Legislative librarian retiring after 37 years

Topeka — Rita Haley, the director of the legislative reference section of the Kansas State Library who’s better known as the woman who responds to requests for information on the legislative hot line, is retiring after 37 years with the state.

Haley will be moving to the Denver area with her husband, Bob, also a longtime state employee, who has taken a position with the Colorado Department of Transportation.

Rita was honored in the Kansas Senate with a resolution for her hard work and enthusiasm in establishing and creating the legislative hot line and maintaining a voluminous file of legislative newspaper clippings.

“For the past 37 years, legislators, lobbyists, staff and members of the public have found themselves saying, ‘Go ask Rita’ when a pressing question needed a fast, accurate response,” the Senate resolution stated.

The legislative hot line is (800) 432-3924.

St. Patrick’s parade seeks more entries

Lawrence St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee’s Celebrity and Sports Auction raised more than $40,000 Saturday to benefit The Shelter and Youth Football Inc.

Now officials hope to attract more entries into the parade.

“I think it’s going great,” said Roger L. Browning, executive chairman of the parade committee. “We’re having a good fund-raising year, and the interest is there, but we’d like more people.”

Friday is the deadline to enter the parade. For more information, go to lawrencestpatricksdayparade.com.