Rewind: News from the last 7 days

Ingham County Circuit Judge Rosemarie Aquilina has ruled that the homeless encampment near Lansing’s Dietrich Park, north of Old Town, may continue as long as the property owners provide porta-potties and trash removal services. She also ruled that those living there cannot use propane or other fuel tanks. The city of Lansing had sued the two property owners, 113 W. Michigan LLC of Jackson and JAJ Property LLC of West Bloomfield Township, to force them to break up the encampment. If they don’t comply with the new order, the city has the authority to enter the premises, perform the necessary cleanup and bill the businesses for the costs. Aquilina set a hearing date of Sept. 24 for a status conference/pre-trial conference.

City Council President Ryan Kost and Councilmember Trini Pehlivanoglu introduced a resolution that would halt private curbside trash collection in Lansing and make the city the sole provider for waste removal. Council members referred the resolution to the Public Safety Committee without discussion. Mayor’s Office spokesperson Scott Bean said the city collects trash from about 17,000 Lansing residences, which is about 46%, meaning more than half use four licensed waste haulers: Granger, Waste Management, Eric’s Refuse and Better Done Disposal. The city is looking to hire at least six seasonal solid waste workers. The Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce has asked Council how the city plans to add waste staff, given current workforce shortages.

Several Old Town businesses are uniting for a late-night shopping event Thursday, planning to donate portions of their sales to local nonprofits, WLNS-TV reported. The event is a response to the July 30 vandalization of businesses with racist and homophobic speech and symbols. Odd Nodd Art, Bad Annie’s and Twiggies will donate part of their sales to Safe & Just Michigan, an organization whose goal is to reduce harm caused by the criminal legal system. Meanwhile, Seams Sewing and Mercantile will contribute a sales percentage to the Refugee Development Center, a support organization for Mid-Michigan refugees. “The late-night event offers the community an opportunity to send the message that such hate will not be tolerated here,” said Odd Nodd owner Casey Sorrow.

The Ingham County Sheriff’s Office will oversee the operation of its 911 center on an interim basis starting Sept. 1. The dispatch center, struggling with high turnover and excessive overtime, has 13 vacancies out of 52 positions. Dispatchers recently ratified a three-year deal with the county, raising salaries. But center director Barb Davidson has announced she will resign, and the county’s Board of Commissioners said it is considering spending $548,000 on a six-month contract with a Colorado-based company to provide temporary dispatcher services.

LingLong Wei, a student research assistant at MSU from 2008 to 2011, filed a $100 million lawsuit against the university, alleging that it ignored safety protocols and exposed her to dangerous chemicals without protective equipment or safety training. Wei was diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma in July 2024 and has had her thyroid removed. The suit alleges that MSU was aware of the chemicals’ dangers and failed to provide the training and equipment after Wei requested it. She and others were required to spray pesticides and herbicides, including glyphosate and oxyfluorfen, which studies have linked to thyroid cancer.

An Ingham County Circuit Court jury convicted Christopher Woolf, 45, of child sexually abusive activity, accosting a child for immoral purposes and two counts of using a computer to commit a crime. Woolf is a former administrative law judge for the Michigan Public Service Commission. The charges stemmed from an internet child predator sting conducted by Michigan State Police and Lansing police. Woolf was placed on unpaid leave in November 2023 and resigned from his position last September. Judge Clinton Canady III set sentencing for Sept. 8.

Andrial Ortiz of Lansing, 30, accused of disarming police officers and shooting an officer before he was shot by police last April in south Lansing, was arraigned Aug. 8 in 54A District Court on charges that include resisting and obstructing police, causing serious impairment. He faces a total of 17 felony counts in state court in an incident for which a federal court already indicted him on a weapons charge. The court will hold a hearing Aug. 29 to determine whether Ortiz should stand trial on the state charges.

Terrance James Jones, 38, and one of three men charged in connection with the killing of a man found dismembered in a Lansing home last year, has pleaded guilty in Ingham County Circuit Court to acting as an accessory to a felony after the fact. Prosecutors agreed to dismiss a count of mutilation of a body and a fourth-time habitual offender notice. Jones’ co-defendants, Marcus Lee Hayes and Leonard Felton Hayes III, are charged with murder and mutilation of a body in connection with the death of Zaccari Marquise Taylor, 25, of Battle Creek.