Monday, October 20th, 2025
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!
Fall time is fully upon us, including Michigan’s most famous waterfall. Click here to see photos of the beautiful foliage surrounding the Upper Falls, and read more in Around the Mitten.
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Top Stories
Michigan 10th-Least Affected State by Federal Shutdown
A new study from WalletHub ranking the most and least affected states from the U.S. government shutdown ranked Michigan the 10th-least affected state in the country.
The study ranked states based on multiple criteria including the state’s share of federal jobs, federal contract dollars per capita, percentage of citizens receiving SNAP benefits, and more.
Michigan was ranked the 40th-most affected state by the shutdown with a total score of 25.53, right behind Illinois at 26.86. The most affected state was the District of Columbia, with a score of 76.33. You can see the full study here.
Thousands Seen in “No Kings” Protests Across Michigan
Thousands of people flooded downtown Detroit and other cities across the state to participate in “No Kings” protests this weekend, as part of a nationwide movement to protest the Trump administration.
The “No Kings” movement began earlier this year in response to President Trump’s military parade on June 14th, which also happened to be the president’s birthday.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer did not direct the state national guard to be prepared to respond to the protests like many Republican governors across the country.
You can see photos of the protests from across the state here.
Wyandotte Woman Wins $100k From Powerball Using ChatGPT
A 45-year-old Wyandotte woman won $100,000 from the $1.7 billion Powerball jackpot after asking ChatGPT to generate a random sequence of numbers for her.
Tammy Carvey told the Michigan Lottery about her unique method after cashing in, claiming the AI chatbot gave her four white powerball numbers instantly winning her $50,000. Carvey paid extra for the Power Play, doubling her winnings to $100,000.
The Michigan Lottery insists the win was completely due to chance, but Carvey isn’t the first to win the lottery using ChatGPT. A Virginia woman won $150,000 in the Powerball earlier this year using the chatbot.
You can read more on the story behind Carvey’s unlikely win here.
Around the Mitten
Plainfield Township: A tech startup, Accel Digital Solutions, is planning to open the Great Lakes Pickleball Club where players can play and watch balls be manufactured. (See Video)
Paradise: Michigan’s most famous waterfall, the Upper Falls at Tahquamenon Falls State Park, is surrounded by vibrant fall foliage for miles. (See Photos)
Lake County: Authorities are seeking the public’s help in finding a county sheriff’s German shorthair mix K9 narcotics dog. (More)
Emmett Township: Police are investigating possible vandalism after several headstones at the historic Sandstone Cemetery were discovered to be damaged Friday night. (More)
Holland: Holland and Traverse City topped the list of the seven most comfortable towns in Michigan for seniors in a list from WorldAtlas. (See List)
Bath Township: All three victims from Friday’s plane crash were identified and shared by police on Sunday. (More)
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Sports
The Paul Bunyan Trophy will be on the line at 7:30 p.m. in East Lansing next Saturday, following the 25th-ranked Wolverines’ rout of Washington, and Sparty’s 38-13 loss to No. 3 Indiana. Michigan opened as a 13-point favorite over the Spartans. (See Preview)
The Lions will host Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers tonight on Monday night football at 7 p.m. on ABC. The Lions are favored by five points. (See Preview)
The Red Wings continued their hot streak, winning their fifth game in a row with a 4-2 victory over Edmonton on Sunday. (See Box Score)
Go Blue or Go Green?
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