A 50-year-old Macomb County man was convicted Wednesday of brutally murdering his live-in girlfriend following a two-week trial in Macomb County Circuit Court.

Jason Ross was found guilty of first-degree premeditated murder and three other felonies in connection with the beating death of Kathleen Hales, 47, in July 2021 in her home in a mobile-home community near 19 Mile and Utica roads in Sterling Heights.

He faces life without parole at his Oct. 10 sentencing by circuit Judge Matthew Sabaugh.

The jury deliberated only two hours before reaching its verdict late Wednesday afternoon following closing arguments that ended abruptly when Ross, who was representing himself, quit 30 minutes into his closing.

Earlier in her closing, Assistant Macomb Prosecutor Elizabeth Abbo accused Ross of “brutally beating” Hales with a hammer and stabbing her with three knives, inflicting 69 wounds in all.

“The defendant put a hammer to her head while she was defenseless, laying there yelling for help,” Abbo said.

Hales suffered from torture, Abbo added.

“This took time. It wasn’t quick. It didn’t occur all it once. It took time. She suffered,” Abbo said, telling jurors Hales died from blunt-force trauma to her head, as she suffered several skull fractures.

Ross was 30 minutes into his closing argument in Macomb County Circuit Court when he quit after being told for the third or fourth time by Judge Matthew Sabaugh to stop bringing alleged facts or issues into the case that were not touched on during the trial.

“At this point, I don’t know what I can say,” he said at the podium in front of 13 jurors. “I’m done. I just don’t got anything to say. I’m happy. I’m good,” Ross said as he walked back to the defense table.

Sabaugh asked him twice, “Is that your choice?”

“It’s my choice,” Ross replied as he sat down.

Abbo, who made the objections, declined to give a rebuttal, as allowed by law, she said for the first time in her career.

Ross, who testified a day earlier under questioning by his advisory counsel, Adil Haradhala, claimed he acted in self defense after Hales cut him with a knife during an argument.

He admitted to police he killed Hales, telling detectives they “fought like men” but that he overpowered her.

He also blamed his actions on excessive drug use.

Ross and Hales had been together a short time as he had moved in next door to her only months before.

Hales got him a job at a restaurant where she had worked for over 20 years and held several positions, according to testimony.

After the slaying, Ross took Hale’s credit or debit cards and fled in her red 2004 Ford Explorer, prosecutors said. He was captured two days later in Prescott, Mich., located about a 50 minute drive north of Bay City, in possession of items owned by Hale that tie him to the slaying scene and a weapon, prosecutors said.

The jury acquitted Ross, who has been in custody, of first-degree murder although they found him guilty of the underlying charge, larceny. He also was convicted of unlawfully driving away a vehicle and illegal possession of a financial transaction device.

Several of Hales’ family members attended the trial.

Grange Hall Road, between Fish Lake Road and Leroy Street in Holly Township and the Village of Fenton, will close on Thursday, Sept. 12, according to the Road Commission for Oakland County.

A culvert under the road will be replaced. This section of Grange Hall Road carries an estimated 12,630 vehicles daily.

The work will happen just east of Eddy Lake Road and is expected to be completed in one day so the road can reopen.

Residents and business owners will have access to their properties via roads east and west of the closure.

Through traffic will detour by taking Fish Lake Road to South Fenton Road to South Holly Road to Leroy Street, back to Grange Hall Road and vice versa.

Learn more at https://www.rcocweb.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1290.

The Michigan Snowsports Industries Association and the Michigan Ski Hall of Fame announced the induction of Michele “Mickey” MacWilliams of Clarkston, and Doris “Dorie” Sarns, former owner of Nub’s Nob, into the Michigan Ski Hall of Fame for their lifelong contributions to the Michigan snowsports community.

Dorie Sarns was a trailblazer for Michigan’s skiing landscape. She and her husband opened a small ski hill in the 1950s and then Nub’s Nob in Harbor Springs in 1959. She participated in the ski hill’s daily operations and was instrumental in adopting snowmaking technologies for optimal skiing conditions, according to a press release from the MSIA.

MacWilliams has been a transformative force in Michigan’s snowsports community. She began her career as a ski instructor at Schuss Mountain in the 1970s. Her impact grew through her work in advertising and marketing and she established Metro Media Associates, Inc. in 1981, becoming a key player in promoting Michigan’s snowsports industry.

In 1991, she helped form Michigan Snowsports Industries Association (MSIA), the trade association for the ski and snowboard industry in Michigan. Through the years, she served as the executive director of MSIA, pouring her boundless energy into driving the organization’s growth and effectiveness.

MacWilliams has been instrumental in introducing people to skiing and snowboarding by carrying out MSIA programs such as Discover Michigan Skiing, a learn-to-ski and snowboard program; and Cold is Cool 4th-5th grade passport, a program designed to encourage families to participate in skiing and snowboarding.

In 2022, Mickey founded MIsnow, an organization dedicated to preserving Michigan’s skiing history and promoting sustainability.

“Although I’m retiring from MSIA in March, I’m not going away. I’ll continue to work with MIsnow, our charitable organization, which helps underprivileged kids experience our slopes and trails, and also will be making a movie of the rich history of skiing in Michigan,” MacWilliams said.

“I’m confident that MSIA will continue to grow, prosper and change with its new executive director, Mike Panich,” she said.

For more information, visit www.GoSkiMichigan.com.

A woman who allegedly robbed stores in West Bloomfield and Orchard Lake on Wednesday night — firing at least two gunshots during the crimes — was arrested by West Bloomfield  police.

According to West Bloomfield police, a 911 call came in at around 8:40 p.m. from an employee at Twin Beach Market on Green Lake Road reporting a woman armed with a pistol entered the store and robbed him of cash, then fled. Soon after, 911 calls came in about other armed robberies in West Bloomfield and Orchard Lake believed to be perpetrated by the same suspect, including one at CVS Pharmacy at 6070 W. Maple Road where the woman reportedly fired two gunshots.

West Bloomfield police officers encountered the armed woman a short time later outside the CVS and took her into custody.

Police said the investigation so far indicates the woman acted alone. No injuries were reported, and police said there’s no known danger to the public in connection with the incidents.

As the investigation continues, anyone with further information on the West Bloomfield incidents is asked to contact Detective Phil Pacheco at 248-975-8905. Anyone with information on the Orchard Lake incidents is asked to contact Detective Michael Clement at 248-682-2400. A warrant request to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office is expected at the conclusion of the investigation.

Substitute teacher charged with sex crimes against kids

 

Which dinnerware set is best?

Dinnerware is an essential part of every kitchen. It allows you to enjoy your meals to the fullest. The best dinnerware set not only provides functionality for the dinner table or wherever you may dine but also aesthetics and personalization.

This Mikasa 40-Piece Set is an elegant and comprehensive set that champions quality material and longevity. However, the right dinnerware set caters to personal needs, varying in look, durability and price.

What to know before you buy a dinnerware set

Dinnerware set pieces

The basic dinnerware set consists of four pieces: dinner plate, salad plate, soup bowl and mug. The dinner plate is the largest item, designed for your main course. The salad plate is a matching smaller piece that may be used for salads or other appetizers. While most salad plates are flat, some may be slightly depressed.

Soup bowls tend to be small, similar to salad plates but have steeper sides. Lastly, a mug serves as a generic beverage vessel, though tends to be geared toward coffee or tea. In some cases, the mug may be omitted from the collection, resulting in a three-piece set.

Number of settings

Settings refer to the number of people each collection serves. You typically have the option of buying a single setting for a lone person, a four-person setting for the average household or an eight- or 12-person setting for more elaborate affairs.

Unfortunately, most collections don’t feature odd numbers, so to ensure everyone’s eating is matched, you’ll have to purchase more than you may need.

Size and shape

Consider size and shape, because not all dinnerware sets are crafted equally. Larger options push aesthetics as much as functionally, as they look to highlight your meal, while smaller sets are best for those with more compact kitchens, cabinets and cupboards.

Dinnerware sets may vary in shape. Keep in mind that circular items tend to be less efficient when it comes to storage than square or rectangular pieces. Note not just the length or diameter but the depth as well, which will influence stacking in a cabinet.

What to look for in a quality dinnerware set

Material

Material influences longevity, weight, ease of cleaning and overall quality. The most common materials used for dinnerware are stoneware, porcelain and bone china.

• Stoneware is popular for its aesthetic and durability. It tends to be thick and sturdy and allows for the imprinting of various colors and textures.
• Porcelain is a finer ceramic that is typically white in color. It’s also rather expensive.
• Bone china is used in the most elegant and expensive dinnerware. It may be plain or ornately decorated and comes with a lengthy lifespan.

Color and design

Dinnerware sets can match your style and personal style with various colors, patterns and other designs available. Basic solid colors are most common and are useful for a variety of occasions. Those with ornate or complex designs and patterns tend to be reversed for more formal affairs.

Extra components

More elaborate sets include extra pieces and additional useful dining components, such as an added plate, bowl or saucer for your mug. Large sets may also offer serveware.

Versatility

Depending on the material, some dinnerware may be safe for use in the dishwasher, microwave, oven or freezer. Some may be suitable up to a certain temperature, so check the limitations and work within them.

How much you can expect to spend on a dinnerware set

You can typically expect to pay between $15 and $30 per setting, with a slight price break when you buy a larger set. Material and design will influence price, with high-end options costing up to $40 per serving.

Dinnerware set FAQ

What’s the difference between dinnerware, serveware and flatware?

A. Dinnerware involves the plates and bowls that an individual eats from directly. Serveware, meanwhile, is more communal. These are the bowls and plates where the meal in its entirety is placed; each individual serves their own portion from the serveware. Lastly, flatware comprises the utensils you eat with; your knife, spoon and fork.

How do I store and care for my dinnerware?

A. Quality dinnerware is an investment, and it’s important to employ best care practices. While most materials are dishwasher-friendly, they are still subject to the quality of your dishwasher; chemicals can wear down the material over time, while any moving items within the unit can damage the surface. As such, it’s recommended to wash high-end dinnerware by hand. Similarly, high-quality material should also be dried by hand and stored delicately. Be mindful when stacking so as not to chip any material.

Dinnerware that is used regularly can be stored in a convenient cupboard, while fine China used for special occasions may require a special storage cabinet where it is less exposed.

What’s the best dinnerware set to buy?

Top dinnerware set

Mikasa Delray Bone China

What you need to know: This elegant dinnerware set provides long-lasting quality and aesthetics for a variety of occasions.

What you’ll love: Bone China is durable and sophisticated; a white aesthetic suits semi-casual and formal affairs alike. It serves eight and is safe in an oven, microwave and dishwasher.

What you should consider: It’s a bit expensive, and the lack of color may also be off-putting to some people.

Top dinnerware set for the money

Amazon Basics 18-piece Set

What you need to know: This simple, yet versatile dinnerware set for six people comes at an affordable price.

What you’ll love: It’s made of light and enduring porcelain. Its minimalist modern design is suitable for casual meals. It’s also safe for your dishwasher, freezer and microwave.

What you should consider: It does not include matching mugs.

Worth checking out

Fiesta Four-piece Setting

What you need to know: This single-serving ceramic dinnerware set has a rustic look and reliable construction.

What you’ll love: This farmhouse-style, four-piece dinnerware set is made of glazed ceramic. It’s also available in a variety of muted colors to match your personality and decor. It resists chips and is safe for your oven, microwave and dishwasher.

What you should consider: It’s a bit expensive for a single setting.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

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The news and editorial staff of the Oakland Press had no role in this post’s preparation. This is a paid advertisement and does not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Oakland Press, its employees or subsidiaries.

So other than that, how was the rest of the show?

Damn good, thank you very much.

Green Day made news on Wednesday night, Sept. 4, when the punk trio abruptly halted its concert at Detroit’s Comerica Park, rushing off the stage during just the fifth song, “Longview.” The crowd of just under 41,000 initially continued singing the lyrics but fell quiet — with some chants for Lions’ quarterback Jared Goff. A “Show Pause. Please standby for details” message eventually appeared on the video screen.”

Detroit police confirmed that an unauthorized drone had entered the baseball stadium’s airspace, with security calling the band offstage. The man flying it was apprehended and Green Day returned after a 10-minute break, with frontman Billie Joe Armstrong asked fans, “How you doing? We’re gonna pick up where we left off.” He also urged them to put their cell phones away, saying, “Pull ’em out later. Let’s be here right now.”

After finishing “Longview” and tearing through “Welcome to Paradise,” Armstrong added, “Ain’t no mother… that’s gonna stop us, I’ll tell you that.” And later in the show Green Day posted a social media message apologizing for the delay, explaining that, “Stadium security had us clear the stage while they dealt with a potential safety issue. DPD quickly resolved the situation, and we were able to continue. Thanks for understanding.

Green Day did not stop for the rest of the night, delivering a characteristically epic — and excellent — two-and-a-half-hour performance that commemorated anniversaries of the group’s two biggest albums, 1994’s “Dookie” and 2004’s “American Idiot”, by playing both in their entirety. Green Day filled out the rest of the concert with a selection of other favorites, including five from its latest album, “Saviors,” and a rendition of “Brain Stew” that Armstrong teased into with guitar licks from Black Sabbaths’ “Iron Man” and Metallica’s “Master of Puppets.”

“Tonight is not about a political party,” Armstrong declared during a ferocious “Letterbomb” from “American Idiot,” a topical takedown of the George W. Bush era that remains wholly relevant 20 years later. “It’s not even a party. This is a celebration!”

But there was certainly a party spirit throughout a night that, via opening performances from Smashing Pumpkins and Rancid that affirmed the continuing potency of alternative rock from the 90s. (The Linda Lindas, which came on first, are more contemporary but cut from the same cloth.) Whether it was “Ruby Soho” or “Today” and “Tonight, Tonight” (or the Pumpkins’ cover of U2’s “Zoo Station”), there was nothing at all dated about the performances by musicians well past their mosh days but still fierce of spirit.

That’s been Green Day’s stock in trade forever, from early 90s club appearances to a 2021 show also at Comerica. Wednesday’s concert was filled with the irreverent attitude and boisterous spirit that’s still dear to Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt, drummer Tre Cool — all in their early 50s now — and their three adjunct players. The 37-song set was marked by a Boy Scout jamboree’s worth of fire and pyrotechnics, occasional confetti showers and colorful visuals, and it was preceded by the usual hijinks — crowd singalongs to Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop,” the latter led by a crew member dressed in a bunny outfit.

The show did have an interesting kind of restraint, however. There was plenty of energy — the group had the stadium grandstands shaking at several points — but less of the pure schtick Green Day also trades on. The focus was more squarely on the music, the band seemingly more interested in delivering the dynamically sophisticated songs with tight and explosive power — even quieter tracks such as “Are We the Waiting” and “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.” “American Idiot” was particularly strong, with songs strung together in seamless fashion.

Green Day opened with the new, and on-point, “The American Dream is Killing Me” and was quickly into “Dookie,” pulling out deep cuts such as “Having a Blast,” “Pulling Teeth,” “Sassfras Roots,” “In the End” and “All By Myself,” which Cool sang in a bathrobe. The “American Idiot” recitation similarly brought out less-heard material, including “She’s a Rebel,” “Extraordinary Girl,” “Homecoming” and “Whatsername,” with Armstrong substituting “Michigan” in the title line of “Give Me Novocaine.”

Armstrong also brought a young woman on stage to sing part of “Know Your Enemy” with the band, and he used “American Idiot’s” “Holiday,” which he introduced as “an anti-war song,” as a rally call for fans to vote in November. (The Linda Lindas, however, were the only one of the four bands to reference Donald Trump specifically — and, of course, pejoratively).

Green Day finished per usual, with Armstrong alone on stage, singing its 1997 hit “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” as a lullaby-style send-off. He could rest assured that fans did indeed have the time of their lives, and it’s to Green Day’s credit that the rest of the show eclipsed the drama that happened early on.

Top 20 games to watch on the 2024 NFL schedule

Avril Lavigne was just 17 when she released her first album, “Let Go,” and 18 when she had her first hit, “Complicated.” But she was already invested in a music career long game.

“I have looked forward to having a greatest hits tour since I was first starting out,” says the Ontario-born Lavigne, now 39, who’s in the midst of exactly that kind of trek this year following the release of a new “Greatest Hits” album in June. “I love and am so proud of all the music I have put out over the past 22 years, but there is something super special about having a setlist that is all hits and knowing that these songs really resonated with people not only when the songs were first released, but consistently over the years.”

Lavigne has a lot to show for those years — six more albums and Top 10 hits such as “I’m With You,” “My Happy Ending” and “Girlfriend,” record sales of more than 40 million worldwide, 10 Canadian Juno Awards and an Order of Canada Honor. Divorces and a debilitating 2015 case of Lyme disease have left her unbowed, and Lavigne promises there’s more to come soon.

“I can’t spill too much right now,” she says, “but once I finish this tour I am going to get back in the studio and really map out what I want the next year of music to look like. I know people are waiting for new songs and I am excited to share them, but I really want to make sure it is all perfect first.”

In the meantime, she’s happy to celebrate what she’s done to this point.

“I still feel like a teenager,” Lavigne notes, “and every night when I get up onstage, I am reminded of what an amazing life I have been able to live. I’m just so glad I started as young as I was — ’cause I still feel young.”

Avril Lavigne, Simple Plan and Girlfriends perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7 at Pine Knob Music Theatre, 33 Bob Seger Drive, Independence Township. Tickets are sold out.

Other music events of note this weekend (all subject to change) include …

FRIDAY, SEPT. 6

• Pontiac’s Flagstar Strand Theatre kicks off its fall season at 8 p.m. with the Del McCoury Band and its decades of bluegrass. 12 N. Saginaw St., Pontiac. 248-309-6445 or flagstarstrand.com.

• The Beatles live via 1964 The Tribute, commemorating the 60th anniversary of the group’s first appearance in Detroit, at 8 p.m. at Orchestra Hall, 3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit. 313-576-5111 or dso.org.

• Columbus, Ohio’s Starset journeys into Wolverine country to bring its Immersion: The Final Chapter tour to the Fillmore Detroit, 2115 Woodward Ave. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-961-5451 or thefillmoredetroit.com.

• Jake Hoot, winner of Season 17 of “The Voice,” performs at 8 p.m. at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion. 248-783-7105 or 20frontstreet.com.

• The KPOP Breakout Tour features Trendz, Craxy, Ichillin’ and U-Chae at 7 p.m. in the Pike Room in the Crofoot complex, 1 S. Saginaw St. 248-858-9333 or thecrofoot.com.

• Nashville’s VEAUX stops at the Lager House for an 8:30 p.m. show with the Foxies and Daydream and Bega. 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit. 313-500-1475 or thelagerhouse.com.

• British goth rock troupe the Mark Violets, Rosegarden Funeral Party and Siamese gather at Small’s, 10339 Conant, Hamtramck. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-873-1117 or smallsbardetroit.com.

• Kind Beast tops a bill that also includes the High Strung, Touch the Clouds and Cherry Drop at the Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-820-5596 or thelovingtouchferndale.com.

• The Latin-flavored sextet Tumbao Bravo plays through Saturday, Sept. 7 at the Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe, 97 Kercheval, Grosse Pointe. 313-882-5399 or dirtydogjazz.com.

• Kimmie Horne sings jazz at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. at Cliff Bell’s, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit. 313-961-2543 or cliffbells.com.

• Chicago singer Tony Romiti performs at the Diesel Concert Lounge, 33151 23 Mile Road, Chesterfield Township. Doors at 7 p.m. 586-933-3503 or dieselconcerts.com.

• Hillbilly Knife Fight and Tiffadelic offer a promising start to the weekend at 7 p.m. at the Cadieux Cafe, 4300 Cadieux Road, Detroit. 313-882-8560 or cadieuxcafe.com.

• Sirsy tops a four-act bill at 7:30 p.m. at the New Dodge Lounge, 8850 Jos Campau, Hamtramck. 313-638-1508 or thenewdodgelounge.com.

• The soulful Shemekia Copeland sings at 8 p.m. at The Ark, 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. 734-761-1818 or theark.org.

• Virtual: Blue Canvas Orchestra streams live at 8 p.m. Tickets via veeps.com.

• Virtual: The jam band Goose plays at 8 p.m. from Saratoga Springs. New York, and again on Saturday, Sept. 7, for subscribers to nugs.net.

• Virtual: The Disco Biscuits perform at 8 p.m. from Dillon, Colorado, for subscribers to nugs.net.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 7

• Detroit punk rock favorites the Suicide Machines will rock at Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit. Doors at 6:30 p.m. Hey-Smith, Kill Lincoln and Bad Operation also perform. 313-961-8961 or saintandrewsdetroit.com.

• Kaleo comes from Iceland to play blues-rock at the Fillmore Detroit, 2115 Woodward Ave. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-961-5451 or thefillmoredetroit.com.

• Detroit techno legend Kevin Saunderson celebrates his 60th birthday with an All-White Party at Spot Lite Detroit, 2905 Beaufait St. Doors at 9 p.m. spotlitedetroit.com or paxahau.com.

• The Motown Museum gets deep with the annual Detroit Bass Day from noon to 4 p.m. on its Rocket Plaza 2648 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit. Bassists of all ages are invited to jam on 10 Motown classics by the Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Rick James, the Four Tops, the Commodores, Teena Marie and Jr. Walker & the Allstars. The event also includes food trucks and vendors. motownmuseum.org for more information.

• Singer-songwriter Chris Tapper appears at 8 p.m. at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion. 248-783-7105 or 20frontstreet.com.

• Arizona DJ Markus Schulz heats things up at the Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Doors at 9 p.m. 313-833-9700 or themajesticdetroit.com.

• Syrian singer Omar Souleyman plays a matinee at 1 p.m. at El Club, 4114 W. Vernor Highway, Detroit. 313-757-7942 or elclubdetroit.com.

• Trumpeter Allen Dennard and his Organ Trio blows at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. at Cliff Bell’s, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit. 313-961-2543 or cliffbells.com.

• MC Jahshua Smith performs a “Homecoming” date at 8 p.m. at the Lager House, 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit. FROSTisRAD, Krissy Booth and Kwaj are also on the bill. 313-500-1475 or thelagerhouse.com.

• The Toby Keith tribute band Ride celebrates the late country icon at 8 p.m. at The Roxy, 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester. 248-453-5285 or theroxyrochester.com.

• The Ark hosts the Ann Arbor Django Reinhardt Festival, featuring Djangophonique, Christo’s Novelty combo and Erik McIntyre at 8 p.m. 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. 734-761-1818 or theark.org.

• Virtual: The Weeknd streams his show from Sao Paulo, Brazil, at 8 p.m. via his official YouTube channel, with a live chat to follow.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 8

• Warm up for the Detroit Lions’ home opener with an early evening set by the a capella vocal group Naturally 7 at the Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Doors at 5 p.m. 248-544-1991 or themagicbag.com.

• Grosse Pointe-raised guitarist John 5, now a member of Motley Crue, comes home to play with the Kiss tribute band Strutter and Turning Jane at the Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Road, Westland. Doors at 6:30 p.m. 734-513-5030 or tokenlounge.com.

• Americana up-and-comer Sierra Ferrell brings her vocals, fiddle and more to the Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W. Fourth St. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-399-2980 or royaloakmusictheatre.com.

• KK’s Priest, led by former Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing, will be live — but before midnight — at District 142, 142 Maple St., Wyandotte. Doors at 6:45 p.m. district142live.com. For an interview with Downing, visit theoaklandpress.com.

• Mike Tramp leads the latest version of his band White Lion into the Diesel Concert Lounge, 33151 23 Mile Road, Chesterfield Township. Doors at 7 p.m. 586-933-3503 or dieselconcerts.com.

• Sweden’s Dead By April is joined by Of Virtue at the Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff, Hamtramck. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-462-4117 or sanctuarydetroit.com.

• The Duane Parham Society plays at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. at Cliff Bell’s, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit. 313-961-2543 or cliffbells.com.

• Bccording, Zion Polanski, GVN and Swan stack up at 7 p.m. at the New Dodge Lounge, 8850 Jos Campau, Hamtramck. 313-638-1508 or thenewdodgelounge.com.

• The Henhouse Prowlers close the weekend with some bluegrass at The Ark, 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. 734-761-1818 or theark.org.

Teachers and those in other occupations have tasty treats coming their way as part of the Achatz Pie Company’s free slice promotions to be held over the next couple of months.

• Teachers can receive a free slice of pie on Friday, Sept. 6 and can choose from Apple, Pecan, Pumpkin, or Michigan Four Berry.

• Nurses can receive a free slice of pie on Friday, Sept. 27 and can choose from Apple, Pecan, Pumpkin, or Michigan Four Berry.

• First responders can receive a free slice on Friday, Oct. 18 and can choose from Apple, Pecan, Pumpkin, or Michigan Four Berry.

• All customers can receive a free slice of pumpkin pie on Friday, Nov. 1.

• Veterans can receive a free slice of any flavor on Veterans Day, Monday, Nov. 11.

The  offer is good at all Metro Detroit locations, Armada, Chesterfield Township, Shelby Township Beverly Hills, Bloomfield Hills,  Livonia, Madison Heights, Oxford and Troy.  No purchase is required, but for those events (aside from Nov. 1), a valid ID is required for the free slice.

— Macomb Daily staff 

 

 

 

Everett LaBrash is a Children’s Miracle Child.

The son of Alex and Marianne LaBrash of Sterling Heights, he is now a year old who is continuing to reach milestones and exemplifies the healthy outcomes that are made possible through the support of the annual Feldman Automotive Children’s Miracle Celebrity Invitational presented by Corewell Health Foundation of Southeast Michigan and the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation.

This year’s golf outing raised $1.5 million.

All of the money garnered through sponsorship support, on site-donations and a live auction, which included an electric guitar signed by Taylor Swift, benefit Children’s Miracle Network programming at Corewell Health Children’s and patients like Everett.

Everett  came early at 24 weeks.

Being a preemie, he faced a plethora of challenges, especially lung development, which required a C-pap at birth, and a ventilator after developing pneumothorax, to regulate his oxygen and help with breathing.

During his stay at Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital a team of health care professionals at Corewell Health Children’s Child Life Services provided Everett and his parents with care and compassion. Panda Warmers, Giraffe Omni Beds, and fold-out furniture for long stays were just some of the benefits that they received with the help of donations made to Corewell Health Children’s through Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

“Our team at Troy, honestly, they were life-changing,” Marianne LaBrash said in a video released by the hospital. “They helped us through… so much. I definitely have a couple of lifelong friends with them.”

Alex concurred.

“Everyone’s easy going,” he said. “They’d lend an ear if you needed to vent to them. Thank you doesn’t wrap it up enough.”

The Feldman Automotive Children’s Miracle Celebrity Invitational is the largest celebrity golf event in the Detroit area, where every foursome enjoys an up-close and personal celebrity pairing.

This year’s event featured more than 50 national and local celebrities, including actors Donnie Wahlberg (last year it was Mark Wahlberg), Kevin Chapman, Jamie Denton, Marion “Pooch” Hall, Jamie Hector, and Jesse Spencer. From the world of sports, Kenny Anderson, Joique Bell, Lomas Brown, Johnny Damon, Braylon Edwards, Calvin Johnson, Pepper Johnson, Frank Zombo, and dozens of others took part in the day’s activities. It’s one of those events that everyone looks forward to, players and donors alike.

The morning began with Wahlberg accepting a “putting challenge” from three Corewell Health Children’s “Miracle” children selected to represent the more than 200,000 children treated at Corewell Health Children’s each year.

“We are delighted with the incredible success of this event”, said Lamong Yoder, a registered nurse and president of Corewell Health in Southeast Michigan. “Our gratitude goes out to the many sponsors and celebrities that are the backbone of this one-of-a kind invitational. Funds raised will be used to help the children in our communities when they need it the most.”

After golf, a spirited live auction and course contests raised about $300,000 from bids on items like Taylor’s guitar donated by Bob and Connie Skandalaris, which went for $31,000, a private tour of Rick Hendrick’s Automotive Heritage Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina, hosted and donated by Jay Feldman and Rick Hendrick, a 2025 Formula 1, Monaco package donated by Nino Cutraro; an Italian villa vacation, donated by the Rugiero Family and dinner in the Celani Wine Cellar, donated by Tom and Vicki Celani.

“It was inspiring to see so many people lending their support and contributing to our cause. We are helping so many children and families with the money raised. We are already planning for next year’s event and aiming to raise even more money to continue to provide support for those families in need,” said Jay Feldman, chairman and CEO of the Feldman Automotive Group.

Supporting the fundraising event this year was its title sponsor, the Feldman Automotive Group; lead presenting sponsor Quantum Ventures of Michigan; presenting sponsors Shift Digital and Vesco Oil Corporation; and supporting sponsors including the Celani Family Foundation, CIBC, Corewell Health, The Fourth Tri Sanctuary, Aaron and Carolynn Frankel Family Foundation, Mechanical Services, NativeWahl, and Terra Capital Industries and more than 50 other generous sponsors.

Also praising the generosity shown during the invitational was Ryan Daly, president of the Corewell Health Foundation Southeast Michigan.

“Corewell Health Children’s will receive support to provide life-saving services, vital pediatric equipment, and funds for patient scholarships for families unable to afford needed care,” Daly said, while the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation will utilize its funds to improve the quality of life for youth across the country by providing financial resources and community support to youth services.

Organizers of the event included a dedicated committee of community members — Tom Celani, Nino Cutraro, Jay Feldman, Ken Noonan, Bob Skandalaris, and Sam Yamin.

For more information visit corewellhealth.org/childrens  or call 855-480-KIDS (5437). Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals raises funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals that provide 32 million treatments each year to kids across the U.S. and Canada.

All of the donations and money raised is used locally, to help Miracle families in nine counties throughout Southeast Michigan including Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties.

For more information visit CMNHospitals.org.

For more than a decade, independent pharmacist Jay Patel has built a close and enduring relationship with his customers, who come to him for help in sickness and in health.

But now there are interlopers: Drug middlemen, companies known as pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) that influence which medicines can be bought, where to buy them and at what cost.

Patel and other independent pharmacists say their businesses are threatened by the growing influence of these companies, tied to huge health care conglomerates. In a system that is opaque and complex, patients are steered to affiliated pharmacies, such as CVS and mail-order pharmacies, they say. Pharmacists face high fees and low reimbursement rates, so are unable to cover their costs.

That could put Patel — and other locally-owned pharmacists — out of business.

“I want to do what matters to the community. But how long can I sustain this?” said Patel, 48, who owns Savco Pharmacy in San Jose’s West San Carlos neighborhood. “We are at their mercy.”

The PBMs respond that critics base their conclusions on incomplete evidence. According to the trade organization Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, they protect consumers from high drug prices by negotiating for discounts, called rebates, from drug companies.

The disappearance of independent pharmacies could limit consumer choice and health care access — especially in low-income or rural communities.

On Oakland’s Telegraph Avenue, Selam Pharmacy owner Michael Gebru called PBMs “a big black box.” He said “They bill me whatever they want, and can reclaim it. That’s pretty scary. It’s a Wild West.”

In the coastal village of Point Reyes Station, tiny West Marin Pharmacy recently lost its contract with PBM company Express Scripts, used by insurer Cigna and others. Now residents covered by Cigna must get their prescriptions by mail or make a 20-mile drive to find another pharmacy.

“If any of us, our children and families are ill, suffering from fevers, vomiting, diarrhea or worse, we may be forced to drive an hour or more to San Rafael, Novato or Petaluma just to get a prescription filled,” worried pharmacy customer Christine Cordaro of Inverness Park.

PBMs were created in the 1960s as a way to process prescription drug claims. They are responsible for paying pharmacies on behalf of insurance companies, employers and the government. The three largest companies are run by CVS Health, Cigna and UnitedHealth Group, which oversee prescriptions for more than 200 million Americans.

In 2012, the year San Jose pharmacist Patel bought his modest shop, PBMs processed fewer than 50% of prescriptions.

A series of mergers in 2018 created the current system, where health care conglomerates are vertically integrated — owning the insurer, the PBM and pharmacy. The giant health insurer Aetna combined with drug retailer CVS. Another large insurer, Cigna, bought Express Scripts. UnitedHealth built its own PBM.  All three companies operate mail-order pharmacies.

“It’s like they’re taking the money from one pocket, and putting it into the other,” said Zsuzsanna Biran, pharmacist owner of West Marin Pharmacy.

Despite consumer opposition, the FTC approved the mergers.  But now there are concerns about PBMs’ economic leverage. The smaller, locally owned pharmacies feel muscled out of the market.

CVS calls the plight of independent pharmacies “overblown.”

“Contrary to much of the independent pharmacy lobby’s rhetoric, there is no crisis facing independent pharmacies,” CVS said in a statement.

“What the independent pharmacy lobby has long coveted is a world without managed pricing or the competitive pressure from PBM negotiations on behalf of payer clients and consumers,” CVS said.

According to Express Scripts, “If we didn’t provide significant value for our thousands of partners, we wouldn’t exist.”

The PBMs work by negotiating rebates on the “sticker price” of medicines. Some of these savings are shared with insurers and employers.  But a slice is kept by the PBMs. This is enormously profitable.

There is evidence of anticompetitive behavior that illegally distorts the market, hurting consumers and threatening the survival of independent pharmacies, according to new reports by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and a House Committee on Oversight and Accountability investigation.

PBMs steer patients toward pricier drugs, with “formularies” of preferred medicines that discourage use of lower-priced alternatives, according to the reports, released last month. Because these high-priced drugs command a greater rebate, there’s more profit.

They also sometimes restrict patients’ access to mail-order deliveries, which they own. This cuts out the role of the local pharmacy.

Independent pharmacies say they’re saddled with unnecessary extra fees. When he started his business in 2012, Patel paid $15,000 to $20,000 in PBM fees; this year, his fees could surpass $110,000.

High fees and low reimbursement may discourage pharmacists from filling a prescription. If he loses money on a prescription, “I have two options,” said Patel. “Take the loss, or tell the patient that I cannot fill it.”

“With lower prescription reimbursements in one corner and higher back-end fees in the other, many community pharmacists are thinking about throwing in the towel,”  according to the National Community Pharmacists Association, which represents more than 19,400 independent U.S. pharmacies.

Nearly one-third of independent pharmacy owners may close their stores this year, it predicted.

But in Sacramento and other state capitals, lawmakers are taking a tougher look.

State Sen. Scott Wiener has authored legislation, Senate Bill 966, that would impose new rules on PBMs, better regulating the companies. It would require PBMs to be licensed with the California State Board of Pharmacy and to pass down drug rebates to consumers.

Meanwhile, Patel takes joy in things that don’t cost money — recognizing customers’ names and faces, making birthday phone calls and reminding them to be immunized. Once he provided a cane, for free, to a customer with a gimpy leg.

And there are rewards that are priceless, such as the gifts of fruit, chocolate and home-baked cookies from grateful customers.

“He’s the best,” said customer Rob Souza, picking up a prescription for an ailing wife. “He’s like a small-town pharmacist, always working things out.”

Anna Jones, the best-selling London cookbook author behind “One: Pot, Pan, Planet, A Modern Way to Eat,” has a new cookbook coming out in mid-September — “Easy Wins” (Fourth Estate, $35).

Among the temptations in its pages are focaccia sandwiches filled with tomatoes, peaches and tahini and this simple recipe for roasted potatoes with brown butter, topped with a tangy, bright lime tartar sauce. It’s straightforward but elegant, especially when topped with fennel or dill fronds.

Brown Butter Potatoes with Lime Tartar Sauce

Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

1 kg (2.2 pounds) small floury or new potatoes, scrubbed clean

100 g (1/2 cup) salted butter (or 100 ml olive oil)

6 tablespoons capers, plus 2 tablespoons caper brine

1 large free-range egg yolk

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

150 ml (2/3 cup) olive oil

100 g (about 1/2 cup) sour cream

Zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lime

1 small bunch dill or fennel fronds, to serve

DIRECTIONS

Parboil the potatoes: Bring a large pan of salted water to boil, add the potatoes, then bring back to a boil and simmer for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes, until they are just cooked. Drain and leave the potatoes to steam dry in a colander.

Brown the butter: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the potato pan back on the stove and add the salted butter. Cook over medium heat until it turns nutty brown and smells toasty. If you are vegan, use a good olive oil in place of the butter and skip the browning stage. It will still be delicious, and you could add a toasty note with some smoked salt.

Roast the potatoes: Take the butter pan off the heat, put the potatoes in a roasting tray and pour over the brown butter. Season generously with salt and pepper and toss everything in the tray. Roast for 25 minutes.

Take the potatoes out of the oven and use a potato masher to crush the potatoes into the base of the pan, making a flat surface for crisping up. Scatter 4 tablespoons of the capers and bake for another 25 minutes until golden and crisp.

Make the lime tartar sauce: Meanwhile, make your tartar sauce. Put egg yolk and Dijon mustard in a bowl and mix well. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Loosen with caper brine and sour cream. Finely chop 2 tablespoons capers and add to the sauce along with the lime zest and juice. Serve the crispy brown butter potatoes with the tartare sauce and with dill or fennel fronds torn over.

— Anna Jones, “Easy Wins” (Fourth Estate, $35, out Sept. 17) 

Miriam Fauzia | The Dallas Morning News (TNS)

A fentanyl vaccine developed by researchers at the University of Houston is expected to head to clinical trials sometime in the middle of next year, with the hope of being a groundbreaking solution to a deadly crisis.

The vaccine, which has shown success in animal studies, is designed to stop the highly addictive opioid from entering the brain and causing an overdose. Biopharmaceutical startup Ovax acquired the license to produce and test the vaccine in November 2023 and raised over $10 million toward that effort by June.

“We’re all incredibly excited,” said Collin Gage, the start-up’s co-founder and chief executive officer. He added that his company is starting at “ground zero,” but he is confident it will one day have a fentanyl vaccine available to the public.

That day may be a long time from now. While public health emergencies, like the COVID-19 pandemic, can accelerate a vaccine’s development, testing a new vaccine can take anywhere from five to 10 years — sometimes longer.

Meanwhile, fentanyl overdose deaths have been on the rise in Texas, from less than 80 in 2014 to nearly 2,300 in 2023, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. The synthetic opioid — made illegally but also available by prescription — is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, making it the deadliest drug in the opioid crisis.

For fentanyl vaccines, adjuvants are key

The idea of creating an opioid vaccine has drawn scientific attention since the 1970s. Unlike bacteria or viruses, opioids aren’t recognized by our immune systems as foreign invaders. But the immune system can be trained to make antibodies in response to an opioid like fentanyl through a vaccine that links bits of the drug to noninfectious bits of bacteria and uses substances called adjuvants.

Adjuvants are designed to enhance immune response, and are particularly important in vaccines targeting substance use disorders. Past attempts to make these vaccines have been unsuccessful in part because the adjuvants weren’t effective enough, said Jay Evans, director of the Center for Translational Medicine at the University of Montana. Evans is also the chief scientific and strategy officer of Inimmune, a Montana-based biotech company developing and testing a variety of vaccines including ones targeting fentanyl and heroin addiction.

The adjuvant in the University of Houston’s fentanyl vaccine is an enterotoxin, a chemical produced by the bacteria Escherichia coli and modified to be noninfectious. It was first developed at Tulane University in Louisiana in the early 2000s and has been used in a variety of vaccines, said Colin Haile, a research associate professor of psychology at the University of Houston who led its fentanyl vaccine development. Haile is also an Ovax co-founder and adviser.

“It has been in 15 human clinical trials in combination with other vaccines,” he said, referring to the adjuvant used in his team’s vaccine. “There have been studies in infants where the results have been fantastic, nearly no side effects.”

Other researchers such as David Dowling and Dr. Ofer Levy, both Ovax co-founders, are using adjuvants that haven’t been tested in humans but appear to effectively enhance the immune response to vaccines targeting substance use disorders, at least based on animal studies, Dowling said.

Clinical trials littered with challenges

Phase 1 clinical trials for the University of Houston vaccine are planned to begin in the second quarter of 2025. Ovax is also in licensing negotiations with Boston Children’s Hospital for a fentanyl vaccine developed by Dowling and Levy. If those negotiations are successful, phase 1 clinical trials could begin in early 2026.

These trials will aim to establish the vaccine’s safety level, potential side effects and optimal dosage. Finding people to take part in them will be a challenge, Evans said.

“Compared to a normal infectious disease clinical trial, it will be more difficult. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is pretty adamant that you’re not going to test this vaccine in healthy individuals that don’t already have some sort of opioid addiction,” he said. “So we need to target patients in phase 1 who have a history of opioid use disorder, and that’s a harder population to try to recruit. It’s going to take longer; the patient population will have more adverse events because they’re drug users and they will be harder to track.”

Evans added that the stigma around addiction and drug use might make people reluctant to disclose their condition and participate in a clinical trial.

Ovax has yet to decide where it plans to run its phase 1 clinical trials, Gage said, but it has been looking at sites in Australia and the Netherlands.

“We’re also looking in the United States,” he said, “but it’s difficult to find the right patient population.”

Future clinical trials would need to determine the effectiveness of the vaccine, who would benefit the most and how long immunity would last.

Vaccines as part of the solution

Some critics of fentanyl vaccines say they pull resources from existing treatments for opioid addiction such as buprenorphine, methadone and naltrexone. Some have questioned whether people would seek out the vaccine.

“People have to say they want to be injected, and they have to choose to keep coming back for each injection or infusion,” Keith Humphreys, a Stanford University professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, told The Washington Post in 2023. “The vaccines do nothing to reduce craving or withdrawal or to motivate anyone to return for more care.”

For Haile, a fentanyl vaccine is not the sole solution but another weapon in the fight against the opioid crisis. He and his colleagues at the University of Houston have conducted animal studies investigating how the vaccine affects treatment with buprenorphine, a medication commonly prescribed to manage withdrawals and drug cravings. The findings have yet to be published but are “quite impressive,” Haile said, noting fentanyl vaccines could improve the effectiveness of existing treatments.

“The most important thing to keep in mind is that we’re moving as fast as we can go. … We need to get something to market as quickly as possible to address this terrible problem,” Haile said. “The ultimate goal is to protect people and save lives.”

©2024 The Dallas Morning News. Visit dallasnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By Tommy Tindall | NerdWallet

Is driving for Uber worth the money? I put this side hustle to the test and nervously drove strangers around northern Maryland for a couple days to find out.

Here’s what I earned:

• I made $143.73 over the course of three Uber “shifts” that totaled roughly 10 hours of active driving.
• I completed 10 trips, put 305 miles on my economical Uber rental and spent $38.80 on one tank of gas.
• Subtract the gas cost from $143.73, and I earned $104.93, or $10.49 an hour.
• Only $3 of my earnings were tips, which I found surprising — because I’m nice!

If you’re wondering, the minimum wage in Maryland handily beats my earnings at $15.00 per hour.

Uber wasn’t a lucrative side hustle for me, but it was an interesting experiment. Here are four things to keep in mind if you’re thinking about trying Uber. And if you want to watch all the ups and downs of this side hustle stress test, here’s a video of my experience.

Give yourself the flexibility to roam

During each of my three Uber “shifts,” I had the idea that I’d do rides relatively close to where I live. But the reality of living in a less populated area is that short, local trips can be few and far between. I found that to be the case even on a Friday evening in my suburban town, located roughly 50 minutes north of Baltimore.

I learned that to earn higher fares, you need to be open to where the Uber trip takes you. I left a lot of money on the table by skipping trips that would end too far from my home base. Uber works by matching riders with nearby drivers. As a driver, you have just a few seconds to accept a ride request when it comes in. I often took too long to decide when considering distance.

Toward the end of that Friday, I caved and accepted a 30-mile trip with a fare of $30.42. But when it was over, it was after 9 p.m. and I was a long way from home.

If I had put in 8-hour shifts and left myself to the mercy of the Uber Driver app, I’d have done better. But if I’m going to be driving all over creation for hours, is Uber a side hustle, or is it a main hustle?

Your car is a taxi cab and your primary tool

All that driving means you need a car that’s up to the task — something affordable, reliable and efficient. My personal vehicle is a gas-guzzler so I used Uber’s car rental service to rent a more appropriate vehicle and make this test more realistic.

But what I realized is a lot of people rent their Uber rides on the regular. If you go this route, you must rent from one of Uber’s approved rental company partners. The rental office I used, a local Hertz that partners with Uber, was packed, and I found the experience to be super hectic. It took three hours to get my car, and the one they gave me was a downgrade from what I reserved in advance.

Because of my experience, I don’t recommend renting if you can avoid it. Uber rentals cost $260 or more per week, so the recurring cost will eat heavily into earnings.

Finding your own affordable used car would likely cost less in the long run, even in cases where you get a car loan with bad credit. For example, let’s say you finance a $20,000 used car for 60 months with a high 19% interest rate. The $518 monthly payment costs less than the $260 a week rate for a rental car.

You will need to factor in insurance (which can include rideshare insurance), maintenance and repairs when comparing costs. You can turn to the Nerds for resources on how to build credit and finance a vehicle you can afford.

Consider a “slush fund” for car costs

I had the pleasure of meeting and riding home with a true Uber pro after I returned my rental car. His name is Greg Hiteshew, and Uber is his post-retirement hustle. He drives most days, says he earns between $1,000 and $1,500 in a typical week and is disciplined about saving money for car costs.

Hiteshew says he sets aside $40 at the end of every day and has done so for years without fail. He says it’s a daily habit that ensures he has enough to cover maintenance and repairs for his current car, and helps him save for the next car.

Consider putting your daily $40 (or whatever you can swing) in a high-yield savings account for the added bonus of interest on top.

Embrace the human side of rideshare

While we chatted on my ride home, Hiteshew opened up about how driving for Uber helped him cope with the loss of his wife. She passed away from cancer 12 years ago, and in the years after, he found himself in a pretty dark and lonely rut. Then one day a friend had a suggestion for a side hustle that would change his life.

“He said, ‘I want you to Uber,’” says Hiteshew, talking about meeting with his friend. The friend hoped it would give him something to keep his mind occupied. Hiteshew thought about it and decided to give it a try a week later.

“It worked,” he says. “Turns out I love it. I really enjoy doing it. I’ve met a lot of nice, nice people.”

I get what he’s talking about. I’ve been working from home for years, and trying Uber put me back into the world. I interacted with different people, visited parts of my area I hadn’t been to and realized how critical a service like Uber is for those who may not be able to afford a car. It reminded me how important it is to communicate with others, strangers even.

Turns out that part of the experience was more valuable than the money. And if I drive for Uber again, I think I learned enough to do better than $10.49 an hour.

Tommy Tindall writes for NerdWallet. Email: ttindall@nerdwallet.com.

The article How Much Does an Uber Driver Make? I Drove for Uber to Find Out originally appeared on NerdWallet.

Barron Trump has finally revealed his college choice — New York University — by turning up at the downtown Manhattan campus Wednesday morning for his first day of classes.

The 18-year-old son of Donald and Melania Trump sported a white polo shirt, Adidas sneakers and black Swiss Gear backpack, casually slung over his shoulder, as he was seen heading into the dean’s office building, followed by Secret Service agents, the New York Post reported. The Secret Service agents are there to guard him as his father, the former president, is running to return to the White House.

The sighting of Trump’s 6-foot-7-inch son ends months of speculation about his college choice, according to the Daily Beast, which first reported that NYU was his top choice. Barron is enrolled at NYU’s Stern Undergraduate College.

NYU is No. 35 overall on the U.S. News & World Report ranking of best colleges and No. 5 for its business programs. By choosing NYU, Barron is breaking with Trump family tradition. His father has boasted of his Ivy League education at University of Pennsylvania, which is ranked No. 6 by U.S. News and World Report. His older half-siblings, Don Jr., Ivanka and Tiffany, also graduated from Penn, while Eric Trump graduated from Georgetown University.

But NYU has the advantage of being Barron’s hometown university. NYU is kind of down the road — Fifth Avenue — from where Barron spent his childhood, raised by his mother in his father’s gilded penthouse in Trump Tower. It wasn’t clear, though, Wednesday, whether Barron will live on campus or will live with his mother at Trump Tower.

The fact that Melania Trump was seen arriving at Trump Tower last week fueled speculation that Barron would attend college in New York City. One way that Trump World sources have explained her absence from her husband’s campaign has been by saying that she sees herself as a “hands-on” mother, whose first priority is her son, Page Six previously reported. Some people have taken the “hands-on” mother description to mean that she would reside close to wherever he is attending college.

Donald Trump recently told the Daily Mail that while the family had considered other colleges, but Barron ultimately liked NYU the best.

“It’s a very high quality place. He liked it. He liked the school,” Trump told the Daily Mail. “I went to Wharton, and that was certainly one that we were considering. We didn’t do that … We went for Stern.”

“He’s a very high aptitude child, but he’s no longer a child. He’s just passed into something beyond child-dom.”

A convicted killer’s mother was sentenced Wednesday for lying to police while they were investigating the murder six years ago in Pontiac.

At the sentencing hearing, Oakland County Circuit Judge Daniel O’Brien sent Guadalupe Maria Davila-Rodriguez of Pontiac to the Oakland County Jail for 11 days with credit for five days served, for lying to a peace officer in connection with the fatal shooting of Emilio Valdez. The charge was amended from an original charge of accessory after the fact to a felony.

Davila-Rodriguez pleaded no contest to the lesser charge.

Valdez’s body was found in Osmun Lake in Pontiac on June 7, 2018, but charges weren’t filed until 2022. Angel Alvarez, Davila-Rodriquez son, was convicted of second-degree murder for Valdez’s death at the conclusion of a jury trial in June and sentenced to 36.5 – 80 years in prison. Her other son, Juan Diego Hernandez of Center Line, was charged with lying to a peace officer during the Valdez homicide investigation and was sentenced last month to six days in jail with credit for one day served. He, too, pleaded no contest to the charge.

Valdez’s body was found in Osmun Lake in Pontiac on June 7, 2018, but charges weren’t filed until 2022. Angel Alvarez, Davila-Rodriquez’s other son, was convicted of second-degree murder for Valdez’s death at the conclusion of a jury trial in June.

Valdez was a 2016 graduate of Warren Mott High School who had moved from Macomb County to Pontiac. Not long after his death, investigators said the 20-year-old was shot twice and still alive when he was put into the lake.

According to court records, it was alleged that the car Alvarez used in the homicide was the same one Davila-Rodriguez reported stolen.

Case advances against Farmington Hills woman accused of sex crimes against inmates in juvenile facility

Supreme Court denies review of lower court’s decision in golf course rape case

Court of Appeals: Judge failed to explain why jail was justified for Oakland County man’s misdemeanors

Nardine Saad | (TNS) Los Angeles Times

Adele says she’s making good on a promise to take a break from music after she completes her residency in Las Vegas.

The “Hello” and “Rolling in the Deep” singer confirmed during her Saturday show in Germany — her last in a 10-show run abroad — that she plans to “rest” when she wraps her three-year gig in Sin City this November.

“I’m not the most comfortable performer, I know that, but I am very f— good at it. And I have really enjoyed performing for nearly three years now, which is the longest I’ve ever done and probably the longest I will ever do,” the 15-time Grammy Award winner said onstage in Munich, according to fan footage posted on TikTok.

Adele has 10 shows left in her “Weekends With Adele” residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The shows will span five weekends this fall after she had to postpone them in February due to illness.

“After that, I will not see you for an incredibly long time and I will hold you dear in my heart for that whole length of my break,” she said, adding that she will “fantasize” about her time onstage. “It has been amazing. I just need a rest.”

“I have spent the last seven years building a new life for myself and I want to live it now,” the 36-year-old said through tears. “I want to live my life that I’ve been building and I will miss you terribly.”

On Tuesday, Adele took Instagram to reflect on her “bespoke” gig in Munich, which launched Aug. 2.

“Wow! Wow! Wow! Munich you were incredible! What a phenomenal experience. I am truly touched by the genuine outpouring of love and good will I felt from every single person who came to every single show,” she wrote, captioning a highlight reel from the shows. She also thanked the fans who attended and her team for making it happen.

“There truly is no feeling like standing in front of people you’ve never met, belting out a bunch of songs that changed your life that in ways somehow changed theirs too. It’s truly remarkable and an extraordinary story to be able to tell. I’ve been sobbing watching this beautiful video! Danke Munchen!,” she wrote.

In July, the superstar told German broadcaster ZDF that her “tank is quite empty” and that she doesn’t have plans for new music “at all.”

“I want a big break after all this and I think I want to do other creative things just for a little while,” the hitmaker said. “You know, I don’t even sing at home at all. How strange is that?”

Likewise, before her Las Vegas residency began, the Oscar winning “Skyfall” singer said she planned to take a break from music and perhaps pursue a degree in English literature or an acting career. However, during a January show, she said she might be open to touring again after completing a follow-up to her award-winning 2021 album “30.” But, as she told a fan in the audience, she wasn’t in any rush to do either of those things yet.

Instead of touring to promote “30,” she took up residence at the Colosseum. She was initially set to launch her residency in January 2022, but unexpectedly shut it down a day before it was meant to open. She blamed the COVID-19 pandemic and issues with the supply chain at the time, then explained later that the postponement was because her “artistic needs” were not being met. She said the show had “no soul in it” and that it “lacked intimacy” inside the 4,000-person theater.

The “Easy on Me” singer ultimately launched “Weekends With Adele” in November 2022 and extended the run twice.

Earlier this month, the British balladeer confirmed during another Munich show that she and sports agent Rich Paul were engaged after repeatedly referring to Paul as her fiance — and sometimes her “husband” — for months. (The two went public with their romance in 2021.) The singer, who shares 11-year-old son Angelo with ex-husband Simon Konecki, has also been vocal about wanting to expand their blended family.

©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Ryan Seacrest may be breathing new life into “Wheel of Fortune,” but he’s promising longtime fans that things will pretty much stay the same.

After successful stints commandeering “American Idol,” “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” and “Live with Kelly & Ryan,” the radio and TV personality will officially take over the mantle of the long-running game show when it returns for its 42nd season on Sept. 9.

Not trying to shake things up, he plans on following the same successful formula he’s used in the past: “Don’t make any changes, don’t touch it,” Seacrest said in a GMA interview on Tuesday.

“This show works,” he added. “All I need to do is keep it moving. All we need to do is have fun every night. And I think if that’s what happens, this show continues for a long time.”

In June 2023, the 49-year-old was announced as Pat Sajak’s replacement — weeks after the 77-year-old host revealed “the time has come” for him to resign from the position he’d held for more than four decades.

Seacrest shared Tuesday that Sajak and his longtime co-host Vanna White told him that “the best part is you’re gonna meet three new people every night, and they walk away with cash.”

However, White said the new season will add another update alongside the new host. The revamped set will include a new board where the legendary letter-turner said she won’t “even have to touch the letter anymore.”

For his final spin at the wheel, Sajak will return to the airwaves for “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” on Oct. 7.

Emma Hall | The Sacramento Bee (TNS)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Pit River Tribe elder Theodore Martinez knows more of death than anyone should.

“I want to acknowledge some of the people that have been murdered from my tribe,” Martinez said. “These are all my people.”

Martinez’s family, close friends and members of his tribe are among the more than 150 documented cases of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People crisis in California. The state has the fifth most unsolved cases involving Native people in the country, and tribal leaders have urged for the crisis to be declared a state emergency.

Earlier this year as he stood on the west Capitol steps, Martinez, with anguish in his eyes, recalled each person he’s lost in his lifetime.

There was Little George Montgomery, who was like a brother to Martinez. He was killed decades ago, with the tribe finding his body dismembered, Martinez said. All they had left to bury was his skull.

There was his own brother, Victor, who Martinez said was killed in 1992.

There was his cousin who lived on the Fort Bidwell Reservation in Modoc County. Martinez said she was found dead, face down in the water of the tribe’s hot springs.

There was Dewey McGarva. At 36, he went missing for more than a year. When his tribe found him, there wasn’t much left, Martinez said.

And then, there was Milton “Yogi” McGarva, who identified as Two-Spirit, a third gender identity for Indigenous people. McGarva was stabbed and fatally wounded in 2020.

“These are things that have gone on historically, throughout my territory,” Martinez said. “None of these things have been investigated. Nothing has been done.”

As Martinez looked upon a crowd of Native Californians, he knew he wasn’t the only one who had lost relatives.

The deaths and disappearances of his relatives have gone unsolved by law enforcement for decades, Martinez said. It’s a pain many families relate to: the feeling of being let down and left without closure.

“We as Native people, we need to help each other. We need to support this movement,” Martinez said. “Because without that support, it’s not going to go very far.”

After feeling neglected by law enforcement, these families have taken matters into their own hands. They offer monetary rewards for anyone with knowledge of their relatives’ whereabouts, carrying posters with their loved one’s faces and names.

They haven’t given up. They all want justice.

Families of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People seek justice

Toni Espinoza, a member of Wilton Rancheria, is the sister of Angel Baby Espinoza, who died on Nov. 18, 2001. Her family believes she was killed.

Toni Espinoza said her sister died following a hit and run on Norwood Avenue in North Sacramento. Her family believes Angel Baby was pushed in front of the car by an ex-partner.

“We want justice. I want to be able to tell her kids who did this to their mom,” Toni Espinoza said, her voice beginning to break. “We have a right to know, everybody has the right to justice.”

Toni Espinoza said she worked with a police detective and allegedly found an eye witness. But the case was deemed manslaughter after three years and not pursued as a murder investigation.

To this day, her family, including Angel Baby’s own five children,still mourn her death. They are left with no answers.

“This is why we do what we can,” Toni Espinoza said. “To spread the word, to say her name, to do marches and hold protests in front of the Capitol so somebody will care.”

Over in Mendocino County, 81-year-old Ronnie Hostler and his family have been searching for his beloved granddaughter, Khadijah Britton, 23, who has been missing for the past seven years. Britton belongs to the Wailaki Round Valley Indian tribes.

Britton was last seen in Covelo, California, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigations, with an ex-boyfriend forcing her into a car at gunpoint.

While the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office was involved in the case, Hostler is unsatisfied. He said Britton’s disappearance wasn’t investigated until two weeks after her family reported her missing. Today, Britton has been deemed a cold case.

Britton’s family is still trying to find herbut at this point, they are looking for her body to bury in the family cemetery.

“We want to find her, wherever she may be, and we want to take care of her,” Hostler said. “That’s what we want right now, and we’re not getting it.”

Tribes face issues with law enforcement

The Sacramento Bee has spoken to, or heard from, 46 families, tribal leaders and experts in Indian Country affected by the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People crisis. They identified obstacles preventing cases from getting solved.

Missing and Murdered Indigenous People cases reflect disproportionate rates of violence against Native communities nationwide. Native people are 2.5 times more likely to experience a violent crime, according to the Association on American Indian Affairs.

When cases are reported, there is sometimes no response, little follow through or poor coordination with criminal investigations, said Keely Linton, the operations director for the Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition, a nonprofit that supports families with Missing and Murdered Indigenous People cases.

Local law enforcement can be slow to respond to calls of crime and are “less attentive to the interests of tribes,” according to the UCLA American Indian Studies Center. Tribal communities also struggle to trust law enforcement.

Erik Apperson, the former Del Norte County sheriff, saw this dynamic firsthand when working on Yurok and Tolowa Dee-ni’ tribal lands. Now retired, he recalled meeting a shocked and grieving mother whose young son was killed by another boy on tribal lands.

Despite the tragedy of a young boy dying that night, the need to bring an offender to justice did not outweigh the absence of ability and desire to pursue the case, Apperson said.

“I believe in my heart that it was a homicide, even if negligence played a part in it,” he said.

Why do Missing and Murdered Indigenous People cases go cold?

Missing and Murdered Indigenous People crisis cases are seven times less likely to be solved than any other ethnic group statewide, according to Sovereign Bodies Institute. As a result, most cases go cold, said Linton, who is Íipay and Cupeno.

Families will often feel stigmatized by law enforcement and are often faced with skepticism due to racist stereotypes. They feel law enforcement is uncaring or that their loved one’s disappearance is minimized.

Racism against Native people can prevent cases from being pursued or taken seriously, said Linton. Officers are not always understanding or trauma-informed about the tribal communities they serve.

As a result, some harbor stereotypical beliefs and prejudices. It’s an issue Greg O’Rourke, the Yurok tribal police chief, faced when he handled a sexual abuse case with his non-Native partner in the his local sheriff’s department.

“I remember very specifically my partner saying ‘do the people on the reservation have kids just so they can molest them?’” said O’Rourke during a hearing on Public Law 280 in March. “This person was a good man, a good cop. But that was the response. How can you provide accurate and humane services when that is the first thing that comes to mind?”

Barriers are also deeply rooted in California’s colonial origins and laws today.

What is Public Law 280?

Enacted in 1953, Public Law 280 requires tribal law enforcement to share criminal jurisdiction with state police agencies, causing overlap and confusion. It’s a law that impeded on Britton’s case being pursued, Hostler said.

“The piece of colonization is still here, embedded with all these laws, all these laws that have moved forward in the state of California,” said Assemblyman James Ramos, D-San Bernardino. “It’s now, recently, that we’re layering back those laws and trying to insert the California Indian voice into it.”

Because of Public Law 280, tribal law enforcement are unable to prosecute non-Native people on tribal land. Tribal police can only arrest and detain non-Natives for “delivery to state and federal authorities,” according to the Department of Justice.

In regards to Missing and Murdered Indigenous People cases, it’s often non-Native people perpetrating sexual violence against Native women. Between 86% to 96% of abuse against Native women comes from non-Native offenders, who are rarely punished, the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University found.

How California legislation could help

Tribal police know their communities best, yet they lack the authority of a state officer to investigate murders, said O’Rourke.

This is where Assembly Bill 2138 could provide a solution. This bill, authored by Ramos, would launch a pilot program to grant state peace officer status to tribal police in selected tribal communities from 2025 until 2028.

If passed, this program would go into effect under the Department of Justice. By no later than 2027, the DOJ would submit a report about case clearance rates, including those for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People cases.

As another way to combat Missing and Murdered Indigenous People cases, California passed the Feather Alert in 2022, an emergency notification system similar to the Amber Alert.

But the alert has run into obstacles.

In December, The Bee found that the California Highway Patrol only sent out one Feather Alert. CHP has a history of not issuing alerts tribes requested, either because it did not meet their criteria or for undisclosed reasons. Since then, about 60% of Feather Alert requests have been rejected, according to the Press Democrat.

New amendments have been implemented for the Feather Alert. Law enforcement agencies are now required to respond to requests within 48 hours. If an alert is denied, law enforcement must provide written notice to a government agency or tribe that explains why.

“We’re starting to address and make the alert system stronger,” said Ramos, who is Cahuilla and Serrano.

Tribal leaders have urged more funding toward investigations. In July, Gov. Gavin Newsom awarded almost $20 million in grants to 18 tribes to fund prevention efforts for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People cases.

Families, meanwhile, called for the convictions of the perpetrators who enact violence against their loved ones. Justice has not been swift for most families, but McGarva’s family did have their call answered. Jarrett Bleu Rucker, the man who killed McGarva, one of Martinez’s relatives, was sentenced to 26 years to life in prison earlier this year.

“The victory and justice for Yogi was not easily won,” said Morning Star Gali, the founder of Indigenous Justice, who assisted McGarva’s family in the criminal justice process. “It was a difficult four years in the making, with his family not knowing when they would be able to breathe a sigh of relief.”

The road to support starts with visibility, priority and mutual respect for California’s first people, Ramos said.

“It’s time that our voices be heard,” Ramos said. “It’s time that our voices and what’s affecting our people doesn’t go in silence.”

The Strong Hearts Native Helpline provides culturally-specific resources for Native Americans experiencing domestic and sexual violence through a helpline 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483).

©2024 The Sacramento Bee. Visit at sacbee.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.