Michigan
West Michigan celebrates Juneteenth with parades, more
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Friday is Juneteenth. The long-celebrated holiday, which was officially declared a federal holiday in 2021, marks the day in 1865 when enslaved Americans in Galveston, Texas, learned they were free — two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.
In Grand Rapids, a parade steps off at noon at the corner of Eastern and Hall. It will head to Dickinson Buffer Park, where an opening ceremony gets underway at 1 p.m. The celebration continues until the evening and will feature food, vendors and activities for kids.
Organizers say it’s important to recognize Juneteenth.
“We cannot properly deal with and accept our future if we don’t understand our past,” said Rhaeven Richardson with West Michigan Jewels of Africa. “So it’s very important for us to come together and bring notoriety for what Juneteenth stands for and how important it is — not just for people of color, but for everyone in this country.”
There are plenty of other Juneteenth events happening in Grand Rapids and around West Michigan. For a full list, click here.
Michigan football coach Kyle Whittingham introduced to Crisler crowd
Michigan football coach Kyle Whittingham introduced to Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026.
Michigan football did the bulk of its work on recruiting its class of 2027 in May and June, but continues to round out its class, which came with another commitment in the trenches.
The Wolverines landed a pledge from four-star interior lineman Lincoln Mageo out of Oceanside High in Oceanside, California, who chose U-M over Utah and Washington on Saturday, July 11. Mageo, who had more than 20 Division I offers including programs such as Ohio State, Texas and USC, stands 6 feet 4 and 280 pounds.
Mageo, who visited Ann Arbor in early June, was named a Polynesian Bowl All-Star.
“Strong customer as a drive blocker in the run game,” 247Sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks wrote. “Flashes some heavy-handed pop, particularly when traveling and when helping in pass pro.
“Enhancing fluidity throughout lower half will raise the ceiling on pass-pro ability. Projects to the P4 level as a candidate to become a run-game enforcer.”
Mageo is rated the No. 19 interior lineman in the nation, the No. 31 player in California and No. 369 in the class of 2027, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings. He’s the fourth offensive line pledge to sign on to play for position coach Jim Harding, joining four-star Jakari Lipsey, three-star Sidney Rouleau and three-star Louis Esposito (the son of former U-M D-line coach Lou Esposito, who departed for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens).
Michigan now has 21 commits in its class, which was ranked No. 19, per 247, prior to Mageo’s commitment.
Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
Saturday, July 11, 2026 2:48PM
CHICAGO (WLS) — Sailors are making their way from Chicago to Mackinac Island on Saturday morning.
The racing division of the Race to Mackinac took off from Monroe Harbor. The first sailors began their journey at 9 a.m.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
The race, spanning over 300 miles into Michigan, brings sailors from all over the world to compete. The event is considered the longest annual freshwater sailing race in the world.
The Race to Mackinac is now on its 117th year and is the Chicago Yacht Club’s signature sailing event. This year, there are 2,000 sailors competing on 252 boats total.
The race’s unpredictable weather and shifting winds on Lake Michigan serve as a challenge for sailors. The event goes on, rain or shine.
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ROTHBURY, Mich. — Michigan State Police (MSP) detectives shared some more information Friday about their investigation of the infant death at this year’s Electric Forest music festival in Rothbury.
Troopers recently received a tip about a Muskegon woman who was said to have information about the incident, but after interviewing her and completing other necessary investigative steps, MSP said they ruled her out as a suspect.
A restroom vending company employee at the festival found the body of a neonate, a newborn infant who is four weeks old or younger, in a portable restroom in the festival camping area on June 28, according to troopers.
The festival is hosted at the Double JJ Resort, which was locked down to anyone entering the following day as police surrounded the scene.
Troopers are asking for tips from the public at michigan.gov/michtip.
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