Thursday 5/28/15

WEED

REFORM? With East Lansing police still required to arrest or cite pot smokers under the much harsher state law, concerns are raised as to whether the recent decriminalization was the right choice.

SEE PAGE 9

NEWS

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Reverse enrollment Sweeps for campus bikes Engineering Library to be trend expected next year in violation have begun turned into office space International student enrollment set to decrease — PAGE 11 T HU R S DAY, MAY 2 8, 2 015

Bikes left behind for the summer might be gone by fall arrival — PAGE 10 @THESNEWS

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Some engineering students have created a petition to stop the $7.5 million plan — PAGE 5

Opinion Summer downtime: a chance to build resume and catch up with friends

JESSICA STEELEY JSTEELEY@STATENEWS.COM

MSU ’s campus can seem deserted in the summer, but just because there are less people around doesn’t mean there is less to do around East Lansing.

Though summer is a time for relaxation, students often have more downtime than they know what to do with.

You should spend some time relaxing in the sun, but it’s important to keep busy in the summer.

Almost everyone has a job in the summer, especially if they don’t work during the academic year. But instead of a job over the summer, it’s usually a better idea to get an internship, even if it’s an unpaid one.

Internships are required for many majors at MSU, but, even if your major doesn’t require it, you should still get one to gain experience.

When competing for jobs almost every candidate you

are up against will have a bachelor’s degree, an internship is a good way to stand out, especially multiple internships, and summer is the easiest time to do them.

You’re taking fewer classes, if any at all, and many internships take up less than 20 hours, so having a job is still an option, too.

Another way to stand out and keep yourself busy is through volunteer work. Volunteering signifies certain characteristics employers are looking for when hiring.

An abundance of volunteer opportunities exist around East Lansing. Organizations such as Haven House of East Lansing and REACH Studio Art Center in Lansing are nearby, and Goodwill and Salvation Army are always looking for volunteers.

Volunteering is a great way to meet new people and help those in need.

Some opportunities can even be found around campus. Several summer camps are on campus over the summer, ranging from tennis camps to Arabic camps, and there are also conferences and competitions. Currently, the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals are being held on campus, bring-

ing thousands of people from all over the world, and requiring around 500 volunteers.

Even if you already have an internship or volunteer experience, you should take time to hang out with your friends, especially if you, or they, have recently graduated.

Friends you make in college can be friends for life, but you and your friends will have different pathways after college.

Spending time together in the summer, when your schedule isn’t as busy as during the academic year, allows you to get closer with your friends and the time you spend together won’t be demanding, just relaxing.

Aside from friends, family is also something that won’t be around forever. If your hometown isn’t too far away, summer weekend trips home can be frequent.

Summer is a perfect time to build resumes and make time for friends and family. Plus, it’ll be easier to get back into the swing of fall semester if you stay busy, rather than lounge around all summer.

So, don’t be afraid to access all the options available to you.

Branch out and discover new things this summer, you might surprise yourself.

Rachel Fradette Opinion editor opinion@statenews.com @thesnewsopinion

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Pedestrian and drivers should coexist, cooperate

MORE ON SUMMER JOBS See pages 6-7 for more information about getting involved through a summer job.

BY RACHEL FRADETTE RFRADETTE@STATENEWS.COM

RELIVE THE WIN FINAL FOUR MARCH MADNESS 2015

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Order photos of all your favorite Spartan sports moments!

photos.statenews.com THURSDAY, MAY 28 , 2 01 5

Living on a college campus during the busy school year makes you appreciate the peace of your suburban hometown. The streets and sidewalks of East Lansing are constantly filled with floods of people. Students take over campus during the prime hours of class time and with all this traffic can come accidents.

Road traffic typically slows in speed and volume when on campus, but miscommunications tend to emerge between drivers and students. The main cause of these disputes are when or who has the right of way.

Pedestrians do not always have the right of way in certain cases. However, they always take precedence when a driver comes across one while driving.

They have the right of way in crosswalks and controlled intersections. Pedestrians cannot do whatever they want just because they have this right, although many act as if they do, putting themselves in dangerous situations.

Walking around on campus I have noticed that vehicles do not like to stop for pedestrians. Speeding by a pedestrian and not allowing them to walk in a crosswalk is improper road etiquette and could get someone killed.

Campus would be a lot safer if both pedestrians and drivers came to an understanding about how this system works.

Drivers, a pedestrian should always be allowed to walk across the street and should never be the one left waiting. Even if someone jaywalks, despite it being illegal, allow them to cross in a safe environment with your vehicle halted for safety. Remember you have a giant vehicle surrounding you, pedestrians only have their bodies.

College campuses are always busy, even in the summer, so drivers should always be prepared for random pedestrians crossing the road.

Pedestrians, be aware of your surroundings. If a car has stopped and is waiting for you to cross, do not take your sweet time. I have witnessed so many times when pedestrians, usually students, are listening to music or are distracted by their phones while a car is honking their horn trying to get them to cross.

Don’t be oblivious to life, look both ways and notice when cars are approaching. Also you cannot deliberately block or stop traffic, so when it is your time to cross get moving.

Bikers tend to speed through crosswalks without acknowledging oncoming traffic or if they are even allowed to go.

Too often than not, I see drivers and pedestrians yelling at each other or flipping the bird at one another because they improperly communicated and both sides felt threatened.

Both sides become extremely aggressive and this leads to unnecessary road rage.

Politeness could go a long way in these exchanges. If both sides are considerate and understood their place on the road then a lot of accidents could be avoided.

Contents INSIDE

Chinese alumnus accused of karaoke bar assault back in court

East Lansing marijuana reform potentially detrimental to pot smokers

Plans to turn Engineering Library into office space draws criticism

PAGE 4

PAGE 9

PAGE 5

Minor traffic violations resolvable online starting June 1 Ongoing frustrations related to resolving traffic tickets in person have resulted in the East Lansing 54B District Court offering a new, online service beginning June 1.

The 54B District Court signed on with Matterhorn by Court Innovations, “an online platform that allows defendants, police and judges to conveniently work toward resolving minor traffic violations,” according to a court statement.

Matterhorn will direct online users through a series of qualifying questions to determine if a traffic violation can be resolved online. If it can, a user can submit their petition online and it will be looked over by the East Lansing Police Department. 54B District Court Judge Andrea Andrews Larkin or Judge Richard Ball

“We’ve been playing baseball here for 131 years and he holds a career record in doubles.

To hold a career record in anything after 131 years of baseball, I think, is something that’s pretty special.”

55 W E E K LY N U M B E R

career doubles scored by senior catcher and first baseman Blaise Salter, breaking the school career record. See page 12.

VOL . 105 | NO. 145

CONTACT THE STATE NEWS (517) 432-3000 NEWSROOM/CORRECTIONS (517) 432-3070 feedback@statenews.com GENERAL MANAGER Marty Sturgeon (517) 432-3000 ADVERTISING M-F, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

(517) 432-3010 ADVERTISING MANAGER Griffin Engel COLOPHON The State News design features Acta, a newspaper type system created by DSType Foundry.

will then determine the outcome without the defendant ever having to present their case in person at the court.

The case can be followed online and the user will be notified via text message or email of the result of their petition.

In the statement, Larkin said the program is voluntary and those wishing to can still present their case in person at an informal hearing.

Individuals will be able to access this online service at the 54B District Court website under the Online Traffic Ticket Review option and only minor violations will be considered. MSU police are not participating in the program at this time.

—CAMERON MACKO

Baseball head coach Jake Boss Jr., on senior catcher and first baseman Blaise Salter’s accomplishments. See page 12.

The State News is published by the students of Michigan State University, weekly on Thursdays during the summer.

Subscription rates: $5 per semester on campus; $125 a year, $75 for one fall or spring semester, $60 for summer semester by mail anywhere in the continental United States. One copy of this newspaper is available free of charge to any member of the MSU community.

Additional copies $0.75 at the business office only.

State News Inc. is a private, nonprofit corporation. Its current 990 tax form is available for review upon request at 435 E. Grand River Ave. during business hours.

THUR SDAY, MAY 28, 2015

EDITORIAL STAFF (517) 432-3070 CONTENT EDITOR Michael Kransz OPINION EDITOR Rachel Fradette COPY CHIEF Amber Parsell DESIGN EDITOR Lauren Shields Copyright © 2015 State News Inc., East Lansing, Mich.

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Michael Kransz Content editor mkransz@statenews.com @thesnews

Meng Long Li retrial begins, could face up to 10 years

BY RYAN SQUANDA RQUANDA@STATENEWS.COM

More than three months after a hung jury was declared, Meng Long Li, the alumnus accused of assaulting another Chinese student with a plastic water pitcher at a karaoke bar on Jan. 31, 2014, appeared before a jury again May 26 for the start of his retrial.

The 24-year-old faces three counts for his alleged connection to the assault of fellow alumnus Yan Li at a Meridian Township karaoke bar the night of the 2014 Chinese New Year.

Li is charged with the intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, and assault and battery. If found guilty, he faces up to 10 years in prison, according to the LSJ. Opening statements were heard from both the prosecutor and the defense attorney, and their arguments echoed much of the same from the first trial.

In Ingham County assistant prosecuting attorney Kimber-

MENG LONG LI

ly Hesse’s opening statement Tuesday, she alleged that on the night of Jan. 31, 2014, Yan Li recognized Meng Long Li from a prior scuffle at a separate karaoke bar in November 2013. She said it was at this point Meng Long Li confronted Yan Li, said, “Remember me?” and followed Li back to the private room where he was celebrating with friends.

There, Hesse said, Meng Long Li pushed Yan Li’s girlfriend aside and began beat-

ing Yan Li over the head with a plastic beer pitcher. Yan Li suffered lacerations to the back of his head that required three sutures and 10 staples to repair the wound, she said.

Hesse also continued allegations from the first trial that Meng Long Li and his friends are part of a gang that goes out to drink and pick fights to assert their dominance, saying they are part of a group known as “Chengguan” — Alumnus Meng Long Li appears before judge Clinton Canady III on May 27, the first day of his retrial. PHOTO: ASHA JOHNSON/THE STATE NEWS named after a lower-level police authority in China.

On the contrary, defense and former MSU student Shan attorney Chris Bergstrom said Gao. ONLINE Since then, Gao was cleared this is a case of misidentification and that, while Meng Long of all charges against him in Follow the latest developments in Li is part of the “Chengguan” February 2015, when a jury the Meng Long Li trial, along with group, it’s more of a joke than found him not guilty.

Bergstrom also alleges that anything else. Meng Long Li the ongoing court case against five previously stated the group while Meng Long Li did conteenage women accused of beating is just a bunch of friends who front Yan Li in the karaoke bar an MSU student with a baseball hang out and play basketball. in January, it was to question After Yan Li was admitted to Yan Li as to why he was asking bat and robbing the student of the hospital, he was given the around for his phone number. her phone, at statenews.com In addition, during the time opportunity to disclose to hospital staff the names of those of the attack Bergstrom alleges responsible for his assault. He Meng Long Li was behind a group of about 15 people and gave no names at that time.

It was later that Yan Li gave had no direct involvement in the names of Meng Long Li Yan Li’s assault.

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Cab driver implicated in December robbery missing book? of passenger pleads guilty, sentencing June 24

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Brandon McLittle, the Lansing resident and former iCab taxi driver in connection with the beating and robbery of MSU student Hongda Jiang on Dec. 9, 2014, pled guilty to armed robbery May 27.

McLittle admitted Wednesday he did know the men who entered his taxi early Dec. 9, 2014 in East Lansing and began beating and robbing Jiang.

He also said after taking Jiang on an elaborate shopping spree in Chicago, he did conspire for the two men to enter the vehicle and steal items from Jiang, such as an iPhone, his backpack and various items inside the backpack.

After the beating took place, the two men took the key to the cab, threw it to the side of the road and ran away. Jiang said he wanted to follow the two men, but McLittle did not want to.

Jiang said in February that McLittle found the key to the cab on the side of the road and acted nervous. When prosecuting attorney Russel Church asked Jiang in February if McLittle expressed sympathy, Jiang said he was most concerned about lost money and the possibility of losing his job.

McLittle wanted to go to an ATM to get the remainder of the taxi cab payment, something which Jiang agreed to only if they called the police first. He did withdraw around $600, but did not end up giving it to McLittle.

Police were eventually called to a Quality Dairy in downtown Lansing where Jiang spoke to police.

Jiang eventually went to Lansing’s Sparrow Hos-

THURSDAY, MAY 28 , 2 01 5

Brandon McLittle appears before judge Clinton Canady III on May 27. PHOTO: ASHA JOHNSON/THE STATE NEWS

pital where he said he received 14 stitches in his head.

While he did conspire for the robbery to take place, McLittle says he did not conspire for the two men to commit armed robbery, like they did. However, the way conspiracy law in Michigan works, if one conspires with people to commit a crime — even if those people go beyond what was originally planned — all parties are

responsible for what ultimately happens.

McLittle’s other three charges of armed robbery causing serious injury, unlawful imprisonment and conspiracy to commit armed robbery, have been dropped.

McLittle will be sentenced on June 24.

The maximum potential sentence is life in prison and the minimum sentence is 120 months — 120 months being the first time he will be eligible for parole.

News

RELIGIOUS GUIDE

Plans to turn library into office space draws outcry

Look for this directory in the paper every Wednesday 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

Engineering students Shubo Chen (left), Eddison Xu, Hamad Alhajeri and Abdulsalam Alali work together May 20, 2015 in the Engineering Library on a group project for their class.PHOTO: ASHA JOHNSON/THE STATE NEWS

BY JAKE ALLEN JALLEN@STATENEWS.COM

As word circulated at the end of spring semester about the repurposing of the Engineering Library, some students voiced their opposition to the remodel, which would see the library turned into office space.

Dean of the College of Engineering, Leo Kempel, said the plan is to convert the library into office space that will allow them to hire and house more faculty. He said the project will create room for 25 additional offices and space for 120 graduate students, allowing for a wider range of courses and smaller class section sizes, at the loss of study space.

But if Jovanka Koprivica, a materials science and engineering junior, has anything to do with it, the project will be stopped and the Engineering Library will remain as is.

“I would hope that the large group of planners and engineers in charge would be able to find another cost effective way to add more office space to the building, but apparently this (Engineering Library closure) is the only option in their minds,” Koprivica said. “The university is constantly growing so I would personally think adding on to the building would be the best in the long run. I feel like if they take this space away and don’t replace it with something just as good, or better, then clearly the university does not have its students’ best interests in mind, and that is disgusting to me.”

The working budget for the project is $7.5 million, Infrastructure Planning and Facilities project representative Todd Wilson said.

Koprivica started a petition to save the Engineering Library, arguing the library is a valuable resource for engineering students. Her petition has 1,289 signatures as of May 22 in support of keeping the library as is, many of the signatures coming from current or graduated engineering students.

Chelsea Bridson, a computer science alumna, said the library is one of the only spaces inside the Engineering Building where students can sit and study between class. Bridson said she believes the closing of the library will exacerbate the growing issue of overcrowding in the Engineering Building. In addition to studying, many students find the library to be a good space for group work.

For Abdulsalam Alali, a chemical engineering THUR SDAY, MAY 28, 2015

sophomore, the library became his second home last year as he spent most of his time there doing homework and studying. Alali also said he made use of the private rooms with white boards inside for group work. He said he can only hope that with the subtraction of the Engineering Library comes the addition of an alternative space.

Koprivica went all the way to the top with her petition, presenting it to the dean of the College of Engineering. Even if her petition fails to save the library, Koprivica believes officials are now well aware that if the library is closed, new space must be provided to students for studying and group work. Shortly after Koprivica presented her petition, the dean sent an email to all engineering students confirming the plans to go ahead and repurpose the library.

The total undergraduate enrollment for the College of Engineering has grown 75 percent during the past six years, associate dean of the College of Engineering Thomas Wolff said. Many have questioned why the plan isn’t to simply expand the building.

“If you want to build a new wing of the building, minimally it’s going to take, if every miracle in the world were to happen, three years,” Kempel said. “Realistically, it’s going to take more like five to ten years. We cannot expand the faculty in (the) near term by building new buildings. The system doesn’t allow it.”

Work is being done to replace the study and work collaboration space, Kempel said. Officials are looking at opening conference rooms to students, installing narrow tables in wide hallways to allow students space to work between class and repurposing rooms inside the building to allow for student work space.

“In the end, our goal is to make sure our students have every opportunity to meet the educational objectives they have,” Kempel said. “Although the library won’t be available for students, we will work as hard as possible to make sure there is space, and it’s as convenient as we can make it.”

Wilson said if the project moves along as planned, it will begin in early November, be completed in mid-August 2016 and be available for use by the following fall semester. The library is currently home to about 100,000 bound volumes, some of which will be moved to the Main Library, while others will be made available online.

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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 1020 South Harrison Rd. East Lansing, MI 48823 (517) 332-2559 www.facebook.com/onGreater Lansing ecommunitymsu Church of Christ Wednesdays: On campus 310 N. Hagadorn Rd. Student Worship 7:00pm East Lansing, MI 48823 (at MSU Alumni Chapel) (517) 898-3600 Sundays: 8:30, 10:45am (at Sunday Worship: 8:45am Sunday Bible Study: 10:15am University Lutheran Sunday Evening: Small Group Church) Sundays: 8:00, 10:00am (at All Saints Wednesday Bible Study: Episcopal Church) 7:00pm www.greaterlansingcoc.org Peoples Church Hillel Jewish Student Center 200 W. Grand River Ave. East Lansing, MI 48823 360 Charles St., E. Lansing (517) 332-6074 (517) 332-1916 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, Lansing Journey at 6:30 920 S. Harrison Rd., East Lansing, MI 48823 Red Cedar Friends (517) 351-4309 Meeting www.Lansingislam.com 1400 Turner St. info@Lansingislam.com Lansing, MI 48906 1st Friday Prayer: 12:15 pm (517) 371-1047 2nd Friday Prayer: 1:45 pm redcedarfriends.org Sunday Worship: 9:00am, Little Flock Christian 10:30am 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

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

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Michael Kransz Content editor mkransz@statenews.com @thesnews

Summer jobs in East Lansing: a way to save up cash While many students part from East Lansing during the summer to get a well-deserved rest, some students not able to leave because of classes, leases and other obligations find summer a good way to bolster the bank account while getting ahead on graduation.

Lansing Community College psychology sophomore Kayla Breckenridge answers the phone during her shift May 22 at Leo’s Coney Island in East Lansing. PHOTOS: WYATT GIANGRANDE/THE STATE NEWS

BY MATTHEW ARGILLANDER MARGILLANDER@STATENEWS.COM

Summer in East Lansing is filled with fun and exciting opportunities. It might be spending a day rafting on the Red Cedar River, spending a night downtown at the bars, taking a short trip to the capital for a Lansing Lugnuts’ game and much more.

However, these activities aren’t free and money can be an issue. Many students who stay in East Lansing for the summer work various summer jobs to support themselves.

Opportunities For some students, staying in East Lansing presents opportunities they might have missed, had they returned home for the summer.

“I found a pretty cheap place to live off campus and didn’t have a job to go home to, so I realized that I could make more money up here,” packaging junior and MSU Union Welcome Desk receptionist McKenna Nuttall said. “I’m working and taking a couple of summer classes so I can get ahead and graduate on time.”

Nuttall works the desk Tuesdays and Thursdays while also nannying Monday, Wednesday and Friday. When things aren’t busy working the welcome desk, Nuttall uses the time to focus on homework from the online class she is taking this summer.

Like Nuttall, music senior and Starbucks barista Aaron Mey6

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er has an apartment for the summer.

“I have an apartment and the lease lasts through the summer, so why pay rent on a place that I’m not going to live in?”

Meyer said. “I thought I might as well stay here. I’m a musician and a music student here and I’ve got some gigs in the Lansing area, so it was worth it to stick around.”

There is also the reality that, for some, after the bustle and excitement of living in East Lansing, returning home just results in boredom and complacency.

Applied engineering junior and cashier at the Spartan Spirit Shop in the MSU Union Michelle Miotto didn’t want to face the boredom of returning home.

“I got a job, I’m taking some classes, it’s kind of boring in my hometown and I already had an apartment,” Miotto said. “So I thought, ‘why not?’ East Lansing is beautiful over the summer.”

Miotto was destined to work at the Spartan Spirit Shop, as she has had multiple family members employed by the store before she came to MSU. “My older brother and a few of my cousins also used to work here, so it’s kind of a family thing almost,” Miotto said.

“Maybe if my kids go here they will work at the same place, you never know.”

Miotto’s cousin actually met her future husband while the two worked at the Spartan Spirit Shop together.

“My cousin, Charlotte McLaren, got married to someone

THURSDAY, MAY 28 , 2 01 5

she met working in the shop,” Miotto said. “They worked in the store together for a few years. They both graduated from here and got married a few years ago, now they have a kid, so they’re a little Spartan family that started at the Spartan Spirit Shop.”

Future Employment Some summer jobs set up future opportunities and others come from previous opportunities. Lansing Community College psychology sophomore and cashier at Leo’s Coney Island Kayla Breckenridge found herself in a familiar place working at a Coney Island.

“One of my first jobs was working at a Leo’s Coney Island — I already had experience,” Breckenridge said. “My boyfriend and I came in here randomly and we got some food and I realized I could get a job here.”

Meyer wanted to work at Starbucks because of the ability to find work at other locations when he is no longer in East Lansing.

“I wanted to work at Starbucks because it’s very easy to transfer,” he said. “If I move somewhere in the country, I’m pretty much guaranteed a job because it’s really easy to shift positions.”

Meyer knows getting his foot in the door of the music business will take time, so stable employment is a necessity.

“I don’t really plan on staying in Michigan after college,”

MORE ON SUMMER JOBS See page 2 for a column on the benefits of utilizing the summer for career advancement.

“I got a job, I’m taking some classes, it’s kind of boring in my hometown and I already had an apartment. So I thought, ‘why not?’ East Lansing is beautiful over the summer.”

Michelle Miotto, applied engineering junior

Human Biology sophomore Kayla Fister fills out the board for the drink specials of the night May 22 at popular East Lansing bar Harper’s Restaurant and Brewpub

Meyer said. “So wherever I go, while I’m trying to get started up on the music scene, ... Starbucks will be a pretty stable job and I know I’ll have employment so that I can pay bills.”

Fun, Experience and Expenses One of the experiences that comes with working a summer job in East Lansing is personal growth. Nuttall is getting much-needed experience as to what living off campus and being independent from the meal plan entails.

“I was on campus last semester, so I’m just now going from having a meal plan to grocery shopping for myself,” Nuttall said.

Miotto said her job will serve as experience working with people from all walks of life, as she recently had to interact with several international visitors that were at MSU for the Odyssey of the Mind 2015 World Finals.

“Working with customers, gaining experience with different people and working as a part of a team” are some of the things she can take away from the job, Miotto said.

Saving money also come into play for many students. Breckenridge has a few expenses she has begun saving for.

“My car is in Arizona, so I have to pay to either fly down there and drive it back up here or have it towed up here,” Breckenridge said. “My grandmother recently moved to Arizona and it was originally her car.”

She is also attempting to save up money for spring break next year, all while paying off credit card debt.

“My grandmother gave a 19-year-old a credit card, so I ran it up,” Breckenridge said with a laugh. “I have to pay her back.”

For human biology junior and server at Harper’s Restaurant and Brewpub, Kayla Fister, going to work is actually fun.

“We have an awesome staff,” Fister said. “We’re all really good

friends here so it’s always fun to come into work.”

Fister applied at Harper’s for the experience of working in a bar atmosphere in East Lansing.

“I really wanted to get into working in the bar atmosphere in East Lansing just to see what it is like, and I knew it would be helpful using the skills that I gained here later in my career,” Fister said.

The human biology junior aspires to be a doctor and she said her time at Harper’s will assist in adjusting to life in a hospital.

“I want to be doctor, so I would be working in a very fastpaced environment where you always have to be on your toes and ready to adapt at any time,” Fister said. “It’s similar here.

Even though it’s a restaurant and not a hospital, we’re one of the most popular bars in East Lansing so we’re usually really packed.”

“You always have to be on your toes making sure things are running smoothly, everybody has drinks and that your customer is satisfied, so it’s a really fast-paced environment here as well.”

Working in East Lansing over the summer is different from the school year, but, to many, the experience is invaluable.

Packaging sophomore McKenna Nuttall works on the computer May 22 as part of the Welcome Center for the MSU Union.

Applied engineering sophomore Michelle Miotto rings up a customer May 22 purchasing some Spartan apparel at the Spartan Spirit Shop located in the MSU Union.

T H U RS DAY, MAY 2 8 , 2 01 5

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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 YUANZHE ZHUANG PHOTO: WYATT GIANGRANDE

ACROSS

1 Help with a heist 5 Senate __ 9 Rascal 14 First name in fashion 15 First name in fashion 16 Transmission repair franchise 17 Digging tool with an abstract pattern?

20 Wrecks 21 How a scolding may be given 22 First and last words of “Green Eggs And Ham” 23 Winter Palace resident 24 Mathematical array with a spotted pattern?

31 Champagne label word 32 Olympic hawk 33 Reunion attendee 34 3-Down is in it 36 Arafat of the PLO 39 Broadway feature 40 Carne __ 42 Pupil’s place 44 Letters from your parents?

45 Fish with a linear pattern?

49 Snaps 50 Much 51 College milieu 55 Ghoulish

59 Volume with a plaid pattern?

61 Son of Abraham 62 Top 63 Run without moving 64 “Married to the Mob” director 65 Appealed 66 Some votes

DOWN

1 Twice vier 2 Lout 3 Besides Chile, the only S.A. country that doesn’t border Brazil 4 Neck tissue 5 Italian cuisine herb 6 Cockpit figs.

7 Satya Nadella of Microsoft, e.g.

8 Self-seeker 9 Like nearly one-third of Africa 10 Kirk or Picard: Abbr.

11 Brest friend 12 Year in which Frederick II died 13 Snail-paced 18 Bangladesh capital 19 Streetcar relative 23 Hard-to-call contests

24 It was originally named Brad’s Drink 25 Indian __ 26 Bust gp.

27 Bronze component 28 Orchestra section 29 Madonna and Lady Gaga 30 Gabrielle’s friend 31 Hotel freebie 35 Collection to burn 37 “Now __ seen everything!”

38 Embarrassed 41 Tranquil 43 One way to be taken 46 What some eyeglasses lack 47 Polar concern 48 Oil-rich peninsula 51 Within 52 One taken to court 53 Leading man?

54 Eighth of a fluid ounce 55 Fast-spreading Internet phenomenon 56 Murder mystery staple 57 Something to cast 58 Laboriously earns, with “out” 60 Stomach acid, to a chemist

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

5/28/15

8

© 2015 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.

THE STATE N E WS

THURSDAY, MAY 28 , 2 01 5

Kelsey Ingram Great Clips hair stylist and Lansing resident Ingram has worked at the hair salon for more than three years.

One night, she was about to close the salon when three men came out from a nearby bar.

“Three guys came from (The) Riv ... I was going to close the store, but they came (up) to me and yelled at me. They asked me if I had drinking pills. The guys were yelling at me and asking me, ‘You got any drinking pills?’ I was sort (of) scared, but I was okay. I just ignored them and they left. Later I saw them come in to (get) their hair cut, but they didn’t recognize me at all.”

Ingram laughed when she told her story. She said, “There (is) always something going on everyday.”

News

Michael Kransz Content editor mkransz@statenews.com @thesnews

E.L. marijuana decriminalization a step backward for pot smokers Since the passage of the marijuana amendment on May 5, it has been a source of confusion for residents. Some saw it as a symbolic passage, others a chance to smoke legally. With state law trumping city decriminalization, East Lansing police still are obligated to cite or arrest for marijuana violations. These citations, made under state law, carry with them harsher punishments.

BY JOSH THALL

B R E A K D OW N

S TAT E L AW

JTHALL@STATENEWS.COM

Although the May 5 passage of the marijuana amendment to East Lansing’s city charter seemed like both a victory for those citizens in favor and a message to the state government, the new amendment could have a negative effect on East Lansing and marijuana offenders.

The new charter amendment restricts the city from having any local regulations regarding the use, possession or transfer of less than 1 ounce of marijuana, or the transportation of the same amount, by a person at least 21 years old.

While the public voted to locally decriminalize small amounts of marijuana in East Lansing, East Lansing police Lt. Steve Gonzalez said the police will act under state law and continue to monitor the use and possession of marijuana no differently than they have in the past.

Harsher Punishments This symbolic amendment seems to create a situation that is worse for those charged with possession or use of marijuana, since being arrested or cited under state law, rather than the previous local city ordinance, carries potentially stricter and more costly punishments for offenders of the state law.

East Lansing city attorney Thomas Yeadon said the fines imposed under the city ordinance were “significantly less than what is going to be the state statute fines.”

Under the former city ordinance, a first-time offender charged with possession or use of marijuana would face a maximum punishment of a $25 fine plus court costs, with no risk of jail time, 54B District Court Chief Judge Andrea Andrews Larkin said via email.

These offenders did have the option of agreeing to a plea agreement which would put them in a diversion program under city ordinance, Yeadon said.

Larkin said via email that state laws differentiate between use and possession, with first-time marijuana use offenders facing up to 90 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $100 plus court costs. A first-time offender of Michigan’s possession of marijuana laws, however, could see up to one year in jail and/or a maximum fine of $2,000 plus court costs.

A diversion program is also available under state law for first-time offenders, and typically consists of some form of probation for the offender, which can consist of community service, drug testing and reporting to a probation officer on a regular basis, Ingham County prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III said.

Merely Symbolic Council members Ruth Beier and Kathleen Boyle said they view the passage of this proposal as more of a symbolic change, rather than one that will have a large impact.

“I think it is safe to say state-wide that East Lansing thinks it is irrational to prosecute people for small amounts of marijuana and

The dual breakdown of city and state marijuana use and posession

punishment for first-time offenders E A S T L A N S I N G L AW

For both possession and use of marijuana, a firsttime offender would face a maximum punishment of a

$25 fine plus court costs, with no risk of jail time.

First time marijuana use offenders face up to 90 days in jail and/ or a fine of up to

$100 plus court costs.

A first time possession offender faces up to one year in jail and/ or a max fine of

$2,000 plus court costs.

not prosecute people for alcohol,” Beier said.

Boyle added that she views it as a ground-up movement to decriminalize marijuana.

“I feel like their hope is, if you have enough of this (marijuana decriminalization) at enough local government levels than both the state legislature and Congress will reexamine the state and federal prohibition and that might spur some meaningful change,” Boyle said.

Beier said the message might hold more weight if the police chose to enforce the local law over the state law, but the city council does not feel comfortable telling the police chief to ignore state law.

“It would hold a lot more weight, but I don’t know if we have the stomach for telling our police to ignore the state law,” Beier said.

Until such a time comes that Michigan decides, as a state, to decriminalize marijuana, city officials are concerned the passage of this proposal in East Lansing could provide a false sense of security.

“They need to know that the risk of using marijuana - (although) it doesn’t violate the city ordinance - if they are not medical marijuana users, might violate the state statute, and it might violate federal law,” Boyle said. “But when you talk about something being decriminalized when there are still criminal statutes that govern the conduct, it hasn’t been decriminalized.”

Potential City Revenue Loss In addition to stricter punishments for offenders, the City of East Lansing could also see a small loss in revenue formerly gained from the fees and court costs assessed by the

judges.

When cited for possession or use of marijuana under the city ordinance, the offender would be prosecuted by the city attorney, with the fines and court costs going to the city treasury, while a separate state-mandat-

ed case’s costs would go to the state treasury, Larkin said.

Meanwhile, being cited for use or possession under state law, as will now occur, the offender would be prosecuted by the Ingham County prosecuting attorney and the fines imposed by the court would go to state libraries, while the court costs remain with the city and the separate state-mandated cost still going to the state treasury, Larkin said.

So while the city will continue to spend money on policing the use and possession of marijuana under state law, the city will be losing some of the money it received back from fines imposed upon offenders.

Beier, however, points out that while the city could lose some revenue, they will not have to pay the city attorney to prosecute, which reduces, if not eliminates the loss.

“I don’t think it would be, given the number we actually did pursue last year, I don’t think the dollar amount is important, no,” Beier said. “That is actually a point I don’t know if the police have taken into account.”

Boyle said the East Lansing City Council did not create the proposal, but it was brought to them through a citizen petition to put this proposal on the ballot.

Boyle said she personally did not see this as a way to make any real progress or change.

“I don’t see this as us doing something that truly made any difference for people,” Boyle said. “It needs to happen at the state and federal level; marijuana needs not to be a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law to really have any change."

An anonymous student grinds down marijuana in preparation to smoke it. Nearby, a pipe and smoking papers. STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO

T H U RS DAY, MAY 2 8 , 2 01 5

TH E STATE N E WS

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News

Michael Kransz Content editor mkransz@statenews.com @thesnews

(SCENE) Metrospace handover to MSU potentially only trial

BY LESLIE HEMENWAY LHEMENWAY@STATENEWS.COM

Talks on handing over (SCENE) Metrospace to MSU have shifted from allowing the university a long-term lease with full curative control, to a shorter, possibly year-long trial period.

Since last year, officials from MSU’s Department of Art, Art History, and Design have been in discussion with the city over long-term use of the performance gallery space as a creative extension in East Lansing.

But those plans were met with disagreement by members of the East Lansing Arts Commission, who voiced their concern over MSU having that extent of control over one of the only East Lansing performance art galleries, East Lansing city councilmember Ruth Beier said.

“It has evolved to (where) MSU is going to come in and run a program there and they’ve committed to have community involvement and community input,” Beier said. “It’s going to be a trial, kind of, to see if it works.

“And if it does, then maybe the city would do something more permanent. And if it doesn’t, then it’ll revert back to a city space.”

Historically, the city subsidized (SCENE) Metrospace. According to an earlier East Lansing statement, if the space was leased to MSU,

the city would save roughly $15,000 on rent and administration costs that the university then would pay, while the city would cover utilities, which cost roughly $4,000 a year.

City manager George Lahanas, who has voiced his support for MSU running (SCENE) Metrospace, said he believes the art space is vital to the East Lansing community.

“I think it serves the purpose of being able to have an art offering in the downtown that attracts a different kind of folk,” Lahanas said.

“The art department would get to use (it) for community outreach and East Lansing would get the benefit of having (MSU) programming the space and hopefully continue to make it a very attractive place for residents to come and visit in the downtown.”

Department chair Chris Corneal spoke on the subject at the April 14 City Council work session and discussed the university’s hopes for the East Lansing extension.

“We’re very excited to get art out into the world,” Corneal said. “This space would give us opportunities we don’t have on campus and offer more inclusive programming.”

At the May 26 City Council work session, the council voted unanimously to further discuss the idea at the next meeting on June 2.

Check back at statenews.com for updates.

Summertime Sushi Date

Environmental economics and policy junior Erin Wenk performs a German poem on Feb. 19 at the Festival of Listening at (SCENE) Metrospace on Charles Street. The event is put on by the RCAH for Poetry at MSU to celebrate untranslated poetry. STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO

MSU has begun sweeps for illegal campus bikes

BY JESSICA STEELEY JSTEELEY@STATENEWS.COM

East Lansing residents Alaina Ross (left) and Paige Rosas enjoy a lunch date together at Sushi Ya, 529 E Grand River Ave May 27. Ross and Rosas have been best friends since seventh grade and they come to eat Sushi Ya together at least once a week.

PHOTO: ASHA JOHNSON/THE STATE NEWS 10

THE STATE N E WS

THURSDAY, MAY 28 , 2 01 5

With many students gone for the summer and some leaving their bikes behind, crews have begun cutting locks of bikes in violation of university ordinances before impounding them and, if not claimed, selling them off to the public, officials said.

Bikes are usually impounded because they lack registration or have an expired registration, but they can also be impounded if they’re inoperable, unlocked, locked in the wrong place or in the way of construction, MSU Bikes and Service Center manager, Tim Potter, said.

Last summer, the MSU Parking Office impounded roughly 1,600 bikes — a similar yield to many past years, Potter said.

Impound crews started collecting bikes last week, Potter said. The bikes they take are the ones tagged with a notice of an ordinance violation that, if not corrected, will result in impoundment.

The impound crews are part of a summer sweep which usually lasts roughly two to three weeks, Dawn Mazur, a parking enforcement supervisor for the office, said.

These crews operate in the evening hours, when many aren’t around.

“We are doing a night impoundment, starting at 4 p.m.,” Mazur said. “We try to miss visitors.”

Mazur said they don’t do sweeps during the school year, and usually only impound bikes if a complaint is made.

Of 10 students interviewed, all said their bikes have never been impounded and some said they’d be surprised if someone’s had, because permits are free and easy to get.

Potter was positive about the bike sweeps, saying it keeps campus cleaner and more attractive, all the while providing space for those actively using their bikes.

“It helps keep the bike parking available for people that really need bike parking,” he said.

Potter stressed it’s important to have the bike permit where it’s supposed to be — on the frame under the seat — or the impound crew may not see it and impound it anyway.

Students can still get their impounded bikes back, but they will have to buy a new lock and may face a fee, according to the MSU police website.

Bikes are kept in the impound lot for at least 30 days, but usually no longer than two to three months, Mazur said.

If not claimed, the bike is handed over to the MSU Surplus Store and sold to the public, Potter said.

Quick Reads

International enrollment to decline next academic year Going against previous trends of increasing international enrollment at MSU, the Office of Admissions expects a decrease in international student enrollment, mainly from China, for the 2015-16 school year. Though in-state enrollment has fluctuated greatly in the past few years, it will increase for 2015.

While it was originally reported in The New York Times that a number of universities, including MSU, will be cutting in-state enrollment slots and increasing out-of-state and international enrollment, Office of Admissions senior associate director Mike Cook said they are actually adding just under 200 in-state spots.

Cook said the target for enrollment is 7,890 students for the incoming freshmen class, with about 2,200, or roughly 28 percent, being out-of-state and international students, similar to the 2014-15 school year.

Admissions data reports that since 2008 around 80 percent of freshmen and transfer students at MSU come from Michigan, including 1,500 transfer students.

In 2008, MSU took in 5,972 in-state students, roughly 4.83 percent of the 123,576 Michigan graduates, Cook said. Though the numbers for next year are around 200 lower than that, the percentage of Michigan graduates MSU accepts has increased to 5.32 percent after the graduate pool has plummeted to 107,056.

In regard to the decline in applicants from China, Cook said there wasn’t enough information to know if this would remain a trend for future years and that other institutions face fewer numbers of Chinese applications.

Though the numbers are unofficial, the growth of international students has almost tripled since 2007, when it was 367, Cook said, and last year it was 1,184. Enrollment is expected to be around 1,000 for international students for this school year and the difference will be made up by domestic, out-ofstate enrollment.

This change from 2007 has given campus a different student demographic, Cook said.

“We’re seeing more and more applications year after year,” he said. “And a lot of that growth is out of state (and) international students ... If you look at this campus over the past 10 years, we look much different than we did 10 years ago.”

MSU professor featured on national science TV program

On May 27, MSU professor Dr. Christoph Adami appeared on an episode of the Science Channel’s popular show, “Through the Wormhole.”

The show, hosted by Morgan Freeman, is a documentary series focused on topics such as black holes, parallel universes and extraterrestrial life.

The episode, titled “Are Aliens Inside Us?” focused on aliens and how they might be closer to us than we expect.

Adami, who mainly focuses on Darwinian evolution, has been published in several journals, written three books and designed the “Avida” system as a tool for investigating basic questions in evolutionary biology.

He has won several awards, including NASA’s Exceptional Achievement Medal.

—LESLIE HEMENWAY

BY CAMERON MACKO CMACKO@STATENEWS.COM

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Sophomore business management major Dongfang Wei takes notes during a Wednesday, June 20, 2012 EC 201 class taught by instructor, Yu-Wei Chu at Bessey Hall. STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO

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TH E STATE N E WS

11

Sports

Michael Kransz Content editor mkransz@statenews.com @thesnews_sports

MSU senior continues family’s tradition of baseball acheivement

BY MATTHEW ARGILLANDER MARGILLANDER@STATENEWS.COM

Senior catcher and first baseman Blaise Salter was born into a baseball family. And he’s been playing baseball as long as he can remember.

Salter’s father, John, played base-

ball for Bowling Green State University. His grandfather, Bill Freehan, was a successful MLB catcher and major contributor on the Detroit Tigers’ 1968 World Series team.

“My grandpa, when I was growing up, was the head coach at Michigan so I got hooked on baseball early and I fell in love with it,” Salter said. “Get-

Then-sophomore catcher Blaise Salter hits the ball Tuesday, April 9, 2013, at McLane Baseball Stadium. The Spartans defeated Western 10-1.

STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO

ting a scholarship here was big. It was always a dream of mine to play Division I baseball.”

Salter came to MSU, despite his family history at Michigan — Freehan attended UM where he set the all-time single season batting average record in the Big Ten with .585 and he also served as the head coach of the Wolverines from 1989-95.

Head coach Jake Boss Jr. said the relationship between Salter and Freehan is very tight, and Salter’s baseball career is inspired by his grandfather.

“Bill Freehan is an icon in professional baseball — he was a catcher on the Tigers’ ‘68 World Series championship team,” Boss said. ”(Salter and Freehan) are very tight, that’s why Blaise is a catcher (and) it’s why he wears No. 11. That was his grandfather’s number.”

Freehan hasn’t allowed the rivalry to affect his support of Salter and he has been there every step of the way for the senior, who jokes that you can now occasionally spot Freehan donning MSU gear.

“My grandpa has embraced (me as a Spartan) every step of the way, he said he would support me in whatever I do and he’s actually been wearing some green and white stuff,” Salter said.

Salter has a career .309 average and he also took sole possession of the school career doubles record with a current total of 55.

“We’ve been playing baseball here for 131 years and he holds a career record in doubles,” Boss said. “To hold

Then-junior designated hitter Blaise Salter laughs with teammates while warming up before the game against Nebraska on May 10, 2014, at McLane Baseball Stadium at Old College Field. The Cornhuskers defeated the Spartans, 5-3. STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO

a career record in anything after 131 years of baseball, I think, is something that’s pretty special. It speaks to the type of career that he’s had.”

Salter is approaching the end of his career, but he still has a few goals in mind before he is done. Salter wants to win a Big Ten championship to leave a permanent mark on the university. He stressed how great the last four years have been for him as well.

“Michigan State will always be a part of my life. East Lansing is my second home. I absolutely love it here,” Salter said. “I love all of the players on this team. It’s been a wonderful experience and it’s going to suck to leave.”

“Playing with these guys here has been the greatest four years of my life, these guys became my best friends. They’re a part of my family now. It’s weird to say that I’m a senior.”

With his time as a student and a player coming to an end, Salter spoke about what he would like to be remembered for.

“I want to be remembered first as a good person, second as good player that always works hard, and third as a person that is respected by a lot of people and a player that has fun with everything and lives every day to the fullest,” Salter said.

Spartan baseball falls short of making NCAA tournament

Head coach Jake Boss Jr. smiles during the seventh annual Crosstown Showdown against the Lansing Lugnuts on May 1, 2013, at the Cooley Law School Stadium in Lansing. The Spartans lost 10-2.

STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO 12

THE STATE N E WS

THURSDAY, MAY 28 , 2 01 5

The MSU baseball team was a strong c onte nde r f or t he NCAA tournament, but unfortunately didn’t make the cut after losing four of its five last games.

The Spartans finished the season with a r e cord of 3 4-23 and an RPI ranking of 51, according to D1Baseball.

During the NC A A se lec t ion show on May 25, four teams from the Big Ten were selected to compete in the tournament. These

teams were Illinois, I nd ia na, Ma r yla nd and Iowa.

Illinois and Mar yland were two of the teams MSU lost to in their last five games.

U-M’s baseball team a lso la nded a slot in t he NC A A tourney a f ter w i n n i ng the Big Ten Baseball Tournament.

In an interview with L a n si ng ’s W L NS 6, MSU head baseball coach Jake Boss Jr. voiced his disappointment with the outcome.

"(I’m) disappointed, probably, a little bit more than numb, maybe a little angry as well,’ Boss said.

“It’s a good group of kids, and you want to see them have success and experience some things that not a lot of people get a chance to.”

“And when you feel that they are deservi ng of t hat a nd it doesn’t happen, I think I ’m a l it t le a ng r y, sure.’’

—JORDAN HOLLEY