State and local briefs

Witness’s refusal leads to dropped murder charge

Kansas City, Kan. — A man arrested in January and charged in a Wyandotte County homicide case was freed Friday after the charges were dropped.

A spokesman in the Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office said a witness had refused to testify against Mark McGee, 31, Kansas City, Kan. McGee was charged with first-degree murder in the Nov. 28 shooting death of a Gladstone, Mo., woman.

McGee was the subject of an intensive manhunt when a joint police and FBI task force tracked him to Lawrence. He was arrested during the early-morning hours of Jan. 24, after officers found him sitting in a car outside the Virginia Inn, 2903 W. Sixth St. The FBI said it thought McGee had been staying at the motel.

Charges also were dropped against a second suspect arrested a few days earlier in Kansas City, Kan.

Schools

LHS assistant principal to retire at year’s end

A longtime Lawrence public school administrator will retire at the end of the school year.

Willie Amison, assistant principal at Lawrence High School since 1997, has been with the Lawrence district since 1971. Prior to working at LHS, he was principal at Kennedy, East Heights and Riverside schools, and taught at Kaw Valley and Pinckney schools.

Amison said he had yet to decide his plans after retiring.

“My intent is to remain involved with young people in some capacity,” he said.

The school district immediately will begin a search for Amison’s replacement.

Media

Discussion to center on online news reporting

If you watch 6News, read the

Journal-World and use their Web sites, we want to hear from you.

The World Company and Associated Press Managing Editors are conducting a roundtable discussion April 12 to find out what you think of cooperation among the television station, newspaper and online. Do we effectively offer the news and information you want, the way you want to receive it?

The discussion is set for 7 p.m. at the East Lawrence Center, 1245 E. 15th St.

If you are interested in participating or want more information, contact 6News Director Cody Howard at 832-6321 or by e-mail to choward@sunflowerbroadband.com.

Breakfast to benefit epilepsy research

First Watch Restaurant, 2540 Iowa, will offer customers free omelets from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Customers are encouraged to donate the price of the omelet to Alliance for Epilepsy Research through the Pilot Club of Lawrence. Additional donations also will be accepted.

All donations are tax deductible and will go toward epilepsy research, much of which is done at Kansas University Medical Center. The research will benefit the 1 percent to 2 percent of the population that suffers from epileptic seizures.

Gasoline prices

Pump Patrol seeks deals

The Journal-World has found Lawrence-area gasoline prices as low as $1.67 at Citgo, 2005 W. Ninth St.; Zarco 66, 900 Iowa; Hillcrest Amoco, 914 Iowa; Presta Phillips 66, 602 W. Ninth St.; and Site Service Station, 946 E. 23rd St. If you find a lower price, report it to the Pump Patrol at 832-7154.