City briefs

Nebraska fans greeted with tire slashings

Nebraska fans who spent Friday night in Lawrence hotels got a rude awakening Saturday morning.

Many of them discovered tires had been slashed on their vehicles.

Lawrence Police said they had at least 25 tire-slashing incidents reported to them, mainly from people staying at the Lawrence Holidome, 200 McDonald Drive, and Ramada Inn, 2222 W. Sixth St.

“We are very sorry to hear that several of our guests from Nebraska had their cars vandalized at various area hotels last night,” KU athletic director Lew Perkins said. “The few individuals who committed these senseless acts are not true Kansas fans, and certainly do not represent in any way the legions of outstanding fans that support KU.”

Honors

Free State students place high at Math Day

Three Free State High School students earned top spots at the 2003 Math Day competition last week at Washburn University.

Ivan Sheu received first-place individual honors in the senior category, and his brother Alan Sheu earned second place in the same category. Kyle Chauvin earned second-place individual honors in the nonsenior category.

The three took first place in the 5A/6A team competition.

More than 400 students from 25 Kansas high schools competed in the event Tuesday. Awards were based on scores earned in a competitive test.

Ivan and Alan are the sons of Jing-Ping and Albert Sheu, and Kyle is the son of Keith and Teresa Chauvin.

Kansas University

Former ambassador to speak on democracy

A former Slovakia ambassador to the United States will speak Wednesday at Kansas University.

Martin Butora, ambassador from 1999 until earlier this year, will speak on “Elections and Democracy in East Central Europe: How Democracy Was Saved in Slovakia” at 12:30 p.m. in the Walnut Room at the Kansas Union.

His wife, Zora Butorova, with whom he co-wrote “The Parliamentary Elections and Democratic Rebirth in Slovakia,” also will speak at the brown bag luncheon.

Butora is honorary president and director of foreign policy studies at the Institute for Public Affairs in Bratislava, Slovakia. He also is co-founder and leader of Public Against Violence, the leading Slovak movement against communism.

Butora also served as adviser to Slovak President Vaclav Havel for human rights from 1990 to 1992.

KU’s Office of International Programs is sponsoring the visit.