Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Take a peek behind the curtain and test drive the NEW StateNews.com today!

Multimedia

NEWS

Midday update: Spartan Stadium turf gets new life as drink coasters, floor mats

Ryan Wallace
March 18, 2002

For 32 years, football players have been tackled into Spartan Stadium’s artificial turf. Now, everyone will have the chance to feel the turf - without the crushing blow often associated with it.MSU is spending about $2 million to replace the artificial turf with natural grass, giving entrepreneurs the chance to find a use for 100 yards of the slightly used green material.Spartan Marketing Inc. bought the turf in December from Houseman Construction, the company MSU paid to remove it and prepare the stadium for its new field, and is selling it in the form of drink coasters, floor mats and picture frames.Prices for a piece of Spartan turf range from $50 for a set of coasters to $80 for a collector’s frame.Rob Kennedy, president of Spartan Marketing, said he got the idea from the Michigan.“I kind of picked the heads of the Sports Information people down there,” Kennedy said.

MICHIGAN

Clinic remains stable after state funding cut

Kendra Snyder
March 18, 2002

Employees and affiliates of Otto Community Health Center still are waiting from the state to restore funding that was cut from the clinic four months ago. The state cut $160,000 in funding for the center in November, along with the funding for 18 other health clinics statewide. Shortly after the decision, Gov.

COMMENTARY

Election commission shouldnt take blame

Contrary to the manner in which I was portrayed in The State News article “Student elections postponed” (SN 3/14), I appreciate the work and time the All University Election Commission has dedicated to elections.

COMMENTARY

Postponement was necessary action

The State News should be more nitpicky with what it prints in its editorials (“Election errors,” SN 3/14). In the editorial, The State News attacked the All University Election Commission for the elections impasse.

COMMENTARY

U has made strides on LBGT concerns

Thanks to The State News for the editorial “Work not done” (SN 3/15). The editorial correctly notes more must be accomplished to achieve true acceptance of MSU’s students, faculty and staff members who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

MICHIGAN

Broadband bills could boost economy

Elissa Englund
March 18, 2002

Gov. John Engler signed the Broadband package into law Thursday, making high-speed Internet services more available throughout Michigan. Legislators hope the package, consisting of three bills, will encourage businesses to both come to and stay in Michigan, thus boosting the state’s economy.

BASKETBALL

Frustration peaks for U

Dan Woike
March 18, 2002

Washington - Following a disappointing 69-58 loss to North Carolina State in Friday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament, MSU men’s basketball associate head coach Brian Gregory quietly sat in the corner of the Spartans’ locker room.With his head in his hands, suit jacket off and tie slightly loosened, Gregory searched for a reason why the Spartans were exiting the tournament after one game for the first time since 1995.“You start wondering, ‘Did we really just run out of gas?’ ” he said.The last time Gregory and the Spartans (19-12) were in the MCI Center locker room, the mood was much different.At halftime, MSU owned a 12-point lead at 30-18 after forcing the Wolfpack (23-11) offense to 6-of-24 shooting.Gregory said the defensive effort in the opening half made the loss even more disappointing.“Anytime you defend as well as you did in the first half and you go out and don’t defend as well in the second half, there’s going to be frustration,” he said.But the exhausted, disappointed, angry and frustrated looks on the faces of his players had to be there.“I think if you don’t see frustration, you have to worry about what kind of kids you have,” he said.One Spartan who had been in the locker room after numerous tournament wins, junior forward Al Anagonye, said he knows he won’t forget being ousted from the tournament this early.“If it doesn’t (bother you), you shouldn’t play at Michigan State,” Anagonye said.

NEWS

U site researches ecological farming

Aaron Johnson
March 18, 2002

Hickory Corners - On a March morning, a small, green all-terrain vehicle moved over a field that usually is home to crops. Remnants of last year’s wheat are still visible, but the only green perceivable lay between dead shoots. The vehicle’s driver stopped at a square cooler dug into the ground and with a soft pop, Yuliya Golod pulled the top off a flask hidden in the box. For the previous 24 hours the flask had been hooked up to a lysimeter - a device that pulls up water from about a meter under the plot and moves it for storage in the flask. She placed the flask in a cardboard box along with flasks from other plots on the site. “Very little’s coming out,” she said. Later in the day, Golod and her fellow field technicians would filter the water inside the flask and determine the concentration of nitrate, ammonia and other compounds - the first such analysis of the year. She’ll collect flasks again in April.

ICE HOCKEY

No. 3 seed reflects icer loss

James Jahnke
March 18, 2002

Detroit - After Sunday’s 3-2 CCHA Tournament championship game loss to Michigan, an irritated MSU head coach Ron Mason said he didn’t want to talk about the NCAA Tournament. “We don’t know who we’re playing, and we don’t know where we’re going to be,” Mason said. Well, now the Spartans know both.

SPORTS

Diver off to nationals

Ryan Wallace
March 18, 2002

Senior Carly Weiden qualified for the NCAA Championships in the three-meter dive during the NCAA Diving Regionals, Zone C, in West Lafayette, Ind. Weiden qualified on the second day of competition with a fifth-place finish. She will make the trip to the 2002 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in Austin, Texas, Thursday through Saturday, to compete in the 1- and 3-meter boards. Junior Stephanie Anisko and freshman Kelly Baldwin also competed during the weekend, but did not qualify.

FEATURES

Eerie likeness of Beatles tribute band entertaining

Dan Julian
March 18, 2002

As John Lennon chewed his gum and sipped on purified water Thursday night at Harper’s Downtown, 131 Albert Ave., he had trouble figuring out why more people weren’t there to see his band perform.“We’ve got some people outside trying to get people in here, but apparently it isn’t working,” he said to George Harrison, who was surprised he was performing at a place that looked like a disco club.“We’ve played at disco clubs before, with the big disco ball and everything,” he said.