8A
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 10,2008
ART
Painted leaves decorate lawns on Jayhawk Blvd.
Jessica Sain-Baird/KANSAN
Shannon Sullivan has been painting leaves in her attic in preparation for a public art display on campus today. The leaves, which she painted with a milk-based paint that is environmentally friendly, took two weeks to completely dry. She described the leaves, which are painted with bold colors, as striking.
BY SACHIKO MIYAKAWA
smivakawa@kansan.com
Piles of colorful leaves filled the floor of Shannon Sullivan's loft apartment.
Turquoise, white, orange and red — Sullain painted hundreds of natural leaves with a variety of colors, excited to see how people on campus would react to her artwork.
Sullivan, Ottawa senior spread 15 large bags of painted leaves in front of the buildings on Jayhawk Boulevard early this morning to present her public art project.
"The beauty of the piece is unpredictable," she said. "People might not think of it as art, but I want to shock and intrigue people."
Sullivan said her project was inspired by the leaflets and flyers that student groups distributed on campus.
Instead of overloading students with information, Sullivan said, she wanted to create colorful artwork that could cheer up students who were stressed with exams and papers.
"I want to create a moment which makes people smile and wonder," she said.
The artwork is the final assignment of her public art class, taught by John Hachmeister, associate professor of art. Hachmeister said the course covered various public art issues, from legal to structural to safety issues. For the final assignment, students used their knowledge of public art to create their own pieces.
Hachmeister said public art could be found anywhere, from murals in municipal buildings to sculptures in parks. He said it was important for students to learn to create art that could appeal to a larger audience and to be knowledgeable about public art.
"I told students that artists always have to be flexible," he said.
Sullivan collected the leaves from the Public Works Department in Lawrence, which had collected the leaves from around town.
She painted each leaf with bio-degradable paint, using a professional painting sprayer. She said the challenge of the project was to figure out how to paint the massive piles of leaves efficiently, and a traditional paintbrush was not
"I don't think I used anything that is for artists," she said.
Robert Knapp, Houston senior and Sullivan's boyfriend, helped Sullivan collect the leaves and place them this morning.
"I've been here for four years, and the final week is one of the most tough times for many KU students," he said. "What she's doing can brighten up everyone on campus."
Edited by Brenna Hawley
POLITICS
Illinois Gov. arrested Tuesday Democrat allegedly tried to sell Obama's Senate seat
ASSOCIATED PRESS
CHICAGO — Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was roused from bed and arrested Tuesday after prosecutors said he was caught on wires taps audaciously scheming to sell Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat for cash or a plum job for himself in the new administration.
"I've got this thing and it's (expletive) golden," the 51-year-old Democrat said of his authority to appoint Obama's replacement, "and I'm just not giving it up for (expletive) nothing. I'm not gonna do it."
Prosecutors did not accuse Obama himself of any wrongdoing or even knowing about the matter. The president-elect said, "I had no contact with the governor or his office, and so I was not aware of what was happening."
FBI agents arrested the governor before daybreak at his Chicago home and took him away while his family was still asleep, saying the wirestap convinced them that Blagoievich's "political corruption crime spree" had to be stopped before it was too late.
"The Senate seat, as recently as days ago, seemed to be on the verge of being auctioned off," U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said. "The conduct would make Lincoln roll over in his grave."
The FBI said in court papers that the governor was overheard conspiring to sell the Senate seat for campaign cash or lucrative jobs for himself or his wife. Patti, a real estate agent.
Federal investigators bugged the governor's campaign offices and tapped his home phone, capturing conversations laced with profanity and tough-guy talk from the governor. Chicago FBI chief Robert Grant said even seasoned investigators were stunned by what they heard, particularly since the governor had known for at least three years he was under investigation for alleged hiring fraud and clearly realized agents might be listening.
He spoke of using the Senate appointment to land a job with a nonprofit foundation or a union-affiliated group, and even held out hope of getting appointed as Obama's secretary of health and human services or an ambassador.
According to court papers, the governor tried to make it known through emissaries, including union officials and fundraisers, that the seat could be had for the right price. Blagojevich allegedly had a salary in mind — $250,000 to $300,00 a year — and also spoke of collecting half-million and million-dollar political contributions.
The governor's spokesman had no immediate comment on the charges, but the governor has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. As recently as Monday, he told reporters: "I don't care whether you tape me privately or publicly. I can tell you that whatever I is say is always lawful."
The charges do not identify by name any of the political figures under consideration for the Senate seat, referring to them only as "Candidate 1," "Candidate 2," and so on. However, those being considered for the post include: Obama confidante Valerie Jarrett, Reps. Jesse Jackson Jr., Danny Davis, Jan Schakowsky and Luis Gutierrez; Illinois Senate President Emil Jones; and Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs Director Tammy Duckworth.
Fitzgerald did not address whether any of the potential Senate candidates crossed the line themselves and could face charges. And
it was unclear from court papers whether the governor or his aides spoke directly to the candidates.
Blagojevich was charged with two counts: conspiracy to commit fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and solicitation to commit bribery, which is punishable by up 10 years. He was released on his own recognition.
Blagojevich, a former congressman, state lawmaker and prosecutor, also was charged with illegally threatening to withhold state assistance to Tribune Co., owner of the Chicago Tribune, in an attempt to strong-arm the newspaper into firing editorial writers who had criticized him.
In addition, the governor was accused of engaging in pay-to-play politics — that is, doling out jobs, contracts and appointments in return for campaign contributions.
Court papers portrait Blagojevich as a greedy, vindictive politician who couldn't wait to find ways to cash in on the Senate appointment. The charges also paint a picture of breathtaking arrogance and perhaps churlessness, with the governor contemplating a Cabinet position or even a run for the White House despite an abysmal 13 percent approval rating and a reputation as one of the most corrupt governors in the nation.
Blagojevich becomes the latest in a long line of Illinois governors to become engulfed in scandal. He was elected in 2002 as a reformer promising to clean up after Gov. George Ryan, who is serving six years in prison for graft.
The scandal leaves the Senate seat in limbo. Illinois legislative leaders said they were preparing to quickly schedule a special election to fill Obama's seat rather than let Blagoevich pick someone.
ODD NEWS
NYC man has spent $7,500
fighting '06 parking ticket
NEW YORK — A retired New York City man said he'd spent $7,500 fighting a $115 parking ticket because he had "nothing else to do."
Former electrical hardware firm vice president Simon Belsky said he was erroneously ticketed two years ago. The 63-year-old said the ticket cites his van for blocking a Brooklyn fire hydrant even though the only hydrant on the street was down the block.
The November 2006 fine had
ballooned from $115 to about $200 with penalties.
Belsky was in court last week and is due back Feb. 2. He said if he won he'd file a civil suit against the city to recover the $7,500 he'd spent on legal work.
Associated Press
We don't B.S. when it comes to partying!