Follow-up: Lightning victim still in fair condition

Traci Pillard, the Kansas University student struck by lightning Thursday, remained in fair condition Friday at KU Med in Kansas City, Kan.

A hospital spokesman said he expected Pillard, right, to remain hospitalized for several days.

Pillard, a 21-year-old senior from Salina, and her family also continued to deny requests for media interviews Friday. They said a Thursday interview with the Salina Journal by her mother, Patty Pillard, was the only statement they planned to make.

During that interview, Patty Pillard said, “I just told (Traci), ‘What a way to get out of classes.’ She just laughed at me. She was kind of choked up. As far as we know, she is going to be all right.”

Traci Pillard was walking about noon Thursday near Potter Lake when a nearby sycamore tree was struck by lightning. Authorities believe the bolt also hit her.

Construction projects: Architects sought for research facilities

The committee charged with overseeing new bond-funded research facilities on three Kansas university campuses will meet next month to select architects for the projects.

During a meeting Friday at Kansas State University, the panel heard presentations from Wichita State University, Kansas University and Kansas State officials about planned uses for the buildings, which were approved this spring by the Legislature.

The building at the KU Medical Center campus in Kansas City, Kan., will be for life science research. KSU’s will be for food safety research and Wichita State’s will be for aviation research.

Committee members plan to meet Sept. 16 in Topeka to review architects and discuss issuing bonds.