Provost forum notes Foster's prior experience

Brian Foster is a first-generation college student who believes education needs to be accessible, especially at a land-grant institution.

WEB ONLY: Spartans complete doubleheader sweep

The MSU softball team recorded 4-0 and 5-0 victories at Oakland on Tuesday, its first doubleheader sweep against the same opponent since the 2002 season. Sophomore Rachel Turney and Freshman Lesley Noel each pitched the complete-game shutouts in the doubleheader sweep. Turney's shutout was the second time in her last three starts that she has blanked an opponent.

'Fever Pitch' follows Red Sox series win

In 1997, author Nick Hornby wrote and published a screenplay called "Fever Pitch," loosely based on his own lifelong obsession with Arsenal, the English football club.

MSU prof, team find new matter

Gary Westfall's years of research on matter have come to an unexpected "perfect" ending. Westfall, an MSU physics and astronomy professor, belongs to a team of physicists from around the world who recently discovered a new state of matter, a "perfect liquid," that the researchers say might have been one of the first substances created after the Big Bang. The matter is a hot, dense substance that scientists say is liquid-like. "This is a way for us to understand the basic building blocks of nature," Westfall said of the discovery. The "perfect liquid" was a huge surprise to many in the scientific community. "It's like living in a world where water exists only as water vapor and water and then discovering ice," said Sam Aronson, associate laboratory director for high energy and nuclear physics at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Brookhaven, where the study's experiments took place, houses a giant "atom smasher." The new matter was created by smashing two gold nuclei together at the highest energies available on Earth.

McCallie receives new contract, salary increase

After taking the women's basketball team to the NCAA championship game, head coach Joanne P. McCallie is getting a new contract. The contract goes into effect July 1, and remains a five-year roll over deal that is now valued at $400,000 annually.

City seeks members for melee review

As police prepare to release their internal evaluation of the April 2-3 disturbances, city officials are beginning the process of choosing members for an independent review commission. Before the commission convenes, East Lansing Deputy police Chief Tom Wibert said a report by local police will be released May 3 at the City Council meeting scheduled for that evening. Numbers of tear-gas canisters used, overtime and damage estimates from that weekend have not yet been released and are expected to be included in the police report. "The important thing is for us to get this thing out while school is still in session," Wibert said.

Police briefs 04/21/05

Board secretary search begins

Two days after Sue Carter, secretary to the MSU Board of Trustees and executive assistant to the MSU president, announced she would leave the positions on July 1, the process to select her successor is beginning, MSU officials say. MSU President Lou Anna K.

Drinking Buddies answer fans' questions

Many children have invisible friends, but then they form social skills and their make-believe friends are forgotten.

Students rally to improve U.S. health care

Every day, Max Baisel said he works with people who can't afford to pay for basic health and dental care. As a program counselor for the Ingham County Health Department mobile health unit, Baisel addressed a small crowd at the foot of the Capitol's steps on Wednesday during a rally to address disparities in the nation's health-care system. Medical students and health-care professionals spoke at the event, sponsored by the American Medical Student Association at the MSU College of Human Medicine.

Bush was correct to honor John Paul

This letter is in response to Ryan Gartland's letter concerning the president's attendance of Pope John Paul II's funeral ("Bush funeral visit for publicity only" SN 4/19). I am amazed, Ryan, at your apparent interest in the extremist views within the Christian faith.

E.L. officials should stop bad landlords

This letter is in response to the April 20 article, "Word on the street: What do you think about rental housing in East Lansing?" I lived in just about every kind of housing East Lansing had to offer: a house, fraternity house and an apartment.

Loomis' life experiences lend to his work on E.L. council

Editor's note: This is the fourth in a five-part series to reintroduce the people who run East Lansing.

MacFarlane talks 'Family'

It seems today that all you see is Ashton Kutcher in movies and the pope on TV. It's 2005, and a lot has changed since "Family Guy" first premiered way back in 1999.

Career of one of Spartans' top players winding down

Plagued by a college career filled with injuries, Andrew Formanczyk set big goals for his senior season to beat some of the nation's best tennis players. But the 6-foot-2 senior struggled most of the fall season, battling chronic strep throat and tonsillitis. After having his tonsils removed, Formanczyk had to work to get back to top form. But now his hopes are starting to come true. He's knocked off four ranked opponents and played the No.

Alumni discuss foreign policy

Current and former U.S. ambassadors brought an inside look at international politics to MSU students this week as a part of the sesquicentennial celebration. As part of MSU's 150th birthday celebration, four diplomatic experts were on hand for a discussion on Tuesday in the International Center and participated in a variety of classroom discussions across campus this week.

Meadows reflects on tenure as mayor

Editor's note: This is the third in a five-part series to reintroduce the people who run East Lansing.

Smoke screen

You know there has to be something amiss when Republicans are advocating more government control in the affairs of business. In a recent case, Rep.

Wrestling team signs Palmieri for 2005-06

The MSU wrestling team inked Nick Palmieri to a National Letter of Intent for the 2005-06 season, head coach Tom Minkel announced Tuesday. In his senior season at Mayfield High School in Mayfield Heights, Ohio, Palmieri complied a 43-4 record at 215 pounds.

Students: Report timing unfair

At Tuesday's East Lansing City Council meeting held on campus, about 30 students brought forward concerns about a report by police intended to investigate the April 2-3 disturbances. And on the same day, Mayor Mark Meadows told The State News he will not seek re-election and instead is considering a run for state representative for the East Lansing district.