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2 parents arrested at store Nick Krug/Journal-World Photo
LAWRENCE ARTS CENTER director Susan Tate and Lawrence Mayor Bob Schumm talk about plans to acquire the property owned by The Salvation Army at 10th and New Hampshire streets. The center wants to raze the building and create an outdoor space for art and performances.
Arts Center seeks to buy Salvation Army building By Chad Lawhorn clawhorn@ljworld.com
Nick Krug/Journal-World Photo
LAWRENCE POLICE HANDCUFF A MAN Wednesday in the parking lot of Walmart, 550 Congressional Drive. The man and a woman face multiple counts of child abuse and endangerment after officers discovered two children bound and blindfolded in the family vehicle.
Children reportedly bound, blindfolded A customer called police after she noticed what appeared to be a child, whose hands were bound, standing outside the vehicle. The child also was blindfolded.
By George Diepenbrock gdiepenbrock@ljworld.com
Lawrence police on Wednesday arrested a Northlake, Ill., couple after officers discovered two children bound and blindfolded in the family vehicle that contained three other children. The older Chevrolet Suburban with no plates was parked at Walmart, 550 Congressional Drive, and about 11 a.m. a customer called police after she noticed what appeared to be a child, whose hands were bound, standing outside the vehicle. The child also was blindfolded. Police eventually surrounded the vehicle, which was on the west end of the parking lot. An adult man was detained near the vehicle af-
ter he resisted officers. “A Taser was used when the adult male was actively resisting arrest,” McKinley said. A woman was taken into custody inside the store without incident. The man and woman, who police believe are the children’s biological parents, were arrested on two counts of child abuse and five counts of endangering a child, McKinley said. The man also was arrested on a
charge of felony obstruction. Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson said prosecutors would review information in the case to make a decision about filing formal charges. The Journal-World generally does not identify suspects unless they are formally charged. Initially at least three of the five children refused to leave the vehicle, and the two younger children, ages 5 and 7, were taken into protective custody. Then at 11:45 a.m. three teenagers left the vehicle and got into cars with investigators. The five children involved are ages 5 to 15, and police were working with Kansas Social and Rehabilitation Services employees about protective custody for the children. McKinley said Wednes-
day afternoon police think the 5-year-old boy and 7-year-old girl had their hands bound and were blindfolded. Medics examined people at the scene, but no one was taken to the hospital. Officers also were examining the vehicle, which had sheets covering the windows, the sergeant said. Police think the family members were traveling from North Lake, Ill., to Arizona when they experienced car trouble on Interstate 70 and had been in Walmart’s parking lot since Monday evening. A Walmart spokeswoman said Wednesday afternoon the store was cooperating with Lawrence police, including reviewing surveillance video and turning it over to officers.
The Lawrence Arts Center wants to buy and raze the downtown Salvation Army building to make way for new outdoor arts and performance space. Arts leaders are seeking about $1 million in city funding to make the project happen. “We’re imagining a space that is open and green and alive for creativity,” said Susan Tate, executive director of the Arts Center. Lawrence Mayor Bob Schumm said the city is close to finalizing “a right of first refusal” that would put the city in position to purchase The Salvation Army building at 946 N.H. A deal hasn’t been struck, but Schumm thinks the city can purchase the Please see ARTS, page 2A
It’s Flag Day!
KU wants $30 million for new medical building By Scott Rothschild srothschild@ljworld.com
TOPEKA — Kansas University is seeking $30 million in state funds to build a new medical education building. The total cost of the facility, which will be built at the KU School of Medicine in Kansas City, Kan., is expected to reach $75 million. KU says it will provide $30
million in private funds and revenue bonds, and use $15 million from a medical resident FICA refund. “This re- Gray-Little quest reflects our efforts to increase the stature of the medical
rent medical education building, which opened in 1976, is too small, outdated and doesn’t meet standards required by the school’s accrediting body. Its classrooms are designed for lecRichard Gwin/Journal-World Photo tures rather than modern small-group learning. CODY CUMMINGS, OF LAWRENCE, raises the Stars and The School of Medicine has Stripes on Wednesday in preparation for today’s proposed increasing the class observance of Flag Day. Congress introduced the size of its current Kansas City nation’s new flag, featuring 13 white stars and 13 Please see KU, page 2A stripes — one for each state — on June 14, 1777.
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school,” Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little said in a letter to the Kansas Board of Regents. The board will consider the proposal June 21, along with specific funding requests from all public institutions of higher education. The board will finalize its budget request to Gov. Sam Brownback by October. KU officials say the cur-
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A leading figure in the community’s efforts to promote equal rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender population has filed to run for a seat on the Lawrence City Commission. Page 3A
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Vol.154/No.166 20 pages