Monday, July 13, 2026

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

Multimedia

NEWS

U gets funding freeze

Gov. John Engler will recommend no increase in state funding for MSU and Michigan’s other public universities in his annual budget proposal, Lansing-based NBC affiliate WILX reported Wednesday. Engler, who attended the MSU-University of Michigan basketball game Wednesday evening at Breslin Center, would not confirm the report with The State News.

COMMENTARY

Nonsmokers need smoke-free halls

This is in response to the editorial “Smoke Free” (SN, 1/ 29). The State News’ commentary suggests that students who wish to live in a smoke-free environment should have a right to do so.

NEWS

Whats happening?

Art • Barista Cafe, Case Hall: Exhibition, Friday through Feb. 28. The “Art on the Wall” program presents “A Celebration of African American Heritage - Art and Artifacts.” For more information, e-mail knightt@msu.edu. • Kresge Art Museum: CHARLA presentation featuring Anne Gilman, a visiting artist from New York, 3-4:30 p.m.

BASKETBALL

Spartans trounce Wolverines, 71-44

The MSU men’s basketball team gave head coach Tom Izzo the only thing he asked for on his 47th birthday - a win over rival Michigan. The Spartans (12-8 overall , 3-4 Big Ten) toppled U-M (8-10, 3-5) 71-44 Wednesday night at Breslin Center.

SPORTS

Sports briefs

Spartans lose recruit A hard-hitting linebacker from Ohio decided Wednesday that staying in the Buckeye State was his best choice. Bobby Carpenter will not be playing for the green and white next season - he’ll be playing for Ohio State University. The 6-foot-3, 235 pound linebacker from Lancaster High School picked the Buckeyes instead of MSU, Northwestern and North Carolina. “Location was a factor,” Carpenter said, whose family lives 30 miles from Columbus. Carpenter said getting a chance to see his three younger brothers compete was a factor, but family wasn’t the biggest reason. Carpenter made his decision Monday morning, but MSU remained a top candidate until that point. “They have a great program and a great coaching staff,” he said.

FEATURES

Fosse

Sultry bodies dancing with flared-out fingers dominates Wharton Center this week in the tribute musical “Fosse.” The musical’s run at Wharton began Tuesday and ends Sunday.

MICHIGAN

Amtrak upgrades to high-speed rail system

In the first of what is hoped to be many upgrades in railroad tracks, Amtrak announced that 45 miles of its track in southwest Michigan was converted to a new high-speed rail system.The new track, laid between Kalamazoo and New Buffalo, runs along Amtrack’s Detroit to Chicago corridor.The upgrade, developed by Harmon Industries Inc. of Blue Springs, Mo., allows trains to surpass the previous limit of 79 mph set by the Federal Railroad Administration and reach 90 mph, said Jeff Baker, product manager for the system.“It combines an onboard computer on each one of the locomotives with information from the wayside signaling system,” he said.

COMMENTARY

Cooperation

State and the local governments must work together if there is going to be any type of growth within Michigan cities.

MICHIGAN

Restaurant challenges sign ordinance

East Lansing Mayor Mark Meadows remembers when store and restaurant signs were pretty rampant around East Lansing. “Many years ago there was no regulation, so you could have signs of any shape or form,” he said. Now, an East Lansing sign ordinance is being challenged by Cosi, a coffeehouse and restaurant chain set to open a store in the downtown this spring. Cosi wants to hang a sign that would protrude off the corner of their building, 301 E.

MSU

Sparty clean, but in need of protective coat of paint

Grounds Maintenance crews continued the cleanup process of Sparty Wednesday.Sparty, which is believed to be the world’s tallest free-standing ceramic statue, was painted blue and yellow Tuesday morning in what crews say was the worst attack on the statue in years.The University of Michigan played MSU’s men’s basketball team Wednesday.

COMMENTARY

Timely topics

The focus of President Bush’s first State of the Union address Tuesday night was not only appropriate, but necessary. Bush spoke of his vision for the war on terrorism beyond Afghanistan to a dozen countries that he said harbor terrorists and “an axis of evil” of three more that seek weapons of mass destruction.

MSU

Fair offers information on studying overseas

Barb Dunlap returned from an MSU study abroad program 28 years ago, but she’s reliving the experience as her daughter prepares for her own.The East Lansing resident graduated from MSU in 1975, a year after studying abroad in England.“I absolutely loved the program,” she said.

MSU

ASMSU to vote on tax increase

A proposed $2-per-semester student tax increase likely will be voted on tonight at ASMSU’s joint Student Assembly and Academic Assembly meeting.All students can attend the undergraduate student government meeting to voice concerns at 6:30 p.m.

COMMENTARY

Even one word can change meaning

Matt Treadwell remarked that “the book known as the Bible... is not exempt from human error.” (“Biblical message found beyond wording,” SN 1/30) While I agree that sometimes mistakes are made in copying or translation, reading from a modern Torah scroll (the five books of Moses) in Hebrew is identical to reading from the Dead Sea Scrolls, even though there is a “publishing” gap of 2,000 years.