Top 10 fascinating Kansans
Posted by Kasha Stoll
David and Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham may have fascinated Barbara Walters, who is presenting her annual "Top 10 Most Fascinating People" of the year on ABC tonight, but they never did much for me.
So in the spirit of Ms. Walters' special, this column is dedicated to the Top 10 Most Fascinating People of Northeast Kansas in 2007.
And as is the case with the national special, you will probably agree with some of my choices and think I am totally off my rocker with others.
Feel free to let me know what you think, but this is my opinion.
10. Paul David Meek — The Stormont-Vail Regional Health Center nurse was named one of the nation's Top 10 nurse heroes in 2007.
9. Darren Canady — The Topeka High School graduate and former Topeka Capital-Journal intern won a national award for one of his original plays.
8. Eldon Ray — The Kansas Board of Technical Professionals fined the 83-year-old man $500 for doing work on the Mayetta Christian Church, claiming he was providing architectural services without a license, but Ray got the last laugh when a legislative committee said he should receive $3,122 because of the trouble the board gave him.
7. Dorianne Rees — This local actress in February played the title role in the Topeka Civic Theatre's production of Neil LaBute's play "Fat Pig" so she could bring attention to the issues facing large women.
6. Jaide Ramirez-Jennings — The 8-year-old Topeka girl received the Yahoo! Purple Act of Kindness award for her "KICK paper and plastic to the curb" campaign.
5. Mark Mangino — The University of Kansas football coach raised the standard of KU football.
4. Deborah Rose — She made Kansas military history in April when she was promoted to brigadier general in the Kansas National Guard.
3. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan. — His bid for the presidency was unsuccessful but definitely newsworthy.
2. Mary Magdalene Lorang — The owner of the Topeka RoadRunners says she is more concerned with bringing hockey to Topeka than in making a profit.
1. Anthony Cox — The 21-year veteran of the Topeka Fire Department died Aug. 13 after collapsing while battling a two-alarm apartment fire. About 1,000 people, including more than 500 firefighters, attended his funeral at the Kansas Expocentre.
His sister, Dottie Cox Karnowski, told the crowd: "Why did Tony risk his life for you, and you, and you? ... Because he believed you were worth the risk. He believed that the human life, friend or stranger, was worth risking his own life."
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