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In the news today: For our first story of the week focusing on election coverage, MSU student political organizations mobilize students for Election Day. For our second story focusing on environmental news, Michigan Waterways Stewards hosts river trail cleanup. For our final story of the day focusing on student life, ASL Club seeks to provide a welcoming environment of learning, advocacy.
Creators & Guests
What is The State - A Podcast from The State News + Impact 89FM?
The State is a daily rundown of the headlines that matter to the East Lansing, MI community.
This is The State for Tuesday, September 24th where we bring you the headlines that matter. I'm Rachel Fulton.
For our first story of the week focusing on election coverage,
With less than 50 days to go until the highly anticipated Election Day, political organizations on MSU's campus are getting to work.
MSU Vote, MSU College Democrats and MSU College Republicans are making sure students are registered to vote and have the knowledge they need heading into the voting booth.
MSU Vote, which is a nonpartisan student initiative, aims to increase student voter registration and inform students about upcoming elections, voter registration, and voter knowledge heading into the election.
Its main motto: "Go Green, Go White, Go Vote."
The organization also launched a new website this semester structured around three main initiative points: getting registered, making a plan and being informed.
This website also has voter guides equipped to provide students with voting information based on the state a student selects on the site.
Students who plan to vote in Michigan can find their city clerk using the Secretary of State's "Find My Clerk" system.
For our second story focusing on environmental news,
At 10 a.m. on Saturday, the weather was cloudy and a fog had set around Potter Park Zoo, but this didn't stop the gathering of volunteers from the community, ready to clean the Red Cedar River Trail.
The event, was more than just volunteering. Attendees were given a free day pass to Potter Park Zoo and a picnic, making the experience fun for everybody.
The project first began in November 2022, when they partnered with a local railroad company and cleared out the 10-year collection of trees and logs under a bridge. Since then, the project has taken off, and with every effort the clearing becomes easier.
The zoo aims to keep the area clean by adding pollinator gardens and disposing of all animal waste properly so it won't feed into the river. Along with the cleanup, park beautification events at Cherry Hill Park and Kruger's Landing were taking place.
Members of the community were handed trash pickers and trash bags before being sent to assist in the effort.
For our final story of the day focusing on student life,
One year ago, senior Ellyn Skodack switched her major to communicative sciences and disorders. In making this transition she decided that she wanted to learn American Sign Language, or ASL, a skill she thought would be useful for her future career.
When she looked into classes and clubs, however, there were none to be found at Michigan State University.
Now, the ASL Club holds weekly meetings and provides a space for ASL learners to come together, practice and build community. Because there are no classes on campus, the club attracts a lot of new learners.
Some of the members of the e-board are beginners themselves and they learn alongside the club members as they go through mini-lessons and play games that help them practice.
Despite the club teaching at a beginner level, there is also space provided for those who are fluent to participate in advocacy as well as teach fellow members.
The club primarily uses videos and lessons from the Oklahoma School for the Deaf to learn together, but with a larger club membership this year they have been able to line up guest teachers.
Members with more experience also come to the club in an effort to advocate for more ASL resources and more visibility for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community on campus.
This past March, ASMSU passed a bill that advocated for the inclusion of ASL classes at MSU.
So while waiting for these classes to become available, this low-maintenance atmosphere is purposeful and fun for anyone interested in ASL.
Before we end the episode, today's weather forecast is predicting rain showers in the morning with thunderstorms developing in the afternoon with a high of 69 degrees and a low of 59 degrees.
Thank you for joining us for The State... Produced by The State News and Impact eighty-nine F-M. You can find us online at State News dot com and Impact eight-nine F-M dot org. We'll be back tomorrow with more.