Lawrence Journal-World 02-12-11

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Joy in Egypt as Mubarak resigns

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L A W R E N C E

JOURNAL-WORLD

®

75 CENTS

LJWorld.com

SATURDAY • FEBRUARY 12 • 2011

SPECIAL EDUCATION

Ticket scam forfeitures could flow to the IRS

Putting their hearts into it

Officials warn of ‘serious’ federal penalty ——

Lawmakers beseech governor to restore state funds to avoid loss of up to $26M

By Mark Fagan mfagan@ljworld.com

By Scott Rothschild srothschild@ljworld.com

Kevin Anderson/Journal-World Photos

TOPEKA — Kansas could lose from $21 million to $26 million a year from the federal government if the state doesn’t increase its share of special education funding, officials said Friday. Legislative Democratic leaders sent a letter to Gov. Sam Brownback, a Republican, asking him to push for restoration of those state funds to avoid the federal penalty. “This is real Hensley serious business,” said Senate Democratic Leader Anthony Hensley of Topeka. “We are going to sound the alarm for Gov. Brownback to show some leadership on this.” Later Friday, Brownback’s spokeswoman Sherriene JonesSontag issued a statement saying that the special education funding levels were determined by the previous Legislature. “If the legislative leaders who crafted the (current fiscal year) budget now believe it is inadequate, the governor is willing to work with

An age-old activity with a green twist Students in Diana Bailey’s fifthgrade class at Deerfield School used recycled materials to make their Valentine’s Day boxes. Everyone brought a used container from home

Friday to decorate their creations. Clockwise from top: Brayden KayeGoodack cuts out a heart; Caleb Schletzbaum peels stick-

ers; and, from left, Haley Wolcott, Molly Murray and Molly Howell apply glitter. See the video at LJWorld.com.

Three former employees of Kansas Athletics Inc. must pay up to $2 million for scamming to steal, sell and profit from the diversion of tickets to Kansas University football and basketball games, a federal judge has ruled. And the IRS could end up with some or all of the money. U.S. District Judge Wesley Brown ordered Thursday that the three — Charlette Blubaugh, former head of the KU ticket office; her husband, Tom Blubaugh, a former consultant to Kansas Athletics Inc.; and Rodney Jones, former assistant athletic director for the Williams Fund — each must C. Blubaugh pay the “monetary judgment” they’d already agreed not to contest as part of pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The pleas had come in connection with a tickets scam that prosecutors say ran from 2005 to 2010, involving the channeling of tickets through ticket brokers and others. A separate investigation T. Blubaugh conducted for Kansas University determined that more than 19,000 regular-season tickets had been diverted for personal gain. Brown’s orders mean that the Blubaughs and Jones are responsible for up to $2 million, a total calculated to cover all or a portion of illegal gains. The orders also permit the government to use property to satisfy all or part of Jones the monetary judgments. Brown’s orders do not include any mention of restitution, considered a separate issue and one typically addressed at sentencing.

Please see OFFICIALS, page 2A

Please see TICKET, page 2A

Fire destroys belongings, but not spirit, of family thanks to generosity of others By Mark Fagan mfagan@ljworld.com

ONLINE: See the video at LJWorld.com

Jason Dye faced a handgun at his head a few months ago, when robbed at work. Then he lost his next job, a week before Christmas, and his fiancee was in the hospital for a week with pneumonia. Now he’s picking through rubble after a fire Tuesday destroyed his fiancee’s trailer home, incinerating

all but a drawer filled with kids’ underwear and the contents of a jewelry box, including $39 cash given to his soon-to-be 11-year-old stepdaughter for her birthday. So why is this guy smiling? “Everyone’s OK,” he said after pulling out a scorched Fender Stratocaster guitar he’d had since age 16. The twang from a remaining string is far from melodic. “Everyone’s OK. And I’m telling everyone, ‘We’re all getting a fresh new Please see FIRE, page 2A

Low: 27

Today’s forecast, page 10A

BENEFIT FUND The Cordray/Travelbee Benefit Fund has been established at Douglas County Bank to collect donations for Jason Dye, Tracy Cordray and Cordray’s four children. Donations may be made at any Douglas County Bank location. Checks also may be made out to the fund and mailed to the bank at 300 W. Ninth St., Lawrence, KS 66044-0429.

Mike Yoder/Journal-World Photo

INSIDE

Bye bye, snow

High: 44

JASON DYE holds his burned guitar while his fiancee, Tracy Cordray, background, looks for salvageable items inside their trailer Thursday. Their home was destroyed Tuesday in a fire at Gaslight Village.

Business Classified Comics Deaths Events listings

8A 1C-4C 6C 2A 10A

Faith Horoscope Movies Opinion Puzzles

10B 5C 5A 9A 5C

Society Sports Television

Join us at Facebook.com/LJWorld and Twitter.com/LJWorld

9B-10B 1B-7B 5A, 5C

COMING SUNDAY We’ll be at a meeting of state lawmakers and get their take on how the legislative session is going.

Vol.153/No.43 30 pages

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


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