The 15th annual Board of Water and Light Chili Cook-Off will take place from 5-9 p.m. Friday, in Lansing, at Adado Riverfront Park. Chili recipes from restaurants and organizations in the Lansing area will be judged in the competition and have a chance to win the People’s Choice Award, which is voted on by the attendees.
A new event in East Lansing, will take participants through downtown East Lansing, is set to take place June 12. Dirty Feat is an urban adventure race consisting of teams of two competing in challenges, which include running, biking and orienteering.
Residents looking for new ideas for home remodeling will be welcomed at the 53rd annual Parade of Homes, which begins Thursday and runs until June 13. The event is hosted by The Greater Lansing Home Builders & Remodelers Association, or GLHBA.
In a move that could tip the scales in the 2010 gubernatorial race, the Michigan Education Association, or MEA, announced Friday that it is endorsing Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero, a Democrat, for Michigan’s next governor. The MEA is an East Lansing-based labor union that represents more than 157,000 teachers and education support staff throughout the state.
Waltzing back and forth across the dance floor, traditional dancers were draped in colorful dresses and suits with sequins and flowers covering every inch of the traditional wear.
Community members participated in a bowling fundraiser Saturday at Marvel Lanes, 2120 E. M-78 Highway in East Lansing. An estimated $400 was raised for the mission trip, entitled Mission for Mercy, sponsored by Healthcare Ministries. Mission for Mercy trip members will travel August 20-31 to the Republic of Cameroon, Africa to help provide health care for impoverished residents.
A $65 ticket might be the least of some students’ troubles as area officers stepped up patrol this past weekend and plan to continue during the week ahead in multiple enforcement zones for Michigan’s “Click It or Ticket” campaign, which runs May 24 through Sunday.
A rally to stand against the Eagle Mine Project, a potential copper and nickel mine in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, will be held at 11 a.m. The opponents of the mine project believe it will unnecessarily damage the environment.
The Michigan Women’s Historical Center and Hall of Fame will host its 26th annual Picnic on the Lawn from 5:30-7:30 p.m. This year’s theme is “Picnic Fiesta” and will feature Mexican cuisine and entertainment.
The annual Pancakes in the Park event hosted by the East Lansing Rotary Club will take place 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The event brought in a record 1,500 people in 2009 in efforts to raise money for several nonprofit organizations, including Haven House, which is an organization that provides housing and support services for homeless families with children.
People looking to adopt a pet can make their way to Ingham County Animal Control & Shelter’s 30 Hour Adopt-A-Thon. The event will begin at 10 a.m. on June 5 at PetSmart, 5135 Times Square Place, in Okemos.
Michigan’s sixth annual celebration of Juneteenth will feature various festivities and entertainment June 17-19 in Lansing. Juneteenth, or June 19, recognizes the announcement of slavery’s abolition in Texas in 1865. The celebration in Michigan will begin at 11:30 a.m. June 17 at the Capitol Building with the annual State Holiday Legislative Luncheon Program.
Doubling the state gas tax and vehicle registration fees ultimately might cost Michigan citizens less, according to a May 13 study by the East Lansing-based research organization Anderson Economic Group. Road congestion currently costs each person about $287 each year in wasted gas and time, and in the near future, poor road conditions could cost the state some 12,000 jobs.
Homeless veterans used free services at the seventh annual Capital Area Stand Down for Homeless Veterans hosted by the Volunteers of America. The event offered free food, checkups with nurses, vision tests, hair cuts, assistance with employment and legal help to soldiers without a home after their service was completed.
Ingham County Parks Department will offer Lake Lansing Park, 1621 Pike St., in Haslett, activities free of charge on Memorial Day. Visitors will be granted access to the park for free and will be open until sunset.
An international attempt at creating worldwide peace has been brought local as part of the Words and Music event Wednesday night at the East Lansing Public Library. The event was part of Words of Peace, a worldwide movement that has organized groups of volunteers to create events in their local areas in recognition of peace.
The East Lansing Family Aquatic Center, 6400 Abbot Rd., will open to the public on June 4. The center will have its doors open until September 6.
A local group is beginning a project that could change the appearance of an iconic East Lansing structure. Members of an East Lansing law firm have started an exploratory petition to change the color of the Lot 10 Colorful Garage, on Division Street between E. Grand River Avenue and Albert Street, from the current orange and green color scheme to a more MSU-centric green and white.
As students sweated out the summer heat with temperatures reaching 85 degrees Wednesday, the National Weather Service was promoting how to stay cool for Heat Awareness Day. The day was established to draw attention to how dangerous heat can be in the summer months.
With thousands of people coming to East Lansing during the summer for a variety of festivals, local restaurants need more space to adequately seat customers who want to eat while enjoying the festive atmosphere, city officials said. Last week, East Lansing City Council passed requests — all of which were encouraged by festival planners — to extend outdoor seating for several East Lansing restaurants.