Jury system is broken and should be fixed

An envelope arrives in the mail and tells you that you have to make time in your busy schedule for jury duty.

Lansing firefighers beat

Lansing firefighters and police officers have routinely rolled up their sleeves and fought it out during the past two weeks. Despite the bloodshed, both forces seem pleased with the outcome. That’s because the two services were competing to raise blood for the American Red Cross.

Officials opinions conflict concerning rate increase

The warning didn’t go unfounded.Less than a week after MSU President M. Peter McPherson strongly hinted the tuition guarantee was in trouble, the Board of Trustees called for a hefty 8.9 percent tuition increase Monday.The hike, approved 6-2, is the largest increase since rates rose 9.9 percent for the 1993-94 school year.The rate boost comes after it has become evident MSU will likely receive only an expected 1.5 percent funding increase from the state Legislature.

Scary Movie sequel is terrible cinematic work

As a movie critic, there are few choices as to the movies that must be reviewed. If there were a choice, “Scary Movie 2” would be avoided. If it were showing on Sarah Michelle Gellar’s naked body, I still wouldn’t watch it again. If there were exotic concubines waiting to feed me popcorn while I laid on a soft bed of silk pillows, I still would not go. There’s never been a bigger waste of time or money than Keenen Ivory Wayans’ new comedy venture.

Farm expo plows onto campus

It’s a sunny Wednesday afternoon, your children are on summer break, and you’re not quite sure what to do with them.You could do what hundreds of area families did Tuesday, and visit the MSU Ag Expo.The three-day event opened Tuesday at the Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education to a large crowd of farm enthusiasts.

Advisory team looks at law issue

When Shakespeare wrote, “The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers,” in “Henry VI,” he may have been alluding to a dislike for their tactics. Lawyers have been criticized for years for lacking professionalism. This criticism has spurred Lansing’s Cooley Law School to form an advisory group to address the issue of professionalism.

Morals should be governed with laws

I am writing in response to Andrew Banyai’s column regarding abortion (“Latest administrative action provokes anger,” SN 7/9). I must strongly disagree with Mr. Banyai’s implied contention that our laws and government should be morally neutral.

Easy, board

Safety should be paramount for school administrators these days, but like anything else, they need to use discretion and common sense in most cases.The case-in-point is Jeremy Hix, who just finished his junior year at Holt High School.

Police briefs 07/11/01

Mushroomhead provides heavy-hitting metal

Mushroomhead XX (Eclipse Records) There are a lot of heavy metal bands out there today, but Cleveland-based Mushroomhead does its best to separate itself from the rest. “XX” is the band’s national debut, and fourth album overall.

Two stores to join Meridian Mall this fall

OKEMOS - Shoppers at Meridian Mall will soon be able to read a book before they head to another wing to try rock climbing. The mall, 1982 W.

Ohio wide receiver still considering U

Football recruit Andre Chattams has narrowed his choice to three colleges and MSU is near the top of the list. The 5-foot-11 wide receiver from Dayton Chaminade-Julienne High in Dayton, Ohio, told The State News that Purdue, Georgia Tech and MSU are his top three choices. But Chattams is in no rush to make a decision - he said he doesn’t intend to make one in the near future.

English council elects U prof

An MSU English professor and director of the Writing Center will be representing more than 77,000 English teachers on a national level.Patricia Lambert Stock was recently elected vice president of the National Council of Teachers of English.

Employment policy upsets graduate

How many of you undergraduate students plan on giving to MSU upon graduation? You will be getting phone calls shortly after you receive your diploma, asking for donations for various funds to support the university.

Hockey tickets set aside for students

MSU students almost missed out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but Athletics Director Clarence Underwood came to their rescue Saturday. After ticket sales for “The Cold War” hockey game ballooned to 61,000 on Friday, Underwood announced he would suspend ticket sales to the general public, thereby allowing students who are not around campus this summer a chance to snag some seats. “The Cold War” will pit MSU against archrival Michigan in an outdoor hockey game at 6 p.m.

Kiss full of kickin action

Martial arts films are often risky territory. The characters usually aren’t very interesting except for their physical abilities and the stories are far-fetched, even for such a far-fetched genre. But “Kiss of the Dragon,” starring Jet Li, manages to entertain without talking down to the audience or getting too hokey. The story centers on Li’s character, Liu Jian, who’s something of a Chinese supercop.

Weiss: Tuition guarantee dead

At least one MSU trustee is saying the tuition guarantee, which was instituted by President M. Peter McPherson in 1994, will likely be suspended today. Robert Weiss said when the Board of Trustees meets at 9 a.m.

Farmers flock to agricultural expo

The Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education will become the place to be for farmers this week. The MSU Department of Agricultural Engineering is holding its 22nd annual Ag Expo, which runs from 9 a.m.

Residents can enjoy handmade treats at 27th annual Ice Cream Social

Pork chops and ice cream will go together well Wednesday night. Clowns named Porkchop and Honeybunch will entertain kids while residents eat handmade ice cream at the 27th annual Ice Cream Social at the Orchard Street Pump House, 368 Orchard St. The event starts at 5 p.m.

Tuition guarantee suspended; hefty tuition hike on the way

With the time quickly approaching to send out tuition bills, university officials couldn’t wait any longer to determine how much tuition costs will rise for next year.The MSU Board of Trustees voted 6-2 Monday to suspend the tuition guarantee and raise tuition at a special meeting.Trustees Bob Weiss and David Porteous voted against the increase, and Weiss voted against altering the tuition guarantee.Undergraduate student tuition is expected to rise 8.9 percent in the fall, pending the expected 1.5 percent funding increase from the state Legislature.If MSU receives a 3 percent funding increase from the state, undergraduate tuition will be raised 6 percent.