Rhoades recants, apologizes for bribery allegation against KTA chief

Is Johnson the same guy who was in charge of the KTA about 15 years ago when it was discovered the top guy had he own private entrance to his home on the turnpike just north of Wichita? If I remember right, it was an exit to a KTA storage/maintenance yard. He was able to drive through the yard and through another gate to his home.
KTA people will never favor merging with KDOT because of the earnings difference. The last I heard or read, top KTA officials make about 50% more than KDOT guys.

March 12, 2013 at 5:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Simons' Saturday Column: College academic, athletic salaries are out of whack

I agree that ADs and coachs are overpaid, but $280,000 should be more than adequate for what he does. When it comes to the status of the players, there is very little difference between the Division I players and NBA players. BB players get everything they need and assistance in school. I don't remember the exact amount, but I recently read that universities spend about $130,000 per student athlete compared to about $30,000 per non-athletic student. If the student athletes had to pay for what they receive in terms of benefits, they would have to have an income of over $100,000. And the benefits are tax free. Probably the only difference is that they don't get to party openly and have some discipline imposed on them by the coaching staff( so they can win).

March 9, 2013 at 5:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Bill introduced to abolish death penalty in Kansas

We don't really have the death penalty, just 20 years, then the death penalty. As far as DNA exonerating inmates, I've never seen any detail of how it did prove them innocent. It's usually a very short item in the news. Was some stray DNA found that had nothing to do with crime thereby moving the question of guilt into the "Reasonable Doubt" category? I agree with one of the earlier postings in which the blame was placed on the judges and lawyers.
If we outlaw the death penalty, the inmates will still appeal life sentences as long as public funds pay for it and there are attorneys willing to make a career out of defending them. I would be willing to bet that the Carr brothers will still be alive 10 years from now.
Do some research on the Greenlease kidnapping/murder and the Starkweather/Fugate crime spree. In both cases those sentenced to death were executed within 6-7 months after they were caught.

March 8, 2013 at 6:11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

City approves development agreement, tax abatement for $25M Rock Chalk Park recreation center

I can't think of a single year since 1977 and the present when there was not a new building under construction or at least a large renovation underway at KU. So when will will the KU campus finally be "Finished?" Probably never. The next project will be to take over part or all of Clinton Lake. That should be easy; Just transfer control from Wildlife and Parks to KU.
As far as the new Recreation Center is concerned, it will be interesting to see who and what businesses locate near there.

March 6, 2013 at 2:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Duel begins over concealed carry in public buildings

Holmes and Lanza picked the theater and school because they were 99% sure there was no one there to stop them. Holmes didn't know much about guns (his high capacity magazine
jammed and he did not know how to clear it) and Lanza had to break a window in the door to get in. While most would agree they were mentally ill, they still were sane enough to carry out their deadly mission. They would be truely crazy if they went into a police station or large gathering of cops and started shooting. If I were a techer in that school I would have a gun and no one would ever know it. And when the shooting started at least I would have a chance to save my students and my own life instead of crouching in a corner and waiting to die.

February 25, 2013 at 5:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Ralliers protest policies of Brownback, conservative Republicans in the Legislature

For Paul Davis to claim his or any of his followers First Amendment Rights are being curtailed is not only a huge stretch, but completely absurd. If you have to pay union dues to be heard, then go to your bank and have a regular payment set up. If you are too lazy to do that, then there's no hope for you. I think the goal is to have 100 % of the state budget end up in Douglas County instead of the 30 %. Thirty percent is what I heard several years ago.

February 24, 2013 at 5:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Douglas County prosecutor's comments lead court to vacate sentence

The problem isn't Amy, it's the appeals judges. I have noticed they seem to side on the side of the defendent, the Creeps in other words. The objective of the trial should be to expose the truth. The Reasonable Doubt concept has outlived the intended purpose. Why are defense lawers afraid of the truth?

February 9, 2013 at 5:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Fort Hays State student newspaper prints last issue; Daily Kansan editor says things going smoothly there

I'm a subscriber to the print edition and have noticed it is getting thinner over the last few years. Just a thought.

February 2, 2013 at 8:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Tax talk, anti-union bills dominate legislative discussion at Lawrence Chamber breakfast

You can have utility bills, credit card payments, car payments, etc., deducted from your bank account every month if you so choose. So what's the problem here? If the unions want regular payments, just have them take it out of your account each month. I'm sure most banks do this now.

February 2, 2013 at 8:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Kansas lawmakers cautious about school district consolidation

I think the schools out west and in the rural areas have consolidated just about as much as they can. How would you like your child having to get up at 4 or 5 in the morning just to make the trip to school? Maybe the districts in the big urban areas should do some consolidating. As for the number of counties, I agree there is no need for 105 and the number needs to be reduced. But even that has unforseen consequences. Can you imagine all the political battles that would be fought over turf and power? And how about Townships? I think that political division has outlived the purpose for which they were established a long time ago.

In Kansas I think interstate 70 had more to do with the small towns drying up than anything else. Before I-70 there were at least six highways going East-West across Kansas: 36,24, 40,4,56,54. Even though some of them have US designations they are hardley ever used for interstate travel.

January 29, 2013 at 4:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )