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News | Michigan

MICHIGAN

Annual plan decreases natural gas prices

Aaron Johnson
January 11, 2002

Consumers Energy recently filed its annual plan with the Michigan Public Service Commission to predict natural gas prices for the upcoming billing year. The plan would fix the upper limit of natural gas at 35 cents per 100 cubic feet, a decrease from the 46.9 cents per 100 cubic feet rate ceiling for the current budget year. The proposed drop comes as a surprise to customers, who recently saw rates increase for the month of January, said Amanda D’Angelo, a international relations senior. “Yeah, it’s high,” she said.

MICHIGAN

City briefs

Lisa Satayut  and  Kendra Snyder
January 11, 2002

Student ‘perfect’ on admission exam After grading 391,000 ACT college admission exams from high school students around the county, 12 students in the nation discovered they can claim perfection.

MICHIGAN

Senate decisions resume

Lindsay Frederickson
January 10, 2002

Lansing - After a long winter recess, both houses of the legislature met Wednesday. Senators clustered around desks, chatted on phones and moseyed around the Senate chambers in a session meeting that lasted about 30 minutes.

MICHIGAN

E.L. eateries excel in city health inspections

East Lansing is filled with individuals trying to make the grade - and the city’s bars and restaurants are no exception. Several East Lansing businesses and restaurants were found to be in “outstanding condition” during liquor license inspections this year. Inspectors found 11 of the 24 establishments to be exceptionally clean and safe, with careful attention to maintenance and cleanliness of buildings and equipment, said Howard Asch East Lansing code enforcement and neighborhood conservation director. “In some of these establishments, the inspectors found absolutely nothing wrong,” Asch stated.

MICHIGAN

Building projects to develop office space in downtowns

Shaun Byron
January 9, 2002

City officials hope East Lansing and Lansing will be taking care of some business. Both cities have been working to develop office space. East Lansing’s City Center project is nearing completion and Lansing has just laid the ground work for a new 12-story office complex in its downtown area. The Lansing complex development, slated for 2004, is being developed by the Boji Group of Lansing.

MICHIGAN

Hiring freeze limits student employment

Aaron Johnson
January 8, 2002

As natural science majors across the university prepare to gain valuable field experience over the summer, many will find one of the more visible sources closed as the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Environmental Quality are under a hiring freeze. The hiring freeze affects all paid positions, including many summer assistant positions or internships, which can be vitally important to the agency, said Kelli Sobel, administrative services deputy for the DNR. “In a lot of our divisions (student assistants) are very, very important,” she said.

MICHIGAN

Court delays plan to limit medications

Shaun Byron
January 8, 2002

Mental health advocates and drug companies won a decision in Ingham Circuit Court Monday to push back a plan set forth by the Michigan Department of Community Health. Under the plan, a list of particular medications created by state doctors and pharmacists will not be available to low-income patients unless they show evidence they need the drug. Geralyn Lasher, spokesperson for the department, said they will appeal the decision. “If we are not able to move forward with the plan we feel there will be irreparable harm,” Lasher said.

MICHIGAN

Group seeks peace

Shannon Murphy
January 7, 2002

Lansing - Mary Thomas didn’t spend the holidays visiting family - instead she hopped on a plane to work for peace in Israel. From Dec.

MICHIGAN

Cell phone users in Meridian to get clearer, improved service

A multi-provider cellular tower is being built to improve cellular phone service in Meridian Township. The 180-foot tower will be constructed within the next month between Meridian Township Hall, 5151 Marsh Road, and its adjacent public safety building. The tower was designed to resemble a three-sided clock tower with panels hiding its antennae and a clock face on each side, township officials said.

MICHIGAN

Kmarts future uncertain as stock price sinks

Aaron Johnson
January 7, 2002

Despite reports of higher than expected sales for the last week of December, financial analysts predicted a grim future for Kmart stock. Wayne Hood, an analyst for Prudential Securities Inc., downgraded Kmart’s stock from “hold” to “sell” Wednesday after the announcement that the company, based in Troy, Mich., had a third-quarter loss of more than $200 million. “The analysts considered weak financial results for the fourth quarter as well as weak sales and earning expectations,” said Lawrence Meyers, first vice-president of Prudential Securities in Bloomfield Hills. The downgrade preceded a 72-cent drop in price on Wednesday and a 65-cent drop on Thursday.

MICHIGAN

Grant helps farmers donate surplus food to homeless

Shaun Byron
December 7, 2001

The Food Bank Council of Michigan is being provided with funding to help with the overflow of homeless in shelters.On Tuesday, the State Administrative Board approved the Michigan Department of Agriculture’s proposed grant contract.The grant will supply the council with more than $980,000 for state emergency food assistance.Jane Marshall, executive director for the Food Bank Council, said the grant will help fund the Michigan Agriculture Surplus System (MASS).MASS is a partnership between Michigan food banks and the state’s agriculture industry.