Kansas City School District to close almost half of the district's schools in cost-cutting measure

The superintendent of the Kansas City, Missouri school district is defending the decision to close many of the districts schools. John Covington said the district was operating too many schools, and closing schools was the right thing to do.

“Closing schools and making the remaining schools much stronger academically is unquestionably the right thing to do for kids,” Covington said.

Covington said the district was using only about 60 percent of the seats in its elementary schools, 40 percent in its middle schools and an even smaller percent in its high schools, according to CNN. Keeping the schools open with a low enrollment was draining resources, according to Covington.

In the proposed plan, 26 of the district's 61 schools will be closed, along with three other educational facilities. The plan will also cut 700 jobs and save $50 million. The Kansas City Board of Education narrowly voted to approve Covington’s plan.

The districts enrollment has plummeted from 35,000 during the 1999-2000 school year, to about 17,000 this school year.

Critics of the plan argued the school closures will lead to deterioration of some communities, or that the closures will compel residents to leave the district.

Click here to read the full story from CNN.

Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser on CNN.

Gary LaTray appears before federal judge

Gary LaTray stood before a federal judge today to face the charge of violating the conditions of his supervised release from prison.

According to the Post-Standard, LaTray stopped reporting to his probation officer last May.

LaTray waved his right to a preliminary hearing and a bail hearing. He will be in custody until he goes before U.S. District Court Judge Neal McCurn April 13.

LaTray spent 18 years in federal prison for stealing almost $3 million from an armored car company. He was released in June of 2007 and was ordered to be under federal supervision for three years.

LaTray is also the suspect in five other robberies in four states. LaTray was only facing the charge of violating his supervised release. Investigations into the other cases are ongoing though, according to assistant U.S. attorney John Duncan.

Read the full story here.

Syracuse center should be back for NCAA Tournament

Some good news for Syracuse University from the Big East Tournament in New York.

Arinze Onuaku, who was injured in the 91-84 loss to Georgetown, is expected to be able to play in the NCAA tournament, according to the New York Times.

Onuaku was injured with just over five minutes left in the game. He came down awkwardly after attempting to block a shot. Onuaku was helped off the court by trainers and  after the game, Onuaku left the arena on crutches.

Team doctor, Irving Raphael, said the X-rays were negative and head coach Jim Boeheim called the injury a “strain.”

“I think he’ll be back, unless something bad happens tomorrow,” Raphael said.

Onuaku had only three points and three rebounds before leaving with the injury. He will have an MRI on Friday.

Read the full story from the New York Times.