At this point, it’s still too early to tell when live music will return and music venues will revive. With that in mind, Turn it Down! will be checking in with local musicians to see what they’re doing to keep active during the pandemic. The first of this series features local folk troubadour Monte Pride. more

After years of dormancy following the closure of its storefront in 2017, the East Lansing Food Co-op is working to finalize plans to return this summer as part of the Allen Neighborhood Center. The project, tentatively titled the Eastside Lansing Food Co-Op, will see the co-op return later this year as a functioning grocery store.  more

The Eastside Lansing Food Co-op, ELFCO, is re-opening in the Allen Neighborhood Center. more

Aside from a small batch of limited-run singles, Plain Brown Wrapper is now cemented deep within Lansing’s murky ’60s and ‘70s rock folklore. more

Nearly 40 years later, Michael Burton, the first African-American to design automobiles for Ford, Chrysler and GM, was star of a high-end Buick Enclave TV spot, at the peak of his power as an artist, industrial designer and suave screen presence. more

James Defrees started 517 Coffee Co. in his basement about seven years ago. He only had six hundred bucks to get from those humble beginnings, and he established himself as a wholesaler — selling his beans at multiple locations across Lansing. more

Michigan State University’s Dr. William G. Anderson lecture series From Slavery to Freedom returns for its 21st year with a lineup of virtual speeches, featuring filmmaker Dr. Monique Morris, Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors and Cornel West, associate professor of public philosophy at Harvard Univerity and professor emeritus at Princeton University.  more

Why is there a Black History Month?   One answer is found in a study of Detroit newspapers.   more

When Lansing musician Ozay Moore formed the All of the Above Hip Hop Academy, he wanted to create a learning center for youth to absorb all of the rich cultural teachings hip-hop has to offer. More than a decade later, he’s helped build one of Lansing’s most unique nonprofit youth extracurricular programs, where Lansing students learn to express themselves positively through rhyming, breakdancing and beat production.  more

Just past midnight on Jan. 30, Lansing and beyond lost a theater icon. Rosalyn Carmen Decker, a gifted actress who always deserved a spotlight but never sought one outside the stage, died at Sparrow Hospital from pneumonia. more

The latest state projections suggest Michigan’s cannabis market will generate nearly $1 billion in annual revenue by the end of the fiscal year — including $100 million in tax revenues for public schools. But apparently that just wasn’t enough for Homegrown Cannabis Co. in Lansing.  more

Citing the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Lansing Symphony Orchestra has canceled the remainder of its 2021 season. more

On this edition of City Pulse On the Air, arts editor Skyler Ashley fills in for publisher Berl Schwartz. Ashley interviews Bob Fish, co-founder and co-CEO of Biggby Coffee. Fish delves into the … more

A set of “final recommendations” released this month by the state’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency calls for urgent measures to address ongoing racial disparities in Michigan’s budding cannabis market. The problem: The industry has far too many white guys running the show. more

With local music venues still being shuttered due to the pandemic, it’s a harsh reminder of what the Lansing area once had. The Loft, Mac’s Bar, the Green Door—and various other spots—not only host area bands, but also beloved touring acts from all genres. more

Since 1944, Lake Trust Credit Union has provided banking services for people across Michigan. That tradition continues with its brand new location in downtown Lansing. more

In the dark winter of 1936-1937 a group of Flint autoworkers decided they had enough of low wages, harassment and unsafe working conditions. more

A synthetic ice-skating rink will be installed in early February on the City Hall Plaza, Capitol and Michigan avenues. The 3,300-square-foot rink will be decorated with colorful lighting, benches and heaters funded through a partnership between the city and the Capital Region Community Foundation. more

A play where the legs of actors are visible! Where characters sometimes speak over each other and give each other eye contact! And where the actors actually move around — and even change costumes!  more

Laura Stein was beloved for many qualities, from her music and dance skills to her rapport with children, but her life-giving hugs were mentioned most often in a colossal Zoom memorial Sunday night. more