Tuesday, June 16, 2026

Take a peek behind the curtain and test drive the NEW StateNews.com today!

Multimedia

MICHIGAN

Marriage in the mall

When the hall that Ben and Elaine Themm were scheduled to be married in went out of business, they decided to get married somewhere that would be sure not to go out of business — Meridian Mall.

COMMENTARY

Keeping the peace

Almost everyone agrees what happened last April 2-3 was a disaster. The events that took place after the MSU men's basketball team lost in the Final Four were a shame to the city and students.

NEWS

Professor forms stem cell institute

A retired MSU professor has formed a nonprofit corporation that he hopes will become the future of stem cell research in Michigan. Charles Sweeley, 75, formed the Michigan Institute for Stem Cell Research in January.

NEWS

WEB EXTRA: MSU Celebrations Committee

The following people are members of the Celebrations Committee, which is in the process of preparing for a potential disturbance following the NCAA Final Four. MSU Lee June — convener Student Affairs and Services Beth Alexander — convener University Physician Ginny Haas — co-chairperson Governmental Affairs Pat Enos — co-chairperson Student Affairs Nancy Allen — co-chairperson Healthy U Paul Goldblatt Residence Life Denise Maybank Student Life Marybeth Heeder Academic Orientation Program June Youatt Provost's Office Angela Howard/Jennifer Smith Athletics Mark Hollis Athletics Dennis Martell Olin Health Center Becky Allen Olin Health Center Tom Oswald/Terry Denbow University Relations Bob Noto/Kristine Zayko Legal Counsel Bob Eubanks Counseling Center Keith Williams/Barb Susa Fineis Alumni Association Bruce Haskell Housing and Food Service Brian Jackson Lansing Community College Michael Koppich Faculty Andrew Schepers ASMSU Melissa Horste ASMSU Kevin Newman Residence Halls Association Mike Herula Olin Health Center Heidi Zimmer Panhellenic Council Dan Martini Interfraternity Council Liz Shimek Athletics City Jean Golden — co-chairperson Deputy City Manager Annette Irwin Code Enforcement and Neighborhood Conservation Dawn Doerr Communications Tim Dempsey Planning and community development Lynsey Clayton Community Relations Coalition Anita Kelly East Lansing High School Linda Sutton Downtown neighborhood Representatives from the Chesterfield Hills, Bailey and Oakwood neighborhoods Micki Fuhrman Prevention Specialist, ISD Joe Goodsir Responsible Hospitality Council Police Jim Dunlap/Dave Trexler DPPS Kelly Beck DPPS Julie Sawaya RHC Tom Wibert ELPD Juli Liebler ELPD

MSU

Innovations: Molecular mysteries

Name: Associate Professor Robert LaDuca Department: Chemistry, Lyman Briggs School Title of research project: Hydrothermal synthesis of inorganic/organic hybrid materials Date of research: LaDuca has been working on this project since 1996 when he taught at King's College in Pennsylvania, and continued his work when he came to MSU in 2004.

NEWS

ASMSU to propose $3 increase in tax Thurs.

Thinning financial resources are the motivation behind a $3 tax increase MSU's undergraduate student government is proposing, which officials say they need to expand their student services. Members of ASMSU's Student Assembly will officially present the plan at their Thursday meeting. But when the other branch of ASMSU, Academic Assembly, discovered significant errors in its own portion of the budget at Tuesday's meeting, student government officials said they need to rework their plan before Thursday's presentation.

NEWS

McCollum convicted of murder

Claude McCollum was found guilty Tuesday evening of the rape and murder of Lansing Community College Professor Carolyn Kronenberg. The 28-year-old, hands crossed and fingers pressed to his lips, sat motionless as the verdict was read. His March 29 sentencing will decide if he serves life in jail for first-degree murder and first-degree criminal sexual conduct. The jury took about six hours to decide McCollum's fate after the 10-day trial. "He got what he deserves; we've been going crazy in our minds all year," said Doug Albert, Kronenberg's long-time partner.

COMMENTARY

Sex education key to making abortion rare

I am writing in response to all the letters regarding abortion that have been published recently. First, I think everybody needs to realize that anybody who has strong views on this emotionally and politically sensitive issue will not change their minds.

COMMENTARY

Student's death is reminder to others

Stems of yellow flowers lie on top of the cold white snow held together by a ribbon and carefully placed at the base of the street sign where Dannielle Brandt's life ended last Friday night while crossing the street at Mt.

NEWS

FBI arrests student for hacking, downloads

FBI special agents arrested an MSU student Friday after they searched rooms in a local fraternity house and seized two computers thought to be involved in illegal hacking and copyright infringement. The bureau has a complaint against the student for intentionally accessing a protected computer without authorization and for copyright infringement, said Richard Murray, an assistant U.S.