More Than Vintage: Vintage clothing store and cafe built by students, for students

More Than Vintage’s owner Louis Azor and general manager Noah Hurley’s vintage store and coffee shop is the first of its kind to arrive in East Lansing.

Their vision was to create a mix of an ’80s and ’90s-inspired modern style shop and aspires to open at late hours, but most importantly keep a cozy-home feel to serve the
East Lansing and MSU community as sophomores at MSU themselves.

While passing Division Street in downtown East Lansing last December, Azor noticed the location and began making calls. Although touring other potential places, he decided on the Division Street location being steps off campus and its admirable price.

However, a chance bonding over a Philadelphia hat that Azor wore at Foster Coffee Company fulfilled just that. A man approached him at the coffee shop and they continued to talk for two hours.

Azor began learning more about him, attended the church that he pastors, went out for dinners and pitched the idea of More Than Vintage or MTV to him.

Eventually, he gained faith in Azor to start up MTV and gave him money to begin the project.

Azor and Hurley are inviting any students that also sell clothes to be put on sale in MTV, including MSU Vintage, owned by advertising management senior Jared Perlin. They will also be doing a buy-sell-trade on sneakers or other products.

Native American Institute interim director resigns from MSU following lawsuit

Native American Institute interim director Christie Poitra resigned from her position at MSU on Wednesday, according to the Lansing State Journal or LSJ.

Poitra sent an email to her bosses informing them of her resignation and that her last day will be May 24, the LSJ reported on Wednesday.

According to the LSJ, Poitra wrote in the email, “By resigning, I am freed from this deeply dysfunctional situation. No more: stalking; veiled threats; filthy texts; ableist slurs; racial epithets; cleaning the sexual lubricants; calculated inaction; being repeatedly intimidated by my white and male supervisor telling me that my unit (staffed with Native and Black women) is a ‘dead office’; gaslighting; deliberate understaffing; grossly inequitable pay; calculated exclusion from college-level resources, information and support; reduced budget; damage to my reputation; missed holidays; and illnesses from the stress of navigating this hostile environment.”

Poitra previously filed a complaint to sue the university due to sexual harassment and discrimination from her former boss John Norder. It has been nearly three years since Poitra first filed a complaint against Norder through the Office of Institutional Equity, or OIE.

MSU spokespersons did not respond to The State News’ request for comment at the time of publication.

Poitra has been on family medical leave from the university since November 2021. During her leave, Poitra’s mental and physical health improved which helped with her decision to resign, according to the LSJ.

State Rep. Matt Maddock booted from House GOP Caucus

On Tuesday, April 26, State Rep. Matt Maddock was removed from the House GOP Caucus, according to an email from a House GOP spokesperson.

Maddock, R-Milford Township, is the husband of Michigan GOP Co-Chair Meshawn Maddock. The two are seen as former President Donald Trump’s most diehard loyalists in the state.

Sources have told Bridge Michigan that Maddock was removed because he was violating caucus rules by discussing caucus affairs in the public. State Rep. Beau LaFave, R-Iron Mountain, also did not disclose why Maddock was removed but did say that he was personally upset that Maddock had been attacking Republican members of both the House and Senate over “minor disagreements” and because they would not support his run for speaker.

“I don’t speak for the caucus, but I think it’s quite unfair for him to go after conservative, hardworking Republicans in the House and Senate and target them for pure selfish gain,” LaFave said. LaFave went on to say that both Matt and Meshawn Maddock had lied to his face on multiple occasions and had heard about Matt Maddock doing the same to other members of the legislature.

LaFave, who was a candidate for the Republican nomination for Secretary of State, said that both the Maddocks promised to support him in his run for statewide office “behind the scenes”, but then turned around and recommended Trump endorse Kristina Karamo for the same position.

Maddock’s ousting also comes after he emailed supporters Sunday morning, encouraging them to volunteer, donate and pray for a slew of Trump-endorsed candidates for the state legislature, including Mick Bricker.

Based on original reporting by Ashley Zhou, Maddy Warren and Dan Netter. Script by Shakyra Mabone.