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Unwed births leading cause of poverty, panel told By Scott Rothschild srothschild@ljworld.com
TOPEKA — Gov. Sam Brownback’s newly formed task force on child poverty was told Monday that the increase in “nonmarital births” was a leading cause of child poverty. Ron Haskins, a senior fellow with The Brookings Institution, said that Douglas County from a child’s perranks 18th in wellspective, “They being of chilneed a mom, they dren. Page 2A need a dad, they need consistency … if that occurs it has major impacts on development.” Haskins’ comments were made during the first meeting of the Governor’s Task Force on Reducing Childhood Poverty. Brownback appointed the group earlier this month. In Kansas, 18.1 percent of children live in poverty, which represents a 53 percent increase from 1970. A family of four earning less than $23,050 is consider to be living
At home
BISHOP SEABURY ACADEMY students help fill Thanksgiving bags of food items Monday at The Salvation Army, 946 New Hampshire St. The students did not have school but participated in the volunteer event as part of what they call their Heritage Day, which focuses on a community service project. In the top photo from left are Isabel Warden, 11, Maria Smith, Thomas Westbrook and Chan Coco, all 17. The students were filling up 220 bags for families who had signed up for food assistance through The Salvation Army.
Please see POVERTY, page 2A
Mike Yoder/Journal-World Photos
City and Westar to partner on project to reduce energy usage in downtown Topeka-based Westar will provide the selected clawhorn@ljworld.com downtown businesses with a free energy audit As holiday shoppers amp that reviews everything from heating and coolup the energy level of down- ing units to lighting systems and the company’s town Lawrence, city lead- operational practices.
By Chad Lawhorn
ers are launching a program they hope will cut down on the energy use inside downtown shops and offices. The city is partnering with Westar Energy, Downtown Lawrence Inc. and the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce to create a pilot program aimed at getting downtown businesses and building owners to make energy-efficient improvements to their properties. “Our people often can provide some really simple solu-
tions that allow businesses to reap some really big benefits,” said Kim Gronniger, manager of consumer services for Westar Energy, the city’s electric utility. The program — dubbed the Green Business Leaders Program — seeks to sign up about a dozen businesses from the downtown area that are looking for ways to reduce their energy usage. Topeka-based Westar will
Please see ENERGY, page 2A
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provide the selected businesses with a free energy audit that reviews everything from heating and cooling units to lighting systems and the company’s operational practices. “The goal is to produce a set of recommendations that are very specific to your building,” said Eileen Horn, the sustainability coordinator for Lawrence and Douglas County.
Businesses selected for the program are expected to undertake at least one of the recommendations that come out of the energy audit. Those improvements could include items such as installing more energyefficient lighting, upgrading heating and cooling systems or items that are a bit less complex, like installing a programmable thermostat or simply shutting the front door more often. “A lot of shops open their front door during the middle of the summer to attract people in, but that is a lot of cold air that is
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City to discuss $50K deal on Varsity House By Chad Lawhorn clawhorn@ljworld.com
Lawrence city commissioners at their meeting tonight will discuss how to resolve a dispute regarding whether the Varsity House at 1043 Indiana St. was properly moved to make way for an apartment complex at the site. Lawrence developer Thomas Fritzel has offered to “raise and/ CITY or guarantee pledges” COMMISSION of $50,000 for historic preservation efforts in the community to resolve the dispute. Commissioners previously have said they do not think Fritzel followed the terms of a city agreement that called for the old home to be moved from one Please see VARSITY, page 2A
Tweeting lawyer fired
Vol.154/No.325 24 pages
A Kansas Court of Appeals research attorney has been fired after comments she posted to Twitter during the ethics hearing of former Attorney General Phill Kline. Page 3A
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