Museum shop plans holiday open house

Miss Lizzie’s Gifts at the Watkins Community Museum of History will have a Christmas Open House from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 28 and 29, and from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 30.

The shop, at 1047 Mass., is named after Elizabeth Watkins and proceeds support the museum. Items for sale include books about Douglas County, candles, lamps, linens, paper dolls, stationery, old-fashioned toys and games and music.

ESPN’s Dick Vitale to sign memoir at KU

It’s book-signing time, baby!

Dick Vitale, the colorful ESPN college basketball commentator, will sign copies of his new book, “Living a Dream: Reflections on 25 Years Sitting in the Best Seat in the House,” from noon to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Oread Books, on the second floor of the Kansas Union.

The event is free and open to the public.

Vitale wrote the book with sports writer Dick Weiss, and the book’s foreword is by Duke University coach Mike Krzyzewski. Weiss also wrote three other books with Vitale.

Vitale will be in town Tuesday for ESPN coverage of the Kansas University-Michigan State University basketball game, which begins at 8 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse.

KJHK taps new G.M.

The student-run radio station at Kansas University has a new general manager.

Andrew Dierks, a 1999 KU graduate who worked at KJHK-FM three years during school, will take the position Jan. 5.

His hiring is another step in the transition of KJHK from the school of journalism to the KU Memorial Unions, which will take over the station next year.

Dierks has worked in the Chicago area at the Lincoln Park Zoo as assistant to the board of directors.

Dierks will replace Gary Hawke, a journalism professor, who will take on full-time teaching duties.