MCPHERSON, Kan. — A 17-year-old arrested in the shooting death of a man in McPherson earlier this week may be tried as an adult.
McPherson County Attorney Greg Benefiel will seek to try the 17-year-old as an adult in the murder of 22-year-old Jordan Krell of Canton.
Benefiel made the motion at a hearing Thursday afternoon in McPherson County District Court. Noah Bratcher has been charged with first-degree murder, burglary, theft and possession of stolen property in connection with the shooting at Mustang Mobile Park. Police found Krell, lying in an empty lot, dead of an apparent gunshot wound around 12:25 a.m. in the 400 block of Dales Draw.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — There’s always been discussion about the Hutchinson City Council moving meetings to the evening hours so more residents can attend. After discussion, the council decided to move the last meeting of the month to evenings for a trial period. That experiment begins Monday as the council will hold its regular agenda session Tuesday.
It is a light agenda for the council as it will consider bids for the demolition of a building at 220 W. 6th Ave.
Also Tuesday, the council will consider a professional services agreement with Burns McDonald for monitoring the two pollution sites at the old Obee Road landfill and the 4th and Carey water pollution area. The cost of the service is $96,000.
The council will seek approval for a new contract with Stutzman Refuse for a new recycling awards program after the original program with Recyclebank ended. The new contract would be taken over by Stutzman Refuse, which handles the city’s trash service. All award points in place by residents would be honored
Tuesday’s meeting of the Hutchinson City Council begins at 5:30 p.m. in the city council chambers.
SOUTH HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Workers continue to replace culverts along Haven Road. Starting Monday, a two-mile stretch of Haven Road will be closed from U.S. 50 to Stroud.
Weather permitting, the road should open again by the end of the day Tuesday, June 19.
As always, those with questions regarding this — or any other — project can contact Reno County Public Works at 620-694-2976.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — With rain in the forecast for the start of next week, many farmers will try to get their wheat harvest to the elevator in the next couple of days.
The hot, windy weather should get farmers back in the field after rains and high humidity slowed the harvest just as it was getting started. Lee Burgess with Central Prairie Coop in Sterling says that cutting should ramp up today with highs forecast near 100.
Few reports of yields have come in, but Burgess says he’s heard anywhere from 5 to 50 bushels per acre. Test weights continue to hold up at around 58 to 60 pounds.
The latest forecast from the Kansas Ag Statistics Service has the total harvest at 270 million bushels, down 19 percent from last year. Average yield is forecast at 37 bushels per acre.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson fire crews responded to 3301 Thunderbird Drive for a structure fire around 6:10 this morning.
Crews arrived to find heavy smoke and flames pushing out of a bedroom window from the residential home. The blaze caused extensive damage to the home. Four individuals were able to escape the blaze, although one injury was reported.
Hutchinson fire investigators remained on scene throughout the morning to determine the cause of the fire.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — It’s already law, but the ceremonial signing of the Kansas State Fair sales tax bill was held on the fairgrounds Wednesday afternoon.
The event was held in the domestic arts building with a large crowd of residents, dignitaries and local politicians. Gov. Jeff Colyer was present for the ceremonial signing.
The ceremony also included remarks from Interim GM Bob Moeder, Chamber President Debra Teufel, Reno County Commissioner Ron Hirst and Virginia Crossland-Macha, President of the Fair Board.
Teufel spoke about the fair’s importance to the local economy:
Gov. Jeff Colyer also spoke before the ceremonial signing:
He talked with the media after the bill signing about his feelings toward the state fair:
The funds will go to the fair’s CIP fund. Based on the events that come to the fairgrounds each year, it has the potential to generate as much as $400,000 per year.
ORIGINAL STORY
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — It’s already law, but the ceremonial signing of the Kansas State Fair sales tax bill will be held at the fairgrounds Wednesday afternoon.
The event begins at 4 p.m. at the domestic arts building. The ceremony will include remarks from Interim GM Bob Moeder, Chamber President Debra Teufel and Hutchinson Mayor Steve Dechant, as well as Virginia Crossland-Macha, President of the Fair Board.
The official signing and remarks from Gov. Jeff Colyer are set for 5 p.m. followed by a cake cutting.
The new law signed last month will allow the fair to collect the sales tax it generates. The funds will go to the fair’s CIP fund. The fair is expected to collect about $400,000 in revenue from the new law each year.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Kansas Association of School Boards Summer Advocacy Tour will visit Hutchinson this Thursday. The tour begins at 10 a.m. at Hutchinson Career and Technical Education Academy, 800 15th Circle.
District Spokesman Ray Hemman gave the reasons for the tour stop:
Hemman says it’s also an opportunity to make sure administrators know all that is happening in Topeka. They will also have a chance to meet current and potential legislators:
KASB has prepared a new publication that details the state of Kansas schools and student achievement.
SOUTH HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A bridge in northeast Reno County will be out of use for an extended period of time after a large wheat cart fell through the deck and into the North Fork Blaze Creek yesterday.
Don Britton of Reno County Public Works says the single-axle cart was way too much for the 91-foot wooden structure to handle. He expressed frustration that people aren’t paying attention to, or simply disregarding, weight limits on the spans they are crossing.
Britton said it’s too early to tell if the bridge will be replaced or not. The structure is maintained by Reno County and shared by McPherson County.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — First District Congressman Roger Marshall will be in Hutchinson on Monday.
Marshall will pay a visit to the Hutchinson Public Library to learn more about the summer lunch program put on by Hutchinson USD 308.
Marshall is expected to visit around noon. The district offers free lunches at six locations around Hutchinson, including the library. Last year, the district served nearly 25,000 meals.
Marshall also plans to visit the Hutchinson Clinic to learn more about the drug take-back program and opioid program. He will also pay a visit to the Salvation Army to look over the friendship meals program.
