Michigan

Appeals court backs Michigan school in banning ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ shirts

Published

4 hours ago

October 14, 2025

Appeals court backs Michigan school in banning ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ shirts

SAND LAKE, Mich. – A federal appeals court on Tuesday ruled in favor of a Michigan school district in a dispute over free speech and “Let’s Go Brandon” shirts, clothing that took a jab at then-President Joe Biden.

The mother of two boys, who got the shirts as Christmas gifts, said her sons’ First Amendment rights were violated when they were told to take off the shirts at Tri County Middle School in 2022. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed in 2-1 opinion.

“In the schoolhouse, vulgarity trumps politics. And the protection for political speech doesn’t give a student carte blanche to use vulgarity at school — even when that vulgarity is cloaked in innuendo or euphemism,” said judges John Nalbandian and Karen Nelson Moore.

In 2021, an obscenity directed at Biden was being chanted at a NASCAR race, though a TV sports reporter said it was “Let’s Go, Brandon.” The line suddenly became popular among Biden’s conservative critics.

The school said it wasn’t prohibiting political messages, just vulgar ones. There was evidence that some students wore clothing that said, “Make America Great Again,” or had messages supporting President Donald Trump.

Judge John Bush disagreed with the majority opinion and said the wrong legal standard was applied.

“The phrase at issue here is a euphemism for political criticism. It contains no sexual content, no graphic imagery, and no actual profanity,” he said. “To the extent that it implies an offensive phrase, it does so obliquely — by design.”

Source link

Click to comment

Michigan

Michigan high school football updated playoff points entering Week 8

Published

16 hours ago

October 14, 2025

Press Room

Michigan high school football updated playoff points entering Week 8

The Michigan high school football playoffs are two weeks away.

The top 32 teams in each of the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s eight divisions earn a berth to the five-round playoffs, which begin Oct. 31.

The eight playoff brackets are determined by playoff points, which are derived from a formula that accounts for team wins, opponents’ division/school size, and how opponents fare in the rest of the season’s schedule.

Here is what the 256-team playoff field across all eight divisions looks like after seven weeks, according to the MHSAA’s playoff point summary. Playoff points are rounded to the hundredth decimal point.

Division 1

School, record, MHSAA playoff points

Hudsonville, 7-0, 79.14 playoff points.
Clarkston, 6-1, 78.29.
Belleville, 6-1, 72.29.
Saline, 6-1, 71.29.
Novi Detroit Catholic Central, 7-0, 70.71.
Detroit Cass Tech, 7-0, 69.71.
Brighton, 6-1, 69.43.
Grand Blanc, 7-0, 68.71.
Farmington, 6-1, 68.57.
Rockford, 5-2, 67.86.
Northville, 6-1, 67.71.
Brownstown Woodhaven, 6-1, 67.43.
Davison, 7-0, 66.86.
Howell, 6-1, 66.14.
Macomb Dakota, 6-1, 66.14.
Rochester Adams, 5-2, 65.14.
Romeo, 5-2, 65.14.
Grand Ledge, 6-1, 62.43.
Oxford, 5-2, 61.86.
Dearborn Fordson, 5-2, 61.14.
West Bloomfield, 5-2, 61.14.
East Kentwood, 5-2, 60.29.
Utica Eisenhower, 5-2, 58.
Utica, 5-2, 56.14.
Grandville, 4-3, 54.14.
Sterling Heights Stevenson, 4-3, 54.14.
Dearborn, 4-3, 52.57.
Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, 4-3, 50.
Hartland, 3-4, 48.
Jenison, 3-4, 47.29.
Ann Arbor Huron, 3-4, 43.86.
Holt, 4-3, 43.86.

Division 2

South Lyon, 7-0, 73.71.
Portage Central, 7-0, 73.71.
Dexter, 6-1, 70.
Gibraltar Carlson, 7-0, 69.43.
Grosse Pointe South, 6-1, 67.29.
Port Huron Northern, 6-1, 65.86.
Midland Dow, 6-1, 63.43.
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, 5-1, 62.33.
Livonia Franklin, 5-2, 61.86.
North Farmington, 5-2, 61.14.
Walled Lake Western, 5-2, 60.57.
Muskegon, 5-2, 60.43.
White Lake Lakeland, 5-2, 58.86.
Birmingham Seaholm, 5-2, 57.71.
Warren Cousino, 5-2, 55.57.
Portage Northern, 5-2, 55.
St. Clair Shores Lakeview, 5-2, 54.43.
Byron Center, 4-3, 53.43.
Lincoln Park, 5-2, 52.57.
Roseville, 4-3, 52.57.
Traverse City Central, 4-3, 52.43.
Waterford Mott, 4-3, 50.86.
Birmingham Groves, 4-3, 50.
Allen Park, 4-3, 49.71.
Temperance Bedford, 4-3, 49.25.
Grand Rapids Northview, 5-2, 49.14.
Lansing Everett, 4-3, 48.29.
Muskegon Mona Shores, 4-3, 47.57.
Traverse City West, 3-4, 47.43.
South Lyon East, 4-3, 46.29.
Oak Park, 3-4, 46.14.
East Lansing, 2-5, 45.57.

Division 3

DeWitt, 7-0, 74.
Mount Pleasant, 7-0, 70.14.
Gaylord, 7-0, 63.
Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills, 6-1, 61.86.
Niles, 7-0, 61.43.
Ypsilanti Lincoln, 6-1, 58.57.
Warren Fitzgerald, 6-1, 57.57.
Cedar Springs, 6-1, 56.43.
East Grand Rapids, 5-2, 56.29.
Detroit King, 5-2, 56.25.
Adrian, 6-1, 54.86.
Fenton, 5-2, 54.
Lowell, 5-2, 51.71.
Coldwater, 6-1, 51.43.
Port Huron, 4-3, 50.14.
Marysville, 5-2, 49.86.
Hastings, 5-2, 49.71.
Mason, 4-3, 49.14.
Zeeland West, 5-2, 49.14.
St. Joseph, 4-3, 47.71.
Holly, 4-3, 47.
Trenton, 4-3, 46.57.
Zeeland East, 4-3, 46.57.
Redford Thurston, 5-2, 46.43.
Owosso, 5-2, 45.57.
Middleville Thornapple Kellogg, 4-3, 44.86.
Linden, 5-2, 44.71.
Riverview, 5-2, 43.71.
Marquette, 4-3, 42.71.
Bay City Western, 3-4, 40.86.
Bay City John Glenn, 4-3, 40.57.
Warren De La Salle, 2-5, 38.43.

Division 4

Harper Woods, 7-0, 79.71.
Goodrich, 7-0, 62.29.
Hudsonville Unity Christian, 7-0, 62.29.
Williamston, 7-0, 62.
Battle Creek Harper Creek, 6-1, 59.71.
Chelsea, 6-1, 57.86.
Escanaba, 6-1, 55.14.
Haslett, 5-2, 55.
Madison Heights Lamphere, 5-2, 55.
Big Rapids, 7-0, 54.29.
Dearborn Divine Child, 54.14.
Portland, 7-0, 52.86.
Edwardsburg, 6-1, 52.14.
Ludington, 7-0, 51.71.
Wyoming Godwin Heights, 6-1, 50.
Center Line, 6-1, 49.71.
Redford Union, 5-2, 49.43.
Freeland, 6-1, 48.
Paw Paw, 4-3, 47.14.
Macomb Lutheran North, 7-0, 47.
Grand Rapids South Christian. 4-3, 46.
Three Rivers, 4-3, 45.
Vicksburg, 4-3, 43.71.
Grand Rapids Christian, 4-3, 42.
Tecumseh, 4-3, 41.57.
Harper Woods Chandler Park, 5-2, 41.43.
Holland Christian, 4-3, 40.14.
Ortonville Brandon, 4-3, 40.14.
St. Johns, 4-3, 40.
Spring Lake, 4-3, 39.57.
Lansing Sexton, 38.43.
Clio, 4-3, 38.29.

Division 5

Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 7-0, 68.5.
Grand Rapids West Catholic, 6-1, 56.29.
Monroe Jefferson, 7-0, 54.
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 5-2, 53.43.
Richmond, 6-1, 52.57.
Romulus Summit Academy, 6-1, 52.14.
Saginaw Swan Valley, 6-1, 51.14.
Frankenmuth, 6-1, 49.86.
Detroit Southeastern, 5-2, 48.43.
Ogemaw Heights, 6-1, 48.43.
Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard, 7-0, 45.86.
Armada, 5-2, 44.71.
Kingsford, 6-1, 43.71.
Whitehall, 4-3, 42.43.
Muskegon Oakridge, 5-2, 42.29.
Berrien Springs, 4-1, 42.
Clare, 5-2, 41.86.
Howard City Tri County, 5-2, 41.57.
Michigan Center, 7-0, 40.86.
Dowagiac, 5-2, 39.11.
Detroit Denby, 5-2, 38.29.
Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep, 5-2, 38.11.
Wyoming Kelloggsville, 5-2, 37.14.
Yale, 4-3, 36.71.
Hopkins, 4-3, 36.57.
Gladwin, 4-3, 36.43.
Romulus, 3-4, 36.43.
Flat Rock, 4-3, 36.
Negaunee, 4-3, 35.14.
Hazel Park, 5-2, 35.
Detroit Voyageur College Prep, 4-3, 34.14.
Shepherd, 4-3, 33.86.

Division 6

Almont, 7-0, 57.43.
Jackson Lumen Christi, 4-3, 52.18.
Belding, 6-1, 51.71.
Marine City, 6-1, 50.14.
Detroit Edison, 6-1, 49.57.
Olivet, 6-1, 47.29.
Traverse City St. Francis, 45.21.
Montrose, 7-0, 44.43.
Kent City, 7-0, 43.71.
Reed City, 5-2, 42.86.
Ecorse, 6-1, 42.43.
Kingsley, 5-2, 42.29.
Dearborn Heights Robichaud, 5-2, 41.5.
Boyne City, 5-2, 40.
Flint Hamady, 5-2, 39.71.
Ida, 6-1, 39.43.
Detroit Pershing, 5-2, 38.14.
Ovid-Elsie, 5-2, 37.86.
Durand, 5-2, 36.86.
Calumet, 5-2, 36.07.
Detroit Central, 5-2, 33.86.
Napoleon, 5-2, 33.29.
Warren Michigan Collegiate, 4-3, 33.29.
Sanford Meridian, 5-2, 31.29.
Clawson, 4-3, 31.14.
Montague, 3-4, 30.43.
Buchanan, 4-3, 30.2.
Flint New Standard Academy, 6-1, 30.14.
Central Montcalm, 5-2, 29.14.
Kalkaska, 5-2, 29.
Adrian Madison, 4-3, 28.71.
Clinton Township Clintondale, 28.43.

Division 7

Menominee, 7-0, 49.91.
Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, 6-1, 46.14.
Charlevoix, 7-0, 40.14.
Pewamo-Westphalia, 6-0, 39.83.
Millington, 6-1, 38.71.
Schoolcraft, 6-1, 38.29.
Saginaw Valley Lutheran, 7-0, 38.
Elkton Pigeon Bay Port Laker, 6-1, 37.57.
Hanover-Horton, 5-2, 37.29.
Constantine, 5-2, 37.14.
Cass City, 5-2, 35.
Lawton, 5-2, 34.86.
Clinton, 5-2, 34.71.
Ithaca, 6-1, 34.14.
McBain, 5-2, 33.57.
Bronson, 6-1, 33.29.
Harrison, 6-1, 33.29.
Ottawa Lake Whiteford, 6-1, 33.29.
North Muskegon, 5-2, 33.07.
LeRoy Pine River, 5-2, 29.29.
Union City, 5-2, 28.
Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest, 4-3, 27.93.
Detroit Community, 4-3, 27.57.
Shelby, 5-2, 27.43.
Saranac, 5-2, 26.93.
Leslie, 4-3, 26.57.
Burton Bendle, 5-2, 25.14.
Jonesville, 4-3, 24.71.
Manton, 4-3, 24.71.
Coloma, 3-4, 23.14.
Galesburg-Augusta, 3-4, 22.86.
Ravenna, 3-4, 22.29.

Division 8

Hudson, 7-0, 45.57.
Madison Heights Madison, 6-1, 41.43.
Melvindale ABT, 7-0, 40.43.
Harbor Beach, 7-0, 37.57.
Beal City, 7-0, 37.43.
Allen Park Cabrini, 7-0, 36.57.
Maple City Glen Lake, 5-1, 35.88.
New Lothrop, 5-2, 34.43.
White Pigeon, 6-1, 33.86.
Springpoty, 7-0, 33.71.
Bark River-Harris, 5-1, 32.21.
Decatur, 5-2, 31.57.
Fowler, 5-2, 30.93.
Unionville-Sebewaing, 5-2, 30.43.
Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central, 5-2, 29.14.
Frankfort, 5-2, 28.29.
Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, 5-2, 27.29.
Mancelona, 4-3, 27.
Genesee, 3-4, 26.86.
Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary, 4-3, 26.86.
Iron Mountain, 4-3, 26.52.
Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes, 4-3, 26.29.
Manchester, 4-3, 26.14.
Riverview Gabriel Richard, 3-4, 25.86.
East Jordan, 4-3, 25.64.
Reese, 4-3, 25.
Centreville, 3-4, 24.14.
Southfield Bradford Academy, 4-3, 23.71.
Clarkston Everest Collegiate, 4-3, 23.14.
L’Anse, 4-3, 22.93.
Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart, 4-3, 22.64.
Petersburg Summerfield, 4-3, 22.4.

Nominate a high school athlete for the Detroit Free Press boys and girls athlete of the week.

Jared Ramsey covers high school sports for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jramsey@freepress.com; Follow Jared on X or Bluesky.

Source link

Michigan

Michigan Gov. Whitmer signs $2 billion annual road funding bill

Published

1 day ago

October 13, 2025

Press Room

Michigan Gov. Whitmer signs billion annual road funding bill

On Monday, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill to invest $2 billion annually to fix Michigan’s state and local roads.

“Roads are not just about making life a little bit easier. It’s about jobs, it’s about families, it’s about our economy, it’s about the ability to move Michigan forward,” said Whitmer.

CBS Detroit

The governor locked in her commitment to her campaign promise in Clinton Township on Monday by signing the historic road funding bill.

“We’re looking at another $30 million annually, and that is significant. There was no question about it. The governor was going to find a way to figure out how does she solve this problem at a local level,” said Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel.

It’s an investment that took lawmakers compromising on both sides of the aisle. House Speaker Matt Hall tells CBS News Detroit that they got it done together.

“Governor Whitmer and the Democrats were only comfortable cutting a billion dollars of waste, fraud and abuse, and that was the limitation, so we matched them dollar for dollar. It’s about $2 billion to roads revenue and cutting waste, fraud and abuse and dedicated it all to roads. And also dedicating all of the money collected at the pump for the first time to roads,” said Hall.

This bill aims to bring more money, jobs and peace of mind for Michigan’s road crews.

“This deal is the largest transportation fund and increase in decades and will secure as many as 188,000 construction-related jobs,” said construction worker Tiran Clemons.

Since the governor took office, there have been 24,500 miles of Michigan roads repaired by the end of this construction season.

Source link

Michigan

M’m! M’m! Bad! Campbell’s Soup sues Michigan congressional hopeful for false endorsement

Published

2 days ago

October 12, 2025

Press Room

M’m! M’m! Bad! Campbell’s Soup sues Michigan congressional hopeful for false endorsement

A little-known candidate for Michigan’s 13th Congressional District is being sued over her use of a design similar to the Campbell’s Soup logo in campaign materials.

The Camden, N.J.-based Campbell’s Co. and the Campbell’s Soup Co. Brands LP filed the complaint Friday in Michigan’s Eastern District against Democratic congressional candidate Shelby Campbell of Detroit. In the filing, the corporation claims Campbell’s unauthorized use of its logo and refusal to stop was trademark infringement, false designation of origin and false endorsement.

Campbell, 31, told The Detroit News Sunday she has always felt a connection to the soup brand and thought her use of the logo for a single batch of stickers was harmless.

“Growing up, we had the whole house decorated with Campbell’s Soup logos,” said Campbell, a third-generation automotive worker. “I’ve used ‘soup’ in my email and social media since I was 18.”

The attorney for Campbell’s Soup Co., Leah Imbrogno with Detroit-based Foley & Lardner LLP, could not be immediately reached Sunday for comment.

Campbell’s Soup Co. said Shelby Campbell’s intentional use of the logo was not approved and has led to confusion with customers who’ve reached out to ask if the company had endorsed her. It was clear, the lawsuit said, that her use of the logo was a way to use the Campbell brand to boost her candidacy.

As of Friday, when the complaint was filed, her campaign’s X account was “soup4change” and used the logo as a header, her campaign’s website address was www.soup4change.com, her TikTok account was “@atasteofsoup” and her Instagram account was “@atasteofthesoup.” The campaign used hashtags such as “vote4soup” or “soup4change.”

Shelby Campbell did clearly mark her TikTok and Instagram profiles that used “soup” in the name as personal profiles, and her biography pointed people to follow her professional profile “@shelby4congress,” according to a Detroit News review.

Campbell Soup Co. said in the lawsuit it was committed to protecting its brand from those who would “infringe or dilute” the trademark. The company pointed to similar lawsuits filed, including one against Jane Foodie LLC for selling packaged soups in cans with a design that mimicked Campbell’s Soup cans and various political candidates across the country with the last name of Campbell who used the logo in their campaign materials.

Campbell admitted to using stickers with a similar design to the company’s logo, but claimed she only made one batch of them and was not making a profit off of them.

In the lawsuit, the company asked Shelby Campbell to stop using the design over a month before filing the complaint. She refused to and said she understood her use was not breaking the law. She posted her response to the company on her private social media page, writing “Lmfao yall gonna make me blow up and really win congress easily I ain’t scared byeeee,” a screenshot included in the complaint shows.

It’s not clear where Campbell’s Soup Co. got screenshots of Campbell’s social media pages. But Shelby Campbell said that after the comments she made about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s death, she knew “MAGAs” — people backing the Make America Great Again movement — were watching her feeds and assumed they sent the posts to the company.

Campbell said she wasn’t sure if she’d continue using a similar logo but said she might just “change it to blue.”

Shelby Campbell is not a well-known name in the 2026 Democratic primary for Michigan’s 13th Congressional District, where state Rep. Donovan McKinney of Detroit is challenging incumbent U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar of Detroit. The field of well-known Democrats narrowed when former state Sen. Adam Hollier decided to bow out of the primary and run instead for Secretary of State. Nazmul Hassan is also running in the Democratic primary, while Republican Andrew Lorenz and Green Party candidate D. Etta Wilcoxon have filed paperwork to run.

“I’m really excited for the campaign otherwise,” Campbell said. “I want girls to know that just because they may have made bad decisions in the past they can have a great future.”

satwood@detroitnews.com

Source link