Grinch pays visit to motel parking lot

Plans for a happy holiday for a man visiting his three children in Lawrence were dashed Wednesday afternoon when his car — its trunk filled with Christmas gifts for the youngsters — was taken from the parking lot of the Days Inn, 2309 Iowa.

Jomain Rouser, 30, had come to Lawrence to celebrate Christmas with his sons, 5-year-old twins and an 8-year-old. Rouser splits his time between living in Michigan and Lawrence.

He had left his car, a charcoal-gray 2000 Toyota Camry, running in the parking lot, with the driver’s-side door slightly open, to return to the hotel for his luggage.

When Rouser went back out to his car a moment later, it was gone — along with his children’s gifts in the trunk.

After the theft, Rouser said he plans to stay in Lawrence at least one more day, though he isn’t sure how he’ll explain to his children why they won’t be getting any Christmas gifts.

Rouser filed a report with Lawrence Police, who are investigating the incident.

Senator announces academy nominees

Sen. Pat Roberts nominated two area residents to U.S. service academies. Joshua Farr, Ottawa, was nominated to go to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and Dan Lemm, Leavenworth, was nominated for the Military Academy in West Point, N.Y.

Nominees were chosen by the Academy Screening Board based on interviews, written applications, grade-point average and standardized test scores. Academies will decide which nominees will be accepted for the class entering June 2003 this spring.

Roberts will accept applications in March for classes entering in June 2004. They should be sent to Karin Wisdom at the senator’s Wichita office, 155 N. Market, Suite 120, Wichita 67202.