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Author: Hutch Post Staff

Keasling hired as city’s director of communications, community engagement

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HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The City of Hutchinson has a new Director of Communications and Community Engagement. Hutchinson City Manager John Deardoff announced that Rebekah Starkey Keasling has taken on the position.

Keasling began her duties with the city on January 14, 2019. She comes to the city with more than 15 years of marketing and communications experience, most recently as the Director of Development and Communications for Interfaith Housing and Community Services where she oversaw a major rebrand earlier this year. In her role under the general direction of the city manager, Keasling will work to create and implement a unified communications strategy for the city to keep constituents informed while prioritizing transparency and civic engagement.

Keasling holds a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design from the University of Northern Colorado and has been active in the community since she moved here in 2006. A member of Leadership Reno County class of 2013, Keasling has served on several local boards, currently serves on the Visual Communications Advisory Board for Hutchinson Community College, and is an active member of Rotary.

Buhler Education Foundation chili feed Friday

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BUHLER, Kan. — The Buhler Education Foundation will hold its annual chili feed this Friday, Feb. 1, starting at 5 p.m. in the Buhler High School cafeteria.

The menu includes chili and cinnamon rolls.

The fundraiser supports the Buhler USD 313 Education Foundation. Board members will be serving. The event is also being held to coincide with Winter Homecoming at Buhler High School.

The Buhler USD 313 Education Foundation, which was established in 1998, is an independent, community-based organization formed to enhance the quality of education for all Buhler USD 313 students by redirecting resources toward areas of identified student needs.

Eckert named to KFB leadership class

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HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Kansas State Fair announced Tuesday that Jacki Eckert, the Kansas State Fair’s education manager, has been selected for Kansas Farm Bureau’s Leadership KFB 2019 class.

The purpose of Leadership KFB is to develop the organization’s members as grassroots leaders. This year-long program focuses on creating influential, thought-leaders who will choose to engage, create change and look for solutions — not only in agriculture but in counties and communities across the state.

Eckert, who lives in Hutchinson, is taking a six-part program with 10 other class members. Participants engage in issues across the state and learn from the leaders in the industry. The class ends with a trip to Washington D.C. and graduation in December 2019.

Tuesday hoops schedule

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HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The mid-season tournaments are over. High school basketball gets back to its normal schedule.

The HHS boys and girls teams will be in Derby Tuesday evening. Girls game is at 6 p.m. with the boys to follow.

Here is a look at Tuesday night’s area schedule:

HUTCHINSON @ DERBY

SKYLINE @ CENTRAL CHRISTIAN

TRINITY CATHOLIC @ BENNINGTON

NICKERSON @ LARNED

HAVEN @ HESSTON

ATTICA @ FAIRFIELD

STAFFORD @ PRETTY PRAIRIE

BUHLER @ WELLINGTON

HFD battles structure fire

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HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson fire crews responded to 205 E. Kansas Ave. for a structure fire just before 1 p.m. Monday.

First arriving units found the exterior wall of the attached garage and a privacy fence on fire. Crews were able to extinguish the fire quickly with minor damage to the interior of the house.

Fire crews remained on scene for an hour conducting overhaul and investigation. The fire has been ruled accidental. There were no injuries reported.

The home was occupied at the time by one adult who was able to escape without injury. Neighbors were able to alert the occupant and call 911.

City Council to consider apartment proposals

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HUTCHINSON, Kan. — After passing through the housing commission, the Hutchinson City Council will hold a special meeting Tuesday to take action on three proposals for new or expanded apartment complexes.

The three proposals went before the housing commission during its meeting last Wednesday. Since the matter has time constraints, the council decided to meet in special session.

The projects come from Manske and Associates and Interfaith Housing who want to renovate the old St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and turn it into 47 apartment units. The second is from Disability Supports of the Great Plains who wants to build a new apartment complex near its campus on Waldron. The third is from the developer of Commerce Gardens who wants to add four new buildings with 48 total units to the apartment complex.

All three proposals would include requests for tax credits from the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation. The action by the council Tuesday would be in support of those proposals.
Tuesday’s meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Hutchinson city offices.

Panthers wrestle well despite limited numbers

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GARDEN PLAIN, Kan. — The Nickerson wrestling team competed in just seven weight classes, yet came away with fourth place out of fifteen teams at the Garden Plain Invitational.

The Panthers were led by meet champion Nicole Moore at 106 pounds. Moore went 5-0 on the day. Gage Cooper at 113, Dylan Schneider at 145, Dylan Stewart at 160, and Jarin Gomez at 170 all made it to the finals. Cooper and Schneider both took second place.

The Panthers return to action Friday at Circle.

Dragon track turns in strong performances at KU

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[ By STEVE CARPENTER ]

[ BLUE DRAGON SPORTS INFORMATION ]

LAWRENCE, Kan. — After not competing in 2018, Hutchinson Community College sophomore Hannah Smith announced her return with authority Saturday at the Jayhawk Classic.

Smith finished third in the weight throw with a distance of 52 feet, one-half inch. That mark wasn’t only a national qualifying mark, but a Blue Dragon school record. Smith bested the 2016 mark of 51-8 set by Paige Houston.

Smith was one of two Blue Dragons to earn automatic spots in the NJCAA Indoor Championships in March. Four other performances found their way onto the Blue Dragon all-time Top 10 indoor charts.

Sophomore Jewell Bolden had a strong day for the Blue Dragons. She ran the third-fastest qualifying time in the 60-meter hurdles. Her time of 9.17 seconds was a national qualifying mark. She then topped that performance with a time of 9.13 seconds in the finals to finish fifth, but run the third-fastest time in indoor Blue Dragon history.

Bolden also finished fifth in the long jump with a leap of 17-8. That mark is the eighth-best in Blue Dragon indoor history.

Freshman Sheila Too placed third in the 3,000 meters with a time 11:23.59. She ran the third-fastest time in Blue Dragon indoor history.

Freshman Gabby Collins was sixth in the 1,000 meters in 3:18.18. That mark was the seventh-best in team history.

Collins then joined Sarah Patteson, Christina Bruce and Lisayo Ewoi to finish fourth in the Distance Medley Relay with a time of 13:29.91 and post the sixth-fastest time in Blue Dragon history.

On the men’s side, freshman sprinter Jared Scott turned in an impressive Blue Dragon debut as the Hutchinson Community College sprinter produced two national qualifying marks in the 2019 indoor season opener on Saturday at the Jayhawk Classic.

Scott finished second in the 60 meters and won the 200 meters at the University of Kansas’ Anschutz Sports Pavilion. He was one of three Blue Dragon men to turn in four NJCAA Indoor National Championship qualifying marks.

Scott won the Jayhawk Classic 200 meters with a national qualifying time of 21.98 seconds. That was the eighth-fastest time in Blue Dragon indoor history.

Scott produced the top preliminary time of 6.85 seconds in the 60 meters. That also was a national qualifying mark and the eighth-fastest time in Blue Dragon indoor history. Scott finished second in the finals with a time of 6.91 seconds.

Sophomore Elijah Smith finished fifth in the 600-yard run with a time of 1:15.05. When his time is converted to 600 meters, Smith broke the Blue Dragon record for 600 meters and turned in a national qualifying mark of 1:16.17.

The fourth Blue Dragon qualifier is freshman Sylvestre Kibarar, who placed eighth in the 3,000 meters. His time of 8:49.70 is a national qualifying mark and the eighth-fastest time in Blue Dragon indoor history.

The Blue Dragons will run at two different meets next weekend. Part of the team will run at the Husker Invitational in Lincoln, Nebraska and another group will run at the Fred Beile Classic in Crete, Nebraska.

Hutchinson wrestling handles South

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SALINA, Kan. — The Hutch High wrestling team easily handled Salina South in a dual meet last night. The Salthawks lost just two matches on the night in a 57-9 win.

The Salthawks will get some time off before going to Rose Hill Feb. 1.

Hutchinson 57 Salina South 9

106 A. Villegas WB Forf. Open
113 Open Open
120 B. Edwards WB Fall 1:18 J. Priester
126 A. Eldredge LB Fall 2:47 C. Ochoa
132 A. Blackwell LBD 3-7 C. Copeland
138 I. Delvalle WB Fall 2:48 J. Bochlinger
145 D. Cantu WB Fall 1:38 K. Richardson
152 P. Graebner WBD 6-3 D. Sherwood
160 T. Gray WBD 9-2 B. Jeffries
170 L. Allen WB Fall :50 K. Nelson
182 D. Hippen WB Fall :57 J. Escalante
195 D. Waymire WB Fall :43 B. Fletcher
220 T. Geddes WB Fall :56 G. Roberts
285 J. Fan WBD 2-0 K. Dietz

Salthawk bowlers take 3rd

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HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Both Hutchinson High School bowling teams finished third at The Alley against Campus and Salina South.

Campus won the girls title with a team score of 3,245. South ended up with 3,024. The Salthawks shot a team total of 2,889. Mackenzie Dunigan had the high game and high series for the Salthawks with a 233 and 603.

For the boys, Campus also took top honors with a 3,391. South shot a 3,266. The Salthawks shot a team total of 3,061. Dalton Hobbs shot a team high 233. The high series went to Justin Frahm with a 613.

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