HUTCHINSON, Kan. — As is tradition, the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce September Membership Breakfast is being held Thursday at the Kansas State Fair at 8 a.m.&nbsp;

Breakfast will be held at the 4H Encampment Building. At the breakfast, guests will hear from Lt. Gov. David Toland as the featured speaker.&nbsp;

Event parking is located off 25th Street with access to the fairgrounds through Gate 5.&nbsp;

The cost for members is $20. Following the September Membership Breakfast, guests are asked to gather at the Visitor Center on the fairgrounds for the ribbon cutting of the new mural.&nbsp;

Local artist Brady Scott adorned the western walls of the visitor center with a new mural featuring iconic rides from the fair.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635351049170.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — As is tradition, the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce September Membership Breakfast is being held Thursday at the Kansas State Fair at 8 a.m.&nbsp;Breakfast will be held at the 4H Encampment Building. At the breakfast, guests will hear from Lt. Gov. David Toland as the featured speaker.&nbsp;Event parking is located off 25th Street with access to the fairgrounds through Gate 5.&nbsp;The cost for members is $20. Following the September Membership Breakfast, guests are asked to gather at the Visitor Center on the fairgrounds for the ribbon cutting of the new mural.&nbsp;Local artist Brady Scott adorned the western walls of the visitor center with a new mural featuring iconic rides from the fair.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Chamber breakfast is Thursday

MCPHERSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities and USD 400 Smoky Valley Public Schools continue investigating an alleged school threat that took place Monday and one student is in custody, according to a media release from police.

Smoky Valley school officials were made aware of information about a potential threat made through social media towards Smoky Valley High School, 1 Viking Boulevard in Lindsborg.

Police were notified of the potential threat and immediately started an investigation into this incident. Through a collaborative effort between USD 400 officials, the McPherson County Sheriff’s Office and the Lindsborg Police Department that went late into the morning hours, a juvenile subject was identified and taken into custody without incident.

While the immediate incident has been resolved, the investigation remains active and ongoing. The Lindsborg Police Department takes these incidents seriously and will investigate them accordingly.

MCPHERSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 400 Smoky Valley Public School are investigating an alleged school threat that took place Monday.

Late Monday, school district officials and Lindsborg Police Department were contacted&nbsp;with information about a potential threat made through social media towards Smoky Valley High School, 1 Viking Boulevard in Lindsborg, according to a statement from&nbsp; Superintendent Heath Hogan on the school district web site.

The Lindsborg Police Department immediately started an investigation into the incident and numerous people of interest are being interviewed by police.&nbsp;

Smoky Valley High School is holding classes on its regular schedule on Tuesday.&nbsp; There is an increased law enforcement presence.&nbsp; Anyone who has specific information related to this threat should contact the Lindsborg Police Department, 785-227-2988.

"The school and the district take every threat seriously and all with be investigated.&nbsp;&nbsp;The district encourages you to report any information about any school safety related incidents to administrators or staff at school, or to the Lindsborg Police Department."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573757762937.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>MCPHERSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities and USD 400 Smoky Valley Public Schools continue investigating an alleged school threat that took place Monday and one student is in custody, according to a media release from police.Smoky Valley school officials were made aware of information about a potential threat made through social media towards Smoky Valley High School, 1 Viking Boulevard in Lindsborg.Police were notified of the potential threat and immediately started an investigation into this incident. Through a collaborative effort between USD 400 officials, the McPherson County Sheriff’s Office and the Lindsborg Police Department that went late into the morning hours, a juvenile subject was identified and taken into custody without incident.While the immediate incident has been resolved, the investigation remains active and ongoing. The Lindsborg Police Department takes these incidents seriously and will investigate them accordingly.-----MCPHERSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 400 Smoky Valley Public School are investigating an alleged school threat that took place Monday.Late Monday, school district officials and Lindsborg Police Department were contacted&nbsp;with information about a potential threat made through social media towards Smoky Valley High School, 1 Viking Boulevard in Lindsborg, according to a statement from&nbsp; Superintendent Heath Hogan on the school district web site.The Lindsborg Police Department immediately started an investigation into the incident and numerous people of interest are being interviewed by police.&nbsp;Smoky Valley High School is holding classes on its regular schedule on Tuesday.&nbsp; There is an increased law enforcement presence.&nbsp; Anyone who has specific information related to this threat should contact the Lindsborg Police Department, 785-227-2988."The school and the district take every threat seriously and all with be investigated.&nbsp;&nbsp;The district encourages you to report any information about any school safety related incidents to administrators or staff at school, or to the Lindsborg Police Department."

Police make arrest for alleged school threat in Lindsborg

RENO COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident just after 2 p.m. Tuesday in Reno County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1997 GMC Van driven by&nbsp; Michael L. Godwin, 46, McPherson, was northbound on Kansas 61 four miles north of Hutchinson.

The vehicle traveled through the median, across the southbound lanes of K61 and came to rest in the northwest ditch.

EMS transported&nbsp;Godwin to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

<figure>
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 </figure>RENO COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident just after 2 p.m. Tuesday in Reno County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1997 GMC Van driven by&nbsp; Michael L. Godwin, 46, McPherson, was northbound on Kansas 61 four miles north of Hutchinson.The vehicle traveled through the median, across the southbound lanes of K61 and came to rest in the northwest ditch.EMS transported&nbsp;Godwin to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

McPherson man dies after van lands in Reno Co. ditch

CHICAGO — Amtrak is canceling the Southwest Chief and many other long-distance routes as the rail carrier continues to assess the ongoing freight rail management - labor contract negotiations. Railroad workers are prepared to go on strike later this week, which would cripple the nation's movement of freight and goods. The strike would also cause the disruption of long-distance trains, including the Southwest Chief.

Amtrak canceled Tuesday departures for its Western U.S.-focused Empire Builder, California Zephyr and the Southwest Chief routes. That means the train coming into Hutchinson on Thursday is canceled. On Tuesday afternoon, the railroad said it was suspending all service for the Chief.

If your train is canceled, Amtrak&nbsp; will attempt to notify you at least 24 hours in advance. If you need information, contact 1-800-USA-Rail.

On Tuesday afternoon, Amtrak released this statement:

Amtrak will be pre-emptively canceling trips over an additional seven Long Distance routes&nbsp;to avoid possible passenger disruptions while enroute&nbsp;on Wednesday, September 14, 2022. &nbsp;

Amtrak is closely monitoring the ongoing freight rail – rail labor contract negotiations. The negotiations do not involve Amtrak or the Amtrak workforce. While we are hopeful that parties will reach a resolution, Amtrak has now begun phased adjustments to our service in preparation for a possible freight rail service interruption later this week. Such an interruption could significantly impact intercity passenger rail service, as Amtrak operates almost all of our 21,000 route miles outside the Northeast Corridor (NEC) on track owned, maintained, and dispatched by freight railroads. These initial adjustments include canceling some Long Distance routes starting on Tuesday, September 13, 2022, and could be followed by impacts to all Long Distance and most State-Supported routes.&nbsp; These adjustments are necessary to ensure trains can reach their terminals before freight railroad service interruption if a resolution in negotiations is not reached.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Most travel within the Amtrak-owned Northeast Corridor (Boston - New York - Washington) and related branch lines to Albany, NY, Harrisburg, PA, and Springfield, MA would not be affected:&nbsp;Acela&nbsp;would operate a full schedule, and only a small number of&nbsp;Northeast Regional&nbsp;departures would be impacted. Amtrak will reach out to impacted and potentially impacted customers, informing them of the potential situation, offering to change their reservation to another travel date, waiving any difference in fare for departures through October 31, or receiving a full refund without cancelation fees.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580416889608.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CHICAGO — Amtrak is canceling the Southwest Chief and many other long-distance routes as the rail carrier continues to assess the ongoing freight rail management - labor contract negotiations. Railroad workers are prepared to go on strike later this week, which would cripple the nation's movement of freight and goods. The strike would also cause the disruption of long-distance trains, including the Southwest Chief.Amtrak canceled Tuesday departures for its Western U.S.-focused Empire Builder, California Zephyr and the Southwest Chief routes. That means the train coming into Hutchinson on Thursday is canceled. On Tuesday afternoon, the railroad said it was suspending all service for the Chief.If your train is canceled, Amtrak&nbsp; will attempt to notify you at least 24 hours in advance. If you need information, contact 1-800-USA-Rail.On Tuesday afternoon, Amtrak released this statement:Amtrak will be pre-emptively canceling trips over an additional seven Long Distance routes&nbsp;to avoid possible passenger disruptions while enroute&nbsp;on Wednesday, September 14, 2022. &nbsp;Information:Amtrak is closely monitoring the ongoing freight rail – rail labor contract negotiations. The negotiations do not involve Amtrak or the Amtrak workforce. While we are hopeful that parties will reach a resolution, Amtrak has now begun phased adjustments to our service in preparation for a possible freight rail service interruption later this week. Such an interruption could significantly impact intercity passenger rail service, as Amtrak operates almost all of our 21,000 route miles outside the Northeast Corridor (NEC) on track owned, maintained, and dispatched by freight railroads. These initial adjustments include canceling some Long Distance routes starting on Tuesday, September 13, 2022, and could be followed by impacts to all Long Distance and most State-Supported routes.&nbsp; These adjustments are necessary to ensure trains can reach their terminals before freight railroad service interruption if a resolution in negotiations is not reached.&nbsp;&nbsp;Most travel within the Amtrak-owned Northeast Corridor (Boston - New York - Washington) and related branch lines to Albany, NY, Harrisburg, PA, and Springfield, MA would not be affected:&nbsp;Acela&nbsp;would operate a full schedule, and only a small number of&nbsp;Northeast Regional&nbsp;departures would be impacted. Amtrak will reach out to impacted and potentially impacted customers, informing them of the potential situation, offering to change their reservation to another travel date, waiving any difference in fare for departures through October 31, or receiving a full refund without cancelation fees.&nbsp;&nbsp;Customer Impact:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Amtrak will only operate trains this week that we can ensure will have enough time to reach their final destinations by 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 16.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Suspended services starting Tuesday, Sept. 13:</li><li><a href="https://www.amtrak.com/routes/southwest-chief-train.html" target="_blank">Southwest Chief</a></li><li><a href="https://www.amtrak.com/routes/empire-builder-train.html" target="_blank">Empire Builder</a></li><li><a href="https://www.amtrak.com/routes/california-zephyr-train.html" target="_blank">California Zephyr</a></li><li>Train #421 portion of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amtrak.com/routes/texas-eagle-train.html" target="_blank">Texas Eagle</a>&nbsp;(Los Angeles-San Antonio)</li><li>Suspended services starting Wednesday, Sept. 14:</li><li><a href="https://www.amtrak.com/routes/city-of-new-orleans-train.html" target="_blank">City of New Orleans</a></li><li><a href="https://www.amtrak.com/routes/coast-starlight-train.html" target="_blank">Coast Starlight</a></li><li><a href="https://www.amtrak.com/routes/crescent-train.html" target="_blank">Crescent</a></li><li><a href="https://www.amtrak.com/routes/lake-shore-limited-train.html" target="_blank">Lake Shore Limited</a></li><li><a href="https://www.amtrak.com/routes/silver-service-palmetto-train.html" target="_blank">Silver Star</a></li><li><a href="https://www.amtrak.com/routes/sunset-limited-train.html" target="_blank">Sunset Limited</a></li><li><a href="https://www.amtrak.com/routes/texas-eagle-train.html" target="_blank">Texas Eagle</a></li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Amtrak will notify additional customers scheduled to be on upcoming trains about the possibility of disruptions.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.

Southwest Chief canceled because of pending rail strike

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — There are always a few small entertainment shows put on at the Kansas State Fair that always turn out to be pretty good. This year, the roaming talent includes Dangerous Feats of Comedy.

Dallas Saute and his son, Nick Stainback, have been wowing audiences at the fair with a blend of dangerous acts and comedy at the same time.

“We are a father son duo that does a high energy, high comedy, daredevil juggling and escape show,” Saute said.

That includes juggling chainsaws, running lawn mowers, hatchets and various other items both flaming and non-flaming. The show's roots go back to the early days of entertainment and that's the way the duo likes it. Saute says it all started when he was in the military.

“I was in the Air Force and stationed in Mississippi,” Saute said. “On the weekends, on leave, we’d go to New Orleans and I would see shows like this.” 

From there, Saute built his craft and learned what did and didn’t work. That’s how he began to involve the audience and use comedy to entertain.

“I started putting a formula together about why this guy is juggling and not making the same money as this guy who is less skilled, but funny,” Saute said.

Eventually, the craft fell to his son, Nick, who found out he had a special talent that came with a physical affliction known as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which is a group of rare inherited conditions that affect connective tissue. It allows Stainback to be double-jointed and extremely flexible. Stainback began performing on the show at age 15 by escaping a straight jacket — an exercise he performs during the show.

“That’s what kind of got me in a straight jacket, when I was 10,” Stainback said. “'Oh, he’s flexible, let's take some pictures,' and at that point I was hooked.”

Stainback can get out of a straight jacket secured with a 50 pound chain and padlocks in less than three minutes.

“I would go to school telling people what I want to be and it was a problem,”Stainback said. “I said all the more reason to want to do it.”

The father and son live in Florida, but have been traveling the fair circuit for the past couple of years after reassessing their show schedule. They say it is still all about having fun.

“I have looked forward to doing every second of this for 30 years,” Saute said. “There hasn’t been one time I haven’t wanted to go make people laugh.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663099313365.jpeg" alt="Nick Stainback tries to escape a straight jacket wrapped in a 50 pound chain during a stunt from the duo called "Dangerous Feats of Comedy" at the Kansas State Fair." />
 <figcaption>Nick Stainback tries to escape a straight jacket wrapped in a 50 pound chain during a stunt from the duo called "Dangerous Feats of Comedy" at the Kansas State Fair.</figcaption>
 </figure>By ROD ZOOK Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — There are always a few small entertainment shows put on at the Kansas State Fair that always turn out to be pretty good. This year, the roaming talent includes Dangerous Feats of Comedy.Dallas Saute and his son, Nick Stainback, have been wowing audiences at the fair with a blend of dangerous acts and comedy at the same time.“We are a father son duo that does a high energy, high comedy, daredevil juggling and escape show,” Saute said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663099438730.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>That includes juggling chainsaws, running lawn mowers, hatchets and various other items both flaming and non-flaming. The show's roots go back to the early days of entertainment and that's the way the duo likes it. Saute says it all started when he was in the military.“I was in the Air Force and stationed in Mississippi,” Saute said. “On the weekends, on leave, we’d go to New Orleans and I would see shows like this.” From there, Saute built his craft and learned what did and didn’t work. That’s how he began to involve the audience and use comedy to entertain.“I started putting a formula together about why this guy is juggling and not making the same money as this guy who is less skilled, but funny,” Saute said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663099509601.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Eventually, the craft fell to his son, Nick, who found out he had a special talent that came with a physical affliction known as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which is a group of rare inherited conditions that affect connective tissue. It allows Stainback to be double-jointed and extremely flexible. Stainback began performing on the show at age 15 by escaping a straight jacket — an exercise he performs during the show.“That’s what kind of got me in a straight jacket, when I was 10,” Stainback said. “'Oh, he’s flexible, let's take some pictures,' and at that point I was hooked.”Stainback can get out of a straight jacket secured with a 50 pound chain and padlocks in less than three minutes.“I would go to school telling people what I want to be and it was a problem,”Stainback said. “I said all the more reason to want to do it.”The father and son live in Florida, but have been traveling the fair circuit for the past couple of years after reassessing their show schedule. They say it is still all about having fun.“I have looked forward to doing every second of this for 30 years,” Saute said. “There hasn’t been one time I haven’t wanted to go make people laugh.”<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.

Dangerous Feats of Comedy enjoying Kansas State Fair


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
According to State Fair General Manager Bryan Schulz, there are still limited tickets and T-Shirts available for tonight's State Fair pub crawl. 

The MY TOWN PUB CRAWL offers a five drink punch card, a themed T-Shirt, and an option to purchase a concert ticket for the Nex-Tech Grandstand show and Bonus Drink Punch Card for the Grandstand.

You must be 21 to be a part of the pub crawl, and they will allow walkups with proper identification.

The pub crawl does have terms and conditions for the event:

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HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
According to State Fair General Manager Bryan Schulz, there are still limited tickets and T-Shirts available for tonight's State Fair pub crawl. The MY TOWN PUB CRAWL offers a five drink punch card, a themed T-Shirt, and an option to purchase a concert ticket for the Nex-Tech Grandstand show and Bonus Drink Punch Card for the Grandstand.You must be 21 to be a part of the pub crawl, and they will allow walkups with proper identification.The pub crawl does have terms and conditions for the event:<ul>
 <li>All participants are responsible for their own safety and well-being during the event. The Kansas State Fair will do its best to ensure that participants safely attend a variety of localities and venues within the Fairgrounds. However, The Kansas State Fair events cannot mitigate every eventuality and as such, The Kansas State Fair events involve an element of possible risk. All participants acknowledge these risks and attend events of their own accord and solely at their own risk.</li><li>The Kansas State Fair Pub Crawl includes opportunities for participants to consume alcohol at their own discretion. The Kansas State Fair urges all participants to drink responsibly and cannot accept any responsibility or liability if participants drink excessively, resulting in damages, ill health, injury or death.</li><li>All participants should be aware of their own physical or mental limitations before attending an event. People with medical conditions or who are pregnant are strongly advised not to participate in the Kansas State Fair events and must inform Kansas State Fair of the full nature of their condition before participating.</li><li>All Kansas State Fair Pub Crawl participants must be 21 years or older. Only official government identification will be accepted as proof of age and includes: Passports, driver licenses, proof of age (21 plus) cards, etc. Unacceptable identification includes photocopies, student cards and other non-government issued identification.</li><li>Registration must be purchased before you may participate in the Kansas State Fair Pub Crawl. </li><li>The Kansas State Fair reserves the right to cancel the Pub Crawl at our discretion and for any reason. In the event of a cancellation, The Kansas State Fair will try to contact participants as quickly as possible and will refund or replace tickets where appropriate.</li><li>Kansas State Fair reserves the right to change or modify the Pub Crawl without notice, including changing or altering venues and routes. In the event of a change, The Kansas State Fair will endeavor to substitute comparable venues but accepts no liability for changes.</li><li>Kansas State Fair accepts no liability for participant’s behavior and reserves the right to refuse entry or remove from events anyone who is drunk, disorderly, aggressive, abusive or anti-social. In the event of refusal or removal, Kansas State Fair will not refund ticket prices or cover any additional costs incurred by participants as a result.</li><li>The participant agrees to indemnify the Kansas State Fair (it’s employees, directors, suppliers, agents, distributors, representatives, etc.) against any third-party claims as a result of the participant’s behavior and actions. Any damages or loss caused by a participant is solely the participant’s responsibility.</li><li>All participating venues reserve the right to refuse entry or remove participants from venues for any reason including drunk, disorderly, aggressive, abusive or anti-social behavior. Kansas State Fair accepts no liability in the event of refusal or removal and will not refund ticket prices in such an event.</li><li>Please note that during any of our events, your photograph/video may be taken. You have the right to ask for that photo/video not to be placed on the Kansas State Fair website and our social media accounts. The images will be reviewed and appropriate actions will take place.</li>
 </ul>

First of two State Fair pub crawls still has tickets

HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The numbers for Dillons Dollar Day were strong Monday at the Kansas State Fair. There were 12,235 $1 tickets sold and 15,600 scans of Plus Cards. When you count in people who already used their full price scans and RVs and comp tickets, over 33,000 people attended Monday.

"We're happy with all the numbers," said Kansas State Fair General Manager Bryan Schulz. "Dillons have been a great sponsor of the Fair and they continue to step up and help us wherever we need. We just appreciate that."

The main medical issues on Monday according to the Kansas Highway Patrol were related to dehydration, so it's important to remind people that they can bring water bottles into the fairgrounds and now there are four dedicated stations for them to fill at.

"We've got one in Meadowlark, we have one in Domestic Arts, we have one in Cottonwood Court and we have one in the breezeway of Ad Astra," Schulz said.

They are also going to add six additional bottle filling stations that will be in place for next year's fair. The fair is also going to ask the midway company about if there is any shade they can provide in future years and there was talk of moving some of the shades that are by some of the livestock buildings this year down to the area near the grandstand and the midway next year. 

Another issue that the large crowd brought with it Monday was some struggles with parking. 

"People were double parking and triple parking," Schulz said. "It's always the guy in the middle that needs to get out right away. We were having to rearrange those. Be cognizant. If you see that there's already two people in front of you, don't park behind them, because then you are illegally parked. We had people that were driving underneath the front parts of some of our stock trailers, because that was the only place to park. Those stock trailers eventually need to get out. You will be towed. That's an added expense you don't want. We'd rather have you spend that money here on the fairgrounds."

Given the lack of parking volunteers, the fair plans to get a dedicated volunteer group just to park the band buses on Wednesday, as the majority of those will be at the fair then.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663083198915.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The numbers for Dillons Dollar Day were strong Monday at the Kansas State Fair. There were 12,235 $1 tickets sold and 15,600 scans of Plus Cards. When you count in people who already used their full price scans and RVs and comp tickets, over 33,000 people attended Monday."We're happy with all the numbers," said Kansas State Fair General Manager Bryan Schulz. "Dillons have been a great sponsor of the Fair and they continue to step up and help us wherever we need. We just appreciate that."The main medical issues on Monday according to the Kansas Highway Patrol were related to dehydration, so it's important to remind people that they can bring water bottles into the fairgrounds and now there are four dedicated stations for them to fill at."We've got one in Meadowlark, we have one in Domestic Arts, we have one in Cottonwood Court and we have one in the breezeway of Ad Astra," Schulz said.They are also going to add six additional bottle filling stations that will be in place for next year's fair. The fair is also going to ask the midway company about if there is any shade they can provide in future years and there was talk of moving some of the shades that are by some of the livestock buildings this year down to the area near the grandstand and the midway next year. Another issue that the large crowd brought with it Monday was some struggles with parking. "People were double parking and triple parking," Schulz said. "It's always the guy in the middle that needs to get out right away. We were having to rearrange those. Be cognizant. If you see that there's already two people in front of you, don't park behind them, because then you are illegally parked. We had people that were driving underneath the front parts of some of our stock trailers, because that was the only place to park. Those stock trailers eventually need to get out. You will be towed. That's an added expense you don't want. We'd rather have you spend that money here on the fairgrounds."Given the lack of parking volunteers, the fair plans to get a dedicated volunteer group just to park the band buses on Wednesday, as the majority of those will be at the fair then.

Dollar day dynamite for fair on Monday

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — As the city of Hutchinson continues to try and find a remedy to the child care shortage in the city, the K-Ready Coalition is inviting employers and community partners for a free virtual webinar on Thursday, Sept. Sept. 22 at 12 p.m. to learn the current state of childcare in Reno County, what’s on the horizon, and what can be done now to solve the childcare crisis.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The number of childcare centers and daycare providers has dropped in Reno County, and employees often struggle to work consistently due to the lack of options.

“The childcare issue is an economic development issue. When children and families thrive, the community thrives,” Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce&nbsp; President Debra Teufel said. “ By having family-friendly workplaces and employers being engaged as part of the solution we can see our community thrive in new ways,”&nbsp;

Speakers include: Alexa Wiens with Abundant Life Community Child Care Center Ashley Webster with the Kansas Child Care Training Opportunity and Dr. Bradford Wiles of the&nbsp; K-State Research and Extension office

Registration is free, and those interested can sign up online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hutchchamber.com/downtown/events/events/p/event/21125/employer-childcare-virtual-webinar?t=36788" target="_blank">https://www.hutchchamber.com/downtown/events/events/p/event/21125/employer-childcare-virtual-webinar?t=36788</a>

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank"> CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the HutchPost mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily HutchPost email news update.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663081542748.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — As the city of Hutchinson continues to try and find a remedy to the child care shortage in the city, the K-Ready Coalition is inviting employers and community partners for a free virtual webinar on Thursday, Sept. Sept. 22 at 12 p.m. to learn the current state of childcare in Reno County, what’s on the horizon, and what can be done now to solve the childcare crisis.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The number of childcare centers and daycare providers has dropped in Reno County, and employees often struggle to work consistently due to the lack of options.“The childcare issue is an economic development issue. When children and families thrive, the community thrives,” Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce&nbsp; President Debra Teufel said. “ By having family-friendly workplaces and employers being engaged as part of the solution we can see our community thrive in new ways,”&nbsp;Speakers include: Alexa Wiens with Abundant Life Community Child Care Center Ashley Webster with the Kansas Child Care Training Opportunity and Dr. Bradford Wiles of the&nbsp; K-State Research and Extension officeRegistration is free, and those interested can sign up online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hutchchamber.com/downtown/events/events/p/event/21125/employer-childcare-virtual-webinar?t=36788" target="_blank">https://www.hutchchamber.com/downtown/events/events/p/event/21125/employer-childcare-virtual-webinar?t=36788</a><a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank"> CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the HutchPost mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily HutchPost email news update.

Child care webinar offered from Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The murder trial for a Hutchinson man has been continued until after the new year. Sandral Wade faces one count of first degree murder and a second count of attempted first degree murder. It is the second time the trial has been delayed.

The trial was to start on Monday, Sept 19 but was continued at the request of the defense after Wade's attorney withdrew from the case earlier this month. Wade has been appointed new counsel and a new trial date will be set at a future hearing.

Wade is accused in the shooting death of Orlando Gipson and the wounding of Landre Bowie in April of 2020.&nbsp;

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the HutchPost mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily HutchPost email news update.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618162821449.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The murder trial for a Hutchinson man has been continued until after the new year. Sandral Wade faces one count of first degree murder and a second count of attempted first degree murder. It is the second time the trial has been delayed.The trial was to start on Monday, Sept 19 but was continued at the request of the defense after Wade's attorney withdrew from the case earlier this month. Wade has been appointed new counsel and a new trial date will be set at a future hearing.Wade is accused in the shooting death of Orlando Gipson and the wounding of Landre Bowie in April of 2020.&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the HutchPost mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily HutchPost email news update.

Murder trial for Hutchinson man continued

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Fire Department announced that due to the extremely dry conditions we are experiencing, the Hutchinson Fire Department is encouraging no outside burning. This includes burning in fire pits or outdoor fireplaces.

The department says if you do burn, they ask that you do so with an abundance of caution. Do not conduct any kind of fire within 50 feet of a structure and have a garden hose or water supply capable of extinguishing the fire with you at all times.&nbsp;

For all fires not in an outdoor fireplace or fire pit, you must obtain a burn permit from the fire department before any burning.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578518303785.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Fire Department announced that due to the extremely dry conditions we are experiencing, the Hutchinson Fire Department is encouraging no outside burning. This includes burning in fire pits or outdoor fireplaces.The department says if you do burn, they ask that you do so with an abundance of caution. Do not conduct any kind of fire within 50 feet of a structure and have a garden hose or water supply capable of extinguishing the fire with you at all times.&nbsp;For all fires not in an outdoor fireplace or fire pit, you must obtain a burn permit from the fire department before any burning.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the HutchPost mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily HutchPost email news update.

Hutch Fire asks residents not to do outdoor burning

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Ridership aboard Amtrak's Southwest Chief increased in July from the previous month. According to figures released by Amtrak, 27,200 passengers rode the “Chief” compared with 26,600 in June.

The numbers are on par for what the rail carrier generally does in the summer months. Those numbers usually include a large number of scout troops who use the train to go to summer camp in New Mexico.

The “Chief” is still being plagued by summer track work, mechanical issues and staff shortages which have resulted in some very late trains.&nbsp;

The Southwest Chief has one train each way through Hutchinson. About 4,000 passengers use the Hutchinson station each year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1622746554124.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Ridership aboard Amtrak's Southwest Chief increased in July from the previous month. According to figures released by Amtrak, 27,200 passengers rode the “Chief” compared with 26,600 in June.The numbers are on par for what the rail carrier generally does in the summer months. Those numbers usually include a large number of scout troops who use the train to go to summer camp in New Mexico.The “Chief” is still being plagued by summer track work, mechanical issues and staff shortages which have resulted in some very late trains.&nbsp;The Southwest Chief has one train each way through Hutchinson. About 4,000 passengers use the Hutchinson station each year.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the HutchPost mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily HutchPost email news update.

Amtrak ridership increases in July


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Eddie Montgomery is the headliner Tuesday night at the Kansas State Fair. In an interview with Country 102.9's Pat James, Montgomery thanked the fans who have continued to support him following the death of his duo partner, Troy Gentry in 2018.

"We've never called anybody fans, we've always called them friends," Montgomery said. "Thank God, we've had a lot of friends that's had our back here since we've come out with Tattoos and Scars. They still do have our back and I absolutely love it and can't thank them enough. Of course, I always want to thank our heroes. It's the greatest country in the world. We can say, be and dream as big as we want to in this great country and we don't give it up enough for all of our great American heroes."

Montgomery also has a children's book called Police Officers, Our Friends to teach the next generation.

"They are just getting a bad rap," Montgomery said. "Now, it's got to be mentally...they don't even have a clue when they pull up and somebody pulls up beside them, is somebody going to wave at them or point a gun at them? Enough is enough. I think it starts with our kids. I thought, let's write a children's book about that so you don't have to be scared of a police officer."

The pandemic helped inspire Montgomery to do some more writing and some of that new music will be part of his Tuesday night show.

"They decided to shut all the restaurants and bars down, I kind of turned my garage into a bar," Montgomery said. "Next thing I know, I had friends coming over. It's the greatest country in the world. I don't care what you throw at us, there ain't no closing us down. That's the name of the album. I've got a song on there I wrote about Troy and my sons. I've actually got a song on there I wrote for a movie that's called Oh, Henry, that's called My Son. I got to sing a song with Tanya Tucker. It's been pretty unbelievable."

The concert begins with one of the State Fair Battle of the Bands winners opening for Montgomery at 7:30 p.m. at the Nex-Tech Grandstand.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663075135395.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Eddie Montgomery is the headliner Tuesday night at the Kansas State Fair. In an interview with Country 102.9's Pat James, Montgomery thanked the fans who have continued to support him following the death of his duo partner, Troy Gentry in 2018."We've never called anybody fans, we've always called them friends," Montgomery said. "Thank God, we've had a lot of friends that's had our back here since we've come out with Tattoos and Scars. They still do have our back and I absolutely love it and can't thank them enough. Of course, I always want to thank our heroes. It's the greatest country in the world. We can say, be and dream as big as we want to in this great country and we don't give it up enough for all of our great American heroes."Montgomery also has a children's book called Police Officers, Our Friends to teach the next generation."They are just getting a bad rap," Montgomery said. "Now, it's got to be mentally...they don't even have a clue when they pull up and somebody pulls up beside them, is somebody going to wave at them or point a gun at them? Enough is enough. I think it starts with our kids. I thought, let's write a children's book about that so you don't have to be scared of a police officer."The pandemic helped inspire Montgomery to do some more writing and some of that new music will be part of his Tuesday night show."They decided to shut all the restaurants and bars down, I kind of turned my garage into a bar," Montgomery said. "Next thing I know, I had friends coming over. It's the greatest country in the world. I don't care what you throw at us, there ain't no closing us down. That's the name of the album. I've got a song on there I wrote about Troy and my sons. I've actually got a song on there I wrote for a movie that's called Oh, Henry, that's called My Son. I got to sing a song with Tanya Tucker. It's been pretty unbelievable."The concert begins with one of the State Fair Battle of the Bands winners opening for Montgomery at 7:30 p.m. at the Nex-Tech Grandstand.

Montgomery looking forward to playing for 'friends' Tuesday at Fair

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — There are three things to love about the Kansas State Fair: food, food, and — well — food.&nbsp;

Tuesday is your chance to sample some of the best fair food around with the annual Tasty Tuesday promotion. Many of the food vendors will be offering smaller portions of their best delights for just $2. <a href="https://mcusercontent.com/3e8ba81fdd03d1e38c02c0ae6/files/4e7e8ca1-c394-fe4a-8dcf-d26c28d011e1/Tasty_Tuesday_31_.pdf?mc_cid=60a7014a40&amp;mc_eid=8b63fe1f9a">A list of participating food vendors is available at the gate when you enter</a>. Participants can find new favorites or go back to resample ones they enjoy.&nbsp;

It is a light day for the youth livestock as the only show is the Boer goat showing at 9:30 a.m. at the Sheep, Swine and Goat building. It’s also day two of the high school marching band competition and the miniature horse show at 9 a.m. at the Expo Center.

To counter too much fair food, the Invent A Heart Healthy Food contest gets underway at noon at the Domestic Arts building.

After a day of fun with the demolition derby, the Nex-Tech Wireless Grandstand entertainment gets back to music with a concert from Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry starting at 7:30 p.m.

&nbsp; For a full schedule, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://kansasstatefair.com/">kansasstatefair.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596458270492.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — There are three things to love about the Kansas State Fair: food, food, and — well — food.&nbsp;Tuesday is your chance to sample some of the best fair food around with the annual Tasty Tuesday promotion. Many of the food vendors will be offering smaller portions of their best delights for just $2. <a href="https://mcusercontent.com/3e8ba81fdd03d1e38c02c0ae6/files/4e7e8ca1-c394-fe4a-8dcf-d26c28d011e1/Tasty_Tuesday_31_.pdf?mc_cid=60a7014a40&amp;mc_eid=8b63fe1f9a">A list of participating food vendors is available at the gate when you enter</a>. Participants can find new favorites or go back to resample ones they enjoy.&nbsp;It is a light day for the youth livestock as the only show is the Boer goat showing at 9:30 a.m. at the Sheep, Swine and Goat building. It’s also day two of the high school marching band competition and the miniature horse show at 9 a.m. at the Expo Center.To counter too much fair food, the Invent A Heart Healthy Food contest gets underway at noon at the Domestic Arts building.After a day of fun with the demolition derby, the Nex-Tech Wireless Grandstand entertainment gets back to music with a concert from Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry starting at 7:30 p.m.&nbsp; For a full schedule, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://kansasstatefair.com/">kansasstatefair.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.

Tasty Tuesday highlights day 5 of Kansas State Fair

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The USD 308 Board of Education honored several outstanding staff members at their meeting on Monday (September 12, 2022).

Several staff members were honored at Monday’s meeting for awards that they received for their outstanding service to the USD 308 school district. These staff members included:

Sheila Berridge, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Assessment, gave a brief overview of each award and thanked the recipients for their service to the students and families of USD 308.

Students from Allen STEM Magnet also presented to the Board of Education at the meeting, sharing their experience being named National Champions at the KidWind competition in the Spring of 2022. They demonstrated their wind turbine and answered questions from board members on the competition.

Also the board held its&nbsp;Revenue Neutral Rate and budget hearings and approved this year's budget.

According to the Revenue Neutral Rate slide from Sheila Meggers presentation to the board, the district is due to levy $6,036,676 in property tax on their approximately $78 million budget. This is down from $6,084,855 last year.

The main reason they can do that is that bond and interest is shrinking quickly, with the district's bonded indebtedness down just over $9 million from last year. 

The Capital Outlay portion of the mill levy is going up, though, and thus they were required to hold the Revenue Neutral Rate hearing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655147159618.jpeg" alt="USD 308 Admin Building-Photo by Daren Dunn" />
 <figcaption>USD 308 Admin Building-Photo by Daren Dunn</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The USD 308 Board of Education honored several outstanding staff members at their meeting on Monday (September 12, 2022).Several staff members were honored at Monday’s meeting for awards that they received for their outstanding service to the USD 308 school district. These staff members included:<ul>
 <li>USD 308 Teacher of the Year: Brian McCandless, Hutchinson High School</li><li>KSDE Teacher of the Year Finalist: Carly Torres, Wiley Elementary</li><li>KSDE Teacher of the Year Semi-Finalist: Rhyanna Reilly, Hutchinson High School</li><li>21-22 Horizon Award Winner: Jazzmyn Tolbert, Graber Elementary</li>
 </ul>Sheila Berridge, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Assessment, gave a brief overview of each award and thanked the recipients for their service to the students and families of USD 308.Students from Allen STEM Magnet also presented to the Board of Education at the meeting, sharing their experience being named National Champions at the KidWind competition in the Spring of 2022. They demonstrated their wind turbine and answered questions from board members on the competition.Also the board held its&nbsp;Revenue Neutral Rate and budget hearings and approved this year's budget.According to the Revenue Neutral Rate slide from Sheila Meggers presentation to the board, the district is due to levy $6,036,676 in property tax on their approximately $78 million budget. This is down from $6,084,855 last year.The main reason they can do that is that bond and interest is shrinking quickly, with the district's bonded indebtedness down just over $9 million from last year. The Capital Outlay portion of the mill levy is going up, though, and thus they were required to hold the Revenue Neutral Rate hearing.

Staff members honored, budget passed at USD 308 board meeting Monday

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas State Fair GM Bryan Schulz continues to work to find ways to keep the event strong after the pandemic left many things that are part of the fair in limbo. That still shows with some lower participation numbers in various exhibits. But Schulz says some of that may be more of a changing of the guard with how entries have come into the fair since the pandemic.

“There are some areas like our FFA area, we’ve had 10 (entries) in the past, we have over 500 this year,” Schulz said. “In talking with fairs across the country, and they're kind of seeing that because some of these areas, quilting and crocheting . . . is kind of an art that is maybe losing a little bit.”

Schulz says this means trying to get youth more involved in things that they can take an interest in. As far as the major exhibitors, logistical and supply issues have either reduced or forced some of the mainstay exhibitors to stay away from the fair this year.

“There are still supply chain issues out there,” Schulz said. “We had a couple say, 'I can’t get product still.'”

That and the new fire station means new spots have had to be invested for some exhibits.

“We were able to take some of the ones that were where the fire station is going,” Schulz said. “We’ve moved that to different places, more on the outer bounds and we’re able to fill in those big spots.”

Most of the spaces in the vendor and display buildings are mostly filled up, although the numbers are still recovering from 2019 levels.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594650625292.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas State Fair GM Bryan Schulz continues to work to find ways to keep the event strong after the pandemic left many things that are part of the fair in limbo. That still shows with some lower participation numbers in various exhibits. But Schulz says some of that may be more of a changing of the guard with how entries have come into the fair since the pandemic.“There are some areas like our FFA area, we’ve had 10 (entries) in the past, we have over 500 this year,” Schulz said. “In talking with fairs across the country, and they're kind of seeing that because some of these areas, quilting and crocheting . . . is kind of an art that is maybe losing a little bit.”Schulz says this means trying to get youth more involved in things that they can take an interest in. As far as the major exhibitors, logistical and supply issues have either reduced or forced some of the mainstay exhibitors to stay away from the fair this year.“There are still supply chain issues out there,” Schulz said. “We had a couple say, 'I can’t get product still.'”That and the new fire station means new spots have had to be invested for some exhibits.“We were able to take some of the ones that were where the fire station is going,” Schulz said. “We’ve moved that to different places, more on the outer bounds and we’re able to fill in those big spots.”Most of the spaces in the vendor and display buildings are mostly filled up, although the numbers are still recovering from 2019 levels.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.

Fair exhibitors still fighting supply issues

HUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp; Staff members at Hutchinson High School had the opportunity to tour local businesses on Monday as part of their professional development training.

Hutchinson High School and the Hutchinson Career &amp; Technical Education Academy (HCTEA) partnered with the Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce to offer tours of 10 local businesses so that staff could get an inside look at industry within the Hutchinson community.

Laci Janzen, Economic Development &amp; Downtown Manager for the Hutch Chamber, welcomed staff members before the tours commenced and encouraged them to learn from their tours so they can share with students the importance of entrepreneurship and local commerce.

Rhyanna Reilly, an ELA teacher at HHS and KSDE Teacher of the Year semi-finalist, toured Takako Industries. “I had no idea what Takako was or what they did, but they provide so much for our community,” Reilly said. “I was impressed with how much they’ve given back to Hutchinson – from donating to our community parks to making connections for United Way. We were all interested in connecting how we can provide support as educators for companies like Takako. We discussed how what we do in the classroom sets up kids for success post-classroom, such as collaboration and reading comprehension skills. It was such a cool experience.”

“Our focus for planning the event is to connect our teachers at HHS and HCTEA with local business and industry,'' Travis Riebel, Director of the HCTEA said. “We hope to strengthen conversations and create partnerships focused on curriculum-taught, work-based learning, and career opportunities available to our students right here in the Hutchinson area.”&nbsp;

USD 308 and the Hutchinson Chamber have partnered on several other industry-based programs such as Signing Day and Career Quest. This partnership has given students in various grade levels the opportunity to explore different careers and trades and create goals for their lives post-graduation from USD 308.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663019812505.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp; Staff members at Hutchinson High School had the opportunity to tour local businesses on Monday as part of their professional development training.Hutchinson High School and the Hutchinson Career &amp; Technical Education Academy (HCTEA) partnered with the Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce to offer tours of 10 local businesses so that staff could get an inside look at industry within the Hutchinson community.Laci Janzen, Economic Development &amp; Downtown Manager for the Hutch Chamber, welcomed staff members before the tours commenced and encouraged them to learn from their tours so they can share with students the importance of entrepreneurship and local commerce.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663019841288.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Rhyanna Reilly, an ELA teacher at HHS and KSDE Teacher of the Year semi-finalist, toured Takako Industries. “I had no idea what Takako was or what they did, but they provide so much for our community,” Reilly said. “I was impressed with how much they’ve given back to Hutchinson – from donating to our community parks to making connections for United Way. We were all interested in connecting how we can provide support as educators for companies like Takako. We discussed how what we do in the classroom sets up kids for success post-classroom, such as collaboration and reading comprehension skills. It was such a cool experience.”“Our focus for planning the event is to connect our teachers at HHS and HCTEA with local business and industry,'' Travis Riebel, Director of the HCTEA said. “We hope to strengthen conversations and create partnerships focused on curriculum-taught, work-based learning, and career opportunities available to our students right here in the Hutchinson area.”&nbsp;USD 308 and the Hutchinson Chamber have partnered on several other industry-based programs such as Signing Day and Career Quest. This partnership has given students in various grade levels the opportunity to explore different careers and trades and create goals for their lives post-graduation from USD 308.&nbsp;Participating companies were:· Takako Industries· Collins Bus Corporation· ONEOK· First Team Sports· Tyson· Woodwork Manufacturing &amp; Supply· Luminous Neon· Superior Boiler· Dillons· American Packaging<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.

USD 308 and Chamber provide inside look at local industries

HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Although the weather threw a small hiccup into things briefly Saturday, it was a great start to the Kansas State Fair overall, according to manager Bryan Schulz. Schulz said they didn't have attendance numbers from the first weekend yet on Monday morning, but they were very busy.

One barometer for the fair's success is the carnival take. Friday's carnival took in $82,000. Rain on Saturday limited the ridership to $143,000, but a pretty Sunday helped the crowds come back out and flood the fairgrounds and the carnival took in $223,000.

Another highlight of Sunday was the Grandstand comedy show from Gabriel Iglesias. Fluffy was a near sell out as over 6,000 people attended that concert.

"The people absolutely loved it," Schulz said. "He kept them going until, it was almost 10:30 p.m. Then he came down and signed autographs. People were bringing chocolate cakes for him. It was just amazing."

Hutchinson Police Chief Jeff Hooper said they had very few problems over the weekend, just a few traffic matters and one incident that was fair related but was not on the fairgrounds.

The Kansas Highway Patrol agreed that it was okay. They had ten medical matters to take care of, but none were significant.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663005836220.jpeg" alt="A large crowd was in attendance Sunday night for Gabriel Iglesias-Photo by Nick Gosnell" />
 <figcaption>A large crowd was in attendance Sunday night for Gabriel Iglesias-Photo by Nick Gosnell</figcaption>
 </figure>ROD ZOOK Hutch PostHUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Although the weather threw a small hiccup into things briefly Saturday, it was a great start to the Kansas State Fair overall, according to manager Bryan Schulz. Schulz said they didn't have attendance numbers from the first weekend yet on Monday morning, but they were very busy.One barometer for the fair's success is the carnival take. Friday's carnival took in $82,000. Rain on Saturday limited the ridership to $143,000, but a pretty Sunday helped the crowds come back out and flood the fairgrounds and the carnival took in $223,000.Another highlight of Sunday was the Grandstand comedy show from Gabriel Iglesias. Fluffy was a near sell out as over 6,000 people attended that concert."The people absolutely loved it," Schulz said. "He kept them going until, it was almost 10:30 p.m. Then he came down and signed autographs. People were bringing chocolate cakes for him. It was just amazing."Hutchinson Police Chief Jeff Hooper said they had very few problems over the weekend, just a few traffic matters and one incident that was fair related but was not on the fairgrounds.The Kansas Highway Patrol agreed that it was okay. They had ten medical matters to take care of, but none were significant.

First weekend Fair numbers not yet available, but Sunday was busy

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — StartUp Hutch is hosting another Entrepreneurship Connections event on Monday, September 19th from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Sandhills Brewing.&nbsp;Register for the <a href="https://www.startuphutch.com/event-details/entrepreneurship-connections-1-3">free event in advance</a> and get your first drink on StartUp Hutch. Entrepreneurship Connections is your chance to connect with other Reno County small business owners and entrepreneurs, and learn about opportunities available through StartUp Hutch, including the new Network Kansas GROWKS Loan Fund Program.

The Hutchinson Community Foundation will also talk about opportunities for entrepreneurs to access capital through the Reno County Impact Investment Pool.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599831307342.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — StartUp Hutch is hosting another Entrepreneurship Connections event on Monday, September 19th from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Sandhills Brewing.&nbsp;Register for the <a href="https://www.startuphutch.com/event-details/entrepreneurship-connections-1-3">free event in advance</a> and get your first drink on StartUp Hutch. Entrepreneurship Connections is your chance to connect with other Reno County small business owners and entrepreneurs, and learn about opportunities available through StartUp Hutch, including the new Network Kansas GROWKS Loan Fund Program.The Hutchinson Community Foundation will also talk about opportunities for entrepreneurs to access capital through the Reno County Impact Investment Pool.

Entrepreneurship Connections coming up Sept. 19

By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-09-09/kansas-supreme-court-decision-against-grandmother-could-shape-foster-care-custody-rights">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA — A woman lost her appeal to gain custody of her grandchild from the Kansas foster care system when the Kansas Supreme Court ruled against her on Friday.

A 4-month-old, called N.E. in court documents, was placed into foster care. The baby’s grandmother wanted custody, but a lower court gave the child to a foster family, who ultimately adopted the child.

A Reno County judge said placing the child with the grandmother will “never be in a child's best interest” because she was disabled and “the alternative is a young healthy family.”

Attorneys for the grandmother shook off health concerns and said state law requires that family, or kinship placements, get the first chance at custody. Attorney Mitchell Engel, arguing for the grandmother, said in May 18 oral arguments that the judge’s ruling was erroneous.

“It just can’t be that an interested party, grandma who's supposed to get substantial consideration in this custody, has no ability to ever challenge these type of rulings based on no evidence,” Engel said.

The Kansas Supreme Court’s ruling against the grandmother didn’t say whether she was fit. Instead, it said she had no standing to challenge the decision because she didn’t appeal temporary custody orders and had no objection to the termination of parental rights. The majority opinion also says placement decisions are not appealable.

Court documents show the lower court had already ruled on decisions in the custody case before the grandmother's appeals were considered.

Justice Melissa Standridge dissented from the opinion and said the grandmother filed a motion for custody a month before the court considered adoption of N.E. and multiple months before parental rights were terminated. COVID-19 restrictions delayed some hearings.

The decision can have wide-reaching implications for how families appeal custody decisions and whether a ruling by the judge is final.

Blaise Mesa reports on criminal justice and social services for the Kansas News Service in Topeka. You can follow him on Twitter @Blaise_Mesa or email him at blaise@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662999292005.png" alt="The Kansas Supreme Court ruled the grandmother had no standing to challenge the case. Blaise Mesa / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>The Kansas Supreme Court ruled the grandmother had no standing to challenge the case. Blaise Mesa / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-09-09/kansas-supreme-court-decision-against-grandmother-could-shape-foster-care-custody-rights">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA — A woman lost her appeal to gain custody of her grandchild from the Kansas foster care system when the Kansas Supreme Court ruled against her on Friday.A 4-month-old, called N.E. in court documents, was placed into foster care. The baby’s grandmother wanted custody, but a lower court gave the child to a foster family, who ultimately adopted the child.A Reno County judge said placing the child with the grandmother will “never be in a child's best interest” because she was disabled and “the alternative is a young healthy family.”Attorneys for the grandmother shook off health concerns and said state law requires that family, or kinship placements, get the first chance at custody. Attorney Mitchell Engel, arguing for the grandmother, said in May 18 oral arguments that the judge’s ruling was erroneous.“It just can’t be that an interested party, grandma who's supposed to get substantial consideration in this custody, has no ability to ever challenge these type of rulings based on no evidence,” Engel said.The Kansas Supreme Court’s ruling against the grandmother didn’t say whether she was fit. Instead, it said she had no standing to challenge the decision because she didn’t appeal temporary custody orders and had no objection to the termination of parental rights. The majority opinion also says placement decisions are not appealable.Court documents show the lower court had already ruled on decisions in the custody case before the grandmother's appeals were considered.Justice Melissa Standridge dissented from the opinion and said the grandmother filed a motion for custody a month before the court considered adoption of N.E. and multiple months before parental rights were terminated. COVID-19 restrictions delayed some hearings.The decision can have wide-reaching implications for how families appeal custody decisions and whether a ruling by the judge is final.Blaise Mesa reports on criminal justice and social services for the Kansas News Service in Topeka. You can follow him on Twitter @Blaise_Mesa or email him at blaise@kcur.org.

Grandmother loses Reno County custody case at Kansas Supreme Court

HUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp; Though gas in cities in Kansas as close as McPherson has fallen back below $3 a gallon, that's not yet true in Hutchinson. 

According to GasBuddy as of Monday morning, Murphy USA at WalMart, Yesway on East 30th, the Dillons Fuel Center just down the street from that and the Cenex on East 4th are all at $3.13 a gallon. 

Casey's on Main in McPherson is at $2.89 and Love's Travel Stop next to I-135 is at $2.90 a gallon.

The national average price for a gallon of gas fell seven cents in the past week to reach $3.71 according to AAA, a level not seen since the beginning of March. The primary reason for this decline is the recent lower cost for oil.

According to data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gas demand increased slightly from 8.59 million barrels per day to 8.73 million barrels per day last week. 

Lower oil prices have led to falling pump prices. If gasoline demand begins to subside, as it typically does post-Labor Day with the end of summer driving, pump prices will likely continue to decrease.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631897543449.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp; Though gas in cities in Kansas as close as McPherson has fallen back below $3 a gallon, that's not yet true in Hutchinson. According to GasBuddy as of Monday morning, Murphy USA at WalMart, Yesway on East 30th, the Dillons Fuel Center just down the street from that and the Cenex on East 4th are all at $3.13 a gallon. Casey's on Main in McPherson is at $2.89 and Love's Travel Stop next to I-135 is at $2.90 a gallon.The national average price for a gallon of gas fell seven cents in the past week to reach $3.71 according to AAA, a level not seen since the beginning of March. The primary reason for this decline is the recent lower cost for oil.According to data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gas demand increased slightly from 8.59 million barrels per day to 8.73 million barrels per day last week. Lower oil prices have led to falling pump prices. If gasoline demand begins to subside, as it typically does post-Labor Day with the end of summer driving, pump prices will likely continue to decrease.

Gas prices falling nationally, but not as fast here in Hutch

HUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp; U.S. Senator Jerry Moran announced that his&nbsp;Service Academy Selection Board will meet Saturday, September 24 at the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson. 

The U.S. Service Academies include the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Sen. Moran’s 2022 Service Academy Selection Board includes:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/7/1561988801102.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp; U.S. Senator Jerry Moran announced that his&nbsp;Service Academy Selection Board will meet Saturday, September 24 at the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson. The U.S. Service Academies include the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Sen. Moran’s 2022 Service Academy Selection Board includes:<ol>
 <li>Lt. Col. (RET) Leslie Alford of Manhattan&nbsp;– Owner, Destiny Real Estate, U.S. Army veteran</li><li>Judy Bauer of Leavenworth&nbsp;– Vice President, Henry Leavenworth Chapter Association of the U.S. Army</li><li>Lt. Col. (RET) Bob Brock of Topeka&nbsp;– Director of Aviation, Kansas Department of Transportation, U.S. Air Force veteran</li><li>Myca Bunch of Garden City&nbsp;– President, Garden City Area Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Air Force veteran</li><li>Col. (RET) Jean Clifford of Garden City&nbsp;– Member, Kansas State Board of Education, retired U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate</li><li>Bill Ebel of Overland Park&nbsp;– Adjunct Professor, The University of Kansas School of Public Administration, U.S. Military Academy graduate</li><li>Steve Hawley of Lawrence&nbsp;– University of Kansas Professor Emeritus, Physics and Astronomy, Adjunct Professor of Aerospace Engineering, and former NASA Astronaut</li><li>Darryl Kelly of Wichita&nbsp;– Assistant Vice President/Information Systems Project Manager, Equity Bank, U.S. Air Force veteran</li><li>Cheryl Kerns of Olathe&nbsp;– Blue Valley West High School Math Teacher, mother of a U. S. Military Academy graduate</li><li>Ryan Kriegshauser of Olathe&nbsp;– Partner, Kriegshauser Ney Law Group, U.S. Navy Reserve</li><li>Marri Krupco of Blue Mound&nbsp;– Former Commander, Kansas American Legion; U.S. Marine Corps veteran</li><li>Sara Lewis of Fairway&nbsp;– Former Naval Aviator and former USNA Adjunct Professor, U.S. Naval Academy graduate</li><li>Steve Martinez&nbsp;of Garden City&nbsp;– Undersheriff, Finney County, U.S. Army veteran</li><li>Richard McLeon of Dighton&nbsp;– General Manager, Lane-Scott Electric Cooperative, U.S. Army veteran</li><li>Martin Miller of Great Bend&nbsp;– Manager, Great Bend Municipal Airport, U.S. Air Force Academy graduate</li><li>Col. (RET) Dean Mitchell of Tonganoxie&nbsp;– Management Consultant, Burns &amp; McDonnell, U.S. Army veteran</li><li>Halley Roberson of Oberlin&nbsp;– City Administrator, City of Oberlin, U.S. Army veteran</li><li>Major (RET) Emma Toops of Shawnee&nbsp;– Co-Owner, Toops Consulting, LLC, U.S. Army veteran</li><li>Ron Whitney of Emporia&nbsp;– American Legion member, Veterans of Foreign Wars member, U.S. Army veteran</li><li>Jacob Wood of Salina&nbsp;– Deputy City Manager, City of Salina, U.S. Army Reserves</li>
 </ol>

Moran's Service Academy Selection Board to meet in Hutchinson Sept. 24

HUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp; With Sedgwick County selected as one of the counties across the country to be part of the latest test of Wireless Emergency Alerts on Monday, it's important to note that the capabilities of those alerts have been used in emergency situations in Reno County, as well, according to Reno County Emergency Management director Adam Weishaar.

"The last time we've done that is during The Highlands wildfire as we were ordering evacuations," said Reno County Emergency Management Director Adam Weishaar. "We can actually get in there, we can see a map and we can draw what we call a polygon around a certain area, so if we wanted to target the Highlands like we did, we draw on the map exactly where we want that alert to go out to and it sends a notification to cell phones pinging in that area."

The test on Monday is to determine the accuracy of those polygons in a small area of Wichita. Weishaar said that isn't the fastest way for Reno County to send out alerts.

"The wireless alerts are good," Weishaar said. "The only downfall, in my opinion, to those alerts is the timing it takes to get them out. Once we click the button, or once we develop a message and send them out, I would say there's approximately a 10 to 15 minute delay before it actually hits your cell phones. We do have the <a href="https://member.everbridge.net/index/453003085617923#/signup">Everbridge system</a>. You can sign up for those alerts and we can send those out a little quicker than we can an IPAWS message."

The National Weather Service also sends out Wireless Emergency Alerts in some situations for severe weather like tornado and flash flood warnings.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650993110847.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp; With Sedgwick County selected as one of the counties across the country to be part of the latest test of Wireless Emergency Alerts on Monday, it's important to note that the capabilities of those alerts have been used in emergency situations in Reno County, as well, according to Reno County Emergency Management director Adam Weishaar."The last time we've done that is during The Highlands wildfire as we were ordering evacuations," said Reno County Emergency Management Director Adam Weishaar. "We can actually get in there, we can see a map and we can draw what we call a polygon around a certain area, so if we wanted to target the Highlands like we did, we draw on the map exactly where we want that alert to go out to and it sends a notification to cell phones pinging in that area."The test on Monday is to determine the accuracy of those polygons in a small area of Wichita. Weishaar said that isn't the fastest way for Reno County to send out alerts."The wireless alerts are good," Weishaar said. "The only downfall, in my opinion, to those alerts is the timing it takes to get them out. Once we click the button, or once we develop a message and send them out, I would say there's approximately a 10 to 15 minute delay before it actually hits your cell phones. We do have the <a href="https://member.everbridge.net/index/453003085617923#/signup">Everbridge system</a>. You can sign up for those alerts and we can send those out a little quicker than we can an IPAWS message."The National Weather Service also sends out Wireless Emergency Alerts in some situations for severe weather like tornado and flash flood warnings.

Weishaar: Wireless alerts help, but Everbridge is faster

HUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp; Sergeant&nbsp;Andrew Soule with the Reno County Sheriff's Office said they are holding some fundraising events for&nbsp;Kansas Special Olympics called Cover the Cruiser.

"The idea behind the Cover the Cruiser events is, we'll come out and we'll have medallions and some tape," Soule said. "We will accept donations for those medallions and the goal is to try and completely cover up one of our patrol vehicles."

"It will be this Friday, September 16," Soule said. "We will be out at the Hutchinson High School homecoming football game. We will be outside the west entrance to Gowans Stadium. We'll have the vehicle parked out there and we'll have a table set up to accept donations, and we'll see how much we can cover the car."

This is the second year they have done this fundraiser. The other event will be&nbsp;October 21, 2022 at the Buhler High School football game.

"At the Hutchinson game, we were in the neighborhood of $800," Soule said. "At the Buhler game, we were in the neighborhood of $2000. The Buhler game went really well and I just didn't have a whole lot of time to promote the Hutchinson event ahead of time. I would expect our Hutch number to go up a little bit this year and get us closer to what Buhler did."

A single medallion is a dollar with six for five dollars.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662994486760.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp; Sergeant&nbsp;Andrew Soule with the Reno County Sheriff's Office said they are holding some fundraising events for&nbsp;Kansas Special Olympics called Cover the Cruiser."The idea behind the Cover the Cruiser events is, we'll come out and we'll have medallions and some tape," Soule said. "We will accept donations for those medallions and the goal is to try and completely cover up one of our patrol vehicles."The first event is this week."It will be this Friday, September 16," Soule said. "We will be out at the Hutchinson High School homecoming football game. We will be outside the west entrance to Gowans Stadium. We'll have the vehicle parked out there and we'll have a table set up to accept donations, and we'll see how much we can cover the car."This is the second year they have done this fundraiser. The other event will be&nbsp;October 21, 2022 at the Buhler High School football game."At the Hutchinson game, we were in the neighborhood of $800," Soule said. "At the Buhler game, we were in the neighborhood of $2000. The Buhler game went really well and I just didn't have a whole lot of time to promote the Hutchinson event ahead of time. I would expect our Hutch number to go up a little bit this year and get us closer to what Buhler did."A single medallion is a dollar with six for five dollars.

Cover the Cruiser events coming up for Special Olympics

Kim Baldwin, McPherson County farmer and rancher

Last spring my father-in-law purchased a handful of ewes to graze a pasture near his house. The pasture had not been grazed in a few years, and he liked the idea of having some animals on his farm after getting out of the cattle business about six years ago. He decided to purchase the ewes and make it a project with the grandkids. 

After the trailer of sheep arrived, each grandchild was allowed to pick out two ewes to claim as their own. Even before the sheep arrived, the kids helped their grandpa build the fencing and prepared the area for the animals.

Since their arrival, the kids have attempted to help tame these ewes that were born and spent the early part of their lives in the Flint Hills. The grandkids have helped feed and vaccinate the ewes. Some days I’ve found one of the kids sitting on the fence talking to the ewes as they anxiously eat their grain before returning to the pasture.

At the end of March, the kids watched as we turned out a ram with the flock. Soon blue chalk markings began appearing on the ewes. 

Fast forward to September where we are now on alert for lambs to begin arriving any day now. While the kids are simply excited to have some little lambs running around, my father-in-law is more focused on maintaining the health of the soon-to-arrive lambs and their mothers. I’m most concerned about how many lambs we could possibly bottle feed at once and being prepared with the supplies needed to ensure we can successfully feed multiple babies.

It reminds me a lot of when I was pregnant with my two children and the different areas of concern people within my family focused on. 

While I know my concern is one that can easily be addressed with a quick trip to town, I still want to be ready for the scenario in which we have bottle babies.

A handful of years ago my son was given a newborn calf whose mother had unexpectedly died on the coldest day of the year. My husband brought the tiny heifer home just a few hours after being born, and we quickly made adjustments to housing and bottle feeding the calf. In that scenario we weren’t even expecting a calf, but we were able to pivot quickly and begin caring for it. 

That calf is now Sunflower the cow, and she, too, is due to have her calf any day now. Although she is an experienced mama cow, my son and I are still on alert as we await her newest arrival.

The anticipation of baby animals on the farm this fall is exciting, and to have my two children observe life through their animals is something I am so thankful to expose them to. As we patiently await and prepare for these new little additions on the farm, we have begun to embrace and understand the importance of the task of keeping watch.  

"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573617414005.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kim Baldwin, McPherson County farmer and rancherLast spring my father-in-law purchased a handful of ewes to graze a pasture near his house. The pasture had not been grazed in a few years, and he liked the idea of having some animals on his farm after getting out of the cattle business about six years ago. He decided to purchase the ewes and make it a project with the grandkids. After the trailer of sheep arrived, each grandchild was allowed to pick out two ewes to claim as their own. Even before the sheep arrived, the kids helped their grandpa build the fencing and prepared the area for the animals.Since their arrival, the kids have attempted to help tame these ewes that were born and spent the early part of their lives in the Flint Hills. The grandkids have helped feed and vaccinate the ewes. Some days I’ve found one of the kids sitting on the fence talking to the ewes as they anxiously eat their grain before returning to the pasture.At the end of March, the kids watched as we turned out a ram with the flock. Soon blue chalk markings began appearing on the ewes. Fast forward to September where we are now on alert for lambs to begin arriving any day now. While the kids are simply excited to have some little lambs running around, my father-in-law is more focused on maintaining the health of the soon-to-arrive lambs and their mothers. I’m most concerned about how many lambs we could possibly bottle feed at once and being prepared with the supplies needed to ensure we can successfully feed multiple babies.It reminds me a lot of when I was pregnant with my two children and the different areas of concern people within my family focused on. While I know my concern is one that can easily be addressed with a quick trip to town, I still want to be ready for the scenario in which we have bottle babies.A handful of years ago my son was given a newborn calf whose mother had unexpectedly died on the coldest day of the year. My husband brought the tiny heifer home just a few hours after being born, and we quickly made adjustments to housing and bottle feeding the calf. In that scenario we weren’t even expecting a calf, but we were able to pivot quickly and begin caring for it. That calf is now Sunflower the cow, and she, too, is due to have her calf any day now. Although she is an experienced mama cow, my son and I are still on alert as we await her newest arrival.The anticipation of baby animals on the farm this fall is exciting, and to have my two children observe life through their animals is something I am so thankful to expose them to. As we patiently await and prepare for these new little additions on the farm, we have begun to embrace and understand the importance of the task of keeping watch. "Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service. Copyright © 2022 Kansas Farm Bureau, All rights reserved.