Security Enhancements, Budget Challenges, and Policy Talks Headline Michigan News This Week

By 1320 WILS News Team

LANSING, MI – New security measures, local Memorial Day commemorations, budget deadlines, and a key policy conference are making headlines across mid-Michigan this week.

Starting today, enhanced safety protocols are being implemented at Dwight Rich School of the Arts in Lansing. This comes after an unloaded and disassembled firearm was discovered on campus last Thursday. Lansing School District Superintendent Ben Shuldiner notified families in a letter on Monday, noting that similar security upgrades in other schools across the district have had positive results. The new measures include metal detectors, handheld wands, and an increase in security personnel.

Communities across mid-Michigan observed Memorial Day with ceremonies and parades, honoring fallen service members. Towns including Mason, Meridian Township, Dimondale, Bath, Eaton Rapids, Dansville, DeWitt, St. Johns, and Webberville hosted events to pay tribute.

With the holiday weekend concluded, road construction projects are resuming across Michigan. The Michigan Department of Transportation had temporarily halted roughly 58 percent of its active projects to ease travel congestion during the three-day weekend.

In East Lansing, City Council members are expected to approve the city’s fiscal year 2026 budget at a meeting tonight. However, they face a projected $3.1 million deficit. The shortfall is being attributed to the loss of the BWL franchise fee and rising employment costs. City leaders are considering budget cuts, a park millage, and other revenue-boosting strategies to address the gap.

Meanwhile, the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Mackinac Policy Conference kicks off today on Mackinac Island. The annual event draws state leaders, lawmakers, and policy experts to discuss key issues such as Michigan’s economy and workforce. Featured speakers this week include Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, with major programming scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.

In advance of the conference, the Detroit Regional Chamber released a new poll indicating that 54 percent of Michiganders are pessimistic about the potential impact of tariffs on the state, compared to 35 percent who expressed optimism. The survey, conducted in late April, gathered responses from 600 registered voters and carries a four percent margin of error.

Finally, according to AAA, Michigan’s average gas price as of Memorial Day stood at $3.21 per gallon—up six cents from the previous week but down over 40 cents compared to last year. Nationally, the average was $3.18, marking the lowest Memorial Day price in four years.