Spartan Newsroom (https://news.jrn.msu.edu/author/marsh499/)
Deborah Marshall is a third-year student from the metro Detroit area studying journalism with a concentration in broadcast. She has experience in writing, reporting, editing, and videography. She is passionate about learning and sharing uncommon stories that don't typically get shared on platforms.
As COVID-19 grips the state of Michigan worse than any other in the nation, health officials have called for a vaccine surge to reduce the spread. While this request has seemingly been rebuffed by the federal government, residents all around East Lansing are eager to return to normal, as various groups deal with their new normal in different ways.
What all started as college students praying and worshipping in a dorm room turned into the House of Prayer in East Lansing.More than a decade ago, Jessie Still, founder of House of Prayer, empowered college students to go beyond their dorm rooms into a more permanent space, which is how it all came about.“The mission and vision at the House of Prayer is to be a family of friends and followers of Jesus who stand with Him in the place of prayer who go with Him into the great harvest who make disciples of all nations.” said Rachel Nanzer. Nanzer says a lot of what the House of Prayer does is centered around its mission and vision statement. Members of the House of Prayer, do prayer at noon every weekday, host Bible study, worship nights, and they do evangelism and discipleship. Every second and fourth Saturday of every month are when the worship nights are held. “For me, the biggest draw was family.
Blue Owl counter
With the slogan #hopeliveshere you can probably see how the optimistic approach has helped keep the business afloat. What used to be a place you could study, sip coffee, or see a local artist perform, Blue Owl Coffee, a local coffee shop in East Lansing, was not exempt from taking precautions alongside other businesses.“We haven’t had an event here since last February” said Adam Subora, assistant manager at Blue Owl. Subora has been working at the coffee shop since December 2018 and says he’s seen the full transition. Before the pandemic hit, Subora said, the shop would host events every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, sometimes on Thursdays and Saturdays. On some Sundays there would also be recitals so they were always packed.
Required testing has spilled from students into the surrounding community. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on Jan. 19 began requiring testing for students. Alia Jones, an on-campus Michigan State student, said, “While I understand the university’s concern for monitoring students with being a pre-law student, I believe that students should be afforded the opportunity to opt out if they don’t feel fully comfortable with sending their saliva to an unknown site.” She said it can be a threatening tactic because MSU says failure to comply with mandatory weekly testing can result in expulsion.While it is important to continue social distancing on campus, cases are also transmitted off campus. An East Lansing bar was found to be a “hot spot” with more than 180 cases linked to it.