HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The latest unemployment numbers released Tuesday by the Kansas Department of Labor show the rate for the city of Hutchinson up some last month when compared with September.

The rate in October was 3.1%, up from 2.9% in September, but still lower than the 3.4% in October of 2018.

The rate for Reno County was also slightly higher with a rate of 2.9% in October compared to 2.7% in September, but lower than the 3.1% in October of last year.

There were 858 residents looking for work last month.

A few of the neighboring counties also saw slight increases in their rates, but most stayed the same.

Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.1% in October. This was down from 3.2% in September and down from 3.3% in October of 2018. Officials say this rate in October was the lowest in 40-plus years.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A local man arrested Nov. 8 for serious criminal charges made a first appearance Monday morning.

Brandon Hoffman faces seven counts of aggravated criminal sodomy, seven counts of aggravated sexual battery and one count of intimidation of a witness. Many of the sodomy charges are filed as level one felonies, which could mean a substantial amount of time in prison.

The sexual crimes allegedly occurred over a five-year period and involved the same victim. According to the complaint filed by the state, the victim was at least 16 or older at the time of the crimes.

The intimidation charge allegedly occurred in 2017 when Hoffman attempted to keep the victim from coming forward with the allegations and testifying in any hearing or trial.

The case came to light after a long and extensive investigation by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

Hoffman was able to post bond and appeared with a number of supporters in the courtroom. They were seen praying outside the courtroom before his appearance.

He will be back in court in January.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 27-year-old Reno County woman who is jailed on a $50,000 bond for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old boy this past summer has been formally charged.

Leticia Carrillo is charged with one count of aggravated indecent liberties with a child.

The investigation stemmed from a sexting case. It was determined Carrillo had sexual relations with the boy.

Carrillo will be back in court in January.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Animal Shelter says its dog adoption event was a huge success — 25 dogs were adopted.

Dog fees are now back to normal, but the shelter says it still has some great dogs available for adoption.

The shelter also has a lot of cats, so the “pick your price” promotion for cats continues.

The Hutchinson Animal Shelter is located at 1501 S. Severance.

BURRTON, Kan. — Reno County sheriff’s deputies, along with the Burrton Fire Department and EMS, were dispatched to the area of U.S. 50 and Worthington Road around 3:20 a.m. Sunday for a report of a rollover accident. A passerby reported seeing a vehicle leave the roadway and roll numerous times in the ditch.

When deputies arrived, they found a vehicle at the bottom of the bridge embankment on the south side of the highway. The driver of the vehicle, 38-year-old Michael Sandoval of Hutchinson, was found in the driver’s seat of the vehicle. Sandoval stated he did not remember the accident and believed he was the only occupant in the vehicle.

He was transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center by Burrton EMS. The accident is still under investigation.

HAVEN, Kan. — Deputies were dispatched to the 12600 block of East Maple Grove Road for an injury accident around 10:15 a.m. Saturday.

Deputies made contact with Shelbey R. Adkins of Mount Hope who said she was southbound on Rayl Road when Joel Riggs of Colwich failed to stop at the eastbound stop sign of Maple Grove.

Riggs struck the passenger side of Adkins’ vehicle, causing both vehicles to come to rest in the southeast corner of the intersection.

Both were checked out on scene by EMS and then transported to St. Francis Regional Medical Center in Wichita for non-life threatening injuries.

Riggs was cited for failing to stop at a stop sign.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Commission will be fairly busy during its agenda session Tuesday.

Commissioners will consider giving a letter of support to TECH for its grant application to the Kansas Department of Transportation for the acquisition of two lift-equipped buses and one minivan.

Commissioners are also expected to approve a resolution authorizing bonds for the bridge replacements on 43rd Avenue, just east of Old K-61, and the bridge on Nickerson Road, south of Nickerson.

In addition to that, commissioners will also award bids for the rehabilitation of three bridges. Those are on Medora Road, Nickerson Boulevard and 82nd Avenue. The commission will consider the bid for the Medora Road bridge over the Little Arkansas River for a cost of $128,429.

They will also consider King Construction for the Nickerson Boulevard bridge over the Cow Creek Diversion Canal for $595,848 and the 82nd Avenue bridge over Blaze Fork for a cost of $351,358.

Commissioners will also consider an agreement with Union Pacific Railroad Company and KDOT for the construction and maintenance of highway crossing signals at Salt Marsh Road and K-61 Highway, about two miles southwest of Turon.

The commission will also hold an executive session over applicants for county administrator and Reno County Sheriff’s Department personnel.

The commission meeting starts at 9 a.m. Tuesday at the Reno County Courthouse.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A Hutchinson man facing serious charges in two cases may finally go to trial.

The two cases against 34-year-old Jesse Aich have been pending trial for years, partly because he has requested new attorneys.

Reno County District Judge Trish Rose set a trial date for Jan. 14, 2020.

In the most recent case, Aich is charged with two counts of aggravated robbery, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, criminal discharge of a weapon, criminal possession of a firearm and numerous drug charges.

This has to do with an incident in South Hutchinson in July of 2015 when he and another man, Charles Swepston, tried to rob two men of their money and other valuables.

The other case has to do with the distribution of drugs and goes back to October 2014.

Judge Rose found that Aich is competent to stand trial and set the date for that trial in January.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 31-year-old Hutchinson man will spend more than five years in prison after a conviction for aggravated battery and other charges in a domestic case.

Richard Manwarren II was arrested on May 6 when police were called to a home in Hutchinson for a domestic dispute. At that time, Manwarren was arrested on two misdemeanor charges, but the state refiled the charges as felonies because of the severity of the victim’s injuries.

Manwarren was also sentenced for attempted burglary involving a vehicle in a separate case.

Judge Trish Rose ordered the sentences in the two cases run consecutively.