Engagement Ring Rescue, Large Retailer Closing Stores, and Lifelike Confections

Tuesday, January 6th, 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!

A Rochester Hills couple recovered their engagement ring that fell off the Boyne Moutnain Skybridge during their big moment, and it was all caught on video. You can see video of the of the ring falling 118 feet here, and read more in Around the Mitten.

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Rochester Baker Creates Another Life-Sized Lions Cake

35-year-old Heather Tocco, owner and baker at Home Bakery in Rochester, designed yet another incredible, life-sized Detroit Lions cake.

The internet blew up last year when Tocco created a life-sized cake featuring Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon Ra St. Brown hitting his signature “headstand” touchdown celebration.

This time, Tocco doubled the trouble with two Lions players: Jahmyr Gibbs and St. Brown.

The cakes were assembled by Tocco and her staff of 35. You can see a video of the incredible confection here.

Seven Gamestop Locations in Michigan Reportedly Closing in 2026

Popular video game retailer Gamestop is reportedly closing hundreds of stores in the U.S. in 2026, with seven Michigan locations on the chopping block.

A list compiled online shows three “confirmed” Michigan locations closing in Lansing, Owosso, and Sturgis.

Four more locations are rumored to be closing as part of the company’s shift away from retail sales. You can see the full list of confirmed and rumored closures here.

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Thanks to your feedback, we’re excited to announce the addition of Michigan Enterprise, a new section at the bottom of The Mitten featuring state-related economic news on Tuesdays and Thursdays! Check it out below 😎

Joe

Flint Man Charged in 1988 Cold Case

An 82-year-old man from Flint was indicted on murder exactly 37 years after his wife’s reported disappearance after investigators linked him to the murder of his wife.

Gilbert Bernal Sr., of Flint, Michigan pleaded not guilty to murder charges after being extradited to Chicago, Illinois on Monday.

Bernal’s indictment resulted from the case garnering new attention after the Oxygen network show Cold Justice featured the story. The body of Bernal’s wife, Joan Bernal, was never found.

You can read more on the tragic story here.

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Around the Mitten

Almont: A family who is stranded in the Caribbean due to a federal shutdown of airspace is facing up to a $7,500 loss. (More)
Cheboygan: Michigan’s notoriously short sturgeon season was announced, with the six-fish window opening on Saturday, February 7th. (More)
Kalamazoo: The McDonald’s in Kalamazoo was demolished by the city to make room for a new, $100 million city administration building. (See Photos)
Albion: A new Dairy Queen off Easton Street kicked off its operations with a grand opening on Monday. (More)
Grand Rapids: The Winter Wheat Music festival is returning to the city this weekend, featuring 10 live performances and an open community jam session. (More)
Muskegon: Consumers Energy announced its 1,900-acre, 550,000-panel solar farm has started operating, powering up to 40,000 homes and businesses. (More)

A classic that always delivers.

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Sports

Michigan Quarterback Bryce Underwood announced his decision to return to the Wolverines in 2026. (More)
The Pistons stretched their lead in the East to four games with a dominant 121-90 win over the Knicks. (See Box Score)
Former Michigan running back and coach Mike Hart was named Wide Receivers coach at Eastern Michigan University. (More)
The Red Wings reclaimed first place in the Atlantic division after beating Ottawa 5-3 in just the second time in their past eight matchups against the Senators. (See Box Score)

Michigan Enterprise

General Motors sales slipped nearly seven percent in Q4 of 2025, mostly due to a 43-percent drop in EV sales. (More)
Statewide gas prices hit an average of $2.70 per gallon, the lowest level recorded since February of 2021. (More)
A Court of Claims judge rejected a state attempt to toss a case that would challenge the 24% wholesale tax on Marijuana. (More)

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Thank you for reading Tuesday’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 of The Mitten — Joe S.