Sunday, December 7, 2025

Take a peek behind the curtain and test drive the NEW StateNews.com today!

News | Michigan

MICHIGAN

$6.3M to improve city transportation

Congress passed legislation Friday that would hand over about $6.3 million to improve Lansing transportation.The bill gives the city $3.33 million for reconstruction of the Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge, $750,000 for the Intelligent Transportation System and $2.25 million for Capital Area Transportation Authority.If the bill passes the Senate and is signed into law by President Bush, CATA’s portion of the money will be used to buy new buses, update equipment and fix fare boxes onboard.“We are very pleased,” said Brad Funkhouser, director of service development for CATA.

MICHIGAN

Democrats seek new leader

State House Democrats will elect a new leader today.With Minority Leader Kwame Kilpatrick, D-Detroit, packing his bags for his new job as mayor of Detroit, the Democrats will fill the void of his departure.State Rep.

MICHIGAN

Trees to remember 9-11 victims

Families of Pentagon and New York rescue personnel might find delight from branches of green on Christmas night.Michigan Christmas tree farmers are donating 750 trees to Pentagon military rescue personnel and to surviving family members of New York firefighters, police and rescue personnel killed in the Sept.

MICHIGAN

Greeks gather for gala to honor their fall semester achievements

Lansing - MSU greeks pulled out all the stops and threw a party too big for any house last week. Representatives from MSU’s Panhellenic and Interfraternity councils joined members of the university’s greek system in Lansing for dinner, awards ceremony and celebration on Thursday at the Greek Excellence Awards Gala to wrap up the fall semester’s greek activities. More than 300 members of MSU’s sororities and fraternities filled the banquet hall at the Lansing Center to acknowledge greek men’s and women’s achievements in academics, community service and philanthropy. This years gathering marks the first time the Greek Gala and Presidents’ Ball, to honor chapter leaders, were combined into one event, said Kate Luick, president of the MSU’s Sigma Kappa chapter. Rachel Kuchar, an executive vice president of the Panhellenic Council, said the awards gala exemplifies academics, community and greek relations.

MICHIGAN

World AIDS Day celebrates life

Lansing - Robert Anselmo didn’t know for 13 years that he was HIV positive. Since being diagnosed with the disease in July 1998, Anselmo said there is not a day he looks in the mirror and doesn’t realize he is living with AIDS. Anselmo spoke about his difficulties and the dangers associated with AIDS and HIV for World AIDS Day on Saturday at the Impression 5 Science Center, 200 Museum Drive. As part of observance of the national event, Anselmo and others were present for panels of the NAMES Project Foundation’s AIDS Memorial Quilt being put on display at the science museum for the public. On display were 16 panels of the quilt, which has more than 44,000 pieces. “I am honored to be here and I hope I am here next year,” Anselmo said before the group attending the ceremony. Patrick Lombardi, director of volunteer services for the Lansing Area AIDS Network, 4660 S.

MICHIGAN

Protesters fight budget cuts for health care clinics

About 200 parents, students and legislators joined forces outside the state Capitol on Wednesday to protest the defunding of 19 health care clinics statewide.The clinics fell victim to state budget cuts earlier this month that reduced spending by more than $500 million in the wake of declining state revenue.The spending reductions will eliminate 75 percent of the money for the clinics, 14 of which are located on school grounds, protesters said.“The idea was to apply some pressure and let folks know at the Capitol that these are needed programs,” said Debbie De Leon, a member of the Ingham County Board of Commissioners.