Student injured in fall

A Kansas University student was injured early Sunday when he fell from a third-floor apartment balcony, Lawrence Police said.

Blake Swenson, 20, a resident at Colony Woods Apartments, 1301 W. 24th St., was taken by air ambulance to KU Med, where he was in serious condition Sunday night, a nursing supervisor said.

Police and medical crews were called to the apartment complex about 3 a.m., Police Sgt. Susan Hadl said.

Swenson was trying to crawl from one third floor balcony to another when he fell, Hadl said.

Police were investigating the possibility alcohol was a factor in the incident.

Swenson is listed in the most recent KU directory as a Lawrence sophomore.

Firefighters collecting for disease fund

Douglas County firefighters will be out over Labor Day weekend again this year collecting money in the fight against muscular dystrophy.

Firefighters from Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical, Baldwin and Lecompton fire departments will be at various intersections asking people to contribute to the “Fill the Boot” campaign.

Last year local firefighters raised a total of $9,766 for the Missouri Valley Chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Assn.

All of the funds raised will assist local children and adults with muscular dystrophy by providing visits to Kansas University Medical Center, Kansas City, Kan., purchases and repairs of leg braces and wheelchairs and a children’s summer camp program.

Holiday weekend travel expected to decrease

AAA Kansas expects concerns about the economy and early school starts to cause a decrease in travel for Labor Day weekend.

“The expected decline in Labor Day travel this year will be minimal and AAA expects travel to rebound for the traditionally busy Thanksgiving and Christmas periods,” AAA Travel Vice President Sandra Hughes said.

In all, 32.7 million Americans plan to take a trip this holiday, down slightly from 33 million last year.

Of those traveling, 27.5 million are expected to drive, while 3.8 million plan to fly, down from 27.6 million and 4.1 million, respectively, last year.

AAA Labor Day travel projections are based on a national travel survey of 1,300 adults by the Travel Industry Assn.

Substance abuse conference scheduled in Kansas City

Kansas City, Mo. A three-day seminar, “Spirituality: The Foundation of Recovery,” will take place Sept. 3-5 at the Marriott Downtown Hotel, Kansas City, Mo.

The conference will feature interactive workshops, presentations and exhibits on topics such as the stigma of addiction, faith-based prevention programs, and drug-withdrawal and violence prevention.

The registration fee is $95 and includes breakfast and lunch, conference materials, 16 contact hours from the Missouri Substance Abuse Counselor’s Certification Board and 1.6 continuing education hours from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

For more information or to register, contact Committed Caring Faith Communities by Aug. 26 at (314) 951-1033.

71-year-old accused of killing family members

Belton, Mo. A 71-year-old man was charged Sunday with killing his wife and son-in-law and wounding his daughter during a dispute at the home they all shared, police said.

Kenneth W. Hunter of Belton was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated assault with a weapon and three counts of armed criminal action. He was being held Sunday on $500,000 bond.

Belton police allege Hunter fatally shot his wife, Ramona, 63, and his son-in-law, Eduardo R. Ruvalcaba, 33.

Hunter’s daughter, Felicia M. Ruvalcaba, 24, was recovering from a gunshot wound at hospital Sunday night. The injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, police said.

Belton is located in Cass County, about 15 miles south of Kansas City.