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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer shares concerns about Michigan road funding, auto industry

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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer shares concerns about Michigan road funding, auto industry


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In 2018, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vowed to “fix the damn roads.” At the Detroit Auto Show on Wednesday, rather than unveiling another plan to make good on her promise, she called on lawmakers from both parties to come together to develop a bipartisan and long-term solution.

When she first took office, Whitmer proposed a 45-cent gas tax increase. After lawmakers rebuffed her, the governor moved forward with a $3.5 billion road bonding plan approved in 2020 that has allowed the state’s transportation department to finance road construction. “But we are facing a major funding cliff,” Whitmer said in her speech.

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“If we don’t find a solution, our roads will get worse and more dangerous and that means expensive car repairs and delays on your drive home,” she said. Whitmer called on legislative leaders to return to the negotiating table. “Both parties will have to compromise to do this right,” she said.

Whitmer delivered the address at a time the auto industry faces uncertainty with President-elect Donald Trump’s election after he ran a campaign railing against Democrats’ push to subsidize the transition to electric vehicles and vowed to impose steep tariffs.

“Right now, the future of the entire auto industry is at stake. The very core of Michigan’s economy is on the line,” she said, referencing threats from global competition like China.

In her first major policy address at the annual autos exhibition in the Motor City, Whitmer touched on the final funding set for the corporate subsidy program she has championed to lure electric vehicle jobs to the state. The bipartisan coalition that came together to create Michigan’s largest corporate subsidy fund has since fractured as Democrats and Republicans have criticized public funding to lure jobs to the state.

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Whitmer touted the auto industry investments and jobs the program she said has helped bring to Michigan. “If we don’t keep going, we will fall behind,” Whitmer said. “So first, we must replace our job fund with new and better tools.”

“We can’t just unilaterally disarm like some on the far left and far right would have us do,” she added, noting other states have economic development programs to bring jobs to their states. She called for a new “Make it in Michigan” job fund to bring more big factories and engineering and tech centers to the state. Whitmer said she doesn’t care what kind of car Michigan drivers have. “We just care that it’s made right here in Michigan by Michigan workers.”

Whitmer also reiterated her call to revive a payroll tax cut for companies that create jobs in the state and invest in transit.

As automakers grapple with the potential shift in federal policy, Whitmer must wrestle with the political shift in Washington, D.C. too. Last year, she stumped for Democratic President Joe Biden and then Vice President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris. On the campaign trail, Whitmer cast Trump as an out-of-touch rich man.

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But on Wednesday, Whitmer returned to her familiar refrain: that she’ll work with anyone she says is serious about solving real problems.

Whitmer also faces a major change at home in Lansing with Republicans now in control of the Michigan House of Representatives after two years of Democratic control. During that time, Whitmer signed into law many bills Democrats passed over GOP objections such as repealing the state’s right-to-work law and establishing new measures aimed at curbing gun violence. But at the start of the new era of divided state government Whitmer is prioritizing road funding and economic development, and she said she doesn’t care which party comes up with policy ideas on either issue.

Contact Clara Hendrickson at chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. 



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Michigan immigration advocates react after Supreme Court ruling on Temporary Protected Status

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Michigan immigration advocates react after Supreme Court ruling on Temporary Protected Status


Twenty-four thousand immigrants in Michigan have Temporary Protected Status (TPS), but a recent Supreme Court decision could put their protection in jeopardy.  

TPS is a humanitarian protection granted to U.S. immigrants fleeing dangerous situations in their home countries, often from natural disasters or political instability. The status allows immigrants from the designated countries to live and work in the U.S.  

The Supreme Court overturned those for 356,000 Haitians and Syrians in a recent decision. While the court’s decision directly impacted Haitian and Syrian immigrants, it also established that the Secretary of Homeland Security has the authority to determine TPS status without judicial review or input from the courts.

That means that the Secretary of Homeland Security can eliminate TPS for any immigrant group that is currently in the U.S. under protection. That puts 1.3 million immigrants in the U.S. at risk of deportation. In Florida, 113,000 healthcare workers with TPS are at risk of deportation. The Haitian population in Philadelphia is also expressing concerns about what comes next for them.  

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“The Supreme Court turned its back on our moral and legal commitments to people seeking safety,” said Christine Sauvé, manager of Policy and Communication at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. “The decision eliminates legal protections for people fleeing danger and allows the Trump Administration to really advance its mass deportation agenda.”

Left without the ability to live or work in the U.S., these Haitian and Syrian immigrants with TPS now face deportation. But going back home could still be incredibly dangerous.

“It’s not really an option to go back to their home country,” said Melanie Goldberg, immigration attorney with the Institute of Metro Detroit. “In the case of Haiti, they don’t even have an airport in Port-au-Prince that’s operational. Yet they say it’s safe for these citizens to go back.”

In Michigan, immigrants with TPS have contributed $349 million to the state’s economy, a sign that they are deeply embedded in the community, according to Sauvé.  

“Many TPS holders have been in our communities for a very long time,” Sauvé said. “They’ve really spent decades building their lives here in Michigan. We welcomed them here, only to see that completely ripped away with the stroke of a pen.”

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The Michigan Immigrant Rights Center encourages Haitian and Syrian immigrants with TPS, as well as any immigrants in the U.S. with a TPS designation, to seek out a qualified legal service provider and review the “Know Your Rights” Materials on the MIRC’s website



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Sherrone Moore’s former assistant sues University of Michigan over alleged FOIA violations

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Sherrone Moore’s former assistant sues University of Michigan over alleged FOIA violations


A former University of Michigan assistant whose relationship with ex-coach Sherrone Moore was under investigation is accusing university officials of refusing to provide records related to the probe.

Paige Shiver filed the lawsuit on Wednesday in Washtenaw Circuit Court, claiming that U of M “arbitrarily and capriciously” violated the Michigan Freedom of Information Act by repeatedly denying her requests. Shiver and her legal team are seeking a court order requiring the university to disclose the records.

The lawsuit also alleges that throughout Shiver’s four-year employment with U of M, she was “discriminated against and subjected to a hostile work environment on the basis of her sex, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Michigan law including Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act.”

“The lawsuit filed today demands transparency and accountability from the University of Michigan, President Grasso and the Board of Regents,” said Shiver’s attorney, Andrew M. Stroth. 

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On Wednesday, CBS News Detroit reached out to U of M, which says it has no comment.

The investigation led to Moore’s firing in December 2025. At the time, it was determined that he was in an inappropriate relationship with a staffer, who was later identified as Shiver. 

Moore was arrested hours later after authorities said he went to Shiver’s home and threatened to harm himself. He was charged with third-degree felony home invasion, as well as misdemeanor counts of stalking and of breaking and entering. Moore was sentenced to 18 months’ probation after pleading no contest to the two misdemeanor charges.

According to the lawsuit, Shiver filed a FOIA request in February 2026 for audio, video and transcripts of interviews of herself, her father, Jeff Shiver, and Moore. The lawsuit alleges that the university denied her request, citing the ongoing investigation.

The lawsuit alleges that Shiver submitted a similar request months later, in June, but was told by the university that it was “overly broad and vague” and “does not describe a ‘public record sufficiently to enable the public body to find the public record.’”

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The lawsuit claims that requests were submitted in March and May, respectively, for all emails sent to the law firm Jenner & Block (UMconcerns@jenner.com) and for recordings of Shiver’s meetings by the university through Jenner & Block. However, those requests were denied because the university cited that it had no responsive records, according to the lawsuit.

The law firm was hired by U of M to investigate Moore and Shiver’s relationship. The university later expanded the investigation to include the athletic department.

The lawsuit also claims that Shiver requested copies of emails between Moore and athletic director Warde Manuel that contained the words “affair,” “discipline,” “pregnancy,” “baby” and “abortion.” The university denied the request, citing the communication between U of M employees as “exempt information,” according to the lawsuit.

However, Shiver’s legal team argued that the university has not shown evidence that the emails are exempt.

“This public university paid Jenner & Block $12 million to investigate the Sherrone Moore scandal and the abuse, Title IX and Title VII violations within the athletic department and Schembechler Hall, yet now refuses to release the investigation’s findings. It was important for our client to file this initial FOIA lawsuit to ensure the truth and facts come out,” Stroth said.

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Shiver appeared on ABC News’ “Good Morning America” in April to discuss her relationship with Moore. In the interview, she said she became pregnant by Moore and sought an abortion after medical complications were discovered about the pregnancy.


Note: The video above previously aired on April 14, 2026.



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‘Big Brother’ season 28 to premiere this week. One guest from Michigan

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‘Big Brother’ season 28 to premiere this week. One guest from Michigan


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Doors will to the “Big Brother” house will open soon, as season 28 premieres this week — and the cast list includes one guest from northern Michigan.

At 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 9, “Big Brother” season 28 will premiere on CBS to introduce the new guests in a 90-minute episode.

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“This season’s cast includes an MMA fighter, rocket scientist, game show host, daughter of an ’80s pop star, and a DRAG RACE All Star, among others,” CBS said in a July 7 announcement. “This new group of Houseguests is stepping into a summer where nothing is as it seems, where every twist rewrites the rules, and where time becomes the ultimate twist.”

There is one Michigan guest, Rome Seymour, 28, who works as a professional pickleball coach from Traverse City.

“I would describe myself as bashful, extroverted and extremely excitable. To be on ‘Big Brother’ is a dream. I’ve never felt anything as exiting as this before,” Seymour said in the “Big Brother” July 7 live cast announcement video.

Seymour said he will use his inner nerdiness to befriend and protect guests who are perhaps similar.

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“I see myself as hero, but I think a lot of people in the house are going to see me as a villain just because I’m so competitive that I want to win,” Seymour said.

After the 14 guests were revealed by CBS, the cast was said to be joined by long-time “Survivor” contestant Rick Devens, according to a July 7 Entertainment Weekly article.

Here’s more on the cast and how to tune in this week:

What is ‘Big Brother’ about? What is the theme for season 28?

“Big Brother,” is a reality TV show that follows a group of people living in a large house surrounded by 112 cameras and 113 microphones as an unfiltered 24-hour live feed to capture every interaction, strategic move and challenge.

A guest will be voted off each week, and the last remaining guest will win the grand prize of $750,000, according to CBS.

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The theme for season 28 is called, “Time Trip,” according to Sneak Peak from Paramount+.

Is anyone from Michigan on ‘Big Brother’ season 28?

Yes. There is one guest from Michigan on season 28 of “Big Brother:” Rome Seymour, 28, is a professional pickleball coach from Traverse City, located in the northwest Lower Peninsula.

Full ‘Big Brother’ season 28 cast list

Here is the full guest list for “Big Brother” season 28:

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  • Rick Devens, 42: TV journalist and long-time “Survivor” contestant from Blacksburg, Virginia.
  • Jason De Puy, 35: Drag Queen and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alum from San Francisco, California.
  • Ashley Trail, 24: Bartender from Alton, Illinois.
  • Barrett Pfeiffer, 27: Jumbotron Engineer from Benton, Arkansas.
  • Chuk Anyanwu, 27: Supply Chain Analyst from Dallas, Texas.
  • Drew Campbell, 22: Surgical Dental Assistant from Temecula, California.
  • Haley Thogmartin, 29: Telemedicine Executive from Neosho, Missouri.
  • Rome Seymour, 28: Pickleball Coach from Traverse City, Michigan.
  • Kamuela “Kamu” Kirk, 32: MMA Fighter from Phoenix, Arizona.
  • LaTrice Verrett, 57: Boutique Salesperson from Kankakee, Illinois.
  • Lyric Medeiros, 25: Attorney from Honolulu, Hawaii.
  • Mallory Aurichio, 24: Rocket Scientist from Township of Washington, New Jersey.
  • Melody Morris, 24: Corporate Game Show Host from Thornton, Colorado.
  • Taylor Brown, 27: Elementary School Counselor from Deerfield Beach, Florida.
  • Yash Patel, 24: Financial Analyst from Monroe Township, New Jersey.

What time does ‘Big Brother’ season 28 premiere?

The 90-minute “Big Brother” season 28 premiere is set to air at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 9.

“Big Brother: Unlocked,” will air at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, July 10, and a 90-minute episode will air at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 12.

Where can I stream the ‘Big Brother’ premiere this week?

“Big Brother” Season 28 will air on CBS and will be available on Paramount+ Premium, priced at $13.99 per month.

Paramount+ Essential subscribers will be able to catch the episode the day after it airs.

Following the season premiere this week, the series will air Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET, followed by hour-long shows on Thursdays, featuring live evictions, and Sundays at 8 p.m. ET.

USA TODAY contributed.

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Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@lsj.com



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