Second statue in series now at Burcham Park

A new statue, “The Roamer,” was delivered Wednesday morning to Burcham Park as the second part of what will be a three-statue installation called “Keepers of the Universe.”

The first statue contained human figures. The statue delivered Wednesday is a depiction of a buffalo  a reference to the “where the buffalo roam” line in the Kansas state song, “Home on the Range.”

Above, Mary Weisert gives a thumbs up to Donny Weisert and artist Elden Tefft on the placement of the sculpture.

“The Roamer” will be dedicated at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 5 at the park, Second and Indiana streets.

Crime

D.A. awaits reports in hit-and-run fatality

Charges still were pending Wednesday in the hit-and-run death of a Lawrence social worker.

Heather Coulter, 24, died Tuesday after being struck by a car the night of Sept. 18. She had gotten out of her stalled car at 19th and Iowa streets, Lawrence Police said.

Douglas County Dist. Atty. Christine Kenney said it could be the end of the week at the earliest before a decision would be made about charging a 17-year-old girl who was driving the car that struck Coulter.

Kenney is waiting for police to forward their investigative information to her office for review.

An autopsy report also is being prepared by the Douglas County Coroner. The autopsy was to be performed Wednesday.

Coulter worked with foster children at The Farm Inc., an agency that works with the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services.

Police arrested the girl driving the vehicle shortly after the incident. She was later released pending charges.

Education

KU cited 28th best value among public universities

Kansas University ranks 28th among the “best values” in public colleges and universities in the October edition of Kiplinger’s magazine.

The business magazine weighed schools’ 2002-2003 tuition and other costs against such “quality” standards as student-to-faculty ratios and average SAT and ACT scores.

The only Big 12 school with a higher ranking was the University of Missouri-Columbia at 26th. Kansas State University was ranked 72nd on the list.

KU also was one of nine universities named a best bargain for out-of-state students, with an average yearly cost of $17,092.

KU recently was among 21 public “best buys” listed in The Fiske Guide to Colleges. But that ranking included tuition figures from 1999-2000, before the latest tuition increases.

Election Day

Volunteers needed for Kids Voting project

More than 450 volunteers are being sought to assist with the Election Day Kids Voting program.

Roger Hill Volunteer Center, 2518 Ridge Court, is seeking residents of Douglas County to volunteer at 60 polling places to assist children casting Kids Voting ballots.

Kids Voting is a nonpartisan, national program designed to prepare children to be lifetime voters.

In 2000, more than 5,000 students in Douglas County cast ballots.

Individuals, groups, business organizations and families can volunteer for the Nov. 5 election. Volunteers will staff Kids Voting tables, hand out ballots and tally results.

There will be three shifts: 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

For more information, contact the Roger Hill center at 865-5030.