Today’s weather forecast is predicting partly cloudy skies in the morning which will give way to cloudy skies for the afternoon with a high of 75 degrees and a low of 60 degrees. For the weekend it looks like it will be cloudy with a good chance of rain showers all throughout with temps in the higher 60s and lower 70s.

Men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo charms at annual public service forum

The 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright as well as civil rights leader and former congressman John Lewis are all members of an elite group of public figures who have been widely recognized for the roles they played in shaping the world as we know it.

On Tuesday night, this group opened its doors to Michigan State University men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo.

Izzo was former Gov. Jim Blanchard’s honorary guest at this year’s Jim Blanchard Public Service Forum, an annual event hosted by the College of Social Science that aims to allow students to hear from leaders in politics, entertainment and other fields.

Sitting where esteemed statesmen and authors have once sat, Izzo fielded a variety of questions from Gov. Blanchard that touched on his upbringing in Iron Mountain, MI, his reaction to his son, Steven’s, first career point as well as his opinion on the recent expansion of the Big Ten conference.

MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz also spoke briefly at the event, commending Izzo’s role not just as a coach but as a campus leader. Also in attendance were trustees Diane Byrum and Kelly Tebay as well as state representative Julie Brixie.

The conversation opened with Blanchard asking Izzo if while growing up, he ever imagined that one day he’d be a hall-of-fame, nationally recognized basketball coach at MSU. Immediately seeing the chance to crack a joke and ease the tension in the room, Izzo pounced.

The rest of the night’s conversation followed a familiar pattern, with Blanchard asking Izzo about various personal and professional moments throughout his life and Izzo responding genuinely, but never missing out on an opportunity to make the crowd laugh.

Reflecting on his son’s time on MSU’s basketball team, Izzo recalled Steven’s first weightlifting session with the team where he threw up from pushing himself so hard. Importantly, Izzo points out, everyone in the weight room was encouraging and “pulling for” Steven.

Flashing forward to Steven’s senior night against Rutgers, Izzo recalled the feeling of watching his son, who virtually never played unless the team was “30 ahead, 30 behind, or there’s 30 seconds left,” score in front of a packed Breslin Center.

As the conversation reached its end, Blanchard took the opportunity to ask Izzo about his thoughts on the recent expansion of the Big Ten conference. This year, the universities of Oregon, Washington, Southern California and California, Los Angeles, joined the conference, bringing the total number of schools to 18.

Despite the potential for longer journeys for student-athletes, Izzo said, the expansion brings a lot of benefits, particularly when it comes to recruiting. With an expanded conference comes more opportunities for student-athletes to play in front of large audiences in Seattle and Los Angeles. For students on the fence about committing to MSU, Izzo said, the promise of greater exposure in the Big Ten can help push them towards playing here.

City Rescue Mission expands outreach with new homeless shelter

Since the pandemic, homeless shelters in Lansing have been grappling with overcrowding as more individuals find themselves without homes.

Laura Grimwood, the community outreach director of City Rescue Mission, emphasized that shelters across the area have been struggling to accommodate the rising number of people in need of assistance.

To address this, City Rescue Mission recently broke ground on a new homeless shelter in the 400 block of Kalamazoo Avenue. According to Laura, the facility is expected to open by late spring 2025 and will become one of the largest shelters in the Mid-Michigan region.

City Rescue Mission is a key provider for Lansing’s homeless population, operating three different facilities that offer housing, support services, and essential supplies. Last year, the organization served approximately 244 individuals each night. This year, Laura predicts that number will rise even further, exacerbating the strain on existing resources.

These growing numbers are becoming an issue for shelters who struggle to find space to house them all, she said. Even when they manage to find space, with such a high influx of people, shelters aren’t able to spend time with each individual to assess their needs and struggles. This ongoing struggle to meet the needs of the unhoused community prompted City Rescue Mission to seek ways to expand its services.

Thanks to a combination of loans, grants and community donations, City Rescue Mission was able to secure funding for the project. Once completed, the new shelter will effectively double the services they can provide, offering much-needed relief for the area’s unhoused population.

Renovations are already underway, and while there’s still a long way to go, Laura is optimistic about the progress.

The relocation, which is expected to take place toward the end of construction, will be a significant undertaking. City Rescue Mission’s current men’s shelter, established in 1948, has accumulated decades of history, artifacts and personal touches that will need to be transferred to the new space.

Fortunately, local organizations and businesses have stepped up to offer assistance. College Hunks, a moving company that specializes in providing support during transitions, has volunteered to help with the move, ensuring a smoother transition to the new shelter.

One feature that sets the new shelter apart from others is its planned hours of operation. Unlike traditional shelters, which typically close during the day, the new City Rescue Mission facility will be open 24 hours a day, allowing individuals to stay both day and night.

Another significant change will be the consolidation of services for single individuals. Currently, City Rescue Mission’s Women and Children’s shelter on South Cedar houses both single women and women with children, while their men’s shelter on Michigan Avenue houses single men. Once the new facility is open, both single men and women will be relocated to the new shelter, freeing up space in the existing locations.

Overall, for Laura, the project is a testament to the compassion and generosity of the Lansing community.

Based on original reporting by Emilio Perez Ibarguen and Gabrielle Yeary.

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

Here is the MSU Athletic line-up for the weekend…

Tomorrow

• Football will go up against Ohio State at 7 P.M. at Spartan Stadium.

Sunday

• Women’s Soccer will play Rutgers at 12 P.M. at DeMartin Stadium.