Police talk to student who sent death threat

A Kansas University music and dance instructor told police a student sent him an e-mail threatening to kill him if he gave the student an F in his music technology class.

The 19-year-old freshman student sent the e-mail about 11 a.m. Sunday, said Maj. Chris Keary of the KU Public Safety Office. After police interviewed the student, the 25-year-old instructor said he didn’t want to press charges, and police closed the case, Keary said.

Military

Guardsmen who enlist eligible for bonus

The Kansas National Guard is hoping that an increase in the monetary bonus it offers to enlistees will encourage more Kansans to join up.

The Adjutant General’s Department announced this week that it had tripled the bonuses for which many returning National Guardsmen would be eligible. Guardsmen who re-enlist, or who join the National Guard after prior military experience, will now receive a $15,000 bonus, up from $5,000.

New recruits without prior military experience will receive $10,000, up from $6,000.

The new bonus initiative will continue through September 2005.

Crime

KU student cited for window peeping

Kansas University police say they caught a Peeping Tom in McCollum Hall suspected of opening the curtain on a female student’s shower stall.

The victim, a freshman resident of McCollum Hall, said she was taking a shower about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in a communal bathroom on the 10th floor of the residence hall when a man opened the curtain.

Using a description given by the victim, police found the suspect, a 24-year-old KU student, minutes later in the building’s basement, where he works as an employee for a bookstore warehouse, said Maj. Chris Keary of the KU Public Safety Office. Officers cited the man for window peeping and gave him a notice to appear in court.

Christmas

Tree pick-up scheduled

City officials have designated three days that residents can set out Christmas trees on the curb for pick-up by trash crews.

Crews with the city’s Solid Waste Division will collect live-cut Christmas trees — not artificial trees — on Dec. 27, Jan. 3 and Jan. 10. All trees collected will be used for area wildlife habitat.

Residents are asked to set their trees out on the curb by 6 a.m. on any of the three days. People who use a Dumpster for trash collection are asked to put trees next to the Dumpster.

City officials also remind residents to remove all lights, decorations, tinsel and tree stands.

County confirms six cases of whooping cough

Local health officials are asking people to be aware of symptoms associated with whooping cough, also known as pertussis.

Kansas Department of Health and Environment officials continue to report an increase in cases of whooping cough across the state. Officials with the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department said Thursday that there are six confirmed cases of whooping cough and 18 likely cases of it in Douglas County.

Whooping cough is a highly contagious bacterial respiratory disease that is spread by sneezing or coughing.

Common symptoms include extended coughing spells followed by a “whooping” sound when a person breathes in. Vomiting also may occur after a coughing episode.

While young children can be vaccinated against whooping cough, there is no vaccine past the age of 7. But antibiotics can be used to treat the infection and relieve symptoms.

Scientists to study state’s water levels

Scientists with the Kansas Geological Survey are preparing to hit the road early next month to measure water levels in south-central and western Kansas.

The scientists, based at Kansas University, will tests wells at more than 500 sites to monitor and interpret trends in groundwater levels.

Combined with the efforts of the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s division of water resources, more than 1,100 wells will be tested.

The wells historically have been measured in January, after irrigation season.

“To get the most useful water data, we need to sample the same wells at about the same time each year, using consistent, proven and defensible methods,” said Rick Miller, chief of the survey’s exploration services section.

Last year’s measurements showed the average water level dropped about 0.6 feet in northwest Kansas, 1.5 feet in southwest Kansas and about 0.6 feet in west-central Kansas from January 2003 to January 2004.