In the back of a church in an anonymous stretch of 7 Mile in Detroit dotted with industrial lots and fast food stores, performers dressed as giant robots battle it out in front of a live audience behind bullet-proof glass.

“We have these nine foot tall metal gladiators that shoot exploding projectiles at 20 rounds a second,” says Art Cartwright, the impresario who founded both the church, Global Empowerment Ministries, and the organization behind the robot show, The Interactive Combat League.

The show, running every few months, is called Robowar. Cartwright’s two enterprises have little to do with each other, he says, save for sharing space and introducing members of his community to potential employment in robotics.

“Metropolitian Detroit right now leads the nation in robotics,” Cartwright says. “We have more robots than any other place in America.”

But the gleaming, glowing-eyed stars of the Interactive Combat League are nothing like industrial robots that help assemble automobiles. They are played by humans wearing what might be considered mech suits. Robots fighting each other as entertainment is a cultural fantasy that goes back at least to 1956, when Richard Matheson’s short story “Steel” was published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. It was adapted into a 1963 episode on the TV show The Twilight Zone, and helped inspire the 2011 movie, Real Steel.

“I’m a Marvel fan,” Cartwright says. “So I’m like, okay, let’s make some robots that look like superheroes.”

Robowar has been selling out shows in its 572 seat auditorium since it launched last summer, and has attracted admiring national coverage. Tickets start at around $50. Cartwright says he eventually plans to stage online interactive robot fights where remote viewers control the action by buying virtual tokens. He says he’s created AI personas for robots representing 30 different cities, from Boston to Los Angeles.

“They talk cash money trash,” he chuckles.

A Detroit-themed quadruped is part of the action at the Robowar show.

Timothy Chen Allen

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Timothy Chen Allen

Robowar also features real robots — robot dogs and child-sized humanoids that dance and pose for pictures. Cartwright bought the smaller robots from a Chinese company, Unitree, known for making accessible robots, with some models available at places like Walmart and costing fewer than $20,000. At one point during the show, there’s a robot competing in a dance-off against a human audience member, executing impressive spins and flips. But the audience, including a 10 year old Kaden Denard, mostly seems to root against the machine.

“They are clankers!” Denard exclaims, using an emerging slur against robots and AI. “I want to be mean to the robots! They are clankers!”

“You better be nice to them before they finish you,” his mother, Nawal Denard, jokes. Though the two depart into a cold Michigan night, along with hundreds of other spectators, the room they left was full of human warmth.

Edited for radio and web by Meghan Sullivan

MILWAUKEE – A winter storm could bring a messy mix of snow, ice and strong winds to Wisconsin this weekend, with significant impacts potentially lasting into Monday. 

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch from 7 p.m. Saturday through 4 p.m. Monday for much of the state.

While the exact track remains uncertain, the setup could produce a prolonged period of winter weather with changing precipitation types and hazardous travel.

Additionally, a high wind warning is in effect until 4 p.m. Friday for all of southeast Wisconsin. 

Storm arrives Saturday night

What we know:

The storm is expected to begin developing across southern Wisconsin Saturday evening as warmer air surges northward ahead of an approaching low pressure system. Snow will likely develop first across much of the area.

As the storm intensifies overnight Saturday into Sunday, warmer air aloft may push into parts of southern Wisconsin. That could lead to a wintry mix of sleet and freezing rain, especially along and north of Interstate 94. Ice building up on power lines can cause widespread power outages. Some areas may also briefly see rain mix in farther south.

This phase of the storm could produce accumulating ice in parts of the FOX 6 viewing area, which would increase the risk for slippery roads and cause power outages as ice builds on trees and power lines.

Snow and wind increase Sunday night

What we know:

Later Sunday, colder air is expected to wrap back into the system. That should change precipitation back to moderate to heavy snow Sunday evening into Monday, with snow potentially lingering through much of the day Monday.

Strong winds will accompany the storm, and those winds could create areas of blowing snow. Visibility could drop below a quarter mile at times when heavier snow bands develop.

The combination of heavy snow and strong winds may produce near-blizzard conditions in localized areas, especially where snow falls consistently.

Travel could become very difficult

Dig deeper:

If the storm develops as expected, travel conditions could deteriorate quickly late this weekend. Travel could become very difficult or even impossible at times, with blowing snow and icy roads likely.

Strong winds combined with the weight of snow and ice may also bring down tree branches and power lines, potentially causing sporadic power outages.

Forecast uncertainty remains

Dig deeper:

While confidence is increasing that a significant storm will impact the region, several important details are still uncertain. Small changes in the track of the storm could dramatically affect snowfall totals and where the heaviest ice develops.

The FOX 6 Weather Experts are also monitoring the potential for what’s known as a dry slot wrapping into the storm, which could temporarily reduce precipitation in parts of southern Wisconsin before snow returns on the back side of the storm.

Areas farther north in Wisconsin currently have the highest confidence for heavier snowfall, while locations near the Illinois border may see more mixing and lower snow totals.

What happens next

What’s next:

Conditions should gradually improve Monday evening as the storm pulls away, and high pressure moves into the region. 

You are strongly encouraged to monitor updated forecasts over the next 24 to 48 hours, as winter storm watches are often upgraded to warnings as confidence increases.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Kyler Murray has been signed as the new quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, sparking mixed reactions among fans.

Vikings fans share their thoughts

What we know:

Some fans are thrilled about Murray’s potential to bring success to the team, while others remain loyal to J.J. McCarthy. Murray, who was released Wednesday by the Arizona Cardinals, has a history of playoff appearances but has yet to achieve significant postseason success.

What they’re saying:

“I’m excited. He’s a proven NFL quarterback. He’s had a lot of good seasons, some good stats. He hasn’t really put it together, and hopefully, under KOC, he does,” said Luka Lattergrass. 

Lattergrass also commented on McCarthy, saying, “No one’s rooting against him, but we all did see his play last year, his ups and downs, the roster that we had still was a 9-8 season with poor quarterback play.”

Meanwhile, Will Stein from Coon Rapids noted, “Kyler Murray has a ton of talent. He can be an extremely good quarterback if he allows himself to.”

McCarthy’s past performance

Why you should care:

The addition of Murray to the Vikings’ roster raises questions about the team’s quarterback strategy moving forward. Last season, expectations were high for McCarthy after the Vikings’ impressive 14-3 record two seasons ago with Sam Darnold.

However, McCarthy’s performance led to a 9-8 season, causing some fans to lose faith while others remained supportive.

What’s next:

Fans are eager to see how the quarterback situation unfolds during training camp. As Will Stein expressed, “I feel like it should be an open competition and training camp, whoever the coaches decide is the better fit running this offense for 2026 should get them start in September, week one.”

What they’re saying:

“Kyler Murray, if you can’t get him to watch tape himself, how is he going to mentor somebody else? Was he gonna teach him how to play Call of Duty better?” said Karl Heinrichs, known as Sir Death on social media. Heinrichs also shared, “I like the way J.J. McCarthy ended the season last year, and I’d like to see him get his shot. I’d like to see him have a chance to come back and lead this team.”

What we don’t know:

It’s still unclear who will ultimately be the starting quarterback for the Vikings in the upcoming season.