
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Reno County Health Department Director Nick Baldetti would like to see local people with a primary care provider go to that provider after calling ahead, if they think they have COVID-19.

"We've already run, as a healthcare collective, 816 tests here locally," Baldetti said. "It's also important that the flu swab, so a standard flu test, is similar to the nasopharyngeal swab that is administered for COVID-19. Plus, you've got medical providers that went to school for this very thing. Yes, I have much higher confidence with medical professionals, whether it be your physician, your midlevel providers or nursing staff administering that test than just the general lay audience."

Walmart and eTrueNorth are providing a testing site at the Kansas State Fairgrounds, but those tests are self-administered, but data point for data point, as of Friday morning, Reno County's doing better than it has in quite awhile.

"We're probably going about a month and a half if not a little bit longer since we've been at only seven active cases," Baldetti said. 

Numbers at every level must be put into context, including things like case clusters, which thus far, Reno County has been able to avoid. 

"About 81% of our positives are associated with seven counties," Baldetti said. "Wyandotte, Ford, Leavenworth, Seward, Finney, Johnson and Sedgwick counties."

When thinking about the state and whether or not the opening phases as laid out by Gov. Laura Kelly go forward, statistics from those counties may drive the overall policy decisions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585343971615.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Reno County Health Department Director Nick Baldetti would like to see local people with a primary care provider go to that provider after calling ahead, if they think they have COVID-19."We've already run, as a healthcare collective, 816 tests here locally," Baldetti said. "It's also important that the flu swab, so a standard flu test, is similar to the nasopharyngeal swab that is administered for COVID-19. Plus, you've got medical providers that went to school for this very thing. Yes, I have much higher confidence with medical professionals, whether it be your physician, your midlevel providers or nursing staff administering that test than just the general lay audience."Walmart and eTrueNorth are providing a testing site at the Kansas State Fairgrounds, but those tests are self-administered, but data point for data point, as of Friday morning, Reno County's doing better than it has in quite awhile."We're probably going about a month and a half if not a little bit longer since we've been at only seven active cases," Baldetti said. Numbers at every level must be put into context, including things like case clusters, which thus far, Reno County has been able to avoid. "About 81% of our positives are associated with seven counties," Baldetti said. "Wyandotte, Ford, Leavenworth, Seward, Finney, Johnson and Sedgwick counties."When thinking about the state and whether or not the opening phases as laid out by Gov. Laura Kelly go forward, statistics from those counties may drive the overall policy decisions.

Baldetti: Go to local provider if you have one; context in numbers is important

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — After a very brief meeting and one revision, the Hutchinson Community College Board of Trustees approved pay for employees during the shutdown caused by the pandemic. 

The resolution passed by the board will allow the college to make payments to all regular employees, including regular salaried and hourly employees through May 31 unless the board takes action to authorize payment for a longer period of time. The original resolution was to extend payments through June 12, but was shortened by two weeks.

It is the third time the college has extended pay to its employees since the pandemic shut down the campus and forced the school to go with online classes. The first extended pay to April 10, the second to May 6 and the current resolution approved Wednesday to the end of the month.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588955468734.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — After a very brief meeting and one revision, the Hutchinson Community College Board of Trustees approved pay for employees during the shutdown caused by the pandemic. The resolution passed by the board will allow the college to make payments to all regular employees, including regular salaried and hourly employees through May 31 unless the board takes action to authorize payment for a longer period of time. The original resolution was to extend payments through June 12, but was shortened by two weeks.It is the third time the college has extended pay to its employees since the pandemic shut down the campus and forced the school to go with online classes. The first extended pay to April 10, the second to May 6 and the current resolution approved Wednesday to the end of the month.

HutchCC BOT approves pay extension

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Mall will reopen Monday, May 11. Mall hours will be 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

The stores reopening at this time are: Selectel Wireless, Hibbett Sports, Sharp N Shiny, Buckle, Game On, Cindy Lou’s and those who have been open, Dunham’s Sports, Dollar Tree and Harbor Freight Tools.

It will be the decision of national retailers as to when they will reopen. We will keep you updated as more information becomes available.

Mall entry will be limited to Entry #1 (Food Court Entrance). All customers are encouraged to wear a mask and practice social distancing. Mall walking will be not be permitted at this time.

Youth Escort Program (YEP) will be enforced during all mall hours from now on. Individuals 18 or under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times. More information on YEP can be found at <a href="https://hutchinson-mall.com/">www.hutchinson-mall.com</a>.

The Hutchinson Mall and retail stores are following all recommended CDC guidelines.

The above is subject to change without notice. Visit Hutchinson-Mall.com or the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/HutchinsonMall/">Facebook page</a> for additional information and updates.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588973328761.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Mall will reopen Monday, May 11. Mall hours will be 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.The stores reopening at this time are: Selectel Wireless, Hibbett Sports, Sharp N Shiny, Buckle, Game On, Cindy Lou’s and those who have been open, Dunham’s Sports, Dollar Tree and Harbor Freight Tools.It will be the decision of national retailers as to when they will reopen. We will keep you updated as more information becomes available.Mall entry will be limited to Entry #1 (Food Court Entrance). All customers are encouraged to wear a mask and practice social distancing. Mall walking will be not be permitted at this time.Youth Escort Program (YEP) will be enforced during all mall hours from now on. Individuals 18 or under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times. More information on YEP can be found at <a href="https://hutchinson-mall.com/">www.hutchinson-mall.com</a>.The Hutchinson Mall and retail stores are following all recommended CDC guidelines.The above is subject to change without notice. Visit Hutchinson-Mall.com or the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/HutchinsonMall/">Facebook page</a> for additional information and updates.

Hutchinson Mall to reopen Monday

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County Commissioners will hear from two outside agencies regarding budget requests for the 2021 fiscal year during Tuesday’s meeting.

The first request is from Horizons Mental Health Center, who is requesting $430,500, and TECH, who is requesting $510,000. Both are the same requests that were granted last year by the county.

Overall, the county is looking at an overall reduction in funding requests for the upcoming year. Total agency requests for 2021 amount to $3,031,000 — a drop of just more than $90,000.

Three agencies are asking for increases in their budget for next year. The board is being asked to increase the economic development fund to $50,000, an increase of $12,500. Other increases include the 4-H Fair, which is asking for a $3,500 increase to $20,000; and the Reno County Extension Office, who is asking for an extra $9,000 ($347,000 total). 

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575487428540.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County Commissioners will hear from two outside agencies regarding budget requests for the 2021 fiscal year during Tuesday’s meeting.The first request is from Horizons Mental Health Center, who is requesting $430,500, and TECH, who is requesting $510,000. Both are the same requests that were granted last year by the county.Overall, the county is looking at an overall reduction in funding requests for the upcoming year. Total agency requests for 2021 amount to $3,031,000 — a drop of just more than $90,000.Three agencies are asking for increases in their budget for next year. The board is being asked to increase the economic development fund to $50,000, an increase of $12,500. Other increases include the 4-H Fair, which is asking for a $3,500 increase to $20,000; and the Reno County Extension Office, who is asking for an extra $9,000 ($347,000 total). Tuesday’s meeting of the Reno County Commission begins at 9 a.m. at the Reno County Courthouse.

Co. Commission to hear budget requests for 2021

TOPEKA -&nbsp;Since March 24, 2020, extensions to driver's licenses and vehicle registrations have been made through Executive Order 20-12 signed by Governor Laura Kelly. While those extensions are still valid, the Kansas Department of Revenue will start to reopen driver's license offices on Tuesday, May 12, 2020.

Under&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcovid.ks.gov%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F05%2FReopen-Kansas-Framework-043020.3.pdf&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C4b0c37478ae440ea27fa08d7f397a81c%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637245704986035733&amp;sdata=nxbM3Tok%2BGYEI9sNr0TwaeKLl3Zh34Aypl12j%2FowpWU%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Ad Astra: A plan to reopen Kansas</a>, presented at the end of April by Governor Kelly, steps will be made to ensure the health and well-being of all who enter Kansas Department of Revenue offices. This includes requiring appointments and screenings before entering offices and implementing all social distancing guidelines.

"Following the procedures of the Ad Astra Plan and data presented by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, we are making concerted efforts to open in a thoughtful and safe manner," Secretary Mark Burghart said.&nbsp;

"This is done by looking at the county COVID-19 case data and applicable guidelines on social distancing to make the necessary decisions to reopen and possibly temporarily reclose offices."

Only essential services will be conducted in reopened driver's license offices. These include:

"It is important to note that Governor Kelly's Executive Order 20-12, which allows extensions on driver’s license renewals and vehicle registrations, is still in effect," David Harper, Director of Vehicles said.&nbsp;

"We encourage customers who can perform these services online to do so as we continue to evaluate the reopening of the more than 100 office locations with the partnership of county governments."

Renewals to Governor Kelly’s extensions must be completed within 60 days of the expiration of the&nbsp;State of Disaster Emergency Proclamation, originally made in March, and extended due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19 to the state.

To schedule an appointment, customers are asked to call their driver's license office or use the already established scheduling program, Q-Flow, for offices with that availability.

Moving forward, the reopened office listing is available at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevenue.org/reopening.html" target="_blank">https://www.ksrevenue.org/reopening.html</a>.

Online renewals of identification cards, driver's licenses, and vehicle tag renewals can be done online at ikan.ks.gov or in the iKan app available in the Apple iTunes or Google Play stores. Some statutory restrictions apply. For those restrictions, an office visit will need to be scheduled.

To contact the Division of Vehicles about issues relating to a title, registration, or driver's licenses, phone and email information can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://ksrevenue.org/dovcontact.html" target="_blank">ksrevenue.org/dovcontact.html</a>.

TOPEKA -&nbsp;Since March 24, 2020, extensions to driver's licenses and vehicle registrations have been made through Executive Order 20-12 signed by Governor Laura Kelly. While those extensions are still valid, the Kansas Department of Revenue will start to reopen driver's license offices on Tuesday, May 12, 2020.Under&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcovid.ks.gov%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F05%2FReopen-Kansas-Framework-043020.3.pdf&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C4b0c37478ae440ea27fa08d7f397a81c%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637245704986035733&amp;sdata=nxbM3Tok%2BGYEI9sNr0TwaeKLl3Zh34Aypl12j%2FowpWU%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Ad Astra: A plan to reopen Kansas</a>, presented at the end of April by Governor Kelly, steps will be made to ensure the health and well-being of all who enter Kansas Department of Revenue offices. This includes requiring appointments and screenings before entering offices and implementing all social distancing guidelines."Following the procedures of the Ad Astra Plan and data presented by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, we are making concerted efforts to open in a thoughtful and safe manner," Secretary Mark Burghart said.&nbsp;"This is done by looking at the county COVID-19 case data and applicable guidelines on social distancing to make the necessary decisions to reopen and possibly temporarily reclose offices."Only essential services will be conducted in reopened driver's license offices. These include:<ol>
 <li>Drivers needing to transfer a license from another state</li><li>Teen drivers receiving a license for the first time</li><li>Drivers turning 21 or turning 50 years-of-age</li><li>Applications for a new state identification card</li><li>If there is no online access to the customer or other restriction to online service apply by statute, including not having an eye exam within the last 12 months</li>
 </ol>"It is important to note that Governor Kelly's Executive Order 20-12, which allows extensions on driver’s license renewals and vehicle registrations, is still in effect," David Harper, Director of Vehicles said.&nbsp;"We encourage customers who can perform these services online to do so as we continue to evaluate the reopening of the more than 100 office locations with the partnership of county governments."Renewals to Governor Kelly’s extensions must be completed within 60 days of the expiration of the&nbsp;State of Disaster Emergency Proclamation, originally made in March, and extended due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19 to the state.To schedule an appointment, customers are asked to call their driver's license office or use the already established scheduling program, Q-Flow, for offices with that availability.Moving forward, the reopened office listing is available at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevenue.org/reopening.html" target="_blank">https://www.ksrevenue.org/reopening.html</a>.Online renewals of identification cards, driver's licenses, and vehicle tag renewals can be done online at ikan.ks.gov or in the iKan app available in the Apple iTunes or Google Play stores. Some statutory restrictions apply. For those restrictions, an office visit will need to be scheduled.To contact the Division of Vehicles about issues relating to a title, registration, or driver's licenses, phone and email information can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://ksrevenue.org/dovcontact.html" target="_blank">ksrevenue.org/dovcontact.html</a>.

 Kansas announces plan to reopen driver’s license offices

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — It is not the way you’d expect it to happen, but Hutchinson Community College will be celebrating its 2020 graduates in a virtual commencement ceremony Friday evening.

“The academic achievements of our students deserve to be properly recognized and celebrated,” HutchCC President Dr. Carter File said. “Toward this goal we are planning a virtual ceremony to be held at the regularly scheduled time – Friday, May 8, at 7:00 p.m.” 

The virtual ceremony will include many of the same elements as the traditional ceremony, including the reading of names for each graduate who submits the necessary items and the creation of the commencement program. For those unable to tune in at the scheduled time, the ceremony will be available on-demand for future viewing.

The link to the ceremony as well as the commencement program will be available at <a href="http://www.hutchcc.edu/graduation">www.hutchcc.edu/graduation</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581541933395.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — It is not the way you’d expect it to happen, but Hutchinson Community College will be celebrating its 2020 graduates in a virtual commencement ceremony Friday evening.“The academic achievements of our students deserve to be properly recognized and celebrated,” HutchCC President Dr. Carter File said. “Toward this goal we are planning a virtual ceremony to be held at the regularly scheduled time – Friday, May 8, at 7:00 p.m.” The virtual ceremony will include many of the same elements as the traditional ceremony, including the reading of names for each graduate who submits the necessary items and the creation of the commencement program. For those unable to tune in at the scheduled time, the ceremony will be available on-demand for future viewing.The link to the ceremony as well as the commencement program will be available at <a href="http://www.hutchcc.edu/graduation">www.hutchcc.edu/graduation</a>.

HutchCC to hold virtual graduation Friday evening

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Fox Theatre continues to reschedule performances postponed due to the pandemic. The Fox announced Friday that the Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood Scared Scriptless performance will be held Sunday, October 11th at 7:00 p.m.

As with the other postponed shows, if you have already purchased tickets for this event, hold on to them as they will be valid for the rescheduled date.

If you opt not to keep your current tickets for the new date, you may contact the box office for a full refund by calling 620-663-1981 or e-mailing <a href="http://thefox@hutchinsonfox.com">thefox@hutchinsonfox.com</a>. Please include your full name as it appears on your ticket order and, if possible, your order number.

Recent credit card orders will be refunded back to the card. Other credit card orders and all orders paid via cash or check will be refunded via company check from the Fox Theatre and mailed to the billing address on file. It will take 10 to 14 business days for processing of refund checks following the refund request.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584641013194.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Fox Theatre continues to reschedule performances postponed due to the pandemic. The Fox announced Friday that the Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood Scared Scriptless performance will be held Sunday, October 11th at 7:00 p.m.As with the other postponed shows, if you have already purchased tickets for this event, hold on to them as they will be valid for the rescheduled date.If you opt not to keep your current tickets for the new date, you may contact the box office for a full refund by calling 620-663-1981 or e-mailing <a href="http://thefox@hutchinsonfox.com">thefox@hutchinsonfox.com</a>. Please include your full name as it appears on your ticket order and, if possible, your order number.Recent credit card orders will be refunded back to the card. Other credit card orders and all orders paid via cash or check will be refunded via company check from the Fox Theatre and mailed to the billing address on file. It will take 10 to 14 business days for processing of refund checks following the refund request.

Fox announces new date for Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood performance 


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Though a global pandemic with local impact is not the way Hutchinson City Manager John Deardoff would have chosen to conclude his career, he is glad he stayed.

"It's really been a blessing that I was able to stay beyond the original date of March 27," Deardoff said. "The council asked me in February if I would stay on until the new city manager came on. We didn't know this COVID-19 issue was even coming at that time. It's been a blessing for me to be here and just kind of help the city organization navigate through these times and hopefully get the table set for the new city manager."

Deardoff counted on the relationships he has built over the years to help him make decisions in the midst of the pandemic.

"It was a little easier in that I knew a lot of the players in the community," Deardoff said. "Obviously, the city wasn't leading this effort. We were following the lead of the county. My relationships over there and with the chamber and what have you, just made that communication piece so much easier."

He has communicated with new City Manager Jeff Cantrell, but he knows that Cantrell has a current job and that he'll have his own assessment when he gets here.

"We've had a couple of exchanges on a couple of projects," Deardoff said. "One in particular was the hotel and convention center project, I kind of gave him a little bit of detail on that, but not a great deal. I know he's busy dealing with some of the same issues in Chanute that we're dealing with here. I'm preparing a pretty long list of notes here and there for him, where he can find things and hopefully it will help him with the transition."

Deardoff's last day is May 8. Cantrell starts May 15.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587482891103.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Though a global pandemic with local impact is not the way Hutchinson City Manager John Deardoff would have chosen to conclude his career, he is glad he stayed."It's really been a blessing that I was able to stay beyond the original date of March 27," Deardoff said. "The council asked me in February if I would stay on until the new city manager came on. We didn't know this COVID-19 issue was even coming at that time. It's been a blessing for me to be here and just kind of help the city organization navigate through these times and hopefully get the table set for the new city manager."Deardoff counted on the relationships he has built over the years to help him make decisions in the midst of the pandemic."It was a little easier in that I knew a lot of the players in the community," Deardoff said. "Obviously, the city wasn't leading this effort. We were following the lead of the county. My relationships over there and with the chamber and what have you, just made that communication piece so much easier."He has communicated with new City Manager Jeff Cantrell, but he knows that Cantrell has a current job and that he'll have his own assessment when he gets here."We've had a couple of exchanges on a couple of projects," Deardoff said. "One in particular was the hotel and convention center project, I kind of gave him a little bit of detail on that, but not a great deal. I know he's busy dealing with some of the same issues in Chanute that we're dealing with here. I'm preparing a pretty long list of notes here and there for him, where he can find things and hopefully it will help him with the transition."Deardoff's last day is May 8. Cantrell starts May 15.

Deardoff glad he stayed even with pandemic


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The digital differences between students in Kansas K-12 education have been brought into sharp relief this year.

"We've known for several years that children, especially those who live in some of the more remote rural areas, or those who live in high poverty areas just do not have access to broadband internet either at all or to a reliable supplier," said KASB Advocacy and Outreach Specialist Leah Fliter. "We've known that. It's something that the state has been attempting to work on through a broadband task force, but you know, it's been slow going."

The federal level may provide some hope in that regard if proposed legislation makes it into the next COVID-19 stimulus bill.

"The Emergency Educational Connections Act, that's a bill that would provide $4 billion for internet connectivity across the nation," Fliter said. "It would assist with broadband devices, with Wi-Fi hotspots and other connectivity issues for students across the United States."

The National Center for Education Statistics estimates 14 percent of school-aged children didn’t have home internet access in 2017. Kansas was slightly below that national rate.

"In Kansas, that's 70,000 kids we estimate do not have broadband internet access at home," Fliter said.

For those who think online delivery might be the solution to a long-term teacher shortage in the state, in order for that to be viable, the students need to have internet access at home.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588933801473.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The digital differences between students in Kansas K-12 education have been brought into sharp relief this year."We've known for several years that children, especially those who live in some of the more remote rural areas, or those who live in high poverty areas just do not have access to broadband internet either at all or to a reliable supplier," said KASB Advocacy and Outreach Specialist Leah Fliter. "We've known that. It's something that the state has been attempting to work on through a broadband task force, but you know, it's been slow going."The federal level may provide some hope in that regard if proposed legislation makes it into the next COVID-19 stimulus bill."The Emergency Educational Connections Act, that's a bill that would provide $4 billion for internet connectivity across the nation," Fliter said. "It would assist with broadband devices, with Wi-Fi hotspots and other connectivity issues for students across the United States."The National Center for Education Statistics estimates 14 percent of school-aged children didn’t have home internet access in 2017. Kansas was slightly below that national rate."In Kansas, that's 70,000 kids we estimate do not have broadband internet access at home," Fliter said.For those who think online delivery might be the solution to a long-term teacher shortage in the state, in order for that to be viable, the students need to have internet access at home.

Advocacy at federal level next step for broadband for K-12

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — As of 4:00 p.m. Thursday, May 7, Reno County now has registered forty-one positive cases of COVID-19. The newest positive case is female, in her 20’s with a known source of exposure associated with another known positive. She is currently in-home isolation per guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We cannot currently release any further information as case contact investigation is underway.

Thirty-four previously confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Reno County have since completed recovery and are non-symptomatic per disease investigation guidelines furnished by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Currently Reno County has ran 816 tests with 775 negatives for a positive case rate of 5.02%. A total of 1.30% of Reno County has been tested thus far.

The State of Kansas has located a mobile testing site at the State Fair Grounds in Hutchinson, Kansas, funded by Walmart, Inc. and administered by eTrueNorth laboratories. The communication of results from testing is solely administered by eTrueNorth. The Reno County Health Department and local primary physician clinics do not have access to those testing results. 

If you have questions regarding existing testing please contact the Kansas Department of Health and Environment at 1-866-534-3463 or eTrueNorth laboratories 1-800-635-8611.

The Reno County Health Department strongly encourages residents to first contact their primary care physician about the availability of testing and for symptom consultation.

The Reno County Health Department also has a self-reporting form hosted on its COVID-19 Information Center (https://www.renogov.org/741/COVID-19). The Health Department seeks to mobilize residents to self report their symptomology through the self-report form to better assist in quantifying and tracking case contact and spread within the county. This form is designed to both capture responses from those who have already been experiencing symptoms prior to today as well as those residents who begin to showcase symptoms in the coming weeks and months.

We continue to highly encourage Reno County residents to be dependent on health authorities to provide the most accurate information on COVID-19.

Please practice good hygiene with frequent hand washing, proper respiratory etiquette such as coughing and sneezing into your elbow bend, limit handshakes and physical contact. Stay home if you are feeling ill and call your primary care physician to discuss your symptoms.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585343971615.jpeg" alt="Health Department.jpg" />
 <figcaption>Health Department.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — As of 4:00 p.m. Thursday, May 7, Reno County now has registered forty-one positive cases of COVID-19. The newest positive case is female, in her 20’s with a known source of exposure associated with another known positive. She is currently in-home isolation per guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We cannot currently release any further information as case contact investigation is underway.Thirty-four previously confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Reno County have since completed recovery and are non-symptomatic per disease investigation guidelines furnished by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.Currently Reno County has ran 816 tests with 775 negatives for a positive case rate of 5.02%. A total of 1.30% of Reno County has been tested thus far.The State of Kansas has located a mobile testing site at the State Fair Grounds in Hutchinson, Kansas, funded by Walmart, Inc. and administered by eTrueNorth laboratories. The communication of results from testing is solely administered by eTrueNorth. The Reno County Health Department and local primary physician clinics do not have access to those testing results. If you have questions regarding existing testing please contact the Kansas Department of Health and Environment at 1-866-534-3463 or eTrueNorth laboratories 1-800-635-8611.The Reno County Health Department strongly encourages residents to first contact their primary care physician about the availability of testing and for symptom consultation.The Reno County Health Department also has a self-reporting form hosted on its COVID-19 Information Center (https://www.renogov.org/741/COVID-19). The Health Department seeks to mobilize residents to self report their symptomology through the self-report form to better assist in quantifying and tracking case contact and spread within the county. This form is designed to both capture responses from those who have already been experiencing symptoms prior to today as well as those residents who begin to showcase symptoms in the coming weeks and months.We continue to highly encourage Reno County residents to be dependent on health authorities to provide the most accurate information on COVID-19.Please practice good hygiene with frequent hand washing, proper respiratory etiquette such as coughing and sneezing into your elbow bend, limit handshakes and physical contact. Stay home if you are feeling ill and call your primary care physician to discuss your symptoms.

Health Department: Reno County down to just seven active cases of COVID-19, Fairgrounds tests not included

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Starting May 18 and continuing through Sunday, May 31, the Reno County Sheriff’s Office will be participating in the Kansas Click It or Ticket campaign. 

The seat belt compliance campaign is supported by a grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation. Deputies will be out around the clock enforcing seat belt usage. This campaign is designed to increase seat belt awareness and to cut down on injuries and deaths from motor vehicle accidents due to lack of seat belt usage.

The state of Kansas requires that all occupants be properly restrained. The fine for an adult not wearing a seat belt is $30 and no court costs. The fine for youth 14-17 is $60 and no court costs. The fine for a child under 13 is $60 plus $108 court costs and goes to the driver of the vehicle. 

If you have any questions regarding child safety seats, please visit <a href="http://www.ktsro.org/resources">www.ktsro.org/resources</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588879693093.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Starting May 18 and continuing through Sunday, May 31, the Reno County Sheriff’s Office will be participating in the Kansas Click It or Ticket campaign. The seat belt compliance campaign is supported by a grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation. Deputies will be out around the clock enforcing seat belt usage. This campaign is designed to increase seat belt awareness and to cut down on injuries and deaths from motor vehicle accidents due to lack of seat belt usage.The state of Kansas requires that all occupants be properly restrained. The fine for an adult not wearing a seat belt is $30 and no court costs. The fine for youth 14-17 is $60 and no court costs. The fine for a child under 13 is $60 plus $108 court costs and goes to the driver of the vehicle. If you have any questions regarding child safety seats, please visit <a href="http://www.ktsro.org/resources">www.ktsro.org/resources</a>.

Click It or Ticket campaign begins May 18

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson City Manager John Deardoff’s last day is Friday. 

Despite the weather, vehicles from all of the city departments threw a little surprise for him by holding a parade. The vehicles included law enforcement, Public Works and the Hutchinson Fire Department. 

All drove down B Avenue in front of city hall with horns and sirens while Deardoff stood under an umbrella and acknowledged those passing by.

Deardoff has been city manager for Hutchinson for the past 15 years.&nbsp;

Deardoff also wanted to provide a letter to the people of the city of Hutchinson:

Well, this is not exactly how I planned my retirement goodbye. The original plan was the traditional community reception allowing me the opportunity to personally thank the community and a lot of people I have worked with over the past 15 years. Must admit writing this letter will be easier emotionally on me than the traditional retirement reception. One thing for sure, I will never forget my last 45 days in the profession.

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the Hutch Community for allowing me to serve you these past 15 years as the City Manager. Looking back over my 40-year city management career it is hard to believe how quickly time has passed, but when you truly enjoy what you are doing whatever that might be time will fly.

I have been extremely blessed over my career to have served the cities of Sterling, Dodge City and Hutchinson. I think there is a time in everyone’s career when you just have a feeling it is time to move into another life phase. Now is a good time for me. People often ask me what I will miss most about leaving. Couple things come to mind. The daily interaction with all my co-workers within the City and the walk up to the front door of city hall each morning thinking about the opportunities and challenges ahead for the day. It is a good feeling knowing a lot of people rely on you to do the right thing and make good things happen. I want people to know that every day I came to work, I was committed to do my part in making Hutchinson a place people want to live, work and play. Were we always perfect? Heck no, no one is in this world.

The time has arrived for me to enjoy some free time with my awesome wife Jerri who has been nothing short of amazing during our 38 years of marriage. A person once told me when searching for the perfect wife, "find someone much better than you and convince the hell out of them to spend the rest of their life with you." I was lucky to be able to do just that. Jerri and I plan to remain in Hutchinson, enjoy some travel and lots of time with my three daughters Lindsay, Lacey, Taylor and their families which include two grandkids and a third on the way. In addition to fun time, I plan to dabble in some consulting work which will allow me to stay engaged with my profession for a few more years.

I have lived most of my life in Hutchinson. Spent my high school and college years living here, 5 years as the ACM and the past 15 as city manager, so Hutchinson is home. In 2014, our middle daughter Lacey was critically hurt after being hit by a car in Overland Park, KS. During those difficult days after the accident and months of recovery, this Hutchinson community was nothing short of amazing. The support for Lacey and our family is something our family and I will never forget. No matter where our journey takes us, Hutchinson is home and always will be for the Deardoffs.

<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fhutchinsonks%2Fvideos%2F244963076714172%2F&show_text=0&width=267" width="267" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson City Manager John Deardoff’s last day is Friday. Despite the weather, vehicles from all of the city departments threw a little surprise for him by holding a parade. The vehicles included law enforcement, Public Works and the Hutchinson Fire Department. All drove down B Avenue in front of city hall with horns and sirens while Deardoff stood under an umbrella and acknowledged those passing by.Deardoff has been city manager for Hutchinson for the past 15 years.&nbsp;Deardoff also wanted to provide a letter to the people of the city of Hutchinson:May 8, 2020Re: Letter to Hutch PostDear Hutchinson Community:Well, this is not exactly how I planned my retirement goodbye. The original plan was the traditional community reception allowing me the opportunity to personally thank the community and a lot of people I have worked with over the past 15 years. Must admit writing this letter will be easier emotionally on me than the traditional retirement reception. One thing for sure, I will never forget my last 45 days in the profession.I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the Hutch Community for allowing me to serve you these past 15 years as the City Manager. Looking back over my 40-year city management career it is hard to believe how quickly time has passed, but when you truly enjoy what you are doing whatever that might be time will fly.I have been extremely blessed over my career to have served the cities of Sterling, Dodge City and Hutchinson. I think there is a time in everyone’s career when you just have a feeling it is time to move into another life phase. Now is a good time for me. People often ask me what I will miss most about leaving. Couple things come to mind. The daily interaction with all my co-workers within the City and the walk up to the front door of city hall each morning thinking about the opportunities and challenges ahead for the day. It is a good feeling knowing a lot of people rely on you to do the right thing and make good things happen. I want people to know that every day I came to work, I was committed to do my part in making Hutchinson a place people want to live, work and play. Were we always perfect? Heck no, no one is in this world.The time has arrived for me to enjoy some free time with my awesome wife Jerri who has been nothing short of amazing during our 38 years of marriage. A person once told me when searching for the perfect wife, "find someone much better than you and convince the hell out of them to spend the rest of their life with you." I was lucky to be able to do just that. Jerri and I plan to remain in Hutchinson, enjoy some travel and lots of time with my three daughters Lindsay, Lacey, Taylor and their families which include two grandkids and a third on the way. In addition to fun time, I plan to dabble in some consulting work which will allow me to stay engaged with my profession for a few more years.I have lived most of my life in Hutchinson. Spent my high school and college years living here, 5 years as the ACM and the past 15 as city manager, so Hutchinson is home. In 2014, our middle daughter Lacey was critically hurt after being hit by a car in Overland Park, KS. During those difficult days after the accident and months of recovery, this Hutchinson community was nothing short of amazing. The support for Lacey and our family is something our family and I will never forget. No matter where our journey takes us, Hutchinson is home and always will be for the Deardoffs.SincerelyJohn DeardoffHutchinson City Manager

City employees give Deardoff a retirement parade

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Eight nonprofit organizations received a total of $36,400 Monday in the second round of grants issued from the recently-formed Rally Reno Nonprofit Response Fund.

The money comes from a $110,000 pool funded by donors of the United Way of Reno County and Hutchinson Community Foundation. The grants are aimed at expanding local nonprofits’ capacities to continue providing services during the COVID-19 crisis.

“The strength of our nonprofits will determine the depth of our community’s ability to recover from this crisis,” Lisa Gleason, United Way of Reno County executive director, said. “Investing in those organizations that are critical to supporting those in need ensures that they are able to hold to purpose and serve their mission. We are really proud of our joint effort with the Community Foundation to give support where needed. Together we are stronger.”

A panel of community leaders awarded the following grants:

American Red Cross – $5,000: Funds will be used to purchase safety equipment and cleaning supplies, investing in technology for servicing clients virtually and safely during disasters, such as home fires, and to help support blood drives.

Child Care Links – $7,500: Funds will be used to pay rent, utilities and other operational costs as necessary to sustain the organization through the pandemic, allowing for the continued support and monitoring of county child care providers.

Circles of Hope Reno County – $2,000: Circles staff will use funds to assist Circle Leaders – program participants – with payments for cellphone and internet service providers to ensure the ability of those families to stay in communication with their Allies and program staff during this challenging time.

Hutchinson Community Foundation – $7,500: Funds will cover the cost of printing and mailing a postcard to 31,045 households in Reno County sharing concise information about how to find resources for immediate needs and how to help during the pandemic.

Live Free Ministries Inc. (Buhler Omega House) – $2,400: Funds will cover rent payments of two clients whose income was lost due to the COVID-19 crisis so the Buhler Omega House can continue to serve those clients in their recovery.

Our Redeemer Lutheran-Early Learning Center – $5,000: Funds will be used to help supplement a single payroll period for 20 staff members of the Early Learning Center during a period when enrollment is lower due to COVID-19, making it possible to retain high-quality, trained staff in preparation of higher need of services as community members return to work.

PrairieStar Health Center – $2,000: Assist patients who will qualify for level 1 of the sliding scale payment option due to loss of income during the COVID-19 pandemic but may still not be able to afford even reduced payments at this challenging time.

USD 310 Fairfield – $5,000: USD 310 will establish a fund for the immediate needs of families of the Fairfield school district. Assistance may include food, rent and medical assistance. These families live in the most rural parts of Reno County and services within Hutchinson are difficult to access.

“Reno County nonprofits have experienced lost revenue plus increased needs for the clients they serve – a big hit to the bottom line,” Aubrey Abbott Patterson, Hutchinson Community Foundation president and CEO, said. “We anticipate that the need for emergency grants to fill the gap will continue for many months and we will need further support from our very generous community.”

Those who would like to make a gift to the Rally Reno Nonprofit Response Fund may contact Patterson at<a href="mailto:aubrey@hutchcf.org"> aubrey@hutchcf.org</a> or 620-200-0175, or Gleason at <a href="mailto:lgleason@unitedwayofrenocounty.org">lgleason@unitedwayofrenocounty.org</a> or 620-669-9329.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585236822615.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Eight nonprofit organizations received a total of $36,400 Monday in the second round of grants issued from the recently-formed Rally Reno Nonprofit Response Fund.The money comes from a $110,000 pool funded by donors of the United Way of Reno County and Hutchinson Community Foundation. The grants are aimed at expanding local nonprofits’ capacities to continue providing services during the COVID-19 crisis.“The strength of our nonprofits will determine the depth of our community’s ability to recover from this crisis,” Lisa Gleason, United Way of Reno County executive director, said. “Investing in those organizations that are critical to supporting those in need ensures that they are able to hold to purpose and serve their mission. We are really proud of our joint effort with the Community Foundation to give support where needed. Together we are stronger.”A panel of community leaders awarded the following grants:American Red Cross – $5,000: Funds will be used to purchase safety equipment and cleaning supplies, investing in technology for servicing clients virtually and safely during disasters, such as home fires, and to help support blood drives.Child Care Links – $7,500: Funds will be used to pay rent, utilities and other operational costs as necessary to sustain the organization through the pandemic, allowing for the continued support and monitoring of county child care providers.Circles of Hope Reno County – $2,000: Circles staff will use funds to assist Circle Leaders – program participants – with payments for cellphone and internet service providers to ensure the ability of those families to stay in communication with their Allies and program staff during this challenging time.Hutchinson Community Foundation – $7,500: Funds will cover the cost of printing and mailing a postcard to 31,045 households in Reno County sharing concise information about how to find resources for immediate needs and how to help during the pandemic. Live Free Ministries Inc. (Buhler Omega House) – $2,400: Funds will cover rent payments of two clients whose income was lost due to the COVID-19 crisis so the Buhler Omega House can continue to serve those clients in their recovery.Our Redeemer Lutheran-Early Learning Center – $5,000: Funds will be used to help supplement a single payroll period for 20 staff members of the Early Learning Center during a period when enrollment is lower due to COVID-19, making it possible to retain high-quality, trained staff in preparation of higher need of services as community members return to work.PrairieStar Health Center – $2,000: Assist patients who will qualify for level 1 of the sliding scale payment option due to loss of income during the COVID-19 pandemic but may still not be able to afford even reduced payments at this challenging time.USD 310 Fairfield – $5,000: USD 310 will establish a fund for the immediate needs of families of the Fairfield school district. Assistance may include food, rent and medical assistance. These families live in the most rural parts of Reno County and services within Hutchinson are difficult to access.“Reno County nonprofits have experienced lost revenue plus increased needs for the clients they serve – a big hit to the bottom line,” Aubrey Abbott Patterson, Hutchinson Community Foundation president and CEO, said. “We anticipate that the need for emergency grants to fill the gap will continue for many months and we will need further support from our very generous community.”Those who would like to make a gift to the Rally Reno Nonprofit Response Fund may contact Patterson at<a href="mailto:aubrey@hutchcf.org"> aubrey@hutchcf.org</a> or 620-200-0175, or Gleason at <a href="mailto:lgleason@unitedwayofrenocounty.org">lgleason@unitedwayofrenocounty.org</a> or 620-669-9329.

Rally Reno hands out eight more grants

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

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">To find out more about The Post Podcast, or subscribe to mobile notifications click here.</a>

<div><iframe title="Sen. Moran says relief on the way for ag producers impacted during COVID-19" height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/ux8rt-dbb29e?from=yiiadmin&download=1&version=1&skin=3&btn-skin=101&auto=1&share=1&fonts=Helvetica&download=1&rtl=0&pbad=1"></iframe></div><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">To find out more about The Post Podcast, or subscribe to mobile notifications click here.</a>

🎤Post Podcast: Moran says relief on the way for ag producers impacted by COVID-19

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Public Library continues to work to deliver more services before opening the facility full-time. Beginning Monday, May 11, patrons can place items on hold to check out from the library and scheduled faxing, copying, scanning, and printing will become available. 

The library says to reserve items online go to the library website and log in to your account. The login is the patron’s library card number, and the password is the last four digits of their phone number.

The phone service will be available Monday - Friday 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m., and Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. A library staff member will call you within 72 hours to let you know your items are ready and set up an appointment for you to pick them up. Patrons can then pick up the items at a designated place in the parking lot. Any return items will then go into the library’s dropbox.

Also May 11, the library will begin offering scheduled printing, copying, scanning, and faxing services. Requests will be processed within 24 hours and no fees will be charged through May 31st. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588865810156.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Public Library continues to work to deliver more services before opening the facility full-time. Beginning Monday, May 11, patrons can place items on hold to check out from the library and scheduled faxing, copying, scanning, and printing will become available. The library says to reserve items online go to the library website and log in to your account. The login is the patron’s library card number, and the password is the last four digits of their phone number.The phone service will be available Monday - Friday 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m., and Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. A library staff member will call you within 72 hours to let you know your items are ready and set up an appointment for you to pick them up. Patrons can then pick up the items at a designated place in the parking lot. Any return items will then go into the library’s dropbox.Also May 11, the library will begin offering scheduled printing, copying, scanning, and faxing services. Requests will be processed within 24 hours and no fees will be charged through May 31st.

Hutchinson Public Library prepares to expand services

HAVEN, Kan. — The Haven USD 312 School District has released its dates for technology and book return as the school year nears its end.

All seniors can return supplies during Senior Rock day May 14 and 15 from 4 to 8 p.m. All payments need to be made at that time. Appointments for bringing your rock and getting photos are currently being made. Seniors may be able to purchase the Chromebooks they have used throughout the year for $25.

The rest of the High School will have their drop off that following week, on May 19, for freshman; May 20, for sophomores; and May 21 for juniors.

Students at Haven Grade School can drop off items on May 19 from 8 a.m.until 4 p.m.

Students at Haven Middle School will have drop off Tuesday, May 19, and Wednesday, May 20 from 12 until 6 p.m.

Drop off for Yoder Charter School will be Friday, May 15 from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585345243110.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HAVEN, Kan. — The Haven USD 312 School District has released its dates for technology and book return as the school year nears its end.All seniors can return supplies during Senior Rock day May 14 and 15 from 4 to 8 p.m. All payments need to be made at that time. Appointments for bringing your rock and getting photos are currently being made. Seniors may be able to purchase the Chromebooks they have used throughout the year for $25.The rest of the High School will have their drop off that following week, on May 19, for freshman; May 20, for sophomores; and May 21 for juniors.Students at Haven Grade School can drop off items on May 19 from 8 a.m.until 4 p.m.Students at Haven Middle School will have drop off Tuesday, May 19, and Wednesday, May 20 from 12 until 6 p.m.Drop off for Yoder Charter School will be Friday, May 15 from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Haven USD 312 announces technology return dates


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Horizons Mental Health Center wants to serve the public, even if your financial situation has changed as a result of COVID-19.

"We are a safety net clinic," said CEO Mike Garrett. "We see everybody, regardless of their ability to pay. If they've had a change in their financial situation, if they don't have insurance, if they don't have resources, we place them on a sliding fee scale based upon household income and the number of dependents."

If, after being put on the scale, you still feel you can't afford care, there is more they can do.

"We have a process to be able to review everything and reduce that fee even further if we need to," Garrett said. "I don't want anybody to have money stand in the way of them getting the services that they need."

Current patients have required creativity to stay connected.

"Our preference would be to do that over televideo," Garrett said. "You do get that feeling of face to face with them. If not, we want to be able to do that through telephone contact."

The center is even able, on a limited basis, to do curbside visits with social distancing, as long as the patient understands that they are relinquishing some of the privacy of that discussion to do that. Horizons makes that clear before scheduling such a meeting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587129819284.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Horizons Mental Health Center wants to serve the public, even if your financial situation has changed as a result of COVID-19."We are a safety net clinic," said CEO Mike Garrett. "We see everybody, regardless of their ability to pay. If they've had a change in their financial situation, if they don't have insurance, if they don't have resources, we place them on a sliding fee scale based upon household income and the number of dependents."If, after being put on the scale, you still feel you can't afford care, there is more they can do."We have a process to be able to review everything and reduce that fee even further if we need to," Garrett said. "I don't want anybody to have money stand in the way of them getting the services that they need."Current patients have required creativity to stay connected."Our preference would be to do that over televideo," Garrett said. "You do get that feeling of face to face with them. If not, we want to be able to do that through telephone contact."The center is even able, on a limited basis, to do curbside visits with social distancing, as long as the patient understands that they are relinquishing some of the privacy of that discussion to do that. Horizons makes that clear before scheduling such a meeting.

Horizons CEO: Don't let money stand in the way of treatment


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Reno County Emergency Management Director Adam Weishaar believes the county is on solid footing at the moment when it comes to Personal Protective Equipment.

"It looks like we have plenty right now, at least for the next 30 days or so," Weishaar said. 

That's because they are using a lot less of it.

"Our burn rates are significantly down from what they were when all this started," Weishaar said. "At the height of it, we were somewhere between 1600-1800 N95 masks per day. The latest burn rate was right at 340. Surgical masks, that's gone up quite a bit. I think, a big piece of that is everyone going into our medical care facilities are wearing surgical masks."

The burn rate on surgical masks is 2500 per day.

"Face shield usage is significantly down," Weishaar said. "We're at 55 face shields per day. That's down from over 500 a day at the height of this. Surgical gowns has remained about average, right around 2000 per day. Surgical gowns is what we've been having issues getting."

Weishaar says that's a nationwide problem, but as far as he's concerned Kansas is doing much better in terms of supply chain than they were in previous weeks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585131092050.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Reno County Emergency Management Director Adam Weishaar believes the county is on solid footing at the moment when it comes to Personal Protective Equipment."It looks like we have plenty right now, at least for the next 30 days or so," Weishaar said. That's because they are using a lot less of it."Our burn rates are significantly down from what they were when all this started," Weishaar said. "At the height of it, we were somewhere between 1600-1800 N95 masks per day. The latest burn rate was right at 340. Surgical masks, that's gone up quite a bit. I think, a big piece of that is everyone going into our medical care facilities are wearing surgical masks."The burn rate on surgical masks is 2500 per day."Face shield usage is significantly down," Weishaar said. "We're at 55 face shields per day. That's down from over 500 a day at the height of this. Surgical gowns has remained about average, right around 2000 per day. Surgical gowns is what we've been having issues getting."Weishaar says that's a nationwide problem, but as far as he's concerned Kansas is doing much better in terms of supply chain than they were in previous weeks.

PPE stocks still enough right now in Reno County


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;The Hutchinson Police Department is keeping up enforcement of some crimes, even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Through our criminal intelligence tracking and crime trends, we identified some areas in the city and some certain crime trends that we kind of deem as a public safety risk," Chief Jeff Hooper said. "We are actively now enforcing those type of crimes, to try to keep that portion of our crime under control, as we battle with the balance of keeping our employees safe and protecting the community and keeping our crime rate down."

Police are also continuing traffic enforcement, especially in the downtown construction zone.

"We are executing more traffic stops than we did just a couple of weeks ago," Hooper said. "We still are tiered on that response, only having contact with the public when we really need to. Like I said, we loosened things up a little bit, just simply based off of the crime trends and problems that we saw starting to creep up in the community. We really thought we ought to get a handle on that."

Police still have a modified response and will do as much of their business as possible by telephone. The non-emergency number is (620) 694-2816.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582822413263.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;The Hutchinson Police Department is keeping up enforcement of some crimes, even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic."Through our criminal intelligence tracking and crime trends, we identified some areas in the city and some certain crime trends that we kind of deem as a public safety risk," Chief Jeff Hooper said. "We are actively now enforcing those type of crimes, to try to keep that portion of our crime under control, as we battle with the balance of keeping our employees safe and protecting the community and keeping our crime rate down."Police are also continuing traffic enforcement, especially in the downtown construction zone."We are executing more traffic stops than we did just a couple of weeks ago," Hooper said. "We still are tiered on that response, only having contact with the public when we really need to. Like I said, we loosened things up a little bit, just simply based off of the crime trends and problems that we saw starting to creep up in the community. We really thought we ought to get a handle on that."Police still have a modified response and will do as much of their business as possible by telephone. The non-emergency number is (620) 694-2816.

Police strategic in use of resources in midst of pandemic


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
It was a very successful Match Day campaign for the Hutchinson Community Foundation on Tuesday. The agency took in and matched more than $407,000. But it was not just about the money.

“You know we had over 900 people make gifts yesterday, and that says more to me than even the dollar amount,” HCF President and CEO Aubrey Patterson said. “It’s that many people who  said, I’m going to do something to help my community.”

Thirty-four different agencies benefited from Match Day including the Boys and Girls Club of Hutchinson.

“You know, through my 30 years at this position how wonderful and great this community has been for the youth of our community,” Chief Professional Officer Skip Wilson said. “I knew they had big hearts but they surprise me every year.” 

Wilson said he was surprised by the total they received which was $40,497.

“When I saw we were at 10-thousand yesterday early I was so excited about that,” Wilson said. “As it began to grow and when I went and took my donation in last night, and just saw the line of cars  that had stepped up to help not just us but everyone.”

Patterson says while they will enjoy the success of this year’s event the work continues for their agency to find ways for people to give back to the community.

“I think the community foundation’s place is to inspire giving, every day not just on match day,” Patterson stressed. “We’re going to keep talking about what the needs of this community are and we expect even more right now.”

A complete list of those who benefit from Tuesday's Match Day event can be found on&nbsp;<a href="http://ihearthutch.com">ihearthutch.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1577817951297.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
ROD ZOOK
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
It was a very successful Match Day campaign for the Hutchinson Community Foundation on Tuesday. The agency took in and matched more than $407,000. But it was not just about the money.“You know we had over 900 people make gifts yesterday, and that says more to me than even the dollar amount,” HCF President and CEO Aubrey Patterson said. “It’s that many people who said, I’m going to do something to help my community.”Thirty-four different agencies benefited from Match Day including the Boys and Girls Club of Hutchinson.“You know, through my 30 years at this position how wonderful and great this community has been for the youth of our community,” Chief Professional Officer Skip Wilson said. “I knew they had big hearts but they surprise me every year.” Wilson said he was surprised by the total they received which was $40,497.“When I saw we were at 10-thousand yesterday early I was so excited about that,” Wilson said. “As it began to grow and when I went and took my donation in last night, and just saw the line of cars that had stepped up to help not just us but everyone.”Patterson says while they will enjoy the success of this year’s event the work continues for their agency to find ways for people to give back to the community.“I think the community foundation’s place is to inspire giving, every day not just on match day,” Patterson stressed. “We’re going to keep talking about what the needs of this community are and we expect even more right now.”A complete list of those who benefit from Tuesday's Match Day event can be found on&nbsp;<a href="http://ihearthutch.com">ihearthutch.com</a>.

Match day nets over $407,000

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Clinic is slowly opening back up and bringing patient services back up to speed in the wake of the pandemic. 

“We are beginning to open some of our physician practices back up to more hours in the day,” CEO Michael Heck said. “The volume interest in patients is growing and so we’re welcoming patients back and opening schedules.”

While the clinic is restoring services to patients, there are still some restrictions for visiting the clinic.

“They just need to call in and check in through our call center and get an appointment with a physician and they’ll be advised of our normal processes,” Heck said. “We’re checking temperatures and doing a little background check at the door to make sure it’s good for them to come into the clinic. If they have any respiratory issues they’re still going to our respiratory clinic where we’ve isolated patients.”

The clinic had to cut back on services and personnel at the beginning of the pandemic, but as services increase so will staff.

“We’re going to do that gradually as we expand the physician hours and our facilities,” Heck noted. “As we open the  doctor clinics back up, we’ll expand the hours of the employees.”

At full strength, the clinic has more than 100 physicians and providers and more than 600 employees.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584545923531.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Clinic is slowly opening back up and bringing patient services back up to speed in the wake of the pandemic. “We are beginning to open some of our physician practices back up to more hours in the day,” CEO Michael Heck said. “The volume interest in patients is growing and so we’re welcoming patients back and opening schedules.”While the clinic is restoring services to patients, there are still some restrictions for visiting the clinic.“They just need to call in and check in through our call center and get an appointment with a physician and they’ll be advised of our normal processes,” Heck said. “We’re checking temperatures and doing a little background check at the door to make sure it’s good for them to come into the clinic. If they have any respiratory issues they’re still going to our respiratory clinic where we’ve isolated patients.”The clinic had to cut back on services and personnel at the beginning of the pandemic, but as services increase so will staff.“We’re going to do that gradually as we expand the physician hours and our facilities,” Heck noted. “As we open the doctor clinics back up, we’ll expand the hours of the employees.”At full strength, the clinic has more than 100 physicians and providers and more than 600 employees.

Hutchinson Clinic restoring services and taking appointments

HUTCHINSON, Kan. —  While second quarter earnings were not a positive thing, there is good news on the local front for Siemens Gamesa.

The wind turbine maker tells Hutch Post that it has called back most of the workforce that was furloughed last month.

Siemens announced April 4 it would lay off 200 workers from the Hutchinson plant because of supply chain issues associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Myca Welch with Siemens Gamesa said that a number of workers were called back April 27 and the remaining employees returned to work on Monday. 

Even better news is that the manufacturer has built a record order backlog of $26.3 billion including a 13% increase in onshore orders over the past year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588806701832.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — While second quarter earnings were not a positive thing, there is good news on the local front for Siemens Gamesa.The wind turbine maker tells Hutch Post that it has called back most of the workforce that was furloughed last month.Siemens announced April 4 it would lay off 200 workers from the Hutchinson plant because of supply chain issues associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Myca Welch with Siemens Gamesa said that a number of workers were called back April 27 and the remaining employees returned to work on Monday. Even better news is that the manufacturer has built a record order backlog of $26.3 billion including a 13% increase in onshore orders over the past year.

Workforce has returned to Siemens Gamesa

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The old Eaton facility along East 4th Avenue has been sold. According to Debra Teufel of the Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce, the building went on the auction block in an online format April 22.

A group of investors from New Jersey have taken ownership of the facility for $765,500. Realtor J.P. Weigand in Wichita said the name of the investors will not be disclosed until the purchase of the building closes according to Teufel. That is expected by the end of the month. Teufel says she looks forward to working with the company to make the building useful again. The building had been listed on the realtor’s web site at a price of $3-million 389-thousand but there were no takers.&nbsp;

The building has more than 247-thousand square feet of manufacturing space and a total building area of nearly 307-thousand square feet including office space and a cafeteria area.

Eaton shut down the plant in October of 2017. The company originally announced it would close the plant in 2006, but a large infusion of cash incentives kept the building open. 

Still, the plant cut its local workforce from 435 to just 300 at the time. Over the next 10 years, the workforce was further reduced to just 100 employees when the company closed the facility for good.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588801410791.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The old Eaton facility along East 4th Avenue has been sold. According to Debra Teufel of the Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce, the building went on the auction block in an online format April 22.A group of investors from New Jersey have taken ownership of the facility for $765,500. Realtor J.P. Weigand in Wichita said the name of the investors will not be disclosed until the purchase of the building closes according to Teufel. That is expected by the end of the month. Teufel says she looks forward to working with the company to make the building useful again. The building had been listed on the realtor’s web site at a price of $3-million 389-thousand but there were no takers.&nbsp;The building has more than 247-thousand square feet of manufacturing space and a total building area of nearly 307-thousand square feet including office space and a cafeteria area.Eaton shut down the plant in October of 2017. The company originally announced it would close the plant in 2006, but a large infusion of cash incentives kept the building open. Still, the plant cut its local workforce from 435 to just 300 at the time. Over the next 10 years, the workforce was further reduced to just 100 employees when the company closed the facility for good.

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