The Ingham County Fairgrounds hosts Festival of Trees

From Dec. 9–10, the Ingham County Fair held its Festival of Trees event for families and friends to enjoy the holiday season. With over 100 vendors, 50 decorated trees, and live performances, there were more than enough Christmas activities to enjoy.

Ingham Committee recommends candidate for Racial Equity Task Force

Ingham County’s Human Services Committee has recommended a candidate for the Racial Equity Task Force.

The committee unanimously moved to recommend Amirika Richardson to the task force at the Human Services meeting in Lansing on April 3.

Richardson was interviewed by Ingham County Commissioner and Human Services Committee Chairperson Todd Tennis during the meeting. Richardson said  she wishes to bring the community together and collaborate with different organizations.

Michigan clerks prepare for most voting options ever

Michigan voters have more ways than ever to cast their ballots. Last November, they passed Proposal 2, a constitutional amendment that mandates early voting be offered at all polling locations. Voting accessibility was also expanded in 2018 when Proposal 3 allowed carte blanche absentee voting. 

These new laws change how township and county clerks prepare for elections. Delta Township Clerk Mary Clark says these changes are positive because it is the clerk’s duty to ensure every voter can make it to the polls. “It’s all good because clerks are committed to people voting.

Ingham County City Hall Election Box

Ingham County voters are opting for absentee

As controversy continues to form around the 2020 Presidential Election, many local residents seem to have opted to vote absentee for the recent primary, and the numbers show similar trends for the general election in the fall. According to a July Detroit Free Press article by Paul Egan, over 22,000 voters have requested absentee ballots of which 60% have been returned. The total number of absentee ballots sent out for the 2016 Presidential election was 5,500. Michigan State student and Ingham County resident Cassy Landes said she knew “no matter what I wanted to vote in this election” so voting absentee was the only choice. “I thought about it (voting absentee), but I never seriously considered it until COVID reared its ugly head,” Landes said.

New animal abuse laws in Michigan

Starting this month, new legislation in Michigan will more than double the penalty for heinous crimes involving animals. “We do have a lot of cases where an animal is either strangled to the point of defecating on itself or passing out or severely maned so their ears are cut, or they’re beaten with a bat… maybe tied up by their leash,” said Ingham County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Nattalie Macomber. The state of Michigan is taking a stand against these types of crimes with stricter penalties and Macomber believes this is a good time to start changing the narrative. “The culture is really changing and the education about what animal abuse actually is has really evolved in the last few years,” she said.

Lansing-area townships clarify instructions for absentee voters

When Meridian Township voters opened their absentee ballot marking instructions, they were presented with directions on how to vote straight party even though straight ticket voting is banned for the Nov. 6 general election in Michigan. “I was contacted by a voter last week who was confused because the instructions that are included with the absentee ballot that was mailed to them included instructions on how to mark a straight party ballot,” said Ingham County Clerk, Barb Byrum. Although the instructions were incorrect, voters do not need to worry because the ballot is accurate. Meridian Township Clerk Brett Dreyfus said that there is no need for voter confusion because there is no straight party option on the ballot.