Assault reported at felling

Emotions at the felling of the “Borders tree” might have gone a bit too far for one protester.

William Scranton, 22, Lawrence, filed a report with Lawrence Police claiming that a woman, who was not identified, had assaulted him.

Scranton said the woman slapped him after he called her son a name. The son was helping to saw off parts of the elm tree at Eighth and Rhode Island streets.

“The police officer said he did not see anything,” Scranton said. “I don’t think that’s likely.”

A police spokesman said Friday evening no officers had seen the incident but said a report had been filed and would be passed on to Municipal Court.

Scranton said he was arrested Thursday night after chasing away someone who was throwing bricks at the tree and that the situation did not seem fair.

“When I myself get assaulted, they turn their backs,” he said.

He was listed on the Douglas County Jail log as having been arrested Thursday for aggravated assault, assault and criminal damage to property.

Election: Bond issue ad in error

An advertisement that has a photograph of Lawrence school board member Austin Turney and has him endorsing the proposed $59 million school bond issue incorrectly says money from the bond will improve Pinckney School.

Under the bond plan, improvements would be made at 15 district buildings. But the list doesn’t include Pinckney, which was expanded with funding from a previous $16.6 million bond.

The ad appeared in Saturday’s Journal-World.

Turney said the confusion probably stemmed from when he recently commented to somebody about how Pinckney benefited from the 1998 school bond issue. He also said he didn’t proofread the ad before it went into the paper.

“Somebody was in error,” he said. Turney, who isn’t up for re-election, was part of the 6-1 majority on the school board who agreed to put the bond before voters.

On Tuesday, voters will decide the $59 million bond and elect four school board members.