HUTCHINSON, Kan. — In a major announcement today during the final Sports Arena Building Committee meeting, Hutch Rec representatives said they have entered into an agreement with HCC and the city to run the north side area of the renovated arena.

That will include the three new gymnasiums and a portion of the walking activities. The rec also provided a very long list of activities for youth and adults to be held in the gymnasiums. It includes most of the rec center’s exercise classes and new summer middle and high school basketball leagues. There will be set times for an open gym several times a day and the area will be staffed by a Hutch Rec employee.

While the Hutch Rec classes will contain a fee, they also announced that just showing up to shoot around will carry a fee of $3. Children under the age of 16 will be admitted free to the open gym with an adult. All other outside activities will be required to rent the facility from Hutch Rec with the normal fees that have been set by the city to use the arena.

Tony Finlay of Hutch Rec says they hope to have the new area manned by June 1st, with summer programs starting June 19.

The arena will be open to walkers again at that time and all walkers will be required to sign up at the front desk. Walking in the arena concourse will still be free and will open earlier than in the past, starting around 6:45 a.m.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Police are investigating a shooting incident that occurred in the 700 block of East 7th early Wednesday morning.

They were called to that location around 1:28 a.m. where the victim, Jesus Faudoa, was suffering multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a Wichita hospital with critical injuries.

Detectives with the Police Department are looking for a 26-year-old Hispanic male identified as Maique Rodriquez, aka Miguel Rodriquez Faudoa. He was last seen driving a blue single cab 2008 GMC Sierra, pictured below, with a Sedgwick County tag: 934-JZL.

Police say if you see this individual, do not approach him, instead call 911.

Anyone with information on this case or the whereabouts of the suspect should contact the Hutchinson Police Department at 620-694-2816 or Detective Dustin Loepp at 620-694-2829.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson will be getting a new leader for the Salvation Army. Maj. James Mungai informed BW Radio and hutchpost.com this afternoon that he has been transferred to a new location in Kansas City.

The Mungais will be replaced by Lts. Matt and Marisa McCluer, who are currently serving in the Lawrence area.

Mungai said he will miss Hutchinson and is grateful for the generosity of Reno County citizens. Mungai was a big part of Eagle Communications and especially KWBW as both worked together to help with various projects, including Project Concern, which broke several records for donations during his time here.

The McCluers came to Lawrence straight from training in the Chicago area, but do have ties to Kansas. They have three children ages four on down. Matt McCluer says he’s looking forward to coming to Hutchinson and starting his new assignment.

Mungai’s last day in Hutchinson will be June 25 and the McCluers will take over June 28th.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Public Works announced Monday that Harrison Street will be closed between 17th and 20th Avenues starting Tuesday.

This will result in water service being shut off to the area for most of the day starting around 8 a.m. In addition, westbound 17th will be closed from Van Buren and Harrison until 3:30 today (Monday), and the eastbound lane of 17th will be closed for about 3-4 days for water line repairs starting Tuesday. Affected residents in the area will be notified of the service interruptions.

If you have any questions about this or other public works matters, contact Hutchinson Public Works at 620-694-1900.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — In its last earnings report that includes the wind energy sector, Siemens reported a strong order growth in nearly all industrial businesses in the second quarter of the fiscal year 2017, with the strongest contributions from Wind Power and renewables.

Orders in Siemens Wind Power and Renewables division amounted to approximately $3.4 billion in Q2 2017, compared with approximately $2.31 billion in the same period last year.

Siemens also reported strong earnings contribution in its Financial Services unit, driven by the equity business, which included a gain from the sale of a stake in an offshore wind farm project.

Overall, the company posted a revenue increase of 6 percent compared to Q2 FY 2016, to $22.2 billion, and orders were $24.8 billion, up 2 percent.

 

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Engine 6 is officially in service. Crews from Stations 1 and 6 worked Wednesday afternoon getting equipment loaded and it made its first run a little after 6:00 p.m. Wednesday.

It is a 2016 Pierce Saber with a 1000 gallon tank and a 1500-gallon-per-minute pump. It has seating for 6 personnel and carries a wide range of equipment including not only fire, but medical equipment as well.

It is being housed at the 4410 N. Plum station.

WICHITA, Kan. — An arraignment and detention hearing was held Wednesday afternoon in U.S. District Court in the federal case against 31-year-old Myrta Rangel. Rangel was remanded back into custody pending her trial, which is set for June 27.

Rangel was indicted last month on federal weapons charges for providing a gun to Jereme Nelsen, who is charged with three counts of capital murder and three counts of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of Travis Street, Angela May Graevs and Richard Prouty on Oct. 30 in Harvey County.

Rangel’s next court appearance will be June 11 for a status hearing.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Should the Highlands become a third class city? That is the question of residents in the housing development in northern Reno County.

According to comments made by County Commission Chairman Dan Deming, there is a petition going around the Highlands now asking residents if they would be in favor of such a move.

If they present the petition to the Reno County Commission, they would then have 90-days to hold at least one public hearing and would have to be approved by the commission unanimously. They would look for the advantages and disadvantages before making any decision. Deming and County Counselor Joe O’Sullivan say the county has taken no position pro or con on the idea and Commissioner Ron Hirst joined in to indicate they are only there to listen.

Apparently some residents are not happy with the roads in the subdivision, but Grant Township, which the Highlands falls in, doesn’t have the money to maintain the roads the way those residents would like, according to Deming.

Former County Commissioner Donna Zwick, who is a resident of the Highlands, is apparently behind this push for the Highlands becoming a third class city.

The Highlands Homeowners Association has scheduled a Town Hall meeting on May 16 at 7 p.m. at the Highlands/Crazy Horse clubhouse. More information on this proposal will be brought out during that meeting.

If this plan is approved, it could mean electing a city council as early as November. Deming says it would have to be a write in election because by the time a decision is made, the filing deadline for an election of this type would have passed.

By CRISTINA JANNEY

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The president of Hutchinson Community College said Monday afternoon that newspapers taken from a student reporter at the school had, in fact, been distributed.

Jeff Leddy, student reporter, said he was informed that his adviser had been suspended and his classes for the last week of school had been canceled.

Leddy said he asked to be let into the journalism offices to collect personal effects. There, he saw copies of the student newspaper, the Collegian, locked in the office. He said he took copies of the paper to distribute them on campus.

He distributed about 100 of the newspapers Friday before the head of HCC security approached him and took possession of the papers.

Leddy said Monday morning he was never told why the papers were being taken and did not know what happened to the remaining papers.

Carter File, college president, said Monday afternoon the papers were given to the Student Governing Association to distribute since the journalism classes had been canceled.

File would not confirm that Alan Montgomery, the newspaper’s adviser, had been suspended, but did say the college was dealing with a personnel issue.

The incidents Friday follow tensions that have been building since December when the Collegian ran an unflattering story about the school’s administration.

After the December story appeared, student journalists were charged with disciplinary actions.

Leddy said he thought the latest action was due to a story in Friday’s edition of the paper about a work study student who was removed from a journalism lab.

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HUTCHINSON, Kan. — About 400 copies of Hutchinson Community College’s student newspaper, the Collegian, reportedly were seized by school administration Friday morning.

Jeff Leddy, student reporter, said he had taken the newspapers to the college’s student union to distribute them when the head of college security approached him and said he had been directed by the vice president of academic affairs to take the papers.

About 100 of the 500 papers in the press run had already been put in racks, but Leddy said he did not know where the rest of the papers were taken.

Although Leddy was not informed why the papers were taken, he said he thought it might be because of a story about a work-study student assigned to the journalism department being removed from a lab.

Monday’s incident comes after a semester of contention between college administration and student journalists and the paper’s adviser.

The adviser and student reporters first came under scrutiny in December after the paper printed a story about disciplinary actions taken against a member of the nursing department.

Leddy and other students were brought up on disciplinary charges, including academic dishonesty. The college asked Leddy and other students to sign immunity letters that would bar them from talking about the proceeding in the future. He and other students refused to sign the agreements.

Leddy said he and other student journalists had further investigated the college’s disciplinary policies, but opted to not publish the stories for fear of reprisal.

He said he believed the work-study student who was removed from her lab was targeted because of her association with the student newspaper.

Leddy said the paper’s adviser, Alan Montgomery, had been suspended, as well, and the students’ remaining week of journalism courses would be canceled.

Carter File, the college’s president, told Hays Post copies of the Collegian were out in racks and he would look into allegations that papers were seized.

He said the college was in the middle of a personnel issue, but would not confirm Montgomery was suspended.

He gave no further comment, and Montgomery was not available for immediate comment.

Max Kautsch, Kansas Press Association attorney, said the seizure of the papers was a clear violation of constitutional rights.

“The real story here is the college locking up newspapers,” he said. “It is a clear violation of the students’ First Amendment rights.”

The student newspaper is partially supported by student fees. Kautsch said the role of the administration needs to be better defined.

“The college obviously believes it can do whatever it wants,” he said, “and the students think they are independent. That is where ligation comes in.”

Although Kautsch suggested the students had grounds for a lawsuit, Leddy, 24, said he would not likely file one, saying a federal lawsuit would be too costly to pursue.

Leddy said he still does not know if he remains under investigation by the college.

Leddy, in his second year at the college, said he will not return to HCC in the fall, but transfer to Wichita State University where he plans to study journalism. Leddy is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and said he preferred to take his GI bill dollars elsewhere.

“I do not feel welcome here, especially when I don’t know what is happening,” he said. “There is an air of hostility and suspicion and the constant targeting of us at the student publication.”