E.L. Aquatic Center hosts outdoor Summer Splash

For many of the visitors to the East Lansing Family Aquatic Center, the Summer Splash event Wednesday was a welcome surprise. Maya Mandujano, 9, Alena Hartsuff, 8, and Nicole Jarwan, 9 - three best friends who came to the water park with their babysitter to enjoy the day - found the Summer Splash event was taking place at the center, 6400 Abbott Road. "If there's a raffle, I would like to do the raffle," Mandujano said.

Plan will offer incentives to retain state graduates

When it comes to their plans after college, some students aren't so sure they'll stay in the Great Lakes State. There's Trinidad Esparzo, who plans on returning to his Texas home after he graduates in two years with his food industry degree. And then there's Kim Stemp, an interdisciplinary studies and heath studies senior, who knows one thing for certain - "I'm going to leave Michigan," she said. These MSU students are part of the state's "brain drain," a term that describes the mass exodus of Michigan college graduates to out-of-state jobs, said Gabe Basso, spokesman for Rep.

Board of Trustees to visit Northern Mich. for annual retreat

The MSU Board of Trustees will pack their bags, hop into their cars and get down to business today - it's retreat time. MSU President Lou Anna K.

Horse therapy offers healing power

Dansville — Joshua Pinkelman's life was hanging by a thread from the moment he was born eight years ago. His parents, Keith and Aimee, helplessly watched as Joshua experienced multiple seizures and went the first 20 minutes of his life without oxygen.

Author to visit East Lansing High School

The monthlong One Book, One Community program will kick off with an evening with Susan Carol McCarthy, author of "Lay That Trumpet in Our Hands." The event starts at 7:30 p.m., Aug.

Hearing set Sept. 17 for Nettles-Nickerson

A trial-like hearing will take place Sept. 17 in the case of Judge Beverley Nettles-Nickerson, who was suspended from the bench June 6 by the Michigan Supreme Court. Nettles-Nickerson was suspended with pay after a formal complaint was filed by the Judicial Tenure Commission on May 16. The complaint cited 10 counts of improper conduct by the judge, including allegations of fabricating evidence and making false statements.

Free seminar about law school admission

Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions, part of Kaplan Inc., will host a free Law School Insider Seminar for prospective law school students.

Google to expand search to Mich. data

State data will become more accessible with a little help from Google. Google Inc. now is working to put 200 online databases from Michigan's Web site on its search engine. The makeover, which is free of charge, should make it easier for people to look up state information, such as road closings and statewide Michigan Education Assesment Program, or MEAP, scores on the search engine. "Our mission is to make as much information available to users as possible," said Katie Watson, a Google spokeswoman. The data is only available on the state's Web site. People often search Google for information on new state programs or what roads aren't open, Watson said. When people can't find it on the search engine, it reflects badly on Google, she said. "A big incentive for us was if this information wasn't available, it was the search engine's fault," Watson said. But when people perform a search on the state's Web site, they're sometimes bogged down with massive numbers of pages, said Kurt Weiss, spokesman for the Michigan Department of Information Technology. For instance, MEAP scores are spread throughout 25,000 pages. But using Google as a search option should eliminate that problem, creating more specific, user-friendly pages, Weiss said.

Program 'launches' in Lansing

Summer Schriner knew Old Town, in Lansing, was missing something. So when it came to starting another business in the area, she filled the void when she opened Grace, a women's clothing boutique, 115 W.

Potter bring out fanatics

"Expecto Patronum!" yelled the boy with the black, horn-rimmed glasses and familiar scar. With a swoop of his wand, the dementor slowly backed away. No, it wasn't Harry Potter who cast the dementor-repelling spell.

City Council work session Tuesday

East Lansing residents will have a chance to address East Lansing City Council members about the Avondale Square Neighborhood Development, also known as the Virginia Avenue project, at Tuesday night's work session. The session will be held at 7 p.m.

Police briefs 07/23/07

Muggles flock to local businesses for the midnight release of final Harry Potter book

About 800 people packed into Schuler Books, 1982 W. Grand River Ave., in Okemos, on Friday night for the release of the seventh and final book in the Harry Potter series, counting down until midnight when the first copy would be sold. The release party for "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," by J.K.

Second Democratic debate tonight

Break out the pretzels and partisanship - it's round two of the Democratic presidential candidate debates. The Democratic National Committee will hold the first of six planned, DNC-sanctioned debates between the party's presidential hopefuls live from 7-9 p.m.

Lansing schools offer free meals

The Summer Food Program for Children provides free breakfasts and lunches for children ages 18 and under.

International students seek smooth transitions

Daniel Ortega-Pacheco heard a bundle of stories about international students' struggles as an MSU International Students Association board member last year. Ortega-Pacheco, an agricultural economics graduate student from Ecuador, said Americans don't often understand the difficulties international students face. "What people don't see is these international students are running short on money, just like any other college students, they're homesick and they're miles and miles away from their families," he said. A series of meetings between international students and local businesses look to strengthen the connection between the business community and MSU international students. Led by the MSU Office for International Students & Scholars Director Peter Briggs, the meetings are part of the OISS effort to ease the struggles of international students coming to a new country, school and home. "We want to make sure our international students feel welcome here and that we improve some of the entry pathways for these students into more aspects of the community," Briggs said. International students contributed more than $90 million to Lansing's economy in 2006, according to the Institute of International Education. Last week's meeting was a brainstorming session between international students and CEOs of six local companies, he said.

Michigan pioneers latest biofuel from wood chips, biomass

Lansing — Michigan will soon be producing a new type of ethanol - not from corn but from trees. Gov.

Tax hike opponents lecture on recall rights

If the Michigan Legislature wants to raise taxes, Leon Drolet wants lawmakers to pay - with their jobs. Despite the fact that no major vote to raise taxes has been made in the Legislature, the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance has been holding seminars across the state to inform voters of their ability to recall a lawmaker, said Drolet, who serves as chair of the organization. "We're having recall boot camps to train citizens about the rules and techniques involved in recalling elected officials," said Drolet, a former state legislator and current Macomb County commissioner. Michigan is one of 18 states that allows its citizens to recall an elected official, or remove and replace them before the end of their term.

Bill proposes tougher water use standards

Michigan could see new water-use regulations under a proposal that could be introduced into the state House of Representatives as soon as Wednesday. Under the proposal, bottled water companies would need a permit to siphon 100,000 or more gallons of water per day from Michigan's lakes and streams.

Chicken barbecue for a cause

The Kiwanis Club of East Lansing took the city under its wing Thursday. Its chicken wing, that is. The 50th annual chicken barbecue, hosted by the Kiwanis Club of East Lansing, joined the city's ongoing centennial celebration to form the Chickentennial barbecue at Patriarche Park, 1100 Alton Road.