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MICHIGAN

Local students focus on safety

Eric Morath
March 14, 2001

LANSING - Lansing-area high school students voiced concerns about school safety to a panel of state House Democrats on Tuesday at Everett High School, the site of a 1978 school shooting.Vince Villegas, an Eastern High School senior, 220 Pennsylvania Ave., in Lansing, said the first step to preventing school violence is making counselors available.“The average student would have to put in a request to see their counselors and wait about a week,” Villegas said.

MSU

New predator colonizes Midwest crops

Cutler Fetherston
March 14, 2001

MSU insect specialists are taking to the fields to research the effects of a new plant predator - the soybean aphid.“The aphid migrated here from Asia and was first detected in Wisconsin last July,” said Christina DiFonzo, an assistant professor of entomology.

MSU

Law experts discuss North American electoral systems

Ed Ronco
March 14, 2001

Law professors from the United States, Canada, and Mexico gathered at MSU-Detroit College of Law on Monday to compare electoral systems between the three countries.Gregory Tardi, professor of law at McGill University in Montreal, said the event offered insight not found anywhere else.“As a Canadian, I want to know why things happen in the U.S.,” he said.

MICHIGAN

Proposed legislation fights hate crimes

Drew Harmon
March 13, 2001

A group of legislators and activists joined together Monday morning to introduce new legislation that may help combat hate crimes and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people.“Right now, people can be punished for hate crimes performed for ethnic or racial reasons, but not for sexual orientation,” said state Rep.

MICHIGAN

Web site allows U to view council meetings

Jamie Gumbrecht
March 13, 2001

The city of East Lansing is plugged in, logged on and waiting for the e-mail to pour in. With the help of MSU Broadcasting Services, every East Lansing City Council meeting will be digitized and available to listen to and view on a new Web site - giving students and residents another way to watch officials in action. “It’s designed to be one of the many ways East Lansing and the university cooperate,” project coordinator Donald Weinshank said.

MSU

Graduate students seek Pilot e-mail privacy by limiting outside access

Ed Ronco
March 13, 2001

Sam Howerton is hoping to offer more privacy to graduate students.Howerton, president of the Council of Graduate Students, is seeking to limit access to the MSU Web site’s Pilot e-mail directory, permitting access only to registered Pilot users.The move comes after Howerton received several complaints from constituents about excessive advertisements and solicitations in their Pilot e-mail boxes.“We get spam for all sorts of businesses that seem to have nothing to do with graduate student life,” he said.

MSU

DCL symposium to review labor laws

Ed Ronco
March 13, 2001

Northwest Airlines mechanics gathered in front of the White House on Monday protesting President Bush’s intervention in contract talks between their union and the Minnesota-based airline. Now, one day later, attorneys and high-ranking labor officials will take part in a labor law symposium on the MSU campus. The symposium, sponsored by the Law Review of MSU-Detroit College of Law, will be held at 7 p.m.

MICHIGAN

Cities push for state fire funds

Jamie Gumbrecht
March 12, 2001

As high-rise buildings spring up on college campuses across the state, concerns about fire safety and funding for fire protection are growing just as high.“When you have a high-rise, it can be a problem,” East Lansing firefighter Troy Brya said.

MICHIGAN

Women honored at Lansing hall of fame

Brandi Lewandowski
March 12, 2001

LANSING - Melanie Olmsted believes with March being National Women’s History Month, every woman should take time to reflect on her accomplishments. “A lot of times women are put at the bottom of the totem pole in society,” the international studies and political science junior said.

MSU

ASMSU proposes cutting sweatshop ties

Steve Bossi
March 12, 2001

In response to concerns voiced by Students for Economic Justice and other MSU students, ASMSU is considering a measure this week asking the MSU Board of Trustees to cut ties with the Fair Labor Association, and join the Worker Rights Consortium.“The fact of the matter is that students want Michigan State to join the WRC,” said Matt Weingarden, the Council of Students With Disabilities representative for the ASMSU Student Assembly.

MSU

U maintenance cleans grounds during break

Shaun Byron
March 12, 2001

While MSU students were away, the grounds crew definitely did not play.Gary Parrott, MSU Grounds Maintenance manager, said although the absence of students did not increase workloads, grounds crews had their hands full during spring break week.“The crews do have work to do,” he said.

MSU

Student addresses ecstasy myths

Sarah M. Emery
March 12, 2001

Angela Massingill knows there is a common perception that most college students use the drug ecstasy; but she’s working to change that.“Media exposure given to the drug has led to a popular misperception that everyone is doing it,” the human biology senior said.

MSU

Mr. Black MSU candidate to promote unity

Sheena Harrison
March 12, 2001

This is the first in a five-part series profiling the contestants of the Mr. Black MSU pageant. Jason McGhee said Mr. Black MSU has an important function in the black student community. “He’s a leader and a role model to the black community - someone people look up to and respect,” the studio art junior said. McGhee, a minority aide in Holmes Hall, said he hopes to take on those duties by gaining the title Saturday. The Mr. Black MSU pageant, sponsored by Black Student Alliance, profiles black male undergraduates who stand out academically, through their student leadership on and off campus. Marketing senior DeAndre Carter, founder and president of DCI Motivational Services, a motivational speaking business, was crowned the first Mr. Black MSU last year. BSA President Tonya Upthegrove said the event recognizes students making a difference in MSU’s black community. “We want to dispel the myth of this being a beauty pageant,” the communication senior said.

MICHIGAN

Legislature redraws districts

Drew Harmon  and  Eric Morath
March 2, 2001

Michigan legislators are beginning to look at redrafting the state’s political boundaries when Michigan’s new census figures are released next month.According to Michigan law, after every census is completed, the political districts must be examined by state lawmakers and adjusted to meet the needs of the population.

MICHIGAN

Increased sales make merchants optimistic

Shannon Murphy
March 2, 2001

Cory Curtisis hoping once again his sumo wrestler clocks will pull their weight in sales.The owner of Cool Creations, 209 M.A.C Ave., said the novelty items, which are sumo wrestler figurines with working clocks attached on the front, are among some of the items that are selling.And according to The Michigan Retailers Association’s Michigan Retail Index released this week, getting that kind of weight off the shelves can be expected.The report predicted sales during the next three months will increase, which will be a pleasant change from the sales slump experienced in January.“I’m being optimistic,” Curtis said.