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One last attempt may put Lawrence in 1st Dist. By Scott Rothschild srothschild@ljworld.com
TOPEKA — Legislative leaders said Thursday that Gov. Sam Brownback and his supporters may try a last-ditch effort to pass a congressional redistricting map that puts part of Lawrence in the vast 1st District. Asked about that, Brownback’s spokeswoman, Sherriene
51 on May 19, would put east and north Lawrence in the 1st, which includes western Kansas and most of central Kansas. Lawrence is currently divided between the 2nd and 3rd Congressional Districts. Under the proposed map, the Kansas University campus area would be in the 2nd. Essentially, the map would put one of the most liberal areas
Car with mother’s ashes stolen
Feels like fall
High: 67
Jones-Sontag, said the conducted business on governor “has always that day in years past. hoped the Legislature Senate Minority would resolve the isLeader Anthony Henssue.” ley, D-Topeka, said he The Legislature adhas heard it is likely a journed May 20 but conservative Republimeets one last time, to- LEGISLATURE can senator will make a day, for final adjournmotion to concur with ment. That final day is usually a redistricting plan that was apreserved for ceremonies, but proved by the House. the Legislature has on occasion That map, approved 64-
Low: 52
Today’s forecast, page 10A
INSIDE Report complete on towing policies A panel tasked with addressing Douglas County’s towing policies plans to present a proposal to the Douglas County Commission at the June 13 commission meeting. Page 3A
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Mike Yoder/Journal-World Photo
WILLIAM PATTERSON, OF LAWRENCE, holds one of the few photographs he has of his mother, Angela Capell, on Wednesday. In April, Patterson’s car was stolen. An urn containing his late mother’s ashes was inside.
Theft deprives man of job, as well as irreplaceable items By George Diepenbrock gdiepenbrock@ljworld.com
A wife keeps her promise to her late husband.
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INDEX Business Classified Comics Deaths Events listings Horoscope Movies Opinion Puzzles Sports Television Vol.154/No.153
7A 5B-10B 9A 2A 10A, 2B 9B 4A 8A 9B 1B-4B 4A, 2B, 9B 36 pages
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Water plant moving forward clawhorn@ljworld.com
I think we can do better, as a country, than that.”
COMING SATURDAY
Please see DISTRICT, page 2A
By Chad Lawhorn
QUOTABLE
— Jonathan Knight,, a plaintiff in a lawsuit brought by the Boston-based legal group Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) against the Defense of Marriage Act. The U.S. Supreme Court will take up a case against the federal law that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman after an appeals court ruled Thursday that denying benefits to married gay couples is unconstitutional. Page 6A
of the state in one of the most conservative congressional districts in the country. But the day after the House passed that plan, as final deals were settled, an expected motion in the Senate to concur with the House-approved map didn’t happen. Some legislators had speculated the plan didn’t
William Patterson has been searching for much more than his white 2001 Oldsmobile Alero since it was stolen in April from the Dillons parking lot, 1015 W. 23rd St. An urn with the ashes of his mother, 49-yearold Angela Capell, who died March 10, was inside. “Everything hinged on that car, and it’s just been really hard,” said the 22-year-old Lawrence man. “When it rains, it pours.” Patterson had inherited the Alero and was using it not only as his only means of transportation but also to store his belongings as he’s been living with friends trying to make it
through a rough patch. According to a Lawrence police report made April 11, the vehicle valued at $3,000 was stolen the afternoon of April 10 from the parking lot. Patterson said his girlfriend was using the car, and it was taken while she was shopping. He said the vehicle was locked and secure when it was stolen. His birth certificate, most of his clothing, stereo equipment and other valuables were inside. He has been staying with friends in the last few weeks, but he said not being able to use the car has created hardships, including losing his job. The car is also another connection for Pat-
terson to his mother’s memory because he said she was kind and would often give friends rides in it if needed. Patterson said he is hopeful the vehicle can be recovered. Friends last week also believed they saw the vehicle in the same store’s parking lot, and he stayed there for several hours hoping to see it again. Patterson said friends talked to people at gas stations and convenience stores along 23rd Street to see if they had seen anything. Kim Murphree, a Lawrence police spokeswoman, said earlier this week that security camera footage police examined after a report of the vehicle returning to the
same parking lot was inconclusive. Patterson said the car has features that make it easy to identify, including a smiley face in red spray paint on the hood and rear fins that are silver instead of white, the car’s main color. He hopes bringing attention to the case will help him at least recover the urn with his mother’s ashes. “They’re irreplaceable. They’re priceless,” he said. “It makes me angry and sad and depressed. It’s hard to get up and start your day every day with just the weight of this on me, as well as the fact that it’s hard to get done every day what I need to get done without the car.” — Reporter George Diepenbrock can be reached at 832-7144. Follow him at Twitter.com/gdiepenbrock.
A $16 million project to build a water treatment plant just outside of Lawrence along the Kansas River is moving toward construction. The leader of Public Wholesale Water Supply District No. 25 confirmed his organization has received a necessary federal loan and has begun b u y i n g The plant property for the would give plant. large water T h e users, like plant currently is Baldwin City scheduled and other to supply rural water water to districts that Douglas C o u n t y currently purRural Wa- chase from ter Dis- Lawrence, trict No. 5 and Osage more water C o u n t y options than Rural Wa- they’ve previter Dis- ously had. trict No. 5. “We’re excited,” said Larry Wray, who is the president of the wholesale water district and also serves as the administrator for Douglas County RWD No. 5. “We think it will be good for our two water districts, but we think it will be good for the whole region, too.” The project — which will involve laying about 30 miles of waterline — could have impacts on the city of Lawrence’s water operations. The city currently provides treated water to Douglas Please see WATER, page 2A
Edwards acquitted on 1 count; mistrial on others GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — John Edwards’ campaign finance fraud case ended in a mistrial Thursday when jurors acquitted him on one of six charges but were unable to decide whether he
misused money from two wealthy donors to hide his pregnant mistress while he ran for president. The trial exposed a sordid sex scandal that unfolded while Edwards’ wife was dying of cancer, but prosecutors couldn’t convince jurors that the ex-U.S. senator and 2004 vice presidential candidate masterminded a $1 million cover-up of his affair. “While I do not believe I did anything illegal, or ever thought I was doing anything illegal, I did an awful, awful lot that was
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wrong and there is no one else responsible for my sins,” Edwards said on the courthouse steps. He also said he had hope for his future. “I don’t think God’s through with me. I really believe he thinks there’s still some good things I can do.” Edwards would have faced up to 30 years in prison and $1.5 million in fines if convicted of all charges. He did not testify, along with his mistress, Rielle Hunter, and the two donors whose money was at issue.