Legislature: Research bill advances for Senate consideration

Topeka A Senate committee Thursday endorsed increasing a $110 million research bond proposal to $123 million. Members also approved adding $7 million in operating funds for an aircraft lab in Wichita.

The research measure will probably be considered by the full Senate next week.

Under the bill, $110 million would be used to help build a biomedical center at Kansas University, food-safety lab at Kansas State and engineering center at Wichita State.

At the request of the aircraft industry, the Senate Ways and Means Committee added $13 million in bonds to buy equipment for the National Institute for Aviation Research lab at WSU. Committee members also said they would provide $7 million to NIAR over a four-year period starting in mid-2003.

Sen. Stephen Morris, R-Hugoton, chairman of Ways and Means, said the research bill was one of the most important pieces of legislation being considered during the legislative session.

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Death: Lenexa resident dies while vacationing in Virgin Islands

Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands A Kansas man died of heat stroke while taking a walk in St. Thomas where his cruise ship was docked, a medical examiner said on Thursday.

Robert Olsen, 54, an assistant U.S. attorney from Lenexa, was visiting the Caribbean island aboard the Carnival Triumph on Tuesday.

His wife, Terry, told police Olsen left Tuesday morning to take a walk, and she called police when he failed to return that evening. Temperatures reached 85 degrees (30 degrees Celsius) that day.

Olsen’s body was found early Wednesday near a road east of Charlotte Amalie, police spokeswoman Annette Raimer.

St. Thomas medical examiner Dr. Francisco Landron found no signs of trauma and no indications of any disease that could have killed Olsen. With no other possible causes, Landron ruled Olsen died of heat stroke. Landron said Olsen had been hiking on a steep trail under a hot sun.

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Accident: Legislator’s son electrocuted

Springfield, Mo. The son of a prominent Kansas legislator was electrocuted while doing flooring work at an underground storage warehouse in southwest Missouri.

Kevin Neufeld, 37, died about 9:45 p.m. Wednesday at Dairy Concepts in Springfield, officials said. Neufeld was the son of Republican Rep. Melvin Neufeld of Ingalls, in southwest Kansas.

The younger Neufeld owned Doores Neufeld Co., a flooring business in the Kansas City suburb of Blue Springs. His company was doing some remodeling work for Dairy Concepts, which leases a temperature-controlled warehouse at Springfield Underground Inc., officials said.

Neufeld apparently was electrocuted when he unplugged a 480-volt cord to a piece of equipment, Springfield Police spokesman Kirk Manlove said.

Neufeld lived in Lee’s Summit with his wife and two daughters, ages 11 and 8.

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Pump Patrol: Journal-World seeks the lowest gasoline prices

The Journal-World has found a Lawrence area gasoline price as low as $1.23 at several North Third Street stations.

If you find a lower price, please call us at 832-7154. Be prepared to leave the name and address of the business and the price. Or go to www.ljworld.com/section/ gasoline to join our Pump Patrol message board.