Blue Cross hearings end; decision could take weeks
Topeka The hearing whether to allow the sale of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, the state's largest health insurer, concluded Wednesday, but a decision is still weeks away.
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, an Indianapolis-based insurer that has acquired eight Blue Cross plans, has proposed buying the Kansas Blue Cross for $190 million.
To take effect, the deal must be approved by Kansas Blue Cross policyholders and then Insurance Commissioner Kathleen Sebelius.
Kansas Blue Cross policyholders are voting on whether to give up their rights as owners of the company in exchange for a cash payout. The vote is to be completed Friday at a policyholder meeting that starts at 10 a.m. at the Ramada Inn in Topeka.
The hearing before Sebelius included 30 hours and 1,600 pages of testimony from Monday through Wednesday. Sebelius has until late February to decide the matter.
Kansas University: Residence halls to become smoke-free in fall 2002
Kansas University students living on campus won't be allowed to light up cigarettes in their rooms beginning this fall.
Ken Stoner, director of student housing, announced Wednesday that KU will observe a no-smoking policy for all residence halls beginning the 2002-'03 school year.
Smoking has been allowed only with the consent of roommates on selected floors in McCollum, Hashinger, Oliver, Gertrude Sellards Pearson and Corbin residence halls. Smoking already is banned in Templin, Lewis and Ellsworth residence halls and in KU's 10 scholarship halls.
Stoner cited a survey that said only 7 percent of incoming KU students are smokers. He said nine Big 12 schools including Kansas State University already are smoke-free.
"Most campuses that have previously moved to nonsmoking facilities have reported overwhelmingly positive reactions," he said.
Military Services: Army Reserve band plans to tour Central America
The 312th U.S. Army Reserve Band, based in Lawrence, will travel in February to El Salvador and Nicaragua as part of the New Horizons humanitarian mission.
Rob Claggett, commander and bandmaster, said 43 members of the band would make the trip from Feb. 7 to Feb. 17. They will participate in opening ceremonies for the mission in both countries and play concerts. He said this was the band's 29th year and its first trip overseas.
"We are excited about going there," he said. "We're in the process of trying to make arrangements for joint performances with members of the El Salvador military bands."
The band draws members from across the state and as far away as Lincoln, Neb., and practices one weekend a month.
Planning Commission: 'No harm' rules may dictate floodplain development
Members of a Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission subcommittee said Wednesday that new regulations should allow floodplain development as long as the floodplain isn't enlarged and other properties aren't flooded as a result.
"The land uses are whatever (is possible) as long as those rules are followed," said Commissioner Jane Bateman, subcommittee chairwoman.
Similar rules in other cities call for a virtual ban on new floodplain development, but committee members said they believe some construction could continue.
City planners will revise the proposed floodplain regulations the next two weeks. Commissioners will examine and take public comment them at their next meeting, tentatively scheduled for 8 a.m. Jan. 30.
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