The Yellow Tape
Billy Self, not the KU coach Bill Self, is in Douglas County Jail
Billy Self was booked Tuesday into Douglas County Jail.No, no; this is not Kansas University’s men’s basketball coach Bill Self.The inmate does seem to be infamous to prosecutors across Kansas and in the basketball coach’s home state of Oklahoma.Billy Eugene Self, 52, was transferred to Douglas County from Greenwood County Jail. He faces a misdemeanor drug charge in district court and has multiple warrants out for his arrest in Topeka, Derby, Sedgwick County and Oklahoma.He’ll most likely make the rounds, as prosecutors take their turns with him in court.The man also has a criminal history in Kansas, convicted of attempted robbery and driving under the influence.While Billy Self’s story isn’t quite parallel to Bill Self’s, Lawrence will be home to both for now.
Top five crime and safety stories of 2008
We're counting down the top five stories on various topics today as part of an annual recap of the top stories of the year we'll do later this month. Join the conversation by letting us know what we missed or what stories you think are important by posting a comment, below.5. A string of sexual assaults over the past four years are linked
After a reported sexual assault of a woman in her southwestern Lawrence apartment at the end of Thanksgiving break, police warned that the assaults could be linked to several others reported in the area since 2004. 4. A February high-speed chase and another in December end peacefully
Edward James Wise was apprehended with a Taser in downtown Lawrence in February after a two-county high-speed chase, and in December, burglary suspect Barbara Jo Schnegelsiepen was arrested after a chase on U.S. Highway 40 west of Lawrence after she was accused of striking a Lawrence police officer with a car. 3. Two men killed in East Lawrence shooting
Kellam Jones, 17, is the only survivor of an early morning double homicide after a botched robbery in June on Delaware Street that killed Baker University student Roland Klundt, 20. Klundt had shot and killed Jones' accomplice, Gage Hauk, 18. Jones eventually pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.2. Sheriff's lieutenant killed in bicycle accident
David Dillon, a 44-year-old Douglas County sheriff’s lieutenant, was killed on his bicycle by a driver who was distracted by electronics.1. KU student murdered
Kansas University student Jana Lynn Mackey was killed in July, and police said her killer, Adolfo Garcia Nunez, committed suicide in New Jersey. The events led Mackey's parents and friends to start a service movement in her honor.
Sheriff recognized for child abuse prevention efforts
Douglas County Sheriff Ken McGovern was recently honored for his work with children and families.TFI Family Services recognized McGovern at the 32nd annual Governor's Conference for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect last week in Wichita.The honor came because McGovern and the Douglas County Sheriff's Office provided more than 10 years of consistent security and safety and awareness training for TFI's Douglas County Supervised Visitation and Exchange Center, said Lisa Bozarth, the group's spokeswoman. The center provides a safe haven for children and parents involved in domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault or stalking. Parents exchange custody of children and hold court-ordered, supervised visitation at the center.McGovern has also been supportive of a drive to develop a child advocacy center; sheriff's deputies have undergone specialized training in child abuse investigation, best practices and are active in the community's child abuse response team; and the sheriff's office has implemented children and family visitation, mental health services and parenting education classes at the jail, said Bozarth. "Sheriff McGovern holds his department to a higher standard, going above and beyond common expectations for a law enforcement department when considering abused, neglected, or at-risk children," visitation and exchange center official Beth McKenzie said in a news release.
Graffiti reports at Kansas University
Kansas University police captured a bee suspected of spraying her "pollen" on a campus building.The costumed female threw yellow paint on the front of Watkins Home, 1540 Sunflower Road, a KU Public Safety Office report said.The alleged crime happened between 10:45 a.m. and 11:20 a.m. Tuesday, the report said. The graffiti damage was reported to police around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday."We found that person and they've been interviewed," said KU police Capt. Schuyler Bailey. "They were not arrested."Bailey said he wasn't sure why the suspect was dressed like a bee.The paint was power washed off the building, which is used by KU's School of Social Welfare for several programs. The stone building was built in 1937.On Monday, someone reported graffiti at Memorial Stadium. Police said an unknown suspect painted a mural on the side of the football stadium, at 11th and Maine Streets. The criminal damage occurred sometime before 11 p.m. Oct. 12, a police report said.
Web site allows you to “rate” police officers
Have you ever had a run-in with a police officer and just needed to vent?Have you ever had a run-in with an officer and wanted to offer praise?Well, there's a Web site we stumbled across that lets you do exactly that.It's called [RATEMYCOP.com][1]. It enables you to "rate" and provide written feedback about any officer in Lawrence or Douglas County, in addition to officers in 14,996 other law enforcement jurisdictions across the country.You're able to identify whether the officer was terrible, cold, unfriendly, approachable or exceptional. You can also rate whether officers used their position of authority appropriately, if they were fair, and if you were satisfied with the outcome of an incident. Then, you can speak your mind.The [site][1] seems to be catching on.For example, one Lawrence police officer has received mixed reviews.One person exclaimed how comforting the officer was when she was involved in a car crash. Yet another person complains about the same officer, claiming he hides behind mailboxes to catch people speeding.A private company based in Los Angeles started the site in September 2007 and it's generating some controversy from law enforcement agencies across the country. The Web site obtained 170,444 officers' names from across the country, through Freedom of Information requests. Officers' names are public record.A spokeswoman for the Douglas County Sheriff's Office told me the office already has ways for people to express their opinions about how the agency or individual officers are performing.The agency has forms available on its Web site, [dgso.org][2]. They're also available at the sheriff's office, the Douglas County Jail, or by contacting any sheriff's officer."We can accurately assess the information without utilizing a third party, such as [www.RATEMYCOP.com][1] and take appropriate action promptly," said Lt. Kari Wempe, sheriff's spokeswoman. "It is the goal of the sheriff's office to provide excellent service to the community, not only by our patrol officers, but also by all employees of our department."I, personally, have a deep respect for all law enforcement officers. But, perhaps the online forum will be one more way to keep them on their toes. [1]: http://RATEMYCOP.com/ [2]: http://www.dgso.org/web/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2&Itemid=1www.dgso.org
Accident numbers piling up along Sixth Street
There have been several nasty accidents in the city over the last four months, many of them along Sixth Street.This morning - another.Around 1:30 a.m. Thursday, there was a [two-vehicle rollover crash on Sixth Street][1], between Schwarz Road and Crestline Drive.On Aug. 5, [three teenagers were injured][2] after one car swerved to miss another car, hit a drainage culvert and rolled several times. This one happened on Sixth Street between Stoneridge Drive and Queens Road. One girl is in serious condition at a Kansas City hospital.On July 12, [a man was killed on Sixth Street][3], after pulling his mo-ped out in front of a city bus, near Arkansas Street.On June 19, police said a man fleeing his home caused a [four-car crash on Sixth Street][4], near Frontier Road. He ended up in a Kansas City trauma center.On May 4, a 60-year-old man was killed in a [hit-and-run accident on Sixth Street][5], east of Kasold.Two deaths. Two serious injuries.We haven't learned the circumstances of this morning's accident, but it seems carelessness can be credited for many of the others.I often drive Sixth Street. After seeing the pictures of the nasty wrecks, it's made me a little more cautious when driving.What have you noticed while driving? Are others driving more aggressively? Are you?
[View Larger Map][6] [1]: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/aug... [2]: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/aug... [3]: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/jul... [4]: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/jun... [5]: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/may... [6]: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=117072626361034087270.0004546e1eac61f0b7146&ll=38.972355,-95.286484&spn=0.04671,0.072956&z=13&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left
Sentence determined in toilet seat case
The boyfriend of a woman stuck to a Kansas toilet was sentenced to probation, [according to the Associated Press][1].You probably remember the case. It made national headlines, primarily because it's just plain weird.The woman became stuck to the toilet after refusing to leave the bathroom for two years. Emergency responders said the seat had adhered to sores on her body.It happened in Ness City, in western Kansas. The case came to light in February, when a man called the sheriff saying he was concerned about his girlfriend.Now the boyfriend, Kory McFarren, will spend six months on probation. He pleaded no contest last month to a misdemeanor count of mistreatment of a dependent adult.But, the Ness County attorney said McFarren's girlfriend, Pam Babcock, "didn't believe that her circumstances were his fault."She spent several months recovering in a Wichita hospital.McFarren was also sentenced to six months in jail for an unrelated charge of lewd and lascivious behavior for exposing himself to a teenage neighbor in March.No word on whether McFarren and Babcock are still together. They lived together for 16 years, according to the woman's relatives. [1]: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hCy2hYzMbvSqXY56bp2Q8sslEEEwD9284E501
MySpace proves to be useful investigative technique
Law enforcement Tuesday traced a missing 15-year-old Texas girl to Lawrence using information from her MySpace account. In working with security personnel from the Web site, police were able to trace her last log-in to an IP address in Lawrence. [You can see the full story here.][1]While it's awesome the girl was found and that she was safe, it raises the question of Internet privacy.Every time you enter personal information and log on to a Web site, information about where you are can be tracked. Even when people post comments on this Web site, an IP address is logged. The number shows what computer network you're accessing the Internet from.Is that a good or a bad thing?Without the technology, the missing Texas girl may still be wandering around with the 33-year-old man police found her with. When police found the two, the man was arrested on charges including aggravated indecent liberties with a child and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.But at the same time, do you take comfort in knowing that police have the ability to track you down when you log on to a similar site? [1]: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/jul...
Motel noise complaint turns into much more
Ever wonder what motel workers do to occupy their time in the middle of the night? I'm sure they stay busy - perhaps even worrying something unfortunate could happen.But this?Early this morning, a motel clerk was going to check out a room full of noisy guests when he got a rude surprise. He was punched in the face.It happened this morning at 4:03 a.m., at [Westminster Inn, 2525 W. Sixth Street][1].When the clerk asked three males in the room to quiet down, a 15-year-old in the room punched the guy, according to a Lawrence Police report.When police got there, the three guests ran away. Only the 15-year-old was caught. Police are still looking for the other men.I'd say that motel clerk definitely earned his pay last night. [1]: http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF-8&...
Motorcyclists race, unaware, toward accident
Last night, two motorcycles were racing east down Clinton Parkway in the lane next to me. They were headed from Clinton Lake toward Iowa Street. They were clearly out to have fun and didn't realize a fellow motorcyclist had just lost his life several hours earlier straight ahead - at the intersection of 23rd and Iowa.It seems people might be a little more cautious on the road, especially after all the deadly accidents in the Lawrence area recently.Yesterday -- An Indiana man was killed after colliding with a semi-truck on his motorcycle.Saturday -- A Lawrence man was killed after colliding with a city T bus on his mo-ped.June 28 A Douglas County sheriff's deputy was struck and killed while riding his bike west of Eudora.June 27 A Lawrence man was killed when he lost control of his motorcycle and went off the road near Lone Star Lake.May 4 A Lawrence man was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver.As of yesterday, 150 traffic fatalities had been reported to the Kansas Department of Transportation this year. There were 414 reported in all of 2007.I hope those guys next to me had second thoughts about racing around town when they got up to the accident scene ahead of them.
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