Police

Man charged with stabbing his roommate

A Lawrence man has been charged with aggravated battery in the stabbing of his roommate.

Prosecutors on Thursday charged Celedonio Reyes Castro, 27, with one count of aggravated battery for the attack on his 27-year-old roommate early Wednesday after a night of drinking at their east Lawrence apartment.

Judge Pro Tem Peggy Kittel set Castro’s bond at $45,000.

A customer at Walgreens drug store at 23rd and Louisiana streets called police early Wednesday after finding the victim bleeding in the parking lot. Police said the man didn’t want to get police involved and drove to the store to buy bandages.

Lawrence Police arrested Castro on Wednesday evening after interviewing him.

Kansas University

KU Hospital project reaches milestone

Kansas City, Kan. – A major construction project at the University of Kansas Hospital reached a milestone Thursday.

Officials there held a “topping out” ceremony, a milestone marked when the uppermost beam of a building has been put into place, for the new Center for Advanced Heart Care, depicted in the above rendering. The special beam is decorated with an American flag and traditional evergreen tree, representing patriotism and life and growth of a building.

When completed, the $77 million, 238,000-square-foot facility will include space for cardiologists and cardiovascular, thoracic and vascular surgeons. It will include 100 beds for intensive care, inpatient acute care and outpatient procedures.

KU Hospital officials also on Thursday released a rendering, above, of what the structure will look like when completed.

Baldwin to hold citywide garage sale

Baby clothes, tools and collectibles. All will be up for grabs at the 18th annual Baldwin Citywide Garage Sale on Saturday.

Information about what will be sold at the 100 garage sale sites in the city can be found in a directory. The directory costs $1 and the money goes to the Friends of the Baldwin City Library.

The organization uses the proceeds from the directory sales for the city’s summer reading program, guest speakers and to purchase new library materials.

Directories can be purchased from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday at the library, 800 Seventh St., or in front of the Baldwin Athletic Club, 926 Ames St.

Garage sale sites will be marked with brightly colored yard signs.

Charity organizations complete merger

A combination of two service providers to the homeless have officially completed their merger.

Leaders with the Community Drop-In Center and the Lawrence Open Shelter recently were notified by the Internal Revenue Service that the two groups have met requirements to create a new nonprofit corporation called the Lawrence Community Shelter.

The two groups previously announced the merger as a way to more efficiently deliver services to the homeless. The organizations share space in a building at 944 Ky.

Plans are being developed to expand the shelter portion of the operations to house 31 adults, up from 21. Shelter leaders said that expansion is expected to be complete by winter. Other improvements planned include a new job skills project, increased laundry facilities, and strengthened case management programs.

KU 17th in awarding doctorates to Hispanics

Kansas University ranks 17th in the nation for percentage of doctorates awarded to Hispanic students, according to a new report.

According to the report in Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education magazine, 17 of the 239 doctorates awarded in the 2003-2004 school year were to Hispanics.

KU ranked second in the Big 12 for the number of Hispanic students receiving doctorates. Only the University of Texas at Austin had more, ranking fifth with 31 graduates.

George Mason University topped the list with 44 of 149 doctoral degrees awarded to Hispanic students.

Data for the rankings were from the National Center for Education Statistics.

Course helps families cope with mental illness

The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill-Kansas is sponsoring a free, 12-week course aimed at helping families understand and cope with mentally ill relatives.

The sessions, each expected to last about two hours, begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

“The class is designed to help family members understand what they’re up against and to share, care and help each other,” said class instructor Al Miller, whose grown son is mentally ill.

Persons interested in enrolling in the course may call Miller at either (785) 594-6648 or (785) 760-3747.

Lecompton High School holding Alumni Banquet

Lecompton High School will play host to its annual Alumni Banquet on June 18 at the old Lecompton High School Gym.

Social hour will be from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and dinner begins at 6 p.m. The Banquet will honor the classes of 1925, 1935, 1945, 1955, 1965, 1975, 1985, 1995, and 2005.

Dinner costs $15 per person.

Send reservations to P.O. Box 63, Lecompton 66050 by June 13.

The Lecompton School District merged with Perry after 1970 to create the current Perry-Lecompton School District. These graduates along with any others who attended Lecompton schools are welcome.

The alumni association is searching for current addresses for any graduates who have not been receiving notices. Send addresses to P.O. Box 63, Lecompton 66050.