HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 66-year-old Hutchinson man convicted of attempted robbery of a Hutchinson beauty salon was sentenced Friday to 21-months in prison.

Jackie Crenshaw entered a plea to attempted robbery for going into the Anima Bella Salon, 16 S. Main in Hutchinson, and taking $360 from one of the employees. The state amended the complaint to attempted robbery as part of a plea agreement.

Both sides had recommended that Crenshaw serve the aggravated number of months in the sentencing grid box and that was 21-months.

Crenshaw has over two dozen prior convictions for forgery, theft, burglary and drugs according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

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Original story

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 66-year-old Hutchinson man charged with robbing a Hutchinson beauty salon waiving his preliminary hearing and entering a plea, is scheduled for sentencing Friday.

Jackie Crenshaw entered a plea to attempted robbery for going into Anima Bella Salon, 16 S. Main in Hutchinson, and taking $360 from one of the employees. The state amended the complaint as part of a plea agreement.

Both sides will recommend that Crenshaw serve the sentence with an aggravated number of months in the sentencing grid box.

Crenshaw has over two dozen prior convictions for forgery, theft, burglary and drugs according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Sentencing is in front of Reno County District Judge Trish Rose.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – Police Chief Jeffrey Hooper believes there are many ways besides law enforcement that the Hutchinson Police can help the community. That was underscored Friday when police officers delivered large bags of uniforms to the Hutchinson Salvation Army.

When police recently changed from green and tan uniforms to blue shirts and pants, the transition presented an opportunity to share with those in need, older clothing, most of which still have a good lifespan left. “We wanted to reuse a number of the older uniforms for our new police service aids, by having those ten new part-time employees wear then while on duty,” said Hooper. A supply was then retailed for future use.

“But we still have a significant number of shorts and pants that we didn’t want to throw away because they can go to a good cause to help those less fortunate,” according to Hooper.

Officers brought several dozen uniforms, minus patches and other police markings, to the Salvation Army for reuse in other communities.

Both the police department and the Salvation Army decided against giving them away locally because of concerns about someone trying to impersonate an officer, something that occasionally has happened.

The Salvation Army Thrift Store at B and Main agreed to take the uniforms and ship them to their Kansas City distribution center. They’ll be given away, sold at low prices to the less fortunate or taken overseas where the clothing doesn’t seem to have the same meaning as in the United States. The Salvation Army also sells bundles of used clothing and receives funds for a variety of assistance programs.

“We see it as a win/win situation where we get rid of items no longer needed, but they eventually go to help others,” said Hooper. “It’s a good investment of taxpayer assets rather than having the uniforms scrapped and go to the local landfill.”

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – The Reno County Commission is expected to decide Tuesday which of two search firms they want to hire to help in finding and hiring the next Reno County Administrator.

The current administrator Gary Meagher will retire at the end of his contract, which comes toward the end of this year, and the commission wants someone hired to take his place.

The two firms the commission will consider includes the Austin Peters Group and Baker Tilly. Based on the proposals, it looks like the Austin Peters group is the cheaper option with a price not to exceed $15,750, while Baker Tilly if hired would cost the county $24,500.

The commission will consider that when they meet Tuesday for their regular meeting beginning at 9 a.m. at the Reno County Courthouse.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – On Saturday, volunteers from the Hutchinson Regional Medical Center will volunteer their services at the Reno County Museum participating in the the United Way Work Day.

This special day includes cleaning the museum courtyard, refreshing the grounds by repainting their benches, pulling weeds, trimming hedges, refilling mulch and re-striping the parking lot.

In addition, Hutchinson Regional Medical Center and Westlake Ace Hardware has sponsored materials for this project. This project is just the beginning, “more new things are coming to the Reno County Museum,” said Michael Ables, the new Executive Director of the museum.

The museum is also looking at a new brick memorial fundraiser and a new Membership Program to incorporate into the Museum in the very near future.

The Memorial Brick program will enable citizens to honor their roots and support the Reno County Historical Society. On the other hand, the new membership will offer members of the Reno County Museum an opportunity to receive benefits at Strataca.

Michael Ables, Executive Director describes this as “a robust program that will allow our guests to enjoy the Reno County Historical Society in its entirety.”

BUHLER, Kan. – IdeaTek Telcom has announced the hiring of Mark Keeton to fill the key leadership role of Director of Service Reliability.

In this position, Keeton will lead the engineering and customer support teams. He will also be charged with the development of innovative strategies for network reliability, systematization to improve efficiencies and ensuring remarkable customer service to IdeaTek’s rapidly growing client-base in Kansas.

Prior to joining IdeaTek, Keeton served as the Director of Application Architecture for Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System, where he led the healthcare system through a $20 million electronic health record migration. Keeton was also an instrumental member of the design and infrastructure planning team for the new $23 million ICU project. Keeton worked as a pharmacist for Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System for 14 years before moving into his director role.

“Mark’s unique ability to project manage complex, technical projects while motivating team members across different departments will be instrumental in IdeaTek’s future success,” said Jerrod Reimer, IdeaTek Chief Executive Officer.

Keeton earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology and a Doctorate of Pharmacy from the University of Kansas. He is very involved in the Hutchinson community, currently serving as president elect and board member for the Cancer Council of Reno County. He previously served on the Holy Cross Elementary School advisory board and founded the Kisiwa North Neighborhood Watch.

WICHITA, KAN. – A 37-year-old Texas man was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in federal prison for taking a Hutchinson girl across state lines for sexual relations.

Juan Carlos Carmona, of Houston, pleaded guilty to one count of traveling from Texas to Kansas to have sexual relations with a minor and one count of transporting a minor from Kansas to Texas to have sex with her.

In his plea, Carmona admitted that in mid 2017, he began communicating over the internet with a female minor. In April 2018, he traveled from Houston to Hutchinson to meet the 15-year-old. His purpose was to obtain a hotel room and to have sex with the her. After doing so, he returned to Houston.

In May 2018, Carmona returned to Kansas and picked up the 15-year-old girl. He transported her to Houston, where he intended to have sexual relations with her.

TOPEKA, Kan. – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, in conjunction with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT), has issued public health advisories for Kansas lakes.

The lakes under warnings in our area include Camp Hawk Lake in Harvey County, Lake Afton in Sedgwick County and Marion County Lake in Marion County.

When a warning is issued, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:

Lake water is not safe to drink for pets or livestock and should never be consumed by humans.

Water contact should be avoided.

Fish may be eaten if they’re rinsed with clean water and only the fillet portion is consumed, while all other parts are discarded. Do not allow your pets to eat dried algae.

If lake water contacts skin, wash with clean water as soon as possible.

Avoid areas of visible algae accumulation.

KDHE samples publicly-accessible bodies of water for blue-green algae when the agency receives reports of potential algae blooms in Kansas lakes. Based on sampling results, KDHE reports on potentially harmful conditions.

For information on blue-green algae and reporting potential harmful algal blooms, please visit www.kdheks.gov/algae-illness/index.htm.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – A man suspected of conspiring with two other individuals for the distribution of marijuana waived his right to a preliminary hearing and entered pleas in the case.

Tre’Vaughn J. Jones accused of distributing marijuana on April 5, and conspiring with Luis Gutierrez and Tyson Samuels in that effort. He was also accused of unlawful possession of drug proceeds.

With him entering a pleas in the case, sentencing is set for next month in front of Reno County District Judge Joe McCarville.