WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17. 2002
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 5A
NEWS
STRIKE
AARON LERNER/KANSAN
Melvin Litton, Lawrence resident and worker for the Local 1445 Carpenters Union, stands at the corner of 15th and Iowa streets, picketing against the construction in front of the Visitor's Center. "We're not really supposed to talk about it," Litton said. "But we feel there are some contract issues here."
Leaders want character taught at school, home
The Associated Press
OVERLAND PARK — Speakers including Missouri Gov. Bob Holden and Kansas Lt. Gov. Gary Sherrert told a Bistate Character Education conference that strong values and good character should be integral in every school yesterday.
The movement to bring character education to the nation's schools is gaining momentum, said Esther Schaeffer, executive director of The Character Education Partnership, a nonpartisan coalition based in Washington D.C.
"The easy answer is that character should be taught in the homes and in churches," Sherrer said. "But the reality is that it is not being taught in some homes. And some don't go to church."
When the program began nearly 10 years ago, few states were interested. Today, Schaeffer said, only four or five states do not have legislation or have not applied for grants to bring the program to their schools.
CEP promotes the teaching of core ethical values, such as caring, honesty, respect for others and self, with programs that integrate those values throughout the school system.
The effort has been helped by the Don't Laugh at Me project spearheaded by Peter Yarrow, a member of the folk group Peter, Paul and Mary.
"After trying for so many years to mend the dysfunctional behavior of adults, I have concluded that it is easier and more reasonable to imbue young people with a sense of value and self-respect," Yarrow said. "That way you don't have to reeducate every generation."
Missouri budgeted about $1 million last year for character education grants. However, the money is gone from this year's Missouri House budget proposal. McKay remains hopeful the money will be in the final budget passed by the Legislature.
Llamas' popularity grows among pet owners
The Associated Press
LAWRENCE—When Colleen Weaver wants to relax, she pays a visit to four close friends. Or rather, they pay her a visit.
All Weaver has to do is walk down the hill from her rural Douglas County house to a small pasture and take a seat in an old wooden swing. Moments later she is likely to be surrounded by four Ilamas, Desi, Sable, Boots and Domino.
"When I'm by myself, they'll just come up and hover around me," Weaver said. "Domino used to walk up and put her nose right up against mine."
Although it is unclear how many owners are in the Douglas County area, there are several, Weaver thinks. She bought her first ones - Desi and a male named Ricky - about three years ago after attending a llama show in Topeka.
Weaver and her husband, Jim, who is deputy fire chief with the Topeka Fire Department, live about a mile west of Big Springs near U.S. Highway 40. They are among a growing number of llama owners in this area and nationwide.
"I just loved them and wanted some," Weaver said. "They just have such great personalities."
Cindy Merritt couldn't agree more. She and her husband, Gary, raise about 30 llamas on a farm near Lecompton. They breed llamas and sell them.
"We got interested in them because they are the type of animals you can raise on small acreage," Cindy Merritt said. The Merritts own 10 acres. "They are very easy animals to train, and they are so gentle. They are great with children."
Though no information is readily available about the number of people who own llamas, there are an estimated 1,800 of the animals in Kansas and 100,000 of them nationwide, said Susan Peterson, president of the Golden Plains Llama Association.
Peterson, who has her own llama farm near Easton, said Golden Plains has about 70 members in Kansas and other states. Some llama owners sell the wool from their animals, which is used much like a sheep's wool.
People who are allergic to a sheep's wool can usually wear the wool from a llama. Yet neither the Weavers nor the Merritts have their llamas sheared for the wool.
"We just keep them as pets," Weaver said. The Merritts sell
their llamas but always keep enough on hand to replenish their herd. Cindy Merritt described the llama market as "steady."
"We've always been able to sell what we wanted," she said. "We've never had to take any to an auction. We also know what type of people we are selling them to."
Llamas, which are related to the camel, are mainly high-altitude mountain animals often used as pack animals in South America. Because of their curiosity, they are likely to approach anything or anybody near them and thus can be good security guards.
In captivity, llamas generally live to be about 20 years old and on average an adult weighs about 250 pounds. The animals are fed brome, alfalfa and certain special feeds. Known for their gentleness, llamas will emit a slight hum, when happy and content, similar to a cat's purr.
But they also can be fierce and nasty if so moved and can attack an enemy by giving it a good pounding with their hooves. But that didn't help Weaver's favorite llama. Ricky.
In mid-March, Ricky was attacked and killed by two boxer dogs. Jim Weaver used a big stick
to drive the dogs away but it was too late, Colleen Weaver said. The dogs, covered in blood, fled north across U.S. 40 from the Weavers' farm before disappearing. Searches by the Weavers and the neighbors along with Douglas County Sheriff's deputies proved futile.
The dogs appeared well-taken care of, and the Weavers don't believe they were strays.
Ricky already had one close call with death. In the summer of 2000, he became sick because of the constant, triple-digit temperatures that hit the area. The Weavers, along with help from neighbors, were able to nurse the llaima back to health.
"That made it doubly hard to accept," Colleen Weaver said of Ricky's death. "Ricky was my pet."
Those wanting to buy a lama can spend just about as much as they want, depending on what they want to use them for, Peterson said. A llama used for a pet could be as cheap as $500. A show llama could cost anywhere from $6,500 to as high as $35,000. Peterson said. Prices also vary depending on breeds and a particular animal's looks, stature and disposition.
"WHERE IT'S COOL TO BE FAT"
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student union activities Students programming for students
April 18-19 7:00 & 9:30 p.m.
The Majestic
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April 19
Tunes @ Noon
All movies shown in Woodruff Auditorium Level 5, Kansas Union. Tickets are $2.00 and can be purchased on the day of the show at the Hawk Shop, Level 4, Kansas Union
April 17 Billy Mills
Timetable Cover Design Contest
Weekly Committee Meetings
April 15-26
Elaine Gluck Echibit
Kansas Union Gallery Level 4, Kansas Union
April 19 Earth Day 2002
April 19 Earth Day 2007
11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
student union activities
Level 4, KNAN Union
785 B64-SHOW
kuwu.edu/~kuu
it's still not too late to join a committee to help plan for next year Check with the SUA Office for times and locations of meetings
For locations call the SUA Office at 864-SHOW
April 20 Student Lecture Series:
F.W. De Klerk 7:00 p.m.
Kansas Union
$2.00 with KUID
$5.00 Non-KUID
Other events at the Union
The KU School of the Arts and the Kansas Union Project
Brown Bag Classics
Wednesday, April 17
KU Saxophone Quartet
Alderson Auditorium, Level 4, Kansas Union 12:30 pm to 1 pm
Alderson Auditorium, Level 4, Kansas Union 12:30 p.m to 1 p.m
Thursday Afternoon Tea 3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
Traditions Area, Level 4, Kansas Union Free sweets and tea.
Friday Freebies
1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
*FRIDAY FREEBIES*
Atrium, Level 3, Kansas Union
THE BOUND ALTERNATIVE
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Questions about these or other SUA events? Call the SUA Office at 864- SHOW