In Case You Missed It: Top Stories From the Week (Jan. 25-29)

GameStop’s market surge makes one local billionaire even wealthier, metro Detroit natives Keegan Michael-Key and Nicole Curtis both debut new projects, General Motors Co. announces plans to go carbon neutral, and one suspect pleads guilty in the plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer
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Gamestop
GameStop’s stock surged this week, and local billionaire Donald Foss reaped the benefits. // Photo: IStock

GameStop’s stock market surge made one Michigan billionaire even wealthier.

This week, video game retailer GameStop had Reddit, Wall Street, and social media abuzz as its share price had a nearly 135-percent gain at close of market on Wednesday. Donald Foss — the now-retired founder of Southfield-based Credit Acceptance Corp. — previously purchased 3.5 million shares in the company that became worth more than $1.2 billion at Wednesday’s close.

Kelly Stafford thanks fans as Quarterback Matthew Stafford prepares to leave the Lions.

Kelly shared an emotional message days after her husband and the Detroit Lions agreed to part ways. “This place supported me during the toughest time of my life and during the happiest times and I want to thank y’all in the right way,” she wrote on Instagram.

An ex-deputy to Kwame Kilpatrick is running for Detroit mayor.

Adams announced Tuesday his plans to challenge incumbent Mike Duggan. In a news release, he said, “there is a dramatic need for mayoral change in the city of Detroit,” and he would “create a city that works for all Detroiters and return transparency to the mayoral office.”

GM - carbon neutral
The Bolt EUV, pictured above, is among General Motors Co.’s electric offerings. The company plans to exclusively offer electric vehicles by 2035. // Photograph courtesy of GM

General Motors Co. is going electric.

The Detroit company wants to exclusively offer electric vehicles by 2035, and will end production of all diesel- and gasoline-powered vehicles by that year as part of a larger plan to become carbon neutral by 2040.

Mackenzie Scott has donated $10 million to the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit.

The philanthropist and former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos donated the single largest individual gift the YMCA of Metro Detroit has ever received. Scott acquired billions in her divorce settlement and pledged to donate that money to causes focused on women, people of color, and those living in poverty.

Keegan-Michael Key dives deep into the world of sketch comedy in his new podcast.

In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, The Key and Peele co-creator and metro Detroit native talks about his new podcast The History of Sketch Comedy, which premieres on Jan. 28., and how watching Saturday Night Live with his dad exposed him to his career.

A 25-year-old man pleads guilty in the plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Ty Garbin is one of the six men federally charged on suspicion of being involved in the plot. As part of the agreement, Garbin will continue cooperating with prosecutors against the five other defendants, all of whom pleaded not guilty to the kidnapping conspiracy.

Nicole Curtis
Metro Detroit native Nicole Curtis debuted a new HGTV show this week. // Photograph courtesy of Nicole Curtis

Nicole Curtis is back with a new HGTV series.

The Rehab Addict star and Lake Orion native’s latest show, Rehab Addict Rescue, premiered on Jan. 28. The series focuses on eight homes across Detroit as homeowners navigate renovations and turn to Curtis and her team for help.

These polar bear cubs at the Detroit Zoo are unbearably cute.

In November, 8-year-old polar bear Suka gave birth to two cubs, the first to be born and successfully raised at the zoo in nearly two decades. Both cubs’ eyes are open, have teeth coming in, and are learning to take their first steps. BRB, going to go cry…

Detroit’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is canceled for the second year in a row.

The highly anticipated annual festival, which was scheduled for March 14 this year, has been called off again due to COVID-19 concerns.


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