Thursday, March 28, 2024

News

MICHIGAN

International wildlife refuge to be built

Wildlife now has a safe haven between Windsor, Canada and Detroit.The United States reached an agreement with Canada to develop the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge.The 5,000-acre refuge, located on the lower Detroit River, represents the first international refuge in North America, though several exist in Europe.Even though the United States and Canada maintain friendly relations, the refuge took a long time to develop and came about as the result of a common goal, said Scott Flaherty, spokesman for the Fish and Wildlife Service.“Everyone was looking for ways to conserve and protect and keep the conservation values in the lower Detroit River in order,” he said.

MICHIGAN

Restaurant changes ownership

An old East Lansing restaurant is being sold for the second time in three years. Jerry Norris, Jacquie Norris and Robert Smith, owners of Hobie’s Restaurants, 930 Trowbridge Road, have reached an agreement with Dave Baker, a Holt resident, to sell the 34-year-old restaurant. Baker has worked in restaurants for years but this is his first time owning one. “I wanted to be in the restaurant business,” he said.

MSU

Increased expenses force ASMSU to cut events

Money cuts from the undergraduate student government are forcing ASMSU’s Programming Board to cut entertainment events this semester.Matt Weingarden, Student Assembly vice chairperson of internal affairs, said ASMSU’s expenses have increased, which has caused less money to be allocated toward concerts, speakers and other cultural events.“When you only have so much money to work with, someone has got to lose,” Weingarden said.The Programming Board had about $100,000 this year to divide among several student organizations.About six years ago, the organization had about $200,000 per year.Increased expenses from Student Legal Services and other budget problems caused the cuts, despite a 20 percent minimum of ASMSU taxes going to the Programming Board.“This means there’s going to be much more limited programs,” Weingarden said.

MICHIGAN

Web courses offer education for time-crunched community

With free time becoming scarcer, businesses are developing classes for Web users who desire to continue their learning. And a local parks department has taken notice. The Lansing Parks and Recreation Department has jumped on the bandwagon offering seven online courses this winter. “More and more, a lot of community ad agencies and school districts are going into (Web courses),” said Denise Lynch, special recreation services coordinator. “We’re just following the trend.” The classes range from “Organize or Agonize” to “How to Start a Home Based Business.” “Normally, when you offer a class and one person signs up you have to cancel the class because you’re dealing with a classroom and an instructor,” she said. “There’s really no minimum for a class because you’re not dealing with an actual 24-hour classroom.” Lynch said online classes offer an alternative for those who wouldn’t be able to fit a traditional class into their schedules. “The only way they would have to come to one of our facilities is if they want to pay in person,” she said. Growth Strategies, a company that sells the classes to the department, has offered them since 2000. The company had offered adult-enrichment classes previous to the online endeavor, but Gary Fugere, president of Growth Strategies, saw an opportunity after listening to complaints of courses not being offered in areas where there was an interest. “I was just a step above a novice computer user,” Fugere said. “I’m an entrepreneur and can smell an opportunity from 100 miles away.” The transition has worked out well for students and for Global Strategies, which offers nine online classes. Compared to many online or dot-com businesses, Fugere has been able to find a market niche, albeit a small one, in which his company can make money. “I’m in one of the most unique markets of all,” he said. “I’m there for Joe Six-pack who says, ‘I’m there because I need some information,’ and he reaches into his wallet and pays for the class.” It is that type of reasoning that could allow for a sustainable online adult-education program, said John Dirkx, MSU associate professor of educational administration. “I hope it grows and I hope it develops but there are a lot of pitfalls along the way,” Dirkx said. For more information on the Lansing Parks and Recreation Department’s online courses, go online at www.parks.cityoflansingmi.com.

MSU

Residence Hall sign-up begins

Since Shawn Henn came to MSU, he’s bounced between residence halls - but he’s never left campus.The electrical engineering senior signed up this week to live in Wilson Hall next year.

MICHIGAN

E.L. students achieve perfection on SATs

Emma Tai and Brian Root-Bernstein never expected it -perfection caught them off-guard.The 17-year-old East Lansing High School seniors both scored 1600s on 2001 administrations of the SATs.“I was really surprised,” Tai said.

MICHIGAN

Reaction to shortened public comment mixed

When city council members abandoned a proposal Monday night that would have ended the broadcast of some public comments and voted on a new proposal, some citizens had mixed reactions.The council voted 6-2 to shorten the amount of time the public has to speak, hoping to end what some council members call “theatrics.”Community activist John Pollard said he is not happy the public is losing three minutes.

MICHIGAN

Jacobson Stores, Inc. files for bankruptcy

Jennifer Cousineau, a psychology sophomore, hasn’t lived in East Lansing long but already has established a firm relationship with Jacobson Stores, Inc.“I like it because it has a lot of designer brands that are hard to find,” the California native said.

MSU

Scientist visits U

MSU science students normally don’t spend a day with an internationally known theoretical physicist - but this week is different. Brian Greene, a professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University, is the first of two speakers in this year’s McPherson Professorship program. The professorship was created last year after an anonymous donor gave $2 million to the university.

MSU

COGS discusses student visa status

The Council of Graduate Students will hold its first meeting of the semester at 5 p.m. today in the International Center Spartan Rooms B and C.The meeting will focus on the state of international student applications with emphasis on how anti-terrorism legislation passed last year will affect them.

MICHIGAN

State faces slowing economy

Lansing - Economists presented a gloomy economic forecast for Michigan legislators Tuesday, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.“A slower economy and fewer jobs means less revenue,” said MSU economics Professor Charles Ballard.

MSU

LBGT activists hope to educate public with conference

Although it’s still two months away, planning for the Midwest Bisexual, Lesbian, Gay, Transgender and Ally College Conference is already under way.The event will be held March 15-17 at the Kellogg Center, and will feature workshops, caucus groups and presentations about issues such as battling homophobia.

MSU

Phones replace lab monitors

Gone are the days when bleary-eyed, late-night computer lab assistants waited at a desk to help out other exhausted students.This semester, the computer labs will not be constantly monitored by lab assistants.

MICHIGAN

Stores battle books stolen for profit

Derek Rodriguez spends some of his time at local textbook stores.But the East Lansing police officer isn’t buying books, he is catching people selling stolen textbooks.“Generally people are trying to sell back stolen books and say they are selling it for a friend,” he said.

MSU

Indiana University adds LBGT fraternity to greek community

Although the greek system at Indiana University at Bloomington will have an organization available for lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgendered students, some MSU students say such an idea might not be successful in East Lansing.Delta Lambda Phi is the first fraternity catering to gay students at Indiana.