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(07/25/02 8:23pm)
After the Thomas Hart Benton murals were displayed at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair, they sat forgotten in a barn until Herman B Wells rescued them. They now adorn the walls of several campus buildings, including the IU Auditorium. \nThe murals were Wells' most famous art find, but not his only one.\nAn exhibit, "Living With Art: The Legacy of Herman B Wells," at the IU Art Museum will showcase the pieces he rescued or retrieved during his many travels from the 1930s until his death in 2000. \nThe exhibit starts Saturday.\n"Dr. Wells was, in a way, the patron saint of the arts in Bloomington," said Brian Kearney, director of development for the IU Art Museum. "He loved the arts and envisioned an excellent University-based art museum. Today the IU Art Museum is the best in the country." \nThe paintings, prints, watercolors, sculptures and furnishings on display were part of his donation to the IU Art Museum and the Campus Art Collection.\nThe exhibit contains art and furniture from his 10th Street residence, the Indiana Memorial Union and Woodburn House, which was his residence for many years while he was University president. Also of interest are small-scale versions of the "Birth of Venus" sculpture in Showalter Fountain and a working model of Alexander Calder's sculpture in front of the Musical Arts Center.\nAssociate professor James Capshew, who is writing a biography of Wells and who was one of Wells' houseboys, said Wells grew into a great love of art.\n"He was not a connoisseur. His taste in art developed over the years and was more of an emotional attachment." \nWhat started as an exploration to relieve stress developed into a taste for collecting antiques and works of art and resulted in a personal collection that tells the story of his wide-ranging taste and travels, from England to Southeast Asia and back to the hills of Brown County.\n"He thought of the entire campus as his home and wanted it to reflect the finest things of life that people had created. He appreciated art in all venues, settings and expressions," Capshew said. \nThe exhibit will include on-the-wall artwork and unusual works like gongs and sounding sculptures.\nKathleen Foster, the museum's curator of 19th and 20th century art, explained that as a small-town Indiana boy, Wells had an idea about university experience. The impact of art on his own life and the knowledge that many Hoosier students would not be able to travel the world, made him determined to bring the world to Bloomington, Foster said. \n"What impressed me the most," she said, "was the scope of his vision for the arts at Indiana University -- beginning with his notion of a 'Fine Arts Plaza' at the heart of the campus that would gather great musicians and performers, the treasures of the Lilly Library and the studios and galleries of the fine arts department. All in one central place." \nThe result, she added, is one of the greatest music schools in the world and one of the best university art museums in the country.\nWells believed art should be a part of everyday experience, and the exhibit is aimed to reflect that, Foster said.\nFoster said Wells' life was full of art.\n"He treated people as though they, too, were works of art, to be treasured and treated with kindness, courtesy and respect. He also lived with art; beautiful art chosen because he loved it and it enriched his life on a daily basis, adding to the civility, grace and poetry of his life," Foster said.\nIU Art Museum Director Adelheid M. Gealt said a special advisory committee was formed by the museum to help raise funds for the exhibit, gather ideas for programs and help raise awareness for the exhibit. The committee consisted of Wells' friends and colleagues and raised more than $25,000 in support of the show.\nThe exhibition runs from Saturday until Dec. 23.
(10/08/01 5:54am)
An excellent photojournalist of national renown who shaped, if not changed, history, yet was incredibly modest. A warm hearted, loving and highly dedicated, friend, parent and teacher. A guide, a man who shaped many careers and who allowed and encouraged talent to flourish. A man with a lively sense of humor.\nWill Counts was all of that and more to those who knew him. Counts died of cancer Saturday night at his home in Bloomington at the age of 70. Counts lived in Bloomington since 1960. He retired in 1995, having taught at IU for 32 years.\nHe is survived by his wife Vivian, daughters Claudia Counts and Kate Lattimer and sons Wyett Counts and Robert McRae.\nHis passing will be mourned by many more than just his immediate family. \n"I am very saddened by the passing away of such a wonderful person as Will," said John Ahlhauser, a close friend and a retired journalism professor. "I was full of admiration for what he has accomplished. He was an exciting person to know, always on top of the news and innovative in the way he presented it."\nAhlhauser was with Counts for much of the last few days.\n"In his early photographs, he doesn't look like much more than a boy from high school and that's \npretty much what he was when he took the Little Rock Nine pictures," Ahlhauser said.\nThe images Counts captured during the integration efforts of the Little Rock Central High School earned him lifelong fame.\nCounts was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1957 for the photograph of a single black girl, Elizabeth Ekford, walking amongst a crowd of angry white people. The Associated Press named the photograph as one of the top 100 photographs of the century.\nCounts worked at the Arkansas Democrat in Little Rock as a photographer-editor and at the Associated Press before he began teaching.\n"Will Count's photographs have a life of their own and will outlive Will himself by hundreds of years" said Steve Raymer, an assistant journalism professor.\nCounts was a true news photojournalist, Raymer said.\n"He wasn't one of the pack. He wasn't looking for personal fame and that's what makes his work even more important," Raymer said. \nAnd yet, he was modest.\nUntil President Bill Clinton wrote Counts a letter for his retirement praising his work and his contribution to photojournalism, his daughter Kate Lattimer said she was unaware of her father's fame.\n"I had no idea how important was the work he did -- that he was so famous. Even after, he would always stop me from discussing him and praising him to my friends."\nBesides being modest about his own talent, Counts was appreciative of others' work too.\n"He did not impose his style on his students. Rather he encouraged them to be innovative, to experiment, to discover their own talent," said Trevor Brown, dean of the School of Journalism. \n"He was a pioneer in the field. What's more, he not only told a great story, he liked hearing one too," Brown said. "He was modest but with a lively sense of humor and tremendously committed. He is the reason for the distinguished careers of scores of his students."\nNot least for daughter Claudia Counts, who was a photo editor for The Associated Press.\n"He taught me the important values of life like honesty and integrity. He was the reason I chose photojournalism"
(04/23/01 4:40am)
The referee tossed the ball, and the battle for possession started. Players zipped around the court at full speed, expertly passing the ball and looking for open spaces in the opposition defense to hoop the first basket for their team. \nThe game had all the excitement of any competitive basketball event with one difference -- the players were all in wheelchairs.\nThe Lafayette Spinners, in conjunction with the Disabled Student Association and Abilities Unlimited, held a wheelchair basketball match Sunday at the University Gymnasium. \nThe game was the second in a row after a gap of six years. The first event was held in 1994. The game was a fundraiser for camp scholarships for children with disabilities within the Monroe County area. \n"We are aiming to raise about $5,000 to send about 20 children to various camps," said Judith DeMilo, president of the Abilities Unlimited board. \nThe money comes from tickets, food and T-shirts sold at the event and from private and corporate donations. Many students brought food purchased with their extra meal points and donated it to be sold at the game, she said. \nFormer Hoosier and NCAA player Archie Dees and fellow NCAA ex-player Landon Turner, who lost his legs was in an accident, turned out and played with the Spinners. \n"The last time I played, a few years ago, I was totally outdone and out-maneuvered," he said, and quipped, "But these guys are nice, despite being from Lafayette."\nThe Spinners played among themselves and while in the second half, they played against women's basketball coach Kathi Bennett and women's basketball players. Matt Bollant and Trish Belthauser coached the team. \nA gasp went up from the audience when one of the players' wheelchairs tipped over and the player fell out. But the players continued on unphased, and Spinners' captain and coach Eric Muller came to the sidelines and informed the audience, "We usually have about one chair-tipping over every five minutes, and so far, we've just had one more than halfway through the first half. So this is a good game."\nSenior center Jelena Lazic said while some players were nervous, it was also exciting to be participating in the game. \n"It's just neat to be here, but we tried to practice and I was so scared that my chair would turn over because it kept tipping back," she said.\nAnother wheelchair tipped over as two players crashed into each other in an attempt to gain possession of the ball, causing Lazic to laugh nervously. Almost in reply to her, a player shouted from the court, "Don't worry, we will be nicer when we play with you."\nThe atmosphere remained competitive but friendly in the second half. When IU women, playing with some of the Spinners on their team, couldn't hold onto the ball, Lazic put the ball under her T-shirt and zipped across the court to try and score a basket. \nAnother time, another player seeing that the ball was going to pass her by if she stayed in the wheelchair, got up, grabbed the ball and quickly passed it to another player before getting back into her wheelchair, sending the audience laughing and the players shouting in friendly and good-humored protest.\nMuller said the Spinners were a community team with people from various regions and varying from 15 to 56 years old. \n"It's difficult to raise the money to maintain the team, but we want to keep it going because there are only three such teams in all of Indiana. Indianapolis had a team earlier, which was broken up, but now they are trying to rebuild it again," he said.
(04/09/01 6:11am)
Three hundred fifty participants made a mad dash for 3,000 plastic eggs spread over Bryan Park, 1200 S. Woodlawn Ave., for the third annual Egg Scramble Saturday. \nThe move from Cascades Park, where the first two events were held, to Bryan Park was part of the public demand for a larger area.\nParticipants jetted through an acre-and-a-half for prizes including car washes, sodas, movie passes, food vouchers and one grand prize of a weekend of two at the Beechwood Inn in French Lick, Ind. \nThe 21-and-over egg scramble, with a $6 entry fee, was held by the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department. The idea was the brainchild of Becky Barrick, community events manager for Bloomington Parks and Recreation. \nThe event sold out well in advance. The scramble was held in the dark starting after 8 p.m. Participants started arriving before the sign-in time of 6:30 p.m. \n"Each egg has at the least a piece of candy in it. But, most also have other things like Cokes and food and movie passes," said Cindy Miller, marketing coordinator for the scramble. "Everyone is asked to line up at a startline and then the line is cut and everyone just rushes to go out and gather as many eggs as they can," she said.\nParticipants compete individually or in twos and threes, but more often, they participate as groups. Bloomington residents Joyce and Jimmy Purtlebaugh, Rob Arnett and Mitchell Natalie formed a team. \nWe are just playing kids," Joyce said. "And, of course, there are all the cool prizes. Last time we won car washes and ice cream cones and pop and basketballs and lots of stuff." \n"We could definitely do with a weekend away," Jimmy said.\nMany weren't able to participate -- either because they were underage or they didn't pre-register. Those who didn't had to be turned back.\n"The maximum we can accommodate is 350; we just can't take any more than that," Miller said. \nBloomington residents Celeste Wolfinger, 25, and Eddy Riou, 26, were the first to arrive. Saturday was their second scramble. They said the prizes weren't as important as the event itself.\n"We did win a lot of pop and bird seed and candy and all that. But the main thing is the scramble itself," Wolfinger said. "I had expected the eggs to be hidden. I also thought the event would take some time, but it was over in, like, minutes."\nMost participants came equipped with flashlights and bags to carry their precious cargo. Many wore caving helmets because they wanted their hands free to collect more eggs.\nBloomington residents David Kaspar and Mike Jackson were first-time participants. "We can win all those cool prizes and its only $6," Kaspar said.
(04/02/01 6:04am)
Two demonstrations in Bloomington this weekend kicked off a week of protest over the prosecution of local activist Frank Ambrose. Neither rally ended peacefully, and one ended with six people in jail.\nFriday, about 20 bicyclists rode down Kirkwood in protest. Bloomington Police Department Sgt. Bob Neely said about seven bicycle officers from the BPD and the IU Police Department were deployed to Kirkwood to maintain order and clear the way for vehicular traffic.\nOfficers told bicyclists to pull over to the right lane and not block traffic, but they resisted, Neely said. Deputy chief Randy Williamson advised officers that if the bicyclists refused to yield to traffic and did not clear the lanes, they should be arrested, Neely said. \nSix protesters were arrested, Neely said.\nLocal activists are holding a week of resistance in protest before a court hearing for Frank Ambrose April 5. Ambrose was arrested earlier this year and charged with tree spiking. \nBloomington resident Nancy Rinehart, 49, was one of the protesters arrested, Neely said. She and bicyclist Michael Andrews, 49, did not yield to traffic and also resisted arrest, police said. Between the ninth and 10th block of Walnut Street, Andrews pushed into BPD officer Cory Grass and pinned him under his bike, police reports said. \nAndrews also tried to stop the officer from arresting Rinehart, police reports said. Grass remained pinned under the bike until other officers forcibly removed the pair and arrested them, police said. \nBoth were charged with a class D felony for battery of a police officer. Other charges included resisting a law enforcement officer, disorderly conduct and obstructing traffic. \nBPD officer Brandon Lopossa had bruises on his right knee and a minor scrape on his left knee from trying to move another bicyclist, junior Ian Phillips, Neely said. Phillips was charged with battery of a police officer, resisting a law enforcement officer, obstruction of traffic and disorderly conduct, Neely said.\nAnother person also tried to hit Lopossa on the back of the head, police said. He was arrested by detective Rick Helms, Neely said.\nAmong the other people arrested were Shane Becker, 21, and Matthew Heidrich, 18, for resisting a law enforcement officer, disorderly conduct and obstructing traffic, and 47-year-old Alan Murray for obstructing traffic.\n"These people protest against anything and everything," Neely said. "Even bystanders at the happening on Sunday said things like, 'This is stupid' and 'Why don't you guys get a job.' So it wasn't as if they were garnering any support. They are just causing trouble."\nBut junior Bryan Baltzell witnessed the event, and his account told a different tale. He said he got to the scene late but saw police trying to clear the way for drivers. Baltzell said he noticed the contrast that the protesters were singing, and the police were shouting. \nHe said the scene was chaotic.\n"I knew the bike ride was the initial protest meeting of Frank Ambrose's arrest. It was sort of like the first event of education demonstrating events. It dampened the moment. This was a nice peaceful bicycle ride and the police, well, you know … it didn't work out very well."\nAll of them were later released from the Monroe County Correctional Center, except for Andrews, who remained in the jail late Sunday night.\nIn another demonstration Sunday, Bloomington resident Marie Mason chained herself to the steering wheel of a truck, while Cody Haggerty secured himself to the rear axle of a 1982 Chevy Blazer outside Old Navy, 2894 W. Third St., Sunday. Firemen had to use the jaws of life to release them. \nPolice officers said at least eight to 10 police officers, six to eight firemen and an ambulance crew were sent to the store Sunday.\n"Almost our entire patrol was out there on just the west side, while there were just two officers patrolling the rest of the city. Thank God we did not have any major accidents or anything of the sort happening today," Neely said.\nNo arrests were made, but the protesters were warned that unless they left the premises peacefully, they could be arrested for trespassing. \n"He can break his neck, I don't give a shit," Jerry Gates, owner of the Whitehall Plaza property, said of Haggerty. Gates had to pay for the removal of the vehicle from the premises.\n"We had to negotiate with them before they would agree to let themselves be released with the help of firemen," said patrol officer Randy Gehlhausen. "But, thankfully, the whole thing went off peacefully and nothing happened"
(03/30/01 3:32am)
Wednesday, the Bloomington city council authorized the appropriation of $250,000 to renovate the Frank Southern Center ice skating area.\nMick Renneisen, Parks and Recreation Department director, said another $300,000 had already been raised to help provide finances for the renovations. Of this, $150,000 came from a previous grant from the council, $50,000 from a Lilly grant and $100,000 from the Build Indiana Fund. \n"There would still be a slight shortage in finances if we were to make all the renovations that we want to, but efforts are already on to raise more money," Renneisen said.\nPlanned renovations include fixing roads and providing the arena with better insulation as well as upgrading the electrical service and repairing motor room controls.\nRenneisen also wants to replace light fixtures with fewer but more efficient fixtures as well as restructure the lobby area and install an air conditioning system and dehumidifier for the entire building. He also wants to improve ventilation in the locker rooms.\nRenneisen said added features such as the dehumidifier will facilitate the functioning of the rink for a longer time than is possible now.\nThe Parks Department negotiated a guaranteed energy savings contract with Energy Systems Group, Inc., which is expected to save an estimated $30,000 a year in energy during a 10-year period.\nBut Bud Nixon, chairman of the Ice Skating Task Force, said he is supportive of the authorizations.\n"They are like the $20 fixes, which really do not serve the purpose," he said of the previous changes. \nHe said most of the proposed changes are behind the scenes and would not even be seen by the public. He also said the changes would go a long way in increasing the utility of the building and making it a permanent fixture in the community.\nCouncilman David Sabbagh, R-5th, had different concerns. He asked whether the renovations would lead to the rink being open year-round and whether it could be used and rented out for social events and parties. \nRenneisen answered that the rink already was being used for other purposes and the renovations would allow an increase in use.\n"It will grant people the assurance that the rink is here to stay and remove the present uncertainty of whether the rink will even open its doors next year," Renneisen said.
(03/09/01 4:35am)
The city council rejected a proposal for "review and reorganization" of the city's local boards and commissions 6-3 in its meeting Wednesday at City Hall. \nThe ordinance, proposed by councilmen Jason Banach, R-II, and David Sabbagh, R-V, would require all the local boards and commissions to be reviewed by the council every four years. \nStatutory boards would not be covered under this ordinance, according to the first of two amendments proposed by Sabbagh. The second amendment spread the review proposal over four years instead of having all the boards and commissions reviewed at once. Both the amendments were passed before the ordinance was voted down.\n"I do not think it is good legislation … It's as simple as that," said council member Tim Mayer, D-At Large. \nSabbagh said he stood behind his legislation.\n"I think the ordinance should be passed and I hope that everyone present will change their mind in the next two minutes and vote in favor of it," he said before the vote.\nCouncilman Anthony Pizzo, R-At Large, who abstained from voting on the first amendment and voted against the second amendment and the ordinance itself, said a similar "sunrise" ordinance had been implemented earlier. \n"At the end of four years, they found it was a waste of time, and repealed it," he said. "I predict the same with this ordinance if it is accepted."\nSabbagh said the ordinance was a way of keeping council members informed about what was going on in the various boards. \n"It is necessary, not only for us but for the public," he said. "There needs to be more active interaction than a ton of paper in our mailboxes."\nMost council members denied that is the case.\nCouncil President Patricia Cole, D-I, said most of the work done on these boards is by volunteers, people "who put in their very best." She said there are excellent and detailed reports and calendars made available to the council and to the public. All the meetings of these boards are open to the public as well, she said.\n"Anyone who is interested in finding out more, should go to one of the meetings," she said. \nAndy Ruff, D-At Large, commended Sabbagh for the amount of time and effort he had put into the ordinance and for coming up with the amendments to plug any loopholes. \n"But I am not comfortable with the ordinance itself and I do not think it is necessary, so I am going to vote against it," he said.\nSabbagh said he was disappointed that the council members were not ready to accept the ordinance. \nThose who voted against the ordinance were Pizzo, Mayer, Ruff, Gaal, Michael Diekoff and Cole. Sabbagh, Banach and Jeffrey Willsey voted in favor.
(03/06/01 5:45am)
Rachael Honegger, the women's basketball player who was convicted in October of forgery, was dismissed from the women's basketball team after she was arrested Sunday. \nShe was arrested for violating house arrest from the original forgery conviction, police said. \nHonegger was arrested at 1:16 p.m. Sunday on the 3900 block of West Roll Avenue, said Capt. Joe Qualters of the Bloomington Police Department. Judge David Welch issued a warrant for her arrest, Qualters said. \nHonegger, who had been placed under house arrest instead of incarceration, had been advised that she had to get permission from her probation officer every time she left her home. She had been getting permission to go to her basketball games, including the Big Ten tournament in Grand Rapids, Mich., last weekend.\nIowa eliminated IU from the tournament Saturday 81-76.\nAuthorities were apparently unable to locate Honegger after that, and Welch issued a warrant for her arrest Sunday afternoon. \nIn October, Honegger had pleaded guilty to forgery for embezzling from her previous employer, the Ellettsville IGA. She was forced to pay back about $13,000. Welch gave her a three-year prison sentence, with all but six months suspended, and she had been placed under house arrest.\nPending investigation, IU President Myles Brand suspended Honegger from the team for five games. After reviewing the decision, the Faculty Athletics Committee had recommended that she be allowed to play on the team again. \nCommittee chairman Bruce Jaffee, a business school professor, said the committee had reviewed both the specifics of her situation and the procedures in place internally and externally for dealing with student-athlete misconduct.\nThe 19-member group had concluded in its report that Honegger's case had not been handled properly by the athletics department "through no fault of her own."\nJaffee said he was disappointed Honegger didn't take advantage of being able to continue playing.\n"It was very unfortunate that this should happen, especially after the committee had recommended that she be given a second chance," he said.\nHandling the matter internally, the team -- which will play in the postseason -- immediately dismissed Honegger. \nIn a faxed statement, Coach Kathi Bennett said, "I gave Rachael a second chance, and she did not take advantage of that opportunity." \nBennett said she wouldn't comment further, saying it would violate Honegger's legal rights.\nHonegger had been allowed to play on senior night last Thursday against Illinois, after serving a five-game suspension. \nSusan Dillman, spokeswoman for Brand's office, said the president did know about Honegger's arrest. \nIn a press statement, the president said the Faculty Athletics Committee had unanimously asked for her suspension to be revoked and he felt that had been the right decision at that point. \n"But it is obvious she failed to take advantage of the second chance she had been given," he said, adding that he fully supported the latest decision to dismiss her from the team.\nHonegger is being held at the Monroe County Correctional Center without bail until her next court appearance.
(03/05/01 5:07am)
Stacy Ream said she believes it's a moral imperative to have a juvenile detention center.\nReam is the chairwoman of the programming subcommittee of the Monroe County Juvenile Facility Committee. She is also a parent who has faced the trauma of a child being held in detention, she said.\nReam, whose 14-year-old daughter had to be sent to an out-of-town facility for special treatment, feels that it is extremely frustrating for parents who are going through the ordeal to have their child sent so far away from them. \n"I still can't talk about it without tears in my eyes," she said of the nine months during which her daughter was in detention.\nThe committee submitted its report at a public meeting Friday at the District Courthouse. For the people involved, Friday's meeting is one victory, but supporters say they haven't won the war.\nThe sub-committees for program, finance and site submitted their findings to the committee, which in turn was presented to the commissioners for review before a final decision is made.\nMarge Faber, co-chair for the committee, said she was glad something concrete had been done and that some sort of action would be taken based on the findings of this committee and it would not sit on the shelf like so many other studies. \nThe committee recommended 1600 S. Rogers St. as the site for the facility. The facility would be designed to care for up to 75 youths and could cost as much as $13.5 million to build, the report detailed. It would also include a gym, classrooms, therapy rooms, a kitchen and eating area and satellite offices of the juvenile court and probation office.\nJudge Viola Taliaferro said the center is meant to be an facility for the youth of the community and detention would only be a part of it, she said. \nShe said such a center within the city would help the justice system have more involvement in the family and offer more services to the entire family. The facility would also help develop a sense of community ownership for troubled children and create more jobs and a system of help within the community, rather than isolating the children by sending them to a distant place away from their families.\n"Within reasonable limits, we want them to live a normal life, continue doing their normal activities and going to the same school, while at the same time receiving proper treatment and counselling for their problems," she said.\nOne of the greatest hurdles, Ream said, had been the community response. \n"No one, except parents who have been down that road, wants a detention center in their backyard," she said. \nIris Kiesling, one of three Monroe County Commissioners, said they hope to arrive at a decision by budget time this summer. \nShe said even after the decision is made, financing the facility will be their next hurdle because new funding cannot be created for the facility.
(03/05/01 5:07am)
Instead of an auctioneer calling bid amounts, the room was filled with the sounds of a band playing music. The atmosphere was cheerful and friendly rather than intensely competitive.\nThe third annual "Palette to Palate" art auction of the Community Kitchen Saturday at the Fountain Square Ballroom, 320 W. Eighth St., showcased more than 130 works from about 90 different artists.The proceeds of the silent art auction go toward food programs for the homeless that the kitchen oversees. \nLee Cohn, a jewelry artist and founder of the auction, said the response was terrific, with people were arriving before the 7 p.m. start time.\nLocal restaurants donated food for guests; local businesses and bands donated services and many other businesses and stores sponsored door prizes and gift certificates for the auction.\nPeople were given a bid number when they registered at the entrance. Interested bidders put their bid numbers and their bid on a sheet under each art work. \nJulio Alonso, director of the Community Kitchen, said they were hoping to raise between $7,000-$8,000 at the auction. \nJudith Lucas, board member of the kitchen and the co-chair of the Art Auction Committee, said the event was one of their major fund-raisers. It also gave the community a chance to get involved, have a good time and at the same time contribute something to a good cause, she said. \n"Last year's auction did not do too well, but seeing the response this year I am confident we will at least meet our first year's mark," she said. \nLois Zimmerman, president of the Community Kitchen Board, said it also gave people a chance to bid for and buy some beautiful works of art. Zimmerman, who was bidding for several of the art pieces herself, said the response to the auction was incredible. \n"It is so wonderful for the artists to come forth and donate something they have spent their time and effort to create and for the community to support us in our effort," she said.\nCohn said he had been volunteering at the kitchen for a while and was looking for ways to help raise funds. Cohn, who was also the drummer on the warm-up band of the evening, O2R, said he knows people within the artistic community and brought them together. It just seemed the most natural thing to do, he said. It's important for people to reach out and help, he said. \n"And after all, you start in your own backyard" Cohn said. He also had jewelry pieces on display.\nJunior Lance Thurner said being a part of the kitchen and the art auction made him feel he was doing something worthwhile with his time.\n"I am not just treating myself, I am doing something important, something useful," he said. \nBonnie Gordon, a professional illustrator, has been part of all three auctions and had two pieces at this year's auction. She also volunteers at the Kitchen. She said the auction gave her a chance to display her art and contribute to a worthy cause at the same time.
(02/23/01 5:54am)
The decision has been made, but the controversy continues. \nMcDoel Garden was declared a conservation district by a vote of 6-3 in a city council meeting Wednesday. The council overruled Mayor John Fernandez's veto of the decision made at the Feb. 9 meeting. The vote was identical in both meetings, with David Sabbagh (R-5), Jeffrey Willsey (D-4) and Jason Banach (R-2) voting against the petition.\nMcDoel Gardens will be a historic conservation district for three years, after which a public vote will be taken to decide whether the status should be discontinued. \nBut many in the community said they were disappointed. The mayor said approving the legislation, in his opinion, was not the best decision for the properties within the district or the community as a whole. \nJim Billingsley, secretary of the Monroe County Taxpayers Association, said it was expected that the veto would be overturned. But Billingsley said the decision had done an injustice to the residents. \n"The ruling took away the basic right of property owners in the district to control their own property," Billingsley said. He said more than 50 percent of the community had been against the proposal.\nSabbagh, the councilman for the district, also expressed disappointment with the council's decision. He said he was not against declaring the district a conservation district, and had an interest in preserving it. \nBut the legislation that allowed the petition to be approved and the process that led to it are flawed and needed to be improved, he said.\n"I am hoping that in the next few years we will be able to correct the flaws in the legislation and that this case would not set a precedent for other such cases," he said. \nSabbagh said the council was aware there was a flaw in the system and would work to change it.\nIn the meantime, Elizabeth Cox-Ash, one of two petitioners named in the proposal, said she was elated. It was the right decision for the neighborhood and the community, she said.\n"We were disappointed when the mayor vetoed it. He did not stand by his promise to support availability of affordable housing areas, but I am glad the council held its decision," she said.\nWillsey said he was not concerned the veto was overruled but that the process was flawed. The legislation needed to be amended, he said. Instead of a requirement of a 51 percent majority to overrule the decision when it came up for review, the burden of responsibility should be on those wanting to continue the status, he said. \nThe majority of the council recognized the problem and was looking for a solution, Willsey said. An amendment would give the people control of the decision, he said.\n"Because it has already been proved that the council can and would overlook a majority opposition … this is not in the best interests of the people," Willsey said. \nChris Sturbaum, chairman of the Bloomington Historic Preservation Commission, said those who were opposed to the decision were "fighting against something we weren't doing." \nHe said the petition sought to prevent people from tearing down houses in the area. He alleged some developers had stirred up fear among residents. Once the district is declared a conservation district, any purchase or sale of property or any demolition must have prior approval from the Historic Preservation Commission. This could hinder potential buyers. \nBut there are residents who feel differently, including Roger Hayes. He said the rules should be such that they give the people a chance to seek recourse if they feel their interests are being harmed. \n"As they exist now," he said, "there are no checks and balances in the rules."\nRobert Shaw, a former resident, expressed strong sentiments about the decision, although he is no longer directly affected by it. \n"The most appropriate thing I can think of is what I read somewhere. 'The only option for those opposed to change, is the cemetery,' and if that's what they want, they are welcome to it," Shaw said.
(02/09/01 5:10am)
The Bloomington Historic Preservation Commission won its petition to make McDoel Gardens the city's first historic conservation district. \nBut the attempt to hold the district together fractured the community.\nThe petition was passed by a vote of 6-3 in the city council meeting Wednesday, but not without a debate between supporters and those opposing the petition.\nDiscussion on the petition, which began at 8 p.m., continued until the early hours of the morning. The area being designated as a historic preservation district means the commission would have to approve any demolitions or relocations of houses or businesses, as well as any new construction in the district.\nNancy Hiestand, staff member with the Historic Preservation Commission, said during the past several years, the Bloomington Hospital, situated on the boundary of the proposed conservation district, had been expanding extensively. \n"The residents want to stabilize the neighborhood and favor the petition because they want to provide property owners basic protection of their rights without reducing the affordability," she said.\nThe area covered by the ordinance spans from West First and Wylie streets to the north, CSX railroad to the east, South Patterson Drive, the Indiana Railroad right-of-way and Rogers Street to the west and West Hillside Drive to the south. \nDistrict 5 Council Member David Sabbagh, who is the representative of the area in dispute, voted against the petition. Others who voted against the petition were District 4 Councilmen Jeffrey Willsey and District 2 Councilman Jason Banach. The issue had been discussed in the previous city council meeting two weeks ago; the vote had been 4-3-2. \nHiestand had to face several questions regarding procedure of the petition from the council and accusations from residents who were against it.\nWillsey asked whether an ad-hoc committee had been formed to discuss the proposal as it advanced and whether the members of the committee were all residents, which is required by law. He questioned whether Sabbagh had been invited to join the committee as it existed.\n"I had been kept informed about what was happening, but then so were many others who are here. I was not invited or even informed that I was expected to be part of any such committee," Sabbagh said.\nRobert Shaw, a Bloomington resident, echoed an earlier statement from the Nathan Hadley, who is the executive assistant for economic development to Mayor John Fernandez. He said the residents had not been given enough time to review things and arrive at a decision for themselves.\n"If the Mayor's office is not comfortable with it, why should we be? We do not trust the commission, it's as simple as that," Shaw said. \nMark Crain, vice president of the Bloomington Hospital, said the hospital's survival and efficiency depended on being able to expand. \n"We want the boundaries to be withdrawn from the area immediately adjacent to the hospital property, so that the possibility of further expansion for the hospital in the future remains open," he said.\nMcDoel Neighborhood Association supported the petition. \nJack Baker, an executive committee member, said they did not want to prevent change or development in the area. He said they want to slow down the rate of change and give residents a chance to preserve their neighborhood. \n"We are asking for a little more consideration than other districts, but it is not too much more," Baker said.\nChris Sturbaum, chairman of the Historic Preservation Commission, said the opposition was a purposeful attempt to mislead the people against what was "an attempt to protect, nurture and help a neighborhood." \nHe said the protest had been stirred up by people looking to serve their own interests or people who had been scared into believing what was not true.\nRoger Allen Hayes, another resident, protested that the petition and the subsequent procedures had not involved the people who lived there. \n"We want to preserve the neighborhood too, but we want the residents to be involved in the process," Hayes said, citing that more than half of the residents were against the proposed conservation district.
(02/02/01 4:52am)
Soaring natural gas prices are hitting Indiana schools hard, with some schools paying nearly four times as much as last year.\nThough price increases had been expected, school administrators say the amount of the increase has been a surprise. \n"Our budgets were approved some time around August. Now, there is no way we can generate the funds to meet the increased prices," said Anthony Etienne, assistant superintendent of Warsaw Community Schools. \nThe money it will to pay the extra bills will come from general school funds that pay for textbooks, staff development and salaries, he said.\nBob Schacht, vice president of distribution operations for Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO), the utility company that supplies Warsaw Community Schools, attributed the increase to the mild winters of previous years. Large quantities of natural gas went unused during the last few years, which tipped the supply and demand balance and created an excess supply, he said. \nThese conditions caused natural gas producers to suspend development of new wells and sources of natural gas, he said. And producers lowered prices to sell their surplus, creating temporarily low costs. Because producers were not developing new sources, the situation has swung to the other extreme, Schacht said. \nDan Wray, energy manager for Warsaw Community Schools, said schools don't have the benefit businesses have of passing on costs to their consumers.\nOfficials from schools around the state are voicing their concern. \n"We did anticipate an increase and tried to budget for it. But, we expected maybe a 5 percent rise. What we are looking at now is a minimum of our bills doubling," said William Reiter, director of facilities and operations for Muncie Community Schools.\nSeveral community schools are proposing suggestions for a reduction of energy use. \n"We have always been keeping a close watch on energy usage. So now, it is going to be pretty difficult to cut down further," Etienne said.\nAmong the possible options Warsaw Community Schools and others are considering are setting nightside thermostats to a lower temperature and reducing afterschool and weekend use of facilities. That would also mean cutting down evening building staff as much as possible to avoid inconveniences, Wray said.\nIn a letter to state Rep. David Wolkins, R-Winona Lake, Wray suggested setting up a special rate schedule for schools, protecting them from the price increases to which larger businesses are subject. He also suggested changes in school funding programs.\n"Right now, we are still trying to figure out what steps we will need to take to overcome this problem," Etienne said.
(02/01/01 6:04am)
Garrett Arion had his first liver surgery when he was 8 weeks old to correct a birth defect. When he was 5 months old, doctors in his hometown of Kokomo estimated he had five to seven months to get a liver transplant, or he would die.\nFred Carreo, 60, suffered from cirrhosis of the liver for more than 10 years before he was found comatose on the floor of his house in Phoenix and was diagnosed with Hepatitis C.\nArion and Carreo are two of many people who need immediate transplants.\nThey are also two success stories for the Children's Organ Transplant Association, a national organization that started in Bloomington. \nCOTA, 2501 COTA Drive, started after David McConnell, a 2-year-old from Bloomington, died while on the waiting list for a liver transplant. Since his death, the organization has helped raise millions of dollars for patients requiring transplants. \nThey recently kicked off another fund-raising campaign.\nThe waiting list for transplants is long. According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, at any moment more than 70,000 children and adults are awaiting transplants. In 1999, according to the data, more than 6,000 children and adults died while on the waiting list. Experts say many more die without being on the list.\nA patient can't be placed on the waiting list until the hospital has proof that sufficient funds are available. Transplants can cost $100,000 and more, said Richard Lofgren, chief executive officer of COTA. He said insurance does not pay for other costs associated with the transplant, such as hotel bills for the family or traveling expenses. COTA helps organize fund-raisers for the patients, which assures the patient at least a place on the waiting list. \n"We pay for everything that is not covered by insurance. Also, for every dollar that the patient raises, we put in 25 cents of our own for up to $10,000. We don't give grants but help people generate the money," Lofgren said.\nJamie Arion, Garrett Arion's mother, remembered the help and comfort she received from COTA. She said her family did not know how they were going to get a transplant for her son, let alone how they would meet the expenses. \n"It was just so awful; I thought he was going to die." she said. \nFor Carreo's wife, Marsha, it was equally terrifying. \n"In Fred's case, it just went on and on for 10 years, and we lived with it," Marsha Carreo said. "He tried to act like he was fine, until the day we found him comatose. Then, he had to be hospitalized and needed a transplant immediately, and we had less than half the time (than) other people usually have to raise the money.\nThe Arions heard about COTA from someone at a hospital in their hometown. The Carreos heard about the group from brochures Marsha Carreo collected.\nBoth approached the organization. \n"I will never forget that girl I first talked to. I told her I was so worried about Fred and how I was going to manage the expenses, since he had lost his job and insurance only covered some of the expenses," Carreo said. \nCarreo said the girl told her it was time to concentrate on her husband's life and keeping up her strength.\n'She told me, 'You stay with your husband; we will take care of everything,'" Carreo said.\nAs long as patients have funds in their accounts, COTA continues to pay for their expenses beyond just the transplants. In cases where further medical help is needed, but the patient does not have enough funds, COTA negotiates with hospital authorities to get some expenses or fees removed from the bill.\nCOTA has regular bone marrow registration drives and other such programs to generate awareness. It is aided by the American Legion, whose offices serve as information centers for COTA.\nFor more information on COTA and its activities, visit www.cota.org.
(01/31/01 4:03am)
Gov. Frank O'Bannon named Dr. Gregory Wilson, associate professor of the Indiana University School of Medicine, the new state health commissioner. \nWilson, 50, is a pediatrician at Riley Hospital for Children who works with children with developmental disabilities. He succeeds Richard Feldman, who resigned in December after four years on the job. \n"He has a long history of working on public health issues and has valuable experience in the medical as well as managerial fields," Thad Nation, press secretary to the governor, said of Wilson. \nIn a press release, O'Bannon said that with Wilson's years of experience and expertise, he would play an important part in the department's role in meeting the needs of Hoosier families.\nWilson has held key health care positions such as medical director of Wishard Memorial Hospital's pediatric outpatient clinic and medical director of quality assurance for IU Health Care. \nWilson, a 1975 graduate of the IU School of Medicine and native of Farmland, Ind., lives in Indianapolis with his wife Linda.\nHe was involved with the creation of the state's First Steps program, which emphasizes early intervention for infants and toddlers who have disabilities or are at-risk.\nWilson said one of his top priorities as state health commissioner will be to develop a statewide immunization registry to improve immunization rates for children in Indiana. It would make child immunization records available everywhere in the state, preventing children from receiving the same injection more than once.\nHe said a public information program to help Hoosier senior citizens find home health care services in their area would also be on his priority list. \n"We are delighted that Dr. Wilson accepted the position and we are looking forward to working under his leadership to meet his goals and fulfill his aims," said Margaret Joseph, spokeswoman for the State Department of Health. \nWilson began his career in 1979 by founding the Indiana Poison Center. He served as the center's director until 1983. And, he favored expanding Hoosier Healthwise, the state's health insurance program for low-income children.\n"His past work on various issues, including the Poison Center, really puts him on the top of the list of people considered for the post," Nation said.\nThe state health commissioner oversees 1,100 employees and has been paid an annual salary of $106,990. State laws require that physicians fill the position.
(01/30/01 4:17am)
Ahva Fernandes, a journalist with The Asian Age, has been living on the streets in a car for the last four days.\nHarnish Panchal, who owns an Internet service providing company, lost one of his two offices and the damage in the other building is yet to be assessed because there are cracks in the walls and pillars and it is too dangerous to venture in to the building even now.\nAnshul Singh, who works for Hewlett Packard, is living at other people's houses with his family.\nIt was a time to celebrate as the day dawned Sunday. It was the 52nd Republic Day, remembering the day when India adopted its own constitution. But a massive earthquake, recorded at 7.9 on the Richter Scale -- the second worst in history -- hit Bhuj and Ahmedabad, and ended the celebration.\nThis is not the first disaster to hit Gujarat. The state has had a bad run of luck with three major natural calamities during the past nine months. The first was a major drought in May. Newspaper reports talk of deaths of tens of thousands of cattle, failed crops, villages abandoned and entire families, including children, surviving on labor and relief work projects. \nLess than two months later came the exact opposite -- floods.\nResidents and journalists said with no history of earthquakes in the region, neither the people nor the government were equipped to handle the situation. \n"Rescue and relief work had not begun until more than 16 hours after the first major tremor. There was chaos everywhere," Panchal said. \nSchool buildings collapsed on children gathered for Republic Day celebrations, killing many instantly while others lay buried under the debris. High rises came crashing down, while scores of other buildings developed major cracks in their walls or foundations and people had to evacuate. \nSachin Sharma, a journalist for The Indian Express, said people are still living on the streets, in tents or under blankets. Those who could, found shelter in other homes.\n"I have been living on the streets in a car with my family since the day of the quake. It's just so awful. Every time we try to relax just a little bit, another tremor comes along and we rush to get onto open ground. There has never been so much destruction before," Fernandes said.\nLocal press reported a government research group in Thiruvananthpuram in Southern India had warned of the possibility of an earthquake hitting certain areas of Guajrat after minor tremors were felt in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, earlier last year. However, the press accused, no one took any action. \n"The city," said Arpit Kshatriya, who owns a cybercafe, "is in a state of shock. From the window of my office, I can see this open space, which used to be a 10-storied building."\nThe death toll in Ahmedbdad alone, residents say, is currently estimated to be around 15,000 with thousands more hurt or buried under debris so that the count is expected to go as high as 50,000. "There is no medication, no shelters, so many hospitals have been evacuated. There is just no place for people to go. One more major tremor, and the city will be razed to the ground," Panchal said, adding that the tremors were still continuing and that there was another strong tremor on Saturday morning, Indian Standard Time (IST), but fortunately, it only lasted for a couple of seconds. \n"Even if there isn't another earthquake, these buildings might still come down. There is no way they are going to be repaired any time soon, and with the rains in monsoons, God only knows what will happen," Kshatriya said.\nPanchal said the rescue workers are so overworked or in some cases even inexperienced to deal with the situation. \n"We fear, many will die in the very process of being rescued," he said. \nThe collapsed buildings are still lying that way because the city or the government does not have enough resources or man power to work on them, said Naresh Dave, a journalist with local newspaper Jansatta. Residents said relief work is slow. Communication lines are failed or failing.\nBut there is a silver lining. As with any disaster, or times of difficulty, the people and the community have come together. "Everyone is scared. But each individual is also doing what little bit he or she can do to help. Even if it is only passing out an extra blanket or inviting a neighbor to live in their house or even just making an extra meal and handing it out," Panchal said.\nBut residents said they believe it will take more than a material effort to rectify the situation.\n"If there is anything that can help the city now, it is the good will and harmony of the people amongst themselves," Fernandes said, "and a lot of prayers and good wishes"
(01/23/01 5:06am)
Joe Taft is a man driven by love and hatred. He loves animals, especially cats, and hates humans who mistreat them. But the objects of his affection are not cuddly household pets; they are dangerous wild cats. \nLions, tigers, leopards, cougars -- they are all his friends. \nTen years ago, Taft came across some badly abused animals. Having owned three wild cats for more than 35 years, he decided to take these under his wing. He came from New Mexico, and invested his life savings to start the Exotic Feline Rescue Center in Clay County. \nToday, the center has 116 wild cats, including lions, tigers, cougars, leopards, bobcats and two tiger cubs. Some come from circuses or from private owners who have mistreated them. Others come from people breeding them without a license. They are rescued or confiscated by federal authorities.\nTaft lives at the center. The back room of his house is open to two tigers and a leopard, -- the only animal that predates the center itself. They come and go as they please. \nIn another room rests a cougar that was caught two weeks ago in Monroe County. The rage in Taft's voice is almost palpable as he recounts its past.\nAfter Taft cared for the cougar last year, authorities insisted on returning the animal to its owners. There, things didn't work out, and the animal was returned to the center. This time, Taft said, it was too weak to stand and had lost one-third of its body weight.\n"We have been literally pumping food into her as fast as we can, and now it finally looks like she will live," Taft said.\nSome people who want a wild cat as a pet choose cougars, which are small and cost less than tigers. When the owners realize their folly, they try to kill the animal or let it loose, Taft said.\nTaft said animals that come from circuses have spent nine to 14 years of their average 24-26 year lives in cages smaller than they are. Most are undernourished, ill-treated and often infected with diseases, he said.\nThe center employs five full-time workers. Volunteers do the other work -- fellow wildlife lovers who come to help and often end up staying, such as Jeanie Herberg, a former fifth grade teacher. Herberg volunteered at the center for nine years, last year, she quit her job to start working there full-time. \n"You can't help but get attached to them," she said of the cats. "Each time I came, I felt more and more in love with them. They are so beautiful, and they need your love so much. I finally decided this is where I wanted to be."\nDanny Baublit, who has worked at the center for almost a year, said he heard about the job from a former volunteer. \n"I came here and saw the place. I always liked animals, and I realized this is where I wanted to be, working with these animals," Baublit said.\nTaft admits the center often has to turn away animals, but those that are accepted are loved and cared for for the rest of their lives. \nTigger, a 2-year-old cat, had been locked in a basement, with his teeth filed away and his head swollen by infection. He was blind. The man who owned him now faces a minimum $32,000 fine.\nCosmo, a male, was being used as a guard animal at a methamphetamine lab. \nTaft said when the animals arrive at the center, they are scared, abused and distrustful of humans. \n"But after a while," he said, "they realize that they do not face any threats here, and they come to love and trust you." Taft said some of the tigers introduce themselves by spraying outside of their cages, almost like a skunk. \nKeeping up such a center is expensive, and although it is funded by private donations, Taft said it almost always needs money and volunteers. During the winter, each cat can eat 30-40 pounds of meat per day. \nEach animal has a cage with plenty of room to run, a water reservoir and a sturdy shelter from extreme weather.\nInitially, area residents resisted the center, thinking it might pose risks to the neighborhood. \n"But, most people who protest against this place are those who haven't been here. Anyone who comes here rarely ever goes away with a negative impression," Taft said.\nPaul Harden, the chief conservation officer for Clay County, said the center has a federal permit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The state has no authority over the center, as long as it abides by the rules. \n"Initially, some of the neighbors complained or protested against the place on safety grounds. But, since then, to the best of my knowledge, there have been no problems" Harden said.\nFor more information, call 835-1130 or visit www.exoticfelinerescuecenter.com.
(01/23/01 3:41am)
Getting your car jump-started or a flat tire changed in an emergency can be costly. \nBut if you are legally parked at IU, help can be a lot cheaper through the Motorist Assistance Services.\nThe Motorist Assistance Services is an effort of Parking Enforcement and the IU Motor Pool. For all car owners who have a valid parking permit or are parked in pay lots, help is close at hand -- and free. \nOn weekdays, parking enforcement takes initial calls in most cases. After the request is verified as qualifying for the service, Motor Pool technicians assist the motorist. Services include jump starting cars, changing flat tires, unlocking car doors (except for those with airbags in the doors) and providing as much as two gallons of gas. It also helps motorists contact other services for more serious repairs or towing. \nIt does not include towing or mechanical repair to those involved in traffic accidents.\n"The service is to provide free assistance for minor day-to-day problems to anyone who complies with the parking regulations on the IUB campus. It is not meant to subsidize illegal or improper parking," said Stanley Easton, director of Parking Operations.\nGeorge Smerk, director of transportation, first came up with the idea. It was implemented in July 1997 with advice and assistance from Mike Hardesty, manager of the Motor Pool, and James Brinegar, also of the Motor Pool, Easton added. \nThe assistance is free for as many as three times during an academic year, and costs $30 for each additional time. Clients are required to provide identification.\n"We have a team of about six to seven people who are on call, 24 hours Monday through Friday, until 11 a.m. on Saturday. Also, there is a team of technicians on call during weekend hours," said Jeffery Sears, a Motor Pool technician. \nThe service is advertised mostly by mailing cards to all students and faculty, as well as those living on campus.\nTo minimize delays, technicians are informed of any vehicle needing assistance in their vicinity.\n"We try to provide the service as quickly as possible and also give the client a reasonable estimated time of arrival," Easton said. "However, if a delay is expected, they are so informed so that they can choose to get in contact again later or use another service. The client must stay with the vehicle."\nIn case of an extended waiting period, an enforcement dispatcher will call the client back, advising the client that the service technician is on the way.\n"We also tell the client to keep the hood of their car raised so that it is easier for us to spot them," Sears said.\nSince its inception, the service has attended to more than 6,100 requests, Easton said. The service has received compliments and letters of appreciation.\n"There have been complaints, of course, in most cases when service is turned down because of non-compliance with the requirements," Easton said.\nAmy Reynolds, an assistant professor of journalism, used the service earlier in the year.\n"I had come to know about the service from a card I got in the mail. My car battery ran out on me and since I was parked on an IU parking lot, I called Parking Enforcement," Reynolds said. "The Motor Pool technicians came, and they helped me out." \nTo contact Parking Enforcement, call 855-9849.
(01/16/01 6:09am)
Paul Schoonmaker, a retired senior citizen, celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day by volunteering for a food drive for the needy. He collected more than 400 pounds of food. \nThe drive, conducted by the Hoosier Hills Food Bank, 615 N. Fairview St., and the Area 10 Agency for Aging, 7500 W. Reeves Road., covered Ellettsville and the surrounding areas. \nSchoonmaker was one of nearly two dozen volunteers who took part in the drive, which included students, family groups and volunteers from the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of the Area 10.\nBy mid-afternoon, food collections hit 1,000 pounds and volunteers weren't done weighing in the goods.\nMarjorie Hershey, a Girl Scouts leader who has been volunteering for more than 13 years, and her daughter Lani, collected more than 100 pounds of food. \nThe drive began during the weekend with groups of volunteers distributing fliers for the upcoming food drive. Monday morning, volunteers collected the bags of donated food and brought them into the Agency. \n"There are people out there with health problems or disabilities who cannot go out and help themselves. That is why others need to help them," Schoonmaker said. \nJoann Walder, who coordinates the Food Pantry program and is an Americorps Vista worker, said the food collection surpassed her expectations. \nDonations came from unexpected quarters. Walder said after the food collection was complete, the Agency received a call from a senior citizen living in the Ellettsville area who had been sick and could not put out her food donation in the morning when she was supposed to. They went back and collected the food. \n"It was so obvious she could probably have done with the food herself. But, she wanted to help and requested us to come back and pick up her donation," Walder said.\nVolunteers said they found the project satisfying. \nHershey said food drives and other similar projects are valuable services. \n"I like to participate in such projects because my entire family finds it such a rewarding experience, and we have so much fun," she said. \nOrganizers said they were impressed by the community's response.\n"We did not really know until the last moment how many people would come out to help us," said Georgia Schaich, director for RSVP. "But, it was so satisfying to see so many of them turn up and such diverse groups of people too -- all willing to help"
(01/11/01 3:42am)
After a year of stormy debate, Congress approved a $5.5 million grant for a permanent Doppler radar facility to keep track of the weather in southwestern Indiana and adjacent areas in Kentucky and Illinois. \nBut not everyone is excited. \nThe closing of several radar facilities in 1996 left a hole in the weather coverage because the entire area is covered by one weather service in Paducah, Ky.\nSeveral other cities requested Doppler radar, but Evansville was the only city to be approved. The location for the permanent facility, to begin functioning within a year, has not been decided yet. \nMichael Jahr, spokesman for Congressman John Hostettler (R-8th), said it will be in the northern Vanderburg region or in the vicinity of Gibson County. \n"The existing system is not adequate for detection of tornadoes and severe weather in the area, and that is why Mr. Hostettler's office took up the issue, backed by the people and by science and sound reason," Jahr said. \nHostettler viewed it as a victory and the result of hard work, Jahr said.\n"An extensive investigation of the weather service issue in these regions was done by the Modernization Transition Committee responsible for overseeing the Modernization of the National Weather Service, and, after consulting with experts, it was felt that a new system was necessary." \nBut Wayne Hart, chief meteorologist of the Evansville WEHT weather service office, said he doubts the capacity of the new system. WEHT, an ABC affiliate, has a system to detect severe weather. \n"The new doppler is definitely an addition to the weather service and would serve as a positive purpose. But the problem seems to be that people are perhaps expecting a bit too much out of it. What they need to realize is that there are times when even after the installation of the new system, some tornadoes would go undetected." \nHart explained that short-term tornadoes, which come and go in a brief time period, are low-lying. Not even a Doppler radar in the immediate vicinity would be able to detect these in time to issue a warning, he said. \nHart said the radar would make a difference in the weather service because the radar waves of the current facility in Paducah enter the atmosphere at a height of about 9,000 feet, and any tornadoes or thunderstorms below that height would go undetected. \nNational Weather Service center region director Dennis McCarthy said many people tend to correlate the duration of the tornado with the destruction it causes, which is false. \nHe said a short-term tornado that hits densely populated areas could leave a wake of destruction, while tornadoes that have stayed on the ground for more than 60 miles have passed with little damage. \nHe denied any claims that the new system was not necessary and would not improve weather service.