Lawrence Journal-World 04-03-2016

Page 1

VILLANOVA, UNC ADVANCE TO TITLE GAME

Amputee veterans attempt Everest climb. 1B

Sports, 1C

L A W R E NC E

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SUNDAY • APRIL 3 • 2016

LJWorld.com

Sex crimes at KU: More dangerous or more aware? —————————

University saw 2nd highest number of reported offenses in Big 12, according to Clery data By Sara Shepherd Twitter: @saramarieshep

There were more sex offenses reported at Kansas University than any other Big 12 university except the mega-sized

University of Texas, according to a comparison of the schools’ most recent Clery reports. Despite having one of the smaller main campus enrollments in the Big 12, KU had more sex offenses

The next big school funding question

reported than eight of the conference’s 10 universities — many more, a Journal-World analysis shows. KU had 32 forcible sex offenses, defined as rape or fondling, on or near its main campus reported to

law enforcement or university officials in 2014, according to the university’s 2015 Clery report. Following KU were the University of Oklahoma with 18, Iowa State University with 17 and Kansas

State University with 16, according to their respective 2015 Clery reports. Texas, where enrollment more than doubles KU’s, had 51 forcible sex offenses, according to its 2015 Clery report.

Some say numbers like those indicate KU is more dangerous than other schools. The university contends that’s not the case. Please see CLERY, page 5A

BACK TO

BASICS

STEVEN THOMPSON, 28, TURNS UP THE GAS ON A BURNER while waiting for a kettle of water to get hot before washing his dishes Feb. 29 at his cabin in southern Jefferson County. Since Oct. 31, 2015, Thompson has gone without electricity, plumbing and most modern conveniences as a cost-cutting measure and also as an effort to achieve a selfsustaining way of life. ABOVE: Thompson’s small living space includes a loft bed area that is just below the ceiling.

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Kan. Supreme Court to decide adequacy of current finance level By Peter Hancock Twitter: @LJWpqhancock

The Kansas Supreme Court will soon be asked to decide whether a school finance bill that lawmakers passed on the final day of the regular session provides truly equitable funding for public schools. In an earlier ruling, the court suggested that schools would not be allowed to open in the fall if lawmakers failed to solve the constitutional problems in the current funding formula. Assuming the new bill passes constitutional muster — and many people think that’s a big assumption — then schools would reopen as scheduled in the fall. And as far as students, parents and teachers are concerned, life will COURTS go on as normal. But that won’t be the end of the legal battles over school finance, because whenever the equity issue is finally resolved, the court will next turn its attention to the much larger question of overall adequacy of school funding. The adequacy issue is not only bigger in terms of its potential price tag — roughly $550 million a year in additional school funding, according to the three-judge trial court panel that first heard the case — but it is also bigger politically, so much so that it is likely to dominate the upcoming 2016 legislative elections, regardless of which way the court rules. Please see FUNDING, page 2A

Nick Krug/Journal-World Photos

Lawrence resident inspired to pursue life off the grid

I

f Steven Thompson were the owner of his home and were looking to get a jump on the red-hot real estate market this spring, here’s what his listing teaser might look like: Check out this lovely charmer a mere stone’s throw north of Lawrence. Bring the outdoors indoors with garden access just an arm’s length off the kitchen. Let that DIY spirit in you wow your guests

sene lantern after dark and in early-morning hours. House has no plumbing. Water can be accessed from farmhouse within 500 yards if neighborly relationship is maintained. Because house has no plumbing, house also has no shower/bath. Bathing can be performed outdoors or in chair next to wood-burning stove during colder months.

Arts&Entertainment 1D-6D Classified 1E-6E Deaths 2A Events listings 2C, 2D

Low: 47

Horoscope Opinion Puzzles Sports

4D Television 7A USA Today 4D, 5D 1C-6C

‘Streetcar’ ride 2C, 6C, 4D 1B-8B

nkrug@ljworld.com

Vol.158/No.94 36 pages

The classic Tennessee Williams play “A Streetcar Named Desire” comes to the Theatre Lawrence stage this week. A&E, 1D

Join us at Facebook.com/LJWorld and Twitter.com/LJWorld

JOIN US FOR THE SALE EVENT OF THE YEAR

THURSDAY • APRIL 7 5-8 PM

TH

724 CONNECTICUT, LAWRENCE, KS Lighting the way since 1964

Nick Krug

Please see BASICS, page 8A

INSIDE

Today’s forecast, page 6C

Look

See a photo gallery of Thompson’s living situation at LJWorld.com/offthegrid.

Warming up

High: 80

with this multipurpose, wood-burning stove for cooking and heating! Can you say COZY! The seller’s disclosure may take a slightly different tone: This 200-square-foot single-room home uses a loft space for sleeping. No toilet. Seller uses detached outhouse positioned 15 yards from home. Home is not wired for electricity. Seller uses kero-

3 blocks east of downtown Mass St.

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• Fixtures • Furniture • Floor & Table Lamps • Mirrors • Accessories


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