University Daily Kansan, November 17. 1983
Page 3
NEWS BRIEFS From Area Staff and Wire Reports
State court upholds award for turnpike bridge death
TOPEKA — The Kansas Supreme Court yesterday upheld a jury's award of $71,000 to the family of a truck driver killed when his rig plunged off a defective bridge on the Kansas Turnpike in Topeka.
In a 6-1 decision with a strongly worded dissent by Chief Justice Alfred Schroeder, the high court said that a consulting engineering company hired by the Kansas Turnpike Authority to inspect turnpike roads to the public to exercise reasonable care in making safety inspections.
In addition, the high court rejected contentions by the firm of Howard, Needles, Tammen and Bergendoff that the jury's damage award was excessive and based on passion and prejudice.
The accident happened on Feb. 20, 1979, when truck driver Robert Ingram, Independence, Mo., struck a large hole while driving across the turnip bridge. The impact caused his truck to swerve, hit a guard rail and plunge 25 feet to the ground.
Date of trial to be set in rape case
Joseph Francis Mandak, a student at Benedictine College in Atchison, is also charged with aggravated bargaining in connection with the Oct. 15 bribery case.
A trial date for an Atchison man accused of the attempted rape of a KU student will be set at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 6 in Douglas County District Court.
During a hearing yesterday in Douglas County District Court, Mandak's attorney said that Mandak was living with his father in Colorado Sorings, Colo., and was undergoing therapy.
Warm Hearts sets goal at $100.000
The Lawrence Warm Hearts, an organization that helps low income and disadvantaged families with home heating problems and heating bills, yesterday set its 1983 fund raising goal at $100,000.
State Rep. Jessie Branson, D-Lawrence and the group's chairman, said the group based its goal on findings from Lawrence's natural gas task force. The task force reported that $100,000 would be needed to help families this winter.
Last year, Branson said, the Warm Hearts organization set a goal to $80,000 but raised $70,000. All of that money was used for providing heath care.
Branson said that the organization would ask Lawrence residents and businesses to donate the refund they receive from their Kansas Public Land Trust.
The organization will solicit donations in the city and on campus, Branson said. Joel Jacobs, president of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, will head the city donation drive, and Wallace Johnson, professor of East Asian studies, will head the campus drive.
Polls still open for Senate elections
Polling places for conclusion of the Student Senate elections today will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Jim Clark, chairman of the Student Senate Elections Committee, said that all polling places, except for one in front of the Wescow Hall lecture hall, were closed on Tuesday.
The poll locations are: Wescoe, Fraser Hall, Summerfield Hall, the Frank R. Burge Union, the Kansas Union and the Visual Art and Design building. Students will be required to present their student identification cards before voting.
Topeka man will be tried for arson
A Douglas County District Court judge said yesterday that a 23-year-old Topeka man would go to trial for aggravated arson in connection with a Nov. 1 house fire in Lawrence.
Douglas Association Judge Mike Elwell also dismissed two counts of aggravated assault against Willis Seville Vance III during year 2014.
A trial date will be set at 11 a.m. Dec. 2. Vance is accused of setting a house fire at 1233 Pennsylvania St. Loretha Parker, her five children and a nephew were in the house when the fire broke out on the back porch.
Do you have a news trip, sports tip or photo idea? Call the Kansan news desk at (913) 864-4810.
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The number for the Kansan Advertising Office is (913) 864-4358.
Senate keeps living group seats, Minority Affairs
By PETE WICKLUND Staff Reporter
The Student Senate ended its 1983 legislative year last night by voting to retain five living group Senate seats in the Senate Minority Affairs Committee.
Last night's voting ended almost three months debate on proposed changes in the Senate's operating rules. The action allowed the Senate to adjourn without any outstanding legislation and, by a vote, rescinded Senate, which will be elected today.
The Senate vote to retain the living group seats after almost an hour and a half debate on the issue and after a week of debate, several students to keep the seats.
Busby said he made the proposal to eliminate "duo-representation" of students in the Senate. In addition to the living group seats, students are also represented through elected school senators.
LOREN BUSYB, chairman of the Senate Finance and Auditing Committee, on Nov. 2 made the proposal to eliminate the appointed living group seats representing the Association of University Residence Halls, the All-Scholarship Hall Council, the Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Society. Busyb's amendment to the Senate rules also called for the
elimination of the elected off-campus seat.
But four senators last night asked that Busby's amendment be eliminated. The senators, in a counter-amendment, argued that the living conditions provided a special channel of communication between the Senate and its constituents.
The senators who asked for the elimination of Busby's proposal were: Cheri Brown, School of Social Welfare; Cheri Brown, All-Schoolship Hall Council; Amanda Island, Interfraternity Council; and Amy O'Brien, Panhellenic Association.
THE SENATORS organized a group of about 50 students who attended the meeting to show support for the seats. Most of the students were from scholarship halls or black student organizations.
the All-Scholarship Hall Council, also attended the meeting and voiced
Jim Clark, Senate Elections Committee chairman, Allyson Beardsley, president of the Panhellenic Association, and Kevin Selman, president of
Clark said the amendment would have had a detrimental effect on the Student Senate elections, which are currently underway. He said the amendment could have been unfair to three students who are seeking the off-campus seat.
"I don't think it's fair to say midway through the election. 'I'm sorry it's all bad for naught,'" Clark said in reference to the off-campus candidates.
DEFENDING BUSBY'S amendment, Paul Buskirk, hold-over senator, said that providing special interest Senate seats would require the ground to provide seats for other living grounds that might ask for seats in the future.
Black groups have asked that the Senate also provide an appointed living group seat to the Black Panhellenic Association. But despite requests from several students last night, the Senate took no action on the request.
The Senate last night also voted to retain the Senate Minority Affairs Committee. The Committee was scheduled to be eliminated, along with
four other committees, as a result of the rules changes.
BUT JIM CHAMER, student body vice president, successfully introduced an amendment to the rules, which enveloped the rule changes provision to streamline the Senate committee affairs, but also kept Minority Affairs.
The Minority Affairs Committee had been accused in the past of being inactive. But members of black student organizations attended several past Senate meetings to voice support for the committee.
"I think most of the senators thought that if there were many people who thought Minority Affairs was impertinent, then we keep the committee," Cramer said.
The 14th Student Senate will officially adjourn at a Nov. 30 meeting, at which the 15th Student Senate, which will be elected today, will be sworn in.
FRAUGHT WITH FINAL FEVER?
Place a Kansan want ad.
Call 864-4358.
Attend the Study Skills Workshop with emphasis on preparing for exams!
Tuesday, Nov. 29
7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
300 Strong
Presented by the Student Assistance Center.
LAWRENCE-Barron's still has the best happy hour in town. 50c
Draws and $1 Wells from 4-12p.m. plus twowafers on all daquiris,
marigaritas, and pina coladas after midnight. 7th & Mass. Downtown.
920 Massachusetts 842-2700
MON. SAT 9:30 6:00 THURS. OPEN TILL 8:30 SUN 1 5