By Charles E. Ramirez, cramirez@detroitnews.com

Police are investigating a potential threat against Groves High School, officials said Friday.

The Beverly Hills campus is part of the Birmingham Public Schools district.

School staff alerted the police department’s school resource officer at 9:30 p.m. Thursday about a “concerning” image posted on social media, according to authorities. The image displayed several hunting rifles lying side by side. It had no captions and was posted on a group thread related to the school district, police said.

Officers visited the student’s home to conduct a welfare check. Investigators said the student and his parents were cooperative.

“It was determined last night that there was no immediate threat to the community and there were no guns located at the individual’s residence,” Edward Arnold, the village’s Director for Public Safety, said Friday.

He said there are no firearms registered to the parents, and the photo had been taken several months ago when the student was in the Upper Peninsula.

On Thursday, district officials told parents in a letter that the police department received a tip from the state’s OK2SAY system for reporting school threats anonymously.

The report involved a social media post made by a Groves student that included an image depicting several rifles, the letter said. “Importantly, there was no direct threat made toward any individual or toward the school.”

School officials said although police deemed there was no immediate threat to the school’s students and staff, they will “continue to exercise due diligence and work closely with law enforcement to thoroughly review all aspects of the situation.”

The district also said the student suspected of posting the image of the weapons will not return to the school while the investigation is conducted.

“Additionally, families can expect an increased police presence at Groves and our feeder schools throughout the day (Friday) to provide added reassurance for students and staff,” officials said.

Groves High School has about 1,100 students.

In August, Michigan State Police said the OK2SAY system received 11,671 tips in 2024, a 20% increase from the previous year and the highest reporting level of the program since its inception in 2014.

More than 600 of those tips related to threats, 252 were about guns,125 were about bombs, and 73 involved weapons possession, according to the program’s annual report. That compares to 741 tips about threats, 185 about guns, 64 about bombs, and 73 about weapons possession in 2023.

There is no doubt this year’s toy wish lists will include new versions of classic toys such as Barbie, G.I.Joe and even others such as Furby, Lite-Brite, Barney’s World and even Tamagotchi.

Many parents will be able to rely on their own experience to guide them with familiar toys but it becomes difficult to choose from the crop of new toys being introduced every year.

To help parents narrow their store and online searches The Macomb Daily has compiled a list of hot new toys and what’s being said about them. Some of the reviews were provided by our team of toy-testing tykes, while others were suggested by experts in the field including parents and teachers.

Have a look at what reviewers from schools in Clinton Township and Birmingham had to say about some of the newest games, gadgets and gizmos:

Infant and up

Animated Peeki the Puppy from Gund (infant-up, $44.99) is an animated plush pal with floppy ears and his own cute personality. Landyn, 5-months, took to the toy immediately. He loved the song it played although it only plays one and was especially excited to see the puppy’s ears moving. Five stars!

Sweet Pea Snuggle Pod (6-months-up, $24.99) is a cute little doll that fits snugly in a plush green peapod. It’s a great first doll for developing nurturing skills. Its small size and soft features make it easy for toddlers to tote and tuck.

Build-A-Buddy Activity Board by Tomy International (18-months-up, $26.99) is an activity board featuring a drill that kids can use to create two farm scenes.

Playground Activity Adventure (1-up, $139) from Manhattan Toy is like a wooden tree house filled with little adventures. Each quadrant provides toddlers with fun activities including multiple bead tracks and a springy bear riding a dinosaur.

Beverly Hills Teddy Bear Spots Piggy Hug Me Forever (infant-up, $29.99) is a cute little plush toy for babies. Even before our toy tester had a chance to see it, mom was gushing over how soft and cuddly it was.

Smart Steps Gadget Gears Counting Toy from Baby Trend (9-months-up, $14.99) was a hit with our preschool teacher and the children in her class, who enjoyed the sounds and all of the moving gears.

My First Tackle Box (infant-up, $34.99) from Gund. The five-piece soft plush playset features a self-contained plush tackle box along with a fishing rod with touch and close fastener for sticking to a worm crinkle toy or fish squeaky toy.

Smart Steps Balance Buddy Learning Monkee (18-months-up,$29.99 ) from Baby Trend is a STEM toy for little ones. The toy has an intelligent recognition system that interacts with babies in two play modes, one helping them to count and follow directions and another teaching them about balance and direction. Our preschool teacher said the children loved the movements, bright colors and sounds. One suggestion: Make it out of a softer material or add a stand so it doesn’t tip over.

Glo Pals Light Up Library (18-months-up, $21.99) was named to Toy Insider’s hot list of toys for little ones. Bedtime stories take on a whole new light with the magic magnifier that children can use to light up each page in the story. Five stars!

John Deere Trike and Wagon (2-up, $114) from Fat Brain Toys is a cool ride-along toy that helps to develop gross motor skills, coordination, outdoor play, teamwork and imaginative play.

Barney’s World Sensory Barney (2-up, $11.99) features a variety of textures and activities for little ones to explore. Many of the parents buying the purple dinosaur this year are likely to have known Barney when they were kids. Each plush comes with a heart-shaped fidget.

Blinkety Bot Light Up Busy Board from Mindware (18-months, $30) features 14 lights and eight interactive switches and buttons that help to build fine motor skills and logical thinking

Age 3-up

Stanley Jr. Painter Set for Kids (3-up, $32.99) was a hit with our

fourth-graders who said they had fun pretending to paint.

Marvel Spidey Amazing Friends Advent Calendar from Abe Books (3-up, $19) is a sweet alternative to the chocolate advent calendars. The ginormous book features 5-minute stories parents can read every night leading up to Christmas. Both Jack and LJ enjoyed the adventurous version.

Miko 3 (3-5, $199) was a big hit with Brynn. The new AI interactive robot features interactive games, academic content and a personality. What Brynn loved most about it were the games, that she could talk to Mike and that she and the little robot could make a video call to her parents.What she didn’t like was that many of the activities were only accessible with a monthly membership. .

The Goodyear Car Engine Mechanic Repair & Play Set (3-up, $79.99) is an engaging

and educational toy designed to improve problem-solving skills and an understanding of basic mechanical concepts. Our toy testers Roger and Hayden said it took a while to assemble but once they were done they loved the lights and sounds it made.

Luna Storytime Projector (3-up, $59.99) was a big hit with the little ones in Clintondale Community Schools childcare program. The starter set comes with one story and a character. Our toy-testing toddlers enjoyed seeing the story projected on the wall and the songs that played along. Other story figures include: Unicorn Stories, Paw Patrol, Sesame Street, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and Thomas & Friends.

Alpha Group’s Super Wings Electric Heroes (3-up, $27.99 ) is a 3-in-1 Transforming World Spaceport is another toy that children transform from a robot to a vehicle. Our toy tester liked it but wasn’t crazy about it. Whereas another child who likes playing with transformers might love it.

The Dragon Eggmazing Egg Decorator (3-up,$27.99 ) from Hey Buddy Hey Pal Investments is a decorating kit that comes with two dinosaur eggs, markers and a machine and holder that turns the egg children are decorating. Our toy testers did not like the smell (could’ve been the markers) but loved the dinosaur that pops out of the egg when you’re done decorating it. Other eggs with 12 other collectible dinosaurs are available.

Barbie Color Reveal 6 Surprises (3-up, $24.97) joins the list of fun toys for kids who love Barbie. Our tester was pleased with her surprise and had fun with the fashion accessories including a plug-in ponytail that undergoes a color transformation using icy cold or warm water. Note to parents: It’s a tad messy because of the changing color ponytail.

Fisher-Price Montessori Wooden Sorting Tree (3-up, $15.99 ) is a cool wooden sorting toy that features fruits and vegetables that fit in the tree and can be used for several levels of play. Our preschool teacher from Clintondale Community Schools Childcare Program gave it a thumbs up for teaching children colors and sorting. One suggestion for Santa: Make the sorting compartments a tad bigger.

Imaginext Jurassic Park Rebirth Ultimate Action Chomp T. Rex (3-up, $75) was named among the top toys this season by Toy Insider magazine and got a thumbs up from our youngest toy testers. Their teacher said it’s big, it talks, it walks and its eyes change color. Tip for parents: Consider a storage space as it’s a big toy with no compartments for the projectiles and small figures. Five stars!

Tame & Train Interactive Toothless Dragon from Spin Master (4-up, $52.99) is a cute animatronic toy. It features advanced technology touch sensors for interactive play and while our 5-year-old tester and his dad were unable to figure out the directions it didn’t matter to L.J. He loved the toy. He fed the dragon the little fish that came with it and when the wings didn’t move he used his imagination to make it fly around the room on his own.

Eye Connect Crafts 3D Tunnel Book (4-up,$39.97) a kit that comes with pre-cut card stock animals that you assemble, watercolor paints and markers and instructions to create a 3D Tunnel Book. One of our testers was unable to review it because of missing parts but a second tester loved coloring the dinosaurs in the kit that he was given to test.

Fanroll Dungeons and Dragons Orb (4-up, $28) is an automatic dice roller. It’s a cool gadget and our toy testers had fun playing with it but to be really great parents might want to pair it with a game that requires a roll of the dice.

Age 5-up

Math Made Fun, Music Made Easy (age 5-up, $99) is designed to improve a student’s math skills by playing the latest popular songs on the piano. It comes with a STEAM curriculum and app for children in second-through twelfth-grade. Our fifth-graders from McGlinnen Elementary’s student council loved the piano but did not use the books or the app. However, other testers did use the two together and found it fun as well.

Smartivity Activities for Smarter Learning Hydraulic Plane Launcher (6-14, $28.99 ) is a cool STEAM set that includes everything a young engineer might need to build a hydraulic-powered plane launcher. Our toy testers Kyler and Brayden, who are fourth-graders, however, could have used some help as they found it very difficult to put together. Great project for kids who have a parent helping or for older kids who love construction projects. Smartivity Activities sets are available for a number of other building projects including a telescope.

Primal Hatch T. Rex Tyrannosaurus from Spin Master (5-up,$65.99) was a big hit with the preschoolers in the Clintondale Community Schools Childcare Program. They loved watching it hatch and then they loved feeding it, once it broke out of its shell. Their teacher did say the shell was hard to crack, which might make it a good toy for an older child as well. Five stars!

DIY Sticki Rolls Wearable Shareable Bracelet Kit (5-up, $9.99-$27.99) from Sky Castle could not have been more popular with our toy testers Ma’Leah, Aria and Silvia. They played with the award-winning kit that comes with 500 stickers to create cool bracelets during the entire toy-testing event and other members of Clintondale Community Schools student council joined in as well. Their advisor said Santa really nailed it this time. Five stars!

Infinity MadQ from Alpha Group (5-up, $44.99). Our toy testers said the new battle set that comes with glowing Nados, two sword launchers and arena was hard to assemble but fun to play.

Smartivity Activities for Smarter Learning Rocket (6-up, $24.99). If you’re looking for a great toy that teaches kids about rocket propulsion this would be it. Our toy testers Benji and Hamza said it was a challenge to assemble but loved how high it flew. Their teacher Darrin Winkler was also impressed but said the rocket launcher should definitely be used outside, as it almost put a hole in their classroom ceiling. Five stars!

Hootenanny Games Feelin’ Cute (6-up,$19.99 ) is a 15-minute game featuring cute animal cards that players rate according to a cuteness meter. Our third- and fourth-grade toy testers Destiny, Mia (Pangori), Mia (Davis), Abriella and Patricia said the name alone made them want to play and it kept their interest.

D20 Foam Oversized Dice (6-up, $24.99 ) from Kess is a new dice game for youngsters but even adults would find it fun, indoors or outside. Our testers loved its size, how easy it was to roll and that it’s pink.

Hootenanny Games Early Bird (7-up, $19.99) was a big hit with Jade, Juliet and Noelle, who loved how it made them laugh. They also loved the funny cards and the things they came up with during the game. Five stars!

Strikesphere Soccer Bot (6-up,$59.99 ) was a big hit with our toy testers including Clintondale Community Schools Superintendent Kenneth Janczarek and two members of the student council, Blake and Kellan. Janczarek said the toy was hard to set up. They had to google directions but once they did they loved it. The smart soccer ball uses built-in sensors to track the ball and has three speed settings you can switch from indoor to outdoor use. Five stars!

Also available from Strikesphere is the Counter Ball (6-up,$59.99), a soccer ball that glows, cheers and counts your kicks. Our fourth-grade testers liked that it counted their passes but said it was really loud.

Tech Dech Shred N’ Blast Sk8Board (6-up, $29.99) from Spin Master features a cool character who does big air stunts. The toy inspired by skateboarders takes the popular pastime to new heights. Our toy tester had some trouble with the ramp (it wouldn’t stay together) but loved how high the skateboard character jumped, at one point reaching almost 7 feet in the air.

Headbanz from Spin Master (6-up, $17.99) continues to be a popular game for tweens and family game nights. Our testers from Clintondale Community Schools had fun playing the game of “What Am I?” This version is for younger kids but their teacher suggested adding more cards for older players.

Clixo Dino Adventures (6-to-forever, $15.99-$59.99) is a magnet construction building toy. Jack’s imagination kicked in as soon as he saw the pieces and within a few minutes had several creatures built before he even knew his kit was made to build a dinosaur. He’s a second-grader but even our third and fourth-grade testers Brooklyn, Ava and Alaya had fun with the toy and said they liked that it inspired them to be creative. Choose from a variety of kits including: Creator Pack with 40 pieces, Sparkle Jewelry Pack, 34 pieces and Marine Marvels featuring 36 pieces for assembling sea creatures. Five stars!

Pokemon Trainer Expert from Ultra Pro (6-up, $34.99) is an electronic game for Pokemon fans. Our testers had fun but had some difficulty in guessing the Pokemon, making it truly a game for experts and even older players.

Squishy Verse Snackipoos from Kandico (5-up, $24.99) features three DIY characters, glitter packets and surprise accessories for making fun creatures. Our fifth-grade testers Liliam, Leila and Sergio loved the toy but did not have enough time to see their creations completed. Be sure to set aside enough time to finish the task. Five stars!

Shark Strike from Spin Master (5-up, $21.99) is a new game that combines the fun of bowling, fishing and sharks into one funny game. Our toy testers loved everything about the game and had only one suggestion: Add more sharks. Five stars!

SmartGames Cats and Boxes Travel game (7-up, $19.99) was built to travel and for family game nights. Our fourth-grade tester gave it a thumbs up because it was fun and because of the cats.

Age 8-up

Mush Meez Taba Squishies ((8-up, $11.99) from Beverly Hills Teddy Bear company are among this year’s favorite squishy and sticky toys. Alaya and Ava loved the fidget, play foodie toys that come in a variety of delicious choices including a hot dog, hamburger, cinnamon bun and peanut butter and jelly sandwich. They said all of the other kids wanted to play with them including Daniella and Chloe, who loved the hot dog squishy. Noelle said they’re great because they’re a lot like slime toys but not sticky, which is perfect for parents who don’t like slime. Five stars!

Smartivity Activities for Smarter Learning Pinball (8-up,$29.99) is an award-winning STEAM toy kit that children can use to build their own pinball machine. It was a hit with our fourth-grade testers Daniella and Jack. They said it was easy to build but it did take a long time to do it.

Hootenanny Games Disco Island Escape (8-up, $22.99) was a difficult game to follow at first but once the teacher found a video explaining the directions better the kids had fun playing the game.

Virtual Reality ESPN (age 8-up, $59.99) from Abacus Brands is a cool idea for any kid looking to learn more about sports. Our toy tester couldn’t wait to try it out but was unable to hook up the virtual reality portion created with the phone app. He liked the DK Book filled with facts and cool stories but his favorite part was the Olympic medals that come with it.

Cross Spin Crossword and Party Board Game (8-up, $24.99) from JoPat Games. Ali and Noelle liked that it had puzzles that challenged them to find new words and was different from other games they’ve played.

Wise Block Build and Play RC Military Armored Truck (8-up, $36.99) was a big hit with our fourth-graders, who said it’s a very cool toy. It features 371 pieces that are interchangeable with other block building toys and can be used to create a RC tank. Henri-Paul and Hugo had great fun building the tank and playing with it afterwards. One suggestion for Santa: Add some accessories like toy soldiers. Five stars!

Also from Wise Block is the Build and Play RC Racing Car (8-up), another award-winning STEAM set featuring 414 pieces for aspiring engineers interested in building a RC racing car. Mason said his favorite aspect was all of the creativity that was dedicated to this car and how enjoyable it was to create.

Tamagotchi Collections (8-up, $38.95) from Kess is a new card game for tweens. Our fourth-grade testers loved the characters but found the game too confusing.

Fanzone Electronic Trivia Game Football (8-up,$31.99) by Ultra Pro asks the questions and lets the players answer. Hayden said it was a fun game that teaches more about sports.

Hipster The Music Party Game (16-up,$39.99) from Galt is geared for teens who enjoy a variety of music. Each player picks a card and then scans the QR code to automatically play it on Spotify. Then they must guess what year it came out.

Hipster Guilty Pleasures (16-up,$39.99) was a hit with our ninth-grade tester Lauren Hampshire. She said the variety of music was great and that it was a fun game. However, she was not keen on the old songs and would probably enjoy a version with newer music even more.

Luffy’s Bento Panic: The Game (10-up, $24.99) from Kess. Our fourth-grade testers Elliott, Lucy, Roger and Jameson said the directions were hard to understand but they liked that it was an interactive game.

Rubik’s Pulse Cube (8-up, $15.99 ) from Spin Master starts with a sleek mirrored finish that lights up with Rubik’s iconic colors as players work to solve the puzzle. It was challenging but that’s what Juliet, our fourth-grade tester loved most about it.

Tetris The Board Game (8-up,$24.99 ) from Spin Master Games has players completing as many lines as they can before the first player adds another piece to their grid. Our fourth-grade testers said it was fun to play but suggested making it so the pieces could be placed in more than one direction.

My Robotic Pet Coding Chameleon ($54.95) from Thames and Kosmos is a construction and coding toy rolled into one robotic reptile. It’s recommended for 8-up but with an adult’s help or age 12-up for kids without supervision. Once built it’s designed to respond to gestures, change colors and automatically fire and retract its tongue, but our 8-year-old testers found it difficult to snap together and never got to try the coding.

3Doodler Candy (8-up, $59.99) by Wobbleworks is a new tool that makes 3D printing a little sweeter. Kids just load the pen up with candy and then press a button to make delicious treats. Five stars!

Stocking stuffers

Looking for a few little things to add to your list? These are a few items to consider, some were award-winners last year and others are new this season including a whole lineup of squishy toys:

Incredible Novelties’ Squishi Toys were a big hit among our testers who liked the feel and scent of them. Noelle, Lucy, Alex and Ella, fourth-graders at Pierce Elementary School were all particularly fond of the Oreo Squishi Toy. Choose from a variety of options for different ages including: Bazooka and Scented Ring Pop Squishi Toy (6-up) or Sour Patch Kids Scented Squishi (13-up).

LOL 101: A Kid’s Guide to Writing Great Jokes ($15.99) features illustrations and easy to follow tips for children that want to make people laugh. Award winner!

Cocosmile cups: Robot Straw Thermos Cup Single Eye (6-up, $29.99) is a cool water

bottle featuring an easy-open-nob (eyeball) and belt for kids on the go. Jack loved the eyeball opener and that it comes attached to a belt for easy carrying.

LED Keyboard Fidget Key Ring (3-up, $9.99) is a cool key ring that lights up.

Art Cafe Latte-Inspired Painting Kit (8-up, $15.99) from Tree Town Toys comes with everything aspiring artists need to make latte-inspired art.

Cheers to our toy testers!

The Macomb Daily’s annual holiday review of the season’s hottest toys is a newsroom tradition that started when virtual pets and Tamagotchi were the buzz words on Santa’s Wish List.

Our editorial staff started doing the reviews to help parents navigate the growing number of toys on the market. It is readers’ interest that fuels this tradition but it’s the work of many that make it possible.

That includes the toy manufacturers across the United States and Canada, and many other parts of the world who provide free toys for testing and jump through many logistic hoops in order to make sure they are submitted on time. Some even include batteries to make sure testers have everything they need.

Most importantly, we would like to thank our toy-testing tykes from Macomb and Oakland counties.

Working collectively for Clintondale Community Schools were members of its student council at McGlinnen and their advisor Amanda Madson as well as students in the Clintondale Childcare Program at Parker and Rainbow Elementary schools. A special shout-out goes to Clintondale Community Schools Superintendent Kenneth Janczarek, who joined in the fun of testing the toys and Alexandra Hichel and Melissa Kloposki for coordinating the teams and logging the results.

Tackling many of the STEAM toys this year were the fourth-graders in Darrin Winkler’s class at Pierce Elementary in Birmingham.

Our thanks to all of you for your enthusiasm and help in making this year’s mission a success.

What if…

We’ve been told by toymakers over the years that they follow reviews not only as a means of improving their products but also for ideas on how to expand a line or even introduce something new. So we asked our toy-testing tykes to answer a bonus question: If anything was possible what kind of toy would you invent?

Here’s a few of the gadgets and gizmos our fourth-grade testers came up with:

Henri-Paul Rias and Hugo Zhou said they would create a construction building set for a military shop complete with firing cannons and toy soldiers. It would also have the pieces to build a smaller ship and helicopter that you could land on the ship.

Noelle Simmons would create a realistic robotic dog. She said her parents don’t really love dogs but she would love it and play with it every day. She might even create a robot that can do household chores or make her dinner and name it the magical assistant.

Ella Ebiner said she would create a 3D printer that makes squishy toys.

Jack Schroeder and Daniella Fraser said they would create a fidget toy that gives you any superpower in the world.

Benji Papaghanian and Hamza Alwan said they would like to create a toy that lets you build an entire city like maybe Detroit or Parish.

Letty Eilander would make a remote-controlled bird that would fly or sit on her shoulder.

Jade Ransford said he would create a magical robotic cat in rainbow colors covered with stars and sparkles that teaches people how to talk to cats.

The growing awareness of the value among parents wanting to develop and inspire their child’s interests is not only driving more companies to develop educational products but pushing sales.

According to a report by Global Market Insights the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) toy market is projected to reach $13 billion by 2032. Among the toymakers meeting the demand is Assaf Eshet, CEO and founder of Clixo , a flexible, origami-inspired magnetic system that was recently named one of Time magazine’s Best Inventions of 2025. As an industrial designer who has worked for some of the top names in the toy industry, Eshet said his mission has always been to create toys that inspire exploration rather than dictate outcomes.

“Kids should have a real appetite for curiosity,” said Eshet. “Our job as parents, teachers and toymakers is to strike that nerve of wonder and keep it alive.”

That’s what Playmobil did for him as a child.

“I used to assemble them and then reassemble them to make them my own,” Eshet said during a phone interview from New York City.

Now children are taking his kits, assembling them as they are and then reimagining them to be something else.

“Things that we can’t even imagine they are already creating,” said Eshet, who launched the brand in 2020 with a few kits and has expanded it to include 20 kits ranging from $15 to $200. New this year for aspiring paleontologists is Dinosaur Adventure (6-up, $49.99).

“It’s an amazing set,” Eshet said, of the newest addition to the Clixo family featuring 36 pieces that can be used to make a variety of dinosaurs or whatever creature comes to mind.

“You can mix and match them, too,” said Eshet, whose Clixo brand is also in the running for the Toy Foundation’s Best Creativity Toy of the Year.

The company also earned the Best Creative Fun Award by Tillywig and was named to Toy Insider’s Top Holiday Toys list in 2023.

Clixo is a new favorite but the launch of STEM toys happened around the same time as the space race and the inauguration of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in 1958.

“The scientific achievements of the next three decades from the moon landing, artificial heart, personal computing and cell phones all yielded a call for enhanced science education,” according to a report from Forbes. “The call was answered by the National Science Foundation (NSF), which established guidelines for the teaching of science, math, engineering and technology in grades K-12, introducing the acronym SMET. However, educators and policymakers found the term awkward and unappealing, evensuggesting it sounded like ‘smut’. So in 2001, the NSF officially rebranded the initiative STEM and more recently STEAM, as ‘Art’ was added.”

“A lot of parents are buying STEAM toys that have educational value and those toys become treasures,” said Julie Everitt, co-owner of Whistle Stop Hobby and Toy in St. Clair Shores, which has been in the business of selling toys for more than 50 years. Everitt said there are a number of cool new STEAM toys out this year including Rail Cube by Sanko Toys (3-up, $99.99-$199.99).

“The set comes with magnetic tubes that you connect to create a little monorail for a little engine,” Everitt said. “It’s a super cute set and it really goes.”

Another favorite at Whistle Stop is Hape’s Lock and Learn Playboard (3-6, $34.99), a wooden busy board featuring little exercises that teach kids meaningful tasks like how to unlock a latch or turn on a light. Among the STEAM toys growing in popularity among older kids is Rolife’s miniature kits ($49.99). Tweens and teens, even adults can build everything from little houses and book nooks to tiny greenhouses.

“Most of them are for ages 14 and up but we do carry some for 8-plus,” Everitt said, sharing but a few of the STEAM toys making this year’s hot list.

More toys

Looking for a few more toys. Check out our kids’ review of this year’s lineup of STEAM toys along with many others that are expected to make Santa’s Wish List inside the Homefront section and on our website.

By Lisa Rein, Meryl KornfieldThe Washington Post

The Social Security Administration has abandoned plans to block thousands of older Americans from qualifying for disability benefits after an uproar that reached senior officials in the Trump White House, according to people familiar with the decision.

The agency is also halting a plan to use modern labor market data to help judge whether disability claimants can work, a project that has cost the federal government more than $350 million so far. The new data would have replaced a long-outdated jobs database that until recently included obsolete occupations such as nut sorters and telephone quotation clerks.

The policy affecting older people would have fundamentally altered who qualifies for the two federal disability programs by eliminating or limiting a person’s age as a factor to consider. It fulfilled a long-held goal of Trump officials to tighten the federal safety net and had been on track to be announced in the Federal Register as soon as December.

But widespread opposition mounted following an article in The Washington Post in October that reported the new policy could result in a loss of future benefits for hundreds of thousands of people.

Jason Turkish – an attorney representing disabled people and co-founder of the advocacy group Alliance for America’s Promise – said SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano and other administration officials assured him in meetings over the past week that the proposal would not move forward. A former Social Security executive familiar with the disability program confirmed that Bisignano has scrapped the proposed rule.

“The commissioner took a decisive, unambiguous role in concretely ruling out that this mega-regulation would move forward,” Turkish said.

A White House spokesperson said that “the White House has not seen any such proposal. However, President Trump remains fully committed to protecting and strengthening Social Security while making it easier for millions of Americans to engage with the Social Security Administration.”

Social Security officials did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday.

The about-face follows months of turmoil at the agency that issues retirement and disability benefits to 72 million Americans. Thousands of staff cuts, voluntary departures and reassignments, service failures, and an aggressive takeover by Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service early in the Trump administration have led to widespread customer complaints and low morale in the agency’s workforce.

Social Security evaluates disability claims by considering age, work experience and education to determine if someone can adjust to other types of work. Applicants over 50 have a better chance of qualifying because age is treated as a limitation in adapting to many jobs.

But with prodding from Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought earlier this year, the agency began to consider eliminating age as a factor entirely or raising the threshold to 60, according to people familiar with the plans, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share private discussions. Leland Dudek, the acting commissioner at the time, instructed officials to begin drafting the new rule shortly after he took office.

Advocates for the disabled and elderly applauded the decision to back off.

“Social Security disability insurance is a critical lifeline for people who find themselves no longer able to work,” Jenn Jones, vice president of financial security for AARP, said in a statement. “We appreciate Commissioner Bisignano’s commitment to a careful and transparent process, because any changes to [disability insurance] can impact older Americans across the country who rely on Social Security for their independence and livelihoods.”

A cut in disability benefits could have significant political consequences, advocates and lawmakers have warned, pointing to Trump’s campaign promise to not touch Social Security.

“I’m incredibly pleased to see Commissioner Bisignano and the administration decided not to pursue proposed cuts to Social Security’s disability programs – cuts which would have been out of step not only with what the American people want, but also with President Trump’s repeated promises not to cut Social Security,” Rebecca Vallas, CEO of the National Academy of Social Insurance, said in a statement.

Conservatives have long argued that since Americans are living longer and fewer have jobs that require manual labor, many physically disabled workers could adapt to desk work, with the result that fewer people would qualify for disability benefits. Social Security had prepared a similar rule at the end of the first Trump administration but ran out of time to formally propose it.

To determine the jobs a disability applicant might be able to do, Social Security has long relied on a database compiled by the Labor Department, which abandoned the list more than 30 years ago as the economy shifted away from blue-collar work to information and services. Martin O’Malley, who served as Social Security commissioner during the Biden administration, removed many of those jobs from consideration after scrutiny from lawmakers following a Post investigation in 2022.

But the agency did not replace them with a sophisticated database of jobs in the modern U.S. economy compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics over the course of years. Among the Trump administration’s concerns with using the new data is that younger disabled people with cognitive and mental impairments would probably qualify for fewer jobs, potentially leading more of them to be awarded benefits, the former Social Security executive said.

According to two former officials, starting next year the agency planned to develop a database using the BLS data to help determine which jobs, if any, someone seeking benefits could perform. Disability advocates say they worry that such a database would be programmed to come up with a vast array of jobs – particularly if advancing age was no longer a limiting factor – and would end up denying benefits to tens of thousands of claimants every year.

Michelle Spadafore, a New York-based disability attorney, said that advocates were most concerned about the proposal that could have made more older Americans ineligible for disability and are willing to wait until the agency moves forward with a modern jobs database.

“I don’t know if there’s a way to not throw out the baby with the bathwater,” she said. “The threat of taking age out of the equation is so great that even though we want to see modernization of job data, we’re willing to wait on that.”

By Max Bryan, mbryan@detroitnews.com

Amid increased immigration enforcement across the country, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald urged students, teachers and families not to interfere with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents — but to also know their rights if agents show up at a school or detain parents.

McDonald said in a Friday news release that interfering with ICE or other law enforcement “increases the risk for everyone.” The county prosecutor said ICE agents may enter public areas in schools without restriction, but must present either a judicial warrant or permission from the school to enter private areas like classrooms or offices.

McDonald’s statement follows news on Wednesday that ICE agents pursued purported gang members who had fled on foot near a Clarkston Community elementary school, Oakland County Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Steve Huber said Friday. The district issued a shelter-in-place order, sheriff’s deputies provided additional security to the school and assisted the search, Huber said.

The search and shelter-in-place order lasted for about an hour, according to district officials.

In preparation for a possible ICE presence, McDonald said schools should require visitors to sign in, make sure security cameras work, follow student privacy protections and have a communication plan. She also said faculty and staff should treat ICE agents like they would any visitor who’s not a parent or guardian and educate the staff on how to identify a judicial warrant.

The prosecutor also said parents and caregivers should remember their right not to answer any questions about immigration or birthplace, make sure the school has correct emergency contact information, ask their schools if they have an ICE preparedness plan and make a family plan if a parent is detained while their children are at school.

“As ICE raids have happened across our country, many community members, including our students, parents, and teachers, have experienced understandable anxiety and fear. Schools should be places where kids feel safe, and worrying that a teacher, child, or classmate could be detained can impact a student’s health and well-being. Working together, there are steps schools and families can take to keep kids safe, informed, and protected,” McDonald said in a statement.

School superintendents across Michigan vowed in January that they would keep their students and school buildings safe and instructed staff on proper procedures as the Trump administration increased its immigration enforcement efforts nationwide.

ICE officials said in September their agents do not “raid” schools, but could enter a school if an undocumented immigrant with a felony record were to flee into a school.

By Melissa Nann Burke, mburke@detroitnews.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

Others will be at:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Ben Strauss and María Luisa PaúlThe Washington Post

CHICAGO – As the Trump administration intensifies a nationwide mass deportation campaign, immigrant parents are scrambling to secure emergency caretakers for their children – flooding legal clinics and naming friends, acquaintances or teachers as temporary guardians.

A Chicago volunteer worker agreed to become a guardian for nine children, using an obscure state law that dates to the AIDS epidemic.

A teacher in Maine recently agreed to be an emergency guardian for one of her students if his parents, both of whom are undocumented, are deported.

And a business owner in Oregon ended up with temporary custody of her friend’s children for four months when the parents were both detained.

Fear of being separated from her son recently led Rosa, an Ecuadorian asylum seeker and single mom in Chicago, to search online for help with a question she never thought she’d face: What happens to my child if I get deported?

The search led her to information about short-term guardianship, or tutela temporal in Spanish, which allows parents to designate a trusted adult to temporarily care for their children under certain conditions without giving up parental rights. In Illinois, the four-page legal document is free and requires no lawyer or notary.

It gives people the authority to make decisions about education and medical needs if parents are unable to care for their children.

“I don’t know if I will come home from work any day; this is my plan,” Rosa said of the short-term guardianship agreement. (Like several others interviewed for this article, she spoke to The Washington Post on the condition of anonymity because of fear of retaliation from the federal government.)

Across the country, the effects of the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign have had a chilling effect on immigrant communities – both the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants and those here legally.

Perhaps nowhere has it been more pronounced than in Chicago, where law firms advertise services on Spanish language radio for parents in need of a plan for their kids if they get detained.

Sometimes parents are seeking help from U.S. citizens they’ve only recently met. Aleah Arundale, who helps a network of immigrants with necessities like food and rent money in Chicago, has made short-term guardianship arrangements for nine children from four families. “The greatest fear for them is: ‘What happens if I get taken?’” Arundale said. “They think I’m the best chance to get their kids back.”

There’s no data to quantify short-term guardianship arrangements since the requirements vary by state. But lawyers report they are being inundated. Clinics are popping up across the country, and one specialist said they usually see two or three cases per year but now receive hundreds of requests each week for information.

The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to questions about the surge of interest in guardianship agreements. The Trump administration has deported more than 400,000 people this year, DHS has said. It has also doubled the number of people detained in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities. As of late September, ICE is holding nearly 60,000 people in custody. It’s unclear how many of those are parents.

The White House has said it is targeting criminals, but some of those who have been detained are asylum seekers, longtime residents, people with pending immigration cases or even U.S. citizens. A Syracuse University research group has found that more than 70 percent of those detained by ICE do not have criminal records.

At a time of heightened anxiety, some immigrants said guardianship planning has become one of the few things they can control. “It helps me breathe,” said one mother, an asylum seeker from Venezuela, who completed the Illinois form with Arundale. “And it took 10 minutes.”

– – –

Hundreds every week

Rosa arrived in Chicago four years ago. She cleans an office with a work permit, but a highly publicized federal immigration raid in her neighborhood sent her into a panic.

After Rosa learned about temporary guardianship, her church connected her with Rebekah Rashidfarokhi, an attorney and director of guardianship and immigration programs for children at Chicago Volunteer Legal Services, which offers pro bono representation.

The two met virtually this month to discuss the process.

Unlike adoption or more complicated guardianship procedures that require court approval, short-term guardianship in Illinois needs just the signatures of two consenting parties and two witnesses. Parents can revoke the arrangement at any time. It can last up to a year.

The form is helpful for enrolling a child in school or going to the doctor, Rashidfarokhi said, because it is recognized by state law. It has no federal authority, so it cannot be used to get a passport. (Several parents said that if they are deported they hoped it could also help make international travel and reuniting with their children easier.)

The guardianship does not kick in immediately but takes effect with a specified event. Rashidfarokhi instructed Rosa to be specific about the conditions: “In case I am detained by immigration.”

Rosa said she left Ecuador after her husband was abusing her and threatening her children. She has lived in fear in recent weeks, she said, but also knowing she must make logistical plans. She has been preparing documents, including proof of custody of her son after her divorce. She spoke to a woman, a dual American and Ecuadorian citizen, she met taking English classes at a community college to be her designated guardian. The woman agreed.

She has avoided talking too much about any of it with her 13-year-old son.

“He is confused about what is happening,” Rosa said. “But I am his mother, and I have to do it.”

Rashidfarokhi has been a family law attorney for two decades. Most years, she handles two or three short-term guardianship cases. Now, hundreds of people are requesting information every week, with families and community groups flooding her with requests for clinics and presentations. At one clinic earlier this year, 100 families showed up. (Rashidfarokhi said it’s difficult to quantify how many people fill out the form because many of the consultations she does now are virtual since so many people are afraid to leave their homes.)

Mayra Lira, an attorney with Public Counsel in Los Angeles, said she has seen similar demand for guardianship clinics in her city, where the Trump administration has also carried out immigration raids.

Lira described seeing parents make short-term guardianship plans as “dystopian,” adding that allegations of unlawful arrests and racial profiling have also brought green-card holders and U.S. citizens to the clinics.

“Everyone is afraid of being targeted,” she said.

– – –

‘We want people to know what to do’

The legal framework for Illinois’ short-term guardianship didn’t exist until the late 1980s. It was conceived of primarily to assist HIV-positive parents, many of them low-income, who were worried the state would assume custody of their kids if they died. It took several years of lobbying before Illinois amended its probate law.

“It was revolutionary at the time,” said Linda Coon, a lawyer who spearheaded the effort. “I knew it would help our clients but could never imagine it would be used by thousands of people today.”

Its uses have expanded over the years. During the early days of the pandemic, an executive order in New York state allowed medical workers to designate a temporary guardian. Several states – including Maryland and New York, as well as the District of Columbia – amended statutes during the first Trump administration to recognize immigration detention or deportation as an event that could give designated caregivers temporary parental rights. California passed a law last month that created a new short-term guardianship process for parents who could be detained or deported.

Today, guardianship conversations are happening in all types of settings, some not even planned by parents.

A teacher in Maine said she agreed to be a temporary guardian for one of her students after the parents broke down crying in a meeting over what might happen to their child if they were deported.

“I will do that every single time,” the teacher said. “I shouldn’t have to. I should just be able to teach my kids.”

Mimi Lettunich, an Oregon resident, took care of a friend’s four children after the family was detained by federal agents. (She has a pending U.S. visa and her children are U.S. citizens.) When Lettunich picked up the children, she was handed a coloring book with a note from their mother that said: “I will miss my babies. … I talked to them that they need to obey you.” The note also included a reminder for one of her kids’ upcoming orthodontist appointments.

Temporary guardianship allowed Lettunich to take the kids to doctor’s appointments and enroll them in a new school.

Lettunich’s friend was eventually released, and the two are now working on a handbook to help families facing the same circumstances. One of its strongest recommendations: arrange for short-term guardianship.

“We want people to know what to do,” Lettunich said. “Because you never think it’ll happen – until it does.”

BLOOMFIELD HILLS — In nearly every set of Tuesday night’s D1 regional semifinal, Birmingham Groves built an early lead of at least four points over St. Clair Shores Lakeview.

Twice the Huskies tied those sets, and though they controlled another from start to finish, it proved to not be enough as the Falcons emerged victorious in four sets, winning by scores of 25-22, 25-23, 17-25, 25-17.

Tuesday’s second semifinal at Marian High School between the two young teams began with the Falcons jumping out to a 10-4 start, yet eventually Lakeview vanquished the deficit and led at 17-16.

With Groves up 22-21, sophomore Kamryn Bambrough and Olivia Michalak provided points to leave the Falcons one away, and though a tip by sophomore Lauren Boatman provided the Huskies hope, Groves didn’t let it slip.

Again, the Falcons established a 9-3 advantage in the next set, but Lakeview was pesky as ever to get it even at 16-all. When Groves followed that up with three unanswered, Lakeview answered with five of the next six. Still even at 23-23, senior libero Margaux Nollet stepped up to push one over, then a tandem effort at the net for the winning point put Groves up two sets.

Asked bout the team’s propensity to come out of the gate on a roll in sets, Groves assistant coach Ashley Dixon responded, “Our girls have been working hard all season to make that who they want to be. In that third set, we kind of fall short sometime, but I think we’ve been proving time and time again that that’s not us.”

The exception to the Falcons’ early rule came with Lakeview on the brink of elimination. This time, the Huskies (15-21-1) got off to a 10-5 start, and as Groves labored through some attacking errors, Lakeview’s lead remained steady around six or seven points throughout as senior CeCe Decker set up Boatman and classmate Emma Mulrenin on back-to-back kills to win the third set.

“I think it’s somewhat (to do) with the perception we started the year with ourselves,” Lakeview head coach Kevin Nugent said of his side’s ability to battle back after falling behind. “Being a strong team and figuring out as the match goes along that we can do a lot of things that we’re prepared to do and just sticking with the process. I think that’s probably the difference in a lot of these games. We’ve just had those slow starts, and then you work a lot to get back in it, and you kind of get spent. And then you need every point at that point, and it gets exhausting trying to win points, especially against a team that has good hitters that can put the ball away.”

Photos of Birmingham Groves vs. St. Clair Shores Lakeview in a D1 volleyball regional semifinal

As Nugent alluded to, that effort seemed to finally take its toll by the time the Huskies battled back from Groves' third early lead. Ahead just 7-6, the Falcons went on a 7-1 run and gradually mounted a cushion of double-digits.

Still, Lakeview made the Falcons breathe a sigh of relief after staving off the match point seven consecutive times before Groves could finish the job.

On laboring to get that decisive point, Nollet, one of just four seniors for the Falcons, said, "(It was) just trying to stay confident. Don't be afraid. We were up by a lot, so I wasn't too afraid. It would have been nice to get it done quicker, but we stayed as a team and finished it strong, so it was OK ... I think our energy definitely up (as much in the third), and we had troubles with communication, but we cleaned it up pretty quickly."

As with Groves, Lakeview relied on few (three) seniors this season, so its future remains bright despite what it will miss from Decker, Mulrenin and Bethann Dostine.

"We return a lot of young kids," Nugent said. "Our seniors were incredible this year. They really set a great example, so I think the team coming back next year has a much better understanding of what's required to be successful. I owe that debt of gratitude to them and their sacrifices. So I really look forward to next year, but gonna miss the seniors, because they were really valuable to the culture, the team, everything."

Groves' next task on Thursday is formidable in No. 2 Bloomfield Hills, who beat Grosse Pointe South in the evening's first semifinal. But in the moment, the focus for the Falcons was on going as far as anyone in the building from the program could recall. They were last district champs in back-to-back years in 2013-14.

"I've been with Groves for four years, and we've always kind of lost earlier during districts, so it means a lot to be able to push into regionals, especially since we haven't done it for volleyball in a long time," Nollet said.

With so much returning, she speculated like it could be the first leg of another back-to-back, adding, "Honestly, the underclassmen are really, really strong, and it just makes me excited for what Groves has to come. I'm excited for them next year to kind of build on this momentum."

Royal Oak police have released additional information about a woman crashing her vehicle into the Ulta Beauty store on Woodward Avenue early Sunday morning — alleging she had been fleeing officers and is suspected of drunk driving.

Katrina Deann-Renee Patterson, 26, is charged with multiple felonies:

• Fleeing police — third-degree
• Assault/resist/obstruct police
• Two counts of felonious assault
• Malicious destruction of a building
• Malicious destruction of personal property
• Malicious destruction of police property

According to a news release from Royal Oak Police Lt. Rich Millard, the incident unfolded at around 12:40 a.m. Nov. 9 when officers responded to a report of a white SUV driving on the railroad tracks near West Fourth Street and South Center Street. Officers reportedly spotted an open container of alcohol in the SUV, which had a tire “going flat,” and the driver — identified as Patterson — refused to cooperate with them. She then took off in her SUV, down Washington Avenue.

The police pursuit continued onto Farnum Avenue, onto Oakridge Avenue and then into an alley paralleling Woodward where Patterson reportedly turned; she accelerated and lost control of her vehicle, crashing into the Ulta store, the release states.

Patterson allegedly tried to flee while her SUV was fully lodged in the building, “backing up and ramming a patrol car,” the release states. She kept trying to drive away, moving the SUV further into the store where she caused thousands of dollars in damage, the release states.

After the SUV became lodged on debris, Patterson was taken into custody without further incident, the release states.

Patterson is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol at the time, but that determination is pending blood test results, the release states.

The amount of damage caused in the crash has not yet been determined.

Patterson and a male passenger — who was cited for having open alcohol in the vehicle — were medically evaluated for minor injuries suffered in the crash. No officers were injured.

“We are extremely fortunate this suspect did not seriously injure or kill our officers, herself, her passenger or anyone else during this reckless incident,” said Police Chief Michael Moore.

Of the criminal charges Patterson faces, malicious destruction of a building carries the stiffest possible penalty —  up to 10 years in prison. The other crimes have possible penalties ranging from two years to five years incarceration.

Patterson is held in the Oakland County Jail with bond set at $50,000 — with no 10% provision. Her next court appearance is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 21.

Patterson’s criminal history includes a 2023 conviction for operating while intoxicated in Port Huron.

Recent similar incidents

This is the third reported incident in recent days of vehicles crashing into buildings in Oakland County.

Last Thursday, six people were hurt when a 77-year-old Bloomfield Hills woman drove into the Thai Taste To Go restaurant on Telegraph Road near Long Lake Road in Bloomfield Township.

And on Oct. 27 in Troy, a 45-year-old woman reportedly crashed a  Chevy Equinox into the side of a residence on Woodside Trail. In that incident, police said witnesses reported that prior to the crash the woman hit a trailer while making a left turn, and then her vehicle rolled down the hill into the building.  After she refused to submit to a breath test, officers were granted a search warrant to have medical personnel draw her blood and the case was subsequently turned over to the detective bureau, police said.

Felon charged in Troy gas station armed robbery

Pontiac man killed in 7-vehicle crash on icy M-59

Nanny accused of murdering grandfather to undergo court-ordered psych evaluation

Crushing aftermath: Highland man nearly killed when hit by drunk driver, left with lifelong injuries; driver could be out of prison next year

 

Felony charges are under review by the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office for a Detroiter who reportedly broke into a Bloomfield Township house last Friday — and the homeowner slept through it, officials said.

The suspect had been taken into custody on unrelated charges in Plymouth Township when police there allegedly found him in possession of personal property from a residence in the 2800 block of Berkshire Drive in Bloomfield Township. Bloomfield Township police were contacted, and officers went to the home where they found one of the doorwalls ajar and the inside of the residence disturbed, police said. A home invasion was confirmed. Personal checks and $900 were reported missing.

The suspect, age 27, doesn’t know the homeowner, police said.

Officers subsequently obtained video surveillance footage from the neighborhood showing the suspect walking through backyards in the area at approximately 1:30 a.m. on Nov. 7, police said.

The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office is reportedly considering filing charges of home invasion and possession of stolen property against the suspect.

Update: Police say woman who crashed into Ulta store was fleeing cops; drunk driving suspected

 

By Max Bryan, MediaNews Group

The City Council will look at budgeting for the next fiscal year to address how to move forward after a failed bond proposal last week.

Voters Nov. 4 rejected 55% to 45% a 1.13 mill property tax increase that would have allowed the city to borrow $137 million over 20 years. The city would have used the bonds to build a new library, improve parks, rehabilitate roads, and replace fire engines and police body cameras.

It would have been the city’s first tax increase since 1999.

Mayor Ethan Baker called the bond proposal a conservative move rather than embarking on replacement or fixes without the bonds.

At Monday meeting, council member Rebecca Chamberlain encouraged residents to attend the city’s Jan. 17 planning session for the new fiscal year budget. Chamberlain and outgoing council member Ellen Hodorek said plans in the failed bond package now must be factored into the city’s budget, which must be approved by the third Monday in April. The new budget goes into effect July 1.

“We’re going to be revisiting the bond. We’re going to be deep diving as a new council on next steps as to how to engage the public in that process,” Chamberlain said.

“Folks have said, ‘What’s next?’ after this bond proposal. This is what’s next − the next budget development proposal is what’s next, and this is a very key piece of that process,” Hodorek said.

In addition to approving the planning date, the council voted to use Vettraino Consulting for the process. The city has used Vettraino for the 2022 and 2023 budget planning meetings.

Resident Dale Murrish brought up the failed bond at the meeting and referenced library improvements. Completed in 1971, the library trails the national average for square feet per city resident and has had to have mold removed.

Murrish said the city should have focused on adding on and fixing the current library.

“Those of us that own homes repair them and maintain them, and we don’t just knock them down just because we want to build a new library,” said Murrish, adding that numbers initially given were lower than the $75 million for the proposed new library.

Hodorek said the proposed cost for a new library was after consultants said architecture was not their expertise, which meant hiring an architect for a more accurate estimate.

Councilwoman Theresa Brooks said she was “personally disappointed” that the bond failed.

“It allows us to take some time, reflect, regroup and discuss this further,” said Brooks.

The failed bond is the second in the region this year. Livonia voters in the August primary rejected by a 2-to-1 margin a $150 million bond proposal to pay for a new police station, fire station renovations, new library and public green space. Novi voters the same day approved a $120 million bond to build a new public safety headquarters, rebuild two fire stations and renovate a third.

The contrast Southeast Michigan Council of Governments estimates: SEMCOG estimates three-quarters of bond proposals in the region pass at the ballot box.

By Melissa Nann Burke, MediaNews Group

Michigan is resuming the process of getting full monthly benefits to residents who receive federal assistance to pay for food, state officials said Monday.

The announcement from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services came after a federal appeals court on Monday declined to block the decision of a lower court judge who had ordered the Trump administration to finance benefits in full this month for those eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said it directed its EBT vendor to “once again” begin issuing full SNAP benefits to Michigan’s 1.4 million participants. Taxpayer-funded food aid in Michigan is distributed to recipients through electronic debit cards known as Bridge Cards.

The agency said SNAP recipients who normally receive their benefits on the ninth of the month should receive their full SNAP allotment within 48 hours, and all other SNAP recipients should receive full benefit payments on their normally scheduled date.

“We are glad to be able to provide assistance to Michigan families to help them put food on the table,” said Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director, in a statement.

“The uncertainty, confusion, and frustration caused by the USDA’s request to block SNAP payments for the more than one million Michigan residents who rely on food assistance has been unfair, and in Michigan, we will continue to do everything we can to help those affected.”

However, the U.S. Department of Justice on Monday indicated it would appeal to the Supreme Court to try to avoid paying out full benefits, seeking a stay of the order by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

In a filing with the Supreme Court, Solicitor General D. John Sauer noted in part that the U.S. Senate appeared on track to passing legislation to end the record-setting 41-day government shutdown.

The legislation under consideration includes full-year funding for SNAP, and if that’s adopted and signed into law, the application to the Supreme Court wouldn’t be needed. If it doesn’t pass, the government “still intends to pursue a stay” to stop the order requiring full SNAP payments.

Trump’s administration at first said SNAP benefits would not be issued in November due of the shutdown. But a couple dozen states and nonprofit groups sued, prompting judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island to rule that the administration could not entirely skip November’s benefits for SNAP participants.

The administration said it would tap a contingency fund to provide 65% of the maximum monthly allotments, but U.S. District Judge John McConnell last week said that wasn’t sufficient and ordered full funding for SNAP benefits.

Michigan moved quickly and directed their EBT vendor to disburse full benefits to SNAP recipients on Thursday, so those who receive monthly benefits on the third, fifth and seventh days of the month already received their benefits last week, according to MDHHS.

The state halted benefits payments over the weekend after Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson put McConnell’s order on hold Friday night, pending further consideration by an appeals court.

Last week, local food pantries in Michigan were tracking a 30% to 50% increase in the number of individuals seeking aid, according to the Food Bank Council of Michigan. Families can find local food pantries as needed by calling 2-1-1.

SNAP serves about 1 in 8 Americans, including about 1.4 million Michiganians. In the state, the average household assisted by the program receives about $335 in benefits a month, or about $5.68 per person a day. SNAP benefits support more than 492,000 Michigan children.

Across nearly every part of Michigan, households with children were far more likely to receive SNAP benefits than households overall, based on Census data. In almost every county, at least a quarter of households with children participated in SNAP, including more than half of those households in counties like Ottawa, Clinton and Gratiot.

About 78% of SNAP households in Michigan are working households, half of households have someone with a disability and 36% of households have seniors, according to state data.

Staff Writer Ben Warren contributed to this report.

A 38-year-old felon is facing charges for a recent armed robbery at a Troy gas station.

Joseph Louis Carter was arraigned Nov. 10 in 52-4 District Court 10  for armed robbery, felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of felony firearm in connection with the Oct. 30 incident at the Shell gas station, located at 6951 Rochester Road. He’s held in the Oakland County Jail, denied bond.

According to the Troy Police Department, a masked man armed with a rifle — allegedly Carter — entered the gas station, pointed a weapon at the store clerk and demanded money from the cash register. The clerk handed over an undisclosed amount of cash to the robber, who then fled on foot.

No injuries were reported.

Police said video surveillance showed the robber with what appeared to be an AK-47 style rifle. He remained near the counter during the interaction before fleeing south behind the building, police said.

Police said Carter’s arrest was “made possible through the exceptional teamwork and dedication of our patrol officers, evidence technicians, detectives, Tactical Support Team, Directed Patrol Unit, and Special Investigations Unit.”

The police department also credited the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Detroit police, Ann Arbor police, assistant U.S. Attorney’s Office and the public for information and assistance in moving the case forward.

Carter’s next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 20 for a probable cause conference.