34 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(06/21/04 1:51am)
IU students and Bloomington bar managers have varying opinions about a recent Indiana Court of Appeals ruling that decided a South Bend bar could sue underage drinkers.\nIndiana Excise Police found more than 200 minors in the Boat Club bar during a raid in January 2003. The Millennium Club Inc., which owns the bar, sued each of the individuals in damages. The underage drinkers were mainly students of University of Notre Dame and St. Mary's College.\nJosh Cooney, an incoming freshman at IU, said he thought minors should be sued if they try to get into bars with fake IDs.\nLacie Underwood, a recent graduate of Ivy Technical School, 19, said the ruling is a good idea.\n"People under 21 aren't mature enough to handle alcohol," Underwood said. \nShe said her friends will sometimes get into bars and consume more alcohol than is good for them in an attempt to keep up with their older peers.\nWhile standing outside of Bear's Place, Nathan Giem, a graduate in violin performance, said minors are going to get into bars anyway, so it is good that bar owners have legal recourse.\n"Minors will think twice before going in if they know there will be litigation," Giem said.\nHowever, some students do not like the ruling. For instance, students studying abroad in America have different ideas about the drinking laws.\nA visiting undergraduate student, Bartosz Cajler, said things are much different overseas.\n"I come from Europe, and I am used to something different," Cajler said. "You can buy alcohol at 18 in Europe."\nKristin Ehrhardt, a recent graduate from IU, said she doesn't agree with the ruling. She said she thinks it is the bar's responsibility to keep minors out.\n"That is the risk you take for owning a bar," Ehrhardt said.\nSenior Brian Donohoe said it is the bar's responsibility to hire bouncers that can tell the difference between a fake and a real ID.\nHowever, some managers were very receptive of the court's decision.\nThe manager of Bear's Place, Jim Reef, said he thought it is justice that minors with fake IDs be held more responsible for their actions.\n"Technology is so good these days that there are fake IDs out there that would fool a cop," Reef said.\nBut there were other managers who were less positive about the ruling.\nThe Assistant General Manager of Scotty's Brewhouse Bryan Scantland, said he didn't agree with being able to sue the minors. He said lawsuits take up time that he would rather use to run the bar. The servers and bartenders are trained very well on how to spot fake IDs and will confiscate them if any are found, Scantland said.\n"We would swallow the (fine) because it is ultimately our responsibility," Scantland said.\nRegen Ton, owner and manager of the Runcible Spoon, said her establishment is a restaurant that caters to all ages, and the number of minors who try buy alcohol with fake IDs is small.\nShe said the court's ruling is a big step forward, but she doesn't think she would take the same action as the South Bend bar.\n"The responsibility is on the owner and employees to carefully card people. That is made pretty clear by excise," Ton said.\n-- Contact staff writer Karen Yancey at kaeyance@indiana.edu.
(06/17/04 1:18am)
The IU Alumni Association and the Bloomington Division of Continuing Studies will hold Mini University, an adult educational program, this weekend.\nThe program was named one of the nine best campus learning vacations in America by "Frommer's Magazine."\nMore than 100 of IU's faculty will deliver one-and-a-half to two-hour presentations on their research interests directed toward a general audience. This is Mini University's 33rd year of providing the learning vacation program.\nThree hundred and ninety people, who represent 32 states and Canada, are expected to come to IU to attend a week of classes held throughout the Indiana Memorial Union.\nRegistration begins at 3 p.m. Sunday in the IMU East Lounge. Tuition is $195 and covers admission to the faculty reception Thursday, as well as three coffee hours that will be held throughout the week. \nA wide variety of classes are offered covering topics including computers, taxes, health and University attractions. One such class is "New Treasures of Indiana University," which features new art in the Kelley School of Business and the IU Health Center. There also will be a tour of IU's Old Crescent. The celebrated jazz musician and IU faculty member David Baker will conduct a class on Count Basie. \nThere are two social events during the week: A picnic Monday and the play "Steel Magnolias" at the Brown County Playhouse Wednesday. Tickets can be bought during registration and are $15 for the Wednesday show. \n"The majority of people (who attend) are retired folks," said Jeanne Madison who is a co-director of Mini University. \nMadison said 50 percent of attendees are alumni. \nNicki Bland, co-director of Mini University and director of Alumni Programming, said 74 percent of participants have attended one or more years. \n"We are impressed by our returning members," Bland said. "The majority of our advertisement is through word of mouth."\nMadison said a number of the participants have favorite professors. \nFaculty who participate do it on a volunteer basis, Madison said. She said the faculty help make Mini University happen. \nTimothy Baldwin, a professor of business administration, said he is a "raving fan" of Mini University. \n"You have an attending population that is eager to learn," Baldwin said. "They are excited to be there, and you don't have the problems of academic life, like grades."\nBaldwin has taught at Mini University for three years. He taught a class on emotional intelligence last year, and this year he will teach a class called "If You Really Want to Understand Something, Try to Change It."\n"I am excited about (Mini University)," said Bloomington resident Winifred Wickes.This will be Wickes' fourth year attending the event. Her sister flew from Chicago to attend the program with her this year. Wickes said this is one of the best academic vacations because of the number of choices available.\n"Once you experience Mini University, you will come back for more," Bland said. \n-- Contact staff writer Karen Yancey at kaeyance@indiana.edu.
(06/14/04 1:18am)
Agreements approved by both of IU's unions will give support and service employees at least a 2.5 percent pay increase beginning July 1.\nWorkers who make less than $25,000 a year will get an additional $625, which will be distributed as a percentage in each paycheck throughout the year, said IU's union members.\nThe two employee unions at IU, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 832 and the Communications Workers of America Local 4730, approved two-year agreements on employment policies. The wage agreements are for one year. Of the members who voted, an overwhelming majority voted yes. Of the AFSME members who voted, 85 percent voted for the agreement to be approved.\nCWA board member Peter Kaczmarczyk said the 2.5 percent raise is comparable to the increase in the cost of living and will keep salaries even with inflation. He said the increase is similar to raises of the last several years.\nIU President Adam Herbert proposed giving the higher pay increase to the estimated 1,100 Bloomington employees who make less than $25,000 a year.\n"It shows a great deal of compassion on the part of the administration to recognize the significant number of employees making under $25,000 a year at IU," said Randy Pardue, president of the local AFSCME.\nMichael Crowe, vice president of CAO, helped in negotiations and said the important thing is that Herbert recognized something needed to be done for the lower-level employee. \n"This was his best shot within available resources," Crowe said.\nThis year, CWA proposed a 10-step wage progression program that would provide uniform annual pay raises for experience to clerical and technical staff. The proposal will be considered for the 2005-2006 negotiations.\nIn this longevity-based plan, after 10 years an employee would be considered highly proficient and should be paid at or near the top of the pay scale. The cost of living raises would still be negotiated each year.\nSince about 70 percent of all support staff at IU are below the midpoint on their pay scale, part of the proposal is to infuse a large amount of money to bring people up to where they should be on their pay scale. This infusion would happen over a span of four years.\nFor example, if an employee who has been working for the University for 15 years was on step five of the plan, there would need to be a large raise over the span of a few years to bring that person up to step 10.\nKaczmarczyk said the plan would greatly simplify the need to negotiate wages. He said the University has recognized there is a problem and Herbert continues to be favorable of the plan.\nState law does not permit public employees to engage in collective bargaining. However, in 1967, the IU board of trustees approved "conditions for cooperation" under which employee unions and the University can negotiate.\nThe CWA represents about 1,750 support staff in Bloomington and the AFSCME represents about 1,100 trades, maintenance, custodial, food service and law enforcement workers at IU.\nCrowe said he felt negotiations went well, but he would like the University to look at the IU police force in an attempt to provide them with all the tools available so they can best serve the campus.\n-- Contact staff writer Karen Yancey at kaeyance@indiana.edu .
(06/14/04 1:00am)
Even though gas prices have decreased over the last week from a high of approximately $2.10 per gallon to an average of $1.82, Bloomington area residents say the decrease in gas prices will not affect their driving habits.\nShellie Goetz, an IU alumna, said she commutes four hours a day to her job and she is happy the prices are down.\n"Instead of spending $20 to fill my tank, I am spending about $15," Goetz said.\nJunior Leah Oren said she recently took a road trip from Seattle to Chicago, so she is aware of the price change and is happy to see it. \n"I used to drive around to find the lowest gas prices," Oren said. "Usually it was a few cents difference. But now I am not as stressed about finding a good price."\nAl Phillips works for Bloomington News, a company that distributes The New York Times. He said since he has to pay for gas anyway, the change in gas prices don't bother him one way or another.\n"I drive 240 miles a day delivering papers and I fill up the tank every morning," Phillips said.\nKenny Burner, a Bloomington resident who bought a Toyota Tacoma last October, said the high gas prices made him choose a small vehicle that gets better gas mileage. He said he was not likely to go on any road trips now that the prices are lower. \n"I think Bush is trying to get re-elected," Burner said.\nAccording to an article on the CNN Money Web site, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the Saudi ambassador to the United States, said in April that his country wants to stabilize world oil prices because of the effect a price spike might have on economies around the world, including Saudi Arabia.\n"Certainly over the summer, or as we get closer to the election, they could increase production several million barrels a day and the price would drop significantly," Bandar bin Sultan said later that month in a CBS 60 Minutes interview.\nLana Wykoff, the manager of the Circle S #50 gas station, said people are just buying whatever they need. She said the prices are not stopping them from buying gas.\nHowever, some people are doing some extra driving. Jennifer York, a Bedford resident, said she came to Bloomington to do some camping at the Hardin Ridge campground and go shopping. She said she was more likely to take another trip now that gas is cheaper.\nRoger Clark had just bought an RV for the purpose of pulling racecar trailers when he stopped at the Mac's on Third Street to put $20 worth of gas in his vehicle. He said he is glad the price has gone down because now that he has the RV, it will cost a lot to fill the tank each time.\n"It is good that the price is low, but it needs to be a lot lower," Clark said. "I think they are gouging us a little bit." \n-- Contact staff writer Karen Yancey at kaeyance@indiana.edu.
(06/07/04 2:11am)
Construction on the new Multidisciplinary Science Building officially began 3 p.m., Thursday with the groundbreaking ceremony.\n"Breaking new intellectual ground is a way of life for IU faculty and students," IU President Adam Herbert said in a speech at the ceremony.\nThe 80,000 square-foot building dedicated to interdisciplinary science research will have four chemistry labs, three biochemistry labs, a biophysics lab, a genomics lab (the study of genes) and proteomics lab (the study of proteins).\nThe funding for the building was provided by the Simon family in the amount of $9 million and from Dick and Ruth Johnson in the amount of $1 million.\nA tunnel will connect the new building to Lindley Hall which houses the IU computer science department.\nThe MSB will be built between Myers Hall and the Chemistry building. About half of the building will be modular so it can be easily reconfigured. Construction will begin this month and end in 2007.\nHerbert said the MSB will serve to enhance the University, the state and the community. \n"The environment of this building will allow IU faculty and students to push forward new frontiers of knowledge," Herbert said.\nBloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan said the building will improve people's lives by being a place of research, being a place of employment and being a place of teaching.\n"I want to thank the taxpayers because you will get a tremendous return on your investment," Kruzan said.\nKumble Subbaswamy, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said he views the building as a bridge. It will link the biology and chemistry departments to the neuroscience department and the medical school, Subbaswamy said. It will also bridge the University to the community by sharing research with various science institutions in Bloomington.\nLisa Pratt is a professor of geology and was the associate dean for research in the College of Arts and Sciences when the floor plans for the building were being drafted. She said the MSB is clearly a good idea for the Bloomington campus because it allows researchers to work and communicate easier since the different labs and offices will be in the same building. \n"This is the first time we have broken away from the tradition of constructing buildings for separate disciplines," Pratt said.\nElizabeth Raff, a biology professor, said the MSB is filling an urgent need for more laboratory space so the project was quickly moved forward. Raff said there is very little space to work in the older IU labs.\nSubbaswamy said potential monetary donors were solicited in order to raise the necessary funds for construction.\n"My family has always been a big supporter of IU. We believe in research," Deborah Simon said.\nRuth Johnson's husband and children graduated from IU.\n"Dick and I are very excited to see science research be used in business to benefit all the citizens of Indiana," said Johnson.\n-- Contact staff writer Karen Yancey at kaeyance@indiana.edu.
(06/03/04 4:00am)
This weekend you will find many people choosing to bear the noise of the cicadas and the threats of seasonal rain to relax outdoors. Camping season, which kicked off last weekend and will continue through Labor Day weekend, has people of all ages gathering gear for outdoor adventures. \nDoug Lakin, Activities Desk Manager of IU Outdoor Adventures, says he has not heard anyone say they will not go camping this summer because of the cicada invasion. A few people even told him they were excited because the cicadas would add something different this year to their outdoor experience. As for the recent downpours and tornado warnings in the Bloomington area, Lakin says, "The biggest thing the rain does is deter those who do not plan ahead. If you have your rain jacket and tarp, you will be comfortable."\nAs for foresters in surrounding state parks, they have been mowing grass, cleaning grills, setting up pit toilets and upgrading campsites to prepare for families and students who will want a piece of the wilderness experience this summer.\nMatt Brodahl, a recent graduate of IU, says he typically camps seven or eight times a year a few nights each time. According to Brodahl, he and his friends like to take guitars with them to play tunes around the campfire and drink whiskey. He spent Spring Break at a campground hiking each day to build his stamina for when he hikes portions of the 2,100 mile-long Appalachian Trail this fall. \nDan Hertel, a senior marketing major, says he and his friends like to run forest trails at night. "It's a rush because you can't exactly see what you're doing. It's not like hiking in the day."\nFor campers who like the comforts of home, sites on Lake Monroe such as the Paynetown State Recreation Area, Hardin Ridge U.S Forestry Campground and privately owned Lake Monroe Village, offer water and electric hookups with public bathhouses. On the other hand, those who like roughing it will find local state forests to their liking. The sites offer primitive camping, as well as horse camping. Primitive camping is $10 per night on Thursdays through Saturdays and on holidays. You can reserve a campsite at www.camp.in.gov.\nWherever you choose to go to camp this summer, the IU Outdoor Adventure program offers a workshop that teaches people how to "Leave No Trace" and practice low-impact camping to protect the environment. Other backpacking courses offered are Wilderness First Aid and a Map and Compass workshop. For more information call (812) 855-2231.
(06/03/04 2:26am)
The Kelley School of Business will hold a two-day conference beginning today to discuss how the United States can meet national security needs while enhancing economic prosperity.\nThis conference is being held to garner interest in the Group of Eight Nations summit to be held at Sea Island, Ga., next week. The G8 is an annual meeting of the heads of state of France, Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Italy, Canada and the United States to address major economic and political issues facing their domestic societies and the international community as a whole.\nConference co-chair Alan Rugman said scholars and policy makers at IU's conference "will examine how best the United States, with its G8 partners, can meet its vital security needs in ways that enhance the prosperity that America and its partners need and promote the values of freedom and democracy that they cherish." Discussions will center on how America's G8 partners can best align their policies and interests.\nJeffrey Hart, professor of political science at IU, who will be presenting a paper Friday, said this conference allows the academic world to give its opinions on the issues the G8 summit is addressing.\nDavid Audretsch, director of the Institute for Development Strategies and the Ameritech Chair of Economic Development at IU, said he thinks the conference is a place to present opinions. \n"This conference offers a unique opportunity to inject new ideas and approaches to re-think policy approaches to foster peace and economic prosperity," Audretsch said in an e-mail. "The window of the G-8 is open for creative thinking, and I am delighted to be able to contribute to this process."\nAudretsch will be presenting a paper that discusses the economic consequences of the Patriot and Homeland Security Acts.\n"The 2001 Patriot and Homeland Security Act is not only impeding international business, but it has created barriers to one of the key sources of economic growth -- the mobility of knowledge workers," Audretsch said.\nHart said the task of the G8 is to minimize the economic damage caused by the restrictive policies of the acts. He said he thinks the conference will focus on the Middle East because of the costs the war on terrorism has incurred. \n"The Bush Administration has rediscovered multilateralism and is pushing its discussion in relation to the Middle East," Hart said.\nUnlike the conference at IU, the G8 summit is not open to the public since it has become the target of antiglobalization protesters in recent years. At a G8 summit in Evian, France, hundreds of protesters were removed from around the building where the summit was held.\nThe conference begins at 9:45 a.m. today and ends at 5:30 p.m. Friday. All presentations will be in the Kelley School's Graduate and Executive Education Center, Room 1008. Anyone can attend the presentations, however registration is required. \nIn order to register the event, contact Paula Schershcel at 855-1716 or pshcersc@indiana.edu.\n-- Contact staff writer Karen Yancey at kaeyance@indiana.edu.
(06/03/04 2:26am)
A tornado hit northeast of Ellettsville Sunday afternoon damaging 23 houses and causing about $45,000 in clean-up. No fatalities or injuries were reported in Monroe County.\nOne house in Ellettsville was completely destroyed while others sustained minor damages, said John Hooker III, director of Monroe County Emergency Management. Damage assessment is still being conducted.\nSevere weather sirens -- all 26 stationed throughout the county -- sounded Sunday afternoon. However, there were some difficulties with the overall warning system.\n"We had some problems with the cable override system," Hooker said. "The system didn't work on Thursday night or Sunday afternoon. We have Insight working on it now," referring to the cable operator.\nSteve Haines, a meteorologist who was part of the survey team that assessed the damage, said the National Weather Service detected tree damage from north of the Lake Monroe Dam going northeastward through the Paynetown area to Gilmore Ridge Road.\nHooker said he received reports of damage near Paynetown and its water treatment plant. Hooker also said he spoke with bystanders who witnessed a tornado near Gilmore Ridge.\nAs a result of the storms last Thursday and this Sunday, the state declared Monroe County a disaster area. \nThis is not the only time a tornado has hit this area. Two years ago an F2-grade tornado caused extensive damage in Ellettsville, Martinsville and surrounding areas. In order to reach the F2 rating, winds must reach speeds between 113 and 157 mph.\nAngeline Protogere, a spokesperson for Cinergy, said about 6,400 houses and businesses had disrupted electrical service in Monroe County.\n"Around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday we started noticing outages in Ellettsville, Bloomington and the Spencer area," Protogere said.\nProtogere said Cinergy has over 200 of its own crew, 70 from its sister company, Cincinnati Gas and Electric and about 30 contractors all working in Indiana to repair the electric grid. There were no estimates on cost as of press time.\nJoseph Nield, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said it is unusual to have such a strong low-pressure system this time of year, but more storms are expected throughout the summer.\nNield said a collision between a cold front that was moving eastward from Michigan and a warm front coming in from the south caused the severe weather. In total the system caused 15 to 20 tornados over the entire state, Nield said.\nMaria Carrasquillo, director of Emergency Services for the Red Cross in Monroe County, said the organization is helping 23 homes in Monroe County.\n"It is amazing how (much) people in Monroe County and other counties have given of themselves to help others," Carrasquillo said. "Neighbors and families (of the victims) have been helping by providing shelter, food and clothing."\nIn the case of an emergency, Red Cross disaster assistance can be contacted at 332-7292.\n-- Contact staff writer Karen Yancey at kaeyance@indiana.edu
(06/03/04 1:43am)
This weekend you will find many people choosing to bear the noise of the cicadas and the threats of seasonal rain to relax outdoors. Camping season, which kicked off last weekend and will continue through Labor Day weekend, has people of all ages gathering gear for outdoor adventures. \nDoug Lakin, Activities Desk Manager of IU Outdoor Adventures, says he has not heard anyone say they will not go camping this summer because of the cicada invasion. A few people even told him they were excited because the cicadas would add something different this year to their outdoor experience. As for the recent downpours and tornado warnings in the Bloomington area, Lakin says, "The biggest thing the rain does is deter those who do not plan ahead. If you have your rain jacket and tarp, you will be comfortable."\nAs for foresters in surrounding state parks, they have been mowing grass, cleaning grills, setting up pit toilets and upgrading campsites to prepare for families and students who will want a piece of the wilderness experience this summer.\nMatt Brodahl, a recent graduate of IU, says he typically camps seven or eight times a year a few nights each time. According to Brodahl, he and his friends like to take guitars with them to play tunes around the campfire and drink whiskey. He spent Spring Break at a campground hiking each day to build his stamina for when he hikes portions of the 2,100 mile-long Appalachian Trail this fall. \nDan Hertel, a senior marketing major, says he and his friends like to run forest trails at night. "It's a rush because you can't exactly see what you're doing. It's not like hiking in the day."\nFor campers who like the comforts of home, sites on Lake Monroe such as the Paynetown State Recreation Area, Hardin Ridge U.S Forestry Campground and privately owned Lake Monroe Village, offer water and electric hookups with public bathhouses. On the other hand, those who like roughing it will find local state forests to their liking. The sites offer primitive camping, as well as horse camping. Primitive camping is $10 per night on Thursdays through Saturdays and on holidays. You can reserve a campsite at www.camp.in.gov.\nWherever you choose to go to camp this summer, the IU Outdoor Adventure program offers a workshop that teaches people how to "Leave No Trace" and practice low-impact camping to protect the environment. Other backpacking courses offered are Wilderness First Aid and a Map and Compass workshop. For more information call (812) 855-2231.
(05/27/04 4:00am)
Junior Corina Manion sits inside Boxcar Books, 310 S. Washington St. Manion is co-coordinator of Pages for Prisoners, a program that sends free books to inmates.
(05/27/04 1:28am)
Monroe Bancorp named James Bremner to its board of directors last week as the bank's newest addition. Bremner has eight years experience running Bremner and Wiley Inc., a healthcare facility development and management firm in Indianapolis.\nBremner has a total of 24 years experience in owning and operating a business and said he feels that benefits of being on the board will be reciprocal.\n"It was a great compliment to be offered the opportunity by the existing board members," Bremner said. "It is a terrific opportunity to learn about the banking industry, as well as support a 110-year-old bank that has been in the community." \nHe said he has been on various charitable boards and organizations but has not been on any other commercial boards other than his own company's. \n"I share Monroe Bank's commitment to the communities it serves and to their customers, many of whom are patients or employees of the healthcare facilities developed by Bremner and Wiley," Bremner said. "I am honored to serve on its board of directors, and I look forward to working hard to help the company achieve its goals."\nAs president and CEO of Bremner and Wiley Inc., Bremner was involved in all aspects of the business, which was established in 1986. He takes part in the development, management and acquisition of healthcare facilities. He is also extensively involved in all phases of the Bremner and Wiley Real Estate Advisory Group, including site analysis, land acquisitions and tenant representation.\nSince 1998 he has developed over $120 million in healthcare facilities. Prior to his work at Bremner and Wiley, Bremner was a partner and president of a commercial real estate firm, Revel Companies.\nHe graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor of Science in Management in 1977.\nMonroe Bank President and CEO Mark D. Bradford said Bremner will be of particular assistance in the Indianapolis area. \n"(Monroe Bancorp) has made a determination to grow into Hendricks County and into the greater Indianapolis market," Bradford said. "Bremner brings a lot of knowledge of the Indianapolis market. He can help us with underwriting decisions on loans. We already have $60 million of loans outstanding in Indianapolis. Also, Bremner is well-respected in Indianapolis and can make introductions that will allow our people to do additional business."\nMonroe Bank was founded in 1892 as a community bank and now operates 16 branches in and around Bloomington. It serves Monroe, Jackson, Lawrence and Hendricks counties. Monroe Bancorp was established as the holding company for the bank.\nThe bank provides a variety of financial, trust and investment services to more than 20,000 customers, including personal checking and savings accounts, business account management, making commercial, mortgage and personal loans and brokerage services. Danise Alano, vice president and marketing director for the bank, said Monroe County Bancorp began listing its stock on NASDAQ in 2001.\n-- Contact staff writer Karen Yancey at kaeyance@indiana.edu.
(05/27/04 1:27am)
A local program that meets every Sunday is sending free books to prison inmates in Indiana and nearby states.\nPages to Prisoners, which holds meetings every week from noon to 5 p.m., is available to anyone wanting to package books, read letters and write to prisoners. The meetings are held in a small room at the back of Boxcar Books, 310 S. Washington St. Boxcar Books is a nonprofit bookstore serving as the legal umbrella for the Midwest Pages to Prisoners Program.\nThe program sends out more than 50 packages of books each week. Only about five packages each week are returned for reasons such as inmates transferring to other prisons or being released on parole. Pages does not sent books to Texas or Michigan because Texas has its own book program and Michigan only accepts new books. The names of other book programs in the country include Books Through Bars and Book 'Em. \nMichael Hoerger and Corina Manion are co-coordinators of Pages for Prisoners and volunteers at Boxcar Books.\nHoerger said Pages for Prisoners was established in 1995. \n"We receive at least 200 letters a month requesting books, and we send on average three to four paperbacks per package," she said.\nHoerger said requests vary, but the program sends a lot of popular fiction such as Stephen King and John Grisham novels, as well as religious, black and Hispanic histories.\n"There are some requests for educational materials, which are mostly writing guides and math books," Hoerger said, noting he feels it's "becoming rare" for inmates to receive college degrees in prison. The dictionary is the most requested book, Hoerger said. \nAll books are donated from the community except dictionaries, which are purchased on a regular basis to keep up with requests. Although ordinary citizens can't send books to prisoners, bookstores or publishers can and each prison has different requirements. For example, some prisoners have rules on how many books can be sent, some will not accept hardcover volumes unless the covers are torn off, and some require a receipt.\nHoerger, who has been writing to political prisoners for the past eight years, said his interest developed when he was an undergraduate at the University of Connecticut. He saw piles of books outside the campus bookstores that were going to be thrown away.\n"I thought it was such a waste that these perfectly good books should be thrown away just because the bookstore will not buy them back," Hoerger said. \nSo he took them home and wrote to a political prisoner with whom he was corresponding. His correspondent was very happy to have them and told him about existing programs that sent books to prisoners. \nHoerger said the most of the political prisoners he has been writing to were arrested for their involvement in the Black Panther Party, the Black Liberation Army or Weather Underground, a militant branch of Students for Democratic Society. \nHoerger said he thinks it is important to be involved with Pages to Prisoners. \n"Every day more people view prisons as places not for reform but as places for punishment," he said. "It is a necessity that people on the outside provide heart, knowledge and help to prisoners."\nWith every package sent, a form letter is included. Hoerger said most people sign their first names but people can write back to prisoners according to their level of comfort. \nAbby Friedman is on the board of directors and is co-director of Boxcar Books. She has worked for three years with Pages to Prisoners and has been with Boxcar Books since it opened. \nFriedman said she thinks Pages to Prisoners serves a palpable need. \n"It is very important for people in prison to receive the educational materials they desire," Friedman said. "They will be released back into our society and could be our neighbors."\nLast year, Manion and Friedman organized a prison art show made up of drawings, poetry and other works. There were about 10 paintings from a Terre Haute death row inmate who will be executed in June. \n"It makes the whole situation very close to home because he is not just a person on TV," Friedman said. "He calls Pages to Prisoners and sends letters thanking us for the books. We have dealt with him and the people in the community who are advocates for him, so he is not just a stranger."\nManion, a junior studying English and African Diaspora Studies, has been involved with Boxcar since it opened and Pages to Prisoners for four years. Manion said she got involved with the program when her friend Sam Dorrsett needed help. Dorrsett was running the now-closed Secret Sailor Books, which hosted Pages at the time. \n"It was the correspondence that kept me involved," Manion said. "I always feel we could be doing more, but it is hard to be dealing with a population that is completely shut off from us."\n-- Contact staff writer Karen Yancey at kaeyance@indiana.edu.
(05/27/04 1:26am)
Area police departments are increasing enforcement of the "Click It or Ticket" campaign as well as assigning more drunk driving and speeding patrols in preparation for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.\nIUPD Sgt. Don Schmuhl said more daily seat belt, speed and radar patrols are being assigned and more drunk driving patrols are being stationed on the weekends. The daily patrols start around 7 a.m. and last until 3 p.m. while the weekend patrols will be from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. \n"The blitz period for seat belt enforcement is a state-wide campaign and not just restricted to Bloomington," Bloomington Police Department Capt. Joe Qualters said.\nThe increased patrols are being funded through Operation Pull-Over, a state government campaign to increase the enforcement of drunk driving, seat belt, child restraint and speeding laws.\nOperation Pull-Over funds come from the Governor's Council and is given to police departments who participate in the program. The amount of funding depends on the number of accidents that occur within the jurisdiction of each department.\nOperation Pull-Over grants funds overtime pay that police officers can earn by signing up for extra patrols. This increase of patrols is called a "blitz" and usually occurs before, during and after holiday weekends. \nSchmuhl said the current blitz started last weekend and will run through the week after Memorial Day.\nThe fine for not buckling up is $25 per adult who is not wearing a seat belt in the front seat. According to the Child Restraint Law, children between 4 and 12 years of age must be wearing a seat belt in the front and back seat or be in a child safety seat. All children under 4 must be in a child safety seat.\n"We find more people are buckled up now because of enforcement," IU Police Department Lt. Jerry Minger said. \nHe also said people think about it more because their children are being taught to buckle up in schools and tend to remind their parents.\nIUPD Officer Joe Wise said he thinks people are not neglecting to wear their seat belts any more on holidays than they do during the week. \n"It's just that there are more patrols out so we are finding them," he said.\nJunior Elsie Ekabten said the blitz has not been a problem for her. \n"So many things go on during the holidays (that) to keep things good, they have to be out there," she said.\n-- Contact staff writer Karen Yancey at kaeyance@indiana.edu
(05/24/04 2:33am)
IU will no longer charge a $44 late program fee for adding and dropping courses after the first week of classes. It will only assess a $22 fee for each course dropped after the first week of classes.\nLast April, a new policy was announced introducing a $44 charge. But this month the University announced it would charge half that amount. For example, if a student drops a course and then adds a different section of the same course, the student will only be charged one $22 fee as long as the add and drop occurs within the same day.\nRoland Cote, the IU Registrar, said in an e-mail, "the late program change fee is assessed beginning the second week of classes, after the 100 percent refund period has ended. The change being implemented this year is that this fee will no longer be assessed for added classes. It will only be assessed for dropped classes, hence $22 instead of $44."\nCote added that the schedule adjustment access fee, which is $6 each time a student accesses the registration system, has no relationship to the late program change fee of $22. \n"The schedule adjustment access fee is assessed for students who process changes to their schedule through the end of the first week of classes," Cote said. "It is not assessed per drop, add, or section change. It is assessed once on any given calendar day when the student accesses the system to process changes. It may be assessed multiple times if the student processes changes on multiple days."\nAssociate Bursar Kimberly Kercheval said the reason for the fee change was neither budget-driven nor due to student complaints. \nThe Student Information System, which is the University's new PeopleSoft integration software, is dealing with existing fees. It is working with current policies and trying to evaluate them. \nKercheval said this last weekend was a big implementation period for bringing up the system to all bursar and financial aid functions.\nStudents have varied reactions to the change in fee policy.\n"It frustrates me," graduate student Enbal Shacham said. "The fact that we get charged for every change we make is ridiculous. What are the fees being used for? Where are all the charges going and what are we getting in return?"\nSome students expressed relief at the reduced fee. \n"It's good that they are bringing something down in price," junior Adam Levy said. "Not that it really makes that much of a difference. There are so many other outrageous fees, it is not going to help much. The more fees they add on, the less likely people will return after they graduate to join the (IU) Alumni Association in order to donate money."\nSenior Michael Kim said it was good that students will be paying less.\n"As a person who makes schedule changes a lot, I wish they did not assess the fee," Kim said. "For people who want to get ahead by taking a lot of classes, it is disadvantageous that they have to pay the fee in the first place."\nAnother change was announced in April. According to the Web site for the Office of the Bursar, undergraduate students in the "flat fee" range, meaning those enrolled in 12-17 credit hours per semester, who adjust hours after the first week of classes will not have any change in tuition fee if the drop and add occur on the same calendar day and if they maintain enrollment in the flat fee range of hours after the adjustment.\nStudents who are enrolled in fewer than 12 credit hours will receive partial refund for the dropped course but will pay in full for the added course, according to the Bursar Web site.\nIn both cases, the $22 late program fee will be assessed.\n-- Contact staff writer Karen Yancey at kaeyance@indiana.edu .