Beyond beauty

A dozen or so outfits with matching jewelry, evening gowns and bathing suits are packed in suitcases. Newspapers have been read from front to back, treadmills are now still and dance studios that were practiced in for hours are empty. It's coming down to next few weeks for three Spartans vying to become the next Miss Michigan. Joining 21 other women, psychology senior Melissa Cousino, political science junior Christie Charron and nutritional studies senior Katie Thomas must dazzle judges with both brains and beauty to take the crown home. "It's exciting to have other girls from MSU at the pageant," Cousino said.

Hagadorn may be reduced to 3 lanes

Fred Bauries is so concerned with traffic on Hagadorn Road, he made an eight-hour video filmed from outside his front window to show to city officials. Bauries, who has lived on Hagadorn Road for about 40 years, is part of a group proposing the road be restructured from four lanes to three.

MSU department ranked nationally

The MSU Department of Family Medicine was ranked seventh in the nation by the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Donation will add culture to campus

When thinking of East Lansing, the immediate perception might be one of drinking and partying, and not art and culture. Perhaps these preconceived notions soon will take a different turn. Announced Friday, alumnus Eli Broad and his wife, Edythe, donated $26 million to MSU for a new art museum.

Second Artisans' Market on Sunday

Meridian Township's Parks and Recreation Department will host its second Artisans' Market on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.

Neitzel to participate in Pan-Am tryouts

MSU senior guard Drew Neitzel has accepted an invitation to try out for the 2007 USA Basketball Pan American Games on July 12-14 at Haverford College (Pa.). Neitzel will compete against 29 other top collegiate players in the country for the chance to make the final 12-player roster. Of the 30 players partaking in the trials, 14 will be seniors in 2007-08, 11 will be juniors and five will be sophomores.

Going green and white across America

Justin Sailor set out to see America. And even though he's traveled far from home, he's always seeing green and white. When the MSU hockey team advanced to the NCAA Championship, Sailor immediately went on the Internet, found a ticket, got in touch with someone to stay with in Missouri and left the small northern Mississippi town he was staying in.

Batting for the big leagues

While scouts rave over Lugnuts outfielder Travis Snider's potential stardom in the big leagues, Snider is content to write his own blossoming story in baseball archives using a bat, glove and the confines of Oldsmobile Park. Snider, a 19-year-old from Mill Creek, Wash., was the Toronto Blue Jays' 2006 first-round draft pick and 14th overall selection.

Greek life offers more than academic learning

Every time I read articles about the greek system, I find them to be strangely absurd. People outside the greek system - often people who champion anti-discrimination - tend to broadly criticize small aspects of the community.

Beer keg deposits increase to $30

Forget about rising gas prices - the minimum deposit price for a beer keg tripled last month. As of May 11, Michigan's Liquor Control Commission increased the deposit price on half- and quarter-barrel kegs from $10 to $30. Thousands of beer kegs have not been returned to breweries because people are taking the kegs to scrap yards, who will pay by the pound for the metal with which the keg is constructed, allowing the keg to be sold at a profit, according to the Associated Press. Major breweries lobbied for the increase, saying that it costs a beer manufacturer about $152 to replace stolen or scrapped beer kegs, according to the Associated Press.

New businesses invade Old Town

Lansing — Old Town may need a new name after adding 16 new businesses by fall. Currently, the area offers year-round festivals including salsa, jazz, blues and October festivals, said Jamie Schriner-Hooper, director of Old Town Commercial Association or OTCA.

Urban strategies

The 2008 presidential election is the first "open seat" contest for the presidency since 1952, meaning it will feature neither an incumbent president nor an incumbent vice president as a candidate.

Police briefs 06/05/07

Web site, traffic study to be reviewed

A new Web site, designed to promote community living in East Lansing, will be presented to the East Lansing City Council at its meeting today. The Web site, www.homeineastlansing.com, debuted late Monday afternoon, said Lori Mullins, East Lansing's senior project manager. The Web site was initially envisioned as a way to promote the city's housing programs for low to moderate income families, Mullins said. "Our community development group approached the MSU Federal Credit Union, and they suggested they could create a Web site that could provide information and link to their site," she said. The credit union designed the Web site, and will link users to information about its mortgage programs and other financial services for home-buyers.

Ban on blood is wise decision on FDA's part

Caitlin Kelly's attack on the Food and Drug Administration's ban on gay male blood donations as "ridiculous and unjust" in "FDA's ban on gay male blood donations unjust" (SN 6/4), is nothing more than a default response based on her disapproval of the Bush administration, rather than a true appreciation of the underlying policy considerations of the ban. Does any reasonable person think for a moment the FDA's decision to not accept blood based on sexual orientation is a pretext for some antigay agenda?

Coordinator takes new position in Vermont

Just two weeks after the East Lansing Art Festival, Sharon Radtke, the city's arts program coordinator, left her position with the city and moved to Vermont. Though Radtke decided to move out of state to be closer to her pregnant daughter, the decision to leave East Lansing was not an easy one, she said. "The city has developed a great culture," she said.

2 local gas stations penalized for leakage, soil contamination

Eight Michigan gas stations, including one in East Lansing and one in Okemos, have been fined by the state Department of Environmental Quality for failing to comply with state regulations. The eight stations, all formerly owned by BP Amoco PLC, were fined a total of $869,150 for not submitting required reports about contamination because of leaking underground storage tanks. "These fines are simply for their failure to properly address the contamination as required by Michigan law," said Bob McCann, DEQ spokesman.

History of E.L. streets revealed at center

The East Lansing Historical Society will host "The History of East Lansing's Street Names" 2 p.m.

Downtown to receive additional developments, more detours

Albert Avenue will be closed between Bailey Street and Collingwood Drive starting today. Bailey Street also will be closed between Grand River Avenue and Albert Avenue. Albert Avenue will remain closed for six to eight weeks, while Bailey Street will be closed until the middle of 2008, said Lori Mullins, East Lansing's senior project manager. The closures will make way for the Stonehouse III project to be completed.

Broad grants funding for new art museum

A $26 million donation to MSU from Eli and Edythe Broad - the largest cash gift in university history - will facilitate the development of a new art museum on campus. To heed the donors' wishes, a competition will be held among five architects from around the world to design the museum, scheduled to be finished in 2010. The project The museum will be what the rest of the campus is not, said Joseph Giovannini, an architect and writer who will oversee the competition.