State marks Mid-Mich. ash trees

Delta Twp. - A dark war with one of Michigan's deadliest tree killers rages on as surveying crews wearing bright orange vests mark trees with orange spray paint. The Michigan Department of Agriculture is fighting the spread of the emerald ash borer beetle - a tiny, metallic-green insect that wreaks havoc on ash trees while feasting on their sapwood - by employing its Emerald Ash Borer Task Force to mark infected trees for future removal. Last week, the team branded ash trees in a half-mile wide swath of land near Saginaw Highway in Delta Township.

Experts rush to utilize Hubble

Last week felt more like finals week for astronomy professor Megan Donahue as she raced to submit a Hubble Space Telescope research proposal by Friday night. Unlike past years, Donahue and many of her colleagues are fearing this might be their last chance to conduct research with the help of the 14-year-old star-spotter. Earlier this month, NASA officials decided to terminate future servicing missions to Hubble, signaling the demise of the prized machine that revolutionized astronomy by allowing scientists to explore the far reaches of the universe without distortion from the atmosphere. The announcement coincides with a directive by President Bush to shift the space program's focus to visiting the Moon and reaching Mars.

NASCAR news races into library meeting

Terry Fitzwater, a publisher for Michigan Racing Scene, will give a speech about life on the fast lane.

Capitol update

Granholm address to Mich. airs live Tuesday Granholm will deliver her 2004 State of the State address Tuesday from House Chambers at the Capitol. The governor will speak to the Legislature about issues of the past year and is expected to propose a prescription drug discount card and a job creation plan. This year will mark Granholm's second State of the State address after being sworn in to office in January 2003. The speech is not open to the public but will be broadcast live at 7 p.m.

Sweet sweep

Columbus, Ohio - Paced by freshman defenseman A.J. Thelen's 4-point weekend, the MSU hockey team swept No.

Team finds skill, depth in recruits

It's crunch time for next season's football recruitment, and the Spartans already have an impressive array of commitments.

'U' legend a part of campus experience

Thanks for the story about Ernie ("Local figure 'Ernie the Can Man' remembered by community" SN 1/23). I was at MSU from 1987-91, and he was as important a part of MSU to me as anything or anyone. Lucas was everywhere.

Conservative values are American way

The lack of support and morality shown in the opinion pages of The State News ("Bad Bush!" SN 1/22) makes me weep bitter tears of fear every night as I try to sleep, and nothing disturbs me more than those immoral heathens who would try to do away with traditional marriage. In President Bush's State of the Union address, he specifically called for an end to the threats against the moral and religious values that we all hold and which cannot be refuted (Christian values are obviously the only valid ones, that's why there aren't any other religions, right?). I would like to issue a call to arms to all my fellow Christian brothers and sisters, for our very ways of life are under assault.

Spartans upset No. 9 Gophers

The No. 20 MSU women's basketball team finally broke through against a top 10 team, beating No.

Swingman's long shot ends in OT crumble

West Lafayette, Ind. - With the game at stake, MSU coach Tom Izzo said there's no player he'd rather have at the free-throw line than Alan Anderson. And why not?

Greek recruitment to begin this week

Spring recruitment for some MSU fraternities and sororities begins this week. Fraternity recruitment runs Jan.

Oprah book group to discuss Paton's novel

An Oprah Winfrey reading group will discuss Alan Paton's novel, "Cry, The Beloved Country" on Tuesday. Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 333 E.

'Butterfly Effect' can't fault Kutcher, only plot concept

"The Butterfly Effect" is a movie I really wanted to like, really. Movies dealing with the space-time continuum - and the idea that going back and changing something small could change everything - are typically fascinating.

Iakounina earns 8th, leads Spartan squad

With an overall score of 194.474, the MSU gymnastics team took third on Friday at No. 3 Florida. Freshman Victoria Iakounina scored highest for MSU on both vault and bars.

MIDDAY UPDATE: Clinical Center to expand capabilities

The MSU College of Human Medicine might move to the western side of the state, but it doesn't mean MSU's medical services will decrease, officials say. In fact, medical officials said Friday that the MSU Clinical Center will expand to develop its minor surgery capabilities. "Twenty million dollars has been earmarked for facility renovations," said Sherry Tompkins, spokeswoman for the College of Human Medicine, adding that the initiative is to "get more clinics conveniently located to one another to improve patient experience." A preliminary estimate size of the addition is 30,000 square feet, according to Dr. Margaret Knapp, chief operating officer of MSU Health Team. For more on this story, please see Monday's edition of The State News.

State News Live to feature Iraqi scientist, issues of the week at 7 p.m. on 88.9 FM

"State News Live" returns to the air tonight featuring an interview with Imad Khadduri, a 1965 MSU graduate who spent 30 years as a nuclear scientist in Iraq.

Spartans sweep weekend series against Buckeyes

Columbus - The MSU hockey team needed only one goal from freshman defenseman A.J. Thelen to ensure a victory Saturday against Ohio State.

Paying dues

Political initiatives on the federal and state levels are asking citizens and lawmakers to adopt a more pragmatic concept of what "separation of church and state" really means. Most recently, a package of bills passed by the state Senate - and expected not to be contested by Gov.

Police briefs 01/23/04

Speed demons cause street-width reduction

City officials are hoping a new ordinance will curb a local street problem - the number of speeders. The East Lansing City Council voted Tuesday night to approve an ordinance that would reduce the required width of local residential streets from 30 feet to 28 feet. "The city has a neighborhood traffic program that noticed a lot of residents have complained about speeding," said Tim Rayner, city traffic engineering administrator. The new ordinance will not affect already constructed streets but will apply to all public streets built in the future.