Michigan Reacts to Maduro Capture, Winter Weather Continues, and Most Sinful Cities

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Monday, January 5th, 2025

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A Holly Township resident captured a photo moments before others rescued a snowmobiler who fell through ice into a lake. See the photo here and read more in Around the Mitten.

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Michiganders React to Maduro Capture

Multiple Michigan elected officials and members of the Venezuelan community reacted to President Trump’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro over the weekend.

Michigan’s Democratic senators voiced their distaste for Maduro, but criticized Trump’s move on a legal basis. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, said, “There’s no question Nicolás Maduro is a dictator and bad actor in the region, but that does not grant the Administration unilateral authority to wage war without Congressional authorization.”

Republicans like U.S. Rep Tim Walberg, R-Tipton supported the move, calling Maduro a “Narco-terrorist,” claiming the move will, “serve as a strong deterrent against international criminal actors seeking to harm American citizens.”

Members of Michigan’s Venezuelan community voiced mixed opinions on the move, with the majority voicing their relief for Maduro’s removal. One restaurant even held a party to celebrate his capture.

You can read more on the opinions of Michigan’s elected officials here.

Winter Weather Advisory Continues Through Monday Morning

The northern half of the state is under a winter weather advisory from the National Weather Service for up to 8 inches of snow through Monday morning.

Parts of mid-Michigan are also under a freezing rain watch above the I-94 corridor through 4 a.m.

The worst snowfall is expected across the Tip of the Mitt, from Petoskey to St. Ignace, with the rest of the Upper Peninsula and northern part of the state expected to see 2-5 inches. You can see the full forecast here.

Michigan Towns Ranked Among Most Sinful in America

A new report from WalletHub ranking America’s most “sinful” cities ranked a Michigan city in the top 25 nationally.

Detroit was named the 23rd-most sinful city by the report due to a high “excesses and vice” ranking, and “anger and hatred.” Grand Rapids was also ranked on the list at No. 139.

The report ranked 182 cities across America using multiple criteria including crime statistics. You can see the full rankings here.

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Around the Mitten

Holly Township: Photos captured the moments before residents rescued a snowmobiler who fell through ice into water in Bush Lake. (See Photo)
West Michigan: East Grand Rapids received a $500,000 grant that the city will match to improve several features of Waterfront Park. (More)
Statewide: The state’s miminum wage increased to $13.73 per hour, garnering mixed reactions from businesses and workers. (More)
Frankenmuth: A new list by WorldAtlas ranked some of the most relaxing towns in the state, with Frankenmuth leading the pack. (See List)
Kalamazoo: Michigan Avenue between Westnedge Avenue and Rose Street will be closed downtown today through Friday. (More)
Statewide: Flagstar Bank led Michigan-based employers with the largest singular layoff in 2025. (See List)

Sports

Michigan State star receiver Nick Marsh is reportedly planning to transfer to Indiana University for the 2026 season. (More)
The Detroit Lions ended their season on a good note, beating former Lions coach Ben Johnson and the Bears, but lost some ground on next year’s draft pick because of the win. (More)
Pistons Guard Daniss Jenkins’ hot streak, including going 6-7 from three and scoring 25 points of the bench, propelled the Pistons to a 114-110 win over Cleveland. (See Box Score)
New Michigan Head Coach Kyle Whittingham announced several new hires to his staff, including his son and Kansas City Chiefs assistant Alex Whittingham. (See Hires)

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