DETROIT — Governor Gretchen Whitmer is scheduled to speak Thursday morning at the Detroit Auto Show as the event enters its second day of media previews ahead of its public opening on Saturday. The governor is expected to focus on the auto industry, tariffs, and job growth during remarks at the Mobility Global Forum.

 

In other gubernatorial news, the U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear the appeal of Barry Croft Jr., one of the men convicted in the 2020 plot to kidnap Whitmer. The decision leaves Croft’s federal prison sentence intact unless he is granted a pardon by President Donald Trump.

 

Trump-related news also emerged from metro Detroit this week. A Ford Motor Company employee who heckled the president during his visit to a Dearborn plant on Tuesday has raised more than $800,000 through online fundraising efforts as of Wednesday night. GoFundMe pages were created to support the employee after a video posted by TMZ appeared to show Trump responding with a middle-finger gesture. The employee has since been suspended with pay.

 

The Michigan Supreme Court on Wednesday took public comment on a proposed amendment that would prohibit Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from making arrests during court proceedings or other legal business. The justices have not yet issued a ruling. At the same time, State House Speaker Matt Hall held a press conference praising ICE’s enforcement efforts related to border security and other matters.

 

At the Capitol, Michigan lawmakers advanced several pieces of legislation. The State House approved a bill that would limit the use of cell phones in classrooms. If approved by the Senate and signed into law, the measure would take effect in the next school year.

 

Another House-passed bill would significantly reduce the cost of renewing Concealed Pistol Licenses (CPLs), cutting fees from $115 to $30. Bill sponsor Representative Mike Harris called the current renewal cost “ridiculous.”

 

Additional legislation was introduced by State Representative Emily Dievendorf of Lansing, who unveiled four bills aimed at removing barriers for survivors of violence and preventing homelessness. The proposals include the creation of a homeless advocacy fund supported by voluntary income tax contributions and the waiver of fees for records and state identification cards for individuals fleeing violent situations.

 

In cultural news, the MSU Museum has officially reopened for the first time in a year and a half. The museum recently completed its first major renovation in more than 75 years, featuring flexible exhibit spaces, modernized restrooms, and major climate control upgrades.