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(10/30/03 5:20am)
While the incidence of cancer among Indiana residents is lower than the U.S. average, the number of cancer deaths in the state is higher, according to a report released recently by the Indiana Cancer Consortium.\nState officials said the disparity shows cancers among state residents are not being diagnosed early enough to allow effective treatment.\n"Obviously this indicates that we're not doing what we can to screen," said Elizabeth Hamilton-Byrd, an employee at the Epidemiology Resource Center at the Indiana State Department of Health. "We can prevent mortality if we screen and detect cancer at an earlier rate."\nThe "Indiana Cancer Facts and Figures" report, which was released last month, states that although people can survive most colon and rectal cancers if they are detected early, only 45 percent of Indiana residents over the age of 50 reported having a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy. In the United States, 48.1 percent of adults over 50 have been screened for colon cancer.\nDoris George, of Treaty, Ind., said she had her first colonoscopy two years ago. She was 66 at the time. Though doctors found no signs of cancer, this does not mean she can neglect being screened in the future. There is a history of colon cancer in her family, and her doctor recommended she get another colonoscopy in five years.\n"It's not something you want to do. It's not very pleasant. It's getting prepared for the colonoscopy that's the trouble," George said. "But I plan to go back, definitely."\nDoctors recommend if someone has a history of disease in his or her family, they should get screened earlier. \n"We know that breast cancer is 97 percent survivable if it is detected early enough," said Sharla Cretors-Daniel, communication specialist for the American Cancer Association. "If every woman over 40 had a mammogram every year, we could cut breast cancer deaths in half."\nEach section of the 32-page report begins by outlining the many types of cancers most common among residents of Indiana. For each type it provides information about healthy lifestyle choices people can make to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. Some of these choices include eating a healthy diet, protection from the sun and eliminating tobacco use and exercise. Obesity and smoking are among the leading risk factors for cancer in Indiana. \n"These choices alone can have a dramatic impact on cancer," Daniel said. "Eliminating tobacco use could reduce cancer deaths by a third."\nLack of awareness and money are both explanations for why residents are not getting screened. "Insurance can't cover it all. Some people can't come up with $100 out of their pockets for care," Hamilton-Byrd said.\nPeople can be screened for no cost under state-run programs. Leslie Dufner, an employee of the American Cancer Society, encouraged people to be proactive about getting the care they need. Residents can be screened for cancer at the Bloomington Hospital or any hospital in their area.\n"Money is not a good enough excuse," Dufner said.\nFor more information, residents should contact their primary care physicians or log onto www.cancer.org/Indianafacts to view the report.\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Lyon at lrlyon@indiana.edu.
(10/28/03 6:39am)
Elections for Bloomington's city council are next Tuesday, November 4th, and with 18 candidates running for election, campaigns are now coming down to the wire. District elections are made up of two or more candidates in each of the six local districts, at least one Democrat and one Republican running for office. There are also three at-large seats up for grabs. After the election, the party that holds the majority also votes on positions within the council, such as president and vice president. Out of the nine current members on the council, seven are running for re-election. District 2 representative Patricia Cole and at-large member Anthony Pizzo are not seeking another term.
(10/23/03 5:14am)
Zeta Tau Alpha sorority raised more than $53,000 with its annual philanthropic event, Big Man on Campus, Friday at the IU Auditorium.\nThe amount was over $10,000 more than last year's donations, according to sorority members.\nThe event allows one chapter member from every fraternity on campus to perform a talent segment, give off a positive representation of their fraternity and sell tickets to the show to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. \nKyle Ericksen of Delta Upsilon was named the winner of the event. He raised a personal amount of $3,500, which results in 60 percent of his total score.\nEricksen took home around $13,000 of the profits for the fraternity, and the rest was donated to the foundation.\n"We host the show every year, and we were extremely pleased with the outcome on Friday," said philanthropy chair and junior Ashley Stetter. \nParticipants in the event said they had a great time.\n"It was definitely a big time commitment, but I would love to do it again if I had the chance," said Sigma Pi contestant and junior Matt McLellan. \nThe sorority raised money through T-shirt and ticket sales, a calendar of the contestants and donations from family members, friends and local businesses. \n"Being the philanthropy chair of my own chapter really makes me appreciate BMOC," McLellan said. "I love that it combines philanthropic efforts with entertainment and fun."\n"Bad Boys" was the theme of the show, which featured stints on celebrities, such as Eminem, Clint Eastwood and James Bond. More than 2,000 tickets were sold for the event.\nZTA chapter member and junior Kealy Christle said she could not believe the enthusiasm of the audience, and said she was proud to represent something of that proportion. \n"I would highly recommend going to the event if you missed it this year," she said. "I know all of the hard work that was put into it and I was extremely impressed."\nThe foundation was started by a relative of Susan G. Komen and ZTA has supported the cause since its inception. Several breast cancer survivors were invited to tell their own personal stories during the event as a reminder of the main reason ZTA hosted the show. The survivors also participated in a candlelight vigil ceremony.\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Kaplan at lkaplan@indiana.edu.
(10/21/03 6:29am)
When I was working as a journalist, I never really felt discriminated against as a woman except for one occurrence. I was working as a sports journalist in the mid-to-late 1980s and there were a lot of incidents with women in locker rooms, sexual harassment and male athletes having general hesitation when talking to female reporters."\nAmy Reynolds, an assistant professor in the School of Journalism since fall of 2000, has encountered many career environments over the past fifteen years. Before IU, she taught at two other universities and worked in broadcasting and newspaper reporting and editing. \nReynolds believes her experience in sports journalism may have been because of the time. \n"I don't know how much the issues I dealt with have changed, but I know there are many more competent female sports reporters on television today."\nMark Brostoff, associate director of the Kelley School of Business' undergraduate career services, typically does not see specific trends as far as gender preferences among businesses visiting IU. \n"We like to focus our attention on what our students' needs are," he said. "When businesses place inquiries with us, they have no preference gender wise and most are usually pretty equal in terms of number of students."\nJonathan Perlman, a loan officer for Advantage Investors Mortgage, Chicago. interviewed several impending graduates during the spring of 2003.\n"My company set up interviews directly through the Kelley School of Business and we gave no specific credentials," he said. "In our business you need to be professionally presentable and carry good communication skills. These are all things I examine during the interview process." \nOut of 1,200 seniors in the business school, 36 percent make up the female population with 64 percent being male; however, this does not damage the females' opportunities. Brostoff feels that although it is not always said outwardly, many businesses want to incorporate female employees.\n"In some fields, such as apparel merchandising and fashion, I see a larger focus on the female population," Brostoff said. "I do feel the reasoning is simply because there tends to be more females interested in these areas and it is not specifically because of gender."\nAccording to the Dingell-Maloney report, a survey conducted in 2002 by the U.S. General Accounting Office, only five out of 10 targeted industries had women holding a share of management jobs proportionate to their share of the industry. Thus, even if women are not being overlooked when hired, they are often unaccredited when it comes to promotions or wages. \nReynolds does not feel like she has ever been discriminated against because of her gender while working in academia. \n"IU holds a large amount of women in high positions," she said. "The associate dean of the journalism school and the (Bloomington) chancellor are both women."\nThe wage gap between men and women widened between 1995 and 2000 in seven out of 10 industries, according to the Dingell-Maloney report. The study found that essentially, the majority of women managers were worse off in 2000 than in 1995. \n"I do think a wage gap undeniably exists, perhaps it is even the most apparent difference between men and women in the workplace," Brostoff said. He also felt that there are specific areas in which women are more successful than men when it comes to payment.\n"Informatics, computer science and engineering receive outstanding offers from businesses; even higher than starting salaries for men," he said.\nReynolds agreed that women seem to hold more assistant positions than men and she would not be surprised if a man would make more than a woman with the same experience in an entry level position. \nAs far as students interested in following a career path at IU, "Most of the students that I encounter are looking for employment elsewhere but there are certainly plenty of job opportunities for alums if they so desire," she said.
(10/07/03 5:36am)
BrainOrbit, LLC was founded in spring 2002, by then 22-year-old MBA accounting student Justin Greis. The company was founded with the idea of helping clients with small-scale enterprise resource planning, creating CD-ROMs, Web sites, training and small business solutions. \nBut last spring, Greis and his four co-owners found themselves in quite a bind. The co-owners of BrainOrbit were about to graduate, which left Greis to manage the business on his own. He realized running a company and succeeding in school was an impossible task and needed to find a new staff in order to keep the company going.\nGreis began speaking to peers in his MBA class, hoping to find new team members that fit the mold of BrainOrbit. \nHe found exactly what he was looking for. \nIn April 2002, Greis selected a team of seven co-workers. Tom Coburn, chief financial officer, James Motter, chief operating officer, Mike Iwanski, chief marketing officer, Chris Hansen, chief web developer and Josh Simerman, chief technology officer joined Greis as co-workers to create new plans for BrainOrbit.\n"We started talking strategy this summer," Greis said. "I thought that BrainOrbit could be extremely beneficial to students a year below us if we formatted a plan to pass the company down each year." \nThe team began working with the plan this fall and they are still in the process of smoothing out wrinkles and finalizing ideas. So far they have made the executive decision to pass BrainOrbit on to younger peers, who they will train extensively in preparation for the co-owners' departure. \n"We started out with two information sessions targeting mostly MBA and Informatics students," Iwanski said. "Last week we had individual interviews with eight candidates in order to figure out whether or not they qualified for BrainOrbit, and if so, what position they would fill." \nThe team was highly impressed with the interviewees and added all eight to the associate group of BrainOrbit. \n"I'd like to start my own business one day, and BrainOrbit is a great place to get my feet wet and learn the reality of trying to be competitive in a market," said new associate Najeeb Ali.\nThe associate training will be very transitional as far as responsibility. The co-owners plan to gradually ease their new members in to the business so that they can run it on their own by the time graduation is upon them.\nThe co-owners also formed an advisory board for BrainOrbit consisting of three IU professors they selected.\n"The purpose of the advisory board is to keep our business going from year to year, to perpetuate business and job referrals and to just give us their experienced advice," Greis said. \nThe current advisers are Ramesh Venkataraman, chair of MSIS program, Anne Massey, chair of the Department of Information Systems and Dennis Groth, assistant professor of Informatics. \nBrainOrbit currently caters to 10 different clients, two that are extremely profitable. They provide service in Web design, custom Web applications, database construction and management, logo and graphic design, network installation and implementation, Intranet solutions and Web-based training.\nThe initial goal of the original BrainOrbit team was to maintain a short-term client relationship and get the job done as quickly as possible. \n"The ideal job no longer incorporates our original objectives," Greis said. "In the past, we couldn't make long-term contracts because we did not have continuity."\nBrainOrbit now upholds never-ending contracts that assure indefinite service to their clients.\n"If we build something for our clients, we'll be there no matter what," Greis said.\nIwanski focuses on obtaining clients and producing new ways to convince them to use BrainOrbit.\n"We target clients based on research that encompasses their particular needs," he said. "In the past, the clients were mostly referrals, but we are trying to move outward and target local, regional and surrounding business areas."\nThe participation of BrainOrbit alumni is still being finalized among the group. The co-workers know they want to be an accessible source to their partners, however, they are not quite sure of the extent of their involvement.\n"Normally in business, individuals are protective of their positions and try to push people down in order to work their way to the top," Motter said. "Here we're hoping they replace us."\nAs far as post-graduation plans, the co-workers gave different answers. Careers in IT consulting, public accounting, assurance services and even taking a year off were all mentioned. \n"I am so thankful to have had this opportunity," Kuebler said. "Being part of BrainOrbit was something I never imagined I would experience in college and I can't believe how much I have learned."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Kaplan at lkaplan@indiana.edu.
(10/03/03 5:26am)
Colors are changing in Bloomington, and it has nothing to do with the time of year.\nBrightly hued signs have popped up in various parts of the city, with arrows pointing visitors toward major city venues. \nPart of the cultural tourism project, the new Wayfinder System is designed to help give directions to major attractions and destinations in the area, said Bloomington Mayor John Fernandez.\n"Wayfinder will make Bloomington a friendlier and more attractive community," Fernandez said. "This is a cultural tourism project which means this is an economic development initiative."\nThe system is made up of five color-coded districts; westside (orange), eastside (purple), downtown (green), Indiana University (crimson) and the Visitor's Center (blue). Symbols also appear on the signs to help direct people to important places, buildings and parking areas in the city. Trees represent the hills on the eastside, industrial buildings for the westside, and the Bloomington starburst logo for downtown. An eye represents information for the Visitor's Center to help direct international visitors in the area. \nBloomington Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Valerie Pena said she is happy with the results. \n"I am amazed at the comments I have received from both visitors and residents on how the signs are a striking change for the community," Pena said. "The signs are pleasing to the eye and there is a lot of information."\nAccording to a press release, the initiative to create a consistent destination signage program began in 1998. The City of Bloomington, Monroe County Government, IU, Bloomington Economic Development Corporation, the Downtown Bloomington Commission and the Convention and Visitors Bureau all contributed to the project. \nFernandez says the initiative doesn't stop with the new sign system. \n"One of the goals is to consolidate and co-locate destination signage," Fernandez said. "Reducing the visual clutter is an important objective for us."\nThe Wayfinder System cost approximately $250,000 which was funded largely by the City of Bloomington. The CVB provided both staff and in-kind assistance for the project, Pena said. There has also been additional money set aside for maintenance and sign additions.\nAccording to the press release, a detailed breakdown of the project contributions were as follows. IU Athletics, IU President's Office, Monroe County and the City of Bloomington donated $10,000 each. The CVB and the Visitor's Bureau donated $5,000, and the BEDC each donated $2,500.\nThe Downtown Bloomington Commission donated $2,500 and was also involved in determining which traffic locales would offer signs.\nExecutive Director with the DBC Talisha Coppock said the signs are a valuable asset to the city.\n"I have gotten a lot of positive feedback from the local community members," Coppock said. "The signs raise the level of professionalism and the overall visitor experience to the community."\nCoppock also said the parking signs are very effective and will be helpful in all parts of the city.\nThe last phase of the Wayfinder project will be the implementation of ten kiosks on Kirkwood Avenue that will provide information on downtown maps and event information. The kiosks are expected to be installed before mid-November.\nOverall, Pena said the Wayfinder System is a continuing program that will change the system to fit the needs of the community. \n"Wayfinder is a work in progress now and will be an ongoing program into the future," Pena said. "Based on an initial evaluation, we'll be modifying some sign faces and locations. We want to stay flexible as the community changes."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.
(10/01/03 5:19am)
For many U.S. residents, the war in Iraq is millions of miles away, physically and mentally. For members of the Indiana National Guard, Iraq is a temporary home away from family and friends.\nAccording to an unofficial announcement in a letter from Lt. Col. James Gentry, Battalion Commander of the 152nd Infantry Regiment of the Indiana National Guard, a group of over 600 soldiers stationed in Kuwait and Iraq will not return until early next year -- possibly February said Gentry.\nBut the National Guard has not made any official comments, stating there has been no official notification of any demobilization from Iraq.\n"We can't confirm any reports about the 152nd Infantry Regiment," said Director of Public Affairs Major Rex Sohen.\nIn spite of recent speculation, officials maintain that unofficial announcements should be given no weight.\nAnother unit helping to rebuild Iraq has had the same fate as the 152nd regiment. The 30ACA Unit, which was stationed in Iraq in February 2002 to help mobilize the government, were scheduled to come home in August and received orders to remain mobilized in Iraq until February 2004. James Pressner, Public education officer for the 308 Civil Affairs Brigade, said he has orders for the unit to remain in Iraq for another one to two years.\n"My orders are very accurate, but I have yet to receive an official notification," he said.\nPressner said the length of stay in Iraq is necessary, mainly because rebuilding takes time. \n"Rebuilding a country takes energy and resources," Pressner said, "especially when it took Saddam Hussein 39 years to destroy it."\nOverall, Pressner said the unit is doing a tremendous job and hopes that the public will understand the amount of time needed to stabilize the country.\nAlthough the 30ACA unit is expected to stay, there is still no word on the status of the 152nd Infantry Regiment. Sohen said Gentry could have heard information, but no one yet has confirmed his letter.\n"We have not received any kind of mobilization letters and 99.9 percent of the time, that is how a group gets to leave, when it comes in writing," Sohen said.\nWith no extended order from military officials, the group is scheduled to begin returning to Indiana beginning the first week in January Sohen said. He is hoping to hear news about demobilization from the Pentagon in the coming weeks.\nThe 152nd Infantry Regiment is made up of many Indiana residents, but is not a part of the Indiana National Guard. The group mobilized as a Federal Service and are a part of the active army. The group answers to higher officials because of their status, and in turn receive orders from the Pentagon.\nIndiana National Guard Program Coordinator Mike Connor said there is no information of when the group will return to Indiana. He said talk about a later return usually causes more problems.\n"The speculation usually leads to more stress," Connor said. "Especially when it hits the local media like CNN and families wonder if it concerns their unit and they don't know."\nConnor directs the Family Readiness Group and works to improve the life of the Army National\nGuard and their family members. He said families don't know for sure when soldiers are returning until their loved ones step off a plane. \n"This is why I am overly sensitive about mere speculation," Connor said. "Even if they do come home, they can still be detained."\nConnor said families who have loved ones overseas handle separation differently. He said many have positive outcomes such as families coming closer together and spouses becoming more reliant and self dependent while soldiers are away. Connor said despite the good points there can be harder times as well.\n"There is also the negative side of the situation," Connor said. "People are not prepared when a soldier leaves and deal with the situation. It becomes overwhelming, but it takes time to get through the difficulties of the separation."\nConnor also added the network of spouses available to help with these problems are effective. \n"We have older spouses who know what to expect and help the younger spouses with children try to cope," he said.\nSohen said when news is received about mobilization from Iraq, military groups make it available quickly for families. \n"We have a large amount of family for over 600 soldiers with the 152nd Infantry Regiment who want their loved ones to come home," he said. " We want them home as soon as possible." \n-Contact staff writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu
(09/30/03 5:24am)
When Aaron Steele opened Uncle Fester's House of Blooze, 430 E. Kirkwood Ave., in October 2000, there was no question spring break was a prominent thought in his mind. \n"It all started back in 1995 when I, along with four of my buddies, piled in to a 1978 Ford Bronco and set out for an unforgettable week of partying in Key West, Fla.," Steele said.\nHis inspiration came when they hit a traffic jam in Atlanta, Ga. As they began to pick up speed, they spotted a dog that had been hit by a car. They slowed down to glance at the monstrosity and one of his friends described the dogs head as "festered up." The word stuck as a way to describe their behavior from the crazy nights they encountered that week. \n"It was such a beautiful term, so we used it then and even today," Steele said. "It just seemed appropriate to name my bar after such a historic event." \nSteele attended Butler University in Indianapolis, receiving an undergraduate degree in political science, Spanish and international studies. After graduation in 1996, he decided to work as a bartender in Broad Ripple. He continued at several locations for the next five years, including a bartending job in Costa Rica.\nSteele said it was almost inevitable that he would ultimately own a bar; in fact, it's in his blood. His grandfather and uncle owned several bars in various parts of southern Indiana, and his aunt currently owns a bar in Key West. \nOn Oct. 13, 2000, the former BW-3 Bloomington, Inc., officially became Uncle Fester's House of Blooze, a place that would become the Kirkwood spot to listen to bands from all over the nation. \nAs the bar approaches its 3-year anniversary, Steele and his newfound partner and long-time cousin, Keenan Gill, are taking Festers to a whole new level. Within the next two weeks, Uncle Fester's Jungle Room Bar and Grill will officially take over the vacant spot next door that was once Panda Palace Chinese restaurant. \nThe restaurant will be attached to the House of Blooze, and the two spots will hopefully bring in a larger variety of clientele.\n"We are quadrupling our operating hours and square footage," Steele said. "Our hours will run from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. so we'll be serving lunch, happy hour, dinner and late night food around the clock." \nThe cousins planned the atmosphere and design of the restaurant entirely by themselves. Pool tables, arcade games and a variety of innovative art work will be displayed throughout both venues. \n"Aaron has been great with supporting local artists, everything from sculptures to photographs," Gill said. It will also feature four local beers on tap, wines from Oliver Winery and local produce wherever it is practicable. \n"We really try to make our business community-oriented because the local residents are our biggest supporters," Gill said. \nSteele and Gill have added 25 new employees to their staff of 12 in order to prepare for their expansion. They are making slight physical changes in the current bar, such as clearing out more seating and enlarging the dance floor in order to make the connection between the areas smooth and subtle. \n"Fester's caters to a completely different audience than any other bar on Kirkwood," Steele said. "We are the only place that brings in live music anywhere from national recording artists to local cover bands."\nSenior Sean Nightingale, who said he is an avid fan of jam bands, is a regular client at Uncle Fester's. \n"Unlike any other bar in Bloomington, Fester's has live music every night and the customers are actually there to see the bands," he said. "It is hands down my favorite music venue in Bloomington."\nSteele and Gill said they are anxiously anticipating the opening of the new addition and expect it to be a positive new hangout for current and potential clients. Gill, an IU graduate who practiced law in Indianapolis before joining his cousin, is embarking on a totally new experience. \n"Aaron and I work really well together and we are literally like night and day," he said. "I come open up in the morning and he stays late and closes."\nSteele said he believes the most important thing to remember when starting your own business is to see the big picture, work toward a goal and keep your chin up, even on the bad days.\n"My greatest pleasure comes when I see my customers having a good time," he said. "It is the most fulfilling reward to watch things that you worked for play in to action." \nFor more information and the full "Uncle Fester's" story visit www.festered.net
(09/25/03 5:59am)
The Commission for Establishment of a Community Revitalization Enhancement District, or CREED project, was adopted by the Bloomington City Council Wednesday night at City Hall.\nBloomington Mayor John Fernandez said the benefit from such a project will help the downtown area.\n"I think it's well established that downtown is the heart and soul of Bloomington," Fernandez said. "The CREED project will provide Bloomington with a unique opportunity to create flexible solutions to overcome obstacles faced by downtown."\nThe council unanimously approved the adoption of the project, and the legislation will now go to the Bloomington Economic Development Cooperation for further review.\nOther important issues that were passed were the recommission of the Status of Black Males, which was established in January 2001 and is recommissioned every three years.\n"I am very grateful for the commission and all the work they do for the city of Bloomington," said Deputy Mayor James McNamara.\nThe council also approved $169, 500 in appropriations for the Waste Management Department for insurance and liability claims and upcoming workers compensation.\nBudget Research Manager Susan Clark said the money will help pay for additional causalities, liabilities and premium insurance. \nProposals dealing with wastewater and stormwater rate increases were also passed by the Council during Wednesday's meeting. Assistant Director for Plant Development for the Utilities Department John Langley said the increases help the department improve their overall quality.\n"We spent a lot of time going over the rate adjustment and this will help to maintain the highest quality service," he said.\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.
(09/24/03 6:31am)
The African American and African Diaspora Studies Department will hold a public forum at 5:30 p.m. tonight at the Indiana Memorial Union to discuss several matters relating to the department, including the dismissal of former Chairman John Stanfield.\nThe forum will be held in the Dogwood Room and will last until 7:30 p.m.\n"The main point of the meeting is to talk about issues that concern the AAADS," said graduate student and panel member Keon Gilbert.\nThe meeting will address the stability of the department and Stanfield's dismissal.\nStanfield was appointed as chair in July 2002 and was recently replaced by former College of Arts and Sciences Associate Dean Michael McGerr. Stanfield made alterations to the department in a bid to remedy the department's finances. He also changed the department's name.\nStanfield's plan to combat excessive spending involved running records throughout his office and listing office and phone use policies.\nOfficials in the COAS department say COAS Dean Kumble R. Subbaswamy made the decision to demote Stanfield.\nMany department faculty could not pinpoint an exact reason for the replacement of Stanfield. Former AAADS department finance manager Linda Jean would not say whether the decision was based on financial problems faced by the department.\nSome members of the AAADS department have said they would like to help the former chair attempt to petition his demotion.\nStanfield still remains at IU as part of the faculty of the AAADS department.\nThe panel will address the department's graduate students and faculty about the potential of AAADS.\nA statement by graduate student Byron Thomas listed some of the expectations the public forum wishes to accomplish: "The goal of (the forum) is to give the graduate students in the department the opportunity to articulate what the AAADS department means to us, as well as to characterize the manner in which the decision will impact our academic and professional development," Thomas wrote.\nGilbert said he hopes much will be accomplished at the meeting.\n"For me, this forum will hopefully help to provide a greater understanding of our expectations of the University," Gilbert said. "This forum is also to discuss where we would like to see our department go."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.
(09/23/03 5:22am)
When Dan Duncan entered IU as a freshman, he had big plans. \n"I declared a biochemistry major and was set on going to medical school after four years at IU," Duncan said. In his first year, Dan pledged and joined Delta Upsilon fraternity and began a side job as a greek party disc jockey three nights a week. Today, as the co-owner and founder of Vertigo night club, Duncan is a long way from medical school.\nAs a D.J., Duncan was given the opportunity to meet new people, have contact with most of the social chairmen on campus and make money at the same time. Chapters such as Kappa Kappa Gamma, Alpha Epsilon Pi, Delta Gamma and Theta Chi fraternities were all frequent customers, and Duncan was making an unexpected amount of money. \nFrom his experiences as a D.J., Duncan realized he had a natural ability with people skills, and he wanted to take them to a professional level. To test his ambitions he began taking business and entrepreneurship courses at the Kelley School of Business.\nJoe Denekamp, professor in the Kelley School of Business and faculty adviser for the Young Entrepreneurship Association, works with students who strive to go above and beyond the typical coursework to fulfill their career path. Duncan, a former student of Denekamp's and member of the organization, fit perfectly into this category. \n"What made Dan unusual was the extraordinary way he carried himself," Denekamp said. "He has accomplished so much at a young age because of his capacity to work with people."\nToward the end of his time at IU, Duncan noticed the parties that once drew over 1,000 people were dwindling to a mere 300. The greek system was adopting stricter policies, and it had become extremely difficult for a party to not be busted by campus security.\n"I realized that this was my opportunity," he said. "I wanted to give the greek system the scale of parties they wanted in a new setting." \nThus began his gateway into Vertigo. After receiving an unfortunate letter of denial from the Kelley School of Business in 2000, Duncan, he and his friend Nathan Dotzlaf withdrew from IU and embarked on an unforgettable project.\n"I was 21 years old and I had no assets and no equities," Duncan said. "Instead, I had a 50-page business plan and some enthusiasm." The two began working with commercial loan officer Dave Landis to give them a seal of approval. \n"I always knew I wanted to work for myself," Dotzlaf said. "I could succeed or mess up without worrying about answering to someone above me."\nAfter fine-tuning their plan, obtaining a variety of licenses from the state of Indiana and taking out a loan bigger than most people take out on their first home, Duncan and Dotzlaf were ready for business. \nDenekamp wrote several letters of recommendation for Duncan to back his plan and help him with acquiring the loan. "To obtain that much money and carry it off like Dan did is almost an impossibility for someone his age," Dotzlaf said.\nJune 2000 marked the opening of Vertigo. Since then, Duncan and Dotzlaf have not looked back. Duncan currently resides in Broad Ripple and Dotzlaf in Bloomington. Duncan commutes to Bloomington at least once a week and focuses on the financial aspects of the club while Dotzlaf runs the day-to-day factors that keep Vertigo up and running. "Since we work on opposite ends of the spectrum, we often have to agree to disagree," Dotzlaf said.\nThe partners recently signed a new lease for another seven-and-a-half years and they are looking to enhance the atmosphere of the club through a second phase of renovations. "We are looking to install a new draft system and possibly begin co-promoting with Axis," Duncan said. "A new development of apartments and shops will be built less than a block away from us by next August, so we are hoping this will be a new opportunity for Vertigo." \nDuncan and Dotzlaf have also begun working in the mortgage business where they plan to work with remodeling and refinancing homes. \nDuncan's advice to IU students with a desire to start their own business is to have a strong focus and motivation. He stresses the importance of negotiating skills and people skills in order to achieve success. \n"It is imperative to focus your thoughts on what you want to do and then put them together in a concrete form." he said. "There are 150 million baby steps in order to transform an idea in to a reality."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Kaplan at lkaplan@indiana.edu.
(09/19/03 5:57am)
Highway 37 in Martinsville has more open landscape these days. \nOne year after an F-3 tornado ripped through South Central and Central Indiana causing damage to Ellettsville, Martinsville, Greenwood, Southport and Beech Grove, holes line the road where trees once stood. \nA total of 36 counties were affected, with an estimated $50 million in property damages. \nEllettsville resident Linda Bybee said she's still getting used to her neighborhood.\n"Twenty-seven mature trees were destroyed in our area; it is not the same," she said. "They were great buffers for sound, and we didn't realize it until they were gone."\nBybee and her husband John said they finished repairs to their house in July. \nToday, most of their neighborhood is back to normal, she said, without the biggest obstacle immediately after the tornado -- the lack of electricity. \n"The trees in our yard pulled our electricity box out completely," Bybee said. "We were without electricity Friday evening through early Sunday." \nEllettsville Clerk-Treasurer Sandra Hash said the amount of volunteer help immediately after the tornado was outstanding. Hash said the majority of the damage was due to trees obstructing the roads. Volunteers worked for two weeks to clear the debris.\n"I was amazed at the volunteers who came out," Hash said. "Several hundred people volunteered and donated their time. It was amazing."\nEllettsville Director of Emergency Management John Hooker said in the last year the town has been working to address safety problems made apparent during last year's tornado. \nHe said poorly maintained and placed warning sirens failed to alert many residents of the approaching tornado. \nHash said Ellettsville has collected enough donations for a new tornado warning siren. It was installed this week next to Ellettsville Primary and Intermediate schools in an area that sirens did not reach last September.\n"There are 25 new sirens in the county," Hooker said. "We now have a comprehensive plan to let people know if this ever happens again."\nThe sirens will now reach all five schools in Ellettsville and the senior citizen center.\nNearly 20 miles away, Martinsville also suffered extensive tornado damage. A reported 20 homes were destroyed, with 18 homes suffering minor damage. \nMartinsville District III City Council representative Gary Lester was out of town when the tornado hit. He said he returned a few days later to find serious destruction. \n"The biggest loss we had was of the trees," Lester said. "Everything was tore up." \nVicki Buskirk, administrative assistant to Martinsville Mayor Shannon Buskirk, said even with damages ranging in the millions of dollars, the majority of the city is back to normal. \n"We had never experienced anything of that magnitude before," Buskirk said. "But luckily the mayor had a disaster plan in place. The town would absolutely not have been able to recover as quickly as possible without the help we received."\nThe Bybees said they are still overwhelmed by the amount of help they received in rebuilding their home and their lives.\n"It was unbelievable in today's age that the area came together as a whole to help out," Bybee said. "It really was a community effort."\n-- Contact staff reporter Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.
(09/19/03 5:33am)
Bloomington will begin to recognize the Matricular Consular, or "Mexican Consular ID card," a valid form of personal identification held by Mexican immigrants, Mayor John Fernandez announced Thursday. \nFernandez spoke at the 2003 Latino Summit at St. Paul's Catholic Center.\nMexican consul Sergio Aguliera joined Fernandez in the announcement. \n"The Mexican consulate in Indianapolis applauds Mayor Fernandez and Bloomington for recognizing the benefits of ID cards," Aguilera said. "These cards are internationally recognized and can be used for routine, day-to-day purposes like obtaining a bank account."\nThe Matricular Consular is an official Mexican government document designed for identification and registration of Mexican nationals abroad. It works as a secondary form of identification; a primary form of ID is still required.\nIn a statement, Indiana Senator Dick Lugar said he was in favor of recognition of the cards, stressing the economic benefits the nation would receive because local banks will generate more business, crime will be reduced and immigrants will be more likely to make big-ticket purchases to bolster the local economy.\n"I believe that this is a sound policy that will benefit our country, as well as the individuals who receive these cards," he said.\nFernandez applauded Bloomington residents for recognizing new members of the community and the significant role of the Hispanic community in Bloomington. \n"Bloomington has a long history of welcoming newcomers," Fernandez said. "Recognizing the Mexican Consular ID card is simply the next step in helping our community's Mexican residents enter mainstream life more smoothly, as well as acknowledging their contributions to the economy and fabric of life in Bloomington."\nNot only will the ID cards aid in communication barriers currently experienced by Hispanics in the area, but will also help newcomers feel more comfortable and provide opportunity. \n"People that are here now will feel more welcome," said Lillian Castillas, director of the Latino Cultural Center. "The ID cards are in a way improving our quality of life and opening doors for us."\nBoth Fernandez and Aguilera added that the ID cards will enhance communication between Mexican residents, local law enforcement, health care professionals and other services in Bloomington.\n"Our goal for today's summit is to help individual agencies acquire new improvements for communication partnerships as part of the growing Hispanic and Latino community in the City of Bloomington," Fernandez said. \nAguilera praised Bloomington residents for all of their hard work and dedication to making Matricular Cards possible. \n"We have been working towards this and it is important that this is happening here in Bloomington, a growing and important community," Aguilera said. "This is a definitely a step in the right direction."\nFernandez joins other Indiana mayors, including Bart Peterson of Indianapolis, Grahm Richard of Fort Wayne and Fred Armstrong of Columbus, in acknowledging the substantial economic, social and cultural benefits to Hispanics and Latinos as well as the community for recognizing the ID card.\nBoth Fernandez and Aguilera noted the city's recognition of the Mexican Consular ID cards does not change laws related to immigration or legalize undocumented aliens.\nOver 700,000 ID cards have already been issued this year alone.\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.
(09/16/03 6:03am)
It was not so long ago that Nick Martin was just another IU student majoring in marketing, hanging out regularly at Yogi's Bar & Grill and having a good time with his friends. Today, as a successful co-owner of Joyride snowboards and wakeboards, based in Evansville, Ind., Martin reflects upon his college days.\n"I have loved to snowboard and skateboard since I was a kid," Martin said. "I always knew I wanted to go into business, and my sophomore year in college was when I started from scratch and began tinkering out business plans." \nMartin's entrepreneurial tendencies led him to become involved in the entrepreneurship program offered in the Kelley School of Business. He later entered a business plan for the Joyride company in a competition during his junior year. Martin won the competition, which brought his plan for Joyride to a whole new level of feasibility.\nBefore graduation in 2001, a private "angel investor" that had confidence in Joyride provided Martin with an investment through finance banking. \n"Through networking I was able to present my idea to a group that liked it so much, they bought out another brand to start my business," he said. \nMartin runs Joyride with longtime friend and IU alumnus Jay Gardner. Through the private investor's funding, Martin has turned Joyride into a flourishing business venture. Joyride's products are now available in over 200 specialty stores across the United States as well as internationally in Canada, Japan, China, Australia, Sweden and Austria. \n"Joyride has excellent product development because they stay especially updated with the latest technology," said Matt Druschke, manager of Get Wet in Evansville, which carries snowboards and wakeboards. Druschke said the Joyride brand is recognizable to almost all of their clients. \n"Since the owners of Joyride are originally from Evansville and they now run their business here, they are very well known throughout the community and everyone wants to support them to continue their success," he said. Wakeboards range from $250 to $350 and snowboards typically run $350 to $450.\nOnline ordering is also available through their Web site www.joyride.com. Martin, however, tries not to promote online ordering because it competes with the retail shops. \n"The Web site's purpose is more or less to inform current and potential clients about our company and products and update them on our latest events and endeavors."\nThis past summer, Joyride hosted several wakeboarding competitions in order to endorse the variety of products. The company first paired up with Red Bull to host the Joyride Great Wake Series, an aggressive wakeboard competition that took place in various locations throughout the state of Michigan. Red Bull provided the team members and Joyride supplied the boards. \nThey also sponsored Thunder on the Ohio, a major national hydroplane race in Evansville, to promote wakeboarding. Joyride displayed the boards and other accessories in a large booth placed in the center of the event. \n"We introduced the sport to several thousand avid water sports enthusiasts over the course of one weekend," Martin said. "We want to help people understand the basics of wakeboarding and get them started because as we all know, once you get started, you're going to be a wake boarder for life." A large photo gallery of all the summer events is available on the Web site.\nMartin said he's thrilled with the current success of his business and he plans on fulfilling his future dreams the same way he did with Joyride. Although he is still passionate about his business, he has dozens of plans to start on. \n"I would love to build up my future business ideas, while continuing to expand Joyride and eventually sell out within 10 years," he said.\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Kaplan at lkaplan@indiana.edu.
(09/12/03 5:35am)
After a moment of silence Wednesday night for Indiana Gov. Frank O'Bannon and the victims of Sept. 11, the Bloomington City Council unanimously voted in approval of the $50.5 million 2004 city budget. \nThe council also approved new salaries for elected officials and $622,000 was allotted to Bloomington city employees. Fixed salaries for elected officers of the police and fire department were also passed. \n"These salaries reflect the level of professionalism in Bloomington," council-member-at-large Tim Mayer said. "I can speak very highly of the quality we receive in the fire and police department."\nThe majority of the meeting was dedicated to council members voicing their opinions of the budget.\n"I'm proud of the way we do the budget process," District I Rep. Patricia Cole said. "We are conservative fiscally and I think the budget reflects the safety and investment in Bloomington."\nThe budget, which includes a modest 4.3 percent increase from 2003, includes $150,000 towards the city sidewalk fund, $110,000 to the Jack Hopkins social services fund, $90,000 for playground upgrades, $500,000 to alternate transit and $161,000 for three new firefighters and new equipment for the fire department. \n"If we're not willing to invest in Bloomington services, our city will not be as good if we don't take care of our employees," Bloomington Mayor John Fernandez said.\nSeveral members of the council reflected on the success of the budget amidst the country's current economic situation. \n"Other county municipals around the country are experiencing budget crunches," City Council President Chris Gaal said. "Look at how fortunate we are. We are in sound financial ground and this budget meets all of the city's needs. We have new investments in animal shelters, cultural tourism, money for sidewalks, funding for social service agencies; all the while (we're) not taking out a maximum tax levy."\nConcerns were raised about a lack of funds in certain areas, primarily the Jack Hopkins social services fund and the absence of green space funding.\n"Social service is needed in our community," District IV Rep. Dave Rollo said. "My request far exceeds the Jack Hopkins fund. We need to ensure the budget reflects this need."\nRollo said a green space fund needs be instituted in order to preserve the quality of life and property value.\nDespite the concerns, the council members praised the budget overall.\n"Even with the current economic recession," Mayer said, "we've brought forward a very strong budget at a very difficult economic time."\n-- Contact staff reporter Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.
(09/12/03 5:09am)
The IU School of Medicine announced on Thursday that they are testing a vaccination which may help prevent genital herpes.\nMary Hardin of the IU School of Medicine Media Relations announced that infectious disease physicians from the medical school are running the tests in several locations throughout Indiana for not only the herpes vaccine, but also a vaccine for hepatitis A. \nDr. Kenneth Fife, the main researcher of the trials, is looking to test women between the ages of 18 and 30 who are not infected with oral or genital herpes. The women will be chosen at random to receive either a hepatitis A vaccine or the herpes vaccine. Although the hepatitis A vaccine has already been approved by the Federal Drug Administration, the clinic is testing the strength of the drug, the number of doses needed and the number of injections needed. Through these tests, the research team hopes to improve the hepatitis A vaccine. \n"This is the third and most likely the last phase of the trials," Nurse Practioner Nancy Hobson said. "We have been doing trials on this vaccine for the last seven years." \nThe herpes virus can infect on two levels; herpes simplex 1, which typically comes in the form of cold sores or fever blisters and herpes simplex 2, genital herpes. If the vaccine is successful, both forms could be prevented. \nThe trial is being publicized all over Indiana college campuses, as well as through national advertising. The only minor side effect is a slight tenderness at the sight of the injection, which comes with almost any injection. Women are given $360 over a period of 20 months and of course, a free vaccination test.\n"The vaccine will not cure individuals already infected, but could have a huge effect on protecting women and their partners from this sexually transmitted disease," Fife said in a statement. "The trial is for individuals who have not contracted either form of herpes, which makes the screening process more difficult since many people are exposed to herpes through cold sores at an early age."\nSue Ford, the study coordinator of the vaccination testing, said 100 women have been screened on the IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis campus so far. Their intention is to screen 2,000 women in order to get 500 tests they can use. \n"One out of every four women tests positive for herpes simplex 1 or herpes simplex 2, and we can only use tests that are double negative," Ford said.\nIf the vaccine is approved by the FDA, women will be able to use it as a protection against the disease. Although the most serious symptom of the disease among adults tends to be general discomfort, it is currently preventable only through abstinence. If a woman is infected while she is pregnant, it can cause severe damage to her unborn child.\nInvestigators are apprehensive about the reaction of parents vaccinating their children if the drug is approved. Greg Zimet, Ph.D. and professor of pediatrics and clinical psychology said he is confident that this is not an issue to worry about.\n"Parents have exhibited an overwhelming willingness to have their children vaccinated," Zimet said. "There has been no difference in attitudes about vaccinations for non-sexually transmitted infections and those for STD protection."\nZimet ran a behavioral study among 300 adolescent-parent pairs who filled out a questionnaire regarding the issue. The typical response by the parents was to question the likelihood of their child becoming infected and what they could do to prevent it. \nThe trial will be held at 20 different locations throughout the United States and their goal is to enroll over 7,500 women.\nThe vaccination will continue to run until the clinics have fulfilled the amount of women they want to test. \n"One of the most common concerns with the test is that it will give you genital herpes," Ford said. "This is just a myth and entirely impossible."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Kaplan at lkaplan@indiana.edu.
(09/09/03 5:15am)
After over two years of construction, College Mall Road might finally be complete.\nThe road has been under construction since June 2001 and the project is scheduled to wrap up the first week of October 2003. \nMany have questioned the length of time that the road was under construction. \n"Oh, you mean that mess down by Target," junior Amanda Hardesty said. "I think it's been a huge inconvenience."\nInconvenience or not, engineering manager Justin Wykoff said construction was necessary due to the heavy volume of traffic College Mall Road was experiencing. The estimated $5.6 million project encompassed a variety of needed jobs. Instead of two lanes, the road has been extended to four and a turning lane was also added. The addition of a traffic light at Second Street by the Buick-Cadillac dealership was added for safety reasons. \nWykoff attributes the length of the project to several factors. Utility work and add-ons were a factor in the length of time for the project. Old sewer, water and phone lines were removed and replaced with new lines. Other new additions to College Mall Road include a multi-use bike path and new sidewalk.\nBut drivers on College Mall Road are not the only ones affected by the construction. Merchants and businesses located in the area have also had to make adjustments. Vicki Temple, owner of Bloomington Hardware and member of the College Mall Road Task Force Project Team, said the business had to plan ahead when looking at how the construction would affect business.\n"Any business knows there is going to be some impact," Temple said.\nTo make things more convenient for customers, Bloomington Hardware added a delivery van to use at their customer's convenience. \n"This helped us pick up outside sales," Temple said.\nHardesty still questioned the amount of work that was actually done on the road. \n"I just wonder what they do all summer," Hardesty said. "It just seems like they step (road work) up when everyone gets back."\nWykoff said another roadblock for the project has been weather. He said there have been certain times -- including the months between December and March -- when working on the road was impossible.\n"Those months shouldn't count," Wykoff said. "We can't lay asphalt or concrete. Those months threw off a lot of work on (College Mall Road) this year."\nThis week's last minute touches on the road could pose other problems to drivers. He said there might be traffic changes, and traffic might be routed entirely to one side of the road during completion.\nBut Wykoff said once complete, the new improvements will benefit everyone. \n"There will be a lot better accessibility and take pressure off other roads," Wykoff said. "By improving College Mall Road, it helps the city and our businesses. Pedestrians will have a multi-use pathway at their convenience."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Jancek at ljancek@indiana.edu.
(09/05/03 6:20am)
Republican candidate David McIntosh has announced he will not seek his party's nomination in the upcoming 2004 gubernatorial election. \nThe former U.S. Representative made the announcement Thursday afternoon during a press conference at GOP headquarters in Indianapolis. McIntosh cited growing support for fellow candidate Mitch Daniels, which includes an endorsement from President George Bush, as the main reason behind his decision. Daniels is the former White House budget director.\n"The team is coalescing around Mitch Daniels and I'm a team player, have always been a team player and I want to be part of the team," McIntosh said during the news conference. \nMcIntosh, who made an unsuccessful bid for governor on the Republican ticket against Frank O'Bannon in 2000, has been campaigning for his party's nomination since December. \nHis decision came as a shock as early polls had shown McIntosh was better known than any other candidate, even Daniels. Seventy-three percent of those surveyed in a WISH-TV poll taken in July knew of McIntosh, while 42 percent recognized Daniels' name.\nMcIntosh is the third Republican to drop out of the race after Luke Kenley of Noblesville and Murray Clark of Indianapolis. His departure leaves candidates Eric Miller, Randy Harris, Bob Parker, and Daniels vying for the position. \n"He (McIntosh) came to this decision and he supports Mitchell's candidacy and has agreed to be a part of the team," said Ellen Whitt, a member of Daniels' campaign committee.\nOther candidates maintain McIntosh's decision will not greatly effect their campaign strategy.\n"We're going to continue to do what we've been doing since the beginning," Miller said. "I've never focused on candidates. I've always focused on winning the nomination and the election." \nMiller was the first candidate to enter gubernatorial race two years ago.\nWhile the candidates are discounting the importance of McIntosh's announcement, some local Republicans say they are pleased with the move. \n"I think it was the smart move by McIntosh," said Bloomington City Council District V representative David Sabbagh. "I think this will focus the race further and more people will see Daniel's strengths."\nMcIntosh said Thursday it had become clear that Democrats would field a "strong team" in the governor's race, and it was important for Republicans to run as a team. State Sen. Vi Simpson, former state and national Democratic chairman Joe Andrew are seeking the Democratic nomination. \n-- The Associated Press contributed to this story. Contact staff reporter Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.
(09/05/03 6:07am)
Every year, as IU students face the task of decorating their latest living environment, the IMU Leisure Programs department sponsors a 10-day poster sale with a variety of wall décor at prices less than $10.\nThe sale runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through today in the IMU Georgian Room, just outside the IU Bookstore. Most posters range from $6 to $8 and fall into one of seven categories.\nCashier Krista Zvanitajs said she sees people purchase all types of posters -- some that they may not be proud of.\n"One of the funniest things I see constantly is a customer buying a poster that they must think seems out of character for their appearance and telling me it's for someone else," Zvanitajs said. "I just want to tell them they don't need to give me an explanation. You can't imagine how many times I hear, 'It's for my sister.'"\nTour Director Karen Krinsky also observed the common occurrence of roommates who have just met trying to decorate their room together. \n"It's almost as if they get to know each other through the posters by learning each others taste," she said.\nShe can't help but laugh as the strangers try to be tactful with their opinions, careful not to show what they really think. \nAnother entertaining conversation piece is the infamous, "Official Guide to Mullets." Zvanitajs recommended this piece for an instant icebreaker between people stumped for conversation and a way to show off a great sense of humor. \nJunior Laura Frishberg, an avid Mickey Mouse fan, found a lot of colorful prints to make her room in Foster-Martin feel like home her freshman year. \n"The dorms have a huge amount of white wall space that screams insane asylum if you don't cover it up," she said. "My roommate loved Andy Warhol, so we coordinated both of our tastes to make our room cozy and much more pleasing to our eyes."\nThe works of a variety of well known artists such as Georgia O'Keefe, Mark Rothko and Pablo Picasso take up a good portion of the poster books. Krinsky confessed that they consistently sell all of their posters each year and usually place re-orders throughout the course of the sale. \n"I remember a few years ago when Leonardo DiCaprio was popular among the students," Krinsky said. "We could not keep enough of those posters in stock."\nA large array of posters are still available at the sale, so it is not too late to check it out between classes or after you buy your multiple bags of textbooks. Cash and checks are accepted and credit or debit cards can be used for sales over $20. \n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Kaplan at lkaplan@indiana.edu.
(09/04/03 5:49am)
Bloomington City Council members were optimistic at their meeting Wednesday night for a unanimous approval of next year's proposed budget.\n"I can't find much wrong with the budget," said District II representative Jason Banach. "It's never going to be perfect, but for the most part we are doing a pretty good job."\nThe $50 million budget has been in the works since July and includes a number of appropriations for various programs throughout the community.\nThe Council will vote on the budget next week.\n"Putting forward a strong budget maintains strong investment and builds a better place for people to live," Bloomington Mayor John Fernandez said.\nThe budget is being raised roughly 4.3 percent from 2003, mainly due to new investments in public safety, the addition of 552 new parking spaces and liability insurance for city employees. Additional money in the budget will be allocated to maintenance of city sidewalks for $150,000, $90,000 for the Parks and Recreation Department and $500,000 for alternate transit, all of which was included in the 2003 budget.\nThe budget also allows for the hiring of three new firefighters which will cost roughly $162,000. Fernandez said the addition was needed to maintain a force level compatible for Bloomington.\nController Tom Guevara attributed the hefty budget to the strong business sector in Bloomington.\n"Businesses produce the resources that are needed to protect taxpayers," Guevara said. \nAlso noted were the strong fiscal reserves, Guevara said investments allow Bloomington to generate revenue while at the same time also decreasing tax rates.\nWednesday was not the first time the budget has been discussed. In July, the first draft of the budget was brought in front of the council and two weeks were spent reviewing it.\nIn May, the council had a "budget retreat" and Wednesday was the final hearing before next weeks vote. \nThe budget has been reviewed in the last five months, but council members say they have only made small changes in that time.\n"Essentially the budget from July has not changed," Council President and District VI representative Chris Gaal said.\n2003 could also set a precedent for a unanimous vote for a budget in the last eight years. \nCouncil members had many ideas on the proposed budget, in particular the fortunate situation that Bloomington residents are in. \n"Look around the country, look at the federal deficit and what other local governments are experiencing. Then look at Bloomington," Gaal said. "We are incredibly fortunate, this budget funds our basic priorities while at the same time maintaining our reserves."\nMany representatives were content with the financial situation such a large budget puts on the city.\n"We are in a sound financial position," District I representative Patricia Cole said. "I'd like to think that we are fiscally conservative and that has paid off for us."\nWhile many of the representatives aren't worried about the rise and fall of monies in selective departments, District IV representative David Rollo said social service funding, mainly through the Jack Hopkins Social Services fund, will decrease within the new budget. \n"With the rise of poverty in the country, I am concerned with the funding and the investment in the community and how that will affect our children," Rollo said. "I see the money falling and not as readily available in the future."\nOverall Fernandez is happy with the budget and the progress that has been made.\n"A lot of input has been made," Fernandez said. "We embrace the entire population there is no difference between students and non students, all are interdependent and help to make investments and have an effect on the community."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.
