Area briefs

Author to sign, speak about book

There will be a book signing with Thomas Frank for his book “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” on June 14 at the Lawrence Public Library auditorium, 707 Vt.

Frank will talk at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The events are free. Excerpts from Frank’s book were recently published as a cover story in Harpers Magazine.

The Raven Bookstore, 6 E. Seventh St., is sponsoring the event and will have his book for sale at the signing.

Chase

Police capture suspect who earlier fled on foot

A man sought for questioning in a motorcycle theft case ran from Lawrence Police on Sunday afternoon but was later found hiding in an outbuilding in a residential neighborhood.

An officer was on his way to the Lawrence home of the 32-year-old man when their cars passed each other on Ninth Street near Centennial Drive, Police Sgt. Dave Hubbel said. The officer and the suspect saw and recognized each other, Hubbel said.

The suspect, who was a passenger in a car, jumped out and fled on foot through the neighborhood. The officer ran after him, and other officers responded to the area.

Police found the suspect “all curled up” in an outbuilding in the 2500 block of West Ninth Street, Hubbel said.

The suspect was taken to the Douglas County Jail. Police wanted to question him about the theft of a Harley-Davidson Road King motorcycle. The motorcycle was taken about 3 a.m. Sunday, Hubbel said, and it has not been found.

Education

Area schools receive Head Start grants

The University of Kansas Medical Center and Geary County Unified School District will receive $2.25 million in Head Start grants.

KU Med will receive $1.62 million for Early Head Start and the Geary County district will receive $630,000 for full-year Head Start. The funds will go toward operating child-care centers and training child-care providers.

The funds were granted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Children and Families. Head Start programs serve preschool children and their families in low-income areas.