The Lansing Board of Education appointed Interim Superintendent Jessica Benavides as the district's permanent superintendent during a special meeting Tuesday.

The district did not conduct a national search before selecting her.

Board spokesperson Ryan Gilding said the board felt no need to consider other candidates thanks to Benavides extensive background with Lansing schools.

“I think there's an overwhelming sense that Jessica knows our district,” Gilding said. “She's from here. She's worked with our families for many, many years, and she really has a keen sense of the pulse of not only the Lansing School District but of this community.”

Benavides has served as interim superintendent since February after former Superintendent Ben Shuldiner left the district for Seattle.

Before that, she was a teacher and deputy superintendent in the school district.

“In the time that she's been interim superintendent, they've seen a lot of good things happen,” Gilding said. “It made any discussions for a national search kind of moot. It was off the table. I mean, really, it was just a formality. It's just to see, you know, the interactions.”

She takes the helm on a permanent basis as teachers and students are preparing to return to school in August.

“I will say that we are looking at the start of school in less than a month,” Gilding said. “So this was an absolutely right decision.”

With less than a week before Michigan's Aug. 4 primary election, political campaigns are making their final push to get supporters to the polls.

Adrian Hemond, CEO of Grassroots Midwest, said the closing days of a campaign are largely about turnout rather than trying to persuade undecided voters.

"Getting their people to the polls," Hemond said. "There are a lot of different tactics that go into a successful get-out-the-vote effort. Some of it's on the phones. Some of it's with door knocking. Some of it's text messages. Some of it is traditional paid media like TV and radio advertisements. But at this point, while there are still undecided voters out there, that number is dwindling by the day and has been for a week or two, and now you're just trying to find your people and make sure that they vote."

Hemond said campaigns are still willing to reach undecided voters, but by this stage of the race, most voters have already been exposed to the candidates and their messages.

"There's not more information that you can give an undecided voter to help them make up their mind," he said. "They just have to make up their mind if they are going to support one of these candidates and if they're going to vote. And so, if you're in a position right now where you're trying to persuade large numbers of undecided voters, it's because you're losing."

As Election Day approaches, voters can also expect to see an increase in campaign advertising across television, radio, mail, text messages and digital platforms. Hemond said those ads are carefully targeted using voter data and online advertising tools.

Even my 10-year-old son recognized that political ads were showing up while he was watching YouTube, but why?

"The children get targeted with these political ads when you're trying to reach women," Hemond said. "Political operatives like myself know that you, as a mom, are going to be keeping relatively close tabs on what's going on on your kids' YouTube... and so I know that I can reach you right then, and I've got a captive audience."

For voters who are only beginning to pay attention to the election, Hemond said last-minute decisions are often driven more by emotion than by new information.

"Most voters that are making a late-breaking decision, which is definitely what this is a week out, they're not looking for information," he said. "They're going to vote based on a feeling about a candidate, whether it's a positive feeling about a candidate they end up voting for, or a negative feeling about a candidate that they want to see defeated."

Hemond said campaigns are also closely tracking who has already voted, particularly as more Michiganders cast absentee ballots or take advantage of the state's nine-day early voting period.

"We also, based on the last expansion of the franchise in Michigan, have a mandatory nine days of early in-person voting in each jurisdiction," he said. "In a Democratic primary, about half the votes already in."

For voters hoping to avoid the flood of campaign messages in future elections, Hemond offered simple advice.

"The advice that I always give to people who are sick of seeing political advertisements is to vote as early as possible, because competent campaigns are monitoring who has voted, and as soon as your ballot's returned, the good campaigns are going to stop sending you mail, stop serving you digital ads because the election's over for you."

It had been a mystery where British social media stars Josh & Jase would go next on their summer tour of Michigan. Now, we know.

The popular travel duo made a surprise appearance Tuesday at the Farmers Market at the Capitol in downtown Lansing, catching shoppers, vendors and even a WKAR News reporter off guard.

WKAR News was at the market to report on the event when reporter Madeline Jeleniewski spotted Josh Cauldwell-Clarke and Jason “Jase” Riley interacting with fans on the east lawn of the Michigan State Capitol.

In the middle of taking photos with swarms of fans at the market, Josh shared a message with Michiganders.

“We’re just checking out Lansing, checking out the capitol,” Cauldwell-Clarke said. “We love Michigan, we love the people in Michigan, and this is the most love we’ve ever got in a state!”

The pair posed for photos, chatted with locals and filmed content under the vendor tents while wearing rival University of Michigan and Michigan State University gear.

Josh & Jase have amassed millions of followers for their wildly popular travel content, particularly gaining traction in Michigan after visiting staples like the Upper Peninsula.

“It’s crazy,” Cauldwell-Clarke said. “The love we’re getting in Lansing is crazy. As you can see from the crowds, it’s nice.”

They would not divulge where they were headed next.

In an Instagram video posted earlier Tuesday from outside the Capitol, the duo announced their arrival in Michigan’s capital city.

“We’re here to explore your wonderful city, let’s go,” they said.

Josh & Jase, who go by @joshandjase on Instagram, TikTok and other social media platforms, returned to Michigan on July 24 for a summer tour scheduled to run through Aug. 17.

Their first stop was Detroit, where they tried coney dogs at American Coney Island and visited the Detroit Pistons training facility. They later traveled to Ann Arbor, the Ypsilanti area and Michigan International Speedway near Brooklyn before arriving in Lansing.

The pair first captured Michigan’s attention during a winter visit in January, when their reactions to Lake Michigan, Midwest hospitality and the cold went viral. Fans encouraged them to return during warmer weather and they did.

The duo is known for asking followers where they should go and what they should experience next. Their Lansing appearance had not been publicly announced, leaving fans guessing about their next stop.

Tuesday, the mystery ended at the Capitol farmers market.

WKAR is a sponsor of the Farmers Market at the Capitol.

The Farmers Market at the Capitol is under way today in downtown Lansing, bringing more than 60 Michigan vendors to the Capitol lawn for the first of three markets planned this summer.

The annual event, now in its 21st season, runs until 2 p.m. at the Michigan State Capitol and features fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods, honey, maple syrup, flowers, meats, jams, soaps and other Michigan-made products. Food trucks will also be on site along Capitol Avenue.

The market arrives as state health officials continue investigating a statewide cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to contaminated produce. Health officials have said the investigation has not been linked to any Michigan farm or farmers market.

Hailey Lamb, communications director for the Michigan Farmers Market Association, said food safety practices remain important whether an outbreak is underway or not.

“Thoroughly washing all your produce, ideally just before you consume it, is always a good idea,” Lamb said.

Lamb said the market gives consumers an opportunity to connect directly with growers and learn more about where their food comes from.

“When we chat local, you know that your food is coming fresh from the fields and is minimally handled. Some products may have even been harvested that very morning,” she said.

According to Lamb, about 7,000 people attended the three Farmers Market at the Capitol events in 2025.

The Michigan Farmers Market Association describes the Capitol markets as a showcase for Michigan food and agricultural products and a way to highlight the importance of supporting farmers, agricultural businesses and community marketplaces.

The event is free to attend. Organizers say the market accepts SNAP Bridge Cards and Double Up Food Bucks, while select vendors also accept Senior Project FRESH and other nutrition assistance benefits.

Additional Farmers Market at the Capitol events are scheduled for Aug. 25 and Sept. 22.
WKAR is a proud sponsor of this year's event.

Lansing’s City Operations Committee is reconsidering the name of Cesar Chavez Avenue after allegations of child sexual abuse involving the late labor activist surfaced earlier this year.

The street — originally Grand River Avenue — was renamed in 2018 to honor the United Farm Workers founder. Now, city leaders are revisiting that decision and weighing next steps.

Now, Lansing is revisiting that decision and considering next steps.

Discussions began in late March, when Councilmember Trini Pehlivanoglu announced she had drafted a resolution to rename the avenue. The draft was never formally introduced, and the City Operations Committee moved to table the idea.

Last week, after four months, the committee moved to reopen the conversation.

Councilmember Ryan Kost says the community’s tone has shifted since the debate first began.

“When we started this conversation, the entire nation was mourning. Cesar Chavez was a hero to millions,” Kost said. “Not just farm workers, but millions of Americans. He was one of my personal heroes, and I have, in my 38 years on this planet, learned that our heroes are the ones that break our hearts every time.”

Kost says the initial urgency around a name change has eased as residents have had more time to process the allegations and share their perspectives.

He adds that the committee is trying to move deliberately as it gathers input.

“It's tough to gage with such an emotionally charged issue where people end up landing, and that's why this committee has tried to be thoughtful and very methodical with how we're doing this process,” Kost said.” There's no race to get this done versus making sure that we get it right.”

Other local institutions are also considering renaming spaces named after Chavez, such as Michigan State University.

The MSU library says a new committee is now leading a full rebranding process of its Chavez Collection, which was established by emeritus Diana Rivera in 1995.

The “Chavez Collection Rebranding Committee” recently shared details for a town hall on Aug. 20, giving mid‑Michigan residents a chance to reflect and suggest new names.

Lansing Community College, too, is reviewing the name of its Cesar Chavez Multicultural Academic Center.

During a Board of Trustees meeting in June, LCC President Dr. Robinson announced that Chavez’s name will no longer be attached to the center or any work underneath the office.

The name was officially removed July 1. Since then, the college has shared no updates regarding the renaming process.

Lansing councilmember Kost says initial calls for Cesar Chavez Avenue's name change have given way to a wider range of opinions after two listening sessions with corridor businesses and members of the Latino community.

Businesses along the avenue have warned that the timing of any name change will be critical.

"Right around now would be a terrible time to make a change because the businesses live or die by the holiday season,” Kost elaborated.

The committee will now take a slower approach, reviewing the renaming issue quarterly.

The Lansing City Operations Committee is scheduled to meet again Aug. 13.

With voting already underway, the two candidates for the Democratic nomination for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat faced off Monday night for their final debate of the primary season.

U.S. Representative Haley Stevens (D-Birmingham) and former Detroit and Wayne County health official Dr. Abdul El-Sayed argued over U.S. aid to Israel, immigration enforcement and corporate PAC donations and outside political spending in the televised debate held at Fox 2-Detroit’s Southfield studios.

El-Sayed, a progressive, attacked Stevens on voting for aid to Israel while it wages a war in Gaza.

“I want your tax dollars spent in Michigan to provide schools in Michigan, to build healthcare in Michigan, to build roads in Michigan, and I think that money sent over there to kill kids and women is the worst use of our tax dollars,” he said.

Stevens called El-Sayed “a celebrity candidate” looking to build a podcast audience with no practical experience in governing. Stevens also said she has a track record as a policymaker familiar with manufacturing issues and winning tough races in a swing congressional district.

“Look, Michigan deserves a senator who can win and who can deliver,” she said.

“I am the only one on this stage who has beaten MAGA four times,” she said. “And delivered repeatedly for this state and for our values, for our rights and our freedoms, and I promise you, Michigan, I will make us shine.”

National eyes are on this race as Michigan’s open seat could determine which party will control the Senate. And the two candidates represent distinct factions vying for influence within the Democratic coalition, said pollster Richard Czuba of the Glengarriff Group.

“The two sides are so divided,” he said. “The reality is we’re looking at two very different Democratic parties in Michigan.”

Oakland University political science professor David Dulio said at this late stage of the campaign the candidates are not just trying to win over undecided voters, but to close the deal and get supporters to vote.

“This is an opportunity for both of them to convince folks who are in their camps to take the next step and return that absentee ballot, go out to the early voting site or show up on election day,” he said.

Czuba said his most recent survey found a significant number of likely Democratic primary voters are still weighing their options.

“There were 31% of Democratic primary voters who were still moveable and persuadable. That’s a whole lot of voters in a primary,” he said. “What we’ve been seeing is a whole lot of volatility because people aren’t sure where to go.”

The August primary is just about a week away with Michigan campaigns kicking into high gear to court undecided voters.

Early voting is underway, and hundreds of thousands of Michiganders have already cast their absentee ballots.

The two most high-profile statewide races are the Republican gubernatorial primary and the Democratic race for the state's open U.S. Senate seat.

Congressman John James and businessman Perry Johnson are looking to become the state's next leader. James has an endorsement from President Donald Trump, and Johnson is spending tens of millions of dollars of his own money to campaign. Trump is rallying with James Monday afternoon.

WKAR's Senior Capitol Correspondent Rick Pluta says the results of the race might indicate the impact of the president in Michigan politics.

"In terms of the primary, it will tell us something about how the Republican base views the president and his endorsements."

On the Democratic side, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is running against Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson in the gubernatorial primary.

Meanwhile, the Democratic primary for Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat has gained widespread national attention in recent weeks. Former Wayne County health official and Congresswoman Haley Stevens are going head to head in what some see as battle between the party's progressive and moderate wings.

El-Sayed recently campaigned with national progressive leaders Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. Stevens picked up an endorsement from Governor Gretchen Whitmer Friday.

They meet in a final debate Monday night.

"We are going to see how these factions, these forces, play out in the primary, and then afterwards, whether or not the Democratic coalition can get past those differences and come together heading into the general election," Pluta said.

Whoever comes out on top will face Republican Mike Rogers in November.

The federal Department of Justice has said it will send election monitors to Detroit, East Lansing and Lansing for the primary. The move comes as the Trump Administration continues to call into question previous election results with little evidence while pushing to, in some way, nationalize elections.

Pluta says while election monitors are not uncommon, there are concerns about this kind of oversight.

"The fear here on the part of the Secretary of State's office, election officials, and Democrats is that this is a practice run for the November general election, where there is concern that the Trump administration will use federal power to somehow try and skew the results, and create a crisis in terms of which ballots are being counted, whether or not precincts in, you know, urban, Democratic districts will be targeted," he explained.

"There's just a lot of skepticism surrounding whether or not this is about fair elections or whether this is about trying to skew the results by casting doubt on the elections."

The primary is August 4.

Interview Highlights

On President Trump's role among Michigan Republicans

On the final debate between Haley Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed in the Democratic primary for the state's U.S. race

On election monitors being sent to East Lansing, Lansing and Detroit from the Department of Justice

Interview Transcript

Sophia Saliby: The August primary is just about a week away with campaigns kicking into high gear to court undecided voters.

Early voting is underway, and hundreds of thousands of Michiganders have already cast their absentee ballots.

Here to break down the upcoming week in politics is Senior Capitol Correspondent Rick Pluta. Thank you for joining us.

Rick Pluta: Hi, Sophia.

Saliby: I think there are two big statewide races people are watching with this primary. Let's start with the Republican gubernatorial candidates. We have John James and Perry Johnson left in the race.

It's Monday morning when we're talking. We're speaking a few hours before President Trump is set to rally outside Detroit. What role has he played in the race?

Pluta: Well, first of all, he has endorsed John James, which is a big deal in a Republican primary where the Republican base is still very, very loyal to the president.

Perry Johnson, whose campaign is basically being funded by Perry Johnson, he's a very wealthy man, says that you know sometimes the president gets it wrong that he is in fact very loyal and would be a Trump supporter as well, you know, if he wins the nomination and if he is elected. So, he's sort of trying to to put that on, you know, on the shelf.

Saliby: What will the results of this race say about Michigan's Republican Party in 2026?

Pluta: Well, in terms of the primary, it will tell us something about how the Republican base views the president and his endorsements.

If they accept his slate of candidates, which is John James in the gubernatorial primary, and he basically cleared the field on the Senate side by endorsing Mike Rogers and that kind of pushed everyone else out. We will see if that dynamic plays out with voter loyalty in the primary.

Saliby: Turning to the Senate, we also have this Democratic primary for the open seat with Haley Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed locked in a close race.

It's gotten national coverage for being a battle between the progressive and moderate sides of the Democratic party. We had a big endorsement Friday. Could you catch us up?

Pluta: It seemed like Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who, as the top Democrat in the state, is also basically the leader of the Democratic Party, endorsing Haley Stephens, saying that she's got the record in Congress, that she has a record about working in the Obama administration on the auto rescue package, and so Whitmer said that that's the way to go. And I don't think it changes things so much as it places in stark relief where the candidates stand on this.

That yes, that Governor Whitmer has endorsed Haley Stevens, but Abdul El-Sayed has AOC, has Bernie Sanders, has the backing of the United Auto Workers Union, which is typically a huge deal in a Democratic primary. And so, we are going to see how these factions, these forces, play out in the primary, and then afterwards, whether or not the Democratic coalition can get past those differences and come together heading into the general election.

Saliby: We also have a debate coming up tonight between these two candidates. Is that going to be a deciding factor for a lot of voters?

Pluta: It's a minority of voters who actually watch the debates, so it's going to be influenced more by the coverage and the ads that come out of it. You know, Haley Stevens has a lot of money that's being spent on her behalf by outside groups, and Abdul El-Sayed, who is still the leader in just his campaign fundraiser, is trying to make hay out of that.

That, again, stark relief that you know the establishment versus the progressive insurgency in the Democratic coalition, and I think that will be placed prominently on display in the debate. We will be able to talk later about whether or not I got that right.

Saliby: The Department of Justice has said it will send election monitors to Detroit, East Lansing and Lansing next week. Do you think the federal government could use this as an opportunity to get more involved with oversight in the November elections?

Pluta: That is obviously the concern. Certainly, election monitors are used regularly in primary and general elections. The fear here on the part of the Secretary of State's office, election officials, and Democrats is that this is a practice run for the November general election, where there is concern that the Trump administration will use federal power to somehow try and skew the results, and create a crisis in terms of which ballots are being counted, whether or not precincts in, you know, urban, Democratic districts will be targeted.

That there's just a lot of skepticism surrounding whether or not this is about fair elections or whether this is about trying to skew the results by casting doubt on the elections.

Saliby: Rick Pluta is our senior capital correspondent. Thank you for joining us.

Pluta: Always glad to do it, Sophia.

This conversation has been edited for clarity and conciseness.

MILFORD, Mich. (AP) — President Donald Trump plans to tout his handling of the economy during a visit to suburban Detroit on Monday, defending sweeping tariffs in a swing state where their effects have hurt many businesses as midterm election season heats up.

Trump is visiting a General Motors facility in Milford, home to tracks and proving grounds for new models and vehicles. Early voting is underway for Michigan's Aug. 4 primary, which features fierce nomination fights in both major political parties.

Republican Mike Rogers is unopposed in the Senate primary, but the GOP gubernatorial contest pits Trump-backed Rep. John James against Perry Johnson, a businessman turned politician who has launched unsuccessful campaigns before, including for president in 2024.

Johnson is now trying to style himself in the president's mold — despite missing out on his endorsement. He's even holding a "Trump Tailgate” outside the president's GM event.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Senate primary between Rep. Haley Stevens and progressive Abdul El-Sayed has drawn national attention for the right to face Rogers, who was narrowly defeated by Democrat Sen. Elissa Slotkin in 2024.

Trump's new Canada tariffs could hurt MichiganMichigan was one of the 2024 battlegrounds Trump flipped after it backed Democrat Joe Biden in 2020. But the state has also seen parts of its economy affected by the president's tariffs, including on imported cars and auto parts.

A new round of steep import levies is taking effect on dozens of U.S. trading partners. But Trump has singled out Canada with tariffs as high as 50% on a wide array of its products, including cars.

The president is visiting Oakland County, which encompasses much of Detroit's northern suburbs. Once a Republican stronghold, it has increasingly leaned Democratic, backing Biden against Trump in 2020 and Vice President Kamala Harris against Trump four years later.

The White House says Trump will talk up having generated manufacturing jobs and foreign investment in the U.S. while making the case that his policies and leadership have boosted the auto industry.

“The President pledged to put Michigan workers back to work, and he’s doing it,” White House spokesperson Liz Huston said in a statement.

Michigan's economy relies heavily on Canada, however, meaning the new tariffs — coupled with inflation still running high and gas prices rising again as the already unpopular war in Iran escalates — have created additional economic concerns statewide.

Those come at a time when voters across the country were already increasingly dissatisfied with Trump's handling of the economy.

Jason Roe, a former executive director of the Michigan Republican Party who tried unsuccessfully to distance it from Trump's “Make America Great Again” movement in 2021, said that more than coinciding with his new round of tariffs, Trump's visit is a function of Michigan's relatively late primary and is meant to ensure that James secures the nomination.

But Roe also predicted that it was a risk for the president to tie himself too closely to top Republicans ahead of the general election, calling it “kryptonite to November voters.”

Trump, who won the White House on a promise to lower the cost of living, also has seen his approval ratings sag, meaning kitchen table issues could be a liability for Republicans trying to hold control of Congress after Election Day on Nov. 3.

“We’re happy to have the president here, campaigning with Republicans. We think it highlights the fact that the only thing they care about is Donald Trump and refuse to stand up to him," said Curtis Hertel, chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party. "It’s good for us every time the president is here because he’s incredibly unpopular.”

The US and Canada have squabbled over a new border bridgeThe Supreme Court struck down many of Trump’s sweeping tariffs, but his administration has tried to find ways around that, including by arguing that he can impose them on Canada because that country is discriminating against American exports of products including automobiles.

But Trump’s latest round of tariffs came after he voiced frustration with Canada for having retaliated and imposed its own levies on U.S. imports in response to Trump’s initial tariffs last year. Trump launched the first round after alleging Canada should do more to stop fentanyl smuggling.

It is Trump's third trip to Michigan in his second term.

In January, he visited a Ford plant in Dearborn and addressed the Detroit Economic Club, offering a defense of tariffs even as auto industry leaders blamed them for increasing the cost of doing business. The outcry is part of the reason Trump extended rebates to domestic car companies on some tariffs on imported auto parts.

The president marked his second term's first 100 days with a rally in Warren, where he mostly mentioned grievances left over from the 2024 campaign, even scoffing at what Biden might look like in a bathing suit.

His latest visit coincides with tensions between his administration and Canada that have marred the opening of a new bridge linking Detroit and Windsor, Ontario.

Canada on Friday held its own event hailing the opening of the $4.7 billion Gordie Howe International Bridge instead of a planned celebration with officials in the U.S. after Trump announced the new Canadian tariffs.

An earlier, joint ceremony had been set for June but was scrapped after Trump suggested the U.S. wanted a “better” deal on the bridge it co-owns with Canada.

That eventually led to an agreement on splitting tolls that was supposed to allow for the rescheduled joint U.S.-Canada celebration — until the new tariffs derailed that, too.

Traveling south from Lansing on M-99, I found myself crossing a bridge over the Grand River and rolling onto a bustling island.

Eaton Rapids has two titles that it carries like a badge of honor. The first, Michigan’s Island City, as its downtown thoroughfare is built on a chunk of land surrounded on all sides by the Grand River.

The other title is simply “The World’s Only.”

Eaton Rapids, the small mid-Michigan city with a population of just over 5,000 people, is the only city by that name.

The city is unique in other ways, too.

One of the city parks serves as the home of what is thought to be the last remaining Parrott Rifle, an experimental cannon made for the Union Army in 1864.

Even the phone booth on the corner of East Hamlin and Main Streets bears a sign calling it “possibly the only phone booth.”

What I found to be most unique about Eaton Rapids after spending an afternoon lost downtown, though, was the city’s charm.

Local businesses, old and new

One of the best ways to familiarize yourself with a small town is to go into the local businesses. For Eaton Rapids, that meant visiting Pettit Hardware.

Pettit Hardware has been operating for 140 years, making it the oldest local business in Eaton Rapids. It beat out Abie’s Bar for the title by just one year.

Pettit Hardware was built inside the former home of Kositchek’s, a men’s clothing store that relocated to Lansing in the late 1800s.

The building maintains the original wood flooring and ornate ceiling tiles from its 1866 construction.

“Civil War soldiers have walked on this floor,” store clerk Wayne Jackson said. “That’s a long time ago.”

Jackson has worked at Pettit Hardware for 20 years, and he said he appreciates that the store keeps him in touch with the local community.

“You can go into any store, and you can run into somebody that maybe you've gone to school with,” he said. “You get to know everybody.”

Jackson and his coworker, Bruce, told me about some of the Eaton Rapids residents they’ve gotten to know while working at Pettit Hardware.

“We even taught a lady how to solder one time,” Jackson said. "She couldn't afford to hire a plumber, and she needed some help. And we just showed her how to. It's not going to look pretty, but it'll be functional, and she could do it. She did it. That's what you're never going to get in the big stores.”

After spending some time at the oldest business in town, it only felt fair to visit the youngest.

The Gold Thimble, a quilting shop just down the street from Pettit Hardware, has only been open for four months.

It was opened by Eaton Rapids-local Wendy Stahl. Her sister, Amanda McLendon, said the store was Stahl’s dream.

“My mom works here. My daughter's here, and granddaughter's here sometimes,” McLendon said. “This was her dream, so we just make it happen for her.”

McLendon’s family has a long history of quilting, with some of her great-grandmother's quilts displayed on the walls of the shop.

“My mom started, then she had my sister go to a quilt retreat with her, and my sister got hooked,” she said. “We started having Mom and Me weekends is what we called it, and my brother came, and he's made quilts, and my granddaughter, who is now 19 months old, has been behind a sewing machine since four months old. That was her first Mom and Me weekend.”

The Gold Thimble is not the first quilt shop to grace the streets of Eaton Rapids. The sewing machine and quilt shop Country Stitches first opened on Main Street in 1982, before later relocating to East Lansing.

“People are loving having a quilt store in their town again,” McLendon said.

While quilting is the family’s shared passion, the family does embrace other fiber arts, too. McLendon’s own textile art, which is a fabric collage recreation of an image of her father, hangs proudly behind the counter of the store.

“There’s so much you can do with fabric,” she said.

Walking talking history

Just outside the Eaton Rapids Area District Library, I ran into former Mayor of Eaton Rapids Paul Malewski.

Malewski has been a resident of Eaton Rapids since 1981, and he served as the mayor from 2018 through 2021.

“I was out there every day, and I still am,” he said. “People really embraced that. You got to be out there every day because the important thing about living here and working here is that people are not blank slates.”

Prior to his time as mayor, Malewski was Eaton Rapids’ chief of police. Nowadays, he’s a kayaking instructor with Team River Runner, which teaches veterans and people with disabilities how to kayak.

Kayaking around Eaton Rapids, he said, is his personal heaven.

“When you paddle here on the weekends, it’s so much fun. There’s so many people out there. Everybody’s having a good time. You’re going down the river. You’re talking. You’re chatting. You’re enjoying yourself,” Malewski said. “Any given Sunday, I probably run into 200 people.”

He said he takes to the water from Mill Pointe Park, where the rapids are strongest.

Malewski said that, while Eaton Rapids doesn’t have the most diverse community, it’s not that the city wouldn’t be welcoming.

“I think that, on the other side of the coin, there's some trepidation on some folks’ part that, well, ‘I'm of a different race, or I have adopted a different lifestyle, and a small town is going to reject me and not want me here,’” he said. “That's not true here. That’s absolutely not true here.”

"Eaton Rapids is the heart of mid-Michigan,” Malewski added.

Living in the present, looking to the future

Each resident of Eaton Rapids that I spoke with shared the same hope for the future of the city: For the city to grow but not lose its small-town charm and hospitality.

“People here will give you the shirt off their backs all day long, and they’ll smile when they do it,” Malewski said. “And that’s just so important, you know? It’s the hometown feel.”

The willingness to go the extra mile to help out a neighbor extends to the local businesses, too.

“The kind of service you would get here, you're not going to get somewhere else,” Jackson said. “And when stores like this are gone, it's gone for good.”

And while everyone shared the wish for Eaton Rapids to grow, no one wants to see the city lose its unique identity.

“Too many small towns become the large towns, and they lose their charm,” McLendon said. “They lose their friendliness, and I'd like to see it keep that, but still be prosperous.”

This week in mid-Michigan, Lansing officials hear an ordinance to bring city boards and commissions up to speed with current wards. Also, the first Farmers Market at the Capitol opens Tuesday, and it's the final full week before the August primary. These are some of the biggest stories WKAR's Andrew Roth is following on his weekly column What Roth's Watching. Andrew appears every Sunday in our newsletter The Signal.

From Andrew:

1. Lansing hearing on updating boards
Lansing City Council members will hold a public hearing on an ordinance to bring boards and commissions in line with the new city charter after it created an additional ward. Some boards and commissions follow the City Council’s ward structure, requiring members from each ward.

2. Farmers Market at the Capitol
The first Farmers Market at the Capitol of the year will take place Tuesday. The marketplace on the Michigan Capitol’s lawn brings together Michigan food and agricultural products in an effort to garner support for farmers and agriculture-based businesses. And, for an added treat, WKAR’s classical music team will be broadcasting live.

3. Closing pitches for campaigns
It’s the last full week for candidates up and down the ballot to get their message out, with many residents already voting. Democratic U.S. Senate candidates Haley Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed both campaigned in Lansing earlier this month, as did Republican gubernatorial candidate Perry Johnson. Which candidates will try to fit one more visit to the area before the August 4 primary remains to be seen.

Interview Transcript:

Melorie Begay: This week in mid-Michigan, Lansing City Council members are holding a public hearing on how to bring boards and commissions in line with the new charter after it created an additional ward. Also, the first Farmers Market at the Capitol opens Tuesday, and it's the final full week before the August primary. These are some of the biggest stories we're tracking this week, and here to break it all down is Andrew Roth.

He writes a weekly column in our newsletter, The Signal, What Roth's Watching out every Sunday. Thanks for being here, Andrew.

Andrew Roth: Thank you for having me.

Begay: Last November, Lansing voted to approve a new charter, which is the city's governing document, and most of the changes were minor, but one big change to come out of it was the addition of a new ward. That new ward means there has to be some alterations to bring it in line with others. Andrew, what is the city proposing to help make that happen?

Roth: That's right. Under the new charter, Lansing City Council goes from four wards and eight total seats to five wards and nine total seats, which is helpful for the possibility of needing, potentially, a tiebreaker at some point. But that also means that some boards and commissions that follow the same ward structure are going to have to be updated to accommodate for that additional ward. Basically, meaning that there's another area of the city that there's going to have to be a representative from, and what the boundaries of that ward are.

Begay: And do we have a timeline of when this all could go into effect?

Roth: Yeah, for City Council members, this is all going to be changing during 2029 and be fully into effect by 2030. So the new boundaries will be proposed in 2029, and elections will be run and everything. Then the new city council members with those new boundaries will take their seats in 2030.

Begay: On Tuesday, the Farmers Market at the Capitol will open for the first time this year. What makes this farmers market different from others?

Roth: This farmers market at the Capitol, it happens a few times throughout the summer and early fall, and it's meant to bring together food and agricultural products and vendors. The idea is to educate lawmakers about the importance of these agricultural businesses. But if you've been to a farmers market, there's food trucks out there, there's all kinds of different vendors. One of my favorites, personally, in the past has been a place that makes homemade donuts right in the food truck, and you can actually watch them doing it. It's a little bit early seasonally, it's not fall yet, but always happy to get a sweet treat. So that's one of my favorites, personally.

Begay: Yeah, and also WKAR's Classical Music team will be there, Jody Knol and Linda Kernohan, and also our Director of Education Robin Pizzo. So if you see them, say hi.

But, getting to probably one of the biggest stories this week, it's the final week before Election Day which means campaigns for some of the most competitive races, including the U.S. Senate and Congressional Democratic primaries and the Republican gubernatorial primary race will be kicking their efforts into high gear. Andrew, what do you think about this final stretch?

Roth: Yeah, well, both the Democratic Senate primary and the Republican gubernatorial primary are down to head-to-head races at this point. And we've seen both of the Democratic Senate candidates in Lansing in the past couple weeks; Haley Stevens visited a couple local businesses in Lansing, Abdul El-Sayed had a big rally with Bernie Sanders. On the Republican gubernatorial side, Perry Johnson was in Lansing a couple days ago. And so, I'm really expecting these candidates to kind of hit the ground hard and try to get out that last push to get out the vote.

Begay: Andrew Roth is a reporter with WKAR. Thanks for being here, Andrew.

Roth: Always a joy.

This conversation has been edited for clarity and conciseness.