JEWISH STUDENT HONORED AT KU — Evan Traylor was one of two University of Kansas seniors honored with the 25th annual Excellence in Community Education and Leadership Awards during halftime of the KU-Oklahoma homecoming football game Oct. 31. The other honoree is Hannah Reinhart.
Traylor is a political science and Jewish studies major with a minor in leadership studies. He is the son of Eddie and Ann Baumgarten Traylor of Edmond, Oklahoma. He is an intern at KU Hillel and a board trustee for the Union for Reform Judaism. He has also served as the URJ Kutz Camp co-program coordinator. He is a KU peer leadership consultant and a Leader-Shape graduate. He participates in the Mortar Board Honor Society.
The ExCel Award provides an annual $500 award to two students. The winners will plan the Blueprints Leadership Conference next spring in conjunction with KU’s Student Involvement and Leadership Center.
HONORING VETS — The Heritage Center within the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City will be hosting a special event to salute our troops on Veteran’s Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11! The celebration is to be held in the Multi-Activity Center on the Jewish Community Campus, and will begin at 1 p.m. The Jewish War Veterans will open the event with a posting of the colors, pledge of allegiance and real-life stories. Following these presentations, dance or sing along to the patriotic music of multi-stylist harpist Michael Oshiver and musicians of Music Feeds the Soul (MFS) Orchestra. Anyone and everyone is welcome to attend this free event and show your support. Light refreshments will be served and donations are accepted. RSVP to 913-327-8044.
MISSOURI MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO BUYING GUN USED IN CAMPUS/VILLAGE SHALOM SHOOTINGS (JTA) — A Missouri man admitted that he purchased the shotgun used in the 2014 attack on two Kansas City Jewish facilities.
John Mark Reidle, 48, said he purchased the weapon from a Walmart store in Missouri on behalf of the killer, a former Ku Klux Klan grand dragon named Frazier Glenn Cross Jr. Reidle claimed on the federal background check form that he was buying the gun for himself.
Cross, who is also known as Frazier Glenn Miller, had asked Reidle to fill out the form for him, claiming he did not have identification with him at the time of the purchase. Miller was a convicted felon who was therefore unable to lawfully purchase a firearm, according to the Associated Press.
As part of a plea agreement, Miller said the gun was a gift for his son, the Kansas City Star reported, citing the agreement.
Four days after the purchase, Miller killed three people outside the Jewish Community Campus and Village Shalom. None of the victims were Jewish, but Miller assumed they were when he shot them. He was found guilty of capital murder on Aug. 31.
In September, a jury recommended the death penalty for Cross, who said in an interview: “I wanted to make damned sure I killed some Jews or attacked the Jews before I died.”
Reidle’s plea agreement was accepted late last month. He faces up to 10 years in prison.
