Lansing-Area News Roundup: Schools Reopen, Road Projects Begin, and Crashes Under Investigation

August 21, 2025 – Lansing, MI — Lansing Community College (LCC) officially kicked off its fall semester Thursday morning, with classes running through December 15. LCC President Steve Robinson is scheduled to speak with 1320 WILS’ Mike Austin later today about the semester launch.

In K-12 education, students in parts of the Waverly School District returned to classrooms today following a one-day delay caused by ongoing construction projects. Elmwood Elementary, East Intermediate, and Colt Early Childhood Education Center reopened, while Winans Elementary and the district’s middle and high schools are expected to resume classes Monday.

Traffic & Safety
A 13-year-old boy was struck by a vehicle Wednesday afternoon while walking home from Holt Junior High School. Authorities say the crash occurred on Aurelius Road near Wilcox just before 3 p.m. His injuries are not considered life-threatening, and the incident remains under investigation.

Separately, Ingham County officials confirmed that 54-year-old James Coe of Leslie has died from injuries sustained in a motorcycle crash last week. Deputies say Coe’s motorcycle left U.S. 127 near Covert Road and struck several trees.

Drivers in East Lansing should prepare for delays beginning Monday, when Hazlett Road will close from Saginaw Highway to Park Lake Road for pavement rehabilitation. The project is expected to wrap up in November, with additional signal work scheduled for spring.

Utilities & Local Government
Nearly 1,000 Lansing Board of Water and Light customers lost power in the Rio Town area Wednesday. Service has since been restored, though the utility has not released an official cause of the outage.

Politics & National Spotlight
MSU economics professor Lisa Cook, who also serves as a Federal Reserve governor, is facing scrutiny following mortgage fraud allegations from the Federal Housing Finance Agency. FHFA Director William Pulte claims Cook misrepresented her primary residence status on loan documents. Cook is currently on unpaid leave from Michigan State University. Former President Donald Trump has publicly called for her resignation.

Meanwhile, U.S. Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler visited Shiawassee County Wednesday alongside 7th District Congressman Tom Barrett. The two met with local business owners to promote federal tax policies they say are boosting job creation.

Honoring Law Enforcement
The Michigan House has approved a measure to rename a portion of M-34 in Hillsdale County as the Deputy Sheriff William Butler Jr. Memorial Highway. Butler was fatally shot during a traffic stop last year. The designation will apply to the stretch of M-34 between Pioneer and Pittsford Roads.