Highway renamed to end confusion

As a way to reduce confusion along the U.S. 27/U.S. 127 corridor, the entire corridor will now be known as U.S.

Plan seeks to reduce aquatic-life nuisances

Michigan is starting a program that would help reduce the introduction and spread of foreign aquatic species in the Great Lakes, Lt.

Police briefs 01/17/02

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.

Event forecasts E.L.s future

East Lansing officials are hoping more residents will pull out their crystal balls and forecast the future.The city is holding the Big Picture event from 1-5:30 p.m.

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.

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.

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.

Olin holds renovation open house today

Olin Health Center is hosting an open house today to showcase its newly renovated front lobby and pharmacy.The open house will take place from 8:30-11:30 a.m.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

E.L. council vote could change U voting precincts

The East Lansing City Council will vote Tuesday on a change to the city’s voting precincts.The precincts needed to be changed once the 2000 federal census had been completed to reflect population changes in the city detected by the election commission.“Everyone in East Lansing will have a new precinct number,” East Lansing City Clerk Sharon Reid said.The city was forced to combine different precincts after the census because of population shifts and requirements made for boundaries to be real, or along actual streets and roads within the city.Along with the new precinct numbers, four locations would be added to the list of voting locations for this year.An attempt was made to keep the original locations, but areas like the Union and Case Hall would be removed.If the revision passes, the locations on campus will be Owen Graduate Hall, Akers Hall and Wilson Hall.

City council, ASMSU plan joint meeting

For the first time in the history of East Lansing, ASMSU’s Academic Assembly and city council are collaborating to gain a better understanding of student and city issues. Mayor Mark Meadows and Academic Assembly Chairperson Matt Clayson, decided this meeting would be a valuable opportunity for the entire community. ASMSU is the undergraduate student government. Clayson, who worked with city council officials to organize tonight’s agenda, said he is looking forward to the joint meeting. “It will be a learning experience for me to see how a small city government operates rather than just an academic government,” Clayson said. But more than focusing on the operating strategies each body possesses, Clayson said he would like to build an academic relationship with the city.