Graves plan sparks backlash over step cuts and raises
State employees and lawmakers spar over Graves proposed pay changes. Critics say removing bottom three steps harms morale for workers with a year or more at the fourth step, while defenders cite private sector wage competition. Officials push a cost of living increase instead of across the board step raises.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Graves
Vines
Dan Stanley
Stanley
Rocky Nichols
D-Topeka
Nichols
KPERS funds raise questions on education and services
Gov Bill Graves called KPERS cash shortfall a bombshell though lawmakers and KPERS managers downplay the risk. The unfunded liability grows with aging workers and investment returns, shifting the timeline to 2015 and complicating potential retiree cost of living increases.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Bill Graves
KPERS
Vern Chesbro
Ottawa
Kpers Board of Trustees
Glenn Deck
KU Classified Leaders Divided Over Graves Pay Plan
KU classified employees praised parts of Graves proposal especially eliminating bottom pay steps to aid hiring in a tight labor market. Entry custodial wages would rise from 6.63 to 7.13 dollars with two 1.5 percent raises later. Unclassified professionals object that faculty gains outpace their raises.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Graves
Kape
Mike Auchard
Senate
Auchard
Duane Goossen
California government buys power to avert blackouts
California spent more than 25 million dollars to purchase electricity after utilities could not secure credit. The State Department of Water Resources says the emergency purchases kept the lights on during the crisis. Some lawmakers praise the step, others call it a bailout without clear authority. Davis aides say federal order may authorize the purchase amid national crisis talks.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Sacramento
Calif
California
State Department of Water Resources
Gray Davis
Emer
Davis
U.S. Energy
Bill Richardson
Clinton Administration
Astronomers Peer Into a Black Hole
Astronomers using Hubble and Chandra have detected what may be the first evidence of matter crossing an event horizon as predicted by William Stoeger. The studies trace a dying pulse train of light from pulverized gas spiraling toward the jet black boundary, illustrating the final miles into a black hole.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
San Disco
William Stoeger
Vatican Observatory
Hubble Space Telescope
Chandra X
Joseph Dolan
NASA
Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt
Also Mentioned on This Page
Dtopeka
House
Jim Garner
D-Coffeyville
Scott Rothschild
The
Los Angeles Times
Pela
ICC
Arensberg's
Massachusetts
SAVE
Ake
Arensberg
Lawrence
Home Furnishings
Maytag
Frigidaire
Amana
La-Z-Boy
Thomasville
Bassett
Serta
Marling
Gillee Fou
McClure
Topeka
Sun
Washington Post
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