MICHIGAN
Museum ties on aprons for Lansing display
More than 150 aprons will be on display at the Michigan Historical Museum this summer, including some made by Michigan residents.
MICHIGAN
Engler sets March for GHB awareness
Kelli Richardson enjoys going out on weekends, but she also knows about GHB, ecstasy and other club drugs - and often worries about being exposed to them.“Sometimes when I go out with my friends, I think about someone slipping a drug into my drink,” the microbiology sophomore said.
MICHIGAN
Lansing City Council ends bars restraints
It will once again be business as usual at Coscarelli’s Restaurant & Lounge after restrictions imposed by the Lansing City Council were lifted Thursday. The sports bar, 2420 S.
MICHIGAN
Budget problems put ELRA in limbo
The East Lansing Recreation & Arts program may be taken over by the city after severe budget problems and growing debt has plagued it for three years.
MICHIGAN
Size of sewer basin undecided
East Lansing is beginning its combined sewer overflow project, Peter Eberz, director of public works said.But determining the size of the retention treatment basin may cause more problems than the money it would save.The basin, a large underground tank, will help take the overflow of sewage, which occurs when the snow melts and the rain falls.The East Lansing Wastewater Treatment Plant, 1700 Trowbridge Road, is unable to hold the influx of water when this occurs.In 1993, the first phases of the overflow project were constructed.
MICHIGAN
House passes budget for state universities
The 2002-03 higher education budget passed the state House Thursday, but some MSU officials say the university still has a long road ahead. “Everybody across the state is facing challenging economic times right now,” MSU Trustee David Porteous said.
MICHIGAN
Bill calls for emergency coordinator
Fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems and smoke detectors aren’t free. Personnel to plan for emergencies don’t work without pay either.As part of the anti-terrorism package of bills in the state Legislature, public colleges and universities with more than 25,000 students are required to appoint an emergency management coordinator.
MICHIGAN
Union rallies for more benefits
Lansing - About 2,000 union members stood at the steps of the state Capitol on Wednesday in support of unemployment benefits. A large truck painted with the word “Teamsters” circled the block honking its horn in support of the rally, organized by the Michigan State AFL-CIO.
MICHIGAN
Court hears case for releasing police files
The Michigan Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday on whether police departments must release documents about internal investigations to the public.In 1998, the Lansing State Journal requested files concerning any complaints investigated by the Lansing Police Department Internal Affairs Bureau from 1997 under the Freedom of Information Act.
MICHIGAN
Surveys ask U about off-campus living
Jonathan Rosenthal knows students have housing concerns.Rosenthal, the director for community affairs for ASMSU, is using his time to pass out surveys he hopes will open up communication between residents and the city of East Lansing.The program is designed to define the top three issues students face living off campus.“The new breed of student at MSU we are seeing wants to get involved,” the business administration junior said.Rosenthal distributed the surveys in two lecture classes Monday, totaling more than 450 students.The target number of students to be reached is 2,000.The survey comes as a portion of Rosenthal’s attempt, with the cooperation of the city, to open up communication with students.Earlier this month an e-mail address was introduced, but a lack of response has compelled Rosenthal to use another method.The survey is also asking for students to list their address in the city.Each student given the survey is asked to describe the quality of life issues, they would like to see the city improve.Some of the top responses on the survey have been city ordinances, the quality of housing available to students and the cost of rent, Rosenthal said.On Monday, Rosenthal will distribute the survey to another lecture class of 230 students.“The end result is going to be to have an elite university and an elite community,” he said.Deputy City Manager Jean Golden said this is an excellent way to recognize it is up to both students and landlords to solve the problems together, she said.“The landlords were very clear they see students as customers,” she said.
MICHIGAN
Bills would ban commonly-used chemical
A couple of state bills would prohibit businesses from producing a chemical commonly used in upholstery, appliances and plastics. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are useful as a flame retardant.
MICHIGAN
Test scores fuel charter school debate
State education officials disagree about the significance of Michigan Educational Assessment Program scores released from a group of charter schools. National Heritage Academies released an analysis of MEAPscores by the Hillsdale Policy Group showing students who attend an academy school for two or more years score higher than students entering an Academy school for the first year.The report said charter school students improved more than their public school counterparts in six of eight test categories and performed better than the state average for fifth and eighth grade writing and eighth grade science.“You’re seeing the evidence that charter schools, being a new public school, are getting dramatic results in education,” said Dan Quisenberry, president of Michigan Association of Public School Academies.But Margaret Trimer-Hartley, director of communications of the Michigan Education Association, disagrees.“There are many other indicators besides the MEAP,” she said.
MICHIGAN
Community security depends on relations
Lansing - Jay Leno’s jokes were falling on silent ears the days after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. “If you don’t laugh, the terrorists have won,” Leno jokingly said to the silent audience. This story was told by David Carter, professor of criminal justice and director of the National Center for Community Policing at MSU, on Tuesday during the Homeland Security Seminar. Carter, who put the seminar together, discussed the future of community policing and the importance of maintaining a working relationship with private individuals to fight crime and terrorism. “It’s important to get this message across to the community,” he said.
MICHIGAN
E.L. police use sports to build youth relations
East Lansing police officers are taking youths to court - where the biggest offense is a double dribble.Basketball season began last week for the Police Athletic League, a program designed to help relations between youths and the East Lansing Police Department.The league was started in 1998 when Officer James Campbell grew tired of watching East Lansing children getting into trouble.“There were kids in the community that didn’t have anything constructive to do,” he said.
MICHIGAN
Group must raise $15,000 to continue annual Pride March
Budget cuts and a lack of donations might force Michigan Pride to cancel its annual lesbian and gay Pride March in Lansing. The event, slated for June 15, is designed to promote awareness and visibility of lesbian and gay culture.
MICHIGAN
U-M association leads walkout
Ann Arbor - Members of the University of Michigan’s Graduate Employees Organization led a one-day walkout on Monday that left some classes empty. About 500 graduate student instructors at the Ann Arbor campus picketed several locations to show the organization is working without a contract. U-M spokeswoman Julie Peterson said some classes had low turnout but weren’t canceled. “My suspicion is that some classes did not meet,” she said. Peterson said further negotiations were booked for today, but a tough budget year is limiting the school’s financial abilities. The graduate students have been negotiating with U-M administration since October.
MICHIGAN
Shamrocks fill establishments, help cause
Green and gold shamrocks are covering the walls of local businesses, schools and restaurants for the 19th annual Shamrocks Against Dystrophy program. For a $1 donation, students and customers can sign green paper shamrocks, and for a donation of $5 or more they sign gold shamrocks.
MICHIGAN
Bill could aid foster care
Donna Hawkins loves being a mom. In her Okemos home, Hawkins and her husband, John, care for foster children ranging from infants to teenagers.
MICHIGAN
Natural Resources Commission establishes goals
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources could receive a few changes this year. The Natural Resources Commission, which establishes general policies for the department, met last week to discuss its goals for the year. The commission agreed on five goals to update the department’s policies but DNR spokesman Brad Wurfel said the biggest change in the commission’s outlook is its involvement in the department’s operations. “Clearly they’re making a move to become more involved in the agency and in the legislature,” he said. Wurfel said while a strong relationship is the highlight of the commission’s goals, the group has progressed in that respect over the past five years. Director K.L.
MICHIGAN
Wal-Mart given OK to build new store
Harlene Matilda is looking forward shopping at a new Meridian Township Wal-Mart. “The new Wal-Mart will save me time from having to drive to the Wal-Mart at (Interstate) 96 and Saginaw, so it would be more convenient for me,” the East Lansing resident said. But the groundbreaking for the store on a site on Marsh Road north of Central Park Drive, has been held up for more than a year. Since November 2000, Meridian Township had been in a legal battle with developer Eyde Co. and Wal-Mart.