TOPEKA, Kan. — The Kansas Department of Commerce has awarded 16 nonprofit organizations around the state Community Service Tax Credits, which has helped nonprofit organizations undertake major capital fundraising drives for several different projects.

The Canton Township Carnegie Library in McPherson County will receive $250,000.

Built in 1921, Canton Township Carnegie Library is the last Carnegie Library to ever be constructed. The project will include preservation issues for the original building, as well as a new addition that will address the need for accessibility, safety, and additional program space for children and adult patrons.

Also, the Marquette Learning Center in McPherson County will receive $215,000.

Renovations are planned for an old schoolhouse building to turn it into a daycare faculty along with addressing the outdoor play space as required by the KDHE.

Tax credit awards are distributed through an application process and may request up to $250,000 in tax credits.

Applicant organizations in rural areas are eligible for a 70 percent credit. Applicant organizations in non-rural areas are eligible for a 50 percent credit.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County District Judge Trish Rose Friday found that a defendant charged in two criminal cases is competent to stand trial and says she will set a trial date soon.

The case against 30-year-old Jesse Aich includes a home invasion from South Hutchinson and drug distribution going back to 2014 and 2015.

In one case, Aich is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to package, possession of three other drugs (hydrocodone, oxycodone and morphine), felony theft of a firearm, possession of stolen property, criminal possession of a firearm and a final count of personal use drug paraphernalia.

This case started with a search warrant served on his residence where he apparently lived in a basement bedroom. Inside that room, law enforcement allegedly found a baggie that contained a crystal substance, a baggie containing a powdery substance, a digital scale with white residue, new packaging materials, used baggies with residue, two 100-count boxes of syringes, glass pipes with burnt residue officers say were used to smoke meth, several types of pills and over $1,000 in cash. This case goes back to 2014.

In the other case, he’s charged with two counts of attempted aggravated robbery, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, criminal discharge of a firearm, criminal possession of a firearm, possession of methamphetamine, marijuana and five different prescription drugs, all with intent to distribute, and possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to distribute drugs.

Aich and 32-year-old Charles Swepston were arrested for an incident that happened early in the morning on Friday, July 31, 2015.

Apparently, a mental evaluation at Larned indicates that he is competent, so Judge Rose stated in court that she would set a trial date in the two cases in the near future.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A Hutchinson man charged with aggravated arson after a fire damaged the Tierra Verde apartments in November of last year now has a trial date. Judge Tim Chambers set a trial date of Nov. 13 for Timothy Broadfoot.

Broadfoot is accused of setting the fire back on Nov. 22, 2017. The fire was discovered on one of the upper floors and was quickly extinguished. The amount of damage was estimated to be over $109,000.

The fire displaced about 20 individuals who were aided by the Red Cross at the time of the fire.

Broadfoot is free on bond.

TOPEKA, Kan. — Thirty lucky Kansas Lottery players from all over the state have won the opportunity to enjoy a fun and exciting NASCAR racing weekend at Kansas Speedway for the October races. The 30 winners of a VIP Racing Weekend include Mack Jarrett of Hutchinson. 

Each Kansas Speedway grand prize package includes everything the winners and their guests need, including two tickets each day to the ARCA Racing Series Friday, Oct. 19; the NASCAR Xfinity Series Kansas Lottery 300 race Saturday, Oct. 20, and the Race for the Chase Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 race Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018.

Also included are two admissions to the Kansas Lottery winners’ suite at Kansas Speedway, including food and non-alcoholic beverages, one double occupancy hotel room at Great Wolf Lodge for Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, round-trip trolley tickets between the hotel and track, $400 cash and mandatory state and federal income withholding taxes.

Each grand prize is valued at approximately $4,800.

PlayOn members can submit all their tickets to earn points for drawing entries and a chance to win cash and prizes. The Kansas Lottery’s PlayOn Players Loyalty program is free to join.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The FBI, in cooperation with the KBI, may be investigating the Hutchinson Police Department, according to Reno County District Attorney Keith Schroeder.

Schroeder said he sought the investigation after hearing rumors of favoritism on the part of officers within the department. He didn’t indicate any particular incident has occurred.

He says he wanted to resolve these questions over the possible integrity of officers within the department because of possible issues in criminal cases. He cited a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, which he called the “Giglio” decision. This requires him to turn over to the defense attorneys any information on any concern over the credibility of any testifying officers as part of the discovery process.

Schroeder says he has no idea of any criminal acts on the part of police, saying it may only be a violation of department policy, if anything. Because these rumors — which he called “vague assertions” — persist, he wants to act on the side of caution.

Schroeder also said he has no idea if, in fact, the investigation is occurring. “I assume there is, but I don’t know that. No one has gotten back to me,” Schroeder said.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A Hutchinson man charged in six cases involving stolen mail waived his right to a preliminary hearing.

William Crider, 29, is jailed for theft of property or services. Police say he has stolen mail from as many as 100 residents since March of this year.

Crider is also charged with criminal use of a financial card for suspicion of using a stolen Home Depot credit card and ordering a security system online. He’s also accused of using a Visa debit card to buy miscellaneous items in the city.

Crider has a number of other cases pending in connection to the theft of a $4,000 piece of equipment from Oz Chiropractic and several cases of buying merchandise with counterfeit $100 bills.

He will now face trial in all six cases. He will be arraigned next month.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A local woman has been formally charged in a case where she’s accused of getting money from the Kansas Department of Labor by false means.

Amanda Herd is accused of making false information and theft by deception. She’s accused of entering data into her account book and unemployment filings with the knowledge that the information was false.

She’s also accused of unauthorized control of property, in this case $3,767, by means of false statements or representation that deceived the Kansas Department of Labor.

Herd is free on bond. She’ll be back in court Oct. 3.

MCPHERSON, Kan. — The McPherson Board of Public Utilities expanded its commitment Wednesday to purchase Kansas wind energy from Westar Energy.

Last year alone, McPherson reported four expansion projects and one new business attraction success. The community of approximately 14,000 people boasts over 50 industrial businesses and over 8,500 industrial jobs. These electric-intensive industrial businesses have contributed to McPherson’s peak energy consumption of 158 MW this year, according to officials.

In 2016, McPherson was among five utilities to purchase wind energy from Kingman Wind Energy Center through contracts with Westar Energy. The agreements included full-service energy management. McPherson currently purchases 37 MW of wind energy from the Kingman wind farm.

Energy from Soldier Creek Wind Energy Center is available by contract to communities or through Westar Energy’s recently approved Renewables Direct tariff that enables businesses to commit to long-term purchases of Kansas wind energy at competitive prices.

In August, a Department of Energy report ranked Kansas No. 2 in the nation for the percentage of electricity generated from wind in 2017.