California Family Law

Divorce - "Uncontested vs. Contested" - one where the partners can arrive at a decision as to the terms of the divorce without going to trial. Uncontested divorces progress much quicker through the court structure and are therefore less costly.

Spousal Support (Alimony) - previous known as "alimony". Spousal support is not obligatory in most states. Though, if the conditions are such that a spouse will face hardships; for instance, if he or she does not obtain financial support after the divorce, then spousal support must be considered.

Annulment - is a legal process for asserting a marriage null and void. Annulment varies from divorce where the court terminates an otherwise legal marriage on a specific date.

Legal Separation - is a likely step towards divorce under United States courts. Couples are legally separated if they have successfully petitioned the court to acknowledge their separation; merely living separately does not form separation for these intentions. A period of legal separation constitutes grounds for divorce; the duration of that period varies from state to state.

Legal separation does not by design lead to divorce. The couple may reunite, in which case they need do nothing in order to stay married. If they do not reconcile, and want to divorce after the statutory time period, they have to file for divorce.

Property Settlement - Community Property and Separate Property - California is a community property state. Which means that both spouses are deemed to evenly own all money earned by either one, from the start of the marriage until the date of separation.

Premarital Agreements - Pre-Marital Agreements (also known as "pre-nuptial" or "ante-nuptial agreements") are binding legal agreements between the parties.

Restraining Orders - An order from a court directing a person not to do something, such as to make contacts with another, go into the family home or remove a child from the state. Restraining orders are normally issued in cases in which spousal abuse or stalking is feared - or has taken place - in an effort to ensure the victim's safety. Restraining orders are also generally issued to cool down ugly disagreements between parties.

Personal Injury - It can be difficult to ascertain a dollar amount on injuries you suffered in an accident. There are so many matters to consider, the time lost from work, medical expenses for ongoing injuries, doctor's bills, pain and suffering … etc. Insurance companies deliberate all these issues when determining on how much to propose in order to settle your case.
 

Immigration and Naturalization:

 

• Lawful Permanent - A "green card" gives you official immigration status (Lawful Permanent Residency)
  in the United states.
  
  A lawful permanent resident is a foreign national who has been granted the privilege of permanently
  living and working in the United States. If you want to become a lawful permanent resident based on the fact that you have
  a relative who is a citizen of the United States or a relative who is a lawful permanent resident, you must go through a multi-step process.

• Residency - If you want to become a lawful permanent resident based on the fact that you have a relative
  who is a citizen of the United States or a relative who is a lawful permanent resident, you must go through a multi-step process.
   

1. the USCIS must approve an immigrant visa petition

2. the Department of State must determine if an immigrant visa number is immediately available to you, the foreign national, even if you are already in the United States. When an immigrant visa number becomes immediately available to you, it means that you can apply to have one of the immigrant visa numbers assigned to you.

3. if you are already in the United States, you may apply to change your status to that of a lawful permanent resident after a visa number becomes available for you. This is one way you can apply to secure an immigrant visa number.

• Visas - A nonresident alien is issued a visa allowing entry into the U.S. However, Canadian and Mexican
  visitors may be allowed entry without a visa. A nonresident alien is a non-U.S. citizen who does not hold a Resident Alien Card.

Orange County Family Law Mediation Attorneys

Mediation is appropriate for the majority of  couples seeking a divorce. However, if there are concerns regarding domestic violence or if one spouse is bullied or subjugated by the other, then Mediation may not be the solution.

In addition, some individuals are too uncomfortable during the divorce procedures. In other words, they are too upset and possibly incapable to sit in the same room with their spouse.

In several situations, Mediation can be accomplished in separate rooms but mediation is a voluntary procedure and both parties need to consent to continue.

The Mediated Arrangement is not legally required; therefore, either party can abandon from it prior to the Consent Order being accepted by the Court. On the other hand, most people having gone through Mediation, are equipped to endorse their arrangement as they sense a level of obligation to it.

It is always wise to have a family law divorce attorney  supporting you throughout the Mediation Procedure. The Mediator is there to provide particulars of the accessible alternatives. However, the parties' individual Family Attorney’s can advise them of their legal rights, responsibilities and expectations and make sure that they are aware of this prior to partaking in Mediation.

The Divorce Family Attorney should also inform the parties on the conditions of the Mediated Agreement prior to filing it with the Court.

Does Mediation work?

Given that the Courts do not accumulate statistics as to how many Consent Orders are attained via Mediation or otherwise, it is easier said than done to gauge how successful Mediation is. Mediators are not informed after they have completed their task whether the couple have gone to have their agreement ratified into a Consent Order. It is the public policy to promote Mediation and more and more couples appear to be deciding on this course

Flat Fee Divorce

Bay Area family law practice offers refreshing alternative to traditional divorce billing

Walnut Creek, CA – June 21, 2010 – Divorce is too expensive, fees are too unpredictable, and attorneys pad their bills to maximize profits. At least that’s the general sentiment shared by many divorce clients in California.

According to family law attorney Gary D. Sparks, there is a better way. Attorney Sparks, whose small family law practice has offices in Walnut Creek in the San Francisco Bay Area and in Vacaville just outside the Bay Area, is one of the first Northern California family law attorneys to forsake the traditional “billable hour” model in favor of flat fee (fixed fee) pricing for his clients.

“Many of my clients are concerned about their legal fees,” says Sparks, “and are worried that their family law case will put them into bankruptcy.” He continues, “More importantly, clients lay awake at night wondering how much their next bill will be, or how much that letter, phone call or email will cost. Flat fee billing removes the uncertainty from the process and gives clients the peace of mind and ability to know up front what their case is going to cost.”

Under the traditional hourly billing model, a family law attorney collects an initial retainer or security deposit – generally around $5,000 – and then bills against that retainer for every hour or fraction thereof. Then, some 14-15 hours later when the funds have run out, the attorney will demand to collect an additional retainer from the client. This cycle repeats until the case is complete, typically some $15,000 to $25,000 (or more) later.

On the other hand, under the flat fee model, the attorney quotes the client a fee in advance for the case, and that fee remains fixed for the remainder of the case unless some unanticipated event occurs. But even then, the attorney quotes the client a flat, fixed fee for that additional event. The base flat fee for an uncontested divorce begins at only $950, while the base flat fee for a contested divorce begins as low as $6,000.

Sparks explains, “The client’s base flat fee is based on several factors, including the size of the community property estate and whether or not there are businesses or professional practices to divide. To keep fees as low as possible, the base flat fee is quoted based on the assumption that the case will settle.” However, this is not always the case. “Sometimes a client needs to prepare a motion or defend against a motion and appear in Court. Other times a client may be deposed. Or the parties may need to seek the Court’s assistance with settlement. For each of these events, an additional flat-rate fee is quoted and applies.”

Flat fee pricing for family law cases represents a substantial value for clients and simplifies the process for both attorney and client. But it is important to understand the limitations of flat fee pricing ahead of time to avoid confusion and misunderstanding. Therefore, Sparks provides his clients with a detailed, comprehensive fee agreement that fully explains what is and what is not included.

Sparks concludes, “Clients are grateful that we are able to quote a fee for the case, giving them the assurance of knowing that everything necessary will be done to move the case forward and that the attorney is not doing unnecessary work or otherwise trying to maximize legal fees.”

Mayport shrimp boat Miss Alberta capsizes; 1 dead

Mayport Coast Guard crews were off the coast of Amelia Island today, trying to determine if any pollution was caused by the Monday capsizing of a shrimp boat that killed a crew member.As of Tuesday morning, the Coaast Guard still had not identified the crewman, said Petty Officer 1st Class Christopher Evanson of the Mayport Coast Guard station. The sunken vessel, the 36-foot Miss Alberta, is posing no hazard to navigation for other ships and boats, Evanson said. The shrimp boat’s owner is responsible for removing the underwater wreckage, he said. Shrimper Tony Malone, first mate aboard another shrimp boat, the Joe Bip, said his boat got a distress call about 3 p.m. Monday from the Miss Alberta, which was shrimping nearby, about a half mile from shore. Waves were about 5 feet offshore and winds were coming from the south at 17.5 mph and gusting at 21 mph, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s weather buoy off the coast of St. Augustine. Malone dove into the water to save the two-member crew. “The boat was already upside down,” he said. He said he found the captain, who he and witnesses identified as Bo King of Mayport, swimming with his dead crew member tethered to him with a rope.

DUI means driving under the influence.

DUI means driving under the influence.



Stop Driving.


If your license has been suspended for DUI or DWI don't make it worse by driving under suspension.

Never drink and drive.

Once you have hopefully dealt with your DUI,never drink and drive again. First get an attorney.

Get a taxi, if you have been drinking: some clubs will even help pay for it. Have a friend come and get you. Walk. Do anything but drive.

Find the best DUI lawyer in your area. DUI attorneys are well worth every cent you pay. Go to any classes they suggest, it could reduce your penalties or possibly reduce your DUI auto insurance rates. Do as much research into DUI laws as possible for your area.

Some DUI charges are misdemeanors and some are DUI felony. Second DUI and third DUI charges increase your problems dramatically!

DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE after a DUI it could lead to jail time.



Here's some info on some larger states on DUI

History of Lawyers

The first people who could be called lawyers were the great speakers of ancient Greece.Individual people were presumed to present a defense their own cases, but that was circumvented by having a friend better at speaking do it for you . Around the middle of the fourth century, the Greeks got rid of the request for a friend.Second, a more serious obstacle, which the Greek orators never completely overcame, was the rule that no one could take a fee to plead the case of another. This law was disregarded in practice, but was never abolished, which meant that orators could never present themselves as legal professionals or experts. They had to uphold the ruse that they were an ordinary citizen helping out a friend for free, and so they could never organize into a real profession,with professional associations and titles ,like their modern lawyers. If one narrows the definition to those men who could practice the legal profession openly and legally, then the first lawyers would have to be the orators of ancient Rome A law enacted in 204 BC barred Roman advocates from taking fees, but the law was widely ignored.The ban on fees was abolished by Emperor Claudius who legalized advocacy as a profession and allowed the Roman advocates to become the first lawyers who could practice openly—but he also imposed a fee ceiling of 10,000 sesterces This was apparently not much money; the Satires of Juvenal complain that there was no money in working as an advocate.Like their Greek contemporaries, early Roman advocates were trained in rhetoric not law, and the judges before whom they argued were also not law-trained But very early on, unlike Greece, Rome developed a class of specialists who were learned in the law, known as jurisconsults iuris consulti Jurisconsults were wealthy amateurs who dabbled in law as an intellectual hobby; they did not make their primary living from it. They gave legal opinions responsa on legal issues to all comers Roman judges and governors would routinely consult with an advisory panel of jurisconsults before rendering a decision, and advocates and ordinary people also went to jurisconsults for legal opinions. Thus, the Romans were the first to have a class of people who spent their days thinking about legal problems, and this is why their law became so "precise, detailed, and technical.The notaries or tabelliones appeared in the late Roman Empire. Like their modern-day descendants, the civil law notaries, they were responsible for drafting wills, conveyances, and contracts. They were ubiquitous and most villages had one. In Roman times, notaries were widely considered to be inferior to advocates and jurisconsults.

Mesothelioma Claims Options

Many times it is advisable to get advice from mesothelioma lawyers to build the mesothelioma cancer settlement claim. Following are some of the reason why mesothelioma claims can be made.
1)    Lost income
2)    Pain or suffering
3)    Medical expenses
4)    Failure to warn
5)    Negligence
6)    Loss of consortium
The mesothelioma lawyers can give you the best advice on such settlement cases. Many times in these cases, your medical and financial records become important part of your claim. Houston Mesothelioma Lawyers are famous in such cases and they would have dealt many such cases so they can guide you in the process of mesothelioma claim.

Mesothelioma and Dentists

It is well know that people who are directly involved in activities where they come in touch with asbestos material are at high risk of developing mesothelioma cancer. Many think only people in construction industry are susceptible to this asbestos cancer and hence this was termed as a blue color disease. This is not true. There is another profession whose people are at the same risk – Dentists. Yes, dentists fae a high risk of developing mesothelioma.


Research says that there is no safe level of exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is used in dentistry for casting rings. Continuous exposure to smaller quantity of asbestos could increase the number of times you inhale asbestos particles which increases your risk of developing asbestos mesothelioma cancer. Since the rooms in which dentists work are smaller, there is a higher risk of inhalation of asbestos fibers.

Inhaling asbestos fibers into the lungs cause damage to DNA of the tissue which in turn grows uncontrollably in your body. Mesothelioma symptoms would not be easy to identify and it takes tens of years to show itself where by that time the disease reaches an advanced stage.

Mesothelioma prognosis is very grim and not many survive for more than few years.

Car Rental Bookers - Car Hire - Rent a Car

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Car Rental Bookers Flex - Flexible lower prices with Inclusive rates including an Excess Fee, or with Fully Comprehensive Insurance included with No Excess Fees

Based throughout Europe in Spain, Portugal and Italy and Greece, and in UK at Heathrow, Gatwick and through London and available for hire all over UK and Wales but also available car hire in South Africa and in New Zealand and Australia we recommend several Car Hire companies to provide a dependable, professional, friendly Car Hire service. Car Rental Bookers Fleets consists of latest car models and car types, Minivans, People Carriers, and 4x4 cars delivered by top class companies who are experienced on ontime services with fully inclusive rates and fully comprehensive insurance with No Excess Fees.

Book car models that meet your rental needs!

We don't just search for the lowest Car Hire rates, we offer insurance inclusive car hire rates from national car rental companies in Europe and around the world. With a wide variety of vehicles for you to hire, when it comes to Car Hire, Car Rental Bookers Car Hire has exactly what you're looking for.

100% Refund on Cancellations - No Hidden Fees - No Card Fees when booking with Car Rental Bookers

The home of definitive cheap online Car Hire, with car hire quotes that include CDW Collission Damage Wiver, TP Theft Protection, and LI Third Party Liability Insurance, Car Hire booked and confirmed directly from national and local car hire companies.

AVIS Car Hire

Avis is recognised as the industry leader in applying new technologies and is one of the world's top brands for customer satisfaction - that's why more people come back to Avis again and again. This UK Company is one of the largest in it's business, and operates in excess of 114 countries. Avis are a highly successful, dynamic, worldwide brand, and are continuing to grow. Avis are at the forefront of innovation and are continually striving to exceed customer's expectations.
Avis.co.uk was developed to enable you to get a quote and book online in under 90 seconds in only four easy steps. The effectiveness of this website has been recognised by various leading consumer and new media publications and readers of the Daily Telegraph recently voted Avis as the "Best Car Hire Company".
With Avis Home Delivery, Avis will deliver your hire car to your home address anywhere on the UK mainland to help get your trip off to the best possible start.
Check out the Avis Preferred scheme – you'll get your keys in under 3 minutes or Avis will give you a £20 retail voucher

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Holiday Cars

THE car rental broker!
HolidayCars.com offer an all-inclusive car rental product in 125 countries and 17,000 locations worldwide. HolidayCars negotiate the best discounts for you due to high volume rental deals. HolidayCars provide you with great rental conditions and high quality services.
Use the HolidayCars Comparison Chart to compare prices and hire options from various providers and easily make a selection that suits you best. Get the lowest price with the WOW offers of up to 35% reductions, and enjoy more options for commercial car hire with HolidayCars other sectors.
The HolidayCars website is simple, fast, secure. Get a Free Quote and continue to make a booking online with HolidayCars streamlined booking procedures.
Don’t pay too much for insurance. Book the HolidayCars NoRisk Warranty and get the best excess damage waiver coverage available. Should you have any queries HolidayCars' 24/7 customer support is ready to take your call.

 

 

How the law is passed in Mongolia?

ollowing picture was taken by a TV cameraman at the parliament session hall that was discussing whether to accept the President Ts.Elbegdorj's veto. The narrator says it is an ordinary scene that how the law is passed in Mongolia at the Parliament session hall by pressing another person's "Yes" button when balloting. Look for current Prime Minister S.Batbold (MPRP), President of Bank of Mongolia L.Purevdorj (MPRP), Minister of Health D.Lambaa (DP), and former Minister of Justice and Home Affairs Ts.Munkh-Ochir (MPRP). The Parliament "majority" rejected to accept the President Elbegdorj's veto.

 

Housing, Office and Factory Rental

Housing and office space is available for rent, generally as units within apartment buildings. Office space rents are US$12-16 per square meter per month and are available through almost every state agency and through contacting owners of office buildings. Because Mongolia’s manufacturing base is relatively small, factory space is limited and often do not fully satisfy the needs of a foreign company. The terms of the lease, including duration, payment arrangements and other details are usually negotiated on a case-by-case basis. Leases are generally for one year, with rent paid quarterly or at the end of each month. No deposit is required, but if a lease is broken, the lessee is responsible for paying rent until a new lessee is found.

Other alternatives including leasing land and building one’s own housing or office space, leasing government or private owned apartments, or, for the true Mongolian experience, living in a “ger”.

Stocks-Plunge-on-Recession-Fears

 

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NEW YORK (AP) - Wall Street plunged at the opening of trading Tuesday, propelling the Dow Jones industrials down about 400 points after an interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve failed to assuage investors fearing a recession in the United States.
U.S. markets joined stock exchanges around the globe that have fallen precipitously in recent days amid concerns that a downturn might spread around the world.

The Fed’s decision to cut its federal funds rate to 3.50 percent and the discount rate, the interest it charges to lend directly to banks, came a week before the central bank’s regularly scheduled meeting, a sign that the Fed recognized the… Full Stocks Story

NEW YORK (AP) - Wall Street plunged at the opening of trading Tuesday, propelling the Dow Jones industrials down about 400 points after an interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve failed to assuage investors fearing a recession in the United States.

U.S. markets joined stock exchanges around the globe that have fallen precipitously in recent days amid concerns that a downturn might spread around the world.

The Fed’s decision to cut its federal funds rate to 3.50 percent and the discount rate, the interest it charges to lend directly to banks, came a week before the central bank’s regularly scheduled meeting, a sign that the Fed recognized the seriousness of the world financial situation.

In the opening minutes of trading, the Dow was down 400 points at the 11,698 level. It last was below 12,000 in March 2007.

It was the first time the Fed altered the target federal funds rate between scheduled meetings since the markets reopened after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The cut was the biggest one-day rate move by the Fed since it lowered rates by a full percentage point in December 1991, when the country was trying to emerge from recession.

The Fed said in a statement that it took the steps to address a “weakening of the economic outlook” and “increasing downside risks to growth.” The bank also said it will act in a timely way to address future risks.

“They seemed to react to the markets rather than anticipate the markets, but they did the right thing,” said economist Edward Yardeni, who runs his own research firm.

Most Expensive Cars in the world for 2010 (Part II)

Here is the continuation of the top 10 World's Most Expensive Car in 2010.

6.) Lamborghini Reventòn
Price: $1.42 Million













 

Lamborghini Reventòn (pronounced as Rebenton in Spanish) is a mid-engined sports car that debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2007. It was ranked as one of the most powerful and expensive Lamborghini road cars to date for costing 1 million euros (US$1.25 Million). The Reventòn exterior styling was inspired by the fastest airplane, and to emphasize this, Lamborghini had a staged race between Panavia Tornado fighter plane.
 

7.) Lamborghini Reventòn Roadster
Price: $1.56 Million













 

Lamborghini Reventòn Roadster design was inspired by the fighter jet with styling elements such as the powerful arrowhead look at the front, scissor doors, broad side skirts and large air intakes. Exterior paintwork is a special matt color called Reventòn Grey. Reventòn Roadster was built from carbon fibre and high strength still that displays good rigidity and at the same time light enough to kick out exceptional performance. The dimensions are 4.7 m long, 2.1m wide, 1.1 high and the wheelbase is 2.7m. And it weighs 1,690 kg (3725 lbs.) or just 25kg (55 lbs.) more than the Coupé. Both passengers sit pretty close to the ground but fortunately the suspension can be raised by 40mm at the front.
 

8.) Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster
Price: $1.8 Million














 

The PS and other special Zondas which will be built makes this and the coupé the rarest Zondas. The production of this model started 2009 until this year 2010, the Body Style is 2-door roadster, Engines: 7.3L AMG V12, 678 hp @6400 rpm, 575 ft-lbf torque and Transmission: 6-speed sequential manual. It goes from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) only 3.4 seconds and it has a top speed of 217 mph (349 km/h).
 

9.) Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport
Price: $2 /$ 1.67 Million














 

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grandsport is said to be the topless version of the world's fastest production car. It's Engine was 7993cc, W16, Power: 987 bhp @6000rpm, Torque: 922 lb ft @2200 rpm, Transmission: 7-speed DSG with paddle shift, Fuel/Co Acceleration: 0-62 mph: 2.5 sec and Top Speed: 253 mph. It has been developed so there will be no draft inside even when exploring the upper reaches of the car's 217 mph top speed.
 

10.) Koenigsegg Trevita
Price: $2.21 Million














 

Trevita is the special edition car in which translates as "three whites" in Swedish. It has a body made entirely of Koenigsegg's proprietary material consisting of diamond-coated carbon fiber. This model was based to Koenigsegg CCXR and therefore produces 1018 HP when running on biofuel. The production was made starting 2009 until today, it was a sports car with Body Style: 2-door roadster, Layout: rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, Engines: Modified twin-supercharged V8 engine from the CCX, converted to use E85 or E100 ethanol fuel as well as standard 98 octane petrol and Transmissions: 6-speed manual or semi-automatic.

Most Expensive Cars in the world for 2010 (Part I)

 

Cars are one of the talk about topic of men, they love discussing about how expensive, how fast, how beautiful and how great the features of the car they have bought are. Despite of the recession there are still few elite people that still manage to buy expensive cars. Let us discuss the top 10 most expensive cars in the world for 2010 and let us see which are the most expensive and which of them has better features. Let us start with the expensive to most expensive.

1.) Shelby Super Cars (SSC Ultimate Aero)
Price: $740,000













SSC Ultimate Aero is an American built mid-engine supercar by Shelby Super Cars. The production started at 2006 until today and there are 25 more to be produced. The Body Style: 2 seat Berlinetta, Layout: rear mid-engine and rear wheel drive. The Engine: 6.2L V8 Twin Turbo 1183 bhp with Length: 4,470 millimeters (176 in.), Width: 2,080 millimeters (82 in.) Height: 1,090 millimeters (43 in.) and Curb Weight: 1,292 kilograms (2, 850 lbs.) Ultimate Aero is the world's most powerful production car.

2.) Leblanc Mirabeau
Price: $765,000













Leblanc Mirabeau is the newest car from Wysstec. It was designed to fulfill all the FIA/Le Man's standards to drive the car in Lemans and for racing track. To reach the maximum of lightweight building and race feeling the car interior is optimized for maximum speed and acceleration.

3.) Koenigsegg CCX
Price: $1.1 Million












The Koenigsegg CCX is a mid-engined roadster from Swedish car manufacturer Koenigsegg. It was engineered to comply with the U.S. regulation, market demands and replaced Koenigsegg CCR. It was a sports car class with a Body Style: 2 door roadster, Layout: Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, Engine: 4.7 L twin-supercharged V8, Transmissions: 6 speed manual, Wheelbase: 2,660 mm(104.7), Length: 4,293 mm (169.0 in), Width: 1,996 mm(78.6 in), Height: 1,120 mm (44.1 in) and Curb Weight: 1,180 kg (2,601 lb).

4.) Koenigsegg CCXR
Price: $1.3 Million













The Koenigsegg CCXR is an environmentally friendly mid-engined roadster created by it's manufacturer Koenigsegg. It was the predecessor of Koenigsegg CCX. The main difference being that CCXR's engine is tuned to run on biofuel. The different fuel and tune allows the CCXR to produce 25% more power than the CCX. It's fuel capacity is 70L (15.4 imp gal; 18.5 US gal).

5.) Maybach Landaulet
Price: $1.4 Million












Laundaulet is a standard four-passenger configuration but can also be built to hold five. It's trunk space is 21.4 cubic feet with ten hidden storage compartment placed throughout the interior. Laundaulet differs from it's siblings by having a partition between the passenger and driver's compartment. There is an intercom system that allows passengers to communicate with the driver. Rear interior are more luxurious than the driver's compartment and it's headrest was slightly larger in the Landaulet to reduce the wind noise when the top is open.

Export used cars from USA

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We are a member of the Manheim group of companies. Our company has had extensive experience in the export field and because of that we manage all of Manheim’s export services. Our web portal allows foreign clients to gain access to over 100,000 vehicles daily from the world’s most respected wholesale auto auctions. After registration the client is given the ability to bid and purchase vehicles.

Export Trader will arrange for purchased vehicles to be shipped from the auction to the port by truck or rail and then by ship to your desired port using your choice of Ro-Ro or Container. We supply inspections, pictures, insurance, financing and anything that is required for the safe and secure delivery of your vehicle.

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Export Trader offers you premium services with vehicles from premium sources and peace of mind. We look forward to working with you.

Back To School

hoto by Matt OttoNumerous human beings contributed to this fine project, including Nadia Afghani, Nathan Callahan, Sarah Callender, Judy Jou, Rich Kane, Steve Lowery, Jami Makan, Maridel Reyes, Rosheila Robles, Jamie Rodriguez, Daniel Ross, Scott Wennerberg, Katie Wintermute and Chris Ziegler.
It happens every fall: the leaves turn, the weather dips below 78 degrees to a chilly 77, and off our kids go to school. We may not be able to do anything about the weather—not yet, BWHAHAHAHAHA!—but we can help everyone who's heading back to school, and by everyone we mean everyone except those in preschool, elementary, middle and high schools—what are we, Jesus!? No, we are here to help our college-age friends with their college-age needs and desires. We are here to tell them the best bars to frequent, the best campus to see good looking students, the best protests to attend and the best cross-dressing professor to learn from (it may not be the one you think). There's also plenty of stuff about bookstores, vintage clothes, sex, music stores, sex, cheap eats, sex, happy hours, sex, sex, sex, sex and movie theaters. Sex. Yes, all you need to know for a Ph.D. (Party Hearty Degree . . . sorry) in Everything College in Orange County. Enjoy! (Sex.)
WHERE THE (SMOKING-HOT) GIRLS ARE
Last spring, 30,848 students enrolled at Cal State Fullerton, more than at any other campus in Orange County. Of them, 60.6 percent were female. That's 18,693.888 girls. Let's be generous and assume only half of them are attractive. Now we're down to 9,246.94400000001 girls. That means there are more good-looking girls at CSUF than there are girls enrolled in most OC schools—and they're all smoking-hot.
THE PLACE TO TAKE A FOUR-YEAR NAP
On the second floor of Cal State Long Beach's Student Union, you'll find the Music Listening Lounge, which is actually two lounge areas complete with live DJs and individual listening booths where you can listen to the CD of your choice—more than a thousand to choose from!—and recline in a comfy beanbag. Booths cost $1 per hour, but everything else is free for CSULB students with the exception of the 25-cent arcade machines. What's more, one of the two lounges has black walls, disco lights and neon wall hangings . . . or was that astronomy? The lounge is open Mon.-Thurs., 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; Fri., 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
SPOTLESS CLOTHES, SPOTTY LIVER Doing laundry used to be one of the most tiresome, frustrating chores in existence—especially if you had to go to a laundromat. Apart from jammed coin machines and uncomfortable, suspiciously sticky chairs, the seasoned fluff-and-folder also contended with disturbingly overpowering soap fumes and the occasional sociopath. Until now: for those fortunate to live anywhere near Tustin, the Econ O-Wash on Irvine Boulevard, with its clean floors and new machines, is a laundry-doer's dream. And it's near a bar: Godfather's. This loveable dive features free popcorn, fair prices, eight TVs and plenty of video-game trivia. Meet some friends for drinks and darts while your clothes magically become clean—could there be a better way to pass the time?! With a few beers under your belt, everything—even folding your T-shirts . . . very poorly—is more fun. Godfather's, 416 Irvine Blvd., Tustin, (714) 544-4410; Econ O-Wash, 412 Irvine Blvd., Tustin.
TECHNO-RIFIC
The oldest electronic/techno specialty
store in OC, Dr. Freecloud's Mixing Lab is the spot to pick up new mixes, test out new sampling techniques, gobble up piles of rave
fliers—some you might actually want to go to—and chat up owner Ron D Core, an expert spinner in his own right. The Lab, 2930 Bristol St., Ste. A109, Costa Mesa, (949) 545-8811.
IN THIS CORNER . . . Whenever the local chapter of the Ayn Rand Institute's president and executive director, Dr. Yaron Brook, debates a UC Irvine faculty member, the cops are invited along with him. In the past, Brook has claimed that non-Western cultures are inferior to Western ones, infuriating many audience members, many of whom don't wait for the question-and-answer session after the debate to holler their frustrations at Dr. Brook. When it's time for the Q&A, the waiting line stretches halfway up the aisles of Crystal Cove Auditorium, with people shouting into the mic until its levels peak and screech. Dr. Brook isn't afraid to shout back. The cops guard the exits just in case.
GET VAPORIZED!
Let's face it, no college student wants to get caught smoking the sticky icky. Not only is there a chance you will get kicked out of the dorms, but also new federal regulations make it possible for your student loans to be revoked FOR-EV-ER! That's why the intelligent dorm stoner moves on from the pipe or bong and plugs in a vaporizer. Although "not intended for illegal use," the beauty of vaporizers is that they heat the ganja to slightly less than 400 degrees, just below the combustion point. At this temperature, only the resinous gold, or THC, is released from the buds, allowing the user to take cool, clean hits without sucking in harmful carbon and Ortho agricultural products. The first toke may fool the novice user since there is very little visible smoke compared to other pieces, but after a few practice runs, you and your friends will be pleasantly surprised by the efficiency of this invention and the little smell it releases. Two dorm-room-friendly versions are the BC Vaporizer ($75 Canadian) and the Volcano ($600 American), both of which vent the gas into collection chambers so that none is wasted. Do your homework before purchasing one because they come in a variety of shapes and sizes and you may end up being disappointed with cheaper models. In the end, these babies will soon pay for themselves and make your prized sack last longer since A) the THC is used more effectively and B) with less danky smoke, you won't have to share with those predatory Chiba Hawks circling outside your door. With a vaporizer, aspiring Tommy Chongs no longer have to worry about fake air sprays, bulky ionic generators or trying to remember who had your Bic lighter last.

Kansas City's 10 most stolen vehicles of the last three years; bye, bye, Honda Accord

The list of Kansas City's 10 most stolen vehicles of the last year came out this week. And since everyone loves lists, Police Chief Jim Corwin looked back in the KCPD's vault and dug up the 10 most stolen vehicles in the last three years.

The make and model that the guy in the hoodie hanging out in your parking lot is waiting to jack? The Honda Accord.

The Ford F-150 comes in at second place.

Corwin notes that the third-place Dodge Intrepid made the list because of a crime ring that stole dozens of them between 2008 and 2009.

Here's the top 10.

1. Honda Accord
2. Ford F-150
3. Dodge Intrepid
4. Ford Taurus
5. Jeep Cherokee
6. Chevrolet Silverado
7. Dodge Caravan
8. Ford Explorer
9. Oldsmobile Cutlass
10. Dodge Ram

Thieves, if you must steal. Steal American!

Syah D. Duffey, 2-year-old Cass County girl, abducted

t's hard not to feel your heart sink when you hear a story like this one. Syah D. Duffey, a 2-year-old Cassy County girl, was abducted this morning.

Syah Duffey was abducted by a fat woman this morning.

​

KMBC Channel 9 reports that an Amber Alert has been issued for Duffey after a heavy set white woman in a dirty white van with Iowa license plates allegedly kidnapped Duffey from 202 Broadway in East Lynne around 8:30 a.m.

The suspect is believed to be in her twenties or thirties and was last seen wearing a gray sweater and blue jeans. That's all we know about the suspect so far.

Duffey's clothes are described as a Mickey Mouse shirt and blue jeans.

If you've seen Duffey or have information about her disappearance, call 911 or the the Cass County Sheriff's Office at 816-380-5200.

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Mark Your Calendar! It's five days to the start of Kansas' first domestic partner registry

Mark Your Calendar! It's five days to the start of Kansas' first domestic partner registry

At 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 1, couples will gather at the Lawrence City Hall to become the first to register as domestic partners in the state of Kansas.

Registry will be done via computers in the City Commission room on the first floor. The fee is $75.

Now couples -- both same-sex and straight -- will be able to gain access to health insurance and other benefits already offered by their employers. This is just one of the advantages of being able to legally prove a domestic partner relationship.

Kudos and huzzahs to the Kansas Equality Coalition for winning approval of this important registry. The Equality Coalition has more detail on its web site.

Lawrence domestic partner registry prompts City Hall celebration

Lawrence domestic partner registry prompts City Hall celebration

[updated 5:50 p.m.]
Here are just some of the couples who registered today.

Top: Joyce Shontz and Danita Long have been a committed couple for 6 years. In the background are Tom Witt, state chair of the Kansas Equality Coalition, talking to a reporter. Tom is in the brown suit. Joyce, by the way, is a former president of her church board of directors. Danita teaches in the congregation's Sunday school.

Middle: Jessica Pierson, left, and Jen Humphrey, right, took some time off from work to register.

Bottom: Mike Silverman, left, and Dave Greenbaum, right, have been together for more than a decade.

Neither these photos or any of the others I've posted give a sense of the number of people who crammed into the room. The Equality Coalition had lined up four couples to register, but others kept coming.

Switching off the death penalty

By the Monitor's Editorial Board

This month, the Kansas Legislature is expected to begin hearings on a bill to repeal the death penalty. If the bill passes, Kansas will become the third state in three years to eliminate capital punishment – another encouraging milestone on the way to ending this practice in America.

Last March, New Mexico replaced the death penalty with a maximum sentence of life without parole, as did New Jersey in 2007. If Kansas follows, it will become the 16th state to forgo executions as a criminal justice tool.

The nation has been pulling back from sanctioned killing as a punishment for heinous crimes. In 2009, 106 people were handed death sentences – a record low since 1976, when the US Supreme Court upheld capital punishment.

Last year, the American Law Institute, which put in place the intellectual underpinnings of the modern capital justice system, abandoned its work in this field. The Supreme Court relied heavily on the institute’s framework when it decided to uphold capital punishment. But the institute has concluded that it’s not possible to ensure “a minimally adequate system for administering” the death penalty. A review for the institute cited many problems, including a lack of fairness.

Practical considerations are moving states – and juries – away from capital punishment. A big factor is cost, driven up by the lengthy appeals process and the expense of investigation and litigation when a life is at stake. Kansas estimates, for example, that the median cost of a death penalty case is 70 percent higher than for a murder case where the death penalty is not given.

Juries are also more cautious about mistaken convictions (139 people sentenced to death have been exonerated since 1973). The Supreme Court, too, has narrowed the field of those who may be executed, eliminating juveniles and those diagnosed as mentally retarded. And the death penalty is not an effective deterrent against crime.

But the moral argument against capital punishment should not be forgotten. A government’s job is to preserve life, not compound a terrible wrong by taking another life. A death sentence cuts off the opportunity for redemption and leans on an outdated concept of justice based on revenge.

The practical concerns spurring the anti-death-penalty trend are important, but circumstances can change. The moral imperative does not.
 

Kansas could abolish death penalty to cut costs

By Erin Brown

The state budget crisis has forced Kansas legislators to re-evaluate state spending, leading some lawmakers to review the cost and effectiveness of the Kansas death penalty law.

The Kansas legislature is reviewing Senate Bills 208 and 375, both of which would abolish the death penalty in Kansas. Senate Bill 208 was introduced and debated last year, but no action was taken on the bill.

After three days of hearings, the Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to consider Senate Bill 375 Friday, Sen. Marci Francisco (D-Lawrence), said.

“The major concern that brought this topic up again was looking at the cost,” Francisco said. “Obviously we are in a tight budget situation.”

A death penalty prosecution can cost as much as a million dollars, she said, while a life sentence without parole could save taxpayers half a million dollars or more for each case.

According to Senate Bill 208, the median cost of a non-death-penalty murder case was approximately 70 percent less than the median cost of a death sentence.

Kansas re-enacted the death penalty in 1994, but has not carried out an execution since 1965, according to Senate Bill 375.

According to the National Center for State Courts’ website, Kansas has 10 inmates on death row. As the bill now stands, the abolishment of the death penalty, if passed, would not take effect until July 1, 2010.

Although Francisco is not a member of the Judiciary Committee, she said that she was glad the committee had decided to review the death penalty, and that she hoped to debate a bill in the full senate.

“I think senators feel this is a good time to engage again in this discussion and debate,” she said.

George Dungan, a senior from Lincoln, Neb. and vice-president of KU Young Democrats, said he was glad legislators had decided to debate the death penalty, especially during a time of economic instability for the state.

“In a time when Kansas is struggling to make ends meet, it seems absurd to continue an ineffective and expensive program, such as the death penalty,” he said.

Eric Foss, a senior from Overland Park and president of KU College Republicans, said his support for the death penalty hinged on the effectiveness of a state’s appeals process.

“For me, it’s not an argument of whether it is a more effective punishment,” he said. “We need to make sure we aren’t executing innocent people. That’s my primary concern.”

Foss said he thought it was possible the death penalty would end in Kansas.

“I think now, more than ever, because of budget constraints it is pretty likely that the decision to outlaw the death penalty may be made,” he said.

Kansas is one of 35 states with the death penalty, according to the National Center for State Courts. Fifteen states have abolished the death penalty, the most recent being New Mexico, which outlawed the death penalty last year.

Editorial: Kansas needs to repeal the death penalty law

By Caitlin Thornbrugh

With the majority of the nation looking to save even a few dollars, it is not a surprise that the state of Kansas is trying to economize a budget that is becoming more and more of a problem.

On Friday, a Senate committee will review a proposal to repeal the death penalty in Kansas. The Senate should vote in favor of the repeal, not only because it is a human rights issue, but because it will save the state a substantial amount of money.

During a budget crisis, even a traditionally conservative state should see the benefits of saving money from the proposed bill.

Today, The Kansan reported that Sen. Marci Franciso (D-Lawrence) said she thought the primary reason this topic was being discussed was because of the status of the budget. A death penalty prosecution can cost as much as a million dollars, she said, while a life sentence without parole could save taxpayers half a million dollars or more for each case.

According to Senate Bill 208 the average cost of a murder case without the death penalty sentence costs approximately 70 percent less than the average cost of a case that does have a death sentence. The misinformed argument that it is too expensive to impose life sentences without parole is false.

Kansas is one of 35 states that have a death penalty sentence for certain crimes. In Kansas, capital punishment has not been used once since its re-enactment 16 years ago. This lack of use is yet another reason to eliminate an unnecessary, money draining procedure.

Aside from monetary reasons, the death penalty also raises human rights questions. Capital punishment has a history of racism and execution of the innocent. These problems, along with fiscal motivations, establish a firm argument against the death penalty law.

The Senate committee will be making a fiscally responsible decision, as well as voting in favor of human rights, if it passes this bill to the full Senate. Students at the University, who are affected by the state budget, should contact their senators to support repealing the death penalty law.

Bishop testifies against death penalty

Bishop testifies against death penalty

By JOE BOLLIG

TOPEKA — The Catholic Church added its voice to others seeking to repeal capital punishment in Kansas during a three-day hearing Jan. 19 to 21 at the state Capitol.

On Jan. 19, Bishop Michael O. Jackels of the Diocese of Wichita gave testimony of the church’s teaching about the death penalty before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

In his testimony, Bishop Jackels — speaking for the Kansas Catholic Conference — said that the Catholic Church recognizes the duty of the state to protect citizens.

“The church also teaches that the death penalty should not be imposed if there are other ways to guarantee public order and the safety of citizens,” he said.
There were attempts to repeal the state’s death penalty law in 2009. Although a bill went to the full Senate, it wasn’t voted upon because of questions regarding consequences if it became law, said Michael Schuttloffel, executive director of the Kansas Catholic Conference.

This year, the Senate is taking the lead with Senate Bill 375, which was scheduled for a vote on Friday, Jan. 29, on whether to send it out of committee to the Senate floor for a vote. “As far as its chances are, it’s hard to say,” said Schuttloffel. “Last year, we never had a final vote in the Senate, where people had to go on the record up or down, so we really don’t know.”

“It’s a very challenging issue for people,” he continued. “There are a lot of people really on the fence who are genuinely conflicted — Catholic legislators who are really torn. So, it’s difficult to know [the legislation’s prospects]. No one has a solid head count.”

The bill’s prospects will be especially challenging this year, because it is also an election year. “This is one of those issues that can try a politician’s courage in an election year, because it’s easy to demagogue the issue,” said Schuttloffel. “It’s easy to get hit over the head [with this] during an election year. And last year just getting it out of committee was by the skin of our teeth — one vote.”

Kansas reinstated the death penalty in 1994, becoming the 35th state to have capital punishment on the books. The state has not executed anyone since June 22, 1965.

Death Penalty Too Costly, Not Deterrent

Death Penalty Too Costly, Not Deterrent

Senator Carolyn McGinn

Because of the state's budget deficit, state legislators are looking at how we fund government today and in the future. We are considering bills that would consolidate and restructure agencies, as well as policy decisions that would reduce government spending.

One policy change being considered is whether the death penalty is worth its higher cost to Kansas citizens, versus the alternative sentence of life in prison without parole we now have on the books.

Since Kansas placed the death penalty on the books in 1994, not one person has been executed. Kansas has not executed anyone since 1965. The Kansas Legislature passed a measure in 2004 creating the sentence of life without parole.

In 2003, a Kansas Legislative Division of Post Audit report found that the estimated median cost of a case in which the death sentence was given was about 70 percent more than the median cost of a non-death penalty murder case. This report included information provided by the Kansas Attorney General's Office, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Board of Indigents' Defense Services, and local courts, prosecutors and law enforcement officers.

In testimony Friday in Topeka, Pat Scalia of the Board of Indigents' Defense Services stated that since the re-enactment of the death penalty, 107 cases were filed with charges under the capital murder statute. To date, 26 death penalty trials have been completed, 12 resulting in the death sentence. The cost for the defense through Feb. 23 was $19.9 million.

This added cost is a result of investigation, lengthier trials and the higher cost and frequency of appeals. The appeals process is mandated by the U.S. Supreme Court and the Constitution. The state of Kansas can do little to reduce these costs, which are built into cases involving capital punishment.

Because of the emotional impact, this change in policy cannot be totally weighed in dollars. This is why Senate Bill 208 has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. At its public hearing Thursday, senators heard testimony demonstrating the inconsistency, ineffectiveness and the greater fiscal and emotional burdens of the death penalty system.

The committee also heard much testimony disputing the widely held belief that the death penalty acts as a deterrent to violent crime. The American Society of Criminology surveyed criminologists about their thoughts regarding whether the death penalty was a deterrent to crimes, and the vast majority responded that it was not a deterrent. Further, the life-without-parole sentence has given the state an effective alternative to ensure the most heinous criminals are never able to endanger society again.

Having this discussion in no way diminishes the pain and grief that victims and family members go through. Nor does it indicate that those on death row are not deserving of dying in prison. It does cause one to ask whether lethal injection is worse than being forced to live life in isolation until death.

DCCC Drops $21.5M on 66 Districts

  A special roundup of tonight's independent expenditure filings from the DCCC -- likely their last major buys for the cycle:

District	Incumbent	Buy	CTD
AL-02	Bright	$266,416	$1,401,924
AR-01	OPEN	$538,343	$1,760,295
AZ-01	Kirkpatrick	$270,804	$1,018,678
AZ-05	Mitchell	$269,473	$1,089,934
AZ-07	Grijalva	$82,991	$178,153
AZ-08	Giffords	$132,195	$132,195
CA-11	McNerney	$471,126	$1,011,469
CA-20	Costa	$191,580	$346,583
CO-03	Salazar	$258,248	$1,148,734
CO-07	Perlmutter	$301,064	$465,176
CT-05	Murphy	$274,950	$274,950
FL-02	Boyd	$170,422	$337,516
FL-22	Klein	$315,840	$315,840
FL-25	OPEN	$775,900	$1,394,729
GA-02	Bishop	$256,835	$756,286
GA-08	Marshall	$11,340	$42,321
HI-01	Djou	$126,252	$814,931
IA-01	Braley	$166,944	$180,739
IA-02	Loebsack	$270,353	$578,620
IA-03	Boswell	$157,789	$723,500
IL-10	OPEN	$590,722	$1,725,029
IL-14	Foster	$526,917	$1,283,956
IL-17	Hare	$92,158	$1,091,570
IN-02	Donnelly	$179,712	$729,651
IN-09	Hill	$454,496	$1,305,315
KY-06	Chandler	$133,451	$452,695
MA-10	OPEN	$823,059	$1,390,878
MD-01	Kratovil	$339,824	$1,467,081
MI-01	OPEN	$201,432	$1,274,577
MI-07	Schauer	$354,294	$1,354,383
MI-09	Peters	$497,250	$497,250
MN-01	Walz	$129,922	$255,726
MO-04	Skelton	$458,420	$1,236,357
MS-01	Childers	$224,934	$957,497
NC-07	McIntyre	$62,134	$202,049
NC-08	Kissell	$458,101	$1,705,390
ND-AL	Pomeroy	$294,008	$795,743
NH-02	OPEN	$487,837	$968,365
NJ-03	Adler	$642,132	$642,132
NM-01	Heinrich	$372,240	$860,469
NV-03	Titus	$404,364	$1,354,173
NY-19	Hall	$409,200	$502,692
NY-20	Murphy	$220,230	$674,536
NY-23	Owens	$431,140	$921,679
NY-24	Arcuri	$260,352	$987,973
OH-06	Wilson	$240,781	$596,578
OH-16	Boccieri	$296,096	$1,449,103
OH-18	Space	$277,311	$1,512,696
OR-05	Schrader	$354,767	$1,239,101
PA-07	OPEN	$702,325	$950,105
PA-08	Murphy	$544,222	$544,222
PA-10	Carney	$217,499	$579,489
PA-11	Kanjorski	$196,926	$670,576
PA-12	Critz	$325,011	$1,100,181
SC-05	Spratt	$252,007	$1,124,024
SD-AL	Herseth	$262,822	$344,786
TN-04	Davis	$168,260	$454,260
TX-17	Edwards	$568,953	$626,750
TX-23	Rodriguez	$169,021	$815,577
VA-02	Nye	$88,514	$788,447
VA-05	Perriello	$142,123	$593,713
VA-11	Connolly	$1,079,867	$1,458,790
WA-02	Larsen	$344,383	$605,930
WA-03	OPEN	$562,384	$1,728,123
WI-07	OPEN	$131,383	$880,769
WV-01	OPEN	$210,483	$1,180,131
	Total:	$21,492,332	$57,853,090

Of particular note is the $1 million dropped by the D-trip against Keith Fimian in VA-11.

If the Tea Party Wins, America Loses.

If the Tea Party Wins, America Loses.

Oct. 27: In a Special Comment, Countdown’s Keith Olbermann explains why voting for the Tea Party will mean a step backward for America.

More on the opening of the domestic partner registry

More on the opening of the domestic partner registry

The Rev. Patrick Rogers, pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Topeka, attended the event to provide support and celebrate the opening of the registry. Rev. Rogers recently moved to Topeka from Houston.

Remember, you don't have to go to City Hall to register. If you are a resident of Lawrence, meet the other criteria, and pay the fee (have your credit card handy), you and your partner can register online.

Laughter & smiles light up Lawrence City Hall as domestic partner registry launches

Laughter & smiles light up Lawrence City Hall as domestic partner registry launches

Top: Steve Maceli, owner of Maceli's in Lawrence, and his partner, John Connolly, a board member of the Lawrence/Douglas Chapter of the Kansas Equality Coalition, finally get a chance to register their partnership with the city.

Bottom: Some of the crowd at City hall this morning.

Photos by Tom Witt

Wichita-area Legislators Hear From Citizens Before Session Starts

Wichita-area Legislators Hear From Citizens Before Session Starts

Citizens from South Central Kansas gave their legislators plenty of ideas and opinions to take to Topeka for the upcoming 2010 Legislative session. State Representatives and Senators from Wichita and the surrounding area listened as 31 citizens expressed their interests and opinions for nearly two hours Tuesday evening in the jury room of the Sedgwick County Courthouse in Wichita.

Legislators will hear from several governments and interest groups Thursday afternoon during their annual meeting at Wichita State University. The public is also invited to attend Thursday’s meeting but will not be allowed to address the delegation.

Speakers at Tuesday’s meeting addressed a broad range of topics and nearly all thanked the delegation for their service. Many said they recognized the challenges legislators face in balancing the state’s budget during tough economic times.

Concerns about judicial corruption and children unnecessarily taken from their families by state agencies were the most common topics. About a third of the speakers asked for better checks on the state’s judicial system. Some made allegations of corruption and called for granting subpoena power to the Government Efficiency and Fiscal Oversight Committee chaired by Rep. Jim Morrison, (R-Colby) or creation of a citizen’s grand jury independent of the judiciary.

Several speakers said too many children are being taken from their parents by judges and state agencies. A few said a profit motive was involved and alleged collusion with contractors to garner childcare payments from parents as well as money from state and federal sources.

A recent Legislative Post Audit report (pdf) examined allegations that Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) workers were “bullied” by district attorney’s offices. The audit found that about 80% of social workers statewide didn’t feel pressured to distort their reports but in Sedgwick County about half felt that way.

Recent hearings by the Joint Committee on Children’s Issues heard statistics and examples illustrating the problem.  Rep. Bill Otto (R-LeRoy) told KansasWatchdog, “the State of Kansas takes children away from parents — severing their parental rights — when the parent in question has committed no crime.  The child has committed no crime.  But they just didn’t do what the nanny state told them to. I think I need to do something about that.”

Possible tax increases were also on the minds of citizens addressing the delegation. Kip Schroeder of Wichita said it would be hard for legislators to balance the budget without tax increases as private sector employment falls and public sector employment increases. “I ask that as you go (to Topeka) you allow us the opportunity to persevere through adversity, that you not raise our taxes under any circumstances.”

John Todd, representing Americans for Prosperity, asked legislators to not raise taxes. “This is not a time to raise taxes on businesses and families that are struggling to pay their bills and trying to maintain their jobs. Economic recovery will come from the private sector, particularly small businesses that don’t need a rollback of hard-fought tax relief gained in previous legislative sessions.”

Kansas Policy Institute President Dave Trabert summarized recent research showing significant opportunities for savings through increasing efficiency and spending down cash balances before cutting services or raising taxes.

Several speakers asked legislators to cease or reduce funding for Planned Parenthood.

Speakers were uniformly courteous, though one speaker gave the delegation an earful of criticism. He named and facetiously thanked several members of the delegation for their votes in the last session against coal-fired electric plants in Western Kansas and in favor of wind-generated power, votes he blamed for rising electric bills.

“What were you thinking? Haven’t any of you toured electric plants? Didn’t any of you know the drawbacks of wind power? Did you know how much electricity costs from any power source?” He reminded legislators that wind-powered electric generators are heavily subsidized by taxpayers and that wind, even in Kansas, is not a reliable source of electricity.

Rep. Melody McCray-Miller (D-Wichita), who chaired the forum, extended the meeting beyond its scheduled 8:30 p.m. wrap-up to allow all who sighed up to speak to do so. The last speaker, Paul Rhodes of Wichita, thanked the legislators and noted the many hard decisions they would face in the upcoming session.

Rhodes, in effect, summarized the tenor of the preceding speakers by asking that legislators reduce the tax burden on citizens, provide better access to justice for all and “correction of high crimes under the color of law.”

“My belief is that under every bad economy is a moral or ethical problem. Some say the opposite of love is hate. The opposite of love is indifference.”

Twitter Posts from the KansasWatchdog on hearings today in Topeka, KS on Children's Issues, "Foster Care"

Twitter Posts from the KansasWatchdog on hearings today in Topeka, KS on Children's Issues, "Foster Care"
#ksleg Summers: refuses to stop a second time as she gives her summary about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Summers: refuses to stop when asked by State Rep Neufeld. says she has another page and a half of testimony. Neufeld yields (so far) about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Summers: Three witnesses were ignored by the court. Background checks delayed reunification. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Summers: child had been abused and was threatend "not to tell" about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Summers: "travesty of justice" is the title of a book she is writing about harm done to children in this state. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Summers does not understand why case was not prosecuted when abuse was obvious in her opinion. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Summers testifying about Judge Burgess not allowing evidence to be heard in court room. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Frankie Summers, a fFormer educator, talking now about personal experiences about what child experienced while in custody. about 8 hours ago via web
#kslefg Judge Burgess: I cannot hold parents accountable if contractors are also not held accountable. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Judge Burgess wants to reply to Attorney's comments. Talking about relationship with contractors. Judge for closer communications about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg State Rep Holmes: Where is problem? Attorney: multi-facted prolbem. Remove financial incentive. Some rules need to be changed. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Attorney: Reality is once there's a problem you're in court for month and months. Need to take money incentives out of system. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Live tweeting from Kansas Fed and State Affairs Committee Hearing about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Attorney: privatization creates financial incentives for contractors that are not in the best interest of the child. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Attorney: children can be removed. SRS doesn't investigate. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Attorney: Need fair judges. Judges being too close to workers, contractors can be a problem. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Attorney: Case worker's report was in error and court acted on it. Judge said "it didn't matter". Need checks and balances. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg: Attorney: Case worker had child removed. Worker had too much power. Best interest of child not served. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg JoCo attorney (can't spell the name) talking about removal of child for spanking that could not be substantiated. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg State rep talking about CASA: Court Appointed Special Advocates for children. There are not enough CASAs to meet the need. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg State Rep Neufeld asking about GAL training. Hogan: Training is one way to help support attorneys about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg State Rep Kiegerl: GAL paid $60/hr in JoCo; Hogan: In SG County $35K/year for half-time work but usually more than half-time. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Hogan: many parents don't have money for legal representation. Guardian ad litems (GAL) are paid less than many attorneys. about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg Attorney Kelly Hogan, child legal services. Talking about a how a guardian ad litem represents the child's best interest. about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg Judge says grandparents always allowed to comment. "Call me" to state reps if you ever have a problem with a case. about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg State Rep Kiegerl asking judge why there seems to be more cases in Sedgwick county. Perhaps judges and contractors too close? about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg Judge Burgess: implementation of privatization was rough at first. "Perfectly fine with it now" about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg Judge Burgess: We have problems in Sedgwick County that western Kansas does not have. about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg Judge Burgess: When "Kansas is rich" prevention would be a better approach. about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg Judge Burgess: Transition to privatization was difficult. Now meet with contractors once a month. about 9 hours ago via web
ksleg Judge Burgess: Only 3% of children taken in are truants. Child has never been removed from home for truancy. Truancy is a huge issue about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg: Almost 60 people at Fed & State hearing to learn about child welfare issues. about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg: Judge Burgess: Biggest problem is service delivery. Most families don’t ask for help until crisis hits. about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg: Judge Burgess is next to testify. Introductions could be better to identify who is speaking. about 9 hours ago via web
#kslefg Judge asked about her concerns about privatization: Judge: Done quickly, more bureaucracy, service barriers. about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg Judge Shepherd: "not a good thing" sometimes when transfers occur between contractors about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg Rep Neufeld asking Judge Shepherd about privatization. She was not a supporter; hurt us initially. about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg Judge: We don't have cases where someone comes in and asks to give up their kids about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg Judge: Child may be in police protective custody for up to 48 hours until judge signs order. Then in SRS custody. about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg State Rep Mike Kiegerl asking when contractors first see a child after a judge's order about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg Judge Shepherd (I think Jean F Shepherd from Lawrence) talking about legal steps for removing a child from the home about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg Judges talking at Fed & State Committee hearing about child welfare. about 9 hours ago via web
JoCo Unofficial Final Election Results: Prairie Village Ward 4, Shawnee Ward 3, Gardner recalls http://tinyurl.com/yzf86wd about 24 hours ago via web
#ksleg Most of the ~50 in the audience at the Fed and State Affairs hearing cannot see speakers' slides -- need two screens. 1:01 PM Mar 2nd via web
#ksleg NCSL: Two federal funding streams: title 4 b child welfare, and 4e foster care. 12:45 PM Mar 2nd via web
#ksleg NCSL: State and local funds more than federal but federal rules drive the system. 12:43 PM Mar 2nd via web
#ksleg Sheri Steisel(?) from NCSL DC talking about complexity of child welfare system. Now talking about federal funding. 12:42 PM Mar 2nd via web
#ksleg Chair Neufeld: Remember history. ACLU law suit 15 years ago and other problems resulted in privitization. What are best practices? 12:36 PM Mar 2nd via web
#ksleg State Rep Kiegerl: Any data that privitization doing what was expected? How is performance measured? How do other states compare? 12:32 PM Mar 2nd via web
#ksleg State Rep Loganbill asking if any evidence whether privitization is better or worse. NCSL: Some data, but no conclusion. 12:31 PM Mar 2nd via web
#ksleg Kieger: Removal in other states for non mal-treatment. NCSL rep willl get that data. 12:09 PM Mar 2nd via web
#ksleg State Rep Mike Kiegerl: 53% removed in Kansas for reaons other than neglect. Asking for reason, comparison with other states. 12:08 PM Mar 2nd via web
#ksleg NCSL Rep: Kansas is somewhat unique in number of children removed from home for reasons other than neglect. 12:07 PM Mar 2nd via web
#ksleg Chair Melvin Neufeld asking about a particular statistic for Kansas that was about twice the national average. 12:03 PM Mar 2nd via web
#ksleg Representative from National Conference of State Legislature (NCSL) talking about child welfare system. http://www.ncsl.org/ 11:59 AM Mar 2nd via web