Tuesday, April 25. 2000
The University Daily Kansan
Section A·Page 3
Four charged in theft of Kansans
Charges filed could carry fine one year in jail
By Mindie Miller
writer@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
The Douglas County District Attorney's office filed charges Thursday against four KU students who stole 6,000 copies of The University Daily Kansan April 11 from the Lawrence Journal-World loading dock, just one day before Student Senate elections began.
Christine Tonkovich, Douglas County district attorney, said yesterday that her office had charged each student with one count of criminal deprivation of property
in jall and a fine of $2,500. The students first appearance is set for 3 p.m. May 24
count of criminal property or propriety — taking property with the intent to temporarily, not permanently, deprive the owner of its use. It is a misdemeanor that carries a maximum sentence of one year
"We looked at the evidence and the underlying intent and determined that
this was the appropriate charge," she said. "The decision was made after reviewing the reports and discussing the matter with the victims."
the students — R.J.
Woodring, Lisle, Ill..
junior; Drew
Thompson, Wichita
sophomore; Lindsey
Gaston, El Dorado
senior; and Jameson
Jones, Dallas freshman
— admitted
Wooding: Charged in the theft of 6,000 copies of the Kansan
stealing the papers from the Lawrence Journal-World, 609 New Hampshire St., where the Kansan is printed.
They also admitted to stealing 3,000 more copies of the paper from distribution boxes on campus. Tonkovich said these charges applied only to the theft from the Journal-World, not to the campus thefts. She said she didn't know if charges would be filed in the campus theft.
Tonkovich said the students would have
the option of applying for diversion. According to police reports, the papers stolen from campus were worth,$750, and the papers stolen from the Journal-World were valued at $2,000. Because the papers were valued at more than $500, the students could have been charged with a felony.
Ralph Gage,
Gaston: Also charged and sanctioned from future elections
JournalWorld general manager said he thought the charges were appropriate.
"It was our understanding that that would be the charge brought against them, and we're satisfied that it is appropriate." he said.
Tom Eblen, Kansan general manager,
declined to comment.
The students said they stole the papers because they were upset about an article concerning United Students presidential candidate Ben Walker. Woodring, Gaston
and Thompson were senators, but they resigned from their positions. Jones was an associate senator, and he didn't have any voting rights.
Despite the students' claims that the thefts were not endorsed by the coalition, the Student Senate elections commission decided to hold United Students responsible for the
theft of 9,000 copies of the paper. The commission leveled $1,250 in elections code fines against the coalition. Walker has appealed the fines.
The elections commission also fined Thompson and Woodring $600 each. Jones and Gaston were sanctioned so they could not participate in future elections.
Bike lane recommendations to be heard
By John Audelhelm
writer @kansan.com
Kaasan staff writer
At tonight's meeting, the City Commission must balance the safety of cyclists with the parking needs of students and local businesses.
The City Commission will hear the recommendations of the traffic safety commission, which has been reviewing citizens' requests for bike lanes on 11 Lawrence streets since November.
Of the 11 streets, bike lanes on Naismith Drive and 15th and 19th streets are most likely to happen — with federal dollars possibly covering 80 percent of the cost.
Aaron Bartlett, transportation planner for the city, said the process began when Lawrence hired TranSystems, a Kansas City, Mo., traffic consultant, to look at bike lanes on Naismith Drive, Louisiana. Vermont, 15th, 19th, Connecticut, Sixth, Ninth, 11th, Tennessee and Kentucky streets.
TranSystems stipulated that the city would have to deal with parking issues, Bartlett said, but it recommended bike lanes on Naismith Drive. 15th. 19th. Vermont, Louisiana and Connecticut streets.
was reviewing the application.
The traffic safety commission's recommendations shorten the list to Naismith Drive, 15th and 19th streets.
Bartlett said that the city applied for federal money on Naismith Drive, 15th, 19th, Vermont and Connecticut streets, and that the Kansas Department of Transportation
"We're expecting to hear any day now," he said.
If the City Commission agrees with the traffic safety commission about Vermont and Connecticut streets, it will inform KDOT that the city doesn't need the money for those streets.
Bike lanes on Ninth Street have presented a speed bump for the City Commission.
"Ninth is one of the streets that would connect a lot of the bike routes together." Bartlett said. "Ideally, yeah, it would be a great street for bike lanes, but right now there are outside issues that make that difficult."
Jeff Jensen, owner of Jensen Retail Liquor, 620 W. Ninth St., said the four parking spaces that would be lost to a bike lane were vital to his business.
"There's a little parking lot out back," he said, "but it's not really designed for retail space."
However, Phillip Smetak, owner of the Bike Shop, 1818 Massachusetts St., said he was a proponent of bike lanes on Ninth Street.
Smetak said that Ninth Street was the only cross-town bike lane proposed, and that, between 1997 and now, it had been the site of the majority of bike accidents in Lawrence.
Bartlett said that the city had discussed removing parking on only the south side of Ninth Street and that bike lanes might become part of future improvement projects on that street.
"We're just saying, 'not at this time,'" he said.
Mageie Currv/ KANSAN
PROPOSED BIKE LANE COSTS
Street Federal share Local share Total
15th Street $65,856 $16,464 $82,320
19th Street $65,520 $16,380 $81,900
Naismith Drive $34,832 $8,708 $43,500
Vermont Street $25,386 $6,347 $31,733
Connecticut Street $38,901 $9,725 $48,626
Totals $230,495 $57,624 $288,119
Source: City memo from Aaron Bartlett, transportation planner for the city
Greek officers allowed to keep IFC positions, councils decide
By Jessie Meyer writer@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
Chace Ramey, president of IFC, Mike Solow, vice president for public relations, and R.J. Woodring, vice president for
A motion to recall the Interfraternity Council president and two other officers failed last week at a joint council meeting with the Panhellenic Association, said Bill Nelson, director of greek programs.
and R.J. Woodring philanthropy and community service, will continue to hold office, Nelson said.
All three officers are members of Delta Chi fraternity, and the motion for recall was a reaction to a recent recruitment party at which alcohol was served to prospective members, Ramey said.
"I think that it's opened up the eyes of the board and the community."
Chace Ramey Interfraternity Council president
"Delta Chi allowed for prospective members to drink," Ramey said. "There was alcohol there, and there were a lot of Delta Chis. This party happened after the official recruitment party, but according to IFC rules, based on the number of Delta Chis and the number of recruits that were there, it could be considered an official recruitment party."
kamey, who admitted he was drinking at the party, said the motion was an evaluation of the offices themselves rather than a personal matter.
"We were under review by the judicial board because we knew an illegal behavior was taking place and we didn't stop it." Ramey said. "We didn't plan, serve or recruit members. We were just at the party."
In light of the recent judicial hearings that investigated the role Ben Walker, student body president-elect, played in a similar party, Ramey said he saw both similarities and differences in the cases. But neither Ramey nor Nelson could not comment on the specifics of the cases.
Because the fraternity used alcohol in the recruitment process, Delta Chi as a whole was punished by the judicial board, Ramey said. He said he could not disclose the actions that were taken.
"I think that it's opened up the eyes of the board and the community," Ramey said.
DUE: APRIL 28, 2000 BY 5 P.M.
APPLY: STUDENT SENATE OFFICE (410 KANSAS UNION)
WANTED: TRANSPORTATION COORDINATOR
- Position begins May 17, 2000
- 20 hours per week @ $5.50-$7.00/hr.
- Job Duties: Responsible for daily operations of KU on Wheels, Lift Van, and Safe Ride. This includes providing information for riders, bus pass distribution, and planning of route changes.
?'S: HOLLY KREBS 864-4644
.Kansas and Burge Unions • 864-4640 www.jayhawks.com