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Opinion

Michael and I at our final editorial meeting at Crow & Co. on Jan. 18, 2025 CREDIT A KIND STRANGER

By Gina Long

Today was bittersweet as Crow & Co. closed its doors.

The Hutchinson Tribune would not exist without the downtown bookstore. Michael and I first met in the philosophy book club, and the monthly discussions were a personal favorite event on my usually full personal calendar.

I met an extraordinary high school student who read the material, asked thoughtful questions and applied the material to his personal experiences, current events, and world news.

We talked about the news, and he floated a thought experiment that, 18 months later, has blossomed into The Hutchinson Tribune.

We met on Saturday at Crow & Co., our final editorial meeting in that space. We asked someone to snap a photo, as seen above.

I bought a couple of graphic novels, some bookmarks and a set of “existential pencils” for Michael.

Michael headed off to Wichita, and I wandered through downtown in the biting wind to clear my mind and engage in one of my favorite pastimes — reflecting on each building and block’s history.

I have seen a fantastic downtown transformation since moving back to Hutchinson in 2011. I am old enough to remember buying shoes at Buster Brown’s and clothes at Wiley’s, and I watched venerable stores like Anthony’s struggle and close when the mall opened in the mid-80s.

The retail landscape has changed, and downtown is now a cradle of vibrant storefronts, extensive renovations of commercial and residential units, and various relocations and ownership changes. The Downtown Master Plan envisions a future in which the city’s center becomes a destination experience, with dining and entertainment within comfortable walking distance and lodging for those who wish to spend the night.

Hutchinson is getting close to that dream. Downtown has several restaurants, the Fox Theater hosts a movie or concert nearly every weekend, Memorial Hall offers top-rank amateur boxing and conventions, and Salt City Brewery features trivia nights and live music.

The Hoke Hotel renovation has hit a roadblock. Still, the historic Landmark building is undergoing multimillion-dollar rehabilitation and plans to offer downtown apartments, hotel space, and retail space on the ground floor.

Hutchinson’s downtown is not stagnant; it constantly evolves. Nonetheless, sometimes it hurts to lose something personally meaningful.

Thank you to Lara and Sara Crow and all the amazing people who worked, collaborated and visited the bookstore. Your goal of creating a community space brought people together, to laugh, cry, dream, and in at least one case, create a local newspaper.

I look forward to seeing who takes a chance and builds something extraordinary downtown next.

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Michael and I at our final editorial meeting at Crow & Co. on Jan. 18, 2025 CREDIT A KIND STRANGER By Gina Long Today was bittersweet as Crow & Co. closed its doors. The Hutchinson Tribune would not exist without the downtown bookstore. Michael and I first met

Opinion

 By Michael Glenn

With Crow and Co. closing this past Saturday, Gina and I visited the bookstore one last time to reminisce on some memories and discuss some editorial topics as we usually do on the weekends. 

Crow and Co. holds a special place in my heart as the place where the players of The Hutchinson Tribune met for the first time. 

In Aug. 2022, I met Gina for the first time in a philosophy book club at Crow and Co. The book we were discussing that month was “Sophie’s World,” a book I still have to this day. 

Gina and I were, and still are, interested in just about anything. As time went on, the book club would discuss more topics about philosophy and the world around us. 

It wasn’t until around May 2023 that I started looking into journalism. While I researched in newspapers and publications for debate class, most of what we needed we could find in national newspapers or other websites. 

But seeing the state of journalism in our local community in 2023, Gina and I decided to try and fix it. While neither of us had formal training in journalism, we began researching other local publications that did it better than what we had in Hutchinson. 

We found the Harvey County Now, and I called the publisher of that paper under Gina’s suggestion. After meeting with Joey Young and Adam Strunk, the publisher and editor of the Harvey County Now, I convinced Gina to start the Tribune with no end goal in mind. 

A year and a half later, I’d say we’ve done well for a high schooler and a librarian. 

Crow and Co. was also the place where we met our first writing contractor, where we covered the 2024 election cycle and where Gina and I have regularly met for around two years now. 

I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to Sara and Lara Crow, who created the bookstore and gave Gina and me a place to make what we do possible. Sara had even joked at one point that Crow and Co. was our de facto office because of how much we met there. 

Crow and Co. will be missed in Hutchinson, and I wish the Crows all the best in their future endeavors. 

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 By Michael Glenn With Crow and Co. closing this past Saturday, Gina and I visited the bookstore one last time to reminisce on some memories and discuss some editorial topics as we usually do on the weekends.  Crow and Co. holds a special place in my heart

Community Events, Culture

CAPTION: Dr, Travis Gillespie of the Dental Center in Hutchinson prepares to treat a patient as part of the Kansas Mission of Mercy Dental Project which is being held Friday and Saturday at the Kansas State Fairgrounds.  By Richard Shank In the darkest and coldest […]

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CAPTION: Dr, Travis Gillespie of the Dental Center in Hutchinson prepares to treat a patient as part of the Kansas Mission of Mercy Dental Project which is being held Friday and Saturday at the Kansas State Fairgrounds.  By Richard Shank In the darkest and coldest pre-dawn hours

Uncategorized

By Michael Glenn

Hutchinson could see temperatures in the single digits this weekend, beginning Saturday, Jan. 18. 

The National Weather Service’s forecast said Saturday night’s windchill can extend to five below zero, with Sunday night’s windchill going as low as two below. Daytime temperatures for both of those days are expected to be 24 and 21 degrees, respectively. 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, Jan. 20, will be the coldest day out of the polar blast into Kansas. The expected high is around 19 degrees, with a low of two below. 

There is also a 20% chance of snow on Monday after 12 p.m.

Wind will also play a factor in the weather. Saturday will have a north wind of 9 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Sunday will have a north-northwest wind of 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph, according to the NWS. 

“If you or someone you care about must venture outdoors during extreme cold this winter, dress in layers,” the NWS website reads. “Cover exposed skin to reduce your risk of frostbite or hypothermia. Try to seek shelter from the wind as much as possible while outside. Once inside again, change into dry clothing immediately if you are wet. Watch for frostbite and hypothermia, and take immediate action upon the first detection of either.”

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By Michael Glenn Hutchinson could see temperatures in the single digits this weekend, beginning Saturday, Jan. 18.  The National Weather Service’s forecast said Saturday night’s windchill can extend to five below zero, with Sunday night’s windchill going as low as two below. Daytime temperatures for both of

Community Events

Hutchinson Zoo educator Alexis Martin holds Tim, a prairie kingsnake, during the Third Thursday event in Memorial Hall on Jan. 16, 2025 CREDIT GINA LONG/THE HUTCHINSON TRIBUNE

By Gina Long

January’s Third Thursday festival brought board games, musical performances, animals, food, and opportunities for the public to learn about local organizations at Memorial Hall on Thursday evening.

“Local organizations show what is coming up and what they do. It’s when we celebrate traditions and organizations roll out their new experiments,” Hutch Rec Arts and Humanities Coordinator Jacelyn Chambers said.

The Cosmosphere’s robot dog, Comet, waves to passers-by during Third Thursday at Memorial Hall on Jan. 16, 2025 CREDIT GINA LONG/THE HUTCHINSON TRIBUNE

The Cosmosphere showed off its new robot dog, Comet, who “brings fun to robotics education,” Cosmosphere STEAM Educator Mary Smith said. “Comet has turned into a big hit. We plan to tie him in with robotics education, outreach and publicity.”

She guided Comet with a remote control, walking him around the exhibit area and waving a mechanical arm to passers-by.

The Hutchinson Chess Club offered several conventional chess tournament boards and a larger cloth board on the floor with child-sized pieces.

The Hutchinson Zoo brought its popular resident Tim, an eight-year-old prairie king snake, who took great interest in a patch of buffalo skin, slithering over and under it between tentative touches from curious onlookers. Zoo educator Alexis Martin said that Tim is “very sweet” and called him “the unofficial mascot of the (zoo’s) education department.”

The Hutchinson Public Library distributed information about upcoming programs for adults, children and young adults, including the annual Kansas Day celebration on Jan. 29, and several book clubs, among the many services offered to the public at little or no cost.

Bondo, an Ornate Box Turtle, shuffled around at the Dillon Nature Center’s booth. Bondo arrived at the center in 2001 after being found on the side of the road by a previous naturalist. His shell had been badly damaged and was repaired with automotive Bondo filler, lending his name. He lives in the center and helps educate visitors about his species.

Nature Education Coordinator Rebecca McElroy takes care of the animals on display and said that ornate box turtles have a life expectancy of 30 to 40 years in captivity, so they expect Bondo to be with them for another 10 to fifteen years.

Dillon Nature Center Director Tony Helfrich discussed the pond’s recent dredging and refill. “Three thousand feet of fire hose and four million gallons of water were used to refill the pond, which took seven weeks over the summer. Evergy donated the water, the Hutchinson Fire Department donated 1,500 feet of fire hose, and the HCC Fire Science Program donated the rest,” he said.

The Family Community Theatre provided a preview of their upcoming production “Finding Nemo Jr.,” which will take the stage at the Flag Theater February 13-16 and 20-23.

The next Third Thursday will occur on February 20, from 6-8 p.m. in downtown Hutchinson.

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Hutchinson Zoo educator Alexis Martin holds Tim, a prairie kingsnake, during the Third Thursday event in Memorial Hall on Jan. 16, 2025 CREDIT GINA LONG/THE HUTCHINSON TRIBUNE By Gina Long January's Third Thursday festival brought board games, musical performances, animals, food, and opportunities for the public to

Police Blotter

Hutchinson Police Department

On 2025-01-16 @ 17:03:00Hrs

Domestic Violence at CITY OF HUTCHINSON

HANIE BAAYOUN, WM/31, HUTCHINSON, was arrested for 1.) Domestic battery.

On 2025-01-15 @ 19:38:00Hrs

Domestic Violence at CITY OF HUTCHINSON

 RICHARD KERNS, WM/26, HUTCHINSON, was arrested for 1) DV Battery, 2) Poss of marijuana, 3) Poss of paraphernalia, and 4) HPD FTA Warrant

On 2025-01-15 @ 18:35:00Hrs

Warrant Service at 17 E 2ND AVE

CHERIE BAKER, BF/38, 17 E 2ND AVE, APT 10D, was arrested for 1) HPD FTA Warrant

On 2025-01-15 @ 15:01:00Hrs

Warrant Service at 7 W 19TH AVE

CHRISTOPHER T SAINZ, WM/20, 7 W 19TH AVE, was arrested for 1.) HPD FTA Warrant

On 2025-01-14 @ 21:32:00Hrs

Burglary – Agg at City Of Hutchisnon

RILEY JENKINS, WM/33, 111 E 13TH AVE, was arrested for AGG BURGLARY, DV CRIMNINAL DAMAGE $1,000-$24,999 and BATTERY.

On 2025-01-14 @ 18:17:00Hrs

Criminal Trespass at CITY OF HUTCHINSON

CHELSIE K ALLISON, WF/33, HOMELESS, was arrested for 1)-Criminal Trespass

On 2025-01-14 @ 01:56:00Hrs

Domestic Violence at CITY OF HUTCHINSON

MARTIN R DURAN, WM/37, 107 W 7TH AVE B, was arrested for 1)-Domestic Battery and 2)-Aggravated Domestic Battery, Impede breathing

On 2025-01-14 @ 00:53:00Hrs

Traffic – Other at 100 BLK W 2nd Ave

BIAGIO N HARRINGTON, WM/49, LYONS was arrested for 1.) Driving with No DL, and 2.) HPD FTA

On 2025-01-13 @ 17:00:00Hrs

Drug Offense at 121 W 11th

BRAYDEN W. CHESTERMAN, WM/24, SAME – was arrested for 1) Possession of Fentanyl 2) Possession of methamphetamine 3) Possession of drug paraphernalia. SAVANNAH M. ALVARADO, HF/24, SAME – was arrested for 1) Possession of Fentanyl 2) Possession of methamphetamine 3) Felony Interference with LEO 4) Possession of drug paraphernalia. TRAE D. REEED, WM/28, 328 E 1ST APT 6 – was arrested for 1) Possession of methamphetamine w/2 priors 2) Possession of drug paraphernalia 3) Felony Interference with LEO 4) Criminal carry of weapon; Brass knuckles 5) HPD warrant

On 2025-01-13 @ 15:51:00Hrs

Obstruct Legal Process at 3315 Covington Ct.

BRANDON M. WILLIAMS, WM/39, 3315 CONVINGTON CT. was arrested for 1.) INTERFERENCE WITH LEO; EXECUTION OF FELONY WARRANT.

On 2025-01-13 @ 12:12:00Hrs

Drug Offense at 428 E 4TH AVE

CODY GRIFFIN, WM/25, 507 E 5TH AVE, Was arrested for 1.) Possession of Methamphetamine, 1 Prior Conviction 2.) Possession of Marijuana; 1 Prior Conviction 3.) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

On 2025-01-11 @ 21:37:00Hrs

Domestic Violence at City of Hutchinson

ROQUE RODRIGUEZ HM/32 515 W 1ST AVE was arrested for 1) DV CRIMINAL THREAT, 2) POSS OF COCAINE, 3) POSS OF MARIJUANA, and 4) POSS OF PARAPHERNALIA.

On 2025-01-11 @ 18:35:00Hrs

Domestic Violence at CITY OF HUTCHINSON

MICHAEL BLICK, WM/46, HUTCHINSON was arrested for 1) DOMESTIC BATTERY. SONJA BLICK, WF/43, HUTCHINSON, was arrested for 1) DOMESTIC BATTERY.

On 2025-01-11 @ 13:12:00Hrs

Obstruct Legal Process at 808 E. 43RD AVE. APT B

KRISTEN M. PARKER, WF/38, 808 E. 43RD AVE. was arrested for 1.) Flee and Elude, 1st Offense. 2.) Misd. Interference with Law Enforcement Officer.

On 2025-01-10 @ 23:07:00Hrs

Drug Offense at 300 BLK E 4TH AVE

CARL ALEXANDER, BM/38, MISSOURI was arrested for 1)Poss. of Marijuana and 2)Poss. Paraphernalia.

On 2025-01-10 @ 15:34:00Hrs

Robbery – Agg at 210 W 1st Ave

Zayne M. Bruce WM/19 and Kaidyn R. Emmerich WM/17 were arrested for 1)Aggravated Robbery 2)Theft regarding the armed robbery that took place at Selectel Wireless on December 30th, 2024.

On 2025-01-09 @ 22:00:00Hrs

Drug Offense at 1111 E. 10th Ave.

BRICEN SMITH, WM/37 ,1111 E 10TH AVE., was arrested for 1.) DISTRIBUTION OF METHAMPHETAMINE WITHIN 1000′ OF A SCHOOL, 2.) DISTRIBUTION OF MARIJUANA WITHIN 1000′ OF A SCHOOL, 3.) DISTRIBUTION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA, 4.) AQUIRED DRUG PROCEEDS, 5.) CRIMINAL USE OF A WEAPON, 6.) POSSESSION OF METHAMPHETAMINE, 7.) POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA and 8.) POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. JUSTIN MOORMAN, WM/32, 1111 E. 10TH AVE., was arrested for .) DISTRIBUTION OF METHAMPHETAMINE WITHIN 1000′ OF A SCHOOL, 2.) DISTRIBUTION OF MARIJUANA WITHIN 1000′ OF A SCHOOL, 3.) DISTRIBUTION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA, 4.) CRIMINAL USE OF A WEAPON, 5.) POSSESSION OF METHAMPHETAMINE, 6.) POSSESSION OF XANAX 7.) POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA  8.) POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA, and 9.) POSSESSION OF A STOLEN FIREARM. KASSI CAPE, WF/32, 9501 N. PLUM, was arrested for 1.) POSSESSION OF METHAMPHETAMINE and 2.) POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA

Reno County Sheriff’s Department

On 2025-01-10 @ 15:13:00Hrs

Battery at 207 N Burr, Nickerson, Reno County 67561

Dakotah Cronk 28 YOM of Nickerson was arrested for Domestic Battery, Criminal Restraint, and Criminal Threat.

NOTE: ALL SUBJECTS ARE INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW

Want to see more in the blotter? Contact Publisher Michael Glenn at mglenn@hutchtribune.com or Managing Editor Gina Long at glong@hutchtribune.com.

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Hutchinson Police Department On 2025-01-16 @ 17:03:00Hrs Domestic Violence at CITY OF HUTCHINSON HANIE BAAYOUN, WM/31, HUTCHINSON, was arrested for 1.) Domestic battery. On 2025-01-15 @ 19:38:00Hrs Domestic Violence at CITY OF HUTCHINSON  RICHARD KERNS, WM/26, HUTCHINSON, was arrested for 1) DV Battery, 2) Poss of marijuana, 3) Poss of paraphernalia,

County News, Government

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CAPTION: Former Reno County Commissioner John Whitesel at a commission meeting in the Reno County Courthouse on Nov. 27, 2024. CREDIT SANDRA MILBURN/RENO COUNTY By Michael Glenn Former Reno County Commissioner John Whitesel spoke about his time on the commission which ended Monday, Jan. 13, 2025.  Whitesel served