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Kobach’s arguments rejected; plaintiffs allowed By Scott Rothschild srothschild@ljworld.com
KANSAS CITY, KAN. — A panel of three federal judges Monday rejected arguments from Kansas Secretary of
State Kris Kobach and allowed a host of plaintiffs into a lawsuit over the Legislature’s failure to redraw legislative and congressional political boundaries. The outcome of the law-
suit could have a big impact on Lawrence, which has been at the center of some of the redistricting disputes in the Legislature. Kobach wanted to limit those allowed to intervene
in the case, voicing concerns that accepting more plaintiffs might prolong the case and prevent him and other election officials from making deadlines in the run up to the Aug. 7 primaries. He said
his most immediate concern was getting ballots mailed to military personnel deployed overseas. But the U.S. District Court Please see COURT, page 6A
Ring of fire burns at Clinton Lake
COURTS
School board planning for bond issue By George Diepenbrock gdiepenbrock@ljworld.com
Uncertain benefits Transit leaders with the city and Kansas University, however,
Lawrence school board members on Monday directed district administrators to begin plans to likely present a bond issue mainly aimed at upgrading the district’s elementary schools to voters next spring. “These schools have been neglected for, in some cases, over a decade,” board member Rick Ingram said. “(It’s exciting) not only to sort of fix the problems that we’ve let pile up but also to think about building something for the future.” Superintendent Rick Doll said board members have asked the district to begin working on a plan that would begin focusing on east and central Lawrence elementary schools and then the needs at all other elementary schools. Next, it would narrow to any specific and more limited issues at the district’s middle and high schools, plus projects that focus on energy efficiency in buildings, technology, and career and technical education programs. Administrators and some board members will now begin a search for an architectural firm to get into more specifics. There was no discussion Monday about the bond issue’s price tag. Doll said that would come as district staff members seek more information about building needs and present options to board members, likely over the summer. As for the timing, district officials say because the district is retiring debt from the 2005 $54 million bond issue that mostly funded improvements at the secondary
Please see K-10, page 2A
Please see SCHOOL, page 2A
Tom Soetaert Photo/Special to the Journal-World
LAWRENCE RESIDENT TOM SOETAERT took this photograph looking west over Clinton Lake, catching a dramatic sunset and the “ring of fire” solar eclipse Sunday evening. The eclipse occurs when the moon passes in front of the sun leaving only a golden ring around its edges.
Mostly sunny
High: 81
Low: 61
Today’s forecast, page 10A
Financial concerns escalating over K-10 Connector bus service Route costs about $840K a year to operate
By Chad Lawhorn clawhorn@ljworld.com
Almost every Lawrence motorist knows Jo. It is the big bus run by Johnson County Transit — the Facebook.com/LJWorld Jo, for short — that motors along Twitter.com/LJWorld Kansas Highway 10 taking riders between Kansas University, Johnson County Community College and KU’s Edwards Campus. Business 7A What motorists may not know Classified 5B-10B about Jo is this: It is a roundComics 9A trip bus with a one-way funding plan. Even in prosperous Johnson Deaths 2A County, that’s starting to draw Events listings 10A, 2B some questions. “I can tell you that the question Horoscope 9B Movies 4A Opinion 8A Puzzles 9B Sports 1B-4B, 10B Television 4A, 2B, 9B Vol.154/No.143 20 pages
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has been asked multiple times why Johnson County is operating that route and bearing the full brunt of the operational costs,” said Chuck Ferguson, deputy director of Johnson County Transit. The route, known as the K-10 Connector, costs about $840,000 a year to operate. Ferguson estimates 60 percent of the riders on the route reside in Lawrence or Douglas County. But currently no Douglas County entity, such as the city’s transit department or KU, helps pay to operate the service.
Ferguson said he expects serious discussions about whether Douglas County support will be required for the service to continue operating for the long term. “From an administrator’s standpoint, I think it would be appropriate that they help us with these costs because there are benefits from the service that go beyond Johnson County,” Ferguson said.
Obama praises Joplin’s resilience after tornado
Energy smart: The Journal-World makes the most of renewable resources. www.b-e-f.org
By Julie Pace
Associated Press
JOPLIN, MO. — One year after a deadly tornado devastated their city, President Barack Obama praised the residents of Joplin, Mo., for a spirit of perseverance and resilience that he said could serve as a model for a nation still grinding its way through tough economic times. Obama delivered a high school commencement address a day before the
anniversary of the twister that killed 161 people. Declaring that they had “already defied the odds,” he urged the graduating seniors of Joplin High School to hold close the lessons they learned in overcoming adversity as they enter the next phase of their lives. “You are from Joplin. And you are from America,” Obama said. “You Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Photo will not be defined by the difficulties you face, but how you respond — PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA GREETS GRADUATING SENIORS before speaking at the Joplin High School commencement ceremony Please see OBAMA, page 2A on Monday at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Mo.
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