Catch up on Our Reporting from this Week
It was a busy week for the ELi team.
Another week has come and gone, so it’s time to catch up with ELi’s reporting on what led to the resignation of a former East Lansing police chief, a major development on MSU’s campus and more.
Ex-East Lansing Police Chief Kim Johnson resigned after harassment complaints, city stayed silent.
At least two formal complaints filed to the city alleged former Police Chief Kim Johnson sexually harassed female ELPD employees, ELi learned during the course of a 16 month investigation. Outside of those complaints, other former ELPD employees said that Johnson displayed a pattern of inappropriate behavior towards subordinate female ELPD employees during his decades-long career in East Lansing. Read Reporter Dustin DuFort Petty’s story on Johnson here.
As MSU ushers in massive development, nearby residents feel left out of the planning process.
Earlier this year, MSU officials unveiled conceptual plans for the Spartan Gateway District, a massive project on campus that includes a sports arena, hotel, apartment complex, retail space and more. Homeowners who live near the site believe that the project will make it harder to get in and out of their neighborhood, and worry MSU is not considering revisions to the project that address their concerns. Read Managing Editor Luke Day’s story about the Gateway project and resident concerns.
East Lansing teachers’ union votes against proposed contract.
The East Lansing Public School District administrators and teachers’ union failed to reach a contract agreement, after the union voted against a proposed contract. Sources familiar with the contract said it offered a 1% raise and a “step” of seniority, which teachers balked at after top administrators were given much larger raises last year. Read Dustin’s story about the negotiations here.
Enjoy “A Taste of Folk Festival” this weekend.
Eight years after the Great Lakes Folk Festival was discontinued, the city is bringing back a smaller version of the festival to test residents' appetite for reviving Folk Fest. This weekend, the city will be hosting “A Taste of Folk Festival” downtown and surveying residents about the idea of bringing the once popular event back. Read Arts and Culture Reporter Sarah Spohn’s story about the event here.
Valley Court Park to receive a makeover with new amenities and design.
This spring, City Council gave the city’s Parks, Recreation and Arts Department the go-ahead to pursue updates to Valley Court Park. The new park will feature an oval walkway, amphitheater, restroom building and much more. Read Reporting Intern Allison Treanor’s story about the park update.
Have a question for City Council candidates? Let us know!
Wednesday, Sept. 17, ELi and the Lansing Area League of Women Voters will team up to host a City Council candidate forum where the six candidates will answer questions. Wondering where candidates stand on a certain topic? Let us know! Prior to the forum, we’re collecting questions from the community to ensure we’re asking about the things most relevant to the community. Read about the forum and access the link to submit a question in Luke’s story.
There are three city meetings scheduled next week.
There will be plenty to report on next week, as there are three city meetings on the docket. Monday (Aug. 11), the Human Rights Commission meets. Tuesday (Aug. 12), City Council gathers. Then on Wednesday (Aug. 13), the Planning Commission convenes. Meeting agendas can be viewed here.
Also next week, the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education meets. School board meetings are held downstairs in the high school starting at 7 p.m. The agenda for that meeting can be found here.
Claim your share of the “Franchise Fee” settlement.
Earlier this year, the city settled to pay out $7.8 million reimbursing Lansing Board of Water & Light customers. People who lived in East Lansing and paid a BWL electric bill between April 2, 2019 and April 30, 2025 are encouraged to go to https://www.eastlansingelectricsettlement.com/ to file a claim. Claims must be submitted by Sept. 2. For more background on the case, check out Luke’s story from last month.
Thank you for supporting our work.
ELi is a nonprofit news service that is able to operate due to the generosity of our readers. To support our work, consider subscribing to an East Lansing Insider membership. Subscribers have stories emailed directly to them even before they are published to our website. Here is a list of ways you can help ELi continue our work.
