Governor’s decision due on KU-related proviso

Topeka — Gov. Kathleen Sebelius today will decide whether to veto a provision that would require that universities develop policies on using sexually explicit materials in human sexuality classes.

The proviso is aimed at Kansas University professor Dennis Dailey, who was accused by state Sen. Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, of showing pornography and making inappropriate comments in a human sexuality class. Dailey denied the accusations and a university investigation exonerated him.

Under the Wagle proviso, KU and other state-funded, post-secondary schools would have to develop policies for human sexuality courses on the use of sexually explicit materials and instruction about pedophilia and sexual harassment. The measure is part of the last budget bill approved by the Legislature.

Earlier in the legislative session, Sebelius vetoed a proviso by Wagle that would have withheld $3.1 million from KU if it had been determined that obscene videos were shown in the class.

Postal officials wary of Pepsi promotion

Be young, have fun — and correctly package those bottle caps.

With the debut of Pepsi’s promotional campaign “One in a Billion,” Lawrence Postmaster Bill Reynolds reminded customers Thursday that bottle caps must be properly packaged to be mailed.

The campaign requires participants to mail in up to 20 plastic bottle caps to enter the contest.

But if the caps aren’t packaged correctly, the U.S. Postal Service won’t be sharing “The Joy” of the soft-drink giant.

“Bottle caps need to be packaged in boxes or oversized padded bags to prevent damage to automated processing equipment,” Reynolds said. “Bottle caps must not be mailed in letter-sized envelopes, which would jam automated equipment and damage other mail as well as the machines.”

The postal service processes more than 181 billion pieces of mail per year.

“We depend heavily on our automated equipment and appreciate customer cooperation in keeping the equipment running,” Reynolds said.

Bush taps Kansan as political director

A Kansan will serve as President Bush’s next political director, the White House confirmed Thursday evening.

Deputy political director Matt Schlapp will take over for Ken Mehlman, an administration official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Mehlman recently left the White House to be campaign manager for Bush’s re-election campaign, an effort that began in earnest after Bush filed papers last week to seek a second term.

Schlapp, a former aide to Kansas Rep. Todd Tiahrt, was a regional coordinator for Bush’s 2000 campaign and joined the White House as Mehlman’s deputy in 2000.

Schlapp moved to Wichita at age 12 and spent summers giving tennis lessons with his mother, Sue, now a Wichita city councilwoman. Schlapp’s father died during his freshman year in college at Notre Dame. He received a master’s degree in public administration from Wichita State University.

New shower house to be unveiled at lake

A new shower house at Perry Lake is set to open just in time for Memorial Day weekend.

An informal ceremony is planned for 10 a.m. today, during which the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will accept the eight-shower building from Arrowhead Construction Co. of Overland Park.

Harold Stones, a Topeka congressional aid for Sen. Pat Roberts, is expected to attend, said Frank Funk, operations manager of the lake.

Both the shower house and four miles of road repair were made possible by federal funding supported by Roberts.

The roadwork, completed last fall, cost $945,000, and the shower house cost $360,000.

About 50,000 people are expected to visit the lake during the holiday weekend.