Panel to speak on wrongful convictions

John Ewing sits in prison today, sentenced to life for multiple rape charges in 1984. He had no prior record.

Police briefs 10/02/00

ASMSU to sponsor state House debate

ASMSU, the university’s undergraduate student government, will sponsor the first open debate between state House hopefuls Bill Hollister and Gretchen Whitmer at the Kellogg Center tonight. Democrat Whitmer and Republican Hollister are vying for the 70th District state House seat currently occupied by Laura Baird, D-Okemos.

Location plays crucial factor in job search

Money isn’t everything - to recent college graduates, at least.A survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers on its Web site, www.jobweb.com, shows a large salary isn’t all that determines what jobs people accept.About 82 percent of the 1,146 people surveyed earlier this year said where the job is located geographically is important to them, while less than 8 percent said location wasn’t a factor at all.Mimi Collins, NACE director of information, said the results were not a surprise.

Shelter pursues greater domestic violence awareness

October may be Domestic Violence Awareness Month, but even MSU Safe Place director Holly Rosen admits the month could be better publicized.Rosen said Safe Place, a shelter for targets of domestic violence, has not been doing as much advertising for the month as usual, causing many off-campus students to be unaware of the month.“I’m not surprised by it,” Rosen said.

Prominent newspaper publisher to address U in annual speech

Distinguished publisher Jay T. Harris will deliver the annual Siebert Lecture at the Kellogg Center this week. Harris’ address, titled “Press Freedoms and the Responsibility of Journalists in the Age of New Media,” will be held at 4 p.m.

Students to petition for return of law fraternity

Students interested in studying law might have their own fraternity if the efforts of one of their own pay off.Vanessa Madrazo, an interdisciplinary studies in social science senior, is heading up the charge to reactivate the MSU chapter of Phi Alpha Delta, a coed pre-law fraternity which has been dormant since 1997.“This fraternity is for anyone who is interested in attending law school,” Madrazo said.

Online tool lets youth be heard

Young voters will be able to do more than just watch the upcoming presidential debates, thanks to a new online poll to be launched Tuesday.SpeakOut.com and Youth Vote 2000 are sponsoring the “National Youth Meter,” a second-by-second poll that will allow voters to express their opinions about presidential candidates George W.

DCL discusses controversial Proposal 1

The MSU-Detroit College of Law held a forum earlier this week to discuss Proposal 1 - which, if approved, would grant parents with children in faltering school districts vouchers to send their children to nonpublic schools. Voters will decide whether to support the state ballot proposal in November’s general election. Sponsored by the Law Review of DCL, the forum focused on the legal and constitutional ramifications of the proposal, specifically whether it would be a violation of the separation of church and state if the voucher was used to send a student to a religious private school. Dissenters insist the proposal is unconstitutional because it takes public tax dollars and invests them in private, and potentially religious, schools. The proposal would grant vouchers to parents with children attending school districts where graduation rates are less than two-thirds. “This is about exploring significant issues in education,” said Peter Koulik, co-chairperson of Wednesday’s voucher forum and note and comment editor for the Law Review. The Law Review is a student-edited academic publication dedicated to the advancement of discussion on timely legal issues. Richard D.

Byrum visits U, addresses voter registration bill

Dianne Byrum’s weekly coffee hours aren’t what they used to be. But MSU’s representative in the state Senate has never been involved in one of the nation’s most heated congressional races either.Casual gatherings that used to draw only a handful of constituents now lure voters by the dozens - most who are looking to hear what Byrum, D-Onondaga, plans to do if she lands a job in Washington, D.C., come this November.On Thursday, a student-dominated group of about 40 and reporters from The Washington Post and The New York Times gathered at the Union to hear why Byrum thinks she’s more qualified than her opponent, fellow state Sen.

Police briefs 09/29/00

New plates show Spartans spirit

Spartan supporters will have a new way to show their school pride Monday.MSU, along with 14 other Michigan universities, is featured on the newest design for Michigan license plates, which were unveiled Tuesday night.The plates go on sale at 9 a.m.

Group to premiere film, promote awareness of gun violence

The Alliance for Justice, a Washington D.C.-based activist group, and the Physicians for Social Responsibility will help celebrate “First Monday 2000: Unite to End Gun Violence” on Monday. And two campus organizations will host events to commemorate the day.

U hopes lodge will be story of success

MSU officials have big plans in store for Brook Lodge.Hidden down a country road, the Augusta, Mich.

Candidates to participate in several debates, next one slated for campus

’Tis the season for debating. It’s a major election year, and the candidates in one of the nation’s most heated and tightest congressional races are plenty ready to talk. State Sens.

On-campus parking violators may face rise in fines

Those who choose to park illegally on campus might soon face heftier fines if the All-University Traffic Committee deems them necessary.The AUTC appointed three subcommittees on Thursday to deal with issues concerning parking, parking violations and pedestrian right of way.Each committee consists of faculty members, undergraduate students, graduate students, MSU officials and various other on-campus departments including Campus Park and Planning and the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities.

U research plays part in better drug development

Aspirin’s been a staple item in backpacks, purses and medicine cabinets for years, and is said to reduce the risk of heart attacks and ease pain.But 15 years of research by MSU scientists has led to a better understanding of a crucial protein - prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase 1, or PGHS-1 - targeted by aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen.Armed with understanding of how these drugs interact with PGHS-1, scientists may be able to develop drugs that better target specific diseases.The research, conducted by William Smith, chairperson of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Michael Garavito, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, is detailed in the Sept.

Lansing delegation travels to Africa to further understanding of sister city

Lansing Mayor David Hollister will be traveling to Akuapim, Ghana, today as part of Lansing’s sister cities program with the African city. Hollister and a delegation of Lansing educators, health care providers, civil engineers and other citizens will travel to Ghana to dedicate two libraries created with books donated from Lansing residents and to formally initiate an ambulance donated and equipped by Lansing to be used as a traveling health clinic. There will also be a formally signed agreement making Lansing and Akuapim sister cities. Ghana is a country with more than 17 million people.

Police offer Lansing academy

When Lansing resident Patty Farhat Reed heard about the Citizens Police Academy Program, she jumped at the opportunity to become involved.She was a member of her neighborhood watch and thought she knew a lot about the Lansing Police Department already, but this could only improve the quality of her community involvement.Five years later she couldn’t be happier to have taken part in the inaugural program.“It was probably the best thing I ever did for myself,” Reed said.

Forum to address sweatshops

Students for Economic Justice, a campus fair labor organization, will host a public forum Monday night focusing on sweatshops in Nicaraguan factories contracted by Kohl’s Department Store and Target Corp. The factories are currently under scrutiny by the National Labor Committee for firing workers who were attempting to organize unions. Charles Kernigahn, who has fought sweatshops worldwide and is the NLC’s executive director, will speak at the forum.