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THURSDAY • JANUARY 30 • 2014
Soaring Birthday wishes for Kansas propane costs lead to state action By John Hanna
Please see PROPANE, page 2A
Teen suspect likely to be returned to state soon ———
Associated Press
Topeka — A recent spike in propane prices and short supplies for heating homes in Kansas have prompted Gov. Sam Brownback to temporarily ease trucking regulations and direct state officials to help poor families. Brownback announced Wednesday that he has ordered the state Department for Children and Families to give propane users priority in processing Brownback applications for an annual program that helps poor families pay utility bills, and the department plans to increase the staff dedicated to processing applications. The governor also directed the department to reach out to poor families to ensure that they can continue to get propane. The governor issued executive orders suspending trucking regulations earlier this month, easing restrictions on operating hours
MURDER CHARGE
Weapons reportedly found in car; Texas timeline revealed By Stephen Montemayor smontemayor@ljworld.com
Richard Gwin/Journal-World Photo
ANGELO BRAY, A STUDENT AT NEW YORK SCHOOL, works on his Kansas Day art project on Wednesday in Amy Lekey’s kindergarten class. Kansas celebrated its 153rd year of statehood on Wednesday. Also on Wednesday: Kansas Statehouse dedicated, page 3A.
Sarah B. Gonzales McLinn is expected to waive an extradition hearing in state court in Miami to “return to Kansas as soon as possible,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Watts-Fitzgerald said Wednesday. The office of Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson said McLinn was being processed into state custody in Florida, where she would appear before a state court judge at a time unknown to Branson. Branson’s office plans to McLinn provide another update on McLinn’s status this afternoon. Earlier this week, Branson charged McLinn, 19, with first-degree murder in the slaying of Harold Sasko, 52, on or around Jan. 14 with an “edged instrument” that investigators say they now have in their possession. Linda Friar, an Everglades National Park spokeswoman, said park rangers found McLinn sleeping in Sasko’s vehicle in a parking lot at the park after 10:30 p.m. Saturday. Please see TEEN, page 2A
Proposals to repeal ban on same-sex marriage introduced By Scott Rothschild srothschild@ljworld.com
Topeka — A House committee on Wednesday accepted a request to introduce measures that would repeal Kansas’ ban on same-sex marriage. Tom Witt, executive director of Equality Kansas, the state’s leading gay rights group, asked for the proposals to be introduced just before the committee wrapped up a hearing on a bill that
would provide legal protection to people who, because of religious opposition to gay marriage, would deny business and services to same-sex couples. “Well, they want to have a conversation about marriage equality, so let’s have a conversation about marriage equality,” Witt said. House Federal and State Affairs Chairman Steve Brunk, R-Wichita, said anyone who wants to introduce a bill in his
I have is a bill introduction, so I have no idea what it does or what it says. But as bills do come in, I do have to prioritize,” he said. Witt said one bill would repeal the state law passed in 1996 that bans same-sex marriage. He said the other measure would be a proposed constitutional amendment to repeal the 2005 amendment that doesn’t recognize samesex marriage. That passed with 70 percent of the vote.
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committee is free to do so. “It’s never been my practice to preclude anybody because I may or may LEGISLATURE not like the particular bill personally,” Brunk said. Once the bills are drafted, Brunk will decide whether to hold a public hearing. “I don’t have a bill yet. All
Low: 19
Today’s forecast, page 10A
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A key vote to establish a new citywide rental licensing and inspection program will be delayed by at least a month. Page 3A
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— Statehouse reporter Scott Rothschild can be reached at 785-423-0668.
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Witt said he believes that eventually the U.S. Supreme Court will strike down state laws and constitutional amendments against samesex marriage. Federal judges in Oklahoma and Utah have recently struck down bans and, like Kansas, fall under the jurisdiction of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver.
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Vol.156/No.30 22 pages