Crime
Burglars take ketamine from animal hospital
Jasmine Cox, 8, left, and Brittany Young, 9, hope for a soft landing as they fall backwards while leaning on a mat at the Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence. The two girls were enjoying Tuesday afternoon at the youth center, 1520 Haskell Ave.
An undetermined amount of ketamine, an anesthetic used in animal medical procedures, was stolen during a burglary at the Animal Hospital of Lawrence, police said Wednesday.
The theft occurred sometime between 6:30 p.m. Monday and 7 a.m. Tuesday. An unknown number of suspects apparently threw a cinderblock through a rear window at the business, 701 Mich., to gain entry, police said.
Once inside the business, the suspects stole two containers of ketamine, valued at about $30. Ketamine, which hospital officials said is commonly used as a painkiller for various medical procedures, is also a powerful illegal drug that often looks like cocaine and can produce effects similar to PCP or LSD.
No animals were injured during the burglary, hospital officials said.
A vacant apartment above the hospital also was burglarized, police said. No thefts apparently occurred there.
Environment
Youths lobby lawmakers for clean water guarantees
Topeka About a dozen children roamed the Capitol Wednesday, lobbying lawmakers to vote against a bill that would eliminate environmental protections on some streams.
Carrying signs that read "Kansas Kids for Clean Streams," the children visited the offices of all 40 senators and dropped off bottles with a clean water message inside.
If the bill is passed, said Andrew Kreigh, 11, Lawrence, "The government won't care about what will be put in the water."
He and his brother, Christopher "Bubba" Kreigh, 8, and their aunt, Joanne Bergman, made the rounds in the Capitol, but said they didn't meet many senators, as most were either in committee meetings or gone for the day.
The trip was organized by Friends of the Kaw.
The bill, opposed by environmentalists and state pollution regulators, was put together by agricultural interests and has been approved by a Senate committee. It would create a new process for the state to reclassify streams for pollution control. Environmentalists say it will loosen restrictions on many streams and rivers in the state.
Kansas University
Engineering school associate dean to resign
Tom Mulinazzi, associate dean of the Kansas University School of Engineering since 1992, will step down from the position this summer.
Mulinazzi said he wanted to return to full-time teaching in the department of civil and environmental engineering. KU officials plan to launch an internal search to find his replacement.
Education
Two Haskell students to receive awards for essays
Haskell Indian Nations University students Toni Tsatoke and Carlene Morris will each receive $500 awards today from the National Native American Law Enforcement Assn.
Tsatoke's and Morris' essays on how law enforcement officers can reduce crime and improve life within the Indian community were judged two of the 10 best in the nation.
NNALEA officials will present the awards during a 9:30 a.m. ceremony today in the Presidents Room at Stidham Hall.
Morris, a Cherokee, and Tsatoke, a Kiowa and Cherokee, are both juniors in HINU's elementary education program. Both are from Oklahoma.
Earlier this week, Tsatoke was named HINU's Student of the Year in competition sponsored by the American Indian Higher Education Consortium, a group representing 32 Native American colleges.
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