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FIRE
Ryan McGeeney/KANSAN
Sunday morning blaze leaves two dead
Tonia Mann of Lawrence, with her nephew, John, stand across the street from the residence of Charles Glover Sr., which caught fire early Sunday morning. Glover, 66, and Marrona Johnson, 13 months, died in the fire. Mann is dating Terry Stafford, who is Glover's nephew. Mark Bradford, chief of Lawrence Douglas County Fire and Medical, said the owner of the residence, Learlean Hooks, had been hospitalized but was listed in good condition, and three other children residing at the address were reported as missing.
Three children still missing after flames consume home on New Jersey street
BY MARK VIERTHALER
Two people died, one was injured and three are missing after an early morning fire Sunday at 1205 New Jersey St.
As firefighters shuffled outside the blackened hull, family members stood off to the side. Neighbors and passers-by pushed up against the "Fire Line Do Not Cross" tape, straining for a look at the still-smoldering remains of the house.
At a press conference, Mark Bradford, chief of the Lawrence Douglas County fire and medical department, said the department had positively identified the bodies of Charles Glover Sr. 66, and Mariyana
Johnson, 13 months. Bradford said the two were related, but he declined to comment on the specifics.
Learlean Hooks, the owner of the home, was rescued and hospitalized. She was listed in good condition Sunday evening.
Three children are missing. The names and ages of the missing children have not been released. Bradford said rescue workers are working under the assumption they are looking for three bodies.
The deadly house fire comes just three weeks before the one-year anniversary of the Boardwalk Apartments fire, which killed three people.
Red Cross helpers sat a desk diag.
onal from the remains as small semicircles of family members alternatively hugged, cried and stared into the distance.
As of 7 p.m., rescue workers were still attempting to make the house safe for entry. The investigation will begin once the building is deemed safe.
Terry Stafford, Glover's nephew, stood with his infant son in his arms, staring at the wreckage. He pushed his hat back on his head and gazed with somber brown eyes at the disarray in front of him.
"We lost loved ones." Stafford said. "It's huge. He didn't hurt anybody. He helped out the best he could with everyone.
Stafford said he received a call at about 2:30 a.m. that his uncle's house was on fire. By the time he arrived at the hospital, he said his uncle had already died.
The house at 1205 New Jersey St. burns early Sunday morning. The cause of the fire is unknown.
"My uncle cared a lot."
Other immediate family members declined comment to the media.
The two-story house was completely blackened except the south wall. Wipes of smoke still crept out from piles of rubble more than 14 hours after the blaze was under control.
The southern side of the house had completely, collapsed and the front porch had caved in on itself. Only beams and struts showed through the north side. The front
facade of the house leaned precariously against the remaining support beams.
resident and neighbor of the victims, said she awoke at about one in the morning to see what she called a "wall of flames."
Kathleen McVay, Lawrence
For coverage of the fire throughout the day, check Kansan.com for updated information.
"I went downstairs and
I saw these massive flames," McVay said. "The air was so thick with smoke it was impossible to see what it was happening."
Neighbors said they woke up to what they thought was someone dropping furniture in the home next door. Two neighbors managed to pull Hooks from the home after they realized none of the family members were outside.
The neighbors said they quickly realized there was no way they were going to be able to help anyone else without professionals.
The investigation is still underway. The cause of the fire is unknown.
Kansan staff writer Mark Vierthaler can be contacted at mvierthaler@kansan.com.
- Edited by Catherine Odson
PUBLIC SERVICE
'Hawks, Cops and Kids' program a hit Law enforcement, KU athletes aid in Big Brothers Big Sisters event
BY DAVID LINHARDT
Nicolas Johnson was surprised when he stepped into Allen Fieldhouse Saturday morning.
Johnson, a 13-year-old middle school student from Leavenworth had the opportunity to play basketball with several members of the men's and women's basketball teams. He didn't know they would be there.
"You get to see them on TV during games, but seeing them in person is even better," Johnson said.
Johnson came to Allen Fieldhouse Saturday morning with more than 150 other participants in Big Brothers Big Sisters programs from the Kansas City area for the third-annual "Hawks, Cops and Kids" event.
Several law enforcement agencies, including the KU Public Safety office and the Lawrence Police Department, took part in the event alongside KU athletes. The event was free for children in
Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Local businesses sponsored the event and set out snacks for the children as they arrived.
Organizers hoped the morning of learning stations and sports drills would get the participants better acquainted with their favorite athletes and local police.
"They usually see us in uniforms and in cars," said Capt. Schuyler Bailey, KU Public Safety office spokesman. "This gives them the chance to spend time with us in a very relaxed environment."
At 9 a.m., children waiting in the bleachers at the Fieldhouse were shouting at the men's basketball players, "Dunk it! C'mon, dunk it!"
Freshman guard Sherron Collins and freshman forward Darrell Arthur held off at first, but soon grinned and gave in to the dunking demands. After several crowdpleasing dunks from Arthur, one
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EDUCATION
State one of 24 to receive 'B-plus' or higher for college completion rates
Graduation rate in Kansas above national average
BY KIM LYNCH
U. S. colleges are falling behind internationally in college completion rates, but the state of Kansas is holding its own.
According to a study from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, U.S. colleges rank 16th out of 27 nations in the amount of students who complete college degrees or certification programs.
In the report, only 24 out of the 50 states in the U.S. received a "B-plus" or higher for college completion rates. Kansas was one of the 24 states.
According to the study, Kansas received a "B-plus" in completion rates for college because 74 percent of freshmen at four-year colleges
and universities return for their sophomore year.
Kansas received an "F" from the study in affordability because college in Kansas has become less affordable, especially for low-income families.
Lindy Eakin, vice provost for administration and finance, said the study should prompt the U.S. to look at structural problems within its education system and at how students are being prepared for college.
Eakin said the University is in the last year of the tuition-enhancement plan which increased tuition for five years. The University tried to meet the problem of pricing out low-income students by setting
SEE EDUCATION ON PAGE 4A
BY NATE MCGINNIS
Power restored to Wescoe Hall
all contents, unless state otherwise
© 2006 The University Daily Kansan
》 FACILITIES
Crews have installed a temporary generator at Wescoe Hall to restore power to the building.
The power outage was the result of a center coil failure in an electrical transformer. The coil failed as a result of age.
Todd Cohen, interim director of University Relations, said the generator would remain in place until a new transformer could be ordered and installed in one to two months.
Classes were canceled Friday, but will continue as scheduled today.
The new transformer is expected to cost $60,000 to $80,000, Cohen said.
Cohen said the building opened for activities Saturday.
Kansan staff writer Nate McGinnis can be contacted at nmcginnis@ kansan.com. Ben Smith contributed to this story.
Edited by Kate Shipley
Ryan McGeeney/KANSAN
Mike Mumford, Lawrence resident, entertains coworkers during a power outage at Wescoe Hall Friday morning. Mumford, who calls himself "the Bugling Jayhawk," has lived in Lawrence all of his 55 years, and is part of the Wescoe Underground staff.
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