Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Take a peek behind the curtain and test drive the NEW StateNews.com today!

News

MICHIGAN

E.L. joins agreement to cut greenhouse gases

Brendan Bouffard
April 18, 2007

East Lansing joined the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement on Tuesday afternoon, fulfilling a long line of requests from residents concerned about global warming. Signing the agreement will add to the list of wise decisions East Lansing already has made, said Aileen Gow, director of Urban Options, an environmental education center. "This is a continuance of a long history of good decisions, and they are getting better," she said.

MICHIGAN

Murderers could get life sentences

Alex Altman
April 18, 2007

Last fall, Christopher Lucas killed his girlfriend's mother with stomps to the head so ferocious, his boots left imprints. But because of a "loophole" in the law, the 25-year-old Lyon Township resident was convicted of second-degree murder — giving him a chance for parole, said Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard. The outcome of this trial inspired Bouchard, Oakland County Prosecutor David Gorcyca and Rep.

MICHIGAN

Residents can take crash course on city

Kristen Daum
April 18, 2007

Students have an opportunity to hone their political skills through a new community leadership program sponsored by East Lansing. The city is launching the East Lansing Emerging Leaders Program to give residents a 10-week crash course this fall on the city's governmental process. The program, slated to run September through November, will cover the formats, processes and laws binding city government. "A lot of people might want to become involved but feel they don't have the knowledge or experience, but we want to give them the opportunity," said Marie McKenna, executive assistant to the city manager. In order to create a diverse, yet intimate, learning environment, the program will include about 20 community participants chosen through a comprehensive application process, McKenna said. Any East Lansing resident over the age of 18 can apply to join the program.

MSU

Jim Potchen honored with statue

Sarah Harbison
April 17, 2007

When Jim Potchen came to MSU as a student in the early 1950s, he was an aspiring florist who had operated his own entrepreneurial business in high school — making corsages in his father's greenhouse and selling them for dances. Potchen, 74, has been the chairman of the MSU Radiology Department for more than 30 years, a department he built from the ground up, without a penny of university funding. On Friday a bronze statue of Potchen was unveiled in the Radiology Building's atrium, making him the third person at the university to be honored this way.

MICHIGAN

East Village plan drafted

Kristen Daum
April 17, 2007

A revised design for an East Lansing development project and the city's 2008 finances are among the items up for discussion at tonight's City Council meeting. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m.

MSU

MSU offers templates for faculty, student Web sites

Kristi Jourdan
April 17, 2007

A new university-sponsored online guide for creating Web sites could make it easier for MSU faculty, staff and students to build pages for departments and class projects. After the university's home page was redesigned a year ago, many faculty and staff members expressed a desire to update their respective Web sites and requested resources from MSU's Web Team. "Sometimes, different places on campus may have a one-issue event they'd like to get a quick Web site up for," said Jeane Marty, a Web developer for University Relations.

MSU

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.

MSU

Fashion revived

Thea Neal
April 16, 2007

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

Diverse religious views explored

Michelle Ortlieb
April 16, 2007

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.

MSU

Fashion police on campus

Thea Neal
April 13, 2007

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.

MSU

'Walk' donations raise concern

Joey Nowak
April 13, 2007

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.

MICHIGAN

E.L. officials consider water bill increase

Kristen Daum
April 13, 2007

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.

MSU

Religious group to hold 'Hoopla' event

Tara Thoel
April 13, 2007

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.

MICHIGAN

MSU group earns top donor registry honors

Brendan Bouffard
April 13, 2007

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.