KU poised to announce major gift to university

Kansas University officials are expected to announce a major gift to the athletic department during halftime of today’s KU-Texas Tech men’s basketball game.

“It’s going to be a combined gift of $12 million — several donors are involved — for major renovations (at Allen Fieldhouse) and for the KU Hall of Fame,” said KU athletic director Lew Perkins.

Perkins indicated he would not divulge the donors before today’s announcement.

Mother incompetent for trial in baby slaying

Wellington — A judge ruled Thursday that a woman charged with murder in the death of her newborn child was incompetent to stand trial.

Rebecca Gregory, 29, will be transferred from Sumner County Jail to Larned State Hospital. She will be evaluated to determine whether there is a substantial probability of her becoming competent, Sumner County Atty. William Mott said.

Her lawyer, Michael Brown, had sought the competency evaluation to determine whether Gregory understood a first-degree murder charge against her in the newborn’s death, which occurred on or about Nov. 25.

Gregory, who is single and unemployed, lived with her parents and her 2-year-old son on a farm near Geuda Springs.

Court documents have shown that authorities seized bone fragments from a farm burn pit and clothing with possible blood stains from Gregory’s bedroom.

State revenues stay ahead of estimates

Topeka — State revenues continued to run ahead of estimates through January, though tax collections were flat, the Kansas Legislative Research Department said Friday.

The researchers said total state receipts were $8.3 million ahead of estimates from July 1 through the end of January, though tax collections were only $700,000 above estimates made in November.

Nontax revenue sources include interest earnings and state agencies’ earnings, and from the sale of goods and services. Agencies earned $82.2 million, or $4.9 million more than expected, from July 1, 2003, through Jan. 31, researchers said.

For those seven months, the state general fund collected $2.64 billion in revenues, compared with an estimate of $2.63 billion. Tax revenues were $2.56 billion.

Corporate income taxes, at $73.8 million, were nearly $15 million more than expected, offsetting lagging sales tax collections, which were $8.8 million short of expectations.

The figures are significant because they are used to guide legislators as they draft the budget for fiscal 2005, which begins July 1.

KU seeks subjects for autism research

Kansas University researchers are seeking children with autism to participate in three research projects this spring.

The researchers, in the department of speech-language-hearing, are looking for:

• Toddlers from 24 to 36 months old to examine temperament and communication.
• Families of children with autism up to 7 years old to complete a questionnaire about the availability and use of resources about communication.
• Adolescents 12 to 14 years old with Asperger syndrome to evaluate a social communication assessment tool.

For more information, contact Jane Wegner by Feb. 23 at 864-0645 or jwegner@ku.edu.

University Theatre auditions rescheduled

Call-back auditions for University Theatre’s productions of “A Little Night Music” and “George Dandin” have been rescheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday in Murphy Hall at Kansas University.

The auditions, originally set for Thursday, were postponed after the heavy snowfall.

Linwood Scouts offer chili feed

Linwood — Boy Scout Troop 62 will offer an escape from cold weather with bowls of hot chili at its fund-raising chili feed from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. today at the Linwood Community Building.

Tickets are $5 per person. Hot dogs also will be sold.