TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2002
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 34
Hawk's Nest, Jaybowl reopen today with more options
By Nathan Dayani Kansan staff writer
With construction almost complete, the Hawk's Nest and the Jaybowl open today on the first floor of the Kansas Union.
Like the Jaybowl, the Hawk's Nest has a significantly different look than before. Mike Fine, recreation services coordinator for the Kansas and Burge unions,
said the new Hawk's Nest offered a diverse menu and had both a coffee bar and performance area.
Fine said the Hawk's Nest, which was previously on the third floor of the Kansas Union, should have a maximum occupancy of about 100.
This area fills a need, says Chandra Dunbar, program advisor for the unions.
"We needed a place where the students come, relax, hang out
and have a good time," she said.
Dunbar said SUA would host different events on every Wednesday night in the performance area,starting tomorrow with an open mic night.
"Open mic night is an opportunity for people to come, get up and sing, do poetry, act — whatever their particular talent is," she said.
Dunbar said she planned to organize comedynights and music shows in the performance area.
"We needed a place where the students come relax, hang out and have a good time."
Chandra Dunbarn
Union Program Advisor
including a folk concert sponsored by Westside Folk on Oct. 3.
Fine said he thought the programming would be diverse and attract different members of the University community.
Dunbar said she would like different student groups to get involved in Hawk's Nest activities buthadn't contacted them because of previous construction delays and the recent return of students.
"There's a lot of student groups out there that are doing a lot of really neat things, and in the past haven't had a really nice performance venue," she said.
Kelly Zapf, Rochester, N.Y., sophomore and employee at the Hawk's Nest, thinks students will enjoy the entertainment opportunities on the Union's first floor.
"There's going to be something for everybody here," she said. "It's going to be fun."
Contact Dayani at
dayami at ndayani@kansan.com.This story was edited by Andrew Vaupel.
Living Wage Alliance gains support
By Lindsey Hodel
Kansan staff writer
The Kaw Valley Living Wage Alliance, a grassroots community group, continues to seek a living wage ordinance in Lawrence, despite a denial from the city commission last November.
The Living Wage Alliance sponsored a picnic yesterday in South Park to gain support for the city commission's enactment of a living wage in Lawrence. The commission voted 3-2 against the Alliance's last proposal.
The ordinance would require corporations that receive tax abatements from the city to pay their employees at least the living wage, a wage set higher than the minimum wage.
The Alliance said a living wage allows a typical family to remain 30 percent above the poverty line. For a family of three, a living wage is $9.39 per hour plus benefits.
David Smith, member of the Alliance, said the group had 5,000 signatures from community members since the group began petitioning a year ago. Smith said the group wanted enough signatures to approach the city commission again.
"We want to make it very clear to the city commission that the city supports us," he said. "Considering Lawrence's population, 5,000
signatures isn't too bad. We are just going to keep plugging away to gain support and endorsements from local businesses."
Although Smith did not know exactly when the alliance would have enough signatures to take before the city commission, the group's president, Mark Horowitz, said he was optimistic about the future of the group's petitions.
"Every time we have events we see how much overwhelming support there is in the community." Horowitz said. "Our presence will convince any hold-outs in the commission that they need to represent the community's interests."
Other activist groups from the Lawrence community and the University of Kansas also attended the picnic.
But Nathan Strickland, Weston, Mo. freshman, said he specifically went to yesterday's picnic because he was curious about involvement in the living wage issue.
"I agree with what they are trying to do and I am interested in showing the government my support for a living wage and getting other people to do the same," he said.
Eric Braem/Kansan
Burton Harding, Olathe junior, signs up to help build a home with Habitat for Humanity, one of the groups at a picnic sponsored by The Kaw Valley Living Wage Alliance at South Park on Monday.
Contact Hodel at
lhodel@kansan.com. This story was edited by Christine Grubbs.
Athletics Department lures businesses with incentives
By Kelly McNearney Kansan staff writer
The University of Kansas Athletics Department has increased incentives for area businesses in its quest to fill Memorial Stadium.
The Jayhawk Business Partners program sells season ticket packages to local businesses and offers perks to buyers. More than 300 businesses in Lawrence, Kansas City and Topeka participate in the program.
"They like to have the incentives." said Joe Ciaravino, manager of sales for the KU Athletic Corporation, "and we appreciate their support in helping fill the stadium."
The businesses are divided into five club levels depending on how much the business donates to the department. This year the number of tickets and promotional items a business receives is based on its club level.
Members of the Traditions club pay $350 to receive two season tickets. The highest club level, Platinum Jayhawk, offers 10 season tickets for $2,300.
The partnership program, which is in its ninth year of operation, lures members with priority seating and promotional items such as window decals and T-shirts. In choosing reserved seating at Memorial Stadium, Jay-
Guy Leubbe, manager of Metzger Tent Rental of Topeka, which is a member of the partnership, said he enjoyed going to games with his staff and sitting in a prime location.
hawk Business Partners'members comesecond only to members of the Williams Educational Fund.
Seating for partners lies between the end zone and 20-yard line on the northeast, northwest and southwest corners of the stadium. The southeast corner is designated as student seating.
Garavino said the new benefits helped sell more tickets, with more memberships in Gold Jayhawk and Platinum Jayhawk levels. The Traditions club remains the most popular level.
His business benefitted from its participation because of its working partnership with the University, he said.
"In the past there wasn't a whole lot of incentive to choose the higher levels," he said.
His company supplies tents for KU football, track and field, and other KU events.
"It definitely helps business," Luebeb said. "It helps us get our name out there."
Contact McNearney at kmcnearney@kansan.com. This story was edited by Erin Ohm and Nicole Roche.
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