Above: A River Trail bridge near Potter Park Zoo

Just as the summer recreation season hits, the City of East Lansing has received an allocation of $788,863 from the Ingham County Board of Commissioners to repair the asphalt on more than thirteen miles of trails in East Lansing. The money comes from a voter-approved county trails and park millage.

Tonight, East Lansing-based local bands Squid and Immanuel Can’t perform alongside Marvels and Sojii. The show will take place at Marvels’ home on the Eastside of Lansing. This particular neighborhood is known in the local music scene for its house venues.

Above: the property at issue under construction

The question of whether a new Bailey-neighborhood rental apartment complex can have balconies has been sent back to City Council, as the developer has explained to ELi why the balconies didn’t go to Council for approval in the first place.

Above: Councilmember Ruth Beier (right) talking to ELPD officers at the Zemer root beer stand last summer

The controversy over a vendor’s display of the Confederate flag at last year’s downtown Folk Festival arose at East Lansing’s City Council again last night, as Council members discussed how the City might push MSU to select only vendors unlikely to display such a politically-charged image.

East Lansing’s City Council voted unanimously tonight to give a tax abatement to a company seeking to build a large solar array on MSU’s campus—but the abatement was not nearly as big as the company and two council members were hoping.

Above: an artist’s rendering of a solar array project from the application for the tax exemption

A Michigan-based company wants to install a large solar array at MSU, and its request for a related tax exemption from the City of East Lansing is causing debate at City Council.

East Lansing’s Financial Health Team has asked for a consultant to study a possible income tax for people who live and work in East Lansing. This is but one of many possible approaches being considered by the volunteer team of advisors as it tries to tackle the City’s budget woes.