Homeless shelter, nearing capacity, gets more bus passes; city rejects tennis court lights

"That brings the tennis court portion of the project to $810,000" and "The shelter currently is repaying a $500,000 construction loan to a local bank." We should forgo the tennis courts and pay the shelter's construction loan instead. And the Chamber of Commerce should pony up for more transit tickets for shelter residents since the Chamber was so anxious to sweep the homeless out of sight downtown. Priorities, priorities.

June 5, 2013 at 10:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

North Lawrence residents, irked by a rash of thefts, find that many have gone unreported

Street lighting is pretty bad in North Lawrence. But it's not just that there aren't enough lights, it's that the lights that go out often don't get reported. Worse, the city isn't responsible for getting those lights fixed--Westar is. It took a lot of work for me to find out who was supposed to fix a dark street and how to report it. Just in case you want to know: https://www-11.westarenergy.com/stree....

June 3, 2013 at 11:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Two pedestrians, including child, 3, suffer minor injuries after being struck by car on Iowa Street

Right turn on red means that *no one ever stops at an intersection anymore*--vehicles come in all directions, and a pedestrian is lucky if a driver even taps the brakes. And there's a strong tendency for drivers to glance for vehicles only, and in one direction only. Pedestrians may have right of way at intersections and crosswalks and green lights and walk signs--but our culture presumes that everyone should be in a vehicle, so few drivers--so many young and inexperienced drivers, but older ones who should know better, too--so few register the presence of pedestrians, and even when they do register into awareness there's a presumption that might holds over law. The will of the City of Lawrence to enforce the rules of the roads to promote pedestrian safety isn't here, either, or there would be real consequences to not paying attention, and real consequences to bullying flesh and blood with a 2-ton vehicle.

April 4, 2013 at 5:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Longtime pediatrician leaving Lawrence with legacy of service

We'll miss you, Helen!

January 14, 2013 at 6:32 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Editorial: Curriculum shift

The Western Civ requirement was the best part of an undergraduate education at the University of Kansas, a requirement that introduced critical thinking and the underpinnings of our nation's government to callow minds, minds that, for so many, are convinced that their opinions are as valid as reasoned argument based on knowledge. A background in Western Civ gives us the tools we need the think about the complicated issues we face and a common vocabulary and understanding to communicate with each other about those issues. Why bother going to KU without Western Civ?

January 8, 2013 at 8 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Illinois man pleads no contest to five crimes in child abuse case

Where is your compassion? No where do I see that the unfortunate man is getting mental health care.

December 22, 2012 at 8:01 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Letter: That’s enough

Each of the children and adults who died had a right to live, which was taken away by a person with access to a weapon of mass destruction. As a society we have the right to regulate access to weapons of mass destruction to reduce the likelihood of someone impinging on the rights of others to live.

As so many comments to this letter shows, gun ownership is for many a fetish, an emotional need that exceeds actual need and common sense.

The right of fetishists to own increasingly lethal weaponry is outweighed by the right of all of us to live protected from those who would use such weapons to hurt us.

December 19, 2012 at 12:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Amyx asks City Commission to weigh recreation center against other city priorities, projects

Thank you, Mike!

December 8, 2012 at 8:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

City commissioners move forward on expanding rental registration program to all rentals in Lawrence

Registration and inspection are good ideas, and it's about time the city took them seriously. While there are responsible landlords in Lawrence, many are slumlords, and they have gotten away with renting out housing that they either don't maintain or ineffectually maintain. Students pay for that kind of housing, and slumlords rely on their naivete and transience to get away with it. I think the city should not only fine slumlords but offer tours of inspection failures to the general public. It's a badly needed reality check for those who think that registration and inspection are "government overreach."

November 28, 2012 at 3:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Twinkie manufacturer Hostess moves to liquidate after crippling strike

Wall Street Journal report, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001...

Salary Increases at Hostess (April 2012)

Brian Driscoll, CEO, around $750,000 to $2,550,000
Gary Wandschneider, EVP, $500,000 to $900,000
John Stewart, EVP, $400,000 to $700,000
David Loeser, EVP, $375,000 to $656,256
Kent Magill, EVP, $375,000 to $656,256
Richard Seban, EVP, $375,000 to $656,256
John Akeson, SVP, $300,000 to $480,000
Steven Birgfeld, SVP, $240,000 to $360,000
Martha Ross, SVP, $240,000 to $360,000
Rob Kissick, SVP, $182,000 to $273,008

November 16, 2012 at 1:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )