Michigan

Is it legal to sleep at a Michigan rest area?

Published

1 month ago

December 2, 2025

Is it legal to sleep at a Michigan rest area?

Say you’re traveling over the river and through the woods and get really drowsy, is it OK to pull off into one of Michigan’s 61 highway rest areas for a nap.

Yes, it is.

The Michigan Department of Transportation, which runs the rest stops, has guidelines concerning how long you may stay — no more than 48 hours and no camping.

But those guidelines aren’t official and aren’t enforceable by police, which is why MDOT is in the process of pursuing approval for administrative laws that would make stays of more than 48 hours, camping, setting fires in non-authorized spots, among other things, illegal at rest areas and also at the state’s 82 roadside parks, 267 carpool lots, 23 scenic turnouts and 14 welcome centers. Breaking the guidelines would be a misdemeanor.

MDOT is sorting through public comments on the draft of rules. Those proposed rules would most likely require people who need to leave a car at a rest area or carpool for more than 48 hours to get a special permit to do so, according to Jocelyn Garza, MDOT spokeswoman. All the rules address specific situations that have occurred at rest areas, she added.

“When the draft rules were initially introduced there was a lot of concern over people not being able to rest at the rest area. That is absolutely not the intention,” Garza said. “The intention of a rest area is for somebody to come and sleep and make sure they’re safe when they’re back behind the wheel, they feel rested enough to be driving.”

Is it legal?

Welcome to a new recurring feature on freep.com that helps readers understand laws in Michigan and in their communities. Do you have a question about what’s legal and what isn’t in Michigan? Email isitlegal@freepress.com and we’ll investigate for you.

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Michigan

Former Michigan star RB promoted to Eastern Michigan assistant head coach

Published

7 hours ago

January 5, 2026

Press Room

Former Michigan star RB promoted to Eastern Michigan assistant head coach

Former Michigan running back and assistant coach Mike Hart is getting a promotion on Chris Creighton’s staff at Eastern Michigan.

The school announced Monday that Hart is being elevated to assistant head coach and will oversee the receivers in 2026. Michigan’s all-time leading rusher spent last season as an offensive analyst for the Eagles.

“Coach Hart is a winner,” Creighton said in a news release. “He has the ‘It’ factor. He selflessly helped us this year as an offensive analyst and made a positive impact. We know that he will be a major addition as assistant head coach and wide receivers coach.”

Hart has 14 years of college coaching experience, including a three-year stint as Michigan’s running backs coach from 2021-23. He served as interim head coach for one game during the Wolverines’ 2023 national championship season when Jim Harbaugh was suspended.

Under Hart, Michigan’s running backs thrived. Blake Corum rushed for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons and was a third-round pick by the Rams in 2024. The Wolverines won the Big Ten all three years Hart was on staff, but they did not renew his contract after the 2023 campaign.

The 39-year-old began his coaching career at EMU in 2011 and also has had stints at Western Michigan (2014-15), Syracuse (2016) and Indiana (2017-2020).

As a player at Michigan, Hart was a two-time Doak Walker Award finalist and finished fifth in the 2006 Heisman Trophy voting. Last season, EMU finished 4-8 but was No. 2 in the Mid-American Conference in passing yards per game.

“I am excited to be a part of Eastern Michigan football,” Hart said in a release. “Coach Creighton is one of the best leaders of men I have ever been around, and I look forward to learning and being a part of his program. EMU football and the Ypsilanti community have always held a special place in my heart, and I am excited to help the team reach our goals for the 2026 season.”

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Michigan

Michigan Lottery Daily 3, Daily 4 results for Jan. 4, 2026

Published

19 hours ago

January 5, 2026

Press Room

Michigan Lottery Daily 3, Daily 4 results for Jan. 4, 2026

The Michigan Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 4, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Daily 3 numbers from Jan. 4 drawing

Midday: 5-3-9

Evening: 3-2-4

Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily 4 numbers from Jan. 4 drawing

Midday: 0-9-9-1

Evening: 2-0-5-4

Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Jan. 4 drawing

03-08-13-38-47, Lucky Ball: 02

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Poker Lotto numbers from Jan. 4 drawing

KD-3D-3H-7H-2S

Check Poker Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from Jan. 4 drawing

05-09-13-18-27

02-06-16-18-34

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily Keno numbers from Jan. 4 drawing

06-08-10-16-21-24-25-29-36-44-47-52-54-55-58-63-65-66-76-77-78-79

Check Daily Keno payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Michigan Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes up to $99,999.99, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Michigan Lottery’s Regional Offices.

To claim by mail, complete a ticket receipt form, sign your winning ticket, and send it along with original copies of your government-issued photo ID and Social Security card to the address below. Ensure the names on your ID and Social Security card match exactly. Claims should be mailed to:

Michigan Lottery

Attn: Claim Center

101 E. Hillsdale

P.O. Box 30023

Lansing, MI 48909

For prizes over $100,000, winners must claim their prize in person at the Michigan Lottery Headquarters in Lansing located at 101 E. Hillsdale in downtown Lansing. Each winner must present original versions of a valid government-issued photo ID (typically a driver’s license or state ID) and a Social Security card, ensuring that the names on both documents match exactly. To schedule an appointment, please call the Lottery Player Relations office at 844-887-6836, option 2.

If you prefer to claim in person at one of the Michigan Lottery Regional Offices for prizes under $100,000, appointments are required. Until further notice, please call 1-844-917-6325 to schedule an appointment. Regional office locations are as follows:

Lansing: 101 E. Hillsdale St. Lansing; Phone: 844-917-6325
Livonia: 33231 Plymouth Road, Livonia; Phone: 844-917-6325
Sterling Heights: 34700 Dequindre Road, Sterling Heights; Phone: 844-917-6325
Detroit: Cadillac Place, 3060 W. Grand Blvd., Suite L-600, Detroit; Phone: 844-917-6325
Grand Rapids: 3391-B Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids; Phone: 844-917-6325
Saginaw: Jerome T. Hart State Office Building, 411 E. Genesee Ave., Saginaw; Phone: 844-917-6325

For additional information, downloadable forms, and instructions, visit the Michigan Lottery’s prize claim page.

When are Michigan Lottery drawings held?

Daily 3 & Daily 4: Midday at 12:59 p.m., Evening at 7:29 p.m.
Fantasy 5: 7:29 p.m. daily
Poker Lotto: 7:29 p.m. daily
Lotto 47: 7:29 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday
Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily
Daily Keno: 7:29 p.m. daily

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Michigan editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Michigan

Long-time Michigan assistant coach is reportedly retained under Kyle Whittingham

Published

1 day ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

Long-time Michigan assistant coach is reportedly retained under Kyle Whittingham

Kyle Whittingham’s staff at Michigan is nearly complete. Position coaches have been hired and now the Wolverines are working on their analysts and assistants to help the position coaches. And Michigan fans heard some positive news on Sunday.

Not only did the Wolverines hire a new safeties coach, with a ton of history as a defensive coordinator, but Michigan will retain long-time coach Fred Jackson, according to MGoBlue where he is listed as an analyst.

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Michigan transfer portal tracker: Every player coming in and out of the program in 2026

Jackson was Michigan’s running backs coach from 1992-2014 before he left to coach high school football. But in 2022, he was welcomed back to Ann Arbor under Jim Harbaugh and helped coach the position. He assisted Tony Alford, who was also retained to coach running backs, for the past two seasons at Michigan.

With the tutelage from both Jackson and Alford, Michigan’s run game was fantastic this season. Despite injuries to both Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall, Michigan had one of the top rushing attacks in the Big Ten.

The Wolverines averaged over 210 yards per game on the ground. Haynes had six games of over 100 yards on the ground, Marshall had four, and former walk-on Bryson Kuzdzal rushed for 100 yards once this season when both Haynes and Marshall missed.

More on Jackson and his history in Ann Arbor

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

He has coached five All-Big Ten running backs at Michigan, led by three-time all-conference first team honoree Tyrone Wheatley (1992-94) and two-time performer Mike Hart (2004, 2006). Anthony Thomas (2000) and Chris Perry (2003) were All-Big Ten first team selections and Tshimanga Biakabutuka earned second-team honors in 1995. Thomas and Hart received distinction as Big Ten Freshman of the Year award winners.

Jackson’s running backs have led the league in rushing four times during his tenure and surpassed the 1,000-yard barrier 12 times, including Fitzgerald Toussaint in 2011. Perry (2003) and Hart (2004) became the first teammates to lead the league in rushing in back-to-back seasons since 1982-83, pacing the Big Ten in both overall and conference play.

He also coached two seasons in Ann Arbor as the Wolverines’ offensive coordinator.

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