George Diepenbrock / LJWorld.com

Staff

George Diepenbrock (General assignment reporter)

I was born at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, but when I was 3, my family moved from Lawrence to southwest Kansas. I grew up in Liberal, and in 2000, I started at Knox College in Galesburg, Ill., where I earned a bachelor's degree in English in 2004.

The first person I ever interviewed was Darin Headrick, my middle school principal when I was in sixth grade. He’s now the superintendent of Greensburg schools leading a rebuilding effort amid the devastating 2007 tornado.

Aside from my West Middle School newspaper class, I picked up my interest in journalism as a summer intern reporter at the Southwest Daily Times in Liberal. My editors joked about their method to teach me fairness and objectivity. I covered the school board while my dad started serving his first term.

After I graduated from Knox, I worked for one year as a reporter in Liberal until I returned to Lawrence to attend journalism graduate school at Kansas University. That July of 2005, I also began working as a part-time reporter at the Journal-World.

In June 2007, I started work at The World Company full-time, and I have mostly worked as a general assignment reporter, meaning two things: I get to either cover whatever I want or whatever my editors tell me to for our Web site, the newspaper and 6News.

In my spare time, I follow KU sports teams, try to tackle my reading list, and watch way too much football. I refuse to give up on the Kansas City Chiefs.

You can also follow me on Twitter, where I try to provide updates on court proceedings, political speeches and news.

Recent stories

Insurance company accuses apartment owners of fraud: By George Diepenbrock; September 6, 2012; An insurance company alleges the owners of the former Boardwalk Apartments committed fraud in claims they submitted after a deadly 2005 fire destroyed one building at the west Lawrence complex.
Police, firefighters prepare for flag football showdown: By George Diepenbrock; August 30, 2012; After losing to a team of firefighters the first two years in an annual flag football game, a team of Lawrence and Douglas County law enforcement officers hope this year’s game will turn out differently.
Suspect arrested on child sex charges: By George Diepenbrock; August 30, 2012; Lawrence police arrested a 74-year-old Lawrence man Thursday morning on two child sex crime charges.
Man pistol-whipped in attempted robbery at The Reserve apartments; two suspects in custody: By George Diepenbrock & Adam Strunk; 12:59 a.m., August 30, 2012 Updated 03:55 p.m.; Lawrence police arrested two 19-year-old Topeka men Thursday morning an hour after a Kansas University student was pistol-whipped and a gun discharged in a robbery at The Reserve apartment complex, 2511 W. 31st Street.
Lawsuit claims woman unfairly convicted in highway workers’ deaths: By George Diepenbrock; August 29, 2012; An attorney argued Wednesday that a 53-year-old woman convicted of striking and killing two highway workers with her truck south of Lawrence in 2007 did not receive a fair trial.
Sixth Street building evacuated after electrical problem; power outage reported in west Lawrence: By George Diepenbrock; 03:41 p.m., August 29, 2012 Updated 05:54 p.m.; Lawrence firefighters after an electrical fire have evacuated the building that includes Internal Medicine Group, 4525 W. Sixth St., dispatchers said.
Suspect in meth case placed in federal custody: By George Diepenbrock; August 29, 2012; A 49-year-old Overland Park man who faces federal methamphetamine and firearm charges was transferred to federal custody on Wednesday.
House fire battled in rural De Soto: Staff reports; August 29, 2012; Firefighters in Johnson County extinguished a house fire Wednesday in rural De Soto.
Hearing set for man charged in veteran’s death: By George Diepenbrock; August 28, 2012; A Douglas County judge Tuesday scheduled a December preliminary hearing for a Mission man who faces an involuntary manslaughter charge in connection with the February death of a 27-year-old Lawrence man.
46 people arrested for various crimes in Friday, Saturday night patrols: By George Diepenbrock; August 27, 2012; Lawrence police conducted special patrols last Friday and Saturday nights in the Oread neighborhood to target underage drinking and other violations.

Full story list

Recent photos

A 44-year-old Linwood man was killed when a car struck his motorcycle Thursday morning. The crash occurred the 1000 block of North Third Street at the intersection that allows drivers to turn west into the I-70 Business Center or east toward the East Lawrence interchange of the Kansas Turnpike.

Crews respond to a fire reported in the apartment above Pickleman's, 818 Mass.

I hope these shoes say something like, "Send me a tip for Heard on the Hill."

Photo of four-vehicle accident near 6th and Kasold streets Wednesday around 2:45 p.m. Crews on scene are reporting one person not breathing and one person with life-threatening injuries.