High court overturns dismissed lawsuit

The Kansas Supreme Court ruled Friday that a local judge should not have thrown out the lawsuit of a man who sued the city alleging he had been wrongfully strip-searched by police.

After Shawn P. McCormick sued the city in 2002, District Court Judge Robert Fairchild ruled the lawsuit couldn’t go forward because he didn’t file it in a timely manner. The Court of Appeals upheld the ruling.

But the Supreme Court on Friday disagreed. It reversed Fairchild’s ruling and the Court of Appeals ruling and sent the case back to District Court.

McCormick alleges that Lawrence Police wrongly strip-searched him and performed a body-cavity search in June 1999 — a claim the city denies.

The Supreme Court ruled McCormick’s suit fell under a category of lawsuits that have a three-year window before the statute of limitations expires. Fairchild had found that the nature of the case gave it only a two-year statute of limitations.

Crime

Thief targets vehicles of Geological Survey

Someone burglarized four vehicles belonging to the U.S. Geological Survey and stole more than $15,000 in equipment, Lawrence Police said Friday morning.

The thefts happened between Dec. 30 and Jan. 3 in the agency’s parking lot at 4821 Quail Crest Place. A report from the theft wasn’t released until Friday.

Items stolen included hand tools, a laptop computer, and two pieces of computerized surveying equipment worth more than $3,000 apiece.

Two of the vehicles had windows broken during the burglaries.

Fifth candidate files for City Commission race

The Lawrence City Commission race officially has five candidates.

Jim Carpenter, a longtime Barker Neighborhood Assn. leader and member of the Lawrence Association of Neighborhoods’ board of directors, officially kicked off his campaign with an announcement to supporters Friday afternoon.

Carpenter, who confirmed to the Journal-World earlier this month that he intended to run, also has filed the necessary paper work with the city clerk’s office.

Candidates have until noon on Tuesday to file for one of three at-large seats on the commission. Incumbents Sue Hack and David Schauner have filed for re-election. Downtown barber and former mayor Mike Amyx and Lawrence school administrator Tom Bracciano also have filed for the seats.

If seven or more candidates file, there will be a primary election on March 1. The general election will be April 5.

Relief effort

Students raising money for tsunami victims

Kansas University students are organizing to raise money for victims of last month’s tsunami in the Indian Ocean.

Student Senate, UNICEF and the Center for Community Outreach are coordinating the “KU Campaign for Tsunami Relief,” which kicked off Wednesday during the KU-Nebraska men’s basketball game.

A tentative schedule of events:

• American Red Cross fund-raiser at the KU-Missouri women’s basketball game, today.
• UNICEF fund-raiser, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday, Kansas Union lobby and Wescoe Beach. Also, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Jan. 31-Feb. 4 in the same locations.
• “Tsunami 101” lecture by Don Steeples, professor of geophysics and vice provost for scholarly support, 7 p.m. Wednesday in Room 120 of Budig Hall.
• Candlelight vigil commemorating one-month anniversary of disaster, 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Campanile.
• UNICEF international dinner, 5:30 p.m. Jan. 29, Ecumenical Christian Ministries, 1204 Oread Ave.

Legislature

Lawmaker call-in show to debut statewide

The first statewide broadcast of Ask Your Legislator, a live news program featuring four legislators responding to callers’ questions, premieres at 5 p.m. Sunday on KTWU, Sunflower Broadband Channel 11.

The public television program has been seen in Wichita for the past seven years. It’s being broadcast statewide this year.

Participating legislators are Rep. Dennis McKinney, D-Greensburg and House Minority Leader; Sen. Jean Schodorf, R-Wichita and chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee; Rep. Brenda Landwehr, R-Wichita and vice chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee; and Rep. Ann Mah, D-Topeka, a member of the House committees on education and federal and state affairs.

Viewers may participate by calling (877) 491-5787 or e-mailing questions to ASK@kpts.org.

Kansas University

Language study seeking children to participate

Kansas University researchers are seeking children for a study on communication disorders.

The researchers are looking for children between the ages of 2 1/2 and 7 who have a diagnosed developmental disability, expressive language delay and have motor skills to access a computer touch screen.

The study will examine children’s vocabulary learning using various picture displays on electronic communication devices.

The research will be conducted at KU for three weeks in February, and the deadline to sign up is Jan. 28. For more information, contact Andrea Barton at abarton@ku.edu or Jane Wegner at jwegner@ku.edu or 864-4690.