Fire damages businesses in downtown El Dorado

El Dorado — A fire late Monday in downtown El Dorado gutted one business and damaged at least four others. No one was injured.

The fire broke out about 11:30 p.m. Monday in the kitchen area of Old Town Pizza, a Main Street restaurant.

The fire gutted Old Town Pizza and an adjacent building that the business was expanding into. At least four other connected businesses suffered smoke and water damage.

Officials Tuesday had not determined the cause of the fire, which took several hours to extinguish.

No loss estimates were available.

Crime: Gateway Country blimp missing from store, again

A 24-foot-long advertising blimp disappeared from a Lawrence computer store this weekend for the second time in less than a month.

The helium-filled blimp, which was floating above Gateway Country, 3131 Nieder Road, disappeared sometime late Saturday or early Sunday, according to a police report.

Lawrence Police Lt. David Cobb said someone apparently cut a power cord and tether with a knife found at the scene.

The blimp and its cord, worth about $5,000, belong to a California specialty-advertising company. The blimp has a power cord because it’s illuminated at night.

A similar theft occurred about three weeks ago. That time, the store’s manager found the blimp ripped open and lying in a field near 31st and Louisiana streets.

Assistant manager Greg Hanson said he didn’t know whether someone fled with the blimp or cut it loose.

Schools: DeSoto schools name new superintendent

DeSoto — The DeSoto Board of Education has ended its search for a school district superintendent.

Tuesday the board announced that Sharon Zoellner, deputy superintendent since July 2000, would take over the top position. She will replace Marilyn Layman, who will retire June 30.

Zoellner joined the school district as an elementary school principal in 1989. She also has served as director of finance and student services and as assistant superintendent.

Layman announced her retirement last year after the successful passage of a $76.5 million bond issue in November.

Television: Protester, publisher to appear on ‘River City’

Caroljean Brune of the “February Sisters” and Bill Snead’s interview with Arthur Sulzberger Jr., chairman of The New York Times Co., highlight “River City Weekly” this week.

Brune was among the protesters dubbed the “February Sisters” who took over the East Asian Studies building on the Kansas University campus in February 1972.

Snead draws on his recent interview with and photographs of Sulzberger at Sulzberger’s Times office.

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