Oread: Decision still pending on Ohio Street houses

Gov. Bill Graves still hadn’t made a decision Friday on the fate of three houses in the 1300 block of Ohio Street.

Officials earlier had said the decision would come this week.

“I would assume the decision would come sometime toward the beginning of next week,” his spokeswoman, Kristin Heuertz, said Friday.

Kansas University wants to tear down the dilapidated, century-old houses on Ohio Street to make way for scholarship halls. But the university has been prevented from doing so because of a state preservation officer’s ruling in March that the demolitions would harm the historic environs of nearby Usher House, 1425 Tenn.

That house, now occupied by Beta Theta Pi fraternity, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway in June appealed the ruling to Graves. Last week, the Lawrence City Commission asked Graves to take public comment and conduct a public hearing before deciding. Graves’ representatives have said there would be no public hearing on the matter because of the amount of comment taken earlier.

Planning: Public hearing scheduled on floodplain regulations

The Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission will take testimony on proposed floodplain regulations during a special meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall.

Anyone who wants to speak on the matter should sign up in advance for a four-minute speaking slot. The planning office is taking reservations by phone at 832-3150.

The current version of the regulations allows construction in the floodplain if a property owner can produce a hydrological study showing the new structure won’t change the floodplain’s elevation or contours.

The regulations can be found online at www.lawrenceplanning.org/current/floodplainregs.html.

Gasoline Prices: Pump Patrol seeks best deal

The Journal-World has found a gasoline price as low as $1.31 at several gas stations.

If you find a lower price, call us at 832-7154. Be prepared to leave the name and address of the business and the price.