TODAY'S WEATHER: Scattered showers and a high of 82. SPORTS: Football team to begin season without some key players.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
TALK TO US: Contact Kursten Phelps or Leita Schultes at (785) 864-4810 or editor@kansan.com
KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
WWW.KANSAN.COM
FRIDAY AUGUST 31,2001
ISSUE 8 VOLUME 112
Shawnee teen's sentence cut
Family of local woman calls judge's decision 'aggravating'
By Laurie Harrison Kansan staff writer
The family of a Lawrence woman killed in a car accident last September is dismayed that a judge reduced the sentence of the teen-ager charged with her death.
On Aug. 7, a judge ordered Sean Scott, 17, of Shawnee, to serve five years probation for the death of 39-year-old Felicia "Lisa" Ramos Bland.
"It was a shock. We were very disappointed," said T.J. Reyes, Bland's sister-in-law. "Here we thought there was going to be some justice."
Johnson County District Court Judge Janette Sheldon originally sentenced Scott in March to two-and-a-half years at a youth correctional facility and two years of aftercare, after he pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter.
Jim Bland, Lisa's husband, said he wasn't surprised at the judge's ruling because Scott's sentence had been reduced before.
"It's aggravating," Bland said. "I guess her life doesn't mean that much if a judge can be that way."
In May, Sheldon reduced the sentence to probation with the condition that Scott participate in a 90-day behavior modification program, said Randy McCalla. Scott's attorney.
During the Aug. 7 hearing, witnesses testified that Scott had successfully completed the program, and Sheldon set the probation at five years, McCalla said.
SEE SENTENCE PAGE 3A
Tailgating proposal approved
Chancellor's policy allows drinking outside stadium on experimental basis
By Kursten Phelps and Jay Krall Kansan editor and sports editor
Fans heading to tomorrow's football home opener can bring their alcohol. But leave the kegs at home.
Fans will be permitted to drink alcohol in and around 10 parking lots at Memorial Stadium during a three-hour period before tomorrow's 6 p.m. kickoff. Chancellor Robert Hemenway announced a revised policy that will allow alcohol during tailgating on an experimental basis this year.
Richard Konzem, associate athletics director, said the new policy had been hammered out in meetings during the last several weeks, culminating in a meeting in Hemenway's office at 8:30 a.m. yesterday. In that meeting, Ralph Oliver, director of the KU Public Safety Office; Darren Cook, director of facilities; and Reggie Robinson, counselor to the chancellor, briefed Hemenway on logistics, safety and legal concerns. Hemenway made his final decision yesterday afternoon before announcing it with the release of a prepared statement at 4 p.m.
Hemenway could not be reached for comment yesterday.
"We are dealing openly and honestly with the issues of alcohol attached to tailgating. We will assess the effects of this experiment throughout the season," Hemenway said in the statement.
According to the policy, 10 parking lots around the stadium will be designated
"Proud to be a Jayhawk" areas. Alcohol will be allowed in those areas, though the new policy prohibits kegs, any sale of alcohol and underage drinking.
Justin Mills, student body president, said although he did not personally agree with the decision, it reflected the will of most students.
"My biggest concern is that they really keep it in a confined space," Mills said. "If you let drinking up on the Hill or on Memorial Drive, that's a big area that would be hard for the police to cover."
He said he trusted most fans to be responsible but was concerned about crowds getting out of hand.
"That 1 percent that might get out of hand is a little frightening." Mills said. "I would hate to see someone drink and drive or something bad happen that would hurt the image of the University."
Pat Saysoffs, Overland Park freshman, said he thought the policy would draw fans.
"I think it will be a lot safer, too," he said. "People can drink there, instead of beforehand and driving drunk."
The athletics department will deploy employees to pass out donation envelopes in the tailgating areas to raise money for the Marching lavhawks.
The policy prohibits fans from re-entering the stadium if they leave during the game. In past seasons, fans have been permitted to re-enter if they obtained a hand stamp at a designated gate.
Kansas athletics director Allen Bohl announced earlier this month his support for allowing alcohol during tailgating. Bohl was unavailable for comment yesterday.
Contact Phelps or Kralt at 864-4810
Designated alcohol tailgating areas
Ten parking lots adjacent to Memorial Stadium are designated Proud to be a Jayhawk tailiging areas. Alcohol may be consumed only during a three-hour period before kickoff in the designated areas.
Source: University Relations
Melissa Carr/KANSAN
Ads in bathrooms remind drinkers to pass the keys
By Brent Briggeman Kansan staff writer
Every guy knows the routine: head up, eyes straight ahead.
Realizing this, the Kansas Department of Transportation and the Kansas Drunk Driving Prevention Program is using that spot on the wall to place bathroom billboards encouraging drinkers to think twice before they drive.
E. L. Bailer Indoor Advertising has donated the billboard space for the "Hand Them Over To Someone Sober" campaign, and nine Lawrence establishments have agreed to participate beginning today.
The project was spearheaded by E.L. Bailer Indoor Advertising president Eric Gonsher.
"We approached (KDDPP) with the idea," Gonsher said of the spots, which would normally be rented out at $29 per month. "Naturally they were all for the idea."
Local establishments seemed equally eager to help. "We realize that's a perfect place to target people when they may need it," said Aaron Shaston, bar manager at Jack Flanigans Bar and Grill, 806 W.24th St.
Past KDDPP projects have included the Stop Underage Drinking campaign, fake ID workshops and training sessions with restaurant and bar servers, helping them to recognize when patrons have had too much to drink.
Sherri Cannon, director of the KDOT traffic safety program, said placing the signs in men's and women's bathrooms would ensure an audience.
"Everyone has to go in there eventually," she said. "The more they drink, the more often they'll be in there. So hopefully we'll be able to hit home the moment they have to make the decision to drive home or designate a driver."
In 2000, 78 people died and more than 2,000 were injured in alcohol-related crashes on Kansas highways, according to the KDDPP. More than 20,000 people are arrested annually in the state for driving while intoxicated.
The program is financed by KDOT and has existed since 1979. Most of the organization's work has been centered in Kansas' five most populous counties, including Douglas County.
Contact Briggeman at 864-4810
Near-fatal crash can't crush spirit
By Jeff Denton Kansan sportswriter
As sophomore tight end Adrian Jones turned to his left on Tuesday, long dreadlocks bounced beneath his black wave cap. He used his massive right arm to pull up the left sleeve of his navy blue and turquoise Fubu Jersey. Scar tissue blanketed his muscles.
The whip-like cuts Jones received were the only visible reminders of what really happened the afternoon of Nov.28,1999.
While returning to Lawrence from his Thanksgiving break in Dallas, Jones lost control of his car on Interstate 35 North near Emporia when the rear left tire burst unexpectedly.
He remembered talking to his brother Christopher, 26, who was riding shotgun. He remembered seeing Jayhawk wide receiver and close friend Derick Mills fall fast asleep in the backseat. He remembered flying by a van on the left and carefully coasting by a police car on the right.
But that is where his memory stopped.
He didn't remember being jolted at 80 miles per hour from his burgundy 1993 Honda Accord as it flipped twice onto the median. Gone were the memories of mangling his left shoulder and knocking his head on the highway concrete. He didn't even remember his three-day hospital stay at Wichita's Weslev Medical Center.
Jones woke up in a daze. In the room were a handful of doctors and his parents, Lawrence and Patricia.
"I had to have woken up in a hospital, but I don't remember. any of the hospital stuff." Jones said. "The doctors said that I had a contusion on my left temporal, and I had to get stitches in my left arm. I have no idea how many."
With his body shattered, his car totaled and his football career in jeopardy, Jones was able to leave the hospital with his two most important things — his life and his family. That was all that mattered at the time, he said.
"I can pretty much guess that the way that I am, if I just woke up and saw my car totaled—and then in the hospital I'm sure they had a box of tubes hooked up to me—I'm sure that death may have crossed my mind," Jones said.
He left the hospital for Dallas with his parents. He did not come back to Kansas until second semester began two months later. His future was far away from football.
"Your initial reaction is that you hope the kid is alive," said Fred Roll, Kansas strength and conditioning coach. "Adrian made a lot of progress during his redshirt season, but in a time like that, football is not even a consideration."
Rehabilitation started slowly for Jones. He was
INSIDETODAY
Kansas tight end Adrian Jones recovered from a near-fatal car accident last fall and will start in tomorrow's season opener. "It's A.J.'s time to shine," coach Terry Allen says.
JAMIEROPER/KANSAN
WORLD NEWS ...2A
HOROSCOPES ...7A
WEATHER ...8A
CROSSWORD ...8A
COMING IN TUESDAY'S KANSAN
NEWS: A look at the city housing ordinances you may be breaking.
SPORTS: Results of Kansas soccer team's season opener.
The University Daily Kansan is the student newspaper of the University of Kansas. The first copy is paid through the student activity fee. Additional copies of the Kansan are 25 cents. Subscriptions can be purchased at 119 Stauffer-Flint Hall.
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