About 300 hunters sporting orange hats and camouflage rallied at the state Capitol on Tuesday, encouraging legislators to make Michigan the 40th state allowing mourning dove hunting. With the sportsmen anxiously packed in the gallery above the House floor, the bill was passed 64-44 in the state House.
Last week brought in the most money for Burt Shapiro's restaurant since he bought the suffering calzone eatery in August.
The East Lansing Public Library is encouraging residents to participate in "Drummunity" from 2 to 3 p.m.
Parents looking to get their children involved in reading can head to the East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbott Road, and join Books & Bagels, a discussion group geared at children in grades four and five.
World War II veteran paratrooper and Muskegon resident Joseph Beyrle will share his experiences as a paratrooper at the annual Veterans Tribute on Sunday.
Cuts to higher education might again be on the bottom of the public's priority list as Gov. Jennifer Granholm tours the state asking for feedback of ways to solve a $900 million deficit, a poll reports.Granholm made her first televised stop in Traverse City on Monday as the first of 10 budget stops during the next two weeks before she submits an executive order to cut the $38.6 billion budget or requests tax or fee increases.The poll, conducted by EPIC/MRA, a Lansing-based polling firm, found Medicaid for low-income people, funding for K-12 public schools and funding for job-training problems are the top priorities of the 600 likely voters who were surveyed.
After months of fierce campaigning and public arguments, Tony Benavides and Virg Bernero finally will see who the public trusts with Lansing's future today, as residents take to the polls to decide on the next mayor. The race, which was dominated by Benavides early on, has become a "dead heat" in past weeks, according to a survey administered by Lansing-based EPIC-MRA. The survey, which was given to 300 Lansing residents, suggests that 42 percent of the population favors Bernero, with 41 percent vying for Benavides and 17 percent undecided.
The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance is rallying at the state Capitol on Tuesday to gain support for legislation that would make hunting mourning doves legal. The alliance expects more than 1,000 people to gather after the bill was approved unanimously by the House Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Committee on Wednesday.
The president of a local telemarketing firm says there will "definitely be an increase in prices" as a result of the national do-not-call list.
Area law enforcement agencies will receive a share of nearly $2 million in the next fiscal year aimed at reducing drunken driving and increasing seat-belt use during holiday seasons. East Lansing, Lansing and Meridian Township police and the Ingham County sheriff will share $51,200 to increase patrols. The funds, which are provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, will be divided on a per-capita basis, said Meridian Township Police Chief Gary Gibbons. The safety administration also will provide $1.5 million in paid advertising to warn drivers of upcoming enforcement crackdowns.
A bill that would add jail time for minors caught in possession of alcohol was passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. Violators could face up to 30 days in jail for a second offense and up to 90 days in jail for three or more offenses. The bill also would allow first-time offenders who plead guilty to serve probation and have the charges later dismissed. The bill moves on to be examined by the full Senate.
Joshua Carr Special for The State News Heavy drumming and chanting filled Lansing Community College's main gymnasium on Saturday as a long line of participants danced in colorful tribal clothing adorned with feathers.
Large trees showering red and yellow leaves line Tulane Drive in north Lansing. The residential street is an unlikely location for a protest. But Thursday morning, a dozen protesters from By Any Means Necessary gathered at 2510 Tulane Drive to protest an anti-affirmative action petition. Being careful to follow Lansing police orders not to step on the lawn, members of the national affirmative action group circled the driveway of the two-story gray house. The house is the business office for National Petition Management, a petition-collection service contracted by Ward Connerly of the American Civil Rights Institute in California.
Vampires and princesses frolicked around downtown East Lansing on Thursday evening, playing spooky tricks and gathering sugar-filled treats. The disguised children participated in the 13th annual Great Pumpkin Walk, sponsored by East Lansing merchants promoting safe trick-or-treating. Ariel from "The Little Mermaid," one of many costumed children, enjoyed a can of Orange Crush as she left Flat's Grill, 551 E.
Lansing mayoral candidates Virg Bernero and Tony Benavides both are Democrats. They both speak passionately about eliminating crime in the city and making sure kids stay in school, and they both feel that Lansing needs to make itself more attractive to small businesses and young people.On the surface, it would seem as though the two men disagree about very little.
A resolution to honor Church/State Separation Week was passed by the East Lansing City Council on Tuesday, an act that counters its previous recognition of Bible Week.
A community-based effort to replace an ancient playground at Red Cedar Elementary School was completed Tuesday as the children of the school greeted their new equipment."It was tremendous," school principal Mindy Emerson said, "from the vision to the completion of the project."A ribbon-cutting ceremony held at Red Cedar, 1110 Narcissus Drive, on Tuesday morning gave the students a sense of accomplishment and a chance to enjoy a new jungle gym that was installed over the weekend, Emerson said.Children whose parents had installed the equipment on Friday and Saturday cut a piece of yellow caution tape to signal the official opening.About 60 additional students were enrolled in Red Cedar this fall after being displaced from Spartan Village Elementary School, 1460 Middlevale Road.
Lansing officials say they are confident that Gov. Jennifer Granholm's "Cool Cities" initiative will put the city on the road to becoming cool and hip.The "Cool Cities" initiative was formed by Granholm in an effort to search for techniques designed to attract and keep people in the 25-34 age group in Michigan and revitalize its cities.A "Cool Cities" forum will be held at 6:30 p.m.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm made her first moves Tuesday to help bandage the state's $900 million budget deficit. Granholm plans to tour the state to ask residents to set what's on the cutting block this fall. "As we've said before, everything is on the table," Granholm said.
The MSU Freethinker Alliance is hoping a resolution it drafted will be considered by the East Lansing City Council at tonight's work session.