Accident on turnpike causes traffic backup

A three-vehicle accident at the start of a construction zone backed up traffic about 5 miles Thursday evening on Interstate Highway 70.

No one was injured in the collision, which happened 6 miles west of the Lecompton interchange on the eastbound stretch of the highway. Traffic backed up quickly because the highway already had been pared to one lane for construction purposes, said a spokeswoman for the Kansas Turnpike Authority.

The accident happened at 5:11 p.m., she said. Workers moved cones and cleared the lane that had been blocked for construction within 10 minutes. Both lanes were open by 6:34 p.m.

Vehicles in the accident included a 2002 Chrysler Sebring driven by a Lawrence man, a 1998 Chevrolet pickup driven by a Topeka man and a 1993 GMC van driven by a man from Colorado Springs, Colo.

Fan drive set for Saturday

6News anchors, reporters and photographers will serve up root beer floats Saturday morning to folks willing to help people beat the heat this summer.

Refreshments will be offered in exchange for donations of cash or new fans from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at both Lawrence Hy-Vee stores: Sixth Street and Monterey Way, and Clinton Parkway and Kasold Drive.

The Salvation Army will distribute the fans this summer to people in need. The third-annual drive is sponsored by 6News, Hy-Vee and the Salvation Army.

Sunflower Broadband’s “Broadband Man” also will take part: from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Sixth Street store, and from 11 a.m. to noon at the Clinton Parkway location.

KU senior selected for Capitol internship

A Kansas University senior has been selected as one of 30 Latino students to participate in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute internship program.

Raymond Rico, from Kansas City, Kan., was selected to spend eight weeks in Washington, D.C., to get a behind-the-scenes look at the U.S. government. He will work in the office of U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, D-Kan., where he will work on constituent communications, monitor hearings, conduct legislative research and assist with general office operations.

Rico is majoring in political science with a minor in public service and civic leadership.

Chamber Orchestra schedules elections

The Lawrence Chamber Orchestra will elect and install officers for 2004-05 at 10 a.m. Saturdayat the Parrish Hall in Trinity Episcopal Church, 1011 Vt.

Those who contributed to the orchestra from July 2003 to June 2004 are eligible to participate in this meeting.

Nominated from the current 13-member board are: John Solbach, president; Bill Beningfield, treasurer; and Lori Schlenker, secretary. Open nominations will be taken for vice president. Nominations or volunteers will be accepted for three to five additional board members.

Current president John Wilkinson will continue to serve on the board as immediate past president.

For more information, contact Mick Braa, the orchestra’s general manager, at (785) 542-3829.