The Hutchinson City Council moved through a full agenda during its meeting last evening,&nbsp;taking action&nbsp;on financial resolutions, development fees, regional agreements, legal matters, and major public works updates and approved a new contract for the city’s top administrator.&nbsp;

Council&nbsp;began by approving the&nbsp;consent agenda, which included several board and commission appointments and the&nbsp;2026 employment contract for City Manager Enrico Villegas.&nbsp;

Under the new agreement, Villegas will earn&nbsp;just under $192,000&nbsp;next year, an increase from his&nbsp;2025 compensation of $162,500. The contract also provides a&nbsp;$500 monthly vehicle allowance, a&nbsp;city-issued cell phone, and&nbsp;contributions to his Health Savings Account (HSA).&nbsp;

Two&nbsp;routine&nbsp;but essential end-of-year items were approved unanimously. &nbsp;First,&nbsp;a&nbsp;resolution authorizing the city to pay&nbsp;2026 payroll and claims&nbsp;promptly, ensuring bills and payroll are processed without delay.&nbsp;Also approved a&nbsp;renewal of the city’s&nbsp;annual waiver from state GAAP accounting standards, allowing Hutchinson to continue using the Kansas municipal regulatory basis. Finance staff said the method is easier for residents to follow, less costly to audit, and consistent with past financial reporting.&nbsp;

Council approved an ordinance authorizing the issuance of&nbsp;future General Obligation&nbsp;(GO)&nbsp;bonds&nbsp;for several planned projects:&nbsp;

The dollar amounts listed represent maximum bonding authority and may be adjusted once bids are&nbsp;finalized.&nbsp;

One of the most notable decisions of the evening was&nbsp;council’s&nbsp;adoption of an updated&nbsp;Planning and Zoning Master Fee Schedule&nbsp;— the first major revision in more than 30 years.&nbsp;Community Development Director Matt Williams said the new fees better reflect actual service costs and bring Hutchinson closer in line with peer cities, while still remaining below average in most categories.&nbsp;The changes take&nbsp;effect&nbsp;January 1.&nbsp;

Under the new fee&nbsp;schedule:&nbsp;&nbsp;

Council&nbsp;also adopted a&nbsp;memorandum of understanding&nbsp;with&nbsp;the City of&nbsp;South Hutchinson and Reno County that prevents annexation disputes over land tied to the proposed&nbsp;Evergy&nbsp;power plant.&nbsp;Hutchinson&nbsp;City Attorney Paul Brown said the agreement ensures a smooth path for the multimillion-dollar energy project and reflects improved cooperation between local governments.&nbsp;

The city will&nbsp;participate&nbsp;in national PFAS (“forever chemicals”) litigation after council voted to&nbsp;retain&nbsp;Stag Liuzza, LLC, and&nbsp;McDonald Tinker&nbsp;on a&nbsp;contingency-fee basis.&nbsp;Although Hutchinson’s water system currently shows&nbsp;non-detect&nbsp;PFAS levels in both the wellfield and finished water, working with settlement counsel&nbsp;positions&nbsp;the city to recover future testing costs and meet upcoming regulatory deadlines.&nbsp;

Public Works presented a video and detailed update on the&nbsp;Woody Seat Phase 2 reconstruction, which began in March.&nbsp;Highlights to date include:&nbsp;

The city expects&nbsp;Avenue A and the Adams Street connection to reopen by the end of January, weather&nbsp;permitting, with&nbsp;full completion,&nbsp;including the Avenue C bridge,&nbsp;is targeted for&nbsp;early summer.&nbsp;

Street crews briefed&nbsp;the council&nbsp;on their winter operations plan, covering salt and brine application, snow routes, training, and weather-monitoring systems. Hutchinson&nbsp;maintains&nbsp;680 lane miles&nbsp;of roadway, with&nbsp;333 lane miles&nbsp;designated&nbsp;as primary routes.&nbsp;Crews also&nbsp;showcased&nbsp;their newly decorated snowplows,&nbsp;painted in partnership with USD 308,&nbsp;which will appear in this weekend’s Christmas parade.&nbsp;

Council members highlighted the importance of regional cooperation following last week’s joint meeting with South Hutchinson, Reno County, and the Chamber of Commerce. They also announced upcoming community events, including Saturday’s gingerbread house activities at Memorial Hall and the Downtown Hutchinson Christmas Parade.&nbsp;

The meeting ended after an executive session&nbsp;regarding&nbsp;legal matters with the city attorney.&nbsp;

Council approves non-annexation MOU, City Manager's contract

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The Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) has released its 2025 Thanksgiving Weekend Holiday Activity Report.

The reporting period for the holiday ran from&nbsp;6:00 pm&nbsp;on&nbsp;Wednesday, November 26&nbsp;through&nbsp;11:59 pm&nbsp;on&nbsp;Sunday, November 30.

KHP worked one fatal non-DUI related crash, involving one non-DUI related fatality over the holiday reporting period.

The fatal crash occurred in Finney County.&nbsp; Preliminary crash log information can be found here:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.gov/khp-crashlogs/search.do">https://www.kansas.gov/khp-crashlogs/search.do</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Information in the tables below compares the data to both 2023 and 2024.&nbsp;

KHP releases 2025 Thanksgiving activity report

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/category/obituaries">Click&nbsp;to view the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners</a>.

Hutch Post is honored to publish full obituaries and photos. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/35522b08-cd30-49e1-93e0-85962282628b">PLEASE CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE NEW OBITUARY POLICY.</a> Funeral homes can send notices to <a href="http://hutchpost@eaglemedia.com">hutchpost@eaglemedia.com&nbsp;</a><a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank"> </a>

Recent obituaries and service times

The Medicine Shoppe in Hutchinson is paying a heartfelt tribute to one of the community’s most beloved voices. On Tuesday, the pharmacy unveiled its newly wrapped delivery Jeep — complete with a special nod to longtime sportscaster Rusty Hilst, who passed away earlier this year after battling ALS.

A photo shared on Facebook shows the hood of the Jeep featuring an homage to Hilst, the iconic voice of the Hutchinson Salthawks and Hutchinson Community College Blue Dragons for decades. Known for his warm delivery, unmistakable enthusiasm, and deep love for local sports, Hilst became a fixture in Reno County households.

The tribute highlights one of his well-known on-air references: “The Lightest Touch.” The phrase became a signature line during Medicine Shoppe advertisements Hilst read during sports broadcasts, praising Travis and Lacey at The Medicine Shoppe for their gentle, virtually pain-free vaccinations.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/283fc785-5df2-4636-bdea-60682beb0328">LINK:&nbsp;Hutchinson mourns loss of beloved teacher, broadcaster Rusty Hilst</a>

“He will forever be missed and remembered,” the post reads, reflecting the sentiment shared widely across the community since Hilst's passing. His legacy as a broadcaster, mentor, and friend remains deeply felt throughout Hutchinson’s sports and media circles.

The Medicine Shoppe also extended thanks to two local businesses involved in the Jeep’s new look — Innovative Tint &amp; Graphics and Gale Wall Photography — for their quality work and community partnership.

The tribute vehicle will now travel throughout Hutchinson as a rolling reminder of Hilst’s voice, impact, and the joy he brought to generations of local sports fans.

Medicine Shoppe honors Rusty Hilst 

HUTCHINSON — Buhler School District Superintendent&nbsp;Cindy Couchman&nbsp;joined the KWBW Morning Show this week, offering a detailed look at how USD 313 makes winter weather decisions, prepares for the busy December season, collaborations with other Reno County districts, and plans for long-term enrollment changes.&nbsp;

Couchman explained that she routinely begins evaluating potential snow days around&nbsp;4 a.m., driving roads across Buhler’s large district to&nbsp;determine&nbsp;travel conditions. She works closely with the National Weather Service, relying on storm timing, confidence&nbsp;levels&nbsp;and radar to know whether roads will be safe.&nbsp;

She said the district aims to make a call by&nbsp;6 a.m., when buses begin warming up. But this week’s system—projected to&nbsp;hit around&nbsp;7 a.m.—was especially challenging.&nbsp;

“That is one of the worst&nbsp;arrival&nbsp;times a storm can have for a school system,” Couchman said. “We really need to know by about 6 a.m. because our buses have to get on the road.”&nbsp;

Ultimately, decisions&nbsp;are made with&nbsp;student drivers&nbsp;in mind.&nbsp;

“When I make a decision to cancel school, I’m really making it for my inexperienced drivers who may be in a sedan with not-great tires,” she said. “We can always make up time, but we can’t make up a life.”&nbsp;

Couchman added that USD 313 now uses&nbsp;two-hour late starts&nbsp;more&nbsp;frequently, giving time for daylight, improved&nbsp;visibility&nbsp;and more&nbsp;accurate&nbsp;storm evaluation.&nbsp;

Operation Joy to Spark December Spirit&nbsp;

As the semester nears its end, Buhler students and staff are gearing up for&nbsp;Operation Joy, a districtwide celebration running Dec. 15–19. The entire district&nbsp;participates&nbsp;in themed dress-up days such as Light-Up Day and Ugly Sweater Day.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;Buhler Education Foundation&nbsp;also donates daily prizes for staff, ranging from small classroom items to electronics,&nbsp;blankets&nbsp;and gift cards.&nbsp;

Reno County Districts Unite for January Training Day&nbsp;

Looking ahead, all Reno County public and private schools will come together on&nbsp;January 5&nbsp;for “All&nbsp;Hands on&nbsp;Deck,” a countywide professional development day hosted at Hutchinson Community College and the Sports Arena.&nbsp;

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/abd4e071-2c19-4a50-ab5f-4ea73662f67d">LINK:&nbsp;"All Hands on Deck" to return in 2026</a>

The featured speaker will be&nbsp;Kim Bearden, co-founder of the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, known nationally for her work in student engagement and leadership.&nbsp;

Couchman said the event, coordinated by representatives from each district, is only held every other year and has become a valuable collaborative tradition.&nbsp;

Declining Birth Rates Raise Long-Term Planning Concerns&nbsp;

Couchman also addressed a topic affecting districts statewide: declining enrollment tied to falling birth rates.&nbsp;

Reno County births have dropped from&nbsp;762 in 2010&nbsp;to&nbsp;655 in 2023, a shift that is now beginning to affect kindergarten class sizes. Historically, about&nbsp;22%&nbsp;of county births eventually&nbsp;enroll&nbsp;in USD 313 five years later—a percentage that has held surprisingly steady.&nbsp;

“Our upper grades have 170 to 185 students, but our younger grades are closer to 135 to 150,” she said. “As those larger classes graduate, we’re going to feel the impact.”&nbsp;

Couchman emphasized that Buhler is&nbsp;not in&nbsp;crisis, but&nbsp;is taking proactive steps to avoid future staffing or financial strain.&nbsp;

“We’re&nbsp;trying to ‘right-size’ the district,” she said. “Every time a position opens, we take a careful look at whether the numbers justify filling it. We want long-term stability.”&nbsp;

Buhler Ed Foundation Bringing Back Dueling Pianos&nbsp;

Couchman also promoted the return of the Buhler Education Foundation’s&nbsp;Dueling Pianos&nbsp;fundraiser, set for&nbsp;January 23&nbsp;at the 1861 Club. The $80 ticket includes dinner, beverages,&nbsp;auctions&nbsp;and an evening of entertainment, with Couchman and local principals even stepping in as guest bartenders. Tickets are available through the district website.&nbsp;

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/0f5db33b-b0f6-4737-beaa-4c8010c17e2c">LINK:&nbsp;Buhler Education Foundation to host 'Dueling Pianos'</a>

A Busy Season and a Bright Outlook&nbsp;

Couchman closed the interview by wishing families a joyful holiday season and expressing excitement for the months ahead.&nbsp;

“We have great things happening in Buhler, and we’re grateful for our community’s support,” she said.&nbsp;

Couchman talks winter weather decisions, declining birth rates

Join the Buhler Education Foundation for an evening of Dueling Pianos!

 Enjoy a delicious dinner from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 23, followed by incredible music from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. at the 1861 Club on the Kansas State Fairgrounds. 

Don't miss your chance to win exciting raffle items throughout the night! 

Tickets are available for purchase today through Jan. 9, or until they are sold out. Join us for a night with friends, music, and fun all while supporting Buhler Schools!

Get your tickets NOW through <a href="https://www.successfund.com/2pz3q?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExNmJMZ1BRSXJINGl3V3dBOXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR43FiXX35yZwha7g7yOWGo7Y_AcxhJGBthLryjBmThEAdGBmjmN7aWxreMX6A_aem_tRAkHoTuiltLxuWex2axbQ">this link</a>.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.successfund.com/2pz3q?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExNmJMZ1BRSXJINGl3V3dBOXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR43FiXX35yZwha7g7yOWGo7Y_AcxhJGBthLryjBmThEAdGBmjmN7aWxreMX6A_aem_tRAkHoTuiltLxuWex2axbQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Our exceptional event is sponsored by:

We value each of these sponsors greatly and thank them for helping us plan our event!&nbsp; &nbsp;

Buhler Education Foundation to host 'Dueling Pianos'

StartUp Hutch is pleased to announce a special holiday edition of Entrepreneurship Connections, taking place on Tuesday, December 9, from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM at Sandhills Brewing, located at 111 W. 2nd Avenue in Hutchinson.

This month’s gathering will feature Mark Buckley, owner of The Toy Depot in Downtown Hutchinson and former Small Business Development Center consultant. With years of experience supporting entrepreneurs and operating a beloved local business, Buckley will share valuable insights on small business development—offering practical guidance and inspiration for both aspiring and experienced entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurship Connections is a free monthly networking event designed to foster collaboration, spark discussion, and strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Reno County. Attendees who register in advance will receive a free drink ticket.

<a href="https://www.startuphutch.com/event-details/entrepreneurship-connections-special-holiday-edition">You can register at this link.</a>&nbsp;

For more information about StartUp Hutch and its programs, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.startuphutch.com/">www.startuphutch.com</a>.

StartUp Hutch to hold holiday edition of 'Entrepreneurship Connections'

Here’s the latest booking activity from the Reno County Jail. This information is provided by the Reno County Sheriff’s Office and is not criminal history. The Hutch Post assumes no legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, or completeness, of this information. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. ——————————————

Andrew	William	Avena		12/2/2025 9:58&nbsp;AM	In Transit From-To Other Agency

Tia	Renee	McKenna		12/2/2025 10:21&nbsp;AM	DUI; 1st conv; comp evidence of blood/breath .08+

Troy	Adams	Miller		12/2/2025 10:40&nbsp;AM	Poss of hallucinogenic drug

Lawson		Little		12/2/2025 11:39&nbsp;AM	Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body,					Possession of Paraphernalia with Intent to Manufacture Controlled Substance,					Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant,					Drugs; Unlawful Manufacturing of Controlled Substance; no priors; non-meth

Charles	Lynn	Ford		12/2/2025 1:34&nbsp;PM	Distribute heroin/certain stim/fentanyl; &gt;100grams					Possession of Paraphernalia with Intent to Manufacture/Plant/Cultivate/Distribute Controlled Substance,					Drugs; Distribute Substance designated in 65-4105,4107,4109,4111(Oxy, Hydrocodone); 10 to &lt; 100 dosage units

Corey	Wayne	Drake		12/2/2025 2:22&nbsp;PM	Probation Violation

Michele	Lynn	Zubia		12/2/2025 3:19&nbsp;PM	DL Violation; No Drivers License,					Insurance; Fail to Show Proof of Liability Insurance,					Drugs; Paraphernalia; Sell/Distribute/Possess for illegal use,					Possession of marijuana,					Possession of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant,					Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body,					Drugs; Distribute Opiates/Opium/Narcotic (Cocaine, Crack, Amphetamine); &lt; 3.5g

Harold	Herbert	Loveland	Jr	12/2/2025 7:23&nbsp;PM	Insurance; Fail to Show Proof of Liability Insurance,					Possession of marijuana,					Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body

Tiffany	Dawn	Parr		12/2/2025 7:24&nbsp;PM	Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body,					Possession of THC,					Aggravated endangering a child; Reckless situation to child &lt;18,					Probation Violation,					Failure to Appear,					Possession of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant

Kevin	Duwayne	Dilbeck		12/2/2025 8:46&nbsp;PM	Failure to Appear

Rachel	Gwen	Weeks		12/2/2025 11:44&nbsp;PM	Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant,					Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body

Emansel	L	Rossiter		12/3/2025 12:02&nbsp;AM	Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant,					Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body

Daily Bookings

Reno County is asking residents to weigh in on future community investments and the potential use of sales tax funding, launching a broad push to ensure voices from across the county are heard.

While approximately 4,000 randomly selected households received a mailed survey in November, county officials emphasize that every resident is invited to participate. Those who did not receive a paper copy can access the survey online by scanning the provided QR code or by visiting the direct link shared on county communication channels.

The survey is being conducted in partnership with Wichita State University’s Public Policy and Management Center (PPMC), which is assisting the county in gathering feedback about community priorities. Responses will help guide discussions on long-term investment strategies, service needs, and whether a sales tax approach should be considered to support future projects.

Residents who received a survey in the mail are encouraged to complete the paper form or use the QR code included in their packet to submit answers electronically.

County leaders say widespread participation will ensure the results reflect the full range of perspectives across Reno County.

The survey is currently open and available to all residents.

Reno County invites all residents to participate in sales tax survey

The City of Hutchinson is replacing two valves and a fire hydrant on Adams Street.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In a Facebook post, the city said that the southbound lanes of Adams Street will be closed between Ninth and Tenth Street through Monday, Dec. 8.

Valve replacement and hydrant replacement to affect Adams Street

SEDGWICK COUNTY– A Kansas teacher, accused of sex crimes involving a student was back in court Tuesday for a preliminary hearing.

A Sedgwick County Judge determined&nbsp; there was enough evidence against 30-year-old&nbsp; Nicole Morgan Baird Hernandez to go to trial, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In May, she was charged with four counts of unlawful sexual relations with a student, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; She was an art teacher at Wichita North High School, according to the school web site.&nbsp;The student involved was over the age of 16, according to the arrest report.

On May 22, police arrested her in the 300 Block of West Tyler in Wichita. She met the requirement for bond and was released from custody the following day.

Kan. art teacher accused of sex crime with student will face a trial

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A doctor who pleaded guilty to selling ketamine to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/matthew-perry">Matthew Perry</a>&nbsp;in the weeks before the “Friends” star’s overdose death was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison on Wednesday.

Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett handed down the sentence plus two years of probation to 44-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/matthew-perry-arrests-doctor-assistant-3a9230ff6658e6b478751c8c1ec3e430">Dr. Salvador Plasencia</a>&nbsp;in a federal courtroom in Los Angeles.

The judge emphasized that Plasencia didn’t provide the ketamine that killed Perry, but told him, “You and others helped Mr. Perry on the road to such an ending by continuing to feed his ketamine addiction.”

“You exploited Mr. Perry’s addiction for your own profit,” she said.

Plasencia was led from the courtroom in handcuffs as his mother cried loudly in the audience. He might have arranged a date to surrender, but his lawyers said he was prepared to do it today.

Perry’s mother and two half sisters gave tearful victim impact statements before the sentencing.

“The world mourns my brother,” Madeleine Morrison said. “He was everyone’s favorite friend."

“My brother’s death turned my world upside down,” Morrison said, crying. “It punched a crater in my life. His absence is everywhere.”

Plasencia was the first to be sentenced of the five defendants who have pleaded guilty in connection with Perry’s death at age 54 in 2023.

The doctor admitted to taking advantage of Perry, knowing he was a struggling addict. Plasencia texted another doctor that Perry was a “moron” who could be exploited for money, according to court filings.

Prosecutors had asked for three years in prison, while the defense sought just a day in prison plus probation.

Perry’s mother talked about the things he overcame in life and the strength he showed.

“I used to think he couldn’t die,” Suzanne Perry said as her husband, “Dateline” journalist Keith Morrison, stood at the podium with her.

“You called him a ‘moron,’” she said. “There is nothing moronic about that man. He was even a successful drug addict.”

She spoke eloquently and apologized for rambling before getting tearful at the end, saying, “this was a bad thing you did!” as she cried.

Plasencia also spoke before the sentencing, breaking into tears as he imagined the day he would have to tell his now 2-year-old son “about the time I didn’t protect another mother’s son. It hurts me so much. I can’t believe I’m here.”

He apologized directly to Perry’s family. “I should have protected him,” he said.

Perry had been taking the surgical anesthetic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ketamine-matthew-perry-death-charges-drug-1f6bc37573a44408146e42260b689de4">ketamine</a>&nbsp;legally as a treatment for depression. But when his regular doctor wouldn't provide it in the amounts he wanted, he turned to Plasencia, who admitted to illegally selling to Perry and knowing he was a struggling addict.

Plasencia’s lawyers tried to give a sympathetic portrait of him as a man who rose out of poverty to become a doctor beloved by his patients, some of whom provided testimonials about him for the court.

The attorneys called his selling to Perry “reckless” and “the biggest mistake of his life.”

Plasencia pleaded guilty in July to four counts of distribution of ketamine. Prosecutors agreed to drop five different counts. The agreement came with no sentencing guarantees, and legally Garnett can give him up to 40 years.

The other four defendants who reached deals to plead guilty will be sentenced at their own hearings in the coming months.

Prison for doctor who sold ketamine to ‘Friends’ star Matthew Perry

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon knew there were survivors after a September attack on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean Sea and the U.S. military still carried out a follow-up strike, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The rationale for the second strike was that it was needed to sink the vessel, according to the people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss it publicly. The Trump administration says all 11 people aboard were killed.

What remains unclear was who ordered the strikes and whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was involved, one of the people said. That will be part of a classified congressional briefing Thursday with the commander that the Trump administration says ordered the second strike, Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley.

Hegseth has defended the second strike as emerging in the “fog of war,” saying he didn’t see any survivors but also “didn’t stick around” for the rest of the mission.

Hegseth is under growing scrutiny over the military strikes on alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. Legal experts and some lawmakers say a strike that killed survivors would have violated the laws of armed conflict.

AP: Pentagon knew boat attack left survivors, still launched follow-on strike

WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas accountant was sentenced Wednesday to 48 months in prison for defrauding clients of his accounting firm, who were also his relatives, of more than $400,000, according to the United State's Attorney.

According to court documents, Quintin Flanagin, 45, of Colby pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, one count of false statements, and one count of money laundering.

As a certified public accountant (CPA), Flanagin used his status as a signatory on his clients’ business account and trust account to make unauthorized transactions. Between December 2021 and August 2022, he wrote checks and initiated wire transfers totaling $409,710 to Middle Finger Ranch, a fictitious name that Flanagin connected to his personal bank account. He wrote false verbiage in the memo lines indicating the transactions to be payments for farm operations. 

Flanagin then used the stolen money to help pay for the construction on his new home.

In October 2022, after his victims noticed discrepancies and confronted him, Flanagin took several actions to conceal his crimes including removing Middle Finger Ranch from his personal account. Federal investigators later found a note Flanagin wrote stating that prosecutors couldn’t prove who input the check for processing and that he could likely feign innocence and say his company wasn’t monitoring the account.

“The name of Mr. Flanagin’s fictitious ranch speaks for itself. After stabbing his family in the back, Flanagin lied to their faces. When the victims directly questioned him about accounting inconsistencies, he fabricated convoluted flowcharts and blamed third parties for the fraudulent checks,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “In his hubris, Flanagin thought he could outsmart federal investigators and forensic accountants. He was wrong. My office will continue to use the full force of the federal government to prosecute financial crimes.”

“Mr. Flanagin was entrusted with a fiduciary duty to protect the financial interests of the victims in this case,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Cyrus of the FBI Kansas City Field Office.

“Instead of acting with integrity and in the interest of his clients, the defendant used his position to personally benefit from the scheme. Today’s sentencing reiterates the severity of the case and the seriousness by which the FBI takes financial fraud schemes.”

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.

Kan. CPA, creator of ‘Middle Finger Ranch,’ fraud scheme is going to prison

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose near their record levels on Wednesday as mixed data on the economy kept alive hopes that a cut to interest rates is coming soon.

The S&amp;P 500 gained 0.3% and pulled within 0.6% of its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/investors-401k-what-to-do-bb0663da4643e8c3dbe08a4092482aa5">all-time high</a>&nbsp;set in late October. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 408 points, or 0.9%, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.2%.

The biggest jump in the S&amp;P 500 came from Microchip Technology, which leaped 12.2% after saying it expects sales and profit for the final months of the year to come in at the high end of the forecasted ranges it earlier gave. CEO Steve Sanghi said business is doing better than expected, and it’s reducing inventory levels.

Marvell Technology was another winner and rose 7.9% after the supplier of semiconductor products delivered a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. CEO Matt Murphy credited demand for its data center products, while also announcing a purchase of Celestial AI to bolster its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial-intelligence</a>&nbsp;infrastructure business. The deal’s price tag could top $3.25 billion.

Stocks broadly got a lift from easing Treasury yields in the bond market. Yields fell after a report suggested U.S. employers outside of the government may have cut more jobs in November than they added.

While the surprisingly weak report from ADP may be discouraging for people looking for jobs, it also bolstered expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut its main interest rate next week. If the Fed does, that would be the third cut of the year in hopes of helping the slowing job market.

Investors love lower interest rates because they boost prices for investments and can charge up the economy.

A separate report Wednesday on activity for U.S. services business was more encouraging. It said growth was stronger last month than expected for businesses in the retail, finance, insurance and other industries.

The report from the Institute for Supply Management’s survey also said that prices were increasing at their slowest rate since April. That’s important because the main argument against cutting interest rates is that it could worsen inflation.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.06% from 4.09% late Tuesday.

Lower interest rates can boost prices for all kinds of investments, and bitcoin climbed above $93,000 following its scary downward run in recent weeks. It briefly plunged below $81,000 last month.

On Wall Street, American Eagle Outfitters rallied 15.1% after the retailer reported a better profit than expected. Its CEO, Jay Schottenstein, said it also saw a strong start to the holiday shopping season with an acceleration in demand across its brands during the Thanksgiving weekend.

Capricor Therapeutics surged 371.1% after the biotech company reported encouraging results for its potential therapy for people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

On the losing end of Wall Street were relatively few companies, including one out of every three stocks in the S&amp;P 500 index. But among them were some of the market’s most influential stocks, which kept indexes in check.

Microsoft fell 2.5% and was the heaviest weight on the S&amp;P 500.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/macys-comparable-sales-consumers-economy-inflation-04d1e70be1d6137443b14c509739ea38">Macy’s</a>&nbsp;lost 1.1% after flipping between losses and gains through the day. It reported a profit for the latest quarter that was much better than the loss that analysts were expecting, but its stock had already come into the day with a gain for the year so far that more than doubled the S&amp;P 500’s.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 20.35 points to 6,849.72. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 408.44 to 47,882.90, and the Nasdaq composite gained 40.42 to 23,454.09.

In stock markets abroad, indexes were close to flat in Europe following a mixed finish in Asia.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 1.1% on gains for technology stocks like Tokyo Electron. SoftBank Group Corp. leaped 6.4% following reports that its founder, Masayoshi Son, regretted having to sell&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-softbank-son-nvidia-ai-chips-d8a10172850628c317a214280a4d94c9">shares in computer chipmaker Nvidia</a>&nbsp;to help pay for other investments.

Chinese indexes sank following the release of data showing weaker factory activity. Stocks fell 1.3% in Hong Kong and 0.5% in Shanghai.

AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.

Wall Street pulls near its all-time high

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump pardoned Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cuellar-bribery-investigation-trial-52ca87ef616e39ef0270733900361c92">a federal bribery and conspiracy case</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday, citing what he called a “weaponized” justice system.

Trump, who has argued that his own legal troubles were a partisan witch hunt, said on social media without presenting evidence that Cuellar and his wife, Imelda Cuellar, were prosecuted because the congressman had been critical of President Joe Biden’s immigration policies.

Trump, a Republican, said in a social media post that Cuellar “bravely spoke out against Open Borders” and accused Biden, a Democrat, of going after the congressman and his wife “simply for speaking the TRUTH.”

Federal authorities had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/henry-cuellar-texas-azerbaijan-ddb1dea393ba88d8d823557ec6c0d93a">charged Cuellar</a>&nbsp;and his wife with accepting thousands of dollars in exchange for the congressman advancing the interests of an Azerbaijan-controlled energy company and a bank in Mexico. Cuellar is accused of agreeing to influence legislation favorable to Azerbaijan and deliver a pro-Azerbaijan speech on the floor of the U.S. House.

Cuellar has said he and his wife are innocent. The couple’s trial had been set to begin next April.

“Henry, I don’t know you, but you can sleep well tonight,” Trump wrote in his social media post announcing the pardon. “Your nightmare is finally over!”

The Cuellars' attorneys and a spokesperson for Biden did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Cuellar still faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cuellar-house-ethics-committee-azerbaijan-justice-department-f126c9adcd361b2c8b279974a87abfbc">an Ethics Committee investigation</a>&nbsp;in the House. It began in May 2024 shortly after his indictment and was reauthorized in July. The committee said it was in contact with the Justice Department about mitigating the risks associated with dual investigations while still meeting its obligations to safeguard the integrity of the House.

Cuellar, who has served in Congress for more than 20 years, is a moderate Democrat who represents an area on the Texas-Mexico border and has a history of breaking with his party when it comes to immigration and firearms.

He was among the most vocal critics of the Biden administration’s response to a record number of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. He also is one of the last Democrats in Congress who opposes abortion rights.

Cuellar is not the only Democrat Trump has pardoned this year. In February, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pardons-rod-blagojevich-ea52b9bd10ee8120934c434e5c75e406">pardoned former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich</a>, five years after he had commuted his sentence in a political corruption case.

Like in Cuellar’s case, Trump suggested that New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, faced federal corruption charges because he made comments critical of Biden’s immigration policies.

Trump did not pardon Adams, but after Trump took office, the Justice Department moved to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-mayor-eric-adams-charges-ff3730a2e870cd219e8fead8899118b1">drop the case</a>&nbsp;against the mayor, who had begun working with the Republican administration on immigration issues.

A top Justice Department official, who was also Trump’s defense lawyer in several of his cases, stepped in to seek dismissal in the case.

Why President Trump just pardoned a Democrat Congressman 

Kansas State football coach Chris Klieman is retiring after seven seasons with the Wildcats, a person familiar with his decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday, ending a tenure that included a Big 12 championship and a bowl trip every year but one.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision had not been announced. Kansas State pushed back an 11 a.m. local time news conference for national signing day to 4 p.m., and Klieman and athletic director Gene Taylor were to speak at that time.

The school is targeting Texas A&amp;M offensive coordinator Collin Klein, who played quarterback for Hall of Fame coach Bill Snyder at Kansas State and later served a prominent role on Kleiman's first staff in Manhattan, to be his replacement.

It is unclear whether Klein would be allowed to coach the Aggies if they are selected for the College Football Playoff.

The Wildcats were a popular pick to challenge for the Big 12 title this season, and potentially make the College Football Playoff for the first time. Instead, they lost their opener to Iowa State in Dublin, Ireland, got embarrassed by Army at home a few weeks later, and needed to beat Colorado this past weekend to finish 6-6 and qualify for a bowl game.

They are still awaiting their destination, and it is expected that Klieman will coach them there one last time.

The past couple of years have clearly worn on the 58-year-old Klieman, who replaced Snyder in 2019 following a successful tenure at North Dakota State, where he captured four Football Championship Subdivision titles in a five-year span.

The native of Waterloo, Iowa, was almost immediately embraced by the blue-collar Kansas State fanbase, which saw in Klieman a hardworking Midwesterner much like themselves. His teams played much the same way that Snyder’s did the previous generation, avoiding penalties and mental mistakes while earning a reputation for physicality and toughness.

Yet in the years since Klieman was hired, the college football landscape has fundamentally changed. The transfer portal coupled with name, image and likeness payments have dramatically altered the way that teams are built, and the recruit-and-develop style of both Snyder and Klieman has become nearly impossible to successfully sustain.

Tension seemed to boil over for Klieman following a 51-47 loss to No. 15 Utah on Nov. 22, a game that the Wildcats had dominated.

He opened with a lengthy statement in which he praised the effort shown by his team, which has been ransacked by injuries, and then Klieman addressed a segment of the Kansas State fan base that had begun calling for his job amid a disappointing year.

“I’ve heard it enough that the kids have cashed in and that we need to get new leadership over here and new players, new coaches. I’m tired of it,” Klieman said. “I've got to be honest with you, I’m tired of it. I’ve given my friggin'-ass life to this place for seven years — I’ve given everything for seven years. And I think I deserve something, a little respect.”

Klieman choked up several times during the news conference. At one point, Taylor approached Klieman and gave him a hug.

“You ain't going anywhere, bud,” Taylor told him. "Understand that. We’ve got your back. We’ve got your back.”

AP: Kansas State coach Chris Klieman stepping down after 7 seasons

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

The proposed constitutional amendment also includes a ban on gender-affirming health care for minors, a provision opponents say violates a state law requiring amendments only cover one subject

A state appeals court will hear arguments Wednesday over whether Missouri Republicans erred in how they drafted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/bts_web/bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=13399177" target="_blank">a constitutional amendment banning abortion</a>&nbsp;that voters will see on next year’s ballot.

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