By MEG KINNARD

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump recognized nearly 100 recipients of the Purple Heart at the White House on Thursday, including three service members who gave him their own medals after an attempt on his life at a Pennsylvania campaign rally.

Trump opened the event marking National Purple Heart Day by noting that dozens of the award’s recipients were at the ceremony in the East Room. The Republican president offered “everlasting thanks to you and your unbelievable families.”

But he had special words for the trio of veterans who sent Trump their medals after the 2024 shooting in Butler. Trump said the trio, “showed me the same unbelievable gesture of kindness.”

“What a great honor to get those Purple Hearts. I guess, in a certain way, it wasn’t that easy for me either, when you think of it,” Trump said of the attempt on his life. “But you went through a lot more than I did, and I appreciate it very much.”

After a shooter’s bullet pierced the upper part of Trump’s right ear in Butler just days before the 2024 Republican National Convention, the then-Republican presidential candidate was gifted medals from some Purple Heart recipients. The medals were presented to him at campaign events during the race’s closing months.

According to the White House, some of those Purple Heart recipients were brought to Trump’s campaign stops so that he could return their medals to them.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also attended, along with Chris LaCivita, Trump’s former campaign co-manager and a Marine veteran who is also a Purple Heart recipient.

National Purple Heart Day is marked annually on Aug. 7.

The Purple Heart, the oldest military award still in use and is awarded to service members who are killed or wounded while engaging in enemy action or resulting from acts of terrorism. According to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, more than 1.8 million medals have been presented since the award’s inception in 1782.

Trump also highlighted the stories of valor of other Purple Heart recipients, including Army Spc. Kevin Jensen whose Humvee was hit by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan in 2008. Jensen pulled fellow Purple Heart recipient, Capt. Sam Brown, from the flames.

“He flew 10 feet up in the air, exploded in flames. The whole place was in flames, including, unfortunately, Kevin,” Trump said of Jansen. “He suffered deep, third-degree burns all over his body. He was in trouble, big trouble. Despite the agony, he selflessly ran to the aid of his platoon leader.”

Trump also used the ceremony to gloat about having authorized a 2020 U.S. drone strike, during his first term, that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani. Trump derided Soleimani on Thursday as “father of the roadside bomb.”

“Where is he? Where is he?” Trump scoffed to attendee laughter. “Where is Soleimani?”

Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP. Associated Press writer Will Weissert contributed reporting.

By Breana Noble, The Detroit News

Ford Motor Co. is delaying the launch of its next-generation electric commercial van and electric full-size pickup truck to 2028, the Dearborn automaker confirmed Thursday.

They are the latest postponements in a wave of EV product cancellations and delays as the automotive industry realizes demand for expensive EVs with high-cost, large batteries needed to address range anxiety — and the charging network to support them — just isn’t there in the eyes of many U.S. consumers. That trend likely is set to accelerate with the Trump administration’s work to dismantle regulations around greenhouse gas emissions and incentives for EV transactions in what he has characterized as an effective “EV mandate.”

Ford nearly a year ago had said it would launch the commercial van in 2026 at its Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake outside Cleveland. At the time, it also had delayed the start of production by 18 months of the full-size pickup truck to the second half of 2027 at the new BlueOval City assembly plant in Stanton, Tennessee, outside Memphis. Pickup prototype production still is set to launch in 2027, Ford spokesperson Jessica Enoch said.

The company communicated about the timing adjustments to suppliers and employees in June, spokesperson Emma Bergg said in a statement.

“F-150 Lightning, America’s best-selling electric truck, and E-Transit continue to meet today’s customer needs,” Bergg said in a statement. “We remain focused on delivering our Ford+ plan and will be nimble in adjusting our product launch timing to meet market needs and customer demand while targeting improved profitability.”

Ford CEO Jim Farley has said the company won’t launch an EV until it can be profitable within a year. The Model e EV division of the company has lost $2.178 billion so far this year. The annual guidance it suspended in May, because of tariffs, for the unit had forecasted a loss of between $5 billion and $5.5 billion.

The Blue Oval has touted work by a California-based small “skunkworks” team for a new EV platform able to support a few smaller models, including low-cost offerings. The first is expected to be a midsize pickup truck in 2027, five years after the group’s creation.

The automaker is expected to share more details on platform and the changes in manufacturing it will usher in during an event on Monday at Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky, where it builds the Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair SUVs. Farley has touted it as a “Model T moment” for the automaker.

“Seems they are not optimistic about notable acceleration in EV demand even a couple years from now,” David Whiston, analyst at investment services firm Morningstar Inc., said in an email. “I was hoping they’d tease the pickup truck but this news makes that less likely they’d show something.”

The truck program was known internally as “Project T3” for “trust the truck,” a rallying cry for the development team. Farley said it would “revolutionize America’s truck” to be simplified and more cost efficient. BlueOval City was expected to have capacity for 500,000 pickups annually.

Ford has sold under 16,000 F-150 Lightning trucks so far this year. It’s sold less than 5,000 E-Transit vans.

A year ago, Ford canceled plans to produce an all-electric, three-row SUV at Oakville Assembly Complex outside Toronto, Ontario, saying it didn’t expect the vehicle to be profitable because of the cost associated with the size of its battery, the most expensive part of an EV. Instead, it plans to launch Super Duty trucks there next year.

Farley on an earnings call last week emphasized a multi-energy strategy offering gas-powered, plug-in hybrid, extend-range electric and all-electric vehicles.

“We think that’s a much better move than a $60,000 to $70,000 all-electric crossover,” he said. “We think that that’s really what customers are going to want long-term. And we’re investing a lot in more durable ICE powertrains. The good news is that we’ve always built our business around flexibility of the powertrain, so our manufacturing operations can adjust to these.”

The company, he added, has reallocated some EV spending to its commercial Ford Pro division.

BlueOval City also is home to a battery plant that is a part of Ford’s joint venture with Korean battery maker SK On Ltd. Production there also has been delayed. The companies have said they’re investing $5.6 billion into the campus and creating approximately 6,000 jobs.

The JV has two other battery plant at the SK BlueOval complex in Glendale, Kentucky, outside Louisville. One is slated to start production this year, and the other’s opening has been delayed.

Automotive News first reported about the delay of the electric commercial van and pickup truck. Shares closed up 0.6% to $11.28, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 fell.

It’s not just Ford that has delayed EV launches. General Motors Co. has delayed launching additional production of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra electric trucks at Orion Assembly to mid-2026. Chrysler parent Stellantis NV also has postponed the launch of its Ram 1500 REV truck. Honda Motor Co. Ltd. also has scaled back EV investment plans from slower-than-expect U.S. demand growth.

By LINDSAY WHITEHURST

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to halt a court order restricting immigration stops that swept up at least two U.S. citizens in Southern California.

The emergency petition comes after an appeals court refused to lift a temporary restraining order barring authorities from stopping or arresting people based solely on factors like what language speak or where they work.

The move is the latest in a string of emergency appeals from the Trump administration to the high court, which has recently sided with the Republican president in a number of high-profile cases.

The Justice Department argued that federal agents are allowed to consider those factors when ramping up enforcement of immigration laws in Los Angeles, an area it considers a “top enforcement priority.”

Trump officials asked the justices to immediately halt the order from U.S. District Judge Maame E. Frimpong in Los Angeles. She found a “mountain of evidence” that enforcement tactics were violating the U.S. Constitution in what the plaintiffs called “roving patrols.”

Her ruling came in a lawsuit filed by immigrant advocacy groups who accused President Donald Trump’s administration of systematically targeting brown-skinned people in Southern California during the administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration.

Trump’s Solicitor General D. John Sauer asked the justices to immediately halt Frimpong’s order, arguing that it puts a “straitjacket” on agents in an area with a large number of people in the U.S. illegally.

“No one thinks that speaking Spanish or working in construction always creates reasonable suspicion … But in many situations, such factors—alone or in combination—can heighten the likelihood that someone is unlawfully present in the United States,” Sauer wrote.

Department of Homeland Security attorneys have said immigration officers target people based on illegal presence in the U.S., not skin color, race or ethnicity.

Frimpong’s order bars authorities from using factors like apparent race or ethnicity, speaking Spanish or English with an accent, presence at a location such as a tow yard or car wash, or someone’s occupation as the only basis for reasonable suspicion for detention.

The Los Angeles region has been a battleground for the Trump administration after its aggressive immigration strategy spurred protests and the deployment of the National Guards and Marines for several weeks.

Plaintiffs on the lawsuit before Frimpong included three detained immigrants and two U.S. citizens. One was Los Angeles resident Brian Gavidia, who was shown in a June 13 video being seized by federal agents as he yelled, “I was born here in the states, East LA bro!”

He was released about 20 minutes later after showing agents his identification, as was another citizen stopped at a car wash, according to the lawsuit.

The Detroit Lions on Thursday put cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, sidelining him for the remainder of the 2025 season.

Rakestraw, a second-round pick in 2024, posted an Instagram story on Thursday morning that showed him either pre- or post-surgery with the caption, “Road to Be back starts soon.” The injury occurred on the first drill of Sunday’s training-camp practice in Allen Park. He went down on the very first rep of a one-on-one tackling drill and did not return.

“I’ll be back soon. Been a rough 2 years (b)ut I’ll never question (G)od. Just want to play the game I love dearly. And show my people who I am and the kids who grew up like me it’s possible,” Rakestraw wrote. “So I’ll win in the end(,) just been a blurry road I’ve been on(,) just have to keep pushing.”

Lions coach Dan Campbell delivered a message of support when asked about the young cornerback on Monday.

“You hate it for the kid,” he said. “You hate it. It’s not his fault, just one of those tough deals. All you can do is try to get it better and rehab and come back stronger and move on. That’s all you can do.”

It’s yet another devastating blow to Rakestraw’s development and fortune since he entered the league.

Last season, Rakestraw appeared in just eight games and spent time on injured reserve with a hamstring issue. Cornerbacks Terrion Arnold, who should be returning from a hamstring injury soon, and Khalil Dorsey, who’s still rehabbing from a broken leg suffered at the end of last season, are also not currently practicing.

While Rakestraw’s indefinite absence is a blow to the team’s depth, it has gotten strong performances from veteran additions like Rock Ya-Sin and Avonte Maddox; the latter has played more safety this camp but carries ample experience as a nickel cornerback.

As of now, the Lions are still in good shape with their cornerback room.

Lions add tight end

In a corresponding move, the Lions added some competition to the tight end room, agreeing to terms with free-agent tight end Steven Stilianos, his management team announced Thursday.

Stilianos, 25, most recently appeared with the San Antonio Brahmas of the UFL. He caught 15 passes for 86 yards and a touchdown in nine games. He finished his college career with two seasons at Iowa, where he crossed over with Lions tight end Sam LaPorta during the 2022 season, after transferring from Lafayette (FCS).

In his final season with the Hawkeyes (2023), Stilianos caught eight passes for 96 yards. He was not drafted but briefly spent time with the Tennessee Titans, for whom he made three preseason appearances in 2024.

Ultimately, he has a steep hill to climb if he’s going to contribute for the Lions’ tight end room. LaPorta and Brock Wright are firmly entrenched as the top two choices. Shane Zylstra, who’s been with the team for multiple years, has impressed with his given opportunities thus far.

By JAKE OFFENHARTZ and JAIMIE DING

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Women who say they were abused by Jeffrey Epstein are feeling skeptical and anxious about the Justice Department’s handling of records related to the convicted sex offender, with some backing more public disclosures as an overdue measure of transparency, and others expressing concerns about their privacy and the Trump administration’s motivations.

In letters addressed to federal judges in New York this week, several victims or their attorneys said they would support the public release of grand jury testimony that led to criminal indictments against Epstein and his former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell — if the government agreed to allow them to review the material and redact sensitive information.

The Justice Department has asked the court to take the rare step of unsealing transcripts of that secret testimony, in part to placate people who believe that the government has hidden some things it knows about Epstein’s wrongdoing.

Other victims, meanwhile, accused President Donald Trump of sidelining victims as he seeks to shift the focus from Epstein, who killed himself in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges that he habitually sexually abused underage girls. Some expressed concern that the administration — in its eagerness to make the scandal go away — might give Maxwell clemency, immunity from future prosecution or better living conditions in prison as part of a deal to get her to testify before Congress.

“I am not some pawn in your political warfare,” one alleged victim wrote in a letter submitted to the court by her lawyer this week. “What you have done and continue to do is eating at me day after day as you help to perpetuate this story indefinitely.”

Added another victim, in a letter submitted anonymously on Wednesday: “This is all very exhausting.”

Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of helping Epstein sexually abuse underage girls and is serving a 20-year prison sentence. A top Justice Department official, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, interviewed Maxwell for nine hours late last month, saying he wanted to hear anything she had to say about misdeeds committed by Epstein or others. After that interview, Maxwell was moved from a federal prison in Florida to a low-security prison camp in Texas.

Alicia Arden, who said Epstein sexually assaulted her in the late 1990s, held a news conference on Wednesday in Los Angeles. She said she would support the release of additional material related to the case, including a transcript of Maxwell’s interview with Blanche.

But she also expressed outrage at the possibility that Maxwell could receive clemency or other special treatment through the process, adding that the Justice Department’s approach had been “very upsetting” so far.

The Trump administration has faced weeks of furor from some segments of the president’s political base, which have demanded public disclosure of files related to Epstein. Epstein has long been the subject of conspiracy theories because of his friendships with the rich and powerful, including Trump himself, Britain’s Prince Andrew and former President Bill Clinton.

Last month, the Justice Department announced it would not release additional files related to the Epstein sex trafficking investigation.

Prosecutors later asked to unseal the grand jury transcripts, though they’ve told the court they contain little information that hasn’t already been made public. Two judges who will decide whether to release the transcripts then asked victims to share their views on the matter.

In a letter submitted to the court Tuesday, attorneys Brad Edwards and Paul Cassell, who represent numerous Epstein victims, wrote: “For survivors who bravely testified, the perception that Ms. Maxwell is being legitimized in public discourse has already resulted in re-traumatization.”

An attorney for Maxwell, David Oscar Markus, said this week that she opposed the release of the grand jury transcripts.

“Jeffrey Epstein is dead. Ghislaine Maxwell is not,” he wrote. “Whatever interest the public may have in Epstein, that interest cannot justify a broad intrusion into grand jury secrecy in a case where the defendant is alive, her legal options are viable, and her due process rights remain.”

The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment on the victims’ statements.

Starting at 5 a.m. Friday, Aug. 8, numerous street closings will be in effect in Pontiac for Roadkill Nights, a legal drag racing event.

The event is moving back to Woodward Avenue in downtown Pontiac this year from the M1 Concourse.

These closing will be in effect from 5 a.m. Friday to 9 a.m. Sunday:

– Woodward Avenue from Huron Street to South Saginaw Street

– Whittemore Street from South Woodward Avenue to Saginaw Street

– One lane on the west side of South Saginaw Street will be closed from Whittemore to the north/south split.

Two-way traffic will still be available to the three businesses in this area.

Southbound Woodward Avenue will be closed at West Pike Street, Orchard Lake Road, Wessen Street, Judson Street and South Saginaw Street.

These closings will be in effect from 4 a.m. Saturday through 9 a.m. Sunday:

East/west streets

– Clinton Street from Woodward to Wayne Street

– Lawrence Street from Woodward to East Alley

– Pike Street from  Woodward to East Alley

– Water Street from South Saginaw to Perry.

North/south streets

– Wayne Street from Huron to West Pike

– Saginaw Street  from Huron to Water Street

– East Alley from East Pike to Water Street.

Roadkill Nights is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Tickets start at $25 ($20 for Pontiac residents). Spectator shuttle buses begin running at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at United Wholesale Mortgage. Racing begins at 11 a.m. The shuttle bus stops running at 9:30 p.m.

For more information or to order tickets, visit https://www.hotrod.com/roadkillnights.

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By JOSH BOAK

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump unexpectedly summoned reporters to the Oval Office on Thursday to present them with charts that he says show the U.S. economy is solid following a jobs report last week that raised red flags and led to the Republican firing the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Joining Trump to talk about the economy was Stephen Moore, a senior visiting fellow in economics at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, and the co-author of the 2018 book “ Trumponomics.”

Flipping through a series of charts on an easel, Moore sought to elevate Trump’s performance as president and diminish the economic track record of former President Joe Biden. Trump stood next to Moore and interjected with approvals.

The moment in the Oval Office spoke to the president’s hopes to reset the narrative of the U.S. economy. While the stock market has been solid, job growth has turned sluggish and inflationary pressures have risen in the wake of Trump imposing a vast set of new tariffs, which are taxes on imports.

Moore said he phoned Trump because he put together some data that shows he was correct to dismiss Erika McEntarfer as the head of the BLS. He noted that’s because reports from the BLS had overestimated the number of jobs created during the last two years of Biden’s term by 1.5 million.

“I think they did it purposely,” said Trump, who has yet to offer statistical evidence backing his theory. Revisions are a standard component of jobs reports and tend to be larger during periods of economic disruption.

The economy has seldom conformed to the whims of any president, often presenting pictures that are far more mixed and nuanced than what can easily be sold to voters. Through the first seven months of this year, employers have added 597,000 jobs, down roughly 44% from the gains during the same period in 2024.

The July jobs report showed that just 73,000 jobs were added last month, while the May and June totals were revised downward by 258,000.

While Biden did face downward revisions on his job numbers, the economy added 2 million jobs in 2024 and 2.6 million in 2023.

The fundamental challenge in Biden’s economy was the jolt of inflation as the annual rate of the consumer price index hit a four-decade high in June 2022. That level of inflation left many households feeling as though groceries, gasoline, housing and other essentials were unaffordable, a sentiment that helped to return Trump to the White House in the 2024 election.

There are signs of inflation heating back up under Trump because of his tariffs. On Thursday, Goldman Sachs estimated that the upcoming inflation report for July will show that consumer prices rose 3% over the past 12 months, which would be up from a 2.3% reading in April.

Trump promised that he could galvanize a boom. And when nonpartisan data has indicated something closer to a muddle, he found an advocate in Moore, whom he nominated to serve as a Federal Reserve governor during his first term. Moore withdrew his name after facing pushback in the Senate.

Moore said that through the first five months of Trump’s second term in office that “the average median household income adjusted for inflation and for the average family in America, is already up $1,174.” Moore said his numbers are based on unpublished Census Bureau data, which can make them difficult to independently verify.

“That’s an incredible number,” Trump said. “If I would have said this, nobody would have believed it.”

By JULIE CARR SMYTH

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Vice President JD Vance’s security detail had an Ohio river’s water level raised last weekend to accommodate a kayaking trip he and his family took to celebrate his 41st birthday.

The U.S. Secret Service said it requested the increased waterflow for the Little Miami River, first reported by The Guardian, to ensure motorized watercraft and emergency personnel “could operate safely” while protecting the Republican vice president, whose home is in Cincinnati.

But critics immediately blasted the action as a sign of the vice president’s entitlement, particularly given the Trump administration’s focus on slashing government spending.

Richard W. Painter, who served as chief White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush, said on X that “it’s outrageous for the Army corps of engineers to spend taxpayer money to increase water flow in a river so @VP can go canoeing when budget cuts to the National Park Service have severely impacted family vacations for everyone else.”

The Corps of Engineers declined to address any financial impact of raising the river. Spokesman Gene Pawlik said the agency’s Louisville District temporarily increased outflows from the Caesar Creek Lake in southwest Ohio into the Little Miami “to support safe navigation of U.S. Secret Service personnel.” He said the move met operational criteria and fell within normal practice.

“It was determined that the operations would not adversely affect downstream or upstream water levels,” he said in a statement. “Downstream stakeholders were notified in advance of the slight outflow increase, which occurred August 1, 2025.” Vance’s birthday was on Aug. 2.

Vance spokesman Parker Magid said the vice president was unaware the river had been raised.

“The Secret Service often employs protective measures without the knowledge of the Vice President or his staff, as was the case last weekend,” he said via text.

The sprawling 2,830-acre Caesar Creek Lake has an unlimited horsepower designation and five launch ramps, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources website. A marina, campground and lodge are also located on site. The department provided two natural resources officers to assist the Secret Service with the Vance event, spokesperson Karina Cheung said.

The Vance family has already become accustomed to certain accommodations being made as they move about the world. During a recent trip to Italy, the Roman Colosseum was closed to the public so that his wife, Usha, and their children could take a tour, sparking anger among some tourists. The Taj Mahal also was closed to visitors during the Vance family’s visit to India.

Such special treatment isn’t reserved for one political party.

When Democratic Vice President Al Gore, then a presidential candidate, paddled down the Connecticut River for a photo opportunity in 1999, utility officials had opened a dam and released 4 billion gallons of water to raise the river’s level. That request, too, came after a review of the area by the Secret Service — and Gore also experienced political pushback.

Gore’s campaign said at the time that he did not ask for the water to be released.

Despite graduating a majority of its skill position talent from last season, Novi head coach Jim Sparks spoke at KLAA football media day on Thursday afternoon in Northville about his enthusiasm for depth at those positions and others.

That ties into his anticipation that the Wildcats could get more out of their underclassmen than before, also.

“In my four previous years at Novi, we haven’t had any sophomores really play on the varsity level, but this year we’ve got some talented guys down there, and I think we’re gonna see some of those guys on the field,” Sparks told those in attendance.

“We’re going to have a lot of competition at some key positions. I think there’s a lot of talent there, so it’s nice to not have anything slotted, have the guys have to compete.”

That’s important for the Wildcats going into Sparks’ fifth year with the program. The team’s top receiver, Jaden Vondrasek (874 yards, nine touchdowns), graduated, as did Sele Cox and Logan Ellison, who combined for 364 yards and three scores through the air. Add in the transfer of Christian Gillings (512 yards, four TDs), who was to be a junior, and that could be a real cause for concern for some staffs.

Instead, Sparks is nothing but positive about the depth chart at the position. “The past four years at this point, we already kind of knew the depth chart,” he said. “Those kids (previous years) worked hard, but human nature, if you’re being chased, you run a little faster. This is the first time we’ve had six guys competing for four spots. That’s gonna raise the level of everybody, which I’m very excited about. If we didn’t have those young guys that devoted time in the offseason, we’d be relying on four guys to govern themselves to work hard. I think those six guys pushing each other can only be good for us.”

Cooper Koceski, who had three receptions for 44 yards as a junior in 2024, is one of those guys who will move from the slot and compete for a lead role. As for who they’ll be getting the ball from, the Wildcats have a role to fill there, too. Johnny Aurilia threw for 1,372 yards and a dozen TDs as a senior, and also added 496 yards rushing while finding the end zone three times with his legs. Sparks said to expect a pair of guys getting equal reps in camp, but although he won’t appoint the starting role to senior Christian Vitale, “it’s his job to lose.”

Anthony Madafferi, who saw a split of carries with (now graduated) Logan Ellison last year, is a leader in the weight room and should assume the featured role carrying the rock in his senior season.

The last couple years, the Wildcats have had to replace a majority of their defense every fall. Six starters back on that side of the ball makes it a strength of this year’s team.

Along with the team’s two leading tacklers returning in Reece Pippin and Colin Edwards, look out for the secondary tandem of Ty Anderson and Emilio Acosta (55 tackles, two interceptions in ’24).

“I think those guys are gonna have tremendous seasons,” Sparks said. “Emilio and Anthony (Madafferi) didn’t play the last couple weeks (of last season). It’ll be good to have those guys back out there.”

‘Words can’t describe what it meant’: Novi coach Jim Sparks honored with MHSFCA Hall of Fame induction

The aim is to replicate last year's strong start that saw the Wildcats win five of their first six contests. They'll open at home against Traverse City Central – Sparks is already looking forward to the away trip to TC next season, saying when he took Clawson to play Kingsley in 2004 it was "one of the greatest experiences we'd ever had."

The Wildcats, who finished on a four-game slide to end last season, were picked to finish fourth in the KLAA West (behind Howell, Brighton and Northville), but Sparks says it's better to be the hunter than the hunted. He's not worried about the end to last year, either, rather focused on what's ahead.

"We just set our goals every year, kind of flush last year realizing that we get an opportunity to create our own identity, our own path. We aspire to win Week 1, that's our first goal. Then we went to compete for the KLAA West and go to the playoffs. That's our focus. Obviously, (last year) didn't end the way anyone of us wanted to with as well as we started. Hopefully the kids on this team learned it's a long season and you can't take anything for granted."

Following the start of practice, Novi will host a scrimmage with Birmingham Groves, Grosse Pointe South, Westland John Glenn and Brighton on Aug. 21 to gear up for the regular season opener.

Macomb County’s first cannabis consumption lounge will open Friday, Aug. 8 alongside a new dispensary.

Bowdega, a “culturally inspired” cannabis retail shop, and Burn1, its adjacent consumption site, will celebrate their official grand opening at 45411 Park Avenue, just north of Hall Road (M-59) near Dave & Buster’s in Utica.

Bowdega owner Marvin Kiezi said the opening marks the end of the construction and stocking phase of his $5 million business, which he began working on in December 2024.

“It’s a new market, so I’m excited about that,” Kiezi said. “Let’s face it, this is an evolving business and market, so we had to bring something fresh to the table. I think we’ve accomplished that.”

For Friday’s grand opening, customers will have a variety of special activities including food trucks, live DJs, giveaways and more.

The grand opening introduces one of the region’s first cannabis destinations to combine high-quality retail with a legal onsite consumption space, according to a news release. There only a limited number of licensed cannabis lounges operating in Michigan, organizers said.

Located in the former Red Ox Tavern off M-53, Burn1 is a 3,000-square-foot consumption lounge where guests can enjoy what they purchase in a safe setting. With five hotels nearby, Burn1 is also a practical option for visitors who cannot smoke in their hotel rooms and for locals looking for a social place to consume.

The lounge will contain curated music, cozy seating and an open-air patio to live art and community events. Future plans call for adding live bands, puff-n-paint artwork and a dab bar.

“You’ve got to be different in this business,” Kiezi  said. “We are going to do things that are attractive for this side of town. There are a lot of attractions here in Utica and we want to add one more.”

Burn1 has also been approved for a Farmer’s Fridge to be installed mid-month. The vending-style machines often found in airports, hospitals and large workspaces offer guests healthy, fresh food, from sandwiches to salads to parfaits.

Kiezi also plans to erect jumbo 9-foot-tall letters spelling out Utica on his property near M-53. The illuminated gateway sign will be similar to ones placed on the freeway during the 2024 NFL draft in Detroit.

The 5,500-square-foot retail store features top-tier Michigan- grown brands such as Big League Brands, Peninsula Gardens, LocalGrove, and more.

Bowdega will offer a variety of flower, pre-rolls, edibles, concentrates, CBD products, topicals, accessories, and branded apparel.

Visitors must be 21 or older with a valid ID to enter either location.

Store hours are 8 a.m.-midnight daily. For more information, call 586-788-7778 or visit burn1.com or bowdega.com

Another consumption lounge, the Joint Cannabis Lounge, is expected to open this year in Mount Clemens.

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By MATTHEW PERRONE, Associated Press Health Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is vowing to “fix” the federal program for compensating Americans injured by vaccines, opening the door to sweeping changes for a system long targeted by anti-vaccine activists.

Health experts and lawyers say updates are needed to help clear a backlog of cases in the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, created by Congress in 1986 as a no-fault payment system for presumed vaccine injuries.

But they also worry Kennedy’s changes will reflect his history as a leader in the anti-vaccine movement, which has alternately called for abolishing the program or expanding it to cover unproven injuries and illnesses that aren’t connected to vaccines.

Kennedy and other critics believe the program is “too miserly in what it considers to be a vaccine injury,” said Jason Schwartz, a public health expert at Yale University. “That’s created great concern that he could expand what’s included.”

Anti-vaccine groups have long suggested a link between vaccines and autism, despite scientific consensus that childhood vaccines don’t cause the condition. Adding autism to the list of injuries covered by the plan “would dramatically increase the number of compensable cases, potentially bankrupting it,” Schwartz said.

Program is credited with saving the U.S. vaccine industry

Signed into law under President Ronald Reagan, the compensation program is designed to provide quick, efficient compensation to Americans who report known injuries associated with vaccines, such as rare allergic reactions. At the time of its creation, a number of vaccine-makers were exiting the business due to risks of class action lawsuits.

In a recent social media post, Kennedy called the program “broken” and accused federal lawyers and adjudicators who run it of “inefficiency, favoritism and outright corruption.”

Kennedy didn’t specify the changes he’s seeking. But some of the people he’s enlisted to help have a history of bringing vaccine injury cases.

In June, the Department of Health and Human Services awarded a $150,000 contract to an Arizona law firm for “expertise” in the program. The firm’s Andrew Downing, an attorney specializing in vaccine injury cases, was listed in the HHS staff directory for a time.

“We just brought a guy in this week who is going to be revolutionizing the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program,” Kennedy told Tucker Carlson shortly after the award.

Revamping the program would be the latest in a string of decisions that have upended U.S. vaccine policy, including this week’s cancellation of research funding for vaccines using mRNA technology.

Downing and Kennedy have had roles in HPV vaccine lawsuits

Downing has had a leading role in lawsuits against Merck alleging injuries from its HPV vaccine, Gardasil, including a rare movement disorder.

In a podcast last year for people with the condition, Downing lamented that the injury compensation program “has taken a hard line” against such cases, leading lawyers to file injury lawsuits in civil court. Approximately 70% of the Gardasil cases against Merck started as claims filed by Downing in the federal injury program, according to court records.

A judge dismissed more than 120 of those cases, citing “a paucity of evidence” that Gardasil caused patients’ problems.

A spokesman for Kennedy declined to comment on Downing’s hiring.

Kennedy himself has been involved in the Gardasil litigation, as both an attorney and consultant.

Before joining the government, Kennedy received payments for referring potential Gardasil clients to Wisner Baum, one of the law firms suing Merck. Following questions about the agreement during his confirmation hearings, Kennedy agreed to give up his stake in the deal and transfer any future fees to “a nondependent, adult son,” according to his financial disclosures.

One of Kennedy’s sons is an attorney at Wisner Baum.

Experts see need for reform

Experts who study vaccine compensation say real changes are needed to modernize the 40-year-old program.

The cap on compensation remains $250,000 for injury or death, the same as in 1986. Similarly, the program still has eight adjudicators, known as special masters, to review all cases before the government. On average, the process takes two to three years.

The fund has paid out $5.4 billion, compensating about 40% of all people who filed claims.

The U.S. has an “ethical obligation” to promptly pay those harmed by government-recommended vaccines, says Dorit Reiss, a professor at the University of California Hastings College of the Law.

“Plus, I think it increases trust in the vaccination program if you have quick, generous compensation,” Reiss said.

One possible change: Adding injuries

As health secretary, Kennedy has broad powers to reshape the program.

One approach could be adding new diseases and illnesses to the government table of payable injuries.

In the early 2000s, the program ruled against more than 5,000 claims from families who said vaccines led to their children’s autism, citing hundreds of scientific studies discrediting the link.

Critics of Kennedy say he could claim that he has new evidence of harm — perhaps from a large autism study he’s commissioned — and add the condition to the program.

In response, the federal government might have to increase taxes on vaccines to replenish the compensation fund, which would make the shots more expensive and less accessible.

“Then you will start to watch the vaccine program infrastructure in this country disintegrate until someone steps in,” Dr. Paul Offit, a vaccine researcher at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia who has clashed with Kennedy for years.

A recent Senate hearing titled “Voice of the Vaccine Injured” appeared to make the case for expanding the program. Witnesses included two representatives from Children’s Health Defense, the nonprofit group that Kennedy previously chaired and has repeatedly sued the government over vaccines.

The group’s chief science officer, Brian Hooker, told lawmakers he tried unsuccessfully for 16 years trying to get compensation for his son’s autism, which he attributes to the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine.

Another possible change: Removing vaccines

Another approach would involve removing certain vaccines from the program, making it easier to bring lawsuits against vaccine-makers. Under current law, people claiming injuries from vaccines covered by the program must first pursue a compensation claim before they can sue.

In cases where the science doesn’t support a connection to vaccines, lawyers might be more successful before a jury.

“Jury trials take advantage of the fact that most jurors don’t know anything about science or medicine,” Offit said. “They are not going to be as easily moved by the data.”

Still, attorneys who bring cases before the compensation program say the process has become more burdensome and adversarial over the years.

Even small changes could improve things. For instance, the statute of limitations for claims could be extended beyond the current three years, which lawyers say cuts off many potential clients.

“I’m hoping there will be changes put in place that make the program easier for petitioners to navigate” said Leah Durant, a vaccine injury attorney.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

A Rochester-based nonprofit that’s been fighting to expand their used furniture sales may soon see that happen.

The Alliance League of Southeast Michigan has a small outlet, ReSale Connection, at 204 S. Main St., which mostly sells donated clothing, home decor items and a few small pieces of furniture. The store is run by the league’s 285 members, who volunteer their time sorting, organizing, pricing and selling the items. All profits fund programs for low-income children and adults in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties, said League President Nancy DeVore.

After buying and renovating a warehouse at 440 South St., the league decided to use some of that space to sell more donated furniture. There’s not enough room in the Main Street shop to expand furniture sales, DeVore said.

But the city’s zoning rules prevented most retail sales at the new building because sales in light industrial zones are only allowed for direct customers and the retail area must comprise less than 25% of a building’s square footage.

City Manager Nik Banda said he told league members many times they couldn’t sell anything from the newly acquired building. League members said no one can recall hearing that, but DeVore said selling furniture wasn’t part of the original plan for the new building when they first bought it.

A big part of the league’s work, DeVore said, is buying new supplies and packing them for such programs as Operation School Bell, Assault Survivor kits, Nourishing Neighbors, Pass It Forward and Wee Help. Since the group formed in 1993, they’ve helped more than 367,000 people of all ages, she said, which is why they pursued finding a building big enough to hold supplies and provide space for packing.

After eight years of looking in Rochester, the group paid $1.3 million for the 13,000-square-foot South Street building and spent close to $220,000 renovating it. During renovations, league officials realized they could use some of the space to expand furniture sales.

The city’s fire code required either a sprinkler system or a robust fire wall. League officials chose a firewall, DeVore said, because it cost less. They received a $30,000 donation toward that safety measure, which cost close to $50,000 she said.

DeVore, past league president Karen Boyk and volunteer Jana Yezak said they thought they could sell furniture on South Street because there are retail sales at many businesses on South Street, such as an auto shop that sells windshield wipers, or a swim school that sells goggles.

It’s nearly impossible to track whether every person is an existing customer, they said.

Since January, league members have attended city meetings appealing for zoning changes. The league could apply for a special exception but it would cost close to $1,000, Yezak said, which could be spent on helping others.

“I just want us all to be treated equally, if the Assistance League has to go through this special exception process, which is expensive and cumbersome, then everyone should,” she said.

Boyk said the ReSale Connection has been on Rochester’s Main Street for 20 years and is a major source of income, but can only sell a few small pieces of furniture at a time.

“We searched for eight years to find a warehouse building that we could afford and we wanted to be in Rochester near our store,” she said, adding that the league is committed to staying in the city.

Banda said the league’s persistence in asking for permission to sell from the warehouse was the catalyst for city officials to update the zoning ordinance.

“We always try to keep up with the times, ordinance-wise, and this was a good time to take a look at the whole situation,” he said.

Several parts of the city’s zoning ordinance may be updated as part of this process.

DeVore said she understands that the city doesn’t want a big-box style furniture store on South Street. The furniture room is 1,500 square feet, well under 25% of the building’s overall footprint.

“We don’t want to sell furniture for any other reason than to support our programs so we have more money to help more people,” she said. The league’s other source of income comes from renting out 3,500 square feet of the South Street building to a lumber company. The league also has a capital campaign underway, DeVore said.

After nearly 50 league members showed up at last week’s city council meeting, Mayor Nancy Salvia, who is on the planning commission, said the council and commission supported their efforts.

On Monday, the planning commission unanimously approved new rules for light-industrial areas like South Street. The council must have a public hearing and two readings before voting to make the change official. It will be on the council’s Aug. 11 agenda, according to Banda.

Until the zoning ordinance is officially changed, the league can sell furniture under a convoluted plan. The South Street furniture annex is only open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. The league can’t put price tags on furniture. Instead, a customer must ask for the price, get a sales form and either pay online for the item or drive to the ReSale Connection on Main Street to pay, then return with a receipt to the South Street building to pick up the item.

It’s a frustrating process for everyone, and it’s caused people to walk away from potential purchases, said DeVore and volunteer Jan Yezak.

DeVore said league members expected the ordinance to be changed months ago.

“We would like to be open more hours and more days. We just want to make sure we have staff. We’re 100% volunteer,” she said.

By MICHELLE CHAPMAN, Associated Press Business Writer

Intel’s shares are tumbling before markets opened Thursday after President Donald Trump said in a social media post that the chipmaker’s CEO needs to resign.

“The CEO of Intel is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “There is no other solution to this problem. Thank you for your attention to this problem!”

Trump made the post after Senator Tom Cotton sent a letter to Intel Chairman Frank Yeary expressing concern over CEO Lip-Bu Tan’s investments and ties to semiconductor firms that are reportedly linked to the Chinese Communist Party and the People’s Liberation Army.

Cotton specifically called out Tan’s recent leadership of Cadence Design Systems in the letter. The tech company admitted in July to selling its products to China’s National University of Defense Technology in violation of U.S. export controls.

“In March 2025, Intel appointed Lip-Bu Tan as its new CEO,” Cotton wrote in the letter. “Mr. Tan reportedly controls dozens of Chinese companies and has a stake in hundreds of Chinese advanced-manufacturing and chip firms. At least eight of these companies reportedly have ties to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.”

Intel’s stock dropped more than 4% in premarket trading.

By DASHA LITVINOVA and BARRY HATTON, Associated Press

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday he hopes to meet next week with U.S. President Donald Trump, possibly in the United Arab Emirates. The news came on the eve of a White House deadline for Moscow to show progress toward ending the 3-year-old war in Ukraine.

Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov had said earlier a summit could possibly take place next week at a venue that has been decided “in principle.”

Ushakov brushed aside the possibility of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joining the summit, something the White House had said Trump was ready to consider. Putin has spurned Zelenskyy’s previous offers of a meeting to clinch a breakthrough.

“We propose, first of all, to focus on preparing a bilateral meeting with Trump, and we consider it most important that this meeting be successful and productive,” Ushakov said, adding that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff’s suggestion of a meeting including Ukraine’s leader “was not specifically discussed.”

Putin made the announcement in the Kremlin after his meeting with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the UAE.

There was no immediate comment Thursday from the White House and it was unclear how the announcement of the meeting would affect Trump’s Friday deadline for Russia to stop the killing or face heavy economic sanctions.

Asked who initiated the meeting, Putin said that didn’t matter and “both sides expressed an interest.”

Speaking of the possible involvement of Zelenskyy in future talks, Putin said he has mentioned several times that he wasn’t against it, adding: “It’s a possibility, but certain conditions need to be created” for it to happen.

Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund who met with Witkoff on Wednesday, said a Trump-Putin meeting would allow Moscow to “clearly convey its position,” and he hoped a summit would include discussions on mutually beneficial economic issues, including joint investments in areas such as rare earth elements.

The meeting would be the first U.S.-Russia summit since 2021, when former President Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva. It would be a significant milestone toward Trump’s effort to end the war, although there’s no guarantee it would stop the fighting since Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart on their conditions for peace.

Next week is the target date for a summit, Ushakov said, while noting that such events take time to organize and no date is confirmed. The possible venue will be announced “a little later,” he said.

Months of U.S.-led efforts have yielded no progress on stopping Russia’s invasion of its neighbor. The war has killed tens of thousands of troops on both sides as well as more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians, according to the United Nations.

Western officials have repeatedly accused Putin of stalling for time in peace negotiations to allow Russian forces time to capture more Ukrainian land. Putin previously has offered no concessions and will only accept a settlement on his terms.

A meeting between Putin and Trump on the war would be a departure from the Biden administration’s policy of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” — a key demand from Kyiv.

At the start of his second term, Trump was conciliatory toward Putin, for whom he has long shown admiration, and even echoed some of his talking points on the war. But he recently has expressed increasing exasperation with Putin, criticizing the Kremlin leader for his unyielding stance on U.S.-led peace efforts, and has threatened Moscow with new sanctions.

Zelenskyy seeks European involvement

Zelenskyy said he planned calls with European leaders Thursday to discuss the latest developments amid a flurry of diplomatic activity.

European countries must also be involved in finding a solution to the war on their own continent, he said on Telegram.

“Ukraine is not afraid of meetings and expects the same bold approach from the Russian side. It is time to end the war,” he added.

A ceasefire and long-term security guarantees are priorities in potential negotiation with Russia, he said on social media.

Securing a truce, deciding a format for a summit and providing assurances for Ukraine’s future protection from invasion — a consideration that must involve the U.S. and Europe — are crucial aspects to address, Zelenskyy said.

He noted that Russian strikes on civilians haven’t eased off despite Trump publicly urging Putin to relent.

A Russian attack Wednesday in the central Dnipro region killed four people and injured eight others, he said.

Poll shows support for continuing the fight waning in Ukraine

A new Gallup poll published Thursday found that Ukrainians are increasingly eager for a settlement that ends the fight against Russia’s invasion.

The enthusiasm for a negotiated deal is a sharp reversal from 2022 — the year the war began — when Gallup found that about three-quarters of Ukrainians wanted to keep fighting until victory. Now only about one-quarter hold that view, with support for continuing the war declining steadily across all regions and demographic groups.

The findings were based on samples of 1,000 or more respondents ages 15 and older living in Ukraine. Some territories under entrenched Russian control, representing about 10% of the population, were excluded from surveys conducted after 2022 due to lack of access.

Since the start of the full-scale war, Russia’s relentless pounding of urban areas behind the front line has killed more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians, according to the United Nations. On the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line snaking from northeast to southeast Ukraine, where tens of thousands of troops on both sides have died, Russia’s bigger army is slowly capturing more land.

In the new Gallup survey, conducted in early July, about seven in 10 Ukrainians say their country should seek to negotiate a settlement as soon as possible. Zelenskyy last month renewed his offer to meet with Putin, but his overture was rebuffed.

Most Ukrainians do not expect a lasting peace anytime soon, the poll found. Only about one-quarter say it’s “very” or “somewhat” likely that active fighting will end within the next 12 months, while about seven in 10 think it’s “somewhat” or “very” unlikely that active fighting will be over in the next year.

Hatton reported from Lisbon, Portugal. Amelia Thomson-Deveaux contributed from Washington.

By JOSH BOAK, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump began imposing higher import taxes on dozens of countries Thursday just as the economic fallout of his monthslong tariff threats has begun to cause visible damage to the U.S. economy.

Just after midnight, goods from more than 60 countries and the European Union became subject to tariff rates of 10% or higher. Products from the EU, Japan and South Korea are taxed at 15%, while imports from Taiwan, Vietnam and Bangladesh are taxed at 20%. Trump also expects the EU, Japan and South Korea to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in the United States.

“I think the growth is going to be unprecedented,” Trump said Wednesday. He said the U.S. was “taking in hundreds of billions of dollars in tariffs,” but did not provide a specific figure for revenues because “we don’t even know what the final number is” regarding the rates.

Despite the uncertainty, the White House is confident that the onset of his tariffs will provide clarity about the path for the world’s largest economy. Now that companies understand the direction the U.S. is headed, the Republican administration believes it can ramp up new investments and jump-start hiring in ways that can rebalance America as a manufacturing power.

So far, however, there are signs of self-inflicted wounds to the U.S. as companies and consumers brace for the impact of the new taxes.

Risk of economic erosion

Hiring began to stall, inflationary pressures crept upward and home values in key markets started to decline after the initial tariff rollout in April, said John Silvia, CEO of Dynamic Economic Strategy.

“A less productive economy requires fewer workers,” Silvia said. “But there is more, the higher tariff prices lower workers’ real wages. The economy has become less productive, and firms cannot pay the same real wages as before. Actions have consequences.”

Many economists say the risk is that the American economy is steadily eroded.

“It’s going to be fine sand in the gears and slow things down,” said Brad Jensen, a professor at Georgetown University.

Trump has promoted the tariffs as a way to reduce America’s persistent trade deficit. But importers tried to avoid the taxes by bringing in more goods before the tariffs took effect. As a result, the $582.7 billion trade imbalance for the first half of the year was 38% higher than in 2024. Total construction spending has dropped 2.9% over the past year.

The economic pain is not confined to the U.S.

Germany, which sends 10% of its exports to the U.S. market, saw industrial production sag 1.9% in June as Trump’s earlier rounds of tariffs took hold. “The new tariffs will clearly weigh on economic growth,” said Carsten Brzeski, global chief of macro for ING bank.

Dismay in India and Switzerland

The lead-up to Thursday fit the slapdash nature of Trump’s tariffs, which have been rolled out, walked back, delayed, increased, imposed by letter and renegotiated.

Trump on Wednesday announced additional 25% tariffs to be imposed on India because of its purchases of Russian oil, bringing its total import taxes to 50%.

A leading group of Indian exporters said that will affect nearly 55% of the country’s outbound shipments to America and force exporters to lose long-standing clients.

“Absorbing this sudden cost escalation is simply not viable. Margins are already thin,” S.C. Ralhan, president of the Federation of Indian Export Organizations, said in a statement.

The Swiss executive branch, the Federal Council, was expected to meet Thursday after President Karin Keller-Sutter and other Swiss officials returned from a hastily arranged trip to Washington in a failed bid to avert a 39% U.S. tariffs on Swiss goods.

Import taxes are still coming on pharmaceutical drugs, and Trump announced 100% tariffs on computer chips. That could leave the U.S. economy in a place of suspended animation as it awaits the impact.

Stock market remains solid

The president’s use of a 1977 law to declare an economic emergency to impose the tariffs is under a legal challenge. Even people who worked with Trump during his first term are skeptical, such as Paul Ryan, the Wisconsin Republican who was House speaker.

“There’s no sort of rationale for this other than the president wanting to raise tariffs based upon his whims, his opinions,” Ryan told CNBC on Wednesday.

Trump is aware of the risk that courts could overturn his tariffs. In a Truth Social tweet, he said, “THE ONLY THING THAT CAN STOP AMERICA’S GREATNESS WOULD BE A RADICAL LEFT COURT THAT WANTS TO SEE OUR COUNTRY FAIL!”

The stock market has been solid during the tariff drama, with the S&P 500 index climbing more than 25% from its April low. The market’s rebound and the income tax cuts in Trump’s tax and spending measure signed into law on July 4 have given the White House confidence that economic growth is bound to accelerate in the coming months.

Global financial markets took the new tariffs in stride, with Asian and European shares and U.S. futures mostly higher.

But ING’s Brzeski warned: “While financial markets seem to have grown numb to tariff announcements, let’s not forget that their adverse effects on economies will gradually unfold over time.”

Trump foresees an economic boom. American voters and the rest of the world wait, nervously.

“There’s one person who can afford to be cavalier about the uncertainty that he’s creating, and that’s Donald Trump,” said Rachel West, a senior fellow at The Century Foundation who worked in the Biden White House on labor policy. “The rest of Americans are already paying the price for that uncertainty.”

Hatchery Road, just south of Dixie Highway in Waterford Township, will close Monday, Aug. 11, for railroad crossing repairs.

An estimated 7,200 vehicles use this section of Hatchery Road daily.
Canadian National Railway received a permit from the county road commission for the closure to ensure the safety of workers making railroad repairs.

This part of Hatchery Road will be closed through Friday, Aug. 15.

During the closure, the detour is Hatchery Road to Frembes Road to Dixie Highway and vice versa.

For questions regarding the work, contact CN Railway at (888) 888-5909.

Last year’s return of Linkin Park was not really on many bingo cards.

The heavy rock group — which formed in 1996 in Agoura Hills, California, and once dubbed the Biggest Rock Band in the World Right Now by Kerrang! magazine in 2014 — had been silenced by the July 2017 suicide of vocalist Chester Bennington. Its surviving members pursued other creative endeavors, but queries about continuing were met with noncommittal answers.

So it seemed fans would have to be comfortable with a legacy that included more than 100 million records sold worldwide, eight platinum or better albums and 21 Top 10 hits on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart, including angsty No. 1’s such as “Somewhere I Belong,” “Numb,” “Breaking the Habit,” “Burn It Down” and “Until It’s Gone.” The group also collaborated with rapper Jay-Z on the double-platinum “Collision Course” in 2004.

But last April came word that Linkin Park’s booking agent was soliciting concert dates for the band, and during the late summer, the group announced its reformation, adding Emily Armstrong from the band Dead Sara on vocals and Colin Brittain on drums after co-founder Rob Bourdon opted not to join bandmates Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Dave “Phoenix” Farrell and Joe Hahn.

Additionally, Alex Feder became Linkin Park’s touring guitarist after Delson decided to leave the road and focus on writing and recording — but is nonetheless stoked by a return with a new album, “From Zero,” which was No. 1 around the world and No. 2 in the U.S.

“The band got successful when we were very young, and we kind of went on this rocket ship for 20 years,” Delson, 47, says via Zoom. “In the time that we’ve had (off), while we haven’t been putting out new stuff, I think everyone’s had the space and fresh eyes to think about what’s energizing. And I think for all of us, the decisions to do what we’re doing came from a place of opting in as opposed to having it just be habitual. That’s also why everything sounds so fresh and inspired.”

Delson says that during the interim after Bennington’s death, he and the others “were just messing around, doing stuff in the studio” on their own and collectively, without much in the way of a plan. Shinoda had worked with Armstrong on his own projects and invited her to sit in with the others, initially in a casual and exploratory fashion.

Then, the guitarist recalls: “Emily said at one point: ‘Hey, I’m happy to just come here every day, whether you need me or not. I want to be around what’s happening.’ The amazing thing about this album was everything just kind of fell into place, naturally, just based on: ‘Hey, this is fun. We like doing this. Let’s do more of it.’ It was the desire to just hang out together, be creative, and then the music led the way.”

The group brought some other helps into the fold to help make “From Zero” — including Teddy Swims, Nick Long of Dark Waves and Mike Elizondo — and Delson says the group quickly regained its trial-and-error approach marked by frank discussions and a variety of opinions.

“Our process is to support what’s working,” Delson explains. “So if the guitar isn’t, like, super compelling, just mute it and then write new guitar parts. There was a lot of experimenting going on, just like we always did.”

Linkin Park debuted the fresh material during a livestreamed performance Sept. 5 and then set off on a short tour of dates to showcase it and the new members, with a more comprehensive global trek that began Jan. 31 in Mexico — including its first Detroit area appearance since 2014 — and is booked into June 2026. Delson’s decision not to tour, meanwhile, is for a combination of preserving his mental health, as well as simply because “I really love being in the studio, and I feel like that’s where I’m most energized, and I really thrive and I contribute the most.

“For me, it’s about making authentic, clear decisions and wanting to bring great energy to whatever I’m working on.”

Delson still remains involved in matters such as the live show’s set list, and while his bandmates are on the road, he’s building a cache of new ideas for a next album in Los Angeles. “I would just say I’m having a lot of fun right now working on all the creative with my bandmates,” Delson explains. “It’s been a lot of fun and really rewarding.”

And the silver lining is having a new kind of experience with Linkin Park than he’s been able to have before.

“It’s pretty cool in a way,” Delson says, “’cause I never got to see the show ever, in real time. If you’re on the stage, you don’t really get to see what’s going on. And now I do.

“I’m excited people are finally getting to hear this record, and the streaming and everything is just crazy. There’s a lot of activity now. (The band is) definitely up and running.”

Linkin Park and Pvris perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 14 at Little Caesars Arena, 2645 Woodward Ave., Detroit.  313-471-7000 or 313Presents.com. 

On sale 10 a.m. Aug. 8

• Los Lonely Boys: Nov. 7, Flagstar Strand Theatre, Pontiac, ticket prices vary.

• Tye Tribbett: Nov. 14, Fisher Theatre, Detroit, broadwayindetroit.com, ticket prices vary.

• “Tina – The Tina Turner Musical”: Nov. 21-23, Fisher Theatre, Detroit, BroadwayInDetroit.com, ticket prices vary.

Canceled

• Bone Thugs-N-Harmony: Canceled, previously scheduled for Aug. 24, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Independence Twp., www.ticketmaster.com/search?q=bone+thugs.

Note: Events are subject to change; check with venues for updates. Tickets on sale at 313Presents.com, LiveNation.com, Ticketmaster.com or the XFINITY Box Office at Little Caesars Arena.

Beats

• Thomas Rhett: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 8, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Independence Twp., with Tucker Wetmore and Dasha, 313presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• The Fray: 7 p.m. Aug. 8, The Fillmore Detroit, 2115 Woodward Ave, Detroit,  www.thefillmoredetroit.com, ticket prices vary.

• Rage Against Machine tribute: 7-10 p.m. Aug. 8, Wildwood Amphitheater, 2700 Joslyn Ct., Orion Twp., orion.events, with Limp Bizkit tribute, bring lawn chairs or blankets, $20+.

• Neil Diamond tribute featuring Will Chalmers: 8 p.m. Aug. 8-9, The Roxy, 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester, 248-453-5285, doors at 7 p.m., ages 21+, www.theroxyrochester.com, $35+ each.

• Nelly: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 9, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Independence Twp., with Ja Rule, Eve, St. Lunatics and Chingy, lineup subject to change, 313presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Lord Huron: 7 p.m. Aug. 9, Meadow Brook Amphitheater, Rochester Hills, with S.G. Goodman and Jackamo, 313presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• J Boog: 7 p.m. Aug. 9, Saint Andrews Hall, 431 E Congress St., Detroit, www.saintandrewsdetroit.com, ticket prices vary.

• Chayce Beckham, Corey Dakota: Aug. 9, District 142, 142 Maple St., Wyandotte, doors at 7 p.m., ages 21+, district142live.com, $26.96 – $33.40+, ages 21+.

• Toto: 6:45 p.m. Aug. 11, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Independence Twp., with Men At Work and Christopher Cross, 313presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Rod Stewart, Cheap Trick: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 12, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Independence Twp., 313presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Matthew Ball-The Boogie Woogie Kid: 1-2 p.m. Aug. 12, for Troy seniors at The Troy Community Center, (in the Theater Room), 3179 Livernois Road, Troy, 248-524-3484.

• CAKE: 8 p.m. Aug. 13, Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre, Sterling Heights, 313presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 13, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Independence Twp., 313presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Count Basie Orchestra: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 13, The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, Detroit, with special guest David Benoit, doors at 6:30 p.m., thearetha.com, ticket prices vary.

• Linkin Park: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 14, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, with Pvris, 313presents.com, ticket prices vary.

Ballet/Dance

• Black Box Theatre Series: Aug. 9-10, Oakland University’s School of Music, Theatre and Dance to host The ARK Initiative’s Biennial Black Box Theatre Series performance “Building Community”. 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Aug. 9 and 3 p.m. Aug. 10, Varner Recital Hall, 371 Varner Drive, Rochester, https://oakland.edu/smtd, general admission-$27+.

• Open Auditions: Aug. 10-11, dancing and singing auditions for Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” at Grosse Pointe Theatre, 315 Fisher Road, Grosse Pointe, submit a pre-register audition form at www.gpt.org/auditions. Callbacks are Aug. 12.

• Auditions for “The Nutcracker Ballet”: Aug. 16 and Aug. 23, River Raisin Centre for the Arts, call 734-770- 0326 or visit www.riverraisincentre.org for more information and registration, River Raisin Ballet. Auditions take the form of a ballet class, for dancers ages 6 to 19.

Car shows

• 30th Annual Woodward Dream Cruise: Activities throughout the week leading up to the official Dream Cruise day, (9 a.m.-9 p.m. Aug. 16), including car shows, car parades and entertainment in communities along Woodward Avenue, from 8 Mile Road to M-59, www.woodwarddreamcruise.com.

• Roadkill Nights: Aug. 9, downtown Pontiac, with racing on Woodward Avenue, presented by MotorTrend, powered by Dodge, https://bit.ly/3Fn25nv, www.hotrod.com/roadkill-nights, ticket prices vary. Several streets in downtown Pontiac will be closed for RoadKill Nights over the weekend. From 5 a.m. Friday, Aug. 8 to 9 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 10, closures will include Woodward Ave. from Huron St. to S. Saginaw St. Some streets will be closed from 4 a.m. Saturday to 9 a.m. Sunday, only.

• Cars & Coffee event: 8:30-10 a.m. Aug. 9, Ford Piquette Plant Museum, 461 Piquette Ave., Detroit, antique and classic vehicles are welcome in the museum’s parking lot, coffee and donuts while supplies last, (trailer parking is available with an RSVP to info@fordpiquetteplant.org), ticket prices vary. Also, Racing-The Heart & Soul of Ford Motor Company is 10 a.m. Aug. 9, presentation about Henry Ford’s history and racing his Model T, featuring Todd Bryan, president of the Henry Ford Heritage Association, and an engineering supervisor at Ford Motor Company, www.fordpiquetteplant.org.

• OCC Car Show and Auto Lab Tour is 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Aug. 9, at Auburn Hills Campus, Parking Lot 10, 2900 Featherstone Road, Auburn Hills. The event features classic and muscle cars, food trucks and a tour of Oakland Community College’s state-of-the-art Automobile Servicing and Collision Auto Repair labs. Tickets are not required. Local auto enthusiasts can register to display their vehicle at the show by visiting www.eventbrite.com/e/occs-community-car-show-vehicle-registration-tickets-1410715190109?aff=oddtdtcreator. For information, contact Lina Gerchak at lxgercha@oaklandcc.edu.

• Rockin Rods n’ Rochester Car Show: 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Aug. 10, Walnut Blvd., Rochester, Rochester Lions Club, $20 per car, register at www.rochesterlionsclub.org, free spectator admission, donations welcome.

• EV-themed Cars & Coffee: 9 a.m.-noon, Aug. 10, Michigan Science Center, 5020 John R St., Detroit, 313-577-8400, www.mi-sci.org, in the front parking lot on John R St in Detroit, free event and includes admission to Mi-Sci from 9 a.m. to noon. Attendees and those who wish to display a vehicle in Mi-Sci’s parking lot must register in advance.

• Woodward Dream Festival: Wednesday, Aug. 13 and Friday, Aug. 15, at M1 Concourse, Pontiac. Corvettes on Woodward is 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 13, with Michigan’s largest gathering of Corvettes, headlined by an American flag display made entirely of Chevrolet Corvettes. Family-friendly activities include special appearances by Detroit Tigers’ mascot PAWS and local magician, Anthony Grupido. Tickets for Corvettes on Woodward are $20 per person which includes parking. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Open Hands Food Pantry. Woodward Dream Festival is 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 15, with a curated selection of muscle cars, customs, and hot rods available for viewing, and family-friendly activities including musical entertainment, food trucks, and the Meijer Family Kid Zone featuring slot car racing, RC cars, pedal cars, arts and crafts. General admission tickets for the Woodward Dream Festival start at $35+. Children 11 and under get in free with a paid general admission ticket, m1concourse.com/calendar.

• Cruise & Groove Car Show: 6-9 p.m. Aug. 14, in the Oak Park Water Tower Social District, 14700 Kingston St., Oak Park, with classic cars, live music, food, and family activities, free admission. Classic car owners interested in participating can register their vehicles online at  https:/linkcuts.org/g9k8iypze, or by email at mbishop@oakparkmi.gov, or by calling 248-691-2350. Spaces are limited, first-come, first-serve basis.

Festivals

• Cheers to Chesterfield Festival: Aug. 7-10, Brandenburg Park, live music, kids’ activities, food trucks, (opens at 3 p.m. Thursday and Friday, noon on Saturday and Sunday), Bassmaster Weigh-in at 3 p.m. each day, fireworks on Friday night, kids fishing tournament at noon Saturday, https://parks.chesterfieldtwp.org, www.facebook.com/ChesterfieldTwpPR.

• 10th annual Kimmie Horne Jazz Festival: 6-9:30 p.m. Aug. 8, and 3-9:30 p.m. Aug. 9, on the front lawn of the Southfield Municipal Campus, 26000 Evergreen Road, musicians, vendors, food trucks, www.cityofsouthfield.com/residents/events, free admission. Evergreen Road will be closed between the roundabouts as well as the City Hall front circle drive beginning at 2 p.m. Aug. 8 and will reopen at approximately 11:30 p.m. Aug. 9.

• Milford Memories: Aug. 8-10, Art in the Village art show, 1 mile kids run and 5K race at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, cornhole tournament Saturday and Sunday, rock climbing wall, beer tent and live entertainment, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., after 5 p.m. $5 admission and ages 21+, Acorn Farm’s annual Polish Pottery Sale is at 367 N. Main Street in Milford, www.milfordmemories.com.

• International Gem & Jewelry Show: Aug. 8-10, Suburban Collection Showplace, 46100 Grand River Ave., Novi, www.backyardpoolshow.com, gen admission is $8, parking is $10.

• Shelby Township Art Fair: Aug. 9-10, River Bends Park, 5700 22 Mile Road, Shelby Twp., www.shelbyartfair.org/festival, featuring artists, vendors, live music and entertainment, free parking and shuttle bus from Woodall Park near the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center, 4101 River Bends Drive. Art Fair 5K Walk/Run check-in begins at 4 p.m., Aug. 7, https://runsignup.com/race/mi/ShelbyTownship/ShelbyTownshipArtFair5KRunWalk.

• 38th Annual Festival of Flight: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Aug. 10, Oakland County International Airport, Waterford Twp. Air show is 1:30 to 3 p.m. featuring The Redline Airshow, a father-son aerobatic duo, plus other performers soaring above the crowd by parachute and plane; display of vintage and modern planes and vehicles from military to civilian, “Kids Zone” play area, food vendors, aircraft and helicopter rides-$50 per person. The Oakland County Health Division and Oakland County Emergency Management will host a health and safety fair with giveaways including first aid kits, power banks and lock boxes/bags, www.oakgov.com/community/airports/open-house-air-show, admission and parking are free.

• Hot Blues & BBQ: 6-10 p.m. Aug. 14 at Sibley Square Park, 48900 Pontiac Trail, Wixom, featuring Chris Canas Band, BBQ food trucks, beer and wine tent, children’s rides until 9 p.m., crafts, inflatables, www.wixomgov.org.

• 5th annual LGBTQ+ Dinner and Dance: 6-9 p.m. Aug. 15, Ann Arbor YMCA. for families and friends, free and open to all LGBTQ+ community, their families, allies, and supporters. An Ann Arbor YMCA membership is not required to attend. Event features fun crafts, a dress-up and make-over station with photo opportunities, music and dancing, dinner catered by Fed Up Ministries, drag bingo, and performances by JahJah Shee (Mx. Trans Michigan), www.annarborymca/pride.

• Greekfest: Aug. 15-17, (noon-11 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday), at Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, 21800 Marter Road, St.Clair Shores, Greek food and pastries, entertainment with bands, dancers and music groups, children’s rides, games for all ages, magic shows, www.assumptionfestival.com.

• St. Malachy Summerfest: Aug. 15-17, featuring games, crafts and vendors show, Vegas Hall, Bingo, live music, Classic Car Show on Sunday, (10 a.m.-4 p.m.), and more, at St. Malachy Catholic Church, 14115 E. 14 Mile, Sterling Heights; 586-264-1220, stmalachychurch.org.

• Macomb County Pride Festival: Loud & Proud is noon-6 p.m. Aug. 16, Main Street, downtown Mount Clemens (Cass Avenue to Market Street), street fair, performances on a main stage, family-friendly activities, macombcountypride.com/pride-2025, free and open to the public.

• AfroFuture: Aug. 16-17, celebration of Black music, art, fashion, food and culture at Bedrock’s Douglass site in downtown Detroit. Events the week before the festival including a bar crawl, restaurant week, a movie night and spoken word event, www.detroit.afrofuture.com, ticket prices vary.

• Old-Time Radio Show: 7 p.m. Aug. 16 and 2 p.m. Aug. 17, Troy Historic Village, 60 W Wattles Road, Troy. This year’s Old-Time Radio Show is science-fiction themed, $15 for Troy Historical Society members and $17 for non-members, www.TroyHistoricVillage.org.

• Campus Kids Days Back to School Bash: 1-5 p.m. Aug. 17, at Campus Martius Park, 800 Woodward Ave., Detroit, Downtown Detroit Partnership’s free event includes activities, giveaways and hands-on activities for families, 400 free backpacks (while supplies last) courtesy of Corewell Health, Crayon bounce house, lawn games, exploration stations with the Michigan Science Center, crafts, complimentary Faygo floats (while supplies last), magic shows at 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., health and wellness instruction with Corewell Health team members.

• Dragon Forest: Immersive three-acre trail experience is at the Detroit Zoo, 8450 W 10 Mile Road, Royal Oak, through Sept. 7. Tickets for Dragon Forest start at $6 in addition to the Detroit Zoo entrance fee, ticket prices vary, https://detroitzoo.org/events/dragon-forest.

Theater

• “Slaying Holofernes”: Aug. 7-9, Matrix Theatre Company, 2730 Bagley Street Detroit, www.theatreartemisia.org, ages 18+, tickets are $12.51.

• “Frozen Jr.”: Aug. 8 and Aug. 10, Flagstar Strand Theatre, 12 N Saginaw St, Pontiac, Pontiac Youth Theatre, www.flagstarstrand.com, ticket prices vary.

• “Web of Murder”: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 12-14, Wylie E. Groves High School Little Theatre, 20500 W. 13 Mile Road, Beverly Hills, $15 at the door (cash/check only), 248-495-0998, jwrtheatre@gmail.com. The Oakland Theatre Project presents a theatrical collaboration of theatre teachers and directors from Oakland and Macomb counties.

• “The Little Mermaid”: Aug. 15-24, at 2nd Street Performing Arts Center, 1123 2nd St., Wyandotte, www.2ndstpac.com, tickets are $26.39+.

• “The Music Man” musical: 7 p.m. August 15; 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Aug. 16; and 1 p.m. Aug. 17, at Milford High School’s Center for the Performing Arts, presented by Huron Valley Community Theater, www.hvCommunityTheater.org. The story of a con man, Harold Hill, who poses as a children’s band organizer to sell instruments and uniforms to the residents of River City, Iowa.

• “Radical Empathy”: Through Aug. 24, (Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m.) at Theatre NOVA, 410 W. Huron St., Ann Arbor, www.theatrenova.org, 734-635-8450, $30 general, $25 seniors, $15 students.

Art

• Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center (BBAC): fall registration for classes begins Aug. 7, BBArtCenter.org, 248-644-0866, four new exhibitions will open on Aug. 22-Sept. 18, Lynn Galbreath- “Conversations”; Birmingham Society of Women Painters- “Explorations”; Robert Morris- “Earth Projects” and Students of Ed Duff, BBArtCenter.org.

• “On Being Human”: exhibit through Sept. 4, art by Joan Witte, Community Art Gallery at First Merchants Bank, 22635 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Museum hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday to Friday.

• Drop-In Workshop: Rod Puppets is 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Aug. 6-7, 11 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. Aug. 8, and noon-4 p.m. Aug. 9, Detroit Institute of Arts, Art-Making Studio, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit, www.dia.org.

• “Crosscurrents”: opening Aug. 9, exhibit through Oct. 8, Library Street Collective, 1274 Library St.. Detroit, group exhibition of works by El Anatsui, Nick Cave, Myrlande Constant, and José Parlá, open Wednesday-Saturday, noon-6 p.m., lscgallery.com.

• Poolside Performance: Tales from Thonis-Heraclion is 6:30 p.m. Aug. 14, Cranbrook Art Museum, 39221 Woodward Ave. Bloomfield Hills, https://cranbrookartmuseum.org/events/poolside-performance-thonis-heraclion.

• Suzanne Guimond Wilson: Glass Art exhibit is open through Aug. 23, Anton Art Center, 125 Macomb Place, Mount Clemens, www.facebook.com/AntonArtCenter, www.theartcenter.org.

• The Art of Ballet Costuming: A Celebration of Design & Dance exhibit through Aug. 29, The Gallery, 610 W. Elm Ave., Monroe, (10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday).

• Inside|Out Art: Detroit Institute of Arts installations of DIA reproduction artwork have been placed at locations in communities throughout the metro area, on exhibit through October, https://dia.org/events/insideout-2025.

• Farmington Hills Seeks Artist Submissions: The City of Farmington Hills Cultural Arts Division seeks artists for the 2025-2027 Public Art Program to showcase their work at Farmington Hills City Hall. Applications can be submitted at tinyurl.com/FHPublicArt25. Artists are not required to live in Farmington Hills.

• Eventually Everything Connects: Mid-Century Modern Design in the US exhibit through Sept. 21, Cranbrook Art Museum, 39221 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, https://cranbrookartmuseum.org. Curator-led tour is 11:30 a.m. July 25, online tour tickets include general admission.

• Mini-Golf at Cranbrook Art Museum: 39221 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, https://cranbrookartmuseum.org/mini-golf, 248-645-3323.

• “The Sea and the Sky”: The Sea and the Sky, and You and I” exhibit through Aug. 30, the Shepherd, 1265 Parkview St., Detroit, lscgallery.com, open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday.

• Floral Whispers: through September, Strand Art Gallery, Flagstar Strand Theatre, 12 N. Saginaw St., Pontiac, www.flagstarstrand.com. Hours are noon-4 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays.

• Guests of Honor: “Armor as Fashion” is through April 26, 2026, Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit, https://dia.org.

• University of Michigan Museum of Art: 525 South State St., Ann Arbor, 734-764-0395, umma.umich.edu, ticket prices vary.

Beats, continued

• Little Big Town: 7 p.m. Aug. 15, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Independence Twp., with Wynonna Judd and Shelby Lynne, 313presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Griffin Benton: 7 p.m. Aug. 15, El Club Detroit, 4114 W. Vernor Hwy., https://elclubdetroit.com, $27.20+.

• Summer Carillon Concert Series: 6 p.m. Aug. 15, Oakland University’s Elliott Tower, 578 Pioneer Drive, Rochester, bring your lawn chairs and blankets, https://calendar.oakland.edu/smtd.

•Madeleine Kelson: 8 p.m. Aug. 15, at 20 Front Street, Lake Orion, 248-783-7105, www.20frontstreet.com, doors at 7:30 p.m., $22.73+.

• Discipline: 9 p.m. Aug. 16, The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, doors at 7 p.m. all ages, general admission $20 advance, $30 day of show, https://thelovingtouchferndale.com, 248-546-3696.

• Dan Navarro: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 17, The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, https://theark.org, doors at 7:30 p.m., $25/$35.

• Harmony in the Hills: Concert in the Garden, North Star Saxophone Quartet, is 7 p.m., Aug. 20 at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 620 Romeo St. Rochester, https://stpaulsrochester.org.

• LCD Soundsystem: Aug. 21, Masonic Temple Theatre, 500 Temple St., Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m., 313-548-1320 or themasonic.com, ticket prices vary.

Choral music

• New Century Chorale: New Century Chorale, an adult community choir of 30 members, seeks new members. New members night is 6:45 p.m. Aug. 18, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 711 S. Saginaw, Flint. Rehearsals are Monday nights, www.newcenturychorale.org, 810-771-8255.

Classical/Orchestra

• Michigan Philharmonic: 7 p.m. Aug. 15, Ford House, 1100 Lake Shore Road Grosse Pointe Shores, fordhouse.org, general admission is $25+.

Comedy

• Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle: Cactus Tate-Aug. 10; Ashley Gavin-Aug. 7-9; at 310 S. Troy St., Royal Oak, www.comedycastle.com, 248-542-9900, ages 18+, ticket prices vary.

• One Night Stans: J Chris Newberg-Aug. 7-9; Johnny Beehner-Aug. 14-16; at 4761 Highland Road, Waterford Twp., www.onenightstans.club, 248-249-1321, ages 18+, ticket prices vary.

• Aziz Ansari: 7 p.m. Aug. 16, Fisher Theatre, Detroit, BroadwayInDetroit.com, ticket prices vary.

• Chris Distefano, comedian: Aug. 22, Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W. 4th St. Royal Oak, www.royaloakmusictheatre.com, 248-399-3065, ticket prices vary.

Concerts in the Park

Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to sit on at these outdoor concerts. In case of inclement weather, check websites and Facebook for updates.

• Summer Music Series: 7-8:30 p.m. Fridays through Aug. 22, at Knight Amphitheater at Riverside Park, 3311 Parkways Blvd., downtown Auburn Hills, www.auburnhills.org/community/downtown.

•  Concerts in the Park: 7 p.m. Aug. 8, Beverly Park, 18801 Beverly Road, Beverly Hills, www.villagebeverlyhills.com.

• Ryan Bills Trio: 9 a.m.-noon, 3rd Sunday of the month, June through September, Java & Jazz Series at the Beverly Park pavilion, 18801 Beverly Road, Beverly Hills, www.villagebeverlyhills.com/department/beverly_park_events.php.

• In the Park Summer Concert Series: 7 p.m. Wednesdays through Aug. 27, at Shain Park, Merrill Street and Bates Street, Birmingham, www.bhamgov.org/summerconcerts, free, family-friendly concert series. If inclement weather, call 248-530-1650 to check event status.

• August Summer Concerts: 6:30-8 p.m. Thursdays, Aug. 7-28, Brandenburg Park, 50050 Jefferson Ave., Chesterfield Twp., Parks & Recreation free park entry, extended splash pad hours, food trucks, Aug. 7 concert is during Cheers to Chesterfield Festival, https://parks.chesterfieldtwp.org, ww.facebook.com/ChesterfieldTwpPR.

• Summer Sounds: Fridays-Sundays through Sept. 1, (5-8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 3-6 p.m. Sundays, also 3-6 p.m. Labor Day), The Mall at Partridge Creek, Center Court, 17420 Hall Road, Clinton Twp., https://shoppartridgecreek.com/event/summer-sounds, family-friendly music.

• Music Series in Dinan Park: 6-8 p.m. Thursdays through Aug. 28, Dinan Park, downtown Farmington, www.downtownfarmington.org.

• Rhythms in Riley Park: 7-9 p.m. Fridays through Aug. 29, Riley Park, downtown Farmington, www.downtownfarmington.org.

• Summer Concert Series: 7 p.m. Aug. 14, Heritage Park Amphitheater, 24915 Farmington Road, Farmington Hills, www.facebook.com/CityofFarmingtonHills. No alcohol or pets, bring lawn chairs or blankets.

• Fenton Concerts In The Park: 7-8:30 p.m. Thursdays through Sept. 4, Rackham Park, behind the Fenton Community & Cultural Center, 150 S. Leroy St., Fenton, https://slpr.net/programs/special-events/fenton-linden-summer-concert-series-2025.

• Summer Concert Series: 6:30-9 p.m. Sundays through Aug. 31, Lake St. Clair Metropark, Thomas Welsh Activity Center, Harrison Twp., www.metroparks.com/concerts. Metroparks vehicle pass required to enter.

• LOLive! Concert Series: 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesdays through Aug. 27, Children’s Park, downtown Lake Orion, downtownlakeorion.org. If inclement weather forecast, concert will be moved indoors to 20 Front Street at 20 Front St., Lake Orion. Sarah Darling is Aug. 13.

• Summer concert series: 7-9 p.m. Thursdays Aug. 14 and Aug. 21, Central Park, downtown Milford, www.meetmeinmilford.com/downtown-events/summer-concert-series.

• Uptown Friday Night Concert Series: 7-9 p.m. Fridays through Aug. 22, Macomb Place, Main Stage by the Anton Art Center, Mount Clemens, www.facebook.com/DowntownMountClemens.

• Music in the Ville: Bands-7-9 p.m. Saturdays through Sept. 27, Town Square on Main Street, downtown Northville. Other concerts include Thursday night acoustics on Center Street, and Friday night acoustics in Old Church Square on Center Street, www.downtownnorthville.com.

• Summer Concert Series: 7-8:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Aug. 20, Oak Park Community Center Grounds, 14300 Oak Park Blvd., Oak Park, https://oakparkmi.gov.

• Free concerts at Wildwood: 7-8:30 p.m. Thursdays through Aug. 14, Wildwood Amphitheater, 2700 Joslyn Ct., Orion Twp., www.facebook.com, www.orion.events, free, tickets at orion.events, bring lawn chairs or blankets.

• Oxford Summer Concert Series: 6:30-8 p.m. Thursdays through Aug. 14, Centennial Park on Lapeer Road, downtown Oxford, https://downtownoxford.info/events/oxfords-summer-concert-series.

• Music in the Parks concert series: 7 p.m. select Thursdays at Pontiac Parks, bring blankets or lawn chairs, pontiac.mi.us. La Traizon is Aug. 7 at North Kiwanis Park, 775 Stanley Ave.; Evening Star is Aug. 28 at Murphy Park, 441 MLK Jr. Blvd. S.; and to be announced, Sept 4 at Beaudette Park, 786 Orchard Lake Road, www.pontiac.mi.us/government/mayor/events.php.

• Village of Rochester Hills outdoor summer concerts: Fridays through Aug. 29, Festival Park, The Village of Rochester Hills shopping center, 104 N. Adams Road, Rochester Hills, TheVORH.com.

• Music in the Parks: 6:30-8 p.m. Aug. 14, at Romeo Village Park, 115 W. Newberry, Romeo. Concerts at Bruce Township Park are 6:30-8 p.m. Aug. 10 and Aug. 17, at 223 E. Gates, Bruce Twp. Concerts at Washington Township Park are 6:30-8 p.m. Aug. 7 and Aug. 21, at 57900 Van Dyke, Washington Twp., family-friendly, bring lawn chairs, www.rwbparksrec.org.

• Summer Concert Series: 7 p.m. Thursdays through Aug. 14, Centennial Commons Park, downtown Royal Oak, www.royaloakchamber.com/summer-concert-series.

• Sights & Sounds Concert Series: 4-9 p.m. Aug. 13, Royal Oak Farmers Market, 316 E 11 Mile Road, Royal Oak, live music, food truck rally, www.romi.gov/1533/Farmers-Market.

• Wild Summer Nights Concert Series: 5-8 p.m. Wednesdays through August, Detroit Zoo, 8450 W 10 Mile Rd, Royal Oak, concert begins at 6 p.m., https://detroitzoo.org/events/wild-summer-nights-concert-series, free with zoo admission, bring a blanket or chair

• Summer Concert Series: Taylor Tucky (country) is 7-8:30 p.m. Aug. 8 and Pink Floyd vs The Doors (rock tribute) is Aug. 22, at Stony Creek Metropark, Eastwood Beach, Shelby Twp., www.metroparks.com/concerts.

• Kimmie Horne Jazz Festival: 6-10:30 p.m. Aug. 8, and 3-10:30 p.m. Aug. 9, Southfield Municipal Campus front lawn, musicians, vendors, food trucks, www.cityofsouthfield.com/residents/events, free admission.

Summer Wind Down Concert: 7-9 p.m. Aug. 15, featuring Jackie C. and the Detroit Rhythm Band on the Southfield Municipal Campus front lawn, 26000 Evergreen Road, hosted by Southfield Parks & Recreation Department, www.cityofsouthfield.com/residents/events.

• Music In The Park: Thursdays through Aug. 28, at Dodge Park, 40620 Utica Road, Sterling Heights, https://sterlingheights.gov/1236/Dodge-Park-Thursdays.
• Summer Sensation Concert Series: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Aug. 7 and Aug. 21, at Stine Community Park, 241 Town Center Drive, west off Livernois between Big Beaver and Wattles Roads, Troy, food truck, troymi.gov, bring lawn chairs or blankets.

• Walled Lake Summer Concerts: 7-9 p.m. Wednesdays through Aug. 13, at Hiram Sims Park, 1299 Quinif Drive, https://walledlake.us.

• Family Fun Nights and Summer Concert Series: Thursdays through Aug. 21, Family Fun Night is 6-7:30  p.m. concerts are 7-9 p.m. at Sibley Square Park, 48900 Pontiac Trail, Wixom, www.wixomgov.org.

Film

• Movies in the Moonlight event: Aug. 9-”Wicked”, Upper Level of the East Parking Platform, at the corner of E Fourth and East Street, downtown Rochester, pre-shows start at 8 p.m. movies begin around 8:30 p.m. movie lot opens at 7 p.m., admission is free, no alcohol or glass in the movie lot, bring lawn chairs, www.downtownrochestermi.com/movies-in-the-moonlight.

• Birmingham Outdoor Movie Nights: Aug. 8- “Moana 2” and Sept. 5- “Trolls”, Booth Park, located on the west side of North Old Woodward Avenue, south of Harmon Street in Birmingham. Pre-show entertainment at 6:30 p.m., movies start at 7:30 p.m., www.ALLINBirmingham.com/events.

• Southfield Parks & Recreation to host “Park It” outdoor movie “Kung Fu Panda 4” (Rated PG, 2024), Aug. 11, at the Southfield Municipal Campus front lawn, 26000 Evergreen Road, Southfield. The event will feature live entertainment beginning at 6:30 p.m., an inflatable bounce house (socks required), face painting, hot dog and lemonade for purchase, free admission, 248-796-4620, www.cityofsouthfield.com.

• AMC Theatres: AMC Forum Sterling Heights, 586-254-1381; AMC Star Gratiot Clinton Township, 586-791-2095; AMC Star Great Lakes Auburn Hills, 248-454-0314; AMC Star John R Madison Heights, 248-585-4477, amctheatres.com.

• Cinemark Southland Center, Taylor, 734-287-0629, www.cinemark.com/theatres.

• Detroit Film Theatre at Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit, dia.org, ticket prices vary.

• Emagine Theatres: Birmingham 8, 248-723-6230; Emagine Palladium in Birmingham, 248-385-0500; Canton, 734-787-3002; The Riviera in Farmington Hills, 248-788-6572; Hartland, 810-207-5757; Macomb, 586-372-3456; Novi, 248-468-2990; Rochester Hills, 248-378-2991; Royal Oak, 248-414-1000, emagine-entertainment.com, ticket prices vary. Summer Kids Series movies, through Aug. 22, featuring a different animated film each week, tickets are $3 each. “Freakier Friday” opening night special Girls Night Out Mother/Daughter event, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Aug. 8, at Emagine Rochester Hills, with local vendors selling hair tinsel and glitter tattoos.

• Farmington Civic Theater: 33332 Grand River Ave., Farmington, www.theFCT.com.

• Milford Independent Cinema: 945 E Summit St., Milford, milfordcinema.org/tickets, $5+.

• MJR Theatres: MJR Chesterfield, 586-598-2500; MJR Universal Grand, Warren, 586-620-0200; MJR Troy, 248-498-2100; MJR Marketplace, Sterling Heights, 586-264-1514; MJR Partridge Creek, Clinton Twp., 586-263-0084; MJR Waterford, 248-666-7900, MJR Southgate, 734-284-3456, mjrtheatres.com.

• Oxford GQT Theater: 248-628-7101, gqtmovies.com/theaterinfo/x01tk-gqt-oxford-7.

• Redford Theatre: 17360 Lahser Road, Detroit, redfordtheatre.com, ticket prices vary.

• Regal UA, Commerce Twp.: 844-462-7342, regmovies.com/theatres/regal-ua-commerce-township.

• Romeo Theatre, Washington: 586-752-3455, romeotheatre.com.

Food trucks

• Shed 5 Flea market: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Aug. 10, Eastern Market Sheds 5 and 6, 2934 Russell St., Detroit, 100 curated vendors, including vintage clothing dealers, handmade artisans, antique sellers, and food trucks, www.mercantilefairs.com.

• Food Truck Mondays: 4:30-7:30 p.m. Mondays, May-August, Beverly Park, 18801 Beverly Road, Beverly Hills, www.villagebeverlyhills.com/department/beverly_park_events.php.

• Food Truck Wednesdays: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays through Aug. 20, BCTV Studio Parking Lot,  4190 Dublin Drive, Bloomfield Twp., www.bloomfieldtwp.org/foodtruck.

• Downtown Street Eats: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday, through Oct. 10, bringing more than 80 of Metro Detroit’s best food trucks and restaurants to Cadillac Square and the Woodward Esplanade, DowntownDetroit.org/events.

Fundraisers/Charitable events

• “Pain to Purpose”: wellness fundraiser to support The V Foundation’s cancer research is 9 a.m.-noon, Aug. 10, at Adams Manor, 3800 Adams Road, Oakland Twp., co-hosted by Live Well Lead Well and B.T.R. Nation, featuring actor and comedian Dave Coulier as headliner, sharing his personal cancer journey. Activities include guided nature walk, healing-centered wellness tools, breakfast bites, mocktails, limited tickets available, $250 per person, to purchase tickets or donate, visit LiveWellLeadWell.us.

• “Project Backpack” Giveaway: Noon-2 p.m. Aug. 10, at Mike Morse Law Firm parking lot, 24901 Northwestern Hwy., Southfield. The giveaway is open to all Metro Detroit students in grades K-5, while supplies last. Each backpack includes supplies such as pencils, crayons, scissors, pencil pouches, and a sharpener. The  family-friendly event features food trucks, live entertainment, children’s activities, inflatable games, and raffles for prizes. Backpacks will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis. Pre-registration is encouraged, but not required at www.855MIkeWins.com.

• Volunteers of America Michigan annual Operation Backpack campaign with this year’s Backpacks 4 You at the Detroit Zoo. Each backpack will be stuffed with new school supplies, two free tickets to The Detroit Zoo, a complimentary haircut from Douglas J, and books provided by Molina Healthcare. Registration is required and families must sign up in advance at www.voami.org/operationbackpack to reserve their backpack and a scheduled pickup timeslot. The backpack distribution event will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 13 at the entrance to The Detroit Zoo, 8450 W. 10 Mile Road, Royal Oak.

• Oakland Uncorked is 7-10 p.m. Aug. 15 at the Oakland County Farmers Market, 2350 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford Twp., featuring samples of wine, beer and gourmet bites with live music, shopping local artisans and participating in a silent auction. Tickets are $60/person and can be purchased at WaterfordChamber.org. This event is presented by the Waterford Area Chamber of Commerce, Michigan United Credit Union, Oakland County Parks and the Oakland County Farmers Market. For more information, call the Waterford Area Chamber of Commerce at 248-666-8600 or email info@waterfordchamber.org.

• Classic Cars for the Cure: 7-10:30 p.m. Sept. 20, at 1330 North Crooks Road, Clawson to support cancer research at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute. The gala is to be held indoors in a private garage, with strolling supper, live ‘50s and ‘60s music by Stella and her band Intrigue, a performance along with dance and swing lessons from the Oakland University Dance Team, classic automobiles on display. Guests are asked to wear cocktail attire or 1950s and 1960s flair. Tickets are $250 each, karmanos.org/cars25.

Museums

• Ford Piquette Plant Museum: 461 Piquette Ave., Detroit. Open Wednesdays through Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $10-$18. Optional guided tours take place daily at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m., www.fordpiquetteplant.org, 313-872-8759. Cars & Coffee event is 8:30-10 a.m. Aug. 9, antique and classic vehicles are welcome in the museum’s parking lot, coffee and donuts while supplies last, (trailer parking is available with an RSVP to info@fordpiquetteplant.org), ticket prices vary. Racing-The Heart & Soul of Ford Motor Company is 10 a.m. Aug. 9, presentation about Henry Ford’s history and racing his Model T, featuring Todd Bryan, president of the Henry Ford Heritage Association, and an engineering supervisor at Ford Motor Company, www.fordpiquetteplant.org.

• Ford House: historic estate of Eleanor and Edsel Ford, 1100 Lake Shore Road, Grosse Pointe Shores, www.fordhouse.org, 313-884-4222, www.fordhouse.org/events, admission is $7 per adult and $5 per child, ages 6+, free for 5 and younger.  Outdoor Summer Concert Series-Michigan Philharmonic is set for 7 p.m. Aug. 15 and The Dave Hamilton Band on Sept. 12, ticket prices vary.

• Michigan Science Center (Mi-Sci): 5020 John R St., Detroit, 313-577-8400, www.mi-sci.org. Regular museum gen. adm. is $17+. Standard Mi-Sci films are available as a $6 add-on to general admission tickets. Mi-Sci is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday and until 8 p.m. the first Friday of each month. Kids Town exhibit provides a tinkering space for children 5 and under to explore creativity as part of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) concepts – while under the supervision of parents and caregivers. Tyrannosaurs – Meet the Family exhibit extended through August. EV-themed Cars & Coffee is 9 a.m.-noon Aug. 10, in the front parking lot on John R St in Detroit, free event and includes admission to Mi-Sci from 9 a.m. to noon. Attendees and those who wish to display a vehicle in Mi-Sci’s parking lot must register in advance.

• Cranbrook Institute of Science: 39221 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, https://science.cranbrook.edu. The museum is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday, and noon-4 p.m. Sunday, $14-general admission, $10.50-ages 2-12 and ages 65+, free for ages under 2 and members.

• Troy Historic Village: 60 W. Wattles Road, Troy. Register online to reserve a timeslot at www.TroyHistoricVillage.org. Walk-ins are also welcome. Regular hours are 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday. Admission is free to members, $7/Adult, $5/Senior, $5/Youth 6-17 for non-members, free for ages under 6.

• Meadow Brook Hall: Guided House Tours and Self-Guided Tours, 350 Estate Drive, Rochester. Visit meadowbrookhall.org/tours for tour times and ticket prices.

• Rochester Hills Museum: open for drop-in hours, Fridays and Saturdays, from noon-3 p.m. with guided tour of the Van Hoosen Farmhouse and Red House, at 1 p.m., 1005 Van Hoosen Road, Rochester Hills, www.rochesterhills.org/musprograms, free admission for museum members, $5/adults, $3/seniors and students for non-members.

• Detroit Arsenal of Democracy Museum: seeks volunteer groups from veteran and military groups to assist with restoration. The museum is also seeking building materials and equipment to support the ongoing restoration of its vintage industrial space at 19144 Glendale Ave., Detroit, including floor grinders, clear epoxy and Thinset products for floor repairs, www.detroitarsenalofdemocracy.org.

• Detroit Historical Museum: 5401 Woodward Ave. (NW corner of Kirby) in Midtown Detroit, detroithistorical.org. Permanent exhibits include the famous Streets of Old Detroit, the Allesee Gallery of Culture, Doorway to Freedom: Detroit and the Underground Railroad, Detroit: The “Arsenal of Democracy,” the Gallery of Innovation, Frontiers to Factories, America’s Motor City and The Glancy Trains, regular museum general admission is $10. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. “Detroit Lions: Gridiron Heroes,” exhibition featuring the history of the Detroit Lions, detroithistorical.org. Free admission for educators and public and school librarians through August to the Detroit Historical Museum and the Dossin Great Lakes Museum.

• Heroes vs. Villains: Detroit’s Comic Book Story exhibit through May 2026, Detroit Historical Museum, 5401 Woodward Ave. (NW corner of Kirby) in Midtown Detroit, detroithistorical.org.

• Dossin Great Lakes Museum: 100 Strand Drive, Belle Isle, Detroit. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday, detroithistorical.org, general admission tickets are $5, free for children under 6. Free admission for educators and public and school librarians through August.

• Greater West Bloomfield Historical Society: open 1st/2nd/4th/5th Sundays of the month and 3rd Fridays, 1-4 pm, (holidays excluded) with exhibits including “Four Communities” exhibit at The Orchard Lake Museum, 3951 Orchard Lake Road, Orchard Lake. Admission is free, donations welcome, www.gwbhs.org, 248-757-2451.

• Hammond Planetarium: at Henry Ford College, in the Science Building, www.hfcc.edu/campus-life/planetarium.

• Henry Ford Museum: Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and Greenfield Village, 20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn, Ford Rouge Factory Tours Monday-Saturday, purchase tickets online, prices vary, thehenryford.org.

• Monroe County Museum: 126 S Monroe St., Monroe, monroemi.gov, facebook.com/MonroeMuseums. Museum admission and activities are free and open to the public.

• Motown Museum: 2648 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit, motownmuseum.org, 313-875-2264. “Henry ‘Hank’ Cosby: An Original Funk Brother” is a newly opened exhibit. Museum is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wed.-Sun., gen. admission-$20, ages 4 and under admitted free. The fourth annual Motown Mile outdoor exhibit, “Keeper of the Dream,” celebrates the legacy of Motown Museum’s founder Esther Gordy Edwards. The installation’s eight panels can be viewed while walking down the Riverwalk, through fall.

• Pontiac Transportation Museum: 250 W. Pike St., Pontiac. Admission to the museum is $15, $12 for seniors and veterans, $8 for children ages 6-12, free for children ages 5 and younger, 50% off for Pontiac residents with ID. Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, www.pontiactransportationmuseum.org. First Thursday Lecture Series is 7-8:30 p.m., first Thursday of the month, free.

• Royal Oak Historical Society Museum: Hours are 1-4 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, 1411 W. Webster Road, Royal Oak, royaloakhistoricalsociety.com, 248-439-1501, $10+ suggested donation.

• Westin Book Cadillac at 100 Exhibition: Westin Book Cadillac, 1114 Washington Blvd., Detroit, presented with Detroit Historical Society, exhibit explores the 100-year history of the Book Cadillac hotel, https://detroithistorical.org.

• The Wright: The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, 315 E. Warren Ave., Detroit, 313-494-5800, open Tuesday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and open until 7 p.m. on Thursday, closed on Mondays, reserve timed tickets at thewright.org, $30+ gen adm., $20 for seniors 62+, $15 for youth, ages 5-17, free for under 5.

• The Zekelman Holocaust Center: 28123 Orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills, admission is $8 adult, free with membership, www.holocaustcenter.org, 248-553-2400. “Nothing to Do But to Try” exhibition explores some of the earliest works of 20th-century artist and Holocaust survivor, Boris Lurie (1924–2008), on exhibit through December 2025.

To submit an event, email to kblake@medianewsgroup.com. Allow two weeks’ notice for scheduled events.

The City of Farmington Hills held its 48th annual Employee Recognition and Service Awards ceremony on July 31 at the historic Longacre House, to recognize employees for their excellence and service throughout 2024.

The city honored Employee, Firefighter and Police Officers of the Year, as well as four employees who received Outstanding Employee Awards. These honorees were nominated by their peers.

The city also recognized 35 employees who celebrated milestone service anniversaries. The longest serving employee honored was Tim Waker, who retired in July as the city’s chief engineering inspector. He had worked his way up from a part-time position after graduating from Farmington High School in 1988, according to a press release.

“Year after year, I’m proud to recognize the outstanding work of a team whose commitment to excellence extends to every corner of Farmington Hills,” said City Manager Gary Mekjian. “Their dedication is a driver of progress that helps keep the City strong and vibrant.”

The award recipients include:

Employee of the Year

Hannah Muth, recreation supervisor of aquatics and facilities in the City’s Special Services Department was honored with the Employee of the Year Award.

Firefighter of the Year

Stanley Bailey, a sergeant with the Farmington Hills Fire Department was honored with the Firefighter of the Year Award. Bailey was commended for his commitment to supporting his colleagues. Bailey has received several awards and citations for excellent work over the course of his career. He has been with the Farmington Hills Fire Department since 2011.

Police Officers of the Year

Alexander Aquiline and Susan Woodard were both named Police Officer of the Year for 2024. Both received a Valor Citation in 2024 for heroically confronting an armed man who assaulted his girlfriend and attempted to murder Officer Aquiline, Detective Woodard and their fellow officers, according to the press release. They have also received Life Saving Awards. Aquiline was selected as Police Officer of the Year for 2023.

Outstanding Employee Awards

The four employees recognized with Outstanding Employee Awards are Vincenzo Mabe, a building maintenance mechanic in the Department of Public Services; Matthew Malone, the City’s GIS coordinator; Shontae Stringfellow, the City’s deputy treasurer; and Shemsi Veseli, a building maintenance worker in the Department of Public Services.

The City of Farmington Hills employs more than 450 full-time and regular part-time staff, and more than 600 seasonal staff. For more information, visit fhgov.com/employment.