Traverse Bitcoin Heist, Rare Bus Restoration, and Trick or Treat Times

Wednesday, October 29th, 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!

Halloween is fast approaching—and so is trick-or-treating! See a list of trick-or-treat times around the state below in Top Stories.

Tough, American-made, and guaranteed for life—Hanks Belts deliver quality you can feel, with free shipping and exchanges included. Read more on today’s featured brand, Hanks, below!

State Police Respond to Traverse City Bitcoin Heist

State Police in Traverse City took to Bitcoin ATMs to post warnings after reports of scammers stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from victims using the machines.

One recent case involved a resident losing $400,000 to a Bitcoin scam, prompting police to act. Several other attempts have been reported this year.

In 2024, Michigan residents lost $204 million in scams, up from $60 million in 2020. You can see the warning posted by Michigan State Police here.

Northern Lights Seen in Much of Michigan

Michiganders as low as Lansing were able to see the Northern Lights Tuesday night and will have another chance tonight, according to an aurora view line map from NOAA.

The auroras were caused by a G1 geomagnetic storm, a worldwide disturbance of the Earth's magnetic field, causing the lights to be visible in fourteen states on Tuesday.

If you missed the chance last night, nature’s light show will be visible again tonight in Michigan, although NOAA is forecasting the view line to move north to Saginaw Bay.

You can see a map of where the lights will be visible tonight here.

Michigan Prepares for Trick-Or-Treaters

Much of the Mitten is preparing to celebrate Halloween by holding trick-or-treat times on Friday evening. You can find trick-or-treat times for your respective region below:

Metro Detroit’s trick-or-treat times can be found here.

West Michigan can be found here.

Mid-Michigan can be found here.

Northern Michigan can be found here.

When it comes to belts, most are built to fail—but not Hanks. Made in the USA from full-grain leather, Hanks Belts are crafted to outlast your jeans, your truck, and probably you. No cracking, no peeling—just solid American workmanship that holds up to long days on the job or nights out in town.

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Around the Mitten

Lansing: A rare 1928 REO Motor Car Co. bus will be restored by the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission. (See Photos)
Walker: The new I-96/Fruit Ridge Avenue interchange and pedestrian paths officially opened to the public. (More)
Grand Rapids: A new radiation therapy that tracks tumors in real time during treatment is now available at the Trinity Health Richard J. Lacks Sr. Cancer Center. (More)
Kalamazoo: Green Sky Bluegrass will perform Friday at 7 p.m. in Wings Stadium on the exact 25th anniversary of the band’s first performance. (More)
Detroit: Images of the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee were released which features a facelift for the SUV and a new turbocharged, four-liter engine. (More)
Ann Arbor: Zingerman’s Candy Manufactory is recalling two products after failing to notify consumers of the presence of peanuts and cashews in the bars. (More)
Marshall: Grammy-nominated singer Shawn Mullins will perform at The Franke Center for the Arts Saturday night. (See Tickets)

Show off your hometown pride with Rally House—your one-stop shop for local team gear, from classic tees to game-day essentials. Whether you’re cheering from the stands or the couch, Rally House has everything you need to rep your city in style.

With new arrivals dropping all season long, there’s no better time to gear up. Plus, enjoy free shipping on orders over $99 when you use code SHIP99 at checkout.

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Sports

The Associated Press’ final statewide high school football rankings were released on Tuesday. (See Rankings)
The Red Wings beat the St. Louis Blues 5-2, with Captain Dylan Larkin netting his seventh goal on the season. (See Box Score)
Detroit Lions Edge Aidan Hutchinson is set to face J.J. McCarthy in the first time the two have matched up since playing together at Michigan. (See Preview)

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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 of The Mitten — Joe S.