The interim superintendent of Lansing Public Schools says the district was surprised to learn it is part of a federal investigation announced last week.
Jessica Benavides addressed the situation Tuesday on 1320 WILS, responding to news that the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating Lansing and two other Michigan school districts over their LGBTQ policies.
“That was something that we were quite surprised about when we got the letters,” Benavides said.
She added that the district is working closely with legal counsel and plans to fully cooperate.
“We're working with our attorneys right now. We're going to completely cooperate with everything that we need to do,” Benavides said. “I've been in contact with the other two school districts. We all received the same letters and so we're just really working through it and seeing what this actually means.”
No additional details about the scope or timeline of the investigation have been released.
State of the City Set for March 18
Meanwhile, Lansing residents now have a date for the city’s annual State of the City address.
During Monday night’s city council meeting, Andy Schor announced the address will take place March 18 at 6 p.m. at Lansing Community College’s Dart Auditorium.
Because of limited capacity, residents are being asked to RSVP in advance.
Code Blue Extended Through March 5
Lansing’s Code Blue cold weather emergency plan has been extended through March 5 at 7 a.m., with overnight low temperatures in the teens expected this weekend. Several local facilities will continue operating as warming shelters during the extended period.
Bed Bugs Found at Charlotte High School
In Eaton County, bed bugs were discovered in two separate classrooms at Charlotte High School over the past week.
The district superintendent notified families that students were removed from the affected spaces. The school is working with an outside pest control company and the local health department to resolve the issue.
Poll Shows Three-Way Dead Heat in Governor’s Race
A new statewide survey shows a razor-thin margin in Michigan’s race for governor.
The poll, conducted by the Glenn Gariff Group, found independent candidate Mike Duggan leading with 30.1% support. He is followed closely by Republican John James at nearly 29% and Democrat Jocelyn Benson at 28%.
The survey of 600 registered voters was commissioned by the Detroit Regional Chamber and conducted between January 27 and February 2.
The same poll also measured public opinion on data centers. Thirty-six percent of respondents said the facilities would provide economic benefits to Michigan, while 19% said they would not. Twenty percent said data centers would have no impact, and 23% were unsure.
Retailers Push to Repeal Bottle Deposit Law
A business group is calling for changes to Michigan’s longstanding bottle deposit system.
The Midwest Independent Retailers Association is advocating for expanded curbside recycling and urging Gretchen Whitmer to seek repeal of the 1970s-era bottle bill.
Association President and CEO Bill Wild told 1320 WILS that the current system creates challenges for retailers.
“It’s unsightly, it’s smelly, it’s the one job that nobody wants in the stores,” Wild said. “At the end of the day the cost to do that, the square footage that it takes to do it, there's a better return on their investment by putting product on there for sale.”
Supporters of the bottle deposit law have long argued it helps boost recycling rates and reduce litter, but the debate over modernizing the system appears poised to continue.
