It was about three years ago that the University of Kansas strongarmed a local T-shirt shop out of business by claiming it had copyright to the word “Kansas.”

Now, like a bra that won’t unhook, KU is at it again, going after the perversely popular social media phenomenon account called KUBoobs for violating the university’s copyright. The university issued a cease-and-desist letter to the KUBoobs folks, saying they’ve violated KU copyright by selling merchandise and displaying the KU brand online.

KUBoobs.com has been shut down and the future of the popular Twitter account is up in the air. The letter asked that the KUBoobs people tell the university of the boatloads of riches they’ve made – so KU can decide how much it’s owed.

What were they selling? Wrist bands that said “I (heart) KU Boobs.” For $5 each, with a dollar going to breast cancer research. They cost a dollar to make and other costs were eaten up by shipping and handling, the Rock Chalk Blog said.

KU Athletics’ head PR guy Jim Marchiony, who probably never dreamed he would have to complete such a sentence, told FOX4: “We’re not trying to shut @KUBoobs down. It’s one thing to have a Twitter account. It’s another thing to sell items with ‘KU’ on it, which is what they’re doing. That’s our federal trademark, which we always have to protect.”

But after he retired in 1994 after 19 seasons, things went sour.In 2000, he declared bankruptcy and was forced to auction off his World Series ring.

“I was lost.Everything was weighing on me. I didn’t have a positive thought in my brain. “You were one of the best baseball players in Royals history . . . you lost your house . . . you won a batting title . . . you’ve downsized twice and are renting a two-bedroom duplex with five other people and you can’t even afford that . . . you just got elected to the Royals Hall of Fame . . . your World Series ring is sitting in another man’s safety deposit box because you had to sell it in the bankruptcy auction,” he writes in a new book called “Inside the Park: Running the Bases of Life.”

Since at least May, Wilson’s friends have been working to get that ring back, setting up a Twitter account and a PayPal fundraising page.

So far, their efforts have raised nearly $3,000 of the $8,500 goal.

The website says it’s a surprise for Willie, but it’s on the front page of his website, so we’ll see how that goes.

In 2000, the ring was purchased by John Matthews of Mission for more than $16,000.

Wilson told the Topeka Capital-Journal in 2007 that things were looking up, as he worked for a brokerage in Toronto.

Several Lawrence groups are getting ready to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Quantrill’s Raid by acting it out on Twitter.

#QR1863, will have participants adopting the persona of those involved in the raid and tweeting as though the event was happening in real time.

On June 4, a public meeting will be held to introduce the project and elicit participation from the community. So far, more than 50 characters have been identified with a cast that represents both sides from the Missouri/Kansas border. While a group of local actors and re-enactors will take on the role of the more historically significant characters, many secondary roles will be available to the public.

The community Twitter project is a partnership among Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area, Watkins Community Museum, the Lawrence Public Library, Lawrence Arts Center, 1863 Commemorate Lawrence and the Lawrence Convention and Visitors Bureau.

A meeting is scheduled for June 4 in Lawrence.

The new venue – previous banquets had been held at the downtown Marriott’s Muehlebach ballroom – means cheaper tickets: $35 per person.

More details from the Press Club:

The awards will be presented this year at the Grand St. Café at 4740 Grand Ave, Kansas City, Missouri.  This new location is conveniently located just east of the Country Club Plaza.

Parking is available just west of the Grand St. Cafe, south of Winsteads on 47th. See maps. Drinks will be served at a cash bar beginning at noon, with the lunch banquet beginning at 12:30.  Awards finalists will be notified by email in May that they will be receiving an award, with the specific places announced at the banquet.

The cost this year is only $35 per person (tax deductible).

In addition to the category awards, the Press Club will present its Journalist of the Year and Joe McGuff Lifetime Achievement awards.

Fred White, the longtime Royals broadcaster, died today, one day after announcing his retirement. He died of complications from melanoma, the team said.

Sunday circulation is up 2 percent from 275,784 to 280,790, a jump of 5,006 from a report issued last September.

Weekday circulation is up 3 percent from 183,307 to 189,283, an increase of 5,976.

The reporting period was from October 2012 to March 2013, and includes both print and e-replica editions.

In September, The Star saw big losses from the previous reporting period, losing 7 percent of its weekday circulation and 11 percent of its Sunday circulation, which was an impressive 310,487.

In September 2010, The Star had a Sunday circulation of 290,302 and a weekday circulation of 206,441.

Other area papers all showed losses:

The Joplin Globe lost circulation, going from 28,414 this time last year to 26,542.

The St. Joseph News-Press: Sunday: 29,327 to 27,482; Weekday: 26,015 to 24,606

The Springfield News Leader: Sunday: 62,083 to 50,751; Weekday: 35,531 to 33,546

The Lawrence Journal-World: Sunday: 28,640 to 27,624; Weekday: 27,719 to 25,706

The Topeka Capital-Journal: Sunday: 47,596 to 36,940; Weekday: 40,435 to 30,845

The Wichita Eagle: Sunday: 98,275 to 88,927; Weekday: 67,250 to 64,656