By John Mesh Hutchinson Community College women’s soccer midfielder Kaitlyn Edwards was named a First Team All-American by the NJCAA. Edwards is just the fifth First Team selection in the history of HutchCC women’s soccer and the first since 2014. HutchCC sophomore forward Katharina Marx is a
By Michael Glenn
Superintendent of USD 308 Dr. Dawn Johnson discussed the $109,000,000 bond resolution set to be voted on April 1, 2025, in an interview with The Hutchinson Tribune.
The four main projects that will take place if the bond passes is the construction of a unified 6th – 8th-grade middle school, a remodeling of HMS-8 to become a preschool and student services center, building additional gymnasiums and storm shelters in elementary schools and moving the soccer and baseball fields from 23rd and Severance, where the middle school is set to be located.
“We know the middle school is the big piece of that,” Johnson said. “In the case of the middle school, that is the bulk of this $109 million. I was told when they purchased that land at 23rd and Severance, it was to put a middle school there. They added on to HMS-7 and HMS-8 and over time, it just has not been affected or efficient.”
Johnson said before HMS-7 and HMS-8 came about as one-grade schools, USD 308 had Liberty and Sherman Middle Schools, which created a North-South divide in the district.
With a combined middle school, Johnson said it would give more incentive for parents to be more involved in middle school and for students to build positive relationships with staff and teachers.
Currently, Johnson said elementary schools provide a connection to the local community and neighborhood which can be lost during the four school changes from sixth to ninth grade.
“We move kids out of the environment where they’re connected to the community, moving to seventh grade, where there’s no PTO since kids are out of the system in a year,” Johnson said. “There’s not investment, and it brought out a lot of negatives.”
Neither current middle school building could host a combined middle school, and the only land large enough to construct a middle school that USD 308 owns is at the Salthawk Sports Complex, located near 23rd Avenue and Severance St.
The current soccer fields would be replaced at Don Michael Field, and Johnson said the athletic director of the high school is discussing with the Parks and Facilities director of the City of Hutchinson to find where to best relocate the baseball diamonds.
“The students would vacate HMS 7 and HMS 8,” Johnson said. “We’ve had folks say they’re interested in HMS-7. We would repurpose HMS-8 into a learning center and student service offices. The first floor would be the childhood center, and the second, third and fourth floors would be the service center.”
The district would sell HMS-7 as well as the current administration center, located at 1520 North Plum. The district would also sell Grandview and MidTown.
“Selling those buildings could save taxpayer money,” Johnson said. “We don’t have the deferred maintenance on those buildings anymore.”
The other main focus of the bond is kindergarten readiness. Johnson said the first floor of HMS-8 would become a preschool center.
The final part of the bond includes ensuring all six elementary schools in USD 308 have two gyms.
“Three of them have two gyms, three do not,” Johnson said. “If you have a two-gym school, you can have lunch and P.E. at the same time. We want to be able to make sure everyone has that capacity to have gym space.”
The gyms will also serve as storm shelters in the case of a natural disaster.
“As those gyms become FEMA storm shelters, we’ve talked about should a very catastrophic tornado head our way, we want to open those shelters to the neighborhoods,” Johnson said.
By Michael Glenn Superintendent of USD 308 Dr. Dawn Johnson discussed the $109,000,000 bond resolution set to be voted on April 1, 2025, in an interview with The Hutchinson Tribune. The four main projects that will take place if the bond passes is the construction of a
By John Mesh The Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball team, the defending NJCAA Division I Tournament champions, are the No. 1 team in the NJCAA I Week 4 poll released on Monday. Hutchinson has started the 2024-2025 season with a 10-0 record and has won 47 consecutive
CAPTION: The Atrium Hotel and Conference Center, located at 1400 N Lorraine St. CREDIT CITY OF HUTCHINSON
By Michael Glenn
The demolition of the Atrium Hotel and Conference Center will begin on Friday, December 6, 2024.
That’s according to an official Monday press release by the City of Hutchinson, who said the demolition follows a process which began in August.
An August 20, 2024, city council resolution declared the property unsafe and dangerous and an October 1, 2024, city council vote moved forward with the demolition.
Demolition is being handled by Kansas Concrete LLC and is scheduled to be completed by the end of March 2025.
“The Atrium Hotel, once a key part of Hutchinson’s hospitality and conference industry, has deteriorated to the point where it no longer meets safety and building standards,” the press release read. “The City is committed to removing the hazard in an effort to make the community safer.”
While the City of Hutchinson will oversee the demolition process, it will not take ownership of the property at any point.
CAPTION: The Atrium Hotel and Conference Center, located at 1400 N Lorraine St. CREDIT CITY OF HUTCHINSON By Michael Glenn The demolition of the Atrium Hotel and Conference Center will begin on Friday, December 6, 2024. That's according to an official Monday press release by the City
By Kate Irelan
The Buhler USD 313 School District is experiencing a temporary bus driver shortage due to an increase of illness after the Thanksgiving holiday.
One bus route is affected, resulting in busing students, primarily from Buhler High School, to the CrossPoint Church parking lot to be picked up by their guardians. The shortage should only last a few days until drivers are able to return to work.
“We are experiencing sickness in our driver fleet, and some substitute drivers are out too,” USD 313 Superintendent Cindy Couchman said. “When this happens, we use the CrossPoint Church parking lot at a drop-off point. The law requires the school to provide a bus service for distances more than 2.5 miles. Cross Point Church is under 2.5 miles”
Affected students received a text message from USD 313 transportation director Mandy Gantenbein with instructions for parents to have students at the parking lot by 7:35 a.m. to be bused to school and then parents needed to be at the parking lot by 4:00 p.m. to pick students back up.
“We call it the CrossPoint Shuttle, but it is still a USD 313 school bus,” said Couchman. “It mostly affects Buhler High School students. We did this quite a bit last year, but this is the first time this year. Those students who have been at the school for a while are pretty used to it.”
Couchman said that parents have done a good job working with us and communicating. Students will stay on the bus, especially in inclement or cold weather until their parent or guardian arrives to pick them up.
“The school district is currently fully staffed with bus drivers and could always use more substitute drivers for a case just like this,” said Couchman. “We train the drivers and Mandy is great. The school district pays for the training and testing. Applicants just have to be willing to put in the time. Mandy has a 100% pass rate for her drivers.”
If people are interested in applying for a substitute driver position, visit the USD 313 website job opportunities.
By Kate Irelan The Buhler USD 313 School District is experiencing a temporary bus driver shortage due to an increase of illness after the Thanksgiving holiday. One bus route is affected, resulting in busing students, primarily from Buhler High School, to the CrossPoint Church parking lot
Andale High School coaches, cheerleaders and fans celebrate the team’s Kansas Class 4A state championship. Andale defeated Topeka Hayden 36-19 Saturday afternoon at Gowans Stadium in Hutchinson. CREDIT Mackenzie Weller/Sports in Kansas By John Mesh Seven more Kansas state champions were crowned on Saturday to go along with
Wednesday Dec 4 Jingle Jams by HutchCC Fine Arts, 7 p.m. at Stringer Fine Arts, 700 E 11th Ave. Thursday Dec 5 “Nuncrackers,” 7:30 p.m. at the Flag Theater, 310 N Main St. Tickets available at the box office, Bookends, Absolutely Home, and on the Family Community Theatre website.
CAPTION: Gov. Laura Kelly speaks to Democratic supporters at a Nov. 5, 2024, watch party in Overland Park. CREDIT CHLOE ANDERSON FOR KANSAS REFLECTOR By Michael Glenn TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly announced Wednesday more than $10 million in federal funding will be allocated to community-based organizations and
The Hutchinson Zoo kicks off its annual holiday season this weekend.
Holiday Happy Hour starts the festivities on Fri., Dec. 6, from 6 to 9 p.m., with music, animal experiences and holiday lights. Multiple food options and both non-alcoholic and adult beverages will be available.
This event is exclusively open to adults 21 and over. Tickets are $40 and include complimentary beverages and snacks. Proceeds benefit the Hutchinson Friends of the Zoo and are available on the zoo’s website.
The ninth Nights Before Christmas light show features dazzling displays set to music, made possible by a partnership between the zoo, the Blue Dragons of SkillsUSA and Hutchinson Community College.
Nights Before Christmas will occur from 6 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 12 -14, 20 – 21 and 27 – 28. Santa’s reindeer will visit on Dec. 20 and 21.
Tickets include access to the zoo grounds light show, hot cocoa, cookies, a photo with Santa and a holiday train ride.
Tickets are $10 per person, with a buy three, get one free option. Children three years and under get in free.
For more information and to purchase tickets online, visit the zoo’s website.
The Hutchinson Zoo kicks off its annual holiday season this weekend. Holiday Happy Hour starts the festivities on Fri., Dec. 6, from 6 to 9 p.m., with music, animal experiences and holiday lights. Multiple food options and both non-alcoholic and adult beverages will be available. This event
By John Mesh The No. 1-ranked Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball are off to a 10-0 start after beating Independence Community College 66-34 Saturday afternoon at the ICC Fieldhouse in Independence. The Blue Dragon women now are 4-0 in the Jayhawk Conference. The Pirates fell to 1-8
