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News | Michigan

MICHIGAN

'Da Vinci Code' sparks debate

Jesus married Mary Magdalene. They had a child. And everything you knew about Christianity is wrong — at least according to "The Da Vinci Code," author Dan Brown's best-selling novel and now one of the most anticipated movies of the summer.

MICHIGAN

Digging for Hoffa

Federal agents began searching for the remains of former Teamsters leader Jimmy Hoffa on Wednesday at a rural horse farm in Milford Township, according to an FBI official.

MICHIGAN

Candidate forums set for administrator job

MSU will hold open forums for the candidates for senior associate provost this month. Each candidate will speak for about 15-20 minutes and will be available to answer questions. Candidates Joan Ferrini-Mundy and Estelle McGroarty will speak at 4 p.m.

MICHIGAN

Signs promote safer driving near workers

New highway signs in construction work zones are springing up across the state of Michigan, urging motorists to be cautious on the state's roadways. In April, the Give 'em a Brake Coalition, along with the Michigan Department of Transportation, or MDOT, began a campaign to promote safety in construction zones on the highways. A new sign that says, "Where Workers Present 45," will now be placed at construction work zones on highways. Motorists driving in a work zone should look for construction workers and slow down to 45 mph when they are present, said Bob Felt, spokesman for MDOT.

MICHIGAN

Foreign automakers eclipse Big Three

Alex Brown parked his gray Subaru Forester on Albert Avenue in downtown East Lansing before heading into Tony's Restaurant for breakfast. "When I was shopping for a car, I based it on what I needed, not on brand," said Brown, a 2000 MSU graduate.

MICHIGAN

Support for affirmative action ban drops in poll

Voters are less likely to vote in favor of the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, or MCRI, when the proposal language states it will "ban affirmative action programs," a research company discovered. The MCRI proposal will end preferential treatment for minorities in government and university programs if it's passed in the November election.

MICHIGAN

Lansing Council approves budget

Lansing has been getting more than its fair share of rain over the past few days, but the city's "rainy day fund" is shrinking. The fund, which consists of money the city has saved during prosperous times, can be used to bridge budget deficits during an economic downturn to ensure continuous government services.

MICHIGAN

E.L. City Council set to vote on budget tonight

The East Lansing City Council will vote on the 2006-2007 budget at 7:30 p.m. tonight at City Hall, 410 Abbott Road. Because the process went smoothly, Mayor Sam Singh will present council members and finance staff with cigars and chocolate. Highlights from the budget include a pay increase of 2 percent for employees, keeping the cost of health insurance low, restoring 1 percent of the general fund for expenditures for social service agencies and more money for sidewalks. The budget didn't call for any layoffs, cuts to city services or dipping into financial reserves.

MICHIGAN

Dioxins, PCBs to be studied

The Center for Integrative Toxicology received a $16-million grant from the federal government's Superfund Basic Research Program to study a group of chemicals linked with cancer and birth defects. The program, which is administered by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, will fund the research for the next five years.

MICHIGAN

Gov. goes to Japan, seeks development

Gov. Jennifer Granholm left for a trip to Japan on Sunday as part of what she called an investment mission to bring more jobs by foreign businesses to Michigan. Granholm will stay in Japan for three days to talk to business leaders, said Granholm's spokeswoman Heidi Hansen. In her weekly radio address, Granholm said she will meet with 19 companies in Japan that could benefit Michigan. Granholm also said meeting with business leaders could convince companies to come to Michigan. "Japan might be half a world away, but the results of our previous investment mission can be seen in communities all across the state," Granholm said in the address. After the governor's 2005 trade trip there, 10 Japanese companies said they would be expanding in Michigan with investments of $116 million.

MICHIGAN

Nazi rally costs add up

The April 22 neo-Nazi rally cost the Michigan State Police and Lansing police a total of $258,390.55, most of which was related to overtime expenses for police officers. In addition, the city-sponsored diversity rally cost about $13,000 to hold, said Randy Hannan, deputy chief of staff for Mayor Virg Bernero. About $5,000 of that money will be paid for through private fundraising, with the rest paid by the city of Lansing, Hannan said. "It was worth every penny," Hannan said.