Sports: Norwegian police prepare to protect athletes and spectators at the Lillehammer Olympics. Page 11.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VOL.103,NO.99
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
KANSAS STATE
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
TOPEKA KS 66612
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 11, 1994
(USPS 650-640)
NEWS: 864-4810
Graceland trip ends in tragedy
Road trip fatal for KU student
By Jamie Munn
Kansan staff writer
One KU student was killed and another was treated for serious injuries after their car crashed into a tractor trailer yesterday afternoon in Memphis, Tenn.
Jenna Robinson, Manhattan sophomore, died in the accident. Theresa Noonan, Derby sophomore, was admitted to the neuro-trauma unit of Methodist Central Hospital in Memphis.
Hospital officials said last night that Noonan's condition had been upgraded to stable.
Jean Garrett, Arkansas State Highway patrol operator, said a tractor trailer had stopped traffic on Highway 55. The accident occurred when
Jenna Robinson
Noonan tried to stop for the traffic.
The Chevrolet she was driving skidded on a patch of ice, spun out of control and hit the trailer from behind, Garrett said.
Roberta John-
son, Robinson's roommate, said that Robinson and Noonan had been in her residence hall room yesterday morning.
Unexpectedly, the two women pulled out a road map, she said. Within 20 minutes, Noonan and Robinson were ready to take a trip to Memphis, Tenn., to visit Graceland.
Johnson said she had been surprised that the two had planned to travel such a long distance.
"I thought they were just screwing around," Johnson said. "The last thing
she told me was,
"I'll be back for my Spanish test
at 7:30 a.m. on Friday."
Both Johnson and Christy Price, Landers-shire Plano, Texas, freshman and one of Robinson's good friends.
Theresa Noonan
said that Robinson had been a dedicated student. She had a unique personality and marched to the beat of her own drum, they said.
One of Johnson's most vivid memories of Robinson was of her loyal support of Kansas State University. At the last Kansas K-State football game, Robinson wore purple velvet pants to show support for her hometown.
Robinson had everything going for her, Price said, and was determined to study medicine and become a doctor.
"She used to say, I didn't even make
good grades in high school," Price said. "But she worked so hard since she got here."
Johnson said people had lined up to hear Robinson explain her favorite subject, science.
She used models of molecules to explain to her friends the complicated ideas of organic chemistry, in which she was an A student, Johnson said.
Robinson also had an active social life.
"Once you got her away from her books, she was a blast," Johnson said.
Price said that Robinson had been an avid fan of "The Young and the Restless" soap opera and that recently she had decided to learn country western dancing.
Counseling services have been established for residents of Lewis Hall who lived on the same floor as Robinson. Funeral services are pending for this weekend or Monday, Johnson said.
Co-op explosion injures worker
Allen Hines of Carbondale is lowered onto the ladder of a fire truck from a grain elevator by Lawrence firefighters. Hines suffered a broken arm after a dust explosion at the Farmers Co-Op Association, 2121 Moodle Road.
Brian Vandervillet / KATHLEEN
By Stephen Martino
Kansan staff writer
A dust explosion at a Lawrence grain elevator stranded four men on its top for more than two hours yesterday afternoon.
Three of the men were not injured and refused treatment from Douglas County paramedics, but one man suffered a broken arm and had to be lowered to the ground in a secured body brace by Lawrence firefighters.
The explosion occurred around 2:15 p.m. at the Farmers Co-Op Association. 2121 Moodie Road.
David Dudley, a co-op employee from Lawrence, said the grain bins at the site were used to store wheat, milo, soy beans, oats and corn. He said that the grain, especially the wheat, milo and corn, had created a chaff and dust that could become exoslicious.
"You get that stuff in a confined space, and it goes off like a bomb," he said.
The co-op site has two tall concrete buildings, each containing many individual bins. The buildings are connected by a catwalk. Atop the larger building, which is east of the other, is a head house that contains pulleys and equipment to distribute the grain from the bottom of the elevator to the individual silos. There are 35 bins at the site.
Two of the men were working on the head house roof when the explosion occurred. The other two men were on top of the elevator building itself, which is about 35 feet lower than the too of the head house.
Duane Schiffbauer of Abilene said the explosion had sounded like a roar as it made its way up a elevator.
"Iheard her coming, so I ducked," he said. "I'm glad I did. It pretty much fried my coat."
Schifflauer sustained some minor burns, and his hair, beard and eyebrows were singed. Allen Hines of Carbondale, the other man on the head house, suffered the broken
arm.
Bill Stark, battalion chief for the Lawrence Fire Department, said the explosion had been caused when hot liquid metal or oil fell down into a cloud of dust while the men used a cutting torch.
The men standing on the lower part of the elevator, William Schiffbauer and Scott Ballantyne, both of Abilene, said the force of the explosion had knocked them down and had pushed them back.
Stark said the explosion, which blew out a door at the base of the elevator and all the windows from the head house, had caused at least $100,000 in damage and would interrupt service at the elevator for a couple of months.
Ballantyne said that had he not grabbed a spout anchored to the roof by two screws, he would have been thrown off the building, more than 100 feet down.
Source: Kansan research, Dennis Lane, N.T. Watt distinguished professor of civil engineering
Joe Harder/KANSAN
The University Daily Kansan wants to know what you think about the Student Senate's financing of Day on the Hill, an annual, free spring music festival.
864-9040
THE ISSUES:
Student Union Activities provides the bulk of the funding for the event.
Recently, SUA submitted bills requesting first $5,000 and then $3,200 for stage equipment to the finance committee. The committee killed both bills.
Senate opponents of the bills have said that Senate is in debt and cannot afford the money request.
- Proponents of the bill have said that the request is reasonable and that the event is a popular one that thousands of students enjoy.
- Throughout the debate, SUA has made it clear that Day on the Hill will happen regardless of Senate funding, though the event may be "downsized" If SUA does not find more money for the event.
HOW TO USE THE OREAD FORUM:
1) Call 864-9040 and wait for the tone at the end of the greeting.
2) Record a concise message (try to keep it less than two minutes).
Names are not required.
3) Hang up immediately when finished.
4) If you prefer, you may respond in a written or printed letter to the Kansan newsroom, 11.1 Stauffer Flint Hall. Clearly mark "Oread Forum" on the letter or envelope.
WHAT WE WILL DO:
1) The Kansan will share the responses to the Oread Forum next Friday. The Kansan reserves the right to use all, part or none of each recorded message and letter.
2) The Forum will stop taking responses at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
By Heather Moore
Kansan staff writer
SUA's Day-on-the-Hill bill lost another bout with Student Senate at the finance committee meeting Wednesday.
The committee voted 13-8 in favor of the bill, but that was short of the two-thirds passing vote required.
Paul Wolters, engineering senator and sponsor of the bill, said he was surprised that the bill didn't pass.
"It's amazing that they won't fund the most successful event at KU," he said. "We're the oldest organization on campus. Other members that are so concerned about fiscal responsibility leave before the meeting is over. I was distressed that the committee wasn't fulfilling its role."
Wolters said that Day on the Hill would be downsized.
"In the past we've had some highbrow talent," he said. "Now, I'm not sure whether we can get that type of talent."
Shanda Vangas, holdover senator, said Senate should realize that it was the students' money that was spent.
"We're here to allocate funds to things that students want money spent for," she said.
Trevor Thompson, engineering senator, said that Day on the Hill should be supported because a lot of students went to the event.
"It's an event that students look forward to," he said. "It's also good publicity for Student Senate to have our banner splashed across the stage."
Katie Obdyke, Shawnee Mission senior, said that Day on the Hill should be financed by Senate.
"Day on the Hill is something that everyone enjoys," she said. "It is not just targeted for one group."
Krystyn Zetmeir, Overland Park freshman, said that she also wanted Senate to finance the bill.
"I it's crazy that they didn't fund it," she said. "It's not just something for Lawrence to enjoy. It's a huge show that brings money in."
Travis Harrod, Student Senate Executive Committee chair, said that some members were pushing their own interests.
"They aren't to be discussing the merits of these bills," he said. "I will definitely be discussing this at StuFx."
Brian Poeschel, finance committee member, said that he objected to the bill for financial reasons.
"We increased the budget for this year, and we spent it all," he said. "We are over budget $20,000 at the moment. SUA is asking us to support this so that they will stay above budget, while we are in the hole. This is a business, and we have to stick to the budget."
John Shoemaker, student body president, said the Senate was not in debt.
"Since ASK broke up, we had money roll back to us," he said. "$20,000 went into the unallocated fund, and $10,000 went into reserve."
Steve Campani, finance committee member, said that Senate could not favor the bill because of financial reasons.
"Student Senate has bailed out the SUA in the past," he said. "I'm sorry you've had problems, but it's not our fault. We don't have extra money right now. I'm annoyed and upset that it's been killed and came back."
A journalistic legacy.
William Allen White, editor of The Emporia Gazette, was one of the most influential journalists of the century. His legacy continues today as the School of Journalism celebrates William Allen White Day.
Page 7.
KU award recognizes CNN anchor
By Stephen Martino
Bernard Shaw has accumulated many awards during his professional career, but none, he says, carry the same responsibility and obligation that the William Allen White Citation does.
Kansanstaffwriter
And few would disagree that Shaw, who reported to the world from a hotel room in Baghdad, Iraq, the night the Allied-coalition forces started bombing and began Operation Desert Storm, has been anything less than a consumate journalist.
"It's not just another trinket in my collection," he said. "The principles that the man stood for must be carried out every day. I don't take my life or profession lightly."
Shaw will receive the citation and deliver his acceptance remarks at 1:30 p.m. today at Woodruff Auditorium in the Kansas Union.
The citation, awarded by the William Allen White Foundation, recognizes journalists who uphold the standards of White, a 1923 Pulitzer Prize winner
and former editor of The Emporia Gazette.
the tenets that attracted Shaw to journalism, he said, are still the same and always should endure to guarantee the quality of the profession.
"Basic journalism has not changed," he said. "We still have to be right, fair, balanced and accurate."
Yet, the very thing that allowed Shaw to report from Baghdad — improved technology — was the greatest change he said he had witnessed in his 30 years in journalism.
"When I began working for CBS News in 1971, we were using film," he said. "Now we have satellites that can bounce information instantaneously from any part of this planet. It's revolutionized news coverage."
Shaw, a Cable News Network anchor for "Inside Politics" and "PrimeNews," has been at the center of the international and national spotlight. His reports from Baghdad were seen by a billion television viewers, and his nonsense question to Michael Dukakis about the death penalty during a 1988
Shaw, who moderated the debate, said he had spent two days working on the wording of the question.
Dukakis, a known opponent of capital punishment, was asked by Shaw if he would change his view if his wife was raped and murdered. Dukakis responded stociously about his opposition to the death penalty. It was seen as a pivotal point in the election, which Dukakis lost.
presidential debate caught the candidate off-balanced and searching for an answer.
"I haven't had much time to reflect," he said. "This is a fast-paced business."
Shaw said he had not had much time to contemplate his role in Baghdad, for which he received criticism. He has not even seen the tapes of the coverage, he said, but he will soon for the autobiography he is writing for Random House.
"I was striking unnecessary words, so it struck to the basic heart of the campaign," he said. "Capital punishment was an issue during the campaign, so the question had to count, and it had to be relevant."
Tom Leininger / KANSAN
Bernard Shaw, Cable News Network anchor for "Prime News" and "Inside Politics," was named the 44th William Allen White Award winner.