Commission tables vote on new county vehicles

Douglas County commissioners tabled discussion Wednesday on bids for nine patrol cars and two Public Works pickup trucks, arguing that a tight budget warranted more investigation into the expense.

“I’d rather make cuts in horsepower than manpower,” said Charles Jones, who temporarily resigned his position as commissioner last week to gain eligibility for the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System. Jones will return to the commission Jan. 13 and in the meantime is sitting in on meetings.

The commissioners asked Sheriff Rick Trapp about the possibility of smaller, more fuel-efficient cars or models without “extras” such as cruise control, and Commissioner Jere McElhaney said he would spend time reviewing options with Trapp in coming days.

The bids, which were opened a few weeks ago, are good for 90 days, but commissioners said they hoped to make a decision by the Jan. 15 meeting.

Leavenworth driver killed in accident

A 40-year-old woman was killed in a two-car accident around 1 p.m. Wednesday in Leavenworth County.

Kimberly E. Moore, Leavenworth, was southbound on 199th Street at County Road 14 when she failed to yield the right of way to a westbound vehicle. Her vehicle was knocked into reverse upon impact, went down a small embankment and came to a stop. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Martha M. Madison, 76, was the driver of the other vehicle, and Warren Madison, 79, the passenger. Both sustained nonlife-threatening injuries and were transported to Cushing Memorial Hospital in Leavenworth.

Fight participant arrested for assault

It was anything but a routine arrest for a Lawrence Police officer early Wednesday.

The officer trying to break up a fight just after midnight at Ninth and Massachusetts streets, ended up getting a face full of blood.

Police said a 30-year-old Lawrence man had cracked his head open in a fall. According to spokesman Sgt. Mike Pattrick, the suspect then threw his own blood in the face of the officer who was trying to help him.

Pattrick said the officer had to go through a decontamination process.

The suspect was taken to jail on charges of battery of a law enforcement officer.

LMH moves ahead on Tonganoxie clinic

Lawrence Memorial Hospital is making progress in seeking to recruit a family-practice physician to serve at a medical clinic LMH is planning to build and staff in Tonganoxie, hopefully by the end of next summer.

Hospital management is in touch with several possible candidates for the position at the prospective clinic, Gene Meyer, LMH’s chief executive officer, reported Wednesday at the monthly meeting of the hospital’s board of trustees.

The physician who is hired will work at the clinic through an employment agreement with LMH.

The hospital already is in talks to purchase a $75,000 piece of real estate in Tonganoxie to serve as the site of a 2,500-square-foot medical office building.

Hospital management is trying to determine the best approach to the long-term decision to own or lease this building, board members were told.

Missing camcorders recovered by school

Lawrence Police are investigating the theft of two camcorders last week from West Junior High School.

Police said two 14-year-old boys and a 13-year-old boy were suspected of taking the video cameras, valued at more than $2,000, from the band office at the school.

A parent found one of the camcorders at home with her son’s belongings and called school officials. The other camera was discovered in a student’s locker.

Police said at least one of the three boys was taken to the Douglas County Youth Services detention facility in North Lawrence.

Students’ ornaments go to elderly residents

Students at Cordley School put their recess time to good use, and elderly folks at Babcock Place are among the beneficiaries.

Principal Kim Bodensteiner said fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders at Cordley volunteered to made gingerbread ornaments out of stuffed brown paper, buttons and other decorative materials.

The 45 little guys were sent to Babcock Place, which is a school-business partner with Cordley, 1837 Vt. The holiday favors were given to elderly residents of Lawrence this week.

Bodensteiner said the project was led by Cordley’s student council.