Big Ten Breakdown

University of Michigan The university is offering up to $500 for information about a string of vehicle break-ins.

Thieves have taken hand power tools and construction materials from 22 different University vehicles since July, Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Diane Brown said.

A University van has also been reported stolen, Brown said. Missing since Oct. 15, it has not been recovered.

Police think most of the thefts occurred on the same night, according to Brown. Nine break-ins were reported on one night in August.

Brown said thieves got into most of the vehicles by breaking windows or through doors that have been left unlocked. She said most of the vehicles broken into were parked on South Campus. As a result, University Plant Operations plans to change the location of vehicles parked overnight and revise its key policies.

Brown would not say whether DPS has any suspects, and she said police haven't yet calculated the costs of the damage and stolen property. (Elizabeth Lai - The Michigan Daily)

University of Minnesota University students, faculty and staff can now receive emergency notifications via text messages.

Introduced Friday, TXT-U uses text messaging as an additional means to communicate school closings and emergency situations throughout campus, according to a news release.

Vice President for University Services Kathleen O'Brien praised the system in the release.

"Text messaging is a quick way to reach people, particularly when time is of the essence," she said.

Students must register online for the free service, according to the release, and TXT-U will be introduced on the Morris, Rochester and Crookston campuses in the future.

Although there is no charge from the University, standard charges from service providers still apply, according to the news release. (Alyssa Kroeten - The Minnesota Daily)

Northwestern Online dating is about to get easier, more practical and more realistic, thanks to two NU alums.

This week, Adam Sachs, Communication '05 and Dan Osit, Communication '04, launched Sparkker, an application on the popular social networking Web site Facebook.

The application allows users to form groups with their friends, plan events with other groups and ultimately interact with potential dating partners in real-world settings.

"In a lofty sense, our goal is to change the way people date and meet new people online," Sachs said.

Sachs described Sparkker - the name refers to the spark created when two people meet - as "a hybrid between social networking and online dating."

Once Facebook users add the application to their profiles, they can create groups for their friends to join or join other existing groups. Group leaders, called "ambassadors," set the group's location, sexual orientation and description. They also specify what qualities group members are looking for in other people.

From there, ambassadors search for other area groups and plan real-life events and meet-ups.

The idea, Sachs said, is to do what other online dating sites such as Match.com and eHarmony.com do not: simulate the group setting where people really meet one another. (Sam Kirkland - The Daily Northwestern)

Penn State Penn State defensive tackle Chris Baker and linebacker Navorro Bowman were charged Thursday with brutally kicking and stomping a man while he was down during an October assault at the HUB-Robeson Center, leaving him injured and football players laying blame on one another.

For the redshirt sophomore Baker, this is his second felony charge. He was arrested for simple assault in April for his participation in a fight at Meridian Apartments - and Centre County Assistant District Attorney Steve Sloane wouldn't rule out the possibility of his bail being revoked.

"We're not concerned he's a flight risk," Sloane said. "However, the risk to the community is a concern ... lightning doesn't strike twice, usually."

Centre County District Attorney Michael Madeira said he would not make a decision regarding bail until after the players' preliminary hearing, scheduled for Wednesday.

Both players were arraigned Thursday at 10 a.m. before Magisterial District Justice Jonathan Grine and were released on their own recognizance. Both received one count each of aggravated assault, harassment and stalking, simple assault and disorderly conduct.

Defensive back Knowledge Timmons was also charged with misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct and defiant trespass for overturning furniture while looking for the iPhone the redshirt sophomore lost while attempting to break up the fight. (Andrew McGill - The Daily Collegian)

University of Wisconsin One person is dead and three injured as a result of an early morning house fire at 123 N. Bedford St., near the University of Wisconsin campus.

The fire occurred at about 5:40 a.m. on the block of Bedford Street between West Mifflin and West Dayton streets.

The three injured victims have been taken to UW Hospital, according to City Council President Mike Verveer, who represents the area.

"(They were) obviously all young people, all college students," Verveer said.

Names of those involved in the fire have not yet been released. (Courtney Jackson - The Badger Herald)