LINE CROSSED? The court-stormin’ debate. SPORTS, 1B
75 cents
Journal-World WEDNESDAY • FEBRUARY 25 • 2015 reams of a downtown grocery store in the former Borders bookstore building at Seventh and New Hampshire appear to be expired. Lawrence businessman Doug Compton has signed a deal to purchase the building, and he has no plans to move his proposed downtown grocery from 11th and
L A W R E NC E
Jamari Traylor. A K-State fan pushes
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LJWorld.com
Developer Compton buys former Borders site Town Talk
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Chad Lawhorn clawhorn@ljworld.com
Massachusetts streets to the site. Compton has confirmed that he has a contract to take over ownership of the building in late May. He said he didn’t purchase the building to squelch the plans of a grassroots organization that has been working to bring a grocer into the
I’m not afraid to own it and lease it. It won’t sit empty that long. I’ll find a tenant for it. I think interest is going to get stronger in downtown.” — Doug Compton, developer in there,” Compton said. 20,000-square-foot space. But that will be Compton said he purchased the building the end result. “I will dictate what goes because it makes sense
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for him to own it given the amount of investment he is making along New Hampshire Street. Compton is the developer behind both the multistory apartment/office building at the southwest corner of Ninth and New Hampshire and the hotel/retail building Please see COMPTON, page 2A
Lesson learned
‘Eyesore’ bridge to be painted KU blue By Sara Shepherd Twitter: @saramarieshep
By summer’s end, the Irving Hill Road bridge over Iowa Street will be bright blue with “Rock Chalk Jayhawk” on one side and “The University of Kansas” on the other. That’s according to a plan announced Tuesday by KU. Previously planned construction is scheduled to begin in May to improve the overpass, which links Daisy Hill and West Campus. In addition to the structural upgrades, the bridge’s girders and new railings will be painted official KU blue, with the lettering added in white. The goal is to turn the “eyesore” of a Nick Krug/Journal-World Photo
City incumbents leading the pack Bill limiting sex-ed materials clears Senate in fundraising By Peter Hancock Twitter: @LJWpqhancock
KINDERGARTNER MERCY MARQUEZ DOESN’T FLINCH as martial arts instructor Scott Base, a third-degree black belt with Prime Martial Arts, tries to trick her into moving during a statue game designed to teach children to follow instructions. The students at Schwegler Elementary School on Tuesday were treated to a visit by Prime instructors as well as members of the Rock Chalk Dancers team as a reward from school administrators for successfully participating in a school initiative aimed at promoting positive behavior. See the video at LJWorld.com/Schwegler22415
Please see BRIDGE, page 8A
Democrats don’t debate GOP legislation which removes an exemption that public, LEGISLATURE private and parochial schools now enjoy from the crime of promoting material harmful to minors. The bill was a response to a controversy last year when a middle school teacher in the Shawnee Mission school district displayed a poster that listed words, including some explicit words depicting sex acts, to describe various ways in which people show affection. The bill was strongly opposed by many education groups who argued it could drastically limit what material could be taught in classrooms, and some suggested it could even lead to the banning of certain books that are considered classic literature. Sen. Mary Pilcher-Cook, RShawnee, the main sponsor of Please see MATERIALS, page 2A
By Chad Lawhorn Twitter: @clawhorn_ljw
Topeka — The Kansas Senate on Tuesday advanced without debate a bill that would make teachers criminally liable for displaying sex education material deemed inappropriate for children. Senate Democrats were expected to voice fierce opposition to Senate Bill 56,
Even in the world of Lawrence City Commission politics, candidates will spend thousands of dollars to win a seat on the commission. Many times — although not always — they are spending the money of campaign contributors. The latest campaign reports have been
ELECTION
2015
Please see CAMPAIGN, page 2A
Snow tonight Business Classified Comics Crave 2A 1C-5C 6C 1CR-2CR
INSIDE Events listings Horoscope Opinion Puzzles 2A, 2B Sports 6A Television 7A 6A 1B-4B 8A, 2B
Next level Get creative with your Girl Scout cookies. In Crave
Vol.157 /No.56 24 pages
High: 48
Low: 13
Today’s forecast, page 8A
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