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Volume 104 • Number 1 • Thursday, January 2, 2014 • PO Box 188 • 111 E. Jenkins • Maryville, MO
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Victim’s dad queries Lobdell investigation By TONY BROWN News Editor
Victim defended by father
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Mickey Lobdell, center, who was shot and killed at a family gathering Dec. 27 in northern Nodaway County, is shown with two unidentified women in this photo provided by his father, Michael Lobdell. The elder Lobdell has raised questions about the way his son’s shooting is being investigated by local authorities.
The fatal shooting of a Kansas man at a family gathering Dec. 27 northwest of Hopkins has led to a war of words and social media rants between relatives of the victim and friends and family of the shooter, who authorities believe may have acted in self defense. In an interview with the Daily Forum on Tuesday, Michael Lobdell said he has been led to believe that his son, Mickey Lobdell, 34, was shot by Lewis Scrhodt, 51, without sufficient cause to believe he was in imminent physical peril. The elder Lobdell said that after talking to Danille Campbell, variously described as Mickey Lobdell’s girlfriend or fiance, he feared his son may have been gunned down needlessly. Campbell was at the home of Schrodt and his wife, Brenda, when the shooting occurred, and claims, according to Michael Lobdell, that Schrodt fired the fatal bullet from a .38-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver
while Mickey Lobdell was “40 or 50 feet away.” Michael Lobdell said he was told that Schrodt fired two warning shots into the air in quick succession without giving Mickey Lobdell time to exit the property. This version of events, however, varies radically from eye-witness reports gathered at the scene by Nodaway County Sheriff Darren White and other law officers. In the official report, now under review by Nodaway County Prosecuting Attorney Robert Rice, all adult witnesses present, including Campbell, are said to have agreed that Schrodt, after ordering Mickey Lobdell from his home, followed the deceased onto a porch and again warned him to leave the property. At that point, according to witnesses, Lobdell threatened Schrodt and began walking back toward the house. Schrodt, who had armed himself before leaving his residence, reportedly fired a single warning shot into the air. After the gun was discharged, White See LOBDELL, Page 3
Red Cross reaches out to lessen winter’s chill By KEVIN BIRDSELL Staff Writer
When Charles Samuels’ house trailer in Burlington Junction burned down earlier this week, the result of a faulty wood stove, Samuels said the Midland Empire Chapter of the Red Cross responded immediately and began making arrangements for temporary lodging and other assistance. Though often associated with massive Western wildfires, catastrophic hurricanes, major winter storms and other disasters, the local Red Cross organization also stands ready to help individuals, including Nodaway County residents, who face individual crises that are no less heartrending for their small scale. This time of year especially, when space heaters, fireplaces, christmas lights and other heat sources spark an increased incidence of house fires, the Red Cross, along with its locally based volunteers, is there to lend a helping hand. Along with a little experience-driven advice. “It’s important for people to remember to shut off their heaters and unplug lights when they leave the room,” says MIdland Empire Executive Director Angie Springs. “It will help people stop the problem before it starts.” But when fire, loss, flood and bitter cold do threaten northwest Missouri families, the Red Cross is capable of fielding a corps of trained volunteers who often live in the same communities as the people they serve. And the key word in that sentence is trained, since the important thing in any disaster response, large or small, is not wanting to help but knowing how to. The Midland Empire Chapter conducts volunteer training in a number of area communities and welcomes organizations that might be willing to host See RED CROSS, Page 3
RED CROSS PHOTO
There because they care
Members of the Midland Empire Chapter of the Red Cross take part in a training exercise at Mozingo Lake Recreation Park in October 2013. Though associated in the public’s mind with hurricanes and other major disasters, the relief agency also assists individuals, including Nodaway County residents, in the wake of smaller-scale emergencies such as house fires and power outages.
Space heaters pose risk By STEVE HARTMAN Staff writer
Be warm, but be safe
STEVE HARTMAN/DAILY FORUM
Brad Watkins, manager at Watkins True Value Hardware, is pictured with a large selection of portable space heaters, including infrared models that have grown in popularity in recent years due to their reputation for both safety and efficiency.
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As the cold of another Missouri winter arrives in full force, many people find it necessary to use auxiliary heat sources in order to raise the temperature inside their homes to a comfortable level. For many that means plugging in a space heater. While these heaters work well when used properly and connected to adequate wiring, they also pose fire risks and require some serious thought about safety. According to information provided by Kansas City Power & Light, more than 25,000 residential fires every year are related to the use of space heaters, resulting in more than 300 deaths. In addition, an estimated 6,000 people are
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treated in hospital emergency rooms annually for injuries associated with accidentally touching the hot surfaces of room heaters, mostly in non-fire situations. When buying and installing a small space heater, KCP&L recommends that customers purchase newer model heaters designed with up-to-date safety features. They should also make sure the heater carries the Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) label. Choose a thermostatically controlled heater, both for the sake of energy efficiency and the extra level of safety provided by the device automatically shutting off when a certain temperature has been reached. Select a heater designed for the size of room you wish to heat, and remembers that bigger is not necessarily better or safer. Do not purchase oversized heaters. Most of the See HEATERS, Page 3
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