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MICHIGAN

Downtime for DeVos

Correction: Gov. Jennifer Granholm defeated Dick DeVos by 14 percentage points, not by a 14 percent margin. When Dick DeVos began airing television ads nearly nine months ago, he had one goal in mind — to become the next governor of Michigan. Instead, DeVos was soundly defeated by Gov.

MSU

Webberville native dies during tour in Iraq

Army Staff Sgt. Gregory McCoy, a 26-year-old Webberville native, died Thursday in Iraq after an improvised explosive device hit his vehicle, according to a Detroit Free Press article. McCoy was a member of the Ft.

MSU

Supplements may help ease flu

With cold and flu season in full swing, an MSU physician said bed rest and plenty of fluids aren't the only things that will protect people from viruses. Edward Rosick, a physician of family and community medicine, said natural supplements such as vitamin C or echinacea could help strengthen immune systems and even shorten the length of an illness. "The benefits for some of these supplements is there are not any prescriptions out there that shortens the duration of a cold," Rosick said.

MICHIGAN

Council might OK new apartments

A local landlord is looking to construct condominium-style apartments on the 300 block of Evergreen Avenue — located north of the intersection of Grand River and Michigan avenues. Gregory Spiridakos, who owns rental homes at 334, 340 and 344 Evergreen Avenue, said he's going before the East Lansing City Council tonight to see if city officials are interested in approving an overhaul of the area. "We are in the process to think about what we can do," he said. At this point in the project planning, it's unclear whether students or young professionals would be recruited to live in the new development, Spiridakos said. The homes, which are located in one of the city's historic areas, are old and costly to repair, Spiridakos said.

MSU

MSU study abroad ranks high in national report

For the second year in a row, MSU was recognized as the top public study abroad university in the nation, according to Open Doors 2006, an annual international education report. According to the Institute of International Education, or IIE, in 2004-05, 2,385 MSU students studied abroad — second to New York University in terms of student participation among all colleges and universities. MSU offers 232 study abroad programs in 62 countries and all seven continents. Kathleen Fairfax, director of MSU's Office of Study Abroad, said MSU was happy to receive recognition because the university is very committed to its study abroad program. "The study abroad program is a signature program for MSU," Fairfax said.

MICHIGAN

House hesitant to pass new bills until '07

Michigan legislators have only three weeks of scheduled sessions left before January brings a changing of the guard in the Senate and House, and Republicans say they don't have plans to approve any last-minute bills before they lose a majority in the House. Although Michigan politicians are hoping to pass a replacement for the Single Business Tax, health insurance reform and a $4,000 merit scholarship, analysts doubt such legislation will pass in time before Democrats assume control of the House. There's also doubt Republicans will spend time on bills likely to be vetoed by Democratic Gov.

MSU

Innovations: Mite zapper

Name: Zachary Huang, associate professor Department: Entomology Type of research: Entomology Date of research: Huang has worked with bees since 1982, after he received a scholarship to conduct research in Canada.

MICHIGAN

Word on the street

"I think it's a set back for the simple fact that a lot of people didn't know what affirmative action did.

MSU

Lawsuit filed against MCRI

By Any Means Necessary, a political activist group in favor of affirmative action, filed a lawsuit Wednesday against legislation eliminating gender and race-based preferential treatment in university and other public institutions. The state's constitution will now be amended to include the new legislation, which bans affirmative action in certain cases. The proposal will go into effect Dec.

MSU

Innovations: Bird beaks

Name: Pamela Rasmussen, assistant curator of Mammalogy and Ornithology Department: Zoology Type of research: Ornithology, the study of birds Date of research: Rasmussen has been working with birds since she was a doctoral student but has had an interest in them since she was a child. Basics of research: The size of a bird's beak or how long its tail is may be the difference in two species of birds that were thought to be of the same species, Rasmussen said. "It is often very difficult," she said.

MICHIGAN

New minimum wage barely noticed in E.L.

Last month brought Michigan's first minimum wage increase in nine years and, so far, East Lansing businesses haven't noticed an impact. "Generally, in this area, all the jobs are already above minimum wage," said Phil Gardner, director of MSU's Collegiate Employment Research Institute. Previously, the minimum wage rested at $5.15 per hour, but rose to $6.95 in October.

MSU

MSU looks to purchase Grand Rapids property

University officials are taking a step forward in their plans to expand MSU's College of Human Medicine into Grand Rapids. The MSU Board of Trustees will decide on the purchase of about one and a half acres of property in Grand Rapids at its monthly meeting Friday.

MSU

Ongoing construction updates MSU housing

Newly renovated Snyder and Phillips halls and the new student apartment complex, University Village Apartments, plan to open their doors to students in August. The projected cost of the Snyder-Phillips project is $37.5 million and University Village Apartments is estimated to cost $16 million. Renovations in dorm rooms for Snyder and Phillips halls include higher ceilings, new lighting, new fire suppression features and fire alarms.