Rewind: News from the last 7 days

The Lansing City Council unanimously approved the purchase of 50 ModPod temporary shelter units from Kalamazoo to create a city-funded community for unhoused individuals. The units cost $640,000, including storage. The city of Kalamazoo is selling the units at about half the cost of new units, after abandoning a plan to use them. More than a dozen individuals advocated for the shelters at Monday’s Council meeting as a first step for a more comprehensive plan for the city’s homeless population. Some of the units are 8-foot cubes for individuals; others are twice as long and intended for two people or potentially families — include heating and cooling units and mattresses. The city is still finding a location for the units and said they do not have an estimated cost for the installation.

Bath Township police took a man into custody after a standoff on the 6000 block of Maple Lane on Monday. Police responded to a contempt of court complaint that the man was violating an undisclosed order. The man refused to open his door or allow the children to leave. Police said the man owned multiple guns and regularly carried a weapon. He surrendered to police after they obtained an arrest warrant and spoke to him with a negotiator “throw phone,” which they had thrown through a window. The man was taken to Clinton County Jail on charges of unlawful imprisonment and resisting arrest.

Waverly Community Schools has named Glenn Mitcham as its next superintendent, replacing Kelly Blake, who retired this year. Mitcham has been the deputy superintendent for East Lansing Public Schools. On its Facebook page, the district said, “Mitcham’s approachability, sincerity, experience working in highly successful districts and planned strategic focus on the district’s mission to meet the needs of students became the deciding factor for many Board members.” The Board chose Mitcham from about 30 candidates.

MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz introduced a revised version of his “MSU 2030: Excellence for Global Impact” strategic plan, initially created in 2021, in a press release Thursday. The plan maintains priorities of student success, staff and faculty success, discovery and innovation for impact, sustainable health, stewardship for a sustainable future, and access, opportunity and excellence — with corresponding objectives and supporting actions. But it also adds unifying themes, including growing talent for Michigan and beyond, driving health transformation, enrolling for the future, building community together and achieving next-generation operations and organization. It hopes to increase the six-year undergraduate graduation rate by 5% to reach 86% by 2030, achieve $1 billion in total research expenditures by 2030 and triple funding from the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. MSU will be trying to achieve these goals despite having to lay off staff and reduce spending by 9% across the board due to federal cuts.

Haslett Public Schools Superintendent Patrick Malley sent a letter to district families to address allegations of the sexual assault of students at Murphy Elementary School, WKAR News reported. The letter discusses the district’s response to reports made in May by four Murphy students who said another student inappropriately touched them during recess. An independent third-party law firm is conducting an ongoing Title IX investigation for the district. Malley said the district also launched an internal investigation, interviewed staff and all five students involved, contacted their parents and engaged local law enforcement to review the matter. The district increased supervision and monitoring in all areas of the school, as well as during field trips and school activities, he added, and “provided additional supportive measures to help foster a safe, nurturing learning environment for all students.” Some parents and residents criticized the district, alleging it violated state law by not immediately reporting the incidents to Child Protective Services.

Potter Park Zoo announced that its rare black rhino, Doppsee, is recovering well after a medical procedure. She has been out of her enclosure for two weeks since staff noticed her diminished appetite and other signs that indicated declining health. Veterinarians performed an upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy and found that a gastric obstruction was causing her health issues. Doppsee is 18 and came to the zoo in 2011.

Claire’s, an Illinois-based fashion accessories chain that has three Greater Lansing locations, has filed for bankruptcy for a second time in seven years and says more than 1,100 stores could close soon. Claire’s has locations at the Meridian Mall in Okemos, at Lansing Mall and in Charlotte, inside the Walmart store. The company, which is trying to sell 800 of its remaining stores, did not indicate whether the Lansing-area stores would be closing and when.

Public Safety
Lansing police are investigating an incident in which a car crashed into a home on the 3800 block of Wilson Avenue. Police said no one inside the home was injured and that they located the suspected car near the scene, but the driver had vacated it.