THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VOL.101.NO.51
KANSAS STATE
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
TOPEKA KS 66612
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
MONDAY.NOVEMBER4.1991
(USPS 650-640)
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NEWS:864-4810
Leaks at Stouffer anger residents
By Stephanie Patrick Special to the Kansan
Vicki Godal first noticed the leaks when she found her 4-year-old daughter, Tasha, throwing pennies into a puddle of water next to an electrical outlet in her Stouffer Place apartment.
The water was coming through the ceiling.
"Her room was completely uninhabitable," she said. "Her mattress was completely soaked. She couldn't stay there."
Scared and crying, Godal called her parents in Great Bend to come pick up Tasha. Then she called the apartment manager to complain.
Goidal is one of many residents of Stouffer Place, an apartment complex for non-traditional students, who have had water leaks in their apartments. Some leaks are a few drips, others are severe and can be found in water levels of more than an inch.
The leaks, said John Eye, an architect for construction administration of facilities planning, are the result of a failure in mishandling of building renovations.
The contractor, hired by the University of Kansas to do renovations on buildings 2.5 and 6 of Stouffler Place, was hired in November to roofs of the buildings in September.
Each building has 12 apartments.
Eye said Jim Plunket Construction of Kansas City, Mo., was hired in September to install pitched roofs on the three buildings.
The contractor needed to drill holes in the existing roof to attach the new roof, Eve said.
He said that he told the contractor daily that all construction needed to be sealed before the workers left for the building. That was not done, Exe said.
"They were told repeatedly by myself and the state inspector that they were playing with fire until it was closed up," he said.
Jim Plunkett, company owner and project manager, could not be reached
"The water already in the walls makes it impossible to dry out the building." he said.
Eye said he did not know whether Plunkett would be fired or whether Harris would get a contract. However, Harris's estimate of the project's estimated $14,600 for the project
Eye said he told Plunkett last week that the roofs must be covered with black roofing paper by today or a new roofer would be hired.
Eye said the heavy rain Oct. 31 had forced the University to hire another contractor, Harris Construction Co. and, temporarily, to help seal the holes.
Black roofing paper is a construction aid used as a temporary water barrier and as a lining beneath shinies.
Please see Leaks, Page 5
Volunteers for the Into the Streets project cart debris from a Habitat for Humanity home at 820 Indiana St.
Into the Streets activities draw 150 KU volunteers
By Heather Anderson
Kansan staff writer
Cassandra Turner spent an hour Friday at the Ballard Center playing and painting with 3- and 4-year-olds before she had to 10 to class.
Turner, Lawrence senior, was one of about 150 KU students who volunteered for a few hours Friday and part of lawrence's 'into the streets.'
Into the Streets, which is sponsored by the Center for Community Outreach, gave students a taste of the school's culture. Many volunteer activities for students.
Jill Fritzemeyer, co-director of the center, said she was pleased with the number of students who participated in the project.
"I believe that if you have opportunities easily available, students will volunteer," she said.
The University of Kansas was one of more than 100colleges nationwide that participated in Into the Streets.
Members of the Into the Streets planning coalition, made up of KU students and community members, chose four issues to focus on during
the project: hunger and homelessness, children, domestic violence, and the environment.
To address the issues, many volunteer activities were planned such as collecting canned food from houses in the Neighborhood area, playing with children at the Ballard Center, reading to children at East Elementary School and helping build a house for Habitat for Humanity.
Fritzemeyer said that only one of the scheduled activities had to be canceled because of the weather.
Some students had signed up to haul trash, but the activity had to be postponed until next Saturday because of the snow.
The center plans to sponsor some follow-up activities later this year, Fritzemeyer said. It hopes to send more University students into the classroom and to plant trees at Eighth and Oak streets.
The organizers want to plan follow-up activities because they know it will make more than one day of volunteering to help the community, she said.
Christine Lynn, issues coordinator for domestic violence, said seven people went door to door collecting canned food, cleaning supplies and office supplies for Women's Transitional Care Services.
She said she had hoped that the group could have collected more.
"You have to keep in mind that every little bit helps." Ivona said.
She said it also helped to let people know that a shelter was a available for abused women and their children.
Lynn said she would organize forums about domestic violence to educate the community and to follow-up the activities that took place Friday and Saturday.
Cassandra Turner said that she volunteered Friday at the Ballard Center because she had done a lot of volunteering in the past and enjoyed working with children.
She said many people thought that volunteer work took a lot of time and commitment. However, this is not true, she said.
"You can do so much in 30 minutes," she said.
Arab-Israeli talks to continue after positive first day
The Associated Press
MADRID, Spain — Israelis and Palestinians yesterday held "good, businesslike" direct talks — their first ever — and pledged to try to move on substantive issues such as Palestinian autonomy within a few days.
In another milestone, Syria overcame hesitations and opened its one-on-one meeting with Israel late last night — the first talks between the arch-fees in 43 years. A Lebanese delegation also held separate talks with Israel.
"I think it was a good beginning," said Secretary of State James Baker, who engineered the peace conference with eight Middle East shuttles this year. He said the United States would remain deeply involved in the process.
"We intend to stay fully engaged, as we actively engage as we can and for as long as we think the parties are serious about peace. And for the moment I think they are serious," he said.
After their nearly five-hour session, the Israeliis and a joint Palestinian-Jordanian delegation displayed an amiable spirit, in contrast to a week of confrontational speeches and snubs during last week's ceremonial opening phase of the historic Madrid talks.
Still to be settled is where the substantive negotiations will be held. In a joint statement, the two sides said they would discuss when and where to hold substantive talks.
The Palestinians later said that during the meeting they had demanded a freeze on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Israel has refused so far to freeze the expansion of settlements.
Students hope talks bring peace to region
Baker called the meeting a breakthrough, and said that site selection for future talks was an open question.
He said he had no reason to expect a walkout by Syria or any of the other parties.
By Rochelle Olson Kansan staff writer
Some Arab and Israeli students at the University of Kansas think the peace talks in Israel, Spain, are sig-
ificantly realized. We problems might not be resolved soon.
Ghassan El-Khatib, East Jerusalem sophomore, said he was not optimum.
But now that the talks have been going on since Thursday and nobody has walked out, he has reason for hope, El-Khatib said.
"I'm hoping that something is going to happen to stop the war so there can be some kind of peace over there," he said.
But he said he realized it might take a long time.
"If there was a peace, it would be in stages," El-Khatib said.
He said it was good that the Arabs and Israelis were able to sit down together and recognize each other's existence.
"Peace would be good for everybody," he said.
Ayal Sharon, Overland Park junior,
worn in Israel and carries an
israelian flag.
In the past, the United States supported Israel while the Soviet Union supported the Arabs.
He said this peace attempt differed from past attempts because the United States was pressuring both sides to compromise.
"After the gulf war, everyone knew who the boss was in the region — that's the Americans," Sharon said.
He said the U.S. influence was beneficial
"There will be some compromise," Sharon said. "In the past there was no chance."
He also said the conference would make the Arabs and Israelis more understanding of each other.
He expects the talks to yield results within the coming year because of upcoming U.S. and Israeli elections, Sharon said.
"Every day each side will budge a bit, "he said.
But Rami Abunijileh, Palestine freshman, was not so optimistic about the war.
"It's a very good idea, but I don't think much is going to happen," he said.
Abuhijeh said he still wished something good would come from the talks.
"It is the last chance, so I hope nobody just lets it pass without taking advantage of the opportunity," Abuhlieh said.
He said he realized that any concessions made probably could take 10 or 20 years.
Rosenblum has Israeli parents and has visited Israel several times.
Adi Rosenblum, Overland Park park
said, said he thought peace was
possible.
He said he hoped everything could finally be settle between Arabs and Asians.
Both sides are being very stubborn right now, but that is part of the negotiation.
"Neither side wants to give up anything," Rosenblum said.
Rosenblum said he did not mind the potentiality of Israel giving up land for peace.
Commission to discuss lowering drinking age for 3.2-percent beer
By William Ramsey
Verson staff writer
Kansan staff writer
The Lawrence City Commission agreed this weekend to study the possibility of allowing people 18 years and older to drink 3.2 beer.
At a planning retreat in Manhattan on Saturday, commissioner Bob Schumm asked that the commission talk about lowering the age requirement for drinking beer that is 3.2-percent alcohol by volume.
"I'm interested in the safety of the population more than who consumes the alcohol," he said during a telephone interview yesterday.
Raising the drinking age to 21 has not been effective in controlling drinking-related problems, Schumm said.
Commissioner John Nalbandian agreed with Schumm. Too many underage people are drinking in Lawrence, and a special classification for 3.2 beer should be created to include them in the law, he said.
"It's a situation that's broken and needs to be fixed," he said.
("The current) law is not a realistic law
—that's what it boils down to," he said.
"This is getting blown way out of proportion," she said. "We are going to talk about it. That is all it, one item."
one on a list of about 15 topics the commission would discuss this year.
"that's what I call so doo doo," he said.
However, Nalbandian said the idea was
The commission decided Saturday to study the idea, by
decided Saturday to study the idea, but no action has been taken.
Schumm is the owner of Buffalo Bob's Smokehouse, 719 Massachusetts St., and the Massachusetts Street Delicatessen, both have certified malt beer licenses.
The commissioner said he thought students, Lawrence business people and residents could benefit from lowering the drinking age.
"It's a monumental task to change this," he said. "Even if we decide it would be in our best interests, we can't do it on our own."
Schumm said the commission was a long way from considering or passing a
proposal for the Legislature to change the law.
Janine Demo, coordinator of health education at Watkins Memorial Health Center, has other ideas on the subject.
"Why mess with a good thing?" she asked.
The state law that raised the drinking age to 21 has not been in effect long enough to gauge whether it has worked, she said.
"The bar owners would definitely profit, but I don't see anything else positive coming out of it," Demo said.
John Hetler, owner of Benchwarmers Sports Bar and Grill. 1601 W. 23rd St., said that he would agree with a proposal to buy the home he thought most bar owners would also.
Lance Burr, Lawrence attorney who has represented local bars, said the idea to lower the drinking age for 3.2 beer had possibilities.
He said that he thought the drinking age requirement should be lowered because the government requested military service of people under 21.
"Either treat people as adults or don't," he said.
Former Union director injured
Melissa Rodgers
Kansanstaffwriter
Frank Burge, 70, former director of the Kansas Union, was seriously injured in a hit-and-run accident late Friday night while riding his bicycle.
Burge was riding his bicycle southbound in the middle of the right lane on Iowa Street when he was struck from behind, said Sgt. Ron Dalquest of the Lawrence police. The accident occurred about 100 yards north of the intersection of 15th and Iowa streets.
Dalquest said Burge was flipped over the hood of the car and landed on the pavement behind the car.
Burge was transported by ambulance to Lawrence Memorial Hospital and later transported to the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan.
Carol Nugent, supervisor of the intensive care unit at the Med Center, yesterday said Burge was in serious but stable condition. Burge sustained a shattered hip, broken ankle and possible head injuries during the accident.
Witnesses from a car that swerved to miss Burge said the car behind them hit Burge and
Dalquest said Burge's bicycle had the required safety lights. The bicycle was equipped with two headlights and one rear flashing light.
immediately sped away, taking a left turn at the intersection of 15th and Iowa streets.
Dalquest said that the car that hit Burge was a small blue import and that a fluorescent yellow windshield wiper was left at the accident scene.
Witnesses described the car as a late '70s or early '80s blue Toyota station wagon
Frank Burge
Burge was director of the Kansas Union from 1962 to 1983. In 1982, the Satellite Union was named the Burge Union in honor of his work as director of the Kansas Union.
Friday's accident was the second serious bicycle accident in a week that involved a KU faculty or staff member.
Oct. 28, Larry Havlicek, professor of educational psychology and research, died of injuries he sustained in a bicycle accident earlier that day.
Havlicek was riding his bicycle northbound on Ousdahl road when he was struck by a truck traveling westbound on 23rd Street.
According to witnesses, Havlicek was proceeding through a green light when he was hit by the train.