Dowdell struggles at start, rallies in second half

It was a different quarterback taking the snaps, but the result was the same for MSU. The Spartans (3-5 overall, 1-3 Big Ten) dropped their third consecutive game 42-24 against the Wisconsin Badgers (6-3, 1-3) in front of a national television audience Saturday night. And Saturday’s spotlight was firmly fixed upon sophomore signal caller Damon Dowdell following Thursday’s announcement that junior quarterback Jeff Smoker was indefinitely suspended for violating unspecified team rules. “I thought he came in and stepped up to the challenge,” senior strong safety Thomas Wright said of Dowdell.

Greeks hand out candy, cookies, pumpkins in carnival activities

Wendy Andersen held an umbrella over the head of a three-foot Harry Potter on Friday, shielding the boy and his freshly painted purple pumpkin from falling raindrops.While the downpour soaked the streets, it didn’t put a damper on the turnout of the greek community’s Safe Halloween carnival.East Lansing children dressed as monsters, princesses and superheroes searched through a pile of wet hay for candy, decorated cookies, painted pumpkins, played games and ate doughnuts at the event on M.A.C.

Alumni should stop checks; fire Williams

With this football season basically over after Saturday, it is time for alumni to step up. With the intolerable performances produced on the field getting worse, it is time MSU alumni, who give the money with which the athletics department runs, to make their voices heard to make a change of the entire coaching staff.

SN right, Prop 4 is bad for students

It is great to see The State News join a coalition of student, education, business, political and health leaders in publicly denouncing Proposal 4, a ballot proposal scheming to use the state Constitution as a device to mandate the division of public funds to unaccountable, “health-care”-related special interest groups and not to ensure the well-being and protection of the citizens of Michigan (“Smoke screen” SN 10/24). Although its editorial was informative and accurate in stressing the proposal’s lack of accountability, it did not discuss the impact the proposal would have on the MSU community.

Landslide for Levin

In the race for the U.S. Senate, no one is better equipped than incumbent Carl Levin. The 68-year-old senator is the best candidate to serve Michigan and the country, hands down.

McNamara supports campus activism, urban life program

Colleen McNamara said she’s not afraid to stand up for students’ rights, especially since she has been doing it for about 30 years - dating back to her days at MSU. “I got arrested on campus when I was there,” McNamara said, speaking about a rally condemning police action toward a civil rights demonstration in Mississippi.

Police briefs 10/28/02

Columnist brave to make honest points

I was pleasantly surprised to read Carrie Hoover’s very open-minded, well-reasoned column “Separation doesn’t promote unity” (SN 10/25). She presented some valid arguments for which she will no doubt be criticized.

Re-elect Rogers

Congressman Mike Rogers is one the Republican Party’s “chosen,” rising quickly in the ranks of the U.S.

Objecting to WAR

Grand River Avenue traffic was halted Saturday afternoon as MSU student groups and area residents took to East Lansing streets in protest of a U.S.-led preemptive strike on Iraq. Hoisting anti-war placards and chanting pro-peace slogans, the participants marched west on Grand River Avenue before turning at Michigan Avenue to march east.

Spartans showcase talent in Green and White games

Though this year’s incoming men’s basketball recruits have a difficult road ahead, the sophomore class has made the path a little smoother. Last year’s trio of Chris Hill, Alan Anderson and Kelvin Torbert exploded in their first full-length game this season, scoring 17, 11 and 10 points respectively to lead the Green team to a 78-52 win in the Green-White scrimmage Saturday at Breslin Center. “I really thought we got some good things out of it,” head coach Tom Izzo said.

Volleyball team picks up two wins at Jenison

The MSU volleyball team battled it out with Big Ten opponents en route to picking up two victories this weekend. Led by another red-hot performance from redshirt freshman Megan Wallin, the Spartans (14-6 overall, 6-4 Big Ten) defeated Purdue 30-23, 30-23 and 30-19 on Friday. Senior outside hitter Kyla Smith led the charge Saturday, recording 18 kills in the Spartans’ 38-40, 30-22, 30-21, 25-30 and 16-14 five-game marathon win over Illinois. The contest against the Fighting Illini proved to be the highlight of the weekend.

Spooky weekend

A tortured scream rang through the woods as a masked man stepped out of the fog and revved his chainsaw. Rebekah Lampart gasped.

Spartans splatter U-M 7-0 in match

It was a cold, damp, muddy morning when University of Michigan and MSU fans hit the trenches to battle it out in the name of green and blue ammunition - and the Spartans kicked some Wolverine butt.Just one week before the football showdown in Ann Arbor, there was no better time to get the competitive juices flowing, said Mark Mays, co-owner of Chaos Paintball Fields.

Holidays approach spooks memories

One of the few things I enjoy about fall is Halloween, and its arrival is upon us. It seems as if the highly anticipated holiday is announced earlier and earlier each year - some stores herald candy and costume sales as early as late September, and Halloween decorations pop up everywhere around that time.

APASO conference brings awareness

Standing arm in arm, Jennifer Won and Ben Yu waited for Saturday night’s formal dinner to begin.The couple stood in the halls of the Kellogg Center before dinner - the last event of the annual Asian Pacific American Student Organization weekend conference.The tables were covered in white linen cloths and candles softly lit the room.All day Saturday, the organization conducted workshops on Asian Pacific Americans in the job market, media, sexuality, activism and other issues.Won, a merchandising management senior, wasn’t able to attend the workshops earlier in the day, but dressed up to attend the dinner with her boyfriend.Won said she was glad the conference was able to touch on Asian Pacific-American sexuality issues.“They rarely discuss those issues,” she said.

Taking Munn to the rock is a good move

A lot has changed in the MSU’s greek system since I was involved - fewer people are rushing and numbers seem to be dwindling.

MIDDAY UPDATE: Gore denies rumors, stumps for Democrats

No - Al Gore does not own Shoney’s Restaurants. He doesn’t have a beard and he has not gained weight.“I am Al Gore, I used to be the next president of the United States and if it was up to Michigan I would be the next president,” he told more than 700 people packed in the Fairchild Theater for a Democratic rally on Monday.This fall Gore has decided to concentrate on campaigning for candidates nationwide.

Granholm delivers Gore

When former Vice President Al Gore joins Jennifer Granholm on campus today, it’ll complete a one-two punch for wide-eyed Democrats who hope the party scores big at the polls next week. As the clock strikes noon, Granholm plans to lead a parade of Democratic hopefuls who will join the former presidential candidate on stage at the Fairchild Theatre before nearly 1,000 supporters.

Spartan spikers put up winning weekend

The No. 25 MSU volleyball team played two different kind of matches this weekend, but in the end, they did just what they expected - pick up two victories.