TRIED AND ‘TRUE’ Production of Sam Shepard play at Liberty Hall aims to heighten tension. Going Out, 5A
Anthrax sent to more labs than thought. 1B
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THURSDAY • JUNE 4 • 2015
With state in limbo, schools prepare more cuts By Peter Hancock
2015 session
Twitter: @LJWpqhancock
Superintendent Paul Dorathy. “With the way things are going in Topeka, anything could hapLEGISLATURE pen.” When the block grant funding bill was passed in April, it took effect immediately, and most districts saw cuts in state aid for their general operations and
Topeka — Superintendents in the Lawrence and Baldwin City school districts say they have already made adjustments in their budgets to account for cuts in their operating funds that resulted from the new block grant funding formula that went into effect earlier this year. But now, they’re bracing for the possiPlease see SCHOOLS, page 2A bility of more cuts. “We have put ourselves in a position to deal with addi- l Universities prepare for tional cuts,” said Baldwin City possible furloughs. Page 3A
Today is Day 104 Previous record: 107 (set in 2002) Taxes: Current taxes leave roughly a $400 million gap between anticipated spending and revenue. Budget: Planned spending for schools and judiciary passed. Budget for other state agencies passed House, awaiting Senate action.
House OKs budget requiring higher taxes to balance Topeka (ap) — The Kansas House approved a $6 billion budget Wednesday that would still leave the state with a $406 million shortfall, while the Senate prepares to vote on a rival proposal that would close the gap through massive spending cuts.
Please see BUDGET, page 2A
County keeps mandatory building code fine for now
Music camp teaches girls to
The House budget passed without debate on a 64-48 vote. The three Lawrence Democrats — Barbara Ballard, Boog Highberger and John Wilson — voted no. Republican Rep. Tom Sloan
ROCK
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Some at meeting argue Kris Kobach received special treatment in avoiding penalty By Karen Dillon Twitter: @karensdillon
Nick Krug/Journal-World Photo
KELLY NIGHTENGALE, LEFT, COACHES BASSIST AMAYA HARRIS, a member of the the middle school band Extraterrestrigirlz, during a practice at the Girls Rock! Lawrence camp Tuesday at St. John Catholic School. TOP PHOTO: Vocalist Maya Lock holds up her microphone and cues her Extraterrestrigirlz band mates during the practice. Hannah Gilmore-Hodge is on guitar, and Sione Worthy Schafer is on drums. See a video online at ljworld.com/girlsrock2015.
Young bands to showcase talents, original songs at downtown gig By Joanna Hlavacek Twitter: @HlavacekJoanna
I
t’s only the first day of the Girls Rock! Lawrence summer camp, but the quartet of middle school-aged girls gathered in an upstairs classroom at St. John
Catholic School has already come up with a band name: The Extraterrestrigirlz. With Maya Lock on vocals, Hannah Gilmore-Hodge on guitar, Amaya Harris on bass and Sione Worthy Schafer on drums, the Extra-
Business Classified Comics Deaths
Low: 70
Today’s forecast, page 8A
Please see GIRLS, page 5A
What: Girls Rock! Lawrence Final Showcase Where: the Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St. When: Doors open at 7 p.m. Saturday. Music starts at 8 p.m. Cost: Tickets cost $10 and can be purchased at the Bottleneck or on its website. Proceeds will go toward funding future Girls Rock! camps.
Please see BUILDING, page 4A
INSIDE
Afternoon storms
High: 87
terrestrigirlz are one of five bands composed of young female musicians performing Saturday night at the Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St. The concert, which will also feature
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Douglas County Commissioners on Wednesday opted not to change a building code that requires a person who begins constructing a home without a permit to pay a mandatory penalty. That penalty became an issue recently when it was revealed that the county did not require Secretary of State Kris Kobach to pay a penalty after he began to build a residence in a building previously classified for agricultural use only. Commissioners Mike Gaughan Gaughan and Nancy Thellman said they would like to see an independent, thirdparty review of the Kobach case. Commission Chairman Jim Flory tabled that discussion until a later, unspecified date. More than a dozen people spoke at the contentious Thellman hearing, and Flory threatened at one point to have one of the speakers removed after his curt remarks about the county’s chief building officer, Jim Sherman, and his handling of the Kobach case. Several people said Kobach received special treatment because he did not Flory have to pay the mandatory penalty and because he received an occupancy permit for the building without having an approved water source. But Flory, who stopped the meeting once to have a private talk with the county attorney, told the audience that the county had made a few mistakes but there was no favoritism. “The fact is the building inspector worked with (Kobach) just like he would work with anyone,” Flory said. “I’m absolutely, unequivocally convinced of that. I have no allegiance to anyone.” Flory said he spent an afternoon last week with Sherman going over the Kobach files.
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Learning the ropes Free State High’s boys basketball team adjusting to new coach Sam Stroh at Firebirds’ summer camp. Sports, 1C
Vol.157/No.155 24 pages