SOUTH HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Culvert replacement work continues along Haven Road this week. Reno County Public Works announced that Haven Road will be closed between Eales and Stroud Road starting Wednesday.
The area is located about five miles north of Haven.
If all goes as planned, the road should be open again by the end of the day Thursday.
SOUTH HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The annual Kansas 4-H State Wheat Expo is set for Aug. 2 from 9 a.m.
to 3 p.m. at the Community Center in South Hutchinson.
The event is open to all 4-H family members, 4-H leaders and extension staff. Deryl Waldren with the K-State Research Center in Colby talked about the importance of keeping people connected to the state’s number one farm crop:
There will be eight contests open to youth members with cash prizes and ribbons awarded. Waldren listed the various categories:
Registration for the event is $6 per person and pre-registration is required by July 22 to ensure an accurate meal count and tour divisions. For additional questions, contact Deryl Waldren at 785-462-6281 or email dwaldren@ksu.edu.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The City of Hutchinson has implemented a new billing system that began operation Tuesday. City Manager John Deardoff commented on the software upgrade:
To view statements or pay a bill online, residents must sign up on the city’s website at waterbill.hutchgov.com. If residents sign up before Sept. 1, the city will offer a $5 credit.
If residents have provided a voided check, their current payment option will continue and customers won’t be required to provide another voided check. If residents signed up online for payments to be automatically charged to a debit or credit card, they will need to sign up again as the information does not transfer to the new website.
Deardoff says implementation of the new program has been a long process. He hopes the public will understand there could be a few glitches at the start:
The new system provides a number of options to pay, including ACH/automatic payment, by phone at 620-694-2621, or online at waterbill.hutchgov.com. Residents can also deposit checks or money orders at the 24-hour drop off at City Hall or by mail at P.O. Box 1567.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — As the budget process gets into full swing, the Hutchinson City Council will look over its proposed capital improvement projects during a study session Tuesday morning.
City Manager John Deardoff listed some of the projects the council will discuss:
The proposed capital outlay budget totals nearly $25.1 million.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The wheat harvest is slowly getting underway in the area. Wet fields have kept farmers from cutting, although some have been able to bring in a few loads.
Test weights have been better than expected. Calls to elevators in Pretty Prairie and reports from Partridge, Sterling and Nickerson show test weights still running around 60 pounds per bushel, with moisture still running between 12 and 12.5 percent. Yields are about what most expected, with lows running around 12 bushels-per-acre to a high of around 30.
Central Prairie Coop reported that the first wheat tested for protein levels registered around 12.5 to 13, which is average to a little above average.
Most elevators report sporadic cutting, but with hot weather in the forecast, things could really pick up as fields continue to dry.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Gubernatorial candidate Jim Barnett was in Hutchinson Friday.
Barnett took time to talk about state income and sales tax, which are becoming hot topics among Republican candidates:
Barnett also recently announced that his wife, Rosie Hansen, will be his running mate. Hansen talked about her decision to join her husband in his campaign:
Barnett also made stops in McPherson, Salina and Manhattan Friday.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Republican 104th District House candidate Paul Waggoner announced Thursday that Mennonite Friendship Communities CEO Lowell Peachey has accepted the position as treasurer for his campaign.
The campaign also announced its first Coffee Talk with voters. It will be Saturday
from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Sunny’s Café — located at the Sunshine Meadows Retirement Community in Buhler.
Waggoner, who is running against incumbent Steven Becker, says future talks will be scheduled in both Hutchinson and Buhler at area coffee shops as the Aug. 7 primary election draws closer.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A Hutchinson man who was severely injured when he was hit by a drunk driver in Oklahoma has been denied workers’ compensation after a ruling from the Kansas Supreme Court.
Jesse Atkins was on a work crew for Webcon, Inc. when he was hit by a vehicle as he walked from a bar back to his hotel room in June of 2009. Atkins suffered serious injuries. He had a leg amputated and lost a finger, among other injuries.
The question was whether Atkins was entitled to workers’ compensation for being on a traveling work crew even if he was not actually on the job. While travel to and from a job site could be included as part of actual work, walking from a restaurant or bar back to his hotel room was not. After being denied compensation, Atkins went before the Court of Appeals to plead his case in January of 2016.
The Court of Appeals stated that the facts demonstrate Atkins was not going to or coming from work when he was injured. While at the bar, Atkins was not fulfilling a work-related duty. While walking from the bar back to his hotel room in the early morning hours, Atkins was not on the way to assuming any of the duties of his employment.
The Supreme Court affirmed the ruling.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — School lunch and breakfast prices will remain the same for the next school year if a proposal is approved by the Hutchinson USD 308 School Board during Monday’s agenda session.
The USDA previously required schools to follow guidelines when establishing school meal prices. The requirement is exempt if the school food service account is in good standing. Since the USD 308 food service is financially healthy, meal prices will stay as they are.
That means breakfast will cost $1.40 for all grades, with lunch prices at $2.35 for elementary schools, $2.50 for middle school students and $2.70 for high school students.
Monday’s meeting of the Hutchinson School Board begins at 6 p.m. in the administration center at 1520 N. Plum.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A local business is working to relocate to a new building on West 5th and Monroe.
The owner of Egbert Liquor is making plans to construct a new building adjacent to the small existing one on the southeast corner of the intersection. Owner Roy Freeman says they will build a new retail space and use the existing building for storage. Plans are to break ground by Aug. 1 and be in business by Dec. 1.
His plans for the new retail space will go before the city planning commission. Freeman wants to utilize the alleyway on Monroe as the entrance for the business.
Freeman needs to relocate because of Kwik Shop’s expansion next door.
EDITOR’S NOTE: A previous version of this story listed the wrong intersection. The new location will be at 5th & Monroe.
