University, Daily Kansan / Wednesday, August 30, 1989
5
July's jobless rate down in Lawrence
By Derek Schmidt Kansan staff writer
The unemployment rate in Douglas County dropped in July, according to a report released yesterday.
The Kansas Department of Human Resources reported that the area's July unemployment rate was 3.6 percent, down from 4.4 percent in June.
"This is pretty typical for this time of year," said Kathy Ketchum, the department's public information officer.
High school and college students flood the job market in June seeking summer jobs, Ketchum said. Because not all of them find work, the unemployment rate rises. In July, many of those unemployed young people stop looking for jobs and are no longer included in the unemployment statistics. The result is a drop in the unemployment rate.
Gary Toebben, president of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, said he had not had a chance to review the new unemployment figures. However, he said the declining rate probably was because of seasonal factors.
"It probably was the case that
some of those students looking for jobs in June either quit looking or left Lawrence and went home." Toebben said.
The department figures showed that the number of people unemployed in the Lawrence area dropped by 315 to 1,444 in July. The number employed dropped by 19 to 38,515.
However, about 200 more people had construction jobs in Lawrence in July than in June, Ketchum said. Most other areas of employment remained stable, except for seasonal fluctuations.
Lawrence unemployment usually increases in the summer when students leave and retail and service businesses cut back, Ketchum said.
Toebben agreed, but said that an
increase in unemployment
offset the rise in unemployment.
Also during the summer, schools reduce the number of people they employ. Because many residents are employed by KU and other public schools, Lawrence is particularly susceptible to such fluctuations.
Statewide, the unemployment rate fell 1 percent to 3.9 percent in July. More than 1.25 million people were employed in Kansas last month, with fewer than 51,000 unemployed.
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Sherri Lewis. Manchester. Mo., junior, gives a University of Missouri student a pie in the face during taping of the College Mad House show
This space provided as a public service.
Game show is a literal Madhouse
By Stacy Smith Kansan staff writer
Stacy Burkin, Kansas City Mo., senior, stood with her team waiting for the next question.
"What is the southern-most voting state in the United States?"
Burtin hit her buzzer. "Texas," she said. She was wrong, but so was her opponent. The correct answer was Hawaii.
Burtin had escaped having a pie thrown in her face for the moment, but she knew that more sticky, gooey messes were in store for her in the next round.
The other KU students on the team were David Jenkins, Lawrence senior; Patrick
Kirby, Leawood senior; and Sherri Lewis, Manchester. Mo.. junior.
Burtin was one of four students chosen to represent KU against the University of Missouri on the new game show "College Madhouse," which will premier this fall.
"Some of the questions were hard." Burtin said. "We didn't know what they were talking about a lot, but we were much better than MU."
Valerie Dobbins, publicist for the show, said 28 universities from across the country were paired up with their rival schools for the first 14 episodes of the show.
The shows were filmed in Hollywood, Calif., in July and are scheduled to premier at 10:30 a.m. Sunday on KZKC Channel 62. Dobbins said the KU-MU competition would air Sunday, Sept. 10.
“This is an outgrowth of 'Fun House,'” she said. “A lot of college students called and said they wanted to do something like that. It's a combination of trivia questions and physical stunts.”
Pillow-fighting while straddling a pole covered with chocolate syrup and being wrapped up
Dobbins said the game was designed to challenge the brain and the body. The contestants are asked a question by the host, Gregg Kinnear, and the team that is unable to answer the question or that answers incorrectly must perform a stunt, she said.
in marshmallows, nuts and chocolate to make a human candy bar are two of the favored stunts, Dobbins said.
The team that wins the round of trivia questions and stunts gets the chance to go for money and prizes. Dobbins said the members of the winning team each have 30 seconds to run through a three-story "madhouse" filled with obstacles to claim their prizes. The prizes include cameras, televisions, bicycles, stereo-trips and money for the team's university scholarship fund.
Dobbins said that the success of the tapings has convinced the producers to return to the universities to find new players.
"They'll go on the road as early as October to audition again," she said. "The people who have participated have loved it."
Burtin said she thought the experience was worth the mess and embarrassment.
"It's going to be a riot to see," she said. "It
is really messy. I don't even know if you
are."
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