Detroit — Cade Cunningham has fond memories of looking up to the athletes who impacted his community when he was growing up in Arlington, Texas. In a city where Dirk Nowitzki was at the peak of his career with the Dallas Mavericks, Cunningham remembers several Dallas Cowboys players visiting his school during the holiday season.

Watching professional athletes instilled in him a desire to one day give back to the community through his own humanitarian efforts. On Sunday afternoon, the now-All-NBA guard hosted “A Cade Christmas” — a holiday giveback event dedicated to helping hundreds of Detroit youth and their families. The event took place at the Detroit Union Carpenters and Millwrights Skilled Training Center.

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“This is special. This is the cool part about doing what I get to do, which is to give back with the resources I have. This is something me and my family love to do,” Cunningham said. “I was once in their shoes, and I always appreciated when people came back, or just seeing the players that I looked up to and admired. It is crazy that I am in this position now, but I try to do the best I can and give back in the best way that I can.”

Cade and the Cunningham family sponsored the event, which featured a festive Christmas party atmosphere complete with games, food and music for all attending families. Children also had the opportunity to take pictures with Cunningham and play a quick game of pop-a-shot.

There were dozens of donation gifts, from Detroit Pistons-branded basketballs to brand-new bicycles for every child. Parents received grocery and gas gift cards, along with a free gift-wrapping station. The Christmas celebration also included a game truck, face painters, balloon artists and a photo booth.

“This was amazing, I loved this event,” Kalaundra Hall said. “I loved that my students and kids got a chance to participate in this, coming out, and have a nice holiday event before Christmas, and of course, meet Cade Cunningham.”

Hall continued, “These students don’t get many opportunities like this on a daily basis. How often do they get to meet an NBA athlete? Some kids may not even be experiencing Christmas, but they get to come here and get something. This helped kids come out, have a good time, meet some friends, play — this was great for them.”

“A Cade Christmas” partnered with Give Merit — a Detroit-based youth organization that champions educational access and mentorship for underserved students.

A Cade Christmas was one of Cunningham’s many examples of his commitment to the city of Detroit as the face of the Pistons franchise.

“I’ve been blessed with the resources that I have to allow me to do things like this, and it is only right to give back,” Cunningham said. “As a kid, I always thought, ‘Once I make it, this is going to be something that I would love to do.’ It’s amazing. I am really thankful.”

coty.davis@detroitnews.com

@cotydavis_24

MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee police say two people were shot and wounded near 35th and Pierce on the city’s south side on Sunday evening, Dec. 7.

35th and Pierce shooting

What we know:

Officials said the shooting happened around 7 p.m. Sunday. 

Two people, ages 19 and 35, suffered gunshot wounds and were taken to a hospital for treatment.

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The circumstances leading up to the shooting are under investigation.  

Call with tips

What you can do:

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Milwaukee police at 414-935-7360 or, to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 414-224-TIPS or P3 Tips.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. (Valley News Live) – Fear and uncertainty continue as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement continues its intensified focus on the Twin Cities’ Somali community.

ICE said Friday that 12 immigrants, five of them Somali, have been detained as a result of “Operation Metro Surge.” But immigrant rights groups and attorneys say the number of detainees is much higher.

Opposition to ICE actions is widespread among Democratic elected officials throughout the state, though nowhere more than in Minneapolis, home to the state’s largest Somali population.

Days after the announcement of “Operation Metro Surge,” Mayor Jacob Frey signed an executive order barring ICE from using any city-owned spaces, like parking lots for staging areas.

President Trump called Frey a fool this week for saying he is proud of our Somali community.

“We know that it is a chaotic operation,” Frey said. “We know that the work they are doing seems to be somewhat scattered and, at times, it doesn’t seem like federal agents know what they are doing themselves.”

Last month, ICE conducted a similar operation in Charlotte, North Carolina, arresting more than 250 people in just days. Frey says that has not happened here because so many Somalis are here legally.

“They are American citizens, that is an important fact that is ultimately going missed. It’s not like you can go and deport a whole bunch of people that are here legally, that are American citizens,” Frey said.

Frey says the city gets no information ahead of the raids and Minneapolis police respond to an ICE raid only to ensure crowd control and public safety, as they did in June on Lake Street when federal officers serving a search warrant faced angry protests.

But that’s a difficult balancing act.

“Our police will not coordinate with federal agents for immigration enforcement work, but the presence of ICE agents don’t make our cops not cops,” Frey said. “Our police still need to be in our city to make sure things are peaceful, to prevent people from getting hurt, to prevent property from being destroyed.”

ICE has not said how long they expect the Minnesota-based operation to continue.

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