Bromelsick party planned

“The Chemistry of Christmas” will be the theme of this year’s annual Bromelsick Christmas Party.

The 51st annual party, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Lied Center at Kansas University, is for children and their families involved in 4-H, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts.

Kansas State University chemistry students – members of the Beta Rho chapter of the Alpha Chi Sigma fraternity – will perform chemistry experiments to entertain the crowd.

Above, Jennifer Baer, left, of Girl Scout Troop 634, Lawrence, helps Vince Delaghder fire up his act at a past Bromelsick party.

The party was established by the estate of Alfred Bromelsick, a local businessman, when he died in 1950.

Crime: Police investigate tips about Friday’s beating

Lawrence Police on Monday were following up on information called in to a crime tip line concerning Friday’s beating of a man outside a bar.

There were no arrests, however, and no new information to release to the public, Sgt. Mike Pattrick said.

Shortly before 2 a.m. Friday, Jeff Medis, 28, was found unconscious on the sidewalk outside Replay Lounge, 946 Mass. He had been beaten and suffered head injuries, police said.

“We do appreciate calls to TIPS, and they are being followed up,” Pattrick said. He declined to say how many calls had been received.

Meanwhile, Monday Medis’ sister, Lisa Hunt, of Oklahoma City, said she filed a report with the FBI.

Anyone with information can call Douglas County Crime Stoppers at 843-TIPS (8477). Detectives can be reached at 830-7430.

Schools: Superintendent supports district consolidation

Consolidation of Kansas public school districts is a good idea, the Lawrence superintendent said Monday, but he doesn’t expect the state’s politicians to agree.

“Any kind of movement in that direction has been pretty much resisted by the Legislature,” Supt. Randy Weseman said.

The Pratt and Manhattan school district superintendents are advocating that the state’s 303 school districts reorganize. They say regional education districts could be created by collapsing smaller districts into ones covering larger areas.

Weseman said Monday he didn’t expect lawmakers in Topeka to do much with the suggestion from Pratt and Manhattan. After all, he said, legislators ignored a 2001 study that urged consolidation of 50 districts.

“That pretty much should tell you what the message is,” Weseman said. “Past behavior says it’s just too political for them.”

Lawrence district: Schools without heat for part of morning

Students at South Junior High School and Broken Arrow School dealt with cold temperatures Monday morning – in the classrooms.

A piece of equipment malfunctioned on the boiler serving both schools at 27th and Louisiana streets.

It took a couple of hours to generate enough heat and bring temperatures at the schools back to normal.

Tom Bracciano, the district’s director of facilities and operations, said an engineer’s report six years ago indicated the boiler and its piping network should be replaced.

The Lawrence school board’s proposed $59 million bond issue, which goes before voters in April, contains money for construction of a new South Junior High School.