HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The jury in a Reno County murder case did not return a verdict on that count after deliberating for several days.

According to Reno County District Attorney Thomas Stanton, the case against Sandral Wade&nbsp;went to the jury last Wednesday afternoon. The jury deliberated until Monday morning.

The jury deadlocked on the first three counts including first degree murder of Orlando Gipson, attempted first degree murder of Landre Bowie and aggravated robbery using a deadly weapon, found the defendant not guilty of aggravated robbery - infliction of bodily harm, and guilty of criminal possession of a firearm.

In October 2021, Wade was arrested in connection with an early morning shooting in the 1500 block of West 12th Avenue in Hutchinson. Officers arrived at the scene and found Landre Bowie laying in the street with gunshot wounds to his abdomen. He was transferred to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for treatment and survived. Officers then located Gipson in the front yard of a nearby residence with a single gunshot wound to his chest. He was taken to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

Bowie testified during a preliminary hearing that Wade was the person who shot him before he crawled out into the street where police who were in the area assisted him. He also told detectives that he could hear Gibson shouting “don’t shoot me.”

A co-defendant Robert Lagrange testified that he saw Wade shoot the two men. He also said that Wade tried to give him a cell phone which he threw in the trash. The phone belonged to Bowie. Lagrange also said that he helped hide Wade at his house for two days before police found him hiding in a closet. 

Stanton said the counts upon which the jury deadlocked will be retried on a future date. No sentencing date on the firearm count was given in Stanton's email to Hutch Post.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618162821449.jpeg" alt="Wade photo Reno Co." />
 <figcaption>Wade photo Reno Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The jury in a Reno County murder case did not return a verdict on that count after deliberating for several days.According to Reno County District Attorney Thomas Stanton, the case against Sandral Wade&nbsp;went to the jury last Wednesday afternoon. The jury deliberated until Monday morning.The jury deadlocked on the first three counts including first degree murder of Orlando Gipson, attempted first degree murder of Landre Bowie and aggravated robbery using a deadly weapon, found the defendant not guilty of aggravated robbery - infliction of bodily harm, and guilty of criminal possession of a firearm.In October 2021, Wade was arrested in connection with an early morning shooting in the 1500 block of West 12th Avenue in Hutchinson. Officers arrived at the scene and found Landre Bowie laying in the street with gunshot wounds to his abdomen. He was transferred to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for treatment and survived. Officers then located Gipson in the front yard of a nearby residence with a single gunshot wound to his chest. He was taken to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.Bowie testified during a preliminary hearing that Wade was the person who shot him before he crawled out into the street where police who were in the area assisted him. He also told detectives that he could hear Gibson shouting “don’t shoot me.”A co-defendant Robert Lagrange testified that he saw Wade shoot the two men. He also said that Wade tried to give him a cell phone which he threw in the trash. The phone belonged to Bowie. Lagrange also said that he helped hide Wade at his house for two days before police found him hiding in a closet. Stanton said the counts upon which the jury deadlocked will be retried on a future date. No sentencing date on the firearm count was given in Stanton's email to Hutch Post.

Jury deadlocked in Kansas murder case

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Thursday, VA announced that Veterans and survivors who apply (or submit their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/" target="_blank">intent to file</a>) for PACT Act benefits by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on Monday, August 14, 2023 will be eligible to have their benefits backdated to August 10, 2022 – the day that President Biden signed the PACT Act into law.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"The easiest way for folks to sign up for PACT Act benefits is to go to <a href="https://www.va.gov/disability/file-disability-claim-form-21-526ez/introduction">VA.gov</a>, and click on a button there to apply for a disability claim," said VA Press Secretary Terrence Hayes. "What that does is, even if you don't have all the necessary documents, you're filing an Intent to File and it holds your place in line and you, too, will be eligible for those backdated benefits."&nbsp;

VA has made this decision out of an abundance of caution after experiencing technical difficulties with <a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/">VA.gov/PACT</a> in recent days. Specifically, due to extremely high demand, some Veterans who have sought to submit their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/" target="_blank">intent to file</a>&nbsp;for PACT Act benefits have received error messages while doing so.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Despite these messages, VA has successfully logged every one of these <a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/">intents to file</a> – meaning that every Veteran or survivor who has received an error message while applying for PACT Act benefits can consider their intent to file complete. VA is working on contacting these Veterans to clarify their status.

"It takes maybe five or ten minutes for you to actually do it," Hayes said. "We're routing folks to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/disability/file-disability-claim-form-21-526ez/introduction">VA.gov</a>&nbsp;to apply today."

You do not have to have all of your paperwork in order to submit an <a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/">Intent to File</a>. It is important to do so in order to get access to the backdated benefits for the past year.

Jeff Herndon at the Dole VA Medical Center in Wichita also contributed to this story.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651018039114.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Thursday, VA announced that Veterans and survivors who apply (or submit their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/" target="_blank">intent to file</a>) for PACT Act benefits by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on Monday, August 14, 2023 will be eligible to have their benefits backdated to August 10, 2022 – the day that President Biden signed the PACT Act into law.&nbsp;&nbsp;"The easiest way for folks to sign up for PACT Act benefits is to go to <a href="https://www.va.gov/disability/file-disability-claim-form-21-526ez/introduction">VA.gov</a>, and click on a button there to apply for a disability claim," said VA Press Secretary Terrence Hayes. "What that does is, even if you don't have all the necessary documents, you're filing an Intent to File and it holds your place in line and you, too, will be eligible for those backdated benefits."&nbsp; VA has made this decision out of an abundance of caution after experiencing technical difficulties with <a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/">VA.gov/PACT</a> in recent days. Specifically, due to extremely high demand, some Veterans who have sought to submit their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/" target="_blank">intent to file</a>&nbsp;for PACT Act benefits have received error messages while doing so.&nbsp;&nbsp;Despite these messages, VA has successfully logged every one of these <a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/">intents to file</a> – meaning that every Veteran or survivor who has received an error message while applying for PACT Act benefits can consider their intent to file complete. VA is working on contacting these Veterans to clarify their status."It takes maybe five or ten minutes for you to actually do it," Hayes said. "We're routing folks to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/disability/file-disability-claim-form-21-526ez/introduction">VA.gov</a>&nbsp;to apply today."You do not have to have all of your paperwork in order to submit an <a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/">Intent to File</a>. It is important to do so in order to get access to the backdated benefits for the past year.Jeff Herndon at the Dole VA Medical Center in Wichita also contributed to this story.

PACT Act backdated deadline extended to Monday

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas State Fair General Manager Bryan Schulz let Hutch Post know that there will be something special at the Kansas State Fair this year.

"We have the Lombardi Trophy coming to the Kansas State Fair on the Kansas Lottery's Chief Red Friday," Schulz said. "People will be able to come out there, have their picture taken with the Super Bowl Trophy from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the last Friday. This is going to be huge. They only go to certain places. When they said they want to bring it, we were, thumbs up, let's get it done."

There's also a free concert that night for Chiefs fans as Blane Howard, KC Wolf and Rumble, the Kansas City Chiefs drumline will all be at the fair again. Blane will perform at Peoples Bank and Trust Arena at 7 p.m. on Friday, September 15, sponsored by The Sleep Shoppe and Furniture Gallery.

NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas State Fair General Manager Bryan Schulz let Hutch Post know that there will be something special at the Kansas State Fair this year."We have the Lombardi Trophy coming to the Kansas State Fair on the Kansas Lottery's Chief Red Friday," Schulz said. "People will be able to come out there, have their picture taken with the Super Bowl Trophy from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the last Friday. This is going to be huge. They only go to certain places. When they said they want to bring it, we were, thumbs up, let's get it done."There's also a free concert that night for Chiefs fans as Blane Howard, KC Wolf and Rumble, the Kansas City Chiefs drumline will all be at the fair again. Blane will perform at Peoples Bank and Trust Arena at 7 p.m. on Friday, September 15, sponsored by The Sleep Shoppe and Furniture Gallery.

Chiefs' Super Bowl trophy will be at Kansas State Fair

By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays Post

WICHITA - The Hays Larks had not lost a game all season when leading after seven innings until Friday night. The Hutchinson Monarchs rallied from a 4-0 deficit and beat the Larks 6-4 in 11 innings in the pool play opener for both teams at the 89th National Baseball Congress World Series at Eck Stadium on the Wichita State University campus.

The Monarchs (21-17) who finished third in the Jayhawk Collegiate League, scored three in the eighth then added another in the ninth to tie before plating two runs in the top of the 11th for their first lead of the game.

The Larks (37-7) scored twice in the second. After John Cecolli reached on a walk and Austen Jaslove was hit by a pitch, Brady Evans hit a ground-rule double that bounced over the fene in center field to drive in the first run. Luis Garcia followed with a sacrifice fly.

The Larks added two more runs in the seventh. After Trent Baker opened the inning with a single and Lenny Ashby walked, Tyler LaRue made the score 3-0 when he knocked in Baker on a groundout. Garrett Gruell added an infield single which scored Ashby from second to push the lead to 4-0.

The Monarchs answered with three in the top of the eighth. With two outs, Will Edmunson reached on an infield single, Max Buettenback followed with a single to right. They both scored on Jaden Gustafson's double to center.

The Larks loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth but a strikeout and foul out ended the threat.

Hutch tied the game in the top of the ninth on a Caleb Cotton double which bounced over the glove of left fielder Damian Ruiz and allowed Blake Bradford to score from first.

The Larks loaded the bases with two outs in the 10th but failed to score.

The Monarchs pushed two across in the 11tth on another double from Cotton and sacrifice fly.

The Larks were retired in order in the bottom of the inning.

Reed Scott (2-1) pitched two scoreless innings of relief and picked up the win. Derick Johnson, a Fort Hays State signee worked a perfect ninth and got the save.

Jett Lodes (3-1) allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits in 3 1/3 innings of relief and took the loss for Hays.&nbsp;

Starter Tyler Schott scattered three hits over six scoreless innings with a season-high nine strikeouts and two walks.

The Larks had been 30-0 this season when leading after six innings and 23-0 and leading after the seventh and eighth innings.

Friday's loss was marked the first time the Larks have dropped their NBC World Series opener since 2012 when they fell 2-1 to the Greeley (CO) Grays.

Friday's loss to the Monarchs ended the Larks eight-game winning streak.

The Monarchs win evened the series between Hays and Hutchinson at the NBC World Series at 3-3. The winner in the previous five matchups went on to finish in the top four.

Larks left fielder Damian Ruiz was caught stealing in the fifth inning. It was the first time Ruiz had been caught in 40 attempts this summer. His 39 stolen bases is the most in a single-season in Larks history.

The Larks will play the Five Tool (TX) Kraken Sunday at a yet to be determined time. The Kraken lost 10-0 in six inning to the defending NBC champion Santa Barbara Foresters in the late game Friday.

By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays Post WICHITA - The Hays Larks had not lost a game all season when leading after seven innings until Friday night. The Hutchinson Monarchs rallied from a 4-0 deficit and beat the Larks 6-4 in 11 innings in the pool play opener for both teams at the 89th National Baseball Congress World Series at Eck Stadium on the Wichita State University campus.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1583711167&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/08-04-23-hays-larks-coach-int" title="Frank Leo postgame interview vs. Hutchinson Monarchs (Aug 4, 2023)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Frank Leo postgame interview vs. Hutchinson Monarchs (Aug 4, 2023)</a></div></div>The Monarchs (21-17) who finished third in the Jayhawk Collegiate League, scored three in the eighth then added another in the ninth to tie before plating two runs in the top of the 11th for their first lead of the game.The Larks (37-7) scored twice in the second. After John Cecolli reached on a walk and Austen Jaslove was hit by a pitch, Brady Evans hit a ground-rule double that bounced over the fene in center field to drive in the first run. Luis Garcia followed with a sacrifice fly.The Larks added two more runs in the seventh. After Trent Baker opened the inning with a single and Lenny Ashby walked, Tyler LaRue made the score 3-0 when he knocked in Baker on a groundout. Garrett Gruell added an infield single which scored Ashby from second to push the lead to 4-0.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1583710939&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/08-04-23-hays-larks-highlights" title="Hays Larks highlights vs. Hutchinson Monarchs (Aug 4, 2023)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Hays Larks highlights vs. Hutchinson Monarchs (Aug 4, 2023)</a></div></div>The Monarchs answered with three in the top of the eighth. With two outs, Will Edmunson reached on an infield single, Max Buettenback followed with a single to right. They both scored on Jaden Gustafson's double to center.The Larks loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth but a strikeout and foul out ended the threat.Hutch tied the game in the top of the ninth on a Caleb Cotton double which bounced over the glove of left fielder Damian Ruiz and allowed Blake Bradford to score from first.The Larks loaded the bases with two outs in the 10th but failed to score.The Monarchs pushed two across in the 11tth on another double from Cotton and sacrifice fly.The Larks were retired in order in the bottom of the inning.Reed Scott (2-1) pitched two scoreless innings of relief and picked up the win. Derick Johnson, a Fort Hays State signee worked a perfect ninth and got the save.Jett Lodes (3-1) allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits in 3 1/3 innings of relief and took the loss for Hays.&nbsp;Starter Tyler Schott scattered three hits over six scoreless innings with a season-high nine strikeouts and two walks.LATE INNINGSThe Larks had been 30-0 this season when leading after six innings and 23-0 and leading after the seventh and eighth innings.OPENING ROUND LOSSFriday's loss was marked the first time the Larks have dropped their NBC World Series opener since 2012 when they fell 2-1 to the Greeley (CO) Grays.WIN STREAK SNAPPEDFriday's loss to the Monarchs ended the Larks eight-game winning streak.SERIES EVENThe Monarchs win evened the series between Hays and Hutchinson at the NBC World Series at 3-3. The winner in the previous five matchups went on to finish in the top four.CAUGHT STEALINGLarks left fielder Damian Ruiz was caught stealing in the fifth inning. It was the first time Ruiz had been caught in 40 attempts this summer. His 39 stolen bases is the most in a single-season in Larks history.UP NEXTThe Larks will play the Five Tool (TX) Kraken Sunday at a yet to be determined time. The Kraken lost 10-0 in six inning to the defending NBC champion Santa Barbara Foresters in the late game Friday.

⚾ Larks drop NBC World Series opener to Monarchs

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas said Thursday that prices at the pump are going up, but not very quickly.

"We've seen some small upticks in prices," Steward said. "Today's average in Kansas is $3.28 a gallon. That's up three cents from a week ago and up about five cents in the past month. Modest increases, probably pretty limited in terms of what we could see this time of year. I think, while demand has been strong, especially for the holiday weekends this summer, crude oil prices, which drive much of the cost we see at the pumps, have been relatively stable all summer. We're looking at $75 to $76 a barrel in the crude oil market."

Reno County's average price is one of the lowest in the state at $3.11 a gallon.

Steward notes that the crude oil market seems to have normalized itself now that geopolitical factors are staying the same at the moment.

"The Ukraine-Russia situation was obviously the major driver last June and throughout much of last year has had an impact on crude oil prices, but that seems to have calmed down for the time being. That is really the reason why we've seen such a stable crude oil market for most of this year."

There is still the chance that weather could impact supply as we get deeper into the Atlantic hurricane season, but barring something like that, the highs of last year look to be behind us.

"We don't see anything on the near term horizon that would indicate any huge leaps in prices at the pumps," Steward said. "A year ago this time, we were almost a dollar higher price, about $4.26 a gallon."

The prices are just about flat with the statewide average a month ago.

NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas said Thursday that prices at the pump are going up, but not very quickly."We've seen some small upticks in prices," Steward said. "Today's average in Kansas is $3.28 a gallon. That's up three cents from a week ago and up about five cents in the past month. Modest increases, probably pretty limited in terms of what we could see this time of year. I think, while demand has been strong, especially for the holiday weekends this summer, crude oil prices, which drive much of the cost we see at the pumps, have been relatively stable all summer. We're looking at $75 to $76 a barrel in the crude oil market."Reno County's average price is one of the lowest in the state at $3.11 a gallon.Steward notes that the crude oil market seems to have normalized itself now that geopolitical factors are staying the same at the moment."The Ukraine-Russia situation was obviously the major driver last June and throughout much of last year has had an impact on crude oil prices, but that seems to have calmed down for the time being. That is really the reason why we've seen such a stable crude oil market for most of this year."There is still the chance that weather could impact supply as we get deeper into the Atlantic hurricane season, but barring something like that, the highs of last year look to be behind us."We don't see anything on the near term horizon that would indicate any huge leaps in prices at the pumps," Steward said. "A year ago this time, we were almost a dollar higher price, about $4.26 a gallon."The prices are just about flat with the statewide average a month ago.

Gas prices in Kansas still going up

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The newly crowned Miss Kansas, Courtney Wages, is looking to help all Kansans see each other better.

"I've always been a huge volunteer with my community service initiative, which is called, One Vision is not the Only Vision: Eye See You," Wages said. "That's me advocating for people who are experiencing blindness or any sort of visual impairment."

Even the technology that can help so many people accomplish so much can take its toll on your eyesight.

"Think about it, everyone has eyes," Wages said. "Especially during COVID-19, we saw an increase in purchasing blue light glasses. I think people started to notice how hindering it is to look on a screen every single day and how that can hurt someone's eyes who even have 20/20 vision. Over the years, my community service initiative has just progressed. People are really starting to see, your vision isn't going to be permanent. It's going to shift all through the years. You're going to experience vision loss as you age. It's very common. In Kansas, 80,000 Kansans have some sort of vision impairment."

Making sure Kansans can keep their eyes healthy is a key component Wages wants in her reign.

"It was really my mission just to go around the state of Kansas and provide opportunities," Wages said. "Insurance doesn't look the same for everyone. Purchasing glasses can be harder on some than others."

The date for the Miss America pageant has not yet been announced.

NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — The newly crowned Miss Kansas, Courtney Wages, is looking to help all Kansans see each other better."I've always been a huge volunteer with my community service initiative, which is called, One Vision is not the Only Vision: Eye See You," Wages said. "That's me advocating for people who are experiencing blindness or any sort of visual impairment."Even the technology that can help so many people accomplish so much can take its toll on your eyesight."Think about it, everyone has eyes," Wages said. "Especially during COVID-19, we saw an increase in purchasing blue light glasses. I think people started to notice how hindering it is to look on a screen every single day and how that can hurt someone's eyes who even have 20/20 vision. Over the years, my community service initiative has just progressed. People are really starting to see, your vision isn't going to be permanent. It's going to shift all through the years. You're going to experience vision loss as you age. It's very common. In Kansas, 80,000 Kansans have some sort of vision impairment."Making sure Kansans can keep their eyes healthy is a key component Wages wants in her reign."It was really my mission just to go around the state of Kansas and provide opportunities," Wages said. "Insurance doesn't look the same for everyone. Purchasing glasses can be harder on some than others."The date for the Miss America pageant has not yet been announced.

Miss Kansas: Helping Kansans see is her focus

HUTCHINSON — Though gas prices are creeping up, they are doing so much more slowly than 2022, according to AAA Kansas.

"Things have been relatively stable," Steward said. "We may be in a bit of a gasoline demand lull between Memorial Day weekend and the upcoming July 4 travel weekend. That, coupled with a fairly low and stable crude oil cost have kept prices at the pump pretty manageable."

"We are about $1.40 less per gallon now than we were one year ago," Steward said. "That's significantly cheaper to take those summer road trips."

The spring storms we have had across Oklahoma and Texas do not have the same effect on supply as other weather conditions could that are more common as we get closer to fall.

"Supply really hasn't been interrupted by any hurricanes in the Gulf, for example," Steward said. "We always look this time of year. As we head toward September or even October, hurricane season can certainly interrupt gasoline production in those oil refineries along the Gulf, especially. We've been pretty lucky and haven't seen any of that."

Kansas is still in the ten lowest states for gas prices overall and no county in the state is even up to the national average.

NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON — Though gas prices are creeping up, they are doing so much more slowly than 2022, according to AAA Kansas."Things have been relatively stable," Steward said. "We may be in a bit of a gasoline demand lull between Memorial Day weekend and the upcoming July 4 travel weekend. That, coupled with a fairly low and stable crude oil cost have kept prices at the pump pretty manageable.""We are about $1.40 less per gallon now than we were one year ago," Steward said. "That's significantly cheaper to take those summer road trips."The spring storms we have had across Oklahoma and Texas do not have the same effect on supply as other weather conditions could that are more common as we get closer to fall."Supply really hasn't been interrupted by any hurricanes in the Gulf, for example," Steward said. "We always look this time of year. As we head toward September or even October, hurricane season can certainly interrupt gasoline production in those oil refineries along the Gulf, especially. We've been pretty lucky and haven't seen any of that."Kansas is still in the ten lowest states for gas prices overall and no county in the state is even up to the national average.

AAA: Gas prices still lower and fairly stable

Hays High softball standout Aubree Thomas has committed to play at Hutchinson Community College. The senior-to-be made the announcement through social media.

Thomas was named 5A first team by the Kansas softball coaches and Sports In Kansas. She was also a first-team All-Western Athletic Conference pick.

Thomas had 35 hits and with a .486 batting average this past season. She was also stellar in the circle, compiled an 11-3 won-loss record while pitching 93.1 innings. She struck out 111 and walked just 24 batters. Her earned-run-average was a solid 2.25.&nbsp;

Hays PostHays High softball standout Aubree Thomas has committed to play at Hutchinson Community College. The senior-to-be made the announcement through social media.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Super blessed and excited to announce that I have verbally committed to <a href="https://twitter.com/HutchSoftball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HutchSoftball</a> to continute my softball career!! Thank you to all my coaches and teammates who have gotten me to where I am today🐲🥎. <a href="https://t.co/H4FcrV4iGu">pic.twitter.com/H4FcrV4iGu</a>&mdash; Aubree Thomas 2024 (@AubreeThomas16) <a href="https://twitter.com/AubreeThomas16/status/1671966146935791616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Thomas was named 5A first team by the Kansas softball coaches and Sports In Kansas. She was also a first-team All-Western Athletic Conference pick.Thomas had 35 hits and with a .486 batting average this past season. She was also stellar in the circle, compiled an 11-3 won-loss record while pitching 93.1 innings. She struck out 111 and walked just 24 batters. Her earned-run-average was a solid 2.25.&nbsp;

🥎 HHS' Thomas commits to Hutch CC

TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP), and several local police departments and fire departments responded Friday after mail was received by legislators and other public officials containing a suspicious white powder, according to a media release from the KBI.

As of 4 p.m. Friday afternoon, over 30 letters containing a suspicious white powder have been reported across the state.

Republican Rep. Paul Waggoner, who serves portions of Reno and McPherson Counties, sent Hutch Post two photos of the letter he received.&nbsp;

He said that the return address on his envelope, 4310 North Monroe, matched the address of the church he attends, Crossroads Christian Church and that it was 'very creepy'.

He compared the powder to flour, but doesn't know what it was.

Leadership told Waggoner to call the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, which he did about 5 p.m. Friday.

Waggoner believes the mail may have come from transgender activists, saying, "They were the most negative and hateful mail we received all session."

Law enforcement is working to safely collect the letters and investigate the incidents. Currently, no injuries have been reported, but we ask everyone to remain vigilant in handling mail. Any similar incidents should be reported to the KBI at 1-800-KSCRIME.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686969013876.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Rep. Paul Waggoner" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Rep. Paul Waggoner</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP), and several local police departments and fire departments responded Friday after mail was received by legislators and other public officials containing a suspicious white powder, according to a media release from the KBI.As of 4 p.m. Friday afternoon, over 30 letters containing a suspicious white powder have been reported across the state.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686969061366.jpeg" alt="photo Courtesy Rep. Paul Waggoner" />
 <figcaption>photo Courtesy Rep. Paul Waggoner</figcaption>
 </figure> Republican Rep. Paul Waggoner, who serves portions of Reno and McPherson Counties, sent Hutch Post two photos of the letter he received.&nbsp;He said that the return address on his envelope, 4310 North Monroe, matched the address of the church he attends, Crossroads Christian Church and that it was 'very creepy'.He compared the powder to flour, but doesn't know what it was.Leadership told Waggoner to call the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, which he did about 5 p.m. Friday.Waggoner believes the mail may have come from transgender activists, saying, "They were the most negative and hateful mail we received all session."Law enforcement is working to safely collect the letters and investigate the incidents. Currently, no injuries have been reported, but we ask everyone to remain vigilant in handling mail. Any similar incidents should be reported to the KBI at 1-800-KSCRIME.

State Rep. has idea on where mail with ‘suspicious white powder’ originated

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Gas prices are still well below last year's records, even as the summer driving season heats up.

"Right now, we're at $3.26 a gallon on average in Kansas," said Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas. "That's exactly where we were a week ago. Right before the Memorial Day weekend, we saw a bit of a jump both in Kansas and nationally. We saw a surge in demand, people filling up their tanks to head out on those Memorial Day weekend road trips."

Steward said that the fundamentals have helped to slow down the traditional seasonal rise in prices.

"What's been kind of balancing that is that crude oil has been fairly stable and fairly low in price recently," Steward said."I looked today and we're around $67 to $68 a barrel, which is lower than it has been in recent weeks. We've been in the low 70s."

Crude oil generally makes up slightly more than half of the base price of a gallon of gasoline at the pump.

"We reached our all time record high gas price, both in Kansas and nationally in the middle of June," Steward said. "We were on that path headed up to those records. A year ago, we were at $4.19 a gallon in Kansas, so 93 cents more. Nationally, we were at $4.67, which is $1.10 higher than what the national average is."

Barring a series of supply shortening events, Steward does not expect prices to get anywhere near those records this summer.

NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Gas prices are still well below last year's records, even as the summer driving season heats up."Right now, we're at $3.26 a gallon on average in Kansas," said Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas. "That's exactly where we were a week ago. Right before the Memorial Day weekend, we saw a bit of a jump both in Kansas and nationally. We saw a surge in demand, people filling up their tanks to head out on those Memorial Day weekend road trips."Steward said that the fundamentals have helped to slow down the traditional seasonal rise in prices."What's been kind of balancing that is that crude oil has been fairly stable and fairly low in price recently," Steward said."I looked today and we're around $67 to $68 a barrel, which is lower than it has been in recent weeks. We've been in the low 70s."Crude oil generally makes up slightly more than half of the base price of a gallon of gasoline at the pump.A year ago, prices were much higher."We reached our all time record high gas price, both in Kansas and nationally in the middle of June," Steward said. "We were on that path headed up to those records. A year ago, we were at $4.19 a gallon in Kansas, so 93 cents more. Nationally, we were at $4.67, which is $1.10 higher than what the national average is."Barring a series of supply shortening events, Steward does not expect prices to get anywhere near those records this summer.

AAA: Gas prices still well below last year's records

HUTCHINSON — Andrew D. Patterson accepted a plea agreement and pled guilty in Reno County District Court before Judge Daniel D. Gilligan on Wednesday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Patterson pled one year to the day from his arrest on charges related to threats toward&nbsp;Dillons Distribution Center&nbsp;and Hutchinson Middle School-8.&nbsp;

He is convicted of one count of attempted murder in the second degree, carrying a five-year sentence. In addition to that charge, he will have to register as a violent offender for 15 years. &nbsp;

Patterson’s intention was to kill employees at Dillons Distribution Center.&nbsp; He also pled guilty to two counts of felony criminal threat.&nbsp;One toward Dillons Distribution Center, where he worked as a security guard, the other toward his mother, Dianna Albee. Those charges each carry a sentence of five to 17 months. &nbsp;

Patterson was detained during a May 31, 2022, traffic stop after law enforcement received information from his aunt and grandmother that he made threatening comments.&nbsp;&nbsp;

During the stop, police found detailed plans in Patterson’s vehicle to carry out an act of mass violence, but they did not find any weapons. &nbsp;

A search warrant was executed at his residence, where additional evidence related to the plan was collected. Weapons were not found at the home either.&nbsp;

Texts between Patterson and Albee&nbsp;revealed photos of firearms, a “kill list” with his then-coworkers' names and reasons why he wanted to kill them. &nbsp;

Albee said via text she would try to get help for Patterson, which he refuted, saying he did not believe there was help for him. &nbsp;

Albee maintains that her son, nicknamed “Dade,”&nbsp;has mental health illnesses. &nbsp;

Other texts included Patterson saying, “I like violence” and that he wanted to kill at least 24 people, specifically more people killed than during the Uvalde, Texas, massacre.&nbsp;

“What began as a cry for help culminated in my son's arrest,” Albee said in an email to Hutch Post. “Dade struggled for years with mental illness, only to be vilified and portrayed as a monster when he gained the courage to seek help. And now, he has been held for the past year (with absolutely no treatment) when he was voluntarily seeking the help he desperately needed.”&nbsp;

Two of Patterson’s original four charges before amendments were filed as attempted terrorism charges. Reno County District Attorney Tom Stanton explained why those were amended. &nbsp;

“At the time he was arrested, he was not capable of actually carrying out a crime, even though he had the plans,” Stanton said. “He had intentions of purchasing a weapon but had not.” &nbsp;

Stanton felt obligated to take Patterson's mental health — and the fact he had no prior arrests or a history of violent acts — into account. &nbsp;

Stanton asked the court to allow Patterson to undergo evaluation at Larned State Hospital, a psychiatric hospital located in Pawnee County. &nbsp;

Stanton explained that, in good conscience, and with respect to the community and Patterson, he could not allow someone with potential mental health issues to serve the lifetime sentence carried out for attempted terrorism — especially when the spectrum between criminal threat and attempted terrorism is vast. &nbsp;

“What I was looking at when I was turning this case out, was the difference between someone making a threat and getting probation, and somebody committing a terrorist act and getting life in prison,” Stanton said. “I looked at all the facts in the case, I think he [Patterson] is mentally ill.” &nbsp;

In prosecuting the case, Stanton looked for a way to recognize Patterson’s mental health and protect the community. &nbsp;

If, while during his stay at Larned State Hospital, Patterson is found mentally ill, he will serve the rest of his sentence at the facility in Larned. If not, then he will be reprimanded to the Kansas Department of Corrections proper. &nbsp;

With good behavior, in addition to the time already spent in prison, Patterson could possibly serve only four years. Regardless, he will have to register as a violent offender for 15 years. &nbsp;

“No matter what happens, we will be keeping an eye on this guy,” Stanton said. “There were a lot of things to consider in this case. I think the key that we have here protects the citizens and recognizes the fact he might possibly need mental health treatment.” &nbsp;

As part of the plea deal,&nbsp;time for the two counts of felony criminal threat will run concurrently with the sentence for attempted murder. &nbsp;

Sentencing will be postponed until Patterson undergoes a psychiatric evaluation at Larned State Hospital. Until then, because of Larned State Hospital’s wait time,&nbsp;Patterson will remain jailed. &nbsp;

Patterson remains incarcerated with his bond set at $3 million.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669857427972.jpeg" alt="-Andrew D. Patterson will undergo psychiatric evaluation at Larned State Hospital before sentencing.-photo Reno Co." />
 <figcaption>-Andrew D. Patterson will undergo psychiatric evaluation at Larned State Hospital before sentencing.-photo Reno Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>By JUDD WEIL&nbsp; Hutch PostHUTCHINSON — Andrew D. Patterson accepted a plea agreement and pled guilty in Reno County District Court before Judge Daniel D. Gilligan on Wednesday.&nbsp;&nbsp;Patterson pled one year to the day from his arrest on charges related to threats toward&nbsp;Dillons Distribution Center&nbsp;and Hutchinson Middle School-8.&nbsp;He is convicted of one count of attempted murder in the second degree, carrying a five-year sentence. In addition to that charge, he will have to register as a violent offender for 15 years. &nbsp;Patterson’s intention was to kill employees at Dillons Distribution Center.&nbsp; He also pled guilty to two counts of felony criminal threat.&nbsp;One toward Dillons Distribution Center, where he worked as a security guard, the other toward his mother, Dianna Albee. Those charges each carry a sentence of five to 17 months. &nbsp;Patterson was detained during a May 31, 2022, traffic stop after law enforcement received information from his aunt and grandmother that he made threatening comments.&nbsp;&nbsp;During the stop, police found detailed plans in Patterson’s vehicle to carry out an act of mass violence, but they did not find any weapons. &nbsp;A search warrant was executed at his residence, where additional evidence related to the plan was collected. Weapons were not found at the home either.&nbsp;Texts between Patterson and Albee&nbsp;revealed photos of firearms, a “kill list” with his then-coworkers' names and reasons why he wanted to kill them. &nbsp;Albee said via text she would try to get help for Patterson, which he refuted, saying he did not believe there was help for him. &nbsp;Albee maintains that her son, nicknamed “Dade,”&nbsp;has mental health illnesses. &nbsp;Other texts included Patterson saying, “I like violence” and that he wanted to kill at least 24 people, specifically more people killed than during the Uvalde, Texas, massacre.&nbsp;“What began as a cry for help culminated in my son's arrest,” Albee said in an email to Hutch Post. “Dade struggled for years with mental illness, only to be vilified and portrayed as a monster when he gained the courage to seek help. And now, he has been held for the past year (with absolutely no treatment) when he was voluntarily seeking the help he desperately needed.”&nbsp;Two of Patterson’s original four charges before amendments were filed as attempted terrorism charges. Reno County District Attorney Tom Stanton explained why those were amended. &nbsp;“At the time he was arrested, he was not capable of actually carrying out a crime, even though he had the plans,” Stanton said. “He had intentions of purchasing a weapon but had not.” &nbsp;Stanton felt obligated to take Patterson's mental health — and the fact he had no prior arrests or a history of violent acts — into account. &nbsp;Stanton asked the court to allow Patterson to undergo evaluation at Larned State Hospital, a psychiatric hospital located in Pawnee County. &nbsp;Stanton explained that, in good conscience, and with respect to the community and Patterson, he could not allow someone with potential mental health issues to serve the lifetime sentence carried out for attempted terrorism — especially when the spectrum between criminal threat and attempted terrorism is vast. &nbsp;“What I was looking at when I was turning this case out, was the difference between someone making a threat and getting probation, and somebody committing a terrorist act and getting life in prison,” Stanton said. “I looked at all the facts in the case, I think he [Patterson] is mentally ill.” &nbsp;In prosecuting the case, Stanton looked for a way to recognize Patterson’s mental health and protect the community. &nbsp;If, while during his stay at Larned State Hospital, Patterson is found mentally ill, he will serve the rest of his sentence at the facility in Larned. If not, then he will be reprimanded to the Kansas Department of Corrections proper. &nbsp;With good behavior, in addition to the time already spent in prison, Patterson could possibly serve only four years. Regardless, he will have to register as a violent offender for 15 years. &nbsp;“No matter what happens, we will be keeping an eye on this guy,” Stanton said. “There were a lot of things to consider in this case. I think the key that we have here protects the citizens and recognizes the fact he might possibly need mental health treatment.” &nbsp;As part of the plea deal,&nbsp;time for the two counts of felony criminal threat will run concurrently with the sentence for attempted murder. &nbsp;Sentencing will be postponed until Patterson undergoes a psychiatric evaluation at Larned State Hospital. Until then, because of Larned State Hospital’s wait time,&nbsp;Patterson will remain jailed. &nbsp; Patterson remains incarcerated with his bond set at $3 million.&nbsp;

Kan. man accused in threat of mass violence enters plea deal

JUDD WEIL&nbsp; Hutch Post&nbsp;

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Former Hutchinson Police Department (HPD) officer Todd W. Allen was sentenced before Judge Keith Schroeder on May 22.&nbsp;

Allen pled guilty to 12 felony charges related to sex crimes and five misdemeanors related to breach of privacy on April 10 in Reno County District Court.&nbsp;

Allen will receive 282 months in prison, according to the plea agreement.&nbsp;

The plea hearing in April was before Judge Jeff Newsum.&nbsp;

Allen agreed to the plea deal, earning him a 23-1/2 year sentence. Under the conditions of the plea deal, he can get out early for good behavior however must serve 20 years of the sentence, minimum. &nbsp;

Allen will be required to register as a sex offender and reimburse the court for related fees.&nbsp;

The formal charges originally filed against Allen included 17 felonies and seven misdemeanors, totaling 24 counts. &nbsp;

The charges were two counts of kidnapping, five counts of rape, two counts of sexual battery, and indecent liberties with a minor involving a 14 or 15-year-old. &nbsp;

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/d6da7f11-fb3b-4d3d-ae8a-a4039b6e92bd" target="_blank">Allen was arrested Aug. 17, 2022&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;for crimes that stretched back as far as 2012.&nbsp;

Per the filed complaints, Allen is said&nbsp;to have sexually assaulted 10 victims. &nbsp;&nbsp;

All the assaults took place in either Rice Park, Carey Park, or Fun Valley Sports Complex, all in Hutchinson.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Supporting documents filed in court say that&nbsp;Allen's victims were never unaccompanied, be it a boyfriend, friend, or brother.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Under the guise of an on-duty cop or park security, and while dressed in dark clothing and a mask or face-covering, Allen would shine a flashlight at the victims' eyes to further disguise himself.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The victims would believe him and comply with his demands to exit their vehicles.&nbsp;&nbsp;

As he would take his victims, one including a 15-year-old girl, behind the vehicle, he would tell whoever was with them to stay where they were.&nbsp;&nbsp;

From behind the car, Allen would interrogate them about illicit activities such as drugs. At the same time, he would assault them with unwanted sexual acts.&nbsp;

When each victim, all females, realized Allen might not be who he claimed, they would scream or alert their company, causing him to run. Allen made his getaways with either a bicycle or another vehicle.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The last reported sexual battery and kidnapping charge was in August 2018.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In addition to his park assaults, on several occasions Allen peeped through the windows of private residences. In one instance, he used the aid of a stepstool from behind someone's property to try and look in a window.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Allen was finally caught when security camera footage spotted him peering over a fence.&nbsp;&nbsp;

According to Reno County District Attorney Thomas Stanton, while employed with the Hutchinson Police Department, Allen looked up records of his assaults during the investigations.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The five breach-of-privacy charges were filed after he left the HPD on Jan. 9, 2019, and took a security job with Hutchinson Regional Medical Center.&nbsp;&nbsp;

He is reported to have said the assaults were sexually motivated. &nbsp;

Stanton said Allen&nbsp;was not on duty as a police officer when committing his crimes.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Prior to sentencing Allen was free on $250,000 bond. His&nbsp;bond conditions included wearing a GPS ankle monitor and not having any alcohol, drugs or contact with victims.&nbsp;

Todd W. Allen was with the Hutchinson Police Department from the 1990s, until resigning in 2019.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684780534731.jpeg" alt="Todd W. Allen seated with legal counsel at sentencing on Monday-Photo by Judd Weil" />
 <figcaption>Todd W. Allen seated with legal counsel at sentencing on Monday-Photo by Judd Weil</figcaption>
 </figure>JUDD WEIL&nbsp; Hutch Post&nbsp;HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Former Hutchinson Police Department (HPD) officer Todd W. Allen was sentenced before Judge Keith Schroeder on May 22.&nbsp;Allen pled guilty to 12 felony charges related to sex crimes and five misdemeanors related to breach of privacy on April 10 in Reno County District Court.&nbsp;Allen will receive 282 months in prison, according to the plea agreement.&nbsp;The plea hearing in April was before Judge Jeff Newsum.&nbsp;Allen agreed to the plea deal, earning him a 23-1/2 year sentence. Under the conditions of the plea deal, he can get out early for good behavior however must serve 20 years of the sentence, minimum. &nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684789370913.png" alt="Allen-photo KBI offender registry" />
 <figcaption>Allen-photo KBI offender registry</figcaption>
 </figure>Allen will be required to register as a sex offender and reimburse the court for related fees.&nbsp;The formal charges originally filed against Allen included 17 felonies and seven misdemeanors, totaling 24 counts. &nbsp;The charges were two counts of kidnapping, five counts of rape, two counts of sexual battery, and indecent liberties with a minor involving a 14 or 15-year-old. &nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/d6da7f11-fb3b-4d3d-ae8a-a4039b6e92bd" target="_blank">Allen was arrested Aug. 17, 2022&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;for crimes that stretched back as far as 2012.&nbsp;Per the filed complaints, Allen is said&nbsp;to have sexually assaulted 10 victims. &nbsp;&nbsp;All the assaults took place in either Rice Park, Carey Park, or Fun Valley Sports Complex, all in Hutchinson.&nbsp;&nbsp;Supporting documents filed in court say that&nbsp;Allen's victims were never unaccompanied, be it a boyfriend, friend, or brother.&nbsp;&nbsp;Under the guise of an on-duty cop or park security, and while dressed in dark clothing and a mask or face-covering, Allen would shine a flashlight at the victims' eyes to further disguise himself.&nbsp;&nbsp;The victims would believe him and comply with his demands to exit their vehicles.&nbsp;&nbsp;As he would take his victims, one including a 15-year-old girl, behind the vehicle, he would tell whoever was with them to stay where they were.&nbsp;&nbsp;From behind the car, Allen would interrogate them about illicit activities such as drugs. At the same time, he would assault them with unwanted sexual acts.&nbsp;When each victim, all females, realized Allen might not be who he claimed, they would scream or alert their company, causing him to run. Allen made his getaways with either a bicycle or another vehicle.&nbsp;&nbsp;The last reported sexual battery and kidnapping charge was in August 2018.&nbsp;&nbsp;In addition to his park assaults, on several occasions Allen peeped through the windows of private residences. In one instance, he used the aid of a stepstool from behind someone's property to try and look in a window.&nbsp;&nbsp;Allen was finally caught when security camera footage spotted him peering over a fence.&nbsp;&nbsp;According to Reno County District Attorney Thomas Stanton, while employed with the Hutchinson Police Department, Allen looked up records of his assaults during the investigations.&nbsp;&nbsp;The five breach-of-privacy charges were filed after he left the HPD on Jan. 9, 2019, and took a security job with Hutchinson Regional Medical Center.&nbsp;&nbsp;He is reported to have said the assaults were sexually motivated. &nbsp;Stanton said Allen&nbsp;was not on duty as a police officer when committing his crimes.&nbsp;&nbsp;Prior to sentencing Allen was free on $250,000 bond. His&nbsp;bond conditions included wearing a GPS ankle monitor and not having any alcohol, drugs or contact with victims.&nbsp;Todd W. Allen was with the Hutchinson Police Department from the 1990s, until resigning in 2019.

Ex-Kansas cop sentenced for serial sex crimes

HAYS - The Hays High girls' soccer team has advanced to their 5A regional title game after a 6-1 win over Hutchinson Tuesday at Hays High School.

All six of the Indians goals came in the first half. Dani Willeford recorded a hat trick a and had two assits. Arely Maldonado added two goals. Annie Humphrey also assisted on two goals.

Willeford got the Indians on the board early, scoring off a pass from Humphrey in the first minute. Kinslee Newell scored a minute later on a pass from Katie Dinkel. Maldonado made it a 3-0 lead with a goal in the ninth minute on an assist from Willeford who added back-to-back goals in the 23rd and 28th minute. Maldonado closed out the scoring with an assist from Willeford in the 32nd minute.

Hutchinson scored their lone goal in the 56th minute.

The Indians (13-4) will play Andover Central in the reginal final Friday at 6:00 p.m. in Andover. The Jaguars blanked Goddard 3-0 Tuesday.

Hays PostHAYS - The Hays High girls' soccer team has advanced to their 5A regional title game after a 6-1 win over Hutchinson Tuesday at Hays High School.All six of the Indians goals came in the first half. Dani Willeford recorded a hat trick a and had two assits. Arely Maldonado added two goals. Annie Humphrey also assisted on two goals.Willeford got the Indians on the board early, scoring off a pass from Humphrey in the first minute. Kinslee Newell scored a minute later on a pass from Katie Dinkel. Maldonado made it a 3-0 lead with a goal in the ninth minute on an assist from Willeford who added back-to-back goals in the 23rd and 28th minute. Maldonado closed out the scoring with an assist from Willeford in the 32nd minute.Hutchinson scored their lone goal in the 56th minute.Katie Gutierrez had four saves.The Indians (13-4) will play Andover Central in the reginal final Friday at 6:00 p.m. in Andover. The Jaguars blanked Goddard 3-0 Tuesday.

⚽ HHS cruises past Hutch to advance to regional finals

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — On a 3-2 vote, the Hutchinson City Council terminated City Manager Kendal Francis on Tuesday for cause, citing sections of the employee handbook regarding horseplay and sexual harassment. Steve Garza and Stuart Conklin voted to retain Francis, Stacy Goss, Greg Fast and Jon Richardson voted to terminate Francis.

Francis spoke up in his defense before the council voted.

"What I was told was that I touched a cold can of pop to a female employee's cheek," Francis said. "I also, at a different time, pulled the name badge of the same employee that was on a retractable clip. I walked by and gave it a tug and let it go."

Francis spoke to an investigator regarding the events. He contends that the majority of the time spent did not have anything to do with the incidents cited as reasons for his dismissal.

"I spent two and a half hours visiting with that investigator," Francis said. "Approximately 20 minutes of that was questions revolving around those two incidents. The other two hours were spent chasing down rabbit holes, such as why did I move my office from one side of the building to the other? Why do I allow my dog to come to work? What is the morale in the police department? Please describe my working relationship with the HR Director and why did I not include him in the hiring of a community development director? Information was also brought forth from an executive session, or said to be from an executive session, pertaining to the termination of Chief Hooper and whether or not we offered a severance to him. Most concerning to me was the fact that I was questioned as to where my wife and family lived and why have they not moved to Hutchinson? You say that you've been able to not take those things into account, but clearly someone put the investigator down on those complaints."

Francis then explained that the information that had only been spoken about in executive session caused him to wonder who spoke to the investigator about what was said there.

"If it didn't come from you, it came from either [City Attorney] Paul Brown, myself, which it did not, or [HR Director] Tom Sanders," Francis said. "Because there were also complaints as to why I was not working with Tom Sanders in hiring a community development director, my guess is it came from Tom Sanders."

Mr. Sanders was not present at the council meeting. Mayor Jon Richardson commented on Francis assertions and agreed with his assessment on the time spent, however, that did not change his vote in the matter.

"The City Manager is expected to operate in a manner that is above reproach," Richardson said. "I have concerns in regard to how you manage employees. I know you've addressed this with a plan. After the bell has been rung, you can't unring it. I also have concerns for employees that, while it didn't rise to the level of unlawful sexual harassment, it is in direct violation of harassment in our employee handbook."

Francis's firing makes this the second straight May that Hutchinson will be looking for a City Manager after <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/9e0f8391-de9b-4c80-93b4-9393fc192b94">Jeff Cantrell's contract was not renewed in May of 2022</a>. No word was given as to how the city will go forward from here.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684261984978.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — On a 3-2 vote, the Hutchinson City Council terminated City Manager Kendal Francis on Tuesday for cause, citing sections of the employee handbook regarding horseplay and sexual harassment. Steve Garza and Stuart Conklin voted to retain Francis, Stacy Goss, Greg Fast and Jon Richardson voted to terminate Francis.Francis spoke up in his defense before the council voted."What I was told was that I touched a cold can of pop to a female employee's cheek," Francis said. "I also, at a different time, pulled the name badge of the same employee that was on a retractable clip. I walked by and gave it a tug and let it go."Francis spoke to an investigator regarding the events. He contends that the majority of the time spent did not have anything to do with the incidents cited as reasons for his dismissal."I spent two and a half hours visiting with that investigator," Francis said. "Approximately 20 minutes of that was questions revolving around those two incidents. The other two hours were spent chasing down rabbit holes, such as why did I move my office from one side of the building to the other? Why do I allow my dog to come to work? What is the morale in the police department? Please describe my working relationship with the HR Director and why did I not include him in the hiring of a community development director? Information was also brought forth from an executive session, or said to be from an executive session, pertaining to the termination of Chief Hooper and whether or not we offered a severance to him. Most concerning to me was the fact that I was questioned as to where my wife and family lived and why have they not moved to Hutchinson? You say that you've been able to not take those things into account, but clearly someone put the investigator down on those complaints."Francis then explained that the information that had only been spoken about in executive session caused him to wonder who spoke to the investigator about what was said there."If it didn't come from you, it came from either [City Attorney] Paul Brown, myself, which it did not, or [HR Director] Tom Sanders," Francis said. "Because there were also complaints as to why I was not working with Tom Sanders in hiring a community development director, my guess is it came from Tom Sanders."Mr. Sanders was not present at the council meeting. Mayor Jon Richardson commented on Francis assertions and agreed with his assessment on the time spent, however, that did not change his vote in the matter."The City Manager is expected to operate in a manner that is above reproach," Richardson said. "I have concerns in regard to how you manage employees. I know you've addressed this with a plan. After the bell has been rung, you can't unring it. I also have concerns for employees that, while it didn't rise to the level of unlawful sexual harassment, it is in direct violation of harassment in our employee handbook."Francis's firing makes this the second straight May that Hutchinson will be looking for a City Manager after <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/9e0f8391-de9b-4c80-93b4-9393fc192b94">Jeff Cantrell's contract was not renewed in May of 2022</a>. No word was given as to how the city will go forward from here.

Hutchinson fires City Manager citing horseplay, sexual harassment

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Gas prices are staying slightly above the $3 a gallon mark, depending on where you are in the Sunflower State, says Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas.

"I think the fear of a global economic recession is leading to some of these falling prices we're seeing at the pumps," Steward said. "Crude oil dropped in the middle of last week to about $66 a barrel, which is pretty low for what we've seen recently. I see today, we're back up to about $73 dollars per barrel on the global market."

"There's lots of oil market volatility, as we've seen throughout much of this year," Steward said. "In the past week or so, we saw sort of a pre-summer driving season lull in domestic gasoline demand. Maybe people are just kind of saving up until the kids get out of school. We should be seeing a pretty robust summer driving season starting soon."

It's also important to note that summer blend gasoline is more expensive to produce than winter blend and that factors like an additional ethanol percentage in those cars that can use it, like flex fuel vehicles, can have an impact.

"The summer blend gasoline should be out in the market now, which does typically raise the price of gas a little bit," Steward said. "Ethanol is able to put a little bit of a limit on the price at the pumps. It does have some effect of keeping costs down. That's one thing for drivers and something that we can expect going forward."&nbsp;

The Environmental Protection Agency&nbsp;(EPA)&nbsp;has granted Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly's&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vZ292ZXJub3Iua2Fuc2FzLmdvdi93cC1jb250ZW50L3VwbG9hZHMvMjAyMy8wMy9FMTUtTGV0dGVyLTAzLjMwLjIzLnBkZiIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzA1MDMuNzYxNzE5NjEifQ.O0UpSwiHwJdFzwzDkwcCxqu5Ebcwj-Py6UM2uAk-7Ys/s/2958202315/br/174611144107-l" target="_blank">&nbsp;request to allow the sale of E15 products</a>&nbsp;– gasoline blended with 15%&nbsp;ethanol&nbsp;– during the summer months&nbsp;through&nbsp;an emergency waiver.&nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683569425684.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Gas prices are staying slightly above the $3 a gallon mark, depending on where you are in the Sunflower State, says Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas."I think the fear of a global economic recession is leading to some of these falling prices we're seeing at the pumps," Steward said. "Crude oil dropped in the middle of last week to about $66 a barrel, which is pretty low for what we've seen recently. I see today, we're back up to about $73 dollars per barrel on the global market.""There's lots of oil market volatility, as we've seen throughout much of this year," Steward said. "In the past week or so, we saw sort of a pre-summer driving season lull in domestic gasoline demand. Maybe people are just kind of saving up until the kids get out of school. We should be seeing a pretty robust summer driving season starting soon."It's also important to note that summer blend gasoline is more expensive to produce than winter blend and that factors like an additional ethanol percentage in those cars that can use it, like flex fuel vehicles, can have an impact."The summer blend gasoline should be out in the market now, which does typically raise the price of gas a little bit," Steward said. "Ethanol is able to put a little bit of a limit on the price at the pumps. It does have some effect of keeping costs down. That's one thing for drivers and something that we can expect going forward."&nbsp;The Environmental Protection Agency&nbsp;(EPA)&nbsp;has granted Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly's&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vZ292ZXJub3Iua2Fuc2FzLmdvdi93cC1jb250ZW50L3VwbG9hZHMvMjAyMy8wMy9FMTUtTGV0dGVyLTAzLjMwLjIzLnBkZiIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzA1MDMuNzYxNzE5NjEifQ.O0UpSwiHwJdFzwzDkwcCxqu5Ebcwj-Py6UM2uAk-7Ys/s/2958202315/br/174611144107-l" target="_blank">&nbsp;request to allow the sale of E15 products</a>&nbsp;– gasoline blended with 15%&nbsp;ethanol&nbsp;– during the summer months&nbsp;through&nbsp;an emergency waiver.&nbsp; &nbsp;

AAA: Gas prices still well below last year

By NICK GOSNELL Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON— Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas is optimistic that gas prices are stabilizing at the moment.

"For the time being, it seems like we may have reached the peak price," Steward said. "Right now, in Kansas, we're at $3.35 a gallon. That's down six cents from a week ago. We saw some upward pressure, but less than a month following the announcement of OPEC+ production cuts, crude oil prices have dropped back to where they were before. There's still some global demand concerns, and those seem to be tempering the trend of crude oil price increases that initially followed the news of that OPEC production cut, but then again, in the United States, we're still seeing strong and even increasing demand."

"It really just goes to show you that it's a global perspective, with regard to what those crude oil prices come in at and how that impacts what we see here at the pump locally," Steward said.&nbsp;

It's not that there won't continue to be upward pressure as families prepare to go on their summer vacations.&nbsp;

"Demand is strong," Steward said. "This is our seasonal high demand period, as we're less than a month from Memorial Day. Lots of summer road trips for people. Demand will be strong for gasoline throughout the summer, It typically always has been, but right now, there's just a lot of things going on, on a global perspective, that are keeping crude oil prices relatively calm."

Crude oil makes up a little more than half of the base price of any given gallon of gasoline in the United States.

By NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON— Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas is optimistic that gas prices are stabilizing at the moment."For the time being, it seems like we may have reached the peak price," Steward said. "Right now, in Kansas, we're at $3.35 a gallon. That's down six cents from a week ago. We saw some upward pressure, but less than a month following the announcement of OPEC+ production cuts, crude oil prices have dropped back to where they were before. There's still some global demand concerns, and those seem to be tempering the trend of crude oil price increases that initially followed the news of that OPEC production cut, but then again, in the United States, we're still seeing strong and even increasing demand.""It really just goes to show you that it's a global perspective, with regard to what those crude oil prices come in at and how that impacts what we see here at the pump locally," Steward said.&nbsp;It's not that there won't continue to be upward pressure as families prepare to go on their summer vacations.&nbsp;"Demand is strong," Steward said. "This is our seasonal high demand period, as we're less than a month from Memorial Day. Lots of summer road trips for people. Demand will be strong for gasoline throughout the summer, It typically always has been, but right now, there's just a lot of things going on, on a global perspective, that are keeping crude oil prices relatively calm."Crude oil makes up a little more than half of the base price of any given gallon of gasoline in the United States.

AAA: Gas prices appear to have peaked, for now

HUTCHINSON — Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas sees the price at the pump going up, but it's still not what last year was.

"Over the last few weeks, we've seen an increase in gas prices," Steward said Friday. "Crude oil rose pretty significantly after OPEC announced its production cut plans. Right now, in Kansas, we're at $3.42 a gallon. That's up 10 cents from a week ago."

"We're up 38 cents from where we were a month ago," Steward said. "Putting it in perspective, we're 26 cents less than the $3.68 per gallon national average and the Sunflower State currently is the 11th lowest average in the nation."

Warmer weather traditionally puts upward pressure on prices.

"The indicators have really been all over the map," Steward said. "Typically, we're starting to get into a more high demand period, but in the last week, we saw a dip in demand. We also saw a dip in oil prices, that fell back into the upper seventies per barrel. They had been above 80. Right now, there's still some concerns on the global crude oil market about interest rate increases and a recession."

It's also the time of the year when refineries finish the transition between refining winter and summer blend gasoline. The summer blend is a little more expensive to make and that cost is passed all along the line and eventually to the consumer at the pump.

NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON — Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas sees the price at the pump going up, but it's still not what last year was."Over the last few weeks, we've seen an increase in gas prices," Steward said Friday. "Crude oil rose pretty significantly after OPEC announced its production cut plans. Right now, in Kansas, we're at $3.42 a gallon. That's up 10 cents from a week ago.""We're up 38 cents from where we were a month ago," Steward said. "Putting it in perspective, we're 26 cents less than the $3.68 per gallon national average and the Sunflower State currently is the 11th lowest average in the nation."Warmer weather traditionally puts upward pressure on prices."The indicators have really been all over the map," Steward said. "Typically, we're starting to get into a more high demand period, but in the last week, we saw a dip in demand. We also saw a dip in oil prices, that fell back into the upper seventies per barrel. They had been above 80. Right now, there's still some concerns on the global crude oil market about interest rate increases and a recession."It's also the time of the year when refineries finish the transition between refining winter and summer blend gasoline. The summer blend is a little more expensive to make and that cost is passed all along the line and eventually to the consumer at the pump.

AAA: Gas prices going up again

By DAREN DUNN Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — In the last 17 years, the University of Kansas men's basketball program has entered the NCAA Tournament with an average seed of 1.6.&nbsp;

Bill Self's teams have won two national championships (2008, 2022) and played for another (2012) in that span.

The nine-time conference coach of the year said winning is different when fans expect titles every year.

"Winning is a relief," Self said. "Winning becomes a relief and losing is a disaster."

<figure>
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 </figure>By DAREN DUNN Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — In the last 17 years, the University of Kansas men's basketball program has entered the NCAA Tournament with an average seed of 1.6.&nbsp;Bill Self's teams have won two national championships (2008, 2022) and played for another (2012) in that span.The nine-time conference coach of the year said winning is different when fans expect titles every year."Winning is a relief," Self said. "Winning becomes a relief and losing is a disaster."<a href="https://www.hutchcc.edu/dillon-lecture-series">Self spoke in the Hutchinson Sports Arena Tuesday for the Dillon Lecture Series (DLS) about what it takes to be successful</a>. He also addressed how to achieve more after a goal is reached.<figure>
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 </figure>Self asked for the Wichita State fans to make some noise. A few did.&nbsp;He asked for the K-State fans to make some noise. The crowd got a little louder.&nbsp;As the applause faded, Self told those fans they could kindly leave.&nbsp;All joking aside, Self praised the success of not just Kansas teams, but all collegiate teams because "Iron sharpens iron.""It raises the bar for everybody," Self said.&nbsp;"We should be great because someone else is good."Self is the sixth member of the Naismith Hall of Fame to speak for the DLS, now in its 42nd season.He outlined what it took to be successful with so much pressure. "Show up," Self said. "Be fully present. Be a caretaker and contributor."Self noted he is the chief caretaker of the most prestigious and storied program in the nation, but urged attendees to apply that same drive to their every-day job and life.<figure>
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 </figure>"When's the last time you were just present?" Self asked. "When was the last time you were at the dinner table and didn't look at your phone?"<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681844394269.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>Self outlined the culture change at KU that led to championships and added success.&nbsp;"The less we have to coach, the better we'll be," Self said of his teams that have been player-led.He said many of those same concepts can be utilized in daily life.&nbsp;"Add fun to what's going on," Self said. "We've got to enjoy each other. We have to energize a place.""It's our responsibility to make sure we add value to everyone else," Self noted."Have a culture to make everyone better," Self said."Acknowledge what you don't know. Become a sponge," Self said to the youth in attendance.According to Self, the great Henry Iba was a sponge. As an assistant at Oklahoma State, Self was in charge of chauffeuring Iba.Self once made a comment about another coach that was not positive. "Can you believe this coach did that?" Self asked Iba."Let me tell you something," Iba responded. "A broken clock is right twice a day."Self implored the youth of the audience to listen to their parents."Even as a young person, you might think your parents aren't nearly as smart as you," Self said, but he once again used Iba's example of the clock: It's still right two times a day.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile&nbsp;app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/CoachBillSelf?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@coachbillself</a> ready for <a href="https://twitter.com/DillonSeries?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dillonseries</a> at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/hutchcc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#hutchcc</a> <a href="https://t.co/eBTNXErS6F">pic.twitter.com/eBTNXErS6F</a>&mdash; HutchPost (@HutchPost) <a href="https://twitter.com/HutchPost/status/1648348905938071554?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>