Student suspended for possessing knife

A 12th grader at Lawrence High School was suspended last week for possessing a knife on school grounds.

LHS Principal Steve Nilhas said he wasn’t involved in the investigation of the male student, but said the knife was discovered while administration was dealing with other discipline issues involving the student.

There was no altercation involving the knife and the school resource officer was notified, but no police report was necessary because no laws were broken. The student violated only school rules, Nilhas said.

He said a disciplinary hearing involving the student would be held later this week. Nilhas said school administration would ask the disciplinary board to expel the student for one year, which is the maximum punishment. But he said the disciplinary committee members make decisions on a[ case-by-case basis.

Last year, one LHS student was expelled for having a weapon on school grounds, Nilhas said. That student wasn’t expelled for a full year.

DUI patrol finds dozens of violations

Lawrence Police arrested four people for drunken driving, issued 37 speeding tickets, and found one minor in possession of alcohol during a DUI “saturation patrol” that began Thursday night.

Six officers and one sergeant from the department’s traffic unit were assigned to the citywide patrol between 11 p.m. Thursday and 3 a.m. Friday.

They issued 18 citations for moving violations and seven for seatbelt violations. They also arrested two people driving with suspended licenses.

Dick Cheney arrives for Kobach event

Kansas City, Mo. (ap) — Republican congressional candidate Kris Kobach is hoping a visit from the vice president will give his campaign a boost.

Vice President Dick Cheney arrived Monday afternoon in Kansas City. He met with Kobach, his wife, Heather, and the couple’s 10-month-old daughter after leaving the plane.

Cheney will appear today at a breakfast for Kobach in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park.

Kobach, who narrowly defeated Adam Taff in the Aug. 3 primary, is trying to unseat three-term Rep. Dennis Moore in the 3rd District. Moore is the only Democrat in Kansas’ congressional delegation.

Kobach said the breakfast event has already helped his campaign raise more than $200,000.

Three faculty members receive Kemper awards

Three more Kansas University faculty members were surprised Monday with Kemper Fellowships for Teaching Excellence.

The faculty members, who were presented during their first day of classes for the fall semester, will receive $5,000 each.

Monday’s winners were Danny Anderson, professor and chairman of Spanish and Portuguese; Monica Biernat, professor of psychology; and David Cateforis, associate professor of history of art.

Eight faculty members were presented Kemper awards Thursday, and nine more will be presented between today and Sept. 22.

The fellowships, in their ninth year, are funded by the William T. Kemper Foundation.