Touring around town

Over the river and through the bike trails, MSU is home to acres of flower gardens, galleries full of one-of-a-kind artwork and dozens of ancient fossils — all for the public and all for free. This weekend, area officials hope to remind people of hidden jewels in their backyard as the Greater Lansing Convention & Visitors Bureau presents its annual "Be a Tourist in Your Own Town" event. Tracy Padot, vice president and director of marketing communications at the bureau, said about 15,000 people participate annually. "We hear tales that people haven't been to the Capitol Building since they were in fourth grade," Padot said.

Rep. Rogers promotes ethanol gas

Grass and corn may be the easiest way for America to break from its international fuel dependency, according to U.S.

Professor joins national board

For the next five years, MSU Professor Thomas Linsmeier's job will be to ensure financial reports from companies all over the United States are clean, clear and transparent. Linsmeier was recently appointed to the Financial Accounting Standards Board, a national body that creates and determines corporate financial reporting guidelines.

Police briefs 05/31/06

Graduates receive arts award

Two MSU graduates were the recipients of the Louis Sudler Prize in the Arts, a renowned national award for their achievements in the arts. Karen Myers, an studio art and art education graduate, and Veronica Fitzpatrick, an English graduate, were informed in April that they would be receiving the prestigious award. "At first I didn't realize how big the award really was," Myers said.

State bills could protect abortion patients from coercion

Women seeking an abortion could be examined to determine if they are being coerced into the procedure, if a series of bills passes through the Michigan Legislature. The bills, which passed through the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee on May 24, are also known as the Coercive Abortion Prevention Act. They would require a doctor performing an abortion to screen the woman seeking the abortion to determine if she was coerced into it.

MSU hosts German language camp

Elementary school students interested in learning about Germany's culture and its language can sign up for a two-week day camp hosted by MSU. The camp will run Monday through Thursday, 1-4 p.m., from July 24 to Aug.

Police briefs 05/30/06

Higher education funding central to budget talks

The Michigan House of Representatives and Senate passed their version of a state budget and must now work out a final budget with Gov.

E.L. recycling program to be held this weekend

East Lansing will hold its spring recycling program, Project Pride, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday at the Abbott Center, 1400-1500 Abbott Road. Residents can bring recyclable materials such as scrap metal, plastic foam, car and household batteries and small appliances. Materials such as fluorescent lights, wire, paint, chemicals and glass will not be accepted. For more information, contact East Lansing Environmental Specialist Dave Smith at (517) 337-9459.

Fire doesn't spark concern

When a student moves into a house or apartment for the first time, there can be plenty of concerns — but for some, fire safety is not one of them. Julie Bodwell, a third-year medical student who lives at Club Meridian Apartments in Okemos, said fire safety around her apartment is not a major concern because it has already been made fire resistant. "There are plenty of smoke detectors and fire sprinklers around the apartment building that make it fireproof," Bodwell said.

City Council cancels this week's meeting

The East Lansing City Council will not hold its regular meeting this week. The meeting would have occurred at 7:30 p.m.

Veterans remember fallen friends

A small American flag will stand next to each veteran's grave at Deepdale Memorial Park and Cemetery on Old Lansing Road this weekend.

Fiesta celebrates cultures

Lansing — The empty grounds of Cristo Rey Catholic Church gave little clue of the vibrant dancing and steaming food that will fill the air this weekend.

Incident report withholds details on driver's actions

The investigation into Dannielle Brandt's on-campus death on Feb. 3 has been completed, but a copy of the incident report reveals no new information on what happened that night. The report obtained by The State News through the Michigan Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA, from the Meridian Township Police Department on Wednesday, has most of the information regarding the accident, driver and Brandt removed. The information that was blacked out was considered private information, said Cindy Cummings, FOIA coordinator for the Meridian Township Police Department. More than three months ago, Brandt was walking home from an event at the Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education, where she was walking her cow in preparation for an event the next day.

Memorial Day events

In Holt, a parade will be held starting at 2 p.m. on Monday. The parade will begin with a gathering on Holt Road near Lumbertown, 4000 Holt Road.

ASMSU posts vacancies for new staff positions

New staff positions for ASMSU, MSU's undergraduate student government, are currently open.

Distinguished Professor dies from cancer Monday

Michael Pressley, university distinguished professor of education, died Monday from cancer. Pressley was the director of the Literacy Achievement Research Center — a center focused on promoting literacy among adolescents and children. His funeral Mass will take place at 10:30 a.m.

Mich. Walk of Fame ceremony welcomes first 12 inductees

Lansing area residents joined former White House Bureau Chief Helen Thomas as she kicked off the first Michigan Walk of Fame induction ceremony Thursday night at the Michigan Historical Museum, 702 W.

Mich. terminates use of traditional blue license plate

Michiganians can say goodbye to their "Old Blue" license plates since the Secretary of State announced earlier this month that it will stop issuing it at the end of the year. About 5.6 million motorists use the "Old Blue" license plate design, which was introduced in July 1982, according to the Secretary of State. "The license plate has been around for roughly 24 years, and most states replace their plates within five to 10 years," said Kelly Chesney, spokesperson for the Secretary of State. Having a reflective background on license plates will improve visibility on roadways and allow law enforcement officers to perform their public safety duties better. Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land said in a written statement that she feels it's time to use newer technology to create the license plates. "This change will also allow the state to use the same type of material for all of its license plates, which makes production more efficient," Land said in the statement. Michigan is the only state in the nation that uses the costly and outdated process of applying finely ground glass beads to the characters on the license plate during production, Chesney said. Small, glass beads that have the consistency of sand are sprinkled on the wet white paint on license plates to give them limited reflectivity. As registrations expire, Michigan residents will be issued the new plates. "From a public safety perspective, having license plates that are easier to read at night will assist law enforcement in keeping our streets safe," said state Rep.