Michigan Man Freed from Russian Prison

Russia freed Stephen Hubbard, a retired teacher from Michigan, on Wednesday, more than four years after he was captured in 2022 and accused of fighting alongside Ukrainian forces.

Hubbard, 74, was sentenced in a closed 2024 trial to nearly seven years after Russian prosecutors said he signed a contract with Ukraine’s military and fought until his 2022 capture. The Biden administration had designated him wrongfully detained, and advocacy groups called the charges bogus.

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed the release at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, telling him, “Because of you, he’s going home to his family.” President Trump had said a day earlier that he’d asked Putin at length to free him.

Hubbard is the second American released by Russia in about two months, following Marine veteran Robert Gilman in August. Roughly two dozen Americans remain imprisoned there, according to a hostage-advocacy group.

Power Lines Draw Landowner Pushback

A plan to string more than 250 miles of high-voltage transmission lines across mid- and northern Michigan has run into resistance from landowners in its path.

Backers say the $1 billion-plus Copperton Projects, part of a regional grid-expansion plan from operator MISO, would shore up Michigan’s power grid that ranks last in the nation for reliability, according to the Citizens Utility Board. Builder ITC expects the lines to come online in 2032.

ITC is holding public listening sessions to gather input before asking state regulators to approve the project. Landowners cite concerns about falling property values, and organizers of a longtime music festival say the proposed path would erase more than 130 campsites.

State regulators have proposed new rules requiring utilities to be more transparent and seek more public input before building. If the project wins approval, ITC could use eminent domain to secure rights of way.

Early Voting Opens Saturday Statewide

Michigan’s statewide early voting period opens Saturday and runs through Sunday, Nov. 1, ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

Voters have already requested more than 2.1 million absentee ballots, a 17% jump from the same point before the 2022 midterm.

More than 789,000 have already cast ballots, roughly 1 in 10 active registered voters, with nearly two weeks still to go.

State officials are urging absentee voters to hand-deliver ballots to a clerk’s office or designated drop box rather than mail them this late. Absentee ballots must reach a local clerk by 8 p.m. on Nov. 3 to count. Residents who still need to register must do so in person at their local clerk’s office with proof of residency.

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➤ Statewide: Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed faced off Wednesday in their final U.S. Senate debate, tackling inflation, immigration, health care, and auto industry jobs ahead of the Nov. 3 election. (More)

➤  Also Statewide: State lawmakers are weighing a temporary pause of Michigan’s gas tax that would save drivers about 52 cents a gallon, though road officials warn it could stall construction projects and winter snow plowing. (See Details)

➤ Detroit: Residents are questioning Dan Gilbert’s proposed $1 billion nonprofit fund for the RenCen redevelopment, raising concerns about financial transparency, public ownership, and protections against displacement. (More)

➤ Upper Peninsula: A strong El Niño is expected to bring a warmer, drier winter with less snowfall, though meteorologists warn that major snowstorms and cold spells remain possible. (More)

➤ Rural Michigan: The state awarded $1.6 million in grants to 19 projects supporting workforce training, child care, agriculture, and infrastructure. Recipients include career training programs in the northeast, a student agriculture facility in Owosso, and a local food market in Hastings. (See Report)

➤ Grand Traverse County: Commissioner Lauren Flynn pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a misdemeanor drunk driving charge stemming from a July traffic stop. She must undergo twice-daily breath tests while out on bond. (See Details)

➤ Troy: A teenager seriously injured when a GM-owned pickup struck his e-bike last summer is suing the automaker and driver for damages. GM withdrew its countersuit against the teen’s parents Tuesday, while the driver was cited for careless driving. (See Details)

➤ Traverse City: Grand Traverse Academy seniors earned the highest SAT scores in Northern Michigan, ranking 17th among roughly 1,500 schools statewide. The academy also led all Michigan charter schools for the second consecutive year. (Read Story)

➤ Michigan benched quarterback Bryce Underwood, who leads the Big Ten with six interceptions, and will start freshman Tommy Carr against Indiana. Carr is the grandson of Lloyd Carr, who coached the Wolverines to the 1997 national title. (More)

➤ Dylan Larkin reportedly expanded the list of teams he’d waive his no-trade clause to join from three to 10 as the Detroit Red Wings work to move their former captain. (More)

➤ Central Michigan coach Matt Drinkall blasted plans to expand the College Football Playoff to 24 teams, saying the sport’s leaders have chased short-term money since COVID. He warned college football could end up like the Truffula trees in Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NCAAF | NBA | WNBA | NHL | Soccer

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➤ GM will close its Brownstown Battery Assembly Plant south of Detroit as its lease expires, not because of a shift in EV strategy. Workers and production for the Cadillac Celestiq and Corvette E-Ray will move to other GM facilities. (See Details)

➤ GM also reported $3.3 billion in third-quarter profit, more than double last year’s, and raised its 2026 outlook. The automaker also authorized a $20 billion stock buyback and is investing over $1 billion in Flint-area plants for next-generation trucks. (More)

➤ Consumers Energy is seeking another natural gas rate hike just days after Michigan approved a $139 million increase, adding about $3.92 to typical monthly bills starting Nov. 1. The new request is expected by year’s end. (See Details)

➤ Robinson’s Popcorn, launched with just $50 in 2018, is marking eight years by handing its Byron Township store to the founder’s 18-year-old daughter. A second location opens in Novi this week. (Read Story)

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➤ Ann Arbor ranked the nation’s second-best college town for 2027 in WalletHub’s look at 415 cities, trailing only Austin, Texas. The University of Michigan hub scored well on academics and student life, and boasts the third-lowest average pizza price in the country. (See List)

➤ Paw Patrol co-creator Ronnen Harary visited Michigan State University Tuesday, awarding $500 each to 13 students who pitched business ideas in 60 seconds. The students now have a chance to win $25,000 and mentorship. (More)

➤ Allegan County’s Old Jail Museum, built in 1906, houses more than 10,000 artifacts and original jail cells. The former jail also has a haunted reputation, with visitors reporting ghostly activity, including a playful girl in the attic. (See Video)

➤ Murder at the Lumberjack Tavern, a new book by Patrick J. Baker, revisits the 1950s U.P. murder case that inspired Anatomy of a Murder. Baker, who handled the fatal bullet during his research, will speak at Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library on Nov. 4. (Read Story)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. 

➤ Expiration dates on your groceries are mostly guesses, except for the one you should never ignore. (Listen Now)

➤ An Australian lawmaker lost both of her legs after a car was deliberately driven into her outside her office. (Hear Story)

➤ Passengers began vomiting mid-flight, forcing a priority landing and a hazmat response in Germany. (Hear Details)

Let’s settle it: is popcorn best sweet or savory?

1. Sweet all the way
2. Savory every time
3. The sweet-and-salty mix
4. Depends on my mood
5. Other (reply to tell us)

Yesterday’s Results:

How often do you attend religious services?

1. Every week: 46%
2. Rarely or never: 34%
3. Holidays or special occasions: 9%
4. A few times a month: 8%
5. Other: 3%

The 1959 courtroom classic Anatomy of a Murder, filmed in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and based on a real U.P. killing, featured a celebrated jazz score composed by whom?

Show me the answer