HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County clerk’s office will hold advance voting at two locations Wednesday and Thursday.
Advance voting can be done at the Hutchinson Community College student union Wednesday, Aug. 1, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. On Thursday, Aug. 2, voters can cast their ballots at the Wesley Towers chapel.
The clerk’s office will also be open on Saturday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Any ballot that was mailed out must be postmarked by Tuesday, Aug. 7, or returned to the clerk’s offices by 7 p.m. election night.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Enrollment for Hutchinson USD 308 and Nickerson USD 309 is Wednesday, Aug. 1.
Families new to USD 308 are invited to walk-in enrollment at the district’s pre-kindergarten through 8th grade buildings from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at each building. Hutchinson High School walk-in enrollment will be held Aug. 6 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The district’s all-day four-year-old program will be at Avenue A School, 111 S. Madison St., in 2018-19, and families with pre-kindergarten students can enroll in the gymnasium there.
Enrollment in USD 308 will be held at the student’s school from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Online enrollment is also available for both new and current students in the district. Classes for pre-K through 8th grade in Hutchinson and all students in Nickerson begin Aug. 16. HHS will start classes Aug. 17.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — U.S. Senator Jerry Moran has introduced an amendment in the Senate that would maintain Amtrak train services along the established, long-distance passenger rail route of the Southwest Chief.
According to a release from the senator’s media staff, the amendment would set aside resources for maintenance and safety improvements along the route and would compel Amtrak to fulfill its promise of matching funding for the successful TIGER IX discretionary grant supported by the Kansas Department of Transportation and local communities along the route.
It would also reverse Amtrak’s decision to substitute rail service with bus service over large segments of the route. Amtrak made the proposal earlier this spring that would have bused passengers from Dodge City to Albuquerque, New Mexico — a decision many saw as the first step in eliminating the route all together.
Five years ago, Amtrak threatened to move the Chief off the line unless states chipped in to renovate the BNSF line that only Amtrak uses. Since then, states and cities along the route secured three grants and invested large sums of money to make the needed repairs.
If all goes as planned, the amendment will receive a vote on Thursday as the Senate continues consideration of its appropriations bills, specifically the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Two more companies with a strong presence in Hutchinson release their quarterly earnings Tuesday. Arconic and Archer Daniels Midland are slated to release second-quarter 2018 results before the opening bell.
Arconic’s adjusted earnings of 34 cents per share for the first quarter of 2018 topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 32 cents, translating into a 6.3 percent positive surprise. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ADM in second-quarter earnings is pegged at 76 cents, mirroring year-over-year growth of 33.3 percent.
ADM operates five elevators in Hutchinson and employs around 55 workers, while Arconic’s finishing facility has a workforce of around 75 employees.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Food Bank Fill the Gap lunch program is underway in Hutchinson.
The program is put in place to fill the space between the end of the Hutchinson USD 308 summer lunch program and the start of school. Summer lunches in USD 308 ended on Friday.
Lunches are served at the Salvation Army headquarters at 700 N. Walnut from noon until 1 p.m.
For more information, contact the Reno County Food Bank at 620-665-4076.
BUHLER, Kan. — After a one-month delay, the Buhler City Council will once again take action on proposed franchise fees for city utilities during Tuesday’s meeting.
The matter was tabled last month because certain people behind the proposal were not available. The proposal would add a 2.5 percent fee on the city utility bill, which would generate around $15,000 per year for infrastructure improvements.
Also Tuesday, the council will seek approval of the budget for the next year and set a public hearing date. The council will also hear a presentation of the proposed water main extension project and go over bids for the extension.
Tuesday’s meeting of the Buhler City Council begins at 7 p.m. in the Buhler city offices at 219 N. Main.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Amtrak’s wishes to cut back or eliminate long-distance train service will not go down without a fight.
Kansas Senator Jerry Moran joined a group of bipartisan senators from states spanning the country in urging Amtrak to uphold its public-private partnership to continue operating the Southwest Chief passenger train and long-distance passenger service, particularly through rural communities.
The letter was also signed by Pat Roberts. The letter was sent to Amtrak President and CEO Richard H. Anderson and expresses deep concern that Amtrak is considering suspending operation of the Southwest Chief passenger train and is focusing on a plan to replace long-distance train service along the route with bus service.
Amtrak’s SW Chief makes a stop in Newton July 27.
The Southwest Chief stops in several Kansas communities including Hutchinson, Lawrence, Topeka, Newton, Dodge City and Garden City.
Amtrak came under fire recently when it announced cuts in service then reneged on $3 million in matching funds from a TIGER grant that was approved in New Mexico for renovation of the Southwest Chief line. It was five years ago that Amtrak threatened to move the Chief off the line unless states chipped in to renovate the BNSF line that only Amtrak uses. Since then, states and cities along the route secured three grants and invested large sums of money to make the needed repairs.
Amtrak says a drop in ridership is the reason for eliminating a part of the Chief route, although ridership fell by just 2,000 last year to 363,000 passengers.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The earnings session continues Friday when Siemens Gamesa releases its third quarter numbers overnight.
The world’s largest wind turbine maker saw orders increase during the second quarter, although sales dropped by 29 percent to $2.6 billion. The company did see a strong profit margin at $41.7 million following a loss in the first quarter.
The company recently ramped up production in Hutchinson and called back a number of workers that were laid off last fall.
Metals company Arconic and grain giant ADM release their second quarter numbers on Tuesday.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Cosmosphere will host a star observing party tomorrow evening. The event begins at 9:30 p.m. in the museum’s grassy lawn adjacent to the south parking lot.
Calib Gimar with the Cosmosphere says the event will have something special for onlookers:
The Cosmosphere will be using its 16-inch diameter telescope to see Mars and the other planets. Guests are free to bring their own telescopes as well.
If the weather doesn’t cooperate, the event will be moved to Saturday at 9:30 p.m.
SOUTH HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The South Hutchinson Police Department will once again participate in the National Night Out event. This year’s gathering will be Tuesday, Aug. 7.
Keith Zerger of the South Hutchinson Police Department explains what the National Night Out event is all about:
The night will also include crime prevention information and other activities. The event runs from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the South Hutchinson Community Center at 101 W. C Ave.
Wednesday and Thursday.
