What's Been Going on in East Lansing?
Read our coverage of city government and local schools.
Officially, there are still a few more days until spring starts. But it didn’t feel that way in East Lansing this week, as we were treated to sunny skies and rising temperatures.
Hopefully, more great weather is in store this weekend. Before you head outside, start your weekend by catching up with our reporting from the week.
Two new utility charges to cover city expenses? And more discussions emerge from progress report.
At the Tuesday, March 11 City Council meeting the body heard a progress report on goals set last year. This was the second half of the progress report, with other priorities discussed at a meeting last month. At Tuesday’s meeting, council discussed the possibility of installing a power utility and a stormwater management utility, as city leaders continue to grapple with East Lansing’s financial challenges. Read Managing Editor Luke Day’s recap of the meeting here.
City Manager Robert Belleman receives generally positive feedback in review.
In December, city board and commission chairs, employees and more participated in a “Gov360” review that graded City Manager Robert Belleman in 23 different competencies. ELi obtained the review through a Freedom of Information Act request, and found Belleman received generally positive feedback–though some officials noted they’d like the city manager to be more visible in the community. Read the highlights of the review in Luke’s story.
Building improvements, sex ed classes discussed at ELPS Board meeting.
The East Lansing Public Schools (ELPS) District is moving forward with its plan to construct a new administration building on Towar Avenue. At the March 10 board meeting, bids were awarded to contractors to tear down an existing building on the site, and construct the new building over the summer. Also at the meeting, the board approved new sex ed curriculum and a video game design class. Read Reporter Dustin DuFort Petty's reporting on the meeting here.
Seven city meetings are scheduled for next week.
City government stays busy next week, with meetings scattered around the schedule. Monday (March 17), there is a Commission on the Environment meeting. Tuesday (March 18), City Council and the University Student Commission will each convene. Wednesday (March 19), the Library Board of Trustees gathers. Then on Thursday (March 20), the Arts Commission, Charter Review Committee and Age Friendly Communities each meet. When meeting agendas are posted, they can be found here.
ELPL to introduce strategic plan to community on Monday.
After collecting feedback from more than 1,000 community members and planning for nine months, the East Lansing Public Library is ready to introduce its new strategic plan to the community.
Monday (March 17) from 3-6 p.m., community members are invited to the library for the strategic plan unveiling event, which will include a short speaking program and Q&A session, before transitioning to an open-house style event with cake, activities and giveaways.
Last month, Reporter Ayah Imran wrote about the ELPL board approving the strategic plan, which will guide the library for the next three years. Ayah’s story can be read here.
Help clean up the Red Cedar River!
Sunday, March 23 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Michigan Waterways Stewards, MSU’s Delta Sigma Phi fraternity and other partners will host a Red Cedar River clean up event.
Those interested can sign up online before the event to indicate if they would prefer to get out on the water to clean up the river, or if they would prefer to stay on land. Volunteers will meet near the Bogue Street Bridge on MSU's campus.
Read more about Michigan Waterways Stewards efforts to protect our waters in a story ELi published last year.
Congrats Trojans!
The East Lansing boys basketball team will be playing in the state championship game after defeating reigning Division 1 state champ Orchard Lake St. Mary's 51-44. The Trojans will compete in the state finals today, March 15 at 12:15 p.m. at the Breslin Center.
MSU College of Arts and Letters to sponsor showing of Dentro (Inside).
The Wharton Center will be hosting Giuliana Russo, one of Italy’s leading theater artists, for her U.S. debut. Thursday, March 20 at 7:30 p.m. Musso’s play Dentro (Inside): A True Story if You Think So, highlights the traumatic impact of silence after abuse occurs at home.
Prior to the show, there will be a roundtable discussion featuring Musso and four Michigan State University professors at the Graduate Hotel Tuesday, March 18 from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Interested community members can RSVP for the roundtable discussion here, purchase tickets to the performance here and read more about the play here.
East Lansing name origins: Glencairn
Dustin’s newsletter-exclusive column returns this week. This time, Dustin has brought us the story on how the Glencairn neighborhood got its name.
Robert S. Shaw was President of Michigan State College during much of the Great Depression, from 1928 to 1941. In addition to this and his work as an agriculture professor, he was also an avid land developer. Beginning in the 1920s, Shaw developed the Glencairn neighborhood, originally calling it Glen Cairn in honor of his Scottish roots, three of his four grandparents being born in the land of Caledonia.
When translated from its Scottish Gaelic, the name Glen Cairn roughly means “Heap of Stones Valley.” It was created from a 160-acre farm and the city of East Lansing annexed the development in 1926.
This information is courtesy of local historian Kevin S. Forsyth who maintains a fantastic blog, “A Brief History of East Lansing.”
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