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MICHIGAN

Council members strive for standard permit conditions

Shannon Murphy
August 13, 2001

East Lansing City Council will discuss standard conditions to be used for Special Use Permits on Tuesday. Jeanne Rogers, community development analyst for the city, said the council wants to make a standard set of conditions that are put on bars and restaurants applying for the permits. “We keep trying to make a standard set but when we get into the middle of the discussion in the meeting people will have concerns,” she said. Rogers said the council could still add conditions if it thought it was needed. “If council had concerns they could change it,” she said.

FEATURES

Murrays talents wasted in sophomoric Osmosis Jones

Drew Harmon
August 13, 2001

Man eats poorly and gets infected by a horrible disease, so a heroic blood cell cop must save him and all other organisms from extermination. That’s the plot of the very mediocre “Osmosis Jones,” starring Bill Murray as Frank, the unhealthy eater, and the voice of Chris Rock as the title character. The movie cuts back and forth between live action and cartoon sequences, all detailing how Frank gets infected with a nasty virus (voiced by Laurence Fishburne) and how Osmosis attempts to save Frank’s body. Osmosis is a renegade cop inside the body, which houses a whole life system of organisms working to ensure the body’s running smoothly.

SPORTS

E.L. slips in ranking of best sports cities

Ryan Wallace
August 13, 2001

Everyone has their own opinion about which city has the best sports atmosphere and top teams, and those who ooze Spartan spirit probably think East Lansing is the athletic mecca of the Midwest. But “The Sporting News” doesn’t think so in its 2001 edition of the nation’s Best Sports Cities. East Lansing tumbled from 35th last year to 60th this year, but is still the second-highest city in Michigan, behind ninth-place Detroit. “The Sporting News” has ranked the top sports cities since 1993 and this year’s winner is New York and surrounding areas.

NEWS

Music highlights weekend event

Cavan Moon
August 13, 2001

Behind the calm facade of Grand River Avenue, area residents were dancing in the streets this weekend.Downtown East Lansing was inundated with thousands of people who came to take advantage of a myriad of ethnic music, art and food that came hand-in-hand with the 63rd National Folk Festival, which ran from Friday through Sunday.

MICHIGAN

Senator aims to inspire young

Kristina Hughes
August 13, 2001

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s niece and daughter were at her side during her campaign. Since then, she continues to make a statement to young women, said Dave Lemmon, Stabenow’s communication director. “Debbie has talked about how she sees herself as a role model for young women,” he said.

NEWS

National Folk Festival success creates support for local version

Shannon Murphy
August 13, 2001

The end of the National Folk Festival’s three-year stint in East Lansing is only the beginning of what city officials hope will become an annual celebration. The 63rd National Folk Festival ended Sunday, attracting a crowd during the three-day music gala that was just as big, if not bigger, than last year’s 120,000-visitor turnout, said Lora Helou, communications director for the MSU Museum. The MSU Museum will produce the Great Lakes Folk Festival starting next summer.

NEWS

Gridders scholarship provokes controversy

Ryan Wallace
August 13, 2001

Spartan tight end Eric Knott completed his first collegiate practice Saturday morning, much to the enjoyment of MSU coaches and players.But not everyone at the university is excited Knott is now an official member of the Spartan family.Knott pleaded guilty to fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, a misdemeanor, and served 30 days in jail in June for an alleged July 1999 rape of a 13-year-old Detroit girl.After a two-year courtship, the Detroit Henry Ford High standout received a full-ride scholarship from MSU on Friday.MSU’s policy dictates any athlete convicted of a felony will be dismissed from the team, but because of the plea-bargain, Knott was able to stay eligible to play football for the Spartans.Head coach Bobby Williams said the decision was not his to make, but that of the university as a whole.“This is a university decision, basically,” Williams said after the first freshman practice of the season Saturday.

NEWS

Crowd shakes to polka sound

Shaun Byron
August 13, 2001

Furious fiddle-playing on songs like “Suicide Polka” and “Potato Chips Polka” flooded the dance tent.The music was so infectious, people couldn’t resist grabbing their partners to do some serious polka dancing.Eddie Blazonczyk’s Versatones played to a packed house at the National Folk Festival.The Polish-style polka band, with its ever-changing lineup, has been together since the late 1950s and has recorded more than 50 albums.Currently, the band consists of Eddie Blazonczyk Sr., Eddie Blazonczyk Jr., Dave Nigel Kurdzil, John Fomenko, Wally Dombrowski and John Pilch Jr.With 14 Grammy nominations and an award in 1987 for “Polka Celebration,” the band is famous for originating the “Chicago style” of polka music.Lead vocalist and founding band member Eddie Blazonczyk Sr.

NEWS

ASMSU requests student trustee

Jamie Gumbrecht
August 13, 2001

A bill introduced Saturday at ASMSU’s Academic Assembly summer meeting requests a voting student position be added to MSU’s Board of Trustees - a panel traditionally comprised of high-profile alumni.However, the path to such a proposal becoming reality will be a rigorous one.The initiative would require an amendment to the state’s Constitution - a long and difficult process.Representatives of the undergraduate student government tabled the bill for discussion at future meetings, where member interest will be reassessed.“It’s a really, really lofty issue with a lot of weight to it,” Academic Assembly Chairman Matt Clayson said.

FEATURES

Classic cars cruise on campus

Drew Harmon
August 13, 2001

A few classic cars cruised around campus this weekend, mixing in with the typical blend of modern sport utility vehicles and sedans.The fourth annual Cars on Campus charity event kicked off Friday with a mix of classic automobiles rolling down Grand River Avenue and culminated in a car show featuring more than 200 vehicles Sunday afternoon.“There are literally hundreds of car shows this time of year in Michigan,” said Steve Purdy, the show’s event director who designed a poster with an image of MSU’s Sparty reflected on the hood of a Cadillac for the event.

NEWS

Police release sketch of suspected phony cop

Shaun Byron
August 13, 2001

East Lansing police released an artist’s sketch today of the man suspected of impersonating an officer.The man is suspected in at least two police impersonation cases which have taken place in the past two years.The East Lansing Police Department is asking for help to find the suspect involved in the most recent incident, which happened Thursday.He is described as a white male, about 6 feet tall, about 200 pounds, with medium-length brown or black hair.

NEWS

Visa complications hinder students from teaching U

Jamie Gumbrecht
August 9, 2001

Just a few months ago, Jen Xu was waiting in line at the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai, hoping for the document that would let him study chemistry at MSU.He was turned away once because his interviewer sensed an “intent to emigrate.”Three weeks later, he was turned away again.On his third and last chance, Xu received the visa that brought him to campus about a month ago.“The first time I was pretty nervous, but by the second and third time, I was an expert,” Xu said.

BASKETBALL

Flint star no longer consider Spartans

James Jahnke
August 9, 2001

A day after saying the Spartans were tied with Ohio State at the top of his consideration list, jettisoned Michigan basketball recruit JaQuan Hart said MSU is now out of the running for his services.“It’s down to Ohio State and Cincinnati,” Hart told The State News on Wednesday night.

COMMENTARY

Treaty doesnt solve major world problems

The United Nations - which is dominated by European socialist countries that have a deep hatred for the prosperity found in the United States, thanks to capitalism and limited government - briefly rejoiced when then-Vice President Al Gore signed the Kyoto treaty in 1998.