Michigan
Michigan tourist areas banking on ‘slow travel’ to woo summer visitors
The U.S. war with Iran, higher travel costs and a sharp drop in Canadian visitors all present tough headwinds for Michigan’s tourism industry, but as operators look ahead to the peak summer season, they’re cautiously optimistic. The reason? The “slow travel” trend.
Places, such as Petoskey, Traverse City and Grand Rapids, are banking on travelers looking for closer, more affordable getaways — a traditional response to uncertainty and financial pressures, said Patrick Brys, a member of the Michigan Travel Commission and CEO of Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery on Old Mission Peninsula north of Traverse City.
“There’s different things happening in the world right now,” Brys said. “What we’ve seen is that when people — there’s insecurity out there, or they’re not sure if they want to travel, or maybe even if their budgets are not as big as other years, then they tend to focus more on local travel. And sometimes some of the best experiences are right in your backyard.”
Major draws like America’s 250th anniversary celebrations are expected to help offset international declines as visitors drive to see more of the state. That’s the kind of travel many Michigan destinations are preparing for this summer.
“I always use the term One Tank Trip,” said Jim Powell, president of the Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau. “To get up here and enjoy yourself, reconnect with nature and enjoy all the amenities that we have up here.”
Canadian visitor drop persists
The decline in Canadian travel has lingered into this year amid a backlash to President Donald Trump’s tariffs and comments about making the U.S. northern neighbor the 51st state.
The number of people crossing into Michigan from Canada across January and February in 2026 fell about 10% compared to the same period in 2025, while vehicle traffic declined about 8%, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
About 10 million fewer Canadians traveled to the United States in 2025 compared with the prior year, a 25% drop, according to Statistics Canada. As international travel continues to lag, early feedback suggests that domestic travel will help offset the slowdown.
“From a good news-bad news story, I would say that the bad news was that Canadian travel, at least from a tourism standpoint, was down about 30% to southeast Michigan,” said Claude Molinari, CEO of Visit Detroit. “But overall, we were pretty much flat as far as hotel occupancy. So that means that we made up for it in other areas.”
Hotel occupancy in the first quarter is running about 4% ahead of last year, he said: “That takes into account the fact that Canada’s off. So that’s good news for what we’re doing.”
Every year since the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of travelers has risen, and this year is expected to be no different. In fact, AAA-The Auto Club Group projects 2026 to be the busiest travel year yet, with 36% of Michiganians planning to take more trips than in 2025.
According to AAA’s Consumer Pulse Survey, not only has the intent to travel increased, but individuals are planning multiple trips. More than half of Michiganians, or 54%, plan to take multiple trips this year, with 44% planning two to three vacations of three days or more.
“Travel demand is not just holding, it’s accelerating,” said Debbie Haas, AAA’s vice president of travel, in a release.
Noting recent travel survey data, Janet Korn, senior vice president with Experience Grand Rapids, said she is optimistic that people are planning to take more trips and budget more for travel.
“People are wanting to … get away, go explore some place you’ve been before, or go and explore some new experience that you haven’t visited before,” Korn said.
Pure Michigan, the state’s tourism marketing website, is leaning into the rise of “slow travel,” encouraging visitors to form deeper connections with the state’s landscapes and communities.
“In a world that often feels fast-paced and overscheduled, travel is an opportunity to step back, reconnect and focus on what matters most,” said Kelly Wolgamott, vice president of Pure Michigan, part of the Michigan Economic Development Corp.
Meanwhile, tourism officials are cautiously optimistic that tensions between the United States and Canada will ease.
“I think that doesn’t hurt that the federal government seems to be less focused on Canada and maybe more focused on some other issues right now,” Molinari said. “That does give me some hope that we’ll be able to more normalize relations with our friends south of Detroit.”
Gas price spike affects plans
As for gas prices, the average in the Great Lakes State was $4.01 per gallon for regular as of Tuesday, according to AAA. Pump prices are up by more than $1 since the United States and Israel began attacking Iran in late February.
“We’re now into prices we haven’t seen since 2022,” said Adrienne Woodland, AAA’s spokesperson.
Yet even as Michigan pump prices peaked at $5.22 a gallon in June 2022, summer travel was still higher than the year prior, AAA officials confirmed.
“Even though we were facing record-high gas prices, people still wanted to travel,” Woodland said. “They just may look for other ways to save money, so they’ll travel, they may not eat out as much, or they’ll look for inexpensive or free activities, but they still want to take those trips.”
Tourism officials in some areas say the region’s tourism base helps offset broader concerns, like gas prices.
Trevor Tkach, CEO of Traverse City Tourism, is optimistic the region will see a strong summer as people look to take “short local trips this year that just can make it easy on the budget.”
Jim Powell, executive director at the Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau, said he’s heard from members that they’re seeing a good number of bookings for summer travel.
“I think certainly we’re keeping one eye, you know, the economic uncertainty that … always seems to be hovering over on multiple fronts,” he said. “We had a really strong summer last year. I think it was close to a record visitation summer for us last year, and I think we’ll probably match that.”
Businesses spiff up for summer
On Mackinac Island, hotel operators are preparing for what they expect will be a solid summer season.
Hotel bookings for the first few months are flat or up so far, said Steph Castelein, managing director of the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau. Travelers are expected to start returning to the island this month as Arnold Transit Company and Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry resume spring service to and from the island on April 21.
While Canadian visitation dropped last year, it represents a smaller share of overall visitors to the island, Castelein said.
“Majority of our travelers and visitors come from our travel markets, so primarily Michigan, of course, and then into Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio,” she said. “We get a lot from Pennsylvania. But I don’t think that there was any big change in numbers for domestic versus International outside Canada.”
Mackinac Island is among the places in Michigan that will lean into America 250 celebrations. Plans include commemorating the semiquincentennial with Mackinac State Historic Parks conducting daily programs exploring the American Revolution. Visitors can explore the Soldiers’ Barracks, stop by a fully renovated visitor’s center and pass through a redesigned historic entrance at Fort Mackinac.
Other destinations across Michigan are also planning anniversary events, including The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, which is featuring a yearlong celebration called “America: 250 Years in the Making.”
Back on Mackinac Island, the Grand Hotel is offering a three-night America 250 package with special dining experiences, a children’s carnival, July 4 programming and fireworks.
There are a variety of changes and developments across venues and hotels on Mackinac Island, Castelein said.
Mission Point Resort is debuting Adirondacks Pizza, a new casual dining concept in the Mission Point Marketplace, where guests can enjoy handcrafted slices on the resort’s iconic great lawn.
When it opens in mid-May, Harbour View Inn will reveal a multimillion-dollar renovation that has transformed its guest rooms, suites and gardens. The project has been ongoing for the past couple of years as the inn has taken on new ownership, said Tawnya Johnson, chief marketing officer for hotel investment services for Harbour View Inn.
Last winter, the focus was on public spaces, followed by guest rooms this past offseason, Johnson said.
Johnson describes the upgrades as including “all refreshed interior spaces that feel very much like Mackinac Island. It’s really bright and airy, feels very cottagey and summery.”
In Grand Rapids, one expected draw is the city’s new $184 million Acrisure Amphitheater, a 12,000-seat outdoor music and entertainment venue opening in mid-May.
“It’s amazingly nice,” Korn said. “It’s brand new, so of course, it’s going to be great. But what a cool experience to be able to go into a downtown area and experience the nightlife and the energy of a city, and also see the music all in one trip. It’s where our city used to park their public works trucks and things, and the decision was made that there might be a better use for the edge of the river than that.”
In northwest lower Michigan, Brys said the Traverse City region’s growing food and wine reputation is drawing more visitors, with increasing national recognition and a rising number of wineries and acclaimed restaurants. That momentum is fueling interest in events like the Traverse City Food & Wine Festival, which he described as a major success in its inaugural run last year.
Brys Estate Vineyard and Winery hosted four festival events, which he sold out: “We saw just tremendous interest,” he said. “People were able to come and experience all the things that happened in Traverse City all in one week.”
In Petoskey, the Home2 Suites by Hilton Petoskey is expected to open this summer after about a year of construction, with the extended-stay property becoming the first new hotel in the area in roughly five years.
Powell said Petoskey is expanding beyond its traditional drive market, launching a marketing campaign aimed at air travelers, including a test push into the Dallas-Fort Worth region.
“One of the unique things that we’re doing this year was we’re actually going to reach out to a fly market,” he said. “That’s something we have not done before.”
Boyne Resorts’ Inn at Bay Harbor is now operating as an independent resort separate from the Marriott portfolio, allowing the property to add “refined culinary offerings and bespoke programming along the shores of Little Traverse Bay,” said Erin Ernst, Boyne Resorts spokesperson, in an email.
Boyne Mountain Resort and The Highlands are included in the resort’s portfolio of northern Michigan properties. This summer brings the second season of Doon Brae, The Highlands’ short course, which will be another attraction available for golf enthusiasts heading up north.
“We’re proud to play a part in what makes the Petoskey area a destination worth returning to summer after summer,” Ernst said.
cwilliams@detroitnews.com
mjohnson@detroitnews.com
Michigan
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.
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.’”
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.
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.
Michigan
‘Big Brother’ season 28 to premiere this week. One guest from Michigan
Meet the 3 New Jersey contestants on ‘Big Brother’ 28
Three New Jersey contestants are joining ‘Big Brother’ Season 28. Meet the Maplewood, Washington Township and Monroe Township houseguests.
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.
“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.
“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.
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:
- 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.
Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@lsj.com
Michigan
Michigan Supreme Court rules rape admission invalid due to LSD use
A man who took a large quantity of LSD before allegedly sexually assaulting his friend was too dazed to legally confess to the incident when deputies questioned him about it hours later, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.
In a 6-1 decision in which the dissenting justice agreed that the case should be retried, the high court sent the case against Zebadiah J. Soriano, 24, back to the trial.
Soriano’s attorney argued that not only was his client high on the hallucinogenic drug when he admitted to being a rapist after being read his Miranda rights, he also was sleep-deprived, hungry and unfamiliar with law enforcement procedures.
“Voluntary intoxication does not make a Miranda waiver per se invalid,” Justice Kimberly Thomas wrote in the opinion. ” … However, the circumstances here undermined Soriano’s ability to make a knowing and intelligent waiver.”
Defense attorney Ali Nathaniel Wright called the decision “a victory for Michiganders and our right to be protected from self-incrimination.”
“The decision serves as a reminder to our lower courts and law enforcement that confessions elicited from hospitalized teenagers who cannot fully appreciate their rights because they are intoxicated and sleep deprived have no place in a court of law,” Wright said in a statement.
‘I am a rapist’
Soriano was 18 years old on the night of Nov. 20, 2020, when he used LSD with a platonic friend, identified in court documents as “AC,” at her home in Grand Traverse County. Records show that Soriano had made romantic advances toward AC in the past, which she had rebuffed.
AC allegedly took one acid tablet while Soriano has claimed that he took six.
AC later told investigators that, a short time later, Soriano disrobed, forced himself on top of her and groped her, according to court documents. When she got away from him, Soriano allegedly caught her and put his arms around her throat. The alleged victim again was able to escape from Soriano, who eventually fell down a flight of stairs and ran out of the house.
Police were called to the scene and found Soriano around two hours after the alleged assault, in a wooded area about a quarter-mile from AC’s home, court documents show. He was acting strangely and making nonsensical statements, so officers transported him to a hospital, where they read him his Miranda rights before he made the incriminating statement that lies at the heart of the case:
“I am a rapist. I am f***ed,” he allegedly told a Grand Traverse sheriff’s deputy.
Convicted of criminal sexual conduct
Soriano was charged in Grand Traverse Circuit Court with assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct involving penetration, as well as assault by strangulation, records show.
Before his trial, Soriano filed a motion seeking to suppress the damning statement he made at the hospital, arguing that because he was high on LSD, he was unable to legally waive his constitutional right to remain silent.
The court denied the motion and, in September 2021, a jury convicted Soriano on the criminal sexual conduct charge while acquitting him of assault by strangulation. He was sentenced to three years of probation, six months in jail and ordered to register as a sex offender for life, according to court records.
The suspect later filed a motion seeking a new trial, arguing that his defense failed to support his motion to suppress with expert testimony, records show.
The trial court denied the motion and, in May 2024, an appeals court affirmed Soriano’s conviction in a 2-1 decision, opining that any alleged errors were harmless and unsupported.
“AC’s testimony, particularly when corroborated by other witness testimony, makes it is clear beyond a reasonable doubt that a rational jury would have found defendant guilty absent any potential error in the admission of his statements made while in the hospital,” the Appeals Court judges wrote.
In September 2025, Soriano appealed the decision to the Michigan Supreme Court. Wright wrote in a brief that two hours after Soriano had been interrogated, a deputy told his parents that he was “too out of it” to speak to them.
“If Zebadiah was not sober enough to hold a basic conversation with his parents two hours after his interrogation, then he was not sober enough to knowingly and intelligently waive his constitutional rights or give a voluntary confession,” Wright wrote. “The State should not be permitted to reap the benefits of (the deputy’s) exploitation of a vulnerable teenager.”
Too high to confess?
In a decision filed Tuesday, the Michigan Supreme sided with the defense.
Thomas, writing for the 6-1 majority in a 24-page opinion, said Soriano did not fully understand the rights he was giving up when he told law enforcement that he was a rapist.
“The short period of time between defendant’s erratic behaviors and being advised of his Miranda rights supports the conclusion that defendant was not able to understand his rights at the time of waiver,” Thomas wrote.
The high court also rejected the Court of Appeals’ conclusion that other evidence made the error harmless, determining that Soriano’s hospital statement was an important part of the prosecution’s effort to prove his intent.
“Given the other evidence concerning defendant’s intent, the average jury would have found the prosecution’s case significantly less persuasive without the erroneously admitted statement,” Thomas wrote.
The dissenting justice, Richard Bernstein, disagreed with his colleagues about the legal reason Soriano’s waiver was invalid, but agreed a new trial was warranted.
The ruling reverses the Appeals Court decision, vacates Soriano’s conviction and sends the case back to the trial court for further proceedings.
mreinhart@detroitnews.com
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