Wednesday, April 22, 2026

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COMMENTARY

Manager's report segregates city

After reading the East Lansing city manager's "Noise Reduction Recommendations" to the City Council, I have to admit I am fairly disappointed. The document is philosophically flawed by blaming all noise problems on a "deeply-seated set of issues involving the culture of some young people in our community." The city manager's recommendations ignore the reality that East Lansing is a university town and attempt to separate permanent residents' decisions and actions from both problem and solution identification. Until we, as a community, can admit that all residents - both permanent and student - are a part of any conflict, effective solutions will never be identified or successfully implemented.

MICHIGAN

Peters considers seeking recount

Although Mike Cox woke up Nov. 6 as Michigan's next attorney general, his opponent says it just might have been a dream. Cox, a Republican who's the deputy chief of the homicide unit of the Office of Prosecuting Attorney in Wayne County, unofficially has 1,497,434 votes compared to Sen.

FEATURES

Taylor plays 'amazing' show

Despite being more than twice the age of the average college student, James Taylor still rocks out with a young soul that overflows with timeless music. Not a seat remained vacant Friday night at Breslin Center as the crowd's diversity further demonstrated music's alluring magnetism to unify multiple generations for the same yearning love of melody.

COMMENTARY

SN failed to notice GOP's head women

In the editorial "Breakthroughs" (SN 11/15), The State News praised the Democratic party for its election of Dianne Byrum and Nancy Pelosi and then went on to criticize the Republican party for failing to show women respect by promoting them to leadership positions. The Editorial Board ignored the fact that last week, Deborah Pryce was elected chairwoman of the Republican Conference.

FOOTBALL

Takeaways lead to scores

MSU has been on the wrong end of many big plays this season, but Saturday the defense retaliated with game-breaking plays of its own. Although Purdue scored 45 points and gained 555 yards of total offense, the Spartans forced a season-high five turnovers - four interceptions and a fumble - which led to 23 of the team's 42 points. On a day that recognized the last game at Spartan Stadium for the senior class, it was a day of firsts for many of the Spartan defenders in MSU's 45-42 loss to the Boilermakers.

NEWS

MIDDAY UPDATE: Peace Corps want 'U'

Jack Levenson wanted to break out of his North American shell, get a taste of a different culture and help people in the process, so he joined the Peace Corps and went to Equador."I turned in my application, said I wanted to go somewhere hotter than colder, that I wanted to go somewhere there wasn't a lot of white people, and I didn't want to learn French," said Levenson, whose volunteer work ended a month ago.

NEWS

MIDDAY UPDATE: Workforce increasing more slowly than last year

Boosts in the staff levels of Lansing-area employers is not on the docket for the first fiscal quarter, a study has revealed.Manpower, a worldwide staffing service, has predicted that only 13 percent of Lansing employers are expecting an increase in their workforce between January and March, compared to 20 percent of employers expecting a decline in the same time period.Elaine Sandbrook, area manager of Manpower in Lansing, said that the trend is the result of economic stagnation."What we're finding is the market is not changing much," she said.

SPORTS

HARDY:Pay attention to sporting events, don't be that guy

Before we discuss sports today, we'll discuss sports etiquette, as it seems a few of you out there need a nonalcoholic refresher on how not to be that guy. As I sought refuge inside my sports haven, a local sports pub named Reno's, for a weekend of marquee matchups, I couldn't stomach one of those tasty Reno's Hat Trick sandwiches because I couldn't digest the discussion among some drunken Spartans. I'll give credit to beermakers, though.

NEWS

Administrators back Pittman

Several members of MSU's Board of Trustees and President M. Peter McPherson were unaware of Trustee Randall Pittman's past fraud liabilities when he was appointed to the board in February - but they are defending him. The support comes in the wake of a State News story published Friday that cites Illinois appellate court documents that show Pittman, a Republican appointed to the board in February, was found liable in 2000 on multiple counts of fraud in a civil case. "I am absolutely convinced he's a man of high ethical character," McPherson said.

NEWS

Students upset with E.L. police's noise policy

These days, Matt Craven thinks twice before turning up the music. To evade trouble, Craven moved east to Gunson Street this year after his last house, a 12-person lodging on the corner of Ann and Charles streets, became a hot spot for East Lansing police, he said.

BASKETBALL

Spartans roll in exhibition finale

MSU women's basketball put a final stamp on its exhibition season Sunday with a convincing 77-48 win over the Basketball Travelers Inc. at Breslin Center. Even with the victory, MSU head coach Joanne P.

COMMENTARY

No new taxes

Eco's plan for "green energy" is promising and could put MSU on the cutting edge of conservation, but funding the endeavor with a student tax is not a good idea. The $5 tax Eco seeks to impose might be small by itself, but the list of taxes that students already pay adds up fast.

NEWS

Drug use becomes reality

Called a disease, a sickness or a problem, hard drug use can take its toll on anyone - from the average MSU student to those living in the media limelight. Following MSU junior quarterback Jeff Smoker's comments Thursday about his struggle with substance abuse, scrutiny over hard drug use on campus has brought the issue to the forefront of campus conversation. Dan Grimm, an international relations junior, says hard drugs are "definitely present" in the student community. He said student drug use has "become more realized by other people because of rumors circulating, but hard drugs such as cocaine are definitely present in the student body.

MSU

Transfer students are less involved at new schools

Transfer students are not as involved in schoolwork and college activities than other students, according to recent results from the National Survey of Student Engagement. Kyle Bailey, a mechanical engineering sophomore, said transferring was easier than he thought, but said he did have some trouble adjusting. "The transition was pretty easy," the transfer student from Howard University said.