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Count Basie Orchestra still alive and well

By Jimmy Rae · Monday, Oct. 3,2005 11:15 p.m.

Friday featured one of the oldest and finest big bands in existence at the IU Auditorium: the Count Basie Orchestra. It might be incredible to imagine that this big band, first devised by Count Basie in 1936, is still going strong today. Many band members have come and gone through the years, but there are still members playing today who actually played with Count Basie, namely Clarence Banks on trombone, John Williams on baritone saxophone, Butch Miles on drums and James Leary on bass.

Restorers work to conserve art battered by Katrina

By Alyson Brodsy and Sharon Cohen · Monday, Oct. 3,2005 11:13 p.m.

CHICAGO -- Helen Conklin whisks a cotton swab delicately across a 19th century painting of silvery fish set in deep earth tones. She's looking for, of all things, mud on the canvas -- and sure enough, there it is. She peers at another painting through a microscope, focusing on a cardinal's rich crimson robes that have faded to a sickly pink. That's the mark of floodwaters.

Gallagher gives 'smashing' performance Sunday

By Jimmy Rae · Monday, Oct. 3,2005 11:12 p.m.

Loud laughter filled the IU Auditorium, coming from all directions. Comic and entertainer Gallagher, who has been making people laugh for 35 years, put Sunday's audience into hysterics. Gallagher's act included a little bit of everything, from simple jokes to twisted talks about everyday life to smashing pies. The infamous "Sledge-o-Matic" has been a staple at Gallagher shows for many years and hasn't disappeared yet.

Plan to expand forest logging divides environmentalists

By Alyson Brodsy · Monday, Oct. 3,2005 11:02 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The state's plan to boost by up to fivefold the amount of timber cut each year in Indiana's state forests has divided environmentalists, some of whom said it's all about money even as others argue the plan will safeguard forest diversity. David Haberman, the assistant coordinator of the Indiana Forest Alliance, opposes the plan announced Sept. 16 by Gov. Mitch Daniels, calling it "an outrageous document." "It's not based on solid science," Haberman said.

Critics say governor's I-69 privatization risky

By Alyson Brodsy · Monday, Oct. 3,2005 11:01 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Critics of Gov. Mitch Daniels' plan to privatize and put tolls on the Interstate 69 extension say the plan is risky and won't work. A group of I-69 critics -- spearheaded by the Hoosier Environmental Council, which has long opposed the highway -- said Monday that Daniels' new plan puts profits before citizens. "The questions about funding reinforce what we've been saying all along: that we don't have the money to do this," said Tim Maloney, who heads the environmental council. "And I think this talk of privatization and tolling just brings this into sharper focus."

Grand jury indicts Tom DeLay again on new money laundering charge

By Alyson Brodsy · Monday, Oct. 3,2005 10:41 p.m.

AUSTIN, Texas -- A Texas grand jury on Monday re-indicted Rep. Tom DeLay on charges of conspiring to launder money and money laundering after the former majority leader attacked last week's indictment on technical grounds. The latter charge carries a penalty of up to life in prison. Last week, DeLay was charged with conspiracy to violate campaign finance laws.

Search for Katrina bodies in La. ends with 964 dead

By Alyson Brodsy · Monday, Oct. 3,2005 10:40 p.m.

NEW ORLEANS -- The search for bodies of people killed by Hurricane Katrina has ended in Louisiana, and more searches will be conducted only if someone reports seeing a body, a state official said Monday. All agencies conducting the searches have finished their sweeps for remains. But Kenyon International Emergency Services, the private company hired by the state to remove the bodies, is on call if any other body is found, said Bob Johannessen, a spokesman with the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals.

Indonesia hopes severed heads will ID bombers

By Alyson Brodsy · Monday, Oct. 3,2005 10:40 p.m.

BALI, Indonesia -- Investigators hunting for the masterminds of three suicide bombings on the popular resort island of Bali hoped to quickly identify the bombers by photographs of their severed heads published Monday in Indonesia's newspapers. Police also sought three accomplices believed to still be on the resort island, and enlisted a former operative of Southeast Asia's top terrorist group to help track down the plotters of Saturday's attack. The blasts killed at least 22 people, including the bombers, and wounded 104.

Bush chooses counsel Harriet Miers to replace O'Connor

By Alyson Brodsy and David Espo · Monday, Oct. 3,2005 10:38 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- President Bush named White House counsel Harriet Miers to a Supreme Court in transition Monday, turning to a longtime loyalist without experience as a judge or publicly known views on abortion to succeed Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Miers "will strictly interpret our Constitution and laws. She will not legislate from the bench," the president said as the 60-year-old former private attorney and keeper of campaign secrets stood nearby in the Oval Office.

Minority report

By Alyson Brodsy and Levi Harris · Monday, Oct. 3,2005 9:49 p.m.

I was in an interview last week when the question came from nowhere: "How do you feel about minorities?" Of course, my first impulse was to make a joke. "Oh, I'm definitely against them." But then I realized the two women were serious. A fast thinker, I knew I couldn't revert to tokenism. Saying something like, "I have black friends," would sound hollow. I figured my interviewers would only be slightly more impressed if I offered to prove I'd dated people of many different races, ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Trivial rankings besides the point

By Alyson Brodsy and Megan Robb · Monday, Oct. 3,2005 9:42 p.m.

Think back to the infamous "play days" in elementary school, when children sprinted and jump roped in pursuit of a hallowed trophy and a few first prize ribbons. In the decade since our own playground competitions, the trophy has been stowed away in favor of "participants' ribbons" for all contest participants, and maybe even a free pizza party to boot. The first place winner is lost in the now-popular emphasis on "equality" and a non-competitive spirit.

Git yer chainsaws

By Alyson Brodsy and Patrick Schoettmer · Monday, Oct. 3,2005 9:40 p.m.

Git yer chainsaws, boys. Decisions taken during September have put the issue of logging on the front burner of Indiana politics. Gov. Mitch Daniels has announced his intention to increase logging in the state five-fold in the next few years. His reasons for doing so seem primarily to revolve around putting more green in the state coffers rather than in our Hoosier forests, but his administration has also mumbled something about how increasing logging will help oak saplings grow.

Hit the toll road, Jack

By Alyson Brodsy · Monday, Oct. 3,2005 9:37 p.m.

In these days of government fiscal irresponsibility and a deficit with more numbers than a finite math book, wouldn't it be splendid if new projects could be paid for and maintained by themselves? Of course it would. That's why Gov. Mitch Daniels was in Bloomington last week promoting his new plan to pay for the Interstate-69 extension: make it into a toll road. The new interstate would run from Evansville through Bloomington to Indianapolis, replacing the painfully slow Indiana State Road 37. For the nominal cost of using I-69, commuters could shave up to half an hour off their trip from Indianapolis to Bloomington. Consider a trip to Indianapolis without traffic lights, stop signs or railroad tracks to cause traffic jams and headaches.

Bush chooses White House counsel Harriet Miers for Supreme Court

By Alyson Brodsy and Deb Riechmann · Monday, Oct. 3,2005 2:01 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- President Bush nominated White House counsel Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court on Monday, turning to a lawyer who has never been a judge to replace Sandra Day O'Connor and help reshape the nation's judiciary. "She has devoted her life to the rule of law and the cause of justice," Bush said as his first Supreme Court pick, Chief Justice John Roberts, took the bench for the first time just a few blocks from the White House.

UITS targets 'password snatchers'

By Allie Townsend · Monday, Oct. 3,2005 1:52 a.m.

The National Cyber Security Campaign kicks off October with "Invasion of the Password Snatchers," a poster campaign warning students about password security -- a problem that affects students on college campuses throughout the nation. Password safety can be a main cause of a computer invasion if computers are not properly protected, said University Information Technology Services officials.

ZTA sends members to support national philanthropy event

By Michelle Manchir · Monday, Oct. 3,2005 1:36 a.m.

While many students were making breakfast plans or still deep in Saturday morning slumber, 45 members of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority were preparing to do their part in the fight against breast cancer. ZTA members joined hundreds of Bloomington residents and other IU students Saturday during the eighth annual Bloomington Breast Cancer Awareness Walk.

Theft suspect tells her tale of faking cancer

By Laura Jane Hyde · Monday, Oct. 3,2005 1:36 a.m.

Brookelyn Walters, 26, sits in a cold, white cement room in a fluorescent orange jumpsuit. Her thick brown hair is starting to grow back. She sits in the Monroe County Jail on charges of theft by deception. She has been accused of falsely attesting to having cancer. The Bloomington Police Department arrested her Aug. 29 for stealing money from a fund-raising event for the Indiana Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

For Breast Cancer Awareness Walk, the streets were filled with support

By Elizabeth Peacock · Monday, Oct. 3,2005 1:36 a.m.

Lori Zerface underwent chemotherapy treatments Friday afternoon. Saturday, she arrived at the Bloomington Breast Cancer Awareness Walk full of energy and ready to walk. She joined 66 breast cancer survivors and more than 1,000 walkers at the event. The high school teacher wore a baseball cap over her pink bandanna and walked briskly with a smile on her face. "I haven't missed a day of teaching," said Zerface, a teacher at Hoosier Hills Career Center.

IU's win streak ends after 2 Big Ten losses

By Alyson Brodsy · Monday, Oct. 3,2005 1:27 a.m.

The IU women's volleyball team abruptly ended its winning streak this weekend with losses to Ohio State and Penn State. The momentum that had been leading the Hoosiers fizzled Friday as they lost 30-26, 30-20 and 30-22 to the No. 18 Buckeyes and then 30-24, 30-10 and 30-18 to the No. 4 Nittany Lions Saturday. "Both games were tough losses for us this weekend," IU head coach Katie Weismiller said. "Each time we came out strong in the first set, but our passing and serving needed to be worked on."

3 Hoosiers reach final in Classic this weekend

By Alyson Brodsy · Monday, Oct. 3,2005 1:26 a.m.

For the second straight year, three Hoosiers on the women's tennis team have reached the finals of the top three brackets in the Hoosier Classic. This year, senior Sarah Batty and junior Laura McGaffigan were able to cash in victories in the top two brackets against their Notre Dame opponents. With long baseline rallies, No. 82 Batty frustrated No. 54 Brook Buck from the very beginning as she cruised 6-2, 6-2 in the finals of the Flight A bracket.