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Steps taken to limit artificial grass
Add ‘co-author with Glenn Beck’ to his résumé
By Chad Lawhorn clawhorn@ljworld.com
A red flag soon may be raised on artificial grass that stays green all year long. Lawrence city commissioners at their meeting Tuesday directed staff members to come up with code language that makes it clear the use of artificial turf at commercial and multifamily projects could happen CITY on only a very COMMISSION limited basis and in small amounts when natural grass was unlikely to perform well. “It is still a question of real versus fake,” said City Commissioner Hugh Carter. “That’s what it comes down to.” The question came before city commissioners after a development group led
Nick Krug/Journal-World Photo
LAWRENCE RESIDENT AND RECENT KANSAS UNIVERSITY GRADUATE JOSH CHARLES, is pictured with his book, “The Original Argument: The Federalists’ Case for the Constitution,” which he co-authored with national political pundit Glenn Beck. Charles explained that the book is a modern “translation” of the Federalist Papers, which were written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay.
By Chad Lawhorn clawhorn@ljworld.com
ONLINE: See the video at LJWorld.com
Last winter, what 23-year-old Kansas University School of Music graduate Joshua Charles held in his hands was a bundle of papers nicely bound by Lawrence’s Copy Co. By the summer, it was a New York Times Best Seller. Many may be unaware that Lawrence is home to the author of one of the hot new political books of the year. Perhaps even more surprising: Its brand of politics isn’t what Lawrence is known for. On the front cover of “The Original Argument,” you’ll see the name Glenn Beck in bold letters that proclaim his reputa-
Photo by Gage Skidmore
Young KU graduate finds himself sharing byline with famous pundit tion as the biggest of names in the world of conservative commentators. But turn to the inside cover and you’ll see the book was co-authored by Glenn Beck Charles, Lawrence resident and once aspiring concert pianist. “It has been a roller-coaster ride,” Charles said. It has been a ride that started innocently enough with a college pastime: a little TV watching. In March 2010, Charles was watching Glenn Beck’s program, when the host said somebody should rewrite the Federalist Papers, the iconic essays of the Founding Fathers, in a more modern language
that would be more understandable. Funny you should mention that, Glenn. Charles had started on that very project a few months earlier. “I had been working on that project and really had become very doubtful about whether I should continue,” Charles said recently. “It is a lot of work to rewrite those documents. But then, when I heard Glenn say that on his show, I thought I might actually be on to something.” Maybe. Charles was intent on finding out. He saved up his money during the school’s semester so that he would not have to find a summer job. Instead, he undertook a month and a half of nearly nonstop writing to recraft the 85 essays that make up the Federalist Papers.
Then he sent them off to Beck. And he received word back of … nothing. “I tried for months to get it in his hands,” Charles said. “I sent the manuscript. I tried to call into the radio show, but I basically had given up ever getting it into his hands. By September or October, I just didn’t think it was in the cards anymore.” But none of it stopped Charles from watching Beck’s show. On one show, Beck was talking about a small town in Ohio that had been ravaged by the economic recession. But community members and volunteers were coming together there to try to make a difference. Charles and fellow Lawrence resident and KU student Chandler Schmidt decided to go there over holiday break.
Please see GRASS, page 2A
Tax break sought for Masonic Temple building By Chad Lawhorn clawhorn@ljworld.com
Please see AUTHOR, page 2A
Brownback administration to unveil tax overhaul By Scott Rothschild srothschild@ljworld.com
TOPEKA — Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration is close to unveiling a proposal to reduce state income taxes, officials said Tuesday. Working behind the scenes with a group of businessmen and economists, Kansas Department of Revenue Secretary Nick Jordan said the proposal is exciting and will cause other states to say, “Wow.” Jordan didn’t release any details but said it would reduce incomes taxes paid by
small businesses and individual taxpayers. He said the proposal would not be a copy of tax policy in Texas or Brownback Florida but is designed to help the Kansas economy grow and become more competitive. Brownback said he wants an aggressive and responsible restructuring of state tax policy. “Get the rates down,
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Today’s forecast, page 8A
proposed tax structure. Officials indicated the plan would be made public before the council’s next meeting Nov. 14. Brownback said the state has not been growing “like we need to.” But improving the state economy during tough fiscal times will be a tall order, officials said. Art Hall, director of the Center for Applied Economics at Kansas University’s School of Business, said that even though the country is not in recession, “We’re in for a long period of slow growth, if not negative growth.”
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broaden the base,” he said. The comments came as Brownback presided over the first meeting of his appointed Council of Economic Advisors. Jan Lyons of Manhattan, who is with the National Cattleman’s Beef Association, said she was concerned that a reduction in income taxes would result in an increase in property taxes. “I’m hoping we are looking at long-term impacts,” she said. Jordan said state budget requirements and any impact on property taxes were being considered when forming the
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And Brownback’s budget director, Steve Anderson, said that although state revenues are currently outpacing estimates, there will be fiscal constraints because much of the state budget depends on federal funding. “As that shrinks, that puts us at tremendous risk,” he said. Brownback created the 20-member Council of Economic Advisors by executive order. He said the group will provide input on improving the economy. — Statehouse reporter Scott Rothschild can be reached at 785-423-0668.
A city advisory board is recommending that local governments provide a host of financial incentives to help a local development group remodel the long-vacant Masonic Temple building in downtown Lawrence. The city’s Public Incentives Review Committee agreed to recommend that a development group led by Lawrence businessman Doug Compton receives a 10-year property tax rebate and also receives about $48,000 in city assistance with the installation of a fire sprinkler system and a handicappedaccessible ramp. The development group is proposing to remodel the nearly 17,000-square-foot building, which was built Please see INCENTIVES, page 2A
COMING THURSDAY We’ll let you know whether Douglas County commissioners want to pony up $100,000 for Theatre Lawrence.
Vol.153/No.257 26 pages
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