HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Construction on the new car wash at E. 17th Avenue is swiftly moving along. A spokesperson for Club Carwash says the new facility should be completed by the end of August.

The 5,600 square foot facility is located at 1526 E. 17 where the closed Kansas Buffet Company building was located. The company which carries the name of Tiger Express Wash in Missouri, decided to take to the Kansas market with Hutchinson being one of three.

When finished, the number of Club Carwash’s in Kansas will be seven, with four in Topeka with the other locations in Hutchinson, Salina and Ottawa. Club also has one location in its home state in Rolla Missouri. The business will be an exterior wash facility with a tunnel operation that will pull your car through the cleaning process. The business will offer free vacuuming for customers and other amenities.

Plans are to employ about 10 people and is focused on being a very community-oriented company.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — After sitting empty for several years, a portion of the old Dillon Living Center building on the Hutchinson Regional Medical Center campus will soon be occupied.

Earlier this past spring, Horizons Mental Health Center and Hutchinson USD 308 announced that they are teaming up to use the facility for their At-Risk Head Start program.

The agency is leasing about 7,000 square feet at the south end of the facility that was closed by Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System in November of 2016.

Work is nearly completed inside the building and parking is being made available. The agency planned to begin using the building in time for the start of the school year but says it will now be later this fall.

Horizons and the school district announced their intentions to move into the old retirement home just after the end of the last school year.

NICKERSON, Kan. — The Nickerson USD 309 School Board is ready to publish the budget and set a public hearing date for the 2020 numbers.

The proposed budget totals $20 million 278 thousand on total taxes levied of $3 million 350 thousand. With the valuation in the school district jumping nearly $3 million, the mill levy will actually drop from 48.66 to 44.82 mills.

The board will also take action on a pay increase for substitute teachers from $100 to $105 per day for up to 15 days, and $105 per day for 16 days and beyond. The board will take action on a resolution to fill a vacancy on the board after Tammy Davis resigned her position. Anyone interested in filling that vacancy must reside within the USD 309 School District.

Monday’s meeting of the Nickerson USD 308 School Board begins at 7 p.m. at the school district offices, 4501 W 4th Avenue.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Tyson is expected to release its third-quarter earnings report on Monday. Despite concerns over swine fever world wide, the meat and poultry company reported strong earnings in the previous quarter with sales of $10.4 billion. Net income was $430 million.

Eyes will be on the prepared foods segment which is the footprint of Tyson in Hutchinson and South Hutchinson. The segment saw falling sales in the previous quarter.

Tyson carries a total valuation in excess of $1.8 million and is one of the top 20 property tax payers in the Reno County.

The quarterly earnings parade wraps up next month when Kroger and BNSF report their earnings.

CHENEY, Kan. — After spending most of the summer dealing with flooding, the water levels at Cheney Reservoir have fallen to near-normal levels.

As of Friday morning, the lake was at an elevation of 1,422 feet above sea level, which is just six inches above normal.

Most of the lake was closed during the first half of the summer due to flooding, which had the lake at record levels in May and June.

All boat ramps and most of the park’s campgrounds were closed during the Memorial Day and Independence Day holidays, as well as most other services. The lake averages about 50,000 visitors during a holiday weekend.

At its high, the lake was at 1,430.5 feet above sea level, an all-time record.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Walk-in enrollment is set Monday for high school students in Hutchinson USD 308 and all students in Buhler USD 313.

Enrollment at Hutchinson High School will run from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. Go to www.usd308.com for more information. Classes in USD 308 begin Aug. 15, for pre-K through 9th grade with 10th through 12th grades starting Aug. 16.

In Buhler USD 313, enrollment will run from 7:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. at the school the student will attend. A list of needed documents and information is available at www.usd313.org. Classes for Buhler students begin Aug. 15.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Sheriff’s Department will be teaming up with the Kansas Highway Patrol to conduct a sobriety checkpoint in Reno County starting Friday evening.

Law enforcement will be looking for impaired drivers, alcohol, drugs or any other intoxicant.

The sheriff’s department asks that if you are going to be drinking, to get a designated driver.

HUTCHINSON, Kan.— The Hutchinson City Council will set a public hearing date for the 2020 budget during their meeting on Tuesday.

The proposed budget including Hutch Rec totals $$89,161,863 on totaled taxes levied of $14,813,310. The mill levy will go up slightly from 44.144 to 44.432 mills.

If approved, the public hearing on the budget would be held August 20th at 9 a.m. as part of the council’s regular agenda.

The council will also go over the tax abatement request and development agreement with GEO Chemcial LLC. Under the tax incentive agreement, GEO will pay in lieu of taxes 5% of the properties value. That number will increase by 10% for the first five years and top out at 50% for the remaining five years of the 10 incentive package.

The company will construct and operate a business specializing in manufacturing and sales of oil and gas field specialty chemicals. The company will create an estimated 50 to 75 jobs over the course of a two-year period at this location. GEO has purchased an existing building located on E. 14th which is on the old Consolidated Mfg. property and plans to build a 10,000 square foot building adjacent to the current at a cost of $400,000. Total investment for the project is estimated at $4.4 million.

Tuesday’s meeting of the Hutchinson City Council begins at 9 a.m. at the Hutchinson city offices.