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Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Wichita approves Bombardier incentives
WICHITA (AP) — The Wichita City council has approved its part of an incentive package that Bombardier Learjet is seeking before it moves ahead with a $52.7 million expansion that the company says will bring hundreds of jobs to the city. The city council approved a $1 million grant on Tuesday that Bombardier will use to relocate existing parking. That’s the city’s half of a local match required for a $2 million federal economic development grant. The Sedgwick County Commission will consider a similar $1 million grant later this year, The Wichita Eagle reported. Bombardier said Monday that the project would initially bring 400 jobs to Wichita, and also include three new buildings, an expansion of Bombardier’s flight testing capacity and moving more of the company’s engineering and information technology work to Wichita. The company also is negotiating with the state for an unspecified amount of incentives, John Dieker, vice president of strategic projects for Bombardier Learjet, said Monday. Allen Bell, the city’s director of urban development, said the new parking is essential to Bombardier’s expansion. The three new buildings will be erected on current employee parking and the company wants to lease ground from the Wichita Airport Authority for more parking. With the 600 jobs Bombardier has already pledged to add for work on the Learjet 85, the company will bring over 1,000 new jobs to Wichita, Bell said. “Before us is an opportunity other cities, states and communities would do almost anything to have,” said Lynn Nichols, chairman of the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce.
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-"83&/$& t 45"5& KANSAS UNIVERSITY
Bioscience and Technology Business Center gets seventh tenant ————
Company to use space for internship program By Andy Hyland ahyland@ljworld.com
Assurant Employee Benefits, a Kansas City, Mo.-based division of the insurance company Assurant, will lease space at Kansas University’s Bioscience and Technology Business Center, becoming the facility’s seventh tenant. The space will be used to establish an internship program at the center, which will house between six and eight students from KU’s computer science and computer engineering degree programs. Tim Bachta, application development director for Assurant Employee Benefits, said the company won’t place any full-time staff members at the site permanently, though several employees will visit the site. “The hope is to transition the interns in to full-time employees as openings come
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interest,” said Laura Calwell, representative for Friends of the Kaw, a local environmental advocacy group. “Dredging stirs up sediments and industrial pollutants that threaten our drinking water.” Calwell said her group has advocated for a decrease and eventual stop to dredging on the river, or, at the very least, no increase to the current tonnage limits. Kale Horton, with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City Regulatory Office, said the decision process for the permits will take place over the next year, and could include adjustments to the tonnage limits requested by the companies. “It’s a back and forth,” said Horton, who encouraged residents to contact his office to comment. Horton can be contacted by email at kale.e.horton@ usace.army.mil, or by phone at 816-389-3656. — Reporter Shaun Hittle can be reached at 832-7173. Follow him at Twitter/shaunhittle.
Kansas River dredging plan
Currently, five companies are authorized to dredge 2.2 million tons annually from 10 locations on the river. That permit expires at the end of 2012.
Under the new proposal, which would run for five years, the same companies are asking for dredging authorization for 13 sites and 3.2 million tons annually.
The proposed sites span an 80-mile stretch of the river, from Shawnee County to Wyandotte County, including Douglas County.
The companies seeking permits are Kaw Valley Companies, Holliday Sand & Gravel, Penny’s Aggregates, Master’s Dredging, and Meier’s Ready Mix.
up,” Bachta said. The company already has five interns signed up for the program, Bachta said, and has a few more spots available for the paid internships. The interns will be working on programming projects and will communicate with developers in Kansas City; they also will test applications produced by the company, Bachta said. Assurant, a Fortune 500 company, is the second BTBC tenant to establish an internship program with KU’s School of Engineering. Garmin, the Olathe-based navigation company, has a similar program. The company will move into the BTBC Main Facility, 2029 Becker Drive, on Jan. 1. After the move, the Main Facility will be 75 percent full and will house 60 employees. “This is exactly what we envisioned when we cre-
Kansas drought losses now total $1.8 billion TOPEKA — Kansas agriculture officials say crop losses caused by the continuing drought have reached $1.8 billion. The Kansas Department of Agriculture had previously estimated drought losses at $1.7 billion. The Hutchinson News reports that corn acres have lost $1 billion, while the wheat crop lost to drought was valued at $269 million. The agriculture depart-
ment says 85 percent of the state remains in some type of drought, with about 57 percent of the state in a severe drought or greater. About 15 percent of the state, mostly in the southwestern part of Kansas, is in extreme drought. Meanwhile, the Risk Management Agency has paid $515 million in indemnity payments for crop losses this year. That’s an increase from $375 million three weeks ago.
ated the BTBC: companies coming here to access university talent that doesn’t exist anywhere else,” Matthew McClorey, the center’s president, said in a written statement. “In this case, that talent is School of Engineering students.” — Higher education reporter Andy Hyland can be reached at 832-6388. Follow him at Twitter.com/LJW_KU.
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Kaplan “zero sum game” of trading financial instruments — everything from simple bonds to complicated derivatives. “It is a casino,” Kaplan said of the trading environment. “It is about too much trading and not enough client focus. Wall Street has to again become focused on clients. “I think it is incumbent that Wall Street firms prove that they can make a positive difference in the world. I know most of the Wall Street CEOs, and I tell them that they need to prove it. Talk won’t matter anymore.” Kaplan said he would like to see the government make a larger investment in infrastructure, which he believes will help foster growth that will benefit the middle class. He also supports an extension of the federal payroll tax holiday, and would like the government to create more certainty in the regulatory environment regarding small businesses. “There is a lot of uncertainty right now, and it is undermining our growth potential,” Kaplan said. On other issues, Kaplan:
Is a founding member of the No Labels movement, which advocates for less partisanship in politics, and particularly believes the variety of pledges lawmakers are pressured to sign is detri-
mental to governing. “Almost 60 percent of the members of Congress have taken some sort of pledge to not take some sort of action,” Kaplan said. “Our view is the only pledge they should be taking is the oath of office.”
Believes Congressional leaders still have a chance to reach a significant agreement on reducing the deficit, but will “have to make everybody mad” by reforming entitlement programs and raising taxes.
Thinks Europe’s current debt crisis should serve as a warning to the United States. “We’re not as different from Europe as we would like to think,” Kaplan said. “The main difference between us and them is that we can print money and they can’t. Frankly, what we’re seeing in Europe is what can happen, if we let this go too long.” Thursday’s event is open to the public. After Kaplan speaks, he will sign copies of his book, “What to Ask the Person in the Mirror: Critical Questions for Becoming a More Effective Leader and Reaching Your Potential.”
749-1995 th to the 24 d e it v in e You ar time hristmas Annual C resents Past & P By ds and Frien s g in n n e 1, Mary J r 19, 201 e b m e v o ,N Saturday - 3:00 PM M A 0 0 : 9
Share your memories.
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Alvamar Country Club 1809 Crossgate Drive
Special Lunch and Beverages Available. Bring your friends and make it an afternoon!
Open to the Public – All Welcome
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2004 E. 23rd • Lawrence, KS New address to be announced very soon!
Decorative Lanterns, Licensed Handmade Jayhawks, Hand Knitted Baby Caps and Scarves, Dried Flower Arrangements & Wreaths, Calligraphy Art Works, Christmas Decorations, Gifts of Wood Figures, Jewelry and Beadwork, Homemade Candies and Preserves, Wooden Spoons and Beaded Silverware, Fragrant Candles, Hats & Sleepwear
— City reporter Chad Lawhorn can be reached at 832-6362. Follow him at Twitter. com/clawhorn_ljw.
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