Charges filed in death of young teacher hit while changing flat tire

June 21, 2023

HARPER WOODS, Mich. (AP) — A woman suspected of drunken driving was charged in the death of a young teacher who was struck while changing a flat tire along Interstate 94 in suburban Detroit. Connor McMahon, 23, was a graduate of Fraser High School and had just finished his first year of teaching there. McMahon got a flat tire while returning home from a Detroit Tigers game that was rained out June 13. Fraser principal, Ryan Sines, called his death a “heartbreaking tragedy.” A 25-year-old woman was charged Saturday with operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing death, and ...

Juneteenth celebrated

June 20, 2023

By BIANCA VAZQUEZ TONESS, ED WHITE and ADRIAN SAINZ Associated Press DETROIT — Americans across the country this weekend celebrated Juneteenth, marking the relatively new national holiday with cookouts, parades and other gatherings as they commemorated the end of slavery after the ...

Michigan State endowment fund buys 79% stake in Detroit’s iconic Fisher Building

June 17, 2023

DETROIT (AP) — Michigan State University’s $3.9 billion endowment fund has become the majority investor in the Fisher Building, an iconic art deco style tower near downtown Detroit, the school announced Tuesday. The fund is investing $21 million in the building, two adjacent surface ...

Michigan bans hairstyle discrimination in workplaces and schools

June 17, 2023

LANSING — The denial of employment or educational opportunities due to discrimination based on natural and protective hairstyles, such as Afros, cornrows or dreadlocks, will be prohibited in Michigan under legislation signed Thursday by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The new law, known as the ...

Small town’s Pride festival attracts thousands who reject far-right local politics

June 16, 2023

GRAND HAVEN — Shawn Duncan and her wife, Betty, moved to Grand Haven 14 years ago, but kept their relationship hidden for most of that time fearing a backlash in the small city in a traditionally conservative part of Michigan. “We knew if we wanted our company to thrive, we were going to ...

Detroit-area city bans LGBTQ+ pride flags on public property

June 16, 2023

HAMTRAMCK, Mich. (AP) — A Detroit-area community has banned LGBTQ+ flags from publicly owned flagpoles after a tense hourslong meeting that raised questions about discrimination, religion and the city’s reputation for welcoming newcomers. In protest, a woman speaking during the public comment portion of the Hamtramck City Council meeting kissed a woman standing next to her Tuesday night. “You guys are welcome,” council member Nayeem Choudhury said. “(But) why do you have to have the flag shown on government property to be represented? You’re already represented. We ...