Wooster alum wins BAFTA award

Wooster Alum Duncan Jones ’95 has been awarded a 2010 Film Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, the British equivalent of an Academy Award.

His first feature film, “Moon,” was recognized with acclaim in the United States as well and Jones has said that his film was influenced in part by his Independent Study he created as a student at Wooster. Currently, Jones is at work  on his second feature film, “Source Code.”

Published Friday, February 26th, 2010 in News Briefs | No Comments »

Spectator killed during top dragstar race

This past Sunday, a spectator at the National Hot Rod Association  (NHRA) Arizona Nationals was killed when a loose tire came apart from a Top Fuel dragstar. The accident occured when the car lost its left-rear tire. Before the car  burst into flames, it skidded into the left hand lane and collided with the wall. It was then the tire bounced into the crowd striking the woman at the International Firebird Raceway. The women was helicoptered to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead several hours later. The NHRA is still looking into the details of the accident.

Gunman opens fire in Colo. middle school

On Tuesday, a gunman identified as Bruco Strongeagle Eastwood opened fire outside Deer Creek Middle School in Littleton, Colorado.

Eastwood was firing rounds at students who were leaving the school until suddenly David Benke, a teacher at Deer Creek, tackled Eastwood to the ground and held him down until police arrived.

Only two students were injured and taken to the local hospital where, as of press time, they were in stable condition with no life-threatening injuries. Eastwood was charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder and is being held on $1 million bond.

Toyota recall case becomes complicated

According to the New York Times, leading Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee said Monday that Toyota relied on a flawed study in dismissing the notion that computer issues could be at fault for sticking accelerator pedals, and then made misleading statements about the repairs. The representatives, in a letter to the transportation secretary, said they were concerned about the competency of investigations into Toyota’s problems by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Published Friday, February 26th, 2010 in News Briefs | No Comments »

Union members within airline cause strike

Union members representing British Airways cabin crews said Monday they have voted overwhelmingly to strike. The strike centers around service conditions which would lengthen crew hours but also cut down employment.

Crew members are expected to meet this weekend to determine an exact date for the strike to occur.

Published Friday, February 26th, 2010 in News Briefs | No Comments »

Symphony to perform unique concert

The Wooster Symphony Orchestra will perform the first movement of Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E minor, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, and Prokofiev’s Lieutenant Kije Suite.  Performances will be held Saturday, Feb. 20, at 8:15 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 21, at 4 p.m in Gault Recital Hall in Scheide Music Center.  The Orchestra will feature solo performances by Professor of Piano at Baldwin Wallace Robert Mayerovitch and cellist Anna Lemler‘10.  Tickets are free for students, faculty and staff and $5 for the public.

Published Friday, February 19th, 2010 in News Briefs | No Comments »

Township proposes increased patrolling

East Union Township Trustees are considering a proposal forwarded by Apple Creek Police to provide patrolling services for the township.  Wayne County Sheriff’s Office budget cuts have drastically reduced the number of patrol cars on Wayne County roads to 12, and East Union Township officials feel additional policing services may be necessary.  The trustees are considering various proposals, including 24-hour service and 120, 90 and 60 hours-per-week plans.

Published Friday, February 19th, 2010 in News Briefs | No Comments »

Credit card companies lower in delinquency

Credit card delinquency has stabilized, according to the six major lenders, and shares of the credit card companies have jumped.  Bank of America Corp and American Express Co have reported drops in delinquency rates, and Capital One Financial Corp, Discover Financial Services, JP Morgan Chase & Co. and Citigroup Inc. have reported little change in their delinquency rates since December.  Economists predict a seasonal economic recovery later this spring, and expect to see signs of a cyclical recovery in the later months of 2010.

Good news for med school applicants

Medical schools are expected to surge in numbers. These new schools are seeking to address an imbalance in American medicine that has been growing for a quarter century. If all the schools being proposed actually opened, they would amount to an 18 percent increase in the 131 medical schools across the country.

Published Friday, February 19th, 2010 in News Briefs | No Comments »

Taliban commander captured by joint force

The Pakistani military and United States diplomatic officials confirm Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Afghan Taliban’s top military commander, was seized in a Karachi raid by Pakistani and U.S. Forces.  Baradar’s seizure comes in the early stages of Obama’s military surge against the Taliban. Taliban-allied reps and members of the Afghani parliament met in the Maldives to discuss a possible end to the war.

Published Friday, February 19th, 2010 in News Briefs | No Comments »

Campus greets professorial candidates

The Communication Department is conducting a series of presentations to evaluate candidates applying for two Professor openings next year. The department is looking for one Communication Studies professor and one Communication Sciences and Disorders professor to help address the expanding number of students declaring the major. Presentations will continue through this week and next in Lean Lecture Hall.

Published Friday, February 12th, 2010 in News Briefs | No Comments »

Woosterites gather to debate potential levy

The city of Wooster has created a hotline to address questions about the recent levy request. Last Wednesday, concerned citizens congregated at Wooster High School and received a packet of information regarding the proposed levy, including a list of frequently asked questions and an absentee voter’s ballot. Residents in favor of the levy may assist in a number of ways, including contacting other voters whose names and addresses are on labels put together with a list of individuals who voted in the May election, volunteering for committees and even contributing money because no taxpayer’s money may be used for campaign activities.

Published Friday, February 12th, 2010 in News Briefs | No Comments »

NASA space journey finally underway

The space shuttle Endeavour lifted off from Kennedy Space Center early Monday on a two-week mission to the international space station. NASA said that the shuttle was able to make a stable enterance into orbit by 4:30 a.m. The crews mission is to bring a key module to the space station. The six person crew docked at the station Wednesday. The mission also will include three spacewalks. Endeavour was originally scheduled to lift off early Sunday, but low cloud coverings forced a nearly 24-hour delay.

Soldier accused of “waterboarding” girl

Josh Tabor, a Washington state soldier is accused of holding his 4-year-old daughter’s head under the water in the kitchen sink mock ‘’waterboard-style’’ because she would not say her ABCs. He was allegedly angry, intoxicated and threatening during the incident. He is currently being charged with second-degree assault of a child. Tabor and his girlfriend forced the young girl to be submerged into water 3-4 times.

Published Friday, February 12th, 2010 in News Briefs | No Comments »