Yoga studio to hold ribbon-cutting event

As You Are Yoga, 111 E. Allegan St., Lansing will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 20 at 11 a.m. The studio opened Nov.

Granholm announces special Senate election

A special election will be held March 14 to fill the Senate seat vacated after newly-elected Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero resigned to begin his new job.

Police academy starts Wednesday for public

The East Lansing Police Department's Citizens' Police Academy starts Wednesday. The free class meets Wednesdays from 6 to 9 p.m. For more details, call Sgt.

Contest held for horseshoers

Gentlemen, start your forge ovens. Horseshoes, known as good luck charms and often pitched at company picnics, went back to their roots Saturday as Michigan's best horseshoers competed in a timed 30-minute shoeing contest at the Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education.

New year brings fitness goals

As the clock ticked down and 2005 ended, many Americans brought in the new year with resolutions to shrink their waistlines in 2006. But only 8 percent will fulfill them, according to a 2005 survey by Stephen Shapiro, a Boston-based author and former management education consultant. "This is the prime season to lose weight because of the new year and new beginnings," said Scott Schell, owner of Powerhouse Gym, 435 E.

Ramada renovated, now Howard Johnson

After three electrical fires in 2002, the former Ramada Inn has cleaned up the ashes with a new contemporary look and a new name —the Howard Johnson Inn.

Accreditation at MSU first in state

MSU is one of six institutions in the nation — and the first in Michigan — to receive accreditation by the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs Inc. The university earned "qualified accreditation" status in 2005 for all research done involving human participants.

12 teams compete in engineering contest

By Nicholas Baumgardner Special to The State News Students of a senior Capstone Design course for electrical and computer engineering majors might have just redefined the idea of being stressed for final exams. The culmination of their semester-long efforts and college careers, as well as several all-night-long lab sessions, took place Thursday at the International Center as 12 teams gathered to show off their inventions at the annual Electrical and Computer Engineering Design Day.

Pro-life group plans to petition for amendment

The Michigan Citizens for Life are working to start a petition drive so that an amendment to the state constitution granting rights to the unborn would appear on the 2006 ballot. Cal Zastrow, chairman of the group, said they still have a lot of work to do and are working to get more volunteers. "We are a volunteer organization," he said.

Police briefs 12/09/05

Program simulates typical college day

About 150 fifth-grade students got a look at college life for a few hours Thursday. A professor and several students in James Madison College presented a college lecture and a tour of the residence halls to children from Baldwin Elementary School in Rochester, before eating lunch with them in South Complex. "They walk away learning, and it gives them a college experience," said Peter Spadafore, a social relations junior and coordinator of the program. The college has hosted visiting days for Baldwin Elementary for the past six years, with the same kind of format every year, Spadafore said. Recently, the program has expanded to include two other elementary schools, and it might continue to grow in the future. "We're trying to reach out to Lansing schools and Haslett schools," Spadafore said.

Housing sign-up to begin after break

Residence hall sign-ups for the 2006-07 academic year begin Jan. 20. Scheduled sign-ups occur throughout a two-week period, and the day students sign up depends on what they request for a housing assignment for the next year. Students who wish to stay in their current room or residence hall have the first option, over students who don't currently live there. Final priority is given to students who choose a single room, with juniors and seniors having first pick over freshmen and sophomores. Due to the renovation of Snyder and Phillips halls beginning this summer, those halls will not be available for residence in the next academic year. Students currently living in those halls will have second choice at requesting another hall to live in because of the displacement. To see the schedule for the 2006-07 housing sign-up process, log on to http://uh.msu.edu/campus/sign_up.html.

Downtown E.L. stores attract holiday shoppers

As the holiday shopping season draws closer to an end, downtown East Lansing stores are seeing what it means to be a destination shopping area. East Lansing Councilmember Mark Meadows, who served on the Downtown Development Authority until his mayoral term ended three weeks ago, said the downtown specialty stores attract customers, but not in the same sense as a mall. "If you want to come downtown without a particular something you're looking for and wander, we get that a little," he said.

Prof. planning program to help Katrina victims

Months ago, Joyce Grant said she remembers watching Hurricane Katrina unfold on the news, as the flood waters destroyed community after community in New Orleans. "It is not enough to feel bad — there is so much stuff going on in the world to feel bad about," Grant said.

City park might lose green space with building relocation

By Michael Steigmeyer Special for The State News A plan to move a Lansing Board of Water & Light building to an East Lansing park is being reconsidered despite a city advising commission's reservations.

ASMSU assemblies, RHA to hold first-ever joint meeting tonight

The Residence Halls Association and both assemblies of ASMSU will meet together for the first time tonight to discuss issues such as the independent commission reviewing the April 2-3 disturbances, water quality and campus recycling. Members of RHA and ASMSU, MSU's undergraduate student government, will hold the meeting at 7 p.m.

E.L. principal refuses $20K gift

Chris Savage was shocked to learn the $20,000 prize he won from Samsung's "Hope for Education" essay contest for East Lansing High School was rejected because the principal refused to provide her social security number on the paperwork. "I heard from Samsung saying (the school) had declined it," said Savage, an East Lansing resident.

Book drive to benefit Africa

At one point this semester, Laura Sologuren Sanchez had about 1,600 books in her residence hall, but none of them were hers. The learning disabilities freshman started the student group Books for Africa when she arrived to MSU from her native Bolivia, and kept donations in a Mason Hall storage room. The group collects new and used English-language books for all ages and donates them to organizations working to help reduce costs for building community libraries and educational centers in African countries. "We are changing African children's lives — it's amazing," said Sanchez, who is president of the group.

Supplies sent to Miss. schools, kids

More than 10,000 books, boxes of school supplies and backpacks were donated last month to a Mississippi school district hit by Hurricane Katrina, after an MSU student adopted the district. Through her organization called Heart 2 Heart, elementary education senior Michelle Buffa collected donations at drives held at local libraries and schools, and at her hometown school in Grand Blanc.

Diverse crowd celebrates 'Holidays in Old Town'

Lansing's Old Town is in the midst of its holiday celebration with events aimed at bringing people of all ages to the area and its businesses. "It's an opportunity for MSU students to sneak away from East Lansing and see that this area has a lot more to offer than they think," said Jamie Schriner-Hooper, executive director of the Old Town Commercial Association. The celebration, "Holidays in Old Town," started on Dec.