Houseless fraternity continues recruitment

Warning signs restricting access to Alpha Tau Omega's house were still posted on Wednesday as fraternity President Alex Brown prepared for a Recruitment Week open house. Even though their house is uninhabitable, the fraternity has set up a make-shift Rush site each night in front of the damaged fraternity house using a mid-size white canopy, some long tables and plastic folding chairs. "It's kind of hard showing (the pledges) the outside of the house and not being able to show them the inside and what it has to offer," Brown said. The three-story brick building, at 251 W.

MSU will construct $8M facility for auto research

The Automotive Research Experiment Station will upgrade its facilities from a 9,000-square-foot laboratory located about five miles from campus to a state-of-the-art site on south campus. The new 30,000-square-foot location will be off Bogue Street and Service Road, south of the existing research Complex. The project's contractor was appointed by the MSU Board of Trustees on Friday.

Lansing area to gain 2 Macy's

Eleanor Long shops once-a-week at Marshall Field's in Meridian Mall. The East Lansing resident considers herself a good patron, but even so, she's not lamenting the news that 62 Midwest Marshall Field's stores will be replaced by Macy's next fall. Instead, Long said she'll welcome the new retailer, long synonymous with New York City shopping and its Thanksgiving Day parade. Federated Department Stores Inc. announced Tuesday it will convert Marshall Field's stores into Macy's to build the retailer into a national brand. Federated plans to extend Macy's to about 850 stores nationally, including locations at Meridian Mall and Lansing Mall, spokesman Jim Sluzewski said. "Stores like J.C.

Study: Oral sex on rise for teens

Almost 70 percent of teenagers have had oral sex by the time they are 17, according to a study released by the National Center for Health Statistics last week. The study, which is the first to look at sexual behaviors of both men and women to be released by the federal government, found 68 percent of both men and women ages 15 to 17 have had oral sex.

RHA searches for new vice president after resignation

A Residence Halls Association executive position is open following the resignation of RHA Vice President David Sahlin on Wednesday. Sahlin has held the position since being elected in March.

Officials seek student input in after-game party spot decision

Students are expected to play a major role in determining if an organized spot for students to celebrate after a major sporting event is established, MSU and city officials said. Members of the independent commission investigating the April 2-3 disturbances have discussed creating a specified party place on Bogue Street as one of their recommendations for its draft report, commission member Joe Tuchinsky said. "The likelihood is that there would be music provided, the street would be closed to traffic and it would be a place where people could let off steam, display their excitement, and scream and dance and yell," Tuchinsky said. East Lansing police Chief Tom Wibert said the feasibility of the event hinges on students' response. "It depends on if it's attractive enough to students that they show up," Wibert said.

Conservatives 'come out' despite protests

Several students lined the sidewalks of Farm Lane on Wednesday afternoon in protest to National Conservative Coming Out Day activities planned on campus. The group of about 30 protesters stood outside Bessey Hall - one of the sites conservative groups intended to use for the event - waving signs and voicing their concerns about the use of the words "coming out" to describe the event. Professional writing sophomore Ben Rubinstein, a member of the MSU Stonewall Democrats, was among the protesters and said the terminology was offensive. "We were there to help show our side of the story and our feeling that their calling this a national 'coming out' day was mocking," he said.

Police briefs 09/22/05

West Nile virus still problematic as public concern dwindles

Researchers say not as many people are paying attention to the West Nile virus, despite findings that it caused two recent Michigan deaths. "There's less enthusiasm compared to the last few years," said Jon Patterson, veterinary pathologist at the Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health at MSU. "People realize West Nile virus is here and we have to live with it," Patterson said.

Clemency women's project to hold rally

The Michigan Battered Women's Clemency Project is holding a rally titled "For Women Prisoners Who Never Received Fair Trials" at noon on Oct.

MSU electronic advising system created

Gary Wood has dreamed of having a paperless advising system for the last 10 years, but it wasn't until the Undergraduate University Division teamed up with the Office of the Registrar that his dream became a reality. Students in three MSU colleges will no longer have to lug an academic folder across campus when meeting with an adviser, following the creation of the Electronic Student Academic Folder, a program designed to eliminate paper in the advising system. "We had wanted a paperless system for a number of reasons," said Wood, coordinator of the Undergraduate University Division's office in Bessey Hall.

Mayoral candidates suit up for election

The ballots have been ordered and the city of Lansing is preparing for another election season. City Clerk Debbie Miner said the city is ready to handle the voter turnout, even if it is greater than the city has projected. "It is going to work out very well," Miner said.

Outdoor Circus brings sense of nostalgia to Lansing

Before Tetyana Synovyat launched herself 100 feet into the air at the Cole Bros. Circus on Tuesday, she stiffened her muscles and pressed her legs flat against the cannon's floor. The petite projectile's legs were locked, arms were tight and mind was focused. After a deafening boom from the human cannonball launcher, she detangled herself from the safety net and was again backstage, prepping for a motorcycle tightrope stunt later in the show. "You feel like you fly," the 9-year Cole Bros.

ASMSU positions remain unfilled

ASMSU's Academic Assembly has grown sizably in the last two weeks - 10 out of 11 student group spots have been filled and the total number of college representatives has doubled. Although the group had to add more tables to fit all the new members during its Tuesday meeting, about half of its college representative seats remain empty. Despite the open seats, Academic Assembly Chairperson Robert Murphy said he is happy with the group's progress. "I'm really pleased with what we've done so far," Murphy said.

Informational meeting held for teacher group

Interested students are invited to a Teach For America information session, to be held at 7 p.m. today and Thursday in Room 101 of North Kedzie Hall.

Two Lansing mayoral candidates to speak

The League of Women Voters of the Lansing area is holding a forum for the two candidates for Lansing mayor.

Garden club chapter to hear golf speaker

Golf course designer Jerry Matthews will speak about environmentally friendly designs at the next meeting of the Red Cedar Chapter of Wild Ones Native Gardeners. The meeting is at 7 p.m.

Briggs speaker series will continue Friday

University of Memphis philosophy Professor Bill Lawson will speak at 11:30 a.m. Friday in Room C-106 of Holmes Hall. The presentation is part of a Lyman Briggs School speaker series about environmental inequity.

Transgender student featured in new Sundance Channel series

On Tuesday, MSU's campus was the backdrop for a Sundance Channel series featuring the life of an MSU student. T.J.

Gas leak forces road closure

Construction workers drilling on Dormitory Road near Snyder and Phillips halls hit a gas line at about noon on Tuesday, causing a gas leak that kept running for roughly five hours. "It just shoots out because it's forced gas," said Lt.