Local police and MSU officials gathered Wednesday at the Eldorado Golf Course, 3750 W. Howell Road, in Mason, to enjoy a round of golf and support children in the community. Donors gathered at the East Lansing and Lansing Police Athletic League’s, or PAL, joint 2010 PAL Golf Outing, with proceeds benefitting field trips and sports camps for children in the area.
A magician’s performance, which included three birds, a rabbit named Banana and many jokes for all ages, was the kickoff event for the city of East Lansing’s Play in the Park interactive children’s series. The annual series of events is sponsored and planned by the city of East Lansing’s Office of Communications.
East Lansing Fire Chief Randall Talifarro recently returned from a fellowship program at Harvard University to help improve his decision-making abilities and become a more receptive public servant, he said. Talifarro was selected with six other fire officials from across the country by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Fire Administration to review case studies from governments across the country and discuss emerging practices and issues in public safety.
Because of a lack of funding from the federal government, about 80,000 students with the Michigan Students First, or MSF, loan program could be responsible for paying more for college than they originally signed up for. Established in 2003, the program offered students the ability to pay zero-percent interest on their student loans if they made 36 timely consecutive payments every month. Now that funding for the program was cut last week, students who were on pace, but hadn’t completed, the 36 payments are liable to pay full interest for the balance of the loan.
Michigan has the 10th highest adult obesity rate and the 41st highest childhood obesity rate among the 50 states and Washington, D.C., according to the study. The study, the “F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2010,” was released last week by Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Both the Michigan House of Representatives and Michigan Senate are on a summer recess, and will resume operations on July 21. The last regularly scheduled meetings in the houses took place July 1. Both the House and Senate will meet next at 10 a.m.
When President Barack Obama was elected and began promoting his economic stimulus package, Stacey Mathia decided she needed to do something. A mom of four who spent her time homeschooling and serving on the Village Council of Fife Lake, Mich., Mathia decided to run for governor. The U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan, an affiliate of the U.S. Constitution Party, officially nominated her as their gubernatorial candidate Sunday.
Between sailing insults, Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero and House Speaker Andy Dillon, D-Redford, addressed how to keep college graduates in the state and the possibilities of alternative energy Monday during the final Democratic gubernatorial debate before the Aug. 3 primary. Among the 20 questions posed by moderators during the hour-long debate, both candidates agreed keeping graduates in Michigan is crucial for the state’s future.
All East Lansing city offices, including official buildings, will be closed Monday in observance of Fourth of July weekend. Closures include the East Lansing Department of Public Works, 1800 E. State Road; Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road; the East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbot Road; 54-B District Court, 101 Linden St.; and East Lansing City Hall, 410 Abbot Road.
The Capital Area Transportation Authority, or CATA, will not be in service Sunday in observance of the Fourth of July. The services not available include any fixed-route, Spec-Tran and other CATA services that regularly run.
With Thursday’s implementation of a 10 percent tax on all ultraviolet tanning, getting that summer glow indoors is going to cost more for MSU students. The federal tax, which was passed in March as part of the nation’s health care overhaul, is expected to generate $200 million in its first year and $2.7 billion during the next 10 years, according to the nonpartisan U.S. Joint Committee on Taxation.
After months of waiting, the Meridian Township Parks & Recreation Department was joined by the Michigan Mountain Biking Association, or MMBA, BikeWorks, Denny’s Central Park Bicycles and the Meridian Township Police Department to officially open the course to the public Wednesday. The Eastgate Bicycle Pump Track Grand Opening is located at Eastgate Park, 4023 S. Meridian Road, in Okemos.
Despite budget cuts and an overall lack of revenue, the East Lansing Police Department recently secured grant funding to replace an aging K9 unit vehicle. The department was awarded a $19,633 grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, a unit within the U.S. Department of Justice. State and local economic difficulties challenged the department to purchase a new vehicle, which is expected to be added to the fleet within the next few months.
An East Lansing-based company came closer to its goal of helping an MSU professor commercialize his product with a $100,000 award from a statewide competition. InPore Technologies was selected for the SmartZone Award as part of the Great Lakes Entrepreneur’s Quest, or GLEQ, Statewide Business Plan Competition, a contest to determine the most promising business plans for start-up companies.
Hosting international scholars through the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program is a crucial way East Lansing and MSU further their global reach, city officials said. The program, organized through the U.S. Department of State, is run through 18 U.S. universities and brings in about 200 Fellows each year for study and professional experiences across the country. The program has more than 4,000 alumni in 157 countries across the globe — including 78 Fellows from 53 countries to MSU.
Taking advantage of retirement incentives offered by amendments to the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System, or MPSERS, 17,063 school employees across 95 percent of school districts filed to retire before the June 11 deadline, according to a press release Friday from Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s office.
More than 40 people went to the Harris Nature Center’s Howl at the Moon monthly night walk at 9 p.m. Friday. The walk was about 2.8 miles through the trails behind the center.
To inform citizens about the importance of knowing one’s HIV status, the Michigan Department of Community Health, or MDCH, recognized Sunday’s National HIV Testing Day. Across Michigan, there are more than 18,000 people diagnosed with HIV. About 4,000 of that number are unaware they have the virus and could spread the disease without understanding the complications.
Lansing resident Lori James gave her 9-year-old son, Daniel, his first $10 to spend but said he could only have it if he spent it wisely. Walking around the booths, activities and attractions Saturday afternoon at the Delta Rocks! Family Festival, at Sharp Park, 1401 Elmwood Road, in Lansing, Daniel James did a scan of everything before he chose what to buy. The annual festival was held Saturday afternoon from noon to 6 p.m. and showcased dozens of free, family-friendly activities, including a petting zoo, games, face painting, a business expo, concessions and pony rides.
The Tri-County Bicycle Association’s 30th annual Women on Wheels bicycle tour will be held 7 a.m. July 24 at Mason High School, 1001 S. Barnes St., in Mason. The organization expects more than 500 women, men and children to ride country roads southeast of the Lansing area.