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TUESDAY • DECEMBER 21 • 2010
Oops: Big apology due to small town
Building numbers suggest brighter outlook Staff reports
Special to the Journal-World
THE KANSAS LEADERSHIP CENTER SENT OUT THIS POSTCARD promoting the benefits of receiving leadership training. The picture of the dilapidated downtown at bottom is intended to suggest a lack of effective leadership. Problem is, the picture is of a real town in Kansas, Effingham, and its residents are none too pleased.
Effingham residents unhappy that their home is used as ‘undesirable’ example Organization says it didn’t know picture was of Kansas town By Chad Lawhorn clawhorn@ljworld.com
A picture is worth a thousand words — and sometimes not always the right ones. A statewide group that promotes leadership is in the process of apologizing to the small Kansas community of Effingham after the
organization sent out a picture and postcard suggesting Effingham isn’t the type of town people would like to live in. “I can completely understand why the people of Effingham are disappointed,” said Ed O’Malley, president and chief executive officer of the Kansas Leadership Center.
Here’s what happened: The Kansas Leadership Center this fall sent out postcards in Lawrence and eight other communities promoting the benefits of receiving leadership training. In Lawrence, the postcard specifically was trying to generate interest for the Leadership Lawrence program that is operated through the Lawrence
Chamber of Commerce. The postcard contained two pictures. One was of a vibrant community celebration. The other was of a dilapidated downtown block. The postcard asked readers, “Which community would you rather call home?” The postcard then went on to suggest the community with the dilapidated downtown was lacking effective leadership.
cmetz@ljworld.com
For Christmas this year, Lori Heasty traded in cookies and petits fours for something she thought would do a little more good: donations to local charities. Heasty, the owner of CritiCare Home Health Services, typically gives food as a thank you to the more than 50 businesses her company works with throughout the year. But this season, Heasty made the
decision to send out Christmas cards that let the companies know a donation had been made instead. “There are a lot of people having a hard time, larger organizations that just need a little extra help,” Heasty said. “Do we really need more food? Not really. We need more exercise. So that is why we decided to do it this year.”
So far, the response from Heasty’s business associates has been positive and her employees feel good. “I feel strongly that Lawrence is an awesome place, and it’s nice to be able to give back,” Heasty said. Heasty is one of many people throughout Lawrence who give gifts that keep on giving during the holiday season.
● 2009: 110 ● 2008: 102 ● 2007: 166 ● 2006: 247 ● 2005: 232
Please see TOWN, page 2A
Donations to charity may be the best gift By Christine Metz
A new report out of Lawrence City Hall shows the city’s construction industry will post stronger numbers than a year ago, and likely its best since 2007. Lawrence builders have started 137 single-family homes in the city through November. That’s up from 110 homes that were started in all of 2009. Builders also have started 247 remodeling jobs thus far in 2010, which is up from 200 in all of 2009. Building permit fees also are above last year’s totals. The city has collected $599,455 in fees, up from $565,524 a year ago. Duplex and apartment construction are two areas where builders haven’t yet surpassed last year’s totals. Builders have started 10 duplexes through November — compared with 16 for all of 2009 — and 96 apartment units, down from 172 in 2009. The number of single family home permits — long considered a key measure of the health of the local construction industry — are at their highest mark since 2007. But the report doesn’t yet indicate a clear rebound for the industry. That’s in part because 2008 and 2009 were among the worst years on record for single family home construction. Here’s a look at single family home numbers since 2000:
And for the local organizations that receive them, the donations are critical. The United Way of Douglas County is asking holiday shoppers to keep its organization in mind. They hope people will make gifts in honor of those on their shopping list that would help meet the organization’s $100,000 shortfall. For the Douglas County Visiting Nurses, Rehabilitation Please see DONATIONS, page 5A
● 2004: 313 ● 2003: 317 ● 2002: 304 ● 2001: 308 ● 2000: 305
Things to consider before you give For those thinking about giving a donation to a charity in lieu of a gift, Consumer Reports advises givers to ask the recipient about a charitable donation to make sure it is what the person wants. It’s also a good idea to find out what organizations the person supports. Consumer Reports also tells givers to be wary of charitable gift cards. While charitable gift cards allow the recipient to select from
an array of charities, the card can come with hidden fees that have a percentage of the money go to the group issuing the card rather than to the nonprofit. If in doubt, Consumer Reports recommends just giving cash and suggesting that some or part of the money go toward his or her favorite charity. That way, the recipient can decide where the money should go, even if it’s into his or her own pocket.
Sebelius says health care bill has helped Kansans in numerous ways By Karrey Britt kbritt@ljworld.com
In Kansas, the Affordable Care Act has brought $10.9 million in new grant funding. Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. secretary of Health and Human Services, provided an update on the federal legislation during a conference call Monday. HHS also released data on how the bill has helped Kansans, including:
Sebelius will move forward despite threats to the bill.
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● 23,214 — Medicare beneficiaries have received a one-time, tax-free $250 rebate to help pay for drugs in the coverage gap. ● 81 — Uninsured Kansas residents enrolled in the pre-existing condition insurance plan.
● $270,000 — Kansas Insurance Department received for a new consumer assistance program. ● $1 million — To plan for a health insurance exchange. ● $4 million — In tax credits and grants to support biomedical research to produce new therapies, address unmet medical needs, reduce long-term growth of health care costs and advance the goal of curing cancer with the next 30 years. “The Affordable Care Act has helped
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millions of Americans across the country gain more control over their insurance coverage, receive higher quality health care, and start seeing some savings in their pocket,” Sebelius said. Among the benefits that went into effect in the first nine months: ● Patient’s Bill of Rights. It took effect Sept. 23 and stopped insurance companies from: denying coverage to children Please see SEBELIUS, page 5A
COMING WEDNESDAY Gov.-elect Sam Brownback talks with us about his administration.
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