1st Amendment, 1st 100 days

Safe spaces on American college campuses challenge the freedom of speech

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Joshua Laske, a graduate student studying veterinary medicine at Michigan State University, said that having a safe space growing up would have helped him feel comfortable with his sexuality earlier in his life. There is a debate on American college campuses about the necessity and constitutionality of safe spaces for students. A safe space is a place where people can go where they will not be harassed by others.

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Photo taken by Zachary Sgro

Lansing aiming to be “vibrant, walkable”

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Lansing is best known for being the capital of Michigan, but, it’s also the location for numerous businesses and companies. But for many it seems as though the city is not their home, opting for longer commutes to work as opposed to living in the city. A majority of the restaurants and bars in the area close before dinner time only offering regular hours for late night food and drink during the weekend. Smaller niche businesses pepper the city and keep consistent crowds and regular customers at night while the Lansing Lugnuts provide mid to late day entertainment, but neither has been enough to revitalize the city. “We need a vibrant, walkable urban area that is cool and attractive to all walks of life,” said Scott Gillespie, president of Gillespie Company.

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Front of Eastern High School

Poverty in Lansing affects city’s high schools

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All across the nation there has been a 260 percent increase in the number of students in highly concentrated poverty school districts, whose poverty levels are 40 percent and above. School districts in this category are at high risks of childhood well-being and positive opportunities. High poverty school districts in Michigan have doubled from 120 in 2006 to over 240 pre-kindergarten through 12th grade schools in 2012. In Lansing, once you step out of comfort of downtown and the capitol building, many of the surrounding neighborhoods are plagued with at least some level of poverty. The poverty doesn’t stop there, as majority of the Lansing schools are located in highly-impoverished areas.

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The outside of Lansing's Kids Repair Program isn't much to look at, but that doesn't matter. It's what's inside the building that counts.

Lansing bike program teaches more than just bicycle repair

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On the outside, it just looks like some small storage building. The plain red bricks and few windows don’t exactly shout out “Welcome!” to whomever passes by. Step in through the garage door, though, and you’ll find something that might surprise you – hundreds of bicycles, just waiting to be taken home. Frank Wheeler sits inside the shop of Lansing’s Kids Repair Program working on an old bike that was dropped off at the police station just a few days earlier. He’s been retired for a few years now, but that doesn’t stop him from coming in and volunteering whenever he’s got the chance.

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Solar panels on Michigan Energy Options.

Renewable energy is a part of Lansing’s future

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According to Michigan State Senate Bills 437 and 438, Michigan State law will require that Michigan utilities buy or produce at least 15 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2022. There is also a nonbinding goal to reach 35 percent by 2025. What is Lansing doing to make this happen? John Krzystowczyk, an energy analyst in the energy and eco-strategies department of the Lansing Board of Water and Light (BWL), works to promote renewable energy growth in the Lansing area. He believes that the 15 percent goal laid out by the government is attainable.

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Solar panels on Michigan Energy Options.

Recycling in Lansing is bigger than you may think

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According to Lansing’s official government website, recycling makes a huge difference in the community. In fact, for every 1,000 tons the city collects, 14,903 trees are saved, 6,404,606 gallons of water are saved, 408,412 gallons of gasoline are saved and 2,856 metric tons of greenhouse emissions are saved. But how exactly does Lansing recycle materials? Too often does recyclable material get thrown out with regular trash, ending up in landfills. This is why the Lansing Recycling Center on East Northrup Street and South Cedar Street takes recyclables in addition to garbage.