Officials at the Thomas M. Cooley Law School’s Lansing campus today announced that Keith Boykin, the editor of The Daily Voice online news site, a CNBC contributor, a BET TV host and a New York Times best-selling author, will be the keynote speaker at its Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration on Monday, January 18.
The presentation, which is open to students, faculty and the public, will be held at 5 p.m. in the Cooley Law School Auditorium on the 6th floor of the Temple Building, 217 S. Capitol Ave.
As initiated by Cooley President and Dean Don LeDuc, each year in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Cooley’s classes are suspended and students, faculty, and staff devote the day to study, reflection, and programs on the role of law and lawyers in protecting the rights of minorities and assuring equal protection under law.
In 2010, the theme, Continuing the Dream, will address how Martin Luther King’s belief in equality and justice for all can be applied to the current legal and social challenges we face as a nation, said Goldie Adele, Cooley’s coordinator of student services and diversity programs.
Boykin is a long-time advocate for progressive causes, has worked on numerous political campaigns and has appeared on national media programs including Anderson Cooper 360° and The O’Reilly Factor. He attended Dartmouth and Harvard, where he was a classmate of President Barack Obama, and he has served as a special assistant to President Bill Clinton.
He is the founder and first board member of the National Black Justice Coalition, and has written three books: Beyond the Down Low: Sex, Lies and Denial in Black America, Respecting the Soul and One More River to Cross. Born and raised in St. Louis, Mo., Boykin currently lives in New York City and is working on his fourth book
“Regional Growth: Choices for our Future”
The Tri-County Regional Planning Commission recently announced that copies of the Draft Regional 2035 Transportation Plan covering major transportation investments throughout Clinton, Eaton and Ingham Counties and cities and villages is available for public review and comment. All residents will be impacted by any changes and are encouraged to be a part of the process.
The Draft Regional 2035 Transportation Plan includes the following major elements:
– Regional transportation goals and objectives;
– A summary of the “Regional Growth: Choices for our Future” project, which resulted in adopting a preferred regional land use pattern;
– Official population and employment growth forecasts for all areas of the region;
– An overview of existing transportation facilities;
– Results of analysis showing where future roadway congestion problems are likely to occur during the forecast period;
– Analysis of revenues available to meet the region’s future transportation needs;
– Identification of proposed projects and other recommendations to address regional transportation needs; and
– Analysis showing the plan reduces air pollution and conforms to requirements of the Clean Air Act.
In addition, the Commission announced today a schedule of meetings where the Draft Plan will be reviewed or acted upon by the Commission or its advisory committees, as itemized below.
Review, comments and questions on this plan can be presented in a variety of ways, as summarized below.
The Commission is scheduled to act on this plan at 7:30 p.m. on January 21, 2010. A listing of committee actions and public information meetings follows.
Unless otherwise listed individually below, location of all meetings in this announcement is the Ingham County Human Services Building, 5303 S. Cedar Street in Lansing in Conference Rooms listed below.
The draft Regional 2035 Transportation Plan and conformity determinations will be reviewed and acted on at the following open public meetings:
• Long Range Plan Task Force: Conference Room D/E, 8:30 a.m., January 5, 2010 (Tuesday);
• Capital Area Regional Transportation Study Technical Advisory Committee (CARTS): Conference Room D/E, 9:30 a.m., January 5, 2010 (Tuesday);
• Transportation Review Committee (TRC): at the Foster Community Center, 200 North Foster, Lansing, Room 209, 4:00 p.m., January 13, 2010 (Wednesday);
• Tri-County Regional Planning Commission: at the Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road, East Lansing, Executive Conference Room, 7:30 p.m., January 21, 2010 (Thursday).
Public Information Meetings: Open public
information meetings will also be held as follows:
• Beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 5, 2010 immediately prior to CARTS in Conference Room D/E;
• Beginning at 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at the Southside Community Center Auditorium, 5815 Wise Road, Lansing;
• Beginning at 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 7, 2010 at the Hannah Community Center Executive Conference Room, 819 Abbot, East Lansing;
• Beginning at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 at the Foster Community Center, 200 North Foster, Lansing, Room 209; and
• Beginning at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 21, 2010 at the Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road, East Lansing, Executive Conference Room.
At these meetings staff will present the plan, answer questions and accept additional input.
Commission Action: At the conclusion of the final public information meeting on January 21, 2010, the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission will convene in open session at 7:30 p.m.
Any last additional public comments will be accepted. Notices and materials will be provided upon receipt of a request which includes the complete name and mailing address of the interested party.
The following examples are representative of projects in the Regional 2035 Transportation
Plan.
– Widening portions of Willow Highway in Eaton County from two to three lanes and adding bike lanes and sidewalks from M-100 to Canal.
– Construction of a new two lane extension (with bike lanes) of Coleman Road
from West to Wood Streets in East Lansing.
– Widening Waverly Road from two to three lanes between Miller and Jolly in Ingham County.
– Widening State Road from two to four lanes between DeWitt Road and US 127 BR in Clinton County.
– Construction of US 127 limited access freeway from Kinley Road in Clinton County to the Gratiot County line by the Michigan Department of Transportation.
– Conversion of segments of Capitol, Grand, Pine and Walnut from one-way back
to two way streets in downtown Lansing.
– The plan also identifies roads to be resurfaced or reconstructed throughout the region and other planned changes in traffic operations at intersections or other locations in the region to the year 2014.
In addition, the Draft Plan includes a future Regional Non-Motorized System Plan for pedestrians and bicyclists, future public transit system improvements and airport improvements for Capital Region International Airport.
Additional information on the Regional 2035 Transportation Plan or public involvement opportunities in its review and adoption process can be obtained by contacting the:
Tri-County Regional Planning Commission, 913 W. Holmes Road, Suite 201, Lansing, MI 48910 or calling 517-393-0342. The website is www.mitcrpc.org.
