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Gov. Whitmer blames DC Republicans for state’s economic woes

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, now in her seventh year in office, is blaming Republican leaders in the nation’s capital for her state’s economic troubles.

“With Republicans in Washington creating more economic uncertainty, good-paying jobs are on the chopping block,” Whitmer tweeted Aug. 6. “That’s why we need to keep fixing the damn roads and supporting tens of thousands of good-paying jobs here in Michigan. Let’s get it done.”

When Whitmer took office in January 2019, Michigan’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 4.2%, slightly above the national average of 4.0%, as measured by the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics.

As July 2025, those number were 5.3% and 4.2.%, respectively.

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ABC reporter calls Charlie Kirk assassin's text messages with transgender partner 'very touching'

ABC News correspondent Matt Gutman is under fire for putting a spotlight on what he called the "very touching" text messages Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin sent to his transgender partner.

After the press conference announcing the murder charges against 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, Gutman marveled at "such specific text messages" that were unearthed about the murder weapon.

"But, also, it was very touching in a way that many of us didn't expect," Gutman said. "A very intimate portrait into this relationship between the suspect’s roommate and the suspect himself, with him repeatedly calling his roommate, who is transitioning, calling him ‘my love.’ And ‘I want to protect you, my love.' Click here to read more.

 

Pandemic Emergency? Detroit to Spend Millions of COVID Money On ‘Improvements’ to Recreation Center.

DETROIT – Officially, when the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was signed in March 2021, the Joe Biden White House cited the necessity of the $1.9 trillion spending bill.

The act “provides funding for critical resources to strengthen the backbone of our country, while also responding to the public health and economic crisis the Nation faces as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Instead, municipalities across the state have used ARPA money to fund projects that are unrelated to the pandemic.

Five years later, COVID-19 is an afterthought. However, the city of Detroit authorized $2.19 million of ARPA money to spend on the Adams Butzel Complex recreational building. The project is expected to be completed by March 2026, according to documents the city released this week. Click here to read more.

 

Train stabbing suspect's family linked to prior crimes, including murder, records reveal

The man accused of stabbing a Ukrainian refugee to death aboard a North Carolina train has a lengthy criminal history — and so do several members of his family, according to law enforcement records.

Decarlos Brown, Jr., 34, was identified as the suspect who killed 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska. He was initially charged with first-degree murder in connection to the deadly attack, which occurred on a train in August.

Brown also has a total of 14 prior arrests. Click here to read more.

 

2 Alabama girls suing Roblox claim sexual predators found, groomed them on gaming platform

DALE COUNTY, Ala. - Two girls from Dale County, Alabama and their families are suing online gaming company Roblox and messaging platform Discord, alleging the girls met and were groomed by sexual predators on the platforms.

The family of a now 14-year-old girl claim she met a user on Roblox when she was 11-years-old who claimed to be 15, but was actually a man targeting the young girl for exploitation.

The lawsuit claims Roblox’s age verification and safety protocols were ineffective in stopping the alleged predator from grooming the young girl, and eventually attempting to meet up with her even after he was arrested and warned not to have any contact with her after manipulating her into sending him sexually explicit images through Discord. Click here to read more.

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan is restarting efforts to collect more than $2.7 billion in unemployment benefit overpayments from roughly 350,000 workers, following settlement of a class‐action lawsuit that had paused collection activity.

What’s Happening & Key Dates

Under a court‐approved settlement in Saunders v. UIA, the UIA will lift the pause on collecting overpaid unemployment benefits effective September 12, 2025.

First payments from affected claimants are due September 29, 2025.

Claimants will begin seeing notices in their Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) accounts starting September 9, with a follow‐up formal collection notice (Form 1088) on or after September 12 that spells out the amount owed and options for repayment.

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Who’s Affected

The resumption applies to people whose overpayment claims date back to March 2020, the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Many of those affected filed claims in 2020 or 2021.

Relief / Waiver Options

For those who cannot pay, the UIA is offering financial hardship waivers.

Claims with findings of fraud will not be eligible for waivers.

Payments may be made through MiWAM or by mail using the provided Form 1088 Payment Voucher.

Legal & Policy Background

The pause in collections had been imposed due to Saunders v. UIA, a class‐action suit challenging the UIA’s overpayment collections practices. As part of that litigation, some collections were halted while issues such as timely protest or appeal, and fairness of notice, were considered.

In May 2025, a settlement in the lawsuit was reached, requiring UIA to resume collections under updated terms.

Wider Context & Issues

The $2.7 billion figure reflects overpayments that occurred due largely to pandemic-era disruptions: overwhelmed systems, rapidly changing eligibility rules, worker mistakes, and possibly agency administrative errors.

Advocates note that many affected individuals are likely already under financial strain, and the sudden demand for repayment could exacerbate hardships. Some have raised concerns about whether proper notice was given at the time of the overpayments, and whether claimants had sufficient opportunity to protest or appeal.

There’s uncertainty about how much of the $2.7 billion will actually be recovered, given waivers, financial hardships, and in some cases, inability to locate claimants.

What Claimants Should Know

Check your MiWAM account for messages about overpayments and upcoming collection notices.

If you owe money and cannot pay, apply for a waiver promptly. The UIA provides a process for requesting a hardship waiver.

Even if collection is resuming, there may be legal protections if your protest or appeal was in process or if you were improperly denied appeal rights.

Reaction and Implications

Some claimants say they were surprised by the timing, citing that in many cases they were notified years ago of overpayments but did not face collection until now.

The UIA says securing these repayments is necessary to protect the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund and ensure benefits remain available for future claimants.

Legal experts observe that the UIA’s policies during the pandemic—including the way appeals and protests were handled, and how overpayments were determined—are under increased scrutiny, as are the procedural protections for claimants.

Bottom line: If you received unemployment benefits in Michigan during the pandemic and were later told you were overpaid, there’s a strong chance now that the state will demand repayment starting September 29, 2025, unless you qualify for a waiver or there are legal protections in your case. Keeping tabs on notices, understanding your rights, and acting early will be crucial.

WALLED LAKE, Mich. — Walled Lake Consolidated Schools is addressing questions from parents after its new middle school math curriculum, Inspiring Connections CPM Mathematicians Notebook, was found to include a gender-neutral title in a handful of workbook questions.

In a letter sent to families of sixth- and seventh-grade students on Sept. 12, Superintendent Dr. Michael A. Lonze said the district became aware that the title “Mx.” appeared in some of the materials. He stressed that the district is not teaching about gender neutrality and that the presence of the title does not change the focus of instruction.

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“Let me be clear, with this curriculum the District is not placing a value (good or bad) on the presence of this title. We are not teaching about gender-neutrality. The teacher’s focus will be on the math content,” Lonze wrote.

School Board member Lisa West said that during the book renewal process, she asked whether the publisher could edit the workbooks to remove the gender-neutral title. West noted that according to Lonze, the publisher was unwilling to make changes.

West said she believed the district would provide parents with the exact page and problem numbers so they could decide whether their child should complete them. She said that information was never shared and plans to ask why.

The curriculum update has been in progress for three years. Teachers and staff evaluated instructional resources with the goal of strengthening math instruction, aligning with state standards, and improving student achievement. The Walled Lake Board of Education approved the updated program in spring 2024. Implementation began this school year in sixth grade, will expand to seventh grade in 2025-2026, and will reach eighth grade in 2026-2027.

What “Mx.” Means

The title “Mx.” (pronounced “mix”) is a gender-neutral alternative to Mr., Mrs., Miss, or Ms. It is used by people who do not identify with gendered titles or who prefer not to disclose gender.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the title has been in use since the late 1970s. Merriam-Webster added “Mx.” to its dictionary in 2016, describing it as “used as a gender-neutral title of courtesy.”

District Response

In his letter, Lonze acknowledged that families may respond differently to the presence of the title in school materials but reiterated the district’s position that the goal of the program is to strengthen math education.

“We respect every family’s voice in their child’s education and deeply appreciate our partnership,” he wrote. “Our goal is to help your child succeed at math and to implement the absolute best math curriculum for our students.”

Parents with additional questions are being encouraged to contact their child’s principal.