Club teaches plow basics

By Summi Gambhir For The State News About a dozen MSU students got some firsthand experience with horse-driven farming techniques at the fourth annual Plow Day on Saturday. The event, organized by the MSU Driving Club, gave students a chance to dirty their hands as they plowed two fields east of the Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education with experienced farmers in order to learn the finer skills of using traditional farm equipment. Rachel Meyer, an animal science junior, was excited to try her hand at managing the horses and a manual plow with her friends. "An experienced farmer can do this alone, but we are still learning," said Meyer, who also is the president of the club. Russ Erickson, a retired professor of dairy nutrition, started the draft horse class about seven years ago to "teach students about the pulling power of draft horses and manual plowing." The club grew out of the program. "It was hard to provide this kind of experience in class otherwise," Erickson said. Aimed at promoting the draft horse industry, the club now boasts five horses.

Fashion revived

Diane Hoskins is in the "smuggling business." Or so she pretends. The Coldwater, Mich., resident acted as a look-out for the Underground Railroad, ensuring that escaped slaves had a way to get to Canada.

MSU joins rally against CO2 emissions

Braving the cold with patterned sweaters and cups of coffee, members of the MSU community gathered Saturday at Walter Adams Memorial Field, urging the U.S.

Diverse religious views explored

People sometimes say religion is a topic to avoid when talking with friends, but the MSU Wesley Foundation encouraged just this type of discussion Saturday. The group invited other religious organizations on campus to an event called Hoopla to promote understanding and acceptance between the groups. "We're not here to say who's right or who's wrong," said Tim Tuthill, a Mason resident and the campus minister at University United Methodist Church.

Fashion police on campus

Carol Beard often encourages her clients to come out of the closet. No, not that closet. For the past five years, Beard has worked as a closet analyst, weeding through clients' clothes, pitching unattractive pieces and replacing them with more appealing articles. But in her spare time, Beard acts as the adviser for the Student Apparel Design Association, or SADA, using her knowledge to help MSU students' fashion dreams become runway realities. Since January, Beard and SADA students have gathered to plan Fashion Week.

Lyman Briggs School moves one step closer to college status

A proposal to change Lyman Briggs School from a school to a college was presented to Faculty Council on Tuesday and was unanimously approved. On April 17, the proposal will be presented to Academic Council.

'Walk' donations raise concern

Members of PRISM, South Complex's lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender and straight alliance group, are concerned with the "I Stop Hate: MSU United" campaign for planning to donate a share of the proceeds from its Charity Walk on Sunday to the American Red Cross. PRISM member John Herbst said the American Red Cross discriminates against homosexual men. According to its Web site, the American Red Cross warns donors "should not give blood if you have AIDS or have ever had a positive HIV test, or if you have done something that puts you at risk for becoming infected with HIV." It also specifies: "You are at risk for getting infected if you … are a male who has had sexual contact with another male, even once, since 1977." "Since the American Red Cross does discriminate against people who would like to donate blood, we don't feel that's a suitable organization to donate to, coming from the 'I Stop Hate' campaign," Herbst said. Ann Kammerer, the American Red Cross' Great Lakes Region Blood Service Center spokeswoman, said the guideline applies to the "entire blood-banking community." "It's not a Red Cross policy," she said.

E.L. officials consider water bill increase

The average East Lansing homeowner could pay nearly $15 more for the city's water and sewer services beginning later this year, if a public works proposal is approved within the city's budget. City officials are recommending a 3 percent increase in water billing charges for the 2008 fiscal year — which would add up to an extra $3.66 every three months for the typical household. The next fiscal year begins on July 1. According to the city's 2008 budget proposal, the increase would be used to compensate for increased water consumption by residents and rising costs that East Lansing must pay to purchase the water from the East Lansing-Meridian Township Water and Sewer Authority. The authority serves about 74,000 people between the two municipalities and is able to distribute up to 15 million gallons of water per day. The East Lansing City Council still needs to approve the final budget, which would happen in May, so the proposed 3 percent increase could fluctuate before then, said Todd Sneathen, director of public works and environmental services. "We've anticipated we're going to average (the increase) in terms of that," Sneathen said.

Religious group to hold 'Hoopla' event

Creating an understanding and respect for different world religions is what student members of the University United Methodist Church aim to accomplish Saturday. "In the news, you are always hearing about different religions disagreeing," said Amber Schultz, an event coordinator and education senior. Hoopla, which starts at 3:57 p.m.

MSU group earns top donor registry honors

Standing on the third floor of North Kedzie Hall, surrounded by the walls that house the Medical Technology Program, is a trophy meant to symbolize MSU's dedication to compassion and generosity. Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land gave the award to students in the Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics Student Association for winning the Gift of Life's University Challenge for the third time in four years. The Gift of Life sponsored an organ donation competition that worked with 14 different colleges and universities in Michigan.

Board to discuss housing rates today

The MSU Board of Trustees will meet at 9:30 a.m. today on the fourth floor of the Administration Building.

Police briefs 04/13/07

MSU Law graduate's article cited in Supreme Court case

Justin Peterson, a 2006 MSU College of Law graduate, wrote an article for the Michigan State Law Review in his second year that was recently cited in a brief argued before the U.S.

Police briefs 04/12/07

Speaker to link Islam, hip-hop

Hip-hop died with 2Pac. At least, that is, by Hashim Alauddeen's definition of hip-hop. The music genre is supposed to be a form of resistance, speaking truth against injustice, said Alauddeen, a professor of African Diaspora studies at the Islamic Education Center in Houston. And the rapper 2Pac, or Tupac Amaru Shakur, represented that resistance — part of the legacy of Malcolm X, Alauddeen said. Since 2Pac's death in 1996 in Las Vegas, few mainstream hip-hop artists have followed this model, Alauddeen said. "There are still positive rappers, but they aren't mainstream, and that has to change," he said.

Lacrosse makes comeback

Losing a big game early in a season may not seem like a very positive thing for a team, but certain squads bounce right back. The MSU men's club lacrosse team (7-1), after dropping its second game in Gainesville in early March, refused to let the loss column get any higher than one. The No.

Council wants plan prepared before vote

After six months of discussion, the East Lansing City Council isn't ready to vote on a proposed ordinance to ban homeless people from the city's parking facilities. It's not the ordinance that's causing the delay — it's how the city would end up implementing it that is the problem, council members said Tuesday. Instead of punishing, city officials want the proposal to benefit the homeless by providing them with proper shelter and resources to improve their well-being. "How do we take that theory and put it into practice?

State could give iPods to K-12 students

Michigan's Speaker of the House wants to see every K-12 student with an iPod, not just so they can listen to music, but so they can learn in new ways. Rep.

Road delays expected

Drivers should anticipate delays today and Thursday when traveling along Harrison Avenue between East Grand River and Michigan avenues.

Residents comb E.L. for bottles

East Lansing residents have a chance to give back to their community while getting to know their neighbors during a can-and-bottle drive scheduled for April 21. The drive will benefit the Bailey Community Association, which lies in the region bounded by Saginaw Street, East Grand River Avenue, and Hagadorn and Abbott roads. From 2-4 p.m.