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(03/10/10 3:49pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Because the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are still ongoing, returning servicemen and women are confronted with fictional depictions while at the same time dealing with their own still-fresh personal experiences. What do they think about war portrayals in the media? Major Christopher Hormel has been in the military for 11 years. He has served in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. He has lived in Bloomington for a year and seven months and works at the IU Army ROTC. Weekend: Have you seen any recent war movies?Maj. Christopher Hormel: “I don’t see movies that deal with any kind of recent conflicts,” Hormel said. “I’ll see movies that deal with Vietnam.”W: Why do you not choose to watch recent movies? Maj. Hormel: “I’ve been there, done that. I don’t care to watch a movie about it.”W: What type of war-related media do you like?Maj. Hormel: “I love watching ‘Band of Brothers.’” W: What draws you to that series in particular?Maj. Hormel: “It was well-made. I like that it focused on the character development and is based off the book ‘Band of Brothers.’ I like that it focused on the characters and not so much on the conflict.”W: What are your all-time favorite war movies?Maj. Hormel: “Two of my favorite war movies are ‘Saving Private Ryan’ and ‘We Were Soldiers.’”W: Why is “Saving Private Ryan” one of your favorite war movies?Maj. Hormel: “It focused on the characters and not so much the war aspect. Mostly, that’s my preference because being a solider is all about being a solider — not about the weapons or the conflicts. The reason most of us are in the army is because we like dealing with soldiers. That’s what appeals to me.”W: What would you say most war movies focus on?Maj. Hormel: “I would say most movies I’ve seen do focus on the soldiers and how important the interactions between them are. I haven’t seen a lot of movies that focus strictly on the conflict.”
(03/10/10 2:46am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Rick Dietz thinks the City of Bloomington’s economic development can improve one gigabit at a time.Dietz, the director of Bloomington's Information and Technology Services, is one of the people behind the city’s project to apply to be one of the cities Google chooses to test ultra high-speed broadband networks as part of its Fiber for Communities project.“It would have a tremendous impact,” he said.The city has until March 26 to submit a Request for Information to let Google know the city is interested in being part of the experiment, according to a City of Bloomington press release. The plan would give more than one gigabit per second to communities throughout the country, according to Google’s Web site. The city-wide fiber active network would run in every home and local business, Dietz said.According to Google’s Web site about Fiber for Communities, it would charge “a competitive price” for the service.IU already has a similar network throughout campus, Dietz said. If Bloomington is chosen for the project, the two networks could possibly connect.Mayor Mark Kruzan announced the project at the State of the City address in February.Dietz said he and Kruzan decided Bloomington could be a potential candidate for Google because of the city’s resources and landscape.The application process includes the city applying and the public nominating the city for the project.There was a meeting last week in the City Hall Council Chambers to brainstorm ideas for the project and to get the public involved in nominating the city.“There were a lot of interesting ideas,” Dietz said about the meeting. “Suggestions were made so that we aren’t leaving anyone out and it benefits our whole community.”Dietz said the long-term effect of being selected would mean more economic development because the city would be able to provide the high-speed network to businesses. In addition, the city could become a center for technology development.During the State of the City address, Kruzan said that although the city’s chances of being selected are a “long stretch” because of the competitiveness of the project, he still wanted to see the city try.“Such a network could transform a city,” he said.
(03/10/10 1:35am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Rick Dietz thinks the City of Bloomington’s economic development can improve one gigabit at a time.Dietz, the director of IU’s Information and Technology Services, is one of the people behind the city’s project to apply to be one of the cities Google chooses to test ultra high-speed broadband networks as part of its Fiber for Communities project.“It would have a tremendous impact,” he said.The city has until March 26 to submit a Request for Information to let Google know the city is interested in being part of the experiment, according to a City of Bloomington press release.The plan would give more than one gigabit per second to communities throughout the country, according to Google’s Web site. The city-wide fiber active network would run in every home and local business, Dietz said.According to Google’s Web site about Fiber for Communities, it would charge “a competitive price” for the service.IU already has a similar network throughout campus, Dietz said. If Bloomington is chosen for the project, the two networks could possibly connect.Mayor Mark Kruzan announced the project during the State of the City address in February.Dietz said he and Kruzan decided Bloomington could be a potential candidate for Google because of the city’s resources and landscape.Part of the application process includes the city applying and the public nominating the city for the project.There was a meeting last week in the City Hall Council Chambers to brainstorm ideas for the project and to get the public involved in nominating the city.“There were a lot of interesting ideas,” Dietz said about the meeting. “Suggestions were made so that we aren’t leaving anyone out and it benefits our whole community.”Dietz said the long-term effect of being selected would mean more economic development because the city would be able to provide the high-speed network to businesses. In addition, the city could become a center for technology development.During the State of the City address, Kruzan said that although the city’s chances of being selected are a “long stretch” because of the competitiveness of the project, he still wanted to see the city try.“Such a network could transform a city,” he said.
(03/04/10 4:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Discussion over an ordinance that gives $149,512.38 for improvements at Atwater and Henderson turned into a debate over the future of bicyclists in Bloomington.The City Council approved ordinance 10-01, appropriating funds for the improvements on the heavy trafficked Atwater and Henderson intersection. The money will be used for the construction of the project.There were 639 passing vehicles through the intersection from 7 to 10:55 a.m., according to a presentation by the city’s Engineering Services. The intersection also has more traffic from pedestrians than other intersections such as Atwater and Jordan.The project includes installing traffic signals that would help calm traffic, said Justin Wykoff, manager of Engineering Services.Wykoff said there were nine accidents in that intersection, which is down from the 17 accidents that occurred in 2005. The project hopes to reduce significantly the amount of vehicle crashes in the area.Council member Dave Rollo introduced an amendment to the ordinance that would create a sharrow as part of the project for bikes. Sharrows have painted arrows indicating that bicyclists have the right to use the full lane. The sharrow would include signs indicating that bikes are allowed to use the full lane.The sharrow would connect with another bike route about two blocks down from the intersection, said council member Chris Sturbaum.The amendment is an alternative to a full bike lane, which would delay the project.However, some council members were concerned about what the sharrows mean for the rest of the city.“I’m concerned that this miseducates people that bikes only have the right to use the full lane when there are these sharrows,” said Andy Ruff, City Council Vice President. Bloomington resident Buff Brown wanted the plan to include more advances for bicyclists in the city.“You have to want your city to be bicycle friendly,” he said.Brown wanted to see the reduction of turn lanes and wanted to include more crosswalks. He also wanted to see more modern approaches dealing with bicyclists in the city.City Council President Isabel Piedmont-Smith said a bike lane would be ideal but it would delay the entire project, which is slated to start in August.“This is a big improvement of what we have now,” Piedmont-Smith said.
(02/25/10 2:55am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute is working on completing back payments from 2007 and 2008 for the Indiana Crime Victim Compensation Fund.Neil Moore, executive director of the institute, said a study from 2007 discovered the fund had back payments from a couple of years. Recently, the ICJI was able to complete all the 2006 requests.Since Feb. 1, the institute has had about 2,900 claims pending, including the claims that have been filed this year, Moore said. About 1,100 of those are for sex crimes.The institute has been administering the Indiana Violent Crime Victim Compensation Fund since 1978 when the Indiana General Assembly added the program as part of a law, according to ICJI’s Victim Compensation’s Web site.Indiana defines a violent crime as a felony or Class A misdemeanor, according to the fund’s Web site. In addition, the crime must meet other requirements, such as taking place in Indiana. The crime must be reported to police within 72 hours of taking place, and claims must be filed within 180 days of the crime occurring, according to the Web site.The money used for victims of violent crimes is state-appropriated money, Moore said. The money used for victims of sex crimes is money from a federal grant.The money used from the fund helps with medical expenses, funeral expenses, lost wages and outpatient counseling, according to the fund’s Web site. For victims of sexual assault, the funds help with collection of evidence and outpatient counseling services.The maximum amount of money that can be given out is $15,000 for eligible crime-related expenses, according to the fund’s Web site.Moore said the process of determining if a person is eligible to receive money from the Indiana Violent Crime Victim Compensation Fund is lengthy.“All other sources must be exhausted before we start making payments,” he said.Moore said the ICJI has hired more people to help process the back payment claims.The ICJI has also begun to look into proposals for development of a Web-based system that would help process the claims more efficiently.“Some efficiencies were needed for better technology last year,” he said. “We were able to advocate for the technology solution.”
(02/25/10 2:54am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Mayor Mark Kruzan warned citizens during the State of the City address that they have to maintain a steady economy in 2010 because it’s vital to the city’s future.“We have to meet the ripple effect of the recession head-on,” Kruzan said to crowded City Council Chambers. During the annual State of the City Address on Wednesday, Kruzan said it’s important to promote the city and projects that will improve the quality of life in Bloomington. “The quality of life is synonymous with the economy,” he said.The city could do that by strengthening local businesses and life sciences and expanding local marketing, Kruzan said. The address focused on important projects and issues the city will be tackling throughout the year, such as possible expansion of the water plant, the possibility of moving Bloomington Hospital, the State Road 45/46 Bypass project, the second phase of the B-Line Trail and the future of the John Waldron Arts Center.One of the first issues Kruzan discussed was the possible expansion of the water facility plant, which would increase rates for water utilities for all Bloomington residents.Kruzan said the issue has to be dealt with in the upcoming weeks because it can’t wait any longer.After the address, City Councilman Timothy Mayer said the water plant is at the top of his list of issues to tackle. “The time has come that it’s necessary to look toward the future,” Mayer said.Mayer said if the city waits any longer to take action, rates might increase even more because of rising construction costs. The mayor addressed the possible relocation of Bloomington Hospital. He said there needs to be a plan that addresses what to do with the area and businesses that rely on the hospital so they survive during tough economic times.Another project the mayor talked about was the State Road 45/46 Bypass, which could be as wide as seven lanes in certain areas. Kruzan said the city is still working out details, including making accommodations for pedestrians and bicyclists.The second phase of construction on the B-Line Trail will start in April and will end by Labor Day, 2011.Kruzan said he didn’t have a solution to the potential closing of the John Waldron Arts Center but said he did want it to remain a community arts center.Another topic the mayor addressed was the 2010 Census. He said one of the largest populations in Bloomington — students — often go uncounted.Kruzan mentioned the IU Public Relations Student Society of America’s campaign to increase the number of IU students counted in the census as Bloomington residents.Mike Diekhoff, Bloomington’s police chief, spoke during the address and said the Bloomington Police Department plans to re-configure its police districts. The city will be divided into five districts including the northwest, northeast, southwest, southeast and a strong emphasis on the downtown district.The Department’s plan means more officers on foot and bicycles around the downtown area, Diekhoff said. He said the department hopes to create “collaboration with downtown residents, merchants and visitors.” Mayer said overall the city address touched on key points the city has to continue looking at this year. “I was very impressed with the list of initiatives, especially with the economic times were in,” Mayer said. “(Kruzan’s) keeping a close eye on the budget.”
(02/25/10 2:12am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute is working on completing back payments from 2007 and 2008 for the Indiana Crime Victim Compensation Fund.Neil Moore, executive director of the institute, said a study from 2007 discovered the fund had back payments from a couple of years. Recently, the ICJI was able to complete all the 2006 requests.Since Feb. 1, the institute has had about 2,900 claims pending, including the claims that have been filed this year, Moore said. About 1,100 of those are for sex crimes.The institute has been administering the Indiana Violent Crime Victim Compensation Fund since 1978 when the Indiana General Assembly added the program as part of a law, according to ICJI’s Victim Compensation’s Web site.Indiana defines a violent crime as a felony or Class A misdemeanor, according to the fund’s Web site. In addition, the crime must meet other requirements, such as taking place in Indiana. The crime must be reported to police within 72 hours of taking place, and claims must be filed within 180 days of the crime occurring, according to the Web site.The money used for victims of violent crimes is state-appropriated money, Moore said. The money used for victims of sex crimes is money from a federal grant.The money used from the fund helps with medical expenses, funeral expenses, lost wages and outpatient counseling, according to the Compensation’s Web site. For victims of sexual assault, the funds help with collection of evidence and outpatient counseling services.The maximum amount of money that can be given out is $15,000 for eligible crime-related expenses, according to the fund’s Web site.Moore said the process of determining if a person is eligible to receive money from the Indiana Violent Crime Victim Compensation Fund is lengthy.“All other sources must be exhausted before we start making payments,” he said.Moore said the ICJI has hired more people to help process the back payment claims.The ICJI has also begun to look into proposals for development of a Web-based system that would help process the claims more efficiently.“Some efficiencies were needed for better technology last year,” he said. “We were able to advocate for the technology solution.”
(02/25/10 12:12am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>What once started out as a way to sell pizza at Bear’s Place has turned into an award-winning pizzeria.Mother Bear’s Pizza is Bloomington’s best for the fifth consecutive year. Restaurant owner Ray McConn said the award is special because of the type of award it is. “We’re elected, not selected,” he said. Mother Bear’s has also been recognized by People Magazine and Pizza Today, according to the restaurant’s Web site. This year will be its 37th in service.Wooden booths and tables fill the restaurant, and throughout the years, patrons have left their mark by writing on the walls. McConn said the idea to create Mother Bear’s came about because he wanted to serve pizza at Bear’s Place, a bar right down Third Street that he also owned. Since he couldn’t fit pizza into the menu, he decided to start a restaurant that would focus more on pizzas and other food items that would be prepared there. Things such as the number of locations have changed for Mother Bear’s, but a couple things haven’t. In the past, Mother Bear’s had stores in Indianapolis and throughout Bloomington. Today its only location is on Third Street.McConn said the pizza at Mother Bear’s is still what keeps many coming back for more. “Our specialty pizzas are phenomenally successful,” he said. The pizzas also continue to be made from scratch. There are 15 specialty pizzas on the restaurant’s menu. If customers don’t want to go for the specialty pizzas, there is also an option that allows them to make a customized pizza by picking different ingredients. Prices vary from $3.80 to $20.85, according to the restaurant’s menu. The restaurant also sells more than just pizzas. McConn said other restaurant favorites are the wings and the salads. The menu also includes pasta, hot subs, cheese bread and brownies. Although previous ventures to expand the restaurant to other places haven’t worked out, McConn said he is content with the busy location on Third Street. “This is a full-time job,” he said. “I’m very satisfied with our success at this point of time.”
(02/24/10 9:22pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>James McNamara, executive director for Pets Alive Spay/Neuter Clinic, said he was not always as passionate about spay/neuter awareness as he is today. He was serving as deputy mayor in 1996 when he asked someone to give him the worst job in Bloomington for a day. In response to his challenge, he was taken to the city’s animal shelter, where he witnessed animals being euthanized.“That was a life changing experience,” he said. After being deputy mayor for 12 years, McNamara began to work for Pets Alive Spay/Neuter Clinic.Pets Alive is a Bloomington animal clinic that performs neuter and spay surgeries.To raise awareness for these procedures, Pets Alive and the City of Bloomington declared February Spay/Neuter Bloomington Month.To commemorate the month, Pets Alive had a NeuterPAlooza Monday. The clinic fixed the first 100 male cats for free from 10:30-11:30 a.m., according to a press release from the clinic. In addition, it also offered discounts on surgeries for dogs and female cats to have the surgery done. On a typical morning at Pets Alive, animals throughout the cement building can be heard barking and meowing, while others lie quietly on top of newspapers or blankets, recovering from surgery.A piece of paper marks their weight, name and what shelter they are from. A full 24 hours will pass before they will be allowed out of the kennel and into the world as a neutered pet. McNamara said this is the first year the city has dedicated an entire month to creating awareness about fixing pets.February was strategically chosen because, during the spring, many shelters see a drastic increase in the number of unwanted and homeless kittens because of the mating cycle, McNamara said.One of the ways to control the overpopulation problem is to have the animals neutered or spayed so they don’t produce more animals that will need a home in the future, he said. “You gotta get a grip on the overpopulation,” he said.On average, the clinic does about 40 surgeries a day, McNamara said. Pets Alive transports animals from the Bloomington Animal Shelter, as well as shelters in 14 surrounding counties, so they can be spayed or neutered. The clinic also takes regular customers who want to have their pets neutered.Virgil Sauder, Bloomington Animal Shelter’s manager, said the shelter sends about five to 10 animals to Pets Alive to be neutered or spayed four times each week.When the shelter runs out of space or when it has overly aggressive animals, they are euthanized.In 2009, the shelter took in about 4,839 animals, Sauder said. Of those animals, about 40 percent of them had to be euthanized. The shelter’s policy states that every animal that’s adopted must be neutered or spayed.“We don’t have to worry about that animal producing more animals that we will need to find homes for,” Sauder said.Dr. Steve Sunbury practices at the Seymour Animal Hospital and is the president of the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association. People often worry the surgery will change their pets’ personality, he said.“There is a very low risk in this day of age,” he said. McNamara said he often sees people not getting the surgery for their pets because of the cost. The clinic has attempted to keep the cost of the surgeries down in hopes that more people will have their pet neutered or spayed, he said.“The real key was keeping animals from shelters,” McNamara said.
(02/15/10 6:02am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With a coat of light yellow paint, an aluminum ceiling and a revamped menu, Kiva transformed into Dunn Meadow Cafe.Although the cafe in the Indiana Memorial Union has been open since Feb. 1, it will have its grand opening today from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.The cafe will celebrate its opening with prizes, musicians and coupons, said Steve Mangan, general manager of IMU dining services.The grand opening celebration will also include discounts on certain food items, Mangan said. There will also be free samples of different items.In addition, the cafe has been working with Live From Bloomington to have acoustic musicians play during the opening.Sophomore Caroline Shurig, director of Live From Bloomington, said singer/songwriter and IU student Lindsay Smith will perform during the celebration.Mangan said the space was originally known as Kiva, but the eatery was changed to Dunn Meadow Cafe when the Union decided to renovate it.After conducting questionnaires, Mangan said Union staff realized that the name Kiva was confusing to customers who said they were unsure of what it was. It was then renamed Dunn Meadow Cafe because of its location.Holly Parient, one of the retail managers of the cafe, said the menu has also changed. The new cafe sells the top-five Kiva sandwiches as well as some new ones. It also includes a larger salad bar.“Now there’s something that appeals to a variety of tastes,” Mangan said.The cafe is also moving toward using local produce in its food, Mangan added.Parient said the cafe has tried to improve the speed of the service. There are also plans to include an outdoor patio where customers will be able to eat.“We are trying to make it much more visible,” Mangan said.
(02/12/10 4:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Bloomington residents gathered in a room on the second floor of the Monroe County Public Library to hear an update on issues affecting Pakistan.Rafia Zakaria, a political science Ph.D. candidate at IU and a columnist for the largest English newspaper in Pakistan, spoke Thursday to an attentive audience of 14 about terrorism and relations Pakistan has with surrounding countries and the United States.The Bloomington chapter of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom invited Zakaria to talk about Pakistan for the second time, said Rita Lichtenberg, a member of the organization.Zakaria said Pakistan is at one of the most crucial times in its history, economically and politically, for women. She also talked about the terrorism and violence, which have continued in Pakistan.“It was a bloody decade for Pakistan, and it’s already a bloody year,” she said.60 terrorist-related attacks have occurred this year.Zakaria said many Americans do not pay enough attention to the attacks going on in Pakistan. She also talked about the American drone attacks debate, which are led in hopes of capturing critical leaders of the Taliban.Bloomington resident Don Lichtenberg said he doesn’t think the drone attacks the U.S. is conducting are helping Pakistan.“It is immoral to kill 10 civilians to get one bad guy,” Don Lichtenberg said.Zakaria said some of the biggest problems Pakistan faces are internal affairs and lack of resources to respond to attacks.“The breakdown of law and order is so severe,” she said.
(02/10/10 2:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The official census date is less than two months away, but the
Columbus, Ind., office is looking for job applicants to fill 2,000
spots to help count the state’s population.
Bill Morris, manager of the Columbus census office, said it started
hiring about a year ago. Since then, it has hired about 100 people.In Monroe County, about 900 people will still be hired within the next couple of months.
The Columbus office oversees 15 counties, including Monroe County,
Morris said. The group estimates how many staff members it needs in
each area based on the previous census.So
far, the new employees are working as clerks or are being trained as
crew leaders. They are currently helping people in places such as
nursing homes, hospitals and prisons complete the census.
“We are just starting our operations,” Morris said.The
main reason why they haven’t reached the desired number of workers is
because not enough people have applied for the jobs, he said.The
application process consists of a multiple-choice test and criminal
background check. Applicants must also show two forms of identification.
Although the office is in Columbus, testing can be done in Bloomington’s City Hall Showers Building at 401 N. Morton St.Jim
Accurso, the Indiana census media specialist at the Chicago regional
office, said there are still many recruiting efforts happening
throughout the state.
“There are some areas where recruiting efforts have gone better than others,” Accurso said.In Indianapolis, the group has only met 30 percent of its employee recruitment goal, Accurso said.Once applicants are selected, they will be trained throughout March and April, Morris said. People will start working in May.
Some of their duties will include going door-to-door in their neighborhoods to help people fill out the census.The pay will vary from $12 to $15 per hour, depending on assigned duties. The job will last for eight weeks, depending on how many people are hired and how fast the census taking is done, Morris said.
Although the efforts to get everyone counted for the census will begin
soon, Accurso said there is not a specific deadline for applicants to
apply for jobs. “There is no deadline until they reach our recruiting goals,” Accurso said.
(02/09/10 12:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Bloomington artists and arts organizations will have a chance to learn how to market themselves through social networking workshops this week.Miah Michaelsen, Bloomington’s assistant economic development director for the arts, said the workshops are geared toward artists or organizations that are already established and looking to grow their businesses through social media. Participants will learn about Etsy, a Web site where people can sell or buy vintage and handmade products, according to a City of Bloomington press release.Sarah “Intellagirl” Robbins will give a keynote speech on social media marketing.The day will also include a hands-on session, according to the press release. During this time, participants will learn how to set up their own product sales Web sites.Michaelsen said the workshops are ideal for artists and arts organizations because of the benefits social media offers. “It’s low-cost and can be done anywhere,” she said. “It has the potential to get a message out to a large number of people effectively.”
(02/08/10 11:09pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Debate over whether boat casinos in Indiana can move inland continues as a new bill moves into the Statehouse.Bill 405 would allow the move and make Indiana casinos more competitive than other casinos in surrounding states.Ohio passed a bill last November that allowed casinos in four major cities, leaving many worried about how the new casinos would affect Indiana’s.However, the wording that would allow casinos to do business on land was taken out in the Senate committee.State Senator Ronnie Alting, R-Lafayette, said the Casino Association of Indiana did not support the wording that would allow for casinos to move inland, and this lack of support from the association prompted the Senate to take it out of the bill.Casino Assocation President Mike Smith said a majority of people in the association did not want the wording in the bill.Smith said boat casinos such as the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Ind., that recently invested about $5 million in their casino, would lose more money from the bill rather than gain money.“In the provision with the land base, there are winners and losers,” Alting said.Alting said there are some casinos that have not spent money on recent renovations that would benefit from the bill, while others would end up losing money if casinos were allowed to move inland.However, Alting said this does not mean the debate is over.He said there is still a chance that House Representatives could put the wording back into the bill.State Senator Earline Rogers, D-Gary, is one of the members trying to get the provision back into the bill, as Gary is one of the cities where the casinos would benefit from moving inland rather than staying on water.Peg McLeish, press secretary for the Senate Democrats, said the bill would help the Gary area become more profitable.“It would create more jobs,” she said. “It also means more revenue for the state.”
(02/04/10 4:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The City Council unanimously adopted Ordinance 10-04 Wednesday, which will place stop signs to calm traffic at the intersection of South Mitchell Street, East Southdowns Drive and East Circle Drive.The affected area is south of IU and east of Bryant Park.“It is heavily trafficked by people who want to access Bryant Park or who want to walk to and from the University,” said council member Dave Rollo. However, Rollo stressed that the stop signs are meant to calm the area, not stop traffic completely from coming in. Justin Wykoff, manager of engineering services for the City of Bloomington, said during the ordinance’s first reading that there had not been any reported accidents during the past three years. Council member Stephen Volan said many accidents go unreported because people consider them minor.Rollo said the area’s neighborhood group has been concerned with calming the intersection’s traffic for years.“Many see this area as dangerous,” he said. “It received 100 percent approval by the people in area.”
(02/02/10 4:03am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Bloomington residents celebrated Comedy Caravan’s 27th anniversary by laughing over political correctness, everyday life and relationships. The stand-up comedy show ended its anniversary weekend with performances by comedians Mark Klein and Josh Copen. There were about 30 people Monday in Bear’s Place.The attentive audience listened to Copen’s opening 45-minute skit, which was focused on everyday life. “Not only are we fat, we are stupid,” he said about how Americans tune in to unnecessary news coverage. Klein headlined the show by explaining he likes to drink alcohol. His skit focused on politics and the rights he has as an American. He talked about health care by going through a Curious George book and comparing what kind of medical treatment the monkey would get now as opposed to in the 1960s. Bloomington resident Amanda Proctor said she thought the show was funny but thought Klein played into stereotypes people have about Kentucky. The second half of Klein’s show was focused on sex and relationships. “We are an interracial couple,” he said about his marriage. “I’m from Kentucky and we aren’t relatives.” Klein has performed at Comedy Caravan 50 to 60 times. “It feels odd, but very fun,” he said.
(01/29/10 3:58am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In the back room of Bear’s Place, Comedy Caravan has made Bloomington residents and IU students laugh for 27 years.This weekend the series will celebrate its 27th anniversary.Tom Sobel, the president of TSM Artists Incorporated, said TSM originally started out as a booking agent for artists but in the late 1980s it shifted to focus on comedy. Sobel decided to start doing shows at Bear’s Place primarily because of the location. Bloomington is located between bigger cities such as Indianapolis and Louisville, he said. The venue itself provided an intimate experience between the comedians and the audience.“There is not a bad seat in the house,” he said.Comedy Caravan has seen a variety of comedians including Ellen Degeneres, Roseanne Barr, Sinbad and Steve Harvey. While Sobel thinks the location is what makes the show stand out, others attribute different factors.Susan Seizer, an associate professor in the Department of Communication and Culture, is researching stand-up comics for a documentary. Comedy Caravan is one of the places where she has conducted her research.She said the comedians provide a voice for the working class, which is not often heard in comedy. Many of them are local comedians who grew up and live in the Midwest.“They aren’t about making it in Hollywood,” she said.Mark Klein was one of the first comedians to perform with Comedy Caravan at Bear’s Place. He is also performing this weekend for their 27th anniversary.Klein said he has performed at Bear’s Place at least 50 to 60 times over the past couple of years. He said his show has changed since he first was at Bear’s Place.When he started performing he talked about sex and drinking. Now, he uses a lot of conservative humor.Although the material in Klein’s show has changed, the atmosphere hasn’t. “The faces have changed, but the audience is the same,” he said.Sobel said the stand-up comedy format is one of the best methods of comedy because it is more intimate than when watching it on the television.Laura Brikmanais, an employee at Bear’s Place, said the audience must agree.Over the years, the Comedy Caravan has been one of the biggest long-running series the bar has. Brikmanais said the back room, where Comedy Caravan itakes place, was renovated especially for stand-up comedians.Still, many think the secret is in the room at Bear’s Place.“It’s a great room for laughs,” Klein said.
(01/28/10 4:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For Bloomington resident Ronald Evans, an amendment to Bloomington’s neighborhood traffic safety programs means that cars might stop trespassing his yard.“People do not know how to handle this intersection,” he said.Evans is one of the residents that lives near the South Mitchell Street, East Southdowns Drive and East Circle Drive intersection.In the past year, cars have trespassed Evan’s property at least four times. Evans has been living in the area for five years.On Wednesday, the Bloomington City Council passed an amendment that would put four stop signs in the area to calm traffic. The council passed the recommendation 9-0.The intersection became an issue when a neighborhood group was formed several years ago.Mark Day, who has been living in the area for seven years, said group members were concerned about the possibility of accidents occurring. Many said they didn’t want their child to become the first accident.The petition was officially filed on Dec. 12, 2008 with the support of Council member Dave Rollo.There haven’t been any reported accidents in the area in the past three years, said Justin Wykoff, manager of engineering services for the City of Bloomington. Wykoff presented the proposal to the City Council. He said there are 25 homes in the area. The city passed out ballots to the area’s residents to see what their opinion was. Twenty-one of the ballots were in favor of the stop signs. The stop signs would ideally reduce motorists’ speed in the area but would not necessarily reduce the volume of them, Wykoff said. The city was also concerned about not pushing traffic to surrounding streets. “It’s one of the largest residential intersections I’ve ever seen,” said Rollo, the representative for the area. “It’s quite a job for a pedestrian to get from one side to the other.”The estimated cost for the project is $20,700, but the funding would not come from the Common Council Sidewalk Committee. Wykoff said some of the funding would come from the city’s public works.During the meeting, Rollo said the stop signs would improve the area.“It’s been a long time coming,” he said.
(01/27/10 11:02pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“Lost” is approaching its sixth and final season, leaving many fans to reflect on its cultural impact. However, many disagree on whether the show actually has cultural significance in America. “Lost” premiered in 2004 and centers around a plane crash that leaves the survivors stranded on a Pacific island. Christopher Anderson, professor at the Department of Communication and Culture at IU, said one of the unique things about the show is how each episode is like a piece of a puzzle. “All of the pieces have to fit together in order for the story to make sense,” he said. Anderson has watched every episode of the series.The producers of the show made the move to announce early on, in the spring of 2007, that the show would end after the sixth season, he said. This led to many people feeling like they would get to finish the puzzle if they stayed connected to the television show long enough. Because of that puzzle piece-like structure, the show was able to capitalize on the Internet culture that has skyrocketed while it was on air. Anderson said fans came together on the Internet to talk about the plot’s mysteries and tried to make sense of it together as a community. “There are tons of people that have tried to pull this all together,” he said.A search of the television show generates a handful of Web sites that are dedicated to keeping track of the mythology. Most include a discussion area where people can talk about what happened in the episodes. In addition, Anderson said the show succeeded because of big topics that were affecting the culture of America when the show started. When “Lost” first began, the events and anxiety behind Sept. 11, 2001, were still real and fresh in the minds of television viewers. The show also played into the growing fear of globalization, and the plane crash that kicked off the series was an international flight that had passengers from Iraq, Korea and England on board, Anderson said.“There is a sense, for me at least, of using a story to begin to understand the experience of globalization,” he said. “The experience of people of very distant parts of the world being connected in mysterious and unexpected ways.” Although Anderson thinks “Lost” has played into and affected the American culture, not everyone agrees. Julia Fox, a professor in the telecommunications department at IU, said “Lost” has had more of a psychological effect on fans rather than a cultural one. She said because the show requires so much time and devotion from viewers, it has become an outlet to experience emotion. It has also become an escape for people because of the economy. “They want to get lost in that fantasy world,” she said. “It’s a convenient way to experience emotion.”Although Fox doesn’t think the show will leave a significant stamp on culture, the demand for the show is undeniable.“There are enough viewers that it made the press reschedule the State of the Union,” she said.
(01/22/10 2:58am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After a six-hour-long meeting Wednesday, the Bloomington City Council approved an ordinance to create a planned development unit for South Patterson Drive.The ordinance amends three zones into one. The current space includes 14 vacant buildings and New Tech High School. The new zone will include residential space, business buildings and the high school.The council spent hours deliberating four “reasonable conditions” to the plan. Most of the time was devoted to discussing two proposals that gave two different options for parking on West Third Street after buildings would be created.The council discussed both options independently and then voted 5-4 to let the petitioners make the ultimate decision on the type of parking that will be built for West Third Street.The first option would have provided on-street parking as well as a median to divide traffic between west- and eastbound lanes. The median, many supporters said, would help ease traffic in the area.The second option provided the street with a boulevard-style parking lane. Many in favor of the second option said a parking lane would be a safer option than on-street parking.Council members such as Michael Satterfield addressed concerns of what future businesses in the area would think about having on-street parking as opposed to a parking lane.Council member Andy Ruff was in favor of option four, which laid out a plan for on-street parking.“We have the potential for the gateway to Bloomington,” he said.Council President Isabel Piedmont-Smith also favored the option for on-street parking. She said she felt like it would slow traffic in that area. “Currently it is a tunnel from one side to another,” she said.Mark Figg from Patterson Pointe LLC said he was fine with the decision to give the developers the option to choose what type of parking will be built for West Third Street. Patterson Pointe LLC is behind the construction of the residential and business spaces that would be built in the new zone.Other conditions to the ordinance include making a road through the existing parking lot of New Tech High School. The road will be created for easier access to the school. A signalized intersection at “Old” West Third Street and Patterson Drive was also approved.The project was presented to the city council in November 2009 and was made public earlier this month.Many council members said open discussions should have started about the project earlier because there was a lot of doubt and concern surrounding the project.“I feel like I should have been involved earlier in this process,” Piedmont-Smith said. “These streets need to be livable.”