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LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD ● LJWorld.com/local ● Tuesday, March 29, 2011 ● 3A
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IMMIGRATION
1 | TOKYO
Plutonium starting to soak into soil Highly toxic plutonium is seeping from the damaged nuclear power plant in Japan’s tsunami disaster zone into the soil outside, officials said today, heightening concerns about the expanding spread of radiation. Plutonium was detected at several spots outside the Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant — the first confirmed presence of the dangerously radioactive substance, plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. said. There are strong indications some of the radioactivity is coming from damaged nuclear fuel rods, a worrying development in the race to bring the power plant under control, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said today. Officials said the traces of plutonium posed no immediate threat to public health. But the latest finding appeared to feed government frustration with TEPCO, which has failed to stem the crisis more than two weeks after a March 11 earthquake and tsunami damaged the plant.
Resolution calls on feds to handle reform By Scott Rothschild srothschild@ljworld.com
T O P E K A — Kansas’ Hispanic legislators on Monday filed a bipartisan resolution that calls on the federal government — not the states — to work on immigration and specifies that any reforms should be humane, fair and just.
“We want to take the hate out of the debate,” said Rep. Louis Ruiz, D-Kansas City, who proposed the resolution. The measure was co-sponsored by Reps. Mario Goico, RWichita, Reynaldo Mesa, R-Garden City, and Ramon Gonzalez, R-Perry. House Concurrent Resolution 5026 states, “Immigration is a federal policy issue between
“
We want to take the hate out of the debate.” — Rep. Louis Ruiz, D-Kansas City the United States government and other countries — not Kansas and other countries.” It urges Congress “to enact thorough, common sense, workable and humane reforms that
Dems: GOP not negotiating on budget With the clock ticking toward a possible government shutdown, spending-cut talks between Senate Democrats and the Republicans controlling the House have broken off in a whom-do-you-trust battle over legislation to keep operations running for another six months. Democrats have readied a proposal to cut $20 billion more from this year’s budget, a party official said, but they haven’t yet sent it to House Republicans. That’s because they say it’s unclear whether the majority Republicans would accept a split-thedifference bargain they’d earlier hinted at or will yield to demands of tea party-backed GOP freshmen for a tougher measure. The official spoke only on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. “Republicans refuse to negotiate,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid declared on Monday. Republicans countered that it’s the Democrats who have yet to offer a serious plan to wrestle spending under control and that a Democratic offer from last week to cut $11 billion from the budget was laced with gimmickry.
Court skeptical of campaign finance law The Supreme Court appeared poised Monday to strike down a provision of a campaign financing system in Arizona that gives extra cash to publicly funded candidates who face privately funded rivals and independent groups. Such a decision would be another blow to public campaign financing, once thought of as an antidote to the corrupting influence of money in politics. President Barack Obama has been the most prominent example of politicians who have abandoned public financing because they can raise far more money privately. The justices heard arguments in a challenge to the Arizona system that gives candidates who opt for public financing up to two times their base amount when they’re outspent by privately funded rivals or targeted by independent group spending. The court’s conservative-leaning justices, who have issued a string of decisions upending campaign finance laws in the past five years, appeared skeptical of the Arizona law because it, in their view, is designed to level the playing field for all candidates. 3 | SOUTH CAROLINA
Lawmakers have dim view of bulb law South Carolina lawmakers are taking a stand in favor of states’ lights. With incandescent bulbs being phased out under federal law in favor of energy-efficient compact fluorescents, legislators want to exempt South Carolina from the measure, saying Washington has no business telling the state how to light its closets and countertops. The proposed state law, called the Incandescent Light Bulb Freedom Act, “allows South Carolina to say to the federal government we are going to exercise our rights,” said Republican state Rep. Bill Sandifer, a co-sponsor.
By George Diepenbrock gdiepenbrock@ljworld.com
Kevin Anderson/Journal-World Photo
FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA STUDENTS AT FREE STATE HIGH SCHOOL have gotten the ground ready for the plots for the Free State Community and Learning Garden. Seniors Stuart Wakeman, left, and Jake Brown had the task of tilling and plowing up the plot sections.
Free State garden offers plots to community By Karrey Britt kbritt@ljworld.com
Twelve plots of land are available to the community for gardening at Free State High School. The cost is $60 for three months: ● April 15-July 15. ● July 15-Oct. 13. ● Oct. 17-Jan. 13. The 30-by-30-foot plots are part of a new Free State Community and Learning Garden. “We really want anyone who is interested in gardening, who loves to be outside and wants to grow their own food,” said Laura Priest, agricultural education teacher and FFA sponsor. “It’s meant to be a fun, cooperative arrangement.” About 15 FFA members will grow food in their own nearby 60-by-60-foot plot for use in
Among the rules:
PLANT SALE Free State High School’s FFA chapter will have its annual plant sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 16 in the east-side greenhouse. Members will be selling flowers, herbs, houseplants and vegetable plants.
the cafeteria and to sell at markets. In addition, they will oversee the community plots, making sure everyone follows the rules. “They are going to learn a lot of responsibility, especially when it comes to communication skills, handling money and organizing work schedules,” said Laura Priest, agricultural education teacher and FFA sponsor.
● Work needs to be done
between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. daily. ● Each gardener needs to volunteer four hours per month for upkeep of the entire community garden. ● No perennial crops. ● If there is no evidence of activity at your plot within four weeks, it will be reassigned with no refund. ● Tall plants, such as corn or sunflowers, need to be planted in the center of the plot so they don’t shade the neighboring plot. ● No pets. ● Renters can only use organic fertilizers, mulch and other materials that have been pre-approved. For at least the first three months, gardeners will need to bring their own tools and Please see GARDEN, page 5A
2010 city report shows more money flowing in than out By Chad Lawhorn clawhorn@ljworld.com
The checkbook is balanced at Lawrence City Hall. A new financial report shows that Lawrence city government in 2010 managed to take in about $215,000 more in revenue than it spent, despite a down economy. “We feel like we have done a good job paying attention to the priorities of city commissioners, and one of their clear priorities was cautious spending in challenging economic times,” City Manager David Corliss said. This marks the fourth year in a row that revenues in the
Please see RESOLUTION, page 5A
Settlement pending in lawsuit against fraternity
2 | WASHINGTON, D.C.
2 | WASHINGTON, D.C.
reflect the realities of our country’s workforce needs and represent America’s values at its best.” The resolution states the Legislature opposes policies that separate families and champions policies that help families and children. The resolution also recog-
city’s general fund have exceeded expenses. Corliss points to a variety of budget adjustments that commissioners have allowed him to make in order to balance revenues with expenses. That’s included a review of whether positions that become vacant ought to be filled. The city started 2011 with 10 fewer full-time positions than it had in 2010. The employee totals largely were cut through attrition, with the public works and parks and recreation departments seeing the largest decreases. But the new report also shows how much voters have had to do with the city’s
finances. 2010 was the first full year of three new sales taxes approved by voters in November 2008. Those sales taxes — for infrastructure and transit — increased city revenues by $7.3 million. Absent those new sales tax dollars, the city would have had a budget that was roughly at 2008 levels. The report also highlights that consumers did not do much to improve the city’s coffers. If you factor out the three new sales taxes, the city’s sales tax collections were down 2.1 percent in 2010. That’s about the same rate of decline the city experienced in 2009. Corliss said declining retail sales are a
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growing concern for the city. Sales tax revenues account for about 45 percent of the city’s general fund budget. Property taxes account for about 23 percent. “We keep waiting for the turn in the economy, and I guess we’ll keep waiting,” Corliss said. “Until we see that, we’re going to have to be very cautious.” Here’s a look at other figures from the city’s year-end report: ● Total general fund revenues in 2010 were $64.19 million, up from $59.78 million in 2009. Total general fund expenditures were $63.98 million, up from $59.44 million.
● The portion of your utility bill that goes to City Hall increased in 2010. Franchise fees — a payment utilities make to the city for use of city rights-of-way — totaled $6.3 million in 2010. That was up from $5.8 million in 2009. ● Revenue from speeding tickets, parking fines and other similar offenses increased by about $470,000
Please see REPORT, page 5A
Attorneys have told a Douglas County judge that a settlement is in the works involving a lawsuit against a Kansas University fraternity over the 2009 death of a pledge who had alcohol poisoning. The parties have informed District Judge Michael Malone they planned to submit an order to the judge outlining the settlement possibly by the end of this week, court personnel said Monday. Jay Wren filed the lawsuit after his son, Jason Wren, a 19-year-old freshman from Littleton, Colo., was found dead March 8, 2009, at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter house, 1301 West Campus Road. The suit alleged fraternity members failed to seek medical help for Wren despite his intoxication and a head injury. Wren had used a fake ID earlier that night to drink alcohol at a restaurant and continued to drink liquor later at the chapter house, according to the suit against the chapter and its national association, 10 unnamed chapter members and the Kansas Alpha House Corp., which owns the chapter house. John Stacy, the housing corporation’s president, was added as a defendant in December, but Malone also ruled then that Jay Wren could not seek punitive damages. Jason Wren was living in the SAE house as a pledge after he violated KU’s alcohol policy and was no longer allowed to live in a residence hall. According to the autopsy, his blood-alcohol content was 0.362 percent, which is more than four times the legal limit to drive in Kansas. The plaintiffs argued in court last year the chapter had not changed its practices enough regarding underage drinking since Wren’s death. However, attorneys for the fraternity and housing corporation said the chapter has taken proper steps, including expelling nearly two dozen active members after an April 2010 alcohol violation. Attorneys representing Wren, Stacy, the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternal Association and housing corporation did not return messages Monday seeking comment. — Reporter George Diepenbrock can be reached at 832-7144.
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