Community service celebrates Thanksgiving

The Lawrence Ministerial Alliance’s fourth annual communitywide Thanksgiving service is at 7 tonight at the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 N.H.

The free service will include representatives from Lawrence faith and religious communities.

The Lawrence Community Mass Choir and the Lawrence Church of God choir will sing.

Participants are asked to contribute nonperishable food items, which will be donated to local food banks.

For more information, contact the Rev. Lew Hinshaw at 843-3220.

GOP elects officers

The Douglas County Republican Central Committee recently elected new officers and delegates during a reorganization meeting at the Douglas County 4-H Fairgrounds.

Richard Todd was elected chairman and replaces Chris Miller. Carmela Sibley was elected vice chairwoman. Other officers are Craig Campbell, treasurer, and John Bush, secretary.

Executive committee members are Justin Anderson, Brad Finkeldei, Terry Campbell, Lisa Todd, Laura Burger, Pat Moffitt and Miller.

Second district delegates are Ralph Tanner, Mike Todd, Alice Ann Johnston, Bush, Anderson and Moffitt. Third district delegates are Shirley Martin-Smith, Robert McColl, Terry Campbell, Finkeldei, Miller and Burger.

Alternates are Paul Bahnmaier, Martha Parker, Don Johnston, Rhonda Wells, Jim White, Brad Burke, Keith Noe, Warren “Robin” Smith, James Dunn, Nancy Dunn, Mary Baxter, Delbert Baxter, Evelyn Senecal, Bill Keel, Craig Campbell and Amy Finkeldei.

Mortar Board chapter honors KU educators

Five Kansas University faculty and staff members have been named 2004 outstanding educators by KU’s chapter of Mortar Board, a national senior student honor society.

The winners are Susan Earle, assistant curator of the Spencer Museum of Art and assistant professor of art history; Mary Klayder, lecturer in English; Sue Lorenz, assistant director of the University Honors Program; Paola Sanguinetti, assistant professor of architecture; and Antonio Simoes, associate professor of Spanish and Portuguese.

Dart tournament benefits Toys for Tots

A dart tournament to benefit the Douglas County Toys for Tots program is set for Dec. 4.

The tournament will start at 1 p.m. at Rick’s Place, Ninth and Illinois streets. Registration opens at noon. The registration fee is a new, unwrapped toy with a value of at least $10 or the equivalent cash donation.

Students raise $1,161 in homeless sleep-out

Baldwin — A Baker University student organization raised $1,161 by sleeping outdoors in cardboard boxes in a fund-raiser to aid the homeless.

Sixteen “Baker Ambassadors” participated in the Nov. 12-13 event, and a third of them braved temperatures in the 20s to remain until sunrise.

Proceeds went to the First United Methodist Church emergency relief fund.

The Baker Ambassadors is a Christian organization that promotes the university through community service activities and on-campus events for charitable causes.

Former clerk given two years to repay city

Partridge – A former Partridge clerk who admitted stealing up to $45,000 from the city has two years to pay the money back or she will spend 18 months behind bars.

Johanna R. West pleaded guilty to three counts of forgery and two counts of misusing public funds after an investigation by the Sheriff’s Department found she had altered the dollar amounts on checks written to the city and then pocketed the difference.

Reno County District Judge Steve Becker sentenced West to a year and half in jail, but granted her probation and gave her the two-year deadline to provide restitution.

The amount of that restitution could be determined during a Jan. 13 court hearing.

Assistant prosecutor Ben Fisher said the amount was expected to be between $20,000 and $45,000.