Another weekend will bring bitter cold to parts of the country—this time across the Ohio River Valley, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Wind chills could plunge to as much as 35 degrees below zero in some locations.
What You Need To Know
Cold Weather Warnings are in place tonight through Sunday afternoon
Wind chills could dip as low as 30 degrees below zero
Temperatures are expected to moderate into next week
Cold Weather Alerts
Arctic air will pour into the region through the weekend. Area-wide temperatures will dip near zero, and gusty winds could drive wind chills down to 30 below.
Cold Weather Advisories are in place for the Lakes and Mountains region of Maine, Ohio and eastern Michigan, with Extreme Cold Warnings set to go into effect for New York State and western Massachusetts.
Cold weather alerts will remain in effect through Sunday afternoon.
A Cold Weather Advisory is issued when dangerously cold wind chills can cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 15 minutes. An Extreme Cold Warning is issued when frostbite and hypothermia are likely if skin is left unprotected.
Frigid wind chills
The cold will settle in Saturday night and remain locked in the Northeast and New England through Sunday. A gradual warmup will begin on Monday.
Several of these areas were hit with heavy snow two weeks ago, and much of it remains. Additional snow this weekend will only build bigger piles.
Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.
Yet another lucky player from Michigan has won big, this time from the Michigan Lottery’s Lucky For Life game. This comes in the wake of several seven-figure sum wins in the Great Lakes State.
The Winner Took Home $390K
According to the Michigan Lottery’s announcement, David Holfelder, a 78-year-old man from Eastpointe, Macomb County, won the lottery’s recent Lucky For Life top prize. The prize landed on January 21 when Holfelder successfully matched all winning numbers in that drawing.
For context, the winning numbers for the January 21 drawing were 3, 10, 22, 32, and 38.
Lottery officials clarified that the winning ticket was sold at One Stop Liquor Shoppe, located at 15125 East 9 Mile Road in Eastpointe. They also confirmed that Holfelder visited the lottery HQ to claim his prize, opting to take the one-time lump sum payment of $390,000 instead of the $25,000 a year for 20 years annuity.
In an interview with lottery officials, Holfelder said that he had been playing Lucky For Life a lot in recent times. He added that he was incredibly excited when he scanned his ticket after the drawing to see that he had finally won a big lottery prize.
The words I would use to describe winning are terrific, satisfying, and about time!
David Holfelder
Holfelder added that he plans to use the money to buy a house and share the rest with his family.
Two More Players from the Great Lakes State Who Won Big
As mentioned, Holfelder’s win comes shortly after other players in Michigan won big prizes. These included a player who won $2 million from Legendary Wild Time, one of the lottery’s scratch-off games. The lucky winner said that he plans to use some of the money to fuel a voyage and then save the rest.
A few days earlier, the lottery announced that a woman from Michigan had won $6 million from the Millionaire Maker game. While the 63-year-old winner said that he doesn’t need any changes in her life, she said that she plans to use the money to help change others’ lives.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a potential Democratic presidential candidate, recently wrote about her accomplishments as she enters her final year leading the state.
“Our approach has led to some pretty remarkable results,” Whitmer wrote in a Feb. 2 Substack entry. “Free pre-K, community college, and school meals for all. Fewer families living in poverty.”
Her statement taps into Americans’ concerns about affordability, which could be a key issue for voters in the midterm elections, including a competitive U.S. Senate contest in Michigan. President Donald Trump’s pledge to reduce prices for groceries, cars and other items is Stalled on our MAGA-Meter, which tracks his campaign promises.
Michigan’s poverty rate declined during Whitmer’s tenure. The drop mirrored national trends, and most of the decline began under her predecessor. Whitmer’s spokesperson pointed to anti-poverty measures during her tenure as the reason for the decline. Experts said poverty rates are affected by numerous factors, not only one governor’s policies.
Poverty rate declined in Michigan since 2011
Whitmer was referring to a decline in the state’s poverty rate compared with what she inherited from her predecessor, Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, Whitmer’s political strategist told PolitiFact.
In 2011, when Snyder took office, about 17% of Michigan residents lived in poverty. It peaked at 17.5% in 2012, then fell to 14% during Snyder’s final year in office in 2018, according to U.S. Census Bureau data analyzed by KFF, a nonpartisan health policy think tank.
During Whitmer’s tenure, which began in 2019, the rate hovered between 13.1% and 13.5% in 2024, the most recent year available. (There is no 2020 data because of the coronavirus pandemic’s significant data collection disruptions.)
The official U.S. Census Bureau poverty measure totals a household’s income and compares it with a threshold for the household’s size and age composition, Kristin S. Seefeldt, a University of Michigan social work associate professor, said. If the household’s income is below that threshold the household is considered to be living in poverty. Many experts say the threshold is outdated, but it’s still widely used.
The U.S. Census Bureau’s nationwide poverty threshold for a family of two adults and one child was $25,249 in 2024.
Rates are often the most useful measure of changes because they take into account population changes. However, in sheer numbers, there were more people living in poverty in Michigan (and the nation) in 2024 than 2019. In Michigan, there were about 1.28 million in poverty in 2019 and 1.34 million in 2024.
However, a comparison of poverty rates under two governors doesn’t provide a full picture.
Michigan’s declining poverty rate under both Whitmer and Snyder matches a national trend. The national poverty rate was 15.9% in 2011 and declined most years, ending at 12.1% in 2024.
During economic downturns, Michigan tends to get hit harder and experience longer recessions than even neighboring states, mainly because of its transition from a manufacturing-based economy to a service-based economy, said Nicholas Hess and Patrick Schaefer at the Michigan League for Public Policy, a nonprofit policy institute. That typically puts the state’s poverty rate higher than the national average.
There is usually a lag between the end of a recession and a drop in the poverty rate.
“One could argue that due to the Great Recession (of 2008 and 2009) the Snyder administration was at a much different starting point,” Seefeldt said. “Or, one might say that Snyder didn’t do enough to bring down poverty rates as the economy recovered. But the trend data alone don’t let us say either definitively.”
Charles L. Ballard, a Michigan State University economics professor emeritus, said poverty measures should be taken with several grains of salt.
“The really big story of the Michigan economy is the longer-term story of Michigan’s economy losing ground relative to the national average,” Ballard said. “This is strongly associated with the decline of manufacturing in general, and the auto sector in particular.”
Whitmer hasn’t reversed that decline, Ballard said, but neither did her predecessors, Republican or Democrat.
Many of the actions Whitmer cited stem from bills that passed the legislature from 2023 to 2025.
“I’d argue it’s really too soon to see the effect of most of these changes in any dataset,” Seefeldt said. “We know that the types of changes she’s put in place matter for the well-being of families with low income. But the official poverty numbers by themselves aren’t ‘proof’ that the changes have resulted in lower poverty rates during her administration.”
The official poverty measure looks only at pre-tax income, which means that impact from some of these measures — such as expanding the earned income tax credit or rolling back the retirement tax — aren’t reflected in the statistic, Seefeldt said. Official measures also don’t consider expenses such as child care.
Another way the Census Bureau seeks to quantify poverty is by using a “supplemental poverty measure,” which takes into account additional factors not included in the basic poverty measure, including government benefits such as food assistance, tax credits and accounts for expenses such as housing and medical costs.
Michigan’s supplemental poverty measure decreased between 2023 and 2024. That aligns with the expansion of the state’s earned income tax credit, the experts at the Michigan League for Public Policy said.
Our ruling
Whitmer said her tenure as governor has led to “fewer families living in poverty” in Michigan.
The poverty rate under Whitmer is lower than it was under her predecessor. In 2011, when Snyder took office, about 17% of residents lived in poverty; that fell to 14% in 2018. During Whitmer’s tenure, the rate has ranged from 13.1% to 13.5%.
Whitmer’s statement omits that the drop mirrored national trends; that Michigan’s rate is higher than the national average; and that the sheer number of people living in poverty increased from 2019 to 2024. Poverty rates are influenced by multiple factors, not a governor’s policies alone.
The statement is partially accurate but leaves out important information. We rate it Half True.
Chief Correspondent Louis Jacobson contributed to this fact-check.
Another weekend will bring snow and bitter cold to parts of the country—this time across the Ohio River Valley, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Wind chills could plunge to 35 degrees below zero.
What You Need To Know
Cold Weather Warnings are in place Saturday night through Sunday afternoon
Wind chills could dip as low as 30 degrees below zero
Snowfall totals will be around 1 to 3 inches with the potential for higher amounts in southern Maine and eastern Massachusetts
Snow chances
A cold front will bring snow to New York and New England from tonight through tomorrow. Totals will generally be light—around 1 to 3 inches—but a unique phenomenon known as ocean-effect snow could enhance accumulations in eastern Massachusetts and southern Maine (including York County).
A heavy band may develop there, with localized totals exceeding 6 inches. If this occurs, the most likely timing is early Saturday afternoon.
Here’s one model’s timing on the snow.
Cold Weather Alerts
Arctic air will move in behind the snow starting Saturday night. Area-wide temperatures will dip near zero, and gusty winds could drive wind chills down to 30 below.
Cold Weather Advisories are in place for the Lakes and Mountains region of Maine, Ohio and eastern Michigan, with Extreme Cold Warnings set to go into effect for New York State and western Massachusetts.
Cold weather alerts will remain in effect through Sunday afternoon.
A Cold Weather Advisory is issued when dangerously cold wind chills can cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 15 minutes. An Extreme Cold Warning is issued when frostbite and hypothermia are likely if skin is left unprotected.
Frigid wind chills
The cold will settle in Saturday night and remain locked in the Northeast and New England through Sunday. A gradual warmup will begin on Monday.
Several of these areas were hit with heavy snow two weeks ago, and much of it remains. Additional snow this weekend will only build bigger piles.
Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.
Are you ready for spring and a better seasonal outlook? For the majority of Americans in the United States, after the brutal winter the country has been experiencing, the answer is “yes.” The first day of spring, called the Spring Equinox, is set for March 20 at 10:46 a.m. ET, so it’s coming. Even though we have to wait several weeks for spring to officially start, the good news is that the United States is in line to get spring-like weather before then.
NOAA’s Seasonal Outlook for February Through April
First, let’s talk about spring. In 2026, the first day of spring falls on a Friday, and it marks the “astronomical beginning of the spring season in the Northern Hemisphere and the autumn season in the Southern Hemisphere,” according to research from the Farmer’s Almanac.
“In the Northern Hemisphere, the spring equinox (also called the March equinox or vernal equinox across the globe) occurs when the Sun crosses the celestial equator going south to north,” the Almanac explains. “It’s called the celestial equator because it’s an imaginary line in the sky above Earth’s equator. Imagine standing on the equator; the Sun would pass directly overhead on its way north.”
Time and Date adds, “In meteorology, the spring season begins on a different date. Also, some countries don’t have fixed season dates but determine the start and end of spring based on average temperatures.” In fact, the meteorological spring in the Northern Hemisphere starts on March 1 and runs through May 31, so it’s the months of March, April and May.
In the report, the NOAA projects that most of the lower half of the country will see a chance of above-normal temperatures during that three-month period. The central area, including the Midwest and Northeast, is looking at normal weather for that period. Finally, only the most northern parts of the country, in the middle of the U.S., are projected to get below-normal weather.
What’s the seasonal outlook for this state? Michigan is looking at normal temperatures for February through April and above normal precipitation for that period. After the winter we’ve had, that doesn’t sound so bad. Reach out to the author with your thoughts.
Anne Erickson started her radio career shortly after graduating from Michigan State University and has worked on-air in Detroit, Flint, Toledo, Lansing and beyond. As someone who absolutely loves rock, metal and alt music, she instantly fell in love with radio and hasn’t looked back. When she’s not working, Anne makes her own music with her band, Upon Wings, and she also loves cheering on her favorite Detroit and Michigan sports teams, especially Lions and MSU football. Anne is also an award-winning journalist, and her byline has run in a variety of national publications. You can also hear her weekends on WRIF.
The Trump Administration has taken a hard line against state climate policies, particularly efforts by states and localities to impose liability on fossil fuel companies for their role in increasing atmospheric levels of greenhouse gases. An April 2025 Executive Order instructed the Department of Justice and other agencies to intervene to block or obstruct such state-level initiatives.
Pursuant to the Executive Order, the Justice Department filed suit to prevent Michigan from filing suit against fossil fuel companies, as other states and some local jurisdictions have. As you might have anticipated, this suit had the problem of trying to preempt a lawsuit that has yet to be filed. Thus it should be unsurprising that United States v. Michigan has been dismissed on jurisdictional grounds, with the judge finding that the Justice Department failed to demonstrate ripeness or standing.
The Justice Department attempted to argue that any suit Michigan could consider fiing against fossil fuel companies is preempted by federal law–but that claim is simply false (for reasons I’ve discussed in prior posts, such as those listed here). Tort litigation may be a bad way to try and address the problem of climate change, but that hardly means such suits are preempted by federal law, let alone that the federal government can rush to court to block a lawsuit that has not even been filed, nor does it mean that the federal government has standing to ask a federal court to preemptively intervene when a state is considering whether to file suit against private companies in state court.
Like it or not, Congress has never enacted legislation to preempt state litigation or legislation targeting fossil fuel companies or greenhouse gas emissions. If the Trump Administration and fossil fuel companies wish to preempt such efforts, they would be better advised to focus their efforts on encouraging Congress to act instead of filing meritless lawsuits like this one.
When winter tightens its grip on Metro Detroit, one community knows how to turn cold temperatures into something magical. The Plymouth Ice Festival 2026 has once again transformed downtown Plymouth and Kellogg Park. A shimmering outdoor gallery filled with frozen artwork, family activities, and classic Michigan winter spirit met thousands of visitors over the weekend of January 30 through February 1st.
From Culinary Class Project to Michigan Winter Tradition
What many may not realize is that this massive event began in a surprisingly simple way. The first Plymouth Ice Festival took place in 1984, sparked by a group of culinary students who were learning the art of ice carving. Instead of keeping their work inside the classroom, they decided to display their sculptures for the public to enjoy. The response was immediate and enthusiastic, and a new winter tradition was born.
More than 40 years later, that student project has grown into one of the longest-running ice festivals in the state. Today, the event typically features more than 150 professionally carved ice sculptures, each created from massive blocks of crystal-clear ice. Downtown streets and park pathways become lined with animals, pop-culture characters, landmarks, and imaginative designs that draw thousands of visitors each year.
Tajana Raukar: Carving the Plymouth Ice Festival
A major contributor to the festival’s visual impact is renowned ice sculptor Tajana Raukar, whose work has become a staple of the event. Tajana is a seven-time world champion ice carver with nearly 30 years of experience. Tajana and her family own and run Ice Dreams in Plymouth. She carves ice year-round from her 9-degree office/freezer.
Donielle Flynn
Tajana said that each block weighs 300 pounds and costs roughly $100.
Known for her precision and artistic detail, Raukar helps elevate the festival into a true outdoor art experience. Her sculptures, along with those of other skilled carvers, give visitors something new and impressive to discover every winter.
Events
The Plymouth Ice Festival is about more than just looking at ice. Guests can watch live carving demonstrations, enjoy family-friendly activities, warm up with hot chocolate, and explore nearby shops and restaurants. The event was originally designed to support downtown businesses during a slow season, and that community focus remains central to its success.
From its humble beginnings with culinary students sharing their skills to its current status as a regional winter destination, the Plymouth Ice Festival reflects the creativity of Michigan communities. It proves that even in the coldest months, there’s always a reason to get outside, come together, and celebrate something truly… cool.
Mackenzie Nedzlek
More than 150 Ice Sculptures make up the Plymouth Ice Festival, along with family-friendly events, outdoor ice-carving competitions, and ziplining. Photo courtesy of Mackenzie Nedzlek
Donielle Flynn has two kids, two cats, two dogs, and a love of all things rock. She’s been in radio decades and held down top-rated day parts at Detroit, Philadelphia, and Washington DC radio stations throughout her tenure. She enjoys writing about rock news, the Detroit community, and she has a series called “The Story Behind” where she researches the history of classic rock songs.
There’s no getting around that it’s been a doozie of a winter throughout much of the United States, and spring weather can’t get here soon enough. After months of frigid, recording-breaking low temperatures and snow and frost even in areas of the country that aren’t used to it, it’s time for spring. Sure, some areas, like Florida, don’t get hit with winter weather like the rest, but it’s even been chilly in those areas. So, what does the Farmer’s Almanac say about the spring weather forecast for 2026?
Farmer’s Almanac Releases Spring Weather Forecast
The Farmer’s Almanac gives long-range weather predictions for April and May, and those are separated into 18 U.S. regions.
According to the Almanac, looking at general weather patterns across the country, the experts over there are predicting warmer-than-normal temperatures across much of the U.S., with the main exceptions being Washington, Oregon, Idaho and parts of Montana and Colorado, which are slated to get closer to or below seasonal averages.
Along with that, most of the country will be facing drier condition, with the exceptions of upper Alaska, Texas, Oklahoma, the northern Appalachians, the High Plains, the upper Midwest and the country’s intermountain region.
So, what’s the spring weather prediction for our state? Michigan is considered the “Lower Lakes” region six. So, for the state, they predict, “Temperatures will be warmer than normal overall across Michigan and the surrounding Great Lakes states. Rainfall will be below normal in the east and above normal in the west.” Expect a warm spring, and we’re ready for it.
Anne Erickson started her radio career shortly after graduating from Michigan State University and has worked on-air in Detroit, Flint, Toledo, Lansing and beyond. As someone who absolutely loves rock, metal and alt music, she instantly fell in love with radio and hasn’t looked back. When she’s not working, Anne makes her own music with her band, Upon Wings, and she also loves cheering on her favorite Detroit and Michigan sports teams, especially Lions and MSU football. Anne is also an award-winning journalist, and her byline has run in a variety of national publications. You can also hear her weekends on WRIF.
Every February 2, folks across North America turn their eyes toward a furry forecaster on Groundhog Day. Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania is the most famous of the groundhogs that predict the weather. However, he’s just one of dozens of critters doing their part to tell us whether spring is on the way.
According to the groundhog-tracking site Groundhog-Day.com, there are 88 named weather-forecasting animals recorded across the U.S. and Canada. 74 of those are right here in the U.S.A. These furry forecasters range from weathered veterans to local favorites. Every one brings a bit of lore and regional pride to Groundhog Day.
Michigan’s Own Weather Rodent
Michigan has its own seasonal seer: Woody the Woodchuck, making her predictions from The Howell Nature Preserve each February. Woody doesn’t rely solely on shadows like many of her counterparts; instead, her forecast comes from how long she spends outside on her stump. If Woody stays more than 30 seconds, it means early spring. Less than 30 seconds suggests that we’ll see six more weeks of winter.
Longest-Serving Groundhogs That Predict Weather
Some weather predictors have decades of experience under their belts. The iconic Punxsutawney Phil has been part of the tradition since 1887, making him one of the oldest and most famous of the groundhogs that predict the weather in the U.S. However, Phil’s “accuracy” has come under fire on more than one occasion, and arguably, no better than chance. Other long-standing forecasters include Staten Island Chuck (tracking predictions since the early 1980s). Jimmy the Groundhog of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, has been the star of Groundhog Day celebrations for more than 75 years.
Who Has the Best Track Record?
While Phil gets the headline billing, others have delivered more consistent results. For example, Staten Island Chuck has been credited with an 80–85% accuracy rate in some records, far higher than Phil’s roughly 39% success rate over many decades. Data from weather researchers shows some lesser-known groundhogs that predict weather more accurately. The groundhogs that predict the weather in Oil Springs, Ontario, and Unadilla, New York, have enjoyed success rates above 75–80%, though interpretations vary.
Groundhog vs. Woodchuck — Same Creature, Two Names
Despite the different names, there’s no biological difference between a “groundhog” and a “woodchuck.” Both names refer to the same species: Marmota monax. They are a type of large ground squirrel found across much of the eastern U.S. and Canada. The dual names likely come from regional language variations. “Woodchuck” stems from Native American words, while “groundhog” describes the animal’s burrowing, ground-dwelling habits.
Why We Still Watch Them
Groundhog Day traces back to European Candlemas traditions, where the weather on February 2 was thought to forecast the rest of winter. When German settlers brought the ritual to Pennsylvania in the 1700s, they adapted it to the locally common groundhog. The tradition grew into a light-hearted annual celebration that blends folklore, local culture, and plenty of photo ops.
Our groundhogs that predict weather remind us when we need it most: winter won’t last forever. If we’re lucky, it will be over sooner rather than later.
Donielle Flynn has two kids, two cats, two dogs, and a love of all things rock. She’s been in radio decades and held down top-rated day parts at Detroit, Philadelphia, and Washington DC radio stations throughout her tenure. She enjoys writing about rock news, the Detroit community, and she has a series called “The Story Behind” where she researches the history of classic rock songs.
It was a relatively quiet start to 2026, with winter storms bringing heavy snow to the typical snow belts. The hardest-hit states included Michigan and New York, where lake-effect snows have added up, with some areas seeing well over 100 inches.
What You Need To Know
Snow was reported from New Mexico and Texas to Maine
Freezing rain and sleet brought icy conditions to Mid-South and South
Five tornadoes touched down in Alabama and Florida on Sunday
However, the Mid-South, Mid-Atlantic, and even the Northeast hadn’t seen as active a start. In fact, these regions began the year with temperatures above average, some even having top ten warmest starts to January. But all of that changed on Jan. 23.
At one point, a large storm stretched over two-thousand miles, with millions of people under a weather alert.
Southern snow and ice totals
Two storm systems merged as arctic air surged south across much of the U.S. By Jan. 23, snow began falling in New Mexico. The highest snowfall accumulated near Bonita Lake, NM., where 31 inches of snow fell.
As the storm emerged east of New Mexico into Texas, it picked up moisture from the Gulf. Snow, sleet and freezing rain fell across the South. Dallas and Fort Worth, TX., picked up 1 to 2 inches with bitter cold that followed.
Northern Arkansas and Oklahoma saw higher totals, ranging from 6 to 8 inches, with a mix of sleet and freezing rain in parts of Arkansas.
Mid-South snow and ice
By Saturday, Jan. 24, snow and ice moved through the Mid-South, with the heaviest snow occurring Saturday night into Sunday across Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky and Illinois.
With cold air in place in Missouri, snowfall totals range from 5 inches around Kansas City to over a foot of snow south of St. Louis. Kentucky saw snow at the onset before switching to a mix of snow and sleet, which limited the totals.
As the storm moved through Illinois, Indiana and Ohio Saturday into Sunday, it was mainly a snow event. Totals ranged from 6 to 9 inches across the region.
The Northeast and New England snow
With cold air in place in the north, it was an all-snow event in this region. The storm dumped over a foot of snow onto New York City, with the Boston area picking up nearly two feet of snow Sunday through Monday evening.
York, Maine, in the southern part of the state, accumulated 20 inches of snow.
Mid-Atlantic snow and ice
Snow fell in parts of the Mid-Atlantic before changing to sleet. Washington D.C. saw nearly 7 inches of snow before it mixed with and changed to sleet.
Central North Carolina picked up a few flakes before it mixed with and changed over to sleet. While not as icy as freezing, sleet still caused treacherous road conditions.
Southeast snow and ice totals
The colder air was in place in the northern parts of Alabama, Georgia and Upstate South Carolina. Some snow fell at the onset of the storm before mixing with and changing to sleet and freezing rain. Ice Storm Warnings were posted on Sundy and Monday across the region.
Severe side of the storm
The National Weather Service confirmed that five tornadoes touched down on Sunday. Four of them in Alabama and one in Florida. The highest rated tornado was an EF2 with winds estimated of 115 mph in Geneva County, Ala.
Airport delays
With all of the intense weather of the pass few days, airport delays and cancelations are prevalent. Here’s the latest below.
Cold air remains locked in place for the eastern two-thirds of the country.
Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.
DETROIT (AP) — A car crashed through the entrance of the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport on Friday evening, striking a ticket counter and injuring six people, airport officials said.
The driver was taken into custody, the Wayne County Airport Authority said in a statement. The cause of the crash was not yet known, and airport police were investigating.
The WCAA Fire Department treated six people at the site.
Video posted on social media showed a blue, four-door sedan stopped, with its hood and truck popped open, in front of Delta Air Lines counters in what appeared to be a departure lobby.
Glass and other debris lay strewn on the ground at the entrance, and yellow police tape cordoned off the scene.
The driver’s name was not immediately released.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A driver crashed a vehicle into a terminal at Detroit Metro Airport Friday night.
The crash occurred at the McNamara Terminal near Delta’s check-in counters sometime before 8 p.m. Eastern Time.
Delta Airlines said in a statement to CBS News that no injuries were reported and there was no operational impact. Three employees were checked by emergency personnel after encountering debris, the airline said. It was unclear how many people were inside the vehicle at the time.
CBS News Detroit reached out to the Wayne County Airport Authority, which released the following statement:
“The Wayne County Airport Authority (WCAA) Police Department is currently investigating a vehicle that drove into the entrance of the McNamara Terminal at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), hitting a ticket counter. The incident occurred at approximately 7:30 this evening. The driver is in custody and the cause of the crash is unknown at this time. The WCAA Fire Department treated six people at the scene. We’ll provide more information as it becomes available.”
A CBS News Detroit crew captured footage of the crashed vehicle inside the building. The circumstances of the incident were unknown. An investigation is underway.
A vehicle that crashed into a terminal at Detroit Metro Airport. Jan. 23, 2026.
The northern lights could be visible across parts of the country tonight. A coronal mass ejection (CME) will likely arrive at Earth tonight, leading to elevated geomagnetic activity.
Geomagnetic storms are responsible for the visual display of the northern lights, or aurora borealis.
What You Need To Know
A Geomagnetic Storm Watch is in effect
The northern lights may be visible for parts of the U.S.
The Aurora Borealis is typically linked to winter viewings but can actually be seen all year
A CME is an eruption of solar material and magnetic fields. There is a Geomagnetic Storm Watch in effect tonight, with a G4 predicted. According to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, watches at this level are very rare.
G4 Watch in effect for 20 Jan UTC-day (late 19 Jan EST to early 20 Jan EST) due to anticipated CME arrival at Earth. We will make a video update later this afternoon about this activity. Look for the latest info & updates by staying space weather aware at https://t.co/kwJj9rIpubpic.twitter.com/KYqgsN9oIt
— NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (@NWSSWPC) January 19, 2026
Aurora Borealis
The sun is currently in an upswing of its 11-year solar cycle. Scientists notice more sunspots as they migrate toward the equator of the sun, and when their magnetic fields tangle, solar storms erupt.
Earth’s magnetic field acts as a buffer to keep particles and energy ejected from the sun at bay. However, if the solar storm is strong enough, those particles can penetrate the Earth’s atmosphere, giving off light, creating the auroras we see.
With such intense CMEs expected to arrive on Earth, the severe storm might make the northern lights visible in the northern U.S., with the best chance of viewing at higher latitudes.
Geomagnetic storms
The energy from a solar storm is categorized by G levels. Tonight’s aurora forecast is a G4.
(NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center)
G1 would show a minor storm, G2 a moderate storm, G3 a strong storm, G4 a severe storm and G5 would mean an extreme storm.
While these storms make the northern lights brighter and more visible in lower latitudes, the energy entering our atmosphere can cause disruptions to power grids, spacecraft operations and migratory animals.
Make your best effort to get away from city lights and find somewhere dark. Experts recommend skygazing from a local or national park. And check the weather forecast because clouds can cover up the spectacle entirely.
Many areas in northern latitudes should be able to see the northern lights with the naked eye. If you’re farther south, your smartphone cameras may also reveal hints of the aurora that aren’t visible to the naked eye. Long-exposure is your best bet to reveal all the colors in the night sky.
When taking the photo, turn on “night mode” and place your phone on a steady surface. The longer the exposure, the better the photo will turn out!
Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.
DETROIT (AP) — Chinese automakers have been making inroads around the world with growing sales of their high-tech, stylish and affordable electric vehicles. That has had competitors concerned even before Canada this week agreed to cut its tariffs on Chinese EVs in exchange for concessions on Canadian farm products.
What You Need To Know
China has made major inroads around the world with its stylish, affordable electric vehicles
The country could get a boost from Canada
U.S. officials acknowledged that in remarks at an assembly plant for Jeep-maker Stellantis in Toledo, Ohio, on Friday
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the Chinese Communist Party invests in its auto industry to “control this industry”
Experts now say an easier path into Canada could be a big boost for Chinese carmakers looking to dominate the global market — particularly as their domestic market weakens. That poses a threat to other auto manufacturers, particularly American companies.
U.S. officials acknowledged that in remarks at an assembly plant for Jeep-maker Stellantis in Toledo, Ohio, on Friday. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the Chinese Communist Party invests in its auto industry to “control this industry.”
“Why? They want to take over the auto industry. They want to take away these jobs,” Duffy said. As far as the Canadian trade deal, he added: “They will live to regret the day they partner with China and bring in their vehicles.”
Others say the shift is inevitable.
“This is telling us that Chinese automakers continue to be really popular, and are doing better and better, and not just something that’s sold in global markets that are more marginal or less important to U.S. automakers,” said Ilaria Mazzocco, deputy director and senior fellow with the Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
What makes Chinese vehicles stand out?
Chinese-made vehicles are high-quality, stylish and inexpensive, experts say.
“It’s clear that the vehicles made by Chinese brands come at a very competitive cost, but are also technologically quite desirable,” Mazzocco said. “They tend to be connected vehicles, so they have a lot of additional software capabilities that consumers seem to like. But the price point and the competitiveness are really big selling points.”
These vehicles can cost as little as $10,000 to $20,000; in the U.S., new vehicles are running close to $50,000 on average, and EVs even more so.
Chinese companies also have unique advantages as far as auto manufacturing and production, efficiency and making vehicles lighter, which helps extend an electrified vehicle’s driving range.
“They’ve found a way to make small and mid-sized cars — cars that people want — at a reasonable price,” said Sam Fiorani, vice president at AutoForecast Solutions. “These are the segments where GM and Ford and almost everybody else have abandoned.”
Many automakers have discontinued smaller vehicles in favor of higher-margin, large sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks that are far more profitable.
So why are Chinese EVs such a threat to U.S. automakers and others?
Much of the global auto market is electrifying, an ideal opportunity for advanced Chinese automakers to capitalize on. China saw 17% growth in plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles in 2025, according to data released by Benchmark Mineral Intelligence this week, and Europe saw a 33% increase.
Meanwhile, U.S. sales of electrified cars grew just 1% last year. As the rest of the world advances, U.S. automakers have weakened their once-ambitious, multibillion dollar electrification plans, instead opting for more efficient hybrid electric and gasoline vehicles amid the Trump administration’s shift away from EV-friendly policy.
Chinese automakers will have to meet standards required for the Canadian auto market for the latest trade arrangement to be successful — standards that are similar to those in the U.S. — which is likely to incentivize Chinese auto manufacturing investment in Canada.
They’ll also have to establish which segment of the market they are targeting there: Higher-end vehicles, or less-expensive ones that sell at higher volumes.
Regardless, “It brings it home to what is needed to compete globally,” said Mark Wakefield, global automotive market lead at AlixPartners. The firm predicts Chinese brands will account for 30% of the global market by 2030.
“They’ve already started in Europe. They started in South America. Now Mexico and Canada,” Wakefield said. American carmakers “don’t want to end up as a Brazil with your ethanol-based cars that aren’t sellable anywhere else in the world and … like Britain or Australia that used to matter in the auto world, and no longer really matter.”
Why have others sought to regulate Chinese EV-makers’ expansion?
Countries have attempted to regulate Chinese EVs from entering their markets for several reasons.
“China has become this overwhelming machine making inexpensive vehicles. And the fear is that if you give them an inch, they’re going to take a mile,” Fiorani said. “The other issue is technology. These vehicles are data centers… and the idea that a state-owned company in China could have access to where a high portion of drivers are going gives them leverage for all kinds of outlets.”
“The advance of Chinese manufacturers is inevitable. It will happen eventually. Everybody is negotiating to put up the roadblocks to figure out: What data is being processed, how much market share you’re going to allow Chinese manufacturers to have?” Fiorani added.
“There are a lot of guardrails that have to be put up, but eventually they’re going to make their way into all Western markets.”
Michigan’s cannabis industry is facing a sobering reckoning in 2026 that could have lasting ramifications for legal weed.
Since recreational cannabis sales began in December 2019, prices have plummeted, more than 550 dispensaries and cultivators have closed, and thousands of employees have been laid off.
And for the first time, the recreational market saw a decline in annual sales, according to new figures released by the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA). Adult-use dispensaries rang up $3.17 billion in sales in 2025, down from $3.27 billion in 2024, a decline of about $100 million, or 3.1%.
The dream of a green rush, it turns out, has given way to a cutthroat market where most businesses are fighting to survive.
During the six years of recreational sales, the industry has generated a remarkable $13.23 billion in purchases and $2.2 billion in state and excise taxes that go to local governments, schools, and roads.
But those figures are expected to continue falling this year.
Whitmer signed the bill in October, nearly two weeks after the Michigan Department of Treasury estimated the new tax will shrink the wholesale market by 14%, according to records obtained by Metro Times. In other words, the state anticipates that its wholesale tax will chase away customers and cause a significant decline in excise and sales tax revenue.
Meanwhile, legislators have not touched the 4% liquor tax since it was set in 1985. That may be because the liquor industry has one of the most powerful lobbies and has donated heavily to Whitmer and other lawmakers.
“They took advantage of a fledgling industry that isn’t organized, and they did it without any public discussion and punched it through,” Stuart Carter, who owns Detroit dispensary Utopia Gardens and a cultivation facility, tells Metro Times. “Now everyone is scrambling to figure out what to do.”
Carter and other business owners say the new tax will deepen the downturn, forcing more dispensaries, processors, and cultivators to close and giving an upper hand to the larger corporate retailers and grow operations that provide mediocre product.
“The multi-chain operators are in the best position to weather this because they are buying in bulk and they can diffuse losses at some of their stores,” Carter says. “It’s the smaller entrepreneurs who are going to be the most affected.”
Tom Farrell, owner of the Refinery dispensaries in New Buffalo and Kalamazoo and Growing Pains, a cultivator, says the tax is already taking a toll on the industry. He says sales at his New Buffalo dispensary “have been very, very slow,” in part because many consumers mistakenly believe they are responsible for paying the 24% wholesale tax beginning on Jan. 1.
“It’s slower than it has ever been,” Farrell says, adding that the same store saw record sales in December.
Dispensaries stocked up on a lot of weed in December to avoid the tax’s impact. While growers and processors are legally responsible for paying the tax, their options for recouping at least a portion of the extra costs are limited to raising prices or negotiating with dispensaries to absorb some of the increase. In an industry already hanging on by razor-thin margins, those costs are likely to raise prices for consumers, many of whom are already squeezed by inflation and other rising prices.
“There isn’t that much action in early 2026,” Brian Farah, CEO of Hello Farms in Au Gres Township, says. “Everyone bought up in anticipation of the tax.”
Farah isn’t optimistic about this year, saying “2026 is set to be even worse than 2025.”
“We always look out for the Michigan consumer by offering a quality product, but it’s becoming more and more challenging because sales numbers are starting to decline,” Farah says.
Even before the wholesale tax, the industry has been struggling. Prices are a major factor. The average retail price for an ounce of recreational flower fell to $58.20 in December 2025, down from $69.20 a year earlier, and $95.08 in December 2023, according to CRA data. The state has become one of the cheapest legal cannabis markets in the country, which is a win for consumers, but it’s a tough reality for businesses trying to stay afloat.
By the end of 2025, Michigan had 2,171 active cannabis licenses, down 85 from the prior year, marking the first year-over-year decline in active licenses since adult-use began. The CRA’s licensing records show 940 licenses are no longer active.
Pleasantrees has a cannabis grow operation in Mount Clemens. Credit: Steve Neavling
Growers are feeling the pressure the most. Michigan currently has 430 active grow operations, but 191 have closed since the industry began. That means about 30.8% of growers have gone out of business over the past six years.
In Detroit, at least 14 cannabis businesses have closed since the city began issuing licenses in late 2022.
Even with the closures, the market is still crowded. New growers and processors continue to enter the industry nearly as fast as those leaving it. Cannabis operators say oversupply is going to continue to eat away at the industry this year.
“There is way too much supply. There’s too much product,” Farrell says.
As an example of how bad it has gotten, Farrell points to one brand that is making just a 25-cent profit off of a vape cartridge.
Whitmer’s office won’t responds to Metro Times’s questions about the cannabis industry or how the wholesale tax is impacting the market. Instead, they referred us to the CRA, which had nothing to do with the tax and isn’t implementing it.
CRA spokesman David Harns says changes in a new industry are normal and are similar to the challenges facing other cannabis markets.
“Since legalization, Michigan’s cannabis industry has experienced significant growth, making the state one of the top producers in the country,” Harns says. “As the market continues to mature, fluctuations in supply and demand are expected and consistent with patterns seen in other states that legalized earlier.”
Senate Bill 597, introduced by Sens. Sam Singh, D-East Lansing, and Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield, would limit each municipality to one dispensary for every 10,000 residents. If approved, the legislation would prevent the CRA from approving new dispensary licenses in municipalities that already exceed the limit. Municipalities with fewer than 10,000 residents would be limited to one retail license.
While many in the industry support the legislation, it threatens smaller cities like Hazel Park (pop. 19,431), Ferndale (pop. 19,431), and Inkster (pop. 25,108), which have become cannabis hubs and rely on the tax revenue. Hazel Park has nine dispensaries, Ferndale has six, and Inkster has seven, according to CRA records. The new legislation would limit Hazel Park and Ferndale to one dispensary each and Inkster to two.
The legislation wouldn’t force existing dispensaries to close, but once one shuts down, it can’t be replaced until the number of retailers fall below the proposed cap.
For cannabis workers, this is a nerve-racking year. Michigan’s regulated cannabis industry remains a major employer, with 41,248 workers counted in December 2025. Those jobs include dispensary employees, cultivation and processing staff, delivery drivers, compliance specialists, security teams, and others.
“People are really scared,” Farrell says. “I have employees asking me if they are going to still have a job.”
Municipal budgets are also at risk. Michigan shares adult-use cannabis excise tax revenue with communities that allow dispensaries and other cannabis marijuana businesses to operate, and the payments have become an important revenue stream in those cash-strapped cities and townships. In fiscal year 2024, Michigan distributed nearly $100 million to communities, with each eligible municipality, county, and tribe receiving more than $58,200 per licensed retail store and microbusiness within its borders.
If more retailers shut down and sales weaken, local distributions will shrink.
“The state is going to lose excise and sales taxes because of the wholesale tax,” Stewart says.
As frustration grows over the legal industry, business owners are worried more consumers will go back to an illicit market that doesn’t face steep tax rates. If that happens, operators say, the legal market will continue to shrink, and the state will have less revenue in the future.
For now, dispensaries, growers, processors, and other cannabis businesses will have to find a way to adapt, and it won’t be easy.
“We want to have a sustainable Michigan business that gives back to the customers,” Farah says. “But with these changes, it will be difficult to navigate these waters.”
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer offered a contrasting view of manufacturing in Detroit Thursday, two days after President Donald Trump defended his tariff strategy in the Motor City.
Whitmer, a term-limited Democrat who is in her last year as governor, said in a speech at the Detroit Auto Show that the administration’s tariff strategy has hurt American auto manufacturing and is benefiting Chinese competitors. It’s a message she has repeated over the past year as economic uncertainty has rippled across the automobile sector.
“This will only get worse without a serious shift in national policy,” Whitmer said.
Her remarks followed Trump’s speech defending his economic policy Tuesday in Detroit, a major hub of automobile manufacturing. He also toured the factory floor of a Ford plant in Dearborn.
“All U.S. automakers are doing great,” Trump said.
Whitmer offered a differing picture of the impact, saying that American manufacturing has contracted for months leading to job loss and production cuts. She has remained firmly opposed to Trump’s tariff strategy since last year, especially as her state partners closely with Canadian business. Automobile parts often cross the U.S.-Canadian border several times in the assembly process.
“America stands more alone than she has in decades,” Whitmer said. “And perhaps no industry has seen more change and been more impacted than our auto industry.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Whitmer’s speech.
Whitmer has kept a more cordial relationship with Trump in his second term compared to his first. The relationship included a few White House visits last year. Long considered a possible Democratic candidate for president, Whitmer’s strategy is notably different than other potential 2028 names who have take more public, combative approaches to Trump, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
In her address, her first of the year, Whitmer said every time she has met with Trump this past year, she has told him that hurting the U.S.-Canadian relationship only helps Chinese competition.
Trump changed his tune when it comes to automobiles in the last year. He originally announced a 25% tariff on automobiles and parts only to later relax the policy as domestic manufactures sought relief from the threat of rising production costs.
On his tour in the Detroit area, Trump suggested the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a major trade agreement he negotiated in his first term, was irrelevant, although he provided few other details The UMCA is up for review this year.
Whitmer defended the trade agreement in her speech.
“When we fight our neighbors, however, China wins,” she said.
For the first time since recreational cannabis sales began in Michigan in December 2019, the state’s legal market saw its first decline in annual sales, according to new figures released by the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency.
The downturn comes as dispensaries, growers, and processors across the state continue to struggle with a surplus of product and a steep decline in prices. The average retail price for an ounce of recreational flower fell to $58.20 in December 2025, down from $69.20 a year earlier and $95.08 in December 2023, according to the CRA’s monthly reports.
By the end of 2025, Michigan had 2,171 active cannabis licenses, down 85 from the prior year, marking the first year-over-year decrease in active licenses since adult-use sales began. Over the past six years, 940 cannabis licenses are no longer active because the businesses closed, according to the CRA’s licensing data.
Despite the many failures, new growers and processors are popping up almost as fast as others shut down, though that trend is beginning to slow down.
Cannabis businesses are worried this year will be even worse. In late 2025, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Legislature approved a 24% wholesale tax on the struggling industry to pay for road repairs. No other industry in the state is taxed as heavily as recreational cannabis. Consumers already pay a 10% excise tax and a 6% sales tax.
Meanwhile, legislators have not touched the 4% liquor tax since it was set in 1985. That may be because the liquor industry has one of the most powerful lobbies and has donated heavily to Whitmer and other lawmakers.
Tens of thousands of jobs are at stake. The regulated industry is a major employer, with more than 41,200 workers. The workforce includes dispensary employees, cultivation and processing staff, delivery drivers, compliance specialists, security teams, and others.
Local governments could also feel the impact if the slowdown persists. Michigan shares adult-use cannabis excise tax revenue with municipalities that allow dispensaries and microbusinesses to operate, and that money has become an important revenue stream for many communities.
Michigan’s legal marijuana market has generated $13.23 billion in recreational sales since the start of adult-use in 2019, but the state’s latest annual numbers show the industry is on the decline.
President Donald Trump was caught on video appearing to mouth an expletive and make an obscene gesture toward a heckler during a visit to a Ford manufacturing facility in Michigan on Tuesday, in a moment the White House later defended as an “appropriate and unambiguous response.”
The video, first published by TMZ, shows Trump briefly turning toward someone shouting from the crowd as he walked through the Ford River Rouge complex in Dearborn.
In the video, Trump appears to mouth the words “f— you” twice and gestures with his middle finger.
President Donald Trump acknowledges employees during a tour of the Ford River Rouge Plant, Tuesday, in Dearborn, Mich.(The White House via X)
TMZ reported that the exchange followed a heckler shouting an insult at the president from off-camera. The outlet described Trump’s reaction as “flipping the bird” while continuing to walk away.
White House communications director Steven Cheung defended the president’s reaction, telling Fox News Digital on the record:
“A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the President gave an appropriate and unambiguous response.”
President Donald Trump speaks as Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford, left, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Ford CEO Jim Farley, and Ford River Rouge Plant Manager Corey Williams listen during a tour of the plant, Tuesday, in Dearborn, Mich.(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Trump visited the plant as part of a scheduled appearance focused on U.S. manufacturing and the auto industry when the exchange occurred during a tour of the facility.
President Donald Trump pumps his fist as he walks from Marine One after arriving on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, in Washington, D.C.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
The White House did not specify whether the individual shouting at Trump was a Ford employee or an attendee, and Fox News Digital has not independently confirmed the identity of the person heard in the video.
Jasmine Baehr is a Breaking News Writer for Fox News Digital, where she covers politics, the military, faith and culture.
On July 4, 1977, while most of Michigan was lighting grills and sparklers, a small plane quietly disappeared — and nearly 50 years later, it still hasn’t been found.
John and Jean Block took off that day in their green-and-white Cessna 150J, departing the Detroit area for a short recreational flight north. Their destination was Lost Creek Sky Ranch, a once-popular fly-in resort between Luzerne and Mio that attracted pilots looking for an easy weekend getaway.
No mayday call. No confirmed crash site. No debris. No answers.
A Flight That Shouldn’t Have Vanished
A Cessna 150J isn’t a mystery aircraft. It’s small, slow, loud, and very much not designed to disappear. Flights like this happen every day in Michigan, especially in summer. The route would have taken the Blocks over farmland, forests, rivers, and long stretches of sparsely populated land — but nothing especially dangerous by aviation standards.
That’s what makes this case so unsettling.
The last known radio communication was routine. John Block reportedly radioed ahead asking for a car to be ready at the ranch. That transmission was received.
Then the radio went silent.
Searches began almost immediately. Air patrols flew grid patterns. Ground teams pushed through woods. Rivers and swamps were checked. Hunters, hikers, pilots, and locals were all asked to keep their eyes open.
Lost in the Trees
Over the years, investigators have narrowed the likely crash area to central and northern Michigan — possibly near Mount Pleasant, or deeper into the vast forests of the Huron-Manistee National Forest or Atlanta State Forest.
And if you’ve ever been in those woods, you understand how something can vanish.
Michigan forests aren’t neat. They’re layered. Thick canopy. Swamps hidden under brush. Trees that fall and disappear into themselves. A small plane could go down, break apart, and be swallowed whole in a matter of seasons — especially in areas that don’t see much foot traffic.
Add snow. Add rain. Add time.
After a few decades, aluminum doesn’t exactly announce itself.
The Psychic Twist
The case recently resurfaced thanks to an old newspaper clipping that began circulating again online — one that included a psychic’s claim about where the plane went down. That article was originally published just weeks after the disappearance and suggested the crash occurred near Mount Pleasant.
Whether you believe in psychics or not, the resurfacing of that clipping did something important: it reminded people that this mystery still exists.
Families are still looking. People still care. And the plane is still out there.
Why This Case Still Bugs People
Most missing-plane stories eventually resolve themselves. Someone stumbles across wreckage. A fisherman finds debris. A hiker notices something unnatural in the woods.
That hasn’t happened here.
Which raises uncomfortable questions:
Did the plane go down in an area no one visits?
Could it be submerged in a river, bog, or swamp?
Did weather suddenly disorient the pilot?
Or did the aircraft drift farther off course than anyone realized?
There’s no evidence of foul play. No sign the Blocks intended anything other than a normal holiday flight. Which makes the lack of answers even harder to accept.
This wasn’t a risky mission. This wasn’t extreme weather aviation. This was a summer trip.
And those aren’t supposed to end like this.
The YouTube Factor
Yes — there are YouTube videos about this case.
Several aviation enthusiasts, Michigan mystery channels, and amateur search groups have posted videos breaking down the flight path, mapping possible crash zones, and even documenting physical search attempts in the woods. Some videos walk through Google Earth overlays. Others show boots-on-the-ground searches in forested areas believed to be along the Blocks’ route.
None have produced confirmed evidence.
But collectively, they’ve kept the case alive — and introduced it to a new generation that understands just how strange it is for a plane to vanish in a state as heavily traveled as Michigan.
Why People Are Looking Again
Technology has changed since 1977. Satellite imagery is sharper. Mapping tools are public. Drones exist. Social media allows thousands of eyes to focus on the same problem.
And every spring, when snow melts and the forest floor opens up just a little, the question comes back:
Could this be the year someone finally finds it?
Because all it takes is one hunter. One hiker. One person noticing metal where metal doesn’t belong.
A Mystery Still Waiting
Nearly half a century later, John and Jean Block’s flight remains one of Michigan’s most haunting unsolved stories. Somewhere — under trees, beneath water, or hidden in plain sight — the answer is waiting.
Until then, it remains a uniquely Michigan mystery: quiet, wooded, unresolved… and still very much unfinished.
Part of the American Dream is owning a home, but the market has been a difficult one the past few years. Prices are still historically high, but according to a Jan. 8 report from CNBC, they’re starting to edge in the right direction for homebuyers.
“Of real estate agents surveyed by CNBC in the fourth quarter, 37.5% said it was a balanced market, up from 30% as of the third quarter,” housing research from CNBC states. “More agents reported having at least one seller cut their price in the fourth quarter. While prices are easing, they are still historically high.”
Also, when asked how affordability is impacting their buyers, agents told CNBC that fewer buyers left the market in the fourth quarter than in the previous period and that fewer delayed their purchases.
So, what does this all mean for the local housing market? Now, a new report shows the average value of a home in our state.
Michigan: The Average Value of a Home
In a feature published right as the new year kicked in, GOBankingRates lays out the average value of a home in each state in the U.S. They used Zillow’s October 2025 data, which gave the average value of single-family homes in each state and how much they had gained, or lost, in value over the past two years.
“While a few states are doing exceptionally well with dizzying high gains in market values,” they add in the piece, “the housing market in a number of other states is not only flattening, but outright nosediving.”
What’s interesting is that Hawaii has the highest home value, and it’s staggering. The average home value there in October 2025 was $959,688. Also, home values in Illinois have risen more than any other state over the past year, with a 4.3% increase. Also, the state where home values have jumped the most is New Jersey, which have one up in value by 11.7%.
So, what’s the outlook for Michigan? According to their research, in our state, from their October 2025 reading, the average home value was at $250,225. That was a one-year percent change in home value of 3.1% and a two-year percent change in home value by 7.6%. So, that’s a snapshot of the state of the average home value in the area. Reach out to the author with your stories on finding your dream home.
Anne Erickson started her radio career shortly after graduating from Michigan State University and has worked on-air in Detroit, Flint, Toledo, Lansing and beyond. As someone who absolutely loves rock, metal and alt music, she instantly fell in love with radio and hasn’t looked back. When she’s not working, Anne makes her own music with her band, Upon Wings, and she also loves cheering on her favorite Detroit and Michigan sports teams, especially Lions and MSU football. Anne is also an award-winning journalist, and her byline has run in a variety of national publications. You can also hear her weekends on WRIF.
