Bulldozer catches fire

A bulldozer caught fire Monday while performing construction near Wakarusa Valley School south of Lawrence.

Lt. Chris Moore of the Wakarusa Valley Fire Department said the bulldozer operator was pushing burning limbs into a pile. Some caught underneath, causing the vehicle to catch fire.

Activism: Anti-war vigils will continue, planner says

Weekly peace vigils will continue at the Douglas County Courthouse despite last week’s U.N. resolution to reintroduce weapons inspectors to Iraq.

Allan Hanson, coordinator of the Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice, said coalition members agreed Sunday to continue sponsoring the vigils.

“While the U.N. resolution is a hopeful sign, many of the demonstrators are not convinced that the (Bush) administration has abandoned its plan to oust Saddam Hussein by force, and to do so unilaterally if other nations refuse to join us,” he said in a press release. “Otherwise, why do we keep hearing news reports about a continuing U.S. deployment of military force to the region and descriptions of the battle plan?”

As many as 300 demonstrators have gathered at noon Saturdays at the courthouse at 11th and Massachusetts streets for the vigils.

Kansas university: Student hospitalized after two-story fall

A 19-year-old Kansas University student was in fair condition Monday at a Kansas City, Kan., hospital after falling early Sunday from a McCollum Hall window.

Vanessa Buess, Wichita, was sitting on the window ledge in a friend’s fifth-floor room when she apparently slipped, falling two stories to a lower structure, according to the KU Public Safety Office.

Although conscious, she was taken to the Lied Center parking lot and transported by air ambulance about 7:15 a.m. to KU Med.

The public safety office said it was investigating whether alcohol or marijuana was involved.

Community Aid: Applications accepted for holiday assistance

Low-income families interested in receiving assistance through the holiday Adopt-a-Family program still have time to apply.

Applications are available at:

• Ballard Community Center, 708 Elm St., 842-0729;
• Douglas County ECKAN, 1600 Haskell Ave., 841-3357;
• Douglas County Senior Services, 745 Vt., 842-0543;
• Pelathe Resource Center, 1423 Haskell Ave., 841-7202; and
• Penn House, 1035 Pa., 842-0440.

Most agencies will accept applications through late November.

People interested in providing assistance during the holiday season may also contact one of those agencies or call 842-0440 for more information.

Last year more than 500 Douglas County families received holiday assistance.

Higher Education: KU student president to speak at KSU rally

Jonathan Ng, Kansas University student body president, will be among the speakers at a rally for higher education tonight at Kansas State University.

“Pack the Library Night: Rally for Higher Education” will begin at 10 p.m. with a gathering outside Hale Library on the KSU campus. A program will begin at midnight on the library’s second floor.

The rally was organized by KSU’s Student Senate.