With two key state panels urging the Legislature to fund all-day kindergarten and higher teacher salaries, both should be marquee education issues for the 2008 session. “It’s the two areas where we could make the most difference,” said Rochelle Chronister, who chairs the 2010 Commission. Earlier this month, the Kansas State Board of Education approved similar legislative recommendations.
About two-thirds of Kansas kindergarten students now attend all-day programs, in districts that have made it their own budget priority. Implementing all-day K statewide would take an estimated $75 million. And Kansas teacher pay ranks 38th among the states, $39,351 a year compared with the national average of $47,602. “If we’re going to make progress toward moving the average teacher salary up to the national median, we are going to have to put some more money in our schools,” said state school board chairman Bill Wagnon.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., met with Rudy Giuliani Thursday on abortion and emerged saying he was "much more comfortable" with Giuliani’s stance. That likely will boost the former New York City mayor’s efforts to court religious conservatives spooked by his pro-choice past.
"Justices are key," Brownback said. "He’s stated publicly many times about his support for strict constructionists like, I believe he said Roberts. John Roberts is a personal friend."
Giuliani is labeled pro-choice, but he could appoint justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
From my column today: Steve Miller, a spokesman for Sunflower Electric Power Corp., the company proposing the Holcomb plants, pulled out all the emotional stops in responding to ads attacking coal plants: "We’re like a wounded deer laying in the middle of the highway now," he told the Lawrence Journal-World. "So you can imagine everyone who wants to finish us off is throwing money in the pot right now."
Somehow I never thought of a massive coal-fired power complex as a wounded deer.
Or even an endangered species.
If so, this wounded deer has a truckload of highly paid lawyers in its corner.
I’m betting Bambi will survive.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
I’m curious how the Phelps lawsuit in Maryland will turn out. The freedom of religion and speech protections are broad, which makes me think the Phelps clan will win. But U.S. District Judge Richard Bennett told jurors at the start of testimony Tuesday that they must decide “whether the defendant’s actions would be highly offensive to a reasonable person, whether they were extreme and outrageous, and whether these actions were so offensive and shocking as to not be entitled to First Amendment protection.”
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
The Hillary Clinton campaign says it’s too soon to discuss a running mate, but that didn’t stop Democratic strategist James Carville from declaring his pick this week: “I have my candidate. Drum roll, please. Kathleen Sebelius,” he said on Dan Rather’s new show on HDNet.
“I’ve observed her, and she’s remarkable,” said Bill Clinton’s former campaign guru, touting Sebelius’ high approval ratings, her status as a daughter of a former Ohio governor, and that she “gets stuff done, successful in a red state.”
Kansas Republican Party spokesman Christian Morgan responded to the Topeka Capital-Journal: “I think it would be a guaranteed Republican victory.”
Posted by Rhonda Holman
As a Reader Views letter says on our Opinion pages today, the city of Wichita’s preferred property for a south-side fire station is now owned and occupied by the Indian Southern Baptist Church at 1550 Denker St. “We’re trying our best to make an agreement,” City Council member Jim Skelton (in photo) told The Eagle editorial board, stressing that he hopes to avoid court action. Why not accept Cornejo & Sons’ offer to donate land for the fire station a few blocks away? To ensure quick response times, Skelton said, “east-west access is critical.” He also said, “It’s more important to have it at a proper location than putting it at a free site.”
Let’s hope some sort of accord is reached. City officials’ concerns are understandable, but the symbolism — City Hall trying to displace an American Indian church — is terrible.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
