255 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(01/22/01 5:13am)
INDIANAPOLIS -- President George W. Bush's inauguration Saturday sparked protests across the country, including one in downtown Indianapolis. \nThousands thronged the streets of Washington, D.C., in the largest inaugural demonstration since 1973, when Richard Nixon was sworn in at the height of the Vietnam War.\nPolitical activists planned on organizing protests in every major metropolitan area.\n"The movement needed to step up to challenge George W. Bush," said Larry Holmes, co-director of the Liberal International Action Center, which helped organize many of the rallies. "We needed to say 'no' to his right-wing agenda."\nBut, as was the case in most cities, the inaugural protest in Indianapolis lacked the numbers of its counterpart in the nation's capital.\nOnly about 60 people showed up downtown at the time of the inauguration, bearing placards calling for "Voting Reform Now." Others took a more partisan tack with their signs, declaring "Hail to the Thief." Gathered near Monument Circle, protesters urged passing cars to honk their horns in support.\nSome obliged; others gave them the finger or a mouthful of obscenities.\nUnlike in Washington, no counter-protesters turned up to show support for the new Republican administration. \nThe poor attendance aside, there would have been no need for Bush supporters to counter-rally, said John Gibson, who ran as an independent in Indianapolis' 1999 mayoral race. He said the rally wanted to focus on the election's flawed process rather than oppose Bush.\n"The politicians won't do it," he said about the virtues of grassroots activism. "We, the people, have to get it done."\nOrganizers, who expected at least hundreds of people in the streets, were disappointed, said Ron Haldeman, a spokesman for the Indianapolis Peace and Justice Center.\nHaldeman said the ranks were depleted by those who headed to Washington.\nBloomington resident Dave Agranoff, a member of the Monroe County Green Party, had a hand in organizing the Indianapolis rally but decided instead to protest in Washington. \n"I want to show people we're not ready to move on," said Agranoff, a supporter of third-party candidate Ralph Nader in the November election. "We don't want this kind of leadership"
(01/22/01 4:00am)
Walking past the Gables, 114 S. Indiana Ave., there is no glimpse of the rich history of a restaurant that's been around for 60 years in one form or another. \nOr of the legendary Hoagy Carmichael composing "Stardust" on the piano of the Book Nook, the Gables' predecessor; or how the restaurant -- offering sandwichs and cold sodas -- was so wildly popular among students during the "roaring '20s" and when students and Bloomington residents celebrated three NCAA championships over the frothy beer and the made-from-scratch cuisine.\nBehind the dark windows, all that remains of the long-standing local landmark is so much plywood.\nThe memorabilia that so famously lined the walls was all auctioned off Saturday.\nLinda and Max Wildman, the restaurant's owners, decided not renew the lease this January after having reopened it four years ago.\n"We couldn't keep up good business," Linda said. "It was either feast or famine." \nShe faults the construction on the adjacent Kirkwood Avenue and of the Carmichael Center a few doors away.\n"People simply couldn't find any parking spaces," she said.\nHer son, Brad, who put in long hours working at the restaurant, also blamed the ready availability of corporate fast-food chains.\n"We were trying to bring back history," he said. "People just preferred the chains."\nAuctioneer Charles Hunt of the Commercial Liquidators of America, his voice hoarse from shouting all afternoon, estimates that locals spent about $25,000 on the old pictures and framed newspapers.\n"To see the stuff I spent $150 on going for $17.50 or something, I could hardly watch," Linda said.\nWhen the Wildmans decided to reopen the restaurant, which the Poolitsan family had abandoned in 1977, after more than 50 years of ownership, Linda invested hundreds of hours in recreating the original atmosphere of the Gables.\nShe scoured garage sales and attics; she took out loans from local museums and historical archives. Some of her bigger catches, like an autographed photo of Hoosier musician John Mellencamp, were on the block.\nKitchen supplies and unused food -- including nine gallons of dill pickles -- were also sold. \nBy far, sports memorabilia brought in the most money.\nUniversity employee Stewart Cutshall decided to splurge $575 on vintage Big Ten banners he had long had his eye on.\n"There was many a time I sat there at a game and thought 'I'd like to grab one of those banners'," he said. "Now I've got them, and it's legit."\nThe day was a melancholy one for the Wildmans, who had been in the restaurant business in Bloomington for 40 years.\n"This is the end of the Gables," said Linda, who's toying with vacationing in Florida after all of the legalities are taken care of. "We spoke with the Poolitsans, and it's unlikely they'd let anyone else use the name. After all we went through, I don't know why anyone would want to reopen it again anyway"
(01/19/01 3:45pm)
With the results from the 2000 U.S. Census in, redistricting looms on the horizon.\nIndiana will lose one of its 10 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, but the number of seats to remain in the Indiana General Assembly is in question.\nBoth parties agreed in 1995 to eliminate one of the 100 seats during the 2001 redistricting, ending a drawn-out political standoff.\nThe House Republicans, who held a majority at the time, proposed eliminating a seat immediately.\nRep. Paul Mannweiller, R-Indianapolis, then speaker of the house, said the intention was to prevent legislative gridlock.\nA 99-member House of Representatives would once and for all end the possibility that Hoosiers will have to endure another 50-50 split,he said, referring to the 1989-1990 session, marked by confusion about which party controlled the speaker's chair. \nDemocrats called the move an unconstitutional power grab and walked out. Without a quorum to conduct business, the Republicans took the legislation off the table. They agreed to put the matter off until the 2001 redistricting.\nAccording to Indiana's Constitution, the General Assembly can only draw up new lines after the federal census every 10 years. \nMeanwhile, the parties agreed that the party in the governor's office would have the speaker's duties in a split. The 1996 election created that scenario, and Democrats assumed power because Frank O'Bannon won the governor's race.\nNow the issue is again at hand.\nWe plan to go ahead with it, said House Minority Leader Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis.\nBut the Democrats, now in the majority, have other plans.\nI think it's unlikely, said House Majority Leader Mark Kruzan of Bloomington. \nUnder the 1995 redistricting plan, Kruzan's district would have picked up more of the heavily Republican Perry Township, which might have jeopardized his seat.\nKruzan said the legislature should repeal the compromise 1995 law that draws a new map for the U.S. House of Representatives. \nThe only reason to go to 99 (seats),he said, the only reason that was done was for the Republicans to save face when they tried to redistrict in a non-census year\nHe said he doesn't think an evenly-divided House is unworkable.\nYou have to cooperate or you can't enact any of your proposals, he said.\nBut the Republicans disagree, citing concern about the possibility of Democratic gerrymandering.\nI think they'd have the flexibility to be more creative in some of the boundaries,said House Minority Whip Brent Steele, R-Bedford. I know I would.
(01/19/01 3:38pm)
Many viewers continued to watch CBS Sunday evening after the AFC Championship game.\nBloomington Mayor John Fernandez was one of them.\n60 Minutes,which ran immediately after the postgame show, featured a segment on the Earth Liberation Front, an ecoterrorist group that has committed several acts of vandalism in Bloomington and across the country.\nThe 60 Minutes segment focused mostly on the FBI's investigation of the group. It made brief mention of the Sterling Woods fire in Bloomington.\nAfter watching the program, Fernandez" concerned with public perception of Bloomington" decided to write a letter to the shows producers. \nI think it gave something of an inaccurate perception of the business climate here,he said. We believe in economic development that increases the quality of life and creates more jobs. A small group shouldn't paint the entire community as uncivil and anti-business.\nHe also renewed his public plea that ELF's members be brought to justice.\nI would hope that anybody with information that would lead to arrest and prosecution would step forward, he said.\nAnd he called on local leaders to take a strong stand against the organization.\nThe leadership in our community needs to step up and reject this form of criminal activity,he said.There's room for broad and spirited debate on development. But terrorist attacks that seek to intimidate the community are just not acceptable.\nFernandez sparred with local environmentalists on that subject in July after they extended a speaking engagement to Craig Rosenbraugh, ELF's spokesman. Although the Oregon resident claims not to be a member, Rosenbraugh serves as teh group's media liason.\nAt the time, ELF had taken credit for a January arson that destroyed the home of Vince and Kathy Scott in the Sterling Woods subdivision on the west side of Bloomington. The group also accepted responsibility for the destruction of construction equipment at the lawrence bypass project and the spiking of trees in the Yellowwood state forest that were scheduled for logging.\nLater, it vandalized heavy logging equipment in Shoals and set fire to the Monroe County Republican headquarters.\nThe underground, loosely-knit group, which the Federal Bureau of Investigation said has caused more than $37 million worth of damage, targets those it labels enemies of the environment. Its largest act of vandalism was the $12 million arson of a Vail, Colo., ski resort.\nThe secretive group has been difficult for authorities to track; they haven't uncovered any leads.\nThe ELF is a very difficult group to infiltrate,said David Szady, the Oregon-based FBI special agent who is heading up the national hunt. But people said we couldn't infiltrate the mob or the KGB.\nFernandez said his objection wasn't to the coverage of ELF, but the implication that Bloomington environmentalists share the group's views.\nI thought it gave an accurate portrayal of how destructive the group is,Fernandez said. \nThe group has also taken credit for arsons in New York and Oregon during the past few weeks. Although the group is not believed to have committed any crimes in Monroe County since early September, the local FBI agents are still investigating, said special agent Doug Garrison of the Bloomington branch.
(01/18/01 5:00am)
As always, my inbox is flooded with mail from my dear readers. I seldom get around to answering, except when I don't have a better column idea.\nAnyhow, "Brad" writes:\nThe bookmakers in Vegas have laid down odds on "Survivor: Australian Outback," which premieres after the Super Bowl. But it's illegal to place bets on it, because the outcome of the show is already known -- exclusively to the producers and network executives. And they keep it under ironclad secrecy so as to not diminish viewer interest. Is that a crock, or what?\nYes, it's a crock, no question about it. Take the time-honored route and bet on sporting events instead. It just makes sense. Putting down $200 against the Clippers on any given night means an easy two, three dollars. Betting on a show where the only information you have about the contestants is what the network selectively leaks sounds like a risky gamble. Oh wait, we're talking about gambling.\n"Leslie" writes:\nI saw the movie "Antitrust" the other day. Before I attempt to lobotomize myself with gardening shears, I have a single question I pray is answered: Why? For the love of God, why?\nFor those of you not familiar with the premise of the film, Tim Robbins stars as a thinly veiled Bill Gates. He recruits computer programmer Ryan Phillippe to work on a global communications initiative. Phillippe, who equates intellectual property rights with the black shirts of 1920's Italy, discovers that the Gates character kills for programming code to get ahead in business.\nBasically, Hollywood is doing us an invaluable service here: The whole federal antitrust suit is being explained for the mentally impaired. That's right, boys and girls, Bill Gates is a bad man. He has unsavory business practices, like bludgeoning to death all those who would oppose him. \nIt ends with Phillippe dramatically proclaiming that "human knowledge belongs to the world." So the film also basically shills for the likes of Napster and Linux. I remember having read something in the Constitution, a passage that specifically authorizes Congress to "promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries."\nBut no matter, I guess. That old document just isn't hip to the times. I tried to explain the open source philosophy to the nice people at the theater, but for some reason they wouldn't let me in for free. \n"Jack" writes:\nWe live in a country supposedly founded upon the ideals of individuality and creativity. But all of these prudish moralists are badmouthing the fine people at the Grammy Awards for nominating Eminem for best album. No one bats an eye when bubblegum commercial phonies like the Backstreet Boys ring up nominations. At least Eminem has a smidgen of artistic integrity. What is this, Joe McCarthy and the "Red scare" all over again?\nEnough ink has already been spilled on this subject. But I for one am glad the nice people at Mars Inc. changed Plain M&Ms to Chocolate M&Ms. It was a much-needed makeover, and I savor the delicious chocolate taste all the more.
(01/18/01 4:44am)
As always, my inbox is flooded with mail from my dear readers. I seldom get around to answering, except when I don't have a better column idea.\nAnyhow, "Brad" writes:\nThe bookmakers in Vegas have laid down odds on "Survivor: Australian Outback," which premieres after the Super Bowl. But it's illegal to place bets on it, because the outcome of the show is already known -- exclusively to the producers and network executives. And they keep it under ironclad secrecy so as to not diminish viewer interest. Is that a crock, or what?\nYes, it's a crock, no question about it. Take the time-honored route and bet on sporting events instead. It just makes sense. Putting down $200 against the Clippers on any given night means an easy two, three dollars. Betting on a show where the only information you have about the contestants is what the network selectively leaks sounds like a risky gamble. Oh wait, we're talking about gambling.\n"Leslie" writes:\nI saw the movie "Antitrust" the other day. Before I attempt to lobotomize myself with gardening shears, I have a single question I pray is answered: Why? For the love of God, why?\nFor those of you not familiar with the premise of the film, Tim Robbins stars as a thinly veiled Bill Gates. He recruits computer programmer Ryan Phillippe to work on a global communications initiative. Phillippe, who equates intellectual property rights with the black shirts of 1920's Italy, discovers that the Gates character kills for programming code to get ahead in business.\nBasically, Hollywood is doing us an invaluable service here: The whole federal antitrust suit is being explained for the mentally impaired. That's right, boys and girls, Bill Gates is a bad man. He has unsavory business practices, like bludgeoning to death all those who would oppose him. \nIt ends with Phillippe dramatically proclaiming that "human knowledge belongs to the world." So the film also basically shills for the likes of Napster and Linux. I remember having read something in the Constitution, a passage that specifically authorizes Congress to "promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries."\nBut no matter, I guess. That old document just isn't hip to the times. I tried to explain the open source philosophy to the nice people at the theater, but for some reason they wouldn't let me in for free. \n"Jack" writes:\nWe live in a country supposedly founded upon the ideals of individuality and creativity. But all of these prudish moralists are badmouthing the fine people at the Grammy Awards for nominating Eminem for best album. No one bats an eye when bubblegum commercial phonies like the Backstreet Boys ring up nominations. At least Eminem has a smidgen of artistic integrity. What is this, Joe McCarthy and the "Red scare" all over again?\nEnough ink has already been spilled on this subject. But I for one am glad the nice people at Mars Inc. changed Plain M&Ms to Chocolate M&Ms. It was a much-needed makeover, and I savor the delicious chocolate taste all the more.
(01/18/01 3:51am)
Moderate Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., is joining in the partisan battle over president-elect George W. Bush's two most controversial cabinet nominations -- former Mo. Sen. John Ashcroft for attorney general and Gale Norton for secretary of the interior. \nSeveral Democrats have said they oppose Ashcroft because of his conservative views on issues such as civil and reproductive rights. They question whether he will uphold laws he disagrees with as the nation's chief law enforcement officer.\nBush has said a "fair and balanced administration of justice" can be expected from the recently unseated Missouri senator, who also served two terms as both the state's governor and attorney general. \n"The senator has very serious concerns about Ashcroft," said Mark Kornblau, a spokesman in Bayh's Washington office. "In particular, he has serious reservations about his record on civil rights."\nBayh cited Ashcroft's opposition to affirmative action, hate crimes legislation and public school desegregation in St. Louis.\n"Hate crimes are tearing at the fabric of our society," Bayh said at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day memorial breakfast in Gary, Ind., according to The Hammond Times. "And we need someone who recognizes affirmative action is the same as equal opportunity."\nBayh also brought up the honorary degree Ashcroft received from Bob Jones University, which dropped a longtime ban on interracial dating last year. Ashcroft has said he wasn't aware of the policy when he delivered a commencement speech after accepting the degree. \n"I read cases my first year of law school that suggested that Bob Jones was not the kind of place you wanted to accept an honorary degree from," Bayh said.\nBut Bayh has not committed to voting against Ashcroft, unlike his colleague Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., who has called Ashcroft an "extremist."\n"The point of the hearings is to give a full and fair change to explain your views," Kornblau said. "So his mind won't be absolutely set before that happens."\nBayh has also expressed reservations about Norton, a former Colorado attorney general who Democrats have said favors business at the expense of the environment.\n"The Senator is especially concerned about her support of drilling in the Arctic Wildlife," Kornblau said.\nBut Kornblau said Bayh doesn't want to get bogged down in partisan bickering, noting that he fully intends to back 14 of Bush's 16 nominations. His counterpart, Richard Lugar, R-Ind., said he hopes the process of confirming the Bush appointees goes smoothly.\n"Lugar has supported nominations equally from both parties over the years," said Andy Fisher, Lugar's Washington spokesman. "Of course, he'll look for disqualifiers, but he's never held up the process."\n The Associated Press contributed to this report.
(01/17/01 5:35am)
The Majestic Star sits still in the ice-covered water of a marina in Buffington Harbor in Gary, Ind.\nThrongs of people, smoking cigarettes and warming their hands with their breath, hurry to get aboard. Pockets rattle with change for the nickel slots.\nBut the Star isn't going anywhere. From November through April, the riverboat casino is docked, unable to navigate Lake Michigan.\nStill, customers can board the boat for the "cruises" every two hours. State law bans dockside gambling, meaning they only have minutes to get on between two-hour blocks. The doors remain locked until the "cruise" has ended. It doesn't matter if the engine isn't even turned on.\nMany state legislators reject the idea of dockside gambling, saying it's a step on a slippery slope toward land-based casinos. Others simply oppose the idea on moral grounds.\n"I'd support anything to discourage gambling," said State Rep. Peggy Welch, D-Bloomington. "I'd support anything to make it harder for a person with a problem with gambling to lose everything they have." \nTheir counterparts from the northwestern part of the state plan on making a push this session for allowing the practice.\nRep. Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, has already introduced legislation to permit dockside gambling while increasing the riverboat boarding fee going to the state from $3 to $4.\nIt's been a hotly contested issue since Illinois legalized dockside gambling in 1999, which the casino operators said has given its boats a competitive edge. \n"With the stiff competition from dockside gaming in Illinois, we must ensure that our riverboat industry can compete on a level playing field," Pelath said. "Let's not let our riverboats go the way of our banks, where a state-imposed disadvantage forces them to leave Indiana." \nPelath said a similar bill he filed last spring was never given consideration on the floor. \nBut the prospect of freeing the state's 10 casino riverboats from specific boarding times look more rosy this time around. \nGov. Frank O'Bannon proposed using $410 million of gambling taxes in the budget he submitted to the General Assembly last week. It hasn't been done since riverboat gambling came to Indiana in 1995.\nThe governor's office defends the move, citing shrinking projected state revenues and a slowing economy. It's a means of balancing the budget while Indiana rides out a downturn, State Budget Director Betty Cockrum said. \n"We continue to see signs of a slowing economy," she said. "We are faced with some hard choices."\nIndiana lobbyists just released a study projecting that legalization of dockside gambling would reap a windfall of tens of millions of dollars of extra state revenue. According to Crowe Chizek, an Indianapolis accounting firm commissioned by the Casino Association of Indiana, it could generate an additional $162 million in gaming and admissions taxes, or $328 million during the state's next budget session. \nAnd the statistics from Illinois' boats have come in after the state's first year of dockside gambling. The study also finds that admissions to Illinois riverboats increased 42 percent in the second half of 1999, while admission across the state border shrunk 1.8 percent during the same period.\n"We're facing significant challenges from neighboring states," said Joseph Domenico, chairman of the casino association. "That provides a potential threat to tax revenues generated by Indiana casinos."\nDuring the past five years, state records show gambling taxes have brought in more than $1.5 billion, with $212 million going to local governments.\nOfficials in Gary said the casinos bring more than $25 million a year into city coffers, allowing abandoned buildings to be torn down and roads to be repaved.\n"Our streets are being repaired," said State Sen. Earline Rogers, D-Gary, who was a public school teacher in the steel city for 37 years. "Our curbs are being restored, our parks are being renovated and people are using them. It's just amazing."\nThe money has also been poured into projects, such as building a stadium for a minor league baseball team and preparing for the arrival of the Miss USA pageant next year.\n"We're trying to use the money that comes in for infrastructure," Rogers said. "That way, we'll have investments long after the boats have weighed anchor and sailed."\nWhile dockside gambling will be debated this session, dwindling state coffers might not prove enough to win over many opponents.
(01/16/01 5:48am)
A small, one-engine plane crashed outside Martinsville late Friday night, ending the lives of an IU junior and an Indianapolis man.\nThe wreckage of the Cessna 172 was found on a heavily wooded hill northeast of the city, said a Morgan County Sheriff's Department spokesman. \nPilot Dennis W. Kruckeberg Jr., 22, was killed, along with the sole passenger -- his longtime girlfriend, Amanda G. Tunell, 19. \nInvestigators believe heavy fog might have disoriented Kruckeberg, but an exact cause has not been determined, said John Brannen, air safety investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board.\nTunell was majoring in Communication and Culture on a Lilly scholarship. She was taking 19 credit hours in the spring semester with the hope of going on to law school after graduating in May 2002.\n"I loved her very dearly," said junior Brittney Stafford, a close friend since high school who couldn't contain her tears. "I couldn't have asked for a better friend."\nStafford attended Beech Grove High School in Indianapolis with Tunell, who had been a varsity cheerleader and member of the National Honor Society.\nThe couple was flying to Indianapolis from Vincennes, where they had dinner with Kruckeburg's brother, a student at Indiana State University. Following his father's footsteps, Kruckeberg had been a licensed pilot since 1998.\nThe National Transportation Safety Board has no records of any previous flight violations on his part. Brannen said airport officials at Indianapolis had informed Kruckeberg of the weather conditions, which included thick fog.\nThe news came as a shock to Tunell's friends.\n"I don't know when I'll be able to get over this," Stafford said. "She was just the nicest person, always smiling, always friendly. She could always make you laugh."\nSophomore Maureen Grady, who roomed with Tunell last year in McNutt Quad and had been living with her off-campus, remembered Tunell as perpetually radiant.\n"She resembled an angel more than anything," she said. "She was absolutely beautiful. She was so strong, so motivated, so fun, the most fascinating person to hang around with.\n"When I heard the news, I just broke down. I couldn't even speak."\nMorgan County Coroner Dan Downing started the autopsy Sunday, checking for any medical conditions that might have caused Kruckeberg to lose control of the plane. Downing said he doesn't expect a result until Tuesday or Wednesday.\nAlong with Brannen's department and Morgan County authorities, Federal Aviation Administration officials are investigating the crash. The engine was extracted from the wreckage Saturday morning, but a preliminary inspection showed no signs of mechanical failure.\nBrannen said six to nine months might pass before the investigation reveals any conclusive results.\nWhile the issue might remain unresolved, friends and family can only try to cope with the sudden loss.\n"She was an angel," Grady said. "And like an angel, she'll always be there"
(01/16/01 4:34am)
Driving in Monroe County will soon cost a bit more.\nThe Monroe County Commissioners voted unanimously Dec. 13 to increase the county vehicle excise surtax. County highway engineer Bill Williams requested the hike, which will make the minimum annual excise surtax $7.50 in 2002. \nThere was no debate about the matter. Council president David Hamilton, a Democrat, said a user-based tax doesn't ruffle many feathers.\n"It should not be a big deal," he said. "But I was sure someone would protest a tax increase."\nThe county ordinance had set no minimum amount for the excise surtax, which pays for road and highway repairs. By statute, the county vehicle excise surtax is 10 percent of a vehicle's annual state vehicle excise tax. \nBut the 1980 state law also set a minimum of $7.50 for the tax, even if it's more than 10 percent. The state makes exceptions for government and church vehicles.\nCouncil attorney Steve Galvin said not imposing the tax for the past 18 years has cost the county more than $2 million in street repair money. Most of the 92 Indiana counties haven't taken advantage of the statute, although most complain of lacking funds for road maintenance. Monroe is now one of 23 counties to impose the surtax, which applies to vehicles weighing fewer than 11,000 pounds. \nVehicles weighing more than 11,000 pounds, such as buses and trucks, pay a $5 "wheel tax." Democrat Mark Stoops said he plans to propose an increase to the wheel tax, noting that heavier vehicles cause more damage to roads.\nIn Monroe County, the excise surtax brings in more than $667,000, Williams said. It's divided among the municipalities of Bloomington, Ellettsville and Stinesville. \n"It will help the department get away from the patchwork approach to paving roads," said Monroe County highway superintendent John Chambers. \nAccording to July figures from the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, 44,533 of the 81,691 surtax-liable vehicles in Monroe County pay less than $7.50. \n"We collect an average of $1.78 from those vehicles per year," Williams said.\n With the average increase of $5.72 per vehicle per year, Williams said the county would receive an added $254,673 in revenue for road maintenance. Bloomington will receive 42 percent of the added windfall, while Monroe County will reap 55 percent, or about $140,000.\nWilliams said those affected will pay about a cent a day during the course of a year.
(01/16/01 4:31am)
According to the Constitution, a census must be taken every 10 years to determine how the 435 seats in the U.S. Congress are divied up. Remaining fairly stable in population, Indiana hasn't had fewer than 10 congressional seats since the 1840s. \nBut this will soon change.\nBecause of the reapportionment of congressional seats after the 2000 Census, Indiana will lose one of its 10 seats. According to a study by the Indiana Business Center at IU, 37,000 more residents would have saved the seat. \nIts loss means fewer electoral votes and less political clout in Washington.\n"The census figures will also have an effect on our federal funding, so we will be vigilant in making sure that Hoosiers get their fair share of support for essential programs," Gov. Frank O'Bannon said in a press release. \n"And, while this very likely will make reapportionment more difficult in the coming session, I am confident that the Legislature can work together in a bipartisan manner to come up with a solution that benefits all Hoosiers." \nWith rising job growth, O'Bannon said Indiana's population has risen 9.7 percent. \n"Indiana led the Midwest in the percentage of population growth," he said. "But like most of our surrounding Midwestern neighbors, we will lose a seat due to greater growth in other regions of the nation."\nIndiana's population growth trailed the 12.3 national rate, as did that of most Midwestern states. Illinois' growth slumped to 8.6 percent, and the state will also lose a seat. Michigan, which experienced 6.9 percent growth, stands to lose two seats.\nThe census shows a general population shift from the Northeast and Midwest to the Sun Belt. Arizona and Texas will each pick up two seats, as will Florida and Georgia. North Carolina will gain one.\nFederal grants and entitlements are based on population, meaning fewer federal dollars for Indiana. The smaller Congressional delegation will also mean less influence. \n"Trying to salvage a Congressional district for the Republicans or the Democrats is less important to me than making sure Indiana gets the share of the budget pie that we deserve," said State Senator Vi Simpson, D-Ellettsville. \nBut, despite the best wishes of some legislators, a partisan fight looms about redistricting.\n"It's going to cause a major battle in Indianapolis this year," said State Rep. Jerry Denbo, D-Frech Lick. "I think it will just add to the partisanship."\nDemocrats have a slight advantage in redistricting, with control of the House and the governor's office. But Republicans hold the majority in the Senate. Each has equal veto power.\nIf a deadlock is reached, redistricting will go to a special nonpartisan commission under a 1969 law. The Senate and House each appoint two members and the governor appoints one. The Democrats would thus have a 3-2 advantage. \nRepresentatives on state borders, such as Democrat Pete Visclosky and Republican John Hostettler, would be safe. Visclosky represents the 1st District at the most northwestern part of the state; Hostettler represents the 8th District, which spans the entire southwest region.\nWhile they won't be uprooted from their districts, gerrymandering could make winning reelection all the more difficult. If state legislators target Hostettler, for instance, they could add the heavily Democratic Vigo County to his district. \nGiven that he's from a district that traditionally leans Democratic, some believe Democrats might target Hostettler.\n"People of leadership pretty much said they believe the Democrats like Hostettler's seat," said State Rep. Brent Steele, R-Bedford. "They'll redraw the lines to take some of the Republicans out of it. That's what gerrymandering's all about"
(01/12/01 5:38am)
Minnesota stayed competitive with the women's basketball team Thursday, matching basket for basket with only a minute left.\nBut they were already down by 10.\nAnd it was only the first half.\nAfter a humbling loss to sixth-ranked Purdue, which leads the Big Ten, the Hoosiers (13-3, 4-1 Big Ten) were back in their old form Thursday at Assembly Hall. Standing pat at second place in the Big Ten, they routed Minnesota (7-8, 0-4), 92-64.\nComing into the Purdue game, the Hoosiers seemed poised for a top-25 Associated Press ranking. In the latest poll, they came in 27th in the country, garnering 40 votes.\nMore than that, an upset would have established them as a legitimate contender for the Big Ten title, having finished last season 10-18.\nWith 3,400 fans in attendance -- the largest draw they've had in years -- the Hoosiers played the aggressive defense they've been playing all season, forcing 21 turnovers and holding the powerhouse Boilermakers to 67 points.\nIt came as no surprise.\nCoach Kathi Bennett signed on with the program with a reputation of turnaround and coaxing solid defensive performances from players.\nBut the Hoosiers faltered on the offensive end, shooting 43 percent from the field and 34 percent from three-point range. They couldn't handle the Boilermakers' full-court press, turning over the ball 18 times.\nThey resolved any questions about their offensive potency Thursday, lighting up the scoreboard with 92 points. It's a season high, more than the 82 points they put up against Long Beach State.\nThe Hoosiers finished the game shooting 57 percent from the field and 58 percent from three-point range. Although they shot 67 percent in the first half, Bennett said she didn't think they had many good looks.\n"I didn't think our shot selection was the greatest," she said. "I just want us to make good decisions."\nTwo-time Big Ten Player of the Week Jill Chapman, the junior center who leads the Hoosiers in points and rebounds per game, scored 19. But overshadowing Chapman was junior point guard Heather Cassady, who posted a career-high 27 points. Her shots just kept dropping, as she went 9 of 13 from the field and 4 of 5 from three-point range.\n"Offensively, we were playing a lot better," she said. "We were coming off screens. And we were able to kick the ball out a lot more."\nShe said she was glad to help her team get back in stride.\n"Of course, Minnesota plays a different style of ball than Purdue," she said. "But any game's a confidence-booster. We'll be more ready when we play good teams."\nDick Bennett, former Wisconsin coach and Bennett's father, has been in town all week to watch his daughter. Sitting at courtside, he often shouted at the officials.
(01/12/01 3:49am)
Two men accused of robbing Settle Jewelry last week were formally charged Tuesday in Monroe County Circuit Court. \nBrishon Bond, 27, and Charles Wade Brown, 23, both students at IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis, were charged with two counts of armed robbery and 10 counts of criminal confinement. \nThe Monroe County Prosecutor's Office charged them individually for each employee and customer police say the two hauled into the store's back room.\nThe prosecutor also charged Bond with unlawful possession of a firearm as a serious violent felon and habitual offender. Brown was charged with possession of a handgun without a license after having committed a previous handgun violation.\nIf convicted on all counts, each could face up to 120 years in prison.\nMonroe County Circuit Court Judge Marc Kellams set bail at $500,000 surety and $1,000 cash. Both men are being held in the Monroe County Correctional Center.\nPolice said Bond and Brown walked into the store with drawn handguns Friday afternoon, forcing employees and customers into the back room at gunpoint. According to the police report, they spent about 10 minutes in the store at 109 S. Walnut, stealing a cell phone and jewelry from the hostages and smashing cases behind the counter. Police said the two men stuffed the stolen jewelry into a black backpack, which was recovered at the scene of the arrest.\nVictor and Marie Settle, the store's owners, have closed the store for the week, cleaning up the mess. \n"We're glad that no one got hurt," said Marie Settle, declining to comment further.\nPolice showed up at the store shortly after an employee tripped a silent alarm. They pursued the two suspects, who had discarded their 9 mm semiautomatic handguns in the store, down Kirkwood Avenue and through a pedestrian alley.\nAbout six officers, responding to the alert, surrounded the two men near the intersection of Fourth and Washington Streets. Capt. Bill Parker said they initially failed to comply with police, but they eventually surrendered. \nAccording to school records, both are enrolled at IUPUI. Bond was a junior majoring in elementary education, while Brown was pursuing an associate's degree in commercial computing. \nStaff writer Bryan Harris contributed to this report.
(01/11/01 3:47am)
It's a neighborhood of wooden fences and pastel homes on Second Street near campus. A neighborhood of oak trees and spacious lawns. Restful. \nNot for much longer.\nAn archaic storm water culvert needs to be replaced, and Bloomington Utilities plans to uproot the intersection of Second and Washington streets this summer to fix the problem. \nCars now snake around piles of gravel and construction equipment at the intersection of Second Street and Park Avenue.\nAssistant City Engineer Jonathan Heald said the $2.8 million project will mirror the "Big Dig" that shut down Kirkwood Avenue for three months during the summer. It will be open for bids in late February.\nLike the Kirkwood project, a new culvert will replace a storm water route that is more than 100 years old. And also similar to the Kirkwood project, construction will require digging a 30-foot trench.\nHeald said the city was targeting the intersection because of its history of trouble. The entire system collapsed about a decade ago, taking a house with it.\nThe city is now tearing up the street to make preparations. While city utility relocation will not start until March, Ameritech plans to relocate its lines in early April. \nBlair Klein, an Ameritech representative, said phone services in some parts of the city might temporarily be down.\nThe project itself is expected to get under way in early May. The timing is the same as the Kirkwood construction, scheduled after the bulk of the student body leaves to cut down on traffic congestion.\nDespite municipal loans and other forms of assistance such as a marketing campaign, the Kirkwood project took a toll on local business. The Kerasotes movie chain shut down the Von Lee Theater, 509 E. Kirkwood Ave., a local landmark. Company spokesman Bob Gallivan cited the slowdown of foot traffic. \nMax and Linda Wildman, the owners of Gables Restaurant, 114 S. Indiana Ave., cited the construction with their decision not to renew the lease.\nOther than the closings, some downtown merchants were up in arms over not being accessible to customers.\nWhile some businesses near the residential neighborhood should be affected, Heald said the upcoming project is more likely to raise quality-of-life issues.\n"We expect a lot of complaints about the noise," he said. "And, some trees might have to be uprooted"
(01/11/01 3:39am)
Despite several setbacks, Environmental Protection Agency officials say Viacom beat the Jan. 1 deadline for its $200 million cleanup of pollutants a subsidiary dumped in the Bloomington area in the 1950s, '60s and '70s.\nBut the matter is not yet resolved, as PCBs were leaking from a water treament plant at the Lemon Lane Landfill on the west side of Bloomington. In June, the EPA found leaky tanks that will have to be removed and replaced, said EPA on-scene coordinator Ken Tyson. \nPCBs -- polychlorinated biphenyls -- were banned for most uses in 1967, and the EPA has determined that they cause skin, eye and liver problems, and may cause cancer and birth defects.\nEarth Tech, the contractor that built and operates the plant near the Lemon Lake Landfill, is seeking to outsource the replacement, said Brett Luther, project manager of the plant. \n"We certainly hope to get this resolved as quickly as possible," said Tom Amalco, a Chicago-based EPA spokesman.\nSet up in May, the plant treats water from Illinois Central Spring, which is contaminated by the PCBs from the landfill. Bu, it's only able to process 100,000 gallons per minute. It can't handle heavy rains; the two 650,000 tanks were supposed to store the water until the plant could treat it.\nBecause of the leaks and several failed attempts to fix them, the tanks have not been used.\nAbout 24 million gallons of contaminated water have bypassed the treatment plant since May, Tyson said. \nViacom inherited the liability from Westinghouse Electric Corp., which it bought out. Westinghouse, which ran a refrigerator plant in Bloomington, dumped PCB-contaminated electrical capacitators throughout the region. Westinghouse had then signed a consent decree to clean it up.\nThe consent decree is an agreement between Westinghouse and the city, county, state and federal governments providing for the cleanup of 650,000 cubic yards of PCB-contaminated materials buried at six Monroe and Owen county sites.\nU.S. District Judge S. Hugh Dillin had set a deadline of Jan. 1, 2001, to complete work at the half-dozen Bloomington-area sites.\nViacom completed the cleanup of the Lemon Lane Landfill last month. \n"We met the deadline, just under the wire," said Dottie Alke, Viacom's cleanup project manager. "We signed up for something and made it happen."\nThat cleanup was limited to hot spots or areas of PCB concentration. According to the EPA, it is unknown how much of the suspected carcinogen remains in the soil and groundwater.\nWestinghouse cleaned up Neal's Landfill and Bennett's Dump in western Monroe County, the Winston-Thomas sewage plant south of Bloomington and Neal's Dump in Owen County. \nThe Lemon Lane cleanup, which was completed in December, marked the end of a 20-year process. Tyson said, Viacom found 80,000 tons of PCBs, twice the expected amount. \nAltogether, Viacom removed 326,000 tons of contaminated soil and more than 14,000 capacitators, according to the EPA. The capacitators were incinerated in Texas, and the contaminated soil went to a licensed landfill in southeastern Michigan.\n"In many ways, we've lifted a cloud of environmental uncertainty from our community," Mayor John Fernandez said. \nAdvocating complete removal, some community members have sharply criticized the cleanup for being limited to hot spots.\n"It's scandalous … inconceivable that these chemicals would be left near a residential area," said Elizabeth Frey, who is suing the EPA about the cleanups.\nHer case is pending in federal appeals court.\nUnder its agreement with the EPA, all that remains for Viacom is groundwater monitoring and the removal of contaminated stream sediment. It will maintain and inspect the five sites of contamination.\n"I'm sleeping darn well," Fernandez said. "(But) we must be mindful that our work on PCBs is far from finished"
(01/10/01 6:10am)
Public funds are tight in Indiana.\nAnd under Governor Frank O'Bannon's proposed budget, state colleges would take the biggest hit.\nIn the first act of the legislative session, O'Bannon submitted his $21 billion two-year budget Monday. Based on forecasts of a cooling economy and shrinking state reserves, it holds spending sharply in check. Legislators from both parties expressed disenchantment. \nIn the proposal, operating expenses for state colleges would be flat-lined during the next two years, meaning no increases in funding. With the inevitable inflation, tuition would rise.\n"It's the most disappointing part of this," said state Sen. Vi Simpson, D-Bloomington.\nLacking details, University officials hesitated to criticize O'Bannon's proposal.\n"The great gains IU has made in recent years have been made possible in large part by the foresight of the legislature and the executive branch," IU President Myles Brand said in a statement.\nThe University has received $50 million in grants for high-tech research during the past two years.\nO'Bannon's budget is only a suggestion, which lawmakers have already brushed off.\nThe budget makes good on all of O'Bannon's re-election campaign promises, such as $130 million in spending on public schools. State aid to K-12 schools would be increased by 2 percent across the board. It has risen by an average of 6 percent in past years, according to public records.\n"It's a shame," said Rep. Mark Kruzan, D-Bloomington. "Once again, higher education is treated differently than K-12 education."\nThe budget dips more than $200 million into the "Rainy Day Fund," which O'Bannon has frequently said should be maintained at $1.1 billion. Every available tax dollar would be spent, and the budget contains a controversial plan to use more than $400 million from gambling revenue. It would also tap into Indiana's share of the federal tobacco settlement.\nLegislators criticized such funding sources as unreliable. Indiana's windfall from the tobacco settlement hasn't yet been announced, and gambling money hasn't been used to run state government since the recession of the early 1990s. And it pays for projects in lawmakers' districts, such as paving roads. \nBut the governor's office defends the move as necessary, saying the economic slowdown will take a toll on government revenue. State Budget Director Betty Cockrum called the governor's proposal "a starting point" for budget negotiations likely to stretch on until April.\n"We continue to see signs of a slowing economy," Cockrum said, according to The Associated Press. "We are faced with some hard choices."\nBut given the budget's lack of political viability, legislators plan to start from scratch.\nRep. Pat Bauer, a South Bend Democrat who chairs the budget-crafting House Ways and Means Committee, said he intends to draft his own starting-point budget. \nHe last scuttled a governor's budget in 1993, during the height of the recession. Usually, the committee approves it straightaway for consideration in the House.
(01/09/01 6:12am)
Max Wildman has been in the restaurant business for 30 years, running such Bloomington establishments as Gold Rush, The Big Wheel and Mustard's.\nBut he decided to throw in the towel in the early 1990s, opening a car wash instead.\nWhile Wildman made good money, something was missing.\nWhen the opportunity presented itself to buy the long-vacated space at 114 S. Indiana St., he didn't hesitate. For years, he had wanted to run a coffee shop, a place where students and locals could relax.\nBut the location just off campus reminded him of The Gables Restaurant, a local landmark dating back to Hoagy Carmichael's days at IU. Now long closed, it was in the same spirit as his lifelong dream, a place where students went to socialize and listen to jazz. \nSo he met with the Poolitson family, who ran the Gables from 1932 to 1977, and they decided to give him the rights to the name. \nWildman decided to replicate the old restaurant as best he could.\nHis wife, Linda, scoured basements and attics for old photos. She hit every garage sale in town and took out loans from local historical archives. Soon, they had a vast collection of IU memorabilia from the restaurant's golden years. Prominent local figures such as Carmichael and John Mellencamp received photographic shrines.\n"It was hundreds upon hundreds of hours," Linda said. "I went out, getting donations and buying whatever I could. It was a lot of hard work, but we wanted it to be realistic."\nServing the same kind of made-from-scratch, homestyle meals as its predecessor, it was as if the Gables had been reborn.\nAlthough he was engrossed in running the restaurant, Wildman didn't give up on the coffee shop idea, buying an adjoining building and opening the Coffee Tree. Specializing in walk-out espressos, it wasn't quite what he had envisioned. \nThe dream died last Tuesday, when Wildman and his wife decided not to renew the lease.\n"We had four years of construction," Linda Wildman said. "It was one hurdle after another."\nLinda Wildman blamed the closing on the lengthy construction of the Carmichael Center and two consecutive summers of Kirkwood construction.\n"People just couldn't find anywhere to park," she said. "They had no reason to even bother going downtown to eat. Since it was the Gables, we couldn't just relocate out by the mall, where we'd have parking spaces."\nThe Wildmans said students didn't turn out to be the reliable customers as the Wildmans had expected. \n"It was either feast or famine," Linda Wildman said. "We'd be packed one week, and no one would come in the next."\nThe Gables is the latest downtown landmark to close.\nThe Von Lee Theater, 517 E. Kirkwood Ave., has rolled its final credits. Kerasotes, the chain that bought it from the Vonderschmitt family in 1976, shut its doors last May, citing declining profits and the summer construction. \nWhile the long-standing Book Corner, 100 N. Walnut St., isn't closed yet, it shouldn't be long. Margaret Taylor and her mother Barbara Spannuth, the store's owners, intend to sell their lease as soon as the find a suitable applicant. Taylor said she refuses to sell the space to "another restaurant."\nFor the moment, the Wildmans are focusing on tying up loose ends, such as paying off bills. All of the Gables' photos will be auctioned off Jan. 20.\nNow in their sixties, they know they're not going back into the restaurant business. \n"I don't know what I'll do," Linda Wildman said. "Maybe I'll go to Florida"
(01/09/01 5:45am)
Eric Franklin Rosser used to play keyboard for John Mellencamp's band. \nBut the former Bloomington resident is now wanted for allegedly creating and distributing child pornography. Rosser was added to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list Dec. 27.\n"We have been very serious about this case," FBI special agent Robert Reilly said. "But this puts more emphasis on the case … We hope the international publicity will be beneficial in tracking him."\nSince its inception, the Ten Most Wanted list has been remarkably effective, FBI officials said. Of the 460 fugitives named to the list, 431 have been apprehended, 137 as the result of citizen cooperation.\nAccording to the FBI, Rosser was last seen in Amsterdam after jumping bail in Thailand. Describing him as a bald, 5-foot-7, 145-pound, 47-year-old man of medium build, the report states Rosser is "an admitted pedophile who may have suicidal tendencies."\nHe is believed to be traveling in the United States or overseas.\nRosser replaces Arthur Lee Washington, Jr., who allegedly shot at a New Jersey state trooper in 1989. Reilly said he is the first fugitive to be placed on the list for crimes specifically against children.\nThe FBI is offering as much as a $50,000 reward for information leading to Rosser's arrest. Anyone with information should contact the Bloomington FBI office at 332-9275. \nBut the agency cautions he should be considered an escape and suicide risk.\nA federal grand jury in Indianapolis indicted Rosser in March of six acts of child molestation in both Bloomington and Bangkok. \n"We have every reason to believe he is continuing the activity," said FBI special agent James Casey, who is pursuing the case. \nIn connection with the investigation, four other Bloomington men have been convicted of various charges. \nDavid Danser and Pirie Cleveland were convicted of the production and possession of child pornography, respectively. William Platz and Charles Poole were convicted of lying to FBI agents.\nRosser was arrested Feb. 9 when Thai police -- tipped off by the FBI -- raided his home, finding photos and videos of children. According to police, two of the children identified in the pornographic material were former Bloomington residents. Rosser was jailed and later released on a bond equivalent to about $30,000. \nHe posted bail again when he was arrested shortly after on charges of child molestation. But he failed to show up at a court-ordered appearance, prompting a manhunt by Thai police. He is believed to have left the country.\nWhile in Thailand, the FBI said he ran a music school in his home and had a wife and 2-year-old son. Rosser has been trained as a professional concert and jazz pianist, and authorities believe he might be making a living as a street musician.
(01/09/01 5:26am)
Mark Cuban, the fiery owner of the Dallas Mavericks, has acted up again.\nIncensed about a possible goaltending in the final minute of a Mav's 107-104 loss to Detroit last week, Cuban showed the replay frozen on the JumboTron for photographers in a post-game press conference. \nSports columnists and fellow owners have clucked at Cuban's lack of tact, heaping scorn on the outspoken owner. New money, thinking he can just waltz in and play by his own rules. \nMy god, an owner who actually wants to win! How audacious! \nI'm locking myself in a bunker with plenty of firearms, for the fear of the imminent descent of the four horsemen of the apocalypse.\nCuban's taken the Mavericks from their perennial mediocrity to a winning record and playoff contention. He wants to win.\nHe does as much for his players as he possibly can, traveling and working out with them. He's provided them with custom-made courtside chairs and electronics-filled lockers. Not a spendthrift, he's coughed up the maximum $3 million to complete trades.\nComing from the Chicago sports scene, this amazes me. Most owners with whom I'm familiar simply look at the bottom line, the record be damned. The Blackhawks traded away all the talent they had ostensibly for the sole purpose of psychologically tormenting star center Tony Amonte. And after Jordan announced his retirement again, the Bulls didn't spend a wooden nickel to retain anyone. \nThey have the lowest payroll in the NBA and, not coincidentally, the worst record. It's not as if they're rebuilding with young talent, either. The roster is stuffed with players such as 6-11 center Dragan Tarlac, who doesn't seem to be sure of what country he's in or what sport he's supposed to be playing. \nBut Cuban is a fan. He wants to win, to put on a good show for the people who flock to his stadium. Attendance at Mavericks' games has reached an all-time high. There's excitement again about a once-moribund franchise.\nHe's not the cold-blooded entrepreneur who'll subject the fans to years of unremitting mediocrity. He's not about to ship the team out to Kansas City because he can fleece the taxpayers there into building a new facility. \nHe gives a damn. I'd rather have an owner who gets a little worked up about bad officiating. And, say what you want, you should, too.
(01/09/01 4:46am)
GARY -- Seventy-one homicides were reported in Gary, the "murder capital of the world," last year. The figure marks a new low.\nIt has been declining annually since a record high of 132 in 1995. \nBut homicide rates have dropped nationally, with many law enforcement officials attributing the trend to a strong economy and tougher drug policy. The Steel City has retained its infamous status as "murder capital" in cities with more than 100,000 residents. \nWith a population of 116,000, it averaged 61.21 murders per 100,000 residents, according to police. Washington, D.C. came in second with 42.24 murders, New Orleans third with 41.87, according to a year-end FBI report.\nMost of the victims died from gunshot wounds. Most were young black men, 31 of them between the ages of 15 and 25. The youngest was Gary resident Nathan Lowe, 14, who was shot by an acquaintance at his home on Mother's Day.\nThe oldest victim was Cardell Cast, 60. He was shot in the head Aug.18.\nPolice traced most of the homicides to gang activity and drug traffic.\nA notable exception was a domestic dispute that resulted in the much-publicized shootings of four women and a man in two locations. The bodies were dumped in an abandoned baseball field.\nThe Lake County Prosecutor's Office charged Cleveland Bynum with the five murders. If convicted later this year, he faces 325 years in prison.\nPolice chief John Roby said he remains optimistic, saying his force has made progress on "a number of fronts." He points to the hiring and training of new recruits in an expanded Community Oriented Policing program, to be launched later this year. \nRoby said, by summer, the department will also have a mobile crime unit to respond to all major incidents and gather evidence on the scene. \nIn reaching the new low, the city is already seeing results from existing programs such as Operation Bullseye, which has sent gun violators to federal courts with five-year minimum sentences. \nRichmond, Va, reported 72 homicides this year, down from 120 in 1995, police spokesperson Jennifer Reilly said. With a population of 203,000, it was the first city to crack down on gun violators in federal court.\n"Operation Exile definitely has had an impact," Reilly said. "We were down 40 percent in crime last year."\nOther notoriously crime-plagued cities, such as Newark, N.J., have seen results from putting more officers on the streets. \n"We're down more than 50 percent from five years ago," said police spokesman Sgt. Amilker Velez. \nHe credits the reduction to the department's new policy of assigning 75 percent of its officers to patrol, increasing police visibility in the community around the clock. Like most cities, Gary keeps about 50 percent of its officers on patrol.\nAnd it can't rely enough on community involvement, said homicide detective Sgt. Thomas Branson.\n"The public is our most valuable asset," said Branson, who noted that witnesses supplying vital information led to arrests in several cases. "It's not very often when we see the crime committed, so we need to talk to the people who do. They may think the information is insignificant, but it may lead us to the lead we need."\nBranson knows it to be the case. Assigned to a fatal beating outside of the Mr. Lucky's bar downtown, he wrangled the nickname of the suspect from a street source. It led to an arrest and conviction.