Rewind: News from the last 7 days

The Lansing Shuffle will be on the ballot later this summer. Not the food; but the property could be sold to the current operators, Detroit Rising, or to a higher bidder. Lansing City Council voted Monday to advance the potential sale, which would require voter approval because the property on the Grand River is city parkland. The vote is expected in the August election. If voters approve of the concept of selling the land, city council members would finalize and then vote on a contract.

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Council also passed four ordinances aimed to curbing the number of liquor stores in parts of the city. The ordinances will amend part of the zoning code to set an exact definition for a liquor store, and will define how new ones can be built and how close they can be to one another. “Liquor store” would be defined in city code as a retail store with more than half of its gross sales from beer, wine, spirits, and tobacco, vapor or alternative nicotine products. Stores would be allowed in commercial mixed-use and special districts and would have to be at least 2,500 feet from another liquor store.

Zeke the Wonderdog flies again! Zeke V (Cindy Lou) has been introduced to the public, taking over as the first female Zeke and fetching Frisbees for the biggest crowds with the greatest of ease. She made an appearance on the Capitol Lawn on April 8, then made her Spartan Stadium debut during MSU’s final spring football practice last Saturday. Her human partners Jim and Terri Foley also handled Zeke II (Dexter), Zeke III (Bou Cou) and Zeke IV (Buckshot). Cindy Lou (Zeke V) was already in training in March when she was called up, following the death of Zeke IV. She is actually the sixth dog to prance in the bright lights as Zeke. An unnumbered Zeke (named Keze) briefly filled the role in 1981, during the tenure of Ezekiel, the original 1977 Zeke the Wonderdog.

The awardee of the 2026 City of Lansing Arts Impact Project, announced Monday as part of the city’s Arts and Culture Grant Program, will be “Turnabout Folly” — an interactive installation to be set in Marshall Park. “The concept calls for a round, rotating ‘stage’ encircled by three concentric rings of abstract, brightly painted walls, designed to invite movement, exploration and creativity for visitors of all ages,” according to a statement from the city. It acts kind of like a kaleidoscope, with the visitor walking inside instead of holding it. The installation will be at ground level, allowing easy entry for individuals with mobility devices. Wide openings between the rings are specifically designed to accommodate wheelchair access. In a statement, project artists Barbara Pearsall and Michelle Hinojosa said: “As arts educators, Turnabout Folly is our vision for public parks as vibrant, hands-on spaces for creative learning. By turning Marshall Park into an open classroom, we invite everyone to experience art through play, movement, and discovery. This project redefines where and how learning and creativity happen—making art part of everyday life, accessible to all, and woven into the heart of our community.”

A Monday morning fire that started inside the kitchen of the Flap Jack Shack, on E. Grand River Ave. on the north end of the Frandor Shopping Center, has closed the restaurant and the adjacent Jersey Giant Subs shop. No one was injured in the blaze. Lansing Township Fire Chief Todd Hendy told the Lansing State Journal that the fire was contained to the kitchen area but did not damage the building’s exterior. It also caused smoke damage to the restaurant’s dining area as well as Jersey Giant. Signs on both restaurants say they are closed until further notice, and it is not clear when they will reopen.

State police are investigating an officer-involved shooting that happened at a busy East Lansing intersection April 15. Attorney Douglas Mielock was identified by his law firm as a victim of a stabbing and police said he is recovering. East Lansing Police statements said the victim did not know the suspect, who police say committed the stabbing before he was shot. Police identified the suspect, who was fatally shot, as Isaiah Christopher Kirby, 21, from Owings, Maryland. Police Chief Jennifer Brown said in a news conference that the original call involved a theft from a business, followed by a second 911 call while officers were en route. That second call indicated, Brown said, that a man “approached a second business and stabbed a victim multiple times. Upon arrival at the scene, officers encountered the suspect, who appeared to have blood on his person and have an object in his hand that appeared to be a weapon. The suspect was observed running toward the officers on the scene. Officers ordered the suspect to drop the knife multiple times, but the suspect refused to cooperate. Officers responded to the threat by shooting the suspect.” Officers were placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard, and a department statement Monday reiterated that it would not be releasing the names of the officers involved and the the Michigan State Police are investigating the officer-involved shooting, which is routine. It is not clear how many officers were directly involved in the shooting. 

LAFCU is accepting applications for its Teachers Grant Contest, which will award five $500 grants for Michigan teachers. The money is intended to help cover the cost of classroom supplies, resources and other educational needs and reduce the out-of-pocket expenses many educators face. Michigan pre-K through 12th-grade teachers can apply online at www.lafcu.com/teachersgrant through May 15. Applicants will be asked to briefly describe how the grant funds would benefit their classroom and students. Applicants do not need to be LAFCU members but must be legal residents of Michigan and actively teaching during the 2026-2027 school year. Up to two grants may be awarded per school building. For more information or to apply, visit www.lafcu.com/teachersgrant. LAFCU also supports education through its Innovation for Education (LIFE) Grant, which awards $10,000 to one Michigan school annually for a project that enhances learning, creativity and student well-being. Schools have until May 1 to apply for the LIFE Grant here: www.lafcu.com/life.

The Artemis II crew went around the moon earlier this month, marking the first time in 50 years that humans have ventured back into deep outer space. When the four NASA astronauts returned, the first faces they saw included an Alpena man. Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Steve Kapala (left in photo) was one of four dive medics who trained for more than a year for those early recovery moments, according to The Alpena News. “I grew up reading sci-fi novels and watching space movies, never thinking that I would play a part in a recovery mission like this,” Kapala said. “It is surreal to play a part in safely recovering the astronauts from the capsule to get them home safe to their families, an effort that really makes you realize this team is bigger than just the four of us.”