FSHS WRESTLERS TOP LHS IN CITY SHOWDOWN, 60-9. PAGE 1C TELEVISION ICON MARY TYLER MOORE DIES AT 80.
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Thursday • January 26 • 2017
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U.S. Rep. Jenkins announces retirement from politics Plans to return to private-sector work once term ends
By Peter Hancock phancock@ljworld.com
Topeka — Republican Conclusion of this gresswoman Lynn Jenkins, of Congress, I plan Topeka, announced Wednesto retire and exday that she would not run for plore opportuany public office in 2018 and Jenkins nities to return instead plans to return to work to the private in the private sector. sector, allowing a new citizen “In two years, at the con- legislator to step up and serve
Kansans,” Jenkins said in a statement released Wednesday morning. Jenkins, who had been considered a likely candidate for governor in 2018, was first elected to Congress in 2008, defeating one-term incum-
bent Democrat Nancy Boyda. Before that, she served six years as state treasurer. She represents the 2nd District, which includes Lawrence and most of eastern Kansas outside the Kansas City metropolitan area.
The district is very diverse by political standards. It includes the Fort Leavenworth military base as well as the largely rural counties of northeast and southeast Kansas.
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Highway repairs in jeopardy
Skating rink may change location —
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To cut costs, city staff seeks permanent site
Budget would allot little for maintenance
By Rochelle Valverde rvalverde@ljworld.com
The city’s artificial skating rink is looking for a concrete home. After three years of a costly set-up involving a wooden base on the Lawrence Public Library lawn, city officials are looking for a cheaper installation option. “If you take that (cost) out of there, you have probably a pretty reasonable winter attraction,” said Mark Hecker, assistant director of the Parks and Recreation Department. “So what we’re looking at If you in the futake that ture is how (cost) out can we cut of there, those costs down?” you have Lower probably than exa pretty pected attendance reasonable at the rink winter has made attraction.” the set-up change in— Mark Hecker, creasingly assistant director necessary. of Lawrence Parks Winter atand Recreation tendance at the rink dropped by about 1,000 people compared with last season, and the rink’s set-up makes up more than half of its operational costs, according to a city revenue and expenditures report. For the 2016-2017 winter season, the rink saw about 2,000 attendees and operated at a loss of nearly $20,000 when factoring in depreciation of the skates and artificial ice surface, according to the report.
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VOL. 159 / NO. 26 / 20 PAGES
By Peter Hancock phancock@ljworld.com
Richard Gwin/ JournalWorld File Photo
TRANSFERS ON THE RISE $110.1M s
TRANSFERS FROM THE STATE HIGHWAY FUND $500M $400M
was transferred in 2013
$526.2M
$300M Sylas May/ JournalWorld Graphic
$200M
was transferred out of the highway fund last year
$100M ’11
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YEAR ’16
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Since 2013, the amount of money Kansas has swept out of the state highway fund each year to shore up the general fund has increased by several hundred million dollars.
Topeka — Highway construction contractors and some state lawmakers expressed alarm this week at new estimates from the Kansas Department of Transportation that show how Gov. Sam Brownback’s budget plan would affect routine maintenance and repair projects in the state’s 10-year transportation program known as T-Works. Kansas Secretary of Transportation Richard Carlson unveiled those numbers during a briefing before the Senate Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday. It showed that in the upcoming fiscal year that begins July 1, only $28 million would be spent next year to resurface 235 miles of roadway, and only $16 million
— Source: Kansas Department of Transportation
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Derusseau: 2017 will be ‘tough year’ for jail vote
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Elvyn Jones/Journal-World Photo
DOUGLAS COUNTY 3RD DISTRICT COMMISSIONER MICHELLE DERUSSEAU, pictured Jan. 8, is not convinced 2017 is the best year for a ballot question on whether to expand the Douglas County Jail and create a mental health crisis center.
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urely you all have started to have election withdrawal by now. The symptoms include a smile on your face and giddiness. Well, fear not: 2017 is going to have plenty of local elections. In fact, in some ways, it may have too many. As part of my series of conversations with local leaders, I met recently with new Douglas County Commissioner Michelle Derusseau. The big takeaway from our chat is that Derusseau
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Town Talk
Chad Lawhorn clawhorn@ljworld.com
is not yet convinced it is a good idea to have an election in 2017 to seek taxpayer approval for a jail expansion and mental health
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crisis center. “I don’t know yet,” Derusseau said when asked whether 2017 was the year the approximately $40 million jail and crisis center project should be put to voters. “It is going to be a tough year to do it. I can say that.” There are at least two factors that may make 2017 particularly challenging for the jail issue. The first is that there are already visible signs of opposition to expanding the jail.
> DERUSSEAU, 2A