Freshman basketball center out 4-8 weeks

MSU freshman center Goran Suton underwent surgery Monday to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee.

Ex-Spartan back at 'U' as coach

Jason Woolley, MSU's second all-time leading scorer among defensemen, has joined the MSU hockey team as a volunteer assistant coach, replacing Damon Whitten, who has left the team to become an assistant coach at Wayne State. "I got a call from (MSU head coach) Rick (Comley) last Monday, and, I'll tell you what - it came right out of the blue," Woolley said.

4 trustee candidates run neck and neck

Into the wee hours of Wednesday morning, the MSU Board of Trustees race was too close to call. By 1:15 a.m., only one percentage point separated each of the four major party candidates.

Campus needs to be safer at night

I am writing this letter in regard to the poor lighting on campus at night. With all of the recent assaults going on, I feel that more lighting is a necessity for safety and security.

11th challenge drives to pint-sized goals

The big football game between the Nittany Lions and the Spartans isn't until Nov. 20, but the competition between the two schools began Friday with the first blood drive of the MSU-Penn State Blood Challenge. Entering its 11th year, the blood challenge was based off the sports rivalries in an attempt to gather more donors, said Justin Looyenga, donor recruitment representative for the Mid-Michigan Chapter of the American Red Cross. "The Red Cross was looking for new ways to gain interest in donating blood, and creating new challenges is always a good way to do that," Looyenga said. However, the competition gimmick did not influence education senior Audra Hunsberger's decision to donate blood. "The rivalry didn't make me want to donate," Hunsberger said as she munched on the remaining quarter of her glazed doughnut after giving blood Tuesday.

WEB UPDATE: Supporters grow restless as Michigan's electoral votes hang in the balance

Although less than half of Michigan's precincts had reported by midnight, John Kerry supporters at the Michigan Democratic Coordinated Campaign election party cheered when early counts showed the Massachusetts senator leading the state. "I'm lovin' it," said Rashad Whigham, 29, of Detroit, adding he is excited to see the final results. Whigham spent the day helping hospitalized residents vote through Project Bedside Vote.

WEB UPDATE: Democrats, Republicans wait as final voters cast ballots

Most of the big-name Republicans were in place by 10 p.m. at the Republican Victory Night Party at the Radisson Hotel Lansing, including Michigan Republican Party Chairwoman Betsy DeVos, U.S.

WEB UPDATE: Republican 'U' trustee candidates maintain lead in race

The Associated Press reports, as of midnight, Republicans Melanie Foster and Randall Pittman still are in the lead for the two open MSU Board of Trustees seats.

'Law & Order' duo have high hopes on election night

The two candidates claiming to be the county's "Law & Order" were highly optimistic of their wins, although final results for several Ingham County elections were not available at press time. At 11 p.m., with 48 precincts reporting their results (about 33 percent of the county total) two Democratic incumbents, Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III and Sheriff Gene Wriggelsworth, were winning their races with about 64 and 63 percent respectively. Supporters were already congratulating Dunnings and Wriggelsworth just after 8 p.m.

Spikers gaining confidence with each victory

Despite making huge strides last week with wins against Michigan and No. 21 Illinois, MSU volleyball head coach Chuck Erbe is still focusing on stepping stones, he said. "We're finding ourselves to be in a very competitive position now in the Big Ten," Erbe said.

Local ballot counting continues

At 9:40 p.m. Tuesday, cheers rang out through the lobby of East Lansing City Hall. The first batch of ballots had arrived.

Bush wins 4 more years

George Bush has won re-election as the president of the United States, defeating Democratic candidate John Kerry.

Hassles, local ties spur voters to travel home

First-time voter Emily Alderman said she had to travel about 75 miles to her hometown in Livonia to vote. She choose to make the trip rather than re-registering to vote in East Lansing. "If you do that, then you usually have to change your driver's license," the education freshman said.

Business school wages food war

MSU business graduate students are challenging their counterparts at colleges around the country in the battle against communal hunger. MSU Eli Broad Graduate School of Management students launched the ninth annual "MBA Food Fight" on Saturday, which pits 16 master's degree programs in business administration from colleges throughout the United States against each other.

Ban on same-sex unions now constitutional amendment

More than half of Michigan voters chose to amend the state constitution to define the union of one man and one woman in marriage as the only agreement recognized as a marriage or similar union for any purpose. Supporters of Proposal 2 said the new amendment will protect marriage at a time when it is threatened. "The people of Michigan have spoken very strongly and very clearly that they want the institution of marriage to remain only between a man and a woman," said Gary Glenn, the president of the American Family Association of Michigan. "There's no mistaking that tonight." The bill was rejected by the Michigan Board of State Canvassers earlier this year, but supporters petitioned and managed to place it on the general election ballot.

WEB UPDATE: 9:23 p.m.: Proposal 2 passing early

As of 9:23 p.m., the Associated Press reports that Proposal 2 has received 82,560 votes to pass the amendment and 48,412 votes to defeat it with 3 percent of precincts reporting. Proposal 2 is a ballot initiative that, if passed, will amend the state constitution by defining the union of one man and one woman in marriage as the only agreement recognized as a marriage or similar union for any purpose. The bill was rejected by the Michigan Board of State Canvassers earlier this year, but supporters petitioned and managed to place it on the general election ballot.

WEB UPDATE: Festivities begin for Republican, Democratic parties

Detroit - The six large television screens couldn't provide Kerry supporters at the Michigan Democratic Coordinated Campaign election party with any answers at about 9 p.m.

Inaugural vote

Burmese Americans Rose and Molly Zolianbawi have faced many challenges in their transition to life in the United States. It was a transition from speaking no English to speaking the language as comfortably as their native tongue, and from having no choice under a military dictator to having a right to vote for one American presidential candidate over another.

Crime scene TV show spin-offs unimaginative

This is getting ridiculous. Crime investigation and forensic science spin-off shows already had gone too far - and now there is another one coming to prime time television in early 2005 - "Law & Order: Trial By Jury." Come on, is NBC for real?

Police briefs 11/03/04