$353 Million I-94 Revamp, High School NIL Approved, and Black Bear Escape

Wednesday, January 28th, 2026

Good morning! Welcome to The Mitten, where we provide you a 5-minute rundown of all things Michigan every morning at 5 a.m., directly in your inbox!

The Great Lakes are currently 45% covered by ice, including over half of Huron and 94% of Lake Erie. Check out a map of the Lakes’ ice coverage here, and read more in The Goodie Bag!

Today’s featured brand is Levoit, maker of cordless cleaning products to make your tidying routine quick and enjoyable! Shop Levoit’s all-new LVAC-200 cordless vacuum for 50 minutes of uninterrupted cleaning power on a single charge for less than half the price of competitor models!

$353 Million I-94 Restoration Project Set to Begin

The Michigan Department of Transportation is set to break ground on a 13-mile, $353 million restoration of I-94 between Dearborn and Romulus.

Initial work is expected to begin on Feburary 2nd, and will reduce the freeway to two lanes in Romulus, Taylor, Allen Park, Dearborn Heights, Melvindale and Dearborn.

Drivers are advised to allow for more travel time in the mornings and afternoons. The project is expected to last through 2029.

You can see a map of the affected highway here.

Michigan High Schoolers Can Now Earn NIL Money

The Michigan High School Athletic Association announced that effective Tuesday, high school athletes in the state of Michigan may now earn money from their name, image, and likeness (NIL).

The policy change will allow athletes of MHSAA schools to earn money through endorsements and promotions, personal appearances, modeling, and autograph signings.

Prior to the policy change, Michigan was one of just five states yet to have allowed NIL earnings in high school.

You can read the MHSAA’s full release here.

Michigan Sees Net Positive Migration For First Time in 35 Years

New data released by the U.S. Census Bureau showed the Great Lakes State welcomed nearly 28,000 new residents in 2025, resulting in net positive migration for the first time since 1990.

Michigan’s 27,992 new residents ranks the 36th-most in the country, and resulted in a net addition of 1,800 residents from other states.

The state also saw over 30,000 international migrants enter the state, down from 67,608 in 2024.

You can see a graphic with migration data here.

Cleaning made simple, freedom made cordless.

Levoit designs cordless cleaning products that turn your least favorite chore into something surprisingly satisfying—powerful performance, intuitive features, and the freedom to move anywhere without dragging a cord behind you.

The LVAC-200 Cordless Vacuum

Their all-new LVAC-200 delivers 50 minutes of uninterrupted cleaning power on a single charge, giving you enough runtime to tackle your entire home without stopping to recharge. And here's the best part: it's less than half the price of competitor models, so you get premium cordless convenience without the premium price tag.

🧹 Shop Levoit today and enjoy the freedom of effortless, cord-free cleaning.

Around the Mitten

North & West Michigan: Lake effect snow will bring up to five inches to West Michigan, and 11 inches to the Northeast U.P. (See Snowfall Map)
Lansing: Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the passing of her father, Robert Whitmer. (More)
Ann Arbor: A GoFundMe page set up for the late Lucas Mattson, a UM student who died in this weekend’s storm, surpassed $50,000. (See Page)
Auburn Hills: Volkswagen America will retain 900 jobs in the state after receiving funding from the Michigan Strategic Fund. (More)
Grand Rapids: A 20-car pileup shut down part of M6 near Broadmoor Avenue. (See Video)
Flint: 47,000 hourly workers at General Motors will receive $10,500 profit-sharing checks, the company announced. (More)
Kalamazoo: United Airlines announced a return to Kalamazoo International (AZO) after suspending service following the pandemic. (More)

Sports

No. 3 Michigan basketball handed No. 5 Nebraska its first loss of the season in a 75-72 win. (See Highlights)
Patrick Kane tied Mike Modano for the most points ever scored by an American player in the Wings’ 3-1 loss to Los Angeles. (See Highlights)
Michigan & Michigan State Football unveiled their schedules for the 2026-2027 season. (See Michigan, See Sparty)
No. 7 Michigan State overcame a 12-point second half deficit to beat Rutgers in overtime, 88-79. (See Highlights)

The Goodie Bag

Ice coverage on the Great Lakes topped 45% on Tuesday, nearly double the average historical coverage. (See Map)
Federal Judge Thomas Ludington was charged for driving while “super drunk” 10 miles east of Petoskey. (More)
Police issued an unusual Be On the Lookout (BOLO) Alert after a resident reported their 6-foot black bear to be missing in Ganges Township. (See Video)

Have you ever lived outside of Michigan?

If so, where?

Previous Results

What's your favorite season?

Winter ❄️ - 2%
Spring 🌱 - 21%
Summer ☀️ - 38%
Fall 🍂 - 39% ✅

What a close call—Fall squeaked out a win by 1 vote! Some answers:

Answer: Fall 🍂 , “Not too hot. Smells wonderful ”

Answer: Summer ☀️, “Mostly for the views of our great state of Michigan”

Answer: Summer ☀️, “Michigan has the best summer temperatures along with gentle breezes and cooler nights with low humidity.”

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Thank you for reading Wednesday’s edition of The Mitten! We hope you enjoyed today’s stories. We always welcome any reader feedback by simply responding to this email.

Founder & Editor of The Mitten — Joe S.