Volume 126 Issue 4
kansan.com
Wednesday, August 28 2013
PHOTO
have to be you're
l about e for
high Tidwell
ANDY LARKIN/KANSAN
CRIME
Lawrence Police Department officers searched a residence on the 2500 block of Crestline Court after responding to an early morning call from a local gas station.
Report from Lawrence gas station exposes possible drug bust near campus
JENNIFER SALVA
isalva@kansan.com
Lawrence Police Department officers found "fuels and potentially hazardous chemicals" at a residence on the 2500 block of Cresline Court shortly before 8 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 27, after determining it was the residence of an injured man who was found at a gas station. Evidence was collected from the residence and a search revealed what could be related to the presence of meth ampetamines or other drugs, Sgt. Trent McKinley, Lawrence Police Department Public Affairs Officer, said.
release. The man was assessed by medical personnel and transported to Lawrence Memorial Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to the release.
Lawrence police officers arrived at a south Iowa St. gas station just after 1 a.m. Tuesday morning in response to a call about a man "suffering from burns and making unusual statements," according to the Lawrence police media
"These were burns that could've been caused by contact with chemicals or fire," said Sgt. McKinley,
in the relationship between those chemicals and burns to the person." First responders determined that the burns occurred at the man's home and went to the residence on Cres.
Degenhardt said he did not go outside until 7:50 a.m., when he saw three police officers waiting
awoke to two firefighters with flashlights banging on his bedroom window. He grabbed his shotgun and looked around the house to make sure no one was breaking in.
tline Court. The address was confirmed by Richard Degenhardt, a tenant of the adjoining duplex. At 4 a.m., Degenhardt said he
"You wouldn't assume meth labs would be this far up in Kansas."
RICHARD DEGENHARDT neighbor
tance of fire personnel. Douglas County Fire Medical units were requested for the protection of officers and other individuals in
outside with hands on their guns, preparing to go inside the residence. According to the police report, the search warrant was obtained and executed shortly before 8 a.m.
the area, and animal control was present to remove two dogs from the house. Sgt. McKinley said, "It was just dessert." Degenhardt
Degenhardt said he noticed a lot of moisture in the house; enough to condense and drip down the windows. A strong odor that smelled like dogs and mildew came from behind the front door. Degenhardt said he did not know who his next-door neighbor was, but described him as strange.
"It was just in how he acted. He looked away when he was pulled into the driveway," he said. Officers from the Lawrence Police Department and members of the Douglas County Drug Enforcement Unit will continue investigating the incident and no arrests have been made, according to the release.
LAWRENCE
Edited by Chas Strobel
ASHLEIGH LEE/KANSAN
Carlos Fernandez, a senior from Kansas City, Kan., Justin Lee, senior from Wichita and Brigid Derby, a junior from Kansas City, Mo., sit outside their house and talk.
Students' porch furniture in danger
I CODY KUIPER
ckuiper@kansan.com
On the recommendation of the Lawrence Fire Department, the Lawrence City Commission is looking into an ordinance that bans all upholstered furniture from being kept on porches.
The Lawrence Fire Department says the type of indoor furniture many students keep on their patios for relaxation is made of highly flammable materials and typically block the path of escape during fires.
LFD Prevention Chief Jim King says students will still be allowed to keep furniture that is marketed for outdoor use, like lawn chairs, and that the ordinance's purpose is to prevent a potential tragedy at the University.
"The goal is not to remove the whole furniture aspect from college life," he said. "It's more about not suffering the loss of a student to a fire because the furniture was there and blocked a path or caused the fire to burn faster and hotter."
If it's passed by the city commission, the ordinance could go into effect in 8 to 10 weeks. City
Commissioner Bob Schumm reiterated that the ordinance must be put in place to protect students, despite the unpopularity it might have amongst them.
"The oath of our office is to provide for the health, safety and well being of our citizens, so we take that charge very strongly, and we try to be proactive in that," he said. "We aren't trying to take anybody's fun away or easy-living away, we're looking at it in terms of safety."
Justin Lee, a senior from Wichita, doesn't think the ordinance will make students any safer, and says he plans on keeping his furniture on his porch unless he's threatened with a fine.
"There are a lot of things that are flammable, and couches are one of them." Lee said. "Maybe we shouldn't build our houses out of wood because it's flammable too. I think the whole law is just about feeling good,and about the politicians feeling like they did something good."
Edited by Kayla Overbey
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Lawrence police increase focus on Labor Day drunk driving
CALEB SISK
csisk@kansan.com
Lawrence is in full swing once again with the start of the fall semester and students are eager to show that they havent lost a step in their party skill set. With this influx of students returning and making sure that they celebrate the new semester, there are a few concerns that must be addressed by local law enforcement officials.
Returning students are familiar with the trend of increased patrols around the start of classes, but there is something different about the Lawrence Police Department's efforts this year. The department recently received a substantial grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation, or KDOT, that will allow them to send out overtime patrols through Labor Day weekend. Students may recognize the
KDOT has given this grant to the LPD for the specific purpose of targeting DUIs and other alcohol related violations around town. The focus of these efforts, unlike previous ones focused on citations, is on safety. "We have seen an emerging trend over a number of years concerning people consuming too much alcohol and becoming seriously injured," said Sgt. Trent McKenley, a spokesperson for the LPD.
name KDOT from the "You drink
You drive. You lose" campaign
As well as going to local bars, searching for underage drinkers and writing citations, the patrol officers are attempting to reduce the number of violent crimes and accidents related to alcohol consumption.
Just this past Friday with the combined efforts of the DUI checkpoint on the 1100 block of Tennessee Street and the saturation patrols, officers managed to write 12 DUIs, 49 seat belt violations, 24 alcohol citations and 22 other citations such as speeding and texting while driving.
Lawrence police are increasing efforts after recently recieving a grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation.
Some students may think that they have nothing to worry about, since they never drink and drive and don't drunkenly dance in the streets on their way to Massachusetts Street. An emerging trend has shed light on the error in this way of thinking.
"We have seen an increase in the number of people becoming victims of violent assaults and robberies due to overconsumption of alcohol," McKinley said. Students who obey all traffic laws and simply walk home while intoxicated are putting themselves at risk of becoming a victim in one of these violent crimes.
Sgt. McKinley and the rest of the Lawrence Police Department suggest that students be mindful of their surroundings and never
FILE PHOTO/KANSAN
walk home alone. Walking home alone while staring at your phone screen paints an easy target on your back for out-of-towners that are coming to Lawrence specifically to target inebriated students.
So although it may seem inconvenient and almost insufferable to deal with these patrols, students should know that it is done with their safety in mind. Between the use of DUI checkpoints and saturation patrols
CLASSIFIEDS 11
CROSSWORD 5
CRYPTOQUIPS 5
OPINION 4
SPORTS 12
SUDOKU 5
the department hopes that it can set a precedent for safety that will last the duration of the semester.
Edited by Kayla Overbey
All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2013 The University Daily Kansai
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