Good morning, Southfield.

A Pontiac nonprofit hosted its annual Gifts of Hope program on Tuesday where donors and volunteers provided holiday gifts to 335 families (covering 750 children).

Families are scheduled to pick up their gifts today through Friday at Oakland Family Services.

Local nonprofits invite volunteers during the holiday season to help local families by supporting programs ranging from food rescue to meal delivery, as seen with groups like Forgotten Harvest (rescuing surplus food) and the Detroit Area Agency on Aging (providing hot meals).

Volunteers of America Michigan is inviting metro Detroit residents to adopt nearly 3,000 families in need this Christmas, offering support for veterans, seniors and other local families throughout the holiday season.

Volunteers packaged 5,000 boxes of food on Tuesday for families in need across Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties (including Southfield).

The effort will support local households facing food insecurity.

Planned data centers are rising in Saline Township, Southfield and Howell because the auto industry drives local computing demand — DTE Energy expects power contracts for a $7 billion Oracle and OpenAI facility to be approved later this month, while township officials say local control is limited.

Following Tuesday's announcement, Teradyne plans to build a robotics hub at its Wixom facility that will create roughly 230 advanced-manufacturing jobs and attract up to $32 million in investment—boosting local high-tech industry.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced it will invest $37.5 million in stable housing for those recovering from substance abuse, adding 3,400 beds by 2028 + supporting a Wellspring development in Southfield with 60 new housing units.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced that 13 parks statewide (including five in metro Detroit) will share nearly $12 million in federal grants to improve playgrounds, boardwalks and pools pending approval by the National Park Service.

Michigan health officials said they oppose the CDC panel's move to postpone the routine hepatitis B birth shot, urging parents to follow pediatric groups' immunization schedules.

The new guidance announced last Friday limits immediate vaccination for newborns except for those whose mothers test positive (per MDHHS).

Two Michigan lakes, Hamlin Lake & Lake St. Clair, were ranked among the top 10 U.S. ice fishing spots by Fishing Booker.

Pure Michigan says about 4-5 months of quality ice fishing lie ahead, and Free Ice Fishing Weekend is set for Feb. 14-15.

Michigan Veterans Career Fair

9 AM – 3 PM — Radisson Hotel Southfield-Detroit — Free admission — Connect with hiring employers in the Detroit area and explore job opportunities across various industries.