HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Kansas State Fair will have plenty of new things to see as the Great Kansas Get Together is now a little more than three months away.

With the State Fair Sales tax bill now law, board members settled in to hear about the many new things coming to the fair this year during their regular meeting Tuesday.

One new twist to the fair this year is a special event each day. Foodie Fest and Dillons Dollar Day will return, along with a similar event each day. Making Day will feature things made in Kansas; Team Spirit Day encourages visitors to wear their favorite team jersey; and Go Big or Go Home will encourage patrons who have looked over all of the vendors items to purchase one and take it home with them.

The fair will also feature LED screens. The screens will provide better viewing at concerts and give a rundown of schedules and events near the White House and show barns.

The fair will also have special presentations from Encore, Inc., which will do a laser light show after the first weekend concerts.

Interim GM Bob Moeder says the fair is heading for a possible record year when it comes to sponsorship. Exhibitor and concert ticket sales are up 114 percent from this time last year.

The Kansas State Fair begins Sept. 7.

NICKERSON, Kan. — As the Nickerson USD 309 School Board gave approval to several capital improvement projects during last night’s board meeting, work behind the scenes for a possible facilities improvement bond issue continued.

The district has formed a steering committee and an architect has worked on a study that the committee and district will continue to overlook.

Superintendent Dr. Dawn Johnson says the district is being very deliberate. Any decision on a bond issue may be as much as 18 months away.

Until then, she says they want to gather as much information as possible and then present that to the district patrons. They also hope a new district website will help bring minutes from committee meetings and information to the public as a decision draws near.

The district is looking to expand space at South Hutchinson Elementary School, as well as make improvements to Nickerson High School.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Many think of active shootings happening just in schools, which has unfortunately become all too common. But it has also happened in businesses and churches, forcing many to take action to ensure employee and visitor safety. Hutchinson Regional Medical Center announced it will undergo active shooter training later this week.

Clinical staff at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center will participate in two days of training scheduled for May 24-25. Ken Johnson, President and CEO of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System, said the Active Shooter Response Training was not precipitated by threats or suspicious activity within the hospital campus, but is what he termed “proactive training.”

The Hutchinson Police Department will assist the HMRC Security staff with the training. Three police officers will be on site at all times during the two-day training event. The training runs from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a break over the noon hour. It is not open to the public.