Arts & Entertainment

Watch Focal Point: Squirrel Hill synagogue attack brings EL together, the upcoming election keeps Michigan busy and more

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On this week’s Focal Point News, the synagogue attack brought people all across the country together, including here in East Lansing. Plus, Bill Schuette and Gretchen Whitmer go head-to-head in the Governor’s race. Past government officials came to Michigan to try and bring home votes to their party. A big change coming to MSU fraternities with hopes of a better future. Also, some students raised hundred of dollars for a charity through a haunted house.

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Watch Focal Point: Overview of ballot issues, a popular app creating unrealistic expectations and more

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On this week’s Focal Point News, an overview of issues on November’s ballot. Plus we have an update on a student who was killed a few weeks ago. Fraternity’s ban hard alcohol above 15% at Greek life events. MSU played its biggest rival, University of Michigan, twice this past week. Those stories and more on this week’s Focal Point.

Ballot Issues

A hike in voter registration may cause a hike in voter turn out

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Eli Pales life right now is full of plenty of coffee and lots of work. “In previous years we just haven’ t had the people in place that cared enough about voter turn out,” said Pales. 

Historically voter turn out in midterm election is low, but this time we are seeing changes said Pales. “We’ve gotten tons and tons of people registered. I’m hearing from the clerk that our voter reg numbers are gonna be on par with the 2016 general  election and that’s just absolutely insane,” he said. In fact, Pales says voter registration will end up six times higher than the last midterms.

From on-campus to off-campus, Lansing City clerk, Chris Swope, will have his hands full these next few weeks.

Ballot Issues

Recreational marijuana could potentially become legal in Michigan

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Voters in Michigan will get the choice to vote and make it recreation marijuana legal in the upcoming election. The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol has officially gotten the approval to get proposal one on the ballot for the November election. The initiative was approved by the State in May of 2017. Between May and November last year the campaign collected more than three hundred and sixty thousand signatures which exceed the minimal amount of two hundred and fifty two thousand, five hundred and twenty three signatures. “Up to two and a half ounces on your possession, and up to 10 ounces stored in a locked container at home,” Joshua Honey, the Coalition Communicative director, said.

Campus News

Gretchen Driskell visits with MSU Democrats

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Democratic congressional candidate, Gretchen Driskell, made a campaign stop on campus this week. Driskell is running against Michigan’s current congressman, Tim Walberg, in the 7th district. Walberg has been in office since 2011. Tuesday’s meet and greet with students was small and personal, which allowed plenty of time for questions. MSU isn’t in the 7th district, but Driskell said meeting college students and finding out what they care about is an important part of her campaign.

Capital News Service

Commentary: The long and the short of it

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When U.S. Rep. John Conyers resigned amid scandal last December, he’d served almost 53 years. The winner of this November’s election to fill the rest of his term will serve one of the shortest tenures in history through Dec. 31. Meanwhile, residents of the predominantly African-American and Democratic Detroit district will have lacked U.S. House representation for 11 months. In contrast, Gov. Snyder left a Republican-leaning suburban district without a representative for only four months.

Article

What Will the Senate Tax Bill Do to Graduate Students?

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In a series of shocking twists and turns, Senate Republicans were able to pass their tax bill, their first legislative victory of the year. The Senate Tax bill calls for a mass overhaul of the American tax code. Everything from tax brackets, health care to graduate student loan rates were touched upon.