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News | Michigan

MICHIGAN

Global warming could affect cherry farmers

It only takes one night. Tart cherries, grown in the northwestern part of the state, can be destroyed within one night of frost, leaving a $60 to $80 million deficit for Michigan cherry farmers. "We live on pins and needles this time of the year," said Phil Corson, president of the Cherry Marketing Institute in Lansing.

MICHIGAN

Bill quells funeral protests

Protests around the country at the funerals of American soldiers have prompted a strong reaction from legislators at both the state and national level. A bill introduced Wednesday by U.S.

MICHIGAN

Group rallies against 1996 Mich. drug law

About 80 protesters marched in front of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday afternoon, calling it the chamber of corruption and demanding prescription drug reform. AFL-CIO members from around the state marched from the Michigan AFL-CIO office, 419 S.

MICHIGAN

National day honors troops; license plates could raise funds for soldiers

March 26 officially became National Support Our Troops Day after a Waterford Township high school student started a grassroots campaign to recognize the troops. While watching the news late last year, 16-year-old Alexandra McGregor said she recognized the strength of the soldiers fighting in Iraq. During winter break, McGregor began writing letters to state and U.S.

MICHIGAN

Student bicyclist hit

Usually, you can't miss him. Erik Green rides a double-decker bike — a dark blue frame stacked on top of a copper-colored one.

MICHIGAN

Mich. battles tree-slaying insect

Known as the "unwanted hitchhiker," emerald ash borer is emerging from its winter slumber to attack and kill millions of unsuspecting Michigan ash trees this year, unless proper funding is provided, MSU researchers said. "The outreach efforts are not funded at the level they need to be," said Deb McCullough, MSU forest entomology professor.

MICHIGAN

Wine event offers MSU Museum sip of support

By Tara Thoel For The State News Steve Szilvagyi makes wine, cooks with wine and wants to keep up on the latest varieties of the drink. That's why a wine-tasting benefit at the Kellogg Center on Friday was perfect for the East Lansing resident. Tables were lined with more than 100 different kinds of wine, as volunteers poured many glasses and wine distributors answered questions about the different selections to support ongoing programs at the MSU Museum.

MICHIGAN

Deficit may affect zoo, Lansing jobs

The future of Potter Park Zoo and the regional make-up of Ingham County's fire department dispatch response could be in limbo with Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero's budget plan. Bernero will present those ideas and a list of 40 budget proposals to quell Lansing's $11 million deficit at 7 p.m.

MICHIGAN

B-ball buddies

East Lansing police officers trade in their handcuffs and guns for whistles and basketballs a few nights each week to teach kids the basics of basketball and team work. "It's a great way for kids to be introduced to police officers," East Lansing police Chief Tom Wibert said. Before basketball practice on Friday, Wibert joined about 45 children as they warmed up with jumping jacks. East Lansing police Officer Steve Whelan counted out loud with each jumping jack, and the kids would chime in.

MICHIGAN

State tourism on 'uphill swing'

Michigan tourism revenue increased by 4 percent in 2005, despite rising gas prices, MSU researchers said. "We had very good weather conditions during the peak travel season in summer and fall," said Don Holecek, director of MSU's Tourism Center.

MICHIGAN

Businesses feel the loss

It's not just the MSU men's basketball team or the student body that felt like Friday's first-round loss to tournament Cinderella George Mason was a letdown. Local East Lansing stores planning for big MSU merchandise sales and restaurants expecting huge turnouts for Spartan tournament games in the later rounds are feeling the effects of the Spartans' second first-round exit in the last three years. "We're not even doing 5 to 10 percent of what we did last year," said Stacey Renfrow, assistant buyer of Spartan Bookstore, located in the International Center.

MICHIGAN

2 Lansing residents charged with child abuse, murder

A Lansing man and woman were arrested Wednesday morning for the abuse and murder of the woman's 2-year-old child, Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III said. Cynthia Daniel, 30, and Samuel Courtland, 31, are in jail with no bond on counts of child abuse and open murder. Daniel's 2-year-old son, Jalyn Daniel, died last May from pneumonia. "This kid was tortured," Dunnings said.

MICHIGAN

Bill could lift Mich. Single Business Tax

Michigan's Single Business Tax would be repealed in December 2007 if a bill passed by the Senate on Wednesday becomes law. The Senate voted almost entirely along party lines in passing the bill, which was approved in the House last week. The Single Business Tax, or SBT, was scheduled to expire in 2009. The bill also stipulates the revenue lost by repealing the SBT will not be replaced by raising taxes or rates on the state income tax, the sales tax, use tax or property tax. Gov.

MICHIGAN

E.L. amends law for Breathalyzers

A revision to an East Lansing law will officially allow people to turn down a breath analysis test without being ticketed or fined — although the method had been practiced by East Lansing police for more than two years. The East Lansing City Council approved the amendment Tuesday evening after a brief public hearing. Although the revisions were just brought up at a February 28 City Council meeting, East Lansing police Chief Tom Wibert said voluntary consent for a breath analysis test — commonly known as a Breathalyzer — in this type of situation isn't new.

MICHIGAN

Levin meets with Iraqis, urges unity

U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., urged Iraqi leaders Tuesday to come together to form a unified national government and told them that the American people are "impatient." Levin, who has been traveling in the Middle East as part of a six-member congressional delegation, said in a conference call Tuesday that he met with Iraqi leaders, including Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, in Baghdad. Levin said his main message to Iraqi leaders came as a challenge. "The American people are very impatient," Levin said he told Iraqi leaders.

MICHIGAN

Home sweet Senate

Sen. Gretchen Whitmer, D-East Lansing, became the chamber's youngest member when she was sworn into her new position in Tuesday's Senate session. Whitmer defeated Vince Green in last week's special Senate election to fill the vacant 23rd District senate seat. Whitmer, 34, said she enjoyed the experience and felt welcomed by members from both parties. She went straight from the Senate session into her new committee meetings Tuesday. "There was no honeymoon today," Whitmer said. The committees Whitmer was assigned to were the Agriculture, Forestry and Tourism; Local, Urban and State Affairs; Judiciary Gaming and Casino Oversight; and the Health Policy committee, where she will serve as the Minority Vice Chair. Her major plans for this week are catching up on the bills and issues before her new committees, since she will be attending committee meetings during the week. "There will be a lot of reading bills and analyses," she said. Whitmer said she appreciated the welcome and offers of assistance made on the floor by Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema, R-Wyoming, and Senate Minority Leader Bob Emerson, D-Flint. "We welcome Gretchen to the Senate with open arms," Emerson said in a press release.

MICHIGAN

Tasting event shares fair trade trend

By Liz Kersjes For The State News Free gourmet coffee is hard to resist. Area Beaner's coffee shops, in association with MSU, are offering a free coffee tasting event known as a "cupping" with coffees from around the world this week. This event is designed to give students and area residents a hands-on learning experience about the new fair trade trend in the coffee industry, said Allison Campbell, an international relations sophomore who initiated the event. "The focus of this event is to raise awareness about the success of fair trade, and why it's successful worldwide," she said.