Fine for now

To help offset financial troubles in the 2006 fiscal year, East Lansing officials are proposing a $5 monthly hike in parking space rentals at some city garages. The increase could generate about $69,000. The city's Parking Administrator Dan O'Connor said the raise is needed to cover parking division employee benefits, such as health care, and building maintenance within the parking division. "It is time to step it up," he said.

World of sports an emotional struggle

From reading the sports pages and watching and listening to the air waves, my emotions toward the sports world are building up.

Students take over Capitol

It was a seemingly normal Thursday afternoon at the Capitol - state representatives and senators argued about affirmative action and welfare. But these legislators and lobbyists were high school students. About 750 high school students from around the state spent four days acting as government officials and voting on bills in the YMCA's Michigan Youth in Government program. Eleventh grader Tyler Deerfield said he wasn't sure what a lobbyist was when he signed up for the event. But a day into the job in the mock government, he had successfully lobbied against a bill that would change the high school drop-out age from 16 to 18. "I've always had an interest in politics, and I thought I'd see how it was actually run," said Deerfield, of St.

Get into gear

At a time when it seems the relationship between MSU students and East Lansing city officials is at a definite low, the community can certainly use an organization like the Community Relations Coalition.

Forum held for possible provost

Members of the MSU community spent an evening trying to find out if Virginia Sapiro is the best person for the position of provost. Sapiro, the associate vice chancellor for Teaching and Learning at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is the first of five provost candidates who will tour campus, meet with students, faculty and administrators and host a public forum. While Sapiro answered audience questions during her forum, but students were not present in the about 100-person crowd.

Vying for no. 2

Last spring, chaos. This spring, peace. Last spring, three quarterbacks were vying for one starting role.

MSU prof helps find oldest star

One MSU researcher is closer to unraveling the origins of the universe after the recent discovery of the oldest living star in the galaxy. Astronomy Professor Timothy Beers is part of a global team scanning the skies for ancient heavenly bodies in the hopes they will reveal more information about the history of the galaxy.

Scholarships to honor ex-MSU star pitcher's son

One of baseball's all-time greats visited MSU on Wednesday to benefit the cause of one of his former teammates. Cal Ripken Jr., who holds the Major League Baseball record for consecutive games played, spoke at the Kellogg Center on Wednesday night at a dinner benefiting the Brian Vander Laan Scholarship Fund, which commemorates the son of former MSU pitcher Steve Vander Laan. Steve Vander Laan, a star pitcher at MSU in the 1970s, spent a year playing with Ripken in the minor leagues.

SEJ, MEXA did not interrupt meeting

Students for Economic Justice and Movimiento Estudiantil Xicano de Aztlan did not set out to disrupt the Women in Business Students' Association meeting with MSU President Lou Anna K.

Former Spartan sets up charity game

Munn Ice Arena is set to host a charity hockey game at 6 p.m. Saturday featuring MSU hockey alumni and other professional players in an all-star contest. The game has been dubbed "Hockey For Hope," with all proceeds made from the night benefiting the Sparrow Foundation Ron Mason Fund and Ingham Regional Medical Center's cancer and cardiology programs. Kevin Miller, who wore the green and white from 1984-88, has been busy organizing the event ever since the NHL season officially was canceled. "It's been a lot of phone calls, a lot of organizing, but it's for a good cause, and hopefully, it'll be just a great night," Miller said. The other Spartans alumni scheduled to appear on Saturday are Kip Miller, Steve Guolla, Shawn Horcoff, Rem Murray, Bryan Smolinski and Jason Woolley. Woolley said he has been active with Kevin Miller in recruiting players to take part in the game and has helped recruit several big-name NHL players such as Nicklas Lidstrom, Derian Hatcher, Manny Legace, Pat Verbeek, Bryan Berard, Ethan Moreau and Shean Donovan to play. Lidstrom, Hatcher and Legace spent last season with Woolley as members of the Detroit Red Wings, and Verbeek is a retired NHLer who spent two seasons with the Wings. Also scheduled to appear are Darryl Sydor, Brad Lukowich and Chris Dingman from the 2004 Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning. "My hat goes off to these guys," Woolley said.

State unemployment rate falls 0.5 percent

Michigan's March unemployment rate fell to one of the lowest in about a year at 6.9 percent. The state rate was at 7.4 percent in February and 7.1 percent in January. A year ago in April, the jobless rate was 6.7 percent. But the state rate last month is still higher than the national unemployment rate of 5.2 percent and is one of the country's worst. Economists said the rate has fluctuated in Michigan between 6.7 and 7.5 percent throughout the past two years.

Police briefs 04/15/05

Student activism should be featured prominently for sesquicentennial

This year is MSU's sesquicentennial - that's a fancy name for "150 years of land-grant sugary goodness." What better chance for the university to show off its deep commitment to diversity, its strong political activism to protect student interests and its clear and open communication with all members of this university. Laughing yet at the sarcasm?

Arraigned now face potential jury trial

Thirty-four of the 43 people arrested in the April 2-3 disturbances have been arraigned in the East Lansing 54-B District Court by the Thursday deadline. The nine people who did not appear or contact the court could face a warrant for their arrest, said Jolina O'Berry, an assistant city attorney handling the riot cases. If cases follow patterns of the past, it is likely most of those arraigned will face an East Lansing judge again.

Students sell shirts about disturbances

MSU students Evan Dashe and Anthony Saladino have a message for the East Lansing Police Department, and they put it on a T-shirt. Dashe, an accounting junior and Saladino, a general management freshman, decided to create and sell T-shirts about the April 2-3 disturbances in East Lansing. The dark green shirts with white letters said, "Tear gas is not designed to extinguish fires." The shirts also had a derogatory message for the East Lansing Police Department on the back. About 3,000 people took the streets of East Lansing after the men's basketball team lost to the University of North Carolina in the Final Four.

Supportive Services has awards program

Finance and computer science senior Jason Tuck flashed a smiled as he held up a certificate for his high academic achievement Thursday in the Union.

E.L. officials think students are cancer

With the disturbances of April 2-3, it has become more and more clear how East Lansing feels about MSU students.

Dance troupe cha-chas into E.L.

It's not a cha-cha or a meringue. It's not even salsa. But it is Cuban. Premiering today at Wharton Center is a dance show spectacular performed by River North Chicago Dance Company embracing Cuban music and culture. "Habaneras, the Music of Cuba" is based around the music of Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona but also includes two contemporary songs to add an element of "poignancy" to the show, Artistic Director Frank Chaves said. The piece was commissioned by Wharton Center several years ago, Bob Hoffman, Wharton Center spokesman said. "It's a great opportunity for Wharton Center and the audience to take part in a rare chance," Hoffman said.

MSU student fights to save bluebird population

Call it an Earth Day project or a cheap way to fight insects. But horticulture sophomore Johanna Wielfaert is working to save the bluebird population by giving the birds a place to call home.

Recruits already in practices, classes

There are some new big men on campus this semester, and they are not wasting any time stepping into their positions on the MSU football team. Junior defensive tackle Bobby Jones, freshman offensive lineman Brendon Moss, freshman quarterback Domenic Natale and freshman defensive tackle Diego Oquendo have all joined the Spartans this semester and are participating in spring football, getting a jump on the new recruits coming in the fall. Jones, currently behind senior Domata Peko on the depth chart at defensive tackle, said it has been a difficult move, both on the field and in the classroom. "It's a big adjustment trying to make it as I go through spring ball here and this semester," Jones said. He also has switched positions from defensive end, a position he has played his whole life, to defensive tackle. "I'm gonna play where they put me as long as I can get on the field," the 6-foot-4, 296-pound Jones said. MSU head coach John L.