Keith Wayne Thomas, age 74, passed from this life on Saturday, November 28, 2020 at his home in Belleville, Kansas.&nbsp; Keith was born on July 11, 1946 in Belleville, Kansas to Clyde B. and Betty L. (Tharp) Thomas.

Keith was raised in a home north of Belleville, Kansas, until the age of seven.&nbsp; His family then moved to a farm south of Narka to be closer to his family who operated a dairy.&nbsp; Keith attended his first years of school in Belleville and continued his education through his freshman year at the school in Narka.&nbsp; Keith graduated from Munden High School in 1964.&nbsp; After high school, Keith attended and graduated from Fairbury Junior College. While in college, Keith joined the Army National Guard and completed basic training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.&nbsp; He later completed AIT in Aberdeen, Maryland, and when his National Guard unit was activated, Keith was stationed at Fort Collins, Colorado.&nbsp; After his time spent in the National Guard, Keith attended Fort Hays State University and graduated in 1970 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business.

On May 11, 1968, Keith married the love of his life, Janice A. Thornton, at the United Methodist Church in Republic, Kansas.&nbsp; Keith and Jan were blessed with two children, Annette and Mark.&nbsp; Keith worked side by side with his father, Clyde, operating a Grade A Dairy Farm and took great pride that the dairy spanned four generations of the Thomas Family.&nbsp; Through Keith’s hard work and devotion to his family, he instilled in his children good work ethic and values.&nbsp;

Some of Keith’s favorite family activities were 4-H projects, including showing dairy cattle at the fair each year.&nbsp; After the cows were milked for the day, Keith and his young children could often be found swimming in the pond east of the farm.&nbsp; Keith enjoyed hunting with Mark, and took a college night class with Annette to hone their painting skills.&nbsp; Keith was proud of his children, and attended their school activities, including sports and music.&nbsp;&nbsp; The family took many trips to the drive-in movie theater; with the kids riding in lawn chairs in the back of the pickup.

Later in life, Keith worked away from the farm.&nbsp; He worked at the FSA office, MC Industries, 21st Century Dairy, Reinke Manufacturing, 5 T’s Trucking with his son, Mark, and most recently, he worked at the Belleville After School Program.&nbsp; He continued to spend time on the farm operating his hay business with his grandchildren by his side.

Keith was a member of the American Legion Post #345 of Cuba, the Narka Presbyterian Church, and was involved with 4-H for many years. In 2003, Keith and Jan moved from the family farm to Belleville, Kansas.&nbsp; Much of their time was spent on family activities with their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.&nbsp; Throughout Keith and Jan’s 52 years of marriage, they enjoyed their church family, friends, and neighbors. They spent lots of their time camping, boating, fishing, dancing, and attending sales and auctions looking for treasures.&nbsp;

Keith had seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren; they were all a huge part of what he did each day.&nbsp; Keith enjoyed supporting his family.&nbsp; He worked hard to instill the same work ethic and values that he possessed.&nbsp; Keith took the grandkids fishing, swimming, boating, tubing, bike riding, and to hunter’s safety courses; he enjoyed making derby cars with them and made sure they attended the fair together each year.&nbsp; He spent many hours teaching them to drive and to safely operate farm machinery used in his hay business.&nbsp; Keith could often be found at the farm, with his grandchildren near, doing projects on the farm.&nbsp; Any road trip that was taken included the clearance aisle at Wal-Mart.&nbsp; &nbsp;Wiener roasts in the driveway were his favorite way to celebrate most occasions if weather permitted or just to feed the crew.

Keith was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde B. and Betty L. Thomas.&nbsp; Clyde’s second wife, Marcille Wheeler Thomas, and brothers-in-law Roger Strnad and Larry Zink.

Keith will be forever remembered by his wife Janice of the home; daughter Annette Knoll (Eric Nondorf); son Mark Thomas (Joanna Branson); grandchildren Kelsey Pickard (Joey Pickard), Kendall Walker (Taylor Krause), Abigail Knoll, Kirby, Gentry, and Laney Thomas.&nbsp; Great Grandchildren Kloey, Dollie, and Kyzer Pickard; sister Cheryl Strnad Runft (Myron Runft); sister-in-law Linda Zink; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Paul and Cindy Thornton; nieces, nephews, cousins, and many friends and neighbors.

Friends and family may sign Keith’s register book on Thursday, December 17th, 2020, from 9am – 5pm, at Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home in Belleville.

A private, family Memorial Service will be held in January 2021.

Family and friends unable to attend the book signing are encouraged to leave condolences and share memories on the Tribute Wall on Keith’s obituary page, on the funeral home website.

Memorials are requested to the Belleville After School Program or the Narka Presbyterian Church, and may be sent in care of the funeral home.

Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home of Belleville assisted the Thomas family with these arrangements, www.tibbettsfischerfuneralhome.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607049194494.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Keith Wayne Thomas, age 74, passed from this life on Saturday, November 28, 2020 at his home in Belleville, Kansas.&nbsp; Keith was born on July 11, 1946 in Belleville, Kansas to Clyde B. and Betty L. (Tharp) Thomas.Keith was raised in a home north of Belleville, Kansas, until the age of seven.&nbsp; His family then moved to a farm south of Narka to be closer to his family who operated a dairy.&nbsp; Keith attended his first years of school in Belleville and continued his education through his freshman year at the school in Narka.&nbsp; Keith graduated from Munden High School in 1964.&nbsp; After high school, Keith attended and graduated from Fairbury Junior College. While in college, Keith joined the Army National Guard and completed basic training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.&nbsp; He later completed AIT in Aberdeen, Maryland, and when his National Guard unit was activated, Keith was stationed at Fort Collins, Colorado.&nbsp; After his time spent in the National Guard, Keith attended Fort Hays State University and graduated in 1970 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business.On May 11, 1968, Keith married the love of his life, Janice A. Thornton, at the United Methodist Church in Republic, Kansas.&nbsp; Keith and Jan were blessed with two children, Annette and Mark.&nbsp; Keith worked side by side with his father, Clyde, operating a Grade A Dairy Farm and took great pride that the dairy spanned four generations of the Thomas Family.&nbsp; Through Keith’s hard work and devotion to his family, he instilled in his children good work ethic and values.&nbsp;Some of Keith’s favorite family activities were 4-H projects, including showing dairy cattle at the fair each year.&nbsp; After the cows were milked for the day, Keith and his young children could often be found swimming in the pond east of the farm.&nbsp; Keith enjoyed hunting with Mark, and took a college night class with Annette to hone their painting skills.&nbsp; Keith was proud of his children, and attended their school activities, including sports and music.&nbsp;&nbsp; The family took many trips to the drive-in movie theater; with the kids riding in lawn chairs in the back of the pickup.Later in life, Keith worked away from the farm.&nbsp; He worked at the FSA office, MC Industries, 21st Century Dairy, Reinke Manufacturing, 5 T’s Trucking with his son, Mark, and most recently, he worked at the Belleville After School Program.&nbsp; He continued to spend time on the farm operating his hay business with his grandchildren by his side.Keith was a member of the American Legion Post #345 of Cuba, the Narka Presbyterian Church, and was involved with 4-H for many years. In 2003, Keith and Jan moved from the family farm to Belleville, Kansas.&nbsp; Much of their time was spent on family activities with their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.&nbsp; Throughout Keith and Jan’s 52 years of marriage, they enjoyed their church family, friends, and neighbors. They spent lots of their time camping, boating, fishing, dancing, and attending sales and auctions looking for treasures.&nbsp;Keith had seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren; they were all a huge part of what he did each day.&nbsp; Keith enjoyed supporting his family.&nbsp; He worked hard to instill the same work ethic and values that he possessed.&nbsp; Keith took the grandkids fishing, swimming, boating, tubing, bike riding, and to hunter’s safety courses; he enjoyed making derby cars with them and made sure they attended the fair together each year.&nbsp; He spent many hours teaching them to drive and to safely operate farm machinery used in his hay business.&nbsp; Keith could often be found at the farm, with his grandchildren near, doing projects on the farm.&nbsp; Any road trip that was taken included the clearance aisle at Wal-Mart.&nbsp; &nbsp;Wiener roasts in the driveway were his favorite way to celebrate most occasions if weather permitted or just to feed the crew.Keith was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde B. and Betty L. Thomas.&nbsp; Clyde’s second wife, Marcille Wheeler Thomas, and brothers-in-law Roger Strnad and Larry Zink.Keith will be forever remembered by his wife Janice of the home; daughter Annette Knoll (Eric Nondorf); son Mark Thomas (Joanna Branson); grandchildren Kelsey Pickard (Joey Pickard), Kendall Walker (Taylor Krause), Abigail Knoll, Kirby, Gentry, and Laney Thomas.&nbsp; Great Grandchildren Kloey, Dollie, and Kyzer Pickard; sister Cheryl Strnad Runft (Myron Runft); sister-in-law Linda Zink; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Paul and Cindy Thornton; nieces, nephews, cousins, and many friends and neighbors.Friends and family may sign Keith’s register book on Thursday, December 17th, 2020, from 9am – 5pm, at Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home in Belleville.A private, family Memorial Service will be held in January 2021.Family and friends unable to attend the book signing are encouraged to leave condolences and share memories on the Tribute Wall on Keith’s obituary page, on the funeral home website.Memorials are requested to the Belleville After School Program or the Narka Presbyterian Church, and may be sent in care of the funeral home.Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home of Belleville assisted the Thomas family with these arrangements, www.tibbettsfischerfuneralhome.com

Keith Wayne Thomas

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two women in drug charges after a traffic stop.

Just after 4p.m. Monday, a sheriff’s deputy stopped a northbound 2007 Dodge Charge for a traffic violation near 262nd and U.S. Highway 75 north of Holton, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

&nbsp;During the investigation of the traffic stop, the deputy located illegal drugs and paraphernalia.  The driver and passenger of the vehicle were subsequently arrested.  A quantity of methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia and U.S. currency was seized from the vehicle. 

 The driver, Shakeita Tocara Young, 31, of Topeka was booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, no drug tax stamp and transporting an open container. 

The passenger, Melissa Reser Young, 49, of Topeka was booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges that include possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, no drug tax stamp and transporting an open container.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607000440621.png" alt="Young photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Young photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two women in drug charges after a traffic stop.Just after 4p.m. Monday, a sheriff’s deputy stopped a northbound 2007 Dodge Charge for a traffic violation near 262nd and U.S. Highway 75 north of Holton, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.&nbsp;During the investigation of the traffic stop, the deputy located illegal drugs and paraphernalia. The driver and passenger of the vehicle were subsequently arrested. A quantity of methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia and U.S. currency was seized from the vehicle. The driver, Shakeita Tocara Young, 31, of Topeka was booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, no drug tax stamp and transporting an open container. The passenger, Melissa Reser Young, 49, of Topeka was booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges that include possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, no drug tax stamp and transporting an open container.

Sheriff: 2 Kan. women accused of drug distribution

WICHITA&nbsp;– The Kansas 
Leadership Center has launched <a href="https://kansasleadershipcenter.org/kansas-leadership-center-aims-to-mobilize-and-inspire-kansans-to-beat-the-virus-with-public-health-intervention/">“Kansas Beats the Virus”</a> 
(#KSBeatsTheVirus), a statewide, bi-partisan public health intervention 
to activate and connect local leadership to combat COVID-19. A 
partnership with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the 
effort was announced on November 18 at Governor Laura Kelly’s press 
conference as part of her administration’s “all-of-the-above” strategy 
to keep Kansans healthy, keep schools and businesses open and protect 
Kansas’ economy.

“We’re honored that KDHE and Governor 
Kelly, with the support of the Kansas Legislature, have called on KLC to
 help mobilize Kansans for the purpose and challenge of a century. We’re
 charging our statewide network of partners and 12,000 leadership 
program graduates to lead virtual, non-partisan meetings that generate 
local support and stimulate concrete action to slow the spread of the 
virus. In less than a week since the Governor announced this initiative,
 partners and alums have stepped up and agreed to host more than 650 
meetings in local communities. There will be hundreds more over the 
weeks to come,” said Ed O’Malley, president and CEO of the Kansas 
Leadership Center.

“This new partnership with the Kansas 
Leadership Center is going to make a huge difference,” said&nbsp;Governor 
Kelly. “We are going to have thousands of community leaders organizing 
local discussions, working with us to move the conversation away from 
divisive politics and towards public health.”

“We welcome this collaboration between 
the State of Kansas and the Kansas Leadership Center,” said Kansas 
Speaker of the House, Ron Ryckman (Republican-Olathe). “By mobilizing 
local leadership networks around the state, KLC is empowering everyday 
Kansans to combat the virus for themselves. Our communities have 
differing strengths, challenges and needs, and those closest to the 
problem will find the right solutions to keep their families safe and 
communities healthy.”&nbsp;

Between now and the campaign conclusion 
in late December, leaders across Kansas – pastors, coaches, neighborhood
 leaders, business owners, community officials, PTO members, volunteers 
and everyday Kansans – will host more than 1,000 virtual meetings with 
neighbors and community members. Those gathered will identify, discuss 
and agree on specific collective action to combat COVID-19 in their 
local community. Led by facilitators trained by and using guidelines 
from the Kansas Leadership Center, meetings are designed to commit each 
gathering to implement at least one #KSBeatsTheVirus action plan that 
will slow the spread of the virus in their locality. 

In addition to its powerful alumni base 
of more than 12,000 Kansans, KLC is leveraging relationships with 
organizations and communities nurtured since 2007, when it was 
established by the Kansas Health Foundation to foster civic leadership 
for healthier Kansas communities. KLC has tapped nearly 40 community 
leadership programs connected to counties and chambers of commerce 
around the state to convene and facilitate multiple meetings. In 
addition, nearly 150 organizations from the faith, business, education, 
nonprofit and local government sectors – all recipients of current or 
recent Leadership Transformation Grants from KLC – have been asked to 
organize meetings. “If there was ever a time to mobilize our network for
 the sake of the greater good of Kansas, we believe that moment is now,”
 said O’Malley.

“The reality is that we all have 
competing values when it comes to wearing a mask, keeping our distance 
and washing our hands as often as we need to limit the spread of the 
virus. There is no single solution that will stop the virus. But if 
these action plan experiments get more people to follow these basic 
steps, we’ll have fewer cases, our schools and businesses can stay open 
and we will help alleviate the strain on our health care system,” said 
O’Malley.

Some ideas that communities are trying 
include creating heated outdoor spaces for teens to safely socialize in 
the winter. Another idea is for local PTOs to commit to virtual meetings
 only. And whether it’s for the holidays or weekly groceries, creating a
 network of people at church to handle shopping for at-risk individuals 
in the community. 

The Beat the Virus campaign is a 
multi-faceted approach that includes recruiting leaders and 
facilitators, providing facilitation materials for the community 
meetings, tracking and sharing the local experiments, providing 
financial support for local activities, and sharing best practices and 
outcomes with the public.

“As we work on this campaign over the 
next month, our hope is to not only energize and support our network of 
KLC alums who are committed to our purpose, but to inspire all Kansans 
to come up with their own version of what they can do to be architects 
for the common good,” said O’Malley.

For activities and updates on the Beat the Virus campaign <a href="https://kansasleadershipcenter.org/">click here</a>.

The Kansas Leadership Center (KLC) is a 
singular educational organization founded to foster civic leadership for
 healthier Kansas communities. Its programs and teachings present 
leadership as an activity available to anyone at any time. KLC offers 
training for organizations, teams and individuals as well as advanced 
programs for leadership development practitioners. It provides 
development grants for civically oriented organizations in Kansas, 
partners with community leadership programs and offers customized 
trainings for businesses and non-profits alike. KLC hosts civic 
leadership forums and encourages Kansans to take active part in public 
life for the common good. KLC Press publishes books on leadership and 
The Journal, a nationally recognized, award-winning civic issues 
magazine. Based in Wichita, KLC receives core funding from the Kansas 
Health Foundation. <a href="http://www.kansasleadershipcenter.org/">Learn more</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607014579720.png" alt="KLC" />
 <figcaption>KLC</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas Leadership CenterWICHITA&nbsp;– The Kansas 
Leadership Center has launched <a href="https://kansasleadershipcenter.org/kansas-leadership-center-aims-to-mobilize-and-inspire-kansans-to-beat-the-virus-with-public-health-intervention/">“Kansas Beats the Virus”</a> 
(#KSBeatsTheVirus), a statewide, bi-partisan public health intervention 
to activate and connect local leadership to combat COVID-19. A 
partnership with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the 
effort was announced on November 18 at Governor Laura Kelly’s press 
conference as part of her administration’s “all-of-the-above” strategy 
to keep Kansans healthy, keep schools and businesses open and protect 
Kansas’ economy.“We’re honored that KDHE and Governor 
Kelly, with the support of the Kansas Legislature, have called on KLC to
 help mobilize Kansans for the purpose and challenge of a century. We’re
 charging our statewide network of partners and 12,000 leadership 
program graduates to lead virtual, non-partisan meetings that generate 
local support and stimulate concrete action to slow the spread of the 
virus. In less than a week since the Governor announced this initiative,
 partners and alums have stepped up and agreed to host more than 650 
meetings in local communities. There will be hundreds more over the 
weeks to come,” said Ed O’Malley, president and CEO of the Kansas 
Leadership Center.“This new partnership with the Kansas 
Leadership Center is going to make a huge difference,” said&nbsp;Governor 
Kelly. “We are going to have thousands of community leaders organizing 
local discussions, working with us to move the conversation away from 
divisive politics and towards public health.”“We welcome this collaboration between 
the State of Kansas and the Kansas Leadership Center,” said Kansas 
Speaker of the House, Ron Ryckman (Republican-Olathe). “By mobilizing 
local leadership networks around the state, KLC is empowering everyday 
Kansans to combat the virus for themselves. Our communities have 
differing strengths, challenges and needs, and those closest to the 
problem will find the right solutions to keep their families safe and 
communities healthy.”&nbsp;Between now and the campaign conclusion 
in late December, leaders across Kansas – pastors, coaches, neighborhood
 leaders, business owners, community officials, PTO members, volunteers 
and everyday Kansans – will host more than 1,000 virtual meetings with 
neighbors and community members. Those gathered will identify, discuss 
and agree on specific collective action to combat COVID-19 in their 
local community. Led by facilitators trained by and using guidelines 
from the Kansas Leadership Center, meetings are designed to commit each 
gathering to implement at least one #KSBeatsTheVirus action plan that 
will slow the spread of the virus in their locality. In addition to its powerful alumni base 
of more than 12,000 Kansans, KLC is leveraging relationships with 
organizations and communities nurtured since 2007, when it was 
established by the Kansas Health Foundation to foster civic leadership 
for healthier Kansas communities. KLC has tapped nearly 40 community 
leadership programs connected to counties and chambers of commerce 
around the state to convene and facilitate multiple meetings. In 
addition, nearly 150 organizations from the faith, business, education, 
nonprofit and local government sectors – all recipients of current or 
recent Leadership Transformation Grants from KLC – have been asked to 
organize meetings. “If there was ever a time to mobilize our network for
 the sake of the greater good of Kansas, we believe that moment is now,”
 said O’Malley.“The reality is that we all have 
competing values when it comes to wearing a mask, keeping our distance 
and washing our hands as often as we need to limit the spread of the 
virus. There is no single solution that will stop the virus. But if 
these action plan experiments get more people to follow these basic 
steps, we’ll have fewer cases, our schools and businesses can stay open 
and we will help alleviate the strain on our health care system,” said 
O’Malley.Some ideas that communities are trying 
include creating heated outdoor spaces for teens to safely socialize in 
the winter. Another idea is for local PTOs to commit to virtual meetings
 only. And whether it’s for the holidays or weekly groceries, creating a
 network of people at church to handle shopping for at-risk individuals 
in the community. The Beat the Virus campaign is a 
multi-faceted approach that includes recruiting leaders and 
facilitators, providing facilitation materials for the community 
meetings, tracking and sharing the local experiments, providing 
financial support for local activities, and sharing best practices and 
outcomes with the public.“As we work on this campaign over the 
next month, our hope is to not only energize and support our network of 
KLC alums who are committed to our purpose, but to inspire all Kansans 
to come up with their own version of what they can do to be architects 
for the common good,” said O’Malley.For activities and updates on the Beat the Virus campaign <a href="https://kansasleadershipcenter.org/">click here</a>. <h2>About the Kansas Leadership Center</h2>The Kansas Leadership Center (KLC) is a 
singular educational organization founded to foster civic leadership for
 healthier Kansas communities. Its programs and teachings present 
leadership as an activity available to anyone at any time. KLC offers 
training for organizations, teams and individuals as well as advanced 
programs for leadership development practitioners. It provides 
development grants for civically oriented organizations in Kansas, 
partners with community leadership programs and offers customized 
trainings for businesses and non-profits alike. KLC hosts civic 
leadership forums and encourages Kansans to take active part in public 
life for the common good. KLC Press publishes books on leadership and 
The Journal, a nationally recognized, award-winning civic issues 
magazine. Based in Wichita, KLC receives core funding from the Kansas 
Health Foundation. <a href="http://www.kansasleadershipcenter.org/">Learn more</a>.

Kansas Leadership Center launches ‘Beat the Virus’ effort

Today is Thursday, Dec. 3, the 338th day of 2020. There are 28 days left in the year. 

On Dec. 3, 1984, thousands of people died after a cloud of methyl isocyanate gas escaped from a pesticide plant operated by a Union Carbide subsidiary in Bhopal, India. 

In 1818, Illinois was admitted as the 21st state. 

In 1828, Andrew Jackson was elected president of the United States by the Electoral College. 

In 1833, Oberlin College in Ohio — the first truly coeducational school of higher learning in the United States — began holding classes.

In 1960, the Lerner and Loewe musical "Camelot," starring Julie Andrews as Guenevere, Richard Burton as King Arthur and Robert Goulet as Lancelot, opened on Broadway. 

In 1964, police arrested some 800 students at the University of California at Berkeley, one day after the students stormed the administration building and staged a massive sit-in. 

In 1965, the Beatles' sixth studio album, "Rubber Soul," was released in the United Kingdom by Parlophone (it was released in the U.S. by Capitol Records three days later).

In 1967, a surgical team in Cape Town, South Africa, led by Dr. Christiaan Barnard performed the first human heart transplant on Louis Washkansky, who lived 18 days with the donor organ, which came from Denise Darvall, a 25-year-old bank clerk who had died in a traffic accident. 

In 1979, 11 people were killed in a crush of fans at Cincinnati's Riverfront Coliseum, where the British rock group The Who was performing. 

In 1992, the Greek tanker Aegean Sea spilled more than 21 million gallons of crude oil when it ran aground off northwestern Spain. 

In 1994, AIDS activist Elizabeth Glaser, who along with her two children were infected with HIV because of a blood transfusion, died in Santa Monica, California, at age 47.

In 2014, a Staten Island, New York, grand jury declined to indict police officer Daniel Pantaleo in the July 2014 chokehold death of Eric Garner, a Black man who'd been stopped on suspicion of selling loose, untaxed cigarettes. (Pantaleo would be fired from the police force in August 2019.) Herman Badillo, a Bronx politician who was the first person born in Puerto Rico to become a U.S. congressman, died at age 85.

In 2017, the second-largest U.S. drugstore chain, CVS, announced that it was buying Aetna, the third-largest health insurer, in order to push much deeper into customer care.

Ten years ago: During a surprise holiday-season visit to Afghanistan, President Barack Obama told cheering U.S. troops at Bagram Air Field they were succeeding in their mission to fight terrorism; however, foul weather prevented Obama from meeting with President Hamid Karzai in Kabul to address frayed relations. The Labor Department reported the U.S. unemployment rate had risen in November 2010 to 9.8 percent after three straight months at 9.6 percent.

Five years ago: Congress approved a 5-year, $305 billion bill to address the nation's aging and congested transportation systems (the bill was approved on a 359-65 vote in the House, and an 83-16 vote in the Senate). Defense Secretary Ash Carter ordered the armed services to open all military jobs to women, removing the final barriers that had kept women from serving in combat, including the most dangerous and grueling commando posts. Former Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland was found dead in his tour bus in Bloomington, Minnesota; he was 48.

One year ago: A 300-page report prepared by Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee found "serious misconduct" by President Donald Trump in his dealings with Ukraine; the report would serve as a foundation for debate over whether Trump should be impeached and removed from office. At the NATO summit in London, Trump branded Democrats as "unpatriotic" for moving ahead with the impeachment effort while he was overseas. After initially seeking to hold the 2020 G7 summit at a resort he owns in Florida, Trump announced that the annual gathering would be held at the Camp David retreat in Maryland. (It ended up being postponed by the coronavirus outbreak.)

Today's Birthdays: Movie director Jean-Luc Godard is 90. Singer Jaye P. Morgan is 89. Actor Nicolas Coster is 87. Actor Mary Alice is 79. Rock singer Ozzy Osbourne is 72. Rock singer Mickey Thomas is 71. Country musician Paul Gregg (Restless Heart) is 66. Actor Steven Culp is 65. Actor Daryl Hannah is 60. Actor Julianne Moore is 60. Olympic gold medal figure skater Katarina Witt is 55. Actor Brendan Fraser is 52. Singer Montell Jordan is 52. Actor Royale Watkins is 51. Actor Bruno Campos is 47. Actor Holly Marie Combs is 47. Actor Liza Lapira is 45. Actor Lauren Roman is 45. Pop-rock singer Daniel Bedingfield is 41. Actor/comedian Tiffany Haddish is 41. Actor Anna Chlumsky is 40. Actor Jenna Dewan is 40. Actor Brian Bonsall is 39. Actor Dascha Polanco is 38. Pop/rock singer-songwriter Andy Grammer is 37. Americana musician Michael Calabrese (Lake Street Dive) is 36. Actor Amanda Seyfried is 35. Actor Michael Angarano is 33. Actor Jake T. Austin is 26.

<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, Dec. 3, the 338th day of 2020. There are 28 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Dec. 3, 1984, thousands of people died after a cloud of methyl isocyanate gas escaped from a pesticide plant operated by a Union Carbide subsidiary in Bhopal, India. On this date: In 1818, Illinois was admitted as the 21st state. In 1828, Andrew Jackson was elected president of the United States by the Electoral College. In 1833, Oberlin College in Ohio — the first truly coeducational school of higher learning in the United States — began holding classes.In 1960, the Lerner and Loewe musical "Camelot," starring Julie Andrews as Guenevere, Richard Burton as King Arthur and Robert Goulet as Lancelot, opened on Broadway. In 1964, police arrested some 800 students at the University of California at Berkeley, one day after the students stormed the administration building and staged a massive sit-in. In 1965, the Beatles' sixth studio album, "Rubber Soul," was released in the United Kingdom by Parlophone (it was released in the U.S. by Capitol Records three days later).In 1967, a surgical team in Cape Town, South Africa, led by Dr. Christiaan Barnard performed the first human heart transplant on Louis Washkansky, who lived 18 days with the donor organ, which came from Denise Darvall, a 25-year-old bank clerk who had died in a traffic accident. In 1979, 11 people were killed in a crush of fans at Cincinnati's Riverfront Coliseum, where the British rock group The Who was performing. In 1992, the Greek tanker Aegean Sea spilled more than 21 million gallons of crude oil when it ran aground off northwestern Spain. In 1994, AIDS activist Elizabeth Glaser, who along with her two children were infected with HIV because of a blood transfusion, died in Santa Monica, California, at age 47.In 2014, a Staten Island, New York, grand jury declined to indict police officer Daniel Pantaleo in the July 2014 chokehold death of Eric Garner, a Black man who'd been stopped on suspicion of selling loose, untaxed cigarettes. (Pantaleo would be fired from the police force in August 2019.) Herman Badillo, a Bronx politician who was the first person born in Puerto Rico to become a U.S. congressman, died at age 85.In 2017, the second-largest U.S. drugstore chain, CVS, announced that it was buying Aetna, the third-largest health insurer, in order to push much deeper into customer care.Ten years ago: During a surprise holiday-season visit to Afghanistan, President Barack Obama told cheering U.S. troops at Bagram Air Field they were succeeding in their mission to fight terrorism; however, foul weather prevented Obama from meeting with President Hamid Karzai in Kabul to address frayed relations. The Labor Department reported the U.S. unemployment rate had risen in November 2010 to 9.8 percent after three straight months at 9.6 percent.Five years ago: Congress approved a 5-year, $305 billion bill to address the nation's aging and congested transportation systems (the bill was approved on a 359-65 vote in the House, and an 83-16 vote in the Senate). Defense Secretary Ash Carter ordered the armed services to open all military jobs to women, removing the final barriers that had kept women from serving in combat, including the most dangerous and grueling commando posts. Former Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland was found dead in his tour bus in Bloomington, Minnesota; he was 48.One year ago: A 300-page report prepared by Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee found "serious misconduct" by President Donald Trump in his dealings with Ukraine; the report would serve as a foundation for debate over whether Trump should be impeached and removed from office. At the NATO summit in London, Trump branded Democrats as "unpatriotic" for moving ahead with the impeachment effort while he was overseas. After initially seeking to hold the 2020 G7 summit at a resort he owns in Florida, Trump announced that the annual gathering would be held at the Camp David retreat in Maryland. (It ended up being postponed by the coronavirus outbreak.)Today's Birthdays: Movie director Jean-Luc Godard is 90. Singer Jaye P. Morgan is 89. Actor Nicolas Coster is 87. Actor Mary Alice is 79. Rock singer Ozzy Osbourne is 72. Rock singer Mickey Thomas is 71. Country musician Paul Gregg (Restless Heart) is 66. Actor Steven Culp is 65. Actor Daryl Hannah is 60. Actor Julianne Moore is 60. Olympic gold medal figure skater Katarina Witt is 55. Actor Brendan Fraser is 52. Singer Montell Jordan is 52. Actor Royale Watkins is 51. Actor Bruno Campos is 47. Actor Holly Marie Combs is 47. Actor Liza Lapira is 45. Actor Lauren Roman is 45. Pop-rock singer Daniel Bedingfield is 41. Actor/comedian Tiffany Haddish is 41. Actor Anna Chlumsky is 40. Actor Jenna Dewan is 40. Actor Brian Bonsall is 39. Actor Dascha Polanco is 38. Pop/rock singer-songwriter Andy Grammer is 37. Americana musician Michael Calabrese (Lake Street Dive) is 36. Actor Amanda Seyfried is 35. Actor Michael Angarano is 33. Actor Jake T. Austin is 26.

Today in History -- Dec. 3

K.L. “Kay” Klaumann was born in rural Republic County, Kansas, on November 13, 1934, to Leonard Charles Klaumann &amp; Tillie Lee (Morgan) Klaumann.

He graduated from Belleville High School in 1952, and then attended KSU &amp; Fairbury Junior College. He married Marcia A. Wichman in Fairbury, Nebraska, on June 26, 1955. The couple are parents of two daughters, Teresa Kay (born in 1956) and Michelle Anne (born in 1959.)

Kay owned and operated an insurance agency and a community bank during his adult working life. He was also a farmer, a pilot, a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of the Elks, Belleville JayCees, the Belleville Masonic Lodge A.F. &amp; A.M. #129, Order of Easter Star, and other various organizations concerned to his business career. Kay served as a member of the Belleville City Council, the Belleville Flyers, as well as owning and operating the Aero Auto Mart dealership in Belleville. He was instrumental in bringing the Kansas Junior Miss Pageant to Belleville, and served as the president of that board for many years.

He loved spending time on his farms, caring for his pets and cattle herds. He thoroughly enjoyed playing pitch with his friends.

Kay passed away on December 1, 2020, in Newton, Kansas, after a long struggle with Lewy body dementia. He is preceded in death by his parents, son-in-law Phil Purinton, and sister-in-law Margaret Wichman.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Marcia, daughter Teresa Klaumann and her husband Brian Vazquez of Topeka, Kansas, daughter Dr. Michelle Klaumann of Bullhead City, Arizona, and granddaughters Bailey &amp; Lorna Vazquez.

Private, family graveside services were chosen, and will be held at Belleville City Cemetery. Friends may sign Kay’s book at Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home in Belleville on Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020, from 9am – 4pm.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to the Golden Bell Haven, and may be sent in care of the funeral home.

Family and friends unable to attend the services are encouraged to express their condolences on the Tribute Wall of Kay’s obituary page on the funeral home website,&nbsp;www.tibbettsfischerfuneralhome.com.

Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home of Belleville assisted the Klaumann family with these arrangements, www.tibbettsfischerfuneralhome.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1606956084044.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>K.L. “Kay” Klaumann was born in rural Republic County, Kansas, on November 13, 1934, to Leonard Charles Klaumann &amp; Tillie Lee (Morgan) Klaumann.He graduated from Belleville High School in 1952, and then attended KSU &amp; Fairbury Junior College. He married Marcia A. Wichman in Fairbury, Nebraska, on June 26, 1955. The couple are parents of two daughters, Teresa Kay (born in 1956) and Michelle Anne (born in 1959.)Kay owned and operated an insurance agency and a community bank during his adult working life. He was also a farmer, a pilot, a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of the Elks, Belleville JayCees, the Belleville Masonic Lodge A.F. &amp; A.M. #129, Order of Easter Star, and other various organizations concerned to his business career. Kay served as a member of the Belleville City Council, the Belleville Flyers, as well as owning and operating the Aero Auto Mart dealership in Belleville. He was instrumental in bringing the Kansas Junior Miss Pageant to Belleville, and served as the president of that board for many years.He loved spending time on his farms, caring for his pets and cattle herds. He thoroughly enjoyed playing pitch with his friends.Kay passed away on December 1, 2020, in Newton, Kansas, after a long struggle with Lewy body dementia. He is preceded in death by his parents, son-in-law Phil Purinton, and sister-in-law Margaret Wichman.He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Marcia, daughter Teresa Klaumann and her husband Brian Vazquez of Topeka, Kansas, daughter Dr. Michelle Klaumann of Bullhead City, Arizona, and granddaughters Bailey &amp; Lorna Vazquez.Private, family graveside services were chosen, and will be held at Belleville City Cemetery. Friends may sign Kay’s book at Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home in Belleville on Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020, from 9am – 4pm.In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to the Golden Bell Haven, and may be sent in care of the funeral home.Family and friends unable to attend the services are encouraged to express their condolences on the Tribute Wall of Kay’s obituary page on the funeral home website,&nbsp;www.tibbettsfischerfuneralhome.com.Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home of Belleville assisted the Klaumann family with these arrangements, www.tibbettsfischerfuneralhome.com

K.L. “Kay” Klaumann

Today is Wednesday, Dec. 2, the 337th day of 2020. There are 29 days left in the year. 

On Dec. 2, 1982, in the first operation of its kind, doctors at the University of Utah Medical Center implanted a permanent artificial heart in the chest of retired dentist Dr. Barney Clark, who lived 112 days with the device. 

In 1804, Napoleon crowned himself Emperor of the French.

In 1816, the first savings bank in the United States, the Philadelphia Savings Fund Society, opened for business. 

In 1823, President James Monroe outlined his doctrine opposing European expansion in the Western Hemisphere. 

In 1859, militant abolitionist John Brown was hanged for his raid on Harpers Ferry the previous October. 

In 1942, an artificially created, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction was demonstrated for the first time at the University of Chicago. 

In 1954, the U.S. Senate passed, 67-22, a resolution condemning Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy, R-Wis., saying he had "acted contrary to senatorial ethics and tended to bring the Senate into dishonor and disrepute." 

In 1957, the Shippingport Atomic Power Station in Pennsylvania, the first full-scale commercial nuclear facility in the U.S., began operations. (The reactor ceased operating in 1982.) 

In 1970, the newly created Environmental Protection Agency opened its doors under its first director, William D. Ruckelshaus. 

In 1980, four American churchwomen were raped and murdered in El Salvador. (Five national guardsmen were convicted in the killings.) 

In 1993, Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar was shot to death by security forces in Medellin. 

In 2000, Al Gore sought a recount in South Florida, while George W. Bush flatly asserted, "I'm soon to be the president" and met with GOP congressional leaders. Actor Gail Fisher died in Culver City, Calif. at age 65.

In 2016, 36 people died when fire erupted in an illegally converted warehouse in Oakland, California, during a dance party.

Ten years ago: The House voted, 333-79, to censure Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., for financial and fundraising misconduct; it was only the 23rd time that the House had invoked its most serious punishment short of expulsion. LeBron James scored 38 points to lead the visiting Miami Heat to a 118-90 victory over the host Cleveland Cavaliers; it was James' first game back in the city where he had played for seven years before leaving via free agency.

Five years ago: A couple loyal to the Islamic State group opened fire at a holiday banquet for public employees in San Bernardino, California, killing 14 people and wounding 21 others before dying in a shootout with police.

One year ago: The House's impeachment report on President Donald Trump was unveiled behind closed doors for key lawmakers. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock ended his Democratic presidential campaign; he was the third Western governor to fail to gain traction in the race. Chicago's retiring police chief, Eddie Johnson, was fired in connection with an incident in which he had been found asleep at the wheel of his car. As representatives from nearly 200 countries gathered in Madrid for a two-week meeting on tackling global warming, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres urged countries not to give up in the fight against climate change.

Today's Birthdays: Former Attorney General Edwin Meese III is 89. Former Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., is 81. Actor Cathy Lee Crosby is 76. Movie director Penelope Spheeris is 75. Actor Ron Raines is 71. Country singer John Wesley Ryles is 70. Actor Keith Szarabajka is 68. Actor Dan Butler is 66. Broadcast journalist Stone Phillips is 66. Actor Dennis Christopher is 65. Actor Steven Bauer is 64. Country singer Joe Henry is 60. Rock musician Rick Savage (Def Leppard) is 60. Actor Brendan Coyle is 57. Rock musician Nate Mendel (Foo Fighters) is 52. Actor Suzy Nakamura is 52. Actor Rena Sofer is 52. Rock singer Jimi HaHa (Jimmie's Chicken Shack) is 52. Actor Lucy Liu is 52. Rapper Treach (Naughty By Nature) is 50. Actor Joe Lo Truglio is 50. International Tennis Hall of Famer Monica Seles is 47. Singer Nelly Furtado is 42. Pop singer Britney Spears is 39. Actor-singer Jana Kramer is 37. Actor Yvonne Orji is 37. Actor Daniela Ruah is 37. NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers is 37. Actor Alfred Enoch is 32. Pop singer-songwriter Charlie Puth is 29. Actors Deanna and Daniella Canterman are 28.

<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 Wednesday, Dec. 2, the 337th day of 2020. There are 29 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Dec. 2, 1982, in the first operation of its kind, doctors at the University of Utah Medical Center implanted a permanent artificial heart in the chest of retired dentist Dr. Barney Clark, who lived 112 days with the device. On this date: In 1804, Napoleon crowned himself Emperor of the French.In 1816, the first savings bank in the United States, the Philadelphia Savings Fund Society, opened for business. In 1823, President James Monroe outlined his doctrine opposing European expansion in the Western Hemisphere. In 1859, militant abolitionist John Brown was hanged for his raid on Harpers Ferry the previous October. In 1942, an artificially created, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction was demonstrated for the first time at the University of Chicago. In 1954, the U.S. Senate passed, 67-22, a resolution condemning Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy, R-Wis., saying he had "acted contrary to senatorial ethics and tended to bring the Senate into dishonor and disrepute." In 1957, the Shippingport Atomic Power Station in Pennsylvania, the first full-scale commercial nuclear facility in the U.S., began operations. (The reactor ceased operating in 1982.) In 1970, the newly created Environmental Protection Agency opened its doors under its first director, William D. Ruckelshaus. In 1980, four American churchwomen were raped and murdered in El Salvador. (Five national guardsmen were convicted in the killings.) In 1993, Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar was shot to death by security forces in Medellin. In 2000, Al Gore sought a recount in South Florida, while George W. Bush flatly asserted, "I'm soon to be the president" and met with GOP congressional leaders. Actor Gail Fisher died in Culver City, Calif. at age 65.In 2016, 36 people died when fire erupted in an illegally converted warehouse in Oakland, California, during a dance party.Ten years ago: The House voted, 333-79, to censure Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., for financial and fundraising misconduct; it was only the 23rd time that the House had invoked its most serious punishment short of expulsion. LeBron James scored 38 points to lead the visiting Miami Heat to a 118-90 victory over the host Cleveland Cavaliers; it was James' first game back in the city where he had played for seven years before leaving via free agency. Five years ago: A couple loyal to the Islamic State group opened fire at a holiday banquet for public employees in San Bernardino, California, killing 14 people and wounding 21 others before dying in a shootout with police.One year ago: The House's impeachment report on President Donald Trump was unveiled behind closed doors for key lawmakers. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock ended his Democratic presidential campaign; he was the third Western governor to fail to gain traction in the race. Chicago's retiring police chief, Eddie Johnson, was fired in connection with an incident in which he had been found asleep at the wheel of his car. As representatives from nearly 200 countries gathered in Madrid for a two-week meeting on tackling global warming, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres urged countries not to give up in the fight against climate change.Today's Birthdays: Former Attorney General Edwin Meese III is 89. Former Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., is 81. Actor Cathy Lee Crosby is 76. Movie director Penelope Spheeris is 75. Actor Ron Raines is 71. Country singer John Wesley Ryles is 70. Actor Keith Szarabajka is 68. Actor Dan Butler is 66. Broadcast journalist Stone Phillips is 66. Actor Dennis Christopher is 65. Actor Steven Bauer is 64. Country singer Joe Henry is 60. Rock musician Rick Savage (Def Leppard) is 60. Actor Brendan Coyle is 57. Rock musician Nate Mendel (Foo Fighters) is 52. Actor Suzy Nakamura is 52. Actor Rena Sofer is 52. Rock singer Jimi HaHa (Jimmie's Chicken Shack) is 52. Actor Lucy Liu is 52. Rapper Treach (Naughty By Nature) is 50. Actor Joe Lo Truglio is 50. International Tennis Hall of Famer Monica Seles is 47. Singer Nelly Furtado is 42. Pop singer Britney Spears is 39. Actor-singer Jana Kramer is 37. Actor Yvonne Orji is 37. Actor Daniela Ruah is 37. NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers is 37. Actor Alfred Enoch is 32. Pop singer-songwriter Charlie Puth is 29. Actors Deanna and Daniella Canterman are 28.

Today in History -- Dec. 2

HUTCHINSON— A man who entered a guilty plea in October in connection with the 2017 shooting and robbery of his uncle was sentenced to five years in prison Tuesday in Reno County.

Maique Rodriguez, 28,&nbsp; was originally charged with attempted first-degree murder in the shooting of 46-year-old Jesus Faudoa Reyes.

&nbsp;Rodriguez pleaded guilty to aggravated battery and robbery. He was given five years on the battery charge and another 32 months for robbery with the sentences running concurrently.

The victim was agreeable to the sentence, according to&nbsp;District Attorney Tom Stanton and didn’t attend Tuesday’s hearing.

In May of 2017, Police found Faudoa Reyes in the 700 block of East 7th Avenue in Hutchinson. He had been shot multiple time. Rodriguez then took the victim's cell phone and pickup. Faudoa was hospitalized in critical condition but recovered.

Authorities arrested him in El Paso, Texas, earlier this year and as he was being booked in Sedgwick County learned he was wanted in Reno County.&nbsp;

HUTCHINSON— A Kansas man arrested in January for a 2017 shooting and robbery waived his right to a preliminary hearing and entered guilty pleas to lesser charges.

Maique Rodriguez-Faudoa was charged with attempted first degree murder in the May 2017 shooting of his uncle, Jesus Faudoa.&nbsp; Police found Faudoa shot multiple times at a home in the 700 block of E. 7th Avenue in Hutchinson.&nbsp;

Rodriguez Faudoa then took the victim's cell phone and pickup

Despite his injuries Faudoa was able to recover.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, Rodriguez-Faudoa pleaded guilty to aggravated battery and robbery.&nbsp; &nbsp;Sentencing is set for November 4.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602102069124.jpeg" alt="Rodriguez-photo Reno Co." />
 <figcaption>Rodriguez-photo Reno Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON— A man who entered a guilty plea in October in connection with the 2017 shooting and robbery of his uncle was sentenced to five years in prison Tuesday in Reno County.Maique Rodriguez, 28,&nbsp; was originally charged with attempted first-degree murder in the shooting of 46-year-old Jesus Faudoa Reyes.&nbsp;Rodriguez pleaded guilty to aggravated battery and robbery. He was given five years on the battery charge and another 32 months for robbery with the sentences running concurrently.The victim was agreeable to the sentence, according to&nbsp;District Attorney Tom Stanton and didn’t attend Tuesday’s hearing.In May of 2017, Police found Faudoa Reyes in the 700 block of East 7th Avenue in Hutchinson. He had been shot multiple time. Rodriguez then took the victim's cell phone and pickup. Faudoa was hospitalized in critical condition but recovered.Authorities arrested him in El Paso, Texas, earlier this year and as he was being booked in Sedgwick County learned he was wanted in Reno County.&nbsp;--------HUTCHINSON— A Kansas man arrested in January for a 2017 shooting and robbery waived his right to a preliminary hearing and entered guilty pleas to lesser charges.Maique Rodriguez-Faudoa was charged with attempted first degree murder in the May 2017 shooting of his uncle, Jesus Faudoa.&nbsp; Police found Faudoa shot multiple times at a home in the 700 block of E. 7th Avenue in Hutchinson.&nbsp;Rodriguez Faudoa then took the victim's cell phone and pickupDespite his injuries Faudoa was able to recover.&nbsp;On Wednesday, Rodriguez-Faudoa pleaded guilty to aggravated battery and robbery.&nbsp; &nbsp;Sentencing is set for November 4.

Man sentenced for shooting, robbery of his uncle in Kansas

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a weekend arrest.

Just after midnight Nov. 28 a police officer on patrol in the area of the Traveler's Budget Inn, 4200 10th Street in Great Bend observed a man later identified as Zachary Thompson, age 26, loitering in the parking lot, acting suspicious, according to a media release. As the officer was contacting Thompson, another officer arrived on scene to assist.

While speaking to Thompson, an officer located a bag in the area where Thompson had been standing. The officer observed a glass pipe sticking out of the bag. When the officer questioned Thompson about the pipe and bag, he attempted to flee the area. After a brief foot pursuit, Thompson was apprehended and arrested.

Methamphetamine, paraphernalia, and Thompson's ID were among items located in the bag. He was transported to the Barton County Jail where he was booked in lieu of bond. Thompson has previous convictions for theft, criminal trespass and and drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606764022283.png" alt="&nbsp;Thompson has previous convictions for theft, criminal trespass and drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections." />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Thompson has previous convictions for theft, criminal trespass and drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a weekend arrest.Just after midnight Nov. 28 a police officer on patrol in the area of the Traveler's Budget Inn, 4200 10th Street in Great Bend observed a man later identified as Zachary Thompson, age 26, loitering in the parking lot, acting suspicious, according to a media release. As the officer was contacting Thompson, another officer arrived on scene to assist.While speaking to Thompson, an officer located a bag in the area where Thompson had been standing. The officer observed a glass pipe sticking out of the bag. When the officer questioned Thompson about the pipe and bag, he attempted to flee the area. After a brief foot pursuit, Thompson was apprehended and arrested.Methamphetamine, paraphernalia, and Thompson's ID were among items located in the bag. He was transported to the Barton County Jail where he was booked in lieu of bond. Thompson has previous convictions for theft, criminal trespass and and drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Police find Kansas man's ID in bag  with meth

Today is Tuesday, Dec. 1, the 336th day of 2020. There are 30 days left in the year. 

On Dec. 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, a Black seamstress, was arrested after refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery, Alabama, city bus; the incident sparked a year-long boycott of the buses by Blacks. 

In 1824, the presidential election was turned over to the U.S. House of Representatives when a deadlock developed between John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, William H. Crawford and Henry Clay. (Adams ended up the winner.) 

In 1860, the Charles Dickens novel "Great Expectations" was first published in weekly serial form.

In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln sent his Second Annual Message to Congress, in which he called for the abolition of slavery, and went on to say, "Fellow-citizens, we can not escape history. We of this Congress and this Administration will be remembered in spite of ourselves." 

In 1941, Japan's Emperor Hirohito approved waging war against the United States, Britain and the Netherlands after his government rejected U.S. demands contained in the Hull Note. 

In 1942, during World War II, nationwide gasoline rationing went into effect in the United States; the goal was not so much to save on gas, but to conserve rubber (as in tires) that was desperately needed for the war effort. 

In 1965, an airlift of refugees from Cuba to the United States began in which thousands of Cubans were allowed to leave their homeland. 

In 1969, the U.S. government held its first draft lottery since World War II. 

In 1974, TWA Flight 514, a Washington-bound Boeing 727, crashed in Virginia after being diverted from National Airport to Dulles International Airport; all 92 people on board were killed. Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 6231, a Boeing 727, crashed near Stony Point, New York, with the loss of its three crew members (the plane had been chartered to pick up the Baltimore Colts football team in Buffalo, New York). 

In 1989, Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev met with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican.

In 1990, British and French workers digging the Channel Tunnel between their countries finally met after knocking out a passage in a service tunnel. 

In 1991, Ukrainians voted overwhelmingly for independence from the Soviet Union. 

In 2006, Felipe Calderon took the oath of office as Mexico's president amid catcalls and brawling lawmakers, a chaotic start to a term in which he pledged to heal a country divided by his narrow victory.

Ten years ago: President Barack Obama's bipartisan deficit commission unveiled its recommendations including lower income taxes, fewer tax breaks and higher age for retirement benefits (however, the panel failed to advance the package to Congress two days later.) LPGA players meeting in Orlando, Florida, voted to allow transgender players to compete on tour.

Five years ago: President Barack Obama told a U.N. climate conference that parts of the global warming deal being negotiated in Paris should be legally binding on the countries that signed on, setting up a potential fight with Republicans at home. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said the United States was expanding its special operations forces in Iraq and Syria to help fight Islamic State militants. The Philadelphia 76ers ended the longest losing streak in the history of major professional sports in the United States, topping the Los Angeles Lakers 103-91 to snap a 28-game skid.

One year ago: "Frozen 2" set a record for the five-day period starting on the day before Thanksgiving, taking in $132.7 million at the box office. A powerful winter storm that had tormented travelers across the U.S. since before Thanksgiving moved to the Northeast. Actor Shelley Morrison, best known for playing maid Rosario Salazar on "Will &amp; Grace," died at the age of 83.

Today's Birthdays: Actor-director Woody Allen is 85. World Golf Hall of Famer Lee Trevino is 81. Singer Dianne Lennon (The Lennon Sisters) is 81. Country musician Casey Van Beek (The Tractors) is 78. Television producer David Salzman is 77. Rock singer-musician Eric Bloom (Blue Oyster Cult) is 76. Rock musician John Densmore (The Doors) is 76. Actor-singer Bette Midler is 75. Singer Gilbert O'Sullivan is 74. Former child actor Keith Thibodeaux (TV: "I Love Lucy") is 70. Actor Treat Williams is 69. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., is 68. Country singer Kim Richey is 64. Actor Charlene Tilton is 62. Actor-model Carol Alt is 60. Actor Jeremy Northam is 59. Actor Katherine LaNasa is 54. Producer-director Andrew Adamson is 54. Actor Nestor Carbonell is 53. Actor Golden Brooks is 50. Actor-comedian Sarah Silverman is 50. Actor Ron Melendez is 48. Contemporary Christian singer Bart Millard is 48. Actor-writer-producer David Hornsby is 45. Singer Sarah Masen is 45. Rock musician Brad Delson (Linkin Park) is 43. Actor Nate Torrence is 43. Rock/Christian music singer-songwriter Mat Kearney is 42. Actor Riz Ahmed (Film: "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story") is 38. Actor Charles Michael Davis is 36. Actor Ilfenesh Hadera is 35. R&amp;B singer-actor Janelle Monae is 35. Actor Ashley Monique Clark is 32. Pop-rock-rap singer Tyler Joseph (Twenty One Pilots) is 32. Actor Zoe Kravitz is 32. Pop singer Nico Sereba (Nico &amp; Vinz) is 30. Actor Jackson Nicoll is 17.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="history art Photo of old book courtesy shutterstock" />
 <figcaption>history art Photo of old book courtesy shutterstock</figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Tuesday, Dec. 1, the 336th day of 2020. There are 30 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Dec. 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, a Black seamstress, was arrested after refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery, Alabama, city bus; the incident sparked a year-long boycott of the buses by Blacks. On this date: In 1824, the presidential election was turned over to the U.S. House of Representatives when a deadlock developed between John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, William H. Crawford and Henry Clay. (Adams ended up the winner.) In 1860, the Charles Dickens novel "Great Expectations" was first published in weekly serial form.In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln sent his Second Annual Message to Congress, in which he called for the abolition of slavery, and went on to say, "Fellow-citizens, we can not escape history. We of this Congress and this Administration will be remembered in spite of ourselves." In 1941, Japan's Emperor Hirohito approved waging war against the United States, Britain and the Netherlands after his government rejected U.S. demands contained in the Hull Note. In 1942, during World War II, nationwide gasoline rationing went into effect in the United States; the goal was not so much to save on gas, but to conserve rubber (as in tires) that was desperately needed for the war effort. In 1965, an airlift of refugees from Cuba to the United States began in which thousands of Cubans were allowed to leave their homeland. In 1969, the U.S. government held its first draft lottery since World War II. In 1974, TWA Flight 514, a Washington-bound Boeing 727, crashed in Virginia after being diverted from National Airport to Dulles International Airport; all 92 people on board were killed. Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 6231, a Boeing 727, crashed near Stony Point, New York, with the loss of its three crew members (the plane had been chartered to pick up the Baltimore Colts football team in Buffalo, New York). In 1989, Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev met with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican.In 1990, British and French workers digging the Channel Tunnel between their countries finally met after knocking out a passage in a service tunnel. In 1991, Ukrainians voted overwhelmingly for independence from the Soviet Union. In 2006, Felipe Calderon took the oath of office as Mexico's president amid catcalls and brawling lawmakers, a chaotic start to a term in which he pledged to heal a country divided by his narrow victory.Ten years ago: President Barack Obama's bipartisan deficit commission unveiled its recommendations including lower income taxes, fewer tax breaks and higher age for retirement benefits (however, the panel failed to advance the package to Congress two days later.) LPGA players meeting in Orlando, Florida, voted to allow transgender players to compete on tour.Five years ago: President Barack Obama told a U.N. climate conference that parts of the global warming deal being negotiated in Paris should be legally binding on the countries that signed on, setting up a potential fight with Republicans at home. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said the United States was expanding its special operations forces in Iraq and Syria to help fight Islamic State militants. The Philadelphia 76ers ended the longest losing streak in the history of major professional sports in the United States, topping the Los Angeles Lakers 103-91 to snap a 28-game skid.One year ago: "Frozen 2" set a record for the five-day period starting on the day before Thanksgiving, taking in $132.7 million at the box office. A powerful winter storm that had tormented travelers across the U.S. since before Thanksgiving moved to the Northeast. Actor Shelley Morrison, best known for playing maid Rosario Salazar on "Will &amp; Grace," died at the age of 83.Today's Birthdays: Actor-director Woody Allen is 85. World Golf Hall of Famer Lee Trevino is 81. Singer Dianne Lennon (The Lennon Sisters) is 81. Country musician Casey Van Beek (The Tractors) is 78. Television producer David Salzman is 77. Rock singer-musician Eric Bloom (Blue Oyster Cult) is 76. Rock musician John Densmore (The Doors) is 76. Actor-singer Bette Midler is 75. Singer Gilbert O'Sullivan is 74. Former child actor Keith Thibodeaux (TV: "I Love Lucy") is 70. Actor Treat Williams is 69. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., is 68. Country singer Kim Richey is 64. Actor Charlene Tilton is 62. Actor-model Carol Alt is 60. Actor Jeremy Northam is 59. Actor Katherine LaNasa is 54. Producer-director Andrew Adamson is 54. Actor Nestor Carbonell is 53. Actor Golden Brooks is 50. Actor-comedian Sarah Silverman is 50. Actor Ron Melendez is 48. Contemporary Christian singer Bart Millard is 48. Actor-writer-producer David Hornsby is 45. Singer Sarah Masen is 45. Rock musician Brad Delson (Linkin Park) is 43. Actor Nate Torrence is 43. Rock/Christian music singer-songwriter Mat Kearney is 42. Actor Riz Ahmed (Film: "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story") is 38. Actor Charles Michael Davis is 36. Actor Ilfenesh Hadera is 35. R&amp;B singer-actor Janelle Monae is 35. Actor Ashley Monique Clark is 32. Pop-rock-rap singer Tyler Joseph (Twenty One Pilots) is 32. Actor Zoe Kravitz is 32. Pop singer Nico Sereba (Nico &amp; Vinz) is 30. Actor Jackson Nicoll is 17.

Today in History -- Dec. 1

Debbie’s life began on November 18, 1953, the daughter of Robert and Dorothy (Schneider) Entz in Newton, Kansas. She graduated from Remington High Class of 1971, received her Bachelor’s Degree from Kansas State University and her Master’s in Education from Emporia State University. Debbie taught 5th Grade in Yates Center, Kansas. She was a member of the Federated and Swiss Church in Whitewater, Delta Kappa Gamma, Whitewater Senior Center and volunteered in her community and with 4-H.

Her loving family includes her parents, Robert and Dorothy Entz of Wamego, Kansas; daughters and their husbands, Erin Debler (Randall) of Alma, Kansas, Tara Solomon-Smith (Brandon) of Chanute, Kansas and Kelly Taylor (Justin) of Phillipsburg, Kansas; brother and his wife, Don Entz (Dale) of Cookville, Texas; special friend, Lyle Osborn of Whitewater, Kansas; 8 grandchildren, Dalton, Jacob and Anna Debler, Ryder and Baby (on the way) Smith, Cory, Laney and Libby Taylor.

Debbie passed away peacefully on Friday, November 27, 2020 at the age of 67 years old.

Viewing will be Saturday, December 5, 2020, from 9:30-10:30 a.m. with funeral service at 10:30 a.m. both at the Federated Church, 207 E. Central, Whitewater. Interment will follow in the Whitewater Cemetery. For those comfortable attending in person, masks are recommended and social distancing will be encouraged.

Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers may be directed to Remington USD 206 or Whitewater Senior Center. Please send memorials in care of Lamb Funeral Home, P.O. Box 358, Whitewater, KS 67154. Please sign her online guest book and leave a memory of Debbie at www.ymzfh.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606788511760.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Debbie’s life began on November 18, 1953, the daughter of Robert and Dorothy (Schneider) Entz in Newton, Kansas. She graduated from Remington High Class of 1971, received her Bachelor’s Degree from Kansas State University and her Master’s in Education from Emporia State University. Debbie taught 5th Grade in Yates Center, Kansas. She was a member of the Federated and Swiss Church in Whitewater, Delta Kappa Gamma, Whitewater Senior Center and volunteered in her community and with 4-H.Her loving family includes her parents, Robert and Dorothy Entz of Wamego, Kansas; daughters and their husbands, Erin Debler (Randall) of Alma, Kansas, Tara Solomon-Smith (Brandon) of Chanute, Kansas and Kelly Taylor (Justin) of Phillipsburg, Kansas; brother and his wife, Don Entz (Dale) of Cookville, Texas; special friend, Lyle Osborn of Whitewater, Kansas; 8 grandchildren, Dalton, Jacob and Anna Debler, Ryder and Baby (on the way) Smith, Cory, Laney and Libby Taylor.Debbie passed away peacefully on Friday, November 27, 2020 at the age of 67 years old.Viewing will be Saturday, December 5, 2020, from 9:30-10:30 a.m. with funeral service at 10:30 a.m. both at the Federated Church, 207 E. Central, Whitewater. Interment will follow in the Whitewater Cemetery. For those comfortable attending in person, masks are recommended and social distancing will be encouraged.Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers may be directed to Remington USD 206 or Whitewater Senior Center. Please send memorials in care of Lamb Funeral Home, P.O. Box 358, Whitewater, KS 67154. Please sign her online guest book and leave a memory of Debbie at www.ymzfh.com

Deborah Diane (Entz) Solomon

COWLEY COUNTY&nbsp; —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a weekend stabbing that sent three people to the hospital and have one suspect in custody.

Just after 4:30a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a report of a stabbing in the 900 block of E 15th Street in Winfield, according to a media release.

 Upon arrival officers located two men who were the victims of a stabbing. During the investigation officers learned the incident had taken place in the 900 block of E 13th Avenue in Winfield. 

Officers responded to that location and secured the scene with the help of the Cowley County Sheriffs Office. During the initial investigation Officers from the Winfield Police Department received another report of a stabbing victim in the 300 block of E 7th Avenue. Officers responded to that scene and contacted an injured woman.

EMS transported the male victims to William Newton Hospital and they continue receiving medical treatment. The woman later identified 34-year-old Medesta Howe&nbsp; was transported to South-Central Kansas Medical center in Arkansas City for treatment and released.&nbsp;

 During the investigation it was determined that all three cases were connected and police arrested Howe and booked her into the Cowley County Jail on requested charges of Aggravated Battery.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606751385272.png" alt="Howe-photo Cowley County" />
 <figcaption>Howe-photo Cowley County</figcaption>
 </figure>COWLEY COUNTY&nbsp; —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a weekend stabbing that sent three people to the hospital and have one suspect in custody.Just after 4:30a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a report of a stabbing in the 900 block of E 15th Street in Winfield, according to a media release. Upon arrival officers located two men who were the victims of a stabbing. During the investigation officers learned the incident had taken place in the 900 block of E 13th Avenue in Winfield. Officers responded to that location and secured the scene with the help of the Cowley County Sheriffs Office. During the initial investigation Officers from the Winfield Police Department received another report of a stabbing victim in the 300 block of E 7th Avenue. Officers responded to that scene and contacted an injured woman.EMS transported the male victims to William Newton Hospital and they continue receiving medical treatment. The woman later identified 34-year-old Medesta Howe&nbsp; was transported to South-Central Kansas Medical center in Arkansas City for treatment and released.&nbsp; During the investigation it was determined that all three cases were connected and police arrested Howe and booked her into the Cowley County Jail on requested charges of Aggravated Battery.&nbsp;

Kan. woman hospitalized, arrested after stabbing 2 men

&nbsp; Naomi L. Rider 90 of Abilene passed away Monday, November 30, 2020 at Memorial Hospital in Abilene. She was born January 30, 1930 in Abilene, Kansas the daughter of Walter and Irene (Dimond) Bowell. 

She attended the local schools in Abilene and graduated from Abilene High School in 1948. 

On July 24, 1949 she was united in marriage to H. Ray Rider in Abilene. He preceded her in death November 12, 2008. 

She is survived by her three daughters, Susan K. Anderson (Vernon) of Clay Center; Sharon R. Evans (Ed) of Clay Center and Patti J. Anderson (Jay) of KC, MO. Eight grandchildren twelve great-grandchildren and two sister-in-laws, Norma and Marjorie Bowell.

She was preceded in death by her parents, loving husband Ray and four brothers.

The family has chosen cremation. Private family inurnment will take place Saturday, December 5, 2020 at Abilene City Cemetery with Pastor Ron Bowell officiating. Friends may come by any time Friday, December 4, 2020 from 9AM until 7PM to sign the register book at Martin-Becker-Carlson Funeral Home. The family suggests memorials be given to Hospice of Dickinson County or to the Tammy Walker Cancer Center. Memorials may be dropped off or mailed to Martin-Becker-Carlson Funeral Home, 414 NW Third St., Abilene, Kansas 67410. Online condolences may be sent to www.martinbeckercarlson.com&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp; Naomi L. Rider 90 of Abilene passed away Monday, November 30, 2020 at Memorial Hospital in Abilene. She was born January 30, 1930 in Abilene, Kansas the daughter of Walter and Irene (Dimond) Bowell. She attended the local schools in Abilene and graduated from Abilene High School in 1948. On July 24, 1949 she was united in marriage to H. Ray Rider in Abilene. He preceded her in death November 12, 2008. Naomi was a house wife and mother. She is survived by her three daughters, Susan K. Anderson (Vernon) of Clay Center; Sharon R. Evans (Ed) of Clay Center and Patti J. Anderson (Jay) of KC, MO. Eight grandchildren twelve great-grandchildren and two sister-in-laws, Norma and Marjorie Bowell. She was preceded in death by her parents, loving husband Ray and four brothers. The family has chosen cremation. Private family inurnment will take place Saturday, December 5, 2020 at Abilene City Cemetery with Pastor Ron Bowell officiating. Friends may come by any time Friday, December 4, 2020 from 9AM until 7PM to sign the register book at Martin-Becker-Carlson Funeral Home. The family suggests memorials be given to Hospice of Dickinson County or to the Tammy Walker Cancer Center. Memorials may be dropped off or mailed to Martin-Becker-Carlson Funeral Home, 414 NW Third St., Abilene, Kansas 67410. Online condolences may be sent to www.martinbeckercarlson.com&nbsp;&nbsp;

Naomi L. Rider

Today is Monday, Nov. 30, the 335th day of 2020. There are 31 days left in the year. 

On Nov. 30, 2000, Al Gore's lawyers battled for his political survival in the Florida and U.S. Supreme Courts; meanwhile, GOP lawmakers in Tallahassee moved to award the presidency to George W. Bush in case the courts did not by appointing their own slate of electors. 

In 1782, the United States and Britain signed preliminary peace articles in Paris for ending the Revolutionary War; the Treaty of Paris was signed in September 1783.

In 1803, Spain completed the process of ceding Louisiana to France, which had sold it to the United States.

In 1835, Samuel Langhorne Clemens — better known as Mark Twain — was born in Florida, Missouri. 

In 1874, British statesman Sir Winston Churchill was born at Blenheim Palace.

In 1900, Irish writer Oscar Wilde died in Paris at age 46. 

In 1936, London's famed Crystal Palace, constructed for the Great Exhibition of 1851, was destroyed in a fire. 

In 1940, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were married at the Byram River Beagle Club in Greenwich, Connecticut. (The marriage ended in divorce in 1960.)

In 1960, the last DeSoto was built by Chrysler, which had decided to retire the brand after 32 years. 

In 1981, the United States and the Soviet Union opened negotiations in Geneva aimed at reducing nuclear weapons in Europe. 

In 1987, American author James Baldwin died in Saint Paul de Vence, France, at age 63.

In 1993, President Bill Clinton signed the Brady Bill, which required a five-day waiting period for handgun purchases and background checks of prospective buyers. 

In 2018, former President George H.W. Bush, a World War II hero who rose through the political ranks to the nation's highest office, died at his Houston home at the age of 94; his wife of more than 70 years, Barbara Bush, had died in April. On the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Buenos Aires, President Donald Trump and the leaders of Canada and Mexico signed a revised North American trade pact. 

Ten years ago: Pentagon leaders called for scrapping the 17-year-old "don't ask, don't tell" ban on openly gay military service after releasing a survey about the prospect of openly gay troops. (The policy was rescinded in 2011.) The Obama administration announced that all 197 airlines that flew to the U.S. had begun collecting names, genders and birth dates of passengers so the government could check them against terror watch lists before they boarded flights.

Five years ago: Jury selection began in Baltimore in the trial of Officer William Porter, the first of six policemen to face charges in the death of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old Black man who died of a severe spinal injury while in police custody. (All charges against Porter were dropped after a mistrial; three other officers were acquitted; all remaining charges were later dropped.)

One year ago: Nine members of an extended Idaho family died and three others were injured in the crash of a small plane after taking off from the airport in Chamberlain, South Dakota; investigators found that the pilot and a passenger had spent three hours clearing snow and ice from the plane before departure. Wintry weather plagued Thanksgiving weekend travelers across the country, as a powerful and dangerous storm moved eastward, dumping heavy snow from parts of California to the northern Midwest. Amid mounting pressure from mass anti-government protests, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi submitted his resignation to parliament.

Today's Birthdays: G. Gordon Liddy is 90. Country singer-recording executive Jimmy Bowen is 83. Movie director Ridley Scott is 83. Screenwriter Geoffrey C. Ward is 80. Movie writer-director Terrence Malick is 77. Rock musician Roger Glover (Deep Purple) is 75. Playwright David Mamet is 73. Actor Mandy Patinkin is 68. Musician Shuggie Otis is 67. Country singer Jeannie Kendall is 66. Singer Billy Idol is 65. Historian Michael Beschloss is 65. Rock musician John Ashton (The Psychedelic Furs) is 63. Comedian Colin Mochrie is 63. Former football and baseball player Bo Jackson is 58. Rapper Jalil (Whodini) is 57. Actor-director Ben Stiller is 55. Rock musician Mike Stone is 51. Music producer Steve Aoki is 43. Singer Clay Aiken is 42. Actor Billy Lush is 39. Actor Elisha Cuthbert is 38. Actor Kaley Cuoco is 35. Model Chrissy Teigen is 35. Actor Christel Khalil is 33. Actor Rebecca Rittenhouse is 32. Actor Adelaide Clemens is 31. Actor Tyla Harris is 20.

<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 in History Today is Monday, Nov. 30, the 335th day of 2020. There are 31 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Nov. 30, 2000, Al Gore's lawyers battled for his political survival in the Florida and U.S. Supreme Courts; meanwhile, GOP lawmakers in Tallahassee moved to award the presidency to George W. Bush in case the courts did not by appointing their own slate of electors. On this date: In 1782, the United States and Britain signed preliminary peace articles in Paris for ending the Revolutionary War; the Treaty of Paris was signed in September 1783.In 1803, Spain completed the process of ceding Louisiana to France, which had sold it to the United States.In 1835, Samuel Langhorne Clemens — better known as Mark Twain — was born in Florida, Missouri. In 1874, British statesman Sir Winston Churchill was born at Blenheim Palace.In 1900, Irish writer Oscar Wilde died in Paris at age 46. In 1936, London's famed Crystal Palace, constructed for the Great Exhibition of 1851, was destroyed in a fire. In 1940, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were married at the Byram River Beagle Club in Greenwich, Connecticut. (The marriage ended in divorce in 1960.)In 1960, the last DeSoto was built by Chrysler, which had decided to retire the brand after 32 years. In 1981, the United States and the Soviet Union opened negotiations in Geneva aimed at reducing nuclear weapons in Europe. In 1987, American author James Baldwin died in Saint Paul de Vence, France, at age 63.In 1993, President Bill Clinton signed the Brady Bill, which required a five-day waiting period for handgun purchases and background checks of prospective buyers. In 2018, former President George H.W. Bush, a World War II hero who rose through the political ranks to the nation's highest office, died at his Houston home at the age of 94; his wife of more than 70 years, Barbara Bush, had died in April. On the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Buenos Aires, President Donald Trump and the leaders of Canada and Mexico signed a revised North American trade pact. Ten years ago: Pentagon leaders called for scrapping the 17-year-old "don't ask, don't tell" ban on openly gay military service after releasing a survey about the prospect of openly gay troops. (The policy was rescinded in 2011.) The Obama administration announced that all 197 airlines that flew to the U.S. had begun collecting names, genders and birth dates of passengers so the government could check them against terror watch lists before they boarded flights.Five years ago: Jury selection began in Baltimore in the trial of Officer William Porter, the first of six policemen to face charges in the death of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old Black man who died of a severe spinal injury while in police custody. (All charges against Porter were dropped after a mistrial; three other officers were acquitted; all remaining charges were later dropped.) One year ago: Nine members of an extended Idaho family died and three others were injured in the crash of a small plane after taking off from the airport in Chamberlain, South Dakota; investigators found that the pilot and a passenger had spent three hours clearing snow and ice from the plane before departure. Wintry weather plagued Thanksgiving weekend travelers across the country, as a powerful and dangerous storm moved eastward, dumping heavy snow from parts of California to the northern Midwest. Amid mounting pressure from mass anti-government protests, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi submitted his resignation to parliament. Today's Birthdays: G. Gordon Liddy is 90. Country singer-recording executive Jimmy Bowen is 83. Movie director Ridley Scott is 83. Screenwriter Geoffrey C. Ward is 80. Movie writer-director Terrence Malick is 77. Rock musician Roger Glover (Deep Purple) is 75. Playwright David Mamet is 73. Actor Mandy Patinkin is 68. Musician Shuggie Otis is 67. Country singer Jeannie Kendall is 66. Singer Billy Idol is 65. Historian Michael Beschloss is 65. Rock musician John Ashton (The Psychedelic Furs) is 63. Comedian Colin Mochrie is 63. Former football and baseball player Bo Jackson is 58. Rapper Jalil (Whodini) is 57. Actor-director Ben Stiller is 55. Rock musician Mike Stone is 51. Music producer Steve Aoki is 43. Singer Clay Aiken is 42. Actor Billy Lush is 39. Actor Elisha Cuthbert is 38. Actor Kaley Cuoco is 35. Model Chrissy Teigen is 35. Actor Christel Khalil is 33. Actor Rebecca Rittenhouse is 32. Actor Adelaide Clemens is 31. Actor Tyla Harris is 20.

Today in History -- Nov. 30

Dorothy Belle Lowman Swenson, 96, went to be with her Lord and Savior on November 28, 2020 at the home of her daughter-in-law.

Dorothy was born to the late Willard and Florence Lewis Lowman on July 1, 1924 at 10:30 am in the upstairs bedroom of their home on W13th Street Concordia, KS.&nbsp; She graduated 8th&nbsp;grade at the Sibley School in 1938 and Concordia High School in 1942. She attended Kansas State University for one year. Dorothy was employed the POW Camp Hospital Supply Office from August 1943 until December 1944.&nbsp;

Dorothy met the love of her life, Leonard, at age 14, though at that time they were just acquaintances who became friends as their paths continued to cross.&nbsp; In 1945, while attending Kansas State University, Leonard returned from the South Pacific and proposed.&nbsp; Dorothy and Leonard were married in the Concordia First United Methodist Church on October 7, 1945.&nbsp; In April 1946, they purchased 40 acres of property on the edge on town.&nbsp; They shared a beautiful life together on this property for 58 years.&nbsp;&nbsp; During their marriage they had one son, Phillip. &nbsp;They devoted their lives to farming and had a grade A dairy operation for many years. &nbsp;Dorothy remained the Farm Financial Manager of the Swenson Centennial Farm until her passing.&nbsp; Dorothy loved God and always had a Bible on the table beside her.&nbsp; She was a life long member of the Concordia First United Methodist Church.&nbsp; She assumed leadership roles over the years including Active District Missionary Work.&nbsp; She was an avid lifelong reader and a member of the Mystery Book Club at the Frank Carlson Library.&nbsp; Dorothy was a wonderful storyteller and was always willing to share memories of life in Concordia such as her first employment at a law firm making $25/month or the joys and struggles of life on a farm in KS. &nbsp;

She is preceded in death by her parents Willard and Florence Lewis Lowman; husband Leonard N. Swenson, son Phillip Eugene (Janice) Swenson; brothers in law Lowell (Carolyn) Swenson, Lorraine (Lorieta) Swenson and Lloyd Swenson ; sisters Betty Lowman Robison (Robin) and Charlotte (Alan) Kruis; brothers Harold (Betty Jo) Lowman, Arthur (Gloria) Lowman, Richard Lowman(Merna), John Henry (Connie) Lowman and Donald(Margie) Lowman, and niece Vicky (John) Lowman Young.

Dorothy is survived by her daughter-in-law Janice Swenson of Concordia; Grandson Jeff Swenson and wife Janet Swenson of Valrico, FL.&nbsp; She is also survived by her brother Willard “Bill” Lowman (Gay) of FL; sister Judy Acquistapace, CA; sister-in-law Merna Lowman, AZ.; and &nbsp;sister-in-law Connie Swenson, Clay Center.

Dorothy will be laid to rest by Leonard’s side in Pleasant Hill Cemetery.&nbsp; A family graveside committal service will be held at 2 pm, Wed., Dec. 2, 2020.&nbsp; A private family memorial service will be held at a later date.&nbsp; Public visitation will be from 1-8 pm, Tues., Dec. 1, 2020 at Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home, Concordia.&nbsp; In lieu of flowers the family request memorials to the Cloud County Food Bank, The Concordia Public Transportation, or First United Methodist Church in care of Chaput Buoy. For online condolences, please visit www.chaputbuoy.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606691827581.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Dorothy Belle Lowman Swenson, 96, went to be with her Lord and Savior on November 28, 2020 at the home of her daughter-in-law. Dorothy was born to the late Willard and Florence Lewis Lowman on July 1, 1924 at 10:30 am in the upstairs bedroom of their home on W13th Street Concordia, KS.&nbsp; She graduated 8th&nbsp;grade at the Sibley School in 1938 and Concordia High School in 1942. She attended Kansas State University for one year. Dorothy was employed the POW Camp Hospital Supply Office from August 1943 until December 1944.&nbsp; Dorothy met the love of her life, Leonard, at age 14, though at that time they were just acquaintances who became friends as their paths continued to cross.&nbsp; In 1945, while attending Kansas State University, Leonard returned from the South Pacific and proposed.&nbsp; Dorothy and Leonard were married in the Concordia First United Methodist Church on October 7, 1945.&nbsp; In April 1946, they purchased 40 acres of property on the edge on town.&nbsp; They shared a beautiful life together on this property for 58 years.&nbsp;&nbsp; During their marriage they had one son, Phillip. &nbsp;They devoted their lives to farming and had a grade A dairy operation for many years. &nbsp;Dorothy remained the Farm Financial Manager of the Swenson Centennial Farm until her passing.&nbsp; Dorothy loved God and always had a Bible on the table beside her.&nbsp; She was a life long member of the Concordia First United Methodist Church.&nbsp; She assumed leadership roles over the years including Active District Missionary Work.&nbsp; She was an avid lifelong reader and a member of the Mystery Book Club at the Frank Carlson Library.&nbsp; Dorothy was a wonderful storyteller and was always willing to share memories of life in Concordia such as her first employment at a law firm making $25/month or the joys and struggles of life on a farm in KS. &nbsp; She is preceded in death by her parents Willard and Florence Lewis Lowman; husband Leonard N. Swenson, son Phillip Eugene (Janice) Swenson; brothers in law Lowell (Carolyn) Swenson, Lorraine (Lorieta) Swenson and Lloyd Swenson ; sisters Betty Lowman Robison (Robin) and Charlotte (Alan) Kruis; brothers Harold (Betty Jo) Lowman, Arthur (Gloria) Lowman, Richard Lowman(Merna), John Henry (Connie) Lowman and Donald(Margie) Lowman, and niece Vicky (John) Lowman Young. Dorothy is survived by her daughter-in-law Janice Swenson of Concordia; Grandson Jeff Swenson and wife Janet Swenson of Valrico, FL.&nbsp; She is also survived by her brother Willard “Bill” Lowman (Gay) of FL; sister Judy Acquistapace, CA; sister-in-law Merna Lowman, AZ.; and &nbsp;sister-in-law Connie Swenson, Clay Center. Dorothy will be laid to rest by Leonard’s side in Pleasant Hill Cemetery.&nbsp; A family graveside committal service will be held at 2 pm, Wed., Dec. 2, 2020.&nbsp; A private family memorial service will be held at a later date.&nbsp; Public visitation will be from 1-8 pm, Tues., Dec. 1, 2020 at Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home, Concordia.&nbsp; In lieu of flowers the family request memorials to the Cloud County Food Bank, The Concordia Public Transportation, or First United Methodist Church in care of Chaput Buoy. For online condolences, please visit www.chaputbuoy.com.

Dorothy Belle Lowman Swenson

Today is Sunday, Nov. 29, the 334th day of 2020. There are 32 days left in the year. 

On Nov. 29, 1929, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Richard E. Byrd, pilot Bernt Balchen, radio operator Harold June and photographer Ashley McKinney made the first airplane flight over the South Pole. 

In 1864, a Colorado militia killed at least 150 peaceful Cheyenne Indians in the Sand Creek Massacre.

In 1910, British explorer Robert F. Scott's ship Terra Nova set sail from New Zealand, carrying Scott's expedition on its ultimately futile — as well as fatal — race to reach the South Pole first. 

In 1924, Italian composer Giacomo Puccini died in Brussels before he could complete his opera "Turandot." (It was finished by Franco Alfano.)

In 1952, President-elect Dwight D. Eisenhower secretly left on a trip to Korea, keeping his campaign promise to assess the ongoing conflict first-hand. 

In 1961, Enos the chimp was launched from Cape Canaveral aboard the Mercury-Atlas 5 spacecraft, which orbited earth twice before returning. 

In 1963, President Johnson named a commission headed by Earl Warren to investigate the assassination of President Kennedy. 

In 1981, film star Natalie Wood drowned in a boating accident off Santa Catalina Island, California, at age 43. 

In 1987, a Korean Air 707 jetliner en route from Abu Dhabi to Bangkok was destroyed by a bomb planted by North Korean agents with the loss of all 115 people aboard. 

In 2000, bracing the public for more legal wrangling, Vice President Al Gore said in a series of TV interviews that he was prepared to contest the Florida presidential vote until "the middle of December." 

In 2001, George Harrison, the "quiet Beatle," died in Los Angeles following a battle with cancer; he was 58. 

In 2008, Indian commandos killed the last remaining gunmen holed up at a luxury Mumbai hotel, ending a 60-hour rampage through India's financial capital by suspected Pakistani-based militants that killed 166 people. 

In 2009, a gunman shot and killed four Lakewood, Washington, police officers at a coffee shop (suspect Maurice Clemmons was shot to death by a Seattle police officer two days later). Iran approved plans to build 10 industrial scale uranium enrichment facilities in defiance of U.N. demands it halt enrichment.

Ten years ago: An Afghan border policeman killed six American servicemen during a training mission in a remote area near the Pakistani border. Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, admitted for the first time that a computer worm had affected centrifuges in Iran's uranium enrichment program. Climate negotiators began a two-week conference in Cancun. Former New York Congressman Stephen J. Solarz, 70, died in Washington, D.C.

Five years ago: President Barack Obama, arriving in Paris late at night for a climate conference, briefly visited the Bataclan, the concert hall that was the scene of the worst of France's terror attacks 16 days earlier. Pope Francis visited the conflict-wracked Central African Republic, where he urged the country's Christian and Muslim factions to lay down their weapons and instead arm themselves with peace and forgiveness. Andy Murray gave Britain its first Davis Cup title in 79 years when he beat Belgium's David Goffin 6-3, 7-5, 6-3 in the first of reverse singles.

One year ago: Usman Khan, who'd been released from prison early after a conviction on terrorism charges, stabbed two people to death and wounded three others next to London Bridge before being shot and killed by police. Fewer shoppers visited stores than on past Black Fridays, but they made up for it with a Black Friday record of $7.4 billion in online transactions. Bill Peters resigned as coach of the NHL's Calgary Flames after it was disclosed he had directed racist slurs at a Nigerian-born player in the minors a decade earlier, and had kicked and punched players behind the bench during his recent time with Carolina. The NFL suspended Arizona Cardinals cornerback Josh Shaw through at least the end of the 2020 season for betting on NFL games on multiple occasions during the 2019 season. Delmer Joel Ramirez Palma, a construction worker who'd been hurt in the October collapse of the Hard Rock Hotel construction site in New Orleans, was deported to his native Honduras. Former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone died at the age of 101.

Today's Birthdays: Hall of Fame sportscaster Vin Scully is 93. Blues singer-musician John Mayall is 87. Actor Diane Ladd is 85. Songwriter Mark James is 80. Composer-musician Chuck Mangione is 80. Country singer Jody Miller is 79. Pop singer-musician Felix Cavaliere (The Rascals) is 78. Former Olympic skier Suzy Chaffee is 74. Actor Jeff Fahey is 68. Movie director Joel Coen is 66. Actor-comedian-celebrity judge Howie Mandel is 65. Former Homeland Security Director Janet Napolitano is 63. Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is 61. Actor Cathy Moriarty is 60. Actor Kim Delaney is 59. Actor Tom Sizemore is 59. Actor Andrew McCarthy is 58. Actor Don Cheadle is 56. Actor-producer Neill Barry is 55. Pop singer Jonathan Knight (New Kids on the Block) is 52. Rock musician Martin Carr (Boo Radleys) is 52. Actor Jennifer Elise Cox is 51. Baseball Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera is 51. Actor Larry Joe Campbell is 50. Rock musician Frank Delgado (Deftones) is 50. Actor Paola Turbay is 50. Contemporary Christian singer Crowder is 49. Actor Gena Lee Nolin is 49. Actor Brian Baumgartner is 48. Actor Julian Ovenden is 45. Actor Anna Faris is 44. Gospel singer James Fortune is 43. Actor Lauren German is 42. Rapper The Game is 41. Actor Janina Gavankar is 40. Rock musician Ringo Garza is 39. Actor-comedian John Milhiser is 39. Actor Lucas Black is 38. Actor Diego Boneta is 30. Actor Lovie Simone (TV: "Greenleaf") is 22.

<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 Sunday, Nov. 29, the 334th day of 2020. There are 32 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Nov. 29, 1929, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Richard E. Byrd, pilot Bernt Balchen, radio operator Harold June and photographer Ashley McKinney made the first airplane flight over the South Pole. On this date: In 1864, a Colorado militia killed at least 150 peaceful Cheyenne Indians in the Sand Creek Massacre.In 1910, British explorer Robert F. Scott's ship Terra Nova set sail from New Zealand, carrying Scott's expedition on its ultimately futile — as well as fatal — race to reach the South Pole first. In 1924, Italian composer Giacomo Puccini died in Brussels before he could complete his opera "Turandot." (It was finished by Franco Alfano.)In 1952, President-elect Dwight D. Eisenhower secretly left on a trip to Korea, keeping his campaign promise to assess the ongoing conflict first-hand. In 1961, Enos the chimp was launched from Cape Canaveral aboard the Mercury-Atlas 5 spacecraft, which orbited earth twice before returning. In 1963, President Johnson named a commission headed by Earl Warren to investigate the assassination of President Kennedy. In 1981, film star Natalie Wood drowned in a boating accident off Santa Catalina Island, California, at age 43. In 1987, a Korean Air 707 jetliner en route from Abu Dhabi to Bangkok was destroyed by a bomb planted by North Korean agents with the loss of all 115 people aboard. In 2000, bracing the public for more legal wrangling, Vice President Al Gore said in a series of TV interviews that he was prepared to contest the Florida presidential vote until "the middle of December." In 2001, George Harrison, the "quiet Beatle," died in Los Angeles following a battle with cancer; he was 58. In 2008, Indian commandos killed the last remaining gunmen holed up at a luxury Mumbai hotel, ending a 60-hour rampage through India's financial capital by suspected Pakistani-based militants that killed 166 people. In 2009, a gunman shot and killed four Lakewood, Washington, police officers at a coffee shop (suspect Maurice Clemmons was shot to death by a Seattle police officer two days later). Iran approved plans to build 10 industrial scale uranium enrichment facilities in defiance of U.N. demands it halt enrichment.Ten years ago: An Afghan border policeman killed six American servicemen during a training mission in a remote area near the Pakistani border. Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, admitted for the first time that a computer worm had affected centrifuges in Iran's uranium enrichment program. Climate negotiators began a two-week conference in Cancun. Former New York Congressman Stephen J. Solarz, 70, died in Washington, D.C.Five years ago: President Barack Obama, arriving in Paris late at night for a climate conference, briefly visited the Bataclan, the concert hall that was the scene of the worst of France's terror attacks 16 days earlier. Pope Francis visited the conflict-wracked Central African Republic, where he urged the country's Christian and Muslim factions to lay down their weapons and instead arm themselves with peace and forgiveness. Andy Murray gave Britain its first Davis Cup title in 79 years when he beat Belgium's David Goffin 6-3, 7-5, 6-3 in the first of reverse singles.One year ago: Usman Khan, who'd been released from prison early after a conviction on terrorism charges, stabbed two people to death and wounded three others next to London Bridge before being shot and killed by police. Fewer shoppers visited stores than on past Black Fridays, but they made up for it with a Black Friday record of $7.4 billion in online transactions. Bill Peters resigned as coach of the NHL's Calgary Flames after it was disclosed he had directed racist slurs at a Nigerian-born player in the minors a decade earlier, and had kicked and punched players behind the bench during his recent time with Carolina. The NFL suspended Arizona Cardinals cornerback Josh Shaw through at least the end of the 2020 season for betting on NFL games on multiple occasions during the 2019 season. Delmer Joel Ramirez Palma, a construction worker who'd been hurt in the October collapse of the Hard Rock Hotel construction site in New Orleans, was deported to his native Honduras. Former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone died at the age of 101. Today's Birthdays: Hall of Fame sportscaster Vin Scully is 93. Blues singer-musician John Mayall is 87. Actor Diane Ladd is 85. Songwriter Mark James is 80. Composer-musician Chuck Mangione is 80. Country singer Jody Miller is 79. Pop singer-musician Felix Cavaliere (The Rascals) is 78. Former Olympic skier Suzy Chaffee is 74. Actor Jeff Fahey is 68. Movie director Joel Coen is 66. Actor-comedian-celebrity judge Howie Mandel is 65. Former Homeland Security Director Janet Napolitano is 63. Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is 61. Actor Cathy Moriarty is 60. Actor Kim Delaney is 59. Actor Tom Sizemore is 59. Actor Andrew McCarthy is 58. Actor Don Cheadle is 56. Actor-producer Neill Barry is 55. Pop singer Jonathan Knight (New Kids on the Block) is 52. Rock musician Martin Carr (Boo Radleys) is 52. Actor Jennifer Elise Cox is 51. Baseball Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera is 51. Actor Larry Joe Campbell is 50. Rock musician Frank Delgado (Deftones) is 50. Actor Paola Turbay is 50. Contemporary Christian singer Crowder is 49. Actor Gena Lee Nolin is 49. Actor Brian Baumgartner is 48. Actor Julian Ovenden is 45. Actor Anna Faris is 44. Gospel singer James Fortune is 43. Actor Lauren German is 42. Rapper The Game is 41. Actor Janina Gavankar is 40. Rock musician Ringo Garza is 39. Actor-comedian John Milhiser is 39. Actor Lucas Black is 38. Actor Diego Boneta is 30. Actor Lovie Simone (TV: "Greenleaf") is 22.

Today in History -- Nov. 29

&nbsp; Hillsboro - Alvena Bartel, 94 passed away November 24, 2020 in Hillsboro. She was born July 28, 1926 to John and Florentine (Ratzlaff) Goossen in Goessel. 

She married Wilbert N. Bartel February 7, 1947 at First Mennonite Church in Hillsboro. 

&nbsp; Hillsboro - Alvena Bartel, 94 passed away November 24, 2020 in Hillsboro. She was born July 28, 1926 to John and Florentine (Ratzlaff) Goossen in Goessel. She married Wilbert N. Bartel February 7, 1947 at First Mennonite Church in Hillsboro. Survivors include: daughters, Dorothy (David) Soldan of Manhattan, Janet Bartel of Manhattan; sons, Wilbert K. “Sonny” (Franceen) Bartel of rural Hillsboro, Wilmer (Marilyn) Bartel of Hillsboro; 8 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren; brother, Alfred (Donna) Goossen. Private family interment at Haven of Rest cemetery rural Hillsboro led by Pastor Tom Harder Wednesday, November 25, 2020. Online condolences at www.jostfuneralhome.com Life Sketch Alvena Bartel was born July 28, 1926, to John D. and Florentine (Ratzlaff) Goossen in Goessel, Kansas. Her arrival on a hot day during busy haying season brought great joy to the first-time parents. She soon observed the demands and satisfactions of life on a farm, an experience which prepared her for over 94 years of rural life. The Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and World War II had lasting impacts on the family which soon included seven children. They found ways to make do with what they had, often limited to what was produced on the farm. Alvena described this as being very little, but always just enough. As the oldest child, she had chores not only outside with the animals and garden, but also in the kitchen and care for her younger siblings. As a teenager, she was available for assistance to aunts and uncles during their busy times, such as a new baby in the family or with cooking and child care during wheat harvests/threshing. She traveled via Greyhound bus to these destinations. This hard work and caring for others became a life-long practice. Alvena’s early education was at Maple Hill and Canada, both Marion County rural schools. She graduated from Hillsboro High School, Class of 1944. Although she lived only five miles from the high school, she rented a room from a family in town because her family had only one vehicle for transportation and farm use, and war-time rationing limited available resources. Her father brought her to town early Monday morning, then returned late Friday afternoon for her travel home. For spending money she worked part-time as an egg candler for a local grocer and egg processor. Her record of high academic achievement served as preparation for independent life-long learning through reading to satisfy a genuine curiosity for a broad range of topics. Free or restful moments found her with book in hand. Her favorites were history, biography, world events, and biblical studies. If time was available, she generally read one or more books each week. She was an avid reader until a few months before her passing. An interest for sewing developed during her high school years. She had learned basics from her mother, but having an instructor challenged her to a higher level and presented her with ongoing satisfaction for both construction and gifting throughout her life. Her four children recall how diligently she worked during summer months to be certain each had five new dresses or shirts to begin the school year. Additional garments were crafted for special occasions. Later she transitioned her creativity to hand embroidery and piecing quilts. Over the years she hemmed, stamped, and embroidered hundreds of tea towels, usually in sets of seven. Likewise, hundreds of yards of fabric were cut in precise pieces, arranged, and stitched into quilt tops. Her definite favorites were scrappy quilts of all shapes and sizes, with fabrics carefully curated for color themes and overall appearance, sometimes for specific recipients. She gifted generously to family, extended family, and those with need. How blessed we are to hold these cherished items. She entered her handwork and quilts in the county and state fairs and earned numerous championship purple and blue ribbons. If possible, she avoided entering in “senior citizen” categories because she was interested to learn whether her work as a person in her 70s, 80s, or 90s was competitive with that of younger and more educated or accomplished entrants. She spent winter months preparing her items and by springtime had them ready for entry in July and September. Of interest, she had finished items for the 2020 county and state fairs, but these events were cancelled due to COVID-19. She was encouraged by high school teachers to pursue further education but there was not a financial pathway to follow this option. Her interests would have been for teaching or medical work. Instead, after graduation she was employed in the high school office. One of her tasks was the daily delivery and receiving of school mail/parcels at the train depot (in the area where the Hillsboro Post Office is currently located). The “doodle-bug” made a prompt but brief mid-afternoon stop so one of her assignments was to be on location for the drop-off and pick-up, but be away from the office for the minimum time possible. Alvena reported running from the high school to the depot with the out-going delivery, then accepting the incoming delivery and running back to the high school within a time of 25 minutes. She said she tried to shorten her time but could do this only if there were no out-going items, the “doodle-bug” was exactly on time or a bit early, and there were no items for pick-up. Now we understand how she was a fast and energetic worker. Alvena married Wilbert N. Bartel on a cold and snowy February 7, 1947, at the First Mennonite Church in Hillsboro, where both were life-long members. They were acquainted for several years through school and church, but it wasn’t until they were high school seniors when Wilbert found an opportune moment to locate her lab coat and tie it in knots, which made her almost late to chemistry class. This really got her attention, and set the stage for what would become the beginning of another family story. After graduation, Wilbert fulfilled a World War II alternative service requirement. Then after discharge he returned to the family farm southeast of Hillsboro. They married and farmed together for 67 years before Wilbert’s death in November 2014. Alvena remained independent in her farm home until July 2020. Four children were born to Alvena and Wilbert: Dorothy, “Sonny” (Wilbert K.), Janet, and Wilmer. The farm became lively with children who loved the outdoors and opportunities for pets, their play and care. We had assigned tasks and spent many hours working with our parents and eventually independently doing the work of the farm. Each one of us grew up capable of being “farmers” but only their two sons chose to pursue farm related interests as their life work. We agree Mom’s favorite farm animals were the chickens. The large flocks of laying hens received superior care and rewarded Mom with grand and reserve champion trophies for eggs entered in competitions at the state poultry and egg shows in 1957, 1958 and 1961. Mom taught us to be gardeners, caretakers for farm animals, the yard, and generally to make ourselves useful and flexible for whatever needed to be accomplished, including to plan the use of our time. She led by example and encouragement, then gave us ample opportunity to observe, learn, and participate. This extended to household skills. A bountiful garden was produced, preserved, consumed and/or shared. In addition we were encouraged and supported to develop our own interests, and to perform well the options we selected. There was time for all the play and work we needed to do. Life on a small acreage farm was financially tough most times, but from a child’s perspective this did not cause uncertainty as we were loved and affirmed in many ways, most of which were centered on being together and working together as a family. Mom was a gentle person, a welcoming and gracious hostess with generous time to spend with family or visitors who stopped by. She was also a keeper of family records and stories and was consulted to identify or verify information, which she readily shared. For several generations of the Bartel family, the farm is known as their “home place”. Likewise for the Goossen family, this farm was near enough to their roots, so became a frequent stopping place. Another reason extended family liked to stop at our farm was because our entire family was fluent with the Low German dialect and spoke it daily (still do), and this was of interest to them either to hear it, or join in conversation. After her four children were adults and away from home, Mom decided to get a “town job” in addition to her work on the farm. She trained to be a Certified Nurse Aide, then a Certified Medication Aide and worked for 12 years as a CMA in a nursing home. We wondered how she had energy to do all this, but she did it. We think she even trained the farm animals to her schedule. Her farm work was finished prior to reporting for her evening shift at the nursing home. As in-laws, grandchildren and great-grandchildren joined the family, Alvena added a whole new level of love and generosity to share with her growing family. She kept the cookie jar fresh and full, made extra batches of her tasty cinnamon rolls, always offered home cooked meals and lots of time for interactions, and of course she made special quilts. Some of her young grandchildren were “town children” so she did her best to introduce them to both the amazing responsibilities and adventures of farm life. Holidays and gatherings of the generations at the farm were unique and highly anticipated. The week before Christmas Alvena and Wilbert spent evenings making buckets full of popcorn balls, only to see them quickly disappear in a delicious experience when the children and grandchildren arrived. Likewise, birthdays and other traditions were celebrated at the farm. All were joyous times. Mom had prepared to make them the best. Early Summer 2020 Alvena expressed concern for her declining strength related to advancing heart failure. She desired to remain in her own home so her children increased their assistance to facilitate her wishes. However, in July she began an extended hospital stay followed by admission to long-term health care. While there, she continued her sincere interest in her family. She looked forward to hearing about all of them. At age 94 she wondered why life was so short, and reflected her life was full of satisfaction and gratitude. Her strong faith in Christ demonstrated and shared throughout her lifetime continued to grow and sustain her even as she prayed fervently and waited patiently for His call to eternal life. Her prayerful desire was granted early morning, November 24, 2020. Graveside service and burial was on November 25, 2020, Haven of Rest Cemetery, adjacent to the Bartel family farm, Hillsboro Kansas. Alvena is survived by her children: Dorothy (David) Soldan, Wilbert K. “Sonny” (Franceen) Bartel, Janet Bartel, Wilmer (Marilyn) Bartel Grandchildren: Daryn (Melissa) Soldan, Daniel (Traci) Soldan, Diane Soldan (Steve) Lautt, Josie Bartel Espada, Joe Bartel, Peter Bartel, John Bartel, Amy Bartel Great Grandchildren: Alvena Mae “Alvy” Soldan, Molly, Walter and Elsie Soldan, June and Andrew Lautt Brother: Alfred (Donna) Goossen Predeceased by: Parents Husband: Wilbert N. Bartel Granddaughter: Emily Bartel (infant) Great Grandson: Matthew Soldan (infant) Brothers/Sister: Ruben, Anton, Raymond, Della, and Johnny Goossen&nbsp;&nbsp;