Todd Heywood
Spokeswoman quits public post with YAF
EAST LANSING – Joanna Varnavas, the spokeswoman for the controversial Young Americans for Freedom student group at Michigan State University, quit her position as spokesperson for the group over the weekend. "I didn't like the way we were labeling [...]
Violence erupts at event for controversial congressman
EAST LANSING – The appearance of anti-gay conservative Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo last Thursday night at Michigan State University was hampered by violence and disruptions. Young Americans for Freedom and the College Republicans hosted Tancredo as [...]
Lansing council hears testimony on proposed human rights ordinance
cutline: Students who said they were members of Young Americans for Freedom protest against a proposed human rights ordinance outside the Lansing City Hall Monday night. BTL photo: Todd Heywood LANSING – The Lansing City Council took another step [...]
Lansing introduces comprehensive human rights ordinance
LANSING – The Lansing City Council took the first step towards the passage of a comprehensive human rights ordinance with the introduction of a draft ordinance. The City passed a similar law in 1996, only to see it voted down by residents. The [...]
People of faith lobby in Lansing
LANSING – As the United States Senate was debating an anti-gay marriage amendment to the Constitution on June 6, a group of twelve people of faith gathered in the Michigan Capitol to prepare for a day of lobbying and prayer. The event, a People of [...]
Adoption bills hearing causes acrimony
LANSING – A pair of controversial bills to amend the state adoption code received an acrimonious hearing before the House Family and Children Services Committee last week. The hearing, originally slated to begin at 2 p.m., did not get underway until [...]
Families converge on capitol to lobby for adoption reform
LANSING Ñ About 50 adults, many with infants and toddlers in tow, gathered April 18 at the State Capitol to lobby members of the House Judiciary Committee to allow hearings on proposed adoption reforms. Those reforms would explicitly allow second [...]
Love Makes A Family lands in Lansing
LANSING – The national tour of "Love Makes a Family," a collection of photographs of LBGT families and their stories, visited the state Capitol on Wednesday, April 19. The visit was only the second time the display has been shown in a state capitol [...]
Walking in hate's shoes
The costume seemed so unimposing. Heavily polished black dress shoes shining the stage lights, black dress slacks, a khaki shirt, a long, black over coat and a deceptively beautiful officerÕs cap. The shirt, cap and overcoat were adorned with [...]
Appeals court hears Proposal 2 case
LANSING – On April 11, a packed courtroom of The Michigan Court of Appeals heard arguments on whether domestic partner benefits constituted a violation of Proposal 2, the anti-gay marriage amendment passed by Michigan voters in November 2004. No [...]
Parents, youth urge passage of anti-bullying legislation
LANSING – From conservatively dressed senior citizens to Mohawk sporting youth, over 100 people joined the largest ever lobbying day for the Triangle Foundation at the State Capitol March 28. The day before the lobby day, the bills received a big [...]
MSU fans protest Penn State's controversial coach
EAST LANSING – The Breslin Student Events Center at Michigan State University was filled with lavender and rainbow shirts Thursday night as the women's basketball team met Penn State. The lavender and rainbow were part of a protest aimed at Penn [...]