Fernando Mendoza, the mercurial quarterback of No. 1 Indiana, won the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night, becoming the first Hoosier to win college footballs most prestigious award since its inception in 1935.

Mendoza claimed 2,362 first place votes. He beat Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (1,435 votes), Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (719 votes) and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin (432 votes).

Mendoza guided the Hoosiers to their first No. 1 ranking and the top seed in the 12-team College Football bracket, throwing for 2,980 yards and a national-best 33 touchdown passes while also running for six scores. Indiana, the last unbeaten team in major college football, will play a College Football Playoff quarterfinal game in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.

Mendoza, the Hoosiers first-year starter after transferring from California, is the triggerman for an offense that surpassed program records for touchdowns and points set during last seasons surprise run to the CFP.

A redshirt junior, the once lightly recruited Miami native is the second Heisman finalist in school history, joining 1989 runner-up Anthony Thompson. Mendoza is the seventh Indiana player to earn a top-10 finish in Heisman balloting and it marks another first in program history having back-to-back players in the top 10. Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke was ninth last year.

Quarterbacks have won the Heisman four of the last five years, with two-way player Travis Hunter of Colorado ending the run last season.

The Heisman Trophy presentation came after a number of accolades were already awarded. Mendoza was named The Associated Press player of the year earlier this week and picked up the Maxwell and Davey OBrien awards Friday night while Love won the Doak Walker Award.

The Michigan State Police will not be investigating how a $450,000 IT contract got awarded to a current Oakland County employee, even though a law firm investigation revealed that state law was broken.

Top ranking officials in Oakland County Executive David Coulters administration have said publicly they did not see a need to refer this matter to law enforcement, but other leaders, including Oakland County Commissioner Michael Spisz (R-Oxford) and Oakland County Commissioner Kristen Nelson (D-Waterford) said it should be up to the police to decide what to investigate.

On October 29, 2025, Spisz filed a police report with the Oakland County Sheriffs Office. The Sheriff referred the police report to the Michigan State Police for investigation.

We did review the allegations sent to us from the Oakland County Sheriff's Office. It was determined that none of the allegations required criminal investigation, said Michigan State Police First Lt. Michael Shaw.

But Spisz, who filed the original complaint, says no one from the Michigan State Police called him before determining no investigation was warranted.

I found out from the Michigan State Police they were not willing to open an investigation after discussions with the Attorney General's office, Spisz told 7 Investigator Heather Catallo. I'm disappointed, frustrated.

Spisz said the only time he talked to the state police was when he called them after learning from the 7 Investigators they were not going to pursue the case.

The Oakland County IT contract was a staffing contract for the countys Courts and Law Enforcement Information System (CLEMIS) computer network.

The Countys Information Technology department had been in charge of CLEMIS for years, but the county recently spun if off into its own authority.

County officials say the ZaydLogix LLC contract violated state law when it was awarded to a current county employee back in June.

Spisz said he disagreed with the countys decision in October not to refer the investigation into the $450,000 ZaydLogix LLC contract to law enforcement.

We don't see a need to make any sort of formal referral to law enforcement, said Chief Deputy County Executive Walt Herzig on October 21, 2025. The investigation did not find any evidence of attempts to defraud the county.

Watch below: Investigation: Oakland Co. contract with employees private company violated state law

Investigation: Oakland Co. contract with employees private company violated state law

After a whistleblower sent an email to county leadership last summer alleging government employees were using their position for personal gain, county officials spent $17,836 on an outside law firm, Miller, Canfield, Paddock & Stone to investigate.

The contract was cancelled before any money was paid, but Miller Canfield found that awarding the contract to a current county employee broke state law and violated county rules.

County Executive David Coulters legal team has only released an unsigned summary of the Miller Canfield report; they have so far refused to release the actual investigation to both the public and to County Commissioners. The 7 investigators filed several Freedom of Information Act Requests for the report; they have all been denied. 7 Investigator Heather Catallo appealed the denial, but Executive Coulter denied that appeal and refused to release the report that allegedly details who approved the awarding of the contract.

I'd still like to see the report, the actual Miller Canfield report that's out there. They [MSP] haven't seen it either. Nobody's really pushed to get access to that. So, at this time, I'm looking for other opportunities or other options that we can do to hopefully get a hold of that. Because from what I understand, there was still a state law violated, said Spisz.

Related Story: Oakland County leaders call for criminal investigation into controversial IT contract

Oakland County leaders call for criminal investigation into controversial IT contract

In making its determination that there was not evidence of criminal conduct as alleged in the complaint, this Department reviewed police reports and the original complaint, among other material, and spoke directly with the complainant via phone calls and emails, said Danny Wimmer, Press Secretary for Attorney General Dana Nessel.

Spisz said this is not accurate, and that no one from the Attorney General's office ever contacted him.

The 7 Investigators asked Wimmer if the Attorney General had seen the Miller Canfield full report or just the summary. He has not responded yet.

I'm not done with this issue, said Spisz.

The fact that that report has not been published is concerning, said Oakland County Commissioner Kristen Nelson (D-Waterford) at the time the original police report was filed. Absolutely, we should be moving forward with an investigation by law enforcement, 100 percent Michigan law was broken and yet we are not doing anything or going to pursue a further investigation via law enforcement regarding this? That doesn't sound right. That sounds very suspicious.

Related Story: Investigation: Oakland Co. contract with employee's private company violated state law Investigation: Oakland Co. contract with employees private company violated state law

How does it make government any different than anybody else if we don't investigate our own? Investigate those within government that are making decisions every day on behalf of the taxpayers? I mean, that's not a good look, said Spisz.

Oakland County Public Information Officer Bill Mullan previously sent this statement to the 7 Investigators:

Residents and taxpayers of Oakland County have a right to transparency and accountability in county operations. An independent investigation by Miller Canfield found that while the ZaydLogix contract was improperly awarded, there was no effort to defraud the county, the county suffered no financial loss and county administration acted immediately and transparently once the issue came to light. The county stands by the findings of the independent investigation, has implemented corrective measures and remains fully committed to cooperating with any further review law enforcement may undertake.

The employee who received the contract retired from the county and received a four-week suspension of pay. A CLEMIS supervisor resigned from the county and was suspended without pay for four weeks. A county official also said the department director was suspended without pay for three days, and the evaluator who reviewed the ZaydLogix bid was suspended without pay for two days.

If you have a story for Heather Catallo, please email her at hcatallo@wxyz.com

President Donald Trump attended the Army-Navy football game Saturday, while also promising serious retaliation for the death of three service members in Syria.

We will retaliate, Trump told reporters on his way to the game.

Two US service members and a civilian were killed and three service members were injured, according to Central Command, after an ambush by a lone ISIS gunman in Syria.

RELATED STORY | Trump vows retaliation after 2 U.S. troops, 1 civilian killed in ISIS ambush

"These are great, three great people. And it's just a terrible thing. Syria, by the way, was fighting along with us. The president, the new president of Syria is, as they told me, and I'm not surprised, he's devastated by what happened. This was an ISIS attack on us and Syria. And again, we mourn the loss and we pray for them and their parents and their loved ones. Very, very sad, Trump said.

Later in the afternoon, Trump arrived to cheers from midshipmen and cadets at M&T Bank Stadium for the 126th running of the Army-Navy football game.

Everyone is asking who am I supporting, Army or Navy? My answer is: 'You must be joking if you think Im going to give you that answer!'" Trump wrote on Truth Social on his way to the game.

RELATED STORY | Preservationists sue to halt Trumps ballroom project over lack of reviews

Trump stood on the field to watch a flyover, participate in the coin toss, and throw hats to the crowd during halftime.

Police were still searching for the gunman hours after a mass shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.

Late Saturday, authorities released video of a person of interest walking near the site of the shooting, dressed in all black.

Video of person of interest in Brown shooting: pic.twitter.com/fjufQ3MTdC

Providence Police (@ProvidenceRIPD) December 14, 2025

Hospital said one patient was in critical condition Saturday night, six were critical but stable, and another was listed in stable condition. Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said an additional person later sought treatment after realizing they had been injured by shrapnel; that person is expected to be OK.

A shelter-in-place order remained in effect Saturday night as authorities continued searching for the shooter.

Officials said the first report of an active shooting near the Barus and Holley engineering building came in just after 4 p.m. Students were inside at the time because multiple final exams were being held, the university said.

Authorities have not said whether the victims were all students.

President Donald Trump weighed in on the shooting, saying, All we can do at this time is pray for those who are injured.

Brown University has about 10,000 students.

House Democrats released photos Friday from the estate of Jeffrey Epstein that included images of Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, Bill Gates and other prominent figures.

The images could embarrass those pictured, but Jeremy Saland, a former Manhattan prosecutor who now runs his own criminal defense practice, said the photos do not prove those figures were involved in crimes. Epstein was charged in federal court in 2019 with sex trafficking of minors. He died by suicide before his trial.

Epstein was accused of sexually abusing and exploiting dozens of underage girls.

As the alleged abuse occurred, Epstein maintained friendships with many highprofile figures.

RELATED STORY | House Democrats release new Epstein photos showing Trump, Clinton

"I see people who may very well have been engaged in personal relationships," Saland said. "I see people who may have been engaged in professional relationships. I see redactions, which by default make you think, 'Uh-oh, what are we hiding? There must be something nefarious.' But if you believe in due process no matter whether you love President Donald Trump or you abhor him this by itself does not move that ball from a criminal perspective."

As Americans await what could be the largest tranche of Epstein-related material to be released in the coming week, Saland said small batches of documents, such as the release of a handful of photos by House Democrats, only fuel speculation.

While photos of sex toys from Epstein's estate were among those released by House Democrats, those images by themselves do not indicate proof of a crime. Saland noted, however, that the photos could become significant depending on what other information is released in the coming week.

"What would be interesting to know is if one of these girls in one of their statements referenced one of these items and that reference is now corroborated that it exists. That would give more credibility and a foundation to what they are saying," he said.

A law requiring the Department of Justice to release Epstein-related grand jury documents by Friday includes an exception: the DOJ is not required to disclose material that is part of an ongoing investigation.

Saland said that could give the Justice Department and the Trump administration wide leeway to keep some information from the public.

"If anything is withheld in terms of the investigatory file the Department of Justice file the fallback is going to be that there is an ongoing investigation and they're looking into other players or people. Therefore, we are not going to release maybe the most damning or the most embarrassing evidence out there. We're going to hold that back," Saland said.

Abraham Quintanilla Jr., a music producer who helped launch his daughter Selena Quintanillas career to stardom, has died at age 85, his family announced in an Instagram post.

"Its with a heavy heart to let you guys know that my Dad passed away today," said A.B. Quintanilla, Abraham's son and Selena's brother.

Quintanilla founded the band Selena y Los Dinos, which featured his children including Selena as lead vocalist. The group stayed together, essentially backing her as she moved into a solo career.

He went on to manage Selenas career as it accelerated in the 1990s, pushing for her to sign with EMI Latin in 1989, a move that bolstered her popularity.

After Selena was murdered in 1995, Quintanilla served as executive producer of Selena, the biopic on her life. In the years since, he fought to protect her legacy, engaging in numerous legal battles over her likeness and music rights.

He also authored A Fathers Dream: My Familys Journey in Music, a memoir about building a musical empire.

The family did not release details about his death.

Two U.S. service members and one American civilian were killed and three other people wounded in an ambush on Saturday by a lone member of the Islamic State group in central Syria, the the U.S. militarys Central Command said.

The attack on U.S. troops in Syria is the first to inflict casualties since the fall of President Bashar Assad a year ago.

Central Command said in a post on X that as a matter of respect for the families and in accordance with Department of Defense policy, the identities of the service members will be withheld until 24 hours after their next of kin have been notified.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on X: Let it be known, if you target Americans anywhere in the world you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you.

President Donald Trump told reporters, "We will retaliate" when asked how the U.S. would respond.

The shooting took place near historic Palmyra, according to the state-run SANA news agency, which earlier said two members of Syrias security force and several U.S. service members had been wounded. The casualties were taken by helicopter to the al-Tanf garrison near the border with Iraq and Jordan.

SANA said the attacker was killed, without providing further details.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attacker was a member of the Syrian security force.

The U.S. has hundreds of troops deployed in eastern Syria as part of a coalition fighting the Islamic State group.

Last month, Syria joined the international coalition fighting against the IS as Damascus improves its relations with Western countries following the ouster of Assad when insurgents captured his seat of power in Damascus.

The U.S. had no diplomatic relations with Syria under Assad, but ties have warmed since the fall of the five-decade Assad family rule. The interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, made a historic visit to Washington last month where he held talks with President Donald Trump.

IS was defeated on the battlefield in Syria in 2019 but the groups sleeper cells still carry out deadly attacks in the country. The United Nations says the group still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.

U.S. troops, which have maintained a presence in different parts of Syria including Al-Tanf garrison in the central province of Homs to train other forces as part of a broad campaign against IS, have been targeted in the past. One of the deadliest attacks occurred in 2019 in the northern town of Manbij when a blast killed two U.S. service members and two American civilians as well as others from Syria while conducting a patrol.

A Cincinnati-area man was arrested and is facing multiple child sexual abuse material charges after being confronted by a national predator-catching organization that claims to have helped secure arrests across all 50 states.

31-year-old Benjamin Naylor, of Deer Park, allegedly possessed and distributed child sexual abuse material on his phone, according to Hamilton County court documents.

The arrest came after Alex Rosen's organization, Predator Poachers, confronted Naylor outside his workplace following online interactions with someone who Naylor allegedly believed was a 13-year-old boy.

"Any site you can think of ... we're on," Rosen said. "There's no place, even when it's quote, unquote, encrypted, that a pedophile can hide from us."

Online messages

Rosen said the group first encountered Naylor on Reddit.

Naylor allegedly messaged their 13-year-old boy decoy on Reddit before moving the conversation to a messaging platform.

"He wasn't necessarily illegal with us. He wasn't like, 'Let's meet up and have sex.' But he was like, 'Age is just a number.' Very perverted," Rosen said. "At some point, he blocked us because there's a hole in the story that we're not actually a 13-year-old."

Despite the blocked communication, Rosen said Naylor's online activity provided clear indicators of criminal behavior.

WATCH: How an online watchdog group tracked down the Cincinnati man

How this man's national predator-catching group helps police make arrests

"Looking at his online posts, he was giving many indications he was into child pornography, and just with the terminology he used, where he was lurking online," Rosen said. "Even if he didn't message our decoy at all, I still would have gone to confront him, because I knew, based on the signals he was giving online, that he was going to be trading child pornography."

The confrontation

After learning of Naylor's location, Rosen said he and his team arrived outside Naylor's workplace on Dec. 3.

"I go to his building, and I say I have a secret Santa for him," Rosen said. "And he goes from thinking he's getting a present to 40 minutes later, being in handcuffs surrounded by five cops."

Rosen said his interrogation technique can be described as "grooming the groomers," using psychological manipulation to encourage confessions.

"You basically got to be a salesman when you talk to these people," Rosen said. "In that time where they're stunned, you have to sell to them that walking in and just ignoring us is not the best option."

Rosen said the approach involves making suspects believe they're victims rather than perpetrators and offering subtle reassurances.

"Getting him at his job, he's kind of between a rock and a hard place, because he really has nowhere to go," Rosen said. "As a courtesy, I'm like, 'Hey, Ben, I'm not here to tell your job about it, man. I just want to get you outside,' and when someone passes, you kind of lower your voice, because they think in their mind, 'Okay, well, he's being quiet when someone walks past.'"

During the 40-minute confrontation, which was streamed live on the Predator Poacher's Kick account, Naylor admitted to trading child pornography involving "babies and toddlers."

"When they do admit to things, we do call the cops on them," Rosen said.

A multi-jurisdictional task force that includes Cincinnati police and the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office called the Regional Electronics and Computer Investigations Unit (RECI which investigated Naylor, court records show.

A RECI detective alleged in criminal complaints that Naylor was found with a pornographic image of a young boy on his cell phone. Documents say Naylor possessed two images of child sexual abuse material, as well as possessed and distributed two videos of child sexual abuse material on his personal cell phone.

Naylor worked as a scheduler at Christ Hospital and did not have direct contact with patients. A spokesperson with the Christ Hospital Network told us he was terminated immediately upon learning of his arrest.

"We fully cooperated with law enforcement," the spokesperson said.

Growing national movement

Rosen, 25, started Predator Poachers in Houston when he was 19 years old. The organization has grown from a group of high school friends to employing over 20 people nationwide.

"Over the course of the past six years, we've had arrests in all 50 states, convictions in 43 of those states," Rosen said. "We have over 260 convictions of pedophiles nationwide."

The group operates by creating decoy accounts to interact with suspected predators online, then confronting them in person before turning evidence over to law enforcement, according to Rosen.

Rosen said his organization is "an internet watchdog group of concerned citizens" rather than vigilantes.

"We simply report and document crimes," Rosen said. "We collect evidence lawfully, we interview them lawfully, and we turn it all over, and we wait for the conviction."

Rosen said Naylor was one of nine people his group confronted during a week-long trip that included stops in Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana.

"When I tell you that Benjamin Naylor, the guy that we caught, was not even the sickest person we caught that day," Rosen said.

The day before confronting Naylor, Rosen said the group caught multiple other people throughout the area.

"We're very busy, unfortunately, and this is our life," Rosen said.

The organization takes multiple trips across the country each month, typically confronting around 20 people per trip, Rosen said.

"We basically have a map of people across the country," Rosen said.

Law enforcement's response

In February, the Clermont County Prosecutor's Office warned against the independent efforts. Officials said the confrontations can jeopardize law enforcement investigations, put community members at risk and create a situation where the alleged predator could potentially do something deadly when confronted.

Rosen said most law enforcement agencies are supportive of his group's work, though he acknowledges some criticism about potentially compromising investigations.

"I can guarantee you that no department in the area had Benjamin Naylor on their radar," Rosen said. "And that's not to say they're not doing anything. It's just that there's so many pedophiles that you can't just leave it up to one entity to do it all."

He said that private citizens can conduct voluntary interviews that law enforcement cannot initiate without probable cause.

"Benjamin Naylor did not get sexual with our decoy account, so that is no probable cause for the cops to arrest him," Rosen said. "As private citizens, (Predator Poachers) can bypass that and have a voluntary interview with him, and then when he starts confessing to those crimes, that's when now the cops can get involved."

What's next

Naylor was arraigned Tuesday morning. Duing that hearing, prosecutors sought and received a "no bond" order on two of his charges.

He is scheduled to return to court Friday morning for a second bond hearing.

Rosen said his organization has no plans to slow down, with a Christmas trip planned that will target more suspects.

"Many people take Christmas off. I don't take Christmas off," Rosen said.

Scripps News Group reached out to the Cincinnati Police Department and the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office for this story, but did not hear back.

This article was written by Valerie Lyons for the Scripps News Group in Cincinnati.

Comedy icon Dick Van Dyke celebrated his 100th birthday on Saturday, hitting the century mark some six decades after he sang and danced with Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins and starred in his self-titled sitcom.

The funniest thing is, its not enough, Van Dyke said in an interview with ABC News at his Malibu, California home. A hundred years is not enough. You want to live more, which I plan to.

Van Dyke became one of the biggest actors of his era with The Dick Van Dyke Show, which ran from 1961-66 on CBS; appeared with Andrews as a chimney sweep with a Cockney accent in the 1964 Disney classic Mary Poppins and, in his 70s, played a physician-sleuth on Diagnosis: Murder.

RELATED STORY | Gene Simmons pushing Congress to ensure artists are paid for songs on the radio

Also a Broadway star, Van Dyke won a Tony Award for Bye Bye Birdie to go with a Grammy and four Primetime Emmys. In 1963, he starred in the film version of Bye Bye Birdie.

Just last year, he became the oldest winner of a Daytime Emmy, for a guest role on the soap Days of Our Lives.

In the 1970s, he found sobriety after battling alcoholism, and spoke out about it at a time when that was uncommon to do.

Now that he has hit triple digits, Van Dyke said he's gotten some perspective on how he used to play older characters.

You know, I played old men a lot, and I always played them as angry and cantankerous, he told ABC News. "It's not really that way. I don't know any other 100-year-olds, but I can speak for myself."

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She gives me energy. She gives me humor, and all kinds of support, he told ABC News.

Van Dyke was born in West Plains, Missouri, in 1925, and grew up the class clown in Danville, Illinois, while admiring and imitating the silent film comedians.

He told ABC News he started acting when he was about 4 or 5 years old in a Christmas pageant. He said he was the baby Jesus.

I made some kind of crack, I don't know what I said, but it broke the congregation up," he said. "And I liked the sound of that laughter.

And what's hard about being 100?

I miss movement, he told ABC News. I've got one game leg from I don't know what."

"I still try to dance, he said with a laugh.

The annual Geminid meteor shower peaks this weekend and one night looks more favorable than the other for viewing this celestial event. One favoring factor is the moon will only be about 30% full during the meteor shower, creating less moonlight to compete with the shooting stars.

This brightest and best meteor shower of the year occurs every December as Earth passes through debris from 3200 Phaethon, which is an unusual asteroid. Most meteor showers come from comets. However, 3200 Phaethon brightens and forms a tail near the sun, which mimics a comet.

This yearly meteor shower obtains its name from its radiant point, a point in the sky which all meteor showers appear to radiate, the constellation Gemini. From this constellation, meteors appear to streak across the night sky.

Peak meteor activity is expected tonight and Sunday night (Dec. 13 and 14). Stargazers could see 120-150 meteors streak across the sky per hour under perfect conditions. However, a more typical rate to about 40 to 50 shooting stars per hour. These meteors travel around 21 miles per second giving off a yellow appearance.

The forecast in Metro Detroit looks more favorable tonight (Saturday) as clouds will decrease overnight. The best viewing time happens between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. when clouds cover will decrease from 50% at the start of prime viewing to around 20-25% by

2 a.m.

Peter Greene, a character actor best known for his role as the iconic villain Zed in Pulp Fiction, has died. He was 60.

He died in his home in New York City, his manager, Gregg Edwards confirmed on Friday. His cause of death was not immediately released.

He was just a terrific guy," said Edwards. "Arguably one of the greatest character actors on the planet; Has worked with everybody.

Born in Montclair, New Jersey, Greene landed some of his first leading roles in Laws of Gravity in 1992 and Clean, Shaven in 1993, according to IMDB.

In 1994, he played the memorable villain in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction." That same year, he played another leading villain opposite Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz in The Mask."

Greene was working on two projects when he died, including a documentary about the federal government's withdrawal of funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development, according to Edwards.

Weve been friends for over a decade," said Edwards. "Just the nicest man.

This holiday season, Red Tag in Macomb is transforming its massive 45,000-square-foot store into a Christmas Wonderland, offering Metro Detroit families an affordable, festive way to celebrate the season together.

Known for sourcing overstock and returned merchandise, Red Tag delivers significant price reductions across dcor, gifts, home goods, clothing, and holiday essentials making it possible for families to stretch their budgets without sacrificing holiday magic.

To learn more, visit

https://www.facebook.com/p/Red-Tag-Official-61561851099225/

After a report showed that Instacart charges some customers up to 23 percent more for the same item, Lindsay Owens, executive director of the Groundwork Collaborative, urged state attorneys general to investigate the practice.

She said Instacarts pricing experiments erode fairness and transparency in markets and harm consumers, adding that charging different prices for identical items may violate the law.

This is why we have laws to safeguard our markets and ensure transparency. And so I really think it should be up to policymakers here to take a close look at this, Owens said. "Attorneys General should pursue investigations of Instacart and determine whether or not these prices, these pricing experiments may already be illegal under current law."

A recent Consumer Reports investigation using 437 volunteer shoppers found that prices on grocery items from major chains could vary by up to 23 percent depending on the customer. These differences could mean some shoppers pay between 7 cents and $2.56 more per item than others.

RELATED STORY | Same groceries, same store: So why did you pay more than your neighbor?

At issue is the potential for retailers to adopt surveillance pricing, which uses personal data to set individualized prices. Instacart, however, told Scripps News: These tests are not dynamic pricing prices never change in real time, including in response to supply and demand. The tests are never based on personal or behavioral characteristics they are completely randomized.

Owens noted the report determined that pricing differences appeared to be random.

You buy a whole basket, you go to the grocery store once or twice a week all year long. So even these small price hikes really can add up for families at a time when groceries are already unaffordable and prices are so high for food in this country, she said.

Owens said Instacart did not dispute Consumer Reports findings but expressed a differing opinion on whether the practice is problematic.

Experiments like these, particularly ones being run without our knowledge, are incredibly deceptive, Owens said. And on Instacarts website, when they talk about the underlying technology that powers these experiments, they suggest that secrecy the fact that we dont know were being experimented upon is a feature, not a bug, of their approach. But I do think this type of secret exploitation is not just bad for shoppers on Instacart, its bad for all of us.

Based on how much Instacart says the typical household of four spends on groceries, Consumer Reports estimated the price variations could amount to a cost swing of about $1,200 per year.

RELATED STORY | Could dynamic pricing be coming to a store near you?

In 2022, Instacart began using Eversight, a platform for continuous revenue optimization. Instacart says its short-term, randomized pricing tests mean some shoppers see slightly lower prices and others slightly higher, helping retail partners understand preferences and identify categories where they should invest in lower prices.

The company said it uses a machine learningdriven tool that helps retailers improve price perception and drive incremental sales for dozens of early-adopting retailers leveraging the product. The tool has reportedly generated millions of dollars in additional revenue for partner stores.

Instacart maintains the price differences are negligible.

The United States will lift sanctions on Belarusian potash in the latest sign of a thaw between Washington and the isolated autocracy.

John Coale, the U.S. special envoy for Belarus, met the countrys authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko for talks in the Belarusian capital of Minsk on Friday and Saturday.

A close ally of Russia, Minsk has faced Western isolation and sanctions for years. Lukashenko has ruled the nation of 9.5 million with an iron fist for more than three decades, and the country has been repeatedly sanctioned by Western countries both for its crackdown on human rights and for allowing Moscow to use its territory in the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

RELATED STORY | Russia, Belarus face terror label in US over abducted Ukrainian children

Speaking with journalists, Coale described two-day talks as very productive, Belarus state news agency Belta reported Saturday.

The meetings focused on steps toward normalizing relations between Washington and Minsk, including lifting sanctions and releasing political prisoners in Belarus, Coale said. He also said that the relationship between the two countries was moving from baby steps to more confident steps as they increased dialogue.

The discussions also touched on Venezuela, as well as Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, Belta said.

Coale told reporters that Lukashenko had given good advice on how to address the conflict, saying that Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin were longtime friends with the necessary level of relationship to discuss such issues.

IN RELATED NEWS | Ukrainian children taken by Russia must be returned before any peace deal, official says

"Naturally, President Putin may accept some advice and not others, Coale said.

Former Michigan football head coach Sherrone Moore was released on bond Friday after being arraigned on multiple charges, including felony home invasion, misdemeanor stalking and breaking and entering.

Moore spent two nights behind bars after his arrest and firing from the university on Wednesday. He appeared before a judge Friday afternoon for his arraignment at Washtenaw District Court.

Watch Jolie Sherman's video report below: Legal expert explains Sherrone Moores charges and what could be next

During the arraignment, prosecutors detailed their case against Moore, saying that it is their understanding that Moore and the victim had an intimate relationship for a number of years, and that the victim broke up with Moore on Monday.

Then, prosecutors say that over several days, Moore continued to make numerous phone calls and texts to the victim, and after he was fired on Wednesday, he went to her apartment and "barged his way in."

Prosecutors say he grabbed butter knives and a pair of scissors and threatened his own life, saying things like "I'm going to kill myself. I'm going to make you watch," "my blood is on your hands," and "you ruined my life."

Watch our coverage of the arraignment below: Ex-Michigan coach Sherrone Moore arraigned on 3 charges, including home invasion

The prosecutor's office emphasized the serious nature of the alleged actions that led to the charges.

"We consider the defendant to be a risk to public safety, a risk to this victim, and it is for those reasons that we're asking for those specific conditions," prosecutors said on Friday.

The judge set Moore's bond at $25,000 with several conditions, including GPS monitoring, no contact with the victim, and a mandatory mental health evaluation.

Related video: Michigan Athletics at a crossroads after Sherrone Moore firing, criminal charges Michigan Athletics at a crossroads after Sherrone Moore firing, criminal charges

Moore's defense attorney Joe Simon acknowledged the unusual circumstances of the case during the hearing.

"Your honor, in a case like this, charges like this, in a normal circumstance, we'd be requesting a personal recognizance bond, and frankly expecting the court to order that. We all know this is not an ordinary circumstance," Simon said.

Criminal defense lawyer Neil Rockind, who is not involved in the case, believes Moore's high-profile status may have influenced the bond decision. He said a typical defendant would likely have received a personal bond rather than the $25,000 monetary bond.

"Do I believe that the $25,000 bond in this case, do I think that that's enough? It's a number. It's not enough money that it's gonna stop him from doing whatever he wants to do. The average Joe walking into court would have been given a personal bond. I'm telling you, they would have gotten a personal bond," Rockind said.

Related video: Questions about Michigan's athletic department after charges against Sherrone Moore Questions about Michigan's athletic department after charges against Sherrone Moore

Rockind also described the case as appearing to stem from a mental health crisis rather than criminal intent.

"The whole case rings to me it just calls out as a cry for help. What makes it so interesting is that he had everything at his disposal, and it sounds like he was just going through it when this hit the fan. It sounds like he was going through a real mental health crisis," Rockind said.

Despite the felony charge, Rockind believes Moore is unlikely to face significant jail time given his lack of prior criminal record.

"He will very likely face, he could face some jail, although I would say that's doubtful. I would say he more likely will face a period of probation. I'm going to go back to his lack of any prior record. This is an aberrant moment in his life," Rockind said.

Legal experts suggest a plea deal could be possible, potentially reducing the charges to misdemeanors and avoiding felony convictions.

Moore's next court hearing is set for Jan. 22.

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.

After nearly a year of living in deplorable conditions at Pelham Mobile Home Park, a Dearborn Heights family is finally getting the help they desperately needed.

Jada Dupree and her family have been struggling in a condemned mobile home that lacked running water, had broken floors and ceilings, a faulty thermostat, mold and rats. Dupree says what was sold to them as a "fixer upper" about a year ago turned into a nightmare that left them facing homelessness.

Watch Carli Petrus' video report below: Dearborn Heights family gets fresh start after months in condemned mobile home

"Hearing the judge say, you know, I'm sorry I can't send you back there, you have 11 days to leave. Which was devastating and it just broke me completely," Dupree said.

The conditions at their mobile home became so severe that the city of Dearborn Heights condemned their home along with countless others in the park. Having spent all their money to purchase the trailer, Dupree and her boyfriend, who works full time, had nowhere else to go.

"Immediately, I felt just like I lost, like a heart break, like a failed mother, and I didn't know what to do," Dupree said.

I first met Dupree and her family last March when their mobile home wasn't getting any water.

"Can't shower, can't cook," Dupree said at the time.

After months of following their story and advocating for solutions, I reached out to Dearborn Heights Mayor Mo Baydoun, who had just taken office.

"You first called me in my first like three hours in office and you were like we need to help out this family that is at the Pelham trailer park home," Baydoun said.

Watch Carli Petrus' previous report below: Mobile home community concerns

For weeks, the mayor and I discussed the ongoing issues at Pelham Mobile Home Park, where families have faced substandard living conditions for years.

"I know that there's standing litigation. This is probably the strongest approach we've taken against this company. I believe they recently sold it to a new company and this new company is actually working hand in hand with our courts to say we're ready to fix up some of these condemned trailer homes," Baydoun said.

The breakthrough came when Baydoun connected with Vista Maria, a social services nonprofit organization.

"I had a sit down with Vista Maria yesterday and they wanted to do some type of partnership with the city but with all the backlash that they've been getting through the media, I kind of said do I take a step back, do I help them out, what can I do? And I started talking about this family and I said this has been weighing extremely heavy on my chest, and the reality is they're in the business to help people," Baydoun said.

Vista Maria stepped up to provide a solution. The organization is giving Dupree and her family a newly renovated home, rent-free for the next six months. Vista Maria CEO Kathy Regan says they can stay for up to two years.

"That kind of situation can happen to all of us. It's our responsibility we are our brother's keeper it's our responsibility to look out for each other, so we can't wait for them to move in," Regan said.

This Christmas, Dupree's family will be spending the holiday in a safe, stable home for the first time in nearly a year.

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.

Residents in Lyon Township say they were blindsided by the approval of a massive data center project, claiming local officials failed to notify the public about the development that could transform 172 acres near their homes.

Watch Christiana Ford's video report: Proposed AI data center in Lyon Township draws controversy

The controversy centers around "Project Flex", a six-building data center complex proposed by California-based company Verrus. The project was conditionally approved by the township's planning commission in September, but many residents say they only learned about it recently through neighbors and social media posts.

"A neighbor notified all the neighbors, and then we've been finding out piecemeal on Facebook as well, which is unfortunate," said Kimberly Killian, who lives nearby.

The industrial zone sits just 300 feet from their residential zone, making Killian and her neighbors among the closest residents to the proposed facility.

"I'm extremely upset, I'm heartbroken, nobody wants that in their backyard," Killian said.

Planning commission documents show Verrus submitted a site plan application on August 7, which the commission approved on September 8 with conditions. The approval process happened without public hearings, as data centers are permitted uses in industrial zones under township regulations. The planning commission is not made up of elected officials but appointed.

Mike Kazy, who serves on the Downtown Development Authority board, discovered the project through his official role and took it upon himself to inform neighbors.

"I felt that was my obligation, my first step was to notify my neighbors so they knew, and things have kind of picked up from there," Kazy said.

Community members have since flooded social media with questions and concerns about the project, particularly regarding its potential impact on water resources, electricity infrastructure, and property values.

"Everyone understands, and living in this community, there's developments popping up everywhere. Right, you can't restrict somebody's ability to sell their property. I think everyone understands that. I think the biggest frustration here is nobody knew anything about it," Kazy said.

When contacted for comment, township officials declined an on-camera interview but later issued a press release.

The statement explained that data processing and computer centers are allowed in the I-1 light and I-2 general industrial zones without requiring public hearings or board votes, and noted that township proposals and documents are available online for public viewing.

RELATED STORY: Saline Twp. data center proposal sparks fears over energy costs and transparency Saline Twp. data center proposal sparks fears over energy costs and transparency

The response did little to satisfy concerned residents.

"It answered no questions, and it basically told me we don't care what you guys think," Killian said.

Kazy says he knows many leaders care about the community, but takes issue with how the information was communicated.

"I understand that they're saying be involved, show up to every meeting, that's not realistic for everybody, and that's why we have representation," he said.

We reached out to Vladimir Dvorkin, Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Michigan, for an engineer's perspective on the site plan. According to the website, Verrus says its system is to help data centers, big buildings full of computers, use electricity in a smarter way, combining micro-grids powered by advanced, high-capacity batteries with intelligent software to allocate energy optimally.

"We have a preliminary results we're bound to publish where we actually show what is the value of energy storage in distribution systems for smoothing the impacts of data systems and what our results show that this technology is so fast enough and it can be optimized so efficiently that residential, commercial and all other customers will see almost no impact on distribution system operations, on power quality, provided that there is a right amount of energy storage units placed on site," said Dvorkin. "So it is indeed possible, but as we all say, Devil is in the details. We need to always make sure that we procure enough energy storage, that the software that we use is actually optimized, and it's fast to respond."

He expressed optimism about the technology involved, despite some concerns about water and electricity used, water for cooling, and electricity for computations.

As engineers, were very hopeful. We know how to control this technology, and we are very optimistic. These data centers can bring solutions that make everything sustainable, said Dvorkin.

He emphasized potential benefits for the township, county, and state with smart design.

"Data centers might seem like a strain on communities, but because of their commitments to decarbonization, we might see a lot of innovation like new sites for solar generation and energy storage that will significantly enhance our grid infrastructure," said Dvorkin.

The project cannot move forward until Verrus submits updated plans addressing all conditions set by the planning commission, including completion of a sound study. The company has not yet provided those updated documents.

Once the township finalizes approval, the plans will be valid for 2 years, until September 8, 2027. 

The township says once the final site plans have been submitted for review, the applicant must apply for a detailed engineering review, and the applicant will have to receive approvals from all applicable agencies (Drain Commission, EGLE, etc.) prior to commencing construction. 

Once pre-construction requirements have been met, the development team can schedule a pre-construction meeting and, thereafter, commence construction 

The Lyon Township controversy follows a similar situation in Washington Township, where residents packed a township hall meeting to voice opposition to another proposed AI data center development.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Macomb County residents pack zoning meeting to oppose proposed data center Macomb County residents pack zoning meeting to oppose proposed data center

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.

The University of Michigan's athletic department is under intense scrutiny as the Sherrone Moore situation continues to unfold, with many questioning whether changes are needed in leadership.

Watch Tiarra Braddock's video report below: University of Michigan athletic department faces scrutiny following Sherrone Moore arrest

The former head football coach's recent arrest has sent shockwaves through Michigan's campus and beyond, adding to a growing list of scandals that have plagued the university's athletic program. 7 News Detroit has reported on 13 scandals Michigan has been involved in since 2016, all occurring under the leadership of Athletic Director Warde Manuel.

Moore has since bonded out of jail, but the university's reputation continues to take a hit from this latest controversy.

"It's disappointing that such a big representation of the university is not the best things, you know," said Johnny Adamzcyk, a senior at the University of Michigan.

Related video: Ex-Michigan coach Sherrone Moore arraigned on 3 charges, including home invasion Ex-Michigan coach Sherrone Moore arraigned on 3 charges, including home invasion

The arrest has left students and staff grappling with disbelief and disappointment.

"I think it's crazy. I honestly can't believe that's the same guy that I used to go to games and watch coach and shake the other team's hands. I can't believe that's the same guy," said Tommy Caulfield, a sophomore at the university.

Many are now turning their attention to Manuel, who has led the athletic department since 2016, questioning his oversight during multiple scandals.

"I think Warde Manuel's been very good so far but again, we have to keep into account just these past few hires have not been the best. We've had some scandals," said Mike Harrington, a staff member and alumnus at the University of Michigan.

Related video: Questions about the future of Warde Manuel at question Questions about the future of Warde Manuel at question

Harrington expressed hope that the university can move forward from this latest setback.

"Hopefully, it's something we can just move on from. I know we've had a few issues in the past with things but hopefully, it's just an opportunity for us to find a coach that sticks with all the things we identify with as a school and team," Harrington said.

Former Michigan football announcer Jim Brandstatter believes the athletic department faces significant challenges in recovering from this blow to the football program.

"Everybody in the administration, everybody in athletics, I'm sure is kind of under the microscope with the hopes of making sure this never happens again," Brandstatter said.

Brandstatter suggested that Manuel's handling of the Moore situation could determine his future as athletic director.

"How he reports to the regents, the president of the university will determine what goes forward," Brandstatter said.

University officials, including Regents Sarah Hubbard and Jordan Ackle, declined to comment on Moore and his legal troubles when contacted for this story.

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.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the recently recaptured front line town of Kupiansk Friday to push back on the idea that it's only Moscow making military gains in eastern Ukraine.

The town has for months been an epicenter of fighting. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently claimed Ukrainian forces in the town were surrounded and offered to arrange their surrender. Kyiv, meanwhile, says its forces have now recaptured the town and several others nearby.

Zelenskyy's visit comes ahead of a trip to Paris by his delegation of negotiators this Saturday, where they will participate in the next rounds of talks between the US, Ukraine, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom to try to see if there is a way forward for a proposed peace agreement.

In a new version of the agreement that Kyiv sent to Washington during the week, there are new suggestions of possible concessions that Ukraine would be willing to consider to advance a peace negotiation.

RELATED STORY | Trump discusses Ukraine-Russia peace talks with key European leaders

There is also the possibility of a meeting of coalition leaders early next week in the German capital of Berlin. UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer, German Chancellor Freidrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump may all attend.