LAWRENCE&STATE
LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD LJWorld.com/local Saturday, May 12, 2012 3A
BRIEFLY
BURGLARY
Residents warned to lock doors
Electronic recycling event slated for today The city of Lawrence is hosting an electronic recycling event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. today in the parking lot at Free State High School, 4700 Overland Drive. Items accepted include computers, printers, copiers, scanners, fax machines, televisions, video equipment, cellphones and other small appliances. There is a $10 fee to recycle computer monitors and a $15 fee for televisions, payable by cash or check, though other products will be recycled at no cost. Items not accepted include paint, motor oil, pesticides, fluorescent bulbs and large appliances. The event’s goal is to properly dispose of hazardous materials often found in electronics equipment. The recycling will be performed by Extreme Recycling. For more information, call 832-3046 or visit LawrenceRecycles.org.
By George Diepenbrock gdiepenbrock@ljworld.com
Coffin Sports Complex. “Some of you are future leaders.” Per Haskell tradition, graduates provided a brief statement read when their names were called. Some expressed lofty plans, such as “world domination” and “saving the world,” while several others used the opportunity to wish their moms a happy Mother’s Day. But for the majority Please see HASKELL, page 5A
Please see POLICE, page 4A
Richard Gwin/Journal-World Photo
RANDI BEGAYE AND MONIQUE BURNSIDE, who is Miss Haskell, get ready to lead the commencement procession Friday for Haskell Indian Nations University.
Haskell awards record number of degrees at commencement
KU researcher wins $410K science award A Kansas University researcher is a recipient of the National Science Foundation’s Faculty Early Career Development Award. So-Min Cheong, an assistant professor of geography, will use the five-year, $410,000 award to further her research on how people and communities adapt to environmental change, according to a statement from KU. The award recognizes outstanding junior faculty members who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars. Cheong has been on the faculty at KU since 2005, serving in the geography department and in the KU Institute for Policy and Social Research.
Lawrence police are warning residents to lock doors and secure windows at night after a man apparently entered two homes early Friday as residents slept inside. Sgt. Trent McKinley, a Lawrence police spokesman, said officers and detectives were still investigating both burglary cases in which the man apparently entered unlocked back doors in southwest Lawrence. The first one was reported at 1:23 a.m. in the 4700 block of Ranch Court, west of Clinton Parkway and Inverness Drive. The second one was reported minutes later about a block and a half to the southwest in the 4800 block of West 25th Street, near 24th Street and Wakarusa Drive. McKinley said police think the two crimes are related. They have not yet released a
By Shaun Hittle sdhittle@ljworld.com
Friday’s Haskell Indian Nations University’s Spring Commencement was a family dream come true for graduate Lois Stevens. Both of Stevens’ parents, Ernie and Cheryl, graduated from Haskell, as did her two sisters and two brothers. All also played basketball for the school. When Stevens accepted her American
Indian Studies degree Friday morning at the Coffin Sports Complex, she became the latest in her family legacy at Haskell, which actually began with her grandmother, who attended in the 1930s. “Everyone was waiting for me,” Stevens joked. “It’s a huge load off my shoulders.” Stevens, who plans to take a little break and then look at graduate schools, was one of 81 Haskell students receiv-
ing bachelor degrees Friday, while 106 students received associate’s degrees. It was the most degrees awarded in the school’s 128-year history. Haskell President Chris Redman’s message to the graduating class was clear: Celebrate your accomplishments and reflect on your time at Haskell. But look ahead. “Indian country needs you,” said Redman to a full house at
SATURDAY COLUMN
Economic council sounds good on paper, but is it smart? By Dolph C. Simons Jr.
Generally speaking, one of the important ingredients of a growing, forward-looking, prosperous community, no matter what its size, is a solid chamber of commerce, or some organization with the mission of promoting and championing the economic development of the community. Over the years Lawrence has had a checkered history of various degrees of success in the leadership and success of its chamber of commerce. Sometimes it’s been a matter of the level of leadership and commitment of those who have served as members of the board of directors. Sometimes it’s been a matter of who has been the president or manager of the chamber and other times the level of success of the chamber has been determined by officials in City Hall and those serving as city commissioners. Lawrence seems to be continually involved in the growthno growth debate, the involvement of various neighborhood
groups, and now groups or individuals who grade the excellence of the soil adjacent to the city to determine whether industry or manufacturing should be allowed to build on specific sites. Now there is serious discussion about changing the historic role of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce. Chamber officials have hired a new president and CEO. Greg Williams is a “certified economic developer” who has compiled an impressive record in Missouri and headed the Springfield Chamber for 15 years. This has prompted a small group of city, county and chamber officials to propose a significant change in the role of the chamber and creation of a new “Joint Economic Development Council.” The chamber would be relegated to taking care of the usual and/or traditional chamber functions such as ribbon-cutting ceremonies, membership drives and making sure Christmas season lights are on up and down Massachusetts Street. The real
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heavy lifting would be placed in the hands of the new Economic Development Council — even more specifically in the hands of a three-person executive committee composed of the Lawrence city manager, the county administrator and the chamber CEO.
COMMENTARY They would be supported by an economic council to supervise a separate budget (from both private and public funds) to pay for Council efforts; make budget requests from both the city and county, and to recommend economic development policies. Those on this committee would include representatives from KU, the chair of the chamber, a city commissioner, a county commissioner, someone from the local bioscience and business technology program at KU, and three representatives from the business community appointed by the chamber CEO.
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Administrators from Eudora and Baldwin City would serve as nonvoting members. Looks good, sounds good and appears to be politically correct and safe. But it obviously is designed to neuter the chamber of commerce and place the real power in the hands of the new council’s executive committee. And inasmuch as city managers and county administrators serve at the pleasure of city commissioners and county commissioners, it still will be members of the City Commission and County Commission who will be making the decisions. Also, it is interesting to note some of those in the proposed senior and power positions also played a significant role in past years in turning down major industries, companies and/or employers who wanted to come to Lawrence to provide jobs, attract retail customers to Lawrence and add to the city’s tax revenues. It is hoped the chamber’s new president and CEO is a great success and can play a signifi-
cant role in getting Lawrence back to its position of leadership in the state in attracting new business, new industry, new residents and re-energizing the city. But how will the new development council deal with the long-standing and obviously powerful neighborhood groups and others who have opposed healthy growth and development in past years? This is a particularly interesting question when some of those who will be serving in major positions in the new joint economic development structure have not been champions of past efforts to attract and bring solid retail and industry to the city. Have they changed their colors in order to assume an even more powerful position? Will politics at the city and county level continue to determine Lawrence’s future? Best wishes to Greg Williams. Lawrence needs to regain its position as a progressive, visionary leader and a great place to live, work and play.