Dantonio, new staff on whirlwind recruit trip

Mark Dantonio is wasting no time in his effort to turn around the MSU football program. On Thursday, he penciled four names into his coaching staff: offensive coordinator Don Treadwell, defensive line coach Ted Gill, offensive line coach Dan Roushar and tackles/tight ends coach Mark Staten, who also will serve as recruiting coordinator. On Friday, he named three additional position coaches: secondary coach Harlon Barnett, linebackers and special teams coach Mike Tressel and quarterbacks coach Dave Warner. All seven worked under Dantonio at Cincinnati. "When I first found out and knew that there were possibilities about coming to Michigan State, the first thing I did was check with our staff, in terms of where they would be at with everything," Dantonio said Friday.

R-Gym tries to beat child obesity

By Nancy Luna The Orange County Register Santa Ana, Calif. (MCT) — Ronald McDonald is working on his glutes. Under pressure to thwart criticism about the fast-food industry's role in childhood obesity, McDonald's is unveiling play gyms for kids at some restaurants — including one in Santa Ana, Calif.

MSU student arrested for attempted financial fraud

A 24-year-old MSU student was charged Wednesday for attempting to cash four counterfeit $500 traveler's checks at two East Lansing-area MSU Federal Credit Unions on Tuesday. Jason Hayes was arraigned at East Lansing's 54-B District Court on four counts of uttering and publishing, a felony offense punishable by up to 14 years in jail. MSU police Sgt.

South Florida a tall, talented team

Another tough challenge is in store for the MSU women's basketball team Sunday when South Florida comes charging into Breslin Center. The Bulls, who are receiving votes in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll, look to return the favor the Spartans gave them last season, when MSU went to Tampa and handed South Florida an 81-66 loss in the first ever meeting between the two teams. "This season, we have something on them," junior center Laura Hall said.

Police briefs 12/01/06

Granholm to focus on economy, education

Gov. Jennifer Granholm will have more than enough to do for the next four years. After a mud-spattered election, observers say Granholm will need to focus on health care, education and the state's economy to fulfill her promises to voters. The governor's performance in her last term and her views on education are what bagged food industry management senior Cara Sturley's vote.

Hate crimes are up in Michigan, but how many are at MSU?

Correction: The story should have read international relations junior John Herbst is a member of PRISM. For the third year in a row, Michigan has forged ahead as a national leader — in hate crimes.

Association should leave peace sign wreath alone

In Pagosa Springs, Colo., last week, a couple was told by their neighborhood homeowners association that they must take down a four-foot wreath shaped like a peace symbol and pay a penalty of $25. The official reason behind the decision?

Protesters crash immigration event

A campus discussion about illegal immigration turned violent Thursday evening, when protesters clashed with the MSU College Republicans and Young Americans for Freedom, who sponsored the event. Kyle Bristow, chairman of the Young Americans for Freedom, or YAF, said he was kicked and spat upon by some of the protesters when he was outside the MSU College of Law, where the discussion was being held. "It saddens me that my fellow Spartans would display this type of behavior," he said.

Taking control

The past two seasons, much of the talk surrounding the MSU women's basketball team was about the duo of Liz Shimek and Lindsay Bowen, who finished last season as the school's two leading scorers. But waiting in the wings the whole time was guard Victoria Lucas-Perry, who finished third on the team in scoring last season but often was overshadowed by her older teammates. Now a senior, Lucas-Perry has stepped into the limelight and established herself as MSU's most versatile player and its leader on and off the court. "Victoria has an awful lot of character," MSU head coach Joanne P.

Prognosticators

Bradley at MSUNoon Sunday, Breslin Center, ESPN Plus TK — I don't know who this Bradley guy is, but he's pretty gutsy to think he can beat the entire MSU team by himself.

Ager, Brown, Davis struggling as rookies

Haven't seen MSU's three NBA rookies on SportsCenter lately? You're not alone. The three Spartan draft picks — guards Maurice Ager and Shannon Brown and center Paul Davis — have failed to grab much playing time in the season's first month. Brown, taken 25th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers, reportedly hired a documentary film crew to follow him on the day of his first regular season game — which he ended up not playing in.

Morgan schooled by Dudley, but could end up just like him

Chestnut Hill, Mass. — It's been a challenging few weeks for Raymar Morgan. The 6-foot-7, 225-pound freshman, being the Spartans' only player with the height and quickness to guard elite swingmen, has faced off against two of the best forwards in the country in a relatively short time span. On Nov.

Good posture might be bad for spine, study says

By Jon Van Chicago Tribune Your mother's advice to sit up straight in your chair could be a prescription for lower back pain. Scottish researchers said Monday in Chicago that a look at the spine with new imaging technology reveals how sitting upright with a straight back and thighs parallel to the floor increases the strain on lumbar discs in the lower back. In fact, it's better to lean back a bit, even if it looks like slouching. "Really the best position is what you get in a La-Z-Boy, although that wouldn't work well for someone using a computer," said Dr. Waseem Amir Bashir, who led the study conducted in Aberdeen, Scotland. Bashir's findings confirm what ergonomics experts have believed.

WEB UPDATE: MSU football team loses recruit to Oklahoma

With the flurry of coaching changes for the MSU football team recently, Keith Nichol has decided to play for Oklahoma, instead of MSU. The Lowell high school quarterback grew up following the Spartans and had committed to come to East Lansing before his junior year of high school. On Wednesday, Nichol had his father, Gary, visited Norman, Okla., where they made the decision to leave the Spartans and play for the Sooners. Nichol made the trip after Sooners head coach Bob Stoops and quarterbacks coach Josh Heupel visited Nichol in Lowell prior. Earlier this week Gary Nichol told the State News that with all of the recent coaching changes, it had only fair for his son to reconsider all of his options. John L.

MSU parking to open ahead of schedule

Correction: The story misidentified Mike Rice as the MSU police deputy chief. The story should have said he is the assistant police chief. A controversial $19.5-million parking structure on north campus will open seven months ahead of schedule. The ramp, located between Morrill Hall and Olin Health Center, will open Dec.

Students help fight AIDS crisis while studying abroad in Europe, Africa

It doesn't get the hype of terrorism. Or the economy. But AIDS is still a global humanitarian crisis — killing 2.9 million people so far this year. In parts of South Africa, where almost 40 percent of the population lives with HIV, young children have made up a new game. Instead of playing house, they play funeral. The concern for this international crisis has led some MSU students, such as Lauren Beach, to get more involved while studying abroad. One year ago, Beach spent World AIDS Day in East Lansing, helping to organize student activities. This year, she's thousands of miles away in Geneva, Switzerland, and working at the World Health Organization to fight the spread of AIDS while participating in a study abroad program. "If it's not me, then who?" said Beach, who has been an intern at the United Nations-led agency since September. For the last three months, the microbiology and molecular genetics senior has worked to create an Internet database that connects 600 people worldwide, including health experts and policymakers. "HIV is really having the biggest impact in the developing world," Beach said from Switzerland on Thursday morning.

'MoJo' becomes productive scorer off bench

Even Maurice Joseph didn't see this coming. A season after averaging less than a point per game and shooting just 25 percent from the field, Joseph, a sophomore guard, has silenced critics and proven himself worthy of bigger minutes. In eight games coming off the bench this season, Joseph has averaged 8.4 points — fourth-highest on the team. "I know that I have to be more aggressive for our team to be successful," Joseph said.

MSU vs. YMCA? It happened

Sure, Bradley's kind of an obscure opponent. But the Braves are nothing compared to some of the teams MSU used to play.

RHA president resigns abruptly

Representatives from the Residence Halls Association said they were shocked to learn of Lindsay Palinsky's resignation as president of the organization. "For the most part, many of the members were taken off guard," said Michelle Dickinson, RHA director of public relations and advertising.