FEATURES: College students who have learning disabilities can overcome them. Page 7.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VOL.103,NO.112
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
KANSAS STATE
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
TOPEKA KS 66612
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 1994
(USPS 650-640)
State nearer to death penalty law
NEWS:864-4810
Bill specifies criminal acts
By Stephen Martino Kansan staff writer
TOPEKA — Executions came a little closer to Kansas yesterday.
The Kansas Senate passed a narrowly written capital punishment bill by a 22-18 vote. The bill states seven specific instances in which prosecutors can seek the death penalty.
premeditated killing during a kidnapping if the kidnapper intended to hold the victim for ransom
murder of an individual for money, which covers contract murders
They are:
intentional murder of an individual during a rape, sodomy or aggravated sodomy
murder of an inmate or a guard if the murderer is an inmate
■ murder of a law-enforcement officer
■ murder of more than one person as part of the same act
- murder of a child under 12 during a kidnapping if sexual offense against the child was intended.
"Kansas has one of the laxest treatments of first-degree murderers of any state in the country," he said.
The nearly four hours of debate were marked by passionate speeches from senators, some of whom had to hold back tears as they spoke.
cuting people convicted of murder.
State Sen. Mark Parkinson, R-Olathe and the legislation's chief sponsor, said that Kansas was not hard enough on murderers.
"Why do we kill people who kill people to show killing people is wrong?" asked State Sen. Dick Bond, R-Overland Park. "I don't have that answer."
Parkinson dismissed attacks on the death penalty. Opponents, he said, exaggerated claims of discrimination in sentencing, executions of innocent people and inflated costs to the state. He said the state could expect to spend about $600,000 in the first year of the law's enactment.
However, opponents said they could not understand the logic in exe-
Bond offered an amendment on the floor to change all references of death to life in prison without the possibility of parole. It failed 18-20.
Supporters said that the possibility of death could prevent possible murders and that it was a justifiable action.
"I believe our government has the authority to determine whether rights of the individual must give way, and, yes, that includes the sanctity of life," said State Sen. Robert Vancrum, D-Overland Park.
However, State Sen. U.L. "Rip" Gooch, D-Wichita, said that inner-city youth, a likely target of the deterrent message, would be unfazed by passage of the death penalty.
Next sten for the death penalty...
"Do you know how many of our youth don't expect to see their 21st birthday?" he asked. "You think the death penalty is going to scare them?"
Next step for the death penalty... The Kansas Senate passed a bill yesterday that would legalize the death penalty in Kansas.
Full House passes
House Bill
2578 by a vote of 70-55
Full Senate passes the bill unamended by a vote of 22-18
Senate Judiciary Committee passes the bill with significant changes by a vote of 7-6
If the House passes the bill with changes, the bill goes to a joint committee to iron out the differences. The same version must be passed by both houses.
A separate death penalty bill introduced in Senate will not be acted on by committee.
The house has three options:
■ Pass the bill
■ Kill it
■ Make changes and pass it.
Lawrence's beer mug runneth over
Establishing bars tough, owners say
By David Stewart
Kansan staff writer
Tom Leininger/KANSAN
Tom Conny, manager for six years of The Crossing, 618 W. 12th St., spent his last day at the bar serving drinks and chatting with regulars. "I really don't know what they are going to do with the place," Conny said.
The Crossing reached a crossroads yesterday — it spent its first day under new ownership.
with the sale of The Crossing, 618 W. 12th St., a total of 10 Lawrence bars has changed ownership in the past year, according to liquor license records at Lawrence City Hall.
The number of bars that has changed hands may indicate the condition of the local bar business. Bar owners said that although the business still was lucrative, Lawrence bars had become increasingly difficult to establish. The best way to establish a niche in the bar scene, owners said, is to buy someone else's.
With a finite number of customers for their businesses, bar owners have to find ways to deal with an increasingly tight market, said Jon Davis, owner of the Cadillac Ranch, 2515 W. Sixth St., the Stumble Inn, 704 New Hampshire St., and his newest acquisition, the 18th Amendment, 1340 Ohio St.
"I agree it's getting tougher to be a bar owner in Lawrence," Davis said. "That's why I prefer to have smaller bars, myself. They're easier to fill."
Davis said operating a business that relied on college students made multiple-bar ownership more attractive. Because most bars catering to college students can operate at full capacity only seven months a year, owning establishments that rely on local patrons makes good business sense, he said.
But bar owners, other business owners and politicians agreed on one point: Lawrence has reached its carrying capacity for places to drink.
"I don't think it could support any more bars, especially in the downtown area," said Brad Ziegler, owner of four Lawrence bars: Hockenbury's Tavern, 1016 Massachusetts St., Louise's Bar Downtown, 1009 Massachusetts St., the Eighth Street Tap Room, 801 New Hampshire St., and Henry T's Bar and Grill, 3520 W. Sixth St. "There's always enough people to fill a bar
if you do it right, but there are only so many pieces of the pie to divide up."
Much of the prosperity of Lawrence bars has resulted from changes made during the past decade, especially the increased awareness of the danger of driving while intoxicated, said Gary Toebben, president of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce.
"There was a time in Lawrence when, if you wanted to go to a nine-bar door, you went to Kansas City," said Toebben. "But that's no longer the case."
Some area politicians and downtown business owners said the success of bars along Massachusetts and New Hampshire
Bob Schulte, city commissioner, said the City Commission wanted to strike a balance among different businesses, including bars, restaurants and retail stores.
"The idea is to keep the downtown area from becoming a bar area," Schulte said. "We want to use whatever method we could use to achieve a solution that is fair and equitable."
streets had presented a security problem. Increased bar space attracts more customers to the downtown area but increases the need for security.
One solution is to restrict the number and square footage of bars, said Bob Schumm,
owner of Massachusetts Street Delcatessen, 941 Massachusetts St., and Buffalo Bob's Smokehouse, 719 Massachusetts St.
Schumm, a former city commissioner, said Lawrence had spent a lot of money achieving a mixture of different types of businesses downtown. Maintaining that balance is essential to keep the downtown area prosperous, he said.
"If you keep your downtown viable with mixed-use concept, the area should prosper." Schumm said. "If you don't, if you allow the city to run down, the bars become the principal form of business."
Senate set to consider fee increase
Financing would support women's crew and soccer
By Heather Moore Kansan staff writer
Student fees will be on the rise again if Student Senate passes a bill tonight that would increase funds for women's and non-revenue sports.
Students now pay $14 during the fall and spring semester and $7 during the summer semester to support women's athletics and non-revenue sports. The bill would raise the fee to $20 in the fall and spring and $10 in the summer.
and $10 in the summer.
These fees would pay for the establishment of women's crew and soccer clubs as varsity sports, which would cost $480,000 a year.
John Shoemaker, student body president, said the increase would benefit students because men's and women's sports should be equal.
"It's our responsibility to help make an equitable table for men and women," he said.
On the agenda
Student Senate will discuss the following items tonight:
- Women's and non-revenue sports fee information.
Watkins Memorial Health Center expansion fee
A bill requiring senators to attend the events they sponsor
The University could have its federal funds
KANSAN
pulled if it does not raise the women's and non-revenue sports fees, Shoemaker said.
TITLE IX of the Educational Amendment passed by Congress in 1972 prohibits sex discrimination in college athletics and requires equal opportunities and increased funds for women's programs. The amendment stipulates that funds — including loans and grants — can be pulled from universities that don't comply.
Other increases may affect students this year, including the cost of expanding Watkins Memorial Health Center and the possible increase in tuition for the Partnership for Excellence. Despite these increases, Shoemaker said, the women's and nonrevenue fee increase is necessary.
Shoemaker said he anticipated Senate support for the bill.
"It will improve the balance of the men's and women's sports and increase women's opportunities," she said.
Shanda Vangas, holdover senator, said she supported the bill because it would keep high-quality programs.
After the negative discussion in the Senate Finance Committee on Feb. 22, Vangas said, she is curious to see what will happen in the full Senate.
"Many people are tired of students paying for so much," she said. "It seems like a lot at once, but it is for the students."
Tonya Cole, liberal arts and sciences senator, said that because only 13 members of the finance committee had attended the meeting, the vote did not reflect the majority view.
The increase is necessary because women's sports are not given enough attention, Cole said.
if senators' questions are answered, she said, she expects that the bill will pass.
"It will be a close vote," she said. "We're hearing Watkins at the same time. People are worried because of all the money coming out of students' pockets."
WARNING: An expansion plan for the health center also depends on Senate action. Page 6.
Queen of the court
Senior Abby Woods can dominate a tennis court for the Jayhawks, but she once considered dominating a college basketball court.
Page 9.
Houston, 'Aladdin' awarded Grammys
'Old Blue Eyes,' 'Queen of Soul' among lifetime achievement winners
The Associated Press
NEW YORK—Awards voters will always love Whitney Houston — at least this year. And the magic carpet for the music to "Aladdin" was riding high again at last night's 36th Annual Grammy Awards.
For her single "I Will Always Love You," Houston took the awards for best pop female vocalist and record of the year, which she shared with producer David Foster. The album of the year Grammy went to the soundtrack to the movie, "The Bodyguard."
Just three weeks ago, she collected eight.
trophies at the American Music Awards for the single and the soundtrack.
"I think everyone can dig and understand 'I Will Always Love You,'" she said backstage.
Dolly Parton, who wrote the torch song two decades ago, presented the Grammy to Houston. The single has been one of the fastest-selling in music history, and the movie soundtrack has sold more than 10 million copies.
The "Aladdin" soundtrack received four Grammys before the telecast began. During the CBS-TV special, "A Whole New World," which was "Aladdin's" theme, won for song of the year, a prize that went to the composers, Alan Menken and Tim Rice. Last year, the movie's music won two Academy Awards for original score and song.
"Iwould like to thank the Everly Brothers who got me going on American music,"
said Rice, an Englishman.
Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle won the award for best pop performance by a duo or group for singing "A Whole New World."
Recipients of lifetime achievement awards were Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, the late jazz artist Bill Evans and pianist Arthur Rubinstein.
Besides sharing the record of the year prize with Houston, Foster won the Grammy as producer of the year for "I Will Always Love You" and for best instrumental arrangement of "When I Fall In Love" from the soundtrack of "Sleepless in Seattle."
The other awards for "Aladdin": best musical album for children and best instrumental composition written for a motion picture or for television. The theme song also won as best song written for a movie or television.
The envelope please
Here are some of the winners last night from the 36th Annual Grammy Awards:
■ RECORD OF THE YEAR: "I Will Always Love You." Whitney Houston, producer David Foster.
■ SONG OF THE YEAR: "A Whole New World ('Aladdin's 'Theme)," Alan Menken and Tim Rice.
BEST NEW ARTIST: Toni Braxton.
BEST POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE,
FEMALE: "I Will Always Love You," Whitne-
 Houston.
BEST POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE,
MALE; "If I Ever Lose My Faith In You,"
Sting.
BEST POP INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE: "Barcelona Mona," Bruce Hornsby and Brandon Marsalis.
Source: The Associated Press