As a newly minted teacher fresh from a master’s program, I had one final task to complete to receive my certification and degree – student teaching. Although this was at least six years ago, I remember being specifically instructed by my education professors never to ask a student any type of question that would cause them to reveal their citizenship status. If we didn’t ask, they couldn’t tell. If they didn’t tell, we didn’t have to report it. We don’t really have a problem, so we don’t really have to do anything about it. Teachers in the public schools are government employees and are on front lines of the immigration debate and this was our mandate for dealing with one of the most difficult situations facing our country – don’t ask so you won’t have to tell.

Link.

Link.

Newsletter

The primary election is nearly here with just three weeks left! Our ultimate goal is to change the leadership in Congress come November — giving Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi the boot. But we must first be victorious on August 3.

Tomorrow at midnight is the last fundraising report deadline before the primary. Help us reach our goal of $5,000 online in the next 24 hours!

My friends Jerry Moran and Todd Tiahrt don’t seem to agree on much these days, but one thing they do agree on is their support for my reelection. In addition, recent endorsements from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Conservative Union gives us significant momentum in the last days of this campaign. Strong fundraising from Kansans like you will give us even more momentum and help us take on the Democrats in the general election.

I am asking for your help in the next 24 hours. Together, you can give me the resources to help change the leadership in the House.

Whether you can donate $250, $100, $50, or even $25, please consider making a secure donation TODAY!

Please stand with me to ensure we are victorious in August. Thank you again for your help and past support.

Lynn Jenkins, CPA

Computerworld - Consumer Reports magazine today said it won’t recommend Apple’s iPhone 4 because of major reception issues when users touch the external antenna.

One analyst called the publication’s conclusion a “black eye” for Apple.

The Overland Park City Council Action Summary for the July 12th meeting can be found on the city’s web site.

The next City Council meeting is Monday, July 19. (more…)

Crews close lanes on 87th Street Parkway west of Renner

Crews are closing one lane in each direction on 87th Street Parkway just west of Renner Boulevard during the construction of sanitary sewers and installation of storm drain pipes. The closures will be in effect Monday through Friday for approximately one month, weather permitting.

Miles Excavating, the contractor for the 87th Street Parkway reconstruction project, plans to close the lanes at 7 a.m. on Mondays and reopen them at 5 p.m. on Fridays during this period. Occasionally, work may occur on Saturdays, which would necessitate lane reductions, but lanes will be open on Sundays.

Motorists are reminded to drive carefully through the construction zone and watch for flaggers and signage, which will be used to help direct traffic as necessary. Drivers also should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes when possible.

87th Street Parkway is being rebuilt between Renner Boulevard and Lennox Drive to handle traffic more effectively and accommodate future development at City Center. East and westbound lanes will be divided with developable city blocks between them. The nearly one-mile stretch of road, which is designed to fit the urban character of City Center, will include three lanes in each direction, on-street parking, wider pedestrian-friendly sidewalks, and unique streetscaping features. The entire project is scheduled for completion in 2011.

More information about this project is available on the interactive project status map on the city’s web site. Questions may be directed to Hobie Crane, senior staff engineer, at 913-477-7663.

City Council Meeting
COUNCIL ACTIONS
July 12, 2010

The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

CONSENT AGENDA

1. APPROVE MINUTES FROM THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF JUNE 28, 2010.

2. REVIEW MINUTES FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS AND SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING OF
JUNE 22, 2010.

3. REVIEW MINUTES FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING OF JUNE 21,
2010.

4. CONSIDER RENEWAL OF SUP-4-01-06, A SPECIAL USE PERMIT PREVIOUSLY
ISSUED TO JOHNSON COUNTY, TO ALLOW A TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPOUND WITH A 150-FOOT TELECOMMUNICATIONS TOWER, LOCATED AT SHAWNEE MISSION PARK, 7562 RENNER ROAD.
5. CONSIDER RENEWAL OF SUP-10-08-06, A SPECIAL USE PERMIT PREVIOUSLY
ISSUED TO FRITZ’S RAILROAD RESTAURANT, TO ALLOW A RESTAURANT WITH A DRIVE-THRU WINDOW, LOCATED AT 13803 W. 63RD STREET.

6. CONSIDER RENEWAL OF SUP-04-09-06, A SPECIAL USE PERMIT PREVIOUSLY
ISSUED TO WAXY O’SHEA’S IRISH PUB, TO ALLOW LIVE ENTERTAINMENT IN THE FORM OF A BAND/DJ, LOCATED AT 11900 SHAWNEE MISSION PARKWAY.

7. CONSIDER RESOLUTION NO. 1615, 1616 AND 1617, AUTHORIZING THE
EXECUTION OF A CERTAIN AMENDMENT TO EXISTING LOAN AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE CITY OF SHAWNEE AND THE STATE OF KANSAS.

Approved 8-0, Consent Agenda (Items #1-7)

MAYOR’S ITEMS

8. PROCLAMATION FOR BUSINESS APPRECIATION DAY.

PUBLIC ITEMS

9. CONSIDER CEREAL MALT BEVERAGE LICENSE FOR CASEY’S GENERAL STORE’S
INC.

Approved 8-0-0

10. CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER A BUILDING 4795 FRISBEE FOR
LINDSAY AUCTION.

Approved 8-0-0, a) Conduct Public Hearing; Approved 8-0-0, b) Conclude Public Hearing; Approved 8-0-0, c) Resolution # 1618

11. ESTABLISH BUDGET LIMIT AND SET PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE 2010 AMENDED
BUDGET AND THE 2011 BUDGET.

Approved 8-0-0, a) Consider authorizing publication for July 26, 2010, at 7:30 p.m. as the date and time for the public hearing to amend the 2010 Budget.
Approved 8-0-0, b) Consider authorizing publication for July 26, 2010, at 7:30 p.m. as the date and time for the public hearing on the 2011 Budget and authorize staff to publish the maximum dollar levy approved by the Governing Body.

ITEMS FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS & SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING OF JUNE 22, 2010, CHAIRED BY COUNCILMEMBER DAWN KUHN

12. CONSIDER AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF LAKE QUIVIRA FOR FIRE AND
EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE SERVICES.

Approved 8-0-0

ITEMS FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS & SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING OF JUNE 22, 2010, CHAIRED BY COUNCILMEMBER KUHN

13. CONSIDER REVISIONS TO POLICY STATEMENT, PS- 25, FLASHING BEACON,
CROSSING GUARD AND PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALKS.

Approved 8-0-0

STAFF ITEMS

14. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF ENGINEERING STUDY AND REPORT AND AUTHORIZE GBA
TO PROCEED WITH CONSTRUCTION PLANS FOR THE 57TH AND QUIVIRA DRAINAGE PROJECT, P.N. 3282..

Approved 8-0-0

15. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ACKNOWLEDGING SUBMISSION OF AN APPLICATION BY
EXCEL DEVELOPMENT GROUP FOR HOUSING TAX CREDITS THROUGH THE STATE OF KANSAS FOR SENIOR HOUSING.

Approved 5-3-0, Resolution # 1619

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

16. RATIFY SEMI-MONTHLY CLAIMS FOR JULY 12, 2010, IN THE AMOUNT OF
$3,696,372.86.

Approved 8-0-0

17. MISCELLANEOUS COUNCIL ITEMS.
ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at 9:57 p.m.

Link.

Link.

Dr. Charmaine Yoest, President and CEO of Americans United for Life, was in Chicago on Friday to receive the prestigious Alliance Award from Alliance Defense Fund. The award was presented at the concluding banquet of this year’s National Litigation Academy. AUL has partnered with the Alliance Defense Fund since its founding in 1994, and Senior Counsel Clarke Forsythe has served on ADF’s Grant Review Committee for 16 years. Both groups have collaborated on numerous court cases defending human life at all stages.

To make the case that the Arizona immigration law conflicts with, and therefore is preempted by, federal law, the Justice Department has to make an extraordinary claim – that the federal laws as written don’t matter so much.

Computerworld - Just a day before Microsoft Corp. drops support for Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), the company announced on Monday that people running some versions of Windows 7 can “downgrade” to the aged operating system for up to 10 years.

(Reuters) – U.S. regulators proposed easing restrictions on satellite companies in a move aimed at freeing more airwaves to feed the growing demand for wireless broadband services.

Delaware (Reuters) - A patent infringement lawsuit filed on Wednesday against Amazon.com was a procedural move and not a new lawsuit, according to Discovery Communications Inc, which filed the complaint.

A Special Message To Second Amendment Supporters

Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408

http://gunowners.org

Thursday, July 15, 2010
Gun Owners of America is backing Sharron Angle in the United States Senate race in Nevada, and we have compiled a list of 42 reasons why Harry Reid MUST be defeated.

This is one of the top races in the country and one WE MUST WIN! If any gun owner or sportsman has any doubt if Reid is pro-gun or anti-gun, just read the 42 Reasons to Defeat Reid, then decide.

Harry Reid will spend $25 million in his campaign to try and defeat Sharron Angle. I urge every pro-gun American to send Sharron Angle $25. If 1 million pro-gunners across the country do this, she will match Reid’s campaign war chest and WE WILL WIN!

So please, click www.sharronangle.com and click on “donate” to make a contribution.

NOTHING AMERICANS DO IN THIS ELECTION WILL SEND A BIGGER MESSAGE TO THE RADICAL LEFTIST ANTI-GUNNERS IN THE CONGRESS THAN TO DEFEAT HARRY REID, THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER!

Thank you for your help.

Sincerely,

Tim Macy
Vice Chairman

M E E T I N G S Y N O P S I S

-July 15, 2010-

The Board of County Commissioners today deferred for six weeks a request to enlarge the Consolidated Main Sewer District to include the proposed Blue River No. 21 sewer district and a funding request for $15.4 million to provide sewer mains to serve the area. The Board requested additional information from staff about the project, including the impact regarding wastewater EDU (Equivalent Dwelling Unit) rates on property owners and recommendations for possible changes in the county’s deferment policy about EDUs. A portion of the enlargement area, totaling approximately 1,312 acres of accessible land, is within the city of Overland Park. The city has given formal consent to the proposed enlargement within the city boundary. The remainder is in the unincorporated area, but within three miles of the cities of Overland Park and Leawood. No comments were received from Overland Park, Leawood, or from the Johnson County Planning Commission regarding the proposed enlargement in the unincorporated area. If authorized, development is expected to begin occurring with the availability of sanitary sewers, which is approximately five years after creation of the sewer district.

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NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Talia Mollett
Habitat for Humanity International
(404) 979-5947
tmollett@habitat.org
Habitat for Humanity named No. 8 on the ‘Builder 100′ list
Ranking marks the first time Habitat is in the top 10

ATLANTA (July 14, 2010) – Habitat for Humanity achieved the rank of No. 8 on the Builder 100 list with 5,294 closings, marking the first time it has been among the top 10 biggest homebuilders in the United States. The list also shows Habitat moved up three spots in 2009 from its 2008 ranking of No. 11.

“Habitat is proud to have made the top 10 on the Builder 100 list at a time when the economy has contributed to an ever growing gap between those who can afford a home and those who need a hand up. The need has never been greater,” said Larry Gluth, senior vice president of U.S. and Canada for Habitat for Humanity International.
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Most of the students still receive direct instruction in reading, math and writing, based on their individual academic level.

But they join the rest of the students for physical education, lunch, art, music, science and social studies.

Christopher Berger

UnvarnishedOpinion.com

Pitfalls on the Road to Victory

Republicans and conservatives have good reason to be optimistic about our prospects this November. The circumstances favor us, no question. What remains undecided is whether we are ready to capitalize on this after the election. I contend that we aren’t.

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