'U' wins MSU-Penn State Blood Challenge

Although the Spartans lost to the Nittany Lions on the football field on Saturday, they were victorious in the annual MSU-Penn State Blood Challenge. This is the first time since the 2000-01 school year MSU has won the blood challenge. The 11th year for the blood drive ended Friday, with MSU pulling in 1,785 pints of blood and Penn State trailing with 1,750. The goal for each school was 2,000 pints.

Committees to present report on liberal arts college

The liberal arts committees have completed their work, but MSU's Academic Governance system is not yet comfortable voting on the options. The Executive Committee of Academic Council met Monday to discuss whether the Committee on College Reorganization and the New Residential College Program Planning Committee reports will be ready for today's Academic Council meeting. Jon Sticklen, chairman of the executive committee, said the group wants to wait to address the new liberal arts college.

Police briefs 11/23/04

Tree-lighting, fireworks highlight of holiday event

Lansing - Even a cement mixer can be part of the holiday season. Decorated with hundreds of strands of colored lights, the large vehicle rotated strands of colored lights in Lansing's Electric Light Parade on Friday night. Also in the parade route, local high school bands played holiday music, a Capital Area Transportation Authority bus was costumed as a bug and area groups rode on decorated Christmas-themed floats.

Police briefs 11/22/04

Police briefs 11/22/04

Transgender students, allies observe Day of Remembrance

Walls covered with pictures of those murdered due to transgender prejudice surrounded about 15 students last week in Bessey Hall as they discussed violence against the transgender community. The discussion was in honor of the 6th annual Transgender Day of Remembrance on Saturday.

Sports facilities seek funding from ASMSU

Here's the request before ASMSU: $50,000 from its budget to expand IM Sports-West. MSU's undergraduate student government is still considering funding part of the $5.6 million renovation of weight-lifting and exercise facilities at the IM building.

Global Festival promotes cultural understanding

Volunteers handed out multicolored passports as Global Festival participants made their way through the door of the Union into the international smorgasbord. Global Festival 2004 on Sunday was the culmination of International Education Week.

3 students assaulted over weekend

MSU police are investigating a series of assaults from the weekend. Two male students were assaulted early Saturday morning in separate but related incidents, MSU police Sgt.

Protesters criticize actions in Iraq war

Art Bukowski Special for The State News Bundled against the inclement weather and holding signs reading "stop the killing" and "not in our name," about 30 activists marched Friday from the Capitol to the office of Congressman Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, in protest of the war in Iraq and the recent U.S.

National award highlights college advertising work

An advertising award competition is being used to highlight the talents of the industry's up-and-coming leaders.

Food bank continues to serve

When the Greater Lansing Food Bank started in 1981, group members didn't anticipate they'd still be fund raising to feed the poor in the Lansing area more than 20 years later. The group recognized the growing problem of those needing emergency food assistance, but assumed it was a result of the slow economic times.

Comedy group entertains with improv missions

Daniel Thai Special for The State News With the "Mission Impossible" theme blaring through the speakers, five men wearing nondescript white shirts, black pants, black ties and sunglasses introduced themselves as agents Puma, Reactor, Nighthawk, Slingshot and Cavalry. These were members of Mission IMPROVable, a nationally touring improvisational group from Chicago that performed two shows Saturday at the International Center. Mission IMPROVable, which performed for the seventh consecutive semester at MSU Saturday night, puts on more than 200 shows a year and has a solid fan base, University Activities Board representative and community relations senior Emily Money said. "We had to book them in September to make sure we got them," she said.

Bird lovers flock to show

Charlie was getting restless. The Timneh African grey parrot opened his beak and bit at the metal bars of his cage, hoping to get the attention of his owner, Debbie Gould of DeWitt.

Sexual assault report is 12th of semester, police investigating crime

An 18-year-old female student reported being sexually assaulted early Saturday morning, MSU police Sgt.

Restaurants showcase at annual food event

The fifth annual "Taste of Okemos" will be held in the commons area at Okemos High School, 2800 Jolly Road in Okemos.

Authors discuss 9-11 coverage

As they watched the television coverage of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Mary Carouba and Susan Hagen noticed one thing - women were not included. "We reverted back to the language of the '60s," Carouba said.

Michigan youth attend government sessions

Nearly 400 middle school students from 19 schools throughout the state are expected to participate in the second annual session of Michigan Youth in Government that will begin this weekend. The statewide program is an expansion of the Youth in Government program for high school students.

Kennedy speaks on environment, Bush

After admitting entrapment in "airplane purgatory," Robert F. Kennedy Jr. arrived 10 minutes late to sign copies of his book in the MSU College of Law lobby before hurrying off to give a lecture at Wharton Center on Thursday. Kennedy, a well-known environmental lawyer, spoke to a full auditorium about the United States' environmental destiny in conjunction with the publication of his new book, "Crimes Against Nature: How George W.