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(11/01/06 4:13am)
Teresa Harper, Democratic candidate for Seat 8 judge of the Monroe County Circuit Court, challenges incumbent Jeffrey A. Chalfant.\nOne of the seat's main issues concerning college students is Monroe County's diversion program, which allows drivers charged with certain traffic offenses to go through a program to have the ticket dismissed and removed from their record. Harper said she supports the program.\n"I've had a lot of clients that have stumbled," Harper said. "If they're deserving and they work their way out of it, I think the diversion program is a great opportunity."\nHowever, Harper's main goal for the judicial seat is protecting Indiana citizens from wrongful punishment. In recent years, she has devoted herself to training lawyers for the state of Indiana and beyond. In 2005, she was one of 30 law professionals chosen to meet in Washington, D.C., to develop national legislation to hold lawyers accountable for unreliable convictions. Monroe County later adopted this legislation.\nIn exchange for compliance, the state pays 40 percent of the costs involved with providing public defenders to those who can't afford a lawyer. This has saved Monroe County more than $260 million so far. Harper said this experience helped her build consensus within a group and effectively budget.\nHarper is also a proponent of a program in Allen County in which, upon release, defendants are required to have constant interaction with a judge. Individual requirements ensure those released are leading honest lives. This program saved Allen County $3.2 million and reduced returning inmates, Harper said.\nHarper is also concerned by the lack of a juvenile facility in Monroe County, which means juveniles in corrections must be moved to other counties' facilities.\n"If one of the goals is to reunite that family, we have to look at a lot of people in Bloomington, Indiana, who have kids in Jackson County," Harper said. "Many of them simply can't drive to visit."\nWhile Harper favors building a facility, she is concerned about balancing the need for a juvenile center with the extensive fiscal demands it would require.\nAdding judicial proceeding in the evening, or night court, is another idea proposed for the near future. The plan, which has already been implemented in Marion County, allows residents to take care of their court responsibilities in the evening to avoid missing work or other commitments.\n"(Many people) have things they need to do during the day, and we want them to do that," Harper said. \nAs for serving during nighttime hours, Harper is willing, but she said a careful analysis of finances needs to be performed before taking action. \n"I have a real commitment to justice in our community," Harper said. "Obviously to do that, I have to be caring. I am invested in improving our community, and at the same time, also being very wise about the fiscal matters"
(10/31/06 5:29am)
The position of Monroe County prosecutor carries a lot of weight, Republican incumbent Carl Salzmann said.\n"The keystone to the criminal justice system is the prosecutor," he said. "It's the one place where one person can make a big difference."\nSalzmann said he went to law school with the sole intent of becoming a prosecutor. He said he wanted to concentrate on those being affected by criminal action, not defending possible criminals.\nHowever, Salzmann is open to, and experienced in, working with programs designed to help young people with nonviolent misdemeanors, he said. \nSalzmann said he feels that arrests for nonviolent misdemeanors such as illegal consumption, public intoxication and possession of limited amounts of marijuana, should not ruin a person's life. In his 12 years as prosecutor, he dismissed 11,000 such cases through a diversion program. First-time offenders are allowed to serve the community and complete a period of probation in exchange for a lesser criminal record.\nIn response to allegations by his Democratic opponent Chris Gaal that he does not allow access to statistics, Salzmann said that is simply not true. \n"Everything we do is public record," Salzmann said. "It's all at the clerk's office." \nThe problem is that the computer systems in the prosecutor's office are incredibly out-of-date, he said. In order to provide in-depth statistics, Salzmann would have to count records by hand, a task members of the public can also perform. Salzmann asked the county government for an upgraded system or the hiring of a statistician, but so far, there has been little change. \n"It's been my frustration the whole 12 years," Salzmann said, adding that many of the statistics requested are ones he himself would like to see.\nConcerning the issue of jail overcrowding, Salzmann said there are three types of inmates: those who can't comply because of physical or mental deficiencies, those who would change if they could and those who won't change. \nWhile Salzmann notes that recidivism, or repeated offenses, is a significant source of jail overcrowding, he said "it's not because of anything me or my opponent can do. It's because the jail is full of those who won't change." \nAs for those with mental deficiencies, Salzmann is a proponent of the Mental Health Treatment Team. Every month, this group performs case studies anyone in the jail it thinks might be mentally deficient to determine if he or she can be put in more suitable place or released on a certain type of bond. Salzmann said probation can be offered with the stipulation that those released continue taking necessary medications as an attempt to keep them functioning well in society. \nSalzmann also noted the importance of the Crisis Intervention Team, which trains officers to detect and deal with mentally ill perpetrators. In fact, Salzmann put such a system in place seven years ago. The difference between this and Gaal's proposal is that Salzmann's initiative is operated by volunteers, Salzmann said.\nSalzmann also supports other similar re-entry programs, he said.
(10/31/06 5:27am)
Chris Gaal, the Democratic candidate for Monroe County prosecuting attorney, said he feels his experience as both a student and attorney for students facing legal action help him sympathize with their concerns.\n"For young people, you want to try to give them a second chance," Gaal said, "if they earn it." \nIn crimes without victims, he favors dismissing charges of first-time offenders who agree to diversionary programs and agree to stay out of trouble for a year.\nOne of the main reasons Gaal is running for prosecutor, he said, is because he disapproves of the current leadership of his opponent, Republican incumbent Carl Salzmann.\n"Rapes and robberies have been on the rise," Gaal said, "yet the prosecutor's office has been filing less." \nGaal pointed out that according to public files, 75 percent of misdemeanors filed in 2004 were dismissed without prosecution, along with 25 percent of felony charges. \nGaal also spoke poorly of the availability of such statistics. He said that Salzmann is unwilling to share relevant information with agencies in town, such as Middle Way House. \n"These groups should be viewed as an ally to deal with these problems," he said. "It's a public office; it's not a private possession." \nGaal said he sees the job of prosecutor as partly a community oversight role elected by the people. That is what he has been doing for the past seven years as a county council member, he said.\nRegarding overcrowding in Monroe County jail, Gaal said one way to alleviate the problem is for the community to help inmates dealing with addictions.\nNinety percent of jail occupants have addictions, Gaal said, a problem that could be helped by using willing and able resources in the community. Earlier this year he helped institute the position of transition coordinators -- people available to help with any problem, addiction-related or not, that a person leaving jail encounters when re-entering society. \n"A lot of our public safety problems are best served as community problems," Gaal said. \nBy giving repeat offenders valuable skills, he said he feels they would spend less time in the county's jail cells. Further utilizing the re-entry program for educational purposes, Gaal supports incorporating criminal justice students from IU in the process.\nAnother problem Gaal has seen in the jail is the presence of those with mental illnesses. \n"Oftentimes they do criminal things, and then just sit there," Gaal said. "That's not addressing the root of the problem." \nGaal is involved with Crisis Intervention Team, a program to train officers to identify such problems from the time people with mental illness are arrested.
(10/30/06 5:24am)
Valeri Haughton has seen many students go through the court system.\n"Either they think they won't be heard because they're young, or they think they know too much," said Haughton, the Democratic candidate for Monroe County Circuit Court judge, seat three.\nHaughton said being a judge in Monroe County is different from being a judge in other counties because officials need to be aware of the special needs of students.\n"The courts have developed mindful of the fact that it's a college community," Haughton said.\nHaughton said she feels the way to reduce the problem of overcrowding in the Monroe County jail is to deal with other community problems. She proposes instituting a separate work-release facility just for convicts on the work-release program to go back to at night, instead of the jail building. She said she hopes it will not only alleviate overcrowding but facilitate criminals' re-entry into society and keep them in touch with their families. \nThe current system requires those under work release to go to the jail immediately every night. \n"That doesn't make sense," Haughton said.\nHaughton said she is willing and able to try night court, a new format Marion County is trying out where residents can choose to take care of their court cases in the evening. However, she said "the practicality is a whole other animal." \nFirst of all, additional staff would be required at the expense of the court, she said. \n"To try to figure out a rotation schedule that would attempt to maximize the use of the courts is really hard," Haughton said. She said she feels an in-depth study to determine the effectiveness is necessary before considering implementation. \nHaughton is also a champion for a juvenile center in Monroe County, she said. Currently, Monroe County buses minors to other counties because it does not have its own facilities. \n"We have a responsibility to give kids the best possibilities," Haughton said. "Some of the kids are just getting shipped away because there is no place for them." \nHaughton has five children and 17 grandchildren. \n"It's a small thing, but it's certainly part of who I am," she said. "You learn to listen differently and to listen carefully." \nHaughton's opponent for the seat, Francie Hill, has proposed combining cases of people who are in the same family to expedite case loads and alleviate overcrowding. Haughton said the idea is "a wonderful thing to have as a resource, but it is inappropriate for some of the more serious crimes." \nShe said she feels that in many situations, particularly those of a criminal nature, it is in the best interest of the defendants for their families not to be present.
(10/30/06 5:23am)
Having taught at the IU School of Law, Frances Hill said she feels she has some sense of students' mindset. \n"While they might be 19, 20, 21 years old, they may not realize the full impact of their decision," said Hill, the Republican nominee for Monroe County Circuit Court judge, seat three, about legal problems college students run into. "A lot of what happens to students is they're in a new situation and make a one-time problem." \nHill said she is adamant about keeping students informed of their rights, especially with landlord negotiations, the kind of cases over which she would preside. \n"Landlords are used to coming to court," she said. "Students coming to protest damage charges don't know (their) rights." \nFurther, Hill said she is supportive of a possible partnership with IU Student Legal Services, perhaps in the form of a forum panel relating to student needs. \nTo combat the problem of overcrowding in the Monroe County jail, Hill suggested alternative punishments.\n"It's not just based upon those awaiting trial," Hill said, explaining that the overcrowding problem is not caused by judges not doing their jobs.\nAlso, by combining cases in family court, Hill hopes caseloads will be expedited, alleviating some of the overcrowding, she said. \nAs another strategy for speeding up the legal process, Hill said she is more than willing to preside over night court, a program that would allow Monroe County residents to take care of their court cases in the evening in order to help work around their schedules.\n"People are already stressed," Hill said. "Now they have to miss work for court." \nShe noted, however, that by holding trials at night, the need for baby-sitters might also arise. Hill's plan is to watch progress of a similar program in Marion County and examine the finances involved in the implementation. \nFor the past seven years, Hill has worked as a consultant to the Supreme Court of Indiana, creating and managing the Indiana Family Court Project, particularly with an idea known as "one judge." This program allows one judge to preside over every case involving a particular family. She hopes to implement this program in Monroe County to make families' experiences more standardized.\nHill said she feels that her depth in child and family law makes her a qualified candidate. \n"You, as a judge, have to do a lot to make people comfortable but not jeopardize the sanctity of the court," Hill said.\nShe said she is dedicated to keeping this balance, through set policies and procedures. \n"Predictability leads to justice," Hill said.
(10/27/06 3:24am)
The 23rd annual Miss Gay Bloomington will take place at 8 p.m. Friday at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Ave.\nMiss Gay Bloomington is one of the oldest and most prestigious pageants in the state of Indiana, owner of Miss Gay Bloomington Jason Ervin said. So far, eight contestants are scheduled to perform in the interview, evening gown, on-stage question and talent categories. Any male older than 21 is welcome to enter the contest. Registration ends at 11:30 a.m. Friday.\nThe winner takes on a full-time job, traveling around the country, entertaining and speaking for the year of his reign. \n"What makes this pageant unique is that it gives you a voice and a platform, where most pageants just want you to be a figurehead," Britney Taylor, last year's winner said.\nBased in Orlando, Fla., Taylor traveled as far as New York City and Austin, Tex., this past year to spread her message of transgender rights and speak to human sexuality classes at IU.\nTaylor also got to choose the theme of tonight's pageant: Broadway Meets the Runway.\n"It goes along with the charity that I chose for this year, which was Broadway Cares," Taylor said. The charity uses proceeds of Broadway productions to aid people with AIDS throughout the country.\nThe pageant tonight features 10 former Miss Gay Bloomington winners performing Broadway numbers from shows such as "A Chorus Line," "Phantom of the Opera" and "Rent."\nContestants also take the stage, a la "Project Runway." \n"They had to choose a number and take it to the next level, like 'Project Runway,' where they have to make something inventive to showcase who they are," Taylor said.\nThis year, Ervin lowered ticket prices to make the event attractive to students. Admission is $6 for students, $10 for adults and $15 for VIP admission.\nErvin also changed the venue. Previously, the pageant was held at Bullwinkle's, 201 S. College Ave., and Axis Nightclub, 415 N. Walnut St. By using the Buskirk-Chumley, those under 21 can attend, and those over 21 will have alcohol available.\n"I like to change things up each year," Ervin said. "Each year, with the venue in a different location, there are going to be different businesses and parts of the community involved."\nNo matter what part of Bloomington hosts the event, Taylor said he is happy to be involved. \n"It's a remarkable city because going to New York City and going to Chicago, living in Orlando — those are cities that are known for being accepted, but you get kind of lost in the city because they are so big," Taylor said. "With Bloomington you feel like people know who you are, and they still accept you."\nThose wishing to enter the pageant can visit www.missgaybloomington.com for application materials and details.
(10/26/06 4:08am)
COLUMBUS, Ind. -- With only 13 days until midterm elections, presidential power was in full force in Columbus, Ind., Wednesday night with first lady Laura Bush on hand to bolster support for Republican Congressman Mike Sodrel.\nSodrel is seeking re-election for a second term against Baron Hill, who previously held the position. The 9th District race has been a close match, intensely watched by national politicians. As Republicans face the possibility of losing their majority in the House, attention has turned to southern Indiana. Columbus, just 35 miles from IU, is in the heart of the contested district.\n"This is a local race with national implications," Sodrel said.\nThat importance rang clear as the applause of more than 500 people filled a pavilion at the Bartholomew County Fairgrounds, where Bush made her appearance.\nBush played to the values of the southern Indiana community in her speech, noting the need for more jobs, guidance for youth and the importance of the Farm Bill, which comes up for reauthorization next year.\n"This legislation is helping end America's dependence on foreign oil," Bush said, explaining the ability of corn production to develop alternatives to oil and gas.\nThe speech then turned to the topic of war, as Bush stressed the successes of American forces thus far and the importance of seeing their missions through.\n"People of Iraq are free from Saddam Hussein, and now little girls are in school in Afghanistan," Bush said. \nShe related how the families of wounded and killed soldiers consistently tell her and her husband to "honor their sacrifice by seeing the mission through."\nReferencing Sodrel's experience in the National Guard, Bush said: "Sodrel appreciates our troops' sacrifice." \nIssues like these brought George Dutro, an IU grad now residing in Columbus, to the rally in support of Sodrel. \n"I'm one of the Republicans who vote on principles, not on issues, because issues come and go," Dutro said. \nDutro said he hopes the visit from Bush will help Sodrel gain support from Bartholomew County residents, votes he said are vital to counter the predominantly Democratic Monroe County community. \nLike many in attendance Wednesday, Dutro was willing to open his checkbook for the Republican, paying $1,000 for him and his family to get a picture taken with Bush. \n"My wife is from Texas. Her parents have a place near Crawford Ranch," Dutro said. "I thought it would be a nice gift for her and my in-laws."\nMany also took advantage of a photo opportunity with Charles Eieckmann of Batesville, Ind., who came dressed as the first Republican president, Abraham Lincoln. Sodrel's committee asked Eieckmann, who has been playing the role for more than 22 years, to attend the event. \n"I was planning on shaving my beard, but I asked Frank (with Sodrel's committee) if he needed anything, and he told me about this," Eieckmann said.\nCarrying through the theme of history, one of Sodrel's grandchildren recited an excerpt of a Lincoln speech as part of the rally. \nOther family members spoke on behalf of Sodrel, including his son, Noah, who was almost brought to tears as he spoke of the personal attacks taking place in political advertisements. \nThe goal of Wednesday's event was to encourage Sodrel's supporters to "get the word out," a phrase heard often throughout the rally. Local Republican candidates from throughout the 9th District used the stage to raise awareness of their own candidacies as well as to endorse Sodrel. \nAs Election Day looms closer, Sodrel is not about to lose steam, gaining another important visit from the White House on Saturday, as President Bush make a stop in Clark County.\n"A lot of races are lost in the last few steps," Sodrel said. "I'm going to run through the tape"
(10/26/06 3:18am)
What started as a whim for Frank Warren has turned into an international phenomenon, resulting in millions of strangers sharing secrets daily on postsecret.com.\nIn November 2004, Warren, the owner of a document delivery company in Germantown, Md., passed out 3,000 postcards. On them, he asked complete strangers to write down their secrets. The 100 that came back became part of an art exhibition Warren entered.\nWarren assumed the experiment would end at this point, but two years later, the secrets are still coming in. They arrive on surfaces as varied as report cards, sonograms and leaves. \n"Pretty much anything you can imagine, I've had in my mailbox," Warren said.\nThe one thing the postcards' authors have in common is the desire to share. Warren decided to start posting the submissions on a blog he called PostSecret. The popularity has swelled, with about three million visitors checking out the site each month.\nAfter the success of the blog, Warren took the idea one step further -- compiling submissions into book form. The latest of these compilations, "My Secret," was released Tuesday.\nThe 144 pages of "My Secret," which is centered around submissions from young people, are organized into diverse categories -- from funny and hopeful to sexual to anguished. Warren said he wanted the book's postcards "to show the full breadth of humanity of the kinds of secrets we keep."\nWarren, who has a bachelor's degree in social science from University of California, Berkeley, does not claim to be a psychologist. His goal for PostSecret was to simply create a safe, nonjudgmental forum in which people could share secrets they might not want to share with people they know, Warren said. Sticking with this mission, all submissions are kept anonymous.\nNancy Stockton, a licensed psychologist, director of Counseling and Psychological Services at the IU Health Center, has a different view of the trend. \n"When we hold things inside, we tend to distort them," Stockton said. "Problems can seem more overwhelming and worse than they are."\nStockton said she is not sure, however, whether Warren's venue is beneficial. \n"A person confesses something that he or she needs to be working through," Stockton said. \nThe release that comes from getting a secret off one's chest might be harmful in the long run if further help is needed and not sought, offering what Stockton called "a false consolation."\nDespite any professional concern, the popularity of the blog and books shows that something must be working.\nWarren sees two sides of benefit from his work. Aside from catering to those submitting, he said he hopes those reading the secrets can also develop some sense of compassion. \n"Everybody has a secret that would break your heart," Warren said. "If we just recognized that, we would find a tolerance of others in this short time we are here."\nFor senior Calvin Graves, a perusal of PostSecret brought about a sense of relativism more than tolerance. \n"A lot of this isn't deep, dark secrets," Graves said. "It comes across as something a 16-year-old would write in their Live Journal."\nSenior Kimberly Musgrave also noted the relative nature of some of the submissions, likening the forum to a more technologically savvy form of writing on bathroom stalls. But it was the serious content in PostSecret -- which went as far as one woman proclaiming her wish of her husband's death -- that made Musgrave feel a need for action. \n"If I know that so-and-so from this city wants to kill herself, does that make me responsible somehow?" she said.\nStockton agreed with that sentiment, again offering a warning. \n"For those reading, there may be a sense of anxiety, of wanting to reach out to those in need, but having no mechanism for that," she said.\nWarren is adamant about keeping the content anonymous. He volunteers as a crisis counselor and donates some of the proceeds of his published work to the Kristin Brooks Hope Center, a national network devoted to aiding those dealing with psychological problems. As for the secrets, Warren's role remains the purveyor of a means to express.\nTo submit a secret or read others', visit www.postsecret.com. New secret submissions are posted every Sunday.
(10/03/06 4:44am)
The conductor takes the stage as a packed audience erupts in applause. Slowly, the noise dies and the audience hushes, awaiting a concerto. Then it happens -- the jarring cell phone ringtone. Only this time, musician David Baker is not bothered by the interruption. In fact, he planned it.\nBaker, the chair of the jazz department in the Jacobs School of Music, was recently commissioned to compose a piece for the 20th anniversary of the Chicago Sinfonietta. Paul Freeman, a close friend and director of the Sinfonietta, requested Baker incorporate the trend of cell phone ringtones into his work.\n"My first thought was, 'I wonder what he's smoking,'" Baker said. "Then I realized he doesn't do anything (like that). Freeman is very reputable. I had to take him seriously."\nStill, Baker said the task was difficult. \n"Usually it takes four weeks to compose; this took five just to conceptualize," Baker said. "I've never had anything challenge me like this"
(09/28/06 1:52pm)
IU senior Diana Dickerson, 21, lives near downtown Bloomington in a four-bedroom house. She has a fairly new car, a laptop computer, a diverse wardrobe and an extensive DVD collection. Yet according to the American Community Service census, she lives in poverty.\nIn fact, Dickerson and thousands of other students, who are counted as unemployed by the census, have made Bloomington the most impoverished small city in the Midwest.\nBloomington received this title largely because a wealth of students look like an unwealthy demographic on paper. The census is set up to allow students supported by their parents, in whole or in part, to show up in financial data as having no income. \nBecause of its "impoverished" status, Bloomington receives hundreds of thousands of dollars every year in federal funding.\nFrom January to December 2005, such data was collected across the country, detailing income levels of various communities. \nDoris Sims, assistant director of Housing and Neighborhood Development of Bloomington, was surprised when Bloomington was given the rank of second most impoverished city in the country -- first in the Midwest -- for cities with populations between 65,000 and 249,000. \n"As long as I've lived here, I haven't thought of Bloomington as impoverished," said Sims, a Bloomington resident for more than 30 years.\nThe findings of a census, in relation to poverty, directly relate to federal funding received by cities, particularly the Department of Housing and Urban Development.\nBloomington is one of 13 cities within Indiana that are considered entitlement cities, meaning the government has deemed them worthy of receiving federal funding in the form of block grants, Sims said. Each year, a certain amount is divided between these cities.\nThis amount is determined by the size and age of houses and buildings, as well as incomes of residents, Sims said.\n"As of now, 51 percent of residents (of Bloomington) have low to moderate incomes," Sims said.\nThat led to an allocation of more than $800,000 in 2005. The U.S. Census Bureau uses a set of income thresholds, related to family size, to determine poverty levels. \n"If a family's total income is less than that family's threshold, then that family and every individual in it are considered to be in poverty," the Census report summary stated.\nIt is up to the local HUD officials to decide how that money is spent. The main outlet in Bloomington is social services, accounting for 15 percent of total funds, Sims said. This includes programs like local food banks and emergency shelters. \nThe remainder is divided between housing, economic development and public facilities, including services such as city beautification and street repair.\nWhile both Bloomington students inflating the poverty rate and Bloomington residents legitimately enduring financial problems are benefiting from the funding, cities lacking large college campuses are not.\nThis has led to an outcry for reform nationwide.\nHUD officials told Cleveland newspaper The Plain Dealer that "officials have sought ways to better allocate their money," possibly excluding off-campus students. However, as HUD is under the direction of Congress, legislation would have to be created that would cut funding for some cities. For officials seeking election, proposed funding cuts are not likely to be a popular platform.\nIf reforms did take place, it would mean swift changes for places like Bloomington, according to an article on the subject published by Newshouse News Service this year. Half of the $800,000 allocated to Bloomington last year would disappear from the streets of Monroe County -- and likely reappear in other Indiana streets not traversed by college students.
(09/25/06 2:42am)
As is the style of many operas, IU Opera Theater's production of Mozart's "Don Giovanni" explores the ins and outs of love and relationships through the lens of melodrama. From men as lotharios to identities hidden by makeshift disguises and love portrayed as a casual emotion, the stereotypes abound.\nWhat made "Don Giovanni" unique was the vengeance of the women who were pursued and the serious overtones of the plot.\nThe opera surrounds the many lovers of Giovanni, a version of the universal lover Don Juan. His current pursuits, a blonde, a redhead and a brunette, symbolize the diversity of his "list," which stretched the length of the stage at the Musical Arts Center Friday night.\nGraduate student Austin Kness, playing Giovanni, adequately portrayed the protagonist, lending his booming baritone voice to the role. But it was his servant, Leporello, played by graduate student Alan Dunbar, who stole the show. Leporello is the loyal friend who helps Giovanni attain his women, often cleaning up the mess afterward and usually taking advantage of any "leftover" girls. \nWhile Kness often seemed over the top in his acting, Dunbar's advances were smooth and believable. Even though he was just as licentious as Giovanni, it's much easier to root for Leporello.\nThe women also excelled in their performances, playing intelligent and sexual roles, characterizations sometimes left out of operas. \nDoctoral student Vera Savage, playing the former lover of Giovanni, Donna Elvira, made it her mission to ruin any advances by Giovanni toward other women, often storming on stage to the audience's laughter. \nZerlina, Giovanni's brunette conquest, played by graduate student Natalie Ford, also defies stereotypes. Despite her pending engagement, she makes sexual advances of her own and lies to her fiance to cover her tracks with little sign of remorse. \nThe appearance of the opera was also worth mentioning. The staging of world-renowned stage director Tito Capobianco was innovative and humorous, adding life to what could have been a straight performance.\nMirrors lining the back of the set enhanced the performance, making the stage seem larger than life. \nBold costumes were also reflected in the mirrors. While the dresses were beautiful, Zerlina's seemed to come undone in Act One Friday night, revealing more of the actress than was intended. \nQuestions also arose regarding Giovanni's costume. The audacious hat and powder blue suit matched the character's personality, but the styling of his blue boots appeared more like converted Uggs. Paired with blue leggings, it seemed as if either the trends of 18th-century Spain had come back in vogue or an error had been made.\nAs for Giovanni's fate, he does not go unpunished, making for a scene worth waiting until the end for, both for its staging and moral commentary.\nNot surprisingly, the music of the evening was exceptional. Mozart's compositions were performed to perfection, while the soaring voices served as reminders of why the IU Jacobs School of Music is so highly acclaimed.\nThe prestige of the music school is what brought senior Kara Woolley to the show. \n"It's my senior year, and I thought I should experience what IU is really known for," she said.\nJunior Jackie Pyrz agreed and said she was pleased she had a chance to see the performance. \n"A lot of times we'll be walking by the music building and hear them practicing," she said. "It's nice to actually see it in person."\nDespite any minor flaws in the opening performance, the production was another to add to the long list of successes from the IU Jacobs School of Music. \nPerformances continue at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets are available at the Musical Arts Center Box Office or by calling 855-7433 or visiting www.music.indiana.edu.
(09/23/06 12:26am)
Alison Zook felt like a Barbie doll as she waited backstage at the Buskirk-Chumley Thursday night. "And it smells like an old Barbie doll," she said as she held the black vintage dress to her nose.\nZook was one of many Bloomington residents, including her mother, who modeled the latest fall lines from local clothing stores at the first ever "Fashion + Function + Art," a fashion show to benefit the Buskirk-Chumley Theater.\nKate Braun, a Bloomington native and professional actress, also donned vintage wear, playing the role of model.\nHer acting roots took over as she led other models through lines of "My Fair Lady," getting into the spirit of their clothes from Ladi's Legacies Vintage Clothing, 515 W. Kirkwood Ave., one of the first of 12 collections presented Thursday. \nBraun also claimed to be getting into the role of a model as she poked fun at stereotypes. \n"I just threw up in the trash can," she said with a smile. "No, I'm kidding."\nNearby, the men were also in high spirits backstage. Also they were into the fashion. They took pins out of each others' jackets and gave opinions on the outfits.\n"You have to match the bag with a color in your shirt. It makes the green pop," John Bailey said to fellow model Kurt Lawson, who was hesitant about the briefcase he was assigned to model. "You have to accessorize."\nGeorge Murphy, a local builder moonlighting as a model, practiced his signature move of snapping and twirling his accessories as he waited in the wings.\nAside from the fashion and fun of the evening, the purpose was to raise money.\nDr. Ron Hawkins, owner of Optiks, an eyewear store on Kirkwood Avenue, funded the event. All proceeds were donated to the Buskirk-Chumley.\n"The Buskirk-Chumley is the pulse of Bloomington," said Stephanie Harrison, an employee of Optiks and coordinator of the fashion show.\n"I always wanted something that showed off Bloomington local merchants," said Harrison, a Bloomington native and former theater and criminal justice major at IU.\nAll of the clothes featured in Thursday's event were from local stores. In addition, the models were all Bloomington residents. \nThe result was a piqued interest in local merchandise from both the models and audience.\nModel Elizabeth Bitz said she definitely plans to buy some of the featured clothes. \n"Some of these shops are in the corner, and you don't think about them," she said, "but they're really unique."\nBloomington native Sarah Fargo also saw something she liked. As an IU apparel merchandising major she took the inspiration one step further, making plans to knit clothing similar to a hand-made, multicolored poncho from Yarns Unlimited, 101 W. Kirkwood Ave., featured in the show. "I've made scarves before, but never anything that big. It was great." \nLeslie Phillips, a third-year IU optometry student, also found personal stimulation. "I'm really into fashion, especially in the high-end area. This definitely gives me ideas for future promotions."\nWith attendance close to 300 and tickets $10 a piece, the event was decidedly a hit. Few were seen sampling the local cuisine and watching the models without a smile.\n"It's definitely something I would do again," Harrison said.
(09/23/06 12:23am)
With the increased necessity for passports starting the first of the year, the Fourth Street Bloomington post office will host its first ever "Passport Fair," increasing its hours of availability to file the paperwork.\nAs of January 8, 2007, all people traveling to and from the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America and Bermuda will be required to present a passport to enter and reenter the U.S. Previously, a basic form of identification sufficed for such international travel.\nThis change is in accordance with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, a document proposed to strengthen border security, according to the Department of Homeland Security Web site, www.dhs.gov. \nTo make this transition smoother for Bloomington residents, the post office at 206 E. Fourth St. will be open Saturday until 4 p.m.\nThe increased hours are being offered to get a "jump on the rush," said Linda Ticen, claims and inquiries worker at the post office. \nGaining a passport requires many steps and can take up to eight weeks to process, Ticen said. The Fourth Street office is fully equipped to walk applicants through the process, providing all the necessary forms, photos and mailing.\nFees for the services are $98 for those over age 16 and $82 for those 15 and younger. Photo processing fees are an additional $15. Payments are divided between the Department of State and post office and will only be accepted by cash or check, Ticen said. \nSpecific documents are needed to apply for a passport. First, applicants must provide proof of American citizenship, such as a certificate of citizenship, previous U.S. passport or official birth certificate. Hospital issued birth certificates will not be accepted.\nSecond, a state-issued photo ID or certificate of citizenship or naturalization is also required to prove identity.\nFor those under 14, both parents are also required to be present.\nApplications can be downloaded at www.usps.com/passport or picked up at the Bloomington post office. They may be filled out before arriving but must be signed in person.\nNormal hours for passport applications are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.
(09/20/06 3:30am)
An April 18 shooting in Bryan Park spawned a citywide study into the public safety of Bloomington at large.\nTuesday night Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan met with two dozen city residents at the Housing Authority office to hear their views on the topic. \n"We're here to talk some and listen a lot," Kruzan said. "This is the start of an open dialogue."\nMabel Foster, a resident of Crestmont, took advantage of this opportunity to ask about police response to complaints. \n"It seems that these people tend to get away with a lot," she said.\nScott Oldham, a patrol supervisor with the Bloomington Police Department, quickly responded by saying that often staff is unavailable to deal with all the problems reported, particularly those that aren't as serious. \n"These officers are taking care of these problems to the best of their ability," he said. "It's all about priorities." \nOne priority of many of the residents gathered Tuesday was the reinstatement of neighborhood watches. Beverly Calender-Anderson, director of the Bloomington Safe and Civil City Program, explained her organization's willingness to organize such groups in any neighborhood in corporation with the police department.\nThe meeting was held in the heart of Crestmont Neighborhood, defined as the area between 11th and 14th streets and between Monroe Street and Lynburg Avenue. The approximately 250 residences are often reached with foot traffic, resulting in a neighborhood plagued with violence and drug-related problems, said Marc Haggerty, a Crestmont resident for the last 30 years.\n"This is a disadvantaged community: we take in the old, we take in the physically handicapped, we take in the AIDS patients and we don't even have a grocery store or a laundromat," Haggerty said. "What it takes to get something done is a sustained public pressure."\nKruzan responded to concerns by reaffirming his commitment to the area.\n"The bottom line from all of us is that we care about this neighborhood," Kruzan said. "You should have no other expectation than your neighborhood being safe and clean."\nFor the police department, this means increasing foot and bike patrol, as well as making strides to improve communication within the police force, said Capt. Mike Diekoff. \nHe also stressed the department's commitment to keeping the name of those who report problems anonymous, quelling concerns of potential backlash from many at the meeting.\nCalender-Anderson stressed the inclusion of all neighborhoods in the overall public safety of Bloomington, including students. \n"They live in neighborhoods, too," she said. "Of course we welcome students."\nAnderson hopes to continue holding similar meetings throughout the city.
(09/18/06 2:41am)
The latest exhibit at the Mathers Museum, "Lost and Found: Art through Recycled Objects," turns an old tradition into a new and economical way of having fun. \nCurators Rebekah Moore and Miriam Vidaver gathered items from the Monroe County Recycling Center to create displays of toys, musical instruments and more.\nSunday's opening invited people of all ages to follow their lead and create pieces of art for themselves.\n"We tried to get things we could identify as recycled, things that retain the characteristics of their original form," said Vidaver, a master's student in ethnomusicology.\nThe items were then turned into art, following traditions of centuries past, and contemporary cultures across the globe.\n"We were interested in how people make use of their environment for things they need," Moore said. "And I do say need because art is necessary." \nPhotos and brief histories of the cultural phenomenon of turning trash into treasure accompanied real-world examples.\nThe exhibit is aimed at children, featuring mainly items made by kids and for kids, Moore said. \nAs Alex Valdez, 10, peered into a display case of cars, boats and planes made of recycled materials, he said: "I think I'd like to learn how to make them."\nIn the next room, this wish became a reality as tables filled with pipe cleaners, markers and recyclables guided visitors through the process of making mobiles, tambourines and puppets. \nThe idea for the exhibit originally came from a dinner between Moore and Vidaver, where Vidaver was playing with the foil on top of her finished dish, molding it into artistic shapes, Moore said.\nSunday, Vidaver was taking requests of dragons and more from fans of all ages and giving tips to those trying their own handiwork.\nTerri Klingelhoefer, a professional puppeteer and University employee, crafted an animal face from her foil.\n"It looks like the stingray that killed that guy in Australia," said Aija Beldaves, a folklorist at the event. \nTo accommodate the reference, Klingelhoefer added a pipe cleaner, resembling a sharp stinger.\nJoy Scharfenberger, 4, had a more lighthearted approach to her creation. Foil made the base of a kite, decorated with purple and hot pink ribbon streamers. In the spirit of the exhibit, Scharfenberger was delighted with the suggestion of a friend to recycle tape from a previous attempt.\nThat is the goal of "Lost and Found," Moore said, to get people to recycle more. \n"Lots of people in other cultures already do that," she said.\nVisitors will have the chance to experiment through November 2007, when the exhibit will close. Several other events, similar to Sunday's, are in the planning stages, Moore said. \nThe Mathers Museum is on the corner of Indiana Avenue and Ninth Street, and admission is free to the public.
(09/14/06 3:19am)
Jill's House is one step closer to laying a foundation. \nMonday night, the Bloomington Planning Commission approved a proposal to build Jill's House near Griffey Lake, which would be the culmination of the efforts by the organization of the same name. The goal of Jill's House is to build a house to temporarily accommodate family and friends of cancer patients receiving care at the IU Cyclotron Facility. The proposed house will be named after Jill Behrman, an IU student who was killed after disappearing on May 31, 2000. \nThe official ruling on the commission's approval hinges on a final review by the City Common Council.\nThe proposed land, adjacent to Griffey Lake, is currently owned by Meadowood \nRetirement Center. \nPreviously, the commission had denied requests to build on the land based on ecological concerns, said commission President Bill Stuebe. In the past, Griffey Lake was used for the city's water supply. While this use was abandoned more than 10 years ago, the commission remained reluctant to offer the land for building, as it is still used for recreation.\n"We probably would never have let any other facility be built in this area if we didn't feel it was for the \noverall betterment of the city," \nSteube said. \nEven though the commission finally approved the proposal for Jill's House, it isn't allowing construction without adherence to ecological mandates. Multiple studies were conducted in an attempt to minimize harmful effects, Steube said. As a result, a dozen limitations have been placed on the construction.\nAdditionally, any person who wants to take part in construction on city property -- from electricians to carpenters -- must go through one hour of ecological training, Steube said. \n"The owners of Meadowood will donate three acres of our property for (Jill's House)," said Meadowood Executive Director Susan Bookout. Ownership of the land will officially transfer to the \nnonprofit. \nIn addition to Jill's House, Meadowood will be adding a 60-bed assisted living building to its property and nine small, private homes, Steube said. A groundbreaking date has not been set but will be sometime after the first of the year, \nBookout said.
(09/12/06 2:52am)
Playboy magazine deemed Bettie Page the "Queen of the Pinups" in the 1950s, but soon after receiving the title, she disappeared from the public spotlight. Thanks to the Ryder film series and Kinsey Institute, her image has come back into focus in Bloomington.\nLast night, "The Notorious Bettie Page," an independent film starring Gretchen Mol as the famed model, premiered at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Ave. An encore presentation is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. Sept. 18.\nRather than focus on the sexual nature of Page's persona or voice an opinion on her work, the film is more of a look at the daily life of pornographic filmmakers and a "provocative exploration of sexuality, religion and pop culture," according to the film's Web site, www.thenotoriousbettiepage.com. Mol has been outfitted for the role of Page, trading her golden locks for Page's signature long dark hair and thick bangs. \nAccompanying the film are reproductions of two dozen black and white photographs of Page donated from the Kinsey Institute archives.\n"What's remarkable about her is her longevity," said Catherine Johnson-Roehr, curator of the Kinsey art collection. "Her image is still very recognizable. She seems to be as popular now as she was then."\nProgrammer for the Ryder Film Series, Peter LoPilato, said she was a fascinating woman during an interesting time in America.\n"Unlike today, it wasn't a situation where there was a corporate entity promoting her," he said. "It was just through word of mouth in this subterranean world where people bought these magazines."\nSome of her most famous photos feature the model posing with cheetahs and donning nothing but a Santa Claus hat for Playboy, but Page was also sometimes photographed with whips and handcuffs, paired with nylons and high heels.\nIn 1955, the U.S. Senate became involved in Page's work, placing her as the subject of a televised investigation. A senator from Tennessee, Page's home state, also launched a coinciding campaign against pornography, according to www.bettiepage.com.\nAfter the investigation, Page began to work less and by 1957 had left the public eye completely.\nPage quickly developed a cult following, searching out the answers to her life story. The 1970s brought reprints of Page's photos. Autobiographies began to surface in the 1980s, and countless Web sites sprung up in the 1990s.\nMary Harron, director of "Notorious" and other films like "American Psycho" and "I Shot Andy Warhol," is the next in a long line to cash in on Page's lasting popularity, with the recent release of the first feature film dedicated to the pinup. \n"The film suggests that she was not very self-analytical," LoPilato said in relation to her provocative work. "It was part of her mystique. She's a difficult figure to get a grip on."\n"The Notorious Bettie Page" will be shown at Bear's Place at 9 p.m. tonight, 5:15 p.m. Sunday and 9:15 p.m. Tuesday. An additional on-campus showing will take place in the upstairs of the Fine Arts building at 8:30 p.m. Friday. The Kinsey exhibit will only be featured at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater for a $5 charge. The other venues charge $4 for admission.\nFor more information visit www.theryder.com.
