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News | Michigan

MICHIGAN

Cicadas to rise this month

Sarah Al-ramadhan
May 17, 2004

What only appears in eastern North America every 17 years is about to appear in parts of Michigan this month, but the one place you won't see this rare phenomenon in is Lansing. Scientifically titled as the Magicicada Septendecim, and classified as Brood IX, cicadas bugs are due to rise out of ground in swarms after living there for the past 17 years. "This is a phenomenon that doesn't occur anywhere else in the world," said Dr. Thomas Moore, a University of Michigan expert on cicadas. The cicadas have the longest adult-to-adult life cycle of any known animal.

MICHIGAN

WEB ONLY: Local group goes door to door to unite residents and students

For Nicole Tompkins, knocking on neighbors' doors comes with the job. As a neighborhood resource coordinator, Tompkins works to bring permanent East Lansing residents and students closer in the Oakwood and Bailey neighborhoods, located north of Grand River Avenue. Along with nine other coordinators, the interdisciplinary studies in social science and community relations senior is organizing the first East Lansing Field Day & Barbecue to take place from 3 to 5 p.m.

MICHIGAN

Forestry bill might fund local fire departments

Lawmakers in the state House have proposed a method for funding local fire departments that is starkly different than an earlier proposal to raise the state liquor tax. Republican leaders in the House instead are advocating that local governments and certain school districts sell forest lands that the state claims when the property owners don't pay taxes. Under the proposal, half of the revenue would go to the local government unit and the other would go to the state. Keith Ledbetter, spokesman for Speaker of the House Rick Johnson, R-Leroy, said that the plan would produce about $28 million in revenue in its first year. According to Ledbetter, $12 million of that revenue would go to fully funding fire grants that the state provides to local fire departments for the protection of state-owned buildings.

MICHIGAN

Complex continues services with expansion

Nick Archer's involvement in East Lansing soccer dates back more than 30 years to his days on the MSU national championship teams. As the head coach for both the boys and girls varsity soccer teams at East Lansing High School, Archer said the East Lansing Soccer Complex, 3001 Abbott Road, is an important part of continuing the soccer tradition of the area. "This is the East Lansing soccer hub now," Archer said.

MICHIGAN

Wal-Mart, Sam's Club to join local shopping center

Two national retailers will open stores near Eastwood Towne Center in midsummer, adding to the slew of merchants already doing business in and around the Lansing Township shopping mall. A Wal-Mart store is set to open there in July, according to mall officials.

MICHIGAN

LCC students lobby for new bill

Inspired by a Lansing Community College political science course, about 10 LCC students have been lobbying aggressively in past weeks for a bill that won't directly affect them.

MICHIGAN

'U' alumni look to personalize job search

Two MSU alumni are trying to change the way many job-seekers find work by replacing resources such as online search engines with more personal interaction. Jeff Ellman and Michael Redisch, along with University of Michigan graduate Michael Krasman, are the co-founders of Humatel, a Chicago-based career center.

MICHIGAN

Whitmer seeks 3rd term

Gretchen Whitmer, East Lansing's representative in the state House, recently declared her run for re-election. The Democrat announced the bid to retain her seat last week, following widespread rumors that she would be abandoning the position to pursue a judgeship. "I never thought of doing anything else," Whitmer said.

MICHIGAN

E.L. tickets for yard couches

Sarah Mcevilly
April 28, 2004

While city officials say a 9-month-old ordinance is improving East Lansing neighborhoods, some say it's too early to tell how well it's working. In August, the East Lansing City Council passed an amendment that prohibits the use of upholstered furniture outside in hopes of eliminating problems with rodents and eyesores within the community. Mayor Mark Meadows said the council noticed the problem as much as five years ago, but it wasn't actively enforced because of a poorly worded code. "At the time, there was a lot of outdoor furniture being taken outside and left outside," he said.

MICHIGAN

Local workers merge to fight ash borer

Crews will begin marking trees in Meridian Township today for the emerald ash borer, a deadly beetle that has attacked about 6 million ash trees in Michigan. Crews marked more than 18,000 trees for treatment last week in south Lansing and Delhi Township, but wind conditions and an insufficient workforce delayed markings in Meridian Township until today.

MICHIGAN

Expo displays women's products, businesses

Elizabeth Piet
April 26, 2004

Lansing - In a corner of the Lansing Center banquet hall on Sunday, two women put up their feet to receive pedicures, while in another area, a group of people watched a woman cook vegetables. More than 200 booths and exhibits were set up at the Mid-Michigan Women's Expo that took place Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

MICHIGAN

Coalition tries to unite E.L. residents

More than 150 residents, business owners and East Lansing officials gathered Saturday night at the Wharton Center as part of a fund-raiser to help improve relations between students and the city's permanent residents. The East Lansing Community Relations Coalition, a nonprofit organization, raised more than $4,000 during its second annual "A Taste of East Lansing" fund-raiser.