FORMER JAYHAWK EMBIID MAY HAVE REAL SHOT AT ALL-STAR GAME. 1C Alan Diaz/AP File Photo
THE LATE ACTRESS-AUTHOR CARRIE FISHER WAS ‘LOVED BY THE WORLD.’
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Affidavit: Bragg stood still as girlfriend allegedly hit him against a wall with his head down and his hands in his pockets, according to a newly released arrest affidavit in the case. Initially Bragg was arrested and charged with battering the 19-year-old woman, Saleeha Soofi.
By Conrad Swanson cswanson@ljworld.com
When his girlfriend accused him of cheating on her and began to get physically violent, University of Kansas basketball player Carlton Bragg Jr. stood
However, the charge against him stemming from the Dec. 9 incident was soon dropped. A single charge of battery was then filed against Soofi on Dec. 14. During a Delta Upsilon fraternity party on Dec.
9, Soofi pulled Bragg, 21, into a stairwell and the two argued, according to the arrest affidavit filed in Douglas County District Court. The two were dating, the affidavit says, and “previously agreed they would not
date other people,” but “Soofi learned Bragg was being unfaithful to her.” An arrest affidavit is a document filed by police explaining the grounds for an arrest. Allegations
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State senator: STAR bonds idea still needs vetting
THE MENORAH BURNS near the Lawrence Public Library skating rink after a lighting ceremony Tuesday.
Jewish pride in Lawrence was on full display Tuesday during the city’s annual menorah lighting event at the public library
Means of paying for $70M rec center at Clinton Lake remains largely unsettled By Elvyn Jones ejones@ljworld.com
The economic development incentive tool that could finance a proposed outdoor activity center at Clinton Lake will get a hard look in the coming legislative session, the state senator who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee said. Earlier this month, Jeff Wise, Plei managing principal, was part of presentations to the Lawrence City Commission and Douglas County Commission regarding Plei’s proposed development of a $70 million outdoor recreational center at Clinton Lake State Park. Wise said the outdoor recreation center planned for the undeveloped Campground No. 2 on the western portion of the state park would share the same features as Plei’s U.S. National Whitewater Center near Charlotte, N.C. Those include a manmade whitewater rafting and kayaking facility, zip lines, rock climbing, a trail system, outdoor amphitheater, restaurants, beer garden and conference center. But even Plei officials concede that figuring out how to pay for such a large project is an issue that is unsettled. State officials, including Gov. Sam Brownback, have championed the idea of using STAR bonds, a type of special taxing district that would allow the project to keep large amounts of state and local sales taxes generated at the development. > BONDS, 6A
Mike Yoder/Journal-World Photos
ABOVE PHOTO: RICHARD RENNER, as Judah Maccabee, lights the “tallest menorah in Lawrence” Tuesday during the Chabad Center for Jewish Life Community Menorah Lighting and Chanukah Celebration, an annual Hanukkah gathering in downtown Lawrence that also includes food and music. LEFT: RABBI ZALMAN TIECHTEL addresses a crowd gathered for the annual event.
KU Libraries offering buttons that display preferred gender pronouns By Sara Shepherd sshepherd@ljworld.com
Sara Shepherd/Journal-World Photo
BUTTONS FEATURING PREFERRED GENDER PRONOUNS are part of the University of Kansas Libraries “You Belong Here” marketing campaign. L A W R E NC E
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A number of University of Kansas Libraries employees now wear buttons showing their preferred gender pronouns. Extra buttons are offered for students who want one, too. “Because gender is, itself, fluid and up to the individual,” a posted sign at the libraries explains. “Each person has the right to identify their own pronouns, and we encourage you to ask before assuming someone’s gender. Pronouns matter!
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Misgendering someone can have lasting consequences, and using the incorrect pronoun can be hurtful, disrespectful, and invalidate someone’s identity.” The buttons are part of KU Libraries’ “You Belong Here” marketing campaign, targeted at attracting undergraduates and making sure they feel welcome, including those who are transgendered, library leaders said. There are three versions of the square-shaped “My pronouns are” buttons: “He him his,” “She her hers” and, for people who don’t identify themselves as male or
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female, “They them theirs.” Library employees can choose whether they want to wear them, said Rebecca Smith, KU Libraries executive director of communications and advancement. She said there are extra buttons available at some library counters, and KU Libraries has reordered at least once to keep up with demand. “We’ve told all of our front-line employees, if a student asks, give them a button,” Smith said. Those “front-line” employees at the circulation
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