HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Cosmosphere will be offering extended hours until 7 p.m. from March 9 through March 17.
Spring break visitors will have the opportunity to visit with docents in the Hall of Space Museum on Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout Spring break (March 13-23).
Docent-guided tours through the museum will also be available on Saturday, March 16, at 12 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Through the remainder of March, the Cosmosphere will be collecting non-perishable food items for the Reno County Food Bank. While many donations come to the food bank over the holidays, the need in our community continues throughout the entire year. You can help families in Reno County who struggle with hunger by donating canned goods at the Cosmosphere through the end of the month.
TOPEKA, Kan. — The Kansas Department of Transportation approved bids for state highway construction and maintenance projects in Kansas. The letting took place Feb. 20 in Topeka.
The only project work in this area is in Stafford County at the U.S. 50/U.S. 281 junction. This includes intersection improvements.
Venture Corporation of Great Bend was awarded the contract for $5.2 million.
Severe Weather Awareness Week is a chance to review weather procedures for the spring storm season. This week, HutchPost.com will review various types of severe weather and how you can be safe if such weather approaches. We’ll cover a different topic each day to keep you informed.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A lot of agencies work hard to keep you safe and informed during severe weather season.
The National Severe Storms Forecast Center in Norman, Oklahoma, will issue the watches across the country as well as in our area. The National Weather Service will issue any warnings for severe thunderstorms, tornadoes or flooding.
Although the NWS has radar, it also depends on spotters and emergency management offices to gather the information for public consumption.
Spotters are one of the most important components for covering severe weather because they are the eyes on the ground for the weather service, emergency management and even emergency agencies.
Scott Roberts is one of those storm spotters used by the Wichita National Weather Service Office. He also has his own website: ksstorm.info. He admits that a good part of his job is getting to the storm’s location.
He admits that, most of the time, it’s boring just getting to a location across south-central Kansas, but says there is a serious side too.
“The real reason I’m out there is to provide information to the National Weather Service, ground truth from underneath the storm,” Roberts said. “Unless there is somebody underneath that storm telling the weather service what they’re seeing, the weather service doesn’t know what’s happening between that radar beam and the ground.” He calls it ground truth.
Radar can indicate where possible rotation of winds, large hail and the intensity of the rains are located, but spotters are still needed to gather that ground truth.
When storms strike in Reno County, an Emergency Operations Center is opened.
Todd Strain, an emergency management specialist, says the center is opened to receive information. “We can receive reports here from our spotters out in the field and relay that information to the National Weather Service,” Strain said.
Strain also explained how that information is used locally. “If (the storm) gets large enough that we need to coordinate a response, say a particular part of the county has been hit, we already know about it and we can begin to send responders to that area to help mitigate whatever is happening.”
Hutch Post and Eagle Communications have radar to help warn you about approaching storms. Warnings pop up on the radar as they are issued, making it easy to get information online and on air quickly.
The best thing residents can do is pay attention to all watches and warnings. Storms can form quickly and strike your area. Have a plan for safety with your family, have an emergency kit including water and some non-perishable food. Have a battery operated radio or storm radio so you can stay informed about what’s happening.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The state has charged two Hutchinson Correctional Facility inmates with battery of corrections officers.
Mark Anthony Baker, 33, is charged with battery of a corrections officer for an incident on Dec. 6, 2018. He is also charged with trafficking contraband for having what was described as a homemade stabbing weapon.
Christopher LyonsMark Baker
Baker is serving time for numerous convictions out of Labette County including first-degree murder, abuse of a child, theft, obstruction, possession of drugs and paraphernalia. The cases go back to 2011.
Christopher Lyons is also charged with battery of a corrections officer for a case on Jan. 19, 2019. Lyons is accused of attacking the officer while he was performing duties at the prison.
Lyons is serving time for aggravated assault, battery and violating the offender registration act. His crimes occurred in Sedgwick County in 2013 and 2016.
Both made an appearance in Reno County District Court this week.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Wall of Honor at Hutchinson High School continues to expand. If district staff continue to do their jobs well, the wall will never be complete.
Hutchinson High School and the HHS Alumni Association are working on the Wall of Honor as a team.
Officials say the group is currently searching for nominees. A nominee has to be a Hutchinson High School graduate and have graduated at least 10 years before the nomination. The nominee must have attained a high level of achievement in at least one of the following areas: Personal and/or professional life, community service and demonstrated that education is a life-long experience.
Nominees will not be discriminated on the basis of race, creed, religion, sex, nationality, and disability, economic or marital status. The award may be bestowed on individuals posthumously.
Nominations are due March 31 and forms are available in the Hutchinson High School office at 810 E. 13th Ave., or online at hutchhighalumni.com/people/. The nomination form requires basic biographical information, including lists of volunteer activities, special awards received and any supporting documentation, such as newspaper clippings.
Additionally, the person making the nomination must write a paragraph explaining why the nominee deserves the honor.
A selection committee comprised of two students, one Hutch High administrator, two HHS teachers, and three HHS Alumni Association members will pick three alumni to add to the wall. All nomination forms will be kept on file and eligible for two years.
The three new Wall of Honor alumni will be honored in a series of events surrounding the 2019 Hutch High homecoming football game. Honorees who live outside the immediate area will need to make their own travel plans.
Each winner will receive a personal plaque and another plaque will be permanently mounted inside Hutchinson High School.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Police are investigating an aggravated robbery of a Kwik Shop early Thursday morning. An employee of the store at 43rd and Plum reported being robbed around 1:23 a.m.
According to police, a male suspect came into the store and had his body and face covered up. He demanded cash from the 63-year-old employee. She complied and the suspect got away with an undetermined amount of cash. “He never showed a weapon, but could still have had one,” Police Lt. Dustin Loepp said.
Police were looking at video from the store to see if it might provide some clues to who the suspect may be. No arrests have been made.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Police Department announced on its Facebook page an incentive for those who may want to become an officer. The department is offering a $2,500 hiring bonus.
A non-certified applicant will receive $1,500 when hired, $500 upon completion of the law enforcement academy and $500 upon completion of the field training program.
The department is looking for qualified applicants that share HPD’s core values of honesty, integrity and professionalism.
Severe Weather Awareness Week is a chance to review weather procedures for the spring storm season. This week, HutchPost.com will review various types of severe weather and how you can be safe if such weather approaches. We’ll cover a different topic each day to keep you informed.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Most people know the destruction tornadoes can cause when they hit any given area. Tornadoes can destroy buildings, flip cars and create deadly flying debris.
Tornadoes are violently rotating columns of air that extend from a thunderstorm to the ground. Tornadoes can happen anytime, anywhere and bring winds as strong as 300 mph.
Tornado north of Hutchinson in 2015.
How does a tornado form?
Bob Smedbeck is the senior meteorologist with AccuWeather, he explains that when the seasons transition from winter to spring and even summer, the surface can be warm and humid at the surface, but cooler aloft.
With the warm air at the surface and colder air aloft, “that creates an unstable air mass and the bigger the difference, the faster the warm air rises. With the right amount of moisture and maybe a jet stream coming from the southwest, they can develop thunderstorms. Sometimes they can form into supercells where giant storms can sometimes drop large hail and a tornado,” Smedbeck said.
Tornado damage is assessed using the Enhanced Fajita Scale. Based on what damage is seen, that gives storm investigators indications on how strong the winds were during the storm.
The scale goes from F-0 to F-5. F-5 is the strongest with winds as high as 300 mph.
Smedbeck says tornadoes can strike anywhere and no one is immune. “Even an F-0 can be deadly,” Smedbeck said. He also expects this year to be much more active for severe storms with tornadoes.
What should you do to prepare for a possible tornado?
First, have a plan with your family for what to do if you should be in danger from one of these storms.
If a tornado warning is issued for the immediate area, you should find safety in a sturdy building, with a safe room, basement or storm cellar. If you are in a building with no basement, then get to a small interior room on the lowest level and stay away from windows, doors and outside walls.
If you are driving, do not get under an overpass or bridge. You are safer in a low, flat location.
Watch out for flying debris that can cause injury or death. Use your arms to protect your head and neck. Do not try to outrun a tornado in a vehicle.
You should also know the signs of a tornado, including a rotating, funnel-shaped cloud; an approaching cloud of debris; or a loud roar — similar to a freight train.
If you are in a car or outdoors and cannot get to a building, cover your head and neck with your arms and cover your body with a coat or blanket, if possible.
When a tornado watch is issued, you should monitor media and keep tabs on the weather. That gives you time to plan.
Use text messaging or social media to communicate with family and friends.
Be careful during clean-up. Wear thick-soled shoes, long pants and work gloves.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A fight between two roommates landed both in jail Tuesday night. Police were called to an apartment in the 700 block of East 5th.
Kenneth Purnell, 36, and Jonathan Woodruff, 28, got into a physical fight. Purnell eventually threw a broken broom handle that struck Woodruff in his groin. Purnell started to leave when Woodruff allegedly used a pocket knife and stabbed Woodruff in the back near his right shoulder and caused a minor wound.
Purnell was jailed on a $500 bond and charged with battery. Woodruff was jailed on a $25,000 bond for an aggravated battery charge.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Dillons has started charging customers a fee when they request cash back after a purchase.
Dillons started charging the fee Monday. There is now a notice at the register telling customers they can receive as much as $300 back in cash with their debit card when making a purchase.
The fee is 50 cents for anything under $100. There is a $1.50 fee for anything between $100 to $199.99 and a $3 fee for anything between $200 to $300.
