Lawrence judge to sit on state redistricting panel

A federal judge from Lawrence will be on the panel that will determine the boundaries of the Kansas’ four U.S. House districts.

Hearing the case will be Chief Judge Deanell Tacha, of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, a Lawrence resident; and U.S. District Judges Julie Robinson, Topeka, and J. Thomas Marten, Wichita.

The panel will hear arguments in a lawsuit filed by Atty. Gen. Carla Stovall about the Legislature’s congressional redistricting plan.

A Monday deadline has been set for outside parties to intervene in the case. Arguments are expected to begin the week of July 1.

Stovall sued because a redistricting plan approved by legislators and signed into law by Gov. Bill Graves puts Junction City in the 1st District with western Kansas and neighboring Fort Riley in the 2nd, with most of northeast Kansas.

Democrats want to intervene in the lawsuit because the map splits the city of Lawrence between the 2nd and 3rd districts.

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Weather: Storms leave damage across central Kansas

Severe storms unleashed heavy rains and damaging winds across sections of central Kansas on Tuesday, including near Salina, above, where Smoky Hill Feeders Inc. manager Rick Dauer clears damage from storm debris at a feedlot. For details of Tuesday’s storms, see page 5B.

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Police: Janitor found dead; officials suspect suicide

A Kansas University janitor apparently committed suicide at Lewis Hall overnight Tuesday.

Samuel Sparks, 21, was found in a first-floor mechanical room of the residence hall after he apparently hanged himself, officials said. Friends knew him as “Cooper.”

According to KU’s Public Safety Office, a housing employee found Sparks’ body around 5:45 a.m. Wednesday. Although officers said their investigation was continuing, they said, “There are no indications of any criminal activity surrounding the death at this time.”

Sparks had worked at KU since March 25 as a custodial specialist.

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Gasoline Prices: Pump Patrol seeks best deal

The Journal-World has found a gasoline price as low as $1.25 at several Lawrence locations.

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.