HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The partial collapse of a 140-year-old building in Hutchinson has raised the attention of the city building inspector and the planning department.

The old sugar mill suffered damage when a portion of the elevator shaft fell to the ground Feb. 4. Because the bill to repair the building is in excess of $250,000, the building will likely come down.

Trent Maxwell, the city building inspector, says they are weighing the options for dealing with the older buildings in the city:

 

 

Interim Planning Director Jim Seitnater says the city wants to be proactive in making sure the buildings are sound, but also knows that their reach is somewhat limited since they do not own the buildings. Seitnater says the city’s help could come from better education for property owners:

 

Maxwell has some advice for owners of older buildings. He says there are certain things to look for, especially with the recent seismic activity that occurred over the past two years:

 

Seitnater says the older buildings, especially in the downtown area, were closely examined after the series of gas explosions that rocked the town in 2001:

 

Seitnater says many building owners could face extreme costs to make repairs to brick and stone buildings if they are needed.

SOUTH HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The South Hutchinson City Council is still working to find a new police chief. The interview process with potential candidates is complete.

South Hutchinson Mayor Luke Herren says 12 candidates applied. That list was narrowed down to five. All five individuals have been interviewed. Herren says the council is now considering who will be the best fit.

Herren expects someone to be named within the next couple of weeks.

South Hutchinson officials have been looking for a chief since Mark Thompson’s contract was not renewed at the beginning of the year.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Emergency Accident Reporting Plan is in effect until further notice.

The Hutchinson Police Department and the Reno County Sheriff’s Department are both implementing the emergency reporting system.

If you are involved in a traffic accident and there is no alcohol, drugs or injuries involved, or roadways are not blocked by disabled vehicles, you can report your accident as soon as possible after the roads have cleared.

However, owner and driver information should be exchanged before leaving the accident scene.

Delayed report forms for the city can be picked up at all Kwik Shops or the Law Enforcement Center.

The forms can be mailed to:

Hutchinson Police Department
Attn: Sgt Brian Hirt
210 W. 1st Ave.
Hutchinson, KS 67501

For accidents in the county, please go to the Reno County Sheriff’s Office website and print off the Emergency/Delayed Accident Reporting Form.

Fill the form out and mail it to:

Reno County Sheriff’s Office
Attn: Patrol Captain
210 W. 1st
Hutchinson, KS 67501

SOUTH HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County Planning Director Mark Vonachen says that a piece of legislation making its way through the House won’t have any effect on a public hearing regarding the NextEra wind project.

House Bill 2273 says there must be at least a mile and a half between wind farms and surrounding homes. Residents in Reno County have been expressing concerns over the amount of distance between their homes and the NextEra proposal. This bill could provide some relief for them. Vonachen says that he is watching the legislation, but it won’t change anything when it comes to the public hearing April 4:

 

 

Reno County residents had asked for a moratorium on wind energy until more study could be done on the effects of wind energy. The commission instead handed the matter over to the planning department. Sedgwick County Commissioners recently passed a moratorium on wind and solar farms for a period of six months.

NextEra Energy Resources submitted a permit to build a wind farm in Pretty Prairie last Friday.

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Lawmakers say a federal budget compromise approved by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump provides $50 million of additional federal funding to maintain Amtrak rail passenger service through New Mexico, Colorado and Kansas.

New Mexico Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and Rep. Ben Ray Lujan said Friday the funding for the Southwest Chief route will enable Amtrak to pay matching funding for a grant to pay for maintenance and safety improvements to the Southwest Chief route.

Amtrak officials previously proposed replacing train service with bus service between Dodge City, Kansas, and Albuquerque, New Mexico — about a quarter of the 2,265-mile (3,645-kilometer) route providing daily train service between Los Angeles and Chicago.

The New Mexico lawmakers said the funding was also pushed by senators from Colorado and Kansas.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — It’s been standing in Hutchinson for nearly 140 years, but the old sugar mill along East 1st Avenue may be coming down.

The limestone structure, which was built in 1881, suffered partial collapse two weeks ago. Now the rest of the building may have to come down. Tearing it down won’t be simple because the building is on the historical register. The Landmarks Commission, which oversees such historical structures, cannot give the go-ahead to raze the building, so the matter will have to go before the city council by default.

The facility is owned by Technique Manufacturing. Co-owner Ted Robinson says the northeast corner of the building fell to the ground Feb. 4. Since then, architects have been brought in to examine the building. Robinson says the cost to repair the damage is simply too much. They’ll go before the Landmarks Commission and ask for the building to be razed, but that will be denied by the commission. That will send the matter over to the city council for action. Robinson says they have been working with the city to deal with the building. While the building is secure for the moment, if it should show signs of further collapse, the city can come in and remove the structure right away without council approval.

The sugar mill was built in 1881 to house the processing plant of the Kansas Sugar Refining Company, which was established in 1881. In July 1888, the Hutchinson Soap Factory began manufacturing operations in the former sugar mill building. Around 1900, the structure was purchased by the Nelson Manufacturing and Supply Company, producers of irrigation pumps and galvanized iron products, and later plumbing supplies. It continued to be used by the Nelson company until 1965. Other firms occupied the building until 1978, when it was abandoned.

RENO COUNTY —Authorities at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility (HCF) confiscated a large amount of contraband including inmate-made weapons Tuesday during an unannounced search of HCF’s largest housing unit.

According to a media release, the search involving more than 1,000 general population inmates in HCF’s Central Unit was conducted by officers from HCF who were assisted by officers from Ellsworth Correctional Facility, Larned Correctional Mental Health Facility and the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP).

The search yielded 46 weapons, numerous pills and packages of illicit drugs, drug paraphernalia, 10 cell phones and eight phone chargers.

“The introduction of these items into any facility threatens the safety and security of the facility itself, staff and inmates,” Corrections Secretary Roger Werholtz said. “We are very appreciative of the thoroughness and professionalism of the officers conducting the search.”

“These items are typical of what we find in a correctional facility, but the facility is absolutely safer when we can stem the flow of contraband.”

Inmates found in possession of contraband will receive disciplinary reports although not all items could be connected to a specific inmate.

While Tuesday’s search involved special security officers from other correctional facilities and KHP troopers, HCF regularly conducts searches, HCF Warden Dan Schnurr said.

The facility recently had to halt visitation privileges temporarily and restrict the movement of inmates in its Central Unit due to several inmate fights that broke out among two to three inmates in each incident.

“The facility was already in the process of organizing a large-scale search prior to the incidents,” Schnurr said. “However, the incidents did prompt us to move up the schedule.”

The search Tuesday also marked the first time that the Kansas Highway Patrol joined in on a search at HCF.

“This kind of collaboration helps all involved gain additional knowledge and demonstrates how we can work together to keep Kansas safer,” Schnurr said.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A bill going through a house committee is being pushed by Kansas State Fair GM Robin Jennison in hopes that it will provide another avenue to raise funds for various projects.

House Bill 2215 would allow the State Fair Foundation Board to become a nonprofit 501C3 entity.

Jennison explains the reason for the legislation:

 

 

Jennison says the plan is simple in that it will give the fair a chance to be more sustaining:

 

Jennison adds that it also allows the fair to go after private donations and funds to help with needed projects:

 

A hearing on the bill takes place Monday. The hope is to have it on the House floor later this week.

PEABODY, Kan. — One person was killed when his car was hit by Amtrak’s Southwest Chief in Marion County early this morning.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office says 67-year-old Steven Holdren was parked in his vehicle on the tracks with the lights off when the westbound train struck him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

No one on board the train was injured, but it did delay the westbound train for more than six hours. The train normally arrives in Hutchinson around 3:20 a.m. but did not get into the station until 9:30.

The accident happened around 2:45 a.m. three miles east of Peabody.