RAVEN
Tomorrow's weather
The University Daily Kansan
Partly cloudy and warmer, with highs in the mid 60s and lows in the high 40s.
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2000
Sports: The Kansas men's basketball team has a tall task tonight in Austin, Texas, versus the No. 14 Longhorns Chris Mihm.
SEE PAGE 1B
(USPS 650-640) • VOL.110 NO. 105
Inside: Protesters upset about the verdicts in a police shooting trial marched in New York. SEE PAGE 7A
WWW.KANSAN.COM
Fossil debate engulfs state
The Pteranodon, above left, is in competition with the Mossasaur, above, to become the official state fossil of Kansas. Both of these creatures, which are on
Petition submitted asking Legislature to name state fossil
By Katrina Hull
By Katrina Hull writer@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
Seventy million years ago, when Lawrence was beachfront property, Pteranodons swarmed the Kansas skies and Mosasaurs swam in the salty Kansas sea.
These prehistoric reptiles are fossils now — organic remains preserved in Kansas limestone—and one may soon be named the official state fossil.
State Rep. Eber Phelps, D-Hays, proposed that the Pteranodon a toothless, big-brained reptile bird
comfort, upright or repose that should be the state fossil.
should be the state rssn?
But workers at the University of Kansas Natural History Museum say the Mosaasaur — a reptile known as the "T-Rex of the sea" — latter represents the state.
"When looking for a state fossil, you should pay attention to what was here at the time," said Jason
DINOSAUR FACTS
The Pteranodon vs. The Mosasaur Pteranodon facts
Life: The flying reptile lived around 75 million B.C. during the late Cretaceous period
Wingspan: 23 feet
Weight: 37 pounds
Resume: Large brains, good eyesight,
no teeth.
Diet: Ate fish, crabs, insects and dead animals
Mosasaur facts
ute: The swimming reptile lived around 75 million B.C. during the late Cretaceous period Length: 45 feet Weight: 1,5 tons Resume: Jointed lower jaw enabling them to swallow prey whole Diet: fish and maybe Pteranodons
display at the Natural History Museum inhabited Kansas approximately 70 million years ago during the Cretaceous period. Photos by Nick Krug/KANSAN
Wolvington, visitor service manager at the museum. "Since Kansas was covered by an ocean, it makes sense for the Mosasaur to be the state fossil."
**SQUARE:** Information Network of Kuala Lumpur
Museum workers Keith Hyde,
Lawrence senior, and Jason
Noyes, Great Bend senior, said one look at the Mosasaur fossil in the museum's entryway would convince anyone to choose the ferocious sea reptile over the bony bird.
"Visitors' attention is drawn to the Mosasaur the minute they walk in the door." Noyes said.
No one, however, has nominated the Mosasaur for state fossil, while a second grade class in Hays circulated Pteranodon petitions and recruited Phelps to battle for the fossilized bird.
The petition says that Kansas is one of only nine states that doesn't have a state fossil. Plus, Kansas has a rich history of flight, and the Pteranodon, with
But Hyde said associating the Pteranodon with flight could be problematic.
"The only reason they found Pteranodons in Kansas is because they crashed into the sea and died—and you don't want to associate crashes with flight," he said.
In addition, Noyes said Mosaasaur ate Pteranodons.
Phelps and his Pteranodons may have more to look out for than Mosasaurs. In early February, the Senate rejected a House-passed proposal naming the catfish as state fish.
Phelps said he predicted the proposal would draw criticism from some legislators, who consider a state fossil silly.
But Phelps said naming a state fossil was no more silly than legislators getting themselves into the budget crunch. And naming a state fossil doesn't cost anything.
The Pteranodon bill is in the House Appropriations Committee, but no hearing has been scheduled.
Larry Martin, curator of vertebrate paleontology at the museum, said he thought having a state fossil was harmless and, because the Pteranodon sort of resembled a Jayhawk, it might make a nice addition to museum letterhead.
STATE SYMBOLS
State Animal: American Buffalo
State Bird: Western Meadowlark
State Insect: The Honeybee
State Flower: Wild Native
Sunflower
State Tree: Cottonwood
State Reptile: Ornate Box Turtle
State Amphibian: Barred Tiger
Salamander
Source: Information Network of Kansas
"Making the Pteranodon the state fossil would have been my choice if anyone would have asked me," Martin said. "Kansas is famous for both Pteranodons and Mosaasaurus. It's the best place in the world to collect either."
Fall apartment slots filling up as students sign early
Katrina Smith, a sophomore at Pittsburg State University, listens to Nancy Amison, leasing agent, as she describes a two-bedroom apartment at Meadowbrook. Smith came to Lawrence to tour the School of Education and to look for apartments because she intends to transfer to the University of Kansas this fall. Photo by Christina Neff/KANSAN
By Jessie Meyer
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Although the spring semester is just hitting its stride, it is already time for students to start thinking about housing for the fall, apartment owners say.
The number of apartments in Lawrence is limited, and now is the time to sign a lease, said Crystal Thompson, assistant property manager for First Management Inc., 2001 W. Sixth St.
First Management, the company that owns Stadium View Apartments and Regency Place, already has more than 100 people signed up, and other places already have dozens on waiting lists.
"We've already taken applications for the fall," Thompson said. "And we are hoping to be full by May 1."
Adam Tilton, Kansas City, Kan., sophomore, said he and his roommates had looked into a new apartment, but were discouraged and resigned their current lease when told that several complexes had waiting lists.
"We just didn't want to deal with that," Tilton said. "So we signed our lease because they were going to give it away if we didn't sign by March 1."
In addition to avoiding waiting lists, those who act fast will have a wider range of options when choosing an apartment, Thompson said.
"If they prelease, they can pretty much get their pick of what apartment they want," she said. "If you see something you like, we recommend that you put a hold on the unit."
Todd Kornblit, Sugar Land, Texas, junior,
found it hard to find a place that allowed pets
- so it was important that he got an early
start, he said. He is in the midst of searching for a one-bedroom apartment but hasn't yet decided where he wants to live, he said.
Still, he said that searching now allowed him to beat the crowd of apartment seekers just before everyone left for the summer.
"If you go when everyone else does, you don't get your pick, so you'd better go now before they're gone." Kornblit said.
Thompson said holding a unit at most apartment complexes required a deposit similar to the $50 required at First Management, which is later applied to the security deposit.
Thompson suggested that before going to look at apartments, students should decide what kinds of amenities they wanted. Once that has been decided, they should contact the complexes, she said.
"Call and set up a time to look at whatever you want." Thompson said.
the work of vandals who painted windows at Wescoe Terrace is visible on the south side of the building. A KU security guard noticed the graffiti yesterday afternoon and reported it to the KU Public Safety Office. Photo by Carolyn Mollett/KANSAN
Vandals smear Wescoe Hall with anti-KU parking graffiti
By Sara Shepherd writer@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
Vandals told the parking department where to stick their tickets this weekend by leaving their mark on Wescoe Hall in big, green — and sticky — letters.
"I will kill parking people," and "Stick my ticket up your ass!!!" were a couple of the explevate-charged remarks found spray painted in, on and around the building yesterday afternoon.
Another message on the concrete of Wescoe Terrace was spelled out with a mysterious amber-colored, syrup-like substance. The sticky stuff had also been drizzled across several stairway banisters and building walls.
A University security employee discovered the vandalism and reported it to the KU Public Safety Office between 4:11 and 4:15 p.m. yesterday, said Sgt. Mark Witt. The security employee estimated the vandalism occurred sometime between Saturday morning and the time it was discovered, Witt said.
Witt said the department did not have a suspect, but he guessed it was someone upset about parking tickets.
Robert Smith, Facilities Operations preventive maintenance shop supervisor, said the clean-up would be costly.
"It's going to be quite expensive," Smith said. "You're looking at sandblasting and removing the paint with paint remover."
Wayne Reusch of the
Facilities Operations landscape department estimated that damages to the building would be $2,000. He said costs would result from both manpower and machinery that would be needed to clean off the graffiti.
Because the damage totaled more than $500, the crime is classified as a felony, Witt said. If someone were convicted for criminal damage to the property, they could face fines and tail time.
Donna Hultine, assistant director of parking, was out of town and unavailable for comment yesterday.
Reusch said Facilities Operations workers would try to have the syrupy substance cleaned off before today's classes. He said they would remove the rest of the paint as soon as possible.
Hula-hoopers ahead
A car drives down Sunnyside Avenue past a crosswalk sign to which someone has added a hula hoop sticker, according to the KU Public Safety Office. Such a sticker would be considered vandalism only if it cost a substantial amount to remove or the sign was destroyed in the process of removal. Photo by Jason Dalley/KANSAN
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