E.L. art galleries cope with student follies

Sometimes a window is bashed in, a shrub is uprooted or a puddle of urine is left behind. But for decades, East Lansing art galleries and artisan shops have managed to coexist alongside bars and other college town standards. Tom Dufelmeier, co-owner of Mackerel Sky Gallery of Contemporary Craft, 217 Ann St., said the key to survival is appreciating the city's diversity. "A college town is a college town," Dufelmeier said.

Police briefs 09/29/04

East Lansing event to support AIDS research

A fund raiser to benefit HIV and AIDS treatment and prevention is scheduled Sunday at Valley Court Park, behind the Peoples Church, 200 W.

Election events held on campus Thursday

More than 1,000 free tickets are still available to see Michael Moore speak at noon Thursday at the Auditorium, but they are no longer being offered at Case Hall.

Lansing neighborhood awaits development

Lansing community leaders and residents met in the rain Tuesday at the East Village construction site to celebrate the coming of the city's first new neighborhood in 40 years. "This is a very exciting day for Lansing," Lansing Mayor Tony Benavides said during a speech.

Council to answer criticism

Members of the Executive Committee of Academic Council will meet to respond to a letter sent from representatives of the American Association of University Professors.

Campus site of 2 crashes

A mail truck driven by a 43-year-old male from DeWitt hit a Chevy Equinox on the corner of Red Cedar Road and Shaw Lane yesterday afternoon, MSU police Sgt.

Marriage amendment addressed

Students and faculty members discussed the possible repercussions of an amendment that would define marriage as a union only between a man and a woman. MSU's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Faculty, Staff and Graduate Student Association, or GLFSA, hosted a forum Tuesday to evaluate the local effects on domestic partnership benefits at MSU. "We are taking a two-tiered approach," GLFSA President Val Meyers said.

Horse club auctions stallions for money

The Equine Club at the College of Veterinary Medicine will host its first stallion service auction fund-raiser throughout October.

Most bikes stolen from Brody halls

Some students heading off to class in the morning are receiving a surprise once they reach the bike racks - their bikes are gone. Residence halls are the source of most bike thefts, said MSU police Sgt.

Michigan residents from 68 countries now Americans

In a packed Lansing Community College auditorium on Monday, 300 new American citizens raised their right hands and pledged to observe, protect and defend the U.S.

New diagnostic center opens

After almost three years of construction, the Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health will be dedicated at noon on Thursday. The center, which is now located at the corner of Beaumont and Forest roads, has existed on campus for years, but had previously been divided into separate laboratories across campus. "It improves the efficiency and allows us to improve our turn-around time with results for our clients and puts us in a better position to maintain the integrity of the specimens," said Willie Reed, director of the center. The new laboratory will provide services for homeland security, animal care and the study of diseases such as bovine tuberculosis. Reed said the facility took almost three years to complete because of the sophisticated equipment and the large size of the building.

Regional community policing gives $350K

MSU's chapter of the Michigan Regional Community Policing Institute will receive a $350,000 grant from Community Oriented Policing Services to train law officers.

Police briefs 09/28/04

4 injured in accident; student faces prison

An MSU student could face 20 years in prison if convicted of injuring four people in a drunken driving accident near Mount Pleasant on Sunday morning. Mechanical engineering senior Nathan Diller was driving his 1999 Chevrolet pickup on M-20 in Chippewa Township at 4 a.m.

U-lock security failure revealed to consumers

For bikes secured with a U-lock, the most dangerous utility a thief can have is the empty shaft of an ordinary ball-point pen. It was recently reported that the Kryptonite Evolution 2000 U-Lock can be opened by inserting the plastic casing of a pen and wiggling it.

Renter's insurance eludes most

She's heard about it, talked about it and knows she should get it, but advertising senior Pam Sorensen still isn't covered. And she's not alone. Sorensen is among more than 90 percent of students who are without renter's insurance, as estimated by MaryAnn Pierce, who supervises the Rental Housing Clinic, 541 E.

Foundation gives to science competition

The Dart Foundation donated more than $328,000 to MSU's Division of Science and Mathematics Education to support the Michigan Science Olympiad for the next five years.

Locals 'hang out' in tree-climbing classes

By Scott Atkinson Special for The State News The age-old adventure of climbing trees has been retooled for children in the Lansing area, with the addition of helmets, ropes and harnesses. The Harris Nature Center, 3998 Van Atta Road in Okemos, hosted a workshop in "technical tree climbing" Saturday, where they instructed participants on how to safely climb - and hang out in - large trees. Vertical Ventures Rock Climbing & Wilderness Programs, 843 Lantern Hill Drive, a company that teaches technical tree climbing, led the group through the woods of Okemos to their tree of preference - a tulip poplar with thick branches, which they estimated was more than 100 years old.

Edwards' daughter to attend party at Union

Cate Edwards, the daughter of Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards, will be visiting the MSU Union ballroom, Thursday at 8 p.m. Cate Edwards, 22, will be participating in a debate-watching party with the MSU Students for Kerry.