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Engler: Retirement plan will help balance budget
Lansing - Vacated spots in state government may not mean more jobs for graduates, according to an early retirement program Gov.
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Students protest weight of MEAP in schools
With her turquoise scarf blowing behind her, Julia Reges walked in front of the Capitol steps carrying a sign that said, “I don’t need a test to tell if I’m smart.” The neon pink letters of her sign reflected the sentiments of the five picketers who stood in front of the building Tuesday afternoon.
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City Council approves condominum home construction By Shaun Byron
Shoveling snow and cutting the grass can be a troublesome or time consuming task - and East Lansing officials are beginning to see a market in housing that doesn’t involve chores like those.The city council voted unanimously in favor of constructing a 32-condominium unit on Coolidge Road following an unanimous recommendation from the city’s Planning Commission.
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City briefs
Series to feature Peru As part of its Odyssey travel series, the Kiwanis Club of Okemos will be presenting a narrated travel film at 2:30 p.m.
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Policy advises rights for gay parents
A recent policy by the American Academy of Pediatrics said same-sex couples should be allowed to adopt children, citing their ability to provide as stable a household as heterosexual couples. The policy, released Monday, focuses on gaining legally protected parental rights for gay parents whose partners have children and for couples who wish to adopt a child.
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Patriarche recalls former E.L.
Sitting in the Victorian-style lounge of the Burcham Hills Retirement Center, Jack Patriarche recalled moving to East Lansing.The 84-year-old relaxed on a blue-flower-patterned couch as residents passed wishing him a good morning and greeting him with smiles.One of the three remaining charter members of the Kiwanis Club of East Lansing, Patriarche is considered by many a good friend and a fountain of information regarding the city’s past.Only 1,800 people lived in East Lansing and all of the streets were gravel or mud when he moved here in 1922.
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Land-exchange suit expands
The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians added another plaintiff and defendant Friday to its search to stop the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ South Fox Island land exchange.The exchange would be between the state and landowner David Johnson.The amendment to the lawsuit named Johnson, an MSU alumnus, and his Mirada Ranch as defendants and the Michigan Land Use Institute as co-plaintiff in the tribal group’s lawsuit.The changes came from a recommendation by Circuit Judge Thomas G.
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MEAP protested at Capitol rally
Picketers will be taking a stand against standardized testing today in front of the Capitol. The event, organized by Parents Voice for Children, will run from 1-5 p.m.
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Booklet could list tax credits
The process of filing taxes could soon be much easier, especially if state Rep. Nancy Cassis has anything to do with it.Joined on Friday by about 20 representatives from both sides of the aisle, Cassis, R-Novi, unveiled what she calls a taxpayer empowerment bill.
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Experts say Rocky faces uphill battle
For state Rep. Andrew “Rocky” Raczkowski, R-Farmington Hills, the road to Washington may be a long and arduous one.“You can achieve anything if your heart is in the right place and you believe in what you’re doing,” Raczkowski said.Raczkowski will challenge Sen.
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Family trees branch out in E.L.
Carole Callard has been investigating her family history since 1974.She traced her father’s family back to Jamestown, Va., in 1623 and her mother’s family came to the United States from Ireland in the 1850s, she said. Callard, a genealogy specialist from the Library of Michigan, will help others fill holes in their family histories at 7 p.m.
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Lack of salt inventory causes price to soar
Like many salt suppliers, Cargill Salt builds contracts with buyers before winter with the hope of filling all its customers’ salt needs for the season.Last year, the snowy winter put a bit more pressure on plow companies with salt trucks.“Companies were using their entire contract amount by December,” said Lori Johnson spokeswoman for Cargill Salt.
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New Cooley president sets goals, hopes to compete
Don LeDuc and Cooley Law School have been together almost since the school’s beginning.Last month, Cooley officials named LeDuc its second president.
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Bill introduced in Washington could make service mandatory
U.S. Rep. Nick Smith, R-Addison, introduced a bill Tuesday that would require young men to be available to serve in the military or national community service for at least six months. “Military training and experience prepares communities for potential challenges while encouraging community and national service,” Smith said in a statement.
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Students interact with kids
Sarah Masternick spent her Saturday afternoon tying ice skates and spinning kids on the ice. The elementary education junior volunteers along with about 40 MSU students through Meridian Township Police Department’s Spartan Buddies program. The program, which pairs elementary-aged students with college-aged mentors, was started nine years ago by Meridian Township police officer Gayelord Mankowski. “We found we didn’t have much success with the adults, so we decided to do things with the kids,” he said. Spartan Buddies began at Wardcliff Elementary School for children in need.
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Corps anticipate interest
President Bush is calling on all Americans to serve their country for the equivalent of 4,000 hours - or two years - in their lifetimes. MSU Peace Corps recruiter Chris Foley said this push could definitely increase interest in the Peace Corps on campus. “It gives good publicity and can only do good,” he said.
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Student interest in yoga increases
Ruth Fisk, cross-legged in the middle of a dimly lit room, faces about 15 students with her arms upstretched above her head.
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Distinguished professor to commemorate Black History Month at LCC
Johnnetta Cole is not your typical retired college professor. Cole travels to remote places such as the Philippines while juggling roles on community boards and organizations, publishing books and speaking to college students. Cole will be the keynote speaker at Lansing Community College’s Black History Month Keynote Address from 3-5 p.m.
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BioPort gets FDA shipping approval
Okemos - The Food and Drug Administration gave the green light Thursday to BioPort Corp. to begin shipping their anthrax vaccine. Its Spokane, Wash.-based contracted company, Hollister-Stier Laboratories, needed to get approval by the FDA before any shipment could begin. The nation’s only FDA-licensed producer of the vaccine had its Lansing location, 3500 N.
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Professors, residents to discuss methods to rejuvenate economy
A day after a group of MSU professors and state representatives met to discuss urban issues in Michigan, a group of MSU professors and East Lansing residents will broaden the issue and ask how to turn around the U.S.