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Michigan’s landscape is diverse, ranging from vast forests to urban areas, providing habitats for various wildlife, including ticks. These tiny arachnids have long been a concern for public health due to their ability to transmit diseases like Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and babesiosis. However, as climate change has altered environmental conditions, which transform the patterns of tick activity.
The one-day music festival called Snoopfest featured 10 “DIY” bands, who performed along with other local artists and featured local vendors. Drawing inspiration from house show culture of the ’70s through early 2000s, the DIY music scene has historically been a haven for the LGBTQIA+ community, with its ethos revolving around inclusion, safety and underground emo-punk music.
March is officially in full swing, and with the warmer weather comes March Madness. The 68-team men’s college basketball tournament is one of the most viewed sporting events of the year. A new report released by the American Gaming Association estimated that there will be a dramatic increase in bettors for this year’s tournament.
Since 2019, one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States has been the sports gambling industry. According to the American Gaming Association, $119.8 billion was wagered on sports in 2023 across the United States. When the Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018, the legalization of sports gambling across the country began. As of 2024, 38 states have legalized sports gambling. Twenty-eight of those states have also legalized online sports gambling. One of those states is Michigan.
Toni Watters is a loving mother of four and devoted wife who lives in East Lansing. Recently, her faith has been tested while she tries her best to provide her family a loving and stable home. This photo essay explores Watters unyielding faith as she perseveres through the trails of life, finding out just how strong faith and belief can take you.
Michigan State University has announced former Oregon State head coach Jonathan Smith as the Spartans’ 26th head football coach.
On Oct. 17, the East Lansing City Council denied a proposal that would allow the construction of a five-story “workforce housing” project built by American Community Developers (ACD) on the 500-Block of Albert Avenue, also known as Bailey Lot 11. Despite the vote, the city council still plans on developing the area. The big requirement for the future development of the Bailey Lot, according to East Lansing councilmember Michael Krueger, is maintaining parking availability for residents and employees.
Two Lansing General Motors facilities are among the many auto manufacturing plants on strike as the United Auto Workers (UAW) union entered their second month without a contract.
However, at the Lansing Customer Care and Aftersales (CCA) Redistribution Center, located on West Mt. Hope Road, UAW members and local supporters were optimistic that they could hold out and win what picketers called a “revolutionary contract.” Union members and supporters alike were protesting to advocate for improvements in wages, benefits and hours. They noted the wage increases for Stellantis, GM and Ford CEOs in the last several years as being indicative of the companies’ financial standings and their abilities to increase employee wages. Picketers also called for the end of the tiered wage system, outlined in their previous UAW contract, which implements wage increases based on time at the plant and what type of work is being done.
UAW members’ pay has decreased by 19.3% since 2008, in contrast to the 40% wage increase the “Big Three” CEOs have experienced in the same time period, according to a recent report by the Economic Policy Institute. To combat this, the UAW is demanding a 46% wage increase, a four-day work week, and overtime pay beyond 32 hours.
At the time of publishing, UAW President Shawn Fain has made no indication of the strike nearing an end or a potential contract being reached.
Lansing resident Angela Bowellan returned home on March 23 to find a red sign on her door indicating she had two days to move out of her apartment. “Unsafe do not enter,” the sign read. If she continued to live in her apartment past the designated time frame, she would face trespassing charges.
For generations, the MSU Dairy Store has been a cherished place for the Michigan State University community and its alumni.
“I think everybody in town has come here as a kid and likes to bring their kids here,” Kate Brent, a customer of the MSU Dairy Store for 39 years, said while wiping the pink ice cream stains off her daughter’s face. “It has unique flavors compared to your standard ice cream shop.”
However, the past few years have brought challenges to the business, including a two-year pandemic shutdown that prompted a series of transformations.