ASMSU recruits U for student elections

A combination of Sparty and Uncle Sam is pictured on ASMSU’s office door, sporting a black top hat embroidered with an “S.” It points at people walking by, declaring, “We want you.” The undergraduate student government applications for its mid-March elections are due Monday. Candidates are approved to run as representatives for their colleges on ASMSU’s Academic or Student assemblies after applications are turned into 307 Student Services by 5 p.m.

Police briefs 02/14/02

Web site aims to help small businesses train employees

The state is reaching out to small businesses.The Michigan Department of Career Development has developed the online training program BeeFreeway, under the partnership of Michigan Virtual University and Netg, a division of Thomson Publishing, an e-learning business.Programs in business leadership and teamwork are offered for all businesses, but companies with 25 or fewer employees can use the program for free.“If we help the small businesses who really are the backbone of our economy, why don’t we help them upgrade their skills?” said Tiffany Dowling, spokeswoman for the department.The program gives small businesses a chance to give their employees training for promotions or new skills, a luxury usually not allowed in small business budgets, Dowling said.“Some employees are doing three different jobs that can’t be covered so it’s real hard for small businesses to release those workers,” she said.Small business owners partaking in the program register at the Web site, www.beefreeway.org.

Senate OKs controversial Great Lakes drilling ban

A decades-old practice of directional drilling in the Great Lakes is likely coming to an end.The state Senate voted 28-5 Wednesday to ban oil drilling under the lakes.Sen.

Financial associate banking on giving Whitmer challenge

Gretchen Whitmer has her first challenger.Larry Ward, a Williamston Republican, announced Wednesday he’s taking on East Lansing’s Whitmer, hoping to capture the 70th district state House seat.“I have 18 years worth of experience in real working situations,” said Ward, a 40-year-old financial services associate who announced his candidacy at an MSU College Republicans meeting.The official filing deadline for candidates is still months away and as a result, Whitmer, like many incumbents, has yet to begin her re-election campaign.

City employees, students donate blood to Red Cross

Melissa Telfer reclined in a blue cot Wednesday, her left arm sitting on a small table. The red pump of a blood pressure indicator rested near her hand and a nurse questioned her while cleaning the crook of her arm with a cotton swab. “I’m a little nervous,” the city employee said.

GEU improves its Web site

As MSU’s Graduate Employees Union hits the bargaining table, its members are hitting the keyboard. In past weeks, members of the union have been revamping the organization’s Web site features while they work to obtain a contract with the university.

Volunteer group honors anniversary

Lansing - The Michigan Community Service Commission, which engages Michigan citizens in volunteer programs, including some affiliated with MSU, celebrated its 10th anniversary Tuesday. Community service organizations from all across the state gathered beneath the Capitol dome to celebrate the tenure of the commission, which was supported by the National and Community Service Act of 1990 and the National Service Trust Act of 1994. “Our goal is to engage Michigan citizens in volunteer service,” said Mary Grill, director of outreach for the commission, which receives its support from federal, state and private funding. AmeriCorps, described by Grill as “kind of a domestic peace corps,” is funded through the commission, and about 1,000 people in Michigan work for that organization on a variety of projects. One of those projects, 4-H Club Read, is based out of MSU Extension offices.

Software assists deaf students to take notes

Deaf students might be able to attend lectures needing nothing but their notebooks and pencils, with the help of new voice-activated software.The Liberated Learning Project, a computerized transcribing system created in Canada, is being tested in Nova Scotia, Australia and at Stanford University in California.

Campus briefs

Debate team members win awards By MEGAN FRYE MSU’s top debate team vied against 138 teams nationwide to take the win at a debate tournament hosted by Northwestern University last week. The Owen L.

Holiday puts bakery in a rush

Walking into Puffin’s Pastry Shop, stacks of cookie sheets and cake pans are evidence of the work at hand.Chefs are preparing pizza crusts and dinner foods after a long day of cookie-baking.MSU bakeries are busy taking and filling orders for several hundred dozens of Valentine’s Day special offers.The smell of sugar and flour filled the pastry shop, the campus bakery tucked behind the scenes in the Brody Hall cafeteria, Tuesday. More than 12,000 cookies already were prepared for delivery on campus.This week, Joan Goheen, retail supervisor for the bakery, has been busy making sure thousands of orders about and beyond campus are delivered on time.

City briefs

Capital Area Transportation Authority will be moving two of its bus stops Monday. The stops located on Vine Street, east of Clippert Street and north of Sears in the Frandor Shopping Center, will be moved one street north on Sellers Avenue to two new shelters across from Panera Bread, 310 N.

Police briefs 02/13/02

ASMSU considers recycling plans

ASMSU is researching ways to revive its involvement in a newspaper recycling program that faded away shortly after it began in 1996.The undergraduate student government is re-evaluating recycling programs on campus, and assessing whether those programs could be enhanced by offering people more options.A decision to launch a new pilot program will be made by March 12.“What I’m looking for is the ways, means and costs,” said Steve Lovelace, Academic Assembly internal vice chairperson.

Michigan preparing for possible attacks

After Sept. 11, many Americans speculated on where and when another terrorist attack would come. Now there’s a place for Michiganians to send theories. Rep.

Expo to help minorities

The Lyman Briggs Students of Color is sponsoring its first Multicultural Expo from 7-10 p.m. Wednesday in the Union Parlor Room C. The event was designed to provide minority students an opportunity to network with professionals in such fields as psychology, nursing, applying to dental school and graduate programs and to provide workshops to prepare students for the job market.

Blood drive seeks donors

East Lansing employees are asking MSU students to donate blood Wednesday. The City of East Lansing Employees’ Second Annual Blood Drive is being held from 10 a.m.

Museum showcases tall-tale postcards

Tall tales keep growing at the MSU Museum.Stories that only were known through oral tradition are transformed into a visual medium in the new exhibit, “Storytelling Through the Mail: Tall Tale Postcards.”The cards and exhibit items show fictional situations, such as a dead man tied to the hood of a car as a deer drives through town, a rabbit bearing antlers and a fish that grew ivory white fur to shield itself from frigid lake waters.

Olin to distribute health survey to students this week

When Eric Pietsch had an ingrown toenail last year, he was happy with the treatment he received at Olin Health Center.And if he receives one of the 5,000 surveys distributed this week by the health center and the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research, he would say so.“They gave me medications and they were really helpful,” the urban and regional planning junior said.

Police briefs 02/12/02