Royal Oak is celebrating Halloween season with a free, self-guided neighborhood tradition that has grown every year since it began.

The Royal Oak Halloween Home Tour features a homemade map shared with the community that highlights homes with elaborate, creative Halloween displays. Visitors can explore the tour by bike, car, or on foot.

"People put so much time and effort into these things and they want people to see it," Kathleen Spangler, creator of the Royal Oak Halloween Home Tour, said.

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Royal Oak Halloween Home Tour showcases dozens of decorated homes for free

Spangler started the tour six years ago, inspired by her daughter's love of Halloween.

"I don't think there's anything better than hearing pure joy come from a child," Spangler said.

She estimates about 60 homes will be featured on the map this year. Any homeowner can submit to be included, and there are no requirements for participation.

"Everyone knows how expensive things can be and this is just a free community event," Spangler said.

The tour has grown year over year, and Spangler actively scouts homes worthy of a spot on the map.

"And then yes, there are some houses I just drive by and I'm like this needs to be on the map!" Spangler said. "There is no grade, we're just happy to have you on there."

Bob and Jan Livingston are among the homeowners featured on the tour. The couple has spent decades handcrafting their Halloween decorations and says the holiday defines their home's identity in the neighborhood.

"Halloween is our thing. Our house in the neighborhood is called the Halloween house," Jan Livingston said.

Among their handmade highlights is a front-yard graveyard where they playfully personalize gravestones for guests and family members. Their own son is among those included.

"I found out he never did his homework so that's why he's there," the Livingstons said.

The couple, who describe themselves as partners in everything they do, hopes visitors will take in the full tour across Royal Oak's decorated homes.

"To bring joy is a gift that keeps giving," the Livingstons said.

Spangler said the sounds of neighborhood children reacting to the displays are what keeps the tradition going.

"I can hear their little voices out here like look at that spider! Oh, that's scary!" Spangler said.

To find the tour, follow this link.

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A miniature police cruiser parked at a roundabout in South Lyon is doing something a toy car was never designed to do slow down real drivers.

The pint-sized squad car, currently positioned at the intersection of Seven Mile and Pontiac Trail, has become a local sensation, with commuters doing double-takes and hitting the brakes when they spot it.

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A toy police car in South Lyon is actually slowing down real drivers

"It's a cop! Wait. What happened to the car?" Renee McCombs, a commuter, said. "A very tiny police car."

"Oh my gosh, this is so cute," Judy Targosz, another commuter, said.

GPS apps are flagging the toy car as a police presence, prompting drivers to brake before realizing what they are seeing.

"Anytime I see police activity I tend to slow down a little," Nicholas Stellhorn, a commuter, said. "I slowed down coming up to the intersection thinking there's a cop. Really funny to come across a little squad car."

"You'd better slow down," Matt Duncanson, another commuter, said.

The mini cruiser has generated buzz on social media, with residents in South Lyon and the surrounding area tracking it as it moves around the neighborhood.

"Everybody loves it. Everybody you talk to. Facebook is wild about it about it around here," Targosz said.

"I just had to come see it for myself," Duncanson said.

Targosz said she knows the young men responsible for moving the car around.

"It doesn't stay here very long," Targosz said. "They're just having fun. It's nothing terrible."

Despite the absence of real police lights, those who have encountered it say the tiny cruiser's presence at the intersection could be making a genuine difference.

"I think it's great. It helps slow people down coming through here," Targosz said.

"It's making an honest effort," Duncanson said. "It's funny."

The Northfield Township Police Department, which serves the area, said it is happy to see the community having some fun.

"It's something to smile about everyday," Targosz said.

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Dutch Girl Donuts, a Detroit bakery serving fresh donuts and hometown nostalgia for generations, has opened a second location in the city's North End.

The new shop is located off East Grand Boulevard and is open Tuesday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., or while donuts last.

"We really want to serve the north end," said Dutch Girl Donuts crewmember Nhu Truong.

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Dutch Girl Donuts opens a second location in Detroit's North End, bringing fresh donuts closer to more fans

Truong said the donuts are made fresh daily and the response from the neighborhood has been enthusiastic.

"I am grateful for them," Truong said.

Customers who have long made the trip to the bakery's Woodward Avenue location said the expansion is a welcome change.

"I've been waiting for forever for them to move here. Normally, I got to go down Woodward but now I'm right down the street," Dejon Coleman said. "Simple old Detroit Flavor, you can't beat it."

"Second location equals good," Erica Hicks said.

For North End resident Sylvester Jennings, the new location is practically in his backyard.

"I just live a few blocks down so that's why I came over," Jennings said.

The new shop drew a steady crowd of first-time visitors and regulars alike.

"I had to try this new spot out," Memphis Douglas said.

"I know they're going to taste great, they're Dutch Girls," Darlene McDaniel said.

"These donuts are the best," Tiffany Gilmer said.

"They're back in the saddle," Abbey Waterman said.

"It is so sweet having this space here," Waterman said. "With the same flavors and quality."

"I absolutely love it. I'm here for it," Sheila Patrick said. "Still amazing."

Victoria Wolf and Denise Goodine biked to both Dutch Girl Donuts locations to mark the occasion.

"I'm going to call this ride the Double Dutch Ride," Goodine said.

Customers agreed the donuts delivered.

"They are fresh. They are light. I definitely agree," Hicks said.

"Maybe not good for the calories, but good for the soul," Gilmer said.

"If you want to a good donut, try a Dutch Girl donut," Hicks said.

"You have to. It's a must a Detroit must," Gilmer said.

"It brings people happiness and joy. It's a donut, right?" Truong said.

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A fish species so sensitive to pollution it vanished from the lower Rouge River more than 100 years ago has been found again and environmental groups say it is a sign that decades of cleanup and restoration work are paying off.

Ashley Flintoff, executive director of Friends of the Rouge, said her team netted six greenside darters in the murky waters at Ford Field Park on Sept. 17.

"The Rouge River has suffered from decades and decades of legacy pollution and contamination. I think this is our way of bringing back the river and speaking up for the river," Flintoff said.

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Greenside darter found in Rouge River after more than 100 years absent

The discovery sparked an immediate reaction.

"Screaming so loud, passersby's looked over and were like, 'what do you have in there?'" Flintoff said.

Flintoff describes the greenside darter as "intolerant" of its surroundings.

"Meaning that they are very sensitive to pollution and to habitat," Flintoff said.

She believes industrialization pollution initially forced the fish to flee as machinery boomed and contaminated the waters. The Rouge River actually caught fire for a period in 1969, a moment that partially contributed to the push to pass the Clean Water Act.

"The river is so polluted nothing could live in it at the point," Flintoff said.

Before the area was industrialized, the river would have supported more plant and wildlife including ducks, bugs, other animals and 55 different species of fish. That same Sept. 17 outing also set a new record for Friends of the Rouge: the group documented 21 species of fish in the river the most it has ever recorded in a single survey, surpassing a previous high of 19.

"It tells us the work that has been done over the past 40 years in this watershed is really doing its job," Flintoff said.

The organization is also marking its 40th anniversary.

Parkgoers Norma Zurawski and her mother Casey were pleased to hear about the find.

"I love fish," Norma Zurawski said.

"It's very cool that those efforts that people are making are actually working," Casey Zurawski said.

Flintoff said millions of dollars spent on water quality and habitat projects are paying off. She also credited the community for doing its part to help keep the 127 river miles of the Rouge clean and healthy, alongside the organization's own restoration and stormwater mitigation efforts.

"There are ways for humanity and nature to coexist and we can have a healthy and thriving river," Flintoff said.

The six fish were released after being documented. The ones found appear to have the capacity to breed, raising the possibility that more greenside darters could return to the lower Rouge River.

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Michigan's archery deer season officially opened Oct. 1, bringing new electronic tagging through the Michigan DNR app and updated antlerless deer harvest rules that hunters across the state need to know.

Chad Stewart, Michigan DNR Deer Program Supervisor, said the new electronic tagging system eliminates the wait for physical tags to arrive in the mail.

"You can purchase that tag and go out hunting that day," Stewart said.

Chase Blankenship, an archery technician at Sunrise Archery who has been hunting with a bow for 16 years, said he tried the new system during turkey season and found it easy to use.

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Michigan archery deer season opens with new electronic tagging rules

"I used it during Turkey season. It's all done in the app and seems like it was easy to handle," Blankenship said.

Oct. 1 marks the start of Michigan's archery-only deer hunting season. Firearms are permitted beginning Nov. 15 through the New Year.

New this year? There are updated restrictions on how many antlerless deer can be harvested per hunter in some Michigan counties and communities. Stewart also said hunters should focus on harvesting antlerless deer to help properly regulate deer populations.

Hunting is legal on public and private land across Michigan, but Stewart noted some communities have their own regulations. He encouraged both new and experienced hunters to get familiar with local herds before heading out to avoid leaving a scent or disrupting the ecosystem steps that can increase the chances of a successful hunt.

For hunters using tree stands, Stewart had a firm safety reminder.

"Please, please, please, use a safety harness," Stewart said.

At Sunrise Archery, deer season is the shop's busiest time of year. Blankenship said the months leading up to Oct. 1 have been focused on one thing.

"Leading up to it, my sole focus is on trying to make the most ethical shot I possibly can. Deer hunting has a special place in my heart. Oct. 1 is the start of everything I look forward to the whole year," Blankenship said.

Hunter Dallas Martineau said he is heading into the field with a clear goal filling his freezer with venison.

"Lot of big deer in the area. We're chasing a couple. See what happens," Martineau said.

For those heading out this season, Martineau offered a simple message.

"If you're doing it, you're in," Martineau said.

As the season gets underway, hunters closed with a word of advice.

"Be safe out there," Martineau said.

"And have fun," Blankenship said.

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The American Council of the Blind and the Greater Detroit Agency for the Blind and Visually Impaired partnered to gift 20 Ray-Ban Meta Glasses to veterans living with vision loss on Wednesday.

Watch Jeffrey's video report in the player below: Partnership gifts Ray-Ban Meta Glasses to blind veterans in Detroit, offering a new sense of independence

The organizations say the glasses provide something more valuable than just descriptions of surroundings a greater sense of independence.

"These are a gamechanger for those of us who can't see and they weren't even intended for us," Cindy Hollis, American Council of the Blind Social Engagement Manager, said.

"Blind people all need assistance and I've always said this Blindness is a team sport," Gary Horton, Greater Detroit Agency for the Blind and Visually Impaired Executive Director, said.

For blind veteran Arnold Thomas, the challenge began 15 years ago while serving in the military.

"Every day is a challenge," Thomas said. "Chemicals. I went through the gas chamber twice and fell off a cliff."

Thomas describes the process of losing his vision as slow-going and traumatizing.

"I call it living in the fog. Didn't know what was going on and what was going to happen. Having these Ray-Ban glasses, I'm really excited. It's a good tool to have in my box," Thomas said.

The glasses allow users to ask questions and receive verbal descriptions of their surroundings, identify nearby people, and let family members tap into a live feed to help them find things.

Rogan, whose father received a pair of the glasses, described what the technology means to him.

"Being able to connect," Rogan said.

Horton said the tools make a meaningful difference for those living without sight.

"Tools are the savior. Tools are the equalizer," Horton said.

Horton, who is also blind, said he knows firsthand how isolating vision loss can feel especially at the beginning.

"Isolating. My friends and my colleagues drifted away. All of these things are freeing for people who are blind like myself," Horton said.

Hollis, who has been blind her whole life, said before the glasses, things felt clunky. She now finds value in being able to have her cane in one hand and phone in the other, letting the glasses do the rest right from her face from her daughter tapping into a live feed to help her find things, to the camera describing her scenery or identifying people in her vicinity.

"It is beyond heartwarming," Hollis said.

The glasses also come with an unexpected bonus.

"They're stylish," Hollis said. "It's amazing."

Hollis said she is grateful to Ray-Ban for sharing the experience she has had with the glasses with blind veterans like Thomas, who said his reaction to the company's promise to help speaks for itself.

"How great it is. Someone cares," Thomas said.

"Glasses equal freedom for the visually impaired," Horton said.

"It's like a different level of independence," Hollis said.

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.