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MICHIGAN

E.L. program receives national accreditation

Jamie Gumbrecht
March 23, 2001

The East Lansing Recreation & Arts program has become the first organization in the state to receive accreditation from the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies.The program had to meet 154 standards set by the national agency for its human resources, finance, facility safety, program and instructor quality and diversity.“We had a lot of stuff in place already,” Executive Director Jim Crisp said.

MICHIGAN

Residents grab petitions for race

Jamie Gumbrecht
March 23, 2001

Although an election for two seats on the East Lansing City Council isn’t until November, City Clerk Susan Donnell has had a busy week.Two candidates picked up petitions to run for two open East Lansing City Council seats late this week, bringing the total of possible candidates up to seven.Urban planning senior David Jirikovic also grabbed an application Monday.“We were kind of surprised that we have three in a row,” Donnell said.Donnell said it’s uncommon to have several candidates express interest during one week.Nicholas D’Isa, who stays at home with his two children, and Mark Van Remortel, a substitute teacher in the Lansing area, are the latest additions to the candidate pool.D’Isa, 34, has been a city resident for eight years.

NEWS

Breakthrough agreement results in bargaining unit for graduate employees

MSU and the Graduate Employees Union have reached an agreement on establishing a collective bargaining unit.The unit will not gain collective bargaining power until an election is held sometime next month, but the agreement is seen as a breakthrough.Bob Banks, Assistant Provost for Academic Human Resources, said he feels unionization is not necessary.“The university really does look at graduate assistants as academic colleagues,” he said.

NEWS

CATA still not sure about rate increase

Jamie Gumbrecht
March 22, 2001

Quarter-pinching bus-riders will have to wait a few days more before they’ll know how much pocket change they’ll have next fall.The Capital Area Transportation Authority board was unable to make a decision Wednesday about whether to change the single ride rate from 25 cents to 50 cents because only five voting members were present - one member short of a quorum.The vote will be rescheduled for early next week, when more of the 11 voting members are available.“I think this is the first time this has happened,” said Sandy Draggoo, CATA’s executive director.“It’s very, very unusual.”If approved, the rate change will affect students, senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

NEWS

Whitten leads on and off the ice

James Jahnke
March 22, 2001

The unmistakable feeling of a 220-pound defenseman repeatedly cross-checking you from behind while you fight for position in front of the net might not sound very enjoyable.

MSU

Animals Day includes tours, fun

Shaun Byron
March 22, 2001

Small children will be visiting MSU’s small animals on April 28. The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Student Senate is hosting its annual Small Animals Day on MSU farms. “It’s a day where the university farms open to the public to allow people to come in and see the animals,” animal science sophomore Lynn Voglsaid.

NEWS

Hockey team deserves more support from U

Michonne L. Omo
March 22, 2001

At 7 a.m. one Sunday morning early last semester, my alarm rang out “he shoots, HE SCORES!” My fingers fumbled along the hockey goal-shaped clock and goalie figure, eventually hitting the off button.I crawled out of my bed, groggy with lack of sleep.

NEWS

Time mix-up gives team smaller send-off

Eric Mckinney
March 22, 2001

No speeches, no autographs, no fans. As No. 1-seed MSU’s team bus pulled out of the Breslin Student Events Center parking lot at 6:45 p.m., less than 30 fans gathered to see the Spartans off. Fans got excited as the bus came up the tunnel, only to see it pass by with redshirt sophomore forward Adam Ballinger poking his head out a window. “No action tonight,” said Jarrod Folsom, co-director of the Izzone, the basketball team’s student cheering section.

MICHIGAN

Demolition reveals E.L. past

Eric Morath
March 22, 2001

As dust cleared from the corner of M.A.C. and Grand River Avenues, forgotten advertisements were unveiled sparking memories in the minds of East Lansing residents.Ads for Vernors ginger ale, Curious Book Shop, Michigan State College Supply and The Ink Pot were discovered on the side of the building that now houses the Curious Book Shop, 307 E.

MICHIGAN

Chief prepares for duty

Jamie Gumbrecht
March 22, 2001

Roland Talifarro is quite nervous.When the 13-year-old walks into East Lansing High School this fall, he will be a new face in town - just like his dad, who’s the new face at the East Lansing Fire Department.Roland’s father, Randy Talifarro, was inducted into his new post as East Lansing’s fire chief this week, following 17 years of service with the Flint Fire Department.“I’m the only one in my family that’s nervous,” Roland said.

COMMENTARY

Letters for U

The university should be complimented for its decision to award varsity letters to former female student-athletes. MSU’s Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced Tuesday it will award varsity “S” letters to female student-athletes who competed before 1980. MSU began recognizing women for participation in varsity athletics in 1975, three years after the NCAA passed Title IX.

FEATURES

U grad creates film that walks fine line between fantasy and organ donations

Vince Estes
March 22, 2001

ometimes, unfinished projects will sit on shelves for years, forgotten. Other times, they’re just waiting until the time is right. That was the case with Michigan native Matt Perry, who left his short film “Heartbeat” incomplete when he moved to Sacramento, Calif., in 1995. “I was thinking of a short film I wanted to do - I was listening to the radio and heard something about heart transplants - what a perfect drama,” Perry said.

MSU

Professors research may help cure cancer

Cutler Fetherston
March 22, 2001

Sometimes the old saying is true - good things come in small packages.Robert Maleczka, an MSU professor of chemistry, has spent five years working on a project that could have a large impact for the future of cancer treatment and research.An all-natural compound was discovered by Jun’ichi Kobayashi, a professor at Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan, which could have far-reaching medicinal effects.

FEATURES

Directors come to E.L. for festival

Vince Estes
March 22, 2001

This weekend, a number of directors will be coming from across the nation to follow their babies to the East Lansing Film Festival and talk about them with audiences. “The goal of the film festival is to bring in quality films and quality people that have something to share,” festival Director Jennifer White said. Molly Lynch and Eva Sollberger used to be best friends.

MSU

Online training aids educational community

Nicole Jacques
March 22, 2001

The State NewsStudents, faculty and staff at MSU who want to learn more about computers can clear up their confusion with access to more than 700 free online courses.MSU is just one of Michigan’s educational institutions that can utilize the Information Technology Training Initiative - a state-funded program intended to make computer training more widely available.Gov.

COMMENTARY

Issues linked to poverty must be addressed

I interrupt this paper’s sports glorification coverage with a real issue: How to improve the life quality of the many amongst us who work, but still dwell in poverty. Those whose hearts throb only for in-the-paint action and in-the-bar debauchery, don’t even call me a spoilsport.