In this edition of Ask ELi, we bring you answers on tax assessments, the sewer system, ELPD social workers, and unpaid parking tickets.
Emily Joan Elliott and Al Hargrave Jackson discuss Covid 19 and continuing efforts related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in East Lansing Public Schools. Give a listen!
![Two ELPD Officers Involved in Shooting at Lake Lansing Meijer on Monday Evening [UPDATED]](https://eastlansinginfo.news/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/2021-_-ELI-_-ELPD-06-768x384.jpg)
It’s unclear from a City press release if one or both officers fired shots at the individual, who was transported to a local hospital. The two officers involved are currently on paid administrative leave as the Michigan State Police investigate.
Mark Wood, an original member of the group Trans-Siberian Orchestra, will perform with ELHS and MMS students this Friday. Al Hargrave Jackson reports on the concert and partnership.
The seniors program, which started as a joint venture between the City and East Lansing Public Schools, offers a bevy of services and programs for local seniors. Emily Joan Elliott reports as the program turns 50.
Prices for parking at meters and City-owned ramps and lots may increase this summer. City staff is also calling for Council to consider a hike in fines for parking meter violations. Clay Oppenhuizen and Emily Joan Elliott explain why.
As East Lansing Info considers how to best serve the community, we are asking for your help. Do you mind sharing your thoughts with us?
In the latest Ask ELi to Investigate, Emily Joan Elliott explores how the marshy environment of East Lansing can affect local homes.
![Ask ELi: A Fence on Campus, Basketball Hoops Unlocked, and Construction On Burcham Drive [UPDATED]](https://eastlansinginfo.news/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Schools-on-Burcham-768x429.png)
ELi’s Emily Joan Elliott brings a few pieces of news and a noteworthy PSA about construction on Burcham Drive.
A series of Freedom of Information Act requests from ELi show how some changes in the City’s workforce mean women are more represented as the highest earners. Emily Joan Elliott reports.
The contract approval comes after a months-long search for new legal representation for the City of East Lansing. Emily Joan Elliott reports.
Several ELHS students recently attended the Mid-American Model UN Conference in Kalamazoo. How did they do?
The City announced yesterday that beginning on Mar. 14, masks would be optional inside City-owned buildings with some exceptions, including public meetings.
The election applies to the small number of East Lansing residents who live within the boundaries of the Lansing School District. Emily Joan Elliott reports on that and the bond proposal they’ll be voting on.
One of the proposed locations for a development of affordable housing geared toward creatives is Valley Court Park. Emily Joan Elliott digs in to what else is in the feasibility report and what we can learn.
![Located: East Lansing Teen Missing [UPDATED]](https://eastlansinginfo.news/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Smith_Erica-Lane.jpeg)
Seventeen-year-old Aireona Alexis Smith has been located.
A letter sent to East Lansing High School families, staff, and students from the administration notified families that local law enforcement would be present at the school this morning, Feb. 25, following a concerning social media post made last evening.
The City currently has 64 fewer employees than it did on Dec. 31, 2019 — and the departures have been most prevalent among Black employees. What else did ELi find out about changes in the City’s workforce?
Following the winter storm on Feb. 2, 2022, ELi created a survey to gauge how well streets had been cleared after several reader questions. What did we find out?
![What Does the Attorney General’s Opinion On the Open Meetings Act Mean for East Lansing’s Public Bodies? [UPDATED]](https://eastlansinginfo.news/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Lahanas-and-Leyko-OMA-opinion-768x431.png)
The ELPS School Board weighed the benefits and setbacks of increasing options for public comment at its Feb. 14 meeting.
During the ongoing national blood shortage, ELi revisits a story about giving blood during the pandemic. Here’s why it’s still important.
After the record snowfall last week, some East Lansing residents are still waiting for their streets to be plowed. Take ELi’s survey on the progress of the snow removal and learn more!
How did ELi find out both were intending to run? What else do we know about the 54B District Court elections? Emily Joan Elliott reports.
ELPS will remain closed on Thursday. ELPL will not open until 12 p.m. tomorrow.
Get the inside scoop on ELi’s revenue, expenses, and accomplishments for the calendar year 2021 in our latest annual report to readers.
The City of East Lansing’s deer cull has come to an end, resulting in the removal of 79 deer over the course of four evenings in January, according to a press release from the City.
A 911 call was placed yesterday concerning the behavior of a school bus driver. Here is what ELi found out from ELPS, ELPD, and Dean Transportation.
What safety precautions are being taken for using rifles? What metrics are being used to determine if the cull was successful? We bring you answers to those questions and more.
The team of up to 25 medical staff will arrive on Feb. 7, making Sparrow the sixth Michigan hospital to receive such assistance. The news comes as Ingham County reports some if its highest daily case counts, over 200 people hospitalized, and 18 deaths last week.
UPDATED: ELPD identified the individual who died on West Road early Tuesday morning. The incident is still under investigation.
ELi brings answers to a series of questions about how ELHS is handling Covid-19 after reports in early January that hundreds of students were absent.
Food trucks and a continued suspension of meetings for the City of East Lansing’s boards and commissions: we bring you a quick rundown of some things we’re keeping an eye on.
Some East Lansing residents are interested in keeping livestock, but the City may continue to limit livestock to feathered-friends only.
Ingham County has hit its highest caseload for one week, but rates of vaccination remain static. The Health Department will pivot at some point to approach Covid-19 more like the flu. But right now, 28 people here are on ventilators because of the coronavirus.
What happens to the deer that are culled? Have any deer had wasting disease? We answer these questions and more in this Ask ELi Grab Bag!
We want to give a big thank you for all the moral and financial support we received so we can keep bringing the news in 2022!
The Supreme Court will hear arguments regarding the federal Covid-19 vaccine mandate today. What does this mean for workers employed by the City of East Lansing and East Lansing Public Schools?
With the arrival of Omicron, how will the district balance protecting students from both Omicron and the detrimental effects of social isolation, just as students were adjusting to in-person learning?
Your donations and monthly commitments will allow us to rely on local people to bring meaningful news to our community. There is still time to donate to our Sustainability Campaign!
What can residents do to prevent their mail from being stolen? And what can residents affected by the Comcast outage do to get a refund for loss of service? We bring the answers in this Ask ELi Grab Bag.
We are SUPER excited to bring you this fundraising update and to thank the 24 new donors who stepped up this week to unlock a $1,000 bonus for ELi!
MSU announced today that it will require students, faculty, and staff to get a Covid booster for the upcoming semester. On Wednesday, the Parks and Rec Commission drafted a letter to the City Manager and Council, asking for the City, which has no plans for a vaccine mandate of its own, to change course on the issue.
A local donor has stepped up to maintain a fundraising bonus ELi received in years past. Now, ELi Managing Editor Emily Joan Elliott shares her gratitude to those who have given already and explains ELi’s newest mini-goal: a total of 100 new donors for this campaign! Reach it, and we unlock a $1,000 bonus!
We bring you an update and tell you about our Weekend Warrior campaign to keep ELi going throughout 2022!
Before Farah Stockman became a world-traveling, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and book author, she grew up in East Lansing and graduated from East Lansing High School in 1992. How has her life in East Lansing influenced her work?
Mark your calendars and get your tickets! ELi will be holding its first ever Spelling Bee and Gift Auction this Thursday, Dec. 9, starting at 7 p.m. at FieldHouse!
Thank you to everyone who has made Giving Tuesday and our entire campaign a success! Consider coming to our spelling bee and gift auction on Dec. 9!
Mark your calendars! ELi will be holding its first ever spelling bee and gift auction on Thursday, Dec. 9, starting at 7 p.m. at FieldHouse, located at 213 Ann St. in downtown East Lansing. Buy a ticket or sponsor a word!
Today is Giving Tuesday, and ELi can double any gift you give us! Did you know that ELi is a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit public service organization, which means your financial contribution to support our work is tax deductible?
Why would we be happy that ELi has become history? Find out!
East Lansing, including Michigan State University, occupies the Lands of the Anishinaabeg, and Indigenous faculty at MSU are drawing attention to that with a Land Acknowledgement statement. The City has sometimes adapted and used the statement, too. What is the history of this Land Acknowledgment? What might it mean moving forward?
The local healthcare infrastructure is showing signs of extraordinary stress, as Covid numbers here are surging upward, the flu is spreading, and Sparrow Hospital healthcare professionals –exhausted by the pandemic experience – are seeking better working conditions. Emily Joan Elliott reports.
Managing Editor Emily Joan Elliott reflects on how ELi has grown as a community institution, including a four-fold growth of “Ask ELi to Investigate” in just one year.
Will fabric recycling return to East Lansing? Why is it so dark at Valley Court Park? How can you mitigate the risk of car break-ins? Find out the answers in this Ask ELi Grab Bag!
ELi is your local 501(c)3 nonprofit “news brigade.” Like an old-fashioned bucket brigade, we put out fires by making sure our community remains informed and connected. Can you help us make that possible?
The City of East Lansing has already received half of its $12.2 million in Covid relief funds through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, but how will it spend that money? Fill out our survey to provide your input.
Impact 89FM | WDBM-FM has won the 2021 College Media Association Four-Year College Radio Station of the Year Pinnacle Award. Impact produces ELi’s podcast among other quality work.
We have $50,000 in matching funds available right now so you can double your donation today. Read on to have your questions about our fundraiser answered.
ELHS temporarily sheltered in place this morning due to a medical emergency. The shelter in place order has ended.
After parent pushback and national media attention, Monday night’s School Board meeting focused on the decision to end in-school Halloween and Valentine’s Day celebrations. What did the Board and Superintendent say about the issue?
Ashana Lamise Smith was last seen on Oct. 17 on the 100 block of North Harrison Road. She was wearing a red jacket, blue jeans, and blue Tommy Hilfiger sandals.
The controversy surrounding MSU’s request for faculty and staff to volunteer their personal time to work in dining halls is only the tip of the iceberg locally in terms of tensions between employees and management. What else is happening around town?
Emily Joan Elliott and Heather Brothers discuss City Council’s debate over a new labor contract for command officers in the East Lansing Police Department. The two then provide a weekly news round up.
Find out about candidates’ positions, campaign finance analysis, links to videos of the candidates, and so much more in this nonpartisan guide from ELi!
The person who was injured “had either fallen or purposely jumped from the first floor” of the parking garage in East Lansing’s downtown, according to Deputy Police Chief Steve Gonzalez.
Listen to Andrew Graham speak on WKAR about the upcoming East Lansing City Council elections on the air today at 4:44 p.m. or online!
When will the access point to the Northern Tier Trail at Colorado Drive be complete? How does East Lansing handle dog attacks? How can you attend Council member Babock’s flooding town hall tonight?
The City of East Lansing now prohibits hair-based discrimination, and the next City Council will see a slight increase in their pay. Lisa Babcock also reminded the community about her flooding town hall on Thursday. Find out about all this, the City’s litigation update, and more!
According to teachers’, administrators’, and families’ anecdotal reports, aggressive behavior among students has been on the rise. What has caused this uptick? How is it being handled?
Irene Cahill, who serves the East Lansing Community as a board member on the Bailey Community Association and commissioner on the Housing Commission, is used to public service and being busy. She hopes to educate her community on what the County Commission can do to help them.
ELi’s Emily Joan Elliott speaks with East Lansing Public Schools Superintendent Dori Leyko about the pandemic and the school district’s commitment to equity and social justice. Give a listen!
The Elementary Principal Team at ELPS sent a letter to families, saying that they had examined the unintended consequences of celebrating the holidays. Here’s what informed the decision.
The Human Rights Commission had previously reviewed policing and complaints about policing in East Lansing, but now the new Police Oversight Commission will take over that task. How is the HRC reimagining its place in the community with less on its plate?
On this episode, Managing Editor Emily Joan Elliott speaks to City Desk Reporter Andrew Graham about his recent reporting on flooding, including his investigative reporting and what comes next.
Are the kindergarten classrooms at Marble smaller or the class sizes bigger? What’s going on with bus routes, bond money, and Burcham Drive? We answer your questions about East Lansing Public Schools in this Ask ELi Grab Bag.
With Election Day drawing near, ELi is asking candidates for East Lansing City Council to answer readers’ questions. Here is one of those answers!
The Downtown Development Authority purchased the properties in 2009, hoping to sell them for downtown development projects, but over a decade later, the DDA still owns the properties. Alice Dreger shares the long history with Emily Joan Elliott.
With Election Day drawing near, ELi is asking candidates for East Lansing City Council to answer readers’ questions. Here is one of those answers!
The Lansing Area League of Women Voters used ELi readers’ questions for their Council candidate forums, and now you can see the responses. Also: find out more about the live candidate debates coming up, hosted by ASMSU.
The relatively high Covid numbers at Glencairn Elementary dominated discussions, but the School Board trustees also discussed how to use remaining bond money, a financial audit, and more. We bring you a round up.
On Friday, Sept. 24, the City of East Lansing and East Lansing Public Schools honored Dr. Robert L. Green, a nationally-recognized civil rights leader and one of the first Black homeowners in East Lansing.
Supporters at the library workers’ rally included fellow librarians from MSU, LCC, and CADL, plus several East Lansing citizens, including one candidate for City Council.
Alice Dreger, Emily Joan Elliott, and Andrew Graham cover some of the most recent Ask ELi’s that they have investigated. Give a listen to learn more about flooding, drains, construction, schools, and more!
Judge Molly Hennessey Greenwalt expressed her excitement about serving her community, particularly in her capacity overseeing District 54B’s sobriety and drug courts.
A significant portion of ELi’s readership uses Facebook to access the news we bring the community, but there is something we want to tell you about that.
What renovations are coming to the East Lansing Public Library? What programs are being offered? What is happening with contract negotiations with non-supervisory workers? Emily Joan Elliott reports.
Was that a warplane overhead? What’s happening with the old QD on Trowbridge? We bring you the answers to that and more!
ELi’s Publisher Alice Dreger and Managing Editor Emily Joan Elliott explain why we don’t post letters to the editor, even though we do carefully read what you send us!
