HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Even though the Christmas holiday is over, it doesn’t mean scammers and other criminals are taking time off. The Hutchinson Police Department is still getting reports of phony money being passed around.

The latest came early Wednesday morning when an employee of a local Burger King reported a man passed him a counterfeit bill for his food. It occurred around 12:20 a.m.

On Christmas Eve, an employee at City Hall reported a man attempting to pass counterfeit money to them.

Business owners need to continue to be vigilant in checking that bills passed to them are real as this situation is still prominent.

SOUTH HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Although, there have been cuts made earlier this year to the South Hutchinson Police Department as the city council worked to get its financial house in order, South Hutchinson Police Chief Mark Thompson talked of making a hire despite those cut backs:

He also gave advice for those who may want to enter law enforcement as a profession:

He admitted that it takes a special type of person to work in law enforcement, saying those who have the desire to help people and serve the community will persevere:

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Commission will meet the day after Christmas. According to the agenda, it looks to be a pretty light agenda.

The highlight will be to consider the approval of the 2019 salary amendments to the professional services contract for County Administrator Gary Meagher. This calls for his salary next year to be $129,912 and his monthly deferred compensation to be $2,102.

The commission will also consider a request from the county clerk’s office to destroy election materials at Sonoco with Brooke Koehn and Alisha Johnson as electors present to witness the process. Materials from the 2016 presidential election will be destroyed.

The commission will also hear a monthly report from the county appraiser.

The commission meeting is Wednesday at 9 a.m. in the Reno County Courthouse.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 24-year-old Hutchinson man who entered a no contest plea to a single count of aggravated indecent liberties with a child will get another chance on community corrections.

Etric Jones II was sentenced to four years and 11 months in prison, but was then granted a departure to community corrections over the objection of the state. The state now wants the sentence served because of a fifth violation of his corrections.

After hearing arguments from the defense and even from Jones, Judge Trish Rose agreed to 180 days in jail. Jones will then be placed back on community corrections for 18 months.

Jones was found guilty of having a sexual encounter with a 15-year-old girl.

Jones, who was 18 at the time of the crime, forced the girl into inappropriate sexual relations. She claims that she told him no, while Jones claims she never said that. The two are said to have left school together. They parked in an alley and things escalated from there.

The case goes back to Dec. 13, 2012.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 41-year-old Hutchinson man who entered a plea to a number of charges will serve time in prison. How much time he will serve is still unknown.

Gregory Collins entered pleas to aggravated assault and criminal damage to property as well as three counts of solicitation to commit perjury and nine counts of violation of a protection from abuse order.

Both sides recommended community corrections, but Reno County District Judge Trish Rose started to order a sentence of more than 13 years, citing his history of violence and her obligation to protect the community.

The defense then asked if the judge would consider a durational departure. Because both sides didn’t expect Judge Rose to order a prison sentence, the judge asked the defense to file a departure motion. Any final decision on sentencing will come at a later time once she hears arguments.

The case started Jan. 4 when the victim was reportedly attacked with a knife by Collins. He was convicted for holding the victim against her will, putting her in fear of her safety and causing damage to the home in the 600 block of East F. He was also convicted of heating up a taser, then putting it against her neck and threatening to kill her.

Final sentencing will come at a later date.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Kansas Department of Labor released the unemployment numbers for the month of November Friday morning.

It shows the unemployment rate for Hutchinson at 3.4 percent, up slightly from the 3.3 percent in October, but lower than the 3.8 percent in November 2017.

The rate for Reno County didn’t change in November, it stayed at 3.1 percent, but is lower than the 3.5 percent in November of last year.

There were 949 residents looking for work last month. Most of them live in Hutchinson.

Most of the surrounding counties saw their rates stay the same. However, Harvey County saw its rate drop to 2.7 percent. That’s down slightly from 3 percent in October.

Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.2 percent in November. This was down from 3.3 in October and down from 3.5 percent in November 2017.