Matt Cohen (writer)
Canadian writer
Matthew Cohen (30 December 1942 – 2 December 1999) was a Canadian writer who published both mainstream literature under his own name and children's literature under the pseudonym Teddy Jam.
History.
Matt Cohen was born in Montreal, son of Morris Cohen and Beatrice Sohn, and was raised in Kingston and Ottawa. He studied political economy at the University of Toronto and taught political philosophy and religion at McMaster University in the late 1960s before publishing his first novel "Korsoniloff" in 1969.
His fiction was translated into German, Dutch, French, Greek, Spanish and Portuguese. "The Spanish Doctor", his biggest international success, continues to sell well in the French and Spanish markets.
His greatest critical success as a writer was his final novel "Elizabeth and After" which won the 1999 Governor General's Award for English-language Fiction only a few weeks before his death. He had been nominated twice previously, but had not won, in 1979 for "The Sweet Second Summer of Kitty Malone" and in 1997 for "Last Seen".
A founding member of the Writers' Union of Canada, he served on the executive board for many years and as president in 1986. During his presidency, the Writer's Union was finally able to persuade the government of Canada to form a commission and establish a Public Lending Right program. He also served on the Toronto Arts Council as chair of the Literary Division and was able to obtain increased funding for writers. In recognition of this work, he was awarded a Toronto Arts Award and the Harbourfront Prize.
He also published a number of children's books under the pseudonym Teddy Jam. Cohen's authorship of the Teddy Jam books was not revealed until after his death. "Dr. Kiss", illustrated by Joanne Fitzgerald won the Governor General's Award in 1991 and "Fishing Summer" was also nominated for a Governor General's Award for children's literature in 1997, making Cohen one of the few writers ever to be nominated for Governor General's Awards in two different categories in the same year.
He was married three times; first to Arden Ford, next to Susan Bricker and then to Patsy Aldana.
Cohen died at home in Toronto after a battle with lung cancer. His final book of short stories, "Getting Lucky", and his final Teddy Jam title, "The Kid's Line", were posthumously published in 2001. A Canadian literary award, the Matt Cohen Award, is presented in Cohen's memory by the Writers' Trust of Canada.
A film adaptation of his 1990 novel "Emotional Arithmetic" has been produced by Triptych films starring Max von Sydow, Christopher Plummer, Gabriel Byrne and Susan Sarandon. It was the closing gala at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival.
Bibliography.
Years link to corresponding "year in literature" or, for poetry, to "year in poetry".
References.
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Elizabeth and After
1999 novel by Matt Cohen
Elizabeth and After is a novel by Matt Cohen, first published in 1999 by Knopf Canada. His final novel, it won the Governor General's Award for English-language fiction just a few weeks before Cohen's death.
Plot summary.
The story is about the lives of a few people living in a small town north of Kingston, Ontario. Carl McKelvey, a "white trash male" as he describes himself, returns to the town after a three-year absence in the hope that he can live with his daughter again, and maybe even renew his relationship with his ex-wife, Chrissy. He carries deep in his heart his guilt of having driven his car into a tree, killing his mother, Elizabeth, many years earlier.
Elizabeth's sudden death ended not only an unhappy marriage she had with William McKelvey, a failed farmer, but also a secret relationship she had with Adam Goldsmith, Carl's real father. Elizabeth might have felt that the uncultured McKelvey ruined her life, or she might be too frightened to ruin her life herself by leaving him. In either case, her life has affected McKelvey, Adam and Carl so deeply that her influence is still felt eleven years later.
When Carl is attacked by Fred (Chrissy's boyfriend), Adam, even though reserved and gentle-natured, decides to do something for his son. Adam takes Fred in his car and drives him into the same tree that Elizabeth's car crashed into eleven years earlier. Both Adam and Fred are killed instantly. Carl learns about his relationship with Adam in a letter Adam left for him.
Reception.
"Elizabeth and After" received positive reviews. Kirkus Reviews described the novel as "An extremely satisfying work, finding new depth in old themes, and offering a fitting memorial to a talented, deeply humane writer." Publishers Weekly wrote that Cohen's "empathy and compassion, and his delicate depiction of loss and longing in a closely knit community, haunt his narrative."
"Booklist" also reviewed the novel.
References.
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External links.

London School of Medicine for Women
First medicial school for women
The London School of Medicine for Women (LSMW) established in 1874 was the first medical school in Britain to train women as doctors. The patrons, vice-presidents, and members of the committee that supported and helped found the London School of Medicine for Women wanted to provide educated women with the necessary facilities for learning and practicing midwifery and other branches of medicine while also promoting their future employment in the fields of midwifery and other fields of treatment for women and children.
In 1877 the Royal Free Hospital accepted women students from LSMW to complete their clinical studies there, and by 1896 it had been renamed as the London Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine for Women, becoming part of the University of London. In 1947 the school became co-educational and was renamed as the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine.
In 1998, the school merged with the University College Hospital Medical School under the new name of Royal Free and University College Medical School. In 2008, this name was shortened to UCL Medical School.
History.
The school was formed in 1874 by an association of pioneering women physicians Sophia Jex-Blake, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, Emily Blackwell and Elizabeth Blackwell with Thomas Henry Huxley. The founding was motivated at least in part by Jex-Blake's frustrated attempts at getting a medical degree at a time when women were not admitted to British medical schools, thus being expelled from Edinburgh University. Other women who had studied with Jex-Blake in Edinburgh joined her at the London school, including Isabel Thorne who succeeded her as honorary secretary in 1877. She departed to start a medical practice in Edinburgh where she would found the Edinburgh School of Medicine for Women in 1886.
The UK Medical Act of 1876 (39 and 40 Vict, Ch. 41) was an act which repealed the previous Medical Act in the United Kingdom and allowed the medical authorities to license all qualified applicants irrespective of gender.
In 1877 an agreement was reached with the Royal Free Hospital that allowed students at the London School of Medicine for Women to complete their clinical studies there. The Royal Free Hospital was the first teaching hospital in London to admit women for training.
Elizabeth Garrett Anderson was Dean (1883–1903) while the school was rebuilt, became part of the University of London and consolidated association with the Royal Free Hospital. In 1896, the School was officially renamed the London (Royal Free Hospital) School of Medicine for Women.
In 1894, a well known Indian feminist Rukhmabai qualified in medicine after attending the London School of Medicine for Women. The number of Indian women students steadily increased so that by 1920 the school, in co-operation with the India Office opened a hostel for female Indian medical students.
In 1914, the school was further expanded due to the number of women wishing to study medicine, making it necessary to double the number of laboratories and lecture rooms. At the time of expansion, the school had over 300 students enrolled, making it the largest women's university college in Britain.
In 1998, it merged with the University College Hospital's medical school to form the UCL Medical School.
Background about the founders.
Elizabeth Blackwell.
Elizabeth Blackwell was the first woman from the United States of America to receive a medical degree. Born in Bristol, England on 3 February 1821, Elizabeth Blackwell was the third of nine children in the family. Among the many family members, Blackwell had famous relatives, including her brother Henry, a well-known abolitionist and women's rights supporter.
In 1832, Blackwell moved to America, specifically settling in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1838, Blackwell's father, Samuel Blackwell, died, leaving the family in poor economic status during a national economic crisis. Because of this, Blackwell received her first occupational job as a teacher along with her mother and her sisters. Blackwell's inspiration for medicine sparked during a conversation with her dying friend, stating her situation would have been better if she had been a female physician. While teaching, Blackwell boarded two male physicians from the south, allowing her to attain her first real knowledge of the medical field through the mentoring from the two physicians.
In 1847, Blackwell applied to college, getting rejected from everywhere she applied, except from Geneva College who accepted her as a practical joke. After receiving years of discrimination, Blackwell eventually graduated first in her class, slowly earning the respect of her professors and educators. Blackwell then returned to New York City, opening a small clinic with the help of her Quaker friends. There she provided positions for women physicians during the Civil War, training women nurses for the union hospitals.
In 1869, she left New York City to return to England. From 1875 to 1877 she lectured on gynecology at the newly built London School of Medicine for Women.
Sophia Jex-Blake.
Sophia Jex-Blake was born in Hastings, UK in 1840. After attending various private schools, Jex-Blake attended Queen's College. Jex-Blake's pursuit of an occupation in the field of medicine lead to the desire to enroll in the University of Edinburgh to study medicine. Jex-Blake's desire to attend the University of Edinburgh was hindered because the university did not allow women to attend. To fight this, Jex-Blake opened a court case against the university, resulting in an unsuccessful ruling in favor of the University of Edinburgh.
In 1889, the Act of Parliament ruled for degrees for women, largely resulting because of Jex-Blake's struggles. This allowed Sophia Jex-Blake to become one of the first female doctors in the UK. Jex-Blake then founded the London School of Medicine for Women as well as the Edinburgh School of Medicine for Women.
Elizabeth Garrett Anderson.
Elizabeth Garrett Anderson was born in Whitechapel, London and received a good education. She chose to pursue a medical career after meeting Doctor Elizabeth Blackwell. After applying to several medical schools, Anderson got rejected from all of those she applied to. Thus, Anderson enrolled as a nurse in Middlesex Hospital and was appointed to the position of medical attendant in 1866 at St. Mary's Dispensary. Still wishing to become a doctor, Anderson successfully pursued a medical degree in France.
Returning to London, Anderson assisted in the founding of the New Hospital for Women at the St. Mary's Dispensary and the London School of Medicine for Women. Anderson would later oversee the London School's expansion after she received the position of Dean in 1883, after which she also appointed Blackwell as a Professor of Gynaecology. The school was later renamed to the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital, which was eventually made part of the University of London.
Merger with University College Hospital Medical School.
From 1947 the school admitted men and was renamed the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine. It faced possible closure several times, but continued to operate independently until 1998, when it merged with the University College Hospital Medical School to create the Royal Free and University College Medical School. This is now the UCL Medical School.
The building later housed the British College of Acupuncture and the Hunter Street Health Centre in 2008.
References.
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John Lancaster Spalding
American Catholic bishop (1840–1916)
John Lancaster Spalding (June 2, 1840 – August 25, 1916) was an American Catholic author, poet, advocate for higher education, the first Bishop of Peoria from 1877 to 1908. He was also a co-founder of The Catholic University of America.
Biography.
Early years.
John Spalding was born on June 2, 1840, in Lebanon, Kentucky. He graduated in 1856 from St. Mary's College in St. Mary's, Kentucky, which had been founded by William Byrne and George Elder. The Spaldings and the Elders were related by marriage, Thomas Elder having married Elizabeth Spalding. Elizabeth was the paternal aunt of Catherine Spalding, co-founder of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. Thomas and Elizabeth were the grandparents of William Henry Elder, Archbishop of Cincinnati.
John Spalding attended Mt. St. Mary College in Emmitsburg, Maryland briefly, before graduating in 1859 from Mount St. Mary's Seminary of the West in Cincinnati. His uncle, Martin Spalding, was bishop of Louisville, and arranged for him to attend the American College of the Immaculate Conception in Louvain, Belgium.
Priesthood.
Spalding was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Louisville in Belgium by Archbishop Engelbert Streckx on December 19, 1863, After his ordination, Spalding continued his studies as the Belgian Pontifical College in Rome. He returned to Louisville in 1865 to become assistant pastor of the Cathedral of the Assumption. In 1866, Spalding attended the Second Plenary Council of Baltimore as theologian to Archbishop François Blanchet from the Archdiocese of Oregon City in Oregon.
In 1872, Spalding travelled to New York to write a biography of his late uncle, Martin Spalding, and became assistant pastor of the Church of St. Michael Parish in Manhattan.
Spalding was consecrated May 1, 1876.
Bishop of Peoria.
On November 11, 1876, Pope Pius IX appointed Spalding as bishop of the Diocese of Peoria, newly created out of the Diocese of Chicago. He was installed on May 23, 1877, by Cardinal John McCloskey, with Coadjutor Bishop Thomas Foley presiding.
Spalding was instrumental in the founding of the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., as well as several Catholic schools in Peoria. He also oversaw the construction of St. Mary's Cemetery in West Peoria, Illinois.
In 1876, six Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, at the request of Reverend Bernard Baak, pastor of St. Joseph, arrived from Iowa City to care for the sick. They served at the city hospital and made home visits. Shortly after their arrival, Spalding visited the hospital and observing the difficult conditions the sisters worked under, encouraged them to form a separate congregation with his support. As the mother superior had no objections, the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis of Peoria was established in July 1877. St. Francis Hospital opened in Peoria 1878.
Spalding achieved national prominence for helping President Theodore Roosevelt and banker J. P. Morgan to end the Great Coal Strike of 1902 as a member of the Arbitration Commission that awarded the miners a retroactive 10% wage increase and reduced daily work hours from 10 to 9.
Spalding wrote several books and poetry under the pseudonym Henry Hamilton.
The Third Plenary Council of Baltimore of 1884 authorized a commission be established to create a uniform catechism. Spalding and Monsignor Januarius de Concilio of Seton Hall University prepared a draft and distributed it to the bishops, who were to forward their revisions to Spalding, who would, in turn, report back at the next meeting. Anticipating long and fruitless discussion, Spalding dispensed with procedure and sent the draft to Archbishop James Gibbons, indicating that he had made suggested changes where appropriate. Cardinal John McCloskey of New York gave it the "imprimatur", Gibbons approved the text, and it was published in April 1885. Though not universally applauded, the Baltimore Catechism remained the standard catechism in the United States for the next eighty years.
Spalding was awarded an honorary degree from Columbia University in 1902, and from Western Reserve University in 1904.
Educational policies.
Spalding believed that education was a fundamental aspect of human life and that it should be grounded in Catholic ideals. He advocated for research in an atmosphere of freedom and improved education of the clergy. Spalding's philosophy of education was centered on the value of human life above all else, and he believed that life should be the ends and means of education. He opposed government interference in education and urged Catholics to support a parochial school system without seeking public financing. Spalding believed that education should be accessible to all, and he was a strong advocate for the education of women, workers, and African Americans. In his writings, Spalding emphasized the role of the teacher and encouraged the development of heroic qualities in students.
Retirement and legacy.
Spalding became paralyzed from a stroke in 1905. Pope Pius X accepted his resignation as bishop of the Diocese of Peoria on September 11, 1908, due to poor health and appointed him Titular Bishop of Scythopolis with the title of archbishop. John Spalding died on August 25, 1916, at age 76.
The diocesan offices of the Diocese of Peoria are located in the Spalding Center, named for him. Peoria's Catholic high school for boys, Spalding Institute, was named for him. Spalding Hall at The Catholic University of America was also named for him.
Caldwell sisters.
William Shakespeare Caldwell, a wealthy Kentucky gas baron, was married to Mary Eliza Breckinridge of the Kentucky Breckinridges. Although Protestant, Mary Eliza had attended Nazareth Academy founded by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, and was subsequently baptized Catholic by Bishop Spalding of Louisville. When Mrs. Caldwell died unexpectedly in 1867, "Shake" sought solace in his wife's religion. He founded Sts. Mary and Elizabeth Hospital in Louisville, run by the Sisters of Charity, in her memory; and a home for indigent men in Richmond, operated by the Little Sisters of the Poor. Caldwell moved to New York and enrolled his two daughters, Mary Guendaline and Mary Elizabeth in the Academy of the Sacred Heart on 17th Street. Caldwell died in 1874. Under the terms of his will, he subsidized ten places in the Richmond home for poor individuals of Fredericksburg; He also stipulated that upon reaching the age of twenty-one, his daughters were to donate one-third of their substantial inheritance to establish a Catholic university.
When Mary Guendaline was 21, she gave the money to buy the land for Catholic University and to build Caldwell Hall, which was named after her. Mary Elizabeth funded Caldwell Hall's chapel. Mary Elizabeth married Baron Moritz Curt von Zedtwitz (1851–1896), German Minister to Mexico, and converted to Lutheranism. The sisters travelled extensively in Europe. In 1896, Mary Guendaline married the middle-aged François Jean Louis, Marquis de Montiers-Mérinville in Paris. Bishop John Spalding of Peoria performed the ceremony. In 1904, the sisters broke with the Catholic Church, the Marquise stating that her "honest Protestant blood had asserted itself". She requested that her portrait in Caldwell Hall be removed. According to the "New York Times", her actions provoked little surprise as she was in poor health having suffered a stroke two years earlier and "[t]he Marquise is an original character and extremely impulsive." The Marquise separated from her husband in 1905, but paid him an annual stipend of $8,000 in order to keep her title.
In 1906, Mary Elizabeth's book, "The Double Doctrine of Rome", in which she takes issue with "Popery", its beliefs, and practices, was published. That same year she sent a letter to "The Converted Catholic", stating that Spalding was never their guardian, nor had her parents ever met him.
Spalding was later accused of having an affair with both sisters though the allegation was questionable. The potential for scandal cost Spalding appointment to the See of Chicago and he remained Bishop of Peoria. "[T]here is general consensus that the sisters’ stories about Spalding bore little relation to the facts, that their tragic marriages and psychic illnesses, plus Spalding's unwillingness to arrange an annulment for Mary Elizabeth, contributed to their turning against the church."
Legacy.
The Diocese of Peoria has established the John Lancaster Spalding Scholarship, a tuition assistance program for students in any parish to attend any Catholic school in the diocese.
References.
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Blue Stockings Society
Social and educational movement
The Blue Stockings Society was an informal women's social and educational movement in England in the mid-18th century that emphasised education and mutual cooperation. It was founded in the early 1750s by Elizabeth Montagu, Elizabeth Vesey and others as a literary discussion group, a step away from traditional, non-intellectual women's activities. Both men and women were invited to attend, including the botanist, translator and publisher Benjamin Stillingfleet, who, due to his financial standing, did not dress for the occasion as formally as was customary and deemed “proper”, in consequence appearing in everyday, blue worsted stockings.
The society gave rise to the term “bluestocking”, referred to the informal quality of the gatherings and the emphasis on conversation rather than fashion, and, by the 1770s, came to describe learned women in general.
History.
The Blue Stockings Society of England emerged in about 1750, and waned in popularity at the end of the 18th century. It was a loose organization of privileged women with an interest in education to gather together to discuss literature while inviting educated men to participate. Led and hosted by Elizabeth Montagu and Elizabeth Vesey, the women involved in this group generally had more education and fewer children than most Englishwomen of the time. During this period, only men attended universities, whereas women were expected to master skills such as needlework and knitting: it was considered “unbecoming” for them to know Greek or Latin, almost immodest for them to be authors, and certainly indiscreet to admit the fact. Anna Laetitia Barbauld, a member of the club, was merely the echo of popular sentiment, contrary to the general opinion of the Blue Stockings, when she protested that women did not want colleges. She wrote, “The best way for a woman to acquire knowledge is from conversation with a father, or brother, or friend.” However, by the early 1800s, this sentiment had changed, and it was more common to question “why a woman of forty should be more ignorant than a boy of twelve”, which coincided with the waning of the Blue Stockings’ popularity.
The group has been described by many historians and authors (such as Jeanine Dobbs) as “having preserved and advanced feminism” via the advocacy for women's education and the social complaints regarding women's status and lifestyle in their society, as seen and exemplified in the writings of the Blue Stockings women themselves:
<templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />In a woman's education little but outward accomplishments is regarded ... sure the men are very imprudent to endeavor to make fools of those to whom they so much trust their honour and fortune, but it is in the nature of mankind to hazard their peace to secure power, and they know fools make the best slaves.
The name “Blue Stockings Society” and its origins are highly disputed among historians. There are scattered early references to bluestockings including in the 15th-century "Della Calza" society in Venice, John Amos Comenius in 1638, and the 17th-century Covenanters in Scotland. The society's name perhaps derived from the European fashion in the mid–18th century in which black stockings were worn in formal dress, while blue stockings were daytime or more casual wear, emphasizing the informal nature of the club’s gatherings. Blue stockings were furthermore very fashionable for women in Paris at the time. Alternatively, many historians claim the term for the society was coined when Elizabeth Vesey first advised Benjamin Stillingfleet, the aforementioned learned gentleman who had distanced himself from higher society and did not have clothes suitable for an evening party, to “come in [his] blue stockings”. Stillingfleet became a frequent and popular guest at the Blue Stockings Society gatherings.
Purpose.
The Blue Stockings Society had no membership formalities nor fees, and conducted small to large gatherings in which talk of politics was prohibited but literature and the arts were of main discussion. Learned women with interest in these educational discussions attended as well as invited male guests. Tea, biscuits and other light refreshments would be served to guests by the hostesses.
"The New York Times" published an article on 17 April 1881, a century after the events in question, which describes the Blue Stockings Society as a women's movement combatting the “vice” and “passion” of gambling, the main form of entertainment at higher society parties. “Instead however, of following the fashion, Mrs. Montagu and a few friends Mrs. Boscawen and Mrs. Vesey, who like herself, were untainted by this wolfish passion, resolved to make a stand against the universal tyranny of a custom which absorbed the life and leisure of the rich to the exclusion of all intellectual enjoyment... and to found a society in which conversation should supersede cards.”
Many of the Blue Stockings women supported each other in intellectual endeavours such as reading, artwork, and writing. Many also published literature. For example, author Elizabeth Carter (1717–1806) was a Blue Stockings Society advocate and member who published essays and poetry, and translated the works of Epictetus. Literature professor Anna Miegon compiled biographical sketches of these women in her "Biographical Sketches of Principal Bluestocking Women".
Modern play.
"Ladies", a play by Kit Steinkellner, is a fictional account of four members of the Blue Stockings Society, and their impact on modern-day feminism. It had its world première at Boston Court Pasadena in Pasadena, California in June 2019, with direction by Jessica Kubzansky.
References.
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Elizabeth Donald
American writer (born 1975)
Elizabeth Donald (born 1975) is an American author and journalist, best known for writing horror and science fiction, including the "Nocturnal Urges" vampire mystery series and "Blackfire" zombie series.
Life and career.
Elizabeth Donald was born in Merced, California in 1975, the older of two children to Dr. Ralph Donald, a professor of mass communications retired from SIUE, and Patrice Stribling Nelson, a classical pianist. Donald attended Bryn Mawr School in Baltimore, Maryland and then Westview High School in Martin, Tennessee, graduating in 1993. She next attended the University of Memphis, initially studying theater, and then transferred to the University of Tennessee at Martin to study journalism, graduating with a bachelor's degree in mass communications. She later earned a masters degree in media studies and a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
Her first novel, "Nocturnal Urges", was published in 2004, launching the three-book vampire series. Since then, she has published many novels and novellas, as well as a number of short story publications in various magazines. She has won the Darrell Award for speculative fiction three times as well as the Mimi Zanger Award for fiction, and has been a finalist for other awards, including the Prism Award from Romance Writers of America, the Imadjinn Award, and the Knost Award. Her first screenplay was a finalist for the Imaginarium Film Festival Award.
She regularly appears at horror- and science fiction-themed conventions such as Archon, Dragoncon, MidSouthCon and Hypericon. In 2009, her novella titled "The Cold Ones" (Sam's Dot Publishing) sold out its first print run in 48 hours and launched the "Blackfire" series of novels and short stories. The protagonist of this novella was named after fellow author Sara M. Harvey.
She works as a freelance editor and writing coach, editing anthologies and novels for small-press publishers and working with beginning writers on fiction projects. In 2014, she launched a photography site, selling nature and art photography that has been licensed for book covers and other commercial purposes and has been featured in art shows and journals.
Elizabeth Donald was a full-time reporter at the "Belleville News-Democrat" newspaper in Illinois from 2000 until 2018. She has won multiple journalism awards, including the Southern Illinois Editorial Association and Illinois Press Association awards. She was vice president of the St. Louis Society of Professional Journalists for three years, and elected chapter president in 2015, and continues to serve. She has been a member of the national SPJ ethics commission since 2009, and was part of the team that rewrote the organization's code of ethics in 2014. In 2010, she was one of two initial recipients of the Terry Harper Memorial Fellowship from the national Society of Professional Journalists. She is a contributor to journalism trade magazines and guest lecturer on the subjects of journalism ethics and the changing nature of journalism in the 21st century.
Currently she teaches journalism and English composition an adjunct professor in the St. Louis region and has been active in advocacy for the First Amendment, both through her universities and as St. Louis SPJ president. She is a member of the Association of Writers and Writing Programs, the Authors Guild and other national writing and advocacy organizations, including the Sigma Tau Delta honor society, for which she served as a chapter president in 2022-23. She continues to work as a freelance journalist for multiple regional and national publications, including the St. Louis Labor Tribune and McClatchy.
Her uncle, Michael Stribling, is a new-age musician. She is married to author Jim Gillentine and has one son, Ian Smith, from a previous marriage. She is a lifelong member of the Episcopal Church and resides in Edwardsville, Illinois.
Works.
Short works:
References.
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Monarchy in New Brunswick
Function of the Canadian monarchy in New Brunswick
By the arrangements of the Canadian federation, Canada's monarchy operates in New Brunswick as the core of the province's Westminster-style parliamentary democracy. As such, the Crown within New Brunswick's jurisdiction is referred to as "the Crown in Right of New Brunswick" (), "His Majesty in Right of New Brunswick" (), or "the King in Right of New Brunswick" (). The "Constitution Act, 1867", however, leaves many royal duties in the province specifically assigned to the sovereign's viceroy, the lieutenant governor of New Brunswick, whose direct participation in governance is limited by the conventional stipulations of constitutional monarchy.
Constitutional role.
The role of the Crown is both legal and practical; it functions in New Brunswick in the same way it does in all of Canada's other provinces, being the centre of a constitutional construct in which the institutions of government acting under the sovereign's authority share the power of the whole. It is thus the foundation of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the province's government. The Canadian monarch—since 8 September 2022, King Charles III—is represented and his duties carried out by the lieutenant governor of New Brunswick, whose direct participation in governance is limited by the conventional stipulations of constitutional monarchy, with most related powers entrusted for exercise by the elected parliamentarians, the ministers of the Crown generally drawn from among them, and the judges and justices of the peace. The Crown today primarily functions as a guarantor of continuous and stable governance and a nonpartisan safeguard against the abuse of power.
This arrangement began with the 1867 "British North America Act" and continued an unbroken line of monarchical government extending back to the early 16th century. However, though it has a separate government headed by the King, as a province, New Brunswick is not itself a kingdom.
Government House in Fredericton is owned by the sovereign only in his capacity as King in right of New Brunswick and used as an official residence by the lieutenant governor and the sovereign, when in New Brunswick.
Royal associations.
Those in the royal family perform ceremonial duties when on a tour of the province; the royal persons do not receive any personal income for their service, only the costs associated with the exercise of these obligations are funded by both the Canadian and New Brunswick Crowns in their respective councils. Monuments around New Brunswick mark some of those visits, while others honour a royal personage or event. Further, New Brunswick's monarchical status is illustrated by royal names applied to regions, communities, schools, and buildings, many of which may also have a specific history with a member or members of the royal family; New Brunswick itself is named in honour of King George III, who belonged to the House of Brunswick. Gifts are also sometimes offered from the people of New Brunswick to the royal person to mark a visit or an important milestone; for instance, Queen Elizabeth II was given in 1951 a pair of hand-woven car blankets made by the loom crofters of Gagetown and, in 1976, a quilt hand-sewn by the Havelock United Baptist Church Ladies' Auxiliary.
Associations also exist between the Crown and many private organizations within the province; these may have been founded by a royal charter, received a "royal" prefix, and/or been honoured with the patronage of a member of the royal family. Examples include the Royal Kennebeccasis Yacht Club, which received its "royal" prefix from Queen Victoria in 1898. At the various levels of education within New Brunswick, there also exist a number of scholarships and academic awards either established by or named for members of the royal family, such as the Queen Elizabeth II Scholarship, set up by the government of New Brunswick to coincide with the visit of the Queen to the province in 1959.
The main symbol of the monarchy is the sovereign himself, his image (in portrait or effigy) thus being used to signify government authority. A royal cypher or crown may also illustrate the monarchy as the locus of authority, without referring to any specific monarch. Further, though the monarch does not form a part of the constitutions of New Brunswick's honours, they do stem from the Crown as the "fount of honour" and, so, bear on the insignia symbols of the sovereign.
History.
Origin of the Crown in New Brunswick.
The modern Crown's place in New Brunswick is a result of its history in the Maritimes region before New Brunswick itself was partitioned from Nova Scotia in 1784 and named for the royal house of King George III, the House of Brunswick-Lüneburg. This administrative split became necessary due to the arrival of some 35,000 to 40,000 United Empire Loyalists, as well as about 3,500 Black Loyalists, fleeing as refugees from the violence directed against them during and after the American Revolution, between 1765 and 1791.
One of George III's sons, Prince Edward, arrived in Nova Scotia, in 1794, after three years living in Quebec City. Though he resided in Halifax, the Prince acted as commander-in-chief of both Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and travelled throughout, visiting Fredericton and Saint John (including Fort Howe), along the way meeting with the colony's inhabitants and first lieutenant governor, Colonel Thomas Carleton. The Prince set up a semapore telegraph system between the two colonial capitals, Halifax and Fredericton.
The first royal tours.
Edward's grandson, Prince Albert Edward (later King Edward VII), toured New Brunswick in 1860,


Keith Sebelius
American politician (1916–1982)
Keith George Sebelius (September 10, 1916 – August 5, 1982) was an American politician who served in the United States House of Representatives as a Republican.
He became active in politics following World War II and was later appointed to the Kansas Senate after narrowly losing two Republican primaries for the House of Representatives. He later entered the House of Representatives where he served for a decade before his death from prostate cancer in 1982.
Early life.
Keith George Sebelius was born on September 10, 1916, in Norton, Kansas to Carl Sebelius, who died when he was seven, and Minnie Sebelius. He grew up in Almena, Kansas and graduated from Almena High School. He attended Fort Hays State University, graduated in 1939, earned a law degree from George Washington University in 1942, and returned to Norton to practice law.
During World War II he served in the United States Army and worked for intelligence agencies to detect German U-boats in the Caribbean.
Career.
Early politics.
Following the end of World War II, Sebelius served as a councilor on the Almena city council, and became mayor of the city.
In 1947, Sebelius was elected secretary of the Kansas Young Republicans Club and ran for president of the organization, but was defeated by Paul Lackie. On April 26, 1953, he was selected as the Junior American Legion Commander for the 6th district in Kansas and later became the senior commander in 1954. On September 5, 1955, Sebelius was elected Commander of the Kansas legion by a vote of 494 to 422, with his opponent being John K. Wells. In 1957, he was elected as president of Norton's Chamber of Commerce.
Kansas State Senate.
On December 10, 1962, Sebelius was selected to replace state Senator William B. Ryan, who stepped down to become a district judge, and was appointed by Governor John Anderson Jr. In 1963, he introduced a bill that would put the entirety of Kansas in the Central Time Zone, but it failed.
During the 1964 elections he served as a delegate to the Republican district convention and he announced that he would seek reelection on April 1, 1964. After facing no opposition in the Republican primary Sebelius defeated Democratic nominee Vance Templeton in the general election.
House of Representatives.
Elections.
Sebelius twice ran unsuccessfully for the United States House of Representatives, losing both races by narrow margins. On January 8, 1958, he announced that he would run for the Republican nomination in Kansas's 6th Congressional District, but was narrowly defeated by incumbent Representative Wint Smith by 51 votes. He ran again in 1960, but was defeated by county attorney Bob Dole by 982 votes.
During the 1976 presidential election, Senator Bob Dole was selected as Ford's vice presidential running mate; had they won, it would have resulted in Dole's resignation from the Senate and a special election. It was speculated that Sebelius would be appointed to replace Dole. However, Governor Jimmy Carter won the presidential election causing Dole to remain in the Senate.
Tenure.
In 1968, Dole left office to run for Senate and was succeeded by Sebelius, who served until 1981. In June 1969, he served in place of House Minority Whip Leslie C. Arends due to his absence and assisted Minority Leader Gerald Ford for one week. In May 1973, the National Federation of Independent Business named him Man of the Year for Kansas.
On November 15, 1973, he stated that "I frankly believe the man is telling the truth" after hearing Richard Nixon speak about Watergate for over an hour. On December 4, 1973, he voted in favor of House Minority Leader Gerald Ford's appointment as vice president after Spiro Agnew's resignation. After the transcript of the Nixon White House tapes were released he stated that they "are depressing to read and give an unfavorable view of the President". When asked what he thought of the possibility of Nixon refusing to comply with the Supreme Court's ruling in "United States v. Nixon" he stated that "it would be damn close to an impeachable offense". He voted in favor of a resolution allowing for live radio and television coverage of the impeachment inquiry by the House Judiciary committee. Following Nixon's resignation and Ford's accession to the presidency, Sebelius voted in favor of Nelson Rockefeller's appointment as vice president.
On April 25, 1980, Sebelius announced that he would not seek reelection to the House of Representatives and was succeeded by Pat Roberts, his administration aide.
Later life.
On January 11, 1981, a banquet was held in his honor and received telegrams from former President Gerald Ford and President-elect Ronald Reagan. On this occasion the Norton reservoir was renamed to Keith Sebelius Lake in his honor and on January 16, he was named as a Distinguished Kansan of the Year. In 1979, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and on August 5, 1982, he died in Norton County Hospital from it. He was buried in Norton, Kansas.
Family.
Sebelius married Elizabeth Adeline Roberts and had two children with her, R. Douglas Sebelius and K. Gary Sebelius, before his death in 1982. In 1974, K. Gary Sebelius married Kathleen Sebelius, the daughter of former Ohio Governor John J. Gilligan. She would later serve as the governor of Kansas from 2003 to 2009, and as United States Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Political positions.
Domestic.
Sebelius introduced a constitutional amendment to legalize voluntary prayer in public buildings in 1971, but no action was taken on it. In April 1971, Kansas held a voter referendum to lower the voting age, which he supported; he later voted in favor of the Twenty-sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution. He criticized Nixon's decision to sell 10 million tons of United States grain to the Soviet Union at subsidized prices and later called for the resignation of Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz.
When the House of Representatives voted on recognizing a holiday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr., Sebelius was one of the forty-eight representatives who abstained from the vote.
Foreign.
In October 1969, he asked for his name to be removed from a letter created by Representative Sam Steiger to President Richard Nixon asking Nixon to point out to the North Vietnamese that the United States would not rule out any military option in gaining peace with honor, as the wording of the letter promoted an escalation of the war.
On July 18, 1973, he voted against the War Powers Resolution; after Nixon vetoed the bill Sebelius voted against the overriding of it on November 7, but the House and Senate voted to override Nixon's veto. On July 31, 1973, Sebelius voted in favor of a bill that would decrease the United States' military presence overseas by 100,000 and create a cap of 400,000 troops, but it was defeated by a vote of 243 to 163.
Electoral history.
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Norton, Kansas
City in Norton County, Kansas
Norton is a city in and the county seat of Norton County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 2,747.
History.
Norton was founded in 1872. Like the county, it was named for Capt. Orloff Norton.
The first hotel was a log house, built in 1873.
One of the first recorded tornado pictures was taken in Norton, in 1909, by photographer Will Keller.
Geography.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land. The city is situated on the north side of Prairie Dog Creek in Norton County. Before the Bureau of Reclamation constructed Keith Sebelius Lake in 1963, Norton was prone to frequent flooding. The construction of the Dam has since resolved the problem and created the current reservoir that sits southwest of Norton. The Nebraska border is located north of the city.
Climate.
Norton is on the boundary of two climate zones, humid continental and semiarid. Temperatures can fluctuate drastically between the winter and summer seasons. Because of its location on the High Plains, snowfall totals can sometimes approach the yearly average after a single snowfall.
Demographics.
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2020 census.
The 2020 United States census counted 2,747 people, 1,213 households, and 692 families in Norton. The population density was 1,439.7 per square mile (555.9/km2). There were 1,457 housing units at an average density of 763.6 per square mile (294.8/km2). The racial makeup was 90.21% (2,478) white or European American (88.24% non-Hispanic white), 0.84% (23) black or African-American, 0.55% (15) Native American or Alaska Native, 0.73% (20) Asian, 0.0% (0) Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 1.09% (30) from other races, and 6.59% (181) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 5.28% (145) of the population.
Of the 1,213 households, 26.0% had children under the age of 18; 42.6% were married couples living together; 28.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 37.5% of households consisted of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.7 and the average family size was 3.5. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 15.4% of the population.
24.5% of the population was under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 22.4% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 21.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 104.2 males.
The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $49,069 (with a margin of error of +/- $7,615) and the median family income was $59,648 (+/- $18,177). Males had a median income of $32,346 (+/- $3,580) versus $29,167 (+/- $11,470) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $31,683 (+/- $3,071). Approximately, 0.9% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under the age of 18 and 13.0% of those ages 65 or over.
2010 census.
As of the census of 2010, there were 2,928 people, 1,290 households, and 763 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 1,465 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.8% White, 0.2% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.3% of the population.
There were 1,290 households, of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.9% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.86.
The median age in the city was 44.8 years. 23.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.6% were from 25 to 44; 27.8% were from 45 to 64; and 22% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.6% male and 53.4% female.
2000 census.
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,012 people, 1,331 households, and 814 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 1,517 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.91% White, 0.40% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.03% African American, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.63% from other races, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.03% of the population.
There were 1,331 households, out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.8% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 24.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,339, and the median income for a family was $36,179. Males had a median income of $25,943 versus $20,559 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,438. About 5.5% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.4% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.
Education.
The community is served by Norton USD 211 public school district.
"Eisenhower Elementary School" Constructed in 1954 and added on to in 1966 and 1990, Eisenhower Elementary serves students in USD 211 in grades ECD through sixth grade. Full day, every day kindergarten is offered as is a full range of special education services. Grades ECD through four are taught in self-contained classrooms. Grades 5 & 6 are departmentalized for instruction in math, reading, science, language arts and computer technology. Each teacher also teaches social studies and spelling to their homeroom students.
"Norton Junior High School" Constructed in 1937 and extensively remodeled in 1984, Norton Junior High School serves the 120+ students in grades 7 & 8. In addition to required classes of math, language arts, physical education/ health, science and social studies each junior high student receives 3 semesters of instruction in computer technology and digital media production and one semester of technology exploration (robotics, pneumatics, electronics, etc.). Elective classes are offered in vocal music, instrumental music, art, wood working, and family and consumer sciences.
"Norton Community High School" Constructed in 1975 & 1977, NCHS is a 3A high school with an enrollment of 200+. A comprehensive high school, NCHS is able to offer instruction in the areas of calculus, physics, human anatomy, chemistry II and foreign language. In addition to the regular academic curriculum, NCHS offers fine arts and vocational training.
The "Norton Community High School Bluejays" have won 17 Kansas State High School Activities Association state championships in wrestling, including six consecutive Class 3-2-1A state championships from 2012–17, and three consecutive Class 3-2-1A championships in 2004-06. Norton's football team won back-to-back Class 4A state championships in 1985 and 1986, and finished as state runners-up in 1989. The girls basketball and boys basketball teams won state championships in 1983 and 2003, respectively, and have made numerous state tournament appearances. NCHS also boasts programs in girls tennis, girls volleyball, boys golf, cross country, and track and field.
References.
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Keith Sebelius Lake
Keith Sebelius Lake, formerly known as Norton Reservoir, is a man-made reservoir on Prairie Dog Creek in northwest Kansas. Built and managed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, it is used for flood control, irrigation, recreation, and local water supply. Prairie Dog State Park is located on its shore.
History.
The effects of a 1935 flash flood of the Republican River and its tributaries, including Prairie Dog Creek, led the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to include the creek in its plans for flood control. The Flood Control Act of 1944 approved and the Flood Control Act of 1946 authorized development of a reservoir on the creek as part of the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program. Construction of Norton Dam began in December 1961, and the initial storage of water in Norton Reservoir started in October 1964.
In March 1958, the nearby community of Norton, Kansas secured a contract with the U.S. government to receive 1,600 acre-feet of water annually. In 1963, the Kansas state government granted the community a water right to that amount of storage in the reservoir. Norton began to use the reservoir as a municipal water supply in September 1965.
In 1981, the U.S. Congress renamed the reservoir Keith Sebelius Lake after retiring U.S. Representative and Norton native Keith Sebelius.
Geography.
Keith Sebelius Lake is located at (39.8041721, -99.9320688) at an elevation of . It lies in northwest Kansas in the High Plains region of the Great Plains. The reservoir is located entirely within Norton County.
The reservoir is impounded at its northeastern end by Norton Dam. Prairie Dog Creek is both the reservoir's primary inflow from the southwest and its outflow to the northeast.
U.S. Route 36 and Kansas Highway 383 run concurrently east-west north of the reservoir. Kansas Highway 261 runs north-south between U.S. 36 and Prairie Dog State Park on the reservoir's north shore.
The city of Norton lies northeast of the reservoir.
Hydrography.
The surface area, surface elevation, and water volume of the reservoir fluctuate based on inflow and local climatic conditions. In terms of capacity, the Bureau of Reclamation vertically divides the reservoir into a set of pools based on volume and water level, and it considers the reservoir full when filled to the capacity of its active conservation pool. When full, Keith Sebelius Lake has a surface area of , a surface elevation of , and a volume of . When filled to maximum capacity, it has a surface area of , a surface elevation of , and a volume of .
The streambed underlying the reservoir has an elevation of . Since the reservoir's initial flooding, sedimentation has gradually accumulated on the reservoir bottom thus raising its elevation.
Infrastructure.
Norton Dam is a zoned earth-fill embankment dam with rock riprap on its upstream face. It has a structural height of and a length of . At its crest, the dam has an elevation of . A spillway structure controlled by three radial gates is located at the southeast end of the dam. Outlet works at the northwest end of the dam manage outflow into Prairie Dog Creek and the city of Norton's municipal water supply.
Management.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation maintains and operates the reservoir and Norton Dam. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provides water regulation procedures for flood control. Downstream canals and structures which use portions of the reservoir's water for irrigation are managed by Almena Irrigation District No. 5. The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWP) manages the surface of the reservoir and of land around it as the Norton Wildlife Area.
Parks and recreation.
The KDWP operates the Prairie Dog State Park on the reservoir's north shore. It includes boat ramps, camping facilities, a hiking trail, and a swimming beach.
Keith Sebelius Lake is open for sport fishing year-round. Hunting is permitted on the public land around the reservoir although it is restricted in certain areas.
Points of interest.
The KDWP preserves two vintage 19th-century buildings in Prairie Dog State Park: a one-room schoolhouse and the last standing original adobe house in Kansas. The park also hosts a growing prairie dog town.
Wildlife.
Fish species resident in the reservoir include bluegill, channel catfish, crappie, flathead catfish, largemouth bass, saugeye, spotted bass, walleye, and wiper. Game animals living around the reservoir include mule deer, ducks, quail, cottontail rabbits, turkeys, and white-tailed deer.
The reservoir is surrounded almost entirely by shortgrass prairie.
References.
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Prairie Dog State Park
State park in Kansas, United States
Prairie Dog State Park is a state park located 4 miles west of Norton, Kansas, United States on Highway 261. Located in western Kansas, the Prairie Dog State Park is named after the creek that feeds into the Keith Sebelius reservoir, and had no prairie dog populations living there when it was established in 1967. Prairie dogs were introduced in the 1980s and the state park now holds a thriving colony of about 300.
Prairie Dog State Park is a park that is located on the north shore of Keith Sebelius Lake in Norton County. The dam was completed for Keith Sebelius Reservoir in 1965 and quickly filled up the following year. One of the last remaining adobe house is located at the Prairie Dog State Park. The renovated house was built sometime in the 1890s. Also located in Prairire Dog State Park is the 1886 Hillmon one room school house.
Prairie Dog State Park has many recreation opportunities for campers to enjoy including a 1.4 mile nature trail, viewable prairie dog town, sand volleyball pit, disc golf course, regulation size basketball court, archery range, horse shoe pits, playground, swimbeach, fishing dock, 1886 one room school house, adobe home, and a 30'x70' Lake View shelter.
References.
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K. Gary Sebelius
American judge
Keith Gary Sebelius (born November 8, 1949), known professionally as K. Gary Sebelius or Gary Sebelius, is a former magistrate judge and a former federal judicial nominee to the United States District Court for the District of Kansas. He is the husband of former United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius and also served as the First Gentleman of Kansas from 2003 to 2009, while his wife was governor.
Early life and education.
Sebelius was born in Norton, Kansas, the son of Elizabeth Adeline (née Roberts) and Keith George Sebelius, a United States congressman from Kansas. Sebelius earned a bachelor's degree magna cum laude from Kansas State University in 1971 and a J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1974.
Professional career.
Before becoming a judge, Sebelius had a long career as a lawyer in Topeka, Kansas. He worked as an associate at the law firm of Eidson, Lewis, Porter & Haynes from 1974 until 1979, and then served as a partner at the firm from 1979 until 1989. From 1989 until 1993, Sebelius was a partner at the firm of Davis, Wright, Unrein, Hummer & McCallister. Sebelius then worked as a partner at the Topeka law firm Wright, Henson, Somers, Sebelius, Clark & Baker from 1993 until 2003. During his time in private practice, Sebelius became best known for defending the Topeka Board of Education in the reopened "Brown v. Board of Education" case in federal court.
Failed nomination to district court.
On June 6, 2000, President Bill Clinton nominated Sebelius to be a judge on the United States District Court for the District of Kansas to fill the vacancy created by the decision by Judge George Thomas Van Bebber to take senior status. However, with the United States Senate controlled by Republicans, many of Clinton's judicial nominations languished. In particular, Sebelius' nomination was reported to have been held up by Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback. President George W. Bush later successfully appointed Julie A. Robinson to the seat to which Sebelius had been nominated.
Work as a U.S. magistrate judge.
On August 16, 2002, the judges on the United States District Court for the District of Kansas appointed Sebelius to an eight-year term as a United States magistrate judge. Sebelius began hearing cases in February 2003 and was formally sworn in on June 11, 2003. He retired from the bench on February 20, 2019.
Personal.
Sebelius married his wife, Kathleen Sebelius on New Year's Eve 1974. They have two sons.
References.
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Prairie Dog Creek
Prairie Dog Creek is a stream in the central Great Plains of North America. A tributary of the Republican River, it flows for through the American states of Kansas and Nebraska.
Geography.
Prairie Dog Creek originates in the High Plains of northwest Kansas. Its source lies in west-central Thomas County roughly southeast of Brewster, Kansas. From there, it flows generally northeast across northwestern Kansas. Southwest of Norton, Kansas, it is dammed to form Keith Sebelius Lake. From the reservoir's dam, the creek continues northeast to Harlan County in south-central Nebraska where it joins the Republican River to feed Harlan County Reservoir.
History.
The Battle of Prairie Dog Creek (August 21, 1867) ended the Army's offensive operations against the Indians on the Kansas frontier for the year.
In 1964, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation completed a dam on the creek southwest of Norton, Kansas for flood control, irrigation, and municipal water supply, creating Keith Sebelius Lake.
References.
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Kathleen Sebelius
American politician (born 1948)
Kathleen Sebelius (; née Gilligan, born May 15, 1948) is an American politician who served as the 21st United States secretary of health and human services from 2009 until 2014. As Secretary of Health and Human Services, Sebelius was instrumental in overseeing the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Before becoming secretary, she served as the 44th governor of Kansas from 2003 to 2009, the second woman to hold that office. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Sebelius was the Democratic respondent to the 2008 State of the Union address and is chair-emerita of the Democratic Governors Association (she was its first female chair). She is CEO of Sebelius Resources LLC.
Early life and education.
Sebelius was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, the daughter of Mary Kathryn (née Dixon) and John J. Gilligan. Sebelius was the second oldest of four children in her family. Her family ran funeral homes and her father was a city councilor in Cincinnati. Jack Gilligan ran for Congress near the end of Sebelius's time in high school and served one term in Congress. Her father was elected governor of Ohio when Sebelius was 21 years old. Sebelius worked in her father's campaign traveling around the state. Her family was Catholic and has Irish ancestry.
She attended the Summit Country Day School in Cincinnati and graduated from Trinity Washington University in Washington, D.C., with a Bachelor of Arts in political science. She later earned a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Kansas. She moved to Kansas in 1974.
Early career.
Sebelius served as executive director and chief lobbyist for the Kansas Trial Lawyers Association from 1977 to 1986.
Kansas House of Representatives (1987–1995).
Sebelius was first elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in 1986. She won re-election in 1988, 1990, and 1992. She represented Topeka, Kansas.
Tenure.
In the 1988 presidential election, she endorsed Gary Hart.
In 1991, she ran to become House Majority Leader but lost to State Representative Tom Sawyer of Wichita.
She is strongly pro-choice.
Kansas Insurance Commissioner (1995–2003).
In 1994, Sebelius left the state House of Representatives to run for state Insurance Commissioner and stunned political forecasters by winning – the first time a Democrat had won the position in over a century.
She refused to take campaign contributions from the insurance industry and blocked the proposed merger of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas, the state's largest health insurer, with an Indiana-based company. Sebelius's decision marked the first time the corporation had been rebuffed in its acquisition attempts.
When Sebelius became commissioner in 1995, the Insurance Department had an annual budget of $11.7 million. By 2002, the budget had been cut to $10 million. Among the cuts was spending on contracted services after Sebelius fired two contracted lawyers after an audit discovered they had overbilled the state.
In 2001 Sebelius was named as one of "Governing Magazine"'s Public Officials of the Year while she was serving as Kansas Insurance Commissioner.
Governor of Kansas (2003–2009).
2002 election.
In the general election, Sebelius's platform included promises to protect school budgets from budget cuts, not to raise taxes, and to completely review and overhaul the state government. Sebelius raised $4 million for the campaign, a Kansas state fundraising record. Sebelius defeated Republican Kansas State Treasurer Tim Shallenburger 53%–45%. Sebelius's election made her and her father the first father/daughter governor duo in the United States.
First term.
Throughout her first term, Sebelius built upon her popularity and in January 2006 was tied for 20th most popular governor in the country.
During the 2004 election, CNN speculated Sebelius could be a potential running mate for John Kerry.
In November 2005, "Time" named Sebelius as one of the five best governors in America, praising her for eliminating a $1.1 billion debt she inherited, ferreting out waste in state government, and strongly supporting public education – all without raising taxes, although she proposed raising sales, property, and income taxes. The article also praised her bipartisan approach to governing, a useful trait in a state where Republicans have usually controlled the Legislature.
In February 2006, the White House Project named Sebelius one of its "8 in '08", a group of eight female politicians who could possibly run and be elected president in 2008. She was also cited by "The New York Times" to be among the women most likely to become the first female President of the United States.
In October 2006, the Cato Institute gave Sebelius the grade of "D" on their biennial fiscal policy report card, which measures the fiscal performance of U.S. governors based on spending and taxes. Her grade was influenced by the combination of proposed tax increases and expanded spending growth beyond population plus inflation.
2006 re-election.
On May 26, 2006, Sebelius formally announced her candidacy for re-election. Four days later, Mark Parkinson, former chair of the Kansas Republican Party, switched his party affiliation to Democrat; the following day Sebelius announced that Parkinson would be her running mate for lieutenant governor. Parkinson had previously served in the state House during 1991 and 1992 and the Senate from 1993 to 1997. Parkinson was viewed as a pro-business moderate who strongly supported public education. This was somewhat reminiscent of the fact that John Moore had also been a Republican, before switching just days before joining Sebelius as her running mate.
She was challenged by Republican Kansas State Senator Jim Barnett. A September 1 Rasmussen poll showed Sebelius with an 11% lead over Barnett. Other polls gave Sebelius as much as a 20% lead. As of 2004[ [update]], 50% of Kansas voters were registered Republicans, compared to 27% as registered Democrats. Sebelius nevertheless won re-election, defeating Barnett 57%–41%. Because of Kansas's term limits law, her second term as Governor was her last.
Second term.
In February 2008, during Sebelius's second term in office, there was a report in the "Wichita Eagle" that the State of Kansas was suspending tax refunds and that, because of a lack of tax revenue, might not be able to meet payroll for state employees. Sebelius called for issuing certificates of indebtedness, moving funds from various state agency accounts into the general fund to alleviate the crisis. However, Republican leaders in the legislature did not agree with her certificate of indebtedness plan, saying the state would be unable to repay the certificates unless Sebelius issued allotments or signed a budget rescission bill that had been passed by the legislature but had not yet been delivered