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Thousands of Michigan K-12 students left their respective classrooms Wednesday, March 14 for 17 minutes. The day, the time and the reasons were purposeful. One month after 17 students in Parkland, Florida, were killed in the latest school mass shooting in this country, Michigan students joined their counterparts across the nation in a show of support for the victims, and as a protest against gun violence. MLive reporter Malachi Barrett culled together photos from a half dozen walkouts in the state from Caro to Kalamazoo. You can read his roundup here.
► 'It's about people, not politics': Jackson Northwest students say about walkout
► 'Our voice is the future': What students said at Ypsilanti rally
► 'Am I Next?' and other student-made signs on display during walkout

FOIA reveals disturbing antics by arrested U-M athletic staffer

The University of Michigan athletic department's director of performance has yet to be charged with a crime. But a police report obtained by MLive through a Freedom of Information Act request brings into question the March 5 performance of Fergus Connelly. Among the litany of allegations against Connelly in the report made after his arrest on suspicion of drunken driving: He crashed his car. He resisted police. He grabbed a security guard by the throat. He bit a lab technician on the arm. MORE

Need some last-minute bracket tips? MLive writers submit their tourney predictions

The play-in games are over. Now, let's get this party started. The NCAA men's basketball tournament really gets going today with a full slate of games beginning at 12:15 p.m. Go ahead and peruse the brackets filled out by MLive college basketball writers Andrew Kahn and Kyle Austin. Their insights might just give you the edge you need to finally beat Bill from accounting in the office pool. MORE
► Complete NCAA coverage

What, exactly, is graupel? Torregrossa explains

Eskimos are said to have upwards of 50 words for snow. MLive chief meteorologist Mark Torregrossa might not have that many words for the cold white stuff that falls on us this time of year, but he certainly has more than a few. Showing off his snow vocabulary, Torregrossa introduced us this week to the term graupel. (Say it together: grah-pull.) As it turns out, March is a good month for the stuff. MORE

We ranked fast food pies on pi day from best to worst

There really isn't a more fitting way to spend pi day -- March 14 -- than taste testing a heap of pies. Well, maybe there isn't a more filling way! We kid. But a hearty group of four reporters Wednesday took on the task of ranking an assortment of fast food pies. The winner might surprise you. But the overall takeaway shouldn't: If you're looking for a good slice of pie, you probably should stick to the Michigan's Best pie list. MORE