Burglars ransack barbecue restaurant

Vandals ransacked a downtown restaurant overnight Wednesday, causing hundreds of dollars in damage and forcing the business to throw out more than $1,000 worth of food.

Police said a suspect or suspects threw a tree stump through a glass door of Vermont Street BBQ, 805 Vt.

Employees said someone took brisket and ribs out of the refrigerators and threw the meat outside in the alley. Baked beans and pickles were smeared on the floor and windows, and every bag of potato chips was opened, chips strewn everywhere.

The business had to temporarily close Thursday morning, but was able to re-open in time for the dinner crowd.

“We threw out $1,000 worth of food just to play it safe because we didn’t know if it was tampered with,” said co-owner Shad Woodworth.

The owners of the business said nothing of value was taken. Police said they have no suspects.

Election 2002

Advance voting begins

Advance voting for the Nov. 5 general election is off to a strong start, said Patty Jaimes, Douglas County clerk.

As of late Thursday afternoon, 127 voters had cast ballots at the Douglas County Courthouse. Seventy-seven people had cast votes Wednesday.

Jaimes said her office had mailed out 2,500 ballots Wednesday to people who wanted to vote by mail. All mail ballots must be received at the courthouse by 7 p.m. Nov. 5. Advance ballots will be counted with other ballots cast at the county’s polling places on Election Day.

St. Patrick’s day

Parade committee seeks charity for 2003

The Lawrence St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee is accepting applications for the beneficiary of its 2003 fund-raising campaign.

This marks the 16th year a children’s charity will receive the money raised from all the St. Patrick’s Day events in the Lawrence area. Last year, the committee raised nearly $40,000 for Douglas County Infant-Toddler Coordinating Council, said St. Patrick’s Day Parade Chairman Philip Bradley.

Applications will be accepted until Nov. 15.

They are available at McDonald Chiropractic, 953 E. 23rd St.; Cottin’s Coast to Coast Hardware 1832 Mass.; and KLWN/KLZR 3125 W. Sixth St.

Lawrence

Energy conservation fair slated for Sunday

The city will sponsor its second annual Lawrence Home Energy Conservation Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Douglas County 4-H Fairgrounds, Building 21, 2140 Harper St.

The fair will feature speakers on sustainable design, ground source heat pumps, alternative fuel vehicles and energy conservation strategies.

This event is sponsored by the city’s Recycling and Resource Conservation Advisory Board; Aquila, Hughes Consulting Engineering PA., J. Stephen Lane Architect, Pilgrim Page Inc., Scott Temperature Equipment and Stitt Energy Systems Inc.

Campus governance

KU freshmen tap officers

Kansas University has announced the names of the newly elected freshman class officers.

Greyson Clymer, Prairie Village, was elected president; Ryan Patton, Wichita, was elected vice president; Jenni E. Fox, Topeka, was elected treasurer; and Whitney M. Ryan, Tulsa, Okla., was elected secretary.

Voting was last week.

Freshman class officers help organize Homecoming festivities, philanthropies and other university events.