Rogers works to improve travel safety, Michigan gets information technology director

U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, along with Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Calif., began the Intelligent Transportation Systems Caucus in hopes of best using new transportation technologies.Rogers said the caucus will work toward applying high technology to make the nation’s airports, highways, railroads and transit systems safe, secure and efficient.“We will have applied technology to automobiles in the future that will allow us to be less oil dependent and have cleaner engines,” he said.

Free child care offered during finals

Raising a child, working and going to school at the same time can be a challenge.Nadia Rodriguez knows that.

Business donation expands Life Sciences Corridor

Born nearly two and a half years ago, after a $1 billion state investment including a $40.4 million initial contribution to MSU, the Life Sciences Corridor is growing up.The corridor stretches from Van Andel Institute in Grand Rapids, through MSU and the University of Michigan to Detroit’s Wayne State University.

Card sales expected to hold

The holiday season usually means a surge in greeting-card sales and more demands on postal services, and this year should be no different. Despite anthrax scares and a sluggish economy, retail shops are reporting sales have not slowed. A recent poll conducted by the U.S.

Tree brings holiday cheer

Lansing - A 74-foot white spruce forced traffic away from Michigan Avenue in front of Oldsmobile Park for more than two hours Wednesday night.

Group finds trouble in toyland

Lansing - This toy story might be more of a horror story. Public Interest Research Group In Michigan released a report Tuesday highlighting various toys that can be considered harmful and fatal for children. The report focused on possible choking hazards and toys made with toxic chemicals. Chemicals such as nail polish with toluene in teething toys are harmful for children younger than 3-years-old.

U beats Penn State in annual blood drive challenge

With the help of students, for the third time in eight years, the MSU-Penn State Blood Challenge victory was won by MSU.

Whats happening?

Events Medical Yoga Club of MSU: Yoga classes and meetings, 5:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Friday, D214 Fee Hall, 12:10 p.m.

Vacancies rise in nursing field

Although emergency rooms may have the same number of patients as they did a decade ago, the population of nurses is lacking. Information released by The American Hospital Association said 75 percent of hospital employee vacancies were for nurses.

Students mentor Sudanese refugees

Amanda Audo travels to a few miles to a Lansing church each Tuesday to help The Lost Boys, a group of Sudanese refugees who have spent most of their lives traveling to get to Michigan.The pre-vet sophomore and about 90 other Residential Option in Arts and Letters students help tutor, play sports, do crafts and chat with about 130 refugees in their late teens and early twenties.“Some of the boys that are in high school are not keeping up with their subjects so we are going to try to help them,” Audo said.

Thoughts of travel, manners, affect U

For students going home this Thanksgiving, the next four days may seem more like a hassle than a vacation.

Patriotic plates purchased for fund-raiser

Michigan motorists will see more than 10,000 new patriotic license plates on the road this Thanksgiving. Since initiating the patriotic “Proud To Be American” license plate Oct.

Cottage Inn Pizza opens near U

MSU’s student population makes East Lansing the place for a pizzeria, said the owner of the new spot in town. Cottage Inn Pizza owner George Hoover said the new location in East Lansing was in part because of MSU.

Racial slur mars black caucus poster

Despite university efforts to promote multiculturalism on campus, an incident last week displayed intolerance for minorities in residence halls. Social relations sophomore Kalaethia Hawkins is a member of Case Hall Black Caucus.

Douglas J. moving to E. Grand River

A vacant building with dirty windows and some old newspapers will be getting a new summer look.Douglas J.

New unit directors receive warm welcome from U

A ceremony at Kellogg Center welcomed three new unit directors within Student Affairs and Services on Monday.Kelley Bishop of Career Services and Placement, Marti Ruel of the Department of Student Life and Renee Sanders-Lawson of the Office of Supportive Services ventured into their new careers at the beginning of this semester, each coming from different backgrounds.Lee June, vice president for student affairs and services, said he is very pleased with the performance of the directors so far.“Each one, in their own ways, has looked at the issues in their units and are moving forward with great progress,” he said.June said the directors have also taken initiative to welcome themselves to the community, but he thought Monday’s event would help since all three were together.Ruel, who has lived in Kansas for years but grew up in Ohio, said coming to MSU is like being home.“I feel like I’ve really been welcomed well,” she said.

Police briefs 11/20/01

MADD red-ribbon campaign urges safe Thanksgiving holiday drive

As Michigan motorists take off for the holidays, Mothers Against Drunk Driving is reminding drivers not to mix booze with navigating roads.MADD initiated its 15th annual statewide Red Ribbon “Tie One on For Safety” safe and sober driving holiday public awareness campaign Monday at the state Capitol.Red ribbons will be tied to automobiles to serve as reminders to drive alcohol-free in response to the campaign.“This is a memorial to families who have lost loved ones to drunk drivers, and it continues to get the public support to enforce the laws tightly,” said Chuck Hurley, a former national board member of MADD and vice president of the National Safety Council.“Many have likened drunk drivers to terrorists, randomly killing innocent people.”Hurley said the National Safety Council is predicting 532 people will be killed in traffic accidents during the Thanksgiving Day holiday, and about 40 percent of those deaths will be alcohol related.“Some events are hard to predict and hard to prevent,” he said.

City council to discuss tower, Web site launch

Tonight’s East Lansing City Council meeting will mark the first meeting of Councilmember Vic Loomis and Councilmember Bill Sharp’s new term.It will also feature a full agenda, because it is the first council meeting in nearly a month.Among the issues to be discussed or acted upon during the 7:30 p.m.

Legal perhaps, but plant could be fatal

Two students and two nonstudents treated for jimson weed poisoning are expected to recover, but the near-death state the men were in Saturday in Akers Hall is cause for concern, police say.