Vigil commemorates Hiroshima anniversary

More than a dozen members of the Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice gathered downtown Wednesday to reflect on the 58th anniversary of the atomic bombing on Hiroshima, Japan.

The group has protested the continued existence of a U.S. nuclear arsenal for at least 15 years.

“There have been times over the last 15 years when people have been lackadaisical,” said Allan Hanson, the protest’s coordinator. “But the nukes are still sitting there … it’s a very serious problem.”

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Teen dies in accident near Overbrook

One teenager was killed and another injured in an accident early Wednesday morning at 17109 S. Stanley Road, just southeast of Overbrook in Osage County.

Amanda Cunningham, 15, Scranton, was driving south about 3:45 a.m. on Stanley Road when she lost control of her 1995 Dodge. The vehicle entered a ditch on the east side and rolled over twice, landing on its wheels facing northeast in the ditch.

Cunningham was pronounced dead at the scene. Passenger Terrance Thompson, 16, Carbondale, was taken to St. Francis Health Center in Topeka, where he was treated and released Wednesday.

Fund-raiser

‘Back to school’ concert to benefit open shelter

An all-ages “back to school” concert Sunday at a downtown club will benefit the Lawrence Open Shelter.

Performers will include The Gang of Hours, Gryphyn and Moire. Tickets will cost $5 at the door. All ticket-holders will automatically be entered in a raffle for goods and services from local businesses.

The concert, which was organized by Kansas University’s Effective Business Communications class, will raise money for the shelter at 10th and Kentucky streets. Shelter officials hope to open by the end of August.

The concert starts at 7 p.m. at The Granada, 1024 Mass.

Update

One driver injured in Tuesday I-70 wreck

A Florida man was injured Tuesday night when his tractor-trailer jackknifed on Interstate 70 west of Lawrence, the Kansas Turnpike Authority said.

Manuel Viera, 67, of Miami, was taken by Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical to Lawrence Memorial Hospital, where he was treated and released, according to a Kansas Turnpike Patrol report. The tractor-trailer was owned by North American Interstate Service, of Miami.

Viera was driving eastbound on the rain-slickened highway about five miles west of Lawrence when he lost control of the transport. The cab struck the concrete median barrier, bounced away and struck it again, coming to a stop on top of it, the report said.

Eastbound and westbound traffic was stopped for several minutes.

Several other accidents also occurred on the turnpike between Topeka and Lawrence, but there were no serious injuries. The accidents occurred after a thunderstorm dumped heavy rain on the area.