Community Arts

Bravo, Mr. Bavetta

These referees, officials, judges, whatever you want to call them -- I can't stand them. They are trained to get the call right, and when they don't, they maintain their omnipotent omnipresence as if they were hostesses at the pearly gates of heaven. And what's worse? They never miss a game. At least, that is the case with NBA official Dick Bavetta. On Feb. 8, Bavetta, at 66 years of age, worked his 2,135th game for the NBA in zebra pinstripes. But what is more impressive than that is the number of games he has missed since starting out as an official in 1975.

Davis criticizes detractors

As Hoosier coach Mike Davis continues to try to fulfill his job description and coach basketball, he finds himself continually answering questions about his job -- not his team. For the second day in a row, Davis' comments made national headlines as he addressed the media during a Big Ten teleconference. "It doesn't make any sense," he said. "I've been under fire for the past weeks by not just the fans, but the media. And we were one game out of first place during that time. We were ranked in the top 20 during that time."

SPEA students sell valentines to benefit seniors

While flowers, candy and jewelry are classic gestures of devotion on Valentine's Day, Ashley Groth, a student in public affairs, is out to prove she won't drain her bank account to show she cares. Groth is one of three members of the School of Public and Environmental Affair's Service Corps who will be selling valentine cards for $1 from Feb. 13 to Feb. 15 in the SPEA atrium. All profits will go to Area 10 Agency on Aging as part of its annual "Have-a-Heart for the Homebound" fundraiser benefiting Monroe and Owen county senior citizens.

DID YOU KNOW?

Sallie Mae brings 700 jobs to Muncie

MUNCIE - Student loan provider Sallie Mae plans to open a center in the Muncie that would create an estimated 700 jobs over three years, officials said Monday. "Today's job announcement is the largest here in 20 years and means that our high school and college graduates can choose a career with a Fortune 500 company right here in Muncie," Muncie Mayor Dan Canan said.

Athletics department funds $1.5 million facility

Following its most successful season in school history, the IU field hockey team will be rewarded with a "state of the art" outdoor facility set to open this fall. On Feb. 3, the IU board of trustees approved a $1.5 million plan to build a field hockey field with a synthetic playing surface and an adjacent soccer practice field with a natural grass surface. The fields will be located between the IU outdoor swimming pool and St. Paul's Catholic Center. The plan includes fencing, a scoreboard, safety nets and an irrigation and drainage system for the soccer field.

Community can see stars at observatory

As any astronomy major can tell you, IU's eye to the sky can be found in the Kirkwood Observatory behind the intersection of Fourth Street and Indiana Avenue. What he or she may not be able to tell you is the Observatory's age -- 106.

CAMPUS QUIZ

Though probably the least lively spot on campus, Dunn Cemetery is also one of the most exclusive -- even deceased songwriter and IU alumnus Hoagy Carmichael was denied entrance. According to an IDS article from September 1978, Carmichael requested a plot in the cemetery, but was denied permission because only descendents of the sisters Ellenor Dunn, Nancy Alexander and Jane Irwin may be buried in the area, also referred to as "God's Acre."

Minor encourages community involvement, service learning

Volunteering has been a part of junior Megan Moore's life since high school. So when freshman adviser Joelene Bergonzi urged her to try "Beyond the Sample Gates," a service learning seminar in the Leadership, Ethics and Social Action Department, she did not hesitate.

MEDITATION MONDAY

UITS assists in program to provide aerial images

University Information Technology Services has teamed up with the Indiana Geographic Information Council to construct a database for the images provided by the Statewide Digital Orthophotography Program. When completed, the program will provide high-resolution color aerial photos of all 92 counties in Indiana, said Anna Radue, database and GIS specialist for IU.

Professor dismisses Valentine's Day

Sentimental Valentine's Day cards, large bouquets of flowers, oversized teddy bears and red heart-shaped containers of chocolates have taken over the shelves of department stores and malls across the country. With television advertisements encouraging the purchase of expensive jewelry or other gifts, some may find it impossible to remain sane during the holiday frenzy. But before consumers rush to buy that necklace on sale or that overpriced bottle of perfume for a girlfriend or crush, one IU professor stresses the importance of finding more creative ways to spend the day.

U.S. cheese maker says it can produce Parmesan faster

WASHINGTON -- In Italy, it takes at least a year to cure Parmigiano Reggiano, the original Parmesan cheese. The U.S. standard is 10 months, but Northfield, Ill.-based Kraft Foods, seller of the green shaker can that brought Parmesan to the masses, says it can speed the process and wants a six-month standard.

Business grows through word of mouth at Avalon Kingdom

Freshman Chris Sexton heard about Avalon Kingdom from an ex-girlfriend. A gaming buddy told junior Mark Cooper. Freshman Ben Tash caught word on Facebook. Avalon Kingdom is a one-stop geek shop, for lack of a better description. It is a hobby shop that sells collectable card games like Magic: The Gathering and Pokemon, as well as books and dice for playing Dungeons and Dragons, comic books, action figures and even steel swords and axes forged in the likeness of the weapons in the "Lord of the Rings" movies.

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS

ARTIFACTS

What: Danzante (1947) by Diego Rivera (Mexican, 1886-1957) Where to find it: IU Art Museum, Post-1800 Western Collection

Resonating the Renaissance

Strength, power and beauty could be heard at the top of the Music Addition. Resonance filled room 454 as 26 voices beautifully blended harmonies over a small orchestra. At the center of the two ensembles is one man. He captivates the attention of every person in the room. His long fingers were like the paintbrush that guides a masterpiece across a canvas, and his animated body and expressions dictate the music heard.

IU music students to perform in D.C.

Eight Jacobs School of Music students will perform for the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage Conservatory Project tonight at 6 p.m.. The event will be held in the John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center in Washington, D.C. Pianist Ayako Toba, baritone Christopher Bolduc, soprano Jing Zhang, violinist Frederieke Saeijs and the Kuttner quartet, which includes violinists Sarah Kim and Robin Scott, violist Yoo-jin Cho and cellist Ana Kim, will showcase their skills. The event is an initiative of the Performing Arts for Everyone project that schedules 365 free performances, one for every day of the year, for the Millennium Stage. The Conservatory Project gives college students a chance to perform in front of a large audience. The audience mostly comprises middle- and high school-aged students who are interested in pursuing music in college.

Ballet major describes physical challenges of his art

For about six hours every day, 44 determined and dedicated students plié and relevé at the Musical Arts Center. These students, majors in ballet in the IU Jacobs School of Music, most likely have been working their whole lives toward a dream of dancing with a major ballet company. Freshman Tony Flannigan is one of three male freshmen in the ballet department. He has been dancing since he was 3 years old, because his mom loved ballet, but wasn't able to do it professionally.

New program will train future IU leaders

Problems with IU's leadership structure prompted the largest set of administrative changes in IU history last month. Last week, IU President Adam Herbert took another step in fixing leadership problems.