The Salina Journal from Salina, Kansas • Page 3

THE SALINA JOURNAL Great Plains TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1998 Ar3. BRIEFLY SALINA MURDERS CKF opens branch office in Abilene The Central Kansas Foundation for Alcohol anti-Chemical Dependency, headquartered in Salina, opened a branch office in Abilene Feb. 2. The office will offer individual counseling and outpatient treatment, said Cindy Smith, clinical director. The office is at 306 N.

Cedar. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m, Monday through Friday. The ojTJ9e is staffed with one counselor, Chris McKee, who was for- me.rly with the Central Kansas Mental Health Center in Salina. office will accept walk-in clients as well as those referred from court.

Treatment is provided, for adolescents and adults. Setting off fireworks need more approval Murder trial could cost court $30,000 No new developments seen in White's offer to avoid death penalty and plead guilty By DAVID CLOUSTON The Salina Journal Saline County District Court administrator Doug Smith Monday told Saline County Commissioners Monday that the court's expenses for trying accused triple murderer Alan Eugene White are estimated at $30,000. White, accused of killing two women and a child in an east Salina home in July 1996, is to be tried for WHITE People who want permits to put on. fireworks displays in Saline County this Independence Day will have to jump through another 'hoop. Saline County commissioners are'considering a change that would require people setting off public displays to be certified by theiState Fire Marshal's Office.

laws require the certification, said Gail Aills, director of Saline County Emergency Management. i Aills said the test is offered at the Fire Department. Another proposed change in the fireworks ordinance would give rural fire chiefs the authority io stop displays if "any condi- tidn exists that threatens or endangers life or property." teen sister charged with attempted murder CONCORDIA A 17-year-old Glasco girl has been charged with attempted first-degree murder in the 1 Feb. 12 stabbing of her sister. Cloud County Attorney Robert Walsh filed the charge late Friday against Samatha Ann Stieben.

'No court date will be set until Sti'eben is released from Larned Slate Security Hospital, where she'was taken after the stabbing, a' spokeswoman for the county at- tofney's office said Monday. Injured was Suzanne Stieben, 16. were called to the Stieben home about 3 a.m. on a reported burglary and stabbing. They found the sisters and no sign of burglary.

Suzanne was taken to Cloud (Jounty Health Center at Concor- by emergency personnel. 4 $alina baby still in Wichita hospital ij three-month-old Salina boy Remained hospitalized Monday at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita with injuries he suffered when he tyas allegedly shaken last week. 'The boy was not identified by jjolice because of his age. the request of the boy's par- ants, Wesley officials would not jjomment on the boy's condition. jjut Lt.

Mike Sweeney of the Sali- ija Police Department said doctors believe the boy will make a jlill recovery. boy was injured Wednes- Sweeney said. That evening, arrested James Allen ns, 19, 914 N. Fourth, on agitated battery charges in con- hection with the incident. 12? Body found in wooded area is identified 2H3UTCHINSON The body of Keftneth Lee Collier was found with a gunshot wound in a wooded region of Reno County near Hutchinson on Saturday.

Collier, 46, Hutchinson, was reported missing Dec. 22 and last £een on Dec. 16. An autopsy determined that he had been shot, and officials are investigating the lleaih as a homicide. Killer of two siblings cpu Id be freed CITY, Kan.

A confessed murderer whose sentencing 15 years ago convinced Kansas lawmakers to put more teeth in the state's sentencing laivs is up for parole. jftichael Cade was convicted of thpJanuary 1983 beating murders offJ2-year-old Janelle Duffield and 1 sister Kelly, 17, in their Olathe home. fcade told police he picked the at random. £ade, 22 at the time, was arrested" two months later, confessed and was sent to prison for life. Cut a life sentence in 1983 meant the possibility of parole af- tej 15 years, and Cade is eligible.

'1 From Staff and Wire Reports those crimes in Topeka beginning in April. Prosecutors so far have not accepted White's surprise offer, made public last week, to plead guilty to the murders in order to avoid the death penalty. In a document filed with the court by his attorneys from the state's death penalty defense squad, White agreed to serve what amounts to a life sentence, and waive his rights to appeals, pardon and parole. That filing was questioned by Judge Dan Boyer, who expressed concern about White's ability to get a fair trial should a plea deal not be struck. Boyer Wednesday issued a gag order to prevent news stories about the filing, but lifted that order the following day after a challenge by the Journal.

Neither attorneys for White nor Saline County Attorney Julie McKenna would confirm or deny Monday whether plea negotiations were taking place. McKenna said, however, "I will do everything I can to spare the cost to the county." The county's costs include, besides the court expenses, the cost of prosecution, which is led by McKenna. An estimate of that cost hasn't been made public. Meanwhile, court officials are proceeding with plans for a trial, which was moved to Topeka because of pre-trial publicity. Smith's estimate pegs the total court costs at $30,250.

Of that, $9,700 is attributed to the added cost of having the trial in Topeka. Smith's estimate breaks down the cost: Selecting a jury and having a panel serve for up to two months $17,250. Renting Topeka's Expo Center as part of the jury selection process $828. Postage for sending out jury summonses $500. Room and board for court staff, including the judge's secretary and support staff from the Saline County District Court Clerk's Office $7,200.

(This figure does not include room and board for the judge and the court reporter, whose expenses are paid by the state, not Saline County.) Cost to make a copy of the court's file on the case for the Shawnee County District Court Clerk's office $700. Cost of printing questionnaires in triplicate for potential jurors $2,500. Miscellaneous copying costs $300. Mileage for travel to Topeka $972. Of the total of $30,250, about $11,000 was paid in last year's court budget, Smith said.

Nevertheless, Smith is projecting the court will be about $9,000 over its budget this year. The court's annual budget totals about $280,000, Any deficit would likely be made up from the county's contingency fund, he said. Smith said plans are to send the jury summonses and print the jury selection questionnaires beginning March 9, unless a plea bargain is reached before then. White is accused of killing Dolores McKim, 80, her daughter, Carol Abercrombie, 56, Soddy-Daisy, and Abercrombie's grandson, Christopher Abercrombie, 5, Greenville, S.C. Their bodies were found at McKim's house at 1721 Glen Ave.

White is an acquaintance of McKim's late husband. SALINA CITY COMMISSION Salina's finances are strong Healthy economy evens out swings in city tax revenue, officials say The Associated Press Rep. Thomas Klein, D-Wichita, rests his head as the House Utilities Committee hears testimony Monday on prohibiting unauthorized changing of consumers' telephone service providers. Ethics, booze get attention Ethics panel would be strengthened by subpoena change By AMY LIGNITZ The Associated Press TOPEKA A measure to strengthen the power of the state ethics commission continued to advance toward the desk of Gov. Bill Graves, who supports the proposal.

The bill, which also Legislature enjoys the IQQft support of legislative leaders, cleared a House committee on Monday and headed to the chamber floor. The bill would eliminate a requirement that the Commission on Governmental Standards and Conduct notify the subject of an investigation or a potential witness that it plans to issue a subpoena. The subject or witness then has up to 30 days to respond. Child safety seats Meanwhile, the Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee discussed whether the state should give a tax incentive to people who buy child safety seats, which are required by law for children under 4. A bill would give an income tax credit of up to $50.

Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka, said he and Sen. Marge Petty, D- Topeka, believe a tax incentive is needed to help low-income families buy safety seats. But some lawmakers were skeptical. Sen. Greta Goodwin, D-Winfield, said the state could toughen the enforcement and penalties for failure to use child restrain systems, and use that revenue to help low-income people buy them.

Mail-order booze A House committee gathered testimony on a bill aimed at stopping Kansans younger than 21 from receiving alcohol from out-of-state shippers. The Internet makes it especially easy for minors to order and receive alcohol. And packages containing beer or liquor ususally aren't marked and ususally don't require a signature, said R.E. "Tuck" Duncan, a spokesman for the Kansas Wine and Spirits Wholesalers Association. The bill before House Federal and State Affairs Committee would license makers of alcoholic beverages that want to ship their products into Kansas, and require them to ship to only people 21 and older for their personal use.

It would require that packages be labeled as containing alcohol and require a signature upon receipt. Higher education reform Bowing to Gov. Bill Graves' top concern, the House Select Committee on Higher Education agreed Monday night to propose submitting a constitutional amendment abolishing the state Board of Regents at the November general election. The panel had proposed sending the amendment to voters at the August primary election, but Graves cited that as his major objection to the plan developed by the committee to restructure the governance of postsecondary education in Kansas. Graves said not enough people vote at the primary election to make it a true referendum.

The entire plan hinges on voter approval of the proposed amendment. It would remove the present constitutional mandate that the state have a seven- member Board of Regents to govern the state's six universities and their affiliated institutions. A new 11-member "Kansas Council on Postsecondary Education" would be created to govern the six state universities and Washburn University. The council also would coordinate educational activities of the state's 19 community colleges and 11 vocational schools and technical colleges. Funeral processions A bill giving funeral processions the right of way passed out of the Senate Transportation and Tourism Committee on Monday after it was amended to narrow a provision on liability.

The bill, which went to the Senate, would require drivers to use their headlights and escort vehicles to be equipped with a flashing or rotating purple light, except those escorts from law enforcement agencies. BOXING INJURY By CRISTINA JANNEY The Salina Journal Marathon-running boxer in critical condition By The Associated Press WICHITA A Wichita man who fought in a Toughman Contest boxing match collapsed after the match and was hospitalized with head injuries. Greg Lamb, 24, was in critical condition Monday at Wichita's Via Christ! Regional Medical Center-St. Francis Campus. The Cessna employee, marathon runner and father of two children won a match Friday night, but did not win the match on Saturday night.

Police took a report of the incident, but were not treating it as a criminal case. No charges were brought against Lamb's opponent. "Really, it's just an inherent danger that goes along with boxing," said Stephen Coppler, a spokesman for Adore Able Promotions of Bay City, the contest's sponsor. After finishing the fight Saturday, Lamb was checked my a doctor and walked around before collapsing. He was then taken to a hospital.

"It's unfortunate that the situation happened," said Rod Tanner, a member of the Wichita athletic commission and assistant athletic coordinator for the Wichita Parks and Recreation Department. Tanner noted that the contest required contestants to wear protective headgear, gloves and mouthpieces. "We have taken all the precautions that we have," he said. Contestants in the amateur boxing match are matched by weight and fight three, one- minute rounds with a one-minute rest period in between. Greg Gorrell, the local coordinator, said Sunday night he had believed that the oversized gloves and headgear boxers wore would have prevented injuries like Lamb's.

"I guess I thought everybody was as invincible as I was," said Gorrell, a former professional boxer and kickboxer. Fighters underwent a pre-fight physical and signed release forms before they entered the ring. Gorrell said he feels a sense of responsibility for what happened to Lamb. "I will not participate in another Toughman fight," he said. A strong economy is bringing in increased tax revenue, and the city is in good financial shape, according to Rod Franz, finance director.

He and City Manager Dennis Kissinger gave the Salina City Commission a report on the city's 1997 finances at a study session are having a hard time finding the cloud for the silver lining," Kissinger said. Sales tax revenue beat the $8.4 million midyear estimates by coming in at almost $8.7 million. Kissinger said the city will continue to conservatively budget sales tax revenue. "We are not going to see double- digit increases as we saw a few years ago, and we are not going to see it be flat. I would like us to beat the rate of inflation," Kissinger said.

Property tax revenue was also up, from $5.4 million in 1996 to almost $5.7 million in 1997. Delinquency rates were down from about 4 percent to 2 percent, Franz said. Sales tax accounts for 18 percent of the city's revenues, and property taxes account for 12 percent. The decrease in the city's reliance on property tax has been consistent with the city commission's goal, Kissinger said. However, government can rely on the elastic sales taxes only to a point, Kissinger said.

When the economy declines, sales taxes have much less stability than property taxes, he said. The city has budgeted for decreases in vehicle taxes as the state implements changes in the way vehicles, are taxed. A good economy and an increase in the number of people buying new cars pushed vehicle tax revenue past the city's estimates last year by more than $50,000. Motel tax slips City officials were surprised by a slight decrease in the transient guest tax, despite an increase in the number of hotel rooms in Salina and reports from hotel owners of good occupancy rates. Franz said heavy competition among motels might have lowered room rates.

One of the funds Kissinger said he and staff were watching closely was the Bicentennial Center fund, which experienced a revenue decrease of more than $100,000 last year. But because costs also decreased, the center still came in within budget. The decreases were mainly in the area of facility rental and concessions. Staff attributed the decrease to the loss of the Big Eight Tournament. Other city business During their regular session, commissioners: Approved a charter ordinance that will allow the city to refinance combined water and sewer system bonds.

Approved the utility department setting a date for bids for a water well house rehabilitation program. Repairs will be done to six brick structures. Approved 1998 position papers, on federal and state legislation. SUGGESTIONS? CALL BEN WEARING, DEPUTY EDITOR, AT (785) 823-6363 OR 1-800-827-6363 OR E-MAIL AT.