Analysis confirms blood on sandwich

Police analysis has confirmed it was blood a customer discovered in a sandwich he purchased at a Lawrence restaurant.

The 45-year-old Lawrence man told police he bought the sandwich at Yello Sub, 1814 W. 23rd St., on Nov. 15. When he bit into it, he discovered the blood.

Police tested the sandwich and Sgt. Dan Ward said Tuesday the substance was blood, though it couldn’t be confirmed whether the blood was human. Ward said the KBI was doing further testing. Also sent to the KBI were blood samples from the man who bought the sandwich and from restaurant employees.

Officers questioned employees at Yello Sub but have not determined how the blood got on the sandwich.

Yello Sub Manager Joel Macmillan said all employees wear gloves when preparing sandwiches. Macmillan also said Yello Sub was cooperating fully with the investigation and contacted the health department immediately after receiving the complaint.

Commissioner suggests new computer program

Lawrence City Commissioner Sue Hack asked city staff members Tuesday to look at a new computer program that could shorten the approval process for development projects.

At the commission’s weekly meeting, Hack said she wanted staff members to create a report on Microsoft’s Project Management software system. She said the system could be used to analyze the city’s current development approval process.

“It might be able to provide us data that shows where we have glitches in the system,” Hack said.

City Manager Mike Wildgen said staff members would prepare a report on the feasibility of the program and its cost.

The item was the only issue discussed at Tuesday’s meeting, which mainly was devoted to paying bills and other administrative items that had to be taken care of before the end of the year.

Coins stolen from downtown meters

Thieves again have targeted downtown Lawrence parking meters.

Police spokesman Sgt. Dan Ward said coins were taken from two meters in the 900 block of Massachusetts Street sometime between Dec. 11 and Dec. 17.

An attendant collecting money from the meters discovered the theft.

It’s not the first time coins have been stolen from downtown parking meters.

In late October police arrested a Topeka man who they suspected of using a homemade key to break into downtown parking meters. The same suspect had been arrested seven years earlier for a similar offense.

Downtown meters also were hit in June 2001.

Nominate teachers for hall of fame

Nominations are being accepted for the 2005 class of inductees to the Kansas Teachers’ Hall of Fame.

Teachers, retired teachers or administrators are eligible to be nominated.

As many as 12 educators from around the state are inducted into the hall of fame each year. Nominations must be made by Feb. 1.

The 2005 class will be announced in April. The ceremony will take place in June at the Kansas Teachers’ Hall of Fame in Dodge City.

Those honored must have taught or administered in K-12 education for at least 25 years in Kansas public or private schools. More than 300 people are listed in the teachers’ hall of fame.

To get an application to nominate someone, call Leonard Steinle at 843-3266 or Carol Swinney at (800) 728-1022.

County attorney goes from GOP to Libertarian

Garnett — Saying he was disgusted with both major political parties, Anderson County Atty. Frederick Campbell has become a member of the Libertarian party.

Campbell was re-elected in November as a Republican, although he had no opposition in the county about 60 miles south of Topeka.

“No matter which one you select, things don’t change,” he said. “Those parties are too filled with special interests, and are too much in the pocket of organizations or groups other than citizens of the country.”

In general, Libertarians support minimal government regulation, personal responsibility, a free-market economy and a foreign policy based on nonintervention.

Campbell, who is beginning a second term, said the change in parties was his way of making a statement and trying to bring about change.

“It seemed to me the Republican Party is more in favor of less government, but in the past few years, I haven’t seen any evidence of that,” said Campbell, adding that he didn’t think it would have made any difference to the country who was elected in the last presidential election.