Families wandered amid the alphabet-labeled plants and the Alice in Wonderland maze while middle and high school students read children's stories in a garden Tuesday.
Sen. Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek, agrees with most university and college boards of trustees around the state - Michigan needs to reinvest in higher education. Tuition hikes are a direct result of the Legislature's unwillingness to take an interest in the schools, Schauer said. About $26 million was cut from higher education during the 2006-07 school year, Schauer said, and it's not likely to be restored. At an MSU Board of Trustees meeting in July, the trustees agreed tuition hikes directly correlated to a lack of state aid. Universities need to hold the Legislature accountable for tuition increases, Trustee Faylene Owen said at the meeting. With uncertainty about how much schools are receiving, boards are forced to raise tuition to plan for the worst, Schauer said. "That really has forced universities to sort of throw a dart at the dart board without having guidance from the Legislature," he said. A solution to the state's budget crisis, Schauer said, could be a minor increase in the income tax and a broadening of the current 6 percent sales tax to certain high-end luxury services. "The combination of those two things would get us pretty close to where we need to be," he said. The Democrats have no reason to talk about raising taxes, said Matt Marsden, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester. Marsden said Democrats are continuously spending money the state does not have. "The Democrats continue to push for tax increases, but they refuse to accept any support for reforms in government," he said. Until the spending is dealt with, the Republicans and Democrats will have a stalemate, Marsden said. "We don't have a taxing problem, we have a spending problem that needs to be dealt with first," he said. Schauer said the Republicans are "stubbornly adhering to a failed ideology." "We need to step up to the plate and get our budget balanced and quickly in a way that invests in the universities and in colleges, and invests in our work force," he said. When universities cut programs, Schauer said, it makes Michigan less competitive in the job market. Marsden agreed it was unfortunate that higher education had to make some sacrifices. "We certainly support and agree that higher education is essential to moving Michigan into the 21st century," he said. He said the Republicans support an increase to higher education if possible, but won't be able to discuss specifics until they know how much of a state deficit they are dealing with. Schauer said he hopes the state listens to what Gov.
East Lansing National Night Out Safety Carnival will take place from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Aug. 7 at Patriarche Park, 1100 Alton Road. National Night Out is a national event and campaign used to aid crime prevention and promote community interaction. Co-sponsored by the East Lansing Police Department and East Lansing Kiwanis Club, attendees can enjoy free hot dogs, chips and drinks, and participate in activities such as a First Aid kit workshop, carnival games and Michigan National Guard climbing wall. For more information, call (517) 319-6813.
Greasy chips and candy bars may be a cheap buy, but some farmer's markets provide low-income families and seniors with healthier alternatives at a lower cost. The Meridian Township Farmer's Market, 5151 Marsh Road, in Okemos, offers Project FRESH, a program that provides $20 coupons redeemable for fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables. "It's rewarding to be able to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to several people who might not be able to get them otherwise," said Earl Threadgould, a Mason farmer and vendor at the market. "The second advantage is, by having them get fruits and vegetables Michigan-grown, it helps people get accustomed to having fruits and vegetables, and they improve their eating habits," Threadgould said. Project FRESH began in 1986 and provides eligible families with coupon booklets to be used from until through Oct.
Expect to see more Michigan State Police troopers patrolling up and down the highway now that the state has lifted mileage restrictions on the troopers. In March, Michigan's Department of Management and Budget, or DMB, forced state police to limit miles driven while on patrol. "Since March, we've reduced patrol by about one million miles." said Shanon Akans, Michigan State Police spokeswoman.
Steve Christodoulides has 25 years of restaurant experience under his belt but never before has he opened up an eatery in East Lansing - until now. Christodoulides said people are anxiously awaiting the opening of his new family-owned and operated restaurant, Spartan Gyros, 565 E.
When Wendy Villarreal's border collie injured its knee, a surgical technique offered at MSU's Veterinary Teaching Hospital was the perfect fit for her four-legged friend. Jennifer Au, an MSU veterinarian and orthopedic surgeon, has been performing the surgery, called Minimally Invasive Modified Retinacular Imbrication Technique for three months. The technique, which is used to repair dogs' knees, allows Au to make several small incisions in the animals' knee, instead of one large incision, like typical knee surgeries. "It allows us to make a couple small incisions and look through with a fiber optic camera," Au said.
MSU alumnus Ken Blidy joined his Pi Kappa Phi fraternity brothers last year to embark on a 63-day coast-to-coast bicycle tour. It wasn't until he finished the tour when everything came together for him. "It didn't actually hit me until we got to Washington, D.C., and we raised our bikes in the air," he said.
Joe Conrad has catered to the hungry, late-night drunken crowd before. The former MSU student involved in opening the Menna's Joint restaurants is at it again with Conrad's Corner, 228 Abbott Road. Conrad describes his new business, located next to Rick's American Cafe, 224 Abbott Road, as a miniature convenience store. "The store is going to be a glorified concessions stand with more of an emphasis on food," he said.
With a change in the state's voting policy, casting a ballot in Michigan will require more than just a pen - it'll require photo identification. In a 5-2 decision July 18, the Michigan Supreme Court upheld a 1996 law that required voters to present photo ID every time they voted.
Could a single text message save your life? That's what MSU officials believe could happen with the new text messaging emergency notification system that begins this fall. As students sit in classrooms, isolated from the media, they'd receive text messages from the university about emergency situations - from tornadoes to school shootings. Beginning fall semester, people can register their cell phone numbers through several pages on MSU's Web site, which will link to the Department of Police and Public Safety, or DPPS, said MSU police Sgt.
CORRECTION: Caption should read Morgan Pohl. Bright light will fall on munchkins, mice and poppies during the next two weekends. All-of-us Express Children's Theatre presents its annual summer performance, "The Wizard of Oz," on Fridays and Saturdays at Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbott Road. The nonprofit theater, founded by director Evelyn Weymouth, offers theater for children, by children. "I've found that if you honestly, truly, to your core, expect professional behavior from children and believe they're capable of it, you'll get it," Weymouth said. More than 50 cast members, ages 6-18, will perform an hour-long show with all the familiar characters but is based on the famous novel rather than the movie musical. Another crew with nearly 60 members execute behind-the-scenes tasks including lights, sound, props, makeup and costumes.
At 6 p.m. Aug. 15, The Harris Nature Center, 3998 Van Atta Road, in Meridian Township, will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a barbecue, which is open to the public.
At 2 p.m. Sunday, Impression 5 Science Center, 200 Museum Drive, in Lansing, will welcome members of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. Members of the fraternity have been on a coast-to-coast bicycle tour this summer to raise funds and public awareness for people with disabilities.
As the summer driving season wears on, some state lawmakers are looking to ease the price at the pump for Michigan motorists. Reps.
Two new stores plan to brew business in East Lansing. Starbucks hosted its grand opening Thursday for its second Grand River Avenue location at 1141 E.
For Sheng-Yang He, being a professor and a researcher is the perfect career - he wouldn't change it, not even if he was given the chance. He, 44, came to MSU in 1995 because of the reputation of the Department of Plant Biology. "(MSU) is an attractive place for many excellent plant scientists," He said. He's latest research hits a little closer to home.
Rows of colorful, fresh produce decorated picnic tables Wednesday as children selected the best they could buy with $5 of Monopoly money. They arrived to the Meridian Township Farmer's Market, 5151 Marsh Road, in Okemos, in neon-green T-shirts at 1:30 p.m.