Souper Bowl event gets super turnout

This year’s Souper Bowl Saturday was a big hit at the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 N.H.

At least 400 people attended the fund-raiser for the center’s ceramic arts program, bringing in an estimated $400, said Margaret Morris, the center’s education director. Ben Ahlvers, the center’s education coordinator, takes down event posters above.

“I think this was our best year ever,” Morris said of the event which has been going on nearly 10 years the Saturday before the NFL Super Bowl championship game.

Those attending enjoyed a bowl of soup and had a chance to examine and purchase numerous types of ceramic bowls for $10 each. The bowls were made by area artists and artists in residence at the center.

The money raised is used to maintain a gas kiln purchased through past fund-raisers and to make ceramic glazes, Morris said.

Also contributing to the event were Hy-Vee food stores, Harvest Bread Co. and McDonald’s of Lawrence, Morris said.

Kansas University

Task force to study beer sales at KU union

The Kansas University Memorial Corporation Board on Saturday unanimously approved a motion to explore the possibility of selling 3.2 percent beer at the Kansas Union.

The board will now form a task force to look further into the issue.

Beer sales at the union were halted in 1998 after two KU students were involved in a fatal drunken driving accident off-campus. Beer sales are permitted at the unions of Wichita State and Kansas State universities.

A group of KU student senators recently began lobbying the board to consider reopening the union to beer sales. The group submitted a petition to the Memorial Corporation Board.

While the board’s vote to consider the issue is a step to allowing beer to return to the union, student body president Steve Munch said the feasibility of the plan was still uncertain.

“I think a lot of it will depend on the reaction we get from the upper administration,” Munch said.

Emergency services

County Commission to consider medic unit

Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical officials want to purchase an ambulance worth about $200,000, but they need the Douglas County Commission’s approval.

Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical Deputy Chief Mark Bradford informed county commissioners in a memo that the approved budget did allow for the purchase of one ambulance at a cost of $200,000. He said American Response Vehicles agreed to sell the county an ambulance for $194,999.

The county commission also approved the replacement of two ambulances last year for a total cost of $389,998.

The commissioners will consider the matter at 8:30 a.m. Monday when they meet in the commission chambers at the Douglas County Courthouse, 1100 Mass.

Legislators visiting ‘On the Record’ today

Kansas House Speaker Doug Mays, R-Topeka, and Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka, will discuss school finance, gay marriage and other issues on Kansas public television’s “On The Record.” The program airs at 12:30 p.m. today on KTWU, Sunflower Broadband Channel 11.