Motorists in Michigan preparing to travel during Memorial Day Weekend are hoping gas prices continue to decrease.

This weekend motorists were paying an average of $3.06 per gallon, which was 6 cents less than this time last month.

“Michigan drivers are seeing lower prices at the pump this week,” said Adrienne Woodland, spokesperson, AAA-The Auto Club Group in Monday’s report. “If demand stays low, alongside increasing gasoline stocks, motorists could continue to see gas prices decline.”

This price is 6 cents less than this time last month and 59 cents less than this time last year.

Across the state motorists were paying an average of $45 for a full 15-gallon tank of gasoline; a discount of about $12 from 2024’s highest price last July.

According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand decreased from 9.09 million barrels of oil per day to 8.71. Total domestic gasoline supply slightly increased from 225.5 million barrels to 225.7. Gasoline production decreased last week, averaging 9.7 million barrels per day.

At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) fell $1.02 to settle at $58.07 a barrel. The EIA reports that crude oil inventories decreased by 2 million barrels from the previous week. At 438.4 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 7% below the five-year average for this time of year.

A weekly comparison of prices showed Metro Detroit’s average daily gas price decreased. Metro Detroit’s current average is $3.09 per gallon, about 8 cents less than last week’s average and 51 cents less than this same time last year.

AAA report on state and metro gas averaged showed:

• Most expensive gas price averages:  Ann Arbor ($3.11), Marquette ($3.10), Metro Detroit ($3.09)• Least expensive gas price averages: Traverse City ($2.94), Jackson ($2.95), Flint ($2.98)

Find local gas prices

According to AAA’s report, daily national, state, and metro gas price averages can be found at Gasprices.aaa.com Motorists can find the lowest gas prices on their smartphone or tablet with the free AAA Mobile app. The app can also be used to map a route, find discounts, book a hotel and access AAA roadside assistance.

Tips to save on gas

• Limit driving time by combining errands.• Use the apps and shop around for best gas prices in your community before you venture onto the roads.• Some retailers charge more per gallon when using a credit card, so consider paying cash. .• Remove excess weight in your vehicle.• Keep to the speed limit. Aggressive acceleration and speeding reduces fuel economy.• Find a savings program. AAA Members who enroll in Shell’s Fuel Rewards program can save 5 cents per gallon when they fill up at Shell.

For more information visit acg.aaa.com/.

Illinois will have its first new senator in a decade after voters in the 2026 midterm elections select someone to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, who has held the seat since 1997.

The election is expected to be hotly contested, with statewide officeholders and congressional leaders vying for the treasured post. The winner of the Democratic primary will likely have an advantage given how blue Illinois’ electorate is, but several Republicans also are weighing a run. Durbin’s retirement means U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth will become Illinois’ senior senator.

Here’s a look at the upcoming contest and how we got here.

• US Sen. Dick Durbin’s retirement opens the floodgates for a number of potential successors
• Sign up for The Spin to get the latest reporting and in-depth analysis from the Tribune’s political team

Why is a Senate seat available?

Durbin, whose tenure as one of Illinois’ longest-serving U.S. senators has also been a testament to the power of seniority in the chamber, announced April 23 that he would not seek a sixth term next year. That has started a scramble among potential successors vying for a politically coveted six-year term.

“The decision of whether to run for reelection has not been easy. I truly love the job of being a United States senator. But in my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch. So, I am announcing today that I will not be seeking reelection at the end of my term,” Durbin said in a video.

With Durbin’s announcement setting off a potential domino effect among Illinois Democratic members of Congress and others angling to run for his Senate seat, he did not endorse a potential successor. Instead, Durbin said the state was “fortunate to have a strong Democratic bench ready to serve. We need them now more than ever.”

Who are the major candidates to throw their hats in the ring?

Juliana Stratton, Democrat

Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton wasted little time formally launching her bid for the Senate seat as she became the first major Democrat to enter a race that is expected to attract a large field of contenders.

Stratton announced her plans in a video posted on social media at 5 a.m. April 24, less than 24 hours after Durbin declared he would not run in 2026. The move was designed to position her as an early front-runner.

The decision by Stratton, a former state lawmaker, was not a surprise. The state’s lieutenant governor under Gov. JB Pritzker since 2019, Stratton announced in late January her interest in Durbin’s seat if he decided not to run, and she formed a federal political action committee. As she awaited Durbin’s decision, Stratton also increased her public visibility and moved forward on political hiring.

In her two-minute video, Stratton portrayed herself as an atypical politician who would take a different approach in challenging President Donald Trump in Washington.

“My story isn’t the story of a typical senator. Then again, typical isn’t what we need right now,” Stratton says in the video. “Donald Trump and Elon Musk are trying to distract us, to create such a mess that we don’t even know where to start. But in Washington, they’re still doing the same old things they’ve always done. And that old playbook isn’t working.”

• Gov. JB Pritzker endorses Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton for US Senate
• Sen. Tammy Duckworth endorses Juliana Stratton for Dick Durbin’s seat

Robin Kelly, Democrat

South suburban U.S. Rep. Kelly’s announcement on May 6 that she is vying for the Senate seat came about two weeks after Stratton launched her campaign with Pritzker’s backing.

The race for the party’s nomination to replace Durbin, who was an ally of Kelly’s, isn’t the first time the seven-term Democratic congresswoman from Matteson has faced off against a candidate backed by the billionaire governor and his political apparatus.

After working with Durbin in 2021 to defeat a Pritzker-backed candidate and become the first woman and first Black official to chair the Democratic Party of Illinois, Kelly dropped her bid to retain the seat a year later when allies of the governor rallied behind his handpicked state party leader, state Rep. Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernandez of Cicero.

“You could say I’ve been an underdog my whole life,” Kelly said in a 2½-minute video announcing her candidacy, referencing her upbringing helping out in her “family’s mom-and-pop grocery store” before putting herself through college at Bradley University in Peoria.

Raja Krishnamoorthi, Democrat

Five-term northwest suburban U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi launched his bid May 7, pitching himself as the Democratic “radical commonsense progressive” to take on Trump.

“A president, ignoring the Constitution, out for revenge, acting like a dictator, claiming he’s a king, surrounded by billionaire backers and MAGA extremists, threatening our rights, rigging the rules to line their pockets,” Krishnamoorthi, 51, of Schaumburg says in his nearly 2½-minute video announcement. “Wrecking the economy, they profit and working people pay. It’s insanity. People want to know, at this moment in this time, where is the power to fight back?”

With his bid, Krishnamoorthi injects into the race a mix of moderate policy positions, such as supporting small business initiatives, along with progressivism as one of 19 vice chairs of the Congressional Equality Caucus, a group that promotes equality for all regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Who else might be considering running?

Lauren Underwood, Democrat

A four-term Democrat from Naperville, Underwood had $1.1 million in cash on hand at the start of April, campaign records show. When Durbin announced he was not running for reelection, Underwood called him a “generous and thoughtful leader.”

Underwood represents a west suburban and exurban district that has supported her since she was first elected in 2018. But if she runs for Senate, that would mean the 14th Congressional District seat would be open, and Illinois Republicans would likely target it to steal from Democrats.

Alexi Giannoulias, Democrat

The first-term Secretary of State, who was also previously the state treasurer, ran for Senate in 2010 but lost in a heated battle to Republican Mark Kirk. While Giannoulias has experience running statewide and could be a legitimate contender if he runs for Senate, he is said to be eyeing a potential run for Chicago mayor.

Rahm Emanuel, Democrat

The former Chicago mayor, congressman, ambassador to Japan and chief of staff to President Barack Obama has been looking for a reentry into Democratic politics. But he prefers an executive rather than legislative post and is unlikely to seek Durbin’s seat, those close to him have said.

Darin LaHood, Republican

While the eventual Democratic nominee is expected to have the advantage in a state where party members have held all statewide elected offices since 2019, Republican U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood of Peoria has acknowledged he is considering a Senate bid.

LaHood, the son of former longtime GOP congressman and Obama transportation secretary Ray LaHood, had nearly $5.9 million in his federal campaign fund as of April 1. One of only three House Republicans in Illinois’ 17-member congressional delegation, LaHood has served since 2015 in Congress and has been a strong supporter of Trump.

Others who have filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission stating their interest in running for the Senate seat were Democrats Christopher Alexander Swann, Stanley Leavell and Austin James Mink; Republicans John Goodman, Casimer Chlebek and Douglas Bennett; independent Anthony Smith and Joseph David Schilling.

Who is out?

Michael Frerichs, Democrat

The three-term Democratic state treasurer, Frerichs said May 5 he would not seek the 2026 Democratic nomination to succeed Durbin.

“There is a mess in Washington right now and we need to send someone who will fight for all of us in Illinois, but that person will not be me,” Frerichs wrote in an email to supporters. “I am not willing to travel to Washington, D.C., 30-some weeks a year and spend so many nights away from my children. I don’t want to miss their games, their recitals, or even that many bedtimes.”

Michigan the battleground state that will captivate the nation again in 2026

Democrat Haley Stevens launches bid for U.S. Senate in Michigan

Pete Buttigieg won’t seek US Senate seat in Michigan, leaving door wide open for 2028 run

Michigan Democratic Sen. Gary Peters will not run for reelection, opening a key Senate seat in 2026

Here’s why Gary Peters won’t seek reelection to U.S. Senate

By Candice Williams, The Detroit News

As Michigan prepares for another warm-weather travel season, one thing is increasingly clear: President Donald Trump’s tariffs are sparking backlash that could reduce international visits to the United States — and deepening concerns that the levies may cause domestic travelers to adjust their plans.

The impact of tariffs amid a trade war is already showing up in travel from Canada to Michigan. The number of people crossing into the Great Lakes State from Canada fell 11% in both February and March, with vehicle crossings down 15% in February and 18% in March. Last fiscal year, 14.4 million travelers crossed the Canadian border into Michigan, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Tim Hygh, CEO of Mackinac Island Tourism, said he has heard of several cancellations from one day-trip tour operator based in Canada. Even though tariff-related cancellations may not impact the island’s overnight-stay business, there is concern that it could affect daytime traffic.

“You never want to see an interruption in business or any kind of a loss, especially when you’re only open six months out of the year,” he said. “So there are concerns. It won’t make or break us, but any loss is a concern.”

Dana Orlando, vice president of sales and marketing for Grand Hotel, said overall guest bookings are continuing as usual but the landmark property’s Canadian business has slowed. The hotel continues to focus on catering to a wide demographic, including multi-generational families.

“They love those traditions, and we stay true to those traditions,” she said. “So we’re trying to reach everyone.”

Tourism officials across the state are hoping for a busy summer, despite reduced air travel between the two North American neighbors and economic uncertainty threatening to cloud the outlook for hotels, restaurants and retailers up north. So far, operators say they are cautiously optimistic.

Trevor Tkach, president of Traverse City Tourism, expects more last-minute and budget-conscious travelers this summer, as many people scale back from long-distance or international trips. He described it as “a tale of two travelers” — those who are more conservative but still traveling and more affluent travelers who opt for closer destinations instead of going as far as they have in the past.

“It’s kind of reminding me of COVID, honestly,” he said. “It’s weird to say that. When we couldn’t travel as far, people still wanted to go somewhere. So we saw growth in affluent travelers then, too. Traverse City tends to find a customer one way, whether times are up or down. We end up being a pretty good landing spot because we’re a sought-after destination. We’re lucky in that way.”

Business owners like Bob Sutherland, owner of retailer Cherry Republic, are counting on people continuing their traditional summer trips to northern Michigan. The retailer has several stores in Michigan, including Traverse City, Charlevoix and Glen Arbor, with a new one opening this month in Mackinaw City.

“I think for Cherry Republic, in this time of uncertainty, we are going to be as rock solid, true to our brand, and certain and consistent,” he said. “For our customers coming north … they want that piece of peaceful, beautiful northern Michigan.”

On Mackinac Island, bookings are on par with last year so far, Hygh said. Early May is when many of the businesses at the popular tourist destination reopen to welcome tourists after a winter break.

“When I do a survey of our hotels almost weekly now, especially with the market turbulence at this point, their phone calls are steady,” Hygh said. “So at this point, it looks like it could be a good season, and we’re just grateful that all indications are good so far.”

Brian Bailey, general manager at Chippewa Hotel Waterfront, said Mackinac Island is fairly insulated from upheaval as people seek regional travel.

“People will travel shorter distances and go to a place that they know they can count on and they love,” he said.

Todd Callewaert, president of Island House Hotel, said bookings are up about 4% from the same time last year: “I’m sort of surprised at that. They’re coming in pretty strong. So I’m looking for a pretty good year.”

Canadian tourists are a small part of the hotel’s business, Callewaert said, booking about 60 nights total last year. As of early May, the hotel had booked 35 nights for Canadian residents.

“We’re going to do just fine with Canadians,” he said. “We’ll probably do the same, if not more.”

Staffing up

While some hotels say they are on pace with their summer bookings, most also report being fully or nearly fully staffed to accommodate guests.

Detroit-based immigration attorney Bob Birach estimates that about 20% of workers who staff businesses on Mackinac Island are foreign workers in the country through work visas, such as J1 and H2B.

Hygh on Mackinac Island said he doesn’t anticipate any changes to the J1 or H2B programs.

“Everything was laid in place with the last administration and the current administration has not changed anything, nor have they made any plans into the future,” Hygh said. “So no effect at this point.”

At the Grand Hotel, Orlando said the hotel is fully staffed with more than 700 employees during the peak of the season. About 80% are temporary employees, including foreign workers employed through the H2B program.

“It’s a big workforce for us,” she said. “We have to work with the government every year in order to get those. And you just never know what the number will be. And we’ve been thankful that this year we have everyone that we need.”

Mission Point expects to have all of its workers in place soon, said Leah Anderson, senior marketing and content manager. She said the hotel requests around 150 H2B work visas each year, but due to the nature of the program, there are delays. As of early May, the hotel had 68 H2B workers, she said.

“We expect the remainder to arrive by the end of May, but this does create significant challenges for us in the beginning of the season,” she said.

Promoting a ‘coolcation’

The Upper Peninsula saw $1.6 billion in total visitor spending — 5.5% of Michigan’s total visitor economy — in 2023, according to an economic impact analysis released last week by the Upper Peninsula Travel and Recreation Association. Mackinac County, which includes Mackinac Island, led with $309.4 million in visitor spending.

Visitors returning to Mackinac Island will notice some improvements this year. The Grand Hotel has completed renovations, including a new Mackinac Market and the Dorothy Draper Home shop. The Inn at Stonecliffe has updated its kitchen facilities, while Mackinac State Historic Parks is preparing a series of events to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Mackinac National Park.

New transportation options could also help boost visitation. Starting in May, United Express will begin daily direct flights from Chicago O’Hare to both Chippewa County International Airport and Pellston Airport.

Officials say ferry service to the island has improved as well. Hygh, CEO of Mackinac Island Tourism, said service is back on track following fleet issues last year, and the schedule has increased by 10%. The Arnold Transit brand has returned after a 12-year absence.

Hygh said cooler summer temperatures — 10 to 15 degrees lower than many Southern locations — are being used to promote the island as a “coolcation” destination.

“Mackinac Island is cool,” Hygh said. “Take that any way you want. The St Louises of the world, the Memphises of the world, the high heat, high humidity. We’re really trying to reach out and tell them, don’t go south, come north and get a break. Get out of the heat.”

Mission Point Resort completed a redesign of its fine dining restaurant, Chianti, and added a new Lilac Lounge. “Brighter colors, along the water,” said Mark Ware, CEO of Mission Point. “Really exquisite food.”

Liz Ware, co-owner of Mission Point, said the hotel is seeing a mix of travel behaviors, with some guests making weather-dependent, last-minute plans and others booking early. October and May travel is on the rise, she said, as guests seek more affordable shoulder-season trips.

“Summer is peak season and everyone wants to come to the island,” she said. “It’s going to be a strong season for us. And I think the other thing that people want is the experience. And Mackinac, you get this really great feeling of being able to disconnect and then reconnect with your family and your friends.”

Jeri-Lynn Bailey, spokesperson for Arnold Transit Company, said the company, previously known as Mackinac Island Ferry Company, rebranded back to Arnold Transit after a difficult 2024 that saw major fleet issues. The company invested $6 million in repairs and is now focused on dependable, no-frills service.

“We stripped it down,” Bailey said. “We’re a ferry boat company again — no gimmicks.”

A new ticketless boarding system is launching June 1, and a slower, scenic “classic service” from St. Ignace will offer rides as low as $22.50, $11.50 below a regular adult round-trip.

“It’s like you step back to the pace of Mackinac before you even step on the island,” she said.

The new season starts as Mackinac Island and the ferry companies are in a dispute over ferry operations. Shepler’s Inc. filed a complaint earlier this year alleging the city has overstepped its authority in regulating the company’s fares and schedules for ferries, prices for parking and its business operations.

Mackinac Island has filed a countersuit, saying that it has the right to regulate fees for parking and fares for Shepler’s Inc. and Arnold Transit Company, claiming that the companies’ common ownership, Hoffmann Marine, created a monopoly and eliminated competition.

Jenny Gezella, president of Hoffmann Marine, said she couldn’t discuss the ongoing litigation between the ferry companies and the city. However, she noted the $6 million investment in what is now known as the Arnold Transit ferry fleet. Shepler’s picked up the slack while Arnold Transit’s fleet was out of service.

“Shepler’s … it was hard on their equipment last year,” she said.

Regarding the rebranding of Arnold Transit, Gezella said, “You’re gonna see a whole different look and feel … the yellow star is gone. It’s back to that traditional brand of that green and red, and so lots of enhancements you’re gonna see.”

‘Maximizing our potential’

Tkach of Traverse City Tourism said the city has had ongoing development, a sign of investor confidence. Several new hotels are opening this year, including a Residence Inn on the East Bay side, plus Home2 Suites and Fairfield Inn on U.S. 31 south of the city. The old Fairfield Inn on U.S. 31 just south of the city is being converted into a Spark hotel that is scheduled to open in June. Short-term rental inventory continues to expand, and new downtown condos offer visitors a more urban option.

Traverse City is leaning heavily on its food and wine scene, he added: “As a destination, there’s some strategizing going on, so I think you’ll see more opportunities, maybe just more strategic alignment between growers, the farmers and the vendors. Being a little more deliberate to make sure we’re maximizing our potential with the consumer.”

In several northern Michigan communities, including Traverse City and Glen Arbor, Cherry Republic is fully staffed for the season, Sutherland said. The company — which does about half of its annual business between June and September — will carry 20 new products this summer. Cherry Republic has developed a balanced staffing model that includes J1 visa holders, H2B workers, college students and retirees.

“We provide spaces in an RV park so that we can have camp workers — people that own RVs and drive up here for the summer,” he said. “Usually semi-retired, and they’re terrific workers.”

Sutherland believes the workforce improvements are paying off in customer service. “We’re excited to have enough employees and fresh employees and really rock-solid people to serve our customers,” he said. “It makes a huge difference … to not have an exhausted employee whose lips are too tired to smile.”

In Grand Rapids, a year-round destination, 2025 is pacing ahead of last year in terms of visitors, said Janet Korn, senior vice president with Experience Grand Rapids.

“Through the end of March, (we’re) about 3.4% ahead of last year,” she said. “So currently we’re ahead of what we hope to be for the end of the year. So that’s a ray of optimism.”

Korn said June and July are shaping up to be “really strong” with group business. “That might hold true, because people that are planning to go to their meeting and convention at this point are likely coming,” she said. “Of course, there is all this uncertainty, but we have many reasons to believe that people who are traveling to visit their friends and relatives and coming to the Grand Rapids-Kent County area for tourism are going to come here.”

Korn noted the city’s proximity to major Midwest markets as another advantage: “We’re in this wonderful three-hour drive from Chicago, which is a large market. We’re only a four-and-a-half-hour drive from Indianapolis. And we’re only two, two-and-a-half hours from Metro Detroit,” she said. “We do get a lot of visitors coming from there.”

President Donald Trump’s campaign has released details about a rally scheduled for Tuesday in Macomb County to celebrate the 100th day of his second term.

The campaign said in an email the event will be held at 6 p.m. April 29th at the Sports & Expo Center on the South Campus of Macomb Community College on 12 Mile and Hayes roads in Warren.

Tickets for the rally, which is open to the public, are available here.

Doors are set to open at 1:45 p.m. Remarks by various elected officials will begin at 6 p.m. followed by Trump’s comments, according to the campaign.

Last week, the White House announced Trump’s visit to Michigan, his first since being elected president to a second, nonconsecutive term in office. He won the state of Michigan in both the 2016 and 2024 elections, but lost the state and the election in 2020.

Trump to hold rally in Macomb County to celebrate his first 100 days in office

The past three months have seen the president’s whirlwind approach to covering trade, international alliances and a tariffs program that has led to consumer confidence plummeting, stock markets convulsing and investors losing confidence in the credibility of Trump’s policies.

Since taking office for his second term, the president has been looking to overhaul the federal government as he attempts to cut jobs and agencies, end diversity programs, deport immigrants and launch hefty tariffs that have threatened to upend the global economic order but which he says are needed to force fairer trade deals.

In a news release, organizers said the MCC event is intended to be a “celebration of the most successful and monumental first 100 days of any administration in history.”

Macomb County was one of the southeast Michigan communities where voters favored Trump.

In November 2024, he won Michigan’s 15 electoral college votes, flipping the state again in a victory over Democrat Kamala Harris.

In Macomb, voters chose Trump over Harris, 284,660 votes to 214,977 votes, for a nearly 14-percentage point victory margin.

Trump’s favor in Michigan has wavered over the years, but his supporters have kept the vote counts close. He defeated Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton by 10,704 Michigan votes in 2016 and then lost to Democratic nominee Joe Biden by 154,188 Michigan votes four years later.

His speech is expected to touch on tariffs and an an update on Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township. He has said in recent weeks that he was working with Michigan leaders to keep the military installation  “open, strong, thriving” and hinted about the possibility of new fighter jets coming.

Earlier this month, Trump made reference to Selfridge as he was meeting with Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in the Oval Office. Whitmer and other Michigan officials have long pushed for a new fighter mission to replace the outgoing A-10 squadron at Selfridge.

Familiar faces expected to join Trump during rally next week at Macomb Community College

Most Americans expect higher prices as a result of Trump’s tariffs, new poll finds

Prevailing thoughts from Lions’ 2025 draft class, and what might come next

Macomb County All-Academic Banquet brings out the best in all

By Luke Ramseth, The Detroit News

Two major Stellantis parts plants in Metro Detroit are preparing for a combined 330 temporary layoffs scheduled to begin on Monday and last several weeks.

The staffing cutbacks — about 170 at the Warren Stamping plant and 160 at the Sterling Stamping plant — are tied to the automaker’s decision to idle two  assembly factories in Canada and Mexico impacted by President Donald Trump’s new 25% tariffs on imported vehicles. Stellantis said last week that it expected about 900 workers in the United States to be laid off due to the new tariffs, with additional cuts coming at transmission and parts plants in Kokomo, Ind.

Both Metro Detroit stamping facilities are especially impacted by the Windsor Assembly plant closing because both supply parts for the Chrysler minivans and Dodge Charger electric muscle cars made there, said Romaine McKinney III, president of United Auto Workers Local 869, which represents about 800 workers at the Warren Stamping plant. McKinney said the plant also is affected by the nearby Warren Truck Assembly plant, which will soon pause production for several weeks due to engine shortages.

With the additional cuts this week, McKinney said more than 260 union members at the Warren Stamping will be temporarily laid off following previous cutbacks.

“They’re terrified,” McKinney said of the members. “They’re in an uproar because they knew it was coming, they could see it coming — but it’s reality now.”

McKinney has mixed feelings about Trump’s tariffs. Right now they are fueling coming layoffs and leading to lower morale among the members. And the tariffs are set to push up prices on various goods, which also won’t be good for UAW members.

Yet he also supports the goal of bringing back manufacturing work to the U.S.— even Warren Stamping has plenty of space where it could rebuild assembly lines and add staff to increase parts output, a projects he estimates might take a year at the soonest.

“It’s just so early in the game,” McKinney said, and it’s unclear how the tariff strategy will all shake out.

Warren Stamping worker Daiquiri Harris said the automaker’s layoffs caught him off guard. He knew job cuts were possible due to tariffs but figured his plant had already seen such deep cuts recently, it wouldn’t be able to reduce its workforce much further. The 47-year-old said he wondered why General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. hadn’t yet announced similar cutbacks yet due to tariffs, and whether Stellantis may have been looking to cut back production and staff anyway.

Harris said he’s torn about the White House’s tariff strategy.

“It’s tough, man,” he said. “I know they want to bring the manufacturing back and this is how they propose to do it. But I don’t know. Maybe in the long run, this’ll work out and we’ll all look back at it and be glad it happened. But for right now, it’s not looking good.”

Democratic U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar of Detroit joined a handful of supporters in front of Stellantis’ Detroit Assembly Complex-Jefferson plant on Friday afternoon to discuss Trump’s tariffs and the automaker’s plans to temporarily trim jobs in response. He argued tariffs can be helpful to the United States if used judiciously and strategically — but the Republican president’s onslaught of new levies on nations, the auto industry and more was instead a “macho, bully approach to dealing with the economy.”

Thanedar acknowledged this approach might work in some instances, scaring certain countries or companies to change their practices. But he said it also appeared set to damage the interconnected auto industry, which he noted sends parts back and forth to be manufactured and assembled between countries.

The congressman also questioned whether Stellantis really needed to idle plants and cut its workforce in response to the new tariffs, a sentiment that has been echoed in recent days by UAW officials.

“These 900 jobs that they are cutting, supposedly a temporary job (cut) … is that really a result of these tariffs or is this where a company is taking advantage of the situation to trim and cut some of the workforce?” Thanedar asked. “If that’s what they are doing, Stellantis should not be doing that.”

Thanedar said he had not discussed the tariff issue with Stellantis. The automaker declined to respond to his comments. But executives have said the company needs to pause production and shipments due to the new 25% tax, and as they seek to work out new levies with the Trump administration.

UAW retiree and former engine plant worker Willie Wyatt, 85, who attended Thanedar’s gathering on Friday, said he watched many good auto jobs leave the Detroit area over the years. But he’s not convinced Trump’s tariffs will bring them back. He said he’s worried the tariffs will just raise prices and lead to more layoffs for the autoworkers that remain.

“Them companies don’t leave and say, ‘I’m gonna build a new plant tomorrow and come back here,'” Wyatt said. “Donald Trump’s term is supposed to end in three or four years from now. It takes you two to three years to build a plant.”

lramseth@detroitnews.com

More than just chips: Chinese threats and Trump tariffs could disrupt lots of ‘made in Taiwan’ imports − disappointing US builders, cyclists and golfers alike

Stellantis joins Ford to offer customers employee discount pricing

Farmers fear tariffs could cost them one of their biggest markets in China

Dream home: Lakefront luxury home on Union Lake hits the market

Human remains found in Ohio in 1987 identified to be 18-year-old Michigan woman

The founder of Auto Workers for Trump 2024 in Macomb County thanked President Trump and predicted auto plants will reopen over the next few years during a brief speech at the president’s “Liberation Day” at the White House.

Brian Pannebecker attended the event Wednesday in the Rose Garden along with many top federal officials and 20 Michigan UAW members. Pannebecker cited the group of auto workers, who responded with cheers, during his remarks after Trump invited him to the podium on stage.

“We support Donald Trump’s policies on tariffs 100%,” Pannebecker said, pointing to the group, which included Chris Vitale of St. Clair Shores. “In six months or a year, we’re going to begin seeing the benefits. I can’t wait to see what’s happening three-four years down the road.”

In asking him to come on stage, Trump said, “He’s been a fan of ours and he understands this business a lot better than the economists, a lot better than anybody.”

Pannebecker started his comments by noting he is from “north of Detroit, Macomb County, the home of the Reagan Democrats.”

“My first vote for president was for Ronald Reagan,” he said. “I thought that was going to be the best president ever in my lifetime. That was until Donald J. Trump came along.”

He described metro Detroit as a region of closed and idle auto plants.

“My entire life I have watched plant after plant after plant in Detroit and the Metro Detroit area close,” Pannebecke said. “There are now plants sitting idle, there are now plants under-utilized. Donald Trump’s policies are going to bring product back into these under-utilized plants. There’s going to be new investment, new plants built.”

After he left the stage, Trump said of Pannebecker, “He got it right from the beginning; he got it before almost anyone else, and they (referencing the auto union members in the audience) did, too.”

“You’re going to be happy very soon,” the president assured.

Pannebecker, a New Baltimore resident and Sterling Heights native, is a retired auto worker who spoke at a Trump rally last November and has organized many pro-Trump events in recent years.

Vitale is a St. Clair Shores city councilman and recently recent Stellantis employee who was one of the 20 UAW members invited to attend the ceremony

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Vitale said before the event Wednesday morning from Washington D.C.. “They were looking for some autoworkers to show support, and I was picked to be one of them.”

Vitale said he is a strong supporter of Trump’s plans to heighten tariffs and has campaigned for them in the past. Like Pannebecker, he said he believes in the long run they will benefit the United States.

“My feeling is that the rest of the world is in a panic over these because they’ve been doing them to us for the past 60 years,” he said. “I would say in a year from now a lot of them probably won’t even be in place because the idea is to get those foreign governments to take down their tariffs on American products, level the playing field, so to speak, which is something I’ve been advocating for since 2008. Not looking for special treatment, just looking for equal treatment.”

He called the part of the negative reaction to tariffs “hair lighting on fire … nothing more than drama” because most products from Canada and Mexico initially will be exempt as part of the U.S.-Canada-Mexico Agreement. He called those reactions “scare stories.”

He said the explanation to support the tariffs is complex.

“What Trump is doing is fundamentally the right move,” he said.

Vitale paid for his trip, he said.

Vitale, who said he remains a member of the UAW, said he tested prototype drivetrains the last 10 years of his career at the Tech Center in Auburn Hills, and prior to that worked at other facilities for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Chrysler.

He was elected to City Council in November 2011 and was last re-elected in November 2023.

New Baltimore man accused of selling counterfeit air bags

Macomb County man pleads to federal drug trafficking in two states

Tuesday lunches spotlight Nautical Mile businesses

State lawmaker Mallory McMorrow of Royal Oak announces Democratic bid for US Senate

Armada’s young duo helps galvanize win over L’Anse Creuse North

By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump declared on Wednesday a 10% baseline tax on imports from all countries and higher tariff rates on dozens of nations that run trade surpluses with the United States, threatening to upend much of the architecture of the global economy and trigger broader trade wars.

Trump held up a chart while speaking at the White House, showing the United States would charge a 34% tax on imports from China, a 20% tax on imports from the European Union, 25% on South Korea, 24% on Japan and 32% on Taiwan.

The president used aggressive rhetoric to describe a global trade system that the United States helped to build after World War II, saying “our country has been looted, pillaged, raped, plundered” by other nations.

Trump declared a national economic emergency to launch the tariffs, expected to produce hundreds of billions in annual revenues. He has promised that factory jobs will return back to the United States as a result of the taxes, but his policies risk a sudden economic slowdown as consumers and businesses could face sharp price hikes on autos, clothes and other goods.

“Taxpayers have been ripped off for more than 50 years,” Trump said in remarks at the White House. “But it is not going to happen anymore.”

Trump was fulfilling a key campaign promise as he imposed what he called “reciprocal” tariffs on trade partners, acting without Congress through the 1977 International Emergency Powers Act in an extraordinary attempt to both break and ultimately reshape America’s trading relationship with the world.

The president’s higher rates would hit foreign entities that sell more goods to the United States than they buy, meaning the tariffs could stay in place for some time as the administration expects other nations to lower their tariffs and other barriers to trade that it says have led to a $1.2 trillion trade imbalance last year.

The tariffs follow similar recent announcements of 25% taxes on auto imports; levies against China, Canada and Mexico; and expanded trade penalties on steel and aluminum. Trump has also imposed tariffs on countries that import oil from Venezuela and he plans separate import taxes on pharmaceutical drugs, lumber, copper and computer chips.

None of the warning signs about a falling stock market or consumer sentiment turning morose have caused the administration to publicly second-guess its strategy, despite the risk of political backlash as voters in last year’s election said they wanted Trump to combat inflation.

Senior administration officials, who insisted on anonymity to preview the new tariffs with reporters ahead of Trump’s speech, said the taxes would raise hundreds of billions of dollars annually in revenues. They said the 10% baseline rate existed to help ensure compliance, while the higher rates were based on the trade deficits run with other nations and then halved to reach the numbers that Trump presented in the Rose Garden.

In a follow-up series of questions by The Associated Press, the White House could not say whether the tariff exemptions on imports worth $800 or less would remain in place, possibly shielding some imports from the new taxes.

Based on the possibility of broad tariffs that have been floated by some White House aides, most outside analyses by banks and think tanks see an economy tarnished by higher prices and stagnating growth.

Trump would be applying these tariffs on his own; he has ways of doing so without congressional approval. That makes it easy for Democratic lawmakers and policymakers to criticize the administration if the uncertainty expressed by businesses and declining consumer sentiment are signs of trouble to come.

Heather Boushey, a member of the Biden White House’s Council of Economic Advisers, noted that the less aggressive tariffs Trump imposed during his first term failed to stir the manufacturing renaissance he promised voters.

“We are not seeing indications of the boom that the president promised,” Boushey said. “It’s a failed strategy.”

Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., said the tariffs are “part of the chaos and dysfunction” being generated across the Trump administration. The chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee stressed that Trump should not have the sole authority to raise taxes as he intends without getting lawmakers’ approval, saying that Republicans so far have been “blindly loyal.”

“The president shouldn’t be able to do that,” DelBene said. “This is a massive tax increase on American families, and it’s without a vote in Congress … President Trump promised on the campaign trail that he would lower costs on day one. Now he says he doesn’t care if prices go up — he’s broken his promise.”

Even Republicans who trust Trump’s instincts have acknowledged that the tariffs could disrupt an economy with an otherwise healthy 4.1 % unemployment rate.

“We’ll see how it all develops,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. “It may be rocky in the beginning. But I think that this will make sense for Americans and help all Americans.”

Longtime trading partners are preparing their own countermeasures. Canada has imposed some in response to the 25% tariffs that Trump tied to the trafficking of fentanyl. The European Union, in response to the steel and aluminum tariffs, put taxes on 26 billion euros’ worth ($28 billion) of U.S. goods, including on bourbon, which prompted Trump to threaten a 200% tariff on European alcohol.

Many allies feel they have been reluctantly drawn into a confrontation by Trump, who routinely says America’s friends and foes have essentially ripped off the United States with a mix of tariffs and other trade barriers.

The flip side is that Americans also have the incomes to choose to buy designer gowns by French fashion houses and autos from German manufacturers, whereas World Bank data show the EU has lower incomes per capita than the U.S.

“Europe has not started this confrontation,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. “We do not necessarily want to retaliate but, if it is necessary, we have a strong plan to retaliate and we will use it.”

Italy’s premier, Giorgia Meloni, on Wednesday reiterated her call to avoid an EU-US trade war, saying it would harm both sides and would have “heavy” consequences for her country’s economy.

Because Trump had hyped his tariffs without providing specifics until Wednesday, he provided a deeper sense of uncertainty for the world, a sign that the economic slowdown could possibly extend beyond U.S. borders to other nations that would see one person to blame.

Ray Sparnaay, general manager of JE Fixture & Tool, a Canadian tool and die business that sits across the Detroit River, said the uncertainty has crushed his company’s ability to make plans.

“There’s going to be tariffs implemented. We just don’t know at this point,” he said Monday. “That’s one of the biggest problems we’ve had probably the last — well, since November — is the uncertainty. It’s basically slowed all of our quoting processes, business that we hope to secure has been stalled.”

By David WelchBloomberg

Brittany Humphries and her husband Jon Bassford are what sales people at car dealerships might call motivated buyers. The couple, who live in suburban Maryland outside Washington, DC, moved swiftly to lock in purchases this year to avoid the risk of paying thousands of dollars more once Trump administration policies on electric vehicles and tariffs fully kick in.

The couple’s story presages a buying boom as people rush to get ahead of the 25% tariff hike on imported vehicles that President Donald Trump announced on March 26, which is set to go into effect on April 3.

By the end of February, Humphries, 38, had traded in her 2022 Hyundai Kona crossover for a new $44,000 Acura Integra compact and her 42-year-old husband swapped his Acura MDX SUV for a lease on a $72,000 all-electric ZDX SUV.

Those transactions helped power strong first-quarter new car sales ahead of White House moves to disrupt the auto industry’s status quo.

“We just don’t want to be part of Trump’s game,” Humphries said.

The promised tariffs could jack up sticker prices once current inventories are depleted.

The first indication of a wider upswell in demand will come Tuesday, when major automakers such as General Motors Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. release new car sales data for the latest quarter. Tesla Inc. is expected to detail its global delivery numbers for the period on April 2.

Trump told reporters at a White House briefing on Friday that Americans shouldn’t rush out to buy cars ahead of the tariffs. But that doesn’t appear to be deterring motivated buyers.

“Savvy consumers are likely attempting to get ahead of future uncertainty surrounding auto pricing levels by taking advantage of March deals,” Chris Hopson, principal analyst at S&P Global Mobility, said in a statement. “Downside risks to the auto demand and production environment abound as consumers face potential higher auto prices as a result of expected tariffs.”

Import models – including those shipped from Canada and Mexico – make up about half of overall US sales. And many vehicles made in the US use a lot of imported parts. But it’s unclear exactly how much of a levy will be charged on specific vehicles and also how much of that extra cost – which is estimated to be as much as $12,000 for some models – will be born by consumers. The burden from previous tariff hikes and Covid-era supply chain disruptions was spread out among automakers, parts suppliers and car buyers over a period of years.

Cars already are more expensive than just a few years ago, giving pause even to some affluent buyers. Average new vehicle transaction prices hit $47,373 in February, according to car-shopping website Edmunds. Fear that prices can only go up with Trump’s latest tariffs is driving more people to move up their timeline for buying a new car, said Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at market research firm AutoForecast Solutions.

“The idea that cars might be more expensive in April has been all over the news,” he said.

A similar trend boosted car sales in the final quarter of 2024 as buyers rushed to sign paperwork for electric vehicles eligible for tax credits Trump has started to curb. That helped automakers end 2024 on a bullish note, with sales up 2.2% to 15.9 million vehicles for the year, marking the highest level since 2019, according to Wards Intelligence.

Edmunds projects first quarter sales will continue that upward trend, rising 1% to 3.8 million vehicles – the strongest start to the year since 2021. That number likely reflects some sales pulled forward by trade policy concerns, but also reflects healthy overall demand and supply in the market, according to Jessica Caldwell, an analyst at Edmunds. Price hikes and inventory disruptions tied to trade policy may start to weigh on auto sales beginning in April, she said.

“If you’re looking to buy a car in the next, I’d say, month, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to get a car as soon as possible,” Caldwell said in a Bloomberg TV interview.

Most major automakers sell vehicles sourced from multiple countries, with some brands more dependent on foreign-made models than others. Many of the cheapest vehicles are imported, something that could soon put many cars out of reach for entry-level buyers.

Faith Johnson, a 30-year-old dental assistant living in metro Detroit, has been looking to buy a new car because her current vehicle, a used Ford Explorer, is having engine trouble even after $5,000 in repairs. She’s been saving for a down payment on a new car since November, and has about $2,000 in cash saved up so far.

“Things are just super expensive,” said Johnson. “Now you have to come up with even more money because of the tariffs? That is insane.”

Researcher Cox Automotive projects sales growth to continue into the first three months of 2025, with a seasonally-adjusted annualized sales rate of 15.8 million vehicles. Prior to Trump’s tariff announcement, Cox expected 16.3 million vehicles would be sold for the full year. But that may drop once tariffs are imposed.

“It will be a squandered opportunity as we were poised for continuing growth” this year, Jonathan Smoke, Cox Automotive chief economist, said in a March 26 webcast. “Our quarterly survey of dealer sentiment showed positive momentum at the end of 2024.”

It was 40 years ago that L. Brooks Patterson organized a golf outing as a way of turning a heartbreaking tragedy into something beautiful. What began as a gesture to honor a friend and his children killed in a plane crash planted a seed that grew into The Rainbow Connection.

Its mission to brighten the lives of sick children and their families by providing them with fun, joy, comfort and inspiration during their darkest days has been growing ever since.

“We get to grant wishes to brave and wonderful Michiganders,” said Ingrid Todt, executive director of the Rainbow Connection, who was a college intern when she started working for the charity. “I did a picnic for a wish family and fell in love with the work.

“I’ve been here ever since.”

Since the first wish in 1985, granted to a 16-year-old patient at Children’s Hospital of Michigan who wanted to meet the legendary Muhammad Ali, more than 4,300 children have had wishes granted.

One that Todt will always remember had her traveling to Washington, D.C. at Christmas-time with Adam, a 12-year-old boy who wanted to meet President George W. Bush.

“He had a very old soul and just wanted to see what it was like to have a conversation with a president in the White House,” said Todt, who remembers the trip came up suddenly and Patterson, who served as Oakland County Executive for more than 26 years before his death in 2019, secured a private jet to get the boy and his family there in time.

It was a dream come true.

Adam was ushered into the Roosevelt Room where he and his family not only met with the President and First Lady but were given enough time to have the conversation he always wanted.

Wishes are granted through a process that involves a referral by hospital staff or online application. Once the application is approved, Rainbow Connection staff will set up a meeting to discuss what sort of wish the child might like.

“It’s usually something to do with going somewhere, meeting someone, or receiving something,” Todt said, remembering a young girl who wanted a shopping spree, another child going to the Super Bowl and one little girl who had her photo taken with the entire Dallas Cowboys cheerleader squad.

Medicine has come a long way so many children with life-threatening illnesses are doing much better than previous generations, but they have to go through so much to get to that point.

“The wishes give them the opportunity to focus on something amazing and fun during their journey,” said Todt.

For Scarlett Morales, 17, of Clinton Township, who is battling cancer,  a trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando with her parents and young sister was exactly what she needed.

“At the prime of Scarlett’s teenage years (age 16) she got diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia,” said Scarlett’s mother, Estela Morales. “We felt like our world was collapsing. We did not know what to expect with this new journey. As the initial weeks of treatment started to become more intense she started to feel like she was in a hopeless hole.”

That’s when she got a wish.

“When Scarlett was informed that a wish could be granted she did not know what to ask for,” Estela said, adding her daughter has always been a very grateful young lady and even something as simple as a popsicle would bring about a smile so she was a little dumbfounded by the offer.

However, after meeting with the Rainbow Connection and thinking about how her illness affected her sister she decided on a trip that would create memories for everyone in her family.

“We all went on an adventure of a lifetime,” Estela said.

Scarlett concurred.

“My happiest moment was to see all of us enjoying our time together, especially when my little sister Leah got to meet the character Stitch,” Scarlett said. “The Rainbow Connection is a magnificent organization and thanks to many generous people is able to make children’s wishes come true.”

One recipient who battled cancer as a child and grew up to become a health care professional said the charity provided her and her family with moments that impacted her life long after granting her a wish.

“This organization becomes an integral part of your family, providing financial support if needed, special events for the families until 18, scholarships for trade school/community college/University and more,” Jennifer said, in a testimonial recalling her wish 20 years ago.

“I’m never going to make a ton of money,” Todt said, of her role as the executive director of a nonprofit. “But I could never imagine doing anything else.”

For more information visit rainbowconnection.org/.

Max Reinhart, The Detroit News

State officials said they’ve almost exhausted the 313 area code and Detroiters will have to start dialing the full 10-digit phone number, even for local calls, starting in October.

Beginning Oct. 7, all local calls made within the 313 area code footprint must use all 10 digits. Calls placed with only seven digits won’t be completed and callers will receive a message asking them to disconnect and try their call again, the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) said in a press release Monday.

Telephone service providers can begin issuing an “overlay area code,” 679, to new phone customers in the 313 area, which includes Detroit and several of its closest suburbs, starting Nov. 7. This means callers must dial all 10-digits in order for their call to go through, MSPS said.

To give customers time to get used to the change, a six-month “permissive dialing” period will begin April 7. From then until Oct. 7, local calls can be made by dialing either the seven- or 10-digit number.

New phone lines or services will only be assigned numbers using the new 679 area code after all 313 numbers are exhausted, which isn’t projected to happen until late in 2027. However, MPSC said that timing is subject to change depending on demand, and new lines could be assigned the 679 area code as early as Nov. 7, 2025.

Customers who currently have a number with a 313 area code will be able to keep their existing phone number, MPSC said.

All calls currently considered local will remain so, MPSC said, and callers will continue to dial 1, plus the area code, for long-distance calls.

The price of a call, coverage area or other rates and services will not change due to the overlay, the commission said.

Special three-digit numbers like 911 and 988 will be unchanged.

Phone customers are encouraged to identify their telephone number as a 10-digit number and include the area code when giving the number to friends, family, business associates, customers and others.

Callers should also ensure that all services, automatic dialing equipment, applications, software or other types of equipment are reprogrammed to dial 10 digits if they are currently programmed to dial seven digits and to recognize the new 679 area code as a valid area code. Examples include life-safety systems, fax machines, Internet dial-up numbers, gates, speed dialers, mobile phone contact lists, call forwarding settings and voicemail services.

“Be sure to check your business stationery, advertising materials, personal checks, and your personal or pet ID tags to ensure the area code is included in your telephone number,” MPSC said.

Important safety and security equipment like medical alert devices, alarms and security systems may also need to be reprogrammed, between April 7 and Oct. 7, to use 10-digit dialing. Many systems use 10 digits by default, but older equipment may not, the state said. Anyone unsure about this should contact the service provider.

mreinhart@detroitnews.com

For the first time in more than 100 years, cougar cubs have been discovered living in the Michigan wild.

State biologists on Wednesday confirmed the existence of two cougar cubs on private land in Ontonagon County in the western Upper Peninsula. The spotted cubs, believed to be 7 to 9 weeks old, were verified from photographic evidence of the cubs taken March 6 by a local resident.

This is the first time cougar cubs have been verified since the big cats were hunted out of existence in Michigan in the early 1900s, said Brian Roell, large carnivore specialist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Roell, a wildlife biologist for 26 years, led the team that verified the cubs.

“It’s pretty exciting, considering this could be the first known cougar reproduction in modern times in the western Great Lakes states,” said Roell, referring to Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. “It really shows that we have a unique place in Michigan where someone has a chance to see a wolf, a moose and a cougar in the wild. It’s something that should be celebrated, that we have the habitat to support an elusive animal like this.”

The cubs were spotted and photographed without their mother. Cougar cubs are highly dependent on their mothers, often staying with them for the first two years of life.

Although cougars are native to Michigan, most of them now appear to be transient animals, dispersing into Michigan from Western states. The DNR has verified 132 adult cougar reports, Roell said, but DNA testing has confirmed only male cougars to date.

The cubs have not been spotted since March 6. “Those young cougars are very vulnerable right now,” Roell said. “We don’t know where they are or if they’re even alive. Mother Nature can be very cruel.”

Sightings can be logged in the DNR’s Eyes in the Field reporting system. Roell said cougars are on the list of endangered mammals in Michigan, meaning it’s illegal to hunt or harass them, which includes trying to locate their den. It’s also illegal to trespass on private property, he noted.

For the latest information on cougars, including the DNR’s cougar sightings photo page, visit Michigan.gov/Cougar.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan Supreme Court announced its justices have selected a new chief justice with the upcoming departure of the current incumbent.

The justices unanimously selected Megan Cavanagh to succeed Elizabeth Clement when she steps down, according to a Thursday announcement from the court. In February, Clement announced her intention to retire from the court before the end of April.

“The Court decided to make the choice now to ensure that the transition will be as smooth as possible and to confirm that our commitment to the path the Court is on will not waver,” Cavanagh said in a statement.

Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has the opportunity to appoint a justice to fill Clement’s vacancy and create a 6-1 majority of Democratic-backed justices. Whoever is appointed must run for retention in 2026 for a full eight-year term.

Michigan’s justices are technically nonpartisan, but they are nominated by state parties or appointed by the governor in the case of a vacancy. The court currently has a 5-2 majority of justices backed by Democrats after picking up a seat in the November election.

Cavanagh, backed by Democrats, narrowly beat out an incumbent justice in 2018. She is up for another term in 2026.

Clement was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2017 by Republican Gov. Rick Snyder. She is leaving to join the National Center for State Courts as president.

“I believe strongly that collaboration and cooperation are the keys to building public trust in our branch of government,” Cavanagh said.

ALEX VEIGA, The Associated Press

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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