Region

What's the big idea?

By Tony Sams · Monday, Jan. 12,2004 12:23 a.m.

President Bush's aides want him to have a "Kennedy moment" so badly they're actually ready and willing to steal a moment from John F. Kennedy himself. Specifically, they want to steal from a speech Kennedy gave to a joint session of Congress in 1961, during which he said he believed America "should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth."

Deadbeat parents to pay

By Chris Freiberg and Warren Christopher Freiberg · Monday, Jan. 12,2004 12:23 a.m.

The days of deadbeat parents gambling with their children's futures will soon be over if a new bill passes the state senate. Senate Bill 143, proposed by Sen. Richard Bray, R-Martinsville, would require casinos, betting parlors and racetracks to check the name of any person who wins more than $2,000 against a national database that keeps track of parents who owe child support.

Britney says more than 'I do'

By Brandon Houston · Monday, Jan. 12,2004 12:22 a.m.

By now most have heard about the spur-of-the-moment nuptials of America's pop princess Britney Spears. On Jan. 5, after 55 hours of marriage, Britney had a Las Vegas marriage to her childhood friend annulled. According to the petition for annulment, " ... the plaintiff and defendant did not know each other's likes and dislikes, each other's desires to have or not have children, and each other's desires as to state of residency.

Hang up and drive

By Alyson Brodsy · Monday, Jan. 12,2004 12:18 a.m.

Sen. Rose Ann Antich-Carr (D-Merrillville) is proposing a bill that would ban the use of cell phones while operating a motor vehicle, slapping violators with a $1,000 fine for breaking the law. The bill also features the ironic twist of encouraging other drivers to report disobedience -- given they don't use a cell phone to do it.

IU finishes installation of campus wireless connection

By Mike McElroy · Monday, Jan. 12,2004 12:13 a.m.

IU may have received national recognition for being one of the top 10 "most wired" universities by Yahoo! Internet Life, but it's not the wires getting the attention these days. Students can now access the IU network from nearly every campus building, thanks to the University Information Technology Services' completion of an initiative to provide the IU-Bloomington and IUPUI campuses with comprehensive wireless, or "Wi-Fi," coverage.

Hoosiers drop 3 of 5 over break

By Tyler Hoeppner and Tyler V. Heoppner · Monday, Jan. 12,2004 12:09 a.m.

IU coach Mike Davis has said all along that he wanted his team to be 7-4 as the Hoosiers headed into conference play. The Hoosiers entered the semester break at 4-3, and with three of four at home, seemed on their way to that goal. But IU couldn't get it done, and Tuesday's loss to Wisconsin in their Big Ten opener dropped the Hoosiers to 6-6 on the season.

Rains leave Indiana flooded

By Chris Freiberg and Warren Christopher Freiberg · Friday, Jan. 9,2004 1:55 a.m.

Morgan County and surrounding areas received a nasty New Year's Day guest that refused to leave -- flood. Four inches of rain have fallen on the county since the beginning of the year, leading to one death and stranding one motorist in his car overnight. According to Associated Press reports, Matthew Fitzgerald of Wheatland, Ind. was visiting his brother when his pickup truck stalled in the floodwaters of the White River Tuesday, forcing him to spend a freezing night in his car before he saw another motorist and was able to call police for help.

Gibbs to coach in D.C. again

By Alyson Brodsy and Joseph White · Friday, Jan. 9,2004 1:47 a.m.

ASHBURN, Va. -- After a decade of high-profile Washington Redskins failures, only one name could restore credibility in an instant: Joe Gibbs. And they got him. The Hall of Fame coach is coming back after an 11-year absence, a stunning development and a much-needed lift for a franchise that has been to the playoffs only once since he left after the 1992 season.

Coughlin to lead Giants

By Alyson Brodsy and Tom Canavan · Friday, Jan. 9,2004 1:46 a.m.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Eleven years after they first courted him, the New York Giants finally introduced Tom Coughlin as their coach. "It really struck me from an emotional standpoint how very deep my emotions go toward this position and this particular franchise," Coughlin said at a news conference Wednesday, a day after signing a four-year, $12 million contract.

Green named Arizona coach

By Alyson Brodsy · Friday, Jan. 9,2004 1:45 a.m.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Dennis Green is hoping his no-nonsense approach to coaching turns around the Arizona Cardinals' history of almost no success. The former Minnesota Vikings coach agreed to a four-year contract Wednesday night after an extended bargaining session via faxes and telephone calls between San Diego and team headquarters in Tempe.

McNabb, Favre square-off Sunday

By Alyson Brodsy and Rob Maaddi · Friday, Jan. 9,2004 1:44 a.m.

PHILADELPHIA -- They are two quarterbacks with a strong passion for the game, an unrelenting desire to win, a willingness to play through pain, inspiring their teammates through their leadership and courage.

Old teammates, foes meet again

By Alyson Brodsy and Jenna Fryer · Friday, Jan. 9,2004 1:43 a.m.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Defensive ends Mike Rucker and Grant Wistrom first met as high school sophomores playing against each other in Missouri. Rucker claims he used a hard hit to tackle Wistrom, then a tight end, for a loss. The two were later teammates at Nebraska, and will cross paths once again Saturday when Rucker and the Carolina Panthers play Wistrom and the St. Louis Rams in the divisional playoffs.

Pats' win over Titans started it all

By Alyson Brodsy and Jimmy Golen · Friday, Jan. 9,2004 1:43 a.m.

FOXBORO, Mass. -- If the New England Patriots bother to watch videotape of their regular-season game against Tennessee, they'll see two teams they would rather forget.

New year brings new goals for 2004

By Alex Hickey · Friday, Jan. 9,2004 1:42 a.m.

Somebody forgot to send Mike Davis the memo that football season is over. IU is now allowed to lose by less than 30 points on a regular basis. As I headed home for winter break, I was confident that the team was on the brink of turning the corner. Ryan Tapak had come out of nowhere to become a big contributor and Donald Perry was looking good, to name a few reasons for my optimism.

Hoosiers look to avoid early hole in Big Ten play

By Alyson Brodsy · Friday, Jan. 9,2004 1:39 a.m.

During the last two years, the Hoosiers have struggled on opponents' home courts, going 5-12 during that stretch. They have only one Big Ten win, coming against Iowa Feb. 19 of last year. The Hoosiers will have to reverse that trend against Michigan Sunday if they hope to avoid doing something they haven't done since the 1997-98 season: start the Big Ten 0-2.

Near-perfect season for the Mannings

By Alyson Brodsy and Michael Marot · Friday, Jan. 9,2004 1:39 a.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- For the Mannings, this has been a near-perfect season. Peyton was chosen as the NFL's co-MVP, while younger brother Eli blossomed into a Heisman Trophy finalist as Mississippi's quarterback.

on the SIDELINES

By Alyson Brodsy · Friday, Jan. 9,2004 1:37 a.m.

Volunteer IPFW assistant falls to death from cliff FORT WAYNE -- A volunteer volleyball assistant at Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne fell to his death from a 20-foot cliff along the coast of Puerto Rico, coach Arnie Ball said.

Around The World

By Alyson Brodsy · Friday, Jan. 9,2004 1:31 a.m.

Man miraculously survives under rubble BAM, Iran -- A 57-year-old man was pulled from the rubble of this earthquake-shattered Iranian city, barely conscious but still alive after 13 days thanks to a nearby source of water.

Woman apologizes for false lottery ticket claims

By Alyson Brodsy · Friday, Jan. 9,2004 1:30 a.m.

CLEVELAND -- A woman who told police she bought and lost a lottery ticket worth $162 million all but admitted Thursday she made it up, saying tearfully: "I wanted to win so bad for my kids and my family. I apologize."

Chopper crash kills 9

By Alyson Brodsy and Sameer N. Yacoub · Friday, Jan. 9,2004 1:29 a.m.

FALLUJAH, Iraq -- A U.S. Black Hawk medivac helicopter crashed Thursday near the stronghold of the anti-American insurgency, killing all nine soldiers aboard, the U.S. military said. A witness said the helicopter, which bore red crosses, was hit in the tail by a rocket.