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

Marine Corps to celebrate 234th birthday at Dole Institute: Corps was founded on this date in 1775; By George Diepenbrock; November 9, 2009; The Marine Corps already had 146 years of tradition to look back on in 1921 when Maj. Gen. John A. Lejeune drafted an order to be read each year on Nov. 10.
New traffic plan for sand facility proposed: By George Diepenbrock; November 7, 2009; A Manhattan-based company seeking to build a sand-dredging operation on part of 310 acres north of Lawrence has changed plans for how trucks would access the site.
Former members of the military encouraged to file papers with county: By George Diepenbrock; November 6, 2009; Kay Pesnell, Douglas County register of deeds, encourages all former military personnel who live in Douglas County to file their original discharge papers with her office. The service is free.
Gingrich: GOP victories could set model for nation: By George Diepenbrock; November 5, 2009; The face of the 1994 Republican takeover of Congress saw something he liked in Tuesday night’s election results.
County trying to solve pond weed problem: By George Diepenbrock; November 4, 2009; Douglas County commissioners this evening will try to work on solving a pesky problem for cabin owners at Lone Star Lake.
Gingrich to speak at Dole Institute on Wednesday: By George Diepenbrock; November 3, 2009; Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich will speak Wednesday evening at the Dole Institute of Politics as the inaugural Robert J. Dole Distinguished Visiting Fellow.
Job workshop caters to military veterans: By George Diepenbrock; November 3, 2009; Matt King knows military veterans face a number of challenges as they try to transition back into civilian life.
Drainage District asks for permission to stabilize Kansas River bank: By George Diepenbrock; October 30, 2009; The Douglas County Kaw Drainage District is asking permission to proceed with a project to stabilize the bank of the Kansas River northwest of Lawrence.
Tiahrt denies any ethics violations: No reason exists for believing he’s under investigation, he says; By George Diepenbrock; 08:14 a.m., October 30, 2009 Updated 06:04 p.m.; Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Kan., denied Friday that he was focus of a House ethics investigation related to a defunct lobbying firm, earmarks and campaign contributions.
Kansans in U.S. House cool to health plan: Republicans outright critical; Democrat Dennis Moore reserves judgment; By George Diepenbrock; October 30, 2009; Kansas Republicans in the U.S. House on Thursday blasted health care reform legislation that the Democratic leadership unveiled.

Full story list

Recent photos

Douglas County Commission candidates Nancy Thellman, left, listens to an answer from her opponent David L. Brown during Thursday night's forum at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. 6News Director Cody Howard moderated the forum sponsored by the Voter Education Coalition.

Douglas County Third District candidates Jim Flory, left, and Ken Grotewiel, talk after their forum on the issues Thursday night at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.

Grace Clark, from left, Grace Bova, Nora Byers, Sophie Tate and Sophie Laufer, all Central Junior High School students, have qualified to compete in the National History Day competition June 15-19 at the University of Maryland in College Park. The students earned the trip after they entered history projects at the Kansas History Day competition last weekend in Topeka.

Bishop Seabury Academy seventh-graders Santi Martinez-Sosa, left, and Frank Brou hold signs of appreciation for donors and trustees Friday morning during a groundbreaking ceremony for a new arts building on the campus, 4120 Clinton Parkway.

Gilbert Reese, left, his wife, Lou, and Don Schawang, Bishop Seabury Academy's head of school, walk away from a Friday morning groundbreaking for a new campus building, Reese Hall, to house the arts at the private school. Grandparents of two Seabury students, the Reeses are from Granville, Ohio, and had agreed to match grants for the capital campaign up to $500,000. School leaders hope the building will be ready this spring.

Full photo list