Candidates debate for E.L. City Council

More than a dozen East Lansing residents gathered Monday for “Meet the Candidates Night” to question the four East Lansing City Council candidates. The hour and a half debate between candidates Kevin Beard, Liz Harrow, Vic Loomis and incumbent Bill Sharp was hosted by the Bailey Community Association and held in the Bailey Community Center, 300 Bailey St. The Bailey Community Association has been an organized group for more than 30 years and has has hosted a “Meet the Candidates Night” for almost as long, association chairman Jim Liesman said. “We’ve set up a meeting every year for the past 20 or 30 years,” he said.

Mothers use tragedies to educate

For the first time tonight, two mothers who experienced similar tragedies will come together to educate students and community members - hoping they won’t ever have to experience tragedies like their own.Cindy McCue’s son, parks and recreation junior Bradley McCue, died of alcohol poisoning after downing 24 shots on his 21st birthday in 1998.Shawn Newstead’s son, 24-year-old Brandon D’Annunzio, died Oct.

Michigan residents to run in Olympic torch relay

As 11,500 people across the nation prepare to carry the torch to the Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games, about 140 selected from Michigan are being honored as heroes. The 65-day relay, which is sponsored by Coca-Cola Company and Chevrolet, Inc., will be led by everyday heroes who are believed to be worthy of carrying the torch by the friends, family or co-workers who nominated them. The flame will be carried by train, ship, skis, ice skates, snowmobile and other methods as it travels more than 13,500 miles across the country. Rudy Serra will carry the torch for one-fifth of a mile when it arrives in Detroit on Jan.

Debaters take first-place honors in tourney

Calum Matheson and Austin Carson are roommates. They’re also the best two-person college debate team in the nation. This MSU Debate Team duo brought home top honors in a tournament hosted by the University of Kentucky earlier this month - the first time MSU’s top two-person team has won. The pair met when they were recruited by MSU.

City seeks applicants for advisory boards

East Lansing residents looking for a way to get involved in the decision-making processes of the city have about two weeks left. Applications are currently being accepted for 13 of the city’s 18 advisory boards and commissions dealing with the arts, environment, city government and numerous other issues. Several of East Lansing’s boards and commissions are looking to fill vacancies created by terms expiring in December as well as some already existing empty seats, creating a total of 26 open positions. The role of boards and commissions is to advise the city council on issues and the actions they should take and direct involvement assures your ideas and concerns are heard, said Darryl Svochak, who chairs the Housing Commission. “It doesn’t take all that much time, and while you don’t get paid, you have an opportunity to present your viewpoints to council and get them heard,” he said. City advisory boards and commissions currently seeking applications are: Arts Commission (two), Board of Review (one), Building Board of Appeals (one), Cable and Telecommunications (three), Commission on the Environment (four), East Lansing Recreation and Arts (one), Historic District Commission (three), Commission on Housing (four), Human Relations Commission (two), Planning Commission (one), Seniors Commission (one), Transportation Commission (two) and Zoning Board of Appeals (one). Applications for appointment and descriptions of the duties of commissioners can be picked up at City Hall, 410 Abbott Road, in City Clerk Sharon Reid’s office or the city council office. And Svochak said in the continued city effort to improve relations between the student population and the city itself, he personally would like to encourage students to apply. “Students live in East Lansing too,” he said.

Police briefs 10/17/01

Task Force reconvenes, discusses improvements

Ideas to improve and change on-campus student events, communication and police discretion all surfaced during Monday’s meeting of the Task Force on Student-Police Relations.The Task Force was appointed following an independent investigation into the placement of an undercover officer into United Students Against Sweatshops, now called Students for Economic Justice, beginning Feb.

Engler donates to eBays Auction for America

Gov. John Engler is doing his part to raise money for the survivors of the Sept. 11 terrorism victims online. Engler is participating in the Auction for America, an Internet auction fund-raiser on eBay, the world’s largest online auction house.

Prominent professor speaks about evolution

A prestigious Harvard professor will be on campus tonight to discuss the importance of evolution. Stephen Palumbi, a professor of biology, will be discussing the dramatic acceleration of evolution of pest and disease organisms and why it’s necessary for people to be alerted. The lecture, “The Social and Economic Impact of Rapid Evolution: Why Ignoring Evolution is Educational Malpractice,” is the second in a series coordinated by the Lyman Briggs School.

Land grant institution program chooses Bethel as new director

A new set of hands will be leading MSU’s effort to reach out to the state.Margaret Bethel was named director of MSU Extension, part of a national land grant institution program that attempts to apply research done on university campuses to the lives of citizens across that school’s state.

Environmental groups respond to quality report

Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund are disclosing information on sewage overflows not reported by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. The environmental groups released a report Tuesday claiming the DEQ’s Web site fails to report 29 billion gallons of sewage overflows in the state. By law, the size of the overflow and all surrounding waters near it are required to be reported to the DEQ and local health departments. The law also requires the DEQ to post the information on its Web site. Bethany Renfer, program coordinator for Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund, said the state total for sewage overflows is far more than what has been reported and communication between the health departments and the DEQ needs to improve. “We (filed Freedom of Information Act requests) with county environmental health departments and compared that to what is on the DEQ Web site,” she said.

City Council plans payment for lights

The East Lansing City Council will hold its final formal meeting tonight before the Nov. 6 council elections. The meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m.

Police briefs 10/16/01

Food Day panel discusses hunger

MSU will participate in the 18th Annual World Food Day today by showing a worldwide live teleconference and holding a panel discussion to address hunger and nutrition issues. “Any graduate or undergraduate student who has an interest in learning about what they could do to help fight hunger and end hunger would benefit from this event,” said Robert Glew, assistant director of the Center for Advanced Study of International Development.

American pride coming to car license plates

Secretary of State Candice Miller will begin accepting orders for the new “Proud To Be American” license plate today.Miller joined state Sen.

Rescuers get warm welcome from U

Several hugs were shared with New York City rescue workers among thousands of U.S. paper flags that consumed the stands of Spartan Stadium on Saturday. Rescue workers from New York’s fire and police departments were honored guests at MSU’s Homecoming parade and football game this past weekend and were the recipients of more than $100,000 in donations. At the football game against Iowa, marketing junior Ted Edginton watched as the New York firefighters and police officers left their seats by the side of the field and went up into the stands to give students hugs. “Students reacted so positively to the visiting New York City rescue workers,” he said.

Radio personalities discuss media role during crisis

The role the media should and does play in a national crisis, how media coverage shapes views of history and other standpoints on the situation following the Sept.

Sundae allots fans Homecoming feast

Friday’s issue of The State News lay covered in melted ice cream as community members celebrated the fourth annual Super Bowl Sundae on Farm Lane and Wilson Road.MSU Dairy Store and Dairy Plant employees filled a sanitized pond liner at 2:05 p.m.

McPherson to Legislature: Recent allocations unreasonable

Despite expected lower state revenues, MSU is asking the state to take a closer look at next year’s funding for the university.The MSU Board of Trustees approved Friday MSU President M.

Students often affected by domestic violence

Helen Dalton was a 36-year-old mother of two.But instead of watching over her children, a “silent silhouette” memorial to her watches over students entering Mason Hall.Dalton, a Grand Rapids resident, was shot and killed by her boyfriend last year.