Lawrence briefs

Blood center offers ornament for donation

People donating blood at the Lawrence Community Blood Center will receive a holiday ornament through Dec. 17.

The blood center, at 1410 Kasold Drive, is especially in need of type O-negative blood, center officials said.

People wishing to donate must be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health.

The blood center is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to noon the first, third and fifth Saturdays of the month.

State office publicizes support of voting act

The Kansas Office of Native American Affairs has written a letter of support to President Bush for the Help America Vote Act. The letter asked the president to the fund the act for the fiscal years of 2003 and 2004.

The act was passed in 2002 and gave federal money to states to replace punch-card or lever ballots with updated systems.

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh also have written letters of support for the act to the president.

Tickets still available for Holiday Vespers

Tickets are still available for Holiday Vespers, Kansas University’s annual vocal and music holiday concert.

The show returns for its 79th year with two matinee performances at 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and an evening show at 7:30 p.m. Sunday. All performances are at the Lied Center.

The concert brings together singers and musicians from KU and the community. Among them are the KU Symphony Orchestra, the KU Symphonic Choir, KU Chamber Choir and the First United Methodist Church Celebration Ringers. Random Harmony, a noted men’s quartet, also will perform several pieces. The audience will be invited to sing during several selections.

Tickets are $12.50 for adults and $10 for students and children. They’re available at the Lied Center, 864-2787.

KU sets final exams

Kansas University has announced the following final examinations:

  • Chadin Rochananonda, economics, “Trade Liberalization and Government Finances in Thailand: A Computable General Equilibrium Analysis,” 1 p.m. Dec. 12, 102 Summerfield Hall.
  • Joshua Cooper, pharmaceutical chemistry, “Investigation of Substance P Metabolism and Transport by Liquid Chromatography with Tandem Mass Spectrometric Detection,” 1 p.m. Dec. 12, 100 Simons Biosciences Research Laboratories.