KU CLOBBERS EMPORIA 109-56 Sports, 1C
L A W R E NC E
Journal-World
®
75 cents
LJWorld.com
WEDNESDAY • NOVEMBER 12 • 2014
Schools closing achievement gap By Elliot Hughes Twitter: @elliothughes12
The Lawrence school district is shrinking the graduation rate gap among the highest and lowest achieving groups of students, thanks to an emphasis on fine-tuning classes and curricula so the needs of disadvantaged students and students of color are better met, Superintendent Rick Doll said.
The difference in graduation rates between the highest and lowest achieving groups of students — categorized by race, ethnicity and ecoSCHOOLS nomic factors — in the Lawrence district is about three times narrower than in 2009. According to the district’s numbers, within the highest and lowest achieving racial and ethnic subgroups of
students, the graduation rate gap has shrunk from 41.6 percentage points in 2009 to 13.3 points in 2014. Within socioeconomic groups — students who receive reduced-price lunches, are English language learners or have learning disabilities — the gap between the highest and lowest achieving subgroups has gone from 27.2 percent to 10.3 percent since 2009. “I’m very, very proud of our school Please see GAP, page 2A
Ice rink construction begins
Eudora man arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder By Caitlin Doornbos Twitter: @CaitlinDoornbos
A 48-year-old Eudora man was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder in connection with the suspicious death of a Lawrence man in September, Lawrence Police Department spokesman Sgt. Trent McKinley said. Neighbors interviewed Tuesday said police investigating the case at the time asked questions about the dead man’s health care attendants. Ronald Eugene Heskett was booked into the Douglas County Jail around noon Monday after the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office transported him from Osawatomie State Hospital, according to the Douglas County Jail booking Please see MURDER, page 2A
Mike Yoder/Journal-World Photo
CONSTRUCTION WAS UNDER WAY TUESDAY FOR A SKATING RINK OF ARTIFICIAL ICE IN THE PLAZA between the expanded Lawrence Public Library and the new parking garage on Vermont Street. Plans call for the $80,000 rink to be 60 feet by 80 feet, which is large enough to accommodate about 125 skaters. The surface would be a sheet of artificial ice made from a slick plastic material. Parks and recreation leaders plan to have the rink ready by Thanksgiving and to leave it up through the second week of January.
By Peter Hancock Twitter: @LJWpqhancock
23rd and Iowa project nears completion Construction continues at Wakarusa Drive roundabout and Ousdahl Road By Chad Lawhorn Twitter: @clawhorn_ljw
The end really is near for construction work at 23rd and Iowa streets, the city’s director of public works said Tuesday. Crews have completed the major work at the busy intersection, but still
have minor tasks to do such as pouring concrete around manhole covers and installing pavement markings, said Chuck Soules, director of public works. “By contract, they are supposed to have no lane restrictions by Thanksgiving, and we’ll certainly meet that schedule,” Soules said. Most of the lanes are open, he said.
Business Classified Comics Crave
High: 30
Low: 14
Today’s forecast, page 6A
Crews have been shutting down one to two lanes at a time to conduct the limited work that remains. The approximately $3.7 million project included design changes so that all four approaches to the intersection have dual left-turn lanes. Soules said city
2A 1D-8D 8B 1B-6B
Deaths Events listings Horoscope Opinion
Topeka — The U.S. Supreme Court could decide within a matter of days, or hours, whether same-sex couples in Kansas should be allowed to marry. “It’s hard to read because it’s a holiday,” University of Richmond constitutional law professor Carl Tobias said Tuesday, Veterans Day. Tobias, who has followed same-sex marriage litigation nationally, said Schmidt he thinks it’s unlikely the Supreme Court will halt gay marriages in Kansas in light of its decision in October when it allowed such Please see COURT, page 6A
Please see PROJECT, page 2A
INSIDE
Cold, cloudy
Fate of same-sex marriage could be decided by end of week
2A Puzzles 6A, 2C Sports 7B Television 5A
7B 1C-8C 6A, 2C
Apartment death
Vol.156/No.316 28 pages
Lawrence police are still investigating a possible homicide in which a woman’s body was found at Cedarwood Apartments. Page 3A
Join us at Facebook.com/LJWorld and Twitter.com/LJWorld
Rental Registration Program Meeting For Landlords, Tenants, Property Owners and Managers
November 14 | 10:00-11:30 a.m., Fire Station #5, 1911 Stewart Ave November 20 | 6:00-7:30 p.m., Fire Station #5, 1911 Stewart Ave.
(just east of 19th and Iowa) (just east of 19th and Iowa)
Effective January 1, 2015, all rental properties in Lawrence are required to maintain a valid rental license in compliance with City Ordinance 8840. The city is holding two more public education meetings for landlords, tenants, property managers and the general public to ask questions about the inspection process, registration and general program information.
Find out more online:
www.lawrenceks.org/pds/rental-licensing