Officer barely escapes injury in vehicle crash

A Lawrence Police officer narrowly escaped injury when a car struck his motorcycle early Tuesday morning.

The officer had just finished a traffic stop about 8 a.m. in the 1900 block of West Sixth Street. According to police, the officer looked over his shoulder as he was putting away his ticket book and saw a car quickly approaching.

The officer jumped out of the way as the car slammed into his motorcycle.

Police said the motorcycle had its flashing lights on at the time of the accident.

The driver of the car, an 89-year-old Douglas County woman, was cited for inattentive driving.

The motorcycle, above, which is valued at more than $15,000, was a total loss, police said.

Donations

Red Kettle campaign collects record amount

The Salvation Army in Lawrence easily topped the $85,000 goal for its annual Red Kettle campaign.

Shoppers donated about $101,000 in spare change and dollars to the kettle campaign, said Rich Forney, director and pastor for the Salvation Army.

The total of donations was a record high. Last year, Lawrence shoppers donated about $98,000 to the campaign.

Forney lowered the goal for this year’s kettle campaign before it began because some stores, including Target, would not allow bell ringers to stand outside their stores this season. He attributed extra kettles at some locations and people giving more as the reasons for the increase.

The money received through the kettle campaign will remain in Lawrence. It is used to help people pay rent and utilities or for other needs.

Schools

Debate on evolution delayed until February

Topeka — Statewide public hearings on proposed science standards that treat evolution as central to the science curriculum have been delayed.

The hearings scheduled for January will now be conducted in February, Kansas Education Commissioner Andy Tompkins said Tuesday.

Tompkins said the additional time was needed to allow the committee drafting the proposal more time to consider suggestions made at a State Board of Education meeting two weeks ago.

A schedule and sites for the hearings have not been worked out, he said.