Newswires

San Francisco, CA December 31, 2011.

From beginning to end, 2011 was a newsy year for Topeka. Residents saw city manager Norton Bonaparte lose his job but savored the start of what could be a sweet relationship with Mars Chocolate North America.

Dec. 31– COMSTOCK PARK, Mich.– In early December, FOX 17 featured Cheri Searer as the “Pay it Forward Person of the Week”. Cheri reached out to a young mother of three, with a fourth on the way, after she noticed the rundown Ford Escort Amber was using to deliver her children to school.

They may be submitted by email to [email protected]; by mail to The Topeka Capital-Journal, attention Briefly in Topeka, 616 S.E. Acappella Unlimited, 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 2, Seaman Congregational Church, 2036 N.W. Speaker: Doug Mauck, retired Topeka police detective and the DNA coordinator for the Mock Family Association.

She also served on the board of directors of both organizations and in every elected position of both organizations, including president of TAAR in 2003 and KAR in 2006. In addition, Green served as president of the Sales& Marketing Executives of Topeka and as a director on the boards of the Stormont-Vail Foundation and the Kaw Valley Girl Scout Council.

Dec. 31– In a perfect world, good health would be its own reward. Kaiser Permanente Colorado has begun a new program, “Weigh and Win,” which provides cash incentives to people to lose weight and keep it off. Depending upon individual success, participants can earn from $15 to $150 every three months.

Dec. 31– LAS CRUCES– What once was bustling is bustling again. After buying the entire plaza in 2008, California- based Pro’s Ranch Market finally opened a Las Cruces store– actually located at 320 Wyatt Drive, adjacent to El Paseo– in late 2011..

Dec. 31– PANAMA CITY– Sacred Heart Health System has been a contender to partner with Bay Medical Center for years, but when the proposal to lease the not-for-profit hospital was revealed, Bay County residents were introduced to the idea of a joint venture and the LHP Hospital Group.

Dec. 31– Editor’s note: This is one in a series of articles examining details and potential effects of the proposed Bay Medical Center lease. PANAMA CITY– If the lease of Bay Medical Center to LHP Hospital Group and Sacred Heart Health System is approved, charity care is guaranteed to remain the same, for now.

However barren in appearance, South Dakota prairies pulse with life. The retired director of South Dakota’s Game, Fish and Parks Department, serving 12 years under two governors, Cooper also has been a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service enforcement agent in North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska.

PeaceHealth’s merger with Southwest Washington Medical Center started with a name change for the local hospital, but as the chain moves its headquarters to Vancouver there are hundreds of jobs on the horizon. Port of Vancouver investments in rail and wooing of new tenants will take time to pay off, but could ultimately create 1,000 new jobs.

Dec. 29– CRISP, Dooly, And Wilcox– It was a year for celebration, but also a year for sadness in the tri-county. More good news came from Big Tex which got its local operations fired up and hired additional people near the end of the year and from Vega Biofuels which announced plans to open a manufacturing facility in Cordele.

Dec. 31– As Kilgore’s public schools move into the New Year, Superintendent Jody Clements said the district’s main goals will be continuing educational success and constructing new campuses.

Dec. 31– SANTA CRUZ– The big crime stories of 2011 ranged from an alleged intentional wrong-way driver on Highway 17 that killed a woman to an armed standoff with Watsonville police to the slaying of a well-liked Santa Cruz attorney.

Dec. 31– ORANGE– The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development made many accusations against former Orange Housing Authority executive director Frank Anderson before he was fired. Attorney Tim Daniels wrote in a letter to the HUD staff in response to a September 22, 2011 meeting with the OHA, though HUD did not inform the OHA for the purpose of the meeting.

NEW YORK– Boarding an airplane has never been safer in the U.S., but there are still some corners of the world where flying is risky, including Russia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Somalia. That’s two deaths for every 100 million passengers on commercial flights, according to an Associated Press analysis of government accident data.

Dec. 31—- HARLINGEN– A Harlingen couple surrendered to police after a months-long investigation into allegations that they stole more than $2,000 of merchandise from Beall’s department, police said. According to a Harlingen police press release, Debbie Silva Saenz, 34, and Robert Gonzalez Saenz, 33, were charged with felony theft.

SPRING HILL Registration for Hernando County Women’s Soccer’s spring season is under way. Players can register through Jan. 13 at Rookies Sports Bar and Grill, 3095 Anderson Snow Road in Spring Hill, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Games will be on Saturday nights starting in mid-February, held at Ernie Wever Youth Park in Brooksville.

Dec. 31– PRESQUE ISLE, Maine– Just before Christmas Eve, Amber York of Presque Isle spoke in a news story about the blessings she has experienced over the past year as her family continued to seek out the best care for Kayla, their 4- year-old who struggles with a genetic disorder.