VOL.100, NO.81
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
T THE STUDENT NETSPAFER OF THE T UNIVERSITY OF KANSAFS
(USPS 650-640)
MONDAY, JAN. 29, 1990
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Two Oregon men trek across country to publicize child abuse
Kansan staff writer
By Pam Solliner
After a rest stop in Lawrence, two Oregon high school skiing buddies will continue their trek across the country for children's sake.
Dave Brown, 30, and Dave Kingery, 29, left their Gresham, Ore., homes on March 24, 1989, walking 20 to 30 miles each day for their cause — preventing child abuse. They plan to arrive in Washington, D.C., by May 1990.
After 10 months of walking together from town to town and spreading their message, Kingery broke at the Holdome in Lawrence.
He will continue the trip into the Kansas City area today, and Brown will join him tomorrow.
Brown, a free-lance writer and former pre-school teacher, stopped for a break in Hutchinson to work on his coming book, "Silent Tears: Growing Up Shouldn't Have to
Hurt." The book will detail adventures of their journey and provide information about child abuse.
Kingery, a former water and snow ski instructor for children, said they had sacrificed a lot for their cause — to prevent Child Abuse (WAPCA).
Kingery sold his water ski boat and travel trailer to finance his part of the trip. Brown sold his two publica- tions, one in Oklahoma "Oregon" and "Pre-school Times."
Though both men are single and have no children, they have worked closely with children. Kingery said their financial and personal sacrifices were minimal compared to the ones an abused child had to endure.
"The more you dig into child abuse, you find out what's really going on, and it motivates you," Kingery said. "We just decided we would do something that would make a national impact on the child abuse
scene."
Brown said he realized the importance of child abuse prevention while researching an article.
"The more you dig, you open a big can of worms, and I opened a big can of worms." Brown said in a telephone call toew. "It's an ugly picture out there."
He said that their main goal was to choose someone to lobby for federal legislation that would impose stricter penalties on child abuse offenders.
Ross don't have the rights. They can get violated, and for the violator, it's looked on as a disease and not a crime." Kingery said.
He said most offenders were placed on probation with the promise of therapy. He and Brown seek stiffer punishments.
"They need counseling, but they need counseling behind bars," he said.
Working with Childhelp USA, a national non-profit agency aimed at
ending child abuse with treatment, prevention and research, Kingery estimated that he and Brown had raised about $10,000 for the organization.
Kingery said all the money they raised would go directly into the WAPCA bank account in Sandy, Ore. The kingery dime goes to the kids," he said.
Brown said walking across the country was the best way to convey
Brown and Kingery don't have corporate sponsors or support groups that follow them. Ouftitted in sweat suits, they carry all they need in heavy backpacks and use their own money for expenses. They have depended on the kindness of churches or hotel managers to provide free lodging and meals.
"When you walk it, the farmers (and others) give you respect, while you're walking through the cold and rain," Brown said. "They respect
Walkers will wind their way to Washington D.C.
The journey started in Grasham, Ore. They walked across Oregon to Bolsa, Idaho and then south to Salt Lake City. They continued through Denver and Pueblo.
you and take note.
The pair will travel to Jefferson City,
you and take note."
Stephen Kline/KANSAN
Mo., and then to St. Louis, where they will appear on the USA Today television program.
Finance laws still not clear
By Kathryn Lancaster
Kansan staff writer
Campaign finance laws, which were updated last year, have confused some Kansas officials.
Elections were conducted in April but the updated law went into effect
In Douglas County, officials are unclear whether the new provisions affect candidates for local office who ran in 1989.
Part one of two
Under the new law, campaign under statements would have to be filed by legal counsel.
"It's my understanding that candidates would be bound by the new law," said Jim Flory, county prosecutor. "I had a chance to review the new law."
Seven candidates for local offices missed the December and January deadlines to file campaign finance statements.
However, in Douglas County, those statements were due at the county clerk's office by Dec. 31. Finance statements list campaign contributors, amounts spent and amounts received by candidates.
Patty Jaimes, county clerk, said she understood that, for this filing,
candidates would adhere to the old standards.
Mary Horseh, press secretary for Attorney General Bob Stephan, said the attorney general's office was uncertain which law would apply to local candidates and who had authority to decide the issue.
The Public Disclosure Commission, a state agency that regulates lobbies and oversees issues of campaign finance and conflicts of interest, has the power to issue opinions at the state level, Horsch said. However, she was uncertain whether the attorney general's office or the commission would answer questions related to local officials.
Beginning July 1, the commission received jurisdiction of all state and county candidates and candidates in first-class cities, said Carol Williams, administrative assistant for the commission.
Kansas cities are separated into three categories according to size.
See FINANCE, p. 9
State honors Eisenhower
Mary Elenhower Atwater looks at a picture of her grandfather, President Dwight D. Elenhower. She spoke during the kickoff of
the Kansas Eisenhower Centennial on Friday in Topeka. Dwight Eisenhower was reared in Abilene. See related story page 8.
Jurors acquit Mitchell of murder
Bv Curtis Knapp
Christopher W. Mitchell, 19 Blue Springs, Mo., was acquitted Friday in Douglas County District Court of first-degree murder charges in the October shooting death of Timothy K. Ridnath, 18. Independence, Mo.
Mitchell took the stand Friday and denied killing Ridpath, with whom he admitted having a homosexual relationship.
"I just knew I couldn't be convicted for something I didn't do," Mitchell said after the verdict.
Ridpath was shot five times on a Douglas County road north of Lawrence.
Kansan staff writer
Douglas County District Attorney Jim Flory said he was disappointed with the verdict. He doubled the case would be reopened despite published comments from an anonymous juror stating his belief that Scott Berk, a KU student, may have been involved in the crime.
"I believe we're all convinced that the person responsible was tried," Flory said yesterday.
Testimony indicated that Berk, Overland Park freshman, had made several statements about the shooting of Ridpath to friends and to his sister, Jan Berk, a Lawrence police officer. Jan Berk then wrote a report about her brother's behavior, Flory
said.
"We, at that time, reviewed all that material and were convinced that he had no involvement," Flory said. "The bottom line is we're convinced he didn't do it."
Flory said that Berk was investigated before the arrest of Mitchell but that the investigation was dropped based on the facts and information available.
The prosecution focused on the homosexual relationship between Mitchell and Ridpath, saying the relationship led to the killing.
Scott and Jan Berk could not be reached for comment.
Mitchell's former girlfriend, Cynthia Seaturro of Blue Springs, Mo., testified Thursday that Mitchell had confessed to her that he had shot Ridpath.
The defense countered that Scaturo, 17, lied in order to get revenge on Mitchell after finding out that he was homosexual and had seen other girls.
Dennis Moore, Mitchell's attorney,
said Mitchell was adamant from the start about being innocent and never wanted to plea-bargain.
The Associated Press contributed information to this story.
49ers embarrass Broncos in 55-10 Super Bowl rout
The Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS — Well, they showed up.
snowed up.
And that's about all they did.
The Denver Broncos knew it would take a flawless game to beat the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl, but they were more pitiful than perfect.
More Super Bowl coverage p. 11
The 49ers clobbered the Broncos 55-10 yesterday and sent them into the less-than-upper record section
win four losses in four Super Bowls, tying the Minnesota Vikings for futility.
"They're all disappointing — when you lose and don't play up to your ability," Broncus coach Dan Reeves said. "The way the 4’s are playing right now it's hard for any team to keep up with them."
Revees expected more from his team. After the Broncos were made heavy underdogs, he said — somewhat sarcastically — "we'll show up."
Source: Parting Services
Parking problem hampers patients
By Steve Bailey
Kansan staff writer
A shortage of parking near Watkins Memorial Health Center for people without yellow stickers has prompted a meeting between Watkins officials and the KU Parking Department.
Representatives from Watkins and the department will meet this week to discuss the parking problem in Lot 90, and Charles Vockey, Watkins chief of staff. No specific date has been set for the meeting.
Lot 90, adjacent to Watkins, is a yellow-sticker parking area that includes meters for students and visitors who do not have permits. People without yellow stickers who visit Watkins must use the metered spaces or risk being ticketed.
Since last summer, 375 meters
have been removed from the lot to create more spaces for people with yellow stickers, said Donald Kearns, director of the Parking Department.
The lot now has 19 meters, creating 38 metered spaces. People with yellow stickers cannot park at the metered spaces.
See PARKING. p.9
Yockey said the limited number of metered spaces was a problem for students who needed to visit Watkins.
Some patients now find parking difficult because of the limited parking.
"What good is it to have a student health service if the students aren't able to get to it," said Kyle Frisch, Bartlesville, Okla., junior.
1991 proposed budget won't have tax increase
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — President Bush yesterday prepared to send Congress a $1.23 trillion 1991 spending plan that his budget director said contained no general tax increase and which he predicted would be "criticized unfairly" on Capitol Hill.
With many details already known about the budget, which will be released today, Democrat lawmakers are complaining that it fails to address the deficit seriously and that its defense cuts are too timid.
"We're to start an annual ritual, which is regretful," Darman said on NBC-TV's "Meet the Press." "Our budget will be criticized unfairly. People ought to sit down and do serious work."
But White House Budget Director Richard Darman yesterday blasted what he said was "an awful lot of hypocrisy" and "posting" by lawmakers.
The spending plan, for the fiscal
year that begins Oct. 1, claims to reduce next year's shortfall by $3.5 billion, cutting it to $63.1 billion, according to budget documents obtained by The Associated Press. Bush is seeking a total of $1.23 trillion in spending and $1.17 trillion in revenues.
The savings include $13.9 billion in minor new taxes and fees, $600 million of which the administration will cover this year, the documents show.
Also proposed will be cuts in defense and domestic programs including energy conservation efforts and Medicare, the documents and officials who spoke on condition they not be identified have indicated.
Democrats say Bush's budget relies on unrealistically optimistic assumptions about economic performance, such as the spending plan's expected estimate that the economy will grow by about 2.6 percent this year.