Homicide victim found in river; four charged

DeSoto The body of an apparent homicide victim was found Sunday in the Kansas River near DeSoto, according to a statement from the Kansas City, Kan., police department.

Police found the body of Deangelo L. Wheeler, a 25-year-old male, about 2 p.m. They believe Wheeler was left there after being slain Saturday in Kansas City, Kan.

Three men have been charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and aggravated kidnapping. They are Robert Buehler-May, 19, Ryan Goldenberg, 25, and Kyle Cavaness, 19.

Alisha Gray, a 23-year-old female, was charged with aiding a felon in connection with the slaying.

Hometowns of the four charged in the slaying were not available.

The defendants are schedule to make their first appearance before a judge Tuesday.

Congressman urges Bush to award medal to Kansan

Rep. Jim Ryun, R-Kan., introduced a resolution calling on President Bush to posthumously award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Harry W. Colmery, Topeka.

Colmery is credited with drafting the original GI Bill of Rights, which gave benefits to military veterans after they returned from war, including an educational benefit.

“Almost 7.8 million men and women were educated or trained through the original GI Bill. Some say this created the modern middle class,” Ryun said. “No one can argue that his contributions changed the landscape of American society forever.”

Last year, Ryun gave the president a letter with the signatures of 22 members of Congress, asking that the medal be granted. Colmery was not on the list of recipients for 2002.

KGS receives international geophysics award

A division of the Kansas Geological Survey will receive an international award for its scientific contributions.

The survey’s exploration services section will receive the Distinguished Achievement Award from the Society of Exploration Geophysicists at the society’s annual meeting this week in Salt Lake City.

The survey, based at Kansas University, is being recognized for developing new techniques, equipment and software to determine rock formations near the surface of the ground. It is used in finding oil and gas and in determining where tunnels, mines or underground voids exist that could lead to sinkholes.

The techniques were used in January 2001 to determine where gas had escaped to cause explosions in Hutchinson.

Meeting to explain child-care registration

A Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department meeting at 6:30 p.m. today at 200 Maine, Suite B, will provide information about registering and licensing family day-care homes.

Kansas law requires homes to be registered or licensed when it provides care to one or two children outside their homes for more than 20 hours a week or provides care to more than two children. Registration is not required if the care is provided only for relatives’ children.

Child care will not be provided at the meeting. Call the Health Department at 843-3060 for more information.

Baker to honor alumni

Baker University will honor three graduates during its 30th annual Awards Banquet Nov. 1.

Recipients of the distinguished service award are Colleen Hernandez, president of the Kansas City Neighborhood Alliance; Neal Malicky, president emeritus of Baldwin Wallace College; and David Ross, senior vice president of Bank of America.

The event, at the Fairmont Hotel in Kansas City, Mo., will include a hospitality hour at 6:30 p.m. and dinner at 7:30 p.m.

KU nursing banquet Nov. 1

Ten outstanding Kansas and Kansas City-area nurses will be honored Nov. 1 at the 12th annual “Nursing: The Heart of Healthcare” banquet.

The banquet, sponsored by the Kansas University School of Nursing, KU Med and Cerner, honors nurses for their dedication to patient care, their communities and the nursing profession. Patients, families, colleagues, community members and health professionals have nominated more than 500 nurses.

A reception at the Westin Crown Center Hotel in Kansas City, Mo., begins at 6 p.m., with dinner following from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Larry Moore, anchor at KMBC-TV, will be master of ceremonies.

Banquet tickets cost $50 per person. For more information, contact Kari Ziblut at (913) 588-1616 or kziblut@kumc.edu.

Clinic seeks men for study

The Menninger Clinic of Topeka needs at least 30 men between 22 and 36 years old for a research study.

The clinic is especially looking for applicants with no formal education beyond high school. It will screen participants over the telephone. Those who qualify will receive $10 an hour to spend three to five hours at the clinic answering questionnaires and being interviewed. All information will be kept confidential.

The study will focus on how childhood experiences affect adult functioning.

For more information, call (785) 350-5172 or toll free at 1-800-288-0317, Ext. 5172.

Classes offer exercises for Parkinson’s patients

Free exercise classes for people with Parkinson’s Disease and caregivers will meet from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays at the Assembly of God Church, 3200 Clinton Parkway until Dec. 11.

The class is taught by Janet Hamburg, who is a professor of dance at Kansas University, registered movement therapist and certified Laban movement analyst.

All of the exercises can be done seated, standing holding a chair, or standing unassisted.

For more information, call 864-5168.