Suspicious Death and Fire in Colby
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The MIDWEEK Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013 Goodland1205 Main Avenue, Goodland, Star-News KS 67735 • Phone (785) 899-2338 $1 Volume 81, Number 13 10 Pages Goodland, Kansas 67735 weather report Suspicious death and fire in Colby A 27-year-old Colby woman was found department sent out a statement, adding that Kirby Ross, editor of the Phillips County and a Kansas Highway Patrol car were on 28° near death in her burning home Saturday more information would be released when it Review, said the Phillips County Sheriff’s Of- the scene. 10 a.m. morning and her 11-month-old baby was becomes available. fice included an item on the case in its regular Fire Chief Bob McLemore said the call Monday missing. Also assisting in the investigation were report of its activities. Among the service calls came in at 7 a.m. Saturday and the fire was The baby was found safe near Logan, when the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office, the on Saturday, an item says the sheriff’s office out by 7:15. Today authorities arrested a man wanted in the case. state Fire Marshall’s Office and the Kansas assisted the KBI in locating an individual “The main part of the fire was in a bedroom • Sunset, 5:20 p.m. Police canceled a pickup order for the man Highway Patrol. wanted in Thomas County. The subject was at the front of the house,” he said that morning, Wednesday and the child about noon Saturday, saying According to the police statement, after arrested in rural Phillips County. adding that he knew someone was inside, but • Sunrise, 6:42 a.m. both had been located in Phillips County. entering the burning house, firemen found the Billy Shank of Garden City, Morris’ ex- could not say who. • Sunset, 5:21 p.m. Teri Chase Morris, an emergency medical victim near the front of the home. She was not boyfriend, is the alleged suspect. He report- Lois Struckmeyer, who lives across the technician with the Thomas County ambu- responsive and was taken to Citizens Medical edly was taken to the Phillips County jail, street from the house, said sirens woke her Midday Conditions lance crew and a meat department manager Center, where she later died. but officials there, reached by telephone this up and she saw that the south bedroom of the • Soil temperature 36 degrees at the Colby Walmart, was found about 7 Family members have declined to com- morning, said they’d been told not to com- house was on fire. • Humidity 48 percent a.m. The Colby Fire Department had been ment on the woman’s death at the request of ment on the case. Police and jail officials in Phillip LeDou, who lives next door to the • Sky partly cloudy called to her home, 125 S. Chickamauga St., police. The Colby Police Department referred Colby said the same thing. woman’s home, said a young woman came • Winds north 10 mph for a fire. all questions to Don Brown, communications Police had cones blocking the street at out of a white four-door car and rang his • Barometer 30.15 inches The Colby Police Department and the director for the Kansas Attorney General’s the corner of Chickamauga and Webster on doorbell to say there was a fire. LeDou said and rising Kansas Bureau of Investigation were han- Office. Brown did not respond to telephone Saturday. Two fire engines, the fire chief’s • Record High today 78° (1962) dling the case. Saturday evening, the police calls this morning. car, a city car, three police cars, an ambulance See DEATH, Page 5 • Record Low today -11° (1948) Last 24 Hours* High Sunday 40° Medical Low Sunday 18° The not-so-little mermaid Precipitation 0.02 This month 0.07 Year to date 0.14 service Below normal 0.39 inches The Topside Forecast Today: Sunny with a high near running 43, winds out of the west at 10 to 15 mph switching to the northwest in the afternoon and a low around 17. Wednesday: Sunny with a high contests near 49, winds out of the northwest at 10 to 15 mph and a low around In an effort to help the community 25. take ownership in the new Sherman Extended Forecast County ambulance service, Director Thursday: Partly sunny with a Duane Wright is holding a logo and chance of flurries and sprinklers, a motto competition. high near 40 and a low around 19. Wright is taking logo submissions Friday: Partly sunny with a chance until the end of February. They of flurries, a hihg near 34 and a can be left at the Sherman County low around 19. Saturday: Mostly Courthouse labeled “Attention: sunny with a high near 46 and a Duane.” There will be a $25 prize low around 24. for the winner. (National Weather Service) Wright said he has already had some submissions from the graphic design department at Northwest Kansas Technical College. Wright said he will be taking submissions for a motto for the new service from March 1 to March 31. The county took over the am- bulance service from Goodland local Regional Medical Center in Janu- ary, and has been working on the markets transition for several years. 10 a.m. Wheat — $7.52 bushel Posted county price — $7.49 Dialysis unit Corn — $7.15 bushel Posted county price — $7.18 Milo — $6.70 bushel begins work Soybeans — $13.62 bushel Posted county price — $14.27 The new dialysis unit at Goodland Millet — no bid Regional Medical Center has begun Sunflowers treating its first patient. Oil current crop — $23.65 cwt. The hospital has been working on Confection — no bid the unit for several years. Construc- Pinto beans — $28 tion was completed last year, but (Markets by Scoular Grain, Sun Opta, the opening was delayed while the Frontier Ag and 21st Century Bean. hospital hired a medical director. These may not be closing figures. ) Hospital Administrator Jay Jolly, speaking to the Goodland Rotary Club on Friday, said now that the first patient is being treated, the state The Goodland High School X-Pressos show choir performed Saturday at the United Methodist Church. The group performed a can inspect the unit. Once it passes the song “Kiss the Girl” from Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” – with variety of musical numbers and other skits during the evening. inside that inspection, it can begin treating Ian Bonsall playing the mermaid – at the Valentine Banquet on Photo by Kevin Bottrell/The Goodland Star-News today more patients. More local news, views from your Former city workers run for commission seats Goodland Star-News Self-employed businessman Former division manager sees wants city to build relationships economic, agricultural challenges By Kevin Bottrell we really need,” he said, “not on things that By Kevin Bottrell other side,” he said. [email protected] just a few certain individuals want.” [email protected] Erickson said he sees the overall position Dan Knitig, a candidate for Goodland He said he would like to see the city work Phil Erickson saw a lot of city commis- of the city as good, but the economy and the City Commission, said that after working for to keep good employees, suggesting a set pay sioners come and go throughout his career effects of the drought are going to be major the city streets department for six scale or incen- with the streets challenges over the next few years. years, he feels he has a good handle tives. department, and The drought in particular, he said, on what needs addressed in infra- Knitig said now after retir- effects everything in town. For structure and human resources. he’d also like ing, he is running instance, he said, the price of grain Knitig is a 1991 Goodland High to see the city Election for a seat on that affects the price of cattle, which School graduate as well as a gradu- have better re- very body. affects the price of meat at the Mavericks ate of the Northwest Kansas Tech- lationships with Erickson, a supermarket. nical College auto body program. the school dis- 2013 Goodland native, “It’s all connected,” he said. win twice His wife Sherry also works at the trict, businesses is a 36-year vet- Erickson said that if he were to college. around town and eran of the city be elected, he would help get more The Northwest Tech men’s Knitig spent the past six years Knitig especially the college. Northwest streets department. He retired in Erickson water lines replaced and see more basketball team picked up a working in the city streets depart- tech brings a lot of money and October after serving as division street and curb improvements. He pair of wins at home Thurs- ment. He left in August and is now self- people into Goodland, he said. manager. Throughout that time he has seen pointed to water lines on Sherman day against Laramie County employed doing concrete work, something “Sometimes I think its under appreciated,” the city expand and contract, and said it Avenue between 16th and 14th Streets as a Community College and he says is going very well. he said. would be nice to see growth again. particularly bad area. These improvements Saturday against Air Force Knitig said he sees a lot of good things hap- Knitig said he would like to see the city Erickson said his career has given him an do cost, he said, in money, time and man- Prep. pening at the city, singling out Police Chief offer more scholarships for college students.