MADD red-ribbon campaign urges safe Thanksgiving holiday drive

As Michigan motorists take off for the holidays, Mothers Against Drunk Driving is reminding drivers not to mix booze with navigating roads.MADD initiated its 15th annual statewide Red Ribbon “Tie One on For Safety” safe and sober driving holiday public awareness campaign Monday at the state Capitol.Red ribbons will be tied to automobiles to serve as reminders to drive alcohol-free in response to the campaign.“This is a memorial to families who have lost loved ones to drunk drivers, and it continues to get the public support to enforce the laws tightly,” said Chuck Hurley, a former national board member of MADD and vice president of the National Safety Council.“Many have likened drunk drivers to terrorists, randomly killing innocent people.”Hurley said the National Safety Council is predicting 532 people will be killed in traffic accidents during the Thanksgiving Day holiday, and about 40 percent of those deaths will be alcohol related.“Some events are hard to predict and hard to prevent,” he said.

City council to discuss tower, Web site launch

Tonight’s East Lansing City Council meeting will mark the first meeting of Councilmember Vic Loomis and Councilmember Bill Sharp’s new term.It will also feature a full agenda, because it is the first council meeting in nearly a month.Among the issues to be discussed or acted upon during the 7:30 p.m.

Legal perhaps, but plant could be fatal

Two students and two nonstudents treated for jimson weed poisoning are expected to recover, but the near-death state the men were in Saturday in Akers Hall is cause for concern, police say.

Students hit the books for charity

Packaging senior Salimah Turner always spends her Sunday afternoons studying. But this past Sunday, she joined members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority in the Wonders Hall Kiva to help raise money for a charity and scholarships during their Study-A-Thon, which is held twice a year. More than 40 students were expected to participate in the study day, which was from 10 a.m.

Free parking offered in downtown

The city of East Lansing is getting into the holiday spirit.For several weekends in November and December, parking in the downtown lot ramps and at meters will be free. Ami Field, assistant community events director for the city, said this program has been going on for several years as a way to lure people into doing their holiday shopping downtown.“It’s basically to encourage people to come downtown to do their holiday shopping, it’s an incentive,” she said.The free parking days kick off Friday through Sunday and return Dec.

Neds Bookstores creator dies of cancer at age 58

Ned Shure, co-founder of Ned’s Bookstores, died Nov. 10 of cancer in Ann Arbor.Shure, 58, began selling books in 1967 at the University of Michigan.

Local organizations vie for city grants through Community Improvement Challenge

The city of East Lansing will hold a workshop tonight for area resident groups interested in receiving matching grants for community projects. The grants, awarded by the city through the Community Improvement Challenge Program, allow community organizations like neighborhood associations or churches, to complete expensive programs they would not otherwise be able to afford. During the meeting at 7 p.m.

ASMSU: Student-fee increase will improve service

ASMSU wants to provide more entertainment and services for the student body. But to do so, the undergraduate student government could have to increase the per semester student activity fee by $2.

Task force attempts to finalize solutions before winter break

The debate about police discretion and minor in possession of alcohol citations continued between members of the Task Force on Student-Police Relations on Friday. With only one meeting remaining this semester, group members are trying to finalize solutions to problems relating to education and outreach, minority issues and issues with safety and privacy. The task force was appointed following the recommendations of an independent panel created to investigate the placement of an undercover officer into United Students Against Sweatshops, now called Students for Economic Justice, beginning Feb.

Metropolitan areas fail to make the grade for clean air

The state of Michigan won’t want to bring this report card home. A study released Tuesday by the Sierra Club gave Michigan and Detroit, Ann Arbor, Flint and Grand Rapids areas failing grades for efforts to clear up the air with transit spending. Lansing was not surveyed. The study, which had been put together over eight years, had pooled information from across the country. Anne Woiwode, director of the Mackinac Chapter of the Sierra Club, said the organization looked at the largest metropolitan areas.

Cultures come to U for Global Festival

India, Taiwan, Russia and Vietnam were among the countries that invaded the Union on Sunday afternoon. Global Festival 2001, an event that debuted 16 years ago at the International Center, attracted hundreds to a variety of activities on three floors of the Union. “I think it’s a very good event and a good opportunity for us to show students about Greek traditions,” said microbiology graduate student Kostas Konstantinidis. Konstantinidis was among the many students presenting traditional foods, music, clothing and other objects from dozens of different countries. As he stamped the special passports given to children for visiting the countries represented, Konstantinidis noted the higher attendance to this year’s festival. “We participate every year,” he said.

Police briefs 11/19/01

Pell Grant debt may drain funds

More than 6,000 MSU students who participate in the Pell Grant program may receive less money than they’re expecting next year.Educators across the country are encouraging Washington lawmakers to correct an oversight that could cause no increase in next year’s federal student aid, despite rising tuition costs.The Pell Grant program is slated to receive $1.7 billion and $1.5 billion increases from the U.S.

Group to debate on paint, sea life

Robert Huggett, MSU’s vice president for research and graduate studies, will discuss an ongoing debate among scientists, the U.S.

Fog conceals Leonid meteor shower for many Sunday

Eyes stuck to the sky in East Lansing on Sunday morning might have been looking for the meteors predicted to pierce through the night - but all they saw was fog. The Leonid shower occurs every November when the Earth passes through the debris of the Comet Tempel-Tuttle.

Festival launches holiday season

Fireworks will light up the sky behind the Capitol dome tonight to kick off the holidays with Silver Bells in the City. An electric light parade and the lighting of Michigan’s official holiday tree in front of the Capitol are a few of the attractions at the 17th annual celebration in downtown Lansing. “Thousands of people gather in a huge crowd and share the spirit of the season,” said Joanne Eason, a spokeswoman for the event.

Research project inquires about Red Cedar River water quality

Family Feud host, Louie Anderson, won’t be announcing what surveyed MSU students said.But the information students are being asked to provide will help develop what perception many of them have about the Red Cedar Watershed.The survey is being conducted by the MSU-WATER research project and is being overseen by Michael Kaplowitz, an assistant professor of environment wildlife policy, and Scott Witter, acting chairperson of the Department of Resource Development.Kaplowitz said it is a scientific sample of students, which will show how they perceive the campus watershed.The survey is part of the social assessment component of the project, which will ultimately develop a management plan for the watershed.“They are in three groups - one group received a post card, one group is receiving the e-mail as their first request and the third is receiving the e-mail and then a post card reminding them,” he said.To improve responses, replies submitted by Dec.

Community plans crisis response

Lansing-area media, governmental, emergency, and business organizations made steps Thursday to prepare for crisis management.Community leaders met for a Crisis Communication Summit to plan for a joint response in the event of a terrorist attack at the Radisson Hotel, 111 N.

Unseasonable temperatures bring fun to area residents

East Lansing weather has given MSU one last shot at enjoying the outdoors before it must fight the winter.Many students could be seen taking advantage of the weather Thursday.

Cycling for charity

A six-month bicycle trek across parts of South America, Central America and the United States might be an impossible feat for some.But environmental biology and botany senior Misty Flahie isn’t your average student.“We’ve been training for over two years now,” she said.