HUTCHINSON, Kan. — County Administrator Gary Meagher updated the commission Tuesday regarding lightning damage.

The courthouse chimney was directly hit by lightning over the weekend:

 

The strike also damaged the phone system, but it is being fixed.

Some of the older radios used by 911 dispatch were also affected, according to 911 director Michelle Abbott. The potential cost to fix it is said to be between $50,000 and $70,000. However, Abbott says it may not be that much:

 

Meagher says an insurance adjuster is expected this week. Because the courthouse is considered a historic structure, the commission will need to see if the state wants the chimney rebuilt, or if it can be torn down.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County and the City of Hutchinson have been asked by the Kansas State Fair if they would consider doing road maintenance for the streets on the fairgrounds.

Commissioner Dan Deming had concerns over the potential cost. County Administrator Gary Meagher and Commission Chair Ron Hirst attended a couple of meetings where this request was brought up.

Meagher told the commissioners about the numbers thrown out by Hutchinson City Manager John Deardoff based on cost the city spends for street work. For any chip seal on roads, it’s estimated the cost would be around $7,300 for every quarter mile. For any overlay, the cost would increase to $22,600.

No decisions have been made by either the city or the county. The idea is only in the discussion stage.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Commission approved a request from MAXX, LLC, for a conditional use permit to construct a 250-foot telecommunications tower for the purpose of providing high-speed internet on land zoned in an agricultural district.

The tower would be located north of the corner on North Pennington Road and West 82nd in the northern part of Reno County.

This is actually higher than the original plan. The tower was approved to be 150 feet, but it was discovered that the height wasn’t enough to give the coverage the company wanted, so the entire planning process started again. The plan was approved by the planning commission earlier this month.

Sean Cash with MAXX, LLC, was asked if this new tower will provide the service wanted for the Highlands and surrounding areas:

 

Commissioners also agreed to locate the tower farther north than planned because of some complaints by neighbors.

The commission also set a date of Aug. 16 for the canvass of the upcoming primary election and Nov. 15 for the canvass of the general election. Both will begin at 8:30 a.m. in the conference room at the Reno County annex.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — During the GOP Gubernatorial debate, a young man who is a senior in high school and running for governor impressed a lot of people with his debate performance. Tyler Ruzich will be a senior at Shawnee Mission North High School.

For education funding, he talked about money being wasted by the school districts:

 

Another candidate that doesn’t get much media attention is Patrick Kucera. He is a minister and entrepreneur. He talked about a revival of sorts if he’s elected:

 

Candidates also talked about the budget; tax increases and the need for cuts again; tariffs and how that could hurt agriculture and other businesses.

Others participating included Jim Barnett, Ken Selzer, and lieutenant governor candidates Tracey Mann — who is with Gov. Jeff Colyer — and Willis “Wink” Hartman — who is running with Kris Kobach.

The event Monday was held at the Stringer Fine Arts Center on the HutchCC campus.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 36-year-old man was jailed early Sunday for interference with a law enforcement officer when he gave a false name to police.

However, David Hunter is also being held for four counts of forgery, theft by deception and mistreatment of a dependent adult.

He allegedly took at least four checks belonging to a 93-year-old woman who hired Homestead to handle her affairs after she had fallen and no longer wished to go out.

Hunter allegedly cashed the checks at Walmart and Tractor Supply. When he attempted to cash a check at a Central Bank and Trust location, police were called.

He asked to enter pleas in the case so he could go back to treatment for a drug addiction, but no formal charges have been filed. He then asked for a bond reduction. The judge set his total bond at $11,500.

He’ll be back in court next week.

RENO COUNTY — Around 7:15 p.m. Thursday, Reno County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the area of 4th and Salt Marsh Road for a single-vehicle rollover accident.

Officers found a heavily damaged black passenger car in a field on the south side of 4th. A female, identified as 32-year-old Celeste Gerber of Hutchinson, had been ejected and was lying several feet from the vehicle. EMS was already on the scene aiding her.

During the accident investigation, it was determined Gerber was driving westbound in her car near Raymond Road when the passenger side tires of the vehicle left the right side of the roadway. She lost control and exited the south side of the road and began to spin 180 degrees. The vehicle also started to roll side over side while striking an embankment. It then went airborne and struck a power pole.

LifeTeam transported Gerber to a Wichita hospital.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County sales tax numbers saw a drop in June. The county collected $347,927.

That’s less than the same period last year when the county took in $356,821.

The county received $429,152 in June for the Reno County Jail bond issue. That number is up from May when the county collected $387,356. But, it is slightly less than last year when the county collected $440,259.

June tax receipts are for sales generated in the month of April.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 26-year-old Hutchinson man facing numerous charges for cases from 2017 and 2018 entered guilty pleas to all the charges.

Anthony Fuller was charged for possession of methamphetamine. He also had a flee and elude charge against him.

In the flee and elude case, Fuller crashed while on a stolen dirt bike. He ran from law enforcement on Monroe. He then went down 18th and on to the 17th & Main intersection, where he crashed into a vehicle driven by 65-year-old Bay Nguyen.

He reportedly ran from the scene and was found hiding in a garage.

The dirt bike was reported stolen from Wichita.

The state agreed to recommend concurrent sentencing on all the charges in the two cases. However, the state will be allowed to argue whether the sentences in the two cases should run concurrent to each other or consecutive.

Judge Tim Chambers set sentencing for Aug. 31.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 33-year-old man wanted for absconding from community corrections on two drug convictions now finds himself facing even more serious charges.

Law enforcement went to a home on East 28th Tuesday looking for Dustin Lytle on two warrants. Officers performed a search of the residence and say they found drugs and other paraphernalia.

Officers found over 8 grams of heroin, over 4 grams of meth, as well as marijuana and some prescription drugs. It’s alleged that Lytle was selling the drugs within a thousand feet of Morgan Elementary School.

Officials also found a number of scales, used syringes, bags for distribution and even a stolen laptop.

His bond was set at $62,000. Lytle should be back in court July 18.