DOJ To Send Michigan Election Monitors

The U.S. Justice Department will send federal election monitors to polling places in seven Michigan cities for the Nov. 3 election.

The cities are Detroit, Warren, Hamtramck, Flint, Grand Rapids, East Lansing, and Lansing, all of which received notices from the department’s Civil Rights Division. The monitors, typically federal attorneys and staff, can observe but cannot speak with voters, handle ballots, touch election equipment, or interfere with election operations.

Federal monitors are not new to Michigan. They were present for the 2024 general election and this year’s August primary, when teams were sent to Detroit, Lansing, and East Lansing.

State officials called the monitoring routine. Attorney General Dana Nessel said the monitors are “a standard part of our election process,” and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Michigan’s elections “are safe and secure.”

Study Finds 6,453 Great Lakes Spills

A decade-long review led by Lake Superior State University documented 6,453 reported oil spills across the Great Lakes between 2015 and 2024.

The study, published in the Journal of Great Lakes Research, found 3,654 spills in U.S. waters and 2,799 in Canadian waters. Fewer than 6% exceeded 500 liters, but those larger releases accounted for most of the reported oil volume.

Most incidents were smaller spills, and many records lacked basic details, with only 35% of U.S. reports listing a volume. The connecting rivers, including the St. Clair, Detroit, and St. Marys rivers, had far higher spill densities per unit area than the open lakes.

Researchers said the smaller spills’ ecological effects “remain largely unstudied” and urged the U.S. and Canada to standardize reporting.

Unbeaten Hockey Powers Collide Tonight

Top-ranked Michigan hosts No. 5 Western Michigan tonight at Ann Arbor’s Yost Ice Arena in college hockey’s marquee matchup of the week, a meeting of unbeaten teams that rank first and second nationally in scoring margin.

The Wolverines (6-0) lead the nation in scoring at six goals per game and climbed to No. 1 after sweeping then-No. 1 Denver on the road last weekend.

The Broncos (4-0), the 2025 national champions, lead the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 0.50 goals per game.

Michigan leads the all-time series 78-38-10 and will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its 1996 national title tonight.

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➤ Statewide: Attorney General Dana Nessel urged regulators to block Consumers Energy’s sale of 13 aging dams for $1 each to a private equity-backed firm, citing safety and ratepayer risks. Consumers says the sale is the cheapest option and would preserve the dams. (More)

➤ Also Statewide: A federal Affordable Care Act fraud sweep affected more than 2,300 Michigan enrollees, canceling coverage for 955 and leaving 1,372 under review. Nationwide, about 760,000 lost coverage over suspected fraud, though some have since been reinstated. (See Details)

➤ Lansing: Michigan State University trustee Rema Vassar sued President Kevin Guskiewicz and other officials, alleging discrimination and retaliation that cost her the board chairmanship and committee assignments. The lawsuit follows years of board conflict. (See Details)

➤ Detroit native and Emmy-winning actor Tom Skerritt, known for Top Gun, Alien, and Picket Fences, died Wednesday at 93. The Wayne State alumnus enjoyed a Hollywood career spanning six decades. (See Details)

➤ Macomb County is spending $119 million on road, bridge, and traffic improvements in 2026, including work on 270 lane miles, though construction is disrupting drivers and businesses. Nearly $100 million more is planned for 2027. (See Details)

➤ Jackson: A citywide ban on cryptocurrency kiosks took effect Thursday, giving businesses 90 days to remove the machines or face $500 daily fines and possible loss of their licenses. The ban follows warnings from AARP Michigan about scams targeting seniors. (More)

➤ Also Lansing: Everett High School Principal Amy Boyles was named Michigan’s High School Principal of the Year. Since she took over in 2021, graduation rates have reached 95%, while annual discipline referrals have dropped from over 2,000 to under 400. (Read Story)

➤ Former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy will make his first start for the New York Giants on Sunday against the Houston Texans, returning to the stadium where he led the Wolverines to the national championship in 2024. (More)

➤ Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta voiced frustration over the lack of a long-term contract, saying he’ll “go get paid somewhere else” if the team doesn’t retain him. (More)

➤ Michigan’s men’s basketball roster has a projected value of more than $20 million, placing the Wolverines among college basketball’s biggest spenders. Michigan State falls in the $15.1 million to $17.5 million range, also above the $13.5 million average for major programs. (See Tiers)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | NCAAF | NHL | NBA | Soccer | Golf

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➤ Homebuying costs in Michigan have jumped sharply over five years, a MoneyLion study found. The typical home now runs about $51,473 more than in 2021, a 24.2% increase, and buyers face roughly $9,550 more a year in mortgage payments. (More)

➤ Abbott Laboratories plans to spin off its nutrition business by the end of 2027. The announcement comes a month after a $385 million settlement tied to the 2022 infant formula recall at its Sturgis plant, which contributed to a nationwide shortage. Abbott admitted no liability. (See Details)

➤ Chicken-finger fans known as “Caniacs” lined up before dawn Thursday for the grand opening of Raising Cane’s in Grandville, the chain’s second West Michigan location. Grandville police implemented a traffic plan to manage the expected crowds. (More)

➤ Bay Plastics Machinery opened a new Bay City center to boost production and address skilled-worker shortages. The family-run company, operating locally for over 60 years, will offer customer training and introduce students to manufacturing careers. (See Details)

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➤ A nearly century-old carousel at the Grand Rapids Public Museum keeps spinning thanks to a dedicated team that closes the 1928 all-wood ride for maintenance once a month. Staff recently installed two restored, hand-carved figures. (More)

➤ Lake Superior State University is marking 60 years of Laker hockey this weekend, with film crews shooting Our Shot, a docuseries on the NCAA Division I men’s team, at the renovated Taffy Abel Arena. The series is expected to stream in early 2027. (More)

➤ The Genesee County Fair is moving to late June starting in 2027, after the local agricultural society approved the shift for the next five years. Organizers cited changing school calendars and conflicts with the back-to-school season. (More)

➤ Myrtle and Maude’s farm market in Williamsburg is celebrating its sixth fall season with family activities, baked goods, and Dolly, a five-month-old mini Highland cow. The mother-daughter-run market hosts a festival through Oct. 25 before reopening Nov. 13 for Christmas. (More)

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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. 

➤ Russia is reportedly using fishing trawlers to spy on the undersea cables that keep Britain connected to the world. (Hear Details)

➤ Scientists in 1940s Maine spent 13 years trying to make a super dog, complete with millions in funding and a facility nicknamed the School for Dogs. (Listen Now)

➤ Amazon, UPS, and Spirit Halloween are racing to fill hundreds of thousands of holiday jobs even as broader hiring slows. (Hear Story)

When you settle in to watch something, what wins the remote?

1. Documentary or docuseries
2. Scripted drama or movie
3. Reality TV or comedy
4. Just put the game on
5. A little of everything
6. I don’t watch anything
7. Other (reply to tell us)

Yesterday’s Results:

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

1. Savory every time: 36%
2. The sweet-and-salty mix: 35%
3. Depends on my mood: 18%
4. Sweet all the way: 9%
5. Other: 2%

Detroit’s Motown Museum sits inside the modest house where Berry Gordy launched his record empire in 1959. How much did he borrow from his family to get it started?

Show me the answer