Live News Updates for Nov. 6-12
Art of Chance Liscomb is on display at People’s Church. An open house for the exhibit is today.
Area artist Chance Liscomb is hosting an open house at People’s Church at 200 W. Grand River Ave. today (Nov. 7), from 4-7 p.m. The exhibit – named “Where ART Thou?” by Liscomb – features pieces highlighting topics from the Bible, often with a humorous slant.
“My intentions are to provide a humorous exhibit about religion,” Liscomb said, “and how we see passages in the Bible and how they are interpreted and understood. My desire is to make light of things and encourage viewers to lighten up and laugh.
“I love the Lord and God and the holy spirit completely,” he said. “I love the truth and the way and the light. I know God had a grand sense of humor and, to me, humor is a great tool to get people to laugh, let go and move on.”
Liscomb, originally from Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, moved to East Lansing in 2017. He has exhibited sculptures and paintings throughout the country and abroad. Readers can learn more at www.sculpturebychance.com.
The exhibit at People’s Church is open until Dec. 7.
Reported by Dustin DuFort Petty (Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023)
EL Zoning Board of Appeals approves another solar array variance.
In a 4-2 vote, the East Lansing Zoning Board of Appeals approved a variance on Wednesday (Nov. 1) for a 33.6 kW solar array to be built at All Saints Episcopal Church at 800 Abbot Road.
This becomes the second time ZBA has approved a variance defying Ordinance 1256, which was introduced in 2010 and limits solar power use to 15kW per system in the last three months.
This new system will replace 75% of the electricity at All Saints, which currently isn’t using any reusable energy. The speakers from All Saints told the board they are committed to creating a sustainable energy system for their church and would like to harbor a clean environment for future generations.
“I hope we get the variance while the ordinance gets changed,” All Saints Reverend Kit Carlson said. “We need to protect our planet.”
Much of the discussion at the meeting was based on the precedent set by the variance allotted to University Lutheran Church on Aug. 2.
“My opinion has not changed,” board member Beverly Bonning said. She voted “yes” to approve the variances for both University Lutheran and All Saints.
Board member William Schultz voted “no” for the variances for both University Lutheran and All Saints. He pointed out this is the second time this has been brought to the board and could mean it becomes a commonly recurring variance, which violates the variance conditions.
Board member Chris Wolf agreed saying, “This does fail to meet condition number three.”
Wolf also brought up that the ZBA cannot change the ordinance and said, ”The ZBA is not supposed to be the pressure release system of the City Council.”
The 15kW limit for solar arrays was established over a decade ago and the capacity for power within a building has vastly grown since then. If the ordinance is changed, it will likely take a long time.
“The wheels of bureaucracy move very slowly,” ZBA Vice Chair Joshua Smith said. “We don’t know if the City Council will create a new ordinance.”
Ordinance 1256 directly limits the use of solar energy for residents and could prevent necessary changes for the climate.
“We all think we’re saving the planet, and that we’re helping the environment, but we don’t know,” Schultz told board members.
In response, Smith said, “I don’t think I’m saving the planet here, I just think that we can apply a variance based on the criteria.”
Smith added he disagrees with Wolf and Schultz. “I don’t think this is commonly recurring,” he said.
Also voting yes were board members Patrick Beatty and Kathrine Rodgers.
Reported by Elijah Taub (Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023)
From the East Lansing Insider Saturday Mailer: Nov. 4
Here are some stories from around town.
In school news, Reporter Dustin DuFort Petty wrote about the Oct. 23 East Lansing Board of Education meeting that saw Estrella Torrez appointed to the board. The meeting also saw a proposal for enhanced security, which has been an ongoing process after a series of violent incidents last school year. See other ELi schools reporting here.
Dustin also brought us a feature story about autumn in East Lansing. The story chronicles the changes that can be seen in the local nature scene as the seasons flip and what our local parks have to offer this time of year.
Reporter Mya Gregory reported on a timely alert that went out to Michigan State University (MSU) students and staff early morning of Oct. 29 regarding an aggravated assault. Her conversation with East Lansing Police Department Lt. Adrian Ojerio also delves into other city safety issues.
Here’s what’s on the meeting docket this week.
Beyond today’s (Nov. 7) election, there are several city meetings on the docket. Monday (Nov. 6) saw the East Lansing Transportation Commission meet. Today (Nov. 7) there will be meetings of the Downtown Development Authority and Downtown Management Board. Wednesday (Nov. 8) the Planning Commission will gather. And then on Thursday (Nov. 9), the week wraps up when the Historic District Commission convenes. Agendas can be found here.
Top stories in the ELi Now column for Oct. 30-Nov. 5 are a report by Dustin from the Planning Commission meeting where Tim Dempsey’s departure as interim director was announced and a report by Mya Gregory from the most recent ELPL Board of Trustees meeting.
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