HUTCHINSON, Kan. — In an email sent to USD 308 staff, Dr. Shelly Kiblinger says she has been invited to interview in Dodge City Public Schools for a job as superintendent. She suspects her name will be released to the public and wanted staff to hear from her first.

She says that the decision to apply for that job is a difficult one and says she is proud of the work they have done together for the local district.

She goes on to say that the opportunity to be a greater voice for at-risk students at a larger more diverse district while returning to her southwest Kansas “home” was a calling she couldn’t ignore. She says she prays that God will put her or keep her in the place where she can do the most good for students.

Again, she is interviewing for the Dodge City School District Superintendent job. No official word on this has come from either district.

This is the second time she has interviewed for a job outside the local district. She was, at one time, considered for a job in the Lawrence district, but didn’t receive the job.

We learned of this from a staff member who forwarded it to us.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – We lucked out with the Ice Storm. There were no major power outages and no serious accidents so far. Temps now are at or slightly above freezing.. There are no problems in the Hutchinson area this morning, however if you plan to travel west, they are still getting freezing precipitation out west.

Of course many residents are off work Monday because of the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday.

Trees did look pretty Sunday though.

This picture above was taken from the little park outside the Eagle Media Centerin downtown Hutchinson.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) announced Friday that arrests were made in connection to three homicides which occurred October 30th in rural Moundridge, Kansas.

Shortly after 7:00 p.m. Thursday evening, January 12th, Mexican authorities arrested 35-year-old Jereme Lee Nelson and 31-year-old Myrta Rangel. The arrest warrants were executed without incident south of the United States border. Nelson and Rangel were then handed over to the U.S. Marshals Service and returned to the U.S. according to a media release.

The initial criminal investigation was conducted by the KBI and the Harvey County Sheriff’s Office. In November, arrest warrants out of Harvey County were issued for Nelson and Rangel for capital murder. The warrants allege the suspects committed the murders of 33-year-old Travis Street and 37-year-old Angela May Graevs, both of Moundridge, and 52-year-old Richard Prouty of Newton. At the scene of the murders, an 18-month-old child, belonging to Street and Graeves, was found unharmed inside the home.

Prior to the arrest warrants being issued, Nelson and Rangel fled Kansas. The KBI’s investigation then shifted its focus to working with Mexican authorities through the U.S. Marshals Service to identify the movements and location of the suspects within Mexico in an effort to apprehend them.

“I’m proud of the hard work our agents undertook to get to this point in the investigation. We are pleased that the suspects will be brought back to Kansas and tried for these crimes,” KBI Director Kirk Thompson said.

The suspects were booked into the San Diego County Jail. Nelson and Rangel are expected to appear at an extradition hearing Friday in San Diego County, California court.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The United Way of Reno County announced Thursday that Executive Director Tona Turner is leaving her role and will be moving on to Wichita as the Vice President of Resource Development for United Way of the Plains.

The Board of Directors for United Way of Reno County also announced that Lisa Gleason, current Director of Community Impact & Engagement, will serve as the Interim Director after Turner departs on Feb. 17. Turner started her career with United Way in March of 2006. Turner has overseen many exciting changes throughout her time at the helm from a 46 percent growth in the annual fundraising campaign; over a 1,900% growth in resources raised outside the campaign including grants; expansion of partnerships with over 30 local agencies; and the development of the community impact model that United Way practices today.

New programs launched in Reno County under Turner’s  leadership include the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, where every child under age five can receive free age-appropriate books and the SW Bricktown Neighborhood Center in the Avenue A Elementary school where comprehensive neighborhood revitalization is underway to help more children succeed in school, financially stabilize more families and to improve the health of the neighborhood.

Turner’s also been one of Hutchinson’s community leaders for about two decades. Before her appointment as Executive Director of UWRC, she served 14 years in the banking, trust and investment industry – most recently as a Vice President at Central Bank and Trust. She has also dedicated her time personally to her community through the Hutchinson Rotary, Circles of Hope, Chamber of Commerce, HHS booster club, PrairieStar Health Center Board of Directors, church groups, and multiple local agency fundraising.

HAVEN, Kan. — There was more discussion last night with the Haven USD 312 school board about what to do with declining enrollment at two of its three elementary schools. With the school in Mount Hope already closed, the district is now considering several options to deal with low enrollments at both Yoder and Partridge Elementary.

Several options have been discussed in the past two months, including closing one of the two schools and consolidating them. That, as you would expect, has drawn a lot of discussion. Another option, according to Superintendent Clark Wedel, is to make one school serve K-4 and the other 5-8 grades. Another option is to leave things as they are. USD 312 currently has 51 students in K-6 at Partridge and 77 students in K-8 at Yoder. Haven Elementary has 300 students in K-6.

Wedel says that they hope to make a decision on the matter within the next 60 days, but they also want to watch the legislature and the Supreme Court and see how they deal with school funding, which could sway any decision by the district.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – During a ceremony at the Reno County Courthouse, officials were sworn into office with each of them coming before District Judge Tim Chambers.

That included the two new County Commissioners, Bob Bush who takes over the seat held by Brad Dillon who chose not to run again and Ron Hirst who won his election in November after beating the incumbent, James Schlickau in the primary.

Also sworn in Monday morning was Michelle Updegrove who is the new Register of Deeds

Others who ran unopposed were also sworn in, including District Attorney Keith Schroeder, Magistrate Judge Cheryl Allen and Sheriff Randy Henderson and Donna Patton who is the County Clerk.

*photo by Rob Dreher

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – It was around 7:14 p.m. Saturday when a 59-year-old man driving a pickup apparently in the wrong gear crashed into a local convenience store.

It happened at the Kwik Shop at 27th & Main. There were several people in the store according to police including a 13-year-old child. The child was close to where the impact happened at the time, but was not injured nor were any others in the store.

The driver identified as Gerald Young was not injured in the crash, however was wearing flip flops and stepped on some glass when he exited his truck. He was not treated for that, but was taken to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center to be tested for possibly being under the influence of prescription drugs. He was then arrested and taken to the Reno County Correctional Facility for being under the influence and having no driver’s license.

Hutchinson Fireman were called to the scene to assess the structural integrity of the building after the crash and it appeared to be okay.

This is the second time in recent weeks that someone has crashed into this same store.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Despite the cold and unexpected snowfall, dignitaries and supporters turned out for the groundbreaking of Hutchinson Regional Medical Center’s new ICU wing.  

The $23 million construction project will begin with a $5 million renovation of the hospital’s mechanical platform followed by the building of the $18 million ICU center.

John Deardoff, Hutchinson City Manager and a member of the Hutchinson Regional Medical Center Foundation Board of Directors, said the HRMC upgrades rank as one of the top ten construction projects in the city’s history, and is said to be the most extensive and significant enhancement of the hospital’s facilities in its 40-year history.

The 18-bed facility will include larger rooms than the original ICU, providing a more user-friendly atmosphere, allowing family members to be with their loved ones during what may be the most critical time in the patient’s life. The final design for the ICU was the culmination of efforts by the HRMC Leadership Team along with a committee of nurses and staff members who developed a blueprint for a unit that met the needs of patients and families.

Ken Johnson, President and CEO of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System, said the ICU construction and mechanical upgrades will serve the healthcare needs of the hospital for the foreseeable future. “The technological upgrades will provide an opportunity to further enhance the patients’ experience with HRMC and provide the means to deliver more efficient care to the patients we serve,” Johnson said. “The multi-faceted project is undertaken in a time when the healthcare industry is being challenged as we plan for a future that includes an aging population throughout our service area. Our continued existence is based in part on proactive changes as we prepare for a future that is uncertain,” Johnson continued. “Throughout our history, HRMC has taken its responsibility seriously and these improvements are a major step forward to continue that tradition.”

The ICU wing is expected to be completed by the end of 2018.