Catch Up With Our Reporting This Week
It was another busy week for the ELi team.
Go green! It's rivalry weekend in East Lansing, as the Michigan State University football team hosts the University of Michigan Wolverines today.
Before taking off for a day of tailgating and cheering your team on, catch up with ELi's reporting from this week.
East Lansing Human Rights Commission calls for Police Chief Jen Brown to resign or be removed.
East Lansing Police Chief Jen Brown has been embroiled in controversy over comments she made in a news interview that have been broadly characterized as racist and a misleading police press release about an incident during Michigan State University's welcome weekend. This week, the city's Human Rights Commission joined its Police Oversight Commission in calling for Brown to be removed from her post. Read about the conversation at the HRC meeting in City Government Reporter Ayah Imran's story.
East Lansing City Council orders independent review of actions by city's police department.
In the early hours of Wednesday morning, the East Lansing City Council capped off a marathon meeting by moving to hire outside an outside attorney to review recent actions by the city's police department. Read more about the context of the decision in Managing Editor Luke Day's story.
You're never over it: Parents of children lost to suicide discuss grief.
ELi Reporter Dustin DuFort Petty spoke with three parents who are living with the grief of having lost children to suicide. The story explores how loved ones carry on in the wake of tragedy and resources available to people struggling with grief in East Lansing.
East Lansing Transportation Commission declines to recommend three stop signs.
As residents continue to voice concern about traffic safety in East Lansing neighborhoods, the city's Transportation Commission declined to recommend the city install three proposed stop signs, suggesting other options like speed bumps be explored. The final decision on the stop signs will go to City Council later on for a vote. Find out more in Dustin's story.
East Lansing bike advocacy group pushes for safer, more inclusive cycling community.
Earlier this year, a community of local cyclists formed that not only hosts bike rides, but also pushes for safer infrastructure for bicyclists and looks to spread information about bike safety. Learn about the Bicycle Friendly East Lansing group in Arts and Culture Reporter Sarah Spohn's story.
City Council approves ordinance amendments that limit police oversight commission; Decline pay raise.
At Tuesday's City Council meeting, amendments to the ordinance governing the city's Police Oversight Commission were approved. City officials say the amendments are necessary under a collective bargaining agreement reached with a police union, but commissioners say the changes go further than is required and hurt police transparency and accountability. Read Luke's reporting to learn more about what happened at council this week.
Charter Review Committee presents on proposed amendments.
The committee that East Lansing tasked to review its guiding document presented its recommendations at this week's council meeting. Read Ayah's story to find out about proposed changes that would require future city managers live in or near East Lansing, aim to address transparency and more.
ELPS hires assistant superintendent.
At the Oct. 13 East Lansing Board of Education meeting, it was announced that ELPS is hiring St. John's High School Principal Mark Dobson as its new assistant superintendent, replacing Glenn Mitcham who recently accepted the Waverly Schools superintendent position. Read about Dobson and what else happened at the school board meeting in Dustin's story.
East Lansing Insider podcast: Deer management in Meridian Township
This week, the East Lansing Insider podcast looks beyond the city’s boundaries at the Meridian Township deer management program. Luke spoke with Meridian Township Land Stewardship and Deer Management Coordinator Emma Campbell about the township’s unique program that leverages local sportsmen to keep the deer population in check. The podcast can be heard here, or on streaming services like Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
There are two city meetings scheduled this week.
City business slows to close out October, as there are only two city meetings scheduled next week. Tuesday (Oct. 28), the University Student Commission meets and Wednesday (Oct. 29) there is an East Lansing Public Library Board of Trustees meeting. When meeting agendas are posted, they can be found here.
Additionally, the East Lansing Board of Education will meet Monnday (Oct. 27). That meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the MacDonald Middle School auditorium. The meeting agenda is posted here.
Great Pumpkin Walk to be held tomorrow.
The Great Pumpkin Walk is scheduled from 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 26. The event takes place in downtown East Lansing, inviting families to bring their kids dressed in costumes to trick-or-treat at downtown businesses. More information can be found here.
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