Archive for Tuesday, December 15, 2009 / LJWorld.com

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Also from December 15

Births

Blog entries

Obituaries

On the street

Do you prefer gifts or gift cards?

Photos

Columnist Tom King

DJ Andrew P. Witt likes to spin retro albums as well as music from his digital collection on his laptop for his business, Mobile Sounds

Nancy Dixon, Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center admission specialist, left, and Savina Cascone, case coordinator, right, work Tuesday at the center

Smoke billows out the door of a shed in rural Eudora that caught fire Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 15, 2009. The shed contained combustible materials, which forced firefighters to work the fire from a defensive posture

Township firefighters work a structure fire in rural Eudora Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 15, 2009

A fire erupted in a shed near rural Eudora Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 15, 2009. The shed is at a home that is known in the area for its elaborate Christmas light display

Flames burst out the back of a building and warp the walls of a shed near a home in rural Eudora Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009. The metal structure caught fire Tuesday afternoon and endangered highly combustible materials that were stored inside

An outbuilding near a home known for its elaborate Christmas light display south of Eudora caught fire Tuesday afternoon. The shed, in the 2200 section of North 1300 Road, was a total loss

A rural fire in the 2200 block of N1300 Road south of Eudora on Tuesday, December 15, 2009, found rural firefighters working a fully engulfed metal building next to a residence

A rural fire in the 2200 block of N1300 Road south of Eudora on Tuesday, December 15, 2009, found rural firefighters working a fully engulfed metal building next to a residence

Betsy Weaver is a longtime docent at Kansas University’s Spencer Museum of Art. She continues to work at the museum on a volunteer basis

Alan Conroy, director of the Kansas Legislative Research Department, speaks to members of the Senate Ways and Means Committee during a briefing Tuesday on the state's budget crisis. Shown from left are state Sens

Trees are covered in ice around the house at the southeast corner of 17th and Tennessee that was destroyed in a fire Monday night

Bicycles coated in ice sit in the back of the home at 17th and Tennessee after it was destroyed in a fire Monday night

View all of this day's photos (32)

Photo galleries

Structure fire in rural Eudora

The day in photos, December 15, 2009

Polls

Do you consider the music of the group ABBA, a new inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, to be rock 'n' roll?

Poll results

Response	Percent
No		62%
Yes		32%
Not sure		5%
Total	816

Videos

Lead stories

12:00 a.m.

Final families wait out mining town’s last days: By Janet Reid; December 13, 2009 in print edition on 1A; Inside a small house in a rural area of southeast Kansas, 6-year-old Haden Woodcock struggles to put on his Cub Scout uniform. It’s a scene that could be playing out in houses all across America, if it weren’t for the open mine shaft just yards from their back door that has expanded into a sink hole, plunging 300 feet into the earth below.

Videos: Treece’s final days
Special coverage: Mining’s Legacy: A Scar on Kansas

6:00 a.m.

City of Lawrence looking to add diesel/electric hybrids to its bus fleet: By Chad Lawhorn; December 14, 2009 in print edition on 1A; Move over Toyota Prius drivers. You may soon have to make room for a much bigger hybrid vehicle on Lawrence’s roadways.

Poll: Would you consider buying a hybrid as your next vehicle?

10:00 a.m.

Turner Gill hiring follows a KU trend: By Chuck Woodling; December 15, 2009 in print edition on 1B; They’re all pretty much the same, you know. Introductory news conferences inevitably contain bubbly remarks about the new hire, glowing optimism from the new man and a smattering of enamored boosters scattered among the media cameras and tape recorders.

Videos: Turner Gill: A new era
Photo gallery: KU meets Turner Gill
Special coverage: Kansas Head Football Coach Turner Gill

2:00 p.m.

Home tweet home: Kids decorate birdhouses in annual Hilltop benefit: By Shaun Hittle; December 15, 2009 in print edition on 3A; Nine-year-old Nora Hause is learning some sound business lessons about selling birdhouses.

6:00 p.m.

Gift guide for the picky teenager: By Katie Bean; December 15, 2009 in print edition on 1C; We wanted to know what teens have on their wish lists, and a noncommittal shrug wouldn’t do. So with a little bit of pressing, we got the answers parents are looking for from members of Angle, the J-W’s teen advisory board. And we broke it down for budgets of all sizes…

All stories

County looks to jail for energy-saving potential: By George Diepenbrock; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A6; As Douglas County leaders are exploring options to save on energy costs, they are looking at the building that uses the most hot water — the Douglas County Jail.
Kansas corrections chief says, depending on budget situation, he may ask to close prison: By Scott Rothschild; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A1; More state budget cuts could result in shutting down a prison or releasing hundreds of offenders from parole supervision, Kansas Secretary of Corrections Roger Werholtz said Tuesday.
Kansas lawmakers to debate ban on texting while driving: By Scott Rothschild; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A1; Kansas lawmakers will try to put the brakes on texting while driving.
KU’s Darrell Stuckey will play in East-West Shrine Game: J-W Staff Reports; December 15, 2009 in print edition on B3; Kansas University senior safety Darrell Stuckey will play in the East-West Shrine football game at 2 p.m. on Jan. 23 at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla.
Republican Kevin Yoder plans run for U.S. House seat occupied by Democrat Dennis Moore: By George Diepenbrock; December 15, 2009; State Rep. Kevin Yoder, R-Overland Park, on Tuesday officially put his name in the 3rd District U.S. House race.
Firefighters: Unattended cooking caused apartment blaze on Tennessee Street: LJWorld.com staff report; 04:18 p.m., December 15, 2009 Updated 06:03 p.m. in print edition on A6; Unattended cooking led to a Monday evening apartment fire at 17th and Tennessee streets, Lawrence Douglas County Fire Medical Division Chief Eve Tolefree said Tuesday.
Berry Plastics seeking federal bonds for $21 million warehouse, distribution center: By Chad Lawhorn; December 15, 2009; More details emerged Tuesday afternoon on a proposal by Berry Plastics to build a large warehouse and distribution facility in Douglas County.
California man sentenced to 27 years in federal prison on methamphetamine charges: By George Diepenbrock; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A4; A 34-year-old California man has been sentenced to serve 27 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine from San Bernadino, Calif., to Lawrence, interim U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch said Tuesday.
New, stricter driver’s license requirements for teens go into effect Jan. 1: Associated Press; 01:10 p.m., December 15, 2009 Updated 02:34 p.m.; How teenagers can drive in Kansas and what age they will be allowed to get a full license is about to change.
Fire destroys outbuilding in rural Eudora: Fire destroys outbuilding housing family’s craft business in Eudora; By Jesse Fray; 01:00 p.m., December 15, 2009 Updated 04:26 p.m. in print edition on A3; An outbuilding at a home in the 2200 block of North 1300 Road caught fire around 12:45 p.m. Tuesday.
Bert Nash mental health center to reduce services, staff due to state budget cuts: Low-income residents, uninsured affected; By Karrey Britt; 12:22 p.m., December 15, 2009 Updated 09:47 p.m. in print edition on A1; Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center is losing $785,000 in state funding because of recent budget cuts. In response, it is reducing services that mostly will affect low-income residents and those who don’t have health insurance.
Dog rescued from ice, caught on tape: By Jessica Drew; December 15, 2009; Mary and Steve Hutchinson, Topeka, are relieved to be reunited with their golden retriever, Roman, after a harrowing experience at Lake Sherwood on Tuesday morning.
800,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine for children — including some in Douglas County — recalled due to lack of potency: Doses lack potency, but still expected to stop flu; Staff and Wire Reports; 10:21 a.m., December 15, 2009 Updated 05:35 p.m. in print edition on A1; About 800,000 doses of swine flu vaccine for children are being recalled because tests found the strength of the shots had dropped after being shipped, health officials announced Tuesday.
Statehouse Live: State suffers unprecedented revenue drops; Brownback to be on “prayercast” against healthcare reform: By Scott Rothschild; 08:55 a.m., December 15, 2009 Updated 01:20 p.m.; Committee briefed on financial problems; Sen. Brownback joins other opponents of Democratic health care measure on Webcast
All eyes on Turner Gill: Jayhawks’ coach looking to build relationships, trust: By Dugan Arnett; December 15, 2009 in print edition on B1; More than anything, his former players will attest, the secret to Turner Gill’s coaching success has been predicated on his ability to forge and maintain relationships.
Kidcast: Jackson Berland: December 15, 2009; Kidcast for December 14, 2009.
Dubai’s $10B bailout by Abu Dhabi calms fears: By Adam Schreck - Associated Press Writer; December 15, 2009 in print edition on C8; Oil-rich Abu Dhabi pumped $10 billion into its indebted neighbor Monday, sending stocks soaring while sparing Dubai and the rest of the Emirates federation the humiliation of an imminent default by one of the struggling Arab boomtown’s star companies.
World-renowned chef promises 3 courses in hour: By Kevin McDonough; December 15, 2009 in print edition on B6; Best known for his hot temper and salty language, Gordon Ramsay is also a world-renowned chef and energetic mentor.
Commander: Afghan troop surge will take some time: By Anne Gearan and Amir Shah - Associated Press Writers; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A8; The military may not finish its surge of 30,000 American troops to Afghanistan until nearly a year from now, a senior U.S. commander said Monday — a slower pace than President Barack Obama has described.
40 years ago: Thousands attend Vespers performances: December 15, 2009 in print edition on A7; More than 6,000 attended two performances of the annual Kansas University Christmas Vespers in Hoch Auditorium.
U.S. can’t ignore human rights in Iran: By Trudy Rubin - Philadelphia Inquirer; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A7; As I watched videos of thousands of Iranian students protesting last week, I thought of Abdollah Momeni.
Pump patrol: Staff reports; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A3; The Journal-World found gas prices as low as $2.46 at several stations.
Gill appoints offensive, defensive coordinators: By Matt Tait; December 15, 2009 in print edition on B1; Two former college head coaches will join Turner Gill’s Kansas University football staff as coordinators.
Board discusses how to make more cuts: By Lindsey Slater; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A4; The Kansas state government has cut funding for public education five times since July 2008.
Turner Gill hiring follows a KU trend: By Chuck Woodling; December 15, 2009 in print edition on B1; They’re all pretty much the same, you know. Introductory news conferences inevitably contain bubbly remarks about the new hire, glowing optimism from the new man and a smattering of enamored boosters scattered among the media cameras and tape recorders.
London Study suggests young looks may mean longer lives: Older-looking twins tended to die first; Associated Press; December 15, 2009 in print edition on C8; Those baby-faced people now have another reason to be smug: a new Danish study says looking young apparently means a longer life.
Supreme Court agrees to consider text message case: Ruling could influence future workplaces over a ‘reasonable expectation of privacy’; By David G. Savage - Tribune Washington Bureau; December 15, 2009 in print edition on C8; The Supreme Court said Monday it would rule for the first time on whether employees have a right to privacy when they send text messages on electronic devices supplied by their employers.
More women apply for VA services: By Kimberly Hefling - Associated Press Writer; December 15, 2009 in print edition on C8; Doctors at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in this quiet, bucolic town tucked between coal country and the nation’s capital used to go months without treating a female veteran.
People in the news: Associated Press; December 15, 2009 in print edition on B6; People in the news for December 15, 2009.
E-mails found from Bush administration: Associated Press; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A2; Computer technicians have found 22 million missing White House e-mails from the administration of President George W. Bush, and the Obama administration is searching for dozens more days’ worth of potentially lost e-mail from the Bush years, according to two groups that filed suit over the failure by the Bush White House to install an electronic record keeping system.
2009 a great year for Hollywood: By Patrick Goldstein - Los Angeles Times; December 15, 2009 in print edition on B6; It’s not even the middle of December yet and Hollywood has set an all-time box-office record for the year, with domestic theatrical revenue having passed the previous record — 2007’s $9.68 billion — with a possible $10.5 billion mark in sight before year’s end.
Horoscope for December 15, 2009: December 15, 2009 in print edition on B6; This year, you often go for exactly what you want. Your ability to sense how situations are likely to fall could define your success. You discover the need for others to give you feedback. If you are single, you could meet someone out of the blue. If you are attached, the two of you need to share more. Aquarius has many ideas.
Federal study: Decade drop in teenagers’ marijuana use stalls: By David N. Goodman - Associated Press Writer; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A2; A decade-long decline in teens’ use of pot has stalled and some teen attitudes on how harmful marijuana can be may be softening, according to a federal survey on teen drug use released Monday.
Obama urges bankers to lend more, back new regulations: By Tom Raum - Associated Press Writer; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A2; President Barack Obama implored top bankers Monday to help keep the fragile recovery from faltering by boosting lending to small businesses and getting behind an overhaul of financial regulation. “We rise and fall together,” he declared.
Democrats may drop Medicare expansion: Associated Press; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A2; The end game at hand, Senate Democrats appeared ready to jettison a proposed Medicare expansion from historic health care legislation Monday in hopes of assuring Christmas-week passage of the bill to extend coverage to tens of millions of Americans.
Gore: Polar ice may disappear in 5 years: Associated Press; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A2; New computer modeling suggests the Arctic Ocean may be nearly ice-free in the summertime as early as 2014, Al Gore said Monday at the U.N. climate conference.
Deadly explosions rock Green Zone area: Associated Press; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A2; A series of car bombs ripped through downtown Baghdad early today, killing four people and wounding as many as 15 near the heavily fortified Green Zone, Iraqi police officials said.
E-mails found from Bush administration: Associated Press; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A2; Computer technicians have found 22 million missing White House e-mails from the administration of President George W. Bush, and the Obama administration is searching for dozens more days’ worth of potentially lost e-mail from the Bush years, according to two groups that filed suit over the failure by the Bush White House to install an electronic record keeping system.
Wells Fargo to repay $25B in bailout funds: Associated Press; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A2; Wells Fargo plans to sell $10.4 billion in new stock to help repay all $25 billion in bailout aid it received from the government at the height of the market meltdown last fall.
Suicide bomb blast damages hotel: Associated Press; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A2; A suicide bomb explosion today in Afghanistan’s capital damaged a hotel frequented by foreigners, a government official said. The extent of casualties was not immediately clear.
Henry or Wall? Both freshmen having big years: By Gary Bedore; December 15, 2009 in print edition on B1; Kentucky’s John Wall probably leads Kansas University’s Xavier Henry in the publicity department. But as Jayhawk coach Bill Self observed on Monday’s Big 12 coaches conference call, the numbers put up by KU’s freshman sensation “are very comparable to what John has done.”
Jackets roll on road: Associated Press; December 15, 2009 in print edition on B4; Georgia Tech aced its first true road test of the season.
KU women 22nd in AP weekly poll: J-W Staff Reports; December 15, 2009 in print edition on B3; Kansas University’s women, coming off impressive victories over UMKC and Creighton, climbed another notch in this week’s AP basketball poll.
Cardinals fail to clinch division title: The Associated Press; December 15, 2009 in print edition on B2; The Arizona Cardinals threw away a chance to clinch a second straight NFC West crown.
Color of Money Challenge ends happily: By Michelle Singletary - The Washington Post; December 15, 2009 in print edition on B7; They all have jobs.
Exxon Mobil bets on natural gas: By Mark Williams - Associated Press Writer; December 15, 2009 in print edition on B7; Exxon Mobil, the world’s largest publicly traded oil company, is making a $29 billion bet that pressure to curb climate change will mean natural gas — cleaner than coal and suddenly much easier to reach — will become a crucial source of U.S. power.
Co-op volunteers help restore electricity: Staff reports; December 15, 2009 in print edition on B7; Bluestem Electric Cooperative, based in Wamego, recently had the daunting task of quickly and efficiently restoring power to more than 1,600 homes after a recent snow storm.
Lawrence resident earns certification: Staff reports; December 15, 2009 in print edition on B7; Wendy Lawrence Axlund, adjunct instructor with Pinnacle Career Institute and consultant with HealthCare Compliance Innovations, completed a specialized course in health care compliance and earned certification in healthcare compliance-consulting in October.
Local gym collects used clothing items: Staff reports; December 15, 2009 in print edition on B7; Snap Fitness, 1800 E. 23rd St., is collecting gently used coats, blankets and warm clothing through Dec. 23.
25 years ago: Penalty for work undone on schools: December 15, 2009 in print edition on A7; The contract between the local school district and a Topeka contractor was imposing a $200-a-day penalty for work undone on local schools.
100 years ago: Stores packed with toys: December 15, 2009 in print edition on A7; The local stores are crowded with toys, many of the new mechanical types that make Johnny happy.
Civil discourse: By Dennis Dailey - Lawrence; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A7; To the editor: I have just finished reading a book by Craig Miner entitled “Seeding Civil War: Kansas in the National News, 1854-1858.”
Price of victory: By Ray Finch - Lawrence; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A7; To the editor: Your editor ended his Saturday scolding (“Who will curb insane salaries in university athletics?” (Journal-World, Dec. 12) by questioning “the values of this country” and what it takes to build a winning college sports program. How dare he look down his snooty nose at genuine Jayhawk fans?
Respecting trees: By Simran Sethi - Lawrence; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A7; To the editor: In light of emerging information that trees near Watson Park may be cut down in order to protect Westar’s power lines and assuming those lines cannot be buried and the mature trees cannot be transplanted, it’s important that we as a community consider what we can do to make the best of a very sad situation.
Strong start: J-W Editorials; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A7; KU’s new head football coach made a favorable first impression at his first Lawrence press conference.
Charges filed against police battery suspect: By Jesse Fray; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A4; Prosecutors filed charges Monday against a Topeka man accused of battering a police officer who was investigating a Sunday morning shooting in downtown Lawrence.
Franklin County reports armed theft of vehicle: Staff Reports; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A4; The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office reported Monday morning a situation involving the armed theft of a vehicle.
Home tweet home: Kids decorate birdhouses in annual Hilltop benefit: By Shaun Hittle; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A3; Nine-year-old Nora Hause is learning some sound business lessons about selling birdhouses.
LHS debate team sweeps tournament: Staff reports; December 15, 2009 in print edition on A3; The Lawrence High debate team made history last weekend at the East Kansas District National Forensics League tournament at Shawnee Mission East High School.
Source: Halladay to Philadelphia: Phillies have reached tentative deal for Cy Young winner; The Associated Press; December 15, 2009 in print edition on B2; The Phillies have a tentative agreement to acquire star pitcher Roy Halladay in a trade with Toronto, and the former Cy Young Award winner was in Philadelphia on Monday for a physical required to complete the deal.
Double Take: College freshman plans separate living arrangement over break: Wes Crenshaw and Samantha Schwartz; December 15, 2009 in print edition on C1; I’m a freshman in college. I can’t exactly live under my mother’s rules. I am planning on coming in town this holiday.
Contest winners wrote novels in 30 days: By Shaun Hittle; December 15, 2009 in print edition on C1; Lawrence resident John Bond says there’s no easy answer for how he finished a 93,000-word novel in 30 days. “I just didn’t sleep or do much of anything else,” he says…
Gift guide for the picky teenager: By Katie Bean; December 15, 2009 in print edition on C1; We wanted to know what teens have on their wish lists, and a noncommittal shrug wouldn’t do. So with a little bit of pressing, we got the answers parents are looking for from members of Angle, the J-W’s teen advisory board. And we broke it down for budgets of all sizes…
Online term paper shortcuts give today’s students a big break: Beth Harpaz/Associated Press Writer; December 15, 2009 in print edition on C1; Here’s yet another sign that today’s kids have it way too easy: They no longer have to learn the format for creating bibliographies for their term papers.

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Zen Zero $5.99 Daily Lunch Special · Chef's Choice

Sound Off: How much does the city’s transit system collect in fares compared with how much it costs May 27, 2012 · 133 comments
Study suggests continued population drop in Kansas May 29, 2012 · 5 comments
U.S. military sees new appreciation May 28, 2012 · 34 comments
National group seeks repeal of 'Stand Your Ground' law in Kansas May 27, 2012 · 150 comments
Kansas tax act most regressive in nation May 27, 2012 · 258 comments
Blog: Writing Your Erotica: An Afternoon Lead By Dixie Lubin In The Company Of Other Women May 28, 2012 · 42 comments
Remove politics, and redistricting map falls in line May 27, 2012 · 43 comments
Tuition victims May 22, 2012 · 54 comments
On the street: How did you spend your Memorial Day? May 28, 2012 · 27 comments
Tax gamble May 26, 2012 · 86 comments

Thread of pain ran through Jackson’s career June 28, 2009
Kansas tax act most regressive in nation May 27, 2012
Friends mourn Lynn Bretz, former voice of KU May 28, 2012
KU’s Elijah Johnson cautious at camp May 29, 2012
Hilltop executive director Pat Pisani stepping down May 28, 2012
Kansas football scouring country May 29, 2012
City, county mull upgrade to emergency radio system May 28, 2012
Lives forever changed by skywalk collapse July 15, 2001
Hard-luck loss: Blue Valley West walk-off sends Lawrence High baseball home in pitchers’ duel May 26, 2012
Book helps family heal after tragedy May 28, 2012