October 24-30, 2012 2012 EAST LANSING FILM FESTIVAL PROGRAM INSIDE! ELFF.COM - CELEBRATING 15 YEARS - NOVEMBER 7-15, 2012 FREE BOX LUNCH! The co. 15% OFF BUY ONE BOXED LUNCH We are your gifting headquarters. ANY PARTY TRAY GET ONE FREE PURCHASE 1695 Hamilton Road, Okemos | (517) 349-9393 | www.honeybaked.com EXPIRES 10/31/12 5601 W. Saginaw Hwy., Lansing | (517) 327-5008 EXPIRES 10/31/12 2 www.lansingcitypulse.com City Pulse • October 24, 2012 s Now in its 12th year, Compassionate Feast provides local families at or below the poverty line with all the ingredients necessary for a complete Thanksgiving meal in their own home. To volunteer or donate contact the Old Town Commercial Association office at 517.485.4283. Every donation, small and large, helps to feed a local family for the holiday. OTCA will be taking donations up to the day of the event on November 19th. for more information about our events, please visit iloveoldtown.org City Pulse • October 24, 2012 www.lansingcitypulse.com 3 30TH ANNIVERSARY A fresh look at Shakespeare’s wisecracking and witty comedy. This athletic, exuberant company creates a spirited performance “Gleefully engaging…almost unbearable fun!” featuring the music of the Dave Matthews Band and others. - The New York Times $15 Student Tickets! “One of the hottest tickets in contemporary dance.” - The Toronto Star AQUILA THEATRE: THE TAMING OF THE SHREW October 27-28 Saturday at 8PM; Sunday at 2PM Sunday, November 11 at 3PM Media Sponsor Media Sponsor Generously sponsored by Douglas J Companies and Michigan State Medical Society. The ultimate African drum experience! One of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most A thrilling, adrenaline-pumping night of drums and dance with Influential People, Metropolitan one of the greatest percussion ensembles in the world. Opera head Peter Gelb launched the groundbreaking Met Live $15 Student Tickets Available! in HD series. Don’t miss this engaging discussion on the arts. FREE for MSU Students, Faculty and Staff (Limit 2 tickets per MSU ID.) $20 general admission Peter Gelb GENERAL MANAGER, THE METROPOLITAN OPERA Monday, November 12 at 7:30PM Sunday, November 4 at 3PM The World View Lecture Series is made possible in part by the Media Sponsor MSU Office of the President. This presentation is generously Variety Series Sponsor Media Sponsor supported by the College of Music; College of Natural Science; Honors College; and University Physician’s Office/Health4U. WHARTONCENTER.COM • 1-800-WHARTON 4 www.lansingcitypulse.com City Pulse • October 24, 2012 VOL. 12 Feedback ISSUE 11 Cochran for the 67th and work well with others is critical to As someone who represented this area getting things done. In his years of public (517) 371-5600 • Fax: (517) 999-6061 • 1905 E. Michigan Ave. • Lansing, MI 48912 • www.lansingcitypulse.com in the Michigan Legislature for many service, Tom has put practicality and prag- ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: (517) 999-6705 years, people frequently asked me what matism before politics. PAGE CLASSIFIED AD INQUIRIES: (517) 999-5066 I miss most about my time in office. My I encourage the voters of the 67th dis- or email [email protected] answer is always the people I represent- trict to choose Tom Cochran for State 7 EDITOR AND PUBLISHER • Berl Schwartz ed and the ability to make a difference in Representative on November 6th. [email protected] • (517) 999-5061 their lives by helping them solve problems. MANAGING/NEWS EDITOR • Andy Balaskovitz I have always had a lot of respect for — Dianne Byrum The Lansing City Council discusses an ordinance requiring more [email protected] • (517) 999-5064 candidates that take meeting voters and Onondaga transparency by developers who take advantage of tax incentives ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR • Allan I. Ross listening to their concerns a top priority. [email protected] • (517) 999-5068 PRODUCTION MANAGER • Rachel Harper This is why Tom Cochran is getting my Heywood for LCC Board of Trustees PAGE [email protected] • (517) 999-5066 full support for state Representative in the I urge you to support Todd Heywood for CALENDAR EDITOR • Dana Casadei 67th House District (South Lansing, Holt, the LCC Board of Trustees. I earlier served 13 [email protected] • (517) 999-5069 Mason and rural Ingham County). with Todd on the LCC Board for two years. STAFF WRITERS Tom Cochran, a 28-year veteran of the Though we seemed to be adversaries prior Lawrence Cosentino Italian crooner launches his new career in Lansing [email protected] • (517) 999-5063 Lansing Fire Department as a fire fighter, to his election, we grew to respect each Sam Inglot paramedic and fire chief, has spent months other. Todd is highly principled and vocal [email protected] • (517) 999-5065 meeting voters in their neighborhoods and in his ideas. However, he always has the MARKETING/PROMOTIONS COORDINATOR/ at community forums. He has knocked best interest of the college in the decisions PAGE SOCIAL MEDIA CONSULTANT • Rich Tupica over 4,000 doors since mid-August. If he makes. [email protected] • (517) 999-6710 elected, he would continue to seek valu- 38 ADVERTISING MANAGER Shelly Olson able input from constituents about their — Olga Holden [email protected] • (517) 999-6705 vision for Michigan’s future. Lansing ADVERTISING Tom Cochran also understands — and Lansing's Soup Spoon Café has the recipe for success Denise Dennis has lived — the principles of shared sacri- [email protected] • (517) 703-7130 Michael McCallum fice. As Lansing’s Fire Chief, Tom cut his [email protected] • (517) 484-4072 own pay to make sure the Lansing Fire Have something to say about a local issue COVER Department passed a responsible budget. or an item that appeared in our pages? Contributors: Justin Bilicki, Bill Castanier, Mary C. Cusack, ART Tom Helma, Terry Link, Kyle Melinn, Dennis Preston, Joe Torok, Rich With the Lansing Fire Department Tupica, Paul Wozniak, Amanda Harrell-Seyburn, Ute Von Der Now you have two ways to sound off: Heyden, Judy Winter and during his decade long service on Delivery drivers: Abdulmahdi Al-Rabiah, Dave Fisher, Karen the Mason School Board, Tom has seen 1.) Write a letter to the editor. Navarra, Noelle Navarra, Brent Robison, Steve Stevens firsthand the impact that cuts to revenue • E-mail: [email protected] STICKY EDITS by RACHEL HARPER Interns: Hélène Dryden, Randiah Green, Andrea Raby • Snail mail: City Pulse, 1905 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing, MI 48912 sharing and school aid have had on pub- • Fax: (517) 371-5800 Editor & Publisher lic safety and our kid’s education. As State 2.) Write a guest column: Berl Representative, he would bring real life Contact Berl Schwartz for more information: CITY PULSE ON THE AIR Schwartz [email protected] Ari Adler, spokesman for Republican Speaker of the House Jase Bolger experiences and decades of community or (517) 999-5061 7 p.m. Wednesdays Walt Sorg, City Pulse contributing writer service to the position. (Please include your name, address and telephone number so we can Maureen Costello, director of Teaching Tolerance reach you. Keep letters to 250 words or fewer. City Pulse reserves the My experience as an elected official has right to edit letters and columns.) Steve Miller, author of "Nobody's Women" taught me that the ability to compromise Singer Gino Federici THIS WEEK PUBLIC NOTICES NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS EAST LANSING PLANNING COMMISSION Notice is hereby given of the following public hearings to be held by the East Lansing Planning Commission on Wednesday, November 14, 2012 at 7:00 p.m., in the 54-B District Court, Courtroom 2, 101 Linden Street, East Lansing: 1. A public hearing will be held to consider Ordinance 1284, a City initiated ordinance to amend Section 50-61 – of Division 2 – Article II – Administration and Enforcement – of Chapter 50 – Zoning – of the Code of the City of East Lansing to increase the number of Zoning Board of Appeals members from 6 to 7 persons. 2. A public hearing will be held to consider Ordinance 1285, a City initiated ordinance to amend Section 50-7 – Article I – In General, Section 50-94 of Division 3 – Article II – Administrative Enforcement, Section 50-222 of Division 2 – Article IV – Single-Family and Two-Family Residential District, and Section 50-382 of Division 2 – Article V – Multiple- Family Residential Districts – of Chapter 50 – Zoning – of the Code of the City of East Lansing to add regulations for household pet daycares. Call (517) 319-6930, the Department of Planning, Building and Development, East Lansing City Hall, 410 Abbot Road, East Lansing, for additional information. All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard. These matters will be on the agenda for the next Planning Commission meeting after the public hearing is held, at which time the Commission may vote on them. The Planning Commission's recommendations are then placed on the agenda of the next City Council meeting. The City Council will make the final decision on these applications. The City of East Lansing will provide reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as interpreters for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities upon request received by the City seven (7) calendar days prior to the meeting. Individuals with disabilities requiring aids or services should write or call the Planning, Building and Development Department, 410 Abbot Road, East Lansing, MI 48823. Phone: (517) 319- 6930. TDD Number: 1-800-649-3777. Marie E. McKenna City Clerk City Pulse • October 24, 2012 www.lansingcitypulse.com 5 news & opinion Monica Kwasnik, 37, was on the IHP an insurance program for families with for about five years in her mid-20s when uninsured children or for minors who Coverage she was in and out of grad school and are pregnant.