UN I V E R S I T Y D A I L Y K A N S A N
Wednesday, October 18, 1995
5A
Kansas is not tourist heaven travelers say
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Those who try to persuade other people to come to Kansas for vacation are not happy with a book that ranks the Sunflower State at the very bottom on a list of the hottest spots.
In the book "Vacation Places Rated," fewer than 10 percent of the 13,500 vacationers surveyed said they liked what the Sunflower State had to offer. To the west, Colorado ranked No. 3, and to the east, Missouri came in No. 31.
"I think it's very unfair. We have a tremendous amount of history, and there are so many things of interest in Kansas," said Neva Perry. She works at the Kansas Tourist Information Center west of Kansas City on Interstate 70.
The book's author, Stanley Plog, compiled his information by interviewing people who traveled away from home for vacations, said Paul Snapp, director of publishing for Fielding Worldwide in Redondo Beach, Calif.
Plog divided the travelers into venturers, who like to travel spontaneously; dependables, who don't like surprises, and centrists, who are somewhere in the middle.
All three groups gave Kansas the lowest marks possible.
Matt Brisch, communications director for the Kansas Department of Commerce and Housing, which contains the Division of Travel and Tourism, said he had not seen the book, but that he had heard plenty.
"People are taking this seriously," Brisch said. "And I kind of want to say: Come on, let's not panic here. We're Kansas."
Gov. Bill Graves wasn't concerned, said his representative, Mike Matson.
"Fresh air, friendly people, wide-open spaces and two top-10 college football teams," Matson said. "What more could a vacationer want?"
KU department helps rebuild communities
World Wide Web page will be toolbox for social welfare
By Brenden Sager Kansan staff writer
The University of Kansas is pioneering an effort to rebuild communities through the World Wide Web.
"This is a huge project," said Jerry Schultz, research associate with the department of human development and family
human development and family life.
The project — now ending its first year — is to create a community toolbox application for the Web. The toolbox will contain different information about how to improve services, which community social welfare organizations can access.
The project is financed by the Kansas Health Foundation in Wichita, a private organization.
Francisco said that the community toolbox would help train students to identify problems in the community — such as drug abuse or violence — and would help local organizations access information about how to fix them.
"I think we're the first in the world to do this," said Vince Francisco, research associate with the department.
The community toolbox fits the department's educational mission by providing students with a hands-on tool for helping communities solve problems, Francisco said.
said.
Schultz said four core members of the group were designing the toolbox, but it was also a cooperative effort on the part of many others.
Also, the students will train the local community organizations on how to use the Web, he
"I think we're the first in the world to do this."
Vince Francisco research associate in human development and family life
Schultz gathers the information to go on the toolbox. He said there were 350 modules of information — areas of text which can vary from about a page to several pages of information.
Lorie Johns, director of Project Freedom of Lawrence, said she thought that it was worth it.
Project Freedom of Lawrence also is financed by the Kansas Health Foundation.
"it's like a giant library," she said.
Johns said that she was able to access information from the community toolbox to help the project's community coordinators.
She said Project Freedom was composed of volunteers who tried to bring together the needs of the community and resources.
She said that with the toolbox, the volunteers were able to access information to help them. The information varies from how local legislation is made to which programs worked in other towns.
Johns' organization may be one of the first community organizations to have such a service in the world, Schultz said.
Student helps city residents without health coverage
Christina Selk, Lawrence graduate student, is doing her best to help those who need medical insurance.
Selk is working on a field practicum for a master's degree in social welfare at Health Care Access, 1920 Moodie Road, an organization that helps people without health insurance.
Selk is being trained by a professional social worker. She helps Health Care Access clients work through
health-care costs and personal problems.
"There is a large population in Lawrence that needs primary care." Selk said. "They just do not have the resources."
Selk works 20 hours each week at Heath Care Access and is a full-time graduate student. In addition to these responsibilities, Selk is a mother of four. Selk said working for Health Care Access had been a unique experience.
"I feel really proud to work for
By Ryan Hayes-Vise
Kansan staff writer
Health Care Access," Selk said. "I've been a Douglas County resident all my life, and I'm linked to this community." Health Care Access is based in Lawrence and had never had a social worker in the organization. Selk was offered the position at the beginning of the semester as part of her graduate practicum.
Judy Eyerly, director of Health Care Access, worked with the School of Social Welfare to put the program together. Eyerly said she was pleased to have Selk in the program.
Selk plans to graduate in 1997 and wants to work in health-care administration in the Kansas City area. Still, Selk said she worried about the condition of health care
"It's nice to have this dream fulfilled," Eyerly said. "Everything is working out like I envisioned, and it's been nice to have Cristina here."
"People in Douglas County are going without basic medical care." Selk said. "I'm worried that the pending legislature in Congress will cause more problems."
By Tara Trenary
Kansan staff writer
The rides will cost $6 per person and $10 per couple.
Downtown carriage traffic will increase despite concerns of the Lawrence Humane Society Inc., 1805 E. 19th St., and Lawrence residents.
The Lawrence city commission unanimously voted to approve a license for Rockin' D Bar TInc. to provide horse-drawn carriage rides on weekends from Oct. 27 to Dec. 31.
Carriages to trundle downtown
The Lawrence Humane Society received many complaints last summer about overheated horses, said Renee Harris, a society representative.
"I'm asking for a permit to bring my horses to town and to teach people about horses," said Dave Harwood, representative of Rockin' D Bar T. "I understand the humane society's concerns, but this country was built with working horses."
She said the humane society also was concerned about the late hours the horses would run and increased carriage traffic downtown.
Pat Sinclair, Lawrence resident, also voiced concern about the new horse-drawn carriages.
"Nationally, there have been numerous instances of horses dying from injury or heat exhaustion, and of collisions involving carriages," she said. "City traffic presents a series of unfamiliar conditions for horses that may spook them and cause them to bolt."
Harris said it would be a good time to update city ordinances concerning horse-drawn carriages.
"I got a lot of complaints this summer, and I noticed sweaty horses as well," commissioner Allen Levine said. "We should take a look and revisit the ordinance."
Mayor Bob Moody said city staff members were aware of the need to change the ordinance, and that they were working with it.
in other business, the commission:
culminated a public hearing for a distance limitation waiver from Wheatfield's Bakery, Ninth and Vermont streets, for a drinking establishment license. The commission unanimously voted to approve the waiver.
unanimously voted to implement a sanitaon rate study.
received a report concerning the creation of the Lawrence CyberVillage, a city Internet network.
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