TOPEKA, Kan. — The latest unemployment numbers were released Friday and show Hutchinson at 3.4 percent, a rate that has improved from the 4 percent rate in August. It’s slightly better than the 3.6 percent rate from September of last year.

The county’s rate was at 3.1 percent last month compared to 3.8 percent in August and 3.5 percent in September of last year.

There were 958 residents of the county looking for work last month. Most of them live in Hutchinson.

The state reported a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 3.3 percent in September. This was unchanged from August and down from 3.6 percent in September of 2017.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Around 8 p.m. Thursday, Reno County sheriff’s deputy John Hendricks was on routine patrol on east 4th in rural Reno County.

As he approached Augustine Drive, he encountered three adult horses walking on the roadway in front of him. This area is approximately 1 ¾ miles east of the city of Hutchinson and is not well lit.

The deputy was unable to stop before colliding with the horses and struck all three of them. He was transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for his injuries and suffered minor cuts to his face and arms. He was quickly released.

A veterinarian was called to the scene by the owner of the animals. Two of the horses had mutable injuries, one was considered critical by the veterinarian. It’s unknown what injuries the third horse sustained. The Explorer the deputy was driving was heavily damaged in the wreck.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Police were called to the Yesway convenience store at 11th & Severance around 12:30 p.m. Friday on the report of a possible robbery, but no robbery occurred.

According to Police Capt. Troy Hoover, a man came into the store and locked the door behind him. Someone in the store thought a robbery was about to occur, so they called 911.

When police arrived, they determined the man was suffering from some sort of mental or drug-induced issue. He was taken to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for a mental evaluation.

Hoover says there was no robbery, no weapon and no threats made from the incident.

SOUTH HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Two people arrested by South Hutchinson Police Wednesday made their first court appearance on a number of charges involving guns and drugs.

Catherine Kurtz, 34, and 29-year-old Charles Michaels face possible charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of Alprazolam, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of stolen property. Michaels was also arrested on a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm because of a burglary conviction in Texas.

Kurtz and Michaels went into Shooter’s Supply earlier this week looking for parts for antique shotguns. The operator of the store told officers that a friend of his recently had some antique shotguns stolen from a building he owned. That man later identified the guns in the couple’s van as the ones that were stolen from him.

A search of the van also led to the discovery of drugs, drug paraphernalia and several counterfeit $100 bills.

Kurtz is jailed on a bond of $11,000. Michaels is jailed on a bond of $12,500.

Both should be back in court next week.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 20-year-old man arrested in association with a fatal hit-and-run accident could find out Friday when his trial starts.

Taylor Lukone is accused of murder from an incident that occurred on Sept. 21, 2017, in the 1200 block of East 4th.

At around 1 a.m., officers were called to the report of a bicyclist who had been struck by a vehicle that fled the scene. Parts of the suspect’s vehicle were left at the scene of the collision, according to police.

Lukone was driving to get cigarettes and spotted 51-year-old Jose L. Lopez riding his bicycle. Lukone got angry over the way Lopez had supposedly treated his mother and intentionally struck him. He then left the scene. His car was found by police at a residence on East 6th. Lukone claimed his car had been stolen, but later changed his story.

The case is pending trial and was continued earlier this year.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The annual Reno County Sheriff’s Tax Sale resulted in the county collecting around $158,000. That included a vacant lot that sold for around $5, to a home that sold for $29,000.

Fifty-two properties were sold at auction, according to County Counselor Joe O’Sullivan. He says others paid their taxes just before the sale.

Total collections for taxes and for those who paid before the sale totaled around $603,000.

RENO COUNTY — Sheriff’s Officers were advised of a vehicle in a field yesterday morning just south of the Arkansas River bridge on Haven Road.

Officials found a car with major damage that was unoccupied. Officers conducted a search of the area. A short time later, the driver was located and pronounced dead at the scene. The driver was identified as 38-year-old Robert Dale Beatty II from Wichita.

It appears the vehicle was northbound on Haven Road when Beatty lost control and went off the west side of the road. The vehicle then came back onto Haven Road and again exited the road on the east side. The vehicle struck the levee and went airborne, then rolled several times before coming to rest in a field. The accident is still under investigation at this time.

Beatty’s mother had made a missing person’s report in Wichita since her son had not been seen since 8:30 p.m. Monday.