MIOSHA Faults MDOT in Workers’ Deaths

Michigan’s workplace safety agency, MIOSHA, has cited the Michigan Department of Transportation over the May crash that killed two road workers on U.S. 127 near Mason, according to the workers’ union.

The union says MIOSHA found MDOT failed to close a lane while Bruce Wagner, 51, and Steve Spenle, 49, patched potholes in the travel lanes. Police say the driver who struck them was going more than 86 mph.

MDOT says it disagrees with the findings and can’t comment because of an ongoing criminal investigation. MIOSHA says its investigation remains open, and its official report may take several weeks.

The agency counts 44 workplace deaths in Michigan this year.

Gotion Walks Away from Big Rapids

Chinese-owned battery maker Gotion and Green Charter Township have agreed to a proposed settlement, ending its planned $2.4 billion plant near Big Rapids.

Under the deal, Gotion drops its lawsuit and returns the land to the Michigan State Land Bank. In exchange, the state drops its demand that Gotion repay roughly $24 million in grant money used to buy the property.

The project once promised 2,300 jobs but drew fierce opposition over environmental concerns and alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party. Voters ousted the township board in a 2023 recall.

The township must repay $160,000 plus $1 in damages. All sides declined comment until the deal is finalized.

Houdini’s Final Curtain, 100 Years Later

A hundred years ago tonight, Harry Houdini walked onto Detroit’s Garrick Theatre stage for what would be his final performance.

Days earlier in Montreal, a college student punched him in the stomach before he could brace himself. By the Detroit show, he had a 104-degree fever and acute appendicitis but refused to cancel. He collapsed after the first act, finished anyway, and collapsed again after the curtain.

Houdini died at Grace Hospital on Halloween at 52. His widow, Bess, held a seance every Halloween for 10 years trying to reach him.

The Detroit Historical Museum marks the centennial of his death with Houdini 100: Magic & Mystery on Oct. 31.

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You Checked Your Car Insurance. What About Your Home?

Your homeowners insurance renews. You pay the bill. Another year goes by.

But when was the last time you checked what other insurers would charge?

If you’ve used Insurify for auto insurance, you already know the idea: compare your options and see whether there’s a better fit for your budget. Now you can do the same for your home.

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It’s free to compare, and you can weigh the price, coverage, and deductible against your current policy. Whether you’ve tried Insurify before or you’re starting fresh, here’s another household bill worth a second look.

See what you could save on home insurance.

➤ Kalamazoo: Kalamazoo Public Schools says video shows Kalamazoo Central’s weapon detectors never alerted when a 16-year-old carried a loaded handgun inside last week. A classmate’s tip led to the gun. (See Details)

➤ Flint: Mayor Sheldon Neeley announced $1 million in opioid settlement grants Friday, split among 17 local organizations, with individual awards ranging from $20,000 to $150,000 apiece. (More)

➤ Upper Peninsula: UP Health System will leave Humana’s Medicare Advantage network on Jan. 1, 2027, unless a new deal is reached. Patients on traditional Medicare or supplement plans aren’t affected. (Read Story)

➤ Bay City: The state will close two left-hand northbound lanes of Interstate 75 between M-84 and Salzburg Road starting Sunday, with the closures expected to last through Thursday, Oct. 29. (More)

➤ Grand Rapids: Acrisure Amphitheater drew more than 400,000 people to 50 events in its first season, one-third from outside the area. City commissioners vote Tuesday on a proposed noise exemption. (See the Numbers)

➤ Grosse Pointe Park: Atwater in the Park, the brewery housed in a former church at Lakepointe and Kercheval, poured its final beers Friday after more than a decade as a neighborhood staple. (Raise a Glass)

➤ No. 6 Indiana comes to Ann Arbor today, a week after Michigan quarterback Tommy Carr, grandson of legendary coach Lloyd Carr, sparked a win over Penn State after replacing Bryce Underwood. Carr is expected to get the start this afternoon. (More)

➤ Top-ranked Ferris State hosts No. 12 Michigan Tech today, riding an NCAA-best 37-game win streak that sits three victories from tying the Division II record. (More)

➤ Thirty unbeaten teams entered the final week of Michigan’s high school football regular season, including Detroit Cass Tech and Grand Blanc, ahead of Sunday’s MHSAA playoff selection show. (See List)

➤ Michigan baseball will return to Fifth Third Field in Toledo, Ohio, home of the Detroit Tigers’ Triple-A affiliate, the Toledo Mud Hens, to face the Rockets on May 11, 2027. (More)

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

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Same Trusted Process. Another Place to Look for Savings.

Already compared your auto insurance through Insurify? Give your homeowners policy the same attention.

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➤ Potato Royalty will be crowned at Houghton’s revived Potato Festival today, an honor going to a local farmer instead of a queen. The festival was a mainstay from the 1920s to the 1960s. (More)

➤ Detroit-style pizza from Michigan & Trumbull landed on Food & Wine’s list of America’s best pizzas. The spot’s “Long Drive Home” pie features vodka sauce, Parmesan, sausage, and banana peppers. (Grab a Slice)

➤ More than 8,000 young walleye were recently stocked in two lakes near Iron Mountain, giving Dickinson County anglers something to look forward to. (Read Story)

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➤ Could your next grocery trip cost less? When checkout totals squeeze your budget, a few changes to your shopping routine may help. Explore The Penny Hoarder’s grocery savings tips for ideas to try before your next store run. See which tips could work for your household.

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

➤ What are the best and worst grocery stores in America? Shoppers just ranked them all. (Hear Ranking)

➤ The Trump administration has canceled some of its toughest tariffs on Canada, less than two weeks before the midterms. (Listen Now)

➤ Mexican prosecutors have filed treason charges over a CIA drug raid that left four people dead, escalating sovereignty tensions. (Hear Story)

Houdini went onstage with a 104-degree fever. When you’re under the weather, what do you do?

1. Tough it out
2. Rest up
3. Tough it out and complain
4. Do what my spouse says
5. Other (reply to tell us)

Yesterday’s Results:

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

1. A little of everything: 36%
2. Scripted drama or movie: 26%
3. Just put the game on: 12%
4. Documentary/docuseries: 9%
5. I don’t watch anything: 9%
6. Reality TV or comedy: 5%
7. Other: 3% 

Detroit-style pizza gets its crispy, cheesy edges from rectangular steel pans. What were those pans originally made for?

Show me the answer