Lawrence Journal-World 12-26-12

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CHRISTMAS FEAST

APPETIZERS A SNAP

Community dinner serves hundreds Lawrence & State 3A

Chefs serve up simple party recipes Food 10A

L A W R E NC E

JOURNAL-WORLD ®

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Burglaries decline after summer spike By Shaun Hittle sdhittle@ljworld.com

ONLINE: See a map of where burglaries were reported at LJWorld.com

During the summer, Lawrence police urged residents to safeguard their homes following a rash of home burglaries.

Burglars were brazenly sneaking into or breaking into homes all over the city while residents slept. In May, June and July, such crimes averaged about one per day. But police records show the crimes have slowed down since. Police reported 93 aggravated

home burglaries between May 1 and July 31, but just 45 from August to the end of October. Lawrence Police Sgt. Trent McKinley said the decrease is probably the result of several factors, such as intense media coverage and heightened public awareness. That’s led to residents taking more precautions,

and criminals being scared off by increased police presence. “I don’t think there are too many people out there who haven’t heard about it,” McKinley said. Police and prosecutors have also been able to arrest and convict several people who were suspected of committing nu-

merous burglaries this summer. For instance, police arrested a trio of teen burglars — Markcus Sanders, Cody Barnes and Ronnie Taylor — who were all convicted of several burglaries and were suspected in more that couldn’t be proven. Then there’s Ronald K. Please see BURGLARIES, page 2A

Oases of quirkiness make cut for ‘Home Strange Home’ Schools on front line of digital revolution ——

Pilot program to test ‘open-source’ learning material By Peter Hancock phancock@ljworld.com

Mike Yoder/Journal-World Photos

NICK SCHMIEDELER HAS A YARD AND HOUSE decorated with junkyard treasures and assorted collections of kitschy stuff. Schmiedeler’s home will be one of two Lawrence residences featured on upcoming episodes of HGTV’s “Home Strange Home” show.

2 Lawrence residences attract HGTV attention By Sara Shepherd sshepherd@ljworld.com

There is a euphonium hanging from a tree in front of Nick Schmiedeler’s house. What’s stranger is that this euphonium is barely noticeable among all the other objects dangling from the same tree, and the tree next to it. And arranged beneath the trees. And affixed to the front porch. And — keep walking — lining both side yards and filling the back. Cast-iron bathtubs, sewing machines, license plates, a bicycle with fan blades for wheels, a massive concrete pod, an animal bone on a chain, a muffler (is that what that is?) — they hang, perch, peek and tower like wild creatures in a

STRANGE HOMES

Two Lawrence residents are expected to be featured on HGTV’s “Home Strange Home.” Nick Schmiedeler and his “Kansas Rust Cottage” are slated for episode 108, which is tentatively scheduled to premiere at 11 p.m. Jan. 27, according to representatives of HGTV. Randy Walker’s “Museum of Odd” is slated for episode 107, which has yet to be scheduled. crowded wood. A strange place to call home, indeed. Schmiedeler, who lives at 710 Missouri St., is one of two Lawrence residents scheduled to be featured on upcoming episodes of Please see HOMES, page 2A

INSIDE

Brrrr Business Classified Comics Events listings

High: 25

OLD TRICYCLES ADORN one of the trees at Schmiedeler’s house, 710 Missouri St.

Low: 11

Today’s forecast, page 10B

6A 1C-6C 8C 2B, 10B

Food Horoscope Movies Opinion

Move over MP3s, Kindle and Wikipedia. The next digital revolution that will shake up the powerful publishing industry is about to take place, and it’s coming to a school near you. Starting with the new semester in January, Lawrence public schools will begin pilot testing a new Webbased tool that, among other things, will allow teachers to dispense with traditional hardbound textbooks and replace them with “opensource” learning material. That is, digital media that can be copied and distributed for free, without copyright or royalty restrictions, as long as it’s used for classroom educational purposes. “I think this is a gamechanger, I really do,” said Adam Holden, Lawrence’s assistant superintendent for teaching and learning. “I think the free, open-source availability of really good materials changes the game completely. Our students now have the ability to access information which is, quite frankly, staggering.” If the pilot tests go as planned, and if voters approve an upcoming bond issue that includes funding for districtwide technology upgrades, Holden said the district could be ready to deploy the new system throughout the district within two or three years. Last week, Holden gave a presentation to the board of Please see SCHOOLS, page 4A

Cancer breakthrough? 10A Puzzles 7C Sports 4A Television 7A

7C 1B-9B 2B, 10B, 7C

Vol.154/No.361 28 pages

A Wichita State University scientist is testing a possible breakthrough to understanding how cancer spreads through metastasis, which could lead to new treatments. Page 3A

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