KU EDGES PAST IOWA STATE, 84-79 L A W R E N C E
Sports 1B
JOURNAL-WORLD
®
75 CENTS
LJWorld.com
THURSDAY • JANUARY 13 • 2011
Pardon may reunite family
STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS
Brownback’s focus on economy Speech highlights On abortion: Further restrictions will be sought to promote “culture of life.”
——
On state government: Realignment promised to do away with eight state agencies.
Parkinson’s action clears man who’s been living in exile in Africa since 1970
On jobs Plan to create jobs would include eliminating corporate tax subsidies benefiting a few companies, but allowing Kansas businesses to deduct a higher percentage of the cost of investment. On taxes Wants to reset the tax code "particularly with an eye toward lowering income tax rates" and provide state income tax waivers to people from out-ofstate who relocate to rural areas of Kansas. On higher education Proposes a threeyear, $105 million initiative to grow economic sectors, such as cancer research, engineering, animal health and aviation. But the universities would have to come up with half of that funding by raising private funds or reallocating their current resources. On public schools Would increase state funding for public schools, but he didn't say by how much. On energy Supports building coal-burning electric power plant in southwest Kansas, but also said state needs more wind energy projects. On new federal health care law Pledged to fight it.
By Shaun Hittle sdhittle@ljworld.com
Richard Gwin/Journal-World Photo
KANSAS GOVERNOR SAM BROWNBACK EXITS THE STATEHOUSE AFTER GIVING HIS STATE OF THE STATE SPEECH on Wednesday in Topeka. Brownback said his first priority will be developing the state economy and a major part of that effort would come from tax cuts and investments in higher education. ONLINE: See a video and the transcript of the State of the State address, the transcript of the Democratic response to the speech, video of state representatives’ reactions and a photo gallery at LJWorld.com.
Education budget topic of debate in a funding cut to public education. Brownback, a Republican T O P E K A — Gov. Sam who took office Monday, Brownback on Wednesday also recommended further said that growrestrictions on ing the Kansas and GOP WISH LIST abortion, economy would vowed to make be his first prior- A document making the more state budgity and that tax rounds in Topeka et cuts. cuts and invest- indicates some freshmen On abortion, ments in higher Republicans in the House he said, “I call on education would are considering big the Legislature be a large part of changes to the state. See to bring to my story, page 5A. that effort. desk legislation But Democrathat protects the tic leaders dissected unborn, establishing a culBrownback’s State of the ture of life in Kansas.” State address and said his On state government, he budget plan, which will be Please see BROWNBACK, page 5A unveiled today, will result By Scott Rothschild
srothschild@ljworld.com
AG seeks to join health reform suit Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt on Wednesday requested permission to join a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the federal health care law. Schmidt, a Republican who was sworn into office Monday, has requested that the Florida attorney general’s office file a motion in federal court to allow Kansas to join more than 20 other states in the lawsuit. “This lawsuit is standing up for the rule of law and protecting the liberties guaranteed by our Constitution,” Schmidt said. “Our federal government is designed to be a government of limited enumerated powers, and
we do not believe it has the power to order citizens into Schmidt commerce so it can regulate their conduct under the Commerce Clause,” he said. The lawsuit challenges the new health reform law’s requirement that people have health insurance. It was filed in federal court in Florida. Supporters of the law say the insurance requirement is legal and necessary to ensure coverage and lower health care costs.
Jackie Johnson of Kansas City, Kan., hasn’t seen her father in 40 years. But with the stroke of a pen, former Gov. Mark Parkinson has opened up hope of a reunion. In one of his last official duties, Parkinson pardoned Johnson’s father, Frederick Umoja — who’s been living in exile in Africa since 1970. Umoja, along with John Manning — also pardoned Friday — were among a group of black defendants known as the Former Gov. Wichita 8. The Mark Parkinson eight were con- issued the victed by an all- pardon as one of white Sedgwick his last acts in County jury in 1969 of robbery office. charges. The Kansas University’s Project for Innocence and Post-Conviction Remedies assisted Johnson and Manning in obtaining the pardons. Four of the defendants, including Umoja and Manning, fled the country before sentencing. Umoja ended up in Liberia, where he’s spent the past four decades as a teacher, businessman and staff member for nonprofit organizations. Johnson was 4 years old when her father fled, and she said she hadn’t spoken to him since she was 8. “We didn’t know if he was dead or alive,” Johnson said. A May 2010 Journal-World article about the clemency petitions and Gov. Parkinson’s pardon of another member of the Please see PARDON, page 2A
A year after devastating earthquake, Haiti still touches local lives By Karrey Britt, Christine Metz and Andy Hyland kbritt@ljworld.com; cmetz@ljworld.com; ahyland@ljworld.com
ONLINE: See the video at LJWorld.com
Mike Yoder/Journal-World Photo
RACHELLE ESPERANCE, LAWRENCE, will always remember surviving the Haiti earthquake along with her 3-year-old son, Olivier. The two look over a photograph of Esperance’s father and Olivier’s grandfather, Gerard Esperance, who still lives in Haiti.
A survivor The sound of the house collapsing and images of dead bodies remain vivid for Rachelle Esperance, who survived the quake with her 3year-old son, Olivier. “It’s like a movie. I still
INSIDE
Brisk Classified Comics Deaths Dilbert
High: 26
On the one-year anniversary of the Haiti earthquake, a Lawrence resident and earthquake survivor fasted and prayed, a local nurse worked to gather medical supplies for a return visit, and a Kansas University student was in the country filming a documentary. A 7.0-magnitude earthquake buried much of the country’s capital, Port-auPrince, in rubble on Jan. 12,
2010. More than 230,000 people died, and another 810,000 were left homeless. A year later, recovery is slow as Haiti struggles with a cholera outbreak, political unrest and criticism on how aid money is being spent. While the earthquake’s tremors were far from Lawrence, its force continues to shape the lives of some Lawrence residents.
4B-8B 7A 2A 8A
Events listings Horoscope Movies Opinion
8A 7B 4A 6A
Poll Puzzles Sports Television
Low: 11
Today’s forecast, page 8A
Join us at Facebook.com/LJWorld and Twitter.com/LJWorld
2A 7B 1B-3B, 8B 5A, 2B, 7B
can’t believe that I was in that situation,” the 39year-old Lawrence resident said. Esperance and Karin Feltman is her son an LMH nurse were watch- who has been ing televi- involved in Haiti sion in a since the quake. secondfloor apartment in Port-au-Prince when the quake struck one year ago Wednesday. Esperance, a nursing student at Kansas City Kansas Community College,
returned to her native country a few weeks before to get her student visa renewed. She and Adam Buhler was her son sufworking as a KU fer postphotojournalist in traumatic Haiti at the time stress disorder. She of the quake. sometimes takes medication to get sleep, and Olivier (pronounced Oh-LIV-eyay) is frightened by strong winds and storms.
COMING FRIDAY A look at Gov. Sam Brownback’s budget recommendations, with reactions from local officials.
Please see HAITI, page 2A
Vol.153/No.13 16 pages
Energy smart: The Journal-World makes the most of renewable resources. www.b-e-f.org