WEDNESDAY,OCT.10,2001
NEWS
Lawrence lacks Halloween thrills
By Christy Dendurent and Sarah Hill Special to the Kansas
Fright seekers will notice a spooky void in Lawrence again this Halloween. It's been four years since the city has had a haunted house within its limits.
Brian Pedrotti, city/county planner, said his office issued many permits in the 1980s, but only a handful in the 1990s.
"The last haunted house in Lawrence was in 1997, at the old Quantrill's Flea Market at 811 New Hampshire," Pedrotti said.
A lot of work is involved in a temporary event such as a Halloween attraction.
The city and county both regulate
the effect a haunted house would have on surrounding areas. Organizers must meet parking, sanitation and fire codes to ensure maximum public safety.
"The fire department, sheriff and health department have to inspect the site," said Keith Dabney, director of Douglas County zoning and codes department. "Then, property owners that live within 1,000 feet of the site are notified before the permit can be issued."
The city has similar safety requirements, including building inspections.
"There could be a building permit needed if you add or change a structure," said Lee Smith, city zoning enforcement officer.
To operate a haunted house in
Lawrence, one must apply for a temporary use permit from the City Planning Office. Users may renew the permit biweekly for up to two months. Pedrotti said.
For Lawrence residents, the options are limited for spooky thrills during the Halloween season.
some students make the drive to the Kansas City area for giant haunted houses in abandoned factories and warehouses, such as The Beast and The Edge of Hell. Both haunted houses costs $15 a piece and a combo package is $26.
Full Moon Productions, the company that owns both haunted houses, would not comment for this article.
Liz Boldridge, Lawrence senior.
said she was unsure about the success of haunted houses in Lawrence.
Brice McLever has never gone to the haunted houses in Kansas City.
For some students, the cost and travel time aren't worth the drive.
"If we did have haunted houses here in Lawrence, my guess is that they would be nothing compared to those in Kansas City."
"I just don't feel like driving all the way to Kansas City, standing in line for half an hour, then paying $15 to go through a haunted house for 20 minutes," said McLiver, Topeka senior.
Contact Dendurent and Hill at 864-4810
State budget changes mean more money for KU
Rv Paul Smith
Kansan staff writer
A change in the budget allocation process for state universities may result in a small increase in money for the University of Kansas this year, despite a slight drop in enrollment.
provost David Shulenburger said students enrolled in approximately 500 more credit hours this semester than last semester, and that under a new tuition retention policy this tuition increase may yield a bit of profit for the University.
The tuition retention policy is part of a new funding strategy approved last year by the Legislature. The policy leaves tuition receipts outside of consideration when determining
The total amount of tuition resulting from the 500 additional credit hours is undetermined, said Marlin Rein, director of budget and governmental relations. But Rein said the additional credit hours would not provide a substantial gain in revenue.
state funding for universities.
Enrollment at the University fell by 138 students this fall. The University is the only Regents institution in Kansas whose enrollment numbers declined this year.
In accordance with the governor's recommendation, the Legislature approved a block grant proposal for state universities last session, which means that one lump sum will be given to universities instead of the
traditional line item budgets.
Chancellor Robert Hemenway said he had urged the change.
"It's a simpler way to budget," he said.
With the tuition retention policy, block grants are also beneficial for the University, said Lindy Eakin, associate provost. He said that tuition revenues were no longer figured into to the state's budget calculations.
"It changes the dynamic," Eakin said. "We actually had some years where the Legislature reduced our state appropriation from one year to the next because we had sufficient tuition to meet our budget increase."
Cindy Denton, budget analyst for state research institutions at the Kansas
Division of the Budget, said the Legislature funded a block grant directly to the University for this fiscal year.
Rein said that the $138.7 million block grant went toward general university operations, while $89.3 million of tuition comprised most of the remainder of the $233.2 million general use budget.
Denton said that starting next year the state block grant would be allocated directly to the Board of Regents.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 3A
Contact Smith at 864-4810
Kansans asked to be wary of birds that may carry virus
By Sarah Finks Special to the Kansan
The University of Kansas is asking the public to help spot the West Nile Virus, a disease that cycles in birds and mosquitoes and can infect humans and other mammals.
"The closest that West Nile Virus has been detected is in St. Louis," said Oliver Komar, ornithology researcher at the Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Research Center at KU. "The virus has been spreading up the Mississippi valley and west across the Great Lakes region during the year, and it's expected to reach Kansas."
Komar said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noticed that the virus had been detected earlier through dead bird monitoring. That's why the University is coordinating the effort and asking for help to monitor the virus found in dead birds in Kansas.
and send them off for testing."
"We volunteered to contribute a service for the state," Komar said, "which is to handle the reports of dead birds and to monitor where dead birds are being found, and then to collect the birds, collect tissue samples
Komar said birds infected with the virus may exhibit strange behavior.
"You may notice a bird that's acting somewhat disoriented, maybe it's not flying away when you walk up to it, that could be a sign that it's sick," Komar said.
The University will send samples of dead birds to the National Wildlife Health Center in Wisconsin if people report sightings. The health center is collaborating with the CDC and state governments on doing virus testing, Komar said.
The number to call to report dead birds is the Division of Ornithology at KU's Natural History Museum, 864-3926.
Another way to detect the virus is to monitor hospitals. Most doctors in the state are aware of the virus, Komar said.
The University is responsible for dead bird testing in Kansas. Other institutions are collecting mosquitoes, and some are collecting bird blood samples from chickens to see if chickens are being infected.
Dr. Chris Penn, infectious disease specialist for Lawrence Memorial Hospital, said he had not seen any
patients with the virus.
Symptoms of the virus are non-specific, like a headache, fever, body aches and skin rash. More severe infections may be marked by higher fever, neck stiffness and disorientation, according to the CDC Web site.
"Some people may not even realize they have it." Penn said.
According to the CDC Web site, less than one percent of mosquitoes are infected with the virus. Less than one percent of people who are bitten by a mosquito and contract the virus develop severe infection. Among those with serious illness, death rates range from three percent to 15 percent.
"We have ways of tracking influenza, and we have rapid determination tests to determine if it is flu." Penn said. "The problem is there are many viral infections that are similar to the cold or influenza."
"There's really no specific treatment other than supportive care," Penn said. "We don't have specific antivirals that can treat this virus."
Blood tests determine if a person has West Nile Virus.
Komar said people needed to be aware, but not terrified.
"Any time there's a chance of people getting sick and there's no cure for it, there's some urgency. But at this moment there's no need for anybody to panic," Komar said. "The virus has not yet been detected here. It could be here already, but certainly no one has gotten sick. There's no known cases of any Kansans getting the virus so far."
Komar said if a person or animal contracts the virus, it was no longer contagious.
There are ways to reduce the risks of becoming infected.
"There's lots of times people have mosquito-breeding sites right around their house," Komar said.
He advises people to look out for standing water around their house, including places such as the bottom of trash cans, birdbaths and old rubber tires that accumulate water after a rainstorm. A week or more is enough time for mosquito to breed.
The CDC Web site also recommends using insect repellents that contain DEET and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants whenever outdoors to prevent insect bites.
Contact Finks at 864-4810
University housing will remain open during fall break
By Jeremy Clarkson Kansan staff writer
Students in campus housing don't have to worry about finding a place to stay during fall break.
University housing will remain open throughout the break, which begins Thursday, Oct.18 and ends Sunday, Oct.21. However, students with meal plans will be able to eat only at Mrs. E's dining commons in front of Lewis Hall.
Dining centers in Oliver Hall and Gertrude Sellards Pearson-Corbin Hall will be closed, said Ken Stoner, director of student housing.
"We are not sure what kind of volume we will have." Stoner said.
Kent Lavene, complex director of McCollum Hall, said he wasn't expecting many students to remain in the buildings during the break.
Stoner said he was curious to see how many people would stay.
Jason Watson, Lincoln, Neb. freshman said he appreciated fall break because he could go home.
"We are not doing anything special, other than seeing it as a long weekend." Lavene said.
"It's good to take a step back from studying and to regroup." he said.
Watson said he planned to get out of town for the break.
break.
"It's long enough that you can feel relaxed, but not long enough that you fall out of your routine," Watson said.
Some students will be spending the break in Lawrence. Jason Mayer, Wichita freshman and Oliver resident, said he had made plans for the fall break.
"We are throwing a big party and we are waiting for the Mizzou game coming up." Mayer said.
Justin Honah, Wichita freshman and Oliver resident, said he was spending the break in town and would party with Mayer. Honah said he also hoped to catch up on sleep.
"Hopefully we wont get too much homework over the break," Honah said.
Contact Clarkson at 864-4810
STUDENT SENATE AGENDA
a bill granting $1,110 to the Pharmacy Fair, organized by the Academy of Students of Pharmacy.
Student Senate will meet at 6:30 tonight in the Kansas Room of the Kansas Union. Items on the agenda, which are subject to change, include:
a bill giving $332 to the KU Pre-Optometry Club.
a bill allocating $382 to the KU College Republicans.
- a bill granting $5,000 to the Multicultural Resource Center for speaker Brent Scarpo as part of the Hate Out Week program.
- a bill giving $89 to the International Student Association.
a bill allocating $2,850 to the KU Cultural India Club
a bill changing Senate rules and regulations, placing a Senate Finanance committee member on the Student Health Advisory Board
a bill amending Senate rules and regulations to include gender identity in a statement regaurd ing inclusion at the University
a bill amending Senate rules and regulations limiting graduate student use of money from the Graduate & Professional Association.
- a bill amending Senate rules and regulations changing Senate voting procedures for taking money out of the reserve account.
Luke Daley
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