Michigan
Man accused by police of racial attacks, mosque threats in Michigan
A Minnesota man accused by police of attacking a number of racial minorities in Michigan together with his car and threatening mosques in metro Detroit faces a courtroom listening to in July.
The person was recognized Thursday by the FBI Detroit workplace as Arnold Edward Ashland, 60, who’s being held on the Van Buren County jail and dealing with prices of felonious assault and fleeing or eluding police.
Dearborn Police mentioned in a information launch final month that Ashland had made threats about “blowing up” mosques in metro Detroit. Police mentioned he additionally deliberately rammed with the car he was driving 11 “autos pushed by individuals of colour,” based on sufferer statements made to police. He was arrested by Michigan State Police in Paw Paw, about half-hour west of Kalamazoo.
After being taken into custody, Ashland, who’s white, “continued to make disparaging remarks about ladies and minorities throughout encounters with police,” Dearborn police mentioned.
The legal professional representing Ashland, Mary Zoe Hutchins, mentioned the police reviews she noticed didn’t point out race.
“The police reviews I’ve reviewed make no point out of any sort of hate crime, of this being racially motivated in any respect,” Hutchins mentioned Thursday.
Bail has been set at $200,000, together with his possible trigger convention set for 8:30 a.m. July 13 in seventh District Court docket in Paw Paw, county information present. Public information point out he lived in St. Paul, Minnesota.
On April 13, Dearborn Police launched a press release saying state police obtained data on attainable threats to mosques at about 2 p.m. April 12.
Extra:Man charged with ethnic intimidation in assault of two Black customers outdoors Westborn Market
“The topic in query — a 60-year-old male — reportedly made statements about ‘blowing up’ mosques close to and across the Detroit space, and was travelling from Minneapolis to Detroit in a blue sedan,” police mentioned. “… In response to sufferer statements, the topic is believed to have deliberately rammed into ‘autos pushed by individuals of colour.’”
Police didn’t discover weapons or explosives in his car, Dearborn police mentioned.
As a precaution, Dearborn police stationed officers in any respect mosques within the metropolis, which has a lot of mosques and excessive proportion of residents who’re Muslim.
He “didn’t enter Dearborn metropolis limits at any level,” police mentioned.
Dearborn Police directed additional inquiries to state police and the FBI.
“Our solely involvement on this matter was making the preliminary arrest,” Shanon Banner, a spokeswoman for state police, mentioned Thursday. “The case has been turned over to the FBI.”
The threats to mosques had alarmed civil rights advocates within the Muslim neighborhood. They famous that the incidents got here throughout Ramadan, a holy month for Muslims.
“There is no such thing as a justification for anybody to threaten sacred areas in Michigan or in every other state,” Dawud Walid, government director of the Michigan chapter of Council on American-Islamic Relations, mentioned in a press release final month.
Walid urged mosques to evaluate their security protocols in gentle of the “threats to mosques and individuals of colour of various faiths.”
Contact Niraj Warikoo: nwarikoo@freepress.com or Twitter @nwarikoo
Michigan
Michigan basketball signee enrolls early, will practice with team
A member of the Michigan men’s basketball 2025 recruiting class is already on campus.
Oscar Goodman, a 6-foot-7 forward from New Zealand, is enrolled for the winter semester, which started on Wednesday, a team spokesperson said. Goodman will not appear in games this season but will be allowed to practice and participate in other team activities.
The spokesperson said this was not a typical “reclassification” — when an athlete graduates early and competes in college a season ahead of a typical schedule — but a byproduct of New Zealand’s school calendar.
Goodman will be listed as a freshman on the roster (he wasn’t listed on the online version as of Thursday morning) and a redshirt freshman next season. The rest of the Wolverines returned to campus on Wednesday after a week-long stay in Los Angeles, where they beat USC and UCLA.
“Oscar arrives in Ann Arbor as an accomplished international player and prospect, who was just named to the New Zealand senior national team,” Michigan coach Dusty May said in a statement upon Goodman’s signing in November.
“He comes from a tight-knit family that values everything that we want our program to be about. His training at the NBA (Global) Academy, as well as his eagerness and ability to compete, will allow him to affect our program positively from day one.”
Goodman, from Opunake, is ranked as the No. 75 player in the 2025 class according to the 247Sports composite. He was an all-star at the 2024 FIBA under-17 World Cup after averaging 17 points, 6.3 rebounds, and three assists per game.
Michigan’s 2025 class also includes Orchard Lake St. Mary’s guard Trey McKenney, the No. 1 player in Michigan and No. 19 prospect nationally, and wing Winters Grady (No. 82), an Oregon native currently playing for Prolific Prep in Napa, California. They figure to arrive in Ann Arbor in the summer.
- BETTING: Check out our guide to the best Michigan sportsbooks, where our team of sports betting experts has reviewed the experience, payout speed, parlay options and quality of odds for multiple sportsbooks.
Michigan
Arrest made in disappearance of Michigan mother
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
Michigan
How bird flu is impacting poultry farms in Michigan
Michigan officials say two more instances of bird flu have been confirmed at commercial poultry farms in Ottawa County.
“We’ve seen six commercial organizations confirmed positive with highly pathogenic avian influenza in the past few weeks, two since the start of the year,” said Dr. Tim Boring, Director of the Michigan Dept of Agriculture and Rural Development.
A multi-layered approach is underway to limit the spread.
That includes a disinfection process, robust surveillance, and heightened surveillance at neighboring poultry facilities.
But it’s not just commercial facilities that have seen cases of the virus.
Within the past couple of weeks, bird flu was confirmed in a backyard flock in Jackson County.
He has this advice for anyone keeping poultry in their yard.
“Isolating your birds from wild birds they may be exposed to, making sure they stay in a coup, if possible, locked up at night, segregating food and water system from wild birds,” Dr. Boring.
Handwashing after handling birds is important, too.
The outbreak here in Michigan mirrors what’s happening elsewhere across the country.
Nearly 100 commercial livestock operations have been impacted, affecting more than 17 million birds.
More than 60 people have become infected nationwide, with one reported death associated with the virus this week.
If there is any good news, it’s that the outbreak shouldn’t have an impact on the food supply.
“Food system is safe, pasteurizing is an effective step to kill the virus and any dairy products here, make sure you wash your eggs and cook your meat,” Dr. Boring.
If you keep poultry and notice a sick animal, your first call should be to a vet or the MDARD directly at 1-800-292-3939.
You should also use PPE when handling the animal and wash your hands well. As for any wild backyard bird visitors, Dr. Boring says it shouldn’t be cause for concern; however, if you do notice a sick bird, give the DNR’s Wildlife Disease Laboratory a call at 517-336-5030.
Click here to find more information about the outbreak.
Copyright 2025 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
-
Business1 week ago
These are the top 7 issues facing the struggling restaurant industry in 2025
-
Culture1 week ago
The 25 worst losses in college football history, including Baylor’s 2024 entry at Colorado
-
Sports1 week ago
The top out-of-contract players available as free transfers: Kimmich, De Bruyne, Van Dijk…
-
Politics7 days ago
New Orleans attacker had 'remote detonator' for explosives in French Quarter, Biden says
-
Politics6 days ago
Carter's judicial picks reshaped the federal bench across the country
-
Politics5 days ago
Who Are the Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom?
-
Health4 days ago
Ozempic ‘microdosing’ is the new weight-loss trend: Should you try it?
-
World1 week ago
Ivory Coast says French troops to leave country after decades