City official appointed new job
Two weeks after City Manager Ted Staton announced his October departure after 16 years in East Lansing, another major shift in East Lansing city staff was announced Wednesday morning. Staton announced his appointment of Assistant City Manager Marie McKenna as East Lansing’s next city clerk, effective in September when City Clerk Nicole Evans leaves her position to be deputy court administrator in East Lansing’s 54-B District Court. McKenna also will maintain her role as assistant city manager, in addition to the city clerk responsibilities — a move that will eliminate one city position, saving the city about $75,000, Staton said. The shift will come just before November’s city council election, where McKenna will be responsible for overseeing key parts of the election process — an aspect of the job McKenna said is her main focus and challenge right now. “In some ways, it’s a good election for a new clerk to cut their teeth on,” Staton said, noting the coming election — which usually has a low turnout — will help prepare her for next year’s presidential election. Evans said she formed a list of written procedures to assist McKenna in her transition, in addition to a pre-election task list. The move has been in the works for about a month, McKenna said, when city officials first realized the possibility that Evans might vacate her position.
MSU welcomes Chinese turf interns
Seventy-two Chinese senior undergraduate students majoring in turfgrass management began a two-week orientation Friday before heading off to turf management internships around the country for the fall semester.
MSU expects high fall 2011 enrollment
University officials expect this fall’s incoming freshman class to top several previous statistical benchmarks after the school received a record number of applications this past year. Out of more than 28,000 freshmen applications submitted to the school, MSU’s Office of Admissions has made formal admissions offers to more than 20,000 students.
City to revisit East Village zoning laws
A conflict between an MSU fraternity and the city of East Lansing has reopened discussions regarding the grand vision of a neighborhood near the middle of campus. Wednesday, the East Lansing Planning Commission called for city officials to begin revisiting future plans for the East Village area, after a proposal by the FarmHouse Fraternity to expand its house resulted in a sticky conflict with a lingering city ordinance. The fraternity was stalled in its efforts to add another wing on to its house, 151 Bogue St., due to a standing city zoning ordinance put in place to facilitate the now-idle East Village project, which sought to incorporate high-rise mixed-use buildings in the Bogue Street area.
Arsenic concerns delay park renovation
Plans to renovate a play structure at Patriarche Park, 960 Alton Road, were put on hiatus after chemical tests showed concentrations of arsenic in the wood’s core. Rotary Club of East Lansing president Tim McCaffrey confirmed the presence of the arsenic on the structure’s surface but was unsure of its extent. A known carcinogen in high doses, arsenic can cause cancer in extreme cases, as well as myriad other health problems depending on the exposure.
New attorney to prosecute bernero’s daughter
The previous attorney prosecuting Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero’s daughter, who faces several misdemeanor charges, disqualified himself because of a conflict of interest earlier this week. East Lansing Assistant City Attorney Tom Yeadon, who originally was assigned the case, also is appointed as a special assistant attorney for the city of Lansing. Kelly Bernero, 23, was pulled over June 13 in East Lansing and arrested for refusing a Breathalyzer test and for marijuana possession. Yeadon refused to take the case because of his ties to the city of Lansing. The case has been reassigned to a Meridian Township attorney, Cullen Harkness.
Police Brief 07/28/11
An 88-year-old male from Lansing allegedly backed his car into a bench outside the Dairy Store between 5:30-6 p.m.
Aquatic Center celebrates Summer Splash
Amid constant rain and claps of thunder, the 2011 Summer Splash party soldiered on at the East Lansing Family Aquatic Center, 6400 Abbot Road, Wednesday afternoon.
Legislative intern gains valuable understanding
When considering applicants for the Victory Congressional Internship program — a new leadership program that gives lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender college students a chance at a Washington, D.C., internship — Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute, or GLLI, Program Director Samir Luther said he and his fellow reviewers did not limit their acceptance only to students with aspirations of working in public office. They looked for students with an appetite for leadership, he said, and MSU social relations and policy senior Mitchell Rivard demonstrated that hunger. “It’s rare to find young people who already have so much experience while they’re still in college,” Luther said.
Women's golfer using summer to refine skills, compete internationally
While she’s on a summer break from competing for MSU, junior women’s golfer Caroline Powers still is keeping herself busy on the course.
Women's golfer using summer to refine skills, compete internationally
While she’s on a summer break from competing for MSU, junior women’s golfer Caroline Powers still is keeping herself busy on the course.
Big Ten Media Days unofficially kick off 2011 season
As Big Ten Media Days, which air on Big Ten Network and ESPNU, unfold, here are a few likely storylines to follow today and Friday.
Researchers make strides toward non-traditional male contraceptives
Using a condom isn’t always a guy’s first thought, and with that in mind, political science junior Josh Nemes said he’d be intrigued with new birth control options for men, resulting in less unprotected sex.
Students scour the state, look to set up earthquake monitoring stations
Two MSU students spent their summer exploring Michigan’s lower peninsula hoping to develop a better understanding of natural disasters.
The will of ordinary people must win out
Good news this week: One overly contentious, drawn-out, soul-crushingly unnecessary negotiation finally has ended, but there’s still at least one to go.
Council discusses future of city manager position
Late into the evening Tuesday, East Lansing city council members sat around a square table in city hall, hashing out the logistics of the city’s transition into new executive leadership.
Alleged dog killer's examination set for Friday
The preliminary examination for the MSU student who allegedly killed three dogs in his East Lansing apartment has been set for Friday, officials determined in his pretrial hearing today in East Lansing’s 54-B District Court. Graduate student in the College of Osteopathic Medicine Andrew David Thompson, 24, faces 10 other charges of animal killing in Meridian Township.
Politicians learn to utilize Twitter
In this day and age, with so many people — especially young people — using social media, political theory and constitutional democracy senior Don Higgins said political candidates who choose not to utilize Twitter are making a big mistake. “We live in a very fast-moving technological stage, and if that’s going to be ignored, it’s downright stupid,” said Higgins, who is treasurer of the MSU College Republicans. But according to University of Michigan researchers, whose findings were presented on July 19 at the International Conference on Weblogs and Social Media in Barcelona, Spain, plenty of politicians are using this social medium as part of their campaign strategy. They studied the use of Twitter by U.S.
MSU works to improve sustainability, enviornmental friendliness
Offices and departments at MSU are working to become more environmentally friendly, as the university ramps up its sustainability efforts and looks to fall in line with other schools across the nation. MSU is one of about 284 U.S.