Today marks day four of the nation's first Sunshine Week - a time dedicated to shedding light on the significance of open government for citizens and journalists. "The idea of public access to government information, documents, meetings and knowing how their tax dollars are being spent is a fundamental tenant of democracy," Sunshine Week Coordinator Debra Gersh Hernandez said.
Since recently receiving stun guns, officers in the East Lansing and MSU police departments say they aren't often used but are a good tool. Stun guns are weapons that look like guns but shoot prongs instead of bullets.
Two MSU assistant professors proved to be on the same level as those from Harvard, Yale and Johns Hopkins Universities. Michael Feig, from the department of biochemistry and molecular biology, and Fengbo Hang, from the mathematics department, were awarded Sloan Research Fellowship grants this month. Hang is the only current mathematics faculty member at MSU to have won the award, and Feig is the first member of the biochemistry and molecular biology department to win. "I knew I was nominated for it, but I didn't expect it because it's a very competitive award," Feig said.
MSU's campus radio station is staying at the top of the charts. For the fifth time in six years, WDBM (88.9-FM), also known as the Impact, was named the college radio station of the year by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters and Broadcast Music Inc. The station beat out about 350 other high school and college stations across the state for the award. Students on staff said they were excited to be recognized. "It feels good to know that you're working with the best in college radio - hands down," said John Fournier, the channel's information director.
For the first time in its history, the MSU Club Hockey team won the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division II Championships held on March 5.
Customers of the DSW Shoe Warehouse in Eastwood Towne Center in Lansing Township should be watchful of their credit card activity after the company's recent security breech. Last Tuesday, the company announced that personal information, including credit card numbers, was stolen from its database during the past three months.
The East Lansing City Council has a set order. ASMSU's Academic Assembly follows a set philosophy.
"I always see cop cars and fire trucks around, so it's obvious they're out working. There needs to be better security at night though, better lighting and more patrols maybe." Sarah Slama no-preference freshman "I'm a mentor on 6 East Akers and every time I've had to call the police, they've been really helpful - their response time has been really fast. Clark Llanzmzon political science senior "I was here for a few of the riots in the past, and then it seemed to me like the cops were pushing the students to do something.
Lesléa Newman, author of more than 40 books for children and adults about the intersection and collision of the lesbian and Jewish identities, will speak at 7:30 p.m.
The debate about limiting rental housing will deepen today when a request to eliminate new rentals in the Bailey neighborhood goes before the East Lansing City Council. Under an ordinance passed last April, permanent residents have the power to petition the City Council to limit or completely restrict rentals in a designated area. Although this process, and the restrictions it dictates, is nothing new, some are concerned about how the council is using its power to add or remove properties from neighborhoods' rental restriction districts. "When the city created the overlay zones, the expressed intent was to create solidified single family neighborhoods," said Jeff Hudgins, co-owner of Hudgins Realty.
Construction of a new parking ramp near Morrill Hall has been delayed about a month to complete a traffic study, university engineer Bob Nestle said. The study of Grand River Avenue, required by the Michigan Department of Transportation, couldn't be completed because of a recent snowstorm, Nestle said. The parking lot can't close and construction can't begin until the study is completed. The new $19.5 million ramp was approved by the MSU Board of Trustees on Feb.
MSU is trying to create new ways to keep students informed about the Dec. 26 tsunami. At the "Tsunami: Wave of Destruction" exhibit at the Main Library, social work junior Dekayla Carr said she learned new things about the tsunami that took place in Southeast Asia.
Four journalists will be inducted into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame during a ceremony at Kellogg Center on April 16.
A visiting professor from the University of Michigan brought the sounds of Javanese music to campus on Monday.
In an effort to inform students about ASMSU services and increase voter turnout in the March ASMSU elections, MSU's student government will host a pre-election pizza party for current representatives, potential candidates and the undergraduate student body. After last year's low voter turnout of about 5 percent, student government members decided further steps needed to be taken to get students to vote.
Several MSU fraternities and sororities will soon have some charitable landscaping done to their front yards. Within the next several weeks, at least 17 greek houses will have drop boxes for Volunteers of America, a Christian nonprofit community-service organization, installed on their properties.
Assistant provost for university outreach and engagement, Hiram Fitzgerald, received the 2005 Child Advocate Award from the Michigan Fatherhood Coalition at the annual conference for the Michigan Head Start Association Inc. After studying fathers' roles for the past eight years, as part of a national research consortium evaluating Early Head Start programs, Fitzgerald was recognized for his work to raise awareness of the roles fathers play in their children's lives.
The city of East Lansing was successful last week in pressuring state officials to return speed limits along Grand River Avenue and Saginaw Highway to their original speeds. The Michigan Department of Transportation, or MDOT, along with the Michigan State Police and State Transportation Commission raised area speed limits by 10 mph nearly a month ago after conducting traffic studies for about a year. East Lansing officials, angered by the state's decision, took the three agencies to court.
Horse owners and enthusiasts packed MSU's campus this weekend to see the largest equine show in the state. The 22nd annual International Stallion Exhibition and Trade Show, sponsored by the Michigan Horse Council, was held Friday through Sunday at the Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education. "People who are coming through a long winter before riding season starts know they can come here to get the things they need," said Marilyn Graff, spokeswoman for the exhibition and trade show and member of the Michigan Horse Council.