Your ELi

We're interested in your thoughts on on various issues, and we'll try to answer your questions, but we can't actually make changes to policies or plans. East Lansing's government can, though, and there are lots of ways to communicate with them.

Is ELi guilty of journalistic malpractice because we checked out a citizen's claims on a subject of local significance, and reproduced in our report that person's original claim? Our Publisher explains why, in fact, we're just doing our job.

We know ELi readers love backstories and data-crunching, so today we are going a little Nate Silver on you.

Happy New Year, East Lansing! Thanks to our financial supporters, ELi's public service news reporting will be sustained throughout 2019! We look forward to bringing you the news!

Which 14 "hard" news stories do we think will be big in East Lansing in 2019? And why did we pick the number 14?

What happens when ELi's Publisher asks Managing Editor Ann Nichols to choose her top ten "feel-good" stories from a whole year of news? We get fifteen!

Mayor Mark Meadows has issued a ruling declaring himself the ultimate authority in East Lansing in terms of responses to Freedom of Information Act requests. He's also admitted the City improperly withheld information from ELi.

Jodi Spicer has joined the ELi team to help with "office" work. Why is "office" in quotation marks, and why is Spicer's addition an important sign? Our Publisher explains.

The City of East Lansing won't release material that would show in what lawsuits it is engaged. An attorney for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press explains why East Lansing's taxpayers have a right to this information.

What does it take for ELi to do this kind of reporting? Our Publisher paused and combed her hair this morning to record a video to explain. We’d appreciate if you’d take five minutes to watch it.

Recently a reader asked us why we didn't explain the reasoning behind Mayor Pro Tem Erik Altman's actions related to medical marijuana, and suggested that we were afraid to push for real answers. ELi's Publisher Alice Dreger explains why it's not quite that simple.

Our publisher has a special message for you, live from the annual local independent news conference in Chicago, about what happened this morning at City Council.

ELi's third quarter expenses in 2018 ran high. ELi Publisher Alice Dreger explains why and also explains why, even though the bank account is pretty low, we don't want your money...yet.

In our collective background, you'll find ballroom dancing, swimming, Warrior Women, campaigns for justice, and an appearance on Oprah. Oh, and one of us is married to two Elis. Meet the five current members of the ELi "Gov Gang."