E.L. council meeting cancelled for holiday

The East Lansing City Council will not meet this week in observance of Hanukkah. Council will meet next for a work session on Dec.

Botanical club to hold environmental session

The Red Cedar chapter of the Michigan Botanical Club will hold a meeting at 7 p.m. today in room 168 of the Plant Biology Laboratories. Beginning at 7:30 p.m., students who attended the 2004 Spring Foray will discuss their experiences.

Lawyers: Military recruiting ruling won't affect 'U'

MSU College of Law students and faculty said this week that a recent federal appeals court ruling on military recruiters won't affect Michigan schools directly, and some added that it might affect who the armed forces brings into its ranks. On Nov.

Healthy habits

Each day after school, Bobby Hudson keeps learning. So far this semester, the 8-year-old Bath Township resident has discovered how to play squash and handball, found out that he can run 14 laps around a gym without breaking a sweat and determined that playing video games does not count as physical activity. Hudson is a participant in a new after-school health and fitness program at the Michigan Athletic Club.

Starting Jan. 4, DPPS closes half hour early

Those bringing issues to the MSU Department of Police and Public Safety Parking Office will have to stop in a half hour earlier on afternoons starting Jan.

Experts debate effects of Social Security plan

Young people should be the concerned about the future of Social Security because they might bear the financial burdens of increasing numbers of older Americans, some experts say. President Bush has made revamping Social Security one of the top priorities for his second term. Social Security currently comes from taxes and goes to retired workers, disabled citizens and survivors of deceased workers.

Police briefs 12/07/04

Sexual assault task force has 1st meeting, searches for solutions

A task force made up of more than 30 members met for the first time Monday to begin researching ways to reduce sexual assaults and relationship violence at MSU and improve programs already in place. A committee was formed in November after 12 sexual assaults were reported on MSU's campus this semester.

Women's hoops guard gets Big Ten honors

MSU junior guard Lindsay Bowen was honored with Big Ten Player of the Week, after leading the Spartans to two road victories, averaging 25.5 points in those contests. Bowen scored a team high of 23 points against No.

Engineers help detect faulty heart valves

About 2,000 people have ticking time bombs inside of their hearts. Students at the MSU College of Engineering are looking for a way to defuse them. Graduate students Naveen Nair and Michael Chan are working with five other students to develop detection methods for faulty heart valves implanted in thousands of patients from the 1960s until the mid-1980s.

New study links stress and aging

Finals can cause students to stress out, but for people who perpetually feel pressured beyond coping capacity, the anxiety can actually cause their bodies to age. A recent study by Elizabeth Blackburn at University of California in San Fransisco has linked chronic stress to rapid cellular aging in women. The research could be relevant to college students who think they do not have the resources to cope with school and work, said Blackburn, a professor of biochemistry and biophysics. "Short-term acute stress is not bad for you - it's when it is day in and day out and you don't have the resources to deal with it," Blackburn said. According to the 2004 National College Health Assessment, 78 percent of students reported feeling stressed.

Seasonal spruce

It was cold and windy, but that didn't stop people from shopping for Christmas trees at 9 a.m. Saturday. At Star Tree Farm, 1822 Willoughby Road in Mason, patches of snow remained on the ground, packed down from the footsteps of people in search of the perfect Christmas tree. An assortment of trees of many different types and sizes stretched across the wide terrain. For a business that relies on its sales for only about three or four weeks out of the year, the Christmas tree industry plays a significant role in the state's economy and offers growers a way to enjoy a different type of farming, officials and farmers say. "You work all year for three weeks of sales," said Ray Schmidgall, owner of Star Tree Farm.

Mich. zoos seek control with pepper spray

Lions and tigers and bears had better behave. A bill that would allow zookeepers to carry higher-concentration pepper spray to control large animals was introduced in the Michigan Senate in September and is now sitting in the Committee on Judiciary. "This adds a layer of safety on that we'd like to have," said Greg Geise, the director at Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek. Geise said it was an important issue because the law does not make a provision for zoos to use the higher-concentration sprays.

Mich. Senate to honor McPherson's service

MSU President M. Peter McPherson will be honored by MSU alumnus Sen. Alan Sanborn, R-Richmond Township, at 10 a.m.

'Enduring Love' combines comedy, suspense

A crimson hot air balloon touches down for a brief moment in a pastoral field. It's obvious the navigators are having trouble grounding the vessel. A handful of passersby rush to the rescue, throwing their weight on the balloon's basket.

Sudanese refugees face a lack of opportunities in Lansing area

Peter Kuot escaped one of the world's most horrendous war zones to the United States in hopes of finding a better life, but he says life still is hard for him.

Lack of focus, turnovers hurt 'U'

A major problem this past weekend for the then-No. 11 MSU men's basketball team was turnovers. The now-No.

Clear as mud

For quite some time, news on the FOX Network has been perceived - rightly or wrongly, depending who you listen to - as a conservative mouthpiece in broadcasting.

New publication set to make waves for Chicano and Latino community

Members of MSU's Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity Inc. have teamed up with one of the fraternity's creators to develop a new publication that serves the Chicano and Latino community. La Onda, which translates to The Wave, will feature news, entertainment and cultural issues surrounding the Chicano and Latino community.

Results of Holden Hall assault survey surprising, if not troublesome

I taught composition at Eastern Michigan University for a few years, and I hated when my students started a paper by quoting the dictionary.