Lawrence Journal-World 07-30-11

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L A W R E N C E

JOURNAL-WORLD

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LJWorld.com

SATURDAY • JULY 30 • 2011

Local officials dedicated to saving Lawrence SRS By Mark Fagan and Scott Rothschild mfagan@ljworld.com; srothschild@ljworld.com

Davis

Weinaug

Talks are under way to save the Lawrence off ice of the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, officials said Friday. Douglas County commissioners

met in closed session to gather information aimed at keeping the office in operation. And a meeting is scheduled next week between House Minority Leader Paul Davis, D-Lawrence, and Gov. Sam Brownback. “I’m encouraged that SRS and the governor’s office are at least willing

to talk with us,” Davis said. Brownback and SRS Secretary Robert Siedlecki Jr. have proposed closing nine SRS offices, including the one in Lawrence, to save $1 million in administrative costs. Douglas County commissioners met with Administrator Craig Weinaug and Chris Berger, assis-

tant county counselor, for 80 minutes Friday afternoon, during an executive session at the Douglas County Courthouse called to discuss matters deemed privileged through their attorney-client relationship. Please see SRS, page 2A

Debt on arrival: Senate quickly rejects House-passed legislation

A rundown of road woes

By David Espo Associated Press Writer

Nick Krug/Journal-World Photo

JACK PAGE, RIGHT, OF WILDCAT CONCRETE SERVICES takes a break to wipe sweat from his face as he and others chip away bad concrete from the outside southbound lane of the Kansas River Bridge as resurfacing of the bridge continued on Thursday. The bridge work is one of various construction projects that have complicated getting around town this summer.

It’s ‘part of life,’ but some projects will soon be over By Mark Fagan mfagan@ljworld.com

Your car’s idling, you’re sweating, and your destination is waiting. But there’s no sense complaining about the road work that’s putting the brakes on your daily travel at seemingly every turn, according to a guy who feels your pain. “It’s in every town, all summer long,” said Brad Minnick, a salesman from Lawrence who visits hundreds of communities, large and small, throughout

northeast Kansas and runs into barricades, orange cones and flag-wielding construction workers at each stop. “It’s just part of life. If you’re not able to deal with it, my own personal opinion is you might need to get some help yourself.” But before you book an appointment with an anger-management therapist, take a deep breath and check out this list of projects that are among the most disruptive in and around Lawrence. The soothing message: There’s a light at the end of the tunnel — or,

better yet, a fresh and smooth road surface at the end of each project. A rundown: ● Sixth Street, from Missouri to Tennessee streets, down to one lane each way for repaving and addition of a right-turn lane at Maine Street, with scheduled completion Aug. 8. After that, the stretch from Missouri to Iowa streets will be down to one lane in each direction for repaving and addition of a right-turn lane at Michigan Street, expected to be finished in midSeptember. ● Sixth Street, from Monterey Way Please see ROAD, page 2A

WASHINGTON — In an unforgiving display of partisanship, the Republican-controlled House approved emergency legislation Friday night to avoid an unprecedented government default and Senate Democrats scuttled it less than two hours later in hopes of a better deal. “We are almost out of time” for a compromise, warned President Barack Obama as U.S. financial markets trembled at the prospect of economic chaos next week. The Dow Jones average fell for a sixth straight session. Lawmakers in both parties said they were determined to avoid a default, yet there was little evidence of progress — or even significant negotiations — on a compromise during a long day of intense political maneuvering. Boehner The House vote was 218-210, almost entirely along party lines, on a Republicandrafted bill to provide a quick $900 billion increase in U.S. borrowing authority — essential to allow the government to continue paying all its bills — along with $917 billion in cuts from federal spending. It had been rewritten hastily overnight to say that before any additional increase in the debt limit could take place, Congress must approve a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution and send it to the states for ratification. That marked a concession to tea party-backed conservatives and others in the rank and file who had thwarted House Speaker John Boehner’s attempt to pass the bill Please see DEBT, page 2A

HOW THEY VOTED How Kansas’ representatives in the U.S. House voted for the GOP bill aimed at preventing a government default (all are Republicans. A “yes” vote is a vote to pass the bill): Huelskamp, N; Jenkins, Y; Pompeo, Y; Yoder, Y. How Kansas’ senators voted on the House-passed bill (both are Republicans. A “yes” vote is a vote to reject the bill): Moran, No; Roberts, No.

City working to keep water treatment plant operating as repairs are made By Chad Lawhorn clawhorn@ljworld.com

You think you’re having a hard time keeping up with your watering chores? Crews with the city’s water department are struggling to keep one of Lawrence’s two water treatment plants operating as temperatures remain high and dry conditions persist. The city is undertaking at least

$200,000 worth of emergency repairs at the Kaw Water Treatment Plant near Third and Indiana streets. As previously reported, the aging plant had to be shut down in early June after a key pipe became clogged and the plant was unable to draw water from the Kansas River. On Friday, city officials acknowledged that the plant had to be shut down a second time — about two weeks ago — for the same reasons. “It is a significant problem, and

It is a significant problem, and we don’t know exactly what is causing it.” — Jeanette Klamm, a spokeswoman for the city’s utilities department we don’t know exactly what is causing it,” said Jeanette Klamm, a spokeswoman for the city’s utilities department.

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Today’s forecast, page 8A

The second shutdown did cause the city to ask some of its larger water users — Kansas University, golf courses and other major irrigators — to voluntarily reduce their water usage until the problem could be resolved. The plant was brought back online the next day, and normal water production resumed. Thus far, Klamm said, city officials do not think it is likely the problems at the plant will require residential customers to begin cur-

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tailing their water usage. “We don’t anticipate that right now,” Klamm said. “We’re not at that point.” But water department leaders are plenty concerned. “It is imperative that we figure out what is going on,” Klamm said. Sand may be the culprit that is clogging the plant’s main water intake from the Kaw. Klamm said Please see WATER, page 2A

COMING SUNDAY It’s the last thing a Lawrence couple ever thought would happen: possibly losing their home.

Vol.153/No.211 24 pages

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


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