New housing, retail project to emerge next year in Northern Tier

Construction has started on a Northern Tier condominium and retail development aimed at young professionals, families and empty nesters, and will be completed next fall, its developer said. The Gaslight Village project, located north of the intersection of Abbott Road and Lake Lansing Road, will include 60 condominiums and town houses, and five to eight retail shops, said Mark Rysberg, managing member of Rysberg Holdings LLC. A mixed-use building comprised of retail space and condominiums will be located east of Abbott Road and include 20, two-story condominiums.

Seminar to discuss black male retention rates

As president of Bombsquad Productions, Meagan Mason frequently answers the same questions about the student group. "'What is Bombsquad?

E.L. City Council moves East Village public hearing to Nov. 9 due to schedule conflicts

The East Village Master Plan public hearing has been moved to Nov. 9 from its original Oct. 26 date because of scheduling conflicts.

Groups to hold cultural, historical festivities

In an effort to provide more cultural opportunities during MSU's homecoming festivities, the Black Student Alliance, or BSA, and the African American Celebratory are holding several events this week. The festivities, called the African American Homecoming, will include events such as discussions, a jazz night and a semiformal dance. The theme for the week is "98/89", which represents the 98 years since Myrtle Craig became the first black female graduate of Michigan Agricultural College — MSU's former name — in 1907. It also represents the May 1989 study-in, when several black students took over the Administration Building for 10 days to present administrators with a list of 36 demands pertaining to racial incidents on campus, history senior and BSA member at large Geneva Thomas said. Many black students frequently return home on weekends or attend other university homecoming events at other schools, such as Howard University in Washington, D.C., Thomas said. "People go home every weekend, and homecoming is not an exception," she said.

MSU wireless catching up to statewide trend

During the summer, MSU computing officials installed about 300 wireless access points in campus buildings. Now, there are about 500 total wireless access points in 40 buildings around campus. "We went nuts this summer," said Tom Davis, director of Academic Computing & Network Services.

Council debates task forces for faculty voice

The heated discussions that ensued during Tuesday's Faculty Council meeting were the best Dan Barnhizer said he has ever witnessed. "This is the most debate I have seen on any issue," said Barnhizer, an adjunct associate professor with the MSU College of Law. Back-and-forth debates took up the majority of the time at the meeting, which dealt with the composition and voting rights of the Faculty Voice task forces — based off the report of the same name. The Faculty Voice report, written last year, looked at concerns regarding the lack of faculty involvement in university decisions.

Mayoral hopefuls debate city's future

Lansing mayoral candidates Tony Benavides and Sen. Virg Bernero, D-Lansing, both said Lansing's economy needs to be improved during a radio debate Tuesday morning. The debate was hosted by "The Morning Show" with Chris Holman on WILS (1320-AM). Bernero will challenge Benavides, the incumbent on election day, Nov.

Police briefs 10/19/05

Reported violent crime up 42 percent in E.L.

Although violent crime nationally saw a downward trend last year, those same crimes increased in East Lansing. According to an FBI report released Monday, violent crimes across the nation fell by 1.2 percent.

Group wants smoke-free workplaces to benefit employees

A group formed to represent bar and restaurant employees who are affected by smoking while at work, is urging local business to inform their employees of the impact being around smoking can have. The group, Breathe, or Bar and Restaurant Employees Advocating Together for a Healthy Environment, is part of the Campaign for Smokefree Air and is a "grassroots" coalition supported by several health organizations.

ASMSU analyzes student concerns at 3-day retreat

At their retreat last weekend, ASMSU members discussed ideas for working on problems they deemed "hot issues" for students. Members talked about adding specific criteria to professors' policies on canceling class in bad weather, said Robert Murphy, ASMSU's Academic Assembly chairperson. "Sometimes the university remains open when it's dangerous for it to do so," Murphy said. Representatives also are interested in adding a fall break to the university schedule, he said.

Police briefs 10/18/05

Rezoning ordinance to be debated

East Lansing residents can voice their opinions today at a public hearing regarding an ordinance to rezone the 700 block of Burcham Drive during the East Lansing City Council meeting at City Hall.

Homecoming celebration returns to tradition with campus bonfire

MSU's sesquicentennial, a 16-month-long celebration of the university's 150th anniversary, has left its mark on this year's homecoming festivities. The sesquicentennial committee has revived another campus tradition for homecoming week — a bonfire for students and community members — and the Oct.

StateWalk sees low demand

Four days a week, three or more students spend five hours in a small room in the Main Library, waiting to accompany students who want to be walked home. But in the last few years, not many students have come. Alpha Phi Omega, a coed service fraternity, created StateWalk more than 15 years ago to offer a safe alternative to walking home alone late at night. The fraternity regained control of StateWalk in 2002, after the program had spent more than a decade under the Residence Halls Association.

MSU history featured on campus hayride

Community members will have the opportunity to tour MSU's campus from a seat on a bale of hay this evening. "Hayrides and History," an annual tradition teaching facts and trivia about MSU's history, kicks off a variety of campus activities planned for homecoming week. The hayrides will include complimentary hot chocolate, kettle corn and other giveaways. The event, sponsored by the University Activities Board, begins at 6:15 p.m.

Study: Women open to bisexuality

A recently released study suggests women, in particular those in their late teens and early 20s, experiment more and are more open about same-sex encounters than men. According to the survey, which was conducted in 2002 but released this year by the Centers for Disease Control's National Center for Health Statistics, 11.5 percent of the 7,643 women ages 18 to 44 who were interviewed said they have had at least one sexual experience with another woman. Among those surveyed were 4,923 men, and 6 percent in their late teens and 20s said they have had a same-sex encounter. The CDC used 12,571 in-person interviews, and all participants volunteered and used audio and computer-assisted, self-interviewing. Sociology graduate student Julie Hartman said the numbers exhibited for men indicate a large social trend that is occurring. "I would hope that over time, men will be able to express themselves the same and have the same freedom," she said.

Charity run raises $2.5K for E.L. crisis center

By Nicholas Richer Special to The State News Clear skies and falling leaves greeted 194 runners and walkers who raced through campus on Saturday morning to raise money for a tri-county homeless teen shelter. The eighth annual Pi Mile, a 5K race sponsored by Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity, raised about $2,500 for Gateway Community Services of East Lansing, which offers a crisis intervention center and homeless shelter for teenagers. "We realized they really need the help," said Brooke Bator, co-chairman of Phi Sigma Pi's service committee and a Spanish senior.

Students help repair cities

When buckets of donated house paint arrived at Mother's Hug Daycare, 219 W. Grand River Ave. in Lansing, a dozen shivering, but resilient, student volunteers sprang into action. The group covered the building's flaking gray paint — and sometimes each other — with a soft yellow.

New Mexican restaurant to be added to downtown

An East Lansing newcomer will join the ranks of other Mexican fast-food restaurants like Taco Bell, Big Ten Burrito, Panchero's Mexican Grill and Qdoba Mexican Grill on the Grand River Avenue front. Chipotle Mexican Grill, a Denver-based burrito, taco and salad restaurant, is slated for 539 E.