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8 hours ago
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Braylon Hodge, a 3-star LB from Colorado, picks Michigan State football for 2026
Jonathan Smith continues to build Michigan State football's next recruiting class. Braylon Hodge announced Sunday, June 6, via Twitter he committed to the Spartans, their fifth pledge for 2026. A three-star prospect according to the 6-foot-3, 212-pound linebacker from Cherry Creek High in Greenwood Village, Colorado, picked MSU over offers from Iowa, Minnesota, Utah, UNLV, Colorado State and others. Hodge, who took an official visit to East Lansing over the weekend, joins a wide-reaching class of three-star recruits that includes East Kentwood quarterback Kayd Coffman, North Branch offensive lineman Eli Bickel, and tight ends Eddie Whiting (Sioux Falls, South Dakota) and Joey Caudill (Mansfield, Ohio). Michigan State football unveiled an alternate Gruff Sparty helmet on Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020. Contact Chris Solari: csolari@ Follow him @chrissolari. Advertisement Subscribe to the "Spartan Speak" podcast for new episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Braylon Hodge, a 3-star LB, picks Michigan State football for 2026
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11 hours ago
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Thousands of peonies cut, destroyed at popular Ann Arbor garden
Thousands of peonies were cut in an act of vandalism at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum in Ann Arbor on Saturday night, according to the garden's director. In a Facebook post on Sunday morning, director Tony Kolenic provided a video message from the W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden at Nichols Arboretum. "Thousands of blooming flowers were cut and left behind. These peonies are not just plants, they are living beings. They've been nurtured over generations and bring joy, community, and connection to the natural world for so many people every season," he said. The vandalism came just hours after a Facebook post from the Matthaei Botanical Gardens page that said "The peonies are looking great this morning" and that many of them were expected to bloom this weekend. "What happened here was an act of disregard not just for the garden, but for the community that cherishes it, even for life itself," Kolenic said in his Sunday message. The Matthaei Botanical Gardens, established in 1907, encompasses more than 300 acres of diverse landscapes, including eleven outdoor gardens, a 10,000+ square-foot conservatory with numerous plant collections and nearly three miles of nature trails. "Wow. Like a gut punch out of nowhere," one Facebook user commented, in reaction to the destroyed peonies. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Peonies cut at Matthei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum
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18 hours ago
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Photos reveal scenes of everyday life in Hamtramck
Over the past year, Detroit Free Press columnist John Carlisle and photojournalist Ryan Garza have immersed themselves in Hamtramck, a town of about 2 square miles, that sits like an island in the middle of Detroit. Hamtramck: Two square miles: The evolution of Hamtramck They've told the stories of its people and the dramatic evolution of the city's cultural landscape. Once a predominantly Polish-American city, Hamtramck has blossomed into one of the most diverse communities in the United States. In this photo gallery, you'll walk the streets of Hamtramck, getting a window into the daily rhythms of life in the vibrant enclave. Read the entire series here. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Photos reveal scenes of everyday life in Hamtramck
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2 days ago
- Business
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Why should some workers get a tax break on tips?
Aside from the 1968 World Series, my adolescent highlight was unexpectedly meeting Mr. Dave Bing in Ann Arbor in the early 1970s, then a player for the Detroit Pistons, while he was sidelined by an eye injury. After reading about Mr. Allan Hughes ("He 'loved' Barry Sanders as a Lions staffer, and Jocko Hughes still loves Detroit today," Detroit Free Press, May 25), I can say that it would have been a pleasure to meet Mr. Hughes as well. Kudos to him for his humanity and dedication to serving others. Victor Turner Concord, North Carolina Rather than sacrifice forests for solar farms, why don't utilities seek out roofs of large industrial facilities? (Editor's note: Last week, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources halted a plan to install solar panels on state-managed forest lands.) The shade of the solar panels would reduce air conditioning loads while keeping the generation closer to the users to minimize transmission losses. It could be a win for both parties. Dennis Green Farmington Hills Can anyone explain to me why some people who work in America deserve to not pay taxes on part of their earnings, while other workers who make the same amount must pay on all of them? Perhaps President Donald Trump and those who are leaning towards voting for this economic package feel they have found a way to encourage those folks to vote for them. Yes, it is illegal for them to write them a check to buy their vote but isn't this the same thing, just done in a different way? If we are going to offer this tax break to some workers, why are we not offering it to all that are in the same economic situation? There must be a reason, but it escapes me what it is. Think about it, please. Mitchell Radcliff Ann Arbor If we are going to tariff foreign goods at higher rates, why not try to lower our national debt, instead of trying to find ways to lower personal and business taxes? Why not force foreign countries to take back the tariff money the U.S. is charging their companies to bring foreign goods into our country? The U.S. would give back the tariff money by buying back U.S. Treasury bonds held by these foreign countries. That would finally start lowering our national debt, which is better than the U.S. Congress always raising our government's debt ceiling. Thomas Lukshaitis Sandusky, Michigan I had a deep conversation recently with a friend about the true goodness of people who are widely considered 'good Christians.' It really made me think about preconceived notions concerning religion and religious people that many of us have, so I thought I'd share. I am not very religious, but I have many close friends and relatives who have always been quite religious or found god later in their lives. This friend and I were discussing how it was that I could disagree with many of their beliefs, but I could still think of them as great people. At first glance, they are 'good Christians' who seem to love their neighbors and are kind people. The second glance is good too. It's easy to see that they really try to adhere to most of the teachings of Christ. They care for people, help people, pray for people, and are just good, upstanding members of society. More: Mackinac Policy Conference left early childhood education off this year's agenda | Opinion It is the third glance that got me wondering. While thinking of the disagreements that I might have with my religious friends, I had an epiphany. The so-called Christian tenets that my friends and family follow that I don't believe in, are not, in my opinion, very Christian at all. The most egregious example is that they use their religious beliefs to discriminate against those that are different, specifically those in the LGBTQ+ community. They interpret the Bible incorrectly to say that transgender people don't really exist, or that gay people are sinners, directly contradicting Jesus' teaching to love your neighbor as yourself. Now, the people that my friend and I were thinking of in my circle are truly very sweet people. They would never overtly discriminate against someone in this community, but this was the realization that my friend and I came to: While they aren't discriminating blatantly, they are still in fact discriminating. If you don't go to a gay wedding of a relative because it is not natural, you are spreading hate and unacceptance. If you tell your son that transgender people are an abomination and not just a different type of person, you are potentially propagating violence. If you scoff at someone who puts their preferred pronouns in an email, you are lending credence to the idea that they are weird and wrong. More: Detroit's Board of Police Commissioners needs major changes to be viable | Letter It is still tough for me to conclude, as my friend surmised, that maybe they are just bad people, but it did get me thinking. They may not be bad, but what they are doing is bad … and is there really a difference? Alton Fisher Redford Submit a letter to the editor at and we may publish it online and in print. If you have a differing view from a letter writer, please feel free to submit a letter of your own in response. Like what you're reading? Please consider supporting local journalism and getting unlimited digital access with a Detroit Free Press subscription. We depend on readers like you. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tax on tips, national debt, solar farms, and good Christians | Letters
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2 days ago
- Business
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Shinola ends its ride: The Detroit brand quietly retires its bicycle collection
Detroit-based Shinola has stopped manufacturing and selling bicycles, which were once a core part of the brand's offerings. The last of the stock sold out in March 2025, a Shinola representative confirmed, and there aren't plans to restock at this time. "Shinola bikes have been a part of our brand DNA for years, and helped us make our mark in the design space," Shinola said in an emailed statement. "At this time, Shinola is committed to doubling down on our watch assortment," the company said, pointing to its recent partnership with the J Dilla estate to create limited-edition watches. When Shinola was founded in 2011 in Detroit, bicycles, which retailed for as much as $3,000, were one of the brand's core products, along with watches and leather goods. Later, it expanded with other products such as headphones and opened a hotel in downtown Detroit in 2019. Nike announces new price hikes: See what other retailers have done since Trump tariffs Four years ago during the pandemic, a Shinola executive told the Detroit Free Press that the company saw an uptick in sales in bicycles, and that Shinola was refocusing on core products as it looked ahead to the brand's next decade. The brand also continues to expand its hospitality footprint with the announcement of a second Shinola Hotel in downtown Indianapolis. However, Shinola said it isn't closing the door on bikes completely. "Whilst we might not have Shinola bikes currently, it doesn't mean they might not be back in the future, as there are a lot of exciting developments to come in 2025 and beyond," Shinola said in the statement. Contact Adrienne Roberts: amroberts@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit's Shinola stops making bikes as it refocuses on watches Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
