Special-needs population to discuss tornado issues

People with disabilities and their families will have a chance to talk about problems they encountered because of the May 8 tornado.

The tornado inflicted heavy damage in Lawrence, including at the Aberdeen South Apartments, 4700 W. 27th St., shown above.

The meeting will be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. July 23 at Raintree Montessori School, 4601 Clinton Parkway. The meeting is sponsored by Kansas University Research and Training Center on Independent Living and Douglas County Emergency Management.

To request a reasonable accommodation in order to attend the meeting or schedule transportation, call Independence Inc. at 841-0333 by July 16.

Douglas County

Commission to consider budget, quarry, dogs

Tonight Douglas County commissioners will get a chance to sign off on a proposed 7.2 percent boost in the county’s property-tax rate.

Commissioners meet at 6:35 p.m. at the county courthouse, 1100 Mass., to wrap up work on three issues developed and discussed in recent weeks. Commissioners are scheduled to consider:

• Approving their proposed $45.5 million budget for publication, in preparation for a formal public hearing Aug. 13.
• Settling details of a permit to allow for expansion of a quarry southeast of Eudora.
• Approving a resolution to prohibit possession of vicious dogs in the county; the new rules then would go to officials in Lawrence, Baldwin, Eudora and Lecompton for consideration.

Commissioners also are scheduled to discuss a petition involving a requested expansion of Douglas County Rural Water District No. 4, and to recognize volunteers who helped victims of a May 8 tornado that struck southwest Lawrence.

Atchison

Water main breached; boil order still in effect

Damage to a water main left Atchison residents without drinking water for nearly 24 hours.

Workers for J.D. Excavating were installing a 6-inch water main Monday when they accidentally cut into a 24-inch water main pipe, causing the city to immediately close down its water plant.

The pipe, which draws water from the Missouri River, is the only source of water for Atchison residents.

The damage was repaired by 3 a.m. Tuesday, said Mike Mathews, a project manager, and water was available to customers by noon Tuesday.

However, residents were told to boil their water before consuming it Tuesday because it contained more chlorine than normal. The boil order was expected to remain in effect through Friday.

The contractors were working on Atchison’s $4.2 million riverfront development and using outdated maps.

The community scrambled to cope. Tuesday, Atchison Hospital rescheduled surgeries, and the Alps Grocery Store sold out of its supply of bottled water.

Entertainment

City band to perform popular movie scores

Music from “Superman,” “Citizen Kane” and “Gone With the Wind” will be among tunes the Lawrence City Band plays tonight at its “Movie Magic” concert.

The performance begins at 8 p.m. at the South Park gazebo.

Robert Foster will conduct the concert. Other selections also on the program include: “The William Tell Overture” by Giacomo Rossini; music from “Exodus” by Ernest Gold; “The Great Waldo Pepper March” and “Mancini Magic” by Henry Mancini and “The Florentiner” by Carl Teike.

Lawrence City Band concerts are sponsored by the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department.