Executive Orders targeting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs have impacted work on the Michigan State University campus.
Unchanged diapers and understaffed classrooms are among the accusations made against the preschool and childcare center.
Documents show the process followed when ELPS hired an administrator’s son at an elevated pay rate.
With the year coming to an end, we look back at top stories and issues in the City of East Lansing.
ELi spoke with nine ministers and pastors about what they are experiencing in their churches.
Kerry Ebersole Singh ran well ahead of other candidates in a City Council election that saw a strong turnout.
Local faith leaders have come together to show their “support and love for local Jewish and Muslim communities.”
Councilmember George Brookover expressed discomfort with the actions taken by the outgoing interim city manager. Randy Talifarro, the new city manager and finance director respond.
ELi analyzes and breaks down financial records from the Ingham County Clerk.
ELPS community has been responding to the recent five-day suspension of Dennis Petrowitz and is planning a “No More Harm” demonstration on Friday.
Divisions within East Lansing’s City Hall have led to complaints and resignations.
Investigation by ELi shows it’s been a rocky road to hiring a new city manager for East Lansing.
Material just released under the Freedom of Information Act shows the Metzger/Fabian family chose to redevelop their portion of Parking Lot #11 after being told the city would not continue to rent it for parking.
Internal communications reveal what’s been happening with the long-awaited Trader Joe’s store set to be built across Grand River Avenue from Whole Foods in East Lansing.
The seed donor for ELi’s new Investigative News Fund has let us know we can release his name. The fund has reached almost $5,000 in two weeks.
DPW interim director confirms city workers had responded to incidents associated with the digging in Glencairn
Your local team of reporters and editors have been in overdrive recently working to keep the community informed with deep and time-consuming investigative work.
The meeting where Robert Belleman was fired from his job as Saginaw County’s controller included strong public statements for and against his termination, a recording obtained by ELi shows. Two commissioners who voted for termination spoke with ELi.
DTN’s attorney told the EL city attorney this was never about discrimination – it was always just about the money.
Cincinnati’s City Manager removed Collin Mays from his directorship following an HR investigation, documents show. Mays denied wrongdoing and subsequently resigned.
Cincinnati’s City Manager removed Collin Mays from his directorship following an HR investigation, documents show. Mays denied wrongdoing and subsequently resigned.
What’s the plan for 530 Albert Ave.? ELi explains the proposal, the opposition and the backstory.
The five semi-finalists’ applications raise a host of questions following investigative research by ELi.
Some departments have been hit harder than others after numerous key employees leave for other jobs or retire.
Who has and hasn’t applied to be city manager? Why the chatter about moving city operations? And what’s going on with the independent investigation into the anonymous complaint? ELi brings you up to speed on these stories and more.
As East Lansing’s Council decides whether to put three charter amendments to voters, we asked one experienced local official to articulate the pros and cons.
Weeks after being advised by Lansing’s deputy mayor that giving cash away to a local charity violates state law, East Lansing’s mayor supported another $5,000 donation by his city. And why did former city manager George Lahanas start two “nongovernmental” charities from City Hall?
Twin cases provide insight into the risks and costs of suits against the city from large, national groups.
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request turns up a surprising letter, and the vice president for developer ACD explains how a project would restrict who can rent there.
We’re not (just) working from an anonymous complaint, and this is not the first time we’ve looked very closely at local officials’ actions.
Mayor Pro Tem Jessy Gregg has said the matter is being overblown in importance, while records show Interim Planning Director Tim Dempsey has seen it as critical to understanding low staff morale.
Former employees of the City of East Lansing are shedding more light on the tensions that have existed within the government for months.
The conversation was tense as Interim City Manager Randy Talifarro spoke to the eight-page draft reorganization plan that’s been rattling East Lansing’s government.
The plan called for a substantial remaking of the city government, amassing power in the hands of DEI Director Elaine Hardy.
ELi connects the dots on a surprise pair of agenda items.
Incident has led to a special investigation by the library board and complaint to the EL Human Rights Commission.
Residents have been granted one-year land leases as the developers, FP Investors, are seeking a final decision from Council for further development.
The Brookfield neighborhood’s covenant still includes discriminatory language.
FOIA response shows fact-checking notes taken by Superintendent Dori Leyko.
The city attorney said the investigation was stalled because he couldn’t reach a key person involved. ELi reached her by phone last night.
Why was “catastrophe” looming? ELi explains and tells you what happened with the latest refinance of the Evergreen Properties debt.
Superintendent Dori Leyko has provided ELi more information about the hiring process that was used.
A single threat of violence led to the emergency closure of EL schools and locking of City Hall doors.
What’s going on with the city’s pension debt, property values, the cost of staffing and the income tax? And why might a single lawsuit throw everything out of whack this year?
“This decision should put an end to [Chappelle’s] vindictive crusade,” ELi’s attorney Brian Wassom said about the decision, “and serve as a reassurance to journalists across the state that freedom of the press is still alive and well in Michigan.”
In-depth digging (and lots of capitalizations) raise concerns about this foundation.
Photos and videos of the individual have appeared across social media.
ELPD called the school to confirm it was, in fact, in lockdown.
You’ve got questions about why East Lansing’s Council just did what it did. We’ve got answers.
“From the beginning, your honors, in the circuit court and before this court, this case has been a farce,” ELi’sattorney Brian Wassom said. “This is an exercise of Mr. Chapelle’s vanity and vendetta parading as a defamation claim.”
More units of housing, but fewer residents. And a more diverse populace. What else changed about East Lansing from 2010 to 2020?
ELi brings you a special “follow the money” report. Find out how captured taxes are and aren’t being used in East Lansing today and how East Lansing homeowners are carrying the burden of public services for big new buildings downtown.
Plus: ELi brings you a video taken just after the Sept. 11 downtown shooting showing some fleeing the scene while police rush in.
Only this week did the source of tension over a street-closure policy become apparent. The measure passed, 3-2, after much discussion.
New documents released by the court show dueling visions of a longtime area real estate developer.
The farmers market will likely get a new pavilion. What about other big changes potentially coming to that part of town?
Following the murder of George Floyd, ELPS administrators vowed to undertake new efforts related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Where does the district stand on meeting those goals?
In the latest Ask ELi to Investigate, Emily Joan Elliott explores how the marshy environment of East Lansing can affect local homes.
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.
As MSU prepares for requiring sophomores to live on campus this upcoming academic year, University officials consider how they might exercise greater control over the behavior of registered student organizations and associated individual students. What might this process, including collaboration with City authorities, look like?
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.
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?
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?
Why is Council being told the City’s pension system is 56% funded when the State believes it’s at 51%? We go beyond the graphs presented by the City’s auditors to explain this and a whole lot more.
Andrew and Chuck are joined by ELi’s Executive Director and Publisher Alice Dreger to delve into the overall issues of transparency in the City of East Lansing. Listen in!
“For the amount of money we pay in taxes each year, in comparison to similar houses in other cities, this situation is unacceptable,” wrote one couple to the City of East Lansing, echoing the feelings of their Chesterfield Hills neighbors.
East Lansing’s ordinance compelling some real estate developers to contribute art has not been without controversy. Seven years in, what effects has it had?
ELi looked through 118 pages of financial reports from candidates for the East Lansing City Council so you don’t have to. What do they reveal?
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?
On the eastern edge of East Lansing, five homeowners have spent weeks trying to figure out why the Aug. 12 rains flooded their basements with sewage. Weeks later, like most residents, they still haven’t gotten satisfying answers. Andrew Graham reports.
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.
Get details on Friday’s celebrations and find out what we’ve learned thanks to ELi readers about the history of racial integration in East Lansing.
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.
ELi’s Andrew Graham investigates what happened on Aug. 12 along Northlawn Avenue, and brings information about what you can do to help protect your home and belongings.
On this episode, Alice Dreger and Andrew Graham discuss the aftermath of the heavy rains on Aug. 11-12, and resulting floods. How are the residents who were hardest hit doing? What else did the duo discuss?
You may be hearing about local news operations closing all over America. How come we are still here, 7 years in? Find out in our report on ELi’s income and expenses.
“Tree planting in East Lansing is not keeping up with the tree cutting,” wrote one ELi reader. Is that true? Brooklyn Peppo reports for ELi.
Emily Joan Elliott and Alice Dreger talk to Brian Wassom about freedom of the press. Elliott and Dreger then discuss how Dreger used the Freedom of Information Act to report on a major gas leak that occurred near her home.
The staff of the ELHS newspaper called for a more inclusive and equitable district, but the town hall they called for didn’t happen. So what did? How might renaming Pinecrest Elementary honor local civil rights history?
ELi’s Publisher and Executive Director Alice Dreger and Managing Editor Emily Joan Elliott discuss complaints made to East Lansing’s City Council about noise created by cars and motorcycles. Elliott also interviews ELPD’s Neighborhood Resource Specialist Tonya Williams.
Hear the 911 call and learn what went wrong and right when a major gas leak erupted in a residential East Lansing neighborhood on June 3. Are the safety systems working?
East Lansing Council member Lisa Babcock says she obtained the same set of emails via FOIA and “found them deeply disturbing.” What do they show? ELi’s Andrew Graham reports.
MSU switched the insurance it provides for its retirees, causing some to face serious billing issues. International students are left to navigate a healthcare system very different from the ones that they are familiar with. What can those in our area do if they are facing large medical bills?
Thasin Sardar, an Islamic Center Trustee, and Kelli Ellsworth-Etchison, a member of the Study Committee on an Independent Police Oversight Commission, responded to ELi’s report, while ELPD Deputy Chief Steve Gonzalez promised some reform.
After prosecutors dropped all the charges, Babcock questioned the “truthfulness” of one police officer’s report, the press release, and whether racial, ethnic, religious, or other biases played a role in this case. ELPD investigation found her complaint to be “sustained.” ELi’s Andrew Graham reports.
Some students at ELHS have already received a vaccine, and more plan on it. What is preventing some from receiving a vaccine? ELi’s Adan Tomas Quan reports.
Asked to reply to Dublin Square owner Paul Vlahakis’ complaints about how MSUFCU has treated him, the head of the credit union dropped something of a bombshell revelation. And now the building will be shrunk by 3 feet. ELI’s Andrew Graham and Alice Dreger report.
“The posture that is being taken tonight from the City Manager, to me, seems indicative of what’s to come for an oversight commission in how difficult things might be in this transparency quest,” said Study Committee member Kelli Ellsworth-Etchison. What’s going on?
Why did it take a month for the City of East Lansing to investigate a spill of at least 55 gallons of hydraulic oil, an unknown quantity of which went into a private storm drain? And what now?
Why do City staff and the head of MSUFCU think this is a good plan? And what don’t we know? ELi’s Alice Dreger reports.
Who has been benefiting from this program? A Freedom of Information Act request brings the answer.
In the last four years, ELPD has used force against more Black people than white people, while whites in the population well outnumber Blacks. The City Manager’s call for expert analysis was met with harsh criticism Monday night.
The City’s parking system and some of the businesses that rent retail space from the City have been hit hard by pandemic-related shut-downs. A Freedom of Information Act response gives a window to some of the numbers.
East Lansing Info is making publicly available the register of all payments made by the City of East Lansing in fiscal years 2019 ad 2020. Tell us what you would like us to examine further.
Did Charlotte Brontë vote in the November 2020 election in East Lansing while residing at the Dublin Square pub? ELi’s Andrew Graham brings the answer and explains what it tells us about how Michigan’s voting system works.
Ordinance 1496, which makes violations of public health orders punishable by a fine from the City of East Lansing, expired on Dec. 31, 2020, and Council forgot to renew it. They met today to fix that.
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Mid-Michigan will host an event on television this evening. This morning, ELi reflects on covering news related to racial equity and justice.
We get this question every now and then, so here’s the answer with the investigative backstory.
Here’s a comprehensive timeline of East Lansing’s Center City District redevelopment, beginning with the press conference where it was announced.
Our staff compiles the top stories we expect to cover in 2021. But we can never know all that will happen — like, a pandemic — and that’s why we need your financial support.
What were the biggest stories in East Lansing for 2020? ELi’s Publisher and Managing Editor bring you the top 10 list.
From ELHS closing due to Covid-19, to volunteers sewing masks to donate, to the Harbor Bay dealings, our reporters highlight stories they enjoyed bringing you in 2020. At this page, you can click on “play” buttons to hear individual recordings of the articles read by their own reporters!
The team at ELi brings you the regular weekly pod and a special edition from Alice Dreger and Emily Joan Elliott on the refinancing of the Center City District bonds. Listen on.
Spoiler alert: the developers benefited. And now, with yet another of the deal’s financial protections for the City seeming to fall away, former mayor Mark Meadows is saying that “injunctive relief should be sought.”
Following questions from readers about when the deer cull begins, if it hasn’t already, Andrew Graham got back in touch with the City to find out the precise dates.
An ELi reader shared a legal notice indicating that a cell tower is proposed to be built on the south end of the Bailey Neighborhood. So what would be going where, exactly? Andrew Graham finds out.
Andrew Graham, Alice Dreger and Emily Joan Elliott talk shop and decompress while discussing a whirlwind few days in East Lansing.
Several factors contribute to the difference in costs, but one main factor is the differing ages of infrastructure. Andrew Graham explains further.
Who is the investor for the refinancing bonds? Mark Bell’s father. Again. And any chance of saving that $6 million in taxes appears to be evaporating.
One week away from a $2.4 million shortfall for the payment due to the bondholder, many questions remain unanswered. Not least, the $6 million question. ELi’s Alice Dreger reports.
The City told ELi that its efforts to “go green” involved the use of GPS for route optimization. Documents received through the Freedom of Information Act suggest the GPS units were also used to monitor worker performance. Emily Joan Elliott reports.
How does ELi cover taxes and finances in East Lansing? Publisher Alice Dreger explains.
Join the ELi staff Sunday at 7p.m. for “Fun with FOIA,” a live conversation about our work using documents provided through the Freedom on Information Act and a workshop on developing your own FOIA request.
ELi has frequently encountered issues with Freedom of Information requests, finding that requests are often incomplete and are answered at the last possible moment. Andrew Graham explains.
An ELi reader wanted to know what the City is doing about potential lead contamination in service lines. Andrew Graham brings answers.
ELi’s Emily Joan Elliott, Alice Dreger and Andrew Graham break down what happened over the weekend and bring an in-depth feature on the Center City District bonds disputes.
Earlier in October, ELi asked what laws in East Lansing you, the readers, would like to see changed. Andrew Graham brings you the responses.
A new review by ELi of prior meetings on the subject finds yet more evidence that this matter won’t be simple to sort out. See the key video clips now.
Experts are describing the Center City District bonds as “hairy” and having “sharp edges.” What’s so weird about them? Alice Dreger unpacks it for you.
One woman received mail saying her Aug. 4 ballot hadn’t been counted, but the City Clerk was able to confirm that it had. So why did she receive the notice? The possible answers are surprisingly simple.
A Freedom of Information Act request from ELi yielded a cache of informative documents regarding the Center City District and Newman Lofts. Andrew Graham unpacks them.
Which companies in East Lansing got big bucks from the federal Paycheck Protection Program? ELi’s Andrew Graham takes a look.
Why is East Lansing’s government poised to take on as much as $4.4M in debt when it doesn’t have to? The execution of the Center City District deal continues to baffle even experts.
Steve Willobee came asking for accommodation long before Covid-19, says former mayor Mark Meadows. Now the City has issued violation notices to Harbor Bay, requiring the tenants of the four illegal rentals be moved out.
Following up on a tip from a City employee who thinks East Lansing’s vehicle policies waste tax dollars, ELi’s Emily Joan Elliott provides a look at the spending.
At the City of East Lansing, men hold two-thirds of the full-time jobs, and five departments employ only white people. ELi’s Emily Joan Elliott reports.
ELi brings you the results of the school district’s survey of elementary, middle, and high school parents. What did they report back about the stay-at-home learning experience?
About 56% of ELPS students are white, while about 96% of the teachers are white. Students, parents, and School Board members talked to ELi about why this matters.
Following release of police body cam video, citizens and at least one Human Relations Commissioner are demanding more action by ELPD, the East Lansing City Manager, and City Council.
New developments in the shake-up at ELPD: videos from December are released, and changes are in the works.
City Council will pursue a Citizen Oversight Panel for complaints, and ELPD will look anew at “head stabilization” in light of injuries to two black men.
East Lansing’s public health during COVID-19 is being shaped by our demographics and complex health insurance system.
The shift to online learning happened with little warning at MSU. ELi’s Emily Joan Elliott brings this inside look at the rapid and monumental change at East Lansing’s core institution.
At Burcham Hills, elimination of communal activities is one of the protections in place during the coronavirus emergency. ELi’s Emily Joan Elliott spoke to residents about their concerns.