Whitmer to focus on budget deficit

A day after being re-elected to the Michigan House of Representatives for her third and final term, state Rep.

Bush's 2nd term spurs local protest against administration

Lansing - Standing on playground equipment and speaking into a bullhorn, members of activist group Direct Action protested President Bush's re-election, war and the government Wednesday night at Foster Park. Liz O'Brien, a senior at Okemos High School who helped organize the event, said the group had planned to protest regardless of who won the presidential election. "We don't accept Bush as an acceptable representative," O'Brien said.

Rogers promises to aid manufacturing

Congressman Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, will head back to Washington, D.C., after winning the hearts of Republicans and Democrats in the 8th District. Rogers, who took more district votes than President Bush, skipped past his nearest House competitor, Democrat Bob Alexander, by about 80,000 votes on Tuesday.

Students fast for Ramadan, charity

A line curved around a corner and down the hall of the basement in West Holmes Hall as about 50 hungry students waited to eat their first meal of the day.

ASMSU spends $36K on upgrade for offices

ASMSU's offices will updated by the end of the year with about $36,000 worth of new technology and furniture. It is the second of three upgrades this year.

Stores optimistic about holiday sales

East Lansing retailers might be bursting with holiday cheer in the coming months as most Michigan retailers expect a bustling and profitable shopping season. Last week, the Michigan Retailers Association announced in a report that sales optimism was spreading through more than two-thirds of the state's businesses, including those in East Lansing and surrounding areas.

E.L. roadwork upsets residents

Construction began this week to make a section of Coolidge Road a two-way street, which East Lansing officials say is going to help traffic problems in the area. But some East Lansing residents in the neighborhood are wary of the change. "It's going to cause a real headache," said Chris Reimann, a Glencairn Neighborhood Association representative.

Police briefs 11/03/04

Business school wages food war

MSU business graduate students are challenging their counterparts at colleges around the country in the battle against communal hunger. MSU Eli Broad Graduate School of Management students launched the ninth annual "MBA Food Fight" on Saturday, which pits 16 master's degree programs in business administration from colleges throughout the United States against each other.

11th challenge drives to pint-sized goals

The big football game between the Nittany Lions and the Spartans isn't until Nov. 20, but the competition between the two schools began Friday with the first blood drive of the MSU-Penn State Blood Challenge. Entering its 11th year, the blood challenge was based off the sports rivalries in an attempt to gather more donors, said Justin Looyenga, donor recruitment representative for the Mid-Michigan Chapter of the American Red Cross. "The Red Cross was looking for new ways to gain interest in donating blood, and creating new challenges is always a good way to do that," Looyenga said. However, the competition gimmick did not influence education senior Audra Hunsberger's decision to donate blood. "The rivalry didn't make me want to donate," Hunsberger said as she munched on the remaining quarter of her glazed doughnut after giving blood Tuesday.

Police defend current weapons

The recent death of a Boston Red Sox fan from a pepper spray pellet shot was extremely rare, area law enforcement officers said, adding they plan to continue use of similar weapons. The 21-year-old Emerson College student, Victoria Snelgrove, was hit in her eye during a street celebration after the Oct.

Firefighters, officers back candidates

On the main road into downtown Jackson, a large cardboard sign on the door of a red fire engine house reads, "Just Say NO to Republicans ... Vote Kerry." The station house is no longer used by the Jackson Fire Department - it's a private residence.

ASMSU votes against bill that would allow fishing in the Red Cedar River

Lindsey Bock wasn't surprised when she caught a 30-inch salmon in the Red Cedar River behind Kellogg Center and she said other students shouldn't be either. The fisheries and wildlife senior said she catches everything from rock bass to salmon in MSU's featured waterway and, as part of the Fisheries and Wildlife Club, works to make students realize the river isn't a "toxic dump." Bock is involved with cataloging fish and other species in the Red Cedar River as secretary for the club that also takes part in river cleanups.

Strep test finds strains in women

Group B Strep (GBS) can be fatal to newborns, but with a new test designed in part by an MSU researcher, the specific strain can be recognized and treatment can begin within 40 minutes. "This test can be done quickly and effectively - that's why this is so important," said Dele Davies, chairman of the Department of Pediatrics and Human Development. Research for the new test was a collaboration with faculty members of several North American universities including the University of Texas, the University of Calgary in Canada and the University of Pittsburgh. The molecular diagnostic test magnifies and identifies DNA specific to Group B Strep, which is naturally present in women, but can infect infants during birth. Both tests involve a strep culture, using a large cotton swab similar to the ones employed in strep throat tests.

Students take 'Fed Challenge'

Five MSU economics students attended the College Fed Challenge competition in Chicago on Monday. The competition, which had never been held in the Midwest, required participants to understand the Federal Reserve System, analyze the economy and make policy recommendations.

Do you have any worries about Election Day?

"It's my first time voting, and I guess I just hope for the best. People have done a really good job of ensuring people are registered.

Police briefs 11/02/04

Cheney appeals to voters during visit

Vice President Dick Cheney attacked Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry's competence on defense Friday and pledged to win all of Michigan's 17 electoral votes on Tuesday. Cheney, who spoke at the Dimondale Summit Sportsplex on Friday, said Kerry is spending too much energy focusing on 250 tons of explosives that allegedly went missing in Iraq this month.

ASMSU voters pick incumbents

ASMSU re-elected two vice chairpersons in charge of its funding and programming boards on Thursday. Incumbents Jason Bucholz and Kristen Daddow kept their seats on each respective board, although the vote total is unknown because ASMSU's general assembly closed its meeting to the public during debate about the vice chairperson candidates. ASMSU can close a meeting to the public with a two-thirds vote.

ASMSU might create new affirmative action plan

ASMSU is working on an affirmative action plan that would document its hiring procedures and ethnic makeup, and later evaluate the association's racial background. R.J.