HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Several agencies and school districts in Reno County are benefiting from a donation that was made by Union Pacific Railroad.

The Kansas Food Bank has received a $10,000 donation from Union Pacific Foundation. The Kansas Food Bank will utilize these funds to purchase food and fresh produce to be distributed through its partner agencies across 85 counties, including Reno County.

According to Kansas Food Bank Spokesperson Debi Kreutzman, the Kansas Food Bank provides services to the Reno County Food Bank, the Domestic Violence Sexual Assault Center Shelters, Street Light Ministries in Arlington, Mt. Olivet Worship Center in Hutchinson, the Pretty Prairie Food Pantry and the school Back Pack programs in Hutchinson, Buhler, Pretty Prairie, and Langdon.

According to statistics, 14.5 percent of the state’s population is food insecure. In addition, 35 percent of those individuals do not qualify for any type of governmental assistance, such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program/food stamps) or TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program/commodities). The Kansas Food Bank provided over 11 million meals to food insecure families, children and seniors last year in 85 Kansas counties.

The announcement was made at the Kansas Food Bank on Wednesday in Wichita.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The City of Hutchinson’s housing commission approved a proposed incentive program that it hopes will entice residents in some areas of the city to make major home improvements.

The city is proposing to help with a zero interest home repair loan program, with a maximum expenditure of $35,000. The incentive will assist current property owners in the two feature neighborhoods and the residential historic district by providing a zero-interest loan to make home repairs and updates.

To qualify, the homeowner must live in the SW Bricktown, College grove or Houston Whiteside Historic district. The maximum interest amount per loan cannot exceed $2,500, which would be covered by the city, thus the zero interest paid for by the property owner. There are no income restrictions and homeowners and landlords are both eligible for the program. If approved, the funding could make improvements to between 15 and 25 homes.

Staff proposes partnering with Peoples Bank and Trust as the loan holder for all Zero Interest Home Repair Loans.

With the approval, the proposal now goes before the City Council Jan. 15.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — As in every year before the State legislative session, the City of Hutchinson took time to present what it feels are important issues it wants addressed in Topeka. While mostly symbolic, the city certainly takes the matters seriously.

Certainly the city is not alone in its objection to the tax lid that was fast-tracked through the state legislature with little discussion or input by local government entities.

The city also feels that if the lid is in place, there should be changes in the way it is enacted. Under the current law, any tax increase above the lid must go to a vote. The city is proposing that the matter be dealt with through a protest by city residents.

The city also opposes moving elections to the odd number years and into November. And, most of all, the city feels that the state needs to take a lesser role overall in how municipalities operate, giving local government more home-rule.

The issues were part of Tuesday’s Hutchinson City Council meeting.

TOPEKA, Kan. — More wind from Kansas’ central plains is being harnessed for electricity as the Kingman and Ninnescah Wind Energy Centers begin production. Combined, the 400 megawatts of new wind production will produce enough power for 100,000 Kansas homes.

“Westar selected these projects because they provide clean, renewable energy at a competitive price,” John Bridson, Westar Energy senior vice president of generation and marketing, said. “We continue our commitment to growing our renewable portfolio while maintaining a diverse, modern power supply for our customers.”

Westar Energy will purchase electricity from the wind farms, which NextEra Energy Resources developed and will operate. Westar is providing about half the energy produced at Kingman to its wholesale partners Midwest Energy and the cities of McPherson, Chanute, Iola, Fredonia and Sabetha. The remaining energy from Kingman and the energy from Ninnescah will serve Westar’s retail customers.

Ninnescah Wind Energy Center’s 121 turbines in Pratt County began production Friday, Dec. 9. Kingman Wind Energy Center comprises 120 turbines in Kingman County and began production yesterday.

Combined, the wind farms bring about $800 million in investment and local payments to the area, along with 23 jobs to Kingman and Pratt counties.

In early 2017, Westar Energy will add 280 MW of wind energy from Western Plains Wind Farm, bringing Westar’s commitment to renewable energy to about 1750 MW, which is enough to provide about a third of its retail customers electricity.

Security personnel train for the new secure entrance to the Reno County Courthouse

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The new security at the Reno County Courthouse will start Tuesday, Dec. 27.

At that time, anyone other than county employees needing to do business in the Courthouse between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. will be required to enter through the main door of the Courthouse and go through security screening. No weapons will be allowed in.

Exit from the building will be through a single exit right next to the entrance. Other exits will be emergency only and will not open without code or key.

For those needing to do business with law enforcement after hours or on weekends, the front entrance to the Law Enforcement Center lobby doors will be open. You will pick up the appropriate phone inside to contact either the Police Department or the Offender Registration Office.

An employee will meet you and you will then go through security measures before entering the secure part of the building.

Sheriff Randy Henderson stated in a Facebook post that this is different than what has been done before and he knows there will be some resistance, but he says, “unfortunately times are changing and security measures are warranted.”

They will have a list of banned items listed on their Facebook page in the near future.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Fire crews responded Saturday night to 1015 E. 9th for a reported structure fire. When they arrived, they found light smoke inside the structure and began fire attack procedures.

The fire was found in the kitchen area attic and was extinguished within 20 minutes of arrival. Crews continued overall procedures and investigation, finding the cause to be electrical in nature, likely from an overloaded circuit. Fire damage is estimated at $25,000.

The fire was reported about 6:40 p.m.

CINCINNATI, Oh (12-16-16) Kroger announced today that they will ask for voluntary buyouts to about 2000 non-store employees. The parent company of Dillon’s said that in a concession to difficulties of the current operating environment, Kroger was offering voluntary retirement buyouts. Kroger CEO Rodney McMullin said that the the announcement is in support of the company’s Customer 1st” strategy to reduce costs in areas not affecting the customer experience, such as in stores.

Because the program is voluntary, savings and cost will be based on the number of associates who accept the offer between now and early March, when the consideration periods expire, Kroger said. Expenses related to the offer will be reflected in Kroger’s first quarter 2017 results.

The effect of this buyout plan was not included in the company’s initial comments on its fiscal 2017 outlook. Bill Kirk, an analyst at RBC Capital, in a research note Thursday said the move would not likely have a material impact on Kroger, which employs some 431,000 workers in the U.S., but was indicative of the difficult operating environment. Kirk noted that if the number of employees that take the offer is lower than expected layoffs could be the next step.

The announcement comes on the heels of weakening sales at the Cincinnati ­based retailer, which early this month posted non­fuel comparable­ store sales of 0.1% in its fiscal third quarter, its lowest quarterly sales gain in 13 years.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. ( Dec. 15, 2016) — Saying he has a natural love for the Cosmosphere and a respect for the military, Apollo era NASA flight director and Presidential Medal of Freedom awardee, Gerry Griffin, visited the Cosmosphere on Thursday. Griffin spoke to 65 leadership members from Fort Riley and then participated with the group in the Cosmosphere’s flagship problem solving exercise, Apollo Redux, a simulation experience of a space emergency.

Griffin, told Eagle Radio Thursday afternoon that he is amazed that the military can use today what they did in the 1960’s and 70’s to help in real life missions for the Army. Lt Col. David Gardner with Ft Riley said it was a privilege to work with Griffin, and said that they will incorporate the exercise into various situations.

Griffin also took time to discuss the future of spaceflight, and said that until NASA has a firm target of where they want their next mission to go, it will be very difficult to get the SLS Orion project going full speed. Griffin says the SLS high cost will keep the program in check unless the space agency gets an infusion of both interest from the Government and public, and the funds to keep the program going.

Griffin, who played an important role in the Apollo 13 crisis, was also the Flight Director of the Apollo 12 mission, which was nearly aborted after the rocket was struck by lightning just after take off, and the Apollo 15 and 17 missions. Apollo 17 with astronauts Gene Cernan, Harrison Schmitt and Ron Evans, was the last Apollo moon mission in December of 1972. He also served as the director of the Johnson Space Center from 1982 through 1986.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) – A federal judge in Kansas has ruled that a bag used to collect lunar samples during the first manned mission to the moon legally belongs to an Illinois woman who bought it for $995 when it was mistakenly sold during a government auction.

The  bag carried to the moon aboard the Apollo 11 spacecraft and used for the first sample of lunar material was  at the center of a legal fight after the government mistakenly sold it during the criminal case against Max Ary, the former director of the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center.

The bag was flown on Apollo 11 in June 1969 and has lunar material embedded in its fabric.

The government this week asked a federal judge to rescind its sale. It contends that as result of miss identification the National Aeronautics and Space Administration- which loaned it to the Cosmosphere – was not properly notified. But Judge J. Thomas Marten says in his Wednesday ruling that he doesn’t have the authority to reverse the sale of the space artifact.

Ary was convicted in 2005 for stealing and selling museum artifacts. He served three years in federal prison. The bag was found in his garage during execution of a search warrant.