Region

And the award goes to...

By Katie Schoenbaechler and Katie Shoenbaechler · Thursday, April 22,2004 2:02 a.m.

Little 500 Grand Marshal Jonathan Vaughters will have more responsibilities than riding in the pace car and talking to fans Saturday. Vaughters, a former top-ranked U.S. cyclist and six-time Tour de France participant, will be choosing one outstanding men's Little 500 rider to receive the inaugural "Most Valuable Rider" award. But the award carries much more prestige than just MVR status -- it will give the recipient a one-year opportunity to join Vaughters and his TIAA-CREF Under-23 team to race and begin building a professional cycling career.

Country Runway

By Patrice Worthy and Patricia Worthy · Thursday, April 22,2004 1:59 a.m.

Saturday night at the "Chicken Ranch," a crowd of about 100 people saw the only student runway show this semester. Jesse Deckard, a senior majoring in fashion design through the Individualized Major Program, said goodbye to IU with style. In a rustic setting on the outskirts of Bloomington, friends and family gathered under a white tent to see Deckard's final project, "Because I'm a woman." Before the show started, all of the guests received a free glass of wine. The speculation was present on everyone's face as they looked at the white 50-foot runway bearing the collection name "Esseja Creations." The event was complete with flowers on each table, a cash bar and a decorated runway. Anticipation was hard to contain as old classmates returned to Bloomington to see the show everyone had been talking about.

A piece of art

By Chris Jesse · Thursday, April 22,2004 1:57 a.m.

Sophomore Tim Schmidt works on the final project for his Fine Arts classes Wednesday evening at McCalla, located at 9th street and Indiana Ave. His project, which will resemble a plant once it's finished, is created using a variety of tools and techniques, including welding and grinding. The course, Sculpture 1, is designed to acquaint the student with different types of materials and tools.

Playwright Mark Medoff and his muse get primitive on Broadway

By Alyson Brodsy and Mark Kennedy · Thursday, April 22,2004 1:55 a.m.

NEW YORK -- When playwright Mark Medoff first met actress Phyllis Frelich, there was no sign she would soon become his muse. The two ran into each other in 1977 during a writers' workshop at the University of Rhode Island. She was an actress with the National Theatre of the Deaf; he was a hot off-Broadway playwright. It took only 20 minutes before Medoff wanted to write a play for her.

East meets West at Honolulu Academy of Arts exhibit

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, April 22,2004 1:54 a.m.

HONOLULU -- East and West cross, clash and meld into cityscapes, landscapes, portraits and nudes in an exhibit of works by European masters purchased a century ago by Japanese industrialists and rarely seen outside Japan. "Japan & Paris: Impressionism, Postimpressionism, and the Modern Era," an exhibit of French and Japanese paintings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, is on view at the Honolulu Academy of Arts.

Windfall performance a rousing success

By RonNella Moore and Ronni Moore · Thursday, April 22,2004 1:53 a.m.

The Windfall dancers presented their annual spring dance production Saturday night, titled "Elements." The production featured the dancers' interpretations of natural occurrences through dance. Windfall is a modern dance collective originally formed in 1978 under the direction of Debbie Knapp. The Windfall dancers perform at different venues all year and hold auditions regularly. This dance company is different than others in that all members have the unique opportunity to choreograph their own pieces and choose dancers to perform them.

A girl who wanted to be loved

By Andrew Welfe and Andrew Welfle · Thursday, April 22,2004 1:51 a.m.

If you were an avid theater-goer in the middle of the 20th century, you probably wanted a formulaic, feel-good plot to entertain you from the stage. Girl and guy meet, they sing about it for a while, something happens and they split up. They sing about that some more, and then they realize they were meant for each other and they get back together. Then they sing about it.

A bag for all occasions

By Patrice Worthy and Patricia Worthy · Thursday, April 22,2004 1:49 a.m.

While flipping through my April issue of Vogue, I stumbled across a letter to the editor about one of the most important accessories a woman can have, the handbag. The writer, Jessica Scicchitano, said she never understood the rule of fashion for having one must-have handbag per season. I must say, I completely agree, I have never had one bag for one season. I know there are must-have bags, but one bag -- that is crazy.

Celebration in Dunn Meadow to mark Earth Day

By Ashley Rhodebeck · Thursday, April 22,2004 1:32 a.m.

After the week of warm weather and blinding sunshine, many students are thanking Mother Nature for their sun-kissed skin and the chance to walk to class in shorts and tank tops. Rain or shine, today everyone can pay their thanks during the Earth Day Celebration in Dunn Meadow, from 1 to 9 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Indiana Public Interest Research Group. Senior Lauren Fischer, organizer of the event, said INPIRG decided to plan the festivities because nobody was celebrating Earth Day, and the group wanted to "bring knowledge about conserving and preserving our Earth" to campus.

Outdoor Day moves inside

By Mike Wilson · Thursday, April 22,2004 1:28 a.m.

Different combinations of bulk rations carried along on a camping trip and cooked on a small outdoor stove usually bring to mind images of bland food, beans and perhaps some stew. But for any student able to see Whitney Ward from the Recreation and Parks Department demonstrate outdoor cooking, the combination mentioned earlier would bring to mind delicious carrot and chocolate cakes. "I like to eat well, regardless of where I am at," Ward said, "And when cooking outdoors, you are only limited by your imagination."

Around The World

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, April 22,2004 12:42 a.m.

German fighter jets collide; 2 dead GARDING, Germany -- Two German fighter jets collided and crashed Wednesday morning in the country's north, police said. The two-person crew of one plane died and the other crew parachuted to safety. German air traffic control said the two Tornados had just finished maneuvering through a curve at 15,000 feet when they collided.

8 found dead day after Illinois tornado disaster

By Alyson Brodsy and Don Babwin · Thursday, April 22,2004 12:39 a.m.

UTICA, Ill. -- Searchers pulled eight bodies from the rubble of a tornado-flattened tavern Wednesday, a day after dozens of twisters tore through the Midwest. Mayor Fred Esmond said several people from a nearby trailer park had gone to the basement of the Milestone Tap to seek refuge from the storm.

China: North Korea agrees to push nuke talks

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, April 22,2004 12:38 a.m.

BEIJING -- North Korea's leader told Chinese officials he is committed to ending a nuclear dispute through dialogue, China said Wednesday, in what observers saw as a sign of progress in resolving the standoff. After top-level meetings in Beijing, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il agreed to continue six-nation talks over defusing the crisis, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

Suicide bombers' rush hour attack leaves 68 dead

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, April 22,2004 12:37 a.m.

BASRA, Iraq -- Five suicide attackers detonated car bombs against police buildings during rush hour Wednesday in the British-controlled southern Iraqi city Basra, killing 68 people, including 16 children burned to death in their passing school buses. Meanwhile, an agreement aimed at bringing peace to Fallujah, Iraq, met troubles only a day after its implementation. U.S Marines backed by warplanes and helicopter gunships battled insurgents, killing 20.

4 killed in Saudi car bombing

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, April 22,2004 12:36 a.m.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- A suicide bomber attacked a security police building in the Saudi capital Wednesday, killing at least four other people and wounding 148, just days after the United States warned of a terrorist attack. Facades were torn off buildings revealing rooms still ablaze. Cars parked nearby were smashed by debris. Clouds of dust and black smoke rose from the seven-story building and settled over the neighborhood.

Indiana ranks third in rate of growth for food stamp use

By Alyson Brodsy and Mark Jewell · Thursday, April 22,2004 12:32 a.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The ranks of Indiana residents receiving food stamps grew at the third-fastest rate in the nation the past four years -- a finding released Wednesday some advocates for the poor consider a cause for optimism. While the growth is a symptom of Indiana's recent economic struggles, it also indicates Indiana's social service agencies are succeeding in signing up many eligible food stamp recipients who did not apply in the past, advocates say.

Around The State

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, April 22,2004 12:31 a.m.

Racing Commission pospones decision in simulcast debate INDIANAPOLIS -- The state Horse Racing Commission postponed a decision Wednesday over whether to cut off simulcasts of Kentucky thoroughbred races in Indiana unless all betting parlors are allowed to televise them. Instead, the commission asked the Indiana Department of Gaming Research to study all sides of the ongoing dispute and analyze the economic impacts involved for both states and their pari-mutuel industries.

Commerical dysfunction

By Alyson Brodsy and Mike Malik · Thursday, April 22,2004 12:31 a.m.

Notice anything different on TV lately? No, not the conservative backlash restricting the airwaves as a result of the now infamous Super Bowl halftime incident. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Nader to speak in Bloomington, Indianapolis Saturday

By Allison Ricket · Thursday, April 22,2004 12:28 a.m.

While some Bloomington students are participating in the Little 500 insanity, the greater Indianapolis community will be celebrating Take Back the Earth Day with Ralph Nader at 5 p.m. Saturday. After Nader headlines Saturday's events at IU-Purdue University Indianapolis, he will be addressing the students of IU.

Helicopter crash kills patient

By Alyson Brodsy and Kimberly Hefling · Thursday, April 22,2004 12:27 a.m.

LYNNVILLE, Ind. -- A paramedic hurt when a medical helicopter crashed on a remote southwestern Indiana hillside used his cell phone to call for help and then waved a flashlight to signal their whereabouts. The crash some 20 miles northeast of Evansville killed the heart patient on board the flight from Huntingburg to an Evansville hospital.