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MSU

Mich. horses focus of new study

The impact the equine industry has on Michigan's economy and changing patterns of urban sprawl will be examined in the state's first horse study in 10 years conducted by researchers at MSU. The Animal Industry Initiative — a statewide program that works with MSU to perform research and education in animal agriculture — and various groups involved in the equine industry will work together to survey horse owners in Michigan. Their goals are to find out how many horses are in the state, what breeds they are, the contribution they make to the state's economy and their effect on suburban sprawl, MSU epidemiologist Mary Rossano said. The survey will be mailed this spring to more than 4,000 people involved in the industry. "The economic data is the most important so that we have a sense of what kind of dollars are utilized, what kinds of feeds are being used, how land is being used, medicines, trailer sales and so forth," said Val Vail-Shirey, executive director of the Michigan Equine Partnership.

MSU

Hindu five-day festival of lights celebrated

At 7 p.m. today in the McDonel Hall Kiva, the Coalition of Indian Undergraduate Students will present "Diwali Mela 2005." Participants at the event will have an opportunity to learn more about Diwali, a Hindu festival of lights. The festival is celebrated for about five consecutive days, and participants will be able to decorate pottery and get henna body art. MSU's Bhangra dance team also will perform.

MSU

U.N. resolution honors Holocaust

There are two kinds of Holocaust survivors to Yehudit Rotem — those who've spoken out about their experiences and those who've remained silent. At 16 months old, Rotem was too young to know when she and her family entered the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Lohheide, Germany.

MSU

Veterans Day hits home for MSU ROTC

About 15 guests joined the MSU ROTC Spartan Battalion for a Veterans Day ceremony at the Alumni Memorial Chapel on Tuesday, to honor veterans of past and present wars. "For me, it's about remembering everybody who went before me," said Lt.

MSU

Law college event discusses clemency

Carol Jacobsen from the Michigan Battered Women's Clemency Project will speak at 6:30 p.m. today in the Castle Boardroom of the MSU College of Law. Jacobsen will discuss the effort to gain clemency for incarcerated battered women, a cause the organization continues to pursue. The event is open to the public and hosted by the MSU College of Law Women's Law Caucus.

MSU

Rioting unlikely to affect study abroad

Riots have surged in France for nearly two weeks, but tensions in the country will probably not have a significant impact on MSU study abroad programs planned for the spring and summer, officials said. There are currently no MSU students studying abroad in France or Belgium, where riots have spilled across the border. "We checked that right away," said Kathleen Fairfax, director of the Office of Study Abroad.

MSU

Extended meal plan topic of public forum

Students and members of the university community will have the opportunity to comment on the proposed meal plan change at today's Residence Halls Association, or RHA, meeting. The group is meeting at 7:20 p.m.

MSU

Provost shares plans for academic quality fund

MSU Provost Kim Wilcox released a first draft on the results of the academic quality fund on Tuesday, which would allocate $9.7 million to initiatives that aim to benefit students and enhance the academic experience at MSU. Wilcox presented a series of graphs at Tuesday's Executive Committee of Academic Council meeting that show a preliminary idea of how the fund will be divided. For the last few months, Wilcox has led a group from the Office of the Provost in reviewing 118 proposals that were submitted by different deans across the university, totaling more than $74 million.

MICHIGAN

Cold case reopened, new information found

New information obtained from North Carolina has caused Lansing police officers to place a 1999 murder case into active investigation status, a news release from the Ingham County Prosecutor's Office stated. Officers with the Raleigh Police Department contacted Lansing police after finding information while executing a search warrant of resident Drew Planten's home on Oct.

MICHIGAN

Word on the street

Heather Holcomb no-preference freshman "No. I just turned 18 yesterday and I'm from Dallas, Texas, so I don't know how that works.

MICHIGAN

Mich. considers small-business tax cut

The state legislature and Gov. Jennifer Granholm hammered out an agreement last week that would provide for more than $3 billion in funds for job creation and a cut in the small-business tax. The bills would cut the tax by 0.05 percent starting in 2009. By cutting the small-business tax, employers can create more jobs statewide and help the economy, said Ari Adler, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema, R-Wyoming. "One of the things we need to do in Michigan is become more competitive with our taxes," he said.

MICHIGAN

2 youths driving stolen car to face charges

The two youths found driving a stolen car in Lansing on Friday will face charges of receiving and concealing stolen property, according to Lansing Community College Police and Public Safety. The car was taken from Ramp 2, which is near Bessey Hall, on Oct.

MICHIGAN

Groups drive voters to polls

Local voters took advantage of free rides on Tuesday to cast their ballots in the East Lansing City Council election. The MSU College Democrats and the Capital Area Transportation Authority, or CATA, both offered free services to help people get to the polls.