HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Another Reno County resident has died after testing positive for COVID-19.

This makes 19 deaths in Reno County since the pandemic began. No other information on the death is being released by the Reno County Health Department.

Please continue to be vigilant by washing your hands, social distance by at least six feet or more, wear a mask when you are in public places and stay at home if you are not feeling well.&nbsp;

It’s very important that people continue to follow the guidelines to help decrease the spread of COVID-19.

<figure>
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 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Another Reno County resident has died after testing positive for COVID-19.This makes 19 deaths in Reno County since the pandemic began. No other information on the death is being released by the Reno County Health Department.Please continue to be vigilant by washing your hands, social distance by at least six feet or more, wear a mask when you are in public places and stay at home if you are not feeling well.&nbsp;It’s very important that people continue to follow the guidelines to help decrease the spread of COVID-19.

COVID death count at 19 in Reno County

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Health Department still has openings for COVID testing Thursday evening.&nbsp;

The testing will run until 7:30 p.m. at the Journey Church north of Yoder.

Testing will also be held this Saturday at the Oz Building breezeway at the fairgrounds, although slots for an appointment are filling up quickly. Testing is being held every Tuesday and every other Saturday through the end of December.

If you would like to make an appointment, call 1-844-834-3657.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598639401459.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Health Department still has openings for COVID testing Thursday evening.&nbsp;The testing will run until 7:30 p.m. at the Journey Church north of Yoder.Testing will also be held this Saturday at the Oz Building breezeway at the fairgrounds, although slots for an appointment are filling up quickly. Testing is being held every Tuesday and every other Saturday through the end of December.If you would like to make an appointment, call 1-844-834-3657.

Testing appointments still available for Thursday evening

HARVEY COUNTY —The Harvey County Health Department, in conjunction with Newton Public Schools, has confirmed a cluster of COVID-19 cases at Newton High School.

The cluster includes five positive active COVID-19 cases and they are students, according to a media release.

 The Health Department is investigating if there is any known connected source of exposure.

The individuals that are positive for COVID-19 are in home isolation. Those that are close contacts of the individuals have been notified and are in quarantine.

“We take this very seriously,” said USD 373 Superintendent Fred Van Ranken. “We work with the Health Department to conduct contact tracing, and will continue to implement plans to keep our students and staff safe.”

Newton High School has been and is currently in its hybrid learning model through Nov. 13.

USD 373 has taken several safety precautions in its buildings to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including a face mask requirement, additional and routine cleaning of high-touch areas, temperature checks, social distancing when possible and hybrid and remote learning.

“We have worked closely with the Newton High School leadership to quickly identify the close contacts of the positive cases to have those individuals quarantine,” said Harvey County Health Department Director Lynnette Redington. “The school district has been and continues to be in consistent communication with the Health Department as the district implements comprehensive strategies to promote safe learning environments for students and staff.”

The cluster will be considered active until there are 28 consecutive days – two incubation periods – without positive cases. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599600091452.png" alt="Photo courtesy Newton High School" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Newton High School</figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY —The Harvey County Health Department, in conjunction with Newton Public Schools, has confirmed a cluster of COVID-19 cases at Newton High School.The cluster includes five positive active COVID-19 cases and they are students, according to a media release. The Health Department is investigating if there is any known connected source of exposure.The individuals that are positive for COVID-19 are in home isolation. Those that are close contacts of the individuals have been notified and are in quarantine.“We take this very seriously,” said USD 373 Superintendent Fred Van Ranken. “We work with the Health Department to conduct contact tracing, and will continue to implement plans to keep our students and staff safe.”Newton High School has been and is currently in its hybrid learning model through Nov. 13.USD 373 has taken several safety precautions in its buildings to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including a face mask requirement, additional and routine cleaning of high-touch areas, temperature checks, social distancing when possible and hybrid and remote learning.“We have worked closely with the Newton High School leadership to quickly identify the close contacts of the positive cases to have those individuals quarantine,” said Harvey County Health Department Director Lynnette Redington. “The school district has been and continues to be in consistent communication with the Health Department as the district implements comprehensive strategies to promote safe learning environments for students and staff.”The cluster will be considered active until there are 28 consecutive days – two incubation periods – without positive cases.

Health official: COVID-19 cluster at Newton High School

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Siemens Gamesa hopes that a strong order book and better management can translate into better quarterly numbers on Thursday.

The world's number one wind turbine maker booked a total net loss of $172 million in its fiscal second quarter, down over 400% from the $52.8 million profit in the same period last year.

In May the company cited a $53 million hit on profitability related to the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

While the pandemic certainly ate into the company’s bottom line, the manufacturer has built a record order backlog of $26.3 billion which could ease some of the pain connected with the pandemic-driven economy.

<figure>
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 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Siemens Gamesa hopes that a strong order book and better management can translate into better quarterly numbers on Thursday.The world's number one wind turbine maker booked a total net loss of $172 million in its fiscal second quarter, down over 400% from the $52.8 million profit in the same period last year.In May the company cited a $53 million hit on profitability related to the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;While the pandemic certainly ate into the company’s bottom line, the manufacturer has built a record order backlog of $26.3 billion which could ease some of the pain connected with the pandemic-driven economy.

Siemens Gamesa to release earnings report Thursday


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
First District Congressman-elect Tracey Mann was surprised by the margin of his victory Tuesday night.

"I was optimistic we would win," Mann said. "I did not expect we would win by 40 points. I feel like the voters spoke in the Big First pretty loud and clear.

Mann knows where his priorities should lie in one of the more rural districts in the country.

"The number one priority is agriculture," Mann said. "People ask me what three committees I want to serve on and I say, the Ag committee, the Ag committee and the Ag committee.

Even though it appears Democrats will retain control of the chamber, Mann is still ready to get to work.

"You've still got to advocate and make it known what rural Kansas needs and what agriculture needs to be successful," Mann said. "In Congress, a lot of that happens at the committee level. That's why being on the house Ag committee is so important, to try to forge some bipartisan support for agriculture."

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
First District Congressman-elect Tracey Mann was surprised by the margin of his victory Tuesday night."I was optimistic we would win," Mann said. "I did not expect we would win by 40 points. I feel like the voters spoke in the Big First pretty loud and clear.Mann knows where his priorities should lie in one of the more rural districts in the country."The number one priority is agriculture," Mann said. "People ask me what three committees I want to serve on and I say, the Ag committee, the Ag committee and the Ag committee.Even though it appears Democrats will retain control of the chamber, Mann is still ready to get to work."You've still got to advocate and make it known what rural Kansas needs and what agriculture needs to be successful," Mann said. "In Congress, a lot of that happens at the committee level. That's why being on the house Ag committee is so important, to try to forge some bipartisan support for agriculture."Mann will take office in January.

Mann: Agriculture is his Big First priority

HAVEN, Kan. — The Haven City Council gave approval to a resolution approving new utility rates for the community during Monday’s meeting which includes a lower rate for Haven Steel.

Under the new agreement the industrial rate for Haven Steel is an all-in rate of $0.09 per kilowatt hour. Under that rate, Haven Steel agreed to donate $100,000 to the city to help offset the Evergy rate distribution increase that they will pass onto the city starting next year.&nbsp;

During Monday’s meeting members were provided with a copy of an October 26, 2020, email from James Ging, noting that further analysis of the rates based on 2020 usage show that the energy charge for Haven Steel should probably be slightly higher than what was presented at the last meeting in order to equate to the 9 cents all-in rate. Ging suggested $.042 for the energy charge but keeping the demand rate at $8.21 per kW.&nbsp;

The new rates go into effect January 1. The utility rates have been a topic of discussion ever since Evergy announced they were increasing their power distribution charge to the city by more than $7,000 per month.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590090767638.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HAVEN, Kan. — The Haven City Council gave approval to a resolution approving new utility rates for the community during Monday’s meeting which includes a lower rate for Haven Steel.Under the new agreement the industrial rate for Haven Steel is an all-in rate of $0.09 per kilowatt hour. Under that rate, Haven Steel agreed to donate $100,000 to the city to help offset the Evergy rate distribution increase that they will pass onto the city starting next year.&nbsp;During Monday’s meeting members were provided with a copy of an October 26, 2020, email from James Ging, noting that further analysis of the rates based on 2020 usage show that the energy charge for Haven Steel should probably be slightly higher than what was presented at the last meeting in order to equate to the 9 cents all-in rate. Ging suggested $.042 for the energy charge but keeping the demand rate at $8.21 per kW.&nbsp;The new rates go into effect January 1. The utility rates have been a topic of discussion ever since Evergy announced they were increasing their power distribution charge to the city by more than $7,000 per month.&nbsp;

Haven City Council approves new utility rates

November 4, 2020 Noon News


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
From an infection protection perspective, hybrid learning is working in Buhler USD 313.

"We've been in hybrid now for four weeks," said Buhler Superintendent Cindy Couchman. "We're in hybrid when we're in orange and in red. We have some comparison. We had students test positive or staff test positive when we were not in hybrid and we've had them test positive when we've been in hybrid. The number of individuals needing to be quarantined in those two learning models is significant. When we're in hybrid, I think we've only quarantined three and four students depending on which level we've been at and most of those came from sitting at the same lunch table or a bus. So, we really feel like hybrid is working as far as limiting the exposure."

Students who are doing well in hybrid may not be the same ones who would do well in the regular classroom.

"I think kids who really thrive on more individual attention are doing much better," Couchman said. "They also have more voice in the classroom. Sometimes, in a larger setting in a classroom, it is hard to get your voice heard. It's no one's fault. It's just that the more people that are in the room, the more difficult it is to be heard or to be seen."

Staff is working incredibly hard to engage the students that are in school twice a week and every other Friday, whether it is their day to be in the building or not.

"Right now, with a smaller class size, the students get to be a little bit more proactive about asking questions and making sure that there's time for individual attention in the classroom," Couchman said. "I think those kids really, really have embraced the hybrid model."

Given that the gating criteria would have to drop all the way from the red through the orange down to the yellow to go back to another method, it is likely that hybrid learning will continue for a few more weeks.

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
From an infection protection perspective, hybrid learning is working in Buhler USD 313."We've been in hybrid now for four weeks," said Buhler Superintendent Cindy Couchman. "We're in hybrid when we're in orange and in red. We have some comparison. We had students test positive or staff test positive when we were not in hybrid and we've had them test positive when we've been in hybrid. The number of individuals needing to be quarantined in those two learning models is significant. When we're in hybrid, I think we've only quarantined three and four students depending on which level we've been at and most of those came from sitting at the same lunch table or a bus. So, we really feel like hybrid is working as far as limiting the exposure."Students who are doing well in hybrid may not be the same ones who would do well in the regular classroom."I think kids who really thrive on more individual attention are doing much better," Couchman said. "They also have more voice in the classroom. Sometimes, in a larger setting in a classroom, it is hard to get your voice heard. It's no one's fault. It's just that the more people that are in the room, the more difficult it is to be heard or to be seen."Staff is working incredibly hard to engage the students that are in school twice a week and every other Friday, whether it is their day to be in the building or not."Right now, with a smaller class size, the students get to be a little bit more proactive about asking questions and making sure that there's time for individual attention in the classroom," Couchman said. "I think those kids really, really have embraced the hybrid model."Given that the gating criteria would have to drop all the way from the red through the orange down to the yellow to go back to another method, it is likely that hybrid learning will continue for a few more weeks.

Couchman: Hybrid learning working in USD 313


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — U.S. Senator-elect Roger Marshall is pleased that there was a clear decision from the voters Tuesday night in Kansas.

"It looks like we had a nice margin of victory by twelve or thirteen percent," Marshall said. "It gives us, I guess, some satisfaction that this is not one of those votes where people are saying, oh, what if. Kansans clearly made a choice. They made a choice for smaller government, for individual liberties rather than bigger government."

Marshall is confident Kansas will continue to have a voice on the Senate Agriculture Committee.

"I need to sit down with Senator Moran and respect his being the senior Senator and make sure what committees he wants to be on," Marshall said. "I sure believe I'll be on the ag committee, with Senator Moran on the ag appropriations committee, that gives Kansas a great one-two punch."

Marshall's priorities haven't changed since the final days of the campaign.

"If we get the economy right, then we have monies to do other things," Marshall said. "Whether you think that the priorities are infrastructure, high speed internet, military, good schools, whatever you think your priority is, it all starts with a strong economy. Of course, we've got to get Kansans healthy. We've got this COVID virus to deal with. I'm just anxious for this next month. The FDA is looking at one of the vaccines just for final, final confirmation that it's good to go."

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — U.S. Senator-elect Roger Marshall is pleased that there was a clear decision from the voters Tuesday night in Kansas."It looks like we had a nice margin of victory by twelve or thirteen percent," Marshall said. "It gives us, I guess, some satisfaction that this is not one of those votes where people are saying, oh, what if. Kansans clearly made a choice. They made a choice for smaller government, for individual liberties rather than bigger government."Marshall is confident Kansas will continue to have a voice on the Senate Agriculture Committee."I need to sit down with Senator Moran and respect his being the senior Senator and make sure what committees he wants to be on," Marshall said. "I sure believe I'll be on the ag committee, with Senator Moran on the ag appropriations committee, that gives Kansas a great one-two punch."Marshall's priorities haven't changed since the final days of the campaign."If we get the economy right, then we have monies to do other things," Marshall said. "Whether you think that the priorities are infrastructure, high speed internet, military, good schools, whatever you think your priority is, it all starts with a strong economy. Of course, we've got to get Kansans healthy. We've got this COVID virus to deal with. I'm just anxious for this next month. The FDA is looking at one of the vaccines just for final, final confirmation that it's good to go."Marshall will take office in January.

Marshall: Glad for clear decision Tuesday

TOPEKA —Republican Tracey Mann will be the next congressman in Kansas’ 1st District, with The Associated Press calling the race at 9:25 p.m. By midnight, Mann was up 70.7% to Democrat Kali Barnett's 29.3%.

Mann, who lives in Salina, campaigned on removing coronavirus restrictions to boost the country’s struggling economy. He also said he would vote for a stimulus package that is limited and targets only specific industries.

The former lieutenant governor also wants to change the U.S.’ immigration system to help bring more workers to western Kansas but said that border control must be addressed first.

Mann said Republican congressional leaders have promised him a spot on the House Agriculture Committee.

“I want to roll up my sleeves and go to work to advocate for our farmers and ranchers in Washington,” Mann said. “It’s such a big economic impact for the Big First.”

The former real estate manager said his experience on his family farm and the knowledge he developed of agriculture as the lieutenant governor gave him the edge.

“The voters were trying to find someone who had that experience and background who was willing to go to Washington and stand up for us — and also for our basic, conservative Kansas values as well.”

The Big First came open when current U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall decided to run for Senate. Marshall has represented the 1st District since 2017.

Barnett, a Garden City music teacher, received about 32% of the vote.

By Kansas News ServiceTOPEKA —Republican Tracey Mann will be the next congressman in Kansas’ 1st District, with The Associated Press calling the race at 9:25 p.m. By midnight, Mann was up 70.7% to Democrat Kali Barnett's 29.3%.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FTraceyMannKS%2Fvideos%2F365821894508356%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Mann, who lives in Salina, campaigned on removing coronavirus restrictions to boost the country’s struggling economy. He also said he would vote for a stimulus package that is limited and targets only specific industries.The former lieutenant governor also wants to change the U.S.’ immigration system to help bring more workers to western Kansas but said that border control must be addressed first.Mann said Republican congressional leaders have promised him a spot on the House Agriculture Committee.“I want to roll up my sleeves and go to work to advocate for our farmers and ranchers in Washington,” Mann said. “It’s such a big economic impact for the Big First.”The former real estate manager said his experience on his family farm and the knowledge he developed of agriculture as the lieutenant governor gave him the edge.“The voters were trying to find someone who had that experience and background who was willing to go to Washington and stand up for us — and also for our basic, conservative Kansas values as well.”The Big First came open when current U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall decided to run for Senate. Marshall has represented the 1st District since 2017.Barnett, a Garden City music teacher, received about 32% of the vote.

 🎥  Republican Tracey Mann wins Kan. 1st Congressional District

Preliminary Results from Tuesday, November 3, 2020 from Kansas Secretary of State's Office

Donald J. Trump/ Michael R. Pence REP 738,858 57% Joseph R. Biden/ Kamala D. Harris DEM 534,478 41% Jo Jorgensen/ Jeremy "Spike" Cohen LIB 28,375 2%

Roger Marshall REP 697,787 54% Barbara Bollier DEM 536,402 41% Jason Buckley LIB 63,629 5%

Tracey Mann REP 202,449 72% Kali Barnett DEM 80,300 28%

Mark Steffen REP 20,642 70% Shanna Henry DEM 8,868 30%

Joe Seiwert REP 8,730 75% Elliott R. Adams DEM 2,897 25%

John Whitesel REP 3,221 50% Jason Probst DEM 3,224 50%

Paul M. Waggoner REP 7,367 63% Garth Strand DEM 4,340 37%

Michael Murphy REP 7,274 71% Jeff Stroberg DEM 3,016 29%

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604446240179.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Preliminary Results from Tuesday, November 3, 2020 from Kansas Secretary of State's OfficePresident/Vice President (Kansas Only)Donald J. Trump/ Michael R. Pence REP 738,858 57% Joseph R. Biden/ Kamala D. Harris DEM 534,478 41% Jo Jorgensen/ Jeremy "Spike" Cohen LIB 28,375 2%United States SenatorRoger Marshall REP 697,787 54% Barbara Bollier DEM 536,402 41% Jason Buckley LIB 63,629 5%United States Representative, District 1Tracey Mann REP 202,449 72% Kali Barnett DEM 80,300 28%Kansas Senate, District 34&nbsp;Mark Steffen REP 20,642 70% Shanna Henry DEM 8,868 30%KS State Rep. for Dist. 101Joe Seiwert REP 8,730 75% Elliott R. Adams DEM 2,897 25%KS State Rep. for Dist. 102 John Whitesel REP 3,221 50% Jason Probst DEM 3,224 50%KS State Rep. for Dist. 104Paul M. Waggoner REP 7,367 63% Garth Strand DEM 4,340 37%KS State Rep. for Dist. 114Michael Murphy REP 7,274 71% Jeff Stroberg DEM 3,016 29%

Unofficial preliminary results for Kansas


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 632 as of Tuesday evening. The death count among Reno County residents is now 18.

The Correctional Facility cluster type has 399 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 9 active cases, but has been responsible for 6 deaths. There are 22 active clusters in the county.

There are 241 cases in the community at large.

Twenty-four people are in the hospital. One hundred eleven total have been hospitalized. Forty-eight have been admitted to the ICU and 15 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.

The community's positive test rate is up to 12.50%, with the overall positive test rate at 18.55%. 20.44% of the population has been tested.

The next community testing date with appointments available is Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Journey at Yoder Church just north of Yoder. To schedule your appointment, call 1-844-834-3657.

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HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 632 as of Tuesday evening. The death count among Reno County residents is now 18.The Correctional Facility cluster type has 399 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 9 active cases, but has been responsible for 6 deaths. There are 22 active clusters in the county.There are 241 cases in the community at large.Twenty-four people are in the hospital. One hundred eleven total have been hospitalized. Forty-eight have been admitted to the ICU and 15 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is up to 12.50%, with the overall positive test rate at 18.55%. 20.44% of the population has been tested.The next community testing date with appointments available is Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Journey at Yoder Church just north of Yoder. To schedule your appointment, call 1-844-834-3657.

Reno County cases at 632, with 241 in community, 24 in hospital Tuesday evening

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Voter turnout in Reno County was better than 65% on Tuesday. According to figures released by the Clerk's Office 27,259 patrons cast a ballot which is a turnout of just under 66%.

Mailed out ballots are still being accepted until Friday as long as they are postmarked by November 3.

There are still some write in and other ballots left to be reconciled. That could have an effect on the 102 nd Kansas House seat where incumbent Jason Probst won by just three votes. The county will canvase the votes sometime next week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604350863929.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Voter turnout in Reno County was better than 65% on Tuesday. According to figures released by the Clerk's Office 27,259 patrons cast a ballot which is a turnout of just under 66%.Mailed out ballots are still being accepted until Friday as long as they are postmarked by November 3.There are still some write in and other ballots left to be reconciled. That could have an effect on the 102 nd Kansas House seat where incumbent Jason Probst won by just three votes. The county will canvase the votes sometime next week.

Reno Co. voter turnout surpasses 65%

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson City Manager Jeff Cantrell took time during Tuesday’s Hutchinson City Council meeting to address the human relations position.

This comes after Datjaeda Moore was suspended indefinitely from the position. Moore's position was recently made full time after financial assistance came into the city from an outside agency. Cantrell says no action was taken following an executive session.

"Largely, this is a management issue," Cantrell said. "But I did want to brief them on some of the issues we had in the policy violations in play. So basically, that was just an informative session for them."

Cantrell says both he and Moore are in conversations on how to address her suspension.

"The Human Relations Officer and the City Manager are still working out the details of expectations and following policy going forward," Cantrell said. "Her return to the position will be predicated upon her ability to follow those policies and procedures."

Cantrell says Moore was suspended for violating several policies in the handbook and also took time to clarify that Moore is a city employee and bound by policy like all employees.

"She’s not a contract employee, she’s a bona fide employee," Cantrell stressed. "There’s a lot of confusion on that and a lot of misstatements. And if you’re an employee of the city, the first thing you come in and have orientation and you sign a statement that 'I know I’m an employee, I’ve received the handbook, I’ll follow the handbook.'" Cantrell says all of the proper procedures were followed in the handling of Moore’s suspension.&nbsp;

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/3ac9eff8-cd82-47a6-bbeb-209a3611efc0">In a previous story,</a> HutchPost shared a release from the group Hutch in Harmony who questioned why Moore was suspended and asked that the public contact Cantrell and City Attorney Paul Brown to have her reinstated.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592409609109.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson City Manager Jeff Cantrell took time during Tuesday’s Hutchinson City Council meeting to address the human relations position.This comes after Datjaeda Moore was suspended indefinitely from the position. Moore's position was recently made full time after financial assistance came into the city from an outside agency. Cantrell says no action was taken following an executive session."Largely, this is a management issue," Cantrell said. "But I did want to brief them on some of the issues we had in the policy violations in play. So basically, that was just an informative session for them."Cantrell says both he and Moore are in conversations on how to address her suspension."The Human Relations Officer and the City Manager are still working out the details of expectations and following policy going forward," Cantrell said. "Her return to the position will be predicated upon her ability to follow those policies and procedures."Cantrell says Moore was suspended for violating several policies in the handbook and also took time to clarify that Moore is a city employee and bound by policy like all employees."She’s not a contract employee, she’s a bona fide employee," Cantrell stressed. "There’s a lot of confusion on that and a lot of misstatements. And if you’re an employee of the city, the first thing you come in and have orientation and you sign a statement that 'I know I’m an employee, I’ve received the handbook, I’ll follow the handbook.'" Cantrell says all of the proper procedures were followed in the handling of Moore’s suspension.&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/3ac9eff8-cd82-47a6-bbeb-209a3611efc0">In a previous story,</a> HutchPost shared a release from the group Hutch in Harmony who questioned why Moore was suspended and asked that the public contact Cantrell and City Attorney Paul Brown to have her reinstated.&nbsp;

City Manager discusses employee suspension with City Council

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A Buhler woman was injured in a car-pedestrian accident &nbsp;Monday afternoon.

Hutchinson Police report that 72-year-old Freda Sanders
was crossing the street at Sherman and Main when she was hit by a vehicle driven
by Sharon Kidwell of Hutchinson. 

Sanders was taken by EMS to Hutchinson Regional Medical
Center where she was treated and released. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593015667557.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A Buhler woman was injured in a car-pedestrian accident &nbsp;Monday afternoon.Hutchinson Police report that 72-year-old Freda Sanders
was crossing the street at Sherman and Main when she was hit by a vehicle driven
by Sharon Kidwell of Hutchinson. Sanders was taken by EMS to Hutchinson Regional Medical
Center where she was treated and released. The accident happened around 3:50 p.m.

Woman injured when struck by car 

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A Hutchinson man arrested three years
after he shot another man is set for sentencing Wednesday in Reno County District
Court.

Maique Rodriguez-Faudoa was originally charged with
attempted first-degree murder in the May 2017 shooting of his uncle, Jesus
Faudoa. 

Rodriguez-Faudoa entered a guilty plea Oct. 8 to
lesser charges of aggravated robbery and robbery. 

Jesus Faudoa was found shot multiple times in the 700
block of East 7th Avenue. Rodriguez-Faudoa then took the victim's cell phone
and pickup. He was arrested in El Paso, Texas, earlier this year and brought
back to Reno County.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602791058568.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A Hutchinson man arrested three years
after he shot another man is set for sentencing Wednesday in Reno County District
Court.Maique Rodriguez-Faudoa was originally charged with
attempted first-degree murder in the May 2017 shooting of his uncle, Jesus
Faudoa. Rodriguez-Faudoa entered a guilty plea Oct. 8 to
lesser charges of aggravated robbery and robbery. Jesus Faudoa was found shot multiple times in the 700
block of East 7th Avenue. Rodriguez-Faudoa then took the victim's cell phone
and pickup. He was arrested in El Paso, Texas, earlier this year and brought
back to Reno County.&nbsp;

Sentencing set for Hutchinson man in shooting case

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>.

<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>.

Recent obituaries


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
A Hutchinson elementary school is one of the 21 cluster sites in Reno County. According to a Tuesday Facebook post, the&nbsp; Reno County Health Department has classified Faris Elementary School as a COVID-19 cluster because of the recent number of positive cases. 

Staff and/or students requested to isolate have been notified.  The district will continue with its modified hybrid learning plan.

Reno County remains in the red in the school gating criteria.

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HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
A Hutchinson elementary school is one of the 21 cluster sites in Reno County. According to a Tuesday Facebook post, the&nbsp; Reno County Health Department has classified Faris Elementary School as a COVID-19 cluster because of the recent number of positive cases. Staff and/or students requested to isolate have been notified. The district will continue with its modified hybrid learning plan.Reno County remains in the red in the school gating criteria.

Faris Elementary identified as cluster site


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Progress is being made toward better park patrols in the City of Hutchinson. Lovella Kelley, who lives near Orchard Park, came and asked for an update at the City Council meeting Tuesday.

"We did have 15 applicants come in for those positions," said Hutchinson Police Chief Jeff Hooper. "Some very qualified applicants. I think we're starting our interview process either later this week or the first of next week to fill those positions."

"We have started intermittent park patrol as time allows for the staffing that we do have," Hooper said. "We're not full-time, but we've managed to do some of the patrols in the evenings. That's been really well received. People have stopped our patrols and thanked us for being there and so, it's too early to really let you know what the overall result of that is going to be, but we'll ramp that up as we start to put more personnel on."

The patrols will be throughout all the parks in the City of Hutchinson in an effort to reduce vandalism in those areas. 

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Progress is being made toward better park patrols in the City of Hutchinson. Lovella Kelley, who lives near Orchard Park, came and asked for an update at the City Council meeting Tuesday."We did have 15 applicants come in for those positions," said Hutchinson Police Chief Jeff Hooper. "Some very qualified applicants. I think we're starting our interview process either later this week or the first of next week to fill those positions."The program is not fully ramped up yet."We have started intermittent park patrol as time allows for the staffing that we do have," Hooper said. "We're not full-time, but we've managed to do some of the patrols in the evenings. That's been really well received. People have stopped our patrols and thanked us for being there and so, it's too early to really let you know what the overall result of that is going to be, but we'll ramp that up as we start to put more personnel on."The patrols will be throughout all the parks in the City of Hutchinson in an effort to reduce vandalism in those areas.

Park patrol progress being made

HUTCHINSON, Kan.
— Reno County Commissioners gave approval to finance the landfill project
during Tuesday’s agenda session. The landfill project includes closing off
Mohawk Road along the east side of the landfill then building a new scale house
and maintenance building.

The cost of
the project is not to exceed $4,940,000. Bids for the project could go out later
this month with a bid opening expected in December.

The Board
also approved a contract with Reece Construction for replacing the Silver Lake
Road bridge 11 miles west of Pretty Prairie. The cost of the project is
$269,067. A federal grant will pay for more than $215,000 of the project
while the county will pay the remaining $53,000.

The County
also approved $823,000 in CARES funds to go out to various schools and
non-profits in the county. The funds are to help offset losses due to the pandemic.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603101991835.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan.
— Reno County Commissioners gave approval to finance the landfill project
during Tuesday’s agenda session. The landfill project includes closing off
Mohawk Road along the east side of the landfill then building a new scale house
and maintenance building.The cost of
the project is not to exceed $4,940,000. Bids for the project could go out later
this month with a bid opening expected in December.The Board
also approved a contract with Reece Construction for replacing the Silver Lake
Road bridge 11 miles west of Pretty Prairie. The cost of the project is
$269,067. A federal grant will pay for more than $215,000 of the project
while the county will pay the remaining $53,000.The County
also approved $823,000 in CARES funds to go out to various schools and
non-profits in the county. The funds are to help offset losses due to the pandemic.

County Commission approves landfill financing and bridge project


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp; Reno County Deputy Elections Officer Jenna Fager says voting is simple, just relax. The poll workers know what they're doing.

"When you go in, you will need to bring a government issued photo ID," Fager said. "You don't need to bring your disposition card that you received from our office or anything like that. You'll just walk up to the person and hand them your driver's license or show it to them and they'll look you up in the poll pad. After that's done, then they'll issue a paper ballot, and you'll go into the poll booth, vote your ballot and then you'll find the box that's at your location and feed your ballot through."

The poll worker will verbally ask you your address. It needs to match the one you gave on your voter registration.

"The machines that you feed your ballots into have memory cards in there," Fager said. "They bring those machines in and then that's when we pull those results."

Fager said there have been some new voters that might be a little surprising.

"This is definitely one for the books," Fager said. "It has been an experience so far, people voting for the first time who are in their eighties that have never voted in their lives are turning up, they're registered and they are voting. It's definitely been an experience. I've never experienced anything like this."

Preliminary results will be available tonight, but results are not official until after the canvass later this month.

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp; Reno County Deputy Elections Officer Jenna Fager says voting is simple, just relax. The poll workers know what they're doing."When you go in, you will need to bring a government issued photo ID," Fager said. "You don't need to bring your disposition card that you received from our office or anything like that. You'll just walk up to the person and hand them your driver's license or show it to them and they'll look you up in the poll pad. After that's done, then they'll issue a paper ballot, and you'll go into the poll booth, vote your ballot and then you'll find the box that's at your location and feed your ballot through."The poll worker will verbally ask you your address. It needs to match the one you gave on your voter registration."The machines that you feed your ballots into have memory cards in there," Fager said. "They bring those machines in and then that's when we pull those results."Fager said there have been some new voters that might be a little surprising."This is definitely one for the books," Fager said. "It has been an experience so far, people voting for the first time who are in their eighties that have never voted in their lives are turning up, they're registered and they are voting. It's definitely been an experience. I've never experienced anything like this."Preliminary results will be available tonight, but results are not official until after the canvass later this month.

Fager: Voting is a simple process, but this election is 'one for the books'

The following is a release from Hutch in Harmony.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/59601c1a-d8ab-4bff-9ffc-a253cd5085fd">You can click here to read the response from&nbsp;&nbsp;Hutchinson City Manager Jeff Cantrell who took time during Tuesday’s Hutchinson City Council meeting to address the human relations position.</a>

On Saturday, October 31, multiple Black and Brown residents of Hutchinson reported being followed, harassed, or lambasted by racially and sexually aggressive slurs. Drivers flashing Nazi salutes, crossing over the center line and almost hitting oncoming cars, and other dangerous behaviors threatened public safety. But for those who perpetuated these actions while participating in the Trump parade, there will be few consequences. 

Why? Because the one person appointed to a position created to defend the rights of all Hutchinson residents to live in peace and safety was temporarily suspended from her position three days earlier on October 28. Victims like the young Black woman simply walking down the sidewalk, who was followed and harassed, have nowhere to lodge their complaints because our city manager suspended our Human Relations Officer, Datjaeda Moore. 

As Hutch in Harmony, we have fought hard for the protections a Human Relations Officer affords Hutchinson residents. This position makes a tremendous difference in the ability of Black, Brown, LGBTQ+, disabled, and elderly folks’ ability to live and thrive in Hutchinson. That’s why we feel the public has a right to know the political games being played with this position. 

Moore appeared in a video series to talk about candidate Jason Probst and his impact on our community. Many members of the community from both parties, including others with leadership positions in City Hall,  participated in this video series. However, after the series was released, Moore was told that because of her participation in the video project and other efforts she's undertaken to impact policy, she was being suspended until sometime after the election. Why was she singled out when other leaders were able to speak of Probst's positive community impact and when her job is specifically intended to help address inequities in City policies?

Part of the job description of the Human Relations Officer is to inform policy as it relates to those listed as protected classes. Moore is, at present, a contracted worker with the city, and will only become a full-time employee in January, when the position moves to full-time hours with subpoena powers. Her current job description does not forbid her from engaging local candidates. Especially while others in city leadership participated and were not suspended from their positions, this action is a violation of trust. Why was Moore, the only Black woman in the series, the only one singled out for suspension? 

Whatever the intent, these actions effectively silenced one of our community’s most important champions for equality days before an election. Not being an elected position, the city manager is bound to be non-partisan in the handling of all affairs. Silencing Moore, one of the very few people of color in City Hall, appears to be an attempt to suppress the voices of minorities and keep the status quo intact. The outcome of these actions favors one political party, which it now appears the city manager is working with in tandem. Where will Black and Brown voters go if they experience voter intimidation and suppression at the polls today? 

We are unwilling to revert to the days where people of color were forced to accept the results of actions intended to silence and censure their work for progress. We thought we’d grown beyond that, as a community, yet here we are. 

We call on city leadership to right these actions. We call on our community to act: call Jeff Cantrell (city manager) at 620-694-2611 and Paul Brown, city attorney, at 620-694-2641. Demand restoration of our Human Relations Officer to her position and transparency regarding this matter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604414009868.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The following is a release from Hutch in Harmony.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/59601c1a-d8ab-4bff-9ffc-a253cd5085fd">You can click here to read the response from&nbsp;&nbsp;Hutchinson City Manager Jeff Cantrell who took time during Tuesday’s Hutchinson City Council meeting to address the human relations position.</a>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:November 3, 2020On Saturday, October 31, multiple Black and Brown residents of Hutchinson reported being followed, harassed, or lambasted by racially and sexually aggressive slurs. Drivers flashing Nazi salutes, crossing over the center line and almost hitting oncoming cars, and other dangerous behaviors threatened public safety. But for those who perpetuated these actions while participating in the Trump parade, there will be few consequences. Why? Because the one person appointed to a position created to defend the rights of all Hutchinson residents to live in peace and safety was temporarily suspended from her position three days earlier on October 28. Victims like the young Black woman simply walking down the sidewalk, who was followed and harassed, have nowhere to lodge their complaints because our city manager suspended our Human Relations Officer, Datjaeda Moore. As Hutch in Harmony, we have fought hard for the protections a Human Relations Officer affords Hutchinson residents. This position makes a tremendous difference in the ability of Black, Brown, LGBTQ+, disabled, and elderly folks’ ability to live and thrive in Hutchinson. That’s why we feel the public has a right to know the political games being played with this position. Moore appeared in a video series to talk about candidate Jason Probst and his impact on our community. Many members of the community from both parties, including others with leadership positions in City Hall, participated in this video series. However, after the series was released, Moore was told that because of her participation in the video project and other efforts she's undertaken to impact policy, she was being suspended until sometime after the election. Why was she singled out when other leaders were able to speak of Probst's positive community impact and when her job is specifically intended to help address inequities in City policies?Part of the job description of the Human Relations Officer is to inform policy as it relates to those listed as protected classes. Moore is, at present, a contracted worker with the city, and will only become a full-time employee in January, when the position moves to full-time hours with subpoena powers. Her current job description does not forbid her from engaging local candidates. Especially while others in city leadership participated and were not suspended from their positions, this action is a violation of trust. Why was Moore, the only Black woman in the series, the only one singled out for suspension? Whatever the intent, these actions effectively silenced one of our community’s most important champions for equality days before an election. Not being an elected position, the city manager is bound to be non-partisan in the handling of all affairs. Silencing Moore, one of the very few people of color in City Hall, appears to be an attempt to suppress the voices of minorities and keep the status quo intact. The outcome of these actions favors one political party, which it now appears the city manager is working with in tandem. Where will Black and Brown voters go if they experience voter intimidation and suppression at the polls today? We are unwilling to revert to the days where people of color were forced to accept the results of actions intended to silence and censure their work for progress. We thought we’d grown beyond that, as a community, yet here we are. We call on city leadership to right these actions. We call on our community to act: call Jeff Cantrell (city manager) at 620-694-2611 and Paul Brown, city attorney, at 620-694-2641. Demand restoration of our Human Relations Officer to her position and transparency regarding this matter.

Hutch in Harmony questions suspension of city employee


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The Reno County overall case count is at 708 as of Monday evening. The death count among Reno County residents is now 18.

The Correctional Facility cluster type has 409 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 13 cases, but has been responsible for 6 deaths. There are 21 active clusters in the county.

There are 318 cases in the community at large.

Twenty-two people are in the hospital. One hundred seven total have been hospitalized. Forty-five have been admitted to the ICU and 14 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.

The community's positive test rate is up to 12.04%, with the overall positive test rate at 18.43%. 20.37% of the population has been tested.

The next community testing date with appointments available is Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Journey at Yoder Church just north of Yoder. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/ea09c567-2db0-4b65-ba74-cbe34301ce8c">Appointment times for Tuesday's event at the Oz Breezeway on the Kansas State Fairgrounds are full, but they will be there again Saturday.</a> To schedule your appointment, call 1-844-834-3657.

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HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The Reno County overall case count is at 708 as of Monday evening. The death count among Reno County residents is now 18.The Correctional Facility cluster type has 409 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 13 cases, but has been responsible for 6 deaths. There are 21 active clusters in the county.There are 318 cases in the community at large.Twenty-two people are in the hospital. One hundred seven total have been hospitalized. Forty-five have been admitted to the ICU and 14 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is up to 12.04%, with the overall positive test rate at 18.43%. 20.37% of the population has been tested.The next community testing date with appointments available is Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Journey at Yoder Church just north of Yoder. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/ea09c567-2db0-4b65-ba74-cbe34301ce8c">Appointment times for Tuesday's event at the Oz Breezeway on the Kansas State Fairgrounds are full, but they will be there again Saturday.</a> To schedule your appointment, call 1-844-834-3657.

Case count at 708, with 318 in community as of Monday evening

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Health Department says that all appointment slots for Tuesday's COVID-19 testing at the fairgrounds are full.

The county is conducting pandemic testing each Tuesday and every other Saturday at the Oz Building breezeway.

The Health Department will also do testing at the Journey at Yoder Church just north of Yoder on Thursday from 5 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.

Testing is also available this Saturday at the fairgrounds. Testing will be available at the fairgrounds Tuesday, Nov. 10, 17 and 24, and Saturday, Nov. 21. Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins will be welcome if there is room.

For more information, contact the Health Department at 1-844-834-3657.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598639401459.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Health Department says that all appointment slots for Tuesday's COVID-19 testing at the fairgrounds are full.The county is conducting pandemic testing each Tuesday and every other Saturday at the Oz Building breezeway.The Health Department will also do testing at the Journey at Yoder Church just north of Yoder on Thursday from 5 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.Testing is also available this Saturday at the fairgrounds. Testing will be available at the fairgrounds Tuesday, Nov. 10, 17 and 24, and Saturday, Nov. 21. Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins will be welcome if there is room.For more information, contact the Health Department at 1-844-834-3657.

Appointment slots full for Tuesday's COVID testing at fairgrounds

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County took another step to finding a new director for the Health Department on Friday.&nbsp;

County Administrator Randy Partington said interviews with the two finalists went well and said both were strong candidates.

Partington says that some things need to be looked over before a recommendation can be made to the County Commission. Partington hoped to have the recommendation for the board as early as Tuesday’s meeting, but said the announcement won't come until the commission meeting next week.

The new director will replace Nick Baldetti, who recently left the Health Department for a new job at McPherson College.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589472383275.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County took another step to finding a new director for the Health Department on Friday.&nbsp;County Administrator Randy Partington said interviews with the two finalists went well and said both were strong candidates.Partington says that some things need to be looked over before a recommendation can be made to the County Commission. Partington hoped to have the recommendation for the board as early as Tuesday’s meeting, but said the announcement won't come until the commission meeting next week.The new director will replace Nick Baldetti, who recently left the Health Department for a new job at McPherson College.

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