2A
The Inside Front
Friday April 23,1999
News
from campus,the state the nation and the world
CAMPUS
Students file complaints about election hearings
Complaints filed by three students to the state attorney general Wednesday about elections commission hearings are now in the hands of the Douglas County district attorney.
J. D. Jenkins, Nunemaker senator; Ann Premer, The University Daily Kansan editor; and Nadia Mustafa, Kansan Student Senate reporter; filed the complaints because they believed that the hearings
STUDENT
THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
SENATE
should be open to the public. Premer and Mustafa filed a joint complaint.
Elections commission hearings about Student Senate elections complaints are closed to the public.
a practice that the state attorney general's office interprets as a violation of the Kansas Open Meetings and Records Acts.
The elections commission conducted a closed hearing Monday at which it decided the outcome of more than three complaints against the YOU coalition and candidates, and the recreation task force.
"I filed a complaint because our job as a newspaper is to report the news," Premier said. "By unjustly closing the meetings, the elections commission has taken away students' rights, and we are seeking to change that."
- Heather Woodward
Fire alarm malfunctions at chancellor's residence
A malfunctioning fire alarm at Chancellor Robert Heinemanway's house sent a fire truck and two Lawrence police cars squealing through campus late last night after it.
Firefighters blamed the malfunction on rain water that had leaked into the house during yesterday's rain.
"When the water set it off, it sent an alert to the station," said Lawrence firefighter Lexie Engleman. "We responded to that."
The alarm went off at 11:15 p.m. at the house, 1535 Lilac Lane. Firefighters arrived a few minutes later.
Keith Burner
Vigil to be held Sunday for imprisoned Tibetan
The Panchen Lama, the second highest-ranking religious figure in Tibetan Buddhism, will spend his eleventh birthday under house arrest in China this Sunday.
Several KU groups will hold a vigil for him at 4 p.m. Sunday in front of the Douglas County Courthouse.
"It's going to highlight the fact that human abuses around the world are often committed against indigenous peoples," said Kyle Browning, president of the local Armmy International chapter.
Browning said that a Tibetan Buddhist monk and other speakers will be at the vigil.
The event is sponsored by Students for a Free Tibet, Latin American Solidarity and First Nations Student Association.
Dan Curry
KU groups to pay tribute to victims of massacre
Candles and conversation could act as therapy for students, faculty and local residents still in shock about the recent deaths at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo.
The organization Working Against Violence Everywhere and the Center for Community Outreach are sponsoring a candlelight vigil at 7 p.m. Sunday at South Park, 11th and Massachusetts streets.
Jane Stoever, WAVE president-elect, said people could discuss their grief and explore preventative solutions for teen violence.
"I think that a lot of people are upset, and there's a lot of mourning," Stoeover said. "It is good to be able to unify the community like this so that people can come with questions about what to do now and express their feelings."
Heather Woodward
Employee discovers sketches on museum
Three charcoal sketches and note taped to a pillar outside the Spencer Museum of Art were discovered by a Facilities Operations employee at 6:51 a.m. yesterday, the KU Public Safety Office said.
"Recent figure drawings by Robert Hemenay," the note read. "Wednesday, April 21 (one day only). ON, not at! The Spencer Museum of Art."
The charcoal sketches were of a man sitting, a man's head and shoulders and several female figures superimposed.
A pharmacist called the police after he discovered that a woman had attempted to obtain illegally prescription medication April 12 from the Round Corner Drug Co., 801 Massachusettsets St, said Sgt. George Wheeler of the Lawrence Police department
LAWRENCE
Police contacted the woman and discovered that on several occasions, she obtained similar medication, including hydrocodone and Valium from two other pharmacies in town by acting as if she were calling for the prescriptions from a doctor's office. Wheeler said.
Woman tries to acquire medication illegally
Wheeler said the woman was cooperating with police and was not arrested.
While police were searching the area for evidence of the shots, they came across a man on the street, who told them that he, too, had heard the shots. Wheeler said.
Police received a report of possible gunshots at 1:50 a.m. yesterday in the 1300 block of Tennessee Street, said Sgt. George Wheeler of the Lawrence Police department.
The man was carrying a shotgun for protection, Wheeler said. The gun was sawwed-off, which is illegal, and police confiscated the weapon.
Police did not find any evidence of gunshots.
Possible gunshots reported in Tennessee street area
Katie Burford
Three neighborhood residents said they heard between six and eight loud bangs that could have been gunshots.
NATION
New drug for diabetes promises less liver risk
BETHESDA, Md. — Diabetics frightened by reports that a popular treatment may destroy some patients' livers may soon get a new choice: Government advisers recommended yesterday the approval of Avandia, a drug that promises to fight diabetes with fewer liver risks.
Studies of more than 4,000 patients who tried Avandia have not signified it has damaged livers. Still, if liver damage is a rare side effect, as it is for Rezulin, then it may appear only as hundreds of thousands of diabetics try Avandia, said FDA panel chairman Henry Bone of the Michigan Brian and Mineral Clinic.
No one can say for certain that Avandia never will damage diabetics' livers, advisers to the Food and Drug Administration said. Indeed, they urged Avandia patients to have intensive liver testing similar to the kind now required for patients who take the controversial competing drug Resulin.
FDA officials list 43 Rezulin patients who have suffered acute liver failure. Of those, 28 died and seven needed liver transplants to survive.
WORLD
Jamaica rethinks taxes after deadly riots end
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Schools and businesses reopened yesterday after the government indicated it would back down from proposed tax hikes that sparked deadly riots, threatening Jamaica's tourist industry.
Flights and cruises to the island were canceled due to protests that killed six, injured dozens and led to more than 150 arrests.
Yesterday in Kingston, where mobs had blocked traffic for days, a few unmanned roadblocks remained and police patrolled the streets. American Airlines said it would restore service today to Montego Bay and Saturday to Kingston.
Prime Minister P.J. Patterson met with members of a committee he appointed Wednesday to seek alternatives to last week's proposal of $100 million in new taxes, including a 30 percent increase in gas prices.
The process was widely seen as a way to end the protests, and officials hinted that the proposed taxes would be scrapped.
"I think we underestimated the nature of the irritation it would cause," said Sen. Maxine Henry Wilson, a government spokeswoman.
The Associated Press
"They are our eyes and ears," said Terri Guenther, assistant director for Emergency Management.
Storm team keeping watch
Continued from page 1A
Housed in the basement of the Law Enforcement Center, 111 E. 11th St., Emergency Management is equipped with the latest weather monitoring technology, including Doppler Radar, and is in constant communication with the National Weather service.
Although the criteria varies for activating the storm spotting fleet, one factor is whether there is a storm watch or warning within two counties of Douglas County, Guenther said.
Once the decision is made, the spotters get a beep on their pagers. As they respond, they are dispatched to various locations depending on the direction the storm is moving. A map with magnets is used to keep track of spotters' locations.
Kansas' most severe weather usually falls between April and July. The spotters were activated for the first time this season late Wednesday night because of a severe weather watch that dumped hail in some nearby areas.
While on location, spotters are equipped with a handheld radio, map, storm indicator handbook, a reflective vest and a magnetic sign to put on their cars to identify them. They use their radios to report back wind speeds, cloud formations and other indicators of dangerous weather conditions. Back at the office they are using this information to determine whether they should sound the sirens, warning residents to take cover.
As Rankin's experience illustrates, the job is perilous, and safety is always a concern.
"Safety comes first," Guenther said. "We tell the spotters to leave if they unsafe."
The creation of emergency management services started in the 1950s through the Civil Defense Act, said Paula Phillips, director of Emergency Management.
Most spotters were amateur radio operators until the early 1980s when communications technology made specialized radio expertise superfluous.
Now volunteers just need a desire to help out.
"It takes somebody who has a love for weather," Guenther said. "They do it because it's their way to really provide a service to the community."
That's why Marvin Wiedeman, an electrician for Facilities Operations, has done it for 23 years.
"I came from Michigan and saw a lot of people hurt from tornadoes," he said. "I do it because it can save people's lives."
For more information about storm spotting or how to become involved contact the Douglas County Sheriff's Office of Emergency Management at 832-5259.
ON THE RECORD
Edited by Keith Burner
A KU student's car door was dented between 12:30 and 1 p.m. March 31 in the 800 block of New Hampshire Street, Lawrence Police said. The damage was estimated at $500.
A KU student's motorcycle was stolen between midnight and 2 p.m. April 16th in the 2500 block of West Sixth Street, Lawrence Police said. The motorcycle were valued at $5, 58$
A CD player and clothing were stolen from a KU student's residence between 7 a.m. feb. 23 and 6
p. m. March 8, Lawrence Police said. The stolen property was valued at $500.
An Ellsworth Hall resident received harassing phone calls between 2 a.m. March 30 and 11:55 p.m. Monday, the KU Public Safety Office said.
- A KU visitor was turning into a parking stall when he struck an unidentified vehicle, which was parking in the next stall at 5:50 a.m. Wednesday, the KU Public Safety Office said. Damage to the cars was minor.
ON CAMPUS
The Badminton Club will have a friendly tournament at 6:30 p.m. today at 211 and 212 Robinson. Members and non-members are welcome to participate. Call Kok Lin Tee at 832-9439 for more information.
The International Students Association will present "World Expo" from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today on the lawn in front of Stauffer-Flint Hall. "The 47th Festivals of Nations," a display of cultures through song, music and dance will be performed at 7:30 tonight at Woodruff Auditorium in the Kansas Union. An international dance party will be at 10:30 tonight at the Holiday Inn Holidome. All three events are part of International Awareness Week. Call Laura Oldanie at 331-2976 for more information.
The National Pan-Hellenic Council and Black Student Union will have an awards ceremony from
6:45 to 9 tonight at the Kansas Room in the Kansas Union. There will also be a Delegate Party from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. tonight at the Burge Union. "KU's Steppin' Out 1999" step show will begin at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m., at Liberty Hall. The step show after party will be from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. tomorrow night. Call Erica Haworthne at 864-8048 for more information.
The St. Lawrence Catholic Center will have mass at 4:45 p.m. tomorrow and at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. Sunday at the Center, 1631 Crescent Rd. Call Tracey English at 840-0357 for more information.
- Writer's Roosts, sponsored by Writing Consulting: Student Resources, will be open from 4 to 10 p.m. Sunday at the Academic Resource Center in Templin Hall. Call 864-2399 for more information.
ET CETERA
The University Daily Kansan is the student newspaper of the University of Kansas. The first copy is paid through the student activity fee. Additional copies of the Kansan are 25 cents. Subscriptions can be purchased at 119 Stauffer-Flint Hall.
The University Daily Kansas (ISSN 0746.4962) is published at the University of Kansas, 119 Staffer-Flint Hall, Lawrence, Kan. 60405, daily during the regular school year, excluding Saturday, Sunday, holidays and finals periods, and Wednesday during the summer session. Periodical
The Kansan prints campus events that are free and open to the public. When information is submitted, the event's sponsor, name and phone number must be on the form, which is available in the On Campus mailbox in the Kansan newsroom, 111 Stauffer-Flint Hall. Items must be turned in two days in advance of
postage is paid in Lawrence,
Kan. 6,6044, Annual subscriptions
by mail are $120. Student
subscriptions of $2.33 are paid
through the student activity fee.
Postmaster: Send address changes to the University Daily Kansan, 119 Stauffer-Flint Hall, Lawrence, Kan. 66045.
the desired publication date. Forms can also be filled out online at www.kansan.com/services/oncamps — these requests will appear on the UDKi as well as the Kansan. On Campus is printed on a space-available basis. On Campus is a free service provided by the Kansan to the University community.
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