Above: A permit-only parking area of Chesterfield Hills

Above: The peach blossoms are also back (in the author's garden).

ELi’s sabbatical was a success. To be honest, I was pretty much constantly on the road for my other (paying!) work while ELi took a public break, but our outstanding Managing Editor Ann Nichols and I managed to stay in touch while she did substantial work researching and thinking about the structures of small, non-profit news service like ours.

East Lansing’s City Manager George Lahanas announced today that a series of long-blighted commercial buildings on Grand River Avenue near Abbot Road will be demolished by the end of this year. According the announcement, the new owners of the “Big Bank Building” at the northwest corner of Grand River Avenue and Abbot Road and the commercial property between that structure and People’s Church have agreed to a “stipulation and consent order to demolish the properties” by December 31, 2016.

The East Lansing Board of Education Monday unanimously approved sending a letter to the State Board of Education supporting its proposed guidelines for protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and questioning students (LGBTQ).

Tonight, the East Lansing Board of Education will vote on whether to increase the Schools of Choice openings by 128 students. These new openings include 30 in kindergarten, 30 for first grade, 15 for third grade, 21 for fourth grade, 19 for 5^th grade and 13 for seventh grade. No slots are being proposed for grades 2, 6 or 8-12.

In a memo to the Board, School Superintendent Robyne Thompson noted that East Lansing has participated in the Schools of Choice program since its inception in 1996.

East Lansing Info (ELi) is a non-profit public service organization dedicated to bringing the people of East Lansing local news and information. We exist to serve the people who live, work, play, and go to school in East Lansing. So it is important to us to know how we can best serve you.

We would very much appreciate if you would take five to ten minutes right now to answer our new survey. The survey asks you such questions as how you interact with ELi, what ELi services you are familiar with, and what other services you’d like us to bring you.

Above: The image taken by and mentioned at Council by Councilmember Erik Altmann.

When the application to open the Tin Can bar on Grand River Avenue came before the last East Lansing City Council in October, it led to a contentious 3-2 vote, with then-Mayor Nathan Triplett, then-Mayor Pro Tem Diane Goddeeris, and City Councilmember Susan Woods voting in favor, and Councilmembers Ruth Beier and Kathy Boyle voting against.