Saturday, December 27, 2025

Take a peek behind the curtain and test drive the NEW StateNews.com today!

City

MICHIGAN

President Obama to sign farm bill in East Lansing

Simon Schuster
February 4, 2014

President Barack Obama plans to sign the Agriculture Act of 2014, often referred to as the farm bill, at the Mary Anne McPhail Equine Performance Center Friday afternoon. Students hoping to catch a glimpse of Obama when he visits MSU’s campus Friday will be sorely disappointed, however, as the event is closed to the public. The farm bill legislation was passed by both chambers of Congress on Tuesday. White House officials waited until the latest farm bill had been passed by Congress to release details about the event. MSU has a number of ties to the farm bill. The Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee is MSU alumna Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich. The university was founded as the nation’s first agricultural college under the name Agricultural College of the State of Michigan. Agriculture stayed in the university’s name until 1964, when Michigan Agricultural College became Michigan State University. MSU President Lou Anna K.

MICHIGAN

I-96 shooter gets at least 6.5 years

Geoff Preston
February 4, 2014

During a trial in Livingston County last week, convicted I-96 shooter Raulie Casteel testified that he spent time in both Michigan and Kentucky practicing his shot in farm fields. But on Tuesday in Oakland County Circuit Court, it was the hours that he didn’t spend on his own shooting range that saved him years of prison time, according to Judge Denise Langford Morris. Although no one was killed in the shooting spree Casteel went on along the I-96 corridor in the fall of 2012, Langford Morris said that was nothing to be proud of. “Thank goodness you were a lousy shot,” Langford Morris said during sentencing. Casteel, a 44-year-old MSU alumnus, was sentenced to 6.5 to 10 years in prison on Tuesday on multiple assault and weapons charges, which he pleaded no contest to last October.

MICHIGAN

East Lansing Police update description of Cedar Street shooting suspect

Lauren Gibbons
February 4, 2014

The East Lansing Police Department has released several new images of the suspect wanted for killing one student and injuring another on the 200 block of Cedar Street Friday evening. Newly-released surveillance images show the suspect, who shot and killed hospitality business sophomore Dominique “D.J.” Nolff and injured another student, entering and leaving the complex on Friday evening. The updated police description indicates the suspect is a black male between 6-foot-1 and 6-foot-3 inches tall between 20-25 years of age who weighs about 170 pounds. At the time of the shooting, the suspect was wearing a black North Face jacket, tan pants and black shoes.

MICHIGAN

Surveillance images of Cedar Street shooting suspect released by police

Lauren Gibbons
February 4, 2014

The East Lansing Police Department has released several new images of the suspect wanted for killing one student and injuring another on the 200 block of Cedar Street Friday evening. Surveillance images show the suspect, who shot and killed hospitality business sophomore Dominique “D.J.” Nolff and injured another 20-year-old student, entering and leaving the complex on Friday evening.

MICHIGAN

I-96 shooter Raulie Casteel faces sentencing in Pontiac Tuesday

Geoff Preston
February 3, 2014

The possible motive behind a man who randomly shot at multiple cars on the highway might not be the most complicated thing about the Raulie Casteel trial. The MSU alumnus will be sentenced Tuesday morning in Oakland County after pleading no contest to assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder along with several felony firearms charges in October. Casteel, 44, shot at cars along the I-96 corridor in October 2012.

MICHIGAN

Snyder kicks off re-election campaign

Simon Schuster
February 3, 2014

LANSING, Mich. — On Sunday night, MSU students and voters across the state crowded around televisions to experience the sensory barrage of advertisements and football that is the Super Bowl. Midway through the game, they witnessed a wetsuit and snorkel-adorned Gov.

MICHIGAN

Obama plans East Lansing visit, few details available

Simon Schuster
February 2, 2014

When President Barack Obama last visited East Lansing in 2008, it was a month before he was first elected president. On Friday, he’ll return as a president with one term under his belt who is looking to secure his legacy as he enters his final three years in the Oval Office. Obama is coming to East Lansing for an event about the economy on Friday, according to multiple media outlets citing an unnamed White House official. Little else is known about the event. Both MSU and East Lansing officials said they had not received any information about the president’s visit during the weekend. White House officials told several media outlets more details on the scheduled visit would be announced early this week. East Lansing Mayor Nathan Triplett said he was excited to find out about the scheduled visit from the nation’s leader. “Obviously we’re honored and ecstatic to be hosting the president in East Lansing,” Triplett said.

MICHIGAN

A competitive pair

Danyelle Morrow
January 30, 2014

East Lansing resident Devin Pascoe, 15, and Haslett resident Sam Parks, 14, are among the top five juvenile pair figure skaters in the United States, ranked fourth.