Briefs

If absentee ballots are an early indication, this election season has voter attention.

The Lansing City Clerk expanded absentee walk-in voting hours at the South Washington Office Complex Election Unit ,which will stay open later on Wednesdays until 7 p.m.

Compared to 2010, the number of absentee ballots issued is up 15 percent, according to Lansing City Clerk Chris Swope.

“My goal is to make the voting process as easy and quick as possible,” Swope said.

Open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. the South Washington Office Complex Election Unit has free parking and is located on CATA route #2. The office is located at 2500 S. Washington.

The office will also be open on two weekend days before Election Day: Oct. 26, Noon – 4 p.m. and Nov. 1, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

For more information call the Lansing City Clerk’s office at 517-483-4131 or download the absentee voting application form at www.lansingmi.gov/Elections.

~ Belinda Thurston

Michigan students to attend ´Weekend of Resistance´ in Ferguson, Mo.

Demonstrations have waned since the initial and fiery dissent that marked the ensuing weeks of Michael Brown´s fatal shooting in Ferguson, Mo.

But national organizers are planning a weekend of mass protest from the Friday through Sunday that many suspect may be the biggest march there yet. Freelance writer Michael Gerstein is planning on tagging along with a contingent of 20 or so activists from Michigan to tell the whole story for City Pulse.

The coming protest – dubbed Ferguson October – has more than 1,000 people attending on Facebook. Some are saying they’re coming from as far away as California and Alaska.

Those interested in attending should visit fergusonoctober.com to sign up for updates. They even have information for those interested in carpooling.

Lansing’s Mental Illness Awareness week opens conversation

"Take care of yourself and the people around you." #MentalHealth matters. #TextTalkAct

This is just one of many Tweets floating around this week as part of Mental Illness Awareness Week.

“‘Text, Talk, Act’ is an ongoing national conversation about mental health, how to take care of yourself, and how to help others.

The conversation is coming to East Lansing as well with the presentation, “A New Reality: Preventing Major Mental Illness,” at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Hannah Community Center on Abbot Road.

“We hope that attendees will know that there is help for mental illness, that recovery is possible, and that, like many other illnesses, early treatment can lead to better outcomes,” said Elizabeth Pratt, President of Lansing NAMI.

To join the conversation text 89800 or use the hashtag #TextTalkAct on Twitter.

~ Anne Abendroth

Power of We Consortium Summit this Saturday at Lansing Center

There is the power of knowledge, the power of change, and the power of collaboration. The Power of We Consortium is a state of Michigan endorsed organization that grasps all three.

The Power of We Consortium Summit will be held Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Lansing Center. It is free and open to the public but requires registration.

The event brings together mid- Michigan leaders and community members to focus on expanding economic, education, and infrastructure opportunities.

Objectives are: • To provide community members with an opportunity to share their vision for our community.

• To define as a community what we need to do to make Mid-Michigan a great place to live, work, and play.

• To translate the Power of We Consortium’s Common Agenda broad goals into concrete actions.

"The purpose of the summit is to get these different groups together so they can start communicating and work on a concrete plan,” said Dennis Louney, a consultant with the project.

Register to attend at www.powerofwe.org.

~ Krista Wilson

Empty Bowls event at Troppo raises $13,500 for food bank (with photo)

Elegance and high-end flavors were scooped out by the bowlful at Troppo restaurant Thursday.

Troppo hosted the 24th annual Empty Bowls event to raise money for the Greater Lansing Food Bank. AT&T also sponsored the event. Officials say the event raised just over $13,500, that’s about $4,000 more than last year.

For $20 attendees got to pick a creative, unique, hand-crafted bowl, and got soup and bread for lunch in the upstairs of the downtown restaurant. The bowls were created by members of the Potters Guild, Clayworks and other local artists.

~ Belinda Thurston