The Michigan Panthers had a chance to get some revenge, clinch the top record in their conference and gain more momentum as the UFL playoffs near.

The Panthers couldn’t get the job done against a familiar roadblock, as they came up empty in the red zone in the closing seconds and fell to the Birmingham Stallions, 26-22, Saturday at Protective Stadium in Alabama.

Backup quarterback Danny Etling guided the Panthers (6-3) to the Birmingham 9-yard line on their final drive. After spiking the ball to stop the clock, the Panthers had three cracks at the end zone with 19 seconds left.

The Stallions (6-3) stood tall, breaking up two of Etling’s passes over the middle and forcing three incompletions. On third down, Etling found receiver Jaylon Moore in the back of the end zone, but Moore couldn’t get his feet down inbounds to complete the catch.

Etling, who was making his second straight start in placed of injured Bryce Perkins, finished 23 of 39 passing for 236 yards and two touchdowns. He led the Panthers to points on three of their four second-half possessions.

Receiver Siasoi Mariner had a 33-yard touchdown reception and finished with five catches for 115 yards. Running back Toa Taua had 62 total yards and scored on a 2-yard run that gave Michigan a 22-20 lead with just under eight minutes to go.

Stallions quarterback J’Mar Smith completed 22 of 31 passes for 307 yards and threw two touchdown passes to Deon Cain, including a 19-yarder that gave Birmingham the lead for good with 2:30 remaining.

Since the USFL and XFL merged to form the UFL in 2024, the Panthers are 0-5 against the Stallions, including a loss in last season’s USFL Conference Championship game.

The Panthers and Stallions, who both secured playoff berths last week, will meet in the conference title game for the second straight season on June 8. The winner will advance to the UFL Championship game on June 14.

Before that, the Panthers will host the Houston Roughnecks in their regular-season home finale on May 31 at Ford Field. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m.

©2025 The Detroit News. Visit detroitnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The Michigan Panthers stayed hot and secured a spot in the UFL playoffs.

Behind a three-touchdown performance from backup quarterback Danny Etling, the Panthers rolled past the Houston Roughnecks, 30-18, on Saturday at TDECU Stadium in Houston.

With the win, Michigan’s third in a row, the Panthers (6-2) became the first team to clinch a berth in the UFL Conference Championship on June 8.

The Panthers led 14-12 at halftime before they pulled away in the third quarter. On a third-and-16, Etling found receiver Devin Ross down the right sideline for a 35-yard touchdown to make it a nine-point game.

On Houston’s ensuing possession, cornerback Keni-H Lovely (Western Michigan) jumped the route on a quick screen pass and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown to extend the lead to 27-12 with 4:15 left in the third.

The Panthers thwarted any thought of a comeback by forcing a pair of turnovers in the fourth quarter — one on a fourth-down stop in the red zone and another on a fumble recovery.

Kicker B.T. Potter tacked on a 52-yard field goal to make it 30-12 with 5:21 remaining before the Roughnecks (3-5) scored in the closing seconds.

Etling finished 14-for-22 passing with 167 yards. He threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to receiver Malik Turner in the first quarter and a 1-yarder to receiver Samson Nacua in the second quarter. Nacua’s score was set up by an 88-yard punt return by Xavier Malone.

Roughnecks quarterback Jalan McClendon completed 30 of 50 passes for 316 yards, two touchdowns and the pick-six. Houston outgained Michigan by a considerable margin, 441-254, but went 1-for-3 in the red zone and lost the turnover battle (2-0).

The Panthers will travel to Alabama to face the Birmingham Stallions on May 24 before hosting the Roughnecks in the regular-season finale at Ford Field on May 31. Kickoff for both games is slated for 3 p.m.

After that, it’s on to the playoffs, where the winners of the two conference championship games will advance to the UFL Championship on June 14.

By Candice Williams, The Detroit News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Staffing up

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Promoting a ‘coolcation’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘Maximizing our potential’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Julia Cardi, The Detroit News

The first of three men charged in connection with the killing of an Oakland County sheriff’s deputy in 2024 will spend between five and 20 years in prison after his sentencing in a Detroit courtroom Friday.

Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Charise Anderson ordered Karim Moore, 19, to spend at least five years in prison after he pleaded guilty in March to conducting a criminal enterprise, receiving and concealing a stolen motor vehicle, and felony firearm in connection with Deputy Brad Reckling’s death.

Recking, 30, was killed June 22, 2024 while he and other members of a cross-jurisdictional task force investigated a Chevrolet Equinox stolen from an Oakland County waterpark. Reckling allegedly was shot three times while tailing the car in Detroit, working undercover.

The Wayne County prosecutor’s office charged three people, including Moore, in connection with Reckling’s death. Anderson sentenced Moore to two years for the felony firearm count and between three and 20 years for the criminal enterprise count. Those two sentences will run consecutively, which brings the minimum time Moore will spend in prison to five years. Anderson sentenced Moore to one to five years for the stolen motor vehicle charge.

Prosecutor Matthew Penney said in court he hoped Friday’s sentencing would be the first step in allowing Reckling’s family to “turn the page” in their lives after his killing. He acknowledged they still have a long road ahead of them, with the cases of two other people charged in connection with Reckling’s death still yet to reach resolutions.

“This is just the first step in a much longer process that this poor family has been enduring for the last 11 months,” Penney said.

More than a dozen supporters of Reckling sat on one side of the courtroom, including his widow, Jacqueline. The couple had three small children and a fourth on the way when Reckling died.

Wearing a white dress shirt, bow tie, sneakers and ankle monitor, Moore did not make a statement to the court. He appeared with his defense attorney, Adam Clements, who characterized Moore as someone who has accepted accountability for what he did and has been cooperative in showing up to court. He has not posed an ongoing danger to his community and even found a job, Clements told the court.

“This young man will have an opportunity, when he gets out, to try to turn his life around.”

Clements had requested Moore be sentenced under a law targeted at young defendants that would have made him eligible for release after three years.

“He’s accepted accountability for his actions. He was wrong, and he embraced that,” Clements told The News in an interview after the sentencing.

Reckling’s family did not speak at the sentencing or to reporters afterward.

A separate case against Moore accusing him of resisting arrest has been dismissed.

Deputies escorted him out of the courtroom to begin his sentence. He was not handcuffed.

Ramon DeBose, 18, of Clinton Township is accused of killing Reckling. Marquis Goins, 18, of Detroit, also faces charges as an accessory. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said DeBose drove the SUV, and Goins and Moore rode as passengers at the time of the shooting.

Judge Shawn Jacque in Detroit’s 36th District Court ordered DeBose in March to stand trial. DeBose faces life in prison if convicted.

jcardi@detroitnews.com

©2025 The Detroit News. Visit detroitnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By Anne Snabes, The Detroit News

The Rev. Lorn Snow, a Jesuit priest in Detroit, felt a sense of loss for himself and the Catholic Church after hearing the news that Pope Francis had died.

But that sadness later turned to two other feelings, he said.

One was joy, since Francis’ death was amid the Easter season, which is the “highest moment in the life of the church,” said Snow, the pastor of Gesu Catholic Church in Detroit. On Easter, Catholics celebrate the rising of Jesus from the dead after his crucifixion.

“And I just thought it was so beautiful that the Risen Jesus came for Pope Francis in the midst of our Easter season — our resurrection,” he said. “And, you know, he shares in that resurrection now.”

The other feeling was gratitude. Snow said he is thankful for the pope’s years of “shepherding us” and caring for “not only the church, but really in a deep sense, for the world.”

Faith leaders in Metro Detroit are reflecting on Pope Francis’ life and legacy following his death Monday morning from a stroke and heart failure, as well as his Saturday funeral mass. Some Catholic priests remember Francis’ authenticity, his concern for the Earth and the example he set for older adults who are aging.

Some Protestant pastors remarked on his care for the poor and the marginalized, and a local rabbi called him “such a devoted, sincere, humble man.” An imam in Detroit praised Francis’ attention to the Palestinian people in Gaza.

The Rev. Elbert Dulworth, pastor of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Rochester, said he was excited to see a pope who “seemed to kind of bring people together.”

“As someone coming from a Protestant denomination, I felt like he really was a pastoral leader for not just the Catholic Church, but for all of us in the Christian church, kind of calling us together ― a more unifying presence for us,” Dulworth said.

Tens of thousands of people came to St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican to pay their respects to Francis, who lay in state for three days. His funeral Mass was Saturday morning in St. Peter’s Square.

‘In touch with his people to the very end’

The Rev. Terry Kerner, pastor of St. Kateri Catholic Church in Dearborn, noted that on Easter Sunday, Francis ministered to the people in St. Peter’s Square, including blessing babies.

“He was in touch with his people to the very end,” he said.

Francis was “a beautiful example of aging” and how to grow old in “a gracious and faithful way,” Kerner said. His parish has a lot of elderly parishioners, he said.

“I just think his life spoke to them by his example and his writings,” Kerner said.

He said Francis’ message was that the elderly have gifts for the young, and the young have gifts to give to the elderly.

“Nobody is disposable,” Kerner said, adding that seniors are “certainly a gift” to the church and humankind.

He noted that he doesn’t know anyone who disliked Francis.

“They may not have agreed with some of his policies,” Kerner said, “but it was hard to dislike him, because he’s just so authentic and genuine and loving.”

His concern for the environment

In 2015, Pope Francis released an encyclical — which is a letter — on the environment called Laudato Si’. In the letter, Francis called for a global dialogue about how people are influencing the future of the planet through their actions.

Gesu Catholic Church’s Snow said his church is considered a Laudato Si’ parish. Gesu promotes environmental justice and is trying to reduce waste coming from the parish and its grade school.

“It will be his great legacy, I think, as pope — is his care for creation,” Snow said.

At Gesu, students compost in the lunchroom, and the school gives leftover food to local farmers. When the parish provides coffee and donuts to parishioners on Sunday, they don’t use Styrofoam or other plastics.

The parish also has solar panels on its school buildings and electric vehicle charging stations in its parking lots.

“We’re doing everything possible we can,” Snow said. “We don’t use pesticides on our property. … All our landscaping are natural plants that would be here in Michigan, and we don’t utilize any things that would harm the Earth.”

The Rev. Faith Fowler, the lead pastor of Cass Community United Methodist Church and executive director of the nonprofit Cass Community Social Services, said Francis’ stance on the environment resonated with her. She said there should be “a planet for future generations.” Her organization has installed solar panels on its campus, and it harvests rainwater and is replacing grass with native plants.

“I’m a firm believer that although the planet belongs to God, we have the responsibility of being good stewards of what we’ve received, what we’ve been blessed with, and that we should pass it on to future generations as best we can,” Fowler said. “And I think I mirror the pope in that love for the environment and the understanding that we should be good stewards.”

His care for the poor

Fowler said many members of her church are poor, and “they too are feeling diminished” by Francis’ death.

“He was somebody who stood up and stood with and ministered to and was ministered by poor people,” she said. “And that’s not always true in the church ― any church. The higher you climb, the more distant you are from people who are discounted by the larger society. He was a man who stayed connected and stayed caring and reminded the church to be less worried about the things we worry about most of the time.”

She said Cass Community United Methodist Church works with people who need food, shelter and clothing. She said the gestures of Pope Francis’ ministry, including visiting a prison on Holy Thursday last week, were “very inspiring.”

“I really looked up to him,” Fowler said.

Kerner said Francis reminded the Catholic Church of “an incredibly important mission” that it has to the poor and the marginalized.

“We are at our best when we’re serving the poorest and the most vulnerable,” he said.

LGBTQ+ issues

Dulworth, pastor of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, said he was thankful to see Pope Francis take a step in reaching out to the LGBTQ+ community.

Catholic teaching on LGBTQ+ issues didn’t change during Francis’ tenure, including the prohibition on same-sex marriage, but Francis conveyed through his actions and remarks that he wanted the church to be a more welcoming place for LGBTQ+ people.

Fowler said she “sensed the position” that Francis was in, because many churches in Africa are more conservative than churches in the U.S., Germany and other places.

“And yet they were all a part of his church, so how you maintain unity is a tough call,” she said, adding that progressives “probably didn’t get everything they wanted.”

Fowler said she would have loved to have seen Pope Francis allow women to be ordained as priests or deacons. He did, however, appoint women to top Vatican positions, including Sister Simona Brambilla, the prefect of the department responsible for all the Catholic Church’s religious orders.

Muslim and Jewish leaders share their perspectives

Imam Imran Salha of the Islamic Center of Detroit said he offers his condolences to “my Christian brothers and sisters.”

“And I pray that God replaces him with many others to follow in his example of compassion and wisdom and clarity of choice,” he said.

In Pope Francis’ last speech, which Archbishop Diego Ravelli read aloud on Easter Sunday, he called for a ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas militant group in Gaza. He also urged Hamas to release the dozens of Israeli hostages it is holding and condemned growing global antisemitism.

Salha said Francis “always recognized the people of Palestine and their suffering on their occupation.” He said the pope regularly called people in Gaza to check in on them.

Rabbi Asher Lopatin, director of community relations for the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor, called Francis “such an incredible man.” He said Francis showed care for immigrants, the weak and the environment, and showed “respect for every human being.”

“These resonated very much with the Jewish community,” he said.

Lopatin, who is the rabbi at Kehillat Etz Chayim in Oak Park, added that the Jewish community appreciated Francis’ denunciation of antisemitism and the love he showed for the hostage families.

“However, I think in the life of the pope, of Pope Francis, all the values that he had could have been reflected in a stronger, more robust support for the Jewish state” and for the struggle that the Jewish state has with “all its enemies,” he said.

He said calls for a ceasefire have to be coupled with a demand for Hamas to release the hostages. Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel and killed around 1,200, mostly civilians. Some hostages have been released, some of whom were dead, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Some hostages were rescued by Israeli military forces. The bodies of more than 40 hostages were retrieved by Israeli forces.

Lopatin said he thinks Jews expected Francis to “be more of a voice” for getting the hostages released.

“But … there’s always more to do, and I hope the Catholic Church takes from his teachings and becomes that voice of support for the one Jewish state,” he said.

asnabes@detroitnews.com

 

By Hannah Mackay, The Detroit News

A search warrant affidavit for the West Bloomfield home where three siblings died in a fire in February revealed that the first 911 call came from the family’s 16-year-old daughter, who told authorities, “there’s no way for us to get out.”

The affidavit sheds new light on the Feb. 2 fire that killed Hannah, Jeremiah, and Jacob Oliora, ages 16, 14, and 12, and why the siblings, one of whom had nonverbal autism, weren’t able to escape.

The investigation into the fire, meanwhile, is ongoing, according to West Bloomfield police. The West Bloomfield police and fire departments have denied Freedom of Information acts requests related to the fire and its investigation.

Police executed a search warrant at the Oliora home on Feb. 4. No findings have been submitted to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, according to Police Chief Dale Young.

According to the affidavit, Hannah told 911 dispatchers that the fire started in the living room. Authorities haven’t revealed what caused the blaze.

After the fire, police interviewed the parents, Don and Liz Oliora, the next day and learned that Jeremiah had been diagnosed with nonverbal autism. He’d previously attempted to climb out of a second-story window of the home on Pembury Lane and left the home unsupervised through the front door. He was found in their neighborhood by a passerby, according to the documents.

To prevent similar incidents from happening again, the parents told police they installed window locks and an interior front door lock. The key to unlock the front door was kept in a lockbox inside, near the home’s garage. Only the parents and their oldest daughter had access to the lockbox, according to court documents.

Hannah’s initial 911 call came in around 8:05 p.m. on Feb. 2. Her father had left the home around 2:40 p.m. to work for DoorDash, and her mother left at the same time for work as a nurse, according to the documents.

At 7:10 p.m., Hannah called her father to ask about the family’s dinner plans. She told her father that she would start cooking hamburgers for her and her brothers, and her dad said he would come home after completing a few more DoorDash stops.

Liz was working when she was told about the fire by a neighbor and the police. She told police that her three children were inside and that she was on her way home, and called her husband to alert him at 8:27 p.m.

When police arrived on the scene of the fire and learned about the children trapped inside the home, they attempted to extinguish the flames in the back of the house but couldn’t.

Firefighters then arrived and were able to enter the home and extract the kids. One was found right behind the front door, while another was in an upstairs bathroom, according to the documents.

Hannah and Jeremiah were taken to Detroit Receiving Hospital, while Jacob was taken to Henry Ford Hospital in West Bloomfield, but all three succumbed to their injuries.

An autopsy by the Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office revealed that Jacob’s preliminary cause of death was accidental and due to smoke and soot inhalation, according to the court documents. Autopsies for his brother and sister had not been conducted when the search warrant affidavit was filed.

When firefighters entered the home, they could hear the ignitor of the gas stove clicking, according to the documents.

hmackay@detroitnews.com