Good morning, Lansing.

Readers voted in an LSJ poll that named the Society of St. Vincent de Paul thrift store at 1020 S Washington Ave as the top local pick, with over 100 votes highlighting its diverse range of donated goods (clothing, furniture, and kitchenware).

Lansing-based Granger Waste Service celebrates 60 years by hosting a free, family-friendly event on Tuesday, Sept.

15 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Granger Meadows Park (1745 Granger Meadows Lane) where residents can enjoy cider, donuts from Quality Dairy, food trucks, games and live bubble demonstrations.

North Meridian Road Park in Williamston offers families a sixty acre natural space with more than 2.5 miles of trails and a popular sledding hill in winter.

The park at 5191 Meridian Road also features a playground, sports fields, picnic areas, and ample parking.

Consumers Energy said its $90 million investment this year improved grid reliability and kept power on for customers, aiming to support steadier service in the region.

Michigan State students will begin moving in next week as more than 50,000 new Spartans arrive on campus.

The university has prepared all summer for the move-in so that the campus will shift from a quiet summer to an energized scene with orientation and community events (MSU Live On).

MSU now lets students and families pay tuition, room and board with PayPal and Venmo via its student portal.

The option charges a 2.75% fee, though paying by electronic check avoids the extra cost.

Chippewa Middle School in Okemos will open for its first day of classes Wednesday, Aug.

26. The new building (207,530 sqft) is part of the district’s $275 million bond approved in 2022, with renovations at Cornell Elementary planned over the next two years.

MSU students are packing up from summer break and preparing for fall move in next week, with classes officially beginning Monday, Aug.

31. MSU’s new $200 million Student Recreation and Wellness Center will open this fall, and some veterinary school classes already started.

Michigan State Police advise parents taking back-to-school pictures to avoid listing full names, school names, or extracurricular details on signs in photos.

The safety tip comes as children return to class in the coming weeks.

Health officials are investigating an outbreak of E. coli and Salmonella linked to alfalfa sprouts grown by Everything Sprouts, with one Michigan case reported; residents are urged to avoid the affected products and wash surfaces that may have been contaminated (following CDC guidelines).

City officials are displaying a housing pod prototype at City Hall until Aug.

31 to preview the planned transitional living project at the Ingham County Human Services Building—project leaders warn that finishing the project before winter is a challenge after a forum on Aug. 18 drew about 100 residents.

On Thursday, Aug. 20, Lansing Catholic hosted the Volley Turf Takeover at Cougar Stadium in Greater Lansing; Williamston won the opener against Portland (25-21, 17-25, 27-25, 26-24) and Lansing Catholic beat DeWitt in the finale.