Moira Savage Emerson's off-campus student service center hopes to make shopping at Ikea even easier for students by offering a shuttle bus, door-to-door. With reasonably priced and chic home goods, the store is likely to appeal to students and faculty alike.

Jameson Viens Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein Oct. 31 announced his decision not to return to the franchise, and that has left many people, including several Emersonians surprised and upset.

Jameson Viens Boston has become the center of debate since its erection of the season's annual tree. Once called a Christmas tree, recently its title has come under fire to be called a holiday tree in support of political correctness, and not without its share of controversy.

Juan Ramos Jr. The latest news headlines paint a grave portrait of the Upham's Corner area of Dorchester: shootings, stabbings and drug deals, all in broad daylight. But for 16-year-old Luis López, there is more to Upham's Corner than the violence surrounding it.

Nicholas Maloney To allay student concerns over safety, college officials suggested ways for Doubletree residents to protect themselves. Many students don't use shuttle bus service and take shortcuts through dimly lit areas. Another answer is "wait til next year" and the new Piano Row residences.

Amanda I. Bergeron "We are all ambassadors," former Massachusetts State Senator Cheryl Jacques told members of the Emerson community who gathered to hear her Monday night. Jacques addressed the issues of the Gay Civil Rights Movement and same-sex marriages in her presentation.

Ashley Daley Customers can now pay for parking with credit cards, debit cards and even dollar bills, along with their quarters in some lots in Cambridge and Plymouth. The new machines are known as "pay and display" because they give you a receipt, which you then display on your widshield.

Warren Sargent Fisher College's Student Government Association President was expelled for comments made on facebook.com that were interpreted to be in violation of the student conduct code. He allegedly harassed a campus police officer.

Jennie Palluzzi Rafael Campo (above), a practicing physician at Harvard Medical School and the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, read his poetry to an eager crowd of Emersonians Friday afternoon. He explained how he has tried to connect science and the arts.

Jameson Viens The antiquated fraternal organization known as the Freemasons has undergone incredible scrutiny throughout its entire history. Last weekend Masonic lodges across the state held an open house in attempts to dispel any rumors about their strange history. The Grand Lodge located on Boylston and Tremont (above) was open and members were there to answer questions.

Ashley Daley Nearly one-hundred students from both the high school and college level Wednesday expressed their disapproval on the Iraq war by rallying at the Common. Socialist Alternative, the youth organization which organized the anti-war National Student Walkout Rally, lead the crowd in a chant that went "Bush lies, thousands die, troops out now."

Ashley Daley Students in Boston College's Presidential Scholars Program held a Hurricane Katrina Relief concert on Monday, which raised $250. Already the students have raised a total of more than $3000 that will help fund a trip to Biloxi, Mississippi, where the students will participate in service projects.

Moira Savage While grateful to have had the opportunity to learn more about the species, the New England Aquarium could not keep alive the first leatherback turtle in its possession in more than 30 years.

Lloyd Nelson The Boston Public Library will host the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's traveling exhibition Fighting the Fires of Hate: America and the Nazi Book Burnings beginning Monday and running through Jan. 19, 2006.

William Dvorak The Brattle Theater in Cambridge, an integral part of local cinema, is undergoing an intensive fundraising campaign in order to stay open. Students and Brattle enthusiasts are gathering to help raise the $400,000 the theater needs to stay afloat.

Jacqueline Noblett Emerson students presented their semester-long documentary project on the gentrification of Boston's Chinatown to a full house at the Asian American Film Festival Sept. 16. The film provided an opportunity for the students to work closely with the community and learn skills they will use in their journalism careers.

William Dvorak The suspect behind the September sexual assaults against two women who were picked up at Faneuil Hall and raped in Cambridge has been charged after he was arrested in Maine for an unrelated crime.

Amanda Wade On December 3, 1984, in Bhopal, India, an American-owned chemical plant began leaking 27 tons of toxic gas into the sleeping town. Twenty-one years later, after 22,000 deaths and countless cancers and birth defects, the inhabitants of Bhopal are still feeling the effects of that leak.

Kristine Catalogna Eatnow.com was founded in 2005 by friends at the Wharton School in Pennsylvania who wanted to provide a way to get food fast online. Now it has expanded into Boston where its founder says it is finding more customers than anywhere else in the country.

Amanda Wade The second annual Pumpkin Festival on the Boston Common was held Saturday and raised more than $180,000 for Camp Sunshine, a free summer camp for families dealing with terminal illness. The festival was an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the number of jack o' lanterns lighted in one place at the same time, but it fell short.

Sarah Kneezle Most college administrators don't get involved in political races, staying neutral and avoiding any contributions, endorsements or support that might affect their schools. Yet Emerson's President Jackie Liebergott's ties to Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and the school's real estate projects are raising questions on-campus and off.

Moira Savage A home exploded in Lexington as a gas leak forced the evacuation of over 1,500 homes. No one was seriously injured.

Jacqueline Noblett Two thousand military boots lay on the Boston Common Saturday in memory of those Americans who have lost their lives in the Iraq war. The American Friends Service Committee came up with the "Eyes Wide Open" exhibit to highlight the human cost of the war.

William Dvorak Boston taxi drivers are asking the city to allow them to add a $1 surcharge on fares in order to compensate for rising gas prices. A hearing to address this issue is scheduled for Oct. 26.

William Dvorak Attorney General Tom Reilly's support of a bill that would allow children of illegal immigrants the right to pay in-state tuition has started a heated political debate. In the photo, immigrant students demonstrate at the State House.

Ryan Weaver The brand new Beacon Hill community center opens the doors for the first time on Friday, Oct. 21. The building, located on Joy Street, underwent a $3.5 million renovation process. Mayor Menino is scheduled to take part in the ribbon cutting ceremony.