Students have long complained that Tucson has never been hip to the late night scene.

But hope looms on the horizon.

Wilbur's Underground, located in the Student Union Memorial Center, is fast becoming a late night hot spot for UA students.

The Underground, which is open from 10 a.m. to 4 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. the rest of the week, has four different attractions: the Cellar Restaurant, a T.V. lounge, a game room and a computer lab. [Read article]

Mackovic's $910,000 buyout may reduce travel, facilities

The UA athletics department is considering cutting its budget in order to pay the buyout amount of former head football coach John Mackovic's contract, athletics officials said yesterday.

The buyout, which is $910,000 or half of Mackovic's unpaid salary, must be paid by the end of the month because of a provision included in his contract. [Read article]

A year after three College of Nursing faculty members were killed by a disgruntled student with a gun, the College of Nursing Alumni Council hopes to honor their memory by hosting a 5K memorial walk/run.

And they're asking for members of the UA and Tucson community to show their support by strapping on some tennis shoes and joining them on Oct. 26.

So far, only 250 people have signed up for the event. The council hopes to have 500 to 1,000 participants, said event coordinator Ellice Mellinger. [Read article]

A UA chemistry and optical sciences professor has been appointed as the Secretary of State's right hand science man.

George H. Atkinson, a professor at the UA since 1983, began working on Sept. 19 as U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell's Senior Advisor for Science and Technology.

"I am very honored and pleased to accept a job of this magnitude," Atkinson said from a hotel in Paris.

As the senior advisor, Atkinson will serve as the department's voice in the national and international scientific community. [Read article]

Freshman has cockatoo on shoulder, but don't try to ask him a question ÷ he isn't going to respond

Wildcat: You're carrying a bird on your shoulder? Like a parrot · like a pirate.

Edenborg: Yeah. He a Goffin's Cockatoo.

Wildcat: Did you pay a lot of money for it?

Edenborg: No. He was given to me as a gift from my old boss.

Wildcat: Oh really? What's the parrot's name? [Read article]

"I made a decision two and a half years ago that I truly believed, at that time, was in the best interest of our program. It has proved not to be. "

Jim Livengood, athletic director, on his recent decision to fire head football coach John Mackovic.

"Smurfs. They're all little Smurfs."

Chris Longo, freshman, who helped paint the ÎA' on ÎA' mountain on "A-Day" last weekend. [Read article]

· In one year, hens in America lay enough eggs to encircle the globe a hundred times.

· The Boston Nation, a newspaper published in Ohio during the mid-19th century, had pages 7 1/2 feet long and 5 1/2 feet wide. It required two people to hold the paper in proper reading position.

· The term "freelance" was invented by Sir Walter Scott to refer to itinerant mercenary soldiers who sold their abilities to the highest bidder. At first, such soldiers were known as "free companions." Since they usually traveled with their own weapons, including lances, Scott dubbed them "free lancers." [Read article]