East Lansing's 2012 festival season will kick off this May with the 49th Annual East Lansing Art Festival (ELAF), taking place over the weekend of May 19-20 in downtown East Lansing.
The ELAF will feature more than 200 juried artists from across the continent, live music, children's activities and an international food court. The festival is a regional rite of spring and attracts an estimated 70,000 visitors to the region each year.
This year's festival will feature a modified site layout, due to construction along Albert Avenue in the downtown. As such, the festival will take place on Abbot Road between Grand River Avenue and Elizabeth Street, Albert Avenue between Abbot Road and Grove Street and in Parking Lot 1 of downtown East Lansing. The music stage will be in the parking lot at East Lansing City Hall, 410 Abbot Road. All pedestrian walkways and downtown parking ramps will be open and accessible during the festival weekend. Learn more about the festival at www.elartfest.com.
ELAF to Celebrate 50th Anniversary in 2013 - The ELAF will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2013. With this in mind, ELAF's organizers have begun to collect past festival memorabilia for use during next year's special milestone celebration. Community members are encouraged to share their old festival photographs, anecdotes, mementos, images of artwork purchased at past festivals and more. These items can be dropped off at the information booth during this year's festival or can be sent to East Lansing Art Festival, 410 Abbot Road, East Lansing, MI 48823 or info@elartfest.com.
Following a number of budget work sessions and meetings, East Lansing City Council will adopt the Fiscal Year 2012-2013 budget on Tuesday, May 15.
As in past years, the City is facing considerable financial challenges brought on by a decline in property taxes, a decrease in state funding, rising legacy costs and other factors. The City has employed a number of cost-cutting efforts in the face of these challenges, including reducing its workforce by 25 percent over the last decade. Moving forward, City Council is considering a 2-mill solution over two years for the East Lansing Public Library in order to balance the FY13 and FY14 budgets. Under Public Act 164, the Council may levy a tax of 1 mill annually through budget appropriations and may place an additional 1 mill on the November 6, 2012 General Election ballot for a vote by East Lansing citizens. If both mills are levied, the library would receive $1.726 million, which would offset the City's general fund operating transfer to the library by $1.45 million. Learn more at www.cityofeastlansing.com/budget.
Strathmore Development Company approached the City in early March with news that the required financing for the proposed City Center II project had been secured.
Following three public meetings, Council made the decision to approve the pre-development agreement, providing the City with a due-diligence period to review the site plan and financial structure for the project. Per the agreement, the due-diligence period will be completed by Tuesday, June 26 and a final decision will be made by no later than Tuesday, July 31.
With the City's best interest in mind, Council will decide to either move forward with a full development agreement or let the pre-development agreement lapse and be free to pursue another project on the publicly owned portions of the site. If the proposed $105 million mixed-used project moves forward, it would be located on a 5.25-acre parcel of land at the corner of Grand River Avenue and Abbot Road. In order to prevent the site plan from expiring, the developer commenced demolition work on the DDA-owned building at 303 N. Abbot Road. The DDA approved the demolition contingent upon Council's approval of the pre-development agreement. Learn more at www.cityofeastlansing.com/CityCenterII.
The Prime Time Seniors' Program will celebrate its 40th anniversary in conjunction with National Older Americans Month this May.
To commemorate this special month, Prime Time will be highlighting one active senior each day of May through a unique intergenerational project. In an effort to bring the younger and older generations of the community together to learn a little more about each other, Prime Time - with the assistance of MSU journalism instructor Cheryl Pell - has facilitated special interviews between local journalism students and members of Prime Time. The participating students will use these interviews to write a feature story about the active senior they were assigned and their stories, along with pictures, will be posted on the City's website, www.cityofeastlansing.com, throughout the month.
In addition to this project, Prime Time will host a celebration of its 40th anniversary on Thursday, May 24 at 11 a.m. in the Banquet Room of the East Lansing Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road. Members of the community are welcome to attend, to learn more about how the program has grown over the past 40 years and reminisce about Prime Time’s rich history and the people who have made the program so special. In addition to mingling, refreshments, memory sharing and more, Kathy Crawford – a motivational speaker – will give Prime Time inspirational direction for the next 40 years.
Community members gathered at the East Lansing Hannah Community Center this past April for the 2012 Crystal Awards reception, a program that honors unsung heroes who have enhanced East Lansing's quality of life.
This year's recipients included Dr. Dale Bartlett, the Summer Circle Theatre, Marsha Bristor and the Eric 'RicStar' Winter Music Therapy Camp. Dr. Bartlett will complete his 30th year as the conductor of the Arts Chorale of Greater Lansing in 2013. The Summer Circle Theatre has brought outdoor plays to the banks of the Red Cedar River for more than five decades. Marsha Bristor (pictured at right) has dedicated countless volunteer hours to managing the East Lansing Public Library's used book shop. And, the RicStar Camp, hosted in honor of the life of Eric Richard Winter, provides opportunities for musical expression to those with special needs. Learn more about this year's recipients here.
Community members are reminded that two major construction projects will cause some road closures in the East Lansing area beginning this May.
Parts of Albert Avenue and Grove Street in downtown East Lansing will be closed to traffic beginning this spring for underground infrastructure improvements. These improvements will accommodate two new redevelopment projects along Ann Street Plaza, as well as future development in the downtown area. The project is expected to begin Monday, May 7 at the intersection of Albert Avenue and Charles Street and will proceed westward, ending at the intersection of Grove and Linden streets in late summer or early fall. The project will be done in phases with completed portions of the road re-opened before a new phase begins.
In addition, a reconstruction project will take place on Harrison Avenue, between Mt. Hope Road and Trowbridge Road. It is also expected to begin Monday, May 7 with an estimated completion in late July. The anticipated traffic impacts of this project are significant and motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes. The roadway will be closed to thru traffic throughout the majority of the project, with traffic lane shifts and intersection closures at other times. Local traffic can access the area from Mt. Hope Road only and should follow the posted detour route. Learn more about both projects at www.cityofeastlansing.com/construction.
Community members can go green at Project Pride, taking place on Saturday, June 2 from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Abbott Center, 1400-1500 Abbot Road.
This annual community cleanup and recycling event provides East Lansing residents with an opportunity to drop off unwanted items for recycling, reuse or proper disposal. The majority of items are collected free of charge, while some require a disposal fee. New items collected this year will include green glass bottles/jars and unwanted medicines. Visit www.cityofeastlansing.com/ProjectPride to find a full list of items that will be accepted.
The East Lansing Educational Foundation (ELEF) will host its 12th Annual Awards Dinner and Golf Outing on May 10 at the Eagle Eye Golf Course. Funds raised from the evening will support ELEF's Grants for Teachers programs.
An 18-hole golf scramble will take place at 12:30 p.m., followed by a reception, raffle, dinner and awards program from 5:30-9:15 p.m. Among this year's awardees, former East Lansing City Manager Ted Staton will be honored with the Distinguished Community Service Award.
Dinner tickets are $50 per person and golf and dinner tickets are $125 per person. For more information, call Michele Huisgen at (517) 333-7439 or visit www.eastlansingedfoundation.org.
The East Lansing Aquatic Center will open for its 2012 summer season on Friday, June 1.
The Aquatic Center is an interactive outdoor water facility featuring water slides, a number of water play structures, a large sunbathing deck and more. The Aquatic Center will be open through Monday, Sept. 3 and one-day, 10-day, season and combo passes can be purchased. There are also group rates for parties of 12 or more. Visit www.cityofeastlansing.com/AquaticCenter for more information.
The East Lansing Public Library (ELPL) will host its Summer Reading Program June 11-Aug. 4.
This year's theme for children and young adults is "Dream Big, Read!" and the theme for adults is "Between the Covers." Children can complete a weekly book log to earn prizes and young adults and adults can submit book reviews to be entered into weekly drawings for prizes. The book logs, along with additional information, will be available at the library leading up to the kickoff of the eight-week program. It's a great way to get the whole family involved in summer reading!
Contact ELPL at (517) 351-2420 for more information.
The East Lansing City Council will host the 2012 Crystal Awards reception on Thursday, April 19 at 5 p.m. at the East Lansing Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road.
The annual Crystal Awards honor individuals, groups, organizations, businesses and commercial enterprises that have gone above and beyond to enhance the quality of life in East Lansing. Community members are charged with submitting nominations early in the year, which are later narrowed down by a community selection committee to four recipients, three in the community category and one in the business category. The four 2012 Crystal Awards recipients will be honored during a "surprise announcement" at the April 19 reception.
Members of the community are encouraged to attend this free reception, which will feature hors d'oeuvres, live music and a special program. Learn more about the Crystal Awards at www.cityofeastlansing.com/crystalawards.
The City of East Lansing and Michigan State University have announced the One Book, One Community program's 2012 selection; "Behind the Beautiful Forevers" by Pulitzer Prize winner Katherine Boo.
Based on three years of uncompromising reporting, "Behind the Beautiful Forevers" transports readers to Annawadi; a makeshift settlement located in the shadows of Mumbai, India. Reporting on real people, using their real names, Boo offers a deeply felt account of the lives, hopes and fears of some of Mumbai's most deprived citizens. The annual One Book, One Community program, co-sponsored by the City and MSU, encourages the city-university community to read the same book and come together to discuss it at a variety of fall events, including an author's visit. Community members are encouraged to pick up a copy and start reading today! Learn more about the program at www.onebookeastlansing.com.
The Community Relations Coalition (CRC) will be hosting the first-ever Taste of East Lansing event on Saturday, April 21 from 5-8 p.m. in downtown East Lansing.
The event, located in Parking Lot 1 off of Albert Avenue, will feature food samples served up by local East Lansing restaurants, a silent auction, a raffle and a variety of children's activities. There will also be live music and entertainment, including action-packed performances by Three Eyed Fish, RCAHpella, the Bard Owls and the MSU Breakdance Club.
Food tickets for the Taste of East Lansing event will be $2 and samples from participating vendors will cost either one or two tickets. Raffle tickets will be $1. A portion of the proceeds from this event will go to the CRC and its charity partner, the Rotary Club of East Lansing, to help fund its signature "Playground in the Park Re-Imagined" project at East Lansing's Patriarche Park. Learn more about the event at http://wealllivehere.org/tasteofeastlansing.
In celebration of April's National Library Week, the East Lansing Public Library (ELPL) will be hosting a Books, Bites and Bids library fundraiser event on Friday, April 13 from 6-8 p.m.
This special community event will feature a silent auction, appetizers, live music, family fun, a short program at 7 p.m. and much more! Special guests that will be stopping by include all-star MSU running back T.J. Duckett and the most famous mascot in the world, Sparty! Donations are $30 for individuals and $50 for couples/families. Credit cards, checks and cash will be accepted in advance and checks and cash will be accepted at the event. All proceeds of this fun evening will go the library and the services it provides to the community.
RSVP to Jennifer Amormino at (517) 351-2420 or jamormi@cityofeastlansing.com. Visit www.elpl.org to find more information, including a list of silent auction items.
With a large portion of Albert Avenue slated to be under construction by spring 2012, the East Lansing Art Festival (ELAF) organizers have modified the 2012 festival site.
This year's ELAF will take place on Abbot Road between Grand River Avenue and Elizabeth Street, Albert Avenue between Abbot Road and Grove Street and in the parking lot behind Beggar's Banquet. The festival music stage will be located in the parking lot at East Lansing City Hall, 410 Abbot Road.
All pedestrian walkways and downtown parking ramps will remain open and accessible during the festival weekend. This year's festival will take place May 19-20. Be sure to mark your calendars! Learn more about the festival at www.elartfest.com.
The All-of-us Express Children's Theatre will bring "The Little Prince" to the Riverwalk Theatre stage, 228 Museum Drive, April 20-22 and April 27-29.
Friday performances will take place at 7 p.m., Saturday performances will take place at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. and Sunday performances will take place at 2 p.m. Community members can purchase tickets ahead of time by contacting the Riverwalk Theatre Box Office at (517) 482-5700. Visit www.cityofeastlansing.com/allofus for more information.
Community members can show their support of the Police Athletic League (PAL) and honor guard programs for the East Lansing Police Department and Lansing Police Department by participating in the 2012 PAL Golf Outing.
This year's event will take place on Wednesday, June 27 at the El Dorado Golf Course, 3750 W. Howell Road, in Mason. The cost is $300 for a group of four, which includes 18 holes of golf, access to the driving range, a golf cart, continental breakfast, beverages on the course, lunch, steak dinner and more.
Proceeds of this event will go to the local honor guard programs and PAL, a recreation-oriented juvenile crime prevention program that relies heavily on athletics and recreational activities to tighten the bond between police officers and youth in the community.
Download the registration form and submit payment by Wednesday, June 20. We hope to see you out on the greens!
Two new redevelopment projects will begin to take shape along Ann Street Plaza this spring and summer. In order to accommodate the projects, as well as future growth in the area, the City will improve the surrounding underground infrastructure.
Upgraded sewer and water utilities and new communication conduits will be installed below Albert Avenue. The area will also benefit from the replacement of streets, curbs and sidewalks. The infrastructure improvements will begin in early May at the intersection of Albert Avenue and Charles Street and will proceed westward. The project will end at the intersection of Grove and Linden streets in late summer or early fall.
Visit www.cityofeastlansing.com/construction for more detailed information about the phases of the infrastructure project, as well as information about the exciting Ann Street Plaza makeover, which is slated for this fall.
Recycle Rama will take place Saturday, April 14 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Ingham County Health Department, 5303 S. Cedar St. in Lansing.
The event is open to Ingham County residents and items such as books, bicycles, scrap metal, medicines and electronics will be collected free of charge for recycling, proper disposal or reuse. Download the Recycle Rama flyer for a full list of items that will be accepted and other information about the event. Call (517) 483-4400 with questions.
The City's downtown skyline will change this summer as the construction of two new redevelopment projects begin to take shape along Ann Street Plaza.
In order to accommodate these new buildings, as well as future growth in the area, the City must also improve the underground infrastructure. Upgraded sewer and water utilities, as well as new communication conduits, will be installed below Albert Avenue beginning in April. Above ground, the community will see new housing and retail space lining Ann Street Plaza with the four-story, mixed-used St. Anne project at 213-217 Ann St. (rendering pictured above) and an eight-story, mixed-used building planned for 211 Ann St. Seventy-three new apartment units will add to the downtown neighborhood and provide opportunities for residents looking for high-quality living spaces. New retail space is also being designed to accommodate restaurants with outdoor patios. These redevelopment projects are consistent with the City's Comprehensive Plan goals to improve the quality and vitality of the City's commercial district.
The below ground project will impact a much larger area of the downtown because it requires the sewer infrastructure to be replaced and expanded in the area around the redevelopment projects and to the east. The project will begin at the intersection of Albert Avenue and Charles Street and will proceed westward. It is anticipated that Albert Avenue, between Charles Street and M.A.C. Avenue, will be entirely closed from the end of April through the end of May. Work will then move into the intersection of Albert and M.A.C. avenues and will then progress to the section of Albert Avenue between Grove Street and M.A.C. Avenue. The last phase of construction will be on Grove Street, between Albert Avenue and Linden Street. Design work is currently being completed for this project and a more exact schedule will be available at www.cityofeastlansing.com by early April.
In addition to the infrastructure work, the area impacted will also benefit from the replacement of streets, curbs and sidewalks, which will improve the downtown streetscape, walkability and bikeability. The final portion of this redevelopment project will be the construction of the redesigned Ann Street Plaza. The clock tower will remain in its current location on the plaza and several other site amenities will be added, including raised landscape areas, a stage, an outdoor fireplace and interactive musical elements. Parking spaces will be removed from the plaza and new spaces will be created along the street. The goal of the plaza redevelopment is to create a more attractive and utilized public space for residents and visitors.
The playground renovation at Patriarche Park, originally planned for last fall, has been re-imagined and will now involve removing the existing structure and rebuilding a new playground in its place by as early as summer 2013.
This signature project of the Rotary Club of East Lansing, "Playground in the Park Re-Imagined," will be designed by the community, built by the community and with funds raised by the community. It was recently announced that MSU Women's Basketball Coach Suzy Merchant will lead the effort as the project's honorary chairperson. The final two public design meetings for the playground will take place on Tuesday, March 6 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, March 10 at 10 a.m. at the East Lansing Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road. Community members can visit www.cityofeastlansing.com/playgroundinthepark for additional information about the project.
This spring, the 11,000-square-foot Ingham County Consolidated 911 Dispatch Center is set to open.
This new center will merge the East Lansing Police Department (ELPD) 911 Dispatch Center and the Lansing 911 Dispatch Center. The new center will employ approximately 65 dispatchers, supervisors and a deputy director and director. Former ELPD Lt. Lance Langdon has been selected to lead the new center as the director. Once operational, the center will be the second largest PSAP (Public Safety Answering Post) in the state of Michigan.
Residents shouldn't notice any change in the level of service or response time to their calls for service. All 911 calls will go directly to the new center to be processed and the appropriate units will be dispatched. The non-emergency number, (517) 351-4220, will have an auto attendant answer and non-emergency calls that require an officer to be dispatched will be forwarded to the new center for processing.
In other ELPD news, the department will be implementing an online crime mapping system for the City of East Lansing in the coming months. Approximately 276 communities nationwide, including 16 communities in Michigan, have already implemented this new online system, which assists law enforcement agencies in providing the public with valuable information about crime activity by neighborhood. Through the system, residents can view recent crimes that have occurred in their community using an interactive online map and can also sign up for crime alerts. Visit www.crimemapping.com to learn more.
East Lansing City Council will work with City staff over the coming months to balance the Fiscal Year 2012-2013 budget, with plans to adopt the budget at its May 15 meeting.
As in past years, the City is facing considerable challenges brought on by a decline in property taxes and a significant decline in funding from state sources. In addition, the City continues to face rising personnel legacy costs.
In the face of these challenges, the City has made significant cuts to departmental budgets and, over the last decade, has eliminated 85 full-time positions or approximately 20 percent of its workforce mainly through attrition. In addition, City officials are considering the use of reserves to help balance the FY 13 budget, which has a total projected general fund of approximately $31.6 million. A public hearing on the FY 13 budget will take place on April 17 and a number of budget work sessions, also open to the public, will take place in the coming months. Community members can visit www.cityofeastlansing.com/budget to find more information.
Community members are encouraged to Wake Up to Jazz on Sunday, March 18 at noon at the East Lansing Marriott at University Place, 300 M.A.C. Ave.
Proceeds of this special fundraiser brunch will go to the 2012 Summer Solstice Jazz Festival (SSJF), which will bring an eclectic lineup of local and national jazz acts to downtown East Lansing on the weekend of June 22-23.
Community members interested in attending the Wake Up to Jazz event in support of SSJF can purchase tickets by calling (517) 319-6927 or by visiting www.eljazzfest.com to download and mail the reservation form with payment. In addition to a delicious brunch, the event will be topped off with a live musical performance by MSU Jazz Orchestra I, led by Rodney Whitaker and featuring special guest Mardra Thomas.
East Lansing High School (ELHS) theater students will bring the popular Broadway musical "Hairspray" to the ELHS Auditorium stage this March. Show dates and times are March 16-17 and March 23-24 at 7:30 p.m., March 18 and March 25 at 2 p.m. and March 21 at 7 p.m.
Tickets can be ordered beginning March 2 by visiting www.elps.k12.mi.us/theater or by calling the Theater Box Office at (517) 333-7490. Adult tickets are $10, student tickets are $5 and all tickets for Wednesday shows are $5.
The Mom Son Speedway Spectacular will be hosted Wednesday, March 21 from 7-8:30 p.m. at the East Lansing Hannah Community Center (ELHCC), 819 Abbot Road.
Elementary-aged and middle school-aged children can bring a parent or other adult guardian to this popular annual dance. The dance will include entertainment, snacks and a race car souvenir. Casual attire is recommended. Girls are welcome too!
The cost of each dance is $14 per person and advance ticket purchase is required. Space is limited. Call (517) 333-2580 ext. 0 for more information.
Organizers have put a last call out to sponsors of the 49th Annual East Lansing Art Festival (ELAF), taking place May 19-20 in downtown East Lansing.
Ranked as one of the top 100 art festivals in the nation, the ELAF brings more than 200 renowned artists and an estimated 70,000 art lovers to Greater Lansing each year. It is a rite of spring in the region and is known for exhibiting the highest caliber fine art and craft. Sponsors are provided with a unique opportunity to serve the community while also promoting their business.
Contact the ELAF office at info@elartfest.com to learn more about donation opportunities, sponsorship levels and recognition packages.
Visit www.elartfest.com to learn more about the East Lansing Art Festival.
The City of East Lansing Department of Parks, Recreation and Arts offer an array of youth baseball leagues, starting with t-ball and running through U10 leagues. Registration forms will be available at www.cityofeastlansing.com in mid-March with a registration deadline of April 13. A $15 late fee will be applied to late registrations. Spring training will begin May 14, with games beginning the week of June 4.
T-ball leagues are open to 5- to 6-year-old children and consist of an eight-game schedule with games played on Monday and Wednesday evenings. Cost for this league is $45.
U8 Baseball is a coach pitch league that is open to all 7- to 8-year-old children. A 10-game schedule will consist of Tuesday and Thursday night games. Cost for this league is $50.
U10 Baseball offers a 10-game schedule and is for 9- and 10-year-olds. Games will be played on Monday and Wednesday nights. Cost for this league is $55.
In celebration of April's National Library Week, the East Lansing Public Library (ELPL) will be hosting a Books, Bites and Bids library fundraiser on Friday, April 13 from 6-9 p.m.
This special community event will feature a silent auction, food and fun for all ages! Tickets are $30 for individuals and $50 for couples and families. All proceeds of the event will go to the library and the services it provides to the East Lansing community. Visit www.elpl.org to learn more.
Following a five-month search process, the East Lansing City Council selected George Lahanas to serve as East Lansing's next city manager in late January. He is the fifth city manager to serve East Lansing in its history.
Lahanas had been serving as the interim city manager of East Lansing since October 2011 and, prior to that, served as the deputy city manager of East Lansing from July 2008-October 2011. He has served in various capacities with the City of East Lansing since 1999, including serving as a labor relations specialist from 1999-2001, the director of Human Resources from 2001-2005 and the director of Administrative Services from 2005-2008. Lahanas holds a Master of Public Administration, with a concentration in personnel and labor relations, and a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice from Northern Michigan University. He is an International City/County Management Association (ICMA) credentialed manager and has been a member of ICMA since 2011.
"George has proven himself to be a solid manager over the interim period and, prior to that, in his role as the City's deputy city manager," said East Lansing Mayor Diane Goddeeris. "The fact that we had such a highly qualified pool of candidates is a testament to the appeal of our community. In light of the difficult challenges ahead, we felt that George was the right person to lead the organization and its exceptional staff going forward."
"It has been a great privilege to serve the City of East Lansing over the past 13 years and I greatly appreciate the confidence and trust of the East Lansing City Council," said City Manager George Lahanas. "I am honored to serve as East Lansing's next city manager."
The City hired a national search firm, Affion Public, to perform the search for East Lansing's next city manager following the departure of East Lansing City Manager Ted Staton last fall. The community profile used to perform the search was prepared by the City Council after conducting focus groups with employee leadership and unions, neighborhood leaders, students, university officials and various other stakeholders. Affion Public reported to the City Council in early January that 56 applicants applied for the position from 20 different states, including 24 applicants from Michigan. City Council narrowed nine semi-finalists down to five finalists and, prior to the decision in late January, the five finalists participated in a community reception and a series of interviews with City staff, community members and the City Council.
The City of East Lansing's popular Children's Concert Series will kick off this February, featuring three weekends of FREE, live musical performances for young families in the region to come out and enjoy. All three concerts will take place on Saturdays at 11 a.m. at the East Lansing Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road (see dates below).
The first concert will take place on Feb. 4, featuring Mark Dvorak; the second will take place on Feb. 18, featuring Tim the Music Man; and the third will take place on March 3, featuring Cathy & Marcy. Learn more about the performers at www.cityofeastlansing.com/childrensconcert. Visit www.singingfestival.com to learn about the Mid-Winter Singing Festival, held in conjunction with the Children's Concert Series each year.
The All-of-us Express Children's Theatre (AECT) will bring "Robin Hood" to the East Lansing Hannah Community Center's (ELHCC) stage on the weekends of Feb. 10-11 and Feb. 17-18. The Friday shows will take place at 7 p.m. and the Saturday shows will take place at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
More than 85 local youth are a part of this latest AECT production, which will bring sword fights, adventure, comedy and the magic of Sherwood Forest to audience members of all ages.
Youth, ages 9-18, from Lansing, East Lansing, Okemos, Haslett, Williamston, Grand Ledge, Dewitt, Perry, Bath, Holt, Dimondale, Laingsburg and Byron make up the cast and crew. This production is directed by Morgan Lees, an alumna of the All-of-us Express Guild Program, holding Master Badges in makeup, sound and directing and currently studying at Lansing Community College.
Tickets are $5 for 17 and under and $7 for 18 and above. Tickets can be purchased by visiting or calling ELHCC at 819 Abbot Road or (517) 333-2580 ext. 0. Tickets can also be purchased at the door. Learn more at www.cityofeastlansing.com/allofus.
The City Clerk's office would like to remind East Lansing registered voters of the Feb. 28 Presidential Primary Election.
Absentee voter ballot applications must be received by the City Clerk's office no later than 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25 to receive an absentee ballot in the mail. In addition, absentee voters have until 4 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 27 to vote an absentee ballot in person at the City Clerk's office, 410 Abbot Road. The voter registration deadline was Monday, Jan. 30.
Sample ballots for each East Lansing precinct can be found here. Contact the East Lansing City Clerk's office with questions at (517) 319-6914.
Elementary-aged and middle school-aged children can bring a parent or other adult guardian as their "date" to this popular annual dance! The Daddy Daughter Butterfly Ball will be hosted on two back-to-back evenings; on Tuesday, Feb. 7 and Wednesday, Feb. 8 from 7-8:30 p.m. at the East Lansing Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road.
The cost is $14/person and advance ticket purchase is required. Space is limited! Call (517) 333-2580 ext. 0 for more information about ticket purchases. The dances include music, refreshments and a keepsake. A photographer will also be on hand for those wishing to purchase a photo. Dressy-casual attire is recommended. Boys are welcome too!
Pictured at right: A daddy and daughter from the 2011 Daddy Daughter Dance.
The City of East Lansing recently published a quick reference guide, "How to Start a Business" One Pager Plus, that will help prospective businesses start a business in East Lansing. The three-page document offers extensive information with regard to the steps interested businesses must take to launch and/or successfully operate its business endeavors in the East Lansing community.
The guide offers a broad outline of the issues pertaining to operating a business in East Lansing. It addresses issues such as local licenses and permits, personal property taxes, zoning and building aspects. The guide also provides information regarding state and federal government requirements. For ease of use, the guide offers direct links to the respective city, state and federal government unit's webpage and department phone numbers.
This guide comes on the heels of the new economic development website, www.cityofeastlansing.com/development, that the city of East Lansing launched, with great success, last year. This website provides a series of resources that help new and established businesses strengthen their position and further their goals. In addition, any interested businesses may contact the economic development staff for business assistance.
A free copy of the "How to Start a Business" One Pager Plus can be picked up at East Lansing City Hall, 410 Abbot Road, at the East Lansing City Clerk's office or in the East Lansing Department of Planning & Community Development.
The East Lansing Art Festival is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $7,500 Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA) grant.
These funds will help support the two-day arts event that takes place on the weekend preceding the Memorial Day holiday weekend each May in downtown East Lansing. Ranked as one of the top 100 art festivals in the nation, ELAF brings more than 200 renowned artists and an estimated 70,000 art lovers to Greater Lansing each year. It is a rite of spring in the region and is known for exhibiting the highest caliber fine art and fine craft from across North America. This year's festival will take place May 19-20.
As the ELAF draws closer, organizers have put a call out to festival sponsors. The generous support of businesses and individuals is needed to make the festival a reality. Contact the Art Festival office at info@elartfest.com to learn more about donation opportunities, sponsorship levels and recognition benefits. Sponsors are provided with a unique opportunity to serve the community while also promoting their business. Visit www.elartfest.com to learn more about the ELAF.
The annual Crystal Awards, presented by the East Lansing City Council, honor individuals, groups, organizations, businesses and commercial enterprises that have gone above and beyond to enhance the quality of life in East Lansing.
Community members are encouraged to help with the process by submitting nominations -- think of the unsung heroes in the East Lansing community and let us know who they are. Nominations are due Feb. 17.
Nominations will be reviewed by a community selection committee, comprised of East Lansing residents, and four recipients will be selected. The four Crystal Awards recipients will be honored at a special public ceremony in April.
Visit www.cityofeastlansing.com/crystalawards to learn more about the Crystal Awards and to submit an online nomination.
The East Lansing Department of Parks, Recreation & Arts (ELPRA) offers a wide assortment of adult softball opportunities, ranging from recreational to competitive. This spring, ELPRA will be offering men's, women's and coed leagues on various nights of the week, starting in late April and running through the end of July.
Information packets will be e-mailed to all 2011 teams in February. Those who wish to be added to the information list can e-mail Jim Jennings at JLjennings@cityofeastlansing.com.
In addition, 2012 summer jobs at the East Lansing Family Aquatic Center will be posted on the City's website Feb. 1-17 [ view current job postings ]. Applicants must be at least 16 years old to apply and must be available to work June 1-Sept. 3.
In an effort to cater to East Lansing's uniquely diverse community, the East Lansing Public Library (ELPL), 950 Abbot Road, is now offering an English as a Second Language (ESL) class for adults.
Taught by Taiwan native and certified Teacher of English to Speakers of other Languages (TESOL) instructor Kat Chamberlain, the ESL classes will help adults learn English in a fun and relaxing environment. Chamberlain is a dynamic teacher, who uses lots of activities to teach English and different, fun ways to learn.
The ESL class began Jan. 10 of this year and will continue to be held weekly on Tuesday nights from 7-8 p.m. at ELPL. The class is free and open to all. In addition to the new ESL class, ELPL also offers a Practice Your English program, bi-lingual story times, an International Book Club and adult and children's community languages collections. Celebrating other cultures through programming and services has become a cornerstone at ELPL and all are welcome to join in the fun! Visit www.elpl.org for more information.