FROM METEORITES TO MINERALS New Lawrence business, originally from Baldwin City, specializes in stones, minerals and a whole lot more. 6A
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Journal-World ®
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LJWorld.com
MONDAY • JANUARY 20 • 2014
Food desert residents hungry for options
Police ID homicide victim ———
With no suspects identified, search continues for missing woman By Elliot Hughes ehughes@ljworld.com
Mike Yoder/Journal-World Photo
NORTH LAWRENCE RESIDENT MARY DROUIN bags green beans as she shops for a few groceries at Checkers Foods, 2300 Louisiana St.. A large portion of Lawrence — everything north of the river and east of Massachusetts Street — is a federally designated “food desert,” meaning because of lack of proximity, poverty and other factors, people living there have a hard time accessing fresh, healthy food.
‘Kicking and screaming’ for a choice
Lawrence police have identified a 52-year-old man found dead inside his home while continuing their search for a missing woman who lived with him. On Sunday evening, Sgt. Trent McKinley, a Lawrence Police Department spokesman, identified Friday’s homicide victim as Lawrence resident Harold M. Sasko, who owns a CiCi’s Pizza franchise McLinn in Topeka. Police discovered Sasko’s body late Friday when they visited his home in the 2900 block of W. 26th St. Police went to the home in search of Please see HOMICIDE, page 2A
Photo Courtesy to Journal-World
THE HOME, LOCATED AT 2905 W. 26TH ST., where homicide victim, 53-year-old Harold M. Sasko, was found Friday night.
By Sara Shepherd sshepherd@ljworld.com
Bill could bring committees to a screen near you
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t the grocery store, Mary Drouin will probably be in the outermost aisles, selecting the healthiest fresh produce, milk and eggs she can afford. “I don’t shop the ‘dead food’ in the middle,” Drouin said. “I feel better, and I have more money for food ... the convenience stuff, it adds up.” But sticking to her healthy goals is a challenge for Drouin because of where she lives (North Lawrence, which has no supermarket) and how much money she makes (not much). Drouin is one of nearly 18,000 Lawrencians living in a federally designated food desert, four adjacent census tracts that blanket the northeast part of the city. A combination of low incomes, lack of supermarkets and lack of transportation makes it more difficult for many residents of these areas to get fresh, healthy food. There are efforts to create oases in Lawrence’s food
By Scott Rothschild srothschild@ljworld.com
THIS MAP provided by Lawrence Douglas County Planning and Development Services shows proximity of major grocery stores, specialty grocery stores and Common Ground Community Please see DESERT, page 2A Gardens in Lawrence.
Topeka — If there is one thing Republicans and Democrats can agree on, it’s that the public is skeptical of what their elected officials are doing. State Rep. Stephanie Clayton, R-Overland Park, says she has a bill that would help cure Please see BILL, page 2A
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Love landmark is reborn
Vol.156/No.20 18 pages
A group of students from Van Go help restore Lawrence landmark the “love” garage after years of vandalism. Page 3A
Today’s forecast, page 8A
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