HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A longtime advocate for persons with disabilities in the Hutchinson area has been recognized for her efforts.
Prairie Independent Living Resource Center’s Executive Director Chris Owens has been awarded the Region VII Advocacy Award from the National Council on Independent Living for her advocacy work.
Owens has been at the forefront of the local disability rights movement since 1997, providing insight and leadership to the community.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A special dedication was held at the Reno County Veterans Memorial in South Hutchinson Thursday night.
A special lamp was lit at the memorial to honor those missing in action. It will always burn to remember those who never came home from the field of battle.
Mac McGaughey of the American Legion says it all started with his wife and an idea to raise money selling a very special T-shirt. The RED shirts, as they are called, stand for “Remember Everyone Deployed.” “My wife designed, produced and sold almost $4,000 worth of shirts,” McGaughey said. “That money was to go to the American Legion Post Auxiliary with an earmark for this lamp. The lamp we’re dedicating tonight is to go with the wall.”
McGaughey feels the lamp carries one of the more important messages on the memorial. “We put this up in hopes this flame will shine on its POW wall and remind people of the lost souls that are still out there someplace and keep them in our hearts and prayers,” McGaughey said. “We have a tendency to forget and this nation has always said we’ll never forget and sometimes we still do.”
McGaughey says 1,095 soldiers are still missing from Kansas from World War II, 100 soldiers are missing from the Korean War and 24 veterans from Vietnam.
The memorial is still raising funds for the third and final phase of the memorial. That phase will fund the plaques that will carry the names of more than 15,000 Reno County veterans.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — When the Hutchinson Police Department held Thursday’s swearing-in ceremony for four new officers, the department stressed that it is a family. That rings a little more true for new officer Hunter Ogburn. His father is Sgt. Cory Ogburn, a 25-year veteran of the force.
“I’ve always wanted and looked into a career in law enforcement,” Hunter said. “I saw a hiring date that was coming up, so I went for it.”
Sgt. Ogburn says the decision made by his son came after a lot of interaction.
“There were several very lengthy discussions,” Ogburn said. “I wanted him to have the knowledge he needed to make the proper decision. I think he did and he’ll be good at it.”
The elder Ogburn says his experience will be something that he can pass down to his son over a period of time.
“Twenty-five years of experience is hard to summarize in a couple of sentences. I’m sure he’ll have a lot of questions of me and I’ll be more than willing to tell him everything that I can to help him out.”
For Hunter, it’s now on to the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center. “It’s been amazing, making new friends. We’re going to be spending the next four months at the academy and basically just meeting people that I already know . . . and meeting new people along the way.”
The younger Ogburn says he’s looking forward to becoming a part of something his father has done for so long.
“I’m honored to follow in his footsteps,” Hunter said. “After 25 years of serving in the police department, I finally get to do the same thing.”
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Police Department added four new members to the force along with a new 911 dispatcher and service aide during a swearing-in ceremony Thursday morning.
The four new recruits are Andrew Nunnelley, David Mancillas, Jesse Jones and Hunter Ogburn. During the ceremony, Capt. Thad Pickard had a special message for the new recruits’ family and friends.
“When we have a family, friends, and co-workers here, the reason we do that is because we need you to hold their people accountable,” Pickard said. “Everyone in this department needs to be held accountable, all the way from the chief to the new guy.”
The four additions are part of the continued effort to bring the department up to full force.
Also Thursday morning, the department swore in new 911 Dispatcher Kylee Mardock and Police Service Aide Mason Cooper.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Coffee at the Cosmo stayed a little closer to earth this month.
The guest speaker was Frank Berry, who is the Flight Director for “Doc,” one of just two flying B-29s in the world. The bomber was used late in World War II and has close ties to Wichita.
“Doc is a Wichita-built B-29, December of 1944, so it has a direct connection with Wichita,” Berry said. “Wichita was the primary production facility for Boeing in World War II. The plane was found rotting in the California desert before being brought back to Kansas where volunteers spent their time bringing the plane back to life. Having it come back home and having it restored in Wichita and the community chipping in and helping restore it and provide materials . . . it’s really just a nice Wichita gem.”
As the project was completed, the aircraft needed a home and the Cosmosphere played a role in that project. “It was really an honor when Doc’s Friends reached out to the Cosmosphere to produce the exhibitory and some of their initial education program,” Jim Remar, Cosmosphere president, said. “The history of the B-29 in Wichita, as well as the tie to the space program, really brought it full circle.”
B-29s were used to lift test aircraft off the ground before being launched from the underside of the plane, including Chuck Yeager’s Bell X-1, which became the first plane to break the sound barrier.
Doc was one of 1,644 B-29s manufactured in Wichita during World War II. It took 15-plus years and hundreds of volunteers working on Doc to restore the plane and get it flying again. At the height of its production, the Wichita Boeing facility was turning out 4 ½ B-29s each day. The population of Wichita grew by 40%, 30% of the workforce was made up of women.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Thursday was the first day of school for students in Hutchinson USD 308. The Hutchinson Police Department was on hand to greet students as the school day began. Officers were assigned to each school in the district as a way to connect with each other.
“One of my primary driving principals at the Hutchinson Police Department is community engagement,” Jeff Hooper, Hutchinson police chief, said. “I just really feel it’s important for us to be out and connect with the community, and who better to connect with than our kids.”
Hooper says that connection is vital no matter the age of the citizen.
“They’re all important schools and it’s important to touch those kids at every age I think and build that relationship up with them so they just know that we’re people too,” he added.
Hooper spent the morning at the Avenue A pre-school facility. Other members of the force were at each school during the morning.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The August edition of Third Thursday has a movie theme. Visitors can support local filmmakers and enjoy a block party starting at 5:30 p.m. The featured area for this month is the block of 1st Avenue between Main and Walnut streets.
Events include a Third Thursday short film showcase at Hutchinson’s Historic Fox Theatre with free admission. Guests will enjoy locally-produced short films shown on the big screen.
Just outside will be a block party featuring the Wiley Business District hot dog feed. Pools Plus will provide live music and comfortable chairs, plus there will be vehicles and activities from the Hutchinson Fire Department, Reno County EMS and the Reno County Sheriff’s Office.
Participants can also enjoy more than 20 booths, vendors and businesses offering information, events and activities throughout Downtown Hutchinson between Ave B and 1st Avenue on Main Street.
For a full lineup, visit thirdthursdayhutch.com.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Though work is underway on the traffic signals at 30th and Lucille, they will not be operational for the first several days of school for Buhler USD 313 students.
After initially saying they would not install the traffic lights last week, city officials changed their minds and said the lights would go in after a local law firm donated half of the $13,000 on behalf of the school district.
The traffic lights were requested by the school district after the county condemned the 43rd Avenue bridge at Old K-61 Highway.
Hutchinson Public Works says it hopes to have the lights up and running by Monday, but it could be as late as Wednesday. School in Buhler USD 313 begins Thursday.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Kansas State Fair has always been special to Sterling native Nicolle Galyon. But this year’s fair is going to be special for two reasons. Galyon will not only perform during the fair Friday night, but one of her songs is a current hit for country music star Billy Currington, who is in concert Saturday, Sept. 7.
Galyon says the fair is always special for her and her family, especially now that her mother works for the fair.
“I grew up going to the Kansas State Fair every year, and I played in the marching band when I was in high school,” she said. “My mom works for the fair, and it’s been really fun to kind of see behind the scenes all of the facets of the fair.”
Galyon says although she is performing Friday, she will be — as she calls it — “a total fan” during the concert Saturday. She talked about how special it is to be connected to the Currington concert.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to get a song on a Billy Currington record,” Galyon said. “Now to have that single on the radio, especially while he’s coming to play the fair, feels very full circle.”
Galyon says it is always neat to hear her songs on the radio, but especially when she’s back home in Sterling.
“I’ve been really blessed to hear a lot of my songs on the radio and watching it go up the charts, but nothing feels as full circle as when we spend summers back home in Kansas. I don’t think the highs of my career really paid off like they did when I’d be at the Sterling swimming pool and hear one of my songs come over the speakers or hear it at a local radio station in Kansas,” she said. “It really gives me a lot of meaning to the journey I’ve been on as a songwriter, so coming back to the fair and getting to see some of the songs I’ve written being performed at the fair where I grew up going to concerts brings a lot of meaning to the night for me.”
It’s also going to be a special first night of the fair for her mother, LaMonna, who works for the fair.
“It’ll be emotional Friday night watching her on stage,” she said. “Her kids will be there that night so that will be super special.”
LaMonna says the one thing that is special about Nicolle is her continued close connection to her roots.
“It’s part of her soul. Kansas is just near and dear,” Galyon said. “You have to be proactive, stay connected and that’s something she incorporates into her life always.”
Nicolle has also added another venture to her already-successful career.
“I just started a record label here in Nashville, so I’m a songwriter first, but I’m also a label head and president and have started the first female-focused record label.”
Incidentally, her first signing to the label is Madison Kozak, who will be performing at the fair Thursday, Sept. 12.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce is now taking nominations for the 2019 Farm Focus Family Award and the 2019 Agri-Business of the Year Award.
The Chamber’s Ag Committee says if you know of a family or business deserving of this award, whether they are a century farm or a young family with the entrepreneurial spirit, please take the time to download the nomination form at hutchchamber.com or stop by the Chamber office at 117 N. Walnut. Nomination forms are due by Thursday, Sept. 12.
The awards will be handed out during a special chamber breakfast in November.
