— A driver who died in an April 30 crash on Interstate 96 in eastern Ingham County has been identified as Tondi Tripp Tripp was driving a "shuttle-sized" bus operated by the Capital Area Transportation Authority when it collided with the rear of a semi-truck about 4:15 p.m in the westbound lanes near mile marker 113 Meridian Township firefighters arrived to find the rear of the semi and the bus engulfed in flames They "determined relatively quickly that the bus was occupied only by the driver CATA spokesperson Lolo Robison confirmed after the crash that the bus was operated by CATA an international public transit services company to assist with transporting some passengers CATA runs rural bus services in rural Ingham County as well as public bussing across the Lansing area "CATA and Transdev are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life of one of our drivers which impacts us at every level," Robison said CATA was cooperating fully with law enforcement during the investigation Sheriff's officials said the investigation remained open Anyone with information was asked to call Sgt Sheriff's officials said traffic was slowed because of an earlier crash involving a semi near the 109 mile marker Contact Ken Palmer at kpalmer@lsj.com Mich — The Ingham County Sheriff's Office has identified the woman who died after Wednesday's second semi truck accident on I-96 as 62-year-old Tondi Tripp from Okemos a semi truck and shuttle-sized bus caught on fire after crashing into each other on I-96 near mile marker 113 in Alaiedon Township Meridian Township Fire Department determined that only Tondi Tripp was inside the bus The Ingham County Sheriff's Office says the crash is still under investigation Anyone who may have witnessed this crash is encouraged to contact Sgt Want to see more local news? Visit the FOX47News Website Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Neighborhood News Follow us on X Follow us on Instagram Like us on Facebook Michigan State University has not left East Lansing to hire an athletic director since 1995 the private sector experience Norvell walked into MSU with might be useful in today’s evolving landscape in which football has become a multibillion dollar industry and players are getting paid (legally) the university has hired five athletic directors from within none of whom previously ran a department nor went on to lead another is the only one in the past 35 years with experience as an athletic director was a former MSU Police Department lieutenant and Lansing native who rose through the athletic department before taking over Sept 2021 for Bill Beekman (a career university administrator who had no experience in athletics) Mark Hollis ascended through the department to lead it for a decade before resigning in 2018 had been MSU’s hockey coach prior to taking over in 2002 for Clarence Underwood another longtime athletic department employee who replaced Norvell George Perles infamously served as both football coach and athletic director from 1990-92 President Kevin Guskiewicz said MSU will use search firm TurnkeyZRG Navigating the wild west of NIL as well as how to structure the impending July 1 revenue sharing agreement will be key criteria for the next leader Perhaps that means hiring a proven athletic director with experience running a major football program Perhaps that means going outside the industry to find an innovative business leader Perhaps that means someone with no ties to East Lansing here are eight intriguing names (in alphabetical order) from various backgrounds who emerge candidates SUBPLOT: Jonathan Smith buyout to leave Michigan State sliced in half No one is more familiar with Guskiewicz than his childhood friend from Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Balk began as an account executive in Pittsburgh radio and then with the Pittsburgh Pirates before getting his law degree and working for three of the city’s biggest firms He left his post as chief development officer at Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott after 11 years to follow Guskiewicz in May 2024 to become MSU’s senior advisor to the president on strategy and operational excellence the Pittsburgh Business Times reported Guskiewicz in an internal memo said Balk’s role would focus on expanding MSU’s reach “beyond traditional funding sources as we seek new innovative ways to advance our mission in a time of constrained resources.” The president added Balk's previous jobs included “a heavy focus on developing public-private partnerships to advance mutually beneficial organizational goals.” Cunningham has a clause in his contract that runs through June 30 which allows him to give notice in writing with 120 days notice that allows him to leave at any time without reason or financial penalty also headed athletic programs at Ball State and Tulsa prior to his current job he began his career in the private equity and management sector and the ability to speak the financial language of donors (Mat Ishbia is another MSU/Broad alum) makes for a unique skillset Tom DietersThe former Spartan baseball player and 1983 alum is the head of Charitable Gifts America, which runs one of the NIL arms (This is Sparta!) MSU uses. Dieters lives in the landscape and already is well-versed in the fluidity of college athletics Navigating the internal coalitions with Ishbia Greg Williams and others to become a singular force would be essential — the Spartans have plenty of money available and willingness from those big-time donors and collectives to compete for top-tier talent on the field and in the coaching ranks Fletcher (maiden name West) is a major behind-the-scenes name in the sports world Billy Donovan and other prominent athletes and coaches is an MSU alum and former captain of the women’s tennis team She negotiated more than $500 million in contracts perhaps the single most vital asset in the NIL-revenue sharing model an MSU alum who has donated over the years to the school and athletic department MSU’s big-time donors made it clear they want to go big-game hunting by pushing to pursue Urban Meyer to replace Mel Tucker in 2023 So why not approach Saban and try to bring him back to East Lansing Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him @chrissolari Here is a look at the Greater Lansing high school girls basketball Dream Team and all-area selections for the 2024-25 season PLAYER OF THE YEARMadi Uyl▶ School: DeWitt ▶ Accomplishments: The Grand Valley State signee and point guard was  one of 10 players in the state named to the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan's Best of the Best team and was a Michigan Sports Writers first team all-state selection in Division 1 2.4 assists and shot 48.3% from the field and 37.7% from 3-point range while helping DeWitt to CAAC Blue Uyl finished her career ranked fifth in DeWitt girls basketball history with 1,058 points ▶ Accomplishments: Bengel was a BCAM and Michigan Sports Writers first team all-state selection in Division 3 She helped the Pirates to an undefeated regular season that included a CMAC title and also a district championship ▶ Accomplishments: Black was a Michigan Sports Writers and BCAM honorable mention all-state selection in Division 1 2.1 assists and 1.9 steals for the Trojans ▶ Accomplishments: Dixon earned Michigan Sports Writers second team all-state selection in Division 2 and was an honorable mention selection by BCAM She contributed to Haslett winning CAAC Red and district titles and averaged 15.6 points ▶ Accomplishments: Johnson was named BCAM's Best in Division 2 and was a Michigan Sports Writers honorable mention all-state selection 2.1 steals and 1.6 blocks while helping the Vikings to CAAC Red and district championships ▶ Accomplishments: Kotowicz was a BCAM and Michigan Sports Writers honorable mention all-state selection in Division 2 2.9 steals and made 36 3-pointers while helping the Redwings to a runner-up finish in the CAAC Red ▶ Accomplishments: The guard was a BCAM and Michigan Sports Writers all-state selection in Division 1 and ended her career as the all-time leading scorer in DeWitt girls basketball history with 1,241 points 2 rebounds and 2 steals and made 31 3-pointers while contributing to the Panthers winning CAAC Blue Kurncz ended her career ranked second in program history with 135 career made 3s ▶ Accomplishments: Metzger was a Michigan Sports Writers honorable mention all-state selection in Division 1 and helped the Rams capture a district title ▶ Accomplishments: Spicer earned Michigan Sports Writers and BCAM first team all-state recognition in Division 4 and helped the Eagles capture a state title ▶ Accomplishments: Thelen helped the Raiders to CAAC White and district titles and was named to BCAM's Best squad in Division 2 and was a Michigan Sports Writers second team selection Fowler: Guided the Eagles to a 27-2 record and their third Division 4 state title in five years and first since 2022 For more information visit consumersenergy.com or call 1 (800) 477-5050 Want to check out other Morning Blend segments? Visit the FOX47News Website Follow us on Twitter "chippers," takeout spots serving classic fried fish and chips with curry sauce they're much harder to find in mid-Michigan so Doogue and his wife Annie opened their own the Doogues announced plans to end the food truck's seasonal appearances in the Lansing area The couple and their 10-month-old daughter Hannah are moving to Idaho to be closer to Annie's family and although they could take their food trailer and equipment with them they'd like to see the business continue operating here "We can happily bring the trailer over," he said but it's kind of becoming a staple for a lot of people and it would be cool to see it keep running over here in some shape or form." the Doogues will part with their food trailer The truck's main dish is an Atlantic haddock fillet seasoned and battered and fries topped with cheddar cheese and Irish curry dipping sauce nearly nine years ago and spent time perfecting his fish and chips technique Johns area and around Lansing in the spring and summer "For somebody with the right drive who wants to do good it is a brilliant opportunity," Shane Doogue said I don't think we ever thought it'd take off so well." It has done so well that over the winter months the Doogues looked for commercial storefronts for lease in Lansing and considered opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant "We just couldn't find terms we were comfortable with," Shane Doogue said In the days since the couple announced their plans to move they have received interest from more than one potential buyer They plan to discuss the business with those individuals soon and are hopeful the right person is among them "We would like to see it go to somebody who has a passion for it," Shane Doogue said Anyone interested in reaching out about the business can email the Doogues at Kilkennysirishfishnchip@gmail.com More: April was a busy month for Lansing's restaurant scene. Here's what opened, closed The couple plans to operate Kilkenny's Irish Fish 'N Chip in the Lansing area through the end of May. Dates and locations will be posted to the business Facebook page at "Kilkenny’s Irish Fish ‘N Chip."  More: Century-old former Lansing church to get $4.7M renovation as new MSU Child Development Lab Contact Reporter Rachel Greco at rgreco@lsj.com LANSING — Three new firefighters may join the city’s ranks after Lansing City Council witnessed the city’s response to the fatal street-racing crash that happened April 24 on South Martin Luther King Jr Other crashes happened in the city around the same time that night and other agencies were called in to help manage the crash that injured 13 people near Pierce Road Lansing City Council President Ryan Kost said The need for more firefighters and ambulances was already being discussed during this year’s budget hearings on a $173.1 million general fund spending plan but the crash response made some council members commit to more support for the fire department “We haven’t really done a great job on investing in our fire department the way that we should have,” Kost said after a recent council session “Right now we’re sitting on a situation where we’ve got five ambulances/EMTs for fire East Lansing has three and they did 7,000 calls "We are stretching ourselves extremely thin.” The budget proposal has $150,000 for a new full-time firefighter The plan also includes $250,000 "for City Council to allocate to priority budget items as you deem necessary," and Kost said council members would like to use the money to fund two more firefighting positions “After the tragedies that have occurred with the car accident we really saw how stretched thin our EMT and fire department is,” Kost said Lansing Fire Chief Brian Sturdivant confirmed during the department's April 21 budget presentation that staffing levels are a concern He told council he's had 19 firefighters leave He agreed several times as Council member Adam Hussain shared data that he's accrued - some 52 firefighters per day," Hussain said Yet we've had a 60% increase in call volume since that time "We're at a dangerously low staffing level right now," Hussain continued "So I am hoping when we go through this planning processes and we come up with these plans that we are earnest in our efforts to actually execute some of these things." Lansing City Council members continue to discuss Mayor Andy Schor’s proposed proposed budget that would go into effect July 1 Department heads have been presenting their financial needs and concerns to council members who are scheduled to adopt a 2025-26 budget within weeks There are new fees and many fee increases in the proposed budget for everything from park rentals to sports league participation to lifeguard certifications to trash services The mayor’s proposals lays out that a 32-gallon trash cart would jump to $62 every three months from, according to the city's website to $66 for a 65-gallon cart and to $70 for 95-gallon carts “There are going to be some fee increases on different things,” Kost said They’re not like ouch-that-hurts increases.” Daily park rental rates are bumping up $50 to $550 at both Adado Riverfront and Rotary parks and the increase would be $50 to $200 at all other parks Schor said the city will continue working to hire police officers and plans to have the police department be fully staffed this year “We have cadets in the Police Academy now and have approved lateral hires,” Schor said in a budget letter sent to council and shared by Kost I will add more police officers by front loading knowing that retirements are coming in the future." Schor has been proposing that new public safety revenue sharing legislation could provide the city more than $3 million annually and allow the police department to add 10 more police officers support a neighborhood violence prevention office and track crime through a real time crime center The Michigan House of Representatives passed legislation April 22 to increase police funding that gives priority to places dealing with the highest number of violent crimes in the state House Bills 4260 and 4261 would dedicate $115 million annually in sales tax revenue for a new Public Safety and Violence Prevention Fund Lawmakers took up similar legislation in the previous legislative session InfrastructureSpring's here and the potholes are all too clear Kost said the budget recommendations include $10 million for local roads and $1 million for sidewalks There’s also $50,000 for temporary speed bumps Kost said there also is money for permanent speed bumps “My budget invests over $17.5 million in road street and bridge improvements alone,” Schor said in his letter to council the wastewater and sewer system and several other areas of need for our critical aging infrastructure.” What else?Budget presentation will continue May 5 and May 12 at council’s 5 p.m Committee of the Whole meeting at City Hall The committee will consider adopting the budget at the May 19 committee of the whole meeting Contact editor Susan Vela at svela@lsj.com or 248-873-7044 This year marks the 60th anniversary of Dr Ralph Martin’s arrival to the Diocese of Lansing Ralph has become one of the most popular and influential Catholic evangelists in the United States and beyond Director of Communications for the Diocese of Lansing recently met with Ralph near the Ann Arbor offices of Renewal Ministries of which Ralph is both founder and president Anyone who can’t see the youthful sparkle in Dr Despite decades laboring in the vineyard of the Lord Ralph’s love for Jesus Christ and his Holy Church remains visibly undiminished most likely because the foundation of his apostolic life remains unchanged “One of the most important decisions I ever made as a young man was to take some time each day for personal prayer,” says Ralph who begins every morning with a cup of coffee and a prolonged period of prayer in his home office before an icon of Jesus “I knew that my experience of Christ’s love but I also knew that this was the most important relationship in my life and I needed to build prayer into the structure of my daily life to pay attention to the Lord even when I didn’t feel like it.” Ralph remains one of the most influential figures in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal which he sums up as a movement within the Church seeking to “renew or stir up the graces of baptism and confirmation” among lay and ordained Catholics sometimes through the fostering of covenanted communities of like-minded families Despite his long-standing connections to Michigan Ralph is not a native of the Great Lakes State He studied philosophy at Notre Dame University in Indiana and ever further away from his childhood Catholic faith I had become a philosophy major because I wanted to know what the truth Was and the more I got caught up in the relativism of the culture.” All that changed upon encountering the Cursillo movement during the last semester of his senior year at Notre Dame Cursillo is a Catholic apostolate that promotes Christian living and personal growth through a three-day weekend retreat and small group follow-up It was on the second retreat held in South Bend that Ralph found truth in the person of Jesus Christ “It completely opened my life up to a much more radical and personal relationship with the Lord,” says Ralph “I even remember what I said at the end of the Cursillo: ‘I want to spend the rest of my life knowing and loving the Lord and helping other people know and love him too.’ That’s basically the rest of the story That’s what I’ve been trying to do ever since.” It was this radical openness to the prompting of divine grace that first led Ralph to the Diocese of Lansing In the wake of a summer retreat at a monastery jointly discerned that the Lord was calling them to leave doctorate programs in philosophy The episcopal moderator to the Cursillo movement was the Most Reverend Michael Green (1917-82) Bishop Green asked Ralph and Steve to move to Michigan’s capital city to work for the National Office of the Cursillo movement He also requested that both men serve in campus ministry at St John Student Parish at Michigan State University in East Lansing we were having prayer meetings in our apartment on MAC Avenue and we were having a big impact,” he recalls “Some players from the football team were coming and one of the football players really had a big encounter with the Lord and he actually fell on the floor and started saying that scared a couple of girls who worked at the Newman Center so they ran down and told the pastor at the time that things are ‘getting a little emotional here.’” The fallout was as instant as it was dramatic Upon returning home from a leadership training course in Colorado Ralph found himself struggling to unlock his front door I then looked in the window and it wasn’t our furniture John Student Center and also got suspended from our jobs at the Cursillo movement because people didn’t know what to make of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal — it even took us a while to find out where our furniture had gone!” campus ministry quickly gave way to manual labor as Ralph and Steve were hired to dig a sewer line for George Martin who was director of religious education for the Diocese of Lansing It was his job to advise Bishop Alexander Zaleski of Lansing (1906-75) on various important matters including assessing the fruits of the fledgling Catholic Charismatic Renewal Bishop Zaleski of Lansing was the chairman of the Committee on Doctrine for the U.S he published the first official statement in the world about how to understand the Catholic Charismatic Renewal,” recalls Ralph we need to be balanced,’ that type of thing It basically opened the door for Catholic Charismatic Renewal being received as a legitimate renewal movement within the Catholic Church.” This episcopal imprimatur encouraged others to embrace Charismatic Renewal Ralph and his fellow team members were invited to undertake campus ministry at St The impact was so sudden and spectacular — with over 300 students regularly attending prayer meetings in the student chapel — that the pastor of St The result was one of the world’s first charismatic covenant communities and it soon included thousands of local Christians of various ages the Charismatic Movement has continued to have a positive impact on the life of the Diocese of Lansing which is an outgrowth of the charismatic communities,” says Ralph who is himself a parishioner at Christ the King 35 vocations to the priesthood have emerged there’s all those who have been called to the diaconate and religious life — that is what happens when you have people raised in fervent families a nonprofit aimed at fostering growth in holiness and evangelization among Catholics Renewal Ministries was a deliberate pivot away from an interdenominational brand of Charismatic Christianity and towards something more exclusively Catholic “While what was happening in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal was good that’s only one dimension of the whole faith and my concern then really switched — I just wanted to live a full Catholic life,” Ralph says “That’s a full Catholic life that involves the charismatic dimension but also involves the contemplative dimension These help people awaken to the treasures we have in the Church Ralph is still the president of Renewal Ministries He is also teaching at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit having gotten a doctorate in sacred theology from the Angelicum University in Rome He also hosts a popular and long-running program on the Catholic media network EWTN all of whom are practicing their Catholic faith We tried to live a Christ-centered Catholic life We sacrificed to send our kids to Catholic schools We sacrificed to send them to Franciscan University We tried to do all we could to put them in situations where they could own the faith ‘I don’t have a job I can retire from.’ I have a call the Lord has given me until he releases me from that Ralph Martin speaking at a Crisis of Truth Conference in 1982 SIGN UP HERE ContactSign-Up e-newsSitemapOutreach Mass LANSING — The former Hack's Key Shop building in downtown is no more The building was recently purchased by New Vision Lansing, a development group that is building a skyscraper directly across Grand Avenue from the former key shop, which moved to REO Town in 2016 and later closed The building was demolished on April 28 and will be part of the New Vision skyscraper project The entire New Vision project will involve five buildings and roughly $315 million in investments had a demolition permit starting on April 23 The building will become part of the parking structure for the skyscraper and there will be a bridge connecting the structures across Grand Avenue one of the developers behind the New Vision project a three-story office building across the street at 217 S It will become part of the footprint of the skyscraping tower Gentilozzi said the key shop had some historic artifacts including nice door locks that were preserved Gentilozzi said the next big steps for construction will be installing caissons for foundation work into the ground and that should start in about a month Contact Mike Ellis at mellis@lsj.com or 517-267-0415 LANSING — A Lansing School District Board of Education member was investigated for violating board policies in connection with speaking with staff of the district and other ethics concerns School board President Robin Moore said at the May 1 meeting that there had been concerns from district staff members about a board member's communication and interactions with staff The board hired East Lansing-based Thrun Law Firm to conduct the investigation Thrun found that a board member broke board policies concerning how and under what circumstances elected officials for the district can speak to staff as well as board ethics rules MORE: Ex-LPD Lt. who mowed lawns on city time sentenced; concerns raised over ‘lack of remorse’ and did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment May 2 It's not clear what the investigation cost It's also not clear exactly what the board member did or when the investigation started The district's policies on board communication to staff specifically state that any communication between board members and staff said he had no information about the investigation or the board member targeted He declined to release the investigation to the State Journal No disciplinary action was taken at the meeting the board voted 6-1 to approve committing to clarifying its expectations and adding more professional development for board members Trustee Rosalyn Williams was the only no vote Trustees LaVonte Heard and Guillermo Lopez were not present at the vote Trustee Keturah Bouyer is resigning from the board effective May 8 Gilding said a family member of Bouyer took a job out of state and the family is relocating Bouyer in April apologized to the board and Superintendent Ben Shuldiner for raising concerns about Shuldiner's connections to a district contractor earlier this year Bouyer had noted an existing relationship between Shuldiner and one of the executives of GreenLink Education a company seeking a third contract with the district saying she wanted all board members to be aware of a potential conflict LANSING — A couple of freeway projects in the Lansing area could impact drivers during the week of May 5 127 for successive evenings on May 5 and May 6 to allow for the pouring of a new bridge deck the Michigan Department of Transportation said The road will be closed both nights from 6 p.m Drivers should find alternate routes or follow the posted detours a series of ramp and lane closures are planned at the Interstate 96/Lansing Road interchange in Eaton County beginning May 7 The ramp from southbound Lansing Road to westbound I-96 will be closed from 9 a.m One westbound lane of I-96 will be closed between Waverly Road and Lansing Road from 9 a.m And the ramp from northbound Lansing Road to westbound I-96 is scheduled to be closed from 9 a.m The work at the Lansing Road/I-96 interchange is part of a $44 million project that has otherwise been completed It includes rebuilding the bridges at Billwood Highway The Jolly Road bridge work is part of the ongoing Contact Ken Palmer at kpalmer@lsj.com Here is a look at the Greater Lansing high school boys basketball Dream Team and all-area selections for the 2024-25 season CO-PLAYERS OF YEARCameron Hutson▶ School: East Lansing ▶ Accomplishments: The Saint Louis signee helped lead the Trojans to a Division 1 state title He was one of 10 players in the state named to the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan's Best of the Best team and also was a Michigan Sports Writers first team all-state selection in Division 1 ▶ Accomplishments: Torbert was one of 10 players in the state named to the Best of the Best team by BCAM and also was a Michigan Sports Writers first team all-state selection in Division 1 after helping lead the Trojans to a state title Torbert surpassed 1,000 career points this winter and enters his senior season with 1,253 points ▶ Accomplishments: Carswell was a Michigan Sports Writers and BCAM honorable mention all-state selection in Division 1 7.9 rebounds and 5.9 assists while helping the Bulldogs capture a CAAC Red title He ended his career ranked fifth in career points at Mason ▶ Accomplishments: Chiou was a BCAM all-state selection in Division 1 3 assists and 2.2 steals and helped the Wolves capture a district title ▶ Accomplishments: The forward was a Michigan Sports Writers and BCAM honorable mention all-state selection in Division 2 He averaged 11.7 points and 10 rebounds while helping the Raiders capture CAAC White and district championships ▶ Accomplishments: Eklund was named to the top Michigan Sports Writers and BCAM all-state squads in Division 3 after leading the Pirates to CMAC He surpassed 1,000 career points this winter and averaged 17.9 points Eklund shot 39.9% from 3-point range for the Pirates ▶ Accomplishments: Halfmann was named to the Michigan Sports Writers and BCAM top all-state teams in Division 4 after leading the Eagles to a state runner-up finish He led Fowler's balanced offensive attack by averaging 12.2 points 3.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals and ended his career with more than 1,000 points ▶ Accomplishments: Stambaugh was a BCAM all-state performer and Michigan Sports Writers honorable mention all-state selection in Division 1 He ended his career as Mason's all-time leading scorer with 1,104 points Stambaugh also is the program leader in made 3s in a season and a career 2.5 steals and knocked down 78 3-pointers while helping the Bulldogs win the CAAC Red title ▶ Accomplishments: Summerville was a Michigan Sports Writers first team all-state selection in Division 2 and helped the J-Dubbs capture district and regional titles and finish as the CAAC White runners-up knocked down 46 3-pointers and shot 76% from the free-throw line ▶ Accomplishments: Thomas was a Michigan Sports Writers honorable mention all-state selection in Division 1 and helped the Warriors to a runner-up finish in the CAAC Blue and a 20-4 record He averaged 16.7 points and 6.4 rebounds for Waverly East Lansing: Michigan Sports Writers Division 1 coach of the year guided the Trojans to a 28-1 record that included their first state title since 1958 April was a busy month for the Lansing area restaurant and retail scene Ten new eateries and stores opened their doors Leslie's Cheesecakes' first stand-alone production facility and storefront the area's first Dave & Buster's in Lansing Township and D'Nulffos a small seafood and chophouse in East Lansing a fast-casual concept serving African-infused wraps sandwiches and other items near Michigan State University's campus Here's a look at retail stores and restaurants gained and lost in April The details: Sultan's West opened its doors on April 7 relocating from a storefront on East Grand River Avenue in East Lansing The property was previously home to Zaytoon Mediterranean Grill Learn more about Sultan's West on Facebook at "Sultan's West" and on Instagram at "sultans_west." The details: The small seafood and chophouse which shares space with breakfast spot The Morning Post Expect an ever-changing menu at the dinner restaurant with other options that currently include chicken and pasta dishes The space was once home to wood-fired oven pizzeria The Cosmos The Cosmos closed its doors at the property in 2022 Learn more about D'Nulffos online at www.dnulffos.com The details: Marcus Leslie's long-awaited expansion of his bakery to his own space has been at least five years in the making The business opened its doors on April 13 at a leased 3,200-square-foot building that will serve as a production facility and a storefront with walk-in customer hours The bakery makes about 500 cheesecakes a week for Meijer stores throughout the Lansing area and in Detroit and Grand Rapids It sells cakes in two Fresh Tyme Market stores and to individual customers Leslie spent five years growing the business from a small space at Lansing's Allen Neighborhood Center's Accelerator Kitchen Learn more about Mr. Leslie's Cheesecakes at www.mrlesliescheesecakes.com and on Facebook at "Mr. Leslie's Cheesecakes." The details: The Lansing area's first Dave & Buster's opened April 28 near the Eastwood Towne Center The 22,000-square-foot location has been in the works for more than two years an arcade and a full-service restaurant and bar The building has seating for up to 220 people and is expected to employ over 150 The location is the company's fourth in Michigan Learn more about Dave & Buster's at www.daveandbusters.com/us/en/home The details: Bombay Mahal Indian Cuisine opened April 17 in an approximately 2,000-square-foot building located where Oakland Avenue and Saginaw Street meet Owner and head chef Arosh Choudhury's Indian restaurant serves more than 60 dishes including popular items like butter chicken and tandoori chicken vacant for about three months before Choudhury leased it Learn more about Bombay Mahal Indian Cuisine at www.bombaymahalwi.com a New York City-based eyewear brand that sells prescription glasses opened a store in the Eastwood Towne Center on April 15 The 1,534-square-foot storefront was previously occupied by Francesca's Warby Parker opened its first store in 2013 The Lansing Township store is the company's eighth in Michigan Learn more about Warby Parker at www.warbyparker.com The details: Owosso-based coffee roaster and chain Foster Coffee Company opened a location in the city's downtown on April 25 The space was previously home to BlackDog Coffee Barna sold the business to Foster Coffee Company and announced plans to close it in February Foster Coffee Company established itself just over a decade ago and operates two other coffee shops in Owosso and East Lansing said his company has been interested in expanding and approached Barna about buying her business Learn more about Foster Coffee Co. at www.fostercoffee.co The details: La Mulata Restaurant opened its doors in an approximately 2,500-square-foot building on April 26 Owner and Lansing resident Yanelis Lopez said the menu is a mixture of Cuban and Mexican dishes Learn more about La Mulata Restaurant on Facebook at "La Mulata Restaurant." The details: MK Pho Asian Cuisine opened on April 22 Learn more about MK Pho Asian Cuisine on Facebook at "MK Pho Asian Cuisine."   The details: Lebua Thai Bakery & Market opened in early March The business offers to-go meals and Thai desserts Learn more on Facebook at "Lebua Thai Thai" and on Instagram at "lebuathaithai." Century-old former Lansing church to get $4.7M renovation as new MSU Child Development Lab Eaton County public safety tax will be decided May 6. Here's what you need to know according to an announcement on the restaurant's Instagram page about seven months after owner Taiwo Adeleye opened the business near Michigan State University's campus Adeleye didn't respond to a message left on Wednesday regarding the closure and a number listed for the restaurant wasn't in service this week Joseph Highway restaurant who answered the phone on Wednesday declined to cite a reason for the location's closure The company also operates restaurants in Lansing's Old Town and off West Lake Lansing Road Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInLANSING (WILX)—According to the Ingham County Traffic Alert both northbound and southbound lanes on US-127 at the Jolly and Dunkel Rd exit are shut down due to an accident Northbound lanes at I-96 have also been shut down due to the crash Officials ask people to seek an alternative route and to avoid the area Stick with News 10 as we continue to gather information EAST LANSING ― At the beginning of the new millennium Michigan State University was a drastically different place compared to today Campus buildings were still being equipped with internet such as the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams the STEM Teaching and Learning Facility and the still-under-construction Multicultural Center were still years away MSU men's basketball team won the school's second national championship which drew comparisons to the squad 25 years ago that was led by Mateen Cleaves It fell short after losing its game against Auburn in the Elite Eight Students achieving their degrees this weekend are graduating into a different world than those 25 years ago the missions and traditions of the university have remained the same Here a look at what MSU was like in 2000 compared to today 2000: MSU had a total enrollment of 43,366 The Eli Broad College of Business was the most popular college 2025: MSU had a total enrollment of 52,089 The College of Social Science is the most popular college The College of Engineering is a close second 2000: A student taking 15 credits paid about $4,600 for two semesters 2025: Flat rate for freshmen students taking 12-18 credits is about $16,000 for two semesters one-bath apartments costs $1,100 to $1,200 a month 2000: MSU often asks notable past graduates to speak at commencement ceremonies and 25 years ago that included Jeffrey Cole a 1970 MSU Honors College alum and the former chairman and CEO of Ferrous Processing and Trading Company 2025: Mat Ishbia will address graduates this year, 25 years after he was a student on campus. Ishbia, who was a walk-on on the 2000 national title basketball team, is now president and CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage and the owner of the NBA's Phoenix Suns and WNBA's Phoenix Mercury (WILX) - People around the world watched the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday and community members in Lansing joined in on the tradition by holding the 2nd Annual Kentucky Derby Gala People who attended the gala got the chance to get into the persona as those who attended the actual Kentucky Derby the Kentucky Derby gala allowed community members to give back by putting on a fundraiser to help raise money for Hospice of Lansing Heather Vida with Hospice of Lansing shared what this event is really about “It really is about coming together as a group and to celebrate just some different opportunities of community and friendship “It is also a way for us also remember some of our loved ones that we’ve been able to take care of and just working with this organization has really meant a lot to me personally It really makes a difference to the patients and to the families in our community.” Subscribe to our News 10 newsletter and YouTube page to receive the latest local news and weather. Looking to hire people, or grow your business through advertising? Gray Digital Media is your one-stop marketing solution. Learn more Paisely Hansen had two RBI and Molly Schlak had a home run while helping the Eagles top Division 4 No 5-ranked Plymouth Christian Academy in the title game of the Fowler Invitational Selena Stump allowed just three hits and two earned runs while earning the pitching win Saige Miller had two hits and two runs in that victory and also went 3-for-3 with four RBI and three runs scored in the win over Ionia Addison Spicer and Natalie Smith each drove in three runs for the Eagles against Ionia Kali lOrdiway struck out 10 and allowed one run in a combined six innings of work while helping the Greyhounds to a sweep of Springport Mallory Smith went 3-for-4 with three RBI and Maegan Schutte went 4-for-4 with three RBI and two runs in the 14-3 victory for Eaton Rapids Maddy Putnam had a home run and four RBI and Schutte hit a home run for the Greyhounds FOWLER -- Carson Chapin went 2-for-4 with three RBI and Joey Schild drove in three runs while helping Mason top Ionia in the title game at the Fowler Invite Gerrit Koot struck out eight and allowed just one run in six innings in a win over Ionia Mason scored three runs over the final two innings to rally to a win over Plymouth Christian Academy in its opener BIRCH RUN -Carson Moore and Santiago each had a triple and RBI to help Owoss po past Millington in the finale of the Birch Run Cat Classic Liam PAtrick and Eden Ackley combined on the mound to pitch the Trojans (13-4) to the win Norton and Santiago Aguirre each had a hit in the opening loss to host Birch Run Brayden Simon had a double and three RBI and Jerryd Scheurer had two doubles for St Tyler Thelen had two hits and drove in four runs to lead the way for the Shamrocks in a win over St walked one and allowed an unearned run in seven innings while helping Leslie earn a doubleheader split Parker Franklin went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI in the win for Leslie 2 singles while helping Owosso finish with 13 points at its own invitational Mount Pleasant also had 13 points at the invite while Ovid-Elsie had 11 and Eastern had three points Callie Morrison and Caroline Parsons went 3-0 at No 2 doubles and Emma Burnham and Bree Fleischer won all three of their matches at No BOYS TRACKOVID-ELSIE MARAUDER LIONS CLUB INVITE Clay Powell (800) and Travis Milner (400) were individual winners while helping Ovid-Elsie win its own invite while Bath was the runner-up with 133 points GIRLS TRACKOVID-ELSIE MARAUDER LIONS CLUB INVITE Destiny McDaniels was the champion in the 300 hurdles and long jump while helping Bath win the invite with 106 points Anna Poppema was the 800 champion for Bath Perry/s Abigail Cochrane won the 100 and 200 Viv Hagen had six goals and an assists while surpassing 100 career points for Lansing Catholic in its nonleague win Josie Sarata had two goals and an assist and Katelyn Melling had six saves (WILX) -Community members got the chance to connect with one another at free comic book day and the inaugural Capital Area Community Festival People who attended could purchase various items from 30 vendors people could also enjoy food and entertainment from local food trucks and local artists So we’ve all kind of had this stigma around downtown being dead and there’s nothing to do and nowhere to go So my thought was if I could bring something in that everybody could do and everybody leave with something that was the biggest part for me for today,” Michelle Hardy This was the first year for the festival and the 8th year for the free comic book event A 1-year-old girl from Ingham County is the latest in a growing number of people from Michigan — and across the U.S may have exposed others to the extremely contagious virus from April 4 to April 8 at multiple sites in Okemos including on the Michigan State University campus Anyone who was at the following locations on these dates and times may have been exposed according to the Ingham County Health Department: Measles is so contagious 90% of people without immunity to the virus from vaccination with the measles mumps rubella (MMR) vaccine or previous infection will become ill after exposure the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported The virus remains in the air for as long as two hours after a person with the infection leaves a room People can be contagious four days before the telltale rash appears and up to four days after the rash starts Health leaders urge anyone who may have been exposed to monitor for symptoms for 21 days after the date of potential exposure or hospital emergency department to ensure precautions are taken to avoid exposing others “We are closely monitoring this case and taking it very seriously,” said Dr “Measles is highly contagious and can lead to severe complications pregnant individuals and those with weakened immune systems." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention measles symptoms typically start within seven-14 days of exposure but also have been known to appear as long as 21 days after initial exposure and can include: How many measles cases have been reported in Michigan this year?The baby girl from Ingham County is the fifth person in Michigan to contract the measles this year As of April 10, there have been 712 confirmed measles cases in the U.S this year in 24 states — more than double the number of cases nationally in all of 2024 about 70% were among children and teenagers and 97% were among people who were either unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown More: Michigan's 1st 2025 measles case reported, likely exposing others at 2 Rochester locations More: Traveler with measles exposed others at Detroit Metro, Grand Rapids airports: What to know long-term disability and death in people of all ages So far this year, 79 people in the U.S. with confirmed measles cases have been hospitalized for treatment — that's about 11% of the 712 confirmed infections nationally. The vast majority — 65 of the 79 who were hospitalized — were younger than the age of 20 About 1 in 20 children with measles develops pneumonia. Roughly 1 out of every 1,000 children with measles infections will also have encephalitis Brain swelling from encephalitis can lead to convulsions Anywhere from 1 to 3 of every 1,000 children with measles dies from respiratory or neurologic complications from the virus People who contract measles during pregnancy also are more likely to develop pneumonia and be hospitalized The virus can cause miscarriage and stillbirth as well as trigger preterm birth and lead to lower birth weights The CDC has confirmed two deaths from measles in the U.S Make sure you and your loved ones are fully vaccinated with the measles Two doses are about 97% effective at preventing measles The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the following when it comes to the measles A first dose for children at 12 months-15 months old with a booster dose administered between ages 4 and 6.Anyone born during or after 1957 without evidence of immunity against measles or documentation of having been vaccinated with two doses of MMR vaccine should get vaccinated The second dose should be given no sooner than 28 days after the first.People exposed to measles who cannot document immunity against the virus should get post-exposure prophylaxis — a dose of the vaccine to potentially provide protection within 72 hours of initial exposure or immunoglobulin within six days of exposure.The CDC changed its recommendations in 1989 from one dose of the MMR vaccine to two doses which provides longer-lasting and more robust protection People born between 1957-1989 who have had just a single dose of the vaccine may be at a higher risk of contracting the virus in an outbreak setting.Where can I get a measles vaccine?Ingham County residents can get an MMR vaccine at the health department’s immunization clinic 3 when entering the building and go to the second floor.) Walk in hours are: MMR vaccines also are available through primary care providers and pharmacies Medicaid and most private insurance plans cover the MMR vaccine at no cost Low- to no-cost vaccines also are available at local public health department offices Children eligible for the Vaccines for Children program also may receive the vaccine from a provider enrolled in that program at no cost. To learn more, go to: Vaccines for Children (VFC): Information for Parents | CDC The Oakland County Health Division offices in Southfield and Pontiac also have MMR vaccines available 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m In Macomb County, call 586-469-5372 or visit the Immunization Clinics webpage to learn more about vaccination services available (This story has been updated with new information.) Contact Kristen Shamus: kshamus@freepress.com Subscribe to the Free Press. I’m your state capitol reporter Alonna Johnson (The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story) shopping small means celebrating a graduating college student "We generally want to craft one-of-a-kind experiences for people," Copper Moon co-owner Lynn Lucas The co-owners of Copper Moon event space are among the thousands of small business owners in Michigan The Small Business Association of Michigan says there are more than 900,000 small businesses in the Great Lakes State and people are incredibly supportive," Lucas said Neighbors around Old Town are celebrating the kickoff of Small Business Week — a week dedicated to supporting local businesses it’s not just residents feeling the strain "We are concerned about the economy and see slower foot traffic than some times we've seen," Twiggies' owner Beth Herendeen said HEAR MORE ABOUT TWIGGIES FROM OWNER BETH HERENDEEN Twiggies' owner Beth Herendeen says shopping small means sharing creativity with others "It has been joyful to be able to create things for people," Herendeen said shopping small also means building community with the neighbors who walk these very streets "You share your customers with your neighbors "One wanting to support the other," Copper Moon co-owner Matt Schultheiss said Here is a look at the latest individuals in the running to be voted the LSJ high school athlete of the week Voting is open until noon Wednesday to determine a winner Request desktop version of browsing app if the poll doesn't immediately appear Know of a worthy LSJ high school athlete of the week Send nominations to bcalloway@lsj.com by Sunday evening each week Davenport contributed to the Yellowjackets sweeping Division 3 top-ranked Evart on April 30 She threw a one-hitter and struck out 11 in a 1-0 win to open the doubleheader The Jackson College signee followed by going 2-for-3 with a three-run triple in Ithaca’s 7-6 win in the finale Okemos track and fieldThe sophomore broke the school record in the 200 while winning the event with a time of 25.47 seconds at the Davison Twilight Classic on May 2 Hawks was the runner-up in the 100 at the meet with a personal-best time of 12.36 seconds and was fourth in the long jump Hawks set a personal record with her jump of 17-4.25 in the long jump and also won the 100 and 200 Fowler softballThe junior shortstop and Maryland commit helped the Eagles capture the title at their own invitational May 3 four RBIs and five runs scored in a 17-2 win over Ionia and a 9-2 victory over Division 4 No Steinman was the medalist at the CAAC Cup at Timber Ridge on May 1 while helping the Panthers finish as the team champion He also was the champion at a league match at Forest Akers East and shot a 37 Last week's winner: Tori Lator chasing another record and strong finish for Mason girls track Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com LANSING, Mich. — Sam from J&L talks about how to find the right contractor for your project. For more information please visit JLRestoration.com or call (517) 322-3000 — Monday and Tuesday: A gloomy start to Monday will cloudy skies will greet you as you head out the door cloudy skies break and some sunshine moves in Monday's high temperature should be about 64°F scattered showers start to move in and become widespread overnight,t leading into Tuesday Tuesday: Tuesday's rain is expected to be more widespread and could impact your morning commute Widespread rain can be slightly heavy at times we should start to dry out after 6:00 p.m. Temperatures come in slightly cooler at about 61°F on the backend of this system that will start to make it's way out of our area by Wednesday Wednesday: High pressure starts building in and marks the beginning of a nice stretch of days that continue through the weekend yielding lots of sunshine and nice temperatures Thursday through Sunday: Sunshine dominates and temperatures continue in the mid-upper 60s and climb to the low 70s by Saturday although Saturday is expected to be mostly sunny a new developing system is trying to organize Want to learn more about the Weather? Visit the FOX47News Website Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook – Sahid Valenzuela slapped a game-winning RBI single through a drawn-in infield in the bottom of the 10th inning and the Lansing Lugnuts (16-11) walked off the Lake County Captains (15-12) on a rainy Sunday afternoon at Jackson® Field™ The victory clinched a six-game series split with the defending league champions and gave the Lugnuts a 7-5 record to conclude a season-long 12-game homestand the Nuts had been held to just one hit by four Captains pitchers: a bloop single to right from Nate Nankil in the fourth inning But with Clark Elliott at second base to open the bottom of the 10th Casey Yamauchi was hit by Jack Jasiak’s first pitch and Nick Schwartz sacrificed the runners to second and third worked the count to 2-2 before rapping a Jasiak pitch through the left side of the infield bringing in Elliott with Lansing’s second walk-off win of the season Wrapped the homestand with a Sahid walkoff! pic.twitter.com/NLGbZfxyRU The Captains had threatened to score in each of the first four innings against Lugnuts starter Yunior Tur but went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine leaving the bases loaded in the second and fourth innings Jake Garland blanked the Captains in the sixth and seven and Gustavo Rodriguez had no troubles in a perfect ninth Blaze Pontes allowed a one-out single to Alfonsin Rosario but retired Ralphy Velazquez on a shallow flyout to right and Jose Devers on a popout to short to finish the pen’s fifth scoreless inning of relief and set the stage for Valenzuela’s heroics the Nuts open a huge six-game series Tuesday at first place West Michigan the first of 21 meetings between the archrivals The next Lansing Lugnuts homestand arrives May 13-18 vs. South Bend. Tickets are available at the stadium box office, (517) 485-4500 or online at milb.com/lansing — Sunday: Rain moves in as a low-pressure system makes its way near our area Neighbors in our southern area of like Hillsdale and Coldwater The rain ramps up as we get into our nighttime hours Temperatures should reach a high of about 59° cooler than our normal for this time of year feels like temperatures will be in the mid-upper 30s if you are heading early in the morning Monday and Tuesday: Showers should continue to keep things wet Both days present showers that are expected to move through during the day and night Monday's rainfall is tracking a more isolated pattern Tuesday's rain is expected to be more widespread and could impact your morning commute Temperatures will start to rebound back into the mid-60s on Monday and hold in the sixties through Friday Wednesday could come in a touch warmer at about 70°.F there is still a chance for some daytime showers The day is expected to be partly cloudy overall and temperatures continue in the mid-upper 60s and climb to the low 70s by Saturday as we benefit from high pressure An addiction recovery program in Ypsilanti Unarmed crisis response teams in Ann Arbor 302 Michigan municipalities and tribes each got a slice of this year’s pie—at a rate of about $58,000 for every licensed retailer and microbusiness that’s operating in their jurisdiction And after five straight years of marijuana sales directly padding city budgets some of the state’s more pot-friendly communities are starting to see what all that tax money can actually do “This is cash that can go into anything,” Lansing Mayor Andy Schor told The MichiGanja Report we hired a new firefighter and a code compliance officer because of the money that we get from this tax revenue.” Michigan’s 10% excise tax on recreational cannabis brought in over $331 million in 2024 About 70% of that revenue is split up annually between the state’s School Aid Fund and the Michigan Transportation Fund which goes out to support millions of students in the state’s public schools as well as fund road repair and bridge maintenance projects statewide The rest is handed out directly to the cities and tribes that have opted into legal marijuana sales—all based on how many licensed retailers they have in their jurisdiction For most Michigan cities—including Lansing and Grand Rapids—that tax money goes straight into their respective general funds where it goes on to help support a wide range of public services from parks and public safety to infrastructure and economic development But that also means the cannabis connection isn’t always obvious to local residents “It’s an extra $1.4 million that we can use for anything,” Schor said “It’s a drop in the bucket for a $300 million city budget An extra firefighter or code compliance officer on the street is going to make our city a safer place Schor said the Capital City has dealt with growing pains as some dispensaries have closed in recent years appears to have “stabilized” locally—which means the city is also starting to bank on the tax revenue as an integral part of the budget there are less things that we can do to provide services for our citizens,” he said we can legitimately say thanks to the cannabis industry City officials in Detroit told The MichiGanja Report that all of this year’s cannabis tax revenue will go into the general fund where it will indiscriminately support all city services and programs In Benton Harbor, city officials have also said they plan to put this year’s $233,000 cannabis tax windfall toward public safety and police protection, ultimately supporting “everything from police cars to the gas and payroll,” City Manager Alex Little told Bridge Michigan in February And in Monroe Township, where weed taxes account for nearly 20% of its meager $5.8 million annual budget the taxes from weed sales will inevitably end up funding … a bit of everything have taken a more deliberate approach to spending tax revenue In 2021, the Ann Arbor City Council passed a resolution directing all cannabis excise tax revenue to be tracked separately from other revenue sources—and reserved for programs focused on mental health The idea was to reinvest cannabis profits into the very communities most harmed by decades of weed criminalization that includes funding for deflection and diversion services to keep people out of jail funding to support a homeless shelter downtown and a still-developing “unarmed crisis response team” modeled after similar efforts in bigger cities like Atlanta and Denver “If you compare it to other revenue sources But it’s enough to get some important work done in the community,” Ann Arbor CFO Marti Praschan told The MichiGanja Report “It seemed like a natural progression—to help those in need without having to make cuts elsewhere It’s new revenue that segued into an opportunity to do some good work.” Beyond the nearly $100 million in disbursements to local municipalities and tribes this year more than $116 million in cannabis tax revenue was also sent to support public schools and fund road repairs But not everyone thinks Michigan’s cannabis tax system is fully baked Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently proposed a new plan to raise $470 million a year for roads by imposing a new, 32% wholesale tax on marijuana—on top of the existing 10% excise tax and 6% sales tax already paid by consumers. The idea, part of her broader “MI Road Ahead” plan aims to align cannabis taxes with other tobacco products and help fill more potholes statewide The proposal is already making waves in the industry with some retailers warning that it could drive up prices But Whitmer has called Michigan’s current taxing structure one of the most “industry-friendly” in the country—suggesting there’s more to be milked from the cash cow READ MORE: 6 quick hits of cannabis news from across Michigan Want more cannabis news delivered right to your inbox? Click here to sign up for The MichiGanja Report—our free twice-a-month newsletter about all things marijuana Thank you for taking the time to read our work we hope you'll consider supporting our values-driven journalism which has always strived to make clear what's really at stake for Michiganders and our future our goal here at The 'Gander has always been to empower people across the state with fact-based news and information We believe that when people are armed with knowledge about what's happening in their local and federal governments—including who is working on their behalf and who is actively trying to block efforts aimed at improving the daily lives of Michigan families—they will be inspired to become civically engaged MICHIGAN—The grass is always greener in the Mitten These 10 Michigan events offer plenty of weed MICHIGAN—Welcome to the whirlwind world of weed Michigan’s marijuana market is bustling with fresh.. From studying Alzheimer's disease to pioneering cleaner Bud & Mary’s is working to set new standards in Michigan’s cannabis.. MICHIGAN—The wild world of recreational cannabis never slows down And Michigan’s marijuana industry is certainly no exception The wild world of recreational cannabis never slows down Michiganders know good joints and how to roll them we asked them to crown the kings of Michigan’s pre-roll scene These eight brands were recognized as being among the best pre-rolled joints in the state Tired of dry pre-rolled joints that hit like sawdust Freds Lab is rolling up something actually worth smoking The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported and some features of this site may not work as intended Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer.  LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will begin multiple ramp and lane closures at the I-96/Lansing Road interchange in Eaton County for rebuilding on Wednesday The overall project includes rebuilding the eastbound and westbound I-96 bridges over Billwood Highway Most of the work has already been completed in 2023 and 2024 with road work and crossover removal taking place this year we are moving dirt and fixing the damn roads to grow our economy drop their kids off at school and run errands safely," said Gov repaired or replaced nearly 24,500 lane miles of roads and 1,900 bridges local jobs without raising taxes by a dime let's build on our momentum to pass a bipartisan local road funding plan so we can keep fixing our damn roads and creating good-paying This project is part of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Rebuilding Michigan program to rebuild the state highways and bridges that are critical to the state's economy and carry the most traffic The investment strategy is aimed at fixes that result in longer useful lives and improves the condition of the state's infrastructure Westbound I-96 will have one lane closed from Waverly Road to Lansing Road from 9 a.m The northbound Lansing Road ramp to westbound I-96 will be closed from 9 a.m MDOT University Region Media Representative JenkinsA10@Michigan.gov - The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the City of Jackson will replace the water main on I-94 Business Loop (BL) (Michigan Avenue/Glick Highway) between Martin Luther King Jr and on M-106 (Cooper Street) between I-94 BL and Pearl Street in Jackson beginning Monday -​Work to improve the M-33 bridge over Lake State Railroad/Old M-76 in Arenac County - The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is investing about $6.5 million to resurface about 5.5 miles of M-26 from US-45 to the M-38 west junction in Ontonagon County - The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will close Jolly Road at US-127 for a bridge deck pour beginning Monday night in Lansing - The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will be closing two lanes on westbound M-58 (Davenport Avenue) from Avalon Avenue to M-84 (Bay Street) in Saginaw starting May 5 to place pavement markings in preparation for the conversion of the roadway into a two-way road with a temporary center turn lane - The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is investing about $126,000 in underground storm sewer repair and roadway rebuilding on I-75 Business Spur (BS) in Sault Ste - The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is investing about $116,000 to pave an existing gravel lot and create a new carpool lot on US-41 southeast of Lake Street in the city of Marquette - As part of the Michigan Department of Transportation's (MDOT) two-year $31.7 million investment to repave I-94 between Coloma and Watervliet work is set to start Monday to repair the Hennessey Road bridge over I-94 -The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will be making ditch and slope repairs in areas along M-53 from Bowers Road to Deanville Road in Lapeer County The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is responsible for Michigan’s nearly 10,000-mile state highway system It is the backbone of Michigan’s 120,000-mile highway The Official Guide to MDOT Contact MDOT MDOT has seven region offices and several geographically located Transportation Service Centers (TSCs) in each region that handle transportation-related construction and maintenance programs The TSCs are designed to respond to the transportation needs of local communities for the highest level customer service Get personalized voter information on early voting and other topics Michigan.gov/Vote Can you really say you're from Lansing if you haven't heard of Big Penny I'd love to say if you haven't hit Big Penny but I am not sure that it is that easy to hit her.. actually has many warning systems in place even before you get close to the bridge or whatever you might have may be too big to fit under the bridge It might sound crazy to hit something that is warning you but the 88 trucks that have hit Big Penny since 2004 I don't think we've ever seen an inside point of view though when someone crashes into Big Penny but there are a couple key points to point out here There are flashing lights on top of the bridge basically warning oncoming drivers of the upcoming bridge They ONLY activate if you're about to smash into the bridge The truck did sustain physical damage to it for when you want to have a built-in sunroof The internet is definitely having fun with this one too in an online Reddit thread Commentbyu/Unbroken_Fluid from discussioninlansing People are also pointing out the obvious as well.. Comment byu/Unbroken_Fluid from discussion inlansing Comment byu/Unbroken_Fluid from discussion inlansing Can you really say you're from Lansing if you haven't heard of Big Penny I'd love to say if you haven't hit Big Penny Read More We got our hands on another Too Tall Truck Munching live action video!! Ever wondered what it's like to get munched by Big Penny Check out this dashcam footage that an anonymous source sent our way It shows the moment that a Too Tall Truck driver was mistakenly munched by Penny The bridge was relatively unscathed but the truck received $28,000 of damage!\n\n*Please note it took awhile for us to receive this video Commentbyu/Unbroken_Fluid from discussioninlansing Comment byu/Unbroken_Fluid from discussion inlansing Comment byu/Unbroken_Fluid from discussion inlansing (WILX) - The man accused of fatally attacking a Fowlerville man will stand trial the Ingham County Prosecutor’s office told News 10 faces one count of involuntary manslaughter for an assault in January that led to the death of a 20-year-old from Fowlerville Gaines assaulted 20-year-old Caleb Shermoe outside of an East Lansing restaurant on the 300 block E Grand River Ave just before 1:30 a.m Shermoe would be taken to U of M Health Sparrow for his injuries The case was bound over to the Circuit Court on Thursday READ MORE: Lansing man facing charges for death of Fowlerville man in East Lansing assault EAST LANSING — Caleb Shermoe fell backward, hit his head on the pavement and died after being punched in the face during an altercation outside a restaurant in January a judge ruled there was enough evidence for the man who punched him to proceed toward trial on an involuntary manslaughter charge Evidence presented in a preliminary hearing indicated David Gaines Jr. Shermoe fell backward and hit his head on the pavement outside Raising Cane's on East Grand River Avenue in East Lansing Shermoe died several days later from blunt force trauma 18 altercation were visible on video presented in court by Ingham County Prosecutor John Dewane A video shot by a bystander showed Gaines lunging toward Shermoe and punching him in the face Dewane argued that Gaines was the aggressor and assaulted Shermoe twice first by shoving him and then by punching him about 30 seconds later Gaines also told people around him to turn off their phones and said he was going to "knock him out," before the punch was thrown Defense attorney Dustyn Coontz described Shermoe's death as a tragedy but suggested Gaines was acting in self-defense and couldn't have foreseen that punching Shermoe would lead to his death He said Shermoe was highly intoxicated and was acting aggressively 54B District Judge Molly Hennessey Greenwalt disagreed saying Gaines "traveled a significant distance Any self-defense argument is for a jury to consider Coontz said Shermoe's death was a tragedy but didn't necessarily result from a criminal act and we look forward to a jury being able to weigh all of the evidence Gaines is free on bond as the case moves to Ingham County Circuit Court Involuntary manslaughter carries a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison upon conviction Contact Ken Palmer at kpalmer@lsj.com then a lieutenant in the Lansing Police Department picked up work equipment he kept at the department's shooting range in DeWitt Township he returned and once again passed the view of LPD security cameras at the end of another workday his day wasn't spent investigating cases or responding to calls And what he picked up and returned — lawn mowing equipment — had nothing to do with his job as a detective Wilcox was mowing lawns for his side business while on the clock for the city according to a Michigan State Police investigation That wasn't an isolated day and lawn care wasn't Wilcox's only outside employment prompted by an LPD captain's own investigation and surveillance revealed other ways Wilcox defrauded the city out of at least $18,500 across several years There were personal trips with his city-owned vehicle including four hours for an April 2024 incident that required the city's tactical response team Cell phone records put Wilcox's personal phone in Washington Wilcox also used police resources to get information about his ex-wife and her new boyfriend and had a tracking device and a covert video alarm clock mailed to him at the police department according to a small sample of the trove of evidence State Police investigators collected The full scope of what Wilcox may have done will likely never be known publicly State Police said the agency would release the full file from its nine-month investigation for $675,000 But details in the 60 pages the State Journal received raise serious questions about how Wilcox — a 23-year department veteran and former union representative — could brazenly violate city policy and embezzle potentially tens of thousands of dollars without any of his coworkers in the detective bureau or supervisors noticing There had been rumors and jokes about Wilcox mowing lawns while on the clock for the city for about 15 years Justin Moore told a State Police investigator Wilcox was friends with high-ranking people in the department adding that was why Moore believed the moonlighting on city time wasn't discovered earlier Moore twice brought the issue to then-Assistant Chief Rob Backus Backus first told Moore that he couldn't file a complaint just based on rumors after Moore started tracking when Wilcox arrived to and left work told the State Journal that the description of his conversations with Moore lined up with his recollection He added that the fact finding he asked Moore to do related to information Moore had learned after the first conversation "When someone says 'I think something is happening,' I am going to request something more concrete to go along with an investigation," he said Backus told the State Journal he had not heard jokes and rumors about Wilcox mowing lawns declined MSP's request to interview his client but said they would answer written questions admitted to working outside the department without approval using his department vehicle for personal use and mowing lawns while being paid by the city He said he could not recall a particular instance in which he submitted overtime hours while not working overtime Wilcox and O'Keefe declined a State Journal interview request Mayor Andy Schor declined an interview request but sent a statement I have the utmost confidence in the leadership of LPD to conduct an internal investigation into this former employee and the circumstances that led to the charges against him," he said Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney Kelsey Guernsey whose office took the case after Ingham County prosecutors recused themselves due to the conflict of interest He pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor weeks later through a plea agreement with Guernsey's office He's scheduled for sentencing on May 1 by 54A District Court Judge Cynthia Ward He faces probation or a maximum of a year in jail if Ward determines Wilcox embezzled more than $200 and opts for a jail sentence The charge also includes a fine of $2,000 or three times the value Wilcox retired and the city's Police and Fire Retirement System Board Wilcox would have forfeited that pension if he'd been convicted of the original charge Moore took over the detective bureau in late summer 2023 by which point he'd already heard more than a decade of rumors and jokes about Wilcox mowing lawns That same year, according to the MSP records, Moore brought the issue to Backus, LPD's second in command who Schor named chief in July 2024 Backus told Moore that he couldn't file a complaint based on rumors Moore then started documenting when Wilcox arrived and left work including days when he arrived late or left early Moore brought more of what he'd learned to Backus who told Moore that he needed to do more fact finding Moore's investigation and surveillance was active in spring 2024 Lansing police responded to a critical incident and Wilcox who had not requested time off for that day he was wearing street clothes with grass clippings on them Moore later surveilled an area where he thought Wilcox mowed lawns and on back-to-back Fridays he photographed Wilcox cutting grass while on the clock for the city Wilcox no longer kept his lawn mowing equipment at LPD's shooting range near the Capital Region International Airport Moore told MSP that Wilcox had done so in 2022 Moore said that he reviewed and saved LPD security video from 2022 that showed — between April 22 2022 — Wilcox picking up his lawn mowing equipment 24 times State Police determined Wilcox was working for LPD on 15 of those days and the city paid him $5,227 for 116 hours Other outside jobs and unworked overtime payWilcox's outside employment wasn't just mowing lawns also known as the National Testing Network a private company that helps police departments with hiring and promotions Wilcox sat on interview panels and sometimes did so while on the job for the city including 264 hours across 33 days that State Police documented estimating more than $12,000 in city wages for work he didn't do There was even one day in July 2022 when State Police believe Wilcox was paid by the city Ergometrics and was seen on LPD video picking up lawn mowing equipment from the city's shooting range Moore believed Wilcox also falsified overtime records including several instances when he was Wilcox's supervisor Moore also told State Police he wasn't the only LPD supervisor with concerns about Wilcox's overtime who started having someone else approve his overtime Wilcox told MSP he couldn't recall a specific time when he put in for overtime pay that he didn't work some relating to Wilcox's role on the Special Tactics and Rescue Team Wilcox submitted more overtime than others on scene for the same incident or was on scene for less time but submitted the full hours Wilcox was assigned a city-owned vehicle and gas card MSP used license plate reader cameras in Michigan cell phone records and Wilcox's gas card to document personal trips to Chicago which was an approved use of Wilcox's work time while he sat on the city's police and fire pension board Moore told MSP that Wilcox was last on the board in 2022 but attended pension conferences on city time in 2024 State Police obtained search warrants for Wilcox's office They found several cell phones in his office along with $1,800 in cash believed to be for his lawn mowing business And they found the receipts and packaging for a vehicle GPS tracker and alarm clock with a covert camera The State Journal also sent a public records request to Lansing police for information it sent to MSP and for Wilcox's personnel file deny records or give a cost and time estimate by the April 28 deadline Wilcox is scheduled to be sentenced on May 1 which started last year but waited until the conclusion of the MSP investigation It's unclear what can come from that investigation Backus said this week that the investigation will look at whether anyone else was involved and how it was handled A city board approved Wilcox's retirement and pension in March is based on the "highest two consecutive years of annual compensation." For Wilcox those two years could reflect salaries inflated by his criminal conduct although that information is not publicly available Contact reporter Matt Mencarini at mjmencarini@lsj.com LANSING — Police on April 29 released more details about racing-related crashes that killed a 15-year-old boy and injured a dozen other people last week and tied up numerous officers and emergency responders for hours on a major south Lansing throroughfare They also indicated it may be awhile before the investigation in finished "We are still not there yet," Lansing Police Chief Rob Backus said during a news conference noting that one victim remained in critical condition and any potential criminal charges will be influenced by speed determinations injury outcomes and other details that are "It's going to take some time before we know where this ends up ultimately they are aware of it and they are prepared." Backus spoke a few hours before police announced that the boy Investigators believe two drivers were racing southbound touching off a series of collisions involving five vehicles along a block-long stretch of the roadway "That's why it's important to do a complete investigation." A 19-year-old man driving a Chevrolet Malibu and a 23-year-old man driving a Jeep Cherokee appear to have been racing The Jeep hit another vehicle at the intersection of Pierce where it struck a heavy duty Ford truck head-on Police earlier said the driver of the vehicle at Pierce was trying to make a legal turn. All five vehicles had "multiple passengers," Backus said The driver of the Malibu was ejected through the windshield and he and his 15-year-old male passenger were hospitalized with critical injuries The driver has since recovered and been released from the hospital The boy's death was announced hours after Backus and Lansing Mayor Andy Schor spoke to reporters The driver of the Jeep and his two passengers suffered minor injuries The other crash victims had injuries that ranged from potential broken bones to cuts to general reports of pain Police believe the driver of the Malibu was ejected because he was not wearing a seatbelt A crash reconstruction team will determine how fast the vehicles were traveling and who was at fault Investigators can't request charges until they have more facts and know what the injury outcomes will be "It's the difference in charging someone (with) reckless driving causing serious injury and the potential reckless driving or a related homicide charge," he said Tuesday's news conference came five days after the crash a delay Backus attributed to "scheduling conflicts." He acknowledged it should have happened "several days ago." There were reports from a City Council member over the weekend that arrests had been made who released a statement about the crash on April 25 said police are doing their best to combat speeding across the city employing overtime patrols for "Operation Slowdown" and "problem-solving" officers assigned to monitor car groups or clubs on weekends Police made 818 traffic stops and issued 463 citations in the area of South MLK they'd made 244 stops and issued 203 tickets in that area "We know that we are facing an uphill battle with this." Schor said Ingham County and other jurisdictions also have seen a problem with speeding He said Lansing has 400 miles of roads and "can't put a cop on every mile." Even so and he's heard from some of those who have been ticketed Schor said his new budget proposal includes funding for 10 more officers and he's waiting for the state Legislature to pass public safety revenue sharing to allow for more officers The mayor said he's convinced that "red light cameras" are one of the city's best options That would allow for speeding citations to be issued without requiring a large number of new officers That strategy has been effective in places such as Providence but such cameras are not permitted in Michigan LANSING — A former Lansing Police Department lieutenant was sentenced to 10 months of probation and ordered to pay $18,500 in restitution to the city although prosecutors also asked for a few weekends in jail which under state law he would have forfeited if convicted of a felony related to his job Wilcox worked in the department for more than two decades and for much of that time there were rumors and jokes about him mowing lawns for his business while on the clock for the city according to Michigan State Police reports which the State Journal obtained through a public records request Wilcox acknowledged some of the rumors and jokes when he met with the probation department before sentencing 54A District Court Judge Cynthia Ward said during the hearing on May 1 Wilcox worked two jobs outside the police department while still being paid by the city He ran his own lawn mowing business and even kept his equipment at LPD's shooting range near the Capital Area International Airport Police security cameras recorded him picking up and returning his lawn mowing equipment while he was supposed to be working He also submitted overtime hours he didn't work used his city vehicle and gas card for personal trips and used LPD resources to get information about his ex-wife and her new boyfriend The police department's internal investigation is ongoing and it will look at how Wilcox's actions went unreported More: Will full scope of LPD lieutenant’s moonlighting ever be known? Records give glimpse of what happened Wilcox briefly spoke before he was sentenced "I take full responsibility," he told Ward "I have learned from my mistakes and I want to move on from this I will say that this has stretched out since May of 2024 He added that for him to be able to fully move on learn and progress he needed "wrap this chapter up." Wilcox and his attorney Nathaniel Pfeiffer declined to comment after sentencing an assistant prosecuting attorney from Jackson County told Ward that his office had concerns about Wilcox's "lack of remorse" when he met with probation staff which is why he asked for a few weekends in jail to be added to his sentence Ward seemed to consider sentencing Wilcox to some time in jail but you're also not the first defendant to come through the court with a pre-sentence report that reflects which includes $18,500 in restitution to the city in monthly installments and serve 80 hours of community service by Oct telling him that she must approve where he does the community service "The court wants your community service hours to repair the community that has been harmed by your actions," Ward said after earlier making clear that it wasn't just LPD or City Hall that he harmed Police Chief Rob Backus released a statement after the sentencing hearing "I want to thank the Michigan State Police for their thorough investigation and the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office for their work in bringing this case to resolution," he said "The Lansing Police Department remains committed to holding our employees to the highest standards to maintain community trust and strengthen our partnerships." Earlier this week Backus told the State Journal that he had not heard jokes and rumors about Wilcox mowing lawns More: State police: Lansing police Lt. was mowing lawns for profit while on duty A message was left seeking comment from Mayor Andy Schor Schor said he had the "utmost confidence in the leadership of LPD to conduct an internal investigation into this former employee and the circumstances that led to the charges against him." The State Journal reported this week that for most of 2022, Wilcox kept his lawn mowing equipment at the police department's firing range near the Capital Region International Airport The department's security cameras recorded Wilcox picking up and returning that equipment 24 times including more than a dozen instances when he was on the clock for the city according to some of the MSP investigative records The investigative reports are a small piece of the evidence MSP collected against Wilcox over nine months The State Journal sought documents from MSP's investigation but the agency said it would not release all its evidence unless the newspaper paid $675,000 raise serious questions about how Wilcox — a department supervisor in the detective bureau who also held positions in the union and sat on the city's pension board — defrauded the city for so long without notice whose investigation prompted the criminal referral told State Police that for about 15 years there had been rumors and jokes about Wilcox mowing lawns while he was supposed to be working for the city Moore detailed several specific incidents when he spoke to the State Police Ward referenced this incident during sentencing Wilcox was also paid more than $12,000 in city wages — covering 264 hours across 33 days — while he was working for a private company that helps police departments with hiring and promotions Moore twice brought the issue to Backus when he was an assistant chief EAST LANSING — A construction worker fell approximately 40 feet from US-127 near Trowbridge Road on April 28 when the beam he was cutting broke loose and the beam landed on him,” city spokesperson Carrie Sampson said in an email which mentioned that the worker had fallen to railroad tracks below the highway She said the East Lansing Fire Department received a call about the incident at about noon Monday “We don’t currently have any additional information about his injuries,” Sampson said The Michigan Department of Transportation is rebuilding US 127 in a multi-year project from Interstate 69 in southern Clinton County south to the southern Ingham County line An MDOT spokesperson did not return messages from the State Journal about the incident Phase 2 of the rebuild began this year between Interstates 96 and 496 Crews are rebuilding the southbound lanes of the freeway along the 3½-mile stretch between the two interstates essentially mirroring what they did last year on the northbound side - -Everett High School head basketball coach Johnny Jones works with his players on their first step with the ball near the basket during their practice Monday The Everett Lady Vikings are the defending Class A state basketball champions - -Everett basketball coach Johnny Jones (right) talks with one of his players Alonzo Mans (left) during the Vikings' game at Okemos on Friday - -Everett basketball coach Johnny Jones during the Vikings' game at Okemos on Friday during the Vikings' Class A State Quarterfinal game - -(left to right) State Representative Michael Murphy presents a certificate commemorating Everett's State boys basketball state championship to Mrs Everett boys basketball coach Johnny Jones and Everett Principal Dale Glynn during a pep rally held in the team's honor in the school's gym - -Everett boys basketball coach Johnny Jones savors the moment as he walks onto the floor after defeating Flint Carmen-Ainsworth 60-51 for the Class A boys basketball state championship now joins the elite group of coaches who have won both boys and girls state basketball state championships in Michigan Everett basketball coach Johnny Jones during the Vikings game at Okemos on Friday The Lansing Everett girls basketball team celebrates its state championship victory in 2001 in Mount Pleasant LANSING — City Council members are pursuing a new rental insurance requirement for landlords that would pay for temporary housing for tenants whose housing is condemned by the city It’s the city’s latest move as it looks to address an aging housing stock and to hold landlords accountable for the condition of homes considering hundreds of homes have been red-tagged a city designation for homes officials determine are unsafe to live in The new insurance requirements would make sure the city wouldn't be stuck with large bills if an apartment complex is red-tagged The council referred them to the city's public safety committee "I'm ashamed about the condition of some of the rentals and what has been acceptable for years," Kost said "We're going to continue to fight for renters to make sure they're not getting the shaft." In 2023, the city red-tagged dozens of units at Holmes Apartments and many residents needed emergency hotel stays The city was not able to charge Simtob Management for the hotel costs and sued the apartments reaching a settlement a few months later that included Simbob reimbursing the city for $10,091 in hotel costs Kost has proposed two ordinance amendments: One would require $2,500 in relocation coverage as part of the landlord insurance policies required for a city-issued certificate of compliance The other would allow the city to collect up to $85 a day for up to 30 days to cover relocation costs if the landlord didn't get the coverage tenants could report health and safety violations to the city without fear of being put out of their leases immediately and potentially being without a place to live They would know they would be able to be in a hotel instead of on the street if their home is red-tagged The change could increase the city's number of red-tagged homes as people report the actual conditions it could result in a "minimal" increase in rents across the city But it would address a real problem and give people an opportunity to get health and safety violations addressed Rental relocation insurance is not a common insurance offering or requirement There may not even be a specific rental relocation option for many insurance companies but depending on the final ordinance existing policies may be able cover the costs or could be boosted to meet Lansing's expectations He said rental or home policies typically include a line of coverage for "loss of use," which should cover relocation expenses in many cases if people have rental insurance The coverage would typically be for about 60% to 80% of the main policy so a $10,000 renter's insurance coverage would normally cover about $6,000 to $8,000 Kost said Ann Arbor and Jackson are two Michigan cities that have alternate measures that help to protect tenants and cities during involuntary relocations The Ann Arbor relocation program is much broader: It requires landlords to cover two months of rent if the lease is not renewed and the landlord doesn't have a good reason to not renew a lease The proposed Lansing policies would go a long way toward helping renters a Lansing-area member of Michigan's Rent is Too Damn High coalition "There's a power imbalance," he said of landlords and tenants adding that any changes that give tenants more power should be pursued He said the city could take further steps that would help reduce the number of red tags such as allowing tenants to make necessary repairs and deduct that cost from their rent or to have firmer rights to renewing a lease LANSING — Police are looking for a missing Lansing teen who has been reported as a runaway Katalina Green, 16, was last seen April 18 in the 1100 block of North High Street, near Porter Street, Lansing police said on the department’s Missing in Lansing Facebook page She was last seen wearing a black baseball cap Police said Katalina may be in the Dearborn Heights area please contact the Lansing Police Department 517-483-4600 The city of Lansing is asking the state of Michigan to help fund required upgrades of its election equipment Clerk Chris Swope said Lansing will likely need new equipment by 2027 and the machines have roughly a 10-year lifespan He said the required upgrades could cost the city up to $1 million The city’s previous equipment upgrade used a mix of federal funds from the Help America Vote Act and state funds Swope said several localities are asking the state to help foot the bill for the next round of upgrades but suggested the city plan for the possibility that does not happen “I’ve worked with fellow clerks to try and have the state pick up a significant portion of that there’s no indication that it will be anyone’s responsibility other than our own,” Swope said a Republican from Holly who served as secretary of state when the voting equipment was last updated said she is hopeful that the state will be able to help localities with funding “It is vital to the integrity of our elections for all clerks in our state to have secure so I certainly hope this can be part of the budget discussions next year,” Johnson said a spokesperson for the Michigan Department of State said the department “is supportive of our state’s clerks and the need to replace election equipment for upcoming elections.” “We are advocating for consistent federal funding support for elections,” Hardmon said it will be up to the Legislature to appropriate funds.” Swope said ensuring the updated equipment can accommodate ranked choice voting will likely be part of the conversation Organizers are pushing to get a proposal on the ballot in 2026 to use ranked choice voting — where voters would rank candidates in order of preference — in elections for state and federal offices East Lansing voters approved a ballot proposal in 2023 to use ranked choice voting in local elections but it has not been implemented as the state has not approved using the method Produced with assistance from the Public Media Journalists Association Editor Corps funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting a private corporation funded by the American people.