Police

Two businesses file embezzlement reports

Two local businesses have reported embezzlements to police in recent days.

An employee of Jayhawk Bowling Supply, 355 N. Iowa St., is suspected of gradually embezzling about $200,000 from the business during the past decade, according to a report released Wednesday.

Police are still trying to determine exactly how much was taken, and no arrests have been made. The thefts began as long ago as 1992, said Sgt. Dan Ward, a department spokesman, but were not reported until Oct. 29.

An employee of Jayhawk Dental, 826 Iowa, is suspected of stealing $6,896 during 2004, Ward said. That theft was reported Monday, and the police report was released to the public on Wednesday.

Both were discovered during audits, Ward said.

Crime

Police report finding shotgun near complex

Police found a sawed-off shotgun on the ground at Colony Woods apartments, 1301 W. 24th St., after coming to the complex to investigate a suspicious car, according to a report.

Lawrence Police spokesman Sgt. Dan Ward said an apartment manager called police about 9:50 p.m. Sunday after becoming suspicious of two men in a car parked in the complex — one of whom got out of the car and walked toward Burger King, 1301 W. 23rd St. Ward said the car left when the driver saw the manager, and the man who’d gotten out of the car eventually left the area walking south.

When police arrived, they found a sawed-off shotgun and two stocking caps on the ground where the car had been, Ward said. The manager described the suspects as two white males in their early teens or 20s riding in a red or maroon Pontiac Grand Am.

City extends collection for brush, tree limbs

A city-run collection site for area residents to drop off brush and tree limbs will remain open an extra five days to accommodate people who have suffered damage from ice storms.

Officials with the Parks and Recreation and Public Works departments will keep the site open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from today through Sunday and also on Jan. 22. The site is at 1420 E. 11th St.

Tree limbs and brush from citizen’s private property may be taken to the site free of charge. The limbs will be chipped and used as mulch throughout the city.

If residents can’t take their tree material to the site, they can put the material out to be picked up on their normal trash collection days. All material set out on the curb needs to be bundled. Bundles should not exceed five feet in length, 18 inches in diameter or 65 pounds per bundle.

Participants sought for KU autism study

Kansas University researchers are seeking children ages 4 through 8 to participate in a social communication study.

Children with and without autism spectrum disorders are needed to participate in a play group that will meet on Saturday mornings from Jan. 22 to March 12 at KU.

For more information, contact Lindsey Cooper at lncooper@ku.edu or Jane Wegner at jwegner@ku.edu, or call 864-4690. The deadline to sign up is Saturday.