The forecast predicts that it will be a cold day with the high being 52 and the low being 43.
Steve Whelan and Chuck Grigsby elected to East Lansing City Council
In the early hours of Wednesday morning, the Ingham County Clerk’s website announced that former candidates Steve Whelan and Chuck Grigsby are the newly elected members of East Lansing City Council. The election comes at a time when East Lansing is deliberating its sanctuary city status, its state of policing and its growing budget woes. Over 11,658 people voted in the election on Tuesday, according to unofficial results reported by the Ingham County Clerk website. Results will be confirmed later this week when voter demographics are released, East Lansing City Clerk Emily Gordon said. Whelan won with 22.36% of the vote, earning 2,609 votes across all precincts. Grigsby followed closely in second with 20.01% of the vote, earning 2,335 votes across all precincts. Candidate Adam DeLay followed as third with 14.85% of the vote with 1,732 votes across all precincts, but did not qualify for a council seat.
Amid budget cuts, MSU colleges pausing graduate program admissions
Several colleges at Michigan State University have paused admissions to graduate programs for the upcoming academic year in response to sweeping budget cuts the administration ordered over the summer. The halted enrollment adds to a growing list of tangible effects being felt on campus from the university’s mission to reduce its operating budget by 9% over the next two fiscal years — 6% for the current one, and 3% the following. Since the directive was made over the summer, nearly 100 positions at the university have been eliminated. And students have reported increasing class sizes, fewer teaching assistants, and study abroad programs no longer being offered. MSU argued when it ordered the budget cuts that the university’s financial trajectory had reached an untenable point.
A nonprofit organization led by a Michigan State University trustee is being scrutinized for its role in potentially helping big business gain special influence with state officials. On Oct. 26, the Detroit News reported that some of Michigan’s largest businesses had quietly helped finance Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s foreign trade missions while reaping billions in incentives and other financial benefits from her administration. Those businesses may have been able to cozy up to the Whitmer administration, the News reported, thanks to their seats on the board of the Michigan Economic Development Foundation, or MEDF. Trustee Rebecca Bahar-Cook is the executive director of the foundation. Reached by The State News on Tuesday, Bahar-Cook said her work as a university trustee and the scrutiny on the MEDF are “wholly unrelated.” MSU Spokesperson Amber McCann declined to comment, saying the MEDF is “not a university-affiliated entity in any way, shape or form.” Companies that contributed $25,000 or more to the MEDF got seats on the organization’s board. Those board members, in turn, were invited to private events attended by Whitmer and Quentin Messer Jr., a member of Whitmer’s cabinet and CEO of the state’s economic development agency.
MSU women’s basketball makes program history in win over Mercyhurst
EAST LANSING- Michigan State women’s basketball could not have asked for a better start to its season Tuesday night, demolishing Mercyhurst by a score of 125-39. The Spartans set a program record for most points scored in the win, breaking the old record of 116. The Spartans dominated this game from start to finish, jumping out to a quick 9-0 run to start the game. Head coach Robyn Fralick’s defense strategy wreaked havoc on the Lakers, forcing multiple backcourt violations leading to turnovers. The Spartans forced ten turnovers in the first quarter alone, including four ten second violations. The Spartans had numerous fast break opportunities leading to scoring from sophomore guard Kennedy Blair and senior guard Theryn Hallock.
