Lawrence Journal-World 06-20-12

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Economical, tasty beef for the grill Food 8B

KU newcomer practices with team Sports 1B

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Lawrence sprinter has eyes on London

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City may expedite plans for water ——

Process would ‘zap’ algae to fix taste, odor By Chad Lawhorn clawhorn@ljworld.com

Nick Krug/Journal-World Photos

IRAQ WAR VETERAN AND PURPLE HEART RECIPIENT KORTNEY CLEMONS, of Lawrence, removes his walking prosthesis and switches to one designed for running Monday at Memorial Stadium. Clemons, a sprinter, is training for the 2012 U.S. Paralympics Athletics Trials in Indianapolis, where he hopes to qualify for the London Paralympics. On Feb. 21, 2005, Clemons was inured after an improvised explosive device was detonated, forcing most of his right leg to be amputated.

Veteran who lost his leg in war working toward a ‘huge’ dream By George Diepenbrock gdiepenbrock@ljworld.com

ONLINE: See the audio slideshow at LJWorld.com

Kortney Clemons balances himself against the chain-link fence that separates the Memorial Stadium track from the bleachers. He slips out of his prosthetic right leg, which starts above the knee, and puts his thigh into a new one that includes a mechanical knee and an Lshaped sprinting foot called a Cheetah. Now the Iraq War veteran,

who lost most of his right leg in a 2005 explosion, is ready to run. And he is fast. Clemons, who earned his master’s degree in education from Kansas University in May, is training this summer with other KU track and field athletes. He has his sights on trials in Indianapolis with hopes of qualifying for the London Paralympics in the 100- and 200-meter sprints. “He’s a great inspiration for everyone around. He’s a really good guy,” said KU coach Stanley Redwine, who has trained Clemons since he

Zap the algae, and do it “sooner rather than later.” Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday directed staff members to research ways to speed up long-range plans to change how the city treats its drinking water to deal with a taste and odor problem that has been widespread for more than a week. “The customers are not happy,” said City Commissioner Mike Dever. Officials with the city’s Utility Department said there is a solution in the works that would use “advanced oxidation” to combat taste and odor issues that are being caused by a by-product of algae. But the city’s proposed water master plan doesn’t anticipate having those processes in place until 2021. Please see WATER, page 2A

KORTNEY CLEMONS TAKES OFF from the blocks as he trains Monday at KU for the U.S. Paralympics Athletics Trials. came to KU as part of Fort At the trials July 29-30, Leavenworth’s Wounded Clemons hopes to beat his caWarrior program. “Because reer best times of 13.8 seconds of his willpower and his de- in the 100 and 28.09 seconds in sire to achieve, that’s why Please see VETERAN, page 5A he’s so accomplished.”

Rec center project progresses ——

Commission gives plans for police HQ cooler reception By Chad Lawhorn clawhorn@ljworld.com

Motion seeks DNA testing in 1999 murder of teen By Shaun Hittle sdhittle@ljworld.com

After more than a decade of failed legal battles, a motion to test DNA evidence in the 1999 shooting death of an Oskaloosa teenager has given convicted murderer Floyd Bledsoe and his attorneys new hope. “We never dropped the case,” said Alice White, an attorney

with the Kansas University Project for Innocence and Post-Conviction Remedies. The Project for Innocence has been working for years to free Bledsoe, 35, who Floyd Bledsoe maintains his innocence in the shooting death, kidnapping and sexual assault

chest and once in the back of the head. Tom led investigators to the body, confessed to the crime and provided police with his gun that was used in the murder. However, after several days in jail, Tom recanted and implicated his brother, Floyd. Arfmann was found buried in a shallow grave on the Oskaloosa property of Floyd’s parents, where Tom

INSIDE

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High: 92

of his 14-year-old sister-in-law, Zetta “Camille” Arfmann. Bledsoe is serving a life sentence at Lansing Correctional Facility. This week, the Project for Innocence filed a motion in Jefferson County to test DNA evidence in the case. Bledsoe’s brother, Tom Bledsoe, was originally arrested and charged with killing Arfmann, who was shot three times in the

Low: 70

Today’s forecast, page 8A

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Please see DNA, page 2A

Court orders blood test

Man accused of abusing children in Walmart parking lot must submit to test. Page 3A

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A plan for a $24 million regional recreation center continued to move ahead at a faster pace than a new $42 million proposal to shore up the Lawrence Police Department. City commissioners at their Tuesday meeting directed staff members to continue pushing ahead with a proposal to build what is now being termed a “sports village” at the northwest corners of Please see PROJECTS, page 2A

Vol.154/No.172 24 pages


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