By Casey Barnes Kansan staff writer
There are places on Mount Oread where the trees and streets of Lawrence seem to stretch into the countryside. Although University founders may not have intended to make KU the center of Lawrence geographically, economically and socially, it's hard to ignore that fact.
The way the University seems to anchor Lawrence is just one of the qualities unique to the town.
Every college town has common characteristics. Aside from generating a large percentage of the population, universities enhance the economy with jobs, encourage cultural diversity through the arts and create unity through athletics. The average age of the people in most college towns is between 24 and 27 years.
Lawrence is no exception.
KU is the largest employer of the city, and out of 72,000 people, roughly 25,000 are students. Lawrence ranks 12th in the United States in percentage of artists in the work force, according to the Endowment of the Arts. Of course, many Lawrence residents are avid Jayhawk fans.
But there is also a unique personality
to each college town. Most people believe Massachusetts Street sets Lawrence apart.
"Downtown and the individual shop owners give us a sense of place," said Judy Billings, Convention and Visitors Bureau director. "Mass. Street is the heart of Lawrence. That is where you think of when you think of Lawrence because it is something different from what everybody else has."
Five major college towns that are often compared to Lawrence are Columbia, Mo.; Norman, Okla.; Boulder, Colo.; Ames, Iowa; and Manhattan.
All of these towns have the benefits of a university. But they also have many small differences.
Although some are larger than others and students do not always make up half the population, they are all considered college towns by the people who live there.
Shelly Helmerick, assistant director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau in Boulder, said that although Boulder was popular for more than the University of Colorado, it was definitely a college town. With a population of 90,987, more than 20,000 are students, Helmerick said.
"Boulder relies on students for help
within the community," she said. "Citizens enjoy the benefits of the theater and other things that go along with a university."
Helmerick said that the most unique thing about Boulder was its geography. The mountains that surround it give the town a rustic atmosphere.
Another big college town closer to Lawrence is Columbia. It is home to three colleges, including the University of Missouri.
With a population of approximately 95,000,23,000 are students, said Linda Wage, Communications and Research manager of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce.
Waage said that because Columbia was in the center of the state, it was convenient to get to both Kansas City and St. Louis. She said this made Columbia a small town with a lot of big-town features.
Scott Moore, Lenexa senior, lived in Columbia for two years. He said that Lawrence was more of a town, and Columbia was more of a city.
"Columbia has a real downtown with lots of streets," Moore said. "Lawrence's downtown has just one street. I like that Columbia is more of a
miniature city."
But Moore came to KU because of the campus. He said that Missouri's campus was condensed to one square, and he liked the trees and the hills in Lawrence.
Other popular characteristics of Lawrence are the nightlife and the shopping. Lawrence does not have malls or many restaurant chains like Norman or Manhattan, but that is a quality some residents value.
"The uniqueness of the shops and restaurants is very appealing." Billings said. "We have many interesting, locally owned restaurants."
But Jane Blackburn, Norman senior, said she missed the shopping in Norman.
"If you need something basic like make-up or jeans, you have to go to Kansas City," Blackburn said. "In Norman, there are malls to run to and get things."
One thing Blackburn sees that is the same in both Lawrence and Norman is the support for the university's athletic teams.
"I grew up going to OU football games," she said. "Here basketball is popular, but it is the same spirit."
The Kansan asked KU students to pick the best of Lawrence. Here are the winners.
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Best breakfast: Paradise Cafe, 728 Massachusetts St. 842-5199.
Best Chinese restaurant: Magic Wok, 1700 W. 23rd St.
St. 841-1888.
Best Mexican restaurant: La Familia, 733 New Hampshire St.. 749-0105.
Beet plizza: Papa Kenos, 1035 Massachusetts St.,
841-7272.
Best burgers: Molly McGees, 2429 Iowa St., 841-
9922.
Best salad bar: Dillons, 1740 Massachusetts St., 842-2942; 3000 W. 6th St., 843-0652; 1015 W. 23rd St., 841-3366.
Best cup of coffee: La Prima Tazza, 638 Massachusetts St, 832-2233.
Best ice cream: Creamery, 1447 W. 23rd St., 842- 4883.
Best frozen yogurt: ICBY, 2223 Louisiana St., 843-5500.
Best place to go for dinner with your parents:
Tellers, 746 Massachusetts St., 843-4111.
Best restaurant in Kansas City: Houston's, 4640
Wornell Road, Kansas City, Mo., (816) 561-8542.
Best late-night restaurant: Perkins, 1711 W. 23rd
St., 842-9040.
Best drink specials: Jazz Haus, 926 &1/2 Massachusetts St., 749-3320.
Best selection of beer: Free State, 636 Massachusetts St. 844-4555.
Best bar for live music: Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St. 841-5483.
Best pool tables:Poolroom,925 Iowa St.,749- 503
Best sports bar: Yacht Club, 530 Wisconsin St., 842-945.
Best local music group: Mountain Clyde.
Best place to go dancing: Granada, 1020 Mas-
Best local music group: Mountain Clyde.
Brewery, 636 Massachusetts St., 843-4555.
Best restrooms: Tellers, 746 Massachusetts St., 843-4111.
sachusets St, 842-1390.
Best place for free entertainment: SUA, 4th floor Kansas Union, 864-3477.
Best road trip destination: Colorado.
Best place to take an out of-towner: Free State
Best radio station; Lazer 98, 3035 Iowa St., 843-1320.
Best place for women to meet men: Class.
Best place for men to meet women: Class.
Best place for women to meet women: Hideaway,
106 N. Park, 865-4100.
Best place for men to meet men: Same as above.
Best place to go on a first date: Movie.
安徽衡东韵家
Best free sporting event: Women's basketball, 280 Parrott Athletic Center, 864-4938.
Best building: Kansas Union, 865-4596.
Best undergraduate class: Human Sexuality with
Best place to study: Watson Library, 664-3956.
Best place to go for a study break: Joe's Donuts,
616 W. 9th St., 843-4720.
Best place to people watch: Wescoe Beach.
Dennis Daily, 864-4720.
Best dorm: Oliver, 1815 Naismith Drive, 864-4911.
Best apartment complex: Pinnacle, 3700 Clinton Parkway, 749-0431.
Best Used CD Store: Lovegarden, 936 & 1/2 Massachusset St. 843-1551.
Best overall music selection: The End, 1000 Massachusetts St., 843-3630.
Best place to buy stereo equipment: Kief's, 2429 Iowa St. 842-1811.
Best video store: Hastings, Southwest Plaza, 832-0719.
Best book store: Same as Above.
Beat health club: Robinson Center and Total Fitness 2108 W. 27th St. 832-0818.
Best coin laundry: Duds-n-Suds, 918 Mississippi St.
B1. 881-8833.
Best florist: Owen's, 846 Indiana St., 843-6111.
 grocery store: Dillons.
Best discount store: Walmart, 2727 Iowa St., 842-3085.
Best men's clothing store: CJ, Crew, 1 Riverfront
Plaza, Suite 211, 843-7100
Best womens' clothing store: Cleopatra's Close,
743 Massachusetts St. 749-4684.
Best car repair: Western Auto, 2535 Iowa St., 749-2941.
News of the Weird
LEAD STORY
Early in the morning on Oct. 30, a man described by the New York Daily News as a career criminal was arrested in the middle of a burglary at an upscale Fire Island, N.Y., home. The residents woke up to check out noises in the house but found no one. However, they heard flatulence and found Richard Magpoiong, 56, hiding in a closet.
THE LITIGIOUS SOCIETY
Janet S. Robinson filed a lawsuit in Roanoke Va., in April, asking for $100,000 in damages for an ankle injury she suffered when hit by a truck. The truck was a remote-controlled toy operated by another customer at the Kay-Bee Toy & Hobby Shops at Valley View Mall. Robinson said that her injury was serious and that the consequences of the accident caused her pain, humiliation, aggravation and disability.
THE WEIRDO AMERICAN COMMUNITY
According to Department of Justice figures, 30,000 inmate lawsuits were filed last year against prison officials for civil rights violations. The vast majority of cases were described by judges and court officials as frivolous. Among the lawsuits were: Complaints that the prison canteen supplied creamy peanut butter when a prisoner bought crunchy; that guards would not refrigerate an ice cream snack so that a prisoner could eat it later; that a toilet seat was too cold; that, as an inmate-paralegal in the prison law library, he should make the same wage that lawyers make; that prisons should have salad bars; that a limit on the number of Kool-Aid refills is cruel and unusual punishment; and that the scrambled eggs were cooked too hard. In New York state, 20 percent of the entire budget of the Attorney General's office is spent on prisoner lawsuits.
In August, a San Francisco insecticide company sponsored a contest to demonstrate its pest control abilities, selecting Rosemary Mitchell's house, in Tulsa, Okla., as a challenge. Entomologist Austin Frishman, television's Dr. Cockroach, began work on the home after estimating that 60,000 to 100,000 cockroaches lived there. Mitchell said she kept a pretty clean house, but she also said she had to check the bed thoroughly every night and shake the shower curtains off every morning.