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.
This week Lansing area residents scattered poems throughout Harrison Meadows park in East Lansing, in celebration of National Poetry Month. The Poetry Attack also called on the city of East Lansing to become the "city of art it professes to be."
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.
It’s been two and a half years since an oil pipeline owned by the Canadian company Enbridge ruptured near Marshall, spewing hundreds of thousands of gallons of heavy crude oil into the Kalamazoo River. The incident has been one of the costliest oil spills in U.S. history and the clean-up is still ongoing.
Steve Hamilton, an MSU scientist who has been monitoring the clean-up, updates Current State on the situation.
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 electric plug at the BWL's solar-powered charging station provides 240 volts' worth of power.
Credit Kevin Lavery / WKAR
Lansing Board of Water and Light Project Manager Angie Goodman says the electric car charging station features a five-point plug. As a safety feature, electricity begins to flow once the final point is connected. That's called the "handshake."
Credit Kevin Lavery / WKAR
Technicians put the finishing touches on the Lansing Board of Water and Light's new solar-powered electric car charging station near the Lansing City Market.
Credit Kevin Lavery / WKAR
The BWL's solar powered electric charging station will be fully operational on April 23.
In 2010, the Lansing Board of Water & Light (BWL) established its Plug-in Electric Vehicle Community Project. With funding from the U.S. department of Energy, the BWL installed an array of electric vehicle charging stations across the Lansing area to promote this emerging technology. Now, the utility is taking another step towards building an electric car infrastructure.
