Heskett Trial Begins Monday in Lawrence
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) _ A Trial is scheduled to begin Monday for a Eudora health care attendant who claims he killed a client as an assisted suicide. Douglas County prosecutors have charged 49-year-old Ronald Heskett with premeditated first-degree murder in the September 2014 suffocation death of 65-year-old Vance Moulton. Heskett has called it a ``mercy killing'' because Moulton was depressed. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that prosecutors plan to argue at the trial that some of Moulton's money has been missing since his death. Heskett's attorney, Mike Warner, has said no clear evidence has been presented to support financial motive in the killing.
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Wichita Firefighters Honor Fallen
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) _ Firefighters in full gear climbed the stairs of a downtown Wichita skyscraper to honor fire crew members who died in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The Wichita Eagle reports 200 firefighters took part in Saturday's Wichita 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at the Epic Center. Teams of six or so firefighters headed up the stairs at five-minute intervals. The World Trade Center had 110 floors. The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks killed 343 firefighters. Crews in Wichita wore badges bearing the fallen New York firefighters' names and photos.
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Independence Hospital to Close Doors
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) _ The scheduled closure of a hospital in Independence is highlighting problems faced by rural health care providers in states that have refused to expand their Medicaid programs. Mercy Hospital is scheduled to close in October. Hospital spokeswoman Joanne Smith says the state's refusal to expand Medicaid was not a deciding factor in the decision, but it was certainly significant. Medicaid expansion would have brought in $1.6 million annually to the Independence facility.
