Lawrence Journal-World 04-23-11

Page 1

L A W R E N C E

JOURNAL-WORLD

®

75 CENTS

SATURDAY • APRIL 23 • 2011

Nice

High: 64

Low: 45

Today’s forecast, page 12A

4 die in plane crash

INSIDE

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Senior pole vaulter Jordan Scott won Friday’s competition at the Kansas Relays, standing out not only for his results but also for his colorful look. Another coach said Scott has a chance to be “the guy” in the next wave of U.S. pole vaulters. Page 1B

To get on ballot, presidential candidates would have to prove place of birth

STATE

Former KBA leader already has new job

QUOTABLE

The building itself is so welcoming, and the history makes it a sacred place. It was a safe space for students to be.” — Thad Holcombe, campus minister for Ecumenical Christian Ministries, which needs to raise $23,000 in the next month to complete its capital campaign. The building, which was built in the 1960s, recently earned a spot on both the national and state registers of historic places and is in the process of being upgraded. Page 6A

COMING SUNDAY A Lawrence man tells about being chosen to be on the flight crew for Shepherd I, the airplane that carried Pope John Paul II on his first trip to the United States.

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INDEX Business Classified Comics Deaths Events listings Faith Forum Horoscope Movies Opinion Poll Puzzles Sports Television Vol.153/No.113

6A 7B-12B 11A 2A 12A, 2B 6B 11B 5A 9A 2A 11B 1B-4B 5A, 2B, 11B 24 pages

By Scott Rothschild srothschild@ljworld.com Richard Gwin/Journal-World Photos

KANSAS HIGHWAY PATROL TROOPERS along with Jefferson County Law Enforcement personnel work the scene of an airplane crash northeast of Topeka. Four people died in the accident, wreckage from which is pictured BELOW. The Kansas Highway Patrol identified the four crash victims, a family from Scott City, as Richard D. Spencer, 35; Amy Spencer, 34; Chase Spencer, 7; and Ansley Spencer, 5.

2 adults, 2 children killed when aircraft goes down near Topeka Staff Report ONLINE: See the video at LJWorld.com

A twin-engine plane crashed Friday afternoon and killed a Scott City couple and their two daughters in a semi-rural area of Jefferson County, about three miles northeast of Topeka. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, all four people on board were killed in the accident, which was near the intersection of Kansas Highway 4 and 46th Street, southwest of Meriden. FAA spokesman Tony Molinaro said the Beechcraft Baron 58, tail number N580EA, crashed in a field. Flight logs show the six-seat plane took off from the Scott City Municipal Airport at 10:45 a.m. and lost altitude at 12:14 p.m. The plane was bound for Philip Billard Municipal Airport in Topeka and is registered to Precision Ag and Seed Services out of Scott City. Kansas Highway Patrol identified the four crash victims as Richard D.

Spencer, 35; Amy Spencer, 34; Chase Spencer, 7; and Ansley Spencer, 5. Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Herrig said investigators believed the family was headed to the Topeka area to visit friends for Easter weekend. Peter Knudson, a spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board, said the pilot,

Richard Spencer, was practicing an approach in IFR conditions and practiced a missed approach — a common training practice for pilots when they almost land but pull up at the last second. IFR — instrument flight rules — conditions mean the pilot is using instruments to fly the plane and visibility is not good.

Downtown Relays events deemed huge success that city, KU hope to repeat By Chad Lawhorn clawhorn@ljworld.com

ONLINE: See a time-lapse video of city crews constructing the shot put site at LJWorld.com Energy smart: The Journal-World makes the most of renewable resources. www.b-e-f.org

Hawaii officials have certified that President Obama was born there, but some persist in the belief that he is not a citizen. Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback has said that Obama is a U.S. citizen.

House bill would require proof of citizenship

KU pole vaulter has eyes on Olympics

Tom Thornton, who resigned last week under fire as leader of the Kansas Bioscience Authority, has been named general manager of alliances at the famed Cleveland Clinic. Page 3A

LJWorld.com

Increased sales and no broken windows. All in all, people involved with this week’s experiment to host a portion of the Kansas Relays in downtown Lawrence said the events exceeded their expectations. “It looks like our Wednesday sales got a boost of 30 to 40 percent,” Tom Wilson, owner of Teller’s, said of the night worldclass shot putters competed just

Knudson said the plane was circling the airport after the missed approach when it crashed, and he said there was no distress call made. Sue Pater, who lives near the crash site, said she was watching TV in her living room when the plane crashed, about a half mile Please see CRASH, page 2A

T O P E K A — A bill pending before the Kansas Legislature would require that President Barack Obama and other candidates prove their U.S. citizenship before their names could appear on the ballot. The measure may be dead for this session but could emerge as an issue next year as the 2012 political campaign season gets under way. House Elections Committee Chairman Scott Schwab, R-Olathe, said Friday the bill may get a hear- The bill was ing in the next introduced by legislative ses- state Rep. sion. Connie O’Brien, “We can have R-Tonganoxie, the debate and discuss it. I who caused an don’t think uproar earlier there is any this year for a harm in that,” remark about a Schwab said. woman’s “olive House Bill 2224 was intro- complexion.”

duced earlier this year by state Rep. Connie O’Brien, R-Tonganoxie. It would require any candidate for national or state office to prove U.S. citizenship with a certified copy of a birth certif icate, driver’s license or other governmentissued identification. “I proposed this bill because it is needed to protect our election and because it just makes common sense,” O’Brien said. “Noncitizens are not legally allowed to vote and they surely shouldn’t be Please see CITIZENSHIP, page 2A ● ‘Birther’ claims force GOP

leaders to take stand. Page 7A

‘Giant hot dog’ hits the road

around the corner from his restaurant. “And they didn’t break any of my windows. That was my biggest concern.” Organizers estimated the crowd for Wednesday’s shot put competition at Eighth and New Hampshire streets at 2,500 people. A long jump event on Thursday, which was hampered by rain, attracted about 500. “We’re very pleased,” said Jim Marchiony, associate athletic Kevin Anderson/Journal-World Photo director for Kansas University. “I think we will be very interest- THE LAST OF THE FARMLAND INDUSTRIES STORAGE TANKS was pulled out of ed in talking to the city about Lawrence on Friday, slowing traffic on Kansas Highway 10 right after the morning commute. The tank will journey for the next five weeks to its final resting place at a refinery doing it again.” in California. City Manager David Corliss had dubbed it the “giant hot dog” because of Please see RELAYS, page 2A its shape. The city is receiving $10,000 for the tank.


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