Ceilings are crumbling in St. James Apartments. But some of the apartment doors are open. In Apartment 3, there was once a stripper's pole. In the ex-bedrooms is graffiti boasting John Wayne Gacy and Michael Myers. "They asked if they could paint," said landlord Brent Wimpee, of Southern Kentucky Building and Remodeling Inc. "They ransacked the place."
The state budget, which includes an additional 3 percent cut to postsecondary education, is officially law. President Gary Ransdell will attempt to answer faculty, staff and students' questions about what that budget means for Western on Thursday. Two forums will take place in the Mass Media and Technology Hall Auditorium.
A date has been set for Western to defend itself against in a wrongful death lawsuit regarding a student who was murdered on campus. The Board of Claims will hear testimony on Aug. 13 and 14 in the wrongful death claim of the estate of Pellville freshman Melissa "Katie" Autry.
Saban Ferizi finally saw where his son died. About 60 family members and friends attended a vigil Thursday evening for Eros Berisaj outside the house where he died on April 3. Berisaj, 15, was shot and killed as he allegedly broke into a house at 525 Creekwood Court.
About 19 students who participated in the Student Government Association's Campus Clean-up Thursday afternoon found a lot of cigarettes. And some underwear. "I found a thong outside of McLean (Hall)," SGA senator Kevin Smiley said, laughing. The students met at Cherry Hall and split into groups, working their way down the Hill to pick up trash.
Baseball facility improvements could help bring star players to Western through recruitment. A baseball clubhouse will be ready for use next baseball season after years of planning. Plans for the clubhouse have existed for more than eight years, but funds for the $1 million project haven't been available until recently.
Increasing enrollment continues to push Western's regional campuses to search for funding for expansion. The General Assembly's budget didn't provide much money for Western's three regional campuses, said Doug Ault, director of planning, design and construction.
A part-time dietitian has been hired by the WKU Restaurant and Catering Group, ARAMARK, the service that runs all of the dining facilities on campus. Bonnie Holt, a registered dietitian, has been at Western for three weeks researching the work of other campus dietitians and working on a food allergy booklet for the Web site.
The windows at 816 State St. are newly decorated with large, patriotic painted O's. Inside the door, volunteers are already busy calling Bowling Green residents to ask whom they plan to vote for in the upcoming Kentucky Democratic primary. The Bowling Green Obama Campaign Headquarters opens today, and about 200 supporters are expected to rally in celebration at Fountain Square Park at 5:15 p.m.
A crowd of about 100 gathered at Warren County Fiscal Court on Friday to discuss an ordinance that would create county standards for animal rights. Judge-Executive Mike Buchanon said at the beginning of the forum that officials wouldn't vote then, but they wanted to hear the public's opinion about the ordinance.
A roomful of students stood next to their posters at the Carroll Knicely Conference Center on Saturday, while awaiting to explain their projects to judges. Those poster presentations were part of the 38th Annual WKU Student Research Conference, in which more than 150 students from 25 departments presented research projects, giving either a poster presentation or an oral presentation, said Stuart Burris, an associate professor of chemistry and chair of the Student Research Council, which organized the conference.
Western's victory concert for the ONE Campus Challenge is tentatively set for April 29 at 8:30 p.m. ONE Campaign officials informed Matt Vaughan, leader of Western's ONE Campus Challenge, the date of the concert in an e-mail Friday. ONE Campus Challenge officials should be visiting Western this week to find a venue for the concert, said Vaughan, a freshman from Mexico, Mo.
The students who lived at 1672 Normal St., moved this weekend after a one-week notice to vacate. Western began the process of acquiring the property in December 2006, said H.B. Clark Jr., who has been acting on behalf of the Clark family who owns the property.
There's no place like home for Roy Biggers. The former director of dining services and ARAMARK resident district manager at Western transferred to Wake Forest University to be closer to home in North Carolina as he nears retirement, said Gary Meszaros, director of auxiliary services.
Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity was officially readmitted into the University District at last week's meeting, meaning the city approves of the fraternity's use of its property at 1436 Chestnut St. The fraternity had several requirements it had to meet before being readmitted, Planning Group Manager Jonathan Britt said.
