Artist Lauren Asta in front of the completed mural.

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Here is a mid-week update to see what’s happened so far and what’s coming up the rest of the week. This morning I was able to catch up with the muralist Lauren Asta just as she was headed out of town after finishing the Center City Mural. The mural located at the eastern wall of the Newman Lofts building between the future location of Jolly Pumpkin and Pinball Pete’s. This mural is in fulfillment of East Lansing’s Percent for Art ordinance.

The sign for Jolly Pumpkin is up! (Natalie Rose for ELi.)

A lot of you have probably noticed that the sign is up for Jolly Pumpkin. We will definitely report when we find out more about when that is opening!

In local government, we covered the City Council special meeting on Monday during which the three City Council members and City Manager George Lahanas discussed the process and timeline for interviewing and appointing two new City Council members. Not only do the two seats have to be filled within thirty days of being vacated, according to the City Charter, but Council expressed the need to have full representation of five members by their very full August 11 meeting. Read the rest of the details including the hiring process for a new City Attorney in Andrew Graham’s report.

Monday included two rescheduled DDA committee meetings. Our reporter Aaron Applebey reported that, during the Project Infrastructure Committee noon meeting, Planning and Zoning Administrator David Haywood addressed site plans for a recreational marijuana retail establishment at 1234 E. Grand River Avenue as well as for the future MSUFCU property. The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing which includes more on MSUFCU property tonight at 7:00 PM.

MSUFCU’s proposed building seen looking northwest, across Abbot Road and Albert Ave.

Tomorrow, there is the DDA meeting in which amongst other topics, The Citadel (full name: Central Innovation Technology & Arts District of East Lansing), the project of River Caddis to be located at the DDA-owned properties at 314-344 Evergreen, is back on the agenda. The developer has drafted a Purchase and Sale Agreement that will be up for discussion. We will be reporting on that and other topics form the meeting. Here is the agenda.

A rendering of The CITADEL from the original proposal for the DDA’s properties. This is looking north across Albert Ave., with Evergreen Ave. to the left and the alley to the right.

The Michigan Liquor Control Commission show cause hearing for Harper’s Brewpub and Restaurants as related to the COVID-19 outbreak is tomorrow at 1 pm. Aaron Applebey will follow up on that story and report on the hearing and the outcomes.

Also coming up soon is information from Emily Joan Elliott on the upcoming Elder Persons Millage on the August 4th ballot and Sarah Spohn looking at how some restaurants have expanded outdoor space to accommodate dining capacity limitations due to COVID-19.

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Natalie Rose
Executive Director & Publisher