CAPTION: City of Hutchinson employee Robert Schmidt (left) uses a remote-controlled brush mower in the stormwater ditch just north of 30th and Plum in Hutchinson as two other employees are trained on how to use the machine. This summer is the first the mower was utilized
CAPTION: Construction workers clean up during the demolition of the former St. Elizabeths Hospital in Hutchinson Wednesday, located at 20th Avenue and Monroe Street. CREDIT MICHAEL GLENN/THE HUTCHINSON TRIBUNE By Michael Glenn Memories and moments were shared as Hutchinson residents collected memorial bricks from the former St.
"We can do big things if we prepare and persevere, take risks, and work together," Heidi Unruh said about the history of space travel. "'Per Aspera' is part of Kansas's state motto, too," she said. "It is in our nature to achieve great things, although they
Staff from the Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce and Sunshine Meadows celebrate a ribbon cutting and grand opening at the new Sunshine Meadows Retirement Community Salah Memory Care wing in Buhler, KS on Monday, September 23. CREDIT SUNSHINE MEADOWS RETIREMENT COMMUNITY By Kate Irelan The new, high-tech Salah
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — VFW Post 1361 in Hutchinson is holding the first, of what they hope to many, Jeep Show and Shine on Friday and Saturday. The community is invited and encouraged to attend this free two-day car show. “The post commander drives a Jeep and there
Jack Northgraves posted an 8-under-par 216 (66-70-72) to place first in the individual standings and led the No. 3 Blue Dragon men’s golf team to a 21-stroke victory at the Bent Tree Intercollegiate on Monday in Council Bluffs, Iowa. (Billy Watson/Blue Dragon Sports Information) The third-ranked
Graphic courtesy of Blue Dragon Sports Information The Hutchinson Community College volleyball team lost a four-set match 3 sets to 1 to Dodge City Community College Monday night at the Hutchinson Sports Arena. The Blue Dragons handed the Conquistadors a 25-17 loss in the first set with
By Kate Irelan
In their regular monthly meeting on Monday, the USD 308 Board of Education accepted $103,000 from the Reno County Childcare Taskforce in partnership with the United Way Innovation and Expansion Gap Funding Grant to expand the Lil’ Hawks Child Care Center.
The money will be used next year, and the remaining funding for the project will come from capital outlay. The $103,000 stems from ARPA funds.
Superintendent Dawn Johnson said that this money is in addition to the $190,000 of the ARPA Task Force money they received, and they knew they were going to get this money because they are expanding the facility. “The United Way is just now giving us the authorization to accept this money,” said Johnson. The next step is to bring to the board where the school district will place the money and what they will take out of capital outlay. She said that the project should be up and going by September 2025.
The board also approved an agreement to continue a co-op with the Early Education Center and the Reno County Educational Co-op. Johnson said that the cost of Reno County preschool services this year went up by about $100,000. She said that partly what has happened is that other communities are opening daycares, which has taken some kids away from Early Ed, and that it still costs the same to run the building, even with fewer kids. Currently, about 68% of the students at the EEC are from the Hutchinson school district.
“What is the future of the Early Ed center? Rising costs, but the amount of money we’re getting from the state is staying the same. If the environment is changing, what are the things we need to look at?” asked Johnson.
Board member Tad Dower said it will eventually become a USD 308 facility. He also said he appreciated taking the time to really look at it because it has been a good resource for the county.
Johnson also gave a few notable updates. She addressed the recent threats made on social media to schools, and that some of the schools were in Kansas, but she was not aware of any Hutchinson Public Schools that were part of the threats. She said anytime this happens, they report to the Hutchinson Police Department. The KBI has determined that some of the threats may be coming from Texas. “A few parents decided to keep their children at home. And we support that. We may have more of what I call ‘passive threats’ we will have to deal with,” said Johnson.
Johnson said that she’s had a vision for making the homecoming parade a community event, but has not put a process in place. She thinks part of that process might be a form where people can say they want to participate and ask the high school to decide because it is their parade. “We’ll keep working on that to make it a robust 308 event and not allow any non-308 school entities in the parade.”
The USD 308 board meets every second and fourth Monday of the month at 6:00 p.m. in the Administration Center, 1520 N. Plum. For more information and to view the agenda or minutes of the meetings, visit their website: https://www.usd308.com/page/boe
CAPTION: From left: Board Members Gleysha Mendez-Rosario, Tad Dower, Cheryl Thompson, Darcie Canfield-Riggs, Valarie Gibson-Smith, Lance Patterson and President Laura Corey. CREDIT USD 308 By Kate Irelan In their regular monthly meeting on Monday, the USD 308 Board of Education accepted $103,000 from the Reno County Childcare
The Reno County Commission will meet on Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 9 a.m. in the courthouse’s Veteran’s Room.
Phil Nightingale of Salt City Racing will discuss the economic impact of fairground racing events. With two races left this season, over 11,500 people have attended, and an estimated $370,000 in business sales has brought in nearly $10,500 in local taxes.
The county appraiser’s annual report will explain current housing market conditions and valuations.
The last business item on the agenda is the need for HVAC control upgrades in the courthouse, the Law Enforcement Center and the Health Department. The current controller, purchased in 2008, has failed. The system is obsolete and needs to be replaced. The commissioners will review the proposals and bids.
The Reno County Commission meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month and on the fifth Wednesday if one falls within the month.
The meeting agenda and supporting documents can be viewed on the Reno County Commission’s website.
The Reno County Commission will meet on Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 9 a.m. in the courthouse's Veteran's Room. Phil Nightingale of Salt City Racing will discuss the economic impact of fairground racing events. With two races left this season, over 11,500 people have attended, and an
CAPTION: Buhler USD 313 Superintendent Cindy Couchman, left, stands with members of the USD 313 board of education and district administration at the ribbon cutting of Crusader Corner Daycare, located at 509 East 56th Avenue in Hutchinson. CREDIT MICHAEL GLENN/THE HUTCHINSON TRIBUNE By Michael Glenn Buhler USD
