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Author: Hutch Post Staff

Another Family Night for Thursday’s Pretty Prairie Rodeo

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PRETTY PRAIRIE, Kan.— It’s day two of the Pretty Prairie Rodeo with plenty of action again this evening. It’s Family Night with children under 12 admitted for free. Along with great rodeo action, there’ll be other activities as well including the free DJ dance following the rodeo. Mutin Bustin begins at 6 p.m. and as always is limited to the first 10 entries. Participants must weigh less than 65 pounds and be between the ages of 4-7. Gates open at 6 p.m. with the rodeo at 8 p.m. Tickets for tonight are $11, $13 and $25.

Below is tonight’s schedule

Thursday, July 18 – Family Night
Gates open at 6:00 pm

Rodeo begins at 8:00 pm

Children 12 & under are admitted FREE

First 500 kids receive a real contestant back number

Inflatables for the kids!

Prizes will be given away all evening to winning numbers

Mutton Bustin’ Registration from 6:00 -7:30 pm

Inflatables for the kids!

Free DJ dance – after the rodeo for all ticket holders

Union Pacific reports record 2nd quarter

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HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Union Pacific reported a record second quarter according to a release issued Thursday morning.

The nation’s largest railroad reported net income of $1.6 billion compared to $1.5 billion last year. Earnings per share increased 12% to $2.22. Operating income was $2.3 billion, an increase of 8%.

U.P. showed strong car loadings in ag and industrial products, which increased by 4%. The railroad continued to see declines in coal shipments, which fell 13%. Intermodal also dropped by 2%.

The railroad continued to recover from the flooding with car movements improving over the first quarter and by 4% from the same period last year.

Union Pacific operates an average of 25 trains — mostly intermodal and grain shipments — per day through Reno County.

City Council to take first step in $12 million Cow Creek project

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HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson City Council will seek approval to spend nearly $1 million for engineering services on a major drainage project involving Cow Creek.

The action could come during Tuesday’s agenda session. Part of the city’s Stormwater Master Plan was to improve drainage along Cow Creek. The proposed project would include widening the channel along with work on various bridges that flow over it. That includes several railroad bridges near South Plum. The total cost of the project is approximately $12 million.

The council will be asked to consider the bid from Wood Environment and Infrastructure at a cost of $998,640. Work will include design modifications to four bridges, relocation of utilities, and negotiations with Union Pacific Railroad for work in and around their right-of-way.

If all goes as planned, work could begin in March of 2020 with completion by February of 2021.

Funding for the project will come from the stormwater utility fee.

Salvation Army Portraits of Hope Aug. 6

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HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Salvation Army will hold its Portraits of Hope annual dinner Aug. 9.

This year’s event will be held at the Sand Hill Events Center. Guests will be able to enjoy dinner and admire artwork. It’s also a chance to help the Salvation Army celebrate its 125th anniversary.

The guest speaker for this year’s event will be Pastor Andy Addis. Tickets are $40 with a table sponsorship of $300.

Those wanting to attend are asked to RSVP with Mary Robbins by calling 620-663-3353 or by emailing her at mary_robbins@usc.salvationarmy.org.

Hutchinson proposes fireworks permit for private displays

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HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The city of Hutchinson is ready to adopt a resolution that will require a permit to discharge commercial fireworks.

This would include any individuals who want to have their own larger display of fireworks. The resolution will be part of Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

Under the proposal, a permit for commercial fireworks would be $25. The permit would include the date and time the fireworks would be discharged and the location. The permit would have to be signed by the city clerk and fire marshal.

The permit fits in with the city’s adoption of the 2012 international fire code back in 2015.

Main Street work will restrict traffic flow downtown starting Monday

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HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Public Works announced Friday that work crews will be resurfacing Main Street from 3rd Avenue to Avenue B starting Monday.

On Monday, northbound Main Street and parking stalls will be closed to traffic to complete asphalt resurfacing. On Tuesday, work will move to the southbound lanes, closing them off along with the parking stalls. All intersections will stay open with the exception of 3rd Avenue during the work.

If you need any information or have questions, call Hutchinson Public Works at 620-694-1900.

Hutchinson city employees to be on full merit pay system

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HUTCHINSON, Kan. — With the start of the next budget, the city of Hutchinson will fully implement a merit-based pay scale. City Manager John Deardoff says they started work several years ago to put a system in place in which all employees will be evaluated before any possible merit pay increase. “We are now on a true merit-based performance system where we will basically have a minimum and maximum. We’ve customized performance appraisal tools for each department,” City Manager John Deardoff said. “Employees are evaluated, those evaluations are reviewed and employees will receive raises based on their performance.”

Deardoff says the new merit pool will give employees incentive to work harder. He also says that department heads will need to offer true accounts of why an employee deserves a merit increase in pay. “One of the things we’re working hard on with our supervisors is that if you do rate somebody in the exceed category, you’ve got to have good documentation to show that they do exceed . . . that they’re outperforming a co-worker,” Deardoff said. “It’s going to take time to get the program really fully implemented, but we’ve got everything in place. We really think it’s going to help improve our ability to attract and retain a quality workforce.”

Deardoff says he expects fewer than 30% of city employees will meet the incentive threshold each year. The new merit pay pool is on top of what will be a 3.5% average wage increase for employees in the next budget.

Fulton to take over as plant manager at Siemens Gamesa

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HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Siemens Gamesa plant in Hutchinson is getting a new plant manager. The company has hired from within the plant. Doug Fulton, the longest-tenured Hutchinson employee, has accepted the position.

Fulton will take over for Danilo Bezerra who has accepted a position with Siemens Brazil. Bezerra is from Brazil and will be reunited with family with this new role. Bezerra has served the Hutchinson facility for more than three years.

City Council to consider tax incentives for GEO Chemicals LLC

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HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson City Council will take action on a proposed tax incentive program for GEO Chemicals LLC during Tuesday’s agenda session.

Geo Chemical wants to begin operation of a manufacturing and storage facility for chemicals used in the oil and gas drilling industry. The company will use a building on the old Consolidated Manufacturing property plus build a new facility. Eventually, the company would like to establish a new facility in the Enterprise Industrial Park.

While the company is looking at full 100% abatement on taxes, the city is proposing a less amount of eight years. The city is offering a ten-year abatement starting at 95% of property taxes which will decrease over the period eventually falling to 50% over the last five years.

The company with its current headquarters in Enid Oklahoma hopes to employ up to 100 people in the future as it looks to expand its business footprint into Kansas and the eastern portions of Oklahoma and Texas.

Chamber now taking nominations to Board of Directors

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HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce announced Thursday that the Nominating Committee of the Chamber Board of Directors will soon convene to consider nominees for the board.

Members in good standing are invited to submit names of persons that the Nominating Committee may consider as a board nominee.

The deadline for submission of names is Friday, July 26. Those wanting to submit a nomination can do so via email to chelseyd@hutchchamber.com.

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