HUTCHINSON, Kan. — It’s that time of year again for children to fill up the west parking lot of the Hutchinson Public Library for the annual Summer Celebration.

The event is set for Friday morning from 9 until 11:30. Library Director Greg Wamsley talks about the program and how it has kept the library connected to the community:

 

 

Kate Lewis, marketing director for the library, describes some of the activities planned for Friday:

 

Summer can be a critical time for children learning to read because more time is spent outdoors, meaning less time is spent sharpening reading skills. Wamsley says it’s important to keep children reading during the summer months:

 

Once the Summer Celebration is complete, the library will begin its many reading programs for children of all ages:

 

The library is also one of six locations participating in the Hutchinson USD 308 Summer Lunch Program.

BUHLER, Kan. — The Buhler City Council discussed a proposal to implement a franchise fee on utility bills during last night’s meeting. The proposal from Mayor Daniel Friesen seems to have support from the council.

According to City Clerk Merrill Peterson, the fee would be used for capital improvement projects with a majority steered toward street repairs.

The number that was tossed around by the council in the proposal was a 2.5 percent fee on the utility bill, which includes water, sewer and trash. With the city generating about $500,000 a year on utilities, the fee would mean about $15,000 a year for capital improvement projects.

Peterson says the council hopes to have an ordinance in place for action in the next month or two.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Current Kansas Secretary of State and gubernatorial candidate Kris Kobach will be in Hutchinson Thursday.

Kobach joins the long list of candidates that will speak at the regular meeting of the Reno County Republican Party.

Former State Senator Jim Barnett and Insurance Commissioner Ken Seltzer have already made an appearance in Hutchinson. Current Gov. Jeff Colyer is expected to visit in June.

Colyer and Kobach are considered nearly even in recent polling.

Thursday’s meeting is at 7 p.m. in the Shears Technology Center on the HutchCC campus.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The wheat harvest appears to have avoided serious damage from the cold snap in April. However, drought-like conditions have caused a fair share of damage in very thin fields.

Darren Busick with the Reno County Extension Service says the cold snap did not do as much damage as expected:

 

Busick says the dry, hot weather is the main concern now as the wheat heads fill in:

 

The latest from the Kansas Ag Statistics Service shows the wheat is still running 48 percent poor to very poor and just 17 percent in good-to-excellent shape.

BUHLER, Kan. — The Buhler City Council will discuss several options for building up its capital reserve fund during tonight’s regular meeting.

The council will take action on a rate increase for sewer service. Under the proposal, sewer rates would increase by about $2 per month. It’s the first rate increase in 15 years. Rates will also increase another $0.50 a year for the next three years.

Also tonight, the council will discuss a proposal from Mayor Daniel Friesen about establishing a franchise fee. The fee would be added to utility bills as a way to generate capital improvement funds for streets and other public works projects.

Mayor Friesen asked that the matter be placed on the agenda, but whether any action will be taken is not known.

Tonight’s meeting of the Buhler City Council begins at 7 p.m. in the Buhler City Building, 219 N. Main.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Correctional Facility is getting a donation of protective vests for its K-9 unit.

The Humane Society of the United States, the Humane Society Legislative Fund of Kansas, and a Leawood, Kansas, family are donating dozens of life-saving car heat alarms and K-9 ballistic vests to more than 40 police departments across the state of Kansas.

Midge Grinstead, Kansas Senior State Director for the Humane Society of the U.S., explains how the donation came about:

 

 

The donations are part of a relationship built through the Humane State Program — a three-year commitment from the Humane Society of the United States to provide training, guidance and resources to Kansas law enforcement agencies, animal control agencies, animal shelters and rescue organizations.

The two vests will be delivered to H.C.F. on Friday.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Longtime Chamber of Commerce Vice President of Membership Tom Dooley died May 18 at the age of 76.

Former Chamber President John Daveline took time to reflect on his working relationship with Dooley:

 

Daveline says Dooley was loyal to the chamber and instrumental in getting the ag community involved:

 

Services for Leonard “Tom” Dooley are set for Saturday, June 9, at 11 a.m. at the Community Church of the Brethren, 1600 N. Severance.