HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Planning Commission voted 4-3 against recommending a conditional use permit for NextEra Wind Energy to build a wind farm in the southeast part of Reno County.

The sticking point was over setbacks with most not able to agree on what the setbacks should be. Some ideas included a mile from the property line to 2,000 feet from the foundation of a non-participating landowner.

After the vote to deny recommending the conditional use permit, the planning commission voted 4-3 to send the recommendation to the Reno County Commission for consideration. The commission can go against this recommendation, agree with it and deny the conditional use permit, or send it back to the planning commission for further consideration or study.

The vote comes as NextEra officials said they were dropping five sites for wind turbines and bringing the total proposed to 83. The other five sites would be reserved as alternate sites.

The company wanted to begin construction this summer and be operational in December.

Whether that will happen now is up to the three Reno County commissioners.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — GreenPlay is back in Hutchinson to continue the parks and recreation master plan process. GreenPlay members met with the Hutchinson City Council this morning to give their recommendations and final findings on Hutchinson’s parks and recreation master plan.

“Good parks, Hutchinson Zoo, the Sports Arena, the Dillon Nature Center, there are a lot of really great things here around the community, lot of strengths and staff,” Dr. Teresa Penbrooke, GreenPlay founder, said. Penbrooke said the city is “just doing lots of amazing things with what’s available.”

There are some issues the city needs to address. “Some of the things we’re looking to improve would include having better active transportation where people can walk and bike around the community, also helping a little bit with nutrition because that will help to make food available, helping make educational campaigns on that type of thing and addressing social equity,” Penbrooke said. Penbrooke clarified that she was talking about trails and sidewalks as forms of transportation to ensure everyone, no matter their income level, can participate in these amenities.

They also talked of developing an adventure park near Fun Valley, but if and when that might come to pass would be in the city’s future.

In addition to the Hutchinson City Council and recreation commission leaders, GreenPlay also met with community stakeholders and health investors to share final findings and recommendations.

GreenPlay also held a public meeting over these findings at the Shears Technology Center on the HutchCC campus.

This is one of the final steps in the parks and recreation master plan process, which started late last fall with community meetings, surveys, interviews, and analysis of Hutchinson city parks, facilities, and recreation programs.

Funding for the master plan project was made possible by the Pathways to a Healthy Kansas Initiative from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Much like other high schools in the area, Hutchinson High School’s student body will spend a morning for in-service learning this Friday.

The third annual Salthawk Service Day will be from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m Friday, which is an early release day at Hutch High for its annual track meet.

The Kansas State Board of Education encourages all students to be involved in service and the early release day is an opportunity for HHS to get students into the community in an organized event.

According to the state Board of Education, students who volunteer in their communities are more likely to vote, stay actively involved in service and feel empowered as citizens.

The day starts with attendance and instruction with students fanning out across the community to a wide range of projects at 8:10 a.m. Projects range from maintenance and clean-up at several locations in the city, to baking cookies for firefighters, to reading to elementary students, to visiting nursing home residents.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The public is invited one final time to hear GreenPlay’s recommendations and final findings on Hutchinson’s parks and recreation master plan Tuesday.

GreenPlay will meet with the public at 6 p.m. at the Shears Technology Center on the HutchCC campus. The consultants will also be attending a joint City Council-Hutch Rec Commission work session Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the City Council chambers, and with a group of community health investors and stakeholders at 11 a.m.

This is one of the final steps in the parks and recreation master plan process, which started late last fall with community meetings, surveys, interviews and analyses of Hutchinson city parks, facilities and recreation programs.

Funding for the master plan project was made possible by the Pathways to a Healthy Kansas Initiative from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas. BCBSKS is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Jermaine Wilson was on drugs by age 11. He spent four years on juvenile detention and another three years in prison.

Today he is the mayor of Leavenworth, Kansas.

On Thursday, Wilson shared his success story with 75 inmates at Hutchinson Correctional Facility who graduated from various programs.

“The overall purpose for today was for me to encourage, empower and equip these individuals with the tools they need to become successful,” Wilson said. “I hope my story will give the hope they need to be successful and see that, with God, all things are possible.”

Wilson spoke at the East Unit and Central Unit graduation ceremonies. Graduates were recognized for completing various programs, including GED, Kansas Work Ready, NCCER Core Curriculum (construction basics), plumbing and carpentry.

“Mr. Wilson is an individual with a criminal background who has made a conscious decision that an individual’s past mistakes do not have to define their future success,” Jay Hertel, director of correctional education for Greenbush, said. “Our hope is that these men will be inspired by his words, his experiences and his post-release success.”

Graduates will also be recognized for completing KDOC re-entry programs meant to foster post-release success.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County sheriff’s deputy Jeremy Vanwey was recognized during the 40th annual Award of Valor Banquet in Topeka for his efforts to rescue a Buhler teen during last October’s flooding.

Vanwey received the Silver Award for rescuing a 17-year-old teen whose car was swept off the road as she traveled on 82nd Avenue. The Award of Valor Banquet in Topeka honors the men and women who dedicate their lives to serving and protecting the people of Kansas.

Vanwey was dispatched to a vehicle that had been swept off the roadway because of floodwaters. Upon arrival at the scene, Deputy Vanwey observed a small pickup that had been swept off the road into a ditch. Dispatch reported that the vehicle was occupied. There was 1 to 2 feet of water in the roadway and another 3 feet or more of water moving swiftly in the ditch.

The occupant was a minor who had been on her way to school. The occupant was also on crutches from an ankle injury and knew she would be unable to fight the swiftly moving water to reach the higher ground on her own.

Despite not knowing how to swim and without regard for his own safety, Deputy Vanwey assisted the young woman to dry ground.

Sixty-six individuals and unit teams received awards during this year’s ceremony.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A Great Bend farm implement dealer with a location in Hutchinson has been sold along with the company’s four other locations.

KanEquip announced Wednesday that it acquired Straub International. Straub also has locations in Pratt, Wichita and Salina. With this agreement, Case IH authorizes KanEquip to assume responsibility for these markets.

“Straub International has been a reputable supplier in central Kansas for several years,” Craig Goff, general manager of KanEquip, said. “We are extremely happy to have the Straub employees join our team and to continue and enhance the customer experience they have driven.”

Expanding the KanEquip Case IH footprint into central Kansas will be beneficial for all stakeholders: KanEquip, Case IH, Straub’s employees and new customers.

Larry Straub, CEO of Straub International, noted that they are excited to pass on their legacy as well as the care and support of their customers to the KanEquip organization.

He stated, “While we remain excited about the prospects for agriculture, we feel this is a very good time for us to move aside with recent industry changes and developments. It was very important for us that we transitioned our operations to a quality organization with a past history of success and a proven track record.”

“We are confident this will be a good transition for our employees, suppliers and customers. We would like to thank everyone that has supported the Straub organization(s) for the past 50 years and we hope you will give your full support to KanEquip moving forward,” Straub said.

PRETTY PRAIRIE, Kan. — Law enforcement authorities and school officials are investigating vandalism at Pretty Prairie High School.

Many instruments were damaged or destroyed in the school’s music room over the weekend, according to the school’s social media page.

Vandals threw paint on pianos, destroyed music instruments and caused extensive damage to that area of the building.

“We just got permission from the sheriff’s department and from our insurance agency to start the cleanup process and then start the inventory of what’s broken, what’s not, what can be repaired, what can’t,” USD 311 Superintendent Randy Hendrickson said. “Hopefully our goal by the end of the day is to have a list of what we need to get back into the kids’ hands so we can get back to normal as quickly as possible.”

While the music room was off limits, music classes were moved to the school’s auditorium. Area schools have sent emails and calls of support in an effort to help. Burrton USD 369 is working to provide students in Pretty Prairie with replacement instruments. They have also volunteered to help restore the school’s music room.

Once the damage was discovered, Hendrickson sought help from Burrton Superintendent Joan Simoneau, who is also an avid musician and band director. “I consider Joan Simoneau a friend and a colleague. I called Joan, told her what happened. She immediately went to work,” Hendrickson said.

Simoneau, who is also director of the Hutchinson Municipal Band, has been able to draw on her resources to find assistance for Pretty Prairie. “Years ago, with a group of band directors, we kind of started a Yahoo group with just band directors in the south-central part of the state,” Simoneau said. “I just shot out a quick email to let them know quickly that something was going on and we were going to need help.”

If you would like to help the Pretty Prairie music department, call Pretty Prairie High School at 620-459-6313 or the USD 311 offices at 620-459-6241.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Cosmosphere has received a grant for $500,000 from the Sunderland Foundation. The grant will be used for the continued revitalization campaign and a new area for young visitors to connect with STEM.

“The success we have seen to date with the revitalization efforts is in large part because of the Sunderlands,” Jim Remar, president of the Cosmosphere, said. “This latest grant really allows us to complete one of our key objectives.”

That objective is an interactive play area for younger visitors. “Kids can learn STEM at an early age, but do it in a meaningful way,” Remar said. The area will be designed for children up to age 7.

The area will include a mini Orion space capsule. Kids will have the ability to build and test paper airplanes in a wind tunnel and launch rockets.

Plans are to begin construction in the fall of this year. The area is expected to open by the spring of 2020.

The Sunderland Foundation was established in 1945 by Lester T. Sunderland, who served as president of the Ash Grove Cement Company for 33 years as a highly-respected leader in the cement industry.