BUHLER, Kan. — More than $18,000 in grants were given at the Buhler Community Foundation’s awards program Friday evening at Buhler High School.
Grants ranging from $424 to $7,300 went to nine Buhler organizations paid from the Fund for Buhler, an unrestricted grantmaking fund that allows the foundation to address the ever-changing needs of the community.
The grants were awarded following a community dinner and address from retired Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Duane D. Thiessen, a 1969 Buhler High School graduate.
The following are this year’s recipients:
Buhler Grade PTO — $1,000 for Buhler Grade Family Community Building Events
Buhler Grade School — $1,000 for Parenting the Positive Discipline Way
Buhler Grade School — $800 for Phonics for Guided Reading
Buhler Grade School — $424 for STEAM Centers
Buhler Public Library — $3,500 for library automation
Buhler Senior Center — $430 for maintenance and improvement to equipment
The City of Buhler — $7,300 for Buhler pool shade structure
Interfaith Housing & Community Services — $2,500 for Group Missions 2020
Sunshine Meadows Retirement Community — $2,000 for high/low therapy table
ROOKS COUNTY — The Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Rooks County attorney and the Rooks County Sheriff’s Office have closed their investigation into the murder of 56-year-old Mark Reif.
The KBI stated in a news release that, following an extensive and thorough investigation, it was determined 47-year-old Jon Flowers of Inman was responsible for the murder of Reif. No evidence exists indicating any other person was involved in the crime.
Forensic testing has now been completed in this case and revealed a cartridge collected at the murder scene was fired from a pistol belonging to Flowers. Additionally, the bullet removed at autopsy from Reif was also determined to have come from the same firearm.
When Flowers was discovered dead in his home, a suicide note was nearby that claimed responsibility for killing Reif. Flowers was found dead in his home Sept. 12, a few days after he was interviewed by the KBI in connection with Reif’s death.
The preliminary autopsy of Flowers concluded that his death was the result of suicide. The KBI says the investigation is officially closed and no further information will be released.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Longtime Hutchinson Correctional Facility Warden Louis Bruce died Friday morning after a long illness. He was 75.
Bruce was the warden at HCF from 1999 until his retirement in the summer of 2007. He was instrumental in implementing numerous programs that benefited inmates and the community including the wild mustang program with the Bureau of Land Management.
One of his best-known endeavors was using inmates and prison resources to renovate Ye Old Mill ride at the Kansas State Fair, preserving a ride that would have surely been dismantled if not for Bruce’s efforts.
Services for Bruce will be Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 10 a.m. at Higher Praise Church in Sterling. Visitation is from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8, at Birzer Funeral Home in Lyons.
Burial will take place at Wise Cemetery in Winchester, Kansas, Thursday, Oct. 10, at 10 a.m.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Birzer Funeral Home in Lyons.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Museum is following up on its Hutchinson Heroes theme with a new exhibit honoring the Hutchinson Police Department.
A reception was held Thursday evening to open the exhibit. It’s the second installment in a series of exhibits that honors Hutchinson’s first responders and emergency personnel. Hutchinson Police Chief Jeff Hooper says it is great the museum is taking time to honor those who serve the area.
“I think it’s a great exhibit the museum has set up,” Hooper said. “I came and enjoyed the one for the fire department. Just the fact that the local museum is honoring the heroes of our community.”
The displays take people back to the 1800s and into present day with artifacts that came from both the museum archives and officers who donated to the cause. Museum Director Mike Ables says you will find just about everything.
“The various artifacts, it goes from the 1800s into present day and what they’ve used in the past from billy clubs to bulletproof vests and all the equipment in between,” Ables said.
Indeed, the exhibit does take you back through time, but as Hooper put it, the officer has changed along with the equipment.
“It’s not all of the outward appearance, it’s just law enforcement in general,” Hooper said. “I think we’ve advanced a lot more in technology in law enforcement. The things that are required of our officers these days . . . they’ve got to be computer experts, they have to be social workers, they’ve got to be parents who take care of kids. And they have to be tough enough to handle the worst criminals, but gentle enough to handle babies and children. So it’s just an amazing profession to be in.”
Along with several members of the police force, the two K-9 units were also on hand.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Motorists in Hutchinson need to be aware of several events going on in the city. The first is the Downtown Rod Run, which begins Friday and runs through Saturday evening. Most of the downtown area will be blocked off during the event. The other is the Salt City Half Marathon, which runs Saturday morning.
The event will have runners winding their way through residential neighborhoods. Most, if not all intersections, will be manned with a volunteer. If you come upon runners, please give way to them at intersections and obey the volunteers if they ask you to wait for a moment while runners pass.
The course will start and end at DCI Park. Runners will go south down Main to Carey Park where they will intercept the Martinez Trail. Runners will come off the trail at Rice Park and proceed down Swarens Street winding their way north through the neighborhood. From there they will turn south and run by Farmington Park and eventually down to Hyde Park. The course then turns onto Washington as runners go south toward the downtown area again.
The race starts at 7 a.m. with walkers. The official race begins at 7:30 a.m. Motorists can expect runners and walkers on the course for about four hours.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System (HRHS) announced Thursday that Wes Hoyt, chief operating officer, has been awarded the American College of Healthcare Executive’s (ACHE) Senior Executive Regent’s Award.
Hoyt joined HRHS in 2016 following a distinguished 30-year career in the United States Army where he was involved in the management of military hospitals throughout the world. In a statement from ACHE, Hoyt was commended for the significant contributions he has made to the advancement of healthcare management excellence and for achieving a number of the organization’s goals.
“Wes is a valuable member of our team and in his relatively short time with Hutch Regional his accomplishments include overseeing construction of the hospital’s new Intensive Care Unit and leading the effort to open the Orthopedic Unit within the hospital,” HRHS President and Ceo Ken Johnson said.
Criteria included in the evaluation process are leadership ability, innovative and creative management, and executive capability in developing an organization. Other factors included in the evaluation are promoting growth and stature in the community, leadership in local, state, and health association activities, and participation in civic/community activities and projects along with participation in ACHE activities.
Hoyt has been a member of ACHE for 18 years and a fellow in the organization for more than 14 years.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Planning Commission could make a decision on whether to send amendments regulating small box or dollar-type stores on to the City Council.
More study and a possible decision could come during the commission meeting on Tuesday. The purpose is to give those who shop at the dollar-type stores better choices for food items. The amendments would call for small-box stores to dedicate 10% of their retail space to such food items.
The changes which are already in place in other cities are starting to have an effect on Dollar General stores. The largest small-box chain is beginning to add fresh food options to their stores; staff wants to ensure that the residents of the city are getting at a minimum these options form the stores.
The amendments also call for conditional use permits to be filed with the planning commission allowing staff, the public and decision-makers to review each project on its unique circumstances and allow public comment on the proposal.
Tuesdays Hutchinson Planning Commission meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Hutchinson city offices.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — When there are stray cats and dogs, runaways or pets that are surrendered, the Hutchinson Animal Shelter is the entity that takes care of those animals within the city and surrounding area.
Michelle Schnabel starts the daily routine of washing out each kennel. The kennels have two compartments to allow the dogs to be isolated while the kennels are cleaned.
It is a small staff and a lot of work. Work starts early in the morning and continues throughout the morning hours until the shelter opens at noon. It includes treatment of all animals, feeding, cleaning kennels and assessing new animals that come into the shelter each day. The director of the shelter is Ronald Schlabs. He says the work each morning is never-ending and talked about a shelter technician’s day.
“Today (Destanee Brammer) is going to be our treatment tech and she’s going to do morning feeding for all of the dogs and treating those that need medications,” Schlabs said. “Any new animals that come in, she’ll take their initial assessment exams.” Those exams include checking an animal’s behavior, health and checking for a microchip if the animal is a stray.
“The biggest thing is to make sure they are healthy, so we do an overall physical exam and then they get at least their first round of shots (depending on the age of the animal),” technician Courtney Keazer said. The physical check-up includes blood tests for any disease or possible illness that could spread throughout the shelter. The shelter also provides spaying and neutering for all animals. Most area veterinarians help with this and the shelter also gets assistance from Kansas State University. “The nice part is K-State comes in every two weeks and they help us out a lot by keeping our shelter on their rotation,” Keazer said. “We have not had any issues with other veterinarians in town helping us out.”
Shelter technicians Courtney Keazer and Destanee Brammer draw blood from a kitten as part of a health assessment that is given to every animal that comes into the shelter.
The kennels for the dogs are also an area that gets attention each morning. The kennels are designed with two spaces for each dog. Those spaces can be isolated with a door. This allows employees to clean the kennels without coming in contact with the animals. The kennels are sprayed down with water and a non-toxic cleaning solution. The dogs are then fed and given medications as needed. If volunteers are available, dogs that are healthy and friendly enough are taken for walks.
Cats and kittens are a continuous challenge for the shelter. The number of cats brought in has increased this year, making things crowded. “We had a 40 percent increase in cats this year,” Schlabs said. “In August, we had 175 cats in here.” Most of those are adopted out, some are taken to other shelters and some are used for the barn cat program. The cats are too wild to adopt as pets, but are great for farms and other areas where people want to control mice. “They’re not completely feral, they’re what we call semi-feral, where they’re tolerant with people but they would not be happy living in a house,” Schlabs noted. “We have people that apply that say, ‘I have a ranch or I have acreage, I like to use a barn cat as a mouser.’ So what we do is get that cat spayed or neutered and give it a rabies shot and it is microchipped.”
The shelter also participates in the Lucky Dog program, which is part of the Hutchinson Correctional Facility and Friends of Animals in Need. Lucky dogs are rescued from the shelter and receive training from inmates at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility. The dogs are taught basic obedience commands and learn to come, sit, lay down and stay. They are housebroken, crate trained and taught to walk on a leash.
Technician Miranda Dover goes over the list of needs and history of the cats and kittens at the shelter. Each animal has a care guide that is followed each day. The average cost to care for an animal at the shelter is about $16 per day.
Inmates selected to participate in this program are given the opportunity to give back to the community by helping to train dogs that would likely be euthanized. The inmates that train the dogs are selected based on their performance in prison.
With the overflow of animals, especially kittens, the shelter also has volunteers who provide foster care. This gives kittens a chance to grow before being adopted. It also gives dogs that might become too stressed in a kennel environment some reprieve from the shelter.
The shelter does charge to adopt animals and there is a surrender fee. The fees help pay for the cost of keeping and caring for the animals, and can be about $300 to get an animal ready for adoption and about $16 per day while at the shelter. That includes about 100 pounds of cat food and 200 pounds of dog food per month. It also includes the costs of the medications needed to treat any animals brought in.
Many animals that are brought in are reconnected with their owners thanks to microchipping. The tiny chip can be read through the skin and provides information about the owner. Schlabs says it is one of the most important things a pet owner can do. “The biggest thing that’s so beneficial to microchipping is you can put a tag on a collar, they break, fall off, maybe for some reason, a person takes the collar off. There are too many ways a tag or a collar can just come off a dog,” Schlabs said. “That microchip is under the skin, it’s not going anywhere, so those are pretty much a lifetime ID on your dog.”
A stray dog is weighed as part of an overall assessment for each animal brought into the shelter. The assessment checks out health, age and social well-being.
The shelter is always looking for volunteers, foster homes and items to keep the shelter running. Items that are always needed include 55-gallon trash bags, toys, cat scratchers, dog beds, paper towels, rawhide bones, dog treats and cat litter.
If you need any information on any of the programs, call the shelter at 620-694-1924 or go to hutchinsonanimalservices.com.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) revealed a new website aimed at increasing the public’s involvement with Kansas missing person cases. The website includes four cases in Reno County.
The new missing persons website can be viewed at www.kbi.ks.gov/missingpersons. Unlike several national or nonprofit missing persons sites, the search tool is specific to missing persons cases that originated in Kansas. The website provides a current and comprehensive listing of all those reported missing throughout Kansas.
The four cases in Reno County include two runaways, one missing person from Texas and John Krafft, who has been missing for 27 years.
According to Hutchinson police, Krafft was reported missing by his mother after friends and family had not heard from him for several days. That was in December of 1992. At one time, it was thought Krafft was in Colorado, but DNA taken from a family member showed that it was not him. That was in 2011. Since then, some things have come up, but the now 47-year-old has not been found.
The other cases involve two runaways. Seventeen-year-old Emily Cox and 15-year-old Canyenn Mcallaster have been missing since April of this year. Hutchinson police hope the new website will provide more information on runaways.
The fourth person is Tim Crowe, whose family in Hutchinson filed a missing person case after authorities in Texas refused to do so. Crowe has been missing since August of 2017.
The new site allows for searches by a missing person’s name or by Kansas county. Users of the site can search based on demographics such as name, gender, age, or the date the missing person was last seen. When using the site, individuals are able to submit tips, information and sightings directly to the KBI. Anonymous tips are encouraged as well. Once information is reported, the KBI will either evaluate and investigate the information or forward the lead to the law enforcement agency that is investigating the missing person case.
The new website also features recommendations for how to report someone who has gone missing. It includes valuable safety information and resources. The site also has links to the Kansas AMBER Alert and Silver Alert websites. The site also uses a nationwide DNA database to help locate missing persons.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — TECH announced Tuesday that The Link housing complex has been awarded the Kansas Ad Astra Award for excellence in housing. The award ceremony took place during the Kansas Housing Conference in Wichita.
The Link is comprised of 12 units for residents 55 and older. There are 17 units set aside for residents with developmental disabilities. The $3.9 million construction project was funded with tax credits. The building features one- and two-bedroom apartments, a community room for residents, washer/dryer and full kitchen packages, as well as a rooftop green space.
Through TECH’s relationship with Manske & Associates, this affordable housing complex was developed to provide opportunities for people of all abilities to continue to make downtown Hutchinson a great place to live, work and play.
