<a href="https://www.ymzfh.com/obituary/Brandon-McCoy">Obituary for Brandon Scott McCoy | Yazel-Megli Funeral Homes (ymzfh.com)</a>

July 21, 1987 ~ February 17, 2021 (age 33)

Brandon’s life began on July 21, 1987, the son of Scott Alan and Katherine Ann (Egger) McCoy in El Dorado, Kansas. He graduated from Mineola, Texas High School, Class of 2005. He attended the University of Texas in Tyler, Texas. He worked in commercial refrigeration for Kroger’s in Texas. Recently he moved to Whitewater to be near family. He attended the Federated Church in Whitewater. He enjoyed driving around the countryside seeing all of the wide-open spaces in Kansas. He also enjoyed fishing, hunting, and target practice.

His loving family includes his parents, Scott and Katherine McCoy of Whitewater; sister and her husband, Amber and Kris Quintana of Mineola, Texas; paternal grandmother, Virginia McCoy of Whitewater; maternal grandfather, Ernie Egger of Garnett, Kansas; maternal grandmother, Frances Lee Egger of Augusta, Kansas; seven nieces and nephews, Aspen, Bella, Shelby, Maddy, Abel, Jericho and River. And his beloved chihuahua Boo, who he was never without.

Brandon was a beloved son, brother, uncle, grandson, nephew and cousin. He passed away on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 at the age of 33 years old. He was preceded in death by his sister, Heather McCoy in 2007 and his paternal grandfather, Robert “Bob” McCoy.

The family will gather with friends on Sunday, February 21, from 2-3:30 p.m. at Federated Church, 207 E. Central,&nbsp;Whitewater. Memorial contributions in his name may be directed to Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in care of Lamb Funeral Home, P.O. Box 358, Whitewater, Kansas 67154. Please sign his online guest book and leave a memory of Brandon at ymzfh.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Brandon Scott McCoy, please visit our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ymzfh.com/obituary/Brandon-McCoy/sympathy">floral store.</a>

<h2>Brandon Scott McCoy; Whitewater</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613835174998.jpeg" alt="Brandon Scott McCoy" />
 <figcaption>Brandon Scott McCoy</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.ymzfh.com/obituary/Brandon-McCoy">Obituary for Brandon Scott McCoy | Yazel-Megli Funeral Homes (ymzfh.com)</a>July 21, 1987 ~ February 17, 2021 (age 33)Brandon’s life began on July 21, 1987, the son of Scott Alan and Katherine Ann (Egger) McCoy in El Dorado, Kansas. He graduated from Mineola, Texas High School, Class of 2005. He attended the University of Texas in Tyler, Texas. He worked in commercial refrigeration for Kroger’s in Texas. Recently he moved to Whitewater to be near family. He attended the Federated Church in Whitewater. He enjoyed driving around the countryside seeing all of the wide-open spaces in Kansas. He also enjoyed fishing, hunting, and target practice.His loving family includes his parents, Scott and Katherine McCoy of Whitewater; sister and her husband, Amber and Kris Quintana of Mineola, Texas; paternal grandmother, Virginia McCoy of Whitewater; maternal grandfather, Ernie Egger of Garnett, Kansas; maternal grandmother, Frances Lee Egger of Augusta, Kansas; seven nieces and nephews, Aspen, Bella, Shelby, Maddy, Abel, Jericho and River. And his beloved chihuahua Boo, who he was never without.Brandon was a beloved son, brother, uncle, grandson, nephew and cousin. He passed away on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 at the age of 33 years old. He was preceded in death by his sister, Heather McCoy in 2007 and his paternal grandfather, Robert “Bob” McCoy.The family will gather with friends on Sunday, February 21, from 2-3:30 p.m. at Federated Church, 207 E. Central,&nbsp;Whitewater. Memorial contributions in his name may be directed to Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in care of Lamb Funeral Home, P.O. Box 358, Whitewater, Kansas 67154. Please sign his online guest book and leave a memory of Brandon at ymzfh.comTo send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Brandon Scott McCoy, please visit our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ymzfh.com/obituary/Brandon-McCoy/sympathy">floral store.</a>

Brandon Scott McCoy

The would-be varsity cheerleader, the tattletale and Snapchat have converged in a Supreme Court free speech case sure to draw the interest of social media-loving students, concerned parents and wary school administrators everywhere.

In 2017, a ninth-grade student in Schuylkill County, Pa., who failed to make the varsity cheerleading squad, vented her frustration in an F-bomb laced Snapchat post. She repeated the same curse before each of the words “school,” “softball,” “cheer” and “everything.”

A teammate told a coach about the post, and administrators kicked her off the junior varsity cheerleading squad.

Now, in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/mahanoy-area-school-district-v-b-l/" target="_blank">Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L.</a>, the Supreme Court faces the question: Can school officials punish students for social media posts even when students post them off-campus, including in their own homes? The stakes are high: School administrators say they need to know the limits of their authority. Students deserve to know if schools can regulate them for social media posts they make off school grounds. The court could hear oral arguments as early as April.

The student, identified as “B.L.,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aclupa.org/sites/default/files/field_documents/b.l._-_verified_complaint_-_9-25-17.pdf" target="_blank">filed a federal lawsuit</a>&nbsp;through her parents, alleging a violation of her First Amendment free speech rights. A federal district court&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aclupa.org/sites/default/files/field_documents/memorandum_opinion_granting_summary_judgment_for_b.l._-_3_21_19_.pdf" target="_blank">ruled in her favor</a>, reasoning her profane snap was off-campus speech that did not cause a substantial disruption of school activities. The disruption of school functions is the key standard in student-speech cases from the Supreme Court’s famous 1969 decision in&nbsp;<a href="https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/393/503.html" target="_blank">Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District</a>.

In Tinker, several students, including siblings&nbsp;Mary Beth&nbsp;and&nbsp;John Tinker, wore black armbands to school to protest U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. School officials learned of the impending black armband protest and quickly passed a rule banning armbands. But they continued to allow students to wear other symbols, such as Iron Crosses and political campaign buttons. In effect, school officials had targeted a specific symbol associated with a particular political viewpoint.

The Supreme Court in Tinker delivered a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.freedomforuminstitute.org/2019/01/30/tinker-after-50-a-historic-ruling-still-relevant-after-all-these-years/" target="_blank">stunning victory</a>&nbsp;for student rights, declaring that neither students nor teachers “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.”

The court ruled that public school officials could not punish students for their speech unless the officials could reasonably forecast that the student speech would cause a substantial disruption of school activities.

Mahanoy school officials relied not on Tinker but another Supreme Court case to argue in support of their punishing the cheerleader student. In the 1986 case&nbsp;<a href="https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/478/675.html" target="_blank">Bethel School District v. Fraser</a>, school officials who disciplined a student for delivering a sexually laced speech during a student assembly prevailed. The court ruled in that case that public school officials could prohibit student speech that was vulgar or lewd.

In the cheerleading student’s case, an appellate court said the Fraser rule did not apply because her speech was completely off-campus.

The appeals court ruled that Tinker doesn’t apply to her case, either — it applies when student speech takes place on campus, within the schoolhouse gates, but not when a student is posting on social media at home, the court said. A concurring judge separately found that the Tinker ruling does apply, but that school officials still lose because the student’s off-campus speech did not disrupt school activities.

The Mahanoy school district, in its appeal to the Supreme Court, emphasized the vitally important question of whether Tinker applies to off-campus speech.

“That question has become especially acute because social media has made it far easier for students’ off-campus messages to instantly reach a wide audience of classmates and dominate the on-campus environment,” the school district&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/20/20-255/151619/20200828144703420_Mahanoy%20Cert%20Petition%20-%20Final.pdf" target="_blank">wrote in its petition</a>.

School administrators, students, parents, teachers and others don’t know how far the arm of school authority extends off campus. At the very least, public school officials must show a clear connection between the off-campus post and events that take place at school.

The court’s decision should provide much-needed guidance in an&nbsp;<a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3650306" target="_blank">unsettled area</a>&nbsp;of student-speech law. Free-speech advocates hope the decision will, like the Tinker decision more than 50 years ago, respect students and their free-speech rights. Students are the future of the country and need to learn in an environment that protects their constitutional freedoms.

David Hudson, Jr. is a Freedom Forum fellow for the First Amendment and a law professor at Belmont University who publishes widely on First Amendment topics. He is the author of several First Amendment books, including “<a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.penguinrandomhouse.com%2Fbooks%2F209103%2Flet-the-students-speak-by-david-hudson%2F&amp;data=04%7C01%7Ccfitzpatrick%40freedomforum.org%7C2685cd6ced894f04dd7c08d8ceab2bbc%7C769dac65dc844365a403d9a08681378c%7C0%7C0%7C637486582661751731%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0&amp;sdata=uHRw4fHnLNk9oFwbGjg9ckXMTppaXa0jcwqN1HPgwmk%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Let The Students Speak!: A History of the Fight for Freedom of Expression in American Schools</a>” (2011). He is also the author of a 12-lecture audio course on the First Amendment titled, “<a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.audible.com%2Fpd%2FFreedom-of-Speech-Audiobook%2FB07KWDRZ5Z&amp;data=04%7C01%7Ccfitzpatrick%40freedomforum.org%7C174b7887b2b646d45e7d08d8ceaddfa2%7C769dac65dc844365a403d9a08681378c%7C0%7C0%7C637486593458613959%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=dNR6vBtIwJZjR5U7TFot4X7J0o7dT67xpUSgGUTb1RY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Freedom of Speech: Understanding the First Amendment,</a>” Now You Know Media (2018).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613679776461.jpeg" alt="David Hudson, Jr." />
 <figcaption>David Hudson, Jr.</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID HUDSON, JRThe would-be varsity cheerleader, the tattletale and Snapchat have converged in a Supreme Court free speech case sure to draw the interest of social media-loving students, concerned parents and wary school administrators everywhere.In 2017, a ninth-grade student in Schuylkill County, Pa., who failed to make the varsity cheerleading squad, vented her frustration in an F-bomb laced Snapchat post. She repeated the same curse before each of the words “school,” “softball,” “cheer” and “everything.”A teammate told a coach about the post, and administrators kicked her off the junior varsity cheerleading squad.Now, in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/mahanoy-area-school-district-v-b-l/" target="_blank">Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L.</a>, the Supreme Court faces the question: Can school officials punish students for social media posts even when students post them off-campus, including in their own homes? The stakes are high: School administrators say they need to know the limits of their authority. Students deserve to know if schools can regulate them for social media posts they make off school grounds. The court could hear oral arguments as early as April.The student, identified as “B.L.,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aclupa.org/sites/default/files/field_documents/b.l._-_verified_complaint_-_9-25-17.pdf" target="_blank">filed a federal lawsuit</a>&nbsp;through her parents, alleging a violation of her First Amendment free speech rights. A federal district court&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aclupa.org/sites/default/files/field_documents/memorandum_opinion_granting_summary_judgment_for_b.l._-_3_21_19_.pdf" target="_blank">ruled in her favor</a>, reasoning her profane snap was off-campus speech that did not cause a substantial disruption of school activities. The disruption of school functions is the key standard in student-speech cases from the Supreme Court’s famous 1969 decision in&nbsp;<a href="https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/393/503.html" target="_blank">Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District</a>.In Tinker, several students, including siblings&nbsp;Mary Beth&nbsp;and&nbsp;John Tinker, wore black armbands to school to protest U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. School officials learned of the impending black armband protest and quickly passed a rule banning armbands. But they continued to allow students to wear other symbols, such as Iron Crosses and political campaign buttons. In effect, school officials had targeted a specific symbol associated with a particular political viewpoint.The Supreme Court in Tinker delivered a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.freedomforuminstitute.org/2019/01/30/tinker-after-50-a-historic-ruling-still-relevant-after-all-these-years/" target="_blank">stunning victory</a>&nbsp;for student rights, declaring that neither students nor teachers “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.”The court ruled that public school officials could not punish students for their speech unless the officials could reasonably forecast that the student speech would cause a substantial disruption of school activities.Mahanoy school officials relied not on Tinker but another Supreme Court case to argue in support of their punishing the cheerleader student. In the 1986 case&nbsp;<a href="https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/478/675.html" target="_blank">Bethel School District v. Fraser</a>, school officials who disciplined a student for delivering a sexually laced speech during a student assembly prevailed. The court ruled in that case that public school officials could prohibit student speech that was vulgar or lewd.In the cheerleading student’s case, an appellate court said the Fraser rule did not apply because her speech was completely off-campus.The appeals court ruled that Tinker doesn’t apply to her case, either — it applies when student speech takes place on campus, within the schoolhouse gates, but not when a student is posting on social media at home, the court said. A concurring judge separately found that the Tinker ruling does apply, but that school officials still lose because the student’s off-campus speech did not disrupt school activities.The Mahanoy school district, in its appeal to the Supreme Court, emphasized the vitally important question of whether Tinker applies to off-campus speech.“That question has become especially acute because social media has made it far easier for students’ off-campus messages to instantly reach a wide audience of classmates and dominate the on-campus environment,” the school district&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/20/20-255/151619/20200828144703420_Mahanoy%20Cert%20Petition%20-%20Final.pdf" target="_blank">wrote in its petition</a>.School administrators, students, parents, teachers and others don’t know how far the arm of school authority extends off campus. At the very least, public school officials must show a clear connection between the off-campus post and events that take place at school.The court’s decision should provide much-needed guidance in an&nbsp;<a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3650306" target="_blank">unsettled area</a>&nbsp;of student-speech law. Free-speech advocates hope the decision will, like the Tinker decision more than 50 years ago, respect students and their free-speech rights. Students are the future of the country and need to learn in an environment that protects their constitutional freedoms.David Hudson, Jr. is a Freedom Forum fellow for the First Amendment and a law professor at Belmont University who publishes widely on First Amendment topics. He is the author of several First Amendment books, including “<a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.penguinrandomhouse.com%2Fbooks%2F209103%2Flet-the-students-speak-by-david-hudson%2F&amp;data=04%7C01%7Ccfitzpatrick%40freedomforum.org%7C2685cd6ced894f04dd7c08d8ceab2bbc%7C769dac65dc844365a403d9a08681378c%7C0%7C0%7C637486582661751731%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0&amp;sdata=uHRw4fHnLNk9oFwbGjg9ckXMTppaXa0jcwqN1HPgwmk%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Let The Students Speak!: A History of the Fight for Freedom of Expression in American Schools</a>” (2011). He is also the author of a 12-lecture audio course on the First Amendment titled, “<a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.audible.com%2Fpd%2FFreedom-of-Speech-Audiobook%2FB07KWDRZ5Z&amp;data=04%7C01%7Ccfitzpatrick%40freedomforum.org%7C174b7887b2b646d45e7d08d8ceaddfa2%7C769dac65dc844365a403d9a08681378c%7C0%7C0%7C637486593458613959%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=dNR6vBtIwJZjR5U7TFot4X7J0o7dT67xpUSgGUTb1RY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Freedom of Speech: Understanding the First Amendment,</a>” Now You Know Media (2018).

1ST FIVE: Cheerleader's Snapchat rant tests students' free speech rights

Today is Saturday, Feb. 20, the 51st day of 2021. There are 314 days left in the year. 

On Feb. 20, 1905, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Jacobson v. Massachusetts, upheld, 7-2, compulsory vaccination laws intended to protect the public's health. 

In 1792, President George Washington signed an act creating the United States Post Office Department. 

In 1839, Congress prohibited dueling in the District of Columbia.

In 1933, Congress proposed the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to repeal Prohibition.

In 1942, Lt. Edward "Butch" O'Hare became the U.S. Navy's first flying ace of World War II by shooting down five Japanese bombers while defending the aircraft carrier USS Lexington in the South Pacific. 

In 1962, astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth as he flew aboard Project Mercury's Friendship 7 spacecraft, which circled the globe three times in a flight lasting 4 hours, 55 minutes and 23 seconds before splashing down safely in the Atlantic Ocean 800 miles southeast of Bermuda.

In 1965, America's Ranger 8 spacecraft crashed on the moon, as planned, after sending back thousands of pictures of the lunar surface. 

In 1987, a bomb left by Unabomber Ted Kaczynski exploded behind a computer store in Salt Lake City, seriously injuring store owner Gary Wright. Soviet authorities released Jewish activist Josef Begun. 

In 1998, Tara Lipinski of the U.S. won the ladies' figure skating gold medal at the Nagano Olympics; Michelle Kwan won the silver. 

In 1999, movie reviewer Gene Siskel died at a hospital outside Chicago at age 53.

In 2003, a fire sparked by pyrotechnics broke out during a concert by the group Great White at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island, killing 100 people and injuring about 200 others. 

In 2007, in a victory for President George W. Bush, a divided federal appeals court ruled that Guantanamo Bay detainees could not use the U.S. court system to challenge their indefinite imprisonment. 

In 2010, Alexander Haig, a soldier and statesman who'd held high posts in three Republican administrations and some of the U.S. military's top jobs, died in Baltimore at 85.

Ten years ago: Security forces loyal to Libya's Moammar Gadhafi unleashed heavy gunfire as thousands marched in the rebellious eastern city of Benghazi, cutting down mourners trying to bury victims. Twenty-year-old Trevor Bayne won the Daytona 500 in only his second Sprint Cup start. Kobe Bryant won his record-tying fourth All-Star game MVP award, scoring 37 points and propelling the West to a 148-143 victory over the East in the NBA All-Star game.

Five years ago: Donald Trump barreled to victory in South Carolina's Republican primary; Hillary Clinton pulled out a crucial win over Bernie Sanders in Nevada's Democratic caucuses. A funeral Mass was held for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. Lindsey Vonn clinched a record 20th World Cup crystal globe title in La Thuile, Italy, surpassing Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark.

One year ago: Japan's Health Ministry said two passengers who'd been taken off a quarantined cruise ship after being infected with the new coronavirus had died; both were in their 80s and had pre-existing diseases. Sixteen Americans who'd been brought to the U.S. from the cruise ship were in hospitals, either because delayed test results showed that they had the virus or because they had shown symptoms. A poll by the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found more Americans expressing some concern about catching the flu than about catching the coronavirus. Trump loyalist Roger Stone was sentenced to more than three years in prison for crimes including lying to Congress and obstructing the House's inquiry into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. (Trump would commute the sentence just days before Stone was to report for detention; he then gave Stone a full pardon in December 2020.) Morgan Stanley announced that it was buying E-Trade Financial for $13 billion in stock.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Sidney Poitier is 94. Racing Hall of Famer Bobby Unser is 87. Racing Hall of Famer Roger Penske is 84. Singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie is 80. Hockey Hall of Famer Phil Esposito is 79. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is 79. Movie director Mike Leigh is 78. Actor Brenda Blethyn is 75. Actor Sandy Duncan is 75. Actor Peter Strauss is 74. Rock musician Billy Zoom (X) is 73. Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is 70. Actor John Voldstad is 70. Newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst is 67. Actor Anthony Head is 67. Country singer Leland Martin is 64. Actor James Wilby is 63. Rock musician Sebastian Steinberg is 62. Comedian Joel Hodgson is 61. Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley is 58. Rock musician Ian Brown (Stone Roses) is 58. Actor Willie Garson is 57. Actor French Stewart is 57. Actor Ron Eldard is 56. Model Cindy Crawford is 55. Actor Andrew Shue is 54. Actor Lili Taylor is 54. Actor Andrea Savage is 48. Singer Brian Littrell is 46. Actor Lauren Ambrose is 43. Actor Jay Hernandez is 43. Actor Chelsea Peretti is 43. Country musician Coy Bowles is 42. Actor Michael Zegen is 42. Actor Majandra Delfino is 40. Actor Jocko Sims is 40. Singer-musician Chris Thile is 40. Actor-singer Jessie Mueller is 38. MLB All-Star pitcher Justin Verlander is 38. Comedian Trevor Noah is 37. Actor Jake Richardson is 36. Actor Daniella Pineda is 34. Actor Miles Teller is 34. Singer Rihanna is 33. Actor Jack Falahee is 32.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Saturday, Feb. 20, the 51st day of 2021. There are 314 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Feb. 20, 1905, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Jacobson v. Massachusetts, upheld, 7-2, compulsory vaccination laws intended to protect the public's health. On this date: In 1792, President George Washington signed an act creating the United States Post Office Department. In 1839, Congress prohibited dueling in the District of Columbia.In 1933, Congress proposed the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to repeal Prohibition.In 1942, Lt. Edward "Butch" O'Hare became the U.S. Navy's first flying ace of World War II by shooting down five Japanese bombers while defending the aircraft carrier USS Lexington in the South Pacific. In 1962, astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth as he flew aboard Project Mercury's Friendship 7 spacecraft, which circled the globe three times in a flight lasting 4 hours, 55 minutes and 23 seconds before splashing down safely in the Atlantic Ocean 800 miles southeast of Bermuda.In 1965, America's Ranger 8 spacecraft crashed on the moon, as planned, after sending back thousands of pictures of the lunar surface. In 1987, a bomb left by Unabomber Ted Kaczynski exploded behind a computer store in Salt Lake City, seriously injuring store owner Gary Wright. Soviet authorities released Jewish activist Josef Begun. In 1998, Tara Lipinski of the U.S. won the ladies' figure skating gold medal at the Nagano Olympics; Michelle Kwan won the silver. In 1999, movie reviewer Gene Siskel died at a hospital outside Chicago at age 53.In 2003, a fire sparked by pyrotechnics broke out during a concert by the group Great White at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island, killing 100 people and injuring about 200 others. In 2007, in a victory for President George W. Bush, a divided federal appeals court ruled that Guantanamo Bay detainees could not use the U.S. court system to challenge their indefinite imprisonment. In 2010, Alexander Haig, a soldier and statesman who'd held high posts in three Republican administrations and some of the U.S. military's top jobs, died in Baltimore at 85.Ten years ago: Security forces loyal to Libya's Moammar Gadhafi unleashed heavy gunfire as thousands marched in the rebellious eastern city of Benghazi, cutting down mourners trying to bury victims. Twenty-year-old Trevor Bayne won the Daytona 500 in only his second Sprint Cup start. Kobe Bryant won his record-tying fourth All-Star game MVP award, scoring 37 points and propelling the West to a 148-143 victory over the East in the NBA All-Star game.Five years ago: Donald Trump barreled to victory in South Carolina's Republican primary; Hillary Clinton pulled out a crucial win over Bernie Sanders in Nevada's Democratic caucuses. A funeral Mass was held for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. Lindsey Vonn clinched a record 20th World Cup crystal globe title in La Thuile, Italy, surpassing Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark.One year ago: Japan's Health Ministry said two passengers who'd been taken off a quarantined cruise ship after being infected with the new coronavirus had died; both were in their 80s and had pre-existing diseases. Sixteen Americans who'd been brought to the U.S. from the cruise ship were in hospitals, either because delayed test results showed that they had the virus or because they had shown symptoms. A poll by the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found more Americans expressing some concern about catching the flu than about catching the coronavirus. Trump loyalist Roger Stone was sentenced to more than three years in prison for crimes including lying to Congress and obstructing the House's inquiry into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. (Trump would commute the sentence just days before Stone was to report for detention; he then gave Stone a full pardon in December 2020.) Morgan Stanley announced that it was buying E-Trade Financial for $13 billion in stock.Today's Birthdays: Actor Sidney Poitier is 94. Racing Hall of Famer Bobby Unser is 87. Racing Hall of Famer Roger Penske is 84. Singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie is 80. Hockey Hall of Famer Phil Esposito is 79. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is 79. Movie director Mike Leigh is 78. Actor Brenda Blethyn is 75. Actor Sandy Duncan is 75. Actor Peter Strauss is 74. Rock musician Billy Zoom (X) is 73. Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is 70. Actor John Voldstad is 70. Newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst is 67. Actor Anthony Head is 67. Country singer Leland Martin is 64. Actor James Wilby is 63. Rock musician Sebastian Steinberg is 62. Comedian Joel Hodgson is 61. Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley is 58. Rock musician Ian Brown (Stone Roses) is 58. Actor Willie Garson is 57. Actor French Stewart is 57. Actor Ron Eldard is 56. Model Cindy Crawford is 55. Actor Andrew Shue is 54. Actor Lili Taylor is 54. Actor Andrea Savage is 48. Singer Brian Littrell is 46. Actor Lauren Ambrose is 43. Actor Jay Hernandez is 43. Actor Chelsea Peretti is 43. Country musician Coy Bowles is 42. Actor Michael Zegen is 42. Actor Majandra Delfino is 40. Actor Jocko Sims is 40. Singer-musician Chris Thile is 40. Actor-singer Jessie Mueller is 38. MLB All-Star pitcher Justin Verlander is 38. Comedian Trevor Noah is 37. Actor Jake Richardson is 36. Actor Daniella Pineda is 34. Actor Miles Teller is 34. Singer Rihanna is 33. Actor Jack Falahee is 32.

Today in History -- Feb. 20

Museum Director – The Dickinson County Historical Society, Abilene, Kansas

The Dickinson County Historical Society (DCHS) seeks a dynamic, self-motivated director with a passion for history, education, and community. The Museum Director will lead DCHS in day-to-day museum activities, strategic long-range planning, program development, and more. Furthermore, the director will guide the DCHS fundraising efforts and build strong relationships with donors and Board Members. Additional duties will include collections oversight, exhibitions, education activities, publications, and representing the society as the public spokesperson.

• Organizational Development and Strategic Planning

• Management of Museum Employees and Volunteers

The successful candidate will have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Museum Studies, History, Business Management, a related field, or comparable combination of education and experience. Additionally, candidates will have demonstrated experience in fundraising and grant writing.

• Superior Communication &amp; Interpersonal Skills

• Managerial Experience in the Nonprofit World

• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, Quick Books.

To learn more about this regional nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to the preservation, promotion, and protection of the Dickinson County Historical Society please visit our website –&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dickinsoncountyhistoricalsociety.com/">www.dickinsoncountyhistoricalsociety.com</a>.

Salary Range: $30,000 to $35,000 depending on education and experience.

To apply please submit cover letter, resume and three professional references to&nbsp;<a href="http://heritagecenterdk@sbcglobal.net/">heritagecenterdk@sbcglobal.net</a>&nbsp;or mail to:

Dickinson County Historical Society Attn: James D. Holland 412 S. Campbell Street Abilene, Kansas 67410

<h2>Museum Director – The Dickinson County Historical Society, Abilene, Kansas</h2>The Dickinson County Historical Society (DCHS) seeks a dynamic, self-motivated director with a passion for history, education, and community. The Museum Director will lead DCHS in day-to-day museum activities, strategic long-range planning, program development, and more. Furthermore, the director will guide the DCHS fundraising efforts and build strong relationships with donors and Board Members. Additional duties will include collections oversight, exhibitions, education activities, publications, and representing the society as the public spokesperson.Key Responsibilities:• Organizational Development and Strategic Planning• Membership and Resource Development• Fundraising• Office and Day-to-Day Administration• All aspects of Event Coordination• Management of Museum Employees and VolunteersThe successful candidate will have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Museum Studies, History, Business Management, a related field, or comparable combination of education and experience. Additionally, candidates will have demonstrated experience in fundraising and grant writing.Minimum Qualifications:• Superior Communication &amp; Interpersonal Skills• Financial and Business Management• Innovative Thinking• Strong Organizational Abilities• Managerial Experience in the Nonprofit World• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, Quick Books.To learn more about this regional nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to the preservation, promotion, and protection of the Dickinson County Historical Society please visit our website –&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dickinsoncountyhistoricalsociety.com/">www.dickinsoncountyhistoricalsociety.com</a>.Salary Range: $30,000 to $35,000 depending on education and experience.To apply please submit cover letter, resume and three professional references to&nbsp;<a href="http://heritagecenterdk@sbcglobal.net/">heritagecenterdk@sbcglobal.net</a>&nbsp;or mail to:Dickinson County Historical Society Attn: James D. Holland 412 S. Campbell Street Abilene, Kansas 67410Position open until filled.

Salina Public Library to reopen to the public on Monday

WINDERMERE, Fla. (AP) — Former All-Star baseball player Johnny Damon was arrested Friday in central Florida on a charge of resisting an officer after he was pulled over for suspicion of driving under the influence, according to court and jail records.

Damon, 47, was booked into the Orange County Jail early Friday after an incident in Windermere, Florida, a wealthy suburb of Orlando popular with professional athletes. He is charged with resisting an officer without violence, a first-degree misdemeanor.

An online court docket did not show an attorney listed for Damon who could comment. Jail records show that Damon's wife, Michelle Mangan-Damon, also was arrested. She is facing charges of battery on an officer and resisting with violence.

A police officer pulled over Damon's SUV after it swerved, hit a curb and drove past a stop sign, according to the Orlando Sentinel, citing a police report.

Authorities said Damon slurred his words and he seemed unsteady on his feet. When asked how much he had had to drink, Damon said, “Just a little bit," according to the police report.

Damon, who grew up in Orlando, was a two-time All-Star outfielder who played for seven Major League Baseball teams from 1995 to 2012. He was a key member of the 2004 World Series champion Boston Red Sox team that broke the franchise's 86-year title drought. He later signed with Boston's hated rivals, the New York Yankees, and helped the Yankees win the 2009 World Series. The Royals selected Damon in the first round of the 1992 Major League Baseball draft. He played for the Royals from August of 1995-2000

An online court docket did not list an attorney listed for Damon who could comment.

Jail records show that Damon's wife, Michelle Mangan-Damon, also was arrested.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613766669774.png" alt="Damon photo Orange Co. Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Damon photo Orange Co. Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>WINDERMERE, Fla. (AP) — Former All-Star baseball player Johnny Damon was arrested Friday in central Florida on a charge of resisting an officer after he was pulled over for suspicion of driving under the influence, according to court and jail records.Damon, 47, was booked into the Orange County Jail early Friday after an incident in Windermere, Florida, a wealthy suburb of Orlando popular with professional athletes. He is charged with resisting an officer without violence, a first-degree misdemeanor.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613766722917.png" alt="Mangan-Damon photo Orange Co. Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Mangan-Damon photo Orange Co. Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>An online court docket did not show an attorney listed for Damon who could comment. Jail records show that Damon's wife, Michelle Mangan-Damon, also was arrested. She is facing charges of battery on an officer and resisting with violence.A police officer pulled over Damon's SUV after it swerved, hit a curb and drove past a stop sign, according to the Orlando Sentinel, citing a police report.Authorities said Damon slurred his words and he seemed unsteady on his feet. When asked how much he had had to drink, Damon said, “Just a little bit," according to the police report.Damon, who grew up in Orlando, was a two-time All-Star outfielder who played for seven Major League Baseball teams from 1995 to 2012. He was a key member of the 2004 World Series champion Boston Red Sox team that broke the franchise's 86-year title drought. He later signed with Boston's hated rivals, the New York Yankees, and helped the Yankees win the 2009 World Series. The Royals selected Damon in the first round of the 1992 Major League Baseball draft. He played for the Royals from August of 1995-2000-------------WINDERMERE, Fla. (AP) — Former All-Star baseball player Johnny Damon was arrested Friday in central Florida on a charge of resisting an officer after he was pulled over for suspicion of driving under the influence, according to court and jail records.Damon, 47, was booked into the Orange County Jail early Friday after an incident in Windermere, Florida, a wealthy suburb of Orlando popular with professional athletes. He is charged with resisting an officer without violence, a first-degree misdemeanor.An online court docket did not list an attorney listed for Damon who could comment.Jail records show that Damon's wife, Michelle Mangan-Damon, also was arrested.Damon, who grew up in Orlando, was a two-time All-Star outfielder who played for seven Major League Baseball teams from 1995 to 2012. He was a key member of the 2004 World Series champion Boston Red Sox team that broke the franchise's 86-year title drought. He later signed with Boston's hated rivals, the New York Yankees, and helped the Yankees win the 2009 World Series. The Royals selected Damon in the first round of the 1992 Major League Baseball draft. He played for the Royals from August of 1995-2000

Former KC Royal Johnny Damon, wife arrested in Florida  

PLATTE CITY (AP) — A suburban Kansas City mayor has pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated last year.

Parkville Mayor Nan Johnston, 60, entered the plea in a Platte County court on Wednesday and received a suspended sentence. She was also ordered to serve two years' probation.

A Platte County sheriff’s deputy reported stopping Johnston in the early morning hours of Sept. 26 along Missouri 9 Highway after seeing her vehicle weaving on the road. Authorities said a breath test administered to Johnston gauged her blood alcohol content at 0.098, just over the .08 legal limit to drive.

Johnston has been mayor of Parkville since 2014.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613744344535.png" alt="Johnston-Platte County booking photo" />
 <figcaption>Johnston-Platte County booking photo</figcaption>
 </figure>PLATTE CITY (AP) — A suburban Kansas City mayor has pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated last year.Parkville Mayor Nan Johnston, 60, entered the plea in a Platte County court on Wednesday and received a suspended sentence. She was also ordered to serve two years' probation.A Platte County sheriff’s deputy reported stopping Johnston in the early morning hours of Sept. 26 along Missouri 9 Highway after seeing her vehicle weaving on the road. Authorities said a breath test administered to Johnston gauged her blood alcohol content at 0.098, just over the .08 legal limit to drive.Johnston has been mayor of Parkville since 2014.

Suburban Kansas City mayor pleads guilty to driving drunk

<a href="https://www.ymzfh.com/obituary/Leroy-Strotkamp">Obituary for Leroy H Strotkamp | Yazel-Megli Funeral Homes (ymzfh.com)</a>

<a href="https://www.ymzfh.com/obituary/Leroy-Strotkamp"></a>January 26, 1931 ~ February 14, 2021 (age 90)

Leroy Henry Strotkamp was born on January 26, 1931, at home on the land homesteaded by his great grandparents in 1880. He was the third child of Joseph Henry and Sarah Eva (Olsen) Strotkamp. He passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 14, 2021, at St. Luke Living Center in Marion, Kansas.

He lived his entire life in Marion County, Kansas – living in the Burns-Summit area before the family moved to Peabody in the mid 1930’s. He attended school in Peabody and Burns. Even though he lived in Marion the last six years of his life, Peabody was always home. Throughout his entire life he enjoyed tinkering around with different projects and had a love for dogs.

At the age of 16, he went to work for Tucker Produce in Peabody, driving the country route picking up eggs and cream from the farmers. He later worked various jobs including Beech Aircraft in Wichita and driving a semi hauling cattle. In 1959, he went to work for the post office in Peabody carrying mail for the entire town every day. People said you could almost set your clock by when the mail arrived when he was delivering it. After 31 years with the postal service, he retired. After retirement, he enjoyed helping out at the Dari Crème with his sister Mary and brother-in-law “Doc” Stovall. He always enjoyed visiting with people.

On July 15, 1963, he was united in marriage to Elizabeth “Betty” Louise Engel in Marion. They enjoyed 51 years together until her passing on July 23, 2014.

Leroy was baptized into our Lord Jesus Christ on August 30, 1999.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Eva Strotkamp; his wife, Betty; his older brother, Joseph Henry Jr. who died in infancy; his sister, Mary Stovall and brother-in-law, Melvin “Doc” Stovall.

He will be missed by several nieces and nephews, Joan Stovall of Newton, Kansas, Don and Brenda Stovall of Halstead, Kansas, Greg and Kim Topham of Peabody, Phil and Gail Topham of Burns, Jeff Topham of Griswold, Iowa, David and Shelley Topham of Valley Center, Kansas, and Amy and Lee Engle of Kingman, Kansas, along with many great and great-great nieces and nephews.

Viewing without the family present will be Thursday and Friday, February 18 &amp; 19, from 9-5 at Yazel-Megli Funeral Home, 205 Elm in Marion. Funeral service Saturday, February 20, at 11:00 a.m. at the Peabody Christian Church, 301 N. Sycamore in Peabody, with Pastor Jim Pohlman officiating. Interment will follow in Prairie Lawn Cemetery, Peabody.

Memorial contributions in his name may be directed to Peabody Christian Church or Good Shepherd Hospice in care of Yazel-Megli Funeral Home, P.O. Box 96, Marion, Kansas 66861. Please sign his online guest book and leave a memory of Leroy at www.ymzfh.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Leroy H Strotkamp, please visit our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ymzfh.com/obituary/Leroy-Strotkamp/sympathy">floral store.</a>

<h2>Leroy H. Strotkamp; Peabody</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613747625033.jpeg" alt="Leroy H. Strotkamp" />
 <figcaption>Leroy H. Strotkamp</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.ymzfh.com/obituary/Leroy-Strotkamp">Obituary for Leroy H Strotkamp | Yazel-Megli Funeral Homes (ymzfh.com)</a><a href="https://www.ymzfh.com/obituary/Leroy-Strotkamp"></a>January 26, 1931 ~ February 14, 2021 (age 90)Leroy Henry Strotkamp was born on January 26, 1931, at home on the land homesteaded by his great grandparents in 1880. He was the third child of Joseph Henry and Sarah Eva (Olsen) Strotkamp. He passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 14, 2021, at St. Luke Living Center in Marion, Kansas.He lived his entire life in Marion County, Kansas – living in the Burns-Summit area before the family moved to Peabody in the mid 1930’s. He attended school in Peabody and Burns. Even though he lived in Marion the last six years of his life, Peabody was always home. Throughout his entire life he enjoyed tinkering around with different projects and had a love for dogs.At the age of 16, he went to work for Tucker Produce in Peabody, driving the country route picking up eggs and cream from the farmers. He later worked various jobs including Beech Aircraft in Wichita and driving a semi hauling cattle. In 1959, he went to work for the post office in Peabody carrying mail for the entire town every day. People said you could almost set your clock by when the mail arrived when he was delivering it. After 31 years with the postal service, he retired. After retirement, he enjoyed helping out at the Dari Crème with his sister Mary and brother-in-law “Doc” Stovall. He always enjoyed visiting with people.On July 15, 1963, he was united in marriage to Elizabeth “Betty” Louise Engel in Marion. They enjoyed 51 years together until her passing on July 23, 2014.Leroy was baptized into our Lord Jesus Christ on August 30, 1999.He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Eva Strotkamp; his wife, Betty; his older brother, Joseph Henry Jr. who died in infancy; his sister, Mary Stovall and brother-in-law, Melvin “Doc” Stovall.He will be missed by several nieces and nephews, Joan Stovall of Newton, Kansas, Don and Brenda Stovall of Halstead, Kansas, Greg and Kim Topham of Peabody, Phil and Gail Topham of Burns, Jeff Topham of Griswold, Iowa, David and Shelley Topham of Valley Center, Kansas, and Amy and Lee Engle of Kingman, Kansas, along with many great and great-great nieces and nephews.Viewing without the family present will be Thursday and Friday, February 18 &amp; 19, from 9-5 at Yazel-Megli Funeral Home, 205 Elm in Marion. Funeral service Saturday, February 20, at 11:00 a.m. at the Peabody Christian Church, 301 N. Sycamore in Peabody, with Pastor Jim Pohlman officiating. Interment will follow in Prairie Lawn Cemetery, Peabody.Memorial contributions in his name may be directed to Peabody Christian Church or Good Shepherd Hospice in care of Yazel-Megli Funeral Home, P.O. Box 96, Marion, Kansas 66861. Please sign his online guest book and leave a memory of Leroy at www.ymzfh.com.To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Leroy H Strotkamp, please visit our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ymzfh.com/obituary/Leroy-Strotkamp/sympathy">floral store.</a>

Leroy H. Strotkamp

Today is Friday, Feb. 19, the 50th day of 2021. There are 315 days left in the year. 

On Feb. 19, 1942, during World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which paved the way for the relocation and internment of people of Japanese ancestry, including U.S.-born citizens. Imperial Japanese warplanes raided the Australian city of Darwin; at least 243 people were killed.

In 1807, former Vice President Aaron Burr, accused of treason, was arrested in the Mississippi Territory, in present-day Alabama. (Burr was acquitted at trial.) 

In 1846, the Texas state government was formally installed in Austin, with J. Pinckney Henderson taking the oath of office as governor. 

In 1878, Thomas Edison received a U.S. patent for "an improvement in phonograph or speaking machines." 

In 1945, Operation Detachment began during World War II as some 30,000 U.S. Marines began landing on Iwo Jima, where they commenced a successful month-long battle to seize control of the island from Japanese forces. 

In 1968, the children's program "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," created by and starring Fred Rogers, made its network debut on National Educational Television, a forerunner of PBS, beginning a 31-season run. 

In 1976, President Gerald R. Ford, calling the issuing of the internment order for people of Japanese ancestry in 1942 "a sad day in American history," signed a proclamation formally confirming its termination.

In 1986, the U.S. Senate approved, 83-11, the Genocide Convention, an international treaty outlawing "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group," nearly 37 years after the pact was first submitted for ratification. 

In 1992, Irish Republican Army member Joseph Doherty was deported from the United States to Northern Ireland following a nine-year battle for political asylum. (Doherty was imprisoned for the killing of a British army commando in 1980; he was freed in 1998 under the Good Friday Agreement.) 

In 1997, Deng Xiaoping (dung shah-oh-ping), the last of China's major Communist revolutionaries, died at age 92. 

In 2003, an Iranian military plane carrying 275 members of the elite Revolutionary Guards crashed in southeastern Iran, killing all on board. 

In 2008, an ailing Fidel Castro resigned the Cuban presidency after nearly a half-century in power; his brother Raul was later named to succeed him. 

In 2019, President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon to develop plans for a new Space Force within the Air Force, accepting less than the full-fledged department he had wanted. 

Ten years ago: Security forces in Libya and Yemen fired on pro-democracy demonstrators as the two hard-line regimes struck back against the wave of protests that had already toppled autocrats in Egypt and Tunisia. The world's dominant economies, meeting in Paris, struck a watered-down deal on how to smooth out trade and currency imbalances blamed for a global financial crisis.

Five years ago: Harper Lee, author of "To Kill a Mockingbird," died in Monroeville, Alabama, at age 89.

One year ago: About 500 passengers left the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan at the end of a two-week quarantine that failed to stop the spread of the coronavirus among passengers and crew; the number of confirmed cases aboard the ship topped 600. The number of deaths in China from the virus rose past 2,000. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said the virus had killed two Iranian citizens. President Donald Trump announced that Richard Grenell, the U.S. ambassador to Germany, would become acting director of national intelligence. A man who had posted an online rant calling for the "complete extermination" of various races and cultures shot and killed nine people, most of them Turkish, in an attack on a hookah bar and other sites near Frankfurt, Germany; he was later found dead at his home along with his mother.

Today's Birthdays: Singer Smokey Robinson is 81. Actor Carlin Glynn is 81. Former Sony Corp. Chairman Howard Stringer is 79. Singer Lou Christie is 78. Actor Michael Nader is 76. Rock musician Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath, Heaven and Hell) is 73. Actor Stephen Nichols is 70. Author Amy Tan is 69. Actor Jeff Daniels is 66. Rock singer-musician Dave Wakeling is 65. Talk show host Lorianne Crook is 64. Actor Ray Winstone is 64. Actor Leslie David Baker is 63. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is 62. Britain's Prince Andrew is 61. Tennis Hall of Famer Hana Mandlikova is 59. Singer Seal is 58. Actor Jessica Tuck is 58. Country musician Ralph McCauley (Wild Horses) is 57. Rock musician Jon Fishman (Phish) is 56. Actor Justine Bateman is 55. Actor Benicio Del Toro is 54. Actor Bellamy Young is 51. Rock musician Daniel Adair is 46. Pop singer-actor Haylie Duff is 36. Actor Arielle Kebbel is 36. Christian rock musician Seth Morrison (Skillet) is 33. Actor Luke Pasqualino is 31. Actor Victoria Justice is 28. Actor David Mazouz (TV: "Gotham") is 20. Actor Millie Bobby Brown is 17.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Friday, Feb. 19, the 50th day of 2021. There are 315 days left in the year. Today's Highlights in History: On Feb. 19, 1942, during World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which paved the way for the relocation and internment of people of Japanese ancestry, including U.S.-born citizens. Imperial Japanese warplanes raided the Australian city of Darwin; at least 243 people were killed.On this date: In 1807, former Vice President Aaron Burr, accused of treason, was arrested in the Mississippi Territory, in present-day Alabama. (Burr was acquitted at trial.) In 1846, the Texas state government was formally installed in Austin, with J. Pinckney Henderson taking the oath of office as governor. In 1878, Thomas Edison received a U.S. patent for "an improvement in phonograph or speaking machines." In 1945, Operation Detachment began during World War II as some 30,000 U.S. Marines began landing on Iwo Jima, where they commenced a successful month-long battle to seize control of the island from Japanese forces. In 1968, the children's program "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," created by and starring Fred Rogers, made its network debut on National Educational Television, a forerunner of PBS, beginning a 31-season run. In 1976, President Gerald R. Ford, calling the issuing of the internment order for people of Japanese ancestry in 1942 "a sad day in American history," signed a proclamation formally confirming its termination.In 1986, the U.S. Senate approved, 83-11, the Genocide Convention, an international treaty outlawing "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group," nearly 37 years after the pact was first submitted for ratification. In 1992, Irish Republican Army member Joseph Doherty was deported from the United States to Northern Ireland following a nine-year battle for political asylum. (Doherty was imprisoned for the killing of a British army commando in 1980; he was freed in 1998 under the Good Friday Agreement.) In 1997, Deng Xiaoping (dung shah-oh-ping), the last of China's major Communist revolutionaries, died at age 92. In 2003, an Iranian military plane carrying 275 members of the elite Revolutionary Guards crashed in southeastern Iran, killing all on board. In 2008, an ailing Fidel Castro resigned the Cuban presidency after nearly a half-century in power; his brother Raul was later named to succeed him. In 2019, President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon to develop plans for a new Space Force within the Air Force, accepting less than the full-fledged department he had wanted. Ten years ago: Security forces in Libya and Yemen fired on pro-democracy demonstrators as the two hard-line regimes struck back against the wave of protests that had already toppled autocrats in Egypt and Tunisia. The world's dominant economies, meeting in Paris, struck a watered-down deal on how to smooth out trade and currency imbalances blamed for a global financial crisis.Five years ago: Harper Lee, author of "To Kill a Mockingbird," died in Monroeville, Alabama, at age 89. One year ago: About 500 passengers left the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan at the end of a two-week quarantine that failed to stop the spread of the coronavirus among passengers and crew; the number of confirmed cases aboard the ship topped 600. The number of deaths in China from the virus rose past 2,000. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said the virus had killed two Iranian citizens. President Donald Trump announced that Richard Grenell, the U.S. ambassador to Germany, would become acting director of national intelligence. A man who had posted an online rant calling for the "complete extermination" of various races and cultures shot and killed nine people, most of them Turkish, in an attack on a hookah bar and other sites near Frankfurt, Germany; he was later found dead at his home along with his mother. Today's Birthdays: Singer Smokey Robinson is 81. Actor Carlin Glynn is 81. Former Sony Corp. Chairman Howard Stringer is 79. Singer Lou Christie is 78. Actor Michael Nader is 76. Rock musician Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath, Heaven and Hell) is 73. Actor Stephen Nichols is 70. Author Amy Tan is 69. Actor Jeff Daniels is 66. Rock singer-musician Dave Wakeling is 65. Talk show host Lorianne Crook is 64. Actor Ray Winstone is 64. Actor Leslie David Baker is 63. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is 62. Britain's Prince Andrew is 61. Tennis Hall of Famer Hana Mandlikova is 59. Singer Seal is 58. Actor Jessica Tuck is 58. Country musician Ralph McCauley (Wild Horses) is 57. Rock musician Jon Fishman (Phish) is 56. Actor Justine Bateman is 55. Actor Benicio Del Toro is 54. Actor Bellamy Young is 51. Rock musician Daniel Adair is 46. Pop singer-actor Haylie Duff is 36. Actor Arielle Kebbel is 36. Christian rock musician Seth Morrison (Skillet) is 33. Actor Luke Pasqualino is 31. Actor Victoria Justice is 28. Actor David Mazouz (TV: "Gotham") is 20. Actor Millie Bobby Brown is 17.

Today in History -- Feb. 19

Today is Thursday, Feb. 18, the 49th day of 2021. There are 316 days left in the year. 

On Feb. 18, 1970, the "Chicago Seven" defendants were found not guilty of conspiring to incite riots at the 1968 Democratic national convention; five were convicted of violating the Anti-Riot Act of 1968 (those convictions were later reversed). 

In 1546, Martin Luther, leader of the Protestant Reformation in Germany, died in Eisleben. 

In 1564, artist Michelangelo died in Rome. 

In 1930, photographic evidence of Pluto (now designated a "dwarf planet") was discovered by Clyde W. Tombaugh at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. 

In 1943, Madame Chiang Kai-shek, wife of the Chinese leader, addressed members of the Senate and then the House, becoming the first Chinese national to address both houses of the U.S. Congress. 

In 1960, the 8th Winter Olympic Games were formally opened in Squaw Valley, California, by Vice President Richard M. Nixon.

In 1967, American theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer died in Princeton, New Jersey, at age 62.

In 1972, the California Supreme Court struck down the state's death penalty.

In 1983, 13 people were shot to death at a gambling club in Seattle's Chinatown in what became known as the Wah Mee Massacre. (Two men were convicted of the killings and are serving life sentences; a third was found guilty of robbery and assault.) 

In 1988, Anthony M. Kennedy was sworn in as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. 

In 1997, astronauts on the space shuttle Discovery completed their tune-up of the Hubble Space Telescope after 33 hours of spacewalking; the Hubble was then released using the shuttle's crane. 

In 2001, veteran FBI agent Robert Philip Hanssen was arrested, accused of spying for Russia. (Hanssen later pleaded guilty to espionage and attempted espionage and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.) Auto racing star Dale Earnhardt Sr. died in a crash at the Daytona 500; he was 49. 

In 2003, an arson attack involving two South Korean subway trains in the city of Daegu claimed 198 lives. (The arsonist was sentenced to life in prison, where he died in 2004.) 

Ten years ago: The United States vetoed a U.N. resolution that would have condemned Israeli settlements as illegal and called for a halt in all settlement building; the 14 other Security Council members voted in favor of the measure.

Five years ago: In what was seen as a criticism of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, Pope Francis said that a person who advocated building walls was "not Christian"; Trump quickly retorted it was "disgraceful" to question a person's faith. (A Vatican spokesman said the next day that the pope's comment was not intended as a "personal attack" on Trump.) Dallas-based Heritage Auctions said a rare copy of a comic book featuring the first appearance of Spider-Man had been sold to an anonymous collector for $454,100.

One year ago: Japanese health authorities confirmed 88 more cases of the coronavirus aboard the quarantined cruise ship Diamond Princess, bringing the number of cases on board to 542; U.S. officials said Americans who chose to remain on board could not return home for at least two weeks after coming ashore. Health officials in the Chinese city of Wuhan announced that a hospital director who'd mobilized the hospital's resources to deal with the thousands of sick people arriving daily had died from the virus. President Donald Trump commuted the 14-year prison sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich for political corruption; Blagojevich left prison hours later and returned home to Chicago. (Trump also issued pardons or clemency to former New York City police commissioner Bernie Kerik, financier Michael Milken, and a long list of others.) The Boy Scouts of America filed for bankruptcy protection in the first step toward creating a huge compensation fund for men who were molested as youngsters decades ago by scoutmasters or other leaders; the organization urged victims to come forward.

Today's Birthdays: Former Sen. John Warner, R-Va., is 94. Singer Yoko Ono is 88. Singer-songwriter Bobby Hart is 82. Singer Irma Thomas is 80. Singer Herman Santiago (Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers) is 80. Actor Jess Walton is 75. Singer Dennis DeYoung is 74. Actor Sinead Cusack is 73. Actor Cybill Shepherd is 71. Singer Randy Crawford is 69. Rock musician Robbie Bachman is 68. Actor John Travolta is 67. Actor John Pankow is 66. Game show host Vanna White is 64. Actor Jayne Atkinson is 62. Actor Greta Scacchi is 61. Actor Matt Dillon is 57. Rock musician Tommy Scott (Space) is 57. Rapper Dr. Dre is 56. Actor Molly Ringwald is 53. Actor Sarah Brown is 46. Country musician Trevor Rosen (Old Dominion) is 46. Actor Ike Barinholtz is 44. Actor Kristoffer Polaha is 44. Singer-musician Sean Watkins (Nickel Creek) is 44. Rock-singer musician Regina Spektor is 41. Opera singer Isabel Leonard is 39. Roots rock musician Zac Cockrell (Alabama Shakes) is 33. Actor Shane Lyons is 33. Actor Sarah Sutherland is 33. Actor Maiara Walsh is 33.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Thursday, Feb. 18, the 49th day of 2021. There are 316 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Feb. 18, 1970, the "Chicago Seven" defendants were found not guilty of conspiring to incite riots at the 1968 Democratic national convention; five were convicted of violating the Anti-Riot Act of 1968 (those convictions were later reversed). On this date: In 1546, Martin Luther, leader of the Protestant Reformation in Germany, died in Eisleben. In 1564, artist Michelangelo died in Rome. In 1930, photographic evidence of Pluto (now designated a "dwarf planet") was discovered by Clyde W. Tombaugh at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. In 1943, Madame Chiang Kai-shek, wife of the Chinese leader, addressed members of the Senate and then the House, becoming the first Chinese national to address both houses of the U.S. Congress. In 1960, the 8th Winter Olympic Games were formally opened in Squaw Valley, California, by Vice President Richard M. Nixon.In 1967, American theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer died in Princeton, New Jersey, at age 62.In 1972, the California Supreme Court struck down the state's death penalty.In 1983, 13 people were shot to death at a gambling club in Seattle's Chinatown in what became known as the Wah Mee Massacre. (Two men were convicted of the killings and are serving life sentences; a third was found guilty of robbery and assault.) In 1988, Anthony M. Kennedy was sworn in as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1997, astronauts on the space shuttle Discovery completed their tune-up of the Hubble Space Telescope after 33 hours of spacewalking; the Hubble was then released using the shuttle's crane. In 2001, veteran FBI agent Robert Philip Hanssen was arrested, accused of spying for Russia. (Hanssen later pleaded guilty to espionage and attempted espionage and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.) Auto racing star Dale Earnhardt Sr. died in a crash at the Daytona 500; he was 49. In 2003, an arson attack involving two South Korean subway trains in the city of Daegu claimed 198 lives. (The arsonist was sentenced to life in prison, where he died in 2004.) Ten years ago: The United States vetoed a U.N. resolution that would have condemned Israeli settlements as illegal and called for a halt in all settlement building; the 14 other Security Council members voted in favor of the measure.Five years ago: In what was seen as a criticism of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, Pope Francis said that a person who advocated building walls was "not Christian"; Trump quickly retorted it was "disgraceful" to question a person's faith. (A Vatican spokesman said the next day that the pope's comment was not intended as a "personal attack" on Trump.) Dallas-based Heritage Auctions said a rare copy of a comic book featuring the first appearance of Spider-Man had been sold to an anonymous collector for $454,100.One year ago: Japanese health authorities confirmed 88 more cases of the coronavirus aboard the quarantined cruise ship Diamond Princess, bringing the number of cases on board to 542; U.S. officials said Americans who chose to remain on board could not return home for at least two weeks after coming ashore. Health officials in the Chinese city of Wuhan announced that a hospital director who'd mobilized the hospital's resources to deal with the thousands of sick people arriving daily had died from the virus. President Donald Trump commuted the 14-year prison sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich for political corruption; Blagojevich left prison hours later and returned home to Chicago. (Trump also issued pardons or clemency to former New York City police commissioner Bernie Kerik, financier Michael Milken, and a long list of others.) The Boy Scouts of America filed for bankruptcy protection in the first step toward creating a huge compensation fund for men who were molested as youngsters decades ago by scoutmasters or other leaders; the organization urged victims to come forward. Today's Birthdays: Former Sen. John Warner, R-Va., is 94. Singer Yoko Ono is 88. Singer-songwriter Bobby Hart is 82. Singer Irma Thomas is 80. Singer Herman Santiago (Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers) is 80. Actor Jess Walton is 75. Singer Dennis DeYoung is 74. Actor Sinead Cusack is 73. Actor Cybill Shepherd is 71. Singer Randy Crawford is 69. Rock musician Robbie Bachman is 68. Actor John Travolta is 67. Actor John Pankow is 66. Game show host Vanna White is 64. Actor Jayne Atkinson is 62. Actor Greta Scacchi is 61. Actor Matt Dillon is 57. Rock musician Tommy Scott (Space) is 57. Rapper Dr. Dre is 56. Actor Molly Ringwald is 53. Actor Sarah Brown is 46. Country musician Trevor Rosen (Old Dominion) is 46. Actor Ike Barinholtz is 44. Actor Kristoffer Polaha is 44. Singer-musician Sean Watkins (Nickel Creek) is 44. Rock-singer musician Regina Spektor is 41. Opera singer Isabel Leonard is 39. Roots rock musician Zac Cockrell (Alabama Shakes) is 33. Actor Shane Lyons is 33. Actor Sarah Sutherland is 33. Actor Maiara Walsh is 33.

Today in History -- Feb. 18

BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on child sex allegations after an arrest.

On Tuesday afternoon, MotorCity Justice, the organization helping law enforcement identify and capture alleged child sexual predators,&nbsp; contacted the Barton County Sheriff’s Office, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.

MotorCity Justice shared information with the Sheriff’s office that led deputies to believe an individual was attempting to solicit unlawful activity with a juvenile.

Deputies and detectives placed an area in the 3700 block of 8th Street in Great Bend under surveillance. Shortly after 5p.m. deputies made contact with 32-year-old Lonny R. Miller of Larned. 

Deputies had reason to believe probable cause existed that Miller was attempting to solicit a 15-year-old for sex. 

The deputies placed Miller under arrest and transported him to the Barton County Jail without incident. He was booked on requested charges of indecent solicitation of a child, attempted exploitation of a child and electronic solicitation. He’s being held in lieu of a $100,000 bond, according to Bellendir.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613598241057.png" alt="Miller photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Miller photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on child sex allegations after an arrest.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Flonestarrjusticeog%2Fvideos%2F418175722606487%2F&show_text=false&width=267" width="267" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>On Tuesday afternoon, MotorCity Justice, the organization helping law enforcement identify and capture alleged child sexual predators,&nbsp; contacted the Barton County Sheriff’s Office, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.MotorCity Justice shared information with the Sheriff’s office that led deputies to believe an individual was attempting to solicit unlawful activity with a juvenile.Deputies and detectives placed an area in the 3700 block of 8th Street in Great Bend under surveillance. Shortly after 5p.m. deputies made contact with 32-year-old Lonny R. Miller of Larned. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613598696334.png" alt="Miller meeting the Barton Co. Sheriff's deputies -image courtesy Motor City Justice" />
 <figcaption>Miller meeting the Barton Co. Sheriff's deputies -image courtesy Motor City Justice</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies had reason to believe probable cause existed that Miller was attempting to solicit a 15-year-old for sex. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613598722415.png" alt="Image courtesy Motor City Justice" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Motor City Justice</figcaption>
 </figure>The deputies placed Miller under arrest and transported him to the Barton County Jail without incident. He was booked on requested charges of indecent solicitation of a child, attempted exploitation of a child and electronic solicitation. He’s being held in lieu of a $100,000 bond, according to Bellendir.

🎥 Social media tip: Kan. man wanted to meet teen for sex

One of the most popular books of the late 1980s and early 1990s was Robert Fulghum’s All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.&nbsp; South High’s Theatre Department will present an online streaming performance of this lighthearted, beautiful dramatization of Fulgum’s writings.&nbsp;

The show takes a funny, insightful, heartwarming look at what is profound in everyday life.

A performance with a small audience of family and drama club students was filmed and will be available for streaming. The video-on-demand streaming will be available Friday-Sunday.

Cast members&nbsp; include Ashley Carraway, Mia Dennett, Evan Dickson, Aidan Heusman, Ethen Lainer, Soren Mannebach, Alondra Mendiola, Thomas Moyer, Aubrey Powell, Gaby Rodriguez, Shelby Stolzenburg, Nathan Streeter, Elias Torres, and Yesenia Torres.&nbsp;

The production&nbsp;is directed by Kate Lindsay. Stage managers are Kaydence Dickson, Diana Geist, and Reese Kimmi. The production crew includes Malina Szyndlar, Cameron Preble, Chantal Torres, Emily Streeter, Elana Allen, Kirsten Lamia. &nbsp;&nbsp; The delightful stories feature colorful characters such as: a shy little boy who insists on playing the “pig” in his class production of Cinderella and steals the show; a man whose dream of flying carries him high over Los Angeles...in a lawn chair buoyed by surplus weather balloons; a “mother of the bride” who’s staged a perfect wedding—until the bowling ball of fate rolls down the aisle; and a modern-day Greek philosopher who finds the meaning of life in a piece of broken mirror from World War II.&nbsp; These stories celebrate our very existence, from the whimsy of childhood to the wisdom of old age.&nbsp; Don’t miss out on a wonderful experience! About online streaming

Video on demand is available Friday-Sunday. <a href="https://www.onthestage.com/show/salina-high-school-south/all-i-really-need-to-know-i-learned-in-kindergarten-89875/">Click here</a> and then click the BUY TICKETS link to gain access to the online streaming of the production. The cost is $10.&nbsp;

After purchasing the online streaming you will be sent a link to view the production. Once your viewing link is activated, you will have access to unlimited views for 24 hours. You can watch it as many times as you’d like during that 24 hour period.

To read the playbill for the show (pdf format), <a href="http://www.salinasouththeatre.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Kindergarten-Playbill-2021-updated-1.pdf">click here</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613599881181.jpeg" alt="Image courtesy Salina South Theatre" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Salina South Theatre</figcaption>
 </figure>One of the most popular books of the late 1980s and early 1990s was Robert Fulghum’s All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.&nbsp; South High’s Theatre Department will present an online streaming performance of this lighthearted, beautiful dramatization of Fulgum’s writings.&nbsp; The show takes a funny, insightful, heartwarming look at what is profound in everyday life.A performance with a small audience of family and drama club students was filmed and will be available for streaming. The video-on-demand streaming will be available Friday-Sunday.Cast members&nbsp; include Ashley Carraway, Mia Dennett, Evan Dickson, Aidan Heusman, Ethen Lainer, Soren Mannebach, Alondra Mendiola, Thomas Moyer, Aubrey Powell, Gaby Rodriguez, Shelby Stolzenburg, Nathan Streeter, Elias Torres, and Yesenia Torres.&nbsp;The production&nbsp;is directed by Kate Lindsay. Stage managers are Kaydence Dickson, Diana Geist, and Reese Kimmi. The production crew includes Malina Szyndlar, Cameron Preble, Chantal Torres, Emily Streeter, Elana Allen, Kirsten Lamia. &nbsp;&nbsp; The delightful stories feature colorful characters such as: a shy little boy who insists on playing the “pig” in his class production of Cinderella and steals the show; a man whose dream of flying carries him high over Los Angeles...in a lawn chair buoyed by surplus weather balloons; a “mother of the bride” who’s staged a perfect wedding—until the bowling ball of fate rolls down the aisle; and a modern-day Greek philosopher who finds the meaning of life in a piece of broken mirror from World War II.&nbsp; These stories celebrate our very existence, from the whimsy of childhood to the wisdom of old age.&nbsp; Don’t miss out on a wonderful experience! About online streamingVideo on demand is available Friday-Sunday. <a href="https://www.onthestage.com/show/salina-high-school-south/all-i-really-need-to-know-i-learned-in-kindergarten-89875/">Click here</a> and then click the BUY TICKETS link to gain access to the online streaming of the production. The cost is $10.&nbsp;After purchasing the online streaming you will be sent a link to view the production. Once your viewing link is activated, you will have access to unlimited views for 24 hours. You can watch it as many times as you’d like during that 24 hour period.To read the playbill for the show (pdf format), <a href="http://www.salinasouththeatre.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Kindergarten-Playbill-2021-updated-1.pdf">click here</a>.

Salina South Theatre brings Robert Fulghum book to life

JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a traffic stop.

Just before noon Monday, a sheriff’s deputy stopped a southbound 2002 Infiniti QX4 for allegedly committing a traffic infraction near 110th Road on U.S Highway 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

The investigation into the traffic stop led to the discovery of illegal contraband. Deputies placed the passenger, Phil Amos Davis, 67, of Topeka, under arrest on requested charges that include possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Davis was booked and remains in the Jackson County Jail, according to online records. He has previous felony convictions in Brown County, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613595588678.png" alt="Davis photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Davis photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a traffic stop.Just before noon Monday, a sheriff’s deputy stopped a southbound 2002 Infiniti QX4 for allegedly committing a traffic infraction near 110th Road on U.S Highway 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.The investigation into the traffic stop led to the discovery of illegal contraband. Deputies placed the passenger, Phil Amos Davis, 67, of Topeka, under arrest on requested charges that include possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Davis was booked and remains in the Jackson County Jail, according to online records. He has previous felony convictions in Brown County, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Sheriff: Kansas man back in jail after traffic stop

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) —Rush Limbaugh, the talk radio host who ripped into liberals and laid waste to political correctness with a merry brand of malice that made him one of the most powerful voices on the American right and foretold the rise of Donald Trump, died Wednesday. He was 70.

Limbaugh, an outspoken lover of cigars, had been diagnosed with lung cancer. His death was announced by his wife Kathryn to open her husband's radio show Wednesday and on his website.

President Trump, during a State of the Union speech, awarded Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

Unflinchingly conservative, wildly partisan, bombastically self-promoting and larger than life, Limbaugh galvanized listeners for more than 30 years with his talent for vituperation and sarcasm.

He called himself an entertainer, but his rants during his three-hour weekday radio show broadcast on nearly 600 U.S. stations shaped the national political conversation, swaying ordinary Republicans and the direction of their party.

Blessed with a made-for-broadcasting voice, he delivered his opinions with such certainty that his followers, or “Ditto-heads,” as he dubbed them, took his words as sacred truth.

“In my heart and soul, I know I have become the intellectual engine of the conservative movement,” Limbaugh, with typical immodesty, told author Zev Chafets in the 2010 book “Rush Limbaugh: An Army of One.”

Forbes magazine estimated his 2018 income at $84 million, ranking him behind only Howard Stern among radio personalities.

Limbaugh took as a badge of honor the title “most dangerous man in America.” He said he was the “truth detector,” the “doctor of democracy,” a “lover of mankind,” a “harmless, lovable little fuzz ball” and an “all-around good guy.” He claimed he had “talent on loan from God.”

Long before Trump’s rise in politics, Limbaugh was pinning insulting names on his enemies and raging against the mainstream media, accusing it of feeding the public lies. He called Democrats and others on the left communists, wackos, feminazis, liberal extremists, faggots and radicals.

When actor Michael J. Fox, suffering from Parkinson’s disease, appeared in a Democratic campaign commercial, Limbaugh mocked his tremors. When a Washington advocate for the homeless killed himself, he cracked jokes. As the AIDS epidemic raged in the 1980s, he made the dying a punchline. He called 12-year-old Chelsea Clinton a dog.

He suggested that the Democrats’ stand on reproductive rights would have led to the abortion of Jesus Christ. When a woman accused Duke University lacrosse players of rape, he derided her as a “ho,” and when a Georgetown University law student supported expanded contraceptive coverage, he dismissed her as a “slut.” When Barack Obama was elected president in 2008, Limbaugh said: “I hope he fails.”

He was frequently accused of bigotry and blatant racism for such antics as playing the song “Barack the Magic Negro” on his show. The lyrics, set to the tune of “Puff, the Magic Dragon,” describe Obama as someone who “makes guilty whites feel good” and is “black, but not authentically.”

Limbaugh often enunciated the Republican platform better and more entertainingly than any party leader, becoming a GOP kingmaker whose endorsement and friendship were sought. Polls consistently found he was regarded as the voice of the party.

His idol, Ronald Reagan, wrote a letter of praise that Limbaugh proudly read on the air in 1992: “You’ve become the number one voice for conservatism.” In 1994, Limbaugh was so widely credited with the first Republican takeover of Congress in 40 years that the GOP made him an honorary member of the new class.

During the 2016 presidential primaries, Limbaugh said he realized early on that Trump would be the nominee, and he likened the candidate’s deep connection with his supporters to his own. In a 2018 interview, he conceded Trump is rude but said that is because he is “fearless and willing to fight against the things that no Republican has been willing to fight against.”

Trump, for his part, heaped praise on Limbaugh, and they golfed together. (The president’s Mar-a-Lago estate is eight miles down the same Palm Beach boulevard as Limbaugh’s $40 million beachfront expanse.) In honoring Limbaugh at the State of the Union, Trump called his friend “a special man beloved by millions.”

Limbaugh influenced the likes of Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly and countless other conservative commentators who pushed the boundaries of what passes as acceptable public discourse.

His brand of blunt, no-gray-area debate spread to cable TV, town hall meetings, political rallies and Congress itself, emerging during the battles over health care and the ascent of the tea party movement.

“What he did was to bring a paranoia and really mean, nasty rhetoric and hyperpartisanship into the mainstream,” said Martin Kaplan, a University of Southern California professor who is an expert on the intersection of politics and entertainment and a frequent critic of Limbaugh. “The kind of antagonism and vituperativeness that characterized him instantly became acceptable everywhere.”

In one breathless segment in 1991, he railed against the homeless, AIDS patients, criticism of Christopher Columbus, aid to the Soviet Union, condoms in schools, animal rights advocates, multiculturalism and the social safety net.

His foes accused him of trafficking in half-truths, bias and outright lies — the very tactics he decried in others. Al Franken, the comedian and one-time senator, came out with a book in 1996 called “Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations.”

In 2003, Limbaugh admitted an addiction to painkillers and went into rehab. Authorities opened an investigation into alleged “doctor shopping,” saying he received up to 2,000 pills from four doctors over six months.

He ultimately reached a deal with prosecutors in which they agreed to drop the charge if he continued with drug treatment and paid $30,000 toward the cost of the investigation.

He lost his hearing around that time. He said it was from an autoimmune disorder, while his critics said hearing loss is a known side effect of painkiller abuse. He received cochlear implants, which restored his hearing and saved his career.

A portly, round-faced figure, Limbaugh was divorced three times, after marrying Roxy Maxine McNeely in 1977, Michelle Sixta in 1983 and Marta Fitzgerald in 1994. He married his fourth wife, Kathryn Rogers, in a lavish 2010 ceremony featuring Elton John. He had no children.

Rush Hudson Limbaugh III was born Jan. 12, 1951, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. His mother was the former Mildred Armstrong, and his father, Rush Limbaugh Jr., was a lawyer.

Rusty, as the younger Limbaugh was known, was chubby and shy, with little interest in school but a passion for broadcasting. He would turn down the radio during St. Louis Cardinals baseball games, offering play-by-play, and gave running commentary during the evening news. By high school, he had snagged a radio job.

Limbaugh dropped out of Southeast Missouri State University for a string of DJ gigs, from his hometown, to McKeesport, Pennsylvania, to Pittsburgh and then Kansas City. Known as Rusty Sharpe and then Jeff Christie on the air, he mostly spun Top 40 hits and sprinkled in glimpses of his wit and conservatism.

“One of the early reasons radio interested me was that I thought it would make me popular,” he once wrote.

But he didn’t gain the following he craved and gave up on radio for several years, beginning in 1979, becoming promotions director for baseball’s Kansas City Royals. He ultimately returned to broadcasting, again in Kansas City and then Sacramento, California.

It was there in the early 1980s that Limbaugh really garnered an audience, broadcasting shows dripping with sarcasm and bravado. The stage name was gone.

Limbaugh began broadcasting nationally in 1988 from WABC in New York. While his know-it-all commentary quickly gained traction, he was dismayed by his reception in the big city. He thought he would be welcomed by Peter Jennings, Tom Brokaw and Dan Rather.

“I came to New York,” he wrote, “and I immediately became a nothing, a zero.”

Ultimately, Limbaugh moved his radio show to Palm Beach and bought his massive estate. Talkers Magazine, which covers the industry, said Limbaugh had the nation’s largest audience in 2019, with 15 million unique listeners each week.

“When Rush wants to talk to America, all he has to do is grab his microphone. He attracts more listeners with just his voice than the rest of us could ever imagine,” Beck wrote in Time magazine in 2009. “He is simply on another level.”

Limbaugh expounded on his world view in the best-selling books “The Way Things Ought to Be” and “See, I Told You So.”

He had a late-night TV show in the 1990s that got decent ratings but lackluster advertising because of his divisive message. When he guest-hosted “The Pat Sajak Show” in 1990, audience members called him a Nazi and repeatedly shouted at him.

He was fired from a short-lived job as an NFL commentator on ESPN in 2003 after he said the media had made a star out of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb because it was “very desirous that a black quarterback do well.” His racial remarks also derailed a 2009 bid to become one of the owners of the NFL’s St. Louis Rams.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1580901433879.png" alt="Limbaugh was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom during the State of the Union address in 2020 -image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Limbaugh was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom during the State of the Union address in 2020 -image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) —Rush Limbaugh, the talk radio host who ripped into liberals and laid waste to political correctness with a merry brand of malice that made him one of the most powerful voices on the American right and foretold the rise of Donald Trump, died Wednesday. He was 70.Limbaugh, an outspoken lover of cigars, had been diagnosed with lung cancer. His death was announced by his wife Kathryn to open her husband's radio show Wednesday and on his website.President Trump, during a State of the Union speech, awarded Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.Unflinchingly conservative, wildly partisan, bombastically self-promoting and larger than life, Limbaugh galvanized listeners for more than 30 years with his talent for vituperation and sarcasm.He called himself an entertainer, but his rants during his three-hour weekday radio show broadcast on nearly 600 U.S. stations shaped the national political conversation, swaying ordinary Republicans and the direction of their party.Blessed with a made-for-broadcasting voice, he delivered his opinions with such certainty that his followers, or “Ditto-heads,” as he dubbed them, took his words as sacred truth.“In my heart and soul, I know I have become the intellectual engine of the conservative movement,” Limbaugh, with typical immodesty, told author Zev Chafets in the 2010 book “Rush Limbaugh: An Army of One.”Forbes magazine estimated his 2018 income at $84 million, ranking him behind only Howard Stern among radio personalities.Limbaugh took as a badge of honor the title “most dangerous man in America.” He said he was the “truth detector,” the “doctor of democracy,” a “lover of mankind,” a “harmless, lovable little fuzz ball” and an “all-around good guy.” He claimed he had “talent on loan from God.”Long before Trump’s rise in politics, Limbaugh was pinning insulting names on his enemies and raging against the mainstream media, accusing it of feeding the public lies. He called Democrats and others on the left communists, wackos, feminazis, liberal extremists, faggots and radicals.When actor Michael J. Fox, suffering from Parkinson’s disease, appeared in a Democratic campaign commercial, Limbaugh mocked his tremors. When a Washington advocate for the homeless killed himself, he cracked jokes. As the AIDS epidemic raged in the 1980s, he made the dying a punchline. He called 12-year-old Chelsea Clinton a dog.He suggested that the Democrats’ stand on reproductive rights would have led to the abortion of Jesus Christ. When a woman accused Duke University lacrosse players of rape, he derided her as a “ho,” and when a Georgetown University law student supported expanded contraceptive coverage, he dismissed her as a “slut.” When Barack Obama was elected president in 2008, Limbaugh said: “I hope he fails.”He was frequently accused of bigotry and blatant racism for such antics as playing the song “Barack the Magic Negro” on his show. The lyrics, set to the tune of “Puff, the Magic Dragon,” describe Obama as someone who “makes guilty whites feel good” and is “black, but not authentically.”Limbaugh often enunciated the Republican platform better and more entertainingly than any party leader, becoming a GOP kingmaker whose endorsement and friendship were sought. Polls consistently found he was regarded as the voice of the party.His idol, Ronald Reagan, wrote a letter of praise that Limbaugh proudly read on the air in 1992: “You’ve become the number one voice for conservatism.” In 1994, Limbaugh was so widely credited with the first Republican takeover of Congress in 40 years that the GOP made him an honorary member of the new class.During the 2016 presidential primaries, Limbaugh said he realized early on that Trump would be the nominee, and he likened the candidate’s deep connection with his supporters to his own. In a 2018 interview, he conceded Trump is rude but said that is because he is “fearless and willing to fight against the things that no Republican has been willing to fight against.”Trump, for his part, heaped praise on Limbaugh, and they golfed together. (The president’s Mar-a-Lago estate is eight miles down the same Palm Beach boulevard as Limbaugh’s $40 million beachfront expanse.) In honoring Limbaugh at the State of the Union, Trump called his friend “a special man beloved by millions.”Limbaugh influenced the likes of Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly and countless other conservative commentators who pushed the boundaries of what passes as acceptable public discourse.His brand of blunt, no-gray-area debate spread to cable TV, town hall meetings, political rallies and Congress itself, emerging during the battles over health care and the ascent of the tea party movement.“What he did was to bring a paranoia and really mean, nasty rhetoric and hyperpartisanship into the mainstream,” said Martin Kaplan, a University of Southern California professor who is an expert on the intersection of politics and entertainment and a frequent critic of Limbaugh. “The kind of antagonism and vituperativeness that characterized him instantly became acceptable everywhere.”In one breathless segment in 1991, he railed against the homeless, AIDS patients, criticism of Christopher Columbus, aid to the Soviet Union, condoms in schools, animal rights advocates, multiculturalism and the social safety net.His foes accused him of trafficking in half-truths, bias and outright lies — the very tactics he decried in others. Al Franken, the comedian and one-time senator, came out with a book in 1996 called “Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations.”In 2003, Limbaugh admitted an addiction to painkillers and went into rehab. Authorities opened an investigation into alleged “doctor shopping,” saying he received up to 2,000 pills from four doctors over six months.He ultimately reached a deal with prosecutors in which they agreed to drop the charge if he continued with drug treatment and paid $30,000 toward the cost of the investigation.He lost his hearing around that time. He said it was from an autoimmune disorder, while his critics said hearing loss is a known side effect of painkiller abuse. He received cochlear implants, which restored his hearing and saved his career.A portly, round-faced figure, Limbaugh was divorced three times, after marrying Roxy Maxine McNeely in 1977, Michelle Sixta in 1983 and Marta Fitzgerald in 1994. He married his fourth wife, Kathryn Rogers, in a lavish 2010 ceremony featuring Elton John. He had no children.Rush Hudson Limbaugh III was born Jan. 12, 1951, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. His mother was the former Mildred Armstrong, and his father, Rush Limbaugh Jr., was a lawyer.Rusty, as the younger Limbaugh was known, was chubby and shy, with little interest in school but a passion for broadcasting. He would turn down the radio during St. Louis Cardinals baseball games, offering play-by-play, and gave running commentary during the evening news. By high school, he had snagged a radio job.Limbaugh dropped out of Southeast Missouri State University for a string of DJ gigs, from his hometown, to McKeesport, Pennsylvania, to Pittsburgh and then Kansas City. Known as Rusty Sharpe and then Jeff Christie on the air, he mostly spun Top 40 hits and sprinkled in glimpses of his wit and conservatism.“One of the early reasons radio interested me was that I thought it would make me popular,” he once wrote.But he didn’t gain the following he craved and gave up on radio for several years, beginning in 1979, becoming promotions director for baseball’s Kansas City Royals. He ultimately returned to broadcasting, again in Kansas City and then Sacramento, California.It was there in the early 1980s that Limbaugh really garnered an audience, broadcasting shows dripping with sarcasm and bravado. The stage name was gone.Limbaugh began broadcasting nationally in 1988 from WABC in New York. While his know-it-all commentary quickly gained traction, he was dismayed by his reception in the big city. He thought he would be welcomed by Peter Jennings, Tom Brokaw and Dan Rather.“I came to New York,” he wrote, “and I immediately became a nothing, a zero.”Ultimately, Limbaugh moved his radio show to Palm Beach and bought his massive estate. Talkers Magazine, which covers the industry, said Limbaugh had the nation’s largest audience in 2019, with 15 million unique listeners each week.“When Rush wants to talk to America, all he has to do is grab his microphone. He attracts more listeners with just his voice than the rest of us could ever imagine,” Beck wrote in Time magazine in 2009. “He is simply on another level.”Limbaugh expounded on his world view in the best-selling books “The Way Things Ought to Be” and “See, I Told You So.”He had a late-night TV show in the 1990s that got decent ratings but lackluster advertising because of his divisive message. When he guest-hosted “The Pat Sajak Show” in 1990, audience members called him a Nazi and repeatedly shouted at him.He was fired from a short-lived job as an NFL commentator on ESPN in 2003 after he said the media had made a star out of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb because it was “very desirous that a black quarterback do well.” His racial remarks also derailed a 2009 bid to become one of the owners of the NFL’s St. Louis Rams.“Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night and just think to yourself, `I am just full of hot gas?’” David Letterman asked him in 1993 on “The Late Show.”“I am a servant of humanity,” Limbaugh replied. “I am in the relentless pursuit of the truth. I actually sit back and think that I’m just so fortunate to have this opportunity to tell people what’s really going on.”--------Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh has died at the age of 70, according his wife Kathryn, who announced the news to open her husband's radio show Wednesday.In February of 2020, Limbaugh revealed that he had advanced lung cancer. A few days later, President Trump invited Limbaugh to attend the State of the Union Address.&nbsp;During the address, Limbaugh appeared stunned, when the President announced he was awarding the talk show legend with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.&nbsp; Others sat in silence as first lady Melania Trump draped the medal around his neck on the spot.“Thank you for your decades of tireless devotion to our country,” Trump told Limbaugh, commending “all that you have done for our Nation, the millions of people a day that you speak to and that you inspire.”-The Associated Press contributed to this report