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(517) 349-5150 2000 Merritt Road, East Lansing dustyscellar.com 4 - 10 p.m. Tues, Wed, Sun ; 4 - 11 p.m. Thurs, Fri, Sat 1839 W Grand River Ave, closed Mondays; 517-908-9950 redcedarspiritsdistillery.com Okemos 4 www.lansingcitypulse.com City Pulse • December 13, 2017 VOL. 17 Introducing Clay Jones ISSUE 18 Every 17 years, City Pulse likes to intro- the flaws of others, and he decided later to duce a new cartoon. make it a career. He went from drawing (517) 371-5600 • Fax: (517) 999-6061 • 1905 E. Michigan Ave. • Lansing, MI 48912 • www.lansingcitypulse.com That’s how long we’ve been around — simple Crayola caricatures of his friends to ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: (517) 999-5061 and hence carrying “This Modern World,” full-sized comic books by the time he was in or email [email protected] our sole cartoon. high school.” PAGE CLASSIFIEDS: (517) 999-6704 Now comes a new one. Unlike Dan Jones’ bio says he refuses to align himself Perkins’ multi-panel look from the left, this with political parties and believes it is his 14 EDITOR AND PUBLISHER • Berl Schwartz [email protected] • (517) 999-5061 one is a single panel (for the most part) daily goal to lampoon authority and make it New Broad exhibit is gender bending ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER • Mickey Hirten look from … wherever the hell Clay Jones is look as ridiculous as possible. “My cartoons [email protected] standing. do not tell readers what they should believe. I ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR • Rich Tupica • arts@lansing- citypulse.com • (517) 999-5068 Who is this guy? As Jones, who lives in hope they simply challenge people to think.” PAGE EVENTS MANAGER • Ella Kramer Virginia, like to tell it (talking for some rea- Jones, who was born in Texas, lives in [email protected] • (517) 999-6704 son in the third person): Fredericksburg with a loud beagle. He excels 17 PRODUCTION MANAGER • Abby Kelly STAFF WRITERS • Lawerence Cosentino “Clay Jones was often sent to the prin- at being a lousy guitarist. [email protected] cipal’s office as a child for making fun of “Occasionally,” his bio tells us, “he is still Christmas music made in Michigan Todd Heywood his classmates. He discovered at a young sent to the principal’s office.” [email protected] age that he had a knack for poking fun at Enjoy. Or not. ASSISTANT SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR PAGE Mandy Jackson • [email protected] Contributors: Andy Balaskovitz, Justin Bilicki, Daniel 19 E. Bollman, Capital News Service, Bill Castanier, Mary C. Cusack, Tom Helma, Gabrielle Lawrence Bill Castanier selects his best books for Christmas Johnson, Eve Kucharski, Terry Link, Andy McGlashen, Kyle Melinn, Mark Nixon, Shawn Parker, Stefanie Pohl, Dennis Preston, Allan I. Ross, Dylan Tarr, Rich Tupica, Ute Von Der Heyden, David Winkelstern, Paul Wozniak PAGE Interns: Kelly Sheridan, Shruti Saripalli, Sherry Min-Wang 1 Distribution manager: Paul Shore • (517) 999-5061 Cover illustration by Khalid Ibrahim Delivery drivers: Frank Estrada, Dave Fisher, Jack Sova, Richard Simpson, Thomas Scott Jr. City Pulse • December 13, 2017 www.lansingcitypulse.com 5 PULSE NEWS & OPINION crap on the porch, you don’t know what Empowering two departments gem might be hidden behind it,” she said. FOR Wood, who is likely to be Council pres- Schor plans to target neighborhood economic development ident next year, said she believes the focus DESIGN on neighbors and the corridor develop- With a push and pull tension between ment is important. neighborhoods and large scale develop- “We know from our experiences with ments long gnawing at city government, Colonial Village that those business - incoming Mayor Andy Schor is reshuffling es helped the neighborhood,” she said. his departments and cabinet leaders to “People could walk to them. And even with send a message: economic development of economic downturns, the area was able to neighborhoods matter. remain with more owner occupied hous- Under his plan, the Department of ing. That’s good.” Planning and Neighborhood Development Schor is considering appointing a busi- will be split into two cabinet-level depart- ness ombudsman to assist business in nav- ments: one Economic Development and igating the city’s often complicated and at Danny Sorrells of Lansing was the first Planning, the other Neighborhoods and times byzantine licensing, inspections and reader to correctly identify the Nov. Citizen Engagement. occupancy permits processes. Wood said 14 Eye for Design as the niche on the It’s partially a symbolic move, but it’s she was not necessarily opposed to this Christ’s Kingdom Builders Church at also elevating neighborhood concerns, idea, but said she would also like to see the 719 E. Grand River Ave. in Lansing. organizations and stabilizations to the new mayor focus on customer service. An Eye for Design mug awaits him at cabinet level. The move comes as a direct “If it takes pushing 15 buttons to reach City Pulse. He adds that “the building result of Schor’s door to door work during a live person, that’s not good,” she said. was fashioned after the Alamo.” The the mayoral campaign this summer, he “If you then have to leave a message, but building is the former home of the said. His consolidation of economic devel- don’t hear back, that’s not good either. Athens Grill, and then housed Ramon’s opment issues and planning is also a We need a situation where those calls are Alamo restaurant, which moved into response to citizen concerns, he said. being returned, even if the employee can’t this building from its former location Ingham County Commissioner Brian immediately answer the question and has across the street. McGrain will oversee the new Economic to do more research. It’s all about custom- Development and Planning Department, er service.” while Andrea Crawford, who was tapped Also, he is considering returning code The snow-surrounded silhouette in 2014 by outgoing Mayor Virg Bernero compliance to the planning department. It below may be found in Delhi Charter to coordinate neighborhood activities for is handled now by the Fire Department. Township. The first person to correctly his office, will lead the new Neighborhoods While the outgoing Bernero adminis- identify the location of the detail will and Citizen Engagement Department. tration has dramatically reshaped the sky- receive a City Pulse Eye for Design The Lansing Economic Area line of Michigan Avenue, the mayor has mug. Send your answer to daniel@ Partnership will continue to represent been criticized for doing so at the expense eastarbor.com by Dec. 20. the city on large-scale development deals. of the southern corridors like Martin “LEAP is the expert with tools and LEAP Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Cedar Street DANIEL E. BOLLMAN, AIA does a lot for the city and will continue to and Pennsylvania Avenue. do that,” said Schor. He and McGrain said Elaine Wolmboldt, facilitator for in phone interviews Monday the restruc- Rejuvenating South Lansing, said she tured city departments will enhance LEAP looks at the Logan Square, at the corner activities. of Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard and The incoming mayor said the new Todd Heywood/City Pulse Holmes Road, as an example of blight that Economic Development and Planning Good and bad: Colonial Village is seen didn’t need to happen. Department under McGrain would be a as a positive example of neighborhood “He’s going to need to find a way to bridge between LEAP and individuals who development, while Logan Square may deal with deadbeat landlords,” she said. want to start having conversations about be Lansing’s classic example of the She was pleased that Schor is following up projects. opposite.