Volleyball: Conference victories bring team to new winning record. Page 1B Grotesques: 95-year-old creatures receive makeovers for public unveiling. Page 7A
V
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
NEWS 864-4810
ADVERTISING 864-4358
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1996
SECTION A VOL.103.NO.44
(USPS 650-640)
Pedestrian accident sends woman to hospital
A KU student was struck by a car at Naismith Drive and Irving Hill Road yesterday afternoon.
KU police said the woman was struck about 3:30 p.m. while she was walking.
KU police Sgt. Mark Witt said that the woman was trying to walk at the scene and that she was transported by Douglas County Ambulance Service to Lawrence Memorial Hospital on a backboard.
Witt said that the woman's name had not been released and that she was still at the hospital yesterday evening.
storm knocks out electricity to area homes
Kansas Power and Light employees put in overtime last night trying to restore power to more than 3,000 Lawrence homes.
KPL officials said the heavy snowfall had knocked out power lines throughout the area. Workers had to repair lines to individual houses because the damage was scattered, which complicated restoration.
Steve Johnson, KPL operations manager, said it was impossible to identify specific areas that were without power.
"Trees down in yards are taking out backyard lines," Johnson said last night. "Power is out all over in various pockets."
Johnson said the company had begun receiving reports of downed lines at about 6 p.m. yesterday when snow accumulated on the trees and began to cause branches to break. He said some customers could remain without power through 5 p.m. today because of the nature of the problem.
"We're putting service back up for individual people," Johnson said. "We're doing our best to bring up as many customers as we can."
KPL had 20 workers on the job through last night, Johnson said. By this morning, Johnson said 50 to 60 more workers, including treemitting crews, would be added.
Johnson, who had been on the job since 7 a.m. yesterday, still was working at 10:45 p.m. He did not expect to be going home soon, but he said KPL employees were used to crisis situations.
"We're all right," Johnson said.
"This happens every so often."
Kansan staff report
General Motors workers end strike, resume work
TORONTO — General Motors Corp. settled a three-week strike with its workers in Canada yesterday, resolving a power struggle about job security that had idled more than 46,000 workers across North America.
The Canadian Auto Workers' 26,300 strikers were expected to ratify the agreement in a vote today, and they could be back at work by the end of the week.
Once the Canadian plants resume production, GM should be able to start bringing back almost 20,000 U.S. and Mexican workers laid off because of strike-related disruptions. Before they can bring all the workers back, the Canadian plants must produce and ship the parts that other plants need.
For the union, the lengthy negotiations were a groundbreaking and successful challenge to GM's ability to decide on its own whether to sell plants and to out source, which is to farm out union work on auto parts to cheaper independent suppliers.
Now the automaker confronts similar talks with its workers in the United States. Negotiators for the United Auto Workers and GM met Monday in Detroit after a weekend recess, and the talks are expected to intensify with the settlement in Canada.
The Associated Press
Shoe store robbery atypical
Police seek link to area crimes
by Andrea Albright
Kansan staff writer
The two men apprehended on campus Monday may be responsible for multiple robberies in Johnson County and Clay and Jackson Counties in Missouri, Lawrence police said.
Derrick V. Johnson and Thomas W. Harris allegedly detained two female employees Monday at the
Payless Shoesource, 1300 W. 23rd St. and robbed the store at gun point. Lawrence police said.
At a press conference yesterday morning, Lawrence police Lt. Dan Affalter said further investigation might link the suspects to similar robberies in Ottawa; Olathe; Smithville, Mo.; Buckner, Mo.; Oak Grove, Mo.; and Excelsior Springs, Mo.
The Lawrence robbery was not typical, Affalter said. He said most robberies occurred at convenience stores and gas stations rather than shoe stores. He said the robberies in Johnson County and Missouri also were atypical locations.
"They hit a video store and a store where they sell pagers," Affalter said.
Some of the victims also were forced to remove their clothes during the robberies. Affalter did not confirm whether the victims at Payless were forced to do the same.
Other police departments interviewed both suspects Monday and yesterday in an attempt to link the two men to the robberies in other cities.
"Some of the other law enforcement agencies have already come to Lawrence," Affalter said. "Others are on the way."
police said sheriff's deputies had spotted the men heading east on K-10 after a description of the vehicle had been broadcast to all local police. The suspects then drove back to Lawrence.
Harris' address was listed as Kansas City, Mo. He was charged with aggravated robbery, two counts of kidnapping, obstruction of the legal process and criminal possession of a firearm by a felon.
Police said several Lawrence law enforcement agencies had assisted in catching the men near Watson Library and the KU power plant. The men were forced out of their car when they reached a barrier at 14th Street and Jayhawk Boulevard and chased by police through campus.
The suspects made their first appearance in Lawrence municipal court yesterday.
Jail records listed a Pleasant Valley, Mo., address for Johnson. He was charged with aggravated robbery, two counts of kidnapping and obstruction of the legal process.
Oh, the weather outside is frightful ...
The University fell under a blanket of snow yesterday, making travel difficult and going to class unpleasant.
Candidates' forum heated
Hancock, Snowbarger square off, sling mud
By Neal Shulenburger
Kansan staff writer
The Candidate Forum may not have been set up as a true debate, but when Congressional candidates Judy Hancock and Vince Snowbarger faced off at noon yesterday, it became a war of words.
The debate between U.S. House candidates, Hancock, a Democrat, and Snowbarger, a Republican, was part of a forum for 14 candidates running for state, local and federal offices. About 25 people attended the event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The forum was sponsored by the Student Legislative Awareness Board, University Council, Classified Senate and the Unclassified Professional Staff Association.
Hancock proved to be the aggressor. She characterized Snowbarger as extreme on several issues.
"I think it's extreme to want to repeal the Brady
DEBATES: More on state and local debates inside, Page 3A
Bill and the assault weapons bill," Hancock said. "I think it's extreme to want to permit everyone to carry concealed weapons in Kansas. I think it's extreme to want to eliminate the Department of Education."
"I suggest to you that you don't become majority leader in the Kansas House by being an extremist," Snowbarger said. "I would suggest to you that you don't get re-elected unanimously by your Republican colleagues by being an extremist."
Snowbarger said that the label of extreme was used against him in the Republican primary and that it was untrue.
Hancock said she took issue with Snowbarger's wish to eliminate the federal Department of Education.
"On the eve of the 21st century, it is unthinkable to me that the United States government would not have a cabinet level officer sitting in the councils with the President of the United States and the other cabinet officers talking about education," she said.
Snowbarger said that while some programs in the department might be good, the department was unnecessary.
"All you are doing with the Department of Education is buying a bureaucracy," he said. "There are programs which we need to keep, but that doesn't mean that they need their own department. They can be moved elsewhere."
James Sizelow, Overland Park freshman, said that Hancock had spent too much time on the attack and not enough time on the issues.
Students watching the debates had different reactions to the candidates' verbal blows.
"I thought Judy came across as vindictive and condescending." Sizelove said. "She had some strong issues, but she really didn't back up many of her positions on the issues."
Jason Thompson, Hutchinson freshman, said he badliked the confrontational tone of the debate.
"There was a lot of grandstanding," he said. "They pretty much went to toe with each other. That's how I like debates. It allows you to see the differences in the candidates the best when they go at each other on the issues."
TODAY
Visit it today!
www.kansan.com
INDEX
Television ...2A
Opinion ...4A
National News ...9A
World News ...9A
Features ...10A
Scoreboard ...2B
Horoscopes ...3B
Classifieds ...9B
PARTLY CLOUDY
Weather: Page 2A
Towers turn off the heat
Students kept in cold with boiler repairs
By Eric Weslander Kansan staff writer
"We just sort of got caught by a quick change in the temperature," said Fred McElhenie, associate director of student housing. "It surprised everybody, including us."
The sound of chattering teeth spread through Jayhawker Towers yesterday as residents awoke to freezing temperatures outside, snow on the ground and no heating in their apartments.
Maintenance workers, anticipating warm weather, had taken the Towers' four boilers apart three weeks ago for cleaning and repairs. But to their surprise, temperatures dropped below freezing, leaving residents in the cold.
The repairs are projected to be completed this weekend, said Phil Garito, associate director of student housing.
so although warmer weather is predicted for the rest of the week, residents will remain refrigerated for a few days if temperatures stay in the 30s and 40s.
"Unfortunately, once you get the boilers torn down, it's not something you just throw back together," Garito said.
Stephanie Lent, Wichita junior, noticed that her room was cold when she returned from classes at 11 a.m. She turned on her heater, but nothing happened.
"I got out of bed and it was like, Oh, I think I have a problem," said Angle Bezdek, Topeka freshman. "I think it was about 60 degrees."
Many residents said yesterday morning was the coldest time in their apartments.
"I noticed it was cold, but I didn't know the heat was off," she said.
Last night, residents bundled up as they studied.
"We're all wearing sweaters, turtlenecks and pants," said Jamie Weber, St. Louis sophomore. "It not as cold as it was this morning, but it's still cold. Maybe we just have more clothes on."
Bezdek said she was using all of the blankets in her apartment to stay warm.
"This is kind of a pain, because we're freezing," she said. "We're turning on the stove to try to get some heat."
McEllenie said the repairs were necessary both for an upcoming state inspection and for general maintenance. The residents' heating units will be off for at least two more days while the boilers are reassembled.
"The rest of the week is supposed to be nice, so try to be patient and bear with us," he said. "When this is done, we'll be prepared to crank up the heat."
4