The Trump administration on Monday abruptly withdrew a controversial policy aimed at reshaping a multi-billion-dollar anti-homelessness grant program run by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), as the proposed changes drew lawsuits from over a dozen states and localities as well as homeless-serving organizations.

In a court filing Monday afternoon, officials wrote they withdrew guidance documents pertaining to the new policy in order to assess the issues raised by Plaintiffs in their suits and to fashion a revised [plan]. A new notice on the programs website says the agency still intends to exercise this discretion and make changes to the program, and that officials expect to share the updated policy well in advance of the deadline for obligation of available Fiscal Year 2025 funds.

As Scripps News reported in November, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner is pushing a significant overhaul of the Continuum of Care program, which provides government grants to localities and aid organizations that combat homelessness via housing support, mental health and job training services.

Among the proposed changes to the nearly $4 billion program was a significantly lowered cap on how much funding could go towards long-term housing support; whereas previous funding years limited spending on long-term housing programs to 90% of grant receipts, Turners changes limited it to just 30%.

Prior to us getting here in the Biden administration, there were no strings attached to almost $4 billion of taxpayer funding, Turner argued in an interview with Scripps News last month. There was no accountability, and so we have to change that.

In a statement to Scripps News Monday evening, a HUD spokesperson said the agency "fully stands by the fundamental reforms" to the program and will "reissue [the guidance document] as quickly as possible with technical corrections."

"The Department remains fully committed to make long overdue reforms to its homelessness assistance programs," the spokesperson added.

EARLIER THIS YEAR | Trump admin announces billion-dollar changes to a program that helps people out of homelessness

Housing advocates and groups that work to address homelessness, meanwhile, have spoken out forcefully against the proposed changes.

The proposed changes represent a reckless and illegal leap backwards for homeless response in the United States, Ann Oliva, CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, said in a statement. There is no doubt that it will cause homelessness to rise across this nation.

The proposed changes are a destructive departure from decades of homelessness policy and will put an estimated 170,000 people into homelessness, echoed Renee M. Willis, president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. These actions will destabilize communities across the country.

Willis and Olivas groups were among the coalition of local governments and nonprofits that sued to try to block the policy in early December, following over a dozen, predominately Democratically-led states that filed a separate lawsuit in late November.

HUD has adopted new policies that threaten to cancel thousands of existing projects, require providers to fundamentally reshape their programs on an impossible timeline, and essentially guarantee that tens of thousands of formerly homeless individuals and families will be evicted back into homelessness, the states allege in their complaint. HUD is now holding these funds and the people they help hostage.

Asked about the organizations criticisms and officials lawsuits at the time, a HUD spokesperson declined to comment, pointing Scripps News to Turners public remarks.

During a previously-scheduled hearing in the states lawsuit on Monday afternoon, attorneys on both sides sparred about the proposed changes, and well as the recent withdrawal of the policy documents.

The plaintiffs contend that withdrawing the policy as the Trump administration did violates the law, similar to their argument that the way they announced it was unlawful. They signaled that they intend to move forward with their challenge to the policy on both substantive and procedural grounds.

Presiding Judge Mary S. McElroy ordered the government to produce information about how and why the policy was rescinded by Dec. 15, overturning the Justice Departments requests for a delay until the new year, and scheduled a follow-up hearing for the 19

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Detroit's Senate Theater, a nearly 100-year-old community landmark powered entirely by volunteers, faces mounting financial pressures as costly repairs threaten its future operations.

Watch Christiana Ford's video report: Nearly 100-year-old Detroit Senate Theater needs community support for repairs

The nonprofit Detroit Theater Organ Society, which owns and operates the Southwest Detroit venue, needs approximately $150,000 for building maintenance despite recent Giving Tuesday fundraising efforts.

"We're maintaining one of the few movie theaters that are left in the city of Detroit," said John Lauter, secretary of the board of directors for the Detroit Theater Organ Society.

The theater's story began with a beloved pipe organ that needed a home after being displaced during Fisher Theatre renovations in 1961. What started as a private club has evolved into a public theater hosting movies, concerts and shows for the community.

"The grand mission is to keep a roof over the head of this instrument, which we really want to preserve. It's a very historical piece. It's a very significant piece to Detroit and to this type of organ," said Lauter. "We also want to keep being a theater for the neighborhood and for the city."

However, the building's age presents increasing challenges for the volunteer-run organization.

"Time is constant. The clock ticks every moment the building gets older," Lauter said. "We're getting to the point where some of the physical demands of the building are becoming pressing."

Current priorities include masonry repairs, stage support improvements and fire safety system upgrades. The organization relies on raising money from programming and on donations to fund these essential projects.

"We need more donors in this. We're getting into six figures in these projects all told," Lauter said.

The theater previously faced a similar challenge when its original attraction sign deteriorated to the point where its structure was declared unsafe. Donors raised over $140,000 to replace it with a new LED sign.

"We were able to raise that money and defray that cost," Lauter said.

The organization hopes end-of-year contributions will help bridge the current funding gap and preserve the theater's unique community role.

"We're keeping alive this building and this tradition of going to the theater to see films together with people, and it's a different experience," Lauter said.

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

Busy schedules can lead to less sleep, but a method called sleep banking might help you stay ahead of it.

Ask Dr. Nandi: Sleep banking can help with getting some rest in advance

Sleep banking means saving or banking sleep, so you can use it later.  In the medical world, we call it sleep extension.

Heres how it works: you intentionally get more sleep even just 15 minutes more each night in the days leading up to when you expect to sleep less. And that can really make a difference.

Studies show it can improve cognition and recognition related to vigilant attention.

Vigilant attention is your ability to stay alert and react quickly without mistakes, especially during long or boring tasks like driving or monitoring a screen.

Now, the people who benefit the most are those who have limited control over their schedules. That would include anyone working long shifts like doctors, nurses, firefighters and paramedics. Also, students cramming before big exams or professionals facing a project deadline can benefit from it occasionally. 

There are limits. Sleep banking hasnt been proven to help with more complicated thinking like executive functioning tasks. Executive functioning refers to the brain skills you use to plan, make decisions, multitask and handle complex daily activities. Its different from basic alertness or reaction speed.

That said, sleep banking is much better than getting less sleep. A sleep debt can take a toll on you mentally and physically. Not only can it cause daytime sleepiness and impair mental function, but it can also affect mood, safety, performance and reduce immune function. It may increase the risk of health issues like diabetes, obesity and heart problems.

If you do try sleep banking, its best to avoid making it a long-term habit. For most healthy adults, the goal is still seven to nine hours of sleep every night and going to bed and waking up at the same time.

As for who shouldnt try it, anyone who struggles with insomnia should avoid sleep banking. Going to bed early and lying awake for long periods doesnt help and can make frustration worse. 

So, use sleep banking occasionally if your schedule demands it, but then return to your normal routine as soon as you can. Great sleep hygiene is still the best strategy for your overall health.

A petition demanding the removal of Lee Zeldin from his role as head of Environmental Protection Agency circulated on social media highlights a rift between the conservative health-focused bloc behind the Make America Healthy Again movement, or MAHA, and the mission of the Trump administration when it comes to deregulatory priorities.

The petition, written in the form of a letter to President Trump, criticizes Zeldin for prioritizing the interests of chemical corporations over the well-being of American families and children, warning this approach will inevitably lead to higher rates of chronic disease, greater medical costs, and tremendous strain on our healthcare system.

Organizers of the petition include Alex Clark, a wellness podcast host that partners with Turning Point USA, and Zen Honeycutt, the founder and executive director of Moms Across America, a group that focuses on food safety, pesticides and vaccine standards.

Also on the petition is Moms Clean Air Force, an advocacy group of U.S. mothers seeking to protect children from the effects of air pollution and climate change.

With every proposed deregulation, hes allowing families and children to be exposed to more soot, more mercury, more methane, more toxic chemicals, more tailpipe pollution, and more climate pollution," said MCAF founder and director Dominique Browning. "Lee Zeldin must go.

Zeldins EPA recently rolled out new pesticide approvals, and a rollback of chemical safeguards, directly contradicting MAHAs focus on public health. Policy around PFAS chemicals, known as forever chemicals that are tied to severe health issues, appear to have spurred the call for action online and underscores growing tensions within President Trumps political base over the chemicals in the nations air, water, and food.

An active ingredient in newly approved pesticides, isocycloseram, is slated to be used on agricultural crops, turf, and potentially around homes and commercial sites.

Around the same time, the agency moved to roll back drinking water protections for several PFAS compounds.

The changes come just about a year after then President elect Donald Trump tapped Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as his Health and Human Services Secretary. At the time he explained that Kennedy would "play a big role in helping ensure that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives that have contributed to the overwhelming health crisis in this country."

RELATED STORY | A new EPA proposal would limit the agencys ability to enforce clean water rules

While HHS and EPA are separate agencies, frustration from the MAHA organizers has lead to the call for an EPA leader who will genuinely defend public health and truly put America First.

An EPA spokesperson wrote in part to Scripps News that every decision under Trump's EPA "is grounded in rigorous, transparent, gold standard science. We are simultaneously protecting human health, safeguarding the environment, and driving economic growth. Those who claim this is impossible are either uninformed or dishonest.

HHS did not respond to Scripps News request for comment.

The petition, and the pushback from the entity it criticizes, highlights a widening fracture within conservative and MAGA-era political alliances, as traditional industry-friendly Republicans who back deregulation and point to economic benefits face the growing popularity of a section of the party who say they prioritize health and chemical safety.

Zeldin appears to still have the support of President Trump.

At a recent White House roundtable discussing the $12 billion aid package for farmers and his plan to roll back environmental regulations on farm equipment, President Trump said Zeldin is doing a fantastic job.

Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett launched a campaign Monday for the U.S. Senate in Texas, bringing a national profile to a race that may be critical to Democrats long-shot hopes of reclaiming a Senate majority in next years midterm elections.

Crockett, one of Congress most outspoken Democrats and a frequent target of GOP attacks, jumped into the race on the final day of qualifying in Texas. She is seeking the Senate seat held by Republican John Cornyn, who is running for reelection in the GOP-dominated state.

Democrats need a net gain of four Senate seats to wrest control from Republicans next November, when most of the seats up for reelection are in states like Texas that President Donald Trump won last year. Democrats have long hoped to make Texas more competitive after decades of Republican dominance. Cornyn, first elected to the Senate since 2002, is facing the toughest GOP primary of his career against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt.

Crocketts announcement came hours after former Rep. Colin Allred ended his own campaign for the Democratic nomination in favor of attempting a House comeback bid. She faces a March 3 primary against Democratic state Rep. James Talarico, a former teacher with a rising national profile fueled by viral social media posts challenging Republican policies such as private school vouchers and requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Scripps News interview: Gene Simmons talks pushing Congress to ensure artists are paid for songs on the radio

Talarico raised almost $6.3 million in the three weeks after he formally organized his primary campaign committee in September, according its first campaign finance report, and he had nearly $5 million in cash on hand at the end of the month. Crockett raised about $2.7 million for her House campaign fund from July through September and ended the month with $4.6 million in cash on hand.

Crockett also could test Democratic voters appetite for a blunt communicator who is eager to take on Republicans as their party sets out again in pursuit of a statewide victory in Texas for the first time since 1994.

Democrats see their best opportunity to pick up the Texas seat if Paxton wins the Republican nomination because he has been shadowed for much of his career by legal and personal issues. Yet Paxton is popular with Trumps most ardent supporters.

Hunt, who has served two terms representing a Houston-area district, defied GOP leaders by entering the GOP race.

Crockett, a civil rights attorney serving her second House term, built her national profile with a candid style and viral moments on Capitol Hill. Among those who have taken notice is Trump, who has called her a low IQ person. In response, Crockett said she would agree to take an IQ test against the president.

She traded insults with Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who announced last month that she would resign in January, and had heated exchanges with Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina.

She also mocked Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott who uses a wheelchair as Gov. Hot Wheels. She later said she was referring to Abbotts policy of using planes, trains and automobiles to send thousands of immigrants in Texas illegally to Democratic-led cities.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Time is running out for Congress to extend healthcare subsidies

Democrats came closest in the past 30 years to winning a statewide contest in 2018, when former U.S. Rep. Beto ORourke came within 3 points of ousting Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. That was during the midterm election of Trumps first administration, and Democrats believe next years race could be similarly favorable to their party.

Allred lost to Cruz by 8.5 points last year. He is running for the House in a newly drawn district in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, which he represented in Congress before his Senate bid in 2024.

An internal party battle, Allred said, would prevent the Democratic Party from going into this critical election unified against the danger posed to our communities and our Constitution by Donald Trump and one of his Republican bootlickers.

Allreds new district is part of the new congressional map that Texas lawmakers approved earlier this year as part of Trumps push to redraw House boundaries to Republicans advantage. It includes some areas that Allred represented in Congress from 2019-2025. Most of the district is currently being represented by Rep. Marc Veasey, but he has planned to run in a new, neighboring district.

A former professional football player and civil rights attorney, Allred was among Democrats star recruits for the 2018 midterms. That year, the party gained a net of 40 House seats, including multiple suburban and exurban districts in Texas, and won a House majority that redefined Trumps first presidency.

Besides avoiding a free-for-all Senate primary, Marshall said Allred is helping Democrats cause by becoming a candidate for another office, and he said thats a key for the party to have any shot at flipping the state.

The infrastructure isnt terrible but it clearly needs improvement, he said. Having strong, competitive candidates for every office is part of building that energy and operation. Texas needs strong candidates in House races, for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general every office so that voters are hearing from Democrats everywhere.

Michigan's 24% tax on marijuana will go into effect at the start of 2026 after a Court of Claims judge denied a request for an injunction.

Judge Sima Patel issued the ruling which reads in part, "The Court finds insupportable plaintiffs argument in 25-160 that the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act (MRTMA) is the sole method by which to tax regulated marijuana in Michigan and that the 24% wholesale excise tax could only be enacted through an amendment to the MRTMA passed by a supermajority."

Watch below: Questions surround marijuana tax hike to fund road repairs

Questions surround marijuana tax hike to fund road repairs

The lawsuit came from the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association (MiCIA) and they argued their case last month in front of Patel.

Michigan voters made their voices heard in 2018 when they passed a citizen ballot initiative legalizing cannabis, MiCIA Spokeswoman Rose Tantraphol said in a press release back in November. When the state Legislature passed this law imposing a 24% wholesale tax on cannabis, it did so in violation of provisions in the states constitution. Lawmakers used a trojan horse process during chaotic, middle-of-the-night actions to ram this legislation through. Were fighting to protect the will of Michigan voters.

Earlier this year, the Michigan legislature passed a law that put the 24% tax on marijuana products to create revenue to partially fund Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's plans to fix the roads.

When I took office, I made a promise to fix the damn roads so Michiganders could get where theyre going faster and safer, Whitmer said in a video after signing the bill in October.

The tax will be put on the sale of marijuana from growers and processors to retailers.

Adam Hoffer, director of excise tax policy at the Tax Foundation, said the new tax will almost certainly lead to an increase in retail prices and a decrease in sales. The Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency predicted a 14.4% sales decline. Shoppers will still also have to pay a 10% retail excise tax on marijuana, which has been in place since it was legalized in 2018, plus a 6% sales tax.

Fresh off receiving one of entertainments highest accolades, KISS co-founder Gene Simmons joined Scripps News to talk about his advocacy for legislation that would require U.S. radio stations to pay artists when their songs are played on AM/FM airwaves.

Simmons, who was honored Sunday at the Kennedy Center Honors, spoke about the American Music Fairness Act, a bill he argues would correct what he calls decades of injustice in the industry. Under current U.S. law, artists do not receive performance royalties from traditional radio broadcasts.

RELATED STORY | Spotify Wrapped is here. Here's who topped the charts

"The artist is not getting anything and that's an injustice that needs bipartisan support," Simmons told Scripps News anchor Maritsa Georgiou.

Simmons will speak with lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, urging them to pass the bill.

"This is not just about the past, Elvis and Sinatra, this is about the future, and we need to remind ourselves that America invented, created the music of planet Earth," Simmons asserted. "Rock and roll, blues, jazz, hip hop, country and western."

RELATED STORY | 'Evil and disgusting': Sabrina Carpenter scolds White House's use of her music in video

The American Music Fairness Act was introduced in January and remains in the House Judiciary Committee, where it has not yet advanced.

The rock legend said he plans to meet with lawmakers from both parties, expressing confidence that the measure could move forward.

"This is about what's fair for America and our stars," Simmon said.

He added that he's confident that Democrats and Republicans will join together to pass the bill.

To see the full interview, including Simmons comments on media bias and an awkward exchange with Scripps News anchor Maritsa Georgiou, watch the full conversation above.

President Donald Trumps former personal attorney, Alina Habba, said Monday she is resigning as the top federal prosecutor for New Jersey, giving up her fight to stay in the job after an appeals court said she had been serving in the post unlawfully.

In a statement posted on social media, Habba assailed the court's ruling as political, but said she was resigning to protect the stability and integrity of her office.

But do not mistake compliance for surrender, she said, adding that the administration would continue its appeal. This decision will not weaken the Justice Department and it will not weaken me.

Habba said she would remain with the Justice Department as a senior advisor to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Habba, 41, was appointed in March to serve a temporary term as acting U.S. attorney for New Jersey, a powerful post charged with enforcing federal criminal and civil law.

Once a partner in a small New Jersey law firm, Habba was among Trumps most visible legal defenders during the four years he was out of power, representing him in court and frequently appearing on cable TV news as his legal spokesperson.

But she had limited federal court experience, and New Jerseys two Democratic senators indicated they would block her confirmation in the U.S. Senate.

When her term expired in July, a panel of federal judges appointed one of her subordinates to the role instead. But Bondi promptly fired the replacement, blaming Habbas removal on politically minded judges.

RELATED STORY | Court rules former Trump lawyer Alina Habba cant serve as New Jersey's top prosecutor

A lower-court judges finding that Habba was unlawfully serving in the position soon triggered a monthslong legal standoff, prompting confusion and delays within New Jerseys federal court system.

Then, earlier this month, a federal appeals court in Philadelphia disqualified her from serving in the role, writing in their opinion that the citizens of New Jersey and the loyal employees in the U.S. Attorneys Office deserve some clarity and stability.

Habba is one of several Trump administration prosecutors whose appointments have faced challenges.

The Justice Department had vowed to appeal a judges ruling dismissing the criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James on the grounds that the prosecutor who filed the charges, Lindsey Halligan, was unlawfully appointed as interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Its unclear whether the administrations decision to abandon the fight to keep Habba in office may impact other U.S. attorneys whose appointments have been challenged by defense lawyers.

In a statement posted on X on Monday, Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche accused judges of engaging in an unconscionable campaign of bias and hostility against Halligan for questioning why she was still being identified as U.S. attorney on court documents.

A fourth-grade teacher at Pleasantview Elementary School in Eastpointe Community Schools if facing federal child pornography charges after being arrested in Vermont.

Martin Waskowski has been charged with transporting child pornography in interstate of foreign commerce and knowingly possesing child pornography that had been transported in interstate or foreign commerce.

Waskowski was arrested on December 3 while trying to enter into the U.S. from Canada at the Highgate Springs Port of Entry in Highgate, Vermont, which is towards the western state border with New York. Officials say he had been flagged for secondary inspection because he was "an exact match" for "a law enforcement records inquiry with suspicion of attempted sexual enticement of a minor."

According to the criminal complaint, during the secondary inspection, a Customs and Border Patrol officer examined Waskowski's phone and found "probably child sexual abuse material." Waskowski was then detained and the Homeland Security Investigations was called for assistance. It was during an examination of Waskowski's phone by the HSI agent that, according to the criminal complaint, images of children under the age of 14 involved in various sex acts were found interspersed with personal photos and videos of Waskowki.

During questioning, officials say Waskowski admitted to "seeking and receiving" child pornography, as well as producing child pornography by recording a spy camera of a 12-year-old boy in a restroom at his Michigan home. Parents at Pleasantview Elementary, where Waskowski has been a 4th Grade teacher for three school years, are frustrated by the alleged findings.

Its awful. Its scary, what do you do? You leave your kids, you think theyre in good hands and then you find out a predator is in the school," grandparent at the elementary school Sharon Smith said.

During a court appearance, Waskowski was ordered to be released to the custody of his father for home detention. He was also ordered to say away from areas where children may be and not contact any minors. He is due back in Vermont Federal Court on December 23.

Eastpointe Community Schools released the following statemtn on their website about the case:

Eastpointe Community Schools was notified on Friday, December 5, 2025, by the Michigan State Police and the Department of Homeland Security that a Pleasantview teacher had been arrested out of state on December 3, 2025, and charged with possession and transportation of child exploitation materials. Prior to this formal notification, the District had no knowledge of, nor had it received any allegations related to, this individual. Eastpointe Community Schools was notified on Friday, December 5, 2025, by the Michigan State Police and the Department of Homeland Security that a Pleasantview teacher had been arrested out of state on December 3, 2025, and charged with possession and transportation of child exploitation materials. Prior to this formal notification, the District had no knowledge of, nor had it received any allegations related to, this individual. Upon receiving this information, the District took immediate action and placed Pleasantview Elementary teacher Martin Waskowski on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. As with all criminal proceedings, a charge is an allegation; the individual is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. However, the safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority. We take this matter extremely seriously, and regardless of the outcome of the criminal investigation, the District will continue to act in the best interest of children at all times. Mr. Waskowski has been employed with Eastpointe Community Schools at Pleasantview for three school years. A long-term substitute teacher has been assigned to the classroom to ensure continuity of instruction and minimize any disruption to students learning. The District is cooperating fully with the agencies involved in the investigation. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) has established a dedicated email for parents or guardians to report any concerning behavior. School social workers are also available to support students who may have questions or concerns. For tips or information related to this matter, please email: <u>HSI-Waskowski-Investigation@hsi.dhs.gov</u>

Twelve former FBI agents fired after kneeling during a 2020 racial justice protest in Washington sued Monday to get their jobs back, saying their action had been intended to de-escalate a volatile situation and was not meant as a political gesture.

The agents say in their lawsuit that they were fired in September by Director Kash Patel because they were perceived as not being politically affiliated with President Donald Trump. But they say their decision to take a knee on June 4, 2020, days after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, has been misinterpreted as political expression.

The lawsuit says the agents were assigned to patrol the nation's capital during a period of civil unrest prompted by Floyd's death. Lacking protective gear or extensive training in crowd control, the agents became outnumbered by hostile crowds they encountered and decided to kneel to the ground in hopes of defusing the tension, the lawsuit said. The tactic worked, the lawsuit asserts the crowds dispersed, no shots were fired and the agents "saved American lives" that day.

"Plaintiffs were performing their duties as FBI Special Agents, employing reasonable de-escalation to prevent a potentially deadly confrontation with American citizens: a Washington Massacre that could have rivaled the Boston Massacre in 1770," the lawsuit says.

RELATED STORY | 3 fired FBI officials sue Patel, saying he bowed to Trump administration's 'campaign of retribution'

The FBI declined to comment Monday.

The lawsuit in federal court in Washington represents the latest court challenge to a personnel purge that has roiled the FBI, targeting both top-ranking supervisors and line agents, as Patel has worked to reshape the nation's premier law enforcement agency. Besides the kneeling agents, other employees pushed out in recent months have worked on investigations involving Trump or his allies and in one case displayed an LGBTQ+ flag in his workspace.

After photographs emerged of the agents taking a knee, the FBI conducted an internal review, with the then-deputy director determining that the agents had no political motive and should not be punished. The Justice Department inspector general reached a similar conclusion and faulted the department for having put the agents in a precarious situation that day, the lawsuit says.

It was only after Patel took over the bureau in February that the FBI took a different posture.

Multiple kneeling agents were removed from supervisory positions last spring and a fresh disciplinary inquiry was launched that resulted in the agents being interviewed about their actions. That internal process was still pending when the agents in September received terse letters telling them they were being terminated because of "unprofessional conduct and a lack of impartiality in carrying out duties, leading to the political weaponization of government."

"Defendants dismissed Plaintiffs in a partisan effort to retaliate against FBI employees that they perceived to be sympathetic to President Trump's political opponents," the lawsuit states. "And Defendants acted summarily to avoid creating any further administrative record that would reveal their actions as vindictive and unjustified."

The plaintiffs are among 22 agents from different squads across Washington who were deployed to downtown D.C. on June 4, 2020 to demonstrate a visible law enforcement process during a time of protests in the nation's capital and across the country.

The lawsuit asserts that the agents were thrust into a chaotic scene, saying that a crowd recognized them as being from the FBI and "intentionally" pushed toward them, becoming "increasingly agitated" and shouting and gesturing toward them. Some in the crowd began chanting "take a knee," a gesture that at that point was widely recognized as a sign of solidarity with Floyd, who was pinned to the pavement by police with a knee on his neck.

WATCH: FBI Director Kash Patel clashes with Democrats over Epstein files

The agents closest to the crowd were the first to kneel. After the crowd's attention turned to the other agents who remained standing, the other FBI employees followed suit, taking a knee in recognition that it was the "most tactically sound means to prevent violence and to maintain order." The crowd moved on.

"Plaintiffs demonstrated tactical intelligence in choosing between deadly forcethe only force available to them as a practical matter, given their lack of adequate crowd control equipmentand a less-than-lethal response that would save lives and keep order.," the lawsuit says. "The Special Agents selected the option that prevented casualties while maintaining their law enforcement mission. Each Plaintiff kneeled for apolitical tactical reasons to defuse a volatile situation, not as an expressive political act."

In addition to seeking reinstatement, the lawsuit also asks for a court judgment declaring the firings as unconstitutional, backpay and other monetary damages and an expungement of personnel files related to the terminations.

Paul Thomas Andersons One Battle After Another scored a leading nine nominations to the 83rd Golden Globe Awards on Monday, adding to the Oscar favorites momentum and handing Warner Bros. a victory amid Netflix's acquisition deal.

In nominations announced from Beverly Hills, California, One Battle After Another landed nods for its cast Leonardo DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor, Sean Penn and Chase Infiniti and for Andersons screenplay and direction. Its competing in the Globes category for comedy and musicals.

READ THE FULL LIST OF NOMINEES

Close on its heels was Joachim Triers Sentimental Value, a Norwegian family drama about a filmmaking family. The Neon releases eight nominations included nods for four of its actors: Stellan Skarsgrd, Renate Reinsve, Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas.

The Globe nominations, a tattered but persistent rite in Hollywood, are coming on the heels of a potentially seismic shift in entertainment. On Friday, Netflix struck a deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery for $72 billion. If approved, the deal would reshape Hollywood and put one of its most storied movie studios in the hands of the streaming giant.

Warner Bros., Netflix and the Golden Globes

Both companies are prominent in this year's awards season. Along with One Battle After Another, Warner Bros. has Sinners, Ryan Coogler's acclaimed vampire hit. It was nominated for seven awards by the Globes, including box office achievement, best actor for Michael B. Jordan and Coogler for best director.

RELATED STORY | Paramount goes hostile in bid for Warner Bros., challenging a $72 billion bid by Netflix

Netflix's contenders include Noah Baumbach's Jay Kelly (which landed nods for George Clooney and Adam Sandler), Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein (five nominations) and the streaming smash hit, KPop Demon Hunters. Arguably the most-watched movie of the year, the three nominations for KPop Demon Hunters included one for cinematic and box office achievement an oddity for Netflix, which typically gives its films only small, limited theatrical runs but found a No. 1 box office weekend in singalong screenings for the animated film.

The two studios led all others in nominations across film and television on Monday. Netflix landed 35 nominations, boosted by its expansive film slate and television nominees like the British limited series Adolescence (five nominations). Warner Bros. had 31 nominations, including 15 from HBO Max for series such as The White Lotus, the lead TV nominee with six.

The proposed deal for Warner Bros. has stoked concern throughout the industry that Netflix might devote one of the most theatrical-focused studios to streaming. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos has pledged a theatrical commitment to many Warner releases, but the leading trade group for exhibitors has called the deal an unprecedented threat. On Sunday, President Donald Trump said the market share created by the merger could be a problem, and Paramount said Monday it was mounting a hostile bid for Warner Bros.

Neon shines on a bad day for Wicked: For Good

Yet the studio that triumphed on the movie side of the Globe nominations was Neon. The indie specialty film company has emerged as a dominant force in international releases, winning a string of Palme d'Or awards at the Cannes Film Festival. It earned 21 nominations Monday, including five of the six international film nominees.

RELATED STORY | Wicked: For Good is even more popular than the first, soaring to a $226 million global debut

Some of those nominations came at the expense of some high-profile studio films. Wicked: For Good was nominated for five awards, including two nods for its songs and acting nominations for Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. But it was overlooked for an award it was presumed to be in contention for: best comedy or musical.

The nominees instead were One Battle After Another, Yorgos Lanthimos' Bugonia, Josh Safdie's Marty Supreme, Park Chan-wook's No Other Choice (a Neon release) and a pair of Richard Linklater movies in Blue Moon and Nouvelle Vague.

In the drama category, Chlo Zhao's Hamnet scored six nominations, including nods for its stars, Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal. It was nominated for best film, drama, along with Frankenstein and three Neon titles: The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value and It Was Just an Accident.

Jafar Panahi's It Was Just an Accident, the acclaimed Iranian revenge drama, was nominated for a total of four awards. At different times, Panahi has often been imprisoned, put under house arrest and prohibited from leaving Iran by the Islamic Republic while making films over the past two decades. Earlier this month, while traveling outside of Iran with the film, he was sentenced to a year in prison and a new two-year travel ban.

Podcasters and A-listers mingle

As the Globes continue to transition out of their scandal-plagued past, there's one notable change this year. For the first time, the Globes are giving a best podcast trophy. The inaugural nominees are Armchair Expert With Dax Shepard, Call Her Daddy, Good Hang With Amy Poehler, The Mel Robbins Podcast, SmartLess and NPR's Up First.

Many of those nominees aren't exactly outsiders to Hollywood. But they'll mingle with a wide array of stars that the Globes, long known for packing their red carpet with A-listers, were sure to nominate.

Those include Timothee Chalamet, nominated for his performance in Marty Supreme, Jennifer Lawrence (Die My Love), Julia Roberts (After the Hunt), Tessa Thompson (Hedda), Jeremy Allen White (Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere), Emma Stone (Bugonia), Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon) and the two stars of The Smashing Machine, Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt.

After a series of controversies for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the group that previously put on the ceremony, the Globes were sold in 2023 to Todd Boehly's Eldridge Industries and Dick Clark Productions, a part of Penske Media. A new, larger voting body of more than 300 people now vote on the awards, which moved from NBC to CBS on a shorter, less expensive deal.

Nikki Glaser is returning as host to the Jan. 11 Globes, airing on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. This past January, Glaser won good reviews for her first time emceeing the ceremony. Ratings were essentially unchanged, slightly dipping to 9.3 million viewers, according to Nielsen, from 9.4 million in 2024.

Helen Mirren will receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award in a separate prime-time special airing Jan. 8. Sarah Jessica Parker will be honored with the Carol Burnett Award.

The Waterford Community Coalition is seeking volunteers and donations ahead of its Shop With a Hero event this weekend.

This Saturday, Dec. 13, local law enforcement and first responders will Christmas shop with children in need in the community.

The Coalition's goal is to provide 100 Waterford School District kids the chance to shop with a local hero or their family.

If you would like to give money or volunteer this weekend, you can call or text (947)229-7140, email resource@ccwaterford.org, or scan the QR code on this Facebook post.

A water leak at the Louvre Museum in Paris has damaged up to 400 historical documents in one of the museum's libraries, adding to mounting concerns about the iconic institution's infrastructure.

Most of the damaged items were books in the Egyptian department, according to the BBC, but the museum's deputy administrator reportedly said "no precious books" were affected.

Museum workers are now painstakingly drying the affected materials one page at a time, according to officials.

RELATED STORY | The Louvre urged to speed up security upgrades in audit conducted before the heist

The leak occurred several days ago but did not damage any artwork, museum officials confirmed.

Critics argue the incident highlights the Louvre's desperate need for repairs and security upgrades.

The water damage incident comes nearly two months after thieves stole royal jewelry worth more than $100 million from the museum. While police have made arrests in connection with the jewelry theft, the stolen items remain missing.

Workers at the museum also voted Monday for strikes to protest their work conditions, security issues and the "obstacle course" it is for patrons to visit, according to The Associated Press.

Watch: Suspects arrested after crown jewel heist at Paris Louvre Museum

The Garden City Fire Department said a strip mall suffered significant damage following a large commercial fire on Sunday night.

See video from the scene below

Crews battle large fire at Garden City strip mall

Firefighters responded to the strip mall on Middlebelt north of Ford Rd. after a passerby noticed the fire and stopped at the fire department to report the incident.

Crews from Garden City, Westland, Wayne, Inkster, Dearborn Heights, Dearborn, Livonia and the Wayne County Metro Airport responded due to the size and complexity of the blaze.

According to the fire department, firefighters had to take a defensive posture due to the heavy fire load and structural compromise of the rooftop.

The fire caused significant damage to the entire building and a nearby business sustained smoke damage. No injuries were reported.

The National Park Service has removed Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth from its list of free admission days, according to the agency's website.

Several days were added, however, including Sept. 17, which is Constitution Day, and June 14, which is Flag Day and President Donald Trump's birthday.

Admission fees have been waived on Martin Luther King Jr. Day for several years.

Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery, was added as a free admission day last year after being recognized as a federal holiday during the Biden administration in 2021.

RELATED STORY | National Park Service to offer digital passes, raise fees for foreign visitors

The changes are the latest efforts by the Trump administration to remove all diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

Entrance fees vary from park to park but are typically around $35 per vehicle. The free admission holidays will only apply to U.S. citizens and residents.

The new list of free entry dates:

Presidents Day: Feb. 16 Memorial Day: May 31 Flag Day/President Donald Trumps birthday: June 14 Independence Day weekend: July 35 110th Birthday of the National Park Service: Aug. 25 Constitution Day: Sept. 17 Theodore Roosevelts birthday: Oct. 27 Veterans Day: Nov. 11Watch: What is Juneteenth?

One person has died in California following an outbreak of amatoxin poisoning linked to wild, foraged mushrooms, state health officials said.

The California Department of Public Health said more than 20 cases have been identified since mid-November, with clusters in the Monterey and San Francisco Bay areas. Several patients, including children, have suffered severe liver damage, and at least one person may require a liver transplant.

RELATED STORY | Experts weigh in on microdosing psychedelic mushrooms

The agency urged the public to avoid foraging entirely during what it called a high-risk season for toxic mushrooms. Officials said death cap mushrooms, among the most dangerous types, can be easily mistaken for safe, edible varieties and cannot be made safe by cooking.

Death cap mushrooms contain potentially deadly toxins that can lead to liver failure," said Dr. Erica Pan, the states public health officer. Because the death cap can easily be mistaken for edible safe mushrooms, we advise the public not to forage for wild mushrooms at all during this high-risk season.

RELATED STORY | 'Zombie Mushrooms' have a real, beneficial role outside of fiction

Symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain typically appear within 6 to 24 hours but may briefly improve before severe or fatal liver damage can develop.

Death caps grow widely across the state, particularly near oak and other hardwood trees following fall and winter rains.

Dozens of hockey players will come together for a 24-hour, continuous hockey game in East Lansing to benefit a nonprofit raising funds for pediatric cancer.

The LivSports 24-hour hockey Marathon, presented by LivFree, will take place April 18-19, 2026, at the historic Munn Arena on the campus of Michigan State University.

"LivFree is a childhood cancer nonprofit organization that brings families together through a moment of joy. These moments may be small in scale, but the scope of their impact is great," the organization's website said.

During the 24-hour hockey marathon, more than 80 adult hockey players will come together to play the 24-hour game that will be broken up into three divisions.

Players who register have to raise $1,500, which is the average cost to support a LivFree family and provide them a moment of joy.

The three divisions are:

Division A - "These players participate at an advanced to elite competitive level in adult leagues in top tiers and/or participated at a competitive level (D1-3) in college and beyond." Division B - "B players that participate at an advanced competitive level in adult leagues in higher tiers and/or participated in college (D3-club)." Division 3 - "Players that participate in adult league hockey at the lower tiers should join Division C. This designation is for players of all skills, some who have been playing for many years, others who have added hockey to their adults lives."

Each division will feature two teams that play each other throughout the 24 hours.

The event will kick off at 2 p.m. on April 18 with the games going until 2 p.m. the next day. Each group will paly games ranging from 25 minutes to 90 minutes, with seven hours of ice time per skater over the 24 hours.

Players will have access to locker rooms and player areas, plus meals, snacks and hydration stations, rest areas, on-site athletic trainers and more.

For more information on the event, and to register, you can visit the event's website here.

The cold weather and snow in metro Detroit to start December has led to the opening of all four ski and snowboard resorts in metro Detroit.

According to the websites for each resort, all are open and ready for skiers and snowboarders. Check out the details below for each resort for the week starting Dec. 8. (Hours are subject to change in the coming weeks and months)

Pine Knob Ski & Snowboard Resort - 7778 Sashabaw Rd. in Clarkston

Monday & Tuesday - 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday & Thursday - 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12 - 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13 - 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14 - 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Alpine Valley - 6775 Highland Rd. in White Lake

Monday through Friday - 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday - 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday - 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Mt. Brighton - 4141 Bauer Rd. in Brighton

Monday, Dec. 8 through Thursday, Dec. 11 - 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12 - 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13 - 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14 - 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Mt. Holly - 13536 Dixie Highway in Holly

Monday through Wednesday - 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday - TBD Saturday - 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday - 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Changes that Disney made to a popular program that lets qualifying disabled people skip long lines at its California and Florida theme parks are too restrictive, disabled fans contend in a federal lawsuit and shareholder proposal that seek to expand eligibility.

The battle over who can skip long lines on popular rides because of their disabilities marks the latest struggle by Disney to accommodate disabled visitors while cracking down on past abuses. But some Disney fans say the company has gone too far and has no right to determine who is disabled.

"This isn't right. This isn't what Walt and Roy would have wanted," said Shannon Bonadurer, referring to the Disney brothers who founded the entertainment empire. Despite being unable to wait for long periods of time in the heat because she uses an ileostomy bag, Bonadurer was denied a pass for the disability program.

In a statement, Disney said it was committed to providing a great experience to all visitors, particularly those with disabilities who may require special accommodations.

Here's a look at changes to Disney parks' policies for disabled visitors.

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What is the disability program?

The Disability Access Service, or DAS, program allows pass-holders and their immediate family members to make an online reservation for a ride while in the park and then get into an expedited line that typically takes about 10 minutes when they're ready to go on the ride. DAS guests never have to wait in normal standby lines, which on the most popular attractions can be two hours or more.

The DAS program started in 2013 in response to past abuses by disabled "tour guides" who charged money, sometimes hundreds of dollars, to accompany able-bodied guests, enabling such guests to go to the front of lines. Disney says the DAS program needed changing because it had grown fourfold. Before last year's changes, the percentage of guests having DAS passes jumped from around 5% to 20% over the past dozen years "and showed no signs of slowing," the company said in court papers.

Disney parks make other accommodations for disabled visitors, including maps in Braille, a device that helps transfer visitors from wheelchairs to ride seats, quiet break locations and American Sign Language interpreters for some live shows. The parks permit some service animals on rides and allow some disabled guests to leave a line and rejoin their party before boarding a ride.

WATCH: Disney drops effort to block wrongful death lawsuit over Disney+ contract

Who qualifies now?

Disney narrowed the scope from people with a wider range of disabilities to mostly guests who "due to a developmental disability such as autism or similar" have difficulties waiting in a long line. Under the changes, guests seeking a DAS pass must be interviewed via video chat by a Disney worker and a contracted medical professional who determine if the person is eligible. Visitors found to have lied can be barred from the parks.

Some people with disabilities who have been denied say the new policy is too restrictive. Not only was Bonadurer denied a pass, but so was her 25-year-old son, who is blind and has cerebral palsy and autism.

"They are making a determination about whether you're disabled enough," said Bonadurer, a professional travel adviser from Michigan. "I would love to wait in line with everyone else, and so would my son, since that would mean he has a normal life. But we don't, and unfortunately for us, we need adaptations to how we wait."

Disney says the Americans with Disabilities Act doesn't require equal treatment of people with varying disabilities. The company accommodates those visitors who don't meet the new DAS criteria with alternatives, Disney said in court filings responding to a federal lawsuit in California.

"For example, in a crowded movie theater, a person using a wheelchair may be entitled to priority seating even if they arrive shortly before the movie starts, while a deaf person may only be entitled to a seat with closed captioning," the company said.

At Disney's main theme park rival, Universal, disabled visitors can get shorter lines if they have a card issued by an international board that certifies venues for their accessibility.

What's next?

A shareholder proposal submitted on behalf of DAS Defenders, an advocacy group of Disney fans opposed to the DAS changes, calls on the company next year to commission an independent review of its disability policies and publicly release the findings. The shareholder proposal claims the change to the DAS program has contributed to lower park attendance.

Disney's attorneys told the Securities and Exchange Commission in a November letter that it intends to block the proposal ahead of the company's 2026 shareholder meeting, saying it was false and misleading about the reasons for an attendance decline, which the company attributed to hurricanes. The company also argued the shareholder proposal amounts to micromanaging day-to-day operations.