Business & Economy
A golfer swings on the driving range at Forest Akers.

When winter shuts down courses, indoor leagues keep golf alive

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During the winter, golfers all-across Michigan lose the opportunity to play due to freezing temperatures and snow-covered courses, thus temporarily removing a traditional favorite pastime for many local golfers. That’s where indoor golf businesses like X-Golf Lansing in Okemos shine. For avid golfers like Rick and Diane Shafer, as well as X-Golf co-owner Joe White, indoor golf centers are a way to continue building their community through their passion for golf in the off-season.

Greater Lansing Community News

Winter weather shifts farm-to-table restaurant fare, farming practices

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OKEMOS, Mich.— Sourcing locally is at the heart of Okemos restaurant Red Haven’s identity, but it comes with challenges as winter sets in. As the temperatures drop, some farms in Michigan finish out their produce, creating a challenge for farm-to-table restaurants like Red Haven. 

Co-owners and partners Nina Santucci and Anthony Maiale are dedicated to staying true to their farm-to-table roots. For more than a decade, they’ve sourced ingredients from Diemer’s Farm in Holland and Monroe Family Organics in Alma. When the colder months come and those farms’ production slow down, they continue their commitment by purchasing ingredients from small businesses.  

“This time of the year things are a little bit less farm focused, and a little bit more about what’s seasonally appropriate,” Santucci said. 

Bartender Victoria Herceg serves up a drink at the Wicked Good Dinner in Emerald City, pairing well with the dinner menu for the evening. Staying local means constantly changing the menus to what’s seasonally available.

Business & Economy

Personal touches are at the heart of Red Haven

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Santucci had always dreamed of owning a restaurant. Though they planned to open more restaurants, COVID halted that plan. Facing closure, Red Haven shifted from a full-time restaurant to a space focused on themed pop-up dinners and private events when they reopening in September 2022.

Business & Economy
Illustrated $100 dollar bills

How 10 proposals in Ingham County affect taxpayers

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Ingham County residents voted on 10 proposals on Nov. 5, seven of which passed. Topics ranged from housing to the sale of marijuana, and funds for the initiatives that passed will come from property taxes. 

Many of these proposals are known as millage proposals. A millage is a tax on property, which can be approved by conducting a popular vote. The amount per $1,000 of taxable property is represented in mills. 

For example, a 1 mill tax rate on a home valued at $100,000 would generate $100 in taxes annually from that single property.

Bath

MCAH works “behind the scenes” to end homelessness

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Chronic homelessness is defined as living on the streets for 12 months out of the last 36. A number of shelters and organizations are finding their own ways to address the needs of these citizens in Lansing. One of the organizations is the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness (MCAH). According to MCAH’s communications manager Amy Stephenson, MCAH works more “behind the scenes.”

Diversity Issues

GAAY Sports cultivates community through athletics

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April 6 marked the final day for GAAY, which stands for GLBTQIA+, Athletes, Allies and You. The non-profit hosts many sports, including dodgeball, kickball and bowling across Lansing, Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor. For Lansing’s final dodgeball game of the season, it didn’t take long for the group of almost 60 players to mingle, make new friendsn and let the anxiety of gym class fade away.