Dole Institute dedication tickets go on sale

Tickets for the Dole Institute of Politics’ dedication events proved popular on Tuesday, the first day they were available to the public.

Michelle Traband, director of ticketing for the Lied Center, said the box office had sold 550 tickets for the USO-style show July 21 at the Lied Center and 180 tickets for the Glenn Miller Orchestra dance July 20 at the Lawrence Holidome, 200 McDonald Drive.

“I think that’s a phenomenal response,” said Erik Nelson, the institute’s associate director.

Nelson said about 600 public tickets remain to the USO show and 150 remain for the Glenn Miller Orchestra dance.

Tickets are available by calling the box office at 864-2787. Other events during the three-day dedication will be free.

Above, Bonnie Lathrop, Lawrence, visits with Richard Norton Smith, director of the Dole Institute of Politics, as she waits to buy tickets.

Police: Suspect offers guilty plea despite tie to fired officer

A guilty plea in Douglas County District Court proves that the involvement of fired police officer Stuart “Mike” Peck isn’t enough to get a defendant off the hook.

Nannette Y. Sturtridge, 41, Lawrence, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine last week for a January 2002 incident in which she allegedly bought cocaine for police in an undercover sting, concealed it in a body cavity and brought police baking soda.

It was Peck who recruited Sturtridge to work with police in late 2001 after he caught her with drug paraphernalia, and Becker said he planned to argue an entrapment defense at trial.

But assistant Dist. Atty. Dave Zabel argued there was no evidence any officer had encouraged Sturtridge to steal the cocaine.

Sturtridge’s sentencing is scheduled for April 24.

Kansas University: Fourth finalist named for vice provost position

Dennis R. Black, vice president for student affairs at the State University of New York at Buffalo, is a finalist to become Kansas University’s vice provost for student success.

Black, the fourth finalist announced by KU, will be featured in an open forum for students from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday in the Malott Room of the Kansas Union. He will present a forum for faculty and staff from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday in the union’s Alderson Auditorium.

Black also has served as vice provost for student services and dean of students at the State University of New York at Buffalo.

The other announced finalists are Don Aripoli, vice president for student affairs at Southwest Missouri State University; Sybil R. Todd, vice president for student affairs at the University of Alabama, and Marlesa A. Roney, vice president for student affairs at the University of Akron.