Catch Up With Our Reporting from the Week
Read our reporting from the schools, city hall and more!
It’s Saturday!
Start your weekend by catching up with ELi’s reporting from the schools, city hall and more.
MSUFCU dismisses one-fifth of IT staff.
Last month, the MSU Federal Credit Union laid off about one-fifth of its information technology staff, about two dozen employees. MSUFCU is one of the 10 largest employers in the Lansing area, and one IT employee who still works for MSUFCU said the layoffs came as a surprise. Read Dustin DuFort Petty’s story about the layoffs here.
Council isn’t sold on proposal to create social district downtown.
The East Lansing Downtown Development Authority (DDA) supported a plan to create a social district downtown in the blocked off Albert El Fresco space. However, council has concerns about enforcing the rules of the district - making the prospects of the district being created murky. Read Managing Editor Luke Day’s coverage of the discussion here.
Despite pressure from federal government, ELPS has no plans to ditch DEI efforts.
President Donald Trump’s administration has threatened to cut federal funding to schools that do not eliminate their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts. While Trump’s order to shutter DEI efforts has been temporarily blocked by a judge, members of the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education take the threat seriously, as it would cut about $1 million in funding. Still, the district has no plans to stop its DEI programs, which include offering training to teachers and buying diverse books for elementary class libraries. Read Dustin’s story on the situation here.
Council again clashes over loud cars; take step towards green code audit.
At the June 10 discussion-only City Council meeting, the body again discussed the issue of loud cars in the city. Councilmember Erik Altmann asked to revisit an ordinance council passed last year that stops ELPD from pulling drivers over for several reasons, including loud exhaust. The request to revisit the ordinance was supported by one other council member, meaning it will appear on a future agenda. Read Luke’s coverage of the meeting here.
Meet the performers headlining East Lansing’s Pride celebration.
Today, East Lansing will host its Pride month celebration downtown. The event will feature more than 50 vendors, music, a drag story hour and drag performances. Ahead of the celebration, Dustin talked to some of the performers who will be participating in this year’s festivities. Get to know who the performers are and what drew them to drag in Dustin’s story.
Gardening 101
With the official start of summer less than a week away, many East Lansing Residents have already started on their gardens. Dustin talked to MSU Horticulture Educator Brent Crain to learn some basic gardening tips, and find out what plants might be good for beginners to grow this summer. Read Dustin’s Q&A with Crain here.
There’s a busy week ahead in city government.
Six meetings are on the docket next week, as East Lansing city government will stay busy. Monday (June 16), the Planning Commission has a special meeting and the Commission on the Environment meets. Tuesday (June 17), City Council has two meetings - one a regular meeting and the other a special (mostly closed-session) meeting to discuss a settlement in the BWL Franchise Fee suit. Wednesday (June 18), the Arts Commission and Library Board of Trustees each gather. When meeting agendas are posted, they can be found here.
East Lansing to host Pride celebration downtown today!
East Lansing will host its annual Pride celebration from 4-9 p.m. downtown today. The celebration will feature drag performances, a drag story hour at the East Lansing Public Library, more than 50 local vendors, live music and more. Find out more about the festivities in this press release from the city.
Fourth annual art walk will be held next week.
The East Lansing Prime Time Seniors program and Burcham Hills Retirement Community are teaming up to host the fourth annual Art Walk. For the event, art will be displayed at Burcham Hills from Wednesday, June 18 - Sunday, June 22. Additionally, there will be a kickoff event from 2-4 p.m. on Wednesday.
“This Art Show is uniquely designed to unite the community through a shared appreciation for art. Featuring over 100 works, the exhibition offers an immersive experience showcasing a diverse and eclectic collection. We are deeply grateful to the artists and collectors who have generously loaned their pieces, and we hope you can join us in celebrating this year’s remarkable displays,” Prime Time Director Alesha Williams said in a press release from the city.
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