Spartan Newsroom (https://news.jrn.msu.edu/author/kathleenfitch/)
CANCELED FESTIVALS: The pandemic has scuttled festivals across Michigan, slamming host communities with a major economic hit. We talk to officials at two of the largest, Traverse City’s National Cherry Festival and Holland’s Tulip Time Festival. By Kathleen Fitch. FOR TRAVERSE CITY, LEELANAU, HOLLAND, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, CORP! AND ALL POINTS.
DROWNINGS: Is Lake Michigan the most dangerous of the Great Lakes when it comes to drownings? This year as of Sept. 30, it accounted for 55 of the lakes’ 94. We hear why from the Army Corps of Engineers, Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, Great Lakes Water Safety Consortium and Michigan Sea Grant. By Katheleen Fitch. FOR TRAVERSE CITY, LEELANAU, TRAVERSE CITY, PETOSKEY, HOLLAND, LUDINGTON, MANISTEE, ALCONA, CHEBOYGAN, ST. IGNACE, MARQUETTE, HARBOR SPRINGS, BAY MILLS, SAULT STE. MARIE, OCEANA, BENZIE AND ALL POINTS.
U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin and State Rep. Julie Brixie spoke at East Lansing High School on Feb. 21 at the state of the district town hall meeting. Slotkin said she didn’t regret her decision on voting yes to impeach President Donald Trump. Slotkin, right, and Brixie take questions. “I made the decision to support the impeachment vote,” Slotkin said.
MSUvote, a non-partisan committee made up of Michigan State students, faculty and community members, hosted an event on Tuesday, Feb. 11 at Erickson Hall on MSU’s campus encouraging students to register to vote and sign up for absentee ballots. “Our primary purpose is to get people registered to vote and to make sure they get educated on all the candidates and all the issues,” said Suchitra Webster, co-chair of MSUvote and Michigan State University community liaison. “Our primary purpose is to get people registered to vote and to make sure they get educated on all the candidates and all the issues,” said Suchitra Webster, co-chair of MSUvote and Michigan State University community liaison. The event, called the Absentea Party, took place at Erickson Hall.
During its February board meeting, the League of Women Voters of the Lansing Area voted unanimously to partner with the Lansing Environmental Action Team. Education, environment, government and gun violence prevention were also discussed. “We’re going to support the league position that it believes in climate change and supports using sustainable resources,” said Donna Mullins, co-president of the Lansing league. It plans to oppose the Lansing Board of Water and Light approval of another fossil fuel plant.
“Yes, it’s a progressive stand,” Mullins said. “But for us, it is a non-partisan stand.” According to Mullins, the league highly values its commitment to be non-partisan, meaning it doesn’t prefer any political party.
“It’s really almost a sacred trust,” Mullins said.
At the South Lansing Library on Tuesday, Jan. 28, Voters Not Politicians held a workshop to educate the public on the Citizens Redistricting Commission, which will draw the new district lines in Michigan. Voters Not Politicians is the nonprofit organization that helped get the anti-gerrymandering Proposal 2 on the 2018 ballot.