RJ Hamster
Michigan officials condemn fatal shooting of protester by ICE;…
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Morning Briefing
MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 2026
Scenes from the cardboard sled races at Mulligan’s Hollow during Winterfest in Grand Haven, Mich. on Saturday, January 24, 2026. (Joel Bissell | MLive)
Good morning, Michigan
Brrr! I hope all of you managed to stay warm over the weekend.
Most of us probably spent the last few days inside for the majority of the time, but some went out and braved the cold for the annual cardboard sled races during the 50th edition of Grand Haven Winterfest.
Looking to get in on some winter fun yourself? You can go rafting on the fastest-flowing river in the Lower Peninsula.
No matter what the weather, it’s always a good day when Michigan beats Ohio State. That’s exactly what happened Friday night when Michigan’s basketball team overcame an early deficit and hammered Ohio State down the stretch in a 74-62 win. The No. 3-ranked Wolverines also celebrated the career of former Michigan point guard and Columbus native Trey Burke at halftime.
Curated by Jamie Rewerts
This undated photo provided by Michael Pretti shows Alex J. Pretti, the man who was shot by a federal officer in Minneapolis on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. (Michael Pretti via AP)
Michigan officials condemn fatal shooting of protester by ICE in Minnesota
Michigan elected officials are speaking outafter a man was shot and killed in Minneapolis by federal immigration officers on Saturday, Jan. 24. Alex Pretti, 37, was an intensive care unit nurse protesting President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota, according to the Associated Press.
“We are witnessing unacceptable violations of Americans’ safety, rights, and freedoms. No one should accept this,” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement. “The violence must stop.”
Rep. Shri Thanedar, representing Michigan’s 13th district, said the shooting was “unjustified” and alleged the DHS lied about what could be seen on video. Thanedar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, representing Michigan’s 12th district, both called on congress to abolish Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Crews with DTE Energy on the scene of a winter power outage in Ann Arbor on Jan. 13, 2024. (Ryan Stanton | MLive)
Michigan customers pay their utilities to argue for higher rates. Few realize
When utility rates go up, customers’ wallets make it possible.
In Michigan and many other states, for-profit utility companies spend millions on teams of lawyers and highly paid consultants who argue for higher rates.
Their customers routinely pick up the tab while paying to keep the lights on and the gas flowing, but few realize.
As rate hike requests balloon in size and increasingly land every year, some advocates are now questioning the practice of utilities charging customers to negotiate higher rates before regulators with the Michigan Public Service Commission. A handful of other states have passed laws to ban or restrict it.
Mail service: Michigan congressman questions postal service changes after western U.P. experiences weeklong delays
The Michigan Capitol Building. (Jake May | MLive)
2026 Michigan candidates for governor talk top priorities at Traverse City forum
If braving the cold and snow on Friday morning was a test of the grit of Michigan’s gubernatorial candidates, six of those in the race checked a box when they appeared in Traverse City for the Northern Michigan Policy Conference.
During the daylong conference Friday, those same candidates – including all three of the perceived front-runners – outlined how they plan to move the state forward.
With a focus on Northern Michigan, they laid out the first iteration of plans centered around cutting red tape, improving the state’s education system and increasing Michigan’s affordable housing stock.
Detroit Red Wings Captain Dylan Larkin. (Mike Mulholland | MLive)
From Boyne’s slopes to Detroit ice rinks, these Michigan Olympians head to Italy
Olympic dreams often start small. A dad coaching his sons at the local ice rink outside Detroit. A girl going down Boyne Mountain before turning two.
One of those sons was Dylan Larkin. Years before he was a captain for the Detroit Red Wings, his father Kevin coached Dylan and his brother Colin at Lakeland Ice Arena in Waterford Township.
That little girl was Kaila Kuhn. Before competing for gold medals, her rewards for hitting the slopes were sweeter.
Larkin and Kuhn are two of dozens of athletes with Michigan ties competing from Feb. 6-22 in Italy for the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina. While also representing their country, some see themselves as also representing Michigan.
An update: Olympic medalist Grant Fisher to make half marathon debut in March
A map showing how the 25- to 34-year-old population changed in each Michigan county between 2000 and 2020. (Taylor DesOrmeau | MLive)
Michigan young adult population: Which counties grew, lost most
Michigan lost nearly 4% of its young adult population from 2000 to 2020. Some counties fared far better, and others far worse, at keeping, growing and attracting residents between ages 25 to 34. See an interactive map of the data here.
Michigan had 1.36 million residents in this age group during the 2000 Census. That population then fell to 1.16 million in the 2010 Census before rebounding to 1.31 million in the latest Census in 2020.
Experts say the fluctuation in the statewide young adult population can largely be explained by a smaller generation being captured in the 2010 snapshot of that age group.
In education: 5 Michigan universities join nonprofit’s bid to solve K-12 teacher shortage
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Welcome to a new week.
Thank you for joining me on today’s edition of the Morning Briefing.
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Have a nice day!
– Jamie Rewerts
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