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By Gina Long

I recently had the misfortune of visiting a few stores at the Uptown Mall.

The trip required keen eyesight, tiger-like reflexes and the ability to shake off lower back pain from the sudden and hard jarring.

The city recently approved a 2% CID (Community Improvement District) sales tax surcharge, doubling the 1% previously assessed on area businesses. The concept is that the city collects additional sales tax in that area, then the extra tax is returned to the property owner for reinvestment, generally for upkeep. More sales should translate into more revenue for the mall’s owners to keep up with at least basic maintenance.

The Uptown Mall’s owner, RockStep Capital, purchased the property in 2014 and was approved for a 1% CID, badly needed to repair the roof, plumbing, and other structural problems.

None of those funds appear to be invested in fixing the driveways and parking lot.

Occasionally, a battered pickup truck pulls up to a 3-foot crater, and a few men in orange vests and hard hats spill out with a couple of small bags of cold asphalt patch material and two or three shovels. They dump the bags, tap with the shovels and move on. I rarely see them fixing more than two or three holes, usually on the street between Bomgaard’s and Walmart.

A week later, the patch mysteriously disappears.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

The amount of tire damage, the number of bent rims, and the uncounted damage to vehicle suspension systems remains untallied. I avoided the mall when we had snowfall because I could not see the craters. Those potholes multiplied and expanded with the winter’s melt/refreeze cycle. This week, I watched someone in a compact car nearly lose control when encountering a giant pothole in front of TJ Maxx.

If the mall’s owners do not want to fix the problem permanently, they could mitigate it by tearing up the little-used parking areas and converting them to green spaces. Planting trees and grass has the additional benefit of combating the large heat dome created by uncovered asphalt absorbing and re-radiating solar heat.

The mall has worked to bring in new stores, finally making progress after losing nationwide mall-based retailers that imploded in 2015 and 2016. However, drawing attention to a vast, empty and crumbling parking lot isn’t appealing to potential tenants.

As a shopper, I am reluctant to spend my consumer dollars where I am paying a higher sales tax and possibly incurring a preventable vehicle repair.

I ask the City of Hutchinson to add a guarantee that the parking lot will be fixed and adequately maintained as a stipulation in the 2% CID agreement.

By Gina Long I recently had the misfortune of visiting a few stores at the Uptown Mall. The trip required keen eyesight, tiger-like reflexes and the ability to shake off lower back pain from the sudden and hard jarring. The city recently approved a 2% CID (Community Improvement

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Charlie Box is the NJCAA Division I golf champion. (Photo courtesy of Blue Dragon Sports/Hutchinson CC Sports Information). By John Mesh Hutchinson Community College Blue Dragon golfer Charlie Box captured the 2025 NJCAA Division I Golf Championship with a one-stroke victory on Friday at Sand Creek Station

CAPTION: Bronwyn Page, director of operations for the County Museum, gives a tour of the Vietnam exhibit at the Reno County Musuem. CREDIT RICHARD SHANK By Richard Shank The late President John F. Kennedy said, “Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it.” […]

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CAPTION: Bronwyn Page, director of operations for the County Museum, gives a tour of the Vietnam exhibit at the Reno County Musuem. CREDIT RICHARD SHANK By Richard Shank The late President John F. Kennedy said, “Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it.” In Hutchinson,

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TOPEKA — Reno, Harvey and Sedgwick Counties are now considered to be in a drought emergency, after Governor Laura Kelly signed a proclamation approving updated drought declarations for Kansas counties Tuesday.  “Drought conditions have persisted across Kansas through the winter and spring, and we must respond

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CAPTION: The season came to an end Thursday for the Hutchinson Community College Blue Dragon baseball team at the Region 6 Plains District Tournament as Hutchinson fell to KCK 11-3 in seven innings. Hutchinson finished with a 40-21 record, the 11th 40-win season in program

CAPTION: CREDIT COSMOSPHERE By Adam Stewart While it has been almost 14 years since the last space shuttle mission, the shuttle program has left a monumental legacy in science and international cooperation, panelists at Coffee at the Cosmo said Thursday. Shuttle missions dramatically increased the […]

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CAPTION: CREDIT COSMOSPHERE By Adam Stewart While it has been almost 14 years since the last space shuttle mission, the shuttle program has left a monumental legacy in science and international cooperation, panelists at Coffee at the Cosmo said Thursday. Shuttle missions dramatically increased the amount of scientific

Mayor Stacy Goss won the award for most donuts eaten at the 2025 Salvation Army Donut Eating contest. This year’s competition was held on a Hutch Rec Third Thursday event on Thursday, May 15. CREDIT COURTESY OF HUTCHINSON SALVATION ARMY

By Emmie Amezola

The Hutchinson Salvation Army held its donut eating contest on Hutch Rec’s May Third Thursday event this year. This year’s contest set a record with 22 participants. 

Major Paul James said hosting the contest on a Third Thursday was helpful. He said the contest attendance doubled compared to years past. 

“I think we just had more of a natural crowd and so we definitely had more contestants,” James said. “Definitely had more friends and family that came.” 

The purpose of the donut eating contest is to raise funds for the Salvation Army’s international work and to raise money for their regional kids camp in Kansas City.  

“So we charge $10 per child to go to camp so this money helps cover the additional cost,” James said. “Obviously it cost a lot more than $10 for all the expenses for that.” 

James said the money raised for international work was raised in honor of the work that the Salvation Army did in WWI. The Salvation Army currently resides in 134 countries. 

“A bunch of ladies were sent to WWI to the front lines to bring comfort food and to bring comfort to the men who were fighting on the front lines,” James said. “So the supplies they had. They had lard, they had flour, they had sugar. They basically had what they could do to make donuts. They fried up donuts there on the front lines. Sometimes in the helmets of the military personnel there and gave donuts and coffee. And so in honor of that, half of our proceeds will go to our international work in other countries around the world.” 

The total money raised from online donations and cash donations for the contest was $4,904.01. 

The Raising the Most Dough award went to Darrell Adams from the Kiwanis of Downtown Hutchinson. The most donuts eaten award went to Mayor Stacy Goss. 

The host of this year’s contest was Max Bringle of Eagle Media. Hutch Auto Body hosted the contest. 

Mayor Stacy Goss won the award for most donuts eaten at the 2025 Salvation Army Donut Eating contest. This year's competition was held on a Hutch Rec Third Thursday event on Thursday, May 15. CREDIT COURTESY OF HUTCHINSON SALVATION ARMY By Emmie Amezola The Hutchinson Salvation Army held its

Hutchinson Police Department

On 2025-05-14 @ 21:00:00Hrs

Assault – Agg – LEO at 1405 N Main St

TIMOTHY W. PETERS, WM/60, 1405 N MAIN ST was arrested for 1) Aggravated Assault of LEO; w/ Deadly Weapon x2 2) Criminal Threat; With Intent to Terrorize 3) Interference with Law Enforcement; Obstruct, Resist, Oppose; Felony Case 4) False Information to Request Emergency Services; Resulting in Bodily Harm and 5) Battery on LEO; Physical Contact with City Officer x2.


On 2025-05-14 @ 15:17:00Hrs

Warrant Service at 1209 E 3RD AVE

JIMMY MUNS, WM/44, 1209 E 3RD AVE, Was arrested on a HPD warrant for 1.) FTA; Interference with LEO


On 2025-05-14 @ 00:46:00Hrs

Domestic Violence at City of Hutchinson 

CHAD RINGWALD, WM/47, 728 E 7TH AVE was arrested for 1.) DV Criminal Damage, 2.) Poss Marijuana with 2 or more priors, 3.) Poss of K2, and 4.) Poss of drug paraphernalia.


On 2025-05-13 @ 16:43:00Hrs

Traffic – MVA at 600 BLK W 17th Ave

KAYLA R. ROY, WF/25, 105 W 30TH AVE was arrested for 1) Driving While Suspended and 2) Registration Violation; No License Plate after striking a parked vehicle in the 600 block of W 17th Ave. She was also cited for 1) Inattentive Driving.


On 2025-05-12 @ 10:58:00Hrs

Battery – LEO at 1100 N PLUM ST

CHELSIE ALLISON, WF/33, 426 E 11TH AVE, was arrested for 1) Interference LEO, and 1) Battery LEO.


On 2025-05-12 @ 09:22:00Hrs

Frauds; Other at 1530 N Lorraine

An employee of Autozone reported MATTHEW SPARKS, WM/38, 3012 Sierra Parkway Apt. A, attempting to pay for items with counterfeit US currency. SPARKS was arrested for 1.) COUNTERFEITING CURRENCY, and 2.) THEFT BY DECEPTION.


On 2025-05-12 @ 01:07:00Hrs

Traffic – DUI at 100 blk E 10th Ave

ANGELA R. JARRETT, WF/44, 1600 N PLUM ST, was arrested for 1) DUI; 1ST CONV


On 2025-05-11 @ 13:03:00Hrs

Drug Offense at 428 E A AVE

JAMARION DAVIS, BM/18, 615 N WASHINGTON was found to have consumed alcohol after officers were called to a disturbance. JAMARION was arrested for the Minor in Consumption, during the search marijuana was found on his person. JAMARION was arrested for 1.) Possession of Marijuana and 2.) Minor in Consumption of Alcoholic Beverage.


On 2025-05-11 @ 06:19:00Hrs

Drug Offense at 426 E. 11th Ave. 

PRESTON L. LEWIS, WM/37, SAME, was arrested for 1) POSSESSION OF ANABOLIC STEROIDS.


On 2025-05-11 @ 06:19:00Hrs

Battery – Agg at City of Hutchinson 

PRESTON L. LEWIS, WM/37, CITY OF HUTCHINSON, was arrested for 1) AGGRAVATED BATTERY (DV).


On 2025-05-10 @ 19:52:00Hrs

Violation of Court Order at 400 E. 2ND AVE. 

ALEJANDRO P. SEARS, HM/21, was arrested for 1.) Violation of Protection Order.


On 2025-05-10 @ 02:00:00Hrs

Traffic – DUI at 1300 BLK N POPLAR ST

KRISTINA D. JARRETT, WF/49, 801 E AVE A, was arrested for 1) DUI; 1ST CONV


On 2025-05-09 @ 23:34:00Hrs

Traffic – DUI at 122 W 13TH AVE

ALICIA G. PEARCE, WF/41, SAME, was arrested for 1) DUI; 1ST CONV


On 2025-05-08 @ 16:14:00Hrs

Drug Offense at 1905 E 17TH AVE

DAMIEN DEVINE, BM/25, HOMELESS, was arrested for 1)Possession of Marijuana 2) Possession of paraphernalia.


On 2025-05-08 @ 13:43:00Hrs

Drug Offense at 420 E 4th AVE

RATWAN NORWOOD, BM/34, HOMELESS, was arrested for 1.) Possession of Marijuana, and 2.) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.


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.

Hutchinson Police Department On 2025-05-14 @ 21:00:00Hrs Assault - Agg - LEO at 1405 N Main St TIMOTHY W. PETERS, WM/60, 1405 N MAIN ST was arrested for 1) Aggravated Assault of LEO; w/ Deadly Weapon x2 2) Criminal Threat; With Intent to Terrorize 3) Interference with Law

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By John Mesh The Hutchinson Blue Dragons stayed alive in the Region 6 Plains District Tournament with a 9-1 victory over Barton Community College Wednesday afternoon at Salina’s Dean Evans Stadium. Hutchinson will play Kansas City Kansas at 10 a.m. Thursday. KCK lost to Johnson County 9-1