KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A 24-year-old man faces a federal charge after he entered the country illegally.

Ramon Alejandro Magallanes-Carta is in custody and has been indicted with unlawfully re-entering the country. He had already been deported for entering the country unlawfully. He re-entered and was found Jan. 16 in Hutchinson.

If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Department of Homeland Security investigated.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — New details have been released in the case involving a 37-year-old ex-con arrested for serious charges. Marten Alan Andes is jailed for potential charges including aggravated kidnapping.

It started around 10 p.m. Tuesday when officers were called to the Sunflower Inn at 322 E. 4th for the report of an armed subject. Two employees at the motel told police they were threatened by Andes and said he put them in fear for their safety.

He also allegedly forced his girlfriend into a car at gunpoint and threatened to kill her and their 8-month-old child. According to the police affidavit read in court, he broke her cell phone and also put the gun to her head while making the threats.

They left the motel and drove to the USD 309 district offices west of Hutchinson where he allegedly fired the weapon into the air. He did the same thing later when they arrived at 2nd and Maple in Hutchinson.

They later returned to the motel and police were called again. Andes was then arrested. His girlfriend told police that the gun was in a diaper bag. Police also found methamphetamine and some drug paraphernalia.

In a first court appearance, his bond of $242,500 was left the same. Andes will be back in court once the state files formal charges.

Andes is well known to law enforcement with numerous convictions in Reno, McPherson and Pawnee counties.

---

Original story

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 37-year-old ex-con is jailed on some serious charges after a domestic issue at a local motel.

Marten Alan Andes is jailed for potential charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, criminal threat, criminal possession of a firearm, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

It started around 10 p.m. Tuesday when police were called to the Sunflower Inn at 322 E. 4th for a disturbance report. The two victims told police their safety was threatened and they were held against their will.

Andes had already left the scene when police arrived but later returned to the motel. Police were called again and Andes was arrested. Officers found meth, some drug paraphernalia and a handgun in his possession.

Andes is well known to law enforcement with numerous convictions in Reno, McPherson and Pawnee counties.

Andes is jailed on a bond of $242,500.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 37-year-old ex-con is jailed on some serious charges after a domestic issue at a local motel.

Martin Alan Andes is jailed for potential charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, criminal threat, criminal possession of a firearm, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

It started around 10 p.m. Tuesday when police were called to the Sunflower Inn at 322 E. 4th for a disturbance report. The two victims told police their safety was threatened and they were held against their will.

Andes had already left the scene when police arrived, but later returned to the motel. Police were called again and Andes was arrested. Officers found meth, some drug paraphernalia and a handgun in his possession.

Andes is well known to law enforcement with numerous convictions in Reno, McPherson and Pawnee counties.

Andes is jailed on a bond of $242,500.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A Hutchinson man who entered a plea to second-degree murder involving a fatal hit-and-run accident from 2017 may get a break when sentencing occurs Friday.

The state amended count one from first-degree murder to second-degree murder and Taylor Lukone entered no contest pleas to that charge and two others, including failing to stop at an accident and interference with law enforcement.

Part of the agreement was that he couldn’t seek a departure at sentencing, but Reno County District Judge Trish Rose has now filed notice that she intends to grant a departure even though the state and the defense agreed on a sentencing recommendation.

In a notice filed with the court, Judge Rose says she will depart from the more than 10-year maximum sentence citing the fact Lukone was only 18 at the time of the crime, doesn’t have a history of violence, has only two misdemeanor convictions for drugs, and accepted responsibility for his actions. Rose says she will allow both sides to give arguments before she makes a final decision.

The crimes occurred on Sept. 21, 2017, in the 1200 block of East 4th. Officers were called to the report of a bicyclist who had been struck by a vehicle that fled the scene. The bicyclist was later identified as 51-year-old Jose Lopez.

Lukone reportedly became angry because Lopez supposedly treated his mother and others poorly. Lukone intentionally struck Lopez, then left the scene.

Sentencing in the case is set for Friday at 2:30 p.m.

LYONS, Kan. — Syngenta announced Wednesday morning a three-year marketing agreement with Kansas Ethanol, LLC, to use Enogen corn enzyme technology at its ethanol plant in Lyons.

Enogen corn is an in-seed featuring the first biotech corn output trait designed specifically to enhance ethanol production.

Officials say this agreement will support local growers and the community.

The Kansas Ethanol facility will be accepting its first load of Enogen grain this fall.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — While the Reno County planning commission is still awaiting the application for a special use permit, a tentative date has been set to place the controversial proposal on its agenda.

According to county officials, the date is April 4, assuming NextEra files an application by Friday.

The planning commission needs time to study the proposal and send notifications to those who will be affected by the proposed wind farm.

Meanwhile, there is a proposal to have overlay zoning in the county limited to certain industrial projects in unzoned areas of the county. Even though it is before the planning commission, Commission Chair Bob Bush says it may not happen because many in those areas don’t want any kind of zoning:

 

County Counselor Joe O’Sullivan says NextEra Energy will abide by the zoning regulations even within the unzoned areas. For any other proposals that might come along in unzoned areas of the county, the commission has options:

 

The issue of overlay zoning is still in the study phase and may not be discussed until summer.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 39-year-old man was taken to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center early this morning after a one-vehicle accident.

Dustin Bright told police he struck a parked trailer on Enterprise Drive near the Siemens plant around 12:20 a.m.

He was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — USD 308 school officials are asking parents to keep their kids home if they come down with the flu or other illness, even if their child is feeling better.

Officials posted a note on Facebook asking parents to work with their physician if they suspect their child has influenza, a stomach bug or any other illness.

State regulations require a student to stay home from school for seven days if they have tested positive for influenza. School officials reminded parents that use of an anti-viral medication won’t reduce that seven-day period.

The district is stepping up its cleaning process in buildings. The district has additional bug-killing tools it can use when there are more illnesses.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Commission talked Tuesday about a couple of items concerning the Reno County Health Department, including one where the commission would back the food policy council in Reno County.

It was originally backed by the South Hutchinson City Council, but when City Administrator Matt Stiles left, that city decided against backing it.

The Food Policy Council addresses food disparities and food access issues in the county. Officials say the council is still active, but is not formally recognized by a governing body at this time.

It appears to be sustained using grant funding, but some working hours with the health department are used to keep it going. That would most likely continue. The county backing this council would make it easier to get grant funding to keep it going.

The commission is also considering an environmental health proposal to create an Engineer Evaluation policy to add septic systems on properties in the county. Officials say this would help expedite the assessment and evaluation of these systems.

The commission made no decisions on either proposal.

One item up for consideration, the annual noxious weed management plan for 2019, was tabled to a later date.