Apartment patio fire may be result of arson

Lawrence Police were investigating a possible arson Saturday at Jefferson Commons, 2511 West 31st St.

The fire started about 4 a.m. on the patio of building No. 10, but it was put out by residents, according to Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical. The incident was not reported until about 11 a.m.

The incident caused an estimated $200 in damages. No other details were available Saturday night.

County commission will meet Monday

The Douglas County Commission will meet at 9 a.m. Monday at the county courthouse to consider approval of commission orders, approval of Out-District College Tuition Statements in the amount of $24,000, and approval of a beer license for Jerkwater Grill.

The commission’s regular agenda will include presentation of the Kansas Advisory Group Award to Youth Services.

State historical group sponsors essay contest

A group dedicated to preserving Kansas history wants to know why high school students like the state.

The group, the Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas, is sponsoring a contest, offering a prize of $200, for essays of 250 or fewer words. The theme is, “Kansas! Say It Above a Whisper.”

The group says entries must be postmarked by Jan. 6. The winner will be announced at its annual banquet in Topeka on Jan. 24. Entries will be turned over to the Kansas State Historical Society.

Contest entries should be sent to the Native Sons and Daughters at 1100 S.W. Belle Ave., Topeka 66604-2043.

Volunteers sought for daytime shelter

Volunteers are needed at the Salvation Army’s daytime warming shelter.

The shelter gives people a place out of the cold from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Officials would like to extend those hours so shelter could be offered from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and all day on weekends.

Volunteers would likely be needed no more than four hours a month.

To volunteer, e-mail Steve Ozark at oztalent@aol.com, or telephone him at 841-5335.

Lawrence residents get humanities grants

Two Lawrence residents will receive grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Patricia Graham and Fiona McLaughlin each will receive a $40,000 stipend for nine months to a year of research.

Graham’s topic is Japanese Buddhist devotional imagery and sacred sites from 1600 to the present. McLaughlin plans to translate Boubacar Boris Diop’s “Murambi, Le Livre Des Ossements,” a book about Rwandan genocide, from French to English.

The prizes were among 167 research fellowships totaling $6.1 million for scholars announced Tuesday by the NEH. They also announced $7.9 million for 28 challenge grants at institutions and $459,304 in grants to historically minority colleges.