All stories

6News story: Holiday family cooks community dinner

December 24, 2007

One Lawrence family is helping to feed 900 residents for their Christmas Eve tradition: cooking.

6Sports video: Firebirds flying high

December 24, 2007

Is there any better feeling in the world than heading into the holiday break with back-to-back road wins over Olathe South and Lawrence High? For the Firebird boys, the answer is no.

6News story: Snow no match for sand and salt

December 24, 2007

Despite an unusually busy December in the weather department, officials say their sand and salt reserves are just fine.

6News story: KidCast

December 24, 2007

Jonathan Novorr gives tonight’s KidCast.

6Sports video: Lions lagging

December 24, 2007

The Lawrence High men’s basketball team will be asking Santa for a better second half to the year after three consecutive losses.

6News story: Christmas wish list big and chilly

By Laura McHugh

December 24, 2007

We all know the expression, “All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth.” But one local 11-year-old is thinking bigger. 6News reporter Laura McHugh learned that all he wants is an ice hockey rink.

6Sports video: Miami trumps 70-point limit

December 24, 2007

Christmas is the season of giving, and on Saturday the Kansas men’s basketball team gave Miami the gift of being their first opponent in 45 games to score more than 70 points.

6Sports video: Hawks thinking big

December 24, 2007

The Kansas men’s basketball team heads into the holiday break with a perfect 12-0 record, thanks in a large part to its large players.

6Sports video: Hokies know bowl game drill

December 24, 2007

All-time, the Kansas football team has been to 10 bowl games, but the Virginia Tech Hokies are no stranger to bowl games. In fact, they’ve been to 15 straight.

6News story: Last-minute shoppers searching for bargains

December 24, 2007

St. Nick is just hours from bringing his sleigh through Lawrence to deliver this year’s stocking stuffers, but in the meantime Lawrence shoppers hit the streets this afternoon, looking for that last-minute bargain.

6News story: Christmas good time to check on parents

December 24, 2007

As families head home for Christmas, senior-focused agencies say the visit is a great time to check on an aging parent.

6News story: Gift cards more flexible than you’d think

By Jesse Fray

December 24, 2007

If you’re considering purchasing a gift card as a last-minute gift this year, 6News reporter Jesse Fray explains why you no longer have to worry about buying the perfect one.

‘Treasure’ finds more box-office gold

By David Germain - Associated Press Writer

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B10

Nicolas Cage followed his secret treasure map to another fortune at movie theaters. Cage’s “National Treasure: Book of Secrets,” the Disney sequel to its 2004 hit, opened as the weekend’s No. 1 movie with $45.5 million as Hollywood continued a holiday spree at the box office, according to studio estimates Sunday.

(Almost) Everybody’s All-American

KU cornerback Aqib Talib doesn’t understand all the fuss about his award-winning 2007 season

By Ryan Wood

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B1

Cornerbacks can’t be hard on themselves on the field. That’s how the mind gets cluttered and the performance gets bland. But in hindsight, KU standout Aqib Talib has been his own worst critic. Soon after getting named to every All-America team and being flown all over the place for awards banquets, Talib still is trying to see what the fuss is all about.

Benefactor bests highest donation

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A6

Less than two weeks after a man put 30 $100 bills into a Salvation Army kettle, someone decided to do one better.

A Kansas country Christmas

By Elizabeth Black

December 24, 2007 in print edition on C1

It’s always easy to wax nostalgic around this time of year, longing for Christmases past. Moving back to Kansas has jogged my memories of a country Christmas. In our one-room country school, preparations for the school Christmas program would begin sometime in early December.

Sky not the limit on in-flight Internet

By The Associated Press

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A1

Seat 17D is yapping endlessly on an Internet phone call. Seat 16F is flaming Seat 16D with expletive-laden chats. Seat 16E is too busy surfing porn sites to care. Seat 17C just wants to sleep. Welcome to the promise of the Internet at 33,000 feet - and the questions of etiquette, openness and free speech that airlines and service providers will have to grapple with as they bring Internet access to the skies in the coming months.

Strike-filler programming doesn’t include news

By David Bauder - Associated Press Writer

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B10

To prepare for a prolonged writers strike, television networks have stockpiled a gladiator battle, a lie-detector game, a remade “Password,” a celebrity “Apprentice” and a competition for aspiring Pussycat Dolls. Among the new shows to roll out in prime time this winter, what’s the one programming genre the broadcasters are virtually ignoring? The news.

KU’s Chi Omega helps Lawrence boy

LJ World staff reports

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A3

Kansas University’s Chi Omega sorority fulfilled the dreams of a 4-year-old Lawrence boy when it raised $5,000 in a Make-A-Wish Foundation fundraiser, said Brandi Lane, special events and communications manager for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Kansas.

Horoscopes

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B10

You have a way about you that attracts many this year. You might not have the control you would like regarding who surrounds you. Others often run with the ball before you can grab it. If you do take the lead, there often are ramifications that you would prefer not to deal with. Listen to your inner voice and satisfy your personal needs.

Tape shows details of drug-dilution scheme

By The Associated Press

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B12

Imprisoned pharmacist Robert Courtney showed emotion just once as he described his scheme to dilute tens of thousands of prescriptions to boost profits. When he recalled that he diluted a prescription used to treat a patient for metastatic renal cancer, Courtney put his hands to his face and wept, according to tapes of his interviews obtained by The Kansas City Star.

Seventh-ranked Washington State coasts to easy victory over Idaho State

No. 7 Washington State 75, Idaho State 45

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B6

Derrick Low scored 20 points, and Kyle Weaver had 18 to lead Washington State to a victory at Idaho State. The Cougars (11-0) took control in the early going and coasted the rest of the way, leading by more than 20 points most of the second half.

FSU’s Fisher is staying

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B2

Amid speculation that he might become the head football coach at West Virginia, Florida State offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher - who two weeks ago was named by FSU the successor to coach Bobby Bowden - announced Sunday that he is remaining at Florida State.

No. 22 Miami flushes North Carolina A&T

By The Associated Press

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B6

Jack McClinton scored 17 points, and No. 22 Miami defeated North Carolina A&T, 95-64, Sunday to stretch its season-opening winning streak to 12 games.

Queen Elizabeth launches YouTube site

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A2

Just call her Queen e-Lizabeth. The 81-year-old British monarch launched her own video site on YouTube Sunday, featuring old news reels and film snippets of daily royal life. Buckingham Palace said Queen Elizabeth II keeps up with new ways of communicating with people and was hoping to reach a wider, and younger, audience through the popular video-sharing Web site.

Moving to a smaller company

By J.T. O'Donnell & Dale Dauten

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B11

J.T. and Dale Talk Jobs

Oregon residents get present from state government

By Julia Silverman - Associated Press Writer

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A2

Just in time for Christmas, Oregon taxpayers have gotten some extra spending money from an unlikely Santa Claus: their state government.

NBA Roundup

Associated Press

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B8

Scores around the league

Hundreds mourn astronaut’s mother

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A2

As NASA astronaut Daniel Tani orbited Earth, hundreds of mourners filled a suburban Chicago church Sunday to remember his 90-year-old mother as someone who endured hardship to raise five children and worked until age 70.

Olmert rejects truce with Hamas

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A2

Israel’s prime minister pledged Sunday to continue attacking Gaza militants, ruling out truce negotiations with Hamas amid widespread skepticism about the Islamic group’s ability to halt rocket attacks. An Israeli Cabinet minister, meanwhile, angered moderate Palestinians with another plan for new Jewish housing in a disputed part of Jerusalem, complicating renewed peace talks.

Carpet cleaner elected to national board

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B11

Mike Brummett, Lawrence, owner of Basic Carpet Care, recently was elected as a board member for the Society of Cleaning and Restoration Technicians.

Old Home Town - 40 years ago

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A7

Five Kansas University fraternities and sororities paid their first-half 1967 personal property taxes to the county treasurer’s office under protest. They declared that the taxes were not representative of the services they got from the county.

New, improved gift cards

Added features aim to build on popularity

By Greta Guest - Detroit Free Press

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B11

If you receive a gift card this holiday season, don’t be surprised if it lights up, sings to you, has a familiar face on it or smells like gingerbread when you scratch it. Those are some of the new features on gift cards this year offered by retailers including Target, Borders and American Eagle Outfitters.

Bomb threat forces landing in Omaha

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A4

A Southwest Airlines flight headed to Connecticut made an emergency landing Saturday in Omaha after a person who missed the flight made a bomb threat, an airline spokeswoman said Sunday.

Roger Hill center gets new manager

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B11

Tracie M. Massey has joined the staff of the United Way of Douglas County as manager for the Roger Hill Volunteer Center.

Snowstorm blamed for 11 deaths

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A2

Highways were hazardous for holiday travelers Sunday and thousands of homes and businesses had no electricity in the Midwest as a storm blustered through the region with heavy snow and howling wind.At least 11 deaths had been blamed on the storm.

On the money: tips for renting a car

McClatchy Newspapers

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B11

Whether traveling by car for business or pleasure, many people rely on rental cars to get to their destination. And, as anyone knows who has rented a car at one time or another, understanding the rental terms and finding the deal with the best rate can prove challenging.

New rules make cards easier to use

By Nancy Trejos - The Washington Post

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B11

Gift cards are more popular this year and are easier to use, thanks to key rulings by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and efforts by a number of states to regulate them, several retail experts said. “As recently as three years ago, nobody paid any attention to them,” said Ellen Cannon, managing editor of Bankrate.com. “I guess there was enough of an outcry that states started putting in laws.”

On the record

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A4

Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical reported no calls Sunday night.

Second rushing title in reach for L.T.

By The Associated Press

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B4

The No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs isn’t the only thing the San Diego Chargers are playing for in their final two games. For one, LaDainian Tomlinson is within reach of his second straight NFL rushing title.

Missouri gives Pinkel raise

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B2

Gary Pinkel helped lead long-suffering Missouri into college football’s elite ranks this year. Now he has the contract to match that lofty perch.

Marine Christmas dinner originates in Tulsa

By The Associated Press

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A4

More than 70 Marines at Camp Pendleton in California will have an Oklahoma barbecue spread for their Christmas dinner, paid for by a couple from Tulsa. George and Rachel Gibbs, whose son is a Marine, said the reason they spent about $4,500 on food and shipping costs for the meal is that they wanted to do something special for Marines at Camp Pendleton who did not go home for Christmas.

Strange situation won’t faze Pelini, LSU

By Brett Martel - Associated Press Sports Writer

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B2

Before new Nebraska coach Bo Pelini could return to LSU’s sideline for one last game as defensive coordinator, he and Tigers head coach Les Miles had to set a few ground rules.

Chiefs kickoff switched

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B2

Sunday’s season finale between the Titans and Colts at Indianapolis has been moved to prime time with Tennessee in position to secure an AFC wild-card berth.

Report: Child soldiers recruited at record pace

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A2

Boys and girls are being recruited in record numbers to act as soldiers, spies and sex slaves in Congo and children have been spotted marching in formation in the war-wracked east of the country over the past week, international charity Save the Children said Monday.

Traveling trumpets

By Terry Rombeck

December 24, 2007 in print edition on C1

Peixiang Li was so enamored with Steve Leisring’s trumpet playing that he decided to follow him around the globe to study under him. Li was a student in China in 2005 when Leisring toured the country as a soloist with the Kansas University Wind Ensemble.

Allure predicts ‘08 will mean bright colors

By Samantha Critchell - The Associated Press

December 24, 2007 in print edition on C1

There will be three Cs the face of 2008 will need to know: color, cream and caffeine. Linda Wells, editor in chief of Allure magazine, predicts those will be the beauty trends in the new year. They all lend themselves to a move away from the very ladylike style that dominated in 2007.

‘RAW’ honors troops in war zone special

By Kevin McDonough

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B10

Gone are the days of the Bob Hope Christmas specials, the annual showcase of comedy, music and cheesecake in war theaters from Vietnam to the Persian Gulf.

Less legislation produces more satisfaction

By George Will - Washington Post Writers Group

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A7

Hell bent on driving its approval rating into single digits, Congress adjourned after passing an omnibus spending bill larded with at least 8,993 earmarks costing at least $7.4 billion - the precise number and amount will be unclear until implications of some obscure provisions are deciphered. The gusher of earmarks was a triumph of bipartisanship, which often is a synonym for kleptocracy.

Ho, Ho Heart Attack?

By Los Angeles Times

December 24, 2007 in print edition on C1

The good side of holiday hoopla - increased camaraderie, generosity of spirit - can help ease depression for some. But what is balm for the mind can be bad news for the ticker.

Missouri looks to rebound before Big 12 season arrives

By R.B. Fallstrom - Associated Press Sports Writer

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B6

There’s no disputing Mike Anderson’s post-game assessment that the annual Missouri-Illinois game is not the biggest game on the Tigers’ schedule. The Big 12 conference schedule hasn’t begun yet, and no game is bigger than their other border state rivalry with Kansas. Both good points.

Late field goal leads ECU past Broncos

Boise State the squad victimized by last-second heroics this time around

By Jaymes Song - Associated Press Sports Writer

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B7

Ben Hartman kicked a 34-yard field goal as time expired to give East Carolina a 41-38 victory over No. 24 Boise State in the Hawaii Bowl on Sunday night.

NFL Roundup

Patriots first to 15: Victory over Miami sets NFL regular-season record for victories

By The Associated Press

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B4

The Patriots set an NFL record with their 15th victory. Tom Brady and Randy Moss edged closer to two more marks.

Smoking out a Christmas tradition

The Holiday family and Biggs BBQ prepare meat for a local Christmas feast

By Alex Parker

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A3

On Christmas Eve, when many families are cozied up reading “The Night Before Christmas,” Doug Holiday and his family will be gathered around a pile of turkeys and ham.

New coach plans to strengthen Michigan

By Mark Snyder - Detroit Free Press

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B7

New Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez didn’t spend too much time in Michigan last week. A Monday news conference, followed by meetings Wednesday and Thursday in Schembechler Hall and throughout campus, and then he was back to West Virginia to clean up his life there.

Clemens makes video denying use

Rocket plans to face steroids questions on ‘60 Minutes’

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B2

Roger Clemens posted a video Sunday repeating his denials of the steroids use alleged against him in the Mitchell Report and plans to be interviewed for a future episode of “60 Minutes.” The seven-time Cy Young Award winner was accused in the report of using steroids, an allegation made by his former trainer.

It’s the money

Finding the money to raise teacher salaries is an important component to solving the state’s teacher shortage.

J-W Editorials

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A7

The headline on a recent Associated Press story about the shortage of teachers in Kansas probably made some school officials laugh. “Lawmakers to school officials: Consider paying teachers more,” it said. To which school officials might respond with a sarcastic “duh.”

Snow leaves mark on roads, stores

By Alex Parker

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A3

The heavy snowfall that blanketed the Lawrence area on Saturday had lingering effects, as disabled vehicles littered the shoulders of Kansas Highway 10 and snow and ice remained on some patches of the roadway on Sunday.

Audio-Reader, KPR add new employees

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B11

Nicole Banman and Brenda Bryant have joined the staff of The Audio-Reader Network of Kansas and Kansas Public Radio, Lawrence.

‘Bama upends Iowa St.

By The Associated Press

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B6

AG scandal makes Parkinson a GOP target

By John Hanna - Associated Press Writer

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A5

A sex scandal surrounding Attorney General Paul Morrison is making another Democrat, Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson, a target for the state Republican Party. Parkinson and Morrison have been friends for more than 20 years. That has GOP leaders asking whether Parkinson knew about an extramarital affair Morrison had with a former subordinate.

Lions not as bad as Chiefs, 25-20

Duckett runs for 102 yards as lowly Detroit snaps six-game skid, sends K.C. to eighth straight loss

By Larry Lage - Associated Press Sports Writer

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B1

It was an ugly game, perhaps fittingly for two teams that combined for a 13-game losing streak.The Detroit Lions, though, are not in the position to get picky.

‘Grind’ awaits Jayhawks

After short break, KU will live, breathe ball

By Gary Bedore

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B1

Kansas University’s basketball players better rest up physically and mentally during their short-but-sweet holiday break, which officially started at the final horn of Saturday’s game against Miami of Ohio. They’ll be facing quite a grind upon their return to campus for practice Wednesday night, coach Bill Self said.

Gatherings afford chance to ensure Mom, Dad doing OK

Make the most of visiting parents’ home for holidays

By Christine Metz

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A1

For many, the holidays mean going home. And for those with aging parents, it’s as good as time as any to make sure mom and dad are still able to stay at home. Starting with Thanksgiving and going into the New Year, senior-focused agencies see a bump in calls as adult children check in with parents.

Cancer survivors adopted for holiday

By Lindsey Slater

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A3

For some, it means presents under the Christmas tree. For others, it means being able to get a life-saving prescription. “The cost of survivorship - not meaning to sound ungrateful, but they are extremely high,” said Julie Cowdin, a breast cancer survivor.

Warplanes bomb Kurdish rebel positions

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A2

Turkey’s prime minister defended the recent bombing of Kurdish rebel targets in northern Iraq as military jets pummeled the area with fresh attacks on Sunday.

Regents proposal facing close scrutiny

Higher education’s requested funding increase is largest in state government

By Scott Rothschild

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A1

Key budget leaders weren’t enthusiastic, but they didn’t say “get lost,” either. That was the reaction during a meeting last week when Reginald Robinson, president and chief executive officer of the Kansas Board of Regents, unveiled the regents’ higher education budget recommendation, which calls for a $150.5 million, or 18.1 percent funding increase.

Crucial Crucial service

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A7

To the editor: I do not ride the T, despite being lucky enough to live on a bus line. But when I was a teenager I relied on the local public transit system, and today so do many young people, old people, people of limited means and people of strong environmental principles.

Old Home Town - 100 years ago

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A7

From the Lawrence Daily World for Dec. 24, 1907: “William Jennings Bryan will be the speaker at the regular Sunday meeting of the YMCA. The university has offered the big hall in Robinson Gymnasium for the meeting and it is possible that it will be used because of the eminence of the well-known Mr. Bryan, a Presbyterian and a devoted church man.

Pentagon, Palau eye sky for space solar power

By Charles J. Hanley - Associated Press Writer

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A8

While great nations fretted over coal, oil and global warming, one of the smallest at the U.N. climate conference was looking toward the heavens for its energy. The annual meeting’s corridors can be a sounding board for unlikely “solutions” to climate change - from filling the skies with soot to block the sun, to cultivating oceans of seaweed to absorb the atmosphere’s heat-trapping carbon dioxide.

Americans’ debt woes expand as unpaid credit card bills rise

By Rachel Konrad and Bob Porterfield - Associated Press Writers

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A2

Americans are falling behind on their credit card payments at an alarming rate, sending delinquencies and defaults surging by double-digit percentages in the last year and prompting warnings of worse to come. An Associated Press analysis of financial data from the country’s largest card issuers also found that the greatest rise was among accounts more than 90 days in arrears.

Salvation Army falls short of goal

LJ World staff reports

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A3

With today being the final day for collecting, the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign is about $30,000 short of its fundraising goal of $102,000, the agency said. It cited the recent ice storm and this weekend’s snowstorm for keeping shoppers and volunteers away.

Doomed T?

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A7

To the editor: As I understand it, the original concept was built on a grant, poorly managed from the start. No further funds were pursued to maintain the T, and I’m sure no real route studies were done. It was also designed to fail from the start: The routes were poorly designed; there was no coordination with the KU bus system because of local politics; and the system was poorly promoted by the city.

People in the news

December 24, 2007 in print edition on B10

¢ Katherine Heigl weds musician Josh Kelley

Drivers needed for Meals on Wheels

J-W Staff Reports

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A4

Meals on Wheels is in need of drivers to deliver meals to elderly and homebound community members. Volunteers pick up meals at Lawrence Memorial Hospital; delivery to clients takes about 45 minutes.

Purse warning

December 24, 2007 in print edition on A7

To the editor: I would like to thank the Lawrence Police Department for the quick response and capture of the purse snatcher.