MICHIGAN
Interstate 496 closes in April
Lansing resident Cory Jones will have to take another route to campus when construction begins on Interstate 496 at 6 p.m.
MICHIGAN
Todays special elections to fill three open seats
The empty spots in the state Legislature will be filled today by a special election. And although predictions are low for voter turnout, the candidates for the 26th state Senate district have been trying to get their messages out in the hopes of getting people to the polls.“The campaign looks like it did from the beginning - in question,” said Rosemary Reed, a Democratic candidate from Perry, Mich.
MICHIGAN
U student plans to run for city council
David Jirikovic thinks he has a great relationship with his East Lansing neighbors - he plowed their driveways in the winter, and they baked him cookies. It was the urgings of those neighbors that convinced the urban planning senior to run for one of two East Lansing City Council seats that will open up this year. “One of my main concerns is student-resident relations - it’s a mess right now,” he said.
MICHIGAN
E.L. pizzeria continues talks with state to reopen
The owner of Good Times Pizza is negotiating with the Michigan Department of Treasury to reopen the popular East Lansing pizzeria after the department seized the business last week, citing over due taxes. Robert Foss, owner of the pizzeria located at 615 E.
MICHIGAN
Engler announces plans to give funding to Michigan airports
Gov. John Engler released plans Thursday to add an additional $12.7 million to the state’s plans for aeronautical improvements. “These important investments in our airport system will yield $10 billion in economic benefits to Michigan businesses and to our state,” Engler said in a written statement. The Michigan Aeronautics Commission already has approved federal and state funds for 19 projects, such as runway and taxiway rehabilitation, land acquisitions, lighting, terminal construction and design engineering.
MICHIGAN
LCC to look at dance internship
Lansing Community College’s Board of Trustees may vote to eliminate the college’s dance program today in an effort to save money, but dance officials say they developed a solution to keep students pirouetting. Program officials want the college to offer professional dance internships with local companies, which school officials say could be possible. “I’m very positive they will see significant merit in the planning that has gone into this internship,” said Dianne Newman, director of Happendance School & Co., 3448 Hagadorn Road in Okemos.
MICHIGAN
Conversion plan will change one-way streets
Monica Zuchowski’s vehicle could be heading in a different direction in Lansing, if a two-way street conversion plan receives approval from the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Lansing City Council.The plan would convert six of the city’s one-way streets - Allegan, Ottawa, Pine and Walnut streets and Grand and Capitol avenues - into a two-way network by 2003.Lansing city officials say the alterations will benefit the area, but Zuchowski, president of the Downtown Neighborhood Association, is skeptical.
MICHIGAN
New cards to curb food stamp fraud, help others
Food stamp users will be given the choice of paper or plastic twice when grocery shopping.Electronic Benefit Transfer program uses a plastic card, similar to a debit card, instead of food stamps.
MICHIGAN
Blanchard to lecture on public relations
Former Michigan Gov. James Blanchard will come to campus to give a lecture on the importance of public relations in his political career.Blanchard will talk to communication students and others interested in public relations at 4 p.m.
MICHIGAN
Weekend dance brings fun for diverse crowd
Julie Levy-Weston describes contra dancing as “one of the few dance forms that thrusts a person of the opposite sex into your arms every 30 seconds.”Levy-Weston, the events planner for the MSU Museum, is coordinating the contra dance with the Looking Glass Music and Arts Association, an area organization dedicated to bringing arts back to Lansing.
MICHIGAN
Legislative efforts hope to combat pollution
Campus environmental groups and local authorities are pleased at the state Senate’s efforts to address pollution problems that plague the Red Cedar River, although they say the proposal is flawed. The state Senate this week passed two bills of a five-bill package that is intended to fix sewage overflow problems across the state.
MICHIGAN
City officials go to Washington conference to meet other leaders
Although there wasn’t much time to snap photos or sightsee, East Lansing city officials agree their trip to Washington D.C.
MICHIGAN
Sparrow gives Day of Relaxation
LANSING - As she walked the maze-like pattern in the cement, Connie Purdue said it brought her inner peace, despite hearing car horns, engines and other sounds of a busy day. “As I get towards the end of the labyrinth I tend to slow down,” the East Lansing resident said.
MICHIGAN
GVSU picks former U official for job
Grand Valley State University chose Mark Murray, a former MSU vice president of finance, Wednesday as its next president.Murray, 46, will leave his current position as state treasurer to take the job when current GVSU President Arend Lubbers retires in June.Murray will be the third president in GVSU’s 41-year history.“Grand Valley in particular, I believe, is an under-known asset to the greater state of Michigan,” Murray said in a written statement.
MICHIGAN
Survey sees bald eagles migrate to Michigan
The bald eagle, a familiar and popular symbol of American culture, is finding its way to Michigan.A survey, which is part of the nongame fish and wildlife fund, is conducted every winter by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to give officials some clue as to where bald eagles are staying during the winter.The survey, conducted in January, reported a statewide count of 1,510 bald eagles, almost twice as many as the 782 reported last year.Ray Rustem, supervisor for the natural heritage program with the DNR, said citizens who saw the bald eagle would report its location either on a Web site or by sending a postcard to the DNR.
MICHIGAN
Bill may increase funding for U by $22 million
They’ve planted the seed.The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education sent on a bill that calls for a $22 million boost in state funding for the university.The committee’s efforts may help to reduce the funding gap between research schools, which has existed for decades in the state.
MICHIGAN
Local students focus on safety
LANSING - Lansing-area high school students voiced concerns about school safety to a panel of state House Democrats on Tuesday at Everett High School, the site of a 1978 school shooting.Vince Villegas, an Eastern High School senior, 220 Pennsylvania Ave., in Lansing, said the first step to preventing school violence is making counselors available.“The average student would have to put in a request to see their counselors and wait about a week,” Villegas said.
MICHIGAN
Lawmakers unveil plan to bridge funding gap
Michigan legislators will release a new funding plan today that may help to close the controversial funding gap between MSU and other state colleges.
MICHIGAN
Proposed legislation fights hate crimes
A group of legislators and activists joined together Monday morning to introduce new legislation that may help combat hate crimes and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people.“Right now, people can be punished for hate crimes performed for ethnic or racial reasons, but not for sexual orientation,” said state Rep.
MICHIGAN
Web site allows U to view council meetings
The city of East Lansing is plugged in, logged on and waiting for the e-mail to pour in. With the help of MSU Broadcasting Services, every East Lansing City Council meeting will be digitized and available to listen to and view on a new Web site - giving students and residents another way to watch officials in action. “It’s designed to be one of the many ways East Lansing and the university cooperate,” project coordinator Donald Weinshank said.