TUESDAY.NOV.20.2001
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 3A
Sidewalk markings up for debate
Kyle Browning says he has little faith such ads will be prohibited
By Paul Smith Kansan staff writer
The commercial chalkings across campus that promote Lawrence clubs and their alcohol specials appear questionable to Jeannette Johnson, assistant to the provost, but they are allowed, she said.
"There is no prohibition regarding chalking on campus," Johnson said. "There has never been a great demand to have a policy on that."
Doug Riat, director of Facilities Operations, agreed but added that any chalkings on vertical surfaces or buildings would be removed.
Kyle Browning, Overland Park senior and student body vice president, said chalking by local businesses was a problem because it interfered with student chalkings.
"Commercial chalkings take up space student organizations could use," Browning said. "And they diffuse the messages of student organizations that do have something to say about the campus."
Businesses have greater resources to distribute their message than student organizations, Browning said.
The Provost's office and Browning are working toward
revised policy governing the usage of campus billboards that would designate more space for academic and student organization postings than to business promotions.
Browning said he had doubts about the workability of a policy on commercial chalking.
James Radina, Phoenix senior and general manager at Abe and Jake's Landing, 8 E. Sixth St., said chalking on campus was a fast and easy advertising option that helped the business.
"Chalking is the cheapest, most effective way to reach students on campus." Radina said. "It always caught my eye while I was walking across campus."
Vincent Gomis, Alicante, Spain, graduate student, said he no longer paid attention to sidewalk chalkings, but they didn't bother him.
"If it were permanent, it would bother me." Gomis said.
Both Browning and Johnson shared concerns about commercial chalking, but neither has confidence that a policy banning commercial chalking could be enforced.
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"I don't want to ban all chalking on campus," Browning said.
"That would be terrible."
EN-KAE CHANG/KANSAN
Students walk over commercial sidewalk advertising in front of Watson Library. The University does not have a policy on such chalkings, although student body vice president Kyle Browning said chalkings were a problem.
Contact Smith at 864-4810
Race riot death case heard 30 years later
The Associated Press
YORK, Pa. — Former police officers and a former prosecutor testified yesterday they didn't investigate the killing of an African-American woman during a 1969 race riot because it was not their responsibility.
The four former officers included three who responded to the shooting of Lillie Belle Allen with Charlie Robertson, who was an officer at the time and is now the outgoing mayor.
The testimony came at a hearing in which defense lawyers are trying to determine why prosecutors waited more than three decades to file charges in Allen's death.
Defense lawyers say the delay hurts their clients' chances of receiving a fair trial because evidence is missing, some witnesses are dead and memories have faded.
Eight men have been charged with shooting at Allen during a 10-day riot that began after a Caucasian man shot and wounded an African-American youth.
African American Prosecutors say Robertson, the ninth man charged, handed out bullets and encouraged Caucasians to kill African Americans hours before Allen was slain.
was slain.
The nine defendants, all of them Caucasian, have pleaded not guilty.
not guilty. The officers at yesterday's hearing said they never investigated the killing because they did not have such authority as patrol officers.
Dennis McMaster, who is now a police chief in Cumberland County, said he remembered seeing Robertson hand a box of bullets to a Caucasian man during the riots but was not sure exactly when or where it happened.
Former detective Thomas Chatman said police only assisted in the investigation, which was headed up by state police.
United to try to keep mechanics from striking
The Associated Press
CHICAGO — The nearly 2-year-old contract standoff between United Airlines and its mechanics union moved closer to a possible strike yesterday when the mechanics rejected the government's offer of binding arbitration.
Federal mediators, while announcing that a 30-day countdown to a strike will begin later this week, took steps to assure there would be no work stoppage over the heavily traveled Christmas and New Year holidays.
The National Mediation Board said declaring the talks at an impasse and removing the
legal obstacles to a strike should "assist the parties in resolving their dispute."
The mechanics pledged to strike as soon as legally allowed if an agreement isn't reached, which normally would be as soon as the monthlong cooling-off period ends.
But the mediation board recommended the establishment of a presidential emergency board at the end of that period to avoid any possibility of a work stoppage during the holidays.
"We don't expect any disruption of service as a result of the action today by the mediation board," said representative Joe Hopkins of the Elk Grove Village, Ill.-based carrier.
United had accepted the offer of binding arbitration.
settlement.
"United failed to bargain in good faith and create a level playing field for all employees," said Scotty Ford, president and lead negotiator of IAM District 141-M, representing 15,000 United mechanics and related employees. "We will strike the carrier if an agreement can't be
The mechanics, who are seeking an industry-leading contract, and United had recommended jointly in September that mediators declare an impasse and start the 30-day countdown in order to force a settlement.
reached."
Ford called presidential intervention "unnecessary and undemocratic," and said the process would work if given a fair chance.
Negotiations may continue during the cooling-off period, though none are scheduled.
Separate mediated talks remain under way between United and its ramp workers and customer relations employees.
United senior vice president Bill Hobgodd said the airline stood "ready to continue discussions with the union at any time."
Boyz: Change oil at private homes
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A
unticult as it was," Bergman said.
Bergman's boss at the auto repair shop was worried about a possible conflict of interest between his two jobs.
"He just told me to be careful and not to have too many Lube Boyz things at work," Bergman said.
Instead of stealing business away from his employer, Bergman and Nixon actually give the repair shop business by purchasing parts and equipment from it.
Both Nixon's and Bergman's parents were excited about the idea, but they were concerned about the entrepreneurs taking time away from their schoolwork to run a business. They were also worried about their sons losing a lot of money.
"I told Steve, as far as doing any kind of advertising or whatever we do, we'd double-check it with five people before we did it," Nixon said. "We can't afford any fines or anything if we do something wrong."
Nixon said their parents probably thought the business would be a good learning experience but would never get off the ground.
e ground. "I called them the first week
and I said, 'Well hey, we've done 12 oil changes this week,' and my father and my mom were ecstatic." Nixon said. Learning on the job
Scott Bentley, a manager at Emerson Biggins, 3512 Clinton Parkway, hired the Lube Boyz yesterday. He said he had talked with Nixon about the business one day at the Lawrence Bank, 3500 Clinton Parkway, where Nixon works part-time.
poem
"It's kind of a neat idea."
Bentley said. "I see it working for people who are really busy."
Bentley said the $29.99 he paid for a basic oil change was worth it and would probably have them come out to his house to do work in the future
Nixon said he would eventually like to see their business spread to Kansas City and Manhattan. Regardless of how the company fares, however, the two have learned something that can't be taught in a classroom.
"When my parents asked me about it, I just compared it to KU's education," Bergman said. "I'm paying eight grand for a four-year degree, but I'm paying $1,500 for an experience employers want to see."
Contact Norton at 864-481n
Students live for free, help quadriplegic
By J. R. Mendoza Kansan staff writer
Some people need assistance in their everyday lives to overcome challenges others take for granted. And for those who help, some perks await.
Fritz Edmunds Jr., an Overland Park trial lawyer, is quadriplegic. Edmunds, a University of Kansas alumnus, is looking for two roommates to provide him living assistance. In exchange, he offers free rent.
Edmunds has two to four students live in his house for free in exchange for providing living assistance each semester. Students take turnats at night getting him dinner and helping him inbed. He said he was looking for two more roommates.
"It's very flexible." Edmunds said. "They can trade off when they have other things to do. It doesn't take a lot of time."
Edmunds, who graduated from the KU School of Law in 1994, said he had had dozens of roommates who averaged two years living with him. Edmunds who broke his neck 16 years ago in a diving accident, said he decided to look for roommate because he didn't want nurses to help him all the time. Edmund said he did have nurses assist him in the mornings to get dressed.
He said he looked for roommates who were responsible. They stay in his five-bedroom apartment and live in his basement with their own living room and bathroom.
"I see myself as a mentor," Edmunds said. "I remain good friends with many of them."
Edmunds isn't the only one who rewards students for their help. Matt O'Connor, Prairie Village junior, lives with Jason Gallagher, a Johnson County Junior College student who has muscular dystrophy. O'Connor gets paid to help put Gallagher to bed, help him go to the bathroom and prepare his meals.
O'Connor said the experience was rewarding.
Gallagher, who lives in Merriam, said O'Connor did a good job helping him.
"It's real impressive how independent he is," O'Connor said. "He's a good friend of mine."
"It's definitely a job where you have to be responsible," Gallagher said. "He listens to what I have to say. We're both good at communicating. It makes for a good working relationship."
For more information about living with Edmunds, contact him at (913) 661-0222.
Contact Mendoza at 864-4810
864-950Z Appointment Line