Chaplain to D-Day troops in ‘River City’ spotlight

Lt. Col. George Russell Barber, the last living chaplain from the D-Day invasion of June 6, 1944, on Omaha Beach in Normandy, France, talks about his life in the service on “River City Weekly.”

Highlights of the interview by host Greg Hurd include Barber’s stories from his days as a cavalry chaplain and D-Day events.

Barber addressed the crowd during Sunday’s “The Greatest Generation’s Greatest Celebration” interfaith worship service at the Lied Center at Kansas University.

“River City Weekly” airs on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6 at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays with encore presentations at 7:30 weeknights, 8:30 weekday mornings and 9 a.m. Saturdays.

Overbrook

Thank-you party planned for medical clinic staff

The Overbrook community will bid a fond farewell to the staff of Kansas Medical Clinic on July 31, the day it closes for the last time.

A “thank-you reception” will be from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the basement of Kansas State Bank, 400 Maple. At 7 p.m. a community meeting will take place in the Overbrook Attendance Center gym on U.S. Highway 56.

The meeting will recap efforts the past two months to raise enough money to keep the clinic from closing.

Overbrook residents launched a drive to raise enough money to keep the clinic open another six months but failed. The money — $34,600 of $50,000 needed — will be refunded during the meeting.

State of Kansas

Forum planned to discuss child welfare services

State welfare officials will be in Lawrence today for an open forum on foster care, adoption and family preservation services.

Open to the public, the forum begins at 1:30 p.m. at the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services office, 1901 Del.

The forum, one of 15 taking place across the state, is designed to give communities input on possible revisions to the state’s contracts for child welfare services.

Currently, SRS contracts with five private agencies for foster-care services, one for adoption services and two for family preservation services.

The contracts expire in 2005.

Douglas County

Sheriff’s deputies involved in accident

One person was taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital Tuesday morning after a two-car accident involving a Douglas County Sheriff’s car and a Dodge Neon.

The accident occurred shortly before noon on County Road 1061 northeast of Baldwin.

The sheriff’s car, an unmarked 1997 Ford Crown Victoria, was going south on the road when it collided with the Dodge, which was northbound and turning left into a driveway, the Kansas Highway Patrol said.

The Dodge was driven by Betty L. Lawrenz, 65, Baldwin, according to the accident report.

The sheriff’s car was driven by Deputy Ronald R. Wilson, 45. Another deputy, Christopher M. Thomas, 28, was a passenger. Neither was hurt.

The deputies were returning two patients to Osawatomie State Hospital after a court appearance. One of them, a 30-year-old woman, was taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital where she was treated and released.