When asked about the specific directions he has received on the new wellness policy, Larsen replied, “None. I have not seen anything posted or mentioned in any of the meetings. If it was, then it was not a major issue and was something that was just touched on.”

This is the first full year where Lawrence schools have implemented the federally-mandated wellness program. The policy is a three-pronged strategy to promote nutrition, nutrition education and physical activity. In addition to encouraging students to become more health-conscious, the policy also introduces language that has not been discussed: teachers are directed to be “role models” for students in terms of their food and drink during school hours. And while it may be premature to judge the overall effectiveness of the policy after the first few months, the initial report from teachers like Jake Larsen speaks volumes.

This lack of follow-through on implementation is a problem that has plagued other wellness programs around the nation. The American Journal of Public Health published a 1998 study that determined insufficient participation by school staff dooms most efforts, concluding “These discouraging results…call into question the utility of school site teacher wellness programs.”

Larsen is not alone in his belief that inadequate training has been given to teachers. A 2001 study by Dr. Perez-Rodrigo and Dr. Aranceta published in Public Health Nutrition, finds that is a common problem in wellness programs. “Teachers often complain about the lack of explicit curriculum, suitable materials or training experience.” They conclude that resources and teacher training are “essential to program success.”

Part of the school district’s wellness policy mandates that teachers are to serve as role models for students in their eating habits during school hours. In certain respects, this is an essential component for a wellness program to be successful. On the other hand, some feel the policy is overbearing in its demands on teachers.

“It's one of those things that looks awesome on paper but is not that great of a practice. Of course we want to model the best things for kids during the day,” said Jessica Larsen, a teacher at Hillcrest Elementary, “On the other hand, there are days when I just have to have a Diet Coke at lunch and I'll take it back to the room to finish while there's orchestra going on, or I’ll have a piece of chocolate in the afternoon.”

This sentiment is not unheard of for school district administrators. “In trying to enforce changes, we have received mixed reviews. Some feel that we have overstepped our authority and some feel that we are too lenient and could do more,” said Paula Murrish, Director of Food Services for Lawrence Public Schools.

Jacob Larsen agrees with this assessment, saying that while “policing” school staff could become a slippery slope, it may not go far enough to be truly effective. “If schools really want to make the teachers good role models, then maybe they should institute a weight limit, exercise chart, and have teachers complete a fitness report on themselves each year.”

Murrish hopes that won’t be necessary. “We are not wanting to become ‘food police,’ so we will try to explain why we have these goals and expectations and hopefully we can educate any personnel who feel differently.” As far as teacher awareness is concerned, Murrish contends the plan is still in its early stages of development: “Since the policy was just approved by the BOE (Board of Education) in June, we are still getting the word out and working through staff concerns.”

One of the architects of the district’s wellness policy, Deputy Superintendent Bruce Passman, agrees that finding the middle ground between education and intrusion can be difficult, but says the end goal of improving student health demands action. “Teachers are significant role models for our students. Their choices about food and drink, particularly those in the workplace, have a bearing on students' eating choices. We don't ever intend to patrol our teachers on this issue, but have high expectations and believe teachers will do their part in terms of implementing the policy.”

It seems that the district is trapped in a “Catch-22:” they don’t want to police food choices made by teachers, but at the same time, stepping back from a hard-line approach can diminish the effectiveness of the policy. Jessica Larsen offered a recent example of current staff attitudes: the day before Halloween, a teacher copied a comic strip for others to read where a boss had banned sugary treats in the workplace. Larsen said that the intention was clearly to poke fun at the new policy, saying it is “kind of a running joke right now.”

And while the policy is a “running joke” in some schools, in others like Central Junior High, it receives little to no attention at all. Jake Larsen said that “Teachers are concerned about so many other issues that this policy is not even given the light of day. IEP meetings, SIT plans, testing, and the No Child Left Behind Act, along with grading and daily lessons keep the policy on the backburner.” Jessica Larsen agrees, saying “It's ‘one more thing’ we'll have to take care of on top of a million other things.”

Despite this grim assessment, Murrish still holds hope for the effectiveness of the program, saying she believes the district is doing the right thing and that the changes will simply take time to get used to. Dr. Passman echoes that sentiment, saying that results will not be seen overnight. “The change in eating and physical activity habits have occurred over decades and it will take vigilance by schools and communities to turn this around. Bottom line: we have an opportunity through good teaching and being role models to [enable] our students to live long and healthy lives. I think it’s worth it.”

"That was at the request of the North Lawrence Improvement Association. The city doesn't do that on its own," said Mike Boyle, head of the neighborhood activist group dedicated to fostering the interests of residents and businesses north of the river. "I've been president of the NLIA for 11 years, and we've been asking for a fire station over here since before I was president."

Despite being isolated by the Kansas River, no fire or emergency services are based in North Lawrence. The likelihood of a new fire station being built north of the river seemed to depend upon who was asked.

"It's not cost effective," said Rich Barr, fire marshal for the Lawrence Douglas County Fire Medical. "The city can not justify moving a station over there and keeping one downtown."

Barr said that moving the downtown station, officially known as station number one, would put the downtown area at a greater risk of conflagration, because a fire could impact numerous structures built tightly together.

Fire stations number one on 746 Kentucky Street and number six on 225 Maine Street are the closest of five stations to North Lawrence. Water rescue boats for both the Kansas River and Clinton Lake are located at station number three on 3708 West Sixth Street. In the event of delay on the bridges to North Lawrence, emergency vehicles would be forced to use Interstate 70.

However, there discussions that the downtown station could be moved if the city commission decided to expand the existing Lawrence Public Library rather than moving it to an alternative site. Both buildings presently share the same block downtown.

While Ted Boyle hopes that a new library displaces the old fire station, Rich Barr said the Lawrence Douglas County Fire Medical would prefer another alternative. "We don't want to relocate the station," said Barr. "The new plans for the library include reincorporating a new station into the exiting building.

However, Ted Boyle is confident, based on his discussions with the city commission. "It looks like we will probably get a fire station within the next maybe three to five years, especially with them talking about a new library, if they choose to do it," said Ted Boyle. "We'll probably get a fire station before we get a grocery store."

Meanwhile, Boyle will prepare for next year when a major reconstruction of the intersection of North Second and Locust streets will hinder traffic through the area for months. Commuters will undoubted see another lone fire engine parked somewhere near by.

The downtown parking advisory board is one of many advisory boards in the city of Lawrence. Most of the boards meet regularly to discuss issues and present recommendations to city commissioners. The downtown parking advisory board meets on an as needed basis. City officials said the board has not been active for the past few years because it has not been needed.

Lawrence Mayor Mike Amyx said since the completion of the parking garage a number of years ago there have not been any major parking projects for the board to consider. “Until we have a project, there is not a whole lot for the board to do,” he said.

Most board members disagree. The board can discuss smaller downtown parking concerns. The members can also serve as good resources to the city. They are all active in the community and many of them work in the downtown area. They have knowledge and talents and out of respect for their willingness to serve the city should use them.

The downtown parking advisory board includes a city commissioner and 6 Lawrence residents. The commissioner is appointed to the board and the members volunteer to be on it. The current roster on the city webpage is out of date. Two of the 6 members have incorrect contact information listed. The other 4 members, who joined the board during 2003 and 2004, have never attended an advisory board meeting. Up until a few weeks ago, City Commissioner Mike Rundle was not aware that he was the commissioner assigned to this board. He thought he had been replaced over two years ago. Not only has the board been unused, it has also been neglected. As a result downtown parking concerns have been neglected.

Commissioner Rundle said “there is not any eminent project” the city is working on but “parking is a perennial problem.” The board could be used to discuss smaller concerns. Aimee Polson joined the board because she thought it would be beneficial. She said that there are “issues that haven’t been addresses that should have.” Among these issues she listed moped parking and line of sight concerns. Pat Kehde said, as a downtown proprietor, she becomes aware of many issues through customers and other business owners. Had the board been active over the past few years, these concerns could have been discussed. Polson said she “feels the city is missing out on a resource.” “This is a free service the city isn’t taking advantage of,” she said.

Other members agree. Executive Director of the Lawrence Public Library, Bruce Flanders is also a member of the board. He said “it’s unfortunate” that the board has not met together since he joined. “More than anything, I am somewhat disappointed,” he said. “I would have been pleased to be a part of the discussions and involved.”

Flanders joined the board because he “thought it would be useful.” With the library redevelopment project underway an active downtown parking advisory board would be a great benefit. “The library has a tremendous need for parking in its current location and as this project moves forward, parking demands will be extraordinary,” he said. He is hopeful that the advisory board will become active again and can help with these parking concerns.

Both Mayor Amyx and City Manager Dave Corliss agree that the inactivity of the downtown parking advisory board has not been a priority or a concern. But, they do think they will try to utilize the board as a part of the library redevelopment project. Until that time and after that project is completed, Corliss thinks the city should consider the actual need of this particular advisory board. “We don’t build parking garages ever year,” he said.

Large parking projects are important, but this isn’t a matter of just building parking garages. It is a matter of building a community. The downtown parking advisory board is made up of member of the Lawrence community who want to serve and work through parking concerns, even small ones. Kehde said, “I think it would be polite once people have volunteered to be on a board to at least have them meet once a year, face to face, with the city.”

When Sonja Kaechele jumps on her bike in the morning to get to school, or in the afternoon to shop for groceries, or in the evening to pedal to the Student Recreation Fitness Center, she is never free of fear. Potholes on the streets, sidewalks that suddenly end or – even worse – careless drivers make these days hard times for cyclists, said Kaechele, a 24-year-old graduate student from Germany. “I don’t feel as safe as I do in Germany, but I probably shouldn’t worry too much about it. Americans are simply less used to cyclists and less aware of them,” Kächele said.

However, she is not alone. With the city of Lawrence growing and gas prices rising, more people now resort to their bikes – either to commute or for recreational purposes. And as they hit the road, they face safety issues.

Paul Davis, manager of Sunflower Outdoor & Bike Shop, said that most of his customers were concerned about safety issues. “We have seen a sharp increase in customers over the last two years,” he said. “These people think about their safety. Their biggest concern is whether or not drivers are aware of them as cyclists.”

What most road users probably do not know: The Kansas state law provides rules that regulate the co-existence of drivers and cyclists. One requirement is that drivers give cyclists at least four feet of clearance on the street. Craig Weinaug, Douglas County administrator and vice president of the Lawrence Bicycle Club, said that a lack of awareness of such laws can trigger misunderstandings on both sides. “Most people don’t know what the state law is,” Weinaug said. One common problem is that bikers ride too close to the curb, he said, because they do not know about their rights. “Often times, cars don’t go to the other lane. If they did, it would give the biker enough space and both would be safer,” Weinaug said.

Erik Struckhoff, member of the Lawrence bicycle advisory board, says that everybody could do something to make things easier. “By riding predictibly for example, cyclists can improve their own safety. The biggest hazard is not being hit from behind but rather from the side by a turning motorist,” Struckhoff said. Predictibility is also one of the key words in the Kansas Bicycle Safety guide that can be viewed online at http://www.ksdot.org/burRail/bike/biking/bicyclesafety.asp. The guide says that everybody should maintain a safety first attitude. “In a crash, whether your fault or not your fault,” the guide reads, “you lose.”

Beyond relying on the awareness of cyclists and drivers, the city of Lawrence has its own ways to further improve bike safety through a set of different measures. Thus, the city has designated already existing roads as so-called bike routes. “Bike routes tell people where other people are riding,” said Struckhoff. “Bike routes are defined by safety, convenience, directness and flatness. They are easy to access and they mostly lead through low-speed and low-motorized areas.” Unless a road is resurfaced – as parts of 19th Street have been recently – no new bike lanes can be added.

“Unfortunately, we can’t always go back and add bike lanes to existing roads,” Struckhoff said. Besides being a matter of time, adding bike lanes often is also a matter of legality or space. “A street has to be at least 36 feet wide, that is 18 feet per lane,” said Struckhoff. “The drive lane has to be at least 12 feet wide, the bike lane four feet. The gutter and the curb need another 2 feet,” said Struckhoff. “Most of the existing roads do not meet these requirements.”
And even if adding bike lanes seems possible, it is possibly not reasonable. Naismith Dr. is one example. 600 cars can cross the intersection of Naismith Dr. and 23th Street every hour, said Struckhoff. However, the intersection was designed to bear up to 3600 cars per hour. It seems as if one lane of Naismith Dr. could easily be closed and declared a bike lane. “It is not that easy,” Struckhoff said. “On gamedays, for example, we face a higher amount of cars and then we need the two lanes. This is for sure a legitimate reason.” Thus, the city and the advisory board do not look back. “We want to work timely and cost-effective. That’s why we plan ahead,” Struckhoff said.

With Lawrence constantly growing; the city has the opportunity to add new bike lanes or even separate bike paths. “The city and its developers have done a great job so far on following up with new transportation facilities,” Struckhoff said. Craig Weinaug, vice president of the Lawrence Bicycle Club, said he had crossed Kansas three times on his bicycle and that – based on this experience – Lawrence compared favorably to any town of its size.

Besides reconstruction of existing and installation of new facilities, the city and the advisory board also want to encourage people to use their bikes to preserve the quality of life in Lawrence. Air pollution is one concern among others, said Struckhoff: “Riding a bike saves money and space. Adding a car, however, means adding parking space and consuming gasoline,” Struckhoff said. Many people could simply not imagine taking a bike to work. “Often times, it is not a failure of the system but a failure of imagination.” To many cars drove around with just one person in them, Struckhoff said. “If you build a parking lot or a highway, people will use it. If you build a bike lane instead, people will use the bike lane.” Craig Weinaug, who is with the Lawrence Bicycle Club, sees things slightly differently. “What motivates people is not a message, it’s the gas price.”

As far as safety is concerned, Sonja Kaechele from Germany hopes to see an awareness program for drivers. So does Jose Aleman Banon, a graduate student from S pain. He often clashes with car drivers in troublesome ways. “Young people are often rude to bikers. More than six times, I have encountered the following situation: I am riding my bike, and the navigator in the car next to me leans his head out of the window to scream at me and make his friends laugh,” Aleman Banon said. “That is extremely dangerous, because you get totally startled, and may lose control of the handle bars, fall and cause a serious accident.” Furthermore, Aleman Banon is concerned with the condition and the number of street lights. “The street lighting system in Lawrence is embarrasing,” he said.

Eventually, it seems that a lot of work lies ahead for both the city commission and the bicycle advisory board. One immediate measure that Struckhoff suggests is the reintroduction of a bicycle adviser to the city commission: “The city used to have a paid staff position. We continuously emphasize the reestablishment of such a position.”

For now, Sonja Kaechele from Germany and Jose Aleman Banon from Spain take sidewalks instead of driving on the road, especially on the weekends, accepting potholes and sidewalks that end abruptly.
What could make them feel better: Lawrence is among the 58 bike-friendliest communities in the country. In 2004 the League of American Cyclists recognized Lawrence with its “Bicycle Friendly Community” designation. Despite all that needs to be done, Craig Weinaug, vice president of the Lawrence Bicycle Club, knows why Lawrence was awarded the prize: “I think that Lawrence is simply a great place to ride a bike.”

Tom Bracciano, division director of operations and facilities planning, has been serving as the chairman of the boundary committee since 1993. He can understand why parents on the east side of town feel left behind when comparing the situation of their elementary schools with the schools on the west side.

“We have more schools than we need now,” Bracciano said. “We could have closed more.”

New York elementary school, on the east side, is one of Lawrence’s poorest elementary schools. Teachers at New York know that the school’s fate depends on the number of enrolled children and on the boundary committee’s future decisions. Minority parents don’t want their children to suffer from a poor education because of where they live. To better students’ education, New York elementary school has developed special programs to prepare poor students to live among middle-class people.

Lawrence Public Schools works independently from the city of Lawrence. City Hall has little power to influence its decision. Rick Gammill, director of special operations, safety and transportation, says that the school district meets quarterly with the city commission especially to discuss growth issues. Gammill says that the Board of Education, the county and the city discuss topics that affect all three entities.

If parents have a complaint or want their children to attend a school out of their area, they go to the school district. The school district handles boundary issues case by case. The school district is in charge of providing transportation for students. This also is based on a case by case analysis. Gammill said that last year, the Board of Education asked the boundary committee to focus on elementary schools. After eight months of study, the committee changed the boundary between Quail Run and Deerfield elementary schools on the north-west side of Lawrence. The committee changed the boundary because one school was losing children while the other school was gaining them.

Parents in east Lawrence fear that the committee might change a boundary making one school area out of two. Parents are willing to talk about the issue but wish to have their names kept secret. They say that Lawrence is a small town in a conservative state and “you never know what might happen.”

Parents say that if the Board of Education has to close a school, it would choose one on the east side. Minority parents know that their children are not born less intelligent than white Americans but feel they are treated as if they are. They say east Lawrence is dying and the school district won’t do anything about it because it is a poor area. Gammill disagrees, saying that Prairie Park, on the east side, is one of Lawrence’s newest schools.

Bracciano says that the committee has closed schools in east Lawrence, but not due to social status or race. “The east side has become a very popular place to live for students and families with no kids,” Bracciano said. “That’s why we had to close some schools.” Bracciano says that when the committee changes a boundary, most of the time people concerned get angry. “It’s always an emotional process to change boundaries,” Bracciano said.

Bracciano says that you have to look at the problem from a realistic perspective. “Parents say we are killing their neighborhood when we close a school. I tell them that it is the opposite; schools close because people leave the neighborhood,” Bracciano said.

The 2005/06 Lawrence public schools enrollment report says that “people have many choices available to them that directly impact enrollment trends. People may be terminated from their place of employment or relocate to another locality.” The report says: “If household sizes are decreasing, there may be the opportunity to reconfigure boundaries and eliminate the need for utilizing mobile classrooms.”

When teachers don’t match up with the children anymore, it raises funding issues to pay the teachers. Bracciano said that a school needed to have more than 350 students to employ a full-time librarian and nurse. A school also needs more than 400 students to function and be viable. Unfortunately, Bracciano said there has been a decline in the overall student count for the last five years.

New York elementary school currently has 152 students. Most of the children attending New York come from minority and low-income families. New York receives the same amount of money from the school district as any other elementary school in Lawrence. Because of the background of its students, the school also receives money from special federal programs such as Title One and Reading First.

New York principal Nancy DeGarmo takes pride in talking about the school and students’ academic achievements. Last year, New York did better than the district average in the state assessment. DeGarmo said the school couldn’t afford to spend time having students cut out decorations for the classrooms because it constantly has to focus on students’ special needs or more important activities.

“New York doesn’t provide fancy stuff,” DeGarmo says. “New York provides education.” This is exactly what parents and committee members strive for: a good level of education for children of all races and social classes. This might be an easier goal for a school in a rich area, but New York has its own way to keep children focused on education. “We work really hard to accommodate parents’ schedules,” DeGarmo says.

The school is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Boys and Girls Club participates in the before and after school programs. DeGarmo wants to make sure that art, music and physical education are not left out of the children’s schedule. Students from the University of Kansas come in to talk about a particular topic they study. Children get the chance to do anything school-related with the staff that other children do at home with their parents.

DeGarmo says there is a huge gap between social classes in the United States. Children from poor families struggle when among students from the middle class. DeGarmo says that this is especially true in High School. Poor children are excluded from the school spirit unless they are outstanding athletes. She says that one of the main goals of New York is to teach its students those hidden rules that will help them make the transition from their world into the middle-class world and make them successful through their academic career.

Doctor Ruby Payne, an expert on the mindsets of economic classes and on crossing socio-economic lines, wrote in “A framework for understanding poverty” that “students need to be taught the hidden rules of middle class, not in denigration of their own but rather as another set of rules than can be used if they so choose.”

Payne stresses the importance of role models for children. “Educators have tremendous opportunities to influence some of the non-financial resources that make such a difference in student’s lives,” she said. “It costs nothing to be an appropriate role model.” This is what DeGarmo, teachers and staff provide with after-school programs. This helps achieve the school boundary committee and parents’ goal of a good education for every child in Lawrence.

DeGarmo says equality doesn’t mean equitability. Giving people the same thing doesn’t mean giving them what they need. As former congressman Michael Harrington said: “Life is lived in common, but not in community.” This is an easy way to understand minority parents’ frustration when discussing boundary issues. The committee’s job is to keep up with demographic changes and reorganize the school areas accordingly. These changes remind DeGarmo that her school must constantly look for new ways to keep New York a viable school.

Behind Ted Boyle's North Lawrence home stands the levee that prevents the Kansas River from wiping away much of his possessions and memories.

As a long-time resident and president of the North Lawrence Improvement Association for the last 11 years, Boyle remembers a time before the levee. He also remembers when North Lawrence had a grocery store and a coin-operated laundry.

"Before any economic development hits in North Lawrence, there will have to be storm water issues taken care of," said Boyle, who has worked with numerous entrepreneurs to bring businesses to this hamlet across the river from downtown.

At the end of 2005, the HNTB engineering firm published the North Lawrence Watershed Drainage, and the city has slowly started implementing some of the recommendations. Although relieved that the city initiated the study in the first place, Boyle admits the process will take time because of the major financial commitment necessary.

"$16 million has to be spent on the internal parts of North Lawrence to make it adequate for the residents that are here now; not new development," said Boyle. "$25 million needs to be spent out by the airport."

Boyle insists that the city should not saddle the residents of North Lawrence with the bill for these improvements. Instead, he hopes that the money can be found through other means.

One likely source for the funds would be a rate hike on the water bill for all Lawrence residents to help make repairs for existing neighborhoods. Boyle prefers that the developers pick up the bill future projects.

The city has already started implementing some of those recommendations when it replaced one water pump and repaired another, both of which are located near the intersection of Locust and North Second streets. However, the pipes that carry the water do not have the capacity to keep up with these pumps.

Matt Bond, the new storm water engineer for Lawrence, said he hoped the city could replace the pipes at Locust and North Second streets when the city widens and repairs the intersection in fall 2007 or spring 2008.

A similar situation exists near Fifth and Maple streets. While the city plans to convert a former sewage pumping station to a new storm water station soon, the existing pipes will not be large enough for the pumps to operate at full capacity.

There is no timetable for installing new pipes at Fifth and Maple, but even with the old pipes, the benefits of the new station will be immediate.

"That will be number one," Boyle said. "If that's redone, that will affect about 100 residents."

In the meantime, there are other new technologies that the city hopes will work to alleviate the flooding problem, including a new permeable concrete that should allow water to seep through into the soil underneath rather than running off into an already saturated area.

"It looks like a rice crispy treat," Bond said. The city would like to experiment with the new concrete soon, but first Bond must wait to hear how well it worked in other communities.

New building practices are now being enforced within the city limits with, and should help prevent the situation from worsening.

Meanwhile, Ted Boyle and other North Lawrence residents will have to continue driving across bridges when they need a grocery store, coin-operated laundry, pharmacy and hardware store.

"The city commission is trying to come up with the money." Boyle said.

Though the problems can't be fixed over night, Boyle and other North Lawrence residents can take some comfort in knowing that some progress is being made.

In January 2004, the city of Lawrence raised the price of downtown parking meters from 25 cents for 90 minutes to 25 cents for 60 minutes. The intent of this increase was to keep up with inflation and to discourage downtown employees, business owners, and residents from parking in metered spots all day. Ideally, the metered spots should be for paying customers.

Most shop owners said that there have been no negative effects to their shops as a result of this increase but they cannot recognize any positive outcomes either. Dan Hughes, owner of Sunflower Outdoor & Bike Shop, 802-804 Massachusetts St., said, though business is “awesome,” he has seen no difference as a result of the parking meter increase. Greg Guenther, owner of Palace Cards and Gifts, 8 W. Eighth St., said the increase in parking meter prices has had “zero impact” on his store’s revenue, but he still perceives parking problems downtown.

The No. 1 problem he sees is employees who take a spot right in front of his store and feed the meter while they work their shift. That spot, he said, could be for one of his customers. He isn’t alone; many shop owners said that parking meter abuse from employees, residents, and business owners is still their main concern with the downtown parking situation.

For the total cost of $2, an individual can park in a prime location on the street for the entire eight-hour workday. That is the same price he or she would pay for a parking ticket. This is not a big risk for parkers, but it is a problem for shop owners. Many shop owners would like to see the city doing more to monitor parking and deter these daily downtown parkers from taking advantage of the best spots on and just off of Massachusetts Street.

Ed Mullins, City of Lawrence director of finance, said the original intent behind the increase was to prevent people from parking all day. Also, the increase was not designed to bring in revenue for the city but rather to keep up with inflation.

The City of Lawrence brought in $361,371 in revenue from parking meters in 2004. This was a $22,120 increase from the $339,251 it collected in 2003. In 2005, the revenue was up to $382,756. This is close to a six percent yearly increase in revenue for the city. Though the city did anticipate some increase, they expected less than they received. All the money collected from the parking meters has gone into a special fund to pay meter people and supervisors, cover maintenance and routine operating costs, and allow for recovery from meter theft.

Proprietor, Guenther, said he viewed parking meters as a “necessary evil.” “I think we have to have the meters just for control of those who would abuse the meters,” he said. Though, more may be required to gain this control.

Guenther suggested the city start chalking car tires, the same practice it does in the city parking lots, and ticketing people for parking over a certain amount of time. Increasing the price of parking tickets was another suggestion from a number of shop owners. When the price of a parking ticket is only $2, not many people are going to be concerned if they receive one. If an individual receives a parking ticket at the University of Kansas they can expect to pay between $10 and $20, with the risk of having their car towed after 3 tickets and the risk of an additional fine of $50 after 5 tickets. If the price of the $2 ticket downtown was increased, and if added risks were involved, people would be more cautious about how long they let their car sit at an unpaid meter, or over the designated time limit, if the chalking method was practiced.

Leslie Ahlert, whose family has owned Stitch on Needle Works Inc., 926 Massachusetts St., for 22 years, said that parking issues varied depending on the block. As employees and residents become aware of other parking options, they may be less likely to use the metered parking spots. There are parking lots on the 700 and 800 blocks and a lot and garage on the 900 block. The garage has been operating since late 2001. It was built in an effort to support downtown-parking and new developments in the area. Rick Marquez, director, Downtown Lawrence, Inc., 900 Massachusetts St., Suite 100, said that he parks in the garage and there are always available spaces. All of the lots and the garage offer two hours of free parking.

Ahlert also mentioned that about 50 percent of businesses have back door entrances. Many of these entrances are open to the public. She said they have learned to recognize business from the back.

Awareness may be one key in overcoming these parking concerns. As employees, residents, and business owners recognize other parking options and stores that open their back doors to traffic they may become less likely to use the metered parking spots.

City involvement may be another key. The city of Lawrence has a Downtown Parking Advisory Board in place to work through parking concerns. Pat Kehde, Co-owner of The Raven Bookstore, 6 E. Seventh St., has been a member of this board for over three years. She said, in regards to current parking issues the committee is working on, that she is "not informed." In the time since she joined the board, they have never met.

Blue Dandelion, 841 Massachusetts St., has created a universe dedicated to children; a universe in which, as Kim would say, parents, grandparents, relatives and friends know they will find the perfect outfit or gift.

“The unique stuff they have makes the shop great,” says Kim, who has many reasons other than being a mother for going to Blue Dandelion.

Parents and grandparents will buy almost anything for a baby. Children don’t have buying power. Yet, being a child is powerful enough to make parents and grandparents buy almost anything. Psychologists find various reasons to explain this trend, which Blue Dandelion expresses.

Each of us could evoke a grandmother, an aunt or a friend who goes crazy when shopping for a child, especially an infant. People also start shopping before the baby is even born. Doctor Pamela Botts, Interim Director for the Counseling and Psychological Services of Watkins Health Center, says that birth has always been a celebration. Buying gifts shows the appreciation of a new life.

“Parents see babies as helpless. They therefore deserve special care,” Botts said. She says this image has been used for commercial and consumerism purposes. Botts says that materialism has created a generation of “expensive-looking kids,” who reflect the parents’ status. She recognizes this status image doesn’t apply to everybody.

Claire Wong, who works for The Journal of Consumer Marketing, wrote in 2002: “Parents are motivated by good quality and design. […] Parents want to see their children look nice.” According to Wong, parents believe that good quality clothes put their children on a route to happiness. Wong said that parents rarely dressed up their children to impress others.
Botts says that babies have always been appealing to adults in general. “Parents are almost in trance with babies,” she said.

Kris Bailey, who owns Blue Dandelion with Meredith Rothrock, witnesses this phenomenon almost everyday. Bailey says future mothers wander in the boutique to get acquainted with the new life they’re about to start. The closer they get to their due date, the more often Bailey sees them. Bailey says that grandmothers start buying clothes way before mothers do.

Blue Dandelion opened on Oct. 7, 2005, as a high-quality furniture store for children’s rooms. Customers kept asking Bailey and Rothrock for clothes and other items. When they decided to change from a furniture boutique to a clothing one, Bailey said she wanted everybody who came into the store to be able to afford something. Because most of the furniture it sold was hand-made, Blue Dandelion mainly targeted higher-income families. Now, Blue Dandelion offers original products from all over the world, including Lawrence.

Your world tour starts in Canada, with Kushies newborn outfits, diapers, infant clothing and maternity wear. Then you will cross the Atlantic and move to Europe: Italian perfumes and body creams; French toys, ballerinas, dishware and Kaloo baby dolls; and German wooden toys and Kathe Kruse cloth dolls. Still farther East, you will find Bobux shoes, Oink Baby clothes and strollers, all from New Zealand. You can even escape the real world and buy some fuchsia baby driving shoes “Made in Heaven.”

Even though Blue Dandelion offers many international products, the boutique is a local business. People can ask Bailey and Rothrock to sell their work for them in the boutique. Blue Dandelion currently displays the work of 15 Lawrence and Kansas City artists. “People in Lawrence create practical well-made products,” Bailey said. Bailey and Rothrock get the rest of their articles from markets they attend all over the country. They are always willing to try new products.

Blue Dandelion isn’t the only place on Massachusetts Street where you can find gifts for children. Hobbs, 700 Massachusetts St., set up a shelf filled with children’s items. Hobbs proposes gadgets more than necessary articles. Baby driving shoes and logo T-shirts illustrate the trend of a cool-looking child. “Mothers love to show off their babies down the street,” says Jeremy Cain, who has been working at Hobbs for more than five years. “Shoes are our most popular items,” Cain says. “Mothers love shoes.” Cain says it’s really easy to spend $100 buying three articles.

Cinda Garrison owns Prairie Patches, 821 Massachusetts St., a shop known for customizing its article. Garrison says that everything in her shop has a moderate price, which often includes the baby’s name. She says she doesn’t see parents go crazy buying clothes for their children. “They don’t expect us to be expensive, so they don’t look at the price so much,” Garrison said. She does confess that being a grandmother herself, she will spend more money for her grandchildren than she did or will spend for her children.

Devon Kim started shopping at Blue Dandelion because one of her best friends was selling her works there. Kim said that the local artisans’ lines are one of the best things about the boutique. “Quality and style make shopping there enjoyable,” Kim said. Kim moved back to Lawrence two years ago. She said that Blue Dandelion reminded her of the boutiques she used to go to in Chicago for her son.

Kim buys everything from high-priced items to a pair of socks at Blue Dandelion. She says it’s very easy to spend $50 to $100. The total can sometimes reach bigger numbers. Bailey remembers a grandmother buying $450 worth of articles to ship to her granddaughter in Denver. The most expensive item Bailey sold was a hand-made baby bed. Bailey shipped bed and bedding to England for $7,781. The woman found the bed on Blue Dandelion’s Web site, www.bluedandelionkids.com. She was searching for high-quality furniture and her search directed her to Blue Dandelion’s Web site.

Kim has a special reason to enjoy shopping at Blue Dandelion; a reason no other customer could guess when seeing her in the boutique. Kim, who is from Lawrence, said she grew up shopping with her mother at Campbells, a clothing store on Massachusetts Street. Now that she’s back in town, Kim’s son and future daughter will grow up with her, shopping at the same place Kim went with her mother. Campbells closed and Blue Dandelion opened. The name changed. The location stayed the same.

On this day, Steve Wilson, manager of Kief’s Downtown Music, glances up at the lone patron in his establishment after sending a text message to an acquaintance.

With the light sounds of a jazz trio playing in the background, Wilson thoughtfully leans back in a swivel chair and acknowledges, “I started in this business in 1973…and on the one hand, yes - everything has changed but then again, the adage ‘the more things change, the more they stay the same’ remains true as well.”

“What’s Goin’ On?”

Simply put, most of the music industry has gone digital. The spread of the ipod and alternate sources of music have already caused music stores such as Vibe, Seventh Heaven and the short-lived Threads ‘N Tunes to close operations in the past couple of years. It begs the question: are these shutdowns a result of a failure to adapt or are they an omen for other long-time local music retailers?

Some industry insiders claim the days of the local music store are numbered. “Similar to how records turned to eight-tracks, to tapes, and then to CD’s, we are now living in the digital age,” says Aaron Kayce, editor of the San Francisco-based online music magazine, Jambase.com. “No one expects CD’s to die overnight, but the effects of digital music have already crippled the old model.”

The “old model” is based on customers shopping at music stores for full-length albums. Whereas all the previous changes in recording technology fit within the old model, the digital age offers no such comfort for music stores. “The major difference here is that when we had records, tapes, CDs, they still needed to be pressed in some form and physically sold, either in your local record store or online,” said Kayce. “This is no longer the situation. Major record labels and local record stores are freaking out trying to figure out how to live in this model, and many of them will die.”

Following the demise of national retail giant Wherehouse Records, Tower Records filed for bankruptcy in August, prompting Mike Fitzgerald of Recordnet.com to comment that “compared with an ipod, a brick and mortar CD store looks like an elephant. A hip, tattooed elephant, maybe, but one still lumbering through the digital savannah.”

The Digital Effect on Music Consumption

For the casual music consumer, buying online has its advantages. “I’ve never been a big music buyer, but I have purchased more music on itunes in the last two years than I ever have in a store,” said IT Analyst and Lawrence resident, Tom Seymour. “I find that I have a better selection and I really like the fact that I can get free 30-second previews. Some music stores have headphones set up to preview popular albums, but I never really liked much of that stuff.”

The conversion from tangible commodities to the digital era was not immediate, but rather took a few years to hit full stride.

Perhaps the most telling statistic documenting the ipod revolution is a July 2006 survey by the New Jersey research group, Student Monitor, showing that ipod use has become the most popular activity among college students, beating out “drinking beer” by a narrow margin. The meteoric rise of the ipod is clearly seen in the percentages of college students responding that ipods were “in” during the last three years: 22% in 2004, 59% in 2005 and 73% this year.

Ipods aren’t the only threat to the traditional music store. In September, Myspace.com announced the creation of its own online music store, which will be operational by the end of the year.

Adapting to Survive

The traditional model for local music stores may have changed, but that doesn’t mean the remaining stores are circling the wagons and preparing a white flag.

Steve Wilson offers a bemused grin, saying “It’s a mixed blessing. If you consider the restriction of radio formats and the fact that MTV doesn’t play music anymore, where else are people going to hear music but the internet? There’s a percentage of people where that’s enough: they can put that on itunes and…they got to hear a few songs and they’re fine with just that. But then there are going to be some customers who hear that and go “yeah, but I want the whole thing.”

Wilson harbors few illusions about consumers shifting their purchasing habits, and said “So far it’s not particularly more cost-effective to download entire programs than it is to buy the album. But there are always matters of convenience.” To that end, Wilson and Kief’s Downtown have adapted their business model to mirror demand. Itunes and other online music sources may have a wide variety of music, but they don’t have as many of the “up and coming” bands which audiophiles have come to expect from Kief’s. Wilson estimates that 40-50% of their business comes from independent labels, aided largely by the store’s status as a founding member of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores.

Aside from establishing themselves in that niche market, Kief’s has broadened its reach from the confines of Massachusetts Street. “We now have a store on ebay called musicdowntown, which we started about a year and a half ago.” By doing so, Kief’s is now able to offer their more obscure artists to a broader audience. With respect to the content of the online store, Wilson said “We’ve used it mainly to sell closeout stuff. For those things where there’s not necessarily a customer. Generously, our trade area is 3 million people. Immediately, it’s about 90,000. We could get customers from Topeka, Wichita, or Kansas City, obviously, but anytime you throw something up for auction on ebay, 40 million people get to see it.”

“The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same”

The music industry has traditionally embraced the idea of making certain songs popular, and cajoling people into purchasing full albums. Their obstacle now is to continue to fill a need when consumers have turned off the radio and turned on the computer. As local music stores and national retail giants have both fallen to the wayside in steadily increasing numbers, the trend gives Wilson cause to pause. “Will there be a place for what we call ‘record stores’ in 40 years? Maybe not.”

For Steve Wilson and other local music stores, it isn’t that their business has changed. It’s that the old model of doing business is gradually slipping away. The challenge is how to respond to the customer’s ever-changing needs. Being an independent merchant certainly makes things easier, said Wilson “You’re always more limber when you’re independent. You’re freer to respond to the changes of the marketplace. It comes down to knowing your customers, taking care of them and getting your name out there to the larger public as cost-effectively as you can.”

The old way of doing business – waiting for the customer to enter the storefront – may be past its prime, but as long as local music stores give people a reason to come back, they may still maintain a steady base of loyal customers. For Wilson, it still comes back to a familiar formula: “The success of the local music store…is going to be completely dependent on how well we maintain relationships with customers. In addition to doing your job for the brick and mortar customer, little things like having the online presence help to keep you around.”

According to Seattlegasprices.com, which contains records of gas prices from many cities around the country, the price of gasoline hit an average high of $3.06 in the state of Kansas on Aug. 8. From April 22 until Aug. 20, the average price never dropped below $2.63 a gallon, and prices regularly hovered near $2.80 a gallon. For delivery drivers, who often go through a tank of gas or more each week, the cost of making money was becoming worrisome.

“When you have a good night and you’re filling up half a tank, when gas prices were up, you’d make $30 or $40, and you’d end up putting $15 or $20 right back into your tank,” said Andrew Kasson, a delivery driver for Wheat State Pizza. “When gas prices go up, we lose some drivers because it’s not worth their time, if they’re not going to make enough money.”

Daniel Miller, a manager at Gumby’s Pizza, said that they raised their delivery fee from 75 cents to $1.00 to help the drivers afford to keep working. Similar increases were made at several other Lawrence delivery businesses. Pizza Hut and Pyramid Pizza raised their delivery fees by 25 cents, and Wheat State Pizza is considering a fee increase should the price of gas drastically rise again. Mr. Goodcents, a sub sandwich restaurant that operates a delivery service, raised their delivery fee from $1.50 to $2.00 per delivery, but recently lowered it back to $1.50 as the gas prices dropped.

The increased fees helped drivers ease the burden of the increased gas prices, but some saw a decrease in tips as a result of the increased fees.

“When the customer gets charged more, they know it’s going to us, and they don’t tip as much,” said Graham Caruthers, a delivery driver for Mr. Goodcents.

Other drivers blame the price of gas itself for lower tips.

“Yeah, (my tips) went down drastically. Not only does the gas price go up, tips go down because people are trying to save money,” said Ty Lower, a delivery driver for Pizza Shuttle.

Not all drivers felt that their tips had decreased as a result of the increased cost of fuel. Ryan Patton, a delivery driver for Jimmy John’s, said that the price of gas didn’t really affect his tips at all. Tim Cunningham, a driver for Pyramid Pizza, agreed.

“(Some) people don’t tip at all. It has nothing at all to do with how fast you got their pizza there, or anything. It depends on whether they’re jerks or not, that’s all,” said Cunningham.

Delivery drivers recently received a boon, however, as the average gas price in Kansas has dropped nearly a dollar from its August high. Through the month of September, the average price of gas in Kansas has been below $2.40 a gallon, with prices falling under $2.00 at times. But while it cost less for the drivers to fill up their tank, some drivers found that their tips weren’t seeing a proportional increase.

“The tips have stayed pretty much the same. I think people are thinking the gas price is going to go back up,” said Caruthers. “They haven’t tipped more generously.”

Cunningham agreed, noting that it depends more on the individual person rather than any universal influence like gas prices. Other drivers, however, have noticed a significant difference.

“Business has increased, tips have increased, and gas prices have gone down, so
good times again,” said Lower.

Kasson also reported higher tips, and said that it makes it a lot easier for a driver to make ends meet when the gas prices go down.

Damm agreed.

“It’s fair to say that I’m noticeably making more money. I’m spending a lot less at the pump. And that’s a good thing.”

Only a block from the Casbah boutique though, the Lawrence Farmers' Market is buzzing from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. every Saturday. According to market coordinator Mercedes Taylor-Puckett, around 3,000 people visit the place every Saturday morning. The Farmers' Market, initiated in 1976 to promote downtown Lawrence, relocated at the beginning of the season to 824 New Hampshire. Thus, the market moved even closer to downtown businesses; it was located at 742 Vermont before. But even though the market is jam-packed on Saturday mornings, most downtown retail businesses do not benefit from the amount of people coming by.

"I think the market could help draw people downtown. And it would be great if it did," Susan Garnett, owner of Black-Eyed Susan's antiques shop, said. "But we do not see more customers just because the market moved closer." Clyde Godfrey, sales assistant at Eangee Home Design, said that he thought people simply did not feel like shopping after having taken a stroll over the market. "They come to the market to get fruits, vegetables and other stuff. They don't want to carry that around, so they go home."

Market Coordinator Taylor-Puckett can relate to that. "The market customers would have to think ahead. We'd like to tell them, 'Bring your ice box, put your stuff in there and go shopping downtown,' but at the moment we simply don't have the money to do so," she said.

Terri Faunce, Casbah boutique owner, said that different business hours kept people from visiting downtown. "The market opens too early and closes too early. Maybe they should be open a little longer." According to Taylor-Puckett, the market is busiest at around 9 a.m. But she cannot change business hours. „Technical constraints keep us from changing them, since in the summer it can get extremely hot around noon. Farmers' have a hard time keeping their fruits and vegetables fresh," Taylor-Puckett said. "It's also a farmer's tradition to get up and sell early in the day."

This reflects the way Farmers' Market customers judge the case. Lawrence resident Mina Nguyen said that opening early gave the market its charm. "People come downtown in order to go to the market. Personally, I think it's a good reason to get up earlier." Nguyem does not necessarily connect the market with downtown businesses. "We're not asking for retail, we are asking for food."

Though Farmers' Markets' customers do not shop on Massachusetts Street afterwards, some of them choose to have breakfast there instead. Coffee shops such as Henry's, Wheatfield or the Marketplace are crowded on Saturday mornings. Thus, at least the coffee shops benefit from the relocation. "Saturday is our busiest day anyway, but I observed a 25 percent to 30 percent increase in customers over the last few months," Greg Renck, owner of the Marketplace, said. "We even buy some stuff at the Farmers' Market." Wheatfield kitchen manager Lacy Larson also attributes good Saturday sales to the market. "We always profited from it. On Saturdays, we always have a Farmers' Market special."

Retail business owners, however, are on the lookout for better sales that are not in view. Downtown Lawrence Inc., a not-for-profit membership organization created to promote the interests of the downtown business district, supports the Farmers' Market while at the same time representing business owners. DLI provides general liability insurance for the market. According to market coordinator Taylor-Puckett, the policy is worth an annual $1,500 to $3,000. The stall fees - fees that farmers pay to get permission to sell their products on the market - remain with the Famers' Market. The farmers also pay an additional membership fee of $30 per year.

DLI fees for downtown businesses range from $150 to an average of $300 annually depending on the type of membership. The Farmers' Market or the farmers are not part of DLI. "We do not pay a fee at the moment but the DLI considers us members," Taylor-Puckett says. "But I think it would be good to play a more active role soon." Rick Marquez, DLI director, said that the Farmer's Market was part of the organization. "We support them by providing office space and facilities," he said. "It is no work for us to support them. We do whatever we can do."

Market coordinator Taylor-Puckett is looking forward to working together with downtown business owners in a more distinct way. In cooperation with Rick Marquez she hopes to initiate a coupon campaign. "If business owners are willing to join us, we will hand out coupons that are only available on the market thus motivating people to go shopping downtown," she said.

So, even though the market does not help promote downtown businesses at the moment, DLI director Rick Marquez is proud to support the market. "The market shows that Downtown Lawrence is the center of activity," Marquez said. "And what we want in the first place, is get people downtown." Marquez and his family live on Massachusetts Street and visit the market regularly. Since it is difficult to change the markets' business hours, Marquez has another suggestion for shop owners: "If the customer asks you to open earlier, wouldn't you do that?"

For market coordinator Taylor-Puckett, this season has been particularly remarkable. "We're just delighted. The number of customers grew by 25 to 50 percent." Taylor-Puckett said. "And we would be happy to share that success with downtown businesses." Yet, at the moment, it was all a matter of time and money, she said. Taylor-Puckett and DLI director Marquez are both new to their offices. "So once we both settle in, we'll find ways to cooperate," Taylor-Puckett said. Rick Marquez took over the DLI office at the beginning of May. He is also planning to improve the cooperation between the market and downtown businesses. "I talked to business owners and they were really receptive," Marquez said. "As we have more time we can start working together."

That is what boutique owner Terri Faunce is looking for: people who care. She is not a member of DLI anymore. "It costs money and I cannot really see the advantage at the moment," she says. "So I spend the many on inventory. But I definitely want to be involved." With the market season ending in November, Faunce said she did what she could to get through Christmas. She hopes for a change. Not now, but maybe with spring season being rung in.