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News

Cherry blossoms peak on sunny spring weekend

By Marissa Newhall | April 11

A cloudless blue sky and crisp breeze greeted attendees of the National Cherry Blossom Festival parade and street festival Saturday, wrapping up two weeks of cultural exhibits and events in the nation's capital. Beginning at 10 a.m. on 7th Street and ending on 17th Street, the parade featured the National Conference of State Societies-sponsored Cherry Blossom princesses, large inflatable balloon versions of Arthur, Bob the Builder and a Chipotle burrito, and marching bands from schools around the country.

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Duty to help should be core U.S. belief, Edwards tells The Eagle

By Stokely Baksh | April 11

Increased minimum wage, better health care and social security will help the 36 million Americans who live in poverty said former Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards at last night's address in Bender Arena. Edwards took a break from touring some of America's most impoverished areas to speak at the event, as he now directs the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which aims to alleviate the country's poverty problem.

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Latino youth encouraged to seek higher education

By Kristina McNeil | April 11

U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) delivered the keynote address at the seventh annual Latino Youth Conference held at AU on Saturday to promote higher education and the Latino community. The conference, sponsored by AU's Latin and American Student Organization, included workshops to emphasize the importance of a college education and motivate students to do well in school.

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SC approves raise for 05-06 budget

By Jess Reamy | April 11

The Student Confederation's $540,000 budget for the 2006 fiscal year was approved unanimously by the General Assembly, the SC's legislative branch, Sunday. The budget represents a 15 percent increase since last year in funding for the SC payroll, Founders Day Ball, Spring Fling, the Artemas Ward Festival, information technology, the Women's Initiative and the class councils.

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Campus Brief: Bender Library offers $300 certificate

By Jeannette Kimmel | April 11

Bender Library is offering a $300 campus store gift certificate to the student who comes up with the most creative name for its new coffee kiosk. Construction for the kiosk is scheduled to begin in two weeks, according to Nick Banovetz, assistant to the University librarian.

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Relay for Life back on campus

By Melinda C. Hall | April 11

Students from American and George Washington universities' Colleges Against Cancer groups are bringing the all-night Relay for Life back to AU's campus this spring. Relay for Life is a team-oriented event in which team members take turns walking a mapped route, usually a track, with the backing of sponsors who pledge donations to the American Cancer Society.

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A survivor speaks out: the story of my date rape

By Jessica Bacharach | April 11

It's the first night out on the town, second semester of my senior year of college. We are huddled in our favorite dive bar, Coronas in hand, Guns N' Roses blaring in the background - my eye spots a recognizable face at the door, suddenly my face turns red, my body turns cold.

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Campus Brief: Students help at animal refuge

By Kate Oczypok | April 11

The American University Animal Rights Effort worked at the Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary in Poolesville, Md., last Friday. AUARE cleaned the 400-acre sanctuary, played with the 120 animals housed there and enjoyed a vegan lunch. According to the sanctuary's Web site, www.

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AU community honors Pope with candlelight vigil

By Kate Oczypok | April 11

The AU Catholic community came together Thursday evening on the Quad to hold a candlelight vigil in honor of Pope John Paul II, who died on April 2. The vigil was held on a windy, gray evening at 8:15. The vigil began with prayers and Scripture readings by Father William Gurnee, AU's Catholic chaplain, and Karin Thornton, the associate Catholic chaplain.

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Journalists honor Hunter S. Thompson with film

By Jordan Beane | April 11

Journalists who knew Hunter S. Thompson shared their memories of the late pioneer journalist and presented a documentary about his life Saturday night in the Wechsler Theatre as part of the Reel Journalism film festival. Before the movie, Michael Isikoff, a writer for Newsweek, spoke to the crowd about the man he knew and admired, and shared some stories about Thompson.

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Scholar compares Italy, Japan identities

By Veleka Burrell | April 7

The history of political leadership in Italy and Japan is as fascinating as it is different, according to a scholar who studies both countries. Dr. Richard J. Samuels, a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, spoke at AU Tuesday about the history and leadership styles of Italy and Japan.

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D.C. baseball fans inherit team of lovable losers

By Elliot Smilowitz | April 7

On Sept. 29, 2004, just hours after learning that their home team would be leaving for Washington, D.C., more than 31,000 Montreal residents packed Olympic Stadium to say goodbye to the Expos. At precisely 10:00 p.m., Expos outfielder Terrmel Sledge hit a pop fly for the final out of the game.

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Police Blotter

By Kate Oczypok | April 7

Friday, April 1 A staff member at 4200 Wisconsin Ave. had items stolen from her purse, and her credit cards were then found to have been charged. $60 was stolen from an unsecured room in Anderson Hall. A male student reported that his mountain bike had been stolen from the Anderson Hall bike rack.

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National Brief: Comedian dies at age 37

By Emily Carone | April 7

Comedian Mitch Hedberg, famous for his cutting one-liners and hippie style, died on March 30 in a hotel room in Livingston, N.J. He was 37. Pending an autopsy for confirmation, Hedberg's cause of death was thought to be heart failure. His mother, Mary Hedberg, told The Associated Press that her son was born with a heart defect that may have contributed to his death.

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American Forum focuses on media rights

By Anne Godlasky | April 7

The news media needs some good PR, said School of Communication professor Jane Hall and several First Amendment experts in the American Forum "Does Anyone Still Believe in the First Amendment?" "Rush Limbaugh was out there for an hour ripping apart an article in the New York Times.

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Reaction to Red Lake shootings too slow

By Lauren Gardner | April 7

The American Indian community at AU has expressed disappointment about President Bush's delayed response to the Red Lake shootings, although some said the government can only do so much for self-governing reservations. Jack Soto, a junior in the School of Public Affairs, said he wanted a response from Bush right after the shootings, but he was not specifically waiting for his statement.

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Thefts prompt students to lock doors

By Kate Oczypok | April 7

Nine laptop thefts have been reported on campus since February, prompting students to begin locking their doors at all times, a practice that many admit they've never done before. "We never locked our doors until the robbery happened on our floor," said Hughes Hall resident Anna Friedlander, a freshman in the School of Public Affairs.

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