Region

Around the Statehouse

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Feb. 25,2003 11:30 p.m.

About 200 people rallied in the Statehouse rotunda Tuesday in support of a bill that would provide health insurance coverage for substance-abuse treatment. Three state senators introduced a resolution Tuesday asking for an interim study of nightclub safety and the use of indoor pyrotechnics in Indiana.

Kiss causes jail time

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Feb. 25,2003 11:30 p.m.

TERRE HAUTE -- A methamphetamine-packed kiss at the end of a jailhouse wedding is costing both husband and wife some time behind bars.

Death sentence upheld

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Feb. 25,2003 11:29 p.m.

FRANKLIN, Ind. -- A man convicted of killing a Franklin College student has lost his appeal before the Indiana Supreme Court.

House proposal cuts Governor's research funding

By Alyson Brodsy and Mike Smith · Tuesday, Feb. 25,2003 11:29 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- House Democrats proposed more changes to Gov. Frank O'Bannon's economic development plan on Tuesday, including reductions in potential funding for his research and scholarship initiatives.

Meningitis outbreak closes elementary school

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Feb. 25,2003 11:29 p.m.

HUNTINGTON, Ind. -- Health officials closed an elementary school Tuesday where three students have been diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. Northwest Elementary School is being closed for three days so that students, teachers and staff can receive preventative medical treatment.

Shovel your sidewalks

Tuesday, Feb. 25,2003 11:20 p.m.

Right now, people are wiping out all over Bloomington. It's an all-too-common scene to watch someone go from foot to posterior in the blink of an eye. Snowy, icy sidewalks are dangerous to everyone, and everyone needs to help fix them.

Leftist comic stripped of logic

By Drew Buser · Tuesday, Feb. 25,2003 10:59 p.m.

Self-described leftist comic strip artist Aaron McGruder is an idiot. He is a hatemonger posing as a "social activist" to give credit to his venom and stupidity. When Mr. McGruder spoke at IU Thursday, he made a variety of bogus claims in between plugging his "Boondocks" comic strip. However, most glaring was his statement that Republicans murdered Senator Paul Wellstone of Minnesota, whose plane crashed weeks before the November 2002 elections. Is there any evidence Republicans murdered Senator Wellstone?

Java genius

By Tony Sams · Tuesday, Feb. 25,2003 10:54 p.m.

I prefer to write my column from the comfort of my dorm (read as: I can wear only boxers without being harassed). But I admit I've had a hypothesis since I've arrived at IU about doing work and coffee houses.

Rather interviews Saddam for CBS

By Alyson Brodsy and David Bauder · Tuesday, Feb. 25,2003 1:32 a.m.

NEW YORK -- CBS News' Dan Rather said hard work and luck helped him land his interview with Saddam Hussein on Monday _ the Iraqi leader's first interview with a foreign television journalist in 12 years. CBS posted a report about the interview on its Web site Monday afternoon, saying Saddam has challenged President Bush to a live debate on their nations' differences.

Rematch with Illinois

By Sara Meinecke and Sarah Meinecke · Tuesday, Feb. 25,2003 1:11 a.m.

The IU men's basketball team is set to take the floor at 9 p.m. tonight in Assembly Hall against the University of Illinois. Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, it's not the Assembly Hall that is home for them. Instead, IU travels to Champaign-Urbana to face the No. 18th ranked Fighting Illini (17-5, 7-4 Big Ten) in the like-named stadium. The game, which is set to be aired on ESPN, is a rematch between two of the 2002 co-Big Ten season champions. IU and Illinois first faced each other this season on Jan. 18 in Bloomington. At the time, the Hoosiers were ranked in the top-20 and the Illini were enjoying a top-10 ranking.

Supreme Court denies hearing

By Julia Balnford and Julia Blanford · Tuesday, Feb. 25,2003 1:09 a.m.

Indiana women will now have to receive in-person counseling 18 hours prior to having an abortion. The state mandated counseling would give women information about abortion and alternatives to the procedure. The U. S. Supreme Court denied the hearing of the Indiana Civil Liberties Union, declaring the original law to be constitutional and to stand as the guiding procedure for women wishing to have an abortion.

Saddam wants to debate Bush

By Alyson Brodsy and Niko Price · Tuesday, Feb. 25,2003 1:09 a.m.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Saddam Hussein indicated on Monday that he does not intend to follow U.N. orders to destroy his Al-Samoud 2 missiles, and challenged President Bush to an internationally televised debate via satellite linkup. In a three-hour interview with CBS anchor Dan Rather, the Iraqi leader said he envisioned a live debate with Bush along the lines of those in a U.S. presidential campaign, according to the network. The White House dismissed the debate offer as meaningless.

IUSA debate draws small crowd, causing one ticket to walk out

By Jake Rossman · Tuesday, Feb. 25,2003 1:09 a.m.

Seeing under 50 people in attendance at this year's IU Student Association debate prompted the Unity party to leave the event just as it was beginning. Unity presidential candidate Aaron Radez used his five minute introduction to explain why he and his party were leaving.

Finding comfort in a TV slayer

By Danielle Gingerich · Tuesday, Feb. 25,2003 1:09 a.m.

Freshman Brianna Jacobson has flown 16,800 miles to and from Indianapolis and Los Angeles to quench her addiction for the sitcom "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." For the past four years, she has hung out with hundreds of other "Buffy" fans at conventions that celebrate the show.

More snow ahead

By Ben Cunnighman and Ben Cunningham · Tuesday, Feb. 25,2003 1:09 a.m.

The sentiments are the same. Maintenance crews are tired of it. Students are sick of it. Yet others are making the best of the situation. Snowmen -- even one made from a keg -- are popping up all over Bloomington in the latest winter storm that hit Monday. Four inches of snow poured down on Bloomington early Monday morning, according to the National Weather Service. That makes a total of nine inches for the weekend, and the winter season isn't over yet.

IU plans for IT building

By Adam Aasen · Tuesday, Feb. 25,2003 1:09 a.m.

IU's Information Technology is planning to build a new home at 11th and Walnut Grove streets, which will house the core of IU's computing and information technology infrastructure. The board of trustees' facilities committee will interview four architectural firms today for the job of designing the building, to be named the Computation and Information Building.

Zambian president arrested for theft

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Feb. 25,2003 12:31 a.m.

LUSAKA, Zambia -- Former Zambian President Frederick Chiluba was arrested and charged Monday with stealing from the government while in office, officials said. Chiluba was charged at Lusaka Magistrates Court with 59 counts of theft by a public servant.

China calls for direct talks

By Alyson Brodsy and George Gedda · Tuesday, Feb. 25,2003 12:31 a.m.

BEIJING -- Chinese officials rejected Secretary of State Colin Powell's appeal Monday for a regional approach to the North Korean nuclear standoff and called for direct talks between the United States and Pyongyang to resolve concerns over the communist nation's nuclear weapons programs.

Sharon adds right-leaning party

By Alyson Brodsy and Mark Lavie · Tuesday, Feb. 25,2003 12:30 a.m.

JERUSALEM -- Prime Minister Ariel Sharon signed up the secularist Shinui party Monday, forming a right-leaning coalition that will likely make it difficult to move toward the establishment of a Palestinian state and could redefine the role of religion in the state.

Turkey OKs US troops

By Alyson Brodsy and Louis Meixler · Tuesday, Feb. 25,2003 12:29 a.m.

ANKARA, Turkey -- Turkey's Cabinet agreed Monday to host tens of thousands of U.S. combat troops, a key step toward allowing Washington to forge ahead with plans for a northern front against Iraq. Government spokesman Abdullatif Sener said the measure was being sent to parliament Monday. A vote Tuesday is widely expected, but passage of the bill is not certain.