Community

The Hatch is a space designed to aid undergraduate Michigan State University students in their entrepreneurial endeavors. Located on the third floor of 325 E. Grand River Avenue, Suite 345, the space gives students 24 hour access to the co-working space to utilize their various resources and to start their businesses.

Image courtesy of Michigan State University

Last night at its regularly-scheduled meeting, East Lansing’s City Council passed an ordinance that gives Council the ability to authorize the killing of deer by government-authorized hunters on City-owned land. Council members were divided on the question of whether organized culls should begin soon. A previous proposal had called for government-employed hunters killing as many deer as possible in East Lansing’s White Park and Harrison Meadows Park.

Facing numerous financial challenges—including the funding of MSU emergency services and substantial employee-related costs—City of East Lansing staffers and City Council members convened Saturday morning for a special budget meeting. The meeting, held at Hannah Community Center, included an overview of the City’s budget, a review of the City’s General Fund five-year forecast and discussion of preliminary budget assumptions for fiscal year 2017.

This Tuesday’s East Lansing City Council meeting began with a special presentation to recognize citizens who had recently completed serving two full terms on a City Board or Commission.

East Lansing’s municipal government encourages the active participation of its citizens through appointments to its 23 boards and commissions. These groups have varying scopes and responsibilities, with some meeting frequently and others annually or only as needed.

Last Friday, members of the East Lansing Clergy Association, an interfaith organization, met at The Islamic Center of East Lansing to show support for and solidarity with their Muslim neighbors.

The clergy presented a Resolution entitled “A Resolution Affirming the Shared Values and Intentions of the Interfaith Community of East Lansing, MI” to Imam Sohail Chaudhry of the Islamic Center. The Resolution, which was drafted by Reverend Margie Osborn of Eastminister Presbyterian Church, and signed by members of the East Lansing Clergy Association, states the following:

Kevin Epling

As the community tries to process the two recent student deaths at East Lansing High School, people are looking for guidance. Parents, teachers and school administrators are trying to find the best way to talk to children and young adults about what’s happened, and to figure out any possible way to prevent further losses.

Two East Lansing High School students have died in the space of a month. Both were young women: freshman Sydney E. Zaban on January 13 and Olivia Amy Nokken on February 2.

ELHS Principal Coby Fletcher contacted ELHS parents following both deaths; both letters state that a student died, express condolences and indicate that ELHS staff is prepared to provide support to students.

The City of East Lansing is seeking volunteers to help with the pop up skating rink to be installed this February in Valley Court Park. The rink is expected to be open for two weeks, from February 11 through February 25, and will be free and open to the public between the hours of 3-9pm as long as the weather allows. Find more information about the rink here.

The East Lansing School Board heard hours of testimony from parents, teachers and community members Monday night before approving a $564,000 budget allocation to begin the process of reopening Red Cedar Elementary school as a pre-kindergarten through fifth grade STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) school this fall. The Board also passed an amendment stating that any expenditures for Red Cedar would have to be approved by the BOE before that money is actually spent.