November 29

• Indiana University has until January 3, 2003, to respond to Bob Knight's claims that he was wrongfully fired as men's basketball coach.  IU was supposed to respond next week to the allegations that Knight made in his lawsuit, but a Monroe County Judge granted the school a 30 day extension.  Knight sued the school in Monroe Circuit Court earlier this month after weeks of negotiations between his attorneys and the school collapsed.  Knight was fired in September 2000 by University President Myles Brand after IU officials said that he violated a zero-tolerance policy that they had imposed to control his behavior.  Knight is now coach at Texas Tech.  In his lawsuit, Knight claimed that he suffered losses in excess of $2 million.
  
  
• An appeals court denied Guidant Corporation and Cook Incorporated's requests for a stay on a permanent injunction.  The injunction prohibits the companies from using data from a clinical trial to prove the effectiveness of their drug coated coronary stent.  Bloomington based Cook wants Indianapolis based Guidant to distribute a Cook-developed heart stent used to prop open coronary arteries.  On October 1, a Federal Judge ruled in favor of Massachussettes based Boston Scientific Corporation.  Boston Scientific argued that a sales agreements last year between Cook and Guidant violated a 1997 licensing agreement over the use of the drug coating in Cook's stent.  Guidant says that it will continue its case against Boston Scientific and expects its partner Cook to appeal the ruling.
  
  
• Former Democratic State Representative Mark Kruzan has announced plans to run for the Mayor of Bloomington in 2003.  Kruzan announced on a radio talk show Wednesday that he would run.  He says he made it clear that he was interested in the job when he announced last spring that he would not seek a ninth term in the Indiana House.  Current Mayor John Fernandez, also a Democrat, already announced that he would not seek a third term.  Kruzan said that, as Mayor, he would be a consensus-builder working to ease the tension between city Democrats and Republicans and withing the two parties.  Kruzna also says that he opposes a proposal to extend Interstate 69 through southwestern Indiana.
  
  
• NORAD scrambled fighter jets Wddnesday late afternoon after unverified reports of a contrail.  A contrail is created by vapor from a jet engine in the presence of cold air.  The contrail would be an indicator that there were unauthorized jets flying in the U.S. airspace.  The fighter jets were supposed to identify the source of the contrail, but were  unable to.  Original reports were that the contrail originated somewhere in the Carribean, and commercial pilots later confirmed that it was over Florida and Indiana.  The investigation continues.
  
  
• The Indiana Appeals Court has invalidated the will left by a man who disinherited his three children on his deathbed.  This action has probate attorneys asking the court to rethink itself on this ruling, fearing that the ruling will invalidate thousands of wills created since 1989.  The will in question had only one witness signature.  The appeals court says there should have been two.
  

November 27

• Two court-appointed psychiatrists say that a woman accused of killing three people during a shooting spree knew what she was doing was wrong.  Defense attorneys say they still plan an insanity defense for Rose Marie Sowders despite the experts' findings.  They are awaiting the results of a third evaluation -- one of which they requested.  The thirty-three year-old Smithville woman is accused of killing her ex-husband, her boyfriend and his ten year-old son in August.  Sowders' trial is set for May 13, 2003.
  
  
• Republican U.S. Senator Richard Lugar says that they United States should try to enlist allies for military action against Iraq.  He says, however, that President Bush would be right in taking on Saddam Hussein with or without a broad coalition.  Lugar takes over as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee in January.  He had also headed the Committee in 1985-1986.  The Repblican Senator is considered an expert on arms control and foreign affairs.  Lugar is an advocate of working with other nations, but says the difficulty of proving that chemical and biological materials in Iraq are intended for weapons could undermine chances of winning support from relucant allies.  He says that even if the Coalition is smaller than hoped for, it will be effective in terms of the military result.
  
  
• Your Thanksgiving dinner will be more expensive this year than ever, according to the Indiana Farm Bureau.  The group's informal annual survey found the cost of a traditional holiday dinner for ten people is $38.62.  That's $0.99 higher than the previous high in 1999.  That includes a seventeen pound turkey, stuffing, potatoes, sweet potatoes, rolls, peas, cranberries, fresh carrots and celery, pumpkin pie, whipped cream, and milk.  The turkey cost $.010 more per pound this year.  Carolyn Hegel of the Indiana Farm Bureau says that even though food prices were up, the prices farmers receive for many of their products is below the cost of production.
  
  
• U.S. Senator Richard Lugar announced that area high school students have been selected to attend his "Symposium for Tomorrow's Leaders" at the University of Indianapolis on December 7.  Every public and private high school in Indiana has been invited to select two outstanding juniors to attend the all-day conference.  Last year, more than five hundred students, representing high schools in almost all ninety-two counties across the state, attended the event.  Again this year, Lugar, who is slated to assume the chairmanship of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee in the 108th Congress, will begin the day-long program with an address to the students on national and world affairs.  The students will then participate in a choice of ten discussion groups.  Lawrence County students attending the conference will be Alex Nolan and Barron Hewetson from BNL, and Elizabeth Castrale and Rob Tyree from Mitchell.
  
  
• On Monday, we will know the outcome of the vote of more than one thousand Indiana State Police officers on whether to unionize or not.  Five years ago, the union representing the law enforcement officers disbanded after members were not consulted on terms of their new contract.  Now officers are reconsidering that move.  Many officers are upset that they have not received any wage increase since 2000.  Indiana State Police Alliance President Keith Gill says they understand that the state is having economic hardship right now, but even when the state had money all the officers got were promises that have gone unfulfilled.
  

November 26

• Experts say that southern Indiana residents should be prepared for more earthquakes like the one that rattled the region in June, but they say that there is no cause for alarm.  Each year, more than two hundred earthquakes occur in southern Indiana, most of which cannot be felt on the Earth's surface.  In June, a moderate earthquake centered in Darmstadt jolted parts of Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky, but damage was limited.  Sherman Greer says that it was a reminder that people in southern Indiana need to be prepared.  Greer is the director of the Vanderburgh County Emergency Management Agency.  Last week was earthquake preparedness week.
  
  
• An E-bay bid of $41,500 is what it took to become the owner of the IU Student Association's Cream and Crimson Corvette.  The sports car was sold Saturday after forty-four bids failed to meet the original asking price of $45,000.  The car was bought by the association as part of a voter registration campaign intended to get students to the polls during this month's election.  Students who voted were entered in a drawing for the car.  The legalities behind the plan forced the association to include all students in the raffle whether they voted or not.  The winner in the drawing put the car on E-bay.  The association paid $50,000 for the car, and the money for it came from interest the group earns on a credit card offered to students.
  
  
• Authorities broke up what they are calling the biggest identity theft case in U.S. history and charged three men yesterday with stealing credit information from more than thirty thousand people, including an unknown number in Indiana.  The information was used to drain victim's bank accounts and use their credit cards.  Thousands of credit reports were stolen from companies around the country, including the Personal Finanace Company in Frankfort, IN.  Victims have reported losing money from their bank accounts, seeing their credit cards hit with unauthorized charges, and having their identities assumed by strangers.  U.S. attorney James Comey says that the losses are calculated so far at $2.7 million, but would balloon to many more millions and affect consumers in every state.
  
  
• To help ensure the safety on Indiana roadways during the Thanksgiving holidays, the Indiana State Police will be participating in Operation Pull Over and Operation CARE starting tomorrow afternoon.  Troopers will be targeting violations including speeding, following too closely, unsafe lane changes, seat belt and child restraint violations, and driving while intoxicated.  During the Thanksgiving holiday, there will be one hundred fifty-five additional troopers patrolling area roadways.  Traditionally, Thanksgiving is one of the most travelled holidays for motorists.  Last year during the Thanksgiving holiday, eleven people lost their lives in eleven separate crashes on Indiana roadways.  It is important for everyone to do their part to make our roadways safe.  Some tips include:  
          - Make sure everyone is buckled up
          - All children under thirteen should be restrained in the back seat
          - Do not drink and drive
          - Make sure you are well rested
          - Do not follow the other vehicles too closely
          - Obey the posted speed limit and all traffic signals
  For more information you can call 1-800-852-3970.
  
  
• Three hunters in Indiana have died in firearms accidents in the past week, but Department of Natural Resources officials say it is still more dangerous to drive to your hunting site than it is to hunt.  Authorities suspect that all three victims died because they violated basic hunting safety rules.  Two teeneagers were killed in separate accidents over the weekend, and 51 year-old Bedford resident Ronald Reynolds was killed Wednesday of last week.  Reynolds apparently died when his loaded shot gun discharged while it was leaning against a lowered tree stand.
  
  
• Police on Monday night responded to an automobile accident and found a scene they did not expect.  The engine on the car was still running, but bothe the passenger and driver were dead, killed by gunshots.  Apparently, the driver shot his female passenger in the abdomen and head while driving through a business district before he turned the gun on himself.  The gun was found on the car's seat between the two people.  There were no witnesses, and police say there is no sign that anyone else was involved.
  
  
• Have you noticed that you do not hear the once familiar "Bob White"?  Northern bobwhite quail populations have suffered nearly a two-thirds decline nationally in the past twenty years, and Indiana has been no exception.  The reason for the decline?  Loss of suitable habitat.  Quail Unlimited is trying to turn that around.  The group hopes to have the population stabilized in the next three to five years, and then to restore the native bird's population to 1980 levels.  More information on their efforts and how you might be able to help can be found at the website Quail Unlimited
  

November 25

• Some Indiana officials disagree with a new report issued by Mothers Against Drunk Driving.  The report says that the state has implemented more programs and legislation since the last report when Indiana received a higher grade.  The state has been given an overall C+ from the organization for its efforts to combat drunken driving.  That's slightly above the national average of C, but lower than the B- that Indiana got in 2000.  Jerry McCory is the Director of the Governor's Council on Impaired and Dangerous Driving.  He points out that Indiana has lowered the limit at which a driver is considered drunk since MADD's last report.  That's partly why he's surprised by the state's lower grade.
  
  
• The state will be collecting more money from consumers beginning December 1.  The increase in sales tax from five percent to six percent is expected to raise more than $800 million per year for the state coffers.  The first increase in sales tax since 1980 was approved to help offset the tax credits to lower property tax bills for homeowners.
  
  
• Getting a high school diploma in Indiana will soon require students to understand a much dreaded subject - Algebra.  The State Board of Education voted unanimously on Friday to the additional requirement to be added to Indiana's qualifying exam.  This move has some educators worried that some student may fail the important exam.  This year's eighth-graders are the first class that will be required to pass the tougher exam. Thirty percent of the math section will be devoted to first year algebra concepts, with the remaining to cover math taught through eighth grade.
  

November 22

• Indiana's Department of Natural Resources issued an emergency rule on Thursday banning the sale, purchase of posession of Asian carp, white perch, and snakeheads. This is in response to concern that the exotic, carnivorous fish could decimate native species.  Asian carp, which can grow up to one hundred pounds and four feet long, and white perch have already been found in Indiana waters.  The snakehead, which can move from pond to pond over dry land, has not been found here yet.  Asian carp have already been found in the Mississippi River less than twenty-five miles from Lake Michigan.  Officials are concerned that the fish will threaten the plankton food supply if it reaches there.  If anyone sees any of the banned fish in Indiana, they are asked to contact the DNR immediately.  Also, if anyone owns a snakehead in an aquarium, please contact the DNR if you need held disposing of the fish.
  
  
• Monroe County officials have shut down an American Indiana sweat lodge on Bloomington's far south side, saying that the smoke from an open fire that burns in the structure poses a danger to public health.  The county obtained the injunction because neighbors had complained that the smoke causes respiratory problems for children and elderly people living in the area.  The owner, a thirty-two year-old of Apache heritage, started operating the lodge two years ago and does not have the funds required to fight the county.  He also figures he will have no chance of winning because the land will become annexed into city limits effective January 1.  He did say that there is one last ceremony being planned on that day, and he is already saving money for the fine that will be imposed on him.
  
  
• Although FBI officials have turned over their report on the Jill Behrman case to Monroe County prosecutors, they emphasize that it does not mean the investigation is over.  The FBI is just keeping local officials up to date on the progress of the investigation, and Monroe County's prosecutor has said he is not ready to prosecute any one yet.
  
  
• Hundreds of Marines have left Camp Pendleton for the Persian Gulf in preparation for a possible war with Iraq.  It is unclear exactly how many Marines have been sent, or where they will be based.  The men deployed are part of a unit of planners and commanders whose job is to prepare for the movement of troops, aircraft, supplies and equipment.  Obviously, their date of return has not been scheduled.
  

November 21

• If you have been wanting to quit smoking, today may be your day.  Today is the 26th Annual Great American Smoke Out.  Today, the  American Lung Association asks people who smoke to give up smoking for today, and they hope smokers will decide to give it up for good.  This day has grown out of a 1971 event in Randolph, Massachusettes, when people were asked to give up smoking for one day and donate the money they would have spent on cigarrettes to a high school scholarship fund.
  
  
• Be careful if you are taking the new ramp connecting southbound I-465 to eastbound I-70.  The ramp is only two weeks old, and has been the site of three trucks overturning.  A sign flashing a 35-mph speed suggestion is just that, a suggestion.  In each of the three accidents, the driver was going faster than the suggested speed, but not faster than the legal speed limit.  Motorists are only breaking the law if they exceed 55-mph on the ramps.  The yellow warning signs only suggest an appropriate speed for the ramps.
  
  
• It was just a matter of time.  First, people are successful at suing tobacco companies for making them sick.  Now a group of lawyers is suiing McDonald's on behalf of New York City kids who are suffering health ailments such as diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.  McDonald's has asked the judge to throw out the case.

November 20

• A semi trailer carrying hazardous materials overturned near I.U.'s Bloomington campus this morning, killing one person and causing the evacuation of sororities within a half mile of the crash site.  The truck, carrying ammonia nitrate, blasting caps, and liquid oxygen overturned on the Indiana 45-46 bypass near 17th street.  None of the cargo was spilled, but the state Fire Marshall is keeping IDEM informed on the situation.
  
  
• A concourse at the Indianapolis Airport was cleared and some flights were delayed late tuesday afternoon after a security problem.  An X-ray showed a pair of scissors in a carry-on bag, and a security agent called the bag back for further examination, but agents were unable to retrieve the bag.  Since the scissors were considered a dangerous object, airport officials decided to close the concourse.  The closing caused a two hour delay.
  
  
• Monument Circle in Indianapolis was closed off shortly after 7:00 this morning after a device that looked like a clock was found taped to a tree.  Indianapolis Police Department bomb experts were called to the scene because the device was believed to be a bomb.  The experts destroyed the device and the circle was reopened at 7:30 a.m.
  
  
• With United laying off employees and reducing the number of flights nationwide, it is surprising that ATA is increasing the number of flights to and from Chicago and Indianapolis.  The airline will also be adding one flight daily to Las Vegas, and Fort Meyers from Indy, and flights to Fort Lauderdale from Indy will now be available daily instead of just six days a week.
  

November 19

• Indiana University in Bloomington is continuing its investigation into the making of an adult movie in dorm rooms by a California-based website.  The film involved as many as thirty students, all of whom have signed modeling releases.  The university is not investigating the issue of adult consent, but whether any violations of the student code of conduct occurred.
  
  
• The Army wants to modify its plan for neutralizing the VX nerve agent currently stored at the Newport Chemical Depot.  That change is to store some secondary products as a result of the neutralization.  That secondary product could be personal protective equipment, spent activated carbon, or components and fluids from laboratory activities.  The Army says it will need to store the secondary products for more than ninety days while it locates a permanent location.  Public comment on the plan will be accepted until January 17.  A public hearing is scheduled for December 5.
  
  
• A report from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shows that deer hunting is on the decline in Indiana.  In its National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife Associated Recreation, the agency reported that the number of Hoosier hunters has declined by about thirty thousand in the past decade.  In 1991, Indiana had 301,000 resident hunters.  That's compared with 269,000 last year.  One reason for the shrinking number of deer hunters is the likely fact that public hunting grounds often get overcrowded.  The same U.S. Fish and Wildlife survey reported a twenty-nine percent increase in spending on the sport in the same period.  Animal Rights Activists remain staunchly opposed to any kind of hunting.  Wildlife Biologists say that hunting keeps certain animal populations from getting out of hand.

November 18

• Tis the time of year when eyes turn skyward, not to sneak a peek at the jolly old elf dressed in red, but to catch a glimps of the Leonids Meteor Storm.  This year, the spectacle is expected to come through early Tuesday with a show that is not likely to be matched for one hundred years.  Unfortunately, the weather may not be cooperating this year.  Clouds and some scattered sprinkle are in the forecast, but skywatchers are hoping for a bit of a break in the clouds.  The peak viewing time is predicted to be at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday in the east/southeast sky.  During the peak hour, at least three thousand meteors an hour can be seen.  To be classified as a meteor storm, the must be at least one thousand meteors an hour.  Last year's show was also classified as a storm.  The next time a Leonid Meteor Storm is expected is in 2098.
  
  
• United Airlines has announced that it will be cutting nine thousand jobs and reducing the number of flights by six percent in an effort to return to profitability.  the cuts are expected to take place over the next two years, reducing the probability that United will be able to meet its committment to employ seven thousand people at the Indianapolis hub by 2004.
  
  
• If you go into the restroom at a restaurant and notice the toilet seats are missing, will you be brave enough to ask about them?  One person in Stockholm was, and he lost his appetite when he got the answer.  The employee who was asked about the missing seats, went to the dishwasher in the kitchen where they had been cleaned with kitchen utensils.  The employee told the man he would be pleasantly surprised how comfortable it is to sit on a warm seat.  A repersentative of the international hamburger chain responded saying that this was not standard practice in any of its restaurants.
  

November 15

• Bedford's Little Theatre begins its run of "It's A Wonderful Life" tonight.  Although tonight's performance is sold out, you can still get tickets for other performances.  Visit the Little Theatre of Bedford website for more information.
  
  
• The EPA has not only critcized the five proposed routes of the I-69 extension project, but the group has also proposed a reasonable solution, according to state Highway Commissioner J. Bryan Nichol.  The proposed route would follow Indiana 37 south to Bloomington before turning west to hook up with U.S. 41.  Although the EPA was legally required to comment on the proposed routes, the state Highway Department is not legally required to follow its recommendations.
  
  
• Are you concerned about the safety of the fillings in your teeth?  Worry no longer.  The U.S. government says that fillings made of a mixture mercury and other metals are perfectly safe and have been used for over one hundred years.  Critics argue that mercury can leach out and cause brain disorders such as autism.  More solid evidence for the safety of these fillings is due in 2006 when two studies will be completed.  The American Dental Association says the mercury in fillings is different than the mercury in fish, which people are warned against consuming.  Rep. Dan Burton wonders why the FDA is worried about mercury from fish and not mercury from dental fillings.  Legislation was introduced last spring to ban the use of mercury in dental fillings by the year 2007, but the debate continues.
  
  
• The FBI has issued a warning that Al-Qaida may be planning a "spectacular" terrorist attack.  The goals would be massive casualties and damage to the U.S. economy.  Nothing is mentioned about the location, timing, or method of an attack, but Al-Qaida may favor high symbolic values, mass casualties, severe damage to the U.S. economy, and maximum psychological trauma.  The highest priority targets remain in the aviation, petroleum, and nuclear sectors, as well as national landmarks.
  

November 14

• The Environmental Protection Agency is pointing to the use of existing roads as the best way to extend I-69.  The EPA has recommended that the extension through southwest Indiana follow U.S.-41 and I-70.  An EPA letter dated November 7 and sent to the Federal Highway Administration says the U.S.-41/I-70 route would cause less environmental damage.  James Newland is the director of the I-69 Mid-continent Highway Coalition.  He says that he hasn't seen the letter, but he thinks that environmental challenges can be worked out.  Newland says the extension is not just about saving travel time, but bringing industry to areas of the state that don't have access to a major highway.  The EPA recommends Indiana Highway officials meet with state and federal agencies before choosing a route.
  
  
• Indiana farmers are finishing up a ledd-than-bountiful harvest.  This year's corn crop is expected to decline thirty percent compared with last year's record harvest.  The Indiana Agricultural Statistics Service says the state's corn production this year is expected to total nearly 617 million bushels.  That's down from almost 885 million a year ago.  The decline is partly attributed to a growing season in which the rain never seemed to fall at the right time.  Indiana farmers last year enjoyed record harvests and yields for corn and soybeans that pushed the value of Indiana crops up six percent.
  
  
• The conservation program offered to farmers for conservation on "working lands" now gives local officials more say in setting the priorities that direct conservation cost-share funding.  The Environmental Quality Incentives Program, or EQIP, is designed to help agricultural producers put conservation treatments on land they use for food and fiber production.  The program addresses natural resource concerns related to erosion, livestock, water quality, and forest management.  The new streamlining will apply to all EQIP applications evaluated for the fiscal year.  The new ranking process will use local priorities established at the county level, as well as statewide priorities, and applicants will get immediate feedback on how their applications rank.  Applications that were not funded in the past will be re-ranked under the new process if the producer signs up again.

November 13

• Spring Mill State Park will offer an informational meeting about the new online registration system on November 19 at the campground at the park.  The meeting will be from 6:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. and is open to anyone wanting to learn more about the new registration process that will allow campers to register for park camping spaces online.  The system will go up on December 3, and reservations will be made by phone or online.  Those interested should call the park office at 849-4129 to register for the meeting or to obtain more information.
  
  
• The American Red Cross is rushing relief to the devastated residents in nine states after a string of tornadoes ripped across the eastern U.S.  Hundreds of Red Cross workers throughout the country are furiously working to meet the emergency needs of people affected by the storms.  The Red Cross website contains some post-tornado tips including: 
                - Continue listening to local radio of television stations for updated information and instructions
                - Help a neighbor who may require special assistance
                - Watch out for fallen power lines or broken gas lines and report them to the utility company immediately
                - Avoid disaster areas
                - Stay out of damaged buildings
                - Wear sturdy boots
                - Use battery powered lanterns or flashlights
                - Look for fire hazards
                - Take pictures of the damage
                - Use the telephone for emergencies only
  
  
• A judge has delayed the trial of a man accused of fatally shooting a Morgan County Sheriff's Deputy.  Tommy Pruitt of Martinsville had been scheduled to go to trial in February in the murder of Morgan County Warrant Deputy Daniel Starnes.  Dearborn County Circuit Court Judge Jim Humphrey has rescheduled the trial for October 6.  Pruitt's attorneys requested the delay because of pretrial media coverage.  They also filed a motion to supress a taped statement in which Pruitt allegedly confessed.  Defense attorneys say that Pruitt made the statement while he was under the influence of painkillers.  He was given the drugs at a hospital where he was being treated after a gun battle with Starnes.  Twenty-nine year-old Pruitt is charged with murder.  Morgan County Prosecutor Steven Sonnega is seeking the death penalty if Pruitt is convicted.
  
  
• The flock of rare whooping cranes have left Indiana and entered Kentucky.  On Tuesday, the birds wree guided by ultralight aircraft on a ninety mile flight, the longest flight of their journey so far.  This is the second year for the Midwest population of the five foot tall cranes.  The birds were almost extinct in 1941, with only twenty birds.  Now, there are four hundred whooping cranes.  You can visit http://www.operationmigration.org to follow the progress of the birds.
  

November 12

• SBC Ameritech says that it has met of exceeded standards for customer service in Indiana over the past two years, but regulators are concerned how the company's phone service will be affected by the expected layoffs.  An Ameritech report indicates that customer complaints to the state's utility regulatory commission dropped fifty-five percent this year from January to September.  That's compared with the same period a year ago.  Last month, Ameritech announced that 2,400 of the company's employees may lose their jobs in Midwestern states, including Indiana.  A regulatory commission spokeswoman told the Indianapolis Star that regulators will monitor Ameritech job losses as the relate to service quality.
  
  
• A flock of whooping cranes continued its journey south yesterday, after spending much of the past week grounded in Indiana.  The birds are migrating from Wisconsin to Florida as part of an effort to create a new Midwestern population of the extremely rare birds.  The birds landed for an overnight stay last night at a wildlife refuge near Seymour.  The flock of sixteen cranes is being guided by ultralight aircraft.  The birds and a dozen human staffers arrived in northern Indiana on October 31.  Yesterday was just the third day that the flock has been able to fly since arriving in the state.  So far, the cranes have traveled 432 miles, which is a little more than a third of their total journey.

November 11

• Today is Veterans Day and that means many government offices are closed.  Also, there will be no mail delivery.  
  
  
• Indiana University President Myles Brand says that he accepted the Athletic Director's resignation.  Brand said matters withing the athletics department haven't worked out to official's mutual satisfaction as he accepted Michael McNeely's resignation.  University officials say that, under their policies for handling personnel matters, they'll have no further comment other than what's in a news release.  That release says that IU will pay McNeely according to his letter of appointment for a five-year term through June of 2006.  The total payout is expected to be about $800,000.  McNeely earlier told University trustees that his department was facing a deficit of about one million dollars.  The department has shown a profit over the past two years.
  
  
• The Indiana Supreme Court is hearing arguments concerning Bloomington's rental ordinance.  The ordinance keeps more than three people from sharing a home unless they are related.  An attorney calls such rules unconstitutional, saying that they split renters into two classes and treat families differently than tenants who aren't related.  City attorney Linda Runkle says that the Bloomington ordinance is not unique, since cities and counties around the state have similar rules.  The case began in 1996, when the city sued Bloomington apartment owner Peter Dvorak for violating the ordinance.  He allowed five students to live together in one of his rental properties.
  
  
• Indiana has made it to number two on the list of the states with abundant nursing home beds - 25% of which are empty.  Louisiana had more than Indiana.  This has caused critics to question the effectiveness of Indiana's care for the elderly.  Many critics feel that seniors would be better off if the state stopped subsidizing nursing home for their empty beds and spent the money on home-based care.  While there are no waiting lists for nursing homes, there are waiting lists for many needing home-based care.  Many people on the waiting list wait months or even years for services.
  
  
• Many Indiana motorists got caught in the traffic back-up on I-65 on Saturday evening. Traffic was backed up for more than ten miles after a motel robbery in Avon led to a high speed chase through three counties,  a crash, and the shooting of the suspect.  The suspect was taken to a hospital where his injuries were not believed to be life threatening.
  

November 8

• Opponents of the proposed routes for the Interstate 69 took their cause to the Governor's office door yesterday.  They came armed with tens of thousands of letters and pettition signatures.  Opponents held the statehouse rally in the last hours of a 90-day public comment period on the routes.  They wanted to repeat their belief that the suggested new-terrain routes were environmentally harmful and too costly.  Many of the new-terrain route opponents say that thousands of acres of forest and farmland would be saved if the highway followed the current US-41/I-70 route.  The Indiana Department of Transportation does not include the US-41/I-70 route among its five finalists.  The department says that it did not shorten travel time and spur as much economic growth as the others.
  
  
• The Polk Township Board in Monroe County will cease to exist unless officials persuade three people to fill vacant positions.  No one ran for the board in Tuesday's election.  There was one write-in vote for the board, but the state law mandates that the write-in vote be thrown out.  That's because the person did not declare himself as a candidate before the election.  Republicans hold a majority on the current board.  The party is now responsible for finding candidates.  That's according to a co-general counsel for the Indiana Election Division.  Marty Stephens is the Republican County Chairman.  He can call a caucus of precinct committee members to find three candidates for the board.  He says that he plans to meet with the County Elections Board on Monday.
  
  
• Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson and Indy Colts owner Jim Irsay were prepared to meet this afternoon at a location which neither side was willing to disclose.  This afternoon's meeting was expected to be the first of a series of meetings which should culminate in a deal to keep the Colts in Indianapolis.  No other details were available.
  

November 7

• Retaking the U.S. Senate, triumphant GOP senators were starting to hash out all the important committee chairmanships yesterday.  Republicans are relishing their second chance to put more conservatives in federal judgeships and are hoping for a Supreme Court vacancy.  Republicans are assured of at least fifty-one seats in the one hundred member Senate.  The party could pick up one more as Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu faces a December 7th runoff.  GOP senator Trent Lott from Mississippi becomes Senate Majority Leader again, and gets to put Republican chairmen and majorities back in charge of committees.  The Foreign Relations Committee will now be headed by moderate Republican Senator Dick Lugar.  The committee is long the domain of retiring conservative Senator Jesse Helms of North Carolina.
  
  
• Three U.S. soldiers who died in a 1969 helicopter crash in Vietnam will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery tomorrow.  The Pentagon says the men's remains were recently identified.  All three men died on February 6, 1969, when their helicopter crashed in bad weather in the Quang Tri Province.  One of the men, Major David E. Padgett, is from Washington, Indiana.  A Defense Department statement says the remains were recovered during search missions in 1993, 1995, and 1996.  The search missions found the crash site and residents who had remains and artifacts from the crash.  The remains were identified through mitochondrial DNA testing and dental records.
  
  
• Today is the last day of a 90-day public comment period on the routes proposed for the planned Interstate 69 extension running through southwestern Indiana.  Friends and foes of its construction have been encouraging calls, letters, and emails to the State Highway Department.  A Statehouse rally and newspaper advertisements are among the more public signs of the campaigns by supporters and opponents of the planned extension.  The debate has primarily focused on whether a "new-terrain" rounte should be selected through southwestern Indiana. Opponents of that route say that the extension should follow the current U.S.-41/I-70 route.  State Highway Commissioner J. Bryan Nicol says that a final route will be picked by the end of the year.  It would still need to be approved by federal officials before construction could begin.
  
  
• Uncertainty reigned yesterday over control of the Indiana House.  Republicans continue to rule the Senate and chose their new leadership team, re-nominating lngtime leader Robert Garton of Columbus, IN.  Repubolicans have controlled the Senate without interruption since 1979.  Garton has been Pro Tem since 1980.  He was first elected to the Senate in 1970.  Garton says Senate Republicans would continue their push to ease the state's budget crisis.  He also says that they will promote issues that are good for Indiana, such as economic development and job growth and technology.  Republicans failed in Tuesday's election to pad their majority by two.  That would have allowed them to conduct official business without Democrats even taking the floor.  No seats changed party hands Tuesday, and the advantage remained the same.
  
  
• Have you been wondering what is happening with the Colts and their decision to stay in Indianapolis?  Team officials and Indy mayor Bart Peterson are scheduled to meet Friday to start negotiations.  Team owner Jim Irsay says he wants to stay in Indiana.  Mayor Petersoon wants them to stay.  Getting the team to stay, could cost the city over ten million dollars each year more than it is paying now.  Stay tuned for the continuing saga!
  
  
• Better mark your calendar!  Bruce Springsteen has postponed his Indianapolis concert until December 17 so that E Street Band saxophone player Clarence Clemons could recover from surgery to fix a detached retina.
  
  
• O.K., live in Indiana and LOVE to ski.  Where can you go?  Not Ski World in Nashville, IN, anymore.  Mild winters have reduced the number of skiers, but the deciding factor was the increase in insurance.  People will still be able to slide down the hills in inner tubes, and the restaurant and lounge will still be open.  Ski World was the only Brown County resort to offer downhill skiing.  Cross country skiing is offered at four others:  Valley Branch Retreat, Brown County State Park, Camp Palowopec, and Gnaw Bone Camp.

November 6

• Election Day is over, and Jackson County did not do too badly in voter turnout.  Forty-one percent of the voters made it to the polls on the gray day.  Steve S. Pierson is the winner for Prosecuting Attorney.  Allan Koch is the State Representative for district 65.  James Lewis, Jr. is elected to the State Senate.  U.S.  Representative winner is Baron Hill.
  

• Monday, November 11 is Veteran's Day.  All offices at City Hall, Freeman Field Municipal Airport, and the Department of Public Works will be closed. During next week, the following garbage, yard waste, recycling and cardboard pickup days will be made as follows:
  
  GARBAGE & YARD WASTE: Monday and Tuesday's trash and yard waste will be picked up on Tuesday. All other pickup days will be on the regular day.
  
  RECYCLING & CARDBOARD: Monday & Tuesday's recycling and cardboard will be picked up on Tuesday. All other pickup days will be on the regular day. 
  
  

• The National Weather Service says we will get a peek at the sun on Thursday before the rainy weather sets in for the weekend.  Tut-Tut!  It looks like rain!
  
  
• Bloomington Historic Preservation officials want to prevent developers from demolishing old buildings before their historic significance can be evaluated.  In the past two months, three structures have been torn down days before the Bloomington Historic Preservation Commissions planned to discuss designating them historic.  The Commission is proposing an amendment to the city's growth plan.  It would require planners and housing officials to work with the commission to determine if demolition should be delayed.
  
  
• It looks like Republicans will have control of the Indian House in next year's legislative session, but one key race may be destined for a recount.  Democrates and Republicans appear likely to split the house 50-50.  That would give the GOP control because its candidate was elected Secretary of State.  A tie-breaking plan enacted in 1995 gives control to the party that wins the Secretary of State race.  Unofficial returns tallied by the Associated Press show Republican Jim Atterholt holding on to his seat in House district 86, but Democrats are expected to request a recount.
  
  
• F-Secure software consultants have found a low-impact email worm that targets a known weakness in Microsoft Windows.  The Bridex worm arrives in emails without a subject line and with a README.EXE attachment.  You can go to the article at Internet News for information on fixing the virus.  The best way to deal with viruses, is to NEVER open an email attachment even if you know the sender.
  

November 5

• Voter turn-out is crucial in many of the state's elections today.  Do your part - get out an vote!  Polls are open until 6:00 p.m. today.
  
  
• The U.S. Postal service now says it does not expect a need for a rate increase until the year 2006.  Previously, they had thought it would be necessary in 2004.  The change comes from new found money in the pension fund.  Evidently, the postal service has been over-paying into the fund and does not owe as much as previously thought.
  
  
• The state's heating assistance program has begun, and the key to getting help this year will be to get  your application in early.  With the cost of natural gas expected to rise this winter, officials are expecting a higher than normal demand for heating assistance.  Visit your local Community Action Agency or call 1-800-622-4973 for more information.
  

November 4

• The Fall installment of property taxes is coming due. The deadline for paying the Fall installment is Tuesday, November 12th. County residents are reminded that the county treasurer’s office will be closed tomorrow, and Monday, November 11th for Veteran’s Day. Payments may be dropped off in the treasurers office during their normal hours. Payments which are mailed must be postmarked by November 12th.
  
  
• The Indiana Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments Thursday about Bloomington's ordinance that restricts how many unrelated people can live in a single family dwelling.  The case began in 1996, when the city sued apartment owner Peter Dvorak for breaking the ordinance.
  
  
• The television show "Inside Edition" redecorated four dorm rooms at I.U.'s Briscoe Quadrangle.  The show got permission from university officials beforehand, and redecorated the four rooms with furnishing donated by furniture store IKEA.  The show is scheduled to be aired on November 12.
  
  
• Do you look at your phone bill when you get it?  Increases are coming!  The phone bill is a method that local , state and federal governments use to raise more tax revenue.  Many counties have increased the 911 surcharge to help cover expenses.  The state has been getting five percent, but it will increase to six percent effective December 1.  The federal universal service fee will increase by a penny on the first of the year.  The phone company is powerless to prevent such increases, so complaining to them will not help.

November 1

• The clouds have parted, at least for a while, but the temperatures will not rise much according to the National Weather Service.  This weekend will be clear, but cool, with a chance of rain returning to the forecast on Monday and Tuesday.
  
  
• Indiana did not make it to the top in the latest list out.  The Center for Disease Control says that Detroit is number one in the number of syphillis cases reported this year.  We made it in bankruptcy and defaulted mortgages, at least we did not make that list!
  
  
• An Indianapolis man was sentenced to six years in prison for the killing of an intruder.  The man was not protected by Indiana's self-defense law since the intruder had left the man's house before being shot.  The judge and prosecutor evidently feel that the intruder should have been left alone to come back possibly next time with a gun.
  
  
• A number of people have been overcharged for hotel stays at Holiday Inn and other hotels owned by the same company, in some cases by thousands of dollars.  If you have stayed at InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, and Staybridge Suites you are being advised to look at your credit card statement.  If you think you have been overcharged, call your credit card company or the hotel owner at 1-800-621-0555 and ask for operator number 28.