House fire reported in northwest Lawrence

Seven people escaped Sunday morning from a burning house in northwest Lawrence, and fire officials credit smoke alarms for making that possible.

The fire was reported shortly after 8 a.m. at 232 Campbell Drive, according to Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical.

The first fire units at the scene found fire and smoke outside the house and in the attic. It took about 40 minutes to bring the fire under control. The cause of the two-alarm blaze is under investigation.

A preliminary estimate listed damage to the house at $150,000, with extensive damage to the roof, attic and garage exterior. The rest of the house sustained various levels of smoke and water damage.

There were no injuries, and Fire & Medical’s Occupant Services was working with the victims.

Theater

Arts center receives grant

The Lawrence Arts Center’s Summer Youth Theatre program has received a $35,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The grant will be used to track and evaluate the progress of students in their study of theater arts. The grant also will assist the arts center in providing more financial aid for students and help increase participation. A program assistant and additional technical support will be hired and used to support the growing program.

The Summer Youth Theatre program is funded by the Lawrence Arts Center and the Lawrence Parks and Recreation department.

Be kind to animals week

Humane society sets charity walk

The Lawrence Humane Society will hold its 10th annual Mutt ‘n’ Strutt charity walk and carnival at 10 a.m. Saturday at Sunflower School, 2521 Inverness Drive.

The annual event is held in conjunction with Be Kind To Animals Week. Mutt ‘n’ Strutt also is the local humane society’s major fund-raiser for the year.

The event will include the charity walk, contests, prizes, lunch and bake sale. Pet owners can have photos take with their animals.

Prizes also will be awarded. Items to be given away include Kansas University men’s basketball tickets, Kansas City Royals baseball tickets and a Microsoft Xbox.

Competition

Baker publications win state awards

Baker University’s student newspaper again has been named the best in its class by the Kansas Associated Collegiate Press.

The Baker Orange received the All Kansas Award for private, four-year colleges in the annual KACP journalism competition. It was the sixth time in eight years the Orange has received the award.

Staff members won 70 awards in individual competition, and the Orange took first place in special sections for the eighth straight year.

Staff members of the Baker Wildcat, the school’s yearbook, also claimed 15 individual awards.

Regents approve KGS storage facility

Higher education officials last month gave Kansas University the OK to enter a lease and build a new core sample storage facility for the Kansas Geological Survey.

The decision by the Kansas Board of Regents must also be approved by a legislative committee and the Kansas Department of Administration.

The Geological Survey proposes building a 12,000-square-foot Core Sample Library at a cost of $330,000. The site will be in Jefferson County.

The lease agreement would be with the KU Endowment Association.

The survey’s current facility on west campus is full, officials said.