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In the news today: For our first story of the day focusing on election coverage, Whitmer, Hertel urge students to 'Go green! Go white! Go vote!'. For our second story focusing on campus news, MSU sends alert to "avoid area" of Shaw Lane and Farm Lane amid gas leak. For our final story of the day focusing on business, wage reform to bring new challenges for East Lansing's service industry.
Creators & Guests
What is The State - A Podcast from The State News + Impact 89FM?
The State is a daily rundown of the headlines that matter to the East Lansing, MI community.
This is The State for Thursday, October 31st where we bring you the headlines that matter. I'm Rachel Fulton.
For our first story of the day focusing on election coverage,
The Rock on Farm Lane read "VOTE NOW" as it welcomed Michigan State University students to come and hear from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and candidate for the U.S. House in Michigan's 7th District Curtis Hertel Jr. on Tuesday.
Organized by MSU Democrats and The One Campaign, the event started with music and food, which were free for students who attended. Many students came due to their support of presidential candidate Kamala Harris, hoping to hear Whitmer speak on important issues in Harris's campaign.
Arriving in a bus with their faces on the side, Whitmer and Hertel showed up soon after a crowd had gathered. A quick introduction was done by MSU Dems President Liam Richichi. Hertel then took the floor.
He talked further about the importance of the youth vote and encouraged students to come join him in marching to the Communication Arts and Sciences building where early voting polls are currently available.
After Hertel, Whitmer took hold of the megaphone and led the crowd in a "Go green! Go white! Go vote!" cheer. She thanked everyone for coming and talked about how she is impacted by and learns from students and members of Generation Z.
Whitmer boarded her bus but Hertel stayed to lead the way to ComArtSci.
Richichi saw this as an important part of the event and, like Whitmer and Hertel, emphasized the importance of the youth vote in Michigan.
For our second story focusing on campus news,
Michigan State University sent an alert Tuesday afternoon instructing people to "Please avoid the area of Shaw Lane and Farm Lane due to a gas leak."
An update sent less than a half hour after the initial alert said "East Lansing Fire Department is on scene with MSU Police and Consumer's Energy investigating the gas leak."
According to the MSU Department of Police and Public Safety, the leak occurred due to an accidental hit of a gas pipe by the construction crew on site. No injuries were reported from the crew and Consumers Energy were also present to assess and handle the damage and leak.
The pipe was managed and the gas leak closed off at about 2 p.m. by Consumers Energy. No subsequent traffic accidents or cases of student illness have been reported.
40 minutes after the initial alert, students living in the River Trail and Mason-Abbot-Snyder-Phillips neighborhoods received an email instructing all residents on the west side of these building's to close windows to their dorm rooms.
CATA spokesperson Lolo Robinson said for safety concerns, all buses on campus suspended service with news about the leak and remained in place while awaiting updates. They received the all-clear at about 2 p.m., from which they resumed service as normal.
For our final story of the day focusing on business,
Tipping has long been an integral part of the service industry, but recent legislative action in Michigan will change that practice.
In July, lawmakers voted to phase out the tip credit system starting in 2025, eventually eliminating it in 2029, and correspondingly raise the minimum wage for tipped workers. Michigan is not the first to enact this policy. States such as California, Minnesota and Oregon have already fully removed the tip credit system.
However, local business owners and Michigan State University student service workers are concerned that this shift will negatively impact their industry.
Peanut Barrel and Crunchy's owner Michael Krueger said these changes are "really scary" and he worries how it will affect his restaurants' pricing models.
Michael said his staff is nervous, as a higher minimum wage means he can't employ as many people.
For Michael, he's not sure how restaurants like his will hold up.
"It's going to be a significant hit to any full service restaurant," he said. "I'm not sure that many of them will survive."
Before we end our episode, today's weather forecast is predicting rain early then remaining cloudy with showers and windy conditions developing in the afternoon with possible thunder with a high of 69 degrees and a low of 42 degrees. I definitely suggest bringing an umbrella or rain coat if you're planning some trick or treating later this evening as well as bundling up a bit as those temperatures will drop.
Thank you for joining us for The State... Produced by The State News and Impact eighty-nine F-M. You can find us online at State News dot com and Impact eight-nine F-M dot org. Have a safe and fun Halloween and we'll be back tomorrow with more.