Heatwave

Record amount of water drawn from Kaw, Clinton

The triple-digit temperatures are pushing the city’s water department to new heights.

Officials said that on Monday the city drew the highest amount ever from the Kansas River and Clinton Lake — 27,716,000 gallons. The old record was 27,433,000 gallons on Aug. 28, 2000.

Lawrence treated its second-largest amount of water ever on Monday — 25,102,000 gallons. The record remains 25,142,000 gallons, also set on Aug. 28, 2000.

Heatwave, Part II

Hot weather causes KU to cancel picnic

Hot weather has prompted Kansas University officials to cancel what was supposed to be the first University Picnic.

The event had been scheduled for 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. today on the Lied Center lawn. It was to precede a student convocation, which begins at 8 p.m. at the Lied Center.

The picnic was part of Hawk Week, the series of events surrounding the start of fall classes at KU. Classes begin Thursday.

Drought

Burn ban begins today in Baldwin

A weeklong burn ban goes into effect today for Baldwin residents.

The Baldwin City Council approved the ban Monday at request of Fire Chief Allen Craig. It will be extended another week if, come next Wednesday, there’s still been no rain, he said.

Craig said he asked for the ban after his department and the Palmyra Township department fought a 15- to 20-acre grass fire Sunday and Monday on the city’s outskirts. Departments countywide have been fighting similar fires this week, he said.

Douglas County Commissioner Jere McElhaney he thought fires were being caused by people throwing burning cigarettes from cars — not by rural residents burning debris.

Nevertheless, McElhaney said he supported a countywide burn ban until precipitation picked up.

Health

Bat bites KU student

A bat bit a Kansas University fraternity member on the finger early Tuesday morning at the Kappa Sigma house, 1045 Emery Road.

The bat apparently flew through an upper-level window and made its way into the house’s formal living quarters about 12:10 a.m. Tuesday.

Fraternity members swung rolled newspapers at it in unsuccessful attempts to knock it down, and when it landed in a corner, Pat Renk, 20, a junior from Lenexa, trapped it and put it in a plastic bag.

“Nobody wanted to touch it,” he said. “I was the only one that was willing to grab the bat.”

Before Renk could close the bag, the bat stuck its head out and bit him on the left pinkie, leaving two pin-sized punctures. Another fraternity member then clapped the bag with his hands to subdue the bat, injuring but not killing it, a police report said.

Renk was treated at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. The bat was euthanized, and its head was sent to a Kansas State University lab for rabies testing, Renk said.

State government

Abuse-reporting hot line back to 24-hour service

Topeka — The state’s hot line to report child and adult abuse and neglect is operating again around the clock.

Earlier this year, the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services reduced the hours of operation of the hot line after a round of budget cuts. But concerns that instances of abuse were not being reported drove state officials to come up with the money needed to staff the hot line 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The toll-free number is (800) 922-5330.