Tuesday, Nov. 22 — After months of sitting vacant, a new women’s boutique is setting up shop in the former Liebermann’s building downtown.

Thursday, Dec. 8 — Today’s American Dream perpetuates a need to have an important job with a lofty title in order to be happy, but a cultural critic and author says that’s not necessarily the best path for some.

Wednesday, Dec. 7 — Three Michigan State professors landed almost $3 million in federal grants to pursue research projects to help eliminate food-borne illnesses.

Monday, Dec. 12 — An MSU graduation ceremony turned into a political platform when Occupy Lansing participants spoke out against commencement speaker Roy Roberts during his speech in the Jack Breslin Student Events Center Saturday afternoon.

Wednesday, Dec. 14 — Eight local arts and culture organizations will receive grants totaling $125,000 as part of the Lansing Economic Development Corp.’s arts and culture “Sense of Place” grant program, city officials announced today.

Friday, Dec. 16 — Many school districts throughout the state are suffering from declining enrollment and funding shortfalls, but the underlying problems may be the fault of state policy, rather than a district itself, an MSU professor says.

Tuesday, Dec. 20 — Buying a Christmas tree can do more than decorate a home for the holidays — it can also help build a new home for a family in need.

Monday, Dec. 19 — The smell of charred wood is overpowering at the site of the St. Vincent de Paul store at 1020 S. Washington Ave. Every window is boarded up with new plywood. Char marks are visible around the edges of the wood. The smell of ash contrasts drastically with the Christmas wreath hanging on the front of the building. A man on a bike gazed sadly at the store as he rode past.

Thursday, Dec. 22 — Gov. Rick Snyder’s proposal to link school funding with student achievement could be disastrous for already under-funded districts, says an executive of the Michigan Association of School Boards.

Tuesday, Jan. 3 — Full-time online schools are becoming the next big education craze, but not everyone is sold on the idea, an executive from the Michigan Association of School Boards says.