Silver, gold meal plans begin in fall

When students sign up beginning this week to live on campus next fall, they will have two new meal plan options from which to choose.

Agriculture college to offer specializations

Two specializations will be added in fall 2006 for majors within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, after being approved by Academic Council on Tuesday. A natural resource recreation specialization was created through the department of Community, Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies. Agronomy, or the science of soil management and crop production, will be offered by the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences. It will take 17-20 credits to specialize in natural resource recreation and 15-18 for agronomy. The specializations will create better job opportunities for graduates of the college, committee Chairman Michael Schechter said.

E.L. man to seek court re-election

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Michael Cavanagh of East Lansing announced Tuesday that he's running for a fourth term in 2007. Cavanagh, 65, has been on the court since 1983 and is the longest-serving justice currently on the court. "I still have the energy," Cavanagh said, adding that he's a "young 65." This is the last time he will be able to run for re-election because people cannot seek a judicial position past the age of 70.

MSU prof returns to India for quail project

By Erin Atkinson Special for The State News MSU professor Sam Varghese will return to South India on Friday to study the effects of his educational work with tsunami victims. Varghese, an animal science professor, has been aiding tsunami victims since learning his hometown of Kerala, South India, was affected by the 2004 storm.

Coalition works to gain school funds

A proposal which would guarantee yearly funding increases equal to inflation for all public schools, including community colleges and Michigan's public universities, has received significant support from voters across the state. The K-16 Coalition for Michigan's Future has collected about 300,000 signatures supporting its proposal, according to the group's spokesman Ken MacGregor. The number of signatures required for a proposal to appear on the November ballot as a ballot initiative is 254,206.

Disabilities focus of IM project

Laura Hall looked around the myriad of athletic equipment in motion at IM Sports-West's fitness center Saturday afternoon. The second-year social work graduate student, who uses a wheelchair, had never exercised using the center's facilities before. "I never thought they were accessible," she said.

Soda struggle

Two-liter bottles of Faygo and Vernors were among a clutter of paper cups on a foldout table in front of the rock on Farm Lane on Monday afternoon. "Get a drink of justice," a member of Students for Economic Justice, or SEJ, called out to passing students. The group organized a Michigan pop taste fest to promote the use of local beverages and play down the use of Coca-Cola Co. products. English senior and SEJ member Rachel Fealk said the group believes managers at the Coca-Cola bottling facilities in Colombia hired paramilitary groups to kill eight union leaders and harass other employees and their families.

Tutoring project to aid New Orleans

In the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, garbage still lined the streets and hugged the edges of damaged houses one month ago. Chain-linked fences remained collapsed from the weight of uprooted trees.

Cell phone collection event rescheduled

Liberty Tax Service offices in the Lansing area canceled last Saturday's event to collect old cell phones due to bad weather conditions. The company will trade in the donated cell phones for cash, which will pay for 60-minute calling cards for soldiers in Iraq.

Bandit arrested, linked to 6 Mich. robberies

Local police and FBI agents are investigating to see if the man who robbed an Okemos bank Friday is the "Michael Moore bandit." An armed man drove away in a gray 1990s BMW after robbing National City Bank, 2260 Jolly Oak Road, at about 1 p.m.

Police briefs 01/24/06

Book helps bridge languages

Two different languages from opposite ends of the world share something in common. Dr. H.C. Tien decoded the Chinese and English language and discovered a link between them — that there are similar pen motions to form the letters in the two languages. Tien said that there are only 10 strokes that a person makes with a pen to write the letters in both languages. Tien's alphabet simplifies the Chinese language in his book, "Little Dot," so it is easier to teach children how to write Chinese characters.

Board adjusts auditing policies

For the first time, MSU's external auditors will be able to reapply to retain their positions after their six-year renewable contracts expire. Plante & Moran, an external auditing firm based in the Midwest with an office in East Lansing, was selected as the auditor for the next fiscal year on Jan.

Police briefs 01/23/06

Presidential planner

Each week, The State News will bring you a glimpse of some of the public events MSU President Lou Anna K.

Suspect in armed robbery at large

An armed man robbed an Okemos National City Bank at about 1 p.m. Friday, Meridian Township police Sgt.

Today is last day to recycle holiday trees

Today is the last day to put holiday trees at the curb to be picked up for recycling. The City of East Lansing will turn the old trees into mulch for use in various parks. Trees should be free of decorations and tree stands and out of bags.

Collecting for a common cause

By Katie Luscombe Special for The State News Volunteers stood at the doors of the MSU men's basketball game Saturday, hoping to collect spare change or canned food donations. While some diverted their eyes from the collection-bucket holders, there were many fans in the crowd who gave to the MSU Student Food Bank's fundraiser. Kristin Moretto, director of the MSU Student Food Bank, watched this happen over and over at Saturday's fundraiser held at Breslin Center during the MSU vs.

Word on the street: What do you think of East Lansing's downtown student rental situation?

"(I live in Lansing) because I had to take what I could get. There's not enough options if you wait until the middle of August to start looking." Ed Morrison Economics senior Lansing resident "There are a lot of options.

Work consultants available to students

The Youth Development Corporation is offering employment counseling to people between 16 and 21 years old who are looking for a job.