KANSAS CITY EDITIUN

2O10 WINTER OLYMPICSThe U.S. continues its dominance inskiing as Bode Miller wins his secondmedal, a silver in the super-G. | B1 Local celebrities share photos from their, shall we say, formative years. | CI

TODAY'S WEATHER: HIGH 32, FALLING TO A LOW OF 26. RAIN AND SNOW MOVE IN BY EVENING. | B12

FUELING THE FUTURE | Green energy in the Midwest PATIENT SAFETY QUESTOfficials also scrutinize ca

Heating from the ground up UQCDI1

"" FACESPOSSIBCLOSINTwo Rivers psychiatricsays the problem invol

FIRST IN ANOCCASIONAL

SERIESWind farms and ethanol

are familiar fixtures in theMidwest. But the region has

little-known potential forvirtually every

unconventional energysource, from solar,

geothermal andhydropower to cleaner

ways to power our cars andtrucks. In occasional storiesthroughout the year, energy

reporter Steve Everly willexplain and explore thosepossibilities — and what's

already under way.

DAVID PULLIAM I THE KANSAS CITY STAR

Workers with Evans Energy Development, including (from right) Lance Stewart, JeronFuller and Travis Sullivan, recently drilled 200 feet into the ground to install polyethylenepipe for a geothermal heat pump at a home near Pleasant Hill.

By STEVE EVERLY * The Kansas City Star

Drill, baby, drill!

The rig tearing into the back-yard of a Pleasant Hill home lastweek would have brought asmile to any oilman's face, ex-cept for one thing: It was drilling

holes for a geothermal energy system.The rig's owner, Evans Energy Development

of Paola, Kan., did get its start finding oil andnatural gas. But drilling for geothermal heat-pump systems accounted for 80 percent of itsrevenue last year.

"It's been good for business," said ScottEvans, the company's owner.

As the shift in his business shows — alongwith other projects in and around Kansas City— you don't need a geyser to use geothermalenergy.

In fact, the Midwest's underground temper-atures — in the mid-50s year-round — are ideal

for helping heat and cool homes and commer-cial buildings. Drill some holes or dig a trench,run pipes to circulate water or other fluid un-derground, hook them up to a heat pump andyou're in business.

The Raytown School District has used geo-thermal energy for a decade, and the Universityof Central Missouri recently began using it formany of its classrooms. More homes around thearea are being equipped with geothermal heatpumps, including two built by Habitat for Hu-manity. And the Army's Fort Riley base in Kan-sas is starting to use them.

The technology, which has been around for60 years, can slash heating and cooling bills by40 percent or more. That means annual savingsof anywhere from $700 to $1,300 for a 2,000-square-foot home.

SEE HEAT I A6

More Americansare saving money,but to make moneythey must changetheir ways. | AI3

APOLOGY OR CORPORATE PITCH?R obotic, insecure and teary-

eyed, Tiger Woods, the' world's most popular ath-

lete, ended on a curious note the13-minute public-relations addressintended to halt his fall from grace.'T'inally," Woods said Friday morn-

JASON WHITLOCK

Two Rivers psychiatric f.says the problem involv<"medical charting issue:

ByTlir

A Kansas City psychiatric hospiitory of patient-care problems coul*close if it can't persuade federal offprotecting patients' safety and pquate treatment.

Medicare officials were planninments to Two Rivers Psychiatrictoday. But a judge granted the 1weeks to work with the federal pback into compliance.

Problems over the past two yeaiers include a patient suicide andtempt, malfunctioning safety ettreatment plans that appear tomore than keeping patients mediing to Medicare inspection report:

The license of a staff psychiapended last year for having phonetient.

The 105-bed hospital at 5121 1said it was surprised by Medicarenotice. Loss of Medicare certificaits revenues and likely force it to c

SEE

LOCAL

They've alfought thibattle befiEfforts by KC district toschools span many yeaimultiple superintenden

By JOEThe K;

When Bernard Taylor heaistorm over Kansas City schithis week, he felt like an old fa familiar soap opera.

"It's like 'The Young and thsaid Taylor, now ;\-per in tondrn l in Mi-

HEAT: Ground-up approach gains momenFROM A1

So why do geothermal heatpumps provide only about 1percent of heating and coolingin the nation's buildings? Be-cause before you can save adime on fuel costs, you have topay a lot for equipment and in-stallation, often double theprice of an efficient central airconditioner and gas furnace.

Sales of the systems havenearly doubled in the last twoyears, to,an estimated 93,000units last year in North Amer-ica. A big factor is a federal taxcredit, enhanced last year aspart of the stimulus package,good for 30 percent of the costof a home system. The industryexpects sales to keep rising andhas set an ambitious goal of 1million geothermal heat pumpssold annually by 2017, the yearafter the credits expire.

"We have a solid foundationto move forward on now," saidDan Ellis, chief executive offi-cer of Climate Master Inc., theworld's largest maker of geo-thermal heat pumps. "This isreally going to take off."

Others aren't so sure, espe-cially with regard to residentialuse, which makes geothermal aperfect example of America'srenewable-energy quandary: Agreen future isn't going tocome cheap, and if it's too ex-pensive it may never happen.Without sufficient foresight orincentives — tax credits, a last-ing rise in fossil fuel prices, orboth — people may neveradopt alternatives widelyenough to curb oil imports andgreenhouse gases., George Schluter, owner of

area builder GWS Homes, saidsome of his customers had in-stalled geothermal heat pumps,figuring that with, the tax creditthey made economic sense.

But he questions whetherthev'll ever be big in the new-

HOW IT WORKSGeothermal energydoesn't need a geyserto work. In fact, themid-50s temperaturesbeneath the earth'ssurface in the Midwestare perfect for theprocess.

HEATING YOUR HOUSEIN THE WINTER

To heat yourhouse in winter, ageothermal heatpump system sendscold refrigerantunderground toabsorb heat.

A verticalclosed-loop

system can goas deep as 100

to 400 feet.

•

The heat pumpcompresses thefluid, which raisesits pressure andthe temperatureof the 55-degreefluid well over 100degrees.

In the air-|handler, theheated fluidwarms air,which is pushedthroughoutyour home.Some rie'&t can <be diverted tohelp your waterheater.

Sources: Williams Comfort Air.CNmate Master, This Old House

GREG BRANSON [ THE KANSAS CITY STAR

GEOTHERMAL IN THE MIDWEST

After losing its heat,the cold refrigerant isreturned undergroundto gather more heat andcontinue the cycle.

COOLING YOUR HOUSEIN THE SUMMERTo cool your house in the summer, the system isreversed The system sends hot refrigerant fluidfrom your house into the much cooler earth,which absorbs the heat before sending thecooled refrigerant back up to your house.

Big advantage: Givenmoderate undergroundtemperatures — which theMidwest has — geothermalheat pumps are regardedas the mostenergy-efficient way tohaat- nnH r-nnl hiiilHinnQ

conditioner and gas furnacecombo.

Economic factors: A 30percent tax credit forhomeowners can cut in halfhow long it takes to recovera system's up-front costs,

ciency air conditioner and gasfurnace would be about $8,000.

The geothermal heat pumpcould save $700 a year in heat-ing and cooling expenses, sowithout the tax credit it couldtake 10 to 14 years to make upthe difference in up-front costs,longer than the average home-owner stays in a house.

Shooting takes ]of hip-hop artisSlices Gotcha, alsoknown as JabrielleFrancis, was a risingunderground star.

By SARA SHEPHERDThe Kansas City Star

The recent homicide of Kan-sas City hip-hop artist SlicesGotcha will leave a void in thelocal music scene, relatives say.

Friends and family willgather today at funeral servicesfor Jabrielle L. Francis, 28, whowas shot todeath Feb. 12in Kansas City.

The KansasCity nativestarted his re-cording careeras a teen,when cousinRich the Fac-tor andbrother Felix Mitchellrecruited him to join their la-bel, Major Factor Records, ac-cording to the Slices GotchaWeb site. He also was a partnerin Lifted Logic graphic designand Web studio.

Francis rapped about streetlife and money. His songs in-clude passages about violence,drugs, partying and escapingthe law.

"He took his surroundings,life, dreams, goals, ups anddowns, and put it to music,"cousin Maulana Shah said.

Francis grew from a writer to

Francis

a businessman,said Francis w;his music intiproduct, inspiriing musicians.

In a 2009 on!mencha Magazialbum "Princeits way to becoiground Hip Heing the artist h;establishing hirin the indepscene.

"I can only r;know, what FAI've come fronthe magazine."for the people tit."

Francis had iand two sons adad," Shah saiwas on his wa}children when'.killed.

Police foundin the intersectOlive streets,police they sa^door sedan, psunroof, leavinj

Services arep.m. today at ]tist Church, 9Kansas City.

Shah said siwhy anyone wiher cousin othtTo reach Sara SI816-234-4366 Csshepherd@kcs

BACK FOR SOME MORE

home market, where most ofthe pumps were sold beforethe construction slowdown.Even when the economy recov-ers, he said, home buyers willwant other features. The im-mediate satisfaction of granitecountertops, a deluxe bath-room or a finished basementcould win out over long-termenergy savings.

For some considering heatpumps, just the idea of usingless energy is worthwhile. Kris-tin Riott of Prairie Village, anavid environmentalist, a coupleof years ago wanted a more ef-ficient way to warm and coolher home and picked a geo-thermal heat pump that cost$21,000 installed. She figuresthe energy savings will payback the investment in 15 years,a good enough return for her.

"I would do it again," shesaid.

School districts, colleges andsome other commercial build-ing owners also have found thesystems worth consideringeven without a big tax break.Besides their energy savings,the systems can be less expen-sive to maintain because offewer moving parts and a 25-year expected lifespan, longerthan most other heating andcooling equipment.

The University of CentralMissouri has geothermal heatpumps up and running forthree buildings as part of theschool's $36 million energy ef-ficiency plan. Miles of plasticpipe filled with liquid threadthrough 450-foot-deep holesdrilled into the earth.

The system was financed in a15-year deal with Bank ofAmerica, with the paymentscoming out of fuel-cost savingsand from money formerlyspent keeping the old heatingsystem operating.

"It's been an awesome pro-

i i t rn i m iu vwv-H I n i n v 111 | v j • > ,

They have no fuel costsand can generate at leastthree times the energy ofthe electricity it takes torun them.Other pluses: Technologyis long-established; nobreakthroughs needed.Fewer moving parts canmean lower maintenancecosts and long life; systemsare built to last 25 yearsand underground pipes 50years.Big drawback: Up-frontcosts can be at leastdouble those of ahigh-efficiency air

ject," said Betty Roberts, theuniversity's vice president ofadministration and finance.

The Raytown School Districtstarted to go geothermal in2000, and about 80 percent ofits schools and space are nowheated and cooled with geoth-ermal heat pumps. The workwas financed with bonds, andthe savings from the beginninghave been higher than thebond payments.

"We have saved millions ofdollars over the years, and itfeels great to be green," saidTravis Hux, the school dis-trict's superintendent of sup-port services.

For homeowners it has beentrickier, unless they had deeppockets to pay for the systems.Folding the cost into mortgageswas difficult because apprais-ers have been reluctant to in-crease the value of real estatebecause of energy-efficientequipment.

But the Appraisal Institute, atrade group, recently said ithad begun training appraisersto include the value of such im-provements. And Fannie Mae,which buys mortgages, plans toannounce incentives this sum-

typically 10-15 yearswithout the credit.Commercial installationsget a 10 percent tax creditand accelerateddepreciation.Short-term potential:Sales of geothermalsystems have soared thepast two years.Long-term potential:Uncertain, especially whenit comes to persuadinghomeowners to take theplunge. But the tax creditsrun through 2016, and theindustry hopes to be selling1 million systems a year by2017.

mer for making energy-savingsimprovements.

The federal tax credit alsogives homeowners extra help.Commercial buildings can get10 percent credit with no capwhen buying a geothermal heatpump. But consumers buyingone for a residence get a 30percent credit, with no cap aslong as the heat pump qualifiesfor the high-efficiency EnergyStar designation.

"That tax credit is really go-ing to launch it," said DaveWagner, manager of commer-cial and residential channelsfor Kansas City Power & Light,who installed a geothermalheat pump in his home in 1985.

Buying energy-saving equip-ment always makes the mosteconomic sense when existingfurnaces, air conditioners orheat pumps need to be re-placed anyway. In those in-stances the tax credit, whichwill be available through 2016,makes geothermal a more seri-ous contender.

Here's one example: A geo-thermal heat pump for a 2,000-square-foot home can cost$15,000 to $18,000. By compari-son, the cost of a high-effi-

But you can slash the pay-back time in half because of the30 percent federal tax credit. Ifother incentives are available— KCP&L customers can getan $850 rebate, for example —the payback time is even less.

ECS Geothermal and Grand-view Furnace, area companiesthat specialize in geothermalheat pumps, both say they haveseen more business since thetax credit began.

Traditional heating and air-conditioning companies alsosay the geothermal heat pumpsare being taken more seriouslyby customers.

A.B. May has installed morethan a dozen recently, "more inthe last four months than we'vedone in the last few years," saidsales manager Don Heydon.

Steve Burbridge, owner ofAnthony Plumbing, Heating &Cooling, said his company wasalso selling more of the heatpumps, and inquiries havegrown as well.

In fact, Burbridge said, whenhe recently went to see his doc-tor about a sinus infection, thephysician had another matterto discuss first: "He shook myhand and said, 'Tell me aboutgeothermal.'"

Terry Sellers, owner ofGrandview Furnace, has beeninstalling geothermal heatpumps since 1982. At first hesold them only in rural areasthat had no natural-gas service.But now he has installed themin homes ranging from 2,000 to20,000 square feet, and the taxcredits have moved peoplefrom considering a geothermalheat pump to actually install-ing one.

"The up-front cost was usu-ally an issue," he said. "I'm ex-cited about what is happening."To reach Steve Everly, call816-234-4455 or send e-mail toseverly@kcstar.com.

• RICH SUGG I THE KAN

Rascal Flatts returned Friday night to Kansas CityPerforming at the Sprint Center were Jay DeMarcand Gary LeVox. See Monday's FYI for a concert r

Two plead guiltyto gambling char

By MARK MORRISThe Kansas City Star

Two brothers, grandsons ofKansas City's last prominentorganized crime boss, pleadedguilty Friday in federal court tooperating an illegal sports gam-bling operation.

Michael C. Sansone and An-thony V. Sansone, 30 and 27, ap-peared together in federalcourt to confess their roles inan Internet betting operationthat has been the focus of a fed-eral investigation for at least ayear.

Their grandfather, Anthony"Tony Ripe" Civella, led the lo-cal outfit for several years fol-lowing the deaths of his uncle,mobster Nick Civella, and TonyCivella's father, Carl Civella.

By taking gambling to theWeb, the Sansones brought alongtime family business into

V

the 21st century.Tony Civella ha(

object of federal att(the late 1950s, mosof his involvemenmaking, accordingfile, which the bureto The Kansas Cit;Civella's death ir2006. He served tvfederal prison, bothgambling business1970s and 1980s.

Like two other arepleaded guilty emonth, the brotheithat they operatedbusiness that usedtelephone numbersite, both routed toCosta Rica, to prowagers on sporting iTo reach Mark Morris816-234-4310 or sen<mmorris@kcstar.corr

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