By Miriam Fauzia, The Dallas Morning News

In 1942, during its fight against the Soviet Union, Finland launched a novel campaign to keep the Red Army at bay: Raitis tammikuu, or “Sober January.” The monthlong sobriety challenge – one of the first Dry Januarys in history – was meant to encourage Finns to lay off the bottle while also conserving scant wartime resources.

Nowadays, Dry January isn’t so much a fight against invading forces as it is about a reset heading into a new year.

Alcohol has already taken center stage in 2025 after the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory calling for warning labels highlighting the risk of cancer in drinking boozy beverages earlier this month.

“Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer responsible for about 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the United States – greater than the 13,500 alcohol-associated traffic crash fatalities per year in the U.S. – yet the majority of Americans are unaware of this risk,” Murthy said in a statement. “This Advisory lays out steps we can all take to increase awareness of alcohol’s cancer risk and minimize harm.”

Across the globe, some countries have introduced forms of health warning labels on alcoholic drinks. But only a few, like South Korea and soon Ireland, have explicit labels warning of the risk of cancer and other negative health consequences.

But considering how socially ingrained alcohol is, the arrival of the surgeon general’s advisory begs the question: Is it possible to sip smarter in a world where every pint or cocktail comes with a side of caution?

A research smorgasbord

The connection between cancer and alcohol may come as news to the general public, but it’s not for scientists and clinicians, said Dr. Mack Mitchell, a gastroenterologist and professor of internal medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

“There’s a large background of information on alcohol and health that’s accumulated over the last not 10 years, but 50 years,” said Mitchell, who is also a member of the Board of Scientific Counselors for the National Institute of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse. “The issue about cancer began to be recognized back in the 1980s, and the first thing that came up was a small but real association between drinking and breast cancer in women. I think there’s no question that this has been confirmed many, many times.”

Cancer occurs through different biological mechanisms, some of which involve ethanol — the main chemical component of alcoholic beverages — and other chemicals produced when we metabolize beer or a glass of wine, said Dr. Flavio Rocha, surgical oncologist and physician-in-chief at the Oregon Health and Science University’s Knight Cancer Institute.

“Alcohol can also increase inflammation through reactive oxygen species that we know can damage DNA,” Rocha said. “Alcohol hormonal changes particularly in estrogen, which is the mechanism thought to be causative for breast cancer and potentially liver cancer, as well.”

Yet, other studies have suggested that alcohol consumption, particularly in moderation, may be associated with positive health benefits such as longevity.

This perception, in particular, was popularized in the 1990s with the “French Paradox,” an observation that the French enjoy low rates of heart disease despite their rich, fatty diets. The secret to their good health? Imbibing red wine regularly.

But no studies to date have conclusively proved that drinking red wine offers any health benefits. And recent years have called into question the methodology of studies linking moderate alcohol drinking to health.

A 2024 review of 107 studies on drinking habits and longevity found the data suggested moderate drinkers — those enjoying anywhere between a drink a week and two a day — had a 14% lower risk of dying during the study period compared to those who abstained from alcohol. This link disappeared, however, when the researchers dug deeper into the data. In high-quality studies, which included younger people and made sure former and occasional drinkers weren’t considered abstainers, there was no evidence that light to moderate drinkers lived longer. In the lower quality studies, which involved older participants and made no distinction between former drinkers and lifelong abstainers, moderate drinking was linked to greater longevity.

Problematic methodology aside, other studies have also found socioeconomic status plays a major role in determining the health benefit of alcohol. For example, it’s been observed that people on the higher end of the socioeconomic ladder may consume similar or greater amounts of alcohol compared to people on the lower end but it’s the latter group that bears the burden of poorer health.

“There are many things related to our socioeconomic and educational levels that may contribute and, therefore, could be confounders to the alcohol effect,” Mitchell said. “And that’s where a lot of the controversy exists, whether the benefit of so-called ‘moderate’ drinking is related to drinking or related to your socioeconomic status. It’s very hard to separate the two.”

Mileage may vary

The current U.S. guidelines for alcohol consumption is two drinks a day or less for men and one drink a day or less for women. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, a standard drink is defined as either:

• 12 fluid ounces of regular beer with an alcohol content of 5%
• 5 fluid ounces of table wine with an alcohol content of 12%
• A 1.5 fluid ounce shot of distilled spirits with an alcohol content of 40%

Even with these guidelines, alcoholic beverages don’t have explicit labeling informing consumers of how their drink compares to the standard, said Matthew Rossheim, associate professor of health administration and health policy at the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth.

“I’ve done research where I’ve given people cans of alcohol products like a 14% 23 and a half-ounce Four Loko. People will guess that it has two or three standard drinks but it’s really closer to a six-pack of beer in a single can,” he said.

Rossheim said the guidelines also don’t reflect the inventory of high volume alcohol products currently on the market.

“[Those guidelines] are dated because it assumes that there’s 5% beer when a lot of the products now are 8%, 12%, even 14 or 16%,” Rossheim said. “Some people don’t realize that what they’re drinking is low-end liquor rather than a beer type product, so that’s a huge issue.”

So should you cut alcohol out of your life entirely? While Mitchell, Rocha and Rossheim said there isn’t a safe amount when drinking alcohol, saying no to a nightly glass of Pinot Noir — or a cannabis-infused cocktail — is easier said than done.

If you already don’t drink alcohol, it’s best not to start now. If you do currently drink, Mitchell and Rocha said it’s best to stay within the standard guidelines and have a conversation with your health care provider to get an idea of what an acceptable amount looks like for you. That’s because one’s risk of cancer or other negative health consequences depends on many different factors, such as age, health status, lifestyle, genetics and family history.

Mitchell also endorses taking advantage of Dry January to evaluate your relationship with alcohol.

“If you don’t make it through Dry January, and your intent was to do so,” Mitchell said, “then you might want to rethink your relationship with alcohol and why you’re drinking.”

Miriam Fauzia is a science reporting fellow at The Dallas Morning News. Her fellowship is supported by the University of Texas at Dallas. The News makes all editorial decisions.

©2025 The Dallas Morning News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By John Daley, Colorado Public Radio, KFF Health News

DENVER — Outside HCA HealthONE Rose medical center, the snow is flying. Inside, on the third floor, there’s a flurry of activity within the labor and delivery unit.

“There’s a lot of action up here. It can be very stressful at times,” said Kristina Fraser, an OB-GYN in blue scrubs.

Nurses wheel a very pregnant mom past.

“We’re going to bring a baby into this world safely,” Fraser said, “and off we go.”

She said she feels ready in part due to a calming moment she had just a few minutes earlier with some canine colleagues.

A pair of dogs, tails wagging, had come by a nearby nursing station, causing about a dozen medical professionals to melt into a collective puddle of affection. A yellow Lab named Peppi showered Fraser in nuzzles and kisses. “I don’t know if a human baby smells as good as that puppy breath!” Fraser had said as her colleagues laughed.

The dogs aren’t visitors. They work here, too, specifically for the benefit of the staff. “I feel like that dog just walks on and everybody takes a big deep breath and gets down on the ground and has a few moments of just decompressing,” Fraser said. “It’s great. It’s amazing.”

Hospital staffers who work with the dogs say there is virtually no bite risk with the carefully trained Labradors, the preferred breed for this work.

The dogs are kept away from allergic patients and washed regularly to prevent germs from spreading, and people must wash their hands before and after petting them.

Doctors and nurses are facing a growing mental health crisis driven by their experiences at work. They and other health care colleagues face high rates of depression, anxiety, stress, suicidal ideation, and burnout. Nearly half of health workers reported often feeling burned out in 2022, an increase from 2018, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And the percentage of health care workers who reported harassment at work more than doubled over that four-year period. Advocates for the presence of dogs in hospitals see the animals as one thing that can help.

That includes Peppi’s handler, Susan Ryan, an emergency medicine physician at Rose.

Ryan said years working as an emergency room doctor left her with symptoms of PTSD. “I just was messed up and I knew it,” said Ryan, who isolated more at home and didn’t want to engage with friends. “I shoved it all in. I think we all do.”

She said doctors and other providers can be good at hiding their struggles, because they have to compartmentalize. “How else can I go from a patient who had a cardiac arrest, deal with the family members telling them that, and go to a room where another person is mad that they’ve had to wait 45 minutes for their ear pain? And I have to flip that switch.”

To cope with her symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, Ryan started doing therapy with horses. But she couldn’t have a horse in her backyard, so she got a Labrador.

Ryan received training from a national service dog group called Canine Companions, becoming the first doctor trained by the group to have a facility dog in an emergency room. Canine Companions has graduated more than 8,000 service dogs.

The Rose medical center gave Ryan approval to bring a dog to work during her ER shifts. Ryan’s colleagues said they are delighted that a dog is part of their work life.

“When I have a bad day at work and I come to Rose and Peppi is here, my day’s going to be made better,” EMT Jasmine Richardson said. “And if I have a patient who’s having a tough day, Peppi just knows how to light up the room.”

Nursing supervisor Eric Vaillancourt agreed, calling Peppi “joyful.”

Ryan had another dog, Wynn, working with her during the height of the pandemic. She said she thinks Wynn made a huge difference. “It saved people,” she said. “We had new nurses that had never seen death before, and now they’re seeing a covid death. And we were worried sick we were dying.”

She said her hospital system has lost a couple of physicians to suicide in the past two years, which HCA confirmed to KFF Health News and NPR. Ryan hopes the canine connection can help with trauma. “Anything that brings you back to the present time helps ground you again. A dog can be that calming influence,” she said. “You can get down on the ground, pet them, and you just get calm.”

Ryan said research has shown the advantages. For example, one review of dozens of original studies on human-animal interactions found benefits for a variety of conditions including behavioral and mood issues and physical symptoms of stress.

Rose’s president and CEO, Casey Guber, became such a believer in the canine connection he got his own trained dog to bring to the hospital, a black Lab-retriever mix named Ralphie.

She wears a badge: Chief Dog Officer.

Guber said she’s a big morale booster. “Phenomenal,” he said. “It is not uncommon to see a surgeon coming down to our administration office and rolling on the ground with Ralphie, or one of our nurses taking Ralphie out for a walk in the park.”

This article is from a partnership that includes CPR News , NPR , and KFF Health News.

©2025 Kaiser Health News. Visit khn.org. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. ©2025 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By Sarah Boden, KFF Health News

Erica Hayes, 40, has not felt healthy since November 2020 when she first fell ill with COVID.

Hayes is too sick to work, so she has spent much of the last four years sitting on her beige couch, often curled up under an electric blanket.

“My blood flow now sucks, so my hands and my feet are freezing. Even if I’m sweating, my toes are cold,” said Hayes, who lives in Western Pennsylvania. She misses feeling well enough to play with her 9-year-old son or attend her 17-year-old son’s baseball games.

Along with claiming the lives of 1.2 million Americans, the COVID-19 pandemic has been described as a mass disabling event. Hayes is one of millions of Americans who suffer from long COVID. Depending on the patient, the condition can rob someone of energy, scramble the autonomic nervous system, or fog their memory, among many other symptoms. In addition to the brain fog and chronic fatigue, Hayes’ constellation of symptoms includes frequent hives and migraines. Also, her tongue is constantly swollen and dry.

“I’ve had multiple doctors look at it and tell me they don’t know what’s going on,” Hayes said about her tongue.

Estimates of prevalence range considerably, depending on how researchers define long COVID in a given study, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention puts it at 17 million adults.

Despite long COVID’s vast reach, the federal government’s investment in researching the disease — to the tune of $1.15 billion as of December — has so far failed to bring any new treatments to market.

This disappoints and angers the patient community, who say the National Institutes of Health should focus on ways to stop their suffering instead of simply trying to understand why they’re suffering.

“It’s unconscionable that more than four years since this began, we still don’t have one FDA-approved drug,” said Meighan Stone, executive director of the Long COVID Campaign, a patient-led advocacy organization. Stone was among several people with long COVID who spoke at a workshop hosted by the NIH in September where patients, clinicians, and researchers discussed their priorities and frustrations around the agency’s approach to long-COVID research.

Some doctors and researchers are also critical of the agency’s research initiative, called RECOVER, or Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery. Without clinical trials, physicians specializing in treating long COVID must rely on hunches to guide their clinical decisions, said Ziyad Al-Aly, chief of research and development with the VA St Louis Healthcare System.

“What [RECOVER] lacks, really, is clarity of vision and clarity of purpose,” said Al-Aly, saying he agrees that the NIH has had enough time and money to produce more meaningful progress.

Now the NIH is starting to determine how to allocate an additional $662 million of funding for long-COVID research, $300 million of which is earmarked for clinical trials. These funds will be allocated over the next four years.At the end of October, RECOVER issued a request for clinical trial ideas that look at potential therapies, including medications, saying its goal is “to work rapidly, collaboratively, and transparently to advance treatments for Long COVID.”

This turn suggests the NIH has begun to respond to patients. This has stirred cautious optimism among those who say that the agency’s approach to long COVID has lacked urgency in the search for effective treatments.Stone calls this $300 million a down payment. She warns it’s going to take a lot more money to help people like Hayes regain some degree of health.“There really is a burden to make up this lost time now,” Stone said.

The NIH told KFF Health News and NPR via email that it recognizes the urgency in finding treatments. But to do that, there needs to be an understanding of the biological mechanisms that are making people sick, which is difficult to do with post-infectious conditions.

That’s why it has funded research into how long COVID affects lung function, or trying to understand why only some people are afflicted with the condition.

Good Science Takes Time

In December 2020, Congress appropriated $1.15 billion for the NIH to launch RECOVER, raising hopes in the long-COVID patient community.

Then-NIH Director Francis Collins explained that RECOVER’s goal was to better understand long COVID as a disease and that clinical trials of potential treatments would come later.

According to RECOVER’s website, it has funded eight clinical trials to test the safety and effectiveness of an experimental treatment or intervention. Just one of those trials has published results.

On the other hand, RECOVER has supported more than 200 observational studies, such as research on how long COVID affects pulmonary function and on which symptoms are most common. And the initiative has funded more than 40 pathobiology studies, which focus on the basic cellular and molecular mechanisms of long COVID.

RECOVER’s website says this research has led to crucial insights on the risk factors for developing long COVID and on understanding how the disease interacts with preexisting conditions.

It notes that observational studies are important in helping scientists to design and launch evidence-based clinical trials.

Good science takes time, said Leora Horwitz, the co-principal investigator for the RECOVER-Adult Observational Cohort at New York University. And long COVID is an “exceedingly complicated” illness that appears to affect nearly every organ system, she said.

This makes it more difficult to study than many other diseases. Because long COVID harms the body in so many ways, with widely variable symptoms, it’s harder to identify precise targets for treatment.

“I also will remind you that we’re only three, four years into this pandemic for most people,” Horwitz said. “We’ve been spending much more money than this, yearly, for 30, 40 years on other conditions.”

NYU received nearly $470 million of RECOVER funds in 2021, which the institution is using to spearhead the collection of data and biospecimens from up to 40,000 patients. Horwitz said nearly 30,000 are enrolled so far.

This vast repository, Horwitz said, supports ongoing observational research, allowing scientists to understand what is happening biologically to people who don’t recover after an initial infection — and that will help determine which clinical trials for treatments are worth undertaking.

“Simply trying treatments because they are available without any evidence about whether or why they may be effective reduces the likelihood of successful trials and may put patients at risk of harm,” she said.

Delayed Hopes or Incremental Progress?

The NIH told KFF Health News and NPR that patients and caregivers have been central to RECOVER from the beginning, “playing critical roles in designing studies and clinical trials, responding to surveys, serving on governance and publication groups, and guiding the initiative.”But the consensus from patient advocacy groups is that RECOVER should have done more to prioritize clinical trials from the outset. Patients also say RECOVER leadership ignored their priorities and experiences when determining which studies to fund.

RECOVER has scored some gains, said JD Davids, co-director of Long COVID Justice. This includes findings on differences in long COVID between adults and kids.But Davids said the NIH shouldn’t have named the initiative “RECOVER,” since it wasn’t designed as a streamlined effort to develop treatments.

“The name’s a little cruel and misleading,” he said.

RECOVER’s initial allocation of $1.15 billion probably wasn’t enough to develop a new medication to treat long COVID, said Ezekiel J. Emanuel, co-director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Healthcare Transformation Institute.

But, he said, the results of preliminary clinical trials could have spurred pharmaceutical companies to fund more studies on drug development and test how existing drugs influence a patient’s immune response.

Emanuel is one of the authors of a March 2022 COVID roadmap report. He notes that RECOVER’s lack of focus on new treatments was a problem. “Only 15% of the budget is for clinical studies. That is a failure in itself — a failure of having the right priorities,” he told KFF Health News and NPR via email.

And though the NYU biobank has been impactful, Emanuel said there needs to be more focus on how existing drugs influence immune response.

He said some clinical trials that RECOVER has funded are “ridiculous,” because they’ve focused on symptom amelioration, for example to study the benefits of over-the-counter medication to improve sleep. Other studies looked at non-pharmacological interventions, such as exercise and “brain training” to help with cognitive fog.

People with long COVID say this type of clinical research contributes to what many describe as the “gaslighting” they experience from doctors, who sometimes blame a patient’s symptoms on anxiety or depression, rather than acknowledging long COVID as a real illness with a physiological basis.

“I’m just disgusted,” said long-COVID patient Hayes. “You wouldn’t tell somebody with diabetes to breathe through it.”

Chimére L. Sweeney, director and founder of the Black Long COVID Experience, said she’s even taken breaks from seeking treatment after getting fed up with being told that her symptoms were due to her diet or mental health.

“You’re at the whim of somebody who may not even understand the spectrum of long COVID,” Sweeney said.

Insurance Battles Over Experimental Treatments

Since there are still no long-COVID treatments approved by the Food and Drug Administration, anything a physician prescribes is classified as either experimental — for unproven treatments — or an off-label use of a drug approved for other conditions. This means patients can struggle to get insurance to cover prescriptions.

Michael Brode, medical director for UT Health Austin’s Post-COVID-19 Program — said he writes many appeal letters. And some people pay for their own treatment.

For example, intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, low-dose naltrexone, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy are all promising treatments, he said.

For hyperbaric oxygen, two small, randomized controlled studies show improvements for the chronic fatigue and brain fog that often plague long-COVID patients. The theory is that higher oxygen concentration and increased air pressure can help heal tissues that were damaged during a COVID infection.

However, the out-of-pocket cost for a series of sessions in a hyperbaric chamber can run as much as $8,000, Brode said.

“Am I going to look a patient in the eye and say, ‘You need to spend that money for an unproven treatment’?” he said. “I don’t want to hype up a treatment that is still experimental. But I also don’t want to hide it.”

There’s a host of pharmaceuticals that have promising off-label uses for long COVID, said microbiologist Amy Proal, president and chief scientific officer at the Massachusetts-based PolyBio Research Foundation. For instance, she’s collaborating on a clinical study that repurposes two HIV drugs to treat long COVID.

Proal said research on treatments can move forward based on what’s already understood about the disease. For instance, she said that scientists have evidence — partly due to RECOVER research — that some patients continue to harbor small amounts of viral material after a COVID infection. She has not received RECOVER funds but is researching antivirals.

But to vet a range of possible treatments for the millions suffering now — and to develop new drugs specifically targeting long COVID — clinical trials are needed. And that requires money.

Hayes said she would definitely volunteer for an experimental drug trial. For now, though, “in order to not be absolutely miserable,” she said she focuses on what she can do, like having dinner with her family.At the same time, Hayes doesn’t want to spend the rest of her life on a beige couch.

RECOVER’s deadline to submit research proposals for potential long-COVID treatments is Feb. 1.

This article is from a partnership that includes NPR and KFF Health News.

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

DETROIT — The Tigers on Wednesday reached an agreement with veteran right-handed reliever Tommy Kahnle on a one-year deal worth $7.75 million.

The deal, which is pending a physical, was first reported by Jon Heyman and confirmed to The Detroit News by a source familiar with the negotiations.

Kahnle, 35, has been a model of consistency the last three seasons, posting 2.44 ERA and a 1.063 WHIP with the Dodgers in 2022 and the Yankees the last two seasons. Last season in 50 games he had a 2.11 ERA, 1.148 WHIP with 46 strikeouts in 42.2 innings.

He started last season on the injured list with shoulder soreness. But he quickly became the Yankees’ most reliable reliever for a three-month stretch. In 33 appearances from June 12 through the end of August, Kahnle allowed two earned runs in 28.2 innings with 31 strikeouts.

He’s logged 30 innings in the postseason over his career, including 8.2 last season. He didn’t allow an earned run until his last outing, which came in Game 5 of the World Series.

The 10-year veteran adds a different look to the back end of the Tigers’ bullpen in that he features an elite and unique changeup, one he threw 73% of the time last season. He throws it between 87 and 88 mph off a 94-mph four-seamer. Last season, the changeup limited hitters to a .173 average and a 39% swing and miss rate.

At one point last season, he threw 61 straight changeups.

Going back to 2019 when he made the changeup his primary pitch, opponents hit .163 (65 for 397) against it with 155 strikeouts.

Overall last season, Kahnle got hitters to chase pitches out of the strike zone 31% and whiff 36%. The swing-and-miss ability, as well as the uniqueness of his changeup, adds a dimension to the Tigers’ ‘pen that was missing last season.

The Tigers had been linked to several top-end relievers this offseason, including Kirby Yates, who signed a one-year deal worth $13 million with the Dodgers. Others at the top of the market, like Tanner Scott, Jeff Hoffman, Blake Treinen, A.J. Minter and Clay Holmes all signed deals that average between $11 and $18 million per season.

Interesting, too, is that Kahnle has only 18 save opportunities (with eight saves) over his career. He’s never been a closer, which seems to fit with the way the Tigers, under manager AJ Hinch and pitching coach Chris Fetter, like to construct the bullpen — without assigned, traditional roles.

Kahnle is expected to join Tyler Holton, Jason Foley, Beau Brieske and Will Vest as late-game options. It’s also going to create an even more intense battle for the final three bullpen spots this spring with Alex Faedo, Brenan Hanifee, Sean Guenther, Brant Hurter with the possibility of a starting pitcher eventually transitioning to a relief role (Matt Manning, Ty Madden, Kenta Maeda, among others).

By Patrick Clarke, TravelPulse

If in the new year you’ve resolved to become a better and smarter traveler, there are some simple steps you can take in 2025.

Whether it’s streamlining your airport experience, avoiding the pitfalls of following the crowd or maximizing your luggage, there are easy-to-remember dos and don’ts to ensure you fly like your best self in the year ahead.

Do apply for TSA PreCheck, trusted traveler programs

If you fly multiple times per year it’s wise to invest in TSA PreCheck and other trusted traveler and expedited security screening programs like Global Entry to minimize stress and time spent at the airport.

TSA PreCheck costs just $85 for a five-year membership that travelers can easily renew online after enrollment. While the U.S. Customs and Border Protection implemented fee changes to Global Entry, NEXUS and SENTRI last fall, these programs offer convenience and peace of mind that can’t be beaten in 2025.

Don’t join the ‘gate lice’

“Gate lice” refers to those impatient or easily influenced travelers who crowd the gate area prior to boarding, and the issue has become so serious that airlines have begun to crack down on the impolite crowds.

Southwest Airlines is the last major carrier to offer open seating and will be transitioning to assigned seating, so there’s no need to rush the gate before your group has been called. Your seat will be waiting for you, and you don’t need to get there any faster than your fellow passengers.

Do understand DOT’s new refund rules

Late last year the U.S. Department of Transportation implemented its final rule on automatic airline refunds, which is expected to save Americans more than $500 million annually.

It only takes a few minutes to read up on what constitutes a refund and what qualifies. The new rule applies not only to canceled flights but also to significantly altered trips, significantly delayed checked baggage return and a failure to provide ancillary services that were purchased.

Don’t check luggage (if you can help it)

It’s always best to avoid checking a bag if you can, as it will trim time off of your trip both before and after your flight. The carry-on size limit for most airlines is 22 x 14 x 9 inches, which is plenty in most cases, especially if you pack smart by rolling your clothes and using compression bags to maximize space.

Do be flexible to save on flights

Try to be as flexible as possible when planning your getaway. Traveling during the shoulder seasons such as the weeks after Labor Day can net you significant savings on flights. Booking those flights on weekdays such as Tuesday and Wednesday can also provide some relief for your wallet.

What’s more, booking an early morning flight could save you more while reducing the risk of a delay or cancellation.

Don’t remove your shoes or socks

For the vast majority of us, air travel is a public experience, so it’s always advised to practice common courtesy even if that means sacrificing personal comfort. That includes keeping your shoes and or socks on for the duration of the flight.

The cringy behavior of removing them routinely ranks among the rudest as far as airline passengers are concerned. A 2023 study from travel search engine KAYAK found that roughly three-fourths of respondents said taking your socks off is unacceptable. More than half said it’s not OK to remove your shoes on a flight.

Other annoying behaviors to avoid when flying include hogging the armrests, asking to switch seats, engaging in unwanted conversation with strangers, using the volume on your phone and engaging in personal grooming.

©2025 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. Visit at travelpulse.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By Gretchen McKay, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

January can be something of a slog for home cooks.

The excitement and extravagance of holiday cooking is in our collective rearview mirror, and with fresh green vegetables at a minimum, we’re back to the hearty casseroles, warming stews and meaty one-pot dishes that define winter cooking.

Yet there is at least one bright spot you can count on in the new year: the big bags of sweet and juicy oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit from Florida and California that are so easy to find on store shelves. January is when the colorful citrus season is in full swing, bringing a much-needed dose of sunshine to the table along with a healthful shot of vitamin C and other antioxidants.

This easy dessert recipe combines the bright, tangy bite of lemon with the sweeter, mellower flavor of orange in a classic, buttery tart.

The original recipe calls for making one large tart to be cut into slices, but after cooking and serving so many meals over Christmas and New Year’s, I decided to portion the crust and filling into 12 mini-tartlet pans to make it an easy grab-and-go dessert. I also topped the tartlets with a dusting of powdered sugar, but you could dollop on a teaspoon of whipped cream.

The tarts are best at room temperature or when slightly chilled (which allows the filling to set). You definitely want to blind bake the pastry (without filling) to avoid the dreaded soggy bottom.

Once assembled, the citrus tartlets should be kept in the fridge. They’ll stay crispy for two days.

Citrus Tartlets

PG tested

For pastry crust

• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 10 tablespoons salted butter, cut into slices and chilled
• 2 tablespoons sour cream

For filling

• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 large eggs, plus 2 yolks
• 6 tablespoons heavy cream
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 3 tablespoons orange juice

For crust:

In small bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch. Microwave until set, 30 to 40 seconds, stirring halfway through. Chill in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Once cornstarch mixture is chilled, in a food processor, combine the flour, sugar and salt, then process until mixed, about 5 seconds.

Add the cornstarch mixture, and pulse until ground. Add the butter and sour cream, then process until dough comes together and begins to collect on the blade.

Pat the dough into a 4-inch disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour (and up to 48 hours).

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees with rack in middle position.

On a well-floured counter, roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. Hang the dough over the rolling pin and transfer to a 9-inch tart pan.

Gently ease the dough into the pan. Trim the edges, leaving a ½-inch overhang. Tuck overhang under itself so the dough is flush with the rim of the pan.

Crimp the dough with your fingers or tine of a fork, then chill in freezer for 15 minutes,

Blind bake the crust: Line the chilled crust with heavy-duty foil and fill with enough pie weights to come three-quarters up.

Bake until the edges are light golden brown, about 25-30 minutes, rotating pan halfway through.

Remove the foil and weights and bake until the bottom of the crust just begins to color, another 5 to 7 minutes. Let coil on wire rack for 1 hour before filling. (Once baked, crust can be wrapped in plastic and kept at room temperature for up to 2 days.)

For filling:

In a bowl, combine sugar, both zests and salt. Rub together with your fingers until fragrant and mixture begins to clump.

Add the eggs and yolks and whisk until pale and slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Whisk in the cream and juices; skim the foam off the top.

Pour the filling into the warm tart shell and bake on baking sheet on the middle rack until set, about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack until room temperature, at least 1 hour.

Remove the outer metal ring and serve, or chill completely before serving.

Makes 1 9-inch tart or 12 individual-sized tartlets.

— Adapted from “Milk Street: The New Home Cooking” by Christopher Kimball

©2025 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By Beth LeBlanc

The Detroit News

LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan House approved bills Thursday that would retain the state’s tipped wage for restaurant workers and limit the reach of paid sick leave laws that are set to take effect on Feb. 21.

The tipped wage bill was approved in a 63-41 vote, while the paid sick leave bill passed 67-38, getting support from a few Democrats. The votes in the GOP-led House came after a six-month push to change the law following a July 31 Michigan Supreme Court order that overturned 2018 efforts to rein in the law and gave the legislation full effect.

The bills, sponsored by Republican state Reps. John Roth of Interlochen and Jay DeBoyer of Clay Township, move next to the Democratic-led Senate, which earlier this month introduced its own version of paid sick leave and tipped wage legislation.

State Rep. Jamie Thompson, R-Brownstown Township, said immediate action on the legislation was critical to curb the decision of an “activist Supreme Court.”

“If we do not act today, servers and bartenders will begin losing their tips on Feb. 21 and our workers and small business owners are going to have to navigate a sick leave mandate that even lawyers are unable to figure out,” Thompson said.

GOP Rep. Jay DeBoyer of St. Clair County, whose district takes in a portion of northern Macomb County, echoed those comments.

“It was easy to see that this was the proverbial freight train coming at small businesses and tipped workers like restaurant servers and bartenders. After months of inaction with Democrats in majority, House Republicans are prioritizing reforms and working on behalf of people we represent to protect their livelihoods,” he said.

House Democrats offered more than a dozen amendments to the bills, each seeking to retain some measure of the wage schedule and paid sick leave rules that are set to go into effect on Feb. 21. None of the amendments were adopted in the Republican-controlled House.

State Rep. Helena Scott, D-Detroit, whose district includes not only Detroit but also Ferndale and Pleasant Ridge in Oakland County, argued the House’s efforts to scale back the full effect of the laws would amount to “another assault on Michigan’s hard working families.”

“This keeps workers trapped in jobs that do not pay enough to cover groceries or other living expenses,” Scott said.

House Republicans’ proposals would gradually increase the traditional minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2029 and would keep the tipped wage at 38% of Michigan’s minimum wage. The House Republican bills related to paid sick leave would limit the policy to affect only employers with more than 50 workers.

One Fair Wage, a group that helped to the organize the minimum wage increase, threatened to collect signatures for a referendum that would repeal the law if the Michigan Legislature and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer chose to make changes.

Under the July 31 Supreme Court order, Michigan’s hourly minimum wage is slated to increase 42% from $10.56 an hour to about $15 an hour by 2028, while the minimum wage for workers who receive tips will gradually be increased annually from $4.01 an hour — 38% of the standard minimum wage — to about $15 an hour by 2030.

The laws, first introduced as ballot initiatives in 2018, were given full effect by a Michigan Supreme Court ruling in July after a protracted legal battle over Republican efforts in 2018 to curb the laws. The high court set a deadline of Feb. 21 for the laws to begin taking effect.

Senate Democrats and House Republicans last week introduced competing legislation meant to address the pending increase to the tipped wage and minimum wage and alter the state’s paid sick leave laws.

In the Democratic-controlled Senate, state Sen. Kevin Hertel, D-St. Clair Shores, has authored legislation that would increase the traditional minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2027, while keeping the tipped wage at 38% of the standard rate in 2025. Then Hertel’s measure would gradually increase the tipped minimum wage to 60% of the traditional minimum wage over a 10-year period.

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©2025 www.detroitnews.com. Visit at detroitnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

MediaNews Group staff contributed to this report.

By Courtney Frazer, Bankrate.com (TNS)

Food costs represent a significant portion of household budgets, and rising grocery prices make strategic shopping essential. While cutting back isn’t the only solution, smartphone apps can provide substantial grocery savings through cash-back rewards, digital coupons, discounts and loyalty programs.

Here’s a comprehensive guide to 10 effective food savings apps for both grocery shopping and dining out.

Top food savings apps

1. Ibotta

Ibotta is one of the most popular cash back apps available. It’s known for offering cash-back rewards on everyday purchases at major retailers. The app allows users to select offers before shopping and earn rewards by scanning receipts afterward.

Its browser extension enables cash back on online grocery purchases, and partnerships with retailers provide exclusive deals on essential household items.

Pros

• User-friendly interface
• Multiple redemption options, including PayPal and gift cards
• Wide acceptance at major retailers
• Bonus rewards for reaching specific goals, such as trying new products or completing a certain number of offers in a month

Cons

• Requires pre-selecting offers
• The cash-out minimum takes time to reach
• The interface can be overwhelming with numerous offers

2. Fetch Rewards

Fetch Rewards allows users to earn points on any receipt from grocery stores, pharmacies and even gas stations, making it a versatile option for shoppers.

Unlike other cash-back apps, Fetch Rewards doesn’t require users to select offers before shopping. Instead, they can scan any eligible receipt and automatically earn points, which can be redeemed for gift cards to major retailers.

Pros

• No pre-selection of offers required
• Compatible with numerous retailers
• Bonus points available through referrals

Cons

• Limited earnings on generic brands
• Gift card redemption only
• No direct cash rewards

3. Flipp

Flipp helps users save by compiling weekly ads and sales from major retailers in one easy-to-use app. The app enables users to search for specific items, compare prices across stores and create shopping lists based on current promotions, making it valuable for strategic grocery planning.

Pros

• Great for sale matching, providing easy access to local deals and promotions
• Integrates with loyalty programs, allowing users to clip digital coupons directly from ads
• Reduces the need for multiple apps by combining local deals and digital coupons in one place

Cons

• Focused on weekly ads, without cash-back or rewards
• May not include all local stores
• Deals are limited to specific weekly promotions

4. Checkout 51

Checkout 51 offers weekly cash-back deals across various stores, similar to Ibotta but with a slightly different selection of offers. Users can upload their receipts to the app after purchasing selected products to earn cash back. The app refreshes its offers every Thursday, so users have new savings opportunities each week.

Pros

• Simple, user-friendly interface
• Works across multiple stores
• Seasonal promotions often boost cash-back percentages on select items

Cons

• Limited cash-back options for fresh foods
• High cash-out minimum
• Requires prompt receipt uploads to avoid missing cash-back opportunities on eligible items

5. Coupons.com

Coupons.com streamlines digital coupon usage by connecting with store loyalty cards for automatic savings at checkout. The platform offers both digital and printable coupons across various brands and retailers. Coupons.com is a solid option if you enjoy the simplicity of using coupons without the hassle of clipping.

Pros

• Automatic discount application through loyalty programs
• Wide variety of frequently updated coupons
• Convenient and user-friendly, with no need for physical coupons at participating stores

Cons

• Limited to specific partner stores
• Some coupons have restrictions or expiration dates
• Requires keeping track of coupon terms

6. Kroger App

The Kroger app provides exclusive discounts, digital coupons and personalized savings offers for shoppers who frequent Kroger and its affiliated stores. The platform integrates with the store’s loyalty program and includes fuel rewards for additional savings.

Pros

• Customized offers based on purchase patterns
• Integrated fuel rewards for added savings
• Allows users to scan receipts to earn additional rewards on select items, boosting the overall value

Cons

• Limited to Kroger and affiliated stores
• Not all promotions are available in every local store
• Some benefits may be too store-specific

7. Target Circle

Target Circle combines the retailer’s loyalty program with exclusive discounts and rewards. Members can save money on a variety of grocery items and other household essentials, and the app frequently features special offers for members.

Pros

• Seamless online and in-store integration
• Easy to use for both in-store and online shopping
• Allows users to participate in community support by voting on charities

Cons

• Limited to Target stores
• Rewards can take time to accumulate
• Some offers have minimum purchase requirements

8. RetailMeNot

RetailMeNot offers a diverse selection of coupons and cash-back opportunities for groceries, restaurants and local services. The platform supports both in-store and online purchases.

Pros

• Extensive range of discounts across multiple categories
• In-store and online coupons, plus a cash-back portal for extra savings
• User-friendly with easy access to deals for a variety of needs and preferences

Cons

• Coupon values can vary, and some offers may come with restrictions
• Limited cash-back features
• Not all coupons are guaranteed to work at every store

9. Dosh

Dosh is a cash-back app that connects directly to your debit or credit card, providing automatic cash-back on purchases made at participating stores. The app covers grocery stores and restaurants, eliminating the need for receipt scanning or coupon clipping.

Pros

• Automatic savings tracking
• Allows stacking of rewards with other loyalty programs for maximum savings
• Regular bonus promotions

Cons

• Only works with participating merchants
• Cash-back percentages can vary, and offers may change frequently
• Redemption process can be confusing for some users

10. Too Good To Go

Too Good To Go is a unique app that helps users save on food by purchasing surplus from local restaurants and bakeries at a discount. Users can pick up these surplus meals at a reduced price, making it both budget-friendly and environmentally friendly.

Pros

• Offers a unique savings model that focuses on reducing food waste while providing affordable meal options
• Environmentally friendly, contributing to sustainability efforts by repurposing food that would otherwise go to waste
• Variety of meal options from local businesses

Cons

• Limited market availability
• Meal options can be unpredictable

The bottom line

Food savings apps provide multiple ways to reduce grocery and dining expenses without compromising quality or variety. You can more effectively manage your food budget by combining these tools with strategic shopping habits. Consider your shopping preferences and habits when selecting apps, and remember that using multiple platforms may maximize potential savings.

©2025 Bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By Charles E. Ramirez, The Detroit News

A Southfield man was arrested after leading Berkley police on a car chase and crashing into a house last weekend, officials said.

Berkley police at about 1:30 p.m. Sunday tried to conduct a traffic stop on a white Dodge Journey near Edwards Avenue and Greenfield Road, investigators reported. Police said they suspected the driver, who was wanted on an outstanding warrant, was operating the vehicle without insurance.

However, the driver refused to stop and sped away from officers, authorities said. Police gave chase.

Officials said the suspect drove south into Oak Park and east on Lincoln Drive toward Coolidge Highway and through Huntington Woods before returning to Berkley.

The driver then lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a home, according to authorities.

He then exited the vehicle and ran but was quickly arrested a short distance from the crash site, investigators said. He was identified as a 31-year-old Southfield man.

After officers searched the suspect’s vehicle, they found cocaine and psilocybin mushrooms, according to authorities. The suspect also exhibited signs of being under the influence of narcotics, police reported.

Police said no injuries were reported in the incident.

Officials released photos and video of the incident via the department’s Facebook page.

Authorities said they plan to seek multiple charges against the suspect, including fleeing and eluding, a five-year felony, possession of cocaine, a four-year felony, and resisting officers, a two-year felony.

They are not releasing his identity until he has been formally charged in court, police said.

cramirez@detroitnews.com

@CharlesERamirez

©2025 The Detroit News. Visit detroitnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Twelve Oakland County communities that contract with the sheriff’s office for law enforcement services are scrambling to figure out how they’ll cover a roughly 33% rate increase over three years, saying they’ll have to cut spending elsewhere, raise taxes or eliminate deputy positions.

Several communities have already made adjustments for the first year of the contracts, which started Jan. 1. Three scrapped plans to expand their substations and add deputies. Addison Township in northern Oakland County will lay off one deputy starting April 1, the start of its fiscal year.

But multiple officials, one of whom called the rate increases “astronomical,” said they’re still figuring out how they’ll handle the second and third years of the three-year contracts that the Democratic-controlled Oakland County Board of Commissioners approved in November. The board raised contract prices by an average of 15% in 2025 and around 9% each in 2026 and 2027. Several communities have property tax millages specifically for police services that they can’t increase yet.

For Rochester Hills, the contract increase amounts to about $4.5 million more over three years. For Independence Township, it’s $1.8 million.

“After 2025, we have to look at it (police service costs) very strongly because the rates go up again in 2026,” Oxford Supervisor Jack Curtis said. “… I have to look at every ounce of overtime, I have to look at every expenditure and say, ‘How is this going to affect us in ’26?'”

But county officials said the new contract better reflects the actual cost of police services.

Dave Woodward, chairman of the Oakland County Board of Commissioners, said the county had been effectively subsidizing the costs of police services in these communities for years and these are the first contracts that accurately reflect the price of the services.

“The issues about the pricing of these services being out of sync with what they really cost came to light three years ago when we approved those (contracts), but we were so close there was no time to make adjustments at that time,” said Woodward, a Royal Oak Democrat. “Oakland County’s fiscal office, led by our CFO in the county, working with the sheriff’s office, compiled all the costs that are associated with individual officers, and that became the framework of these agreements.”

The average contract increases in 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021 were 2.8%, 2.7%, 1.3%, and 2.9%, respectively.

Still, many aren’t happy with how the increase was handled or its timing. The Deputy Sheriff’s Association of Oakland County, a union that represents sheriff’s deputies, posted a letter on social media in late December to residents, detailing the contract’s potential impact. It was signed by leaders of 11 of the 12 contracted communities. Only Pontiac Mayor Tim Greimel didn’t sign the letter.

“Imagine waiting longer for help to arrive during a crisis or seeing vital community programs disappear due to budget shortfalls,” the letter states.

The Deputy Sheriff’s Association didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Local officials balk

The sheriff’s office has contracts with 12 communities that don’t have their own police departments, including Commerce Township, Independence Township, Highland Township, Lyon Township, Pontiac, Rochester Hills and Springfield Township. Eight of the 10 townships in northern Oakland County all contract with the sheriff’s office for police services.

Contracts are priced by officer, with different rates for positions such as deputies, captains and sergeants, Woodward said. Everything from wage increases under labor union contracts, health care and retirement contributions to vehicle and liability costs go into determining the price per officer, he said. All of these have been growing, Woodward said.

All of the indirect costs associated with providing law enforcement services, including human resources support, payroll support, accounting and legal support, were included in the cost per officer, Woodward said.

Still, many officials said they were caught off guard by the size of the increases.

In Rochester Hills, which has a $185 million budget for its 2025 fiscal year, the contract increases 17% in the first year. Mayor Bryan Barnett said while the city budgeted for some price hikes, the new rates will force residents and officials to consider the level of service they want to maintain.

“When something goes up 35% in three years, you have to make some tough choices,” Barnett said. “Either … we have to ask residents to pay more, or we’re going to have to redeploy resources in a way that’s going to cause significant cuts in other parts of what we do as a community.”

Independence Township faces a similar 15% increase in 2025, followed by 9% increases each in 2026, and 2027, amounting to roughly $1.8 million. The township has a $9.4 million general fund budget for the 2025 fiscal year.

“The resulting pressure will lead to cuts in essential services, delays to critical projects like the new substation, or tax and fee increases that cannot take effect until 2027,” Township Supervisor Chuck Phyle said in a statement.

Some leaders especially questioned the timing of the new contract, approved in November, after the general election. By that point, most townships and cities had finished their 2025 budget processes, and it was too late to raise taxes.

“We all had an election this year, that’s when we are allowed to ask for tax increases or millages. We would have unequivocally in Orion Township … put a ballot question on our ballots in either August or November,” Supervisor Chris Barnett said. “Unequivocally, we will be asking our residents for a tax increase in 2026, probably August 2026.”

Woodward said the contracts were approved by the commission at the exact same time, almost to the day, as they were approved three years ago and local officials should not have been surprised.

“Every supervisor knew that the costs were going to have to go up,” Woodward said. “Many of these communities also contract for dispatch services. … Those prices were adjusted in the very same way we’re talking about here and there was an increase, the cost associated with delivering the services were increased there as well.”

Oxford Township has a millage that supports the sheriff’s substation and finalizes its annual budget by September, said Curtis, the supervisor. When the commission sent the new contracts in December, it was “well beyond a budget amendment process that we do, or trying to find funds,” he said.

“Fortunately, I anticipated some costs going up, so I budgeted for some of those costs, but impactfully a 15% raise in the rate is astronomical,” Curtis said. “We’re wrestling through it all, we’re allocating funds from future years, we’re allocating funds away from some building costs that we were doing. We are not going to lay anybody off at this time because quite frankly, three years ago, when we had this (Oxford High School) shooting, we are still experiencing large numbers of overtime hours.”

Sheriff’s response

While the county administration has historically worked with the contracted communities and the sheriff’s department to agree on contract rates, that was not necessarily the case this year, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said.

“This time, the communities were not part of the discussion, and the sheriff’s office input was received but not necessarily agreed to,” said Bouchard, a Republican who has held the sheriff’s position for more than two decades. “We think there are a number of things that went into the process for determining the rates that made them higher than we think they should have been.”

The sheriff agreed that the communities should pay their fair share of the cost to the county but certain support positions in the sheriff’s office, such as human resources, that exist regardless of the contracts should not be factored into the rates.

“A portion of the contracts include positions that would be there anyway, with or without the contracts,” Bouchard said. “We would like to see actual documentation to what the so-called costs are as it relates to actual costs that would exist with or without the contracts.”

Bouchard said the sheriff’s office already runs “lean” and is concerned about the increased rates reducing positions. Commerce Township decreased the number of positions at its substation by two. Rochester Hills, Pontiac and Orion Township all axed plans to expand their substations and add positions this year.

Still, all of the contracts were signed at the new rate in time to start the new year, Woodward said.

‘Unfair’ subsidies

Woodward maintained that the county undercharged communities for sheriff’s office services for too long, adding up to tens of millions of dollars of unfair subsidies.

“The entire county was subsidizing the difference, and that’s fundamentally unfair,” Woodward said. “We have 12 communities we contract with, but the other 50 have their own police departments.”

Woodward blamed previous county administrations for not charging communities the full price of law enforcement services in previous contracts.

Some officials, like Phyle of Independence Township, still have concerns about transparency and the accuracy of the county’s calculations.

“Independence Township deserves better than unanticipated financial burdens that jeopardize public safety and trust,” Phyle said. “The $1.8 million increase is unacceptable without collaboration and transparency from the county.”

But Woodward said the county has made its entire fiscal services team available to the communities to answer their questions, and the contracts represent the price of “exceptional law enforcement services.”

“I get that people wish the prices were lower. I wish the prices were lower,” Woodward said, adding: “The price is the price.”

Forming their own police departments

Even with the price increases, the communities that contract with the sheriff’s office for public safety services are a “captive audience,” Orion Township’s Barnett said. The contracts began at the start of the new year, leaving roughly a month for local governments to consider and plan.

“If you were going to form your own department, you’re probably four or five years away from forming a department,” said Joseph Merucci, Oakland Township supervisor. “I understand the rates got to go up, because just inflation is going to go up, but it’s the timing that really stinks.”

The cost of contracting with the sheriff is also still less than the cost of starting and operating a local police department, Highland Township Supervisor Rick Hamill said.

“There’s no way that we could have our own police department for anywhere near, near the price that we pay for Oakland County’s program, and their program is stellar,” Hamill said. “The commission’s approach to covering those or those costs was a bit defective, and I think, ironically, it was more politically biased than anything.”

The Oakland County Deputy Sheriff’s Association letter, posted to the organization’s Facebook page last month, linked the increased rates to delayed response times and the potential loss of community programs.

“Dave Woodward intentionally pushed this agenda item to defund the police under the guise of ‘indirect costs,'” the letter said. “Every delayed response time, every underfunded program, and every officer stretched too thin impacts the safety of our community.”

Woodward said the argument that the rate increase is part of an effort to defund the police is “completely false” and called it dangerous to suggest the public is less safe than before the contracts were approved.

“Every one of these communities that signed this letter have money in their police millages to pay for these contracts,” Woodward said. “To grab one’s pearls and act in shock and awe is, it’s just juvenile.”

The Sheriff’s Department consistently receives one of the largest portions of money from the county’s general fund each year, Woodward explained. In 2025 the Sheriff’s Department’s budget is $218 million.

“Oakland County has never invested more in our law enforcement than we do today. It was Oakland County, led by Democrats, that paid for body cams to lead to not only greater transparency but … also to defend our officers of false claims,” Woodward said. “We just entered into a multimillion-dollar contract to get our officers the best equipment, brand new state-of-the-art tasers to reduce the need for a use of a gun to de-escalate situations. We are buying new vehicles.”

Greimel, Pontiac’s mayor, said he didn’t sign the union’s letter because he didn’t agree with its aggressive tone. Pontiac faced an immediate increase of about $2 million in 2025 and a total increase of roughly $5 million over the next three years, which Greimel called a “shock” to the system.

“We understand the county’s motivation, and we want to work with the county, but we’re hoping that we can get some assistance and flexibility from the county over the next couple of years so that it’s not as big of an increase all at once,” Greimel said. “The magnitude of the increase in price to the city of Pontiac is concerning, and I’ve certainly expressed those concerns directly to county commissioners.”

Communities have the option to distribute the contract increase more evenly over three years, Woodward said.

Rate increase in years two and three

The contracts will increase by 9% in 2026 and 2027, the result of the estimated consumer price index, a measure of inflation experienced by consumers, plus 6% in both years. Bouchard is concerned that the 6% increase is more of a guess and would like to see a specific accounting for what costs it covers.

“We would like to see year two and year three, the percentage of increase CPI and actual direct, documentable increase in cost, not a percentage based on best guess,” Bouchard said.

But Woodward said it’s difficult to predict future cost increases in things such as health care, equipment, liability insurance, and wages, especially with deputy and command union contracts up for re-negotiation in the next three years, Woodward said.

“This wasn’t made in a vacuum. It is looking at what is our experienced growth in these categories: wages, health care, liability, equipment, etc., and forecasting what those costs are, and that’s what the projected increase for years two and years three are,” Woodward said.

Initially, the county’s fiscal services department proposed contract increases of the CPI plus 2%, but commissioners on the public health and safety committee voted to increase it.

The county is also not allowed to charge communities more than the price of the service provided and is hiring personnel to track prices over the life of the contract, Woodward said.

“Let’s say wage increases for the sheriff deputies is lower than what we’re planning… then we will immediately, in the next month, credit the community for that service,” Woodward said.

The Detroit Lions have announced their uniform combination for Saturday night’s divisional round against the Washington Commanders.

Detroit will be donning its blue jerseys to go along with its blue pants after wearing all black to close out the regular season Jan. 5.

The Lions, who entered the playoffs with the NFC’s No. 1 overall seed for the first time in franchise history, can advance to their second consecutive conference title game with a win over the Commanders, who beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild-card round to get here.

Representing the other side of the bracket in the NFC Championship will be either the Los Angeles Rams or the Philadelphia Eagles. They’ll play one another Sunday.

Detroit finished the regular season 15-2, setting a new franchise record for wins heading into the postseason.

DETROIT ― The Lions are the obvious headliners Saturday.

The playoff game at Ford Field against the Washington Commanders will cap off what is an impressive day in Detroit sports, including Pistons-Phoenix Suns at Little Caesars Arena at 4 p.m. and Oakland-Detroit Mercy at Calihan Hall at 1 p.m.

The Metro Series men’s basketball game is the first for new Titans head coach Mark Montgomery, a Metro Detroit native who coveted this very job, in large part, for games ― and days ― like this.

“We start at 1, and everyone else follows,” Montgomery said in his Calihan Hall office, before practice Friday. “So, a big day of sports in the state of Michigan, in the Detroit area. This is gonna be fun.”

The season hasn’t been a whole lot of fun for either team, at least from a record perspective. Oakland, coming off an NCAA Tournament win over Kentucky, is 7-12 and 4-4 in the Horizon League, thanks to a roster that features 11 new players and having to grind through a daunting schedule of the who’s who of power-conference foes. Detroit Mercy, meanwhile, is 6-13 overall and 2-6 in league, with the struggle becoming real lately amid a slew of key injuries, some of them season-enders.

Detroit Mercy, which has improved over last season’s historically awful 1-31 season, is getting some good news on the injury front, though. Junior point guard Orlando Lovejoy (Detroit) and junior forward Legend Geeter (River Rouge), transfers from Eastern Michigan, are both expected to be back in the lineup against Oakland.

Both have been out the last two games with ankle injuries; Lovejoy missed both games, Geeter missed one full game and played limited minutes in the other. In the last game, at Purdue Fort Wayne, Detroit Mercy actually started five freshmen, something that’s unheard of in today’s game.

“I’ve always said as a coach, I don’t care if you’re a freshman, if you’re a sophomore, if you’re a fifth-year guy, we’ve got to put the five best on the floor,” Montgomery said. “We made a little history.”

Detroit Mercy tied the game at Purdue Fort Wayne early in the second half, before PFW pulled away, 90-67, to hand the Titans their third straight loss, and eighth in the last nine games. Detroit Mercy is averaging just over 61 points a game over the last three games, but at least gets back its leading scorer in Lovejoy (16.1 points). It’s second- and third-leading scorers, Mak Manciel and Jared Lary, are out for the season with injuries.

A scuffling offense isn’t a great recipe against Oakland’s unique zone defense, which gives all opponents fits at the power-conference and mid-major levels.

The Golden Grizzlies, led by the best big men tandem in the Horizon League in seniors Buru Naivalurua and Allen Mukeba, have their own issues on offense, though, after losing five of their top six scores from last season. They haven’t found that consistent threat from 3-point range, a staple in head coach Greg Kampe’s system, and one possible threat, senior Malcolm Christie, is still out with a hand injury.

“Our half-court defense, I think, has become elite,” said Kampe, in his 41st season at Oakland. “But our offense is so bad, we don’t get to play half-court defense.”

Oakland has won two in a row and three of its last five, all in Horizon League play, after giving away a couple games at a holiday tournament in Hawaii, to Oregon State and Hawaii. Six of the Golden Grizzlies’ losses this season have come in games in which they had double-digit point leads. So finishing hasn’t been a strength.

Finishing against Detroit Mercy hasn’t been an issue in recent years. Oakland leads the all-time series, 20-15, and has won 14 of the last 16 games. It has won nine straight at Calihan Hall, with Detroit Mercy last beating Oakland on its own court in 2015. That was four Detroit Mercy head coaches ago.

Kampe isn’t worried about the history, though. He’s worried about the present, and trying to get Oakland established in a Horizon League it won (both the regular-season and tournament titles) a season ago.

“You know, I think the excuse time is over,” Kampe said. “It’s the middle of January now. It’s time to play. … I think we have a very high ceiling, but we’ve also proven we have a very deep low floor.

“We’ve gotta find a consistency level.”

The matchup features the worst (Oakland) and second-worst (Detroit Mercy) scoring offenses in the Horizon League. The rivals will play again Sunday, Feb. 16, at the O’Rena.

Tattoo artist Angel Maracchini leaned over Caitelyn Beard’s leg late and went to work etching a design that reflects just how much the 30-year-old Taylor resident loves the Detroit Lions.

The tattoo, done at Happy Tats Tattooing in Wyandotte, depicts Michigan’s mitten shape with the words “LIONS” and “GRIT” in uppercase letters. It has the Lions logo and the Detroit skyline. Maracchini and Beard collaborated on the design.

Beard said the tattoo has meaning for her.

“This is my first year being a season ticket holder, and we’re going to go to the Super Bowl,” said Beard about why she decided to get it done last week.

Beard is far from alone. Across Metro Detroit, Michigan and beyond, Lions fans are going all out to display their devotion and pride. From getting tattoos and dying their hair Honolulu blue to painting homes with the Lions logo and buying Lions-themed trucks, fans are showing their love in very visible and sometimes permanent ways.

“It’s just the love of the team,” said Nikki Clapham of Clio, who, along with her boyfriend, Jason Reid, has multiple Lions tattoos and plans to get more. “It’s just always been something that’s been pretty close to my heart.”

Warren resident Cheryl Knapp has dyed her hair blue throughout the Lions season for the last six years. Knapp, who has season tickets with her husband, said she’s “nervously excited” about the playoffs. She said that because of the men and women in the Lions’ organization, “this really is our best shot” to get to the Super Bowl and win.

“This is our year,” Knapp said. “They have been absolutely phenomenal coming over so many different hiccups in the road and whatnot.”

Some local businesses are even getting in on the devotion. dynfly, a local hair salon chain, is offering promotions for kids and adults who want to dye their hair Honolulu blue, and dozens of people have booked appointments.

Tattoo artists share what they’ve seen

Name a Lions design and Maracchini has likely done it. She’s done the Lions logo, footballs, the words “Lions Pride.” She estimated she’s done four to five Lions tattoos since just the start of January alone. She had one client who got a tattoo of Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown’s now famous end zone headstand.

“I was so excited creating this on a life-long fan,” Maracchini said of the headstand tattoo.

Maracchini, who has been a tattoo artist for more than five years, said most people who get Lions tattoos are “die-hard” fans who support the team whether they’re doing well or not.

“Usually, they just get it because they’re a true Lions fan,” she said.

Sophia Elvy, a tattoo artist at Fourth Street Tattoo Co. in Royal Oak, said her shop also has seen more people requesting Detroit Lions tattoos this year and last year than in previous years. People seeking a Lions tattoo usually request the team’s logo, she said.

The shop also has “flash” tattoos — or pre-drawn designs hanging on the walls of the shop — that relate to the Lions, including Hello Kitty wearing a Lions jersey.

She expects to continue to see interest in Lions tattoos in the postseason.

“People love to get tattoos for their city anyway, so I think that now that they’re doing well, people will probably choose Lions designs as well,” Elvy said.

While some Metro Detroit tattoo artists said they’ve seen more people getting Lions tattoos over the last few years, some haven’t, including Kristian Slywka of 9 Lives Tattoo in Ferndale.

“In general, everyone here has done more than a few Lions tattoos, especially in the last few years, regardless,” Slywka said. “But I don’t think it’s related to how well the Detroit Lions are doing.”

He said that if the Lions win the Super Bowl, though, the shop will see requests for more of these tattoos.

Lions fans get creative tattoos

Clapham of Clio got her first tattoo of the Lions logo with her mom about 15 to 20 years ago.

She now has four Lions tattoos and got the most recent one last February. It depicts Roary ― the Lions’ mascot ― coming out of the tunnel and onto the field, just like the players do at the start of every home game. Her and Reid’s season tickets sit above the tunnel.

“I wanted to really showcase how they come running out onto the field,” Clapham said. “It’s like a lot of their energy.”

She said she wanted to get Lions tattoos because the team is her “obsession.”

“It’s just the love of the team,” Clapham said. “It’s just always been something that’s been pretty close to my heart.”

Her boyfriend, Reid, has been a season ticket holder for 26 years, and he owns a special edition Detroit Lions Ford truck. He has eight Lions tattoos, one of which is a Captain America shield that says “Detroit Lions.” Another one of his tattoos shows the Hulk, with blue eyes and a Lions tattoo on his chest. And his next one will be the word “Grit” tattooed across his knuckles.

“It’s an addiction,” Clapham said of Lions tattoos.

Michigan native Dave Ingram, who has lived out of the state for 20 years, including the past four in Houston, said he got a tattoo of the Lions logo in September 2023. The image, which is on his leg, is just one of many of his tattoos. A tattoo enthusiast, Ingram has full sleeves on both arms.

“They’ve always been my favorite team, even when they were terrible. So I kind of owe it to them,” he said of getting a Lions tattoo.

He said he’s saving room behind the tattoo ― because he’s hoping to add after the Super Bowl a Lombardi trophy, the hardware that goes to the National Football League champion.

Lynn O’Rourke Hayes, FamilyTravel.com

Plan for a sunny getaway in the new year. Here are five ideas to consider.

JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa (Aventura, Florida)

This South Florida resort, set within 300 sun-drenched acres, provides a welcome sanctuary for guests as well as more than 40 species of tropical birds, botanical fauna and the chef’s herb and tropical fruit garden. However, the kids will be more interested in the Tidal Cove Waterpark. It’s a five-acre fun zone composed of a 60-foot tower with seven water slides, a 4,000-square-foot kids pool with an aquatic play area, and a triple Flow Rider simulation pool, among the first of its kind in the country. The 42-foot-wide surf simulation machine incorporates elements of surfing, bodyboarding, skateboarding, skimboarding, snowboarding and wakeboarding. The mega-water feature connects with a lazy river, a zero-entry pool and 25 luxury cabanas for privacy and relaxation.

For more: www.jwturnberry.com

Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa (Ko Olina, Hawaii)

If you want to mix a little magic into your sun-filled holiday, the Aulani island paradise might be right for your crew. Mickey Mouse and his well-known pals are on hand for character memory-making moments, inducing smiles all around. The 351-room hotel blends the vision of Disney Imagineers with the history and natural beauty of the island. Families can take advantage of the kids club, swimming and boogie boarding, snorkeling, paddle boarding, spa time and simply relaxing under Hawaiian skies.

For more: www.disneyaulani.com

Fairmont Scottsdale Princess (Scottsdale, Arizona)

A family stay at this Arizona desert resort is full of fun surprises, beginning at the kids check-in desk. In a destination where visitors can rely on 333 days of sunshine each year, your gang will want to swipe on the sunscreen and waste no time before digging toes in the sand at the Sunset Beach pool or joining the festivities at the Sonoran Splash pool, where water slides, music, games and dive-in movies up the fun factor. Kids can fish in the lagoon, play golf or spend the day at the Trailblazers Kids Club where activities include ping pong, learning about desert wildlife, making s’mores in a solar oven and recreational games. Parents will appreciate the Lifestyle Cuisine menu for adults and children that focuses on providing healthy choices.

For more: www.fairmont.com/scottsdale; experiencescottsdale.com.

Curtain Bluff (Antigua)

Put Curtain Bluff, a laid back but luxurious Relais & Chateau resort in Antigua, on your can’t miss list. It’s an enchanting, all-inclusive experience that offers extensive water sports including water-skiing, deep sea fishing, snorkeling, paddle-boating and sailing. When you are ready for some time on terra firma, head to the pickleball court or stretch out in a yoga class. While the kids enjoy the Cee Bee camp activities, relax in a hammock you’ll find tucked within the palm trees or spend an afternoon at the spa where open-air massages provide a perfect end to a sports-filled day.

For more: www.curtainbluff.com

La Quinta Resort & Club (La Quinta, California)

Visit this 45-acre desert oasis for a hefty dose of sunshine and nonstop sporting opportunities. Long a getaway spot for Hollywood hot shots, the Palm Springs area playground is well-known for top-notch golf and tennis. If your clan is inclined to indulge in a multisport vacation, book tee times on any of the five award-winning golf courses, play tennis, hike or spend time in and around the 41 climate-controlled pools in the complex. Thanks to the addition of eight pickleball courts, you can learn the game or perfect your skills. The resort’s staff of certified pickleball professionals will be on hand to offer lessons, clinics or simply encouragement.

For more: www.laquintaresort.com

©2024 FamilyTravel.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

He’s back, baby.

Dick Vitale, the most-recognizable voice in college basketball broadcasting, will return to the airwaves Saturday, Jan. 25, for the Duke-Wake Forest game, ESPN announced Friday.

It will be Vitale’s first game since April 3, 2023. He has battled multiple forms of cancer for the past three-and-a-half years, and received word earlier this month that he is cancer-free.

“I am absolutely ecstatic and I can’t believe this is happening after going through five major vocal cord surgeries, 65 radiation treatments and chemotherapy for six months,” Vitale said in a statement Friday. “It’s been a very tough journey, but all of the prayers and messages from the beautiful fans have inspired me.

“I just hope that I can offer the people some basketball insights that can bring even more excitement to the game.”

Vitale, 85, who coached at the University of Detroit and was head coach of the Pistons before making the transition to broadcasting, last called a game nearly two years ago, the national-title game between San Diego State and UConn.

Next Saturday’s Duke-Wake Forest game in Winston Salem, N.C., tips at 4:30 p.m.

Vitale joined ESPN in 1979, shortly after the network launched. He has called more than 1,000 games and is in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

“There is no better ambassador for the sport of college basketball than Dick Vitale,” Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN, said Friday. “Even while navigating his own health challenges, Dick continued to look for ways to give back and help others, inspiring us all.

“Dick is one-of-a-kind and we can’t wait to have him back doing what he loves most.”

Linda Gassenheimer, Tribune News Service

Enjoy this season with a special sweet and savory treat. Honey, soy sauce and spices flavor quick cooking flank steak. Mushrooms cooked with shallots and topped with fresh chives make a perfect side dish with the steak. Open a bag of washed ready-to-eat salad to complete the meal.

HELPFUL HINTS:

Onions can be used instead of shallots.

4 garlic cloves can be used instead of minced garlic

Skirt steak or other quick cooking steak can be used instead of flank steak.

COUNTDOWN:

Preheat oven to 160 degrees.

Prepare the ingredients.

Start steak.

While steak is in the oven, make the mushroom toast.

SHOPPING LIST:

To buy: 3/4 pound flank steak, 1 small bottle honey, 1 small bottle low sodium soy sauce, 1 container minced garlic, 1 bottle ground coriander, 1 bottle cayenne pepper and 1 container corn starch, 1/4 pound mushrooms, 2 shallots, 1 bunch chives, 1 loaf thick whole wheat bread.

Staples: canola oil, butter, salt and black peppercorns.

Honey Soy Flank Steak

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons mince garlic

1 teaspoon ground coriander

Pinch cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon water

3/4 pound flank steak

2 teaspoons canola oil

Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Mix honey, soy sauce, garlic, coriander and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Mix cornstarch and water together in another small bowl. Remove visible fat from the steak. Using a skillet that is oven proof, heat canola oil in the skillet over medium high heat. Add the steak and cook 2 minutes. Turn steak over and cook 2 minutes to sear both sides. Pour the sauce over the steak and place the skillet in the oven for 10 minutes to continue cooking. A meat thermometer should read 125 degrees for rare, 130-135 for medium rare. Remove from the oven and place steak on a cutting board. Add the cornstarch mixture to the skillet and mix into the sauce. Place skillet over medium heat. Cook sauce 20 seconds or until thick. To serve: cut the steak against the grain on the diagonal into thin slices. Divide the slices between two dinner plates and spoon the sauce on top.

Yield 2 servings.

Per serving: 346 calories (40 percent from fat), 15.3 g fat (4.8 g saturated, 7.1 g monounsaturated), 120 mg cholesterol, 38.7 g protein, 12.9 g carbohydrates, 0.4 g fiber, 610 mg sodium.

Mushroom Toasts

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 pound mushrooms cut into1-inch pieces, about 1 3/4-cups

1/2 cup sliced shallots

1/4 cup sliced chives

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 slices thick whole wheat bread

Heat butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and add the mushrooms. Saute 1 minute. Cover with a lid and cook 3 minutes. Uncover and cook 2 to 3 minutes until the liquid given off by the mushrooms has evaporated. Add the shallots and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in half of the chives. Toast bread and place one on each dinner plate with the streak. Spoon the mushrooms on top. And sprinkle the remaining chives on top.

Yield 2 servings.

Per serving: 149 calories (43 percent from fat), 7.1 g fat (3.9 g saturated, 1.9 g monounsaturated), 16 mg cholesterol, 4.7 g protein, 17.6 g carbohydrates, 2.7 g fiber, 129 mg sodium.

©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

By Matt Vasilogambros, Stateline.org

Karen Grant and fellow school librarians throughout New Jersey have heard an increasingly loud chorus of parents and conservative activists demanding that certain books — often about race, gender and sexuality — be removed from the shelves.

In the past year, Grant and her colleagues in the Ewing Public Schools just north of Trenton updated a 3-decade-old policy on reviewing parents’ challenges to books they see as pornographic or inappropriate. Grant’s team feared that without a new policy, the district would immediately bend to someone who wanted certain books banned.

Around the same time, state lawmakers in Trenton were readying legislation to set a book challenge policy for the entire state, preventing book bans based solely on the subject of a book or the author’s background or views, while also protecting public and school librarians from legal or civil liabilities from people upset by the reading materials they offer.

When Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy signed that measure into law last month, Grant breathed a little easier.

“We just hear so many stories of our librarians feeling threatened and targeted,” said Grant, who works at Parkway Elementary School and serves as president of the New Jersey Association of School Librarians. “This has been a wrong, an injustice that needs to be made right.”

Amid a national rise in book bans in school libraries and new laws in some red states that threaten criminal penalties against librarians, a growing number of blue states are taking the opposite approach.

New Jersey joined at least five other states — California, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota and Washington — that have passed legislation within the past two years that aims to preserve access to reading materials that deal with racial and sexual themes, including those about the LGBTQ+ community.

Conservative groups have led the effort to ban materials to shield children from what they deem as harmful content. In the 2023-24 school year, there were 10,000 instances of book bans across the U.S. — nearly three times as many as the year before, according to a recent report by PEN America, a nonprofit that advocates for literary freedom.

“Certain books are harmful to children — just like drugs, alcohol, Rated R movies and tattoos are harmful to them,” Kit Hart, chair of the Carroll County, Maryland, chapter of Moms for Liberty, a national organization leading the book banning effort, wrote in an email.

But some states are now safeguarding librarians and the books they offer.

“State leaders are demonstrating that censorship has no place in their state and that the freedom to read is a principle that is supported and protected,” said Kasey Meehan, director of the Freedom to Read program at PEN America, which has been tracking book bans since 2021.

The drive to ban certain books is not waning, however. While a handful of states fight censorship in school libraries, some communities within those states are attempting to retake local control and continuing to remove materials that conservative local officials regard as lurid and harmful to children.

‘Lives are in the balance’

The New Jersey measure not only sets minimum standards for localities when they adopt a policy on how books are curated or can be challenged but also prevents school districts from removing material based on “the origin, background, or views of the library material or those contributing to its creation.”

The law also gives librarians immunity from civil and criminal liability for “good faith actions.”

New Jersey state Sen. Andrew Zwicker, a Democrat who introduced the legislation, said until recently he thought that book bans were a disturbing trend, but one limited to other states. But early last year, he went to a brunch event and met a school librarian who told him she faced a torrent of verbal and online abuse for refusing to remove a handful of books with LGBTQ+ themes from her library’s shelves.

“That’s when I realized that I was so horribly mistaken, that these attacks on librarians and on the freedom to read were happening everywhere,” Zwicker told Stateline. “I went up to her and asked, ‘What can I do?’”

He said he’s already heard from lawmakers in Rhode Island who are considering introducing a similar measure this year.

A child who identifies with the LGBTQ+ community can read a memoir like “ Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe and feel seen for the first time in their lives, he said.

“I do not think it’s an overstatement to say that lives are in the balance here, that these books are that important to people, and that librarians are trusted gatekeepers to ensure that what’s on the shelf of a library has been curated and is appropriate,” Zwicker said.

These new state laws, several of which are titled the “Freedom to Read Act,” passed almost entirely along party lines, with unanimous Democratic support.

In New Jersey, Republican state Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia, who has worked in schools for the past 18 years, including as an English teacher, vehemently opposed the measure. She did not respond to an interview request.

“This isn’t puritanical parents saying, ‘Oh, I don’t want my child to learn how babies are made,’” she said during a September committee hearing. “That’s ridiculous, and we all know it.”

She added, “What I do want is for us to be able to have an honest conversation about some of what is in these texts that is extraordinarily inappropriate for that grade level.”

Enforcement and penalties

Legislation differs by state, including in enforcement and how to penalize noncompliant localities.

In Illinois, for example, school districts risk losing thousands of dollars in state grant funding if they violate the state’s new law discouraging book bans. But as the Chicago Tribune reported last month, that financial penalty was not enough to persuade many school districts throughout the state to comply, with administrators saying they are concerned about giving up local control on school decisions.

Several school districts in other states have similarly rebelled.

North of Minneapolis, St. Francis Area Schools’ board last month decided it would consult with conservative group BookLooks to determine which books it will buy for its school libraries. BookLooks uses a 0-through-5 rating system that flags books for violent and sexual content.

Under its rating system, books that have long had a place in school libraries — such as the Holocaust memoir “Night” by Elie Wiesel or “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou — would require parental consent to read.

Asked about the school district potentially violating state law, school board member Amy Kelly, who led the drive to use BookLooks, declined to be interviewed. Karsten Anderson, superintendent of St. Francis Area Schools, also declined an interview request.

In Maryland, Carroll County schools led the state in banning books in recent years, removing in the 2023-2024 school year at least 59 titles that were “sexually explicit,” according to a tally by PEN America.

Schools should not allow children to see “kink and porn,” wrote Hart, of Moms for Liberty. She got involved in the effort more than three years ago, saying she wanted to protect her five children and parents’ rights to make educational decisions.

She pointed to one book to make her point: “ Let’s Talk About It: The Teen’s Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human,” a nonfiction book in graphic novel form by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan that seeks to educate teenagers about anatomy and consensual and safe sex. The book explores other issues of gender and sexuality, as well. Hart likened the book’s illustrations showing different ways of having sex to “erotica.”

“Parents who provide their children with alcohol or drugs, or to give them a tattoo would rightly be charged with crimes,” she wrote Stateline in an email. “Schools that provide children with sexually explicit content are negligent at best.”

The future of book bans

Around 8,000 of the more than 10,000 instances of banned books during the 2023-24 school year were in Florida and Iowa schools, according to PEN America. Lawmakers in those states enacted legislation in 2023 that created processes for school districts to remove books that have sexual content.

Iowa now requires that reading materials offered in schools be “age-appropriate,” while the Florida law ensures that books challenged for depicting or describing “sexual conduct” be removed from shelves while the challenge is processed by the district.

Some of those banned books included classics, such as “Roots” by Alex Haley and “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” by Betty Smith.

Over the past year, lawmakers in Idaho, Tennessee and Utah passed measures that ban certain reading materials that deal with sex or are otherwise deemed inappropriate, according to a December report from EveryLibrary, an Illinois-based organization that advocates against book bans. Arizona Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed similar legislation in June.

Laws that allow for book bans have been the subject of several lawsuits in recent years, as plaintiffs argue those measures violate constitutional protections of free expression.

Late last month, a federal judge struck down parts of a 2023 Arkansas law that threatened prison time for librarians who distribute “harmful” material to minors. Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin, a Republican, announced the state would appeal the decision.

EveryLibrary is tracking 26 bills in five states that lawmakers will consider this year that would target books with sexual and racial themes.

The organized effort to remove books because of LGBTQ+ or racial themes will continue, said Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom.

The association, which tracks book bans as part of its mission to support libraries and information science, found that most of the top banned books around the country had LGBTQ+ protagonists.

“Librarians have always been all about providing individuals with access to the information they need, whether it’s for education, for enrichment, for understanding,” she said in an interview. “Censorship is diametrically opposed to that mission.”

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

By Jessie Hellmann, CQ-Roll Call

WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump’s vowed crackdown on immigration could strain an already struggling elder care workforce that relies on foreign-born workers in nursing homes and home health settings.

Industry players and experts argue that increasing the long-term care workforce requires more immigration, and Trump’s plans could further undermine efforts to shore up the workforce as need for services increases with an aging population.

“Restricting entry of immigrants into the U.S. could really have a detrimental impact on long-term care for older adults,” said David C. Grabowski, a professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School. “They [immigrants] play a critical role in the delivery of long-term care broadly, but especially in nursing homes.”

Home health aides, personal care aides and certified nursing assistants are considered the backbone of the long-term care workforce, helping people age in their homes and often making up the majority of staff in nursing homes and residential care facilities.

There’s already a shortage of workers performing long-term care, and that shortage will worsen in the coming decades. People 65 and older are expected to make up more than 20% of the population by 2030; an estimated 75% will need some type of long-term care.

In all, demand for direct care workers including nursing assistants, personal care aides and home health aides will grow by 35% to 41% between 2022 and 2037, according to projections from the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis published in November.

But employment of home health and personal care aides is only projected to grow by 22% over the next decade.

Analysts argue that immigration is part of the solution.

“We’re really going to struggle to find sufficient numbers of workers to deliver high-quality care if there’s anything that threatens the influx of these workers,” Grabowski said.

Direct care demographics

Currently, about 27% of direct care workers are immigrants, but many more likely operate in a “gray market” where they are paid directly by families to care for people in their homes using private funds, according to the Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute, a nonprofit that advocates for direct care workers and improved quality of care.

By comparison, 17% of the total workforce is immigrant, they found, which includes naturalized citizens, people with temporary work authorizations and undocumented people.

Trump and his supporters have called for reducing immigration into the U.S. while prioritizing visa slots for “highly skilled” workers.

Direct-care workers are not typically classified as highly skilled by the current immigration system — many arrived to the U.S. through “chain migration,” a family-preference immigration system that Trump has called to end.

Trump’s policies could also impact the immigrant workforce that is already in the U.S.

Immigrants in the direct care workforce have a variety of immigration statuses. Among foreign-born direct care workers, 56% are naturalized citizens. About 44% are not U.S. citizens, and that includes people who are undocumented and people with work authorizations or visas, though there is no specific breakdown.

Temporary protected status

Trump has also called for making it more difficult for people to seek asylum and humanitarian parole, including by ending temporary protected status for people from unstable countries.

Meanwhile, Vice President-elect JD Vance has said temporary protected status would only be allowed on a case-by-case basis and not for entire countries.

Temporary protected status for a specific country can last six, 12 or 18 months at a time and is often renewed. For example, TPS has been in place for El Salvador since 2001. Trump ended it in his first term but was blocked by the courts.

He’ll face decisions about renewals for more than a dozen countries including Honduras, Venezuela and Haiti next year.

That could impact states like Florida and California, where 30 to 40% of the long-term workforce are immigrants with varying statuses, including naturalized citizens and people under TPS. Many immigrants live in mixed-status households, and the deportation of a family member could destabilize an entire family.

“Mass deportations or targeting immigrants would have devastating impacts on the care economy, in addition to the trauma and separation of families,” said Arnulfo De La Cruz, president of SEIU 2015 in California, the largest union representing long-term care workers, half of whom are immigrants. “I think the ultimate cost and impact would be to American citizens who already struggle to find a caregiver.”

Trump has also floated ending birthright citizenship and conducting “mass deportations” of people in the country illegally, saying he would first focus on people who have committed crimes.

And Trump has waffled on the future of the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which protects immigrants who arrived in the U.S. illegally as children from being deported and allows them to work. He sought to unwind it during his first administration, but now says he wants to work with Democrats on a solution.

‘Backbone of our sector’

The nursing home industry has urged the Trump administration to make its plans more clear while working with employers to understand “what are our needs related to immigration.”

“They really are the backbone of our sector,” said Nicole Howell, director of workforce policy at LeadingAge, an association of nonprofit aging services providers. “Given that we have such a growing number of older adults requiring care and support and services, and many of them indicating their desire to maintain residence in their homes, we need to grow our sector.

“And so we would ask President Trump’s administration to work with health care and aging services to expand immigration pathways.”

LeadingAge been on Capitol Hill with representatives from other industries including agriculture to urge members to work with the Trump administration on immigration reform and “to impart how important immigration and the foreign born workforce is to our sectors.”

Clif Porter, the president and CEO of the American Health Care Association, which represents nursing homes, said it will work with the Trump administration and Congress on addressing the “growing caregiver shortage.”

“Streamlining legal pathways for passionate people to come to our country and serve our seniors is an important part of how our sector will answer the growing demand for long-term care,” Porter said.

Steven Camarota, director of research for the Center for Immigration Studies, argued nursing homes rely on immigrants to save money on labor costs and that an increased supply of labor reduces wages. The center contributed to Project 2025, a blueprint for a second Trump administration.

Supporters of reducing immigration have argued for making those jobs more attractive for people born in the United States.

“It is funny in a way we’re hiring someone to take care of a loved one but don’t expect them to spend much money on it,” Camarota said. While Trump distanced himself from the blueprint during his campaign, he has selected several people who contributed to it to serve in his administration.

“If the vast majority [of long-term care workers] are not illegal, that does suggest we can get Americans to do the work, but you have to pay them more,” Camarota said.

Still, caring for older people is considered a difficult, emotionally and physically taxing job that faces stigma and a lack of respect.

For example, the number of certified nursing assistants born in the U.S. has declined rapidly since the mid-2010s, while the number of foreign-born CNAs has remained constant, according to an analysis published in HealthAffairs in January 2024.

The paper, coauthored by Grabowski, found staffing shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic would have been worse if not for foreign-born CNAs remaining in the workforce.

It also found nursing homes in regions with a higher share of immigrant CNAs were associated with more staffing for residents and better nursing home quality performance.

A 2023 paper also co-authored by Grabowski found increased immigration “significantly raises the staffing levels of nursing homes,” which has a positive effect on patient outcomes.

Grabowski and coauthors found that an influx of immigrants to an area did not decrease wages, suggesting excess demand for those workers.

“Nursing homes are looking for additional workers,” Grabowski said. “They aren’t bidding down wages for native-born workers, they’re working alongside native born workers.”

This report was written with the support of a journalism fellowship from The Gerontological Society of America, The Journalists Network on Generations and The John A. Hartford Foundation.

©2025 CQ-Roll Call, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Visit cqrollcall.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. ©2025 CQ-Roll Call, Inc.

By Alex Brown, Stateline.org

Blue states are bracing for a battle with the Trump administration over their authority to limit tailpipe emissions, a showdown that will have major repercussions on the types of cars and trucks sold to American drivers.

All sides expect President-elect Donald Trump to try to revoke states’ authority to adopt California’s strict rules on the pollution spewed by vehicles.

Many states’ efforts to fight climate change hinge on a federal process that allows them to adopt stringent regulations for transportation, the country’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions.

This long-standing waiver authority allows California — and the dozen or so states that follow its lead — to apply rules that go beyond federal limits and cover everything from specific pollutants to sales of certain vehicles. The states following the stricter California standards make up a significant portion of the U.S. auto market and exert major leverage over the cars that are offered to American consumers.

“It becomes a de facto national standard,” said Ethan Elkind, director of the climate program at the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment at the UC Berkeley School of Law. “The combined might of California and those other states is pretty significant.”

During his first term, Trump attempted to revoke California’s waiver authority, an action many states challenged as unlawful. The effort to deny the waivers was tied up in legal challenges until President Joe Biden took office. This time, Trump will have a “much more cohesive plan” to block state efforts to clean up their cars and trucks, Elkind said.

California is urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to finalize several pending waivers before Trump returns to the White House. Officials in blue states are preparing to defend their authority in court should Trump seek to revoke the waivers. And attorneys general in some red states are pushing to end the waivers altogether — mounting a legal challenge to California’s power to set its own rules.

“Without [California’s waiver authority], we would probably be a decade or more behind where we are today in terms of the U.S. automotive market,” said Mary Nichols, former chair of the California Air Resources Board, the agency that issues the state’s auto regulations. “In terms of reaching our climate goals, it’s essential.”

Nichols now serves as the distinguished counsel for the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the UCLA School of Law.

State efforts

When Congress enacted federal air quality laws in the 1960s, it gave California the authority to go above and beyond national standards because it was the only state to already have passed its own auto emissions rules. The state’s geography, with mountains that trap harmful pollution in heavily populated areas, also contributed to California’s unique status. Over 50-plus years, the state has received more than 100 waivers from the feds covering everything from particulate matter to catalytic converters to “check engine” lights.

The EPA allows other states to adopt the regulations set by California. Seventeen other states and the District of Columbia have adopted some portion of California’s regulations — representing 40% of the light-duty vehicle market and more than 25% of the heavy-duty market.

“These waivers are a really important part of our strategy to reduce emissions in line with what climate science tells us what we need to do,” said Joel Creswell, climate pollution reduction program manager with the Washington State Department of Ecology. “They’re also really important for our air quality near road communities.”

In the waning days of the Biden administration, California leaders have urged the EPA to finalize an assortment of pending waivers that cover issues including electric car sales, heavy-duty fleets, yard equipment and refrigerated trucks. The agency approved several of those waivers in December and January, including a landmark rule that will ban the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035.

California Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta, who spoke to Stateline in November, said the law requires the feds to grant and uphold the waivers unless the state’s actions are “arbitrary and capricious.”

“If there’s an attempt to revoke them by the Trump administration or a denial of them that’s unlawful, we’ll be very aggressive in taking action to protect California’s ability to seek its waivers,” he said.

Elkind, the legal expert, said Biden’s administration likely has delayed the waivers until the last minute because officials want to build a strong case that will make it difficult for Trump to revoke them.

“EPA is having to be more careful and specific about the justification for granting them,” he said, building the case that “California has an obligation to reduce emissions of these very specific pollutants, and it’s not going to be able to meet its Clean Air Act requirements without zero-emission vehicles.”

Pushing back

California’s waivers have faced opposition from a slew of industry groups, including automakers, trucking associations, railroads, agriculture interests and fossil fuel providers. In many cases, they argue that the standards require a switch to cleaner technologies that aren’t yet in wide supply or cost-effective. For instance, trucking groups say there are few semitruck engines available that meet the new standard for nitrogen oxide emissions.

“They [federal regulators] put in an aggressive standard and gave little time for the manufacturers to come up with that product,” said Mike Tunnell, senior director of energy and environmental affairs with the trade group American Trucking Associations. “As it turned out, they didn’t give them enough time.”

Tunnell said trucking dealerships in California have struggled with product shortages. As a result, some companies are continuing to use existing trucks, keeping dirty engines on the road. His group opposes another pending waiver sought by California that would require companies to transition their truck fleets to zero-emission models. Current trucks that meet that standard are significantly more expensive than typical models, Tunnell said.

Truckers in New York — which has adopted the California standard — already are struggling to buy the equipment they need, said Kendra Hems, president of the Trucking Association of New York. She noted that the state lacks charging infrastructure to support a transition to electric trucks, and that current models have a limited range that would force drivers to stop frequently along their routes.

“We’re not opposed to it, we’re simply not ready,” Hems said. “They’re asking an industry to comply with something that there’s simply not supporting infrastructure for.”

Automakers have made a similar argument about California’s electric vehicle sales mandate, saying in a statement that it will “take a miracle” to phase out new gas-powered cars by 2035.

The industry groups have argued for a consistent national standard, a cause backed by 17 Republican-led states. A coalition of attorneys general filed a lawsuit in 2022 challenging California’s power to set stricter rules.

“This is not the United States of California,” said Ohio Republican Attorney General Dave Yost, who has led the legal effort, in a 2021 news release challenging California’s waivers.

In a letter to the EPA opposing Biden’s reinstatement of a waiver, Yost argued that California’s rules create a de facto national standard for automakers, which results in more expensive cars for consumers in every state. That violates states’ right to equal sovereignty, he asserted.

Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court said it would review whether fuel producers — which have joined the case against the waivers — have enough cause to sue. But the court declined to consider the lawfulness of California’s underlying waiver authority.

While the legal fight continues, Elkind asserted that opponents of California’s long-standing status don’t have a strong case.

“The waiver has been granted to California repeatedly for more than a half century,” he said. “There’s solid legal ground in the Clean Air Act, and the justification is extremely well documented.”

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