Candidates attend tailgate, campaign with student fans

Gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos, Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land and Michigan Republican Party Chairman Saul Anuzis were a few of the high-profile Michigan Republicans who came to campus Saturday for the football game against Notre Dame. At a booth set up near the entrance to Spartan Stadium, students got a chance to voice their concerns and ask questions of candidates and active politicians. "It's a chance to talk to a candidate that was walking around," said John Knowles, who helped organize the event and is running for the 69th District seat in the state House of Representatives against Democratic opponent Mark Meadows.

Student tells of Lebanon travels

Thursday night was the first time Waleed Brinjikji, an MSU physiology senior, shared his story on campus about how his family's trip to Lebanon turned into a fight for their lives. In mid-July, Brinjikji and some of his family, including his mother, visited Lebanon in hopes of seeing some of their family's heritage. When fighting began between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, a political and military group stationed in Lebanon, he sensed the danger of the situation. Brinjikji and his family were forced into hiding, spending countless nights fearing for their lives as bombs were dropped near the home in which they were living. With the help of others, Brinjikji and his family were finally able to escape to Syria and return to the United States. The night began with Yusuf Begg, an economics senior with the MSU Muslim Students' Association, who said the event was not meant to place blame or decide who was right or wrong, but instead to strictly focus on this family's tough journey. Begg, who had known Brinjikji from a local Mosque near their hometowns, said he was alarmed when he heard what happened to Brinjikji but was hopeful of what people could take away from the presentation. "Now that he is back, I hope people can go on with an open mind and become more aware of the events going on around them," Begg said. After Begg finished speaking, Brinjikji began vividly describing what he and his family went through, including witnessing building and car explosions. "I wanted to go into this talk with a nonpolitical outlook," Brinjikji said.

Museum program uses food to teach science

By Sean Ely For the State News Many children spend their Saturday mornings with their eyes glued to the television, awaiting hours of their favorite cartoons.

Simon pushes for MSU's role to expand in bio-economy

Michigan needs to focus on building research, agriculture and manufacturing assets to be successful in a global economy, MSU President Lou Anna K.

Student resides in wrong district, withdraws candidacy for county seat

History senior Zach Hodyna was only a few feet away from being a contender. While running for the Ingham County Board of Commissioners' 10th District seat, which includes most of MSU's campus and parts of central and southern East Lansing, Hodyna was forced to drop out of the race after the Aug.

Wharton to offer free theater workshop

The Stratford Festival of Canada is coming to Wharton Center from Oct. 30 through Nov. 1. The event will feature nearly a dozen actors and provide students with participatory learning activities, including lecture demonstrations and master classes.

Profs earn international accolades

The French government honored two MSU professors for their work in the humanitarian studies of French culture. Anna Norris and Ehsan Ahmed, professors in the MSU French, Classics and Italian department, were named Chevaliers dans l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques, or Knights in the Order of Academic Palms — one of the oldest and most-honored awards a person can receive from the French government. MSU professors previously have been recognized four other times. Professor and department chairman John Rauksaid said both professors are great representations of what the department and university want out of their teachers. "We, as a department, are very honored by two of our professors receiving this title," Rauk said.

Pimpology

Mattresses lined the floor of Wonders Hall Kiva on Thursday night as part of a program teaching students about maintaining healthy sexual relationships. "Pimpology: It's About the Relationship," a program initiated by Case Hall resident mentor Evan Fowler-Guzzardo, is designed to teach students how to carry on healthy, meaningful relationships — including sexual ones. "It's about the relationship between you and your significant other, you and your roommate and even how you understand yourself," Fowler-Guzzardo said. Using the word "pimp" in the event's title puzzled some students who attended, but Fowler-Guzzardo said the reason for it was simple. "I chose the name Pimpology because I wanted to show that being a player or being a pimp isn't constructive to the kinds of relationships that are so meaningful in college.

Bill may create jobs in Mich.

Michigan construction workers could be first in line to build facilities for expanding businesses such as ethanol production plants — no matter what the cost. The Michigan Senate commerce and labor committee met Tuesday to discuss legislation that would give job preferences to in-state construction firms when an agricultural processing, renewable energy or forest products processing facility is created. The bill was introduced by state Sen.

Focus on bioeconomy

When Mariam Sticklen watched gas prices nearly quadruple during the oil crisis of the 1970s, the then-Ohio State graduate student knew she had to do something to help. "Back in the '70s, we didn't do anything to start solving problems, and that was the time to start," Sticklen said. Sticklen then moved to Michigan and into the emerging field of biotechnology to research ethanol production.

Finance experts to share tips on managing money

MSU graduate James Glenn wants you to keep your money. In fact, he designed the School of Money to do just that. The School of Money seminar, scheduled at 6:30 p.m.

Police briefs 09/21/06

Study: U.S. sex assault programs inadequate

A study conducted by an MSU professor revealed that sexual assault educational services across the nation need improvement.

Dean: College's future looks high tech

After spending more than two decades at MSU, Marsha Rappley said she's still learning. The MSU College of Human Medicine graduate and former nurse has been an MSU faculty member since 1988 and was named dean of the college Friday. "My learning curve was very steep and continues to be very steep," said Rappley, who served as acting dean of the college for the past year. Rappley said there will be a lot of hard work ahead, as plans for the college's expansion to Grand Rapids move into the final stages, and she begins collaborating with other MSU colleges. "It's a challenge to keep movement on all fronts, and it's important in research and clinical enterprise," Rappley said. The medical college is looking at creating joint-degree programs with other colleges, such as the College of Engineering, and integrating more technology into classes, she said. "The synergy between engineering and medicine is enormous," Rappley said.

Police briefs 09/20/06

E.L. business celebrates 80 years

It wasn't just any suit that an East Lansing dry cleaning company pressed years ago. Then-presidential candidate Bill Clinton handed off his dark-colored, two-piece suit to be cleaned at Twichell's Dry Cleaners and Tailors before he wore it in a 1992 presidential debate on MSU's campus. Mesung and Sangwon Lee, the third owners of the dry cleaner, watched the debate on television and admired their work. "I thought he looked good," Sangwon said. The former president is an example of and glimpse into the success of the dry cleaning business' history as it celebrates its 80th anniversary this year. Since 1926, the dry cleaning business has stood on M.A.C.

Innovations: Tomatoes

Name: Robert Last, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, and other researchers from MSU, the University of Michigan and the University of Arizona Department: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Date of research: Last has been working with tomatoes for about six months. Type of research: Plant biology and genetics Basics of research: "We are interested in finding the genes that are involved in making trichomes, the little hairs on plants, and the chemicals involved in making the chemicals in the little hairs," Last said.

Comforting cotton

Victims of Hurricane Katrina will be warmer this winter as a result of a clothing drive that collected denim for insulation on Tuesday in front of Shaw Hall. Cotton Inc. and the MSU Public Relations Student Society of America, or PRSSA, hosted Cotton's Dirty Laundry Tour, which is a 14-stop nationwide event to educate students about cotton clothing. MSU is the second stop of the tour. The event served as an outlet for the "Cotton.

Simon visits Capitol to discuss economy

MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon will meet with industry and university leaders from the U.S. and Mexico for a conference in Washington, D.C., today. The conference will be held by the Council on Competitiveness and the Mexican Institute of Competitiveness to talk about obstacles both countries face in a global economy. The groups will discuss forming strong links between higher-education institutions in the countries and workforce training.

Priest: Church OKs stem cell research

The Roman Catholic Church isn't against stem cell research as long as the research has nothing to do with embryos, a nationally renowned priest and bioethicist said. The Catholic Church agrees with only three sources for stem cells: stem cells culled from miscarriages, umbilical cords and adult stem cells, said Father Tad Pacholczyk, who spoke in East Lansing last week on embryonic stem cell research. Pacholczyk said it is possible to conduct stem cell research morally if scientists use adult stem cells, which are stem cells already existing in humans. Bone marrow has its own stem cells, for example, but it is designed to make only bone marrow cells, thus making embryonic stem cells a preferred method of research by scientists because they can be used in any part of the body.