Sports events spur Detroit cleanups

More than 1,000 volunteers from all over the metro Detroit area and as far away as Ingham County took to the streets of downtown Detroit on Saturday morning to tidy up, officials said. The All-Star Super Makeover was the first in a series of cleanups in the downtown area for July's Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Comerica Park and February's Super Bowl XL at Ford Field. "Basically, we see this as cleaning our living room," said Chris Miller, an international relations senior and event coordinator.

Win would make Detroit best ever

I'm not going to predict tonight's Game 7 of the NBA Finals, but I will remind people of just how impressive the Detroit Pistons have been in the playoffs over the last two years. With a record of 16-7 in the playoffs last year and a suspect 15-9 this season (compared to the Lakers 15-1 a few years back), one might not look at the Pistons as a dominant team. But looks can be deceiving - it's how the Pistons have accomplished two straight trips to the NBA Finals and possibly two titles, which has been almost unthinkable. In both 2004 and 2005, the Pistons disposed of an unworthy opponent in the first round, beating Milwaukee 4-1 last season and Philadelphia 4-1 to begin their current playoff run. In round two against the New Jersey Nets last season, Detroit faced a 3-2 deficit against a team with arguably the best point guard in the NBA - Jason Kidd.

Olin to offer walk-in HIV testing Monday

On Monday, National HIV Testing Day will be commemorated for the second year in a row on MSU's campus.

MSU: Rep. needed on state budget committee

Members of the state House of Representatives and the Senate will soon meet with Gov. Jennifer Granholm in a conference committee to compromise on three proposed methods to fund the state's 15 public universities. But some MSU officials said past committees have been biased, and universities with members on the committees have received higher portions of the state's budget. For more than 30 years, many public universities in Michigan have been funded in ways that did not reflect their enrollment levels or the costs of academic programs, said Steve Webster, MSU's vice president for governmental affairs. Whoever controls the politics of the committee controls the direction of university funding, he said. As a result, Webster said there is a significant disparity in the per-student funding of universities across the state. MSU is funded at about $1,400 less per student than other research universities in the state.

Identity alert

In a trade-based economy, theft is physically limited to what can be carried away from the rightful owner.

Talk it out

Most problems in the world is essentially caused by miscommunication. Miscommunication often stems from - or leads to - misunderstanding.

Finals fever

For the first time in 11 years there will be a Game 7 in the NBA Finals. Pistons and Spurs fans in the East Lansing area are getting ready for what could be one of the most memorable Game 7s in the history of basketball. "The game is going to be close and go down to the wire," physiology senior Ryan VanElslander said.

Student arrested for being verbally abusive to firemen

MSU student Scott Posthumus watched as his East Lansing home was ravaged by fire on Saturday. By 4 a.m., he had landed in jail, he said. Posthumus, a finance junior, was arrested early Saturday morning on charges of being loud, boisterous and disorderly, his mother Cindi Posthumus said. "I stood right there and watched the whole thing in disbelief," she said of the arrest. A faulty electrical outlet was the probable cause of the fire that started in the garage of the house at 404 Evergreen Ave.

High school too severe in 'vandalism' punishment for LBGT allies

Seniors throughout the state have been proudly celebrating the culmination of 12 years of school completed.

Company takes modern look at 'Macbeth'

Watch out Shakespeare fans, Macbeth isn't just delivering monologues anymore - he's packing some serious heat in Sunsets with Shakespeare. The nonprofit theater company is putting on a 1920s version of William Shakespeare's tragic "Macbeth," complete with guns, blood and much more.

ONLINE UPDATE: Arraignment in armed bank robbery case delayed

The two men arrested in connection with an armed robbery at an Okemos National City Bank were not arraigned Thursday afternoon.

MSU too slow with revoking of degree

As a student seeking a juris doctorate from this institution it offends me deeply that the murderer and Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's honorary doctorate of law has yet to be revoked by powers that be ("Honorary degree debated" SN 6/9). It is one thing to be wrong and grant such a degree; it is entirely different to continue to stand by this granting.

Police briefs 06/23/05

E.L. should be more friendly to students

As always, I enjoyed the creative twist on reality used by an East Lansing city official ("City: Resident-student affairs damaged by stereotypes" SN 6/21). A response that evoked a simultaneous gag/vomit/laugh reflex from my throat, City Manager Ted Staton, in response to a student saying that the city was trying to push students out of town, said that they have approved one rental/home license and hundreds of new apartment licenses.

Low-cost clinic needs $70K

A budget shortfall that left an East Lansing low-cost clinic reeling this May hasn't improved, and the 34-year-old clinic might have to close its doors in July. Local nonprofit Gateway Community Services, 2875 Northwind Drive, runs several programs, including a runaway shelter, a youth crisis intervention center and a free or low-cost medical clinic.

Dredg's 'Catch Without Arms' bad mix of genres

Never really deciding what kind of music they play, the band Dredg comes at its listeners with many different genres in "Catch Without Arms," its latest release. The first track, "Ode to the Sun," is an interesting mix of hard and fast-paced music.

2 men hold up Okemos bank

The Meridian Township Police Department arrested two men in connection with an armed robbery at a National City Bank in Okemos on Wednesday afternoon. The men were apprehended after an East Lansing police officer noticed a vehicle matching the description of the getaway car used at the bank traveling on US 127, Meridian Township police Sgt.

Spartans name award winners for past year

On Wednesday, MSU announced the award winners of the George Alderton Male and Female Athletes of the Year, the Chester Brewer Leadership Award and the Dr. James Feurig Achievement and Service Award, while the Big Ten announced the male and female Medal of Honor winners from MSU. Former women's basketball player and current WNBA player for the Sacramento Monarchs, Kristin Haynie, won the George Alderton Female Athlete of the Year Award and also was named the Chester Brewer Leadership Award winner. Haynie led MSU women's basketball to its first-ever Final Four in 2004-05, en route to ending her career as the program's leader in assists, with 574, and steals, with 346. "It's a great honor to get this award, especially since Michigan State has so many great female athletes," Haynie said in a written statement.

Fox News coverage unbalanced, biased

I have to disagree with the Residence Halls Association's decision to cut The New York Times in favor of Fox News ("Fox News, ESPN 2 added to campus TV," SN 6/13). The New York Times brings a balance to cable news (CNN, FOX, MSNBC) by providing in-depth coverage instead of cable's super-quick news bites.

State proposes Amtrak cuts

For the more than 600,000 people who used Amtrak trains last year to travel, possible state budget cuts for the upcoming fiscal year might end their way of traveling around the country. Celeste Shoulders, a supervisor in the Eli Broad College of Business, said she uses the Amtrak train about 30 times a year to visit family and friends.