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MICHIGAN

Heating bills increasing with drastic cold temperatures

Sara Konkel
February 5, 2014

With the heat pumping into off-campus homes surrounding MSU during the frigid months, utility bills are skyrocketing, and even more so than in previous years. The high cost of this winter’s heating bills have some students grasping at straws to make their payments, DTN Area Director Emilie Wohlschied said. “I think everyone is feeling the pinch as far as the awful winter that we’ve been having,” Wohlschied said.

MICHIGAN

Team to review BWL handling of outages

Geoff Preston
February 5, 2014

On Wednesday night, a committee of six community members featuring former East Lansing City Council members and community activists was appointed to review the handling of Lansing Board of Water and Light’s response to a December power outage.

MSU

Blood donors needed by Red Cross

Michael Kransz
February 5, 2014

The American Red Cross recently declared an “urgent need” for blood donors, which coincides with a blood drive competition that pits MSU against rival University of Michigan.

MICHIGAN

President Obama to sign farm bill in East Lansing

Simon Schuster
February 4, 2014

President Barack Obama plans to sign the Agriculture Act of 2014, often referred to as the farm bill, at the Mary Anne McPhail Equine Performance Center Friday afternoon. Students hoping to catch a glimpse of Obama when he visits MSU’s campus Friday will be sorely disappointed, however, as the event is closed to the public. The farm bill legislation was passed by both chambers of Congress on Tuesday. White House officials waited until the latest farm bill had been passed by Congress to release details about the event. MSU has a number of ties to the farm bill. The Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee is MSU alumna Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich. The university was founded as the nation’s first agricultural college under the name Agricultural College of the State of Michigan. Agriculture stayed in the university’s name until 1964, when Michigan Agricultural College became Michigan State University. MSU President Lou Anna K.

MICHIGAN

I-96 shooter gets at least 6.5 years

Geoff Preston
February 4, 2014

During a trial in Livingston County last week, convicted I-96 shooter Raulie Casteel testified that he spent time in both Michigan and Kentucky practicing his shot in farm fields. But on Tuesday in Oakland County Circuit Court, it was the hours that he didn’t spend on his own shooting range that saved him years of prison time, according to Judge Denise Langford Morris. Although no one was killed in the shooting spree Casteel went on along the I-96 corridor in the fall of 2012, Langford Morris said that was nothing to be proud of. “Thank goodness you were a lousy shot,” Langford Morris said during sentencing. Casteel, a 44-year-old MSU alumnus, was sentenced to 6.5 to 10 years in prison on Tuesday on multiple assault and weapons charges, which he pleaded no contest to last October.

MICHIGAN

East Lansing Police update description of Cedar Street shooting suspect

Lauren Gibbons
February 4, 2014

The East Lansing Police Department has released several new images of the suspect wanted for killing one student and injuring another on the 200 block of Cedar Street Friday evening. Newly-released surveillance images show the suspect, who shot and killed hospitality business sophomore Dominique “D.J.” Nolff and injured another student, entering and leaving the complex on Friday evening. The updated police description indicates the suspect is a black male between 6-foot-1 and 6-foot-3 inches tall between 20-25 years of age who weighs about 170 pounds. At the time of the shooting, the suspect was wearing a black North Face jacket, tan pants and black shoes.

MSU

Student government presidential elections spark controversy

Kary Askew Garcia
February 4, 2014

ASMSU, MSU’s undergraduate student government, will be holding its presidential elections this Thursday, despite allegations of current chief of staff Kiran Samra violating the student government’s election code by running for the position. Samra, a marketing senior, was found to be involved with the University Elections Commission, a group within ASMSU that oversees the election process, when she decided to run for president. Samra served as the commission’s chair until she resigned on Jan.

NEWS

Obama to sign farm bill on campus Friday

Simon Schuster
February 4, 2014

President Barack Obama will be visiting MSU’s Mary Anne McPhail Equine Performance Center on Friday in the early afternoon to sign the recently passed farm bill into law, according to a Michigan Democratic source. The White House has not released further specifics about the visit. The Michigan Farm Bureau told MLive that the President will be meeting with area farmers. According to a representative from the bureau, immigration reform will be the topic of the President’s visit with the farmers.

MICHIGAN

Surveillance images of Cedar Street shooting suspect released by police

Lauren Gibbons
February 4, 2014

The East Lansing Police Department has released several new images of the suspect wanted for killing one student and injuring another on the 200 block of Cedar Street Friday evening. Surveillance images show the suspect, who shot and killed hospitality business sophomore Dominique “D.J.” Nolff and injured another 20-year-old student, entering and leaving the complex on Friday evening.

NEWS

I-96 shooter receives six and a half to 10 years

Geoff Preston
February 4, 2014

Pontiac, Mich. – Convicted I-96 shooter Raulie Casteel was sentenced to six and a half to 10 years in state prison Tuesday morning in Oakland County Circuit Court. The prosecution and defense agreed to a plea agreement, which Judge Denise Langford Morris allowed. Casteel pleaded no contest to assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and several felony firearms charges in October. The sentence included a felony guns charge of two years, for which Casteel was given 455 days time served. “You terrorized countless people,” Morris said during sentencing.

MSU

More than a furry friend

Kary Askew Garcia
February 3, 2014

Finding solace in times of stress is something many students struggle with daily. But for Kate Londy, comfort can be found in a rather unique way. Londy, an osteopathic medical student, finds that her cat offers her more than just companionship.

NEWS

Facebook celebrates 10-year anniversary

Sara Konkel
February 3, 2014

Tuesday marks the 10th anniversary of the social media site many young people know, love and use for hours on a daily basis — Facebook. Facebook has traveled a long way from Mark Zuckerberg’s Harvard dorm room.

MICHIGAN

I-96 shooter Raulie Casteel faces sentencing in Pontiac Tuesday

Geoff Preston
February 3, 2014

The possible motive behind a man who randomly shot at multiple cars on the highway might not be the most complicated thing about the Raulie Casteel trial. The MSU alumnus will be sentenced Tuesday morning in Oakland County after pleading no contest to assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder along with several felony firearms charges in October. Casteel, 44, shot at cars along the I-96 corridor in October 2012.

MICHIGAN

Snyder kicks off re-election campaign

Simon Schuster
February 3, 2014

LANSING, Mich. — On Sunday night, MSU students and voters across the state crowded around televisions to experience the sensory barrage of advertisements and football that is the Super Bowl. Midway through the game, they witnessed a wetsuit and snorkel-adorned Gov.