Benton Harbor tries to recover from unrest year later

Benton Harbor - A year ago, economic frustration and racial tension boiled over in the small, southwestern Michigan city of Benton Harbor, resulting in two nights of violent uprising. Anger over police behavior and lack of jobs, which caused the city's riots in June 2003, has been recognized and changes have been orchestrated, as Benton Harbor officials and residents now pause and reevaluate how far their city has come and what still lies ahead. "We're looking to improve everything, but I think the city has made considerable progress," Mayor Wilce Cooke said. Looking back since the civil unrest, more than 85 new jobs for adults and 220 for youths have been created, about $22.7 million has been pumped in by local, state and federal organizations and Gov.

ELECTION UPDATE: 3 elected to E.L. School Board seats

Less than 10 percent of registered voters appointed almost one half of the East Lansing School Board during Monday's district election. Out of 29,626 registered voters, 2,454 voters, or 8.28 percent, elected three of the district's seven Board trustees.

Updated draft goes under political radar - at least until after election

The draft is always a very touchy subject, especially in an election year. Perhaps this is why the Bush administration has been very quiet about the Universal National Service Act of 2003.

Troops deserve respect, privacy

I'm tired. Tired of pretending that I do not overhear the ignorant comments of others around me.

Pizza delivery man attacked with knife, robbed

Before 3:45 a.m. Monday, a pizza delivery man was assaulted and robbed at Treehouse Apartments, 227 Beal St., according to East Lansing police. The 33-year-old delivery man was confronted by five men in the stairway leading to a vacant apartment, according to a police report.

Midwestern trio rock in first album

It's hard to believe Xolotl's "The Lines to Our Minds" is the band's first album.

Study: College students lack political motivation

While a recent study showing college students as being apathetic about politics makes sense to young adults, legislators don't all agree on the findings.

State Senate rejects higher ed budget

Lansing - The state Senate unanimously voted today to not concur with last week's state House approval of the $1.7 billion higher education budget.

Facing the music

We've all grown up hearing the same thing, stealing is bad. So why all the hullabaloo over nine MSU students who were caught in the act of pilfering something?

Police sting Holt restroom

Accusations of sexual profiling and entrapment arose after a Michigan State Police sting operation at a Holt-area restroom late last week. Michigan State Police said the sting, which took place on Thursday and Friday at the restroom on northbound U.S.

Flags up

What a sordid little past our Pledge of Allegiance really has. On Monday, the Supreme Court added a small chapter to that historical timeline.

'U', U-M would be affected by measure

The University of Michigan and MSU might be the only schools of the state's 15 public universities that would be affected by two measures targeted to eliminate the use of race in the admissions process. The measures, a ballot initiative sponsored by the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative and an amendment tacked onto the higher education bill, would either ban public colleges and universities from using race, creed, religion, sex or national origin when looking to admit students into their college, or at least eliminate the schools' state funding. Although most university leaders said they didn't think the idea of using race in admissions was a big deal, many still were reluctant to discuss the specifics of their policies toward preferential treatment in admissions.

67 million affected by allergies

Though 67 million people suffer from some type of allergy, many of those afflicted most likely haven't felt a reaction for quite the same reason as Erin Robertson did when she was 16. "We went to (toilet paper) someone's car and they had just mowed the lawn," the biosystems engineering junior said.

Police briefs 06/15/04

Youth key for Benton Harbor's development

Benton Harbor - Though the paint was peeling and the steps were bowing with age, laughter could be heard from the front porch of a two-story Benton Harbor home on Friday.

Marriage argument ridiculous, skewed

This is direct response to Mary Haan's letter, "Sanctity of Marriage must be protected" (SN/ 6/10). I don't even know where to begin.

Housing ordinance worth a challenge

In response to "No quarter" (SN 6/8): I believe that the city ordinance permitting "neighborhoods" to disallow renters is some strange, legalized form of blockbusting and segregation.

Police find link between shooting, E.L. robbery

Police in East Lansing and Sterling Heights are working with the FBI in an investigation involving a link between a series of bank robberies - one that occurred in East Lansing - and the fatal shooting of a Sterling Heights police Officer. Timothy W.

WEB ONLY: E.L. gears up for public school board elections

Today's East Lansing Public School Board election may feel like a step back in time for area voters and city officials. "It's like conducting an election in 1790 except we're not using quill pens," said Mark Grebner, chairman of the Ingham County Board of Commissioners. This year, three seats on the East Lansing school board were open but only one person was nominated for candidacy.

Step backward

State Rep. Leon Drolet, R-Clinton Township, and the Michigan House of Representatives have taught Michigan an interesting lesson in the past year - if at first you don't succeed in undermining the Supreme Court, try, try again. Last Wednesday, Drolet succeeded in steering an amendment through the state House that would sever state funding to public universities who factor race into admissions policy.