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MICHIGAN

Michigan military past on display

Lonnie Freiburger Jr. maneuvered his 4-inch tall, vehicle-inspecting robot within feet of army memorabilia 200 years old on Sunday afternoon, peering with its camera at veterans and others standing at Michigan Historical Museum.

MSU

Events exhibit African culture

By Kathleen Polesnak Special to The State News Colored lights and a map of Africa splashed a quaint stage in the Wharton Center on Saturday, awaiting the start of the African Student Union's Gala Night, the finale of the group's annual African Culture Week. When the lights dimmed, beating drums reverberated throughout the theater, and an evening of African culture commenced before an audience of more than 200 people.

MICHIGAN

Mayoral hopefuls urge voter turnout

With the election only a day away, both Lansing mayoral candidates are scrambling to persuade voters to show up at the polls. "People have already made a determination on the issues, it's going to come down to turnout," John Moralez, Mayor Tony Benavides' campaign manager said. Both candidates have been working long hours this past weekend, one of the busiest weekends of the campaign season.

MICHIGAN

Lansing City Council member to leave post

Lansing City Councilmember Larry Meyer resigned during Thursday's council meeting. Meyer's said he had to resign because he no longer lives in Lansing. "I have received new information," Meyer wrote in his letter of resignation Thursday.

MSU

Tryouts scheduled for Black Power Rally

The Black Student Alliance will be holding auditions this weekend for the 33rd Annual Black Power Rally. Black Student Alliance, or BSA, is calling dancers, singers, actors and poets to come out and show their skills for a chance to perform during the rally. Auditions will take place from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

MSU

RHA survey seeks input on smoking

Student responses could lead to discussions in changing housing options in the residence halls because of an online smoking survey. The Residence Halls Association, or RHA, wants students, along with faculty and staff, to take part in the survey which focuses on smoking in the residence halls. "It's really hard to gauge, without a broad-based survey like this, what students want," said Tom Wolf, director of technology for RHA.

MSU

World Usability Day promotes innovative design

Michael Hudson is very attached to the washer and dryer in his home. Not only does he use them often, but Hudson — who is blind — helped modify the appliances to be more accessible to his needs. "I don't benefit from things that are only visual, I need audio," said Hudson, who is also the director of the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities, or RCPD.

MSU

Groups help students beat the winter blues

With cold and flu season approaching, Olin Health Center, the Residence Halls Association and Healthy U collaborated to provide students with "Cold and Flu Survival Packs." The packs include items such as a disposable thermometer, sanitary hand wipes, instant hand sanitizer, cough drops and a tea bag.

MICHIGAN

Ride to Detroit prompts reflection

Nearly 50 years after a quiet, black seamstress refused to give up her seat to a white man on a public bus in Montgomery, Ala., Mary Hubbard quietly sat on a different bus, in a different place, at a far different time, scrawling slogans on sheets of poster board. Hubbard's seat was near the back — in fact, one of the last rows — but she sat there by choice, not by restriction. She was traveling to Detroit from East Lansing to pay her last respects to the seamstress.

MSU

Physics, math help police reconstruct car accidents

MSU police Officer Steve Brandman said he wondered when he would ever actually use the math taught in schools. That time came when he began his training in accident investigations. "I haven't had physics or math in 20 years, but I do remember it," said Brandman, who is finishing up his ninth level of accident investigation training this week at the MSU police station. Dan Lee, director of MSU's Highway Traffic Safety Programs, said he has been running the program for 20 years at MSU. There are 23 levels of accident investigation training, Lee said.

MICHIGAN

Honor group collects books for donation

Sprawled out on the hallway floor of an East Lansing apartment building, members of MSU's student group Mortar Board rifled through disordered piles of books Tuesday night, deciding which one's should go where. "It's going to be the hardest to load the books back into the SUV," said Mortar Board member and journalism senior Sarah Swistak. The senior honor group collected 1,112 books to be donated to local organizations.

MSU

With ribbons, CATA honors luminary

Evan Fiddler swipes his student pass and sits close to the front of the bus, without much thought. He says he doesn't think about where he sits when he boards a Capital Area Transportation Authority bus. "I just look for one that's open," the telecommunication, information studies and media freshman says.

MSU

Provost approves MSU study abroad to Israel

Students and faculty will be able to go to Israel with MSU study abroad programs this summer — five years after the university canceled them because of violence in the area. Provost Kim Wilcox signed a letter Wednesday announcing the reinstatement of faculty-led study abroad programs in Israel. Kenneth Waltzer will lead the Jewish Studies Program at the Rothberg International School at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem this summer. "The university remains concerned about maximizing the safety and security of all participants of study abroad, but they also feel the situation has changed substantially in Israel," said Waltzer, Jewish Studies Program director. The U.S.

MICHIGAN

Ice cream of the future lands at Meridian Mall

If it were another ho-hum ice cream shop, Dan Stevens wouldn't have dropped out of college to work 80-hour weeks at its Meridian Mall kiosk. And he'd probably reconsider a job requiring him to stand during almost all of his 11-hour shift. But this is a Dippin' Dots franchise.