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Town Talk
Chad Lawhorn clawhorn@ljworld.com
Rec bids met with mixed emotions Sometimes you don’t understand why good things happen. That’s the approach Lawrence city commissioners generally were taking the day after bids to build the city’s recreation center came in about $10 million below what city officials had estimated. “My first thought was ‘this is awesome,’� City Commissioner Jeremy Farmer said of a low bid of $10.5 million by Lawrence-based Gene Fritzel Construction Co. “My second thought was ‘why did we miss it by so much?’� City officials had received pre-bid estimates from two different architects — one for $18.4 million and another for $20.7 million. All nine bidders came in millions of dollars below those estimates. Farmer said he asked some contractors who weren’t involved in the bid process why they thought the bids came in so much lower. Nobody had a definitive answer, but contractors said the construction market was very competitive right now because of a lack of jobs. City Commissioner Terry Riordan thinks that had a lot to do with it. “I think there were companies out there making a bid because they wanted to keep their crews together,� Riordan said. I’ve talked to almost all of the commissioners now — I haven’t yet been able to catch up with Mayor Mike Dever — and happiness and relief are emotions in pretty high supply currently with the group. But several commissioners also acknowledge the process has created some questions. I suspect the issue of why the architectural estimates were off by so much will be asked quite a bit by
Richard Gwin/Journal-World Photos
FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS embrace Thursday at a memorial service in Ottawa for Kaylie Bailey, 21, and her 18-month-old daughter, Lana-Leigh Bailey, on Thursday. The young mother and her child were among four victims of a homicide discovered at a property about five miles west of Ottawa last week. RIGHT PHOTO: A sheriff’s car from Laclede County, Mo., leaves Dengel and Son Mortuary on Thursday after the funeral. Lana-Leigh’s father, Shawn Bailey, is currently an inmate in the Laclede County Jail about to start a multiyear prison sentence for a January burglary in Lebanon, Mo.
TOPEKA — Key budget negotiators on Friday sought to cut funding to higher education but couldn’t agree on how much. House Republicans have recommended a 4 percent across-the-board cut for each of the next two fiscal years to universities, community colleges and technical schools. Senate Rep u b l i c a n s LEGISLATURE countered with a 1 percent cut for each of the next two fiscal years. “It’s the last piece,� House Please see BUDGET, page 2A
Proposal would ban
funding to implement Common Core, science standards. Page 2A
LHS grad ‘I’ve waited 20 years to be able to walk, closer to and ... it happened on a baseball field’ serving on KU baseball manager’s cerebral D.C. court palsy doesn’t keep him off field of appeals
By Meagan Thomas
mthomas@ljworld.com
for the Jayhawks; he’s a manager. And he wasn’t taking the field to participate in the same pregame routine as the rest of the team; he was following his own. Rosa, 20, has cerebral palsy, which creates stiffness in his muscles and affects his ability to control his movements. He’s used a walker for his entire life. But two weeks ago, for only the second time, Rosa walked without his walker, at his
Staff Report
John Young/Journal-World Photo
KANSAS UNIVERSITY baseball manager Jonathan Rosa walks on the field during a pregame workout Sunday afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark. Rosa, who has cerebral palsy, recently walked without his walker for only the second Please see BASEBALL, page 2A time, and it was at the ballpark, his favorite place.
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GOP puts focus on higher ed cuts srothschild@ljworld.com
Storm chance
Today’s forecast, page 10A
STATE BUDGET
By Scott Rothschild
Kansas University sophomore Jonathan Rosa took the field one recent morning at Hoglund Ballpark. As he began to walk from the right field line toward the “K� on the center field fence, the players of the KU baseball team erupted, shouting words of encouragement and cheering on one of the most dedicated members of the team. Please see TOWN TALK, page 5A Rosa isn’t a player
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Lawrence High School graduate Sri Srinivasan won unanimous approval Thursday from the Senate Judiciary Committee to serve on the powerful federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. The bipartisan vote sends Srinivasan’s nomination to the full Senate to fill the seat on the court that was vacated by now-U.S. Supreme Court Please see COURT, page 2A
Lone Star marina saved
Vol.155/No.137 32 pages
Douglas County commissioners agreed Wednesday to spend money to refurbish the Lone Star marina, including the installation of modern bathrooms to replace the wooden outhouses. Page 3A
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