HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Work has started on the second round of mission control consoles at the Cosmosphere’s Space Works facility.

The consoles from Mission Control at the Johnson Space Center in Houston are being renovated by Space Works to take them back to the Apollo ear when 12 men walked on the moon. Jack Graber with Space Works talks about what they found in breaking open the first set of consoles that were refurbished and sent back to Houston last month:

 

Graber says that the consoles were built to last using a large amount of precious metals including gold and silver. He says they were also built with ease of service in mind:

 

The consoles are being readied at the Johnson Space Center in preparation for the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. He says it has been a dream for Space Works to do the renovation:

 

First used for NASA’s Gemini 4 mission in 1965 and retired after STS-53, the 52nd space shuttle mission in December of 1992, the consoles’ electronics are largely no longer serviceable. As such, the displays and some of the other visible elements will be augmented with modern components in order to create the appearance that the consoles are operational.

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HUTCHINSON, Kan. — It has been quiet when it comes to a new company that announced earlier this year that they were coming to Hutchinson. But the Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce was able to give an update on Public Restroom Company.

The Minden, Nevada based company announced in April that they would establish a new manufacturing facility at the old Mega Manufacturing facility on E. 4th Avenue. The Chamber says that Public Restroom has taken ownership of the building and continues to lease the facility to Siemens. Plans are to be acquiring a workforce through the next year with operations to begin in late 2019.

The company assembles whole restrooms and then ships them to the customer’s location. Some of their products are at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and other major parks. The modular restrooms weigh between 30 to 40 tons when finished.

PRC plans to hire around 40 to 50 workers once they come to Hutchinson. The rapidly expanding company expects to have between $50 million and $75 million in annual sales in the next few years.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Kansas State Fair reports that the recently passed sales tax law has generated about $164,000 so far.

The law was passed this summer, allowing the fair to collect all of the sales tax it generates through fair and non-fair events. The fair has been collecting the tax since the late summer so a full 12-month period on how much revenue will come into the fair will not be known for sure.

General Manager Robin Jennison says the numbers are positive:

 

Jennison says the fair will probably not hit the $400,000 mark that was projected with the new tax for this year, but says that number could easily be surpassed once the fair collects revenue for an entire year.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Public Works announced Thursday that Halstead Street and Sherman is closed and will stay closed until Dec. 26.

Gargill and BNSF Railway have removed the tracks crossing Halstead that lead into the grain elevator on the east side of the street and plans are now to make repairs to the area.

The work will continue when weather permits. For more information, contact the Hutchinson Public Works at 620-694-1900.

PARTRIDGE, Kan. — Little interests has been shown lately when it comes to the Partridge Elementary School. The building in Partridge has been empty ever since the Haven School District closed the school due to declining enrollment.

The building is up for sale but no one has recently expressed interest in buying it. USD 312 Superintendent Clark Wedel says some in the district have asked about being able to buy fixtures and other things in the building. He says that may be considered if a potential buyer doesn’t come forward soon. Wedel says they would simply sell off everything in the building and then possibly auction off the property.

Wedel says the district had hoped an area home school or some other similar entity would want the building, but other than some early interests, few offers have come in.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — It was announced during Wednesday’s Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce breakfast that Economic Development Coordinator Abby Stockebrand will leave the Chamber at the end of the month.

Stockebrand has been with the Chamber for six and a half years. She is going on to become the Management Information Services Coordinator for Ideatek.

Stockebrand says, “it has been a 100 percent pleasure to work for the chamber,” but says that her new career choice has “great opportunity”.

Stockebrand has been one of the key players in helping land new businesses and industries to the area, most notably eNGines-LPG and Public Restroom Company.