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News | Michigan

MICHIGAN

The finishing touch

After Charlie Nguyen lost his job at General Motors Corp., or GM, he found the cure for his unemployment — manicures and pedicures. Nguyen, who worked for GM for 30 years, was asked to take an early retirement. Work was hard to come by in the passing months and his children’s college funds were dwindling, so Nguyen began nail technician classes with his wife.

MICHIGAN

STEM students hope for more visas

Iranian native Iman Barjasteh said if he wanted to make it big in electrical and computer engineering, he had to come to the U.S. “Usually in these countries like America, you can find good opportunities to stay there and get a job,” he said. Barjasteh, a graduate student, said he plans to use his student visa to stay in the U.S.

MICHIGAN

New roads could mean increased cost at pump

Driving over potholes and broken concrete on the way to class could become a thing of the past, but it might mean increasing fuel taxes or raising the state sales tax to 8 percent. During his State of the State address last week, Gov. Rick Snyder announced his goal for 2013: reconstructing Michigan’s roads. But Snyder admitted fixing roads, as well as bridges and harbors, will come at a cost.

MICHIGAN

Students discuss decriminalizing marijuana

After a handful of Michigan cities successfully decriminalized marijuana and some Michigan activists are pushing statewide decriminalization, local officials and students still aren’t sure whether East Lansing will follow suit. At least four Michigan cities already have adopted decriminalization ordinances for recreational marijuana.

MICHIGAN

Officials: ‘Rape Trail’ more urban legend than fact

Although MSU students might fear the nights they walk alone along the banks of the Red Cedar River, the “rape trail” isn’t real, according to MSU officials and the term might be creating a false sense of fear on campus. Using the term “rape trail” not only gives the wrong impression about the walkway next to the Red Cedar River on campus but about rapes and sexual assaults themselves, MSU sexual assault program coordinator Shari Murgittroyd said in an email.

MICHIGAN

Renovations to former City Center II site and ban on hookah lounges to be discussed

At Tuesday’s regular work session, the East Lansing City Council debated solutions to parking problems related to renovations to the property formerly known as Evergreen Arms and a proposed ordinance that would ban more hookah lounges from establishing in East Lansing. The abandoned buildings at 341 and 345 Evergreen Ave. are owned by City Center Two Project, LLC, which is the same group that owns the property on 124-140 W. Grand River Ave, formerly the project site for City Center II.

MICHIGAN

Cold weather to continue

As temperatures drop and snow falls in the city, there’s little relief in sight for students dressed more for an arctic expedition than a walk to Brody Hall. Temperatures will rise throughout the rest of the week, reaching a high of 27 degrees Sunday. But with brisk winds, it will feel like temperatures are dipping below zero, National Weather Service in Grand Rapids meteorologist Brandon Hoving said.

MICHIGAN

Design sets Sigma Phi Epsilon apart as no. 16 best house nationally

Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity was nationally recognized Monday as the No. 16 best fraternity house in the country for its historic architecture and luxurious amenities, including a “full-size stripper pole,” according to brobible.com, a men’s lifestyle site. Brobible.com associate editor Andy Moore said the top 30 houses were chosen from a pool of 60-70 self-submitted entries.

MICHIGAN

Alpha Gamma Rho hosts Beef Preview Show

The fraternity held the AGR Beef Preview Show on Friday through Sunday at the Ingham County Fairgrounds, 700 E. Ash St., in Mason, for the first time. The event benefitted Michigan AgrAbility, which provides injured or disabled farmers with equipment and resources to continue working. The event raised about $4,000 for the charity, said David Stutzman, chair of the AGR Beef Preview Show, member of AGR and beef cattle management junior.

MICHIGAN

Residents go batty for new zoo creatures

On Wednesday, the Potter Park Zoo, 1301 S. Pennsylvania Ave., in Lansing, officially welcomed in its newest animals — Seba’s short-tailed bats. Seba’s short-tailed bats are small, fruit-eating bats native to South and Central America, said Melissa Lincoln, one of the two primary caregivers for the bats.

MICHIGAN

Unsually warm weather spurs crime

Warm weather might have been a factor in the high number of assaults and underage drinking arrests last weekend. East Lansing police arrested six minors for carrying alcohol, wrote nine minor in possession citations, and answered calls for three assaults, seven fights, nine thefts and one stolen vehicle, according to the weekend report. “For a winter month, coming back after break … it is a little higher than normal,” East Lansing police Capt.