THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2009
NEWS 5A
CAMPUS
New KJHK studios will give station more room to rock
BY MEGAN HEACOCK mheacock@kansan.com
This winter will mark the end of KJIKH's residence in The Shack.
Construction will begin this week on KJHK's new studio on the third floor of the Kansas Union. The alcoves in the southwest corner of the floor will be demolished and replaced by new acoustically designed studios, a music library and KJHK office space, according to a news release. It is scheduled to be finished in March 2010.
The new studio will replace the studio currently housed in Sudler Annex, known lovingly to KJHK employees as "The Shack."
“it's going to be great that we'll be in the center of campus,” he said. “We'll have a lot higher visibility and it will really let people know — who previously didn't know that we were around — that they can join up with the station and be a part of it.”
Logan Nickels, Stillwater, Okla.. senior and station manager, said the new location would be beneficial for KJHK.
Tom Johnson, general manager of KIHK, said the Union offered a chance for the radio station to be
noticed by more students.
"By providing new equipment and opportunities in a high-visibility location, KIHK will quickly raise its profile on campus, ultimately attracting new listeners as well as bringing more interested students into the organization," Johnson said in an e-mail.
The project will cost $500,000, according to the press release. Johnson said KJHK had help from Student Success in securing a manageable 12-year loan from the University to finance the project. The rest of the money came from Student Senate, private endowment funds and KJHK's own reserves, which have been built up since 2004. KJHK headquarters have been located in Sudler Annex since 1975. Jason VanBlarcum, Lawrence graduate student, discovered The Shack and KJHK's music when he was in junior high. He was biking through the woods when he stumbled upon the "secret little house." VanBlarcum said he was disillusioned with other radio stations and found a new love in KJHK's sound. He said KJHK brought him back to music.
VanBlarcum said he was sad to see the station leaving The Shack behind, but said he understood it was a necessity.
"I feel the move to the Union is a good thing," VanBlarcum said. "More funding, more space and better equipment can only make the station better."
Although KIKK employees also found it bittersweet to leave The Shack behind, Nickels said the move had a lot of support. The building, which was built in 1929 as a garage for Dean of the Medical School Mervin T. Sudler, is not American Disability Association compliant.
Nickels said The Shack was also too small to house all of KJHK's departments, such as the station's news organization, which is located at the Dole Human Development Center.
"Now we can consolidate everybody into one space and everyone can work together a bit better," Nickels said.
Nickels said KIHK employees planned to incorporate aspects of The Shack into the new space. Employees will move graffitied shelving, sticker-covered doors and concert posters to the Union in memory of the Shack.
Follow Megan Heacock at twitter.com/meheacock.
Edited by Nick Gerik
Contributed graphic This floor plan shows the layout of the proposed KJHK studios in the Kansas Union. The studios will be located in the southwest corner of the third floor of the Union.
CRIME
Roeder confesses to killing abortion provider
Admission came in interview with the Associated Press
Associated Press
BY ROXANA HEGEMAN
WICHITA — Defiant and unapologetic, a man accused of shooting a Kansas abortion provider confessed to the slaying Monday, telling The Associated Press that he killed the doctor to protect unborn children.
Scott Reeder, 51, of Kansas City, Mo., spoke to the AP in a telephone call from jail, saying he plans to argue that he was justified in shooting Dr. George Tiller at the abortion provider's Wichita church in May.
"Because of the fact preborn children's lives were in imminent danger this was the action I chose. I want to make sure that the focus is, of course, obviously on the preborn children and the necessity to defend them," Roeder said.
"Defending innocent life — that is what prompted me. It is pretty simple," he said.
of first-degree murder in Tiller's death and two counts of aggravated assault for allegedly threatening two ushers who tried to stop him during the May 31 melee in the foyer of the doctor's church. Roeder has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to go to trial in January.
Roeder is charged with one count
In a more than 30-minute interview with the AP, Roeder did not apologize for the slaying.
"No, I don't have any regrets because I have been told so far at least four women have changed their minds, that I know of, and have chosen to have the baby," Roeder said. "So even if one changed her
mind it would be worth it. No, I don't have any regrets."
His confession came on the same day several strident abortion opponents released their "Defensive Action Statement 3rd Edition" that proclaims any force that can be used to defend the life of a "born child is legitimate to defend the life of an unborn child." The statement's 21 signers demand Roeder's jurors be allowed to consider the "question of when life begins" in deciding whether lethal force was justified.
Among the signers are Eric Rudolph, James Kopp and Shelley Shannon — all serving prison time $ ^{4} $
for targeting abortion doctors
Lee Thompson, attorney for the Tiller family and executor of his estate, has said allowing such a defense would "invite chaos and be tantamount to anarchy." The Kansas Supreme Court rejected such a defense in a 1993 ruling over an abortion clinic trespassing case.
Tiller, 67, had been the target of relentless protests for most of the 36 years that he performed abortions. He practiced as one of the nation's few providers of late-term abortions. He was shot in both arms in 1993 and his clinic was bombed in 1986.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Scott Roeder attends his preliminary hearing July 28 in court in Wichita. Roeder confessed to the Associated Press Monday to killing abortion provider Dr. George Tiller, saying he has no regrets.