Scam warning issued for Columbia charities

Kansans should be wary of telephone solicitations seeking money for charitable causes related to the Columbia space shuttle tragedy, Kansas Atty. Gen. Phill Kline said.

A growing number of reports have surfaced nationwide about phone and e-mail scams tied to the shuttle disaster. So far no such scams have been reported in Kansas.

Kline offered these tips:

• When solicitors call, always ask that information be mailed to you.
• Don’t be pressured into donating.
• Never give credit card, bank account or Social Security numbers to anyone on the phone.

Consumers can check out charitable organizations before making contributions either by going online at www.kscharitycheck.org or by calling the Kansas Secretary of State’s Office at (785) 296-4564.

If you think you’ve been victimized by a scam call the attorney general’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-432-2310.

Courts: Trial set for suspects in death of KU student

The trial for a woman and two men accused in the killing of Kansas University student Shannon Martin will begin March 20, a Costa Rican prosecutor said Friday.

Prosecutor Erick Martinez said he had new evidence in the death of Martin, who was 23 when she was killed in May 2001 in the southern Costa Rican town of Golfito.

Martinez declined to give any other details about the case until after the trial begins.

Last week, KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway wrote to the president of Costa Rica, urging authorities to bring Martin’s killers to justice.

Martin was stabbed to death while walking from a bar to her host family’s home in Golfito. She had participated in a study abroad program in the country in 2000 and returned one week before she was to graduate to gather more specimens of a tree-dwelling fern she was researching.

Those accused in Martin’s death are Kattia Cruz, Rafael Zumbado and Luis Alberto Castro, all of Golfito.

Recreation: Eudora City Council to consider pool plans

Eudora — Members of the Eudora City Council are asking for public input before putting financing plans for a new $2.5 million water park up for a public vote this spring.

Monday night, council members will consider putting two pool-financing issues on the April 1 ballot.

One would ask voters to allow the city to spend up to $2.5 million to build the new pool at the site of the city’s existing pool in Lucy Kaegi Park.

The other would ask voters to approve a half-cent sales tax increase to generate about $1.67 million over 20 years, leaving property taxes to cover the remainder of the pool’s cost.

Monday’s meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Eudora City Hall, 4 E. Seventh St.