THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday June 8,1988
Published since 1889 by the students of the University of Kansas
Vol. 98, No. 146 (USPS 650-640)
Frat may be charged for violating fire code
By Karen Boring
Kansan staff writer
City Prosecutor Jerry Little said yesterday he would file charges against the Triangle fraternity next week for failure to comply with city fire codes.
Jim McSwan, Lawrence fire chief, said in a videotaped press conference on May 5 that after the April 26, 1987, fire at the Sigma Phi Epifan fraternity house, the Lawrence Fire Department developed a program to bring all KU克格屋ooks into compliance with the fire code.
The department inspected the 37 active Greek houses in June and July 1887, said Fire Marshal Rich Barr. The corporation board of each house was given a list of violations and was required to turn in plans of compliance, including a schedule for completion, by January 1988. A corporation board is a group of alumni that acts as landlord of the house.
The Triangle board turned in a statement to Barr, assuring that all required changes had been made, Little said. However, when the fire alarm was turned off at house on May 2, he found that now of the changes had been made.
The only course of action that the
fire department is interested in with the Triangle house is prosecution." Little said. "The next step is filing charges against that fraternity."
Ron Gast, Triangle corporation board president, said a new board, including himself, was elected in February and that the original plan of compliance had been submitted by the former board. Gast said he and other board members learned of the fire-code problems from the house's student officers after the May inspection.
The board is taking bids so it can make a new plan of compliance. Gast said. He anticipated no problems with meeting the December deadline.
"We want to get costs in mind first," he said. "I think we will have a firm plan by this summer and have some of the work completed by September."
Five other greek houses also are under investigation by the city prosecutor.
The Alpha Kappa Lambda and Lambda Chi Alpha fraternities and the Alpha Chi Omega sorority have not come to agreement with the fire department on plans of compliance with the fire code, Little said. The
Tau Kappa Epsilon and Phi Kappa Tau fraternities also have been submitted for investigation.
"They either have not submitted plans of compliance or the compliance time frame is not acceptable," Little said. "What I'm trying to do is to open the lines of communication."
The project involves obiterating grandfather clauses, under which older structures do not to have to comply with fire codes enacted after they were built, he said.
Normally, the fire department inspects greek houses twice a year to ensure that existing fire equipment is working properly. Barr said. The present fire-code project, however, involves seeing that the existing equipment adequately compiles with today's fire code.
"If they do not involve sprinkler systems, because sprinkler systems are a very large project from a structural standpoint, we are requiring those plans of compliance to be completed by December 1988," Barr said at the press conference. "If they involved sprinkler systems, then we extended that deadline by one year."
Give it a twirl
Terri Maness, Lawrence resident, twirls batons with glow sticks attached to the ends. Maness entertained golfers during the Moonshine Night Golf Tournament on Saturday night at the Orchards Executive Golf Course. The tournament was a benefit for the Achievement Place Boys' Home.
Water safe, tests indicate
Cancer-causing chemical no longer present at Lindley
Kansan staff writer
By Monica Hayde
For two weeks, signs were posted inside and outside Lindley Hall warning people not to drink the water in the building. On Friday, they were removed.
Warning notices were posted in the building on May 20 after state and University inspectors found high levels of a cancer-causing chemical in the water in Room 107. But the latest tests have shown that no health hazard exists, a University statement released Saturday said.
Bearse said it was unlikely the water in any other campus buildings was contaminated.
"Tests have not been run campus-wide, but they are in the process of being run," he said. "However, the water coming into Lindley Hall is of acceptable quality, so the assumption is it's probably of acceptable quality going into all the other buildings."
Steve Cater, University environment, health and safety officer, said no one knew why such an elevated level of ethylene dichloride was in the water.
By Paula Messbarger
Official reverses Hoch ruling
Kansan staff writer
A state fire official who said in April that Hoch Auditorium might have to be closed because of fire hazards now says it is a safe building.
But Markley said Monday Hoch is safe and can be used by the Univer-
Paul Markley, who is chief of the fire prevention division for the state fire marshal's office, said after his April inspection of Hoch that the 61-year-old building was too dangerous to use because of fire-code violations.
'Hoch is safe as is. The
it is sure as is. The
emergency fights are in operation.
Paul Marklev
lasses and con-
state fire marshal's office
main concerns when inspecting a building; fire alarms, clear exits and emergency lighting that comes on when the power goes off. Hoch has all three. Markley said.
He said not having a sprinkler system above the stage would not be as effective.
"The sprinklers are there to protect the buildings," he said. "We care about the buildings, but our main concern is getting the people out."
Tom Anderson, director of facilities operations, said the problem with the original inspection probably was a result of a KU Facilities and Operations employee who was sent with Markley on the inspection. Anderson said it was common practice for KU employees to assist the fire marshals during inspections. He said the employee probably was not familiar with Hoch and its lighting system.
"There is an emergency lighting system, and its been there for at least 15 years," he said. "The problem was, no one asked the right person."
Hoch Auditorium once was used as the home court for the Jayhawks basketball team until Allen Field House was dedicated in 1955. Hoch has had a long history of safety and leadership, which University's decision to build a new performing arts center within the next few years.
James Modig, campus director of facilities planning, said his office and a committee appointed by Judith Ramaley, executive vice chancellor, are reviewing possibilities for using Hoch once the new performing arts building is completed Modig said some suggestions were offices, classrooms or an addition to the new science library.
---
"We're looking for the general needs of the camus," Modig said.
As for the near future, not much will be done to Hoch, he said. Some of the stonework will be repaired this year under the fiscal year 1988 budget. But there will be no projects for the fiscal year of 1989 because the Board of Regents did not approve the requests.
ited the lack of d of a sprinke area. Marko beid closed corrected the ser. However, ersity officials formed thereor at Hoch, sen, that con- emergency
What could be better than the smooth fresh flavor of beer on tap? The same taste from beer can be achieved.
Markley said. s are in opera-
And now Coors has brought this exceptional draft beer to light—new HJ LIGHT Draft-brewed to create America's smoothest, richest, light beer. So go ahead. Enjoy HJ or new HJ LIGHT with our compliments.
Herman Joseph's Original Draft is brewed to give you all the flavor of a full-bodied beer, but with that special smoothness only real draft beer can give.
Mail in your original circled cash register receipt and UPC symbol(s) from any four (4) six packs of HJ or HJ
LOTE be so.
DRAFT BEER TO GO REFUND
P.O. BOX 3491, MONTCELLO, MN 55362
P.O. BOX 3491, MONTCELLO, MN 55362
$4 REFUND
DRAFT BEER TO GO REFUND OFFER
Limited $1 per household or address. Offer good rates to recipients of legal drinking age. Multiple foundation submissions could result in federal protection under the U.S. Mail-Paid Sanitary. Refund offer may not be eligible reproduced in any way. Employees of Adhikri Coops Company, affixed companies, licensed retailers and distributors are not eligible for reimbursement. Employees of Adhikri Coops Company, RI, PR, SC, UT, DC, WV, where prohibition is required by law, must be bound to Ace. Bue 31. 1988.
CITY ___ STATE ___ ZIP
GO...FOR A 6-PACK OF HJ OR HJ LIGHT
ts.
beers that are in a class
celebrate your success.
ing.
ffice has three
e better.
santalbano'KANSAN
played during
to delete this
ather, because
an alternative
is it another
w no potential sh music in the
g person, I've ons open," he I'm concerned, JHK. I have no
enior and disc d she was not decision would
The Associated Press
Dukakis finishes with nomination
Michael Dukakis clinched the Democratic presidential nomination with a four-state flourish Tuesday night and forecast a "golden opportunity" to win the White House in 1988. Republican George Bush labeled himself the underdog heading into the fall campaign but said, "I'm fighting back."
Dukakis dominated Jesse Jackson coast to coast on the final night of a grueling Democratic primary marathon. He was winning primaries in New Jersey, Montana, New Mexico and California by margins of 2-to-1 or more.
The three-term Massachusetts governor began the night needing about 150 delegates to achieve a mathematical lock on the nomination. He was winning more than 131 in New Jersey, Montana and New Mexico combined, and early returns from California showed him ahead for more than 200 delegates.
Thus, the prospect is for a close general election, and Bush and Dukakis seemed to share an eagerness to begin.
Dukakis emerged as the winner of the Democratie primary marathon and owner of a lead over Bush in the nationwide public opinion polls. But Bush, who wrapped up the GOP nomination six weeks ago, holds formidable Electoral College advantages in the South and West, and Republicans have won four of the last five presidential elections.
"My friends, what a golden opportunity this is for us," Dukakis said as he savored his nominating triumph in a speech in California. He pledged to use his campaign to stand up for factory workers thrown out of their jobs with no warning, to ease the burden of families hit by medical bills and to "share the rage" of those living in neighborhoods threatened by drugs.
"Every day between now and November, the American people will want to hear how we intend to build a strong and vibrant future for our country," he said. "They aren't interested in slashing attacks: They want to judge our positive ideas for change."
Bush posted uncontested primary victories in all four states and said, "I think I can overcome this deficit (in the polls)." he said.
In a television interview, he likened Dukakis to Walter Mondale, the landslide Democratic loser in 1984, for refusing to rule out a tax increase. "I'll rule it out," Bush said in an interview with CBS, and rely on a spending freeze to reduce the deficit.
He decried the "gloom and doom" that he said was emanating from the Democrats and said the polls would change as he began to establish his own political identity. "When we get through in the fall talking about opportunity and peace and numbers of jobs and how much better things are and what I'll do to keep it that way, I think I can overcome that deficit," he said.