Lawrence Journal-World 04-13-11

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WEDNESDAY • APRIL 13 • 2011

Progress from the air Liebsch

Jones

Blubaugh

Ticket-scam felons await designation of prison sites By Mark Fagan mfagan@ljworld.com

John English/Special to the Journal-World

AN EARLY FLIGHT TUESDAY MORNING highlights construction of a new bridge at the east edge of the Lawrence Turnpike service area.

Service area construction coming along By Brenna Hawley bhawley@ljworld.com

Traffic on the Kansas Turnpike is down to one lane at the service center east of Lawrence. The Kansas Turnpike Authority is working to replace a section of 1950s concrete road between mile markers 208 and 211 . The Lawrence Service Area will

remain open during the construction. Rex Fleming, engineer and project manager for KTA, said the project, which started last spring, should be finished by November. Crews have pulverized the concrete and graded the road, and they will soon bring in the crushed pavement to lay a base. “Within a few weeks we’ll start laying asphalt,” he said.

“We still have the other side to go.” The project includes rebuilding bridges that crossed the service station onand off-ramps. Crews are extending the ramps for safer entry and exit, and the bridges were not tall enough for cars to drive under. Fleming said they would be moving traffic from lane to lane to keep the service station open.

The KTA is also completing construction on exit 204 in Lawrence. At 7 a.m. Thursday, traffic exiting westbound will be switched to the new, permanent ramp. It’s hoped, Fleming said, that traffic heading west onto the turnpike will be switched to a new ramp Monday morning.

Kassie Liebsch wants to be near her parents in Wisconsin. Rodney Jones would prefer to spend the next few years in nearby Leavenworth. Thomas Blubaugh hasn’t indicated a preference. Just where the three co-conspirators in the KU tickets scandal will be incarcerated depends on the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. Two others are still awaiting sentencing. “Often the defense attorney or the inmate will ask for a specific designation for whatever reason,” said Chris Burke, a spokesman for the bureau in Washington, D.C. “It is just a recommendation. We try to comply with those whenever we can, but we can’t always do it.” Absent appeals, Liebsch, Jones and Blubaugh each will be responsible for surrendering — whether that’s to the bureau, to the U.S. Marshal’s Service or perhaps even to a specific institution — at an as-yet-unannounced time and date. Please see FELONS, page 2A

— Reporter Brenna Hawley can be reached at 832-7217.

Schumm

VICKERS LECTURE

Dever

Carter

Kobach defends stance on illegal immigration Commissioners Hundreds gather in protest outside Lied Center

By Joe Preiner jpreiner@ljworld.com

Hundreds of Kris Kobach critics waited outside the Lied Center on Kansas University’s West Campus on Tuesday evening to let him know what they thought of his work with anti-immigration legislation. Kobach, Kansas Secretary of State, lectured as part of the J.A. Vickers Sr. and Robert F. Vickers Sr. Memorial Lecture Series. Kobach is known nationally for his work in helping to draft the Arizona anti-immigration policy, which has been called the most broad and strict policy at the state level. Since taking office in January, he has focused on introducing similar legislation in Kansas focused on immigration policy and voter fraud. His lecture Tuesday was titled, “State and Local Laws Discouraging Illegal Immigration: Their Economic and Security Impact.” Bill Dymacek was among the members of the outdoor crowd, many of whom held signs in protest of the Kansas Secretary of State. “This immigration thing is just the smoke screen in my opinion,”

Dymacek said. “I’d have more respect for him if he’d be honest about it and just say this is a chance to get fewer minorities to vote because they tend to vote more Democratic and it’s more votes for Republicans.” While the crowd engaged in chants such as “No hate in my state,” “Educate don’t discriminate” and “No one is illegal,” the participants remained peaceful. Members of the Lawrence Action Network for Diversity were trying to educate those attending the lecture on the bigger picture. “We’re well overdue for a big policy change,” group member Tanya Golash-Boza said. “What’s happened is states have taken it up, which is not a good idea. We certainly don’t want to waste money on something the federal government needs to take a stand on and figure out a way to legalize.” Inside the Lied Center, there was Mike Yoder/Journal-World Photo much more support for Kobach’s ideas and proposed legislation. KANSAS SECRETARY OF STATE KRIS KOBACH SPEAKS Kobach talked about the actions he Tuesday about the economic and security impact of illegal believes states should be taking on immigration during the Kansas University School of Business’ J.A. Vickers Sr. and Robert F. Vickers Sr. Please see KOBACH, page 2A Memorial Lecture Series at the Lied Center.

INSIDE

Partly sunny

High: 76

Low: 50

Today’s forecast, page 10A

Business Classified Comics Deaths Events listings

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upbeat about city’s future

By Chad Lawhorn clawhorn@ljworld.com

ONLINE: See video of the State of the City address at LJWorld.com

It largely was cheers, congratulations and chair changing at Lawrence City Hall on Tuesday as two new faces joined the com- Cromwell mission and outgoing Mayor Mike Amyx delivered the annual State of the City address. “The state of our city is extremely sound,” Amyx said. Amyx highlighted the city’s efforts to take over ownership of the former Farmland Industries property and convert it into a new business and industrial Amyx park. He also said the city’s work to support the new bioscience and technology incubator on Kansas University’s West Campus was another sign that Please see CITY, page 2A

COMING THURSDAY We'll be at a talk by a senior adviser to Barack Obama in his 2008 presidential campaign.

Vol.153/No.103 28 pages

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


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