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WEDNESDAY • MARCH 11 • 2015
Some Rock Chalk audit documents wrong By Chad Lawhorn Twitter: @clawhorn_ljw
After a weekend of sorting through more than a thousand concrete delivery tickets, Lawrence City Hall officials have now determined that a portion of the audit for the Rock Chalk Park sports complex was based on inaccurate documents.
City review finds auditor received inaccurate paperwork regarding concrete The city analysis of the delivery tickets also found that the amount of acceptable concrete that was used at the site was about 10 percent less than what design plans originally called for at the project. But city leaders also said they remain confident that the
quality of the roads, sidewalks, parking lots and other pieces of infrastructure at the complex is good and that the city has been billed an appropriate price for the work that was completed. “We believe the community and the university will continue to see benefits from these
improvements for years to come,” said City Manager David Corliss. At their meeting Tuesday evening, city commissioners were briefed on the latest findings by city staff. Commissioners must still deal with an approximately $1 million worth
of infrastructure payments that are still due to the Kansas University Endowment Association and ultimately Bliss Please see AUDIT, page 8A l City weighs background checks for cab drivers. Page 3A
Full House set to move on funding overhaul for schools
Capitol improvement
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Bill would repeal finance system and provide ‘block grants’ for next two years By Peter Hancock Twitter: @LJWpqhancock
Mike Yoder/Journal-World Photo
THE KANSAS UNIVERSITY MEN’S GLEE CLUB sings Tuesday at the Capitol in Topeka. The performance is one of six by the KU School of Music. The remaining schedule has the KU Brass Ensemble performing April 1, the KU Horn Choir April 29 and the KU Trombone Choir May 7. The free Capitol concerts are at noon. See video at LJWorld.com/capitolconcert
Coroner: Roberts’ fatal shot fired 3 feet away By Caitlin Doornbos Twitter: @CaitlinDoornbos
At the first day of testimony in Archie Robinson’s first-degree murder jury trial Tuesday, Douglas County Deputy Coroner Altaf Hossain testified that the fatal shot that killed 39-yearold Patrick Roberts, of Law-
rence, last year was fired less than 3 feet away from the victim. Robinson, 30, is charged with first-degree murder during the commission of an inherently dangerous felony and aggravated burglary in connection with Roberts’ shooting death. Prosecutors allege that Robinson kicked in the door to Roberts’
home with co-defendant Dustin Walker, tried to steal money or marijuana from Roberts and shot him when he didn’t comply. On Tuesday, Roberts’ son, brother and mother testified that two men forcefully entered their home around 3 a.m. March 8, Please see ROBERTS, page 8A
Topeka — A bill that calls for sweeping changes in the way Kansas funds its public schools is headed to the floor of the House, barely four days after the bill was first introduced to the public. A voice vote Tuesday in the House Appropriations Committee sent the bill to the full house. Republican leaders in the House said they hope to have a vote on the bill before the end of the week. And in a maneuver designed to speed the process even LEGISLATURE more, the House Appropriations Committee put the contents of the bill into a Senate bill — a maneuver known as a “gut-and-go” — allowing the possibility that the Senate may only vote up or down on the House proposal without a full floor debate in the upper chamber. “I think there’s a time you have to clean the state and begin over again,” said Rep. Please see SCHOOLS, page 6A l Kansas farm leaders are still warily
eyeing a property tax increase. Page 4A
Robinson
KU research has biggest 4 years ever, but prognosis not good By Sara Shepherd Twitter: @saramarieshep
Kansas University on Tuesday reported good news and bad news about research funding. In the past four years, externally sponsored research
expenditures at all KU campuses totaled more than $1 billion, the strongest four-year span ever for the school. However, in the face of the continuing federal budget sequester — and a decade of declining purchasing power for federally funded re-
Business Classified Comics Crave
Low: 38
Today’s forecast, page 8A
which KU noted was the high point for supplemental research spending under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. KU is not facing the downward trend alone.
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Deaths Events listings Horoscope Opinion
2A Puzzles 5A, 2B Sports 8C Television 7A
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Other universities are experiencing the same pressures we are.”
— Mary Lee Hummert, KU interim Please see RESEARCH, page 6A vice chancellor for research
INSIDE
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High: 72
search — KU’s research expenditures from all sources fell during fiscal year 2014, the university said. Spending from externally sponsored grants totaled $238.8 million last year, compared with $260.5 million in 2013 and $275.2 million in 2012,
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Vol.157/No.70 28 pages
Pucker up! Kumquats are a tiny fruit but pack a tremendous punch. Find out how to best use them. In Crave
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