Power outage blamed on burned transformer

An underground transformer burned out Sunday afternoon, causing Westar electrical customers to lose power in northwestern Lawrence, a company spokeswoman said.

The power went out about 12:15 p.m. in an area near Sixth Street and Kasold Drive and was restored at 5:19 p.m., said Karla Olsen, Westar senior media relations manager. About 140 customers were affected, she said.

“These transformers are working 24/7 and sometimes they just break,” Olsen said.

Nature photographer promoting new work

Bob Gress, one of the state’s top nature photographers, will be in Lawrence on Wednesday to sign copies of his new book, “Faces of the Great Plains: Prairie Wildlife,” published by the University Press of Kansas.

The book-signing session begins at 5 p.m. in the Oread Bookstore at the Kansas Union.

Gress, an avid birdwatcher, is director of the Great Plains Nature Center in Wichita. His photographs have appeared in “Kansas Wildlife,” “Watching Kansas Wildlife,” and “Kansas Wetlands,” all University Press of Kansas books, and several magazines.

Audubon society to sell winter birdseed

Jayhawk Audubon Society’s early winter birdseed sale will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday outside Douglas County Senior Services, 745 Vt. Sale items will include bird feeders, field guides and earth-friendly books.

Proceeds from the sales will support ongoing conservation and education projects.

Education

Area schools compete in quiz tournament

Teams from Baldwin, Oskaloosa, Perry-Lecompton and Williamsburg high schools will participate in the High Q academic competition Saturday at Washburn University in Topeka.

The contest tests students’ knowledge of topics such as art, literature, history, math and science.

Teams earning the top 16 scores will advance to the finals. The televised High Q competition will air on Sunflower Broadband Channel 13 from late January to early May and will be re-broadcast on KTWU, Sunflower Broadband Channel 11.

Baldwin team members are Jeff Hill, senior; Ellen Schroer, junior; Neela Sandal, senior; Jason Mock, junior; and Lynne Lammers, sophomore. Carl Brooks is the coach.

Oskaloosa team members are Coby Tenpenny, junior; Emma Willis, junior; Josh Bellinger, senior; Vince Newman, senior; and Terra Farmer, junior. Kathy Saving is the coach.

Perry-Lecompton team members are Bart Solbach, junior; Ben Bowman, senior; Amiee Varner, senior; D.J. Zimmerman, senior; and Kassandra Williams, senior. Erin Doeden is the coach.