The Kansas City Star from Kansas City, Missouri • 13

JOHNSON COUNTY AND THE AREA bMETROPOLITA wwwkcstarcom THE KANSAS CITY STAR Thursday July 12 2001 Bonieneck ahead commentary Fireworks casualty Ryan Cordova of Excelsior Springs feces a difficult Repair work on the 87th Street bridge over US 69 will close lanes this weekend B-3 recovery after a bottle rocket hit him in the eye B-4 Arena County to increase Commission OKs $12 million for acreage Park district staff members can now rank parkland purchases to give them the best chance iff connecting existing parcels and focus on critical acres A proposed regional park in Olathe at 135th Street west of Kansas 7 known as Cedar Niles Park can now move forward Kenworthy said When the budget is approved this summer the Johnson County Park and Recreation District Foundation can board had asked for $20 million in parkland spending over the next three years (county commissioners) are good people who keep their word" The commission's pledge of $6 million in parkland acquisition each year for the next two years forestalls talk of a bond issue vote The pledge allows the district to carry out the first step of its 20-year plan to more than double paikhusd acres and keep pace with other similar-size counties across the mit to two years of park Commission Chairman Doug Wood said in a special meeting with park board members "we are honorable men and women that can make that Park board members were enthu siastic a sign that the tension between the two government bodies was for MU Holden to reveal decision on Rinding By FINN BULLERS The Kaneta City Star Johnson County commissioners agreed Wednesday to spend $12 million on parkland during the next two years with the hope that park board members will help the county sell a future tax increase to the public to pay for infrastructure needs "Although we Legally cannot com i is said park board Chairman Craig Kenworthy whose See PARKS 2 By TIM HOOVER and MIKE DeARMOND Tht Kansas City Star JEFFERSON CITY Gov Bob Holden is expected to sign legislation that would pledge $35 mfifion in state money to help betid a new basketball arena at the University of Missouri Columbia Holden is expected to make an announcement about the arena today at his office where he will several bills into law and veto signsev others Although Rep Chuck Graham the Columbia Democrat who sponsored the legislation had not been told officially what Holden would do he presumed his invita tion to the office today meant the measure would be "ft i new A part of the renovation of the Madrid theater near 38th and Main new marquee sign Wednesday The Madrid which opened in 1928 has streets Derek Ditto (left) and Mike Farley both with Acme Sign hung a been dosed for several decades would not say arena But his he had not putting on a suit to go to a Graham said The governor in Kansas City on Wednesday still publicly what decision he had made about the comments echoed those made Tliesday when he spoke about wanting to build up the uni versify system and promote economic development in Columbia need to invest in the faculty in research and find ways to provide more resources" Hciden said a sports facility can help that would make me look at it But sports should never die Before this week Holden had spoken about the arena proposal in a more skeptical and cautious BARBARA SHELLY Positivity helps keep life afloat If you look outside your window all you see is heat" the voice on the car radio said And true On the hottest days here you can see the air shimmer But I was looking this weekday morning for something more solid than hot air and more enduring than a heat wave What I found was a friendship Roy James and Charles Paige also had the radio on Theirs was perched on rocks on the shore of Swope Lake of the Woods It played soul music at low volume James and Paige sat on rickety chairs on a thin shore in the shade cast by a row of trees They idly watched two fishing lines that had been cast into the water while they engaged in easy conversation If the sudden appearance of a sandal-dad woman with a notebook surprised them they gave no indication Both men grew up in Shreveport La and the years spent in Kansas City haven't diminished their tolerance their liking even for thick still air and for dragonflies skimming calm water Swope Park was so quiet that only the trash strewn around the fishing site belied the illusion that this was a country pond Paige 62 was the first to move north He and his wife Alberta visited Kansas City in 1969 on a two-week vacation and he ended up with a factory job which hekeptforl7years James soon followed with younger sister Juanita married while still teenagers James lost Juanita twice once to a rift in their marriage and again when she died from diabetes complications He has moved to another relationship But his friendship with his brother-in-law outlasted change and adversity matter what the situation we always share with one Paige said matter what crises in we always have an encouraging word for one another We look atthe positive side of Paige and his wife have seven children James and his wife had six Families of that size are guaranteed to produce if not crises then certainly tribulations Yet at the fishing hole these are not worried men James 53 has the day off from his job as a security guard at the Kemper Museum Paige recently retired from a security job but is thinking of returning to work part time Paige the more talkative is pleased to share his philosophy on life "There ain't but two sides and the positive and the negative he says while James nods in agreement "And those that choose the negative are blind to Apparently that extends to sishingThe men have been at the lake three hours and have snared nothing but an undersized catfish which dangles forlornly from ahook at the edge Paige thinking something might be happening on his line reds in moving his feet in rhythm to the music lifts the he says "Gets you in a groove" He comes up with a wad of rotted leaves James laughs "I come out here to catch Paige says But fine if he leaves with nothing be adds I like being around the water" Besides to spend a summer morning with a lifelong friend is to never come up empty See ARENA B-2 Man is accused in second murder Area thieves take a liking to outdoor iron furniture a Kansas City lawn fontiture store a market for them Van Liew said people I calling to get a value for furniture fori) By STACY DOWNS The Kama City Star A new crime trend is emerging in some of the mote tranquil arhoods where strong "DNA is obviously the most important thing to ever hit tire held of criminal Ire said It allows us to reach back through the years and make a Within the last two years Jackson County jurors have convicted two killers captured only because DNA at their crime scenes matched that in a state DNA database of felons In January 2000 a judge sentenced Marcus Brummail to life plus 50 years for tire murder 17-year-old Jamie Paine DNA from Brummall's blood put him away In May a judge sentenced Ronald armed criminal action in tire Aug 16 1999 killing of Roxanne Colley The 21 -year-old woman was found at her home in the 6700 block of Askew Avenue Mice had no viable leads in the case without the DNA Authorities connected Jones to the Colley murder based on DNA collected from him after he was charged with the March 6 murder of Candriea White At the time of the murders Jones was on parole for raping his high school teaiher attorney was not available for comment County Prosecutor Bob Beaird said tire case once again shows how DNA is changing tire justice system DNA linked cases Jackson County prosecutors say By CHRISTINE VENDEL and JOE LAMBE The Kansas City Star DNA evidence convinced Jack-son County prosecutors Wednesday to accuse a man already awaiting trial in a March murder of stabbing a woman to death almost two years aga Daniel 0 Jones 31 was charged with second-degree murder and These days she said most of her customers prefer cast alumiaum furniture because it is usually I thieves have been swiping cast-iron furniture from front porches and back yards The thefts have occurred in the past few weeks in northeast John son County Lenexa Overland Park and Kansas City reselling (tire tables and chairs) who said Michelle Van liew manager of Van tire storefc alder customers who want the iron furniture she said because they perceive it td be bet-ter pwwtructed See DNA B-2 See THEFTS B-2 Getting to the bottom of things by the end of August Tom Kimes a project manager in the dry public works department said tire work would provide the West im flood control for Wondering what tire backhoes and other heavy equipment are doing in Brush Creek? They're digging a little deeper The city received a $200000 grant from tire Federal Emergency Management Agency in May and began work last week on tire pro ject Crews wifi make the creek bed about 4 feet deeper from about 150 feet east of the Roanoke Road Bridge to just west of tire Befleview Avenue Bridge Work should finish portion of the creek City officials and the US Army Corps of Engineers are studying long-term solutions for flood con trol in the area The dry plans to rebuild the Roanoke and Beflevtew 1 Hin Kevin HoffmannThr Star PS Thanks I guess Some carjackers take good care of their stolen vehicles An Independence woman had lost her 1999 GMC Yukon with custom chrome wheels to two men during a carjacking Monday in Independence Kansas City police recovered it Wednesday in perfect condition "It even have a scratch on said Independence police spokesman Bill Pross The vehicle was spotted during a Kansas City traffic stop and two men were charged with first-degree robbery and felonious restraint Independence police said Bobby Sousley 19 of Kansas Neighborhood workshop MlILfc ftAJNMJBUJ I Tie KBRSCS Uqr MST Making a splash A little clowning around was welcome Wednesday at the Oakwood Country Club Swim 44th annual Swim and Dhre Championships at Mission Hills Country Club Tracy Tired 12 (from left) captured the fun with coach Scott Hanson and Lisa TUcd 10 Swimmers sported costumes before taking part in 75 swimming and diving events The next Kansas neighborhood workshop will be from 6 to 7:30 pm July 24 at the Swope Parkway Health Center 3801 Blue Parkway The topic will be fora Neighborhood with Volunteers Speakers from dty departments and community leaders will give tip6 on howto encourage people to volunteer and how to involve them in treqborhood activities Kansas City's workshop series focuses on neighborhood organizing All workshops are free and open to the public The final workshop this year wffl be from 6 to 730 on Sept IB at the Linwood Multi-PitfptHe Center 3200 Wayne Ave For more information call (8! 1 513-3298 lvrv liyTheStar City and Joseph Sousley 18 of Cameron Mo are being held on Cameron Mo are being held on a $100000 cash bond Independence police raid Linda ManThe Star lb leave a comment for Barbara Shelly call (816)234-400 and enter 4594 or send e-mail to bsheBy4Nccstarcom.