THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FRIDAY AUGUST 21 2009
DAY, AUGUST 21, 2009
NEWS 3A
TRANSPORTATION
K-10 Connector now provides another courtesy: Wi-Fi
BY TAYLOR BERN tbern@kansan.com
Cruising at 65 miles per hour, the information highway meets Kansas Highway 10 in a pilot program aboard the K-10 Connector.
Last Monday three of the fleet's buses became Wi-Fi enabled, making it possible to surf the Web on laptops and PDAs for free while riding.
"This was one thing that I wanted to make sure we got done because I think it's a wonderful
amenity" technology services manager L. Scott Caldwell said.
The K-10 Connector, which is a bus service run by Johnson County Transit, runs routes from three stops in Lawrence to two stops in Overland Park along K-10.
Caldwell, who started at Johnson County Transit eight months ago, said Wi-Fi on the buses had been in the works for about a year and a half. Johnson County Transit took the time to find the most cost-effective plan. The pilot program cost just under $500.
Tom Jones, Overland Park
junior, said the Wi-Fi made his trip into Lawrence much quicker, even though it runs slower than he hoped for.
"The connection is a little touch and go, but anything is better than nothing." Jones said.
Caldwell said the technology was not unlike free Wi-Fi at coffee shops. A router on the bus is designed to interface with outside mobile broadband companies such as Verizon, AT&T or T-Mobile, to convert its signals into a wireless signal on the bus.
There are six buses that run
the K-10 Connector route. Three white buses currently have Wi-Fi capabilities. The other three buses are blue and are not part of the Wi-Fi program.
Johnson County Transit oversees several different bus routes, but Caldwell said there was a specific reason to test the system on the K-10 route.
"It's the best scenario because there will be more extreme use on K-10," Caldwell said.
With school in session, the connector is often standing room only. That kind of usage is exactly
what Caldwell wants in order to test the system's capabilities. Now that the Wi-Fi system is out there, Caldwell said he was eager to find out how well it works. Johnson County Transit created a Twitter account in February, JoCoTheJO, and has recently encouraged followers to provide feedback about the Wi-Fi.
Caldwell said he planned to ride along in the next couple of weeks to gauge usage among riders.
When the pilot program ends in October, Johnson County Transit will assess the feedback and deter
mine if it wants to expand the service to more buses.
No matter how good or bad the reception, Caldwell said expansion would completely depend on funding.
For now, though, Caldwell said the goal of the Wi-Fi program was to get people on the bus.
"We want to make it worth their time, their effort and their money to ride with us," he said.
- Edited by Lauren Cunningham
GREENING (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
has reduced energy costs by more than $6 million in the last 5 years. He said the environmental impact equivalency of the reduction in carbon emissions on campus would be the same as removing more than 2,500 cars from the road every year.
Schulte said the company was able to accomplish this through improved lighting, water restriction devices and automated controls, among other things.
Kansas state senator Marci Francisco was also at the event and said she thought everything went well, but that she thought the most important thing to remember was all the work that was done the other 364 days a year.
"What is really impressive is just all the work that these groups do," Francisco said.
— Edited by Jonathan Hermes
FELLOWSHIP (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
Amanda Kistner/KANSAN
Deborah Smith, associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University, as well as several other professors received an award on the first day of classes. A total of twenty professors were honored with 55,000 checks around campus.
the experience is a lot of fun."
The award presentations will continue through Sept. 1 and will include faculty from the Kansas University Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan.
FELLOWSHIP RECPIENTS
Twenty professors from both the University and the Kansas University Medical Center will be honored with a total $100,000.
The William T. Kemper Foundation was established in 1989 and continues to support Midwest communities with a focused concentration in education, health and human services, civic improvements and the arts.
Deborah Smith, associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology
Edited by Megan Morriss
Andrea Greenhoot, associate professor of psychology
Ruth Ann Atchley,
associate professor and
interim chair of psychology
Heather Desaire, associate professor of chemistry
"I've had so many unbelievable opportunities," Shaw said. "I am lucky to be doing this and I want to enjoy every minute of it."
SHAW (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
"I've heard great things about her shows," Fazio said. "I think it's really cool that she's the same age as me and done all the things that she has."
The arts fair will include more than 20 local arts and community organizations. The Lied Center is planning for 2,500 to 3,000 guests and is prepared to move the concert indoors in the event of rain.
Ryan Fazio, Sedona, Ariz., sophomore, said she planned to attend the performance.
There will be a pre-performance party exclusively for students at 5:30 p.m. inside the Lied Center. Christilles said students can expect a visit from Shaw around 6 p.m. at the party.
"This is really a thank-you event for the entire community," Christilles said. "We want to give back to students, the University, and all of Lawrence for their support of the Lied Center."
Christilles said the event was both for the University and the city of Lawrence alike.
Edited by Lauren Cunningham
NATIONAL
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Amber Baldwin, right, assistant manager at the Murphy USA store in Columbia, S.C. sells a South Carolina Education Lottery ticket to Laura Myers, 60, of Columbia. This is the store that sold the winning $259.9 million Powerball ticket.
Powerball ticket sold in S. Carolina
BY KATRINA A. GOGGINS
Associated Press
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Someone who bought a Powerball ticket in South Carolina is $259.9 million richer.
The single winning ticket for Wednesday's drawing was sold at a gas station and convenience store next to a Wal-Mart in Columbia.
South Carolina Education Lottery spokeswoman Stephanie Hemminghaus said her office has received phone calls from interested people around the country, but the winner did not come forward Thursday to claim the prize.
She said the longest someone had waited to claim a similar prize was about two weeks.
"I hope it's one of my regulars," said Amber Baldwin, assistant manager at the Murphy USA store in Columbia. "At this point, it could be anyone."
Lottery officials said the tick
et matched all the winning numbers for the midweek drawing: 14, 24, 31, 43 and 51. The Powerball was 27 and the multiplier was 5.
The Powerball jackpot is the largest ever won with a ticket bought in South Carolina, which has the nation's fourth-highest state unemployment rate. Lottery officials said there's a good chance the winner could live in the state.
"Because of this location ... because so many of our local residents shop at Walmart and because there is a simple path from Walmart to Murphy, we are just so hopeful that this is a lucky South Carolinian or several lucky South Carolinians," said state Education Lottery Executive Director Paula Harper Bethea.
People shuffling in and out of the store where the ticket was sold were also optimistic. Some called relatives from their cell phones to see if they had the winning ticket. Others, like 60-year-old retired mall worker Laura Myers, concluded that they'd better start playing.
"I come here all the time," said Myers, who bought gas and a ticket Thursday. "It could have been me."
Lottery officials hope the winner will come forward within the required 180 days. If not, the money will be divided among the states that operate Powerball.
The game is now played in 30 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
MILITARY Black Hawk helicopter crashes in Colorado
DENVER — The Army says four soldiers died after a Black Hawk helicopter crashed on Colorado's second-highest mountain.
The helicopter crashed Wednesday afternoon near the summit of 14,421-foot Mount Massive. The Army's Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, N.C., announced the deaths Thursday.
The Army initially said two were killed, one was injured, and one was missing. The missing man was found later. It wasn't clear when he and the soldier who was reported injured had died.
Their names and the cause of the crash haven't been released.
The helicopter was on a training mission 85 miles southwest of Denver.
WEATHER Hurricane Bill nears Bermuda, U.S. coast
MIAMI — Bermuda is under a hurricane watch as Hurricane Bill nears the island with its winds slightly weakened but still blowing at near 120 mph.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami says Bill is a Category 3 storm and likely to regain some strength. It could become a Category 4 storm again Friday, with winds over 130 mph.
On the forecast track, it is expected to pass between Bermuda and the U.S. eastern coast on Saturday.
Associated Press
Back To School Bike Sale! August 21-31
Great values on all bikes in stock!
804 Massachusetts St.
Downtown Lawrence
(785) 843-5000
Lutheran Student Fellowship
2104 Bob Billings Pkwy
785.843.0620
www.ku.edu/~lsfku
Traditional Worship: 8:30am Contemporary Worship:11:00am Bible Study Classes:9:45am Thursday Student Supper: 5:30pm
FREE BBQ
Student Welcome
Saturday, August 22nd
5:30 - 7:00 pm
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