HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson is getting some much-needed funding for a major road project set to begin next year.

KDOT announced Tuesday morning that the Apple Lane project is one of 22 selected as part of the Kansas Department of Transportation’s new Cost Share Program.

The program could provide nearly half of the cost of the street project, according to Jeff Peterson with Hutchinson Public Works. The project will include replacing the old wooden bridge near 17th Avenue. Crews will then do a complete rebuild of the road where it’s needed to be followed by a mill and overlay of the street. The project is estimated at around $2 million.

Nearly 100 applications were submitted in the first round of the program from across Kansas.

Funding for the $39 million in grant awards is part of the $216 million authorized by the Legislature.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — On a split vote, the Hutchinson City Council approved the amendments to the rental inspection program during Tuesday’s agenda session.

The city will now have a licensing fee structure with incentives rather than the current permit fee. The approval came despite the Housing Commission’s recommendation that the changes be denied.

The administration fees for the program are expected to cost the city about $80,000 per year, according to Planning Director Ryan Hvitlok. The passage of the amendment ends what has been a long and often contentious issue between the landlords, the council and the Housing Commission.

Hvitlok says that, while this program may not be the full answer, he feels that the council is wanting to keep the ball moving forward when it comes to better rental housing.

Hvitlok and Housing Director Trent Maxwell say more effort will be put in place to better communicate issues with landlords and to take steps to protect both landlords and tenants in the future. They also want to better communicate any issue that arises with inspections and matters that need to be addressed.

The amendment takes effect Jan. 1.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Cosmosphere announced today a new series of programs for summer camps.

The camps offered at various levels will include a new world-class space capsule simulator and lander, drone and robotics assembly, and virtual reality.

“The Cosmosphere is excited to reconfigure our existing camps,” Cosmosphere President Jim Remar said. “The fact that we were able to retire our shuttle-based simulator allowed us to step back and really look at the programming in general.”

Remar says the new programming will allow the science center and museum to keep up to date on the latest science standards.

“With the development of the new sim, it is allowing us to create new programming,” Remar added. “Programming that has more relevance to career pathways and next-generation science standards. And create even greater value in education coupled with the experience that everyone has come to expect.”

Remar says the new programs within the camps will allow for more study in various fields both related and unrelated to the space program.

“There are so many different fields and career paths that we think are important to expose students,” Remar said. “Space really is the hub and the spokes are really all the subject matters that branch out from that.”

Remar says that collateral knowledge will be things future astronauts will need to know.

“The engineers and the astronauts of tomorrow are going to be a lot different than what they are today,” Remar added. “There’s going to be a need to know not only STEM-based education, but also agriculture, the crafts and skills, medicine — all the different things that will come into play.”

Now in their 35th year, Cosmosphere camps have attracted students from all over the world and across the nation to Hutchinson.

The Cosmosphere says it is also broadening the activities within every camp to include more options for career choices including journalism, healthcare and agriculture.

For more information on the camps, visit cosmo.org.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Those driving down Main Street have certainly noticed the orange cones going up between 9th and 13th avenues.

Work has now started on the next phase of the North Main renovation project. Most of the work this fall and winter will include the utility work, including new water lines, curb and gutter, and new sidewalks. Most of the water line work will move along the west side of the street, which will restrict southbound traffic to one lane.

The work will also close off intersections periodically. The work will run through the winter as long as it can before resuming in the spring. The project will run south to 5th Avenue and should be finished by late spring or early summer.

If you have questions about the project, or any other city project, call Hutchinson Public Works at 620-694-1900.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The quarterly earnings parade continues when Siemens Gamesa releases its fourth quarter fiscal numbers overnight.

The world’s No. 1 wind turbine maker saw a mixed third quarter with revenue jumping 23% to $2.9 billion from a year earlier. The number was boosted by a blockbuster order for offshore turbines from Taiwan.

But margin on earnings before interest and tax came in at 6.1%, missing a forecast of 6.7%. The company warned sales volumes and margins would continue to face pressure in the immediate future. The company also said in July that it expected to hit the lower end of its full-year profit margin.

Siemens Gamesa employs about 300 workers at the Hutchinson nacelle facility.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The 2019-20 school year is nearly a third complete in USD 308.

That means high school students will be taking their first trimester finals. Because of the trimester end, there will be no school for all students on Nov. 8 while staff has a records/professional development day.

The first trimester finals schedule for Hutchinson High School will be first and second hour tests on Tuesday, Nov. 5; fourth and fifth hour testing Wednesday, Nov. 6; and third hour and makeup testing will be Thursday, Nov. 7.

The high school will not serve lunch on those days. All students in USD 308 will be out of school on Friday, Nov. 8.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Archer Daniels Midland rebounded from a tough second quarter as it released third quarter numbers this morning. Still, the numbers were down year-over-year.

The oilseed giant reported earnings of $407 million, or $0.72 per share, compared with $0.92 per share in 2018. Profits fell year-over-year, although the company did better than the previous quarter at $758 million.

The company struggled with flooding and soft markets through the first half of the year. The downturn resulted in the company offering early retirement for a number of employees in both the U.S. and Canada. It also consolidated several sectors of the company in a cost-cutting move.

ADM employs about 60 workers in Hutchinson.