May 23-29, 2012 2 www.lansingcitypulse.com City Pulse • May 23, 2012 PRODUCED BY THE CITY OF EAST LANSING, WHARTON CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS & MSU COLLEGE OF MUSIC SUMMER SOLSTICE JAZZ FESTIVAL FRIDAY-SATURDAY Cottage Gardens, JUNE 22-23, a Lansing Landmark Since 1923, Cottage Gardens is a company Stop in and see us! 2012 still standing strong and proud located Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. in South Lansing at 2611 South Waverly Sat. 7:30 a.m.-Noon Highway. Stroll through colorful and fragrant DOWNTOWN shrubs and perennials or browse through EAST LANSING numerous varieties of large ornamental trees. 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Waverly Hwy., just south of I-96 517.882.5728 [email protected] visit cottagegardenslansing.com or getdrtygardening.com today! promo1 City Pulse Newsmakers Hosted by Berl Schwartz This week’s guest: Pat Lindemann Ingham County Drain Commissioner Sunday, May 27 Comcast Channel 30 Meridian Township A weekly look at the issues 11:30 a.m. & 11:30 p.m. and the people behind the issues Part II Comcast Channel 16 in Greater Lansing Lansing 11 & 11:30 a.m. Repeating Part I & II Watch past episodes at vimeo.com/channels/citypulse City Pulse • May 23, 2012 www.lansingcitypulse.com 3 Birthday Registered 20% OFF &Patient entire purchase Discounts some exclusions apply | exp. 6/16/2012 517.487.9090 Serving the Lansing Area Since 1974 1041 N. Cedar • Lansing, MI www.sucasajewelers.com DEAL OF THE WEEK USE BONUS CODE: CHKN23 SAVE 50% At Chick’n & Fix’ns on savelansing.com Lansing’s Adado Worth clucking about Riverfront Among the best chicken strips in town. To ensure the highest quality, Chick’n & Fix’ns only uses chicken tenderloin. The fast-casual style restaurant offers Park an array of great side dishes including mac & cheese for kids, garlic cheese drop biscuits and the most delicious rich mash potatoes you’ll find in a meal under $7. Chick’n & Fix’ns even has salads worthy of praise, such as the chicken finger salad with mixed baby greens, cherry tomatoes, hard boiled egg and real bacon. You must sign up and purchase our Tickets at stupendous deals online only at: lbwl.com SaveLansing.com 4 www.lansingcitypulse.com City Pulse • May 23, 2012 This is a key thoroughfare to anyone Volume 11, Issue 41 wanting to access the wonderful River Trail Wish List from west of this area. In fact it is the ONLY How can we improve our community? One way to access the trail from the safety of block at a time. One new idea at a time. being off the roadway. And as a parent of 1905 E. Michigan Ave. • Lansing, MI 48912 (517) 371-5600 • Fax: (517) 999 -6061 www.lansingcitypulse.com One wish at a time. What’s your wish for young children I don’t want my kids riding News & Opinion . .4 Advertising inquiries: (517) 999-5061 Greater Lansing? No idea is too small ... or along MIchigan Ave. Public Notices . 4, 7, 8 Classified ad inquiries: (517) 999-5066 too big. We’ll consider up to 700 words for Howard Ave. lacks a sidewalk completely or email [email protected] Cover Story . 9 publication. You need to sign your name, so that option is out. Lee and Vine both lack Editor and Publisher which will be published, and provide con- Arts & Culture . 12 Berl Schwartz handicap ramps on the east side (that must [email protected] • (517) 999-5061 tact information, which won’t. Send it to be very disappointing to anyone wheelchair Theater. 13, 16 Arts & Culture Editor [email protected]. Please bound). So Michigan Ave is really the only Movies. 15 James Sanford [email protected] • (517) 999-5068 put Wish in the subject line. Sending it path to the River Trail. Books. 16 On the Town Editor twice in a row helps! Two quick suggestions for the city: Advice Goddess . 17 Jessica Checkeroski Promote the city baseball park at Classifieds. 17 [email protected] • (517) 999-5069 I’d like to suggest a Kalamazoo and Clippert. How about Staff Writers Jonesin’ Crossword . 17 Lawrence Cosentino “Wish-list” column for the a food vendor truck (The Purple Out on the Town . 18 [email protected] City Pulse. I envision a Carrot?) in the parking lot during Andy Balaskovitz quick feedback from citizens game days? It would be so much fun to Turn it Down . 19 [email protected] Production Manager of the Lansing area about ride together as a family on the River Freewill Astrology . 20 Rachel Harper what they would really like Trail, get some good food and see a Food . 22 [email protected] • (517) 999-5066 to see happen in this city. WishList free ball game. There is a playground Social Media Consultant Julie Powers Short of this existing there as well. [email protected] • Twitter: @JPowers155 currently, here are some The last suggestion is I think the Advertising comments along those lines that you may city should install outdoor cement Ping Pong Shelly Olson [email protected] • (517) 643-1703 see fit to print in your feedback. tables in several park locations. Table tennis is Holly Ekwejunor-Etchie I am pretty disgusted that the sidewalk a great way to stay active for any age. It’s not [email protected] • (309) 714-0383 on the north side of Michigan Ave between only fun to play it is fun to watch! As a ping Casey Tetens [email protected] • (989) 292-7138 Clippert and Homer is in such poor condition. pong coach at a local school I can tell you that Editor & Publisher Berl Contributors: Brian Bienkowski, Justin Bilicki, Bill There are many badly broken slabs and a raised the game offers many rewards for the health Schwartz Castanier, Mary C. Cusack, Jeff Hammer, Tom Helma, manhole cover within that. What is especially and social well being of our children. Christopher Horb, Sam Inglot Terry Link, Kyle Melinn, Adam Molner, Dennis Preston, Allan I. Ross, Joe Torok, Rich Tupica, frustrating is that recently sidewalk ramps Thanks for your consideration! Susan Woods, Paul Wozniak, Amanda Harrell-Seyburn, Ute were installed on both sides of this block. What — John Hay 7 p.m. Wednesdays Von Der Heyden, Judy Winter will it take to actually finish the job?! Lansing Interns: Tina Berisha, Holly Johnson This week Delivery drivers: Abdulmahdi Al-Rabiah, Dave Fisher, Pat Lindemann, Ingham County Drain Commissioner Karen Navarra, Noelle Navarra, Brent Robison, Steve Stevens CORRECTIONS CLARIFICATIONS Architect Dan Bollman of Preservation Lansing Due to reporting errors in last week’s • The chart in last week’s story cover story on Delta Dental: on Delta Dental listed the nonprofit, • It was said that the state Office commercial and Health Management Sports writer Jack Ebling of Financial and Insurance Regulation Organizations based in Michigan that has regulatory oversight over nonprofit offer dental insurance. As background, dental insurance companies. OFIR has it was noted that Delta Dental, per PROPERTIES OF THE PAST by RACHEL HARPER oversight over commercial dental insur- requirements by the IRS, compares it ance companies and HMOs, but not executive salaries with similarly sized nonprofits. organizations. The chart was meant to • After layoffs in 2009, hiring for express the size of Delta Dental’s opera- 2010 and 2011 included 170 positions tion, not suggest that those companies that were filled by replacing positions are of comparable size. from attrition and creating new posi- • Delta Dental of Michigan’s tions. Some of the 60 positions after the donation to the “Kasich Taylor New Day layoffs may have been filled, but not all. Committee” in 2010 was to help under- The story said the 60 employees laid off write the costs for Gov. John Kasich’s were called back for work. inauguration events. The story says it’s • Contributions to congressional a “committee supporting the re-election candidates in 2011 were made by Delta and inauguration” of Gov. Kasich. That Dental Plans Association PAC, an Illinois- committee has reportedly used funds for based trade organization, not “Delta activities beyond the event. Dental’s political action committee.” PUBLIC NOTICE B/12/097 CITY OF LANSING ELEVATOR MAINTENANCE as per the specifications provided by the City of Lansing. The City of Lansing will accept sealed bids at the FINANCE DEPARTMENT, PURCHASING OFFICE, 8TH FLOOR CITY HALL, 124 W. MICHIGAN AVENUE, LANSING, MICHIGAN 48933 until 3:00 PM local time in effect on JUNE 14, 2012 at which time bids will be publicly opened and read. Complete specifications and forms required to submit bids are available by calling Darleen Burnham, CPPB at (517) 483-4129, email: [email protected] or go to www.mitn.info The City of Lansing encourages bids from all vendors including MBE/WBE vendors and Lansing- based businesses. City Pulse • May 23, 2012 www.lansingcitypulse.com 5 the district and what the plan will mean for Lansing students. Losing to schools of choice “This will stem that exodus,” she said. “I believe it will. When people understand Eye Legislation from the mid-’90s Of the declined enrollment since what we’re talking about is a coherent, candy! has led to the steady exodus of 2000, nearly half of those students left pedagogical, research-based education students from the Lansing School the district through schools of choice.