitive horseback riding, which she found lonely compared to the collaborative nature of acting.
In addition to Moore, the other nominees were Cynthia Erivo for “Wicked,” Karla Sofía Gascón for “Emilia Pérez” and Fernanda Torres for “I’m Still Here.”
Mikey Madison arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sean Baker won best director at the Oscars on Sunday for “Anora,” bookending a dominant awards season for the American filmmaker whose stories seek to humanize sex workers and immigrants.
Baker, 53, wrote, produced, directed and edited the film, which is also among the top contenders for best picture. The comedy-drama stars Mikey Madison as a Brooklyn exotic dancer who marries the impetuous son of a Russian oligarch. They impulsively tie the knot on a ketamine-induced Las Vegas getaway, angering his parents, who send their bumbling henchmen after the couple to force an annulment.
“If you didn’t cast Mikey Madison in ‘Once Upon a Time,’ there would be no ‘Anora,’” Baker told Quentin Tarantino, who presented the award.
Baker came into the night the favorite for the directing Oscar after earning the top prize from the Directors Guild of America, a win that historically all but guarantees an Oscars victory. He also took home the top awards at the Producers Guild and Independent Spirit Awards.
This year’s best director lineup featured five first-time nominees in the category for the first time in nearly three decades. All had writing credits on their respective films, demonstrating the academy’s growing preference for auteurs who can masterfully bring their own vision to life. For the Oscar, he beat out Brady Corbet of “The Brutalist,” James Mangold of “A Complete Unknown,” Jacques Audiard of “Emilia Pérez” and Coralie Fargeat of “The Substance.”
Going into the night, Baker had the potential to win a record four Oscars for “Anora,” which was nominated for six in total. He won for best original screenplay and best editing — a rarity as directors don’t typically cut their own films. He is also up for best picture.
“Anora” brings Baker’s signature style of provocative comedy from indie theaters into the mainstream, blending slapstick humor with social commentary in a way that makes lessons about marginalized groups palatable to a wider audience. He made the film on a modest budget of $6 million — an amount one producer joked is smaller than the catering budget of some of its competitors. Last year’s best picture winner, “Oppenheimer,” had a $100 million budget.
Baker has been vocal about the difficulty of making independent films and surviving as an indie filmmaker in an industry that increasingly supports big-budget spectacles. In a rousing speech at the Independent Spirit Awards, he said indies are in danger of becoming “calling card films” — movies made only as a means to get hired for projects at major studios. Without backing for independent films, he said, some of the most creative and innovative projects might never be made.
He exhorted filmmakers to keep moving films for the big screen, bemoaning the erosion of the theatergoing experience.
“Watching a film in the theater with an audience is an experience. We can laugh together, cry together, scream in fright together, perhaps sit in devastated silence together. In a time in which the world can feel very divided, this is more important than ever. It’s a communal experience you simply don’t get at home,” he said.
Baker has long been passionate about using his craft to help destigmatize sex work. His 2012 film “Starlet” follows a budding friendship between an adult film star and a crotchety widow who sells her a thermos full of cash at a yard sale. Baker said the connections he formed with sex workers involved in the project inspired him to feature them in several other films.
He received widespread praise for “Tangerine” (2015), in which he used three iPhone 5S smartphones to tell a story about transgender sex workers in Los Angeles. In “The Florida Project” (2017), a single mother living in an Orlando motel turns to sex work to provide for her daughter. And “Red Rocket” (2021) follows a retired porn actor’s journey back to his small Texas hometown.
Sean Baker, winner of the award for best film editing for “Anora,” poses in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Adrien Brody clinched his second Oscar for best actor, winning Sunday for his role as a visionary Hungarian architect in “ The Brutalist ” and solidifying his legacy as one of Hollywood’s most compelling talents.
Brody took home best actor at the 97th Academy Awards for his powerful portrayal of Lázló Tóth, who escapes the Holocaust and sails to the United States to find his American Dream. The film spans 30 years in the life of Tóth, a fictional character whose unorthodox designs challenged societal norms, and his relentless pursuit of artistic integrity.
Brody triumphed over fellow nominees Timothée Chalamet, “A Complete Unknown,” Colman Domingo, “Sing Sing,” Ralph Fiennes, “Conclave,” and Sebastian Stan, “The Apprentice.”
“The Brutalist,” which is nominated for 10 Oscars including best picture, is Brady Corbet’s three-and-a-half-hour postwar American epic filmed in VistaVision. Brody starred in the film alongside Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce.
After winning best actor at the 78th British Academy Film Awards in February, Brody said “The Brutalist” carries a powerful message for divided times.
“It speaks to the need for all of us to share in the responsibility of how we want others to be treated and how we want to be treated by others,” he said. “There’s no place any more for antisemitism. There’s no place for racism.”
Brody won an Academy Award for best actor in 2003 for his role in “The Pianist.” His gap of 22 years would be the second longest between best actor wins. It was 29 years between wins for “Silence of the Lambs” and “The Father” for Anthony Hopkins.
Brody is also known for his performances “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “The Darjeeling Limited” and “Midnight in Paris.”
For Brody, his role in “The Brutalist” had obvious echoes with arguably his most defining performance. In Roman Polanski’s 2002 “The Pianist,” Brody also played a Jewish artist trying to survive during WWII.
Adrien Brody arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — “I’m Still Here,” a film about a family torn apart by the military dictatorship that ruled Brazil for more than two decades, gave Brazil’s first Oscars win on Sunday in the best international film category.
Salles paid homage to Paiva’s bravery, and Torres for portraying her along with Fernanda Montenegro, the daughter of one of the country’s greatest stars. She appears late in the film as the older Eunice.
“This goes to a woman who after a loss suffered during a authoritarian regime decided not to bend and resist. This prize goes to her,” Salles said during his acceptance speech, as the audience gave a standing ovation. “And it goes to the two extraordinary women who gave life to her.”
“Today is the day to feel even prouder of being Brazilian,” Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva wrote on X, “Pride for our cinema, for our artists and, primarily, pride for our democracy.”
The focus of “I’m Still Here,” based on the memoir by Paiva’s son Marcelo, is Eunice, the mother of five left to remake their family’s life with neither her husband nor any answers for his disappearance. It unfolds as a portrait of a different kind of political resistance — one of steadfast endurance.
Eunice refuses the military dictatorship’s attempt to break her and her family. When, in one scene, Eunice and her children — by then long without their disappeared father — pose for a newspaper photograph, she tells them to smile.
“The smile is a kind of resistance,” Torres told The Associated Press. “It’s not that they’re living happily. It’s a tragedy. Marcelo recently said something that Eunice said that I had never heard: ‘We are not a victim. The victim is the country.’”
“I’m Still Here” is a deeply Brazilian story, made by one of the country’s most acclaimed directors (Salles’ films include “Central Station” and “Motorcycle Diaries”) and Montenegro.
Also nominated for best international film were Denmark’s “The Girl with the Needle,” Germany’s “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” Latvia’s “Flow” and France’s “Emilia Pérez,” a onetime Oscars favorite marred by controversy.
FILE – Selton Mello, from left, Fernanda Torres, and director Walter Salles, pose for photographers upon arrival for the premiere of the film, “I’m Still Here”, during the 81st edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, Sept. 1, 2024. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP, File)
LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) — Detroit center fielder Parker Meadows is out indefinitely with a nerve issue in his throwing arm.
Manager A.J. Hinch said Saturday that there is no timetable for his return from the issue in his upper right arm. The Tigers haven’t yet ruled him out for Opening Day but for now he can’t do any baseball activities.
“My understanding is that we’re in a wait-and-see (situation),” Hinch told reporters. “We’ve got to get that nerve firing again for him to resume baseball activities. Could be short. Could linger a little bit. No one has a firm timetable on when that can be, but we feel like we’re on a really good path now that we have the diagnosis (and) we now have a treatment plan.”
Meadows was injured in Detroit’s spring training opener on February 22 on a throw from center field. It took some time to pinpoint what the problem was before the Tigers announced that he’d be out indefinitely.
The 25-year-old hit .244 with nine home runs and 28 RBIs in 82 games last season. He played well in the postseason, batting .269 with a hit in each of the team’s seven playoff games as the Tigers reached the American League Division Series.
FILE - Detroit Tigers' Parker Meadows takes a throw during warm ups before Game 2 of the AL Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians Monday, Oct. 7, 2024 in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long, File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — “No Other Land,” the story of Palestinian activists fighting to protect their communities from demolition by the Israeli military, won the Oscar for best documentary on Sunday.
The collaboration between Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers follows activist Basel Adra as he risks arrest to document the destruction of his hometown, which Israeli soldiers are tearing down to use as a military training zone, at the southern edge of the West Bank. Adra’s pleas fall on deaf ears until he befriends a Jewish Israeli journalist who helps him amplify his story.
“About two months ago, I became a father, and my hope to my daughter that she will not have to live the same life I’m living now, always fearing settlers, violence, home demolitions and forcible displacements,” said Adra.
“No Other Land” came into the night a top contender after a successful run on the film festival circuit. It did not, however, find a U.S. distributor after being picked up for distribution in 24 countries. For the Oscar, it beat out “Porcelain War,” “Sugarcane,” “Black Box Diaries” and “Soundtrack to a Coup d’État.”
The documentary was filmed over four years between 2019 and 2023, wrapping production days before Hamas launched its deadly Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel that started the war in Gaza.
In the film, Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham embeds in a community fighting displacement, but he faces some pushback from Palestinians who point out his privileges as an Israeli citizen. Adra says he is unable to leave the West Bank and is treated like a criminal, while Abraham can come and go freely.
The film is heavily reliant on camcorder footage from Adra’s personal archive. He captures Israeli soldiers bulldozing the village school and filling water wells with cement to prevent people from rebuilding.
Residents of the small, rugged region of Masafer Yatta band together after Adra films an Israeli soldier shooting a local man who is protesting the demolition of his home. The man becomes paralyzed, and his mother struggles to take care of him while living in a cave.
FILE – Palestinian Basel Adra, right, and Israeli Yuval Abraham receive the documentary award for “No Other Land” at the International Film Festival, Berlinale, in Berlin, Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)
First-time Academy Award nominee Daniel Blumberg is now an Oscar winner. He took home the trophy for original score for “The Brutalist” on Sunday.
Blumberg beat Clément Ducol and Camille (“Emilia Pérez”), Kris Bowers (“The Wild Robot”), Volker Bertelmann (“Conclave”) and John Powell and Stephen Schwartz (“Wicked”).
“I’ve been an artist for 20 years now,” Blumberg said in his acceptance speech. “And when I met (director) Brady (Corbet) I met my artistic soulmate.”
Corbet’s “The Brutalist” follows Lázló Tóth, a fictional visionary Hungarian architect who escaped the Holocaust, sailed to the United States to find his American Dream and created the style of architecture the film takes its name from.
When the nominations were announced in January, Blumberg told The Associated Press that he was actually with Corbet when he learned of his first-ever nod. “It’s been quite a surreal day,” he said. The pair shared a hug when the news arrived.
“‘The Brutalist’ was always such an important project for me,” Blumberg continued, describing the team behind it as dedicated to making “something with urgency, to make something with no compromise.”
Earlier in the night, French composer duo Clément Ducol and Camille took home the original song award at the Oscars on Sunday for their track, “El Mal.”
Clement Ducol, from left, Camille, and Jacques Audiard, accept the award for best original song for “El Mal” from” Emilia Perez” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
In January, “El Mal” also earned the pair a Golden Globe in the same category.
“We are so grateful,” Camille said in her acceptance speech. “We wrote ‘El Mal’ as a song to denounce corruption, and we hope it speaks to the role music and art can play and continue to play as a force of good and progress in the world.”
The award was presented by Mick Jagger. “I wasn’t the first choice,” he joked. “The producers really wanted Bob Dylan to do it.”
Ducol and Camille beat Diane Warren for “The Journey” from “The Six Triple Eight,” Elton John, Bernie Taupin, Brandi Carlile and Andrew Watt for “Never Too Late” from “Elton John: Never Too Late,” and Abraham Alexander, Brandon Marcel and Black Pumas’ Adrian Quesada for “Like A Bird” from “Sing Sing.”
They also beat themselves: Their composition “Mi Camino” from “Emilia Pérez” was also up for the award.
The first-time Oscar nominees had a total of three nominations, including original score, at the 97th Academy Awards.
“You go from anxiety to relief, and you’re filled up with energy and you need that,” Camille told The Associated Press in January, when nominations were announced. “We’ve worked so much, and we’ve worked so much for the campaign … I feel very fulfilled and very happy for all the team.”
“It’s a very free, provocative and empathic, compassionate movie. And I really think this is what we need now.”
“It’s totally incredible. I was like, ‘What?’ It’s three nominations. It’s huge,” added Ducol. “We were involved at the beginning of the construction of the story in music … So everything is linked together, is woven together between the script, the screenplay, the songs. And so, we feel like it’s our story, our movie … It’s not just a musical or reflecting a story or reflecting action in the movie. The music and the songs, in this movie, is the script. It is the story.”
Daniel Blumberg arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paul Tazewell made history at the Oscars, becoming the first Black man to win best costume design.
Tazewell won for his masterful design work in “Wicked” at the 97th Academy Awards on Sunday. It is his first win and second nomination. He was previously nominated in the category for his work on Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story.”
“I’m the first Black man to receive the costume design award,” he said in his acceptance speech, which was met with a couple standing ovations. “I’m so proud of this.”
Backstage, Tazewell said winning the award is the pinnacle of his career. He said he feels humbled to inspire other Black men aspiring to become costume designers.
“I’ve been designing costumes for over 35 years — that has been on Broadway and now it’s film,” he said. “There was never a Black male designer who I saw that I could follow and see as an inspiration. But to realize now that it’s actually me.”
Before the Oscars, Tazewell won awards at BAFTA, Critics Choice and Costume Designers Guild awards. He’s the second Black person to in the category after Ruth E. Carter made history for her work in 2018 for “Black Panther,” which made her the first African American to win in the category.
“She has paved the way for designers of color,” Tazewell said.
In his acceptance speech, Tazewell thanked “Wicked” stars Ariana Grande and Cynthis Erivo.
“To my muses, Cynthia and Ariana and all the other cast,” he said. “Thank you for trusting me with bringing your characters to life. This is everything.”
Tazewell built a legendary career, winning an Emmy in 2018 for his costume work on “The Wiz Live!” and a Tony for “Hamilton.” He worked with Erivo on the 2019 film “Harriet,” which was his first feature film.
Tazewell, who has earned nine Tony nominations, gained notoriety through theater projects such as “The Color Purple,” “In the Heights,” “MJ the Musical,” “Suffs” and “A Streetcar Named Desire.”
Paul Tazewell, winner of the award for best costume design for “Wicked,” poses in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
By JUSTIN SPIKE and AAMER MADHANI, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Ukraine’s leader will meet with President Donald Trump in Washington on Friday at a pivotal moment for his country, one that hinges on whether he can persuade Trump to provide some form of U.S. backing for Ukraine’s security against any future Russian aggression.
During his trip to Washington, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s delegation is expected to sign a landmark economic agreement with the U.S. aimed at financing the reconstruction of war-damaged Ukraine, a deal that would closely tie the two countries together for years to come.
Though the deal, which is seen as a step toward ending the three-year war, references the importance of Ukraine’s security, it leaves that to a separate agreement to be discussed between the two leaders — talks that are likely to commence Friday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy listens during a news conference at a security summit in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
As Ukrainian forces hold out against slow but steady advances by Russia’s larger and better-equipped army, leaders in Kyiv have pushed to ensure a potential U.S.-brokered peace plan would include guarantees for the country’s future security.
Many Ukrainians fear that a hastily negotiated peace — especially one that makes too many concessions to Russian demands — would allow Moscow to rearm and consolidate its forces for a future invasion after current hostilities cease.
According to the preliminary economic agreement, seen by The Associated Press, the U.S. and Ukraine will establish a co-owned, jointly managed investment fund to which Ukraine will contribute 50% of future revenues from natural resources, including minerals, hydrocarbons and other extractable materials.
A more detailed agreement on establishing the fund will be drawn up once the preliminary one is signed.
Trump, a Republican, has framed the emerging deal as a chance for Kyiv to compensate the U.S. for wartime aid sent under his predecessor, President Joe Biden, a Democrat.
But Zelenskyy has remained firm that specific assurances for Ukraine’s security must accompany any agreement giving U.S. access to Ukraine’s resources. On Wednesday, he said the agreement “may be part of future security guarantees, but I want to understand the broader vision. What awaits Ukraine?”
Trump remains noncommittal about any American security guarantees.
“I’m not going to make security guarantees … very much,” Trump told reporters this week. “We’re going to have Europe do that.”
If a truce can be reached, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed to send troops for a potential peacekeeping mission to Ukraine to ensure that fighting between Ukraine and Russia doesn’t flare up again. Both leaders traveled to Washington this week before the Zelenskyy visit to discuss with Trump the potential peacekeeping mission and other concerns about the war.
White House officials are skeptical that Britain and France can assemble enough troops from across Europe, at least at this moment, to deploy a credible peacekeeping mission to Kyiv.
It will likely take a “consensual peace settlement” between Russia and Ukraine before many nations would be willing to provide such forces, according to a senior Trump administration official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House.
Zelenskyy and European officials have no illusions about U.S. troops taking part in such a mission. But Starmer and others are trying to make the case that the plan can only work with a U.S. backstop for European forces on the ground — through U.S. aerial intelligence, surveillance and support, as well as rapid-response cover in case the truce is breached.
“You’ve created a moment of tremendous opportunity to reach a historic peace deal — a deal that I think would be celebrated in Ukraine and around the world,” Starmer told Trump. “That is the prize. But we have to get it right.”
Zelenskyy has been vague on exactly what kinds of security guarantees would be suitable for his country, and while he continues to advocate for Ukraine’s eventual membership in NATO, he has also suggested a similar security arrangement would suffice.
But Trump on Wednesday said Ukraine “could forget about” joining the Western military alliance.
Still, Zelenskyy’s meeting with Trump, their first since the U.S. leader’s inauguration in January, is seen in Kyiv as a diplomatic win for Ukraine. On Wednesday, Zelenskyy said being able to meet personally with Trump before Russian President Vladimir Putin does “is a good signal.”
Zelenskyy said he hopes to discuss whether the U.S. plans to halt its military aid to Ukraine and, if so, whether Kyiv would be able to purchase weapons directly from the U.S.
He also wants to know whether Ukraine can use frozen Russian assets for the purchase of weapons and whether Washington plans to lift sanctions on Moscow.
Fears that Trump could broker a peace deal with Russia that is unfavorable to Ukraine have been amplified by recent precedent-busting actions by his administration. Trump held a lengthy phone call with Putin, and U.S. officials met with their Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia without inviting European or Ukrainian leaders — both dramatic breaks with previous U.S. policy to isolate Putin over his invasion.
Trump later seemed to falsely blame Ukraine for starting the war, and called Zelenskyy a “dictator” for not holding elections after the end of his regular term last year, though Ukrainian law prohibits elections while martial law is in place.
As Zelenskyy seeks to lower the temperature with the U.S. while in Washington, American officials are saying the economic deal, if implemented, would itself provide a measure of security to Ukraine through the presence of U.S. investments on its territory.
On Wednesday, Trump said the U.S. working on mineral extraction in Ukraine would amount to “automatic security because nobody’s going to be messing around with our people when we’re there.”
“It’s a great deal for Ukraine too, because they get us over there and we’re going to be working over there,” Trump said. “We will be on the land.”
That perspective is echoed by the text of the economic agreement, which says the U.S. “supports Ukraine’s efforts to obtain security guarantees needed to establish lasting peace.”
Washington, it continues, has “a long-term financial commitment to the development of a stable and economically prosperous Ukraine.”
Spike reported from Kyiv, Ukraine.
FILE – Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, right, and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shake hands during their meeting at Trump Tower, Sept. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)
Programs like West Bloomfield, Detroit Country Day and Bishop Foley have ensured Oakland County has been well-represented at the Breslin Center in recent history. Going back the past 10 tournaments (2020 not included), those teams have been among the area programs who have reached the Final Four a collective 20 times.
So which one or two might take the torch and run with it to East Lansing? Well, that’s a bit of a headscratcher.
Normally, there’s at least one frontrunner throughout the divisions, but not this year. On the other hand, Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest wasn’t any sort of favorite to get to the state semifinals last season, and yet it happened.
But getting there requires navigating districts, so here’s the field of contenders broken down, along with a swing at who might move on and have a chance at shot-blocking conventional wisdom and rankings to get to the promised land.
Breakdown: The Mavericks finished the league .500 and proved they could hang with some of the best teams in the LVC this season. Good thing Fenton, their opening round opponent, is a level below that. Sure, it was all the way back on Dec. 10, but Milford beat Fenton by nearly 40 points. Howell and Hartland finished 2-3 in the KLAA-West, but the Highlanders took both encounters, albeit one in overtime.
Pick: Howell
District 14
Host: Northville
Teams: Novi (1-21), Walled Lake Western (3-20), Northville (14-8), South Lyon (18-2), South Lyon East (12-10)
Breakdown: The co-champions of the LVC, South Lyon’s grouping pales in comparison to District 13, which is notable since the winners of 13 and 14 will meet in regionals. Despite beating the Cougars by just four on Feb. 7, the Lions won the matchup by 30 back in January, which bodes well for the third meeting Wednesday in the semifinals. South Lyon also holds a five-point away win over Northville, who the Lions would almost assuredly meet in the finals.
Pick: South Lyon
South Lyon’s Isabella Nooe shoots over Lakeland’s Brynn Taliercio (10) during the Lakes Valley Conference game played on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025 at Lakeland. (KEN SWART – For MediaNews Group)
Breakdown: The OAA Gold league champions, Farmington comes in playing some of its best basketball with just two losses in the month of February. The Falcons will play Franklin in the quarterfinals, and the Patriots have a lesser record, but have played the tougher schedule. Truthfully, the Marlins should be in a class of their own here. The last time they lost to a Michigan team was against Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, 48-46, on Jan. 14.
Pick: Farmington Hills Mercy
District 23
Host: Detroit Renaissance
Teams: Hamtramck (11-10), Oak Park (0-13), Detroit Renaissance (18-2), Detroit Mumford (9-5), Warren Fitzgerald (10-8)
Breakdown: The Knights won’t be a factor here, and neither should anyone but the Phoenix, one of the favorites to win D1.
Pick: Detroit Renaissance
District 24
Host: Bloomfield Hills Marian
Teams: Bloomfield Hills (8-11), Birmingham Groves (6-14), Bloomfield Hills Marian (6-15), North Farmington (5-17), Southfield A&T (15-6), Birmingham Seaholm (12-10)
Breakdown: Can the hosts run the OAA gauntlet? That might be ambitious, but the Mustangs — and Groves, for that matter — are probably the best six-win side in D1. Seaholm has dealt with injuries this season, though the Maples have wins over Bloomfield Hills and Groves. Unfortunately for them, Southfield A&T should take care of whoever comes out of that quarterfinal on the opposite side of the bracket, and while they’re not unbeatable, the Warriors will be tough to beat if they bring their A-game twice in a row.
Pick: Southfield A&T
District 25
Host: West Bloomfield
Teams: Walled Lake Northern (14-8), Walled Lake Central (1-21), Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (17-4), West Bloomfield (13-8), Lakeland (16-6)
Breakdown: This is one heckuva district. The Eaglets will get the winner of the two Walled Lake Schools in one semifinal, assuming it’s the Knights, they’ve not been an easy out only having lost two games by more than 10 points all year. Lakeland split the LVC title with South Lyon, but while the defending state champs aren’t what they were the past few years, West Bloomfield can still get up and down, has some size and can shoot the rock. Easily one of the best district finals in D1 if it’s the Lakers and Eaglets playing Friday night.
Pick: West Bloomfield
District 26
Host: Swartz Creek
Teams: Lapeer (4-15), Swartz Creek (6-16), Grand Blanc (10-10), Davison (9-13), Holly (1-21), Oxford (8-14)
Breakdown: Here’s a pretty open one. The Wildcats, who finished 2-8 in the OAA Red, get the bye and should see Davison in the semifinals. Davison should be plenty tested, however the Cardinals have won just one of their last 11. Grand Blanc’s Saginaw Valley Conference record was 7-4, the inverse of Davison’s.
Breakdown: Four teams here, but no pushovers. The Wolves won the OAA Red and nearly went unbeaten in the league until West Bloomfield beat them by one on Feb. 25. Barring a surprise, they’ll advance and take on the winner of the other semifinal. Lake Orion is a live dog, but this should go to Avondale. That would set up a rematch of a Clarkston 62-48 victory over the Yellow Jackets on neutral ground back on Jan. 18.
Breakdown: Are the top teams upset proof? Maybe, maybe not. But Adams has had some injury troubles this season, and Stoney Creek isn’t what it was last winter. The Cougars beat Rochester by four, although that was the second week of December. Stoney does have the size to try and neutralize the Falcons’ talented bigs, to its credit. The Eagles won a share of the MAC Red with Utica Ford despite Ford forcing that split with a win on Feb. 21. But if Eisenhower can match up with Ford’s frontcourt, it should be able to hold its own against Rochester.
Pick: Utica Eisenhower
District 29
Host: Royal Oak
District 29 Teams: Troy Athens (7-14), Troy (7-14), Berkley (14-7), Warren Mott (13-8), Royal Oak (11-11)
Breakdown: The battle of Troy teams will decide who faces Berkley, who gets a bye into the semifinals. Royal Oak should get past Mott and into the final, and the Ravens beat Berkley 37-25 at the beginning of February. This is probably bound to be a similarly low-scoring rematch if those teams face each other once again. It could really go either way.
Breakdown: The Blackhawks got their second win of the year on Feb. 20 by beating Holly. They probably won’t get a third as Linden is pretty solid. This district will come down to Powers vs. Goodrich.
Breakdown: One of these two three-loss teams will have to go home before regionals (it’s not quite as daunting as last year when St. Catherine had to face state finalist Gabriel Richard in districts, to be fair). Haslett, who went unbeaten in the CAAC-Red, has three losses this year, and those teams have a combined four losses. The Vikings have arguably the best win among themselves and the Stars with a result over Country Day.
Pick: Haslett
District 60
Host: Hazel Park
Teams: Ferndale (7-15), Center Line (2-16), Madison Heights Lamphere (8-13), Ferndale University (10-6)
Breakdown: Center Line won just one game in the MAC Silver and finished below Lamphere. Ferndale University has finished the season relatively strong, but didn’t play the toughest schedule. Center Line aside, anyone could win this.
Pick: Lamphere
Country Day sophomore Maya Hammoud attempts a 3-pointer in a 66-33 win over Bloomfield Hills Marian Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (BRYAN EVERSON – MediaNews Group)
District 62
Host: Pontiac Notre Dame Prep
Teams: Detroit Country Day (15-5), Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood (5-17), Pontiac (9-7), Macomb Lutheran North (8-9), Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (13-7)
Breakdown: The Cranes should get past Pontiac and onto DCD for the semifinals. Lutheran North has played a really tough slate, so don’t pay too much mind to the record. In the end, it shouldn’t matter. The Yellowjackets, as they have been several other times in the past decade, are one of the county’s best Final Four bets. Whether they get past teams like Regina or Yale in regionals, we’ll see, Country Day is the cream of this crop.
DIVISION 3
District 91
Host: Warren Michigan Collegiate
Teams: Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest (15-6), Arts & Technology Academy of Pontiac (5-8), Warren Michigan Collegiate (11-7), Mount Clemens (8-10)
Breakdown: The Crusaders may lack an S-tier victory this season, but did they have it when they knocked off Sandusky last year? What they have is a bunch of real good wins, and they’ve been tested against teams like Everest Collegiate, Avondale, Eisenhower and Armada.
Pick: Lutheran Northwest
District 89
Host: Detroit Central
Teams: Madison Heights Madison (1-11), Detroit Central (1-12), Detroit Pershing (14-1), Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett (10-7), Detroit Northwestern (4-10)
Breakdown: This is a two-horse race. Will it go Catholic League or PSL?
Pick: Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett
District 90
Host: Royal Oak Shrine
Teams: Madison Heights Bishop Foley (1-17), Detroit Community (3-12), Clawson (17-2), Detroit CMA (8-13), Westland Universal Learning Academy (0-10), Royal Oak Shrine (10-9)
Breakdown: Barring the unforeseen, Clawson and Shrine will meet in this district championship game in Royal Oak. The Trojans had a fantastic turnaround and shared the MAC Silver title. The Knights, though, have played a tougher schedule and will have the home crowd to root them on.
Pick: Royal Oak Shrine
DIVISION 4
District 122
Host: Whitmore Lake
Teams: Novi Christian Academy (4-16), Ann Arbor Rudolf Steiner (6-4), Whitmore Lake (16-4), Brighton Livingston Christian (12-9), Ann Arbor Central Academy (1-11)
Breakdown: The hosts went 9-2 in the MIAC Red, and while they may not go deep into the playoffs, they should be able to get out of their own district.
Pick: Whitmore Lake
District 124
Host: Bloomfield Hills Academy of the Sacred Heart
Teams: Bloomfield Hills Roeper (5-15), Bloomfield Hills Academy of the Sacred Heart (3-11), Southfield Christian (10-8), Sterling Heights Parkway Christian (9-11), West Bloomfield Frankel Jewish Academy (10-5)
Breakdown: Parkway Christian and Frankel could be a close semifinal on one side of the bracket. On the other, the Eagles, who finished behind Lutheran Westland and Whitmore Lake in the MIAC Red, should advance. Southfield Christian split its two regular season games with Parkway Christian.
Pick: Sterling Heights Parkway Christian
District 126
Host: Dryden
Teams: Clarkston Everest Collegiate (14-2), Burton St. Thomas More Academy (9-7), Genesee Christian (17-2), Dryden (11-9)
Breakdown: Everest (No. 10) might be the only ranked team here, but Genesee Christian could pose a challenge in this final. Among the Soldiers’ best wins this year are Ovid-Elsie, Auburn Hills Oakland Christian and Plymouth Christian Academy. The CHSL St. Anne Tournament winners beat Genesee twice last year, and were slated to place the Soldiers in early February, but that game with the Mountaineers was canceled.
Pick: Clarkston Everest Collegiate
West Bloomfield senior Breanna Gamble-Jones (5) skies to haul in a rebound in a 37-30 win at Stoney Creek on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. The defending D1 champs open up districts against Lakeland on March 5. (BRYAN EVERSON - MediaNews Group)
To call her new album, “Space,” a debut is a bit of a misnomer for Kendall Jane Meade.
The Grosse Pointe native, who’s been in Los Angeles the past seven or so years after a long tenure in New York, has been making music for most of her life — while growing up in the metro area, during her time at Boston University, in the band Juicy and under the moniker Mascott, whose three albums during the 2000s garnered critical acclaim.
Meade had “taken a pause” from active music-making after moving west, but the aftermath of a divorce led to “Space,” and to finally billing under her own name.
“I came back to it really out of necessity in a way,” Meade, 53, explains via Zoom from Culver City, where she also works in advertising brand management. “I didn’t realize it until (the divorce) that music was truly a tool for me to process my emotions. When something like that happens to you, you go through your toolbox of how you’re going to get through it — therapy, life coaches, psychics, walking … everything.
“I realized during that time I was feeling the best when I was making music. So music brought me back to me. It brought me back to the center of who I was. It was important for me to really reclaim myself, and (music) was the best and most honest way I had.”
That was something Meade got a sense of early on, actually. As the youngest of four — “The mascot of the family,” she notes — Meade “was kind of shy because my brother and older sisters were all boisterous and running around.” Her mother, noticing Meade “was kind of retreating a little bit,” enrolled her in a children’s theater program at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial around the time she was in second grade. “I had a comfort on stage from an early age,” Meade recalls, which led to school choirs and a cappella groups and an obsession with music that included publishing a fanzine, Buzz Magazine Boston, while she was in college.
It was there she also formed Juicy, which subsequently moved to New York. “I just always loved being around musicians, and it was also such an exciting time, ’cause there were so many female musicians,” says Meade, who also worked with Sparklehorse, Lloyd Cole, the Spinanes and others. “I had an amazing musical community. … Especially in New York, there was just an embarrassment of riches all around me. If I wasn’t promoting an album, I was collaborating, popping over to a club, jumping up and singing backup.
“I was continually fed by music. It was a really inspiring, really fun time in my life.”
Meade didn’t abandon music entirely when she and her then-husband moved to Los Angeles. “I was doing covers and things,” she notes, “but I had really taken a pause from writing and recording full bodies of work for almost 12, 13 years.” It was her longtime collaborator Charles Newman, who had also moved to Los Angeles, who encouraged her to get back to music by bringing her into the studio to sing backup on projects he was working on. That, in turn, prodded her back into her own creativity.
“(Newman) didn’t realize he was actually helping me heal,” Meade remembers. “I started using my voice memo and then I started writing notes down, melodies and things. My friend, Anders Parker, would be like: ‘Hey, I wrote this piano part. Write melody over it. I was sort of quietly making music.”
Grosse Pointe native Kendall Jane Meade recently released a new album, “Space.” (Photo courtesy of Mother West Records)
The track with Parker became “How to Do Nothing” on “Space,” while Kris Gruen, who co-wrote the album’s cathartic closing track “Heaven On a Car Ride,” took Meade on tour with him in Europe, which helped clear the creative pipes as well. “Getting back to that version of me felt amazing,” says Meade, who played a weekly residency at Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles in October. “When I got off the tour, I was inspired and kept writing. I made a promise to myself I would play as many shows as possible to get comfortable again.”
Also impactful was a holiday trip back to Detroit to visit her father. Meade reached out to local musician and longtime friend Matt Van, who lined up and accompanied Meade for a show at the Polka Dot in Hamtramck. Hearing her new songs, Van suggested doing some recording at Electric Six veteran Zack Shipps’ studio, where they recorded demos that laid the foundation for “Space’s” title track and “The Garden.” Van co-wrote the latter, as well as the song “Temporary.”
The result is an album different from anything Meade has done before. Its organic, often spacious arrangements informed by 90s indie rock and a confessed new “obsession” with classic singer-songwriter motifs. “I’d Like to Know Myself,” meanwhile, starts with a classic Rolling Stones-style riff played by another expatriate Detroiter, Eli Wulfmeier (aka Leroy From The North), who’s on five other tracks. “It’s sort of a theme for the album — friends helping,” Meade acknowledges. “Everything felt like a hug, total support and elevation for what I was trying to do with the album, which was to express myself and encourage others to do the same.”
Part of that expression, of course, dealt with her divorce, but “Space” — inspired by her ex’s declaration that he needed more of it — is significantly more gentle and affirming than more vitriolic breakup albums such as Bob Dylan’s “Blood on the Tracks” or Alanis Morissette’s “Jagged Little Pill.”
“I wasn’t doing this to trash my ex or have an anger release,” Meade explains. “To me it’s honoring the marriage, every part of it. I just didn’t want to close that chapter without having closure. It’s very much my personality to do it in this way.”
Now, Meade has opened, or re-opened and certainly re-embraced, her muse. She filmed a video for the Madonna-referencing “Stereo” in Detroit with director Mitch McCabe and another clip for “The Garden.” She’s looking forward to playing live in support of the album and especially to making more music in the near future.
“Mascott was my band, essentially, but I had that moniker because I wasn’t ready to fully step into putting my name out there,” Meade says. “But now’s the right time, and I’m just excited to keep writing and keep writing and living the life of a musician.”
Grosse Pointe native Kendall Jane Meade has been making music for most of her life, but not until recently did she do so under her own name. Now she's out with a new album, "Space." (Photo courtesy of Jimmy Pham)
The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) hosted the second annual Veteran Service Officer (VSO) conference, Feb. 11-13, at the Grand Traverse Resort in Acme.
The goal of the annual event is to bring together VSOs from around the state to learn how to best impact the lives of veterans and their families in their communities. More than 100 attendees from across the state joined speakers, fellow support organizations and the MVAA to learn how best to serve those who served our country.
A VSO is a subject matter expert trained and accredited by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that guides veterans and their families through the process of applying for VA benefits.
“It is critical to the well-being of Michigan’s more than 516,000 veterans that we bring the VSOs together,” says Stefanie MacDonald, MVAA VSO manager. “Whether the VSO works for the state, the county, or a veteran service organization, it is important that they all have the latest information and training to best support the veterans they come in contact with on a daily basis. VSOs are the lifeline for many veterans and their families to get them connected to the benefits they earned.”
Veterans often face mountains of paperwork and VSOs are knowledgeable about veterans’ benefits and services and can navigate the sometimes complicated systems.
Service members and veterans or their family members may contact the Michigan Veterans Resource Service Center at 1-800-MICH-VET (1-800-642-4838) to learn more about veteran benefits and resources.
Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency staff available to attend veterans events
Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) staff members are available to attend and/or speak at events for veterans or events that involve veteran issues. To request MVAA staff to speak at an event, participate on a panel or present a session, staff a booth or table, provide brochures and information on health care, education, employment and other topics concerning veterans, or to have a veteran-focused event added to the MVAA website, fill out the event invitation form at: www.michigan.gov/mvaa/forms/event-invitation. For more information, visit www.michigan.gov/mvaa/about-us/request-event.
Upcoming events
• Oxford American Legion Post 108 to host Euchre from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, March 3 and from noon to 3 p.m. Thursday, March 6 and Fish dinners from noon to 8 p.m. Friday, March 7, at 130 Drahner Road, Oxford. For more information, call 248-628-9081.
• Royal Oak American Legion Post 253 to host Taco Tuesday at 11 a.m. March 4, and Friday Night-Perch at 5 p.m. March 7, at 1505 N. Main St. For more information, call 248-546-0490.
• Oxford American Legion Post 108 to host Broasted Chicken Buffet from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, at 130 Drahner Road, Oxford. For more information, call 248-628-9081.
• Clarkston American Legion Post 377 to host Bingo from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 4 and a Fish Fry from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 7, at 4819 Mary Sue Ave. For more information, call 248-673-9301.
• Milford American Legion Post 216 to host Burger Nite from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 6, at 510 W. Commerce Road, Milford. For more information, call 248-684-9919.
• Berkley American Legion Post 374 to host Pancake Platter Feast from 9 a.m. to noon, Sunday, March 2, and Music Trivia at 7 p.m. Thursday March 6, at 2079 W. Twelve Mile Road, Berkley. Breakfast cost Adults-from $10, Under age 12-from $5. Beverages available to purchase. For more information, call 248-542-7668.
• The Holly Area Veterans Resource Center Vet-To-Vet Dinner is from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Monday, March 17, at VFW Post 5587, 201 Airport Drive, Holly. The dinner is open to veterans and their families, option to bring a dish to pass. There is usually a guest speaker at the monthly dinners, followed by Q&A. For more information, call 810-348-9960.
The Oakland Press is interested in all veterans events in Oakland County. Please send info in the body of an email with subject line “Veterans Affairs” to Sharon Longman at sslstart@aol.com. Allow two weeks’ notice for scheduled events and include a phone number for readers to call for more information.
The 1972 AMC Gremlin that Nolan McCann will show in the Autorama is a melding of two cars.
The 17-year-old from Madison Heights is one of the youngest exhibitors in the annual hot rod and customized car show at Huntington Place in Detroit, which starts Friday, Feb. 28.
McCann, a senior at Lamphere High School, learned car restoration from his grandfather. He started looking for a Gremlin to rebuild because he “just thought it was funky and cool.”
He bought a 1974 model and had it shipped from Connecticut for a total of about $5,200. It had more rust than he anticipated.
“That was a bit of a costly mistake,” he said.
Then he found the 1972 model that was “just a shell” and bought it for $1,500. With some parts borrowed from the 1974 Gremlin and help from friends, the reconstruction began last June.
“It’s been a lot of work and a lot of patience,” he said. “I’m super excited about Autorama. A lot of family and friends are coming to the show.”
McCann financed the work by buying, restoring and reselling 1990s-era Jeeps.
He entered vintage mopeds in the Autorama for the last two years.
Maintaining a grade point average over 4.0, he has scholarship offers from several colleges, and is particularly interested in Michigan State University and Wayne State University. While undecided on a course of study, he considers himself an entrepreneur and is leaning toward business.
McCann is one of about two dozen Oakland County residents entering cars in the show.
Murray Pfaff of Royal Oak is a car designer who has had his own exhibit, the D Lot, at Autorama for the past decade.
This year, the D Lot will exhibit 10 cars, eight of which he designed and drew himself.
Pfaff has raised $250,000 for charities over the past decade by holding a raffle of donated auto-related prizes, which have a combined value of about $50,000. This year, his efforts will benefit Make-A-Wish Michigan, which provides trips and other experiences for terminally ill and seriously ill children. Raffle tickets cost $5 each and there is also an online auction. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/thedlot.
“I feel very fortunate being in this industry,” Pfaff said. “It started out as a hobby and now I have clients who invest more than $1 million in these cars.”
Over the years, Pfaff has also entered his own vehicles after spending hours fixing them up.
How much time? “If you ask my wife, way too much,” he said.
Gary Hicks of Southfield is entering his 2023 Corvette Stingray, which has been outfitted with all manner of add-ons, he said.
He did some of the work himself and paid professionals for other amenities.
The “Lamborghini” doors, which open up instead of out, are his favorite customization.
“They make it easier to get in and out,” he said.
He also paid extra for the customized rapid blue exterior color. But that meant he got the two-tone interior thrown in for free.
Crowds mill around cars on display at a previous Autorama. Photo courtesy of Autorama.
Other Oakland County residents with cars in the show:
– Charlotte Davidson of Southfield 2017 Chevrolet Corvette
– John Leonard of Farmington Hills, 2005 Ford Mustang.
– Alex Della Torre of Farmington Hills, 1992 Mazda Miata
– Larry Harvey of Southfield, 2022 Chevrolet Corvette
– Mike Marmorstein of Southfield, 1932 Ford 5 window coupe
– Ernest Morrison Jr. of Lathrup Village, 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle
– Harold Sullivan of Bloomfield Hills, 1967 Plymouth GTX
– Everett Stephenson, 1971 Dodge Challenger
– Don Swartz of Rochester Hills, 1946 Ford Coupe
– Ron Kline of Rochester Hills, 1946 Plymouth convertible
– Matt and Dave Chojnacki/Gulda of Oxford, 1965 Ford Galaxie
– Justin Kowalski of Oxford, 1969 Buick
– Justin Shinouski of Auburn Hills, 1964 Mercury Marauder
– Frank Polito of Hazel Park, 1981 AMC Concorde station wagon
– Pontiac Transportation Museum, 1974 Pontiac GTO
– Everett Mero of Madison Heights, 1971 Ford pickup truck
– Vince Blaszcyzyk of Commerce Township, 1937 Chevrolet Custom Coupe
– Gerald Camico of Commerce Township, 1965 Plymouth Barracuda
– Bob Dewitt of Walled Lake, 1970 Oldsmobile Coupe
– Edward Frank of Waterford Township,1991 Ford Mustang
– Sean Gennari of Waterford Township, 2000 Van Dieman
– Joe Giummo of Waterford Township, 1980 AMC Spirit
– Phil Hargrate of Waterford Township, blue 1957 Hans Coupe 300 and 1969 Honda CT70 and his trailer home
– Ryan Lightfoot of Commerce Township, 1978 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
– Tony Nacewicz of Commerce Township, 1971 Dodge Demon
– Tommy Shea of Waterford Township, 1977 Penton MC 5
– William Duren of Bloomfield Hills, 2014 Chevrolet Corvette
– Thomas Dorr of Clawson, 1935 Chevrolet pickup truck
– Phil Hatzos of Berkley, 1978 Chevrolet Chevette
– Mike Radonovich of Royal Oak, 1965 Ford Fastback
Autorama runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday and will feature about 800 vehicles.
Attractions include a pink Barbie convertible, as seen at Disney’s Epcot Center; a giant mega transformer car; WWE wrestlers and Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzelone.
HOURS
Friday, February 28, noon-10 p.m.
Saturday, March 1, 9 a.m.-10 p.m.
Sunday, March 2, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
ADMISSION
At Gate:
Adults, $28
Children 6 to 12 years, $10
Children 5 and under, free
Discount tickets are available at participating O’Reilly Auto Parts locations. Discounted general admission is $26 and children 6 to 12 years, $9
For more information, visit www.autorama.com or call 248-373-1700.
Multiple planets will appear close together in the sky, beginning on Friday, Feb. 28, and the Cranbrook Institute of Science in Bloomfield Hills is planning a celebration.
Experts call it a planetary alignment. Some fans of astronomy are calling it a “planet parade.” It won’t happen again until September 2040.
The Cranbrook science museum, 39221 Woodward Ave., is preparing its observatory telescopes and holding its celebration on Saturday evening, March 1, but experts say Friday evening at about 6:10 p.m. will be the best time to see some planets, especially if unaided by a microscope or binoculars.
A cloudy forecast on Friday evening could make it difficult to see them, said Michael Narlock, Cranbrook’s head of astronomy.
“A number of the planets are near to the sun, so they will disappear with the sun,” he said, which will make timing important on Friday.
“Fingers crossed, it’s supposed to clear up on Saturday,” he said. “But it’s Michigan.
Through the telescopes, visitors will be able to see the planets as well as the Andromeda Galaxy, the Orion Nebula and more.
“It’s going to be a great jolt to the senses to see all of these things in the sky,” he said.
The museum will be closed during the day Saturday and will be open from 5-11 p.m. for the planetary celebration.
From 5-8 p.m., pre-registration is required. Walk-ups will be allowed after that, but due to capacity limits, admittance isn’t guaranteed. Pre-registration will close at 3 p.m. Friday and is available at https://bit.ly/4i12CJf.
Tickets are $21 for members and $25 for non-members. In addition to telescope viewings, there will be planet-related activities throughout the museum and planetarium shows available for an extra charge.
Tickets for the museum-wide event are non-refundable. Free passes and reciprocal membership privileges are not valid for this event.
This Jan. 2, 2010 image made available by NASA shows the planet Saturn, as seen from the Cassini spacecraft. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute via AP)
Today is Friday, Feb. 28, the 59th day of 2025. There are 306 days left in the year.
Today in history:
On Feb. 28, 1993, a gun battle erupted at a religious compound near Waco, Texas, when Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents tried to arrest Branch Davidian leader David Koresh on weapons charges; four agents and six Davidians were killed as a 51-day standoff began.
Also on this date:
In 1844, a 12-inch gun aboard the USS Princeton exploded as the ship was sailing on the Potomac River, killing Secretary of State Abel P. Upshur, Navy Secretary Thomas W. Gilmer and several others; President John Tyler, who also was aboard the ship, was uninjured.
In 1953, Francis H.C. Crick announced that he and fellow scientist James D. Watson had discovered the double-helix structure of DNA.
In 1975, 43 people were killed in London’s Underground when a train failed to stop at Moorgate station, smashing into the end of a tunnel.
In 1983, the final episode of the television series “M(asterisk)A(asterisk)S(asterisk)H” aired; nearly 106 million viewers saw the finale, which remains the most-watched episode of any U.S. television series to date.
In 1986, Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme was assassinated while walking on a Stockholm street with his wife; his assailant was never captured and remains unidentified.
In 2013, Benedict XVI became the first pope in 600 years to resign, ending an eight-year pontificate. (Benedict was succeeded the following month by Pope Francis.)
In 2014, delivering a blunt warning to Moscow, President Barack Obama expressed deep concern over reported military activity inside Ukraine by Russia and warned “there will be costs” for any intervention.
Today’s birthdays:
Architect Frank Gehry is 96.
Rock singer Sam the Sham (aka Domingo Samudio) is 88.
Actor-director-choreographer Tommy Tune is 86.
Hall of Fame auto racer Mario Andretti is 85.
Actor Mercedes Ruehl is 77.
Actor-singer Bernadette Peters is 77.
Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman is 72.
Basketball Hall of Famer Adrian Dantley is 70.
Actor John Turturro is 68.
Actor Maxine Bahns is 55.
Actor Robert Sean Leonard is 56.
Musician Pat Monahan (Train) is 56.
Actor Tasha Smith is 54.
Hockey Hall of Famer Eric Lindros is 52.
Actor Ali Larter is 49.
Country musician Jason Aldean is 48.
NBA guard Luka Dončić is 26.
A cult flag flies over the Branch Davidian compound in Waco on March 08, 1993 . After a shootout in Waco in 1993 that killed four federal agents and six members of the Branch Davidian religious sect, authorities negotiated with cult leader David Koresh for 51 days. On the final day, 19 April 1993, a few hours after a government tank rammed the cult’s wooden fortress, the siege ended in a fiery blaze, killing Koresh and 80 of his followers. (Photo by BOB STRONG / AFP) (Photo by BOB STRONG/AFP via Getty Images)
Runners are strips of carpet that have finished edges on all four sides. They are one of the best and easiest ways to protect your home’s flooring from scrapes, dirt and moisture. Rug runners brighten narrow spaces in your home and make them look bigger, too.
Rug runners have another practical purpose: a runner made with a sure-grip backing protects your family and guests from slip-and-fall injuries. If you are looking for a runner that never skids, take a look at House, Home And More Skid-Resistant Carpet Runner. Its soft loop-pile surface and neutral tan color complement a wide range of home decors.
What to know before you buy a rug runner
Where you will put it
Entrance areas: When you place a rug runner just inside your front door, you are showing visitors your sense of style. You are also being practical, because people’s shoes naturally collect dirt, dust and other debris from outside, and a runner protects the floor in your entryway.
Hallways: Long, narrow runners in hallways help narrow corridors seem wider, brighter and more inviting to the eye. Hallways typically get a lot of traffic, so durability is a primary consideration.
Staircases: If you have hardwood stairs, runners help prevent dangerous slips and falls, reduce the sound of feet tromping up and down and protect your beautiful hardwood, all while making a fashion statement.
Kitchens: In kitchens, runners repel the inevitable greases and liquids that come with cooking. Kitchens are good places for synthetic runners that shrug off stains and are easy to clean. Runners also provide a bit of springiness that makes standing easier on the cook.
Bedrooms: Bedrooms don’t get as much traffic as hallways, living areas and kitchens. Bedroom rug runners provide traction and warmth for wooden and tile floors. Runners placed on carpet keep the nap of your wall-to-wall carpet from getting trampled down in the same places over and over.
Material
High-traffic areas need durable runners that handle traffic and dirt. Wool resists both dirt and liquids, so it’s easy to clean. In kitchens, look for runners that repel the greases and liquids spilled by even the finest chefs. Check out runners that have enough padding to add comfort for cooks who are on their feet for hours. All runners help reduce sound by cushioning footsteps and absorbing sound waves.
Pile height
For that luxurious, cushiony feeling, deeper piles are better. But deep piles also trap more dirt and debris and are harder to clean, so choose high piles for low-traffic areas and low piles for areas that get lots of foot traffic.
Step up
For added safety that looks good, too, look for runners that taper at the edges so they don’t stick up and trip you.
Bounce back
Runners should rebound immediately from impressions made by people’s feet and shoes. Check the bounce-back factor before choosing a runner.
How much you can expect to spend on a rug runner
The cost of a runner depends on its size and materials. Smaller runners made of synthetic fibers can be found for as little as $20 while plush rug runners made of high-quality fabrics cost almost as much as fine carpets.
Rug runner FAQ
Do all rug runners have the same backing materials?
A. No. Rugs used on slippery surfaces such as wood and tile need to have sturdy backing made to hug the floor and grip it tightly. When you put a runner on top of a carpet, it has much less chance of skidding, but may bunch up, so make sure you match your runner’s backing material and design to the surface where you put it.
Can I install a staircase runner by myself?
A. Yes, if you know exactly how to attach it to your staircase. Stairs are the site of slips and falls and you want to know that without a doubt, your runner will never cause an injury. When in doubt, call a pro.
What you need to know: Walk safely and comfortably on this soft loop-pile beige runner that complements a wide range of home decor.
What you’ll love: The neutral color and solid design of this 27-inch-wide, 6-foot-long runner provide protection for your floors while not drawing attention from your furnishings. This runner is finished and bound around all four edges and at the corners to provide a finished look and prevent fraying. The rubber backing resists skidding and prevents bunching while vacuuming.
What you should consider: The quarter-inch pile is functional, not luxurious.
What you need to know: This 2-foot-wide, 7-foot-long red runner is a great addition to any hallway or entrance.
What you’ll love: It also comes in light blue, green, black and ivory. Made of stain- and fade-resistant polypropylene that is very durable and easy to clean, it has a jute backing safe for wood floors and is serged on all sides for added durability.
What you should consider: This inexpensive artificial runner needs to be periodically replaced if used in a high-traffic area.
What you need to know: This 22-inch-wide stair runner comes in any length you want, all the way up to 50 feet.
What you’ll love: Get the length you want in either a standard 22-inch or 31-inch width for larger staircases, and avoid the gaps and overlaps of trying to use a rug runner that is too long or too short. Choose from seven colors with this solid design that goes with any decor.
What you should consider: You can vacuum it regularly but will have to hand wash only.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Nimari Burnett made a long 3-pointer at the buzzer, lifting No. 15 Michigan to an 84-82 win over Rutgers on Thursday night and into a first-place tie in the Big Ten with rival Michigan State.
The Wolverines (22-6, 14-3 Big Ten) rallied after trailing by 12 in the second half.
The Scarlet Knights (14-15, 7-11) went ahead with 12.2 seconds left when Tyson Acuff made two free throws after being fouled on a 3-pointer, but they couldn’t make one last stop.
Rutgers, which led by 13 in a 106-point first half, was ahead 74-62 midway through the second.
Michigan went on a 14-2 run to tie it with 4:33 left and made enough shots and stops to win.
Vladislav Goldin had 22 points and 11 rebounds, Burnett finished with 20 points, Will Tschetter scored 16 and Danny Wolf added 10 points and eight rebounds for the Wolverines.
Rutgers freshman Lathan Sommerville scored 10 of his season-high 17 points in the second half when the highly touted players in his class, Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, cooled off. Harper finished with 17 points and Bailey had 13 after both scored 11 in the first half, helping their team score 57 points in 20 minutes.
Takeaways
Rutgers: Steve Pikiell has his highest-scoring team in nine seasons at the school, but the Scarlet Knights are not playing the type of defense they usually have under their coach.
Michigan: The Wolverines made just five shots beyond the arc for the third straight game, attempting 20-plus each time.
Key moment
Burnett’s 3-pointer from deep on the left wing won the game just before time expired.
Key stat
Rutgers shot 68% in the first half.
Up next
Michigan hosts Illinois on Sunday, and Rutgers visits No. 20 Purdue on Tuesday night.
Michigan forward Danny Wolf, left, tries to get past Rutgers center Emmanuel Ogbole during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)
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