Friday, May 3,2013

Market Place gets a timeline

City, Gillespie reach an agreement to get downtown project moving

by Andy Balaskovitz

Friday, May 3 — The Bernero administration has brokered a deal with developer Pat Gillespie to get his downtown Market Place development moving, which includes a timeline for when “substantial completion” of construction should finish.

Wednesday, May 1,2013

Pot petition

Bernero "inclined" to support City Charter amendment to legalize less than an ounce of marijuana on private property in Lansing. Legal questions abound.

by Andy Balaskovitz

Should it be legal to possess up to an ounce of marijuana on private property in Lansing if you're over 21? City voters may get a chance to answer that question at the polls in November.

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Wednesday, May 1,2013

Market Place taking too long

Gillespie is in violation of development agreement, city exploring “legal remedies”

by Andy Balaskovitz

Wednesday, May 1 — Local developer Pat Gillespie is in violation of a development agreement for his downtown Market Place project, the head of the Lansing Economic Area Partnership said today. The city is looking at its legal options for moving forward.

Friday, April 26,2013

Do we need LPD in schools?

Absolutely, Bernero says. Council member Jody Washington disagrees.

by Andy Balaskovitz

Thursday, April 25 — First Ward City Councilwoman Jody Washington and Mayor Virg Bernero are at odds over whether Lansing police officers should be in the city’s three high schools for security measures.

Wednesday, April 24,2013

The mayor on pot

Mayor Bernero asks city attorney to look into how decriminalizing cannabis in the city would work, says pot enforcement is "not a priority for the Lansing Police Department."

by Andy Balaskovitz

Not long after voters in four Michigan cities elected in November to ease restrictions on possessing cannabis, Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero got to thinking. In Flint and Grand Rapids, voters approved ballot initiatives to decriminalize possession of small amounts of pot. Bernero called Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell "on a lark" and left him a voicemail saying, "What is this, you crazy hippies decriminalized there? I didn’t realize Grand Rapids was like that."

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Wednesday, April 24,2013

Money first, safety second

The Waverly Road Regional Network Connection does not get funding support from Lansing Township and Ingham County; city will press on with alternative plan.

by Andy Balaskovitz

Lansing officials are "disheartened," "frustrated" and "disappointed" with Lansing Township and Ingham County for failing to support what they call an exemplary regional transportation project that would resolve serious safety concerns.

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Wednesday, April 24,2013

Keep it clean

Sodomy, a clean campaign pledge and negative politics mark uneasy start to 4th Ward City Council race

by Andy Balaskovitz

Lansing City Councilwoman Jessica Yorko called on her election challengers last weekend to sign a "clean campaign pledge" to keep the race to represent Lansing's 4th Ward civil. The call is directed specifically to the campaign of Chong-Anna Canfora, who has declined, calling it a "political stunt."

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Monday, April 22,2013

Kids in the Hall

Budget hearings round 4: Fire, City Clerk and City Attorney. Also, Council unanimously approves GM tax abatement.

by Andy Balaskovitz

Monday, April 22 — The Bernero administration wants to move the city’s Code Compliance Office into the Fire Department for what it says would allow for better enforcement of property issues.

Thursday, April 18,2013

Yankowski named chief

Mayor appoints Captain Mike Yankowski as interim police chief

by Andy Balaskovitz

Thursday, April 18 — Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero has named Captain Mike Yankowski as interim police chief for the city of Lansing.

Wednesday, April 17,2013

New GM, same old corporate partners

by Andy Balaskovitz

Outside Corina Slaughter's front door, beyond a 10-foot-high wooden fence across the street, is a lifeless stretch of concrete extending past Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, appearing to become one with the Grand River. It's a massive reminder of good manufacturing years gone by. And it'll stay that way for the foreseeable future, despite the property owner's potential $38 million investment into the property.

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