Lawrence Journal-World 07-20-14

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DNA sculpture at new facility captures library’s essence. 1C

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SUNDAY • JULY 20 • 2014

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Guard corruption charges prompt review Federal investigators probe contracting corruption claims against Army National Guard detachment By Peter Hancock Twitter: @LJWpqhancock

Topeka — The Kansas Adjutant General’s office confirmed this week that federal authorities are investigating allegations of corruption involving the Kansas Army National Guard’s contracts with outside medical companies.

“We can’t speak to specifics, except to say we were made aware of concerns of inappropriate conduct related to our medical contracts and we have referred the matter to federal authorities for further investigation,� Sharon Watson, spokeswoman for the Kansas Adjutant General’s office, said in

FLYING

an email Friday. Her statement came in response to questions from the Journal-World involving allegations that a captain in the Guard’s Medical Detachment has received gifts, including meals and ski trips, from officials with Dentrust, a Pennsylvania company that performs dental screenings

and treatment for Allegations include that a captain in Guard soldiers. The captain is the Guard’s Medical Detachment has a designated Con- received gifts, including meals and tracting Officer ski trips, from officials with Dentrust, R e p r e s e n t a t i v e , a company that performs treatment or COR, which means he has no for Guard soldiers. input into the awarding of contracts, but is responsible for tional Guard for those serhelping to oversee them and vices. In federal fiscal years ensuring compliance with 2012-2013, the company retheir terms. ceived more than $585,000 Dentrust is one of three under those contracts. outside firms that contract Please see GUARD, page 5A with the Kansas Army Na-

Smoke-free housing push gains steam

LESSONS

Second-hand smoke troubles apartment residents; others fear ban would infringe on freedoms By Giles Bruce Twitter: @GilesBruce

Mike Yoder/Journal-World Photo

A YOUNG GIRL PICKS UP SPEED as she participates in the Lawrence Community Bike Ride, hosted by the Lawrence Central Rotary Club, on Saturday. See story, page 3A.

CITY BUDGET Q&A

What will your pending tax increase pay for? By Chad Lawhorn @clawhorn_ljw

CITY COMMISSION

Extra money is usually more fun than this. Revenue shortfalls at the Kansas Statehouse are well documented, and projected shortfalls

Sunny, humid

in the mortgage registration tax at the Douglas County Courthouse are partially behind a nearly 4 mill increase in property tax rates recently approved by county commissioners. But at Lawrence City

High: 91

Low: 71

what the city had budgeted for. But on Tuesday night, city commissioners are expected to approve a property tax increase of 1.85 mills, marking the Please see TAX, page 7A

INSIDE Arts&Entertainment 1C-6C Events listings Books 4C Horoscope Classified 1D-8D Movies Deaths 2A Opinion

Today’s forecast, page 6B

Hall, it hasn’t exactly been a period of revenue shortfalls. A look at the city’s books shows that for the two-year period of 2012-2013, both property tax and sales tax revenues not only grew, but came in higher than

6C, 2B Puzzles 8D Sports 2C Television 9A

Naor Miscia-Aziz doesn’t take well to tobacco smoke. It makes her nauseated, causes her head to ache, gives her asthma attacks. So when the neighbors at her Lawrence apartment complex smoke, she knows it. And smoke they do. “The smoke is just nonstop, it’s 24-7,� she said. “It has stained my bathroom floor and kitchen floor. I HEALTH can smell it in everything — it doesn’t matter if the window is open or closed. It comes through the vents, it comes up the drains.� But there’s nothing to stop her fellow tenants from doing this. The city of Lawrence has no ban on smoking in multi-unit housing complexes. While some rental properties restrict smoking, they make up a small percentage of the total rental units in Lawrence. The American Lung Association is advocating for smoke-free housing nationwide, saying that cancer-causing secondhand smoke can travel through doorways, cracks in walls, ventilation systems, electrical lines and plumbing. Locally, the LawrenceDouglas County Health Department has

8D, 5C 1B-6B 6C, 2B

Lucky break

Please see SMOKE, page 2A

Vol.156/No.201 40 pages

The results of the wheat harvest are in, and farmers here fared better than much of the rest of the state. Page 3A

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5.+ %JTPSEFST 4MFFQ %JTPSEFSFE #SFBUIJOH BOE )FBMUI Tuesday, July 22, 6:30-8 p.m. Lawrence Memorial Hospital Research shows a link between the destructive effects of TMJ and sleep disorders. In this interactive forum, -BXSFODF SFTUPSBUJWF EFOUJTU +BNFT 0UUFO %%4 will discuss the link between TMJ problems, worn teeth, sleep disorders and other conditions. 'SFF "EWBODF FOSPMMNFOU SFRVFTUFE t XXX MNI PSH


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