Detroit, MI
Youth summit with community leaders, Detroit police, features tough questions from children
DETROIT (FOX 2) – On the campus of Wayne County Community College there was a room divided. On one side, roughly 200 kids ages 9 to 18 years old. On the other, their parents and adults.
The message catered by Detroit police specifically geared towards the kids for one reason.
“We always say the kids are the future – but really the kids are the now,” said DPD Chief James White.
So the chief, along with a panel of community activists and advocates, helped spread a message of safety.
“We are going to pour our hearts and our souls out to you today to get you to understand, that you are in the right place at the right time,” said Darryl Woods, SAY Detroit.
Especially when it comes to gun violence. This year alone, 12 children in Detroit have been shot and killed.
“My biggest fear every night is I’m going to get a call about you, you and you,” said Cmdr. Kimberly Blackwell, DPD Homicide.
“And we are willing to do whatever’s necessary to make sure you have the tools you need, so you won’t be the next one to bring tears to your momma or your grand momma’s eyes,” said Teferi Brent, community activist.
They also tried to answer questions no child should have to ask – but it speaks to a larger problem.
“What do you do if someone attacks you or tries to strangle you around your neck?” asked one girl.
“The fact that this queen has to ask that question – because we run around this community and say we run this block,” Brent said. “But our babies, she ain’t safe.”
“What happens when someone chases you that you don’t know?” asked another little girl.
“This is a 9-year-old baby and I have to tell her to run with all her might, if someone chases her,” Chief White said. “It’s broken.”
And questions that speak to a real fear in the community.
“If a police officer thinks you are doing harm to somebody and they try to shoot you or taze you, what do you do?”
all of which point out bridges still under construction.
“Be as eager to right that wrong as we are to right the wrong of policing, because it all matters,” White said. “And two things can be true at once. We can be better at policing – we have to be, because you matter. But we can be better as a community.”
This youth summit was not all about gun violence, they also covered drug use, vaping, and the dangerous pitfalls of social media. Conversations DPD plans to continue to have in the future.
Detroit, MI
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Detroit, MI
Detroit Tigers avoid arbitration with all nine eligible players for $26.76 million in 2025
Tarik Skubal on track for ‘recording-setting contract’ in free agency
USA TODAY Sports MLB columnist and insider Bob Nightengale breaks down the hefty pay day Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal could demand in free agency.
The Detroit Tigers agreed to terms with all nine of their arbitration eligible players.
Their salaries are locked in for the 2025 season.
Seven players signed one-year contracts before MLB’s deadline Thursday to avoid arbitration: left-hander Tarik Skubal, right-handed reliever Jason Foley, outfielder Matt Vierling, catcher Jake Rogers, right-hander Casey Mize, right-handed reliever Will Vest and right-handed reliever Beau Brieske.
The Tigers already agreed to terms in late November with two additional arbitration eligible players: infielder/outfielder Zach McKinstry at $1.65 million and infielder Andy Ibáñez at $1.4 million.
Teams and arbitration-eligible players were required agree to salary figures by 1 p.m. Thursday. For those who didn’t reach an agreement, there was another deadline at 8 p.m. Thursday to exchange salary figures in preparation for an arbitration hearing to be scheduled within the next month. During the hearing, a panel of arbitrators selects either the team’s proposed salary or the player’s proposed salary.
The Tigers, under president of baseball operations Scott Harris, operate as a “file-and-trial” club, which means there would have been no further negotiations on one-year contracts after Thursday’s salary-exchange deadline.
However, the Tigers and their players will avoid arbitration hearings altogether in 2025, as all parties agreed to terms, extending the Tigers’ streak without an arbitration hearing to six years.
The most notable news from Thursday’s deadline: Skubal — the 2024 American League Cy Young winner who previously turned down a contract extension offer — settled with the Tigers at a $10.15 million salary for 2025, earning a $7.5 million raise from his $2.65 million salary in 2024.
Skubal, 28, will be eligible for salary arbitration for the third and final time after the 2025 season. He is scheduled to become a free agent after the 2026 season.
Aside from Skubal’s raise, Rogers settled at $2.64 million — up from $1.7 million last year — in his second year of arbitration and Mize settled at $2.34 million — up from $830,000 last season — in his second year of arbitration. Both Rogers and Mize, like Skubal, are set to reach free agency after the 2026 campaign.
The other six eligible players are in their first year of salary arbitration: Foley at $3.15 million, Vierling at $3.005 million, McKinstry at $1.65 million, Vest at $1.4 million, Ibáñez at $1.4 million and Brieske at $1.025 million.
Players must have at least three years of service time — or qualify for Super Two status — to be eligible for salary arbitration, then players become free agents after six years of service time. Therefore, most players are arbitration-eligible for a total of three years, but a Super Two qualifier — such as Ibáñez and Brieske — receives four years of arbitration eligibility.
In 2025, the Tigers will pay $26.76 million to nine arbitration-eligible players.
Here’s the full breakdown, listed in order of salary: Skubal ($10.15 million), Foley ($3.15 million), Vierling ($3.005 million), Rogers ($2.64 million), Mize ($2.34 million), McKinstry ($1.65 million), Vest ($1.4 million), Ibáñez ($1.4 million), Brieske ($1.025 million).
The Tigers are also on the hook for another $68.5 million to five players on free agent or longterm deals: SS Javier Báez ($25 million), RHP Alex Cobb ($15 million), 2B Gleyber Torres ($15 million), RHP Kenta Maeda ($10 million) and 1B Colt Keith ($3.5 million). The remainder of the Tigers’ 26-man roster, including players such as DH Kerry Carpenter and RHP Reese Olson, will make the league-minimum salary, set for $760,000 in 2025.
[ MUST LISTEN: Make “Days of Roar” your go-to Detroit Tigers podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple,Spotify) ]
For now, Skubal is the fourth-highest paid player on the Tigers’ roster in 2025, trailing only Báez, Cobb and Torres. Keith, who signed a contract extension before his MLB debut, checks in at sixth on the leaderboard.
Skubal made the All-Star Game for the first time in his five-year MLB career en route to winning the Cy Young in 2024, posting an 18-4 record with a 2.39 ERA, 35 walks and 228 strikeouts across 192 innings in 31 starts. He led the AL in wins, ERA and strikeouts to secure the first AL pitching Triple Crown in a full season since 2011.
When next offseason rolls around, Skubal is all but guaranteed to surpass $15 million (and could reach $20 million) for his 2026 salary in his third and final trip through the arbitration process before free agency.
The Tigers haven’t had an arbitration hearing with a player since Michael Fulmer in 2019, with Fulmer losing to the Tigers. Before Fulmer’s case, there hadn’t been an arbitration hearing involving the Tigers since 2001.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
Listen to our weekly Tigers show “Days of Roar” every Monday afternoon on demand at freep.com, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts.
Detroit, MI
Detroit Police officers authorized to wear Lions hats during NFL playoffs
(CBS DETROIT) – Detroit Lions hats are now temporarily part of the Detroit Police Department’s attire.
Chief Todd A. Bettison announced Wednesday that officers can wear either a Detroit Lions skullcap or ballcap when they are in uniform. It’s just one of the ways that community leaders and fans are showing support for the Lions as the NFL playoffs continue.
“Congratulations to the Lions on their historic season! Go Lions!!” the department’s Facebook post said.
The Lions took a 31-9 win over the Minnesota Vikings Sunday, which gave them home-field advantage and the top seed in the NFC playoffs. The team currently has a bye week for the divisional round during the weekend of Jan. 18.
The Super Bowl is on Feb. 9.
On Monday, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard authorized his staff to wear Lions baseball caps and beanies through the playoff run. The Spirit of Detroit statue also has been attired in a Honolulu blue Lions jersey.
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