Bush to visit Michigan

President Bush will be in Grand Rapids today to deliver a speech on health care issues. Bush is scheduled to arrive on Air Force One at Gerald R.

E.L. to see new stores, restaurants

East Lansing will welcome a new sandwich shop next month along with a retail clothing store filling the void left by businesses on Grand River Avenue.Roly Poly, a Georgia-based sandwich company, has already opened a store in Okemos and is coming to the MSU community by mid-February, co-owner Russ Horton said.

Ethernet usage fee to be required in fall

Students living on campus can expect to be charged for Ethernet use beginning in fall.University officials say keeping up with traffic from file-sharing programs have increased the cost of Internet usage.Beginning in August, students will be charged about $57 per year to use the high-speed Internet service.

Parents, 'U' students upset by school cuts

Katie Kerekes is pleading for East Lansing officials to keep Spartan Village Elementary open."It really is an amazing place," the MSU intern at the elementary said.

'U' may see more Hispanics

The growing Hispanic population has some MSU officials expecting increased enrollment and more programs for Hispanic students in colleges and universities. Last week, the U.S.

Madison professor receives award for dissertation

James Madison College Professor Bryan Ritchie was awarded the Distinguished Dissertation Award by the Council of Graduate Schools. Ritchie's dissertation, titled "The Political Economy of Technical Intellectual Capital Formation in Southeast Asia," focused on the importance of integrating technology into the political economies of countries like Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

ASMSU may give $75,000 for Sparty

Sparty's quest for a new home won't come cheaply, but help may be on the way in the form of $75,000 from MSU's undergraduate student government.Plans to recast "The Spartan," MSU's iconic statue near Demonstration Hall, could cost about $500,000, according to University Development.The current statue, known as Sparty and touted by MSU as the world's largest free-standing ceramic statue, would be placed in a new position in a building on campus, which has not been announced.A new bronze Sparty would be placed at the south end of Kalamazoo Street and Red Cedar Road intersection about 50 feet back from its current spot.MSU's undergraduate student government will vote Thursday on whether to donate $75,000 to cover the projected cost for the project."Large gifts of this nature have occurred in the past," said Matt Weingarden, ASMSU's Student Assembly chairperson.The donation would be taken out of a fund the organization uses for large-scale projects, he said.

Union to discuss contract, layoffs

Members of MSU's Clerical-Technical Union are nervous about potential layoffs.The 1,900-member union, MSU's largest labor organization, will head into negotiations with university officials to hash out a new deal before their contract expires in March.Its three-year contract with the university expires March 31 and contract negotiations begin next month.Union members will meet Wednesday to discuss issues they'd like to see addressed in the new deal, including whether recent state budget cuts will impact hiring and layoffs, union President Barbara Reeves said."The biggest problem is that, across the board, higher education has consistently taken hits," she said."It certainly has increased the possibility of layoffs and there's concern there won't be much more hiring."MSU saw a $6-million cut in state appropriations after an executive order by then-Gov.

East Lansing officials to discuss parking issues

Totals for the revenue earned from parking ramps and meters throughout East Lansing are expected to exceed the anticipated totals by "a couple thousand," officials say.City officials will find out how much money parking earned at a city council work session at 4 p.m.

ASMSU gives students free admission to Hannah Center

ASMSU and the city of East Lansing's University Student Commission are sponsoring a free day at the Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbott Road. ASMSU is MSU's undergraduate student government. The passes are valid for one day at the center and expire Feb.

Police briefs 01/28/03

Businesses to fill empty lots on Grand River Ave.

After losing five businesses in a month, Grand River Avenue will see two new shops open soon.A retail clothing store specializing in resort and vacation clothes is taking over the 9,300-square foot vacancy left by Tower Records, 115 E.

United Way President announces plans to resign

Capital Area United Way President Bob Berning intends to resign after a $1.88-million embezzlement scandal.In a statement released Monday, Tom Chirgwin, chairman of the Capital Area United Way's board of directors, said Berning will submit his resignation from the chapter at a special meeting Feb.

Hollister gives last address, says city shows improvement

Lansing - Lansing Mayor David Hollister said the city is more diverse, safer and stronger than when he became the city's top official. Hollister delivered his 10th and final state of the city address, "Lansing - A Path to Success," at 7 p.m.

U-M, 'U' rival for blood

Competition between MSU and the University of Michigan will take the form of 13 blood drives held at various locations on and near MSU campus throughout February to promote saving lives and collecting more blood than our rivals.The American Red Cross is sponsoring the first Blood Drive Face-off Competition between the two schools, which will take place prior to the teams meeting for a hockey game at Joe Louis Arena on March 1.The student planning committee involved with the blood drive is hoping to collect more than 800 pints of blood from MSU students.

Labor group asks for monitoring change

An anti-sweatshop student group that wants MSU to switch its labor-monitoring organization will meet with administrators today to discuss its campaign.

Showtime at the Aud

The audience already knew what to do.But Latour, a disc jockey on Lansing's hip-hop radio station WQHH (96.5-FM), just wanted to make the rules clear."Now if it's good, you clap.

ASMSU names new director

ASMSU officials announced James Perra as the new association director for MSU's undergraduate student government last week. Perra, a psychology senior, has been working as interim association director since October, after Joe Mignano resigned from the position in August. As association director, Perra oversees the executive board and steering committee.

War cannon relocated to local museum of history

Lansing - A British cannon from the War of 1812 has a new home at Lansing's Michigan Historical Museum where it is undergoing restoration to put it once again on display for the public. The cannon was found about 16 years ago in the Detroit River in 28 feet of water, about 300 feet from Detroit's Cobo Hall, museum spokesman Chris Dancisak said. "It is a part of the state's collection," he said.

Students, reps. protest new tax ideas

A battle began brewing over how to balance the state budget Friday morning, when several MSU students and state representatives picketed outside Kellogg Center.About 14 protesters, including three Republican state representatives, held signs reading, "Tighten your belts," and chanted, "No new taxes," during a meeting of the Red Cedar Coalition, a group of education and other lobbying organizations searching for ways to minimize cuts by increasing state revenue.