Courts

Inmate charged in case of abducted nurse

A 22-year-old Douglas County Jail inmate has been charged with holding a nurse hostage last week inside the jail as he demanded his release.

Joshua J. Bourell, a transient, faces charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated battery and trying to escape from custody, according to jail records. He’s expected to make a first court appearance today.

The incident happened just before 8:45 p.m. Thursday as a 31-year-old nurse from the Douglas County Visiting Nurses Assn. was dispensing medication in the jail’s maximum-security pod. A jail sergeant was able to talk Bourell into releasing the nurse after a half-hour standoff, officials said.

He was in jail on charges that he pushed a manager and damaged property Oct. 16 at Meat Market, 811 N.H.

Emergency

Toddler kicked by horse

A 2-year-old Douglas County boy was recovering Wednesday at a Kansas City, Mo., hospital after being kicked in the chest by a horse Tuesday afternoon.

The incident happened about 4 p.m. at a home southwest of Eudora on North 1275 Road after the boy wandered away from a parent and crawled under a fence, said Lt. Ken Massey, a spokesman for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.

The boy, identified as Owen Platt, was taken by air ambulance to Children’s Mercy Hospital, where he was listed in fair condition Wednesday.

Higher education

Alumnus gives $75,000 for computer lab at KU

The first Kansas University student from China has donated $75,000 to KU’s Office of International Programs and the Applied English Center.

Mike Zheng, owner of Microtech Computers Inc. in Lawrence, and his wife, Dane, earmarked $25,000 of their gift to furnish a computer lab for the Applied English Center. The rest will be used as unrestricted funds for the Office of International Programs.

KU will recognize the Zhengs’ donation during the computer lab’s grand opening at 8:30 a.m. Monday in 226 Fraser Hall.