Lawrence Journal-World 05-21-13

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Planning commission recommends Menards By Chad Lawhorn clawhorn@ljworld.com

The final nail hasn’t yet been hammered, but plans for a Menards home improvement store in south Lawrence took a large step forward Monday night. The Lawrence-Douglas

County Planning Commission on a 6-3 vote recommended approval of the plan that calls for a nearly 190,000-square-foot Menards store just east of the Home Depot at 31st and Iowa streets. The Planning Commission decision clears the way for the Lawrence City Commission

to give final consideration to the project in the coming weeks. “I believe Menards will be good for the community,� Planning Commission Chairman Bruce Liese said. “It will provide inventory and options that we won’t have otherwise.� Monday night’s decision

comes one month after the Planning Commission deadlocked on the issue. Menards is proposed for the former Gaslight Village mobile home park, a site that planners previously had said was best suited for future apartment development. The Planning Commission had to

change its long-range planning documents for the area to clear the way for the Menards store. “This is a chance for us to take a blighted property and turn it into something better than more apartments,� said Planning Commissioner Richard Hird, Please see MENARDS, page 4A

Legislature still deadlocked; Brownback touts tax cuts out of state

Riding to the wall

By Scott Rothschild srothschild@ljworld.com

velopment Advisory Committee is recommending the funding shortfall be made up largely through reduced funding for Lawrence neighborhood associations, fewer neighborhood capital improvement projects, and a reduction in an affordable housing program for homebuyers.

TOPEKA — As the Kansas Legislature on Monday remained deadlocked over taxes and spending, Gov. Sam Brownback went to Chicago to tout his income tax cuts. Speaking at a $40-per-plate luncheon put on by the Illinois Policy Institute, Brownback was focused on the tax cuts he signed into law last year, and his proposal to phase out the income tax entirely. Brownback’s absence from the Statehouse was trumpeted by his staff as The an opportunity fact for the governor to try to that he lure businesses (Brownfrom Illinois to back) is Kansas. out of But Democrats, who have state said Brown- touting a back’s tax cuts plan that has wreaked have benefited mostly the havoc on Kansas is a wealthy and pretty clear example put state fi- of the governor’s misnances in jeop- guided priorities and ardy, criticized the Republican failed leadership.� governor. “Kansas tax- — House Minority Leader payers are al- Paul Davis, D-Lawrence ready bearing the burden of the governor’s unfair tax plan. Now, they’re footing the bill for each day the Legislature continues to work on cleaning up Brownback’s mess — and he’s not even here to help,� said Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka.

Please see CITY, page 2A

Please see STATE, page 2A

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Richard Gwin/Journal-World Photo

MEMBERS OF THE PATRIOT GUARD OF LEAVENWORTH gather on the overpass on Leavenworth County’s 222nd Street over the Kansas Turnpike to honor members of the Patriot Guard Riders who were headed to Washington, D.C., on Monday to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall and take part in POW-MIA Memorial Day activities.

Lawrence expecting 5 percent reduction in Community Development Block Grant funding By Chad Lawhorn clawhorn@ljworld.com

From billions of dollars in defense spending to hundreds of dollars in neighborhood newsletter expenses: You never know where the federal budget cut known as sequestration will rear its head. Lawrence city commis-

sioners on Tuesday are set to approve a new budget for the city’s Community Development Block Grant program — which funds everything from home rehabilitation to neighborhood newsletters — that is 5 percent less than a year ago, in part anticipating sequestration cuts. “It has been a tougher process this year,� said Danelle

INSIDE

Cloudy Business Classified Comics Deaths

High: 77

Low: 51

Today’s forecast, page 10A

Dresslar, community development manager for the city. “We still don’t have the final numbers yet on how much federal funding we’ll receive.� City officials, however, are estimating funding for the program will drop to about $1.14 million, down from about $1.2 million a year ago. The city’s Community De-

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10A, 2B Puzzles 9B 9B Sports 1B-4B, 8B 4A Television 10A, 2B, 9B 9A WellCommons 5A-7A

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Suspects arrested

Vol.155/No.141 20 pages

The Lawrence Police Department has arrested two people and identified the two victims of a Sunday morning shooting in Lawrence. Page 3A

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