Lansing Community College and CATA’s Clean Commute Options Program are partnering to offer a Clean Commute parking card as an incentive to LCC students who carpool.

By registering for a CATA Clean Commute Card, groups of two or more current students or LCC employees get a discounted rate of $.60 per hour in all the student lots on LCC’s campus.

The “incentive will help reduce the amount of emissions coming from what would have otherwise been single-occupant-vehicles, and add to the number of vehicles and vehicle miles traveled that we take off of the road,” says Cathleen Edgerly, Clean Commute Options Coordinator. The partnership, she adds, “is helping improve the air quality in our region, saving [students and employees] money and promoting clean transportation options.”

Interested students and employees of LCC must register, along with all of the other members in the carpool, at http://bit.ly/CleanCommute.

“We are proud to have some supportive employer partners in this region who are committed to assisting their employees with their commuting options,” adds Edgerly.

Source: Cathleen Edgerly, Capital Area Transportation Authority

Writer: Suban Nur Cooley

The Lansing-based, full service marketing agency, Motion Marketing & Media (M3) became the official agency of record for Michigan State University Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU) in July.

The agency will be responsible for the media buying and planning strategies for all of MSUFCU’s radio, television and outdoor advertising. M3 will also work on a contractual basis to develop and produce creative executions for these media outlets.

“Becoming the agency of record for MSUFCU is opening doors for the kind of partnerships we want to encourage in our community,” said Tiffany Dowling, chief conversation starter at M3. “Local businesses working with local businesses is great for everyone in the Lansing region. We’re excited for this new opportunity.”

M3 managed and executed the MSUFCU Student Art Exhibition in February — and most recently — created a family of commercials for the MSUFCU fall campaigns. The four commercials will begin airing this month.

“M3 continues to impress us with the quality of their creative ideas and integrated, strategic planning,” said April Clobes, vice president of marketing and e-commerce for MSUFCU. “We’re excited to have M3 on board in a big way; we know we’re in good hands when we work with them.”

Source: Julie Becker, Motion Marketing & Media

Writer: Suban Nur Cooley

A mural is being painted on the east wall of the Black Child and Family Institute (BCFI) in Lansing to honor the past, present and future of the Genesee Neighborhood. The lower portion of the wall is a collection of silhouettes painted by the BCFI fine art camp this summer. Local artists, volunteers and neighbors have been working into the night to prime, paint and trace the rest of the design.

“[Last Tuesday,] from 9:00 p.m. until about midnight the design was traced onto the wall,” says Jeana-Dee Allen, community building assistant at Northwest Initiative (NWI). “We used four extension cords, donated scaffolding, wax pencils, a projector and laptop and a few cups of coffee. Tracing went smoothly thanks to good weather and positive attitudes.”

The overall sponsorship for this project is estimated at $10,000, including artists stipends, supplies, materials and in-kind time and equipment.

"This project and the other youth murals I’ve been involved with are important for the Lansing community because they not only create more beauty in our city, but also because of how that beauty is created — by involving youth and neighbors in the design and production and offering mentoring and learning opportunities," says Jessica Yorko with the NWI.

"There is substantial evidence showing that connection to and involvement in community projects and positive role models impacts how kids see themselves in relation to other people, and therefore their ambitions and decisions," she adds.

The project will hopefully be complete by the fall.

Source: Jeana-Dee Allen, Northwest Initiative

Writer: Suban Nur Cooley 

All Photographs © Dave Trumpie

The Lansing JazzFest, hosted annually in Lansing's Old Town neighborhood, has been awarded the 2010 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Challenge America: Reaching Every Community grant.

The grant is offered to organizations providing opportunities for the arts to reach underserved populations, such as those limited by geography, ethnicity, economics or disability.

“The esteemed honor for the Lansing JazzFest to be an NEA grant recipient highlights our commitment to community development as a catalyst for the arts,” says Sharen Lange, executive director for the Old Town Business and Art Development Association (OTBADA), which is responsible for putting on the JazzFest.

Lansing JazzFest is a free community music festival, attracting attendees from across the city, state and region. By providing wider access to artistic and cultural excellence, the festival is making the arts accessible, which is the essential goal of the NEA.

Source: LaToya English, Old Town Business and Art Development Association

Writer: Suban Nur Cooley

IxDA Lansing is a new local chapter of the Interaction Design Association. The purpose of the association is to promote ideas, education and best practices in user experience design through their global community of over 20,000 members.

What is user experience design (UXD)? Founder of IxDA Lansing, Chris Bachelder, breaks it down like this: “UXD is a general name for a group of interdisciplinary practices involved in the creation of human-centered products and services including interaction design, content strategy, information architecture and visual design.”

Bachelder started IxDA Lansing after being a member of the international group for a couple of years.

“I wanted to get some passion and momentum behind the community here in Michigan,” adds Bachelder. “When it comes down to it, we're a group of professional creative problem solvers and I'm really interested to see the kinds of things we can do for our communities when we band together. I absolutely love what I do for a living and I'm hoping to share that with others.”

An event is scheduled in September, including a special guest speaker. Details will be revealed soon on the IxDA Lansing site.

Source: Chris Bachelder, IxDa Lansing

Writer: Suban Nur Cooley

Michigan State University has received a $6 million federal grant to help expand broadband access by creating more public computer centers in urban areas in Michigan.

The grant will be used to increase the number of computers in libraries, public housing centers, tribal and other community centers and community colleges. A total of 207 locations across the state will receive 2,232 computers.

Locally, the project will be working with the Capital Area District Library. "This will increase the availability of computers to patrons and will enable them to run larger classes using those computers,” says Kurt DeMaagd, MSU assistant professor of telecommunication, information studies and media who is leading the project.

Michigan State University students from East Lansing will also be part of internship programs installing the computers across the state. "Through these internships, students will be able to put their classroom knowledge into practice as they help to plan and install the computers at various locations,” says DeMaagd.

MSU will also be working with the Michigan eLibrary to provide online databases with job search and training materials. These databases are available to all people in the state of Michigan, regardless of whether it is accessed from a library, school, home or business.

Source: Kurt DeMaagd, Michigan State University

Writer: Suban Nur Cooley

Downtown Lansing’s bustling Washington Square welcomes Zoup!, a Michigan-based regional restaurant concept with 28 other locations throughout Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Illinois and New Jersey. 

 “Downtown Lansing will soon see an influx in the number of Downtown workers, and more people [results in a higher] demand for retail goods and services,” says Mark Rantz, owner of Zoup!.

“The Accident Fund’s new headquarters is estimated to bring 500 new jobs," he adds, "and the new Michigan State Police headquarters will welcome another 300 new employees. The Downtown office of Blue Cross/Blue Shield will bring even more. The addition of these restaurants will help satisfy that growing demand."

Zoup! aims to offer “the most varieties of the best soups ever made,” with 12 daily soup choices and a selection of sandwiches and salads, according to Rantz.

“My wife, daughters and I have all attended MSU and grew to love the Lansing area. When we decided to open Zoup!, we knew Downtown Lansing was the place to be!" adds Rantz. “Zoup! will be open this fall; the perfect time to enjoy a cup of soup, along with a sandwich or salad!”

Source: Mark Lantz, Zoup!

Writer: Suban Nur Cooley 

All Photographs © Dave Trumpie

Michigan State University grad and Troy, Mich., native, Jenna Kator, has created an Old Town Lansing bag for her latest collection. The great cities, landscapes and residents in the state of Michigan are the inspiration behind the Jenna Kator collection.

"We are paying tribute, honoring Michigan by naming our designer handbags and accessories after places that reflect great beauty, character and charm,” says Jenna Kator on her website.

“It’s incredibly exciting to hear that Jenna Kator has chosen our very own fabulous neighborhood to be in her collection,” says Summer Schriner, owner of Grace Boutique in Old Town. “The bag has a very Coco Chanel-met-Jenna Kator-for-a-cocktail-in-Old-Town feel," she says. "I am excited to be showcasing this in my store soon.”

The bag should be available at Grace Boutique this November.

Source: Summer Schriner, Grace Boutique

Writer: Suban Nur Cooley