WEDNESDAY,JULY 9,2003
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 3
PEOPLE
Student dies Sunday in drowning incident
By Annie Bernethy aberneth@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
Memorial services for a University of Kansas student who died Sunday will be held at 2 p.m. today at Memorial Chapel Funeral Home in Olathe,14275 S.Blackbob Road.
Tracy Wilcutt, Overland Park junior died after drowning in an Olathe neighborhood pool.
The 21-year-old student was with a friend, Michael Paul Heyborne, at the time. The two were swimming at the pool after it had closed.
Residents at the Parkhill Manor subdivision said when they came to the pool they found Heyborne looking into the pool. Residents said they pulled Wilcutt out of the pool while their children ran to call police.
Police said officers and an emergency crew attempted to resuscitate Wilcutt
about 1 a.m. She was then taken to Olathe Medical Center where she was pronounced dead.
Investigators said they were waiting for a toxicology report to determine whether drug use was involved in her death.
Heyborne was charged with possession of PCP, a hallucinogenic drug. He was also charged with battery against an officer after making physical contact with officers while they were trying to resuscitate Wilcutt.
The Johnson County coroner ruled the death an accident, and police said her injuries were consistent with a diving accident.
Wilcutt was an elementary education major who finished her junior year in May. She transferred to the University after attending Oklahoma Baptist University for two years. She attended Olathe East High School.
The Associated Press contributed to this story. Edited by Ehren Meditz
OREAD
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owned by Alexander Wilcox, the namesake of the Wilcox Classical Museum. KU Endowment purchased the three-story house for $184,000. John Scarffe, KU Endowment representative, said negotiations were in the beginning stages.
House movers would be able to relocate the house to another lot, Seibel said. The move would damage the sheet rock and plaster within the house, adding to the estimated $50,000 price tag to move the house to its new, undetermined location. He said the association would take out a loan for the costs and then gain that money back when the house opens and tenants move in.
"It's a pretty major process," Seibel said. "But it's better than buying a new house."
Janet Gerstner, Oread Neighborhood Association member, is also involved with the discussions and said she hoped an agreement could be reached.
"It's a very nice home with a lot of great history," Gerstner said.
Seibel said he wanted to have the new co-op open in January.
— Edited by Amy Kelly
OREAD HOUSE DISPUTE
Oct. 20, 2000 - KU Endowment purchases five properties and a vacant lot on the 1300 block of Ohio Street.
June 18, 2002 - Chancellor Robert Hemenway writes a letter to then-Gov. Bill Graves asking him to reconsider Powers' ruling.
Aug. 21, 2001 - KU's Historic Preservation Board approves the demolition of three houses.
Sept. 20, 2001 - The city's Historic Resources Commission votes not the allow the demolition. The issue moves on to Ramon Powers, then the state historic preservation officer.
March 15, 2002 - Powers agrees with the city, writing "that the proposed demolition of those houses will encroach upon, damage or destroy the environs of the historic property."
Sept. 4, 2002 - Graves sides with the University and allows the demolition to begin.
Oct. 14, 2002 - Demolition begins.
Feb. 20 - A group of University and neighborhood representatives agree to a design for the new scholarship hall.