Lawrence Journal-World 11-17-12

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Saturday, November 17, 2012

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Eisenhower Memorial approval delayed Poverty By Brett Zongker Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Plans to build a national memorial honoring President Dwight D. Eisenhower will be delayed into next year as the World War II general’s family continues to object to a design by architect Frank Gehry. A review of the memorial design was left off the December agenda Friday for the National Capital Planning Commission, which must approve the project. That means the commission won’t consider it until sometime in 2013. According to letters obtained by The Associated Press, Eisenhower’s son, John S.D. Eisenhower, and his family continue to say the design is “too extravagant� and “attempts to do too much.� Gehry has proposed a memorial park with statues of the president and World War II hero framed by large metal tapestries depicting Eisenhower’s boyhood home in Kansas. John Eisenhower, 90, who served as ambassador to Belgium in the Nixon administration, wrote in an Oct. 18 letter that the memorial tries to tell multiple stories, which should be left to museums. “Taxpayers and donors alike will be better served with an Eisenhower Square that is a green open space with a simple statue in the middle, and quotations from his most important sayings,� Eisenhower wrote to Sen. Dan-

Eisenhower Memorial Commission Photo

THIS MODEL IMAGE, provided by Eisenhower Memorial Commission, shows the proposed Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial to be built in Washington. Plans to build a national memorial honoring President Dwight D. Eisenhower will be delayed into next year as the World War II general’s family continues to object to a design by architect Frank Gehry. iel Inouye of Hawaii, who is vice chairman of the federal Eisenhower Memorial Commission. The commission has continued to push forward with Gehry’s design after some changes announced in May. The family welcomed the changes but continued to oppose other features and the project’s estimated $142 million cost, especially with the nation’s sluggish economy. The 12-year-old effort would rely on private fundraising and money from Congress. “We have priorities more urgent than building such an expensive memorial right now,� John Eisenhower wrote. Inouye met with the former president’s granddaughters, Anne and Susan Eisenhower, over the summer and reported

back to the memorial commission in early August. He noted the most contentious part of the design for the family was Gehry’s use of metal tapestry. Inouye wrote to the commission that ignoring the family’s opposition could hurt the project. “I would hate to stop the process and lose the momentum, especially since a lot of time, money and effort has been expended on this memorial,� he wrote. “However, given the continued opposition with the Eisenhower family, I question whether we can ever resolve the differences ... and whether it would be in our best interest to continue to move forward.� Commission Chairman Rocco Siciliano, who served as a special assistant in the Eisenhower White House, responded days lat-

Teens enter pleas in Arson summer burglaries

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3A

Taylor: Pleaded no

By Shaun Hittle

contest to one count of aggravated burglary related Three Lawrence teen- to a July 12 home invasion agers pleaded no con- in the 1000 block of East test Friday to a variety of 24th Street. Ten other charges related to several charges in the case were home burglaries in Law- dismissed. rence this summer. Based on Taylor’s Two of the men will criminal history, he most likely be sent to pris- could be sentenced to beon, while another could tween 50 and 55 months be given probation as part in prison. He is schedof plea agreements with uled for sentencing Dec. prosecutors. 28 as well.

Barnes: PleadMarkcus T. ed no contest to Sanders, Ronnie four charges, inTaylor and Cody cluding aggravatA. Barnes, all 18, ed burglary, two were arrested counts of theft in September in and burglary of an connection with COURTS automobile. several July and The aggravated August burglaries in Lawrence. The crimes burglary charge was relatoccurred during a spike ed to the July 15 burglary in such crimes, which Sanders also pleaded to. prompted police to issue Seven additional charges in the case were disnumerous warnings. Here’s a summary of missed. Based on Barnes’ limeach of the defendants’ ited criminal history, he cases:

Sanders: Pleaded no could be sentenced to contest to aggravated anywhere from probation burglary and aggravated to two years in prison. He intimidation of a witness is scheduled for sentencrelated to the July 15 bur- ing Jan. 4. glary of a home in the Douglas County Dis3900 block of West 10th trict Attorney Charles Place. Four other counts Branson said Friday that in the case, related to oth- he was pleased with the er burglaries in Lawrence, plea agreement. were dismissed. The ag“The desired outcome gravated burglary convic- for a plea under these cirtion, the more serious of cumstances is increasing the two charges, is a lev- the defendants’ criminal el-5 person felony. history and sending them Based on Sanders’ to prison if possible,� criminal history, pros- Branson said. “That was ecutors will recommend accomplished.� a sentence of around 53 months in prison. Sanders — Reporter Shaun Hittle can be reached at 832-7173. Follow him is scheduled for sentencat Twitter.com/shaunhittle. ing Dec. 28. sdhittle@ljworld.com

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been set tells us little, he said. Many of the suspected arsons have involved objects set on fire; certainly not the most sophisticated means of setting a fire. It could be a younger, unsophisticated person, or just someone hoping to appear that way, he said. That makes it even more vital for the public to pay attention and assist police with tips. “If the public sees something that doesn’t appear right, pick up the phone,� he said. And with more fires, police are armed with more clues. “If someone does something enough, they’ll get caught,� he said. Fire officials, after asking for public assistance, have released little information about the cases. They have said they suspect arson was the cause of fires reported since Oct. 19 in an area from 23rd Street south to 25th Street and from Iowa Street east to Naismith Drive. The last fire that fit the pattern of the other fires occurred shortly before

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er, urging the commission to proceed as planned. He said the commission had made serious attempts to address the family’s concerns over the past year. “It is obvious to me that we must proceed with Frank Gehry’s design,� he wrote. “We have not received a single substantive comment from the family. They have expressed only opposition.� Siciliano said the commission must make a decision. Millions of dollars have already been spent on the project’s development. “I am one person who feels competent to say that he believes President Eisenhower would be most pleased as to what the present commissioners have unanimously accepted,� Siciliano wrote. Eisenhower’s son later wrote that he was “astonished� that Siciliano would claim to know how the former president would view the memorial design. The memorial group submitted extensive documentation on the design elements and materials to the National Capital Planning Commission this fall, which the federal panel has been reviewing. Chris Cimko, a spokeswoman for the memorial group, said they aim to have the project considered in January or soon after. “We’re moving ahead,� she said. “We’re completely fine with however long it takes them. The most important thing is that everybody walks into the room very well prepared.�

4 a.m. Sunday at 1703 W. 24th St. However, Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical Chief Mark Bradford declined to say whether that fire is included in the recent suspected arson cases. According to the Douglas County Jail booking log, there have been no arrests for arson in the past week. An open records request last week for all fire reports in Lawrence since Oct. 19 showed nine fires — plus the Nov. 11 fire — that fit a similar pattern. According to the fire reports, eight of the nine reported fires were at multiunit apartment complexes, while one fire occurred in a trash receptacle. On five of the reports, “arson� is indicated. In several of the cases, fire crews arrived to find materials such as papers on fire in hallways at the apartment complexes. None of the fires caused major damage, and there have not been any reported injuries as a result of the fires. Anyone with information is asked to call the Lawrence Police Department at 830-7430, or the TIPS hotline at 843-8477. — Reporter Shaun Hittle can be reached at 832-7173. Follow him at Twitter.com/shaunhittle.

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held steady: around 8 to 9 percent in Douglas County. That’s higher than the statewide uninsured rate CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3A for children, which had fallen to 6.4 percent as of the Annie E. Casey Foun- 2011. dation that tracks indicators of child health and Educational outcomes One of the strongest welfare throughout the areas of improvement in country. While the poverty rate Douglas County was in has been growing, howev- early childhood educaer, the report also shows tion, including growth in the condition of local chil- all-day kindergarten. According to the Kids dren improving in terms of general health and County report, more than education. Infant mortal- two-thirds of children ity rates have come down; in Douglas County (68.4 immunization rates are percent) had access to allup; and more children are day kindergarten in 2012, accessing early-childhood a reflecting the Lawrence educational programs in- school district’s recent cluding preschool and all- decision to expand that program to all elementary day kindergarten. Those trends were gen- schools. But Douglas County still erally similar to those throughout Kansas, al- lags the rest of the state in though the profile for giving kids access to Head Douglas County showed Start, a federally funded children locally faring bet- preschool program for 3ter than the statewide aver- and 4-year-olds who live in age across most categories. low-income households. According to the report, “I think there’s good news and bad news in there were only 23.2 slots the report,� said Chris- available in Douglas Countie Appelhanz, spokes- ty in 2011 for every 100 chilwoman for Kansas Action dren who qualify for the for Children, a statewide program, compared to the child advocacy organiza- state average of 45.1 slots tion. “It was good to see per 100 eligible children. Cris Anderson, princiareas where people have paid attention and made pal at Kennedy School, investments such as infant which houses the Lawmortality. But despite the rence district’s preschool governor’s commitment programs, said there are to reducing childhood about 130 slots available at poverty, the number of her school, a number that kids living in poverty con- has not changed in recent years. tinues to climb.� “There has been no adOn Wednesday, the day before the Kids Count ditional money,� she said. report was released, “There has been an inGov. Sam Brownback an- crease in the number of nounced the formation of kids who qualify, but we a task force on reducing can’t increase the number of slots available.� childhood poverty. Appelhanz, the spokes“All too often in our state, children who are woman at Kansas Action living in poverty today for Children, said that is become tomorrow’s poor likely to be a major budget parents,� Brownback said issue in the upcoming legin a statement announc- islative session. Although Head Start is ing the task force. “Intergenerational poverty such a federal program, it also as this affects our state’s receives funding from the long-term productivity state, especially for “Early and well-being. We need Head Start,� a program for concrete ideas on how to low-income children age 0-3. That money comes change this pattern.� According to the Kids from the state’s Children’s Count report, 13.8 per- Initiative Fund, which recent of children in Doug- ceives money from the las County were living in settlement of a multi-state poverty in 2010, up from lawsuit against the tobacco industry. 12.5 percent in 2006. “I think in the last deStatewide, the childhood poverty rate jumped from cade, Kansas has really 15.3 percent to 18 percent made an effort to invest in early childhood eduover that same period. One of the results of that cation,� Appelhanz said. has been a sharp increase “For me, the question rein the number of students ally is will we continue to who qualify for free or make those investments reduced-price meals at in young children as our school. More than a third state’s fiscal situation is as (35.16 percent) of students challenging as we all exin Douglas County now pect it will be?� The number of Head qualified for meal subsidies in 2012, up from 28.33 Start enrollment slots available per 100 chilpercent in 2008. Statewide, nearly half of dren 3-4 years of age livall students (48.7 percent) ing in families with inqualified for the program, comes below the U.S. up from 39.8 percent in poverty threshold. Data are provided by the U.S. 2008. Meanwhile, enrollment Department of Health in Medicaid and the state and Human Services, AdChildren’s Health Insur- ministration for Children ance Program have also and Families, Region VII. grown substantially, both Children living in poverty in Douglas County and data are based on poverty estimates and population statewide. But the percentage estimates from the U.S. of children who remain Census Bureau. The curwithout coverage through rent rate represents the either public or private number of slots available insurance programs has for federal fiscal year 2011.

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