House Republicans are set to vote today on a spending bill aimed at keeping the government funded through September, despite opposition from Democrats who plan to block the legislation. This comes as concerns over the economy mount, following significant declines in the stock market.

In an interview with Fox Business correspondent Maria Bartiromo, President Donald Trump did not refrain from predicting a recession, a stance that unsettled Wall Street. Market analysts were hoping for a simple "no" response to the recession question, but instead heard uncertainty, contributing to recent market volatility.

JPMorgan Chase has since increased its estimates for the likelihood of a recession this year from 30% to 40%, attributing the shift to "extreme U.S. policies." Rising costs on Main Street, particularly record-high egg prices, are also raising alarms. Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers remarked a couple of months ago, recession was really unlikely this year. Now it's probably getting close to 50-50, he said.

RELATED STORY | Senate confirms Lori Chavez-DeRemer as Trump's labor secretary

Despite these economic jitters, optimism persists among some Republican lawmakers, who believe a forthcoming tax bill could stimulate growth and restore confidence on Wall Street.

In related developments, former President Trump is scheduled to address business leaders today regarding the economy, which presents an opportunity for him to clarify his remarks and potentially ease market concerns.

As lawmakers navigate economic vulnerabilities, they are also grappling with the looming threat of a government shutdown. While previous shutdowns have been averted since 2018, the political landscape has shifted with the new Trump administration, leading to increased uncertainty.

Democrats, despite currently holding limited power in Congress, are emphasizing their influence in shutdown negotiations. Some of the party's members are now poised to vote against funding measures, marking a significant shift in their typical stance of supporting government continuity.

RELATED STORY | Trump calls for primary challenger against Republican who opposes funding bill

Today's vote in the House is critical, as the federal government is on track to run out of funding by Friday night. Although Republicans can technically pass the bill without Democratic support, they will need nearly unanimous backing from their party to succeed. If successful in the House, attention will then turn to the Senate, where bipartisan cooperation will be necessary to avert a shutdown later this week.

This story was initially reported 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.

Being down with “The Sickness” has been a healthy endeavor for Disturbed during the past 25 years.

The Chicago-formed heavy rock quartet is on the road celebrate its five-times platinum debut’s anniversary, a rare feat that few 21st century albums are likely to achieve in a world of song-oriented streaming. But, as Disturbed proved on Monday night, March 10 at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena, “The Sickness” — played in its entirety during the first part of the show — sounds every bit as potent now as it did during 2000, an entirely individualistic display of nu rock established by frontman David Draiman’s jungle creature scats and the instrumentalists’ textured whomp.

The band celebrated in theatrical fashion, too, on Monday. Following tight opening sets by Sevendust and Three Days Grace (reunited with original frontman Adam Gontier after an 11-year break), Disturbed played in front of a tiered metallic backdrop laden with pyrotechnics. Its portion of the evening began with a historical video shown on a white curtain, which rose to reveal a straightjacketed Draiman being wheeled on, Hannibal Lechter-style (a throwback to early Disturbed concerts), and deposited at the end of a ramp that jutted into the arena floor.

After he took of the jacket and mask the group then exploded into “The Sickness'” opening track “Voices” and didn’t take its foot off the pedal as it ran through the album’s hits — “Stupify” and “Down With the Sickness,” usually saved for the end of the night — and brought deep cuts such as “Numb,” “Violence Festish,” “Conflict” and a lumbering cover of Tears For Fears’ “Shout” back into the set for the first time in more than two decades in some cases. For the closing “Meaning of Life,” meanwhile, Draiman and company — guitarist Dan Donegan, drummer Mike Wengren and bassist John Moyer (who joined in 2004) — changed into orange prison inmate outfits and staged a mock electrocution of the frontman, who sang with faux blood dripping from his forehead.

A 20-minute break — accompanied by more historic, though largely inaudible, video footage — allowed the crew to set up a new drum kit for Wengren. The eight-song “greatest hits” set that followed included Disturbed’s new single, “I Will Not Break,” while a giant inflatable figure of the band’s mascot, The Guy, hovered at the back of the stage during “Bad Man,” Genesis’ “Land of Confusion” and “Indestructible.” But Disturbed’s massive hit rendition of Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence” — accompanied by two guest string players — was hampered by technical problems that rendered all but Draiman and one of the acoustic guitars inaudible.

“That was interesting,” Draiman quipped afterwards, acknowledging in comically graphic terms how unsettled he became during the mishap. He filled some time by speaking (correctly) about how rock concerts now provide an antidote to the bitter divisions sweeping the country, and he brought up two young fans — 11-year-old Chase and seven-year-old Hunter, with a parent each — to sit on stage during “The Light.”

“Into the Fire” finished the night with more — duh — fire, a solid close to a show that showed Disturbed is still in top form 25 years later, even when it wasn’t entirely indestructible.

The Detroit Pistons are celebrating 313 Day this Thursday with a special giveaway for fans and a new clothing line.

According to the Pistons, the 313 Day celebration will kick off at 5 p.m. on Thursday before the game against the Washington Wizards. In the Chevy Plaza, fans can play basketball on a half-court, there will be complimentary sneaker cleaning from Clean Sneaker Co. and free coffee from Cappuccino Man.

The first 3,130 fans will also receive a special Pistons 313 Day chain from Ally, and the first 15,000 fans will get a light-up bracelet that will activate in tandem with pregame team introductions, the halftime and throughout the game.

At halftime, there will also be a performance by rapper 42 Dugg.

As part of the celebrations, the Pistons are also launched a new in-arena apparel line that features six designs from three Detroit-based artists  Freddy Diaz, Allison Sims and Rick Williams. They were manufactured in Detroit by Soft Goods in Corktown.

A 24-year-old Pontiac man is in police custody, accused of stabbing a woman multiple times Monday night allegedly because she had worn his clothing.

According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, deputies spoke to the woman at an area hospital’s emergency department where she had gone for treatment of multiple stab wounds. The woman, a 25-year-old Pontiac resident, reportedly told deputies she had been stabbed during a fight over her wearing the suspect’s clothes.

Based on further information from the woman and a witness who reportedly had driven the woman to the hospital, deputies went to a residence in the 100 block of Cherry Hill Drive in North Hills Farms housing complex to confront the suspect, the sheriff’s office said.

As stated in the deputies’ report: “Initially, the suspect refused to answer the door, but after continued announcements of law enforcement presence and a secure perimeter being set, the individual ultimately surrendered to deputies without further incident. Another male was located inside of the home and taken into custody as well for investigative follow up.”

Charges are pending for the suspect, who’s held in the Oakland County Jail.

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Washington Avenue will be renamed O’Washington Avenue and flowing green with all things Irish for the second-year revival of the Royal Oak St. Patrick’s Day Parade this coming Saturday. Al Carter, retired Royal Oak policeman and chairman of the parade, and his team have been working off the momentum from the revitalization of the parade last year.

“The Royal Oak St. Patrick’s Day Parade is Oakland County’s largest parade,” Carter said. “This is the second year after a four-year hiatus after COVID happened.”

Carter got the job when he inquired about the parade and learned the previous chairman had moved to Bay City.

“At that point, nobody brought it back or anything. And my wife and I raised our kids here and we’d always go to the parade and we enjoyed it,” Carter said. “I was coming upon retirement and I kept asking, ‘when are you bringing the parade back?’”

Carter got together with the remaining committee members, revamped the non-profit organization and got the Irish spirit marching back down Washington Avenue last March. Now with a larger cadre of sponsors including last year’s name sponsor, the Royal Oak Leprechauns summer collegiate baseball team. This year, Henry Ford Health is the named sponsor. Sullivan & Son Funeral Directors, Gus’s Snug, Abraham & Associates, the Royal Oak DDA, Green Wire Systems, John Cowley & Sons, North Oaks Dental & Orthodontics, Lilly’s Seafood, Fifth Avenue, Gilda’s Club, O’Sullivan’s Moving, AOH and Holiday Market have also signed on.

“Royal Oak has tons of events, but it was the first one that starts spring, you know, springs around the corner when we did the St. Patrick’s Day parade,” Carter said.

It takes a year to plan and develop the parade and he is thankful for the generous sponsors

“It’s like a full-time job takes and it’s a non-profit. So we had zero budget. Last year we did it by the skin of our teeth. This year, we learned a lot with our committee that I formed from last year and we hit it hard. And we really were very fortunate with Henry Ford Health. They did a big sponsorship for us. So that gave us a little bit of funding to start,” Carter said.

He noted some of the parade entertainers are professionals such as the dancers and bagpipers who are paid to appear.

“I went and cheered on parades many times and led the parade with the Royal Oak Police Honor Guard many times, never put two thoughts together of what went into it,” Carter said. “We have to shut parking meters off and that has to be paid for. Our Downtown Development Authority are very generous. We want to bring with that partnership, bring some business to all the businesses in downtown Royal Oak as well.”

He noted that several downtown restaurants will feature Irish food menus an opening up earlier to take advantage of the parade crowd. In addition to downtown businesses, Carter has pubs in Clawson and Rochester supporting the event.

“It’s not just the local community of Royal Oak. It’s spread to a little bit. And they’re going to have banners and signs in the parade in addition to it. Both Gus’ Snug and O’Connor’s are good Irish businesses,” he said.

This year’s Grand Marshall is Shirley O’Brien from the O’Brien Clan who are descendants of the late and former Judge Francis X. O’Brien.

“The whole family comes down. They build a float. They have buses and all this fun stuff,” Carter said. “And then our Honorary Grand Marshal is Father John from Shrine of the Little Flower. They’re actually participating and bringing a float and a trailer in honor of him.”

The parade will feature groups from Royal Oak schools, the St. Bridget Scholarship winners and Queen of the Court, an Irish Setter Group, The Ennis Center for Children in Detroit, bagpipes, dancers and many more. Floats and trailers will be judged and awarded prizes as well.

“We have another different band that’s coming, the Detroit Celtic Revival Band. They’re going to play live on a trailer. The Oakland County Sheriff and Michigan State Police are sending cars,” Carter said.

The parade begins at Royal Oak Middle School on North Washington and heads south beginning at noon. Parade announcers are former Royal Oak City Commissioner Carlo Ginotti and Fox 2’s Charlie Langton. The parade float Judges are Circuit Court Judge Mary Ellen Brennan, and 44th District Court Judges Derek Meinecke and Andrew Kowalkowski.

“We’re praying for that wonderful weather and no rain showers. But they say a little bit of rain is a sign of good luck, so we’re going to go with that if it happens. We have our stage set up at 5th and Washington,” Carter said.

Ukraine carried out one of its largest attacks since Russia's invasion in 2022, firing around 300 drones, with at least 70 of them targeting the Moscow region, according to Ukrainian officials.

The attacks, which happened as talks began in Saudi Arabia between U.S. officials and representatives from Ukraine to try to lay out a framework for a peace deal, reportedly hit oil facilities throughout the country.

Officials in Moscow claimed that Ukraine was targeting civilian buildings, but the attacks were mostly averted. However, Ukraine said it managed to hit oil facilities not just in the Moscow region but across the country.

RELATED STORY | Trump reflects on meeting with Zelenskyy: 'He very much overplayed his hand'

Meanwhile, the U.S.-Ukraine talks may hinge on two key issues. One is the resumption of intelligence sharing, which was suspended following a contentious meeting between former President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also expected to meet with a top Zelenskyy adviser to assess Ukraines willingness to make compromises to end the war.

It remains unclear what concessions Russia would need to make for a peace deal to be reached.

RELATED STORY | Trump's diplomatic shift: Hardline measures possible against Russia

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he will double his planned tariffs on steel and aluminum from 25% to 50% for Canada, escalating a trade war with the United States' northern neighbor.

Trump said on social media that the increase of the tariffs set to take effect on Wednesday is a response to the price increases that the provincial government of Ontario put on electricity sold to the United States.

"I have instructed my Secretary of Commerce to add an ADDITIONAL 25% Tariff, to 50%, on all STEEL and ALUMINUM COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES FROM CANADA, ONE OF THE HIGHEST TARIFFING NATIONS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD," Trump posted Tuesday on Truth Social.

RELATED STORY | Ontario taxes electricity used in the US, warns it could be shut off if Trump deepens trade war

The U.S. president has given a variety of explanations for his antagonism of Canada, saying that his separate 25% tariffs are about fentanyl smuggling and voicing objections to Canada putting high taxes on dairy imports that penalize U.S. farmers. But he continued to call for Canada to become part of the United States as a solution, a form of taunting that has infuriated Canadian leaders.

"The only thing that makes sense is for Canada to become our cherished Fifty First State," Trump posted on Tuesday. "This would make all Tariffs, and everything else, totally disappear."

The U.S. stock market promptly fell following his social media post, triggering more concerns after a brutal selloff on Monday that puts Trump under pressure to show he has a legitimate plan to grow the economy instead of perhaps pushing it into a recession.

Trump was set to deliver a Tuesday afternoon address to the Business Roundtable, a trade association of CEOs that during the 2024 campaign he wooed with the promise of lower corporate tax rates for domestic manufacturers. But his tariffs on Canada, Mexico, China, steel, aluminum with plans for more to possibly come on Europe, Brazil, South Korea, pharmaceutical drugs, copper, lumber and computer chips would amount to a massive tax hike.

The stock market's vote of no confidence over the past two weeks puts the president in a bind between his enthusiasm for taxing imports and his brand as a politician who understands business based on his own experiences in real estate, media and marketing.

Harvard University economist Larry Summers, a former treasury secretary for the Clinton administration, on Monday put the odds of a recession at 50-50.

"All the emphasis on tariffs and all the ambiguity and uncertainty has both chilled demand and caused prices to go up," Summers posted on X. "We are getting the worst of both worlds - concerns about inflation and an economic downturn and more uncertainty about the future and that slows everything."

The investment bank Goldman Sachs revised down its growth forecast for this year to 1.7% from 2.2% previously. It modestly increased its recession probability to 20% "because the White House has the option to pull back policy changes if downside risks begin to look more serious."

Trump has tried to assure the public that his tariffs would cause a bit of a "transition" to the economy, with the taxes prodding more companies to begin the years-long process of relocating factories to the United States to avoid the tariffs. But he set off alarms in an interview broadcast on Sunday in which he didn't rule out a possible recession.

"I hate to predict things like that," Trump said on Fox News Channel's "Sunday Morning Futures." "There is a period of transition, because what we're doing is very big. We're bringing wealth back to America. That's a big thing. And there are always periods of it takes a little time. It takes a little time. But I don't I think it should be great for us. I mean, I think it should be great."

The promise of great things ahead did not eliminate anxiety, with the S&P 500 stock index tumbling 2.7% on Monday in an unmistakable Trump slump that has erased the market gains that greeted his victory in November 2024. The S&P 500 index fell roughly 0.4% in Tuesday morning trading.

The White House after the markets closed on Monday highlighted that the tariffs were prompting companies such as Honda, Volkswagen and Volvo to consider new investments in U.S. factories.

It issued a statement that Trump's combination of tariffs, deregulations and increased energy production had led industry leaders to promise to "create thousands of new jobs."

The significance of thousands of additional jobs was unclear, as the U.S. economy added 2.2 million jobs last year alone, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The post Tesla protest movement grows in West Michigan appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater comes to town with special intent this weekend.

The troupe will, for starters, celebrate the 25th anniversary of Ronald K. Brown’s “Grace,” which depicts a journey to the promised land accompanied by Duke Ellington’s “Come Sunday.” Also on the docket are three world premiere pieces: “Sacred Songs” by Matthew Rushing, “Finding Free” by Hope Boykin” and “Many Angels” by Lar Lubovitch.

Rounding out the program will be a new production of Elisa Monte’s “Treading” and the company’s signature piece, “Revelations.”

Performances take place at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 14; 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 15; and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 16 at the Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway St. 313-237-7464 or detroitopera.org.

By JOSH BOAK, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he will double his planned tariffs on steel and aluminum from 25% to 50% for Canada, escalating a trade war with the United States’ northern neighbor.

Trump said on social media that the increase of the tariffs set to take effect on Wednesday is a response to the price increases that the provincial government of Ontario put on electricity sold to the United States.

“I have instructed my Secretary of Commerce to add an ADDITIONAL 25% Tariff, to 50%, on all STEEL and ALUMINUM COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES FROM CANADA, ONE OF THE HIGHEST TARIFFING NATIONS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD,” Trump posted Tuesday on Truth Social.

The U.S. president has given a variety of explanations for his antagonism of Canada, saying that his separate 25% tariffs are about fentanyl smuggling and voicing objections to Canada putting high taxes on dairy imports that penalize U.S. farmers. But he continued to call for Canada to become part of the United States as a solution, a form of taunting that has infuriated Canadian leaders.

“The only thing that makes sense is for Canada to become our cherished Fifty First State,” Trump posted on Tuesday. “This would make all Tariffs, and everything else, totally disappear.”

The U.S. stock market promptly fell following his social media post, triggering more concerns after a brutal selloff on Monday that puts Trump under pressure to show he has a legitimate plan to grow the economy instead of perhaps pushing it into a recession.

Trump was set to deliver a Tuesday afternoon address to the Business Roundtable, a trade association of CEOs that during the 2024 campaign he wooed with the promise of lower corporate tax rates for domestic manufacturers. But his tariffs on Canada, Mexico, China, steel, aluminum — with plans for more to possibly come on Europe, Brazil, South Korea, pharmaceutical drugs, copper, lumber and computer chips — would amount to a massive tax hike.

The stock market’s vote of no confidence over the past two weeks puts the president in a bind between his enthusiasm for taxing imports and his brand as a politician who understands business based on his own experiences in real estate, media and marketing.

Harvard University economist Larry Summers, a former treasury secretary for the Clinton administration, on Monday put the odds of a recession at 50-50.

“All the emphasis on tariffs and all the ambiguity and uncertainty has both chilled demand and caused prices to go up,” Summers posted on X. “We are getting the worst of both worlds – concerns about inflation and an economic downturn and more uncertainty about the future and that slows everything.”

The investment bank Goldman Sachs revised down its growth forecast for this year to 1.7% from 2.2% previously. It modestly increased its recession probability to 20% “because the White House has the option to pull back policy changes if downside risks begin to look more serious.”

Trump has tried to assure the public that his tariffs would cause a bit of a “transition” to the economy, with the taxes prodding more companies to begin the years-long process of relocating factories to the United States to avoid the tariffs. But he set off alarms in an interview broadcast on Sunday in which he didn’t rule out a possible recession.

“I hate to predict things like that,” Trump said on Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures.” ”There is a period of transition, because what we’re doing is very big. We’re bringing wealth back to America. That’s a big thing. And there are always periods of — it takes a little time. It takes a little time. But I don’t — I think it should be great for us. I mean, I think it should be great.”

The promise of great things ahead did not eliminate anxiety, with the S&P 500 stock index tumbling 2.7% on Monday in an unmistakable Trump slump that has erased the market gains that greeted his victory in November 2024. The S&P 500 index fell roughly 0.4% in Tuesday morning trading.

The White House after the markets closed on Monday highlighted that the tariffs were prompting companies such as Honda, Volkswagen and Volvo to consider new investments in U.S. factories.

It issued a statement that Trump’s combination of tariffs, deregulations and increased energy production had led industry leaders to promise to “create thousands of new jobs.”

The significance of thousands of additional jobs was unclear, as the U.S. economy added 2.2 million jobs last year alone, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

ALEX VEIGA, The Associated Press

Detroit-based mortgage lender Rocket Cos. has agreed to acquire online real estate brokerage Redfin in an all-stock deal valued at $1.75 billion.

The transaction, announced Monday, gives one of the nation’s largest mortgage lenders an in-house network of more than 2,000 real estate agents across 42 states and Redfin’s popular home and rental housing listings platform, which draws nearly 50 million monthly visitors.

The deal values Redfin at $12.50 per share. Shares in Seattle-based Redfin soared 68.5% in morning trading to $9.81 per share, while shares in Detroit-based Rocket Cos. slumped 15%.

Rocket expects the acquisition will save the company $140 million in costs by eliminating duplicative operations and other expenses. Rocket also anticipates the move will boost revenue by more than $60 million by enabling the company to connect its clients with Redfin’s agents and, ultimately, offering those customers other real estate services that Rocket provides, including title insurance and loan servicing.

Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman is expected to remain at the helm of the real estate brokerage, reporting to Rocket’s CEO, the companies said.

Under the terms of the deal, each share of Redfin common stock will be exchanged for a fixed ratio of 0.7926 shares of Rocket Cos. Class A common stock, which represents a premium of 63% over the volume weighted average price of Redfin’s common stock for the 30 days ended March 7.

Once finalized, current Rocket Cos. shareholders will own roughly 95% of the combined company on a fully diluted basis, while Redfin shareholders will own about 5%, the companies said.

The companies’ board of directors have already approved the transaction, though Redfin shareholders still have to sign off on the sale. The companies expect the transaction to close in the second or third quarter this year.

The post Garlin Gilchrist announces Democratic bid to become Michigan’s first Black governor appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

The Pontiac woman facing felonies for allegedly abandoning her three children to live in a filth-ridden home for years has been charged with additional crimes.

As announced Tuesday by the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, three counts of welfare fraud are filed against Kelli Bryant, in addition to the three charges of first-degree child abuse filed against her last month.

Bryant, 34, is accused of collecting $29,397 from January 2022 through February 2025 in support payments by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services while the children were living alone. It’s alleged Bryant abandoned the children in 2020 or 2021.

The prosecutor’s office said a review of Bryant’s MDHHS payments showed the overpayment, leading to the charges.

Prosecutor Karen McDonald said the alleged fraud indicates Bryant stole from her children.

“The defendant appears to have effectively abandoned her children while collecting their public assistance,” McDonald stated in a news release. “This crime is, first and foremost, a theft from Kelli Bryant’s children. These resources were intended to ensure they had the basic necessities denied to them. The children deserved better.”

Welfare fraud more than $500 is punishable by up to four years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine. For the first-degree child abuse charges, Bryant faces up to life in prison if convicted.

The case against Bryant unfolded in February after deputies were called to a residence on Lydia Lane in the Stonegate Pointe townhomes for a welfare check and found Bryant’s children, a 15-year-old boy and his sisters, ages 13 and 12, hiding inside. The townhome was filled with large piles of garbage, mold and human waste throughout, had an overflowing toilet and a feces-filled bathtub, officials said. It was described as “uninhabitable.”

When rescued, the girls were covered in feces, and all three children had matted hair and toenails several inches long making it difficult to walk, officials said.

Bryant had reportedly been arranging for food to be dropped off at the home each week, but toilet paper, soap and hygiene products were never provided, officials said. The children, who’ve since been placed with relatives, hadn’t gone to school for years.

Bryant is held in the Oakland County Jail, with bond set at $50,000 — recently reduced from the $250 million bond set at her Feb. 20 arraignment for the child abuse charges.

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By ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON, Associated Press

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security skipped a fully competitive bidding process to give two Republican-linked firms the first part of a $200 million television ad campaign that lauds President Donald Trump for his crackdown on illegal immigration.

DHS told news outlets last month that it had undergone a “competitive procurement process” for the campaign. But in a document posted Friday on a federal database, the department said Trump’s declaration of a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border constitutes “an unusual and compelling urgency,” a circumstance that allows federal agencies to bypass the usual competitive process.

The ads feature Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in a blue suit standing with a backdrop of American flags thanking Trump. The ads have caught some attention as they mix campaign-style images of Trump signing executive orders and flying on Air Force One with clips of large groups of migrants crossing the Rio Grande and police cars with sirens blaring.

Noem warns immigrants to leave the U.S. or not to come. “If you are here illegally, we will find you and deport you. You will never return,” she says in one of the videos.

One of the winning firms is People Who Think, LLC, which is owned by Jay Connaughton, a Louisiana-based political consultant who served as media adviser for Trump’s 2016 campaign. Connaughton appeared to have worked as recently as October 2023 with former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski in the campaign of Jeff Landry, for governor of Louisiana. Lewandowski, a longtime Noem adviser going back to her tenure as South Dakota governor, mentioned him in a post on X as part of the team that helped elect Landry.

The other firm selected for the contract was Safe America Media, LLC, which was incorporated in Delaware a few days before the solicitation with an address to a property owned by Republican consultant Mike McElwain. Safe America Media has already been awarded $16 million for the ad buy.

Connaughton and McElwain did not respond to messages and calls seeking comment. DHS still called it a “competitive process” in a statement provided to The Associated Press.

“Following a competitive process with multiple companies competing to deliver the best service, product, and price for American taxpayers, Safe America Media and People Who Think both earned a shared contract for this targeted national and international campaign,” it said. “Multiple career government officials oversaw this competitive procurement process.”

The document posted on a federal contracting database reads in part: “DHS requires an immediate domestic and international campaign to direct illegal aliens within the U.S. and its territories to leave immediately, and to discourage illegal immigration into the country.”

DHS reviewed industry publications and vendors specializing on hyper-targeted media and advertising services and narrowed its search down to four companies that were able to work immediately.

“Any delay in providing these critical communications to the public will increase the spread of misinformation,” the document says.

Noem shared the story behind the ad campaign at the Conservative Political Action Conference last month. She said she had suggested conducting more news conferences to keep the public posted on its immigration actions, but Trump asked for those ads “to make sure the American people know the truth of what you’re doing.”

“But he said, ‘I want the first ad, I want you to thank me. I want you to thank me for closing the border.’ I said, ‘Yes, sir. I will thank you for closing the border.’”

Most of the money spent so far in airing the ads has been on English-language TV stations with more than $2 million, compared to the $360,000 spent to air them in Spanish-language stations around the country, data from ad-tracking firm AdImpact shows.

The data shows it has aired the most in TV stations in Phoenix, Boston, Los Angeles, New York and Dallas. It has also been tracked running on Fox News in larger markets, with most airings captured in the Washington and Philadelphia areas.

Associated Press writer Byron Tau in Washington contributed to this report.

A Pontiac mother who allegedly abandoned her children for years and left them living alone is now facing more charges.

Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald announced Tuesday that 34-year-old Kelli Bryant is charged with three counts of welfare fraud. That's in addition to the three counts of first-degree child abuse.

Prosecutors say that a review of Bryant's support payments from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services alleges an overpayment  obtained by fraud  of $29,397 from January 2022 through February 2025.

You can watch the full arraignment on the child abuse charges in the video below

Mom in Pontiac abandonment case gets $250M bond on child abuse charges

Bryant also cannot have any contact with the three children, or contact with anyone under the age of 18.

"So, Ms. Bryant, I want you to understand, any phone calls from the jail are recorded. Should the court find out youre sending messages to engage in further fear tactics or intimidation of the children, your phone privileges would be removed," the judge said.

"The three children in this case suffered unimaginable abuse and neglect over a long period of time," McDonald said.

ORIGINAL STORY: Pontiac mother arrested after abandoning children in home for 4-5 years Pontiac mother arrested after abandoning children in home for 4-5 years

The prosecutor said they will also be seeking to terminate Bryant's parental rights. McDonald released the mother's name during a Wednesday afternoon news conference announcing the charges.

Bryant could face up to life in prison if convicted. She will be formally arraigned on the charges on Thursday.

Officers conducting a recent welfare check on the home in search of the mother found the children living alone. Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said the landlord notified them because he hadn't heard from her since December and hadn't received rent since October.

Related Video: Watch Oakland County prosecutor announce charges in this case RAW VIDEO: Prosecutor Karen McDonald announces child abuse charges in Pontiac case

First responders said that 4-foot piles of garbage were found in some rooms. Mold and human excrement were found throughout the house. Bouchard said the toilet had stopped working, and the bathtub was filled with feces.

He called the case "very horrific."

Law enforcement said that the children had not attended school since their abandonment, which is believed to have been sometime around 2020-2021, passing the time watching television or playing games. It was reported that the girls had not been outside the home for several years, with the boy sleeping on a mattress on the floor while the girls slept on pizza boxes.

The prosecutor said the children were hiding when police arrived and were afraid to speak to them.

Press conference: Sheriff Michael Bouchard updates abandoned children case RAW VIDEO: Sheriff Michael Bouchard updates abandoned children case.

The children were taken to the hospital for evaluation, reportedly with soiled clothes, matted hair and toenails so long that it was difficult to walk.

"We say a lot this is the worst Ive ever seen' and Ive stopped saying that, because every time I say that, I see something worse," McDonald said.

Bouchard said the children are making great strides since beginning to receive care. They have been forensically interviewed by professionals at CARE House of Oakland County. They were also seen once at McLaren Oakland Hospital. Bouchard said they will also receive a much more in-depth physical and mental health checkup in the near future.

Neighbors told police they did see a woman drop off stuff at the home from time to time, but they never saw the kids leave the house.

Bouchard said that the boy only left the house a few times; he reportedly only did so twice, once to just "touch the grass" and then to go out to get the mail.

Bouchard called the revelation the boy just wanted to feel the grass "by itself, heartbreaking."

"You wouldn't do this to an animal, let alone your child," Bouchard said. "So, just to hear that he came outside to touch the grass is just crushing, soul-crushing on so many levels."

Bouchard said they are working to determine how the kids fell through the cracks in this case, and is proposing legislation that would close the gap with moving children to different schools that allowed this to happen. He says that a school in Pontiac received a request for transcripts, but the school that sent it never confirmed the children were enrolled there before dropping them off their enrollment rolls.

During his news conference, Bouchard said they had received enough clothing for the children and that they are "shifting" to financial support for the children. They have set up donations through Mission Oakland and are currently looking for a law firm that can set up a trust for the children to administer any funds.

Related video: Sheriff Bouchard proposes change to state law after Pontiac kids neglect case Sheriff Bouchard proposes change to state law after Pontiac kids neglect case

"I will say, we have one of the most generous communities, I think, in the world," Bouchard said.

If you know a child who is being neglected or abused, you can make a report to the state by calling 855-444-3911 and find more info at this link.

Metro Detroit drivers heading home from Up North this spring and early summer will have to detour around the Zilwaukee Bridge in Saginaw County.

According to the Michigan Department of Transportation, southbound I-75 and the Zilwaukee Bridge will be closed starting Monday, April 14 through Friday, June 27. The highway will be closed from Kochville to Wadsworth Rd. for the work.

MDOT said southbound I-75 will be closed and detoured to southbound I-675 from the I-675 junction north of Kochville Road to the southbound I-75/I-675 interchange south of Wadsworth Road.

The southbound I-75 ramp to Adams Street will be closed, as well as the Adams Street ramp to southbound I-75.

Traffic will be detoured via southbound I-675 and Tittabawassee Road (Exit 6) to Adams Street, and vice versa. The northbound I-675 ramp to southbound I-75 will also be closed. Traffic will be detoured via northbound I-75, M-84 (Exit 160), southbound I-75 and southbound I-675 to southbound I-75.

MDOT said stage 1 work on southbound I-75 will be completed by June 27. Stage 2 work on the northbound lanes is set to begin July 14.

Here at 7 News Detroit, we want to make sure you start your day off on the right foot, informed about weather, traffic, the latest news and more. That's why we have the 7 Morning Digest, where we'll get you out the door informed and ready to go.

What's the weather for today? Metro Detroit Weather: A warm week ahead

Clouds will increase Tuesday as a dry cold front moves through. It's a dry cold front so we won't see any rain or snow, but temperatures will drop behind it. Temperatures slide into the mid to upper 20s Wednesday morning, with highs in the mid to upper 40s Wednesday.

Dry weather continues for the final two days of the workweek with highs climbing back into the 60s!

A storm system moves in this weekend bringing the return of rain across Metro Detroit.

Any traffic issues?

There is a crash involving a vehicle and a school bus near the exit ramp of the southbound Lodge Freeway at Wyoming that has the exit ramp closed and traffic backed up for miles. Be sure to check a live traffic map here.

The top stories to know about Unpaid toll texts: What you need to know as the BBB calls it an 'emerging scam' Unpaid toll texts: What you need to know as the BBB calls it an 'emerging scam'

Has your phone been blowing up with texts about unpaid toll bills? Mine sure has, and the same is true for many of us at 7 News Detroit.

We decided to ask about it on the WXYZ Facebook page, and we got more than 4,000 comments from people across Michigan and others out of state.

Maisha Floyd of Detroit received two text messages last week saying she had an unpaid toll bill. The first one had a +63 country code number at the top, indicating it was from the Philippines. The EZ Pass one came from an odd Outlook account and warned, "if you fail to pay by March 6, you will face penalties and legal action. Normally, she would have ignored these.

But, Floyd said she has recently traveled and used toll roads in Texas, Kansas and New Mexico.

"I've never been through a toll, and I didn't know what to expect. So, when I got the text message, I didn't think anything about it," she said.

The Better Business Bureau warned about this scam in January after the organization named it one of the emerging scams of 2024.

"In our latest scam tracker report, it showed we had about 800 people report this to us," Melanie McGovern, a spokesperson for the BBB said.

So, how can you avoid text message phishing scams? The BBB says:

Look for red flags like an out-of-country area code or odd email address Don't use any links provided Search for toll agencies directly Know these agencies do not send text messages requesting payment 'Why not try to help?' Michigan State student receives kidney from fellow Spartan's mom 'Why not try to help?' MSU student receives kidney from fellow Spartan's mom

The most selfless thing you can do is donate your organ to a complete stranger. For Michelle Doer, that is exactly what she did for Michigan State University student Liam Clegg, who was in desperate need of a kidney.

We met Liam four months ago when he was in late-stage kidney failure, and he and his family were anxiously searching for a match to save Liam's life.

Shortly after, Liam met his donor match: Michelle Doer. Overall, he received over 180 donor applications from all over the country.

Michelle said she saw a post about Liam's urgent search for a kidney donor on Facebook and decided to send in an application.

Really seeing Liams story, it was just kind of like, you know, this kid has so much life ahead of him like why not try to help however I can," said Michelle.

Little did they know, they had a lot more in common than they thought.

Liam and Michelle don't just live in the same town, but Michelle's daughter, Ella, and Liam are both students at MSU.

It made it even more special honestly that I was gonna be receiving this from somebody that I already have connections with and know through people," said Liam.

February 12 was the day Liam received the gift of life. He said he was relieved that the wait for a new kidney was over, and he could finally start getting back to a normal life.

Its definitely a hefty undertaking, I think there should be no shorting that, but youre giving life to another person youre giving a life back. Its a lot for you, but for them, you're giving the world, said Liam.

How Michigan's restaurant industry has changed 5 years since COVID-19 broke out How Michigan's restaurant industry has changed 5 years since COVID-19 broke out

Monday marked exactly five years since the first case of COVID-19 broke out in Michigan. Since then, Michigans restaurant industry has faced challenges, with some restaurants closing their doors forever.

Tara Young is the proud owner of 44 Burrito in Lathrup Village, specializing in Mexican food with her own special soul food twist. Young works long hours and helps out with every job behind the scenes, because she has to.

"Finding employees is very, very difficult," she said.

Like many restaurants, Young struggled during the pandemic. She opened up 44 Burrito about 12 years ago out of her love and passion for cooking. She says the last five have been the most difficult.

"A lot of nights, I think about throwing in the towel," she said.

Not finding workers and the rising costs of food are just a few of the reasons why Young is thinking of closing her doors for good. And shes not the only one.

"COVID's had a long tail. It's five years later and we are still seeing restaurant closures that tie themselves to the challenges post-COVID," Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association President and CEO Justin Winslow said.

According to the MRLA, over 2,000 restaurants closed down in Michigan directly related to the difficulties during and after the pandemic. But being able to adapt has helped. That includes having outdoor dining options.

One day, my owner came up to me and said 'hey, I got a great idea for next year. Lets have igloos.' And it kind of snowballed from there," the manager of Deadwood Bar and Grill in Northville, Lee Opalewski, said.

The Long Island brush fires that startled communities across Suffolk County over the weekend were likely caused by a person attempting to cook s’mores in their backyard, officials said Monday.

One person was using cardboard while attempting to make s’mores in the backyard of a Center Moriches home, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said Monday.

The person struggled to create a flame for the toasted marshmallow dessert due to the winds but accidentally set their backyard on fire, Catalina said at a press conference. Firefighters doused the flames at the home by around 10:30 a.m.

However, embers from the initial blaze were blown southeast by strong winds out of the northwest, sparking the fires that eventually sent smoke soaring into the sky, Catalina said. The first 911 calls about the larger brush fires came in just before 1 p.m.

“All of those fires are in a direct line with the strong northwest wind that was blowing that day,” Catalina said. “We feel very, very strongly that this is an accidental fire.”

A massive response from local firefighters kept the brush fires south of Sunrise Highway, part of which was closed on Saturday as crews battled the flames.

By Monday morning, all visible flames had been extinguished and smoke-eaters were taking preventative measures to stop new fires from sparking. Conditions on Long Island are expected to remain dry throughout the week.

“This was a fire that could’ve been far more serious than it was,” Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said.

 

Two firefighters were injured battling the flames but released from the hospital by Sunday afternoon. Two commercial buildings were damaged, but no residential structures were harmed.

Gov. Hochul instituted a burn ban for New York City and Long Island on Sunday, one week earlier than usual. Romaine had his own blunt advice at Monday’s press conference: “Don’t cook s’mores.”

When Illinois coach Brad Underwood met with reporters Friday night at the State Farm Center, he was asked where his confidence level stood after the Illini closed the regular season with an 88-80 victory over then-No. 18 Purdue.

“It grew a lot tonight,” Underwood said at his postgame news conference. “Just simply the confidence to win a close game when things are really, really hard against an unbelievably good opponent and a team that has the best offense in the league, to get stops when you need them. To find enough moxie when you’re down four or five and to make plays, man, my confidence is really high.”

After a bumpy patch in mid-February, the Illini finished the regular season with three straight convincing victories: against Iowa, at then-No. 15 Michigan and the finale at home against the Boilermakers, who had won five straight in the rivalry.

The Illini — who reentered the AP rankings at No. 24 on Monday — hope that confidence and momentum will carry over this week to the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis, where they are the No. 7 seed and will take on the Iowa-Ohio State winner at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

A team that dealt with injuries and illness for several weeks in January and February has been healthier, though freshman center Morez Johnson Jr. remained out with a broken wrist Friday.

Underwood credited the leadership of junior guards Kylan Boswell and Tre White with helping pull the Illini out of their funk following a 110-67 loss to then-No. 3 Duke on Feb. 22 at Madison Square Garden.

White had 20 points and nine rebounds against Purdue, and Boswell added 15 points and five assists. Their improved play has helped supplement the Illini’s best player, freshman guard Kasparas Jakučionis, who’s averaging 15.2 points.

“It’s just a matter of some guys stepping up,” Underwood said. “After the New York game (against Duke), they didn’t want to pitch a tent and say we’re done. They decided to fight, and that’s who we are. That’s what we’re about, being an everyday guy.”

Here’s a look at what else to watch in the new-look Big Ten Tournament field, which consists of the top 15 of the conference’s 18 teams.

The favorite

Michigan State already had clinched the Big Ten regular-season championship when it took the floor against Michigan on Sunday at the Breslin Center. But that didn’t stop the Spartans from putting on a show on senior day, cruising to a 79-62 victory to punctuate coach Tom Izzo’s 11th Big Ten title.

At 26-5 overall and 17-3 in the conference, Michigan State is the No. 1 seed this week and the Big Ten’s clear favorite to make noise in March. The Spartans have a double bye and don’t begin tournament play until Friday’s quarterfinals.

They went through a rough patch of three losses in four games to USC, UCLA and Indiana earlier in conference play. But starting with a Feb. 15 victory over Illinois in Champaign, the Spartans won seven straight to end the regular season.

Freshman guard Jase Richardson has scored 15 or more points in four of the last five games to lead Michigan State’s surge. Izzo made a case to reporters before the Michigan game that Richardson should be considered for Big Ten freshman of the year, especially given his play over nine starts to end the season.

“There can’t be many guys that I’ve coached that are as efficient and confident — not cocky, not arrogant, but believing in himself,” Izzo said. “It’s hard to find that happy medium.”

Next in line

No. 2 seed Maryland, No. 3 Michigan and No. 4 UCLA also earned double byes into the quarterfinals.

Maryland would await the Illini should they win their second-round game. The teams’ lone meeting this season didn’t go well for Illinois, which lost 91-70 in Champaign.

Like Michigan State, Maryland has been on a hot streak, finishing the regular season with seven wins in eight games — the only loss coming to the Spartans — and 11 wins in 13 games.

Maryland’s starting lineup of Derik Queen, Julian Reese, Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Rodney Rice and Selton Miguel — each averaging more than 12 points — has earned the moniker “The Crab Five.” The group’s scoring average of 69.5 points is the highest among major-conference programs. Queen leads the way with 15.7 points per game.

Northwestern squeaks in

Northwestern lost its final two regular-season games to UCLA and Maryland but did enough during a three-game winning streak before that to nab the No. 13 seed.

The Wildcats will face 12th-seeded Minnesota in the first round at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. Northwestern  beat the Gophers 75-63 on Feb. 25 in Minneapolis.

Junior forward Nick Martinelli scored 28 points in the loss to Maryland, shooting 8-for-19 from the field and 11-for-11 from the free-throw line. That helped him finish the regular season as the Big Ten scoring leader with 20.2 points per game.

He has scored 15 or more points in 16 straight games to help keep Northwestern competitive despite season-ending injuries to veteran leaders Brooks Barnhizer and Jalen Leach.

“If you don’t see that Nick Martinelli is one of the very best players in this league, then I don’t know what you’re watching,” coach Chris Collins told reporters after the Maryland game. “What’s happened to him this year with his two running mates going down — Brooks Barnhizer, 18 (points) a game; Jalen Leach, 15 a game — for him to come out and lead us to four wins in the last 10 with a bunch of young guys that really weren’t even in our rotation, to me that’s a sign of a heck of a player.

“He’s a warrior, man. I love that he’s on my team.”

Other player to watch

Purdue’s Braden Smith was the Big Ten preseason player of the year in October, and he has lived up to the billing. The 6-foot guard, who will be playing in the tournament not far from his hometown of Westfield, Ind., is averaging 16.3 points, 8.8 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 2.3 steals.

Smith was one rebound shy of a triple-double against Illinois with 18 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds, and Purdue coach Matt Painter sang his praises after the game.

“In my opinion, he’s the best player in this league,” Painter said. “They call it the most valuable player, right? He’s pretty valuable. Like, who rebounds like him? Who gets assists like him? Who scores like him? You know, he leads the league in steals.

“Like, he’s pretty good. For a guy that had one high-major offer, he’s damn good.”

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Big Ten Tournament

Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis

Wednesday’s games

• (12) Minnesota vs. (13) Northwestern, 2:30 p.m., Peacock
• (10) Ohio State vs. (15) Iowa, 5 p.m., Peacock
• (11) Rutgers vs. (14) USC, 7:30 p.m., Peacock

Thursday’s games

• (8) Oregon vs. (9) Indiana, 11 a.m., BTN
• (5) Wisconsin vs. Minnesota/Northwestern, 1:30 p.m., BTN
• (7) Illinois vs. Ohio State/Iowa, 5:30 p.m., BTN
• (6) Purdue vs. Rutgers/USC, 8 p.m. BTN

Friday’s quarterfinals

• (1) Michigan State vs. Oregon/Indiana, 11 a.m., BTN
• (4) UCLA vs. Wisconsin/Minnesota/Northwestern, 1:30 p.m., BTN
• (2) Maryland vs. Illinois/Ohio State/Iowa, 5:30 p.m., BTN
• (3) Michigan vs. Purdue/Rutgers/USC, 8 p.m., BTN

Saturday’s semifinals

• Noon and 2:30 p.m., CBS-2

Sunday’s final

• 2:30 p.m., CBS-2