Community Arts

Afghan court dismisses case against Christian convert

By Alyson Brodsy · Monday, March 27,2006 2:09 a.m.

KABUL, Afghanistan -- A court on Sunday dismissed the case against an Afghan man facing possible execution for converting from Islam to Christianity, officials said, paving the way for his release. The move eased pressure from the West but raised the dilemma of protecting Abdul Rahman after his release as Islamic clerics have called for him to be killed.

Clash at Baghdad mosque reportedly kills 18 Iraqis

By Alyson Brodsy and Sinan Salaheddin · Monday, March 27,2006 2:09 a.m.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Police and a top aide to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr said Sunday that 18 people were killed in a clash involving U.S. and Iraqi army forces at a mosque in eastern Baghdad. The U.S. military said it had no information on the reported violence.

Congress takes up heated immigration debate

By Alyson Brodsy and Nedra Pickler · Monday, March 27,2006 2:06 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Founded by immigrants and praised as a haven for the oppressed, the United States now is struggling to decide the fate of as many as 12 million people living in the country illegally. The Senate takes up the emotional debate on the heels of weekend rallies that drew hundreds of thousands of people protesting attempts to toughen laws against immigrants.

ANTI-BUSH BANNER

By Alyson Brodsy · Monday, March 27,2006 2:03 a.m.

Anti-Bush Banner -- Eduardo Perez of Indianapolis joined other protesters outside the Murat Centre in downtown Indianapolis, Friday, as President Bush arrived to speak at a fundraiser for Rep. Mike Sodrel, R-9th District.

Bloomingtoid

By Alyson Brodsy · Monday, March 27,2006 2:02 a.m.

Statistics reveal that 14.3 percent of IU students were at risk for becoming overweight last year, which is defined as being at or above the 85th percentile but below the 94th percentile for body mass index by age and sex. In 2003, the same survey only recorded a risk of 11.5 percent of IU students. Body mass index is determined based on self-reported weight and height data.

CVS robber still on the loose

By Audrie Garrison · Monday, March 27,2006 2:01 a.m.

Bloomington police are looking for a woman who robbed a CVS convenience store Friday morning, possibly with a gun. Four employees who were in the store reported that a woman wearing a ski cap walked into the store at about 6 a.m. and went directly back to a cooler and picked up a soft drink, said BPD Detective Sgt. David Drake, reading from the police report. The employees said she brought the bottle to the register.

Workshop promotes female city leaders

By Ariel Ivas · Monday, March 27,2006 2 a.m.

The Honorable Viola Taliaferro knows firsthand what it's like to overcome social obstacles to be a leader in a male-dominated world. In honor of women's history month, a steering committee selected Taliaferro, a Monroe County circuit judge, to be the keynote speaker of the annual "Women on Board" program, a leadership development workshop held Thursday at the Monroe County Public Library. The purpose of the event was to encourage women to become more active in the community through the participation in city leadership roles and boards.

Former IU student pleads guilty to drug charge

By Audrie Garrison · Monday, March 27,2006 1:59 a.m.

Former IU student Igor Zharovsky pleaded guilty last week to the charge of maintaining a common nuisance, a class D felony, receiving 30 days in jail with credit for one day he already served, according to the chronological case summary. According to the summary, Zharovsky had also been formally charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana, but the charges were dropped after a plea bargain.

New Year fest marked at Willkie

By Beka Mech · Monday, March 27,2006 1:58 a.m.

Two women stand in a corner of Willkie Quad wearing ornate dresses of pink, orange, red and green. As they talk among themselves in the hallway, people scramble throughout the Willkie Auditorium, putting the finishing touches on details of the ninth annual Navruz Festival, an event held Sunday that included cultural exhibits, a program of performances and food sampling.

IUEMS stages mock car wreck Saturday

By Kasey Hawrysz · Monday, March 27,2006 1:57 a.m.

Coated in fake blood, vomit and intestines, seven volunteers spent more than an hour Saturday pretending to be victims as part of a mock car crash during intermission of Little 500 qualifications. The event, organized by the IUEMS, the emergency medical service group on campus, was intended to raise awareness about the dangers of driving while under the influence.

Facebook beginning to ban fake profiles

By Lee Hurwitz · Monday, March 27,2006 1:56 a.m.

As Facebook is becoming ever more popular, users can no longer enjoy the humor of being poked by a panda or a monkey. With more college (and now high school) students creating profiles on Facebook, other students have opted to take the more creative route of making fake profiles. However, Facebook has answered back and has decided to deactivate all fake profiles until the users change back to their actual identities.

Buck Owens, country music star famed for 'Act Naturally,' dies

By Alyson Brodsy and Greg Risling · Monday, March 27,2006 1:53 a.m.

LOS ANGELES - Singer Buck Owens, the flashy rhinestone cowboy who shaped the sound of country music with hits like "Act Naturally" and brought the genre to TV on the long-running "Hee Haw," died Saturday at the age of 76. Owens died at his home in Bakersfield, Calif., said family spokesman Jim Shaw. The cause of death was not immediately known. Owens had undergone throat cancer surgery in 1993 and was hospitalized with pneumonia in 1997.

IU's WNIT run ends

By Tim O Brien · Sunday, March 26,2006 5:19 p.m.

MILWAUKEE -- In the closing seconds of Friday night's WNIT match-up with Marquette, senior guard Cyndi Valentin found herself in a position most players can only dream of. With 11 seconds remaining in the game and the IU women's basketball team down three points, Valentin had the ball in her hands with the chance to send the game into overtime.

UPDATE: Cutters, Kappa Delta take poles for Little 500

By Alyson Brodsy · Saturday, March 25,2006 9:41 p.m.

Kappa Delta rider Lauren Ziemba's Little 500 wasn't supposed to be like this. Due to an injury to teammate Mary Gaz suffered Thursday night, Ziemba doubled her workload and peddled two laps during Saturday's qualifications. "I'm a senior this year and I thought this isn't how my senior year is supposed to be," she said. "I'm not supposed to ride two laps. It's supposed to go perfect -- perfect weather, perfect track, perfect quals."

IU alumnus vying for incumbent trustee's postSteve Sanders 1981 IDS article

By Michael Sanserino · Friday, March 24,2006 2:19 a.m.

For years, Steve Sanders worked for then-IU-Bloomington Chancellor Ken Gros Louis. Come June, Sanders hopes Gros Louis will work for him.

Pom squad gathers to rally support

By Audrie Garrison · Friday, March 24,2006 12:18 a.m.

Two weeks ago, members of the IU pom squad received e-mails notifying them that their 40-year-old organization would cease to exist at the end of the year, but Thursday night, the women said they plan to fight the decision. Eight of the 14 members of the squad gathered in the Alpha Omicron Pi living room Thursday night, piecing together a plan of action.

15th annual Miss Gay IU Friday night

By Rachel Skybetter · Friday, March 24,2006 12:18 a.m.

Although the local temperature has been well below average, it will be nothing but hot in the IU Auditorium Friday night at the 15th annual Miss Gay IU drag competition. The pageant hosted by OUT, IU's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Union, and has grown to become the largest collegiate drag pageant in the nation, according to the OUT Web site, www.indiana.edu/~out.

Bush to speak at Rep. Sodrel's fundraiser

By Carrie Ritchie · Friday, March 24,2006 12:18 a.m.

President George W. Bush will be appearing Friday at U.S. Rep. Mike Sodrel's fundraiser in Indianapolis. Sodrel's Chief of Staff Cam Savage said the event could bring in $500,000 for the congressman's campaign through the sales of its minimum $1,000 charge per ticket.

Gearing up

By Chris Engel · Friday, March 24,2006 12:18 a.m.

After weather conditions forced Little 500 teams to practice away from Bill Armstrong Stadium this week, riders are anxious to get back on the right track, even if that track is a bit sludgy. Qualifications for the men's and women's fields are all day Saturday, where teams compete to determine the racing order for the April event.

Bonds plans law suit over 'Game of Shadows' book

By Alyson Brodsy and Justin M. Norton · Friday, March 24,2006 12:03 a.m.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Barry Bonds plans to sue the authors and publisher of a book that alleges the San Francisco Giants' slugger used steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs.