Autographed basketball to aid in autism fight

A basketball autographed by Kansas University basketball players will be auctioned on eBay to help raise money for the fight against autism.

The auction will take place during the first week in August, with proceeds going to Unlocking Autism, a nationwide nonprofit organization to promote awareness on Autism.

Autism has become known as the “silent epidemic,” said Mandy Commons, the Kansas representative for Unlocking Autism. Nationwide, one person out of 150 people suffers from autism, she said. Ten years ago it was one person out of 10,000.

The basketball was donated by Jock’s Nitch Sporting Goods, 837 Mass. Players from KU’s 2002-2003 Final Four team signed the ball.

Environmental advocacy

Activist group launches anti-pollution campaign

A grass-roots effort has been launched by members of a statewide environmental and consumer rights advocacy group.

About 20 members of United States Public Interest Research Group have been going door-to-door and speaking with Lawrence residents about the Bush administration’s Clear Skies Initiative. Environmental groups , including U.S. Public Interest Research Group, claim the plan will allow twice as much smog and soot pollution and three times more mercury pollution from power plants than now occurs.

The group is asking residents to sign petitions, call their representatives in Congress and join its effort.