By Michael J. Coren

The Washington Post

This year, a Tasmanian yard that hadn’t been watered in 10 years and featured a dead brushtail possum won the title of ugliest lawn in the world. The contest, organized by the island of Gotland in Sweden, rewards those who turn over their yards to nature to save water and change the world’s perception of the ideal lawn.

It also raises an important question: Who wants an ugly lawn, really? An admirable, dedicated contingent embracing ugly lawns’ ecological bona fides is willing to draw “disgusted glances from neighbors – and a round of applause from around the globe,” as the contest organizers put it.

But far more people just want a nice yard that won’t provoke their neighborhood homeowners association (HOA).

“If we’re saying we’re all going to have the ugliest landscape in the world, that’s not going to catch on,” insists Doug Tallamy, an entomologist at the University of Delaware who’s proposing a different approach. “I’m trying to reduce the area of lawn and do it in an attractive way so you’re not thrown out of your neighborhood.”

Tallamy is part of a growing movement to create ecological Edens out of yards while keeping them palatable to society. Want an unruly meadow? Carve a path inviting you in. Planting a profusion of native trees and shrubs? Border it with a strip of manicured grass.

These subtle but crucial signals differentiate a mess from a “lawn.” That might be enough to move wildlife conservation beyond public lands to the backyards — and even balconies — of millions of people, propagating tidy wildlands across the country.

“We need ecosystems to function everywhere, not just in parks and preserves,” he argues.

Here’s how to create a yard — or container garden — that’s good for nature while making you the envy of your neighborhood:

What we’ve lost

Americans have transformed 95% of the natural landscapes in the country. Around half the Lower 48 states are now cities and streets, infrastructure such as airports and shopping centers, or isolated habitat fragments, with farms covering much of the other half.

Only about 13% of the United States enjoys some form of protection.

That’s hardly enough to sustain wildlife. If nearly three-quarters of habitat is lost, ecologists say, then we’re likely to lose three-quarters of species, as well. In just half a century, for example, a staggering 3 billion breeding adult birds, or nearly 30% of their populations, have disappeared.

To save America’s biodiversity, Tallamy wants us to share the land. To do this, he’s enlisting private owners of more than 83% of the United States to create what he calls “homegrown national parks” from tiny city plots to corporate campuses. He envisions turning over half of the 40 million acres of lawns in the United States — an area roughly the size of New England — to imperiled native plants and trees, embracing what Aldo Leopold, widely regarded as a father of modern conservation, called the “land ethic.”

“We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us,” Leopold wrote in his 1949 book, “A Sand County Almanac,” popularizing the idea that healthy ecosystems are vital to humanity’s survival. “When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.”

That means restoring four ecological functions that healthy landscapes perform: nourish the food web, supply clean water, pull carbon out of the air, and feed and shelter native insects and pollinators.

“Lawns do none of them,” says Tallamy. But they could, on almost any scale, including a tiny side yard or even a container.

Imagine your yard as a buffet. Insects evolved over millions of years to feast on hundreds of regional cuisines made up of native plants from Florida to the Pacific Northwest. Some, such as the monarch butterfly larvae, depend on a single endemic plant species. If all you have to offer are turf and ornamental plants, mostly from Asia and Europe, you might as well be growing AstroTurf.

That leaves insects and everything that depends on them — including the roughly three-quarters of all the flowering plants on Earth they pollinate — out of luck. A 2019 study by Tallamy and others found hedgerows infested with invasive shrubs and trees supported 96 percent fewer caterpillars, by weight, than those dominated by natives

Since so many animals eat caterpillars, says Tallamy, without them you have a failed food web.

Tidy wildlands that even the most conservative neighbor could celebrate could restore nature’s banquet table, and all the wildlife that relies on it, across U.S. cities and suburbs.

What the new yard could look like

The typical objection to “natural” yards and native plants boils down to one word: “messy,” says Haven Kiers, a landscape architect at the University of California at Davis.

The public perception of lawns is binary: clipped and manicured or abandoned and ugly. Kiers is charting a third way, transforming her own scraggly grass lawn in Davis into an explosive profusion of native plants combined with a few ornamentals that people and pollinators love.

“It would be great if everyone planted only natives,” she says, “but I’m also dealing with a public that wants to do well and wants gardens to look good.”

So she’s designing native landscapes as formal gardens. Her students lay out elaborate botanical landscapes that draw on ordered garden styles while using only plants from the West. Ironically, this may mean reintroducing them to Americans in a new light. Our native plants such as pokeweed, American sweetgum and Virginia creeper are fixtures in formal gardens in Paris, and elsewhere in Europe. We just need to learn to love them as much they do.

The key is a landscape philosophy called “cues to care.” First introduced in a 1995 paper called “Messy Ecosystems, Orderly Frames,” it argued that intentionally designed elements — mowed grass margins, flowering plants with crisp edges or trimmed shrubs — should delineate larger “messy” wildness such as a meadow or prairie gardens. These signs of human presence make the landscapes socially acceptable while preserving their ecological value, which is often invisible.

Ultimately, the lack of social acceptance is what makes the “ugly” frame such a hard sell. Yards are not afterthoughts for most people. They are status symbols and artistic expressions. To make native landscapes acceptable, we need to marry human touch with ecological function.

How to create a tidy wildland

• Take it one small patch at a time. Kiers recommends slowly replacing strips of lawn with native (or a few suitable ornamental) plants that can support pollinators and local fauna. For Kiers, the backyard is a work in progress. With each passing year, her grass recedes as her garden beds and natives grow.

And if you’re worried about HOA restrictions, most rules are about preserving property value. The “cues to care” mean your HOA may accept your native yard — or you can join your HOA to ensure it changes its rules.

HOAs are also losing their clout: a low-impact landscaping law passed in Maryland prevents homeowners associations from prohibiting environmentally friendly yards. Florida, Utah, Arizona, California and other states and cities have similar laws on the books or under consideration.

• Go native, but no need to fear all ornamentals. Native plants will give you the biggest ecological bang for your buck. Typically, they won’t need water after they get established. Start by asking your native plant society or nursery. There’s one in every state, or search for master gardener groups and extension services online in your area who can answer your questions (for free!).

Adding ornamentals to the mix can add appeal without losing much ecological value. “There’s so much pressure to only go native,” says Kiers. “That’s silly.” Just prioritize natives and avoid invasives.

• Plant keystone species, feed the food web. These plants support the most wildlife. White oaks and relatives, for example, are exemplary trees for wildlife in 84% of U.S. counties. But every region is different so do your research. Homegrown National Park lists the top plants for your area.

And don’t forget to leave areas under trees and shrubs with leaves, logs or small native seedlings. More than 90% of the caterpillars drop off their host plant and need ground cover to finish their life cycle.

• Spread seeds for an instant flower garden. Any clearing at the edge of a path, around a tree or even a sidewalk can become a thriving garden with a few seeds and some occasional watering. If you do buy potted plants, use small pots (1 gallon vs. 4 gallon), as the plants are more likely to thrive.

Don’t have a lawn? Plant a balcony or become a guerrilla gardener. Biodiversity can thrive on your balcony, terrace or rooftop. Containers are “refueling pit stops” for native pollinators, says Homegrown National Park. Large pots are best, and some perennial species will return year after year.

And there are plenty of forgotten spaces where a wildflower garden can take root — you don’t even need to own it. Throw a few “seed bombs” on bare ground, and after some initial watering, a native garden can bloom almost anywhere from a Brooklyn sidewalk to back alleys.

• Express yourself. The natural world has a nearly infinite variety of species for you to grow into. After some trial and error, you may find yourself as more than a gardener, but the creator of your own tidy wilderness.

“The good news is that we can fix our ecological problems by indulging rather than sacrificing,” says Tallamy. “It has been very difficult to address environmental issues by asking people to give up something.”

Gas prices in Michigan dropped slightly after setting a new 2024-high over the weekend, according to AAA Michigan.

Drivers in the state are paying an average of $3.71 per gallon, which is 12 cents more than this time last week. Over the weekend, the price hit $3.72 per gallon.

It's also 17 cents more than this time last month and 19 cents more than this time last year.

On average, drivers are paying about $55 for a full 15-gallon tank of gas, which is still $3 cheaper than 2023's highest price last August.

In metro Detroit, prices increased to $3.64 per gallon, according to AAA.

The organization said data from the Energy Information Administration found gas demand fell and gas stocks increased.

"Michigan motorists are once again seeing higher prices at the pump with the state average hitting a new 2024-high," said Adrienne Woodland, spokesperson, AAA-The Auto Club Group. "If crude oil prices rise, alongside tight supply, gas prices may continue to rise."

Most expensive gas price averages:  Jackson ($3.81), Lansing ($3.79), Saginaw ($3.78) Least expensive gas price averages: Marquette ($3.59), Metro Detroit ($3.64), Benton Harbor ($3.71)

Bloomfield Township’s 48th District Court is suspending late fees and penalties for civil infractions from May 1 through June 14.

The late fee forgiveness is exclusively for 48th District Court cases. It has no bearing on original fines, costs and Secretary of State clearance fees which must be paid in full to take advantage of the program, and no payment plans will be set up.

Also, bench warrants issued for those failing to appear at a show cause hearing for nonpayment of a civil infraction will be canceled and bench warrant fees will be waived during the forgiveness period if the original fine, cost and clearance fees are paid in full.

Payments can be made with money orders or certified checks mailed to the court or placed in the drop box near the courthouse’s front door. Personal checks and business checks will not be accepted. Cash payments must be made inside the courthouse.

Pay online with a credit or debit card at www.48thdistrictcourt.us, and include the citation number. A service fee is added to all payments made with credit cards and debit cards.

To confirm a civil infraction is eligible and to get the amount owed, call the court at 248-686-5150 or 248-686-5148, Monday through Friday, between 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Communities served by 48th District Court include Bloomfield and West Bloomfield townships, and Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Keego Harbor, Orchard Lake Village and Sylvan Lake.

Britain’s Florence Nightingale was a nurse who defied the expectations of her era, in her pursuit of a career in health care and in her work to make improvements that saved hundreds of lives. As a revered hero, Nightingale’s writings sparked worldwide health care reform and her establishment of a hospital and Nightingale Training School for Nurses created opportunities for future generations around the world to follow in her footsteps.

Oakland University’s School of Nursing recognizes these women, who possess this same spirit and dedication and who are visionary in leading people and change — with their annual Nightingale Awards for Nursing Excellence.

Among those acknowledged this year was Tricia Haener.

The MBA, BSN and chief nursing officer at McLaren Macomb hospital was presented with Nightingale’s award for Excellence in Executive Administration.

“I am deeply touched and moved to be recognized with a Nightingale Award,” Haener said, “though the true honor is in having been nominated by the people I work closest with and those who work directly with our patients — who see the impact our standard of care has on them. I feel very fortunate to be part of this organization and work with this dedicated and compassionate team of nurses.”

Haener was nominated by McLaren Macomb’s Nurse Practice Council, which is responsible for the design and implementation of the standard of nursing care provided throughout the hospital. In its nomination, the council described Haener as a strong leader since her arrival at McLaren Macomb in March 2022.

As with Nightingale, Haener was recognized by the council for her work in enhancing patient care and safety, increasing recruitment initiatives, building relationships with staff as well as nursing and health care organizations throughout the community.

The council reported she is a leader who is willing to lend a hand and work side-by-side with the staff.

While working in the emergency department during a busy Super Bowl Sunday, for example, she assumed responsibility for the care of five trauma patients the department had received that evening.

“Tricia’s understanding of the delivery of high-quality care as being a service to the community drives her unwavering dedication and commitment to the patients at McLaren Macomb and inspires those around her,” said Jennifer Montgomery, chief nursing officer for McLaren Health Care. “Her drive, passion, and value in her team make her truly deserving of this award.”

The runner up in Haener’s category was Kathy Moore with Corewell Health Dearborn and Detroit.

Other 2024 Nightingale Award winners and runners up included:

• Excellence in Advanced Practice Nursing

Winner: Katherine Oag, DMC, Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Rochester Hills. Runner-Up: Navneet Strickland, Ascension – St. John Hospital, Flat Rock.

• Excellence in Nursing Research

Winner: Cynthera McNeill, Wayne State University College of Nursing, Southfield. Runner-Up: Jennifer L. Hoffman, Eastern Michigan University School of Nursing.

• Oakland University, School of Nursing Distinguished Alumni

Winner: Ashlee Barnes, University of Detroit Mercy, College of Health Professions and McAuley School of Nursing, Birmingham. Runner-Up: Sarah Berry, Corewell Health, Oxford.

• Excellence in Education

Winner: Olga Ehrlich, Oakland University School of Nursing, Ann Arbor. Runner-Up: Kellie Gartland, Trinity Health, Fenton.

• Excellence in Nursing Leadership

Winner: Lisa Bauer, Oakland County Health Division, Rochester. Runner-Up: Cathleen McCloskey, Henry Ford Health, White Lake.

• Nursing in the Community

Winner: Tara L. Walker, Wayne State University, College of Nursing, Farmington Hills. Runner-Up: Angela Varela, Oakland County Health Division, Holly.

• Post-Acute Care and Specialty Nursing

Winner: Amy Sweet, Michigan Medicine, HomeMed Infusion & Specialty Pharmacy Services, Flat Rock. Runner-Up: Krystal Waldrup, Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital, Royal Oak

• Staff Nurse

Winner: Samantha Shotwell, Ascension Providence Southfield, West Bloomfield. Runner-Up: Michelle Curtis, Corewell Health Taylor, Woodhaven.

People’s Choice Award

• Winner: Tina Poisson, Henry Ford Health – Detroit, Windsor, Ontario. Runner-Up: Susan Fellows, Oakland County Health Division, Waterford.

All Nightingale Awards for Nursing Excellence Award nominees will be recognized during a ceremony in early May. For more information about the awards visit oakland.edu/nursing/nightingale/.

Voters will see more than partisan candidates vying for national, state and local seats in the Aug. 6 primary election. Some communities have millage questions for libraries, parks and recreation, police and fire departments and one school district.

Pontiac voters will decide whether to approve a new charter, proposed by a nine-member charter-revision commission they elected in 2022.

Changes include realigning the seven-member city council to six seats and six districts. A seventh council member would be at large and working full time to represent all residents. If approved, city districts will be redrawn.

The Pontiac Home Rule Charter was adopted on May 27, 1981. Voters last approved an amended charter on Aug. 2, 2016.

Other issues on community ballots:

Rochester Hills: A 10-year, 0.39 mills increase would raise an estimated $1.7 million for the city’s library when levied on Dec. 1, 2024.

Walled Lake: A 10-year, 1-mill renewal of 0.8574 mills and a 0.1426 mill increase to make up for Headlee Amendment rollbacks. If approved, this operations millage will raise an estimated $288,000 for the Wall Lake library.

Addison Township: Three millage questions will be on the ballot:

•  A 10-year, 0.20 mill tax, of which 0.1867 is a renewal of the previously authorized millage that expired in 2023 and 0.0133 mill is new. If passed, the millage will raise an estimated $85,000 for Addison Township’s library operations, maintenance and equipment.

•  A 6-year 0.75 millage for capital improvements, which includes a 0.7130 mill renewal and a 0.0370 increase to restore a Headlee Amendment rollback. This millage is for capital improvements at the township’s fire department. If approved, it will raise an estimated $355,604.

•  A 4-year, 3.75 millage, which would renew 2.1806 mills and increase by 0.00694 and renew a 4-year, 1.50 mill tax set to expire on Dec. 31. If approved, it would draw an estimated $1.7 million to support fire protection services and ensure advanced life support ambulance services.

Groveland Township: A 10-year, up-to 5-mill tax for fire, rescue and related services. This is a renewal of the township’s existing 3.5 millage that expired on Dec. 31, 2023. If approved, the first year will be levied at 3.5 mills, generating an estimated $1.07 million.

Commerce Township: Renewal of a 10-year 0.3662 mill for parks improvement and acquisition of open land to create new public owned spaces. The millage will generate an estimated $980,000 the first year it is levied and will be dispersed to Commerce Township and the township’s Downtown Development Authority.

Highland Township: A 6-year, 3.3162 millage renewal for police services. The original 3.4319 millage was reduced by the Headlee Amendment. If approved, the millage will generate an estimated $3.5 million in the first year.

Lyon Township: There are two ballot proposals.

• A10-year, 2.3985 millage for fire department property, apparatus, equipment, personnel and general operation. If approved, this will generate more than $3.7 million in the first year.

• Three previous millages for 2.048, 0.6139 and 0.7585 would be combined into a single 10-year, 3.4204 millage for police operations and services. This will raise, if approved, just over $5.4 million in the first year.

Oxford Township: A 4-year, 4.25 mill request for police operations. This a renewal and an increase of 2020’s 3.9152 millage that was reduced by the Headlee Amendment to 3.8091 mills and expires on Dec. 31. This millage will fund police services, including all operations, wages, benefits, housing, and capital expenditures. If approved, the first year would collect just over an estimated $4.4 million. The owner of a property with a taxable value of $100,000 would pay $425.00 annually.

Springfield Township: A 10-year, 0.75 mill question to fund the parks and recreation department. This is a renewal of an existing 0.7197 millage and restoration of 0.0303 mills reduced by the Headlee Amendment. If approved the millage would generate an estimated $619,883 in the first year.

Waterford Township: There are two ballot proposals.

•  A 10-year, .05 millage to restore money lost in Headlee Amendment rollbacks and would generate just over $1.5 million in the first year for parks and recreation operations.

•  A 10-year, 1.5 millage renewal to fund police operations. If approved, nearly $4.6 million will be generated in the first year.

West Bloomfield Township: A $25 million bond proposal intended for capital improvements to parks, playgrounds, the community and senior center, trail system, pickleball courts, nature education areas, meeting rooms, administrative spaces and pavement replacement. The first year would be a .35 millage to retire the bond. The bond would not last more than 20 years.

White Lake Township: A 10-year, 0.2845 parks and recreation millage renewal and restore 0.0155 mills reduced by the Headlee Amendment. This 0.3 millage would raise $474,920 in the first year, if approved. The money would be used for maintenance, improvements, property acquisitions, facilities, paths and trails. The money would be managed by White Lake’s Corridor Improvement Authority.

Avondale School District: A 25-year, $150 million bond to pay for a new early childhood center; an addition at the R. Grant Graham Elementary School and remodeling and new furniture and equipment and remodeling, reequipping, furnishing other school buildings, modernizing instructional, fine arts and theater spaces, playgrounds and other facilities. The bond would also pay for a new transportation maintenance facility, renovations of athletic fields, playgrounds and other facilities, new school buses, new technology equipment and infrastructure for health, safety and security in school buildings and facilities.

The ballot proposal states the current millage, 7.30 mills, will remain the same.

Food and rent, lights or the car payment?

When faced with choices on a budget already stretched to the max it’s often the car or truck payment that’s left to chance and it’s getting worse.

A new study revealed Michigan has the seventh highest percentage of auto loan balances with more than 90 days of delinquency.

“Michigan First Credit Union continues to see delinquent payments steadily climbing,” said Jeff Fitzyk, chief lending officer for the credit union that has branches in Macomb and Oakland counties.

“We’re also seeing an increase in repossessions, both voluntary and involuntary,” he added, noting people are dealing with inflationary pressures that demand their immediate attention and one of the things that often falls behind are auto loans, which seem to be returning to their pre-COVID levels.

The stimulus checks given during the pandemic went a long way to help people pay their bills. In fact, delinquency rates on auto loans at that time were at a record low.

But that money has been spent and now lenders have the added pressures of higher interest rates.

“They’re at the highest we’ve seen since 1980,” Fitzyk said.

Now tack on auto insurance.

“Southeast Michigan has the highest auto insurance rates in the nation,” Fitzyk said, adding legislators in Michigan have not done enough to force insurance companies to offer lower rates.

However, Michigan is not the only state suffering.

The numbers

The study by wrongful repossession attorneys at Thompson Consumer Law Group analyzed 2022 and 2023 auto loan data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to see which states had the highest percentage of auto loan balances delinquent for more than 90 days. A loan becomes delinquent once a borrower misses a payment.

Their results showed it’s not only a problem everywhere but it’s increasing.

Between 2022 and 2023, the percentage of auto loan balances over 90 days delinquent in America increased from 3.81% to 4.2%, and every state experienced an increase. Michigan actually dropped one place from sixth in 2022 to seventh in 2023 but it is still in the top 10 with 5.24, which is 25% above the national average.

The study showed these states with the highest percentage of auto loan balances delinquent:

• Mississippi: is 6.77 above the national average

• Alabama is second, with 6.05%

• Georgia is third, with 5.71%

• Louisiana is fourth, at 5.69%

• Indiana rose two places from seventh in 2022 to fifth in 2023 with 5.29%

• Hawaii saw a dramatic increase in delinquent auto loan balances between 2022 and 2023, rising 25 places, with 5.24%.

• Delaware now follows Michigan, rising from tenth to eight with 5.2%

• South Carolina improved slightly, dropping from eighth to ninth with 5.2%

• North Carolina rounds out 2023’s top ten most delinquent states at 5.14%.

“When an auto loan has more than 90 days of nonpayments that is usually when lenders start to attempt to repossess a vehicle, so an increase of auto loan balances with more than 90 days delinquency will likely mean more repossessions,” said Russell Thompson, managing partner for the Thompson Law Group.

Among the five states with the lowest percentage of auto loan balances due were:

• Utah, at 1.89%

• Alaska at 2.09%

• New Hampshire at 2.1%

• Massachusetts at 2.2%

• North Dakota at 2.32%

Getting ahead

One of the biggest problems among those falling behind on their vehicle loans is ignoring the delinquency.

Fitzyk, who has been in the banking business for more than 30 years, the past 15 of those being with MFCU, knows of several steps that people can take to prevent the worst case scenario, repossession.

“Personal budgets are getting squeezed but there are people and groups that can offer assistance,” Fitzyk said.

One such group is GreenPath Financial Wellness, a national nonprofit with more than 60 years of experience in helping people build financial health and resiliency.

The group offers a variety of services that are all free such as:

• Financial courses including webinars or online easy-to-use financial education classes

• Worksheets and guides

• Debt calculator

• Tips for buying a car

• Financial calculator tools

“They do a lot of work to help individuals restructure a budget to reduce some of the debt they have,” Fitzyk said.

Another way to help is to seek opportunities to consolidate your existing debt.

Fitzyk said credit card debt in the United States at the end of 2023 was about $1 trillion, which is another record high.

“Look into a debt consolidation installment loan,” Fitzyk said.

This will help people get into a payment they can afford.

“It also helps to increase their credit score and get them lower interest rates,” he said.

Derrick Williams of Pontiac said he would recommend people talk to their lender.

“You and I both know that life can be unpredictable and being able to refinance on my car was a real relief,” said Williams, who drives a 2022 Chevy Impala.

Williams heard about refinancing and other programs offered by credit unions and banks to lower people’s monthly payments but never took advantage of them.

“I would definitely recommend looking into it. I was paying about $745 a month on my car,” he said. “Now my payment is $525.”

Williams was also able to get with another agent who helped to bring his insurance down, too.

Now instead of $430 a month, he’s paying $257.

“As members start to see they are struggling — that’s when they need to talk to their lenders,” Fitzyk said. “Be up front with your lender. There are solutions that credit unions and banks can provide, tools that those facing delinquency might not be used to exploring. Let the professionals help.”

The Bloomfield Hills school board has narrowed its superintendent search to two candidates.

The board will hold second interviews with Billy Shellenbarger, superintendent of the Clawson Public Schools, and Rick West, deputy superintendent of the Troy School District.

The public will have the opportunity to meet the two candidates and to give the board feedback on them.

The board will interview Shellenbarger at 7 p.m Wednesday, May 1, at the Doyle Center, 7273 Wing Lake Road in Bloomfield Township. The board will interview West at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 2, at the same location.

Both interviews are open to the public and will be livestreamed at https://bloomfield-mi.cablecast.tv/.

Both candidates will meet with staff, students and the community on Wednesday and Thursday. For a schedule, visit https://www.bloomfield.org/about-bhs/board-of-education/search

The public can give the board feedback on the candidates on a form at www.bloomfield.org/feedback, available from 8:30 a.m. May 1 to 4 p.m. May 9.

The board will meet May 9 to select one of the candidates as superintendent.

The chosen candidate is expected to begin employment July 1. Keith McDonald, assistant superintendent of human resources, is serving as interim superintendent until then.

In addition to Shellenbarger and West, the board held first interviews in mid-April for Catherine Kochanski, assistant superintendent, learning services, Walled Lake Consolidated School District; and Eddie Kindle, associate superintendent, communications and development, Genesee Intermediate School District.

The board later narrowed the field to the two finalists.

The board is seeking a replacement for Pat Watson, who announced his retirement, effective July 31, 2023, after parents and others called for his resignation in the wake of a controversy over the district’s handling of a diversity assembly.

775,000 people attended the NFL Draft in Detroit over the weekend.

There were quite a few new businesses that opened in downtown Detroit ahead of the draft.

Thursday night busy until close with a private party, said Walter Gregorio, director of operations for Mootz and Side Hustle Lounge. Friday busy all day not as busy as we hoped for all Saturday was record setting for us.

Walter Gregorio says the Mootz team worked hard to get Side Hustle Lounge opened by the first day of the draft.

We saw a payoff, there were a lot of people who have never seen Side Hustle didnt know anything about it, we had signs on the walls for about five months advertising it so the build up was there, Gregorio said. The fact that we were able to open it and let the new people see it was great.

Hows it feel to know people came and supported local Detroit businesses? I asked.

Phenomenal, the reputation has changed for a lot of people in Detroit, Gregorio said. Those of us that work down here and hang out down here know its a great place to be, its only getting better everyday but I think a lot of people learned something about Detroit.

Just around the corner from Mootz and side hustle is Easy Peasy, a new bar on Woodward.

It did, weve been crazy every single day of the week, its been amazing to see locals, folks we know from Detroit, people from out of town, everybody in the city so its been great, said Matt Megener, co-owner of Easy Peasy.

Matt Mergener is one of the owners of easy Peasy.

He says hes so happy people who attended the draft were able to enjoy new and old businesses that are downtown.

They loved it, they Woodward, they loved the city, they loved all the neighborhoods they visited, weve been lucky enough to talk to everybody about how theyve experienced the city so it was a good time, Mergener said.

As far as whats next for these businesses, side hustle will continue serving customers.

 Meanwhile, Easy Peasy will shut down for a few weeks and open sometime later in May.

Hundreds of college students across the U.S. spent the weekend camped out on campuses protesting the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Police at several universities moved in to clear the encampments, arresting dozens of protesters, with many universities focusing largely on removing non-students.

Washington University announced on Saturday that they arrested 100 individuals, all of whom are now facing charges of trespassing, with some also facing charges of resisting arrest and assault, particularly concerning injuries inflicted upon three police officers. Among those detained, the university says that 23 were students and four were employees.

Of those arrested was Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein, along with her campaign manager and deputy campaign manager.

On Sunday, Stein shared an interview with KSDK News, revealing that she had been charged with assaulting a police officer during the incident.

I think it's a really bad look for the university that they are out there, basically, they call out the police and they are arresting this encampment that is nothing other than the exercise of our constitutional rights, said Stein of the arrests. This is about freedom of speech, and not just any old freedom of speech, but freedom of speech on a very critical issue that needs debate and dialogue, and there they are sending in the riot police and basically creating a riot in an otherwise peaceful demonstration. So, this is just shameful.

The students at Washington University are demanding the school cut ties with Boeing, which has a long-standing relationship with Israel.

While things had calmed down by Sunday, on Saturday, those protests resulted in the arrest of nearly 300 people across different universities from Massachusetts to Arizona, bringing the total to almost 900 arrested since the first pro-Palestinian protest broke out at Columbia University on Apr. 18, according to The Associated Press.

All these protests are putting pressure on the White House to take action on the matter and help put an end to the war. However, U.S. National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby emphasized Sunday that protests need to stay peaceful.

"The president knows that there are very strong feelings about the war in Gaza. He understands that, he respects that, and as he has said many times, we certainly respect the right of peaceful protest. People should have the ability to air their views and to share their perspectives publicly, but it has to be peaceful," Kirby told ABC News "This Week."

The protesters' message is reaching Gaza, where students organized a demonstration to thank their U.S. counterparts.

They gathered around makeshift tents near a school that now serves as a shelter for displaced Palestinians on Sunday. In some images you can see them spray-painting thank-you messages on the tents.

One demonstrator, speaking to CNN, said that she was going to graduate this year from a university in Gaza, but her school was bombarded.

Us Gazan students go through pain, and we suffer every single day, and adding to the suffering that we witness every single day we have to also work on finding maybe a way or anything to continue our future, to not lose what we learned. I try every single day to find colleges scholarships, Nowar Diab told the network.

According to the United Nations, there have been "direct hits" on more than 200 schools in Gaza since the beginning of the war on October 7.

Editor's Note: This project is in partnership with Bellingcat. Read Bellingcats full companion article

here.

A war following the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7 continues to take its toll on civilians. Israels stated aim in this conflict was to remove Hamas and bring hostages home. But in this documentary for In Real Life, on-the-ground reporting and open-source intelligence show how the conflict has expanded, growing into a campaign of clearing and claiming land from Gaza to the West Bank.

Hamas fighters first breached the border with Israel at the Erez border crossing. The crossing was a closed military zone from Oct. 7, 2023 until it reopened April 5 to allow more aid into Gaza. When the In Real Life crew filmed there in March, a group of Israeli settlers were trying to push their way through the crossing, aiming to take over areas of Gaza that had been evacuated by Palestinians.

A few yards from the scuffles at the crossing, you can still see damage from when Erez was stormed by Hamas fighters. A facility here was the security terminal for people coming in and out of Gaza. The signs of the attack cover this terminal.

Hamas fighters filmed celebratory videos of the destruction, and around 1,200 Israelis were killed in the violence that would ensue hundreds were taken hostage including women and children as young as 9 months old.

The response from Israel was immediate a full-scale military bombardment of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, one of the most densely populated areas on Earth.

In the six months following the attack, the Gaza Health Ministry reports more than 32,000 Palestinians were killed, the majority women and children. Gaza now faces one of the worst humanitarian crises the world has ever seen, but its happening away from the eyes of international media theres no access except on a very limited basis with Israeli military minders. However, we can see some of what's happening through satellite imagery analyzed by Scripps News and our partners at Bellingcat.

The destruction is widespread satellite imagery shows mass demolitions in an area where Israel aims to establish a 1-kilometer-wide buffer zone over international objections, and along a corridor that bisects the strip from Israels border to the Mediterranean.

Human rights observers have described the devastation as an Israeli military campaign of domicide that is, the widespread or systematic destruction of homes and civilian infrastructure.

In areas around the buffer zone, we can use satellite imagery from Planet Labs to see that hundreds of homes have been flattened. That includes in cities like Khuzaa and Abasan al-Kabira in Gazas south.

In the so-called Netzarim Corridor, hundreds of homes and thousands of acres of agricultural land have been completely cleared by the military.

Going even beyond satellite imagery, researchers at two American universities have used something called satellite radar using radar waves from Earths orbit to map out destruction in the Gaza Strip in detail.

As of March 9, their analysis estimates that 55% of all buildings in Gaza have likely been damaged or destroyed.

Estimates from the United Nations say over 650,000 Palestinians around 30% of Gazas pre-war population will have no home to return to.

In the last few months, more than a dozen Palestinians have reached out directly to Scripps News to ask if we could check satellite imagery to see if their own homes are still standing.

While Gaza is still closed off to international media, there is another place where the response to Oct. 7 is forcing Palestinians from their homes. About 60 miles away, in the other area of Palestinian control the West Bank an old conflict over land has entered a new phase in the aftermath of the Hamas attacks.

Ten-year-old Amro Al-Najjar was shot in the head as Israeli forces raided his village.

His dad, Mohammed, says he was driving home with Amro and his little brother when they rounded a corner and found themselves face-to-face with an IDF unit that opened fire on their car.

Since the start of the war in Gaza, Israels military has sharply increased its operations in the West Bank. The U.N. says more than 100 Palestinian children have been killed by the IDF here since Oct. 7.

The number of green Hamas flags in the crowd is a mark of how that violence has galvanized solidarity over whats happening in Gaza. We were told there wouldnt have been as many of these flags before the war.

In a statement to Scripps News, the IDF said the incident with Amro was under review but that its soldiers were doing counterterrorism activity in the area and fired live rounds in response to some stone-throwing.

Amros dad says it was murder and wanted to show us the bullet hole in his windshield.

The Najjar family home is sandwiched between two Israeli settlements. Theyve turned their house into a fortress because, they say, of a dual threat from settlers and the IDF.

Its not just IDF operations that are on the rise. Since Oct. 7, Israeli settler violence has sharply increased too.

The spike in settler attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank has drawn so much international attention that the U.S. recently imposed sanctions on illegal settler outposts it says are used as bases for carrying out attacks.

When we managed to get access to another outpost, we saw how the line between the IDF and settlers has become blurred since Oct. 7.

Zvi Lev established an outpost with his brother a few years ago. The outpost, and a neighboring settlement, are home to both armed settlers and Israeli soldiers.

Israel activated hundreds of thousands of reservists after Oct. 7, including many from settlements in the West Bank. In a statement to Scripps News, the IDF wouldnt confirm the numbers, but said they were a vital part of the IDF whether in mandatory service or reserve.

Outposts are a way of expanding the reach of Israeli settlements in the West Bank both are illegal under international law, but outposts are illegal under Israeli law too.

Levs outpost has gradually expanded its farming operation into surrounding areas where Palestinians were using the land. His outpost isnt the only one thats grown in the area.

Satellite imagery, analyzed by Scripps News and Bellingcat, shows the expansion of multiple other outposts. One outpost is to the north, one to the south, and one a little over a mile to the east.

The outpost to the north, Maoz Ester, has a Facebook group where theyve highlighted new buildings and solicited donations in February for security equipment.

The outpost to the east, Aira Shahar, was demolished by Israels government in August, but it appears to have only been a temporary deterrent. Recent satellite imagery shows that building has resumed at the site.

Working with Bellingcat, we were able to direct satellites to other areas where we found multiple other instances of ongoing settlement expansion and an analysis from Bellingcats Global Authentication Project of additional satellite imagery found dozens of other sites throughout the West Bank where there are new roads, buildings, or cleared land near settlements or outposts.

As settlements continue to grow, data from the United Nations shows that attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank skyrocketed after Oct. 7. A UN report in March said that out of more than 400 fatalities from West Bank violence since Oct. 7, including four IDF soldiers, more than 96% of those killed were Palestinians. Many settler attacks against Palestinians involve the destruction of Palestinian homes something that has been documented by groups like BTselem, an Israeli human rights group.

It's very clear that the Israeli right, the Israeli settler movement, has been abusing the public response in Israel to the horrors of October 7th as a golden opportunity to pursue objectives that they've been pursuing long ago, said Sarit Michaeli, International Advocacy Lead for BtSelem. "The main one is taking over as much Palestinian land as possible, and removing and forcibly transferring as many Palestinians from that land.

One incident documented by B'tSelem shows the Israeli Civil Administration and IDF soldiers conducting a demolition in December leaving a family of eight, including four kids, homeless. Months later, the site is just a pile of rubble.

In these smaller, rural Palestinian communities in the West Bank, theres little recourse against the increased pressure, but in more densely populated areas, a new front line is opening up.

Our team visited the Tulkarem refugee camp, near the Palestinian city of Nablus.

Unlike in Gaza, Israel has no declared conflict here but Tulkarem looks and feels like a war zone, and we wanted to meet the fighters on the front line.

Known as the Tulkarem Brigade, this group has emerged over the past couple of years as an alternative to the Palestinian Authority, which no longer has much control over these areas.

The Tulkarem Brigade is composed of several dozen fighters with differing affiliations to groups designated as terrorist organizations by the United States. They consider themselves the first line of Palestinian resistance to Israel's occupation of the West Bank. Israel says theyve targeted both the IDF and Israeli civilians living in settlements.

Since Oct. 7, however, theyve mostly been engaged in fending off increased IDF operations, losing several fighters in the process. When we filmed with the fighters, they were on high alert, expecting another IDF raid on their neighborhood at any moment.

When our crew returned to Israel, a different kind of fight was brewing over who should lead the country through this time of conflict.

Anti-government protests like this have become almost a weekly occurrence in Tel Aviv, with thousands on the streets calling for new elections after six months of war with no end in sight.

In polls published on the six-month milestone of the war, 71% of Israels public said they think Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should step down over his handling of the conflict. A majority also said the government isnt doing enough to bring the hostages home, and we heard the same from the families of the hostages themselves at this demonstration outside Jerusalem.

Six of Gilad Korngolds seven relatives held hostage by Hamas have been released, but his son Tal is still missing, and Korngold says the governments approach isnt working.

Other Israelis think the government isnt being tough enough. Down at the border with Gaza, we found a group of protesters calling for aid to be completely restricted until all the hostages are freed.

As police tried to clear the area, tensions rose.

On the other side of the border fence just a couple of miles away lies Rafah, where about 1.5 million Palestinians displaced by the fighting are in urgent need of food, medical supplies and shelter.

Shrouq Aila is a Palestinian filmmaker who agreed to send us updates on what was happening inside Gaza.

Ailas signal was so unstable we mostly talked by sending voice messages. It took days for her video footage to send, and when it arrived the scenes were harrowing. Images showed the growing famine and lack of medical supplies, including basic anesthetic. We asked her to talk to families whod been displaced about what they planned to do next.

Palestinians like Aila have been risking their lives to report on this conflict. The U.N. says more than 120 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war.

Aila has been running her husbands production company by herself for nearly six months now.

Their familys house was hit by an airstrike in the first two weeks of the war. Her husband Roshdi Sarraj was killed instantly, leaving her to raise their baby daughter alone.

Aila told us most families sheltering in Rafah had only left their homes on the assumption theyd be back. Some of the stories of what happened next were devastating.

Ailas familys house was in a neighborhood of Gaza City called Tal al Hawa. Based on satellite data analyzed by Scripps News, that neighborhood was hit at least 30 times in the first month of the war causing civilian casualties and widespread damage.

These airstrikes were only the beginning of IDFs offensive in Tal al Hawa. Once Israels ground forces reached that area, a different form of destruction came with it IDF units systematically demolishing buildings and infrastructure, and sometimes posting videos of those demolitions to social media.

It wasnt just Ailas neighborhood. This was a pattern repeated across Gaza, with IDF personnel posting hundreds of these kinds of videos since the war started.

Working with Bellingcat, Scripps News was able to establish that many of the demolitions were done by a combat engineering unit called Battalion 8219, and we were able to track their movements across Gaza, from Ailas neighborhood in the north to the town of Khuzaa, where a large number of buildings were destroyed near the Israeli border

In one video shared by an 8219 member, soldiers can be seen smoking a hookah on a rooftop before conducting a demolition of a large number of houses in Khuzaa. Another video, filmed from a similar vantage point, shows the soldiers walking toward the camera and putting on sunglasses as the buildings in the background are destroyed.

The soldier who shared these videos on Facebook described cleaning the Khuzaa homes within the new line, an apparent reference to the buffer zone. He says that a quarter of the homes in the town were destroyed by Battalion 8219.

We tracked down one of the soldiers from that unit. Yonatan Segal is a reservist who, like thousands of others, was activated on the day of the Hamas attacks.

Segal says he never posted any videos of the demolitions, but he knows soldiers who did and even showed us one on his phone.

Asked if revenge was one of the motivations behind the demolitions, he said, Yes. But what is revenge? Revenge in terms of teaching them a lesson, so to speak, so that they would never do that again.

We asked the IDF if posting videos like this could bring disciplinary action. In a statement to Scripps News, the IDF said cases where soldiers had deviated from what was expected would be arbitrated and command measures taken, but that such cases were unusual.

Regarding the demolitions, they said IDF units in Gaza were operating to dismantle Hamas military and administrative capabilities, and that they follow international law and take feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm.

But that is being called into question by many now. Even members of the U.S. Congress are urging the White House to start withholding U.S. military support unless Israel does more to reduce civilian harm.

With no IDF official willing to talk to us on camera, we went to the Knesset, where political decisions are made about the war effort.

Amit Halevi is a member of the prime ministers ruling Likud party, and hes on a security committee that recently moved to ban foreign news networks deemed a threat to national security. Halevi was criticized.

According to Yehuda Shaul, a co-director of the Ofek think tank in Jerusalem who has been documenting statements that have a potential to incite hate, Halevi said in a Knesset hearing in October that a goal for the IDF in Gaza should be that there is no more Muslim in the land of Israel.

The land of Gaza is our land. This [Israel] is only one nation that has national rights over the land of Gaza. This is the Jewish people. This is the formal opinion, by the way, the formal view of the state of Israel, Halevi told us.

After more than six months of war, its unclear what will happen next. At time of publication there was no sign of a cease-fire, or any deal for the hostages. Nearly 1.5 million Palestinians are still displaced and trapped inside Rafah, including Aila.

In the West Bank, the fallout from Oct. 7 continues the violence is escalating, with the State Department saying it's increasingly concerned."

Two weeks later, we heard the Tulkarem Brigade fighter we spoke to was killed. On that same day, an Israeli airstrike in Gaza killed seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen.

Meanwhile also on the same day the U.S. approved the transfer of thousands more bombs to Israel.

Looking ahead, the fear now is a wider war may be coming that brings the Middle East to an unprecedented tipping point.

DETROIT (AP) — Wenceel Pérez hit a two-run drive for his first major league homer, and the Detroit Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals 4-1 on Sunday.

“He hit one to the track last night,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “I guess he did a couple extra pushups this morning.”

Jake Rogers also homered for the Tigers, who have won five of seven. It was Detroit’s 10th come-from-behind win of the season.

The Royals have lost two in a row after a four-game winning streak.

“I don’t think we drove a ball after the first inning until maybe the seventh,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “We couldn’t square them up.”

Detroit left-hander Tarik Skubal (4-0) pitched seven innings of one-run ball.

“He gave up a seeing-eye double and a two-strike base hit in the first, but he got another gear after that,” Hinch said. “That’s what you expect from a guy who is going to anchor your rotation.”

Skubal struck out six while improving to 2-7 with a 4.65 ERA in 12 career games against the Royals.

“We knew coming in it was going to be a challenge. He’s one of the best pitchers in the league,” Quatraro said. “Upper-90s velocity, location, plus changeup, curveball — you name it.”

Jason Foley pitched the ninth for his ninth save.

Royals right-hander Michael Wacha (1-3) permitted four runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Kansas City took a 1-0 lead on Bobby Witt Jr.’s RBI single in the first, but Pérez put Detroit in front with a drive to right in the bottom half.

“As soon as I hit it, I knew it was gone,” said Pérez, who is hitting .286 since making his major league debut on April 8. “And when we give (Skubal) a lead, the game is done. We know he’s going to do the job.”

The Tigers made it 3-1 in the second when Rogers singled, took third on Parker Meadows’ double and scored on Riley Greene’s sacrifice fly.

Rogers added his second homer of the season in the sixth, and Skubal stranded runners on first and third in the seventh.

“We were probably a little fastball heavy early in the game, but then he was really dominant with the changeup,” said Rogers, who has caught all of Skubal’s starts this season.

Kansas City’s Salvador Perez walked in the ninth, extending his on-base streak to 18 games.

UP NEXT

Royals: Start a three-game series Monday in Toronto. Kansas City is expected to call up RHP Jonathan Bowlan (2024 debut) from Triple-A Omaha to face RHP Yariel Rodriguez (0-1, 3.86 ERA).

Tigers: Start a three-game series Monday against St. Louis. RHP Kenta Maeda (0-1, 5.96 ERA) is scheduled to start against Cardinals LHP Steven Matz (1-2, 5.55 ERA).

— By DAVE HOGG, Associated Press

Irish daisies are popping up on lawns everywhere, a scourge to some property owners. Most people call them dandelions.

But these bright yellow flowers are an essential early food source for honeybees, butterflies and other pollinators.

In an effort to help, a movement called “No Mow May” started about five years ago and has spread to communities across the U.S. The idea is to skip mowing for one month to give pollinators a first feast of dandelions and other flowers. Communities adopt a No Mow May ordinance so unkempt lawns don’t result in a blight citation for property owners.

Mary Jamieson, an associate professor of biological science at Oakland University, said No Mow May is a fun and catchy program but it’s not the best – or only – way to help endangered pollinators.

Royal Oak embraced No Mow May in 2022 at the request of middle-school students including Josi Hetherington, Leah Milligan, Lizzy Macey and Alice Woodward. This year they were honored with a city proclamation.

Now attending Royal Oak High School, Hetherington and Milligan are student representatives for the city’s Environmental Advisory Board. They praised No Mow May at Monday’s commission meeting, saying public education is helping residents reconsider what a “perfect lawn” looks like. They asked everyone to “bee the change” even though the four have outgrown their early “Bee Tweens” nickname.

Mayor Michael Fournier told the teens they influenced him to convert his backyard tomato patch into a flower garden.

“Not only is it beautiful, I’m not frustrated because I’m going out to pick a tomato that has a big (squirrel) bite out of it,” he said.

“No Mow May wouldn’t have been possible without these teens,” said Angela Fox, the city’s first full-time sustainability manager.

The teens’ work is why Royal Oak is one of just six Michigan municipalities certified by a group that promotes No Mow May and other ways to help bees, Bee City USA, along with Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti city and township, Detroit and St. Joseph. Bee City has endorsed four Michigan college campuses: Michigan State University, the University of Michigan’s  Ann Arbor and Dearborn locations and UM-affiliated Delta College.

Royal Oak sells small, colorful No Mow May signs to alert neighbors that an unruly yard is helping pollinators, but signs aren’t required, Fox said.

Nor are residents required to skip mowing in May.

“We’ve had some early warm weather. We’re not expecting residents to wait until June 1 if their lawn is out of control. We have had overnight frosts, so the longer you wait, the better chance pollinators have to survive,” Fox said.

Ferndale joined the no-mow movement last year. Logan Appleby, the city’s zero-waste manager, said the city is asking residents to consider creating a natural landscape to support pollinators throughout the season. Last year, 705 households registered for No Mow May; Appleby said about the same number are expected to do it this year. Ferndale’s dedicated webpage has details on helping the environment and ecosystem: https://www.ferndalemi.gov/resources/planned-natural-landscaping.

Jamieson, the OU professor, said a “No Spray May” would be more helpful because herbicides and pesticides hurt bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

Some sprays have been linked to non-Hodgkins lymphoma and other health concerns in humans, she said, and aren’t recommended for areas where children or pets will be playing. People who do use herbicides or pesticides in their yards should follow safety directions, she said.

Jamieson understands why property owners would like a manicured lawn but ignoring a few dandelions and adding flowering shrubs or trees – cherry, magnolia or oaks, for example – are deer resistant ways to feed pollinators.

“I live in Rochester Hills and in our area we lack a lot of spring wildflowers because of heavy deer browsing,” she said. “Deer bring in ticks and ticks like a wet tall-grass habitat. I’ve already gotten a tick from gardening on campus just a week ago.”

She encourages some mowing.

“The dandelions will be fine. They’ll come back if you mow – they just grow a little differently. You can have a tidy lawn and have dandelions,” she said.

Michigan has 465 species of bees, she said, which sounds like a lot. But a diverse group is needed for 90% of flowering plants, she said, which creates more-robust crops.

“We know that strawberry plants can self pollinate, for example. But those plants produce a hardier fruit when they’re pollinated by bees.”

Jamieson encourages people to consider replacing a traditional turf lawn with such short flowering plants to yards as clover and creeping thyme, yaak yarrow.

OU’s campus has pollinator-friendly gardens and other native plants that protect birds and other bugs, she said.

Dorin Melinte of Rochester Hills started beekeeping as a hobby, having heard stories about his grandfather and father cultivating bee colonies in Romania. After being deployed to Kuwait while in the U.S Army in 2010, he heard about MSU’s Heroes to Hives veterans outreach from a fellow soldier.

“It helps veterans cope with PTSD and other issues,” he said. “I took the online course during COVID and found a bee supplier in Brighton.”

He has a dozen hives and sells honey and creamed honey from one of his companies, Little Troopers, though his full-time job is running a home-renovation business.

“The honey business is not very big at all. I’m trying to keep it small, for now so I can get more experience. I also have a host-a-hive program,” he said, describing it as a way for him to install a hive in someone’s yard that he maintains.

Bees can travel up to five miles from their hives and the plants they pollinate affect the flavor of the honey, he said. His hives help pollinate flowers and crops in the Rochester and Romeo areas, he said.

“They’re more than just bugs flying around looking at your roses,” he said. “Without bees, we have no food.”

Right now, he said, honeybees may swarm as they look for a bigger home. He begs people to contact him or another beekeeper who can remove a swarm for free.

Like Jamieson, he’d prefer people avoid insecticides, herbicides and pesticides, which can kill colonies of bees. Butterflies, too.

Rochester Councilwoman Marilyn Trent said she was shocked in 2019 to learn that the population of Eastern monarchs dropped by 90%. Their key food source, milkweed, is disappearing. Insecticides are harming these butterflies that also pollinate Michigan’s crops.

“This opened up a whole new world for me about sustainability and conservation,” Trent said. “Each of us can do something in our backyard that can be a catalyst.”

She founded the group Rochester Pollinators as a creative passion and a way for her marketing company to give back to the community.

The group has 175 volunteers but they aren’t all working on the same projects at once. Rochester Pollinators sells native plants and seeds.

Trent calls No Mow May “a baby step to get people looking at their lawns in different ways. Turf grass does nothing for the environment – concrete is worse – but turf is outdated.”

Trent said lawns have replaced about 40 million acres of natural habitat across the U.S. and that lawn maintenance has led to more pesticides and herbicides getting into the ecosystem, which damages pollinators and other species.

Homeowners, she said, can save time and money by not fertilizing or mowing every week – and by holding off on spring cleanup of leaves and other plant debris.

“Fireflies overwinter in leaf litter, for example. Those leaves are little blankets for the chrysalides,” she said.

She recently testified in Lansing to amend House Bill 4857 removing milkweed of any species from the state’s noxious weed list.

“Natural plants are a gift that keeps giving. Some reproduce by their own seeds and support hundreds of kinds of pollinators,” she said.

Black-eyed Susans, Coreopsis, New England asters and spice bushes each support various pollinators, but an oak tree can support hundreds of species, she said.

Beekeeper Melinte encourages people to buy a “pollinating mix” of flower seeds to support bees throughout Michigan’s spring, summer and fall season.

Fox has a table at Royal Oak’s farmers market, to sell No Mow May signs and talk about gardening.

One way people can help the environment is by planting a tree, she said – but not a Bradford pear tree.

“It’s an invasive species and doesn’t help pollinators,” she said. “Other trees provide pollen and nectar, by far pollinators’ biggest food source.”

Michigan State University Extension has a free online class called Pollinator Champions at https://pollinators.msu.edu/programs/pollinator-champions/index.aspx.

Wenceel Prez hit a two-run drive for his first major league homer, and the Detroit Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals 4-1 on Sunday.

Jake Rogers also homered for the Tigers, who have won five of seven. It was Detroit's 10th come-from-behind win of the season.

The Royals have lost two in a row after a four-game winning streak.

Detroit left-hander Tarik Skubal (4-0) pitched seven innings of one-run ball. He struck out six while improving to 2-7 with a 4.65 ERA in 12 career games against the Royals.

Jason Foley pitched the ninth for his ninth save.

Royals right-hander Michael Wacha (1-3) permitted four runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Kansas City took a 1-0 lead on Bobby Witt Jr.'s RBI single in the first, but Prez put Detroit in front with a drive to right in the bottom half.

The Tigers made it 3-1 in the second when Rogers singled, took third on Parker Meadows' double and scored on Riley Greene's sacrifice fly.

Rogers added his second homer of the season in the sixth, and Skubal stranded runners on first and third in the seventh.

Kansas City's Salvador Perez walked in the ninth, extending his on-base streak to 18 games.

UP NEXT

Royals: Start a three-game series Monday in Toronto. Kansas City is expected to call up RHP Jonathan Bowlan (2024 debut) from Triple-A Omaha to face RHP Yariel Rodriguez (0-1, 3.86 ERA).

Tigers: Start a three-game series Monday against St. Louis. RHP Kenta Maeda (0-1, 5.96 ERA) is scheduled to start against Cardinals LHP Steven Matz (1-2, 5.55 ERA).

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

The pride of the football and baseball teams at Novi Detroit Catholic Central, junior Jaden Pydyn, committed to play both sports in college at the next level for the Army Black Knights earlier this month.

A versatile dual-sport playmaker with few equals in the area, Pydyn (6-2, 200) is a two-way superstar on the gridiron at running back and safety and a potential MLB Draft pick on the diamond in center field.

Posting a .464 batting average as a sophomore hitting in the two-hole on a 25-15 Shamrocks baseball squad, he was the second highest-rated uncommitted outfield recruit in the MHSAA prior to his pledge to West Point.

This spring, Catholic Central is off to a 12-6 start out of the gate. Hitting largely out of the 3-hole, Pydyn has hit at a .300 clip with two home runs and 10 RBIs for the sixth-ranked Shamrocks, and has been dynamic on the mound for a staff that includes other talented arms like Cal Rutherford (Eastern Michigan) and Braylon Laroo (Wayne State). In six appearances, Pydyn has allowed just one earned run over 13 2/3 innings pitched with 18 strikeouts.

For Catholic Central’s 8-3 football team last fall, Pydyn rushed for 1,205 yards and 21 touchdowns at tailback. He also played quarterback. On defense, he played at a “viper” spot (a hybrid outside linebacker-safety) and recorded 48 tackles and three sacks. This fall, he’ll call signals in the Shamrock secondary again and most likely not be forced to go back under center like he did mid-campaign last season.

“Jaden just has a ton of belief in himself and his abilities and competes with confidence and command in everything that he does,” Catholic Central football coach Justin Cessante said. “He’s old school in his approach. He refuses to cut corners or cheat the process no matter what. And that’s why he’s such a finisher. That’s why he’s so tough to stop.”

Trimming the suitors to single digits

Earlier this month, Birmingham Grove junior offensive lineman Avery Gach, the No. 1-ranked player in Oakland County’s Class of 2025 football prospects, cut his more than three dozen college scholarship offers down to a handful. The 6-foot-5, 300-pound tackle’s final four is Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Wisconsin.

ESPN ranks Gach the No. 3 player in the state, while 24/7 Sports slots him at No. 2. Groves went 6-4 last season after Gach’s sophomore year where he helped take the Falcons on a playoff run into the Division 2 state semifinals.

Quote of the Week

“In a “me” world, Jaden is the total “we” guy, he wants to lift everyone around him up and does whatever he can to do that,” Justin Cessante on Jaden Pydyn.

Police departments across the United States are reporting an increase in their ranks for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 killing of George Floyd, which led to a historic exodus of officers, a survey shows.

More sworn officers were hired in 2023 than in any one of the previous four years, and fewer officers overall resigned or retired, according to the 214 law enforcement agencies that responded to a survey by the Police Executive Research Forum, or PERF.

Floyd's death at the hands of Minneapolis police officers spurred nationwide protests against police brutality and heightened scrutiny of law enforcement.

As more and more officers left, many of the departments had to redeploy stretched resources by shifting officers away from investigative work or quality of life issues such as abandoned vehicles or noise violations to handle increases in crime and, in some cases, the shortages meant slower response times or limiting responses to emergencies only, police officials say.

"I just think that the past four years have been particularly challenging for American policing," said Chuck Wexler, executive director of PERF, a nonprofit policing think tank based in Washington, D.C. "And our survey shows we're finally starting to turn a corner."

Individual departments are turning that corner at different rates, however, according to Wexler, who noted many are still struggling to attract and keep officers.

As a whole, the profession "isn't out of the woods yet," he said.

The Associated Press left phone and email messages with several unions and police departments to ask about increased hiring.

The survey shows that while small and medium departments had more sworn officers than they did in January 2020, large departments are still more than 5% below their staffing levels from that time, even with a year-over-year increase from 2022 to 2023.

The survey also showed smaller departments with fewer than 50 officers are still struggling with a higher rate of resignations and retirements.

The survey asked only for numbers, Wexler said, so it's hard to say whether those officers are leaving for larger departments or leaving the profession altogether. He also said smaller departments, which account for 80% of agencies nationwide, were underrepresented in the responses PERF received.

Many larger departments have increased officer pay or started offering incentives such as signing bonuses for experienced officers who are willing to transfer, something smaller departments can't really compete with. At least a dozen smaller departments have disbanded, leaving the municipalities they once served to rely on state or county help for policing.

But even some of the highest-paying large departments are still struggling to get new hires in the door.

"I don't think it's all about money. I think it's about the way people perceive their job and feel they are going to be supported," Wexler said. "You have West Coast departments that are paying six figures, but still seeing major challenges in hiring."

In addition to pay and bonuses, many agencies are reexamining their application requirements and hiring processes.

Wexler believes some of those changes make sense, including allowing visible tattoos, reweighing the importance of past financial issues and processing applicants' background checks faster. But he cautioned that PERF does not support lowering standards for training or for applicants.

Maria "Maki" Haberfeld, chair of the Department of Law, Police Science and Criminal Justice Administration at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, says departments have been too focused on officer numbers. She worries some are lowering education requirements and other standards to bolster numbers instead of trying to find the best people to police their communities.

"Policing is a real profession that requires more skills and more education than people can understand," she said. "It's not about tattoos or running a mile in 15 minutes. It's really more about emotional intelligence, maturity and making those split-second decisions that don't use deadly force."

Haberfeld also cautioned that any staffing gains made through incentives could easily be erased, especially as officers, including some in riot gear, have been seen breaking up protests against the Israel-Hamas war at universities across the country.

"In policing, it takes decades to move forward and a split second for the public attitude to deteriorate," she said.

PERF's survey showed a more than a 20% drop in resignations overall, from a high of almost 6,500 in 2022 to fewer than 5,100 in 2023. They are still up over early pandemic levels in 2020, however, when a few more than 4,000 officers resigned across all responding departments.

As with the hiring increases, the rate of decrease in retirements tended to depend on the size of the departments. There were fewer retirements in 2023 than in 2019 at large departments, slightly more retirements at medium departments and elevated retirements at small departments. The survey found a steep drop in resignations at large agencies with 250 or more officers and medium-size agencies with between 50 and 249 officers.

In addition to pay and benefit increases, the improved retention can be partly attributed to a shift in how some public officials view their public safety departments, Wexler says.

"We went from having public discourse about defunding the police just a few years ago to public officials waking up to the fact their workforce is leaving," he said. "I don't think there's any question that there has been a sea change among political leaders."

The Detroit Lions have found a kicker to compete with Michael Badgley.

According to multiple reports, former Michigan Wolverines kicker James Turner is signing with the Lions as an undrafted free agent.

“Badgley, he’s done a nice job. He’s been clutch,” Brad Holmes expressed to 97.1 The Ticket prior to the scouting combine. “Throughout his career, he’s done what we’ve needed to do, so he’s been good. Now, with all positions, there’ll be competition and Badgley understands that. He knows there’ll be competition.”

Turner transferred to Michigan after starting his collegiate career at Louisville.

A Michigan native, Turner played in 42 games for Louisville, and went 47-for-59 on field goals and 124-for-127 on extra points.

Last season, Turner converted 18-of-21 field-goal attempts in his lone campaign with the Wolverines.

He also set a single-season record for most extra points converted (65), plus contributed 119 total points.

Prior to the draft, reports surfaced that several NFL teams have expressed interest in Michigan Panthers kicker Jake Bates, who has had success kicking from distance at Ford Field.

Bates is not eligible to sign with an NFL team until the conclusion of the UFL season.

Holmes expressed during the offseason that the team could start training camp with two-three kickers competing for the starting job, as new NFL rules will allow kickers to be more involved in tackling returners.

Last season, Badgley briefly lost his job to Riley Patterson, but was re-signed this offseason and is expected to be in the mix to become the team’s kicker in 2024.

This article was produced by the staff at Sports Illustrated/All Lions. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions

Tornadoes that tore across Oklahoma left a wide trail of destruction Sunday, leveling homes and buildings and knocking out power for tens of thousands of residents. At least four people were killed, including a child.

Dozens of reported tornadoes have wreaked havoc in the nation's midsection since Friday, with flood watches and warnings in effect Sunday for Oklahoma and other states including Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Texas.

In Oklahoma, a tornado ripped through Holdenville, a town of about 5,000 people, late Saturday, killing two people, and injuring four others, Hughes County Emergency Medical Services said in a statement Sunday. Another person was killed along Interstate 35 near the southern Oklahoma city of Marietta, according to the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management.

In Holdenville, houses were demolished and road signs were bent to the ground in the community roughly 80 miles from Oklahoma City. The sound of chainsaws could be heard in the distance as workers began tackling the damage.

"My prayers are with those who lost loved ones as tornadoes ripped through Oklahoma last night," Gov. Kevin Stitt said in a statement.

He issued an executive order Sunday declaring a state of emergency in 12 counties due to the fallout from the severe weather as crews worked to clear debris and assess damage from the severe storms that downed power lines. Later in the day, he planned to tour the southern Oklahoma city of Sulphur, where some buildings were reduced to piles of rubble.

More than 30,000 customers were without power in Oklahoma as of midday Sunday, according to poweroutage.us, which tracks electric utility outages. In Texas, nearly 52,000 customers were without power.

In Sulphur, authorities reported unspecified injuries along with significant destruction as the tornado began in a city park before tearing through Sulphur's downtown area. Search and rescue operations were underway, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

Photos from local news media showed several leveled buildings and roofs ripped off of homes. The Murray County Sheriff's Office urged people to stay away from the city to clear the way for first responders following extensive damage from tornadoes, according to a statement posted by the agency on Facebook.

"Stay home and do not come to look," the sheriff's office said.

A hospital was damaged in Marietta, according to the Oklahoma Office of Emergency Management, which also said that I-35 was closed at the border with Texas "due to overturned vehicles and powerlines across the highway."

On Sunday, the White House said that President Joe Biden spoke to the Oklahoma governor and offered the full support of the federal government following the deadly tornados in the state.

Residents in other states were also digging out from storm damage. A tornado in suburban Omaha, Nebraska, demolished homes and businesses Saturday as it moved for miles through farmland and into subdivisions, then slammed an Iowa town.

Fewer than two dozen people were treated at Omaha-area hospitals, said Dr. Lindsay Huse, health director of the city's Douglas County Health Department.

"Miraculous," she said, stressing that none of the city's injuries were serious. Neighboring communities reported a handful of injuries each.

The tornado damage started Friday afternoon near Lincoln, Nebraska. An industrial building in Lancaster County was hit, causing it to collapse with 70 people inside. Several were trapped, but everyone was evacuated, and the three injuries were not life-threatening, authorities said.

One or possibly two tornadoes then spent around an hour creeping toward Omaha, leaving behind damage consistent with an EF3 twister, with winds of 135 to 165 mph, said Chris Franks, a meteorologist in the National Weather Service's Omaha office.

Ultimately the twister slammed into the Elkhorn neighborhood in western Omaha, a city of 485,000 people with a metropolitan-area population of about 1 million.

Staci Roe surveyed the damage to what was supposed to be her "forever home," which was not even two years old. When the tornado hit, they were at the airport picking up a friend who was supposed to spend the night.

"There was no home to come to," she said, describing "utter dread" when she saw it for the first time.

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds spent Saturday touring the damage and arranging for assistance for the damaged communities. Formal damage assessments are still underway, but the states plan to seek federal help.

World Central Kitchen said it plans to restart aid operations in Gaza on Monday after halting its relief efforts when an Israeli airstrike killed seven of its workers on April 1.

The killings interrupted the crucial flow of food into the war-torn strip, where many displaced Gazans are on the brink of starvation. Prior to the airstrike, World Central Kitchen had distributed more than 43 millions in Gaza, the charity said.

However, after the airstrike, many organizations pulled their aid workers from the area and demanded an investigation into the deaths of civilians who were providing aid.

The Israel Defense Forces took responsibility for the attack and said it is investigating how it happened.

President Joe Biden criticized Israel after the tragedy, stating that it demonstrated the country was not doing enough to protect civilians.

Four weeks later, one of the worlds most recognized disaster relief organizations is ready to head back into the danger zone.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire, said Erin Gore, World Central Kitchens chief executive officer. We are restarting our operation with the same energy, dignity, and focus on feeding as many people as possible.

The charity said it has nearly 300 trucks with millions of meals ready to enter through the Rafah Crossing. Others will enter from Jordan.

World Central Kitchen plans to open a third, high-production kitchen in the region. It will be named Damians Kitchen in memory of Damian Sobl, a skilled kitchen builder who was slain in the April 1 attack.

We have been forced to make a decision: Stop feeding altogether during one of the worst hunger crises ever, ending our operation that accounted for 62% of all International NGO aid. Or keep feeding knowing that aid, aid workers and civilians are being intimidated and killed, Gore said in a statement. These are the hardest conversations, and we have considered all perspectives when deliberating. Ultimately, we decided we must keep feeding, continuing our mission of showing up to provide food to people during the toughest of times.

DETROIT (AP) — The NFL draft has a new attendance record after more than 775,000 fans flooded downtown Detroit for the three-day event.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer revealed Saturday at Campus Martius Park that Detroit had broken the record, and the league later released its estimate of the crowd size.

“We have shown the world what the Motor City is all about,” Whitmer said.

While it will take years to know if this week’s picks panned out, there’s no doubt that Detroit made the most of an opportunity to host hundreds of thousands of fans and show 50-plus million viewers the new-look city.

Motown beat Music City’s three-day attendance record of 600,000 set in 2019, when fans filled Broadway in Nashville.

The NFL did not charge fans to attend the event in Detroit, though the visitors and area residents were expected to generate more than $160 million in economic impact at sold-out hotels, packed bars and restaurants, and retail stores in the heart of downtown.

Twenty-plus teams are engaged in talks with the league to host a future draft, which is of particular interest in colder-climate cities that probably can’t expect to get a Super Bowl.

Green Bay is on the clock as next year’s host.

This year’s edition kicked off with a very Detroit opening on Thursday night that included rap icon Eminem on stage with Hall of Famers Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson, along with current Lions stars Jared Goff, Aidan Hutchinson and Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Chicago, as expected, drafted Southern California’s Caleb Williams at No. 1 overall. The Bears took Iowa punter Tory Taylor on Saturday in the fourth round.

“Hey, you’re not going to punt too much here,” Taylor said Williams wrote to him in a text message.

Williams was the first of a record five quarterbacks picked among the top 10, including Atlanta’s surprising selection of Michael Penix Jr. a month after giving Kirk Cousins a big contract. With Denver drafting Bo Nix out of Oregon at No. 12, a mark was matched for signal-callers selected in the first round.

In all, a record-setting 23 offensive players were drafted in the opening round.

After Nix went to the Broncos, the New Orleans Saints were the next team to take a quarterback when they drafted Spencer Rattler of South Carolina in the fifth round with the 150th pick overall. The string of selections without a quarterback was the longest since 1967.

Teams started out by taking offensive players at an unprecedented rate in the first round — including a record-tying seven wide receivers — without a defensive player coming off the board until Indianapolis took UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu at No. 15 overall.

In a sign of the times, a running back wasn’t drafted until Carolina grabbed Jonathon Brooks of Texas with the 46th pick in what was the second-latest pick at the once-coveted position. There was a run of running backs in the fourth round with seven selected, starting with Miami taking Jaylen Wright of Tennessee at No. 120 overall.

Defense was the focus on Day 2, with 20 players on that side of the ball coming off the board in the second round and 17 more in the third.

With the last pick of the fifth round, the New York Jets selected a prospect who didn’t have a snap of college football experience.

Qwan’tez Stiggers planned to play at Lane College in Tennessee in 2020, but returned home that fall due to the death of his father in a car crash and the COVID-19 pandemic wiping out the season.

Stiggers played in a 7-on-7 indoor league in his hometown of Atlanta two years ago. Last season, the defensive back was the Canadian Football League’s most outstanding rookie after making a team-high five interceptions for the Toronto Argonauts.

Stiggers plans to make teams that passed on him regret it.

“They’re going to have to pay all year,” he said.

The Jets also made the 257th and final pick of the seven-round draft, making Alabama defensive back Jaylen Key the player known as “Mr. Irrelevant,” and hoping he has a fraction of the success San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has had since being the last selection in 2022.

More sons of former NFL players were selected Saturday, including Jeremiah Trotter Jr. in the fifth round by Philadelphia, where his father was a Pro Bowl linebacker, and USC receiver Brenden Rice, whose father is Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, going in the seventh round to the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Chargers also drafted a player with a famous relative, taking Troy running back Kimani Vidal, a great nephew of Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron, early in the sixth round.

In Detroit, the crowd cheered each time the Lions made a pick or when a Michigan player was selected.

The national-title winning Wolverines had the most players drafted, starting with Minnesota moving up to take quarterback J.J. McCarthy at No. 10 overall.

Michigan finished with 13 players drafted, trailing the total of just three schools since the draft went to seven rounds in 1994, including Georgia’s 2022 national championship team that had a record 15 players picked.

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By Larry Lage. AP Pro Football Writer Dennis Waszak Jr. in Florham Park, New Jersey, contributed to this report.

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