Less than a decade after their merger, Keurig and Dr Pepper plan to become separate companies again.

Keurig Dr Pepper said Monday it is buying the owner of Peet's Coffee for $18 billion (15.7 billion euro). Then it will break itself in two, with one company selling coffee and the other selling cold beverages like Snapple, Dr Pepper, 7UP and energy drinks.

The agreement unwinds the 2018 merger of Keurig and Dr Pepper. Shares of Keurig Dr Pepper fell 11% in afternoon trading Monday.

Investors were concerned about the company's plan to finance the acquisition with a mix of cash and debt. S&P Global placed Keurig Dr Pepper on a credit watch with negative implications Monday, saying it was concerned about the increase in debt and the complexity of the two-step transaction.

Keurig Dr Pepper CEO Timothy Cofer said the separate coffee and beverage businesses would be more nimble and better able to focus on growth opportunities in their own markets.

Following the separation, each stand-alone entity will lead its industry with a sharp strategic focus and with operating models that are finely calibrated to their unique categories and markets, Cofer said Monday during a conference call with investors.

The combination with Peets parent JDE Peets, which is based in Amsterdam, significantly expands Keurig's presence beyond North America, where it's known for its single-serve coffee machines. JDE Peet's owns the brands LOR, Jacobs, Douwe Egberts, Kenco, Pilao, OldTown, Super and Moccona.

RELATED STORY | Dr Pepper is now the second biggest soda brand, surpassing Pepsi

Cofer said the combined coffee business will generate $16 billion in annual net sales. The combined buying power will help Keurig and Peet's compete with other large coffee players like Nestle and Starbucks, especially as rising demand and poor weather conditions push coffee prices near record highs.

Cofer said the coffee company will also be able to focus on meeting demand, especially in developing markets. Around 40% of the company's sales will come from North America, 40% from Europe and 20% from emerging markets.

We like, and I like, the coffee category. Why? Its huge. Its ubiquitous, Cofer said. Obviously, weve up to this point focused on North America. But the global data shows coffee is consistently growing on a volume basis above population.

The merger could also help the company cushion the impact of U.S. tariffs. President Donald Trump imposed a 50% tariff this summer on most imports from Brazil the worlds leading coffee producer for an investigation of its former president, Jair Bolsonaro, a Trump ally.

In a conference call with investors in July, Cofer said the impact of tariffs would be more prominent in the second half of this year.

Meanwhile, sales of Dr Pepper's traditional soft drinks have been slowing as health-conscious consumers look for new alternatives. The newly formed beverage company, with $11 billion in annual sales in the U.S. and Mexico, can continue to pivot to its faster-growing beverages, like the energy drinks Ghost and C4 and the hydration drink Electrolit.

The companies said they expect to save around $400 million over three years because of the merger, which is expected to close in the first half of 2026.

Once the two companies are separated, Cofer will become CEO of the cold beverage business, which will be based in Frisco, Texas. Keurig Dr Pepper's chief financial officer, Sudhanshu Priyadarshi, will lead the coffee business, which will be located in Burlington, Mass. Its international headquarters will be in Amsterdam.

The deal is the latest big maneuver in the food and beverage industry, which has been trying to keep up with changing consumer tastes.

In 2023, Kellogg Co. split into two companies. Mars bought Kellanova, the owner of snack brands like Pringles, last year. Italian confectioner Ferrero announced in July that it planned to buy WK Kellogg, the cereal company.

Struggling Kraft Heinz has also been considering a split.

Companies have also been snapping up fast-growing brands. Keurig Dr Pepper's rival PepsiCo acquired the prebiotic soda brand Poppi in March to gain a foothold in the fast-growing functional beverage space. And in July, Keurig Dr Pepper acquired Dyla, a maker of powdered drink mixes and water enhancers.

EAST LANSING — When Michigan State banned alcohol at Munn Field tailgates in 1998, the decision frustrated students so much as to lead to rioting. Two decades later, tailgating on the field was banned completely. Now, a Michigan State gameday tradition is back in action.

Michigan State athletics announced Monday morning that Munn Field will host food and alcohol vendors for the 2025 season, which begins Friday with a 7 p.m. kickoff against Western Michigan.

“We’re excited to introduce The Munn Tailgate as a pregame destination for Spartans of all ages,” athletic director J Batt said in a statement circulated by MSU Athletics. “Gameday traditions, including tailgating and the pregame experience, are an important part of what makes Michigan State football gamedays special. I’m confident The Munn Tailgate will quickly become a pregame tradition for many, providing food, drinks and fun for the entire family, and adding to the energy around Spartan Stadium.”

Batt was brought in this June as the first external hire at athletic director in more than 30 years, with a string of predecessors opting to limit tailgating, at the very least those furnished with alcohol, on campus sites. It took less than three months for Batt, a known revenue generator, to make a shockwave.

Munn tailgates were beloved among those alumni who attended Michigan State during its heyday. Couches and kegs were common accessories, with fans gathering at the field that’s located south of Munn Ice Arena and a stone’s throw to the southwest of Spartan Stadium.

In 1994, Michigan State banned kegs on Munn Field but allowed bottled and canned alcohol on site. That lasted until 1998, when alcohol was banned in its entirety. The decision caused uproar among students, leading to rioting on campus in May 1998. Police officers used tear gas to disperse students when the protest flowed onto Grand River Avenue in East Lansing, where they caused property damage. By 2018, all tailgating on the field was ceased.

This season’s Munn tailgates are far more controlled than their predecessors of yesteryear. The 517 Beer Garden will host multiple alcohol and food vendors for fans to access. Service begins four hours before kickoff and ends 30 minutes before the start of games. Fans looking to access the field will need a pass from the MSU athletic department.

“Counting on a record-sized student section this coming Friday to add to our energy and create a home-field advantage,” Michigan State football coach Jonathan Smith said Monday. “… Some unique, cool things at the tailgate at Munn Field that’s going to take place on Friday. So just a lot going on to add to the excitement of this particular game and this season.”

Martinez, Ahmetbasic game-time decisions

Safety Nikai Martinez and kicker Tarik Ahmetbasic — two of Michigan State’s starters — are injured heading into the season, and they’ll be game-time decisions Friday.

Depth behind Martinez softens the blow, including returners Malik Spencer, Justin Denson Jr. and Armorion Smith in addition to Bowling Green standout Tracy Revels. Michigan State plans to rotate defensive backs anyway, with a lot of different players auditioning in live reps for more secure spots later in the season.

It’s a little thinner at kicker, where the Spartans will utilize third-stringer Blake Sislo, a redshirt senior from Dexter who transferred from GLIAC school Davenport and has never kicked in a game.

Last year, the Spartans could turn to Jonathan Kim for its kicking needs, the transfer’s leg scoring 79 out of 232 points. Not having that kind of reliability at a key position creates some difficulties, especially when the offense struggled in the red zone a year ago and ranked 115th with a 75.7% conversion rate.

“Big old leg, extremely high confidence. Yeah, that changes your approach,” Smith said. “You get into the high red zone, we’ll call it, I don’t know, the 30- 40-yard line. And his distance, he had a big leg. And so depending on who’s our kicker this week will, we’ll call it impact, decision making and play calling on offense.”

At long snapper, Kaden Schickel continues to progress from his season-ending knee injury last season. He wasn’t active much in fall camp, and Smith said he expects Hudsonville true freshman long snapper Jack Wills to be the backup.

Not all of the injury news was bad. Jack Velling, the starting tight end, spent most of fall camp out of his pads with an injury. Smith expects him to be good to go for Friday, having been a full participant in recent practices.

WMU QB battle complicates prep

Michigan State didn’t have to worry much about who its quarterback will be this season with Aidan Chiles back for a second year as its starter. Its opponent, though, is still figuring out who’s going to be under center.

The competition is down to returner Broc Lowry and JUCO transfer Brady Jones, but Western Michigan’s quarterback duel is still undecided as of Monday. That poses some interesting wrinkles for Michigan State’s game prep.

“Prepared for both,” Smith said. “We can look at junior college tape, and we’ve done some of that. Obviously it’s a little bit of tape on the other one and the competition.”

Lowry played in 11 games last season as a redshirt freshman and threw for 21 yards on 4-for-8 completions. He really made his mark as a scrambler, rushing for 129 yards and three touchdowns on 24 attempts.

Jones is far more experienced, throwing for 4,456 yards and 44 touchdowns on 64% completion at Riverside Community College in California. His season ended in a 37-35 loss to Mt. San Antonio in the Southern California Football Association championship, throwing for 331 yards and a touchdown in the game.

Western Michigan coach Lance Taylor said Monday that both quarterbacks will play in Friday’s game, with a plan to split series and evaluate who may be the full-time starter the rest of the season.

“I think each one of them possesses something that we can use and that gives our offense a different edge,” Taylor said. “And so as we go into Week 1, we want to continue to evaluate that competition with live game, with live reps and really evaluate it as we go into the game.”

“I think both of them have unique skill sets,” Smith said. “One of them may be a little bit more physical, athletic, can run. The other one has thrown the ball for thousands of yards. So we’re prepared for both.”

DETROIT ― Following weeks of uncertainty surrounding the future of the Michigan Panthers, including speculation about possible relocation out of the state, the United Football League’s new co-owner said Monday that he’s “trying” to find a solution that could keep the Panthers from moving.

Mike Repole, who joined the ownership group of the UFL at the end of July, posted on X on Monday that the Panthers’ current venue, Ford Field, is the biggest obstacle for the franchise, and said he is monitoring the situation with Detroit City FC’s new stadium as a potential solution down the road.

Detroit City FC is spending $150 million to build a 15,000-seat stadium, which is scheduled to open in southwest Detroit in 2027. The soccer club released renderings and the stadium’s name earlier this month.

“I’m a big fan of Michigan Panthers and the @USFLPanthers,” Repole wrote on X on Monday night, in response to a fan asking about the future of the franchise. “Attendance was up this season but the venue remains the biggest obstacle in the market. Michigan is a passionate football state with a loyal fan base, but the current stadium options create too many challenges.

“That’s why I keep coming back to AlumniFi Field (the new DCFC stadium). I need more info. This is the exact type of venue I have in mind for the future of the (UFL). I’m trying.”

Messages to Detroit City FC officials weren’t immediately returned Monday.

The Panthers have played at Ford Field, also home of the Detroit Lions, for the last three seasons, first as part of the United States Football League, and then as part of the UFL created by the merger of the USFL and XFL. The Panthers survived the merger, which made an eight-team league out of 16 teams from the previous two leagues.

The ownership group of the old USFL liked the prestige of playing at Ford Field; it gave the league some credibility. But the challenges are numerous, including the game-day cost for the league, which is reported to be among the most expensive in the league, if not the most expensive. The optics are another issue. Even though Panthers attendance has been among the best in the league, and has been increasing, that still leaves a lot of empty seats in 65,000-seat Ford Field, which doesn’t look great on television.

The Panthers drew more than 10,000 fans for four of its five home games in 2025, including 16,014 for its last home game, which was Jake Bates bobblehead day. They averaged almost 11,681 fans per home game in 2025, making Michigan the only UFL team to see an increase in attendance last season.

Yet, there have been reports and speculation about the future of the Panthers, whose roots date to the early 1980s and the old UFL. Panthers general manager Steve Kazor and head coach Mike Nolan, among the only remaining employees with the franchise after ticket and marking staff was let go after the season, said they have heard nothing definitive yet about the Panthers’ future. The UFL has declined to make Repole available to The News.

Michigan Panthers fans have started petitions to keep the franchise, and they hope to see the same fate as the Birmingham Stallions, who also were reportedly on the chopping block but have now been confirmed for play in 2025.

The UFL has confirmed at least one new city will be hosting a team in 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. The league website continues to list the eight franchises from 2024, including Michigan.

The Panthers went 6-4 in the regular season in 2025, before losing in the UFL championship game.

Relope, 56, who has a strong background in branding and marketing and also co-founded multiple beverages that sold to Coca-Cola for a combined $10 billion, joined the UFL ownership group that also includes Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Fox, Redbird Capital Partners and Dany Garcia. He’s been tasked to get more fans in the stands and eyes on the broadcasts for a league that’s already bucked the odds in lasting longer than most attempts at launching pro spring football leagues. TV ratings also were down 20% in 2025, from 2024, despite airing on ESPN and Fox platforms.

The product on the field has caught the attention of the NFL, though, with hundreds of UFL players signing some level of contract with NFL teams, 67 this year alone, including Panthers quarterback Bryce Perkins. The MVP in the UFL in 2025, Perkins signed with the Carolina Panthers. Bates is one of the UFL’s best success stories, becoming the Lions’ starting kicker in 2024, after he went viral earlier in the year with his booming kicks for the Panthers at Ford Field.

While electric vehicle (EV) ownership continues to rise, there's still a significant gap in access to public EV charging stations here in Michigan. A new study by Michigan State University shows that Michigan needs $998 millon for EV charging stations throughout the state to keep up with current and future demand.

The question is: who should pay? The government, or electric vehicle companies? I spoke with the researchers and EV drivers about what it will take to address this need in our state.

Watch Peter Maxwell's report in the video player below 'There's a lack of chargers all around': New study shows Michigan needs $998 million for EV charging stations

" I am always thinking 'where's the charger?'" said EV driver Mo Alkhabbaz.

"You get feeling real nervous," said EV driver Dale Domain.

For EV drivers, finding a place to charge can be a chore, especially in Michigan, where charging stations for EVs are hard to come by.

"You're always shuffling, (asking) 'where can I find the charger?'" Alkhabbaz mentioned.

Mo has been test-driving an EV for the last week and has noticed something.

"There's a lack of chargers all around," he told me.

I also met Dale Domain, who took a road trip in his EV to Minnesota last year and mapped out how he would get there in his EV.

"Had done some research ahead of time to see where the charging stations were, but it was something that was on my mind throughout because the range is relatively short," Dale said.

The EV tax credit ends on September 30. Dealers I spoke with said EV sales are soaring with this deadline approaching. It's a trend confirmed by automotive analyst John McElroy.

"We're seeing strong increases in EV sales right now because people are rushing to get one before federal incentives go away," McElroy said. "Not just for new ones but for used ones. Used EV sales are going up faster than new ones."

According to the Michigan Secretary of State, as of June of this year, there are over 85,000 registered EVs on the road right now. That number falls short of the state's goal of 2 million EVs by 2030.

"When these incentives run out at the end of September, we are almost for sure going to see a big drop in sales," McElroy said.

When it comes to the EV charging infrastructure, MSU Professor Mehranz Ghamami told me Michigan is behind. Right now, there are less than 4,000 public EV charing stations available.

"There are still gaps in the network here and there that do not fully support the current one percent market share," Ghamami said.

In a recent study, MSU researchers looked at what the state would need if 25 percent of Michigan drivers chose electric vehicles. The state would need close to $1 billion, or over 66,000 new charging stations.

"25 percent by 2030 is not Feasible at this point," Ghamami said.

The funding would be a mix of federal tax dollars and private investment. Just this month, a federal judge made the Trump administration reverse course, unfreezing $5 billion in previously allocated funds for EV charging infrastructure. Michigan is getting $110 million from this, but it's not just about cost; it's also about coverage rural areas, apartment complexes and public access to keep EV drivers ooving.

"In the Upper Peninsula we definitely need more investment, and also in the northern part of the Lower Peninsula," Ghamami said.

The EV drivers I spike with say tax dollars shouldn't be used to fund the build out of the electric charging grid.

"No, I don't thinnk so, unless it's a grant from the EV makers for them to have infrastructure to make more sales," Alkhabbaz said.

"I think everyone should be paying a fair amount," Domain said. "I don't like seeing other people being forced to subsidize the EV."

Where Your Voice Matters

It has been since May 31 that anyone has hit all six numbers in the multistate Powerball lottery, causing the jackpot to grow with each drawing.

On Monday, the streak of drawings without a winner grew to 37, as no one matched the five white balls and one Powerball. The jackpot was worth $750 million. Without a winner, Wednesday's jackpot will be even larger, making it the biggest jackpot for a Powerball drawing in 2025 and the seventh-largest in the lottery's history.

Wednesday's $815 million jackpot marks the highest for any multistate lottery this year. If someone wins the jackpot, they have the option of choosing the $815 million payment spread over 29 years, or a lump sum worth about $368 million before tax.

The last time the Powerball jackpot exceeded $800 million was on April 6, 2024, when Cheng Charlie Saephan of Oregon hit all six numbers.

Although Monday's drawing did not result in a jackpot winner, two players won at least $1 million by matching all five white ball numbers.

RELATED STORY | Jackpot claimed: About the $1.3 billion Powerball win

The numbers for Monday's drawing were 16, 19, 34, 37, 64 with a Powerball of 22

The odds of winning the jackpot are about 1 in 292 million.

Powerball also offers prizes ranging from $4 to $2 million, and the odds of winning a smaller prize are about 1 in 25.

Powerball is played in 45 states and Washington, D.C.

Since Powerball lengthened the odds of hitting all six numbers in 2015, the multistate lottery has generally had six to nine winners a year. All 10 of its largest jackpots have also occurred since 2015. The largest Powerball jackpot in history was $2.04 billion, won on Nov. 7, 2022.

Today is Tuesday, Aug. 26, the 238th day of 2025. There are 127 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Aug. 26, 1985, 13-year-old AIDS patient Ryan White began “attending” classes at Western Middle School in Kokomo, Indiana via a telephone hook-up at his home, as school officials had barred White from attending classes in person due to his illness.

Also on this date:

In 1939, the first televised major league baseball games were broadcast on experimental station W2XBS: a doubleheader between the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field. The Reds won the first game, 5-2, and the Dodgers the second, 6-1.

In 1944, French Gen. Charles de Gaulle braved the threat of German snipers as he led a victory march in Paris, which had just been liberated by the Allies from Nazi occupation.

In 1958, Alaskans went to the polls to overwhelmingly vote in favor of statehood.

In 1968, the Democratic National Convention opened in Chicago; the four-day event that resulted in the nomination of Hubert H. Humphrey for president was marked by a bloody police crackdown on antiwar protesters in the streets.

In 1972, the summer Olympics opened in Munich, West Germany.

In 1978, Cardinal Albino Luciani (al-BEE’-noh loo-CHYAH’-nee) of Venice was elected pope following the death of Paul VI. The new pontiff, who took the name Pope John Paul I, died just over a month later.

In 1980, the FBI inadvertently detonated a bomb planted at Harvey’s Resort Hotel in Stateline, Nevada, while attempting to disarm it. (The hotel had been evacuated and no injuries were reported but the blast caused significant damage.)

In 2009, kidnapping victim Jaycee Dugard was discovered alive in California after being missing for more than 18 years.

In 2022, an affidavit released by the FBI showed that 14 of the 15 boxes recovered from former President Donald Trump’s Florida estate contained classified documents, many of them top secret, mixed in with miscellaneous newspapers, magazines and personal correspondence.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge is 80.
• R&B singer Valerie Simpson (Ashford & Simpson) is 79.
• Broadcast journalist Bill Whitaker is 74.
• Puzzle creator/editor Will Shortz is 73.
• Jazz musician Branford Marsalis is 65.
• Actor-singer Shirley Manson (Garbage) is 59.
• Actor Melissa McCarthy is 55.
• Latin pop singer Thalia is 54.
• Actor Macaulay Culkin is 45.
• Actor Chris Pine is 45.
• Comedian/actor/writer John Mulaney is 43.
• Country musician Brian Kelley (Florida Georgia Line) is 40.
• NBA guard James Harden is 36.
• Actor Dylan O’Brien is 34. Actor Keke Palmer is 32.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Shea Langeliers hit his second career grand slam and Colby Thomas added a solo homer — all in a five-run seventh inning — as the Athletics rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-3 on Monday night.

Langeliers was 0 for 8 with the bases loaded this season before his 450-foot shot over the left-field wall. It was the first grand slam allowed in Detroit ace Tarik Skubal’s career.

Skubal was in full control through six innings before running into trouble in the seventh. Thomas opened the inning with a homer and the Athletics had two straight hits and then an error, loading the bases. Skubal got back-to-back strikeouts before Langeliers’ blast gave the A’s a 6-3 lead.

Rookie Nick Kurtz added his 27th home run of the season in the eighth — the first of his career as a pinch hitter.

The Athletics have won six straight games against left-handed starters.

Skubal (11-4) allowed six runs, one earned, in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out 12 in his 10th game this season with double-digit strikeouts, moving within one of tying the club’s single-season record held by Mickey Lolich (11) since 1971.

Detroit, coming off a 5-1 homestand, lost for just the fifth time in 17 games dating to Aug. 8.

The Tigers opened the scoring with three runs in the sixth. Gleyber Torres hit a solo home run and Wenceel Perez found the gap in right-center field to drive home two for a 3-0 lead.

Key moment

Athletics reliever Michael Kelly (4-2) got Perez to pop out with the bases loaded to end the top of the seventh. Then Thomas led off the bottom half with a solo home run to get the A’s within 3-2.

Key stat

Detroit entered 55-15 when scoring first.

Two devastating crashes occurred over the weekend on Gratiot Avenue in Detroit, leaving two children dead and two police officers injured.

The separate incidents, which happened about 2 miles apart, have residents demanding safety improvements along the corridor.

Watch the video reports from Ruta Ulcinaite and Ryan Marshall below: Two crashes on Detroit's Gratiot Avenue raise safety concerns after two children die Two crashes on Detroit's Gratiot Avenue raise safety concerns after two children die

In one crash, a driver allegedly traveling over 80 mph in the 35 mph zone struck a vehicle carrying children, killing two of them. In the other incident, a driver is accused of running a red light and hitting two Detroit police officers.

"No family should have to go through this. No family should have to bear this pain," said Sonja Allen, the mother of the two girls killed in Saturday's crash.

Allen lost her daughters, 8-year-old Savannah Allen Vandergraff and 16-year-old Syiana Allen, in the collision that occurred early Saturday morning on Gratiot near August Avenue.

"It's just devastating it's heartbreaking, it's unbearable," Allen said.

The girls were with their grandmother and another family member finishing up DoorDash deliveries and ready to get dropped off when police say 41-year-old Amir Khalid hit their car as it was turning onto a residential street. Khalid is in custody facing multiple felonies.

"I always try to protect my kids and keep them out of harm's way, and something like this happens," Allen said.

The same day about a mile and a half down the road, two Detroit police officers suffered minor injuries when their patrol car was allegedly struck by a driver who ran a red light.

Vanessa Bostic, who helped the officers, says Gratiot continues to be a problem area.

"Very busy, very busy, they like to drag race on this strip," Bostic said. "Slow down. Peoples lives are at stake."

Watch our report about the crash involving Detroit police officers below: 2 Detroit officers, 1 man injured in crash on east side

The city of Detroit received $12.5 million in state and federal grants last year to make the Gratiot corridor from 8 Mile Road to Randolph Street safer for everyone, with improved pedestrian safety and additional crossings. Plans are still being finalized with work expected to begin next year.

Allen hopes the additional safety measures work, so no other families have to suffer.

"They were good kids, and they didn't deserve to go through this," she said.

Those wishing to help the family with funeral costs for the young girls can find information here.

_____________

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.

By CHRIS RUGABER and WILL WEISSERT, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Monday night that he’s firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, an unprecedented move that would constitute a sharp escalation in his battle to exert greater control over what has long been considered an institution independent from day-to-day politics.

Trump said in a letter posted on his Truth Social platform that he is removing Cook effective immediately because of allegations that she committed mortgage fraud. Bill Pulte, a Trump appointee to the agency that regulates mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, made the accusations last week.

Cook said Monday night that she would not step down. “President Trump purported to fire me ‘for cause’ when no cause exists under the law, and he has no authority to do so,” she said in an emailed statement. “I will not resign.”

Pulte alleged that Cook had claimed two primary residences — in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Atlanta — in 2021 to get better mortgage terms. Mortgage rates are often higher on second homes or those purchased to rent.

Trump’s move is likely to touch off an extensive legal battle that will probably go to the Supreme Court and could disrupt financial markets, potentially pushing interest rates higher. Stock futures declined slightly late Monday, as did the dollar against other major currencies.

If Trump succeeds in removing Cook from the board, it could erode the Fed’s political independence, which is considered critical to its ability to fight inflation because it enables it to take unpopular steps like raising interest rates. If bond investors start to lose faith that the Fed will be able to control inflation, they will demand higher rates to own bonds, pushing up borrowing costs for mortgages, car loans and business loans.

Cook has retained Abbe Lowell, a prominent Washington attorney. Lowell said Trump’s “reflex to bully is flawed and his demands lack any proper process, basis or legal authority,” adding, “We will take whatever actions are needed to prevent his attempted illegal action.”

Cook was appointed to the Fed’s board by then-President Joe Biden in 2022 and is the first Black woman to serve as a governor. She was a Marshall Scholar and received degrees from Oxford University and Spelman College, and she has taught at Michigan State University and Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

Her nomination was opposed by most Senate Republicans, and she was approved on a 50-50 vote with the tie broken by then-Vice President Kamala Harris.

Questions about ‘for cause’ firing

The law allows a president to fire a Fed governor “for cause,” which typically means for some kind of wrongdoing or dereliction of duty. The president cannot fire a governor simply because of differences over interest rate policy.

Establishing a for-cause removal typically requires some type of proceeding that would allow Cook to answer the charges and present evidence, legal experts say, which hasn’t happened in this case.

“This is a procedurally invalid removal under the statute,” said Lev Menand, a law professor at Columbia law school and author of “The Fed Unbound,” a book about the Fed’s actions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Menand also said for-cause firings are typically related to misconduct while in office, rather than based on private misconduct from before an official’s appointment.

“This is not someone convicted of a crime,” Menand said. “This is not someone who is not carrying out their duties.”

Fed governors vote on the central bank’s interest rate decisions and on issues of financial regulation. While they are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, they are not like cabinet secretaries, who serve at the pleasure of the president. They serve 14-year terms that are staggered in an effort to insulate the Fed from political influence.

No presidential precedent

While some presidents have pushed out Fed chairs before, no president has sought to fire a Fed governor. In recent decades, presidents of both parties have largely respected Fed independence, though Richard Nixon and Lyndon Johnson put heavy pressure on the Fed during their presidencies — mostly behind closed doors. Still, that behind-the-scenes pressure to keep interest rates low, the same goal sought by Trump, has widely been blamed for touching off rampant inflation in the late 1960s and ’70s.

President Harry Truman pushed Thomas McCabe to step down from his position as Fed chair in 1951, though that occurred behind the scenes.

The Supreme Court signaled in a recent decision that Fed officials have greater legal protections from firing than other independent agencies, but it’s not clear if that extends to this case.

Menand noted that the Court’s conservative majority has taken a very expansive view of presidential power, saying, “We’re in uncharted waters in a sense that it’s very difficult to predict that if Lisa Cook goes to court what will happen.”

Sarah Binder, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said the president’s use of the “for cause” provision is likely an effort to mask his true intent. “It seems like a fig leaf to get what we wants, which is muscling someone on the board to lower rates,” she said.

A fight over interest rates

Trump has said he would only appoint Fed officials who would support lower borrowing costs. He recently named Stephen Miran, a top White House economic adviser, to replace another governor, Adriana Kugler, who stepped down about five months before her term officially ended Aug. 1.

Trump appointed two governors in his first term, Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman, so replacing Cook would give Trump appointees a 4-3 majority on the Fed’s board.

“The American people must have the full confidence in the honesty of the members entrusted with setting policy and overseeing the Federal Reserve,” Trump wrote in a letter addressed to Cook, a copy of which he posted online. “In light of your deceitful and potentially criminal conduct in a financial matter, they cannot and I do not have such confidence in your integrity.”

Trump argued that firing Cook was constitutional. “I have determined that faithfully enacting the law requires your immediate removal from office,” the president wrote.

Cook will have to fight the legal battle herself, as the injured party, rather than the Fed.

Trump’s announcement drew swift rebuke from advocates and former Fed officials.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., called Trump’s attempt to fire Cook illegal, “the latest example of a desperate President searching for a scapegoat to cover for his own failure to lower costs for Americans. It’s an authoritarian power grab that blatantly violates the Federal Reserve Act, and must be overturned in court.”

Trump has repeatedly attacked the Fed’s chair, Jerome Powell, for not cutting its short-term interest rate, and even threatened to fire him.

Forcing Cook off the Fed’s governing board would provide Trump an opportunity to appoint a loyalist. Trump has said he would only appoint officials who would support cutting rates.

Powell signaled last week that the Fed may cut rates soon even as inflation risks remain moderate. Meanwhile, Trump will be able to replace Powell in May 2026, when Powell’s term expires. However, 12 members of the Fed’s interest-rate setting committee have a vote on whether to raise or lower interest rates, so even replacing the chair might not guarantee that Fed policy will shift the way Trump wants.

Associated Press writer Fatima Hussein contributed.

President Donald Trump fired Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook Monday evening effective immediately, intensifying a pressure campaign on the independent Fed as he seeks to sway its decisions on interest rates and other economic policy.

In a letter posted on social media, President Trump removed Cook from her position in connection with allegations of mortgage fraud. The White House claims Cook committed fraud in 2021 when she purchased two properties.

In the letter, President Trump writes "The Federal Reserve Act provides that you may be removed, at my discretion, for cause. See 12 U.S.C. 242. I have determined that there is sufficient cause to remove you from your position."

The executive power of the United States is vested to me as President and, as President, I have a solemn duty that the laws of the United States are faithfully enacted," President Trump wrote. "I have determined that faithfully enacting the law requires your immediate removal from office.

Cook has not been legally charged with any such fraud offense. She said at the time the allegations surfaced that she would not be "bullied" into resignation.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, said in a statement Monday The illegal attempt to fire Lisa Cook is the latest example of a desperate President searching for a scapegoat to cover for his own failure to lower costs for Americans. Its an authoritarian power grab that blatantly violates the Federal Reserve Act, and must be overturned in court.

Scripps News has reached out to the Federal Reserve for comment.

RELATED STORY | Trump to nominate top economic aide Stephen Miran to Federal Reserve board

The news of Cook's ouster comes as President Trump has maintained heavy pressure on the independent Federal Reserve and its Chairman Jerome Powell to lower interest rates.

The president has at times insulted Powell and threatened to remove him from his position. This month President Trump called Powell a "stubborn MORON" on social media and urged the rest of the Fed's Board of Governors to exert more control over Fed decisions.

President Trump has separately nominated Stephen Miran, an economist from within his administration, to replace former Federal Reserve governor Adriana Kugler. Krugler stepped down in August. Miran's appointment is subject to congressional approval.

At its most recent meeting, the Federal Reserve left the federal funds rate unchanged at a range of 4.25% to 4.50%, where it has remained since December 2024.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

By WILL WEISSERT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday marked the fourth anniversary of the suicide bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members during the chaotic withdrawal at the end of the Afghanistan War by signing a proclamation honoring the fallen.

Surrounded by about 35 family members of those killed, including one wearing a “Make America Great Again” cap, Trump used the somber occasion to decry his predecessor, Democratic President Joe Biden, for allowing the attack to happen.

Tuesday is the anniversary of the bombing that also killed more than 100 Afghans at Abbey Gate outside the Kabul airport on Aug. 26, 2021. Trump called it “one of the dumbest days in the history of our country by the previous administration.”

“That was a terrible day,” Trump said. “And I think it was the worst day, and in many ways the most embarrassing day, in the history of our country.”

Biden’s White House was following a withdrawal commitment and timeline that the Trump administration had negotiated with the Taliban in 2020. A 2022 review by a government-appointed special investigator concluded decisions made by both Trump and Biden were the key factors leading to the rapid collapse of Afghanistan’s military and the Taliban takeover.

Trump made the suicide bombing and Biden’s handling of it a frequent topic as he campaigned for president. The relatives of some of the U.S. service members killed also appeared on stage at the Republican National Convention in July 2024.

On the third anniversary of the attack, Trump was invited by family members of some suicide bombing victims to Arlington National Cemetery’s Section 60, a hallowed section where U.S. forces killed in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are buried.

That became a flashpoint after a staffer from Trump’s campaign reportedly shoved a cemetery employee who was trying to prevent the photographing of a ceremony honoring the service members killed in the Afghanistan War withdrawal. Federal law prohibits campaign or election-related activities within Army national military cemeteries.

In a statement marking the third anniversary of the attack, Biden called the 13 Americans who died “patriots in the highest sense” who “embodied the very best of who we are as a nation: brave, committed, selfless.”

“Ever since I became Vice President, I carried a card with me every day that listed the exact number of American service members who were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan — including Taylor, Johanny, Nicole, Hunter, Daegan, Humberto, David, Jared, Rylee, Dylan, Kareem, Maxton, and Ryan,” Biden said in a statement in August 2024.

Also on hand for Monday’s proclamation signing were Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance, who told victims’ relatives that Trump’s action was “a rectification of a wrong” because Biden “lost your loved ones through incompetence” and his government “never actually put pen to paper to say we’re grateful for your sacrifice.”

Trump has ordered a new Defense Department review of what occurred during the withdrawal of U.S. forces, and Hegseth said he expected that to be complete by the middle of next year.

“The military needs to answer for what happened in Afghanistan,” Hegseth said.

By KONSTANTIN TOROPIN

WASHINGTON (AP) — Adm. Daryl Caudle took over as the Navy’s highest-ranking officer Monday, ending a six-month vacancy created by the Trump administration’s firing of his predecessor.

Caudle became chief of naval operations as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ousted a growing list of military leaders with little or no explanation. Remarks at a swearing-in ceremony at Washington Navy Yard offered several nods to the admiral being in close alignment with the Trump administration leaders above him.

In February, Hegseth fired Caudle’s predecessor, Adm. Lisa Franchetti, without explanation. Neither Caudle nor Navy Secretary John Phelan addressed the ouster at the ceremony Monday, though Franchetti was among several former chiefs of naval operations in attendance.

Franchetti had been the second woman ever to be promoted to four-star admiral and is among several female military leaders fired by the Trump administration. She was ousted the same day as Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr. as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Phelan, the Navy’s civilian leader, described the sea service as rife with issues like “decaying shipyards, inadequate maintenance, enormous cost overruns (and) delayed delivery and repair rates” and unspecified traditions that were stifling innovation.

“Admiral Caudle, together we must rebuild, reform and refocus on what matters — readiness, accountability and results — in order to execute President Trump’s mandate of peace through strength,” Phelan said.

Caudle was unequivocal in his agreement with the often-repeated Trump administration phrase, saying, “Peace through strength works.”

The admiral, who until the promotion was commanding U.S. Fleet Forces Command, said he wanted to be “judged by the results we achieved.”

Specifically, he cited the number of ships delivered and repaired on time, the number of ships that are fully manned, and ordinance production as meeting the Navy’s demands.

Phelan said Caudle’s success “is inextricably linked to my success as secretary of the Navy and vice versa.”

Downtown Allen Park is getting a colorful makeover over the next few weeks as part of "Paint the Park," a new multiyear initiative bringing vibrant murals to local businesses.

The project is creating excitement among residents like Emma Enriquez, who noticed the artwork immediately.

Watch the video report below: Allen Park gets colorful with new Paint the Park mural project

"It definitely caught my eye and I was like wow, that's really good," Enriquez said.

The initiative came about when the Allen Park Downtown Development Authority reached out to The Mural People, a metro Detroit-based organization that works with downtown development authorities on large-scale art installations.

"So, the Allen Park DDA approached me and said we want some murals, so we were happy to oblige," Michelle Tanguay said.

Tanguay is the founder of The Mural People. Artists from as far as Belgium are creating eight new murals on business walls ahead of the city's Made in Michigan Festival beginning Sept. 12.

"Each mural, we really try to touch on a little bit of Allen Park history the past, present or future of what we hope to see," Tanguay said.

One example is new artwork outside Alexander's Cleaners on Allen Road, highlighting the city's status as home of the Detroit Lions. The mural features former Lions fullback Cory Schlesinger, who now teaches drafting and architecture at Allen Park High School.

"They've been a great member of our community and a great asset, and I wanted to show thanks to them for being here and I thought this was a good way of doing that," Alex Alexander, the owner of Alexander's Cleaners, said.

Schlesinger said "most people don't know this but during the offseasons, I used to go back and substitute teach. I actually taught two years at the University Nebraska."

Hear more from Cory Schlesinger in the video player below: Web extra: Former Lions fullback Cory Schlesinger talks about mural of him in Allen Park

Schlesinger says it's an honor to see his image as part of the initiative.

"Allen Park is a great blue collar, great community here," Schlesinger said.

Ben Hughes, director of the Allen Park Downtown Development Authority, hopes the artwork not only adds beauty but also brings extra attention to the city's businesses.

"Certainly, we would hope they would come in and talk to the business owner and maybe come away saying I want to go to that business and support them, and that's part of an economic development tool," Hughes said.

Artist Kevin Burdick says seeing the community's positive reactions has already made the project worthwhile.

"Them giving their approval is that final seal that makes me happy when I go home at night, knowing I'm making a little difference in their commute every day," Burdick said.

Additional murals will be added to businesses in the years to come.

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.

An independent investigation has substantiated multiple allegations against Hamtramck Police Chief Jamiel Altaheri, including driving a city vehicle after drinking alcohol and pressuring officers to help in a custody dispute.

Watch video reports from Randy Wimbley and Brittany Toolis: Investigation finds Hamtramck police chief violated policies Investigation finds Hamtramck police chief violated policies

The city reportedly paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for the investigation after a memo from a city employee began circulating, alleging the chief acted improperly on several occasions and may have broken the law.

The investigation, conducted by law firm Miller Johnson, combed through more than half a million documents and included about 40 witness interviews. The findings were released Sunday.

Report released into Hamtramck misconduct report by WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Detroit

Substantiated allegations against chief

The investigation found several allegations against Altaheri to be true, including:

Driving a city vehicle after drinking alcohol Pressuring officers to help in a custody dispute Handing a loaded gun to a civilian volunteer and instructing them to put it to someone's head

Residents are calling for immediate action from city leadership.

"I would get fired if I worked like that at my job, doing side deals and took people's safety lightly. I wouldn't have a job," said Tracy Pilcher.

Mark Armand said city leaders need to step up.

"Do what's right for the city. If somebody did all those things they are accused of, then they shouldn't be in charge of anybody," Armand said.

Other officials investigated

The report also examined allegations against Officer David Adamczyk and City Manager Max Garbarino. All three officials are currently on administrative leave.

PREVIOUS REPORT: Whistleblower lawsuit filed against Hamtramck city leaders details alleged corruption Whistleblower lawsuit filed against Hamtramck city leaders detail alleged corruption

The investigation found Adamczyk committed overtime abuse and violated policies regarding stolen property, among other violations.

Regarding Garbarino, the investigation largely did not substantiate the initial allegations against him, but found he exercised poor judgment in his role as city manager, including delaying addressing allegations of misconduct by Altaheri and Adamczyk.

Garbarino told me by phone he would have taken action sooner, but claims Mayor Amer Ghalib told him he had no authority to do so.

"Max was just doing his job. He was a whistleblower, and he came out and did his job, and he shouldn't have been suspended," Armand said.

City officials decline comment

The report was posted on the city's website and taken down soon after, but not before 7 News Detroit downloaded the document.

I reached out to the city's mayor and every member of the city council for comment, but received no responses. I also reached out to Hamtramck's police chief, but have not yet heard back.

The report's findings are set to be discussed at Tuesday's city council meeting.

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.

By PATRICK WHITTLE

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A network of clinics in Maine will not resume getting Medicaid funds to treat thousands of low-income patients during its lawsuit over Trump administration cuts to abortion providers, a judge ruled Monday.

The decision against Maine Family Planning came despite a ruling last month by another federal judge, who said Planned Parenthood clinics around the country must continue to be reimbursed for Medicaid funding as the provider wrangles with the Trump administration over efforts to defund it. That legal fight continues.

Without Medicaid, the much smaller provider in Maine says it will have to stop serving hundreds of primary care patients by the end of October. The organization says abortions are a relatively small percentage of its overall services, which include cervical cancer screenings, contraception and primary care to low-income residents in one of the poorest and most rural states in the Northeast.

President Donald Trump’s policy and tax bill, known as the “ big beautiful bill,” blocked Medicaid money from flowing to Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider. The parameters in the bill also stopped funding from reaching Maine Family Planning, and it is the only other organization that has come forward publicly to say its funding is at risk.

Maine Family Planning says Medicaid dollars are not used for its abortion services, and it’s unfair to cut off funding for the clinics “solely because Congress wanted to defund Planned Parenthood,” an attorney for the organization told the judge earlier this month.

However, Judge Lance Walker said in his ruling Monday that the payments will not resume during the ongoing lawsuit by the provider seeking to restore the funds. He wrote that Congress can “withhold federal funds and otherwise disassociate from conduct that is not enshrined” as a constitutional right.

Walker, a 2018 Trump appointee, also wrote that it would be “a special kind of judicial hubris” to undermine the big bill, which he described as the end result of democratic processes.

The network of 18 clinics said in a statement Monday that Walker’s ruling will destabilize the state’s entire health infrastructure by potentially turning low-income patients away from their doctors. The group said about 8,000 people receive family planning and primary care from its clinics.

“Mainers’ health should never be jeopardized by political decisions, and we will continue to fight for them,” said George Hill, president and chief executive officer of Maine Family Planning.

When asked if the organization is considering appealing the decision, the group issued a statement that said the network is “considering all options to ensure that Maine’s Medicaid patients can continue to receive the health care they need and deserve.”

Attorneys representing the Trump administration did not immediately comment. Emily Hall, an attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, told the judge in court earlier this month that Congress has a right not to contract with abortion providers.

“The rational basis is not simply to reduce the number of abortions, it’s to ensure the federal government is not paying out money to organizations that provide abortions,” Hall said.

While advocates of cutting Medicaid for abortion providers focused on Planned Parenthood, the bill did not mention it by name. Instead, it cut off reimbursements for organizations that are primarily engaged in family planning services — which generally include items such as contraception, abortion and pregnancy tests — and received more than $800,000 from Medicaid in 2023.

The U.S. Senate’s parliamentarian rejected a 2017 effort to defund Planned Parenthood because it was written to exclude all other providers by barring payments only to groups that received more than $350 million a year in Medicaid funds. Maine Family Planning asserts in its legal challenge that the threshold was lowered to $800,000 this time around to make sure Planned Parenthood would not be the only entity affected.

More than 1,000 middle school students in Saline are forced to wait to start the school year due to issues of mold and mildew.

Watch Simon Shaykhet's video report: Saline Middle School forced to delay start of school due to mold & mildew issues

The district said safety is a top priority, and cleanup began this past weekend. When I visited the school on Monday, which would have been the first day of school, crews were hard at work.

How did you navigate school delayed a couple days?" I asked parent Katie Wagner.

"With my kids, we had them volunteer this morning, Wagner said.

Wagner said she was able to take the day off work, with the middle school now expected to start on Wednesday.

I feel like they are being transparent. It means keeping our kids safe," Wagner said.

Superintendent Rachel Kowalski met me to explain what was found and when.

This has been the only thing we are working on, other than getting our students back to school," said Kowalski.

Kowalski met me to explain what was found and when.

Teachers didnt return until Wednesday last week. Our hard-working teachers. We started late Monday to get indications of mildew-looking things," Kowalski said.

I've learned similar issues were quickly addressed without delays in Milan, and in Dundee, parents were notified of similar mold-related delays at elementary and middle schools. Classes there are expected to resume on Tuesday, Sept. 2.

Looking into what caused all this, the superintendent in Saline pointed to the excessive humidity and other factors.

President Donald Trump hosted South Korean leader Lee Jae Myung at the White House on Monday, where the two leaders discussed President Trump's 15% tariff rate for South Korea; potential contracts for new shipbuilding and the countries' relationship with North Korea.

The meeting began as President Trump expressed concerns about political tensions in South Korea, which underwent a brief period of martial law earlier this year before the ouster of former president Yoon Suk Yeol.

President Trump wrote on social media before Monday's meeting that the U.S. may not be able to do business in the country if what "seems like a Purge or Revolution" was underway.

I heard bad things, Trump said Monday morning. I don't know if it's true or not. I'll be finding out.

Trump's concerns appeared to relate specifically to recent raids by South Korean police on the conservative Unification Church, and to a raid on Osan Air Base, which is a joint venture between the United States and South Korea.

South Korean officials have said that raid was limited only to areas of the base under South Korean control, while it sought information about Yoon's imposition of martial law.

RELATED STORY | Tariffs on South Korea's products threaten the 'K-beauty' boom in the US

During the meeting, President Trump quickly thawed to President Lee. President Trump also said he planned to meet with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, possibly as early as this year. Lee appeared to welcome the possibility, describing a potential stabilizing influence it could have on the Korean Peninsula.

"We think we can do something in that regard with respect to North and South [Korea]," President Trump said on Monday. "And I think you are much more prone to doing that than other leaders that I've been working with from South Korea. And we'll work on that. I think it's very good to work with that. And it's good to get along with Kim Jong-un. And it's good get along with everybody, including president It's good to get along. And I get along with foreign leaders."

A man who was doing landscaping work has died after touching a power line in Sterling Heights Monday afternoon, police said.

Watch Christiana Ford's video report: Man dies after touching power line while working in Sterling Heights, police say

Police said a 41-year-old man of Grosse Pointe Park touched a power line while on a mechanical lift around 2:30 p.m. near Metropolitan Parkway and Mound Road.

The victim was unconscious after touching the power line. When officials arrived, the man was still in the air on the mechanical lift.

First responders performed CPR and the victim was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Monday evening, police said the man died.

DTE released the following statement:

DTE Energy was notified that a member of the public came into contact with a power line while doing landscaping work in Sterling Heights. Tragically, we have learned that this individual has passed away. Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this time. DTE will work closely with officials as the investigation continues into this event. This is an important reminder to take safety precautions around power lines, whether you are a professional or a homeowner working in the yard. Always be sure to look up and know where power lines are located before beginning any outdoor project, particularly those involving working at high elevations and on ladders. If you are near a utility line and are unsure what it is, treat it as if it is energized.&nbsp; For more information on electric safety, please visit our<u>website [dteenergy.com]</u>.&nbsp;

Police have not yet released the man's identity. They are continuing to investigate the incident.

A Vietnam veteran from Lincoln Park has received an overwhelming response after his family asked the community to send him birthday cards for his 80th birthday.

Watch Jolie Sherman's video report: Vietnam veteran receives hundreds of cards for 80th birthday

Robert Carson, who turned 80 today, has received around 500 cards from people across Michigan and beyond. The Lincoln Park mayor also honored him by declaring August 25, 2025, as Robert Carson Day.

"Oh man, we got a ton of them," Carson said.

His ex-wife and caregiver, Paulette DeBaldo-Carson, initiated the birthday card campaign on Facebook earlier this month.

PREVIOUS STORY: Vietnam veteran's family wishes for cards from the community for his 80th birthday Vietnam veteran's family wants cards from the community for his 80th birthday

"I expected 80 cards. That's what I expected," DeBaldo-Carson said.

The response far exceeded expectations, with cards arriving from all over Michigan and from as far away as Florida. Many cards came from veterans, family members of veterans, and those who've lost loved ones who served.

Lincoln Park Mayor Maureen Tobin presented Carson with a proclamation declaring his birthday as Robert Carson Day in the city.

"Honoring him and his service and what he's done for this country means a lot to me, and I'm just very happy to come out and do this for him," Tobin said.

The birthday celebration has also connected Carson with important resources. Rose Walsh, who runs the non-profit Downriver for Veterans in Wyandotte, visited Carson to inform him about benefits available to veterans.

"We help veterans get their benefits, which is what we're going to be doing with this gentleman back here," Walsh said. "Veterans don't seem to understand that if you have boots on the ground, which means you were in a war zone, there's benefits out there for you."

The Lincoln Park Police Department also participated in the celebration, driving by Carson's home with lights and sirens before delivering a card and gifts.

The birthday cards continue to arrive daily, bringing birthday wishes and long-overdue thanks for his service.

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.