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Thursday March 20

  • Coffee at the Cosmosphere, 9 a.m. Astronaut Dorothy “Dottie” Metcalf-Lindenburger, Mission Specialist on STS-131, the second-to-last flight of the Space Shuttle Discovery, and commander of NEEMO 16, in which she and her crew lived at the bottom of the ocean for nearly two weeks, will present “Launching Your Big Dreams”
  • March Third Thursday, 6-8 p.m. in Downtown Hutchinson. Live mural painting, live music by The Immortals at Pizaacos, 112 S Main Street
  • “Ghost,” part of the Fox Classic Film Series, 7 p.m. at the Fox Theatre, 18 E 1st Ave. Admission is $5. The Fox Film Series Passes are $45 and include 10 admissions and 5 small popcorns

Friday Mar 21

  • The Barricade Boys Broadway Party, 7:30 p.m. at the Fox Theatre, 18 E 1st Ave. Part of the Fox Live Series. Check the Fox Theatre website event page for more information and to order tickets online

Saturday Mar 22

  • NJCAA DI Men’s Basketball Championship, throughout the day at the Hutchinson Sports Arena, 700 E 11th Ave. Check the NJCAA DI Men’s Basketball Championship page for more information
  • 2025 Soroptimist Women’s Show & Free Health Fair, in the Meadowlark Building on the Kansas State Fairgrounds. The women’s show runs 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., and the health fair from 9-1. For more information, contact Deana Novak at (620) 615-3778 or visit the Soroptimist International of  Hutchinson website
  • “Ghost,” part of the Fox Classic Film Series, 2 p.m. at the Fox Theatre, 18 E 1st Ave. Admission is $5. The Fox Film Series Passes are $45 and include 10 admissions and 5 small popcorns

Sunday Mar 23

Thursday March 20 Coffee at the Cosmosphere, 9 a.m. Astronaut Dorothy “Dottie” Metcalf-Lindenburger, Mission Specialist on STS-131, the second-to-last flight of the Space Shuttle Discovery, and commander of NEEMO 16, in which she and her crew lived at the bottom of the ocean for nearly two

By Gina Long

Michael is on spring break from school, so he is heading to Topeka this week to complete on area politicians in the Statehouse.

That leaves me to hold down the fort. I’ve been planning a vacation this week for a couple of months, so naturally, it will be very windy. The high will be above 80 on Tuesday, followed by plummeting temperatures, much-needed rain, and possible snow on Wednesday.

Besides keeping The Tribune running, I plan to take my high-energy dog for long walks and runs in the dog park and at Dillon Nature Center. I tried that on Friday but decided it wasn’t worth the danger of her blowing to Nebraska in the clutches of the unrelenting gale-force winds.

I plan to do heavy-duty grocery shopping at Aldi’s and Ollie’s during the week, taking advantage of thinner weekday crowds. It’s a rare treat not to have to cart joust through a store.

I enjoy some of the snack items at Ollie’s and try to go by every couple of weeks to see what’s new and if they have brought back some old favorites.

Dodging the increasing number and size of the famous potholes is my least favorite aspect of being anywhere near the mall year-round.

When I see them, it is yet another reminder of a long-neglected building now dependent on the few remaining stores at which customers pay a slightly higher sales tax and, in return, simulate an Olympic-style giant slalom race in their vehicle. Losers get to spend $100 for a tire alignment.

The mall has enjoyed retaining a special taxing district with no conditions. Each sale on the mall’s property has an additional 1% tax added. The mall’s owners retain that extra penny on the dollar, presumably to help with maintenance expenses (the roof still leaks, and half the plumbing doesn’t work) and lot maintenance. There isn’t much green space, so landscaping costs are probably a tiny part of that budget. The parking stalls have not been striped for so long that they resemble dinosaur fossils embedded in the asphalt.

We know that very little of those retained funds go into maintaining the parking lot. After the freezing rain, snow, and cold, potholes appear from the freeze-thaw cycle, popping out small sections of roadways and parking areas.

We see that on city streets. Those street potholes can be there for days and months but are usually fixed quickly when someone reports them on the City of Hutchinson’s SeeClickFix portal, whether the report comes from a city worker, official, or everyday citizen. The request is easy to fill out, as I found when I reported a rapidly changing stop light along Poplar Street last year.

So, what is the best way to keep from sinking your car into a swimming pool-sized mall sinkhole?

I have tried calling the mall office a few times with no answer. I haven’t tried dropping by to see if there is anyone occupying the mall office during the week, but I will have some free time next week, and it sounds like an adventure.

Asking store managers to bring up the poor parking lot conditions with the mall may help, but I feel that the mall stores’ workers are already aware because they encounter the craters frequently.

The next question is whether a poorly-maintained and dangerous parking lot falls under the city’s commercial property codes.

Regardless, when I head off to shop at the mall next week, I will indeed have the Indiana Jones theme song blaring as I jostle along, zig-zagging like I am driving through a minefield.

By Gina Long Michael is on spring break from school, so he is heading to Topeka this week to complete on area politicians in the Statehouse. That leaves me to hold down the fort. I've been planning a vacation this week for a couple of months, so

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The Halstead High School Dragons celebrated their 48-45 win over Silver Lake in the Kansas Class 3A girls state basketball championship game Saturday at the Hutchinson Sports Arena. (Photo courtesy of Halstead High School). By John Mesh The Halstead Dragons rallied from a 13-point deficit to defeat

“The Last Supper” is on screens now at the B&B Hutch Mall 8 theater

By Dan Deming

I’m not going to tell you that the just-released faith-based movie The Last Supper is among the best modern-day religious films because it isn’t. Then again, as Easter nears, it does present a dramatic and meaningful graphic reminder about Jesus’ last days and the interplay among his disciples. And it is worth seeing if you are a Christian or working your way toward being one.

One of the best overall viewpoints is a review by Joseph Holmes, a writer and podcaster. His account is titled “The Last Supper has its moments but a reminder that faith-based films need criticism.” I urge you to Google the film and find the Holmes review, which is coupled with somewhat surprisingly good audience reviews:  81 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and 81 percent on Fandango.

The movie comes from the same interests that made “God Is Not Dead” and “The Case For Christ,” both widely acclaimed among Christian audiences.  Christian artist Chris Tomlin also helped put up the money. I won’t bore you with actor or director names, but most of us have never heard of any.  Holmes concluded The Last Supper is “badly acted and badly written” and highlights the difficult question of whether faith-based movies should be judged by the same standards as regular Hollywood outputs.  

I believe they should be given some additional tolerance, but my judging standard remains Mel Gibson’s “Passion Of The Christ,” which I still contend is the best faith film I’ve ever seen and among the best films overall.

B and B Theaters in Hutchinson is showing “Last Supper” all this week, and my conclusion is that it is worth seeing to underscore the Biblical story many of us know and try to live by.  Several intense scenes mean leaving kids younger than teens at home.  In early April, a three-segment film called “The Chosen” will be available and is getting good vibes.  It also is about Jesus’ final days and the disciples.  Also coming soon is an animated Jesus movie called “King of Kings,” which looks weird but may be perfect for youngsters.

“The Last Supper” is screening at the B&B Hutch Mall 8 theaters. Visit their website to find showtimes.

"The Last Supper" is on screens now at the B&B Hutch Mall 8 theater By Dan Deming I'm not going to tell you that the just-released faith-based movie The Last Supper is among the best modern-day religious films because it isn't. Then again, as Easter nears,

By Michael Glenn

I did some math, and I have seven more Sundays until I graduate high school and begin my next chapter in college. I say that because you may see me be more sentimental and talk about my school more than usual. 

Throughout my time as a journalist, I’ve rarely had a problem with being too nervous to do my job or ask difficult questions. I’ve been able to hold serious, meaningful conversations with adults about important topics that impact our local community and state. 

That’s because of debate and forensics. 

Before I did either of those activities, I was a less-than-par public speaker. I would stutter, twiddle my hands and usually end up ranting about a distantly related topic. 

Now, four years later, I’m proud of the speaking and writing skills that I have developed. 

For those who may not know, debate and forensics (speech & drama) are co-cirricular activities offered at many high schools. While there are numerous different styles of debate, Trinity participates in policy debate. We receive one topic for the entire semester (usually along the lines of The United States Federal Government should do…) and learn everything, everything, about that specific area. 

During freshman year, we debated water resources in the United States. My debate partner and I ran a case about supporting Native American water rights on tribes. We learned about the horrid acts our government did to the Native people, especially on their reservations. Years of nuclear bomb testing and radiation made almost all of some tribes’ water supplies unusable.

We made it to state that year, but our school got shut down the week of state. We had a COVID outbreak and it was in 2021 when COVID was relatively new. 

That next semester, I was introduced to forensics. The first events that I participated in were impromptu speaking, a duet act scene and extemperaneous speaking. The first two are exactly what they sound like, and exempt is an improvised speech about a drawn topic with a 30-minute time period to research and practice. 

It wasn’t until sophomore year that I found my favorite event in forensics to this day: original oration. An OO isn’t as complicated as it sounds. It’s a 10-minute, memorized, persuasive speech. In my sophomore year, I did relatively well and qualified for state, but I didn’t do too well there. My speech was about the need to accept all cultures and different types of people in our country and society.

By junior year, The Tribune was up and running, so I couldn’t make a proper time commitment to debate research.

In junior year forensics, I wrote another speech that is highly relevant to my job. “The Need for Local Journalism” earned me my first podium finish at state forensics, taking second place. I actually planned on saving the speech to use this year, but my forensics coach convinced me to take it at the last minute, and it worked. 

The speech never mentions myself or The Tribune but puts a spotlight on our hometown’s historic paper and what went wrong. On the other hand, the speech highlights how we fix the problem of the lack of local journalism, spotlighting Joey and Lindsey Young’s publication in Harvey County. 

Now, finally, senior year. I didn’t know what to talk about; journalism is my biggest passion. 

My forensics coach encouraged me to write about something else that I was passionate about or at least believed in. 

I’ve been a longtime and vocal advocate for legal cannabis in Kansas, so I wrote a speech about legalization titled “Like a Rolling Stone(r)”. The speech incorporates solid reasoning for legalization through the lens of music, specifically Bob Dylan and The Beatles. I plan on publishing the speech after state competition (it cannot be used if published due to the mandatory originality) and hope you enjoy it. So far, the speech has done very well.

I tell you this all for one reason: without speech and debate, I would not be able to do this. It’s as simple as that. Whether I’m presenting at a community organization, Talk20 or any other public interaction, debate and forensics taught me how to communicate effectively and efficiently. 

Another person who deserves to be mentioned is my debate and forensics coach, Mrs. Karin Neal. I know she reads The Tribune, so I hope she doesn’t get angry that I’m mentioning her. 

Mrs. Neal has been a key player in my high school years and has helped me with almost everything. When talking about debate and forensics, she gives up nearly all of her Saturday to take us to a tournament and spends time helping us prepare and improve for competitions. Without her, The Tribune would not exist (or, at best, would be much worse). 

Parents (I doubt many people my age are reading this daily), when you read this, I’d encourage you to encourage your children to participate in debate and forensics. I can tell you it’s helped me tremendously in my life and has made me a better person overall. 

I’ve met incredible people who share similar interests to me and those who disagree with me entirely. In fact, yesterday (March 15), I had a 15-minute debate with another competitor about who was better: Elvis Presley or The Beatles (with major respect to Elvis’s musical career, The Beatles win every day). I’ve had discussions about politics and have been able to have a civil, fair conversation with those who disagree with me. That, unfortunately, rarely happens these days.

The season is not over yet, and I will let you know how I perform at state. I’m hoping to take home the gold this year, being the second individual state champion for Trinity under Mrs. Neal. 

Thank you, debate and forensics. 

With that being said, Spring Break is upon us! Well, at least for school. I head up to Topeka today to report at the Statehouse, something I’ve done every legislative session. I look forward to talking to our local electorate and getting news back home. I hope you enjoy reading state content as much as I enjoy writing it. 

By Michael Glenn I did some math, and I have seven more Sundays until I graduate high school and begin my next chapter in college. I say that because you may see me be more sentimental and talk about my school more than usual.  Throughout my time

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By John Mesh The No. 2-seed Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball team fell to No. 3-seed Coffeyville 45-42 in the semifinals of the Region VI tournament Friday at Fort Hays State University’s Gross Memorial Stadium. The No. 9-ranked Blue Dragons (28-4), the defending NJCAA Division I women’s

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By John Mesh The Halstead High School girls basketball team advanced to Saturday’s Kansas Class 3A state championship game with a 46-33 victory over Colby Friday at the Hutchinson Sports Arena. The Silver Lake girls, the defending 3A girls state champions, rallied from a 48-40 deficit at

By Michael Glenn

Nitrate levels have continued to be above allowable limits in Rural Water District 101, which serves the Yoder area. 

That’s according to a Reno County press release issued Friday, which said that the last nitrate level test was collected on March 3, 2024. The level tested at 12 mg/L, which exceeds the Kansas and Federal (EPA) maximum contaminant level of 10 mg/L for public water supply systems. The nitrate levels in water resources have fluctuated in many areas which come from natural, industrial, or agricultural sources (including septic systems and run-off).

Reno County Administrator Randy Partington said the county is currently in the process of constructing a water pipe from the Yoder well to the City of Hutchinson’s water supply system. The county and city made an agreement to purchase water for the district with the plans to mix the water to dilute the nitrate levels in Yoder’s water.

Partington said the project is looking to go for bidding in the Summer of 2025 and construction in early 2026. 

Reno County provides routine notices for acute nitrate violations from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Notices provide Yoder residents education about nitrates in drinking water, and informs residents that bottled water will be provided, upon request, to any household with members at increased risk from the nitrates, such as infants under six months, nursing mothers, pregnant women and other at-risk customers as identified by a health care provider.  

The District will continue the KDHE required quarterly samples and public notifications until the issue is resolved.

By Michael Glenn Nitrate levels have continued to be above allowable limits in Rural Water District 101, which serves the Yoder area.  That’s according to a Reno County press release issued Friday, which said that the last nitrate level test was collected on March 3, 2024. The