Sunday, January 12, 2025

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MSU

Tentative hearing to review evidence in professors death

At 9 a.m. Tuesday, a woman charged with murdering her husband, an MSU professor, might have a preliminary hearing.The hearing is scheduled to determine if there is enough evidence for 28-year-old Jonaki Ray to go to trial in the death of Dinesh Balagangadhar, 29, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, but Ray’s attorney is hoping to postpone it.DeWitt police Chief Douglas Rogers said Ray has not given a reason for the stabbing, which took place at the couple’s DeWitt home July 1.Balagangadhar died of a single stab wound to the upper chest area, which penetrated the heart and lungs.Rogers said Ray claims she was preparing a meal and accidentally stabbed her husband when either she turned into him or he turned into her.She has been held at the Clinton County Jail since her arrest.Ray’s attorney, Frank Reynolds, said he is meeting with Clinton County Prosecuting Attorney Charles Sherman today and hopes to postpone the preliminary trial.“There (are) some very important pieces of lab work that are not back yet,” he said Sunday.The lab reports, Reynolds said, are important pieces of evidence needed before the hearing.DeWitt police Detective Scott Ciupak is handling the investigation and would not comment on the specifics of his investigation.He did say there were some concerns about Ray’s status in the United States.

MSU

Rape survivors urged to speak up

The MSU Department of Police and Public Safety is trying to encourage survivors of rape to report the crime.MSU police Chief Bruce Benson said survivors of sexual assault cases are overwhelmingly reluctant to come forward.“The numbers don’t vary a lot,” he said.

MSU

Program says, Go green, go white, go get a job!

College is supposed to be the greatest time in your life, but sometimes students have too much fun and forget about their careers. Ken Parsons, a philosophy graduate student, said he feels society plays a part in why students don’t take finding a job or career seriously. “We live in a world that accepts extreme debt and parents financing for their kid’s education,” Parsons said. The Career Development Center is here to help impress upon students just how important a career is.

MSU

Historical books hit digital world

Students can feel like they are traveling to 19th century America by reading the books of their ancestors’ past, part of MSU’s lasted archive collections on the Web. MSU Libraries, through the American Memory Web site at the Library of Congress, released a collection of Sunday school books from the 1800s in a digital format that is free to the public. “The Sunday school books are really interesting in contrast to now because we’re educated to see all the shades of gray and all the sides of the argument,” said Ruth Ann Jones, the digital projects coordinator for MSU Libraries.

MSU

U course looks at food hazards

Thirty-six participants from 16 countries have made their way to MSU to talk about food. They aren’t here to discuss entrees or desserts, they are here to talk about food safety. The third annual Food Safety Short Course, sponsored by the National Food Safety & Toxicology Center, kicked off Sunday.

MSU

Program helps ex-racehorses

EATON RAPIDS - Fax, an ex-racehorse, nuzzled up to Eaton Rapids resident Michelle Poe on Monday as she changed his dressings from a knee injury that ended his career.“He’s nosy and needs to be where the action is,” said Poe, a volunteer with the Communication Alliance to Network Thoroughbred Ex-Racehorses.

MSU

U-M contemplates tuition increase

Kary Howard hasn’t been able to lay in the sun, relax or read a good book this summer.Instead, the agriculture and natural resources and communications senior has to work two jobs.She’s prepping for her tuition bill, complete with its 8.9 percent tuition increase.“I had grant money to cover it before,” she said.

MSU

New LCC trustee shares plans

On July 30, Lansing Community College Trustees Todd Heywood, Kathy “K.P.” Pelleran and Mark Canady will convene with their fellow trustees.The three ran unopposed when the three spots became open in April.

MSU

Cyclists ride to fight HIV, AIDS

Regardless of the trek, bicyclists are preparing to help people affected by the HIV and AIDS viruses.The seventh annual Life Ride 2001 bike-a-thon to benefit people with HIV and AIDS is being held Friday and Saturday.

MSU

Troppo gains approval for second-story addition

Kris Elliott, owner of Troppo, hopes to start construction on the restaurant’s second-story addition as soon as possible.On Tuesday, Troppo, 213 Ann St., was approved for a special-use permit by the East Lansing City Council to build a second-story addition with indoor and outdoor dining.Elliott told the council he would begin construction as soon as he received a building permit and would hopefully be ready to open right after Thanksgiving.The council voted 4-1 to approve the permit.

MSU

Activist sentenced to community service

The 1997 MSU graduate accused of assaulting a Philadelphia police lieutenant will not be serving any jail time.Steve Swart was given a misdemeanor and sentenced to community service Monday, said Catyie Abookire, spokeswoman for the Philadelphia district attorney.“During jury selection, the defendant pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 23 months in jail and immediately paroled with a $146.50 fine,” she said.

MSU

Students try life in ROTC

The heat was beating down, the enemies were closing in and the troops had to navigate across a river using only a rope bridge.This wasn’t real combat; it was a simulation used by MSU’s Army ROTC to help students from different organizations define the meaning of teamwork.Forty-five high school students from all over Michigan, decked out in camouflage shirts and dog tags, gathered to take part in the Future Farmers of America Leadership Camp on Monday.The camp consists of high school students who have just been elected as FFA regional officers.“We help stress the importance of teamwork and we also get a chance to give our input,” Capt.

MSU

Celebrities assist opening of new lab

MSU students in the Department of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine anticipated the arrival of Out of Sync, Britney Shears and Christina Posterior Angulara on Thursday afternoon at East Fee Hall.Those aren’t typos.

MSU

Advisory team looks at law issue

When Shakespeare wrote, “The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers,” in “Henry VI,” he may have been alluding to a dislike for their tactics. Lawyers have been criticized for years for lacking professionalism. This criticism has spurred Lansing’s Cooley Law School to form an advisory group to address the issue of professionalism.

MSU

Farmers flock to agricultural expo

The Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education will become the place to be for farmers this week. The MSU Department of Agricultural Engineering is holding its 22nd annual Ag Expo, which runs from 9 a.m.