‘It’s the godmother’s turn’

No more than five minutes after becoming Lansing’s fourth poet laureate, Ruelaine Stokes summoned up thunder.

Stage set for Lansing Charter Revision Commission election

The 36 candidates for Lansing’s Charter Revision Commission have expressed divergent views on significant changes they would tackle if chosen in next Tuesday’s special election.

Williamstown Township studio tour welcomes newcomers

According to local artist Ron Cook, studio tours allow patrons to connect with artists more intimately than typical art exhibitions.

Enjoy fusions of flavor at Aloha Cookin’

I’m often guilty of eating an incredible meal somewhere but failing to return for extended lengths of time due to matters of convenience or budget, even while remembering the meal often and with great longing.

Foods for Living to close at the end of June

TUESDAY, April 30 – Foods For Living, a well-known independent natural grocer in East Lansing since 1997, will close by the end of June.

Washington Apartments in REO Town named to National Register of Historic Places

THURSDAY, April 25 — The old Washington Apartments, a vacant six-story apartment complex at 927 S. Washington Ave. in Reo Town, was added to the National Register of Historic Places this month, meaning it could soon get a facelift and take in tenants once more.

New wedding and event space takes over former Spiral Dance Bar

For nearly a quarter of a century, husband and wife Lynn Lucas and Matt Schultheiss have been planning weddings and other gatherings across Michigan through their event company, W.E.D.

If the walls could talk

Many products have been made in Lansing over the years, from automobiles and their parts to furniture, lawn mowers, chest protectors and cheese curds. A full catalog of Lansing-made stuff could escort you through a well-lived life, from fresh milk and baby carriages to booze, cigars and coffins.

City Pulse News

(From left) Patrick Rose, Susan Froetschel, Doug Olsen and Mike French are among East Lansing residents petitioning to put a charter amendment on the ballot to prohibit the city from limiting the number of unrelated people that homeowners may let live with them.

What constitutes family? East Lansing homeowners petitioning for reform

East Lansing resident Susan Froetschel is frustrated because “I can’t use my home as I thought I could.”

Volunteers at Southside Community Kitchen in Lansing, including (from right) Corey Kitley-Hassenger and Dave Batten, are among organizations in greater Lansing who accept food and ensure it gets to those in need.

‘Can I have that?’

If you are of a certain age, you may recall your parents admonishing you to eat (insert name of hated vegetable) while thinking about the starving children who would gladly eat (insert name of hated vegetable).

Lansing Fire Department Division Chief Jwan Randle is under investigation for credit card fraud and misuse of a city car and cell phone.

Lansing Fire Department division chief suspended during investigation

Lansing Fire Department Division Chief Jwan Randle has been suspended while he is being investigated for credit card fraud and using a city vehicle and cell phone for personal business, two sources …

Candidates for Lansing's Charter Revision Commission speak at a Lansing NAACP forum on April 18. (Top row from left) Joan Bauer, Stephen Purchase, Liz Boyd, Ted O'Dell, Corwin Smidt; (Middle row from left) Tim Knowlton, Dedria Humphries Barker, Lori Simon, Heath Lowry, Justin Sheehan, Layna Anderson; (Bottom row from left) Jesse Lasorda, Randy Dykhuis, Mitch Rice, Muhammad Qawwee, Ross Yednock, Julie Vandenboom.

Lansing Charter Revision Commission candidates doubt they can directly address issues of inequality

FRIDAY, April 19 — Revising Lansing’s City Charter to address “disparities in access to resources and opportunities” is unlikely, said most candidates at a Revision Commission forum yesterday sponsored by the local NAACP chapter. But some suggested ways such access could be addressed indirectly.

The Dish: Stuffed mushroom caps

Spinach stuffed mushroom caps from Piazzano’s.

CHLOE ALVERSON On a rainy evening a few weeks ago, a few friends and I ventured to Piazzano’s on North Grand River — the place “where good friends meet.” The family-style restaurant was buzzing at the start of the dinner rush. The menu has a little bit of everything, from Italian fare to Mexican dishes. I wasn’t sure what to pick, but I was hungry. I wanted an appetizer to start, and I debated between the fried mushrooms and spinach artichoke dip (which is my go-to). I decided on something that would combine the two: Stuffed mushroom caps. The mushroom caps come filled with either spinach or crab (I chose spinach) topped with cheese and “baked to perfection,” as the menu described it.

The Dish: Stuffed mushroom caps

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Rewind: News from the last 7 days

Foods for Living, an independent natural grocer in East Lansing, will close by the end of June. The employee-owned retailer was founded in 1997 by John and Wilma Snyder and has occupied its …

FOOD

Pork and beans the Brazilian way

Courtesy of Ari LeVaux
Feijoada semi-completa.

Pork and beans are an age-old combination, expressed in countless ways around the world. Southwestern pinto beans refried in lard. Asian tofu with pork sauce. The all-American can of pork and beans. Wherever there’s pork and beans, there’s pork with beans.

Make Mother’s Day extra special with homemade breakfast in bed

There may be no better way to start Mother’s Day than with breakfast in bed. Enjoying a homemade meal right after waking up can set the right tone for a day that celebrates all mothers have done and continue to do for their children.

Courtesy of Ari LeVaux
Chive pancakes are a popular item on many Asian menus. They’re usually made with flour or pancake mix, but the northern Chinese version is closer to an omelet.

Farm-fresh chive pancakes

I’ve been buying Chinese chives at the farmers market from a vendor named Nancy. She has many unique vegetables, like pink celery for stir-fries, delicious edamame soybeans and Dutch-style tomatoes,

No matter what you order at Eastside Fish Fry, it will be deep fried to a perfectly golden crisp.

Feasting on finger-lickin’ good fried fare

If you’re looking for fried food in the Lansing area, nothing beats the array of selections at Eastside Fish Fry & Grill. From chicken tenders, jalapeno poppers and onion rings to more unique offerings like alligator, frog legs and liver, this restaurant fries up just about anything you could think of.

Opinion

Why supporting MI Avenue businesses during rehab matters

After many years, multiple community input sessions and a half-dozen studies, the Michigan Avenue Rehabilitation Project is in full swing.

Whom does Kennedy’s candidacy hurt? In Michigan, as elsewhere, neither party

The popular narrative is that if it hadn’t been for Ross Perot in 1992, George H.W. Bush would have won a second presidential term and there wouldn’t have been a Bill Clinton.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

It was spring 1957, and I was a draftee soldier at Fort Eustis, Virginia. Soon to be released and needing money, I was also a volunteer soldier-waiter at the Officer’s Club.

Arts & Culture

Ann Carlson (left) and Rich Kopitsch rehearse a fight scene for “Not Part of the Choreography,” one of nine short plays featured in Ixion Ensemble Theatre’s new works showcase “Let’s Fight,” running May 10, 11, 17 and 18 at Stage One at Sycamore Creek Eastwood.

Ixion Ensemble explores conflict in new works showcase

Lansing locals might know Rose Jangmi Cooper as the woman who sings on her motorcycle or as a member of the spoken-word and gospel music group Voices of the Revolution.

More arts and culture...

Shopping, square dancing and ‘Star Wars’

This weekend, Lansing-area residents can look forward to several art, craft and plant sales as well as events to celebrate “Star Wars” Day and Cinco de Mayo, a Kentucky Derby gala, a 50th-anniversary party at the Meridian Historical Village and much more.

Learn to ‘peel back the layers’ of your ancestors

Each year, the Archives of Michigan and the Michigan Genealogical Council host a seminar on compiling family histories that’s geared toward both genealogical experts and amateurs who want to learn more about their families and where they came from.

Eco-friendly events to explore

From Earth Day and Arbor Day celebrations at Potter Park Zoo to recycling events and second-hand sales, this weekend is packed with opportunities to decrease your carbon footprint and honor the Earth. There are also new art exhibits and theater productions, a 5K, a masquerade ball and much more.

Peppermint Creek brings historic book-banning battle to the stage

The quote “history doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes,” attributed to Mark Twain, is an apt summary of the central theme of Peppermint Creek Theatre Co.’s current production. “Alabama Story” is a cautionary tale that reminds us that the hatred and bias of the civil rights era are not bygone.

‘Rift’ provides a chilling look at the tolls of Christian patriarchy

When she was 5 years old, Cait West remembers her father telling her to change out of her two-piece swimsuit. In her new book, “Rift: A Memoir of Breaking Away from Christian Patriarchy,” she writes, “I didn’t know what modesty meant then … Most of all, I remember feeling ashamed.”

Lansterdam

Have cannabis prices dropped too low?

“Good weed ain’t cheap, and cheap weed ain’t good.” When I worked in pre-legal market caregiver stores, this was a popular saying among operators.

420 2024: A look back at Lansing’s stoner roots

Happy 420, dope smokers of Lansing!

Calendar of Events

the best events listings in lansing

The Dish: Stuffed mushroom caps

Ixion Ensemble explores conflict in new works showcase

Lansing locals might know Rose Jangmi Cooper as the woman who sings on her motorcycle or as a member of the spoken-word and gospel music group Voices of the Revolution.

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