Umbreit is park supervisor at George Owens Nature Center in Independence. A “Weed Warriors” event is planned for 10 a.m. to noon Nov. 11. Volunteers will remove bush honeysuckle and Japanese honeysuckle. Call 816-325-7115 for details. The park is at 1601 S. Speck Road, across from Pioneer Ridge Middle School.

Quick Five questions with Chiefs receiver Lance Long

Michelle Lea Sciortino plays Carmen Diaz in William Chrisman High School’s production of “Fame,” which opens at 7 p.m. today at the high school. Sciortino has been performing and competing on stage since a middle school student.

Gov. Jay Nixon has appointed Gerry Winship to the Jackson County Sports Complex Authority, a five-member commission of Jackson County that oversees the sports complex. Winship, 75, works in public relations for Bank Liberty in Independence and resides in Lakewood in Lee’s Summit and is former vice president of the Bank of Independence and chairman of the Jackson County Election Board. He was a state senator representing Independence, Blue Springs and Lee’s Summit from 1977-79. In 1980, in an unsuccessful bid, he was Republican candidate against Mel Carnahan for state treasurer. He returned to public service with his first appointment to the Sports Complex Authority in 1999 and served until 2003.

Deborah Shakespeare Smith is a children’s book author from Independence. Smith, a secretary at Spring Branch Elementary in Independence, has written “The Broom Closet Detectives, Vol. 1,” and “The House of Chicken.” Her latest book is “Honestly, I Witnessed the Making of a Monster.” All of her books are available at Borders Bookstore locations in Lee’s Summit and Overland Park, Kan. Smith has also had more than 40 articles published in magazines since she began writing in the 1980s.

1 How did you become interested in a career in law enforcement?

What’s the most common mistake people make in applying for a new job?

Carol Jean Mays of Independence is chairman of the Jackson County Extension Council.

1 Allergies affect more than 50 million people in the U.S. The Kansas City metro area is No. 47 on the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America’s top 100 allergy capital list. Why is this?

Todd Johns lives in Blue Springs and is the head cook for the barbecue team Pork Pullin’ Plowboys. He and his partner, Randy Hinck, of Concordia, recently won some big awards for their tasty creations.