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MICHIGAN

E.L. bars ‘unlikely’ to face tragedy similar to brazil bar

Darcie Moran
January 31, 2013

Long lines at Harper’s Restaurant and Brewpub or Rick’s American Cafe might be daunting for students looking for a fun weekend, but East Lansing officials said they should be thankful because it prevents overcrowding that could lead to dangerous incidents such as the club fire in Brazil. A recent fire at a Brazillian night club left 235 dead, after pyrotechnics lit the building on fire and thousands raced toward a single exit, according to media reports. East Lansing Planning and Community Development Director Tim Dempsey said before any 5establishment opens, owners must go through a thorough review process. He said the design and plans have to be approved, and construction is closely inspected.

MICHIGAN

The golden touch

Natalie Kolb
January 31, 2013

After working with jewelry since high school, gold smither and Bath Township resident Tom Awrey knows how to repair or craft just about anything a customer brings to him. “I guess I look at it in terms of Christmases. I have 43 consecutive Christmases on the bench,” said Awrey, who works his own jewelry repair business fixing pieces for stores in the Lansing area.

MICHIGAN

Local businesses unscathed by fall quarter, lower-than-average GDP

Alex McClung
January 31, 2013

The road to national economic recovery hit a slight barrier during the end of 2012, according to a bleak gross domestic product report released this week. The economy contracted at an annual rate of 0.1 percent during the last three months of 2012, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday. This fourth-quarter report is the worst quarter the U.S. economy has seen in three and a half years. Economic experts expect growth this year to rebound at a rate of 1.5 percent, which still is lower than the pace it has kept during the past three years.

MICHIGAN

Puppies, abortion among proposed bills

Kellie Rowe
January 31, 2013

The Michigan Legislature has had a busy few months between right-to-work legislation and gun bills, but few students might know dozens of other bills are introduced everyday. Here are a few of many bills the Michigan legislators are working on at the moment.

MICHIGAN

New addition to Chandler Crossings available in June

Isabella Shaya
January 30, 2013

The image of an average college apartment usually consists of a broken sink, holes in the wall and loud, partying neighbors. But for students past the party scene who are looking for a quiet environment, a new duplex-style apartment slated to be finished this June might appeal.

MICHIGAN

Study: Student debt on decline

Kellie Rowe
January 30, 2013

The latest results from a nationwide student debt survey show MSU students are graduating with less debt and college graduate unemployment rates are dropping. MSU students who graduated in 2011 had about $2,000 less in debt than those who graduated in 2010, according to Project on Student Debt.

MSU

Course drop refund deadline looming

Robert Bondy
January 30, 2013

The final day to drop classes with 100 percent full-refund is tomorrow, Feb. 1. In an email, the Undergraduate University Division, or UUD, encouraged students to check their schedule to prevent any costly errors.

MSU

Former NASA astronaut shares story with students

Christine LaRouere
January 30, 2013

Astrophysics freshman Carolyn Wendeln wants to be an astronaut, so when she heard former astronaut Story Musgrave was coming to campus, she jumped at the chance to hear him speak. At 7 p.m. Wednesday, students and residents came to the Union to hear advice and life stories from Musgrave — who worked for NASA, holds seven graduate degrees and has flown air crafts for the Marines in Korea.

MSU

Dorm fitness centers begin opening Friday

Robert Bondy
January 30, 2013

Paul Manson, Residence Education and Hospitality Services, or REHS, assistant director for facilities, announced the opening of all the neighborhood fitness centers, with exception for Holmes and Yakeley halls, no later than 8 a.m. Friday. Manson said the flooring for both Holmes and Yakeley halls’ fitness centers is being completed this weekend, and both centers are expected to be ready sometime next week. The State News reported Monday, the fitness centers were reopening in the upcoming week, but REHS Assistant Director of Communications Ashley Chaney previously was unable to guarantee the exact opening dates. The fitness centers will be similar to hotel exercise rooms with cardio-type equipment. REHS will continue to add equipment to the fitness center as equipment is updated.

MSU

South Asian student groups to hold vigil for Indian rape victims

Lilly Keyes
January 30, 2013

When the sun sets in her hometown of Karachi, Pakistan, Yusra Jafferany, president of the South Asian sorority Sigma Sigma Rho, said she would never think of going anywhere alone. Hearing about the brutal December gang rape and murder of Jyoti Singh Pandey in New Delhi, which made international headlines, only reinforced her fears. By holding a candlelight vigil in remembrance of Pandey at 8 p.m. Thursday at the rock on Farm Lane, Sigma Sigma Rho and the Coalition of Indian Undergraduate Students, or CIUS, hope to raise awareness not only of Pandey’s story, but of domestic violence as a global issue that affects people across the globe.

MSU

MSU competing in state-wide Gift of Life Campus Challenge

Alex McClung
January 30, 2013

Although many MSU students try to give back to the community through service and philanthropy, one student group wants Spartans to donate a little more than just their time. The Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostic Student Association, or BLDSA, is competing in the Gift of Life Campus Challenge. The competition pits colleges across Michigan against one another to see who can get the most students to register with Michigan’s organ and tissue donor registry. As of Wednesday night, Wayne State University was ahead of MSU by almost 200 registrants with MSU in second place overall. Jaya Gupta, BLDSA’s Gift of Life coordinator, said the goal of the competition is to increase the number of donors on Michigan’s registry. “It will potentially allow for more people who are in need of organs to potentially be reached,” said Gupta, a biomedical laboratory science senior. The competition, which began Jan. 10 and will be completed Feb. 21, awards two trophies. One trophy is granted to the school who gets the most people to register. The other goes to the university who signs up the largest percentage of its student body, Gupta said.

NEWS

One Degree Higher

Robert Bondy
January 30, 2013

It wasn’t an easy decision for graduate student Brett Neller to give up his full-time job to return to the life of a college student to pursue a master’s degree.

MICHIGAN

Snyder asks for court review of right-to-work

Kellie Rowe
January 29, 2013

After opponents of right-to-work legislation threatened to file lawsuits against the new law, Gov. Rick Snyder enlisted the help of the Michigan Supreme Court to determine if certain parts of the bill are unconstitutional. The governor asked the state’s highest court to issue an opinion on sections of the law that protesters could challenge before the law takes effect March 27, according to Snyder’s official letter to Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Young Jr. Many state workers are upset the Michigan Legislature quickly pushed a controversial right-to-work bill through Congress on Dec.

MSU

Simon discusses revised plan for MSU

Samantha Radecki
January 29, 2013

On Tuesday morning, President Lou Anna K. Simon met with university administrators, officials and student leaders to speak about the new initiatives of her revised strategic plan for the university — Bolder by Design.