E.L. City Council continues eminent domain discussion

City officials said a 621-space parking garage is necessary for the proposed redevelopment of land bordering Abbot Road and Grand River Avenue, despite 800 empty spaces, on average, in the city’s four downtown garages. While East Lansing’s four garages average 59 percent occupancy, Jim van Ravensway, East Lansing’s director of Planning and Community Development, said the ramps would be unable to effectively cater to the residents, shoppers and workers the city hopes to lure to the area through the $117 million City Center II development.

Degree dilemma

With graduation looming in May, graduate student Michael Teager’s vision of the future involves walking, master’s degree in hand, into the real world and an uncertain job market. Teager plans to take some time off between graduating with a dual master’s degree in musicology and saxophone performance and starting his career.

Group sends letter, packages to troops

Colorful walls make space unique

Amanda Stephens’ Lansing apartment is not what you would expect from a college student. The interior design senior’s Dover’s Crossings digs feature multicolored walls and hand-painted detailing to mimic wallpaper.

Anna Sui, Rodarte dress to impress

The stages are torn down, the models are back to eating and Marc Jacobs can finally stop visiting the tanner. New York Fashion Week has come to a close. The fall 2008 ready-to-wear fashions were unpredictable and had virtually no common theme.

Word on the street

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, many people are putting away the keyboard and picking up the pen and paper to scroll love notes and cards for their sweeties. In honor of the holiday, we asked MSU students if they still write letters.

Popularity of text messages decreases face-toface conversation

In 1844 Samuel Morse sent the first telegraph message, which said “What hath God wrought?” I’m pretty sure that’s the 19th century equivalent of sending a text message to friends reading “OMG!”

You've got mail?

Letters have played a quiet but important role in mankind’s history. Famous writings such as Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, Napoleon Bonaparte’s love letters to Josephine de Beauharnais, and Ronald Reagan’s letter to the United States’ citizens announcing he had Alzheimer’s disease, show letter writing has existed in Western culture from the earliest known literate communities to the present.

Spartans edge past Boilermakers

Single stamp price to rise 1 cent in May

The price of stamps will rise to 42 cents in May — up one cent from the current price.

Clinical center Gets mda/als designation

When Tiffany Macias was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, one year ago, the loss of movement in her mouth muscles impaired her speech. But the effects that ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, have had on Macias’ speaking abilities couldn’t keep her from talking about the importance of treatment and support from the MSU Clinical Center.

Zookeepers grieve death of Potter Park Zoo rhino

Grief counselors met with keepers from Potter Park Zoo on Monday following the sudden death of Spike, a 17-year-old black rhino. Spike was found dead in his stall two days after veterinarians noticed signs of discomfort. “He was a good animal,” said Tara Harrison, veterinarian and curator at Potter Park Zoo in Lansing.

Council meeting preview

After delaying to acquire property for Virginia Avenue through the use of eminent domain, the East Lansing City Council will revisit the issue at its work session today. The council also will consider the cost of several city developments and repair projects valued at more than $3 million.

ASMSU representatives criticize, defend concert spending bills

ASMSU will spend more than a quarter-million dollars on two concerts planned for the first week of April, but not without critics. Garry Hartlieb, ASMSU’s finance committee chair, was one of several ASMSU representatives that questioned bills passed during a Student Assembly meeting Feb.

Study: Recent graduates needed for Mich. success

Spartans edge past Boilermakers

The MSU women’s basketball team shut down the Boilermakers Monday night at Breslin Center. Now 6-7 in the Big Ten, the Spartans clinched the 56-54 victory in the closing seconds of the game thanks to senior guard Courtney Davidson who scored five of the last seven Spartan points.

MSU in for fight vs. physical Purdue

When the MSU men’s basketball team travels to West Lafayette, Ind., today it will face a walking statistical anomaly. Purdue, sitting atop the Big Ten with a 10-1 conference record, ranks third or better in only three categories — free-throw percentage, steals and turnover margin.

Rap music, cold bath part of Summers' pregame

The State News tracked down freshman guard Durrell Summers to find out what life is like as a newcomer to MSU basketball head coach Tom Izzo’s team. Summers touched on everything from mashed potatoes to away games as he gave a little insight into his day-to-day activities.

Intelligent design advocates can consider evolution, too

The debate about evolution only proves that Darwin may have been wrong about humans — some of us are still apes. The arguments against evolution have never been about science, but are derived from the unnecessary fears of those who choose to remain ignorant about the natural world.

Situation in Darfur intensifies; students should take action

The terror in Darfur shows no signs of ending. Yesterday, countless years of efforts to quell the violence were thrown out the window, when the Sudanese government recklessly attacked three Darfurian towns, displacing thousands more and killing hundreds.