Catch Up With Our Reporting From This Week

This week the ELi team covered the local school board, arts and city government. Kick off your weekend by catching up with local news.

Human Rights Commission could be blocked from key records in police probe.

For months, the East Lansing Human Rights Commission has been investigating incidents of alleged police brutality and misconduct dating back to August when two Black men were pepper-sprayed by an ELPD officer downtown. The investigation hit a barrier, however, when the commission was told it would have to pay nearly $900 to receive body camera footage and documents commissioners say are vital to the investigation. The commission appealed the fee to Mayor Erik Altmann and is now awaiting a decision. Get the full story in Reporter Ayah Imran's story.

East Lansing makers: Do you know the mushroom man?

Matt Stata spends his days in a Michigan State University plant biology laboratory. His passion for growing, however, doesn’t end when he hangs up his lab coat. When the postdoctoral student goes home in the evenings, he is greeted by colonies of culinary mushrooms he has been cultivating for several years. Reporter Dustin DuFort Petty talked to Stata about his mushroom farm.

School board roundup: Central admin building debuts, student athletes honored.

For the first time, the East Lansing Board of Education hosted a meeting at the district's new central administration building on Towar Avenue. At the meeting, the board approved contracts to improve school safety and heard concerns about special education staffing from the parents of a Whitehills Elementary student. Dustin's meeting coverage can be found here.

Musicians invited to participate in East Lansing songwriting competition.

If artistic inspiration strikes every time you drive down Grand River Avenue or see crowds dressed in green and white, a recently launched songwriting competition gives the perfect opportunity to put that inspiration to use. East Lansing is hosting the contest with hopes an artist produces a song that captures the city that can be played at future major events. Ayah brings the details of the contest in her reporting.

City crews brace for spring storms as East Lansing finishes flood resiliency plan.

After a series of large storms brought widespread flooding in East Lansing, the city began working on a wet weather resiliency plan to identify areas of concern and projects to reduce flooding in 2024. Just last week, city streets were flooded after a large rainstorm, reminding residents of the challenges East Lansing still faces. Dustin talked to Alando Chappell with the city's Department of Public Works about efforts to stand up against stormwater and previewed the wet weather resiliency plan, which is expected to be presented to the public this spring.

East Lansing Insider Podcast: East Lansing's perspective on Iran.

On this week’s episode of East Lansing Insider, East Lansing Info Deputy Editor Anna Liz Nichols takes a closer look at the rapidly escalating conflict in Iran following recent U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. To better understand what this moment means for people here in mid-Michigan, this week’s episode features two local voices with personal and community ties to Iran. Michigan State University graduate student Farzaneh Holasu reflects on how the conflict is being experienced by Iranians and members of the Iranian diaspora. Thasin Sardar, a leader at the Islamic Center of East Lansing, shares another perspective on how the local Muslim community is processing the news and discusses the global implications of the strikes.

Listen to the podcast here or on streaming services like Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

There are eight city meetings scheduled next week.

Things will keep churning in city government, as eight meetings are on the docket next week. Monday (March 16), there is a discussion-only City Council meeting and a Commission on the Environment meeting. Tuesday (March 17), there is a regular City Council meeting and the University Student Commission will gather. Wednesday (March 18), both the Library Board of Trustees and Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission will convene. Then on Thursday (March 19), the Financial Health Review Team and Arts Commission will each have meetings. When meeting agendas are posted, they can be found here.

East Lansing boys basketball team to compete in state finals today.

Go Trojans! After a thrilling last second win in the state semi-finals yesterday, the East Lansing High School boys basketball team will advance to the state finals Saturday at 12:15 p.m. The Trojans will take on Rockford at the Breslin Center in pursuit of their second consecutive state championship.

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