Pumpkin carvers create holiday gourds of art

The greatest jack-o’-lanterns in town landed at The News Center this week to compete in 6News’ Great Pumpkin Carving Contest.

There were 19 entries in three carving categories: scariest, funniest and most unusual. A panel of judges from 6News, World Online and the Journal-World lit candles inside each gourd and compared the effects in a darkened room to select these winners:

Scariest Jerry D. Wheeler, “Wizard with crystal.”

Funniest Alison Myers-Arenth, “George W,” a pumpkin bearing an odd resemblance to the leader of the free world.

Most Unusual Laury Stoneking, “Squash Castle,” a squash carved into the likeness of a haunted castle, complete with chimneys and spooky trees.

To see 6News video of the pumpkins, visit www.ljworld.com

Chamber of Commerce

Senator to provide legislative update today

U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., today will provide a legislative update at a Lawrence Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

Roberts will be accompanied by U.S. Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., who is the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, and Adam Taff, the Republican candidate in the 3rd Congressional District race.

The luncheon will be from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Lawrence Holidome, 200 McDonald Drive. Cost is $12.

Courts

Former priest pleads innocent to charge

Seneca A former priest pleaded innocent Thursday to a charge of sexually assaulting a child.

Dennis Schmitz, 41, is charged with indecent liberties with a child, a felony.

A pretrial hearing was scheduled for Dec. 13; trial was scheduled for Jan. 22.

Schmitz allegedly engaged in lewd fondling or touching with a 15-year-old child in 1999 at a ranch that Schmitz owns near Seneca.

Last month, Schmitz was sentenced in Douglas County District Court to more than 2 1/2 years in prison for molesting the same boy in 1998. He pleaded guilty in that case.

The victim has filed a lawsuit in Douglas County against Schmitz and the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas seeking at least $75,000 in damages.

Schmitz, a former Lawrence resident, at one time was in charge of recruiting seminary students for the archdiocese.

Telemarketing

No-Call Act now in effect

Enforcement of Kansas’ telemarketing no-call list starts today, Kansas Atty. Gen. Carla Stovall said.

Businesses making unsolicited sales calls to the 397,697 residential phone numbers on the list will be in violation of the Kansas No-Call Act. Any telemarketer violating the act could be fined up to $10,000 per violation.

Consumers who registered their telephone numbers and receive telemarketing calls that they should not have received should get as much information as they can about the caller, Stovall said.

A complaint can be filed against a telemarketer one of two ways. A no-call complaint form is available on the attorney general’s Web site at www.ksag.org for consumers to fill out, print and mail in.

Complaints also may be filed by calling the attorney general’s Consumer Protection Division at (785) 296-3751 or (800) 432-2310.