UW students and faculty have the opportunity to play an extra
in an upcoming Hollywood movie
Attention all baseball fans. Touchstone Pictures is looking for
extras July 18 and 19 to shoot crowd scenes at Milwaukee’s Miller
Park for the movie "Mr. 3,000" starring Bernie Mac.
The movie began shooting on May 21 in New Orleans and moved up
to Milwaukee on June 28 for six weeks of filming. All UW-Madison
students, employees as well as their family and friends are invited
to be a part of the crowd shots.
Those who sign up will be given a souvenir program and a
concession coupon for a free lunch. Participants will also be
eligible for door prizes to be given out every 15 minutes and the
grand prize, a brand new car.
"Mr. 3,000" stars Mac and Angela Bassett in the story
of a famed Milwaukee Brewers baseball player, Stan Ross, who
retires with 3,000 hits – only to attempt a comeback years
later when it’s discovered he’s three shy of that illustrious
mark.
Participants must be 18 years or older, children 13 to 17 years
old may attend if accompanied by an adult.
To sign up as an individual or a group visit www.extrascastingmr3000.com
and follow the instructions. UW-Madison’s four-digit code is 1001
and must be included on the sign-up form to be valid.
State Senate votes yes to .08 drunk driving limit
The State Senate voted 22-11 Tuesday to lower the drunk driving
limit from .1 to .08 percent so as to comply with federal standards
and keep nearly $3 million in highway funds.
Originally, the Senate had recessed for the summer without
bringing this bill up for a vote; however, Senate Majority Leader
Sen. Mary Panzer, R-West Bend, called a special session this week
to address it before the July 15th deadline, despite her
misgivings about the bill.
"I don’t think it is anyone’s favorite bill; it certainly
isn’t mine," Panzer told the Associated Press. "But the
reality is there is a lot of money on the table Wisconsin
needs."
Wisconsin stood to lose an additional $154 million between 2004
and 2008 if it didn’t change the .1 percent limit by July 15.
Wisconsin receives about $500 million each year in federal highway
funds.
In addition, while the state Assembly passed the bill 72-23 in
May it will have to meet again to vote on changes the State Senate
made to the bill such as an easing of penalties for first-time
offenders caught with a blood-alcohol concentration between .08 and
.099 percent.
Gov. Doyle has said he will sign the legislation.
UW opens Office of Corporate Relations
UW-Madison announced Tuesday the opening of its newest
initiative, the Office of Corporate Relations – a venture
that is meant to help build relations with businesses and other
industries in Wisconsin.
Charles Hoslet a former special assistant to Chancellor Wiley
for state government relations will be heading the office. Hoslet
will still report to Wiley in his new position.
"The initiative by the university is designed] to better
serve the increasingly complex needs of the business community and
help build a stronger Wisconsin economy n the 21st
century," Wiley said in a UW communications press release.
Hoslet said the office’s primary task would be to listen to the
needs of the business community and help companies access the wide
range of resources and expertise available to them on campus. The
office is funded completely from private dollars.
In addition, the office’s Web site links people to a vast array
of information and resources that the university provides for
businesses.
For more information about the new office visit http://www.corprelations.wisc.edu/
U.S. places $25 million bounty on Saddam Hussein
The United States announced today it has placed a $25 million
bounty on the head of Saddam Hussein. Paul Bremer, U.S.
administrator for Iraq, also noted a $15 million bounty has been
placed on the heads of Uday and Qusay, for any information leading
to the capture of his two sons. Bremer called the Hussein
trio three "among the most evil men the world has
known."
Deck Collapse Kills 12, Injures Dozens in Chicago
(Reuters) – A Chicago balcony crammed with party-goers collapsed
early on Sunday, sending bodies and splintered wood plummeting
three stories into a tangled mass that killed 12 and injured
dozens, authorities said.
Some witnesses reported hearing a creaking sound as the
overloaded top floor of the wooden structure gave way, crushing
people on lower floors and trapping them at the basement level.
Others were left dangling from the ruined structure.
Other guests at the party, which appeared to involve more than
one apartment in the six-unit building, described the swiftness of
the collapse as the heads of their friends dropped from sight when
the top deck gave way.
The accident occurred behind an apartment building in the
upscale North Side neighborhood near DePaul University, a popular
area dotted with numerous nightclubs and bars.
Survivors tried to pull friends from the mass of bodies and
shattered wood and neighbors used torn bedsheets and ice from a
nearby tavern to pack wounds until paramedics arrived.
Fire Department rescuers used chain saws to cut through to
victims trapped at the basement level.
The city’s building department recently sent out a warning to
inspect the structures with the arrival of summer. "Porches
are not designed for large parties," the press release
said.
"Common sense should prevail at some point," Trotter
said when asked if there were official capacity guidelines.
-compiled by staff reports
