Updated 7/26/18 at 4 p.m.

[ By KYLE MCCASKEY ]

[ Harvey County Public Information ]

NEWTON, Kan. — The Harvey County Sheriff’s Office has identified Mark Olsen as the man that died in a mowing accident south of Newton on Wednesday.

Olsen, 68, of Elbing, died after being pinned under a riding lawnmower around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 5800 block of South Kansas.

Olsen was mowing grass for a homeowner in the area. Olsen was mowing around a culvert when he lost control of the lawnmower, falling into the culvert. Olsen was pinned in the culvert under the lawnmower.

The culvert contained two-to-three feet of water. Olsen drowned in the water. He was found dead at the scene by first responders.

The Harvey County Sheriff’s Office, Newton Fire/EMS, Newton Police Department and Kansas Highway Patrol responded to the incident. A sheriff’s office investigation ruled the death accidental.

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ORIGINAL STORY

NEWTON, Kan. — A Harvey County man was killed in a mowing accident Wednesday afternoon three miles south of Newton.

EMS and first responders were called to the 5800 block of South Kansas Avenue around 2:30 p.m. and found a man trapped under a mower in a ditch that had 2 to 3 feet of water in it.

Officials say the man was mowing around a culvert when the mower tipped and trapped him underneath. The exact cause of death is unknown and is under investigation.

The victim’s name is not being released until family members have been notified.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — When Westar Energy announced it was closing down the four original steam turbine generators in the Hutchinson Energy Center, many thought the plant would soon close for good.

On Wednesday, the company held a ribbon cutting for its new operations and work center at the plant east of Hutchinson. The new building will be used to operate the four existing gas turbine units that are still in use. Those four generating units are also getting a major refitting at the plant. The refitting and new center cost Westar more than $25 million.

Casey Boo, Senior Director of Renewables, Gas and Oil for Westar, talked about changes at the power plant, including a new name:

 

Boo says there is still work to be done. That work includes the demolition of the old steam turbine plant:

 

With renewable energy making up 50 percent of the state’s energy needs, Boo says the Hutchinson station will be used only during peak or emergency needs:

 

Boo says the old power plant and the adjacent cooling towers will come down starting later this summer. Work will be completed in about a year.

 

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce and the University of Kansas brought school administrators and corporate leaders together on Tuesday to talk about an initiative they hope will get both sides working together to fill the skill gaps in the area’s future workforce.

Nick Jordan with the University of Kansas headed up the meeting as part of a study and series of similar meetings. He hopes the meetings will provide information to the Board of Regents and state education about what is needed to fill that gap. Jordan says the skilled workforce shortage started with a separation of the education and business sectors:

 

During the meeting, both sides seemed to feel that more needed to be done by the other to make sure students are more engaged and that opportunities exist for students to have the exposure in the workplace.

Some business leaders said that students don’t receive the problem solving skills and abilities because some school districts don’t provide enough hands-on opportunities. Educators feel that some companies aren’t engaging students in school enough mostly because labor laws prohibit such exposure. Jordan stressed the necessity for both:

 

One company in attendance was Bradburry Corporations in Moundridge. CEO David Cox talked about, not only getting students exposure to the skills needed to work, but also the other attributes an employee needs to be successful:

 

USD 308 Superintendent Gary Price, who took time to tout the school district Career and Technical Education Academy, says the district is ready to meet any challenge the business sector asks for. He hopes Chamber President Debra Teufel can get both sides together again and come up with a plan that the area schools and businesses can use to get students more engaged in learning. He would like the plan to remind students that what they are learning does have an impact on their futures.