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THURSDAY • MARCH 31 • 2011
Ex-tickets manager gets 37 months in prison By Mark Fagan mfagan@ljworld.com
WICHITA — A former manager of the KU ticket office is headed to prison for her role in a $2 million ticket scheme that illegally funneled thousands of tickets for Kansas University basketball
Liebsch
Rainy day
and football games to brokers and others. Kassie Liebsch, 28, was sentenced Wednesday to 37 months in prison, after having pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. U.S. District Judge Wesley Brown sentenced Liebsch in the
same courtroom where she and six of her former colleagues at Kansas Athletics Inc. have admitted their guilt in the scam, which a KU investigation determined had cost the department more than $3 million. Liebsch tearfully recounted how her participation began
with what she had considered to be a boss simply “being generous,” by giving her cash. Then it quickly turned into another payment, and another, and another. For five years. “I never rejected the money,” Liebsch told Brown, reading from prepared notes and inter-
County drops 4 spots in health rankings
Low: 39
High: 56
Today’s forecast, page 8A
INSIDE
rupted only by her own tears and occasional reassurances from the judge to take her time. “I kept taking the money. I am embarrassed and disappointed in myself that I gave in so easily. … “I apologize to the university, Please see TICKETS, page 2A
Google Fiber a coup for K.C. By Melissa Treolo mtreolo@theworldco.info
Warmth could have spiders crawling north A Kansas University graduate student’s research is predicting that poisonous brown recluse spiders may inch their way to northern states because of warmer weather in the future. Page 3A TRACK AND FIELD
FSHS boys team takes 1st at meet The Free State High boys finished just eight points ahead of Lawrence High at Tuesday’s Lawrence Triangular at LHS, which was the first meet at its new stadium. Page 1B
“
QUOTABLE
We have to do this and show the public that we can govern.” — Gov. Sam Brownback, who on Wednesday urged House Republicans to pass a state budget. On Tuesday, the Senate approved a $14 billion spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1. Page 5A
COMING FRIDAY We'll give you details from The Big Event — an opportunity today for KU students to say "thanks" to the Lawrence community.
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Mike Yoder/Journal-World Photo
ADAM BRAUN, LEFT, AND KELLY JOHN CLARK, both of Lawrence, exercise Wednesday at the Community Building, 115 W. 11th St.
Douglas now 8th, while Riley 1st By Karrey Britt kbritt@ljworld.com
Douglas County is the eighth healthiest county in Kansas, dropping four spots from last year. The healthiest: 1. Riley 2. Johnson 3. Mitchell 4. Coffey 5. Ellis 6. Kingman 7. Pottawatomie The five least healthy are Cherokee, Montgomery, Wyandotte, Bourbon and Allen. The report “County Health Rankings: Mobilizing Action Toward Community Health” was released
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late Tuesday. It was done by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. This is the second year for the report, which ranks the overall health of the counties in all 50 states by using a standard formula. Here’s how Douglas County ranked in the specific health measures: ● No. 5 for mortality. It looks at years of potential life lost. In 2010: No. 3. ● No. 35 for morbidity. It is based on quality of life and birth outcomes. In 2010: No. 36.
● No. 8 for health behaviors. This includes smoking, diet, exercise, alcohol use and risky sex behavior. In 2010: No. 4. ● No. 35 for clinical care. This includes access to care and quality of care. In 2010: No. 20. ● No. 12 for social and economic factors. This includes education, employment, income, family and social support, and community safety. In 2010: No. 14. ● No. 88 for physical environment. This includes measures of environmental quality and the built environment. In 2010: No. 4. Some of the criteria
changed this year. For example, researchers looked at access to recreation centers instead of liquor store density, which is mainly why the county plummeted in physical environment. But, the measure is only 10 percent of the overall score. Dan Partridge, director of the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department, said the value of this report is that it generates conversation and provides an incentive for change. “Riley County is healthier than us? That should matter,” he said. — Health reporter Karrey Britt can be reached at 832-7190.
CITY COMMISSION ELECTION
Candidates spar over special taxing districts idea,” Schumm said of the taxing districts. “They think it is just the most unfair tax ever.” “Sneaky taxes” are quickly becomSchumm was joined by candidate ing the steamy issue in the race for the Sven Alstrom who said the special taxLawrence City Commission. ing districts were unnecessary in a The five City Commission candi- community of Lawrence’s size. dates Wednesday clashed But a trio of candidates — over the idea of how and Hugh Carter, Mike Dever and when special taxing districts Mike Machell — said they were should be used as an incenopen to the idea of the special tive for new retail developtaxing districts, although they ment in the city. would want to use them judiAt a forum hosted by ciously. Downtown Lawrence Inc., Machell, however, went furCITY candidate Bob Schumm COMMISSION ther and questioned whether again spoke out against the opposition to the special taxing idea of special taxing districts — par- districts would add to urban sprawl in ticularly Community Improvement Lawrence. He said the special taxing Districts that allow retailers to take districts could help make redevelopthe proceeds from a special tax and ment projects more feasible. Without use it for private improvements. the districts, new development will be Schumm has been highlighting the more likely to occur along the edges of issue often and recently sent a mass the community, he said. mailing to voters suggesting the city Machell also made sure to point out was too lax on “sneaky taxes.” that Schumm — the owner of Buffalo “The people absolutely hate this Bob’s Smokehouse and Dynamite
By Chad Lawhorn
clawhorn@ljworld.com
Saloon — previously had received a direct city subsidy to complete a private building improvement. The city previously had a program that helped pay for the installation of fire-sprinkler systems in downtown buildings. The program was shortlived and only a few businesses ended up receiving any assistance. Schumm’s property was one of them. “The money for that came out of the taxpayers’ pockets,” Machell said. The comment came at the end of the candidate forum, and Schumm wasn’t given a specif ic opportunity to respond. But after the forum he said the sprinkler grant program served a good public purpose of trying to prevent a major downtown fire. “There is a safety issue, and what we really wanted to avoid was a Fort Scottstyle annihilation of a major portion of downtown. That would have been devastating for the community.” The election is April 5. Voters will choose three commissioners for the five-member board.
KANSAS CITY , K AN . — With the lightning quickness of an ultrahigh speed Internet connection, Gov. Sam Brownback welcomed Google Fiber to Kansas City, Kan., on Wednesday. “As governor of this state, I’m declaring today Google Day in Kansas!” Brownback exclaimed to a packed auditorium at Wyandotte County High School, which was filled with people showing uninhibited pride in the fact that Kansas City, Kan., has been named the first community chosen for Google’s “Fiber for Communities” program. Google’s announcement means that by 2012, residents, businesses and governmental agencies throughout Kansas City, Kan., will have access to ultra-high speed Internet to the tune of 1,000 megabits, 100 times faster than those elsewhere. The news capped Google’s yearlong, high-stakes, high-profile, national competition to find a community in which to pilot its ultra high-speed fiber network. Milo Medin, Google’s vice president for access services, said he expected Google Fiber to be to the broadband of today what broadband was 15 years ago to dial-up. “Over the Pichette past decade, the jump from dial-up to broadband has led to streaming online video, digital music sales, video conferencing over the web and countless other innovations that have transformed communication and commerce,” Medin said. Joining Brownback and Medin at the noon news conference announcing Kansas City’s selection were Patrick Pichette, Google’s chief financial officer, Joe Reardon, mayor and CEO of the Unif ied Government of Kansas City, Kan., and Wyandotte County, and Cindy Lane, superintendent of Kansas City, Kan., public schools. Pichette, who is spearheading the Google Fiber project, said more than 1,100 communities had vied for a chance to be selected for the project. Topeka, Kansas’ capital city, renamed itself “Google, Kan.,” for a day to draw attention to its bid. Ultimately, Kansas City, Kan., was chosen after what Pichette called “incredible, careful evaluation.” Medin said when searching for a pilot city in which to begin the project, organizers looked for three elements: ● A city that would already have the infrastructure in place to allow Google to build “quickly and efficiently.” ● A city that would allow Google to leverage the new service so it would have a lasting impact. ● “We want to be able to develop strong relationships and partnerships with local government and the community so that we can work together to use techPlease see GOOGLE, page 2A