Court says Kansas school funding illegal
TOPEKA, Kan. – Kansas must spend more money on its public schools, the state Supreme Court ruled Friday in a decision that could jeopardize Republican Gov. Sam Brownback’s desire to make his state a tax-cutting template for the nation.
The high court’s ruling, which found that Kansas’ school funding isn’t constitutional, came in a 2010 lawsuit filed by parents and school districts. Instead of balking, Brownback and other leaders of the state’s GOP-dominated government said they were pleased because the decision stopped short of telling legislators exactly how much the state must spend on its schools overall, leaving that responsibility to a lower court.
“It was not an unreasonable decision,” Senate President Susan Wagle said. Republican leaders also believe the court left the Legislature substantial leeway in providing adequate aid to poor school districts and pledged to get it done before the session adjourns in late April or early May.
Deputies confirm Bitcoin interview
LOS ANGELES – Two Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies described in Newsweek’s story about “the face behind Bitcoin” say the quotes attributed to Dorian Nakamoto and a deputy in the story are accurate.
Since the digital currency’s inception, Bitcoin’s creator has been known only as “Satoshi Nakamoto,” which many observers have believed to be a pseudonym for one or more people. Newsweek published a cover story this week claiming that Dorian Nakamoto, a 64-year-old former defense contractor employee, is the author of the computer code underpinnings of Bitcoin. The story includes an exchange between Nakamoto, who was born in Japan but grew up in the U.S. and now resides in Temple City, Calif., and the Newsweek reporter in the presence of police deputies who had been called to Nakamoto’s home.
It quoted Nakamoto as telling the reporter: “I am no longer involved in that, and I cannot discuss it.”
Nakamoto has not disputed that quote but said in an interview Thursday with The Associated Press that the Newsweek reporter misunderstood him.
Associated Press
