Tuesday, April 28, 2026

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FEATURES

Music Man brings Seventy-Six Trombones to Wharton Center

Meredith Willson’s musical “The Music Man,” comes Tuesday to Wharton Center, bringing with it recognizable tunes such as “Seventy-Six Trombones,” “Gary, Indiana” and “Till There Was You.” The musical tells the tale of a scam artist Professor Harold Hill, who convinces a small town, River City, Iowa, that he is a marching band music conductor.

COMMENTARY

Discussing topics is always important

Brian Riester wrote in his letter “Don’t dwell on old topics in SN letters” (SN 2/15) that “it is time people realize that no matter how much you believe in something, or don’t, nothing is going to change certain issues.

NEWS

BREAKING NEWS: MSU police chief retires

MSU police Chief Bruce Benson, who in recent months has been criticized for placing an undercover officer in a student organization, is retiring.University officials said Monday that Jim Dunlap, assistant police chief, will be Benson’s replacement.

NEWS

Canadian, Russian skaters share gold medal recognition

Figure skating champions Canadians Jamie Sale and David Pelletier were awarded gold medals Sunday night following a six-day Olympic-sized scandal. The controversy surrounding the skating pair, known as “Skategate,” involved the suspension of a French judge and criticism from a 5-4 decision that awarded gold to Russian skaters Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze, giving the Canadians silver. Following a decision by the International Olympic Committee, the Canadian skating pair received gold medals Sunday at the Salt Lake Ice Center standing next to the Russian skaters - who kept their medals - at the same venue that almost a week earlier provided the Canadians silver honors. Both nationals anthems played - all four skaters received applause as they stood holding hands and gold medals. President of the MSU Figure Skating Club Kerry Monaco said awarding the Canadians gold medals doesn’t solve the controversy. She said suspending the French judge, though, helps against a practice that happens at all levels of skating.

COMMENTARY

Unlikely union

The unionization of MSU’s faculty would not be the best method to protect professors’ health care interests. Last week, more than 20 faculty members met with organizers from the Michigan Education Association to discuss the possibility of unionizing MSU’s more than 2,700 ranked faculty members. A possible decline in the university’s health care coverage is a main reason some faculty members are considering forming a union to protect their interests. The university’s health care costs could be raised up to 20 percent this year, which could mean faculty members will have to pay a larger share of their premium. University faculty members have considered forming a union on two other occasions during the last 30 years - both attempts were unsuccessful. No Big Ten university hosts a unionized faculty.

FOOTBALL

Spartans among top linebackers final prospects

The No. 1 community college linebacker in America may come to MSU, and his decision could come as early as today. Rivals.com has Derrick Pope, a 6-foot-1, 218-pound linebacker from Garden City Community College in Kansas, the top Juco linebacker in the nation. Sunday, Pope listed MSU, Arkansas and Florida as his finalists.

SPORTS

No question, CBC is heaven

The Olympics provide athletes with a chance to shine on the global stage with a myriad of nations covering the Winter Games.

MSU

Political speaker sparks racial debate at ASMSU

A debate concerning racism arose during ASMSU’s Student Assembly meeting on Thursday during a vote to fund a presentation by a political speaker who is anti-affirmative action.The undergraduate student government assembly unanimously voted to allot $2,948 for the appearance of David Horowitz, who will speak on campus in March about his experiences with student activism.Crystal Price, Student Assembly’s Black Student Alliance representative, left the meeting after more than an hour of debate about the speaker.Price said she is against funding Horowitz because of his anti-affirmative action beliefs.

NEWS

SPORTS UPDATE: Top recruit passes on U

The No. 1-ranked junior college linebacker has decided to pass up MSU, and attend the University of Alabama - the school he originally committed to. Derrick Pope told The State News today he always thought he’d go to Alabama, but wanted to take the time to look over his options. The 6-foot-1, 218-pound sophomore linebacker from Garden City Community College in Kansas passed up MSU, which many thought to be the leader. “I kinda knew where I was going to go.

COMMENTARY

Affirmative action overlooks factors

In response to Andrew Goetz’s column “Affirmative action opponents pose one-sided, racist argument” (SN 2/15), it is completely ignorant to assume those who oppose racial preferences are all racists. The use of race to decide who does and does not get admitted into a university is, in itself, a racist proposition.

COMMENTARY

SN failed to cover womens hoops

During a weekend when women in sports were honored, your paper decidedly left out highlights of one of the best women’s basketball games ever played on this campus.

MSU

ASMSU calendar to list events

A 4-foot-long and 3-foot-wide events calendar was put on the wall outside 307 Student Services by ASMSU, the undergraduate student government. The $130 calendar will post all ASMSU Student and Academic assembly events.

BASKETBALL

Threes plague Purdue

West Lafayette, Ind. - Purdue’s love for the three-point basket was clear Saturday night, but Valentine’s Day had long passed. “It killed us tonight,” Boilermaker forward Rodney Smith said.

ICE HOCKEY

Team looks within to move on minus Mason

Colton Fretter, 19, is standing firm in his decision to play hockey for MSU next season. The high-scoring forward from Harrow, Ontario, signed a National Letter of Intent with the university back in November after choosing the Spartans over Bowling Green, Miami (Ohio) and other suitors. But November was a much different time in Spartan hockey.

COMMENTARY

Federal skies

Although crackdowns on aviation security have made travel noticeably safer since Sept. 11, it should ease all wary flyers’ minds to know the federal government is now in charge of protecting the skies via the nation’s airport terminals. The U.S.