Wichita

Nebraskan to head College of Fine Arts

A Nebraska man, Rodney Miller, has been named dean of the College of Fine Arts at Wichita State University.

Miller, who takes over June 6, has been dean of the College of Fine Arts and Humanities at the University of Nebraska-Kearney since 1998. He was the unanimous choice of a search committee from among three candidates who visited the campus last month.

Miller is trained as an opera singer, a bass-baritone with degrees from West Texas State University, Indiana University and Illinois State University. He has taught at Indiana, Taylor University, New York University and Montclair State University.

Elaine Bernstorf has been interim dean since last summer after Steven Hedden left for Kansas University.

State

Police to honor fallen comrades

Blue ribbons will be seen next week on police vehicles in Kansas and across the nation in honor of officers who have died in the line of duty.

The ribbons will be tied on the vehicles in conjunction with National Police Week, which begins Sunday and continues through May 15. Other drivers also are encouraged to show the ribbons.

A total of 145 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty during 2003 in the United States, including one officer in Kansas, according to the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund. Ford County Sheriff’s Officer Bret Tepe was killed in an automobile accident while on duty in September.

Vinland

Events organized for Founders Day

The Vinland community will celebrate its fifth annual Founders Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday at Vinland Elementary School south of Lawrence.

Events will include corncob-toy making, pioneer stories and games, maple snow cones and a covered wagon exhibit.

For more information, call (785) 594-3912.