217 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(11/13/06 3:13am)
People greeted each other with smiles and handshakes just before entering the doorway on a blustery November day. It was standing room only in the rotunda of the Monroe County Courthouse as "America the Beautiful" was played on a piano. Those with seats joined those already standing as everyone removed their hats to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.\n"It is the veteran, not the preacher, who gives us freedom of religion," said Larry Summitt, commander of the American Legion, Post 18, during opening remarks at the Veterans' Day ceremony Saturday. "It was the veteran, not the reporter, who gave us freedom of the press. It was the veteran, not the poet, that gave us the freedom of speech. It was a veteran, not the campus organizer, who gave us the freedom to assemble. It was the veteran, not the politician, who gave us the right to vote."\nMembers from several other local organizations continued opening remarks.\n"There are 26 million living veterans, and there are about 270 million Americans who are not veterans," said Mike Pipher, adjutant of the Sons of the American Legion Squadron 18. He went on to quote Winston Churchill: "Never has so many owed so much to so few."\nMaj. Kirk White of the 150th Field Artillery Regiment of the Indiana Army National Guard followed the opening remarks. White said the most potent weapon military has is the men and women who wear the uniforms. White talked about the families of veterans who have carried the weight of worry. He commented on the fact that there are 1.4 million men and women serving today.\n"Common men and women do continue to do uncommon things," he said.\nWhite talked about American soldiers going against the odds to "fight for an idea." He said American soldiers all have something in common.\n"The warrior ethos: Put the mission first, and never accept defeat," White said.\nWreaths were laid in the front of the room before names of the veterans who passed away this past year were read aloud. A bell of honor rang for each name as those in the rotunda lowered their eyes in remembrance. A veterans' honor guard gun salute followed by the playing of "Taps," and then prayer closed the ceremony.\nIU student Michael Vician, 25, who went to Iraq in 2005 with the National Guard, said it's important for this town to recognize its veterans. Vician hopes people will take a moment of their time to appreciate U.S. veterans.\n"I hope people stop and give it a thought while they're here having fun," Vician said.\nAfter the ceremony, White said it was important for IU students to consider their fellow students who have been called to active duty.\n"Many students have delayed their studies to serve," White said. " When they return, it's important for the current student body to thank their fellow students for their service"
(11/13/06 3:13am)
An IU student was injured after being struck by an automobile near Kilroy's Sports Bar early Saturday morning.\nAs of Sunday afternoon, Jina Yang, 21, a resident of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority, had been released from Bloomington Hospital after being treated for injuries from the accident. \nAt about 2:50 a.m. Saturday, Yang and another pedestrian were crossing North Walnut Street. The other pedestrian jogged and made it across the street, but Yang walked directly in front of a vehicle that was heading north in the right lane, said Bloomington Police Department Lt. Janelle Benedict, reading from a police report. The driver of the vehicle, Emily Young, 20, said she slammed on her brakes in an attempt to avoid hitting Yang.\nYang was lying on the pavement and appeared to be bleeding from the head when officers arrived, Benedict said. She was treated at the scene and taken to Bloomington Hospital for further treatment. \nYoung was arrested on preliminary charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, causing serious bodily injury, a class D felony, and illegal consumption, a class C misdemeanor.
(11/10/06 4:35am)
The City of Bloomington Common Council passed a resolution Wednesday calling for immediate action to end the genocide in Darfur, Sudan, but some members felt the council should focus more on local issues.\nPart of the resolution instructed that copies of it be sent to the U.S. President, Indiana's Congressional Delegation, other members of the U.S. Congress involved in foreign policy, Gov. Mitch Daniels and members of Bloomington's delegation to the Indiana legislature.\nTwo local groups, Students Taking Action Now: Darfur and Save Darfur Bloomington, collaborated to bring the resolution before the council.\nSTAND member and IU sophomore Rebecca Burns said the resolution's aim is to express concern from Bloomington citizens about the Darfur genocide to the right officials. Another goal of the resolution is to encourage the state of Indiana to join other states such as Illinois, California, Maine, Oregon, Connecticut and New Jersey in not allowing state pension funds to be invested in companies that do business with the Republic of Sudan.\nCurrently, U.S. companies cannot operate in Sudan. However, state pension and University funds are used to invest in foreign companies that operate in Sudan right now, Burns said.\nCutting those funds will send a message to those carrying out the genocide that the world is watching and willing to take action, and the divestment would put serious economic pressure on Sudan to try to end the genocide, said IU student Chris Hanks of Save Darfur Bloomington. \n"This is perpetrating genocide," Burns said, of continuing to allow funds to flow into Sudan. \nCouncil President Chris Sturbaum said Americans need to be aware of how their economic decisions influence the rest of the world.\n"We need to understand our economic interconnectedness and express morality through it," Sturbaum said.\nThe resolution passed with an 8-0-1 vote from the nine-member council. Councilman Brad Wisler said he abstained from the vote because he believes the council should address more local issues.\n"It's dangerous for the council to become a clearing house for every issue before it gets to the state level," Wisler said.\nCouncil member at-large Chris Gaal, who was elected Monroe County prosecutor Tuesday, said he understood Wisler's concern, but when people come forward to ask for a resolution, the council must consider it because local government is the most accessible of all the levels of government.\n"People will see this and learn about Darfur," Gaal said, referring to the television broadcasts of the city council meetings.\nGaal feels the council is part of a larger movement, he said.\n"This is democracy in action from the ground up," Gaal said.\nCouncilman David Sabbagh said he would support the resolution but added that the council needs to focus on local issues.\nSturbaum said the council helps to amplify the voices of citizens.\n"This is how governments talk to governments," Sturbaum said.
(11/03/06 9:53pm)
Early voter turnout in Monroe County is up from the last election by several hundred people. This increase might be a sign of mistrust of the voting machines by voters.\nIn the last election 2,300 people voted early. This year more than 3,000 people have already voted according to Monroe County elections supervisor Jessica White. That number does not include those who voted by mail.\n"People aren't trusting the system," White said.\nMonroe County clerk Jim Fielder does not believe the increase in early voters is due to a mistrust of the system by voters or the local Verify the Vote organization, a group that wants the Board of Elections to release the summary tapes from the voting machines on Election Day. \nVerify the Vote member Jim Allison said he doesn't know if his organization is responsible for the increase in early voters, but he is optimistic about the idea. \n"It's impossible to know," Allison said. "I'd like to think it is, but who knows."\nAllison thinks skepticism about the voting machines helps Verify the Vote's push to get people to vote early or vote absentee to allow for a paper trail.\n"The machines have been shooting themselves in the foot," Allison said.\nWhite also said early voting is a new option for many people. About four years ago, the state legislation changed the rules regarding who is allowed to vote early, Fielder said.\n"It's only been possible for everyone to vote early recently," White said.\nPrior to this rule change, early voting was restricted to people who had a reason, such as those who are handicapped or elderly. Now anyone can vote anytime in the 30 days prior to the election without having to provide a reason for doing so, Fielder said.\nEarly voting began Oct. 10 in Monroe County. Typically, early voting starts about 30 days prior to Election Day. Early voting is similar to absentee voting, except registered voters can cast their ballots in person until noon Nov. 6, the day before Election Day. Indiana is one of 23 states that offers early voting, Fielder said.\nMore changes are coming to the way people vote in Indiana. The Indiana Association of County Clerks is working with the idea of voter pods, Fielder said. Instead of having lots of different precincts, there will be one polling site for the county.\n"One location means less help will be required on Election Day to operate the polls," Fielder said.\nIn the short term, Fielder also expects more changes that will help cut down on costs. When voting precincts are redrawn next year as required by law, the number of precincts in the county will be cut from 96 to 75, Fielder said, which will cut expenses by $3,000 per precinct.
(11/03/06 5:25am)
The Bloomington Police Department issued a warrant Thursday for a local tanning salon owner for inappropriate contact with juvenile females.\nJeffrey Lewis Wright, 49, is a convicted sex offender and owner of Spring Break Tanning, 820 W. 17th St. Wright was arrested Oct. 16 during a traffic stop on warrant for voyeurism. The warrant was the result of a complaint Aug. 24 by a female employee at his tanning salon, said BPD Detective Sgt. David Drake, reading from a probable cause affidavit.\nThe female employee said Wright offered her $50 to let him give her a naked massage. The girl refused the offer, but when she went to tan later Wright asked her to tan in bed No. 3, she said. The girl refused but later discovered three holes drilled into the drywall leading to booth number three. The female employee said the holes would line up with the genital area of a person lying in the tanning bed, Drake said.\nShe also said she later saw Wright on his hands and knees looking through holes to bed three after a female customer went in.
(11/02/06 5:44am)
Long-term, in-depth planning is what Vic Kelson has in mind for the Monroe County Council, District 1 if he is elected. \nSome of Kelson's planning would include a juvenile center for Monroe County, he said.\n"We need to come up with a plan that is cost effective but also provides good treatment for the center's juvenile members," said Kelson, a Democrat.\nKelson has plans for the currently overcrowded Monroe County jail. He doesn't see expanding the current jail as a likely option, but a new facility needs to be built within the next five to 10 years, he said. The proposition is expensive, and the county is always in a tight squeeze for money, Kelson said.\n"The council will need to be creative, pay close attention to expenditures and work with other governmental bodies to make it happen," Kelson said.\nFurthermore, Kelson said the income gap in Monroe County is too large. He believes that, though unemployment is low, more people are working low-paying jobs because of the loss of several industrial plants in the county such as the closing of Thompson's RCA facility in 1998.\nAlong with encouraging economic development, Kelson wants to protect and maintain the landscape. He fears urban sprawl could damage the ability to market the community to businesses, he said.\nKelson said central Indiana is beginning to reach the limits of its water capacity. An Indianapolis city planning proposal to pump 90 billion gallons of water a day from Lake Monroe is one of the first signs that water competition is growing strong, he said. Unlike some states farther west where water has always been scarce, Indiana has not had a need for the creation of water allocation laws, Kelson said.\n"It's basically been if you can pump it, you got it," Kelson said. "We've got the biggest puddle in the state, and we've got to take care of ourselves first."\nThe Indianapolis proposal is a result of long-term city planning that includes the possibility of a drought, and Monroe County needs to be doing the same kind of long term planning, Kelson said.
(11/02/06 5:18am)
Public safety is the main concern for Sue West, the Republican incumbent candidate for Monroe County Council, District 1, she said. \nThe county council appropriates the funds used by the county and its officers, which include the Monroe County Sheriff's Department, she said. If re-elected, she will be involved in approving the department's funding.\n"The Sheriff's Department has only three cars at a time patrolling the area of Monroe County that is not included in the Bloomington city limits," West said.\nConstructing a juvenile center for Monroe County is another important issue for West.\nWest said she believes it is important to find a way to work with the county commissioners -- the legislative branch, as well as circuit courts which make up the judicial branch. A new judge will be added by Jan. 1, 2008, and West said that it will be important to work with the new judge and the rest of the judicial branch to accomplish the construction of a juvenile center for Monroe County.\n"Kids currently have to be sent out of the county," said West.\nThe cost of transporting juveniles to other centers puts more strain on the county budget, West said.\nWest has been a member of the council for four years and was elected council president at the beginning of her second year. She believes she has the right kind of experience to be a member of the council that approves the county budget and sets the tax rates, she said.
(10/26/06 4:54am)
MARTINSVILLE — The prosecution in the trial of John R. Myers II rested its case Wednesday as defense attorneys began bolstering their evidence that another man was responsible for killing IU sophomore Jill Behrman in 2000.\nIndiana State Police Detective Rick Lang testified that Myers was not part of the original list of suspects given to Lang when he took over the investigation about three years after it began. FBI agent Gary Dunn, leader of the investigation of Behrman's disappearance for the first three years, had a list of six suspects.\nMyers' defense attorney Patrick Baker asked Lang to describe his criteria for being named a suspect. Lang said physical evidence against a person would make him or her a suspect. \nBaker asked Lang if there was any physical evidence against Myers. After a long pause, Lang said no.\nBaker submitted to evidence a copy of a supplement to a police report that Lang filed. The report included an interview from July 19, 2004, with Behrman's mother, Marilyn Behrman, in which she told Lang she thought her daughter might have been pregnant. In opening arguments, cross-examinations earlier in the trial and in outside statements to the media, Baker suggested Behrman might have been pregnant with an older man's child at the time of her disappearance and said this was motive for someone else to kill her. \nMarilyn Behrman and her husband, Eric Behrman, issued a statement to the media Oct. 19 saying they were "appalled" at Baker's accusations.\nEarlier in the day, the prosecution played part of an audio recording of an interview Lang and Indiana State Police Detective Tom Arvin conducted with Myers May 2, 2005. In the interview, Myers told the detectives he imagined Behrman's family was experiencing "pure hell." He told the detectives he would "lose his mind" if he were to lose either of his two daughters. \nWhat started off as a relaxed conversation between Myers and the two Indiana State Police detectives turned into a shouting match.\nWednesday morning, jurors heard only an edited portion of the conversation between Myers, Lang and Arvin. Portions of the recording that dealt with Myers' criminal history were edited out because Judge Christopher Burnham has ruled Myers' criminal history inadmissible as evidence. \nMyers was very talkative at the beginning of the tape, openly discussing his relationships with his family, former girlfriend Carly Goodman and two young daughters. He recalled how his father taught him to hunt, fish and work on cars and discussed that he had briefly considered marriage with Goodman before the two split up.\nWhen asked about what he knew of the Behrman case, "not a clue," was the only response he could muster. Lang and Arvin didn't buy Myers' story.\n"You have an excellent memory about everything else," one of the detectives said. \nMyers sat impassive in the courtroom as he listened to the year-and-a-half-old recorded conversation turn from ordinary interrogation to all-out accusation.\n"I know you're involved," one of the detectives said. \nThey likened Myers to a hot-air balloon ready to explode: "You were there. You know what happened."\nMyers responded to the detectives, saying the only knowledge he had of the case was what he heard from the media. \n"In God's honest truth, I have no clue about any of this," Myers said. "I had nothing to do, no knowledge, that's the bottom line."\nLang and Arvin also contested Myers on a statement he made to his aunt Debbie Bell shortly after Behrman went missing. When Bell asked if Behrman was still missing, Myers said: "Yeah, they haven't found the body yet." \nBell, along with Myers' grandmother Betty Swaffard, testified Saturday.\n"How did you know that she was dead?" one of the detectives asked about Myers' conversation with his aunt.\nMyers said it was simply an assumption. \nThe detectives misled Myers earlier in the recording, wanting him to believe his deceased father had implicated him in the murder before succumbing to cancer. Myers denied that he told his father anything. \nBefore the recording was played for the jury, Prosecutor Steve Sonnega presented Myers' 2000 work record from Bloomington Hospital, which showed that Myers was on vacation from May 29 through June 2. Behrman vanished May 31 of that year.
(10/20/06 4:43am)
Sand mandalas are made by grinding natural stones into a fine powder and coloring it with different pigments. The result is an intricate geometric design that symbolizes a former Buddha.\nMonks create sand mandalas as a celebration of the transient nature of things, so though they are slowly and carefully created by trained hands, they are usually destroyed after three or four days. \nBut Bloomington residents will have the opportunity to view the sand mandalas crafted by the monks of the Ganden Shartse Monastary at the Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in Lower Cascades Park for years to come.\nThe Ganden Shartse monks are part of the Ever Lasting World Peace Tour that has stopped at the monastery in Bloomington. The monks will perform a sacred mask dance and create a Cittamani Sand Mandala. \nThe monks began creating the sand mandala Thursday at the monastery in Bloomington. This sand mandala will symbolize the female Buddha Tara. \nThe self-funded Ganden Shartse Monastery must find ways to afford food, health care, clothing and other accommodations for all its members. Tickets sold at performances and donations collected on these tours are one of the few ways they have to raise funds. The purpose of the tour is to share knowledge and raise funds for the monastery, said Tenzin Dhondup, the Ganden Shartse monastery's translator and coordinator.\n"We are not trying to change people's minds," Dhondup said. "We are trying to help people in their day-to-day lives."\nThe group went to Mexico, Panama and Costa Rica before coming to the United States, and at each stop, the monks catered to the specific needs of the people in that area -- for example performing healing services if many people were sick. \nThe group works with the local organizers in each area to plan activities for approximately one month. They often provide time for private consultation and healing sessions and will sometimes purify homes and offices.\nThe Ganden Shartse monastery in India was originally founded in the 13th century in Tibet. From 1949 to 1959, there was a cultural revolution in that area. The change to a communist government caused monks from the original monastery to flee to India. The monastery was re-established in 1969 with 35 monks. It is now home to more than 3,400, according to Dhondup.\n"There is no stable financial help from the government or other organizations," said Dhondup.\nThis group is led by 78-year-old Geshe Lobsang Sonam. The term "Geshe" refers to a status similar to a Ph.D., which can take up to 30 years of continuous study to attain, depending on the school and system, Sonam said through translator Dhondup. Sonam became a monk when he was 9 and studied for 25 years, he said.\n"It is difficult to become a Geshe because each year the monastery only gives the title to a certain number of people," said Dhondup.\nThe monks plan to stay in the United States until February 2007.
(10/20/06 2:17am)
Police are searching for suspects in the break-in and robbery of two east-side businesses. \nEarly Wednesday morning, Bloomington police responded to an alarm at Midas Auto Service Experts in the 2600 block of East Third Street, said Capt. Joe Qualters. \nA metal pane on the garage door had been pried out. Officers found the lights of the vehicles inside turned on and drawers opened in the office, Qualter said, reading from a police report. The cash drawer was also missing. \nWhile searching the area, officers found a cash drawer in the woods behind the business, but it was not the drawer missing from Midas. Officers then checked the adjacent Jiffy Lube Oilube Center and found the rear garage panels kicked in. The business was "ransacked," Qualters said, reading from a police report. The cash drawer found in the woods was the one missing from the Jiffy Lube. There are no suspects at this time.
(10/20/06 2:14am)
Candidates for county offices gathered Wednesday night for a political forum specifically centered around gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues.\nThe Bloomington Beacon and the Bloomington chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), the IU GLBT Student Support Services and IU OUT were among the groups that sponsored a forum with the candidates for Monroe County sheriff and two contested circuit court judge seats. In addition to the forum, a questionnaire previously filled out by the candidates was distributed to the audience. After candidate introductions, each answered audience questions written on cards and handed to a moderator.\nSheriff candidates Brad Swain and James Kennedy gave their perspectives on where to place transgender inmates in the Monroe County jail.\nTransgender inmates should be separated from other inmates who have been previously identified as being dangerous to such individuals, Kennedy, a Democrat, said. Swain, a Republican, suggested that transgender inmates would be placed into a smaller cell block with fewer people, but he expressed concerns about this possibility because of the overcrowding of the jail.\nKennedy explained that each inmate goes through a classification process that identifies their sex based on genitalia. \nBoth candidates said they felt inmate safety was a priority but that the currently overcrowded and understaffed jail would limit their options. The candidates also responded to a question regarding the allowance of hormones for transgender inmates. Kennedy made reference to the ruling by the federal courts and concluded that it would be allowed if it was deemed "reasonable and necessary." Swain said he would have to defer the issue to the jail's medical staff but had no objection to it.\nThe candidates for Monroe County Circuit Court V, seat three, Valeri Haughton and Francie Hill, answered questions along with the candidates for Monroe County Circuit Court VIII, seat eight, incumbent Jeffrey Chalfant and Teresa Harper. \nIn response to a question regarding whether each judge supported the right for same-sex couples and singles to adopt, all four candidates agreed they would support that right and expressed the child's best interest as their priority.\nAn audience member questioned the candidates on their opinions of judges who have been affiliated with youth groups that discriminate against gay children and adults. The question referred to a prior judge who was affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America. \nHaughton said she had a problem with any group that discriminates but that she could not criticize others' choices. Hill agreed with Haughton, by stating she was against groups that discriminate against anyone but that the Boy Scouts have good qualities as well. She concluded that she needed to be better informed on the issue. \nChalfant explained that he always researches organizations before he affiliates himself with them. He felt this was important to make sure anyone who entered his court would feel comfortable. Harper said there was a law against judges affiliating themselves with discriminatory groups and a judge must follow the law if he or she expects to be able to apply the law.
(10/19/06 4:26am)
Several local candidates gave their perspectives on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues in a forum Wednesday night, as requested by several Bloomington-based groups.\nThe major topics discussed were placement of transgender inmates in the Monroe County jail and the affiliation of judges with discriminatory groups.\nThe Bloomington Beacon and the Bloomington chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), Indiana University GLBT Student Support Services and Indiana University OUT were among the groups that sponsored a forum with the candidates for Monroe County sheriff and two contested circuit court judge seats. In addition to the forum, a questionnaire previously filled out by the candidates was distributed to the audience. After candidate introductions, each answered audience questions written on cards and handed to a mediator.\nSheriff candidates Brad Swain and James Kennedy gave their perspectives on where to place transgender inmates in the Monroe County jail. Kennedy explained that each inmate goes through a classification process that identifies their sex based on genitalia. Transgender inmates would be separated from other inmates who have been previously identified as being dangerous to such individuals, Kennedy said.\nSwain suggested that transgender inmates would be placed into a smaller cell block with fewer people, but he expressed concerns about this possibility because of the overcrowding of the jail. Both candidates felt that inmate safety was a priority but that the currently overcrowded and understaffed jail would limit their options. The candidates also responded to a question regarding the allowance of hormones for transgender inmates. Kennedy made reference to the ruling by the federal courts and concluded that it would be allowed if it was deemed "reasonable and necessary." Swain said he would have to defer the issue to the jail's medical staff but had no objection to it.\nThe candidates for Monroe County Circuit Court V, seat three, are Valeri Haughton and Francie Hill. They answered questions along with the candidates for Monroe County Circuit Court VIII, seat eight, incumbent Jeffrey Chalfant and Teresa Harper.\nAn audience member questioned the candidates on their opinions of judges who have been affiliated with youth groups that discriminate against gay children and adults. The question referred to a prior judge who was affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America.\nHaughton said she had a problem with any group that discriminates, but that she could not criticize others' choices. Hill agreed with Haughton by stating she was against groups that discriminate against anyone, but the Boy Scouts have good qualities, as well. She concluded that she needed to be better informed on the issue.\nChalfant explained that he always researches organizations before he affiliates himself with them. He felt this was important to make sure anyone who entered his court would feel comfortable. Harper said there was a law against judges affiliating themselves with discriminatory groups and a judge must follow the law if he or she expects to be able to apply the law.\n In response to a question regarding whether each judge supported the right for gay couples and singles to adopt, all four candidates agreed they would support that right and expressed the child's best interest as their priority.
(10/13/06 2:24am)
Walkers will descend on Bloomington's Bryan Park Sunday to raise money for Alzheimer's help services and research. Registration will begin at noon for the 4th Annual Bloomington Memory Walk, held by the nonprofit Alzheimer's Association of Greater Indiana. \nKerry DeLaney, chairman of the Memory Walk, encourages people of all ages to attend.\n"The walk is two or three laps around Bryan Park, which is good for children and the elderly," DeLaney said. \nThose interested can register and walk as an individual or a team, which consists of five or more people. There are already 38 teams registered, including Beta Alpha Psi and Delta Gamma sororities.\nBloomington is one of 10 cities in Indiana to hold a Memory Walk in connection with Alzheimer's Association.\nA massage therapist will be at one of several booths set up by sponsors at the park for walkers with sore muscles. Mayor Mark Kruzan, the honorary chairman of the event, will also be in attendance, along with the Ralph Eads band. There will be a bagpipe performance, and, after the walk, there will be a free luncheon. \nRegistration is free, but walkers are encourage to raise donations.\nProceeds will help fund support groups, educational programs and a 24-hour helpline provided by the Alzheimer's Association of Greater Indiana. \nMark Laker, the outreach coordinator for the organization, said Alzheimer's is a disease that affects everyone in one way or another and is the fourth leading cause of death for people over 65.\nLaker wants to see as many people as possible come out to participate and make donations at the event to help the organization's cause.\n"We all need to work together to support the cause to conquer this disease," Laker said.
(10/11/06 2:54am)
A man was arrested early Monday morning after entering unlocked apartments and stealing residents' money, police said.\nKevin D. Burchett, 22, was arrested at 4:38 a.m. Monday on preliminary charges of residential robbery and residential theft.\nA resident of the 1300 block of North Lincoln Street was sleeping when he "heard something rustling that woke him up," said Bloomington Police Department Detective Sgt. David Drake, reading from a police report. The resident found $80 missing from his wallet and witnessed someone he didn't know exiting his apartment.\nThe resident watched Burchett enter a nearby apartment and called the police. When officers arrived they entered the second apartment through the open front door and found Burchett in the bathroom, according to the report.\nOfficers woke up the six females who lived in the apartment, all of whom said they did not know Burchett. One of the females found her purse had been moved, but nothing was missing.\nIn Burchett's original statement, he told police he had met a woman named Jessica Simpson at Kilroy's Sports Bar earlier that night and that the apartment he was found in was where she told him to meet her, Drake said. He described her as a 21-year-old blonde IU student. \nThe IU Police Department later told the BPD that Jessica Simpson is not a student at IU. \nThere is no Jessica Simpson listed in the IU address book.
(10/09/06 2:58am)
Candidates for Monroe County public offices faced off on local issues like jail overcrowding and night court Thursday night.\nIvy Tech Community College of Bloomington and the League of Women Voters hosted the debate for the contested seats of prosecutor, sheriff and two circuit court judgeships.
(10/06/06 5:34am)
Local candidates faced off on many Monroe County issues in a debate Thursday night, including the overcrowded jail situation and the institution of night court.\nIvy Tech Community College of Bloomington and the League of Women Voters hosted the debate for the contested seats of Monroe County Prosecutor, Sheriff and Circuit Court Judge, seats V and VIII. Beginning with the candidates for county prosecutors, the debates for each position followed the same format beginning with a two-minute opening statement, followed by 60 seconds to answer each question posed either by members from a panel or from the audience, and finally 60 seconds for closing statements.\nThe debate for prosecutor began with the incumbent, Republican candidate Carl Salzmann, Monroe County's prosecutor for the past 12 years. Salzmann talked about his background, listing experience in the army, his gradutation from the police academy with honors and his law school training. Salzmann said early in his career he witnessed a system that concentrated primarily on adults. He said he understands the importance of the juvenile system. Other than talking about his involvement in several current programs such as Drug Court, Salzmann mentioned a drop in felonies and misdemeanors while he has held the position.\nSalzmann's opponent Democrat Chris Gaal focused his opening speech on change, communication and decreasing violent crimes. Gaal has had experience as an attorney, held positions at the local government level, graduated from IU's law school and taught law at the Kelley School of Business. He also said he wants to work with the jail to create a new re-entry program, he said.\nResponding to a panelist's question regarding the overcrowding in the county jail, Gaal said he felt not everyone in jail needed to be there. With a majority of people in jail suffering addiction problems, those not a threat to others should be treated outside of jail, he said. Gaal said that people in jail for violent crimes are the ones who must stay. He felt that cases should not drag on forever. Some of his ideas for solving the overcrowding in the Monroe County Jail are day reporting, addiction treatments and new re-entry programs.\nSalzmann explained that when the jail was built in 1986 it was already near capacity. A study concluded that the jail was overcrowded and a new one must be built by 2005. Salzmann felt that every alternative that could be thought of has been tried, and there is "no more elasticity in the system." He concluded by saying there were only 10 people in jail awaiting a trial more than six months and that he felt his track record was excellent.\nAnother panel member posed a question about a 70 percent repeat offender rate. Salzmann responded first by saying that the community has been proactive in diverting as many cases as possible.\nGaal explained that 70 percent was an average and that the number was as high as 80 percent a month ago. He views this as failing, he said. He also said misdemeanors were down because fewer were being filed. He again stressed his advocation of new re-entry programs and mentioned working with the New Leaf-New Life organization.\nResponding to a panel question regarding the candidate's most important goal, Gaal said he wants to decrease violent crime, mentioning a shooting that occurred in Bryan Park in the late spring. \nSalzmann explained that the pre-trial diversion program accounted for many of the misdemeanors being dismissed. He felt the program was important for a community that supports education to have because young people need a second chance to keep misdemeanors off their record. He also claimed the recidivism rate within the pre-trial diversion program was 15 percent. \nThe next contested seat was Monroe County Sheriff. Republican candidate Brad Swain and Democratic candidate James Kennedy faced off. \nKennedy, a former chief of police and a retired army officer, talked about letting the community know what's going on bi-monthly with reports on the miles driven by squad cars, among other things. Swain, who has 20 years of experience with the Monroe County Sheriff's Department and has been a detective for the past ten years, talked about attending to the spiritual needs of inmates. He addressed new programs but wanted to check all new programs for overlapping qualities of already existing ones so as not to add to the work of the already over-burdened jail staff. Both candidates said they want to increase the patrol staff, which serves the same size population as the city of Bloomington and covers five times as much land. \nA question posed by a member of the audience addressed the enforcement of physical fitness policies. Swain said he would use strategies such as pay incentives and promotions related to physical fitness policies but noted that courts have historically overturned physical fitness policy enforcement cases. Kennedy talked about influencing the civilian merit board to pass stricter physical fitness requirements as long as they are job related. The sheriff appoints three of the five members of this board.\nThe candidates for Circuit Court Judge, seat VIII, were incumbent Republican Jeff Chalfant and Democratic candidate Theresa Harper. Both candidates said they wanted to provide night court for those who have to miss work to appear in court during the day. Chalfant talked about being short on court rooms and needing a comprehensive cost analysis study to determine what is possible with the funds available. He said he did not know what was the best solution.\nHarper also talked about conducting a cost-benefit analysis for the idea of night court. Harper said she is in favor of night courts for those required to have frequent hearings.\nCandidates for the final debate over the position of Circuit Court Judge, seat V, were Republican Francie Hill and Democrat Valeri Haughton. Both candidates supported the use of the Victim-Offender Reconciliation Program. Haughton said the program should be used because it often helps each party understand the situation. Hill said it was a "terrific program," and she was glad to have it as an option, but it would not work in all situations.
(10/06/06 4:06am)
This Sunday, Bloomington residents and guests will have the opportunity to learn about Bloomington's cultural diversity. The fifth-annual Bloomington Multicultural Festival will showcase more than a dozen booths from local cultural organizations, offer food from Harvest Lodge Catering in Brown County and feature entertainment acts every half hour. \n"The Multicultural Festival provides an opportunity for residents and visitors to interact and learn more about the diverse cultures that give Bloomington its unique style and character," Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan said in a press release.\nThe festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at City Hall's Showers Plaza, 401 N. Morton St.\nBloomington, Ivy Tech Community College and IU started the festival on the downtown square in 2002.\nLillian Casillas, the director of La Casa Latino Cultural Center at IU, supports the event's message.\n"It's an opportunity for people to realize the diversity that exists within Bloomington and to come together to celebrate it," Casillas said. \nShe said the dispersion of different cultural groups has changed since she came to Bloomington 21 years ago. \n"A lot of diversity existed through the University," Casillas said. "Now it is not just the pocket from the University -- the entire community has become more open."\nThe festival has been moved from its outdoor location downtown to City Hall's Showers Plaza to allow for more parking on Morton and Seventh streets, among other places. Also, the festival can be moved inside City Hall if it rains.\nEntertainment for the festival will kick off at 11 a.m. with the Southern Indiana Pipe Band. It will be followed by Bloomington High School North's Mariachi Band; the South African Gumboot Dancers, led by Muziwandile "Muzi" Hadebe; Samulnori, a Korean drum ensemble; a Hawaiian dance; and IU International Folk Dancers. \nEntertainment will also include a Tai Chi demonstration and a demonstration in Capoeira Angola, a martial art that incorporates dance elements, called Estrela do Norte.
(10/04/06 2:32am)
A U.S. Postal Service employee and Bloomington resident confessed Monday to stealing gift cards while on her mail route earlier this year, police said. \nPenny M. Duerksen, 30, faces preliminary charges of theft for stealing the cards May 27 this year. The investigation began from a case report June 21, Bloomington Police Department Capt. Joe Qualters said. A Bloomington resident's family member called asking if the Bloomington resident's son had received a Best Buy gift card sent as a high school graduation gift. After checking with Best Buy, it was determined that the gift card was used in Bloomington on June 18, Qualters said. The Bloomington resident then contacted the BPD. \nWhile investigating the case, Qualters contacted a special agent from the U.S. Postal Service's Office of Inspector General who was working on a similar complaint regarding an outgoing $50 Wal-Mart gift card that never made it to its destination. Both thefts occurred May 27 on Duerksen's route. \nDuerksen made a cash transaction at Sam's Club moments before the missing Wal-Mart gift card was used May 27, Qualeters said. On Sept. 27, Qualters and the U.S. Postal Service special agent entered Duerksen's home with consent to search from Duerksen's boyfriend. A cordless phone was found inside the residence that matched the Best Buy purchase made June 18.\nDuerksen was arrested and interviewed Monday, at which time she confessed to the charges, police said.
(10/02/06 2:23am)
Bloomington resident Erich Nolan said he feels that culture in America can be lacking at times. He believes it's important to experience people, music and art traditions from around the world. \nOne of the ways he accomplishes that is by attending the Bloomington Multicultural Festival. Members of the community came together at City Hall's Showers Plaza to celebrate the fifth annual Multicultural Festival Sunday. By 2 p.m., more than 600 people came out to experience cultures from all over the world.\nNolan and his wife are members of the capoeira group Estrela do Norte that performed at the festival. Nolan brought his three children because he said that it's important to expose them to as much world culture as possible.\n"A big reason why we live in Bloomington is because it's a small town with a lot of culture," Nolan said.\nBloomington resident Youngwon Yeom found out about the festival from her children, who heart about it at school. A favorite booth for Yeom's children was the Klingel-Engle puppets. Yeom is from Korea and was impressed by the entertainment from Samulnori, a Korean drum ensemble.\nSamulnori was also a favorite performance for Bloomington resident Dave Knox. Knox has Scottish ancestry and originally came out to hear the Southern Indiana Pipe Band and visit the Scottish Society of Greater Bloomington's booth but decided to stay and enjoy the rest of the performances.\n"Music is the universal language. Everybody understands it no matter where it's from. It connects everybody," Knox said.\nBloomington resident Khalil Muhammad read about the festival in the newspaper and decided to take advantage of the opportunity to see different groups of people from around the world on what he called "a beautiful Sunday." Muhammad's 4 and 6-year-old children participated in the festival's passport project that entailed collecting stamps from the different booths after completing an activity. Muhammad said his 4-year-old daughter Jordan's favorite activity was making a quilt at one of the booths.\n11-year-old Robert Meya was at the festival with his friend Jamil Moore, also 11. Meya's mother was working the German School booth. Meya goes to the festival almost every year. He said he thinks the festival is fun because there are a lot of people, and he gets to hear new kinds of music.\n"The atmosphere is really great, and our moms make us go, too," said Meya.\nMoore's father Tim Moore is involved with the Arab American Association, which had a booth at the festival. Tim Moore feels it's important to have festivals like this one for people to learn about other cultures.\n"The more we understand, the less fearful we are. It makes the world a better place," Moore said.\nMoore would like to have seen more students at the festival, he said. Moore feels that Bloomington is a great town with a lot to experience, and IU students are lucky to have their University here. \n"It's the nicest town in Indiana," Moore said.\nKatie Hartin, 16, played in the Bloomington High School North Mariachi Band that performed at the festival. She left after her performance but came back with her friends.\n"More kids need to learn about this," Innes said. "Bloomington is a cultural oasis, and a lot of people our age are not aware of that."\nHartin suggested a way to attract more young people to the festival.\n"If you want people to come," he said, "have free food"
(09/20/06 3:28am)
The Monroe County Fall Festival will return Thursday for its 44th nonconsecutive year.\nThere is no entry fee to the three-day festival, which will feature two stages for live entertainment, a parade, rides from Pic-A-Chic farms of Bloomington, a cruise-in car show and fireworks displays.\nThe festival has been on hiatus for the past several years due to construction on Ind. 46 and a lack of volunteers. Financial help for the festival came from State Representative Peggy Welch and the Indiana General Assembly's Build Indiana Fund.\nThe action starts at 6 p.m. Thursday with the national anthem at the Eagles Landing Stage. Eagles Landing, formerly Ellettsville Elementary, is located off Ind. 46 two blocks from the Ellettsville Street Department. \nThe Fall Festival queen will be crowned later that night. The newly crowned queen will then officially open the 2006 festival. A fireworks display will follow.\nFriday is Kids' Day, which will start at 10 a.m. with activities from Monroe County Parks and Recreation. There will be a senior citizens luncheon followed by bingo in the Endwright Center at noon. The talent show will be at 7 p.m.\nSaturday will begin with the cruise-in car show on the basketball courts of the Richland Bean Blossom Youth Sports Complex at 10 a.m. The second stage will also be located at the RBBYS complex.\nLater that day, the parade, emceed by auctioneer Jimmie Dean Coffey, will leave Edgewood High School at 1 p.m. down Ind. 46. The parade currently consists of about 40 to 46 entries, but Ranee Love, vice president of the festival, said event organizers are looking for more. Those interested should contact Charity Cowden at 812-876-7647.\nSaturday will commence with live music, entertainment and a closing ceremony with a fireworks display. \nParking for the festival can be found at several nearby churches such as the First Baptist Church, Assembly of God and United Methodist Church. A shuttle service will be provided by Rural Transit, a service of Area 10 Agency on Aging. There will be signs to direct visitors to the free parking lots.\nFor more information, visit the Fall Festival Web site at www.ellettsvillechamber.com, or call Fall Festival Treasurer Sandy Hash or Fall Festival President Cullen McCarthy at 812-876-2211 and press 0.