News

A notable Lansing-area choir is observing its 50th anniversary this year. The Earl Nelson Singers are celebrating half a century of spirituals with a concert in downtown Lansing on Monday. WKAR’s Melissa Benmark checked in with the director of the group and her husband, who’s a member, for some of their musical memories.

Today on Current State: House Minority leader Tim Greimel; the MSU Wind Symphony performs at the Latin IS America Festival; Niowave pole barn dispute comes to an end; the Greater Lansing African American Health Institute; and  the impact of flooding on agriculture.

Democratic State Representative Tim Greimel is serving his first full term in the Michigan House. It’s also his first as the leader of his party’s caucus.  

Representative Greimel speaks with Current State host Mark Bashore about the Snyder administration's education project, his party’s struggle for influence in the GOP-majority legislature and likely Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate and Governor.

Latin IS America is a a celebration of the intersections between Latin American and U.S. culture. The festival started on April 15 and will close on April 27.

This Thursday, the event will feature the MSU Wind Symphony at Wharton Center. WKAR’s Peter Whorf previews the concert with MSU Director of Bands Kevin Sedatole.   

For months, residents of Lansing's Walnut neighborhood and Niowave have a argued over how to improve the appearance of the particle accelerator company's pole barn. Bob Trezise, the executive director of  the Lansing Economic Area Partnership, updates the situation.  

For this week’s Neighbors in Action segment we feature the Greater Lansing African American Health Institute, or GLAAHI. Based out of Lansing’s Letts Community Center, the GLAAHI offers a variety of programs, including smoking cessation groups, food donations and assistance with health care needs. Current State's host Mark Bashore talks with Eldon Liggons, the executive director of the institute, and Dr. Don Williams, the board chairman and an MSU emeritus professor of psychiatry.

Floods have ravaged Michigan this spring. The Red Cedar River has overflowed its banks on MSU campus, flooding the baseball, softball and soccer complex. In Lansing, flooding forced organizers of the marathon to change their planned route.

The Grand Rapids area has been especially hard hit. A photo has been making the rounds, taken from inside an office building in Grand Rapids, of flood waters rising up the surface of a window, with a fish in the picture.

Today on Current State: Councilwoman Jessica Yorko on city budget; the drawbacks of dredging; dispute over Ingham county recordkeeping; and Angela Wittrock with Lansing business news.

A minor turf war over public records is taking shape in Ingham County.

While the dispute is being downplayed by its two participants---Clerk Barb Byrum and Chief Circuit Court Judge Janelle Lawless---some observers suggest it’s symptomatic of a larger, ongoing problem:  poor public access to documents.

Current State host Mark Bashore visited with both Barb Byrum and Judge Janelle Lawless to learn more.

The Lansing City Council continued discussions of Mayor Virg Bernero’s proposed 2014 budget yesterday.  This time, the council focused on Bernero’s  spending plan for the city’s fire department.   

Matt Ludtke begins this Tuesday with the Detroit Red Wing’s race for eighth place, and the quest for a playoff birth.  Analysis on the teams and other division foes follow.  Matt then discusses the future of Adreian Payne, and dissects the two divisions in the Big Ten Conference.  JaMarcus Russell, Madden covers, NBA playoffs, and bowling are among other topics on the show.

This year record low water levels have spurred the Michigan government to spend over $20 million on dredging. Many hope dredging will enable recreational and commercial boating to continue, preventing revenue loss.

MLive's Lansing beat reporter Angela Wittrock joins us every week for a rundown of the latest news about the local economy, business and development. 

The Lansing Symphony and Timothy Muffitt headline our latest What's New with Antonin Dvorak's beloved Symphony #9 "From the New World"...and two selections from Russian pianist Pavel Kolesnikov feature piano music of Robert Schumann and another crowd-pleaser...Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto #1.

Schumann/Kinderszenen excerpts/Kolesnikov/Honens

Dvorak/Sym #9/Lansing, Muffitt/MSU recording

Tchaikovsky/Piano Concerto #1/Calgary Philharmonic, Kolesnikov, Minczuk/Honens

Dvorak/Cypresses excerpts/Cypress String Qt/Avie

Today on Current State: oil spill clean-up on Kalamazoo River continues; “Chasing Ice” documentary; new solar-powered electric charging stations in Lansing; and the Supreme Court hears case on gene patenting.

This week, MSU Department of Geography will host filmmaker Jeff Orlowski for a screening of his documentary “Chasing Ice.” The movie documents the work of National Geographic photographer James Balog. Through both film and time-lapse photography, Balog  chronicled the melting of glacial ice.  Current State’s Scott Pohl speaks with Jeff Orlowski, the director of "Chasing Ice."

  The Supreme Court heard arguments last week about whether human genes can be patented. The court’s ruling could drastically change the biotech industry and also the way universities do research.