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News | Michigan

MICHIGAN

Cox wants to be top lawyer

Besides the fact that Mike Cox went to the University of Michigan, he does have some things going for him, his wife says. “Obviously, he’s really smart,” MSU alumnus Laura Cox said about her husband, who is running as the Republican candidate for attorney general.

MICHIGAN

Gov. Engler to receive Homecoming honors

Gov. John Engler will join the long list of John A. Hannah Outstanding Alumni Award winners when he is honored during halftime at Saturday’s Homecoming football game. The award recognizes devotion and loyalty to the advancement and development of MSU and is named after former MSU President John A.

MICHIGAN

Planners halt rezoning effort in Meridian Twp.

The Meridian Township Planning Commission voted Monday to recommend the denial of the Eyde Company’s request to rezone 110 acres of township land. East Lansing-based Eyde requested to rezone a parcel of land between Cornell and Powell roads to become single-family subdivisions of varying densities. The planning commission turned down the request citing a traffic increase on Powell Road and environmental concerns. “Planning law in Michigan requires the commission to take a big-picture approach to determining the best land use for a specific parcel for the long term,” Mark Kieselbach, Meridian Township director of community planning and development, said in a statement. Eyde already has been approved to develop the land as rural residential, but was seeking approval to rezone the property to allow for more homes. The land slated for development - known as the Georgetown housing development - will face further scrutiny by the Meridian Township Planning Commission when the commission meets Dec.

MICHIGAN

Rental signs spark talk of migration to Northern Tier

Some city officials say they aren’t alarmed by the unusual amount of for-rent signs posted in yards of East Lansing rental properties around town. The fact that thousands of students are opting to migrate to the Northern Tier might be one reason that rental signs aren’t going away, said Howard Asch, East Lansing’s director of code enforcement and neighborhood conservation. But, he said, most landlords maintain that they are doing OK as competition stiffens. “There has been speculation that the competition from the new apartment complexes may actually cause an improvement in the quality of living downtown,” he said, adding that some property owners have been doing more than what is required to improve their rental properties.

MICHIGAN

Habitat founder salutes Carters Nobel Prize win

Lansing - Newly christened Nobel Prize winner Jimmy Carter was the topic of conversation last week when Millard Fuller, the founder and president of Habitat for Humanity International visited town.Fuller spoke to a crowd of nearly 600 Habitat for Humanity volunteers, staff members, friends and supporters last weekend, focusing on former President Carter and the honor that was announced Friday morning in Oslo, Norway.The event took place at Trinity Church-United Methodist, 7533 W.

MICHIGAN

Vigil held for domestic violence

Lansing - Tuesday night’s cold fall breeze caused candle lights to flicker as women huddled together pressing their warm sweaters closer to their bodies.Wooden silhouette cut-outs of victims of domestic violence stood hauntingly in front of the gently rippled Grand River as more than 50 people, mostly women, attended the Candlelight Vigil at Potter Park on Tuesday in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

MICHIGAN

Downtown to be home to a symbol of beauty

East Lansing residents got a glance at some possible sculptures for downtown on Tuesday evening, and will have a voice in which sculpture is picked.One of three sculptures will adorn a downtown fountain in the alley Campus Town Mall.A five-member art selection panel recommended three sculptors from a roster of more than 100 to make small-scale models of their designs for the fountain.The models were introduced at East Lansing City Hall on Tuesday evening.Michael Sundermann, chairman of the city’s arts commission, said the selection process is unique because public comment will be considered in the decision.“What the people think is important,” he said.

MICHIGAN

City housing service on lookout for volunteers

The Board of Directors for East Lansing Housing and Neighborhood Services Inc., a nonprofit organization working to provide home ownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income families, is looking for volunteers to serve as at-large representatives.

MICHIGAN

Lake Lansing Road crash sends 3 to hospital

Three people were injured and Lake Lansing Road was shut down for about a half hour, just before rush hour Tuesday as police cleaned up a three-car pile up spanning the entire five-lane road. “Holy cow,” said Paul Lentz, who’s Oldsmobile Bravada was totaled.

MICHIGAN

Residents: Tier brings questions

With the city of East Lansing extending its Northern Tier borders to accommodate apartments and commerce, nearby residents of the affected area see the development as a mixed blessing.The East Lansing territory north of Saginaw Highway - mostly between Abbott and Coolidge Roads - is the focus of a stream of development.

MICHIGAN

Fire temporarily shuts down Ramada Inn

The 130-room Ramada Inn on Trowbridge Road is temporarily closed after a fire extensively damaged the front desk, lobby and several other rooms Monday. The fire started in a storage room where breakfast items and paper products where kept, East Lansing fire Deputy Chief Terence Lapinski said.

MICHIGAN

Council lays-out budget priorities

Lansing - Investigating relationships between police and the community and expanding minority business contracts are among the priorities of the city council in the next fiscal year. The council announced a new set of budget resolutions for 2003-04 at Monday’s meeting.

MICHIGAN

Asian House to ask city council for alcohol permit

An East Lansing restaurant will ask for approval to sell alcohol in its establishment at the city council meeting at 7:30 tonight in City Hall, 101 Linden St. At its last meeting, the city’s planning commission unanimously recommended a special-use permit for Asian House Restaurant, 1001 E.

MICHIGAN

Free course helps increase adults computer literacy

A few months ago, Tamila Bennett barely knew anything about computers - now she plans to take MSU classes to work for her computer programming certification.The Lansing resident graduated from the Closing the Digital Gap Port of Entry Program two weeks ago and said the course has significantly increased her computer literacy.The program is offered free of cost to low-income individuals in the Lansing area.