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🌱 Patch AM: What Lansing’s new interim fire chief plans to change—and what she won’t

Spotted on the Lansing calendar: Lansing Parks & Recreation & the Friends of Turner-Dodge House FESTIVAL OF TREES

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Good morning Lansing! Your connection to what's happening around town is here. Take a sip of coffee and read on. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • What Lansing’s new interim fire chief plans to change—and what she won’t
  • How a sudden flood upended care for Lansing’s underinsured patients
  • How Santa and sirens brightened a tough week at Lansing hospitals

Also on today's calendar: Holiday Show - Time2Play at UrbanBeat and 4 more events.

Find out what's happening in Lansing-East Lansingfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: Last night I had a dream. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Lansing-East Lansingfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Saturday: A p.m. rain or snow shower, with a high of 43 and low of 19 degrees. ⛄️ Brr!
  • Sunday: Partly sunny; breezy, colder, temps: high: 26, low: 20.
  • Monday: A little wintry mix, with a high of 38 and low of 33 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Lansing's interim fire chief to avoid 'disruption' amid period of 'healing' (wkar.org) — Lansing’s interim fire chief, Carrie Edwards-Clemons, says the department is in a period of healing and she aims to avoid disruption while maintaining core Fire-EMS services. She plans to visit stations, emphasize mental health, and refocus staff on their mission as she steps in following a lawsuit and the outgoing chief’s contract ending Dec. 31.
   

2. Lansing nonprofit serving underinsured patients seeking donations to restart after flood (wlns.com) — A burst pipe forced Lansing’s Care Free Medical to evacuate its flooded clinic, leaving vital equipment trapped in an unsafe building and disrupting in-person care for underinsured patients. The nonprofit is scrambling to outfit a new space, relying on video visits for now and asking the community for donations to buy exam tables and vaccine refrigerators.
   

3. Santa and first responders bring holiday cheer to hospitalized children (wilx.com) — Children at McLaren Greater Lansing and U-M Sparrow hospitals got a surprise midweek visit from Santa and a parade of first responders, complete with lights and sirens. The long-running Santa’s First Responders event delivered toys, lifted spirits for families facing tough hospital stays, and highlighted the strong sense of compassion in the Lansing-area community.
   

4. President Trump reclassifies marijuana from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3 drug (wilx.com) — Lansing residents are seeing national drug policy shift closer to home after President Trump signed an order reclassifying marijuana from a Schedule 1 to a Schedule 3 drug. From a Michigan State University addiction specialist’s concerns to a cannabis company leader’s optimism, local voices in Lansing are weighing in on what this could mean for medical research, patient care, and federal enforcement.
   

5. Vandalism at MSU Jewish Center investigated as possible hate crimes (statenews.com) — Vandals twice targeted the MSU Chabad Jewish Center in downtown East Lansing this week, throwing rocks and spray-painting swastikas during Hanukkah. East Lansing police are investigating the incidents as possible hate crimes and have released suspect images, while Jewish community leaders stress they’ll continue programs and gatherings without interruption.
   

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Hi neighbors!!
    Thank you everyone for sharing and helping me locate my Gwennie! We still haven’t seen her anywhere! I’ve made posters and started putting them up, I… (Nextdoor Washington Park)
  • JUST CURIOUS: Do city council members and other city officials who live on the back streets of Lansing get their streets salted?
    Mine has not been - still has at least 2" of solid ice and it makes driving worse than the potholes and does my vehicles no good. (Nextdoor Fairview Area)
  • Premium Retail Services, Inc. posted a job opening for Seasonal Merchandiser in Lansing. Apply here.
  • ABM Industries posted a job opening for School Custodial Cleaner in Lansing. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Lansing here.

Ok Lansing! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I dreamed I was swimming in a pool of orange soda, but it was just a Fanta-sea.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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