6A
NEWS / THURSDAY, MARCH 25. 2010 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
STATE
Conceal and carry bill passes House
A bill that would allow concealed carry of weapons on campuses was passed in the Kansas House of Representatives 65 to 57 Wednesday.
According to the text of House Bill 2685, the only way weapons in state or municipal facilities could be prohibited would be if the building had adequate security measures to prove that no weapons could be brought into the facility.
"The concealed carry bill as passed would undermine campus safety and security efforts now in place," said Jill Jess, university relations spokeswoman. "Allowing weapons on campus would significantly increase the risk of violence and harm to students, faculty and others, rather than making anyone safer."
The amendment to the bill clarified that "adequate security measures" would include walk-through metal detectors and wands at entrances, along with additional staff at each entrance. According to the Kansas Association of Counties, these measures would cost $52,500 per entrance. University officials were not happy with the possibility of this expense.
"To keep weapons off campus, the University would have to install metal detectors at virtually every building entrance. Such security methods would be cost prohibitive and would not absolutely guarantee safety." Jess said.
Rep. Forrest Knox (R-Fredonia) was the driving force for the bill, along with a parole officer and representatives of the National Rifle Association.
Opponents of the bill who provided testimony included the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Kansas Board of Regents, the City of Overland Park, League of Kansas Municipalities, Kansas Peace Association, the City of Wichita and the Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police. The bill is now being considered by the Senate.
— Elliot Metz
See the text and amendments of House Bill 2685 at kansan.com/documents.
pipelineproductions.com
Saturday March 27
Patty Griffin
Buddy Miller
Sunday April 25
Pretty Lights
Gift of Gab
LIBERTY HALL
644 MASS 749-1972
Thursday March 25
STEVE POLTZ
Gas Pump Talent
Friday March 26
Yo Mama's Big Fat
Booty Band
Brother Bagman
Monday March 29
GREEN RIVER
ORDINANCE
Vedera • Angel Taylor
BOTTLENECK
737 New Hampshire
thebottlenecklive.com
REVEREND
Horton Heat
Cracker · Split Lip Rayfield
Fri May 28
VICTOR WOOTEN BAND
Sat May 29
BADFISH
A Tribute to SUBIUME
BADFISH
A Tribute to SUBLIME
BLACK KEYS
Sat June 5
John Butler Trio
State Radio
Sun June 6
Dweezil Zappa
Plays Zappa
Sun June 13
Michael Franti
& Spearhead
Fri August 6
BETTER THAN EZRA
CROSSROADS KC
ATLANTA
417.7 38th-KC, MO
www.crossroadskc.com
ENROLLMENT
Filling out census required to enroll
The Registar's Office only updates once a day at 7 a.m.
If a student completes the census at 8 a.m., the hold on
the account would last until 7 a.m. the following day.
But it's not as simple as filling out the census and enrolling immediately afterward, Cohen said.
About 10,000 students have yet to fill out the state census as of Wednesday. With summer and fall enrollment starting today, students will encounter an enrollment hold until they complete it.
According to Todd Cohen, spokesman with university relations, 14,000 students have completed the census.
"It's easier to do it right now," Cohen said. "It's really short, doesn't take very long and you'll be ready to enroll."
The only exception to this rule is on Fridays, when the office updates the census count at 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. so students don't have to wait until Monday to enroll.
— Aly Van Dyke
To fill out the census, visit kansascensusku.edu.
POLITICS
Questions emerge for education czar
CHICAGO — News that President Barack Obama's top education official kept a log of calls from powerful people trying to get students into top Chicago high schools is raising more questions about the city's admissions practices.
But observers say former Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan's political standing probably won't suffer unless he pressured officials to admit children during his tenure.
The Chicago Tribune reported this week that Duncan's office had kept the log, which included calls from politicians and businesspeople.
A Duncan spokesman has said he never acted improperly. School officials say the list tracked requests, but many students still weren't admitted.
The district's inspector general is investigating admissions practices,but didn't return calls for comment Wednesday.
Associated Press
We all fall down
Lei Guo-Hua, the University Theatre's 2010 Artist-in-Residence presents a workshop Wednesday. Guo-Hua is a visiting instructor from Shanghai, China, where she directed more than 60 plays. She has won local and national directorial awards and currently holds China's highest directorial rank.
Howard Tinq/KANSAN
LAWRENCE
City considers bar zone near campus
The idea of bars and restaurants being permitted where the Jayhawk Bookstore currently stands at 1420 Crescent Road caused many of its neighbors and members of the public to raise concern at Wednesday night's City Planning Commission meeting.
Neighbors voiced opposition to the amendment, saying they were promised when the location became a mixed-use district about a year and a half ago that bars would not be permitted in the area. If the amendment passes there is only the potential for bars and restaurants to be put in — the space would have to be vacated or redeveloped first.
Jim Sherman, a member of the University Heights Neighborhood Association
An amendment was considered that would allow bars and restaurants to be built in the University Heights district under a special use permit granted by the city. Right now, the area around the bookstore is considered a mixed-use district, meaning that it can be used for residential and commercial purposes. The amendment would also affect other future mixed-use districts, such as the one being proposed near 14th and Ohio streets as part of the Oread Neighborhood Plan.
who resides in area, said people feared that a bar would be allowed in the location. He said the neighborhood had been assured this would not happen. He cited many negative effects a bar might have, including issues with noise, traffic and trash.
A representative of the Chi Omega Sorority also opposed the amendment, saying a bar in its backyard could possibly harm the historic preservation of the building and could result in problems associated with alcohol.
As of now, Janet Muggy, co-owner of the Jayhawk Bookstore property, said she didn't plan to redevelop the property.
Although planning commissioners supported the idea of mixed-use districts and the special-use permit as it applies to bars in the Oread neighborhood, they were hesitant to permit the same use in the area around Jayhawk Bookstore. Part of their hesitation stemmed from their promise that bars would not be allowed in the neighborhood.
City staff was directed to review the language and implications of the amendment again. They will work on ways to still allow the amendment for the Oread neighborhood but maintain the agreed standards for the University Heights neighborhood. The amendment will be reviewed again in April.
— Aleese Kopf
Watch Games in HD - ALL DAY LONG! Wings Rings Beer
Smoked Wings
One Pound
$4.99
Onion Rings
Full Platter
$3.99
Fat Tire & Bud Lite Ice Cold Pints $2.99
The Dynamite Saloon & Buffalo Bob's • 719 Mass • 856-BREW
POLITICS
Nebraska legislators tweak pre-natal policy
BY NATE JENKINS
Associated Press
LINCOLN, Neb. — Abortion and illegal immigration, two of the more explosive political issues in the country, are colliding in a way that could force Nebraska lawmakers to make an unusual, emotional choice.
The dilemma: Is it more important to care for pregnant women and their unborn children, or prevent illegal immigrants from getting taxpayer funded benefits?
Until early this month, Nebraska had the only Medicaid policy in the countrythatallowedunbornchildren to qualify. That meant women who weren't eligible for the government-run insurance program on their own — such as illegal immigrants
After federal officials told Nebraska it was breaking Medicaid rules. the state tried to come up with a substitute. That
"There are so many political traps,it could be liberating."
Heineman, meanwhile, has tried
"There's so many political traps it could be liberating," said Sen. Scott Lautenbaugh of Omaha, a Republican who also describes himself as against abortion but who is leaning against providing state-funded care to illegal immigrants. "You're darned if you do and darned if you don't."
effort appeared dead more than a week ago, when lawmakers sensed they couldn't muster enough votes to override a veto from Gov. Dave Heineman.
Some lawmakers crinkle their brows and become solemn when speaking about the decision they may have to make. Others get angry when arguing that the issue is strictly about illegal immigration, not anti-abortion sentiment. One non-antly open lawmaker refused to talk publicly about the issue, worried it could hurt him in the upcoming election.
SCOTT LAUTENBAUGH Nebraska senator
So far, the response has revealed philosophical divides among both Democrats and Republicans.
"There are competing principles, and whichever way you vote, you are compromising a core principle," said Sen. Tony Fulton of Lincoln. A Republican who is opposed to abortion, he's leaning in favor of extending prenatal benefits to illegal immigrants but phasing out such funding over time.
But reports from doctors of several women saying they will have abortions instead because they couldn't afford prenatal care have reigned the issue. While it's still unclear whether lawmakers will get a new plan to debate, the abortion reports have raised the possibility they will.
to stay out of the fray. Running for re-election, the Republican quietly announced his opposition to state-funded prenatal care for illegal immigrants last month in a
letter to a legislative committee.
Asked about the issue late last week, Heineman — who normally has an even-keeled public demeanor — got testy.
"It seems to me each one of you ought to be asking the ... senators" where they stand, he said.
State officials say that about 870 illegal immigrants and 750 legal residents including citizens lost Medicaid coverage this month when Nebraska dumped its two decade-old Medicaid policy. More than 4,700 legal residents once considered at risk of losing coverage got to keep it because state officials found they qualified under different provisions of Medicaid.
Carrie Carstens, a single mom, was one of them. After initially believing she would no longer qualify for Medicaid, she went to her doctor and told him she wouldn't see him anymore.
"I simply couldn't afford it," she said.