Recently by Hannah Jennison

Back of the store, isle five, middle shelf. There's only one of the hottest children's toys left and it's ten feet away. One week until Christmas and this is the number one item on your child's list for Santa. As you rush toward the item with hope and excitement, another dedicated parent beats you to the punch. You freeze and your heart drops. The hope and excitement drains from your body like water through a faucet and is replaced by the feeling of failure.

Today, stores are using layaway as a solution for this common occurrence. A few years ago, layaway was becoming a selling method of the past.

"No offense, but I used to think that layaway was something older people did years ago, I never thought that it would be something that people did in this day and age," Larissa Stewart, layaway shopper, said.

In 2006, Wal-Mart Stores discontinued its use of the layaway program because of declining use and increasing costs. Customers had turned to other options such as online shopping, gift cards and no-cost credit alternatives. With this year's economy, retailers expect the worst holiday season in decades. Kmart, Sears, Marshalls, Burlington Coat Factory and T.J. Maxx are some of the stores using the layaway program in an attempt to make shopping easier for customers. At least one of these bargain superstores is betting that people with debt are ready to push their shopping carts down the isles.

"Looking back, I think that we should have kept the layaway program." Conor Grier, Wal-Mart manager, said. "I don't think that we have necessarily lost business but I do think that the commercials for layaway that some of the other businesses are running are definitely helping their holiday season with today's economy."

Layaway is actually an old-fashioned purchase plan, which had its heyday in the '20s and '30s but declined when easy credit options came around. Layaway lets shoppers who can't afford full price at checkout pay as they go. Instead of adding items to a credit card, shoppers can leave items on hold at the store until they are paid in full. This program also benefits shoppers by allowing them to put items on layaway starting at least a month before the holidays. This way, they don't miss out on that special item at the top of the wish list.

Kmart has continued its layaway program for decades after most retail stores axed similar programs. For the first time in years, Kmart started promoting the option of layaway. Thus far, the results have been positive. Some shoppers said they think bringing back the layaway program is a good idea in the currently tough economic environment.

"I think it's a great idea for people to be able to make small payments to get the item's they want and to be able to pay as you go," Tami Sasek, layaway shopper, said.

Of course, in this day and age, there is an option that is almost better than going to the store and putting items on layaway. At eLayaway.com shoppers are allowed to buy the products and services that they want by paying for them through manageable monthly payments that they set. They even have a calculator that will let you figure out the purchase price over 3 to 13 monthly payments. Once you've paid for your items in full they are delivered.

"Layaway has become my credit card during this holiday season. With the economic decline and three children to purchase gifts for, layaway has been a lifesaver," Sasek, said.

The stores with layaway seem to be bustling and quite busy despite the recession. Managers from Sears, Weavers, Kmart and Marshalls all agree that having layaway as a sales method this holiday season is definitely improving sales despite the economy.

In 2006, when stores such as Wal-Mart discontinued the use of the layaway program, it was because of the steady decline as consumers turned to options such as online shopping and gift cards. These stores began relying on new payment options such as special deals for in-store credit card holders. This holiday season, those stores might be paying a price for discontinuing the layaway service.

"We don't have statistics yet but as of now we have had success with layaway for this holiday season. The program has definitely made some sales business that we otherwise wouldn't have had. It has definitely been positive for this holiday season with the economic situation," Beau Sellers, Sears Grand central manager, said.

The buy-now-pay-later culture is a popular one; credit cards allow consumers to purchase items while not having to worry about actually paying for them until a later date. Layaway has the same concept but is easier in the sense that with today's economic slump, consumers don't have to worry about being charged interest if they can't pay in full. For many consumers, layaway seems to be the best option for shopping this holiday season.

Layaway has made a comeback. Living within your means can once again become a popular way of life.

Photo by Hannah Jennison

My husband and I were married for seven years before he and his family tried to kill
me. For the first six years of our marriage, he went to church with us every Sunday.
Our two daughters were even baptized. When we moved to Saudi Arabia, he asked me to convert to Islam. Being a devout Roman Catholic, I couldn't change my religion or my beliefs. At that moment, I realized that my life would be changed forever.

When we got to the Middle East, I moved into a palace with my husband, his twelve siblings, their wives and children. The palace was covered in bold colors, reminding me of the 70's. The elegance was unimaginable. The bathroom in my personalized wing was covered in rose colored marble.

The life I was living was a woman's dream until the verbal abuse began. Things became worse each time I refused to convert. One day my sister-in-law and I were cooking dinner for the family in one of the small, boldly colored kitchens. Suddenly, her pan of grease caught on fire. Her first instinct was to toss it at my feet with hopes that I would catch on fire and burn alive. After throwing the pan at me, she ran out of the kitchen yelling, "I killed the Christian! I killed the Christian!" My heart leapt, not only because I was frightened by what she had done, but because I was afraid that I was either going to have to convert or lose my life in a palace far away from what I called home - converting was not an option.

The grease that was thrown at me was easily resolved when I used salt to put it out. When my sister-in-law tried killing me again, the story was a little different. In the Middle East it is against religion to wear shoes in the home. My sister-in-law knew when I would be coming down the stairs so she took shards of broken glass and scattered them over the stairs. Sadly, I was not as lucky as the last time she tried killing me. I began walking down the stairs and the next thing I knew I had stepped onto the shattered glass shards. Pain seared through my feet as I cried out. By human instinct, I continued down the stairs, quicker now, and continued stepping on more glass shards. I could feel the pieces cut through the layers of skin and through my foot. Another trip to the emergency room, surgery and many stitches later, I was back at the palace where the torture continued.

I guess I can't entirely complain, every time they hurt me they would send me on a vacation. Not just any vacation though, I would get to travel wherever I wanted within the Middle East. My husband's family gave me gold and I got to see the world - all at the price of pain and suffering. I would have escaped during one of my "vacations" but they wouldn't let me take my girls.

I had been through verbal and physical abuse for over seven years when I finally decided that it was time to get out. My husband and I were standing in one of the brightly colored living rooms. The vibrant wallpaper covered the cold cement walls. He told me that our lives would be much easier if I would just convert. I had been refusing to convert for over seven years, what was one more time?

I remember him hitting me. I remember screaming.

He threw my head into the concrete wall. I passed out and woke up in the hospital after having numerous surgeries. My jaw was shattered. All but six teeth were gone. My jaw was going to have to be wired shut for four months. After that incident, I knew it was time to get out. It was time to escape. He had taken one of the most important things from me... my smile.

I was a disgrace to my husband. He was not only upset because I refused to convert but because I was "unable" to give him a son. Awhile after we had moved to the Middle East with our two beautiful daughters, my husband married two other women so that maybe one of them would give him the son he wanted. It was upsetting and confusing but after learning more about the religion, I realized that unless I gave him a son, he would continue marrying women until he got one.

I planned out our escape for four months. When I would go out with the other women, I slowly sold every piece of gold his family had ever given me (which was enough to cover both of my arms). I slowly packed my daughters and my clothes into as few bags as possible. Our passports were locked inside of my husband's briefcase. I had only seen him open it once years before.

Luckily, one time was enough. I had memorized the combination. The day I chose to leave was on my birthday. In the Middle East, most people stay up late and take four to five hour long naps during the day. I saw this time frame as my window of opportunity. Women were not allowed to enter or leave by way of the front gate so I stole the passports and took my girls and our luggage to the roof. In the Middle East praying and events such as picnics are held on the roofs of homes. It was hot, about 110 degrees. I took a rope and lowered our luggage to the ground. I tied both of my girls to the rope and slowly lowered them the 22 feet to the ground. I jumped.

I was five months pregnant with my son.

After 16 years of marriage, a divorce and an annulment later, I took revenge on my ex-husband by going to the American Embassy and having his American citizenship revoked. It's probably the worst thing I could have done. In the Middle East, having American citizenship opens many doors and business opportunities. Now, he can't come back.

My girls are grown now and have their own families. My son is in high school and I am working at the Burge Union Hawk Shop at the University of Kansas. I see hundreds of people every day. If I could tell those people one thing, it would be to stick with what they believe in and to do what they want to do. Due to complications, I only have three teeth left. I would like to think that people would want to get to know my story before judging me for the way I look.

I think that the only reasons why I stayed sane and alive while overseas are my children and that I meant it when I vowed, "'Til death do us part." It's just sad that it almost came to that.

Retextured graphics and internal LED light-bars assist in making the Lawrence Police Department's newest addition to its patrol cars significant.

Imagine getting pulled over while not even realizing that the car behind yours was a patrol car.  The new low-profile car may deceive you.

        "The traffic division went to the different style for multiple reasons.  When people see a marked patrol unit they are always on their best behavior.  One of the roles of the traffic division is to enforce traffic laws.  This car assists them with that task," Sergeant Bill Cory, said.

              The new car has been introduced to enhance safety.  Most people don't realize that it's a patrol car so they continue breaking the law without a second glance.  The car also poses a problem: at times, there is probable disbelief that the car is an actual police patrol car.

The more people who are pulled over or see people get pulled over by this car - the more awareness people will have at all times.  This is the main reason for the new design of the car.  After Lawrence adds another five low-profile cars, its goal is to have all of its residents abiding by the law at all times.

 

 

"I like the idea, don't get me wrong.  People should be more aware of the way they drive - especially in a college town," Lauren Fournier, Lenexa sophomore, said.  "It's just going to be a rude awakening for the people who regularly speed."

But is this new patrol car only so that people will be careful at all times?  Or is it so that police can catch more people who don't abide by the law?  Cory said that the Lawrence Police Department encourages everyone to abide by the traffic laws and that they are there to keep everyone safe while driving.

"I don't like the idea of these low-profile cars.  It's not like they're (police) cheating, it just seems like an unfair way for the police to catch more people," Ross Wilke, Hiawatha senior, said.

 

        Aside from keeping people aware and safe at all times, the car also poses as an issue of sorts.  Imagine seeing this car [which looks similar to a regular car] and suddenly its lights and sirens go on.  Do you move out of the way for this car?  It doesn't have the light bar on the top and there are no markings visible to you.  What do you do?

             According to Autotrader.com, an ugly tactic employed by some sexual predators has been to acquire a police-type vehicle (e.g., a Ford Crown Victoria or Chevrolet Caprice), obtain police-type flashing lights of the style used by unmarked patrol cars (readily available at police supply stores) and then use this gear to stage phony traffic stops for the purpose of assaulting female motorists.

             Most people will immediately pull over when they see a flashing blue or red light - and predators use this law-abiding instinct to their advantage. However, the fact that a blue or red light is flashing does not necessarily mean it's a cop behind you.

             This is the problem that the officers have to deal with.  If they are pulling someone over, they can only hope that people see the lights, hear the sirens, and pull to the side of the road.  If there is an emergency that they need to get to they can only hope that people move out of their way.

             "At night the markings on the car are highly reflective.  This aids people in seeing the car better when it is used at night," Cory, said.

             The low-profile car has become a more popular look for police cars across the United States.  Although there is possibility of slight disbelief that this car is a patrol car at first glance, the car has been successful in aiding with enhanced public safety and by making more people aware of what they are doing while on the road.

 

    Bang.  Bang.  Bang.  As Jay Lewis, Executive Director of KU Hillel hammers the "FOR SALE" sign into the 940 Mississippi front lawn, a bead of sweat slowly trickles down the side of his face.  He's not only sweating because it's a warm September morning, but because his fears of not being able to sell the house continually grow with each passing day.

    Imagine needing to move to a different location in a time of overall distressed real estate prices.  This is an issue KU Hillel (a Jewish student organization) has to deal with.

    "We're currently located at 9th and Mississippi.  To benefit our programs and overall student attendance we would prefer to be where the students are - Massachusetts Street," Lewis, said.

    Although few people and businesses are looking to sell during this time of the year, the University and private developers are seeing areas such as the student ghetto dramatically rise in value.

    "During the months of November and December I sign about one third of the contracts compared to the number I sign in March, April, and May," realtor, Tanya Kulaga, said.

   
    Some locals in Lawrence say they are now slaves to their homes with high property taxes they cannot afford. As a result of higher than expected property taxes and a slumping real estate market, Lawrence housing isn't moving much.


    "The residential sales activity in Lawrence (and many other places too)
 starts at a low level in January and then rise quickly to a peak in April 
and May.  It then declines through the summer with a slight pickup in
 September or October after which it declines through the end of the year.  Weather plays a big part as does families reluctance to move during the
 holidays," realtor, Mike McGrew, said.

    On August 27, 2008, the average listing price for homes in Lawrence was $285,000.  On September 17, 2008, the average listing price dropped to $276,000.  One would think that the decline in housing prices would be a good thing when in all reality, the prices went down because during this time of year, not many people are looking to buy real estate.

    Due to the renovations being done on the homes in the student ghetto, the price of those particular homes has been steadily rising for years.  To view the price range of the homes in and around KU (the student ghetto), click on the interactive map by Trulia.com on the right.

    "Per year, there is on average a four to seven percent increase on the homes in and around the student ghetto while other Lawrence homes stay at relatively the same price," Kulaga, said.

    Mike McGrew stated that generally, those rental properties in the student ghetto that are 
converted single family homes have risen in value over the years.  The
 biggest factor impacting the value is the increase in the amount of rent you 
can collect.  Rising rents equals higher values for rental properties.

    "The problem has to do with supply and demand.  Especially during this time of year, supply is larger than demand, leading to issues such as inability to sell properties nearly as fast as during any other time of the year," realtor, Colleen Hodge, said.  "The homes in the student ghetto also have a wide range of prices, homes sitting next to each other can differ by tens of thousands of dollars due to renovations."

    "Lower price range homes are not experiencing the problem the upper price
range homes are with respect to a much larger inventory of upper price range
homes," realtor, Eddie Davalos, said. "We have three to four months of inventory of homes under $180,000, as compared to a years supply of homes over $250,000."

    Varying considerably by price range and area
 of town, residential property in Lawrence has been flat or slightly down for 
the last year or two.  McGrew has seen examples of higher values as well as 
lower ones, but on the whole the slow and steady appreciation that Lawrence 
has enjoyed for the last 20+ years has definitely slowed or stalled.  

    Rental
 property is somewhat insulated from price declines since its value is 
connected to rental income, which has remained steady; revealing that prices of real estate in Lawrence have declined or stayed the same while the prices of real estate in and around the student ghetto continually increase.

    "At this point, we can only hope that someone wants to invest in our house.  With its perfect location and amazing history, we're hoping it won't be too difficult." Wiping the perspiration from his face, Lewis said,  "Keep your fingers crossed for us!"