Monday, April 20, 2026

Take a peek behind the curtain and test drive the NEW StateNews.com today!

News

MICHIGAN

Red Cross declares blood shortage emergency

With a shortage of blood supply levels in the state, the Great Lakes Region of the American Red Cross is hoping to gain donors before the onset of the Fourth of July weekend. The region, which provides blood to 70 hospitals and 63 counties throughout the state, has declared a blood emergency to their corresponding hospitals and counties, which only have a 36-hour supply of blood left.

MSU

Credit union creates study abroad fund

When religious studies senior Marie Shepherd took off for a study abroad program last summer, she figured she had enough cash to get by for the next six weeks. But after her Italian Language, Literature and Culture program in Florence, Italy, finished, Shepherd found her wallet empty. But a $2.5-million donation to the MSU Study Abroad program could help students such as Shepherd cover the cost of an education outside of East Lansing. The MSU Federal Credit Union donated the money for the MSUFCU Study Abroad Scholarship, which awards qualified students with $500 to $2,000 for any of the programs offered by MSU, said Inge Steglitz, assistant director of MSU Study Abroad. In the 2001-02 academic year 1,819 MSU students participated in study abroad programs, she said. "It ensures students from every part of the class can take an opportunity to study abroad," said Lou Anna Simon, MSU Interim President In April students participating in study abroad accompanied university officials to meet with the credit union board, Simon said. "We really sold this idea by taking the students," she said, adding they were able to give firsthand experience about how study abroad affected their college experience. Although there are several scholarships available through the program, Shepherd says she didn't apply for any because she was under the impression she would be able to afford her trip to Italy.

MSU

Board approves lighting project, building renovations

Construction and endowment projects were issues at the MSU Board of Trustees' last summer meeting. Although Trustee Colleen McNamara was the only trustee able to physically attend the Friday meeting, the other seven trustees chimed in their votes through a teleconferencing system.

MICHIGAN

Downtown stores to host summer sidewalk sale

Students and residents looking for a bargain this weekend can visit downtown East Lansing. The East Lansing Merchants Group hosts its annual sidewalk sale today through Saturday. Downtown merchants will display their store sale items outside of their businesses. "We're doing half-off all housewares," said Jill Repasky, Urban Outfitters store manager.

MICHIGAN

Officials to study phone-related crashes

States are being encouraged by highway officials to report when crashes are caused by distracted drivers. The Governors Highway Safety Association is issuing a new report called the Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria that police officers will be able to use when writing reports for car accidents that were caused by distracted drivers.

MICHIGAN

Federal funding dependent on law

Michigan lawmakers are looking to place stricter penalties on drunken drivers in an effort to increase safety on Michigan roads, but some feel the policy-making is only a response to pressure from the federal government. Two bills, unanimously passed in the state House, lower the blood alcohol level for drunken driving from .10 to .08 grams and stiffen penalties for drivers found to have a blood alcohol level of .15 grams or more. If the bills are not passed by Sept.

MICHIGAN

Truckers help police identify drunken drivers

Almost 900 commercial truck drivers will act as eyes for police in a drunken driving campaign. The program, "Night Owls," will employ Michigan truck drivers to help police identify highway drivers under the influence from Friday to July 13.

MSU

Trustees to discuss upgrades

Installing energy-saving light fixtures, renovating the Physics-Astronomy Building and engineering a livestock research facility are some of the issues up for discussion at the MSU Board of Trustees meeting Friday. About half of the university's fluorescent lights will be replaced with high efficient lighting if the board approves the project, said Bob Nestle, university engineer.

MSU

GEU members protest

Dozens of Graduate Employees Union members picketed on Grand River Avenue on Tuesday to voice their discontent with MSU decision-makers. The demonstration, dubbed "Afternoon of Action," aimed to bring public awareness to the recent decision by the university to alter graduate student's titles from teaching assistants to instructors.

MICHIGAN

5K run raises funds for Listening Ear crisis center

The sixth annual Bob's 5K run/walk drew 330 competitors to the starting blocks on Sunday in East Lansing to accomplish ambitions of their own as well as goals for the community.For Okemos resident Louise Forsythe, the event's coordinator, the race served dual purposes - to honor her late husband Bob Forsythe and to raise money for the Listening Ear Crisis Intervention Center.The center provides free 24-hour telephone crisis counseling to those dealing with depression, sexual assault and suicide, among other issues.

MICHIGAN

Police seatbelt sting issues 80 tickets in E.L.

East Lansing police issued 80 tickets during the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning's "Buckle Up or Pay Up" campaign.Extra officers were placed on streets in designated zones in the Lansing area to spot drivers not wearing safety belts from May 26 to June 1.

MICHIGAN

Powwow celebrates heritage

Lansing - Elizabeth Ballew carefully wrapped rainbow beadwork around her daughter Sarah's braided brunette hair, as the 10-year-old attentively looked toward the powwow arena. "These were given to me when I graduated high school," Ballew said.

MICHIGAN

LCC raises tuition for fall

Lansing - MSU 2002 graduate Courtney Bullock went to Lansing Community College to earn her teaching certificate this summer because of lower tuition rates, but she soon found it was going to be more expensive than planned. Faced with $4.5 million in state funding cuts, LCC, like other community colleges across the state, was forced to compensate with a 5.9-percent tuition increase on Monday.