Wal-Mart pays out $1.5M in violation of Mich. item-pricing regulation

Missing price tags will force Wal-Mart to pay a $1.5 million settlement, the Michigan attorney general's office announced Monday. It is the largest fine issued for violating a Michigan law which requires stores to label prices on most of their merchandise. "This is an issue that faces every retailer in the state of Michigan," said Wal-Mart spokesperson John Simley. Simley said that Wal-Mart stores contain hundreds of thousands of items. "That's an awful lot of items to have a price sticker on," he said.

Mich. cities plan to cut emissions

Global warming has appeared on the radar in recent years as scientists continually question what could happen if Earth's temperature continues to rise.

E.L. building approved after 2-year wait

A four-story building approved last week by the East Lansing City Council, to be constructed between 500 Albert Ave.

'Dreamworlds II' to play on campus today

The film "Dreamworlds II" will be screened on campus today at Olds Hall in room 11. The movie shows the impact of pop culture on young people in regard to their sexuality and gender, using more than 200 images from music videos to illustrate the point. Free pizza will be served at 12:30 p.m., with the film starting at 1:00 p.m.

Driver flees scene after car crashes into Gunson apartment

Kimberly Worpek, 22, was playing a computer game in her Gunson Street apartment early Friday morning when she heard a speeding car.

Police briefs 04/24/06

Students march against initiative

About 35 students marched from the Brody Complex to the steps of Hubbard Hall in protest of the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, or MCRI, on Friday. The group of students call themselves S.T.E.P.S.

Cultural connection

For the first time since 2003, live emcees hosted Satrang, an annual Indian cultural show put on by the Coalition of Indian Undergraduate Students on Saturday at the Auditorium. In the past few years, the organization had opted to use videotaped segments to introduce each new dance.

MSU area participates in trials of breast cancer prevention drugs

Judy Harris was alarmed when doctors informed her of a possibly cancerous spot on her breast after her annual mammogram. Harris, 64, said she was particularly concerned about developing breast cancer because of the high occurrence of the disease in her family, although a biopsy on the spot revealed it was only a calcium deposit, a potential precursor to breast cancer. Harris then was asked by doctors to participate in one of the largest breast cancer prevention clinical trials ever conducted that would test the effectiveness of the breast cancer prevention drugs Tamoxifen and Raloxifene. Researchers released the results of the international study Monday, showing that both drugs lowered the risk of developing breast cancer by 50 percent.

Interest rates to increase

After July 1, students who borrow money to pay their college expenses will notice an about 2 percent increase in interest they will pay on those loans. After the deadline, Stafford Loan interest rates will increase from 4.7 percent to 6.8 percent.

5K race this weekend to assist Safe Place

The MSU Safe Place "Race for the Place 5K" will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday at Jenison Field House.

Flowers used to protest war

Last month while protesting the war in Iraq outside Congressman Mike Rogers', R- Brighton, Lansing office, Terry Olson came up with an idea. "Right in the middle of the week — it was a long, hard, grind of a week — I looked up and saw the flower shop and thought it would be nice to do something positive to deliver our message," said Olson, who is a member of the Greater Lansing Network Against War & Injustice, or GLNAWI. So Olson walked about a block from Rogers' office to Bancroft Flowers & Gifts, 1417 E.

Stanford professor to speak to graduates

Paul Ehrlich, the Bing Professor of Population Studies at Stanford University, will speak at the commencement ceremony for graduate students on May 5. "I am going to say something about needed changes in the structure of universities and things that (the graduates) can do to help themselves and help other people deal with the information explosions that we have," Ehrlich said. When he was asked to speak at the ceremony, he said he was pleased because he has close colleagues at MSU. One of his MSU colleagues is Jack Liu, a distinguished professor in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. "He and I were standing together when the second plane hit the World Trade Center on Sept.

Resource fair included in Spartan Celebration

The second annual Spartan Celebration Day will be from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Kellogg Center. The program, which is sponsored by MSU's Office of Admissions and Scholarships, is to welcome incoming students of color and their families. A student organization resource fair will be included in the program, where students can learn more about different groups on campus from current members.

Annual party moved inside because of rain

The fifth annual Sparty's Spring Party will be from noon to 10:30 p.m. Saturday at IM Sports-West.

Police briefs 04/21/06

Hidden treasures

Tiny toys on fishing wire hang down from the ceiling. The cash register has a small fortune from a fortune cookie taped to the front of it that reads, "You love Chinese food." Tucked away in Kresge Art Center, the Spartan Art Store, also known as the Kresge Art Store, has been a crucial part of art students' lives since 1969. Much like an MSU book store sells everything a student could need, the Kresge Art Store sells almost everything artistic, from canvas to paints to sketch pads. "They have most everything you'll need for class in stock," art education senior Arielle Popkey said. Popkey said she comes into the store a few times every day and gets coffee every morning. Last year, she bought her roommates toys from the store for a gift exchange, Popkey said.

Police briefs 04/21/06

Pushing for change

About 20 MSU students wearing blue shirts gathered in and near the public bathrooms in Wells Hall on Wednesday afternoon in an attempt to raise awareness about transgender issues on campus. The students — members of TransAction, a discussion group for transgender individuals and allies, and Phi Tau Mu, an organization for female-to-male transgender students — were part of a "bathroom crawl." They traveled to a number of bathrooms across campus spreading information about such issues as creating gender-neutral bathrooms in university buildings. Mathematics senior Courtney Couvreur helped spread pamphlets at the event.

Levin wins kudos for vigilance, expertise

U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., was named one of the nation's 10 best senators in this week's edition of Time magazine. The piece on 71-year-old Levin is titled "Carl Levin: The Bird-Dogger." It describes the senator as "pudgy, balding and occasionally rumpled, and he constantly wears his glasses at the very tip of his nose." But the article goes on to state, "Still, the Michigan Democrat has gained respect from both parties for his attention to detail and deep knowledge of policy, especially in his role as a vigilant monitor of businesses and federal agencies." The Michigan Democratic Party issued a statement of congratulations to Sen.