We are officially in fall weather mode as of yesterday and continuing today’s weather forecast predicting sunny with a few clouds with a high of 65 degrees and a low of 49 degrees.

East Lansing City Council demands AG drop charges against DeAnthony VanAtten

The East Lansing City Council voted to demand that Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office drop charges against DeAnthony VanAtten – a Black man who was shot by East Lansing police officers in April.

VanAtten was charged by Nessel’s office with seven felony counts, including four counts of assault and three weapons charges, on Aug. 23. He is also charged with one count of third-degree retail fraud – a misdemeanor.

The two officers involved were not charged following an investigation by the Attorney General’s Public Integrity Unit.

It was revealed during a Sept. 8 Independent Police Oversight Commission meeting by East Lansing Police Department Cpt. Chad Prid that the officer who shot VanAtten has returned to duty, but not in a patrol function.

The City Council, at their Sept. 20 meeting, considered two motions proposed by the Oversight Commission from their last meeting.

The first motion demanded the Attorney General drop all charges against VanAtten, or transfer the case to the Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office.

The Oversight Commission’s other motion recommends that the City Manager and Mayor ask Nessel’s office for the investigation file.

East Lansing Mayor Ron Bacon said at Monday’s meeting that he felt VanAtten was being used for political purposes.

Councilmember Lisa Babcock abstained because she is a judicial candidate for 54B District Court, running unopposed.

Councilmember George Brookover was the dissenting vote against the motions.

All motions requested by the Oversight Commission were passed.

Court grants MSU extension to submit Title IX compliance plan

MSU was granted an extension and given until Nov. 18 to submit a compliance plan to the district court in the women’s swim and dive team lawsuit. This comes after the university asked for more time to submit a Title IX compliance plan, hoping to delay until the U.S. Supreme Court responds to its request for review of the lawsuit. The attorney argued submitting a plan prior to the decision would cause irreparable harm to the university.

The next step is for the Supreme Court to agree to hear the case.

The preliminary injunction was partially granted on July 21, meaning there was a “substantial likelihood of success on the merits” for a Title IX violation. The district court judge ruled in August that the university was not in compliance with Title IX and was given 60 days, until Oct. 7, to submit a plan to rectify the violation.

Attorney Scott Eldridge, representing the university, said if the Supreme Court grants MSU’s petition, then the district court’s order to make a compliance plan wouldn’t even be on the table. He also said that creation of a compliance plan and committing itself “unnecessarily” to the district court’s order would cause harm.

MSU asked the Supreme Court to review the lawsuit in July. Eldridge said that MSU won’t hear from the U.S. Supreme Court about a possible hearing until November and it would possibly announce its decision as early as Nov. 7. This timeline, however, doesn’t line up with the Oct. 7 due date given to MSU to create a compliance plan, so MSU asked for more time.

The request for a motion to stay was submitted on Sept. 15, not in the weeks following the initial August ruling. The plaintiffs noted this timeline, asking why it took so long for them to file a motion for appeal.

Eldridge said the plaintiffs “understated” the issue and that “these sorts of issues are complex” because of the number of factors needed to be considered when creating a compliance plan like roster sizes, teams, determining participation gap, enrollment, etc.

Judge Hala Y. Jarbou said because of these factors and the time it takes to file, not granting the stay would cause the university some disruption.

Fall fashion: Students talk what’s stylish this season

With New York Fashion Week ending, the newest fall fashion trends have just dropped.

Although fashion on campus can be different than what might be considered trendy on the runway, it tends to have its own staple pieces and styles.

“It is a school of 50,000 people so you see a lot of different styles on campus,” VIM Magazine editor-in-chief Anna Traver said. “That’s what I love so much about fashion … Everyone (has their) own unique style.”

As the weather gets colder, warmer pieces of clothing will soon start making their way out of students’ closets.

Traver said that large, oversized jackets, specifically ones that are plaid or pattered, will remain in style this year.

“I think the 90s trend will continue, so I think we’ll see a lot of crop sweaters with mom jeans,” Traver said. “A big thing I noticed coming back is tall boots.”

These trends were gaining traction last cold weather season but are now rising in popularity.

“I’m thinking we’re gonna start seeing a lot more cargo pants going around,” psychology sophomore Ella Wagner said. “Maybe baggy jeans with a tight long sleeve top. I feel like a lot of people base their trends off of Hailey Bieber and she always wears that.”

Overall, fashion on campus takes a different approach compared off-campus fashion, mostly for the sake of comfort.

Wagner said people like to take the “cozy route.” Others, she said, wear jeans and a neutral-colored comfortable sweater to look more put together.

However, Journalism sophomore Lexi Roberts said the real trend for this season is whatever you feel good in.

“Take a risk, spice it up,” Roberts said. “Look good, feel good — that’s a big thing.”

OUTRO

Before we end our episode today, this weekend, MSU Athletics have two home games including Women’s Soccer against Purdue on Sunday at 1 P.M. and finally, Michigan State Football will be home right here at Spartan Stadium vs. Minnesota, tomorrow at 3:30 P.M.

Based on original reporting by Wajeeha Kamal, Morgan Womack, and Maddie Dallas.