Parks and rec offers free fall class sampling

The Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department is offering free classes the week of Sept. 2 to entice new participants.

The class exhibition is designed to let people test classes before the fall session, which begins the week of Sept. 8.

The exhibition includes classes in fitness, martial arts, children’s activities and other special interests. A complete list of classes can be found on the department’s Web site at www.lprd.org.

Registration is required and space is limited. Registration for the free sessions will be accepted only at South Park Recreation Center, 1141 Mass.

For more information, call the center at 832-7930.

Health

Vaccinations available before start of school

The Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department is reminding parents that children entering kindergarten must have a series of booster shots.

Vaccine shortages in past years also may have left older children short of the mandated immunizations, said Barbara Schnitker, director of nurses at the health department.

Kansas requires a series of diphtheria; tetanus and acellular pertussis; polio; and measles, mumps and rubella shots before entering public schools.

Health department immunization hours are:

• 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., 1 p.m.-8 p.m. Mondays.
• 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., 1 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesdays.
• 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., 1 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays.
• 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., 1 p.m.-7 p.m. Thursdays.

For information, call the department at 843-0721.

Lightner to join race for 3rd District seat

Overland Park — State Rep. Patricia Lightner next week will formally announce her candidacy as a Republican for Congress.

Lightner, third-term legislator from Overland Park, plans to challenge incumbent Rep. Dennis Moore, a Democrat, for the 3rd District U.S. House of Representative’s seat. Lightner will announce her bid during a news conference at 11:30 a.m. Thursday in the Farmers Market in downtown Overland Park.

Lightner will join two other Republicans vying for the seat: Adam Taff, a former Navy fighter pilot and unsuccessful challenger to Moore in 2002, and Kris Kobach, a law professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Most of the eastern half of Lawrence and Douglas County is included in the 3rd District, which also encompasses Johnson and Wyandotte counties.