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News | Michigan

MICHIGAN

New scholarship to assist at-risk students

Brandi Lewandowski
January 31, 2001

Social work junior Kristin Heinrich has a chance to provide hope to 500 area seventh graders by being a mentor this fall as part of a new scholarship program.The program, Helping Other People Excel, or HOPE, provides Lansing students with two years of free education at Lansing Community College after completing high school graduation.The scholarships aim to aid students identified as at-risk students by educators.

MICHIGAN

Clean up begins in Lansing

Shannon Murphy
January 31, 2001

LANSING - The Michigan Office of Special Environmental Projects is getting out its brooms to clean up a contaminated site.The effort is part of the environmental office’s project to clean up 17 newly discovered contaminated sites in Michigan.Lansing’s Brownfield Redevelopment Board approved Tuesday at its annual meeting roughly $1.9 million in state funds so that the environmental office could clean up the sites.The State Sites Cleanup Program, which began in 1996 after receiving $30 million from the state Legislature, has been cleaning up 142 state sites.“It’s very difficult for us as a state entity to require other people to clean up their sites when we weren’t cleaning up ours,” said Keith Harrison, director of the environmental office.

MICHIGAN

Youth push for teen vote

Aaron M. Miller
January 30, 2001

LANSING - The Lansing Junior City Council Initiative held a kickoff meeting for its Lansing Teen Voter Registration Challenge, 2001, on Monday at a local high school.Members of the initiative explained the challenge to about 10 interested high school students and community members in the Eleanor Dorsem Social Room at Eastern High School, 220 N.

MICHIGAN

Mini horses breed womans passion

Aaron M. Miller
January 30, 2001

MASON - Nestled just south of the Interstate 96 and Okemos Road intersection, a mile or so from the electric signs and cash registers of capitalism, Westwind Farms is a curious picture of rural American life.There, Cammie Cavanaugh reigns supreme, walking with ease and familiarity through red stables, surrounded by barn cats, fences and multicolored horses.You won’t find many saddles around Westwind Farms, though - the farm, 3146 Okemos Road, specializes in miniature horses.

MICHIGAN

Attorney Generals life threatened in letter

Eric Morath
January 29, 2001

Michigan Attorney General Jennifer Granholm’s life was threatened via a letter last week before she made a scheduled speech in Chesterfield Township.A threat assessment was done by the Michigan State Police in conjunction with the Warren Police Department, and it was determined that there was no danger.

MICHIGAN

Police battle racial profiling

Jeremy W. Steele
January 29, 2001

LANSING - Police department officials put about 30 area residents through the same training this weekend that officers have received to combat racial profiling.Two-hour sessions on Saturday and Sunday drew about 15 people to the Harry Hill Vocational Center, 5815 Wise Road, to discuss profiling practices and learn about the department’s strategy to prevent it.Racial profiling is a practice in which police take action based on race, ethnicity or national origin rather than illegal or suspicious activities.“Historically, police officers were taught this.

MICHIGAN

Registration deadline arrives for upcoming election

Drew Harmon
January 29, 2001

Today is the last day to register to vote for the upcoming special elections. The elections, which are scheduled to take place March 20, are to fill three vacant seats in the state Legislature.Candidates for the seat left behind by Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, who won the 8th Congressional District race in November, include Rep.

MICHIGAN

Restaurants seek permit for dance floors

Jamie Gumbrecht
January 26, 2001

East Lansing businesses want to give residents a place to put their feet up, and kick their feet up.Two downtown restaurants have requested the entertainment license required to have a dance floor: Troppo, 213 Ann Street, and Spartan Sports Den, 1227 E.

MICHIGAN

House rejects pay increase

Eric Morath  and  Steve Eder
January 26, 2001

It is not often that 100 people would each turn down $20,000.“Have you ever voted down a pay raise?” asked House Speaker Rick Johnson, R-LeRoy, in his office Monday.The state House rejected a pay raise of that amount Thursday in a 100-6 vote.

MICHIGAN

Faculty help ease transition into college

Brandi Lewandowski
January 26, 2001

Marqus Coleman knows what he’ll be doing after he graduates from East Lansing High School in June.He’ll attend Defiance College in Ohio.“The counselors at my school helped me with deciding but my mom and my dad always told me that I had to do something after high school,” Coleman said.Although the senior high school student’s decision was influenced by his counselors and parents, MSU officials say the trend is for prospective college students to get too wrapped up with career plans.William Metcalfe, a psychologist at MSU’s Counseling Center, said he talks with MSU students who are concerned about their niche at college and about future careers.“Sometimes I’ll see students early on adjusting to just what this place is like, where their niche is and what their opportunities are here,” he said.

MICHIGAN

Number of flu cases to increase

Aaron M. Miller
January 26, 2001

The flu has been slowly making its rounds and the worst may still be on the way. Last year influenza reached its height in December, but this year the bug has been delayed throughout the nation, including Michigan, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The flu causes 20,000 deaths and 110,000 hospitalizations each year in the United States. English freshman Allyson Stanley had the flu during winter break, but didn’t go to the doctor. “I figured if it ended within a day, then I wouldn’t go, but if it persisted, I would go to the doctor,” she said.

MICHIGAN

Energy company to raise rates

Aaron M. Miller
January 25, 2001

Escalating costs are forcing gas-provider Consumers Energy Co. to seek rate increases that would cost students and area residents several hundred more dollars per year for natural gas. If the Michigan Public Service Commission approves, Consumers Energy bills could increase between 40 percent and 60 percent April 1.

MICHIGAN

Airfare prices increase

Eric Morath
January 25, 2001

When Hester Hughes travels by air she chooses to fly out of Capital City Airport. But a hike in airfare may have Hughes to question that decision next time.“I use Lansing because it is more convenient, once I flew out of Detroit, it was more of a problem with the traffic, frustration and a great inconvenience,” the human ecology graduate student said.“I am hesitant to make travel plans because the increase in airfare.”Some fares on flights departing from the Lansing airport have rose since American Eagle Airlines stopped serving Lansing in May, Deputy Executive Director Mike Lynn said.The increase in prices and a lower number of flights have caused airport travelers to decline by 10 percent in 2000 compared to 1999, he said.“(American Eagle) fares made this market competitive,” Lynn said.American Eagle was second the second largest carrier out of Lansing before their departure - Northwest is the first.“We expect that right now they are going to Flint, Grand Rapids and some to Detroit.

MICHIGAN

Charles Street to close Monday

Jamie Gumbrecht
January 25, 2001

East Lansing city officials will close Charles Street on Monday near the City Center Project so that construction on the project can continue. The crane being used to build the parking structure for the $35 million project will be moved onto Charles Street, forcing East Lansing to close the area between Grand River Avenue and Albert Avenue. Lori VanOmmeran, a city urban planner and community analyst, said the street will re-open by the end of March.

MICHIGAN

City council considers roundabout

Jamie Gumbrecht
January 24, 2001

East Lansing motorists might be driving in circles in 2002.The East Lansing City Council affirmed Tuesday that it will continue considering a roundabout in place of a four-way stop at the corner of Albert Avenue and Charles Street.