Remember the days when many major retailers began Black Friday deals on Thanksgiving? After the pandemic, deal seekers mostly had to wait until Friday, or shop online.

Most major retailers are closed on Thursday, and even a number of grocery and pharmacy chains are also keeping their doors closed.

And if you forgot an ingredient for the big meal, you may or may not be out of luck, depending on where you live.

RELATED STORY | Clock Is ticking: When to start thawing your Thanksgiving turkey

Here is a look at what is open, and what's not, this Thanksgiving. Note that hours may vary and many locations will have adjusted hours. Also, chains that are franchised-owned, like Subway and Burger King, will depend on the franchisee.

What's open:

Albertsons Bass Pro Shops Cabela's CVS Denny's Dollar General Dollar Tree Dunkin' IHOP Kroger McDonald's Starbucks Waffle House

Also, essential government offices, such as the National Weather Service, the Transportation Security Administration, and others, will remain open.

What's closed

Banks Best Buy Dominos Most government offices Pizza Hut Publix Stock markets Target Walmart

If you are looking for sit-down dining options, numerous chains will offer Thanksgiving Day menus. They include Cracker Barrel and Ruth's Chris Steak House. Also many around-the-clock restaurants, like Waffle House and IHOP, will remain open.

ANN ARBOR — This is it. The Game. Michigan-Ohio State. And whether it’s to maintain an unbeaten record or if there are no postseason stakes involved, whether you’re a multi-touchdown favorite or underdog, this game means everything to the two programs.

Top-ranked and defending national champion Ohio State, 11-0 this season and already a lock for the playoff, will face No. 15 Michigan 9-2, 7-1, vying for a potential berth in the Big Ten title game and playoff, on Saturday at Michigan Stadium in the series’ 121st meeting.

Michigan has won four straight against Ohio State, including a 13-10 upset last year as a three-touchdown underdog in Columbus. The Buckeyes won the eight games prior to that streak.

“Anybody that says that this is just another game is crazy, because it’s not,” captain and tight end Marlin Klein said Monday. “This is The Game, and that’s for a reason.

“I can’t really tell you what it feels like. I can’t really tell you the emotions that I have when I go out there for a game like that, especially for that game. You can’t really talk about it. You got to be in it, and you got to experience it.”

This will be Sherrone Moore’s second Michigan-Ohio State coach as head coach, but he led the Wolverines to victory in 2023 as acting head coach. Much has been made of Michigan having a perceived mental edge against the Buckeyes during the four-game streak. In 2023, the Wolverines were trying to remain unbeaten and went on to win the national championship. Last year, they had just become bowl eligible a week before and had nothing but pride on the line. This year, the Wolverines have the potential, if other things fall into place, of making the Big Ten title game and the playoff.

Mental edge or not, the Wolverines simply want to beat their arch rivals.

“Whatever happened in the past doesn’t matter, so all we can do is focus on now,” Moore said. “This is a new team, new staff, new players, new coaches, new environment, different, so all we can do is focus on today, and that’s it.

“But the players on the team the previous couple year’s wins, they know what it takes to win this fight, right? They understand what the game is about. But again, they’re a different team, we’re a different team.”

Klein said Moore’s message to the team Monday was clear.

“It’s about us. It’s about Michigan. That’s what it’s always about,” Klein said of the message delivered. “There’s a playoff game. We win this one, we’re in playoffs. But you win this game, you’ll be remembered in Ann Arbor forever. We, especially as seniors, get to put our stamp on this one, which is super exciting.”

Starting left guard Gio El-Hadi, also a captain, and Klein will share their experiences from this game with the younger players, and there are quite a few of them on offense, starting with freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood. Freshman receiver Andrew Marsh also will be making his Michigan-Ohio State debut, and the offensive line starts three redshirt freshmen.

El-Hadi has been around for these games since 2021, but last year was the first he started.

“And just that feeling you get, it’s kind of like when siblings fight,” El-Hadi said of facing the Buckeyes. “You guys know that feeling when siblings fight, you have that rage. We have three guys that never played against this team, so I try to explain to them how important it is to play against this team that’s (going to) be a brawl. They throw some jabs, we throw some jabs. Be a couple uppercuts.

“The end of the day, we have to win the game. That’s what’s important.”

Winning at Ohio Stadium last year for a second straight time after not winning in that stadium since 2000 was enormous for the program, which went on to upset Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

“It was sweet winning down there last year, but it’s gonna be even better here in front of our fans and our student section, our band and just in Ann Arbor, the best place on earth,” Klein said. “Getting that win against that team at home will be huge. So just super excited for the opportunity.

ESPN’s College GameDay and Fox Big Noon Kickoff will host their shows from Ann Arbor, and Moore is more than aware of the distractions before this game. He said he wants his players to remain in the playoff mindset they’ve embraced since losing at USC before winning five straight entering this game.

“There’s a lot of things going on, but at the end of the day, we got to channel our focus on our preparation, and that’s how you win,” Moore said.

Klein said he thinks about the Michigan-Ohio State game every day.

“That’s what this game means to me,” he said. “It means everything to me. If you ask me what the greatest day of my life was, it was last year going down there and beating them in their place. It was the best day of my life so far. And just trying to repeat that this year.”

He was asked how a win Saturday would rate.

“My senior year, Senior Day, them coming to our house in front of our fans, students, band,” Klein said, “it’ll be the best day of my life.”

Injury update

Two-time captain Max Bredeson, a fullback/tight end, was in a right boot and on crutches in the second half of the game at Maryland. Moore said Bredeson had X-rays.

“Didn’t look great, but if anybody can push through it, it’s Max Bredesen,” Moore said. “So we’ll know more as we go through the week.”

Receiver Semaj Morgan and linebacker Ernest Hausmann, a captain and the team’s leading tackler, did not travel to the Maryland game last weekend.

“Semaj will be fine, and Ernest will be day to day,” Moore said.

DETROIT — The Detroit Lions won’t have much time to enjoy their thrilling overtime victory against the New York Giants Sunday, and perhaps that’s a good thing.

For all the memorable moments that it provided, the majority of the Lions’ performance was forgettable — a shocking unraveling for most of four quarters before Jahmyr Gibbs stitched it all back together with two big-time touchdown runs in the fourth quarter and overtime.

The Giants played Detroit like they have most contenders they’ve faced this season: With a general fearlessness that keeps them in it until the very end. In their prior two games, they took both Green Bay and Chicago to the wire, with both Lions’ divisional foes needing a late touchdown to win; the Packers scored their winning touchdown with 4:02 to go, and the Bears took their lead with 1:47 remaining.

All of this is to say that the Giants were no easy out, despite being the first team eliminated from the playoffs with Sunday’s loss.

And while that’s not going to make any nervous Lions fan feel better about the road ahead, what ultimately matters most is that they added to their win column instead of the loss column. The 8-seed Lions (7-4) are still on the outside looking in of the playoff picture after Sunday’s events, and a loss would have put them in a hole that could have been tough to climb out of, especially given what’s on the docket.

Detroit’s next six opponents have a combined record of 39-25-2, tied with Chicago for the third-most difficult remaining schedule in the league, per Tankathon. (Green Bay, for what it’s worth, is first.)

All of the Lions’ remaining opponents except Minnesota, which beat the Lions in Week 9, are .500 or above.

Week 13: vs. Green Bay (7-3-1)

Week 14: vs. Dallas (5-5-1)

Week 15: at Los Angeles Rams (9-2)

Week 16: vs. Pittsburgh (6-5)

Week 17: at Minnesota (4-7)

Week 18: at Chicago (8-3)

Under normal circumstances, the Lions likely would have to find three more wins in this six-game span just to get into the playoffs, but even that might not be enough: The 49ers (7-4) are currently in the 7 seed. It might take 11 wins (and a 4-2 record down the stretch for Detroit) to find a way in if they can’t track down Chicago for the division lead.

The silver lining is the Lions can quickly climb the standings by beating the teams ahead of them. These next three games are critically important. They can jump Green Bay in the North with a win Thursday. A win over Dallas the following week would go a long way toward shoving the Cowboys out of the playoff picture while adding an NFC win. And if they can win those two and find a way to beat Los Angeles, well, we’d have to think Detroit is the favorite to win the NFC North.

Of course, it won’t be that simple. Green Bay stuffed Detroit in a locker in Week 1, and the Packers’ front is still a major mismatch for a Lions offensive line that has since lost a starter. Dallas has a potent offense and has shown a propensity for shutting down the run since making some trade-deadline acquisitions. And the Rams have established themselves as the best team in football through 12 weeks.

When I look at the back half of this schedule, I’m really not sure what to expect. They could go 5-1 or 2-4, and neither would truly surprise me.

On the one hand: The pass protection is still an inconsistent mess; the pass rush has barely gotten home in the last three weeks; the secondary has been extremely volatile at times; and the Lions, one of the league’s worst third-down teams (25th), have lost one of their best money-down options, tight end Sam LaPorta, indefinitely.

On the other hand: The Lions have the best lineman-running back-receiver trios in the league in Penei Sewell, Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown; their defensive front has been playing lights-out against the run; they’re expected to continue getting defensive starters back; and they still have the pedigree of a team that’s used to winning the division.

Everything is on the table — positive and negative — for these final six weeks.

Audio glitch

Had Jake Bates missed the last-minute kick that tied the game, there would be one major topic of conversation today that’s instead being glossed over.

After quarterback Jared Goff moved the chains with a 9-yard completion to St. Brown, he spiked the ball at Detroit’s 47-yard line to stop the clock with 1:12 left in the game. The team huddled, but with the play clock winding down, the Lions ended up using their third and final timeout anyway.

Why?

Lions coach Dan Campbell said there was an issue with the headset, and he couldn’t get the play to Goff after the spike. The broadcast cameras showed Campbell immediately talking into the headset after the spike, but as the clock wound down to under 10 seconds, the team remained in the huddle.

“I don’t know what happened with that, to be honest with you,” Campbell said. “I just knew I couldn’t get to him. So, I don’t know if something happened, I don’t know. The procedure of what goes on for me, from me to him. Yeah, it was just one of those oddball, weird deals, where thank God it didn’t cost us.”

Goff’s on-field actions — he approached the ref and pointed to his headset after the timeout was called — seemed to confirm that was the case, and the Lions immediately overcame it by hitting Gibbs for an 11-yard pass that went for a first down, helping move Detroit into field-goal range for Bates.

And there is, of course, an argument to be made that one decision begot the other: Because the Lions spiked the ball on first down, they couldn’t afford to run a dud play on second down, and therefore needed to use the timeout to avoid cratering the last-gasp possession.

But it probably still shouldn’t have happened. Campbell has talked at length about how Goff knows the offense as well as he does, and how he can get them into the right play when things go wonky. Yet, that didn’t occur in a moment of utmost importance.

And while it might be asking too much of Goff to just take over the huddle at a moment’s notice and call a play, it’s not like it was the first time a headset has gone down during an NFL game. There needs to be a contingency plan for moments like those, because it could have cost them dearly.

Comeback kids

In last week’s “Final Drive,” one of the things I bemoaned about this Lions team was that they haven’t played well from behind all season. In each of their four losses, they fell behind in the first half and never regained a lead at any point in the second half.

The Lions threatened to extend that streak Sunday, falling behind 17-7 in the second quarter and not regaining the lead until overtime.

But for the first time all season, they prevailed. And yes, it was against a crappy opponent, but when they fell behind against the Eagles, for example, it was hard to foresee a comeback; they just hadn’t done it. Now, they have.

That goes further in the locker room than one might think.

“You never know what these (types of wins) can do. Sometimes, it’s just important to remind yourself what we’re all capable of, even when the chips are down and things get hard,” Campbell said. “You don’t ever forget how to dig in one more time and find a way to lean on each other and do your job. And anytime you can get a win like this, it’s a good thing. It’s a good thing.

“Because that very easily a number of times could have gone the other way, and we all know it. But it didn’t, it didn’t. we made the plays we had to make.”

Cameras across Michigan and several other states captured a meteor in the sky early Sunday morning, according to NASA.

According to Bill Cooke, the lead of NASA's Meteor Environments Office at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, said there were more than 40 eyewitnesses in Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and Indiana who filed reports.

See video of the meteor below. Video from Tecumseh, Michigan

Meteor captured over Northern Michigan early Sunday disintegrated 46 miles above Lake Huron, NASA says

The fireball was seen over Northern Michigan at 5:29 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 23, according to Cooke.

An analysis of the accounts and cameras in the area showed that the meteor first became visible 62 miles above Hubbard Lake, north of Barton City, Michigan.

Cooke said that the meteor was moving a bit northeast at 98,500 miles per hour and traveled 82 miles through the upper atmosphere before disintegrating 46 miles above Lake Huron.

"This event appears to have been caused by a small comet fragment and was not part of any currently active meteor shower," NASA said. "It was too small and too fast to have dropped any meteorites into Lake Huron."

By DAVID RISING, Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — Rights groups on Tuesday slammed the Trump administration’s decision to end protected status for Myanmar citizens due to the country’s “notable progress in governance and stability,” even though it remains mired in a bloody civil war and the head of its military regime faces possible U.N. war crimes charges.

In her announcement Monday ending temporary protection from deportation for citizens of Myanmar, also known as Burma, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem cited the military’s plans for “free and fair elections” in December and “successful ceasefire agreements” as among the reasons for her decision.

“The situation in Burma has improved enough that it is safe for Burmese citizens to return home,” she said in a statement.

The military under Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing seized power from democratically-elected Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021 and is seeking to add a sheen of international legitimacy to its government with the upcoming elections. But with Suu Kyi in prison and her party banned, most outside observers have denounced the elections as a sham.

“Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem is treating those people just like her family’s dog that she famously shot down in cold blood because it misbehaved — if her order is carried out, she will literally be sending them back to prisons, brutal torture, and death in Myanmar,” Phil Robertson, the director of Asia Human Rights and Labor Advocates, said in a statement.

“Secretary Noem is seriously deluded if she thinks the upcoming elections in Myanmar will be even remotely free and fair, and she is just making things up when she claims non-existent ceasefires proclaimed by Myanmar’s military junta will result in political progress.”

The military takeover sparked a national uprising with fierce fighting in many parts of the country, and pro-democracy groups and other forces have taken over large swaths of territory.

The military government has stepped up activity ahead of the election to retake areas controlled by opposition forces, with airstrikes killing scores of civilians.

In its fight, the military has been accused of the indiscriminate use of landmines, the targeting of schools, hospitals and places of worship in its attacks, and the use of civilians as human shields.

An arrest warrant was also requested last year for Min Aung Hlaing by International Criminal Court prosecutors accusing him of crimes against humanity for the persecution of the country’s Rohingya Muslim minority before he seized power.

The shadow National Unity Government, or NUG, established by elected lawmakers who were barred from taking their seats after the military took power in 2021, said it was saddened by Homeland Security’s decision.

NUG spokesperson Nay Phone Latt said the military is conducting forced conscription, attacking civilians on a daily basis, and that the elections were excluding any real opposition and would not be accepted by anybody.

“The reasons given for revoking TPS do not reflect the reality in Myanmar,” Nay Phone Latt told The Associated Press.

In her statement, Noem said her decision to remove the “TPS” protection was made in consultation with the State Department, though its latest report on human rights in Myanmar cites “credible reports of: arbitrary or unlawful killings; disappearances; torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment; arbitrary arrest or detention.”

And the State Department’s latest travel guidance for Americans is to avoid the country completely.

“Do not travel to Burma due to armed conflict, the potential for civil unrest, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, poor health infrastructure, land mines and unexploded ordnance, crime, and wrongful detentions,” the guidance reads.

According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, more than 30,000 people have been arrested for political reasons since the military seized power, and 7,488 have been killed.

Still, Homeland Security said that “the secretary determined that, overall, country conditions have improved to the point where Burmese citizens can return home in safety,” while adding that allowing them to remain temporarily in the U.S. is “contrary to the national interest.”

John Sifton, the Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, said that “extensive reporting on Myanmar contradicts almost every assertion” in the Homeland Security statement.

The decision could affect as many as 4,000 people, he said.

“Homeland Security’s misstatements in revoking TPS for people from Myanmar are so egregious that it is hard to imagine who would believe them,” he said in a statement.

“Perhaps no one was expected to.”

Russia launched a wave of attacks on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, overnight, with at least seven people killed in strikes that hit city buildings and energy infrastructure. A Ukrainian attack on southern Russia killed three people and damaged homes, authorities said.

The attacks came during a renewed U.S. push to end the war that has raged for nearly four years and talks about a U.S. peace plan. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll met with Russian officials for several hours in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, a U.S. official told The Associated Press.

Driscoll, who became part of the U.S. negotiating team less than two weeks ago, is heading up the latest phase of talks involving the terms of a possible peace settlement with Russia.

The U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations, declined to give details on how long the negotiations would last or what topics were being discussed, but noted that the Ukrainians were aware of the meeting and all sides have indicated they wanted to reach a deal to halt the fighting as quickly as possible.

Road to peace will be long

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Monday that the list of necessary steps to end the war can become workable after progress was made in Sunday's talks between U.S. and Ukrainian delegates in Geneva. He said he planned to discuss sensitive outstanding issues with President Donald Trump.

Rustem Umerov, a senior adviser to Zelenskyy, wrote on social platform X on Tuesday that the Ukrainian leader hoped to finalize a deal with Trump at the earliest suitable date in November.

Russian officials have been reserved in their comments on the peace plan. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday that Moscow is in touch with American officials about peace efforts.

"We expect them to provide us with a version they consider an interim one in terms of completing the phase of coordinating this text with the Europeans and the Ukrainians, Lavrov said.

European leaders have cautioned that the road to peace will be long.

'Glass rained down'

Russia fired 22 missiles of various types and over 460 drones at Ukraine overnight, Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram. The strikes knocked out water, electricity and heat in parts of Kyiv. Video footage posted to Telegram showed a large fire spreading in a nine-story residential building in Kyivs eastern Dniprovskyi district.

Mayor Vitalii Klitschko said 20 people were injured in Kyiv. The Russian Defense Ministry said it targeted military-industrial facilities and energy assets. The strikes were a response to Ukrainian attacks on civilian objects in Russia, it added.

Liubov Petrivna, a 90-year-old resident of a damaged building in the Dniprovskyi district, told the AP that absolutely everything in her apartment was shattered by the strike and glass rained down on her.

Petrivna said she didn't believe in the peace plan now under discussion: "No one will ever do anything about it. Putin wont stop until he finishes us off.

In a subsequent attack wave, four people were killed and three were injured in a strike on a nonresidential building in Kyivs western Sviatoshynyi district, according to the head of Kyiv city administration, Tymur Tkachenko.

Neighboring Romania and Moldova reported that a handful of drones violated their airspace.

Strikes hit energy infrastructure

Ukraines energy ministry said energy infrastructure had been hit, without giving details. Ukraines emergency services said six people, including two children, were injured in a Russian attack on energy and port infrastructure in the Odesa region.

A Ukrainian drone attack on Russias southern Rostov region overnight killed three people and injured eight others in the city of Taganrog not far from the border in Ukraine, Gov. Yuri Slyusar said in an online statement.

The attack damaged private houses and multistory residential blocks, unspecified social facilities, a warehouse and a paint shop, Slyusar said.

Russian air defenses destroyed 249 Ukrainian drones overnight above various Russian regions and the occupied Crimea, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday, noting that 116 of the drones were shot down over the Black Sea.

It was the fourth-largest Ukrainian drone attack on Russia, according to an AP tally.

'No capitulation'

The latest attacks followed peace-plan talks in Switzerland between U.S. and Ukraine representatives.

Oleksandr Bevz, a delegate from the Ukrainian side, told the AP that the talks had been very constructive and the two sides were able to discuss most points.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that Moscow has not received the updated U.S. peace plan that emerged from that meeting.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that the U.S. plan for Ukraine goes in the right direction but also cautioned it must not be a capitulation that enables Russia to later renew hostilities.

Any peace deal must include robust security guarantees for Ukraine and, more widely, for Europe, Macron said in an interview with broadcaster RTL, adding that the size of Ukraines armed forces shouldnt be restricted so it can defend the country in peacetime.

Macron was speaking ahead of a video conference meeting on Tuesday of countries, led by France and the U.K., that could help police any ceasefire with Russia.

We want peace, but we dont want a peace is that is, in fact, a capitulation. That is to say, it puts Ukraine in an impossible position that in the end gives Russia the freedom to keep going, to go further, Macron said.

No one can replace the Ukrainians in saying which territorial concessions they are prepared to make, he added. Theres only one person who doesnt want peace: its Russia.

Small business owners and advocates encourage shoppers to consider local stores this holiday season, as many face what could be a make-or-break period amid ongoing economic challenges.

A survey by the organization Small Business for America's Future reveals the extent of challenges facing many small businesses. Sixty-eight percent of owners say their customers have less money to spend, and 59% expect worse holiday sales than last year.

Nearly three-quarters of the more than 1,000 owners surveyed say they are worried about their businesses surviving the next 12 months.

Small business and the economic squeeze

Kelly Carson and Micaila Vandewalle, co-owners of The Riley Grace Company, transformed their crafting hobby into a custom line of bows, headbands, blankets, and hand towels.

RELATED STORY | Many Americans plan to shop local for Small Business Saturday

Like many small businesses, they compete against big box retailers that can stock more goods at typically lower prices.

"You have a lot of not only time and energy in it, but you have higher expense because you're not buying them (products) at 10,000 (units). We're a small business, so we don't need 10,000 for a holiday season," Carson said.

Rhett Buttle, senior advisor to Small Business for America's Future, says small businesses face multiple pressures beyond reduced consumer spending.

"We're also seeing challenges, for example, around health care costs and tariffs. This is all contributing to this uncertain situation, but it's also driving up costs," he said. "The same way consumers struggle with affordability, small business owners have the same challenges."

Money spent locally stays local

Buttle emphasizes that money spent at small businesses helps support local suppliers and local jobs.

Research from Capital One Shopping supports the local economic impact, finding that $68 of every $100 spent at local stores remains in the local economy.

Its research finds that dollars spent at independent shops "may recirculate in the local economy an average of six to 15 times."

Small Business Saturday

While shoppers hunt for big savings ahead of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday is a crucial opportunity to support local entrepreneurs after the Thanksgiving holiday.

"This is where a lot of small businesses, especially those in local industries, make the vast majority of the revenue for the entire year," Buttle said.

Painted Tree Boutiques provide a space for local vendors to sell their products, such as handmade jewelry, body oils, clothing, and home decor.

"This is their dream. When you're shopping here, you're not only supporting that dream, but you're helping to support their families too," said Painted Tree manager Olivia Arthur.

If you can't shop in person on Small Business Saturday, many local businesses also sell their products on platforms like Amazon or Etsy, allowing consumers to support them while online shopping.

At a time when most people don't have much extra to spend, small business owners hope what consumers can spare stays local.

"These are exclusive designs. You won't find this at Walmart, right?" Vandewalle said.

When the curtain rises on “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” this December, it won’t just mark the start of Grosse Pointe Theatre’s 78th season. It will christen a new artistic home.

After nearly a decade of performing in borrowed and temporary spaces, the company steps into the gleaming, state-of-the-art Schaap Center with a production that celebrates community, honors veterans and embraces the heart of the holidays.

Running Dec. 5-21, this beloved musical offers everything audiences come to the theater for this time of year: romance, nostalgia, lavish costumes, spirited dance numbers, and, of course, Berlin’s timeless music. But behind the sparkle is a deeper message. It’s one that resonates strongly with this company and the community it serves.

A new stage, a new chapter

For Director Nick Marinello, this performance at the Schaap Center stage is both a milestone and a moment of gratitude.

“Stepping onto the Schaap Center stage feels like the culmination of eight years of creativity, resilience and gratitude,” Marinello said. “We’ve been itinerant performers for nearly a decade, and the Grosse Pointe schools graciously kept us alive during that time. Now, there’s this incredible sense of responsibility that comes with walking into our new performance home.”

That responsibility is woven through every design choice, every rehearsal and every collaborative moment among the cast and crew.

“The Grosse Pointe community, the Detroit community, and so many generous partners came together to make this space a reality,” Marinello added. “We feel called to be good ambassadors for the arts here.”

It’s a fitting sentiment for a production that centers on service, generosity and the bonds that hold people together, particularly during the holidays.

A story rooted in gratitude and service

Based on the iconic 1954 film starring Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye, “White Christmas” follows Army buddies Bob Wallace and Phil Davis as they pursue a pair of singing sisters to Vermont, only to discover that the failing inn where the women are booked is owned by their beloved former commander, Gen. Waverly. In true musical-comedy fashion, romance, laughter and heartwarming surprises ensue.

But beyond the snow-dusted charm and big dance breaks, the story has an emotional core that speaks directly to audiences and to this year’s creative team.

“For me, the song ‘What Do You Do With a General?’ captures the heart of those themes,” Marinello said. “It’s a poignant reflection on how retired service members can be celebrated for their heroism yet still overlooked when they return to civilian life. The show invites us to make sure our words of thanks aren’t hollow, but supported by real acts of service.”

Those themes hit especially close to home for Apprentice Director Kyle Weatherbee, an eight-year Marine Corps veteran who served in Hawaii and Okinawa. Weatherbee sees the musical not simply as a holiday classic, but as a story of reintegration and support.

“The Marine Corps has a way of humbling people through hardship, sacrifice and service,” he said. “Some of the characters in this production are navigating life after the military, trying to find purpose and joy again. I have walked that path and understand the struggles and triumphs of adjusting to a new normal.”

Weatherbee added that the show’s depiction of chosen family — the Army veterans who rally together for their general — reflects the real impact of community support. “At its core, ‘White Christmas’ is about people helping people. Acts of kindness can have a lasting impact.”

A GPT production through and through

While the story is timeless, the production itself is uniquely Grosse Pointe Theatre. A cast of 26 performers and a backstage crew of 25 bring the musical to life, supported entirely by the passion, talent and craftsmanship of volunteers.

“What makes this production uniquely GPT is the signature blend of artistry, craftsmanship and heart that comes from a volunteer-driven community,” Marinello said. “Every detail — the costumes, choreography, musical arrangements, and set design — carries that unmistakable ‘GPT touch.’ It’s the pride, care and collaborative energy that people in this community pour into a show.”

Audiences can look forward to all the classic visual hallmarks of “White Christmas” — elegant 1950s winter glamour, sweeping dance numbers, and musical favorites such as “Blue Skies,” “Sisters,” “Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep,” and, of course, “White Christmas.” For many, these songs are woven into the fabric of the season itself.

In this production, they will be complemented by stunning costumes, vivid sets and “the kind of warmth only community theatre can deliver,” Marinello said.

In addition to the musical itself, audiences can enjoy festive pre-show entertainment. Metro Detroit choral groups will perform seasonal favorites 30 minutes before each curtain, and Santa and Christmas Carol will appear at select performances. Patrons are encouraged to arrive early to explore the theater and enjoy the amenities of the Schaap Center and the Manoogian Art Gallery.

For the broader GPT community, this production is more than the start of a new season; it’s the start of a new home.

“This marks a historic moment in our 78-year history,” said Linda Zublick, executive director of Grosse Pointe Theatre. “The move to a new performance home would not be possible without our dedicated members, passionate patrons, generous donors, and the vibrant community that has supported us every step of the way.”

Marinello echoes that sentiment.

“‘White Christmas’ is Grosse Pointe Theatre’s holiday card to the metro Detroit community,” he said. “Our way of saying ‘thank you’ for making a difference and supporting the arts. We invite everyone to celebrate this special season with us.”

As the company looks ahead, Marinello hopes this production sets the tone for the next chapter.

“I hope this production feels like a housewarming for us and for the audience,” he said.

If you go

What: “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas,” presented by Grosse Pointe Theatre

When: Dec. 5-21, with evening shows at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Pre-show choral performances begin 30 minutes before. Special Santa appearances on Dec. 11 and Dec. 14.

Where: Schaap Center for the Performing Arts, 15001 E. Jefferson Ave., Grosse Pointe Park

Parking: Free self-parking and complimentary valet

Tickets: gpt.org/whitechristmas, 313-881-4004, start at $29

Runtime: About 2 hours, 30 minutes, with an intermission

This article was co-published by Outlier Media and Chalkbeat Detroit. WXYZ is a proud partner of Outlier Media.

Immigration agents arrested two 16-year-old Detroit cousins at their home on Thursday. The teens are being held in Texas. 

The cousins born in Venezuela and arrived in the U.S. in 2023 were taken into custody along with two of their parents when agents raided their home on the eastside in search of a different migrant. 

TXT OUTLIER: Do you have a question about this topic or need resources? Ask us: Text REPORTER to 67485.* 

Both teens are formally seeking asylum in the U.S. and had upcoming court dates. They have work permits and jobs at Chilis, said Kristen Schoettle, a teacher at Western International High School who works with one of the teens in an English class for newcomers. 

She is an excellent student, really wants to learn English, Schoettle said, adding that the teen sometimes shares recommendations for Spanish-language indie-rock music. 

Outlier Media is not identifying the teens because their parents did not give consent. 

Schoettle said her knowledge of the situation is based on conversations with her students mother, who had spoken with the teens father in detention. 

Outlier confirmed that the father of one of the teens is being held at the South Texas Family Residential Center, a facility operated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), through the agencys Online Detainee Locator System. Schoettle says the teens are there too, though the database does not provide information about minors in detention. 

We need all Detroiters to stand up against these kidnappings, said Lindsey Matson, deputy director of youth organizing at 482Forward. 

If you care about education justice in the city, defending the rights of immigrant students who are dealing with fear and trauma is a first step. 482Forward and the (Detroit) People's Assembly is calling on all Detroiters, including elected officials, to do all they can to get the immediate release of these young people and their family. 

Matson said students are organizing a press conference and rally at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at Clark Park in Detroit. 

Know your rights Attorneys and immigrant rights groups say its important to remember: If immigration agents show up:  Everyone has rights, regardless of immigration status.  Everyone has the right to remain silent.  You dont have to consent to a search at your home or business unless presented with a warrant signed by a judge.

The two cousins are at least the second and third Detroit students detained by federal immigration authorities this year. This spring, the arrest and deportation of Maykol Bogoya-Duarte, an 18-year-old student at Western, prompted protests. 

The Trump administration is waging an aggressive campaign to deport as many migrants as possible. To meet that goal, agents have broken with decades of precedent to target asylum seekers, often arresting them immediately after court hearings. Record numbers of people are being held in federal immigration detention facilities, three-quarters of whom have no criminal convictions. 

Detentions of children, often lasting months, skyrocketed after Trumps return to office. 

Last week, immigration officials say two Ecuadoran migrants struck an agent during an arrest in metro Detroit. One escaped, but officers used a stun gun on the other. A video of officers shoving her limp body into their vehicle circulated widely on social media last week. 

Youssef Fawaz, a spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, linked the students arrests to the agencys effort to track down the fleeing migrant. 

While executing a search warrant for an escaped fugitive Ecuadoran national who assaulted a Detroit Border Patrol Agent last week, agents encountered three Venezuelan aliens who were illegally present in the United States, Fawaz said. 

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According to Schoettle, four Venezuelans were detained: the cousins along with one parent each. Fawaz acknowledged that a fourth individual from Venezuela was arrested later that day. 

Fawaz did not directly confirm or deny whether the cousins were taken into custody. 

The Trump administrations crackdown has separated families and fueled fear in communities across the U.S. One sign of that climate is falling attendance at Detroit schools with large immigrant populations. Students at those schools missed an additional 4,900 days of class compared to schools with fewer immigrants over the months following Trumps second inauguration, Outlier found. 

The teens were not arrested at or near a school, but news of their arrest could deepen those fears and keep more students home unnecessarily, said Chrystal Wilson, a spokesperson at the Detroit Public Schools Community District. Research shows that every day of missed school undermines student learning. 

The district does not work with ICE or share information with the agency, and its policy forbids staff from allowing immigration agents into schools without a warrant or subpoena. 

Its crazy to be picking people up like this, Schoettle said. There was no arrest warrant for this family. ... Now youve got kids in a detention center, and theyre just stuck there for I dont know how long. Its ridiculous. 

This article first appeared on Outlier Media and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The Ferndale City Council delayed a decision on new license plate cameras following concerns from community members.

Earlier this month, Ferndale police shut off their Flock camera system and chose not to renew the contract. Instead, police presented a proposal to city council to approve a new contract to use Axon instead.

Watch below: Ferndale debates police license plate cameras ahead of crucial vote

Ferndale debates police license plate cameras ahead of crucial vote

During the city council meeting on Monday, several residents expressed privacy concerns with the expanded surveillance, but others shared that they still want the cameras to help officers do their jobs.

Ferndale councilmembers were split on the decision and decided not to vote without more clarification. They scheduled another meeting for Dec. 15 to discuss the issue further.

The license plate readers, installed at entry points throughout Ferndale, have stirred up debate between effective policing and privacy rights.

"You can't see the occupant, you can't identify race. In most cases, you can't identify a gender. It's just a picture of your vehicle, and more specifically, a picture of the license plate," said Chief Dennis Emmi of the Ferndale Police Department.

The technology works by capturing images of license plates and vehicle backs, then alerting officers when a flagged vehicle is detected. Police provided footage showing how officers receive alerts on their computers with the plate information and location before making stops.

"There's more than 5,000 communities across the country using this technology and particularly this vendor," Emmi said.

The department credits the system with helping solve various crimes, including robberies, home invasions, and homicide, including a road-rage homicide that happened earlier this year.

WEB EXTRA: Chief Dennis Emmi of the Ferndale Police Department explains the FLOCK system WEB EXTRA: Chief Dennis Emmi of the Ferndale Police Department explains the FLOCK system

Public opinion on the cameras remains divided. Some residents express little concern about the surveillance.

The cameras were installed as part of a 2.5-year pilot program in 2023, with 15 devices currently positioned at entry points along Woodward and Nine Mile. A new proposal would reduce that number to nine cameras.

RELATED STORY: Police call new license plate cameras around metro Detroit a 'game changer' Police call new license plate reader cameras around metro Detroit a 'game changer'

Here is a list of upcoming holiday activities and events, including tree lightings, holiday markets, and visits with Santa.

• Annual Mighty Gobbler 5K Run/1Mile Walk: 8-11 a.m. Thanksgiving morning, Nov. 27, hosted by Lutheran Church of the Master, Troy. Registration for the 5K is $42 and $37 for the 1M, with a portion of the proceeds to benefit Micah 6 Community and Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers. Runners are also encouraged to bring canned goods to help stock the food pantry at Troy People Concerned. Register at mightygobbler.com.

• Holly Dickens Festival: Lighted parade is 6 p.m. Nov. 28, (includes a sensory-friendly portion). Festival continues 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and noon-5 p.m. Sundays, Nov. 29-Dec. 14, downtown Holly. Stroll the streets of historic Battle Alley, visit shops, enjoy strolling Christmas carolers, street performers, holiday lights, roasted chestnuts, hot chocolate, children may visit with Santa in the Tiny Tim Children’s Tent, “Run like the Dickens Race” is Dec. 6, register at www.hollydickensfestival.org.

• Holiday House Tours and All Aboard! Model Railroad Exhibit: noon-4 p.m. Nov. 28-30 and select Saturdays, Sundays and weekdays in December, at Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm, 1005 Van Hoosen Road, Rochester Hills, buy tickets at the door, general adm. is $5/adults, www.rochesterhills.org/musprograms.

• Holiday Walk and Winter Wonder Lights: select dates Nov. 28-Dec. 30, Meadow Brook Hall, 350 Estate Drive, Rochester, on the campus of Oakland University, annual indoor daytime Holiday Walk, and the outdoor evening light show, featuring music and concessions, meadowbrookholidays.com, (248) 364-6200, ticket prices vary.

• Very Merry Brunch: Nov. 28 and Dec. 22 in Meadow Brook Hall’s ballroom, 350 Estate Drive, Rochester, brunch before exploring the three main floors of the mansion decorated for Holiday Walk, meadowbrookholidays.com, tickets are $75 each.

• Birmingham Santa Walk: 9:30-10:30 a.m. Nov. 29, walk with Santa, hot chocolate while supplies last 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Santa visits are noon-4 p.m. Nov. 29 and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 30. Free horse Drawn Carriage Rides are 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 29-30, Small Business Saturday activities on Nov. 29, register for Santa Walk at www.allinbirmingham.com.

• Annual Elf Shelf Arts & Craft Show: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 29, at Troy High School, 4777 Northfield Parkway, featuring over 200 booths of handcrafted gifts, seasonal décor, jewelry, textiles, hosted by the Troy Women’s Association, (248) 988-0426, www.troywomensassociation.org, $3 donation at the door to benefit scholarships and local charities.

• Handmade for the Holidays: Tuesday-Saturday, Nov. 29-Dec. 20, hours vary, Huron Valley Council for the Arts, 205 W. Livingston Road, Highland Twp., https://huronvalleyarts.org.

• Holiday Tea & Tour: select dates Nov. 30-Dec. 21, in Meadow Brook Hall’s Dining Room, 350 Estate Drive, Rochester, includes admission to Holiday Walk. Tickets are $85 each.

• Tannenbaum Teas: Dec. 1, Dec. 8 and Dec. 15, Meadow Brook Hall, 350 Estate Drive, Rochester, guided Holiday Walk tour, premiere tea, a professional portrait of your group and valet parking. Tickets are $125 each.

Annual holiday lights celebration: 6:30-8 p.m. Dec. 2, ceremony, tree lighting and 20-foot candle, carols, and Santa will arrive via fire truck at Farmington Hills City Hall, 31555 W. Eleven Mile Road, Farmington Hills, followed by free cookies and hot cocoa, and Santa visits inside Fire Station #5 on the campus of City Hall, www.fhgov.com.

• Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony: 6-8 p.m. Dec. 2, on the front lawn of the Southfield Municipal Campus, 26000 Evergreen Road. The City of Southfield opening remarks, followed by the arrival of Santa, escorted by the Southfield A&T High School Marching Band, to officially light the city tree. The event includes a petting zoo, ice carving demonstrations, live entertainment, take-and-make crafts for children, cookies and hot chocolate. Visits with Santa inside the Southfield Pavilion, (248) 796-4620, www.cityofsouthfield.com.

• Starlight Stroll: Dec. 3, Meadow Brook Hall’s ballroom, 350 Estate Drive, Rochester, holiday elegance that includes live music, open bar, strolling dinner, and complimentary valet, meadowbrookholidays.com, tickets are $150 each.

• Holiday Market: 3-7 p.m. Dec. 3, Oakland County Farmers Market, 2350 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford Twp., decorations, artisan crafts and specialty food items, www.facebook.com/OaklandCountyFarmersMarket, 248-858-5495.

• Holiday Gift and Book Sale: Dec. 3-6, White Lake Township Library, 11005 Elizabeth Lake Road, White Lake Twp., whitelakelibrary.org, 248-698-4942.

• Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center’s Shop & Champagne fundraiser: 6:30-9 p.m. Dec. 3, featuring sparkling beverages, a gourmet strolling supper and early-access shopping with tickets at $90 in advance at BBArtCenter.org or call 248-644-0866.

• Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center’s (BBAC) Holiday Shop: Dec. 4-19, (10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.–Sat; and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays) at BBAC, 1516 S. Cranbrook Road, Birmingham, featuring handmade gift items from hundreds of juried artists, free admission to Holiday Shop.

• Gifts & Greens Market: Dec. 4-6, (5-8 p.m. Dec. 4, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Dec. 5 and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Dec. 6), at the Abiding Presence Lutheran Church, 1550 Walton Blvd., Rochester Hills, annual fundraising market with hand-made arrangements of fresh greens, delectables and gifts, presented by Rochester Garden Club, RochesterGardenClub.org, $5 entrance fee opening gala on Thursday and $2 admission on Friday and Saturday.

• Birmingham Winter Markt and Holiday Tree Lighting: Friday-Sunday, Dec. 5-7 (4-9 p.m. Dec. 5; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Dec. 6; and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 7), Shain Park, 270 W. Merrill St., downtown Birmingham, Tree Lighting ceremony is at 6 p.m. Dec. 5, local artists and vendors, Santa House visits with Santa, 6:45 p.m.-8 p.m. Dec. 5, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Dec. 6 and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 7. Free carriage rides are 3-7 p.m. Dec. 6 and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 7. Snow Queen and Frozen Princess Appearances from 12:30-3:30 p.m. Dec. 6, www.allinbirmingham.com.

• Christmas Tree Lighting: Annual City of Troy Christmas Tree Lighting kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 5, at a new location, at The Rink at Stine Community Park, 241 Town Center Drive, Troy. Ice skating will begin at 5 p.m. and the Holiday Lighting Ceremony is at 6:30 p.m. live entertainment, photos with Santa, bring camera, free admission, hot chocolate to purchase, bring ice skates or rent them for $3 residents, $5 non-residents, troymi.gov/holidaylighting.

• Christmas in the Village: 3 p.m. Dec. 5, Ortonville, lighted Christmas parade at 7 p.m., followed by Christmas Tree Lighting. Activities on Dec. 6 are 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and include bake and craft sale and pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Old Mill, downtown Ortonville, www.facebook.com/brandontwprec.

• The Holly Jolly Folly: 6 p.m. Dec. 5, at 1491 S. Lapeer Road, Lake Orion, fundraiser for the Orion Lighted Christmas Parade, 248-802-5521, www.orionlightedparade.com, tickets are $60+.

• Orion Lighted Christmas Parade: 6 p.m. Dec. 6, parade traverses from Florence Avenue to E. Flint Street to Broadway, downtown Lake Orion. After the parade, Santa Tent is open, across from the Fork and Pint restaurant (corner of Shadbolt and Broadway), www.orionlightedparade.com.

• Annual Holiday Extravaganza: Dec. 6, downtown Pontiac. The parade is at 11 a.m. (Parade route will begin on Cesar E. Chavez Ave. at Montcalm Street, continue down Saginaw Street, and end at the Pontiac City Square.) Winter Fun Festival is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saginaw Street (between Huron – M59 and Water Street) with live ice carving competition, petting farm, pony rides, Santa and Mrs. Claus, Grinch and Whoville Friends, Horse Drawn Wagon Rides, with community support from Auburn Hills, Waterford Twp. and White Lake Twp. The Run Elf Run race is at 8 a.m., Run Little Elves Run is 9 a.m. register for races, Holidayextravaganza.org.

• Holiday Home Tour: noon-5 p.m. Dec. 6, Friends of the Rochester Hills Public Library annual fundraising event featuring six holiday decorated homes in the greater Rochester area. Tickets with a map to the homes can be purchased for $30 per person at rhpl.org/friends and picked up in the library lobby on Dec. 6.

• Community Tree Lighting Ceremony: 3-6 p.m. Dec. 6, tree lighting at 5:30 p.m., crafts, games, hot cocoa, s’mores, story time, Springfield Township Parks & Recreation, 12000 Davisburg Road, Davisburg, www.springfield-twp.us.

• Kris Kringle Market: 4-10 p.m. Dec. 5 and noon-10 p.m. Dec. 6, West Fourth St. and Walnut, downtown Rochester, festive open-air holiday market, with holiday decorations, jewelry, unique gifts, and seasonal foods. Santa’s Village for children to visit with Santa Claus, Santa will be available until 9 p.m. both days. Story-time is at 6 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday, s’more station, live entertainment at Music Stage presented by The Roxy. Ben Sharkey Band is 7 p.m. Friday and Paul & Oates is 7 p.m. Saturday. Warming tent – sponsored by the Rochester Mills Beer Co. with proceeds to benefit local charitable organizations, downtownrochestermi.com or 248-656-0060.

• Twin Lakes Gingerbread House Challenge: noon-3 p.m. Dec. 6, at 455 Twin Lakes Drive, Oakland Twp. Tickets include a gingerbread house, decorations, lunch, shopping, and Chef Nate will be sharing Gingerbread decorating tips, www.golfgenius.com/pages/12118204522917055136, $53+ per child.

• 37th Annual South Lyon Holiday Shop: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 6, South Lyon High School, 1000 N. Lafayette St., South Lyon, www.facebook.com/SLfbHolidayShop.

• A Visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 6, at Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm, 1005 Van Hoosen Road, Rochester Hills, www.rochesterhills.org/musprograms, timed tickets in advance, $7 members, $10 nonmembers. Tickets required for 16 years and younger.

• Cocoa and Crafts with Santa: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 6-7, Troy Historic Village, family-friendly activities, winter-themed games to get kids moving, a creative craft to take home, and a holiday selfie station for a memorable family photo, registration is not required, to register, visit www.TroyHistoricVillage.org, 248-524-3570.

• Rochester parade: 2 p.m. Dec. 7, travelling down Main Street from the corner of Tienken and Rochester Road, Rochester, www.rrc-mi.com/christmas-parade. Local road closures begin at 1 p.m.

• Birmingham Youth Assistance Breakfast with Santa: Dec. 7, at The Townsend Hotel in Birmingham. Times available: 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. at The Townsend Hotel – The Regency Room, 100 Townsend Street, Birmingham, www.birminghamyouthassistance.org/breakfast-with-santa.

• Corner Shower and Laundry’s Annual Cookie Walk Bake Sale: 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Dec. 7, at Temple Beth El, 7400 Telegraph Rd, Bloomfield Hills, 248-214-3611, free to attend, cookie prices vary.

• Cranbrook House Holiday Tours and Teas: Dec. 9-13, Cranbrook House, 380 Lone Pine Road, Bloomfield Hills, 248-645-3149, cranbrook.edu. Cranbrook House Holiday Tour – $25 per person, Cranbrook House Holiday Tour & Tea – $70 per person.

• Candlelight Walking Tours: 6-9 p.m. Dec. 11, Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm, $8 members, $10 non-members, www.rochesterhills.org/musprograms.

The Polar Express Trolley Ride: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 13, starting at Stadium Drive Elementary School, Lake Orion. The ride includes a reading of “The Polar Express” book with the Conductor and Mrs. Claus, and singing Christmas carols, with family photos with Santa, cookies, and a bell ornament keepsake, rides are 30 minutes, tickets for time slots are at www.shopocmainstreets.com/product/polar-express-ticket-2025, $12 each.

• Wreaths Across America Day: Dec. 13, at Oakview Cemetery 1032 North Main St., Royal Oak, community effort to lay wreaths at veterans grave sites, service at noon, on Wreaths Across America Day, Dec. 13. For information, contact Mike Sherman at 248-224-5973.

• Visits with Santa: Friday-Sunday Nov. 21-Dec. 14 and daily Dec. 18-24, during Santa’s hours by walk-up only at The Village of Rochester Hills Outdoor Shopping Center, Festival Park, 104 N. Adams Road, TheVORH.com. Visits with Santa’s Reindeer take place 1-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 29-Dec. 21.

• Visits with Santa at Holiday Castle: Nov. 17-Dec. 23, (10 a.m.-7:55 p.m. Monday to Saturday and  noon-5:55 p.m. Sunday), Somerset Collection, Troy, North Grand Court. Guests can reserve a photo session with Santa at https://somersetevents.as.me/SantaPhotos, photo prices vary.

Lighted attractions

• Glenlore Trails-Aurora Interactive Holiday Night Walk: Friday to Sunday evenings Nov. 21-Nov. 30, and Thursday to Sunday, Dec. 4-Dec. 28, at 3860 Newtown Road, Commerce Twp., one-mile walk through experience in wooded setting, ticket prices vary, purchase online at www.GlenloreTrails.com.

• Magic of Lights: Nov. 21-Jan. 3, hours are 6-9 p.m. Nov. 21-Dec. 11; then from Dec. 12-Jan. 3, hours are 6-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 5:30-10 p.m. Friday-Sunday; holiday hours are 6-9 p.m. (Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, NYE), closed on New Year’s Day), Pine Knob Music Theatre Parking Area, 33 Bob Seger Drive, Independence Twp., ticket passes must be purchased online at https://magicoflights.com/locations/detroit-mi, prices vary.

• Wild Lights at the Detroit Zoo: evenings, select dates, Nov. 22-Jan. 4, outdoor event, adv. gen. advance ticket prices vary, free for children younger than 2, parking is $8, purchase tickets at https://detroitzoo.org/events/wild-lights.

• Royal Oak Holidays: themed weekends of festive activities Nov. 21-Dec. 21, including visits with Santa and skating at The Rink at Royal Oak at Centennial Commons in downtown Royal Oak. The rink is a collection site for The Bottomless Toy Chest, www.royaloakholidays.com.

• Holiday Stroll: Nov. 28-29, Dec. 5-7, 12-14, 19-21, and 22-23, holiday lights, Santa, characters, carolers, at Canterbury Village, 2325 Joslyn Road, Orion Twp., ticket prices vary, register at www.canterburyvillage.com, free for ages 2 and younger, free parking.

• Holly Dazzle: evenings, Nov. 28-30, Dec. 5-7, 12-14, 19-21, 22-24, 26-28 and 31, at 12600 Dixie Hwy., Holly, winter wonderland stroll along a three-quarter mile outdoor trail, adorned with Christmas scenes, 248-634-5552, purchase tickets at www.hollydazzles.com.

• Big Bright Light Show: 5 p.m.-midnight Nov. 24-Jan. 18. The Big, Bright Light Show will illuminate buildings downtown, www.downtownrochestermi.com.

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

Whether you're planning to travel by plane, train, or car for Thanksgiving, you'll be one of tens of millions of people heading out.

See the latest reports in the video below

Thousands prepare for Thanksgiving travel at Detroit Metro Airport Week of Thanksgiving travel kicks off at Detroit Metro Airport

According to AAA, nearly 82 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home during the Thanksgiving travel season, which officially starts on Tuesday and goes through Monday, Dec. 1.

It's no secret that air travel has had its fair share of challenges this year, most recently with delays and cancellations during the government shutdown. Tuesday is expected to be one of the busiest days.

Flights are looking pretty good at Detroit Metro Airport, with FlightAware showing no cancellations this morning and only three delays, which is good news for the thousands expected to move through airports in the coming days.

Six million people are projected to be taking domestic flights during the Thanksgiving period, according to AAA. That's up 2% from last year.

During last year's period, DTW saw about a million people. We caught up with some people at DTW on Tuesday morning to hear what they're saying about traveling during one of the busiest times of the year.

"As long as you get here early enough, I dont think youll have a problem," Richard Herbert, who is flying to Punta Cana, said.

"Get here early. Weve been very lucky to get through fast, but the one time we don't, we know were going to get caught. But its pretty good today, we walked right through," Crystal and Jason Congdon said.

If you're one of the thousands coming through DTW, here are some tips to make sure your trip runs smoothly:

Get to the airport at least two hours before domestic flights and three for international flights Make sure you have your Real ID, passport or other acceptable form of ID Keep electronics easily accessible and wear slip-on shoes with shocks for a quick move through TSA When packing, remember the 3-1-1 rule. Liquids can be up to 3.4 ounces, and you have have as many that will fit into a quart Ziplock bag that has to zip and it's one bag per traveler

Today is Tuesday, Nov. 25, the 329th day of 2025. There are 36 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Nov. 25, 1999, Elian Gonzalez, a 5-year-old Cuban boy, was rescued by two sport fishermen off the coast of Florida, setting off an international custody battle that eventually saw him repatriated to his father in Cuba.

Also on this date:

In 1783, following the conclusion of the Revolutionary War, the last remaining British troops in the United States were evacuated from New York City.

In 1961, the USS Enterprise was commissioned; it was the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and remains the longest naval vessel ever built, at 1,123 feet.

In 1963, the body of President John F. Kennedy was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery after a funeral procession through Washington, D.C. An estimated 1 million people lined the somber procession route.

In 1986, the Iran-Contra affair erupted as President Ronald Reagan and Attorney General Edwin Meese revealed that profits from secret arms sales to Iran had been diverted to Nicaraguan rebels.

In 2001, as the war in Afghanistan entered its eighth week, CIA officer Johnny “Mike” Spann was killed during a prison uprising in Mazar-e-Sharif that erupted while he was interviewing detainees, becoming the first American combat casualty of the conflict.

In 2016, Fidel Castro, who led his rebels to a victorious revolution in 1959, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half-century of authoritarian rule in Cuba, died at age 90.

In 2020, Argentine soccer great Diego Maradona died of a heart attack at age 60. Maradona led Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title before later struggling with cocaine use and obesity.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Football Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs is 85.
• Actor John Larroquette is 78.
• Dance judge Bruno Tonioli (TV: “Dancing with the Stars”) is 70.
• Musician Amy Grant is 65.
• Football Hall of Famer Cris Carter is 60.
• Rapper-producer Erick Sermon is 57.
• Actor Jill Hennessy is 57.
• Actor Christina Applegate is 54.
• Former NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb is 49.
• Television personality Jenna Bush Hager and twin sister Barbara Pierce Bush, daughters of former President George W. Bush, are 44.
• Soccer manager and former player Xabi Alonso is 44.
• Actor Stephanie Hsu is 35.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Yaxel Lendeborg scored 15 points and No. 7 Michigan routed San Diego State 94-54 on Monday night in the opening round of the Players Era tournament.

Elliot Cadeau and Morez Johnson Jr. each had 13 points. Nimari Burnett and Rodd Gale Jr. scored 11 apiece and Will Tschetter added 10. Michigan (4-0) outrebounded the Aztecs (2-1) 45-39 and scored 15 fast-break points.

For the Aztecs, freshman Elzie Harrington scored 15 points and B.J. Davis added 11. San Diego State turned the ball over 17 times.

Michigan started the second half with an 8-0 run to turn a 12-point halftime advantage to 20 points in the first 2:41. Johnson had five of the eight points. The Aztecs never got closer than 16 points the rest of the way.

The Wolverines led by 17 points midway through the first half, but San Diego State cut it o nine with 1:26 left in the half on Harrington’s 3-pointer. Burnett countered with his own 3-pointer with 1:05 left and the Wolverines went into the half with a 45-33 lead.

Up next

On Tuesday, Michigan will play No.21 Auburn, and San Diego State will face Oregon.

Trailing Grosse Pointe South by four points, Farmington Hills Mercy edged out the Blue Devils in the last event of Saturday’s D2 girls swimming and diving state finals in Ypsilanti to be crowned champs for the third year in a row.

The foursome of Avery Tack, Campbell Shore, Lyla Collins and Ella Hafner — none of which are graduating following this season — slipped past GP South by a little over a second with a time of 3:26.05 in the 400-meter relay. That gave Mercy 337 points to South’s 335.

It secured the sixth title under head coach Michael Venos, including the second three-peat. The Marlins’ previously won a handful of titles in a row (2007-10 in D2, 2011 in D1) under former coach Shannon Dunworth. The win also marked Mercy’s 14th championship overall.

The schools from Birmingham came in just behind the Mercy-GP South tandem. Seaholm came third place with 260.5 points, followed by Groves with 155.5. Berkley took eighth with 96 and South Lyon East came in ninth with 94 to round out the top-10.

Beyond that, Royal Oak finished 11th (74 points), Rochester Adams ended 12th (69), South Lyon was 15th (47), Walled Lake Northern finished 17th (27), North Farmington took 23rd (19) and Holly finished 26th (13).

GP South beat out Seaholm (Leah Isaksen, Payton Garn, Layla Stephens, Madailein Howard; 1:46.96) and Groves to win the 200 medley relay and jump out in front to start the day at Eastern Michigan. In the 200 free relay, the Blue Devils won again, just barely defeating Mercy’s same quartet by 31-hundredths of a second.

Elsewhere, the Marlins made headway when Hafner (1:47.53) came runner-up in the 200 free to Adrienne Schadler (1:46.85) of Ann Arbor Skyline as both surpassed the former D2 record held by Marian’s Mollie Pulte. Tack, who took second in the 200 IM as a sophomore, won it this time around with a time of 2:04.64.

Hafner set a new D2 record in the 500 free with her prelim time of 4:49.74, but a mark of 4:49.90 in the finals was only good for second as Schadler raised the bar with a winning time of 4:48.50.

West Bloomfield’s Eichbrecht wraps career in record-breaking fashion at D1 swim and dive finals

South Lyon senior Emma Klotz was just two-hundredths away from winning the 50 free event a year after Whitney Handworth of GP South, who again took first, beat Klotz out by three-hundredths. However, Klotz got her revenge in the 100 free, banking the Lions 20 points with her time of 50.70 that beat out runner-up Handwork (50.92).

Seaholm's Isaksen was just the winner of the consolation final in the 100 backstroke last fall as a sophomore, but showed off her improvement and came second this year by finishing with in 56.83. Her teammate, freshman Payton Garn, shared the spoils with Groves' Livvy Kamp as both split first-place honors in the 100 breaststroke with their finals times of 1:02.76.

Additionally, Rochester Adams junior Morgan Rea scored 431.75 points to handily win the diving competition.

Berkley senior Tessa Moleski was the victor in both the 50 and 100-yard paralympic freestyle.

Division 3 at Holland Aquatic Center

Bloomfield Hills Marian finished runner-up for the second year in a row, ending Saturday's finals with 228 points compared to the 373 scored by winner East Grand Rapids.

Cranbrook-Kingswood, who took second in 2023, finished sixth place this year with 134 points, and Country Day was seventh with 116. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep ended 24th place with 16 points, and Bishop Foley came 30th with six points -- five of those earned by sophomore Avery Wood in the 100 breaststroke.

EGR won all three relays. The Pioneers set a new D3 record of 1:44.65 in the 200 medley, which saw the Yellowjackets (Quinn Norlander, Jill Heller, Allie Schwartz, Lauren Clark) end just behind them in a time of 1:48.55. Marian (Cece Grace, Lila Soloman, Peyton Rehbine, Catherine Howe) was runner-up to EGR in the 200 free relay. The Mustangs finished that one ahead of Country Day (1:39.33) with a mark of 1:37.43.

Country Day's Norlander, a third-place finisher in two individual events as a sophomore last season, ended only behind Wayland's Laney Wolf as she came second in the 100 freestyle in a time of 51.32. Additionally, Norlander shaved almost three seconds off her finals time from 2024 in the 100 backstroke. Her second-place mark of 54.77 was only second-best to Camryn Siegers, who set a new D3 record (53.37).

In the 500 free, Marian junior Stella Glorio (5:10.58) only trailed repeat winner Ella Dziobak of Divine Child as no one came close to her finish of 4:56.20. The Mustangs also scored 16 points with Soloman's third-place finish in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.06).

All of the Irish's points derived from freshman Anna Caudill's third-place finish in diving (369 points).

Cade Cunningham had 24 points and 11 rebounds and the Detroit Pistons won their 13th straight game to tie the franchise record, holding off the Indiana Pacers 122-117 on Monday night.

The Pistons matched winning streaks by their 1989-90 and 2003-04 championship teams, two seasons after losing 28 in a row to break the NBA season record and tie the overall mark. Eastern Conference-leading Detroit is 15-2.

Down 18 early in the fourth quarter, the Pistons pulled as close as two points. Bennedict Mathurin missed a 3-pointer with a chance to tie it with 11 seconds left.

Caris LeVert added 19 points for Detroit, and Jalen Duren had 17 points and 12 rebounds. Jaden Ivey scored 12 points in his second game back after breaking his left fibula in January.

Pascal Siakam had 24 points for injury-ravaged Indiana. Jarace Walker added 21. The Pacers have lost 10 of 11 to fall to 2-15.

Indiana has been lost without Tyrese Haliburton, the star guard who tore his right Achilles in the Pacers Game 7 loss to Oklahoma City in the NBA Finals.

Detroit outscored Indiana 36-23 in the second quarter for a 71-55 lead, The Pistons shot 58.5% from the field in the half, hitting seven of 14 3-pointers.

The Pistons led 101-88 after three quarters.

Up next

Pistons: At Boston on Wednesday night in an NBA Cup game.

Pacers: At Toronto on Wednesday night in an NBA Cup game.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Nico Hischier, Timo Meier and Connor Brown had a goal and an assist each and the New Jersey Devils beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 on Monday night in a matchup of two of the top four teams in the Eastern Conference.

Alex DeBrincat, James van Riemsdyk and Dylan Larkin scored for Detroit.

New Jersey scored three goals in the first period on just eight shots for a 3-1 lead after one, snapped a three-game losing streak, and got its first win in regulation since beating the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 on Nov. 1.

The Devils’ previous four wins occurred in either overtime or the shootout.

New Jersey’s Jacob Markstrom made 32 saves, 13 in the third period.

Hischier scored his fourth goal in five games and added an assist on Meier’s first-period goal for the 102nd multipoint game of his Devils’ career.

Cody Glass snapped a 1-1 tie for New Jersey in his first game back after missing the previous four games with an upper-body injury. He replaced Juho Lammikko on the Devils third line.

Van Riemsdyk, who grew up in New Jersey, scored a power-play goal in his 1,100th game that got the Red Wings to within 3-2 in the second period.

Moritz Seider added two assists for Detroit, who lost for just the second time in its last seven games.

Brown moved the Devils’ lead to 4-2 from Dalton Mercer later in the second period before Larkin scored his 13th goal in the third period.

Cam Talbot had 15 saves for Detroit.

Up next

Devils: Host St. Louis on Wednesday night.

Red Wings: Host Nashville on Wednesday night.

— By EVERETT MERRILL, Associated Press

A Monroe family's night out at a Jonas Brothers concert turned into a nightmare when their car was stolen from downtown Detroit, taking with it their only transportation and their children's Christmas presents.

Arthur Schwesing and his fiance, Apolonia Cazares, parked their 2014 olive green Ford Edge on East Elizabeth Street around 5 p.m. Sunday before grabbing dinner and attending the concert at Little Caesars Arena. It was the one night out for the hard-working couple, who don't do much for themselves, prioritizing their three children. When they returned around 11:30 p.m., the car they had locked was gone.

Watch Ruta's report in the video player below Family's only car, full of Christmas presents for children, stolen in Detroit

"We're like, we know we parked over here somewhere," Arthur Schwesing said.

The theft couldn't have come at a worse time for the family. The car was their only mode of transportation to work and school for their three children. It's also how Schwesing gets to his medical appointments after being recently diagnosed with cancer.

"That's my A to B to get all the way to Ann Arbor for my health. I was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma. I have three kids. I'm trying to stay on top of everything that I canjust.it's all I can do," Schwesing said through tears.

Inside the stolen vehicle were Cazares' purse and wallet, a car seat, and Christmas presents for their children hidden in the trunk.

"A little early Christmas shopping, yeah, trying to get it done, sneak it from them, cause you know, they won't be sneaky," Schwesing added.

The children had to miss school on Monday while their parents stayed with a family member in Detroit to figure out the next steps.

"Now I can't even get to work. And that's how we can pay rent, pay bills," Cazares said.

Detroit Police are investigating the theft. With large crowds expected downtown for Thanksgiving Day festivities, the department is also reminding visitors to take precautions:

Don't leave any valuables in your car Lock up Make sure to park in a well-lit area Make sure you're parking in valid parking lots with tenants who watch over the vehicles

The family has set up a GoFundMe to help them during this difficult time.

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This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 24 points and 11 rebounds and the Detroit Pistons won their 13th straight game to tie the franchise record, holding off the Indiana Pacers 122-117 on Monday night.

The Pistons matched winning streaks by their 1989-90 and 2003-04 championship teams, two seasons after losing 28 in a row to break the NBA season record and tie the overall mark. Eastern Conference-leading Detroit is 15-2.

Down 18 early in the fourth quarter, the Pistons pulled as close as two points. Bennedict Mathurin missed a 3-pointer with a chance to tie it with 11 seconds

Caris LeVert added 19 points for Detroit, and Jalen Duren had 17 points and 12 rebounds. Jaden Ivey scored 12 points in his second game back after breaking his left fibula in January.

Pascal Siakam had 24 points for injury-ravaged Indiana. Jarace Walker added 21. The Pacers have lost 10 of 11 to fall to 2-15.

Indiana has been lost without Tyrese Haliburton, the star guard who tore his right Achilles in the Pacers’ Game 7 loss to Oklahoma City in the NBA Finals.

Detroit outscored Indiana 36-23 in the second quarter for a 71-55 lead, The Pistons shot 58.5% from the field in the half, hitting seven of 14 3-pointers.

The Pistons led 101-88 after three quarters.

Up next

Pistons: At Boston on Wednesday night in an NBA Cup game.

Pacers: At Toronto on Wednesday night in an NBA Cup game.