Diversity Issues

East Lansing School Board exploring equity issues

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At a recent East Lansing School Board meeting, parents discussed diversity, equity and inclusion efforts within the district. Three years ago, ELPS announced a series of changes to improve its DEI efforts. The district proceeded to try and increase diversity in the faculty and staff and create programs to increase inclusion. In September, a teacher at MacDonald Middle School was suspended for s second time in four months for using racial slurs and inappropriate language. Following these events Brandy Branson, representative for the East Lansing Parent Advocacy Team (ELPAT), proposed a question:

“Are the sessions being looked at from an equity lens?”

“I heard no definitely, everyone skirted around all of that, and I tried very hard on parent perspective,” Branson said.

Business & Economy

Affordable Housing x Parking Spots: Business Owners Concerned Over Impacts of New Project 

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The East Lansing City Council met on Tuesday, Oct. 3, for their first of two Regular Council meetings this month. During the meeting, the council listened to speeches from East Lansing residents about the upcoming vote to approve the construction of a five-story affordable housing apartment building at 530 Albert Avenue in Downtown East Lansing.  

The council was initially scheduled to vote on the proposal during the meeting, but, a decision to move the vote to the Oct. 17 meeting was met with frustration from the crowd where many guests protested the decision to delay the vote and left the meeting. 

The majority of the people who spoke argued that the building of this proposed project would have a “devastating” effect on the local businesses in the Downtown East Lansing area due to the lack of parking that would be available for the businesses in its vicinity. People expressed their concerns that if the council approves the construction of the apartment building, local businesses that are thriving will eventually close.

Construction & Development

East Lansing Brownfield Redevelopment Authority prepares for Kansas State technical assistance

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On September 28, the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (BRA) held a committee meeting discussing the future of brownfield sites in the city. The committee discussed the upcoming involvement of Kansas State University’s program Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB), which helps locate and plan development projects around brownfield sites.

Business & Economy

East Lansing residents oppose potential affordable housing

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A new plan for affordable housing in East Lansing led to public disproval at the city council meeting on Oct. 3. Residents voiced their concerns about a potential development at 530 Albert Ave. It was expected that there would be a council vote on the building plan following a public hearing, but the agenda was changed at the beginning of the meeting. “I’ll move approval of the agenda with a couple of changes here,” East Lansing Mayor Ron Bacon said.

East Lansing

ELIPOC holds community workshop to address use-of-force concerns

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The East Lansing Independent Police Oversight Committee recently held a workshop to gather input from residents on what actions the East Lansing Police Department should take to “minimize use of force and eliminate its disproportionate use with people of color.”

The workshop, led by seasoned facilitators Carlton Evans and Doak Bloss, was meant to generate ideas from residents which, after being compared with ELPD’s current policies, will be converted into concrete policy recommendations by ELIPOC. A subsequent meeting on Nov. 1 will be held to ensure those recommendations reflect the wishes of the community. During the meeting, members of the community worked in small groups to create policy goals which were then presented to the meeting. The most common suggestions included emphasizing de-escalation practices during training and a stronger system for internal accountability within the police department.

Government
Jeff Weiss, Williamston's new Chief of Police standing in front of the Williamston Police Department

Teenage Dream Becomes Distinguished Career: Jeff Weiss Appointed Williamston’s Chief of Police

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At the age of 16, Jeff Weiss’s passion for law enforcement was ignited during a ride-along with a Meridian Township officer. Now, after a remarkable 35-year career, that same teenager who once aspired to serve and protect the city he grew up in has been appointed as Williamston’s new Chief of Police. 

On Monday, Sept. 11, the Williamston City Council appointed Weiss to fill the position that had been vacant since January. The decision was met with enthusiastic approval.

Williamston Police Department’s transition to Chief Weiss follows a lineage of leaders including Bob Young in 2010 and Jim Wolf in 2021. Young temporarily returned as interim chief before Weiss’s appointment.