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Wednesday, Aug. 19, 1987/University Daily Kansan
Commissioners pass sales tax
By JENNIFER ROWLAND
Staff writer
Lawrence city commissioners last night unanimously passed a one-cent sales tax resolution that may increase funds for city maintenance and human services if approved by Douglas County voters.
At the meeting, Commissioner Sandra Praeger suggested that a small portion of the money generated be allocated to arts organizations such as the Lawrence Arts Center, Lawrence Arts Commission, Watkins Community Museum, Lawrence Community Theatre, Lawrence Symphony, Lawrence Chamber Players, Lawrence Seem-to-be-Players and Independence Days.
Præger said the money should be
used to help finance continuing programs rather than establish new ones.
She also said she was worried that some organizations might be created just to claim money from the city.
City manager Buford Watson said he would make recommendations to the commission about revenue distribution. Those may include Praeger's suggestions.
Mayor Mike Amyx had suggested at a commission meeting Aug. 11 that 50 percent of the money be used for street maintenance, 40 percent for storm sewer improvements, 5 percent for social services and 5 percent for the city historical society or cultural organizations.
At last night's meeting, commissioners also passed, 4-1, a draft of a
proposed joint resolution with the Douglas County Commission that would set guidelines for the southwest Lawrence trafficway planning policies. Commissioner Dennis Constance opposed the resolution.
Changes in the trafficway draft proposal included adding an access point at Kasold Drive and eliminating a provision for private residence access.
City and county officials have been meeting recently to reach agreement on details of the 10-page proposal. County commissioners met Monday morning to go over the proposal before submitting that draft to city commissioners at last night's meeting.
For the plan to be enacted it must
first be passed by both city and county commissions. The commissions will meet jointly at 5 p.m. Aug. 24 in the county courthouse, 11th and Massachusetts streets, to discuss details of the proposal.
After approval by the city and county, the proposal also must be passed by the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission.
■ An ordinance limiting skateboard, roller skates, coasters or similar devices on Massachusetts Street from 6th to 11th streets was passed on a final reading by the city commission. The amendment prohibits skating between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on all days except on Thursdays, when they are prohibited from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Illinois honors oldest state farmer
The Associated Press
He was given a commemorative plaque during ceremonies at the Illinois State Fair.
Heaton, selected by the Illinois Department of Agriculture from among nearly 100 nominees, attributed his longevity to "clean living, hard work and faith in God."
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Ninety-seven-year-old Merritt Heaton, who began farming with a team of horses in 1913 and still drives his tractor and combine over 235 acres, was honored yesterday as Illinois' oldest active farmer.
Heaton lives alone on his farm in Toulon in northeastern Illinois and operates it with his 78-year-old son, Hayden Heaton, who lives 14 miles away.
People who live or work on campus now have a 911 link that will put them in direct contact with KU police. Previously, 911 emergency calls were channeled through the Lawrence Police Department before KU police were notified.
you you got 200 horses under the lid of that tractor — horsepower, that is." Heaton said. "You've got air conditioning and a radio in the cab. What more could you want?"
Heaton, who gets out of bed at about 5 a.m., said he still enjoyed preparing his fields for planting, cultivating, harvesting grain and hauling it to the local elevator
'I started with three horses on my plow. Now
Heaton's wife died in 1972. He said he enjoyed going to Southern California in the winter to watch horse races. The rest of the year, "when I'm not working, I get in the car and go into town to the coffee shop."
New KU 911 links campus to police
"That's where farmers go to settle all the troubles," Heaton said. "President Reagan could learn a lot if he came out to one of these farm gatherings"
The campus 911 service was started July 24, said Elizabeth Phillips, supervisor of records and dispatch with KU police.
Heaton said he was considering a slower pace on
By a Kansan reporter
the farm in the future.
"I might retire, but I won't quit working," he said. "In the spring you'd get uneasy and restless. There's no better place to be than on the farm to see nature — new life."
"You have to have the interest and delight in farming." Heaton said. "I love the challenge."
The agriculture department asked early this summer for nominations for the state's oldest active farmer. Karen Benning, who coordinated the program, said her agency thought "it would be neat" to find and honor such a farmer.
"I think it's great if they are in good health and can be working in a farming operation..." Benning said.
The new University of Kansas phone system, installed this summer, allows students and faculty to dial 911 from any on-campus phone to reach KU police in an emergency.
Jayhawker Towers, Stouffer Place apartments and Sunflower Apartments are the only campus areas where the 911 link to KU police is not available. Students in those areas who call 911 still will talk to a Lawrence police dispatch operator, who will then notify KU police as before.
Hayden's highway plan wins support
Phillips said students in those apartments should continue to call 864-4100 in an emergency to talk directly to campus police.
talking firsthand to us instead of secondhand through the Lawrence police department, who relays the message to us."
The University also is working on a data base that would enable it to pinpoint where 911 calls originate, Phillips said. She said the 911 tracking feature should be available sometime this fall.
increase by five cents a gallon and vehicle registration fees by between 50 percent for trucks and 100 percent for small passenger cars. The fees and taxes would be adjusted annually for inflation, except that the fuel taxes could not increase more than a penny a year. The state also would issue $1.3 billion in bonds.
The Associated Press
ning Aug. 31
TOPEKA — More than 40 witnesses, including a former governor, a congressman and two prominent Democrats, voiced support yesterday for Gov. Mike Hayden's comprehensive highway proposal during a daylong public hearing before the legislative transportation committees.
"I do not appear here out of greed, provincialism and regionalism," said Dugan, who served as lieutenant governor in 1979-83 and is now a Wichita businessman.
At the same time, doubts remained that the Legislature would enact the plan, which calls for $1.71 billion in new construction over the next nine years, during a special session begin-
The transportation committees met together Monday and yesterday and will meet jointly again today to hear testimony from opponents of the plan. They will meet separately tomorrow and Friday for committee discussion and action.
Most of the witnesses were city officials and chambers of commerce representatives, and supporters repeatedly said the plan was vital to the future economic development of the state and had broad, grassroots
Supporters included Republicans such as former Kansas Gov. Robert Bennett, Lt. Gov. Jack Walker and U.S. Rep. Bob Whittaker, who represents southeast and south-central Kansas. Former Democratic Lt. Gov. Paul Dugan and former Democratic State Chairman Terry Scanlon also publicly endorsed the plan.
KU police are responsible for all emergencies that occur on campus property. In the past, the emergency number for KU police was 864-1400.
The proposal calls for the building of more than 1,300 miles of new roads at a cost of $1.71 billion. The state Department of Transporation would spend $5.58 billion for the construction, maintenance of existing roads, major modifications of existing roads and KDOT's normal operations.
KU police can be reached for non-emergency situations at 864-5572.
"The 911 number will allow us to respond to emergency situations quicker." Phillips said. "They will be
support.
Gasoline and diesel taxes would
Physicists create superconductor
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Scientists announced yesterday that they have developed a superconducting material that remains stable at relatively high temperatures despite repeated use, a characteristic not seen in other similar materials.
Physicists at the University of Maryland in College Park said their material consistently conducted electricity without resistance at temperatures of minus 9 degrees Fahrenheit.
Measurements indicate the new compound is a stable superconductor at a temperature two-and-a-half times higher than that previously reported by researchers at other institutions.
Scientists Jeffrey Lynn, Rolfe Glover III and Satindar Bhagat said other scientists had reported finding materials that appeared to be superconductors at even higher heat levels, some approaching room temperature.
But these other compounds are less stable and lose their ability to channel electricity without loss of energy after being heated or cooled a few times, they said.
"Our material is similar to other high-temperature materials, but ours happens to be more stable." Lynn said in a telephone interview. "We can cycle superconductivity on and off many times and get the same consistent measurements."
The ability to transmit electricity without a loss of energy to resistance received renewed interest in the last year from scientists and business interests.
Superconductivity could eventually lead to better computers, magnetically levitated trains and more efficient generation and transmission of electrical power.
Materials must be chilled before becoming superconductors, and until recently they had to be made colder than 400 degrees below zero Fahrenheit.