Longform

Va. governor announces review of Va. Tech’s handling of shootings

By Ab D. Phillip · Wednesday, April 25,2007 12 a.m.

BLACKSBURG, Va. – Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine announced that he intends to form an eight-person panel to review Virginia Tech’s handling of last Monday’s shootings. After announcing the panel Tuesday, Kaine appointed retired Superintendent of Virginia State Police Lt. Colonel Gerald Massengill to lead the independent committee review board on Wednesday.

Absentee American

By Megan Robb · Wednesday, April 25,2007 12 a.m.

OXFORD, England – I wrote my first column this year about the benefits of studying abroad. Exposure to another culture or language enriches our appreciation of the world’s diversity. Exposure to international politics teaches us, as American students, that we are quickly falling from the pinnacle of power we so recently enjoyed. And of course, cheap travel to European countries is a novelty that still hasn’t worn off.

UPDATE: 8 p.m. Excise busts IU student for creating fake IDs

By Paige Ingram · Wednesday, April 25,2007 12 a.m.

The hands that have created hundreds of fake IDs for Bloomington residents were locked in handcuffs today, as Indiana State Excise Police discovered a counterfeit operation. IU student Nicholas Richardson, 21, has been lauded by police as “the largest manufacturer of false IDs in Bloomington,” excise officer Travis R. Thickstun said. Wednesday afternoon, police removed supplies from Richardson’s apartment within Smallwood Plaza, 455 N. College Ave., that suggested this notoriety was accurate. A cardboard Nutri-Grain box, carried out by Lt. Ken Murphy, was filled with pre-cut laminates, colored dust to produce holograms, ink cartridges and high-end printers.

Prison riot injures 9 in New Castle

By Alexandra R. Moses and Charles Wilson · Wednesday, April 25,2007 12 a.m.

NEW CASTLE, Ind. – Inmates rioted for two hours at a medium-security men’s prison Tuesday, injuring two staff members, and investigators were trying to determine whether tensions between inmates from Arizona and Indiana were at the root of the conflict.

Laughner builds skating team from scratch over four years

By Shannon McEnerney · Wednesday, April 25,2007 12 a.m.

When she first came to IU four years ago, senior Katie Laughner wasn’t ready to lace up her skates and put an end to her competitive skating career that began when she was 2.

Around the World

By Abisalom Omolo · Wednesday, April 25,2007 12 a.m.

A mineral recently discovered in Serbia has the same composition as kryptonite – the fictional substance that robs Superman of his powers – the British Museum said Tuesday. While the material is not a perfect match, its chemical breakdown is strikingly similar.

Table tennis club looks to expand

By Linnea Coulter · Wednesday, April 25,2007 12 a.m.

Every weekend, college students across the country put pingpong balls to good use – by tossing them into plastic cups full of beer. However, the IU Table Tennis Club knows pingpong balls offer other uses besides drinking games and knows they can bring bigger victories, too.

Bloomington to celebrate Arbor Day with tree planting

By Bonnie White · Wednesday, April 25,2007 12 a.m.

Arbor Day will be celebrated this year by the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department. A ceremony will take place at Banneker Community Center, 930 W. 7th Street, and will add yet another tree to Bloomington’s collection of 18,000 publicly-owned trees at 4 p.m. Friday.

Dean of infomatics wins governor’s award

By Chelsea Merta · Wednesday, April 25,2007 12 a.m.

School of Informatics Dean Michael Dunn was presented with the highest award given by the governor of Indiana: the Sagamore of the Wabash . The award is bestowed to outstanding candidates at the governor of Indiana’s discretion, usually to honor community and professional contributions, said Joe Stuteville, coordinator of media relations at the School of Informatics.

Holy experiences

By Chip Cutter · Wednesday, April 25,2007 12 a.m.

It’s 8 on a Thursday night, and the lights inside a stadium-style lecture hall in the Chemistry Building are dim. Students pump their hands in the air, scream out to their friends and randomly exchange hugs. A six-person band, complete with a cymbal-banging drummer, rocks on.

Memorial to be held for Taylor students

By AP Reports and Alexandra R. Moses · Wednesday, April 25,2007 12 a.m.

UPLAND, Ind.– Taylor University officials are urging students to mark the one-year anniversary of a crash that killed four students by attending a campus memorial, and to avoid visiting the highway crash site.

IU baseball coach to face old squad

By Tim O Brien and Tim O'Brien · Wednesday, April 25,2007 12 a.m.

After being swept in a four-game series at Ohio State this weekend, the IU baseball team will play at Miami University of Ohio today with a home field of sorts. Today’s game will be the first time IU coach Tracy Smith returns to the school he attended as a student and served as the head coach at for nine years before coming to IU for the 2006 season. Tonight’s game is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Diverse COMUnity

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, April 25,2007 12 a.m.

Last Monday, April 16, the Commission on Multicultural Understanding awarded its annual awards to an undergraduate student, graduate student, faculty member, staff member, Bloomington community member and one campus program. These awards recognize and honor “individuals who actively support, participate in, or encourage the exploration of cultural diversity in and around the IU campus.” Additionally, the commission tries to recognize individual volunteers in their efforts rather than people whose job it is to provide services that emphasize diversity and inclusion.

Ex-Pacer Mitchell wins NBA coach of the year honor

By Aaron Beard · Wednesday, April 25,2007 12 a.m.

Former Indiana Pacers player Sam Mitchell was honored as the NBA coach of the year Tuesday after leading the Toronto Raptors to a franchise-record-tying 47 victories and their first Atlantic Division title. “It’s a great honor,” Mitchell said. “It floors you. You’re thankful. Words just can’t express it.”

The last broadcast

By Brian J. McFillen and Brain J. McFillen · Wednesday, April 25,2007 12 a.m.

A month ago, I wrote about how a decision by the Library of Congress’ Copyright Royalty Board was threatening to wipe out Internet radio. In the five weeks since, things have only gotten worse. After losing an April 17 appeal to the board, starting May 15, Web broadcasters will immediately have to pay 0.08 cents in royalties for every song they played in 2006, then 0.11 cents for every song in 2007, followed by annual hikes up to 0.19 cents per song by 2010 – this will raise their operating costs by thousands and thousands of dollars, immediately bankrupting many stations. Furthermore, broadcasters will have to pay an extra $500 for every channel they have, and even non-profit stations such as National Public Radio will face higher costs.

Two IU games to be shown on TV in 2007

By Aaron Beard · Wednesday, April 25,2007 12 a.m.

The IU football team will get two prime time games in 2007, the Big Ten Network announced Tuesday. The network, which will launch in August, released its five-game prime time football schedule, featuring the Hoosiers’ season opener against Indiana State Sep. 1 and the Oct. 13 game at Michigan State.

Sustainability task force to monitor on-campus environmental issues

By Heather Haemker · Wednesday, April 25,2007 12 a.m.

A Sustainability Task Force on campus will address current environmental issues in order to preserve and conserve resources for a healthy, happy future for the IU campus. IU recently created the Sustainability Task Force as a way to develop a plan for improving the University’s environmental role in the challenges of reducing energy use, increasing recycling and other environmental issues.

Pulitzer Prize-winner Halberstam killed in car accident

By Michael Sanserino · Tuesday, April 24,2007 12 a.m.

Faculty members at the IU School of Journalism reacted with sadness and disappointment to the news of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Halberstam’s death on Monday. Halberstam, 73, was killed in a car accident Monday morning near San Francisco, The Associated Press reported. He spoke March 19 at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Ave., as part of the IU School of Journalism’s speaker series.

Stretch yourself

By Matt Peyton · Tuesday, April 24,2007 12 a.m.

So this week I was thinking back to my first yoga class. It was a little rough. First, there was trying to find the room in the rat maze they call the Wildermuth Intramural Center. Then there was making sure I wasn’t the only guy in the class. And finally, trying to learn the stuff but not be “that guy,” that so many of my friends warned me about. (I was supposed to try, but not too hard. Be good, but not too good, etc.)

Fasten your seat belts

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, April 24,2007 12 a.m.

Did you know that, as it stands now, if you’re older than 16, Indiana law doesn’t require you to wear a seat belt if you’re riding in a car’s backseat, in an SUV or in a pickup truck?