
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;The Kansas State Fair Board has chosen to go on with the 2020 event.

"The staff put together what we thought was the best plan if we were going to have a fair given the COVID situation," said General Manager Robin Jennison. "We've spent a lot of time studying it. I'm really pretty proud of the plan we put together. The board voted 8 to 5 to go ahead and have the plan. I think one of the things that's interesting is, in our plan, the main thing that we kind of hang our hat on is the use of facemasks."

Jennison notes that in the indoor settings at the fair and in the grandstand, social distancing is impossible to enforce.

"You need to take a mask," Jennison said. "You will be required to have a mask in the commercial buildings. You'll be required to have a mask in all the buildings. Anybody going to a grandstand show will be required to have a mask. Obviously, there will be times, and we've not worked through this, if someone goes to get something to eat, just like at a restaurant, they're not going to have their mask on. To get in the grandstand, you're going to have to have a mask on."

Jennison acknowledges that the fair will not be a risk-free environment, but that's true every year.

"History will judge whether we should have had the fair or not," Jennison said. "There's no doubt in my mind, at that point, if things don't change, somebody may come to the fair with COVID. Somebody may come to the fair and get COVID. My goal is to make sure that all 600 of our employees stay safe."

Jennison knows they will lose some fair goers because they are in high-risk groups or because they can't handle wearing a mask, but the board has decided that in this respect, it is time to go on with life and it is the staff's job to do that as safely as possible.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594205779878.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;The Kansas State Fair Board has chosen to go on with the 2020 event."The staff put together what we thought was the best plan if we were going to have a fair given the COVID situation," said General Manager Robin Jennison. "We've spent a lot of time studying it. I'm really pretty proud of the plan we put together. The board voted 8 to 5 to go ahead and have the plan. I think one of the things that's interesting is, in our plan, the main thing that we kind of hang our hat on is the use of facemasks."Jennison notes that in the indoor settings at the fair and in the grandstand, social distancing is impossible to enforce."You need to take a mask," Jennison said. "You will be required to have a mask in the commercial buildings. You'll be required to have a mask in all the buildings. Anybody going to a grandstand show will be required to have a mask. Obviously, there will be times, and we've not worked through this, if someone goes to get something to eat, just like at a restaurant, they're not going to have their mask on. To get in the grandstand, you're going to have to have a mask on."Jennison acknowledges that the fair will not be a risk-free environment, but that's true every year."History will judge whether we should have had the fair or not," Jennison said. "There's no doubt in my mind, at that point, if things don't change, somebody may come to the fair with COVID. Somebody may come to the fair and get COVID. My goal is to make sure that all 600 of our employees stay safe."Jennison knows they will lose some fair goers because they are in high-risk groups or because they can't handle wearing a mask, but the board has decided that in this respect, it is time to go on with life and it is the staff's job to do that as safely as possible.

The Masked Fair: 2020 event will be different, for sure


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Hutchinson Public Library patrons will now be able to browse the stacks and use the public computers beginning July 8. In a continuing effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Reno County, the library will provide special hours of operation to limit in-person contact and allow for cleaning. All of the “no-touch” services, such as the Library Material Pick Up Service, will still be available as preferred methods of accessing the library.

New hours are Monday through Friday, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm, Saturday, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, and on Sundays, the library will be closed.

Library staff ask that patrons wear masks, especially if they want help outside of the service desk. While in the library, patrons will also be asked to maintain a distance of 6 feet away from staff and other patrons, and limit in-person contact by limiting time spent in the library.

Gregg Wamsley, Hutchinson Public Library Director, states, “The health and safety of our patrons, staff, and the community at large is our highest priority during this uncertain time. Our main goal is to strengthen our community by continuing to provide as much access as possible and the best library service possible while keeping everyone safe.”

Some of the safety procedures for staff include wearing masks, cleaning high-touch surfaces frequently, and quarantining materials. Patrons are required to return all materials in the 24-hour book drop behind the library as part of their quarantine process.  Staff quarantine materials in the library’s garage for 5 days before wiping them with virucide and then returning items to the shelves for check out. Materials handled inside the library, such as magazines, are to be placed on designated book carts for quarantine purposes.

“The library is a vital service in Hutchinson’s recovery efforts,” says Wamsley. “There were many services we’ve had to rethink how to proceed. We always strive to strengthen our community in a variety of ways including providing access to learning new job skills, job searching, assisting with research, small business development, and, of course, children’s learning programs.  And, we are still able to do these services, but now it is in a different, safer way.”

As public health and safety recommendations allow, the library will work toward a gradual reopening of more areas and services including opening meeting rooms and appointment times for the Makerspace and Reference computers.  

For more information about Hutchinson Public Library’s reopening process, visit their website at www.hutchpl.org or call 620-663-5441.

For the health and safety of others, please be thoughtful about coming into the library if you are exhibiting any COVID-19 symptoms. Please do your part to stop the spread of germs and disease.

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HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Hutchinson Public Library patrons will now be able to browse the stacks and use the public computers beginning July 8. In a continuing effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Reno County, the library will provide special hours of operation to limit in-person contact and allow for cleaning. All of the “no-touch” services, such as the Library Material Pick Up Service, will still be available as preferred methods of accessing the library.New hours are Monday through Friday, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm, Saturday, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, and on Sundays, the library will be closed.Library staff ask that patrons wear masks, especially if they want help outside of the service desk. While in the library, patrons will also be asked to maintain a distance of 6 feet away from staff and other patrons, and limit in-person contact by limiting time spent in the library.Gregg Wamsley, Hutchinson Public Library Director, states, “The health and safety of our patrons, staff, and the community at large is our highest priority during this uncertain time. Our main goal is to strengthen our community by continuing to provide as much access as possible and the best library service possible while keeping everyone safe.”Some of the safety procedures for staff include wearing masks, cleaning high-touch surfaces frequently, and quarantining materials. Patrons are required to return all materials in the 24-hour book drop behind the library as part of their quarantine process. Staff quarantine materials in the library’s garage for 5 days before wiping them with virucide and then returning items to the shelves for check out. Materials handled inside the library, such as magazines, are to be placed on designated book carts for quarantine purposes.“The library is a vital service in Hutchinson’s recovery efforts,” says Wamsley. “There were many services we’ve had to rethink how to proceed. We always strive to strengthen our community in a variety of ways including providing access to learning new job skills, job searching, assisting with research, small business development, and, of course, children’s learning programs. And, we are still able to do these services, but now it is in a different, safer way.”As public health and safety recommendations allow, the library will work toward a gradual reopening of more areas and services including opening meeting rooms and appointment times for the Makerspace and Reference computers. For more information about Hutchinson Public Library’s reopening process, visit their website at www.hutchpl.org or call 620-663-5441.If you are sick, please stay home.For the health and safety of others, please be thoughtful about coming into the library if you are exhibiting any COVID-19 symptoms. Please do your part to stop the spread of germs and disease.

Hutchinson Public Library Reopening With Limited Services, Hours


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Hutchinson City Manager Jeff Cantrell is calling on the city council to give him some time to untangle the Gordian knot that is the conflict between property owners and code enforcement in Hutchinson.

"It's still a heated topic," Cantrell said. "It's still driving a lot of the discussion. I see it as an opportunity for me, because I spent 10 years building an award-winning department in Johnson County that led these very issues. I have a lot of ideas as to how we can make it better. I understand the issues. I understand that they are debatable. I understand the difference between proactive enforcement and complaint-based enforcement only. There's a lot of tools in the basket that we can employ to make cognizant change in this area."

Cantrell wants owners of property to know that the city intends to look at things differently under his leadership than maybe they have in the past.

"I think one of the changes and perhaps one of the most meaningful changes will come internally from the city and its management and its leadership and the culture that you guys speak of," Cantrell said. "I have had phone calls from individuals that own rental properties, that have investment properties in town and I know the difference of having properties back on the tax rolls and selling utilities that once weren't. I know the value of that. I appreciate it and I think staff that I'm working with does too. What they may not understand is that I have a mindset that is going to be slightly different than what they could be accustomed to. This will take a little bit of time for me to do."

Cantrell is going to take a few months to figure out the issues and he wants to see policy stay where it is until he can see what the problems are.

"I drive around," Cantrell said. "I look at the properties. I look for myself. I determine what the case file history has been. How have they been treated? I think that's important, too. Even if you're in violation and you're going to be taken to court and prosecuted, I think there's a tactful way to present that message with compassion. Most people in this community would make the repairs to their property if they had the money and the means to do so. It's not normally people wanting to just defy the city in an ordinance."

Cantrell wants to reset the relationship and have the opportunity to try that before changing any more policy. He has asked the council to give him the time for that and they appeared to have a consensus to allow him a few months in that endeavor.

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Hutchinson City Manager Jeff Cantrell is calling on the city council to give him some time to untangle the Gordian knot that is the conflict between property owners and code enforcement in Hutchinson."It's still a heated topic," Cantrell said. "It's still driving a lot of the discussion. I see it as an opportunity for me, because I spent 10 years building an award-winning department in Johnson County that led these very issues. I have a lot of ideas as to how we can make it better. I understand the issues. I understand that they are debatable. I understand the difference between proactive enforcement and complaint-based enforcement only. There's a lot of tools in the basket that we can employ to make cognizant change in this area."Cantrell wants owners of property to know that the city intends to look at things differently under his leadership than maybe they have in the past."I think one of the changes and perhaps one of the most meaningful changes will come internally from the city and its management and its leadership and the culture that you guys speak of," Cantrell said. "I have had phone calls from individuals that own rental properties, that have investment properties in town and I know the difference of having properties back on the tax rolls and selling utilities that once weren't. I know the value of that. I appreciate it and I think staff that I'm working with does too. What they may not understand is that I have a mindset that is going to be slightly different than what they could be accustomed to. This will take a little bit of time for me to do."Cantrell is going to take a few months to figure out the issues and he wants to see policy stay where it is until he can see what the problems are."I drive around," Cantrell said. "I look at the properties. I look for myself. I determine what the case file history has been. How have they been treated? I think that's important, too. Even if you're in violation and you're going to be taken to court and prosecuted, I think there's a tactful way to present that message with compassion. Most people in this community would make the repairs to their property if they had the money and the means to do so. It's not normally people wanting to just defy the city in an ordinance."Cantrell wants to reset the relationship and have the opportunity to try that before changing any more policy. He has asked the council to give him the time for that and they appeared to have a consensus to allow him a few months in that endeavor.

New city manager ready to spend time on housing issue


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;The Hutchinson City Council discussed mask wearing briefly at their meeting Tuesday. Three of the five council members wore masks at the council table, Nancy Soldner, Jon Daveline and Jade Piros De Carvalho. Steve Garza and Sara Bagwell were not wearing masks. The discussion was in the context of whether to mandate masks in city buildings. City Manager Jeff Cantrell, who was not wearing a mask, noted that there are other ways to control public access to city staff, if necessary.

"If we felt that we had an exposure issue that could impact services as far as knocking employees out, that's when you're going to see some swift action on the part of staff coming forward and we'd probably recommend shutting the building down again," Cantrell said.

Mayor Jade Piros de Carvalho did note that the City of Hutchinson has enacted health related ordinances in the past.

"We enacted an ordinance that prohibited smoking in our parks," Piros de Carvalho said. "That's another instance of an ordinance we don't really have the manpower to enforce, but, just by virtue of having the ordinance has dramatically decreased the amount of smoking. Other citizens police each other on that."

Piros de Carvalho isn't sure how to make a mandate stick without enforcement, though.

"I'm curious where the threshold is," Piros de Carvalho said. "When do we pull a special meeting together and take action? Is that when we have 100 cases? Is that when we have 50 cases? We currently have around 30 active cases."

Because the public will have such strong opinions either way, the mayor didn't feel it was appropriate to take action without it being on the agenda and at this point the city is continuing to leave the policy decision in the hands of the county. 

Council member Nancy Soldner appeared to not want to put policy in place without an enforcement mechanism and Jon Daveline seemed to agree with her on that point. Sara Bagwell wants to leave the responsibility to individuals. Steve Garza joined Bagwell in that opinion.

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;The Hutchinson City Council discussed mask wearing briefly at their meeting Tuesday. Three of the five council members wore masks at the council table, Nancy Soldner, Jon Daveline and Jade Piros De Carvalho. Steve Garza and Sara Bagwell were not wearing masks. The discussion was in the context of whether to mandate masks in city buildings. City Manager Jeff Cantrell, who was not wearing a mask, noted that there are other ways to control public access to city staff, if necessary."If we felt that we had an exposure issue that could impact services as far as knocking employees out, that's when you're going to see some swift action on the part of staff coming forward and we'd probably recommend shutting the building down again," Cantrell said.Mayor Jade Piros de Carvalho did note that the City of Hutchinson has enacted health related ordinances in the past."We enacted an ordinance that prohibited smoking in our parks," Piros de Carvalho said. "That's another instance of an ordinance we don't really have the manpower to enforce, but, just by virtue of having the ordinance has dramatically decreased the amount of smoking. Other citizens police each other on that."Piros de Carvalho isn't sure how to make a mandate stick without enforcement, though."I'm curious where the threshold is," Piros de Carvalho said. "When do we pull a special meeting together and take action? Is that when we have 100 cases? Is that when we have 50 cases? We currently have around 30 active cases."Because the public will have such strong opinions either way, the mayor didn't feel it was appropriate to take action without it being on the agenda and at this point the city is continuing to leave the policy decision in the hands of the county. Council member Nancy Soldner appeared to not want to put policy in place without an enforcement mechanism and Jon Daveline seemed to agree with her on that point. Sara Bagwell wants to leave the responsibility to individuals. Steve Garza joined Bagwell in that opinion.

Hutchinson city council discusses masks, no action taken Tuesday

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. —&nbsp;Reno County Administrator Randy Partington is bringing in some voices of experience in Reno County to work on CARES act response.

"I'm working with Joe to get the agreement contract in place, but they've already started working," Partington said Tuesday. "Gary Meagher, the former Reno County administrator and John Deardoff, the former Hutchinson city manager. They're working together with me and creating a task force. I'm meeting with them later this morning and then probably again later this week to start building a task force that will then get together to discuss not only reimbursements for COVID-19 related expenses, but a direct aid plan."

The intent is to get a small city representative, a large city representative, a small school district representative, a large school district representative, a member of the county commission, a member of the city council, the consultants and the administrator all together to give recommendations to the county commission.

"That's really more for the discussion of what's needed in the near future and long term for public entities, which include all cities in Reno County, Reno County itself the organization and all public school districts in Reno County, kind of what they need to be purchasing, or a plan to better prepare for the future, the new future, with COVID-19 playing a role."

Reimbursement requests need to start going in to the state as soon as next month, so there will be a lot of work for the task force in the coming weeks.

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Reno County Administrator Randy Partington is bringing in some voices of experience in Reno County to work on CARES act response."I'm working with Joe to get the agreement contract in place, but they've already started working," Partington said Tuesday. "Gary Meagher, the former Reno County administrator and John Deardoff, the former Hutchinson city manager. They're working together with me and creating a task force. I'm meeting with them later this morning and then probably again later this week to start building a task force that will then get together to discuss not only reimbursements for COVID-19 related expenses, but a direct aid plan."The intent is to get a small city representative, a large city representative, a small school district representative, a large school district representative, a member of the county commission, a member of the city council, the consultants and the administrator all together to give recommendations to the county commission."That's really more for the discussion of what's needed in the near future and long term for public entities, which include all cities in Reno County, Reno County itself the organization and all public school districts in Reno County, kind of what they need to be purchasing, or a plan to better prepare for the future, the new future, with COVID-19 playing a role."Reimbursement requests need to start going in to the state as soon as next month, so there will be a lot of work for the task force in the coming weeks.

Partington calling on former local leaders to help with task force


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Reno County Health Department Director Nick Baldetti told county commissioners at their meeting Tuesday that the testing numbers he is giving them are accurate.

"There seems to be an assumption that individuals are tested over and over and over again, if they test positive, they continue to be tested until they are negative," Baldetti said. "That simply isn't the case. If an individual is tested and they test positive, they are quarantined for 14 days post-symptoms. If they present no symptoms but they test positive, then they simply quarantine for 14 days. If they are sick and they go get tested and they test positive, that 14 day quarantine doesn't start until their symptoms pass. They are still quarantined when they have symptoms, but the 14 day clock, so to speak doesn't start until they no longer have symptoms."

There aren't generally multiple tests used on an individual who tests negative, either.

"If somebody tests negative, we don't test them again unless they present some sort of symptoms or they get put into a situation where they have a high risk of exposure and they have a job that has a high risk of spread," Baldetti said.

With that said, the active cases number is climbing.

"The activity that we're seeing, at least what we have seen over the weekend and into yesterday, we're on a steady incline," Baldetti said. "The last seven days, I'm just going to give you the active cases. On June 30, we had six active cases, on the first of July we had nine. the second, we had 16, the third, we had 17, the fourth, we had 21, the fifth we had 26 and the sixth, we had 27. We had cases get deemed recovered in there, as well."

That's about five to six new positive cases a day over the last four days. Also, five in the hospital at once is equal to the peak usage thus far, according to Baldetti.

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Reno County Health Department Director Nick Baldetti told county commissioners at their meeting Tuesday that the testing numbers he is giving them are accurate."There seems to be an assumption that individuals are tested over and over and over again, if they test positive, they continue to be tested until they are negative," Baldetti said. "That simply isn't the case. If an individual is tested and they test positive, they are quarantined for 14 days post-symptoms. If they present no symptoms but they test positive, then they simply quarantine for 14 days. If they are sick and they go get tested and they test positive, that 14 day quarantine doesn't start until their symptoms pass. They are still quarantined when they have symptoms, but the 14 day clock, so to speak doesn't start until they no longer have symptoms."There aren't generally multiple tests used on an individual who tests negative, either."If somebody tests negative, we don't test them again unless they present some sort of symptoms or they get put into a situation where they have a high risk of exposure and they have a job that has a high risk of spread," Baldetti said.With that said, the active cases number is climbing."The activity that we're seeing, at least what we have seen over the weekend and into yesterday, we're on a steady incline," Baldetti said. "The last seven days, I'm just going to give you the active cases. On June 30, we had six active cases, on the first of July we had nine. the second, we had 16, the third, we had 17, the fourth, we had 21, the fifth we had 26 and the sixth, we had 27. We had cases get deemed recovered in there, as well."That's about five to six new positive cases a day over the last four days. Also, five in the hospital at once is equal to the peak usage thus far, according to Baldetti.

Testing numbers not inflated, case numbers going up fast

The Hutchinson Downtown Coalition is having its regular meeting tomorrow. 

The Coalition meets at the Chamber office at 117 North Walnut the second Wednesday of each month at 8:30 a.m.

The purpose of the Downtown Coalition is to unite all downtown businesses and organizations to work together toward improving and strengthening downtown Hutchinson.

Masks will be required and will be provided for those that need one.

<figure>
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 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Hutchinson Downtown Coalition is having its regular meeting tomorrow. The Coalition meets at the Chamber office at 117 North Walnut the second Wednesday of each month at 8:30 a.m.The purpose of the Downtown Coalition is to unite all downtown businesses and organizations to work together toward improving and strengthening downtown Hutchinson.Masks will be required and will be provided for those that need one.

Downtown Coalition will meet Wednesday morning


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Programs at the Hutchinson Salvation Army continue through the pandemic.

"This is your last week, actually, for free tax services," said Major Paul James of the VITA tax site in their building. "It's Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. I know we have given them some masks to ensure their volunteers are being cautious, as well as for the individuals that come in."

There are still free fans, too, thanks to Westlake Ace Hardware.

"They raised over $1700, which is helping with 137 fans for Reno County citizens," James said. "So far, we've given out over 400 fans at least, prior to last week, when I left for vacation."

You can pick up fans from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Salvation Army at 700 North Walnut. The food bank and financial assistance are also available for those who need it.

"If you have been affected by that, you lost work for whatever reason, sometimes that's your childcare fell through and you had to miss work because of that, they're able to help for different reasons," James said. "I would, even if you're questioning that, help is available for you. Many of them that are calling in now are first time. They've never asked for help. They are embarrassed. Many of them are in tears. Don't be ashamed of that. This is something that's affecting all the world."

Call (620) 663-3353 with any questions on any of the programs at the Salvation Army.

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Programs at the Hutchinson Salvation Army continue through the pandemic."This is your last week, actually, for free tax services," said Major Paul James of the VITA tax site in their building. "It's Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. I know we have given them some masks to ensure their volunteers are being cautious, as well as for the individuals that come in."There are still free fans, too, thanks to Westlake Ace Hardware."They raised over $1700, which is helping with 137 fans for Reno County citizens," James said. "So far, we've given out over 400 fans at least, prior to last week, when I left for vacation."You can pick up fans from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Salvation Army at 700 North Walnut. The food bank and financial assistance are also available for those who need it."If you have been affected by that, you lost work for whatever reason, sometimes that's your childcare fell through and you had to miss work because of that, they're able to help for different reasons," James said. "I would, even if you're questioning that, help is available for you. Many of them that are calling in now are first time. They've never asked for help. They are embarrassed. Many of them are in tears. Don't be ashamed of that. This is something that's affecting all the world."Call (620) 663-3353 with any questions on any of the programs at the Salvation Army.

Hutchinson Salvation Army continues work in spite of pandemic


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Evergy is looking to help in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Kansas companies and communities have been adapting to respond to the pandemic," said Evergy spokesperson Gina Penzig. "We, this summer, are offering, for eligible residential customers some payment options that, for some customers, might include credits."

Through August, Evergy will offer account credit to eligible residential customers who bring their account current on a four-month payment plan.

"As folks might remember, back in March, we had announced a suspension on disconnects," Penzig said. "Knowing that customers were struggling at that time, we put a hold on disconnects and that is going to expire in mid-July."

Through August 31, residential customers who have a past-due balance of $250 or more may request a four-month payment plan. With the first installment, Evergy will credit $25 toward the payment. If the payment plan is completed by the fourth month, Evergy will credit 50% of the installment, up to $75, toward the customer’s next bill. This payment plan is only available by calling Evergy customer service.

"You can contact our customer service call center by calling 1-800-383-1183," Penzig said. "If you've got questions about your electric service or want to inquire about special payment plans that might be available to help bring your electric bill current, or if its an average payment program, then our customer service reps at that number can help with those programs, as well."

Evergy call centers are available 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. 

<figure>
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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Evergy is looking to help in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic."Kansas companies and communities have been adapting to respond to the pandemic," said Evergy spokesperson Gina Penzig. "We, this summer, are offering, for eligible residential customers some payment options that, for some customers, might include credits."Through August, Evergy will offer account credit to eligible residential customers who bring their account current on a four-month payment plan."As folks might remember, back in March, we had announced a suspension on disconnects," Penzig said. "Knowing that customers were struggling at that time, we put a hold on disconnects and that is going to expire in mid-July."Through August 31, residential customers who have a past-due balance of $250 or more may request a four-month payment plan. With the first installment, Evergy will credit $25 toward the payment. If the payment plan is completed by the fourth month, Evergy will credit 50% of the installment, up to $75, toward the customer’s next bill. This payment plan is only available by calling Evergy customer service."You can contact our customer service call center by calling 1-800-383-1183," Penzig said. "If you've got questions about your electric service or want to inquire about special payment plans that might be available to help bring your electric bill current, or if its an average payment program, then our customer service reps at that number can help with those programs, as well."Evergy call centers are available 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays.

Evergy: Disconnect suspension to end, program started to help get current


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Reno County Health Department Director Nick Baldetti is looking at the new developments with COVID-19 in Reno County closely.

"It's heightened awareness, especially from the medical community, as well as myself at the Health Department," Baldetti said. "We're monitoring pretty closely. You've heard me for awhile talking about that 3% positive test rate ratio? We're closely approaching it. I think, when I last looked at it, we were at 2.97% of positive test rate and that's been climbing over the last few days."

That is still one number, not the be all, end all when it comes to tightening policy.

"It's certainly something to monitor in short order," Baldetti said. "If we keep seeing, kind of this increase day over day, I'll be having very specific conversations with the Board of County Commissioners who also serve as the Board of Health."

First, Baldetti wants to check in with the medical community to see if the case count is matching up to the number of people coming in sick.

"This week, I am having very specific conversations with the medical community," Baldetti said. "That includes the hospital and the likes of Hutch Clinic and Prairie Star, in terms of testing demand, what we're seeing, as well as hospital activity."

As of Monday afternoon, Hutchinson Regional had five people in the hospital, with seven tests outstanding.

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Reno County Health Department Director Nick Baldetti is looking at the new developments with COVID-19 in Reno County closely."It's heightened awareness, especially from the medical community, as well as myself at the Health Department," Baldetti said. "We're monitoring pretty closely. You've heard me for awhile talking about that 3% positive test rate ratio? We're closely approaching it. I think, when I last looked at it, we were at 2.97% of positive test rate and that's been climbing over the last few days."That is still one number, not the be all, end all when it comes to tightening policy."It's certainly something to monitor in short order," Baldetti said. "If we keep seeing, kind of this increase day over day, I'll be having very specific conversations with the Board of County Commissioners who also serve as the Board of Health."First, Baldetti wants to check in with the medical community to see if the case count is matching up to the number of people coming in sick."This week, I am having very specific conversations with the medical community," Baldetti said. "That includes the hospital and the likes of Hutch Clinic and Prairie Star, in terms of testing demand, what we're seeing, as well as hospital activity."As of Monday afternoon, Hutchinson Regional had five people in the hospital, with seven tests outstanding.

Baldetti: Numbers bear watching, no policy change yet

Clarification: An early situation report from the Reno County Health Department did not list the five hospitalizations. We have added that information after consultation with Hutchinson Regional Health System as of 3:36 p.m. Monday and corrected the information on outstanding tests.

HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;As of Monday, Reno County has 28 active cases of COVID-19. Five of those are hospitalized. Eighty-six people have tested positive. There are seven tests pending beyond the five already admitted, according to Chuck Welch with Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System.

Fifteen cases had not had their demographic information announced yet before Monday. They are listed below.

-Female in her 20s, under investigation -Male in his 60s, under investigation -Female in her 30s, under investigation -Female in her 20s, under investigation -Female in her 20s, under investigation -Male in his 50s, travel history out of state -Female in her 80s, exposure outside of Reno County -Male in his 40s, exposure outside of Reno County -Female in her 20s, unknown source of exposure -Female in her 40s, under investigation -Female in her 30s, unknown source of exposure -Female in her 60s, unknown source of exposure -Female in her 70s, contact with a known COVID case in Reno County -Female in her 40s, contact with a known COVID case in Reno County -Female in her 40s, under investigation

2927 Reno County residents have been tested, with 2841 negatives, for a positive test rate of 2.94%. 4.66% of the population has been tested. 

No one thus far has died of COVID-19 in Reno County.

<figure>
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 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Clarification: An early situation report from the Reno County Health Department did not list the five hospitalizations. We have added that information after consultation with Hutchinson Regional Health System as of 3:36 p.m. Monday and corrected the information on outstanding tests.HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;As of Monday, Reno County has 28 active cases of COVID-19. Five of those are hospitalized. Eighty-six people have tested positive. There are seven tests pending beyond the five already admitted, according to Chuck Welch with Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System.Fifteen cases had not had their demographic information announced yet before Monday. They are listed below.-Female in her 20s, under investigation -Male in his 60s, under investigation -Female in her 30s, under investigation -Female in her 20s, under investigation -Female in her 20s, under investigation -Male in his 50s, travel history out of state -Female in her 80s, exposure outside of Reno County -Male in his 40s, exposure outside of Reno County -Female in her 20s, unknown source of exposure -Female in her 40s, under investigation -Female in her 30s, unknown source of exposure -Female in her 60s, unknown source of exposure -Female in her 70s, contact with a known COVID case in Reno County -Female in her 40s, contact with a known COVID case in Reno County -Female in her 40s, under investigation2927 Reno County residents have been tested, with 2841 negatives, for a positive test rate of 2.94%. 4.66% of the population has been tested. No one thus far has died of COVID-19 in Reno County.

Information released on 15 COVID-19 cases in Reno County, 28 active


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — The Hutchinson Municipal Band has cancelled the balance of its summer schedule. 


"It was a combination of two issues," said President Randy Johnston. "One, with the mask order being executed inside buildings, we didn't have an easy way to get practices done. That was one issue. Then, the secondary issue was, on our last concert that we performed, the patriotic concert, we actually had a number of attendees that didn't actually give social distancing to the band. Again, we were afraid of not being able to either protect the audience or the band."

Because of COVID-19, the schedule had already undergone some changes.

"Normally, we would do the full band in the early part of the season until about this week," Johnston said. "We'd normally do one last concert now and then we'd have two or three jazz concerts after that. We chose to put the jazz concerts first this year because the units were smaller. It was easier to spread the bands. We did two sessions with them and one with the regular band. It really means three concerts are cancelled."

The activities of the brass quintet that happen later in the year are still up for discussion.

"Our intent right now is to support the Veteran's Day event and Christmas Parade and so forth," Johnston said. "It's just too doggone hard to tell right now, but we would still have the brass quintet circulate for concerts on request."

Fifteen cases of COVID-19 had their demographic information released Monday by the Reno County Health Department for the first time.

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — The Hutchinson Municipal Band has cancelled the balance of its summer schedule. 
"It was a combination of two issues," said President Randy Johnston. "One, with the mask order being executed inside buildings, we didn't have an easy way to get practices done. That was one issue. Then, the secondary issue was, on our last concert that we performed, the patriotic concert, we actually had a number of attendees that didn't actually give social distancing to the band. Again, we were afraid of not being able to either protect the audience or the band."Because of COVID-19, the schedule had already undergone some changes."Normally, we would do the full band in the early part of the season until about this week," Johnston said. "We'd normally do one last concert now and then we'd have two or three jazz concerts after that. We chose to put the jazz concerts first this year because the units were smaller. It was easier to spread the bands. We did two sessions with them and one with the regular band. It really means three concerts are cancelled."The activities of the brass quintet that happen later in the year are still up for discussion."Our intent right now is to support the Veteran's Day event and Christmas Parade and so forth," Johnston said. "It's just too doggone hard to tell right now, but we would still have the brass quintet circulate for concerts on request."Fifteen cases of COVID-19 had their demographic information released Monday by the Reno County Health Department for the first time.

Municipal Band done for the summer


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The Sculpture Art Walk Committee, located in Hutchinson, KS as part of HutchRec, invites the community to help paint a community mural beginning July 18th. The mural was designed by local artist Deanne Martin and will be painted on the south side of the building at 304 N Main. 

Painting will continue every Saturday from 9am-3pm and every Sunday from 12pm-3pm until the mural is complete. The mural, located in the Santa Fe District, will incorporate elements of the Hutchinson flag and the Santa Fe Railway. Participating is open to the public and all supplies and materials will be provided.

The community mural is funded by a $2,500 Make it Greater Grant from the Hutchinson Community Foundation which was awarded in March 2020.

For more information, contact the Sculpture Art Walk committee on Facebook or by email at hutchsculptureartwalk@gmail.com

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HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The Sculpture Art Walk Committee, located in Hutchinson, KS as part of HutchRec, invites the community to help paint a community mural beginning July 18th. The mural was designed by local artist Deanne Martin and will be painted on the south side of the building at 304 N Main. Painting will continue every Saturday from 9am-3pm and every Sunday from 12pm-3pm until the mural is complete. The mural, located in the Santa Fe District, will incorporate elements of the Hutchinson flag and the Santa Fe Railway. Participating is open to the public and all supplies and materials will be provided.The community mural is funded by a $2,500 Make it Greater Grant from the Hutchinson Community Foundation which was awarded in March 2020.For more information, contact the Sculpture Art Walk committee on Facebook or by email at hutchsculptureartwalk@gmail.com

Community mural painting to start July 18


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
USD 308 parents who receive a call from 5 to 9 tonight with the caller ID of 620-615-4000 are asked to take the call and answer a one-question survey. 

The school district is asking parents, "When Health Officials clear schools to open, will you send your child to school in the fall?" 

Calls for elementary students will go out from 5 to 7 tonight with HMS and HHS calls going out between 7 and 9 p.m.

They are looking for one answer per family per level, so the calls are going only to the primary phone listed for each student in the student information system.

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HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
USD 308 parents who receive a call from 5 to 9 tonight with the caller ID of 620-615-4000 are asked to take the call and answer a one-question survey. The school district is asking parents, "When Health Officials clear schools to open, will you send your child to school in the fall?" Calls for elementary students will go out from 5 to 7 tonight with HMS and HHS calls going out between 7 and 9 p.m.They are looking for one answer per family per level, so the calls are going only to the primary phone listed for each student in the student information system.

Phone survey Monday night for USD 308 parents

STERLING,
Kan. — 
The staff at Sterling Village believed they were meeting and even exceeding protocols that prevent the spread of COVID-19. Now they have confirmation their beliefs were justified.

Zero deficiencies were found during a recent on-site survey at the short-term rehab and long-term-care residence, 204 W. Washington. The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services conducted the survey, which focused on targeted infection control/COVID-19.

“We have worked so hard to keep on top of the ever-changing rules and regulations,” said Lauren Saenz, director of nursing. “Our team is amazing in its determination to keep our elders healthy and safe.

“Everyone in every department has been great about going with the flow with each new regulation. They love our elders and are able and willing to do whatever needs to be done. They have shown their true colors.”

The state surveyors reviewed all policies and procedures related to COVID-19. “In the process,” Saenz noted, “they monitored our practices to ensure we are doing everything in our power to prevent the spread of the virus.”

For example, surveyors observed Sterling Village’s: screening process; personal-protective-equipment procedures; hand-hygiene practices; all processes pertaining to dining and other activities; and basic care services.

“During this global pandemic, Sterling Village staff members screen everyone at the entrance on the west side of the building and masks are required for everybody,”

Saenz said. “If anyone exhibits respiratory symptoms, they are automatically isolated until COVID-19 test results are available.

“These are just a couple of examples of our stringent protocols during this trying time. I love this team.”

But it is not just Sterling Village employees who deserve credit for the zero-deficiencies survey results, the director of nursing emphasized.

“Our whole community has our heartfelt appreciation for everything they have done to support Sterling Village,” Saenz said. “Recent months have been tough for elders and their families. We hope for continued progress and look forward to eventually opening our doors.”

Facetime, Skype and other services are helpful for visits, while telemedicine is available for some doctors’ appointments, Saenz noted, adding she appreciates everyone’s cooperation.

Karen Smith, Sterling Village administrator, said she is proud of the role each person played in achieving the survey results.

“Everyone has been diligent in keeping our elders safe and healthy,” Smith said. “We have offered a lot of advanced education with staff and elders regarding infection prevention and safety measures.

“Thankfully, we have not had a positive COVID case in our community,” she added. “However, we cannot let our guard down. We must continue these best practices during our re-opening phases.”

Smith noted she will share more information about these phases in the near future.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594056205564.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>STERLING,
Kan. — 
The staff at Sterling Village believed they were meeting and even exceeding protocols that prevent the spread of COVID-19. Now they have confirmation their beliefs were justified.Zero deficiencies were found during a recent on-site survey at the short-term rehab and long-term-care residence, 204 W. Washington. The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services conducted the survey, which focused on targeted infection control/COVID-19.“We have worked so hard to keep on top of the ever-changing rules and regulations,” said Lauren Saenz, director of nursing. “Our team is amazing in its determination to keep our elders healthy and safe.“Everyone in every department has been great about going with the flow with each new regulation. They love our elders and are able and willing to do whatever needs to be done. They have shown their true colors.”The state surveyors reviewed all policies and procedures related to COVID-19. “In the process,” Saenz noted, “they monitored our practices to ensure we are doing everything in our power to prevent the spread of the virus.”For example, surveyors observed Sterling Village’s: screening process; personal-protective-equipment procedures; hand-hygiene practices; all processes pertaining to dining and other activities; and basic care services.“During this global pandemic, Sterling Village staff members screen everyone at the entrance on the west side of the building and masks are required for everybody,”Saenz said. “If anyone exhibits respiratory symptoms, they are automatically isolated until COVID-19 test results are available.“These are just a couple of examples of our stringent protocols during this trying time. I love this team.”But it is not just Sterling Village employees who deserve credit for the zero-deficiencies survey results, the director of nursing emphasized.“Our whole community has our heartfelt appreciation for everything they have done to support Sterling Village,” Saenz said. “Recent months have been tough for elders and their families. We hope for continued progress and look forward to eventually opening our doors.”Facetime, Skype and other services are helpful for visits, while telemedicine is available for some doctors’ appointments, Saenz noted, adding she appreciates everyone’s cooperation.Karen Smith, Sterling Village administrator, said she is proud of the role each person played in achieving the survey results.“Everyone has been diligent in keeping our elders safe and healthy,” Smith said. “We have offered a lot of advanced education with staff and elders regarding infection prevention and safety measures.“Thankfully, we have not had a positive COVID case in our community,” she added. “However, we cannot let our guard down. We must continue these best practices during our re-opening phases.”Smith noted she will share more information about these phases in the near future.

No deficiencies in Sterling Village COVID-19 survey

NEWTON,
Kan. —&nbsp;The Harvey County Health Department has confirmed six new cases of COVID-19 in Harvey County. The confirmed cases include:

· A female in her 70s. This case is under investigation. · A female in her 30s. This case is under investigation. · A female in her 30s. This individual was in contact with a probable COVID-19 case. · A male in his 40s. This case is under investigation. · A male in his 30s. The individual was in contact with another individual with COVID-19 in another county. · A male in his 20s. This case is under investigation.

All individuals are in home isolation. Testing in all cases was completed by private labs. The Health Department will regularly monitor the health of the individuals, as well as follow up on all close contacts.

Harvey County has had 53 COVID-19 cases to date, including 49 confirmed and four probable cases. There are 16 known active cases in Harvey County. None of these individuals are currently hospitalized.

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 </figure>NEWTON,
Kan. —&nbsp;The Harvey County Health Department has confirmed six new cases of COVID-19 in Harvey County. The confirmed cases include:· A female in her 70s. This case is under investigation. · A female in her 30s. This case is under investigation. · A female in her 30s. This individual was in contact with a probable COVID-19 case. · A male in his 40s. This case is under investigation. · A male in his 30s. The individual was in contact with another individual with COVID-19 in another county. · A male in his 20s. This case is under investigation.All individuals are in home isolation. Testing in all cases was completed by private labs. The Health Department will regularly monitor the health of the individuals, as well as follow up on all close contacts.Harvey County has had 53 COVID-19 cases to date, including 49 confirmed and four probable cases. There are 16 known active cases in Harvey County. None of these individuals are currently hospitalized.

Harvey County confirms six new COVID-19 cases


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Water users who are supplied by the City of Kingman need to conserve water this week. KDHE has issued a No Drink Order for the City's water system. This is due to the re-activation of older wells into the system.

"We have a supply problem," said Kingman City Manager Greg Graffman. "We get our water from wells south of the city and they are not bringing in the amount of water they are supposed to be bringing in. We don't know why and we are trying to figure all of that out. We're asking residents to use water only for sanitary purposes until we can get things figured out."

This means no lawn watering or other unnecessary usage for a short period.

"We're saying it's for the next couple of days," Graffman said. "We've closed the swimming pool so it won't be used. We're just doing everything we can to restrict the water usage."

There may be other supply possibilities, but those aren't available yet.

"We've got some old wells that we've got some folks looking at now to see if we can bring those back online with some retrofitting to try to get us over this," Graffman said. "Right now, we just need people to conserve."

In addition to the City of Kingman, the rural water district in the eastern part of the county also is supplied by those same wells, so over 3000 customers are likely affected.

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Water users who are supplied by the City of Kingman need to conserve water this week. KDHE has issued a No Drink Order for the City's water system. This is due to the re-activation of older wells into the system."We have a supply problem," said Kingman City Manager Greg Graffman. "We get our water from wells south of the city and they are not bringing in the amount of water they are supposed to be bringing in. We don't know why and we are trying to figure all of that out. We're asking residents to use water only for sanitary purposes until we can get things figured out."This means no lawn watering or other unnecessary usage for a short period."We're saying it's for the next couple of days," Graffman said. "We've closed the swimming pool so it won't be used. We're just doing everything we can to restrict the water usage."There may be other supply possibilities, but those aren't available yet."We've got some old wells that we've got some folks looking at now to see if we can bring those back online with some retrofitting to try to get us over this," Graffman said. "Right now, we just need people to conserve."In addition to the City of Kingman, the rural water district in the eastern part of the county also is supplied by those same wells, so over 3000 customers are likely affected.

Kingman City Manager urging water conservation, city with supply problem

A recent survey of Kansas Ag Alliance members reveals the economic turmoil wrought by Covid-19 on the state’s farmers, ranchers and ag retailers. The survey was conducted in late May. Responses came from a broad spectrum of growers and other agriculturally related businesses across the state.

The survey went to members of statewide associations representing corn, sorghum, soybeans, wheat, livestock, electrical cooperatives and Kansas Farm Bureau.

More than two-thirds of respondents reported negative or very negative effects on their farm or business as a result of the pandemic. Less than 10 percent reported a positive impact on farm or business revenue.

The top three issues for respondents are what you would expect, disrupted markets, cashflow problems and not being able to find a place to process products. But there are some other concerns, like one cattle producer who also shoes horses.

“With the horse shows, rodeos and barrel races canceled, it has hurt my business because clients are trimming more and shoeing less,” the farrier reported. “So, a $140 shoeing turns into a $50 trim.”

The disruption to markets is widespread in the cattle industry, and the slowdown of packing plants has filtered down to smaller custom processors, which has caused another set of headaches.

“Direct sales to the consumer is our preferred method of marketing our beef,” one rancher said. “With the bottleneck in small, overwhelmed processing facilities, we are unable to process our animals in a timely manner, which means they have to go through the sale barn at a lower price.” 

Others are seeing a slow down in the normal course of business because of the virus.

“Most suppliers I deal with are scared to death they will have a positive employee and have to close their facility,” one grower wrote. “This leads to very inefficient interaction with the businesses. We are getting through it, but it has taken a lot more planning to get things in place.”

Ninety percent of responses indicate they’ve taken advantage of at least one Covid-19-related government program, like the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, Paycheck Protection Program or received an Economic Injury Disaster Loan. These programs fall short of making farmers and ranchers whole from the economic disruption from the pandemic, but there’s growing unease about the scale of government support of agriculture. Especially following on the heels of recent Market Facilitation Payments.

“My main concern is that if we don’t find an exit strategy for these government programs, we will be plunging further into socialism,” one respondent remarked.

Others voiced concerns about how commodity markets will respond as the pandemic drags on and wondered if input costs will go down. Cellular phone service and access to broadband internet also are on the minds of farmers and ranchers who saw their children return home after schools and colleges closed.

The disparity between what producers receive and consumers pay also drew plenty of comments, none more succinct than one respondent who said, “It has exposed the total disconnect between farm gate prices and grocery store prices.”

None of the responses are earthshaking, but they do provide a good reminder of just how far the misery has spread across the countryside.

Despite all the new things to worry about, one farmer recently told me not much has changed in his daily routine.

“Get up, feed everything in the morning, harvest, bale hay, just like normal,” he said.

There can be solace found in a job well done.

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

<figure>
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 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Greg Doering, Kansas Farm BureauA recent survey of Kansas Ag Alliance members reveals the economic turmoil wrought by Covid-19 on the state’s farmers, ranchers and ag retailers. The survey was conducted in late May. Responses came from a broad spectrum of growers and other agriculturally related businesses across the state.The survey went to members of statewide associations representing corn, sorghum, soybeans, wheat, livestock, electrical cooperatives and Kansas Farm Bureau.More than two-thirds of respondents reported negative or very negative effects on their farm or business as a result of the pandemic. Less than 10 percent reported a positive impact on farm or business revenue.The top three issues for respondents are what you would expect, disrupted markets, cashflow problems and not being able to find a place to process products. But there are some other concerns, like one cattle producer who also shoes horses.“With the horse shows, rodeos and barrel races canceled, it has hurt my business because clients are trimming more and shoeing less,” the farrier reported. “So, a $140 shoeing turns into a $50 trim.”The disruption to markets is widespread in the cattle industry, and the slowdown of packing plants has filtered down to smaller custom processors, which has caused another set of headaches.“Direct sales to the consumer is our preferred method of marketing our beef,” one rancher said. “With the bottleneck in small, overwhelmed processing facilities, we are unable to process our animals in a timely manner, which means they have to go through the sale barn at a lower price.” Others are seeing a slow down in the normal course of business because of the virus.“Most suppliers I deal with are scared to death they will have a positive employee and have to close their facility,” one grower wrote. “This leads to very inefficient interaction with the businesses. We are getting through it, but it has taken a lot more planning to get things in place.”Ninety percent of responses indicate they’ve taken advantage of at least one Covid-19-related government program, like the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, Paycheck Protection Program or received an Economic Injury Disaster Loan. These programs fall short of making farmers and ranchers whole from the economic disruption from the pandemic, but there’s growing unease about the scale of government support of agriculture. Especially following on the heels of recent Market Facilitation Payments.“My main concern is that if we don’t find an exit strategy for these government programs, we will be plunging further into socialism,” one respondent remarked.Others voiced concerns about how commodity markets will respond as the pandemic drags on and wondered if input costs will go down. Cellular phone service and access to broadband internet also are on the minds of farmers and ranchers who saw their children return home after schools and colleges closed.The disparity between what producers receive and consumers pay also drew plenty of comments, none more succinct than one respondent who said, “It has exposed the total disconnect between farm gate prices and grocery store prices.”None of the responses are earthshaking, but they do provide a good reminder of just how far the misery has spread across the countryside.Despite all the new things to worry about, one farmer recently told me not much has changed in his daily routine.“Get up, feed everything in the morning, harvest, bale hay, just like normal,” he said.There can be solace found in a job well done."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service. Copyright © 2020 Kansas Farm Bureau, All rights reserved.

Insight: Worries and Routines


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Reno County Commission candidate Ron Vincent generally supports the middle path taken by the current commission with regard to mask wearing in the county.

"I hate for government to mandate, to tell someone exactly what to do," Vincent said. "On the other hand, we did such a great job with this COVID the first round. No deaths, thanks to Nick Baldetti and his department. I felt it was handled very, very well. This second round, do we want to be this lax? Should we mandate a mask? My biggest fear is that we'll get back to a shutdown again, if we don't handle this correctly."

Vincent does think that individuals should wear masks, sometimes.

"If you find yourself in a situation where social distancing ain't possible, it's not possible, I don't think that a mask would be that bad of an idea," Vincent said.

He will wear a mask if presented with those circumstances himself.

"I try to avoid the crowded situations and if I do, I do have a mask," Vincent said. "A lot of our health care facilities are requiring them. It's a preference for that and not only to protect myself, but also, we know how it spreads."

Vincent does note that much of the work in his business, Carl Vincent Service, that works with underground sprinkler systems, wells and septic systems, is outdoors and socially distanced, so it doesn't require mask wearing on his part very often.

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Reno County Commission candidate Ron Vincent generally supports the middle path taken by the current commission with regard to mask wearing in the county."I hate for government to mandate, to tell someone exactly what to do," Vincent said. "On the other hand, we did such a great job with this COVID the first round. No deaths, thanks to Nick Baldetti and his department. I felt it was handled very, very well. This second round, do we want to be this lax? Should we mandate a mask? My biggest fear is that we'll get back to a shutdown again, if we don't handle this correctly."Vincent does think that individuals should wear masks, sometimes."If you find yourself in a situation where social distancing ain't possible, it's not possible, I don't think that a mask would be that bad of an idea," Vincent said.He will wear a mask if presented with those circumstances himself."I try to avoid the crowded situations and if I do, I do have a mask," Vincent said. "A lot of our health care facilities are requiring them. It's a preference for that and not only to protect myself, but also, we know how it spreads."Vincent does note that much of the work in his business, Carl Vincent Service, that works with underground sprinkler systems, wells and septic systems, is outdoors and socially distanced, so it doesn't require mask wearing on his part very often.

Vincent supports mask middle path, but fears shutdown if cases increase


WICHITA — 
An early Sunday morning accident in Wichita resulted in minor injuries to a Newton woman.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, a 2014 Infiniti Q50 driven by 22-year-old Chazz Francisco  Martinex was southbound on I-135 at the north junction with I-235 around 1:30 a.m. Sunday and went off the roadway to the right. The car went into the ditch and hit the embankment and that forced the vehicle airborne. The Infiniti struck the bottom of the bridge on the south pillar,then went down the other side of the embankment and hit the guard rail, where it came to rest.

Martinex was not hurt. His passenger, 22-year-old Jessica Sue Stucky of Newton was taken to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita for treatment of minor injuries. According to the report, Martinex was buckled up, while Stucky was not.

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WICHITA — 
An early Sunday morning accident in Wichita resulted in minor injuries to a Newton woman.According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, a 2014 Infiniti Q50 driven by 22-year-old Chazz Francisco Martinex was southbound on I-135 at the north junction with I-235 around 1:30 a.m. Sunday and went off the roadway to the right. The car went into the ditch and hit the embankment and that forced the vehicle airborne. The Infiniti struck the bottom of the bridge on the south pillar,then went down the other side of the embankment and hit the guard rail, where it came to rest.Martinex was not hurt. His passenger, 22-year-old Jessica Sue Stucky of Newton was taken to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita for treatment of minor injuries. According to the report, Martinex was buckled up, while Stucky was not.

Newton woman injured in Sunday accident in Wichita

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Republican party of Reno County is sponsoring two legislative forums this month.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The forums will be held Tuesday, July 14th, and Tuesday, July 21st at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center.

The July 14th forum will be for debate between Senator Ed Berger and Dr. Mark Steffen at 7 p.m. The July 21st debate will feature 1st district candidates Tracey Mann and Dr. Bill Clifford at 8 p.m.&nbsp;

Doors to the Pavilion room on the south side of the Patient Accounts building will be open at 6:30 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Questions to be considered by the committee for the candidates during the Q&amp;A may be submitted to "Reno County Republicans" Facebook page by Monday, July 13th.

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 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Republican party of Reno County is sponsoring two legislative forums this month.&nbsp;&nbsp;The forums will be held Tuesday, July 14th, and Tuesday, July 21st at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center.The July 14th forum will be for debate between Senator Ed Berger and Dr. Mark Steffen at 7 p.m. The July 21st debate will feature 1st district candidates Tracey Mann and Dr. Bill Clifford at 8 p.m.&nbsp;Doors to the Pavilion room on the south side of the Patient Accounts building will be open at 6:30 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;Questions to be considered by the committee for the candidates during the Q&amp;A may be submitted to "Reno County Republicans" Facebook page by Monday, July 13th.

Republican debates coming to Reno County


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Unclaimed income tax refunds are available for a handful of Kansas taxpayers.

"People didn't file a tax return in 2016, the IRS is estimating about 14,600 of them," said Michael Devine with the IRS. "That's important because they didn't claim a refund worth, we estimate, about $15.7 million. It's important that they know that if they don't file that 2016 tax return by July 15, they're going to lose the right to claim that refund. The money then belongs to the government and they're out of luck."

It's important that all taxpayers get current, so they can get into balance with the IRS.

"If you haven't filed for several years, and you do file the 2016 return, you're going to need to get current on your taxes," Devine said. "File the 2017, 2018 and 2019 returns, too. You can't claim a refund unless you're current on your taxes."

The IRS reminds taxpayers that there is no penalty for filing late when a refund is involved. Taxpayers seeking a 2016 tax refund should know that their checks may be held if they have not filed tax returns for 2017 and 2018. In addition, the refund will be applied to any amounts owed to the IRS or a state tax agency and may be used to offset unpaid child support or past due federal debts, such as student loans.

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Unclaimed income tax refunds are available for a handful of Kansas taxpayers."People didn't file a tax return in 2016, the IRS is estimating about 14,600 of them," said Michael Devine with the IRS. "That's important because they didn't claim a refund worth, we estimate, about $15.7 million. It's important that they know that if they don't file that 2016 tax return by July 15, they're going to lose the right to claim that refund. The money then belongs to the government and they're out of luck."It's important that all taxpayers get current, so they can get into balance with the IRS."If you haven't filed for several years, and you do file the 2016 return, you're going to need to get current on your taxes," Devine said. "File the 2017, 2018 and 2019 returns, too. You can't claim a refund unless you're current on your taxes."The IRS reminds taxpayers that there is no penalty for filing late when a refund is involved. Taxpayers seeking a 2016 tax refund should know that their checks may be held if they have not filed tax returns for 2017 and 2018. In addition, the refund will be applied to any amounts owed to the IRS or a state tax agency and may be used to offset unpaid child support or past due federal debts, such as student loans.

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