Even without their dancing ape-like mascot, Gorilla Behind Bars stole the vote from a crowd of over 200 last night and walked away with a $300 gift certificate to the Guitar Center.

The finals for the UA's second annual battle of the bands, put on by ASUA and UAB, took place last night.

Gorilla Behind Bars performed with Troy's Bucket, Oliver Nothing and Elsewhere.

Standing in pink net stockings before the show, Bars bassist Geoff Hidalgo, said he felt good about performing. [Read article]

President Peter Likins is no longer being considered as a mediator between students and campus-area neighbors because ASUA senators think he's biased.

Likins was the leading candidate to mediate between students and the community during ASUA's planned forum on Feb. 3 of next year.

But ASUA decided to search for someone else because they thought Likins would be inclined to defend the university, ASUA Sen. Sara Birnbaum said. [Read article]

Retailing and consumer science junior Seth Schwartz may never see his house again. Schwartz's family members may soon have to evacuate their home in San Diego due to one of more than a dozen wildfires ravaging Southern California.

Only the house's mountain location gives them hope. All the other houses in the neighborhood have been destroyed.

"I'm glad I'm not there, but I kind of want to be there in case something happens," Schwartz said. [Read article]

For most freshmen and sophomores living in residence halls around campus, Halloween is about eating too much candy and deciding on that perfect costume.

For others, it means reaching out to the community.

Residents are transforming Yuma Residence Hall's basement into a spooky lair for members of the campus and local community to enjoy.

"The Dungeon should have a little bit of everything," said Tim Wong, a media arts junior and Yuma hall president. [Read article]

Stolen nitrogen found in rooms of bomb suspects

Residents and staff on the third floor of the Yavapai Residence Hall were evacuated from their rooms early yesterday morning after two students threw a dry ice bomb from an outside stairwell.

Steven Kobes, a computer science senior, and John Buonagurio, an optical sciences freshman, were arrested and booked into the Pima County Jail after police found evidence that the two had stolen liquid nitrogen from a university lab and used it to create and detonate the bomb, police and school officials said. [Read article]

Students banded together to show their displeasure with law enforcement tactics and motivations at the underage drinking forum last night.

The forum, organized by Republican City Councilwoman Kathleen Dunbar, addressed issues relating to neighborhood relations and community standards, but students in attendance were most vocal about their thoughts on recent police attempts to quell underage drinking. [Read article]

Baton-twirling nursing senior, never hurt herself, but gave someone a black eye once with it

Wildcat: Hi, my name's Nathan and you're On the Spot.

Costolo: I'm Megan.

Wildcat: You're holding a baton.

Costolo: Yes, I'm a baton twirler.

Wildcat: So do you play at all the games?

Costolo: Yes.

Wildcat: Are you ever afraid of like, just throwing it up in the air, and looking up, and it hitting your eyeball or something? Like landing on your eyeball? [Read article]

News from around campus

UA undergraduate named 'Secretary-General' of Model UN

Ben Zuniga, a UA undergraduate student majoring in geography and Italian with a double minor in geographic information systems and molecular/cellular biology, has been selected as the secretary-general for the 2004 United Nations Association of the United States of America Model United Nations Conference, which is taking place in New York City this coming Spring. [Read article]

Things you always never wanted to know