Region

Warm winter makes for strange sights

By Tara Burghart · Friday, Jan. 5,2007 12:07 a.m.

CHICAGO -- Ice-fishing tournaments in Minnesota are being canceled for lack of ice. Indiana landscaping crews are busy planting shrubs and trees. And golfers are hitting the links in Chicago in January. Much of the Midwest and the East Coast are going through a remarkably warm winter, with temperatures running 10 and 20 degrees higher than normal in many places.

Tuesday fire closes 10th Street Pizza Express for at least 4 weeks

By Michael Zennie · Friday, Jan. 5,2007 12:05 a.m.

The owners of Pizza Express hope a fire that gutted the office of their 10th Street store Tuesday won't cost them too much business. The Pizza Express in Crosstown Plaza, 1791 E. 10th St., will be closed for at least four weeks as workers repair fire, smoke and water damage caused by a short in a breaker box that set the rear of the store ablaze, said Sara Sheikh, the communications manager for One World Enterprises, the company that owns Pizza Express.

President interviews start Wednesday in Chicago

By Brian Spegele · Friday, Jan. 5,2007 12:03 a.m.

While the University moves closer to choosing President Adam Herbert's successor, the IU Presidential Search Committee has chosen to interview both American and international candidates, said Sue Talbot, an IU trustee and chair of the Presidential Search Committee.

Alpha to Zeta: A search for sisters

Friday, Jan. 5,2007 12:03 a.m.

A rainy Thursday was the stage for the final weekend of women's greek recruitment with 12-Party, an event where sorority prospects visited up to 12 houses for casual meet and greets. The weekend will continue with Friday's Six-Party, Saturday's Three-Party and Sunday's bid day, when the women will receive their official invitations from the sororities.

IU health insurance expires at local hospital

By Brian Spegele · Friday, Jan. 5,2007 12:03 a.m.

Bloomington Hospital and Anthem Health Insurance failed to make New Year's resolutions this year. Despite ongoing talks during the holiday break, the service contract between Anthem and the hospital expired Dec. 31, meaning thousands of IU employees likely face increased medical bills.

Loose limestone panels repaired at Wells Library

By Nick O'Neill · Thursday, Jan. 4,2007 11:46 p.m.

Two loose limestone panels swaying from the Herman B Wells Library were repaired over winter break. IU officials said the problem appears to be isolated, as ongoing work has not uncovered further problems. On Dec. 1, two members of the library's third-floor staff discovered that two 300-pound limestone panels on the east side of the building were swaying because of strong winds. IU employees took the panels down from the building's facade and an architecture firm was contracted to study its limestone exterior for further damages or areas of concern. The University hired Arsee Engineers of Indianapolis to carry out the inspections, which began Dec. 21. Eric Bartheld, the Wells Library director of communication, said the University's architectural department was quick to secure the area below to prevent pedestrian traffic after the problem was discovered.

IU boasts most 'wired' campus

By Brian Hettmansperger · Thursday, Jan. 4,2007 11:33 p.m.

IU is wired, and not because of the plethora of gourmet coffee shops on campus.

South African human rights activist's daughter will speak at IU for MLK Day

By Sandra Arao Ameny · Thursday, Jan. 4,2007 11:33 p.m.

Naomi Tutu, the daughter of South African bishop and human-rights activist Desmond Tutu, will speak on campus later this month.

Class lectures to be available for podcast download

By Beka Mech · Thursday, Jan. 4,2007 11:29 p.m.

IU has signed an agreement with Apple Computer Inc. to make lectures and other content available to students online over iTunes U.

Construction begins on campus parking garage

By Ryan McLaughlin · Thursday, Jan. 4,2007 11:27 p.m.

Construction has begun at the site of a new University garage that IU officials hope will alleviate the growing parking problem on campus. The parking garage, which is being constructed on the corner of Henderson Street and Atwater Avenue, will add more than 400 new parking spots on the southwest side of campus.

Saddam's death leads to investigation

Thursday, Jan. 4,2007 10:39 p.m.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraqi authorities reported the arrests of two guards and an official in the investigation into who taunted Saddam Hussein as he stood on the gallows and took cell-phone pictures showing his body dangling at the end of a rope.

The complete morons' guide to: orchestral instrumentation

Thursday, Jan. 4,2007 10:36 p.m.

Orchestras are musical groups made up of string, woodwind, brass and percussion instruments. IU has six different orchestras.

We're bringing artsy back

By Lindsey Landis · Thursday, Jan. 4,2007 9:05 p.m.

Don't resist the arts. They're not here to hurt, bore or intimidate. In fact, the arts exist solely for pleasure and to enhance the world around us. The arts are everywhere, affecting us daily -- from a Chopin prelude playing in the background of a movie to the choreography in your favorite music video. The arts date back to the beginning of time and will continue to thrive as long as people have a desire to create and express.

State school standards rank high

Thursday, Jan. 4,2007 8:57 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana's education standards and assessments have been ranked as the best in the country in a new report.

Hoosiers support full-day kindergarten

By Deanna Martin · Thursday, Jan. 4,2007 8:56 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- About three-quarters of Indiana residents support state-funded full-day kindergarten, and more than 60 percent say they would support the programs even if taxes were raised to pay for them, according to a survey released Wednesday.

Myers requests another trial

By Michael Zennie · Thursday, Jan. 4,2007 8:49 p.m.

John R. Myers II, the man convicted of the 2000 murder of IU sophomore Jill Behrman, wants a new trial. Patrick Baker, the Indianapolis lawyer hired to represent Myers, said in a Dec. 29, 2006, motion that his client should be granted a second chance to prove his innocence because the defense was not told about a piece of evidence. Baker also claims the jury that convicted his client was tainted by outside influences.

Around the World

Thursday, Jan. 4,2007 8:32 p.m.

The 110th Congress convened Thursday with Democrats in control of both the House and Senate for the first time since 1994.

President Gerald Ford laid to rest in hometown

By James Prichard · Thursday, Jan. 4,2007 8:30 p.m.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Gerald R. Ford's sunset burial service capped the official mourning for the 38th president, whose casket traveled more than 2,700 miles from the California desert to the nation's capital before reaching its final stop on a hill overlooking a river in his hometown.

Of a resolution

Thursday, Jan. 4,2007 8:28 p.m.

The end of winter break means thousands of students making the long (or not so long) journey back to campus to start fresh in yet another wonderful, knowledge-filled semester at good old IU.

UPDATE: Fire closes 10th Street Pizza Express

By Michael Zennie · Wednesday, Jan. 3,2007 12:28 p.m.

An electrical fire at the Crosstown Plaza Pizza Express on Tuesday morning gutted the store's office as smoke spread to the three other businesses in the building. The Bloomington Fire Department responded to an active fire call at Pizza Express and a possible electrical problem next door at Lennie's at about 10:35 a.m. Tuesday, said Bloomington Fire Department Chief Jeff Barlow.