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MICHIGAN

Candidate pursues donation tax credit

Chad Previch
November 5, 2002

A proposal by state Rep. Paul DeWeese could bring enough funds to MSU to help the school reach its $1.2 billion fund-raising goal, but critics say the proposal is untimely with next year’s budget woes. DeWeese’s proposal would add a new section to the Michigan tax code to provide a tax credit to individuals and corporations contributing to the endowment funds of state institutions of higher learning. The Williamston Republican is running against state Rep.

SOCCER

Mens soccer team wins season finale

Dawn Klemish
November 5, 2002

Sophomore Kellen Kalso connected on an overtime penalty kick to lift the Spartans to a 1-0 win over Bowling Green (4-11) Friday. Senior Tyler Robinson had four saves between the posts for the Spartans to gain his sixth shutout of the year. MSU improved to (11-6 overall, 3-3 Big Ten) with the victory, its last regular game of the season. The Spartans next will travel to Penn State for the Big Ten Tournament Nov.

FOOTBALL

MIDDAY UPDATE: Campus reacts to firing of Williams

Ryan Wallace
November 5, 2002

After Monday’s announcement that Bobby Williams will no longer be MSU’s head football coach, students and trustees are making their feelings known.MSU Trustee Joel Ferguson released a statement following the announcement that said he felt Williams was not given a fair opportunity to build a program.Ferguson, who is the only black member of the Board of Trustees, cited the two coaches who preceded Williams, George Perles and Nick Saban, were given at least four years to develop a program.Following the firing of Williams there are now only three black coaches in Division I-A football.The Black Student Alliance will hold a meeting at 6:30 p.m.

FOOTBALL

Trustee says race played role in dismissal

Kristofer Karol  and  Brian Charlton
November 5, 2002

An MSU trustee issued a statement Monday alleging officials treated Bobby Williams, the university’s first black head football coach, differently from his white predecessors. Williams, one of only four black coaches in Division I-A football and the first black coach of any MSU revenue sport, was fired Monday night by Athletics Director Ron Mason.

MSU

Penn State, U battle in blood drive

Plates full of cookies and jugs of juice were placed on a table in the Bailey Hall lounge Monday. Red and blue lawn chairs were strategically placed around the rest of the room as American Red Cross workers in white lab coats patiently waited for students to come in and donate blood. The ninth annual MSU-Penn State Blood Challenge began Monday and will run until Nov.

FEATURES

WEB ONLY - Staged reading of Luck! premieres today at BoarsHead

A six-person comedy about a mischievous chain letter, Sean Grennan’s “Luck!” premieres today in the form of a staged reading at the BoarsHead Theater. Grennan, a longtime Chicago actor and playwright, won an honorable mention award for “Luck!” from the National Writer’s Association’s Playwriting Contest.

FEATURES

NBA Live 2003 wins battle of best basketball video game

Ben Landes
November 5, 2002

The battle for the best basketball video game has been a gruesome one the last few years. With Sega Sports releasing its hit franchise “NBA 2K2” on all three consoles last year and acquiring the ESPN logo this year, it seemed as though Electronic Arts might finally need to step down from the ring. But then again, a little pressure might be just what EA needed to push boundaries and introduce new innovations to keep its franchise afloat.

NEWS

Many student voters to cast election ballot for first time

Registering to vote was among Michelle Beaujean’s first priorities on her 18th birthday. By signing-up to vote in May, she got five extra credit points in her high school government class, and her first dose of participating in the American political system. Today, she’ll wait for the results of her first major vote. “I am really excited about the gubernatorial race,” the special education freshman said.

MSU

U.S., China seek to develop Web-based language learning

Brian Charlton
November 5, 2002

Imagine playing video games for hours, and as a result, gaining the ability to speak Chinese fluently.An MSU professor says the idea is in development.Yong Zhao, associate professor of educational psychology, is leading the design on a new platform that will incorporate teaching Chinese in the United States.

FOOTBALL

Moss arrest just one of many negative incidents

Chris Mackinder
November 5, 2002

A day after Dawan Moss was arrested and dismissed from the MSU football, details of the incident have become clearer.Early Sunday, the co-captain was charged with second-offense drunken driving, fourth-degree fleeing and eluding and resisting and obstructing a police officer.

COMMENTARY

Team troubles

The Green and White is looking a little black and blue these days. But the good news is Athletics Director Ron Mason started the healing process Monday after firing Bobby Williams from his head coaching job. When asked if he had lost control of his 3-6 team, Williams told Mason, “I don’t know.” It seems Williams had. Three of four team captains have run into serious trouble this season - junior quarterback Jeff Smoker is suspended indefinably as he battles a substance abuse problem; senior tailback Dawan Moss was cut after being charged Sunday with drunken driving and eluding police; and junior center Brian Ottney was benched for foul trouble. Only senior safety Thomas Wright remains a steady figure on the field - knock on wood. But we wish the problems ended with the team’s leadership. Junior defensive end Greg Taplin was suspended from Saturday’s game against the University of Michigan for breaking unspecified team training rules and sophomores linebacker James Cooper and running back Jason Bradley quit the team voluntarily. And the rap sheet gets even longer when you factor in incidents the occurred before this season: • Sophomore defensive end Clifford Dukes found himself in court facing charges that he assaulted someone at an October 2001 fraternity party.

MICHIGAN

E.L. mayor to sing Wolverine fight song

Kendra Snyder
November 5, 2002

East Lansing Mayor Mark Meadows will hail the victors at the City Council meeting Wednesday night, after losing a wager with Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje. As a result of the loss to the University of Michigan, Meadows agreed to wear maize and blue and sing the Wolverine fight song at the 7:30 p.m.

MICHIGAN

Fraternity kicks off service week

Elissa Englund  and  Benita Mehta
November 5, 2002

After weeks of writing letters to local and state politicians, Amber Johnson reached her goal Monday night. A trio of students from MSU’s service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, received a proclamation from Lansing Mayor David Hollister declaring this week as Alpha Phi Omega National Service Week in Lansing. “It’s great when a high-ranking politician cares about things on a more intimate level,” said Johnson, an environmental biology senior and vice president of service for the fraternity. The MSU chapter is part of a national service fraternity that created National Service Week, which runs from Nov.

FOOTBALL

Watts to become interim coach

Eric Mckinney
November 5, 2002

In the midst of a season full of disappointment, suspensions and substance abuse, Athletics Director Ron Mason announced Monday the firing of head coach Bobby Williams.“I’ve terminated Bobby Williams as our head football coach, effective immediately,” Mason said at a press conference following Monday’s practice.The Spartans’ 23rd head coach was notified of the decision only moments before the press conference and didn’t speak to the media.Since taking over the football team at the 2000 Citrus Bowl, Williams is 16-17 at the helm of the MSU football team.

NEWS

WEB ONLY: Statement from MSU Trustee Joel Ferguson

I want to take the opportunity to address some of the criticisms that have been made about the Spartan football program this year.There are three specific criticisms I want to address: 1) rumors about substance abuse; 2) rumors about a team that is out of control; 3) our win-loss record.The first of these criticisms is that there is a substance abuse problem on the team.That criticism is untrue.The situation involving one individual player in no way reflects the behavior of the rest of the team.

NEWS

ELECTION UPDATE: Levin wins re-election

Carl Levin has been re-elected to a fifth term in the U.S. Senate, according to The Associated Press. The Detroit Democrat, who was first elected to the Senate in 1978, easily beat out 33-year-old Republican state Rep.