LANSING, Mich. — Ingham County authorities have filed charges against two individuals in connection with a deadly drag racing crash that occurred last spring on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.  The crash, which happened on April 24, 2025, resulted in the death of one person and left 13 others injured. Prosecutors say 19-year-old John-Jewel Velazquez-Hicks has been charged with reckless driving causing death and serious impairment of a bodily function. If convicted, Velazquez-Hicks could face up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $15,000. A second individual involved in the case has not yet been arraigned, according to authorities.

 

 

Lansing is preparing for a major community event honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Mid-Michigan announced that civil rights leader Diane Nash and Michigan Supreme Court Justice Kyra Bolden will headline the 41st annual MLK Day of Celebration, scheduled for next Monday at the Lansing Center.  Nash is widely recognized for her leadership in the Nashville lunch counter desegregation movement and her role in organizing the Freedom Rides and supporting the Selma voting rights campaign, which contributed to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Justice Bolden, who will serve as the keynote speaker, made history in 2023 as the first Black woman appointed to Michigan’s highest court.

 

 

A new report from the Michigan Association of State Universities shows that the state’s 15 public universities generate nearly $45 billion in economic impact annually. Michigan State University alone accounts for nearly $7 billion of that total, underscoring the significant role higher education plays in Michigan’s economy.

 

 

President Donald Trump also made a stop in Michigan this week, visiting a Ford F-150 manufacturing plant in Dearborn before addressing the Detroit Economic Club at the Motor City Casino Soundboard Theater. During his remarks, Trump praised the auto industry and pointed to more than $70 billion in new investment flowing into U.S. auto manufacturing facilities. His visit came just ahead of the Detroit Auto Show, which began media days at Huntington Place and is set to open to the public on Saturday.

 

 

Housing data released this week shows modest growth across the state. According to the Home Builders Association of Michigan, single-family home permits increased by nearly 5 percent in 2025, with 15,821 permits issued statewide compared to 15,108 the previous year. However, the association is forecasting flat housing production in 2026, citing ongoing affordability challenges for buyers.