Monday 2/22/16 by The State News

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TOP A BARREL RACE TO THE

Animal science sophomore Hanna Menne poses for a portrait with her horse, Fancy, prior to competing in the annual Spartan Stampede on Feb. 20 at the MSU Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education.

Animal science sophomore Hanna Menne and her horse, Fancy, are a pair that started off rocky, but are working to take the top prize at rodeos across the state.

PHOTO: SUNDEEP DHANJAL

— PAGE 4 AND 5

F O OT B A L L

COURTS

Reid Burton on filling a new role The walk-on hopes to follow in the footsteps of Trevon Pendleton — PAGE 10 M ON DAY, F EB R UA RY 2 2 , 2 016

@THESNEWS

“I have forgiven them, and I am moving forward. But, they left me to die with my daughter sitting in my apartment. They should sit in jail.” Ryah Kelly, during Chinonye Nwangwu’s sentencing, describing the beating she received in a Spartan Village parking lot — PAGE 8 STAT ENEWS .COM

POLITICS

Republican and Democrat voting demographics MSU experts give reasons behind voting blocs — PAGE 2

News

Cameron Macko Public Concerns editor city@statenews.com @thesnews

MSU students, experts weigh in on voting blocs for 2016 election Different demographic groups and their trends in electoral support Groups that Lean Republican MORMON

WHITE EVANGELICAL PROTESTANT

WHITE SOUTHENERS WHITE MAN, SOME COLLEGE OR LESS

TOTAL

WHITE

DEMOCRAT 48%

54 40

SILENT GENERATION (AGES 69-86)

REPUBLICAN 39%

43 47

Groups that Lean Democratic BLACK

ASIAN

80 23

RELIGIOUSLY UNAFFILIATED

65 25

POST-GRAD WOMEN

29 31

JEWISH

HISPANIC SOURCE: PEW RESEARCH CENTER MILLENNIAL GENERATION (AGES 18-33)

61 80

64 61

56 35

64 61

51 ILLUSTRATION: KATIE WINKLER

*NUMBERS DO NOT INCLUDE INDEPENDENT VOTERS SOURCE: PEW RESEARCH CENTER

BY IAN WENDROW IWENDROW@STATENEWS.COM

Election politics has its own jargon and assumptions. Among those, two of the best known terms are the idea of a “black” or “Latino” vote. These terms refer to the assumption that black Americans and Latino Americans, as a whole, vote along similar political issues and interests. Using these interests, political analysts will predict which political party or candidate has a better chance of being elected after gaining black or Latino voting support. Republicans typically claim their support from male voters, white voters, older voters and religious voters. One exception to the religious vote is the black community, one of the most religious demographics but the most solidly Democratic, according to Gallup.com. The black vote has been particularly scrutinized lately. The large turnout of black voters in the 2008 presidential election has been cited as a major reason why President Obama won his first term. For Steve Cleaves-Jones, an interdisciplinary studies in social science junior and Black Student Alliance member, the meaning of the black vote is in its inherent political value and power. “Now that we’re at where we are, they have to do things to appeal to us,” Cleaves-Jones said. How to appeal to these voter blocs is a challenge for both of the major parties in the United States. Candidates compete against each other to out-promise more to certain groups and then, after the election, they have to actually deliver on the things they promised while campaigning. School of Social Work professor Ronald Hall, whose area of study includes the impact of race on elections, expanded on the reasons why black Americans tend to gravitate towards the Democratic party. 2

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“Black Americans are more concerned about the issue of racial discrimination, police brutality, those long-standing issues.” -SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK PROFESSOR RONALD HALL

“Black Americans are more concerned about the issue of racial discrimination, police brutality, those long-standing issues,” Hall said. “If you try to interpret the black vote absent those issues, your analysis is going to be completely, completely flawed.” More concerning for Hall is the implicit racial thinking that goes on when politicians speak of the black vote and the gross generalizations that comes with it, especially in regards to elections. “When pundits talk about a black or Latino vote, that’s just because there’s a racial mindset in this culture that suggests or dictates that everything has to be defined along racial categories, and that’s just nonsense,” he said. Hall said that the reason black Americans have generally voted Democrat since the 1960s is because Democrats usually supported issues relevant to the black community, such as suffrage, affirmative action and job programs aimed at helping minorities. There is a similar conclusion to explain Latino American voting patterns. Ruben Martinez, the director of the Julian Samora Research Institute, which researches Latino American social and political concerns said Latinos have a specific set of priorities when voting. “I think that Latinos believe in a responsive government,” Martinez said. “I think they believe in social issues that are

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2 2 , 2 01 6

addressed more directly by Democrats and they may have some conservative ideas in terms of social issues but they do believe ... that the government ought to help people.” In a 2014 Pew research poll, about 50 percent of registered Latino voters believed Democrats had more concern for Hispanics or Latinos as compared to the Republican Party’s 10 percent. Thirty-five percent of registered Latino voters said they believed there was no difference. Martinez explained this trend as a result of major political movements that began in the 1970s, specifically the increasing support of more free market policies. “We had the rise of a free market fundamentalist movement, a conservative movement, that has had some serious consequences in our society,” he said. “One of the pieces of it is a radical individualism — take care of yourselves and don’t depend on your government.” Given that Latinos are overwhelmingly middle and working class, Martinez said the subsequent policies arising from that conservative ideology is what drove a large portion of Latinos to vote blue. “I think the shift from the, what you’d call the social democratic order to this free market fundamentalist order has worsened conditions for all minority groups and for the white working class and middle class,” Martinez said. “So those are the conditions in which we find ourselves today.”

Contents INSIDE

Hoverboards banned in residence halls on campus

MSU helps Flint water crisis with new nutrition program

MSU Shadows Collection works with artists to use recycled trees

PAGE 6

PAGE 7

PAGE 12

BY T H E N U M B E R S

26 Number of seasons Kathie Klages has been the head gymnastics coach. See page 11

“Our goal is to work with the youth assigned to us so we can stop them from going through the school to prison pipeline, as we call it. The school to prison pipeline is a track kids can get into when they get into trouble with the cops for the first time.” Rebecca Garza, psychology senior on the MSU Adolescent Program See page 6

Students bring ‘Students Organize for Syria’ chapter to MSU in hopes of helping with access to education BY ALEXIS SARGENT ASARGENT@STATENEWS.COM

The conflicts in Syria have hit close to home for physiology junior Tasneem Sannah. Sannah said she has family living in the country, including three cousins. This is the reason Sannah helped bring Students Organize for Syria, or SOS, to MSU. Sannah is an officer for the new SOS chapter at MSU. The organization’s slogan is “Books Not Bombs.” “I don’t want the people’s voices to be lost — the real Syrian people who are struggling for their freedom,” Sannah said. “If we can do something to help them, then I think we should.” Sannah said access to education should be a priority for those trying to help. “That’s the problem,” Sannah said. “The fact that Syrians are not having access to a proper education, where they are too afraid to go to school. By going to school, they are risking their lives.” A main initiative of SOS is to push students to sign the Books Not Bombs online petition under their participating college chapter.

By signing the petition, the campaign is asking MSU to join the Institute of International Education through the Syria Consortium. The Syrian Consortium is a group of universities in the U.S. that have pledged to give a certain number of scholarships to Syrian refugees. “We are asking MSU to join the Syrian Consortium and join these other schools who have already pledged to give scholarships to Syrian refugees,” James Madison College freshman Sumaya Malas, who is another officer of MSU’s SOS chapter, said. “These students wouldn’t have access to an education otherwise.” According to its website, as of Feb. 21 at 2:30 p.m. the MSU Books Not Bombs petition had 677 signatures with a goal of 700. “It’s a big deal — this has been going on for five years,” Malas said. “Million and millions of people have been displaced. There is a huge amount of people who are really in need and are suffering, and we can definitely do something to help them.” Sannah said the group has a lot to work for. “We want to spread awareness of the humanitarian disaster that is going on right now in Syria and to educate the world about these tragedies,” Sannah said. “We want to promote the Syrian refugees’ right to their education.”

2016 GRADUATE MAKEOVER

North Liberty, Ind. resident Eric Kring rides a horse during the Spartan Stampede on Feb. 20 at the MSU Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education. See page 9 for more photos from the event. PHOTO: SUNDEEP DHANJAL

VOL . 106 | NO. 41

CONTACT THE STATE NEWS (517) 295-1680 NEWSROOM/CORRECTIONS (517) 295-1680 feedback@statenews.com GENERAL MANAGER Marty Sturgeon (517) 295-1680 ADVERTISING M-F, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (517) 295-1680 ADVERTISING MANAGER Corey Mack COLOPHON The State News design features Acta, a newspaper type system created by DSType Foundry.

The State News is published by the students of Michigan State University, Monday and Thursday during the academic year. 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.

EDITORIAL STAFF (517) 295-1680 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Olivia Dimmer MANAGING EDITOR Julia Nagy PUBLIC CONCERNS EDITOR Cameron Macko STUDENT ISSUES EDITOR Meagan Beck SPORTS EDITOR Ryan Kryska FEATURES EDITOR Jake Allen PHOTO EDITOR Alice Kole DESIGN EDITOR Katie Winkler COPY CHIEF Casey Holland Copyright © 2016 State News Inc., East Lansing, Mich.

MONDAY, F E B RUARY 2 2 , 2 01 6

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Spotlight

Julia Nagy Managing editor feedback@statenews.com @thesnews

MSU student competes in Spartan Stampede, rodeos across the state BY SOUICHI TERADA STERADA@STATENEWS.COM

Outside a small stable in Charlotte, Mich., a high-pitched neigh rings through the air as animal science sophomore Hanna Menne’s horse, Fancy, warms up for practice. Menne, a barrel racer, practices four to five times a week in the two to three weeks before an event. This time around, the pair was getting ready for the Spartan Stampede. This would be their first time competing in the event. Barrel racing involves a rider and their horse circling various barrels in a cloverleaf pattern, trying to get the fastest time around the course. Hosted by the MSU Rodeo Club, the Stampede, which was held from Feb. 19-21, drew about 10,000 guests. For Menne, competing in rodeos has been a passion since she was a child. Now, as a 20-year-old woman, she travels the state to compete in rodeos. “It’s in her blood,” Sally Menne, her mother, said. “She’s confident and she’s doing what she loves.” GROWING UP IN THE RODEO

Her parents have been a big influence on her life, immersing her in rodeo competition early on. “My dad has always been involved with horses,” Hanna said. “He grew up with horses when he was a kid. He moved to the

Lansing Community College student Cora Shuon, left, helps animal science sophomore Hanna Menne fix her hair as she braids her horse, Fancy’s tail before she competes during the annual Spartan Stampede on Feb. 20 at Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education. PHOTO: SUNDEEP DHANJAL

city and I still somehow fell in love with the animal. I’ve had a trainer since I was four and I started competing when I was nine. It’s only gotten worse since.” Her parents, Grand Ledge, Mich. residents Keith and Sal-

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ly Menne, said they are excited to get to watch their daughter compete in front of a home crowd. Specifically for Keith, it brings back old childhood memories. “I grew up on a farm,” Keith said. “One of the things we did for entertainment was to go to horse shows.” The couple have supported their daughter’s passion for her entire life. They said they are proud to watch her grow as a person and a competitor. “Really it’s an emotional thing,” Keith said. “It’s very emotional. It’s been a cool experience seeing (Hanna) go from a little kid to a 20-year-old young woman competing in the rodeo.” To see their daughter compete and flourish at MSU has been a joy, Keith and Sally said. “This is a great event at a great university and a great opportunity for our kid at this university to take advantage of,” Keith said. “I’m really proud of the fact that she’s a Spartan, going to MSU, and she’s getting to do what she wants to do.”

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2 2 , 2 01 6

At first, for Hanna and her horse, it was hard to fancy one another. “Some guy bought her from South Dakota and brought her back to Michigan,” Hanna said. “He couldn’t even get on the horse. That’s how nasty she was. The way I think about it is, I had this horse someone couldn’t even get on, and now I’m going to be competing in front of tens of thousands of people.” Hanna and Fancy spent hours in a small arena, perfecting their craft and forming a strong bond. “Getting a horse like Fancy was the end of the line for us

“As soon as we hit the dirt she took off running. There could’ve been no one in (the stadium) and I would’ve felt the same.”

Animal science sophomore Hanna Menne rides her horse, Fancy, during warm ups prior to competing in the annual Spartan Stampede on Feb. 20 at Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education.

-ANIMAL SCIENCE SOPHOMORE HANNA MENNE

PHOTO: SUNDEEP DHANJAL

UPCOMING INFORMATION MEETINGS

UK Technology, Humanities, and the Arts in London Summer 2016 Monday, February 22 • 6:00 pm • W101C Main Library

GERMANY, SWEDEN Renewable Biobased Energy Systems Summer 2016 Monday, February 22 • 6:30 pm Wednesday, February 24 • 6:30 pm 103 Farrall Agricultural Engineering

UK, FRANCE, CZECH REPUBLIC Photo Communication Summer 2016 Tuesday, February 23 • 12:00 pm Wednesday, February 24 • 12:00 pm 341 Communication Arts and Sciences

FINLAND, BELGIUM, SWEDEN SWITZERLAND,GERMANY, NETHERLANDS EuroScholars Research Abroad Spring 2017 Wednesday, February 24 • 4:00 pm • 207/208 Eustace-Cole Hall

SOUTH AFRICA South Africa Scholars: Research and Community Engagement Summer 2016 Wednesday, February 24 • 4:00 pm • 207/208 Eustace-Cole Hall

UK Business Summer Program Summer 2016 Cambridge University Wednesday, February 24 • 5:00 pm • N106 Business Complex

NORWAY BI Norwegian Business School International Summer Program (Exchange) Summer 2016 BI Norwegian Business School (Exchange) Fall 2016, Spring 2017 Thursday, February 25 • 3:15 pm • 201 Eppley Center

where we wanted to get involved,” Keith said. “Give her the raw talent and let them work it out together. We knew Hanna was capable and we thought that it would be a good match.” Fancy is difficult to ride because she makes sharp cuts around the small practice stadium, Hanna said. If Fancy’s rider isn’t saddled just right, the horse’s fast cuts will shake him or her off. At the end of their practice sessions, Fancy is usually drenched in sweat after pushing her body to the limit. Hanna’s objective is to get Fancy accustomed to all these hard workouts so that by the time she’s competing in the actual rodeo, it’s a cakewalk compared to practice. THE MSU RODEO CLUB

Hanna grew up near East Lansing and has been a lifelong Spartan fan. As a child, she went to the Spartan Stampede and set a goal for herself to join the rodeo club when she was older. Now a sophomore, Hanna is in a unique position. She is the only Spartan in the MSU Rodeo Club competing in rodeos around the state. Representing green and white is a big goal for her when preparing for competitions. But the Spartan Stampede is just a stepping stone for Hanna this season. The rodeo season extends all the way to summer, and she expects to compete with Fancy while traveling the Midwest. “(Fancy) is finally starting to take me places,” Hanna said. “Everywhere I go, I at least win my money back. I’m start-

ing to branch out, maybe go to Ohio, maybe go to Indiana. Start really competing with the ‘big kids.’ I haven’t really been doing that yet.” THE SPARTAN STAMPEDE

The stage was set for Hanna and Fancy. It was finally time for the Spartan Stampede. Unfortunately for the pair, however, the event didn’t go exactly as planned. During the grand entry before the event took off, Fancy went a different route than she was supposed to go. “(Fancy) thought she was going to do a barrel pattern,” Hanna said. “She went and took off to the left. Then she realized there is no barrel. We just ran all the way down and finally got it contained.” The fiasco left Hanna flustered and trying to regain her mental composure. But for most topnotch competitors, it’s easy to ignore everything else when it’s time to knuckle down. “As soon as we hit the dirt she took off running. There could’ve been no one in (the stadium) and I would’ve felt the same,” Hanna said. “Everyone disappeared as soon as we started going.” That day, Hanna recorded a time of 16.050 seconds. After her first official go at the Spartan Stampede, it left her one unforgettable memory. “It was really great,” Hanna said. “I’m really proud of (Fancy). This is the most she’s been worked (in) a while ... for how much she’s been doing this week, I’m really thrilled.”

IRELAND English Department Summer Program in Dublin and Western Ireland Summer 2016 Thursday, February 25 • 5:00 pm • A106 Wells Hall

FINANCING YOUR STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM Friday, February 26 • 2:00 pm • 115 International Center

AUSTRALIA International College of Management Sydney Summer 2016, Spring 2017 LaTrobe University Fall 2016, Spring 2017 Friday, February 26 • 2:00 pm • 305 International Center

AUSTRIA, SWITZERLAND, GERMANY Music, Art and Language in Bregenz Summer 2016, Sunday, February 28 • 5:00 pm • 218 Kresge Art Center

MONDAY, F E B RUARY 2 2 , 2 01 6

STUDY ABROAD ADVISING CENTER International Center, Room 108 Walk-in Hours: 10 am - 2 pm Monday-Thursday or by appointment Phone: (517) 353-8920/ Email: osapa@msu.edu Web: studyabroad.msu.edu

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News

Meagan Beck Student Issues editor campus@statenews.com @thesnews

Adolescent program benefits students and kids BY AKSHITA VERMA AVERMA@STATENEWS.COM

Through the Michigan State University Adolescent Program, or MSUAP, students can help children under the age of 18 stay out of the criminal justice system. Sean Hankins, director and field instructor for MSU Adolescent Program, said the group’s slogan is “supporting the vision of our children’s futures.” “Through an intake process. ... Our program takes kids from the courts who have gotten in trouble ... and helps them realize their ideal selves,” Hankins said. The MSUAP program cooperates with the courts in Ingham County to find kids who have gotten in trouble with the criminal justice system, but also have dreams and ambitions. After finding kids who would benefit from the program, Hankins pairs them with MSU students who work with the kids six to eight hours a week for 18 weeks. “William Davidson, the man who started this program, had a vision,” Hankins said. “Davidson looked at the kids through a lens of success versus a lens of oppression, and that made all of the difference.” Psychology senior Rebecca Garza is currently involved the MSUAP program. To get into the program, MSU students have to enroll into the PSY 371-372 class. “Our goal is to work with the youth assigned to us so we can stop them from going through the school to prison pipeline, as we call it,” Garza said. “The school to prison pipeline is a track kids can

get into when they get into trouble with the cops for the first time. They can just keep getting in trouble and then end up in prison.” Garza said new members of the program are given a semester’s worth of training before the they are given the opportunity to work with the youth. “We learn how to use our strength-based program to help our youths become the best people they can be,” Garza said.

“Our goal is to work with the youth assigned to us so we can stop them from going through the school to prison pipeline, as we call it.” Rebecca Garza, Psychology senior

The philosophy of the MSUAP program concentrates on the strengths, talents, goals and expectations of the youth. MSUAP then uses those traits as a guide to get the youth to where they want to be in life. Psychology senior Chelsea Williams said this is accomplished by keeping the youth engaged in the community and out of trouble. “We find things in the community that are positive for the youth to be doing and we spend time doing them together,” Williams said. Williams said the activities must be in the youth’s area so after the 18 week program is finished, the children can continue participating in

Social work junior Leigh Rauk speaks to the group on Feb. 18 at the Psychology Building. During the MSUAP program meeting, students discussed various ways to interact with juvenile offenders. PHOTO: KELLY VANFRANKENHUYZEN

the activities. Hankins said the MSUAP program has been successful in helping the children achieve their goals and stay out of trouble. Even though this program is rewarding for both the children and the students, it can be hard for

the students to understand what the children are going through. “You have to understand, our youths can come from very different backgrounds than us,” Williams said. Visit statenews.com to read more

MSU bans the use of hoverboards in residence halls for safety reasons BY DEJA GREEN DGREEN@STATENEWS.COM

Despite the growing popularity of riding hoverboards around campus, the devices are no longer permitted in the residence halls. Hoverboards were banned in residence halls earlier this semester for various reasons. MSU spokesman Jason Cody said the self-balancing scooters are banned because

the devices pose a safety threat and fire risk. “There has been a lot of reporting on the fact the batteries in these devices are prone to explosions,” Cody said. “The decision was made earlier this year, earlier this semester, that hoverboards are no longer going to be allowed to be used in on-campus housing.” Cody said there have not been any instances on campus of the devices catching fire. “I don’t think we have had any incidents,”

Cody said. “This is clearly a proactive measure we’re taking.” Fire Marshal for MSU police Dennis Zietlow said while there have not been fires on campus, there have been numerous incidents of hoverboards catching fire. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the hoverboards might be recalled or seized if they do not meet new safety standards. Zietlow said many of the units have not been officially tested and most of them are not tested as one complete unit but instead as separate parts.

“There has been a lot of reporting on the fact the batteries in these devices are prone to explosions.”

“Maybe the batteries were tested but, when they put them all together, people started riding on them, bouncing and running into curbs and they found the lithium-ion batteries would rupture,” Zietlow said. Zietlow said most of the fires happen while the device is charging. “Until the companies can actually get these units tested properly to find out why these units are catching fire, we thought was in the best STATENEWS.COM/BESTOF interest for students to not allow these to be in the dormitories because ... being charged up is where the fire happens a lot of time,” Zietlow said. Zietlow said there is a possibility of the ban being lifted in the future. “Down the road, once the companies begin to test the units, it could be an issue that would change down the road,” Zietlow said. “For right now, we don’t have the information to say if they should be stored or used in the building.”

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Board of Trustees discusses involvement in Flint BY RACHEL FRADETTE RFRADETTE@STATENEWS.COM

MSU has played a major part in combating the issues resulting from the Flint water crisis through a new nutrition program and the efforts of the College of Human Medicine. The MSU Board of Trustees discussed MSU’s efforts at the most recent meeting on Feb. 19. Rick Sadler, an urban geographer and partner of Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, created a map describing how Flint residents do not have access to healthy foods. Mixed with the elevated lead levels in resident’s blood, it’s a dangerous combination. “The issue in Flint is we saw a doubling of elevated blood levels before and after the switch,” he said. “Tying into that is that since 2012, two years before the switch, we’ve lost five grocery stores, so it’s increasingly difficult to find healthy food.” MSU is also involved in launching a nutrition for Flint residents. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education, or SNAP-Ed, headed by Dr. Joan Ilardo, is meant to help reduce hunger in the city in addition to promoting healthy eating. MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon said MSU has been

in Flint for a long time, including with MSU Extension. MSU Extension, the main outreach program for MSU throughout the state, launched a website to provide additional resources for Flint residents. In addition to the website, MSU Extension is also hosting cooking classes in Flint to help promote healthy living and learning. Vice President of Student Affairs and Services Denise Maybank gave a presentation about students’ involvement with Flint. Maybank referenced MSU’s Give Gab page that displays the total hours, members and money involved in Flint. Both Flint City Council president Kerry Nelson and a representative for Flint Mayor, Karen Weaver, attended the meeting. Nelson said MSU has taken care of the city during this critical time. “Michigan State are trying their best to make it easier for us,” Nelson said. “They’ve been there. They call. They communicate. People see them. They know they’re there. When they pass out the water they tell people, ‘we’re with you.’” Nelson said dynamics have changed in Flint and families now must stop at a water station just to make dinner for their family. “It means a lot to the 11,000 people that I represent,” Nelson said.

Flint City Council president Kerry Nelson speaks during an MSU Board of Trustees meeting on Feb. 19 at the Hannah Administration Building. During the meeting, members of the board discussed various topics, including the university’s efforts to help the individuals dealing with the water crisis in Flint. PHOTO: ALICE KOLE

WHO WILL ENGINEER BREAKTHROUGH TECHNOLOGIES TO ENSURE A SAFER, HEALTHIER FUTURE? ELIMINATE NUCLEAR WASTE AND PRODUCE CLEAN ENERGY? WHO WILL CREATE SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS THAT MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE? SPARTANS WILL.

GEMMA REGUERA ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, MICROBIOLOGY AND MOLECULAR GENETICS

Discover the ways Spartans are changing the world at SpartansWill.msu.edu

MONDAY, F E B RUARY 2 2 , 2 01 6

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Crossword

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

News

Cameron Macko Public Concerns editor city@statenews.com @thesnews

After assault, long list of court dates to justice Detroit resident Brittani BarberGribble, left, and her attorney Kareem Johnson listen to the judge on Feb. 16 during her plea hearing at the Ingham County Probate Court in Lansing.

ACROSS

1 Nickel or dime 5 Zenith 9 Toboggan, e.g. 13 Fairy tale villain 14 Visitor from space 15 Soft drink nut 16 “You almost had it” 19 2016 Hall of Fame inductee __ Griffey Jr. 20 Weighty books 21 Curved fastener 22 Flabbergast 23 UPC-like product ID 24 “Mork & Mindy” or “Mike & Molly” 32 Beef cut 33 Reason for a cold sweat 34 GI chow 35 Writing fluids 36 Parking __ 38 Gaucho’s weapon 39 Dental suffix with Water 40 Slim racetrack margin 41 Slightly open 42 Event where many dress as Stormtroopers or Klingons 47 Question 48 Grandson of Eve 49 Malice 52 Sans serif font 54 Hawaiian tuna

57 What polar opposites have 60 Tiny pasta used in soup 61 Washington’s __ Sound 62 “Agreed!” 63 Smile ear to ear 64 Enjoy a novel 65 After 1-Across, pregame football ritual, and what’s literally found in this puzzle’s circles

DOWN

1 Tilt to the side, as one’s head 2 Look at wolfishly 3 Small laundry room appliance 4 Nintendo’s Super __ 5 Homecoming attendees 6 Refer to in a footnote 7 Clothing store department 8 Music producer Brian 9 Slopes fanatic 10 Letterhead emblem 11 Israeli airline 12 Missile in a pub game 14 Regarding 17 Singer James 18 “My Fair Lady” director George

22 The “Star Wars” planet Tatooine orbits two of them 23 Lasting mark 24 Mishaps 25 Greek column style 26 Kipling mongoose Rikki-__-Tavi 27 Many times 28 Bridal bio word 29 Texting icon 30 1964 Tony Randall title role 31 Thirst (for) 36 Lampoon 37 Spanish “that” 38 Array on a dugout rack 40 Japanese-American 43 Get to the bottom of 44 Marked with streaks, as cheese 45 Put into law 46 __ contendere: court plea 49 Stuffed shirt 50 Peruse, with “over” 51 Chichén __: Mayan ruins 52 Fever and chills 53 Capital of Latvia 54 Bullets and such 55 Soil-shaping tools 56 Wayside lodgings 58 “Talk of the Nation” airer 59 Yoga class need

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

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 SATURDAY’S PUZZLE

Get the solutions at statenews.com/ puzzles

2/22/16

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2 2 , 2 01 6

PHOTO: KELLY VANFRANKENHUYZEN

BY RAY WILBUR RWILBUR@STATENEWS.COM

In the early morning hours of March 6, 2015, Ryah Kelly — a resident of Spartan Village in East Lansing — received a phone call from someone who claimed to be a friend of a friend who needed help with a drunk acquaintance. As Kelly went out to help the group of women in the Spartan Village parking lot a girl who Kelly had issues with in the past, Detroit resident Chinonye Nwangwu, emerged from the vehicle. “I told her, ‘hold on, we don’t got to do this right now, my baby in the house,’” Kelly said, referring to her daughter, who was five months old at the time. Her cries for peace were ignored as four other individuals, who she identified as black females, got out of the car and beat her to the ground. One suspect, Paris Strickland, sprayed her with pepper spray, a detail which would later emerge in court testimony. After Kelly forced her way to her feet, one suspect, who was identified as Madison Reed by suspect interviews conducted by MSU police Det. James Terrill, struck her three times with a baseball bat, meriting eight staples at Lansing Sparrow Hospital emergency room. Later in court, another defendant, Tierra Hubbard also admitted to hitting Kelly with the baseball bat. “I just saw the bat in the car and I used it,” Hubbard said during her plea hearing. “We didn’t really plan on that.” Kelly’s car, a Pontiac G6, was totaled by the group of women with nearly $8,000 in damages.

Timeline of Events

Kelly’s phone was also taken — a piece of evidence which would lead police to determine the sus- After nearly a year since an MSU student was beaten by a group of five women, all have pects’ whereabouts in Detroit by plead guilty and most are yet to be sentenced. using GPS tracking. In court, Nwangwu said she 3 /6/ 1 5 Five Detroit women and Kelly had altercations before assault MSU student Ryah the morning in March that left Kelly using pepper spray and a baseball bat in the Kelly with stitches. Nwangwu Spartan Village parking said they had fought over the lot in East Lansing. same man and had a physical encounter at a party months before the assault in Spartan 1 2 /2 2 / 1 5 The first defendant, Chinonye Village. Nwangwu, pleads guilty to Judge Rosemarie Aquilina of assault with intent to do Ingham County Circuit Court great bodily harm less than did not care whether or not the murder and conspiracy to commit assault with two women had issues in the intent to do great bodily past because of the severity of harm less than murder. the assault. “Basically, you all left her for 2 /3/ 1 6 dead,” Aquilina said in court. The second defendant, “She had her child with her and Paris Strickland, pleads guilty and admits to using you left her for dead.” pepper spray against Kelly was eventually able to Kelly during the assault. escape her attackers and return to her apartment where she contacted a friend to drive her to 2 / 1 0/ 1 6 The third defendant, Madison the hospital. Officer Aaron White Reed, pleads guilty to two confirmed he saw her with injucounts of assault with intent ries to her face, head and knees. to do great bodily harm less than murder. Each The following day, Kelly was charge carries a maximum able confirm all five of her sentence of 10 years. attackers through her own investigation on social media where she saw an Instagram post show2 / 1 6/ 1 6 The fourth defendant, ing her alleged attackers togethBrittani Barber-Gribble, er the night of her attack. pleads guilty to two counts. The five women — Strickland, Reed, Nwangwu, Hubbard 2 / 1 7/ 1 6 The fifth defendant, Tierra and Brittani Barber-Gribble — Hubbard, pleads guilty all faced multiple charges, but to two charges. In court, were eventually all charged with Hubbard admitted she two felony counts they pleaded used a baseball bat against guilty to, one for assault with Kelly during the assault. intent to do great bodily harm and one for conspiracy to commit 3/201 6 The remaining four assault with intent to do great defendants are scheduled bodily harm, each of which carry to be sentenced maximum sentences of 10 years. throughout March. Read more at statenews.com

Sports

Spartan Stampede ropes in crowds for rodeo events and activities More than 10,000 guests attended the Spartan Stampede from Feb. 19-21. To see a full gallery from the event, visit statenews.com/ spartanstampede22016

Agribusiness management sophomore Claire Daugherty, left, explains how to lasso a cow as Jaleia Taylor, 9, right, listens during the Spartan Stampede on Feb. 19 at the MSU Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education. PHOTO: SUNDEEP DHANJAL

Brown City, Mich. resident Tim Gilliland, left, and Clayton, Mich. resident Sam Beasley, right, work as a team during team roping during the Spartan Stampede on Feb. 20 at the MSU Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education. PHOTO: SUNDEEP DHANJAL

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Sports

Ryan Kryska Sports editor Sports@statenews.com @thesnews_sports

Reid Burton, son of MSU assistant coach, to walk on at MSU BY NATHANIEL BOTT NBOTT@STATENEWS.COM

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This past season, MSU football found a spark plug on offense in fullback Trevon Pendleton. His 74-yard catch against rival University of Michigan set the table for a Spartan score in their eventual victory, and in a low-scoring slugfest against Ohio State University, he converted a Tyler O’Connor pass into a touchdown to help solidify a victory. Now, Pendleton’s absence leaves a hole the size of his blocks on MSU’s offense. But with East Lansing High School’s Reid Burton, a preferred walkon who had multiple Division I offers, head coach Mark Dantonio might have his solution. “Of course, it’s really hard to try and replace the position of someone like Pendleton, but I know whoever gets the role, whether it’s me or someone else next year, will be ready to fill in those footsteps,” Burton said. “The key is just working hard and learning a lot about the position and translating the hard work to the field.” Burton, standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing 220 pounds, is the son of MSU defensive line coach Ron Burton. Reid Burton was a tailback and defensive end during his junior season in high school, where he started every game for the Trojans. A serious knee injury sidelined Burton his senior season, leaving a similar hole in East Lansing High School football coach Bill Feraco’s offense. “I think when the understanding sank in, he was hurt emotionally,” Feraco said. “So from a psychological standpoint, when you’re young like that you think everything is going to be OK. When the realization that it was going to be difficult to get back on the field his senior season, I think that he was hurt. He adapted very well to it, the things that he did for us, like being at practice and supporting his teammates was very beneficial for him and very, very beneficial to us.” Feraco, a former MSU quarterback who was part of the championship teams in 1965 and 1966, works extensively with Ron Burton and did even before his son was a member of his team. Feraco has sent both Blake Treadwell and Dan Folino to MSU and his staff has been mentored by Ron Burton, primarily on different defensive line techniques. 10

Reid Burton runs with the football for East Lansing High School. Photo courtesy of MSU Athletics.

“It’s going to be a little weird looking across and seeing my dad, but it’s something I’ve been used to going to practices and seeing how he operates. ... Definitely something I am excited about.” Reid Burton, 2016-17 MSU football walk-on

Reid Burton didn’t pick MSU because Feraco was a former player or because his father is a coach there. Burton said he picked the Spartans because he wants to be a part of something bigger than himself. Staying close to his home and getting the opportunity to play in the Big Ten for MSU made his decision easy. As for his father, he expects big things from his son at MSU. “He has some upside with his strength, great lower body,” Ron Burton said. “We’ll see what he does. He’ll have the opportunity to play both sides of the ball, but we will start him on that (offensive) side, and that’s what he wants to do.” Dantonio is taking a chance with Reid, who has limited game film because he only played two years of varsity, with the most recent being two years ago. “We always have guys come on as I like to call free agents, and Reid Burton is of that capacity,” Dantonio said. “We will find a position for him. He will probably start as a fullback, move a guy back there like Pendleton.” Dantonio recognized the importance of Pendleton and

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hopes to mold Burton into that same prototype. With the help of the training staff, Burton is excited to get back onto the field and continue to get his knee stronger. More than anything, he feels he has the tools to make it as a fullback at MSU. “On the defensive line I have worked with leverage a lot, using my hands to get inside the lineman and get on people,” Burton said. “D-line is really a position that encompasses everything, it can translate everywhere on the field. Definitely a great position to play for an athlete.” For now, Reid said he is ready to work hard and give it his full effort. Being coached by his father and Dantonio is just a bonus for Reid. “I am excited, and it’s not going to be a lot different because he treats me pretty much the way he treats his players right now,” Reid Burton said. “It’s going to be a little weird looking across and seeing my dad, but it’s something I’ve been used to going to practices and seeing how he operates. It’s going to be interesting being on the same team as him but definitely something I am excited about.”

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Sports

MSU gymnastics celebrates with family atmosphere on senior night BY DIAMOND HENRY DHENRY@STATENEWS.COM

MSU women’s gymnastics hosted Big Ten opponent University of Illinois at Jenison Field House Friday. The meet was the team’s senior night and although the Spartans were edged by the Fighting Illini 196.300 to 195.575, the night was still special. Senior Lisa Burt got a combined score of 38.525 for vault, beam, bars and floor. Senior Brittany Holmes scored a 38.325 overall via all four events, senior Nicola Deans received a combined 18.950 for her vault and her floor routine, graduate student Haley Sedgewick scored 19.375 on vault and beam and Ashley Noll scored an overall 18.725 on the beam and in her exhibition on the floor. Kathie Klages, the head gymnastics coach at MSU, has been at the helm of the team for 26 seasons. While the night was special for everybody, Klages said keeping the emotion in check was important so the girls could focus on the meet. “The one thing I keep trying to tell my team is, ‘Yes, this is senior night, but we got a lot of competition ahead of us yet,’” Klages said. “So we’re excited about building up on this competition and making sure we send those seniors out great at the end of this year.” The seniors were all honored at the end of the meet with a highlight video and roses. Senior team managers and former competitors Kate Filosi and Kelsey Thomas were also honored in the video, as they left the team because of injuries. The video stirred emotion for the team members, families and others in attendance. Senior Nicola Deans’ father, Gordon Deans, said the team has a family atmosphere extending past the sport itself. “All the girls have been competing since they were very young,” Gordon Deans said. “A lot

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Graduate student Haley Sedgewick poses after her performance during the MSU womens gymnastics meet against Illinois on Feb. 19 at Jenison Field House.

of the (parents) have seen them all grow up.” Burt also spoke about the team being more than just a group of athletes during her four years. “I know it sounds cliche and a lot of people say that about all their teams, but we really are (family-oriented),” Burt said. “They’re why I come to practice every day, why I get through my bad days and good — they make them better.” The Spartans won the bars with a score of 49.225 and the floor with a score of 49.325. MSU lost beams and vault with scores of 48.300 and 48.725, respectively. Burt was the only performer to have all four scores contributed to the final overall score. “Lisa Burt is our star,” Klages said. Burt’s season averages are 9.731 on vault, 9.854 on bars, 9.831 on beam and 9.342 on floor. “I really love competing and being out here with the girls,” Burt said. “They bring out the best in what I can do and I think I bring out the best in what they can do.” Deans’ season averages are 9.502 on vault, 9.563 on bars and 9.800 on beam. Holmes’ season averages are 9.763 on vault, 9.319 on bars, 9.635 on beam and 9.770 on floor. Noll’s season averages are 9.339 on beam and 9.653 on the floor. Sedgewick’s season average on vault is 9.620. The Spartans will face the University of Wisconsin-Stout and Western Michigan University at Illinois State University at 3 p.m. on Feb. 28. Following the ISU meet, the team will then travel to California to face the University of California-Berkeley at 10 p.m. on March 4. The team will then head to Boise State on March 6. On March 12 the team will compete in the Big Five Meet held in Columbus, Ohio. The Big Ten Championships will follow on March 19 in Lincoln, Neb. The NCAA regionals will begin on April 2 and NCAA nationals will begin on April 15.

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Features

Jake Allen Features editor features@statenews.com @thesnews

MSU program finds use for recycled trees BY ALEXIS SARGENT ASARGENT@STATENEWS.COM

Wood recovery specialist and MSU Shadows Collection project coordinator Dan Brown shares his experiences with the log yard and wood categorization on Feb. 12 during an interview behind the MSU Surplus Store and Recycling Center. PHOTO: EMILY ELCONIN

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Disease, pathogens, construction removals and other factors contribute to the downfall of about 300 trees on MSU’s campus every year, but an on-campus program has found a way to use these trees as a resource, MSU Shadows Collection project coordinator Dan Brown said. “We are trying to find a more valuable use for urban trees instead of having them be landfilled, burnt and chipped,” Brown said. “The idea is that we mill and dry the lumber, and then they can be used and recycled in the local marketplace as raw materials for many products.” The MSU Shadows Collection program works with local artisans to use the recycled trees to create products such as furniture, pens, business card holders and other items. These items are then sold at the MSU Surplus Store and Recycling Center and are also available online. “If we create a wonderful item that could possibly become an heirloom for a family — especially with MSU’s Spartan pride and spirit, we could make something that could be passed down from generation to generation — then we’ve done a great job,” MSU wood repurpos-

ing and Shadows Collection committee leader Frank Telewski said. The proceeds of the sales go to raising money to support the educational program through the Department of Forestry and to plant more trees on campus. The program is not only beneficial to the environment, but also to students, as it allows students in the MSU Department of Forestry to gain hands-on experience. The students are part of the grading, milling, sorting and stacking lumber processes. Tammy Wright, a forestry senior, has an internship where she is part of the repurposing process for the Shadows Collection. “This program and my internship have helped me to learn a lot about the environment and the ecosystems, especially around East Lansing,” Wright said. Telewski said the process is a full-circle program, as there are many components to the recycling of the wood. “The MSU Department of Forestry dries and mills the lumber, the arborists take down the trees and tag them with information and the MSU Surplus Store market and sell the products,” Telewski said. “It’s a really cool process that we’re all very excited about.”