July 2025 Pine Press

Pine Press July 2025

Help Wanted Interested in helping create the monthly Pine Press?

VPE Onyx is looking for help!

Roles Include: Event photographers Event Reporters Delivery Aides Writers Transcription Aides Work on the Pine Press can be counted towards office labor

Scan me for interest form

Meet your new Staff!!

Jordan Lindsay I am a white, queer, trans non-binary (they/them), polyamorous, disabled, facilitator, organizer, coach, abolitionist and creative with fifteen years of organizing experience ranging in fields from environmental, to food, and labor justice. I’ve been coaching other social justice organizers since 2014, and got certified with my associate certified coach credentials in 2021.

The world I'm dedicated to building is anti-racist, queer, life sustaining, and a magnet for collective liberation. In this world, land is returned to indigenous people and sovereignty of tribes is respected. There are no prisons or jails or detention centers or police. Everyone's needs are met.

I lived in New Community from 2013- 2014 and then an unofficial housing co-op operating out of a rental on Lansing’s east side called Waffle House from 20142017. I currently live on Lansing’s east side and I’m on the Farm Stewardship Council with Magnolia Ave. Farm Collective. I love to play music and sing, make art, be in the woods, and look for rocks, especially at Lake Superior. I’m looking forward to supporting culture building with the Spartan Housing Cooperative so that we can experience collective liberation in our present, while building into the future.

Hey folks!​ My name is Rowan- Maybe you’ve run into me at the office lately. Maybe I countersigned your contract! For the past few months, I’ve been spending a lot of time learning the ins and outs of what Marty does all day, and now that he’s off to law school, I’m here making sure it all still happens! I was already pretty familiar with how the SHC operates from my two recentish AmeriCorps positions, but good golly is there more going on behind the scenes than I thought! Marty left some pretty big shoes to fill- consistent with my other projects, what I’m actually doing here is figuring out systems and processes so we can have member services staff with jobs that are a little more manageable in the long run, so we can have a big, strong, healthy co-op with members and staff that are well supported.

I’m doing this while also trying my best to make sure things keep being taken care of- so I appreciate your patience, especially during these busier months to come! We may take on some more temporary staff like Jordan to distribute this workload a little better, but that’s still in the works. Expect to hear from someone else like this soon!

IF you’ve ever needed to ask Marty for something, you’ve emailed him at msc@spartan.coop. Please continue to do that! I have my own email address, which you may have used before, but managing that inbox is an entire job in itself- and it’s easier when everything is in one place! Also note that I’m not working full-time right now, and I work best from home, so I may not be in the office if you drop by without an appointment!

Calling the office phone line will continue to operate as normal, and all of the staff working at the office can take credit card payments, so don’t hesitate to drop by for all of the regular things you’re used to dropping by the office for!

I first lived in a coop when I moved to Escher Cooperative House in Ann Arbor in Fall of 2019, while studying Industrial Engineering, and I’ve been cooperating ever since! My particular expertise is in figuring out how to do something a hundred times without screwing it up or it taking forever, but I’m also passionate about member education and civic engagement! In Lansing, where I live, I do some zoning advocacy stuff and also I’m the president of the Michigan Community Land Cooperative ! When I’m not doing contract signings or entering room picks (Still need some of those!) I like to hang out with my cat, Sam, play mandolin, and go on walks around my city.

I’m excited to be back working with y’all!!

In Cooperation, Rowan Price

↟ SPARTAN HOUSING COOPERATIVE ↟​​ {Management Report, June 2025}

Membership House Occupancy Levels

➔​ ◆​ There were 14 tour cards submitted in June. Most houses are almost full, with room to grow in Phoenix, Orion, and New Comm. Make sure your membership officer is advertising your house to avoid a financial deficit in your house in the fall! If you need additional help filling up your house, contact VPM AJ Schicht.

Democracy Governance ➔​ Asante Project ◆​ The Spartan Housing Cooperative, the Allen Neighborhood Center, and the Refugee Development Center want to organize to rent out a space within the Allen Place complex. This was approved originally during the 03/28/2022 board meeting, in which, since then, ANC secured $1.5 million in state and government funding for this project. This is located next to the Eastside Lansing Food Co-op off of Kalamazoo St. The Allen Neighborhood Center comprises the food co-op, ELFCO, a community garden, a kitchen, and their farmer’s market. The Refugee Development Center supports immigrants and low-income folks coming to Michigan. They provide language interpretation services, English language learning services, naturalization resources, crisis intervention, and financial assistance to members referred to their program.

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↟ SPARTAN HOUSING COOPERATIVE ↟​​ {Management Report, June 2025} With this project, there will be 10 units right above the Allen Place building with a shared living space, living room, dining room, kitchen, and laundry.

The SHC partnered with the RDC to lease this space from ANC for an amount per month not negotiated yet, where ANC will be responsible for building maintenance, the SHC for internal maintenance and managing member contracts and occupants, and the RDC will continue providing services to those in need. Currently, this co-op’s working name is Asante, which will likely be changed after member residents move in.

But Why? There is a critical growing need to help meet goals for young adult refugees migrating to the Greater Lansing area, seeking affordable housing in a supportive, shared living environment. We have feasible financial resources and the capacity to handle a project of this scale. Lastly, we’re supporting other businesses and cooperatives by directly helping our community, which furthers our strive for our cooperative principles of cooperatives amongst cooperatives & concern for community. ➔​ Monitoring Schedule Change ◆​ The board enforces policy governance in a policy schedule to review upcoming ends and executive limitation policies. The Executive Team1 proposed a new monitoring report schedule to better align with the board’s recess and for when audits specifically occur. Previously, per our old monitoring report schedule, reports regarding budgets were scheduled during a time that didn’t align with our audit reconciliation process. ➔​ Income Verification Screening ◆​ You may see changes to the application process this upcoming fall. According to our Bylaws, the SHC is a low-income housing provider. We require no more than 24% of our members to be upper-middle class and no less than 20% to be lower-middle class. Some of our houses receiving grant funding will have more specific requirements, like Hedrick, Bowie, Phoenix, Apollo, New Comm., and the upcoming Asante co-op. However, it will be applied to all members to make the process more standardized.

Finance Income and Expense ➔​ May Books2

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The President and the Executive Director.

These numbers are the ballpark where our bank accounts lay. DO NOT take them as fact until the audit for this month and year is reconciled.

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↟ SPARTAN HOUSING COOPERATIVE ↟​​ {Management Report, June 2025} Income

~$116,854

Expense Routine Maintenance (incl.

Inspections, Hedrick’s Boiler, PHX bathroom, new Apollo fridge)

~$11,677

Programs (incl. 5K contribution and board training)

~$5,656

Overhead (incl. Staff payroll, EC stipend, CC fees, office furniture, office rent, and software bills)

~$46,637

Net Operating Income (NOI)

$52,884 Loan Payments (Interest only)

~$5,937

Facilities Current Capital Improvements ➔​ Regent St. Properties ◆​ Recently, the electric wiring has been updated! Currently, the siding is next to get replaced on both houses. We’re waiting to hear back from the contractors for their manufacturing of the siding panels. Next up, the stairways and porches need to be looked at as per the City of Lansing! ➔​ Beal Roof Repair ◆​ A leak was discovered in Beal’s roof over the past year and has consistently been worked on. The maintenance team is confident that it has been resolved. ➔​ Harambee Roof Replacement ◆​ Harambee needed a new roof replacement! Contractors will begin work in July.

Work Orders3

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Chart included on the next page.

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↟ SPARTAN HOUSING COOPERATIVE ↟​​ {Management Report, June 2025}

➔​ There were 26 maintenance requests submitted in May, with Phoenix, Bowie, and Orion having the most submitted. Commonly reported issues have originated primarily from drain and pipe clogging issues, water heater problems, door troubles, and specific requests. Make sure to encourage your facilities officers to do their preventative maintenance tasks to keep your house in the best possible condition.

Property Development Grants ➔​ $3,959 is still left in the grant budget from this previous fiscal year for any house to apply for a project! Word is that Phoenix, Harambee, and Hedrick want to submit a PD grant. If you’re interested, make sure to submit those proposals to the facilities committee!

Events ​

Pride! ➔​ Pride was hosted and orchestrated by VPM AJ Schicht in Downtown East Lansing on June 14th from 4p-9p. It was enjoyed by our members and other residents of East Lansing while the sun was out, local shop and business tents were lined down Albert St. for residents to shop, drag performers were taking the stage for their lipsync battles with high spirits to celebrate and express their passion, drag story time, and other activities like the queer reality project for folks of the community to tell their story and experiences of being queer.

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↟ SPARTAN HOUSING COOPERATIVE ↟​​ {Management Report, June 2025} ​

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These pictures are courtesy of Cameron Warren Photography.

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↟ SPARTAN HOUSING COOPERATIVE ↟​​ {Management Report, June 2025}

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Sober Beach Day ➔​ Sober beach day was unfortunately rescheduled due to severe thunderstorms on June

27th. The new date will be July 11th from 4:30p-9p. Come soak up the sun and cool off at Lake Lansing with fellow coopers! The event will include snacks and refreshments to fuel and stay cool under the sun. ​

SHC Clubs ➔​ Want to join a smaller community within the co-ops with like-minded people who share similar interests? Scan the QR code below, or if online, click this link for an interest form!

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↟ SPARTAN HOUSING COOPERATIVE ↟​​ {Management Report, June 2025}

Co-op Movement Cooperation Among Cooperatives ➔​ MCLC Board Rep James Gleespen ◆​ The loan from LEAF for purchasing Atlantis (GRACC house) has been approved pending finishing up and receiving approval for the contractual documents. They've also been working on the purchase documents between GRACC/MCLC and determining the details of the relationship between the two orgs. ➔​ ELFCO Board President Holly-Jo Sparks ◆​ ELFCO sales remain steady but below target budget rates. Several members in our organization have taken an interest in bulk-buying from the co-op, which may simplify the process of grocery shopping while centralizing purchases. This also would be a fruitful partnership and in line with our cooperative principle of cooperatives amongst cooperatives.

Cooperatively,

Bec Melaku ☆ Bec Melaku, Corporate Secretary

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Sounds of the SHC What’s been on your mind recently?

-JD, Orion -Anything by COBRAH Broski-Angie, Vesta -Stained by Brittany Gabriel, Hedrick -Agamemnon by Atlas-

-The AvalanchesDaniel, Bower -It’s Pizza Time fro m Power Tower-C aleb, Bower -Keep It Undercov er by Zendaya-Ja ck, Bower

-Never Want This To Change by Lily Meloa and Jamey Johnson-Clay, Phoenix

-Journal of

Ardency EP

by Class Act ressSammie, Pho enix -Stars by H um-Eric, How land

-Life light from Su

per Smash Bros-C hloe, Bower -Love if by Ferdou s-Bec, Bower

y, of Me by CMAT-Abb -Take a Sexy Picture Orion sta and Oates-Caleb, Ve ll Ha by -Maneater

-Demol ition Lo vers by MCR-E zra, Vesta -Standard by Sidney Phill ip s-Liz, Phoeni -Upside Down x

by Jack John son-Elliot, Ph oenix

by nd, Glow on

by Palehou at b e th -Eye on ish, Bowie l Turnstile-F helby, Bea

by Juicy J-S p U ed ck -So Damn Fu

-The Bug Collector by Haley Heynderickx-River, All Nations -I’m Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem-Rachael, Vesta

Lady -You and I and Garden of Eden by nix Phoe e, Gaga-Avi -Can Can by NLCK-Nick, Orion

-Cowboys ar e frequently secretly fond each other by of Orville Peck-L ogan, Raft Hi -Lizard by Sa ll mia-Lydia, Ho wland

-I/Me/ Mysel f by Will Woo The Mind El d, Trampolin ectric by M e by SHAED, irac -This Land is Your Land le Musical-Lydia, Phoe nix

by Woodie Gu thrie-Amay Hedrick a,

H C A E B R E B O S DAY SP

E V I T A R E P O O C G N I S U O H N A T R A

H T 1 1 Y L U J FRIDAY,

STARTS AT 4:30 PM @ LAKE LANSING SWIMMING, GAMES, MUSIC, A MEAL AND COMMUNITY BONDING. BRING A DISH IF YOU CAN! ALL AGES WELCOME! FOOD PROVIDED: TURKEY HOT DOGS/VEGGIE DOGS, CHIPS, AND CORN ON THE COB.

Co-op Crushes According to the PP survey, these are the members that people are crushing on the most in the SHC

Clay, Phoenix Hey, the name is Clay, pronouns are them/they I'm currently in my Date Everything era; which is less about being a polyamorous-queer™ and more about an obsession with a dating sim where you flirt with household objects.

Years of conflict resolution experience so I can help us through any problems and document our status on the relationship anarchy smorgasbord. So if you like walks, impromptu dance parties, and crying over cartoons: I'm your co-op crush.

Angie, Vesta Hey I’m Angie! When I’m not helping wildlife or riding my motorcycle, I can be found falling down the stairs at parties. I love the 70s and not just for the psychedelics, but they do play a big role. Do you think you can tame this tiger? *rawr*

Co-op Crushes According to the PP survey, these are the members that people are crushing on the most in the SHC

Austen, Bowie HI GAYS!! I’m Austen, slaying the boots down haus mamas at Bowussy 25/8. I enjoy high brow art exchange, cutlery procuration, cross dressing, and scavenging for guff goods. Tall, damn near clear, and pretty, this bachelor is looking for late night cuddles with an all you can eat buffet. Step on up and see if you can sink (it in) this one, after you take him for a dip in the hot tub.

Two truths and a Lie: I can’t swim Once had a hookup that ONLY licked my nipples Charged with vehicular manslaughter

Kalum, Phoenix Hey what’s up, I’m Kalum from Phoenix! A few things about me: I’m 23, a Capricorn, the biggest Lady Gaga fan you may ever meet, and I’ve got a cat son named Brownie who I would absolutely commit murder for. I’m currently in my hedonism arc, cause its summer, time to be grimy, and you literally only live once... I think...

I love music and dancing and generally having a good time, so if you ever need to find me TRUST, I will be front row going as hard as humanly possible at the nearest DJ set.

Third Eye Craft Affair July 12th 12pm-6pm Hosted by The Fledge

Food truck, over 25 vendors, live entertainment, games, security, free parking, drinks, dab bar

Entry Fee: $20 or $10 with 4 donated items (shelf stable food)

Must be 21 years or 16+ with medical card to participate 1300 Eureka St. Lansing, MI 48912

The Age Old Question: Are socks and sandals an acceptable combo?

The SHC seems to think so

History of Co-ops As We Know Them As we approach International Day of Cooperatives, we are reminded of where we come from as an organization, and where our cooperative culture comes from. Co-ops are defined as an organization with equal ownership among members, which has roots in Europe. The first known consumer cooperative was established in 1769 as the Fenwick Weavers’ Society, which as you could imagine was a cooperative of Weavers in Fenwick, England.

Cooperatives were not identified as Co-ops until 1844, when the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers was established, which outlined a business model which gave equal ownership to its workers and acted as a model for what would become the cooperative movement. As the industrial revolution took off in much of Europe and America, automation and the low pay, exploitation, and overworking of laborers became a pressing issue, as the world’s economy shifted from agriculture over to factory workers.

The verbiage of Cooperatives and establishment of a greater Co-op movement came in response to the pressing issues of the industrial revolution; in 1895, the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) established a model which spread throughout much of Europe, Africa, Canada and America.

In the turn of the Century, more definite types of coops began popping up, including Agricultural, electrical, women’s Co-ops, and eventually housing Cooperatives. The first recorded housing Coop happened around the turn of the 19th century, but were highly segregated and tailored to high income individuals who wished to not abide by strict code. More affordable housing cooperatives sprouted up past the great depression, however they were still very discriminatory until the passing of the. Federal Civil Rights Act of 1968 which prohibited discrimination.

In 1939, Hedrick was the first Housing Co-op established in East Lansing, and followed a long run of a loose organization of cooperative houses until 1971, when the Spartan Housing Cooperative was officially established.

SHC River Trail Litter Cleanup July 26th 1pm South clippert St Parking Lot

Meet Green Team Leadership $100 to the house with most attendance Snacks and drinks provided

RSVP in order to get a free shirt!!

Looking for volunteers with waders as well!!

If You Could Start Any Rumor About Your Own House, What Would It Be? That we have the best weed-JD, Orion

Vesta sacrifices members of the lacrosse house after every meeting-Angie, vesta

Kale’s favorite movie is CLick (2006)!! !Avie, Ph oenix

There is a lifesize cardboard cutout of myself hidden in a secret location in the Phoenix Haus Attic-Jake, Phoenix

We have a goon roomGabriel, hedrick

ne at o y r e ev s ix ha phoen shorse e i l x char hoeni p , e sammi

that bower bloodfest was staged because we wanted attentionjack, bower

There are..um.. ((gay))Chloe, Bower

Corey and Trixie are secretly dating guysDaniel, Bower

house orgyCaleb, bower

There’s evidence of a long-dead cult in our secret rooms-Logan, raft Hill

That we have monthly house sex nightsBec, Bower

tually Vesta ac cret has a se h Labyrint itbeneath sta Ezra, Ve

We pay our house debts with black market trade of black tar heroin that actually is just black mold scrapped from the inside of the wallsNick, Orion

Seances held in the attic every full moon-River, All Nations

There is a sealed secret room hidden somewhere during renovations; something is in it-Lydia, Phoenix

We’ve never experienced casualties during beer dartsLydia, Howland

Eli is in a ratatouille situation but the rat makes him do choresliz, Phoenix

Vesta and orion are connected by a secret underground tunnelCaleb, Vesta

That we’re the hottestAmaya, Hedrick

One of our members has fucked Pitbull (DáLe)Fish, Bowie

Orion is hauntedAbby, Orion

We have A reaaaalllly clean living room and bathroomsRachael,Vesta

We all, And I mean all, have humongous wieners (true)Shelby, Beal

Issue No. 48

Breaking News VPM A.J. VPM A.J. Schicht Schicht

CAUGHT RED HANDED WHILE ON THE ANNUAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE RETREAT, CURRENT VICE PRESIDENT OF MEMBERSHIP, AJ SCHICHT WAS SPOTTED DRINKING A SUSPICIOUS YELLOW LIQUID FROM A GLASS. THE VP REFUSES TO MAKE ANY COMMENT ON THE COMPROMISING APPEARANCE OF HIS BEVARAGE, EVEN TO CLEAR UP ANY MISINFORMATION.

EVIL

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PP Survey: If you could add an entire new room or living space to your house, what would it be used for?

Music/ grow set up - JD, Orion I would add one of the cool balcony’s that Orion and Beal have. That way we could all be balcony brothers and have little balcony parties - Angie, Vesta Game room! W/ a pool table - Gabe, Hedrick Either rebuild our sunroom or a bigger kitchen - River, Harambee We desperately need a "Lost and found" room, everyone leaves their stuff out - Daniel, Bower A little bike storage room would be nice. - Jake, Phoenix Gaming - Caleb, Bower it’d be an unmarked safe room with an animatronic bunny suit inside - Jack, Bower There are only three possible options library, photo lounge, boom boom room - Clay, Phoenix home theater - Sammie, Phoenix

PP Survey: If you could add an entire new room or living space to your house, what would it be used for?

Sunroom or finally turning the attic to our summoning room Eric, Howland A GYM A NEW GYM - Avie, Phoenix Wine cellar for making more wine >:3 - Logan, Raft Hill A ball pit - Ezra, Vesta SAUNA - Emma, Bowie Ball pit. - Divya, Orion

🤟👅 - Lydia, Howland

Indoor pool and hot tub

Rats - a rubber room filled with rats - Chloe, Bower Our house is due for a new living space. A room exclusively for DnD would be nice with speakers for ambient music and lighting. Sometimes It's distracting going into the dining room, and then our players take another 30 minutes to re lock in.

- Bec, Bower I would add a sunroom porch to Ohaus! Both for plants and hotboxing >:) - Abby, Orion

PP Survey: If you could add an entire new room or living space to your house, what would it be used for?

Terrariums - Caleb, Vesta Gym - Fish, Bowie Walled in porch! just talking to others - River, All Nations I think I’d like a more open living room like at Vesta. It would be good for parties - Ethan, Orion It would be a Paddio with a few soft arm chairs, a coffee table, a couch on the far side, and a side table between the arm chairs, and a few plants. Primarily for a good spot to read and hang out with peeps - Nick, Orion Huuuuuuge balcony/porch for more hanging out space. It would be covered so we could chill out there during all seasons. - Rachael. Vesta Money room. Room full of money. - Shelby, Beal stim room with a trampoline - Liz, Phoenix Realistically, an exercise area - Lydia, Phoenix if you know you you, thank you Kiley for the suggestion.

- Amaya, Hedrick

Bower Bread Bower Bread Bower Bread

You may have seen sexy pictures of delicious bread from Bower House. One of the house chores at Bower is to bake bread every Sunday to reduce grocery costs and increase homemade food products. I wanted to share my recipe with the other houses because it is SUPER cheap and easy, and tastes delicious. The recipe is pretty time consuming (plan for it to take all day), but if you do it right you will have some of the tastiest white bread you have ever eaten!

Ingredients ●​ 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F) ●​ ⅔ cup white sugar ●​ 1 ½ tbsp active dry yeast ●​ ¼ cup vegetable oil ●​ 1 ½ tsp salt ●​ 6 cups all purpose, or bread flour This recipe makes 2 loaves!!

Directions 1.​ Stir to dissolve sugar in warm water in a large bowl. Once sugar is dissolved, gently stir in the yeast. Let the mixture sit to allow the yeast to proof about 5-10 minutes. It should look like a creamy foam has formed on top of the

water. If the water is too cold, or if you are working on a cold surface, it will take longer for the yeast to activate, if at all!!

2.​ Add oil and salt to the bowl, then stir in the flour one cup at a time. The dough is going to get super thick towards the end of the flour, and you may need to use your hands to fully combine 3.​ Empty the bowl onto a lightly floured clean counter and knead the dough by hand. The dough should look smooth when it is done, I am usually at it for a while, more kneading is not going to hurt anything 4.​ Clean your mixing bowl, and pour a few tablespoons of oil in. Add the dough ball and flip around to make sure it is fully lubed up before covering the bowl with a damp cloth and allowing it to sit for 1-1.5 hours. If you are working in a cold environment, or if you want the dough to be extra fluffy, preheat your oven to the lowest setting. Once it hits 100 degrees, turn the oven off, and set the uncovered bowl in the oven to rise, just make sure you leave the oven open a crack 5.​ Once the dough has at least doubled in size, punch it in the center to release some air. Knead the dough for a couple minutes and divide in half.

You can shape into loaves, do a braid, or just set it in a greased 9x5 loaf pan.

Allow the dough to rise another 30 minutes, until it is peaking over the edge of the pan a bit or doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F 6.​ Bake the loaves until golden brown for about 30 minutes. This isn't necessary, but I like to rub butter on the tops when they come out of the oven for a lil extra flavor. Make sure to let the loaves cool completely before slicing!!

Salus Center 408 Washington Sqr, Lansing Lansing’s LGBTQ+ Community Center

Trans-fem support group Trans-masc support group Nonbinary support group Queer Lansing AA Neurodivergent and queer support group Gender affirmation project financial and logistical support for legal name/gender changes QTBIPOC community space Lansing syringe access popups

www.saluscenter.org Check out the website for a detailed calendar of events!!

Orangutans st arboreal mamma e g r a l e l Th

y great ape native to A The onl sia The most stylish red haired an imal Through the BOS website, you can They face extinction, but there “adopt” an are people who commit their Orangutan and get time to save them! periodic pictures and Organizations like the Borneo updates on their Orangutan Survival (BOS) progress Foundation help rehabilitate orphaned orangutans, and teach them skills they need to survive in the wild.

MSU F AME

C L OSE E R A T C DRIVE FAME is seeking support filling their care closet for students in need, and education committee is holding a donation to help out. Donations can be dropped off at the SHC office, or Bower House for collection THE HOUSE WITH THE LARGEST NUMBER OF DONATIONS BY JULY 31 WILL WIN A NESTING CAPYBARA PLUSHIE

Items Needed: shelf stable food and snacks laundry pods - toothpaste deodorant - shampoo - conditioner body wash - shaving needs - toilet paper - disinfectant wipes disinfectant spray

Top 5 Hiking Trails in Michigan (According to Onyx) ​ Summer is here, which means it’s time to get outdoors! Personally, I love hiking and plan multiple backpacking trips every year. Because of this, I have experienced a decent amount of the major hiking trails in Michigan. Hiking trips could be a great house bonding event over the summer. So, I’ve created a tier list of the top hiking trails you should check out. Remember Michigan has plenty of national forests, so there are locations not included on this list to check out as well. These are just the trails that I have enjoyed trips on the most. Pictured rocks is definitely the best spot in Michigan, but I haven’t gotten a chance to visit so it will not appear on this list.

1. Manistee River Loop: This trail is around 11 miles along the upper banks of the manistee river valley between Tippy Dam and Hodenpyl Dam. The trail is relatively level and a good beginner hike. If you want a longer trip, there is a 23 mile loop created by crossing a suspension bridge to reach the North Country Trail on the West side of the river. Camping on the Manistee river trail is first come first serve at designated sites, while dispersed camping is allowed anywhere on the NCT as long as Manistee National Forest guidelines are followed. The Red Bridge MRT trailhead is a 2.5 hour drive from East Lansing.

Points of Interest: ●​ Small waterfall ●​ Large log bridge creek crossings ●​ Suspension bridge near Hodenpyl Dam ●​ Great view of the river from the upper walls of the valley

Picture taken during my last trip on the MRT

2. Jordan River Valley Pathway: This trail is an 18 mile loop in the Jordan River Valley. This is easily a two day hike due to the combination of mileage and elevation changes. The trail crosses through a mixture of meadows, marshes, and hardwood forests and is amazing for fall colors. Camping along the trail is only permitted at the Pinney Bridge Campground, which is approximately the halfway point. The trail crosses directly through the campground. Sites are first come first serve registration at the location with a $10 suggested donation to maintain the park. For an easy trip, there is parking near the campground and campers can then spend the day exploring the trails without having to carry equipment. The campground includes a vault toilet, water pump, and bear proof trash bins (yes, there are bears here, I have seen them… make sure to hang your food outside your tent). I suggest starting at the Deadman’s Hill Overlook to begin the hike with an amazing view of the entire river valley. Be warned that Deadman’s hill will either be your first descent into the valley, or the final mile of your trip… there is a reason it has that name. Deadman’s Hill is a 2 hour and 50 minute drive from East Lansing.

Pictures from my last trip ft. Daniel

3. North Manitou Island: Manitou island is 15,000 acres of wilderness accessed by a ferry ride.

The ferry leaves from the Fish Town Dock in Leeland, and you should plan to get tickets ahead of time as they sell out. Camping is allowed anywhere on the island, but fires are only permitted in the fire rings located at the designated camping sites near the dock. The island holds plenty of trails to explore, and remnants of an old settlement featuring an abandoned apple orchard, graveyard, and remnants of old buildings. The entire coast of the island has beautiful beaches providing swimming spots, and unlimited access to fresh water. While the island is beautiful, this trip requires plenty of planning and camping knowledge. Emergency services are located on the mainland, meaning that it can take them hours or even days to reach the island depending on weather conditions. Be sure to get to the ferry dock ahead of your pick up time, or you could potentially be stuck on the island for up to an extra week. In addition, the island is home to Piping Plovers, an endangered bird species, so certain areas are off limits to protect their habitat. The Fish Town Dock in Leland is a 3.5 hour drive from East Lansing. ​ ​ Note: The chipmunks on this island are insane. Last time I went they UNZIPPED my pack and ate all of my granola bars in the 15 minutes that I left my supplies unattended.

4. Potawatomi Trail: Located near Hell, Michigan, this is a 17.4 mile loop in the Pinckney Recreation area. The trail crosses through wetlands and marshes in the area. There is a shortcut in the loop that allows you to cut 3 miles off the trip if 17 is too long. The trail is popular with mountain bikers, so hikers should travel clockwise in the loop to avoid collisions. Camping is permitted at the Blind Lake Rustic Campground off of the trail. Camping is only allowed for one night, and the site features fire rings, a water pump, and vault toilets. If you finish the hike and need something to do in the area, I suggest checking out the Hell Saloon and gift shop.

5. Nordhouse Dunes: If you are looking for an extremely easy backcountry camping trip, this is the spot for you. From the parking lot, it is a 1-1.5 mile hike to the shore of Lake Michigan, depending on what route you take. At this location, dispersed camping is allowed anywhere as long as Manistee National Forest Guidelines are followed. You can camp in the woods, or right on the tree line on the beach for a great view of the lake. The Nurnberg Trailhead is a 2 hour and 48 minute drive from East Lansing. ●​ Warning: I am not sure what the conditions of the shoreline are currently, but last summer my trip had issues obtaining water due to a giant deadzone forming along the coast of the dunes. This caused the water to be unfilterable. (Dead fish were floating to the top of the water by the hundreds due to lack of oxygen in the water… it was really gross)

Just In: The SHC are burger lovers

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✮Commie Column✮ ​ Hello Co-opers! I wanted to add a new recurring section to the Pine Press to help show the historical and political connections the SHC has with other cooperative and collectivist movements and ideas. As well as discuss the primary idea continuing to heavily influence the SHC, that being Socialism!

So…

What is Socialism? ​ Equality between all people - personal autonomy - a strong, supportive community - Free, accessible, high quality education, healthcare, and housing All of these things are basic ideals that most of us possess. These ideals are also some of the basic pillars of a little philosophy called Socialism Socialism focuses on solving the contradictions of our capitalist society through a method of analysis called Dialectical Materialism, (I.E. measuring the material conditions of the average person - cost of living, modes of production, infrastructure, etc). The end goal of socialism is to, in the future, develop into a classless, moneyless, stateless society (better known as Communism).

Socialism works to solve the primary contradiction of our society - that being the conflict of the two main social classes: those being the Bourgeoisie (Owners) and the Proletariat (Workers). The Bourgeoisie own all of the factories, trade stocks, and sell teslas. The Proletariat, which roughly 98% of the population belongs to, go to work for wages, don’t own any large companies and actually build the tesla and perform the labor that builds society. This relationship is naturally one of exploitation, owner exploiting worker. ​ To solve this contradiction, Socialism must supersede Capitalism, and give power to the working class. In doing so, transferring the foundations of all social structure - that being economic ownership - into the hands of all workers. ​ Basically, Socialists want a society that promotes equality and equity among all people; a society where the needs of those people are met - materially and socially; a society where no one is forced into an exploitative relationship; a society that is truly democratic. ​ Speaking of which, democracy is a vital part of Socialism. Socialism is the expansion of Democracy into the economy, and not just political institutions.

This manifests itself as worker ownership of the means of production (factories, farms, offices). This means workers would actually have a say in how their workplace functions, who their managers are, whether or not to have a manager, how much wages are, etc. ​ Under such a system, things like food and housing insecurity would be eradicated. The people would have actual power over their own lives, with the freedom to choose (without coercion) what they want their workplace to look like, where they want to work, what they want to work on, and how they want to work. People would have easy access to quality healthcare, education, healthy food, and opportunities to reconnect with their community. There are so many possibilities with Socialism that just don’t exist with Capitalism. ​ Ultimately, Capitalism is an oppressive system which has outlived its usefulness. We see its ramifications every day in the streets, in our homes, and online. But there are better alternatives out there - alternatives that have successfully improved the lives of the people. It’s possible with us, and it is already within our power to organize and fight for our future.

In Solidarity, Nick (Orion) -​ Author’s Note: For those in the SHC who are already familiar with Socialist ideas, for the sake of transparency, I am writing this column from the perspective of Marxism-Leninism. And I welcome anyone with Socialist politics (ML, MLM, An-Coms, etc) who wish to offer ideas and/or their own writings for submission in this column! There is a field in the survey for voluntary contact info.

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Pinecones

Much love to all our new EC members & staff for coming aboard!! - Ben, NewComm Pines to Onyx for being amazing and jumping headfirst into this position! your hard work doesn’t go unnoticed! - Angie, Vesta Thanks to Luna (Apollo) and Chris (Vesta) for getting a shirt from me! You guys now have cool matching shirts - Daniel, Bower

☺️

Anyone who just signs into their streaming account and forgets about it. Jake, Phoenix Bower for being the best house in the SHC - Caleb, Bower kale for going bowling every 2 days with me and Avie and clay for zine night - Sammie, Phoenix to kale for teaching Sam and i all about gaga :333 - Avie, Phoenix Pinecones to Chloe and Leda from Bower: it was great to see y’all at Dawson Haus. Pinecones to Ben from New Community: thank you for letting me use your rototiller, even though it didn’t work - Logan, Phoenix AJ-I love you bestie, you're an amazing friend and I admire your ability to be optimistic and open minded about others. - Ezra, Vesta

Pinecones

Thanks to Blue, for getting me exercise - Emma, Bowie Pinecones to our new VPF and VPE #bowapowa - Chloe, Bower James!! He is my rock. - Bec, Bower I’m just so thankful for the people in my house who cook, organize events, or leave their door open for a conversation - Fish, Bowie To Clay for buying cookies and making lemonade for the tree removal service guys - Elliot, Phoenix pinecones to Dante. Beal is super excited to have you and you're awesome - Shelby, Beal Thank you to whoever cleaned up the dish that was creating the nefarious ass smell in the sink. You are an angel - Gabe, Hedrick YAY TO ALEC FOR BEING SLAY AT FACILITIES. YAY TO HEDRICK and friends at Miles Davis and Ferency for joining our cookout. YAY YOUSIF FOR BOMB ASS CHICKEN - Amaya, Hedrick