Community News

COCID-19 vaccine to become available April 5 to Michigan residents 16 and older

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On March 12, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that all Michigan residents 16 and older would be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine starting April 5. Eligibility doesn’t mean you will immediately be able to get a shot in your arm. Sparrow Hospital pharmacy director Todd Belding said the demand for the vaccine far outweighs the supply. “We are well short of the demand currently,” Belding said. “We are getting about 3,000 vaccines a week, and the demand is well above that.”

Belding explained that the state distributes the vaccine to each county based on population and a county’s social vulnerability index and that the number of vaccines each county and vaccination site will receive is not up to recipients.

Construction & Development

East Lansing schools wrapping up $93 million in renovations

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Rinard Pugh, Red Cedar Elementary PrincipalThe Newly Renovated Red Cedar Elementary school building

As of March 1, East Lansing now has one more permanent elementary school. Before, East Lansing had been using only five elementary school buildings. While Red Cedar Elementary was being used as a backup school or a “swing school” as East Lansing School Board President Terah Chambers called it. It has been a school where students “swung through … while their schools were under construction.” Red Cedar Elementary went through its own renovations back in the summer of 2018 however, to get the building ready to house students again. Superintendent of East Lansing Public Schools Dori Leyko said the building updated “all of the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems in the building, along with new flooring, windows, and cabinetry and furniture throughout the building.” Cosmetic renovations will be finished this summer.

Campus News
Professor inspects black tubing running into a machine.

MSU professor aims to turn wastewater into drinkable water

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 A new water treatment facility is coming to East Lansing. The project, spearheaded by Michigan State University professor Dr. Wei Liao will be just south of 1855 Place on campus. The goal of the plant, according to Liao, is to turn wastewater into drinkable water. However, Liao says that goal is not attainable at this moment due to regulations. For now, Liao is focusing on turning sewage water and wastewater into renewable energy by extracting nutrients from food waste and sewage water and converting them into energy.