Kansas Klips

Brazilian student happy in northwest Kansas

ATWOOD — “So far it has been a perfect experience,” Vitor Borelli exclaimed as he spoke of his adventure of coming to Kansas from his native Sao Paulo, Brazil for the school year. Sam and Jan Crouse are his host parents and he relies on his American brother, Pete Crouse, for explaining about farm life and many other unfamiliar customs. “Pete helps me a lot with what words mean and so do all the other guys at school,” Vitor said. “We have a lot of fun. It is my first time to play football, and I like it but sometimes it is scary.” Communicating in English is becoming easier every day. He also speaks a little Spanish, but his native language is Portuguese. Vitor goes to a private school with about 100 students in his senior class. This isn’t Vitor’s first American visit. His family has relatives in New Jersey where he has visited several times. His hope is that his parents and brother can come to Atwood next spring and then spend time in New Jersey. (Rawlins County Square Deal)

Kansas felon dies in custody at county jail

HUTCHINSON — A Reno County Correctional Facility inmate died Saturday, Oct. 1. Late Friday, after deputies booked 36-year-old Kyle Allen Skeen into the Reno County Correctional Facility on charges stemming from a local warrant, according to a release from the Reno County Sheriff’s Office. When jail staff came around to serve breakfast Saturday morning, they found Skeen unresponsive. Deputies then entered the cell and began lifesaving measures, including CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillator. Hutchinson Fire also responded, and Skeen was unable to be resuscitated. As is agency protocol, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation was called in, along with the Reno County Coroner’s Office. (HaysPost.com)

Man killed in electrocution incident

STRONG CITY — A 36-year-old man died Friday, Sept. 30th, following an electrocution incident in eastern Kansas. The incident happened at around 3:20 a.m. in the 2100 block of 240th Road near Strong City. Chase County Sheriff Jacob Welsh told KVOE News that Shawn Gilligan was trying to build a device to convert alternating current to direct current power when he was electrocuted. An investigation was ongoing. (KAKE News)

Man from Hays arrested after woman struck by car in Great Bend

GREAT BEND — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a violent domestic dispute and have a suspect in custody. Just after 5 pm. Tuesday, Barton County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a reported disturbance, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir. Individuals at the scene reported a woman had been struck by a vehicle and there had also been a stabbing. Upon arrival, deputies located the suspect vehicle as it was attempting to flee the scene. The driver, identified as 42-year-old Justin Merritt of Hays, was taken into custody. Witnesses at the scene stated the driver of the vehicle, Merritt, accelerated toward the victim several times, at one point striking her, causing the victim to go over the hood of the vehicle, according to Bellendir. Further investigation indicated the suspect had several self-inflicted lacerations to an arm. Merritt was transported to the Barton County jail and booked on requested charges of aggravated battery and is being held in lieu of a $40,000 bond. (HaysPost.com)

Great Bend woman sentenced to life in prison for January 2022 murder

LaCROSSE — A Great Bend woman has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 25 years for the January 2022 murder of a LaCrosse man, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said today. Jennifer Stipe, 49, of Great Bend, was sentenced in Rush County District Court by Chief Judge Bruce Gatterman. Stipe pleaded guilty on August 10 to one count of first degree murder. Gatterman also ordered Stipe to pay $5,000 in restitution. The charges stem from the January 11, 2022, murder of Leslie Marvin Randa, 61, in LaCrosse. The case was investigated by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Rush County Sheriff’s Office. (Kansas Attorney General News Release)

Norton County Sheriff’s Office welcomes K-9

NORTON — On September 19, the Norton County Sheriff’s Office welcomed a new fourlegged deputy to the patrol team: a 10-month-old German Shepherd named Jaida. Deputy Ryan Blecha, a 2011 graduate of Norton Community High School and former United States Marine Corps Sergeant, is K-9 Jaida’s handler. Jaida has been trained in Narcotics Tracking and Detection and is “pawsitively” ready to police the Norton County communities to help the sheriff’s office keep drugs out of Norton County. While attending a Criminal/Rural Patrol Tactics class held at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center in Dodge City in April, Deputy Blecha met Ed Van Buren, a retired Douglas County (Neb.) Sheriff’s Department sergeant who spent over 30 years in law enforcement, 18 years as a K-9 Deputy, and 11 years as a K-9 Supervisor and Trainer. After returning home to Norton following his completion of the Patrol Tactics class, Deputy Blecha created and presented a proposal which he presented to the Norton County Commissioners for the acquisition of a K-9 Unit for the county. (The Norton Telegram)