A week after Democrats took a bath in Virginia and nearly lost the governorship in reliably blue New Jersey, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer put all of her public emphasis on her home state. more

The city of Lansing reported its 21st murder of the year in mid-September, and in many of these incidents, a firearm was the weapon used. Sadly, these violent crimes are happening across the counties that Crimestoppers of Mid-Michigan represents, as well as the state and nation. more

This page of today’s City Pulse went to the printer before the polls closed in Tuesday’s city election. (Turn to Page 5 for the local election results.) Although we’re nearly certain who won the mayor’s race, in the interest of avoiding a modern-day “Dewey defeats Truman” moment, this editorial reflects on an agenda for Lansing’s next mayor no matter who was elected. more

Voters were clearly satisfied with that. Faced with a choice between vanilla, light-splash family man and a Type A wild child who moonlights as a foul-mouthed comedian, the former wins with those 60 and over. more

The ubiquitous political yard signs dotting front lawns of East Lansing homes started coming down today. It wasn’t that much different 50 years ago when the hotly contested races for East Lansing City Council were in full throat competition. Three upstarts, George Colburn, George Griffiths and Charles W. Wills, faced off against a 10-year veteran of Council, Mayor Gordon L. Thomas, incumbent Ccouncilman Wilbur Brookover (whose son George, was on the 2021 ballot) and three other candidates who were close to the business community for three open seats on the five-member Council. more

East Lansing holiday ban draws boos | LSD’s new superintendent shines | Lansing Township’s tax gambit | Election endorsements recap more

The Republican Governors Association’s political arm is running a five-digit internet ad this week that ties the lead in Benton Harbor’s water supply firmly around Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s finger. more

Usually, I start my column with an experience from my teaching writing at Lansing Community College. This month I am thinking about me when I was an East Lansing Public Schools parent.  more

Just when we thought Michigan’s maturing cannabis industry had more or less reached a stable plateau, where the rules of the road are well established and well understood, along comes a new round of saber-rattling by a consortium of the largest commercial cannabis operators, who are looking to shake things up by taking down licensed medical marijuana caregivers. more

Republicans such as Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey who oppose mandatory vaccinations for Covid-19 as an infringement on personal freedom should learn more about George Washington. more

In three weeks, Lansing voters who haven’t already returned their absentee ballots will head to the polls to elect Lansing’s next mayor. We’ve carefully weighed the choice between first-term incumbent Mayor Andy Schor and his challenger, 16-year City Councilwoman Kathie Dunbar, and are now prepared to proffer an endorsement.  more

It’s looking more and more likely the Lansing area will anchor a new Mid-Michigan congressional district and U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin would run in it, even though her current residence isn’t in it. more

Just when we thought the Republican crazy train claiming last year’s presidential election was stolen had finally run out of steam, now comes the Grand Old Party’s latest attempt at voter suppression, this time in the form of a petition you’ll soon be asked to sign by an earnest volunteer in the parking lot at Meijer’s. As New York baseball great Yogi Berra purportedly once said, “It’s deja vu all over again.” more

Pro-marijuana caregivers burned away a chunk of credibility this week when they turned a legislative committee discussion on bills forcing them to become a registered business into a snide attack on an opposing lobbyist. more

Lansing mayoral candidates face off over felony firearms policy more

One downside of early voting is many voters decide before all the facts are in. Just as the campaign is heating up, absentee ballots arrive in the mail. In the case of the Lansing mayor’s race, residents are voting even before either of the two scheduled TV debates. more

Maybe I’m wrong, but it doesn’t feel like election season.  more

Thanks to the City Pulse recent report on school dress codes, I was reminded of one of my students. She was maybe 23 in a sea of the 18-and-19-year-olds who usually enrolled for the daytime classes I taught. more

Give credit to Mayor Andy Schor for ordering a top-to-bottom, independent review of the Lansing Police Department’s policies and procedures. more

Don’t look now, but it’s only about 100 days until Christmas, and you know what that means around the state Capitol grounds: the Christmas tree and the displaying of other Holiday symbols. more