Lawrence Journal-World 01-29-11

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L A W R E N C E

JOURNAL-WORLD

®

75 CENTS

LJWorld.com

SATURDAY • JANUARY 29 • 2011

Critics blast plan to cut state workers’ pay By Scott Rothschild srothschild@ljworld.com

TOPEKA — Democratic leaders in the Legislature on Friday criticized a House Republican plan that could cut state workers’ pay by 7.5 percent, saying the proposal is indicative of several GOP ini-

Davis

Happy Kansas Day!

High: 40

tiatives that would hurt low- and middle-income Kansans. “There is a strong desire among the extreme right wing of the Republican Party to get their pound of flesh from university and state employees,” said House Democratic Leader Paul Davis of Lawrence.

Earlier this week, Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee pushed through a budget proposal that would cut state wages and salaries by 7.5 percent. In order to avoid a federal penalty, the proposed cuts for university employee wages

would be funneled back into maintenance and repairs of campus buildings. The author of the proposal, Rep. Pete DeGraaf, R-Mulvane, said the pay cuts were needed to bridge an estimated $550 million revenue shortfall in the next fiscal year.

The ultimate rivalry on state’s 150th birthday

Low: 20

Today’s forecast, page 14A

INSIDE

“Certainly this is painful, but we’ve got people in Wichita, my constituents, some of which have lost their jobs and been out of work now for over two years, some companies have lost 50 to 60 percent of their personnel,” Please see CRITICS, page 6A

6th plea entered in ticket scam ——

Former consultant is latest to admit guilt in conspiracy case By Mark Fagan mfagan@ljworld.com

Veritas, Seabury split basketball showdown Bishop Seabury freshman Khadre Lane scored 15 points and helped the Seahawks beat Veritas 56-28. The Veritas girls were more successful and cruised to a 40-18 blowout victory against Seabury in their game. Page 1B

QUOTABLE

It was a dream of mine to be able to play at Kansas, but to be considered one of the all-time greats? … That’s one of the things that makes this so special: to a have a true Kansas guy up there.” — Wayne Simien, a former Kansas University basketball player whose No. 23 jersey will be hoisted to the top of the south wall at Allen Fieldhouse during halftime of today’s Kansas-Kansas State men’s game. Page 2A

COMING SUNDAY We look at late fees that 30 percent of city utility customers are paying — and why.

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INDEX Business Classified Comics Deaths Events listings Faith Horoscope Movies Opinion Poll Puzzles Sports Television Vol.153/No.29

9A 9B-12B 13A 2A 14A, 2B 11A 13B 6A 12A 2A 13B 1B-6B, 14B 5A, 2B, 13B 32 pages

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

Nick Krug/Journal-World Photos

PRE-KINDERGARTEN STUDENT MIKEY GREGORIO belts out the lyrics to “I’m a Little Jayhawk” as he and other students in Jill Anderson’s class make their rounds performing various Kansas University and Kansas State University songs and chants for other classes Friday at Kennedy School, 1605 Davis Road. As a fun exercise while learning about the state of Kansas, the students assembled Jayhawks made of construction paper and cut out Wildcat masks to add to the excitement leading up to today’s game at Allen Fieldhouse. See more in Sports, page 1B. And see the video at LJWorld.com.

Kids learn some colorful history as Jayhawks, ’Cats face off on Kansas Day

K

By Mark Fagan mfagan@ljworld.com

ids in Lawrence learn the importance of the Kansas University-Kansas State rivalry early on. Try age 4. “They all know what a Jayhawk is,” said Jill Anderson, a K-State grad who teaches 16 preschoolers at Kennedy School. “When you’re born in Kansas, you’re a Jayhawker — no matter what.” This week, Anderson’s students have been learning all about their place in the world, and the preponderance of both crimson and blue — and splashes of purple — during this most significant of milestones.

As most any elementary or secondary student in Lawrence and elsewhere in Kansas may recall, today is Kansas Day, marking the territory’s entry into the union as a free state. And just as they do every year, students often f ind themselves spending time in class baking bread, making cakes, singing “Home on the Range” and committing to memory all sorts of knowledge regarding Kansas history, features and trivia. But even with all that, this year’s state birthday is especially significant for two reasons: Please see KIDS, page 2A ● More on Kansas Day. Page 3A

PRE-KINDERGARTEN student Erwin Mora peeks out from underneath his Wildcat mask Friday at Kennedy School.

JAYHAWKS ASSEMBLED from construction paper hang from the ceiling of Jill Anderson’s classroom at Kennedy School.

A quick look at the intrastate rivalry and GameDay at fieldhouse ● All-time KU record against K-State: 180-90 ● KU record against K-

Kansas City, Mo., for the Final Four and a national championship. ● KU record at Allen Fieldhouse: 40-18

State on Kansas Day: 3-1 (KU won 36-32 in 1915, 68-43 in 1946 and 78-69 in 1991; and lost 58-57 in 1983.)

● KU record at Bramlage Coliseum: 21-1

● Biggest KU win: 71-58 in 1988, in a regional final of the NCAA Tournament, sending the Jayhawks to

● Fieldhouse featured on ESPN GameDay: Fieldhouse gates open at 7 a.m. for fans looking to

attend ESPN College GameDay in person. The show will be on from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on ESPNU, then from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on ESPN. The show also will be on from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., leading up to the 6 p.m. tip of KU-K-State. One fan from the morning session, which is free and open to the public, will get a chance to shoot a

half-court shot. A made shot wins $18,000; a miss is worth $1,000. State Farm, as GameDay sponsor, pledges to contribute $1 for each fan attending the morning session to Hawk Zone, an organization from Student Union Activities that works to boost student involvement in campus athletics.

W I C H I T A — Tom Blubaugh pleaded guilty Friday to his role in a scam to steal tickets and share in more than $2 million of illegal proceeds generated by selling KU basketball and football tickets through brokers and others. The admission of guilt came in the same courtroom and a day after his wife and former boss of the KU ticket office, Charlette Blubaugh, likewise pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The Blubaughs each face up to 20 years in prison, fines of up to $250,000 and are on the hook for a monetary judgment of $2 million — a total ordered to be paid by convicted coStill awaiting conspirators. U.S. District trial is Ben Judge Wesley Kirtland, former Brown accept- associate ed Tom athletics Blubaugh’s plea and scheduled director for sentencing for development. 10:30 a.m. April 14, the second Blubaugh sentencing set for that day. Tom Blubaugh, who walks with a cane, accepted Brown’s offer to sit during much of Friday’s hearing. And while he struggled at times to hear some of the judge’s questions, he made it clear that he understood the situation. “Are you telling me that you’re guilty?” Brown said. “Yes, sir,” Tom Blubaugh said, affirming his plea through a series of similar responses. “Guilty, your honor.” Tom Blubaugh is the sixth person to plead guilty in the tickets scam and the fourth to admit to Please see EX-CONSULTANT, page 6A

White swan FOUR TRUMPETER SWANS enjoy the warm weather east of Lawrence on Friday. The trumpeter is among the largest of native North American birds and is the largest waterfowl. Richard Gwin/Journal-World Photo

Jeff Tuttle/AP photo

FORMER KANSAS ATHLETICS consultant Thomas Ray Blubaugh, left, and his attorney, Steve Robison, arrive at the U.S. Federal Courthouse, Friday in Wichita.


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