Community Arts

Budget cuts force layoff at Monroe Public Library

By Dan Hopmann · Friday, Aug. 26,2005 1:02 a.m.

For the first time this year, administrators at the Monroe County Public Library have been forced to downsize because of decreases in revenue and budget cuts.

Militants threaten to attack on Israel

By Alyson Brodsy · Friday, Aug. 26,2005 12:12 a.m.

TULKAREM, West Bank -- Militants said Thursday they will renew attacks on Israel, despite a six-month cease-fire, after Israeli soldiers killed five Palestinians in a West Bank arrest raid. The killings and the threat of revenge ended a lull that accompanied Israel's just-completed withdrawal from 25 Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip and West Bank.

Storm triggers rise in world crude prices

By Alyson Brodsy · Friday, Aug. 26,2005 12:11 a.m.

BUDAPEST, Hungary -- Oil prices crept up to settle at a new high Thursday, taking their cue from a rally in gasoline futures contracts, but analysts said the momentum is somewhat bewildering given the easing of concerns about a storm expected to move into the Gulf of Mexico.

After 3rd deadlock, still no Iraq constitution

By Alyson Brodsy and Bassem Mroue · Friday, Aug. 26,2005 12:10 a.m.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- The speaker of Iraq's Parliament announced a one-day extension early Friday in talks on Iraq's new constitution -- a fourth attempt to win Sunni Arab approval. But he said if no agreement is reached, the document would bypass parliament completely and be decided in an Oct. 15 referendum.

Liberal myths

By Alyson Brodsy · Friday, Aug. 26,2005 12:09 a.m.

How do die-hard liberals and die-hard conservatives come to know which camp they belong to, assuming they think for themselves? And what makes them so annoying? It probably has something to do with their neatly packaged world views, with assumptions such as, "liberals have no morals" or "conservatives are greedy."

Let's hold off classes

By Alyson Brodsy and Brian J. McFillen · Friday, Aug. 26,2005 12:08 a.m.

Classes begin Monday. But do they have to? Would it kill the board of trustees or the Indiana Commission for Higher Education or Gov. Mitch Daniels if summer break were two weeks longer? The 2005-06 school year will likely be of profound and lasting importance. Rushing into it could bring about disastrous mistakes. Like the carpenters say: "measure twice, cut once." Have we really measured twice, or are we just tossing this year into the old academic band saw?

Lessons from Iran

By Alyson Brodsy and Patrick Schoettmer · Friday, Aug. 26,2005 12:07 a.m.

I have taken quite an interest in the story of two Iranian teens executed for homosexuality and assorted other sundry (and sordid) crimes. For those unfamiliar with the incident, two teenage boys were executed in Iran in July. They were executed for a number of crimes. One of the crimes considered worthy of death: homosexuality. The other: participating in the gang rape of a 13-year-old boy.

Put your diversity where your mouth is

By Alyson Brodsy · Friday, Aug. 26,2005 12:05 a.m.

Thursday's CultureFest -- the socially-infused block party with a variety of ethnic foods, dances and more -- was a great opportunity to showcase IU's different culture centers and opportunities. Many student groups are able to set up tents, meet and greet incoming freshmen and display a stratified campus culture. What happens after the tents come down is anybody's guess.

Proposed legislation, new Web site aimed at sex offenders

By Alyson Brodsy and Mike Smith · Thursday, Aug. 25,2005 11:38 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- More convicted sex offenders would be prohibited from living within 1,000 feet of schools or day cares under legislation a state senator plans to introduce next session. Republican state Sen. Jeff Drozda of Westfield and police also announced support Thursday for a new Web site they say is easier to navigate and will allow people to be notified if a sex offender moves within five miles of an address. It includes detailed maps of where sex offenders live, aerial photographs of areas and schools locations.

Freshmen Frenzy

By Trevor brown · Thursday, Aug. 25,2005 2:47 a.m.

Freshmen at IU expect to meet new roommates on move-in day. They expect to meet resident assistants and maybe their residence manager. But most likely, they don't expect to meet the president of IU. Adam Herbert, the head of all University operations, welcomed a few dozen students as they moved into Foster Quad Wednesday morning. Herbert said his annual visit makes it clear to parents and freshmen that he leads a supportive University.

Returning students bombard retailers

By Mike Wilson · Thursday, Aug. 25,2005 2:21 a.m.

Swarms of students and parents pillaged stores Wednesday, pumping dollars into local businesses as the class of 2009 settled into their new homes. Supermarkets, restaurants and general retailers from Kirkwood Avenue to College Mall have taken on the hoards of kids and their credit card-wielding parents with increasing frequency throughout the week, according to managers and employees throughout the city.

Sophomore's poem highlights induction ceremony

By Brian Baker · Thursday, Aug. 25,2005 2:21 a.m.

The University seal lowered and the pipe organ blew to announce the beginning of IU's Freshman Induction Ceremony, the official acceptance of Bloomington's newly initiated Class of 2009. The event, which annually serves to welcome freshmen and to provide emotional salve to parents just before the moment of severance, could have been mistaken for the marriage of lesser royals had it not been for an abundance of Hollister T-shirts. Still, amid what some could justifiably have conceived as pomp, the event was not thoughtfully dismissed.

All moved in, no place to go FIND YOUR FUN

By C. Warner Sills and weekend staff · Thursday, Aug. 25,2005 1:49 a.m.

It's your first weekend in Bloomington. Instead of sitting in your dorm room staring at your new roommate, get off your butt and do something. Let IDS WEEKEND break it down for you. Here's the fat, the skinny and everything in between.

Campus, city offer parking amnesty through Monday

Thursday, Aug. 25,2005 1:31 a.m.

Incoming students and belabored parents don't need to worry about obeying parking laws as they move in this week. Bloomington and IU Parking Operations will not be ticketing drivers who don't have parking tags, at least until Monday when classes resume, according to parking officials.

Police still searching for former baseball star

By Alyson Brodsy and Mitch Stacy · Thursday, Aug. 25,2005 1:28 a.m.

TAMPA, Fla. - Police talked to relatives and acquaintances of Dwight Gooden for a third day in a row in their effort to find and arrest the former baseball star, who fled after being pulled over on suspicion of drunken driving.

NCAA adds extra year to South Carolina's probation

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, Aug. 25,2005 1:26 a.m.

COLUMBIA, S.C. - The NCAA added an extra year to South Carolina's self-imposed two years' probation, but did not impose sanctions on TV or postseason appearances for 10 violations that occurred during the tenure of retired football coach Lou Holtz.

Atlanta edges Chicago 3-1

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, Aug. 25,2005 1:25 a.m.

Two bunts, a bad throw and a tricky hop turned around the Atlanta Braves' day and sent Mark Prior and the Chicago Cubs to another numbing defeat at Wrigley Field.

IU's incoming freshmen on display in scrimmage

By Chris Engel · Thursday, Aug. 25,2005 1:20 a.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The new faces of Hoosier basketball continued giving fans a glimpse of upcoming seasons Tuesday night as a statewide exhibition tour wound through Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis.

Tour director: Armstrong 'fooled' the sports world

By Alyson Brodsy and Angela Doland · Thursday, Aug. 25,2005 1:19 a.m.

PARIS - Sounding convinced that Lance Armstrong is guilty of doping, the director of the Tour de France said "we were all fooled" and the seven-time champion owes an explanation for "proven scientific facts" from a newspaper report alleging he cheated to win cycling's most prestigious event. Jean-Marie Leblanc's comments appeared in the French sports daily L'Equipe Wednesday, a day after the newspaper reported that six urine samples provided by Armstrong during the '99 Tour tested positive for the red blood cell-booster EPO.

Turkish center picks Hoosiers instead of Tar Heels, Gators

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, Aug. 25,2005 1:17 a.m.

The IU basketball community was finally able to stop holding its breath Wednesday regarding prep star Brandon Rush -- even if only to say "who?" Turkish standout Cem Dinc made his own recruiting waves Thursday when he expressed interest in attending IU this year. The 6-foot-10, 255-pound center cancelled visits to the University of Florida and the University of North Carolina after spending the early part of the week in Bloomington.