Psychology professor wins HOPE Award

The senior class of Kansas University has bestowed the HOPE Award on a psychology professor who studies hope.

Rick Snyder, who has taught at KU for more than three decades, received the Honor for an Outstanding Progressive Educator award Saturday at the KU-Iowa State football game. Snyder, 58, above left, also won the award in 1991.

Chancellor Robert Hemenway, right, and the senior class officers, presented the award, which includes a small cash prize, during halftime. Seniors have chosen a HOPE winner annually since 1959.

Snyder attributes his success with students to Stephen Ilardi, associate professor of psychology and one of this year’s six other HOPE finalists.

“He’s helped me see that students are the most important part of what we do,” Snyder said. “The information we teach is just the menu for giving them ideas about how to question their own lives and problem solve.”

Other finalists were Cynthia G. Akagi, assistant professor of health, sport and exercise sciences; Robert G. Carlson, professor of chemistry; Chico Herbison, instructor in African and African-American studies; Jeffrey Lang, professor of mathematics; and Tom Volek, associate professor of journalism.

Investigation

Authorities clear scene where slain woman found

After a weeklong investigation, Douglas County Sheriff’s officers late Friday afternoon left the rural Lawrence property where a woman was found slain in her house.

Sheriff’s officers and Lawrence Police investigators had been working at the home of Carmin Ross-Murray, 1860 E. 1150 Road, since her body was found Nov. 14.

There have been no arrests and Sheriff Rick Trapp is not saying how the woman was killed or whether there are any suspects. Sheriff’s spokeswoman Lt. Kathy Tate said Saturday there were no new developments in the case.

Ross-Murray’s body was found after her fiance in California called the Sheriff’s Office, concerned because he could not contact her. In addition to following more than 120 leads, officers also stopped vehicles passing through the area to see if motorists had seen anything suspicious.

Anyone with information that might help investigators is asked to call detectives at 841-0007 or CrimeStoppers at 843-(TIPS).

Roads

Oskaloosa driver critical after one-vehicle wreck

Oskaloosa — An Oskaloosa woman was in critical condition Saturday after she was injured about 3:30 a.m. Friday in a one-vehicle accident in Oskaloosa.

Sharon A. Stumpf, 21, was northbound on Walnut Street in Oskaloosa when her vehicle crossed the center line, bounced over a curb, struck a utility pole and a tree before coming to a stop in a yard, Jefferson County Sheriff’s officers said.

Stumpf was taken by Life Star helicopter to University of Kansas Hospital, Kansas City, Kan.