MICHIGAN
Report: Whitmer won't run for governor in 2014
State Sen. Gretchen Whitmer, D-East Lansing, told supporters today she will not be running for governor in 2014.
MICHIGAN
Snyder asks for court review of right-to-work
After opponents of right-to-work legislation threatened to file lawsuits against the new law, Gov. Rick Snyder enlisted the help of the Michigan Supreme Court to determine if certain parts of the bill are unconstitutional. The governor asked the state’s highest court to issue an opinion on sections of the law that protesters could challenge before the law takes effect March 27, according to Snyder’s official letter to Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Young Jr. Many state workers are upset the Michigan Legislature quickly pushed a controversial right-to-work bill through Congress on Dec.
MICHIGAN
MSU among top for ‘B’ students
MSU landed near the top of the list for “A schools for B Students,” in a recent ranking by U.S.
MICHIGAN
Landlords question proposed ordinance
Landlords might have to provide tenants with voter registration forms if a new ordinance meant to increase off-campus student registration is passed by the East Lansing City Council. The ordinance would amend the current tenant-landlord lease agreement and require landlords provide tenants with voter-registration information upon moving in, a policy some landlords criticized. Mayor Pro Tem Nathan Triplett, who proposed the ordinance during City Council’s Jan.
MICHIGAN
Local video stores don’t sweat streaming
As more students turn to online sites for a cheaper way to watch movies, local theaters and movie rental stores might be hit by the shift. More than 27 million U.S. customers are subscribed to Netflix, according to Netflix’s 2012 financial statement released last week. The number of customers increased by more than 2 million between its third and fourth quarters in 2012, and rose by 5.48 million since the fourth quarter in 2011. Brian Ballast, district manager for the Lansing-area Family Video, said many of the customers of the Family Video locations in Lansing are MSU or Lansing Community College students. But the number of young movie renters might dwindle as Netflix rises in popularity.
MICHIGAN
MSUFCU and ECECU merger almost finalized
Plans to merge MSU Federal Credit Union, or MSUFCU, and Eaton County Educational Credit Union, or ECECU, are almost finalized. Mergers from both credit unions received approval from regulatory agencies Monday.
MICHIGAN
State funding to Michigan universities could be rising
After years of cuts, state funding to Michigan universities could be on the rise. A recent study shows Michigan universities received more state appropriations in the past year, but university officials doubt this trend will continue. This fiscal year, Michigan colleges and universities received a 3.1 percent increase in state funding compared to massive cuts in recent years, according to the Grapevine survey featuring research collected by Illinois State University. MSU College of Education Dean Donald Heller said state appropriations to higher education likely are increasing in correlation with Michigan’s increasing revenue. “When state budgets contract, higher education is generally one of the first parts of the budget to get cut,” he said.
MICHIGAN
Art museum hosts yoga class, other outreach activities
Sinking into a yoga pose on a colorful crocheted rug next to 20 other people, looking up into the high ceilings and listening to indie music brought a new feeling into the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum for Sarah Tomlinson. While other museum visitors walked by admiring paintings on the walls, Tomlinson, a music education senior, relaxed and admired the museum’s atmosphere by participating in a community yoga class at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the education wing.
MICHIGAN
The finishing touch
After Charlie Nguyen lost his job at General Motors Corp., or GM, he found the cure for his unemployment — manicures and pedicures. Nguyen, who worked for GM for 30 years, was asked to take an early retirement. Work was hard to come by in the passing months and his children’s college funds were dwindling, so Nguyen began nail technician classes with his wife.
MICHIGAN
STEM students hope for more visas
Iranian native Iman Barjasteh said if he wanted to make it big in electrical and computer engineering, he had to come to the U.S. “Usually in these countries like America, you can find good opportunities to stay there and get a job,” he said. Barjasteh, a graduate student, said he plans to use his student visa to stay in the U.S.
MICHIGAN
Planning commission discusses proposal to ease parking restrictions
A public hearing was held to discuss changes to an ordinance that could pave a way for the development on the property formerly planned for City Center II. The planning commission decided to defer the ordinance to the Feb. 27 meeting in order to discuss the issue more.
MICHIGAN
New roads could mean increased cost at pump
Driving over potholes and broken concrete on the way to class could become a thing of the past, but it might mean increasing fuel taxes or raising the state sales tax to 8 percent. During his State of the State address last week, Gov. Rick Snyder announced his goal for 2013: reconstructing Michigan’s roads. But Snyder admitted fixing roads, as well as bridges and harbors, will come at a cost.
MICHIGAN
MSU email not covered by privacy act legislation
Although new legislation protects students from nosy employers demanding passwords to their social media and email accounts, students’ MSU email passwords still can be accessed by university officials.
MICHIGAN
Students discuss decriminalizing marijuana
After a handful of Michigan cities successfully decriminalized marijuana and some Michigan activists are pushing statewide decriminalization, local officials and students still aren’t sure whether East Lansing will follow suit. At least four Michigan cities already have adopted decriminalization ordinances for recreational marijuana.
MICHIGAN
Officials: ‘Rape Trail’ more urban legend than fact
Although MSU students might fear the nights they walk alone along the banks of the Red Cedar River, the “rape trail” isn’t real, according to MSU officials and the term might be creating a false sense of fear on campus. Using the term “rape trail” not only gives the wrong impression about the walkway next to the Red Cedar River on campus but about rapes and sexual assaults themselves, MSU sexual assault program coordinator Shari Murgittroyd said in an email.
MICHIGAN
Renovations to former City Center II site and ban on hookah lounges to be discussed
At Tuesday’s regular work session, the East Lansing City Council debated solutions to parking problems related to renovations to the property formerly known as Evergreen Arms and a proposed ordinance that would ban more hookah lounges from establishing in East Lansing. The abandoned buildings at 341 and 345 Evergreen Ave. are owned by City Center Two Project, LLC, which is the same group that owns the property on 124-140 W. Grand River Ave, formerly the project site for City Center II.
MICHIGAN
Student preparedness key in campus gun conflicts
One in four campuses were not deemed prepared for an active shooter situation, according to a recent opinion survey by Campus Safety an online magazine focused on university safety programs.
MICHIGAN
Cold weather to continue
As temperatures drop and snow falls in the city, there’s little relief in sight for students dressed more for an arctic expedition than a walk to Brody Hall. Temperatures will rise throughout the rest of the week, reaching a high of 27 degrees Sunday. But with brisk winds, it will feel like temperatures are dipping below zero, National Weather Service in Grand Rapids meteorologist Brandon Hoving said.
MICHIGAN
Design sets Sigma Phi Epsilon apart as no. 16 best house nationally
Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity was nationally recognized Monday as the No. 16 best fraternity house in the country for its historic architecture and luxurious amenities, including a “full-size stripper pole,” according to brobible.com, a men’s lifestyle site. Brobible.com associate editor Andy Moore said the top 30 houses were chosen from a pool of 60-70 self-submitted entries.
MICHIGAN
Obama inaugurated for second presidential term
Rawley Van Fossen pulled up his wool socks and shrugged on his thick winter coat at 4 a.m. Monday morning. Numb fingers and toes couldn’t keep him from watching President Barack Obama’s inauguration.