Storm Aftermath, Budget Decisions, and Fireworks Cancellation Headline Lansing Area News

By 1320 WILS News Staff

LANSING, MI — In the wake of last Thursday night's powerful storm system, thousands across Michigan were left in the dark, with cleanup and restoration efforts continuing into this week. As of early this morning, a few thousand Consumers Energy customers statewide remained without electricity, while locally, the Lansing Board of Water and Light (BWL) reported that nearly all customers had their power restored, with only a handful of outages still pending.

BWL General Manager Dick Peffley briefed the public during Monday night’s Lansing City Council meeting, highlighting the scale of the damage, including destruction to the decommissioned Erickson Power Plant.

“The tornado took it all to the ground,” Peffley said, referring to the plant's conveyor system. “It ripped it right out of the footings.” He also noted extensive damage to a General Motors parts warehouse in the same area, where an entire wall was torn away, scattering inventory across nearby fields.

In response, the City of Lansing has launched a cleanup initiative. Curbside tree debris collections began Tuesday in the areas hit hardest. For residents unable to place debris curbside in time, a free drop-off site will be open on May 24 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Cargo Park. Proof of Lansing residency is required.

Council Approves Budget, Addresses Retiree Healthcare Concerns

Also at Monday's City Council meeting, public attention turned to a report indicating that retired firefighters could face substantial increases in healthcare costs. The city attributes the changes to a miscalculation stemming from a 2013 collective bargaining agreement.

However, Local 421 President Brad Dre challenged that narrative, pointing to a 2011 public act and clarifying that, under the union contract, only active employees—not retirees—are responsible for healthcare costs exceeding hard cap limits.

In a separate development, the Council approved the city's fiscal year 2026 budget, which includes $173 million in general fund spending and the addition of three new firefighter positions.

“I just wanted to thank everyone involved in this,” said Council Member Peter Spadafore. “It was a really collaborative and productive process this year.”

Delta Township Cancels July 4th Fireworks

Citing staffing and financial concerns, the Delta Township Board of Trustees voted Monday to cancel this year’s Independence Day fireworks celebration. Officials pointed to the recent failure of a public safety millage as the primary reason, saying there wouldn’t be enough police or fire personnel available to safely staff the event.

The canceled show, originally scheduled for July 3, would have cost approximately $35,000.

Secretary of State Violated Campaign Law, AG Says

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson violated state campaign finance law by holding a gubernatorial campaign press conference inside the state-owned Richard H. Austin Building earlier this year, according to a finding from the Michigan Attorney General’s Office. However, AG Dana Nessel noted that no civil or criminal penalties can be imposed under current law, which exempts the Secretary of State from enforcement provisions.

McClain Presses GOP to Support Trump-Backed Legislation

On the national front, Michigan Congresswoman Lisa McClain appeared on Fox News Monday night, urging her Republican colleagues to rally behind what she called President Trump's “big beautiful bill.” With a Memorial Day deadline looming, McClain emphasized the importance of unity among GOP lawmakers.

“I would not want to be the person that stands in front of the president’s agenda or the American people’s agenda,” McClain said. “At the end of the day, we have absolutely got to pass this.”

 

Keywords: Lansing storm damage, Lansing power outage, Lansing BWL, Erickson Power Plant, Lansing City Council budget, Lansing firefighter healthcare, Delta Township fireworks, Michigan weather cleanup, Secretary of State campaign violation, Lisa McClain Trump bill