Rewind: News from the last 7 days

East Lansing is at risk of losing federal funding within weeks because of its sanctuary city status. The financially struggling community is a sanctuary city, according to a resolution approved by the city in 2023 and a federal Department of Justice memo in August listed East Lansing along with 21 other cities or jurisdictions that are considered to be sanctuary jurisdictions. It is the only one in Michigan on the list, although many cities adopt a similar practical approach without the designation.
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President Donald Trump said in a Jan. 13 speech in Detroit that “starting February 1, we’re not making any payments to sanctuary cities or states having sanctuary cities because they do everything possible to protect criminals at the expense of American citizens and it breeds fraud and crime and all of the other problems that come with it.” The comments, while not the first, appear to give an urgent timeline. Tuesday, Jan. 20, is the last scheduled council meeting before Feb. 1. Council members did not address the potential loss of revenue during their Jan. 13 meeting, which came hours after Trump’s comments, according to East Lansing Info. Check for updates.
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East Lansing city officials did not respond to a City Pulse request for comment sent Friday, Jan. 16, including a request for an estimate of how much federal funding the city currently receives. Three of the city’s five council members did not respond to emails seeking comment. Mayor pro tem Chuck Grigsby told City Pulse he is looking at the threats seriously in light of the city’s existing financial concerns. He said public safety grants and other payments are a primary way for federal dollars to flow directly into cities and those could be at risk. “I have certain values, my personal values are important, but we have to be mindful about what is in the best interests of all residents and to mitigate any harm,” he said. Council member Kerry Singh declined to comment, citing pending DOJ litigation.
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East Lansing’s resolution says that the city will not assist in enforcement or make resources available expressly for immigration enforcement and Grigsby said that is similar to the explicit or practical policies of many cities. “I think a lot of cities and states are already doing that without that designation,” he said. Grigsby and council member Steve Whelan were elected in November to the five-person council, after the policy was in place. It is not clear how much money the city gets from the federal government, but it got $400,000 in community development block grant funding last year and receives multiple federal grants for public safety, among other areas.
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The city’s previous mayor, George Brookover, had exchanged emails with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi in August. “This ends now,” Bondi on Aug. 13, in an email obtained by East Lansing Info, saying that East Lansing has been identified as a local government that violates federal immigration laws. Brookover responded in a letter dated Aug. 18, saying the city’s resolution does not violate the federal laws Bondi mentioned in her letter, according to East Lansing Info. East Lansing City Manager Robert Belleman told East Lansing Info in an email last week that he is aware of the most recent timeline and is looking into the potential loss of funds.

More than 200 advanced practice providers at U-M Health-Sparrow voted last week to form their union with the Michigan Nurses Association (MNA). The MNA said the new bargaining unit includes 213 nurse practitioners, physician assistants and certified nurse midwives employed by UMH-Sparrow Lansing (including the Thoracic Cardiovascular Institute), UMH-Sparrow Eaton and UMH-Sparrow Ionia. Eighty-six percent of participants voted in favor of creating the union.

Lansing has opened its facade improvement grants up for 2026. Applications are due March 1. The grants can cover up to $30,000 in 50% matches for new facades or upgrades. There are three tiers: the largest projects can get up to $30,000 in 50% matches, the middle tier can get 50% matches up to $5,000 in grant money for a wider range of projects that include paint, windows, lighting and entryways. The lowest tier offers grants up to $2,000 for professional design work to develop facade or similar scopes for future projects. More grant information and applications are available at city hall or https://lansingedc.com/facade-improvement.

After a brief respite on Wednesday, the most dangerous cold snap yet of the 2025-26 winter season is forecast to begin late Thursday and extend for more than a week. This Friday could be the coldest day with a predicted high of 3 (as of Tuesday) and a low of -11 degrees. Most of the highs during the following week are expected in the teens with lows in the single digits. Lansing’s Code Blue status has been continued. The designation opens up shelters to additional people by waiving some regulations and allows city emergency employees more leeway in transporting and assisting people in the cold. This year, the city has had a Code Blue designation in place most of the time since Thanksgiving. Warming centers in Lansing can be found at , while other city and county websites have additional lists.

The recent conditions have caused some of the year’s biggest wrecks, including a Monday pileup of more than 100 vehicles, including several jack-knifed semi-trucks on I-196 in the Hudsonville/Zeeland area. The pileup injured about a dozen people, according to several news reports, with the freeway opening up hours later.

Lansing is offering a free tree to households. There is a limit of one tree per household and it must be planted in a private yard or a city boulevard. The planter, rather than the city, will be responsible for maintaining the tree. Applications for the free trees are due by Jan. 30 and can be submitted at.

Kimberly Rogers Haase, a Lansing native, has been sworn in as the first Black woman to be an alderman in the Georgia city of Acworth. The city has a population of 22,000 and is located near Atlanta and Marietta. Rogers Haase is a 1992 Waverly High graduate and attended Lansing Catholic Central. She has lived in Georgia for more than 25 years and is the founder of a concierge service company for the elderly.

Carrie Edwards-Clemons was sworn in as Lansing’s new fire chief on a snowy, cold Friday at the city’s Fire Station #1. Chief Edwards-Clemons was a unanimous pick by the city’s fire board. She has been a deputy chief for two years. Edwards-Clemons said she wants to encourage young people to pursue a fire career. She is a veteran of the Flint fire department and EMS services. She is the first female fire chief in the department’s history.
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Edwards-Clemons introduced herself as chief with a quote: “If I can help somebody as I pass along, then my living will not be in vain.” She said the words are guiding principles since she started decades ago, determined to make a difference from her young days as an untrained medic. “(Chief Edwards-Clemons) has been tremendous, working with everybody so we can continue to have the best fire department in the world,” Mayor Andy Schor said, during the ceremony.