With Amazon's Big Deal Days sales event driving a surge in online orders, many shoppers will soon be tracking multiple deliveries. Unfortunately, that's also when fraudsters often ramp up efforts to send fake delivery alerts designed to steal personal information.

Consumers say suspicious package notifications have become a regular occurrence.

"I've seen the delayed packages message, yeah," one shopper told us.

Others reported receiving messages claiming they owed money on a delivery, or needed to call a phone number to receive a delivery.

WATCH as we learn how easy it now is it confirm an Amazon text message:

Because Amazon is one of the most frequently impersonated brands by scammers, the company has introduced a new feature through Alexa for Shopping that allows customers to verify whether a text message, email or phone call actually came from Amazon.

According to Amazon spokesperson Abigail Bishop, the tool cross-checks customer inquiries against Amazon's communication records to determine whether a message is legitimate.

Customers can ask questions such as:

If additional details are needed, Alexa may ask for information such as the phone number that contacted you and when the message was received.

While fake delivery notifications often spike during major online shopping events, experts say delivery scams happen year-round and can impersonate virtually any company.

Consumers should never:

"Scammers often will push you to take action. And if you're feeling that pressure, take a beat," Bishop said.

CLICK HERE to learn more about how to check out a text message via Alexa for Shopping.

If you're uncertain whether a delivery message is genuine, experts recommend logging directly into your Amazon account to verify any issue rather than clicking links or replying to texts.

Many shoppers say they simply delete suspicious messages immediately.

One mom told us she not only deletes questionable delivery texts, but also reminds her daughters to do the same.

That's a smart way to avoid becoming the next victim of a delivery scam and losing money to fraud.

_____________________________________

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For more consumer news and money saving advice, go to www.dontwasteyourmoney.com

The Gulf Coast is bracing for a hurricane landfall after Tropical Storm Isaias formed Wednesday morning off Mexico's coast.

As of early Wednesday, Isaias was a minimal tropical storm but was expected to strengthen as it moves north toward the U.S. coastline. The National Hurricane Center forecasts that Isaias will become a hurricane by Thursday and make landfall late Friday or early Saturday as a strong Category 2 storm.

Areas from eastern Louisiana to Florida's Panhandle should closely monitor Isaias, forecasters said. The National Hurricane Center expects to issue hurricane watches for portions of the region later Wednesday.

RELATED STORY | Study: Super-sized El Nio could cause more than 450,000 heat deaths by February

Forecasters believe Isaias will develop a large wind field as it approaches the coast, extending potential impacts well beyond the point of landfall.

That could bring heavy rain and gusty winds into the Tennessee and Ohio valleys over the weekend.

It has been nearly two years since a hurricane made a direct U.S. landfall. The last hurricane to strike the United States was Hurricane Milton in 2024, when it came ashore along the Florida coast as a Category 3 storm. Milton was the ninth-costliest hurricane in U.S. history.

Last year marked the first hurricane season in a decade without a U.S. hurricane landfall.

RELATED STORY | Atlantic sees no hurricanes during September for the first time since 1994

The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season has been relatively quiet, with a strong El Nio helping suppress tropical activity.

Although Isaias is the ninth named storm of the Atlantic season, none of the previous storms reached hurricane strength. The Atlantic is on pace for its quietest season since 2013, when only two hurricanes formed.

The peak of the Atlantic hurricane season passed nearly a month ago.

Anyone who drives the US-23 Flex Route has probably asked the same question: if traffic is backed up, why isn't the flex lane open?

That's exactly what one metro Detroit driver wanted to know after repeatedly encountering heavy congestion while the lane remained closed.

Driver Questions Flex Lane Operations

Kevin Telepo drives US-23 several times a week and says he's often frustrated when traffic slows to a crawl but the flex lane stays closed.

"You're driving and there is a lot of traffic, and you wonder why that left lane isn't open," Telepo said.

Telepo described seeing miles of bumper-to-bumper traffic while overhead signs continue displaying red Xs, preventing drivers from entering the lane.

"When you get down to the very end, the last red X and you see the red line and then traffic opens up in that third lane and branches out and it's wide open, it just seems like it is an obstruction almost," he said.

How the US-23 Flex Route Works

According to the Michigan Department of Transportation, the US-23 Flex Route uses the shoulder as a temporary third lane during periods of high traffic volume. MDOT says the approach is a more cost-effective alternative to widening the freeway.

Behind the scenes, operators monitor traffic conditions from one of MDOT's Transportation Operations Centers. Staff watch 49 cameras along the corridor between M-14 and I-96.

"From 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., we have a dedicated operator and that is their job. They are operating that flex route," said Stephanie Palmer, MDOT's University Region Traffic Safety and Operations Engineer.

When Does the Flex Lane Open?

Palmer said the flex lane operates on a regular schedule during peak commuting hours:

Outside those times, MDOT considers two primary factors before opening the lane.

First, the traffic backup must be significant enough that it's not expected to clear quickly.

"You might be in traffic congestion and it may be something short-term, like a police officer has pulled someone over up ahead and it's going to be a smaller impact on traffic," Palmer explained.

Second, operators must determine that it is safe to open the lane.

"It takes at least 10 minutes for us to do our checks, our safety checks, to get that lane open," Palmer said.

Study Shows Safety Benefits

Despite frustrations from some drivers, research suggests the flex route is improving safety.

A Michigan State University study published in December 2021 evaluated the US-23 Flex Route between M-14 and M-36 and found:

MDOT Says It Continues to Review Operations

Palmer said driver feedback is valuable and can help MDOT improve how the system operates.

"I appreciate the feedback, and one of the things we will do is go back and look at our operations," Palmer said. "We can look at areas where it was congested and it looks like we didn't open the flex route. We do have those resources available to keep checking and trying to improve operations."

Telepo hopes those reviews lead to improvements.

"It would be nice to be looked into to see what can be done," he said.

Additional Flex Lane Openings

MDOT says the agency also opens the flex lanes for major events, including University of Michigan football games, as well as during periods of heavy summer travel.

Drivers can learn more about the flex route on MDOT's website: US-23 Flex Route Information.

Have a traffic concern you'd like investigated? Email ali.hoxie@wxyz.com.

Michigan’s major party candidates for governor met for the first time on the debate stage Tuesday night. The Grand Rapids television station WOOD-TV hosted the event.

Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and her Republican opponent, Congressman John James (R-MI 10), used questions on foreign policy, education, and energy to differentiate themselves from one another.

Benson frequently tried to tie James to President Donald Trump and unpopular administration policies like going to war with Iran and starting a trade war with Canada.

“If you like gas pushing $5 a gallon, or mortgage rates over 7%, or tariffs taxing just about everything we pay for, then John James is your guy,” Benson said during her closing remarks of the debate.

James routinely emphasized his willingness to break with the president. He called for an end to the war in Iran — a turnabout from his previous statements — and for smarter trade policy.

“I’ve actually called out the administration, specifically talking with the trade ambassador, in saying we must get back to the table, stop acting like children, and negotiate a reciprocal, fair, and mutually beneficial arrangement,” James said.

Benson, for the first time, said she’d support suspending the state gas tax.

The question is among the latest policy debates to enter Michigan’s political races as gas prices spike largely due to the war with Iran. Benson previously called for the suspension of the federal gas tax to give Americans some savings on fuel.

Other policies Benson said would bring some price relief to Michiganders were a bit more unclear. She said she wanted to sign an agreement directly with Canada that would exempt Michigan from tariffs being charged under the trade war.

“You create an agreement between the state of Michigan and our neighbors to the north that says anything that goes from Michigan to Canada or Canada to Michigan are exempt from these tariffs,” Benson said.

It’s uncertain how Benson would go about putting that policy in place or what authority Michigan would have to supersede national trade policy.

“The state doesn’t have anything to do with international agreements,” James said during the debate when Benson first brought up the idea.

On Education

Michigan’s poor reading scores have been a consistent theme for all candidates in the November general election. The state’s latest scores show only around 40% of 4th graders reading at level.

James and Benson have both named similar policies like increasing support for teachers and students as ways they’d improve education. But they drew some separation when it came to accountability measures.

Michigan in 2023 repealed its “Read by Grade 3” law that aimed to hold students back for falling behind. James said he’d be open to bringing a similar policy back.

“Retention is absolutely on the table, and we have to make sure that we’re doing it in a manner that doesn’t hurt or crush the spirit of the child,” James said.

He continued by calling on Michigan to follow Mississippi’s model for reversing its reading scores. It’s been a popular Republican refrain this election cycle. James campaigned with Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves earlier this week.

For her part, Benson said decisions to hold kids back should be left with teachers and parents, not the state.

“At the same time, we need to be providing the support for every school, for every parent, for every district, for every kid, for every teacher to ensure it never gets to that point, and if it does, that we do come in with the wraparound support that our teachers, our students and our school districts need,” Benson said.

Energy takes center stage

While Benson hammered James for his association with Trump administration policies, James criticized Benson for her support of Michigan’s clean energy laws. The state requires a full transition to clean energy by 2040.

James said Michigan shouldn’t rule out any forms of energy that could be cheaper to produce.

“We need to make sure we have an all-of-the-above approach where yes, renewables, yes, natural gas, yes, nuclear, all of the above so that we can keep our prices low so we can remain resilient, but this needs to be economical as well as environmental,” James said.

Benson doubled down on investing in clean and renewable energy sources as the best way to advance the state’s economy and lower power bills while also protecting the environment. She also pushed for greater utility company regulation.

“I know the next governor of Michigan must ensure we are ending profit-driven rate hikes that have gotten us here where our electricity bills are going up, in some cases more than many other states. Also, invest in clean energy infrastructure,” Benson said.

Data centers

The debate also gave both candidates a chance to rehash the ongoing debate over data center policy. Michiganders have shared concerns about their potential environmental impacts and high energy needs.

Benson advanced a statewide moratorium on data centers while lawmakers figure out better policy protections. James’ position focused more on “local control.”

James previously called for a moratorium as well. But he said he’d support communities’ choices to welcome or block a data center, without the state government getting involved.

“If free people decide what they want to do then the government should get the heck out their way, they should facilitate it,” James told reporters after the debate.

When pressed on how that would count as a moratorium if the state isn’t pausing approvals for new data center projects, James’ stance got less clear.

“It’s a moratorium on Lansing and not the people,” he said.

The candidates also accused each other of profiting off data centers — James because of his investment portfolio, Benson because her husband works for Related Companies, which helped bring a massive AI data center to Saline Township over the original wishes of the local government.

Benson sought to play down those concerns. “He earns a salary from a company that, among other things, he’s worked to build developments in Detroit like the University of Michigan Center for Innovation, and now works on no Michigan projects but only affordable housing work nationwide,” she told reporters, denying her family made money off data centers.

Third party unrest

Outside WOOD-TV’s Grand Rapids studio where the debate took place, Libertarian Party nominee Anthony Hudson held a small protest over not being invited to attend.

Speaking through a amp in the back of a pick up truck parked on the street, Hudson said he’d be responding in real time to the debate’s questions.

He argued he was doing it for all the third-party candidates who weren’t allowed to take part.

If you've been dreading your daily drive on I-696, relief is almost here. The Restore the Reuther project has been progressing in phases since June of 2023.

Starting this Friday night, according to MDOT, westbound traffic will close for the weekend so crews can begin opening up the newly reconstructed westbound lanes.

Driver Denise Harvey told 7 News Detroit, I used to like the color orange. I hate it now. I hate it. I was telling my husband I hate the color orange.

"I try to avoid 696," she said.

The endless sea of orange construction barrels has turned routine commutes into daily bottlenecks that frustrate drivers trying to beat the rush.

Driver Leo Evans said, 3 o'clock rush hour, its over with it. So, having the freeway closed, iIs frustrating for most drivers. But were making it happen.

Motorists acknowledge the long-term benefits and recognized that decades-old infrastructure along 696 desperately needed an overhaul.

Driver Greg Mavian said, The freeway was built, I dont know how many years ago, 40 years ago. And its obsolete with the traffic today. So, it needed to be done. Theyre doing a great job.

There's good news on the horizon. MDOT said this Friday a major traffic shift starts at 9 p.m. Crews will move westbound drivers back onto the newly reconstructed side of the freeway between I-75 to M10, with nearly all westbound ramps reopening by Monday morning at 5 a.m.

On the phone, MDOT spokesperson Diane Cross told 7 News Detroit, Having most of those ramps open and traffic back on westbound is go e still have to keep eastbound closed though. Because we have to fix all the places where we were letting you cross over to Woodward, to Southfield, to M10.

Cross said drivers can expect westbound mile roads north of 10 mile to be busier and that motorists are encouraged to take designated detours.

For residents living right along the stretch, the progress can't come soon enough.

Driver Richard Nash told 7 News Detroit, That will be great. Its a serious pain in the rear end. Im right here at Woodward and 696 area where I live and I-75. We use I-75 all the time, and everythings congested.

While drivers are ready to celebrate this milestone, many know the orange barrels won't stay away for good.

Its good that they are fixing the roads," Harvey said. She added she knows it's only a matter of time before more work begins down the line.

MDOT said drivers should also note that the Woodward westbound off-ramp will remain closed for about another week for resurfacing.

Driverless cars are now navigating the streets of downtown Detroit. Waymo, a ride-hailing service similar to Uber or Lyft, has launched its fully autonomous test phase as the company prepares for a public launch in the near future.

Waymo operates with no one in the front seat only the rider in the back. Customers order a car through an app and receive a personal, private autonomous ride.

Detroit will be Waymo's 11th city. The company claims it is 10 times safer than a human driver, with 95% fewer serious or fatal crashes in areas where it operates.

For months, Waymo vehicles have been in downtown Detroit with humans behind the wheel, helping familiarize the cars with city streets. Now, the next test phase going fully autonomous is underway.

We didn't get to see any driverless cars on the streets themselves today, but I have seen many in downtown Detroit in previous months, always with a driver. Now, you may pull up to a stoplight, turn to your right, and see no one in the car next to you.

It's a mixed reaction in downtown Detroit as drivers grapple with the idea of driver less cars navigating the streets.

"I'm a little nervous to say the least," Key Webb said.

"I think it's pretty cool honestly," Travis Spencer said.

"I'm here for it, I'm excited to see cars driving themselves," Thomas Aragona said.

"The new technology and the development is an awesome thing to have down here," Alana Hardin said.

"I'm introverted so I'm going to be loving that, nobody trying to have this meaningless conversation as I'm trying to get to where I'm going," Webb said.

N. Charles Anderson, president and CEO of the Urban League of Detroit and Southeastern Michigan one of Waymo's community partners rode in a Waymo this summer in Nashville.

"I had sworn against riding in a self-driving car before that but since we've had some good support of Waymo they offered me a chance to take a ride I said why not, I got in and I was sold," Anderson said.

"I thought about how safe it was compared to some other modes of transportation, particularly for women. Women who ride in an Uber or Lyft who have concerns about your driver, you don't have that concern if you're in a Waymo and there's no driver," Anderson said.

Detroit riders say they're willing to give it a shot.

"With my driving record I definitely need one," Stephanie Berniers said.

"I'm kind of one of those people who want to try it out, maybe not be the first one but I'd like to try it out," Webb said.

"Downtown Detroit, Saturday night, it's crazy down here, I come down here a lot, the Uber situation could be crazy so I think the new edition would help people out a lot," Hardin said.

Waymo's deployment in Detroit is regulated by the State of Michigan. In advance of Waymo's official launch, the City of Detroit's Office of Mobility Innovation (OMI) has been meeting regularly with the company to understand its overall strategy and to make sure city agencies, including the Detroit Police Department and Detroit Fire Department, are prepared to support a safe and successful deployment. We've also shared lessons learned from Detroit's successful cold-weather autonomous vehicle (AV) pilot and our automated driving system pilot for senior and disabled residents. We're glad to see continued innovation in cold-weather autonomy, an important technology for cities like ours. Waymo's arrival is yet another sign that Detroit is the center of mobility innovation." said Ryan Michael, Deputy Chief of Business Innovation and Emerging Industries, City of Detroit.

A Warren man is charged with attempted kidnapping after allegedly trying to lure children away from their school playground at Crescentwood Elementary School.

The Eastpointe School District says the incident happened Sept. 24, while students were on the playground. School surveillance video shows what appears to be BB Williams in a grassy field behind the school.

WATCH video here:

Body camera footage from the Warren Police Department captures the moment officers found Williams near the school. During that encounter, an officer questioned Williams about his presence there.

Warren police arrested Williams nearby moments after the 911 call.

The Macomb County Prosecutor's Office charged him with one count of attempted kidnapping, assaulting, resisting, or obstructing police, and trespass. He is held on a $250,000 bond and is expected back in court this Thursday.

"That's weird, that blew my mind and I'm just happy that they got him," parent at the school, Benson Brown said.

"For him to be saying he was just looking at the kids that's pretty weird. Why are you trying to look at little kids. ya know there are a lot of things out here to look at," Brown said.

"I'm just happy that the teacher called and they were able to get the guy in custody," Brown said.

Brown said the incident has been top of mind for a lot of parents at the school.

"It gives me literally chills. Like it scares me. Like I don't want anything happening to my kids there ever," Hillegas said.

Chelsea Hillegas has a son at the school and worries about public access to the playground.

"There needs to be a fence, where people need to sign in and where the kids can't get out," Hillegas said.

7 News Detroit reached back out to the school district for comment on the safety protocols but did not hear back.

However, the district sent a statement when this first happened, saying in part, "The physical and emotional safety of our students remains our highest priority."

Michigan’s attorney general is reiterating that people should have confidence in the state’s elections.

Absentee voting in Michigan’s November general election began last month.

But Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said officials have been planning how to handle any possible disruptions for months.

“We want to make sure people know that it’s safe to vote, their votes are secure and that we have an accurate and democratic representation of votes cast,” Nessel said in an interview Tuesday.

Nessel said her office has been working with the governor’s team, state police, and election officials on “table-top exercises” to prepare for anything that could go wrong.

That’s as President Donald Trump continues to promote unproven claims about vote-rigging ahead of next month’s midterm elections. In a recent interview with Time Magazine, Trump didn’t rule out declaring a state of emergency in the lead-up.

Nessel said officials are preparing other briefs for everything from power outages to military troops at the polls.

“It could be the ones that we’re hearing the most about — federal agents or ICE being at the polls — or you have people who come to the polls who are disruptive in nature, or they plan to try to intimidate voters, or discourage people from not voting who are eligible voters,” Nessel said.

Voting has been relatively quiet in Michigan since 2020, when lies about the election being stolen fueled turmoil around its certification.

During this year's August primary election, federal monitors came to East Lansing, Lansing, Hamtramck, and Detroit. State officials said their presence didn’t cause any interruptions.

The Michigan Department of State Tuesday said it wasn’t aware of any future plans to send federal monitors to Michigan for the general election.

SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Mich. Some Shelby Township homeowners who live along M-53 say traffic noise has become so intense that they can no longer comfortably enjoy their own backyards, prompting renewed calls for a highway sound barrier.

But who should pay for one has become a major roadblock.

Doreen Nied has lived in her Beechwood Drive home near M-53 with her husband for nearly 40 years. She said the noise from passing traffic has made spending time outside increasingly difficult.

Ive tried to have people over, friends, Nied said. And you yell, quite frankly. You have to yell in order to be heard.

Inside her home, Nied said the couple has spent about $10,000 installing triple-layered glass windows to help keep the traffic noise out.

Next-door neighbor Kimberly Zachmann said she has also spent tens of thousands of dollars trying to reduce noise inside her home. She said the bedrooms have noise machines near the windows and the homes old windows have been replaced with noise-reducing models.

But those improvements cannot solve the problem outside.

I cant go in my backyard, Zachmann said. I can stay in my house, but I cant go in my backyard anymore.

Zachmann has started an online petition calling for a highway noise barrier.

Shelby Township Supervisor Rick Stathakis said the township does not control the state highways running through the community.

Shelby Township has no control, no ownership over any of the roads in Shelby Township, Stathakis said, referring to state-controlled highways. MDOT, on the other hand, they control the expressways, 59 and 53. Thats their jurisdiction.

Michigan Department of Transportation spokesperson Diane Cross told 7 News Detroit in an email Tuesday that if the municipality pursued a barrier, it would be responsible for designing and funding the project.

The municipality would be responsible for creating a design for MDOT to review and it would need to go through our permit process to be constructed in our right of way using the municipalitys funding, Cross wrote.

Stathakis pushed back on the funding issue, saying Shelby Township collects about $24 million in annual revenue compared with about $4 billion collected by MDOT.

Theyre responsible for the walls, the sound walls, Stathakis said.

Zachmann also provided 7 News Detroit with an email from Stathakis that she said indicated a highway sound study for the location would cost more than $40 million.

As residents press for a solution, Zachmann said the continuing noise could ultimately force her to move.

If we dont have something from the township or MDOT where theyre like, OK, we have a plan. OK, were gonna do this, Im probably gonna leave in the next two years, she said.

For Nied, Zachmann and their neighbors, the dispute leaves a fundamental question unresolved: whether a sound barrier will be built along this stretch of M-53 and, if so, who will pay for it.

With Count Day approaching, parents and educators say funding is more important than ever.

In Michigan, each student represents $10,000 in state funding, making Count Day a critical step in ensuring the funding process is working.

Learnetta Palmer is a parent who says her child's education begins with knowing the state is adequately funding programs that make a difference in the classroom.

"Count Day is very important to me because of funds that need to get more things for STEM," Palmer said.

Palmer also makes a point of talking to her children about the importance of Count Day.

"Of course (I talk about the importance of Count Day)," Palmer said.

She also underscored how much schools depend on strong attendance to protect existing programs.

"It's very important the kids come to school. There's a lot of programs that are needed and that the program they already have they need to continue to have."

Dr. John Bernia, superintendent for Warren Consolidated Schools, spoke about how the process works.

"Our revenue is 90% determined by what happens tomorrow. So, it's a really important day to verify how many students we have. That'll help us go forward with budget and budget projections. How many teachers we employ and things we provide," Bernia said.

Bernia also believes the per-pupil funding system has worked well in the state.

"Our state has done a good job with trying to set a floor with per-pupil funding. I think that's the right way to go," Bernia said.

The Michigan Department of Education also had their own statement on the need for full Count Day participation.

"It is important for school districts to be able to count every child for the state to provide adequate and equitable school funding, which is one of the goals in Michigan's Top 10 Strategic Education Plan," the department stated.

Bernia said he is proud of parents who are making the effort to ensure every student is counted.

Another Metro Detroit community is pulling the plug on its license plate reader cameras.

During a meeting Monday night, the Milford Village Council voted unanimously to cancel a $36,500 contract that operated 10 Flock Safety cameras. That decision follows an earlier vote in June to scrap an $18,2500 contract for five other camerasending roughly $55,000 in total contracts for 15 cameras across the village.

Milford Police Chief Scott Tarasiewicz says the automated license plate readers (ALPRs) were instrumental in solving a wide range of crimes, from high-profile break-ins to missing persons cases and murder investigations.

"We had a homicide at the beginning of the year that was a big part of us being able to track where this guy is going prior to and after, and even part of the apprehension process. We were able to wrap that up in about 4 hours, be able to get him in custody," Tarasiewicz said.

The chief also pointed to a major theft investigation aided by the system.

"We had a Chilean gang come up here, do some break-ins. We were able to follow them down to Tennessee where they were arrested and brought back," Tarasiewicz said, adding, "Weve found missing people because of these cameras."

Despite the technology's track record in solving cases, Chief Tarasiewicz supported terminating the contracts due to ongoing service and maintenance issues with the vendor after cameras were vandalized and damaged.

"About a month and a half ago, someone cut the wires, and I have one thats been repaired since then. Work orders week after week waiting on the other ones to get going, and it just hasnt happened," Tarasiewicz explained.

Milford joins a growing list of communities nationwide reconsidering or cancelling contracts with Flock Safety amid mounting public debate over privacy, data retention, and potential misuse of surveillance technology.

Local residents, including Jeff Garner, spent months campaigning against the installation of the cameras in the village.

"When I first learned about these cameras and their capabilities, it kinda threw me that no matter where I went, I was on someones camera," Garner said.

The village's remaining Flock cameras are scheduled to go offline later this month. However, police leadership maintains that license plate reading technology still has a place in public safety.

Chief Tarasiewicz hopes to eventually explore license plate readers from a different vendoronce state or federal lawmakers enact clearer guidelines regarding how data is managed and accessed.

"The proof is there that they work," Tarasiewicz said. "I think going forward there is an opportunity within this community for LPRs. I do think with the pending legislation federally and through Michigan, I think we'll see some guardrails on that."

Some of the students outraged by Cornell University's handling of an alleged fraternity house gang rape are directing their ire at the schools president, a longtime molecular physiology professor who has faced several crises since taking the top job.

Michael Kotlikoff was Cornell's longest-serving provost before assuming the presidency on an interim basis in July 2024 and on a permanent basis last year.

In his second month in charge, dining and custodial workers walked off the job in a labor dispute that ended about two weeks later. Last fall, some faculty and students criticized Kotlikoff for agreeing to pay $60 million to end Trump administration civil rights investigations into the Ivy League school. And earlier this year, he defended himself from accusations that he tried to back his car into a group of demonstrators following a debate over Israel and Palestinian rights, saying he was the victim of harassment.

But it was the schools handling of the investigation into the alleged gang rape at the Chi Phi fraternity house in October 2024, just a few months into his presidency, that threatens his leadership.

The Cornell faculty senate indicated that it plans to vote on a resolution of no confidence in the school's administrators. And at a Monday protest, students chanted and waved signs calling on Kotlikoff to resign or be fired and for fraternities to be banned.

Throughout his administration, hes refused to take accountability for anything that has happened, said one of the protesters, sophomore Sophia Kong. He does not represent us.

Kotlikoff, 75, has come under scrutiny since the woman, identified in court documents only as Jane Doe, filed a lawsuit last month alleging she was sexually assaulted by multiple Chi Phi members two years ago after being pressured into drinking alcohol and taking drugs.

The woman reported the alleged assault to Cornell police in November 2024, three weeks after she said it occurred. Campus police investigated and sent a summary of their findings to the district attorneys office, which relied on the information in deciding not to bring criminal charges. Separately, Cornell conducted a Title IX investigation.

Amid mounting outrage over the schools handling of the case, Kotlikoff called the allegations deeply disturbing over the weekend. In an apologetic video, he also reaffirmed his commitment to supporting an independent review called for by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has assailed the campus police department for not fully conveying the womans story to prosecutors.

No criminal charges have been filed. The Chi Phi chapter was shut down, and the university has said it expelled some students and suspended others. The accused men have all either denied participating or said that the sex that took place was consensual.

Experts are divided on whether it's fair to criticize Kotlikoff

As some experts see it, Kotlikoff had limited options. Without criminal charges, only Cornells Title IX investigation continued. While the federal law is best known as a gamechanger for female college athletes, it also is supposed to protect sexual assault and harassment accusers. But it is packed with protections for the accused, including giving them the right to cross-examine their accuser. Most victims don't proceed, and when they do, lawsuits from the accuser and accused over the outcome of the proceedings are common.

There are also limits on the punishments schools can mete out, especially for bystanders, said Peter Lake, who directs a center focused on higher education law and policy at Stetson University College of Law in Florida.

If universities act too quickly, they risk a situation like what happened at Duke University two decades ago, when a woman falsely accused three lacrosse players of rape, he said. The players ultimately reached an undisclosed settlement with Duke, which had suspended them, canceled the teams season and forced their coach to resign after the accusations were first made.

But some point to the role of university leadership in setting campus culture. Critics note that Cornell's fraternities have a history of problems, including hazing and sexual misconduct, and argue that more should have been done to set a better tone and educate students about consent.

If you are the leader of that campus and this is part of your portfolio of what happens on your campus, its not like Oh well that only affects the members of that fraternity and the women that theyre attempting to sleep with, said Jane Stapleton, co-founder of the Prevention Innovations Research Center at the University of New Hampshire. That impacts the entire fabric of the culture of, How do men respect women? How safe is it to be a woman?

RELATED STORY | Students protest Cornell's response to gang rape complaint

Kotlikoff has discussed steps to address the case

Within a few weeks of the alleged assault, Kotlikoff issued a statement detailing the investigation and decrying the alleged behavior as abhorrent.

A task force on sexual assault that was launched afterward included recommendations such as improved education on Title IX and what it described as sexual citizenship. The report said that a 2025 survey found that 35% of undergraduate women and 8% of undergraduate men report experiencing sexual assault during their time at Cornell.

The extent of Cornells investigation has emerged in court records filed after one of the punished students sued the school. According to Cornells account, investigators conducted 50 interviews with 32 witnesses and gathered evidence that included witness accounts, electronic communications and social media messages. The process ultimately led to a disciplinary hearing that stretched over 12 days.

Kotlikoff has called for a serious look at Greek life, but the end of fraternities on campus is not being considered. Instead, Kotlikoff said Cornell would engage students, alumni and others in examining how to preserve the benefits of Greek life while strengthening accountability and transparency.

MORE FROM THE CASE | Prosecutor 'investigating' report of police interview transcript in Cornell sexual assault case

Not every president survives such situations

A little over a decade ago, former Baylor University President Ken Starr, best known for the probe that led to Bill Clintons presidential impeachment, lost his job amid allegations that the Texas Baptist school mishandled several cases in which football players were accused of attacking women. In 2021, Oregon State trustees accepted the resignation of university president F. King Alexander, concluding he was unable to rebuild trust at the school because of his role in the mishandling of sexual misconduct cases during his previous tenure at Louisiana State University.

More recently, Columbia University President Minouche Shafik was among several U.S. college leaders to resign under pressure for the handling of protests over the war in Gaza.

Soham Bera, a Cornell sophomore, said students have incredibly low faith in the university leadership.

Now, with all this news, with all the attention, we can finally make change, he said at Mondays protest.

Lili Rose Mas, a junior who was also calling for Kotlikoff to step down, said she was encouraged by the number of students who joined the protest.

It makes me have more faith in humanity, Mas said. I truly think that Gen Z might be the generation that changes the world, because, like, these old people in the admin are not doing anything, but all the students here care about this.

The Education Department has extended its offer for a 1% interest rate reduction on student loan balance for certain borrowers who qualify.

Borrowers have from now until the end of the year to sign up for auto pay and get the benefit. Once approved, they will keep that reduced rate through June of 2028. Loan holders will need to enroll through their respective loan service company.

Borrowers who are currently already auto-paying their loans will automatically qualify for the reduced rate as long as they continue repayment in good standing, the Education Department said. If auto pay is canceled or if a borrower moves to forbearance, the rate reduction will be canceled.

RELATED STORY | Student loan payments rise as new push in Washington targets interest rates

Student loan payments for many have only gone up this year after the Department of Education restructured repayment plans in the aftermath of courts blocking former President Joe Biden's initiatives.

Loan forgiveness has become more complicated, too. The Trump administration confirmed to Scripps News earlier this year that coding errors were recently found and corrected involving Public Service Loan Forgiveness, meaning forgiveness for many now has a later date.

Overall consumer borrowing has also increased in recent months, driven largely by non-revolving debt, which includes student loans.

Dutch Girl Donuts, a Detroit bakery serving fresh donuts and hometown nostalgia for generations, has opened a second location in the city's North End.

The new shop is located off East Grand Boulevard and is open Tuesday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., or while donuts last.

"We really want to serve the north end," said Dutch Girl Donuts crewmember Nhu Truong.

WATCH JEFFREY'S VIDEO REPORT BELOW:

Truong said the donuts are made fresh daily and the response from the neighborhood has been enthusiastic.

"I am grateful for them," Truong said.

Customers who have long made the trip to the bakery's Woodward Avenue location said the expansion is a welcome change.

"I've been waiting for forever for them to move here. Normally, I got to go down Woodward but now I'm right down the street," Dejon Coleman said. "Simple old Detroit Flavor, you can't beat it."

"Second location equals good," Erica Hicks said.

For North End resident Sylvester Jennings, the new location is practically in his backyard.

"I just live a few blocks down so that's why I came over," Jennings said.

The new shop drew a steady crowd of first-time visitors and regulars alike.

"I had to try this new spot out," Memphis Douglas said.

"I know they're going to taste great, they're Dutch Girls," Darlene McDaniel said.

"These donuts are the best," Tiffany Gilmer said.

"They're back in the saddle," Abbey Waterman said.

"It is so sweet having this space here," Waterman said. "With the same flavors and quality."

"I absolutely love it. I'm here for it," Sheila Patrick said. "Still amazing."

Victoria Wolf and Denise Goodine biked to both Dutch Girl Donuts locations to mark the occasion.

"I'm going to call this ride the Double Dutch Ride," Goodine said.

Customers agreed the donuts delivered.

"They are fresh. They are light. I definitely agree," Hicks said.

"Maybe not good for the calories, but good for the soul," Gilmer said.

"If you want to a good donut, try a Dutch Girl donut," Hicks said.

"You have to. It's a must a Detroit must," Gilmer said.

"It brings people happiness and joy. It's a donut, right?" Truong said.

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

President Donald Trump has approved the execution by firing squad of Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan for the 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas.

The U.S. military has not carried out the death penalty since 1961. The Army secretary will decide a time and place for the execution, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell wrote in a post on X.

Judgement day for Hasan has finally come, Parnell wrote.

Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, walked into a medical building where soldiers were getting medical checkups, shouted Allahu akbar Arabic for God is great! and opened fire with a laser-sighted handgun. Thirteen people were killed and more than 30 injured.

He said it was an effort to stop them from going to Afghanistan and killing his fellow Muslims and made almost no effort to defend himself at trial. He told jurors that evidence would show he was the shooter and described himself as a soldier who had switched sides.

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Trumps approval triggers a series of procedural steps toward carrying out the execution, but Hasan could put them on hold potentially for years with a habeas corpus appeal in the civilian federal court system, according to an article published in May in the magazine Army Lawyer.

Death sentences are extremely rare in the military justice system, and executions even rarer. Four men, including Hasan, are currently on the military's death row at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. President George W. Bush approved the execution Army Spc. Ronald Gray in 2008 but it was put on hold by a judge and he remains at Leavenworth.

The last man executed in the military system was Pvt. John Bennett, hanged in 1961 for raping an 11-year-old girl.

Trump approved the firing squad execution days after a failed attempt to execute Christa Pike by lethal injection pushed Tennessees governor to halt further executions this year and order an independent review.

Trump resumed the federal death penalty after an informal moratorium during previous administrations. The federal government executed 13 people between 2020 and early 2021, contributing to making Trump the most prolific execution president in over 130 years.

Asked whether the botched execution in Tennessee would lead him to seek changes to capital punishment, Trump said it was an interesting situation.

It shouldnt be very difficult, Trump said of carrying out lethal injections.

A 4-year-old girl is dead and her mother and 10-year-old sister remain hospitalized, fighting for their lives, after a train struck the family near Ecorse High School over the weekend.

Loved ones identified the girl as Raniyah Chambliss. Her father shared photos of her and said she was beautiful and the most precious thing he had. He was not ready to speak on camera but wants people to know how loved his little girl was.

Watch the latest on this story from 7 News Detroit reporter Carli Petrus in the video below:

Police say Raniyah, her 32-year-old mother and her 10-year-old sister were trying to cross the tracks Sunday night while a train was stopped when a second train came through and hit them. All three were taken to Corewell Health.

Police say everything was operational at the time of the incident, including the gate arms and all of the lights. Police also do not believe drugs or alcohol were involved.

CN Rail, which operates in the area, directed all questions about the crash to Ecorse police.

Police say they are still investigating what happened.

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

A hearing for Kilmar brego Garcia which was expected to determine whether the man mistakenly sent by the Trump administration to El Salvador would be deported to Liberia was abruptly canceled Tuesday for reasons that were not immediately clear.

The government is moving to vacate a preliminary injunction put in place by U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis preventing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from detaining and deporting brego Garcia to the West African country of Liberia. His legal team is seeking to make the injunction permanent. The judge left previous orders in place last December and ordered him released from custody.

Abrego Garcia was in the courtroom Tuesday but Judge Xinis never took the bench. Instead attorneys for both sides left the courtroom about five minutes before the hearing was supposed to begin. They held a 15-minute conference and then the hearing was canceled. No announcement was made in court as to why the hearing was canceled.

RELATED STORY | Judge dismisses human smuggling charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia

Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, a lawyer for brego Garcia, told media outside the courthouse simply that the hearing could not happen Tuesday and that an update to the case would be posted on the court docket in the next few days. He shed no light as to why the hearing was cancelled.

Unfortunately the court was unable to go forward today, Sandoval-Moshenberg said.

The Salvadoran nationals case became a focal point in the immigration debate after he was mistakenly deported to his home country last year. Since his return, he has been fighting a second deportation to an African country as proposed by Department of Homeland Security officials.

brego Garcia argued that if he were to be deported, it should be to Costa Rica, which had previously agreed to accept him. But Todd Lyons, the former acting director of ICE, said in a March 2026 memo that deporting brego Garcia to Costa Rica would be prejudicial to the United States," because the U.S. had expended resources and political capital negotiating with Liberia to accept third-country nationals.

The push for deportation to Liberia continued even after the U.S. signed an agreement with Costa Rica to accept deportees who cannot legally be returned to their home countries.

The government is leading the same rodeo as many times before. Sending Kilmar to Costa Rica is on the table. However, the government continues to punish him for pursuing his constitutional rights and seeks to ship him to Liberia," said Jossie Flor Sapunar, the national communications director for We Are CASA, an activist group that has supported brego Garcia and his family and intends to be at the courthouse. Kilmar has become an international symbol of due process, a symbol which the Trump administration wants to silence.

Supporters of Abrego Garcia gathered outside the courthouse in the Washington, D.C., suburbs Tuesday, some wearing green vests that said CASA."

Nadine Seiler, 61, held a banner supporting brego Garcia while a choir sang We Shall Not be Moved. Seiler said she immigrated from Trinidad nearly 39 years ago.

Im an immigrant. I have come to represent for my immigrant community," said Seiler. She said Abrego Garcia said months ago that he was willing to leave the country, but the government hasn't agreed. Its not about policy. Its about cruelty.

She added in an email that the family deserves privacy, either at home in Maryland or in Costa Rica.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Judge rules immigration authorities can't re-detain Kilmar Abrego Garcia

brego Garcia, 31, has an American wife and child and has lived in Maryland for years, but he immigrated to the U.S. illegally as a teenager. In 2019, an immigration judge ruled that he could not be deported to El Salvador because he faced danger there from a gang that had threatened his family.

He was arrested in Baltimore in March 2025 after picking up his then-5-year-old son, who has autism and other disabilities, from his grandmothers house, according to court papers.

brego Garcia was then sent to a mega-prison in El Salvador known as CECOT, which activists say is rife with abuses and where inmates are packed into cells and never allowed outside. ICE officials admitted in court filings that his deportation there was an administrative error.

Facing public pressure and a court order, President Donald Trump's Republican administration brought him back in June 2025, but only after securing an indictment charging him with human smuggling in Tennessee. A federal judge dismissed that case in May 2026, finding that the Justice Departments pursuit of criminal charges was designed to punish brego Garcia for challenging his deportation. The government is appealing.

Bloomfield Township police are stepping up enforcement against the use of e-motos by teenagers, warning that the vehicles are not electric bicycles but are legally considered motorcycles.

Police say they are seeing a growing number of young riders, some as young as 13 years old, operating e-motos on public roads and pedestrian pathways.

Chief James Gallagher says many parents may not realize the vehicles require insurance, registration, and a valid driver's license to operate legally.

"With a 14-year-old on an e-moto with no helmet, it's an illegal machine, doing wheelies down the road, and we go back to that responsible use," Gallagher said.

According to police, riders must be at least 18 years old to legally operate the vehicles.

The issue has become a major concern following a serious crash last month in which two teenagers were critically injured in an e-moto collision involving a pickup truck.

Over the weekend alone, Bloomfield Township police impounded six e-motos. One vehicle was seized Friday near Oak Boulevard and Covington Road. On Sunday, an officer on routine patrol spotted five teenagers riding e-motos on a pedestrian crossing on Franklin Road.

Police said the vehicles were capable of traveling more than 30 miles per hour.

"We made contact with the juveniles. They all cooperated with us, but we impounded those as well because they were e-motos, not e-bikes," Gallagher said.

Police warn that parents could face financial and legal consequences if their children are involved in a crash while operating an illegal vehicle.

"In the event that somebody gets injured, it's going to be the parents who are held responsible," Gallagher said.

Some residents say they share the department's concerns. Sally Foley, who frequently sees young riders on e-motos and e-bikes in parking lots, said the vehicles can appear suddenly and create dangerous situations for drivers.

"One minute they're not there, and then you start backing up, and they're there," Foley said.

Foley said community members should not hesitate to speak up when they see unsafe behavior.

"If you're present, say something to the kids. You might save their life," she said.

In addition to enforcement, Bloomfield Township police are developing a safety course designed to educate families about e-moto laws. The proposal also includes a licensing program for e-bike riders and is expected to be presented to the township board next week.

"We need some action sooner rather than later," Gallagher said.

Police hope the combination of education and enforcement will help prevent future injuries and keep young riders safe.

Christa Pike, a Tennessee inmate who survived Tennessees attempt to execute her, is awake and speaking as she receives treatment at a hospital, her attorneys said Tuesday.

Pikes attorneys said her prognosis is still unclear and said she faces a long recovery.

Against all odds, Christa Pike is conscious, speaking, and continues to receive critical medical care," attorneys for Pike said in a statement. Despite the severe damage she endured to her arms, she is still handcuffed and shackled to the bed. Her recovery is medically unprecedented."

Her attorneys said they are grateful for the first responders and the medical team at the hospital who treated Christa like a human and have provided exceptional care to her.

The statement was the first indication that Pike has improved since an ambulance carried her away from a Nashville prison last Wednesday.

Pike survived two doses of pentobarbital as they attempted to put her to death for the 1995 beating and stabbing death of classmate Colleen Slemmer. The lethal injection drug didnt kill her, but her lawyers said her arms were left burned and blistered.

As recently as Sunday, her attorneys said Pike had remained unconscious and on a ventilator since the failed execution attempt.

Dr. Joel Zivot, a professor of anesthesiology and surgery in Atlanta who consulted as an expert for Pikes legal team, said the development bodes well for a good recovery. But, he added, it could be weeks or months before anyone knows exactly what her recovery might look like, and whether her competency could be restored to a level that might enable the state to try again to execute her.

Shes still in the ICU, he said. She has recovered to a certain degree that shes able to be off a ventilator and able to speak, but in no way would I announce her free of further serious risk. Theres still a lot of bad things that can happen here, even when everyone is doing their job well.

RELATED STORY | Governor says Tennessee's prisons chief is resigning after failed execution of Christa Pike

A spokesperson for the Tennessee Department of Correction said she could provide no information other than that Pike remained hospitalized Tuesday.

Pikes attorneys are set to go to court Wednesday as they seek to learn more about what happened in the failed lethal injection.

The attorneys are seeking a court order requiring the Tennessee Department of Correction to preserve evidence, including drug lot numbers, records and other information from the Sept. 30 attempted execution. Chancery Court Judge IAshea Myles scheduled a Wednesday morning status conference in the case.

Pikes attorneys said in their Tuesday statement that they continue to ask Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee to commute Pikes sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Christa is a survivor and will take recovery one day at a time, her attorneys said.