Today’s weather forecast is predicting cloudy with a high of 58 degrees and a low of 34 degrees. For the weekend, it looks like it will be low 40’s with Saturday being cloudy and Sunday with a mix of clouds and sun early and continuing the cloudy all day.

MSU’s Agriculture Grants: creating the ‘pear-fect’ produce with a steady diet of USDA greens

Over the next four years, a team of MSU researchers will attempt to perfect the culinary herb. They hope that their research will create a booming market for locally green-house grown herbs, which will last longer, taste better and be healthier than the average imported herb today.

The research is funded by a $3.4 million grant from the USDA’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture. The team is led by Dr. Roberto Lopez, an associate professor and controlled environment extension specialist in the MSU Department of Horticulture.

MSU has an office that assists researchers with developing and submitting grant proposals. Even with their help, the process to successfully apply for and receive one of these grants can take months of planning because it’s highly competitive.

Projects funded by taxpayers need to have a value to consumers by bettering products or improving food security.

Lopez hopes that in the near future, a network of greenhouses across the U.S. could both create jobs in growing the herbs and provide a year-round product with a greater shelf-life. Indoor growing would also be cleaner, protecting consumers from food-born illnesses that are common in traditionally grown herbs and leafy greens.

Students react to midterm election results, high student voter turnout

Michigan’s midterm election brought on a record in voter turnout.

At Brody Hall on campus, students stood in line for upwards of four hours to register in their college town and cast their vote.

History education junior Alivia Young said that the turnout and the long lines, gave her better hope for the younger generation and the future of politics. It was a great relief, she said, to see her views reflected in the outcome of the races.

Social relations and policy senior Abbigail Foss said that while she lost sleep waiting on results, she knew that the young voter turnout was going to influence the results she wanted to see from Michigan.

Many students who waited in line to vote were concerned about the passage of Proposal 3, which will put codify abortion rights and use of contraceptives into the Michigan constitution.

Young said that she feels lucky to live in a state that allowed the constituents to vote on their own rights to abortion.

Along with Proposal 3, many young voters had their eye on the Governor’s race. Foss said that Whitmer holding her place in office was not only a win for reproductive rights, but also a win over changes candidate Tudor Dixon wanted to implement into her home state.

Digital storytelling freshman Charlotte Moorehouse credits the voter turnout to Roe v. Wade mobilizing young voters. She said younger people are seeing how they can influence their own community in a democratic sense.

MSU students form ‘Taylor Swift Club,’ bonding over shared love for her music

At 8 p.m. on Oct. 20, the executive board of the newly created Taylor Swift Club gathered in a Case Hall floor lounge with 12 Capri Suns, 14 bags of chips and the intention of staying awake until 12 a.m. for the release of Swift’s newest album, “Midnights.”

They were soon joined by nearly 50 other people who shared the same love for Swift.

Landscape architecture freshman and club vice president Sophia Arnoldi said that she had heard of other schools having Taylor Swift clubs and jokingly suggested that she start one at MSU. She and others who wanted to start the club held an unofficial meeting at the Union to decide e-board positions, a necessary component of MSU registered student organizations, and plan the “Midnights” listening party.

Arnoldi said that music can be very unifying, especially Swift’s music, since she has experimented with so many genres.

It’s important, Arnoldi said, to have a place where people can just listen to music and talk to people that have similar interests.

The club plans to hold meetings on Thursdays at 6 p.m. in Wells Hall.

Based on original reporting by Alex Walters, Liz Nass and Hannah Woehrle.

To end our last episode of the week, here are a few announcements!

Here is the MSU Athletic line-up for the weekend…

Today

• Women’s soccer will go against Milwaukee for the first round of the NCAA Tournament at 6 P.M. at Demartin Stadium.
• Hockey will play Ohio State at 7 P.M. at Munn Ice Arena.
• Volleyball will take on Illinois at 7 P.M. at the Breslin Center.

Tomorrow

• Football is back home taking on Rutgers at 12 P.M.
• Volleyball will play again vs. Northwestern at 7 P.M.

Sunday

• Women’s basketball will take on Western Michigan at 3 P.M. at the Breslin Center.