MCPHERSON, Kan. — Patrons are voting in McPherson USD 418 today for the recall of three USD 418 board members. The three board members up for recall are Ann Elliott, Emily Greer and Jeff Johnson.&nbsp;

The petition in the recall effort states that board members violated open meeting laws by creating a quorum outside of official board meetings. It also says the board members failed to maintain healthy safe places for students to learn and had a total lack of transparency, creating a lack of trust among patrons of the district. That includes the failure of the recent bond campaign.

The petition also mentions the district's handling of the mask mandate, which resulted in student isolation, segregation and divisions, creating a threatening and abusive environment for teachers and students.&nbsp;

Advance voting was heavy with 1,272 ballots cast ahead of time. There are also a small number of mailed-out ballots that will need to be turned in.&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.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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 </figure>MCPHERSON, Kan. — Patrons are voting in McPherson USD 418 today for the recall of three USD 418 board members. The three board members up for recall are Ann Elliott, Emily Greer and Jeff Johnson.&nbsp;The petition in the recall effort states that board members violated open meeting laws by creating a quorum outside of official board meetings. It also says the board members failed to maintain healthy safe places for students to learn and had a total lack of transparency, creating a lack of trust among patrons of the district. That includes the failure of the recent bond campaign.The petition also mentions the district's handling of the mask mandate, which resulted in student isolation, segregation and divisions, creating a threatening and abusive environment for teachers and students.&nbsp;Advance voting was heavy with 1,272 ballots cast ahead of time. There are also a small number of mailed-out ballots that will need to be turned in.&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.&nbsp;&nbsp;

USD 418 recall vote is today

PRETTY PRAIRIE, Kan. — The Pretty Prairie USD 311 School Board will go over a survey that was sent out to all district patrons regarding a proposed bond issue for the district. The district is working on a bond issue that could range from simple maintenance needs to a major renovation of the district's buildings.

The survey provided two bond packages. The first includes the basic needs plus repairs to the current high school gymnasium. The work would cost approximately $4.8 million over 20 years. The second package would include expanding the middle school gymnasium and turning it into the main competition facility. It would include a new lobby, concession stand, restrooms, locker rooms, and a weight room. The district says that the proposal would be more cost-effective than renovating the current HS gym into a competition gym or building a new gym.

The district will go over the results of that survey and then decide what direction it wants to take in bringing that bond issue to voters. The goal is to have the matter up for a vote in August. Tonight's meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the middle school auditorium.

<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.

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 </figure>PRETTY PRAIRIE, Kan. — The Pretty Prairie USD 311 School Board will go over a survey that was sent out to all district patrons regarding a proposed bond issue for the district. The district is working on a bond issue that could range from simple maintenance needs to a major renovation of the district's buildings.The survey provided two bond packages. The first includes the basic needs plus repairs to the current high school gymnasium. The work would cost approximately $4.8 million over 20 years. The second package would include expanding the middle school gymnasium and turning it into the main competition facility. It would include a new lobby, concession stand, restrooms, locker rooms, and a weight room. The district says that the proposal would be more cost-effective than renovating the current HS gym into a competition gym or building a new gym.The district will go over the results of that survey and then decide what direction it wants to take in bringing that bond issue to voters. The goal is to have the matter up for a vote in August. Tonight's meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the middle school auditorium.<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 311 School Board to meet Monday evening

I recently saw my first copperhead of the year while out trying to catch some pre-spawn bass at a farm pond. Initially I thought it was a snapping turtle poking its head above the water before I caught a glimpse of the telltale oscillation of the more sinister reptile.

As is usually the case when I encounter a serpent in the wild, the old adage that it’s just as afraid of me as I am of it proved laughably false. If that held true, the two-foot reptile would have turned around when the first rock splashed near its head. Instead, it kept slithering closer to the bank where I stood.

Clearly my dislike for this creature wasn’t reciprocated. It paid me no mind as it settled onto a rock about 30 yards away were it began basking in the sun. I resumed casting a lure into the water while keeping an eye on the danger coiled up a short distance away.

Our interaction continued with me being vigilant on the snake’s whereabouts, while it regarded me with extreme indifference. It eventually warmed up enough to slither back into the water and across the pond. I took the opportunity to walk back to my tacklebox, keeping my eyes fixed on the ground for signs of another visitor. I safely fetched my gear and went on my way without seeing another serpent, but there were a few suspicious looking sticks that helped quicken my retreat.

All of this fear is, of course, illogical. There’s no shortage of statistics detailing the just how unlikely my demise will come at the fangs of a snake. Of the several thousand people bitten each year, only about a dozen deaths are recorded. The venom in the native snakes of Kansas — three varieties of rattlers and the aforementioned copperhead — also is relatively mild according to the people who judge these things.

By mild, I mean the venom will cause excruciating pain instead of killing you, which isn’t enough to overcome the strong desire for self-preservation. So, there’s an evolutionary case to be made for the illogical reactions being completely rational. I also learned a healthy amount of fear from family members.

My grandfather once mistook a coil of hose for a black snake when spraying cattle in the corral. He raced across the pen and up a fencepost before warning the rest of us about the alleged intruder. While the rest of us found the situation quite comical, we also knew it could have been any of us fleeing in panic. I’ve stumbled over myself more than once after hearing a rattle in tall grass only to see a cicada fly off.

Whether innate or learned, the fear is real. I spent a decent portion of my youth trying to imitate St. Patrick and eradicate snakes in my portion of the world. Blacksnakes, bull-snakes and other nonvenomous relatives were left alone to deal with vermin around the outbuildings, but even the sight of them would set my heart racing. The closest encounter I’ve ever had with any snake is when I was about 10 or so and stepped on a water snake while crossing a pond dam. I can still recall the squish under my boot in a way that gives me shivers.

Once again, I was more bothered by our encounter than the snake. At least I pretended to be scared, what with my gasping and lurching and stumbling backward away from mortal danger. The snake barely lifted its head to flick its tongue in my direction.

The one thing I haven’t managed over all these years is to develop a good sense of not going to the same places I regularly encounter snakes. I’m relying on a good pair of boots, long pants and the apparent apathy serpents have for my existence to keep me safe in the pastures, ponds and creeks over the Plains.

"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. 

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 </figure>Greg Doering, Kansas Farm BureauI recently saw my first copperhead of the year while out trying to catch some pre-spawn bass at a farm pond. Initially I thought it was a snapping turtle poking its head above the water before I caught a glimpse of the telltale oscillation of the more sinister reptile.As is usually the case when I encounter a serpent in the wild, the old adage that it’s just as afraid of me as I am of it proved laughably false. If that held true, the two-foot reptile would have turned around when the first rock splashed near its head. Instead, it kept slithering closer to the bank where I stood.Clearly my dislike for this creature wasn’t reciprocated. It paid me no mind as it settled onto a rock about 30 yards away were it began basking in the sun. I resumed casting a lure into the water while keeping an eye on the danger coiled up a short distance away.Our interaction continued with me being vigilant on the snake’s whereabouts, while it regarded me with extreme indifference. It eventually warmed up enough to slither back into the water and across the pond. I took the opportunity to walk back to my tacklebox, keeping my eyes fixed on the ground for signs of another visitor. I safely fetched my gear and went on my way without seeing another serpent, but there were a few suspicious looking sticks that helped quicken my retreat.All of this fear is, of course, illogical. There’s no shortage of statistics detailing the just how unlikely my demise will come at the fangs of a snake. Of the several thousand people bitten each year, only about a dozen deaths are recorded. The venom in the native snakes of Kansas — three varieties of rattlers and the aforementioned copperhead — also is relatively mild according to the people who judge these things.By mild, I mean the venom will cause excruciating pain instead of killing you, which isn’t enough to overcome the strong desire for self-preservation. So, there’s an evolutionary case to be made for the illogical reactions being completely rational. I also learned a healthy amount of fear from family members.My grandfather once mistook a coil of hose for a black snake when spraying cattle in the corral. He raced across the pen and up a fencepost before warning the rest of us about the alleged intruder. While the rest of us found the situation quite comical, we also knew it could have been any of us fleeing in panic. I’ve stumbled over myself more than once after hearing a rattle in tall grass only to see a cicada fly off.Whether innate or learned, the fear is real. I spent a decent portion of my youth trying to imitate St. Patrick and eradicate snakes in my portion of the world. Blacksnakes, bull-snakes and other nonvenomous relatives were left alone to deal with vermin around the outbuildings, but even the sight of them would set my heart racing. The closest encounter I’ve ever had with any snake is when I was about 10 or so and stepped on a water snake while crossing a pond dam. I can still recall the squish under my boot in a way that gives me shivers.Once again, I was more bothered by our encounter than the snake. At least I pretended to be scared, what with my gasping and lurching and stumbling backward away from mortal danger. The snake barely lifted its head to flick its tongue in my direction.The one thing I haven’t managed over all these years is to develop a good sense of not going to the same places I regularly encounter snakes. I’m relying on a good pair of boots, long pants and the apparent apathy serpents have for my existence to keep me safe in the pastures, ponds and creeks over the Plains."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.

Insight: Snakes on the Plains

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Three people were injured in a two-vehicle accident in Hutchinson around 4:17 Saturday afternoon.

Hutchinson police say 15-year-old Riley Morrison of Hutchinson was driving west on 6th Avenue when he crossed into the intersection with Pershing Street and collided with a northbound vehicle driven by 43-year-old Aubrey Singler of Hutchinson. The vehicles then struck a light pole and fire hydrant.

Sigler, Morrison and a passenger in his vehicle, 19-year-old Kaden Sims, were taken by EMS to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. Sims was later transported to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita in critical condition.&nbsp;

The accident is still under investigation.&nbsp;

<figure>
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 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Three people were injured in a two-vehicle accident in Hutchinson around 4:17 Saturday afternoon.Hutchinson police say 15-year-old Riley Morrison of Hutchinson was driving west on 6th Avenue when he crossed into the intersection with Pershing Street and collided with a northbound vehicle driven by 43-year-old Aubrey Singler of Hutchinson. The vehicles then struck a light pole and fire hydrant.Sigler, Morrison and a passenger in his vehicle, 19-year-old Kaden Sims, were taken by EMS to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. Sims was later transported to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita in critical condition.&nbsp;The accident is still under investigation.&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.

Three injured in Saturday afternoon accident

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The next stage of budget discussions for the Hutchinson City Council is coming up Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. 

The council will be looking at a water rate study completed earlier this year and a separate sewer rate study from 2020 from Burns &amp; McDonnell.

The study says revenues under existing water rates are not sufficient to meet the projected cash obligations of the utility over the nine-year study period. 

The study recommends a consistent increase of 5.5% every year from FY 2023 to FY 2029.

In the proposed rate design, minimum charges by meter size are increased 2 percent per year, while volumetric charges are increased slightly over 7 percent per year. City Route rates are assumed to increase $0.01 per hundred cubic feet per year to improve equity in cost recovery.

According to a regional comparison of rates, even with the increases, Hutchinson's water rates would be more than Great Bend, Dodge City, McPherson and Wichita, but less than Manhattan, Newton, Olathe, Pratt, Salina and several jurisdictions in Johnson County and still below the regional average.

On the sewer rate side, the study says revenues under existing sewer rates are also not sufficient to meet the projected cash obligations of the utility over the study period. 

The study recommends a consistent increase of 5% every year from FY 2023 to FY 2029. The increase per 5 Ccf, or 500 cubic feet, would be consistent with national sewer rate increase trends of about 5 percent. 

Hutchinson is well below average in sewer rate charges compared to other Kansas cities. Only Pratt and Edgerton are currently lower, with Hutch set to pass up Great Bend if they take the 5% increase, but still to be below McPherson, Wichita, Dodge City, the other Johnson County jurisdictions listed, and Newton.

The Burns &amp; McDonnell team and City Staff will be in attendance to present the rate studies. The meeting is at 3 p.m. Tuesday in the City Council Chambers.

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 <figcaption>Hutchinson City Council 2022.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The next stage of budget discussions for the Hutchinson City Council is coming up Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. The council will be looking at a water rate study completed earlier this year and a separate sewer rate study from 2020 from Burns &amp; McDonnell.The study says revenues under existing water rates are not sufficient to meet the projected cash obligations of the utility over the nine-year study period. The study recommends a consistent increase of 5.5% every year from FY 2023 to FY 2029.In the proposed rate design, minimum charges by meter size are increased 2 percent per year, while volumetric charges are increased slightly over 7 percent per year. City Route rates are assumed to increase $0.01 per hundred cubic feet per year to improve equity in cost recovery.According to a regional comparison of rates, even with the increases, Hutchinson's water rates would be more than Great Bend, Dodge City, McPherson and Wichita, but less than Manhattan, Newton, Olathe, Pratt, Salina and several jurisdictions in Johnson County and still below the regional average.On the sewer rate side, the study says revenues under existing sewer rates are also not sufficient to meet the projected cash obligations of the utility over the study period. The study recommends a consistent increase of 5% every year from FY 2023 to FY 2029. The increase per 5 Ccf, or 500 cubic feet, would be consistent with national sewer rate increase trends of about 5 percent. Hutchinson is well below average in sewer rate charges compared to other Kansas cities. Only Pratt and Edgerton are currently lower, with Hutch set to pass up Great Bend if they take the 5% increase, but still to be below McPherson, Wichita, Dodge City, the other Johnson County jurisdictions listed, and Newton.The Burns &amp; McDonnell team and City Staff will be in attendance to present the rate studies. The meeting is at 3 p.m. Tuesday in the City Council Chambers.

More budget discussions Tuesday for Hutchinson City Council

HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
School consolidation is the third rail of K-12 discussions in Kansas, but as he prepares to retire from Hutchinson USD 308 at the end of the month, superintendent Mike Folks admits its something the state needs to at least look at, even though it is complex.

"I think there needs to be some incentives for school districts based on educational opportunities," Folks said. "We go back to what's best for kids in getting an education and having the electives. I think it should be incentivized, where districts can consolidate on their own and it's not just based on sparsity, it's based on some other factors."

Because of the way the school finance formula works, there are some advantages to having fewer students in terms of getting more money for those students. According to the Kansas Department of Education, low enrollment weighting applies to school districts with Full Time Equivalency (FTE) enrollments that are less than 1,622 and the weighting is calculated on two linear transitions: for districts with 100 or fewer students the weighting is 101.4 percent of the enrollment of the district, and that amount transitions to approximately 3.5 percent of the enrollment of the district as the enrollment approaches 1,622 students. 

"I fully support local decisions on their schools," Folks said. "Small schools, which I've led, I've attended, provide a great education. When you look at how much taxation is local, versus how much of it is equalization, which comes from, you know, state income tax and sales tax, versus just the local property tax, that's where it gets complex."

Folks noted a comparison from several years ago what at the time he considered an apples to apples comparison between two counties.

"There was a very smart legislator that shared that in Doniphan County, there's five school districts, 632 square miles, 1400 kids," Folks said. "Clay County, USD 379, 632 square miles, 1400 kids, one school district. The state paid $10 million more a year in Doniphan County to educate those kids, because of low correlation weighting."

The last time consolidation was forced in Kansas, according to Folks, was 1965.

<figure>
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 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
School consolidation is the third rail of K-12 discussions in Kansas, but as he prepares to retire from Hutchinson USD 308 at the end of the month, superintendent Mike Folks admits its something the state needs to at least look at, even though it is complex."I think there needs to be some incentives for school districts based on educational opportunities," Folks said. "We go back to what's best for kids in getting an education and having the electives. I think it should be incentivized, where districts can consolidate on their own and it's not just based on sparsity, it's based on some other factors."Because of the way the school finance formula works, there are some advantages to having fewer students in terms of getting more money for those students. According to the Kansas Department of Education, low enrollment weighting applies to school districts with Full Time Equivalency (FTE) enrollments that are less than 1,622 and the weighting is calculated on two linear transitions: for districts with 100 or fewer students the weighting is 101.4 percent of the enrollment of the district, and that amount transitions to approximately 3.5 percent of the enrollment of the district as the enrollment approaches 1,622 students. "I fully support local decisions on their schools," Folks said. "Small schools, which I've led, I've attended, provide a great education. When you look at how much taxation is local, versus how much of it is equalization, which comes from, you know, state income tax and sales tax, versus just the local property tax, that's where it gets complex."Folks noted a comparison from several years ago what at the time he considered an apples to apples comparison between two counties."There was a very smart legislator that shared that in Doniphan County, there's five school districts, 632 square miles, 1400 kids," Folks said. "Clay County, USD 379, 632 square miles, 1400 kids, one school district. The state paid $10 million more a year in Doniphan County to educate those kids, because of low correlation weighting."The last time consolidation was forced in Kansas, according to Folks, was 1965.

Folks: Consolidation needs discussion, even with local control


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
There's still time to enroll your young learner in one of the Early Childhood programs in Reno County.

Hutchinson Public Schools, Head Start of Reno County, and the Reno County Early Education Center have teamed up this year to host enrollment clinics for their programs.

The next in person clinic date is June 9 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Early Head Start at 518 North Washington.

If you're unavailable June 9, call 620-615-5750 to make an appointment.

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HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
There's still time to enroll your young learner in one of the Early Childhood programs in Reno County.Hutchinson Public Schools, Head Start of Reno County, and the Reno County Early Education Center have teamed up this year to host enrollment clinics for their programs.The next in person clinic date is June 9 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Early Head Start at 518 North Washington.If you're unavailable June 9, call 620-615-5750 to make an appointment.

Next Early Childhood enrollment clinic is June 9


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Twenty new law enforcement officers, including Lucas Dunbar from the Hutchinson Police Department, graduated from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) on Friday at a ceremony held in the KLETC Integrity Auditorium. 

Officer Daniel Harshbarger of the Rose Hill Police Department was the graduating class president. The speaker for the ceremony was Sheriff Jack Laurie of the Atchison County Sheriff’s Office. Michael Turenne, KLETC Senior Instructor of Police, was the Class Coordinator for the 293rd Basic Training Class.

Officers Jonah Rostetter of the Hesston Police Department, Minh Pham of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Marc Coletti of the Salina Police Department, and Deputy Jeremiah Andrews of the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office received fitness awards. Officer Coletti was also recognized for having the best overall improvement in the push-ups, sit-ups, and the 1.5 mile run while Officer Rostetter was recognized for having run the most miles in his class (224.96 miles). Officer Pham was recognized during the ceremony for his firearms proficiency as the class’ “Top Shot”.

About 300 officers enroll annually in KLETC 14-week basic training programs. KLETC offers continuing education and specialized training to over 10,000 Kansas officers each year. KLETC is located one mile west and one mile south of Yoder, near Hutchinson.

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HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Twenty new law enforcement officers, including Lucas Dunbar from the Hutchinson Police Department, graduated from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) on Friday at a ceremony held in the KLETC Integrity Auditorium. Officer Daniel Harshbarger of the Rose Hill Police Department was the graduating class president. The speaker for the ceremony was Sheriff Jack Laurie of the Atchison County Sheriff’s Office. Michael Turenne, KLETC Senior Instructor of Police, was the Class Coordinator for the 293rd Basic Training Class.Officers Jonah Rostetter of the Hesston Police Department, Minh Pham of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Marc Coletti of the Salina Police Department, and Deputy Jeremiah Andrews of the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office received fitness awards. Officer Coletti was also recognized for having the best overall improvement in the push-ups, sit-ups, and the 1.5 mile run while Officer Rostetter was recognized for having run the most miles in his class (224.96 miles). Officer Pham was recognized during the ceremony for his firearms proficiency as the class’ “Top Shot”.About 300 officers enroll annually in KLETC 14-week basic training programs. KLETC offers continuing education and specialized training to over 10,000 Kansas officers each year. KLETC is located one mile west and one mile south of Yoder, near Hutchinson.

Hutch officer among latest KLETC class

The latest from Ukraine, supervised visitation explained, water still a problem in Kansas, plus more from Hutch Post.

<figure>
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 </figure>The latest from Ukraine, supervised visitation explained, water still a problem in Kansas, plus more from Hutch Post.<div><iframe title="May 23, 2022 Morning News" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=4qs3a-1231f04-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7"></iframe></div>

May 23, 2022 Morning News

MCPHERSON —A $25 million gift just made to McPherson College is the largest gift ever made to a private liberal arts college in Kansas and among one of the largest to any Kansas college. 

The gift was made by Drs. Melanie and Richard Lundquist. Melanie Lundquist made the announcement during her Commencement address at MC’s 134th Commencement Ceremony. 

“The impact of the Lundquists’ gift and friendship is truly immeasurable,” said McPherson College president Michael Schneider.

MCPHERSON —A $25 million gift just made to McPherson College is the largest gift ever made to a private liberal arts college in Kansas and among one of the largest to any Kansas college. <div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FMcPhersonCollege%2Fvideos%2F5000144596760332%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The gift was made by Drs. Melanie and Richard Lundquist. Melanie Lundquist made the announcement during her Commencement address at MC’s 134th Commencement Ceremony. “The impact of the Lundquists’ gift and friendship is truly immeasurable,” said McPherson College president Michael Schneider.

🎥Largest gift ever to a private liberal arts college in Kansas

HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
May is National Supervised Visitation Awareness Month and Kat Brylie-Napier with BrightHouse notes that unless you are a part of such an agreement, you probably don't know what it is.

"Supervised visitation is when a non-custodial parent, whoever the child is not living with, meets up at a third party neutral location and gets to spend time in a risk free, safe environment with somebody just kind of sitting there and watching," Brylie-Napier said. "That's just to make sure that everything is going okay, there's not conversations that a child doesn't need to hear and make it so that they can just really enjoy their time together, versus maybe in an environment where the two parents could see each other and start screaming at each other, because they are not getting along at the moment."

"We have kids as young as about six months old," Brylie-Napier said. "We also have a child that is seventeen. You don't expect for there, really to be teenagers. A lot of times, when you think about this, you often think about little kids. Teenagers are a lot more opinionated, as we all know. Sometimes, it's having that third party and that neutral person there, makes them a lot safer, especially if there's been issues with that parent in the past."

There are many reasons why a court appointed special advocate or a judge might refer a couple for supervised visitation.

"One of the ones that we see quite a lot is just, the divorce is messy," Brylie-Napier said. "Currently, the two parents are just not getting along. Every time they see each other, it's a snarky comment. It's, they don't like the new partner. They don't like what that new person's doing with their lives. It causes arguments. The children don't really need to be around that. It offers them the chance to take care of that. We also, unfortunately, do see some parents who are unfortunately dealing with some mental health problems, that may be untreated, or they are still going through trying to get a treatment that works. It allows them the chance to be doing that, without the other parent making comments about how they are not a fit parent because they have these mental health issues. Unfortunately, we do also see drug problems, as well. With the drug problems, often times, it's, you know, right now they're not a safe parent to be around 24-7, but if they are working on getting sober, this gives them a chance to see the child while they are working through that part of their recovery."

If you have more questions, you can call Brylie-Napier at BrightHouse at (620) 665-1471.

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 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
May is National Supervised Visitation Awareness Month and Kat Brylie-Napier with BrightHouse notes that unless you are a part of such an agreement, you probably don't know what it is."Supervised visitation is when a non-custodial parent, whoever the child is not living with, meets up at a third party neutral location and gets to spend time in a risk free, safe environment with somebody just kind of sitting there and watching," Brylie-Napier said. "That's just to make sure that everything is going okay, there's not conversations that a child doesn't need to hear and make it so that they can just really enjoy their time together, versus maybe in an environment where the two parents could see each other and start screaming at each other, because they are not getting along at the moment."It's not just for little ones, either."We have kids as young as about six months old," Brylie-Napier said. "We also have a child that is seventeen. You don't expect for there, really to be teenagers. A lot of times, when you think about this, you often think about little kids. Teenagers are a lot more opinionated, as we all know. Sometimes, it's having that third party and that neutral person there, makes them a lot safer, especially if there's been issues with that parent in the past."There are many reasons why a court appointed special advocate or a judge might refer a couple for supervised visitation."One of the ones that we see quite a lot is just, the divorce is messy," Brylie-Napier said. "Currently, the two parents are just not getting along. Every time they see each other, it's a snarky comment. It's, they don't like the new partner. They don't like what that new person's doing with their lives. It causes arguments. The children don't really need to be around that. It offers them the chance to take care of that. We also, unfortunately, do see some parents who are unfortunately dealing with some mental health problems, that may be untreated, or they are still going through trying to get a treatment that works. It allows them the chance to be doing that, without the other parent making comments about how they are not a fit parent because they have these mental health issues. Unfortunately, we do also see drug problems, as well. With the drug problems, often times, it's, you know, right now they're not a safe parent to be around 24-7, but if they are working on getting sober, this gives them a chance to see the child while they are working through that part of their recovery."If you have more questions, you can call Brylie-Napier at BrightHouse at (620) 665-1471.

Supervised visitation helps keep parents, kids safe

NICK GOSNELL and RICK KRAUS Hutch Post

SOUTH HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The May Market South Hutch Business of the Month is Ashcraft Pharmacy. Tami Friday is the owner.

"I've actually been the owner for six years," Friday said. "However, I've worked here for almost 19 years and I worked here in high school, too."

In fact, Friday had no idea she'd own the place when she started.

"It started out as a summer job," Friday said. "Steve Ashcraft that used to own the pharmacy is a good friend of my dad and mom. I started working for them in high school and came back. He's almost like my second dad, I guess you'd say. It just went from there, he's the one that got me to go to pharmacy school, even."

Friday said when Ashcraft retired in 2016, it was a natural progression for her to move into ownership. The pharmacy has about eight employees and right now is fully staffed and it is a family affair.

"My daughter is actually helping me out this summer," Friday said. "She's getting her pharmacy tech certification and then my husband is the handyman, jack of all trades, helps me with delivery and that kind of stuff."

Ashcraft Pharmacy prides itself on taking care of the families in South Hutch and beyond. They know their people.

"It's nice to hear and we find out how everybody in the family is doing," Friday said. "It's a family oriented business."

The supply chain really does have an effect, but Ashcraft Pharmacy has been able to keep things going well.

"We've had some issues with that, definitely, especially with all of our over the counter products," Friday said. "There have been a few prescription things, but we've managed to get by. Either, we find a different wholesaler or we have to just do something different completely."

Getting paid by customer's insurers is a constant challenge, but they take it one day at a time.

"It is a struggle out there, especially for independent pharmacies," Friday said. "We don't have the buying power that maybe they do at the larger chain stores. It is a challenge. The competition in pharmacy is fierce. When you throw in mail order and Amazon and big chain stores and the little mom and pop stores like mine, it's a struggle."

With free delivery and the personal touch for everyone from Grandma to the littlest, Ashcraft Pharmacy is a place where you can know your health matters to them. Ashcraft Pharmacy is open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at 9:30 to noon on Saturday at 503 North Main in South Hutchinson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653141325043.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL and RICK KRAUS Hutch PostSOUTH HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The May Market South Hutch Business of the Month is Ashcraft Pharmacy. Tami Friday is the owner."I've actually been the owner for six years," Friday said. "However, I've worked here for almost 19 years and I worked here in high school, too."In fact, Friday had no idea she'd own the place when she started."It started out as a summer job," Friday said. "Steve Ashcraft that used to own the pharmacy is a good friend of my dad and mom. I started working for them in high school and came back. He's almost like my second dad, I guess you'd say. It just went from there, he's the one that got me to go to pharmacy school, even."Friday said when Ashcraft retired in 2016, it was a natural progression for her to move into ownership. The pharmacy has about eight employees and right now is fully staffed and it is a family affair."My daughter is actually helping me out this summer," Friday said. "She's getting her pharmacy tech certification and then my husband is the handyman, jack of all trades, helps me with delivery and that kind of stuff."Ashcraft Pharmacy prides itself on taking care of the families in South Hutch and beyond. They know their people."It's nice to hear and we find out how everybody in the family is doing," Friday said. "It's a family oriented business."The supply chain really does have an effect, but Ashcraft Pharmacy has been able to keep things going well."We've had some issues with that, definitely, especially with all of our over the counter products," Friday said. "There have been a few prescription things, but we've managed to get by. Either, we find a different wholesaler or we have to just do something different completely."Getting paid by customer's insurers is a constant challenge, but they take it one day at a time."It is a struggle out there, especially for independent pharmacies," Friday said. "We don't have the buying power that maybe they do at the larger chain stores. It is a challenge. The competition in pharmacy is fierce. When you throw in mail order and Amazon and big chain stores and the little mom and pop stores like mine, it's a struggle."With free delivery and the personal touch for everyone from Grandma to the littlest, Ashcraft Pharmacy is a place where you can know your health matters to them. Ashcraft Pharmacy is open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at 9:30 to noon on Saturday at 503 North Main in South Hutchinson.

Ashcraft Pharmacy is Market South Hutch Business of the Month

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — After taking time off, Bike Across Kansas is back and kicks off June 11 at the Colorado border. This year's event includes a stop in Hutchinson on Tuesday, June 14.

According to Angela Updegraff of Harley’s Bicycles, riders will start arriving in Hutchinson around 10 a.m. That will continue until around 3 p.m. The riders will be coming from an overnight stop in Saint John.&nbsp;

Updegraff says that riders will come up West 7th Avenue and be met with all kinds of food and other welcome items from local schools and vendors. The riders will then spend the night at the Salthawk Activity Center before leaving on the next leg to Hillsboro.

Updegraff says it is great to see Bike Across Kansas going again after two years off because of COVID and it's great they are coming to Hutchinson as the ride usually makes an effort to stop in smaller towns. Updegraff says they will have information on things to see in Hutchinson along with various food and drink establishments for the riders.

<figure>
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 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — After taking time off, Bike Across Kansas is back and kicks off June 11 at the Colorado border. This year's event includes a stop in Hutchinson on Tuesday, June 14.According to Angela Updegraff of Harley’s Bicycles, riders will start arriving in Hutchinson around 10 a.m. That will continue until around 3 p.m. The riders will be coming from an overnight stop in Saint John.&nbsp;Updegraff says that riders will come up West 7th Avenue and be met with all kinds of food and other welcome items from local schools and vendors. The riders will then spend the night at the Salthawk Activity Center before leaving on the next leg to Hillsboro.Updegraff says it is great to see Bike Across Kansas going again after two years off because of COVID and it's great they are coming to Hutchinson as the ride usually makes an effort to stop in smaller towns. Updegraff says they will have information on things to see in Hutchinson along with various food and drink establishments for the riders.<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;

Hutchinson preparing for Bike Across Kansas

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce is working to assist those employees that will be laid off as part of the closing of the Siemens Gamesa facility in Hutchinson. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/a752e649-d558-4257-93c4-bad5e55f214f">The plant announced Friday that it will close indefinitely starting in July because of continued supply chain and order book issues</a>.&nbsp;

“I did have an opportunity to visit with officials at Siemens today to try and understand the scope of that,” Chamber President Debra Teufel said. “Our next step is to work with our workforce system partners to make sure that those individuals and families that are affected are receiving all of the rapid response resources that they can get.”

While Friday’s news was certainly not good, Teufel says there are companies who are looking to fill open spots with those who are laid off.

“There are several employers reaching out asking about how they can help,” Teufel said. “They have job opportunities that they would love to be able to get in front of these employees that are being impacted.”

Teufel says that, along with good opportunities to find a job in the area, there are plenty of resources to help find work and assistance if needed.

“I would say that for everyone that received notice (Friday) and they’re trying to evaluate options, just know that the workforce is here to help,” Teufel said. “We already have a meeting schedule Tuesday with the Hutchinson Community College Business and Industry team, and the Kansas Workforce Center to talk about a rapid response.”

Teufel says that will likely come in the form of a job fair in the coming weeks. If you are a company that would like to be a part of that job fair, she says you can contact the Chamber of Commerce at 620-662-3391.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588801061934.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By ROD ZOOK Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce is working to assist those employees that will be laid off as part of the closing of the Siemens Gamesa facility in Hutchinson. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/a752e649-d558-4257-93c4-bad5e55f214f">The plant announced Friday that it will close indefinitely starting in July because of continued supply chain and order book issues</a>.&nbsp;“I did have an opportunity to visit with officials at Siemens today to try and understand the scope of that,” Chamber President Debra Teufel said. “Our next step is to work with our workforce system partners to make sure that those individuals and families that are affected are receiving all of the rapid response resources that they can get.”While Friday’s news was certainly not good, Teufel says there are companies who are looking to fill open spots with those who are laid off.“There are several employers reaching out asking about how they can help,” Teufel said. “They have job opportunities that they would love to be able to get in front of these employees that are being impacted.”Teufel says that, along with good opportunities to find a job in the area, there are plenty of resources to help find work and assistance if needed.“I would say that for everyone that received notice (Friday) and they’re trying to evaluate options, just know that the workforce is here to help,” Teufel said. “We already have a meeting schedule Tuesday with the Hutchinson Community College Business and Industry team, and the Kansas Workforce Center to talk about a rapid response.”Teufel says that will likely come in the form of a job fair in the coming weeks. If you are a company that would like to be a part of that job fair, she says you can contact the Chamber of Commerce at 620-662-3391.<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 ready to assist Siemens Gamesa employees

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Inflation and a slowing economy drove sales tax revenue down in Reno County for the month of May.

According to figures released from the Reno County treasurer's office, May sales tax revenue in the county totaled $405,043 compared with $446,323 for the same month last year. And unlike in 2021, sales tax for May fell from the previous month this year. It’s also the lowest month of revenue in 2022, which is the first time that has happened, as May is usually a better month than most for sales tax receipts in the county.&nbsp;

It's the first time this year that sales tax revenue could not beat last year's numbers and a sign that people are being more cautious about their shopping.

Sales tax revenue reflects shopping trends for the month of March.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649784457641.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Inflation and a slowing economy drove sales tax revenue down in Reno County for the month of May.According to figures released from the Reno County treasurer's office, May sales tax revenue in the county totaled $405,043 compared with $446,323 for the same month last year. And unlike in 2021, sales tax for May fell from the previous month this year. It’s also the lowest month of revenue in 2022, which is the first time that has happened, as May is usually a better month than most for sales tax receipts in the county.&nbsp;It's the first time this year that sales tax revenue could not beat last year's numbers and a sign that people are being more cautious about their shopping.Sales tax revenue reflects shopping trends for the month of March.<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;

Sales tax receipts fall in the month of May

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center's (KLETC) 293rd basic training class announced that it has made a donation to the United Way Disaster Relief Fund.

The graduating students from the 293rd basic training class collected the funds as part of their class project. The $415 raised will go to the United Way of The Plains disaster relief fund, which was set up to aid families in need from the April 29 tornadoes.&nbsp;

The class president for the 293rd, Officer Daniel Harshbarger of the Rose Hill Police Department, said that the tornado affected not only residents of Andover and Butler County, but also Sedgwick County.

“We had talked about a couple of other projects before this disaster took place. Some other class members wanted to get together and volunteer with a clean-up,” Harshbarger said. “With the chaos that follows days after something like this, we decided it would be just as good to set up a fundraiser.”

Michael Turenne, the class coordinator for the 293rd basic training class, knew that the students would do what they could to assist those in need.&nbsp;

“In law enforcement, we know we are one natural disaster from all working in the same jurisdiction to assist the citizens and fellow officers for the area,” Turenne said. “Since the student officers are still in their training, they found another way to help through donations.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1622151282711.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center's (KLETC) 293rd basic training class announced that it has made a donation to the United Way Disaster Relief Fund.The graduating students from the 293rd basic training class collected the funds as part of their class project. The $415 raised will go to the United Way of The Plains disaster relief fund, which was set up to aid families in need from the April 29 tornadoes.&nbsp;The class president for the 293rd, Officer Daniel Harshbarger of the Rose Hill Police Department, said that the tornado affected not only residents of Andover and Butler County, but also Sedgwick County.“We had talked about a couple of other projects before this disaster took place. Some other class members wanted to get together and volunteer with a clean-up,” Harshbarger said. “With the chaos that follows days after something like this, we decided it would be just as good to set up a fundraiser.”Michael Turenne, the class coordinator for the 293rd basic training class, knew that the students would do what they could to assist those in need.&nbsp;“In law enforcement, we know we are one natural disaster from all working in the same jurisdiction to assist the citizens and fellow officers for the area,” Turenne said. “Since the student officers are still in their training, they found another way to help through donations.”<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.

Law enforcement class makes donation to disaster relief


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The Reno County Health Department is now administering Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster doses to children aged 5 through 11 if it has been at least five months since the completion of a primary series of the vaccine. 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended the emergency use authorization for the Pfizer vaccine earlier this week. That action was followed by the recommendation from the Advisory Council for Immunization Practices (ACIP) on Thursday. 

Since the pandemic began, more than 4.8 million children ages 5 through 11 have been diagnosed with COVID-19, 15,000 have been hospitalized, and over 180 have died.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also strengthened their recommendation that immunocompromised individuals over the age of 12, and those 50 years and older should receive a second booster dose at least four months after their first.<a></a>

The Reno County Health Department is administering vaccines during their normal operating hours. They will administer Pfizer-BioNTech primary doses, and booster doses for those aged 5 and over. The Moderna vaccine is available for primary doses and booster doses for ages 18 and over. Walk-ins are accepted for ages 12 and over, but appointments are required for children aged 5-11. Call 620-694-2900 and select option 6 for scheduling. The vaccine is free to any Reno County resident, regardless of citizen status or insurance.

The Health Department is open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 7:30am to 6pm, Wednesday from 9am to 6pm, and Friday from 7:30am to noon. For more information on the vaccines or to find additional vaccine providers, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.vaccines.gov/" target="_blank">www.vaccines.gov</a>.

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HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The Reno County Health Department is now administering Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster doses to children aged 5 through 11 if it has been at least five months since the completion of a primary series of the vaccine. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended the emergency use authorization for the Pfizer vaccine earlier this week. That action was followed by the recommendation from the Advisory Council for Immunization Practices (ACIP) on Thursday. Since the pandemic began, more than 4.8 million children ages 5 through 11 have been diagnosed with COVID-19, 15,000 have been hospitalized, and over 180 have died.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also strengthened their recommendation that immunocompromised individuals over the age of 12, and those 50 years and older should receive a second booster dose at least four months after their first.<a></a>The Reno County Health Department is administering vaccines during their normal operating hours. They will administer Pfizer-BioNTech primary doses, and booster doses for those aged 5 and over. The Moderna vaccine is available for primary doses and booster doses for ages 18 and over. Walk-ins are accepted for ages 12 and over, but appointments are required for children aged 5-11. Call 620-694-2900 and select option 6 for scheduling. The vaccine is free to any Reno County resident, regardless of citizen status or insurance.The Health Department is open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 7:30am to 6pm, Wednesday from 9am to 6pm, and Friday from 7:30am to noon. For more information on the vaccines or to find additional vaccine providers, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.vaccines.gov/" target="_blank">www.vaccines.gov</a>.

Reno County Health Department now doing kids COVID boosters

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Siemens Gamesa will be shutting down its Hutchinson nacelle facility indefinitely to address what it says are continued challenges in production demand for the U.S. onshore wind energy market. The plant will shut down in July. The shutdown also affects the Ft. Madison, Iowa blade facility which will close in June. According to spokesperson Andrew Luther, no time table was given for when the plant might reopen.

Employees at both facilities will be released from employment during this time. All affected employees will be provided with a comprehensive separation package, which includes severance pay, benefits continuation, career counseling, resume preparation and job placement assistance. The closing affects 92 workers at the Hutchinson plant.

“The hibernation of our manufacturing and assembly facilities is an unfortunate but necessary&nbsp; measure to address the current challenges in the U.S. onshore wind market,” Shannon Sturgil, CEO of Onshore North America said. “We continue to pursue new orders and remain fully&nbsp; committed to finding a path in support of our Fort Madison and Hutchinson manufacturing facilities.”&nbsp;

Siemens Gamesa faced a patent challenge against features of its onshore wind turbines brought by a competitor. While the International Trade Commission ultimately ruled in favor of Siemens Gamesa, the company was unable to pursue orders during that period. Since then, the&nbsp; U.S. wind market for onshore has slowed in anticipation of new climate legislation and the accompanying renewable energy incentives. Combined with long lead times on wind energy&nbsp; projects, these factors have resulted in a “production gap” in 2022.

“Our employees have remained professional and committed throughout this challenging time in&nbsp; the U.S. onshore wind market, and I want to thank them for their dedication,”Sturgil said. “The hibernation of the two facilities in no way reflects the excellent work done by the teams at those locations. We explored many options to address the current shortfall, and ultimately found the hibernation plan to be the most viable option for the long-term success of our manufacturing and assembly plants in the United States.”&nbsp;

The hibernation of the two facilities will have no impact on Siemens Gamesa’s delivery of current onshore contracts, and is entirely unrelated to the company’s offshore wind business, including further development of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind commercial project agreements.&nbsp;

Since the facility opened in 2010, workers at Siemens Gamesa’s plant in Hutchinson have produced approximately 5,500 nacelles, which sit atop the wind tower, supporting the rotor and housing components for electric power generation. Workers in the Fort Madison, Iowa facility,&nbsp; which opened in 2006, have produced more than 20,000 wind turbine blades delivered to projects in the Americas, Europe and Africa.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607017503991.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Siemens Gamesa will be shutting down its Hutchinson nacelle facility indefinitely to address what it says are continued challenges in production demand for the U.S. onshore wind energy market. The plant will shut down in July. The shutdown also affects the Ft. Madison, Iowa blade facility which will close in June. According to spokesperson Andrew Luther, no time table was given for when the plant might reopen.Employees at both facilities will be released from employment during this time. All affected employees will be provided with a comprehensive separation package, which includes severance pay, benefits continuation, career counseling, resume preparation and job placement assistance. The closing affects 92 workers at the Hutchinson plant.“The hibernation of our manufacturing and assembly facilities is an unfortunate but necessary&nbsp; measure to address the current challenges in the U.S. onshore wind market,” Shannon Sturgil, CEO of Onshore North America said. “We continue to pursue new orders and remain fully&nbsp; committed to finding a path in support of our Fort Madison and Hutchinson manufacturing facilities.”&nbsp;Siemens Gamesa faced a patent challenge against features of its onshore wind turbines brought by a competitor. While the International Trade Commission ultimately ruled in favor of Siemens Gamesa, the company was unable to pursue orders during that period. Since then, the&nbsp; U.S. wind market for onshore has slowed in anticipation of new climate legislation and the accompanying renewable energy incentives. Combined with long lead times on wind energy&nbsp; projects, these factors have resulted in a “production gap” in 2022.“Our employees have remained professional and committed throughout this challenging time in&nbsp; the U.S. onshore wind market, and I want to thank them for their dedication,”Sturgil said. “The hibernation of the two facilities in no way reflects the excellent work done by the teams at those locations. We explored many options to address the current shortfall, and ultimately found the hibernation plan to be the most viable option for the long-term success of our manufacturing and assembly plants in the United States.”&nbsp;The hibernation of the two facilities will have no impact on Siemens Gamesa’s delivery of current onshore contracts, and is entirely unrelated to the company’s offshore wind business, including further development of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind commercial project agreements.&nbsp;Since the facility opened in 2010, workers at Siemens Gamesa’s plant in Hutchinson have produced approximately 5,500 nacelles, which sit atop the wind tower, supporting the rotor and housing components for electric power generation. Workers in the Fort Madison, Iowa facility,&nbsp; which opened in 2006, have produced more than 20,000 wind turbine blades delivered to projects in the Americas, Europe and Africa.&nbsp;

Siemens Gamesa to close Hutchinson plant indefinitely

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times host Gary Shorman speaks with Symphony in the Flint Hills’ operations manager Kelly Tastove.

<div><iframe title="Forward Ever: Symphony in the Flint Hills’ manager Kelly Tastove" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=sw735-122edb0-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times host Gary Shorman speaks with Symphony in the Flint Hills’ operations manager Kelly Tastove.

🎤Forward Ever: Symphony in the Flint Hills’ manager Kelly Tastove


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — A team of students from Allen STEM Magnet School is the national champion in the elementary school division of the 2022 National KidWind Challenge. They won the award in San Antonio, Texas this week.

"They have four different tunnels, that they get to test their wind turbine that they've built in," said assistant coach and Allen teacher Hannah Schletzbaum. "They get three runs for each tunnel and then their best time, their best energy was collected."

"They also competed in a floating turbine challenge, where they had actually built a second turbine and it had to be anchored in a wave pool. There were waves moving while the wind was blowing to see how much energy they could produce while still floating."

"They had a hydropower exploration instant challenge, where they had to construct a water-powered turbine. That was created completely on site within 30 minutes and tested. They were given points for the power output that it would produce. 

Then, there was a solar array instant challenge. This was the first year that they did the solar array instant challenge. They joked around that there were a lot of kids that cried in that challenge, because it was really tough. There were four components to that challenge."

They also presented to a panel of judges. They had to go in and give a presentation that detailed from the beginning of their journey to where they are now the different things that they've done with their wind turbine, the things that they've learned and how they came to their final design.&nbsp;

According to coach Keith Gable, the most impressive thing may be how much they improved throughout the process.

"Joules is the energy output," Gable said. "At regionals, they had 22. At the state competition they had 55 joules and this is all in a sixty-second run. At nationals, they drop it down to 30 seconds, so they can get more runs in with more teams. Our final run in a tunnel that's very comparable to what we run in at regional and state, which is about 3.5 meters per second, they had an output of about 62 joules."

At nationals, they have four different tunnels with different wind speeds in an effort to test not only the energy output, but the resiliency of the design under real world conditions, as the wind doesn't blow at the same speed all the time.

"They have one that runs at 2 meters per second, one at around 3 meters per second, the typical one that we use in Kansas, our competition's about 3.5 to 4, depending on air density. Then, the last one, it was literally tearing up turbines, because it was running at 7 meters per second. Our team ended up pulling 69 joules."

With this being the first year in the program, the team honestly thought they'd do the regional competition here in Hutchinson and be done.

"We were really surprised when they took second there and made it to state,"&nbsp;Schletzbaum said. "Before the state competition, our kids, they came up to school and they worked on their snow day, they worked over spring break, they were up here every weekend working. Just before the state competition, we presented to every grade level in the school. That was kind of their practice for their judging presentation. They gave their full presentation to each grade level and then they ran the turbines for them and showed them how that whole situation works."

The whole school did a spirit week this week in support of the team with dress up days that corresponded with the team's activities at nationals in San Antonio.

"One of the things that we talked about with our redesign is real world opportunities," Gable said. "When this fell in our lap in February, it was kind of just, give it a try and find out more about it and plan for next year and here we are."

The kids also got to spend some time at the clean power expo, as well.

"They walked through and they got to meet industry professionals and talk with them about their careers and education," Schletzbaum said. "They were so great with our kids, with explaining things. I don't know how many people, they got to go up and they asked about their jobs and what they do and how it relates to wind energy and were able to talk about our school with them and how they do engineering here in Hutchinson, Kansas."

The team also finished third in the quiz bowl portion of the competition, as well, and they're already talking with the coaches about ways to improve their design for next year.

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HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — A team of students from Allen STEM Magnet School is the national champion in the elementary school division of the 2022 National KidWind Challenge. They won the award in San Antonio, Texas this week.The team included:Liam Clark – 5thGatlin Loepp – 4thKruz Hernandez – 4thZoey Schletzbaum – 4thand Dalton Urban – 4th"They have four different tunnels, that they get to test their wind turbine that they've built in," said assistant coach and Allen teacher Hannah Schletzbaum. "They get three runs for each tunnel and then their best time, their best energy was collected."<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FAllenSTEMKidWind%2Fvideos%2F2804918016480531%2F&show_text=false&width=267&t=0" width="267" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>"They also competed in a floating turbine challenge, where they had actually built a second turbine and it had to be anchored in a wave pool. There were waves moving while the wind was blowing to see how much energy they could produce while still floating."<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FAllenSTEMKidWind%2Fvideos%2F747858143012800%2F&show_text=false&width=267&t=0" width="267" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>"They had a hydropower exploration instant challenge, where they had to construct a water-powered turbine. That was created completely on site within 30 minutes and tested. They were given points for the power output that it would produce. Then, there was a solar array instant challenge. This was the first year that they did the solar array instant challenge. They joked around that there were a lot of kids that cried in that challenge, because it was really tough. There were four components to that challenge."They also presented to a panel of judges. They had to go in and give a presentation that detailed from the beginning of their journey to where they are now the different things that they've done with their wind turbine, the things that they've learned and how they came to their final design.&nbsp;According to coach Keith Gable, the most impressive thing may be how much they improved throughout the process."Joules is the energy output," Gable said. "At regionals, they had 22. At the state competition they had 55 joules and this is all in a sixty-second run. At nationals, they drop it down to 30 seconds, so they can get more runs in with more teams. Our final run in a tunnel that's very comparable to what we run in at regional and state, which is about 3.5 meters per second, they had an output of about 62 joules."At nationals, they have four different tunnels with different wind speeds in an effort to test not only the energy output, but the resiliency of the design under real world conditions, as the wind doesn't blow at the same speed all the time."They have one that runs at 2 meters per second, one at around 3 meters per second, the typical one that we use in Kansas, our competition's about 3.5 to 4, depending on air density. Then, the last one, it was literally tearing up turbines, because it was running at 7 meters per second. Our team ended up pulling 69 joules."With this being the first year in the program, the team honestly thought they'd do the regional competition here in Hutchinson and be done."We were really surprised when they took second there and made it to state,"&nbsp;Schletzbaum said. "Before the state competition, our kids, they came up to school and they worked on their snow day, they worked over spring break, they were up here every weekend working. Just before the state competition, we presented to every grade level in the school. That was kind of their practice for their judging presentation. They gave their full presentation to each grade level and then they ran the turbines for them and showed them how that whole situation works."The whole school did a spirit week this week in support of the team with dress up days that corresponded with the team's activities at nationals in San Antonio."One of the things that we talked about with our redesign is real world opportunities," Gable said. "When this fell in our lap in February, it was kind of just, give it a try and find out more about it and plan for next year and here we are."The kids also got to spend some time at the clean power expo, as well."They walked through and they got to meet industry professionals and talk with them about their careers and education," Schletzbaum said. "They were so great with our kids, with explaining things. I don't know how many people, they got to go up and they asked about their jobs and what they do and how it relates to wind energy and were able to talk about our school with them and how they do engineering here in Hutchinson, Kansas."The team also finished third in the quiz bowl portion of the competition, as well, and they're already talking with the coaches about ways to improve their design for next year.

Allen STEM KidWind Blue Team is national champion

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas State Fair General Manager Bryan Schulz is ready to talk about the project to renovate the Bison Arena, now that the governor has signed the bill for the state's half.

"With House Bill 2510 going through, that allocated about $14.6 million towards the fair," Schulz said. "$10 million of that was earmarked for the Bison Arena. The remainder, the $2.5 million was going to go towards asphalt repairs on the grounds, a million that would go towards a PA system, $500,000 towards air conditioning in the Oz Gallery and Centennial Hall and then about $460,000 to finish the upgrades down at Expocenter."

The state's money is allocated in FY 2023, which starts July 1. The total cost is estimated around $20 million.

"We're going to need to hire an architect," Schulz said. "We do have our contract with Schaefer Johnson Cox Frey. With a bid this big, I think it has to go out on state bid. We'll see what happens with that. Once we have an architect in place, then we'll probably look at structural, making sure that is what we need to do and then start moving forward to actually get a better cost of what the building is going to be."

The concern is that any estimate given even months ago is likely not accurate. The fair has seen this problem with the Capper project as its price tag went up and completion date went back due to supply chain issues, particularly with steel, so Schulz really wants to be sure fairgoers are patient with the process.

"It's going to take at least a year to get everything into place," Schulz said. "That would be a rough timeline. Starting a year, to get everything into place how we want it, getting everything going. Then, it's probably going to be another year or so after that. I'm thinking it's going to be two plus years before it would be open, for sure."

The goal is to make sure all of the timeline is firm before getting specific bids as the project progresses, so that costs can be controlled as much as possible.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653060590462.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas State Fair General Manager Bryan Schulz is ready to talk about the project to renovate the Bison Arena, now that the governor has signed the bill for the state's half."With House Bill 2510 going through, that allocated about $14.6 million towards the fair," Schulz said. "$10 million of that was earmarked for the Bison Arena. The remainder, the $2.5 million was going to go towards asphalt repairs on the grounds, a million that would go towards a PA system, $500,000 towards air conditioning in the Oz Gallery and Centennial Hall and then about $460,000 to finish the upgrades down at Expocenter."The state's money is allocated in FY 2023, which starts July 1. The total cost is estimated around $20 million."We're going to need to hire an architect," Schulz said. "We do have our contract with Schaefer Johnson Cox Frey. With a bid this big, I think it has to go out on state bid. We'll see what happens with that. Once we have an architect in place, then we'll probably look at structural, making sure that is what we need to do and then start moving forward to actually get a better cost of what the building is going to be."The concern is that any estimate given even months ago is likely not accurate. The fair has seen this problem with the Capper project as its price tag went up and completion date went back due to supply chain issues, particularly with steel, so Schulz really wants to be sure fairgoers are patient with the process."It's going to take at least a year to get everything into place," Schulz said. "That would be a rough timeline. Starting a year, to get everything into place how we want it, getting everything going. Then, it's probably going to be another year or so after that. I'm thinking it's going to be two plus years before it would be open, for sure."The goal is to make sure all of the timeline is firm before getting specific bids as the project progresses, so that costs can be controlled as much as possible.

Bison Arena project gets state funding portion, now fair looks ahead

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Amtrak’s Southwest Chief will return to full service starting on Monday. The train service was reduced to five days per week due to staffing shortages caused by the pandemic.&nbsp;

“We still have a lot of hiring to do but we’re able to have enough hiring and enough cars back in service, post pandemic, to restore service on the Southwest Chief,” Amtrak Spokesperson Marc Magilari said. “We’re very glad to be back doing that across central Kansas and the full route of the Southwest Chief.”

Despite hiring more than 1500 people this spring, Magilari says the staff shortages continue. The shortages are across the board from maintenance crews to conductors and locomotive engineers.

“We need several thousand more nationally,” Magilari said. “Whether they’re conductors or engineers or the people who work to maintain our trains from the mechanical department, we need to get some more people on board.”

While the Chief is back to seven days per week, the staffing issues are still limiting service elsewhere.

“We’re still not back to 100% service elsewhere in the country,” Magilari said. “In New Orleans we’re not running daily trains that are normally daily…we’re still not restoring all of our service even here in the Chicago area.”

Amtrak is also working to get their fleet of cars and locomotives up and running again but staffing shortages are slowing that process. Because of that the Chief will be running with fewer coaches.

“I would expect our train will remain undersized throughout the summer,” Magilari said. “Because when the pandemic was at its worst, we were directed not to fill every job that opened, and we didn’t and now we’re trying to catch up.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Chief runs from Chicago to Los Angeles and serves Lawrence, Topeka, Newton, Dodge City and Garden City in Kansas. In a non-pandemic environment, Amtrak serves about 6,000 passengers each year in Hutchinson.

<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.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1622746554124.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By ROD ZOOK Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Amtrak’s Southwest Chief will return to full service starting on Monday. The train service was reduced to five days per week due to staffing shortages caused by the pandemic.&nbsp;“We still have a lot of hiring to do but we’re able to have enough hiring and enough cars back in service, post pandemic, to restore service on the Southwest Chief,” Amtrak Spokesperson Marc Magilari said. “We’re very glad to be back doing that across central Kansas and the full route of the Southwest Chief.”Despite hiring more than 1500 people this spring, Magilari says the staff shortages continue. The shortages are across the board from maintenance crews to conductors and locomotive engineers.“We need several thousand more nationally,” Magilari said. “Whether they’re conductors or engineers or the people who work to maintain our trains from the mechanical department, we need to get some more people on board.”While the Chief is back to seven days per week, the staffing issues are still limiting service elsewhere.“We’re still not back to 100% service elsewhere in the country,” Magilari said. “In New Orleans we’re not running daily trains that are normally daily…we’re still not restoring all of our service even here in the Chicago area.”Amtrak is also working to get their fleet of cars and locomotives up and running again but staffing shortages are slowing that process. Because of that the Chief will be running with fewer coaches.“I would expect our train will remain undersized throughout the summer,” Magilari said. “Because when the pandemic was at its worst, we were directed not to fill every job that opened, and we didn’t and now we’re trying to catch up.”&nbsp;&nbsp;The Chief runs from Chicago to Los Angeles and serves Lawrence, Topeka, Newton, Dodge City and Garden City in Kansas. In a non-pandemic environment, Amtrak serves about 6,000 passengers each year in Hutchinson.<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.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Southwest Chief back to full service but limitations remain

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The unemployment rate in Reno County fell for the month of April. 

According to the Kansas Department of Labor, the jobless rate for the county fell one half of one percent to 2.1%. The jobless rate for the same period in 2021 was 3.0%.

There were 613 county residents out of work. In Hutchinson, the jobless rate was also down half a percentage point to 2.3%. 428 city residents were out of work. In April of 2021, the rate was 3.3%.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/6/1561209733269.png" alt="unemployment" />
 <figcaption>unemployment</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The unemployment rate in Reno County fell for the month of April. According to the Kansas Department of Labor, the jobless rate for the county fell one half of one percent to 2.1%. The jobless rate for the same period in 2021 was 3.0%.There were 613 county residents out of work. In Hutchinson, the jobless rate was also down half a percentage point to 2.3%. 428 city residents were out of work. In April of 2021, the rate was 3.3%.

Reno County and Hutchinson unemployment under 2.5%


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The dancers of ArtisTree at the Fox are presenting their 43rd annual spring show this weekend.

The theme for this year's show is&nbsp;"jux•ta•po•si•tions".

This is an under 90 minute show featuring dancers ages 7&nbsp; to adult with all original stage choreography.

Shows are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free.

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 </figure>
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The dancers of ArtisTree at the Fox are presenting their 43rd annual spring show this weekend.The theme for this year's show is&nbsp;"jux•ta•po•si•tions".This is an under 90 minute show featuring dancers ages 7&nbsp; to adult with all original stage choreography.Shows are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free.

ArtisTree annual spring show Friday and Saturday at the Fox

LAWRENCE — Thirty-one University of Kansas undergraduate students, including one from Hutchinson, have recently received the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study or intern abroad in countries around the world.  

Gilman Scholars are selected from a group of highly competitive undergraduates for study abroad funding. Scholars receive up to $5,000, or up to $8,000 if also a recipient of the Gilman Critical Need Language Award, to apply toward their study abroad or internship abroad program costs. The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs sponsors the Gilman scholarship program.

Since the program’s inception in 2001, more than 34,000 Gilman Scholars from all U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories have studied or interned in more than 155 countries around the globe. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653053738251.jpeg" alt="GilmanScholarLogo.JPG" />
 <figcaption>GilmanScholarLogo.JPG</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE — Thirty-one University of Kansas undergraduate students, including one from Hutchinson, have recently received the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study or intern abroad in countries around the world. Gilman Scholars are selected from a group of highly competitive undergraduates for study abroad funding. Scholars receive up to $5,000, or up to $8,000 if also a recipient of the Gilman Critical Need Language Award, to apply toward their study abroad or internship abroad program costs. The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs sponsors the Gilman scholarship program.Since the program’s inception in 2001, more than 34,000 Gilman Scholars from all U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories have studied or interned in more than 155 countries around the globe. A key goal of the Gilman scholarship program is to provide opportunities for students to study abroad regardless of socioeconomic constraints. Through its 21 years in operation, the program has successfully broadened U.S. participation in study abroad, while emphasizing study and internship opportunities in countries and regions where fewer Americans traditionally study.Lydia Johnson, a senior from Hutchinson, will intern through CIEE Global Internships in Spain in summer 2022.The rest of the award recipients from KU include the following students:Emma Bradford, a senior from Bushnell, Illinois, will intern in South Africa in summer 2022.LaToria Campbell, a junior from Kansas City, Kansas, will study at Masaryk University in the Czech Republic in fall 2022.Ashlyn Cassidy, a junior from Scammon, will study on the CIMBA Italy Program in fall 2022.Kayla Castillo, a senior from Topeka, will conduct research in Ireland in summer 2022.Kennedy Chrisco, a junior from Tonganoxie, will intern through CIEE Global Internships in South Africa in summer 2022.Ayanna Dixon, a senior from Kansas City, Kansas, is currently abroad at Korea University in Seoul, South Korea, for spring 2022.Tim Do, a junior from Wichita (67230), will participate in the Typography and Printing in Italy program in summer 2022.Macaria Duke, a junior from Austin, Texas, will study at Sophia University in Tokyo during 2022-23.Olivia Erickson, a senior from Bennington, Nebraska, will participate in the Architecture in Europe program in summer 2022.Valerie Flores-Espino, a senior from Bonner Springs, will participate in the Architecture in Southern Europe program in summer 2022.Lizvet Guzman-Damian, a sophomore from Louisburg, will participate in the Hospital Shadowing in Spain program in summer 2022.Kodi Hayes, a junior from Hazelwood, Missouri, will study Architecture in Asia in spring 2023.Ella Keathley, a junior from Lawrence, is currently abroad at the University of Leeds, England, for the spring 2022.Anai Melendez, a freshman from Kansas City, Kansas, will study at the ESC Clermont-Ferrand in France in spring 2023.Tong Moua, a senior from Kansas City, Kansas, will study at Thammasat University in Thailand in fall 2022.Thanh Nguyen, a junior from Overland Park, will complete an internship in Vietnam in summer 2022.Kimberly Olivas-Huerta, a freshman from Kansas City, Kansas, will study at Yonsei University in South Korea in summer 2022.Jessica Oloba, a freshman from Edmond, Oklahoma, will participate in the Creativity and Culture in Rome, Italy, program in summer 2022.Rachell Orce, a junior from Lawrence, will participate in the Language Institute in Holzkirchen, Germany, in summer 2022.Alexys Peppers, a junior from Salina, will study at Sogang University in South Korea in summer 2022.Victoria Requenes, a junior from Kansas City, Kansas, will participate in the Language and Culture in Florence, Italy, program in summer 2022.Autumn Reynolds, a senior from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, will study at Deakin University in Australia in fall 2022.Erin Robertson, a junior from Gunter, Texas, will study at Korea University in South Korea in fall 2022.Matthew Rosalie, a freshman from Lawrence, will study at J.F. Oberlin University in Japan in spring 2023.Roman Ruiz, a junior from Topeka, will study at the Universidad Carlos III in Madrid in fall 2022.Maiya Schroeder, a junior from Flower Mound, Texas, will participate in the Services for Children with Special Needs program in Belize in summer 2022.Mallory Sellers, a senior from Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, will intern through CIEE Global Internships in Singapore in summer 2022.Cody Simpson, a junior from De Soto, will study at Nanzan University in Japan in fall 2022.Anna-Marie Sumlin, a sophomore from Florissant, Missouri, will participate in the CIMBA Italy Program in summer 2022.Lauren Tubal, a senior from Salina, will participate in the Hospital Shadowing in Spain program in summer 2022.

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