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A fight against urban sprawl and the changing face of downtown East Lansing. SEE PAGE 6 PHOTOS: The Residences stands tall in downtown East Lansing

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in 2015, and the nearby area under construction in 2012.

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OPINION

MSU students show solidarity in face of Charleston massacre MSU’s Black Student Alliance painted the rock on Farm Lane to bring the community together — PAGE 2

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The impact of sports on MSU’s campus and in the world

Powdered alcohol could be banned before it reaches Michigan

Columnists weigh in on topics relevant to the athletic community— PAGE 4

Worried about minors sneaking it into their drinks and people not knowing their limits with it, some legislators are moving to preemptively ban the substance — PAGE 9

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News

Michael Kransz Content editor content@statenews.com @thesnews

Black Student Alliance encourages student solidarity after Charleston massacre BY JESSICA STEELEY JSTEELEY@STATENEWS.COM

On the night of June 17, nine people were shot and killed at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., according to NBC News. T he suspected shooter, Dylann Roof, admitted to doing the killings because he wanted to start a race war, according to CNN. Though Charleston is more than 800 miles away, the racially-motivated killings have left its mark on MSU. MSU’s Black Student Alliance painted the rock on June 18 with the solemn message, “We Stand With Charleston, S.C.” The BSA painted the rock to bring awareness of the shooting to people on campus, food industry management junior and the RHA chair of the BSA Sherria Hamilton said. Hamilton said the shooting really hit home for her because it took place in a church. “If I’m not safe in church, in the house of the lord, where am I safe at?” she said. “As Spartans, we acknowledge that this is not okay,” BSA vice president Kelsi Horn said. “Which is kind of what we wanted to show by painting the rock.”

Horn said the Charleston massacre indicates race is still a huge factor in American society and that racism is an issue we have yet to tackle. “I hope this event wakes up America; people still say racism doesn’t exist,” Horn said. The killings weren’t a shock to her, Horn added, because of the similarity to many other headlines of late, but what is shocking is that people try to play it off as something other than a race issue. Horn believes this generation should acknowledge racism, because addressing issues of race can make positive strives and reduce racism. Hamilton said the aftermath of the event is what bothers her most because Roof has been labeled as mentally ill by media, whereas he should be viewed as a terrorist. “He went to the church, he knew what he was doing,” Hamilton said. She argued that if the shooter had been a person of color, he would have been treated much differently. She cited how POC who are victims of police brutality are often portrayed as bad people, whereas a white criminal is treated better than the POC victim and labeled mentally ill. “It just goes to show that America in general is a messed up country,” Hamilton said. “The aftermath of

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these events prove that white privilege is real.” These events portray the American justice system as unfair to people of color, Hamilton said.

“We fight back, we protest, we put it out there that this is what’s happening, but you see it continuing.” Both students feel it will take a miracle to change society, but believe the

MSU community can help. “The message is more powerful when we can have people outside the black community advocating for the black community,” Horn said.

The rock on Farm Lane was painted by BSA members June 18 to show support for the Charleston, S.C., shooting victims and the community. PHOTO: JOSHUA ABRAHAM

East Lansing City Council may prohibit recreational use of roofs BY JAKE ALLEN JALLEN@STATENEWS.COM

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At the work session on June 23, the East Lansing City Council set a date for action on an ordinance that would prohibit the use of roofs for recreational uses. The action will potentially come to a vote at the next city council meeting on July 7. Members of City Council said this ordinance would ensure the safety of residents in East Lansing. According to a memo sent to council from City Manager George Lahanas, at this time public safety can request someone get off a roof, but there is nothing in law that can require this action. The ordinance would make any violation a misde-

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meanor in the disorderly conduct code and would be enforced by East Lansing police. “The goal is getting compliance and people not on roofs anymore in large numbers due to a risk of a collapse,” Lahanas said. The city manager cited risk of injury and pointed to an example of an incident which occurred in March where a garage roof in San Luis Obispo, Calif., home of California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, collapsed and injured nine students as his reasoning behind this ordinance.

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Michigan State University’s 2015 Water Quality Report is now available online for review. The report is a snapshot of the quality of the water provided in 2015.

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Students sit on the roof of 204 Beal St. on March 18, 2013, during St. Patrick’s Day. STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO

Contents INSIDE

Minimum wage bill could reduce pay for those under 20 years old

Lansing Mitten Mavens are more than just a roller derby team

Donations from Empower Extraordinary fund new MSU golf center

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Dave Stryker plays a guitar solo on June 20 at the Summer Solstice Jazz Festival in East Lansing. See a photo gallery and video coverage from the event on statenews.com PHOTO: JOSHUA ABRAHAM

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Years the Annual Summer Solstice Jazz Festival has brought together musicians and artists. See statenews.com

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Opinion

Michael Kransz Content editor mkransz@statenews.com @thesnews

Women in sports deserve equal respect from men and officials

C A R TO O N

BY RACHEL FRADETTE RFRADETTE@STATENEWS.COM

BENNIE GIST

OPINION P O LL

What do you think of the recent marijuana decriminalization in East Lansing?

W E D N E S DAY ’ S R E S U LT S

43%—I’m excited. This is a huge step for East Lansing.

21%—I’m not happy about it. The marijuana decriminalization could have been handled better.

36%—Not much. Nothing has really changed. TOTAL VOTES: 120 AS OF 12 P.M. WEDNESDAY

Women in sports have always had to work a little bit harder in order to be treated with equality. However, this is not to take away from the hard work of male athletes, but women have faced several challenges just to be able to perform. Women’s role in sports, particularly in other countries, has always been seen as less than men both in opportunity and attention. I played hockey for nearly ten years of my life and one thing I always noticed was men were put ahead of us, nearly always. My team would have instances that referees would not make calls or ignore rules just to get the game ended earlier, not like the men’s team who was accurately called and always had commanded presence. It was hard to not feel inferior when you played six days a week, but still had no chance to match up. The current system of women in sports needs to change. Women are notoriously underpaid in their own sports and written off as less than men because of the way it is set up both nationally and internationally. Equality needs to exist with-

in the sports world, specifically to set an example of respect among athletes. Women are still battling to be equal among all of their male counterparts and it’s not right. These athletes work their entire life to be at the highest level of their sport, but it’s sad that people won’t even consider them as just as good as men. Even if I was a better athlete than the male hockey players, my team still got the worse ice time and treated as almost a joke when we practiced. Let me assure all the nay sayers, female athletes work just as hard if not harder than male athletes. You can call that statement as controversial as you want, but they do. Women not only have to fight for their stance, but they also have to be the absolute best at their craft. While men rather have a system made exactly for them to succeed and flourish. Women work hard despite never being able to lift a Stanley Cup or win a World Series. Men w ill never understand what it is like to play a sport and not lose motivation because the world is telling you, “well how far can you really go as a women?” It’s a discouraging system for several, young female athletes. I admire all women athletes who are at the height of their sport, despite being told to take a seat or quit because they’re as far as they can go. The main thing that kept me going even though I wasn’t considered the priority was my love for the game.

I love hockey more than any other sport because I grew up playing, watching and attending games. Now what breaks my heart is that in spite of all my dedication to the sport, I am still laughed at when I talk about the game. I know and understand the game of hockey extremely well, but even if I were speaking with a man who watches the game “once in a while” he still knows more. When did people decide that women cannot love the game as much as a man. Hockey is a huge part of my life and my sex has nothing to do with my knowledge, love of the game. I refuse to be treated as such and the women who feel the same way should never tolerate that behavior. The first famous person I wanted to meet wasn’t Justin Bieber (just an example, I know he’s awful), it was my hero Steve Yzerman. For Christmas I wanted toys, but the best Christmas I got a brand new hockey stick or a mini-stick hockey set, that I destroyed in two months. It’s time for women to not only be considered equal in sports, but also encouraged to love the game. Shaming women in order to keep “a man’s sport, a man’s sport” is ridiculous ideology. Men lose nothing by embracing the female athletes who adore the game the same way they do. Women’s sports still have a long way to go and the first step is to understand how hard female athletes work, to only be forgotten about by our society.

ESPN’s resistance to competitive eSports is pointless

BY AJ MOSER AMOSER@STATENEWS.COM

Earlier this year, ESPN2 aired the finals of ‘Heroes of the Dorm’, a tournament featuring Blizzard’s new multiplayer online battle arena video game Heroes of the Storm. Fans of the online gaming scene were excited to see a popular event like this televised nationally but their enthusiasm was 4

not shared. EPSN’s own Colin Cowherd went on a rant during his radio show stating that covering a gaming tournament would be “like sticking a gun in his mouth” and called the players and commentators nerds who dwelled in their parent’s basement. Not only are these comments completely unnecessary and mean-spirited, but they represent a resistance to changing media that should embarrass the entire staff of ESPN. eSports competitions are growing by alarmingly rapid numbers and millions of people are often tuning in to watch their favorite games. More importantly, gamers are

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making a career out of streaming and commentating tournaments on outlets like YouTube and Twitch. In 2014, the League of Legends Season 3 World Championship had 32 million viewers. For comparison, 26.3 million people watched the last game of the NBA finals, 15.7 million on average watched each game of the NCAA Final Four and 14.9 million tuned in for the MLB World Series. The interest is there for competitive gaming, and it isn’t just for the people behind “the basement door at mom’s house,” as Mr. Cowherd seems to believe. Colleges across the country, including MSU, are start-

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ing to see numerous teams and clubs founded around competitive video gaming. On our campus, frequent League of Legends and Super Smash Bros tournaments bring people together to express their enthusiasm and energy for the thrill of the game. Video games have always been a niche hobby that manage to bring together a group of people with common interests but in today’s rapidly digitizing world, the opportunities for gamers to connect with each other and form a unique community have never been higher. eSports might end up becoming the biggest form of entertainment worldwide —

there is simply no way to tell. For someone so prolific in the world of traditional sports to speak so venomously about a hobby so many people are passionate about is concerning. Sports broadcasters don’t often say that they would rather quit their jobs or kill themselves if they were asked to cover table tennis or swimming, do they? Millions have people have show n t hei r pa ssion for eSports and continue to do so today. Frankly, an ESPN anchor really doesn’t need to worry about covering a video game tournament. The sport has already found a dedicated audience and medium in

which to broadcast. The home of eSports is online, where a global audience can convene to chat about and witness the big moments in gaming. Advertisers and sponsors are donating millions of dollars to gamers and gaming teams, making it a lucrative field and competitive scene. In the past few years, the prevalence of online gaming has done nothing but increase, and will probably continue to do so. We may not be far from a future where the ‘basement-dwelling-neckbearded nerds’ of today are millionaires and celebrities. I sure hope we can all be ready for that.

Opinion

MSU football’s success is here to stay BY MATT ARGILLANDER MARGILLANDER@STATENEWS.COM

For the last few years I have read articles predicting the fall of MSU, every year there is a new reason — this time its “Hurricane Harbaugh," according to ESPN staff writer Austin Ward. “Dealing with just Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes while Michigan was reeling and hobbling to the finish line with Brady Hoke is one thing,” Ward wrote. “Dealing with a potential dynasty across the border and preparing for Hurricane Harbaugh within the state at the same time is another matter entirely, and trying to fight off both simultaneously is the biggest reason the Spartans might be in danger of slipping in the Future Power Rankings.” It seems as if I am reading the same column from every writer, for some reason there seems to be a consensus that MSU will

fall off. But U-M improving and the constant presence of Ohio State does not mean the downfall of MSU. For starters take a look at recruiting. According to 247 Sports, in 2013 the Spartans had the No. 36-ranked recruiting class, in 2014 the No. 25-ranked recruiting class, in 2015 the No. 22 and this year MSU has the No. 6-ranked class. Head football coach Mark Dantonio has continued to produce winning teams and the recruits have begun to notice. A team that is gaining more and more attention amongst the top high school athletes in the nation does not seem like one that is prepared to fall off. With a coach in Dantonio that has routinely turned two and three star prospects into great players, imagine what he could do with young men that are more naturally and athletically gifted. Dantonio gets the most out of his players, if he can get the most out of a recruiting class ranked sixth in the nation there is no chance MSU is going to fall off anytime soon. Granted, recruiting isn’t everything, as Michigan had the No. 4-ranked recruiting

class in 2013, but if you take a look at the evidence on the field there is more reason to believe in the Spartans. One of the main arguments for the downfall of MSU is that they can’t compete in a division with both Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer and Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh but Dantonio has proven he can beat Meyer, handing the Buckeyes one of their three losses over the last two years. Ohio State was undefeated heading into the 2013-14 season Big Ten Championship game and the Spartans crushed their National Championship hopes and then capped the season off with a win in the Rose Bowl. MSU has also proven it can beat the top competition in other conferences with wins over SEC foe Georgia in the 2011 Outback Bowl, Big 12 foe TCU in the 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, Pac 12 foe Stanford in the 2013 Rose Bowl and Big 12 foe Baylor in the 2104 Cotton Bowl. Only time will tell, but I am of the belief that MSU is here to stay despite article after article over the last few years predicting the end of the run or a change in the power structurein the Big Ten.

A Spartan for life — the day I met Magic Johnson

BY RYAN KRYSKA RKRYSKA@STATENEWS.COM

I was 11 years old and if it wasn’t sports, it didn’t matter. One summer afternoon, I was going to meet a legend from Michigan State University, the school that my grandpa and aunt went to. We arrived at the store. I sprinted over to the sports section. I was a nervous-wreck. Toward the crowd we passed a basketball hoop with a Magic 32 backdrop until finally seeing Earvin. He was huge — a legend. The anticipation was too much. Minutes went by as I stood outside the ropes where Magic Johnson resided. I walked around the Meijer in search of anything to pass time. And what I found did

just that. It was a raffle-box for a chance to play a game of basketball versus Magic. I entered my name and hiked over to the back of the line, but my family was not there. The line was moving fast — I panicked. I ran around the bend and found my family nearing Magic’s entrance. “ W here were you? You almost missed it!” yelled my mom. I hopped back into line with them and we approached Earvin. He shook my hand with a palm larger than my extended fingers. His smile was genuine — he was truly magical. W hen we f i n i shed ou r meet-and-greet, an employee was simultaneously walking toward Magic with the raffle-box. Magic pulled my name. My mother gasped — she did not know I put my name in the box. I picked my jaw up from the floor and walked over to Magic who high-fived me and asked if I’d been working on my free throws. I told

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him yes. We began a back and forth best-of-ten competition. I made my first; he made his first. I made my second; he made his second. We get to six out of six each and Magic could not believe it. He asked an employee if he was being set-up, though I think he was just humoring me. At the time I couldn’t tell if he was faking. I missed two in a row and Magic missed one. We reached shot nine. I made it and Magic missed. We were tied going into the last shot, and, I missed. Magic drained the free throw and beat me eight to seven. I had never felt so f ulfilled in defeat. I wanted to win, of course, but I fared well against the momentous Spartan. I wonder if Magic remembers this? Probably not, but he made my dreams and aspirations soar. So thank you, Magic Johnson, for making more free throws than me that one time at Meijer.

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RELIGIOUS GUIDE Look for this directory in the paper every Thursday and online at: www.statenews.com/religious Ascension Lutheran Church 2780 Haslett Rd., E. Lansing Between Hagadorn & Park Lake Rds. (517) 337-9703 Sunday Worship: 10am Sunday School: 9am Adult Bible Study: 9am ascensioneastlansing.org Faith Fellowship Baptist Church 1001 Dakin St. Lansing, MI 48912 517-853-9897 Sunday Morning Worship: 11am Sunday School: 10am Wednesday Prayer and Bible Study: 6:30pm Van service available to church Campus Bible Study: Thursday at 7:30pm in Chemistry Bldg. www.ffbc.us First Baptist Church of Okemos 4684 Marsh Rd. Okemos, MI 48864 (517) 349-2830 www.fbcokemos.org/worship Sunday worship: 10:45am Zelos Wednesday: 7pm night worship for summer

Little Flock Christian Fellowship A Non-DenominationalEvagelical Church MSU Alumni Chapel (Basement Hall) Sunday Worship Service: 10am-12 Noon. Fellowship Lunch after the service Weekly Bibly Studies & Students’ Meetings. littleflock.msu@gmail.com littleflock@hotmail.com www.littleflock.org Martin Luther Chapel 444 Abbot Rd. East Lansing, MI 48823 (517) 332-0778 martinlutherchapel.org Sunday: 9:30am & 7:00pm Mini-bus pick-up on campus (Fall/Spring) Okemos Community Church 4734 Okemos Rd. Okemos, MI 48864 (517) 349-4220 www.okemoscommunitychurch.org Sunday Worship: 10am Sunday School: 10am-11:15am Adult Studies: 9am & 11am

One Community-Lutheran (ELCA)/ Episcopal (TEC) Campus Ministry Greater Lansing 1020 South Harrison Rd. Church of Christ East Lansing, MI 48823 310 N. Hagadorn Rd. (517) 332-2559 East Lansing, MI 48823 www.facebook.com/on(517) 898-3600 ecommunitymsu Sunday Worship: 8:45am Sundays: 9:30am (at Sunday Bible Study: 10:15am University Lutheran Sunday Evening: Small Group Church) Sundays: 8am, Wednesday Bible Study: 10am (at All Saints 7:00pm Episcopal Church) www.greaterlansingcoc.org Peoples Church Hillel Jewish Student Center 200 W. Grand River Ave. 360 Charles St., E. Lansing East Lansing, MI 48823 (517) 332-1916 (517) 332-6074 www.peoples-evolution.org Friday Night Sunday Worship: 8:30am, Services: 6pm, Dinner: 7pm 9:30am September - April Tuesday: Love Life: 7-9pm Wednesday: Dinner at Islamic Center of East 5:30pm, Journey at 6:30 Lansing 920 S. Harrison Rd., East Red Cedar Friends Lansing, MI 48823 Meeting (517) 351-4309 1400 Turner St. www.Lansingislam.com Lansing, MI 48906 info@Lansingislam.com (517) 371-1047 1st Friday Prayer: 12:15 pm redcedarfriends.org 2nd Friday Prayer: 1:45 pm Sunday Worship: 9:00am, 10:30am

St. John Catholic Church and Student Center 327 M.A.C. Ave. East Lansing, MI 48823 (517) 337-9778 stjohnmsu.org Sunday: 8am, 10am, Noon, 7pm Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 12:15pm Trinity Church 3355 Dunckel Rd. Lansing, MI 48911 (517) 272-3820 Saturday: 6pm Sunday: 9:15am, 11am trinitywired.com Unity Spiritual Renaissance 230 S. Holmes St. Lansing, MI 48912 (517) 484-2360 or (517) 505-1261 Sunday: 10:30am Wednesday: 6:30pm meditation Office: Monday-Thursday 9:30-12:00 University Baptist Church 4608 South Hagadorn Rd East Lansing, MI 48823 (517) 351-4144 www.ubcel.org 10 AM Worship service 11:15 Coffee Hour 11:30 Sunday School University Christian Church 310 N. Hagadorn Rd. East Lansing, MI 48823 (517) 332-5193 universitychristianwired.com Sunday: 11:15 am Sunday Bible Study: 10:15 am University United Methodist Church MSU Wesley 1120 S. Harrison Rd. East Lansing, MI 48823 (517) 351-7030 universitychurchhome.org msuwesley.org Sunday: 10:30am 9:00am Garden Service in the summer TGIT: 8:00pm Thursdays Sept. - April WELS Lutheran Campus Ministry 704 Abbott Road East Lansing, MI 48823 (517) 580-3744 www.msu.edu/~weisluth 6:00pm Saturday

Religious Organizations: Don’t be left out of the Religious Directory! Call 517-432-3010 today to speak with an Account Executive

Spotlight A changing downtown and the fight against urban sprawl With several proposed and approved multi-level, mixed-use buildings hoping to make their mark on downtown East Lansing, the next several years could bring a whole new look to the city BY JAKE ALLEN JALLEN@STATENEWS.COM

Gerald Scott graduated from MSU in 1980 and he still uses CDs instead of downloading music. On his day off of work, the now-Warren resident found himself in his old college town shopping around for CD’s and other things when he realized that Flat, Black & Circular as well as Curious Book Shop are the only stores left in downtown East Lansing from when he was in school. In his own words, Scott is “one generation behind.” He said he feels the downtown area is a lot more diversified with a broader outreach of retail and dining these days. This is by no means an accident, East Lansing Planning, Building & Development director Tim Dempsey said. SMART GROWTH Dempsey said the city, with input

from the community, has put together a comprehensive plan to bring a greater number of people into the downtown through diversification of businesses, but also to ensure the city is growing efficiently. Dempsey called this plan “smart growth” and said that compact urban development is a good way to ensure it. “East Lansing is a growing community and like all growing communities we have a fundamental choice to make. We can grow out or we can grow up,” East Lansing Mayor Nathan Triplett said. Triplett said the city has made a very conscious decision to follow the idea of smart growth and not sprawl out. The idea is to promote high density, mixed-use development in the downtown, which he said is more economically and environmentally stable. Darcy Schmitt, East Lansing’s planning and zoning administrator, said

by promoting smart growth in the downtown area, better use of the already-built and recently updated infrastructure is made. FIGHTING URBAN SPRAWL Smart growth also eliminates the need to spread the downtown out and take over green field area. The taking over of this green field area is called urban sprawl, said Rex LaMore, director of the Center for Community and Economic Development at MSU and faculty member of the MSU Urban and Regional Planning program. “Sprawl is the inefficient use of land for residential and commercial development,” LaMore said. The underutilization of roads, sewers and sometimes even schools comes with urban sprawl and are costly financially to many communities, LaMore said. Preventing urban sprawl, he said, can be done

by having a good master plan and a diverse commercial district. One way the city is looking to further diversify its commercial district, specially the B-3 district, is through a new ordinance introduced at the June 16 meeting. GROWING UP Ordinance number 1348 is still in planning commission and will ultimately have to come back to city council for a final decision, but has the potential to set a minimum building height of four-stories or 64 feet in the B-3 district. The B-3 District, according to the city’s zoning map, includes the area from Collingwood Drive to the People’s Church of East Lansing. The southern border of the district is Grand River Avenue and the northern border is Albert Avenue, and a couple blocks past in spots. The ordinance is part of the smart growth

effort, Dempsey said. “(The ordinance) continues to push our downtown as a more urbanized downtown with more people living here, which will bring more shoppers, (it) helps businesses and (it) creates a more diverse downtown in terms of level of activity,” Dempsey said. Triplett said that although the ordinance is new and has potential for impact, it is important to remember that there is a “multi-pronged” effort in place to re-vitalize downtown and has been in place for years. This effort has included the redevelopment of the Ann Street Plaza to create a stage space, incorporating public art into downtown and inviting concessioners and food trucks into the city. All of these things put together has drawn the attention of developers, more importantly developers who want to build according to the smart growth plan, he said.

Rendering of the proposed five-story building on the site of the former Taco Bell building at 565 E. Grand River Ave. The mixed-use building would feature mostly four-bedroom apartments on the higher floors, with space for commercial use available on the first floor. RENDERING COURTESY OF CRON MANAGEMENT 6

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Michael Kransz Content editor mkransz@statenews.com @thesnews

Rendering of the approved Gateway Project, which is set to be built on 300 W. Grand River Ave. The project is a four-story, mixed-use building that will feature underground parking, a bank with a drivethru, available space for retail stores on the first floor and a total of 39 two-bedroom apartments on upper floors. RENDERING COURTESY OF GATEWAY OF EAST LANSING, LLC

DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT City council approved the site plan and special use permit from developer Lingg Brewer to construct a four-story mixed-use building with 13 apartment units and approximately 1,000 square feet of non-residential space at 500 Albert Ave. and 122 Division St. at the June 2 meeting. In addition the city has two projects set for public hearing on July 7. These projects include a plan to construct a six-story, mixed-use building with commercial use and parking on the first floor and residential use on the remaining five. The project would take place at 1301 and 1307 Grand River Ave. and 116-132 Spartan Ave if approved. This is the site of the old Tasty Twist. The development company behind this project is Next Generation Investment Properties LLC, with developers from East Lansing student rental’s Community Resource Management Co. The next project also set for hearing on the 7 includes plans for the old Taco Bell on Grand River Avenue. Stonehouse Village VI LLC, with developers from East Lansing-based Cron Management LLC, hope to build a five-story, mixed-use building with 6,745 square feet of commercial space on the first floor and apartments on the upper levels at 565 E. Grand River Ave. In addition, the new Element 903 multi-story apartments are slated to open in the fall across from the intersection of Grand River Avenue and Bogue Street.

junior Kevin Kluczek and journalism junior Jalen Smith this is a positive. Both students said they liked the idea of a more urban feel to the city as it would come with more places to shop and eat. Dempsey said the plan has the best interest

of resident in mind. “The end result is that your community has a higher quality of life,” Dempsey said. “You have a downtown that is more vibrant, more lively and that makes the community more attractive

which improves housing values and improves the desirability of neighborhoods and with that comes the increased demand of people wanting be here. When you have people that want to live in your community, it is usually successful.”

THE QUALITY OF LIFE It seems the city’s plan to promote smart growth is coming together. For communication Ithaca, Mich., resident Mike Hardman does construction work July 9, 2014, on the Midtown Apartments, 3433 E. Michigan Ave. The project broke ground October 2013 and opened early August 2014. STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO.

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Crossword

L.A. Times Daily Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

Features

Michael Kransz Content editor mkransz@statenews.com @thesnews

HUMANS OF EAST LANSING BY JORDAN HOLLEY | PHOTO: JOSHUA ABRAHAM

ACROSS

1 The Olympic Australis and others 6 Sound detectors 10 Move lightly 14 Full range 15 Produce on a farm 16 Biked it 17 Video game brother 18 Hold ‘em fee 19 “That makes sense” 20 2002 British Open champion 21 Patient care group 24 Pay 26 “Frasier” role 27 “Arabian Nights” name 28 Duties 32 Political convention announcement 37 Novelist Tolstoy 38 Rep on the street 39 Place for a small pet 40 Jag, e.g. 41 Had-at link 42 Casing filler 46 Picking up, in a way 48 Quaint preposition 49 Dennings of “2 Broke Girls” 50 The “it” in “I don’t want to talk about it” 55 Like much rock ... and like the last words of 21-, 32- and 42-Across?

59 Wild way to go 60 “Little Things Mean __”: 1954 #1 hit 61 Quaint “not” 62 It’s usually not more than a foot 64 Lead 65 Slush Puppie maker 66 Part of a meet 67 Enjoys a hero 68 Agreeing words 69 Takes chances

DOWN

1 Looked like a wolf? 2 Eighth-century pope 3 Not quite right 4 Haul 5 Reaction causes 6 “Holy moly!” 7 Golf nickname 8 Coll. drilling group 9 Curse 10 Aunt in “Nancy” 11 Come in too late? 12 Start of a solution 13 Abound (with) 22 “Happy Days” actress Moran 23 It’s retold often 25 Ratt or Poison 28 Taberna snack 29 Drawing passage 30 Crumbly salad topper 31 29-Down buildup

32 Some HDTVs 33 Push for 34 Reason for glowing letters 35 Water cooler sound 36 Humanities degs. 40 City north of Des Moines 42 Rama VII’s kingdom 43 “Mary Queen of Scots” biographer Fraser 44 One of the Spice Girls 45 Built 47 Winter Olympics equipment 50 Self-gratifying outing 51 “But of course!” 52 Supermarket option 53 Speak one’s mind 54 Staked shelters 55 Nutmeg spice 56 Scat legend, familiarly 57 Talk up 58 Suggestive 63 Co-star of Richard in “The Night of the Iguana”

Get the solutions at statenews.com/puzzles Level: 1

2

3

4

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk SOLUTION TO WEDNESDAY’S PUZZLE

Get the solutions at statenews.com/ puzzles

6/25/15

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© 2015 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved. THE STATE N E WS

THURSDAY, JUNE 2 5, 2 01 5

Benjamin Granzotto MSU Student Granzotto is a an English senior at MSU and wants to be a writer. He is currently working on his own fiction novel that is set in Michigan and based on some of the traveling he has done in the state.

“Something about the campus, something about it sends me here ... I can only write outside, I sit outside my house for hours writing and I come here and sit outside and I write.”

News

Michael Kransz Content editor mkransz@statenews.com @thesnews

Powdered alcohol could be banned in Michigan before arrival BY JOSH THALL JTHALL@STATENEWS.COM

While Palcohol’s powdered alcohol is not even out for sale yet in the United States, many states, including Michigan, are already attempting to ban commercial use of the product. Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, who is spearheading a bill to ban the use, sale or possession of powdered alcohol, said that the product is not necessary and that he has concerns of it being misused and it possibly leading to more deaths. The bill has passed through the full Senate and has been referred to the House of Representatives committee on Regulatory Reform. There are 39 states that have legislation introduced to ban powdered alcohol, and several other states have already enacted legislation to either ban or limit powdered alcohol. Jones said the substance was brought to his attention by people in the medical community worried about the added risk of alcohol poisoning from powdered alcohol. “If someone sits down and drinks a fifth, of alcohol, they know exactly what they are doing to themselves,” Jones said. “But when you can just throw powder on different substances, then perhaps mix it with liquid alcohol also, people are absolutely not going to know how much they’re consuming.” Currently, Palcohol’s powdered alcohol is set to release five different types this summer: Vodka, Rum, Cosmopolitan, Powderita and Lemon Drop. All you have to do is add 6 oz. of water to any of these products and it will create the labeled drink. When one packet of Palcohol’s powdered

alcohol, approximately 29 grams of powder, is mixed with 6 oz. of water, the resulting drink has the same alcohol content as one standard drink. Jones was a member of the Eaton County police for 31 years, and in that time, he says he saw many deaths from alcohol poisoning.

1.5oz LIQUOR 40 percent abv

=

12oz

=

BEER ~5 percent abv

more deaths.” Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital recently released data from a survey in which they polled adults from around the country about powdered alcohol. The results showed that 90 percent of surveyed adults are concerned about misuse of powdered alcohol

=

5oz WINE ~12 percent abv

~1oz PALCOHOL

ILLUSTRATION: MARGEAUX PHILLIPS

A single ounce of powdered alcohol, mixed with 6 oz. of water, is equivalent to one standard drink.

“Alcohol is currently abused, and we have deaths. We recently had a death right at MSU of a college student from alcohol poisoning,” Jones said. “So, having that knowledge and studying this product, I believe powdered alcohol will cause more abuse and

from people under 21, 85 percent are concerned it will increase use of alcohol in people under 21 and 81 percent are concerned that it will be easy for people under 21 to purchase powdered alcohol. Jones said he has also heard concern from

bars about underage kids coming into the bars, ordering water or a soda and mixing in the alcohol, and then the bar being held liable for having “served” an underage person. The Michigan License Beverage Association is also strongly against the powdered alcohol, said their executive director, Scott Ellis. “Our thought process was ‘Is there a need for this?’ We believe in the experience of the drink at the restaurant or at your own home,” Ellis said. “We just don’t think there’s a need and are concerned with how that would be brought into establishments. It is against the law to bring alcohol into a licensed establishment, it would be hard for our members to monitor.” Palcohol’s founder Mark Phillips has addressed some of the concerns of critics on Palcohol’s website. Focusing in on stressing that they believe the risk of powdered alcohol is no greater than any liquid alcohol. “Liquid alcohol is easier to conceal, easier to spike drinks and easier to use to binge drink,” Phillips said on their website. “It’s much less expensive and allows someone to get drunk faster, both which appeal to the underage drinker.” He also said on the website that the argument of it being easier for underage drinkers to get the substance is false. He said, “There’s no way a 15 year old can buy vodka in a liquor store, but it’s easy to buy marijuana on the street. That’s because alcohol is regulated and marijuana is not.” The Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers, the Michigan Spirits Association, Associated Food and Petroleum, the chiefs of police and sheriffs and groups of doctors have signed on against the product.

Tobacco-free policy more educational than punitive BY CAMERON MACKO CMACKO@STATENEWS.COM

With the Board of Trustees decision last week to institute a new tobacco-free policy at MSU, a few aspects of the policy have yet to be ironed out before it is eventually implemented August of 2016. However, MSU spokesperson Jason Cody said the policy will be geared toward education rather than be punitive in nature. The Trustees voted on the policy that would ban, not only cigarettes, but chewing tobacco and electronic cigarettes. However, with many students aware of the minimal enforcement of the current policy which requires smokers to remain 25 feet from any on-campus building, its successor will be enforced in similar ways. “This policy isn’t being implemented with enforcement being the top priority,” Cody said. “This is more of, kind of an educational transition.” He said the goal was to embrace a more healthy campus, although enforcement mechanisms will be put in place. Though the specifics steps of enforcement are still being worked out, students reported using tobacco will be referred to the campus judicial system, handled through Student Con-

duct and Conflict Resolution, while faculty and staff will be referred to human resources. Though Cody said each case is different for those directed toward a sort of punishment, he said it was very unlikely it would ever get as high as expulsion, even if a student obstinately refused to follow the policy. The policy, being civil in nature rather than criminal, will not be enforced by the MSU police. This decision is supported by the MSU Anti-Cancer Society, and president Tristan Worthington, said the stance of the group has changed in the last two years, after originally supporting a more stern policy, however, independent research revealed educational policies work better long term. MSU Anti-Cancer Society members were behind the petition on Change.org last fall to ban smoking on campus, receiving just over 1,600 supporters. “The (schools that banned tobacco) that were more successful from a public health standpoint were the ones that did more of a ... community and educational and sort of cultural shift instead of the ones Then-computer science senior Daniel Roman smokes a cigarette on Sept. 29, 2014, outside of Wells Hall. The that had the cops going around,” Worth- smoking policy requires students to not smoke within 25 feet of the doors of buildings on campus. STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO ington said. T H U RS DAY, J U NE 2 5, 2 01 5

TH E STATE N E WS

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News

Michael Kransz Content editor mkransz@statenews.com @thesnews

New bill could reduce wages for those under 20 BY JOSH THALL JTHALL@STATENEWS.COM

A bill that has now reached the full Michigan Senate and is awaiting its hearing and vote would increase the training wage for workers under the age of 20, but would also reduce the minimum wage employers can pay 18 and 19 year olds. SB 250 would currently increase the training wage from $4.25 to $6.25, but allow employers to pay anyone under the age of 20 a minimum wage of only 85 percent of either the federal or state minimum wage, whichever is higher. Currently, the 85 percent minimum wage rule only applies to people under the age of 18. The minimum wage in Michigan is $8.15 and the federal minimum wage is $7.25 John McNamara, the legislative director for state Sen. Margarette O’Brien R-Portage, said that part of the reasoning for increasing the age from 18 to 20 is because with more kids not being able to work during high school due to increased extracurricular activities means that people are now getting their first jobs later on. “Businesses are less likely to hire someone in high school because they’re going to say, ‘Oh I can’t work Saturday because I have a soccer tournament,’ or something like that, so businesses are less likely to hire at this age because kids are so involved now and I think sports have become more time consuming as well,” McNamara said. This summer’s teen unemployment rate is expected to be around 17.2 percent, according

to the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. That would continue the trend of it decreasing every year except 2013 since it hit 35 percent in 2010. The largest drop was last year when the teen unemployment rate dropped from 27.1 percent in 2013, all the way down to 20.2 percent in 2014. State Sen. Curtis Hertel Jr., D-East Lansing, who was the lone vote against the bill in committee, said he offered an amendment that would increase the training wage, but would not increase the age of the youth minimum wage from 18 to 20. “The reason you have a youth wage is to help younger people, minors, get hired so they can get some training,” Hertel Jr. said. “So we’re all the sudden taking people who have reached the age of adulthood, who have graduated high school, who are in college, who are struggling to pay their bills and struggling with the increased cost of college — and saying to those people that we can pay you less, and to me it makes no sense.” McNamara does not think it will be a real problem for college students because he said a lot of college students get jobs at national brand places, which he believes would be less likely to take part in a lower minimum wage for 18 or 19 year old. “I highly doubt (national and chain restaurants) will do this because they have practices that are set by national offices,” McNamara said. “These are going to be kids that are scooping ice cream.”

YO U T H M I N WAG E

$8.15

The current minimum wage in Michigan

$6.93

What employers can currently pay those under 18

$6.93

What employers could pay those under 20, if a bill in the full Michigan Senate is passed into law

Regulations for companies like Uber needed but who should call the shots? BY JOSH THALL JTHALL@STATENEWS.COM

Uber has not been in East Lansing for even a full year yet, but the ride-sharing company has already left a big impression on the city and across the state. Uber came to the East Lansing area late last July, and as its first year begins to wind down, there are many opinions throughout the state about the ride-sharing service and how it should be handled. “It is something that has increasingly become available in cities all across the country, that many folks, especially, say MSU students who are coming to the area from elsewhere, have become accustomed to having available, so I thought it was something that was positive for our community,” East Lansing Mayor Nathan Triplett said. Easy Lansing City Clerk Marie E. Wicks said Uber has been great in the area by giving jobs to people who need them and giving people another transportation option. NEED FOR REGULATION While many in the state, from legislators to city officials and even some taxicab companies, believe Uber is a good thing for Michigan, they all believe that Network Transportation Companies should have stricter regulations for operating in Michigan. Vartan Muradov, the Owner of Royal Express Taxi said that he is frustrated about the lack of regulations in place for Uber and believes that there needs to be a stricter set of regulations for Uber drivers. “It’s no secret — we all know they are doing the same job that cabs do in a different platform,” Muradov said. “There should be something, I’m not saying they need to be completely regulated as a cab, but there needs to be some kind of 10

THE STATE N E WS

regulation, form of identification, some form of requirements. “I understand that they need to be a little bit adjusted accordingly, like limousine service has their own set of rules and regulations and cabs have their own rules and regulations, but generally they are all standardized and similar.” East Lansing Mayor Nathan Triplett said that when Uber was brought to East Lansing and Lansing last year, they agreed in principle to a set of regulations that they would voluntarily abide by, but that the city currently has no real power to enforce them. The regulations, which were adopted jointly by Lansing and East Lansing will go into effect once the Greater Lansing Taxi Authority officially takes over the responsibility and licensing of taxicabs and ride-sharing services like Uber within the next couple months. The regulations would require Uber drivers to have minimum insurance requirements, background checks and zero tolerance for drugs and alcohol use. Triplett said the requirements are similar but not identical to taxicabs. “We did not try to shove the square peg of transportation network companies into the round hole of taxi regulation,” Triplett said. “Instead, we adopted a list of rules that were appropriate to transportation network companies.” LOCAL APPROACH Triplett is concerned, however, about a current five-bill package of legislation in the Michigan House of Representatives, HB 4637-4641, which would void all local regulations for Network Transportation Companies and place state-wide regulations for services such as Uber. “What I oppose about the house bill is the fact that it will intrude on the ability of local units of government, like East Lansing, who have spent a great deal of time working with transportation

THURSDAY, JUNE 2 5, 2 01 5

network companies to develop a local approachthat is appropriate to our community, and will say that that is no longer permissible,” Triplett said. Wicks said one reason local control would be a benefit is that it would give local governments the ability to make sure things such as background checks, vehicle inspections and all other aspects of the regulations set by the city are handled properly by Uber and their drivers and deal with those issues accordingly if they were not. Triplett said local governments need to have control over these regulations because state officials might not take such violations by Uber and its drivers as seriously as individual communities might. “This is a high priority issue for us to make sure that these drivers are operating safely in our community and in compliance with the rules and regulations that have been adopted,” Triplett said. “Whereas if it’s up to the state they obviously have a number of competing priorities that this might not be as high of a priority as it is for a community like East Lansing where we have a university student population.” Wicks said that while she understands that Uber does not want to have to comply with a patchwork of different local regulations, she feels the communities in the state have done a good job of making their policies on such services similar. Triplett noted that many of the policies and regulations they have set up for companies like Uber were taken from the regulations Detroit put in place fore the ride-sharing company when they first entered Michigan through Detroit in 2013. Triplett said that while he hopes regulation ultimately left at the local level, he feels that Uber will continue to grow and be a valuable asset to the city either way. House Bills 4637-4641 all passed the full House of Representatives and have been referred to the Senate Regulatory Reform Committee.

Sports

Lansing Roller Derby team aims to build community through sport BY YUANZHE ZHUANG YZHUANG@STATENEWS.COM

Lansing Mitten Mavens Roller Derby took an unexpected victory against the Bath City Roller Girls on Saturday night. Lansing Capital Roller Derby (LCRD) is a non-profit, skater-run organization, based in East Lansing.

The Lansing Mitten Mavens Women’s Roller Derby team is formed under LCRD. The score of the game between Lansing Mitten Mavens Roller Derby and Bath City Roller Girls ended up 237 to 111. Ali Jahr, president of Lansing Mitten Mavens Roller Derby and MSU alumna, said they were ranked rel-

Rapids resident Deb Carmody said, “It’s pretty interesting.” Besides training for games, the team also has done various volunteering for the community. “Besides providing a unique entertainment ... we do a lot for the community,” Jahr said. Joining the team enriches the members’ experiences on sports, social ser-

atively lower than the other team in Michigan. “Definitely we were not expecting to win this game,” said Danielle Barnes, vice president of Lansing Mitten Mavens Roller Derby and MSU alumna. “So it’s good feeling to come away from that.” For audiences who haven’t watched a roller skate game like this, Easton

vices and self-developments, she said. “I think this sport is a confidence builder,” Barnes said. “It’s really inclusive.” Open recruitment takes place two times a year. “This is really good way to bring people together from the community,” Barnes said. “It really helps them grow.”

M AV E N S 2 0 1 5 S C H E D U L E

7/25/2015

AWAY

DEAD RIVER DERBY (MARQUETTE, MICH.)

8/8/2015

AWAY

DEATHROW DERBY DAMES (JACKSON, MICH.)

8/22/2015

HOME

A2D2 BRUISING CO.

9/19/ 2015

AWAY

A-TOWN ROLLER DERBY (ANDERSON, IND.)

9/26/2015

HOME

DEAD RIVER DERBY

11/7/2015

HOME

BONE CITY ROLLERS (WARSAW, IND.)

11/28 11/29

HOME

BLACK N BLUE WEEKEND

Samantha Perez, who goes by “El Gingero” when she’s on the court for the Lansing Mitten Mavens Roller Derby team, gets out in front of the defense during their match at Court One Training Center June 20. PHOTOS: WYATT GIANGRANDE

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Ali “Jahrmageddon” Jahr, who graduated from MSU in with a degree in social work this past year and has been playing for the Lansing Mitten Mavens Roller Derby team for four years, skates during the Maven’s match June 20.

For more info on the team and how to purchase tickets, go to http://mittenmavens.net

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Employment

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DIRECT CARE worker. Assist children/adults w/ autism. All shifts avail. High school diploma/GED, reliable trans. & valid driver’s lic. req. Call 517-374-7670.

SURVEY INTERVIEWERS needed. MSU’s Survey Research Lab is hiring telephone interviewers to conduct computer-assisted interviews in English for health and public policy studies. P/T, flex work schedule, evening and weekend hrs. req. Paid training. $9.00/hr to start, opportunities for advancement. To apply call 517353-5404 or come to Room 10, Berkey Hall with your resume.

THE ENGLISH Inn Restaurant & Pub, hiring multiple positions, huge wedding season. erik@ englishinn.com

1507/1509 ANN 3 bed each, 1 bath. $1200/mon. W/d + dish. Lic 3 each. www.rentmc.com or call 517-655-5941 for more info.

3 BEDROOMS 2.5 bathroom SFR for professional Spartan. NO pets NO smokers; 1350.00/monthly + security deposit; please contact Jerry at 517-7493179

HOUSE FOR rent 3BR, 1 bath, hardwood floors, 1 mi from campus. $750 + utilities, all appliances + W/D. Located 2015 Prospect, Lansing. Call/Text Kevin 517.749.1543.

MANDARIN CHINESE Translator wanted. We are looking for someone fluent in both Mandarin and English to act as a translator, along with other responsibilities. Work is P/T, but with lots of avail in August and September. Contact Tom at Collegeville - 517-922-0013.

Apts. For Rent

Houses/Rent

1 BDRM, 1 bath, affordable luxury, downtown EL. Whirlpool, marble and granite. 517-204-7488

2 OR 4 bedroom house for rent. Orchard St. just off of Grand River. Call 517-2907400 for more details.

LRG STUDIO, lic. 1-2, great for grads. $580/mth; parking, util, TV, internet. 3513117.

2015-16 HOUSE(S). Licensed for 3 or 6. Super Location & Condition! 517490-3082.

AUG ‘15. 5 bd & 4 bd houses, Both very reduced in price. 645 and 627 Evergreen E.L. 517-332-1623

Roommates ROOM FOR rent. Fully furn. $500/month. Util incl. Single female seeking a roommate. Contact Rachel at 517-930-0863.

T H U RS DAY, J U NE 2 5, 2 01 5

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TH E STATE N E WS

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Sports

Michael Kransz Content editor mkransz@statenews.com @thesnews_sports

$6 million golf center funded by donations BY MATT ARGILLANDER MARGILLANDER@STATENEWS.COM

A new $6 million dollar golf center is on the way for MSU’s men’s and women’s golf. The new golf center is being built with donation money as a part of ”Empower Extraordinary," the campaign for MSU. “The athletics portion of the campaign is a $262 million goal and is focused on enhancing the student-athlete experience through championship-level facilities, increasing its endowment and elevated annual giving,” according to a press release from associate athletic director John Lewandowski . Two major donations provided the bulk of funding for the new project— the first

came from Bob and Julie Skandalaris who gave $3 million towards the project, but the two left the naming opportunity open to inspire other donors. Richard and Suzanne Lasch gave the next major gift— a donation of $2 million, and the MSU Board of Trustees voted to approve naming the facility the Lasch Family Golf Center on June 17. Richard Lasch graduated with a B.A. in marketing from the Broad College of Business in 1990. “Private support is positioning Michigan State to compete at the highest levels and to provide extraordinary experiences for all students,” MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon said in the release. “We are grateful for the vision and generosity of the Lasch family, which will

presents

PHOTO COURTESY OF MSU ATHLETICS

help us to continue to pursue excellence in our athletic programs.” The Lasch Family Golf Center will be an 18,000-square-foot building that will include an indoor practice area, student-athlete lounge, men’s and women’s locker rooms, coaches’ offices, video room and a kitchen area featuring nutrition/hydration stations. The golf center is expected to be com-

pleted in January 2016 and men’s golf head coach Casey Lubahn is excited for what the future holds. “We are humbled and incredibly grateful that Rick and Suzanne Lasch believe in our programs enough to make this tremendous gift,” Lubahn said in the release. “Along with Bob and Julie Skandalaris, they have helped make our new facility dream a reality.

“Their passion for Spartan Golf will give our dedicated student-athletes a cutting edge space to develop their games and bond together as Spartans. We look forward to calling the Lasch Family Golf Center our home for many years.” With the recent donations, the Empower Extraordinary campaign has raised more than $61 million of its $92 million goal for facilities.

MSU will investiagte softball rumors, no charges filed BY MATT ARGILLANDER MARGILLANDER@STATENEWS.COM

Free Dessert! (Cookie, Brownie, or Rice Crispy Bars)

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THE STATE N E WS

No criminal charges based on the complaints from former softball player Alyssa McBride that she was targeted with pitches in batting practice before two separate games will be filed, according to a statement from the Isabella County Prosecutor’s Office. “The Isabella County Prosecuting Attorney has determined that there is not sufficient evidence to sustain that burden of proof necessary to support criminal charges,” the statement read. McBride alleged that assistant coach Jessica Bograkos targeted her with pitches during batting practice after word got back to the coaching staff that she told a reporter in a situation she believed to be off the record that she wished she had played somewhere else due to the amount of losing she had endured in her time as a Spartan, according to a story from The Detroit News. The Detroit News came out with another story alleging that MSU softball student manager Ben Hayden heard a conversation on the team bus between head coach Jacquie Joseph and Bograkos “while sitting in the third row of the bus on the way to the game, he overheard Joseph say, twice, to Bograkos, ‘You can hit her.’” The team went 66-140 in McBride’s time at MSU and she THURSDAY, JUNE 2 5, 2 01 5

Head coach Jacquie Joseph, center, cheers during a game against Indiana on March 31, 2013, at Secchia Stadium at Old College Field. The Spartans won, 2-1. STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO

played in 203 of those 206 games — starting in 197. Investigations from both the Michigan State Police and the Michigan State University Police included more than 30 interviews from players, coaches and coaching staff, search warrants and other statistical and medical information, according to the statement. Isabella County prosecutor Risa Hunt-Scully could not be reached for comment at this time. Upon reaching out to McBride she said that she was disappointed in the decision, but on the

advice of her counsel she had no further comment. Despite the lack of criminal charges, there is still an ongoing internal investigation into the alleged incident, MSU spokesperson Jason Cody said. “Our internal investigation has nothing to do with whether a crime was committed or not,” Cody said. “Our internal investigation is taking a look at whether there was any violation of any MSU policies, whether that be employment policies or whatever policies that it could be.” Cody said the results of the criminal investigation could

play a factor into any decision from MSU, but ultimately they are two separate investigations. MSU hired the law firm Miller Canfield to do the internal investigation and Cody said the results of the investigation could come in the next couple of weeks. “As you could imagine, as the firm conducts their investigation students are done for the semester and a lot of them aren’t local,” Cody said. “So it’s going to take some time for the investigator to track down (the students) and conduct the interviews.”