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Carp attack
Gamer Minty haven fest
Efforts to eradicate Asian carp could be costly, report says
St.Johns, Mich., New comic celebrates book and tradition, gaming shop summer opensfun in at downtown E.L. Mint Festival
campus+city, pG. 3
Julia Nagy/The State News
Sophomore defensive end Shilique Calhoun
Football team basks in Rose Bowl win
features, PAGE 6
SPORTS, PAGE 7
Michigan State University’s independent voice
too much celebration?
acade m ics
BOMBINGS IN RUSSIA LEAD TO QUESTIONS FOR STUDY ABROAD
Police, city officials reflect on Dec. 8 “civil disturbance” and hope to change perceptions By Geoff Preston gpreston@statenews.com THE STATE NEWS nn
T
he game clock r e a d 2:16 i n Indianapolis when MSU junior running back Jeremy Langford sprinted into the end zone and Spartan football lore, sealing the Big Ten championship for MSU. Back in East Lansing, couches burned and sirens rang through the streets, even before the clock ran out to officially declare the team’s victory. What followed throughout the night and early morning has been called a “civil disturbance” by authorities. The postgame celebration began with sporadic couch fires throughout East Lansing, but at about 12:30 a.m., hundreds of students spilled into the streets of Cedar Village and crowds ran amuck, furniture and torches in hand. By the end of the night, 15 people — 12 of whom were MSU students — had been arrested, and the fire department had responded to a minimum of 57 couch fires across the city. DTN Management Co. Vice President Colin Cronin esti-
By Simon Schuster sschuster@statenews.com THE STATE NEWS nn
In the summer of 2012, political science, economics and Russian senior Andy Stone arrived at the Russian city of Volgograd by train, walking through the Soviet-era station situated in the city’s center. He relied on Volgograd’s public transportation system to travel everywhere in the city, taking the tram to class at Volgograd State Technical University every day and riding trolley buses numerous times.
On Dec. 29 and 30, two sucicide bombers killed 34 people in Volgograd at a railway station and on a trolley bus The five weeks he spent living with a host family in Volgograd were part of the College of Arts and Letters’ Russian study program hosted each summer, a summer that Stone said was “the most defining moment of my undergraduate experience.” On Dec. 29, 2013, in the same railway station Stone had walked through, the wire service Reuters reported a suicide bomber detonated a vest laden with explosives, killing at least 18 people. The next day, another suicide bombing ripped apart a Volgograd trolley bus just like the one Stone had ridden, bringing the death toll to 34, Reuters reported. “It’s shocking, just because you never expect something like that to happen. … Everyone who goes on that study abroad goes in and out of that train station,” Stone said. He emphasized that the organizers “take really good care of us on study abroad. I never felt unsafe there at all.” With more than 275 study
Top: Students tore apart an Ohio State flag in the streets of Cedar Village after an MSU victory in the Big Ten Championship game on Dec. 8, 2013. The police and fire department responded to multiple fires across East Lansing. Left: Firefighters put out a fire in the streets of Cedar Village on Dec. 8, 2013.
See BURNINGS on page 2 u
state news file photos
By the numbers 12:30 time police went to Cedar Village 15 people arrested 57 fires $5,000-$10,000 damage
To watch a video of the post-game burnings in Cedar Village, visit statenews.com/multimedia.
See RUSSIA on page 2 u
business
Men’s basketball
Kaminski shines against OSU with key 3-pointer
Proposed Goodrich’s closure sparks debate at E.L. Planning Commission
By Zach Smith
By Kate Kerbrat
zsmith@statenews.com THE STATE NEWS nn
Everything’s coming up roses for Kenny Kaminski. It’s been an up-and-down season for the redshirt freshman forward, but in overtime of the No. 5 MSU basketball team’s 72-68 win against No. 3 Ohio State Tuesday night, he hit a shot he won’t soon forget. Kaminski only played 16 minutes, but was key in the waning moments of the game after hitting a clutch 3-pointer in overtime that gave the Spartans a lead. “I’ve dreamed of this day,” Kaminski said. “I’m crying looking at my mom and she’s crying. It’s the biggest shot I’ve hit in my life.” The redshirt freshman was suspended for the exhibition games and first game against McNeese State by head coach Tom Izzo. He didn’t get on the court again until Nov. 18 in the game against Portland, but was again suspended after MSU’s disappointing loss to North Carolina. Izzo said consistently throughout the first part of the season that Kaminski needed to “grow up” to be more of a contributing member of this team. “We said last year Kenny’s a
hell of a shooter, and when he grew up, (he) was going to be a great player,” Izzo said. Tuesday night’s clash against the Buckeyes just might be that extra push to boost the talented Ohio native to the next level on the court. He was recruited for his elite outside shooting, and it’s starting to look like Kaminski’s shot is as golden as it was expected to be. Many Spartans are hampered by injuries, with seniors Keith Appling and Adreian Payne, junior Travis Trice and sophomore Gary Harris all limited or out for some reason or another. Izzo said the win was on the tough play of the seniors, the loud fans and young players like Kaminski — especially when Appling found him for the wideopen long ball in overtime. “There were so many strange plays there in that stretch,” Izzo said. “That was a big turning point in the game. Inside-out passes, he can knock down shots. He’s one of our best shooters. Kenny was a stabilizer.” Kaminski finished the game with nine points, all from beyond the arc. Harris said he knew Kamins-
See B-BALL on page 2 u
kkerbrat@statenews.com THE STATE NEWS nn
Danyelle Morrow/The State News
Redshirt freshman forward Kenny Kaminski shoots a threepointer during overtime Tuesday at Breslin Center.
Plans for the future development of Trowbridge Plaza remain unclear in the midst of controversy behind the proposed closure of Goodrich’s Shop-Rite grocery store. The store and the former Oodles and Noodles restaurant could be replaced with two new buildings if the site’s developer gets his plan approved. The discussion warranted a full house during the East Lansing Planning Commission meeting Tuesday night. The commission postponed voting on the plan after several hours of discussion. Caddis Development Group, LLC president Kevin McGraw expressed his sadness regarding the grocery store’s closure, but said plans are moving forward. “It’s not about Goodrich’s — we couldn’t save them,” McGraw said. “We tried since last summer to keep them there, but their lease is up.” A new company plans to move into the old building after remodeling. McGraw
detailed his plans to build two buildings, one four stories and the other five stories. The first floor of both buildings will be zoned for retail, while the upper stories will be a mix of office and residential space. There also are plans for underground parking for the complex. As plans currently stand, Wendy’s, Comcast and Woody’s Oasis will remain in the complex. McGraw said the new company intends to hire as many former Goodrich’s employees to prevent job loss and make use of their experience. Bruce Brown, Goodrich’s attorney, said the store is an anchor to the community. “We have every intention of staying in business, but we can’t meet the terms,” Brown said. “Goodrich’s might be done. The owner is saying it is.” Many East Lansing residents expressed concern about the redevelopment plans for the complex. Some worried only national chains or student apartments would move into the area. Jim Dewitt, president of the Red Cedar Community Association, expressed his opposition to the proposal, saying student apartments wouldn’t be compatible with existing residential areas.