When three unlinked sexual assaults were reported in early April, University of Arizona Police Commander Kevin Haywood said the crimes were the first reported of the semester.

However, according to Irene Anderson, director of the Oasis Center for Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence, close to 100 students, staff and faculty seek the center's help as victims of sexual assault every year. [Read article]

Sam Farmer came to the UA because he was attracted to its size and the people he hoped to meet here. Two years later, all those that he met are mourning the loss of the young man who "put a smile on everybody's face."

The undecided sophomore died at a party early Sunday when a porch collapsed from the third floor of a Chicago apartment building, crushing dozens of partygoers below.

The accident killed 11 others, including one of Farmer's best friends, and injured at least 57 more, Chicago authorities said. [Read article]

With over 36,000 classmates, hundreds of classes to choose from and the prospect of sharing showers with strangers, college life can at first intimidate many incoming freshmen. But for the 250 students enrolled in this year's New Start Summer Program, that adjustment might be a little easier.

The New Start Summer Program is a six-week orientation program designed to bridge the gap from the high school to university environment, all before students enter the University of Arizona as freshmen. [Read article]

By studying grains at University of Arizona, a plant sciences research team is hoping to bring the UA more bread.

Sequencing rice Chromosome 10, a piece of the biological "blue prints" that govern the grass' development, a research team lead by Rod Wing in the plant sciences department established UA's lead role in the International Rice Genome Sequencing Project.

Vice President of Research at UA, Dick Powell, called the accomplishment a significant step forward for biological sciences and said it brings Wing's department well-deserved recognition. [Read article]

What are your holiday plans?

"I'll probably be either rock climbing at Rocks and Ropes or chilling with my friends or watching fireworks."

Jeffrey Ouyang
Summer Excellence student

"I am going to go to a family reunion in the White Mountains."

Tamara VanDielen
Pre-education junior

"I'll probably go to Mexico. There will be some conventions there; it really has nothing to do with the Fourth of July." [Read article]

A man who led police on a car chase across Tucson killed himself in front of the James E. Rogers College of Law Monday Night after telling police he was suicidal.

Anthony James Russell, 33, got out of his early model beige Grand Am at the northwest corner of East Speedway and North Mountain Avenue, ran to the southeast corner of the Law College and shot himself at least once, ending the cross-town chase, said Pima County Sheriff's Lieutenant Michael O'Connor. [Read article]

Fourth of July plans includes kinky red fireworks, blue hair

WILDCAT: Do you have any big plans for the Fourth of July?

KOJIMA: My husband and I are probably going to go to "A" Mountain.

WILDCAT: Do you have a preference for your favorite color firework, like one that gets more "oohs and aahs" out of you?

KOJIMA: Red is good.

WILDCAT: Red? I like red. [Read article]

UA student held in Sept. 11 investigation

A UA doctoral candidate who was detained last month by federal authorities was moved last week to Virginia, where officials are investigating the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Muhammad Al-Qudhai'een was taken into custody June 13 on a material witness warrant for another case. Such warrants are typically issued when authorities suspect a think is a flight risk and that a subpoena would not be effective. [Read article]

3 weeks since a missing Texas athlete was last seen. Police sources have said they believe Patrick Dennehy, a Baylor University basketball player, is dead. However, police still haven't turned up a body, according to Fox News.

$34.2 million was raised for the Bush-Cheney presidential campaign. Bush announced his bid to run for re-election six weeks ago, which sent him and his campaign staff on a whirlwind tour across the country courting donors. Bush's collection is more than the combined earnings of the nine other Democratic candidates, according to Fox News. [Read article]