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Man uses racial slur while testifying against Michigan Capitol gun ban

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Man uses racial slur while testifying against Michigan Capitol gun ban


Lansing — A man disrupted an already tense Michigan Senate committee hearing Thursday on whether guns should be permanently banned from the state Capitol building by using a racial slur to refer to people in Detroit while testifying.

The individual identified himself as Avi Rachlin and said he was representing “Groypers for America,” referring to a far-right extremist movement, according to the testimony card he submitted to the Michigan Senate Civil Rights, Judiciary and Public Safety Committee.

Rachlin opened his remarks by contending that Democrats’ efforts to push the gun prohibition for the state Capitol and House and Senate office buildings went against the “will of the people,” who had voted on Nov. 5 to elect Republican Donald Trump as president and give back control of the state House to the GOP.

“This is legislation that targets White people,” Rachlin said. “It is racial because the people who carry in the Capitol are primarily White people …, and this is retaliation for the only demographic that overwhelmingly voted to support Donald Trump.”

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Rachlin then said lawmakers should focus on people who shoot others in places like Detroit. He noted that the committee’s chairwoman, Sen. Stephanie Chang, D-Detroit, represents a portion of the city. Rachlin then said the individuals are “overwhelmingly 13 to 34 year old Sub-Saharan African n——.”

In response, Chang hit her gavel and said the committee was going to move on.

“Are you going to have armed guards remove me?” Rachlin asked. “Armed men with guns?”

Sen. Jim Runestad, R-White Lake, interjected, asking “Did I just hear you call a group of people by some epithet?”

“Yes,” Rachlin replied.

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Sen. Ruth Johnson, R-Holly, told Rachlin, “The term that you used is inappropriate, and it will not get you anywhere in this Legislature.”

Moments later, the committee voted 4-2 to send the bills to the full Senate, with Runestad and Johnson in opposition.

The measures would generally prohibit guns inside the Michigan Capitol, the Anderson House Office Building and the Binsfeld Senate Office Building in Lansing. However, a lawmaker with a concealed pistol license would still be able to carry a weapon in the buildings.

Currently, under a policy of the Michigan State Capitol Commission, guns are banned inside the Capitol. That standard doesn’t apply to the House and Senate office buildings.

Sen. Dayna Polehanki, D-Livonia, one of the sponsors of the bills, has argued that lawmakers need to put the prohibition into law so a future commission can’t change it on its own. Polehanki said it is “very important” to her to get the bills through the Legislature by the end of the year, before Republicans take back control of the state House.

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“As you can see, my Republican colleagues, who voted no, I guess don’t believe in protecting … Michigan citizens in the Capitol from the real threat of gun violence,” Polehanki said.

The Livonia lawmaker said there are enough votes in the Senate to pass the bills.

Polehanki and Sen. Sarah Anthony, D-Lansing, both testified on Thursday about protests during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 — before the gun ban was in place — that brought individuals with guns into the gallery of the Senate.

“It was just a few years ago that many of us were in this building absolutely terrified as firearms were pointed at us while we were trying to do our jobs,” Anthony said.

Runestad asked Anthony if she reported the guns being pointed at her to Capitol security. Anthony said she had made a formal complaint to the Michigan State Police and House sergeants. Runestad interrupted Anthony. Then, she said, “I raised a lot of nieces and nephews, and I’m not shy when it comes to addressing temper tantrums.”

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A representative from the National Rifle Association and Tom Lambert, legislative director of the group Michigan Open Carry, testified against the bills.

Lambert said Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat, would have prosecuted individuals if they pointed guns at lawmakers during protests in 2020. Michigan already has a law against brandishing a firearm, which would include pointing a gun in a threatening manner, Lambert noted.

“The bills are a solution in search of a problem,” Lambert argued.

cmauger@detroitnews.com



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Yaxel Lendeborg scores 29 points and No. 2 Michigan stays unbeaten with 101-83 win over Maryland

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Yaxel Lendeborg scores 29 points and No. 2 Michigan stays unbeaten with 101-83 win over Maryland


COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Yaxel Lendeborg had 29 points, a career-best nine assists and eight rebounds, and No. 2 Michigan rallied from a nine-point deficit Saturday night to defeat Maryland 101-83.

Aday Mara scored 18 points for the Wolverines (10-0, 2-0 Big Ten), who overcame a halftime deficit for the second time this season and the first since they beat TCU on Nov. 14.

Michigan scored 100 points for the fourth time in five games.

Diggy Coit made eight 3-pointers and scored 31 points for the Terrapins (6-5, 0-2), who lost center Pharrel Payne to a right leg injury late in the first half and forward Solomon Washington to ejection after he picked up his second technical foul early in the second half.

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Coit scored nine of Maryland’s first 10 points and 22 before the break, helping to prevent Michigan from opening a lead larger than six in the first half.

The Terps lost Payne, their leading scorer at 18.7 points a game, with 4:36 remaining before halftime. Yet Maryland stretched its lead from one to 50-45 at the midpoint, then expanded it to 56-47 on Elijah Saunders’ 3.

Washington, who had a first-half technical for celebrating a 3 in front of the Michigan bench, was called for a delay-of-game technical just after Saunders’ basket. His departure left the Terps without their two most experienced and imposing interior players.

Lendeborg took advantage, scoring the next eight points. Mara’s dunk with 14 minutes left made it 64-63 and gave the Wolverines the lead for good.

Elliot Cadeau’s layup with 21.2 seconds remaining got the Wolverines to 100 points for the fifth time this season.

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Up next

Michigan hosts La Salle on Dec. 21.

Maryland visits No. 24 Virginia on Dec. 20.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

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Aquinas College expands automatic acceptance to 2 more West Michigan high schools

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Aquinas College expands automatic acceptance to 2 more West Michigan high schools


GRAND RAPIDS, MI – After beginning a direct admittance program at one West Michigan high school in November, Aquinas College has now expanded the program to cover more classrooms.

The guaranteed admission program, first implemented for graduates of West Catholic High School with a 2.0 GPA or above, has now been expanded to Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids and Muskegon Catholic Central High School.

The partnership will apply to students from all three schools entering college in the fall of 2026.

The direct admission program was described by Aquinas College leaders as offering high school students a “clear path to college success” while also continuing to develop partnerships.

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Aquinas College, a private Catholic liberal arts institution located at 1700 Fulton St. E, was founded by the Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids in 1886.

The college has enrolled 1,262 students during the 2025-26 academic year, and its new student numbers are up, with 419 new students on campus this fall, up from 311 in 2024-25.

The college’s overall enrollment total is just slightly under the approximately 1,300 students Aquinas recorded across its campus in 2023-24, according to a press release sent out in January 2025.

This year’s partnership announcements do not mark Aquinas’ first direct admittance deal.

The college also has a direct admit bachelor’s in nursing partnership with the University of Detroit Mercy, which allows students to take core curriculum courses at Aquinas and nursing classes from Detroit Mercy faculty.

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On Nov. 14, Aquinas announced its direct admittance deal with West Catholic High School.

The school, located at 1801 Bristol Ave. NW, enrolled just over 500 students as of the 2024-25 school year, according to an online school profile.

West Catholic President and CEO Jill Wierzbicki said the initiative simplifies the college application process and offers students a straightforward path to higher education.

On Nov. 20, Aquinas then announced it had also partnered with Grand Rapids’ Catholic Central High School, 319 Sheldon Blvd SE, which enrolls 567 students and is the oldest co-educational diocesan Catholic high school in the nation.

Brian Matzke, vice president for enrollment management, said there’s “no doubt that Aquinas here has had more graduates from Catholic Central than any other school in our history.”

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On Dec. 10, the college announced another partnership deal with Muskegon Catholic Central High School, 1145 W Laketon Ave., which enrolled just under 300 students in 2023-24, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Jerry McDowell, Muskegon Catholic Central president, said both the high school and Aquinas share a “deep commitment to developing the whole student — academically, spiritually, and individually.

“This direct-admit program provides our graduates with an exceptional opportunity to transition confidently into higher education while maintaining the Catholic values that guide their formation,” McDowell said.

Aquinas’ listed price for traditional undergraduate tuition is $41,192, according to senior director of strategic communications Dave DeJonge.

Students are eligible for annual merit scholarships between $15,000-$25,000, depending on their GPA and housing status. Additional scholarships may be available. This applies to all students who are admitted to Aquinas.

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Matzke highlighted the direct admittance program’s easy transition from one West Michigan school to another, with those accepted to Aquinas able to live on campus or commute from home depending on what best fits their needs.

He also said a growing Grand Rapids job market, combined with support from the college’s career center, contributes to a 97% placement rate for graduates.



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Legal experts question University of Michigan’s role after charges against former HC Sherrone Moore

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Legal experts question University of Michigan’s role after charges against former HC Sherrone Moore


WASHTENAW COUNTY, Mich. – Former Michigan Wolverines head football coach Sherrone Moore appeared in court Friday on charges of stalking, home invasion, and breaking and entering, just days after being fired from his position.

The 39-year-old coach, who has no prior criminal history, was terminated by the university on Wednesday following an investigation that uncovered evidence of an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.

According to prosecutors, the charges stem from an incident that occurred after the victim, a University of Michigan staff member, ended her relationship with Moore on Monday (Dec. 8).

Following the breakup, Moore allegedly made numerous unwanted calls and texts to the victim.

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The situation escalated on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2025, when Moore allegedly forced his way into the victim’s Pittsfield Township apartment.

Prosecutors say he grabbed kitchen utensils and threatened to take his own life, allegedly telling the victim, “My blood is on your hands.”

“The totality of the behavior is highly threatening and highly intimidating. She was terrorized, your honor,” a prosecutor told the court during Friday’s arraignment.

Defense attorney Joseph Simon pushed back on prosecutors’ claims that Moore could be a threat to public safety.

“My client’s 39 years old, with zero prior criminal history, zero prior contact with the criminal justice system in any fashion,” Simon stated.

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Attorney Todd Flood, who practices both criminal defense and civil litigation, said the fallout within the university could continue depending on when the organization was first alerted about the relationship and how university athletic officials first responded.

“What did they know, when did they know it, and what did they do about it when they found out? Those are going to be the three major questions,” Flood said.

“The university could possibly have some culpability there, that they didn’t put a stop to this,” noted Flood, adding that the victim may have grounds to pursue action against both the university and Moore.

Flood said the stalking charge against Moore likely stems from a documented pattern of harassment.

“When there is a position where he is harassing, either via text messages, harassing via telephone calls, social media content, or showing up at a place where he doesn’t belong,” Flood said. “Those stalking charges are ones where you can show that pattern of conduct.”

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“He’s ultimately going to probably plead this case out, under some sort of either misdemeanor, or something that gives probation,” Flood said.

Moore posted his $25,000 bond Friday.

As part of his bond conditions, he must wear a GPS tether, undergo mental health treatment, and have no contact with the victim.

He is scheduled to appear in court in person on Jan. 22.

–> Jim Harbaugh talks Sherrone Moore’s firing, arrest after former Michigan football understudy posts bond

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