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News | Michigan

MICHIGAN

Natural Resources Commission establishes goals

Aaron Johnson
March 12, 2002

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources could receive a few changes this year. The Natural Resources Commission, which establishes general policies for the department, met last week to discuss its goals for the year. The commission agreed on five goals to update the department’s policies but DNR spokesman Brad Wurfel said the biggest change in the commission’s outlook is its involvement in the department’s operations. “Clearly they’re making a move to become more involved in the agency and in the legislature,” he said. Wurfel said while a strong relationship is the highlight of the commission’s goals, the group has progressed in that respect over the past five years. Director K.L.

MICHIGAN

U-M association leads walkout

Chad Previch
March 12, 2002

Ann Arbor - Members of the University of Michigan’s Graduate Employees Organization led a one-day walkout on Monday that left some classes empty. About 500 graduate student instructors at the Ann Arbor campus picketed several locations to show the organization is working without a contract. U-M spokeswoman Julie Peterson said some classes had low turnout but weren’t canceled. “My suspicion is that some classes did not meet,” she said. Peterson said further negotiations were booked for today, but a tough budget year is limiting the school’s financial abilities. The graduate students have been negotiating with U-M administration since October.

MICHIGAN

Shamrocks fill establishments, help cause

Kendra Snyder
March 12, 2002

Green and gold shamrocks are covering the walls of local businesses, schools and restaurants for the 19th annual Shamrocks Against Dystrophy program. For a $1 donation, students and customers can sign green paper shamrocks, and for a donation of $5 or more they sign gold shamrocks.

MICHIGAN

Officials assess tests effectiveness

Kendra Snyder
March 11, 2002

A month into the state-run assessment program for special education students, called MI-Access, program officials and Lansing area teachers are divided about its effectiveness.The Lansing and East Lansing school districts began testing special education students last month as Michigan became the first state to meet federal requirements for the assessment of students with disabilities.

MICHIGAN

Coffee mania hits E.L.

Aaron Johnson
March 11, 2002

A pedestrian walking around downtown East Lansing could count almost as many coffee shops and cafes as traffic lights. And with Espresso Royale Caffe moving five doors down to 527 E.

MICHIGAN

Windstorms cause residents to lose power

Aaron Johnson
March 11, 2002

Wintery weather during spring break brought power outages and a half-inch of snow to the Lansing area, after a mostly warm and pleasant week. The area saw only a half-inch of snow but an average wind speed of 24 mph with gusts up to 54 mph.

MICHIGAN

Wal-Mart given OK to build new store

Shaun Byron
March 11, 2002

Harlene Matilda is looking forward shopping at a new Meridian Township Wal-Mart. “The new Wal-Mart will save me time from having to drive to the Wal-Mart at (Interstate) 96 and Saginaw, so it would be more convenient for me,” the East Lansing resident said. But the groundbreaking for the store on a site on Marsh Road north of Central Park Drive, has been held up for more than a year. Since November 2000, Meridian Township had been in a legal battle with developer Eyde Co. and Wal-Mart.

MICHIGAN

Court: Canadian trips dont call for MIPs

Kendra Snyder
March 1, 2002

Minors who legally drink in Canada can’t be charged as minors in possession of alcohol upon their return to the state, according to the Michigan Court of Appeals.The decision stems from a July 30, 2000, incident when a 19-year-old man was coming back from Canada as a passenger.

MICHIGAN

Bill to cut care funds

Lindsay Frederickson
February 28, 2002

Sarah Schmidt began using Planned Parenthood at age 15. Now 22 and a social work senior at MSU, she testified Wednesday in front of the Senate Families, Mental Health and Human Services Committee that she doesn’t know where she would be today without the primary care program. A bill presented to the Senate committee would prioritize state family planning funding to go toward organizations that do not publicly advocate, perform or refer women to have abortions. Schmidt said she was uneasy about telling her mother she was sexually active and uncomfortable traveling to receive care.

MICHIGAN

Senate approves budget with no funding increases for state colleges

Lansing - MSUreceived $326 million in funding Tuesday.The state Senate approved budgets for universities and community colleges that deny them funding increases but protect them from cutbacks.On a 36-1 vote, without debate, senators approved a $1.7 billion budget for Michigan’s 15 universities in the fiscal year beginning Oct.

MICHIGAN

Bill to allow hearsay as evidence in court

Elissa Englund
February 27, 2002

In April 1997, Nancy Muriel was dragged out of her bed by her drunken boyfriend, and after struggling against him, tumbled onto Saginaw Street.She was killed by a passing truck.Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III had just taken office when Muriel’s case came to his court.

MICHIGAN

Secretary of state race up for grabs

Lindsay Frederickson
February 27, 2002

There is one certainty in the race for Michigan’s secretary of state position this year, all the candidates will be working to get rid of the hanging chads.Candidates for Michigan’s chief elections officer - two Democrats, three Republicans and one Green Party member - are determined not to let what happened in Florida be repeated.The six candidates are vying for Secretary of State Candice Miller’s position when she leaves to run for U.S.

MICHIGAN

Cleaning efforts coming up short

Aaron Johnson
February 27, 2002

Mason - Posts still stand where waterfowl and goslings were once raised, the old, rusted fencing and barbed wire lying nearby. Just across the trail, the remnants of last season’s prairie grasses stick up above the small amount of snow cover. The Ingham Conservation District has worked to clean up the land since receiving it two years ago but executive director Susan Tangora said there is still a lot to be done. Eventually the district wants to restore the 200-acre plot to a mix of beech-maple woodland, grassland and wetland areas. But a lack of funds limits the amount of work the small district can do. “Volunteers are a really good resource,” Tangora said.