CAPTION: Devil’s Chex is an addictive, tasty snack that comes together quickly and easily and is the perfect addition to the snack table for a get together or a movie night on the couch. By Lindsey Young There is a museum in Key West, Florida, that claims
By Gina Long
The second Light Up Hutch Christmas parade and festival filled Main Street from Avenue B to 7th Ave. Saturday evening.
This year, 100 organizations participated, up from 75 in the parade’s inaugural event.
The weather played its part, with daytime high temperatures in the low 60s dropping into the mid-50s and an occasional strong cold breeze from the southwest.
The parade started with a color guard supported by the Patriot Guard Riders and an honor guard from the Sons of The American Revolution.
Santa appeared first in a sleigh with five reindeer, including Rudolph, built by the Hutchinson Fire Department, according to HFD Chief Steve Beer.
Crowds were heavy along the route, and the VIP bleacher seating in front of Roma’s Italian Restaurant was packed.
Children chased candy and souvenirs handed out by parade participants.
Maverick Deason, 8, took turns with Azaylea Deason, 10, and Vivienne Price, 11, all from Hutchinson, gathering items along the street and sharing them with people around them.
“My favorite part [of the parade] is the candy,” he said while vigorously waving at the parade entries and booing a costumed Grinch.
Robin Snook of Hutchinson watched in front of the Wiley Building. “It’s the first year I’ve seen it, and I think it’s wonderful. People can see all the lights here. It’s beautiful,” she said.
Local celebrity judges included Hutchinson Mayor Greg Fast, Vice Mayor Stacy Goss, Director of Strategic Growth David Sotelo and StartUp Hutch Entrepreneur Navigator Mario Hawkins, who observed each entry from the parade’s sponsor, Ad Astra Radio, in DCI Park.
“The parade is so successful in its second year with such great participation,” Fast said. He praised Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce Downtown Manager Sarah Diamond for organizing the parade and festival.
“I appreciate the time and effort everyone put into the activities; they took a lot of planning. It is so cool to see,” Goss said.
The event’s winning entries had not been announced as of press time.
Light Up Hutch Christmas Parade and Festival Grand Marshall Santa Claus on Dec. 7, 2024, near the intersection of Main St. and Avenue A. The Hutchinson Fire Department built the sleigh and reindeer CREDIT MICHAEL GLENN/THE HUTCHINSON TRIBUNE By Gina Long The second Light Up Hutch Christmas
By John Mesh It’s four times in the Final Four for the No. 3-ranked Hutchinson Blue Dragon football team. The Jayhawk Conference tri-champion Blue Dragons (9-1) will play No. 2 seed Georgia Military College (10-1) in the second NJCAA national semifinal 2:30 p.m. Central time (3:30 p.m.
By John Mesh The Buhler varsity boys basketball defeated Nickerson 49-45 in overtime Friday night at the Nickerson High School gymnasium. Nickerson led 7-6 at the end of the first quarter and 25-18 at halftime. Buhler outscored Nickerson 17-5 in the third quarter to take a 35-30 lead.
CAPTION: PARAMOUNT PICTURES
By Dan Deming
There will be a variety of movie choices for theatre-goers to enjoy between now and new years’ but if you want an action extravaganza and don’t mind the blood and gore that goes along the second Gladiator movie, cleverly titled Gladiator II, may be your cup of tea.
It’s filled with spectacular battle scenes (not recommended for children, teens or squeamish adults), good acting, a not so easy to follow but interesting story and a $250 million budget that transports us back to Roman colosseum days and makes virtually everyone glad they weren’t living in those evil days.
While much of the movie is not historically accurate, Ridley Scott, the producer/director, has done a superb job in crafting another big-screen spectacular that some have already listed among the top ten films of 2024 and likely to get serious Oscar consideration. After opening with a creditable fight between sea and land forces there are even more seemingly real battles between Gladiators and wild dogs and a fighter-mounted rhinoceros, created with 3-D printing and controlled with a radio remote.
Denzel Washington may be the only Hollywood name you recognize but also give credit to Irish actor Paul Mesual as the chief good guy, Lucius, and another little-known male, Pedro Pascal as a Roman general. The original Gladiator who helped the 2000 film win Academy Awards, Russell Crowe, isn’t around for the sequel except a small flashback. Filming took place in Morocco, United Kingdom and the island of Malta where Rome was recreated.
Again, the gore including severed heads as they are being cut off and dangled for display, make this a film a lot of Tribune readers will want to stay away from. But for the type of move it is, Gladiator II is extremely well done and worth seeing. It came out the same weekend as Wicked, the musical, and Disneys’ second Moana. While both are doing somewhat better at the box office Glad had already grossed 327 million dollars before last weekend hit, topping its’ staggering production cost.
CAPTION: PARAMOUNT PICTURES By Dan Deming There will be a variety of movie choices for theatre-goers to enjoy between now and new years' but if you want an action extravaganza and don't mind the blood and gore that goes along the second Gladiator movie, cleverly titled Gladiator
Sandhills Brewing at 111 W 2nd Avenue on Fri., Dec. 6, 2024. during the taproom's open house. The brewery expanded into the northern section of the building CREDIT GINA LONG By Gina Long A full-capacity crowd waited patiently during Sandhills Brewing's newly renovated taproom on Friday evening. The
CAPTION: An excavator begins the demolition of the Atrium Hotel and Conference Center, located at 1400 North Lorraine St. CREDIT MICHAEL GLENN/THE HUTCHINSON TRIBUNE
By Michael Glenn
The demolition of the Atrium Hotel and Conference Center began Friday, December 6, 2024.
City officials and other leaders used an excavator to begin the demolition, following a city process condemning the building 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.
City Manager Enrico Villegas said the demolition is scheduled to be completed in 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,” an official press release from the City 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: An excavator begins the demolition of the Atrium Hotel and Conference Center, located at 1400 North Lorraine St. CREDIT MICHAEL GLENN/THE HUTCHINSON TRIBUNE By Michael Glenn The demolition of the Atrium Hotel and Conference Center began Friday, December 6, 2024. City officials and other leaders used an
By John Mesh The 2024-25 high school girls basketball season begins Friday night with several area schools in action: Hutchinson High girls The Hutchinson High School girls basketball team, guided by Kalen Hilst in his second season, return three starters and two key letterwinners from a team that
By John Mesh The 2024-25 high school boys basketball season begins Friday night with several area schools in action. The Hutchinson High School girls and boys basketball teams open the season Tuesday at home against Maize at the Salthawk Activity Center. The Salthawks play Reno County rival Buhler
By Richard Shank
Hutchinson achieved a first in Kansas to participate in the Safe Haven Baby Box (SHBB) program with a Thursday morning launch at Fire Station Number 1 at 2222 North Main Street.
A statement on the SHBB website explains the program: “Safe Haven Baby Boxes offer a compassionate and secure option for mothers in crisis who are unable to care for their newborns. Designed with innovative safety features and installed on the exterior walls of fire stations and hospitals, each box ensures infants’ safe and anonymous surrender. The exterior door locks automatically when a newborn is placed inside, and an interior door allows medical personnel to promptly and securely retrieve the baby, ensuring immediate care and protection.”
Motorists driving past Fire Station 1 adjacent to the Kansas State Fairgrounds may notice a sign on the west side of the building stating “Safe Haven Baby Box Drop Off.” A door opens by pushing a single button, and a box inside becomes visible. The container is large enough to hold an infant from newborn to 60 days of age. After placing the baby in the box and closing the door, alarms are activated inside, and personnel will respond in a few seconds or minutes.
Monica Kelsey, who was abandoned as a baby in 1973, established SHBB in 2016 in Woodbury, Indiana, and this week, she traveled to Hutchinson to help launch the nation’s 294th Baby Box Program. In an impassioned speech to an audience of 40, Kelsey said some people should not be parents and acknowledged an abandoned and deceased baby is found every three days in the United States.
“We can hope the Baby Box is never used, but we are finding an increased need for this service,” Kelsey said. “It allows the mother anonymity, and there are no cameras on-site to photograph the baby being left.”
Kelsey is crisscrossing the nation this week to speak at launches of other Baby Box programs and was airborne for Texas Thursday afternoon for another announcement on Friday.
Hutchinson Fire Chief Steven Beer said the funds needed to establish the program were raised from private sources and expressed special thanks to the Children’s Emergency Shelter for its contribution and to Wiens Construction for contributing labor costs for building modifications to the fire station and providing space for necessary equipment. He said that if and when funds are available, he would like to add a Safe Haven Baby Box to another fire station in the city.
“No taxpayer funds were used to establish this program,” Beer said. “All fire department employees were trained on the Baby Box program in advance of the Thursday launch.
Beer also pointed out that fire department personnel are trained Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and will be available to treat and care for the babies if needed.
Mayor Greg Fast, who attended the news conference, said the implementation of the Baby Box program in Hutchinson reaffirms the Hutchinson Fire Department’s leadership in implementing new and innovative programs to serve the community.
As the news conference was about to conclude, the fire whistle blew, and the doors opened. The station crew departed to respond to an emergency in Salt City,
Hutchinson Fire Chief Steven Beer and Monica Kelsey, founder of SHBB, in front of the newly-installed Safe Haven Baby Box at Fire Station 1 at 2222 North Main Street CREDIT RICHARD SHANK By Richard Shank Hutchinson achieved a first in Kansas to participate in the Safe Haven
