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Tobacco tax: May increase revenue later this year
The tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products may be reduced significantly when the next fiscal year begins Oct.
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Posh pups dazzle Lansing
Lansing — Gallivanting to MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This" and shining in this season's sharpest fashions, the canines in Old Town's Studio 1210 had a moment to sparkle Sunday during the second annual Gone 2 the Dogs Spring Fashion Show. About 20 dogs donned handmade designs by Gone 2 the Dogs owner Jana Nicol, who organized the show last year for something to do. "I was just looking for fun things to do for people to enjoy and to laugh," she said. A $5 admission helps finance the Robert P.
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Event marks start of war, local opposition
Tuesday marks the fourth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. A "Peace Chain Against the War" will be formed from 5-7 p.m.
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Vigil protests Iraq war, honors activist
By Lauren Talley For The State News Lansing — Anti-war posters, upside-down American flags and rainbow-striped banners covered a fenced-in portion of the sidewalk outside the state Capitol on Friday to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the Iraq war and to remember Rachel Corrie, an American activist who died working for peace in the Middle East. The vigil, hosted by The Greater Lansing Network Against War and Injustice, was held in concurrence with Friday's Christian Peace Witness for Iraq events, which are held across the country and in Washington to bring people of Christian faith together in opposition to the war. Roughly 40 citizens gathered for the vigil, one of the weekly nonviolent Iraq war protests the network holds.
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Irish holiday brings cheer
Bars opened early, students wore green and shamrocks and leprechauns were seen Saturday, as East Lansing celebrated St.
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Hilton likely candidate for newest E.L. hotel
Construction of a new hotel off Trowbridge Road could begin within the next 30 days. Owner Tass Mekani of West Bloomfield is finalizing which franchise will take residence at 1100 Trowbridge Road — the last steps Mekani needs to take before breaking ground. The development already received a nod of approval from East Lansing City Council members in early March. "There is a need for it," Mekani said of his venture.
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Senator warns students of typical credit card problems
Sen. Carl Levin pointed toward college students as a demographic that's particularly vulnerable to the policies of credit card companies during a visit to campus. He led a discussion with MSU students about the various abuses of the credit card industry Friday at the Administration Building. "You, who are students, are the juiciest targets out there," he said.
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Sunshine Week promotes access to information
Earlier this year, volunteers throughout the nation asked local municipalities a simple question — What is the community's Comprehensive Emergency Response Plan? The plan, which every municipality is required to have, was instated by the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act in 1986. Yet many of those volunteers looking for the information were denied access, according to a comprehensive report of this year's Sunshine Week audit. Sunshine Week ends Saturday and is a national test of the openness of government information. "What we've tried to measure as much as anything else is, first of all, how effective have we been as media in doing our job in educating the public about the issues," said Pete Weitzel, coordinator for the Coalition of Journalists for Open Government. "That was the initial intent — to energize the media across the country to focus on the issues of access to information and meetings during one week," he said. Out of 404 audits in 37 states and Puerto Rico, 177 requests were filled.
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MSU holds symposium on climate changes
Although a resilient minority continues to refute the scientific consensus that global climate change exists, researchers have moved past the debate and are now discussing solutions to the crisis. Experts from across the continent gathered Thursday for the "Climate Change in the Great Lakes Region" symposium at Kellogg Center.
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Sober drivers to be rewarded
This St. Patrick's Day, being a designated driver gets you more than just a carful of loudmouths. To curb drunken driving, Spartans Against Drunk Driving, or SADD, and the East Lansing Police Department are teaming up to persuade students to find or become designated drivers. Students can receive a free T-shirt from local bars if they present a coupon from today's edition of The State News.
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Businesses prepare for tournament
With MSU hosting the first and second round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament, East Lansing's downtown businesses are gearing up for fan traffic. "We'll see an increase in activity, especially with restaurants that cater to sports fans like (Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar) and Crunchy's," said Tim Dempsey, East Lansing's community and economic development administrator. Stores in the downtown area, such as Steve & Barry's University Sportswear, 515 E.
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B-school drops in rank, places 48 out of 93
MSU's Eli Broad College of Business received a jolt when BusinessWeek magazine released its annual B-school rankings, dropping the college from last year's rank of 29th to 48th. "We aren't happy," said Robert Duncan, dean of the college.
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Serving a solution
Gin and tonic. Rum and cola. No matter the drink of choice, the cost of liquor may be on the rise for spirit-loving Michiganians and liquor retailers. Seeking funds for public safety and education programs, Gov.
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Bill could improve recycling
A new bill could help communities across the state develop better recycling programs. The proposed legislation would establish a center for recycling development.
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Green lights
The tall spines of green safety phones are a familiar sight to the thousands of students who stroll by more than 150 of the campus pillars daily. But with cell phones becoming more prevalent, the safety phones easily blend into the background as decorative ornaments rather practical devices. "Most reasonable people would feel that, in this day and age of everyone having a cell phone, they're probably used less than they used to be, but not everyone has a cell phone," said MSU police Assistant Chief Mike Rice, who leads the employees who take care of the phones. Callers can phone any campus number for a five-minute talk, reach the Capital Area Transportation Authority's Night Owl when they need a ride and contact 911 in an emergency. Because of high costs, Rice said the number of calls made on the phones can't be tabulated, but some students agree that it's reassuring to have the phones available, although they've never used them for an emergency. "I'm glad to know they're there just to make sure everyone's safe," international relations senior Brittany Struble said. Physiology senior Jesse McAllister said the phones create a handy solution for those who may not have another option. "I know that they're there for help, but I guess a cell phone would be just as effective," he said.
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Irish pub to open in E.L. downtown
With St. Patrick's Day just a few days off, Dublin Square Irish Pub, 327 Abbott Road, is opening its doors Wednesday. The restaurant, ordained with authentic Irish decor, plans to offer live entertainment and music four nights a week, following the dinner hour.
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Pancreatic cancer, smoking linked
Lung cancer, emphysema, nicotine-stained fingers and a hole in your pocketbook. There are several reasons not to smoke, and MSU researchers just added one more to the list. James Trosko, along with a team of colleagues and students, recently published a study that linked smoking to pancreatic cancer.
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Mulhern talks money matters, wife's fixes for budget issues
The State News caught up with first gentleman Dan Mulhern after speaking at a Michigan Campus Compact meeting Monday at Kellogg Center.
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E.L.'s 100th birthday events continue
East Lansing wants your vote — for ice cream. Of 98 submissions for the East Lansing centennial ice cream contest, eight choices remain.
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Jury finds Mason guilty in closing of '73 murder trial
Lansing — Gary Mason was found guilty of the 1973 murder of MSU student Martin V. Brown, a jury decided Wednesday after four days of deliberation. The verdict ended a five-week court battle on a 34-year-old case, during which the prosecution argued that Mason was part of a duo that attacked Brown at about 1:30 a.m.