HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Nearly a month after a fire destroyed a church in Hutchinson, the cause of the blaze is still not known.

The March 5 fire destroyed Foundation of Life Ministries church at 134 E. Sherman.

Two buildings suffered extensive damage. A third building, owned by Electrex, was threatened during the height of the incident. That building suffered only minor damage because of extensive efforts by firefighters.

Fire Inspector Tony Arpin could not give a reason for the fire, but said the investigation continues.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Motorists who use Yoder Road will be facing a major road project this summer.

Reno County commissioners will vote to approve a contract for mill and overlay of the road from G Avenue all the way to Arlington Road in Yoder.

The mill and overlay of the 10-mile stretch would be done by Flint Hills Materials if the commission approves the bid. Work would start no later than June 1 and should be completed no later than Aug. 1. The cost of the project is $1,327,943 — which is less than the engineer’s estimate of $1,997,075.

The road will still be open during the project, but traffic will be controlled, so motorists could face delays.

The commission will take up the matter during Tuesday’s regular agenda session.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Sales tax revenue for Reno County increased in March compared to the same period last year.

Tax revenue totaled $346,030 compared to $331,214 in March of 2018. As usual, the number was less than February’s figures since that month reflects the December Christmas shopping season while March numbers account for shopping in January.

To date, the county has taken in $1,197,526. That compares with last year’s first quarter total of $1,182,710, putting the county just under $15,000 ahead of last year’s pace.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Community Foundation announced Wednesday it has hired Dell Swearer as chief operating officer.

She will join the foundation on April 15. Among her duties as COO, Swearer will oversee regulatory compliance, fund administration, gift stewardship, contracts, and operations staff.

Swearer brings 25 years of trust administration to her new position, serving for nearly 13 years as vice president and private client adviser at Commerce Bank. She served 13 years as vice president and trust officer at First National Bank of Hutchinson.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration management from Southwestern College, a law degree from the University of Kansas School of Law and attended the National Graduate Trust School where she achieved the status of certified trust and financial adviser.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Three segments of the Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System have earned accreditation and recognition for their service in the healthcare field. Hutchinson Regional Medical Center has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Hospital Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards.

Hospice & HomeCare of Reno County recently announced it has also earned accreditation from The Joint Commission for Hospice and Home Health by complying with specific performance standards. It is also now certified in Community Based Palliative Care for its palliative and pulmonary programs.

Finally, the three locations for Health-E-Quip (Hutchinson, McPherson, Newton) have all earned their renewal of Home Care accreditation as well. This is a result of onsite surveys at each facility where staff validated their compliance with the many standards that apply to home care for patients.

All three organizations underwent difficult, unannounced onsite surveys in November and December. During those reviews, Joint Commission expert surveyors evaluated compliance with many standards related to several areas, including emergency management, the environment of care, infection prevention, leadership, medication management, behavioral health care, home care, and overall patient care.