Peaks and valleys The Kansas softball team finishes an inconsistent regular season against the Iowa Cyclones this weekend in Ames, Iowa. 1B The student vOice since 1904 FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2007 WWW.KANSAN.COM VOL. 117 ISSUE 148 PAGE 1A » BOARDWALK TRIAL » HOMELESS fees See what your new Rose continues to deny arson $54.75 in student Event aims fees will do for you In videotaped questioning, Rose says he burned only a piece of paper next fall. Improve- to curb ments include BY ERICK R. SCHMIDT Rose admitted that he had set on aggravated battery. The case origi- of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and fire a piece of paper that contained nally went to trial in February but Explosives. They asked Rose several SafeBus and more The jury in the Boardwalk a phone number from a man named was declared a mistrial because of a questions about a series of fires he wireless Apartments fire trial continued to “Stan” and that the piece of paper late-surfacing witness. was accused of setting while grow- violence watch more than 10 hours of give- caught wooden railing on fire. The interrogation began Oct. 10, ing up in group homes. access. and-take, back-and-forth video- Rose is accused of starting the 2005, just two days after the deadly The interrogation was taped in taped questioning of Jason Allen Boardwalk Apartments fire, which fire and continued for nearly seven a span of two days in separate ses- BY MATT ERICKSON 3A Rose on Thursday. Rose’s history killed residents Jose Gonzalez, Helen hours the following day. In the inter- sions, just two days after the fire. of setting fires as a teenager was at “Yolanda” Riddle and KU student rogation, Rose was questioned by Squire and Weidner continued to Twice this winter, Lawrence tea the center of interviews in which Nicole Bingham. Rose is charged Police Detective Troy Squire of the question Rose through long gaps of homeless people were beaten in Rose repeatedly insisted that he did with aggravated arson, three counts Lawrence Police Department and random, violent attacks by adoles- Although green tea not start the deadly fire. Eventually, of murder and seven counts of Christy Weidner of the U.S. Bureau SEE BOARDWALK ON PAGE 3A cent males. Now, two graduate students want has become popu- to prevent more attacks from hap- lar recently, many » SPENCER ART MUSEUM pening. Shannon Williams and Jenn people disagree Holtaway, both master’s students in on its variety of social work, have organized a dem- onstration to take place Saturday tastes. Kansas State Students ‘travel art world’ afternoon in South Park to raise awareness of violence against home- researchers less people. now have a “We’re just trying to bring aware- solution. ness that these attacks are happen- 3A ing, and that they’re happening in Lawrence,” Williams said. Random attacks on homeless football people have become more common nationwide. The attackers some- Kansan sportswriter times refer to the practice as “bum Asher Fusco predicts bashing.” In 2006, 142 of these attacks how Kansas will do were reported across the country, in its first half of Big a 65 percent increase from the year before, said Michael Stoops, direc- 12 Conference play tor of the National Coalition for the next year. Homeless. Some of those victims were raped, beaten with weapons or set on fire, and 20 of them were killed. “That’s just disturbing to me,” Williams said. “That’s 20 individu- 1B als who died for no apparent rea- son except for (someone’s) joy and entertainment.” For their demonstration, called “Bag the Violence,” Williams and Holtaway are collecting sleeping bags to represent each of the 142 track and field victims of homeless violence last year, as well as the two Lawrence victims this winter. The demonstra- tion will run from noon to 2:30 p.m. Sarah Leonard/KANSAN They said they probably would Spencer Art Museum featured “Student Night and Party,” an event where students won prizes, created post cards and viewed the different exhibits. not meet their goal of 144 bags and would need to represent each victim Cross-cultural event displays work from Asia, Europe and Africa SEE BAGS ON PAGE 3A The Big 12 Cham- BY BETHANY BUNCH the exhibits, ate nachos and sipped York to help with the exhibit.” ing events like student night was pionship for track is on iced tea. Sally Birmingham, Spring Hill to attract students who normally The sound of international music, “Travel the art world,” the theme junior, said she’s not a stranger to wouldn’t visit the museum. fast approaching. KU the smell of catered snacks and the of the party, showcased exhibits in the museum. Kim Brook, president of the Donations promise of a free T-shirt lured a Asia, Europe and Africa. The newest “I’ve been here for lots of Student Advisory Board, said To donate new or lightly athletes have this soulful crowd to the Spencer Art addition to the museum, the 20/21 things, like openings and lectures,” the museum strived to reach the used sleeping bags for the weekend as a last Museum on Thursday night. The Gallery is still under construction. Birmingham said. “I think if events University campus to attract them Bag the Violence event, “Student Night and Party” was the The curators of the night previewed like this bring in more students than to things like lectures and gallery drop them off at Lawrence the new exhibit by showing videos would normally come, then it’s a openings. The student night and chance to museum’s student night, an event Community Shelter, 214 W. of international artists. success.” party was one effective way to do held every year. 10th St., or e-mail shoutlaw- qualify. “We chose about 10,000 of 20,000 That was the goal for the Spencer this. KJHK kept the turntables spin- [email protected] for some- pieces of art to be in the 20/21 Student Advisory Board. Megan “We’d like to make the Spencer a ning with “cross-cultural jazz and one to come pick them up. 2B soul” played loudly over speakers Gallery,” Graf said. “We even had Graf, St. Louis senior and volunteer while students mingled, explored an impartial artist come from New for the Board, said the point of hold- SEE SPENCER ON PAGE 3A weather TODAY » SOLARIS 81 65 Students ready lander prototype Isolated thunderstorms — weather.com SATURDAY SUNDAY BY BRIAN LEWIS-JONES remained optimistic during the ven- have fun,” Parrott said, “but we try.” ture. Trevor Sorensen, associate profes- 85 67 82 64 If everything goes as planned next The Lander, planned, designed sor of aerospace engineering, has Scattered thunderstorms Scattered thunderstorms Saturday, a Mars Lander prototype and constructed by University of been teaching and guiding the stu- will fall 500 feet from a helium- Kansas engineering students, began dents in what he calls a “very com- filled balloon by parachute, fire three development in September 2006. plicated mission.” index simple model rocket engines to slow “None of us had done anything He said the Lander was a demon- Classifieds. 3B its decent and softly land upright at a like this, a project of this magnitude,” stration of concepts and techniques Clinton Lake radio control airfield. he said. that could be used on a real Mars Crossword. 6A Then the Lander’s ramp will The team, Simulated Operational Lander. Horoscopes. 6A open, an American flag will flip up Lander And Rover Integrated System “I still have concerns about the and a small rover will creep out that (SOLARIS), is composed of 16 aero- whole project,” Sorensen said. “It’s so Opinion. 7A will image the terrain with its two space engineering students includ- complicated on the first attempt that Sports. 1B attached cameras. ing two graduate students. Parrott I don’t think everything will go as Contributed photo Ben Parrott, Overland Park senior said the close-knit group worked on planned. The more we test, the more Sudoku. 6A The prototype Mars Lander will be tested May 12 at Clinton Lake. In production since September and systems engineer for the Mars the six-pound Lander with a $2,500 chance at success we have.” 2006, the lander is the product of SOLARIS, a team of University engineering students. Trekker project, said the endeavor budget as a two-semester Space Elizabeth Gregory, Topeka senior received skepticism from some pro- Systems Design class project. who is mission control director and the biggest technical holdups were All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2007 The University Daily Kansan fessors, but the team of students “With the workload, it’s tough to ground station lead engineer, said the onboard computer system and SEE LANDER ON PAGE 3A 2A NEWS FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2007 Randolph’s music sounds like a all ages are welcome. quote of the day Get ready for the combination of classic rock, funk and soul. The show starts at 7 p.m. Dennis Moore “It’s all right letting yourself and is $26 to $76 for all ages. Congressman Dennis Moore will go as long as you can let your- speak at 3 p.m. Sunday at the self back.” Beakend Cinco de Mayo Ecumenical Christian Ministries, — Mick Jagger There’s no better way to celebrate 1204 Oread. KU Young Democrats daily KU info Cinco de Mayo than with an all-day is sponsoring his visit, which will BY CARLY HALVORSON Randolph and Ziggy Marley to per- block party and cheap drink spe- allow the audience to ask questions The KU Bookstore’s annual form tonight.