KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2010 / NEWS
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CAMPUS
Cute critters to invade Wescoe Beach weekly
BY SAMANTHA COLLINS
scollins@kansan.com
Rabbits, puppies and even pythons will now roam Wescoe Beach every Wednesday to provide a boost of happiness among students. AnewgroupattheUniversity, KZOO.
this possible.
"Who sees a puppy and gets upset? No one," said Kris Velasco, a member of KZOO and a sophomore from Wamego. "This organization will make people happy."
"Who sees a puppy and gets upset? No one. This organization will make people happy."
"We like to remind everyone how great animals really are?" Sabillon said.
said he created the group, which is new this year, because with more than 600 clubs at the University, not one focuses on the happiness that animals can give people.
KZOO's mission is to serve, support and celebrate animals. The key word is celebrate, said Jon Sabillon, director of KZOO and a senior from Lawrence. He said the group planned to host many more events similar to Wild Wescoe Wednesdays in the future to promote awareness of animals. He
KRIS VELASCO
Member of KZOO
The group also has connections with the Topeka and Kansas City zoos. Velasco said he hoped to bring koalas and other exotic animals to the University to "brighten every
person's day."
Jono Bowles, a senior from Lawrence, said KZOO doesn't bring animals only for awareness, but also to help students cope with being away from the pets at home. He said many students were forced to leave pets at home, which can cause them stress. KZOO wants to fill this void, Bowles said.
"We always thought that animals perpetuated people to be happy," Bowles said. "Animals are just so cute."
Students can join KZOO by becoming an animal ambassador to help spread the word about various events. Sabillon said KZOO hoped to have an animal ambassador for every student group to promote all the events the group is hosting. Students can also visit KZOO's website at www.rockchalkzoo.com to join the herd.
One of the upcoming events this semester is Animal House, a night of Panda-monium, during which students will dress up as their favorite animals and raise money for the Humane Society and Midnight farm. Details of this event are still in the works, Sabillon said.
"There's just something about being able to connect with an animal." Bowles said. "It's just great."
Evan Palmer/KANSAN
Edited by Michael Bednar
Amy Gaims, a junior from Kansas City, Kan., holds a dog at a meeting for KZ00 Saturday afternoon at the Kansas Union. KZ00 is a new group that brings animals on campus.
NATIONAL
Hurricane Karl leads to flooding along Texas and Mexico coasts
Waters rise in the Corpus Christi area, leading to rescue efforts
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAN ANTONIO — Relentless rainfall brought partly from Hurricane Karl caused widespread problems along the Texas coast on Monday, leaving at least one person missing in high floodwaters, schools closed and raw sewage gushing from an overwhelmed city sewer system.
One driver in Corpus Christi dialed 911 while being swept away in a swollen creek, but the call went dead before authorities could located the caller. Near the Texas-
Mexico border, emergency crews went door-to-door in some Cameron County neighborhoods flooded with 2 to 3 feet of water, asking families if they wanted help out.
Joel Veeneman said. "There's no way for the ground to absorb anymore."
Karl made landfall on Mexico's Gulf Coast on Friday, soaking Veracruz. Puebla and Tabasco states in the south-central part of the country. At least 12 people in the country have been killed.
The rainfall in Texas wasn't directly from Karl but that the storm's moisture helped make for a "perfect combination," Veeneman said.
Corpus Christi waded through the worst of the downpour. Even
"All you see is cars on the side of the road, or in the middle of the road."
LIONEL LOPEZ Advocate for Corpus Christi resi dents
There were no evacuation orders Monday, but officials had helped at least 30 people to safety, Cameron County emergency management coordinator Johnny Cavazos said.
"You want out or you want to stay?" a rescue worker with Cavazos hollered to a family.
"Any rain that falls now will go directly into the runoff." National Weather Service meteorologist
more showers were on the way, expected to continue at least through Wednesday and exacerbate flooding that had already triggered a small number of evacuations. Oso Creek was at least 8 feet above flood stage, and forecasters predicted it could reach record-breaking heights.
More than 7 inches of rain was reported over a 24-hour period through early Monday in Corpus Christi and the Rio Grande Valley, which is enduring yet another soaking after being lashed by Hurricane Alex and two other tropical systems.
It was in Oso Creek where the missing driver called for help after the rushing water pick up his small car, Coast Guard Lt. Mary Arvidson said. By late Monday, Arvidson said the Coast Guard had suspended their search while local crews continued looking.
The missing driver was at least the second distress call for the Coast Guard since rain began pounding the Texas shoreline this weekend. Crews also rescued two boaters Sunday whose 18-foot skiff took on too much water near Port O'Connor.
Nearly a dozen school districts canceled classes Monday as the rain made bus routes on flooded streets impassable, and a flash flood watch was in effect through Monday night for 11 counties off the Texas coast.
Pressure from heavy rains on an aging sewer system in Corpus Christi led to another problem: more than 100,000 gallons of raw sewage that overflowed from a manhole. City officials said the heavy rain diluted the gushing sewage enough to eliminate any risk of health hazards.
Some residents living near the treatment plant described it differently.
"This is just disgusting," homeowner Denise Bates told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. "We've actually seen feces floating by."
Farther out in Nueces County, residents in the impoverished area were stranded by flooding in their slapdash communities that lack drainage and other basic infrastructure. About 60 homes in the same area were flooded after a downpour in July, said Lionel Lopez, a local advocate for the residents.
Monday's flooding was "three times as worse." Lopez said.
Earlier this month, flooding caused by remnants of Tropical Storm Hermine killed at least eight people, including seven in Texas.
"People can't get out, and we can't get in to help them," he said. "All you see is cars on the side of the road, or the middle of the road."
NATIONAL
Man faces federal charges for Chicago bomb attempt
ASSOCIATED PRESS
CHICAGO — A man arrested for allegedly placing a backpack he thought contained an explosive near the Chicago's Wrigley Field also talked about poisoning Lake Michigan, bombing a landmark skyscraper and assassinating Mayor Richard Daley, according to a federal complaint filed Monday.
Sami Samir Hassoun, 22. a Lebanese citizen living in Chicago, was charged with one count each of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and attempted use of an explosive device.
"He wanted to transform the city of Chicago, he wanted to make a statement and he wanted to replace the mayor of Chicago," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Grant. "He was unhappy with the way the city was running. He was also unhappy with things that were happening in other parts of world."
At a brief hearing Monday, Hassoun quietly told U.S. Judge Susan Cox that he understood the charges. Hassoun's federally appointed public defender Dan McLaughlin, declined to comment on the case, as did several family members who attended the hearing. A message left on an answering machine at Hassoun's home telephone number wasn't returned.
An FBI informant tipped investigators about Hassoun nearly a year ago, the agency said. Grant said Hassoun acted alone and that the undercover agents told him they were from California and unaffiliated with any group. He declined to offer specific details about Hassoun's motivations, but said believed the agents were ready to give him money if he carried out the attack.
Hassoun was arrested early Sunday after planting the fake explosive device — which was given to him by an undercover agent — in a trash receptacle near Sluggers World Class Sports Bar, a popular bar steps from Wrigley Field, Grant said. The Cubs were not playing at their home field; the stadium hosted Dave Matthews Band concerts Friday and Saturday nights.
Hassoun on one occasion told an FBI informant he wanted to paralyze commerce in the city, according to the complaint against him. Asked how he intended to carry out various suggested attacks, Hassoun responded, "You park the car, and let it go 'boom,'" the complaint says.
Hassoun's alleged plots — including talk of plans to unleash a biological virus on Chicago — ranged during the investigation.
INTERNATIONAL
Floods, mudslides kill 16 in Mexico
VERACRUZ, Mexico — Mexican authorities say at least 16 people have been killed in several days of flooding and mud-slides across southern Mexico.
President Felipe Calderon says the death toll in the Gulf coast
state of Veracruz rose to 12 over the weekend as the remnants of Hurricane Karl caused flash floods and mudslides.
Local officials say two people were killed when their homes collapsed in Guerrero and Oaxaca states.
Looting broke out in parts of Veracruz, with people carrying huge bags of food out stores in waist-deep water. State Public Safety Secretary Sergio Lopeza said at least 11 people were arrested.
Associated Press
Calderon spoke Monday during a visit to Veracruz state,
which had already been suffering from weeks of widespread flooding.