Area briefs

County commission supports grant effort

Douglas County commissioners are willing to help support efforts to add up to $850,000 to early-childhood education programs in the Lawrence schoool district.

Commissioners agreed Monday to lend the county’s support to a grant application from the Success by 6 Coalition.

The coalition is seeking a federal grant of $750,000 to $850,000, which would finance the hiring of coaches to help boost literacy and other efforts for children before they reach school age. The grant also would finance equipment, programs and training to help at-risk children prepare for school.

The grant would be administered by the Douglas County Child Development Assn., a coalition of early-education advocates. The coalition would be responsible for seeing that the money would be spent responsibly, commissioners said.

Rich Minder, a member of the Lawrence school board and collaborative projects coordinator for Success by 6, said that the grant, if approved later this year, would last about 17 months.

Commissioners said they would not be interested in extending the grant using county taxes.

Free rides set record for city bus system

The city bus system set a record July 15, giving 1,927 rides the day of the annual downtown sidewalk sale.

The day beat the old record of 1,182 rides given the day of the 2003 sale. The city offered free rides on the T both days.

“This expansion of T riders is exciting,” Karin Rexroad, city transit administrator, said in a press release. “Last year’s milestone gave momentum to the system’s daily ridership — it is exciting think where this momentum will lead us.”

For assistance with trip planning call 312-7054 or visit www.lawrencetransit.org to see a route map and timetable.

Police seeking leads in motorcycle theft

The Lawrence Police Department is asking for the public’s help solving the theft of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle during the weekend.

The motorcycle disappeared about 4 p.m. Sunday from the parking lot of Home Depot, 1910 W. 31st St. Police say surveillance cameras at the scene captured a photo of the suspects’ vehicle, a 1980s-model maroon and gray four-door car.

The department has posted surveillance photos on its Web site, www.lawrencepolice.org, under the heading “Media Releases.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Lawrence Police Department at 841-7210 or the Crime Stoppers hot line at 843-TIPS.

Ottawa teen injured after car goes airborne

Kansas City, Kan. — A 17-year-old Ottawa resident was taken to University of Kansas Hospital after a Sunday accident sent his car sailing into a tree and then a house.

Dustin C. Crawford lost control of a two-door 1986 Toyota at 3:43 p.m. Sunday at the intersection of South Cedar and East 12th streets, according to an Ottawa police report.

The Ottawa Herald reported he was speeding and the car was airborne for about 30 feet until the car hit a curb.

The car went through three yards, smashing into a tree and a water meter in one and a set of steps in another. The car stopped moving when it struck a corner of a house in the 1200 block of Cedar Street, according to the police report. Damage estimates were unavailable Monday.

Crawford was transported to Ransom Memorial Hospital in Ottawa and later taken by air ambulance to the University of Kansas Hospital. His condition was not available Monday.