Region

'Echoes' sounds out greatest hits

SHOWDOWN for the CROWN

Not many people -- experts, coaches, players -- thought a late-February battle between Ohio State and IU could settle the Big Ten title. A lot of those people -- those who picked Illinois and Iowa to win the conference -- were wrong. But when the dust settles tonight at Assembly Hall, either the No. 19 Buckeyes or the No. 23 Hoosiers will be in sole possession of first place and prime position to claim the Big Ten title.

Military strikes include food drops to Afghan people

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. military strikes Sunday in Afghanistan included airdrops of food, medicine and other humanitarian supplies.

New Democrats convene in Indy

INDIANAPOLIS -- A Democratic centrist group concluded a three-day boot camp for local and statewide candidates across the country Tuesday. The Democratic Leadership Council, now chaired by Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, preached a gospel of moderate social policy. More than 650 Democrats -- including about 250 elected officials -- descended on the Westin Hotel in downtown Indianapolis to discuss centrist policy initiatives. The general consensus was that the party will have to reposition itself with the cultural mainstream if it hopes to win another national election. Founded in 1985 by South Bend native Al From, the "New Democrat" council made its mark on the oldest political party in the world by staking out conservative fiscal positions, such as support for free trade. It's now the largest coalition group in both chambers of the U.S. Congress. Several Democratic leaders, such as Bayh and Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman, made the case Monday that liberal views on issues such as gun control and abortion have alienated many voters, particularly white males. Instead of gun control, From said Democrats should talk about "sensible gun safety" and try to assuage widespread fears of an imminent governmental seizure of firearms. But he insisted the party's lackluster performance in the last election goes beyond any one issue -- he said it's a matter of cultural distance from rural and suburban voters.

IUPD Blotter

The following activity was reported by the IU Police Department: Dec. 28 • Nonstudent Joseph D. Schilling, 26, reported someone broke into his vehicle while it was parked at Tulip Tree Apartments. Estimated loss is $350.

Fear lingers for students; University offers support

The attacks on New York City and Washington have been difficult for everyone to deal with, and IU is doing its part to help students through the tough times. The University organized a public forum Wednesday for students to hear from professors about Tuesday's events. Students were also able to ask questions and speak their mind. And while many emotions came to the surface, the most distinct, heard in the voice of almost everyone that spoke, was fear.

Fisher earns 9th place qualification

INDIANAPOLIS -- Sarah Fisher spent her post-qualifying news conference Saturday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway smiling, laughing, joking and savoring every moment.

The next step in civil safety?

The next time you're in Tampa, remember to smile. There's a fairly good chance you might just be on camera. Surely you've heard about these new cameras posted on street lamps in the Tampa area. They're designed to capture the image of your face and match it against a computer database to determine if you're a wanted criminal. I've got fifty bucks that says CBS is trying to take reality television to that next level, but I think I speak for all Americans when I say that the only spy cameras that should be allowed in this country are those in sorority houses.

Bush revokes Clinton's signature from international court treaty

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration has decided to renounce formal involvement in a treaty creating the world's first permanent war crimes tribunal, a senior administration official said Saturday.

Report claims more Hoosiers are pursuing higher education

Educational attainment has increased among Indiana residents, according to a 2000 Census analysis released last week by IU. The Indiana Business Research Center (IBRC), active in many Indiana Census programs, found that in 2000, 82.1 percent of Hoosiers over age 25 had at least a high school diploma, and 19.4 percent of this group earned a bachelor's degree or more. In 1990, these figures were 75.6 percent and 15.6 percent, respectively, according census figures.

Baseball stunned by Kile's death

The stunning death of St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Darryl Kile brought even baseball's toughest guys to tears Saturday.

Latest album has soul

Talent was one thing R&B chanteuse Aaliyah Haughton found early on. Unfortunately, a plane crash Saturday ended the 22-year-old's life before her prime, as her career in both music and film was taking off. In July, Aaliyah's self-titled third album was released, debuting at No. 2 on Billboard's Top 200 albums chart.

In a search for answers, 25-year-old finds success

NEW YORK -- The walls of Jonathan Safran Foer's apartment are covered with everything from a framed piece of blank paper from Susan Sontag to random sketches made by his friends. There is even an enormous canvas of a huge hand that the author himself painted.

Hoosiers get ready for No. 1 Duke

Make no mistake, the Hoosiers know what they are up against Thursday night when they face No. 1 Duke in the South Regional semifinals at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky. They will be playing the best team in their region and the Tournament and probably the nation. And after Blue Devils' guard Jason Williams was named the Naismith Player of the Year Monday, IU will be facing the best player in the nation on the best team.

World music in bloom

Americana woman

Carrie Newcomer steps unassumingly into the Bakehouse, her simple black dress and flat-heeled shoes belying the national fame that's prompted The Village Voice to deem her a "burning talent." With a tilt of her head and a flash of green-blue eyes, she acknowledges the barista behind the Bloomington eatery's counter, asking how she's doing and what's she's been up to. The employee's face immediately registers recognition and she's hooked, telling Newcomer of the past week's events as she brews a cup of coffee for the Bloomington singer-songwriter.

Teams have one last chance to compete, bring members together, before big race

This is the last weekend before Little 500, and the teams get one last chance to test their skills in preparation for the final race. The last series event, Team Pursuit, has teams squaring off against each other to snag the two fastest times. The two top times face off in the final round to determine the winners.

24-year-old elected to IU Board of Trustees

As of Saturday, Jamie Belanger, fiscal analyst for the Iams Company, will be the youngest member on the IU Board of Trustees. Belanger will also be the first trustee to serve while living outside of Indiana. A 2000 graduate of IU, Belanger was elected by the IU Alumni Association to serve a three-year term.

Jordan River Forum

Reparations a bad idea Students ripped off Mayor Fernandez performs poorly 'IDS' errs in not covering Planned Parenthood issue Basswood Drive blockade necessary No place for ignorance at IU Mitchel doesn't analyze all the issues Column not reflective of America Columnist makes different point than intended

State discusses money issues

The state legislature is currently meeting to decide how to handle two pressing issues that could hit Hoosiers where it hurts the most: The wallet. One is the $1.3 billion deficit in the state's budget, which could result in a double-digit tuition increase next year. The second involves a court ordered re-assessment of all property tax bills, which could lead to a massive tax increase for some property owners.