MOVING MANIA
Zimbabwe wants to try man who killed lion. 1B
Students make their return today. Check out six things to know. Page 3A
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Lawrence ...
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wenty students from Lawrence’s Sister City Hiratsuka, Japan, were in town this past week for the annual exchange visit, during which they stayed with members of the Lawrence Sister Cities and the Friends of
Hiratsuka program. The exchange occurs each summer with students ranging from seventh to 12th grade. We caught up with them and asked what they liked best about their Kansas adventure. Photos by John Young
as foster parents? State unsure ———
Nanami Itoga “My best memory is talking with my host family and my friend. I couldn’t speak English very well, but I come to be able to speak English (well).”
Shion Tanibuchi “I think nature is so rich .” ce and so beautiful in Lawren
Kazuharu Imai “Lawrence has more forest s than Japan has got.”
Advocate says refusal to comment indicates intent to deny rights By John Hanna Associated Press
Topeka — Kansas won’t bar single people from serving as foster parents for abused and neglected children but hasn’t decided whether to allow married same-sex couples to do so, an official said Friday. The state Department for Children and Families has faced questions about its plans because it said earlier this month that it was conducting a broad review of foster care policies. Douglas County District Judge Peggy Carr Kittel wrote a regional DCF official, asking whether it planned to Kittel limit foster parenting to only married couples and how such a move would apply to same-sex couples, given the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage across the nation. Theresa Freed, a spokeswoman for the child welfare agency, told The Associated Press that department officials “haven’t changed any foster care licensing policies.” Please see FOSTER, page 2A
Thousands of Kansans mistakenly told their Medicaid coverage canceled Kanon Sugiyama “I enjoy Worlds of Fun. I rode a roller coaster twice. It was a lot of fun.”
Yume Ueyama “Buffalo because they were big and a little bit scary.”
Dryoga Kato “My number one memory in Lawrence is the reaction of the host … because I love American things — for example, American lifestyle, American fruit and American stories.” Chitose Takeda Anju Sasaki “I was surprised to see many “I like to watch the supermarket things in the supermarket. because it was very huge.” I enjoyed shopping there.”
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Topeka — The Kansas Department of Children and Families said this week that a computer glitch resulted in thousands of Kansans, including many elderly and disabled individuals, receiving letters telling them in error that their Medicaid coverage had been canceled. DCF spokeswoman Theresa Freed said the error stemmed from the fact that the department is switching over to a new computer system that manages Medicaid eligibility applications, replacing a “legacy” computer system that has been in use since the early 1980s. “The letters were sent in error,” she said. “However, within a week, everyone who received the initial letter will have a new letter or an accurate report of their account.” Medicaid is a health insurance program for the poor. It is managed by state governments but it is jointly Please see MEDICAID, page 2A
INSIDE
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By Peter Hancock
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Revenue falls short Kansas took in $3.7 million less in taxes in July than what officials expected. Page 3A
Vol.157/No.213 26 pages