Catch up On ELi's Reporting from this Week
It was another busy week for the ELi team!
It’s Saturday!
Kick off your weekend by catching up with ELi’s reporting from this week.
Pizza shop, FieldHouse expansion rejected by City Council; Meijer pitches a new gas station.
At the most recent City Council meeting, the body denied a request from the owners of FieldHouse sports bar to expand their downtown location and add a pizza shop in an adjacent vacant suite. Meijer also pitched a new gas station on Lake Lansing Road - while nearby residents pushed back against the proposal. Read Luke’s story on the meeting here.
Ask ELi: Are ELPS budget concerns tied to administrative raises?
With ELPS eliminating a third grade classroom at Red Cedar Elementary School and cutting the district’s director of health and safety a year earlier than expected, some readers asked if the district’s financial concerns are tied to large raises given to top administrators last year. The ELPS board of education president told ELi the raises were given to retain the district’s superintendent and deputy superintendent. Additionally, officials said they are not concerned about the school’s finances. Read Dustin’s full story here.
Pride at 70.
With Pride Month coming to a close soon, Dustin brought a story chronicling the lives of John Weslowski and Charlie Richardson, a married East Lansing couple. During their lives, John and Charlie have seen the evolution of Pride and changing views on people in the LGBTQ+ community. Read Dustin’s story here.
Field of candidates for City Council grows to five.
November’s City Council election is shaping up to be competitive. We now know of five candidates who plan to enter the race, as we learned Kath Edsall and Adam DeLay will join Chuck Grigsby, Joshua Ramirez-Roberts and Liam Richichi in the race. Read Luke’s story introducing DeLay and Edsall here.
Federal spending bill may hurt local WKAR station.
The Michigan State University-based WKAR station that provides news coverage of mid-Michigan, including East Lansing, is at risk of losing about 16% of its budget if President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” passes the Senate. The bill, which has already been passed in the U.S. House, eliminates about $1.1 billion in funding for public media. Read Dustin’s story about what it would mean for WKAR if the bill passes.
Grove Street Parking Garage mural showcases wonderful woes of technology.
Recently, Michigan State University art professor Benjamin Duke completed a large mural on the Grove Street Parking Garage. The mural is a reflection of the “fickle Gods” of technology, Duke told ELi. Reporting Intern Allison Treanor spoke with Duke about the meaning behind his mural and took photos of the new artwork. Allison’s piece can be found here.
City government slows down next week.
There will only be one city meeting next week, as things slow down ahead of the Fourth of July holiday. The Zoning Board of Appeals meets Tuesday, July 2. When that meeting agenda is posted, it can be found here.
We’re taking a publishing break next week.
Things also slow down for the ELi team next week, as we’ll be taking a week-long publishing break. We’ll continue to develop stories and look forward to picking things back up on July 7!
ELPL announces “One Grand Read” community read.
Community members are invited to read Christian Cooper’s “Better Living Through Birding” as part of the inaugural One Grand Read community event. Residents are invited to read the book, and then attend related events throughout September, including a visit from Cooper himself on Sept. 20.
“One Grand Read is about discovering new perspectives, both in the pages of a book and in the world around us,” said ELPL Director Kevin King. “Christian Cooper’s story invites us to reflect, connect and find inspiration in nature and in each other. I look forward to seeing our community come together through these shared experiences.”
Read more about One Grand Read in this press release from the city.
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