Category: News

Republic of Korea Army Captain Hosub Shim spoke on the history and security challenges of modern South Korea.  Captain Shim is a graduate and former teacher at Korea’s national military academy.  He also took an MA degree from Waseda University in Tokyo and is presently working on a Ph.D. in history at the University of Kansas.  Historically Korea has been invaded and occupied many times by powerful neighbors, including China and Japan.  However, Korean culture has survived and in South Korea, the people have prospered and built a powerhouse economy.The partition of Korea in 1945 was a defining moment in the history of the country.  The ensuing war between North and South devastated the peninsula.  The Korean War was also a Cold War

The partition of Korea in 1945 was a defining moment in the history of the country.  The ensuing war between North and South devastated the peninsula.  The Korean War was also a Cold War showdown with China and the United States engaged in combat in support of their respective allies.  Open combat ended after bitter fighting only to be replaced by a contentious ceasefire that is still in place.  North Korea continued to exist as a closed society with a one-party system dominated by the military and a ruling family.  Most of the people of the north live in poverty and suffer periodic famine and other material shortages.  In contrast the South is a democracy and boasts one of the strongest economies in the world.  Captain Shim illustrated the contrast by sharing a nighttime satellite photograph of the peninsula that shows the South full of points of light and the North almost totally dark.Captain Shim believes the biggest threat to the region is the present unstable regime in the North and their continuing development of nuclear capability.  The North continues to make threats and initiate provocative incidents.  South Koreans welcome the presence of U.S. military forces as a deterrent but the nuclear threat makes the status quo untenable.  Captain Shim belies it is essential for the United States to make a diplomatic neutralization of the North’s nuclear capability the highest priority.  Despite all obstacles South Koreans long for a reunification of the country some day.

Captain Shim believes the biggest threat to the region is the present unstable regime in the North and their continuing development of nuclear capability.  The North continues to make threats and initiate provocative incidents.  South Koreans welcome the presence of U.S. military forces as a deterrent but the nuclear threat makes the status quo untenable.  Captain Shim believes it is essential for the United States to make a diplomatic neutralization of the North’s nuclear capability the highest priority.  Despite all obstacles South Koreans long for a reunification of the country some day.

Ryan Gray was born in Lawrence in 1973 with an inoperable brain tumor, which limited him physically but not intellectually.  Noticed by KU basketball coach, Larry Brown, Ryan became an official ball boy for the KU team and its unofficial  number one fan and good luck charm, especially during the winning 1988 season.

Ryan died in 1990, and in 1993 a playground, named for him, was created  at Hilltop School, which was accessible to children with mobility disabilities, the first such in Kansas.

Now the  playground needs to be rejuvenated and a steering committee has been formed to purchase new equipment, increase accessibility even more and enhance options for exercise and health.

Dana Lattin, one of the steering committee chairs, told Central Rotarians on May 11 that the committee’s goal is to raise $260,000. The Lawrence school district will contribute part of the money and fund-raising efforts are under-way for the rest.

Dana Lattin, one of the steering committee chairs, told Central Rotarians on May 11 that the committee’s goal is to raise $260,000. The Lawrence school district will contribute part of the money and fund-raising efforts are under-way for the rest.

Changes to the playground will include a circular design and engaging play structures so children can play together. Signs and panels will include directions in Braille.  Currently, the pavement is buckling after years of use and needs to be replaced.

“We want to provide an opportunity for all youth and families to use the playground,” Lattin said.  “We want to re-engage the Lawrence/Douglas county community and increase playground usage,” she said.

For more information, or to contribute contact:  Dana Lattin, danalattin@gmail.com or Janel Leitch at janelleitch@gmail.com.

Sally Zogry’s motto is “Shop Small, Shop Local.” Zogry, the director of  Downtown Lawrence, has been on the job for three years. She’s watched activity in downtown Lawrence grow and is working to keep the downtown vital and busy.

“I plan an event that I’d like to attend—sometimes bringing the kids,” she said.

New activities in downtown have included the gift card program, collaborative partnerships with downtown businesses  which has been very successful. Discount gift cards ranging from $10 to $500 are accepted at 100 downtown businesses. “Annually we’ve sold $150,000 worth,” she said. “It keeps money downtown and is a closed loop program with only participating businesses. “

The Winter Parade, the first weekend in December has always been a popular event, but parade goers didn’t stay downtown after the parade, so it has been repackaged into a “Winter Weekend” with caroling, holiday shows and shopping and dinner packages.

Final Fridays have been rejuvenated with a goal toward including more businesses and encouraging more coordinated public relations and marketing by those participating, with an emphasis on restaurants.

The popular  Farmers Market, now in its 40th year, in the 800 block of New Hampshire on Saturdays, will be moving a Tuesday market to the Lawrence Library Lawn Plaza to facilitate parking.

Events scheduled for 2016 include  the Busker Fest in late May, the Dinners and Movies on the Library Lawn each month in the summer, and the fourth of July fireworks.

Zogry talked about six new businesses starting in town ,four restaurants, a boutique and a furniture store, and said she  is looking forward to a lofts and apartments building on New Hampshire and, possibly, a downtown grocery store.