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Top Stories Of The Week

Sprint Nextel was talking with a prospective buyer. The KU Hospital pioneered a new use for GPS technology. Those and other top stories of the week.

 

Brownback Considers Keeping Sales Tax Increase

Governor Sam Brownback continued to hard-sell his income tax reduction plan the legislature okayed, but he did say he might want to extend Kansas' temporary sales tax increase if total revenues decline too steepl.

 

Task Force On Kansas Education Holds First Meeting

Brownback also continued to insist that a task force on education was not put in place to cut spending for public schools. As the panel met for the first time its chairman, Ken Willard of the state board of education said it was about efficiency. Brownback's task force has been heavily criticized by educators because it includes no teachers and no school administrators.

 

Sprint Nextel Talks With Suitor

Sprint Nextel executives confirmed to the Wall Street Journal that they are discussing selling a controlling interest to Japanese wireless carrier Softbank. Analysts said it would be good for Sprint and its presence in the Kansas City area. Softbank called it “speculation.”

 

GPS Technology Aids Cardiac Catheter Tracking

The KU Hospital announced that it was the first in the nation to use a new cardiac catheter guidance system that dramatically reduces patient radiation exposure. The new guidance system uses technology similar to GPS.

 

Cassel Sidelined By Concussion, Quinn Will Start

The Kansas City Chiefs front office said most Chiefs fans are not like the ones that cheered last Sunday when quarterback Matt Cassel was knocked unconscious on the field. Kansas City Coach Romeo Crennel told reporters Monday that Cassel was sidelined with a concussion. Brady Quinn was designated fill-in quarterback for the Tampa Bay game.

 

Audit Shows Increased Ambulance Arrival Times

An audit showed that Kansas City ambulances are a minute slower getting to patients since a system change last December. Public safety chair John Sharp called that unacceptable. But the city manager and the acting fire chief said that minute was consumed by a protocol endorsed by national firefighting organizations in which dispatchers ask callers more questions.

 

Missouri Campaigns Get Rough In Final Weeks

Senator Claire McCaskill released new campaign ads featuring victims of rape and incest criticizing Todd Akin's comments on rape and pregnancy. The latest Akin ads were calling McCaskill corrupt.

Meanwhile, in the race for governor, Republican challenger Dave Spence filed  suit against Democratic incumbent Jay Nixon alleging that Nixon's ads contained libelous statements that Spence called "false and reckless."

 

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