Today’s weather forecast is predicting rain with some snow mixing in the afternoon with a high of 37 degrees and a low of 20 degrees. For the weekend it looks like partly cloudy skies on Saturday and rain in snow for Sunday with temps ranging between the 30s and 40s.

People protest Trump’s actions at Lansing capitol building

At noon Wednesday, a group of people stood on the capitol lawn in Lansing with no organization or leadership. The signs they held read several different slogans on topics ranging from transgender rights to economic grievances.

All of the protesters had one thing in common: they heard about the marches happening all across the country through social media.

Kassandra Cooper came from Ann Arbor to be at the protest and admitted she was worried nobody was going to be present.

She showed up because she thinks it’s a time for everyone to speak out and those that are being quiet, need to come to the forefront.

Cooper said the variety of signs may be different but they are addressing problems within the same realm. The protesters came to speak out about the changes President Trump has made since regaining office on Jan. 20.

Lansing local Floyd Harkness, said he heard about the protest from his daughter who got the information on social media. Harkness said he joined the protest because he believes the country is declining.

He said human rights, particularly women’s rights, were his main reason for attending and he hopes the protest will increase in size at the next event. Like previous protests against fascism, this march was part of a series, with more planned for the near future through social media platforms.

Phil McPherson, traveled from Muskegon to attend the protest today. Him and his husband brought flags representing the LGBTQIA+ community to wave while marching.

Project 2025 is a document outlining how the federal government, if led by a conservative president, can transform radically to adhere to right-wing ideology. McPherson said he is fearful for every marginalized community for the next four years.

Although the group was not officially organized by any one person, several protesters took the lead, guiding the group through chants and walking routes.

New One North location opens their doors, replaces Reno’s

Walking into the new One North East Lansing location at 1310 Abbot Road, there are two large dining spaces. One side of the restaurant is more reminiscent of Reno’s atmosphere, with sizable windows surrounding a room-length bar and several TVs. The other side closely resembles a higher-end restaurant with a more sophisticated ambiance.

While both brands provided these rooms for customer preferences, One North is trying to hone in on family-friendly dining rather than just being recognized as a sports bar.

While the location is still a place for people to dine, drink and watch the game, the menu is no longer freezer-food heavy, and 85% to 90% of their menu is made from scratch.

One North hired around 120 new staff members before opening, a majority being college students. The restaurant utilizes several platforms to market itself and has been successful in reaching all generations.

The MSU Coaches Radio Shows, presented by the Spartan Media Network, were previously held at Reno’s but transferred to One North with the change in ownership. Adam Nightingale, Tom Izzo and Robyn Fralick are among those who broadcast live from the restaurant.

Public art provides a sense of place, community

There are very few spaces and buildings in downtown East Lansing and on Michigan State University’s campus that don’t incorporate public art in one way or another. This decision is purposeful, part of a conscious effort to incorporate artwork into these communities.

The East Lansing Public Arts Commission has full purview over ordinance 1339 and also has the power to commission art for the community separate from development. The arts committee works in tandem with the art selection committee and the city council.

Though the tasks of the arts commission have changed since its inception in the 1960s-70s, staff liaison to the arts commission Heather Majano said it still has the same overarching purpose.

For each commission of public art in the city, the arts commission sends out requests for qualifications. These qualifications are then sifted through until three to five artists are decided on by the art selection committee. These artists are then paid to draft proposals for the space and finally the committee decides on one. The artist and work are then approved by the commission and the installation can move forward.

Today, there are over 20 works of public art around East Lansing and the commission is hoping to continue these efforts, not just downtown.

MSU has a similar group on campus, the Public Art on Campus Committee. The committee is involved in every new building project on campus and makes decisions about how public art will be incorporated.

The committee was created in the 1990s, vice provost of University Arts and Collections and co-chair of the Public Art on Campus Committee Judith Stoddart said.

Public art on campus is selected to strengthen the mission or purpose of the building the piece is in or around. For example, during the construction of the STEM building, the committee decided on a reactive video display connected to energy consumption on campus.

Artwork around the campus and in the city also has the effect of taking a person out of their own heads. It acts as a passing distraction, even if it only lasts for a moment.

A current initiative by the Public Art on Campus Committee is an app-based music installation called Art Moves MSU. The app plays music, which is activated as you pass by different locations along the Red Cedar River.

Based on original reporting by Anna Barnes and Hannah Locke.

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

Here’s the MSU Athletic line-up for the weekend…

Sunday

• Women’s Tennis playing Western Michigan & Eastern Michigan at 10 A.M. and 2 P.M. at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center.
• Wrestling going against Clarion at 1 P.M. at Jenison Field House.

Here’s the MSU weekend events line-up…

Saturday

• Funn at the Munn will take place! Students can join in on skating, a hockey team meet & greet, treats, games, activities and more at 8:30 P.M. at Munn Ice Arena.