The bartender

Hooray for beer. Novice guzzlers to snobby sippers enjoy the local watering hole, Crunchy's, 254 W.

Coaches show enthusiasm

Chicago — While you won't see any games for about another month, this week's 2006 Big Ten Football Media Day and Kickoff Luncheon signifies the beginning of the season. The event was reminiscent of a star-studded red carpet movie premiere.

Sharing news should be protected

Journalists can be found in newspapers, on news shows, on the radio, on the Internet and now they're moving into jail cells too.

Park offering free admission, boat rental

The Ingham County Parks Department will host a free day at Hawk Island County Park in Lansing on Sunday.

What's in a name?

By Justin Kroll, Laura Misjak and Amy Oprean The State News Cast a glance at any building, observatory or garden anywhere and there's history.

Alumnus may plead guilty in melee case

A former MSU student living in Illinois who was charged with offenses from an on-campus disturbance in 2003 might plead guilty to a misdemeanor relating to the incident as part of a plea agreement. Kyle Thomas Manning, a 22-year-old who attended but did not graduate from MSU, is charged with an unlawful assembly felony and an arson of personal property valued at less than $200 misdemeanor.

Changing lanes

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby Opens nationally today Studio: Columbia Pictures Director: Adam McKay Starring: Will Ferrel, John C.

Tom Petty album upbeat, another classic

Fire up the barbecue, throw on your bathing suit and grab the trusty boom box from the basement — but of course remain wary of the good times. Especially if you're spinning Tom Petty's latest album "Highway Companion," because like anything: caution is a must.

State to vote on Single Business Tax

The Single Business Tax is closer to meeting its doom, as a ballot initiative that would repeal it has been approved by the Board of State Canvassers. Members of the organization Repeal The Single Business Tax, or Repeal SBT, which includes Oakland County Executive L.

MIPA director earns journalism award

During the school year, students may find her meandering to a design class or hanging out with high school journalism students in the summer.

MSU ranks in top 100 colleges for LGBT

MSU is among the 100 best colleges for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, or LGBT, students, according to a book that hit stores Aug.

E.L. police impostor breaks into local home

A 28-year-old male East Lansing resident claiming he was an undercover East Lansing police officer was arrested early Wednesday morning after he broke into one home and attempted to enter another. At about 12:51 a.m., police responded to a call from two people who came home to find a man in their residence, which is located on the 300 block of Oakhill Avenue. When they confronted the suspect, he advised them that he was an undercover East Lansing police officer and that he was there in reference to a noise complaint, according to the East Lansing Police Department's news tape Wednesday afternoon. After the man left, the residents called the police.

Final Mich. plate will showcase 'peninsulas'

Michigan drivers will have something new to tack on their vehicles after the Michigan Secretary of State revealed its new license plate Wednesday. Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land unveiled the new plate in Dearborn and Grand Rapids. Judges from across the state spent the last month searching through more than 1,500 entries. "It was a very tough decision to find the right design," said Kelly Chesney, a spokeswoman for the Secretary of State.

University proposals advance in jobs fund

Chemistry professor Robert Maleczka hopes his six years of structuring scientific tinker toys will win him a slice of a $100 million pie. Maleczka and colleague chemistry Professor Milton Smith are working toward making cheaper, more efficient drugs through the creation of new building blocks for chemicals used by pharmaceutical companies. Their project is one of the remaining 179 in the running out of 505 submitted proposals to receive money from the 21st Century Jobs Fund.

Minimum wage hike overdue

What difference can 70 cents make? If you're making minimum wage, 70 cents could make a big difference in your future paychecks.

Rethinking traditional remedies

Stuffy nose. Headache. Sneezing. There may be no way around the common cold, but there is a wide array of choices to treat it outside of the pharmacy. The increase in cost of heath care and prescription drugs has caused a rise in popularity for the exploration of what alternative and complimentary medicines have to offer.

Lansing gets jazzy

The organizers of the Lansing JazzFest have an unofficial slogan for this year's festival, running Friday and Saturday: The bridge is out, but the party's on. With JazzFest situated in Lansing's Old Town at the corner of Grand River Avenue and Turner Street, ongoing construction on the Grand River bridge could make for some difficult festival-going. "We're encouraging people to park along the river walk anywhere, because you can walk the river walk and get to Old Town, so that will help with some of the traffic congestion," said Old Town Business and Art Development Association President Terry Terry.

Police briefs 08/03/06

Scouts' common cents

Always be prepared — to spend money. That's the motto area business owners were happy to see thousands of Boy Scouts live by this week during the Boy Scouts of America's National Order of the Arrow Conference, which is being held at MSU.

Columnist examines quandary of being critic

We've been complainy at the MS&U desk this summer, but when temperatures top out in the high 90s, it's easier to get miffed.