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News | Michigan

MICHIGAN

State, local police look for high-risk parolees

Gov. Jennifer Granholm announced Wednesday state and local police agencies apprehended 107 violent parolees this week as part of Project S.A.F.E., a revitalized statewide partnership between the Michigan State Police and the Michigan Department of Corrections.Six Michigan State Police fugitive teams and three Michigan Department of Corrections Absconder Recovery Unit teams were joined by several county and local agencies in a two-day statewide effort of fugitives who posed the highest public safety risk.Some of the suspects are charged with murder, criminal sexual conduct and armed robbery among other crimes.Chad Previch

MICHIGAN

Amtrak contract extended for 6 months

A public hearing Thursday will help establish a long-term deal and secure a financial agreement between Amtrak and the Michigan Department of Transportation, officials say. On Monday, the department offered the financially strapped railway service a six-month contract to retain passenger rail service in the state, declining Amtrak's request for a deadline extension for its contract with the state. No further meetings between the groups are scheduled this week, but Thursday's public hearing will determine whether the bill will pass.

MICHIGAN

Cigarettes offer new way to quit

Casey Mcnenly
March 27, 2003

A new brand of cigarette, designed to ease smokers from their nicotine dependence, has hit the East Lansing market.Quest cigarettes are being introduced to seven states so far: Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois - the same states that account for 30 percent of the nation's smokers.The company offers three levels of cigarettes.

MICHIGAN

House committee to discuss budget cuts

Joey Guillen  and  Sarah Frank
March 27, 2003

State lawmakers will ask university officials to take responsibility for spending the state's money by asking them to account for all income and expenditures.The House Higher Education Committee will invite state university leaders to speak in the next few months in an effort to avoid excess spending and tuition increases.

MICHIGAN

Blaze displaces residents

Elysia A. Smith  and  Eric Morath
March 26, 2003

A set of keys, a pair of glasses and a wedding ring are some of the items Kathryn Rennells left behind when fire engulfed the third floor of her Haslett apartment building early Tuesday morning. The fire began on the upper level of the three-story, 24-unit building at about 1 a.m.

MICHIGAN

Budget cuts force board to close Spartan Village

Brian Charlton
March 26, 2003

Spartan Village Elementary School's doors will not open next fall after nearly 50 years of educating East Lansing children.The East Lansing School Board approved 5-2 the closure of Spartan Village Elementary on Monday, which is on the MSU campus, and the reorganization of the additional six elementary schools.

MICHIGAN

Warrant obtained in East Lansing shooting

Chad Previch
March 26, 2003

East Lansing police have a warrant in connection to an armed robbery that occurred Friday afternoon, in which one shot was fired into a home on the 1700 block of Haslett Road. The warrant is for two counts of armed robbery and one count of felony firearm and was issued Friday because the victim knew the suspect.

MICHIGAN

Rainy Day Fund to balance troubled city budget

Benita Mehta
March 26, 2003

Lansing - The city's rainy day fund will be used for the first time to help balance the 2003-04 fiscal year budget. After Mayor Tony Benavides presented his $107.3-million budget to the Lansing City Council on Monday, he said it's been the most difficult budget that's been tackled in almost 20 years.

MICHIGAN

Ex-student appears in court

Chad Previch
March 25, 2003

Grand Rapids - The former MSU graduate student charged with lying to federal authorities about misusing more than $400,000 in federal research grant money made his initial court appearance today and waived his right to an arraignment. Scott Matthew Doree, a former microbiology student, has been accused of making false statements to FBI agents, mail fraud and misapplication of fraudulently obtained federal funds. At the Ford Federal Building, U.S.

MICHIGAN

Amtrak deal stalled

Deals between Amtrak and the state Department of Transportation have taken another detour, possibly stalling negotiations, officials announced Monday. The Michigan Department of Transportation offered the financially-strapped railway service a six-month contract to retain passenger rail service in the state, department spokeswoman Stephanie Litaker said. Amtrak officials last met with department representatives and Gov.

MICHIGAN

Cities join Reuse-a-Shoe program to reduce waste

The City of East Lansing is turning its citizens' trash into profitable treasure.This spring, the city's Department of Public Works and Environmental Services has initiated several recycling programs aimed to reduce waste and promote the reuse of materials.Now through May 31, East Lansing residents tossing out worn and used athletic shoes at the department's athletic shoe recycling drive drop-off site, 2000 Merritt Road, have the chance to continue the reuse loop all the way to Nike Inc.Dave Smith, environmental specialist for the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services, said East Lansing and Lansing have both teamed up to join the Reuse-A-Shoe program, a partnership between Nike, the National Recycling Coalition and 30 communities across the country to collect worn athletic shoes.Smith said any brand of athletic shoe will be accepted, but the shoes must be dry, and thongs, sandals, dress shoes, boots, pumps or those with spikes or cleats will not be accepted."This is a positive event for recycling an item that wouldn't normally be recycled," Smith said, adding at least 200 shoes have been donated since the program's start in February.

MICHIGAN

Group gathers to show laughter is the best medicine for stress

Lansing - Crazy Cecil, Mary-Mary, Kooky Kristine, and Batty Betty convened for multiple reasons - peace, ending world hunger, Spartan power and broken windshields to name a few. And they tried to make all their wishes come true through laughter. A laughter session was held Saturday at Go Green Glass, a windshield repair shop, at 603 N.

MICHIGAN

Capitol update

Joey Guillen  and  Sarah Frank
March 24, 2003

New program to give support to military Three senators introduced a program to provide families of deployed military personnel with information on financial, emotional and spiritual support available in Michigan communities. Operation Adopt-A-Family has enlisted local organizations, such as the Michigan Sheriffs' Association and The Salvation Army.

MICHIGAN

Fair gives kids choice of summer camps

Eight-year-old Tokora Hillgreen likes going on picnics, swimming and finding out what she should do if her "house catches on fire."Tokora was one of about 600 people who attended the third Family Resource and Fun Fair on Saturday at Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbott Road.

MICHIGAN

More motorists, students do daily intercounty travel

Jessica Nowak
March 21, 2003

MSU students are among a growing number of motorists driving across county lines each day on their way to work and school. More than 2,000 students, who reside in the newly built apartments of the Northern Tier, cross the Clinton-Ingham county line during their morning commute to campus. Seventy-three of Michigan's 83 counties, including Ingham and Clinton, showed an increase in intercounty commuting, according to a study by Kurt Metzger, research director of the Center for Urban Studies at Wayne State University. Students living in the newly-built Crossing Place, Melrose Place and the Village at Chandler Crossings apartments travel more than two miles from Clinton into Ingham County to get to campus. "I usually leave about 30 minutes prior to the start of my classes each day.

MICHIGAN

Prosecutor's firing, budget could add to workload

Chad Previch
March 21, 2003

The firing of an Ingham County assistant prosecutor combined with a strapped budget will force prosecutors to pick up their workload, possibly breaking continuity among current and future cases, officials said. Allie Phillips, who worked in the department's family division, was fired Wednesday by Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III for her involvement to allegedly buy a cat illegally in February. "That's going to create a problem," Dunnings said.