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(09/17/04 6:05am)
The 10-year national assault weapon ban expired Monday, making more than a dozen formerly illegal assault rifles once again accessible to the public.\nThe ban, which was introduced in 1994 in response to assault weapons-related shootings, led to sweeping nationwide legislation that restricted the distribution of specific models of military-style assault weapons and weapons with certain combinations of features specifically designed for military use.\nOpponents of the ban argue it is ineffective. Advocates maintain the ban keeps military weapons out of the wrong hands. \n"I think guns will go up in the selling and distribution," said Patty Williams, a registered nurse from Muncie and a leader of Gun Responsibility In Every Family In Indiana. "I don't think it will cause a rise in crime, but it will lead to more deaths because now (criminals) have more deadly weapons accessible to them. An assault weapon that is accessible now makes it easier to mow down people really quick. What do you need these guns for? We're not a military."\nWilliams' son Ryan was accidentally killed while he was visiting a friend's house May 28, 1994. Ryan's friend was playing with a gun when it mistakenly went off. Her organization advocates safe storage of handguns and being responsible with firearms in households. \nWilliams and her husband, Tim, have attempted to introduce legislation into the Indiana General Assembly restricting the accessibility of weapons since their son's death but have been turned down six years in a row.\nTim Williams, also a member of GRIEF, said in a dominant Republican state like Indiana, it's hard to get legislation passed for their cause.\n"They don't look at owners to keep their firearms stored safely. We tried for five to six years and got exhausted by being scoffed at," Tim Williams said. "The first year we were heard in the Senate, then the (National Rifle Association) spoke and coerced them for funding, (and) everyone jumped off the bandwagon."\nPatty Williams noted the uphill battle GRIEF faces.\n"It's hard to try and pass gun legislation when several legislators are gun owners and some of them used to bring them into the Statehouse and put them in their desks," Patty Williams said.\nNot all feel that crime will increase or adverse affects will result without a ban.\nAngel Rivera, chairman of the IU College Republicans, said the ban will have no impact on weapons or safety.\n"I'm glad that our Second Amendment rights are protected -- the ban in no way will make Americans safer, and its listing will have no effect on criminals or safety," Rivera said. "The weapons that the ban restricts could be easily replaced with almost identical weapons. The ban is pretty useless."\nRivera said guns aren't as bad as they are portrayed, but he fears the ban could be renewed.\n"In any way, (having a gun) makes you safer. I'm a gun owner, and I'll do whatever it takes to keep intruders out," Rivera said. "I believe that, unfortunately, liberals might get their way and restrict our right to own guns, which our founding fathers sought as our right to bear arms." \nMatt Brunner, political vice president of the IU College Democrats, said he opposes the end of the ban and feels it should be renewed. He said he is indecisive of what kind of effect it will have.\n"Well I don't know what effect (the ban's expiration) will have on Indiana," Brunner said. "I think the ban should've been renewed and not (been made) easier to obtain assault rifles."\nBrunner also said without the ban in place, he feels crime rates will only rise. \nTim Williams said the lifting of the ban will only help to spur juvenile violence in the future.\n"I can't help but think it will have an effect on juvenile violence," he said. "We've heard the horrible stories of the people who are killed with inaccessible weapons numbers at one time, and now we're going to legalize it, and now it's going to do nothing but increase the deaths."\n-- Contact senior writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu .
(09/02/04 5:25am)
Donald F. Kuratko, or 'Dr. K' as he likes to be called, has been named executive director of the Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at IU. \nKuratko, a former distinguished professor at Ball State, hopes to lead the entrepreneurship program in new directions and he has plenty of experience to do so. \n"I am extremely excited and proud to have this dream opportunity at a prestigious Big Ten institution," Kuratko said in a statement. "Indiana University is considered world-class in terms of leadership, faculty, facilities and students, and I am truly honored to be joining the faculty at the Kelley School of Business."\nDr. Lynne D. Richardson; Dean of the Miller College of Business said Kuratko is a well respected professor and mentor.\n"I think from a classroom perspective he's got students on the edge of their seats," Richardson said. "I've sat in on his classes and he grips the students' attention and you follow his lectures and stories of business life and you can't believe (when the) time is up. (He is) by far one of the best teachers I've seen. He literally has contact with his student from the past 20 years and they ask him for help." \nRichardson said Kuratko's departure is a great loss for Ball State but coming to IU was a dream of Kuratko's.\n"It is a great loss," she said. "(IU is) getting a treasure, he's got very high energy, and a drive. He works harder than anyone else I know. He's getting his dream."\nKelley School of Business Interim Dean Daniel Smith said the process of choosing Kuratko was easy. The Kelley School of Business set a goal to find a director who could take the school's entrepreneurship program to No. 1 in the nation. \n"At the end of the day, because of his record, he's regarded as the No. 1 entrepreneur director in the country," Smith said. "We didn't interview anybody else, we interviewed him and talked casually to other candidates, but he was our first and foremost candidate. Kuratko brings with him an incredible sense of vision and leadership and a proven track record in the past. He also strikes me as a man with high integrity, his values fit with that of the KSOB very high standard of excellence."\nKuratko will begin his new position Jan. 1.\n-- Contact senior writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu .
(05/13/04 2:15am)
With the gubernational election only five months away, the governor's race is winding down, and Republican candidate Mitch Daniels and incumbent Democratic Gov. Joe Kernan are putting the finishing touches on their respective campaigns. \nDaniels announced yesterday that he would appoint State Senator Becky Skillman as his choice for lieutenant governor and Pat Miller as Secretary of Commerce.\nSkillman, a Republican from Indianapolis, has been a member of the State Senate since 1992. Prior to her Senate work, she was involved in Lawrence County local government where she was clerk for seven years and then recorder. Skillman also attended IU and Indiana Wesleyan University, according to her Web site.\nDaniels said in his announcement that Skillman's accomplishments made her the best person for the job. \n"Becky Skillman is the best possible choice for the constitutional post of Lieutenant Governor," Daniels said. "She brings experience in the General Assembly, whose cooperation we will need to effect real change. She brings a wealth of knowledge about local government and its pivotal role. She knows the small cities and towns that have been ignored by this administration and which must no longer be forgotten but must be included fully in Indiana's comeback."\nDaniels also went on to say that with Skillman as the next Lieutenant Governor, Indiana will be able to move forward in the right direction and help boost businesses in Indiana. \n"I intend for Lt. Governor Skillman, as President of the Senate, to be the leader of our annual program in the General Assembly, starting with the passage of the economic growth package that we will send to the legislature next January," Daniels said. "She will also spearhead key elements of the economic development agenda: tourism, agriculture, community and rural development."\nMiller was similarly chosen based on her business credentials, which Daniels feels will help get Indiana back on track. Miller is the co-president and co-founder of Vera Bradley, a line of handbags distributed out of Ft. Wayne. Daniels said that Miller's expertise and knowledge -- and the fact that she isn't a politician -- will help generate new capital in Indiana. \n"Pat Miller is one of the great business success stories in our state," Daniels said. "With $500 and a dream, she and her best friend created a company known nationwide. She understands business issues from the business side of the table. She's no staff person. She's no bureaucrat."\nDaniels said Indiana cannot be represented well by someone unfamiliar with fiscal and economic issues. \n"She can help me sell Indiana to business leaders across the country and around the world," he said. "She can help existing companies to grow and inspire the formation of more new ventures. She can run a large organization. She can help us get all of state government aligned so that growing the Indiana economy is job number one for every single person in our administration."\nEllen Whitt, press secretary for Daniels, agreed that Miller's business experience made her a good choice. \n"Pat Miller is a success story," Whitt said. "Her company started 20 years ago and she and her buddy started a bag company that is now internationally recognized. Together, Skillman and Miller are a pretty impressive team."\nDaniels said that his choices only help to make his campaign stronger and help create economic success.\n"In our administration, Indiana state government will cease being a problem and start being a partner in economic growth," Daniels said. "I speak everywhere about the need for our state to aim higher. The selection of these two outstanding Hoosiers should demonstrate how much higher I plan to aim."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.
(04/30/04 6:07am)
For many students, relationships with professors last for 50 minutes and are contained within the white walls of classrooms. That is why Collins Living-Learning Center residents have grown to love Carl Ziegler, who has been the director of the LLC for the past 13 years. At the end of each semester, he always invites students from his Literature of the 1960s class into his home in the country, cooks them dinner and asks them about their interests and ambitions. They are more than just his students, they are his friends. \n"The time my class went to his house the power went out and he couldn't cook," said sophomore Erin Farlow. "So he ordered Chinese food and then left 20 of us in his house alone while he went to pick it up. It struck me how trusting he was."\nNext year will be different for Collins students because when they walk down Eighth Street, they won't see Maxine, Ziegler's dog, wagging her golden tail. They won't be greeted by Ziegler's firm handshake or warm smile because in July, Ziegler turns 64 and will retire. \n"I'm retiring now for financial and personal reasons," said Ziegler, who for years, has been a professor of both Germanic studies and comparative literature at IU. \nZiegler became the director of Collins in 1991 and began making changes. Soon after he worked with Residential Programs and Services to physically beautify the Collins quad by removing shrubs, putting in new windows, fixing the roof and expanding housing options for students. He initiated the Hillcrest Apartment Complex, located half a block from the main quad, and also acquired a clubhouse on Eighth Street, where students go to cook, play pool or watch movies.\nOne of Ziegler's main priorities was to transform Collins into a living and learning center. He hired a full-time academic coordinator and expanded the courses at Collins. Now, Collins is a part of the College of Arts and Sciences, and the college invests money in the residence hall so that any IU student or resident of Collins can choose to take one of the many intimate seminars offered each semester. \n"Collins improved a lot after we opened our classes to all students at IU," Ziegler said. "Some think Collins is the artsy-fartsy weirdo dorm, but we've opened up our community and invited students to take courses here and see the fallacy of their stereotype."\nZiegler also worked to improve programming and implemented many different groups in which students can be involved, such as the Arts Council; E-Force, for students concerned with the environment; Philanthropy Council; and the Board of Educational Programming, where residents can propose and approve new courses. \n"Change is always scary; you get used to things being a certain way," said Yara Cluver, director of admissions at Collins. "It will be sad to see Carl go, but I guess that's just the nature of things."\nZiegler will help ease the transition of the new director and will work with whoever is chosen through August. After that, he plans to spend more time traveling, building a new house and working with more volunteer organizations. \n"I wouldn't expect my successor to do everything the way I did," Ziegler said, "but I hope they will make students their top priority."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Lyon at lrlyon@indiana.edu.
(04/28/04 6:03am)
After attempting to build a hospital in Bloomington, Dr. Kamal Tiwari is now planning to move his hospital outside city limits and into the jurisdiction of Monroe County. His change of plans comes after the Bloomington City Plan Commission failed to give a recommendation to the Bloomington City Council. \nThe petition drew criticism from the administration of the Bloomington Hospital, which felt that another hospital in the city would create unnecessary competition. A vague definition concerning outpatient and inpatient care and the hours of operation caused many physicians to speak out at the last City Council meeting when the petition was denied.\nTiwari changed his plans, redefining the term "outpatient," and resubmitted the petition for a recommendation to the City Council. The commission again failed to give a recommendation for several reasons. \nTiwari said he feels certain departments within the city did not help to advance his petition, thus prompting him to reconsider his petition and move the location.\n"City Council will not approve the zoning for my project," Tiwari said. "Bloomington Hospital has political influence over the City Council, and I didn't have enough votes. I only had four, they had five, and (the City Council) politically outmaneuvered me," Tiwari said. "So I decided to go somewhere else. The county was available and welcomed me."\nTiwari said the county approached him about moving his hospital even before the City Council had made its decision, but Tiwari waited until the final vote.\n"I wanted to give City Council the opportunity, and I did not respond to the county's invitation. So it was natural for me to look to other locations after my plan was rejected," he said.\nThe new full hospital will be located at Indiana State Road 37 and Fullerton Pike -- outside city boundaries. \nTom Micuda, director of the Bloomington Planning Department, declined to comment on Tiwari's statements but gave several reasons why the Plan Commission failed to give a recommendation on his petition.\n"First, the rezoning petition from Tiwari would have required the city to expand public money to construct a necessary frontage road in the future," Micuda said. "The second reason is there were members of the Plan Commission who felt that the definition of the proposals outpatient facility needed to be further restricted to bring it in line with the input the Plan Commission received with Bloomington Hospital."\nMicuda also said the hours of the proposed business were a concern.\n"Specifically, the representative spoke of the need to restrict the overnight hours of the hospital, the specific concern Bloomington Hospital thought the facility should have no operation hours between 12 and 5."\nNow that the the proposed hospital is out of city limits, the county only needs to review the proposal. The land is already prezoned, so the county will not need to accept or reject the plan.\nJeff Ellington, a representative of the Monroe County Plan Commission, said he had not yet seen the plans, but Tiwari's proposal will sit on a part of what had been planned to be a $3.5 million infrastructure for a Menards store, which later moved into the city. \n"I haven't seen the plans," Ellington said. "What concerns me is the $3.5 million infrastructure we had, but the city talked Menards to move into city, and we lost $3.5 million in proposed infrastructure."\nEllington said the Plan Commission will review the proposal and make sure the site is used to it's fullest capacity.\n"The planning director wants to go over it very thoroughly," Ellington said. "We, as a commission, are going to make sure we can get (as much) out of this developer's site as we can. It will never go to the Plan Commission because it's already prezoned and been pre-approved, thus the county won't have to vote to approve anything."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.
(04/27/04 5:40pm)
Monroe County Special Prosecutor Barry Brown is requesting charges be filed against two Monroe County police officers in the death of James Borden. \nCircuit Court Judge Marc Kellams will decide on Brown's request to file charges against Officer David Shaw for a felony battery and Officer Chris Hutton with a misdemeanor assault. Kellams is expected to make a decision sometime this week, said Steve Borden, James' brother.\nJames Borden died in the Monroe County Jail Nov. 6 while being processed for violating his probation. Borden was under house arrest in Bedford at the time but was found wandering by the Jackson Mini Mart. \nPolice responded to Mini Mart employees who complained Borden's behavior was unusual. \nAfter assessing Borden's condition, the police decided he needed medical treatment. The officers informed EMS personnel that Borden was under arrest for violating his probation and was being escorted to the Monroe County Jail.\nUpon his arrival at the Jail, Borden was shocked three times by Officer David Shaw, who said Borden was being "uncombative" and "uncooperative." Shaw shocked James Borden with an M26 taser gun that has 50,000 volts in each shock. \nA Monroe County coroner concluded Borden died from an irregular heartbeat caused by an enlarged heart, pharmacological intoxication and electric shock. \nThursday, Sgt. Chuck Cohen, an Indiana State Police detective who investigated the case, read testimony regarding Officers Shaw and Hutton.\nCohen testified that he concluded Borden was not a threat to himself or anyone else the evening of Nov. 6. Shaw and Hutton both stated at the hearing that Borden would not comply with their verbal requests. \nSteve Borden, who attended the Thursday hearing, said conflicting reports concerning the number of shocks don't add up.\n"They reported that the taser gun trigger was used 11 times," Steve Borden said. "I guess that is from that night. Shaw pulled the trigger 11 times, but the autopsy only shows three marks ... But then it came out Thursday the trigger had been pulled 11 times."\nJohn Potter, a Lawrence County sheriff's deputy who transported Borden to the Monroe County Jail from Borden's home in Bedford, recalled seeing Shaw's teeth each time he pulled the trigger on the stun gun.\n"I think he was enjoying it," Potter told State Police during the investigation.\nJail officers have reported Borden was kicking and struggling while pinned, face down, on the floor with his hands cuffed behind him. Brown, however, suggested in court the prisoner may have had difficulty breathing, or may have even been dying at the time.\nSteve Borden said he thinks Kellams is hesitant to make a ruling. \n"(It) didn't seem like (Brown's testimony) was enough to satisfy the judge," Steve Borden said.\nBut Borden said Kellams said he would make a ruling sometime this week.\n"(Kellams) said he would come back with a ruling this week," Steve Borden said. "If that had been anybody else, there would have been a warrant. But for some reason the judge didn't want to serve one. I don't know if it was political, or if the community was on him or if it's an election year. I have no idea."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
(04/27/04 2:03am)
INDIANAPOLIS -- With warm wishes from Mitch Daniels and other Republican hopefuls, Vice President Dick Cheney endorsed and supported gubernatorial candidate Daniels Friday night at a campaign fundraising dinner in downtown Indianapolis. The event was expected to raise $400,000 with the $1,000 per-person dinner. Some attendees paid up to $3,000 to get their picture taken with Cheney. \nDaniels will run against the other Republican candidate, Eric Miller, in the primary, and the winner of that race will take on current Gov. Joe Kernan in November. Daniels has taken in much more money than Miller this year, and Friday night put Daniels well ahead following Cheney's visit. According to The Associated Press, Daniels and Kernan each began the year with about $4 million, while Miller had about $905,000. Kernan raised about $2 million more from January through April 9 and had about $4.7 million in cash on hand as of that reporting deadline. Daniels raised about $1.6 million more and had about $3 million on hand as of April 9. Miller took in another $150,000 and had about $387,000 left.\nDaniels served as White House budget director under President George W. Bush from January through June 2001. \nCheney was in Kansas at a campaign luncheon earlier Friday and flew to Indianapolis to speak at Daniels' dinner. \nCheney, who was the keynote speaker, talked about knowing Daniels and his work for President Bush. \n"With Mitch Daniels, the president signed into law significant tax breaks and put death tax on its way to extinction," Cheney said. "Last month, the economy created 30,000 new jobs. The American economy is moving in the right direction."\nCheney also said Daniels' experience at the White House groomed him to be Indiana's governor.\n"We need good partners at the state level and with a governor with free enterprise and low taxes, and that is the kind of governor that Mitch Daniels will be for Indiana," Cheney said. "We spent many hours with a superb budget director. He helped us with many budgets and numbers, and we didn't call him 'The Blade' for nothing."\nCheney also spoke about knowing Daniels' character and why his qualities will make him a good governor for Indiana.\n"It's a lot easier to go to functions like these when you know the guy," Cheney said. "I consider Mitch one of the best public servants I've ever worked with. … He's one of the best people for any job in any office in the country, but I can't wait 'til Inauguration Day, when Mitch Daniels is sworn in as governor of Indiana."\nIndiana Sen. Teresa Lubbers was also on hand to offer her thoughts on Daniels.\n"Daniels is qualified to be governor, he has the experience," Lubbers said. "It's not just what Mitch has done, but it's more importantly what Mitch will do. He believes in Hoosiers. If it weren't for the last 16 years, maybe we wouldn't be in the situation we find ourselves in now. This campaign is about ideas and getting Hoosiers to turn the state around, and no one is better than Mitch Daniels."\nDaniels introduced Cheney to the crowd of about 400, speaking about the vice president's background as one of the reasons Bush chose him for the position.\n"There was no better choice for vice president than Dick Cheney. Cheney was (Bush's) first choice. It wasn't chosen on the basis of geography or ideology," Daniels said. "Cheney was just the best person possible for the job. He is so utterly American."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.
(04/22/04 6:44am)
Checking e-mail or registering for classes Wednesday was probably harder than most days. \nThe IU network was experiencing problems all day, which left many students and professors on campus frustrated and with more work than usual. In some cases, going back to manual and old- fashioned ways of communication was the only option. \nSenior Richard Kaler, who went to the computer lab in the Indiana Memorial Union, found some computers connected to the network and some wouldn't. \n"I am trying to print up an assignment for a class, and I'm pretty irritated," Kaler said. "It's taking me an extra 15 minutes to get this assignment, where normally I would print it. But now I have to transcribe it since I can't print."\nLucas Telecom Operations and Systems Director Michael Lucas said some of the problems encountered were caused by a router that failed, and late Wednesday engineers were still working to figure out what caused the problem.\n"The network in Bloomington was unstable today due to a failure in the primary campus core router, located at the (Wrubel Computing Center)," Lucas told the Indiana Daily Student in an e-mail. "Because these routers are very complex, the exact cause of the problem can take some time to diagnose. At this point the engineers do not know exactly what caused the failure … That process is underway now."\nLucas said workers transferred the network to another backup router located in the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, and this process contributed to the unstable network throughout the day. \nLucas said he will try to ensure this problem does not happen again.\n"But in the long term, the goal is to add additional routers into the design of the network to lessen the impact of a router failure," he said.\nAnother reason for the problem was a single router could not handle the amount of users on the network. \n"The amount of traffic on the network has continued to grow, and the demands on the network have been such that the single-router/single-backup design is no longer viable," Lucas said. "The engineers have been developing a new multi-router network design since last December, and the equipment to implement that design has been ordered."\nSara Williams, a lab consultant in the IMU computer lab, said many students encountered problems all day Wednesday, and there wasn't much she could do to help.\n"I've been here since 2 this afternoon, and students have been having problems from logging on to basically anything you can think of," Williams said. "Another problem was OneStart wouldn't work, which is the core of everything for students. So I've just been letting people know."\nWilliams also said some students have been more frustrated than others.\n"Some have been upset," she said. "There's been some cursing here and there."\nTransactions at the IU Bookstore in the IMU were also faced with problems and taking longer than usual. Bookstore employees freshman Libby Pfancuff and senior Jennifer Gurchiek said they were told to write everything down and to just do the best they could.\n"All the cash registers but one are down, so we're not completely debilitated," Pfancuff said. "But we have to take credit manually and actually use the swipe tool."\nStudents had to wait longer for transactions to go through since everything had to be done manually and employees had to use calculators.\n"It's frustrating because students don't get what they want as quickly as they usually can," Gurchiek said. \n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.
(04/19/04 6:15am)
Cook Group Inc. announced Friday its plans to build Cook Pharmacia, a new biotech facility that will bring 800 jobs to Bloomington within the next several years.\nThe company, which originated in Bloomington in 1963, plans to build a $45 million state-of-the-art facility and use a portion of the Thompson Consumer Electronics factory, which is located on the southwest side of the city. The plant closed six years ago and cost Bloomington 1,100 jobs after it relocted to Mexico.\nCook Pharmacia, a biopharmaceutical company, will use a highly complicated process to produce genetically engineered cells that are manufactured from living cells, according to a press release. \n"Scientists working with the genetically engineered field will be creating small quantities of genetically engineered cells of vaccines, and Cook will grow it to create large enough quantities," said David McCarty, director of public relations at Cook Group. \nThe company will then produce the drugs for larger pharmaceutical companies and biotech researchers. \n"Ultimately, we would like to sell the drugs after we receive approval from the FDA," McCarty said. "Initially, we want to focus on small clinical trials, and that will cost about $45 million. The plant will take about three years to be built, and then we must wait for FDA approval, and it will take about two years, so it will be three years before we can even produce anything."\nInitially, the company will create about 200 jobs and will create 600 more jobs once the plant is built, McCarty said.\nIn a statement, Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan said the creation of Cook Pharmacia is significant for the creation of jobs and development in Bloomington.\n"(Today), we mark a new era of opportunity," Kruzan said. "This project puts into practice everything we preach: economic development, job creation, increased productivity, revitalization, life sciences and advanced manufacturing."\nTina Noel, press secretary to Gov. Joe Kernan, was pleased with the announcement and thanked the Indiana Department of Commerce for its cooperation.\n"This is the proof that businesses in Indiana are a good place to grow and expand," Noel said. "Indiana Department of Commerce was very helpful in creating the project and any jobs that will be provided to graduates to keep and retain them in the state."\nNoel also pointed out many are unaware of Indiana's significant role in the life sciences.\n"Actually, I don't think many people know that Indiana is the leader in the life sciences, and this is one of the fastest growing industries in the states," Noel said. "Not many people know about Indiana life sciences."\nMcCarty also said Cook Group looked at other locations for its new venture but chose Bloomington for several reasons.\n"We looked at quite a few other places, one of which was in Colorado," McCarty said. "Obviously Cook has a strong commitment to Bloomington, and we like it here, this is our home. (The Thompson plant) had everything we wanted. We also received state contributions and incredible cooperation to work with us and help to provide incentive. It's been a cooperative effort between city administration and council offices and Mayor Kruzan.\nTo support Cook Group with expansion of its new company, the state provided almost $7 million in incentives, including, through the Indiana Department of Commerce, $2 million in "Economic Development for a Growing Economy" tax credits, a $125,000 grant from the Industrial Development Grant Fund, a $50,000 Technology Enhancement Certification for Hoosiers grant and Community Revitalization Enhancement District tax credits amounting to $4.75 million.\n"There will be much more to come," Noel said. "I think this is a tremendous success story and a homegrown success story. We couldn't be more pleased that (Cook is) committed to Indiana."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.
(04/15/04 4:49am)
For the second time in three weeks, Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan addressed the $500,000 shortfall from the 2004 income taxes. \nThe problem comes in light of the city misprojecting the amount it was going to receive in the City Option Income Tax. The city initially projected to receive about $6.8 million in revenue, but because the city only makes estimates based on the previous year, there was no concrete number. \nThen, earlier this year, the city learned it would only be receiving $6.2 million, which was a projected loss of $529,245. \nThis announcement came after the city said earlier this year it was losing $476,619 in property taxes and levy reductions. \nNow, the city has a total shortfall of $1 million.\nSusan Clark, interim controller, said the controller's office is doing everything it can to not affect workers in Bloomington.\n"We are going through the budget with a fine-tooth comb," Clark said. "At this stage, we are looking at department heads to see what they can save. We certainly hope to make cuts without affecting citizens."\nClark also said her main concern right now is trying to find solutions to the problem.\n"Right now, this is my priority," she said. "We're not going to save money foolishly. We need to look at everything harder with different opinions."\nKruzan said he is concerned with the budget in light of the recent events.\nIn a statement, Kruzan said, "We now face the hard reality that substantial revenues anticipated when the 2004 budget was prepared will not be available."\nKruzan also agreed with Clark in saying every possible option will be considered to try and not affect the public.\n"Our common goal is to reduce expenditures with as little adverse impact on city services as possible," Kruzan said. "There is no more competent and qualified team than the city staff to keep the community moving forward, even in a tough time."\nNow with the shortfall, several options are up for consideration to try and remedy the problem.\nClark has suggested three options for the 2004 budget -- cut expenditures, dip into reserves or try a combination of both. \nBut in the past, Kruzan has said dipping into reserves would not be a wise alternative for the city, mainly because reserves cannot replenish themselves.\nDeputy Controller Sharon Williams said by cutting expenditures, the city is trying to tighten its budget to alleviate its problems.\n"We are trying to be very frugal. We have cut out a lot of things from the budget as of now, and I am very proud of what we have done so far," she said.\nWilliams also said the budget would balance soon if residents pay their property taxes and stay in Bloomington. But a decrease in tax income or a population decrease could extend the city's trouble, and it could take up to five years to even the budget.\n"I want to hope that we recover soon, but it could possibly take up until 2009. We are optimistic of that year being sooner," Williams said. "But things unfortunately can come up that could set us back, so to say how many years is tough."\nSetbacks, Williams said, including careless spending by the city.\n"We need to not spend so quickly if we have the money," she said. "Just because we say that you can spend doesn't mean you should. We need to get back to a cash balance."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.
(04/13/04 4:54am)
In a dimly lit room inside the WIUS studio, junior Lindsay Baumgartner and freshman Matt Leach take their seats across from each other, put on their headphones and prepare to go on air. Without nervous stutters or flushed cheeks, the two students begin their Monday night talk show, WIUSEX, and for the next hour they discuss sex.\n"It's stimulating," said Baumgartner. "We're not doctors or anything, but we can at least let people know what's available to them."\nInfluenced by the nationally broadcast radio show, "Loveline," Baumgartner received permission from WIUS last semester to host her own sex talk show. She dedicated her time slot to discussing sex because she believes it is an issue that affects students' health and their emotions. She said it is not perverse, as some people believe, to talk openly about sex.\n"The same way talking about emotions builds bonds, so does talking about sex, because it is emotional," said Baumgartner. "Some people are really closed up about it, and that's sad."\nWhen Leach heard Baumgartner was looking for a co-host, he jumped at the chance. \n"I think about sex a lot," said Leach. "Thinking about sex makes you want to talk about it."\nNow the two host the show together every Monday night. The show often features Chelsea York, who works for Fantasy Inc., a company that distributes sex toys. York provides the show with different toys with the condition Baumgartner and Leach find people to use them and then review them on the show.\nEach show begins with the sex toy review. Last week, two freshmen expressed their mutual fondness for the Insatiable G, a type of vibrator. Both said they worked up the courage to talk about their experiences and were excited to be on the show.\n"I hate that girls never talk about masturbation," said freshman Allison Overdeer. "It is important to masturbate. Not too many women are happy about their sex lives, and they should take matters into their own hands, so to speak." \nAfter the toy review, Baumgartner and Leach interview the guests. Past guests have included a man who specialized in genital piercing, a human sexuality professor, members of the Student's Global Aids Campaign, Planned Parenthood staff and Crisis Pregnancy Center representatives. \nThe hosts dedicate the remainder of the show to discussing the sex topic of the day. At this time, listeners can call or instant message the station to express their feelings about topics that range from how drinking affects sexual performance and judgment to animal sex. \nBoth Baumgartner and Leach's parents support their children's decisions to host WIUSEX. Baumgartner said she is lucky to have a family that is open to talking about sex and that her parents have had discussions with her about sex since she was a child. Leach's parents enjoy WIUSEX so much they frequently send their son instant messages during the show and participate in the discussions. \n"Even my grandma listens," Leach said, "She is just proud I'm on the radio and happy just knowing my voice is on the air."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Lyon at lrlyon@indiana.edu.
(04/06/04 6:16am)
Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., spoke out in Washington, D.C., last week to encourage young voters to March Across America this summer and increase voter registration. \nIt's one of a series of events being lined up for this summer to get young voters to the polling box in November and to encourage volunteering and giving back to communities across the nation.\n"The character of a nation is defined by its citizens, and today, you have the opportunity to reforge the character of our nation through individual service to our communities and greater voter participation nationwide," Bayh said in a statement. "By exercising your right to vote, you are serving your country and using your voice to help determine the future of America."\nBayh is also working with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., alongside AmeriCorp to promote volunteering and giving back to communities. Bayh stressed the importance of national service and the promising future of America's youth who give back to their country. Both senators have introduced legislation to increase funding to AmeriCorp to provide additional opportunities to young Americans.\nThe March Across America will be held in 15 cities over the summer, and the goal is to actively engage young Americans in the political process.\nThe march is also being sponsored and run by Mobilize America's Youth, a group trying to educate young people on the need for political involvement.\nDavid Smith, executive director for MAY, said involvement from senators in Washington, D.C., is a significant step.\n"On March 24, we began discussions between youth officers and elected officials," Smith said. "It was an intense day up on the hill and we were excited that Sen. Bayh made his way to speak with youth and showed us that he has a high priority of youth voting."\nSmith also said the gap between those youth who volunteer is high, but the number of those who vote is low. \n"The gap between people who service their community is among the highest it has ever been," Smith said. "But the number of those people who volunteer and vote is only around 28 to 32 percent." \nSmith emphasized the misconception about young voters being apathetic and not involved is going to change.\n"We're seeing a complete uprising in youth participation," he said. "I think this presidential election will be unlike any other we've seen in terms of younger voter turnout."\nSmith might be onto something. The press release reported efforts to reach young voters are paying off. Voter turnout in presidential primaries in Iowa and Delaware resulted in a 400 percent increase in voter turnout and a 50 percent increase in New Hampshire.\nThis is coupled with the need to give back to communities and volunteer. Joe Smith, executive director for the Indiana Commission on Community Service and Volunteerism, said the funds that are being introduced in legislation for AmeriCorp in Indiana will help engage young people in getting involved. The ICCSV is the state branch of the national orginization AmeriCorp, and is also responsible for administering AmeriCorp in Indiana.\nJoe Smith said there is a direct connection between getting involved in communities and participating in the political process.\n"We are pushing for involvement. If we get people to see the value in community work, then you are more able to see a connection to the political process," Joe Smith said. "(Young voters) want to get involved locally and make a difference."\nJoe Smith also commented on the apathetic voters and how they are making it difficult to promote democracy in other areas of the world.\n"It's discouraging when young people are not engaged in the political process at home, but we are trying to promote democracy in Middle East. It's frustrating," Joe Smith said.\nAt the rally, which was also sponsored by MAY, representatives spoke with youth members voting and the importance it can have.\n"Democrat or Republican, we are here today to work toward a common goal of encouraging more Americans -- especially young Americans -- to take up their role in shaping the future of our country," Bayh said in a statement. "We need to work together with friends and colleagues from across the aisle to accomplish this goal, in whose success we all share a stake."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.
(04/01/04 6:31am)
Imagine this -- you wake up, roll out of bed and on your way to class grab a copy of the Indiana Daily Student. After scanning the headlines, your squinting, sleep-deprived eyes pop open. Assembly Hall is in shambles after a propane popcorn popper allegedly caused an explosion late last night. There are pictures to prove it. \nYou tell your friends, and maybe you decide to go and check out the damage. But when you get there you realize something isn't right. There are no firefighters or crowds of shrieking people. Inside, the floors even look polished. You're shocked -- until you realize it's April Fools' day. The joke's on you. \nIU students would have read this same story April 1, 1975, in what they thought was the IDS. What they had actually picked up was a copy of the "Indiana Daily Stupid," an April Fools' Day satire of the real newspaper. The "Stupid" was packed with articles and advertisements that at first glance, looked believable. \n"Our paper looked identical to the IDS," said Steve Danzig, a 50-year-old Bloomington resident and the man behind it all. "We even went into the IDS layout room and made sure everything looked the same." \nDanzig himself was a former IU student and president of the student body from 1973 through 1974. He was politically active on campus and was a part of the counter-culture movement during the 60s. He said he wanted to do something fun and came up with the idea for the "Stupid." Months before each Fools' day, he recruited writers, usually IDS staff, and raised money to publish and distribute the "Stupid." \nThe first challenge was to create believable satire. One mock article announced the Student Health Services was encouraging all women who had gotten their birth control prescriptions from the SHS in January to stop taking them -- 80 percent of the pills prescribed were placebo sugar pills instead of just the last seven slots. Hundreds of angry women called the SHS that day, Danzig said. \nThe satire also included playful pokes at important figures at IU, including former basketball coach Bobby Knight. Contributors for the "Stupid" found a picture of Knight and his players sitting on the sidelines reacting to the game. Their faces were contorted and Knight's legs were in the air. The IDS used to run a page devoted to feature stories called "Emphasis on," which "Stupid" contributors parodied. Under the photograph they wrote, "Emphasis on the Farts," and then fabricated a story about Knight's gas problem.\n"We made fun of fraternities, sororities, leftover hippies, and the president," said Dan Barreiro, former IU student and IDS staff writer. "We weren't reserving it for any one group of people because the idea was to bring the same sort of satire to everybody. Some of it worked and some of it was kind of stupid."\nThe next challenge was creating and distributing the "Stupid." Danzig would hold numerous meetings with contributors before April, 1. They would gather at Mother Bears, he said, and brainstorm. They collected photos and wrote captions for them.\nAs the first approached, Barreiro said, it became like a classic cramming for a test. In the days before the computer, they used exacto knives to cut out pictures and articles and then pasted them onto the page by hand.\n"We were up 36 straight hours putting it together," Barreiro said. "Then we would drive to some podunk Indiana town where there would be some small newspaper with a printing press. Danzig convinced them to help us print them."\nIn the U-Haul truck Danzig would rent, contributors traveled to Vincennes, Peru, Ind., and Columbus, Ind., to get the paper printed. The truck was so weighted down by papers, Barreiro said, laughing that he was convinced at one point they were going to drive off the road and die. \nWhen they got back to Bloomington, they would go out like ninjas in the night to distribute the "Stupid" everywhere they could on campus. Then they waited to see the effects. \n"I think we all laughed with the student body at the humor of it, some made clever fun," said Trevor Brown, Dean of the School of Journalism. "At the same time, I think we felt deeply uneasy, like whenever you laugh at a dirty joke. It's funny, but something's not quite right about it."\nBrown was a journalism professor during the short life of the "Stupid." He felt that the "Stupid" always had a high risk attached to it because the contributors were inventing things that could potentially undermine the credibility of the IDS, a paper striving to be professional and in competition with the Bloomington Herald Times for the news.\nThe "Stupid" appeared for roughly six consecutive years and then Danzig and others stopped working on it. \n "Whenever you do something like this it becomes a chore instead of a labor of love," Danzig said. "We felt it had run its course"
(03/29/04 5:04am)
The sound of beating drums lured many students and members of the Bloomington community into the IU Fieldhouse this weekend to the third annual First Nations Pow Wow, where American Indians from all over the country gathered to celebrate and share their culture through dance and song.\n"The Pow Wow is not designed for only native people. The intention is to educate the public about a culture they may have never seen," said Wesley Thomas, head of the First Nations organization at IU, a group committed to spreading awareness of American Indians and both Alaskan and Hawaiian natives. Thomas, who is a professor of anthropology at IU, organized the event.\nWhen Thomas arrived at IU from New Mexico, he felt it ironic that in a state whose name means "land of the Indians" there were virtually no traces of the culture on campus. Himself a Navajo, he felt it necessary to begin holding an annual Pow Wow. This year, members of roughly 47 of the 554 American Indian tribes in the U.S. came to Bloomington dressed in their tribal regalia to sing native songs, sell arts and crafts and participate in dance competitions. \nBrandon Sickbert, a junior at IU, attended this year's event.\n"It was an opportunity to experience another culture," Sickbert said. "It was a good cultural awareness building event."\nThe Pow Wow, for many American Indian tribes, is both a religious and social event. The drumming is the focus and is considered a prayer, said Thomas. It is essential for the dancers because it provides them with music to which to dance. There are 16 types of regalia, or outfits, the dancers wear, which vary from tribe to tribe. These outfits, said Thomas, are never to be called costumes because a costume is only something to be worn temporarily. Each tribe's regalia is usually distinctive and has a symbolic meaning embedded in it. \nAt this year's event, there was a special performance -- the Fukishima Kodaly Choir from Japan played music of the Ainu people, early inhabitants of Hokkaido, Japan. The Ainu, who value strong connections with the land, have been oppressed in their country and marginalized in Japanese society. \nEach year, a new Pow Wow princess is selected to represent the First Nations Pow Wow throughout the U.S. The princess, said Thomas, must act as a cultural ambassador and travel to other pow wows to educate and perpetuate the tradition. The judges consist of three women, all former princesses, who look for intelligence among contestants and make their choice based on who has the greatest cultural knowledge. Beauty is not a component in the competition because the American Indians do not value it as an aesthetic in their community. \nElizabeth Begay, a soft-spoken 16-year-old from Chicago, was unanimously selected as this year's princess after dancing and answering cultural questions. Begay is a member of the Navajo tribe and said she has been dancing since she could walk.\n"I want to teach other non-Indians about our culture," Begay said. "I want them to understand us in a dignified way and not think we're strange."\nThomas is already planning next year's event and predicts even more people will attend. He said next year, it will focus more on the dance competitions. Thomas said he will continue to educate the public about American Indian culture for as long as he can. \n"Spirituality is something you are completely immersed in from the moment you are conceived," he said. "It is something you perpetuate and pass on to your children. You can't shed it like your clothes."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Lyon at lrlyon@indiana.edu.
(03/25/04 6:10am)
The remainder of 2004 may have the city tightening its belt in the face of a substantial revenue loss. \nNevertheless, Mayor Mark Kruzan was optimistic at Wednesday evening's city council meeting. In the near future, he said Bloomington will receive about $500,000 less in property tax revenue than had been earlier projected.\nThe loss will result from legislation passed by the Indiana General Assembly in 2002 which will change in the city tax structure and establish a New Venture Capital Investment Tax Credit.\nInterim Controller Susan Clark also stated at the council meeting because the Senate bill was enacted last year as a law, Bloomington cannot recoup the losses.\nKruzan urged the council to give input and let the public know not to worry about a crisis.\n"This is not a fiscal crisis ... there will be no job loss, this is not a situation where people will be laid off," Kruzan said. "I hope this situation will lead to a statewide debate on what is causing this problem. We need to implement cuts or dip into reserves or even a combination of the two. I think dipping into reserves should be a last option because they don't replenish themselves. I think it would be a huge error to rely on reserves. Immediate steps are to have full public disclosure and let people know what is happening. Next is to have council input and how to solve this problem and get your opinion."\nDistrict VI Representative Steven Volan questioned when city officials became aware of the problems. Clark responded that the city found out Jan. 30, which was too late to react to the potential problem. Clark said the budget order was received March 5, when a concrete figure of the loss was calculated.\nDistrict IV Representative Dave Rollo asked if there was any way to prevent this situation from happening again. \n"In 2002, with restructuring, this one did not hit out radar screen," Clark said.\nKruzan also commented with new developments he won't be able to implement as many things as he had intended.\n"I am optimistic that we can pull together and do this," he said. "There are a lot of things I want to do that might not be able to get done in the city."\nThe city council also passed three resolutions concerning development around the city. \nIn a unanimous decision, the council passed a resolution to allow the $1,010,000 project allows Bloomington Paint and Wallpaper a tax abatement for five years and allow for the construction of apartments and a carpet store at 1116 S. Walnut Ave.\nRon Walker, director of economic development said the two-story facility is great for downtown area.\n"This project will create job growth, we think this is a fantastic project and will give great entryway into Bloomington downtown."\nCouncil members also unamimously passed a resolution to authorize agents to accept pension liability on behalf of the Bloomington.\nThe final legislation of the evening was to provide a lease for the Utility Board for another space at 501 North Morton since its offices were destroyed in a fire occurring earlier this year.\nVickie Provine, program manager said the lease was only temporary, but an agreement is imperative.\n"Since this is being brought to you under state law, certain steps must be taken to enter into a lease. We need a petition to go forward -- it needs your approval," Levine said. "This is a temporary lease arrangement because of the fire that destroyed the building downtown. Its certainty time for us to formalize the arrangement. We will go from approval from the council to a forum on April 5." \nMayer said the petition needs to be looked at and other concerns still remain.\n"(The Showers Building) is one of the options that is being looked at," Mayer said. "There is a time and money issue, and things are moving forward and the committee is consolidating"
(03/04/04 4:54am)
Wednesday night's Bloomington City Council meeting saw a continuance of Bloomington and Indiana residents' quarrel over gay marriage\nIn response to recent events surrounding the controversy over the amendment proposal to legally define marriage by the Indiana General Assembly, members of the newly formed BloomingPride voiced their opinions on the matter.\nMembers of the group used public forum time from the council's meeting to speak out against the Indiana General Assembly attempts to try and change the Indiana Constitution concerning the definition of marriage. \nMembers of the council -- while supportive of same-gender marriage -- spoke of the need to spend precious legislation time on more important matters.\nCouncil at Large representative Chris Gaal said Bloomington welcomes the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community, but the Indiana GOP needs to divert their attention to more pressing issues, such as the economy.\n"We were the first city in Indiana to offer diversity. We encourage diversity and tolerance and drive our national market in Bloomington for gay and lesbian visitors ... this makes Bloomington, Bloomington. We need to help people in nontraditional relationships in certain issues concerning life partners ... we should be more compassionate," Gaal said. "This issue is distracting us from issues such as job creations and young educated people leaving this state."\nBloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan said, according to Indiana law, he would not be able to follow San Francisco and permit city officials to authorize marriage licenses, regardless of the gender of the partners. Kruzan said if he were to violate this, he would face a Class A Misdemeanor and could be disbarred.\n"I do not intend to issue licenses for same-sex marriages, just as I cannot issue opposite-sex licenses," Kruzan said.\nKruzan went on to say Indiana legislators are wasting time arguing the issue.\n"Cities' statues rest in providing affordable health care and creating jobs," Kruzan said. "As a 16-year member of the General Assembly, I've seen many ugly things occur in the hallways, but in this case, countless hours have gone to waste to skew an election year instead of talking about job growth, it's truly sad that in a new millennium, old ways are coming forward."\nThe issue is not only affecting the Bloomington community but also IU students who want Indiana legislators to be held more accountable for their actions.\nMatthew Briddell, a senior, said what current legislators are proposing is discriminatory toward gays and lesbians.\n"The federal constitution should not be altered to take rights away," Briddell said.\nDistrict V Representative David Sabbagh said he is saddened by the events occurring in the General Assembly.\n"Actions of the state government have serious impacts on citizens ... I am disappointed with Indiana House Republicans when they boycott sessions, when they could have worked on creating jobs, education, or moving Indiana into the 21st century," Sabbagh said. "The local government tools are limited by what the state government gives us."\nBriddell said same-sex marriages should be given the same attention as a heterosexual message.\n"I am trying to get same-sex marriages the same legal status as an opposite-sex marriage." Briddell said.
(02/26/04 6:14am)
The Bloomington City Council unanimously denied a petition for the creation of a for-profit speciality hospital at the request of both the petitioner and the Bloomington Hospital at Wednesday night's meeting.\nIn an surprising announcement, the petitioner representing the physician trying to build a speciality hospital in Bloomington asked the City Council Wednesday night to deny the petition, citing a lack of support and the use of the word "inpatient" in the petition.\nThe petition included 102 acres of land marked for development, including commercial and industrial space, as well as a medical park with a for-profit, inpatientand outpatient care facility. The inpatient wording in the petition raised concern for the hospital, citing that competition with another hospital would hurt the community. The existing Bloomington Hospital maintained that an inpatient facility would create competition and potentially decrease its revenue -- specifically with subsidies for ambulances.\nDaniel Ubecker, the attorney representing the petitioner, asked the council to give specific recommendations before he brings the legislation before the council again in April.\n"We had hoped to handle this differently. We understand that several groups are opposed to this petition, and we formally request that city council deny this request so that we can work to accommodate the city council," Ubecker said. "We ask the city council to give clear directions, and we ask the Planning Commission to give clear intent."\nThe controversy surrounding a new for-profit speciality hospital has divided the community for the last several months. \nMark Moore, CEO and president of Bloomington Hospital also urged the council to deny the petition, and thanked the public and fellow physicians for their support on the issue.\n"We oppose the use of inpatient care -- if this is removed and the petition is firm, we will not oppose a future petition," Moore said. "Bloomington Hospital will continue to work with the city and county to make sure that anything regarding an inpatient hospital will go through city comment."\nCouncil members praised the public for the discussion provided and also asked for a specific definition of what "outpatient" signifies.\nDistrict V representative David Sabbagh was pleased with the outcome for now but would like a clear definition of "outpatient."\n"I'm happy to see that the "in patient" is being removed from the petition," Sabbagh said. "I also want a good definition of 'outpatient,' consistent with current community standards."\nCouncil at Large representative Chris Gaal, praised the Bloomington community for its involvement and also said the decision made was the right one.\n"I think that this is good for the community to have discussion and to witness this regardless of where you fall," Gaal said. "I think we're getting to the best possible outcome"
(02/20/04 5:51am)
Everyday, Steve Borden still questions why his brother died in the Monroe County Jail instead of being taken to the Bloomington Hospital.\nHe wonders why the police aren't cooperating in helping him get answers and why no one was disciplined in his brother's strange death.\n"Are those officers ever going to be punished?" Steve asked. "If that was me, I'd still be in jail. They are peace officers, why should they be above the law?"\nNow, the Borden family is suing the Lawrence County and Monroe County Police Departments, and they said they plan to file a civil suit. \nSteve said he wants to change the system.\n"I want to make sure that this never happens again and correct the problem so that we can move on. Lots of people think it's about money," Steve said. "But my brother is dead, no amount of money will bring him back."\nJames Borden, 47, died on the evening of Nov. 6, 2003, while being processed in the Monroe County Jail. Borden had been arrested by city police earlier that evening for violating his probation. Though he was under house arrest for fighting with his ex-wife, he had wandered to the nearby Jackson Mini Mart, where employees reported to police he was acting unusual and disoriented. \nA report from Borden's probation officer, Alison Piper, to Monroe County Corrections Probation Officer Jeff Hartman shows he was arrested on the night of Nov. 6 at his residence. Police officers had a warrant.\n"Bedford Police Officer and Field Officer Jerry Jackson reported that Mr. Borden was obviously confused and disoriented. He was observed talking to inanimate objects claiming they were his relatives. He was confused concerning the death of his father and unable to stay on topic and maintain normal conversation. ... Mr. Borden did not remember speaking with Mr. Jackson and denied ever having met him, he was not oriented to date or time."\nAn ambulance arrived that night at the Borden resident, according to an Emergency Medical Service report. The EMS told police officers James Borden needed medical attention.\nThe report states, "EMS advised law enforcement of the need of medical care." \nHowever, police told the EMS Borden was under arrest and police were assuming care of Borden.\nHe was then taken to the Monroe County Jail to be processed. \nWhile at the jail, Borden was reported as acting "uncooperative and combative."\nThree separate shocks from a taser gun were given to Borden by Officer D. Shaw, according to a police document. Officer D. Shaw said in a statement he shocked Borden for not pulling up his pants and for being uncooperative.\n"Inmate was being combative ... I asked Borden to lift up his foot to remove the shorts, but he was being combative and refused. I dry stunned Borden in the lower abdominal area ... We got Borden into the booking area. Borden was still combative and uncooperative. I dried stunned Borden in the buttocks area."\nEach shock packs 50,000 volts.\nAfter the final shock, Officer Shaw noted that Borden was no longer responsive and his face was discolored. \nAt that time, an ambulance was called.\nMonroe County Sheriff Steve Sharp said the police officers and the nurse who were involved in the Nov. 6 arrest and processing all acted within the set of BPD rules. \n"The police officers involved followed the protocol of the Police Department," Sharp said. "We will still continue to use taser guns."\nSharp also said none of the seven officers involved received any kind of suspension.\nThe county coroner ruled Borden's death accidental as a result of his enlarged heart, drug intoxication and a heart attack.\nBorden hopes he and his family can move on from his brother's death. Right now, he's searching for answers and justice, hoping his lawsuit might start the healing process and ensure the same thing doesn't happen again in his community.\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.
(02/19/04 5:28am)
Mitch Daniels is attempting to get all Hoosiers on the same page, at least on the same time zone.\nA Republican candidate for governor, Daniels is proposing to move all of Indiana's 92 counties to Central Standard Time, thus eliminating confusion across the state. The change to Central Time is part of an economic package designed to stimulate Indiana's economy.\nPresently, 82 of Indiana's counties are on Central time, but 77 of these counties do not observe daylight-saving time. Southeast counties observe Eastern Time with daylight-savings time, while northwest and southwest counties are in the Central time zone with daylight-saving time.\n"It's just another factor dividing us," Daniels said in a statement.\nWhile most of the country observes daylight-saving time from early April to late October, the majority of Indiana does not. Every year at 2 a.m. on the last Sunday in October, each state in the country except for Indiana, Arizona and Hawaii turns its clocks back an hour.\nEllen Whitt, deputy campaign manager for Daniels, said the proposal's main focus is trying to ease difficulty among Hoosiers.\n"The problem right now is the disruption for the people in the state," Whitt said. "Moving to Central Time would give some continuity to the residents. It's just a matter of simplifying things."\nWhitt also said moving the time zone will help decrease confusion among businesses.\n"For businesses in Northwest Indiana, it might take five hours to distribute something, or it might take four," Whitt said. "Going on Central Time derives the benefit of Indiana's central location."\nAnother reason for the proposal is to move Indiana into the future. Right now, with counties around the state on different time zones, Indiana is out of sync with the rest of the country.\n"One of the biggest reasons for Daniels' proposal is because Indiana is out of step with the rest of the country in regards to time zones, and we don't change our clocks," Whitt said.\nIndiana legislators also think the confusion should be addressed. Rep. Chet Dubois, D-Merrillville, said. Being from Northwest Indiana and in close proximity to Chicago, which is on Central Time, can be confusing to others around the state. \n"My reason for this concurrent resolution is because of the inconvenience coming from across the state," Dobis said.\nDobis introduced a concurrent resolution last week into the Indiana House of Representatives that would have most of Indiana move to the Central time zone and observe daylight-saving time. \nIn a statement, Dobis said, "My objective is uniformity 365 days a year -- with Chicago."\nDobis also stressed the need for consistency.\n"My philosophy is the state should be in the same time zone," Dobis said. "There should be a uniformity."\nThe benefits from the resolution will help those in the transportation industry who pass through Indiana.\n"People transporting into Indiana will benefit," Dobis said. "Now they will be on the same time as the rest of the country."\nDobis also said families will get benefits and more time to relax at night, and the questions why the state should be on Eastern Time.\n"Daylight-saving time provides more recreation time in the evening. I question why would we would want to be on the same time zone as New York," Dobis said. "Why not Chicago? We are closer in proximity, and it makes more sense."\nOverall, the controversy surrounding what time zone Indiana should be on remains an unanswered question. Dobis said regardless of political preferences, the issue of Central Time versus Eastern Time affects everyone.\n"This isn't a political issue," Dobis said. "It's a geographical one and a personal preference"
(02/17/04 5:50am)
If approved by the city council next Wednesday, Bloomington residents may have another choice as to where they get their health care from.\nLast week, the Bloomington City Council heard arguments from both opponents and advocates of construction of a speciality hospital in the city. The debate ended in a straw vote against the plan, in which five of the nine members voted against the petition, finding no need for another hospital in Bloomington. Four of the council members passed on the vote, wanting more time to go through information for next week's meeting. \nThe proposal for a new specialty hospital is part of a plan that includes development of about 102 acres of land on West Tap Road. The plan is spurring controversy about the need for a second hospital in Bloomington.\nLeaders from the Bloomington Hospital are opposed to the option of building a speciality hospital and are urging city council members to deny the proposal in the current form.\nIf the petition is passed as-is in its current form, it could potentially have a negative impact on Bloomington Hospital and not allow it to provide the best possible care to its patients, said Mark Moore, president and CEO of Bloomington Hospital.\n"We do not oppose a new medical complex being built," said Moore, in a statement, "but we do oppose the possibility of a new hospital being built with inpatient, overnight beds that does not share our mission of serving all patients. Bloomington Hospital has a responsibility to employees, the Medical Staff and our community to be proactive on this issue." \nDavid Goodman, executive director of Allied Employer Healthcare Coalition, said creating a speciality hospital will create more jobs, and competition between the two hospitals will decrease patient costs.\n"Having a speciality hospital will create a convenience of access," Goodman said. "A large general hospital is mandated by special interests, they have, by necessity diversification. A speciality clinic can develop overhead."\nSham Defiant, business development manager of the Pain Management Center of Southern Indiana, said the speciality clinic also maintains that if built, it can provide care that patients will not receive at the community hospital.\n"Shouldn't the people of Bloomington have the right to choose where they receive their medical care?" Defigan asked. "People don't need to wait four to six hours before they are given care, or walk through long corridors. The people of Bloomington have a right to choose their provider."\nBloomington Hospital maintains that patient costs will not go down, and the hospitals' revenue could be in jeopardy.\nMoore said the council vote has him carefully optimistic.\n"We're not taking the straw vote for granted, we are very fortunate to have the caliber doctors working here," Moore said. "I feel optimistic about what occurred last Wednesday. It's unusual to see four pass, but we left there feeling cautiously optimistic."\nMoore also said another hospital in Bloomington might not decrease the cost of care for patients.\n"At a macro level, another hospital is actually counter-intuitive. Ask any person, and they will tell you that competition will decrease costs," Moore said. "In the medical economy, when you duplicate services and third parties are paying, the consumer is one step removed. There is a huge amount of fixed costs; the hospital is then faced with the decision to cut services or increase the charge of services. More often, you are not driving down the costs, the costs are going up."\nMoore also said patients will not have much of a choice when deciding which hospital to go to.\n"The choice of which hospital to go to is really going to come from the doctor," Moore said. "If your doctor tells you where to go, you're going to go there."\nThe hospital maintains a specialty hospital is not needed in the community.\n"Our contingency is that in a community this size and so well served for 99 years, that there could be a loss of capacity, access and quality of service provided. This venture is driven by profit motives." Moore said. "This community does not need an acute care facility."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Jancek at ljancek@indiana.edu.
