Detroit Pistons are the 2026 Eastern Conference Champions!!

Posted on by farlane
Daniss Jenkins by Montez Miller & Tell Us Detroit

Daniss Jenkins stepping up by Montez Miller & Tell Us Detroit

I was tempted to feature a photo from Detroit-based photographer & Michpics friend Montez Miller on my Detroit Tigers Opening Day post on Friday, but something told me I needed to hold off. That something turned out to be the Detroit Pistons who clinched their first Eastern Conference title since the 2006-07 season! ESPN shares how a gritty Pistons squad managed to seal the deal by going 7-2 after superstar & team leader Cade Cunningham went down with a scary lung injury.

All-Star center Jalen Duren has taken more of a central offensive role, averaging 23 points and 11 rebounds on 66% shooting since Cunningham went down. Reserve point guard Daniss Jenkins reemerged from a midseason slump to take advantage of increased playing time, with 19.3 points and over seven assists. On Saturday, Jenkins had 14 assists, one short of his career high.

“With Cade here, we were more relaxed, we knew we had more of a superstar to get us to wins,” Pistons swingman Ausar Thompson told ESPN. “But since he’s been gone, we all gathered around and knew we had to be more gritty, missing such a big piece. We had to make up for less offense on the defensive side.”

Here are a few more from Montez so we can get a pic of Cade in. For sure follow Montez Miller and Tell Us Detroit on Facebook for many (many) more along with all kinds of Detroit Tigers & other Motor City magic!

Lots more Detroit Pistons over the years on Michigan in Pictures!

2026 Pistons FACTS via the Detroit Pistons

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Detroit Tigers Opening Day 2026

Posted on by farlane
Detroit Tigers Opening Day at Comerica Park

Detroit Tigers Opening Day at Comerica Park

With sunny skies and temps near 70° at 1:10pm when fan favorite Brandon Inge throws out the first pitch, today looks like a fantastic day for Tiger baseball and Opening Day fun!

If you’re not lucky enough to have tickets to the sold out home opener, a highlight will be the Opening Day Block Party that takes over Witherell Street alongside Comerica Park with music, entertainment, and fan activations with appearances from PAWS and Rally Cats.

Other highlights for the day include Downton Detroit’s free Opening Day Tailgate Party in Grand Circus Park next to the ballpark with the food trucks & the game on the big screen, and of course my friends in the Honest 2 God Jug Band playing the opening day party right after the game at historic Cliff’s Bells.

Let’s go Tigers!!

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Michigan’s State Duck is the Wood Duck

Posted on by farlane
Wood duck in the Autumn by Bill VanderMolen

Wood duck in the Autumn by Bill VanderMolen

Michigan Public shares that Governor Whitmer signed legislation last week naming the Wood Duck Michigan’s state duck. The legislation was sponsored by Representative Alabas Farhat (D-Dearborn) & passed both the Michigan House and Senate by wide, bipartisan margins.

The Wood Duck joins a whole bunch of Michigan’s state symbols that are detailed on Michigan in Pictures!

You can see a lot more pics of Wood ducks that Bill has taken over the years. Follow him on Flickr, Facebook, or Instagram for his latest!

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Ann Arbor’s Fool Moon & Festifools is calling all fools of a feather

Posted on by farlane

Festifools by Destination Ann Arbor

Destination Ann Arbor shares that two classic April Fools events: FoolMoon & FestiFools return to Ann Arbor next weekend. Both events are all ages fun and take place in downtown Ann Arbor.

FoolMoon happens Friday, April 10th from 7:30pm to midnight. The theme this year is is Fools of a Feather, and they are inviting winged creatures of all kinds to dress in creative costumes and bring luminaries light up Ann Arbor’s streets! Festifools happens Sunday, April 12 from 4-5 on Main Street. The theme is Back to the FOOLture so somebody remember to pick up Marty!! Get all the details from Destination Ann Arbor.

PS: For sure check out FestiFools Studio where they make a lot of these awesome marionettes!

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Belle Isle privatization panned as “dystopian”

Posted on by farlane
Former Belle Isle Police Station & Jail by Will Jensen

Former Belle Isle Police Station & Jail by Will Jensen

Here is a followup to yesterday’s story on Belle Isle Freedom City. Janelle James of Bridge Michigan reports that the revamped & decades old proposal to buy Belle Isle and turn it into a privately funded housing, entertainment and retail district is being shut down Michigan officials and the Belle Isle Conservancy:

“This proposal is not something the Michigan DNR has been involved in and it’s not something the state is considering,” Tom Bissett, assistant chief of the DNR’s Parks and Recreation Division, said in a statement. “Since assuming management of Belle Isle in 2014 through a lease with the city, the state has focused on investing in the historic park, recognizing the central role Belle Isle plays in the life of Detroit and its residents,” he said.

The Belle Isle Conservancy, a nonprofit that partners with the state and city to protect the island, was even more forceful in dismissing Lockwood’s redevelopment plans. “Belle Isle is a public park. Period,” said Meagan Elliott, president and CEO of the Belle Isle Conservancy. “The Belle Isle Conservancy has not been consulted at all on this dystopian plan. Our face-to-face community engagement this summer touched 12,000 people, showing that residents endorsed the idea of the Belle Isle Commons and more recreation offerings.” 

That seems like good news unless you are fans of turning one of Michigan’s most amazing parks into a mini-Dubai, but it’s positively great news once you dig into all the improvements to the park planned under the Belle Isle Commons., which includes plans to convert the historic Belle Isle police headquarters into a community and volunteer space.

Will took this photo back in 2017 when there were rumors of the station becoming a visitor center. See lots more stunning shots in his Belle Isle gallery on Flickr.

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Belle Isle Freedom City is basically Belle Isle for Billionaires

Posted on by farlane

Belle Isle by charles hildebrandt

You may have heard about a poll that had a majority of Michiganders approving a concept to create a “special economic zone” on Belle Isle, which is owned by the city of Detroit. The news (rightfully imo) raised an online furor in Detroit where residents wondered why they should care what the rest of the state thought they should do with our beloved island park. Under the proposal, investors would make a one-time $1 billion payment to the city in exchange for a long-term lease, and Detroit would receive an additional $50 million annually.

EDITOR’S NOTE: although the poll claims majority support from Detroiters, every article is wall to wall “do not do this” comments so color me skeptical about anything that comes from this organization.

Currently, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources manages Belle Isle State Park on a 40 year lease, and the park is home to an amazing variety of destinations including the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, Belle Isle Aquarium, the currently being renovated James Scott Fountain, and lots more amazing sights & spaces!

Belle Isle Freedom City is the organization behind the concept for “a self-governing hub of innovation, economic freedom, and private-led development” with “a great degree of autonomy with regard to taxation and regulation.” So basically, a new suburb? You can read the “speculative fiction” about a plucky group of billionaires who turn a city park into their home below if you want.

Charles took the photo of the Nancy Brown Peace Carillon back in June of 2023. You can (and should) dive into his Belle Isle photos on Flickr for all kinds of reasons why this park should stay a park.

screenshot of belleisle-freedomcity.com
screenshot of belleisle-freedomcity.com
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Michigan March Madness

Posted on by farlane
Michigan State vs. Michigan by Matt Hallowell

Michigan State vs. Michigan by Matt Hallowell

College basketball fans in Michigan will be eating very well tonight with both Michigan and Michigan State reaching the NCAA Men’s Basketball Sweet Sixteen. Top seeded Michigan Wolverines will tip off against 4th seeded Alabama at 7:35pm and third seeded MSU Spartans will face on 2 seed UConn at 9:45. For sure tune in on Saturday for the Michigan Wolverines who will face Louisville on Saturday at 12:30 in the NCAA Women’s Sweet Sixteen matchup!

Matt Hallowell was the photo editor for The State News & has shared some great photos over the years including these from 2012. Head over to his photostream on Flickr for more!

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Waterfall Wednesday: Alder Falls in Marquette County

Posted on by farlane
Alder Falls, Marquette County, Michigan by Tom Clark

Alder Falls, Marquette County, Michigan by Tom Clark

Over thirty years of Michigan in Pictures, I’ve shared hundreds of Michigan waterfalls. One person that has been very helpful is Bay City-based photographer Tom Clark who shared these photos of Alder Falls in Marquette County las fall, writing:

Set deep in a narrow gorge and draining a small swamp, Alder Falls twists and winds its way around massive Huron Mountain outcroppings to form several waterfalls. The largest drop is around ten feet high, fanning down black volcanic rock in a spreading cascade.

Read more & get directions to Alder Falls from GoWaterfalling.

Follow Tom on Flick or Facebook, and for sure head over to Tom Clark Photography to view & purchase his work. His Waterfalls & Rivers gallery is excellent!

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Is it Spring in Michigan? That depends on where you live…

Posted on by farlane
Melting by smiles7

Melting by smiles7

mLive’s Mark Torregrossa shares that Michigan’s northern & southern halves will have completely different temperature patterns this week (see the NOAA temperature graphic for Thursday below):

For southern Michigan, we have three spring-like days and four almost-wintry days. For northern Michigan, we have a slight taste of spring temperatures Tuesday and Wednesday, with the rest of the days more like winter. It looks much warmer in the first week of April.

Julie took this shot of the Mighty Mac back in April of 2021. Here’s a photo of the ice at Tahquamenon Falls breaking free that she shared 10 years ago plus a shot of a classic spring skiing slush pond from the other day. Follow her on Flickr for the latest!

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American beaver

Posted on by farlane
Untitled by Lee Rohr Photography

Untitled by Lee Rohr Photography

The University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web entry for American beaver (Castor canadensis) says in part:

Beavers are primarily aquatic animals, and the largest rodents in North America. They have a waterproof, rich, glossy, reddish brown or blackish brown coat. The underhairs are much finer than the outer, protective, guard-hairs. The ears are short, round, and dark brown in coloration. A beaver’s hind legs are longer than its front legs, thus making the rear end to be higher than the front end while walking.

Beaver skulls and teeth are disproportionately large. This is crucial for cutting through hard woods like maple and oak. Most noteably, the upper incisors, bright orange in color, are at least 5 mm wide and 20-25 mm long. These teeth grow throughout the animal’s lifetime and are a necessity to survival, just as the animal’s closable nostrils, closable ears, and transparent eye membranes are for aquatic existence.

Beavers live in lodges, of which there are three types: those built on islands, those built on the banks of ponds, and those built on the shores of lakes. The island lodge consists of a central chamber, with its floor slightly above the water level, and with two entrances. One entrance opens up into the center of the hut floor, while the other is a more abrupt descent into the water.

Lee shared all these photos this month in the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr. See more amazing pics in their Wild Life gallery and for sure follow them on Flickr for the latest!

More Michigan animals on Michigan in Pictures!

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