3225 Saddlehorn Dr, Lawrence
hometown
LAWRENCE Your area real estate
Mortgage rates ris e,
$329,000
resource
.com
but rem ain near
WASHINGTON — Average long-term convinced many investors U.S. mortgage rates rose that the Fed will this week yet soon raise the short-term remained near historic interest rate it lows reached in May controls. 2013. The Labor Department Long-term rates resumed reported that their upward employers added a solid trend of recent weeks after 295,000 jobs declining last last month, and the unemplo week. Mortgage giant Freddie yment rate Mac said dropped from 5.7 percent Thursday the national to a seven-year average for a 30low of 5.5 percent. year fixed-rate mortgage increased to 3.86 To calculate average mortgage percent from 3.75 percent last week. rates, Freddie Mac surveys lenders The average rate for a 15-year across the mortgage, country at the beginnin popular with homeow g of each week. The ners who refinance, average doesn’t include rose to 3.10 percent from extra fees, known 3.03 percent last as points, which most week. borrowers must pay to get the lowest rates. A year ago, the average One point equals 1 30-year mortgage percent of the loan amount. stood at 4.37 percent and the 15-year The average fee for a 30-year mortgage at 3.38 percent. mortgage Mortgage rates was 0.6 point, unchange have remained low even d from last though the Federal week. The Reserve in October ended its monthly bond remained fee for a 15-year mortgage also purchases, which were at 0.6 point. meant to hold down The average rate on a five-year long-term rates. adjustable-rate mortgage The Fed continues to keep rose to 3.01 short-term percent from 2.96 percent. rates near zero, while it The fee was considers a rate stable at 0.5 point. increase as early as June. Robust U.S. job For a one-year ARM, the gains in February, as shown average rate by government increased to 2.46 percent data issued last Friday, from 2.44 appear to have percent. The fee remained at 0.4 point.
hometownlawrence.com
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MARCH 13, 2015
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Journal-World — The Associated Press
$169,900
Timing is Everything
historic lows
The Fed continues to keep short-term rates near zero, while it considers a rate increase as early as June.”
2821 Bishop St Unbelievable location! This two story is in a cozy neighborhood, close to the Prairie Park school, and Mary’s Lake. Upon entering this home, you will notice the warm and welcoming floor plan, which accommodates two eating areas, a fireplace and vaulted ceilings in the Master. Jump advantage of the amenities that East Lawrence on K-10 and zip to KC or take has to shopping, from the Fairgrounds, to community to offer. From restaurants, centers, this house is in prime location and is priced to sell quick.
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hometownlawrence
The Associated Press
NEW TO MARKET!! 5 BR, 5 BA “French Normandy” style home on landscaped lot in Deerfield neighborho od. Great for entertaining and access through garages on 2 levels. Energy efficient with great light!! MLS 136099
At this week’s national average for mortgage interest rates, the monthly payment on a 30-year, fixedrate $200,000 mortgage would be $939.
841-4500/stephensre.com
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Offered by: Danny Freeman GRI, ABR, e-PRO 785 917-0558
Offered by: Henry and Tasha Wertin 785.760.7499
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FRIDAY • MARCH 13 • 2015
ON TOURNEY TIME
3225 Saddlehorn Dr, Law
rence
NEW TO MARKET!! 5 BR, 5 BA “French Norman dy” style home on landscaped lot in Deerfield neighborhood. Great for entertaining and access through garages on 2 levels. Energy efficient with great light!! MLS 136099
$329,000
2821 Bishop St
Unbelievable location! This two Prairie Park school, and Mary’s story is in a cozy neighborhood, close to the the warm and welcoming floor Lake. Upon entering this home, you will notice plan, which accommodates fireplace and vaulted ceilings two eating areas, a in the Master. Jump on K-10 advantage of the amenities and zip to KC or take that to shopping, from the Fairgrou East Lawrence has to offer. From restaurants, nds, to community centers, this house is in prime location and is priced to sell quick.
Employees, businesses balance March Madness on the clock
$169,900
Timing is Everything
841-4500/stephensr e.com
Historic funding bill won preliminary approval by a hair Thursday
By Conrad Swanson Twitter: @conrad_swanson
E
ver since the Kansas University Jayhawks have been a part of the Big 12 Conference, Michael Mockus has made sure to take time off work for March Madness. Thursday afternoon, Mockus and his girlfriend, Andrea Mason, sat in the Red Lyon Tavern watching the Jayhawks square off against Texas Christian University’s Horned Frogs. “Actually, March Madness is when we started dating 11 years ago,” Mockus said. “12 years ago,” Mason corrected him, shaking her head. “At the last Missouri-KU game.” Ever since, the couple has made sure to mark time off their work calendars for the annual tournament. Of course, thousands of other KU basketball fans across the region follow the games, too, while they’re still technically at the office or otherwise on the clock. Kristie Rogers, an assistant professor in KU’s school of business and specialist in organizational behavior, said some studies show businesses losing millions of hours of productivity because of March Madness. However, Rogers said, she’s not convinced. “What I would like to see is some scientific research comparing that (March Madness) to the distractions that happen every day,” she said. “Day to day, the lines and boundaries are so blurred between work and personal activities that they are distracted by
By Peter Hancock Twitter: @LJWpqhancock
Richard Gwin/Journal-World Photos
ANTHONY PITTS, OF ROXBURY, MASS., AN UNCLE of Jayhawk Wayne Selden Jr., wears a giant clock with Selden’s picture during Kansas University’s 64-59 victory over Texas Christian University on Thursday at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo. TERRY GENZ, left, from Smithville, Mo., and Carolyn Boehm, from Kansas City, Mo., were some of the early arrivals for the game. Game recap in sports, 1C Twitter or online banking or anything.” Rather than focusing on one possible distraction over the other, Rogers said,
it’s more important for employers to use March Madness as an opportunity to better define what is and is not an appropriate distrac-
tion in the workplace. For Terry Jacobsen, coowner of Printing Solutions, Please see TIME, page 2A
K-10 will be down to single lanes starting next week
Town Talk
Chad Lawhorn clawhorn@ljworld.com
C
rews working on the South Lawrence Trafficway project are slated to close one lane of Kansas Highway 10 in each direction on the busy road east of Lawrence beginning Monday. The lane closures are expected to last into December. Information from the state says the lane restrictions will run from a point near the East Hills Busi-
Business Classified Comics Deaths
Low: 40
Today’s forecast, page 8A
ness Park entrance and go all the way to the County Route 1057 interchange between Eudora and Lawrence — about a 2.5-mile stretch. The speed limit in the area will be reduced to 55 miles per hour. The lane reductions will give crews room to build a number of bridges over K-10 as part of the SLT project. A lot of the work will be near the area
where K-10 curves and previously intersected with Noria Road. That road intersection won’t be part of the new SLT configuration. Instead, Noria Road will travel over K-10 via an overpass. Work also will be near the ski lake just south of K-10. The Kansas Department of Transportation said motorists should expect “minor delays.”
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Topeka — Republican leaders in the Kansas House mustered enough votes Thursday to give preliminary approval to a historic overhaul of the state’s school finance system. The House advanced the bill by a vote of 64-58, just one vote more than the bare minimum needed to pass legislation. A final vote is expected today. All four members of the LawLEGISLATURE rence delegation voted against the bill. “What we are trying to do is create stability within that system so that we have budgetary certainty, our schools have budgetary certainty,” said Rep. Amanda Grosserode, R-Lenexa, who led the debate in favor of the bill. “We also want to increase the flexibility with which schools can apply those funds that we give them.” The bill, which had been introduced only a week earlier, is largely the result of years Please see OVERHAUL, page 6A l A push in Kansas to restrict public employee unions and their bargaining has stalled for now. Page 3A
New elementary or middle school may be needed, candidates say By Elliot Hughes Twitter: @elliothughes12
A majority of the candidates running for five seats on the Lawrence school board believe the district will need to make a large investment in improving Lawrence High School and build either a new elementary or middle school within the next 10 years. Two other candidates, Ronald “G.R.” GordonRoss and incumbent Rick Ingram, said the district may need a brand new high school built in that period. However, Ingram said that would be unaffordable SCHOOLS since there would be no way to pay for an entirely new staff. “Thanks, Topeka,” Ingram said. All nine candidates appeared in front of about 30 people at the district’s headquarters Thursday to participate in a forum organized by the Voter Education Coalition and 6News, who recorded the event and will broadcast it online and on TV. The general election is April 7.
Trial winds down The first-degree murder trial of Archie Robinson in the death of Lawrence resident Patrick Roberts goes to jury today. Page 3A
Please see SCHOOL, page 2A
Vol.157/No.72 28 pages