Catch Up With Our Reporting From this Week

Kick off your weekend by catching up with East Lansing Info's reporting from the past week. We dove into topics like the city's financial health, school district and emergency housing during cold temperatures. 

City Committee Evaluates Budget: Discusses Cuts, Fees and MSU.

A city committee was created to review and recommend adjustments to balance East Lansing’s budget, as a financial forecast presented to the City Council on Feb. 17 projected the city needs to make changes to avoid bankruptcy. So far, the committee has discussed paying for an analysis of MSU’s impact on the city budget and including a vacancy factor in the budget process. City officials are also considering the possibility of shifting the cost of maintaining street lights to property owners. Read more in Managing Editor Luke Day’s reporting here. 

School Board “Pauses” Relationship with Photography Company Over Alleged Epstein Connection, and Sex Ed Updates.

The East Lansing Public Schools District is reviewing factual information regarding Lifetouch, a photography company that works with schools, after allegations that a former leader of the company had ties to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Superintendent Dori Leyko announced a pause on all activities with the company at the Feb. 23 school board meeting. Reporter Dustin DuFort Petty covered the meeting, which also included a hearing from the Sex Education Advisory Board.

Decades after redlining, wealth and home ownership gaps persist locally.

The legacy of a 1930s federal housing program still shapes the Lansing area, where racial gaps in homeownership and income can be traced to government-drawn maps that marked Black neighborhoods as too “hazardous” for investment and helped cement segregation for generations. Luke spoke with historians about the lasting impacts of federal redlining and spoke with a local group that's working to address centuries of discrimination.

East Lansing Purchased Emergency Housing While Leaders Explore Longterm Solutions.

The City of East Lansing purchased hotel rooms for unhoused individuals during freezing temperatures, while city officials are working to identify long-term solutions that address the unhoused community. Read Reporter Ayah Imran’s coverage on what efforts are being taken to address homelessness in the area, in addition to what local nonprofits are doing to support the unhoused population. 

East Lansing Charter Review Committee Members Urge Council to Advance Amendments.

During 2024 and 2025, a city committee reviewed East Lansing's 119-page foundational document, recommending 29 changes to the city charter. For the changes to go into place, they will first need to be approved by voters at local elections. Members of the City Council have recently signaled they favor spreading the votes out over several ballots in 2026 and 2027, but three members of the charter review committee who spoke with ELi said they'd like to see the votes condensed to fewer ballots. Get the full story in Dustin's reporting.

MSU Entrepreneurs’ Shoelace Startup Will Be on ABC’s Shark Tank.

On March 4, MSU students' shoelace creation, which they claim reduces injuries in athletes, will be featured in an episode of Shark Tank. The duo, Tanvi Gadamsetti and Madhav Aggarwal, were both athletes until they sustained injuries. They created their company, BRCĒ, and sell shoelaces made from a material that prevents loose or untied laces. Reporting Intern Kennedy DeMars reported on what it was like for the two to present in front of famous entrepreneurs.

East Lansing Insider Podcast: The City Continues to Consider Camping and Loitering Bans.

Deputy Editor Anna Liz Nichols and Managing Editor Lucas Day sat down to discuss updates on a hot topic in the community: camping and loitering bans. The East Lansing City Council has been considering bans on public camping and loitering in parking areas, which have received criticism from housing advocates and residents. The episode can be listened to here or on streaming services like Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

Seven meetings are scheduled for next week. 

The month of March will start strong with a full week of city meetings. Monday (March 2), the Transportation Commission will meet. Tuesday (March 3), the City Council will convene for a regular meeting. On Wednesday (March 4), the Zoning Board of Appeals and East Lansing Independent Police Oversight Commission will both meet. Lastly, on Thursday (March 5), the Downtown Management Board, the Downtown Management Board's marketing committee, and the Housing Commission will meet. 

When meeting agendas are posted, they can be found here. 

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