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Area shelter to host animal adopt-a-thon
The Ingham County Animal Shelter will host an Adopt-a-thon & Family Cat and Dog Show from 10 a.m.
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Museum celebrates immigrants, migrants
The Michigan Historical Museum will present its Ethnic Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 7 at the museum, 702 W.
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McDonald's locations offer wireless access
Instead of only sitting in a cafe with a cup of coffee, wireless Internet users now can surf the Web with a Big Mac in hand. Four McDonald's locations in the Lansing area have hooked up to the trend of wireless access - 1024 E.
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Fire deaths at other colleges lead to local officials' concern
Fire-related deaths at other major universities across the country have some East Lansing officials worried about the safety of students residing in area rental homes and apartments. Three students living in a home off the campus of Ohio's Miami University were killed when a smoking device ignited a couch on April 10. Similarly, one student was killed in a fire at College State Borough, home of Penn State, on Sunday. Several measures to keep smoke alarms working and homes free from fire hazards are in place, said Annette Irwin, East Lansing's operations administrator for Code Enforcement and Neighborhood Conservation. "On some of the larger houses, stairways need to be clear of debris and window wells need to be cleared out," she said.
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Park holds Arbor Day celebration
On top of a hill in Lansing's Potter Park there is a small area cleared with a few small, young trees.
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Menus offer healthier food
By Krista Reaves Special for The State News Many East Lansing area restaurants are following the nationwide trend of adding healthier selections to their menus, and students are taking advantage of these low-carbohydrate, low-calorie and low-fat options. Norman Hord, an associate professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, said the offering of healthier choices at restaurants is "a step in the right direction." He suggested trying local restaurants that serve Mediterranean foods such as Woody's Oasis or any Chinese, Japanese or Korean restaurants. Woody's Oasis Bar and Grill, 211 E.
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Bikers urge motorist awareness during riding season
The ice has melted, the grass is green and Michigan's motorcyclists are revving up and riding their bikes out of hibernation. More than 30 motorcyclists and about 20 other Michigan residents gathered behind the Capitol on Thursday to celebrate May as "Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month." Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land and some of the state's top trainers spoke about the importance of all drivers working together to keep each other safe.
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Rep. visits high school Republicans
Tyler Whitney sat at attention listening to gubernatorial candidate state Rep. Jack Hoogendyk, R-Kalamazoo, talk about the need for tax re-structuring and pro-life policies in Michigan on Thursday.
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Americans skydive to raise awareness about assault
Some people run marathons or sell pizzas to raise money for a good cause, but prenursing freshman Rene Rodriguez seized the chance to jump out of a plane. Rodriguez is participating in Operation Freefall, a national program to raise awareness about sexual assault. The program raises money for two national organizations created to raise awareness about sexual assaults: Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network and Speaking Out About Rape. "Sexual assault is one of the most common things that goes unreported," Rodriguez said. Without clear awareness and resources out there, sexual assault victims will not get the help they need, she said. More than 250 people across the nation will be jumping out of planes for Operation Freefall on Saturday, said Kellie Greene, the founder of Speaking Out About Rape. She said she came up with the event as a way to reclaim a day that had become marked by her own tragedy. It falls on the anniversary of the day she was raped and it takes something extreme like skydiving to counteract the consequences, she said. "It's no longer the day I was raped, it's the day I went skydiving," Greene said. Issues surrounding sexual assault need attention and a bold statement is made by skydiving, Greene said. "When people are throwing themselves out of a perfectly good airplane, people are going to take notice and say 'Wow they must really believe in what they're doing,'" she said. Even though she is afraid of heights, Rodriguez said she wanted to do something to help. She heard about the event through Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention, an MSU sexual assault awareness group, and decided to create a Web site asking her friends and family for help in raising money, she said.
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Lansing to teach use of voting equipment
The city of Lansing will hold an election simulation from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Friday at Lansing City Clerk's election unit, 809 Center St., for voters to familiarize themselves with new voting equipment. Voters can get their questions answered on the new voting equipment before upcoming elections.
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E.L. Council declares Days of Remembrance
The East Lansing City Council has declared May 1-8 to be Days of Remembrance of the Holocaust in the city of East Lansing.
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City ends its burning ban after recent rain
An East Lansing burning ban was lifted Tuesday because of recent rains and snows in the area. The fire department issued a ban of all fires on March 24 and extended the ban mid-April because of unseasonably dry weather this spring. All permit holders are allowed to burn recreationally in East Lansing.
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Area nature center to hold tree workshop
Woldumar Nature Center, 5739 Old Lansing Road in Lansing, will hold the first part of a two-part tree identification workshop at 6:30 p.m.
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Mich. bill proposes steroid policy
At Okemos High School, student athletes know there is a three strikes policy if caught using performance-enhancing drugs, said Athletic Director Keith Froelich.
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FDA panel looks into lifting ban on breast-implant corporations
A 13-year ban on certain silicone-gel breast implants might be lifted, but there is some disagreement among area residents, the government and national organizations on their safety. The U.S.
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New student group rallies for LBGT rights at Capitol
A new organization aimed at working toward legalizing same-sex marriage kicked off its work by holding a rally at the Capitol on Wednesday. Students for Gay Marriage is a group dedicated to overturning the amendment in the Michigan Constitution that bans same-sex marriage.
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Mich. pushes alternative sentencing
With U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics reporting the number of United States prisoners surpassing more than 2 million people, Michigan judicial departments are working to offer more creative sentencing. Some states have been pushing judges, prosecutors and community members to create community program alternatives for would-be prisoners who are nonviolent and first-time offenders.
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City officials caution student subleasers
While a majority of students leave MSU and East Lansing during the summer, some who take classes or work in the area will be left to fill the rental vacancies. Rather than sign a new housing agreement, some students move into apartments already locked into a yearlong lease.
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Word on the street: Was it hard to find a summer job?
"I just got fired from my other one, so it's time to start looking." Justin Cherwinski economics senior "I've had more than 50 interviews.
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Legislators attend Capitol rally
A year after one of the largest pro-choice rallies was held in Washington, D.C., pro-choice groups from across Michigan gathered at the Capitol to urge legislators to support women's reproductive rights. Women and men spent the day speaking to their legislators and making signs and then joined a rally where they listened to speakers talk about pro-choice issues. "We need to reach pro-choice candidates and get them to run and send anti-choice legislators back to their districts where they belong," said Rebekah Warren, executive director of MARAL Pro-Choice Michigan. The master of ceremonies for the rally was Nancy Skinner, a self-proclaimed liberal radio host from Illinois.