Sentencing Delayed
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75¢ COLBY Wednesday September 3, 2014 Volume 125, Number 137 Serving Thomas County since 1888 10 pages FFREEREE PPRESSRESS Sentencing delayed At a hearing Tuesday afternoon, Shank’s at- tion but emphasized that the delay cannot be Suicide attempt torney, Jerry Fairbanks, said the defendant had longer than 120 days. Both sides agreed to a tried to commit suicide on Saturday at telephone status conference to dis- the Thomas County Jail. Jailers took cuss the case in early October unless forces postponement him to Citizens Medical Center for a report is received sooner. William Andrew Shank’s sentencing in the treatment, and he is now on suicide The courtroom was packed by murder of his former girlfriend, Teri Mor- watch, Fairbanks said. more than 50 observers for this hear- ris of Colby, will have to wait a few months Fairbanks told District Judge Glenn ing, including family and friends of for a mental health evaluation, a judge ruled Schiffner he would like to have Shank Morris and Shank, law officers and Tuesday, following a suicide attempt over the evaluated for competency before pro- others. Unlike his behavior at previ- weekend. ceeding. ous court proceedings, when he fully Shank pleaded guilty in June to charges Prosecutor Jessica Domme, an as- participated with his attorney, Shank stemming from the February 2013 death of sistant attorney general from Topeka, William Shank was somber and seemed to be paying Morris and burning of her home, but his sen- said she had no objection because little attention. tencing had been scheduled for Tuesday. It state law says a defendant must have an evalu- Judge Schiffner’s order said Shank is to be will be delayed while experts attempt to de- ation if he requests it. Domme said she had evaluated by High Plains Mental Health or a termine whether Shank is legally competent to visited with Morris’ family about the situation. state facility. participate in the process. Schiffner agreed with her legal interpreta- CHRISTINA BERINGER/Colby Free Press Joe Hickert showed some new equipment at a meeting of the county commissioners in 2014. Ambulance head resigns as director Joe Hickert resigned his posi- tion, even taking longer than usual tion as the county’s Emergency to second Commissioner Byron Medical Services director at the Sowers’ motion to appoint an in- county commissioner’s meeting terim director. Friday, leaving the reigns of his The commissioners were no- department to assistant director ticeably somber after the closed- Don Morton. door session and even took a After a five-minute private ses- break shortly after to shake off the Middle school spirit sion with Hickert and Morton, downturned mood. the commissioners voted to ac- “Joe, I’d just like to express my While Colby Mid- cept Hickert’s resignation request. appreciation for the great work dle Schoolers Commissioner Mike Baughn vot- had their start-of- ed against accepting the resigna- See “RESIGNS,” Page 2 the-year picnic Friday afternoon at Fike Park, Prin- cipal Robb Ross Library gains (above) directed traffic. He had the girls and boys, including Kyler Britt (left, at right) ‘family’ title and Dyan Bond compete to see The Pioneer Memorial Library Melany Wilks, the library director. who could line up will celebrate next week as it There will be refreshments and a fastest according moves forward with its plans to tour of the library for members of to their birthdays, educate kids and parents. the public, including anyone inter- while Troy Rall, a On Thursday the library will ested in working with kids. teacher, helped officially become a Family Place The library is offering classes them get in or- Library, the last step of a process for kids and parents to learn to der. Later Rathe over two years in the making. As play together, this fall, one of sev- Aschenbrenner a Family Place Library the library eral steps it will take to help kids (right) played ball is helping parents play together learn at an early age. with his friends. with their young children, so the “It’s about parents taking time kids will grow and develop early with their kids together and learn- on in life. ing together and experiencing Kathleen Deer, national coor- play,” Wilks said. “The parents dinator for the family place li- SAM DIETER/Colby Free Press braries, will speak that day, said See “LIBRARY,” Page 2 Convoy time Inaction frustrates senator Friday, Saturday By Sam Dieter “This is great politics if I come and those who ask why Congress Colby Free Press by and see anybody with a blue can never compromise. If those in Don’t miss the chance to see available for a donation. It will be [email protected] jacket,” Moran said. Congress actually were willing to or be a part of the Eighth Annual served under the big tents in the There was a time, he told the compromise, he added, then they Northwest Kansas World’s Larg- Oasis-Petrol Travel Center park- Sen. Jerry Moran stopped in crowd, when he thought it was a could prioritize how they spend est Truck Convoy this weekend as ing lot. Colby on Thursday afternoon good thing when Congress was some of the nation’s money, in- it passes through Colby. At 7:30 p.m. there will be a to talk with area residents about not meeting. But now, he said, his stead of making across-the-board Truckers will get the chance basketball scrimmage between lo- making Congress work. thoughts have changed, and he cuts. to drive with a Special Olympics cal Special Olympics athletes and The Colby Kiwanis Club held a does not like working in a group As a member of the Appropria- athlete in the passenger seat, when players from the Colby Commu- “town-hall” meeting with Moran that does nothing. tions Committee, he said, he can the convoy passes through Colby nity College men’s and women’s after its luncheon that afternoon. It’s hard to demonstrate he’s do- influence the government pro- on Saturday. The convoy rolls teams. At dusk drivers will light The senator said he tries to visit ing something for his constituents cess to some degree by cutting an through town each year to support all 105 Kansas counties and this is in the Senate, he said, “when we agency’s budget. He said the En- Special Olympics Kansas. See “CONVOY,” Page 2 his second round of meetings. have a Senate whose plan is to do vironmental Protection Agency’s SAM DIETER/Colby Free Press The event kicks off at 7 p.m. The session drew area politi- nothing.” proposal to regulate all water on Sen. Jerry Moran met with the Friday with pre-registration for cians, community members and Calls of two kinds come into his farms under the Clean Water Act, Colby Kiwanis Club for lunch the convoy and a community sup- the Colby High FFA Chapter of- office, the senator added: those before a town hall meeting per provided by Montana Mike’s ficers. who tell him not to budge an inch, See “SENATOR,” Page 2 Thursday. and Heartland Foods of Hill City, Page 2 Colby Free Press Wednesday, September 3, 2014 Area/State Weather Senator finds inaction frustrating Briefly From “SENATOR,” Page 1 Before his father died in June, do anything until the next elec- asked how to reign in some of The deadline for Briefly is noon he said, they had a monthly meal tion.” Obama’s displays of power, he the day before. Items submitted in the and the listing of the Lesser together at the Rooks County Later, he said, when Demo- said the most recent lawsuit morning will be set up for the following Prairie Chicken as a threatened Health Center. They did not crat Rosa DeLauro of Connecti- was brought by the U.S. House day, space available. The deadline for species were government efforts choose this location because his cut was appointed as chair of the of Representatives. He said he Monday’s paper is noon Friday. he does not want to see happen. father needed to be in the hospi- House agriculture appropria- feels the suits will show that He said he would like to see tal, but because everyone there tions subcomittee, she came to Obama has been violating the Research center to more money go to medical re- knew and cared about him. him for advice. Moran said he Constitution, but unfortunately search, but thinks we could stop Moran said his parents did a talked about issues such as re- is probably will not be resolved mark 100th birthday federal intrusion in public edu- better job of passing the coun- search and crop insurance, but while he is still president. And Kansas State University will mark cation, and he would also like to try off to his generation than his DeLauro interrupted him to ask Democrats themselves, he add- 100 Years of agriculture research in help farmers and ranchers. generation did of passing the a simple question: What does a ed, ought to have told the presi- northwest Kansas with a field day at the “You used to be able to say country off to their kids. farmer do? So Moran organized dent by now to stop some of his Northwest Area Research-Extension ‘My parents were farmers,’” he The senator described two a trip with his fellow lawmaker actions. Center at 2 p.m. Thursday and field tours National Weather Service said. “Now, it’s my grandparents interactions he had with Demo- to Kansas, where she went to It is interesting to him that running from 2:30 p.m.