WEB ONLY: 'Real World' cast member informs students about amendment, encourages voting

"Real World Philadelphia" cast member Karamo Brown urged students to vote for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry and to vote no on the amendment that would ban gay marriage Tuesday at the Wonders Hall Kiva. As part of National Coming Out Days, the event, sponsored by the MSU Stonewall Democrats, the Multi-Racial Unity Living Experience and Same Gender Loving Students of Color International and Allies touched on issues affecting different social groups. "We are all different and beautiful," Brown said.

WEB ONLY: Sen. Levin argues for 'change of direction' in Iraq during campus visit

With his glasses sitting dangerously close to the tip of his nose, U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., leaned over the lectern in the Wilson Hall Auditorium on Monday and told students that the situation in Iraq is grave and a change of direction is necessary. "When we attacked Iraq, we blew the top off the boiling Iraqi pot without a plan to keep the pot from boiling over," the Michigan Democrat told about 200 students.

Pumpkin pinch

St. Johns - Rows of orange pumpkins lined the edges of each section of Andy Todosciuk's pumpkin patch, waiting to be boxed up and transported to his farm market. What's missing is the usual third cluster of pumpkins right down the middle of each section.

Police briefs 10/13/04

Author tutors writers about publishing biz

The East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbott Road, will host a discussion with Detroit author Karen White-Owens advising aspiring authors what to do after they get published. The meeting will take place 7 p.m.

Dead body identified as Colorado woman

The body of a 22-year-old woman found in an East Village apartment Sunday morning has been identified as Lindsay Burkhead of Colorado, East Lansing police Capt.

Police briefs 10/12/04

RHA talks with student group

The Residence Halls Association, or RHA, considered expanding its agenda to include the Student Greenhouse Project at an internal affairs meeting Friday. The new section of the agenda would allow for RHA-sponsored groups to give reports to the association during meetings. "If groups we support have complaints, this is also where we could talk about them," Committee Chairman Thomas Edwards said.

Historic greek housing sought for preservation

Throughout years of fall recruitment, parties and greek living, fraternity and sorority houses have been a part of the East Lansing community, and Richard Wright wants it to remain that way. Wright, a member of the East Lansing Historic District Commission, is trying to gather a study group to determine which greek houses should be included in a historic preservation district.

'U' celebrate heritage

A repeated boom echoed down Farm Lane as four men passionately beat against a drum in unison and sang traditional American Indian songs with a large crowd following closely behind. Indigenous People's Day is a time when MSU students and alumni acknowledge the plight of their American Indian ancestors instead of the presence of Christopher Columbus on North American land. "We can't celebrate a murderer such as Columbus as a hero," Culturas de las Razas Unidas and Movimiento Estudiantil Xicano de Aztlan member Isaias Delgadillo said.

ASMSU looks to quiet cell phones in class

Sometimes it's a Nelly tone, and others it's a classic melody. Either way, it's an annoyance that ASMSU might look to change. At its Academic Assembly meeting Tuesday, MSU's undergraduate student government briefly discussed cell-phone use in the classroom and might draft a bill to address those students who let their phones ring. "It's like when you listen to a CD and it skips - it's an awkward moment in class and ruins the flow," said Kyle Martin, a representative for the College of Communication Arts and Sciences.

E.L. council to discuss new air-quality rules, housing

Because of a poor environmental rating, East Lansing City Council will discuss options to fund new air-quality regulations at their 7 p.m.

'U' student accused of rape to stand trial

The MSU student accused of raping a floormate will stand trial in Ingham County Circuit Court, a judge ruled Friday. Travis Eichten, the marketing freshman accused of assaulting an 18-year-old freshman at Emmons Hall, faced his accuser for the first time at a preliminary examination in East Lansing's 54-B District Court. The 18-year-old student said she met Eichten the first weekend of the semester.

Wireless Internet to be unveiled at Main Library

By early next week, students studying in the Main Library will be able to log their computers onto wireless Internet anywhere on the first floor and on the second and fourth floors of the west wings. The wireless Internet will be unveiled later this week as part of the university's wireless beta service, which means the service is still being tested.

Jews celebrate reading of Torah

The sounds of laughter and joyous singing mixed with the footsteps of students dancing in celebration of Simchat Torah. The festivities took place in the basement of the Hillel Jewish Student Center Thursday night.

Fair offers advice for on, off-campus living

The third annual MSU Housing Fair will take place 1 p.m. Oct. 21 on the second floor of the Union.

Students question implementation of tailgate guidelines

Students expressed concern about how tailgate restrictions on drinking games and overcrowding at the Wilson tennis courts will be enforced. Concerned students spoke at a South Complex forum on Thursday to vent their frustrations and give suggestions to student leaders. The current ban includes beer bongs, roulette wheels, boards or tables to set up a table-top tennis game called "beer pong" and other accessories for drinking games.

Vaccine shortage forces Mich. to reduce supply

Healthy MSU students are being asked to grin and bear the flu this winter after a manufacturing glitch slashed Michigan's vaccine supply in half. Officials in the United Kingdom suspended the license of Chiron Corp., an influenza vaccine provider in Liverpool, England, for contamination issues still under investigation, the Food and Drug Administration said last week. Chiron was expected to supply 46 to 48 million doses of the 100 million that federal officials ordered following last year's unexpected flu surge.

Are local elections as important as national ones? Why or why not?

"Yeah, I definitely think they're as important because they are dealing with the community directly around you.

Campus sees rash of quirky crimes

A series of unrelated crimes occurred on campus last week, MSU police reported. The unusual thefts and arrests began Tuesday evening, when $8 of either bulk paper towels or toilet paper was stolen from the U.S.