Lawrence Journal-World 10-15-13

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STILL LIVING WELL

MIGHTY FOE AWAITS

Community program celebrates 5 years WellCommons 5A

Stoops bringing Sooner action to KU Sports 1B

L A W R E NC E

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School board approves pre-emptive land purchase By Peter Hancock phancock@ljworld.com

The Lawrence school board agreed Monday to spend $50,000 to buy a small piece of property that officials say they don’t especially need but which they don’t want anyone

Preliminary OK given to Boundaries Advisory Committee else to buy and develop. The vacant property at 450 Wakarusa Drive includes about 4.8 acres and sits adjacent to the Free State High School baseball and softball diamonds.

Assistant superintendent Kyle Hayden said the property caught the district’s attention when the owner, EBRPH, LLC, applied for and received a zoning change earlier this month

that allows commercial develHayden said the district has opment on the site. no immediate plans for the “You want to control what’s property but didn’t want to see going on with your neighbor- a commercial development gohood,” Hayden explained to the Please see SCHOOL, page 8A board.

Corn crop needs weather to cooperate

Health care ‘navigator’ under fire for legal troubles ———

Lawrence resident says her personal financial issues don’t compromise her ability to handle others’ information By Giles Bruce gbruce@ljworld.com

John English/Special to the Journal-World

CORN HARVESTING GETS UNDERWAY south of Lawrence and west of U.S. Highway 59 near North 650 Road. Many farmers, though, are still waiting for their crop to dry out amid the recent cool, damp weather. Bill Wood, director for Douglas County Extension, estimates that the local corn crop is about 7 to 10 percent harvested.

Abortion lawsuits cost state $913K By John Hanna Associated Press

TOPEKA — Kansas has paid more than $913,000 to two private law firms that are helping the state defend antiabortion laws enacted since conservative Republican Gov. Sam Brownback took office, and such expenses appear likely to grow. The attorney general’s office disclosed the figures in response to requests from The Associated Press. More than $126,000 in legal fees stem from two lawsuits filed this summer against restrictions enacted just this year. Kansas has enacted sweep-

Gov. Sam Brownback, a strong abortion opponent, called on state lawmakers to create a “culture of life” upon taking office.

ing limits on abortion and providers since Brownback took office in January 2011, though it hasn’t attempted to ban abortions in the ear-

liest weeks of pregnancies, as Arkansas and North Dakota have. The newest Kansas restrictions, challenged in separate state and federal lawsuits this summer, block tax breaks for abortion providers and even govern what appears on their websites. A state-court lawsuit is still pending against health and safety regulations approved in 2011 specifically for abortion clinics, but the state prevailed in a federal lawsuit against 2011 restrictions on private health insurance coverage for elective abortions. All of those cases have been handled by the firm of Thompson Ramsdell

& Qualseth, of Lawrence. A federal lawsuit against a 2011 law preventing the state from distributing federal family planning dollars to Planned Parenthood to provide non-abortion services is before the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver. That case has been handled by Foulston Siefkin, the state’s largest law firm, with offices in Wichita, Topeka and Overland Park. Peter Brownlie, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri, said Monday that the spending shows the RepubliPlease see ABORTION, page 2A

A local outreach and enrollment worker for the Affordable Care Act has come under scrutiny after a national website published a story detailing her past legal problems Monday. Those who oversee the navigator program are standing by the employee, Rosilyn Wells, and say she’s trying to help others avoid the problems she had because of medical debt. Critics of Obamacare say the decision to hire someone I’ve with Wells’ legal issues is made e m b l e m a t i c financial of problems with the navi- mistakes. gator pro- I’ve gram. bounced The cons e r v a t i v e - a check. leaning Daily I’ve got Caller report- unpaid debts now that ed that Wells, I’m still working to pay. who works at Heartland I’m a single mom now. C o m m u n i t y I’m climbing out of that Health Cen- hole.” ter, had an outstanding arrest war- — Rosilyn Wells, of Lawrence rant to go with past financial problems. The story later headlined the popular Drudge Report website. Wells was recently hired to be a full-time navigator to provide education about the Affordable Care Act — the 2010 health care law often referred to as Obamacare — and help enroll people in its health insurance marketplace. She is still being certified to do so. The navigator program is funded by the fed-

Please see SCRUTINY, page 2A

Drivers, beware: Deer mating season can pose road hazards By Sara Shepherd sshepherd@ljworld.com

This time of year, deer have one thing on their minds — and it’s not avoiding a confrontation with your front bumper. No, they’re looking for love. “Right about now, they’re getting excited about the mating season,” said Lloyd Fox, big game coordinator for the Kansas Department of Wild-

life, Parks and Tourism. “They’re somewhat oblivious to everything else that’s going on.” Deer will stop at almost nothing to procreate, least of all a road. With deer activity higher than any other time of year, fall is one of the riskiest times for deer-vehicle collisions. The Kansas Insurance Department on Monday issued a reminder to motorists to be on the lookout, especially around

Business Classified Comics Deaths

Low: 38

Today’s forecast, page 12A

said. Conceiving in the fall means deer will give birth in the spring, once it’s warm enough for newborns to survive. And if all the deer mate around the same time, they’ll flood the predator community with fawns so more of the offspring will survive. In the fall, does are Richard Gwin/Journal-World File Photo roaming and eating more than ever to prepare for A LARGE BUCK STANDS in a field of grass north of Lawrence pregnancy. in this Nov. 15, 2012, file photo. Deer mating season, which runs from October to January, can pose dangers for drivers. Please see DEER, page 2A

INSIDE

Breezy

High: 62

sunrise and sunset. “Defensive driving is always important, but this time of year it’s extremely important,” Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger said in the news release. Deer mating season usually begins in midOctober, peaks in midNovember and continues into January, Fox said. Mother Nature has it all planned out. Shorter days kick deer mating hormones into gear, Fox

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Puzzles 11B Sports 1B-5B Television 12A, 2B, 11B WellCommons 5A-7A

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Portrait ‘coming home’ A historic group is receiving a portrait of a Bleeding Kansas-era leader who oversaw the drafting of a pro-slavery constitution. Page 3A

Vol.155/No.288 24 pages


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