RJ Hamster
Consumers Energy eyes big data centers as backlash grows…
 Morning BriefingFRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2026 Holland on Ice will showcase professional ice carvers creating art from 10,000 blocks of ice. In this MLive fil photo, Grand Rapids Community College student Jessica Miller works on her sculpture titled Surfs Up during the collegiate ice sculpting freestyle competition in downtown Holland. (Mark Copier | MLive file photo)Good morning, MichiganFrom enjoying Super Bowl and Olympics watch parties with friends to checking out one of these events in Mid-Michigan, there’s plenty of fun to be found this weekend. Brave the cold at Holland on Ice to see national sculptors transform 10,000 pounds of ice into works of art. Live carving will take place 4-7 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Saturday in GDK Park on 8th Street between Central and River Avenues. For those looking for a bit of adventure, the 57th running of the International 500 Snowmobile Endurance Race is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, at Soo I-500 Race Track in Sault Ste. Marie.Curated by Cara Hackett  Consumers Energy Headquarters is located at 1 Energy Plaza in Jackson, Mich. As Michigan’s second-largest electric utility, Consumers is seeing interest from data center customers bringing big power demand to its grid. (Claire Abendroth | MLive.com)Consumers Energy eyes big data centers as backlash grows in MichiganExecutives of Consumers Energy, Michigan’s second largest electric utility, say they’re making “great progress” with big data centers considering the state and more are lining up to join them. Securing power is a key step for the big tech companies and developers hoping to build out massive server warehouses amid a national boom in development to serve artificial intelligence. Their demand for electricity can be gargantuan. The optimism from higher-ups at Consumers comes as data center projects have stirred backlash across the state. Many communities have passed temporary moratoriums on new project submissions to update local zoning rules, while residents have packed township halls to oppose data center proposals. Related: Upper Peninsula township drafts ban on crypto mining, data centersRead more environmental news  A file photo of Jeffrey Epstein. (Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)Epstein described Detroit as ‘petri dish’ for financial experiments, records showNewly released records from the U.S. Department of Justice show that Jeffrey Epstein once described Detroit, during its bankruptcy, as a place ripe for financial experimentation and was later tied indirectly to allegations involving the city’s pension system. In emails sent in 2013, shortly after Detroit filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy, Epstein referred to the city as “bankrupt” and “desperate,” suggesting it could serve as a testing ground for new currency ideas. The messages were sent to contacts that included LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and venture capitalist Joi Ito. The document release also includes court filings linking Epstein to a massive Ponzi scheme run by his former mentor, Steven Hoffenberg. A 2016 court filing states that Detroit’s General Retirement System was among the victims of the fraud and considered joining a lawsuit seeking $125 million from Epstein. Read more Detroit news  President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)IRS commissioner says taxpayers will pay the bill if Trump wins $10 billion lawsuitIf President Donald Trump wins his latest lawsuit, the American taxpayers appear to be on the hook to pay the bill. The revelation came Thursday during a Senate Banking Committee hearing where Treasury Secretary and acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service Scott Bessent testified. Trump filed a lawsuit last week, seeking $10 billion in damages after his tax returns were leaked to news outlets between 2018 and 2020. Trump accused the IRS of failing to stop a contractor who leaked the returns of Trump and several other high-profile people. That contractor, Charles Littlejohn, eventually pleaded guilty to a charge of unauthorized disclosure of tax returns and return information. He was sentenced to five years in prison. Governor’s race: From turkeys to Tigers tickets: 2026 governor hopefuls share anecdotes, pitch local leadersRead more politics  High temperature forecast for Saturday, February 7. (NOAA)Michigan’s weekend weather: A sideswipe from Arctic air, 1 half of Michigan will be coldestAnother Arctic cold front will move south across Michigan Friday, putting Michigan fully in Arctic air for the weekend. Once we get into the Arctic air, our weather will turn quite dry. There doesn’t look to be any major, heavy precipitation this weekend. Leading up to the weekend, we do have one to two inches of snow on the way Friday morning as the Arctic cold front blows through Michigan. Saturday morning should be the coldest time this weekend. From the northern Detroit suburbs through Flint, the Thumb, and northern Lower Michigan, look for temperatures to drop a few degrees below zero. If you don’t have temperatures below zero, you will be just a few degrees above zero for southwest and southern Lower Michigan. Related: Burst of snow coming to Michigan, just at the wrong time FridayRead more in weather  Tigers ace Tarik Skubal bet big in arbitration and won, setting a new MLB record in the process. (Jake May | MLive.com)Tarik Skubal wins historic arbitration case, will earn $32 million in 2026Detroit Tigers ace left-hander Tarik Skubal will earn $32 million in 2026 after winning his historic arbitration case this week. Skubal will become the highest-paid, arbitration-eligible player in MLB history, topping the $31 million earned by slugger Juan Soto in 2024. The arbitration hearing for the two-time reigning Cy Young winner was on Wednesday in Scottsdale, Ariz, and the decision of the three-person panel was revealed on Thursday. The Tigers offered Skubal a $19 million 2026 salary at last month’s deadline to exchange salary figures, while Skubal countered with $32 million. It was the largest gap between the two sides in history.Read more in sports AdvertisementAll-inclusive Up North birding adventure to showcase threatened songbird Scenic problem camping spot to reopen after feds remove 12,000 pounds of litter With $3M ad buy, GOP governor candidate asks Michigan fans to skip Super Bowl halftime Sherrone Moore’s accuser provided ‘more than enough’ to justify charges, prosecutors say GAMES & COMICS  Today’s CrosswordMore free puzzles & games Today’s Comics TODAY’S OBITUARIESClick here to for access to Michigan obituaries. LOVABLE MICHIGAN EXCLUSIVE NEWSLETTERReady for positive, feel-good coverage of life in the Mitten? Curated from our best travel, outdoor, food, entertainment, photos and videos – immerse yourself in the place we love and the place we call home. Explore new dining, cabin rentals or how to view the next meteor shower. Join MLive․com’s Tanda Gmiter and the Life & Culture team every week. Your next adventure is waiting! Sign up here. 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