Area briefs

Challenger wants to debate Brownback

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Lee Jones has challenged Republican incumbent Sam Brownback to debate “anywhere, anytime.”

“I think we owe it to Kansas voters to give them a chance to hear us contrast our positions face to face,” Jones said.

Brownback’s campaign manager Amanda Adkins said Brownback hasn’t had time to schedule a debate because he has been busy working in Congress.

Adkins said once the congressional session was over, Brownback would review his schedule.

“I haven’t discussed it with him yet,” Adkins said, noting that Brownback has a large number of requests to appear at political functions.

Jones said it would be appropriate to have four debates; one in each of the four Kansas congressional districts.

Emergency planning

State commission includes Lawrencians

Topeka — A Lawrence man has been picked to serve on a state commission on emergency planning, and a Lawrence woman has been reappointed to the panel.

Kevin Moles of Lawrence was appointed by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to the Kansas Commission on Emergency Planning and Response.

Moles is regulatory affairs manager and spokesman at the Wolf Creek nuclear plant in Burlington.

Karen Schuyler, also of Lawrence and plant manager at the Astaris plant, was reappointed to the commission.

“Every Kansan counts on the efforts of this commission,” Sebelius said.

Both were chosen to serve four-year-terms.

Internet

Boyda, Moore to take part in online chats

Readers of the Journal-World’s Web site will be able to chat online Monday with two Democrats running for local congressional seats.

Nancy Boyda, a Topeka Democrat, seeking the 2nd Congressional District seat now held by four-term incumbent Republican Jim Ryun, will chat at 1 p.m. Monday on www.ljworld.com.

U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, a Lenexa Democrat who is seeking a fourth two-year term in the 3rd Congressional District, will chat at 3:30 p.m. Monday at www.ljworld.com.

Readers may submit questions before the chats and during the chats at www.ljworld.com. Transcripts will be posted on the Web site.

KU to host Black Leadership Symposium

About 500 high-school students and their faculty sponsors are expected on Oct. 21 at Kansas University for the 19th annual Black Leadership Symposium.

The theme of the event, at the Kansas Union, is “Brown v. Board of Education: Our Past Opening Doors to Our Future.” The keynote speaker will be state Rep. Barbara Ballard, who is also associate director for civic programming and public outreach at the Dole Institute of Politics.

Topics of workshops include college preparation, academic achievement and leadership.

To register, call 864-5823 or visit www.kuce.org/programs/bls.

The event is sponsored by the offices of the provost, multicultural affairs, admissions and scholarships, and the Multicultural Resource Center and KU Continuing Education.

Accident on turnpike kills Lawrence resident

A Lawrence woman was killed Saturday when she lost control of her car and was ejected from the vehicle.

Kari Ann Locke, 35, was driving westbound on the Kansas Turnpike, roughly 4.5 miles east of the West Lawrence tollbooth, around 5:40 p.m. when the accident occurred, the Kansas Highway Patrol reported late Saturday.

Authorities said Locke’s car, a 1983 Audi, went off the road, entered a ditch, and then slid down an embankment into a concrete slab. She was not wearing a seat belt.

The injuries Locke suffered at the accident scene were fatal.