Heading out west

The end of MSU's sesquicentennial celebrations will take place far away from East Lansing this weekend — almost a year after they began. MSU alumni who have ventured to the West Coast will get the chance to hear from MSU's School of Music on Sunday at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles as a final 150th birthday event. It will showcase classical, jazz and pop music performances from 25 students and faculty members and help bolster support for the school.

Transfer has champion pedigree

When junior midfielder Kevin Reiman transferred to MSU from Maryland after last season, he expected to fit right in with the Spartans' starting unit. After all, he has a national championship under his belt, having played 10 games with Maryland, last year's NCAA men's soccer champions. But after tearing muscles in his abdomen this preseason, Reiman hasn't seen the field yet. "I got cleared to play yesterday, so I'm kinda getting back into things," Reiman said Wednesday.

Mich. teachers strike for salary increases

MSU education officials say there's no in-school preparation for teacher strikes, even as Detroit Public School teachers and Eastern Michigan University professors walk the picket line. Students majoring in education learn about union issues when they intern at a school, said Barbara Markle, assistant dean of K-12 outreach in MSU's College of Education.

Couric wows as first solo female news anchor

Katie Couric debuted as the first solo anchorwoman Tuesday, and despite her new role, the Katie we all know still shone through. The ratings were 86 percent more than what CBS averaged on the same day last year, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Bill moves to Senate to restrict trash intake

A bill allowing states to regulate the influx of municipal trash from outside the United States passed in the U.S.

Police briefs 09/07/06

Offense struggling in post-McMahen era

Despite starting the season with a 3-1 record, "frustrating" is a word that comes up frequently when talking about the MSU men's soccer team's offense. The Spartans have scored just four goals in the season's first four games and haven't been able to put teams away when they've had the chance. That was the case in Sunday's heartbreaking 1-0 double overtime loss to Northern Illinois.

Column on morning after pill 'disturbing'

I feel an obligation to respond to the column written by Vanessa Notman, "Contraceptive choices expand, should be available for everyone," (SN 8/30). Her comment stating "there isn't time for morals to get in the way of a woman's choice" might be the most disturbing thing I've ever read. In life, there is always time for morals — regardless of gender.

Organic restaurant offers healthy fare

Down the street from the bars, a bright orange sign appeared, signaling the arrival of a new business selling organic and locally grown food to downtown East Lansing. Green River Café opened three weeks ago at 211 M.A.C.

$13M award goes toward MSU faculty research

MSU researchers got a big bonus for their efforts Wednesday, when they received a portion of $100 million. Awards for the 21st Century Jobs Fund were given to 11 MSU researchers, with more than $13 million going to project proposals from the university. Researchers received between $300,000 and $2.4 million for proposals to develop technologies for ethanol-fueled engines, pharmaceuticals and to detect environmental threats, among other projects. The state created the fund last year to jump-start the economy and create jobs by investing in research and development projects in life sciences, alternative energy, advanced automotive, manufacturing and materials, and homeland security and defense. The original 505 project proposals submitted were whittled down to 61.

Voters' discontent may cost GOP

Sixty-four days and counting. With just about two months left before midterm elections, Republicans appear to be in hot water.

Haynie a game away from 2nd WNBA title

Kristin Haynie is used to proving people wrong. When she led MSU to the national championship game in 2005, many doubted the Spartans' staying power.

ID policy only adds steps, doesn't improve safety

As a former night receptionist coordinator at MSU for 2-1/2 years, I feel that I have an obligation to write to express the concerns I have with the new guest check-in process for residence halls.

New Facebook long-awaited

There's big news in the e-world, and my life has taken a drastic turn for the better. For the poor souls who don't already know, Facebook.com has implemented a news feed, which informs students about events their friends are attending, notifies them when friends post on each others' walls and even lists those who've added new photos. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end for only a few moments, until I realized how badly I needed this feature in my life. I've awoken many nights with beads of sweat pouring down my trembling brow, wondering if my fifth-grade choir partner is still in an open relationship.

Students to research excessive gaming

Correction: Ben Medler should have been quoted as saying "digital immigrants." Correction: All quotes attributed to Brian Magerko should be attributed to Ethan Watrall. With online gaming increasing in popularity, MSU researchers are trying to determine if excessive gaming is an actual addiction. A group of MSU students have opted to do research on addictive gaming.

Vending Options

Vending machines lurk in dorm basements and university buildings, just waiting for someone to get a case of the munchies. While these crave-indulging contraptions can be the health-conscious student's worst enemy, it is possible to choose a snack that minimizes damage — or that might even be healthy. Healthy vs.

2 more students assaulted in E.L.

At 6 a.m. Friday, Mark O'Brien answered a phone call that no parent wants to receive — his 20-year-old son, who is an MSU student, had been attacked and was being taken into surgery at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing to ease a blood clot pushing into his brain. "We had every terrible image going through our minds," the Grosse Pointe Park resident said.

Innovations: Living language

Name: Deogratias Ngonyani, associate professor Department: Department of Linguistics and Germanic, Slavic, Asian and African Languages Type of research: Language documentation Date of research: Ngonyani said he plans on leaving for Tanzania sometime this month and will be there for nine months. He has done this type of research with two other African languages, but they were more vibrant in the number of speakers and locations in which they were spoken. Basics of the project: Ngonyani is focused on collecting information about Kikisi, an African language facing extinction, and what functions it performs. The language is only spoken among members of the community and is not written, he said. "Kikisi is spoken by less than 10,000 people, and the number of speakers are decreasing over time," Ngonyani said. Ngonyani will be collecting information about the language by writing down oral traditions, songs and folk tales.

Homecoming

Marwan Hourani holds his 5-month-old daughter, Therese, in his arms, grinning widely as he looks into her large, innocent eyes. She smiles back at him — a huge, gap-toothed smile. "Therese, I love you," Hourani says, kissing the baby's forehead. Life hasn't always been so simple for the Hourani family. Therese is Marwan and Nawal Hourani's only child, adopted from an orphanage in Lebanon earlier this summer.

Student candidates for office in 'uphill struggle'

When she commented on Lauren Spencer's Green Party candidacy for the MSU Board of Trustees, it appears that Trustee Dee Cook's 16 years of service don't take her memory back far enough in "'Represent the Students,'" (SN 9/5). In 1976, I was an MSU student, working on a master's degree in sociology and a candidate for the MSU Board of Trustees as a member of the Human Rights Party.