TOPEKA, Kan. — The Kansas Supreme Court announced its docket for the rest of the month. It includes a case from Reno County.

The state has requested a petition of review in the case against Grant Wilson.

He was convicted of one count of aggravated indecent solicitation of a child for a case from 2007. On appeal, Wilson contended the district court’s order for lifetime post-release supervision was grossly disproportionate to his offense and unconstitutional.

Wilson also alleges that he was prejudiced from prosecutor’s misstatements made at the post-sentencing hearing. At that hearing, the district court imposed the lifetime post-release supervision.

A Court of Appeals panel majority ruled that the prosecutor committed reversible misconduct during the post-sentencing hearing when they argued facts not in evidence and incorrectly stated the facts from an appellate case.

The dissent stated the court should have ordered the parties to address what should be the appropriate standard of review for claims of prosecutor error arising during argument to the bench.

The high court must decide whether the prosecutor in the case committed planned, prejudicial and reversible misconduct.

The case will be considered Oct. 24 at the Kansas Judicial Center in Topeka.

Wilson is on parole for post-incarceration.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The new police chief for the city of Hutchinson begins his duties Wednesday.

Jeff Hooper will take over the department from Dick Heitschmidt, who recently retired.

Hooper has served as a captain with the joint Riley County-Manhattan Police Department. That included 27 years in law enforcement and 14 as captain.

He was actually a finalist for the chief’s position with that department, but withdrew his name from consideration to take the job in Hutchinson.

He was originally supposed to start on Monday, Oct. 22, but — according to City Manager John Deardoff — Hooper apparently changed that and will start early.

The department has been led by Interim Chief Alan Stoecklein.

WICHITA, Kan. — One of the few remaining drive-in theaters in Kansas is calling it quits after nearly 50 years.

The Starlite Drive-In is closing its doors and offering the public an opportunity to take home their own piece of Wichita history.

McCurdy Auction in Wichita will conduct a live, public auction on Tuesday, Nov. 13, at 10 a.m.

Items offered at auction will include theater equipment, Starlite memorabilia, neon signs, commercial kitchen equipment, car speaker sets, metal movie screens, office furniture, shop equipment, tools, golf carts and more.

Employees have been notified that the theater is closing because of slumping sales.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The annual Reno County Sheriff’s Tax Sale is tomorrow morning at Memorial Hall. Reno County Counselor Joe O’Sullivan says, as of Tuesday morning, there are 67 properties that will be up for sale. O’Sullivan says that number will probably come down before the sale.

O’Sullivan says the sale features properties whose owners are behind on their taxes:

 

Once the properties are sold, the owners of those properties are out of luck, according to O’Sullivan:

 

As of Tuesday morning, the county had collected $509,900 for taxes and another $34,465 for the cost of the sale. The sale begins Wednesday at 9 a.m.

O’Sullivan says they should have plenty of information on the properties when those interested arrive at Memorial Hall.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 56-year-old Hutchinson man faces numerous charges after his arrest for drug distribution.

The Reno County Drug Enforcement Unit performed a search warrant Friday on a residence belonging to Randy Keith Boyd.

During the search, officers allegedly found methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, morphine, oxycodone, Alprazolam, marijuana, several firearms — which had the serial numbers ground off — unused packaging material, digital scales, a syringe, pipes with residue, and around $900 in cash.

After being read his Miranda rights, he reportedly admitted to selling the drugs.

Boyd remains jailed on a $150,000 bond. He should be back in court next week.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A former Hutchinson Community College student who entered a plea in a sexual battery and kidnapping case will face a preliminary hearing after he was allowed to withdraw his plea.

Victor Pedraza Jr. will now face all of the original charges, including three counts of rape and other charges, which were dismissed as part of a plea agreement. A conviction could see the 21-year-old serve significant time in prison compared to what was under the plea agreement.

The state notified the court and the defendant that there will be no additional offers made in the case.

Pedraza is accused in the beating of a college student from Japan he had been dating off and on. He then set her passport and documents on fire. Police say the victim was tied to a bed and beaten, then forced into sex three times. The state entered the agreement so the victim would not have to come back to the U.S. to testify.

Reno County District Judge Joe McCarville set a preliminary hearing date for Oct. 24.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A local man made a court appearance on two misdemeanor counts of theft of property.

This isn’t a typical theft case.

Dakota Sater is accused of stealing from a judge and his secretary.

Sater apparently worked as a contractor at the courthouse and is accused of stealing a pink iPod and ear buds, as well as three challenge coins from Reno County District Judge Tim Chambers and his secretary.

The alleged crimes occurred Sept. 17.

Sater is free on bond. He entered a not guilty plea to the charges. The case will move to a future misdemeanor docket.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — After a contentious campaign and a very close outcome for the 104th District seat for State Representative, Steve Becker is not giving up just yet.

He plans to mount a write-in campaign. Becker says he made the decision because, after he lost by a very narrow margin, he heard from those who wanted him to do a write-in campaign:

 

Becker also says he represents a whole lot more than just Republican voters. He addressed that in his Facebook post over the weekend:

 

He admits that it may be difficult to get people to remember to write his name in, but says it’s really very simple:

 

Becker lost in the primary by a few votes to Conservative Paul Waggoner.