City seeks nominees for community award

East Lansing is still seeking nominations for the city's annual Crystal Awards. The awards are given to individuals and organizations that have made significant efforts to improve the quality of life in East Lansing. Nominations can be made by filling out a form available at www.cityofeastlansing.com as well as at city buildings around town. Recipients of the award will be selected by a community committee, and awards will be presented at a reception on April 24 at the Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbott Road.

Challenging Coke

With shouts of "Don't let the university support an unethical company," and "Make your voice known," members of Students for Economic Justice, or SEJ, held a protest Wednesday to encourage university officials to stop serving Coca-Cola products. The protest, held in front of the MSU Auditorium on Tuesday and at the International Center on Wednesday, is part of SEJ's "Killer Coke" campaign to get students involved and informed about Coca-Cola Co. business practices and the much publicized human rights abuse in Colombian bottling plants and other plants overseas. Adorned in plastic garbage barrels painted to resemble popular Coca-Cola flavors — and labeled "Killer Cherry Coke" and "Killer Diet Coke" among others — handfuls of SEJ members passed out anti-Coke pamphlets to students walking or riding to and from class. Member Rebecca Sherwood jumped up and down with a trash can wrapped around her midsection. "We're just trying to gain support from word of mouth and to get students aware of the situation going on right now with the Coca-Cola Co. and the university," Sherwood said. SEJ members have said in the past they believe managers at the Coca-Cola bottling facilities in Colombia arranged for the killing of eight union leaders, harassed other employees and contaminated water reserves in India. The Coca-Cola Co. has a Web site that lists facts about its business practices in Colombia. "Our bottling partners enjoy extensive, normal relations with 12 separate unions in Colombia," the Web site said. On Jan.

Students' technology skills examined

Forty MSU students are taking part in pilot exams for a new national computer literacy assessment this month. Universities hope to use this assessment to improve their curriculum and students' abilities to use and understand technology. "This is a way to redefine what liberal arts is in an information society," said Robert LaRose, professor of telecommunication, information studies and media.

Viral outbreak prompts lawsuits

More than a dozen diners have filed lawsuits against Delta Township's Carrabba's Italian Grill after becoming ill during the Jan.

Special election candidates will speak today

A forum with the five candidates in the special state Senate election to fill the empty 23rd District seat will be held today at 7:30 p.m.

Innovations: Molecular mysteries

Name: Associate Professor Robert LaDuca Department: Chemistry, Lyman Briggs School Title of research project: Hydrothermal synthesis of inorganic/organic hybrid materials Date of research: LaDuca has been working on this project since 1996 when he taught at King's College in Pennsylvania, and continued his work when he came to MSU in 2004.

Marriage in the mall

When the hall that Ben and Elaine Themm were scheduled to be married in went out of business, they decided to get married somewhere that would be sure not to go out of business — Meridian Mall.

Groups encourage votes in special election

MSU College Democrats and Republicans are working to boost voter turnout in the special senate election being held to fill the vacant seat created by the resignation of Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero. The primary for the election will be held Tuesday, Feb.

Student witnesses Turin's energy at women's moguls

Katie Blair Mathews, a history and telecommunication, information studies and media senior studying abroad at John Cabot University in Rome, attended the women's moguls on Saturday at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin. The Olympics were amazing.

Senate seat election primary to be Feb. 21

The primary for the special election to fill the vacant senate seat for the 23rd District will be held Feb.

College admission going digital

The average number of online applications for MSU admission — including freshmen, graduate and transfer students — is up almost 8 percent since last year, which is consistent with a national trend in college admissions, officials say. Online freshman applications for fall 2006 alone jumped 10 percent from last year, with about 75 percent of them received online as of Feb.

Talk will take audience to Appalachian Trail

Summitting mountains along the more than 2,000-mile Appalachian Trail might not qualify as a casual hike. For those interested in the trail but not ready to commit to a really, really long walk, the East Lansing Public Library is offering an informational session for would-be backpackers. "Adventures on the Appalachian Trail," will be hosted by husband-and-wife team Coy Heath and Karrie Korroch on Wednesday. The talk will include a short history of the trail, as well as basic tips for planning a backpacking trip, hiking solo, choosing the right gear and packing "ultralight." The program begins at 7 p.m.

Police briefs 02/14/06

Fatal side effects land patch in court

The contraceptive Ortho Evra is the focus of several lawsuits after causing severe side effects or death across the country. About 60 individual federal and state suits have been filed, said Missouri attorney Jerry Schlichter, who is handling 24 Ortho Evra-related cases. College-age women and younger using the birth control skin patch are having strokes and blood clots, sometimes leading to death, Schlichter said.

Experiences vary at 2006 Olympics

Tara Cariano, a psychology and family and community services junior studying abroad at John Cabot University in Rome, attended the U.S.

Singh, Bernero take trip to South Korea

Local leaders are constantly looking to attract jobs to the region, and this week they're looking on the other side of the globe. East Lansing Mayor Sam Singh and Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero have traveled to Asan, South Korea, to meet with local government officials and corporate executives in the Asian nation. The mayors will meet today with the chief executive officers of Hyundai Motor Co. and Samsung Electronics, to discuss creating business partnerships in the Lansing area. Both companies are headquartered in Asan, about an hour south of Seoul, the nation's capitol. The five-person delegation — which also includes representatives from the Lansing Regional Sister Cities Commission, Lansing's Economic Development Corporation and Bernero's wife, Teri — departed for Asan on Sunday morning and is scheduled to return late Thursday. South Korea's government is financing the entire trip. Bernero and Singh are returning a visit Asan's mayor made to Lansing last year. The cities were scheduled to sign a formal agreement of friendship yesterday.

Police briefs 02/13/06

Transportation committee seeks public comment

The All University Traffic & Transportation Committee will hold the first of two public feedback sessions on campus transportation tonight. The session is from 7-9 p.m.

Police to explain updated policies

Police will explain their new use of force policy in celebratory events to university and city leaders at Tuesday's Celebrations Committee meeting. Both East Lansing and MSU police plan to practice the new policy, which requires extra steps that need to be taken before using chemical munitions, East Lansing police Chief Tom Wibert said, adding its their hope that no one will even see an officer in riot gear during March Madness festivities. "Last time around, officers were wearing helmets and in riot gear before anything even started," Wibert said of the April 2-3 disturbances.

MSU celebrates Darwin Day

By Tara Thoel For The State News Fossils from birds, mammals, insects and reptiles were spread out over several tables at the MSU Museum on Sunday as a way for people to learn about different types of species. People could even bring in fossils of their own to be identified. "We were trying to find something to bring in, but we couldn't find anything," said Roxanne Dewyer, a premedicine and anthropology sophomore. Students, families and others looked at the different fossils and classified seashells, and viewed other exhibits at the museum to commemorate naturalist Charles Darwin's 197th birthday. "I am really into evolution and found out there was going to be new exhibits, and was really excited," Dewyer said. Lansing's Potter Park Zoo brought live animals, and nine units and departments at MSU were represented by specialists in the fields.