George Norton starts work Monday as Kansas Public Radio’s director of corporate development.

Norton, a longtime supporter and volunteer at KPR, will oversee more than 130 underwriting accounts that generate nearly $250,000 per year for KPR. He also will seek new accounts and look to widen the station’s underwriting base in Topeka, Emporia, Manhattan and Junction City.

Norton is a 22-year veteran of the U.S. Army, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. After his military career, Norton worked for Westar as a manager of corporate communications/public information until 2001, having written speeches for executives and handled media and employee communications for the KPL and business services operating divisions.

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Paul Noreau, Baldwin, has been named an agent for Country Insurance & Financial Services.

Noreau earned a master’s degree in business from Metropolitan State College, St. Paul, Minn., in 2002. He is a member of the Business Network Inc., Lawrence, and the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.

Noreau serves customers in the Lawrence area from his office in Overland Park.

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Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman announced that $1 million is available in fiscal year 2005 Conservation Partnership Initiative grants for state and local governments, tribes and nongovernmental organizations that have a history of working with agricultural producers.

CPI is a voluntary program that fosters conservation partnerships and funds projects that focus technical and financial resources on conservation priorities in watersheds and airsheds of special significance.

The National Resources Conservation Service issued a request for proposals that is available on the agency’s Web site and the Federal eGrants Web site at www.grants.gov. Applicants have 60 days to submit proposals. Funds will be given through a nationwide competition.

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The Kansas Health Institute has hired Jim McLean and Lise White.

McLean, vice president of public affairs, served as a special assistant to Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, handling the administration’s strategic communications. He previously worked as director of public affairs at the Kansas Department of Transportation and as press secretary and district director for then-U.S. Rep. Jim Slattery, D-Kan. He has spent most of his career as a journalist.

White is the executive assistant to Robert St. Peter, the institute’s president and chief executive officer. White, who has 25 years of professional experience in the financial services industry, was branch manager for U.S. Bank in Topeka. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Baker University.

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Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, Lawrence, has hired Jolene Miller and Deirdre Richards.

Miller, emergency screening specialist, is responsible for completing emergency screens, accessing services for clients and crisis resolution. Miller received her master’s degree in social work from Kansas University. She previously worked as an adoption case worker at The Shelter Inc. in Lawrence.

Richards, intensive outpatient therapist, is responsible for intensive outpatient therapy patients and dialectical behavior therapy patients. Richards previously worked as a therapist for Pressley Ridge of Maryland. Richards received a master’s degree in social welfare from the University of Maryland.

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The Kansas Department of Health and Environment 2005 Food Service license renewal notices recently were mailed to licensed operators. Licenses may be renewed at the current fee of $200.

Operators who fail to pay license renewal fees before Saturday must pay a $10 reinstatement fee in addition to the regular $200 renewal fee. If the renewal fee is not received by Jan. 31, operators must reapply for a license and pay an additional application fee. After fees have been paid, licenses will be mailed in January 2005.

Lodging license renewal notices for 2005 were mailed in November to licensed operators.

Restaurant and lodging operators who haven’t received a renewal application may contact the department at (785) 296-5600 or (785) 296-5603.

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Sharon Miller has joined Color Studio, 2330 Yale Road, as a certified massage therapist. Miller, who has been a massage therapist since 1995, specializes in chair, hot stone, deep tissue, peri-natal, Swedish and sports and medicine massages. Miller is preparing to advance to Level II in cranial sacral therapy.

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A Lawrence fitness center is starting the New Year with a new exercise program aimed at seniors.

Body Boutique, 2330 Yale Road, is launching SeniorFit, a program for women older than 60. The program will focus on balance, movement, low-impact aerobics, flexibility, range of motion and strength training for toning.

Lorinda Hartzler, Body Boutique’s owner and manager, said that the market for such services was growing.

Honors and awards

Lawrence Education Achievement Partners recognized Borders Books, Music and Cafe as recipient of the LEAP Shining Star Award for for December. The award recognizes the business’ dedication to supporting student achievement at Schwegler School. Each month, LEAP recognizes an achievement partner with Lawrence public schools. LEAP cited Borders for having:

l Displayed student artwork.

l Provided space at the store for a gift wrapping fund-raiser at Christmas.

l Allowed students to read original works at Borders.

Lisa Bakke, of Borders, and Debbie Cummings, of Schwegler, serve as the primary coordinators for the partnership.

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Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department announced recipients of the 2004 Tom Wilkerson Teamwork Awards. The winners: Lisa Hughes, aquatics program clerk of Lawrence Parks and Recreation’s Aquatics Division; Wilma Elder, part-time fitness instructor for parks and recreation; and Clenece Hills, chair of the Lawrence Sesquicentennial Commission.

Hughes, who began working with the department in August 2000, was nominated for providing support and assistance to those within the aquatic division. Elder was nominated for her 22 years of fitness instruction with the department. Hills was nominated for her work on the Lawrence Sesquincentennial celebration.

Recipients were announced at the department’s annual holiday luncheon.

Coming events

Molly Wood, a partner at Stevens & Brand LLP, will present a continuing legal education program via telephone at noon Jan. 7. The program is sponsored by the Kansas Bar Assn. Her topic is “Medicaid Eligibility for Nursing Home Care: The Basics and a Legislative Update.” For more information, call the association at (785) 234-5696.

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Kansas Non Profit Assn. will present “Corporate Funding: Opportunities for Nonprofits,” from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Jan. 5 at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library. The workshop will assist nonprofit managers and development directors to identify and seek corporate funding. The workshop is designed for executive directors, board members, professional staffers, grant writers, development staffers and others interested in the nonprofit sector.

To register or for more information, call the association at (800) 582-1428.

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The 2005 state annual convention for the Kansas Farmers Union will be Jan. 7-9 at the Best Western Holiday Manor Convention Center in McPherson. Convention delegates will consider and adopt policy and adopt a bylaws statement. They also will elect officers and board members. Delegates also will be elected to represent the state at the national convention Feb. 25-28 in Lexington, Ky.

For more information about the convention, call KFU at (620) 241-6630.

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Project Discovery is returning this summer to Kansas University. The weeklong engineering camp for girls entering ninth through 12th grades will offer two separate sessions, one June and and one in July. Students will spend time in class and interact with faculty. Part of each day will be spent in laboratories completing hands-on projects. The week will include presentations from engineers in the workplace and trips to area plants such as Harley-Davidson in Kansas City, Mo. At the end of the session, students will prepare a presentation about what they’ve learned for their families and the faculty.

Session 1 will be June 5-11 and focus on aerospace engineering, biomechanical engineering, or electrical engineering and computer science.

Session 2 will be July 10-16 and will focus on architectural engineering, chemical and petroleum engineering, or civil and environmental engineering.

The cost for each session is $300 and includes materials, lab supplies, meals and lodging in a KU residence hall. Up to 40 girls may be enrolled in each session. Financial assistance is available for qualifying students.

For more information about the program or to receive an enrollment packet, contact 864-3620 or e-mail fboldridge@ku.edu.