Rewind: News from the last 7 days

Someone tried to make the East Michigan Avenue Quality Dairy into a drive-through early Tuesday morning. According to police, a recent model dark gray Honda SUV smashed into the front windows of the QD at 2400 E. Michigan Ave. at the intersection of S. Foster Ave around 5 a.m. and drove away. The store was not yet open at the time and no injuries were reported.

Wells Hall, MSU’s largest academic building, reopened Monday after having been closed during the last week of spring semester after a man was arrested on April 26 on trespassing, property damage and methamphetamine charges. Xin Tong, 31, was charged with malicious destruction of a building over $20,000 and felony-controlled substance-operate/maintain lab involving methamphetamine. Officials said they had been looking for someone who caused property damage at the building between April 10-26. While widely reported to be a meth lab inside a university building, it was probably nothing like a Breaking Bad-style lab but rather more like the shake and bake method, which uses commonly available chemicals in a pop or water bottle, which can cause toxic byproducts. It is not clear whether police believe the chemicals were used to make methamphetamine inside the building, which will be critical during the prosecution, said Tonya Krause-Phelan, associate dean of academics at Cooley Law School and an attorney who has worked with methamphetamine cases. University officials said multiple tests inside the building showed no risks.

Lansing Mayor Andy Schor’s 2026-27 budget is about to go before city council members. The budget needs to be approved by May 18. Schor’s proposed budget is less than 1% higher than the current budget and it proposes to increase the amount set aside for a rainy day. The budget is for $307.2 million, with $182 million of that being the general fund. Schor’s budget asks for additional fire, police and code compliance workers as well as $7.5 million for wastewater treatment plant upgrades and $1.5 million for sidewalk repairs. The withdrawal of a data center proposal means more than $1 million in previously proposed add-ons, like $400,000 each in firefighter equipment and additional housing dollars, don’t exist in the budget.

Maybe you’ll take the train to Chicago after a planned launch of daily non-stop flights from Lansing’s Capital Region International Airport to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport has been pushed back from May to October. United Airlines said the decision stems from Federal Aviation Administration restrictions that limit the number of flights it can operate at O’Hare, according to WILX. The flights were expected to start May 7 and have been postponed through Oct. 25. Customers can reach United Airlines if they have not already been notified.

 

A live-fire training exercise took place at the Capital Region International Airport on Tuesday, with enough heavy smoke and flames that the airport’s safety department officials alerted the public to the training drills, which did not affect flights. The training, which usually takes place annually, is designed for public safety officers to practice aircraft firefighting and rescue techniques in a controlled environment. The exercise used a propane-fueled aircraft simulator.

A 74-year-old man died Monday after his 2010 Harley-Davidson motorcycle crashed into a pickup truck that had pulled in front of him on South Clinton Trail (M-50) in Eaton County. A Charlotte man, also 74, operating the 2026 GMC Sierra entered the road from East Bellevue Highway, Michigan State Police said. He was not injured. The motorcyclist died later from his injuries at UM Health-Sparrow. An investigation is ongoing and police said alcohol and drugs do not seem to be factors.

Residents in Oscoda County returned to their homes on Monday night after a 100-acre wildfire destroyed two structures and caused an evacuation in the Camp 10 Road area in Mio. The wildfire also took out power at the county sheriff’s office. Firefighters said the blaze was 80% controlled by Monday night and were continuing to work on the rest of the fire.

April showers bring May flowers, and mosquitoes and ticks. Extensive flooding last month has led state officials to add extra warnings about mosquitoes and ticks for both people and animals. “Preventing tick and mosquito bites is the best way to avoid diseases including Lyme disease, West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, the state’s chief medical executive. “Use insect repellent and wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors to help prevent bites. If you find a tick attached to your body, promptly remove it, monitor your health and consult with a medical provider if you become ill.” Signs and symptoms of tick-borne disease typically begin one to two weeks after a tick bite, often after being in wooded or brushy areas where ticks commonly live. Early symptoms can be nonspecific and include fever or chills, rash, headache, fatigue and muscle aches.
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“The standing water created after flooding and excess rain makes for ideal breeding sites for mosquitoes and increases the likelihood that ticks will move into new areas,” said Dr. Nora Wineland, Michigan’s state veterinarian. “Livestock and pet owners should check their properties for pooled water and take action to empty those pools, use veterinarian-recommended preventives like insect repellants and monitor animals for any signs of illness.” The best way to prevent mosquito- and tick-borne illnesses is to reduce the number of mosquitos and ticks around your home and to take personal precautions to avoid bites. Try reducing standing water, trimming tall grass around homes and buildings, creating a three-foot barrier of wood chips or gravel between property and wooded areas to limit tick movement, keeping lawns and pastures maintained and mowed, stacking firewood in a dry area to avoid rodents that can harbor ticks. Also: use an insect repellent registered by the Environmental Protection Agency. Always check for ticks on yourself and your animals after being outdoors, including in your own yard. If a tick is found, safely remove it as quickly as possible.

If you’re having a tougher time breathing than normal, it may be allergies. WLNS spoke to Dr. Manoj Mohan, an allergist at Okemos Allergy Center PC, who said pollen may be making your nose stuffy and your throat tight and sore. With warmer weather on the way, it’s a recipe for disaster for people with allergies. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, the common culprits are birch, oak and even grass. According to Accuweather’s allergy forecast, the Lansing area is expected to come down slightly on its tree pollen, from very high to high, this week. Other pollens – ragweed and grass, along with mold – are at a low level and expected to remain there for the next several days.