Eudora: Police chief will retire

Eudora — After more than 30 years with the Eudora Police Department — most of them as chief — Bill Long will retire April 1.

Long joined the department as a part-time officer in 1968 and became full-time in 1974 when he also was named police chief.

“Police work can be a high-stress job, but having the right attitude is the key,” Long said.

Long said he remembered when Eudora was small enough that two full-time officers shared one patrol car. The department has since grown to eight full-time officers and two part-time officers in addition to Long.

Long had been considering retirement for the past year. The city already has received about 80 applications for the chief’s job, city officials said.

Community service: Coat drive complete

Scotch Fabric Care collected 2,492 coats in Lawrence and 5,807 in Topeka for the 16th annual Scotch Share the Warmth coat program.

This year’s count was the highest in Lawrence since 1995 and the third highest since the program began, Scotch officials reported.

Scotch employees donated time to clean the coats, which the United Way then distributed to people in need. Scotch has collected and cleaned more than 127,000 coats donated in the last 16 years.

Government: Sebelius budget proposal planned for Jan. 15

Topeka — Gov.-elect Kathleen Sebelius is aiming toward delivering a proposed budget for the next fiscal year on Jan. 15, the same day she will address the 2003 Legislature.

Sebelius will be sworn into office Jan. 13, and since she is a new governor, she has a three-week period within which she can deliver her budget.

But Sebelius’ office said she would probably have a budget ready Jan. 15, the same day she addresses a joint session of the Legislature.

The state is facing its worst fiscal crisis in decades, with some estimates forecasting that revenue will fall about $800 million short of needed spending.

6News Productions: ‘River City Weekly’ airs year’s highlights

Join host Greg Hurd for the “River City Weekly” year in review.

Highlights from 2002 include Maryemma Graham talking about how author Langston Hughes portrayed himself; Alice Fowler on integration in Lawrence; plein aire painting with Robert Sudlow; 9-11 and its impact on survivor Jane Tedder; and now-retired KU Symphony Orchestra conductor Brian Priestman revealing what music means to him.

“River City Weekly” airs on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6 and premieres on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. with encore presentations at 7:30 weeknights and 9 a.m. Saturdays.