HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A March 10 hearing date has been set before the Kansas Court of Appeals in a civil case filed by a Hutchinson man serving more than 20 years in prison for a home invasion case six years ago.

Twenty-six-year-old Frederick Lemons was convicted of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, aggravated battery and criminal threat. Lemons was one of four men who broke into a home on North Waldron Street in May of 2015, beat the victim and tied him up. From there the men stole two vehicles along with a number of items.

Lemons was arrested after he was spotted in one of the stolen vehicles later that morning. When authorities tried to stop the car, Lemons rammed a patrol car and tried to flee the scene. The chase ended at 6th and Jefferson, where Lemons tried to flee on foot. He was captured a short time later.&nbsp;

Lemons filed a civil case in August of 2019 citing ineffective counsel and other matters. The case went before the district court in February of 2020, where the case was denied.&nbsp;

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<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613769017936.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A March 10 hearing date has been set before the Kansas Court of Appeals in a civil case filed by a Hutchinson man serving more than 20 years in prison for a home invasion case six years ago.Twenty-six-year-old Frederick Lemons was convicted of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, aggravated battery and criminal threat. Lemons was one of four men who broke into a home on North Waldron Street in May of 2015, beat the victim and tied him up. From there the men stole two vehicles along with a number of items.Lemons was arrested after he was spotted in one of the stolen vehicles later that morning. When authorities tried to stop the car, Lemons rammed a patrol car and tried to flee the scene. The chase ended at 6th and Jefferson, where Lemons tried to flee on foot. He was captured a short time later.&nbsp;Lemons filed a civil case in August of 2019 citing ineffective counsel and other matters. The case went before the district court in February of 2020, where the case was denied.&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&nbsp;sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.

Court of Appeals to hear civil case in kidnapping conviction

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The amount of uncompensated care provided by Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System increased dramatically over the past year with a large portion of it due to the pandemic.&nbsp;

“We’ve had about a $3 million increase in uncompensated care,” Duane Miller, CFO of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System, said. “That's a mix between bad debt and charity. When I look at charity, the charity care will go up to almost $8 million.”

Miller says that nearly half of the charity care was connected to COVID, stating that about $3 million was related to the pandemic. Miller says the amount of charity compensation that has been given out is due to a more proactive approach.

“A part of that is because we’re being more intentional in identifying patients at the front end as charity so they don’t get billed and we don’t drag them through a process when you really aren’t going to receive payment,” Miller said.&nbsp;

Despite the amount of uncompensated care increase and the other challenges brought on by the pandemic, the hospital is still in sound financial shape.

“The CARES act funding that came earlier, we’ll be able to recognize pretty soon, and that's going to help us quite a bit,” Miller said. “The hospital is very stable when we look at our cash flows. The amount of cash we have on hand to run the operation hasn’t been dwindling down.”

That figure is important because, even though the hospital is designated as a nonprofit, it still has to pay its bills and employees.

“People have to replace their cars and other things and generally they have to save up or put a deposit down or be able to make those payments or pay off the item,” Miller stressed. “It’s not any different than a nonprofit organization. We have to replace equipment and all of the very up-to-date items that we have at this facility have a cost.”

Miller says the hospital has also been able to continue with several projects to improve the facility. He noted that the recently-completed ICU unit was instrumental in being able to secure COVID patients and provide intensive care treatment to others.&nbsp;

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<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574787528114.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By ROD ZOOKHutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — The amount of uncompensated care provided by Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System increased dramatically over the past year with a large portion of it due to the pandemic.&nbsp;“We’ve had about a $3 million increase in uncompensated care,” Duane Miller, CFO of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System, said. “That's a mix between bad debt and charity. When I look at charity, the charity care will go up to almost $8 million.”Miller says that nearly half of the charity care was connected to COVID, stating that about $3 million was related to the pandemic. Miller says the amount of charity compensation that has been given out is due to a more proactive approach.“A part of that is because we’re being more intentional in identifying patients at the front end as charity so they don’t get billed and we don’t drag them through a process when you really aren’t going to receive payment,” Miller said.&nbsp;Despite the amount of uncompensated care increase and the other challenges brought on by the pandemic, the hospital is still in sound financial shape.“The CARES act funding that came earlier, we’ll be able to recognize pretty soon, and that's going to help us quite a bit,” Miller said. “The hospital is very stable when we look at our cash flows. The amount of cash we have on hand to run the operation hasn’t been dwindling down.”That figure is important because, even though the hospital is designated as a nonprofit, it still has to pay its bills and employees.“People have to replace their cars and other things and generally they have to save up or put a deposit down or be able to make those payments or pay off the item,” Miller stressed. “It’s not any different than a nonprofit organization. We have to replace equipment and all of the very up-to-date items that we have at this facility have a cost.”Miller says the hospital has also been able to continue with several projects to improve the facility. He noted that the recently-completed ICU unit was instrumental in being able to secure COVID patients and provide intensive care treatment to others.&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;

Hospital's uncompensated care increased during pandemic


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The overall case count is at 167 as of Friday. The death count among Reno County residents is at 134. 

Out of 7,671 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 7,370 recoveries. There are 22 clusters still being monitored.

Seven Reno County residents are in the hospital. According to the dashboard, three hundred sixty-four total have been hospitalized. One hundred three have been admitted to the ICU. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.

Drive-thru testing is currently available at two Reno County locations at the Kansas Cosmosphere at 1100 N Plum in Hutchinson and at Simply Good Overstocks at 401 N Main in South Hutchinson.

Both sites are open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday. To make an appointment, please visit www.gogettested.com.

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HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The overall case count is at 167 as of Friday. The death count among Reno County residents is at 134. Out of 7,671 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 7,370 recoveries. There are 22 clusters still being monitored.Seven Reno County residents are in the hospital. According to the dashboard, three hundred sixty-four total have been hospitalized. One hundred three have been admitted to the ICU. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.Drive-thru testing is currently available at two Reno County locations at the Kansas Cosmosphere at 1100 N Plum in Hutchinson and at Simply Good Overstocks at 401 N Main in South Hutchinson.Both sites are open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday. To make an appointment, please visit www.gogettested.com.

Friday County Dashboard: Cases at 167, deaths at 134


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Buhler USD 313 Superintendent Cindy Couchman said the district wants to see more than just one week of good numbers before they bring kids back so that's why they're waiting until March 1st.

"Being transparent about our plan, we want two weeks of declining numbers," Couchman said. "We wanted to make sure we had a target date of exactly when the expectation is we'd be ready to open with all of our systems in a school this size."

Transportation and food service are just some of the areas that need to be ready.

"We have a couple of new bus drivers," Couchman said. "A lot of people don't understand the system behind it. When we bring everybody back, we have to also do new bus routes and new pickup times and practice those bus routes. There's a lot involved, including ordering more food and all kinds of things."

They also want to make sure the kids start with a full week at school when they come back. Parent teacher conferences are Thursday and Friday of next week for Buhler.

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<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584543839140.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Buhler USD 313 Superintendent Cindy Couchman said the district wants to see more than just one week of good numbers before they bring kids back so that's why they're waiting until March 1st."Being transparent about our plan, we want two weeks of declining numbers," Couchman said. "We wanted to make sure we had a target date of exactly when the expectation is we'd be ready to open with all of our systems in a school this size."Transportation and food service are just some of the areas that need to be ready."We have a couple of new bus drivers," Couchman said. "A lot of people don't understand the system behind it. When we bring everybody back, we have to also do new bus routes and new pickup times and practice those bus routes. There's a lot involved, including ordering more food and all kinds of things."They also want to make sure the kids start with a full week at school when they come back. Parent teacher conferences are Thursday and Friday of next week for Buhler.
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Couchman: Getting logistics ready for March 1 restart

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Hutch Post is honored to publish full obituaries and photos at no cost to families. Funeral homes can send notices to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:hutchpost@gmail.com" target="_blank">hutchpost@gmail.com</a>.

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<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573140944016.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Click&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/category/obituaries" target="_blank">HERE</a>&nbsp;to view the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners.Hutch Post is honored to publish full obituaries and photos at no cost to families. Funeral homes can send notices to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:hutchpost@gmail.com" target="_blank">hutchpost@gmail.com</a>.<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.

Recent obituaries


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Reno County Commissioner Daniel Friesen will be listening closely to the public input being offered on the proposed wind farm regulations Tuesday.

"I think it's important that we listen to the public yet again one more time," Friesen said. "I wouldn't be willing to make a decision until we heard, kind of, final arguments on that."

Friesen also plans to ask about the true intentions of his colleagues with regard to wind energy one more time.

"This entire process is focused on the eastern half of the county," Friesen said. "That's a more populous area of the county and it takes a lot more effort to make it compatible, obviously, because of the development, mainly residential in those areas. I asked Chairman Hirst last Tuesday and I'll probably ask him again next Tuesday if our intent is to develop regulations so stringent that we don't want wind in the county. That's really the conversation we need to have."

"I mean, I ran in my campaign on a platform of finding a deal that works for the many residents that are opposed to this with all of the property owners that are for this and those that have an economic interest in its success," Friesen said.

How each commissioner walks that line will be the story Tuesday if they are able to get to final language then.

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Reno County Commissioner Daniel Friesen will be listening closely to the public input being offered on the proposed wind farm regulations Tuesday."I think it's important that we listen to the public yet again one more time," Friesen said. "I wouldn't be willing to make a decision until we heard, kind of, final arguments on that."Friesen also plans to ask about the true intentions of his colleagues with regard to wind energy one more time."This entire process is focused on the eastern half of the county," Friesen said. "That's a more populous area of the county and it takes a lot more effort to make it compatible, obviously, because of the development, mainly residential in those areas. I asked Chairman Hirst last Tuesday and I'll probably ask him again next Tuesday if our intent is to develop regulations so stringent that we don't want wind in the county. That's really the conversation we need to have."Friesen says he isn't anti-wind."I mean, I ran in my campaign on a platform of finding a deal that works for the many residents that are opposed to this with all of the property owners that are for this and those that have an economic interest in its success," Friesen said.How each commissioner walks that line will be the story Tuesday if they are able to get to final language then.

Friesen still listening as county prepares for input on wind regs

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Amtrak’s Southwest Chief was up and running again on Thursday. Both the east and west bound trains were left in Chicago and Los Angeles after severe winter weather hammered the Chicago area.

The westbound train arrived in Hutchinson around 3:20 this morning. The eastbound train will get to Hutchinson at 1:15 tomorrow morning.

The rail passenger carrier has taken steps to ensure that trains are not sent out in bad winter weather for fear of leaving passengers stranded for long periods of time. Amtrak spokesperson Marc Magliari also said on Wednesday that funding is going through Washington that would restore full service to long distance routes.&nbsp;

The Chief and other long distance routes have been on a three day per week schedule since October. At that time Amtrak said they hoped to put trains back to a full time schedule by spring.

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<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580416889608.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Amtrak’s Southwest Chief was up and running again on Thursday. Both the east and west bound trains were left in Chicago and Los Angeles after severe winter weather hammered the Chicago area.The westbound train arrived in Hutchinson around 3:20 this morning. The eastbound train will get to Hutchinson at 1:15 tomorrow morning.The rail passenger carrier has taken steps to ensure that trains are not sent out in bad winter weather for fear of leaving passengers stranded for long periods of time. Amtrak spokesperson Marc Magliari also said on Wednesday that funding is going through Washington that would restore full service to long distance routes.&nbsp;The Chief and other long distance routes have been on a three day per week schedule since October. At that time Amtrak said they hoped to put trains back to a full time schedule by spring.<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;

Amtrak's SW Chief is running

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Sheriff’s Department will now be a regular sight at the Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of Hutchinson’s programs.&nbsp;

The Club announced Friday that officers will drop in at least once a month to hang out and take part in Club activities with youth.&nbsp;

&nbsp;"We see this as a great opportunity for our Club members to develop positive relationships with local law enforcement while also surrounding them with more positive adult relationships in general,” Lance Patterson, Director of Operations for the Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of Hutchinson said. “Our Club operates using a trauma-informed lens. We know kids from all backgrounds have the potential to have one or more adverse childhood experiences or ACE’s. The best way to help kids build resilience is to surround them with caring adults. Working with the sheriff’s office is a way to add one more set of caring adults into their lives”

They will participate in more structured activities quarterly, such as family nights or Club cleanup days. Club staff expects most of the relationship building will happen casually as officers and youth play video games, cook up wonders in the cooking club, and take part in one-on-one mentoring.

In 2020, the Club served 688 local students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The Club hopes that members’ engagement with law enforcement will be a step in building mutual trust in the community.&nbsp;

To learn more about programs and activities offered by Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of Hutchinson at bgchutch.com or 620-665-7171.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584740557772.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Sheriff’s Department will now be a regular sight at the Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of Hutchinson’s programs.&nbsp;The Club announced Friday that officers will drop in at least once a month to hang out and take part in Club activities with youth.&nbsp;&nbsp;"We see this as a great opportunity for our Club members to develop positive relationships with local law enforcement while also surrounding them with more positive adult relationships in general,” Lance Patterson, Director of Operations for the Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of Hutchinson said. “Our Club operates using a trauma-informed lens. We know kids from all backgrounds have the potential to have one or more adverse childhood experiences or ACE’s. The best way to help kids build resilience is to surround them with caring adults. Working with the sheriff’s office is a way to add one more set of caring adults into their lives”They will participate in more structured activities quarterly, such as family nights or Club cleanup days. Club staff expects most of the relationship building will happen casually as officers and youth play video games, cook up wonders in the cooking club, and take part in one-on-one mentoring.In 2020, the Club served 688 local students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The Club hopes that members’ engagement with law enforcement will be a step in building mutual trust in the community.&nbsp;To learn more about programs and activities offered by Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of Hutchinson at bgchutch.com or 620-665-7171.<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;

RNSO to be a part of the Boys and Girls Club


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Karen Hammersmith with the Reno County Health Department said the extreme weather this week delayed delivery of some COVID-19 vaccine to the county.

"We will have used every last shot by the end of the day today," Hammersmith said Friday. "We're waiting for that shipment. It will be here next week. We're going to get the last shipment and this shipment. We were able to borrow from Sedgwick County yesterday and get some vaccine. We'll have to pay that back."

The county is taking seriously the goal to get those 65 and older vaccinated as fast as possible.

"We are giving absolutely everything that we have as soon as we get it," Hammersmith said. "We are doing what the CDC and KDHE have told us to do and we're using it."

Right now, they still plan to hold clinics next week.

"They sent an email out yesterday," Hammersmith said. "It will be shipped on Monday or Tuesday. Normally, we get shipments on Tuesday. If we got it on Monday, I would be happily surprised. I believe we're not forecast for any more hard weather. We're hoping we'll get that all in on Tuesday. Otherwise, we will be scrambling again and rescheduling, but all things are on for next week other than that we've rescheduled some stuff for Monday."

The county is still attempting to vaccinate its 65 and over population as part of phase two of the state's overall plan.

<figure>
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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Karen Hammersmith with the Reno County Health Department said the extreme weather this week delayed delivery of some COVID-19 vaccine to the county."We will have used every last shot by the end of the day today," Hammersmith said Friday. "We're waiting for that shipment. It will be here next week. We're going to get the last shipment and this shipment. We were able to borrow from Sedgwick County yesterday and get some vaccine. We'll have to pay that back."The county is taking seriously the goal to get those 65 and older vaccinated as fast as possible."We are giving absolutely everything that we have as soon as we get it," Hammersmith said. "We are doing what the CDC and KDHE have told us to do and we're using it."Right now, they still plan to hold clinics next week."They sent an email out yesterday," Hammersmith said. "It will be shipped on Monday or Tuesday. Normally, we get shipments on Tuesday. If we got it on Monday, I would be happily surprised. I believe we're not forecast for any more hard weather. We're hoping we'll get that all in on Tuesday. Otherwise, we will be scrambling again and rescheduling, but all things are on for next week other than that we've rescheduled some stuff for Monday."The county is still attempting to vaccinate its 65 and over population as part of phase two of the state's overall plan.
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Hammersmith: County briefly will run out of vaccine Friday, will get more next week

The Salina and Hutchinson districts will be getting a new district superintendent, the Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church announced earlier this week.

According to information from the conference, the Rev. Karen Rice Ratzlaff, will assume the responsibilites of superintendent for the Salina and Hutchinson districts on July 1. She is one of three new district superintendents announced by the conference.

“I’m very excited about the skill sets, perspectives, and diversity of the group — age, gender and ethnicity,” Bishop Ruben Saenz, Jr., said. “I’m excited about the different gifts they all bring, their unique pastoral experiences, the contexts they’ve been in, and how they will all add to the cabinet to move the conference forward.”

Rice Ratzlaff’s call from the bishop came as she was in the middle of a four-day meeting of the conference’s Board of Ordained Ministry, or BOOM, which determines recommendations of candidates for ordained ministry.

“I really didn’t know what to say, and that is unusual for me,” she said with a laugh.

“Once I got back to my Zoom meeting and seeing all the faces of the candidates we were meeting and the board, there was something about seeing that connection while getting that call that was really meaningful,” she said.

“I just care deeply about pastors,” Rice Ratzlaff added. “I know what it’s like to just work so hard in the local church, and I want to be a supportive presence for clergy.”

Rice Ratzlaff will follow the Rev. Dee Williamston, who last month was announced as director of clergy excellence and assistant to the bishop as of July 1, as superintendent of the Hutchinson and Salina districts.

“District superintendents are an extension of the office of the bishop. They oversee the total ministry of the clergy and of the churches in the communities of the district in their missions of witness and service in the world. And they relate to people across all theological spectrums. I want somebody that can pull people together, that can coach others, that can work with groups to help them accomplish great things for Christ’s mission,” Saenz said. “Karen checked all of those boxes.”

Saenz praised Rice Ratzlaff as being “highly relatable” with a passion for leadership development.

“Karen is an amazing, gifted person that has tremendous communication skills and can convene people and help them accomplish great things,” he said.

Being named as a district superintendent, she said, “connects me deeply to the heart of the church in our conference — that sense of what the church is going to become. I felt really scared and really excited at the same time.”

Rice Ratzlaff has what she calls “just a deep love for all the life-giving aspects of the church.

“I can’t give up on the church and what we are called to be together,” she said. “I love thinking about vision and missional alignment. Those are my favorite things because of the excitement that generates and the clarity that brings for next steps and hope in a congregation.”

A farmer’s daughter who grew up north of Goodland, Rice Ratzlaff earned a bachelor’s degree from Bethel College and her master’s degree from Saint Paul School of Theology. In January, she began work for her doctorate in ministry from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary, concentrating in spiritual direction.

After a little more than three years as an associate pastor at Wichita Calvary UMC, she served 22 years — 16 as associate, six as senior — at McPherson UMC.

“Having that long-term partnership, really over the course of a lifetime, built a kind of trust in the church and in the community,” Rice Ratzlaff said, adding that she has performed weddings for church members that she baptized as infants – a rarity in the itinerant United Methodist system.

She is proud of the work that McPherson did with justice ministry surrounding poverty. Steps to End Poverty in McPherson County, formerly known as Circles, has assisted many individuals in the area, she said.

Rice Ratzlaff stepped away from pulpit ministry in 2019, and in 2020 joined the staff of the Wichita-based SoCe Life for its Good Neighboring Movement, leading cohorts of churches.

“I’ve always been passionate about community engagement, particularly building relationships with people across class lines,” she said. “I think being a part of the Neighboring Movement reminds you of how many communities we’re connected in as the church and how the gifts in our community really point the way for our churches.”

Rice Ratzlaff, 53, lives in her husband’s hometown of Moundridge, where he is a physician. They have three grown children: one entering medical school residency, another a middle-school English teacher and the youngest a junior at the University of Kansas.

The location is ideal for the superintendent posts, she said, since it is 45 miles from Salina and 35 miles from Hutchinson.

“Karen is from that area so she knows that area extremely well,” Saenz said. “Her time to on-board to know the churches and know the pastors is almost going to be non-existent. She can step in there Day One and know who people are, where the churches are, and what they’re doing.”

Saenz said he is looking forward to working with the new district superintendents as they further Christ’s mission in the Great Plains.

“They’re all successful, much-beloved and will be highly effective district superintendents,” the bishop said. “I am extremely, extremely overjoyed and excited about what these three new cabinet members are going to bring to the cabinet and the amazing work they’re going to accomplish in their respective districts and together as part of the cabinet team.”

The above story was pulled from a larger story by David Burke, conference content specialist, about the three newly announced district superintendents that was published on the conference&nbsp;<a href="https://www.greatplainsumc.org/">website</a>.&nbsp;The information is republished with permission.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613705218762.jpeg" alt="Rev. Karen Rice Ratzlaff-Photo Courtesy Great Plains Conference" />
 <figcaption>Rev. Karen Rice Ratzlaff-Photo Courtesy Great Plains Conference</figcaption>
 </figure>The Salina and Hutchinson districts will be getting a new district superintendent, the Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church announced earlier this week.According to information from the conference, the Rev. Karen Rice Ratzlaff, will assume the responsibilites of superintendent for the Salina and Hutchinson districts on July 1. She is one of three new district superintendents announced by the conference.“I’m very excited about the skill sets, perspectives, and diversity of the group — age, gender and ethnicity,” Bishop Ruben Saenz, Jr., said. “I’m excited about the different gifts they all bring, their unique pastoral experiences, the contexts they’ve been in, and how they will all add to the cabinet to move the conference forward.”Rice Ratzlaff’s call from the bishop came as she was in the middle of a four-day meeting of the conference’s Board of Ordained Ministry, or BOOM, which determines recommendations of candidates for ordained ministry.“I really didn’t know what to say, and that is unusual for me,” she said with a laugh.“Once I got back to my Zoom meeting and seeing all the faces of the candidates we were meeting and the board, there was something about seeing that connection while getting that call that was really meaningful,” she said.“I just care deeply about pastors,” Rice Ratzlaff added. “I know what it’s like to just work so hard in the local church, and I want to be a supportive presence for clergy.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613705054256.jpeg" alt="Rev. Dee Williamston-Photo Courtesy Great Plains Conference" />
 <figcaption>Rev. Dee Williamston-Photo Courtesy Great Plains Conference</figcaption>
 </figure>The Rev. Dee WilliamstonRice Ratzlaff will follow the Rev. Dee Williamston, who last month was announced as director of clergy excellence and assistant to the bishop as of July 1, as superintendent of the Hutchinson and Salina districts.“District superintendents are an extension of the office of the bishop. They oversee the total ministry of the clergy and of the churches in the communities of the district in their missions of witness and service in the world. And they relate to people across all theological spectrums. I want somebody that can pull people together, that can coach others, that can work with groups to help them accomplish great things for Christ’s mission,” Saenz said. “Karen checked all of those boxes.”Saenz praised Rice Ratzlaff as being “highly relatable” with a passion for leadership development.“Karen is an amazing, gifted person that has tremendous communication skills and can convene people and help them accomplish great things,” he said.Being named as a district superintendent, she said, “connects me deeply to the heart of the church in our conference — that sense of what the church is going to become. I felt really scared and really excited at the same time.”Rice Ratzlaff has what she calls “just a deep love for all the life-giving aspects of the church.“I can’t give up on the church and what we are called to be together,” she said. “I love thinking about vision and missional alignment. Those are my favorite things because of the excitement that generates and the clarity that brings for next steps and hope in a congregation.”A farmer’s daughter who grew up north of Goodland, Rice Ratzlaff earned a bachelor’s degree from Bethel College and her master’s degree from Saint Paul School of Theology. In January, she began work for her doctorate in ministry from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary, concentrating in spiritual direction.After a little more than three years as an associate pastor at Wichita Calvary UMC, she served 22 years — 16 as associate, six as senior — at McPherson UMC.“Having that long-term partnership, really over the course of a lifetime, built a kind of trust in the church and in the community,” Rice Ratzlaff said, adding that she has performed weddings for church members that she baptized as infants – a rarity in the itinerant United Methodist system.She is proud of the work that McPherson did with justice ministry surrounding poverty. Steps to End Poverty in McPherson County, formerly known as Circles, has assisted many individuals in the area, she said.Rice Ratzlaff stepped away from pulpit ministry in 2019, and in 2020 joined the staff of the Wichita-based SoCe Life for its Good Neighboring Movement, leading cohorts of churches.“I’ve always been passionate about community engagement, particularly building relationships with people across class lines,” she said. “I think being a part of the Neighboring Movement reminds you of how many communities we’re connected in as the church and how the gifts in our community really point the way for our churches.”Rice Ratzlaff, 53, lives in her husband’s hometown of Moundridge, where he is a physician. They have three grown children: one entering medical school residency, another a middle-school English teacher and the youngest a junior at the University of Kansas.The location is ideal for the superintendent posts, she said, since it is 45 miles from Salina and 35 miles from Hutchinson.“Karen is from that area so she knows that area extremely well,” Saenz said. “Her time to on-board to know the churches and know the pastors is almost going to be non-existent. She can step in there Day One and know who people are, where the churches are, and what they’re doing.”Saenz said he is looking forward to working with the new district superintendents as they further Christ’s mission in the Great Plains.“They’re all successful, much-beloved and will be highly effective district superintendents,” the bishop said. “I am extremely, extremely overjoyed and excited about what these three new cabinet members are going to bring to the cabinet and the amazing work they’re going to accomplish in their respective districts and together as part of the cabinet team.”. . .The above story was pulled from a larger story by David Burke, conference content specialist, about the three newly announced district superintendents that was published on the conference&nbsp;<a href="https://www.greatplainsumc.org/">website</a>.&nbsp;The information is republished with permission.

UMC: Rice Ratzlaff new district superintendent for Salina, Hutchinson districts


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Some encouraging numbers for Reno County. The school gating criteria as of Thursday is in the yellow category, with a 14-day positive test rate of 7.2% and a 14-day new case total of 116.

The last time the rolling 14-Day average of positive tests by collection date was in the yellow was back in September.

The overall case count is at 163 as of Thursday. The death count among Reno County residents is at 133. 

Out of 7,659 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 7,363 recoveries. There are only two cluster types with active cases. 38 in long-term care facilities and 3 from religious gatherings. There are 22 clusters still being monitored.

Drive-thru testing is currently available at two Reno County Locations at the Kansas Cosmosphere at 1100 N Plum in Hutchinson and at Simply Good Overstocks at 401 N Main in South Hutchinson.

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HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Some encouraging numbers for Reno County. The school gating criteria as of Thursday is in the yellow category, with a 14-day positive test rate of 7.2% and a 14-day new case total of 116.The last time the rolling 14-Day average of positive tests by collection date was in the yellow was back in September.The overall case count is at 163 as of Thursday. The death count among Reno County residents is at 133. Out of 7,659 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 7,363 recoveries. There are only two cluster types with active cases. 38 in long-term care facilities and 3 from religious gatherings. There are 22 clusters still being monitored.Seven Reno County residents are in the hospital. According to the dashboard, three hundred sixty-four total have been hospitalized. One hundred three have been admitted to the ICU. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.Drive-thru testing is currently available at two Reno County Locations at the Kansas Cosmosphere at 1100 N Plum in Hutchinson and at Simply Good Overstocks at 401 N Main in South Hutchinson.Both sites are open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday. To make an appointment, please visit www.gogettested.com.

Rolling 14-day average of positive tests at lowest level since September

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce announced Thursday that it will not hold its first legislative forum that was scheduled for Saturday.&nbsp;

The Chamber stated that area legislators were being impacted by the cold weather on their farms and ranches, and felt that it was proper to cancel the forum. The next legislative forum will be held on Saturday, March 13. A location for this event will be announced soon.

The forum will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. where Reno County legislators will answer questions about topics of interest here in Kansas. The Reno County legislators invited to participate are Sen. Mark Steffen, Rep. Joe Seiwert, Rep. Paul Waggoner, Rep. Jason Probst, and Rep. Michael Murphy.

The forum is presented by AT&amp;T with supporting sponsorship from Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System and organized by the Chamber of Commerce Public Policy Committee.&nbsp;

<figure>
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 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce announced Thursday that it will not hold its first legislative forum that was scheduled for Saturday.&nbsp;The Chamber stated that area legislators were being impacted by the cold weather on their farms and ranches, and felt that it was proper to cancel the forum. The next legislative forum will be held on Saturday, March 13. A location for this event will be announced soon.The forum will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. where Reno County legislators will answer questions about topics of interest here in Kansas. The Reno County legislators invited to participate are Sen. Mark Steffen, Rep. Joe Seiwert, Rep. Paul Waggoner, Rep. Jason Probst, and Rep. Michael Murphy.The forum is presented by AT&amp;T with supporting sponsorship from Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System and organized by the Chamber of Commerce Public Policy Committee.&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&nbsp;sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.

Legislative forum postponed

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — What has become a very long and drawn out process when it comes to wind energy in Reno County takes another step forward again on Tuesday.

Reno County commissioners will once again discuss wind farms during their agenda session. The meeting will include 30 minutes of public comment both for and against the regulations.

The commission will then further discuss the regulations, which have been more than a year in the making. Commissioners directed planning and zoning to draw up regulations after the board failed to approve a conditional use permit for the NextEra wind project near Cheney Reservoir.

At that time, the board indicated it did not want to place a ban on wind energy. Since the planning department and a special committee came up with the new regulations, the commission has picked and poked at them.

What the final draft of the regulations will look like and how it compares with the planning committee's initial recommendations is still not known. Questions have been raised as to whether the regulations, while allowing for wind energy development, will leave any wiggle room for such development.

Tuesday’s County Commission meeting begins at 9 a.m. at the Reno County Courthouse.

<figure>
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 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — What has become a very long and drawn out process when it comes to wind energy in Reno County takes another step forward again on Tuesday.Reno County commissioners will once again discuss wind farms during their agenda session. The meeting will include 30 minutes of public comment both for and against the regulations.The commission will then further discuss the regulations, which have been more than a year in the making. Commissioners directed planning and zoning to draw up regulations after the board failed to approve a conditional use permit for the NextEra wind project near Cheney Reservoir.At that time, the board indicated it did not want to place a ban on wind energy. Since the planning department and a special committee came up with the new regulations, the commission has picked and poked at them.What the final draft of the regulations will look like and how it compares with the planning committee's initial recommendations is still not known. Questions have been raised as to whether the regulations, while allowing for wind energy development, will leave any wiggle room for such development.Tuesday’s County Commission meeting begins at 9 a.m. at the Reno County Courthouse.<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;

Commission to go over wind regulations again

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Chief Hooper and Sheriff Campbell met this morning. We sat down to discuss points of contention to bridge any divide that may be forming between the Hutchinson Police Department and the Reno County Sheriff’s Office. Both of us came into this meeting completely dedicated to working out those issues and with a strong desire to bring our agencies back together. Only by working together can we provide the best possible Law Enforcement service to our community. We are both fully committed to a strong and cooperative relationship between our agencies.

We were able to talk extensively about the two major issues, the range and the Emergency Response Team (ERT).

We were able to work together on a compromise that will allow both agencies to use and develop the range. We are working on a contract that will result in equal responsibility between the City and the County. Both agencies will work towards range improvements together based off a committee structure that takes all needs and desired outcomes into account.

We both agree that a joint emergency response is paramount to providing the best service to our community. We have committed to continue to serve our community through joint training and a joint ERT response. The safety of our community is of the highest importance and we will never falter from that mission.

Citizens of Hutchinson and Reno County can rest assured that their Law Enforcement Agencies will work every day to build the strongest relationship in a steadfast effort to provide the best possible service to our community.

We are stronger together, fortitudinem per unitatis!

Chief Jeffrey C. Hooper&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613584029328.jpeg" alt="SheriffPDComboHutch" />
 <figcaption>SheriffPDComboHutch</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Chief Hooper and Sheriff Campbell met this morning. We sat down to discuss points of contention to bridge any divide that may be forming between the Hutchinson Police Department and the Reno County Sheriff’s Office. Both of us came into this meeting completely dedicated to working out those issues and with a strong desire to bring our agencies back together. Only by working together can we provide the best possible Law Enforcement service to our community. We are both fully committed to a strong and cooperative relationship between our agencies.We were able to talk extensively about the two major issues, the range and the Emergency Response Team (ERT).We were able to work together on a compromise that will allow both agencies to use and develop the range. We are working on a contract that will result in equal responsibility between the City and the County. Both agencies will work towards range improvements together based off a committee structure that takes all needs and desired outcomes into account.We both agree that a joint emergency response is paramount to providing the best service to our community. We have committed to continue to serve our community through joint training and a joint ERT response. The safety of our community is of the highest importance and we will never falter from that mission.Citizens of Hutchinson and Reno County can rest assured that their Law Enforcement Agencies will work every day to build the strongest relationship in a steadfast effort to provide the best possible service to our community.We are stronger together, fortitudinem per unitatis!Chief Jeffrey C. Hooper&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hutchinson Police DepartmentSheriff Darrian CampbellReno County Sheriff’s Department

Hutchinson Police and Reno County Sheriff's Office issue release on Thursday meeting

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Cosmosphere held a virtual landing party for the latest Mars rover landing as Perseverance landed on the Martian surface shortly before 3 p.m. central time.

Schools from around the area and space fans joined in via Zoom and Facebook.

A special guest of the Cosmosphere was Michael Staab, who was a Cosmosphere camp alum and now works for Northrop Grumman. Staab is part of the NASA rover program and says his time at the space camp had him hooked right away.

“I got started in 1996 watching Pathfinder land on the surface of Mars,” Staab said. “(I) pretty much wanted to work on space missions.”

Staab says living only a short distance from Hutchinson also made it easy to visit and become a part of space camps.

“I live an hour from the Cosmosphere, it was right there,” Staab said. “It’s not hard to get inspired when you see all of the Apollo history and the stuff that happened real time growing up.”

The rover is the fifth for NASA to successfully land on the Martian surface. The rover will collect geological samples and then attempt to return them to earth.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download">CLICK HERE</a> to download the Hutch Post mobile app.

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<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613684447356.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>By ROD ZOOKHutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Cosmosphere held a virtual landing party for the latest Mars rover landing as Perseverance landed on the Martian surface shortly before 3 p.m. central time.Schools from around the area and space fans joined in via Zoom and Facebook.A special guest of the Cosmosphere was Michael Staab, who was a Cosmosphere camp alum and now works for Northrop Grumman. Staab is part of the NASA rover program and says his time at the space camp had him hooked right away.“I got started in 1996 watching Pathfinder land on the surface of Mars,” Staab said. “(I) pretty much wanted to work on space missions.”Staab says living only a short distance from Hutchinson also made it easy to visit and become a part of space camps.“I live an hour from the Cosmosphere, it was right there,” Staab said. “It’s not hard to get inspired when you see all of the Apollo history and the stuff that happened real time growing up.”The rover is the fifth for NASA to successfully land on the Martian surface. The rover will collect geological samples and then attempt to return them to earth.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download">CLICK HERE</a> to download the Hutch Post mobile app.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea">CLICK HERE</a> to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.

Perseverance makes its landing on Mars


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Even after the third vaccination clinic at the Hutchinson Sports Arena on Thursday, there are still lots of people 65 and over still to be vaccinated in Reno County.

"We look at finishing the 65 and older group by mid-March," said Karen Hammersmith with the Reno County Health Department. "Then, we have congregate settings, which will be a smaller group."

Lisa Gleason with the United Way asked about when younger people might be able to be vaccinated.

"I see by the end of March and first part of April, we'll be getting into that group of high-risk essential contact workers," Hammersmith said. "That is if everything stays the same and we continue to get more vaccines in."

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has said that additional vaccine shipments above current levels will be set aside for teachers in an effort to get kids back to school in person.

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Even after the third vaccination clinic at the Hutchinson Sports Arena on Thursday, there are still lots of people 65 and over still to be vaccinated in Reno County."We look at finishing the 65 and older group by mid-March," said Karen Hammersmith with the Reno County Health Department. "Then, we have congregate settings, which will be a smaller group."Lisa Gleason with the United Way asked about when younger people might be able to be vaccinated."I see by the end of March and first part of April, we'll be getting into that group of high-risk essential contact workers," Hammersmith said. "That is if everything stays the same and we continue to get more vaccines in."Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has said that additional vaccine shipments above current levels will be set aside for teachers in an effort to get kids back to school in person.
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Hammersmith: At current pace, 65 plus may be vaccinated by mid-March

Kansas City, MO – Evergy has resumed normal operations after severe weather created stress on the regional power grid for most of the week and the company was asked to implement controlled, temporary emergency electricity reductions Monday and Tuesday. The Southwest Power Pool has returned to “Conservative Operations,” which means customer requests for conservation are no longer needed. Evergy continues to take cold-weather precautions in its operations, as it does throughout the winter months.

“On behalf of our entire Evergy team, I want to thank our customers for their patience and support during this unprecedented extreme weather event,” said Chuck Caisley, Evergy senior vice president and chief customer officer. “Together, we accomplished the overall goal of stabilizing the regional power grid and avoided broader, longer outages for customers. Thank you to our customers for helping both us and our neighboring states by conserving energy and enduring emergency outages. Our customers’ conservation efforts this week contributed to avoiding emergency outages Wednesday and Thursday, and we appreciate your efforts.”

<figure>
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 </figure>Kansas City, MO – Evergy has resumed normal operations after severe weather created stress on the regional power grid for most of the week and the company was asked to implement controlled, temporary emergency electricity reductions Monday and Tuesday. The Southwest Power Pool has returned to “Conservative Operations,” which means customer requests for conservation are no longer needed. Evergy continues to take cold-weather precautions in its operations, as it does throughout the winter months.“On behalf of our entire Evergy team, I want to thank our customers for their patience and support during this unprecedented extreme weather event,” said Chuck Caisley, Evergy senior vice president and chief customer officer. “Together, we accomplished the overall goal of stabilizing the regional power grid and avoided broader, longer outages for customers. Thank you to our customers for helping both us and our neighboring states by conserving energy and enduring emergency outages. Our customers’ conservation efforts this week contributed to avoiding emergency outages Wednesday and Thursday, and we appreciate your efforts.”

Evergy operations back to normal as of Thursday

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — After having to wait a day because of the weather, The Volunteer Center opened its VITA Tax Assistance service on Wednesday at the Hutchinson Salvation Army.&nbsp;

The VITA tax site is at 700 N. Walnut The site is open Tuesdays 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Wednesdays and Thursdays&nbsp; from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.&nbsp;

Volunteers will prepare taxes free of charge for persons whose combined household income does not exceed $57,000.&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&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582305590719.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — After having to wait a day because of the weather, The Volunteer Center opened its VITA Tax Assistance service on Wednesday at the Hutchinson Salvation Army.&nbsp;The VITA tax site is at 700 N. Walnut The site is open Tuesdays 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Wednesdays and Thursdays&nbsp; from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.&nbsp;Volunteers will prepare taxes free of charge for persons whose combined household income does not exceed $57,000.&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&nbsp;&nbsp;

VITA tax assistance now available

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Many around the area are seeing broken water pipes and flooding in homes and businesses due to the cold weather. One of them hard hit in Hutchinson was Ebeling Pools at 2803 N Lorraine.&nbsp;

A broken fire sprinkler caused a rush of water to break through a wall and flood the entire store. A video provided by Ebeling Pools showed water rushing out the front door and back into the store. Phone service is down at the store, but if you have business to discuss or need to connect with Ebeling, there is a phone number to call. That number is 620-259-7371. They ask that you leave a message and they will call you back.

No word yet on how much damage was done to the business.

<figure>
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 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Many around the area are seeing broken water pipes and flooding in homes and businesses due to the cold weather. One of them hard hit in Hutchinson was Ebeling Pools at 2803 N Lorraine.&nbsp;A broken fire sprinkler caused a rush of water to break through a wall and flood the entire store. A video provided by Ebeling Pools showed water rushing out the front door and back into the store. Phone service is down at the store, but if you have business to discuss or need to connect with Ebeling, there is a phone number to call. That number is 620-259-7371. They ask that you leave a message and they will call you back.No word yet on how much damage was done to the business.<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;

Ebeling Pools flooded after water line break


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Dr. Robert Fleming, MD, Cardiothoracic Surgeon with Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System, notes that there have been many innovations in his specialty in his time in medicine.

"The heart-lung machine is a much safer machine these days than when I started 25 years ago," Fleming said. "As an example, bleeding was a big problem 25 years ago post-operatively."

Fleming said now only 1 to 3% of cases have any bleeding to be concerned with.

"A lot of our heart surgery that used to require the heart-lung machine, we can now do without it," Fleming said. "Obviously, that makes it safer."

The reason is because if you can keep the heart beating, then the only part subject to potential damage is the part being fixed. If you have to stop the heart, there is a chance parts of the muscle not even being worked on could have damage.

"That's about 20% of coronary bypass cases these days that can be done without the machine," Fleming said.

Fleming said the main thing to do to keep from needing surgical work on your heart or lungs is to stop smoking. That lifestyle change has done more to reduce his caseload than any other in recent years.

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Dr. Robert Fleming, MD, Cardiothoracic Surgeon with Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System, notes that there have been many innovations in his specialty in his time in medicine."The heart-lung machine is a much safer machine these days than when I started 25 years ago," Fleming said. "As an example, bleeding was a big problem 25 years ago post-operatively."Fleming said now only 1 to 3% of cases have any bleeding to be concerned with."A lot of our heart surgery that used to require the heart-lung machine, we can now do without it," Fleming said. "Obviously, that makes it safer."The reason is because if you can keep the heart beating, then the only part subject to potential damage is the part being fixed. If you have to stop the heart, there is a chance parts of the muscle not even being worked on could have damage."That's about 20% of coronary bypass cases these days that can be done without the machine," Fleming said.Fleming said the main thing to do to keep from needing surgical work on your heart or lungs is to stop smoking. That lifestyle change has done more to reduce his caseload than any other in recent years.
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Heart surgeon has seen innovation in both operations and lifestyle changes


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The Reno County CASA program is ending.

"It's effective March 1st," said Sharon Stokes. "We just are having a really difficult time trying to get volunteers in there to keep it going."

There are just too many cases for the volunteers they have.

"We have over 200 cases of suspected child abuse and neglect that CASA works with," Stokes said. "Currently, we were down to five volunteers. Three were active and had cases. We just felt like where we could best use our resources would be the Citizen Review Board program."

That program works differently than CASA as it deals with cases in a way that is a little more removed from the situation.

"The CRB reviews court cases like the CASA, only it is a quasijudicial arm of the court, where the volunteers go through the training, similar to the CASA program, but they meet once a month," Stokes said. "They are assigned cases to review and then they are able to bring all the players in to a room where everybody has an opportunity to tell what's working, what's not working and make recommendations."

Stokes is retiring. Carma Massingill will be taking over leadership of the Citizen Review Board program.

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HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The Reno County CASA program is ending."It's effective March 1st," said Sharon Stokes. "We just are having a really difficult time trying to get volunteers in there to keep it going."There are just too many cases for the volunteers they have."We have over 200 cases of suspected child abuse and neglect that CASA works with," Stokes said. "Currently, we were down to five volunteers. Three were active and had cases. We just felt like where we could best use our resources would be the Citizen Review Board program."That program works differently than CASA as it deals with cases in a way that is a little more removed from the situation."The CRB reviews court cases like the CASA, only it is a quasijudicial arm of the court, where the volunteers go through the training, similar to the CASA program, but they meet once a month," Stokes said. "They are assigned cases to review and then they are able to bring all the players in to a room where everybody has an opportunity to tell what's working, what's not working and make recommendations."Stokes is retiring. Carma Massingill will be taking over leadership of the Citizen Review Board program.
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CASA program ending in Reno County; Citizen's Review Board will continue


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Reno County Sheriff Darrian Campbell said it was an effort to keep his employees that prompted him to withdraw his personnel from the joint emergency response team with Hutchinson Police.

"With the breakdown of communication in our partnership and the lack of faith that protocols and decisions are being made in the sheriff's office best interest, there were a number of operators that were ready to turn in their equipment and quit the team," Campbell said. "In order for me to salvage this resource for the community, I made the tough decision to withdraw from the joint team."

The community need not worry about coverage.

"The sheriff's office will still have a response team, comprised of eight deputies," Campbell said. "I have also advised that we will still respond to any emergency when we're requested, to provide that resource to the community."

The two agencies have had separate teams before.

"The team merged in, I think, 2006, the 2005-2006 time frame," Campbell said. "Prior to that, we had two teams. The sheriff's had a team and the police had a team. This is really nothing new, but ultimately, the community will still benefit from the resources from the sheriff's office and the police and combined, if we're requested."

The combined team had 14 operators. Each team will now have eight, so total operational strength if help is asked for will actually go up, according to Campbell.

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<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583185956572.jpeg" alt="" />
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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Reno County Sheriff Darrian Campbell said it was an effort to keep his employees that prompted him to withdraw his personnel from the joint emergency response team with Hutchinson Police."With the breakdown of communication in our partnership and the lack of faith that protocols and decisions are being made in the sheriff's office best interest, there were a number of operators that were ready to turn in their equipment and quit the team," Campbell said. "In order for me to salvage this resource for the community, I made the tough decision to withdraw from the joint team."The community need not worry about coverage."The sheriff's office will still have a response team, comprised of eight deputies," Campbell said. "I have also advised that we will still respond to any emergency when we're requested, to provide that resource to the community."The two agencies have had separate teams before."The team merged in, I think, 2006, the 2005-2006 time frame," Campbell said. "Prior to that, we had two teams. The sheriff's had a team and the police had a team. This is really nothing new, but ultimately, the community will still benefit from the resources from the sheriff's office and the police and combined, if we're requested."The combined team had 14 operators. Each team will now have eight, so total operational strength if help is asked for will actually go up, according to Campbell.
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Sheriff: Separating emergency teams 'tough decision'

Release from Reno County Health Department

Health Order 21-01, that extended Amended Health Order 20-05 with a mass gathering limit of “10” people, will expire on February 24 and will not be extended. 

The 14-day new case count has trended down from 935 per 100,000 population and 50.1% PTR (Positive Test Rate) in December, to 181 per 100,000 and 11.6% PTR as of February 17.&nbsp;Reno County will remain under the Governor’s Mask Mandate.

Our goal is to not be restrictive but to advise on the present state of the illness in Reno County. The following precautions are essential to continue in reducing the spread of COVID-19:

The Reno County Health Department continues to analyze the metrics and trends to ensure the health and welfare of all people who live, work, or play in Reno County.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606243325401.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Release from Reno County Health Department Health Order 21-01, that extended Amended Health Order 20-05 with a mass gathering limit of “10” people, will expire on February 24 and will not be extended. The 14-day new case count has trended down from 935 per 100,000 population and 50.1% PTR (Positive Test Rate) in December, to 181 per 100,000 and 11.6% PTR as of February 17.&nbsp;Reno County will remain under the Governor’s Mask Mandate.Our goal is to not be restrictive but to advise on the present state of the illness in Reno County. The following precautions are essential to continue in reducing the spread of COVID-19:<ul>
 <li>Wear a Mask</li><li>Social Distance by at least 6 feet</li><li>Wash your hands frequently</li><li>Stay at home if you are feeling ill</li><li>Get vaccinated as soon as you are offered the vaccine for COVID-19</li><li>Get tested if you have COVID-19 symptoms</li>
 </ul>The Reno County Health Department continues to analyze the metrics and trends to ensure the health and welfare of all people who live, work, or play in Reno County.&nbsp;

Health Department: Mass gathering order will be allowed to expire

HARVEY COUNTY —&nbsp;A Newton Police officer died off duty in an ATV accident Wednesday. 

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Can-am ATV driven by 30-year-old Levi Minkevitch of Peabody was traveling in the ditch along Dutch Avenue approximately 1/2 mile east of Harvest Hill Road around 4 p.m. when Minkevitch lost control of the vehicle when he attempted to jump the ditch into the adjacent field.  The ATV rolled into the creek. 

EMS transported Minkevitch to Newton Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. The department said Wednesday, "Levi was a tremendous police officer and a friend to everyone he met. He had a large presence and a smile that lit up a room. This loss is truly devastating."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613646715400.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Newton Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Newton Police</figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY —&nbsp;A Newton Police officer died off duty in an ATV accident Wednesday. The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Can-am ATV driven by 30-year-old Levi Minkevitch of Peabody was traveling in the ditch along Dutch Avenue approximately 1/2 mile east of Harvest Hill Road around 4 p.m. when Minkevitch lost control of the vehicle when he attempted to jump the ditch into the adjacent field. The ATV rolled into the creek. EMS transported Minkevitch to Newton Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. The department said Wednesday, "Levi was a tremendous police officer and a friend to everyone he met. He had a large presence and a smile that lit up a room. This loss is truly devastating."Sgt. Minkevitch had served on the department since 2013.

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