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MSU

Ban lifted on aid for Israel study

MSU students who want to study abroad in Israel just got a big break from the university. Kathleen Fairfax, director of the Office of Study Abroad, said MSU officials decided on Monday to lift the ban on students applying for financial aid to study in Israel. In October 2000, all MSU-sponsored study abroad trips to Israel were suspended after several security warnings from the U.S.

MICHIGAN

Meridian Twp. pizza shop robbed by E.L. man

An armed robbery took place Saturday afternoon at Little Caesars restaurant located on Lake Lansing Road in Meridian Township, police reported. A 19-year-old male East Lansing resident entered the establishment, said he had a weapon and demanded the money from the cash register, said Meridian Township police Sgt.

MICHIGAN

Study: Local air travel increases

Despite a bumpy future ahead for domestic airliners, the number of satisfied travelers that flew out of Capital City Airport is up 10 percent from 2001, according to an MSU study. "People really like the convenience of going to a nearby airport," said communication Professor Charles Atkin, administrator of the research. The survey cited low air fares, convenience and fast security screening as reasons local residents prefer to fly from Capital City rather than Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.

MICHIGAN

E.L. art gallery offers unique experiences

East Lansing residents can experience art and culture they might not normally find in their daily lives with (SCENE) Metrospace art gallery, 303 Abbott Road. This weekend it was a human-sized beaver. Julian Stark, a performance artist from New Jersey, assumed the persona of a beaver and built intricate structures from wood that transported water, similar to a beaver dam. His art was the structure and his costume. "I wanted to create a character that would allow me to tell stories and build things," he said.

MICHIGAN

Survey finds state's seat belt law effective

Michigan officials buckled down on drivers buckling up. A survey commissioned by the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning officials revealed 90 percent of Michigan drivers fasten their seat belts. Michigan is the first eastern state to achieve this benchmark.

MSU

ASMSU prepares for elections, strives to attract new members

With ASMSU elections nearly two months away, student government officials are preparing election blueprints, geared at getting more students prepared to vote. A three-phase election plan outlines three possible ways of informing students of the March election - sending out fliers, advertising on the student government's Web site and printing advertisements. The marketing and publicity plan, created by Joanna Lankerd, ASMSU's constituent activism director, was introduced to the Student Assembly last week. Last year, only 4.7 percent of undergraduate students voted in the student government election.

MSU

Graduates stage protest via motorcade

With horns blaring and streamers waving in the frigid air, a caravan of cars wove their way - slowly - through campus Monday morning. But some say the noise was unheard by those they were trying to reach. The cars carried Graduate Employees Union members protesting the administration's proposal to take parking rights out of the new GEU contract during a negotiating session. "Right now, we can park south of the river, but what they're proposing is to strike any mention of parking rights from the contract," GEU President Deborah Wilson said.

MSU

Schools vie to top organ donations

Patrick Pruitt knows the value of organ donations. Pruitt, a psychology senior, got a corneal transplant in 1990 to restore his sight. "As a child of six, I lost the ability to read - to play with my toys," Pruitt said.

MICHIGAN

Restaurant to make donation to victims

Qdoba Mexican Grill pledged to give a portion of their proceeds on Tuesday to the Dec. 26 Southeast Asia tsunami disaster victims. Ten percent of the restaurant's proceeds for the day will be donated to Direct Relief International, an organization providing health resources to the areas affected by the tsunami tragedy.

MSU

Sparty named national champ

Sparty on, MSU. For the second year in a row, Sparty is the number one mascot in the country. After his 2004 national championship, Sparty began working on his next routine to bring to the 2005 Universal Cheer Association/Universal Dance Association College Nationals in Orlando, Fla.