LAWRENCE
CRIME NEAR CAMPUS
Areas near downtown show high numbers of assault, battery reports in 2013
TOM DEHART
news@kansan.com
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Bill Gadberry, a 22-year-old Johnson County Community College student, was a victim of battery on the early morning of Jan. 25, when he was cut across the left side of his face and neck on the 1300 block of Ohio Street near the Jayhawk Cafe.
According to crime statistics on the City of Lawrence's website, three neighborhood areas on the east side of campus received more reports of assault and battery than other areas near campus in 2013.
The three neighborhoods encompass the areas from the intersection of 15th and Louisiana streets and areas to the north-northeast, to the intersection of sixth and Massachusetts streets. The neighborhood that includes
Massachusetts Street possessed the highest number of crimes committed with a total of 165 assault and battery cases reported, followed by the adjacent two neighborhood sections, which had a combined total of 88 assault
"Kids are going to live their lives. You can't live being scared."
and battery crimes reported in 2013. Though these numbers have come down from 2012, incidents in the area have already been reported in 2014.
Gadberry and his friend eventually ended their night at
the Hawk, where, after leaving the bar at closing time, they were both attacked. According to Sgt. Trent McKinley, Lawrence Police Department public affairs officer, the assailant was being escorted out of the bar.
McKinley said the two were outside in front of the bar when they supposedly saw someone being escorted out of the bar by staff members.
"For whatever reason, they hollered and basically said something when the guy turned around and tried to get [back] into the bar," McKinley said. "They said something to the effect of 'Hey, don't you know it's closed?' and basically this upset or angered the person."
McKinley also said that "the victims were, by description, very intoxicated," and that "they
SEE CRIME PAGE 9A
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY TOM DEHART/KANSAN
STATE
Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters has created a new friendly competition to put the University of Kansas, Kansas State and Wichita State head-to-head in order to increase funds and the number of mentors in the program.
GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN
CLASSIFIEDS 2B CRYPTOQUIPS 5A SPORTS 18
CROSSWORD 5A OPINION 4A SUDDKU 5A
All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2014 The University Daily Kansan
Don't Forget
Kansas coaches compete to recruit volunteers, funds
DARCEY ALTSCHWAGER
news@kansan.com
The campaign, "Go Big or Go Home," will feature the men's basketball coaches from the three schools: Bill Self, Bruce Weber and Gregg Marshall.
Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters has created a new friendly competition to put the University of Kansas, Kansas State University and Wichita State University head to head in order to increase funds and the number of mentors in the program.
"We are using this campaign to raise additional funds but also raise awareness of the fact that we have a need for volunteers to become mentors in our program," said Stacie Schroeder, area director for Big Brothers Big Sisters.
TOM HUNG Junior from Kaohsiung, Taiwan
The campaign will focus on the annual Bowl for Kids' Sake fundraiser, which is the main fundraiser for the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. Schroeder said it costs about $1,000 to make a match in the program. When people register
"It's a lot of fun and a great way to give back to the community," Hung said. "Just by hanging out, you might change a kid's life and they might grow up to be a better person who can continue to improve the community."
for the fundraiser, they can select which coach they want to receive the credit for their donations or credit for their signing up to become a mentor. At the conclusion of the
At the conclusion of the
Hung serves as a big brother to a third grader at Hillcrest Elementary who loves to play basketball and go to the park with Hung.
"Just by hanging out, you might change a kids life and they might grow up to be a better person."
Hung thinks using Self will help bring attention to the program and, hopefully, more male volunteers. Hung's "brother" has two brothers on the waiting list.
competition, the coach that raises the most funds and recruits the most mentors will receive a traveling trophy and bragging rights over the other schools.
Tom Hung, a junior from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, has been part of the Big Brothers Big Sisters program for a little more than a year.
Hung promotes the Big
Douglas County has a current list of 160 kids waiting to be matched with mentors. In Kansas, 4,000 kids are on the waiting list, with 70 percent of those kids being boys. Big Brothers Big Sisters does same-gender, one-to-one matches and takes pride in its effort to
"We are really taking the time to make sure that they have the same interests so that we can make a relationship grow for many years," Schroeder said.
make the relationships last.
SEE CHARITY PAGE 8A
Check out a video with Bill Self on Kansan.com on Friday.
Go to class.
Today's Weather
Cloudy. Zero percent chance of snow. Wind NNW at 17 mph.
HI: 16
LO: -3
It is cold.
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