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MICHIGAN

Saginaw Street to undergo construction

East Lansing will resurface Saginaw Street from Coolidge Road to Stonegate Lane starting today. The road will be re-paved with asphalt and undergo other construction. Traffic will be down to one lane on either side during the course of the 1.8-mile project. The project is expected to be completed by Sept.

MICHIGAN

Service lets library search more branches

The East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbott Road, now has access to the books of seven area libraries through a service called InMich according to a Friday press release. The service allows library patrons to search other libraries’ catalogs for books unavailable at the East Lansing branch. InMich includes libraries at MSU, Albion College, Grand Rapids Community College, Southfield Public Library, Albion Public Library, Central Michigan University’s library and Ovid-Elsie public schools.

MICHIGAN

Smokers to have separate break-rooms

Certain county businesses will have to set up separate break-rooms for smokers or tell them to take their butts outside. Starting next week, lighting up will no longer be permitted in break rooms used by smokers and nonsmokers alike. “We actually enforce businesses’ smoke free policies,” Amy Moore, coordinator for tobacco prevention programs at Ingham County Health Department. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found that second-hand smoke increases the risk of lung cancer and heart disease to people who are exposed in the workplace. “The statewide group did a survey and about 85 percent of workers already work in smoke-free places,” Moore said.

MSU

Eight-day restoration of Sparty completed

After eight days of extensive work, Sparty is as good as new. For more than a week the statue has been power-washed, sand-blasted, appoxied and filled-in to return it to its natural luster.

MICHIGAN

Voters approve sale of building, option remains for new facility

East Lansing’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services received good news after voters granted it permission to sell the Public Works Building on Tuesday night.But voters might not have realized there is a possibility of a bond issue to raise money for a new building.The city needs $4 million for the new facility and Councilmember Beverly Baten said raising the money could be difficult.“I don’t think citizens realize there’s going to be a bond issue,” Baten said.

MICHIGAN

Vote leaves pipeline plan unclear

A pipeline company will soon be headed to court or back to the drawing board now that the Lansing City Council has denied the company’s plans to build within city limits. The council voted 7-1 Monday against Wolverine Pipe Line’s request for consent to build about 5 miles of its proposed 26-mile gasoline pipeline in Lansing, and now company executives are weighing their options. The decision leaves Wolverine to either find another route, take the city to court or ignore the council’s decision. Wolverine spokesman Tom Shields has said the company might not need the consent of municipalities because the current plan calls for the pipeline to be laid within the Interstate 96 right-of-way, which is owned by the state. Wolverine officials say company executives want to work within state laws. “I don’t think I necessarily feel as strongly about it as Tom does,” said Paul O’Konski, head of Wolverine’s law department.

MICHIGAN

City council gets ready to slash

East Lansing city officials slammed Gov. John Engler’s revenue sharing and fire-appropriation vetoes that cut 16 percent of the city’s general-fund budget and fire protection funding - totaling $4.6 million. “We have a ‘rainy-day’ fund, but this action by the governor is a monsoon,” City Manager Ted Staton said at a Monday afternoon meeting of the state’s emergency fund that can make up for 10-15 percent of the difference, but only for one year.

MICHIGAN

Popularity, availability of sushi growing in E.L.

The dish is centuries old in Asia, but now sushi is surfacing in East Lansing.“It’s not as popular in Michigan - not yet, but every year the sushi population is increasing,” said Don Kim, manager of Midori Sushi and Korean BBQ, 436 Elmwood Road in Delta Township.

MSU

Event celebrates culture

Lansing - Thousands of people gathered downtown Saturday, filling the sidewalks along Michigan Avenue to see bands, clowns and cultural groups march toward the Capitol.And those who attended the third annual African American Parade and Family Reunion Picnic made the most of the sunny summer morning and afternoon.

MSU

Capitol adds God motto, some object

A bill introduced immediately following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks allowing the national motto to be placed in Michigan’s state buildings seems to have lost the broad-based support it had in the wake of the national tragedy. The measure, introduced on Sept.

MICHIGAN

Cigarette-tax increases to begin today

With the cigarette tax scheduled to increase by 50 cents today, some smokers are feeling the burn.Wesley Thomas contends the change, along with measures across the country to eliminate smoking in public, is discrimination against smokers.“It’s stupid that they’re raising taxes and saying that we can’t smoke where we want to,” the 19-year-old Lansing resident said.