MIDDAY UPDATE: State police to focus on drunk drivers this St. Patrick's Day

State police will have extra highway patrol to target drunken drivers this St. Patrick's Day - the first year the holiday will be celebrated under the .08 blood alcohol level drunken driving offense.The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning has provided almost $2 million dollars of federal funds to Michigan's law enforcement agencies and $1.5 million for drunk driving awareness advertising throughout the year.East Lansing police Sgt.

House votes against joint resolution on marriage

The Michigan House of Representatives on Tuesday defeated a resolution aimed at amending the state constitution to legally define marriage as a union between one man and one woman. The House joint resolution was defeated, 65-38, falling eight votes short of the 73 it needed to pass.

Council to vote on rezoning of retail, office development today

The final fate of a controversial redevelopment plan could be determined at tonight's East Lansing City Council meeting. Strathmore Development Company hopes to convert the 2.87-acre property at 1427 W.

'Secret' is out: Depp good, plot bad

Without stars Johnny Depp and John Turturro, "Secret Window" likely would be another lackluster, made-for-TV, Stephen King adaptation.

Speech kicks off 'U' Middle East discussions

Juan Cole, a history professor at the University of Michigan, will speak at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Wonders Hall Kiva.

Computer aids DPPS customer ticket efficiency

The MSU Department of Police and Public Safety has introduced a new computer kiosk in its lobby that aims to decrease waiting time and improve convenience for customers.

Proposal might affect 'U' governing bodies

ASMSU and Academic Governance positions for students and faculty might be affected by Provost Lou Anna Simon's blueprint for liberal arts reorganization at MSU. Seats on MSU's undergraduate student government could be shuffled or deleted under the proposed changes, and officials say it might initially affect the academic and student assemblies' ability to communicate with students. The first draft of the reorganization plan, introduced in February, calls for three colleges to be combined into two and a fourth to be dissolved.

Science & Art

Professor Raymond "Chip" Brock is involved in some of the most complicated particle physics projects around the world.

Horticulture Gardening Institute goes virtual

Attention Internet gamers and Instant Message junkies: Gardeners are making headway into your online world. MSU's Horticulture Gardening Institute recently has created partnerships with nine state master-gardener programs and several public gardens and arboreta.

Shady legislation

This editorial board always has believed that abortion is a choice that should be made between a woman and her doctor, not the government.

Med center faced with money woes

Lansing - There were few open seats in the crowded waiting room of the Cristo Rey Family Health Clinic on Monday.

Laws should omit sexual references

In his letter to the editor ("Civil, gay rights separate issues" SN 3/4), James Wade makes the argument that gay rights issues do not equate to those ones faced by African Americans.

Jucifer EP really, really, loud

Few factors can make a band immediately amazing. One of them is when the drummer rocks so hard that he or she starts to bleed (see www.jucifer.com). Or when flange and distortion are used simultaneously (Flange, noun: Fuzzy, spacey guitar effect that sounds cool). Another is when the lyrics are so good, you skip backward on the CD just to hear them over again. Thus is Jucifer's new six-song (plus bonus track) release, "War Bird." Jucifer is a really, really loud rock band.

Freshman aid might increase

To coincide with President Bush's February education proposal, MSU's freshman financial aid loan limit could increase by $375. But Richard Shipman, director of MSU's Office of Financial Aid, said the limit should be increased for sophomores, juniors and seniors, too - and it should be larger. "We would be happy to see the freshman limit increase, but we really think it's too little with the kind of difference we'd need," he said.

Police briefs 03/15/04

Police call crimes isolated, but some students alarmed by violent deaths

Although East Lansing has experienced more violence in the past three weeks than it has in years, MSU student Cassie Frasher remains confident she is safe in the city. "That sort of thing happens everywhere else," said the kinesiology freshman, referring to the murder-suicide that took place at a downtown East Lansing martial arts studio Thursday.

Aristide bullied out of power, Bush to blame

Rob Flewelling misses the point in his letter to the editor that Bush was right to send the Marines into Haiti because Haiti "was in the middle of a coup" ("Marines should be involved in Haiti" SN 3/4). The problem is that Bush was essentially participating in the coup by demanding that the country's democratically elected president step down and by sending American soldiers to "escort" him out of the country.

Spartans draw Wolfpack

The Spartans fell short on two of their goals for the 2003-04 season - winning the Big Ten regular season title and the Big Ten Tournament Championship - but there still is the chance of reaching one goal: a Final Four. And as unlikely as it might seem, the Spartans are serious. MSU received a No.

Federal bill might give rights to unborn children

Some members of Congress think it's time for fetuses in all 50 states to be protected. While pregnant women who fall victim to crime are recognized as victims under federal law, their unborn children are not. Twenty-nine states, including Michigan, have passed bills allowing prosecution for crimes against unborn babies, but no federal law exists.

Wade's gay marriage argument flawed

This is in response to James Wade's letter, "Civil, gay rights separate issues" (SN 3/4). First off, even though I don't agree with the letter, I'm happy to see that we finally get to see the other side of the gay rights issue.