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MSU

Complaints against MSU police first reviewed by only one person

Jake Allen
January 13, 2016

This is part two of a series on dysfunction in the MSU Police Oversight Committee. Part one gave a general overview of the committee and covered how little it had met in the last four years. This part looks into the type of complaints heard by the committee and how state law plays a role. According to the MSU Police Oversight Committee's Statement of Purpose, "Complaints credible in nature will require the Chairperson to contact the complainant to confirm the details of the complaint, and subsequently notify and forward the complaint to all Committee members." Council of Graduate Students member Robert Vankirkch, who sits on the oversight committee, said this is a concern as it gives the power to one individual, the chair of the committee, to determine if a complaint is credible or not before the whole committee has chance to hear it. Vankirk also noted the current chair of the committee has "connections to the university."

MICHIGAN

Valley Court Park to get ice skating rink after fundraising goal was met

Stephen Olschanski
January 12, 2016

Valley Court Park will be getting an ice skating rink for East Lansing residents to use after all. In a release sent to media on Tuesday afternoon, the Downtown Development Authority and Downtown Management Board announced the installation of the ice rink and thanked generous East Lansing businesses and groups for their donations to the community outreach and engagement program.

MSU

Sen. Debbie Stabenow announces program to relieve student debt

Ian Wendrow
January 12, 2016

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) announced an initiative aimed at reducing the cost of going to college and making student loan debt more manageable during a media conference call on Tuesday morning. Titled #InTheRed, the effort has a three-fold plan to tackle the student debt issue. The first measure aims to refinance student loans down to the lowest rate from the previous academic year, the second part includes increasing Pell Grants, adding in cost of living as a major factor in financial calculations for the grants and the final component will utilize a partnership between state and federal government to provide two free years of community college education to students who qualify.

MSU

Students sign petition asking for Gov. Rick Snyder's resignation

Alex Kurrie
January 12, 2016

In light of the recent controversies affecting Gov. Rick Snyder, state-appointed officials and officials from the city of Flint, some students are calling for Snyder's resignation regarding the water issues in Flint. After a cost-saving strategy of moving water utilities in Flint area homes and schools to the Flint River as opposed to the Detroit, Great Lakes system, high concentrations of lead and other corrosive materials were found in the water.

MSU

MSU ahead of schedule to eliminate use of coal by end of 2016

Riley Murdock
January 12, 2016

In a 2014 panel, MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon announced that MSU’s T.B. Simon Power Plant would nearly eliminate the purchasing and burning of coal by the end of 2015. As part of MSU’s 2012 "Energy Transition Plan," this would be the first step in a goal to completely eliminate coal use by the end of 2016. However, the end of coal at MSU might come faster than planned. Coal purchasing has ended, and the goal of eliminating coal use completely should be met with more than a half year to spare.

MSU

For MSUPD, complaints against officers go largely unheard

Jake Allen
January 10, 2016

This is part one of a three-part series examining dysfunction in the MSU Police Oversight Committee. Four. That is the number of times Deb Bittner said the MSU Police Oversight Committee, sometimes referred to as the Department of Police and Public Safety Oversight Committee, has met since 2012. Bittner has been on the committee since 2012 and has been the chair of the committee since August.

MSU

President Simon discusses future decision of possible WKAR-TV auction

Rachel Fradette
January 10, 2016

With the future of WKAR-TV up in the air, affiliates of the station are thinking about outcomes that will come from the decision to send or not to send in an application for auction. At the Dec.18 Board of Trustees meeting, the board passed a resolution granting President Lou Anna K. Simon full authority to decide to file an application for the Federal Communication Commission auction or not.

MICHIGAN

Planned power outage to affect East Lansing

Cameron Macko
January 8, 2016

A planned power outage was scheduled for 11 a.m. on Friday and is affecting large parts of East Lansing. The outage was announced by the Lansing Board of Water and Light, according to an alert sent out Friday morning by the East Lansing Police Department. The power outage is expected to last 10 to 15 minutes. ELPD will be providing traffic control at major intersections and they are advising drivers to be cautious.

MICHIGAN

Mayor Meadows places friendly wager on Cotton Bowl

Jake Allen
December 31, 2015

East Lansing Mayor Mark Meadows and Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Mayor Walter Maddox have made a friendly wager for the Cotton Bowl football game between MSU and Alabama.  The two mayors have agreed that if the Spartans win, Mayor Maddox will fly a Spartans flag over Tuscaloosa City Hall for one day and wear green and white to the following City Council meeting. Mayor Maddox will also donate $50 to the East Lansing Educational Foundation – the charity of Mayor Meadows’ choice. If the Crimson Tide wins, Mayor Meadows will fly a Crimson Tide flag over East Lansing City Hall for one day and wear crimson and white to the following East Lansing City Council meeting.  Mayor Meadows will also donate $50 to the Tuscaloosa Pre-K Initiative – the charity that Mayor Maddox has chosen. “We at the City of East Lansing are so proud that the Spartans have made it to the Cotton Bowl and wanted to celebrate the team’s success this season with this fun, friendly wager,” said Meadows.