KU flag to accompany Guardsmen to Iraq

Robert Hemenway, chancellor of Kansas University, will help send off troops headed to Iraq during a ceremony today.

Hemenway will present a KU flag to the 150 soldiers of the Kansas Army National Guard Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 127th Field Artillery. The group, which was recently activated and will be deployed to Iraq to serve in security and force protection, will be honored during a ceremony at 1 p.m. today at Lee Arena at Washburn University in Topeka.

The battalion is headquartered in Ottawa and includes a detachment based in Lawrence.

“It is a privilege to present the KU flag to these courageous soldiers as they depart to serve their country,” Hemenway said in a statement. “I hope the flag will serve as a daily reminder of the support and pride this university has for their immense personal sacrifice.”

Attorney General’s Office warns of bank scam

The Kansas Attorney General’s Office on Thursday warned residents of the state to be aware of a bank account scam.

The Consumer Protection and Antitrust Division reported that several Kansans have been contacted by a person claiming to represent a medical or insurance company. The individual says that the consumer paid $299 for an information packet last year, but that the packet was never sent out. The caller asks whether they would like to have the packet sent or to have their money refunded, and then solicits the bank account number.

The persons targeted in the scam thus far have been residents of Miami County. Any Kansan contacted in a similar manner should contact the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Division at (800) 432-2310.

Dog attack sends boy to hospital

A dog broke free from its chain and attacked a 12-year-old Lawrence boy Thursday afternoon in Eudora.

Eudora Police Chief Greg Dahlem said the boy was helping retrieve two stray dogs near 12th and Acorn streets when he heard the chain snap.

Dahlem said the dog bit the boy on both arms. He was able to break free and run for help.

The child was taken by ambulance to Lawrence Memorial Hospital with bite wounds to the back of both biceps. According to Dahlem, the wounds were serious enough to require stitches.

The dog – a terrier-German shepherd mix named Bear – was captured by Eudora animal control officers. The animal will be quarantined for 10 days.

Virginia Ballard said the dog belongs to her nephew, who is spending the summer in Arkansas. She’s had the animal for two months and said it had never acted vicious toward anyone.

Ballard said if the animal had to be put down, she’d understand.

“A human life is more important,” she said.

City’s director of utilities to retire after 30 years

Roger Coffey, the city’s director of utilities, will retire in September after 30 years of overseeing the city’s water and sewer operations.

City Manager Mike Wildgen said the city will begin a national search for his replacement. Wildgen said that he hoped to have a new director hired by the fall.

Wildgen said that Coffey had overseen several major projects since joining the utility department as its assistant director in 1975. He became the director in 1980. During that time, the city added a second water plant to treat water from Clinton Lake, significantly expanded its existing sewer treatment plant and recently began planning for a second sewer treatment plant.

Coffey came to the city after working for the City of Wichita for eight years. He said his retirement plans include spending more time with friends and family.

Court hearing slated on sexual predator

A court hearing has been scheduled for July 12 on a temporary restraining order that’s keeping a sexual predator out of a group home in Leavenworth County.

Leavenworth County leaders received the temporary order last month after the state announced it had moved Leroy Hendricks from a prison hospital to a privately owned group home on Golden Road outside Lawrence.

County leaders allege the group home violates zoning laws, but the state’s Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services and the private agency housing Hendricks have not yet appeared before a judge to argue their side of the case.

Pending the outcome of the case, Hendricks temporarily has been moved to a group home at Osawatomie State Hospital.

Hendricks is known for fighting the state’s sexual-predator treatment program before the U.S. Supreme Court. He recently was released from a 10-year involuntary stay in the program.

Police

Traffic stop leads to marijuana bust

A traffic stop Wednesday afternoon led Lawrence Police to seize 18 pounds of marijuana valued at roughly $20,000.

Police responded about 1:20 p.m. to a report of a reckless driver near Ninth and Maine streets, said Sgt. Dan Ward, a police spokesman.

Police stopped the vehicle several minutes later in the 1000 block of Massachusetts Street, searched the vehicle and found marijuana, scales and cash. They arrested the driver, a 25-year-old Lawrence man, and later served a search warrant at his home in the 1000 block of Emery Road, where they seized more marijuana, cash and drug paraphernalia.

In addition to the drugs, police found about $4,000 cash, according to a report. Police said more arrests and searches were possible.

The man was booked into the Douglas County jail, but no formal charges have been filed pending a decision by the District Attorney’s office.

Sunflower Broadband

TV channel lineup rearranged, expanded

Sunflower Broadband subscribers were greeted with a rearranged lineup of channels Thursday.

Stephanie McCoil, marketing manager for the Lawrence-based company, said Sunflower Broadband changed the locations of several channels by placing similar channels closer together to make it easier for customers to channel surf.

During the change, some channels were temporarily unavailable. By midday, full service was restored. “We apologize for any inconvenience this caused,” said Joe Ryan, director of sales and support for Sunflower Broadband.

A complete list of the channel changes and the complete Sunflower Broadband lineup is available at www.sunflowerbroadband.com. Viewers also can call 841-2100 for more information.

As part of the change, several channels were added to the company’s extended basic package. The new channels are ESPN Classic, Oxygen, Hallmark Channel, PBS Kids, Inspirational Network and Inspirational Life. Subscribers with a digital cable box also will be able to access QVC, EWTN and TBN as part of the extended basic package.

Sunflower Broadband, which is owned by The World Company, publisher of the Journal-World, first announced the changes in late May in a mailing to its subscribers.