Region

Despite PG rating,still exciting

By Alyson Brodsy and Sean Abbott · Wednesday, Nov. 2,2005 8:26 p.m.

Sometimes overdue sequels fail to capture the magic of the original films. Sometimes kids in action movies ruin the experience. Sometimes movies advertised as "family adventures" only inspire the adventure of leaving the theater disappointed.

A storm on the rise

By Alyson Brodsy and Matt McMullan · Wednesday, Nov. 2,2005 8:15 p.m.

Dave Spritz is a Chicagoland news weather guy. He's got a nice apartment, a nice car and an unbelievably easy job. For better or for worse, he's got local fame. And a national morning news program (and its substantial pay increase) is looking for a new Willard Scott, and they think it might be him. They've seen his work, and they're impressed.

A blue bug goes green

By Nate Gowdy · Wednesday, Nov. 2,2005 12:29 a.m.

One local restaurant owner's vehicle is proof that what's bad for your health might be great for your car -- as well as your pocketbook and the environment. Ron Stanhouse, owner of the Crazy Horse, 214 W. Kirkwood Ave., has been selling fried foods for nearly half his life. While the restaurant's greasy foods might not be beneficial to customers' waistlines, they are great for his blue 1999 Volkswagen Beetle. Stanhouse recently purchased the diesel-run vehicle on eBay, only to have it adapted to run on cleaner-burning waste vegetable oil, in addition to regular diesel. It was driven in last month's IU Homecoming parade.

Driver to plead guilty to charge

By Elisha Sauers · Wednesday, Nov. 2,2005 12:29 a.m.

The man accused of fleeing the scene of a car crash involving three IU students and killing one of them, 21-year-old Ashley Crouse, will plead guilty to a class C felony charge. Meliton Praxidis signed a plea agreement Tuesday, which could result in a sentence of two to eight years in prison. His sentencing hearing will convene Dec. 14. Because Praxidis does not speak English, a court-appointed interpreter assisted him in court.

Herbert defends search delay

By Chip Cutter · Wednesday, Nov. 2,2005 12:29 a.m.

IU President Adam Herbert defended his decision to continue the search for a new Bloomington chancellor Tuesday, a day after he announced he would not choose any of the three finalists for the position. Speaking to the Bloomington Faculty Council Tuesday afternoon, Herbert said the University was looking to find a candidate who was a strong leader, capable of propelling the University forward, yet he provided few details on what specific traits were lacking from the finalists.

Alumna recalls perils of Indiana 'slow time'

By Jamie Ward · Wednesday, Nov. 2,2005 12:29 a.m.

She grew up in an Indiana town. She had a nice mother, always around. She grew up tall, she grew up right, and for some strange reason, the clocks were never right. So goes the story for Jessica Kaplan, a 5-feet-7-inch 1997 IU graduate originally from Rolling Prairie, Ind., and now an IT project manager for the Cintas Corporation of Cincinnati. For Kaplan, who was raised in LaPorte County and whose father worked in St. Joseph's County, this meant growing up with two different clocks in the house: one for each of Indiana's two primary time zones. Growing up also meant attending junior and senior high school with students from two different time zones, something she described as "confusing sometimes." From late October to early April every year, the clocks of Kaplan's home were one hour apart as LaPorte County observed Central Daylight Time or "slow" time and St. Joseph's County observed Indiana or "fast" time.

Long John Silver's robbed at gunpoint

By Gavin Lesnick · Wednesday, Nov. 2,2005 12:16 a.m.

Two men armed with a semi-automatic handgun robbed Long John Silver's Tuesday night and escaped with an undetermined amount of cash. Bloomington Police officers responded to the call just after 10 p.m., but not before the men fled out the back of the restaurant, which is located at 3811 W. Third St.

Natural gas costs to increase by one-third

By Michael Sanserino · Wednesday, Nov. 2,2005 12:15 a.m.

As experts predict a colder-than-usual winter, Gov. Mitch Daniels urged Indiana citizens to conserve home- heating fuel to minimize the burden of increased natural gas costs. Gas prices have doubled compared to last year because of increases in wholesale natural gas prices, according to an Oct. 13 statement from the governor's office. The Vectren Corporation, supplier of natural gas to two-thirds of southern Indiana and the Dayton, Ohio, area, warned customers their natural gas bills could be 28 to 32 percent more expensive than last year's.

GOP enthusiastic about Alito; Democrats threaten filibuster

By Alyson Brodsy and Jesse J. Holland · Wednesday, Nov. 2,2005 12:07 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito is "clearly within the mainstream" and shouldn't be filibustered, declared a Republican who helped fashion a plan limiting parliamentary roadblocks for judicial nominees.

Suzuki, Hunter, Chavez win fifth straight Gold Gloves

By Alyson Brodsy and Ronald Blum · Wednesday, Nov. 2,2005 12:06 a.m.

NEW YORK -- Seattle right fielder Ichiro Suzuki, Minnesota center fielder Torii Hunter and Oakland third baseman Eric Chavez won their fifth straight Gold Gloves Tuesday. Boston catcher Jason Varitek, Texas first baseman Mark Teixeira and Toronto second baseman Orlando Hudson were first-time winners, while New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter and Blue Jays outfielder Vernon Wells won for the second straight season.

Bush outlines $7.1 million strategy to prepare for flu pandemic

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, Nov. 2,2005 12:06 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- President Bush outlined a $7.1 billion strategy Tuesday to prepare for a possible worldwide super-flu outbreak, aiming to overhaul the vaccine industry so eventually every American could be inoculated within six months of a pandemic's beginning. Such a huge change would take years to implement -- Bush's goal is 2010 -- and his plan drew immediate fire from critics who said it wouldn't provide enough protection in the meantime.

Democrats force Senate into unusual closed session

By Alyson Brodsy and Liz Sidoti · Wednesday, Nov. 2,2005 12:05 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Democrats forced the Republican-controlled Senate into an unusual closed session Tuesday, questioning intelligence that President Bush used in the run-up to the war in Iraq and accusing Republicans of ignoring the issue. "They have repeatedly chosen to protect the Republican administration rather than get to the bottom of what happened and why," Democratic leader Harry Reid said. Taken by surprise, Republicans derided the move as a political stunt.

8 killed as riot police, opposition clash in Ethiopia

By Alyson Brodsy and Anthony Mitchell · Wednesday, Nov. 2,2005 12:03 a.m.

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia -- Riot police clashed with dozens of opposition supporters in Ethiopia's capital Tuesday, leaving eight people dead and 43 wounded in renewed protests against disputed elections, the Information Ministry said.

Judge removed for possible bias in DeLay conspiracy case

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, Nov. 2,2005 12:02 a.m.

AUSTIN, Texas -- The judge in the conspiracy case against Republican Rep. Tom DeLay was removed at the congressman's request Tuesday because of his donations to Democratic candidates and causes.

What's your excuse?

By Mike Wilson · Wednesday, Nov. 2,2005 12 a.m.

An excuse about a faulty alarm clock, a common alibi among students for showing up late, results in more than a reduced grade for the cadets in the IU Police Department academy. "We have them give lectures on how an alarm clock functions," said IUPD Training Lt. Greg Butler. Cadets often supplement their 10-minute presentations with PowerPoint slides with diagrams to demonstrate the potential perils of clocks, including power surges and hitting the snooze button, he added.

Stronger push for video gambling expected in upcoming session

By Alyson Brodsy and Mike Smith · Tuesday, Nov. 1,2005 11:56 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Efforts to legalize video gambling machines in taverns and other places that sell alcohol could heat up when the legislative session begins in January, proponents and some lawmakers say.

New restaurant to showcase local artists, Italian cuisine

By Roy Maurer · Tuesday, Nov. 1,2005 11:55 p.m.

The Prospect Hill neighborhood west of the downtown square is one step closer to becoming Bloomington's Little Italy with the upcoming opening of the Ragazzi Arte Café.

ATA ending service in home city of Indianapolis

By Alyson Brodsy and Ashley M. Heher · Tuesday, Nov. 1,2005 11:54 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Bankrupt carrier ATA's financial problems are forcing it to halt flights to and from its hometown of Indianapolis after 32 years of operations there, company executives said Tuesday.

Foosball club looking to get ball rolling on season

By Kevin Kane · Tuesday, Nov. 1,2005 11:52 p.m.

It's been called table soccer, table football and even babyfoot, but most people know it as foosball. With its unique mix of soccer and puppetry, it's a very common pastime for people of all ages. What is not widely known, however, is that a club for this sport exists at IU.

All-Stars win back-to-back championships

By Joel Sanders · Tuesday, Nov. 1,2005 11:50 p.m.

Monday night, the Mike Standerski All-Stars wrapped up their second consecutive undefeated season by defeating the Pi Kappas 30-15 in the intramural whiffleball championship. The win makes 15 in a row for the All-Stars, bringing their three-year record to 21-2. "It's amazing," said junior Justin Ross. "We were upset when we didn't win our freshman year, but this has been unbelievable. It's fun to say you're back-to-back champions at a university like this. You don't get that opportunity every day, no matter what the sport is."