wednesday, february 11, 2004
state
the university daily kansan
7A
Gas eruption victims win suit
The Associated Press
WICHITA — A Sedgwick County jury awarded more than $1.7 million dollars yesterday to a pair of Hutchinson businesses destroyed during the first of a series of natural gas eruptions in 2001.
The damages to the two downtown businesses are to be paid equally by Tulsa, Okla.-based ONEOK Inc. and Mid-Continent Marketing Center Inc., an affiliated marketing subsidiary.
After two days of deliberations, the jury also awarded punitive damages against Mid-Continent. A hearing will be scheduled in March before Judge James Fleet
wood to determine the amount of those damages.
State geologists and investigators have said the explosions were caused by natural gas that leaked from an underground storage cavern owned by ONEOK. They say the gas traveled from the Yaggy storage field seven miles northwest of Hutchinson, erupting from old brine wells beneath the city. The blasts destroyed several buildings and killed two people.
The explosion and fire on Jan. 17, 2001, destroyed the Woody's Furniture and Decor Party Supplies buildings on the first day of the eruptions. The jury awarded more than $955,600 to Woody's
and $755.250 to Decor.
Defense attorney Lynn Hirsch argued there's no proof the gas involved in the explosion was the same gas that escaped from the Yaggy gas storage field or that the apparent violations of safety regulations actually contributed to the explosions.
This is one of more than a dozen lawsuits stemming from the explosions.
The largest lawsuit is scheduled for trial this summer in Reno County. It is a class-action lawsuit brought on behalf of all businesses and property owners in the county and seeks $350 million in damages for loss of business and property values.
The Associated Press
Casinos to add lottery in plan
TOPEKA —A Senate committee got its first look Tuesday at Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' expanded gambling initiative, opening what likely will be a long, acrimonious battle.
Matt All, Sebelius' chief counsel, briefed the Federal and State Affairs Committee on the plan for up to five large state-owned casinos, up to 2,500 video lottery machines spread among Kansas' five pari-mutuel tracks, and up to five video lottery machines at each hall operated by fraternal organizations.
A seven-member commission would study proposals from casino developers and choose which to approve. The governor would appoint four commission members _ and name the chairman _ while the leaders of the two parties in the House and Senate would each appoint one member.
Sen. Kay O'Connor, R-Olathe, suggested that such an arrangement could produce a commission chosen to fit the governor's views.
All said many of the details in Sebelius' plan are negotiable,
including the makeup of the commission.
He estimated the state would receive about $60 million a year from video lottery machines at the pari-mutuel tracks and $30 million from a single large casino.
Communities with a casino could receive up to 4 percent of the gambling revenues under Sebelius' plan.
Another selling point of the gambling plan is local control, which All said would ensure that a proposed casino is a good fit for a community. Any casino authorized by the commission would be subject to a county-wide vote.
Committee Chairman Pete Brungardt, R-Salina, said in an interview that expanded gambling is gaining momentum, in part because of the state's financial condition and partly because lawmakers are learning that many of their constituents already gamble.
But Brungardt said a hearing on the bill scheduled for Thursday probably would be held next week.
week. He said he expects numerous amendments to the measure before it passes out of committee
Sebelius fights military base closings in Kansas
TOPEKA—Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has drafted legislators, business leaders, retired generals and the Kansas congressional delegation for a commission intended to protect Kansas' interests in the next round of military base closings.
The Strategic Military Planning Commission will advocate for Fort Leavenworth, Fort Riley, McConnell Air Force Base and Forbes Field as a federal panel decides which posts nationwide should be closed.
kansan.com
The federal panel is to send the president its list by Sept. 8, 2005.
State and military officials estimate that the installations, including the Kansas National Guard, contribute more than $2 billion to the Kansas economy.
In addition to appointing the state's two U.S. senators and four U.S. House members, Sebelius named Lt. Gov. John Moore as the commission's chairman and John Armburst of Manhattan as executive director.
Sebelius has also asked legislators to consider spending $250,000, matched by contributions from communities statewide, to hire a lobbyist to promote the state's interests in the base closings process.
The Associated Press
IF FAST FOOD IS HIGH SCHOOL, THIS IS GRADUATE SCHOOL.
NEED CASH? (We buy back books anytime of the year.)
Marlin Fitzwater
press secretary to Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush will speak at:
1:30 p.m.
Friday, February 13
in Woodruff Auditorium
Kansas Union
Free and Open to the Public
Mr. Fitzwater, presidential adviser,journalist,civil servant and business man, will receive the William Allen White Foundation's 2004 national citation at this ceremony. He will be a guest of the William Allen White Foundation and the University of Kansas William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!
STUDENT SENATE REPLACEMENT SEATS ARE NOW AVAILABLE!!
SENATORS NEEDED:
- 4 GRADUATE STUDENTS
·1 BUSINESS STUDENT
-1 EDUCATION STUDENT
-1 FINE ARTS STUDENT
- 3 COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES STUDENTS (UNDER 60 HOURS)
- 1 COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES STUDENTS (60 HOURS)
APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE STUDENT SENATE OFFICE 410 KANSAS UNION. APPLICATIONS ARE DUE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15TH BY 5:00PM. INTERVIEWS WILL BEGIN MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16TH.
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