MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
From devastating emergencies to defining civic debates, 2025 was a year that tested Hutchinson and Reno County while also revealing the community’s resilience and resolve. Residents faced sudden crises that demanded swift emergency response, difficult conversations about public investment and infrastructure, and moments that brought the region together despite adversity. Severe weather, public safety tragedies, major policy decisions, and landmark community events all shaped the year’s news cycle and left a lasting imprint on the local landscape.
The following stories stand out as some of the top local news events of 2025 — moments that sparked widespread attention, prompted change, and underscored the challenges and priorities facing Hutchinson and Reno County. Together, they reflect a year marked by hardship, accountability, adaptation, and a continued focus on the community’s future.
Here are six stories from 2025. The stories are in chronological order and are not a complete list of top stories.
Fatal East Third Avenue arson - LINK
A devastating house fire on Feb. 1, 2025, became one of Hutchinson’s most heartbreaking and consequential stories of the year. Responding to reports of screams and smoke at a home in the 1000 block of East Third Avenue, officers with the Hutchinson Police Department and local firefighters discovered a deadly scene. Thirty-two-year-old Kalsey Payton and her 4-year-old daughter were found dead inside the residence, with investigators later determining both deaths were homicides.
The investigation led to the arrest of 37-year-old Wendell Payton, who was charged with multiple felonies including two counts of first-degree murder and aggravated arson. In October, Payton pleaded guilty to all charges. He was later sentenced in Reno County District Court to consecutive life terms, resulting in a controlling sentence of 100 years without the possibility of parole.
The case, which involved multiple local and state agencies and deeply impacted the Hutchinson community, underscored the city’s focus on public safety and accountability and remained a defining story of 2025.
Downtown gas leak and fire - LINK
One of Hutchinson’s most serious public safety incidents of 2025 unfolded on Feb. 22, when a natural gas leak in the downtown corridor led to an explosion, fires, and large-scale evacuations. Crews with the Hutchinson Fire Department were investigating reports of a gas odor near Main Street when gas was found surfacing through the roadway. Moments after firefighters exited a downtown business, the structure exploded, fueled by a 10-inch natural gas line.
The incident forced the evacuation of multiple blocks, displaced businesses, and left parts of downtown without natural gas service for days as Kansas Gas Service carried out repairs and safety inspections. Evacuation zones were gradually reduced as crews stabilized the area. No injuries were reported, but the explosion prompted an extensive emergency response and a prolonged investigation, making it one of the most impactful stories in Hutchinson during 2025.
Tornado strikes Reno County, Plevna escapes injuries - LINK
A late-night tornado that tore through rural Reno County and the city of Plevna on May 18, 2025, ranked among the year’s most significant weather events. The storm touched down near Turon shortly before midnight, carving a destructive path through farmland before striking Plevna and continuing northeast for several miles. Homes, trees, and utility infrastructure were damaged, with snapped power poles and blocked roadways reported across the area.
Despite the extensive damage, no injuries or fatalities were reported. Officials with Reno County Emergency Management credited timely warnings and residents taking shelter quickly for the positive outcome. Emergency responders, utility crews, and public works teams mobilized immediately, while barricades were placed to keep the public out of hazardous areas.
The American Red Cross opened an assistance center in Abbyville to support displaced residents. The coordinated response and community cooperation highlighted Reno County’s preparedness and resilience in the face of severe weather, making the Plevna tornado a defining local story of 2025.
Draft floodplain maps raise alarm in Hutchinson, Reno County - LINK
A newly released draft floodplain map became a major infrastructure and planning story in 2025, as it showed large portions of Hutchinson could be newly classified within the 100-year floodplain. The draft maps, unveiled by the State of Kansas and FEMA, represent a significant expansion from the floodplain boundaries currently in effect and prompted immediate concern from homeowners, businesses, and local institutions.
City engineers warned that if the maps are finalized, property owners could face new flood insurance requirements and stricter development standards. Officials with the City of Hutchinson emphasized that the maps are not yet final and that the city has time to pursue stormwater projects and technical reviews that could reduce the impacted areas before the earliest possible implementation in 2027.
The proposed floodplain also raised red flags for future development, including the location of a planned USD 308 middle school, and renewed debate about long-standing stormwater challenges tied to flat terrain and drainage limitations. City leaders characterized the maps as a critical call to action, making flood mitigation, infrastructure investment, and federal coordination one of Hutchinson’s most consequential policy discussions of 2025.
Hilton Garden Inn & Conference Center opens, boosting tourism - LINK
The opening of the Hilton Garden Inn Hutchinson marked a major economic development milestone in 2025, strengthening Hutchinson’s position as a regional destination for conventions, tourism, and large-scale events. After nearly two years of construction, the hotel and conference center opened along the K-61 corridor near Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, filling a long-identified gap in the city’s hospitality infrastructure.
Featuring 112 guest rooms and more than 14,000 square feet of flexible meeting and conference space, the project was hailed by local leaders and the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce as critical to attracting conventions, weddings, and major sporting events. Officials said the development helps secure long-standing events such as the NJCAA Basketball Tournament while driving new visitor spending across the community.
The hotel’s opening — along with the opening of the Old Chicago restaurant in December signaled renewed momentum in Hutchinson’s tourism strategy and stood out as one of the city’s most significant growth stories of 2025.
USD 308 reassesses path forward after bond defeat - LINK
The failed USD 308 bond proposal emerged as a major local education story in 2025, prompting district leaders to pause, reassess, and refocus on community engagement. Following the defeat, Hutchinson USD 308 Superintendent Dr. Dawn Johnson said the district plans to launch a series of listening sessions to better understand voter concerns before determining next steps.
District leaders acknowledged that key planning data — including a community survey conducted two years earlier — may no longer reflect the economic realities facing residents in 2025, with rising costs and property taxes cited as central issues. While the proposed bond would have raised the district’s mill levy, officials noted it would have remained below several neighboring districts.
Despite the setback, Johnson emphasized that facility needs remain and that the bond effort was aimed at long-term growth, modernization, and competitiveness. The bond’s defeat and the district’s response highlighted broader community conversations in 2025 about taxes, school investment, and the future of Hutchinson’s public education system.