Archive for Friday, December 21, 2012 / LJWorld.com

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On the street

Do you shop at a grocery store to get a discount on gas?

Photos

View all of this day's photos (19)

Photo galleries

Drum circle at The Percolator

Polls

Do you think concealed weapons should be allowed on college campuses?

Poll results

Response	Percent
No		63%
Yes		33%
Not sure		3%
Total	1050

Lead stories

12:00 a.m.

KU athletes play up spirit of giving: By Matt Tait; December 18, 2012; As the holiday season heats up and the spirit of giving takes priority, several members of the Kansas University athletic department are stepping up to bring joy and cheer to those less fortunate both in Lawrence and around the world. By Matt Tait

6:00 a.m.

Weis: Juco Jayhawks have chance to challenge vets, turn around program: By Matt Tait; December 20, 2012; Kansas University football coach Charlie Weis says a major focus of his recruiting pitch to the Jayhawks’ newly signed junior-college transfers was a challenge to turn the program’s 1-11 record into a winning tradition. By Matt Tait

12:00 p.m.

Brownback wants to examine mental health services: John Hanna, Associated Press; December 20, 2012; Gov. Sam Brownback said Thursday that he wants to examine whether Kansas is providing adequate mental health services but is wary of jumping into a contentious debate over gun control following last week’s mass elementary school shooting in Connecticut. By The Associated Press

All stories

KU women fall to Cal, 88-79: Staff and Wire Reports; December 21, 2012; Layshia Clarendon scored a season-high 28 points, one of five California players in double figures, and the eighth-ranked Golden Bears beat No. 19 Kansas, 88-79, on Friday night.
Number of Hepatitis C cases linked to hospital worker rises: The Associated Press; December 21, 2012; Five more people have been diagnosed with the same strain of hepatitis C a former traveling hospital worker is accused of spreading through tainted needles. The total is now 44 in four states.
Kansas Chamber to seek pensions debate: The Associated Press; December 21, 2012; The influential Kansas Chamber of Commerce plans to push legislators next year to reopen a debate over public pensions and start a 401(k)-style plan for new teachers and government workers. Two chamber officials said Friday in an interview with The Associated Press that a further overhaul of the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System is on the group’s legislative agenda because they believe the current system is going to become increasingly expensive for the state to maintain.
Excess baggage: Percolator celebrates ‘end of the world’ with drums, new exhibit: By Adam Strunk; December 21, 2012; So it turns out the world didn’t end. But the absence of Mayan cataclysm didn’t stop Lawrence residents from observing the supposed end of times or at least an era. By Adam Strunk
Lawrence police to patrol Topeka Saturday during services for slain officers: By Ian Cummings; December 21, 2012; About 30 Lawrence police will help patrol Topeka Saturday, allowing local officers to attend funeral services for two of their own who were shot to death Sunday. By Ian Cummings
Brownback, Schmidt say Kansas will join other states in tobacco agreement: By Scott Rothschild; December 21, 2012; Gov. Sam Brownback and Attorney General Derek Schmidt on Friday said funding to children’s programs will be protected under a multistate legal agreement to settle disputed payments from several major tobacco companies. By Scott Rothschild
Downtown retailers see boost in holiday sales, expect busy weekend: By Chad Lawhorn; December 21, 2012; With Thanksgiving coming early this year, there are five full weekends — instead of the more traditional four — between Black Friday and Christmas, but Lawrence retailers said there will still be plenty of last-minute shopping going on this weekend. By Chad Lawhorn
County emergency siren sounds false alarm Friday morning: By Ian Cummings; December 21, 2012; An emergency siren at 1658 East 1550 Road sounded a false alarm shortly before 8 a.m. Friday.
City, KU Endowment discussing new bidding process for recreation center project: By Chad Lawhorn; December 21, 2012; Plans for a $25 million city-owned recreation center in northwest Lawrence are shifting as questions emerge about the propriety of Lawrence businessman Thomas Fritzel building the project without going through the city’s standard bid process. By Chad Lawhorn
County fire departments respond to Eudora barn fire Friday: Staff Reports; December 21, 2012; Eudora Township Fire Department and other Douglas County fire crews extinguished a barn fire at 996 East 1900 Road Friday afternoon.
Former Wellsville police officer pleads not guilty in animal cruelty case: By Ian Cummings; December 21, 2012; A 30-year-old former Wellsville police officer pleaded not guilty in the unlawful killing of a feline Friday in Douglas County District Court.
Osage County firefighters battle fires at two homes, mobile home near Pomona Lake: By Ian Cummings; December 21, 2012; All roads into the Osage County community of Michigan Valley were blocked off Friday as firefighters battled flames at two houses and a mobile home.
Regents chair predicts heated debate over expansion of concealed carry: By Scott Rothschild; December 21, 2012; The chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents says he expects a full-throttle debate during the next legislative session over whether to allow concealed guns on campuses of state universities. “Definitely it will be back,” said Tim Emert of Independence. By Scott Rothschild.
Black Hills Energy advises winter safety: By Rebekka Schlichting; December 21, 2012; Black Hills Energy advises customers to keep ice and snow off gas meters for safety. By Rebekka Schlichting
Kansas jobless rate falls to 5.4 percent in November: The Associated Press; December 21, 2012; Ongoing federal negotiations about tax increases and spending cuts are keeping Kansas employers from making investments in their operations and hiring more workers, a top state business leader said Friday.
Lawrence woman cited for leaving the scene of accident Thursday on K-10: By Ian Cummings; December 21, 2012; A Lawrence woman was cited for multiple violations, including leaving the scene of an accident and having no proof of insurance, after an accident Thursday on Kansas Highway 10 near Franklin Road.
Lawrence man injured Thursday as semi jackknifes on Kansas Turnpike: By Ian Cummings; December 21, 2012; A 58-year-old Lawrence man was injured in an accident Thursday morning when a semitrailer truck lost control on the Kansas Turnpike east of Lawrence.
Kansas Chamber of Commerce plans to push again for pension overhaul: The Associated Press; December 21, 2012; The Kansas Chamber of Commerce plans to push legislators next year to reopen a debate over public pensions and start a 401(k)-style plan for new teachers and government workers.
2nd traffic fatality blamed on winter storm: The Associated Press; 12:22 p.m., December 21, 2012 Updated 01:00 p.m.; The Kansas Highway Patrol is reporting a second fatality blamed on this week’s winter weather.
Illinois man pleads no contest to five crimes in child abuse case: By Shaun Hittle; December 21, 2012; A 52-year-old Northlake, Ill., man pleaded no contest Friday morning to five crimes stemming from a June 13 incident in which two of his children were found bound by their hands and feet in a Lawrence Walmart parking lot. By Shaun Hittle
Kansas Supreme Court upholds murder conviction in 2005 slaying of retired jeweler: By Scott Rothschild; December 21, 2012; The Kansas Supreme Court on Friday upheld the murder conviction of a man sentenced to life in prison for the 2005 shooting death of a retired jeweler near Lecompton. Allen Dale Smith was convicted in 2008 in Douglas County in the slaying of Clarence David Boose, 77. By Scott Rothschild.
Topeka lawyer disbarred partly for his actions in local case: Associated Press; December 21, 2012; A Topeka attorney has been disbarred this week in the state of Kansas, partly for his actions as a defense attorney in a 2007 Douglas County robbery case. By Shaun Hittle
Lawrence group 100 Good Women receives $5,000 Walmart award: By Matt Erickson; December 21, 2012; A Lawrence philanthropic group has received a $5,000 grant from Walmart to help out area people in need.
40 years ago: LPD tries to fill four positions: By Sarah St. John; December 21, 2012; The vacancies were created by the resignations of two detectives and two patrolmen.
Letter: Support gun laws: Barbara Palmer, Lawrence; December 21, 2012; Since Friday, when 27 innocent children and educators were murdered, there have been hundreds of additional Americans killed with guns, at least 40 percent of them children. How do we justify this slaughter without taking personal responsibility for it? We (not in Lawrence) have elected local, state and federal representatives who vote for bills allowing more and more guns and ammunition to flow onto our streets.
Letter: No response: Paul Bahnmaier, Lecompton; December 21, 2012; On Nov. 3, the U.S. Postal Service conducted a meeting in Lecompton to discuss and answer questions relative to the Lecompton post office. Present at the meeting were representatives of Gov. Brownback, Sens. Roberts and Moran, and Rep. Jenkins, along with state Sens. Hensley and Francisco, state Rep. Tom Sloan and 100 Lecompton residents.
Letter: Stark contrast: Pete Rowland, Lawrence; December 21, 2012; It was instructive and distressing to read your story about our governor’s task force on teachers’ unions in juxtaposition with the many stories about the tragic assault, with an assault rifle, on teachers and students in Newtown, Conn.
Editorial: Policy spat: J-W Editorial; December 21, 2012; Earlier this week, the discord and downright petty nastiness of Kansas politics reared their heads in a meeting of the Legislative Educational Planning Committee.
Letter: Rejecting God: Carl Burkhead, Lawrence; December 21, 2012; The tragedy at Newtown is very painful, but I can’t imagine how a parent or others close to the victims must feel. I don’t like the word “victim,” but it does have implications beyond the immediate circumstances of Newtown.
Opinion: U.S. may boost focus on Latin America: Andres Oppenheimer; December 21, 2012 in print edition on A8; If President Barack Obama appoints Sen. John Kerry as secretary of state to replace Hillary Clinton when he starts his second term next month, as some administration officials expect, you may see a somewhat greater U.S. focus on Latin American affairs.
25 years ago: BID fees discriminatory, attorney says: By Sarah St. John; December 21, 2012; Local attorney Eugene Riling was filing suit against the city of Lawrence in Douglas County District Court.
Tune In Tonight: Take a tour of the Holy Land: Kevin McDonough, Universal Uclick; December 21, 2012; Is Christmas news? The two-part special “Back to the Beginning With Christiane Amanpour” (8 p.m., ABC) isn’t technically about Christmas, but it’s clearly a nod to a season of faith. Correspondent Christiane Amanpour examines the origins of the biblical narratives that have formed the basis of religions followed by billions to this day.
Horoscopes for Dec. 21: Jacqualine Bigar, King Features; December 21, 2012; For Friday, Dec. 21: This year you will want to move in new directions, but often will trip yourself up. Feedback from those with whom you have frequent brainstorming sessions could be instrumental. If you are single, you might find it difficult to relate easily, as you are unlikely to offer the conventional attitudes and gestures of a single, available person. If you are attached, the two of you might struggle with the traditional roles of marriage.
Kansas women expect challenge from bigs at Cal: By Benton Smith; December 21, 2012; The No. 19 Kansas University women’s basketball team tonight faces No. 8 California, which looks to challenge the Jayhawks’ formidable front-court with its own bevy of bigs. By Benton Smith
100 years ago: Fuel-oil scheme proposed for downtown merchants: By Sarah St. John; December 21, 2012; “Oil is becoming a popular fuel, especially with the passing of natural gas seeming to be a certainty.”

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