KU researchers start Asperger book club

Kansas University researchers are forming a book club for boys with Asperger syndrome.

The club, for boys between 12 and 14, is being led by Jane Wegner, director of the speech-language-hearing clinic at the Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies. The eight-week group will focus on social language and reading comprehension.

Asperger syndrome is a neurobiological disorder named for a Viennese physician, Hans Asperger, who described behaviors in boys who had normal intelligence and language development, but who also had autisticlike behaviors.

For more information, contact Wegner by today at 864-0645 or jwegner@ku.edu.

Lawrence

Chamber welcomes 165 new members

A three-day membership drive by the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce netted the organization 165 new members, chamber officials announced Thursday.

The drive, which began Tuesday, met the chamber’s expectations despite falling short of the organization’s goal of 300 new members.

“We think it went great,” said Lavern Squier, president and chief executive of the chamber. “It really shows what our volunteers are not only capable of doing but willing to do.”

With the drive complete, the chamber now has about 1,600 members.

Courts

Father freed, ordered to appear in support case

A Lawrence man accused by the state of Indiana of being a deadbeat dad has once again been set free by a Douglas County District Court judge.

Lawrence police arrested Leman Booher, 54, Wednesday night.

Booher is wanted in Indiana on two felony warrants for failing to pay child support for his three children. The warrant carries a bond of $500,000.

The governor of Indiana has asked for Booher to be extradited back to his state to answer charges that he owes at least $60,000 in back child support payments.

Booher has appeared twice before Judge Paula Martin, who both times let him go, saying the warrant from Indiana was invalid.

Booher appeared Thursday afternoon before Judge Peggy Kittel. She assigned his case back to Martin’s courtroom and released him on his own recognizance. He was ordered to appear back in court Oct. 28.

West campus

KU building gets OK

Topeka — The Kansas Board of Regents has approved plans for a $40 million research building on Kansas University’s west campus.

Regents on Thursday approved the transfer of 11 acres of property from the KU Endowment Association to the university and approved construction plans for the 106,000-square-foot facility.

The approvals were the final hurdles KU had to clear before beginning construction. Site preparation already has begun on the property, which is west of the Simons Biosciences Research Laboratories on west campus.

The building is slated for completion in December 2005. It is being designed by Cannon Design of St. Louis and will be built by J.E. Dunn of Kansas City, Mo.

Police

Suspect arrested in counterfeiting case

Police arrested a 28-year-old Lawrence man Wednesday morning on suspicion of trying to pass a counterfeit $20 bill at Burger King, 1107 W. Sixth St.

They also think he paid with a similar bill at a nearby McDonald’s, and they’re investigating whether he’s connected to passing at least two other counterfeit bills this month.

A Burger King employee called police about 8:35 a.m. and alerted them to the incident.

The bills in question lacked some of the security features on $20 bills, said Sgt. Dan Ward, a Lawrence Police spokesman.