THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015
IDS
FROM DOUGHY TO DREAMY Chris Pratt’s transformation, page 7
INDIANA DAILY STUDENT | IDSNEWS.COM
FOOTBALL
Hoosier junior arrested, kicked off team Frpm IDS reports
IU football junior defensive back Antonio Allen was arrested by Indiana State Police officers at approximately 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, Allen according to Indiana State Police Sgt. Curt Durnil. IU announced he was dismissed from the program Wednesday, effective immediately. He is the third player on the team to be arrested since April 19. Allen was arrested on preliminary charges of possession of cocaine, dealing cocaine, possession of heroin over 10 grams, two counts of dealing heroin, two counts of dealing methamphetamine and maintaining a common nuisance, according to a press release from Indiana State Police. The Monroe County Circuit Court issued a search warrant for the residence at 421 E 19th St. in Bloomington, which revealed further probable cause for the multiple charges, according to the release. The arrest came as the result of an ISP investigation. Both the Bloomington Police Department and the IU Police Department assisted with the search warrant. Allen was transported to and booked at the Monroe County Jail. The 20-year-old Indianapolis native led the team with 74 tackles during his sophomore season in 2014 and recorded three doubledigit tackle games, according to the IU Athletics website. He was 2014 All-Big Ten honorable mention and was twice named IU’s defensive player of the week. Holly Hays and Brody Miller
Change of venue still undecided in Messel jury trial By Suzanne Grossman spgrossm@indiana.edu @suzannepaige6
Dressed in his jail stripes and black crocs, Daniel Messel appeared in court in person for the first time Wednesday. He was there to hear whether or not Brown County Circuit Court Judge Judith Stewart would grant him a change of venue. Stewart, however, did not take a ruling and instead said she will take the motion under advisement. A written order will be out quickly, Stewart said, which should detail if a change of venue is granted and how the change will take place. Messel’s defense attorney Dorie Maryan filed for the change of venue to decrease the chances of an unfair trial. Messel is charged with the murder of IU senior Hannah Wilson, who disappeared the evening of April 23. Her body was discovered near Needmore, Indiana around 8:30 a.m. the next day. Maryan said she believes the jury pool will be prejudiced against Messel because of the case’s media coverage. Maryan brought three exhibits of SEE MESSEL, PAGE 6
SCOTT TENEFRANCIA | IDS
La Ehr, a soon to be sophomore at IU, is a refugee from Burma. His family fled from the county, now known as Myanmar, in 1997.
Finding refuge On this year’s World Refugee Day, there will be around 16.7 million refugees in the world, according to the U.N. At least one of them is a student at IU. By Annie Garau agaru@indiana | @agarau6
Refugee is not a word that comes to mind when looking at La Ehr. Sitting outside of Wells Library, his bleached hair is slicked back, he’s wearing a bright orange camouflage tank top and toting an iPhone. He has big earrings and speaks English well. Looking at him, it’s impossible to know he grew up in a camp on the border of Thailand and Myanmar. “People never know the things we had to go through,” he said. “They think we’re like everyone else but technically we’re not. We went through hell.” When Ehr was six months old, in 1997, his parents fled Myanmar because of the violent persecution taking place against ethnic and religious minorities. As Christians, they had no choice but to flee to Thailand, becoming separated along the way. The journey lasted two weeks on foot in the middle of monsoon season. “Many people got sick because there wasn’t enough food,” Ehr said, remembering what his mother has told him about the trip. “A lot of people died from malaria and diarrhea. People were giving birth along the
way. There were children. It was like a worst nightmare.” When they arrived at the border, the Thai government refused to let them in. Eventually, out of desperation, Ehr’s parents snuck through the fences and into the camp where they would stay for the next nine years. “I went to school and didn’t have to worry about anything,” Ehr said. “They provided us with food, rice, oil, firewood and shelter. That was normal to me. I didn’t have any knowledge of what life was like outside.” As time passed and the conflict raged on, the camp grew. Ehr’s parents had two baby girls while in the camp. Eventually there were over 10,000 refugees living in an area smaller than IU’s campus. “Life in the camp was really hard because people couldn’t find work because they didn’t have the documents they needed to work,” Ehr said. “If people were caught working outside the camp, the Thai police would arrest them.” Ehr says memories from his time in Thailand aren’t all bad. One day in particular stands out in his mind. “Angelina Jolie came to visit when she was an ambassador for UNICEF,” Ehr said. “She provided the whole camp with TVs. It was a shock for us.
We were used to the camp being totally dark at night.” Jolie’s visit inspired Ehr. When his family eventually came to the United States in 2006, he was determined to get good grades, graduate high school and study international relations at IU. He wants to work for either UNICEF or the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. “My past motivates me to work harder,” he said. “I want to help as many people as I can. One day I want to be as famous, well not famous, but close to Angelina Jolie, to help people like me to pursue their dreams.” For World Refugee Day, Saturday, Ehr said it’s important to think about the struggles currently facing 51.2 million forcibly displaced people in the world. After facing bullying in high school, he wants to encourage people to try harder to understand refugees and make them feel accepted. “We went through a lot and then to see people making fun of you, that just made it harder for us,” he said. “Instead of judging because the person doesn’t understand your culture or your language, try to understand what they’ve been through. You can never tell what someone’s been through.”
Arts Fair on the Square returns this weekend By Anthony Broderick aebroder@umail.iu.edu | @aebrodakirck
This weekend, the roads and sidewalks in downtown Bloomington will be occupied with art booths full of high quality artwork from artists all over the country. The 35th annual Arts Fair on the Square will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday on the Courthouse Lawn in downtown Bloomington. The art show features artwork from over 100 regional and national artists, according to the event website.. The objective of the event is to showcase the highest quality fine arts and crafts and to connect artists with the community. Lee Burckes, the event organizer for Arts Fair on the Square,
said this is her sixth year planning the event and is very excited for the Bloomington public to enjoy the festival. “It is the best event that takes place in Bloomington. It’s an event for everyone,” Burckes said. “There’s a brand new expansion of 30 new artists. This brings in more art to Bloomington and more of a variety of art styles to the town.” The event is organized and sponsored by the Bloomington Playwrights Project. For the block exhibit, all of the featured artists will have art booths to present and sell artwork in various mediums such as painting, fiber, photography, wood, metal and others. IDS FILE PHOTO
SEE ARTS FAIR, PAGE 6
Crowds walk from tent to tent viewing the various artwork on display June 22, 2013 at the Arts Fair on the Square.