State and local briefs

Florida man killed in crash of small plane

Greensburg — A Florida man died when the single-engine, homemade plane he was flying crashed in a field in south-central Kansas, authorities said.

Witnesses told the Kansas Highway Patrol they saw smoke coming from the plane shortly before it crashed about 10:30 a.m. Saturday in southeast Kiowa County, near the small community of Belvidere.

The patrol identified the victim as Odd F. Jorgensen, 66, of Malabar, Fla. He had been flying from Oregon to Florida and had stopped Friday night in Dodge City, the patrol said.

Business

KU alumnus to lead national aviation group

A Kansas University graduate has been named president and CEO of the National Business Aviation Assn. in Washington, D.C.

Edward M. Bolen, who received his bachelor’s degree in economics from KU, will lead the organization that represents more than 7,600 companies that operate general aviation aircraft as an aid to their businesses or that are involved with business aviation.

Bolen most recently served as president and CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Assn., also in Washington, D.C. He has served as a member and chairman of the Management Advisory Council to the Federal Aviation Administration, and was legislative director for U.S. Sen. Nancy Kassebaum, a Kansas Republican.

Community

K-State Alumni Club plans annual picnic

Wildcat fans will be invading the Douglas County 4-H Fairgrounds Aug. 17 when Kansas State University stages its annual picnic in Lawrence.

The event, organized by the Lawrence Area K-State Alumni Club of the K-State Alumni Assn., will begin at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $6 per person for dinner. Children 5 and under and high school juniors and seniors are free.

Speakers include David Franz, director of the National Agricultural Biosecurity Center and Seth Sanders and Kristy Tredway, KSU student ambassadors.

High school juniors and seniors who attend will receive a KSU T-shirt, and there will be a scholarship drawing for high school seniors planning to attend KSU.

Reservations, due by Tuesday, can be made by calling 842-2044 or 843-9533.