Police investigate discovery at surgery

Police say Lawrence Memorial Hospital officials recovered what is believed to be a controlled substance from a person’s body during surgery.

The incident happened Feb. 16, but a report wasn’t released publicly until Tuesday. Police aren’t classifying the case as a criminal investigation because they haven’t yet received lab reports to confirm what the substance is, said Sgt. Mike Pattrick, a police spokesman.

Pattrick declined to provide any more details of the incident or say from whom the substance was taken.

According to news reports, a common method of smuggling illegal drugs is to put the drugs into a container such as a balloon and swallow it. At times, the container bursts and people must receive medical treatment.

Pattrick wouldn’t confirm, however, that this was such an incident.

Students stay on the T

The Lawrence City Commission on Tuesday approved continuing a program that has brought more Kansas University students onto city buses.

Starting last fall, KU students were able to purchase stickers for their KU on Wheels pass that also allowed them unlimited rides on the T. The city sold more than 300 stickers, which cost $20 for the year.

Karin Rexroad, the city’s transit administrator, said more than 15,000 rides on the T between August and March were attributed to the sticker program.

The 2004-2005 sticker price will be $25 for the year, or $15 per semester.

Red Cross sets blood drive Thursday

A blood drive will be conducted Thursday by the Douglas County Chapter of the American Red Cross.

It will start at noon and continue to 6 p.m. at First Christian Church, 1000 Ky. No appointment is necessary. All blood types are needed.

McDonald’s restaurants in Lawrence are partnering with the Red Cross in sponsoring a store-to-store challenge between their restaurants, with the top donor store receiving a traveling trophy.

Ottawa rally to show backing for U.S. troops

Ottawa — A rally to show support for U.S. troops in Iraq is set for Saturday at the Franklin County Veterans Memorial in downtown Ottawa.

The rally, scheduled for 11 a.m., will feature guest speakers James Butler and Scott Wasser. They are the fathers of Army Sgt. Jake Butler, Wellsville, and Marine Lance Cpl. Christopher Wasser, Ottawa, who were killed in action in Iraq.

Also speaking will be Roger LaRue, a retired Marine.

Baker’s Relay for Life scheduled for Friday

Nearly 400 people are expected to participate in Baker University’s Relay For Life this week.

The event, which begins at 7 p.m. Friday at Liston Stadium, aims to raise $25,000 for cancer research, education and programs for patients.

Baker is fielding 14 of the 25 teams involved. The rest are from the Baldwin community.

The Relay for Life includes an opening ceremony featuring speeches by cancer survivors and entertainment throughout the 12-hour event.

‘River City’ explores marketing inventions

Bioscience and Kansas University’s efforts at bringing laboratory discoveries to the marketplace are the subjects this week on “River City Weekly.”

Chancellor Robert Hemenway discusses KU’s efforts in the biosciences, and Jim Baxendale, KU’s division of technology transfer and intellectual property director, discusses the work of bringing inventions to the marketplace.

Val Stella, distinguished professor of pharmaceutical chemistry, talks about such efforts at the Higuchi Biosciences Center’s Center for Drug Delivery Research and CyDex.

“River City Weekly,” hosted by Greg Hurd, premieres on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6 at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays with replays at 9:30 p.m. Wednesdays, 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Fridays, 9 a.m. Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Mondays, and 10 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays.