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Kansans warned to not eat Rocky Ford cantaloupes By Karrey Britt kbritt@ljworld.com
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is warning residents to not eat cantaloupes marketed as coming from the Rocky Ford region of Colorado because of potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium that can cause severe illness.
KDHE announced Thursday afternoon that it was collaborating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Kansas Department of Agriculture and health officials in other states to investigate a multistate outbreak of listeriosis associated with consumption of Rocky Ford cantaloupes. Kansas has had six cases of
Ford cantaloupe Sept. 14. According to KDHE, listeriosis primarily occurs among older adults, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and newborns. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, diarrhea and vomiting. People with these symptoms should consult a physician. Symptoms typically occur three to 70 days after exposure.
Lawrence among ‘25 Best Places to Retire’
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listeriosis reported since Aug. 26. None of these cases has been definitively linked to the outbreak, but investigations are under way, and additional laboratory testing is pending. Typically, Kansas reports fewer than six cases of listeriosis per year. There have
been seven cases this year, including the six cases under investigation. Lisa Horn, of the LawrenceDouglas County Health Department, said no cases have been reported in Douglas County. Rocky Ford cantaloupes were distributed in Kansas, including Lawrence. One farm, Jensen Farms of Holly, Colo., issued a voluntary recall of Rocky
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Today’s forecast, page 10A
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Rocky Ford cantaloupes should be disposed of in a closed plastic bag placed in a sealed trash can to prevent people or animals from eating them. For more information regarding this outbreak, visit the CDC’s outbreak page at www.cdc.gov. — Health reporter Karrey Britt can be reached at 832-7190.
Cancer center reaches $61M goal By Andy Hyland ahyland@ljworld.com
Meier to attend KU-Ga.Tech game Former Jayhawk and current Atlanta Falcon Kerry Meier will be on the sidelines Saturday to cheer on his former team against Georgia Tech. Page 1B HEALTH
Dr. Oz under fire for juice claims Television’s Dr. Mehmet Oz claimed Wednesday that many brands of apple juice were tainted with high levels of arsenic. On Thursday the Food and Drug Administration said its own tests show no such thing, even on one of the same juice batches Oz cited. Page 6A
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We should not forget people who are amongst us who are lost, too.” — Army veteran Gary Napier, who will speak today at a POW-MIA event at the Veterans of Foreign Wars post. Napier will also draw attention to the needs of veterans who have returned, many of whom suffer mental health disorders. Page 3A
COMING SATURDAY We’ll tell you about nearly 100 new citizens of the United States.
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LAWRENCE RESIDENT JANE GUNTHER, 60, who has retired from a human resources job at Kansas University, swims Thursday during an open workout session at the Indoor Aquatic Center. Lawrence has been ranked among the top 25 places in the country to retire by Money Magazine. The article noted Lawrence’s many positives for retirees, including the city’s $9 million aquatic center.
City No. 18 on magazine’s list; art, downtown, recreation cited
By Mark Fagan mfagan@ljworld.com
Lawrence is among the 25 best places in the country to retire, according to the folks at Money Magazine. The experts don’t suggest that everyone immediately leave their jobs and head for Phoenix or Florida or anywhere else many elders traditionally aim to spend their postwork years. No, this list simply advises folks about the best places to actually live in retirement: Move there. Stay there. Be there. “Each of these towns offers amenities galore for the post-work crowd,” the magazine says, “plus a cost of living that’s pretty darn sweet.” Lawrence checks in at No. 18 on the list available online at Money.CNN.com, where the rankings topped the site’s most popular stories Thursday. The magazine’s top place to retire is Marquette, Mich., home to relatively affordable housing, solid health care, and Northern Michigan University. Among other college towns in the rankings: Boise,
The ‘25 Best Places to Retire’ The “25 Best Places to Retire,” according to Money magazine, which compiled each community’s population, median home price, top state income tax rate and cost of living index, plus a handful of attractions and amenities: 1. Marquette, Mich. 2. Cape Coral, Fla. 3. Boise, Idaho. 4. Danville, Ky. 5. Weatherford, Texas. 6. Southaven, Miss. 7. Pittsburgh, Pa. 8. Broken Arrow, Okla. Idaho, at No. 3; WinstonSalem, N.C., at No. 10; Tucson, Ariz., at No. 15; Austin, Texas, at No. 16; Bloomington, Ind., at No. 17; Columbia, S.C., at No. 20; and Iowa City, Iowa, at No. 23. Among Lawrence’s positive attributes, according to the magazine: ! A historic downtown, with tenants ranging from “quirky shops to natural food stores.” ! All the “art, education,
9. Lake Charles, La. 10. Winston-Salem, N.C. 11. St. Joseph, Mich. 12. Huntsville, Ala. 13. Clearwater, Fla. 14. Clarksville, Tenn. 15. Tucson, Ariz. 16. Austin, Texas. 17. Bloomington, Ind. 18. Lawrence 19. Spokane, Wash. 20. Columbia, S.C. 21. Albuquerque, N.M. 22. Marietta, Ga. 23. Iowa City, Iowa. 24. Conway, Ark. 25. Georgetown, Texas. medical care and sports events you’d expect of a major college town.” ! Plenty of recreational opportunities, such as boating and use of trails at Clinton Lake, birdwatching in the Baker Wetlands, and swimming at the Lawrence Indoor Aquatic Center. Such positives draw folks to town from all over. Gerre King, a resident of the new Meadowlark Estates retirement commu-
nity northwest of Sixth Street and Folks Road, counts people from California to Florida among her neighbors at the new 124-apartment complex, a project that cost more than $14 million. One woman moved in from Santa Fe, N.M., after having previously lived in Switzerland. “I do like to travel,” said King, a former McLouth resident who retired 19 years ago from the state Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services. “I have been in every state in the United States, and I’ve been to Europe and Australia. I do know a little bit about other parts of the country.” Now she swims at the nearby indoor pool. She enjoys taking in Kansas University football and basketball games. She’s looking forward to construction of the new Theatre Lawrence, which will also be nearby. “I enjoy it here,” said King, 81. “We have everything that we need right here.” — Schools reporter Mark Fagan can be reached at 832-7188. Follow him at Twitter.com/MarkFaganLJW.
A $500,000 capstone gift from the Topeka-based Capitol Federal Foundation has fulfilled the Kansas University Cancer Center’s goal of raising $61 million before applying for National Cancer Institute designation. The cancer center will submit its 600-page application for NCI designation next Tuesday, after years of work. The designation would mean more research funding for cancer and would be a boon for the local economy and for cancer patients seeking treatments closer to home. Dale Seuferling, president of the KU Endowment Association, said he was pleased that so many donors supported the effort. “Cancer is such a devastating disease, and it’s impacted so many people,” Seufer- Roy Jensen, ling said. director of “It’s been the KU Cancer very com- Center pelling to be involved and be supportive of this effort.” A fundraising council, led by Ash Grove Cement Co. CEO Charlie Sunderland and attorney and KU supporter Drue Jennings, formed in December 2009 to raise money for the cause. Hundreds of donors contributed, giving gifts large and small. The money raised will count toward KU’s comprehensive fundraising campaign, Far Above: The Campaign for Kansas, which is scheduled for an April kickoff. When the group initially formed, it announced a $92 million fundraising goal. Roy Jensen, director of the KU Cancer Center, said the center would continue to raise money to meet that goal, but made a strategic decision to narrow its initial focus. “We wanted to focus our Please see CANCER, page 2A
Blue-green algae not detected in city’s drinking water By Christine Metz cmetz@ljworld.com
Toxic blue-green algae wasn’t detected in water samples taken from the city of Lawrence’s treatment plant last week. On Thursday, the U.S. Geological Survey released results that showed no wa-
ter treated at the Kaw River Water Treatment Plant, or any other water departments along the Kaw, contained traces of the toxin.
The results come almost a week after Lawrence stopped pulling water from the Kansas River because of concerns over the toxic levels of blue-green algae that were detected upstream. Jeanette Klamm, projects manager for the city’s utilities department, called shutting down the Kaw plant a
precautionary measure and an easy decision because demand for water was low and maintenance on the plant needed to be done. The city will rely on water from its Clinton Treatment Plant in the coming weeks. The city shut down the treatment plant late last Friday after the U.S. Geological
Survey released preliminary data that showed high levels of blue-green algae toxins in water that was being released from Milford Lake and flowing down the Kaw. For much of the summer, Milford Lake has been battling toxic levels of bluePlease see WATER, page 2A