Slaying suspect denied reduction in bond

A suspect in the killing of 21-year-old Quincy M. Sanders appeared in court on Thursday and asked a judge to lower his $500,000 bond.

Tremain V. Scott, 21, Overland Park, told Judge Paula Martin he wanted a bond he could afford because he has a daughter and wants to provide for her.

Martin denied the request and scheduled a preliminary hearing on the second-degree murder charge for April 3.

At the hearing, Scott’s attorney will be able to cross-examine the state’s witnesses, and Martin will determine whether there’s probable cause to support the charge.

Another suspect in the case, Corey Terrell Robinson, 22, Topeka, remained at large Thursday.

KU students honored for sports writing

Two Kansas University journalism students recently placed in the top 20 for sports writing in the Hearst Journalism Awards Program.

Ryan Wood, a senior from Lee’s Summit, Mo., tied for 12th place for his story “Home Alone,” which dealt with low attendance at KU Olympic sporting events.

Doyle Murphy, a senior from Baldwin, placed 18th for his story “Spirit of the Beast,” about live mascots kept at Big 12 schools.

Both stories ran in the University Daily Kansan last year.

Barbecue encourages meatless diet

Animal Outreach of Kansas will celebrate the 19th annual Great American Meatout from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday at the South Park gazebo.

The cook-out will serve free vegetarian hot dogs and hamburgers, barbecue smoked tofu, cheesecake, cookies and soda starting at 12:30 p.m. Live bands will perform at the event, and someone in a cow costume will parade down Massachusetts Street to bring in patrons.

The Meatout started in 1985 and is coordinated by Farm Animal Reform Movement, a nonprofit public interest organization in Washington, D.C. The day is meant to promote a plant-based diet and educate the public about alternatives to meat.

Arts center presents children’s concert

Jim Cosgrove and the Hiccups of Kansas City will play a concert to help raise money for the Lawrence Arts Center’s arts-based preschool scholarship fund.

The show will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Arts Center, 940 N.H.

Cosgrove and his band perform song and dance aimed at children. He recently released his fourth album, “Pick Me! Pick Me!” His re-release of the album “Mr. Stinky Feet” earned him a national Parents Choice Award in 2002.

The arts-based preschool, which began in 1985, offers children the opportunity to learn through the arts and creativity, providing those opportunities through music, sculpture, drawing, painting and dancing.

Tickets are $5 and may be purchased at the Arts Center.

Upward Bound program seeking students

Representatives from a Kansas University program that offers assistance for college-bound high school freshmen and sophomores are seeking 15 new participants for the program.

Leaders of Upward Bound, which is available to students in Lawrence, Topeka and Kansas City, Kan., have scheduled three public meetings for prospective members. They are:

• 6:30 p.m. March 28 in Suite 300 of the Educational Opportunity Center, 1111 SW Gage Blvd. in Topeka.
• 6:30 p.m. March 31 in Suite 103 of Gateway Tower II, 400 State Ave. in Kansas City, Kan.
• 6:30 p.m. April 1 in 305 Joseph R. Pearson Hall on KU’s Lawrence campus.

To be eligible, students must demonstrate academic potential, have at least a 2.0 GPA, want to attend college, meet U.S. Department of Education family income guidelines or have parents who did not receive a college degree.

Students receive year-round mentoring and attend an intensive summer institute at KU. For more information, call Patti Fugitt or Vincent Edwards at 864-3415.

KU quartet sings during commercial

Four Kansas University seniors were featured Thursday during a television commercial aired during KU’s first-round NCAA basketball game.

The group — Random Harmony — sings part of KU’s alma mater in the background of a 30-second spot promoting KU. It aired twice during the game on Topeka’s WIBW-TV, Sunflower Broadband Channel 13, and on KWCH-TV in Wichita.

Members of the group are Dustin Peterson, Douglass; Josh Abel, Eudora; Shaun Whisler, Olathe; and Michael Brown, Perry.