During Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, a Commerce Township woman is sharing her journey of hope after experiencing the heartbreak of a stillbirth.

Watch Jolie Sherman's video report: Commerce Township mother finds hope after stillbirth with birth of rainbow baby

On Monday, Joanna Hertz and her husband, Kevin Torongo, reunited with the nurses and doctors at DMC Huron Valley Sinai Hospital who helped bring their daughter, Lainey June Torongo, into the world back in July.

"She's truly the biggest blessing," Hertz said.

For the Commerce Township couple, the journey to parenthood has been marked by both tragedy and triumph. Before Lainey's birth, Hertz experienced a devastating loss.

"I think stillbirths, specifically, no one really knows what the word means. They haven't heard about it. It needs to be spread and people need to know about it," Hertz said.

On November 8, 2021, Hertz had a stillbirth at 36 weeks and 6 days with her son, Landon, whose pictures and footprints now hang on the walls of their home.

"It was devastating. I mean, at first, I think I was just really in shock about what happened," Hertz said.

She recalls having a routine check where everything seemed fine, but days later she started to feel less movement and was instructed to return to the hospital.

"The nurse, who was trying to find his heartbeat. I remember thinking maybe she's just new and not trained, and can't find it. And I just kept asking them: Are you sure? Are you sure? Can you do another ultrasound? Yeah, it was just really hard," Hertz said.

Through her grief, Joanna found support through therapy, support groups, and other mothers who had similar experiences.

When she decided to try for another baby, she connected with Dr. Bernard Gonik, a maternal-fetal medicine physician at DMC Huron Valley Sinai Hospital, who was involved in Hertz's prenatal care and decision-making up until delivery.

"When you have that sort of tragic event occur in your lifetime, everything else is tainted, everything else is changed. So, even simple decisions we might think are simple decisions get very complicated," Dr. Gonik said.

According to Dr. Gonik, there's a higher chance of complications after a stillbirth. Together, they created a comprehensive birth plan that included extra monitoring and a two-week hospital stay to ensure a safe delivery.

On July 1, 2025, their daughter, Lainey, was born healthy and safe.

In their daughter's nursery, the Hertz family keeps the "L" in Lainey's name blue to honor and remember their son, as it once spelled out "Landon" in his nursery a meaningful way to keep his memory alive as they raise their baby girl.

"We are just so grateful that she is here today, she was delivered safely, and we're just so grateful for her," Hertz said.

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

The shutdown in Washington has caused grounded or delayed flights in airports across the country.

Air travel was crippled across the U.S. this weekend. Blame is on staffing shortages.

TSA agents and air traffic controllers are still on the job, but they're not being paid. Controllers will miss their first full paycheck on Tuesday.

"They get a notice of what they're going to be paid on Tuesday, and they got a big fat zero, no paycheck is coming on Tuesday, and so I've been out talking to our air traffic controllers. And you can see the stress," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Fox News Channel's "Sunday Morning Futures."

The FAA issued 22 "staffing triggers" on Saturday a designation of understaffing of air traffic controllers.

More than 8,000 U.S. flights were delayed on Sunday and nearly 200 more were cancelled, according to tracking site FlightAware.

Duffy says that trend could continue, with the potential for more air traffic controllers to call in sick in order to work second jobs to make ends meet.

"You're going to see more staffing shortages in towers which means more delays, more cancellations," Duffy said.

RELATED STORY | Federal workers miss first full paychecks as shutdown becomes second-longest in US history

Many travelers are growing frustrated, but say they're sympathetic to air traffic controllers' dilemma.

"Well, I'm thinking if I weren't getting paid, I would be very angry. That would make it difficult to do my job. I'm hoping someone is taking care of them," one traveler said.

The union that represents air traffic controllers says it doesn't support any sort of organized work stoppage but acknowledges that its workers are growing more stressed.

"So, air traffic controllers, we didn't start a shutdown. We don't end the shutdown. Our elected officials do, and our message is simple: End the shutdown today," said Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER

WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday confirmed the names of five candidates to replace Jerome Powell as chair of the powerful Federal Reserve next year.

On an Air Force One flight to Asia with President Donald Trump, Bessent said he would engage in a second round of interviews in the coming weeks and present a “good slate” of candidates to Trump “right after Thanksgiving.” Trump said he expected to decide on Powell’s replacement by the end of this year.

The five people under consideration are: Federal Reserve governors Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman; former Fed governor Kevin Warsh; White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett; and Rick Rieder, senior managing director at asset manager BlackRock.

The names suggest that no matter who is picked, there will likely be big changes coming to the Federal Reserve next year. Bessent, who is leading the search for Powell’s replacement, last month published extensive criticisms of the Fed and some of the policies it has pursued from the Great Financial Crisis of 2008-2009 to the pandemic.

Trump on Monday, meanwhile, repeated his long-standing attacks on Powell, charging that he has been too slow to cut interest rates.

“We have a person that’s not at all smart right now,” Trump said, referring to Powell. “He should have been much lower, much sooner.” The Fed is expected to lower its key rate Wednesday for the second time this year.

Trump’s goal of selecting a new chair by the end of this year could reflect some of the tricky elements surrounding Powell’s status. His term as chair ends next May, but he could remain on the Fed’s board as one of seven governors until January 2028, an unusual but not entirely unprecedented step. Such a move would deprive Trump of an opportunity to nominate another governor for several years.

Still, current governor Stephen Miran was appointed by Trump Sept. 16 to finish an unexpired term that ends next Jan. 31. Trump could nominate his candidate to replace Powell for that seat, and then elevate that person to chair in May after Powell steps down.

Hassett is currently the chair of the National Economic Council at the White House and was also a top Trump adviser in the president’s first term, and a frequent defender of the administration’s policies on television. His longtime loyalty to the president could give him an edge, some Fed watchers say.

Warsh is a former economic advisor in the George W. Bush administration and was appointed to the Fed’s governing board in 2006 at age 35, making him the youngest Fed governor in history. He left the board in 2011. Warsh is now a fellow at the Hoover Institution and a lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Waller was appointed to the Fed by Trump in 2020, and quickly established himself as an independent voice. He began pushing for rate cuts in July and dissented at that meeting in favor of a quarter-point cut, when the Fed decided to leave its key rate unchanged. But he voted to reduce rates just a quarter-point in September, along with 10 other Fed officials, while Miran dissented in favor of a half-point.

Michelle Bowman is the Fed’s vice chair of supervision, making her the nation’s top banking regulator. She was appointed by Trump in 2018, and before that was Kansas’ state bank commissioner. Bowman also dissented in favor a rate cut in July, then voted with her colleagues last month for a quarter-point reduction.

Rieder has the most financial markets experience of any of the candidates and has worked for Wall Street firms since 1987. Rieder joined BlackRock in 2009. His focus is in fixed income and he oversees the management of roughly $2.4 trillion in assets.

Bessent has set out a wide-ranging critique of the Fed while interviewing for Powell’s replacement. In particular, he has criticized the central bank for continuing unconventional policies, such as purchasing Treasury bonds in order to lower longer-term interest rates, long after after such steps were justified, in his view, by emergency conditions.

“It is essential the Fed commit to scaling back its distortionary impact on markets,” Bessent wrote. “It also likely requires an honest, independent, and nonpartisan review of the entire institution and all of its activities.”

Bessent’s criticisms aren’t entirely new, but they have gained greater traction in the wake of the 2021-22 inflation surge. The Fed is mandated by Congress to seek stable prices as well as maximum employment.

Bessent’s critiques have also inevitably been tangled up with Trump’s insistent calls for lower interest rates, which have threatened the Fed’s independence from day-to-day politics. Trump has also taken the unprecedented step of trying to fire Fed governor Lisa Cook, a Biden appointee, to open another seat on the board for him to fill.

Cook has sued to keep her seat and the Supreme Court has allowed Cook to remain on the board while it considers the case.

Trump’s attacks on the central bank have left some longtime Fed critics skeptical of the Trump administration’s approach.

Peter Conti-Brown, a Fed historian and professor of financial regulation at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, cautioned against placing “loyalists” on the Fed “who are there to push the president’s narrative.”

“Those are the ones that we want as his advisers and spokespeople and his lawyers, not his central bankers,” he said.

Hurricane Melissa is expected to make landfall in Jamaica late Monday or Tuesday, leaving metro Detroit residents with ties to the Caribbean island anxiously waiting for news from family and friends.

Yanique Lee, a Jamaican living in metro Detroit, said she's deeply concerned about her loved ones still on the island.

Watch Jeffrey Lindblom's video report below: Local woman worried about family as Jamaica braces for historic hurricane

"I'm very worried, I'm very sad and I pray that the storm passes," Lee said.

Lee said her family and friends have already been sharing videos with her, showing roofs being ripped from homes and cars submerged under water as the hurricane approaches.

"The ocean lifted up and the water was just going everywhere," Lee said.

When asked about her concerns for future visits to Jamaica, Lee expressed uncertainty about what she might find.

"Yes. I'm worried it might be disastrous," Lee said.

Related video: How powerful is Hurricane Melissa? How powerful if Hurricane Melissa?

Henry Montague, president of the Jamaican Association of Michigan, said he and the organization's 30 active members have all been in touch with friends and family on the island.

"I'm worried about the rain, how much rain we're going to get," Montague said.

Despite the concerns, Montague emphasized the resilient nature of Jamaican people.

"We're tough and we're resilient and we feel we can handle what mother nature has to offer," Montague said.

That resilience is being tested for Detroit resident Tamika Gaines, who traveled to Jamaica's coast Thursday for what was supposed to be a vacation. Her flight home was scheduled for Sunday, but she remains stranded as the hurricane approaches.

"Things turned south on Saturday," Gaines said.

Related video: Jamaica warned to shelter in place as Category 5 Hurricane Melissa approaches Jamaica warned to shelter in place as Category 5 Hurricane Melissa approaches

The resort where Gaines is staying is now preparing for the worst, rationing food and boarding up buildings.

"Do I feel I'm going to make it home? I don't know if I'm going to make it home," Gaines said.

Despite the uncertainty, Gaines said many Jamaicans are calling this one of the bigger storm systems they've seen, but they're reassuring visitors that their Caribbean island is known for its resilience.

"People in Jamaica tend to be more resilient," Gaines said.

Montague echoed that sentiment, describing resilience as a Jamaican trademark.

"Maybe it's our trademark. We don't fear anything. We're just going to sit back and wait. And then when it comes, we're going to ride it out however it goes. We'll ride it out and we'll be fine," Montague said.

Montague said he and other members of the Jamaican Association of Michigan are monitoring the hurricane while remaining hopeful and standing by to help in any way they can.

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

An 8-year-old Clinton Township student is grateful to be alive after her school principal performed the Heimlich maneuver to save her from choking on a water bottle cap.

Watch Evan Sery's video report: Principal saves 8-year-old student choking on water bottle cap in Clinton Township classroom

Earlier this month, Piper Irwin was in her second-grade classroom at Miami Elementary School when she went to take a sip from her water bottle. Without realizing the cap was still on, the tiny cap shot into the back of her throat when she tried to drink.

"It was really painful, in my mouth, really hard to get it out," Piper said. "I couldn't get it out, and then the principal helped me."

Dr. Katie Shellabarger, the school's principal who students call "Dr. S," was in a meeting when she heard an emergency call over her walkie-talkie. She immediately sprinted to Piper's classroom and found the student struggling to breathe.

"Her breathing was very gaspy, so we knew something was blocking her from being able to breathe," Shellabarger said.

Dr. S performed the Heimlich maneuver for about 30 seconds before the bottle cap finally came out, allowing Piper to breathe normally again.

"It felt good, but felt like the bottle cap was still in there," Piper said about the moment the cap was dislodged.

Since the incident, the principal and student have formed a special bond. Every time they see each other in the hallways, they exchange big smiles and greetings. Sometimes Piper even seeks out Dr. S in her office.

Shellabarger is part of the school's Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT), which trains staff in CPR, first aid, AED operation, and the Heimlich maneuver. She noted that water bottle caps seem to be getting smaller and their threads are so slim that they can pop off easily if not properly secured.

When asked if she feels like a hero, Shellabarger was modest about her life-saving actions.

"No," she said. "I would have done it for anybody, and that's what we're trained to do in our profession."

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

By RIO YAMAT

A shortage of air traffic controllers caused more flight disruptions Monday around the country as controllers braced for their first full missing paycheck during the federal government shutdown.

The Federal Aviation Administration reported staffing-related delays on Monday afternoon averaging about 20 minutes at the airport in Dallas and about 40 minutes at both Newark Liberty International Airport and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The delays in Austin followed a brief ground stop at the airport, meaning flights were held at their originating airports until the FAA lifted the stop around 4:15 p.m. local time.

The FAA also warned of staffing issues at a facility in Jacksonville, Florida, that could cause some problems.

Just last week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy had predicted that travelers would start to see more flights delayed and canceled as the nation’s air traffic controllers work without pay during the shutdown, which is nearing the one-month mark.

During a weekend appearance on the Fox News program “Sunday Morning Futures,” Duffy said more controllers were calling in sick as money worries compound the stress of an already challenging job.

“And that’s a sign that the controllers are wearing thin,” Duffy said.

Earlier Monday, flights were also briefly delayed at Los Angeles International Airport, one of the busiest in the world. The disruptions emerged a day after the FAA had issued a temporary ground stop at LAX for about two hours due to a shortage of controllers. Aviation analytics firm Cirium said about 72% of the flights scheduled Sunday at LAX took off within 15 minutes of their scheduled departure times.

Most controllers are continuing to work mandatory overtime six days a week during the shutdown without pay, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association said Monday. That leaves little time for a side job unless controllers call in sick to the FAA.

Union members were expected to gather Tuesday at major airports across the U.S., including in New York City and Atlanta, to pass out leaflets to passengers detailing how the shutdown is negatively impacting the national aviation system and the workers who keep it running safely. The action coincides with controllers’ first full missing paycheck since the shutdown began.

Some U.S. airports have stepped in to provide food donations and other support for federal aviation employees working without pay, including controllers and Transportation Security Administration agents.

Before the shutdown, the FAA was already dealing with a shortage of about 3,000 air traffic controllers. Nick Daniels, president of NATCA, has said the agency had reached “the lowest staffing we’ve had in decades of only 10,800.”

By JONATHAN MATTISE

Federal funds could begin running dry Saturday that help tens of millions of Americans to buy food for their families and send their toddlers to preschool if Congress doesn’t reach a deal by then to end the U.S. government shutdown.

Funding for another program that helps mothers care for their newborns could run out the following week.

Barring a resolution to the shutdown, the U.S. will have a gaping hole in its safety net, particularly for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which helps about one in eight Americans buy groceries. Benefits under the program known as SNAP run dry starting Saturday.

Funding for a group of Head Start preschool programs and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC, also could run out soon.

Here’s a look at what would happen to each program.

SNAP benefits could leave millions without money for food

Lower-income families who qualify for SNAP receive debit cards loaded each month by the federal government used only for buying groceries at participating stores and farmers markets. The debit cards are recharged in slightly different ways in each state. Not everyone receives their benefits on the first day of the month, though many beneficiaries get them early in the month.

The average monthly benefit is $187 per person. Most beneficiaries have incomes at or below the poverty level.

There’s also uncertainty about whether benefits left on cards on Nov. 1 can be used. Arkansas officials suggest people who have balances on their cards should use the funds this month on shelf-stable foods. Missouri and Pennsylvania officials expect previous benefits will remain accessible and are telling beneficiaries to save for November if they can.

President Donald Trump’s administration has rejected the idea of using some $5 billion in contingency money to keep providing the federal cash for food, saying that reserve is limited to expenses such as help after disasters.

That decision contrasts with a report late last month by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that said a contingency fund could cover SNAP benefits if government funding lapsed.

Democratic lawmakers and advocacy groups have urged the Trump administration to tap into that fund to provide partial benefits into November.

Some states seeking to fill void of SNAP benefit cuts

Officials in Louisiana, Vermont and Virginia have pledged to backfill food aid for recipients even while the shutdown stalls the federal program, though state-level details haven’t been announced.

 

In Republican-led Louisiana, the House has voted unanimously for a resolution urging the state’s health department to use $150 million in its budget to avoid an interruption in SNAP benefits to nearly 800,000 residents. The measure awaits Senate action, and Republican Gov. Jeff Landry has said it’s a top priority.

More funding for food banks and pantries is planned in states including New Hampshire, Minnesota, California, New Mexico, Connecticut and New York, where Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul said on Monday that she is “fast tracking” $30 million in emergency food assistance funds to help keep food pantries stocked.

Officials from some other states have said they looked into backfilling SNAP benefits with state funds but found they couldn’t because states have no way to load funds onto recipients’ cards.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom of California deployed the National Guard to help his state’s food banks, though some have declined to use the troops. He is also quickly making $80 million available for food banks.

The USDA advised Friday that states won’t be reimbursed for funding the benefits.

The Trump administration is blaming Democrats, who say they will not agree to reopen the government until Republicans negotiate with them on extending expiring subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. Republicans say Democrats must first agree to reopen the government before negotiation.

Early childhood education

More than 130 Head Start preschool programs won’t receive their annual federal grants on Nov. 1 if the government remains shut down, according to the National Head Start Association.

Centers are scrambling to assess how long they can stay open, since nearly all their funding comes from federal taxpayers. Head Start provides education and child care for the nation’s neediest preschoolers. When a center is closed, families may have to miss work or school.

With new grants on hold, a half-dozen Head Start programs have already missed federal disbursements they were expecting Oct. 1 but have stayed open with fast-dwindling reserves or with help from local governments. All told, more than 65,000 seats at Head Start programs across the country could be affected.

Food aid for mothers and young children

Another food aid program supporting millions of low-income mothers and young children already received an infusion to keep the program open through the end of October, but even that money is set to run out early next month.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children helps more than 6 million low-income mothers, young children and expectant parents purchase nutritious staples such as fruits and vegetables, low-fat milk and infant formula.

The program, known as WIC, was at risk of running out of money in October because of the government shutdown, which occurred right before it was scheduled to receive its annual appropriation. The Trump administration reassigned $300 million in unspent tariff proceeds from the Department of Agriculture to keep the program afloat. But it was only enough money for a few weeks.

Now, states say they could run out of WIC money as early as Nov. 8.

Mattise reported from Nashville, Tennessee. AP contributors include Moriah Balingit in Portland, Oregon; Geoff Mulvihill in Haddonfield, New Jersey; David Collins in Hartford, Connecticut; Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis; Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York; Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Sara Cline in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Sophie Austin in Sacramento, California.

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin resumed scheduling abortions on Monday after a nearly monthlong pause due to federal Medicaid funding cuts in President Donald Trumps tax and spending bill that took effect at the beginning of October.

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin said it was able to resume scheduling abortions as of noon on Monday because it no longer fits the definition of a prohibited entity under the new federal law that took effect this month and can receive Medicaid funds.

The organization said it dropped its designation as an essential community provider as defined under the Affordable Care Act. Dropping the designation will not result in changes to the cost for abortions or other services or affect the organization's funding, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin president and CEO Tanya Atkinson said.

At this point, in all of our research and analysis, we really shouldnt see much of an impact on patient access, she said. If relinquishing this does ultimately impact our bottom line, then we will have to understand what that path forward is."

A national fight over abortion funding

Abortion funding has been under attack across the U.S., particularly for affiliates of Planned Parenthood, the biggest provider. The abortion landscape has shifting frequently since the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2022 that allowed states to ban abortion. Currently, 12 states do not allow it at any stage of pregnancy, with limited exceptions, and four more ban it after about six weeks gestation.

Planned Parenthood has warned that about half its clinics that provide abortion could be closed nationwide due to the ban in the new federal law on Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood for services other than abortion.

Wisconsin, where abortion is legal but the Republican-controlled Legislature has passed numerous laws limiting access, was the only state where Planned Parenthood paused all abortions because of the new federal law, Atkinson said.

Because of the complexities and varieties of state abortion laws, Planned Parenthood affiliates are responding to the new federal law in a variety of ways, Atkinson said. In Arizona, for example, Planned Parenthood stopped accepting Medicaid but continued to provide abortions.

The move in Wisconsin is clearly aimed at sidestepping the federal law, Wisconsin Right to Life said.

Planned Parenthoods abortion-first business model underscores why taxpayer funding should never support organizations that make abortion a priority, said Heather Weininger, executive director of Wisconsin Right to Life. Women in difficult circumstances deserve compassionate, life-affirming care the kind of support the pro-life movement is committed to offering.

RELATED STORY | FDA approves generic version of mifepristone abortion drug, sparking conservative backlash

Impact on Wisconsin abortion clinics

In Wisconsin, pausing abortions for the past 26 days meant that women who would normally go to clinics in the southeastern corner of the state instead had to look for other options, including traveling to Chicago, which is within a three-hour drive of the Planned Parenthood facilities.

Affiliated Medical Services and Care for All also provide abortions at clinics in Milwaukee.

Atkinson said she did it was really, really difficult to say how many women were affected by the pause in services. She did not have numbers on how many women who wanted to have an abortion since the pause went into effect had to seek services elsewhere.

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin serves about 50,000 people, and about 60% of them are covered by Medicaid, the organization said.

Given those numbers, the priority was on finding a way to continue receiving Medicaid funding and dropping the Essential Community Provider status provided the gateway, Atkinson said.

Wisconsin is part of a multistate federal lawsuit challenging the provision in the law. A federal appeals court in September said the government could halt the payments while a court challenge to the provision moves ahead.

Ramifications for Medicaid

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin cited a Sept. 29 court filing on behalf of U.S. Health and Human Services that said family planning organizations could continue billing Medicaid if they gave up either their tax-exempt status or the essential community provider" designation.

By giving up that designation, it no longer fits the definition of prohibited entity under the federal law and can continue to receive federal Medicaid funds, the organization said. Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin is not giving up its tax exempt status.

The essential community provider designation was originally given to organizations to help make it easier for them to be considered in-network for billing with private health insurers, Planned Parenthood said.

Atkinson called it a nuanced provision of the law and she does not anticipate that giving it up will affect Planned Parenthood's ability to continue providing abortions and other services.

Planned Parenthood provides a wide range of services including cancer screenings and sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment. Federal Medicaid money was already not paying for abortion, but affiliates relied on Medicaid to stay afloat. Services other than abortion are expected to expand in light of the new law.

Planned Parenthood performed 3,727 abortions in Wisconsin between Oct. 1, 2023, and Sept. 30, 2024, the group said.

Detroit took a major step forward in clean energy Monday as Mayor Mike Duggan, DTE Energy and community leaders broke ground on the city's first solar field under the mayor's Solar Neighborhoods Initiative.

The project launched in the Van Dyke-Lynch neighborhood, where solar panels will soon cover a field that was once filled with blight and illegal activity.

Watch Carli Petrus' video report below: Detroit breaks ground on first solar field under mayor's clean energy initiative

"There was nothing but illegal dumping and illegal activity going on here about a year ago, and now it's going to power the city," Duggan said.

The solar field will generate 10 megawatts of clean, renewable energy. Duggan said the goal is simple: to lower energy costs and make Detroit neighborhoods better.

"This is going to power huge numbers of city buildings and the money that we're making from the electricity, we're using to improve the houses of the neighbors across the street that will be here for the long term," Duggan said.

Haley Henley has lived in the Van Dyke-Lynch neighborhood for 50 years and said she's excited to see the transformation.

"It's kind of sad when you live in a neighborhood and you get afraid to come out in it after dark," Henley said. "Thanks to the mayor for not forgetting about us."

Neighbors like Dorothy Gladney are receiving numerous home improvements including roofing and insulation. Gladney received what she called a life-saving upgrade: a carbon monoxide detector.

"The best thing that this solar panel did was brought us together," Gladney said.

Watch our previous coverage with Dorothy Gladney on how the initiative saved her life: Woman says City of Detroit helped save her family

Four more neighborhoods are set to receive solar fields: Gratiot Findlay, State Fair, Greenfield Park and Houston Whittier. The total project will cover 167 acres.

The project is made possible by tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

"We said we're only going to the neighborhoods where we're wanted and as you can tell, we were very much wanted in this neighborhood," Duggan said.

The solar field is expected to be completed by mid-2026. DTE will hold additional informational sessions throughout construction.

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

By John Tozzi, Bloomberg News

Cigna Group will eliminate prescription drug rebates in many of its commercial health plans in 2027, upending an opaque, controversial practice that’s drawn the ire of President Donald Trump.

The insurer will expand the rebate-free model to clients of its pharmacy benefits business starting in 2028. The plan to eventually phase out rebates more broadly portends a seismic shift in the flow of billions of dollars among drugmakers, insurers and employers.

Cigna said it aims to lower patients’ costs at the pharmacy counter with up-front discounts rather than rebates collected from drugmakers long after a medication is dispensed. The company, which has faced criticism over rebates for years, said it’s responding to changes in the marketplace, including the Trump administration’s efforts to lower prices in the U.S.

“The dynamic has changed in terms of where the market is headed,” Adam Kautzner, president of Cigna’s Express Scripts pharmacy benefits division, said in an interview. “We see this as an opportunity to lower the costs for Americans on branded drugs.”

Pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, contract with drugmakers and pharmacies to run prescription drug plans for employers, health plans and government programs. That system has long relied on rebates — payments drugmakers make to the PBM after a prescription is filled. The value of drug rebates and other discounts reached $356 billion last year, according to researcher Drug Channels Institute.

Pharmaceutical companies pay the rebates in order to get favorable placement on PBMs’ lists of covered drugs, a practice that critics have likened to kickbacks. The two industries have been embroiled in a vitriolic fight, with each side blaming the other for inflated U.S. drug prices that far outstrip costs in other wealthy countries.

Drugmakers complain that patients don’t see the full benefit of rebates. PBMs say they pass nearly all of the money back to their clients, who can use it to lower premiums or offset other costs. Some employers say rebates create warped incentives, because PBMs are collecting money from the drugmakers with which they’re supposed to be negotiating.

Patients who have high-deductible plans can wind up paying the full cost of their medications when they fill prescriptions, while the rebate from that drug goes to their employer later on.

Kautzner said Cigna aims to eventually do away with all that for its private prescription drug plans. People with high-deductible plans will see a 30% discount on average for brand medications, he said.

The change will initially apply to about 2 million of Cigna’s fully insured health plan members. In 2028, it will become the standard option for Express Scripts clients, though they’ll be able to continue with rebate-based models if they choose. It won’t apply to drug benefits for government programs like Medicare and Medicaid.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. praised Cigna in a social media post for what he said was “greater transparency and lower drug prices on brand-name medicines” that aligns with administration’s vision.

The move is part of an industry effort to get ahead of regulations, and “could pave way for formal agreement” between the industry and Washington, TD Cowen analyst Charles Rhyee wrote. He said Cigna’s plan “strikes many similar notes” to prior announcements by CVS Health Corp.

Cigna shares rose 2% at 12:37 p.m. in New York.

Trump target

The announcement comes months after Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, urged PBMs to voluntarily do away with what he called the “rebate-slash-kickback system.”

During his first term, Trump tried to do away with rebates by regulation. The effort faltered after court challenges. He attacked PBMs after he was reelected last year, calling them the “horrible middleman” and saying that they “don’t do anything.”

Cigna’s Express Scripts is the largest of the three leading PBMs, along with CVS’s Caremark unit and UnitedHealth Group Inc.’s Optum Rx. All three have been targeted by lawmakers and the Federal Trade Commission, which sued the companies last year alleging that rebates drove up the cost of insulin. The companies dispute that and the litigation, in an internal FTC tribunal, is pending.

Cigna Chief Executive Officer David Cordani praised Trump “for taking decisive action to help lower costs for brand-name medicines that have long been controlled by drug companies,” in a statement to Bloomberg News.

Cajoling from the Trump administration has led pharmaceutical companies including Pfizer Inc. and AstraZeneca Plc to offer some of their products at lower prices to government programs in exchange for a reprieve on potential tariffs. Drugmakers have also tested some “direct-to-consumer” programs for popular weight-loss medications and other products meant to offer discounts for people paying cash.

Cigna said it will ensure members don’t pay more than the discounted direct-to-consumer or cash prices offered by drug companies, if those are less than the company’s negotiated rate. It’s also expanding a program meant to ensure fair reimbursements to pharmacies.

Other PBMs have made moves to head off a tougher crackdown from Washington. Earlier this year, Optum Rx said it would move to pass 100% of rebates to clients. CVS Caremark has promoted a model intended to give rebates to patients when they fill prescriptions.

Replacing rebates

For Cigna to replace rebates with up-front discounts, it will have to renegotiate contracts with drugmakers, employers and health plans. Kautzner said drugmakers will welcome the change, because reducing out-of-pocket costs will make it more likely patients fill their prescriptions and stay on their medications.

“They would also like to see a lower patient out-of-pocket cost,” he said. Kautzner said he expects Cigna will be able to negotiate better discounts with pharmaceutical companies going forward.

The goal is to get half of employer and health plan clients to adopt the model within three years, Kautzner said. Express Scripts has about 100 million members.

Because some clients use rebate payments to offset premium costs, eliminating rebates could risk raising premiums. Kautzner disputed that it would lead to higher costs.

“We do not expect that there will be any raising of premiums,” he said.

Rebate benefits

PBMs have spent years defending the rebate system. The website of Cigna’s Evernorth division, which includes the PBM, says that “without the ability to deliver rebates, health care costs would be much higher.”

Kautzner said that rebates will continue to exist “for the foreseeable future,” though the company wants to move the industry to a simpler, more transparent approach. It’s one some smaller PBMs have long attempted to implement.

Cigna and its larger rivals have also opened up new revenue streams from drugmakers in recent years, in the form of other fees that aren’t called rebates but look similar. These fees, collected by affiliates called group purchasing organizations, are often structured as a percentage of the drug’s list price. Kautzner said other compensation the company gets from drugmakers would no longer be linked to list prices.

Kautzner said Cigna is “making investments” in the new model but declined to say how the change would affect its business going forward.

“We think it’s completely manageable,” he said. “We remain confident in the long-term durability of our margin profile.”

(With assistance from Phil Kuntz.)

©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By JOSH BOAK and CHRIS MEGERIAN

TOKYO (AP) — President Donald Trump begins one of his busiest days of his Asia trip on Tuesday, meeting with the new Japanese prime minister, speaking to U.S. troops aboard an aircraft carrier and mingling with business leaders.

Although Trump is visiting one of America’s most steadfast allies in Asia, there’s no shortage of uncertainty while he’s there. Sanae Takaichi, who became the country’s first female prime minister only days ago, must solidify her relationship with Trump while defending her country’s economic interests. Trump is trying to nail down $550 billion in Japanese investment as part of a trade deal that would reduce U.S. tariffs.

Takaichi is primed for a charm offensive, including a potential purchase of Ford F-150 trucks. Trump has often complained that Japan doesn’t buy American vehicles, which are often too wide to be practical on narrow Japanese streets.

Although Trump has focused his foreign policy toward Asia around tariffs and trade, he’s also speaking aboard the USS George Washington, which is docked at an American naval base near Tokyo.

Trump arrived in Tokyo on Monday, when he met with the emperor in a ceremonial visit. He was previously in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he participated in the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The gathering was an opportunity for Trump to celebrate an expanded ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, which skirmished along their disputed border earlier this year. Trump had pressured them to stop fighting by threatening to withhold trade agreements.

There were also signs that tensions between the U.S. and China were cooling ahead of a planned meeting between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, which is expected to take place in South Korea later this week. Top negotiators from each country said a trade deal was coming together, which could prevent a potentially damaging confrontation between the world’s two largest economies.

Details were scarce, and it was unclear how much any agreement would resolve long-standing issues, or if it would return the relationship to the status quo before recent confrontations. China has restructured the export of rare earth elements that are critical for high-tech manufacturing, and Trump responded by threatening tariffs that even he admits would be unsustainable.

Trump is scheduled to leave Wednesday for South Korea, which is hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

Megerian reported from Seoul.

A Novi man is facing multiple charges after he allegedly carjacked an ambulance, ran a red light and crashed into another vehicle, fled on foot and resisted police.

Changlin Li, 33, is held in the Oakland County Jail on a $5 million bond.

Li was involved in a rollover crash with another vehicle at 10 Mile and Novi roads at about 3:15 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24. A paramedic and patient were in the rear of a Medstar ambulance when Li entered it and drove south on Novi Road with emergency lights flashing, said Commander Bob Manar of the Novi Police Department.

Officers pursued the ambulance as it traveled two miles on Novi Road to Eight Mile Road, where it headed west.

The ambulance ran a red light at Beck Road and crashed into a vehicle traveling south on Beck.

The ambulance caught fire; Li attempted to flee on foot, but officers immediately apprehended him.

Li, the paramedic and patient in the ambulance and the driver of the second vehicle in the Eight Mile-Beck crash were hospitalized with non life-threatening injuries.

Manar said Li attempted to grab firearms from an officer at the scene of the second crash and at the hospital.

He had a knife in his possession at the time of his arrest, Manar said.

He is charged with second-degree fleeing and eluding, two counts of resisting/obstructing a police officer, two counts of peace officer-disarming firearm, carrying a concealed weapon and carjacking. All are felonies.

Manar said police do not know what prompted Manar to allegedly steal the ambulance and flee.

There was no indication that alcohol or drugs were involved, he said.

Manar did not know whether Li has a criminal background or a history of mental illness.

 

 

A devastating fire at the American House Senior Living Community in Southgate on Friday night left dozens of elderly residents without a home, but remarkably, everyone made it out alive thanks to the heroic efforts of first responders.

Watch Ruta Ulcinaite's video report: Southgate senior complex fire under investigation, residents recount the rescue

The fire broke out around 10 p.m. Friday when most residents were already in bed or asleep. The building now sits vacant and inaccessible, with all residents' belongings destroyed.

"And it was just miraculous that there was no loss of life, especially with the mobility issues these seniors had," Southgate Mayor Joseph Kuspa said.

Among those rescued was 80-year-old Joyce Richardson, who had recently moved into the complex. When she tried to escape through her door, she was met with thick smoke.

"So then I walked out and I tried to open the door, all I could see was smoke I couldn't see anything else," Richardson said.

First responders used a ladder to help Richardson escape through her second-story window.

"It took two firemen to help me down," she said.

Related video: Hear from others impacted by the fire Family members recall moments after massive fire at Southgate senior living facility

On Monday, Richardson attended an informational session at the American House Riverview location to learn about relocation options. She was wearing her nephew's clothing, having lost everything in the fire.

"Everything I owned everything that Rick brought in, it's gone," Richardson said.

Her nephew, Rick Richardson, expressed uncertainty about whether any possessions could be recovered.

"The building may never be safe to enter. Hopefully, she can retrieve some of her possessions," Rick Richardson said.

Watch Chopper 7 video of the massive fire: Video: Chopper 7 over massive fire at Southgate senior assisted living facility

The mayor's own sister was among those who needed rescue, requiring first responders to carry her down two flights of stairs.

"She's bedridden, so there was no way for her to get out other than to be carried and she's very thankful for that and of course, the whole family is as well," Kuspa said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation as crews work to determine if the building is salvageable. American House continues to relocate residents across their various facilities.

Despite losing their personal belongings, residents expressed gratitude for the quick response of first responders.

"It was remarkable. And all the residents seemed pretty calm and took it all in stride. I was very impressed," Rick Richardson said about rescue efforts.

How to Help

The city of Southgate has established ways for the community to support displaced residents. Donations can be made through a secure link managed by the city, or specific items that residents need can be donated.

For residents who lost personal documents like licenses, the city of Southgate is also hosting a resource fair at the Southgate Senior Center located at 14700 Reaume Parkway, Southgate, MI 48195.

The resouece fair will take place this Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and county and state officials will be available to help residents retrieve important documentation, along with city leaders and American House representatives who can assist with relocation services and permanent housing.

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

The post Detroit Evening Report: Air quality report shows impact of pollution in Dearborn appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

Women dealing with hot flashes could soon have a new option for relief. The FDA has approved a nonhormonal drug designed to help ease those uncomfortable menopause symptoms.

FDA approves new nonhormonal menopause drug that targets hot flashes

This new drug shows real potential to cool hot flashes. Elinzanetant, which will be sold under the brand name Lynkuet, works in the brain, not with hormones.

Heres how it works: during menopause, women start producing less of the hormone estrogen. As levels drop, nerves in the brains hypothalamus that help control the bodys internal temperature can get overactive. This sends out too many chemical signals called neurokinins, which trigger hot flashes.

Thats when a woman suddenly starts feeling hot in the face, head and chest. Symptoms can also include flushing and sweating all of which can last a few minutes and feel quite disruptive.

 

Now, elinzanetant works by blocking two specific brain receptors, called neurokinin-1 and neurokinin-3, which trigger these sudden surges of heat. In a phase-three clinical trial involving more than 600 postmenopausal women, those taking 120 mg of elinzanetant saw a 73% drop in hot flashes and night sweats after just 12 weeks.

Even more encouraging, women also reported better sleep and a higher quality of life. The effects lasted for over a year.

The drug being nonhormonal is a big deal. Some women cant take hormone replacement therapy for example, those with a history of blood clots, heart disease and certain cancers like breast or ovarian. Also, some women may not want to take hormones.

The risks are different for each person and depend on individual health factors, so its important to talk with a doctor.

As for side effects, the most common ones were drowsiness, fatigue and headaches. Some women did show temporary increases in liver enzyme levels  Out of more than 300 women on elinzanetant, six had mild or moderate elevations, most of which resolved on their own, and only one led to stopping treatment. Importantly, there were no serious liver problems.

Its also worth noting that rare side effects sometimes only show up once a drug is used by a larger population. Thats why doctors will continue to monitor safety closely as more women take it.

But for many struggling with hot flashes or night sweats, this could make a real difference and should be available in the U.S. starting in November.

The post The Metro: Community organizers support and promote the arts in Hamtramck appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

Beef prices in the U.S. are surging. Federal data shows the average price of a pound of 100% ground beef is at a record high, due to a combination of climate factors, high input costs and limited supplies.

The beef industry is battling multiple challenges: a prolonged drought across key cattle states, recordhigh feed costs and the smallest U.S. cattle herd in 75 years. All have contributed to the record prices consumers are paying in grocery stores.

Tighter supplies are pushing up the cost of lean and ground beef, which are the types most commonly imported in the U.S. High tariffs on Brazilian beef imports and restrictions on Mexican beef imports tied to screwworm concerns are also driving prices higher.

RELATED STORY | 'It's been really hard': Tariffs, drought push US beef prices to record highs

In an October 22 social media message, President Trump credited those tariff politics with raising the revenue that U.S. ranchers may collect but he also warned them that they needed to lower prices charged to consumers.

President Trump announced a plan last week to boost imports of beef from Argentina to increase supply. But some Republican lawmakers have pushed back on the proposal, sending a message to the White House that the move would hurt U.S. ranchers and farm workers.

Other meats, like pre-sliced lunch meats, are also getting more expensive. Bloomberg News reported late in October that lunch meats saw their greatest single month-to-month price increase ever in September. The sales of packaged lunch meat have also declined since last year.

While Royal Oak police haven’t yet provided an update for the slaying of an 83-year-old man on Oct. 24, his identity has been confirmed as David Ong of Bloomfield Hills.

A volunteer at St. Hugo of the Hills Catholic Church’s parish office told The Oakland Press on Monday that Ong, who died last Friday at a home in Royal Oak, was a member of St. Hugo’s.

The Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy on Ong on Monday and ruled the death a homicide. The cause of death was “multiple sharp force injuries to the head and hands, and complications thereof.”

Royal Oak police arrested the suspected killer, a 35-year-old woman — described as an acquaintance of the family — on Friday evening after responding to a report of a man calling for help in the 4300 block of Sheridan Drive in Royal Oak. The suspect had blood on her hands, police said, and was taken into custody following a brief foot chase.

Ong was found unresponsive in the home’s basement with multiple stab wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

The suspect’s name has not yet been released. Arraignment is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, police said.

A social media post from Ong’s daughter, Kelley Ong Smith, said he died “while protecting his cherished 3 year old granddaughter.”

“The loss is immeasurable,” she stated.

According to Ong’s obituary, he was “the most loving husband to Jacqueline” — his wife of more than 60 years — devoted father of four, and “Grandpa Dave” to 11.

The obituary further states, in part: “David’s life was defined by faith, humility and a gentle spirit. He was deeply caring, a true friend and a steady source of encouragement and support. He took joy in understanding everything about his children and grandchildren. He loved sports and rarely missed a chance to cheer for his Wolverines, Lions and Tigers. He enjoyed rides in his convertible, loved music and served as a mentor to his family and to many colleagues and employees.”

Ong founded the commercial real estate consulting and development firm, Acquest Realty Advisors, which he led for 45 years, the obituary states.

Visitation is planned for Oct. 31 at Desmond Funeral Home, 2600 Crooks Road in Troy from 1 to 5 p.m. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Hugo of the Hills Catholic Church, 2215 Opdyke Road in Bloomfield Hills on Nov. 1, with visitation at 9:30 a.m. and Mass at 10 a.m.

 

Sean "Diddy" Combs could be released as early as 2028 following his 50-month prison sentence for his conviction on two prostitution-related charges.

Federal jail records list his release date as May 8, 2028.

Combs, 55, has been held at a federal detention facility in Brooklyn, New York, since his arrest in September 2024. He was sentenced on Oct. 3 to just over four years behind bars, along with a $500,000 fine.

RELATED STORY | Judge rejects Sean 'Diddy' Combs bid to overturn conviction in prostitution case

In July, a jury found Combs guilty of transporting two former girlfriends to engage in prostitution with paid male escorts at hotels and drug-fueled parties described during the trial as freak offs. The same jury acquitted him of racketeering conspiracy and sex-trafficking charges, sparing him from a possible life sentence.

Combs faced up to 10 years in prison for each count of transportation to engage in prostitution. Prosecutors sought more than 11 years, while his defense argued he should receive no more than 14 months, including time served, saying hes been punished.

The judge ultimately rejected the governments recommendation, calling it not reasonable, but said a significant sentence was necessary to send a message to abusers and victims alike that abuse against women is met with real accountability.