3A
KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2010 / NEWS
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Men work outside their residence in Port-au-Prince a week before the earthquake hit. Debra Baker, assistant director of the Central Plains Center for Bioassessment, visited the neighborhood when she arrived in Haiti earlier this month.
Baker said Jeanjean was out in the neighborhood the night of the quake helping those who lost family.
cultural and pastor training for Haitians. It's supported by the Mompremiers' church in Orange City, Iowa.
HAITI (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
On the day after the earthquake, Baker said people gathered around JeanJean's truck to listen to the news. That's when everyone realized how bad things were in Port-au-Prince. Neighbors frequently came over and crowded around JeanJean's computer to find more information and images of the aftermath.
In her third trip to Haiti since May 2008, Baker planned on teaching elementary children ecology and English starting the Monday before the quake hit. But come Tuesday, all the schools closed. Baker found two students still interested in learning after the quake.
"It's amazing how little they know about ecology and how much they want to learn," Baker said. "I want to enable them to change their lives, not march in to tell them what to do, but give them the knowledge to make good decisions about the environment."
On Jan. 14, two days after the quake, JeanJean spent the day trying to get to the capital so he could evacuate his brothers, sisters and their families. He was unable to reach Port-au-Prince until that night when JeanJean's
brother found a truck. He trans ported the family and many other back to Bohoc.
As of Saturday, Baker said, the Mompremiers and UCI had evacuated 887 people out of the capital and reunited them with their families.
Baker sent half of her clothes to Port-au-Prince with the first supply truck. She said she would leave
the rest of her clothes when she flies home today.
Roxie Baker, Debra's mother, first heard about the Haiti earthquake through apost on Debra's Facebook. Roxie said her
"Since the city is destroyed, it's more important for people to be self-reliant," Baker said. "They need to grow their own food and not depend on imports. I think my teaching will emphasize that they don't have to rely on handouts, they can learn science and direct their own future."
"I think my teaching will emphasize that they don't have to rely on handouts ..."
planning for a three-week return trip scheduled for next year.
DEBRA BAKER assistant director of Central Plains Center for BioAssessment
"Although I was unable to communicate with Debbie by phone, her e-mail, Facebook and blogs indicated she felt safe and was in no danger after the quake," Roxie said. "She did not feel it was important to leave the Caiman and Pignon area of Haiti to return to the U.S. She wanted to continue her work there."
daughter started posting updates on Facebook when the second tremor happened.
Though Baker was unable to teach, she said she was impressed by the resiliency of the Haitian people. Baker already started
RhodaBeutler, a Lawrence resident, met Debra through their church and had previously visited the same small community in Haiti's Central Plateau region. She has been following updates closely since the quake.
"I have been impressed with the way that the Haitians in the community have banded together to support each other in the wake of this horrible tragedy," Beutler said. "Over 1,000 refugees have been welcomed into homes and hundreds of people from the community are involved in helping people directly and encouraging the families who have lost loved ones in the earthquake."
Edited by Michael Holtz
'Bookstore Guy' remembered
OBITUARY
BY ALEESE KOPF akopf@kansan.com
If you ever walked into the KU Bookstore in the Kansas Union and a smiling man with glasses decked out in KU gear unexpectedly struck up a conversation with you, you probably met Bill Wilson, better known as "The Bookstore Guv"
A Celebration of Life ceremony
is scheduled to take place at 3:30 p.m. today in the Malott Room of the Kansas Union in memory of the man who made the KU
Wilson
Bookstore a brighter place.
Kendall Simmons, a close friend of Wilson's and organizer of today's service, said Wilson was the kind of person who makes friends with everyone around him.
Friends said Wilson, 75, who passed away Dec. 14 in his home in Lawrence, always took the time to connect with people and engage in conversation, both inside the bookstore and out.
"It's so easy to become friends with him," she said. "He made you feel like he'd known you forever."
Wilson spent one year at the University before going into the workforce. In 1989, Wilson retired from his position as a supply systems analyst at the U.S. Army Communications and Electronics command at Fort Monmouth, N.J. Once retired, Wilson needed something to keep him busy. He came back to the University, where he worked at the bookstore for 20 years until his death. He supported KU athletes by attending both women's and men's sporting events.
Mike Reid, director of marketing and communications for KU Memorial Unions and a good
friend of Wilson's, said Wilson decided to be a cashier for the KU Bookstore because he liked being around people — not because he needed the money.
"He was a great face for the KU Bookstore." Reid said. "He could convey that he actually cared for a student as an individual, not just another transaction."
"He always made me feel so warm after a conversation," former student Lisa Thomas Nocita wrote. "He really knew how to connect with people. I loved it when I would see him at the bookstore."
"I will miss Bill so much," posted Angel Gillaspie, a KU almuna now working at the School of Social Welfare. "I am speechless. There are not enough kind words to describe him anyway."
Simmons said Wilson's cash register often had a long line because everyone wanted to talk to him. His ability to connect with students on a personal level kept them coming to his line, even if it meant waiting a little longer, she said. Current and former students posted about Wilson's passing on Simmons' Facebook page.
CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF BILL WILSON, "THE BOOKSTORE GUY"
WHEN: Today at 3:30 p.m.
WHERE: Malott Room on the sixth floor of the Kansas Union
Reid said Wilson always had
The event is free, and the entire community is invited to attend. Refreshments will be served. For more information, contact ks@acomwebworks.com.
something happy to say, whether talking about last night's basketball game or a new performance at the Lied Center.
Simmons said Wilson used his enthusiasm and positive attitude to make people feel special.
"To come across to people that way so that they respond to you like that is a real gift," Simmons said. "You can't fake it, and you can't decide to do it. You either can or you can't."
— Edited by Allyson Shaw
with the law"
The EPA news release said sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions can result in serious adverse effects for humans and the environment. After the pollutants are emitted from coal-fired power plants, they "are converted to fine particles of particulate matter that can lodge deep in the lungs, causing a variety of health impacts including premature death."
Erin La Row, spokeswoman for Westar, said it was important to note that Westar's violations are merely allegations.
WESTAR (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
"While we agreed to settle the case, we do not believe there were violations," La Row said in an e-mail. "As mentioned in the release, it makes more sense to reach a settlement to invest in a cleaner environment than to spend money on lengthy litigation arguing about these allegations."
According to the company's website, "consumers ultimately pay for environmental issues." The site also says that if the settlement is approved and Westar can avoid litigation costs, "we will avoid millions of dollars of legal expenses, which could have otherwise ended up in electric rates. This should save customers money".
Spend $20 or more G receive a FREE Sml. order of Pokev Stix
No specific information was provided on whether customer rates would increase or by how much. The company would have to present the argument for a rate increase to the Kansas Corporation Commission for approval.
while pursuing the best cost for our customers." La Row said. "We'll invest what we must to comply, but not more."
"Westar will comply fully but
"I would hope that Kansas can now begin to realize the actual costs future coal-fired power plants will have on our health and those downwind from us," Draper said. "The state ought to begin thinking of creative energy alternatives. Obviously we should begin looking at the clean, abundant resources we have locally — wind."
Mike Draper, a senior from Milwaukee, Wisc., majoring in environmental studies and architectural studies, said he thought the EPA and the Department of Justice took a strong step in the right direction with the ruling.
"I am happy to see these branches enforcing our existing environmental laws," he said. "This is a historical time for Kansas."
Draper said he hoped the settlement would push Westar into implementing alternative energy plans, and is proud that these regulations are the strictest in the country.
As a part of the settlement, Westar will spend $6 million in environmental mitigation projects, from installing new wind turbines to using plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Edited by Allyson Shaw
ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION PROJECTS
Westar will spend $6 million to decrease its environmental impact through these projects:
Installing new wind turbines that will reduce pollutants and greenhouse gases and provide electricity for schools or nonprofits.
- Converting vehicles in W-estar's fleet to reduce pollution by retrofitting diesel vehicles with emission controls and purchasing hybrid vehicles.
Installing electric hybrid infrastructure to facilitate the use of plug-in hybrid vehicles.
TIMEFRAME
Source: Environmental Protection Agency
POLLUTION FACTS
Harmful effects of sulfur dioxide
Peak levels of sulfur dioxide in the air can cause breathing difficulty for people with asthma who are active outdoors.
Dave Ryan, EPA spokesman, said the start time for these projects depends on when Westar submits plans to the EPA and the state.
Ryan said the wind turbines proposed would have to be installed no more than five years after plans are submitted for it to be in line with the settlement.
Longer-term exposures to high levels of sulfur dioxide gas and particulates cause respiratory illness and aggravate existing heart disease.
Sulfate particles are the major cause of reduced visibility in many parts of the U.S., including national parks.
Harmful effects of nitrogen oxides:
- Exposure to nitrogen oxides has been associated with susceptibility to bacterial and viral infections.
The effects of short-term exposure are still unclear, but continued or frequent exposure to concentrations that are higher than those normally found in the ambient air may cause respiratory illness in children.
Nitrogen oxides contribute to ozone formation and can have adverse effects on both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
Source: Environmental Protection Agency