Good morning, Saginaw.

Hundreds of families recently received food at a drive-thru distribution on East Genesee Avenue as Food Bank of Eastern Michigan and Hidden Harvest partnered at East Side Soup Kitchen — distributing about 20,000 pounds to help those struggling to put meals on the table.

Hemmeter Elementary in Saginaw Township has been named a top performer by U.S. News & World Report, ranking No. 8 among Michigan schools and highlighting its STEM and gifted programs.

MyMichigan Health will offer free lung cancer screenings at eight mid-Michigan locations — including Saginaw — from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Nov.

7. Eligible individuals aged 50 to 80 with a qualifying smoking history are urged to call the MyMichigan Access Center to schedule an appointment.

Saginaw County Animal Care & Control halted cat intakes after two kittens tested positive for feline panleukopenia on Oct.

19. Shelter staff are monitoring other cats plus will resume normal operations once it is safe.

On Saturday, the DEA will host National Prescription Drug Take Back Day across Saginaw - drop-off sites at pharmacies, hospitals, and police departments will accept tablets, capsules, and patches while not collecting syringes, sharps, or liquids.

McLaren Bay Region is the state's first to use prefabricated exam room pods, installing 42 exam rooms + 18 bathrooms at its Bay West facility in Bay City; modules built in Wisconsin delivered Oct.

1 are expected to speed construction so emergency and outpatient services open in summer 2027.

Sanford Meridian coach Mike Bilina led his team to its first Jack Pine Conference title since 2015 and was named Week 8 High School Coach of the Week by the Detroit Lions.

The team will receive a $1,000 donation as part of the Lions-30-year high school award program.

Local voters named standout underclassmen in high school football, volleyball and cross country; sophomore Michael Carter from Frankenmuth impressed on the field while Grace Kloha, Connor Charboneau and Makayla Meyer earned top honors in their sports.

The Associated Press released high school football state rankings for Week 9, showing Detroit Catholic Central topping Division 1 and Saginaw Swan Valley ranking seventh in Division 5 (record of 7 to 1).

Rankings span eight divisions as local teams head into upcoming matchups that will shape the season.

A fight on Friday night led to ejections of every player on Saginaw United and Carman-Ainsworth, forcing both schools to forfeit their varsity football games this week.

Officials said players returning from suspension may join junior varsity contests.