Library renews memorial

The Lawrence Public Library is restoring a memorial to Leslie Whittington, a former Centennial School student killed in the 9-11 terrorist attacks.

Earlier this week the library was criticized for changing the memorial — a bookshelf donated by Centennial staff and students — from featuring “Leslie’s Books” to “Staff Favorites.”

Library director Bruce Flanders said Thursday that he decided putting the memorial back the way it was donated was the best thing to do.

“I never meant any disrespect,” Flanders said. “In the grand scheme of things, the memorial should stay the way we received it.”

In the upcoming weeks the library also plans to hang a number of pictures depicting Whittington and her family, who were killed when their plane crashed into the Pentagon.

Recreation

Indoor aquatic center offers free swimming

Free swimming will be available after 5 p.m. today at the Lawrence Indoor Aquatic Center, 4706 Overland Drive.

Water areas will close at 7:45 p.m., and slides and diving areas will close at 7:30 p.m.

For information regarding “Free Family Fun Friday” or any other questions about the aquatic center, see the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department Web site at www.lprd.org, or call 832-SWIM.

Schools

Parenting center to open Saturday

The Lawrence school district will open a new parent resource center Saturday at Kennedy School.

A grand opening for the Parent Information Resource Center will be from 9 a.m. to noon at Kennedy, 1605 Davis Road. Ronda Geddings will supervise the center.

A grant from Kansas Alliance of Black School Educators will permit distribution of information to parents on public education, academic topics and the federal education reform law No Child Left Behind.

Parents will be able to check out materials that could be used to tutor their children at home. Computers also will be available at the center for adults to gather parenting information.

The center will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. before school and 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. after school Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays.

It also will open 9 a.m.-noon on the second Saturday of each month.