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(04/07/06 1:38pm)
Canine owners who travel and are tired of asking friends or family to play dog-sitter now have an alternative. On March 11, the Howling Dog Inn, a hotel for dogs, opened near Nashville, Ind. \nKaren McCarell, the owner and founder of the Howling Dog Inn, said she has been wanting to start a dog hotel "forever," and "things kind of fell in place" and was excited to see the opening of her facility.\n"This has been a 20-year dream for me, and it finally came true," she said.\nMcCarrell said that her facility is the only pet hotel in the area that she's aware of. The building is 1,575 square feet and features rooms of three different sizes. The smallest rooms are three by five feet, and the largest ones measure six square feet. Also, a 15-by-15 foot "playroom" is located in the building.\n"For the most part, the people who have been here so far have said, 'This is the coolest place.' You really have to come here and see it to get a sense of it," McCarrell said.\nAs for the service, McCarrell said they "like to keep it personal," referring to the Inn's family ownership and four-person staff.\nBeyond simple lodging, the inn provides a multitude of other services to its clients and their dogs.\n"We do boarding, grooming, doggy daycare and training," McCarrell said. "We also do pet weddings. It sounds bizarre, but people do it." \nMcCarrell said she added the service because she thought it would be "something neat to do." The animals appear in dress and tuxedo for the ceremony, which an ordained minister performs. McCarrell has held two weddings in her pet-care career, one for her own dogs and one for those of a friend. She said even pets of different species could be married at the inn. \nA ceremony has yet to be performed at the Howling Dog Inn, but the staff will be offering the service to anyone interested. The cost of the rituals starts at $200, a price which includes video-taping service, wedding cakes for the bride and groom, music, a pretend marriage certificate and flowers for the bride. The staff will also help write vows for the couple, McCarrell said. \nWeddings can be more expensive depending on what additional features pet owners might want. A night in a honeymoon suite or a ceremony in which other pet and human friends are present would be more expensive, McCarrell said. The facility doesn't currently have a honeymoon suite, but McCarrell said they could create one in a day if necessary.\n"I've never had anyone request anything like that, but you never know," she said. \nAnother unique service the Inn offers is "color enhancements," or dye jobs for pets. \nMcCarrell said fluorescent colors, like hot pink and vivid purple, have been most popular lately. She also dyed many animals green for St. Patrick's Day.\n"We have a poodle in here right now that is purple," McCarrell said.\nIn addition to the inn's basic grooming services, the facility also offers spa treatments for pets, such as jacuzzi soaks, hot oil treatments and massages. \nDarlene Dugan, one of the first customers of the inn, recently dropped her three Yorkies off for a 10-day stay.\n"(McCarrell) called us because we were old customers," said Dugan, who previously entrusted her dogs to McCarrell for grooming service. \nDugan had a trip planned and, thanks to the inn, instead of having to stay behind and watch the Yorkies, Dugan's husband was able to accompany her on the trip she said.\nDugan said that they were leaving their pets for the first time and that she had complete trust in McCarrell's pet-caring abilities.\n"She's very, very, very good, very gentle and knows what to do if (the dogs) have a problem," Dugan said. "She's a great lady with animals." \nIn addition to founding the inn, McCarrell is a "master groomer" of 35 years, a title she received from the National Dog Groomers Association of America. Prior to working in the Nashville area, McCarrell was a groomer at Delilah's Pet Shop in Bloomington.\nAs well as being highly skilled and professional in her handling of pets, McCarrell tends to the lighter side of dog care with unwavering emphasis as well.\n"We play with them, talk to them, and my husband makes gourmet dog treats," McCarrell said.\nThe Howling Dog Inn is located on Hwy. 46 in Nashville. There is a two-day minimum for overnight boarding time but no maximum, so extended stays are welcome.
(04/20/05 4:57am)
Pizza Express has bought into a "big" advancement in environmental technology -- and they don't seem to mind that its dwarfed by virtually all vehicles with which it shares the road. \nThe campus store has introduced a zero-emission electric car for food deliveries, one that in size more resembles a go-cart. \n"We're getting tons of interest about the car, everybody seems to love it," said Jeff Mease, co-owner of Pizza Express, in reference to the Neighborhood Electric Vehicle. \nMease said he was a large advocate of the vehicle's purchase, one-third of which was funded through a grant from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Indiana. \nThe NEV's top speed is around 35 mph and it can travel about 30 miles per full battery charge, which takes a maximum of six hours, said Mark Zrska, manager at Pizza Express' campus store.\n"Only a couple of drivers have driven it so far, and management drove it just make sure nothing went wrong at first, but the attitude toward it around the store has been pretty positive," Zrska said. \nThe majority of deliveries from the 10th Street Pizza Express are made within two miles of the campus store, which will be the vehicle's home base.\nZrska said the car has only been on a handful of deliveries so far but its use will most likely increase during the summer and into next fall.\nThe four-seat NEV is to be officially introduced to the public Friday afternoon during the Earth and Music Festival at Dunn Meadow. Mease said he saw in the car a potential to make local transit more cost-effective and less polluting, according to a statement.\n"We are trying to model behavior that improves our environment," Mease said in a statement. "We believe that new sciences and technologies must be supported by those who share a common vision for the future." \nGlobal Electric Motorcars, a DaimlerChrysler company, manufactured the car. Pizza Express/One World Enterprises bought the it directly from Bill Robertson Motors, Inc., a Greencastle, Ind., dealership that bought a franchise from GEM to carry the vehicle in stock, said Barbara Woods, a sales consultant with Bill Robertson Motors.\n"We sell a lot of them to gated communities, such as elderly people's neighborhoods and country clubs," Woods said. "There's even a couple here in Greencastle that drives each other to work in one of them."\nIn addition to Bill Robertson Motors, NEVs can be purchased at GEM dealerships in Habstadt and Fowler, Ind. The price ranges from $8,000 to $12,000 -- the two-seat model is cheaper than the four-seat model that Pizza Express owns.\n"If gas prices continue to go up, I definitely see an increasing demand for these vehicles, particularly for in-town use," Woods said. "I love driving it! It's like driving a go-kart," said Mease, who is scheduled to give a presentation on the car at Friday's festival. \n-- Contact Staff Writer Michael Beal at mdbeal@indiana.edu.
(04/15/05 4:39am)
Area bird watchers interested in testing their endurance and willpower in an exhausting but rewarding 24-hour marathon can register until 5 p.m. this afternoon for the 15th annual Monroe County Bird-A-Thon. The midnight-to-midnight birdwatching extravaganza will be held May 7. \n"Teams are usually friends who like to go birdwatching and have a competitive spirit," said naturalist Cathy Meyer of the Monroe County Parks and Recreation Foundation.\nAll the teams involved will receive a T-shirt and valuable identification information to use during the competition, according to a press release. Each team will contain three to six members.\nMeyer said the Bird-A-Thon's is usually about five or six teams, and she expects around the same number of birders for this year's event. \nThe cost for registration, which includes the shirt and bird information, is $15. In addition, each team will gather as many pledges from sponsors as possible, with the proceeds going to a charity of the team's choice. The most common charity recipient of the Bird-A-Thon funds is the Sassafras Audubon Society, the Bloomington chapter of the National Audubon Society, an organization dedicated to promoting knowledge and understanding of the importance of wildlife. \nAwards for displaying excellent birdwatching skills will be given at a potluck dinner May 8 to both the team with the highest number of species spotted and to the best rookie team. Newcomers will have a great chance at scoring a prize, Meyer said. The total of 175 bird species residing in Monroe County provides a lofty goal for even the most ambitious birders competing for prizes.\nBird-A-Thon applications can be picked up at the Monroe County Parks and Recreation office building, 290 W. Seventh St., or Wild Birds Unlimited, 1101 N. College Ave., a bird store sponsoring the event. \nWild Bird, a bird superstore that sells a wide assortment of bird seed and feeding, also offers products for the less involved bird appreciator, said David Daniels, Wild Birds Unlimited owner.\n"Most people (who shop here) just get bird seed, but we also have a lot of people coming in for our nature gifts and other commodities," Daniels said.\nTheir involvement in the Bird-A-Thon is natural because of their function, Daniels said.\n"It goes hand-in-hand with what we do," Daniels said. "We're really into birding and we love to be active in the community."\nDaniels said all the major species of birds should be highly prevalent in Monroe County by early May.\n"European starlings and American robins are the most common species that the contestants will find in town," Daniels said. \nMost of the teams will find between 120 and 130 different species of birds on their excursion, he said.\n"The teams that do the best will be the ones who cover as many different habitat types as possible," Daniels said. "Red-winged blackbirds will be prevalent in the wetlands, but it is also important to get to the forests and other rural areas."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Michael Beal at mdbeal@indiana.edu.
(04/14/05 4:20am)
Pitchers of brew and some mutton stew surrounded Bloomington residents, students and guests as they discussed the future for Libertarians in Bloomington.\nThe Monroe County Libertarian Party, represented by six small business owners and two students among others, congregated Tuesday night at the Irish Lion, 212 W. Kirkwood Ave., to discuss the party's future plans in Bloomington, throughout Indiana and in the United States. \nThe main business objective involved a public announcement of the postponement of interior party elections, which currently boasts seven elected officials in Indiana and about 600 elected Libertarians nationwide. \n"The reason why we exist is to get libertarians elected to office," said Margaret Fette, Monroe County Libertarian Party chairperson. \nIU junior Dan Shockley, who founded the College Libertarians, said the Libertarian Party needs to be more vocal about its politics within the Bloomington community to bolster support for Indiana rights and less federal intervention in state social policy.\n"I have always been interested in individual responsibility," Shockley said. "The main thing I am focused on is definitely less government intervention in everything." \nThe Libertarian Party's overall view on the role of the federal government is slightly more specific.\n"I believe that government should definitely play a large part in national defense and police and fire protection," Mette said. "We believe in government at the most fundamental level." \nMonroe County resident Rebecca Sink-Burris, vice chair of the Indiana Libertarian Party, elaborated on the Libertarian ideal of the fundamental role of government -- claiming the Patriot Act was an example of an excessive attempt at government protection. \n"The original idea of government was to protect citizens and otherwise leave them alone," Sink-Burris said. "Now the federal government is trying to protect us from ourselves, and it's gone too far." \nIn response to generalizations about the party's belief system, Sink-Burris was vocal about the true identity of her political affiliation.\n"We are the original constitutionalists," Sink-Burris said. "Part of the founding of our country was based on the individual rather than collectives, according to Jefferson and many other founding fathers. We are classic liberals."\nIn discussion of the items that Libertarians believe should be funded by government, education did not come up as an issue of concern for them.\n"What we would like to see in education is more competition," Sink-Burris said. "Indiana public schools have become more about employing adults than educating children." \nSink-Burris said that New Zealand as an excellent example of a nation where a choice of schools is given to children, and that therefore forces schools to earn public approval.\nHowever, Fette said that the party does not believe in cutting all government aid. \n"There are a whole lot of other things we can cut before social service," Fette said. "Corporate welfare is something that should definitely be cut, for starters." \nAbove all, Fette said, the party -- represented in Indiana by chair holders comprised mostly of small business owners -- believes in the responsibilities of the individual. \n"Right now government's view is very myopic; they don't look at the consequences for the individual," said Fette. "Governments are supposed to be more centered at the local and county level, and less at the state level. Right now it's completely backwards."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Michael Beal at mdbeal@indiana.edu.
(04/07/05 4:47am)
Before March, Bloomington Fire Department personnel responding to a potential terrorist threat using toxic or radioactive materials would have had to negotiate with one another for equipment.\nTo help remedy this problem, Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan announced Thursday that the Bloomington Fire Department received a FIRE Act grant of $65,000 from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The funds will be used primarily to protect firefighters from chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear environments -- a major step in promoting the safety of Bloomington firefighters.\n"The grant gives the fire department more resources to effectively do its job, which means our community is safer," Kruzan said in a statement. "We work hard to continually improve our public safety, and these monies will go far in doing just that."\nAlthough fire fighters used to concern themselves with medical emergencies, traffic accidents and preventing fires, post-Sept. 11 terrorist threats have created a new adversary for departments across the nation.\n"With terrorism there is a newer standard for protection of firefighters," said Deputy Chief Roger Kerr of the Bloomington Fire Department. "We are simply following a recommendation from the National Fire Protection Association calling for (firefighter) protection from chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological harm."\nThe BFD plans to raise an additional $28,000, on top of the original grant of $65,000, to fully fund the changeover to new CRBN equipment, which is expected to cost $93,000. This new equipment will protect each and every firefighter in the department against CBRN environments, in addition to fulfilling the function of the old equipment -- primarily designed for smoke protection.\nTo raise the $28,000 needed to pay for the complete changeover of equipment, the BFD is looking into private grant money.\nThe BFD has not yet formulated a fund-raising agenda to accommodate the department's needs for adequate protection in 21st Century terrorist-attack environments.\nKerr said fellow Fire Chief Jeff Barlow has formed a grant research committee.\n"The stage we are in right now is exploratory," Kerr said. "It's still very new. We're trying to get it all together."\nEarlier this year Monroe County was awarded a similar grant, which allowed the city to give the BFD 36 of the new CBRN breathing equipment.\nThe additional equipment -- one per fire fighter who didn't have one -- should benefit all Bloomington students, residents and guests. \n"It definitely promotes public safety because it allows them to do their job better," said Maria Heslin, Bloomington communications director. \nIn a recent meeting of all area fire department personnel, finding a means to continue and improve public safety was the main objective discussed.\n"The eight fire departments in the county met and discussed how to use the grant, and we agreed that one thing we definitely needed was new breathing packs," said John Hooker III, director of Monroe County Emergency Management. "Our old packs lasted 30 minutes, these new ones will last 45 minutes, as well as protecting against (CBRN) environments." \nHooker did not know if neighboring counties had received grants for similar fire protection.\n"I haven't heard about any other counties or the amounts they received," Hooker said. "Here at Emergency Management we just look at what is best for Monroe County." \nHooker said in the coming months Monroe County will receive its second federal grant of the year, which will be used to improve communication within the county's eight fire departments, a needed safety step, he said.\n"Our first grant is going specifically for breathing apparatus, the second grant is going toward a backup dispatch center," Hooker said.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Michael Beal at mdbeal@indiana.edu.
(04/06/05 5:55am)
Drinkable Bloomington water is currently receiving a $14.5 million makeover, about $2.5 million less than the Monroe Water Treatment Plant estimated it needed to finish the revised and expanded 2003 city project. \nAs a result, Bloomington is proposing up to an 11 percent increase in the cost of water for students, residents, guests and businesses to offset the city funding deficit. Wastewater and storm-water rates are not part of the proposed legislation, according to city officials.\nBloomington Common Council members will discuss the proposed water cost increase at their weekly meeting at 7:30 p.m. today in the Council Chambers at the Showers Building, 401 N. Morton St. The Indiana Regulatory Commission must approve any proposed rate adjustment if the Common Council gives consent to move the legislation forward.\nLAPPING UP THE LAKE\nAll of Bloomington's drinking, grooming and bathing water is supplied from Lake Monroe, whose surface area of 10,750 acres is the largest man-made body of water in Indiana. The lake is owned by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and managed by the Army Corps of Engineers.\nBloomington purchases water from the state for use at the Monroe Water Treatment Plant. On average, MWTP pumps an average of 15 million gallons per day from the lake. \n"The location of the water that is drawn from the plant and distributed is divided from public areas, close to the Hoosier National Forest area of the Lake Monroe, an area of reduced pollution," said Rachel Atz, Bloomington water quality coordinator.\nSenior Curtis Williams said he has "pretty good faith" Bloomington's drinking water is safe and clean, because he has never experienced a peculiarity in water taste, color or smell. \nIU Environmental Manager Dan Derheimer said IU's water is no different from city water and both draw from the same source.
(04/01/05 4:06am)
Spring is here, which means sermons outside of Woodburn Hall, allergies for some and more fortunately, the opening of the Bloomington Community Farmers' Market. This year, for the first time, it is opening April 2 as opposed to its usual May opening date, according to a release.\n"The market has been growing rapidly in the last eight years, and there was a demand from both customers and farmers for the season to be extended," said Bloomington Community Events Coordinator Marcia Veldman. Veldman said the market's overall selection in April will not be as large as the summer supply, but it will be both profitable for the vendors and enjoyable for the customers to have the market functioning early.\n"As we go into the month of April, the variety will continue to appear," Veldman said. \nKim Bryant, an experienced market vendor, exemplifies the variety the market offers. Bryant carries an extensive supply of produce ranging from eggs to a type of organic fertilizer. \n"I knew some of the older farmers, I got in contact with the Parks and Rec department, and Marcia (Veldman) made it really easy; she told me everything I needed to know," Bryant said. \nBryant noted she enjoys selling at the market for moral as well as financial reasons. She comes from the nearby Elletsville and said that the atmosphere of selling locally in Bloomington was a big attraction.\n"I've been to the Indy market and it doesn't have the same hometown feeling as the Bloomington one does," Bryant said. "I enjoy the atmosphere as much as the money." \nShe added that no matter what the vendors provide for sale, including her organic fertilizer, called wormcasting, there will be a customer willing to try it out.\n"It's an odd thing to have, and I'm pleased with the amount of customers who are willing to try it," Bryant said. "It's good for houseplants and gardens."\nThe City of Bloomington Animal Shelter is also playing a part in the market. Every Saturday from 9 a.m. until noon it will have adoptable dogs and cats at the market. \n"It's a positive relationship that we have with the animal shelter," Veldman said. "A lot of families come to the market and it's fun for kids to get to see the animals." \nDirectly next door to the market, A Fair of the Arts -- an arts and craft fair -- will include displays and demonstrations of visual arts and crafts by creators from Bloomington and surrounding areas. Veldman said that she has received frequent phone calls from artists who had accumulated enough of their own work that they desired to sell to the public.\n"There has always been an interest in the selling of art at or nearby the market," she said. \nA Fair of the Arts is a juried art event, which means that it is selection-based. First the artist submits an application, and than a jury selects the qualifiers that they see as fitting. Currently, all 32 available spaces for art vending are full for the whole season, selected from a pool of applicants on February 11.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Michael Beal at mdbeal@indiana.edu..
(03/30/05 6:07am)
Throughout March, Bloomington has been commemorating the contributions of local women by celebrating the 20th annual Women's History Month.\nThe month's events were coordinated by the Commission on the Status of Women, which was created in 1973 to "ensure that women and men have equal opportunity to function fully and optimally as citizens of Bloomington, as equal participants in the economy, in politics and government, in education, in social development, in the system of justice, and in all other facets of life," according to the City Hall exhibit commemorating the month's events. The Commission, along with Bloomington's Community and Family Resources Department, has orchestrated Women's History Month every year for the last 20 years.\n"Our department acts as a support staff for the Commission on the Status of Women," said Craig Brenner, special projects coordinator for Community and Family Resources. Among the services provided by the group is an events calendar, available on the city's Web page www.bloomington.in.gov, detailing Women's History Month events.\n"Since the commission is a city organization, we assist in paying bills, publicizing events and other practical needs of theirs," Brenner said. \nThe Commission has been collecting data and statistics concerning women's economic, political and social standing in Bloomington and is planning to release a report about the status of women compared to men within the community sometime in the next few days.\nYet apart from their research responsibilities, the Commission has used the month to promote community events and recognize prominent Bloomington leaders. In honor of women's history, Gracia Valliant was honored with the Commission's 2005 Woman of the Year award at a March 9 luncheon. Valliant, a former Peace Corps volunteer, has been involved with Bloomington Developmental Learning Center and Habitat for Humanity and has also actively advocated special education reform.\n"I have known Gracia Valliant for many years and have long been impressed by her complete dedication to learning, education reform and to enriching the lives of others," said Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan. "(Valliant's) hard work and hands-on approach with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and Mujeres en Conexion have made Bloomington a better place to live." \nOther community organizations have followed that "hands-on" approach and used the month to highlight fund-raising events.\nMiddle Way House, Inc., an organization dedicated to ending violence in the lives of women and children, held a dance concert March 26 in honor of Women's History Month to raise money for Bloomington women who have been abused or are in need of community support. Middle Way House attempts to uphold its grassroots political approach to solving the problem of domestic disputes and violence by inviting the public to discuss their mission statement, according to the Middle Way House Web site..\n"Women come to us with a crisis, but also with strength and capacity which we try to help them realize," said Toby Strout, director of Middle Way House.\nThat strength is underscored by a proclamation issued by Mayor Kruzan, lying in a display case in City Hall commemorating March as Women's History Month. The document includes commentaries on women's historic nation-building contributions, leadership in progressive social change movements and notes the underappreciation of women by society at large.\n"Despite (their) contributions, the role of American women in history has been consistently overlooked and undervalued, in the literature, teaching, and study of American history," Kruzan wrote. "American women of every race, class, and ethnic background have made historic contributions to the growth and strength of our nation in countless recorded and unrecorded ways."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Michael Beal at mdbeal@indiana.edu.
(03/24/05 5:20am)
The land located just north of 17th Street between College Avenue and Walnut Street has a storied history. Purchased for $1 by the city in 1921, it eventually became Miller-Showers Park. For the next 80 years it existed as an easily flooded and hardly used strip of land near the north entry to the city. After three years of construction from 2001 to 2004, the park is now more important and valuable to the city than ever.\n"There has been a plan for renovation because the park looked about the same as it did in 1921," said Parks and Recreation Director Mick Renneisen, who has been in the department for 25 years. "We envisioned something more usable, with a better aesthetic quality." \nBloomington's Miller-Showers Park was recently given the Merit Award for Engineering Excellence by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Indiana, a trade association serving many leading engineering firms across the state. Bloomington and R.W. Armstrong Associates, Inc., the engineering company that designed the park, were the recipients of the award. \n"Miller-Showers Park adds to the quality of life of our citizens in terms of practical environmental improvement, improved aesthetics and as a recreational opportunity," said Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan.\nIU student Kristin Knies uses the park for its recreational purposes and also appreciates the park's unique function, she said.\n"I've read all of the information on the park; it's kinda neat," Knies said, having just finished her last lap around the park's one-kilometer trail. "It's nice to have somewhere to go in the middle of the city without traffic." \nTim George, vice president of R.W. Armstrong, credits both the park's aesthetic quality and its environmental purpose for earning the award.\n"This is the only park to be engineered as a storm water treatment facility, and the best part is that it's all natural, by use of ponds and wetlands," George said. "A lot of the downtown Bloomington storm water flows directly to the area of the park." \nMiller-Showers is the first park in Indiana to be designed specifically as a storm water treatment facility. Because pavement cannot absorb rainwater, ponds and creeks located directly adjacent to streets or parking lots are more likely to be polluted, because of silt and sediment caused by erosion. Federal Government's Rule 13 was passed in 2003 requiring cities to tend to storm water for the sake of water quality.\n"We, as well as the Utilities Department, recognized an opportunity to create something valuable," Renneisen said. "As the community grew, erosion was occurring from the storm water from dirt, grease and oil, off of roofs, cars (and) streets." \nThe grasslands that surround the ponds of Miller-Showers Park act as a filtration system by absorbing storm water that comes from impervious surfaces such as streets and sidewalks. Storm water from more than 170 acres of downtown Bloomington drains into the area where the park is located. Without these grassy areas, the water located at the park, as well as in the adjacent Cascades Creek, would be subject to sedimentary pollutants in the form of rainwater.\n"The park is still a work in progress from a nature standpoint; a lot of the vegetation we planted that will filter out the contaminants has yet to develop," Renneisen said. "They're starting to take samples of the water to measure purity, and we will be able to compare its condition year to year once the plants at the park fully mature." \nHe said the city has estimated a 70 percent improvement in water quality. \n"The improvements to Miller-Showers Park serve to enhance the beautiful entryway into our city," Renneisen said in a statement Monday, "and also serve as an outdoor classroom for the natural process of stormwater management and treatment." \n-- Contact Staff Writer Michael Beal at mdbeal@indiana.edu.
(03/10/05 4:32am)
Since Bloomington head-butted second-hand smoke with the recent smoking ban, cigarette butts outside of the city's bars have multiplied. The ban, requiring smokers to abstain from smoking inside Bloomington buildings and preferably at a "reasonable distance" from them, has meant more maintenance work for custodial employees at Kilroy's Sports Bar. \n"We have a sanitation staff on duty, and one of the first things they do every day is gather the cigarette butts that gather around the building," said Kilroy's owner Linda Prall. "There are lots and lots of cigarette butts every morning, and the problem has definitely gotten worse since the smoking ban," \nThe litter not only creates a hassle for bar employees -- the environment also might be paying a price. Indiana places cigarette-butt pollution under the category of nonpoint source pollution, or contamination that affects areas other than those at which it was originally deposited. The two largest contributors to nonpoint contamination are chemical fertilizers and dirt, but cigarettes also contribute. \nAccording to the fact sheet on nonpoint source pollution administered by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), the pollution is particularly a problem on surfaces that do not easily absorb water, such as streets and sidewalks. Litter like cigarette butts is washed into storm sewers and can be carried into waterways such as area rivers, lakes and groundwater.\nForty percent of surveyed waterways in Indiana are not clean enough to swim or fish in because of nonpoint contamination, according to the fact sheet. The effects of pollution entering waterways via sewers are gradual but extremely harmful not only to the condition of the water but also to aquatic animals, as pollutants can settle permanently into the tissue of exposed fish. \nThe IU campus also has a problem with cigarette butt litter. Although the rule requiring smokers to smoke 30 feet away from buildings has been in place longer than the city's ban, its level of enforcement is questionable, said Bruce Williams, a custodian at the Indiana Memorial Union. Williams said he doesn't even try to enforce the 30-foot rule because students will just disobey.\n"It hasn't gotten better since the 30-foot rule -- people stand right outside the doors," said Williams, who uses a lance to gather the butts cluttering the door areas of the Union. There had been a sign posted outside the back dock of the Union that read "No Smoking Within 30 Feet," but the sign soon was torn down, and butts continued to collect in that problem area, he said.\n"When I get off work it'll look pretty good, and the next day it'll be just as filthy again, they'll be everywhere, including in the flowers," Williams said. "I stay on top of it the best I can, but I also have a separate daily routine I have to do." \nRobert Norris, one of Williams' co-workers in maintenance, said Williams is the only person specifically in charge of cleaning up the litter.\n"As long as they have a Bruce, they don't see it as a problem," Norris said.\n-Contact Staff Writer Michael Beal at mdbeal@indiana.edu.
(02/28/05 5:12am)
One digital camera, one Palm Pilot, and more than $1,500 was stolen from the home of Bloomington's homeless and abandoned kitten and puppy population in the early morning hours of Feb. 18.\nMonroe County Animal Shelter personnel reported the crime later that morning. The MCAS shares office space with Bloomington Animal Care and Control. The criminals left the animals undisturbed. \nIU Police Department, serving a search warrant for a separate case, discovered the shelter's stolen digital camera at Elijah Rheichman's residence, thus making him a suspect for the burglary. \nHe was arrested with his girlfriend Jessica Chandler on Feb. 23 in Ft. Madison, Iowa. The two had traveled there in a stolen rental car following the burglary. \nThe Bloomington community has since risen to help the animal shelter overcome their loss of a firm sense of security in the workplace. \n"We've received some donations, and maintenance work is being done," said Sarah J. Hayes, BACC executive director. \nHayes bore the brunt of the crime more so than any of the other employees; the Palm Pilot taken was her own, whereas the digital camera was owned by the county. Hayes said she thought she likely lost the appliance permanently until she was notified Friday that it had been recovered and inventoried by local Iowan police personnel. \n"It was a gift I bought myself, it definitely had some meaning," she said. \nBACC Director Laurie Ringquist said the burglary did affect the sense of security and trust at the office. \nRheichman, the man arrested, was a former employee of the cleaning company which serves the animal shelter.\nHe had recently been terminated, but he still had his key to the shelter -- a similar key to the one used to gain illegal access to the building.\n"He would have been considered a suspect because he worked at the shelter, but there were a lot of people in that category," said Detective Sgt. David Drake of the Bloomington Police. \nHe is being formally charged with the crime while he is detained at a Monroe County Correctional Facility.\n"As far as I know the arrest went well," said IUPD Officer Rebecca Lucas, who was involved with the arrest because of a fraud case that Rheichman was already being charged with. \nFollowing the arrest, the stolen items were inventoried and the two suspects were taken to a local jail in Ft. Madison. Officer Lucas said Reichman was supposed to have been brought back to Bloomington either Saturday or Sunday. \nThe Monroe County Correctional Center was not available for comment at press time.\nOfficer Lucas said she has 100 percent confidence in Rheichman's guilt in the robbery, based on the evidence collected thus far.\n"They searched the house and found the stolen items from February's and other burglaries as well, including a stolen debit card which had belonged to an IU student," she said. \nA warrant for his arrest was being held by the IUPD for a credit card offense. However, the new burglary and robbery charges are the primary concern of local law enforcement.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Michael Beal at
(02/25/05 4:21am)
The Bloomington Police Department is investigating a Feb. 17 break-in to the building that houses both the Monroe County Humane Association and the Bloomington Animal Care and Control. A total of $1,500 was stolen from a safe inside the building, as well as a Palm Pilot, digital camera and other cash.\n"They're basically stealing from homeless puppies and kittens, so they have to be a pretty heartless person," said Sarah J. Hayes, Monroe County Humane Society executive director.\nDet. Sgt. David Drake, who heads the investigation, could not disclose the leads which he is pursuing in the case.\n"The investigation is underway: We don't want to give out too much information," Drake said.\nHe added that the burglary could result in jail time for the person or people involved in the crime. \n"Normally for a class C felony, jail time is necessary," he said. \nThe Humane Association and Animal Care and Control are taking steps together in response to the break-in.\n"We have changed some of our security and re-keyed the building," said Hayes. \nShe said she was unsure whether the break-in could have been prevented because a key was used in entry. \nLaurie Ringquist, Bloomington director of Animal Care and Control, is dealing with the aftermath of the incident by looking on the bright side.\n"It definitely affects our sense of security and trust around the office, but we have taken many security measures," Ringquist said. \nShe added that she was happy that only the offices were affected by the crime.\n"The area where the burglar went is not where the animals are kept, and the amount of money they stole will not affect the care of the animals," Ringquist said. \nBoth organizations said they were shocked that someone would break into nonprofit organizations.\n"I think it takes a pretty callous person to take from an organization whose every penny counts," Hayes said. \nThe safe contained an unusually high amount of money after a recent fund-raiser, Hayes said.\n"We encounter numerous burglaries of buildings every week here in Bloomington," Drake said. \nHe added he is adhering closely to professional procedure in handling this case.\n"We take burglary equally as serious for anyone in the city of Bloomington," Drake said. "We are not going to more aggressively pursue one case just because the City of Bloomington was a victim," \nThe groups also took measures to protect donor information in the wake of the theft. The parties listed on all the stolen checks were contacted by the Humane Association Friday to inform them that their check was stolen. Conclusions have been reached that no association employees were involved in the theft, according to a press release from the Humane Association. \n-- Contact Staff Writer Michael Beal at mdbeal@indiana.edu.
(02/16/05 6:13am)
Homeless shelters already strapped for the cash they need to combat homelessness might have to look to more private donations instead of federal and state funding. The Shalom Community Center, a local humanitarian aid agency, held a press conference Tuesday to discuss the increasing problem of dealing with homelessness and hunger in wake of budget cuts. The main issues addressed were the setbacks faced by agencies such as the Shalom Center because of federal funding cuts. \nJoel Rekas, executive director of Shalom Community Center, discussed ways that his organization helps the needy, with adequate funding.\n"What we do is we meet basic, immediate needs for people of the community," said Rekas, whose organization is volunteer-driven and mostly funded by private donations. \nAs well as serving about 150 people lunch every day, the Center offers other services such as providing a mailing address and giving financial and emotional support.\n"Much of what we do is intangible, many of these people simply lack the confidence to go out, get a job and succeed, and we work to build their confidence," Rekas said. \nThe Shalom Center worked with the Indiana Public Interest Research Group to execute "The 2004 Survey of Hunger and Homelessness in America," a study of aid agencies across the United States. The results found 78 percent of shelters turned away people in need of emergency shelter nationwide and 23 percent turned away people in need of food. \nINPIRG members such as junior Patricia Winkler hopes the shelters use these findings to their advantage when lobbying the legislature for social service funding.\n"This will be a basis for more advocacy. With these statistics as a reference, it will make for a more pointed case in our favor," Winkler said. "We wanted to get an idea of the level of need in the community," \nThe George W. Bush administration recently proposed to cut $1.8 billion from the Community Development Block Grant, a program that has existed since 1974 within the Department of Urban Housing and Development. The grant funds local programs to help the homeless nationwide.\nSocial service cuts, however, are not new, nor are they limited to the current administration, said Sabrina Williamson, assistant professor at the IU School of Social Work.\n"This has been a growing trend in the last few presidential administrations," Williamson said. \nWilliamson described a process called "devolution," in which the federal government gives less money to the states, and therefore the states are less able to allocate the aid needed in their specific region. She said this problem, more than anything, has been financially harmful to social services across the United States.\nBloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan gave an account of the local problem of homelessness, as well as his plans for reversing the problem. \n"The Jack Hopkins Social Service Fund of Bloomington uses actual city money toward the community," Kruzan said.\n"People usually think of social service as something that only the liberals strive for. In fact, it's a very conservative action on the part of government. Investing money directly to aid agencies will help ease the tax burden on citizens, and also prevent more serious problems down the road. Investing in people will pay dividends." \nKruzan also added that homelessness often correlates with a lack of access to resources needed to get jobs.\n"Many times there are plenty of jobs available to people who desperately need them," Kruzan said, "but either they lack transportation, or they are hindered in some other way from applying for the job," \n-- Contact Staff Writer Michael Beal at mdbeal@indiana.edu.
(02/11/05 6:03am)
In April of 2004 an IU student returned to his car at the Helene G. Simon Hillel Center to find it had been vandalized. The student was Jewish and the graffiti was full of anti-Semitic hate, with symbols including a swastika and the word "Jew."\nBloomington responded in full force by holding a rally and raising funds to repair the damage. No suspects were found, but a community came together to showcase their intolerance for hate.\nIn their commitment to diversity and social progress, both Bloomington and IU have taken it upon themselves to build an environment where prejudice is not only unwelcome but actively managed. Numerous organizations and community members have given IU students an outlet to direct their concerns and fears -- to help them deal with the unfortunate realities of hate. \nShane Windmeyer, national coordinator of Stop the Hate -- a national "campus bias & hate crime prevention program" for universities across the country, is co-founder of a Web project known as www.tolerance.org, for students and other community members wanting to learn methods of hate speech response. The Web site was designed to "fight hate and promote tolerance" and features daily news about groups and individuals fighting to reduce hate, as well as guidebooks and other resources for community members wanting to learn methods of protest response. \nWindmeyer said he believes in students handling volatile situations of hate and bigotry across campus communities.\n"We want students to feel like they should speak out," Windmeyer said. "Sometimes silence speaks louder than words."\nDoug Bauder, coordinator of IU's Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Student Support Services on campus, said the GLBT center is involved with helping students to steer clear of hateful incidents. Last year Bauder handled a case involving an IU student living in Collins Living-Learning Center who received a call from an unknown person. The unidentified caller uttered the words "I kill faggots" over the phone. \nBauder said this type of hateful action can be grounds for University sanction, suspension and even expulsion if the hate speech is committed on campus.\n"Even if it's not criminal but just hateful, it's against campus policy of keeping with the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct," Bauder said. "(The Code) works to preserve the physical, mental, and ethical growth of students and the development of the human spirit of all the members of the IU community."\nThe IU campus features specialized incidents teams whose mission statements include quelling the presence of hatred and bigotry on campus. The Racial Incidents Team, The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Anti-Harassment Team, The Gender Incidents Team and the Religious Bias Incidents Team all work toward two main objectives: to assist and support student victims of discrimination and to document the incident so that discrimination can be addressed with the utmost effectiveness.\nDirector and Attorney for the Bloomington Human Rights Commission Barbara McKinney holds a realist's perspective on community-wide discrimination and hate-related misconduct.\nMcKinney said a lack of hate speech attention is oftentimes effective because the perpetrator of certain acts just wants to become the topic of conversation. Depriving them of that satisfaction is often a victory in itself, McKinney said.\n"Possibly the best thing to do is ignore it," McKinney said. "It depends on what the message is."\nBauder said not all hate crime on campus or within Bloomington city limits is reported, investigated or prosecuted. He said the action of the response teams is "not meant to be punitive, just educational." He said the incident response teams leave criminally bigoted acts, for the most part, in the hands of local law enforcement agencies.\n"It's entirely victim-driven as to whether or not action will be taken, sometimes people choose not to," Bauder said. "Our purpose is to provide support and mediation, and the team deals more with non-criminal incidents, such as comments and hurtful gestures,"\nWindmeyer said he realizes the inevitability of the existence of underlying hatred in large communities, and he addresses this issue in nationwide campus speeches he gives on behalf of the Stop the Hate movement.\n"Everyone has the right to hate; no one has the right to act on that hate through threats, assault, vandalism or any other transgression," he said.\nBauder said he endeavors to make the involvement of the response teams something that can be accessible and desirable to all students who are victims of hateful acts -- giving them a clear, easy, risk-free route to take in reaction. Most response teams only accept hate incident reports during typical business hours. \n"The student can report to one of the incidents teams, and the teams will take an active response and allow the victim to determine what they want to do," Bauder said. "Mediation and educational prevention are encouraged ... There used to be a hotline on campus (for students to call at night)." \nFirst Call for Help, found in the phone book, is one route to take for a victimized student or Bloomington citizen who wishes to discuss his or her grievance at any time. First Call represents an immediate outlet for hate victims throughout the Bloomington community, maintaining service 24 hours a day and offering references to countless help and support groups around the city.\nGraduate student Meghan Miller, First Call office coordinator, said she has handled a wide variety of cases in her short time at the organization. First Call is officially affiliated with the United Way.\n"We handle everything from people who need clothing, who have disabilities, who need shelter or any other kind of need," Miller said. "A lot of times they don't know where to go to first."\nThe Safe & Civil City Program, headed by Marsha Bradford, is a program in the mayor's office that lays the groundwork for a harmonious urban environment in Bloomington. The program embodies the collaboration of numerous citywide organizations from law enforcement agencies to citizen groups.\nPersons who are interested in organizing a protest in response to hate speech or hate acts should be aware of the city's policy on protests. Information on legal protests as well as the city's stance on any hate-resolution related issue can be found at http://bloomington.in.gov/safe.\n"The City of Bloomington has long been committed to positive responses to hate incidents in this community," Bradford said. "The IU contingent is hard at work at developing creative and comprehensive responses to hate incidents on campus."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Michael Beal at mdbeal@indiana.edu.
(02/02/05 4:21am)
The Indiana Senate Education Committee endorsed legislation Thursday to curb bullying in Indiana schools. The bill calls for a universal definition of bullying and will allow grant money from the Safe Schools Fund to help finance bullying prevention.\n"It's a big problem in our schools today already, but it's growing," said State Sen. Thomas J. Wyss (R-15th District), one of the authors of the bill. \nHe said the bill would create "a subcommittee of the Safe School Committee on how to identify bullying and what to do if it becomes a problem."\nEach Indiana school, grades K-12, is already required to have a Safe School Committee in place. Gale Hill, principal of Bloomington's Tri-North Middle School, said she feels like her school is already handling bullying sufficiently.\n"We work on it all the time," Hill said. "Bullying is harassment, and our school handbook has six pages on handling harassment,"\nHe added that females increasingly have become both likely to bully and susceptible to harassment from bullies.\n"It starts with name calling," Wyss said, "but we have also had instances of physical harm done to young female students," \nParents of children who were victims of serious harassment instances gave testimony on the Senate floor, which Wyss knew would touch the Education Committee.\n"In addition to the horrific instances of school shootings that we have all heard of, there are also many cases of bullying that are not made public," Wyss said. \nThe senator gave an account of a girl who had attempted suicide in eighth grade because of bullying, most of which happened in school.\nThe bill, which was co-authored by Sens. Earline Rogers, Connie Sipes, Rose Ann Antich-Carr and Dennis Kruse, won the approval of the Education Committee by a count of 9 to 2. Under the proposed plan, school safety specialists must be trained by each school specifically in the area of anti-bullying.\n"We want to be able to provide safety specialists in order to teach the teachers what to look for," Wyss said, "and also make children aware of the problem it becomes,"\nPrincipal Gale Hill, however, seems already to have a firm grasp on her school's safety with a systematic procedure for bullying prevention.\n"Monroe County School Corporation has a whole policy on harassment," Hill said, "including verbal, non-verbal and physical cases,"\nShe said that it takes individuals sticking their necks out and owning up to their involvement in particular incidents to realize the problem of bullying and thus curb the problem.\n"The problem sometimes is that no one wants to be a snitch," Hill said. "A child may go home and tell his or her parent, and the parent may call me with a complaint, but by that time it's hard to prove wrongdoing," \n-- Contact Staff Writer Michael Beal \nat mdbeal@indiana.edu.
(01/28/05 7:26am)
Musical artist Paris started off his Thursday-night performance at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater with an emotional poem recited by a friend. The poem, as well as Paris' entire set, was dedicated to the tsunami victims in Asia as a part of the Tsunami Relief Benefit Show. All of the proceeds raised by the concert are to be sent to the Red Cross.\nThe band Salaam, also featured at the benefit, has historically been eager to acknowledge Eastern issues.\n"We have always had humanitarian aims in our philosophy," said Dena, Salaam's violinist. "I would love to be able to go there and give lots of money, but as a musician this is something we can actually do." \nBrandon Williams, member of the Indiana Public Interest Research Group and head coordinator of the concert, said that groups campus-wide have pitched in to help the victims.\n"In no way are we the primary student group for tsunami relief," Williams said. "There are many other student groups involved."\nINPIRG rented out the Buskirk-Chumley Theater for the show, and the result was a low-key and touching commemorative event. E.J. Ernsberger, the Buskirk-Chumley Tech Director, noticed a different mood at the theatre Thursday night.\n"It's really quite subdued," said Ernsberger. "It's usually a lot more noisy and rowdy."\nA unique crowd emerged for the special occasion, including Bloomington resident Julia Reardin.\n"I don't come out to things like this often," said Reardin. "If I'm going to come out and spend money on something, it might as well go to a good cause like this, rather than just to corporations." \nJenn Christy was the first act to perform. Her bright, throaty voice, along with her three-person, jazz-rock rhythm section, played as if they were on a mission.\n"This is an excellent reason to be listening to music," said Christy, addressing the crowd between songs. "There is never enough money to make up for 200,000 lost lives overseas." \nParis, who performed after Christy, was followed by the piano-folk music of Sophia Travis. The last act to perform was Salaam. \nAll proceeds from the concert are going to the Red Cross specifically for tsunami relief. Christine McGinley, coordinator of community events for the Monroe County American Red Cross, has appreciated the campus-wide readiness to lend a financial or spirited hand to the victims.\n"Often times we end up being the primary support group, although it is not our goal to be the most important organization for humanitarian aid," said McGinley of her organization. \nAccording to McGinley, the campus sorority Chi Omega held a vigil in recognition of the disaster, the International Business Association held a relief concert at Kilroy's Sports Bar and the Indian Student Association has also participated in the relief effort through the Red Cross.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Michael Beal at
(11/21/03 5:15am)
The IU Vocal Contemporary Ensemble and the Latin American Music Center will present a concert Sunday featuring composer and conductor Juan Trigos. The program will take place at 8 p.m. in Auer Hall.\n"(Trigos) is a really well-known composer in Mexico," said Carelle Flores, graduate assistant at the Latin American Music Center. "He's been rehearsing with the choir all week." \nTrigos has produced a number of compositions.\n"I lose them, (it's so) many, I don't remember," Trigos said. \nHighlighting the night will be Trigos' conduction of his own piece, "Missa Cunctipotens Genitor."\n"Missa Cunctipotens Genitor," fuses two different musical styles together -- Gregorian chant, a medieval choral style, and contemporary styles.\n"It's kind of a technique from medieval times," Trigos said. \nTrigos said he is looking forward to the concert.\n"I'm conducting more outside of Mexico," Trigos said of his recent professional years. "It's very nice to be here." \nTrigos was last at IU in 1996 for the Crossroads of Traditions Music Festival.\nTrigos said although composing and conducting an original piece is difficult for students and the artist, it is just as rewarding.\n"When you make new music you feel like you are making a contribution to the culture," Trigos said.\nAs far as influences are concerned, Trigos said all composers are influenced by everything they experience. \n"We are a kind of professional thieves," Trigos said. \nBut he also said he has been particularly influenced by composer Bela Bartok and his teacher Franco Donatoni. \n"My music is very particular, unique," Trigos said when asked about his style. \nTrigos will also be conducting a piece entitled "De Profundis," written by Mexican composer Joaquin Gutierrez-Heras.\n"She is very important in Mexico," said Trigos of his fellow Mexican composer. \nTrigos said the influences of Gutierrez-Heras are highly classical. \n"It's not really contemporary stuff," he said.\nCarmenTellez, who also heads the Latin American Music Center here on campus, will be conducting "Though Under Medium," which will top off the night, a piece by American composer Eric Richards. "(He) has experimented with positioning the singers in front of and around the conductor to create a more enveloping effect," said Tellez of Richards' expertise.\n"She did a wonderful job with both pieces," Trigos said of Tellez. \nThe Latin American Music Center has featured many highly-touted guests in the recent past, particularly for the "Inter-American Composition Workshops" and the "Latin American Popular Music Ensemble." \nAmong these guests were Pulitzer prize winners George Crumb and John Corigliano.\nThe Latin American Music Center also recently commissioned a Mexican mass by composer Mario Lavista.\n"This work earned the reward of 'Best Classical Music Recording in Mexico,'" Tellez said. \n-- Contact staff writer Michael Beal at mdbeal@indiana.edu.
(11/17/03 9:17pm)
Bear's Place and the Al Cobine Septet celebrated the late jazz composer Hoagy Carmichael Thursday night on what would be Carmichael's 104th birthday. The band played mostly Carmichael songs, opening the show with "Back Home in Indiana," introduced by Mike Lucas.\nCarmichael graduated from the IU School of Law in the 1920s and became an established jazz composer and musician during his life.\nThe next song, "Too Close for Comfort," featured a piano solo by Lucas heavy with improvisation.\nThe ability to ad lib is a staple of every great jazz musician said David Miller, founder and director of Jazz Fables. \nThe song also featured a trumpet solo by Mark Buselli. Throughout the show, the jazz sound was insulated by the support of baritone saxophone player Elliott Jackson.\nCobine's band proceeded with a medley of Carmichael tunes both fast and slow. Cobine, the leader of the band, kept the group together throughout the years. The introductory riff was provided by trombone player Dave Pavolka, who made a further statement later in the song with a solo eventually blanketed by the other instruments. \nTopping off a feel-good first set was the upbeat "Bernie's Tune," which saw another trombone solo and Cobine's first sax solo of the night. \nDeno Sanders, the band's drummer and IU music school alumnus, provided concise rhythm. Sanders said he considers himself somewhat of a "local favorite" in Bloomington, having played here for many years in bars and other small venues. His first gig was a wedding, an opportunity given to him by the Cobine. \nSanders said he feels "indebted to Al for the privilege of playing with him." \nThe Septet touched on a wide variety of old jazz arrangements, including the universally familiar "Heart and Soul." Cobine initiated the melody for this classic. By the second set, most people in the crowd of all age groups were tapping their feet and bobbing their heads.\nAl Kamarauskas, a casual jazz fan in attendance, said he expected an evening of soothing jazz to round out a hectic week. Kamarauskas, from Arizona, said he was particularly impressed by the show.\n"(The music scene in Bloomington) seems pretty big for a town this size," he said. \nCobine said during the set break he has worked with the likes of Carmichael and Tony Bennett, as well as many female vocalists such as Petula Clark, famous for the oldies classic "Downtown." He was also a member of Bob Hope's accompanying band when he was in town for the opening of Assembly Hall on campus. \nThursday night jazz through Jazz Fables, an organization founded and directed by Miller, has existed since 1989, creating a jazz music scene in Bloomington by providing concerts every Thursday night.\n"It brings a different kind of people in here" from the usual bar crowd, said Bear's employee Mike Scott.\n-- Contact staff writer Michael Beal at mdbeal@indiana.edu.