Monday inside
Lawrence police arrested a woman on suspicion of driving her car through a Kwik Shop window Friday. After breaking through the store, the driver of the truck left the scene of the accident. PAGE 3A
Kwik Shop crash
Carnaval craze
Students at the University of Kansas celebrated the end of Brazilian week with the annual Carnaval featuring Tambores of Brazil. The party was held at Abe & Jake's Landing. PAGE 12A
Out but not down
After thrashing the Tigers in the Big 12 semifinals, the 'Hawks fell to the Texas Longhorns. Despite the loss, Kansas is still confident. PAGE 1B
Quick time
University of Kansas senior Leo Bookman won the NCAA 200-meter indoor championship on Saturday at the University of Arkansas. Bookman won the title last year and set the record for the world's best time this year in the 200meter dash.PAGE1B
Weather
Today
5328 partly cloudy
partly cloudy
Two-day forecast tomorrow wednesday 6334 6036 warmer partly sunny
-Josh Molgren, KUJH-TV
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Sports briefs 2B
Horoscopes 10A
Comic 10A
KANSAN
March 15,2004
IN ITS 100TH YEAR AS THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Vol.114 Issue No.11
Fires linked to KU
Police see pattern related to Watson Library blaze
The Associated Press
LAWRENCE — Three more suspected arson fires have been linked to a series of 12 others in eastern Kansas, officials said Friday.
Friday. Two fires on Wednesday in Lawrence and one on the same day in Lenexa are related, said Larry Scott, a spokesman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Investigators are testing evidence at the other fires to see if the link is definite.
Olathe Fire Department spokesman Mike Hall said the same kind of accelerant compound was used in at least six of the fires in Olathe.
Firearms and Explosives. Fifteen suspicious fires have now been linked together — including eight in Olathe, three in Lawrence, two in Lenexa and two others in Overland Park. The fires have all been started in the past week.
the past week. "There's been similarities on all of them," Scott said, adding that the fires' similarities could not be elaborated upon.
the other lines to Hall said investigators are searching for a man with reddish hair, 27 to 30 years old and about 5-foot-7. He has n
heavy build.
This man was seen at the Watson Library at the University of Kansas near a shelf where someone set a fire Monday night.
That fire damaged only a few books before being extinguished by a security
guard.
guard. Scott said the person had not been spotted at other fires. He would not say whether more people were suspected of starting the fires or give any other details.
details. The fires have occurred at several home construction sites, a senior residence, a professional building and two banks.
One fire early Thursday destroyed part of an assisted living facility being built in Olathe and scheduled to open this summer.
it.
It was the second time that night that
firefighters had been called to the Brougham Senior Residences.
Brougham Senior Residential Shortly before they were called back to that fire, someone used an accelerator to set a Security Savings Bank in Olathe on fire.
Just before 3 a.m. Thursday, someone threw accelerant onto the roof of another Olathe bank and set it on fire, causing $50,000 in damage.
$ 50,000 in damage The damage caused by all of the fires in the area have been "pretty extensive," Scott said.
Estimates on damage at the senior residence in Olathe was $85 million.
A task force has been formed to investigate the fires.
It includes personnel from fire and police departments in Olathe, Overland Park, Lenexa, and University of Kansas and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
The bureau is offering a $6,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the fires.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Olathe Fire Department's Arson/Explosive Report Line at (913) 971-5060.
- Edited by Collin LaJoie
Hit and run produces fatality
By Steve Vockrodt svockrodt@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
One person was confirmed dead after a hit-and-run incident that took place about 1:30 yesterday morning near a Rock Chalk Revue casting party involving the Delta Delta Delta sorority and Sigma Nu fraternity at the Teepee.
Teepee. The incident occurred at the 1400 block of Highway 40, just outside of Lawrence city limits.
Lawrence city limits.
The victim, who was identified as being in his late teens or early 20s, was pronounced dead at the scene, said Douglas County Lieutenant Kathy Tate. Tate said the driver returned while officers were investigating.
No arrest had been made by late evening.
evening. Neither the victim nor the driver are University of Kansas students, Tate said.
Tate said the victim, whose name was not being released pending notification of relatives, is not a Douglas County resident.
SEE PARTY ON PAGE 9A
Awards, donations presented
By Azita Tafreshi atafreshi@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
After eight months of fundraising, volunteering and rehearsing, cast members from five sororities and fraternities performed original skirts for the third and final time Saturday night.
The 55th annual Rock Chalk Revue ended in a flurry of cheering and applause at the Lied Center Saturday as the Revue's $40,000 donation was presented to the Douglas County United Way.
In a presentation immediately following the show, members of the Rock Chalk Revue Advisory Board presented the competition's 12 awards to the casts.
Award recipients were determined by a panel of judges composed of Rock Chalk alumni and individuals with a background in theater or dance. All judges had no affiliation with the University for at least five years.
Chi Omega sorority and Pi Kappa Phi fraternity received the top honor, Best Overall Show, for their show Operation
Clad in sequined scrubs, the 50-member cast sang and danced its way through a chaotic day in the life of medical residents who realize their potential after filling in for their arrogant supervising physicians.
"We were ecstatic," said Allison Mezger of the cast's reaction to winning the award. "The whole way through we kept telling ourselves, that's not what's important, and it just came out great."
SEE ROCK CHALK ON PAGE 74
Ali Cernich, Pi Beta Phi member, played Hope Lewis,a love-struck daddy's girl, in the romantic comedy An Officer and a Gentlestorm Saturday night at Rock Chalk Revue.The skit won several awards including best production and best interpretation of theme.
Corporations help plug KU budget
By Ron Knox
rknox@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Looking for money to fund projects and programs, University administrators and staff reach deep into their pockets and pull out fistfuls of lint.
When budget cuts run too deep, as they will next year, little is left for necessary maintenance or operations.
Administrators are forced to find someone with the money to give for projects.
And it's hard to ignore large corporations when it comes to money.
CORPORATE CAMPUS SERIES
Two major corporations working or selling goods on campus are in the top 150 of Fortune 500 companies; according to Fortune's latest listings. ChevronTexaco, which is revamping lighting, heating and cooling systems on campus, is ranked 14.
This is the first part of a three-part series on corporations on campus.
Tomorrow: Coca-Cola
Wednesday: Commerce Bank
But when corporations sign contracts with institutions such as the University of Kansas, the conflict between public and private interests is often a matter of dollars and sense.
SEE BUDGET ON PAGE 9A
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