Today’s weather forecast is predicting mainly sunny with a high of 51 degrees and a low of 33 degrees. For the weekend it looks like it will be higher 50’s going into low 60’s and mostly sunny with some possible clouds for tomorrow.

East Lansing City Council approves grant application for Hannah Community Center construction

The East Lansing City Council voted to approve a resolution for an application to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources through the Spark Grant program this past Tuesday.

The grant program funds the creation, renovation or redevelopment of public opportunities for residents and visitors and doesn’t require the city to contribute the same amount of money to the project as it receives from the grant.

If approved, the city of East Lansing would receive an amount to construct a pavilion, electrical service, a drinking fountain, walkway improvements and reconstruction of the parking lot, basketball courts and associated landscaping at Hannah Community Center off of Abbott Road.

Mayor Pro Tem Jessy Gregg said she sent an application to the grant program because of the added shade structure the pavilion gives to spectators that visit the soccer fields, the water bottle filling opportunities from a water fountain and adding a rentable space to the city’s park amenities.

The council also voted to approve a measure recognizing ‘No Mow May’, during which residents are encouraged to hold off on mowing their lawns until June to conserve energy, reduce carbon emissions and produce less waste from lawn clippings.

Bandana painting project brings awareness to violence against migrant women

Justice for Migrant Women, a non-profit civil rights organization, hosted a project as a part of MSU’s “It’s On Us Week,” a week filled with events to raise awareness for sexual violence.

The project, called the Bandana Project, is meant to shed light on the importance of speaking up for the sexual violence that migrant women face in the agricultural industry. Participants painted bandanas with supportive messages.

The event was held in the Brody Square Atrium and students were able to sit down and learn about the issue as well as paint.

Students were interested in the idea of participating in a hands-on activity rather than just hearing about the issue.

The bandanas will be displayed in Brody and then turned into a “traveling display” to continue to promote the cause.

MSU appoints new Director of Sustainability after year-long vacancy

Michigan State University appointed Harvey Amoe III, commonly known as Chip, to the role of Director of Sustainability on Wednesday.

The position has been vacant since Amy Butler died in January 2022. Butler served as MSU’s first sustainability director and took on the role in 2018. MSU sustainability employees such as Sustainability Program Coordinator Laura Young stepped up to handle responsibilities until the position was filled.

Amoe will begin his role as director on April 10 following a five-year tenure as the first Director of Sustainability for Henry Ford Health Systems in Detroit.

Amoe will lead MSU in ensuring the university achieves climate neutrality by 2050. He will develop and implement a sustainability plan that aligns with the MSU’s 2023 strategic plan. The plan, unveiled by former President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., seeks to expand upon trends in six areas: student success, staff and faculty success, innovation for global impact, sustainable health, stewardship and sustainability, and diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI.

Amoe told The State News he is excited for the opportunity to work at MSU, as the university’s current sustainability efforts align with the ones he aimed to achieve at Henry Ford.

His goal is to address climate change and its threat to human health in the best way possible during his time at MSU, he said.

Amoe’s goals aren’t focused strictly on East Lansing — he wants to lead by example to have a larger reach with his efforts. Satellite campuses and communities across the state can be benefited from the opportunities at MSU, he said.

Based on original reporting by Maggie George, Maddie Dallas and Hannah Holycross.

To end our last episode of the week, here are a few announcements!

Here is the MSU home athletic line-up for the weekend…

Softball will play Iowa this weekend all at Secchia Stadium!

• Tonight at 5 P.M.
• Tomorrow at 1 P.M.
• Sunday at 1 P.M.

Baseball will play Ohio State this weekend all at McLane Stadium!

• Tonight at 6:05 P.M
• Tomorrow at 3:35 P.M.
• Sunday at 1:05 P.M.

Men’s Tennis, both games at the MSU Outdoor Tennis Center!

• Going up against Ohio State today at 4 P.M.
• Playing Penn State on Sunday at 12 P.M.

For our last announcement, a little fun fact is that I actually do the prepping for this podcast the night before, and due to Sunday being Easter and my personal religious beliefs there will be no episode airing next Monday.