Lawrence Journal-World 01-07-11

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L A W R E N C E

JOURNAL-WORLD

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Some sun

High: 44

Low: 19

Today’s forecast, page 10A

Jonathan Sloan

Mountain-lion sightings in Kansas increasing

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Lawrence man has been at center of K2 controversy

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks verified three mountain-lion sightings last year in Kansas and five since the agency first confirmed the animal’s presence in the state in 2007. Page 3A

By George Diepenbrock gdiepenbrock@ljworld.com

SPORTS

Releford’s play makes lasting impression Kansas University sophomore forward Travis Releford made a big splash in Wednesday’s men’s basketball game when his dunk against UMKC emerged as ESPN’s top play of the day on SportsCenter. Page 1B NATION

Health care repeal could cost billions The Republican plan to repeal the health care law would drive up federal deficits by $230 billion by 2021, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office reported Thursday. House Republican leaders dismissed the new projection as unrealistic. Page 6A

QUOTABLE

We’ll be looking for someone with a lot of energy, someone who is on the streets a lot and making contact with retailers on a regular basis. This position really is kind of the personality of downtown.” — Mary Cox, president of the Downtown Lawrence Inc. board, describing her hopes for a new director. Page 3A

COMING SATURDAY We'll hear from a former Woodlawn School student — who now is playing women's basketball at KU — as she helps the school celebrate its National Blue Ribbon School Award.

FOLLOW US Facebook.com/LJWorld Twitter.com/LJWorld

INDEX Business Classified Comics Deaths Events listings Horoscope Movies Opinion Poll Puzzles Sports Television Vol.153/No.7

7A 5B-8B 9A 2A 10A 9B 4A 8A 2A 9B 1B-4B 5A, 9B 32 pages

Energy smart: The Journal-World makes the most of renewable resources. www.b-e-f.org

Clark Sloan

Drug charges re-filed

INSIDE

LJWorld.com

FRIDAY • JANUARY 7 • 2011

Mike Yoder/Journal-World Photo

ANN EVANS, OF LAWRENCE, left, gets some advice from Kathy Swanson, owner of Spectator’s, 710 Mass., while Evans shopped at the women’s clothing store Thursday. A new report has found that the city is losing large amounts of sales in the category of women’s clothing.

$153 million in retail sales ‘escaping’ from Lawrence By Chad Lawhorn clawhorn@ljworld.com

About $150 million. That’s a number Lawrence city commissioners likely will be keeping in mind as they consider a series of recommendations from a city task force working to improve the health of the local retail industry. A new report studied by members of the city’s Retail Task Force provides a general look at just how many retail sales dollars are escaping Lawrence in a year. In 2009, the business information services firm of

Claritas Inc. estimated the total to be $153.9 million. “I think that should tell us a couple of things,” said City Commissioner Rob Chestnut, who chairs the task force. “One, it Chestnut speaks to the importance of shopping local, and the other thing it emphasizes is the need for information. We need to know what opportunities we’re missing out on.”

For that, they may want to ask Lawrence’s female shoppers. The report found the city was losing large amounts of sales in the women’s clothing category. The report estimated Lawrence residents spent $50.08 million on women’s clothing in 2009. But it estimated Lawrence stores sold $23.85 million in women’s clothing. That’s a gap of more than $26 million, or about 52 percent of the total. “That one really jumped out at me,” said Roger Zalneraitis, the city’s Please see CITY, page 2A

Turns out, our Legislature can’t meet just anywhere, not even in old capital By Scott Rothschild srothschild@ljworld.com

TOPEKA — A proposal to convene a historic meeting of the Legislature in Lecompton — the Territorial Capital of Kansas — has hit a snag, namely the Kansas Constitution. The Constitution states all sessions of the Legislature must be held in the state capital, which is Topeka. In November, Paul Bahnmaier, president of the Lecompton Historical Society, sent letters to all legislators and Gov.-elect Sam Brownback proposing a one-day session in Lecompton as part of Kansas’ 150th anniversary of statehood. The town, between Topeka and Lawrence, has been called the “Birthplace of the Civil War — Where Slavery Began to Die.” The pro-slavery Lecompton Constitution was rejected by Congress and led

to a split in the Democratic Party, which allowed Republican Abraham Lincoln to win the presidency with 39 percent of the vote. Bahnmaier invited the Legislature to Lecompton during the Bahnmaier 2011 session, which starts Monday. The push even produced some bumper stickers that read “Return Capital to Lecompton for Kansas 150th Statehood Anniversary.” Rep. Tom Sloan, R-Lawrence, whose district includes Lecompton, said he wanted to ride on horseback to the session. But House Speaker Mike O’Neal, RHutchinson, said the Office of Revisor of Statutes, which provides legal advice to the Legislature, said that the Constitution states the Legislature

can’t meet there. O’Neal’s office said the Legislature and governor could sign a ceremonial proclamation on site. Bahnmaier said a ceremonial event may be the way to go. He noted a 1928 event where numerous state dignitaries went to the dedication of the Old Pawnee Capital at Fort Riley. They dressed in 1855 period clothes and wore fake whiskers. “Guns and knives were freely displayed,” according to an account recorded by the Kansas State Historical Society. Bahnmaier said the historical events of Lecompton should be celebrated. “It’s a way of letting all the people in the United States aware of the fact that Kansas is 150 years old, and the role Kansas played in United States history.” — Statehouse reporter Scott Rothschild can be reached at 785-423-0668.

Jefferson County Attorney Caleb Stegall has re-filed criminal charges against a Lawrence man who owns a botanical plant distribution warehouse that has been at the center of the state’s K2 controversy. Stegall’s office announced Thursday morning he has filed 20 counts against Jonathan Sloan, 30, of Lawrence, who owns Bouncing Bear Botanicals in Oskaloosa, following a Kansas Bureau of Investigation probe into the “alleged unlawful distribution of controlled hallucinogenics.” Prosecutors said they also filed 20 counts against Clark Sloan, 51, of Olathe, in connection with the investigation. Jefferson County Sheriff ’s detectives arrested Clark Sloan on Thursday morning, Stegall said. Last April Stegall dropped eight drug charges he had filed months earlier against Jonathan Sloan but said the investigation was still ongoing. Officials have said the warehouse at Bouncing Bear Botanicals is a supplier for Sacred Journey, 1103 Mass., in downtown Lawrence, and Jonathan Sloan’s initial arrest came after federal, state and local authorities conducted a raid last February at the store seizing the K2. The Kansas Legislature last year passed a law that banned sale or possession of the substances found in K2 after law enforcement agencies complained K2 was a synthetic version of marijuana though it was marketed as incense. Last year one of Jonathan Sloan’s attorneys in the first criminal case, which was dropped, said his client was operating a legitimate botanical plant business at the warehouse north of Lawrence. The attorney said it was one of the country’s largest distributors of botanicals. According to Stegall’s office, Jonathan Sloan made a first appearance in Jefferson County District Court Thursday morning on the new criminal charges. According to the sheriff’s office, both men posted bond to be released from jail Thursday afternoon. Jonathan Sloan and another plaintiff has filed a civil lawsuit in federal court against a business in Oregon and one in Nevada alleging they have infringed Bouncing Bear Botanicals’ trademark on the name “K2” for its incense products.

Public officials warn about dangers of bath salts By Shaun Hittle sdhittle@ljworld.com

Last year Kansas and Missouri banned the synthetic marijuana-like substance K2 as the once-legal product gained popularity in the region. Manufacturers responded with altered versions such as K3. Now public health officials are warning about the latest legal way to get high: snorting bath salts. Salina police issued a warning about the practice following the death of a Kansas University student who was struck by a vehicle after running into traffic. Police found bath salts containing methylenedioxypyrovalerone, or MDPV, in the

student’s possession and are awaiting toxicology results on whether he had ingested the substance prior to the incident. Health officials report that the substance can cause delusions and confusion, in addition to increased heart rate and potentially seizures or cardiac arrest. In 2010, family and friends of a Cameron, Mo., man who committed suicide attributed his death to an addiction to bath salts. The active substance in the bath salts — which go by brand names such as Cloud Nine, Ocean Snow and Lunar Wave — is amphetamine-like Please see BATH, page 2A

What are they and what do they do? ● The bath salts are legal, commercially available substances that contain a synthetic chemical, methylenedioxypyrovalerone, or MDPV. ● When ingested, MDPV mimics the effects of amphetamines and can produce a hallucinogenic high similar to ecstasy. ● Brand names for the product include Cloud Nine, Red Dove, Vanilla Sky, Lunar Wave, Ivory Wave and Hurricane Charlie. ● Negative effects reported include psychosis, self-harm,

intense cravings, increased heart rate, as well as a potential for seizures and cardiac arrest. ● The products can be purchased at stores or online, and cost about $50 for a 500 milligram supply. ● If someone experiences negative effects after ingesting bath salts, officials suggest calling 911. For more information on bath salts, contact the Kansas Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222, or visit aapcc.org.


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