Agriculture
Beal gardens

Beal Botanical Garden offers students a place to connect with nature 

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Michigan State University students looking for a break from busy campus life can find a place to relax and reconnect with nature at the W.J. Beal Botanical Garden. 

The garden, located in the heart of MSU’s campus, features hundreds of plants across different areas for students and visitors to explore. 

Fall plants featured at Beal Garden Fest

Dr. Alan Prather, director of the Beal Botanical Garden, said one of the things he hears most often from students is that they use the garden as a place to decompress. 

“It’s right in the heart of campus,” Prather said. “It’s a nice place for people to come, to relax, to connect with nature, to listen to the river flow.” 

The garden also gives visitors the opportunity to learn more about Michigan’s plants. Plants throughout the garden are labeled with their names and descriptions, while a color-coded map shows where different plants are found throughout the state. 

The garden also highlights research happening on campus, including research involving native and pollinator plants. 

Beal Botanical Garden hosted its third annual BealFest last Thursday, a free event featuring live music, games, activities, environmental and sustainability organizations, and treats from the MSU Dairy Store. 

This year’s theme, “Wild Harmony,” focused on bringing people and nature together. 

Prather said connecting with nature can benefit students’ overall well-being. 

“Connecting with nature really does help both your physical health and your mental health,” Prather said. “It can make you more creative, it can lower your blood pressure. There’s so many things that it can do for you.” 

The garden also offers programs throughout the year designed to connect students with nature and wellness. 

One winter program, called Restore Your Roots, brings an indoor garden experience to students when the campus is covered in snow.

Business & Economy
aerial of Bailey St. parking lot

86 Parking Spots Vanish From Downtown East Lansing Lot

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EAST LANSING — Eighty-six public parking spaces disappeared from the Bailey Street lot on September 23rd as private property owners ended their long-standing lease with the city overnight. Now, local business owners and visitors wonder where everyone will park as downtown reshaping continues. 86 parking spots no longer available for parking downtown

A Standoff Over Downtown Development

The loss follows a high-stakes standoff over downtown development. In July, the East Lansing City Council rejected a plan to build a 10-story apartment building on the private section of the lot. That same night, council members approved a separate 12-story apartment project at the former Student Book Store site nearby.

Congress
Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed commemorating the September 11th attacks with a moment of silence.

MSU Students Came to Hear El-Sayed. Not Everyone Made it Inside

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Democratic Senate candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed rallied hundreds of students at the MSU Student Union on September 11. El-Sayed’s “Students vs. Billionaires” event gives college students the microphone to voice their concerns and ask questions about issues affecting them. With less than a month before early voting begins in Michigan, students inside the Union chanted for Medicare for All and heard a pitch from Michigan congressional candidate William Lawrence (D), along with endorsements for MSU Trustees Kelly Tebay and Brianna Scott. They also asked questions ranging from collective AI ownership to health care disparities.

East Lansing
An East Lansing resident reviews the city council agenda.

EL residents voice homelessness solutions after City Council vetoes one camping ordinance, passes another

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After the six-hour council meeting that ended at nearly 1 a.m., East Lansing City Council reached a decision on ordinances designed to address public camping after postponing the vote for nearly three months. The council voted down Ordinance 1566—which would have introduced jail time for temporarily living in a public space—but approved Ordinance 1565, making the use of parking structures for shelter a civil infraction with up to $100 in fines.

East Lansing

East Lansing City Council postpones vote on public camping ban for second time

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On Feb. 17, council members voted to postpone the consideration of ordinance 1565 and 1566 — amending East Lansing’s disorderly conduct ordinance to add restrictions for “camping” and redefine the term “public space” to include city-owned facilities like parking lots. The vote was postponed until March 17 as the council decided they needed more time to consider alternate wording and amendments after a divisive public comment period.

East Lansing

East Lansing officials highlight collaboration, education as key to environmental goals

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In 2024, East Lansing City Council approved 10 strategic goals for the city, one of which was environmental sustainability and climate resiliency. Some of the initiatives toward these goals include increasing recycling participation, managing invasive species and establishing best practices for greenspace management. But city officials and local environmental organization leaders hope for schools and nonprofits to go further.

Lansing

Lansing welcomes new Barnes & Noble to Frandor 

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Barnes & Noble celebrated its 50th store opening of 2025 with a ribbon cutting on Nov. 12 at its newest location on Frandor Avenue. Customers were greeted with rows upon rows of book collections ranging from cookbooks to literary novels to children’s books.