Michigan political district boundaries up for review

EPIC/MRA, the Michigan Information & Research Service Inc. and the Michigan Chamber of Commerce revealed potential plans for new political boundaries Tuesday and Wednesday at the chamber in Lansing.The three organizations all participated in two luncheon sessions titled “Mapping Michigan’s Future for the Next Decade.”The luncheons previewed some possible plans for the new state House, state Senate and congressional districts.

Police briefs 11/30/00

Eco-designer helps launch university initiative

William McDonough foresees turning the roofs of Ford Motor Co.’s massive River Rouge complex in Dearborn into habitats for wildlife.

ASMSU continues push for elimination of textbook tax

Armed with more than 1,000 yellow postcards, ASMSU is ready to further its quest in eliminating sales tax from college textbooks in Michigan.The collection of lobbying postcards, which will be sent to state Rep.

Toys for Tots hopes for help from U

The Salvation Army is hoping MSU students, faculty and staff use the holiday season to help children in need.Drop-off points for the charity’s Toys for Tots program have been set up across campus.

Holiday shoppers hit the Net for festive finds

Some holiday shoppers are not waiting in long lines in East Lansing stores and are doing their shopping regardless of what time it is.With a click of the finger and drag of the mouse, technology is making the holiday less hectic for many.“It’s a lot easier going online than waiting in lines to buy presents,” said Tiana Flack, a family community services sophomore.

Lansings Old Town hosts shopping event

With Thanksgiving over and all the turkey gone, Lansing’s Old Town is celebrating the shopping season with a family event Saturday.Holidays in Old Town will feature many children’s activities, such as ornament-making, cookie decorating, a tree lighting ceremony and pictures with Santa Claus.

Area business owners extend customer base with Web sites

By JOEL HAIST The State News Online shopping continues to grow at a steady pace and Internet services and local businesses are increasingly taking their services to the World Wide Web. Camron Gnass, owner of Vision Creative, 619 E.

Students, staff go to jail to raise money for charity

It wasn’t exactly your normal county jail.Nearly 75 people were “locked up” at the Kellogg Center on Wednesday, but no one stood guard and the inmates roamed free, munching on doughnuts, drinking coffee and chatting with old friends via cell phones.The jailbirds were all summoned to the makeshift jail between 9 a.m.

Volunteers prepare World AIDS Day displays for U

Danielle Drake didn’t realize how much she would enjoy HIV counseling.The human biology senior was encouraged by her cousin, a long-term survivor of the disease that can lead to AIDS, to help others living with HIV.And after a year of training sessions and one-on-one experience, she is glad she got involved in the program through Olin Health Center.“I’m a pre-med major, but who knows if I want to go to medical school,” Drake said.

Best Buy donates to U mentor program

The Spartan Friends Mentoring Program received a $10,000 grant from the Best Buy Children’s Foundation this month to continue its work with Lansing middle school students.Jim McManus, a Best Buy spokesman, said the program received the grant because it embodies the type of program the foundation likes to support.“(The foundation likes) awarding grants to groups that can develop life skills in young people,” he said.

Tenured faculty members dwindle

For years, the age and experience gap between students and instructors in lower-level English and history courses has been closing.A report released recently by the Coalition on the Academic Workforce, an association of the leaders of disciplinary societies, only confirms the long-held belief that a large majority of courses are being taught by part-time and nontenure-track faculty.The report surveyed departments in 10 fields and found that those instructors make up almost half of the teaching staff in many humanities and social science disciplines.It also showed they received less pay and fewer benefits than their peers.“Tenure ensures you cannot be dismissed or fired without due process,” said Iris Molotsky, spokeswoman for the American Association of University Professors.

Police briefs 11/29/00

State House aims at bill to give easy access to firearm permits

The Michigan House of Representatives may make it a little easier to get that new firearm for your loved one.As the House went into its lame duck session Tuesday, debate began on a bill that some say would allow for thousands of gun permits to be issued in the state of Michigan.

Sorority to honor sister with memorial service

Members of Alpha Phi will be holding a small, informal remembrance service for their former sister Lindsey Shapiro on Thursday evening at their sorority house.Shapiro died in a car accident Nov.

Ramp reconstruction could up parking woes

On a campus where parking is scarce and finding cars parked on the grass and sidewalks is common, parking legally is about to become even more difficult.The parking ramp near Shaw Hall will close its gates for good at the end of the semester, shortly before being destroyed.“Engineering consultants tell us that it needs to be replaced because the foundations are no longer in good condition,” said Michael Rice, MSU police deputy chief.

DCL students win honors in moot court competitions

There is a sign that hangs in the MSU-Detroit College of Law Moot Court Board office that reads “Moot Court is not Life.” But, “the sign is a lie,” according to fourth-year law student Tom Wisehart. Wisehart is the captain of the moot court team that recently participated in the Pepperdine National Entertainment Law Moot Court Trials in Malibu, Calif.

Police briefs 11/28/00

Republicans ready to redraw districts

After maintaining a majority in the state House of Representatives, Republicans now have the chance to begin carving up something more than turkey after Thanksgiving weekend.

Cloning, genetics highlight lecture

Anne McLaren, a research associate on genetics, reproductive biology and developmental biology at Cambridge University, will deliver a free lecture at the Auditorium on Wednesday night. McLaren, the principal research associate at the Wellcome/CRC Institute of Cancer Research and Developmental Biology at the United Kingdom-based college, was made a Dame of the British Empire in 1993.