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Features

FEATURES

Exchange program offers change of pace

From kindergarten to high school, MSU exchange student Ju Ran Park from Seoul, South Korea attended competitive private schools, and is now discovering the differences between her hometown and her new MSU campus.

FEATURES

Underwater hockey club draws diverse group

In high school, Aaron Schwartz-Duval was on the swim team. Not wanting to abandon the pool entirely after going to college, he decided to embrace a different kind of water sport — underwater hockey. After joining the MSU underwater hockey club, Schwartz-Duval, now a biochemistry and molecular biology junior, said he’s gained an appreciation and understanding of a sport many in the U.S. don’t even know exists.

FEATURES

JazzFest brings community together

For jazz musician and Okemos resident Neil Gordon, Lansing JazzFest 2010 was not only about jazz music, but also the feeling of a community coming together. The annual festival, which is now in its 16th year, happened Friday and Saturday in Lansing’s Old Town. The event is one of many festivals thrown in Old Town to celebrate a variety of different musical genres, with this one focused on bringing jazz to the Lansing area and its residents.

FEATURES

Musician frequents E.L. for supportive scene

In the middle of Joe Hertler’s freshman year at Central Michigan University, he bought his first guitar and started what would become a lifelong relationship. Although not from the area, Hertler said the East Lansing music scene is one that makes the trip to town worth his while because it’s supportive of blossoming musicians like himself.

FEATURES

MSU senior turns basketball passion into successful web business

There are few 21-year-olds who can say they have complete financial independence. But entrepreneur and kinesiology senior Alex Maroko has just that. After spending his childhood dreaming of becoming a college basketball player, Maroko’s passion for the sport led him in a slightly different direction — helping others improve their game instead of working on his own.

FEATURES

Frontier Ruckus hits solid note with newest LP

From the familiar billboards on the highways to coming-of-age landmarks we all experience, Frontier Ruckus has made a CD that feels so close to home it would make anyone who’s kissed the mitten state goodbye want to pack up their bags and return home. As the band’s second full-length LP since they released “Orion’s Songbook” in 2008, the follow-up leaves nothing to be desired — which is more than impressive for a band still in the midst of building itself.

FEATURES

New album from M.I.A. steers away from artist's past successes

M.I.A. is no stranger to controversy. She’s been called many things since her debut album “Arular” hit the scene in 2005: a genius, a radical and, most recently, a hypocrite. But the one thing listeners and critics usually could agree on was the fact that her music, after all was said and done, was innovative, inspired and powerful. Unfortunately, that’s not the case anymore.

FEATURES

Local band to release new 'country' CD

Local band Gunnar and the Grizzly Boys sat down with The State News to discuss their music in anticipation of “Home Grown,” the CD the band is releasing this month. The group has opened up for big country names including Gretchen Wilson and Justin Moore and plan to continue with their band in to the future.

FEATURES

Annual festivals officially bring summer to Lansing's Old Town

As two different celebrations that are placed back to back, the Festival of the Moon and Festival of the Sun each emphasized different beverage tastings as well as celebrations. Friday night featured a beer tasting with Kalamazoo-based Bell’s Brewery, Inc., in honor of the shortest night of the year at the Festival of the Moon. Saturday’s event featured a wine tasting of a variety of local wineries to highlight the summer solstice for the Festival of the Sun.

FEATURES

Festival to take place in Old Town

The annual Festival of the Moon and Festival of the Sun will take place from 6-11 p.m. Friday and from 2-10 p.m. Saturday at Turner Street and Grand River Avenue in Lansing’s Old Town. The festivals include beer tasting with Bell’s Brewery, Inc. on Friday, wine tasting from a variety of award-winning wines and an array of local food vendors on Saturday.