HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Fire Department was presented a grant check this week in the amount of $18,000 from ONEOK.

This grant will allow the purchase of an essential fire hose for the new Fire Engine #3, coming later this year.

Engine #3 is housed at Station #3, which covers the southern-most part of Hutchinson and Fire District #2.

Being one of the busiest stations in the heart of the city, officials say this will increase their ability to serve the community effectively.

Updated equipment is vital to first responders.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 20-year-old man faces nine felony charges associated with breaking into a home while there was an occupant inside.

Steven Voss is charged with aggravated burglary for the break-in at a home in the 2400 block of North Cleveland. He is accused of stealing golf clubs and a bike belonging to the homeowner. That was on May 16 or May 17. He’s then accused of attempting to pawn those items.

Voss is also charged with two counts of auto burglary for breaking into two vehicles and stealing various items from the owners of those vehicles. One of the burglaries occurred May 18, the other May 18 or May 19.

Other charges include criminal use of a financial card, in this case, a debit card to obtain cash. Those crimes also occurred around May 17 or May 18.

Voss remains jailed on a bond of $19,500. He will be back in court next month.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A man charged in two cases entered a plea to both Wednesday morning after the state amended the charges to a lesser severity level.

Brendon Martinez is charged with aggravated battery for striking another man on Dec. 22. It was filed as a level four felony, but the state dropped it to a lower level, meaning any sentence handed down would include less prison time.

He’s also charged with harassment by phone for an incident on Dec. 27.

Martinez will be sentenced next month.

TOPEKA, Kan. — The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) cautions people living in or near high-water areas to not be surprised if they see more wildlife than usual. Animals living near flooding bodies of water or in low-lying areas will be forced to temporarily move to other locations to survive. They could congregate on high-ground “islands,” in residential or commercial areas or around outbuildings. Residents may even find small animals in homes or outbuildings if they’re not well-sealed.

Animals such as rabbits, rodents, lizards, snakes, turtles, insects, certain birds or even larger animals such as coyotes and deer may be on the move. Here are some tips to be aware of when you spot a flood-weary animal:

Leave them alone. They need a refuge from high water and might only be passing through. They will not set out to harm you, but any animal may bite or attack in self-defense.

Small animals like lizards and snakes may congregate under shrubs, rocks and debris. Use caution and protective clothing such as long pants, gloves and sturdy shoes if you need to work in the yard or garden. Above all, do not reach blindly under rocks and debris. You don’t like surprises and neither will a sheltering animal.

Many animals can swim and may get trapped in a flooded building, so use caution when removing possessions from a flooded structure.

Do not try to feed them. Free food may encourage them to overstay their welcome.

The water will eventually recede, giving animals the opportunity to return to their former habitats, so be patient and be a good neighbor to our wildlife.

Most animals can adapt to changing weather conditions, but not all. Be aware that some animals will perish but many more are likely to survive.

Ground-nesting birds and other animals may lose their nests or burrows and their eggs or young. Many will re-nest as soon as they find proper habitat. Though it may take time, most animal populations will eventually recover.

Do not attempt to rescue animals stranded by high water, as flood waters are dangerous and can obscure serious hazards.

Keep an eye on pets to be sure they don’t tangle with displaced wildlife or chase wildlife into floodwaters.

If displaced wildlife have become a nuisance, visit the KDWPT website and find a list of wildlife damage control permit holders who may be able to assist.

TURON, Kan. — The Reno County Sheriff’s Office posted a picture of a pickup driven by an 18-year-old who didn’t realize how deep the water was Tuesday on a township road in southwest Reno County.

Reno County Sheriff Sgt. Travis Vogt says this is a case where the road was not barricaded.

“As far as the township knew, the road was still considered open and I don’t think they knew the extent of the damage,” Vogt said. “The driver was westbound on Silver Lake, there was water over the road and he committed to go westbound because that was a shorter distance. Once he got into the murky water, he realized that the hole was bigger than what he thought.”

The teen was able to get out of the truck, crawl on the top of the cab, then step on some dry land.

If you come to a road with high water — even if it’s not barricaded — your best bet is to turn around and find another route.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County Administrator Gary Meagher announced during Tuesday’s Reno County Commission meeting that a special meeting concerning the approval of the conditional use permit for NextEra has changed.

It will now be held on Thursday, June 13, at the Fox Theatre instead of the Atrium Hotel and Conference Center. Apparently, that facility is not available when the commission wanted to hold the meeting. The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m.

The commission will not get an update on protest petitions until June 11. That will be during the regular Reno County Commission meeting.

NextEra is seeking the permit to build as many as 83 wind turbines in the southeast part of Reno County.

The Reno County Planning Commission is not recommending approval of that plan, but the Reno County Commission can reject that plan and approve it anyway.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County commissioners agreed Tuesday to extend the emergency declaration for another week because of the continued flooding and the potential for more rain this week.

Emergency Management Director Adam Weishaar wants to remind residents, children and adults alike, that playing in floodwaters is dangerous. Floodwaters potentially contain raw sewage.

“We’ve had several complaints of kids playing in floodwaters. There have been adults walking through floodwaters,” Weishaar said. “With all the rain, with all the groundwater coming up, we do have a whole lot of raw sewage, we have a whole lot and field runoff, so there’s hazardous chemicals, it’s really dangerous for these people to be entering the floodwaters.”

He adds that, with the disaster declaration, it’s also illegal.

People are also still driving around barricades, which is also illegal and can result in tickets to those in violation of the declaration. Barricades are in place for public safety.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Three people were transported to the hospital after a two-vehicle accident at 4th & Hendricks Monday evening.

Martin Terraza-Molina of South Hutchinson was cited for failing to yield the right-of-way when his vehicle collided with a vehicle driven by 36-year-old Sabrina Fitch of Arlington.

Fitch and two passengers were taken to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for treatment according to police.

The accident occurred around 9:25 p.m.