Pantless Police Officer, Spooky Weekend Activities, and Thousands Laid Off

In partnership with

Thursday, October 30th, 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!

Hard-to-believe video captured the moment a Detroit police officer showed up in virtual court—without pants. Check out the video, if you really want to, here, and read more in Around the Mitten.

Today’s edition includes a special section—Halloweekend Festivities!—make sure you read below for some spooky weekend fun 👻

General Motors To Cut 1,200 Detroit Jobs

General Motors announced Wednesday plans to cut 1,200 jobs at its Detroit-area all-electric factory as part of a larger effort to downsize its electric vehicle manufacturing footprint nationwide.

In a statement, the company cited a slower near-term adoption of EVs and an evolving regulatory environment at the federal level as the reasoning behind the move. GM will also be cutting 550 jobs at an Ohio battery plant, with an additional 850 temporary layoffs.

The company will resume manufacturing batteries for EVs in mid-2026, according to their statement. You can read more on the announcement here.

Michigan Cities Ranked by Most Expensive Homes

A new survey from Stacker ranked the top 30 Michigan cities that have the most expensive homes using monthly home value data from Zillow.

The city with the highest-priced homes was Lake Angelus, with an average price of $1,715,496. Leland and Orchard Lake came in second and third, at $1,163,763 and $923,625, respectively.

The last city on the list was Cedar, with an average price of $513,527. You can see the full rankings here.

Detroit Fans Request 170,000 Tickets for Banana Ball Tour

Fans requested 171,551 tickets for the upcoming 2026 Banana Ball World Tour’s stop at Comerica Park, the second-most of the 20 planned venues for the tour.

Wrigley Field was the only venue to beat Comerica Park in requests, totaling 172,169. Fans who request tickets will be entered into a lottery system, with entries closing on Friday.

The tour will come to Comerica Park for two games on September 18th and 19th, featuring two games between the Party Animals and Firefighters. You can buy tickets, and find more info here.

Business news doesn’t have to be boring

Morning Brew makes business news way more enjoyable—and way easier to understand. The free newsletter breaks down the latest in business, tech, and finance with smart insights, bold takes, and a tone that actually makes you want to keep reading.

No jargon, no drawn-out analysis, no snooze-fests. Just the stuff you need to know, delivered with a little personality.

Over 4 million people start their day with Morning Brew, and once you try it, you’ll see why.

Plus, it takes just 15 seconds to subscribe—so why not give it a shot?

Check it out

🎃Halloweekend Festivities!

Happy Halloween Eve! Here are a few of our favorite picks for celebrating this spooky Halloweekend with family and friends 👻

Live...Laugh...LURK! The Comedy Project in Grand Rapids is hosting a $20 Halloween sketch comedy show on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening. (More Info)
The Abandoned Acres Farm in Sparta is offering a combination of outdoor haunted corn mazes and indoor haunted experiences, with tickets costing $35 and events set to begin on Halloween at dusk. (More Info)
Join the renowned paranormal investigation team, Forgotten Souls, for an evening of spooky discovery on the Air Zoo Ghost Tours on Saturday from 6-9 p.m., with tickets starting at $20. (More Info)
Navigate through 4-5 hair-raising decks of this 360-foot-long vessel, each featuring a unique theme designed to terrify on Manistee’s Ghost Ship, starting Friday at 3:30 p.m. and tickets starting at $15. (More Info)
Dance the night away to a live DJ, enjoy spooky costumed performers, and show off your creativity in the costume contest with prizes at the Hub of Horrors Bash in Novi starting Friday. (More Info)

Around the Mitten

Mears: A rare, 20-acre Lake Michigan farmhouse atop dunes on a private beach was listed on the market for $5.7 million. (See Photos)
Statewide: The Double Up Food Bucks program is offering Michigan residents expanded benefits to assist with the expected halt in benefits starting November 1st. (More)
Ann Arbor: The Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan announced it will extend its nightly D2A2 bus service hours for Saturday night’s Michigan-Purdue game. (More)
Dearborn Heights: Pardee Elementary School closed on Wednesday after a spike in cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease among students. (More)
Detroit: Video caught the moment District Court Judge Sean B. Perkins called out Officer Matthew Jackson for not wearing pants in a virtual court hearing. (See Video)

Made in Vermont. Guaranteed for life.

Some socks wear out after a few washes—Darn Tough Vermont socks don’t. Made in the USA from premium merino wool, they’re built to handle whatever your day throws at you—work boots, cold mornings, or weekend hikes.

Whether you’re shopping for men’s or women’s styles, every pair is purpose-built for comfort, performance, and durability. Each one comes with a lifetime guarantee, because “Darn Tough” isn’t just a name—it’s a promise.

👉 Step up your sock game with Darn Tough Vermont—built for life, backed for life, and shipped free on orders over $50.

Sports

Pistons guard Cade Cunningham led the way in a 135-116 victory over the Magic, tallying 30 points and 10 assists. (See Box Score)
Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is back in our sports section today—signing a four-year, $180 million extension with the roaring kitties. (More)
The Lions are now the second-favorite team to make the Super Bowl according to Vegas, sitting at +600, just behind Kansas City at +450. (More)

Do you enjoy spooky movies? 👻

Previous Results

Are you more excited for Christmas or Thanksgiving?

Ho ho ho: 33%
Stuff me: 0%
Both: 67%

❝

Thank you for reading Thursday’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.