HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Commission held its first meeting of the year and approved the only discussion item.

Commissioners agreed to contract with Kirkham, Michael and Associates, Inc. of Ellsworth to complete the survey and design plans for the replacement of the Silver Lake Bridge located a mile north and 11.1 miles west of Pretty Prairie. The contract cost is $31,250.

Public Works Director Dave McComb wanted the contract approved as soon as possible so work could begin on the project.

The bridge has been accepted in KDOT’s Off-System Bridge Funding Program with a tentative letting date of October 2020.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — It has been an ongoing theme during Reno County Commission meetings for opponents of the wind farm plan to speak about the need for more study.

The Florida company still has not filed an application for a special use permit, which would take it before the Reno County Planning Department. County Counselor Joe O’Sullivan indicated earlier that the company would need to file on or around Jan. 15 for the issue to be on the planning commission agenda on Feb. 21.

He noted that the planning commission would need time to review the application. Time will also be needed to get the hearing ready for publication and letters sent to residents who may be affected by the project.

If the company doesn’t file soon, it could be March before it goes before the planning commission.

Spencer Jenkins with NextEra Energy was asked about the timeline for filing the application. “I have no public comments about the filing of our application at this moment,” Jenkins said.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Police Department announced Tuesday that retired Lt. Loren Snell died Monday night.

Snell started his career with Hutchinson on Oct 1, 1961, and rose to the rank of lieutenant, where he supervised the detective bureau until he retired. After his retirement, he came back to work as the evidence custodian.

He is remembered by the department as a great man who was a leader and mentor that will be sorely missed.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Fire department investigators have closed their investigation into the fire at 909 S. Main Street that occurred on New Year’s Day.

The fire resulted in the loss of the entire structure, however, some contents were salvageable.

The fire will officially be classified as undetermined, however, all indications lead to a wood-fired stove that was used to heat the building.

Investigators theorize that the chimney flue became overheated somewhere around the roof line. The origin of the fire was at the ceiling level around the heating flue. Extensive damage to that area and burned materials made it difficult to confirm beyond a reasonable doubt, so they ruled the cause as undermined.

Investigators spent two days on scene, examining the scene, sifting debris, looking over evidence and interviewing witnesses and owners.

The Hutchinson Fire Department battled sub-zero temperatures to bring this fire under control. Two buildings that burned to the north and south of the building were saved.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — It has been happening a lot recently and it’s still happening even after the Holiday season. Fake money is still being passed around at local businesses.

The latest occurring at a local McDonald’s where it reported receiving a fake 20 on Sunday.

On Friday, a local Kwik Shop made four reports of receiving fake currency. Those reports coming in around 6:30 a.m.

This has been an ongoing problem in the city since before the Christmas Holiday and it is apparently still continuing.

No arrests were made from the latest reported cases.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 24-year-old Hutchinson man was arrested in a serious domestic case on Saturday.

Dammion Williams is jailed for aggravated battery and kidnapping. He’s accused of choking and pushing his girlfriend because she wanted to leave the home on West 9th. Police say she had bruising on her neck and cheek and some abrasions on her face.

It appeaes that she tried to leave the home, but was pulled back in by Williams.

The arrest came just after 6:30 p.m. and he was also jailed for failing to appear in another case and also a violation of the conditions of parole. He was paroled for a conviction of aggravated burglary in May of last year.

His bond is set at $110,000 and he’ll be back in court next week.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 48-year-old Hutchinson man on corrections for possession of drugs and theft was arrested when police were called to a home in the unit block of South Reformatory. The resident reported a man in her yard she didn’t know.

Derrin L. Lovell was found to be in possession of methamphetamine in what police believe was sellers amount. That included three plastic bags of suspected meth and six other empty clear bags.

He faces potential charges of distribution of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Although the arrest came early Friday, he made a court appearance on Monday.

That arrest came around 4:30 a.m. that Friday morning.

His bond is set at $11,500.00, however, he also faces a probation violation and was arrested on an arrest and detain order on the drug and theft case. Judge Joe McCarville set an additional bond of $2,500 in that case.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Further falling prices at the gas pumps mean Kansas motorists continue to get good news when they fill up their tanks. At $1.93 per gallon, the state’s average gas price is now 31 cents lower than the national average, and the ninth cheapest in the U.S.

Kansas’ average gas price, which has fallen steadily for about the past three months, is now 15 percent lower than this time last year according to Triple-A Kansas.

Here in the Hutchinson area, nearly all of the stations have a price of $1.85 per gallon for regular unleaded.

According to Triple-A Kansas, this week’s Kansas gas price extremes are in Elkhart in Morton County with the highest price at $2.50 per gallon, while Galena in Cherokee County had the lowest at $1.72 per gallon.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A local business in Hutchinson has opened in a new location. Egbert Liquor is still located at 5th and Monroe but on a different corner.

The store was next to the Kwik Shop on that corner. Roy Freeman talked about the reason for the move:

 

With the larger location, Freeman says he is able to add more product and make things more accessible to customers:

 

Speaking of wine, many like to have a nice wine with special dinners or occasions. Freeman says he and his staff are there to help:

 

Egbert Liquor is open for business at 423 W. 5th on the southeast corner of 5th and Monroe.