Snowstorm socks usually warm U.S. South

By The Associated Press / January 30, 2014

ATLANTA — Helicopters took to the skies Wednesday to search for stranded drivers while authorities on the ground worked to deliver food, water and gas — or a ride home — to people who were stuck on highways after a winter storm walloped the Deep South. Students spent the night on buses or at schools, commuters abandoned their cars or stayed idled all night and the highways turned into parking lots with the roads iced over. It wasn’t clear exactly how many people were still stranded on the roads a day after the storm paralyzed the region.

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One luxury apartment complex still not full as newest complex constructed in Village

January 29, 2014

The Grove, which opened in the fall, still has units available for August, while 17 Hundred apartments are full. Village Promenade will be ready Aug. 16.

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Obama vows to flex presidential powers in speech

By The Associated Press / January 29, 2014

WASHINGTON — Seeking to energize his sluggish second term, President Barack Obama vowed Tuesday night in his State of the Union address to sidestep Congress “whenever and wherever” necessary to narrow economic disparities between rich and poor. He unveiled an array of modest executive actions to increase the minimum wage for federal contract workers and make it easier for millions of low-income Americans to save for retirement. “America does not stand still and neither do I,” Obama declared in his prime-time address before a joint session of Congress and millions of Americans watching on television.

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Professors discuss solutions to Saturday make up days

January 29, 2014

Students aren’t the only people on campus worried about getting to class Saturday.

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Winter weather ranks among coldest in Indiana history

By Rachael Barry / January 29, 2014

The harsh winter in Indiana has affected more than campus — decreasing blood donations, nearly wiping out the state’s winter funding and increasing hospital visits. And the season isn’t over yet. David Call, a Ball State associate professor of geography and weather expert, said the last time the state experienced weather like this was in 1979. Although temperatures are expected to rise this week, Call said this month will be colder than 90 percent of Indianapolis’ recorded winters.

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Ind. House passes constitutional gay marriage ban

By The Associated Press / January 28, 2014

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana lawmakers pressed ahead today with an effort to outlaw gay marriage under the state constitution, but the version that cleared the House wouldn’t be able to take effect until 2016 at the earliest because of a late change leaving open the possibility of same-sex civil unions someday. The proposed ban, which the House approved 57-40 this afternoon, now heads to the Indiana Senate, where members of the Senate Judiciary Committee are set to take up the issue. “The future of marriage belongs in the hands of Hoosier voters; not judges, not the media, not activists, not lobbyists,” said Rep.

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Students eat less to drink more

January 28, 2014

Jenna Barkley, a Ball State sophomore, picked up a diet last month that did more than help her lose weight — she also can get drunk faster. She started a diet consisting of only meats, nuts, vegetables and fruits. She lost 8 pounds in the first week and said the loss lowered her tolerance to alcohol.

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HJR-3 amended, representatives express fears over delay

By The Associated Press and Lauren Chapman / January 28, 2014

To a chorus of cheers from marriage equality activists, Indiana’s House Joint Resolution 3 was amended in a 52-43 vote Monday. If the altered amendment clears the House and eventually the Senate, it could restart the clock on the legislative process. Under the amendment process, the same measure must be approved in two consecutive sessions and then by voters. So the proposed ban would be pushed back from making the ballot until 2016 instead of 2014.

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Needs of Muncie homeless rise as temperatures fall

By Danielle Grady / January 28, 2014

As the winter continues with minus 30 degree wind chills, Christian Ministries of Delaware County decided extend hours for Muncie residents in search of shelter. In November, Richard Hunter arrived in Muncie with nowhere to stay. Three weeks later, he discovered Christian Ministries. “It’s a really good thing that they got going on here,” he said. “They help out a lot of people, not just myself.”

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5 things to know today

By The Associated Press / January 28, 2014

1. U.S. looks at ways to prevent spying on its spying WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government is looking at ways to prevent anyone from spying on its own surveillance of Americans’ phone records. As the Obama administration considers shifting the collection of those records from the National Security Agency to requiring that they be stored at phone companies or elsewhere, it’s quietly funding research to prevent phone company employees or eavesdroppers from seeing who the U.S.

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Indiana residents continue avoiding insurance as deadline looms

By The Associated Press / January 28, 2014

MUNCIE — Residents across Indiana are treading lightly when considering buying health insurance through the federal health exchange as they move toward a March 31 deadline to enroll. Nearly 17 percent of the state’s population, or 911,674 people, lacks insurance. Most of those residents are required to show proof they’ve obtained insurance after March to avoid a penalty under the federal health care overhaul law. But the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said about 30,400 residents had bought plans through the exchange in through the end of December.

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P&G reveals new razor for men’s body hair

By The Associated Press / January 28, 2014

NEW YORK — Looks like beards are in, but body hair is out. Procter & Gamble said the trend toward facial hair like stubble and beards as well as “Movember,” when guys grow out their beards to promote prostate cancer awareness, has hurt its razor sales. But the world’s largest consumer products company said shaving from the neck down is becoming more popular among men.

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HJR-3 second sentence removed in House of Representatives

By Lauren Chapman / January 27, 2014

Indiana’s House Joint Resolution 3 was amended in a 52-43 vote today. The concerns of many representatives showed HJR-3 would not go to voters until 2016 as a result of this new amendment. HJR-3’s intention is to define marriage in Indiana “between one man and one woman.” The bill previously said, “a legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized.” That sentence was removed by Monday’s decision. Rep.

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Students question effectiveness after multiple false fire alarms in residence halls

January 27, 2014

Fire alarms have caused students to evacuate campus residence halls 30 times since the beginning of the 2013-14 academic year. None of them were a result of a fire that needed to be extinguished.

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Students call Indiana residents to stop HJR-3

By Danielle Grady / January 27, 2014

Despite jobs, large course loads and making rent, a few Ball State students are devoting as many as 10 hours a week calling strangers to oppose HJR-3. At 5 p.m. Sunday and Wednesday, as well as during several impromptu sessions in the week, Sam Itkin calls Indiana residents. The sophomore creative writing major urges them to contact state representatives in their area to oppose the HJR-3 amendment. Armed with laptops and smart phones Itkin and 34 others prepared for a last ditch effort to make an impact on Indiana legislators, before today’s deciding vote. They hope to stop the amendment, which could strip away benefits for same sex couples, from continuing past Indiana’s House of Representatives and onto a statewide referendum this November.

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Student organization uses music to revive long lost memories

By Danielle Grady / January 27, 2014

Tyler Sparkman never got the opportunity to get to know his great grandmother. She was always physically present, but Alzheimer’s rendered her unable to recognize the freshman telecommunication major’s face. “I just remember every time I would go to visit her, she wouldn’t know who I was,” he said. “She would call me mean names and stuff, because she thought I was there to hurt her.”

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Faculty, administrators discuss Saturday classes

By Rachel Podnar / January 23, 2014

Faculty members chuckled when make-up Saturdays were addressed at the Faculty Senate meeting Thursday afternoon, but administrators stressed the need to make-up face-to-face class time. “This is a day we assigned for classes,” Associate Provost Marilyn Buck said.

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Students at Purdue University unite, prepare to return to campus

By The Associated Press and Emma Kate Fittes / January 23, 2014

Purdue University gave its students a day off Wednesday to help recover from the death of a classmate during a campus shooting a day prior. “When tragedy happens, we unite,” Amy Barton, a Purdue sophomore psychology major, said. “It’s really incredible. Even if you didn’t know the person, we were all affected. … The Boilermaker family.”

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Students react to Saturday make-up classes

By Christopher Stephens / January 23, 2014

After Ball State announced one-day weekends to make up snow days, some students took to Twitter and asked, “#isthisajoke?” Makeup classes will fall on two Fridays and two Saturdays, and many students took to Twitter to say they aren’t happy. Ball State announced Wednesday that students will make up the two days missed because of inclement weather on Jan.

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Student Government passes elections code changes

By Rachel Podnar / January 23, 2014

Student Government Association voted to approve some of the changes to the elections code addressing issues and concerns from the previous election. Campaign season will last only two weeks this year, versus last year’s three week election season duration. SGA vice president Alyssa France said candidates last year expressed that three weeks was too long.