TOPEKA — A new website created by the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Division of Aviation, in collaboration with industry experts, provides a close-up look at all 140 public-use airports across the state and their impact on the communities they serve. Online dashboards provide the conditions of airport runways, economic impact data, future airport needs and more.

According to the dashboard, the Hutchinson Airport as of 2022 has an economic output of $22,534,223, supports 155 jobs and $6,047,638 in wages. This is an extrapolation from a 2016 study conducted by Burns &amp; McDonnell.

&nbsp;“Every airport serves a unique and important role for their community,” said Bob Brock, KDOT Director of Aviation. “It is this uniqueness that makes credible data on individual airports even more important to local, state and national decision-makers.”

&nbsp;The Division of Aviation worked with aviation industry leaders to publish key airport performance data online. Two new tools on this website offer precise aviation economic impact data for each community as well as current information on the status of airport pavement health used to program long-term airport investments.

The airport pavement health condition of the Hutchinson Airport is consistently below state averages for runways, taxiways, apron and taxilane. There are 13 total recommended projects for the airport on the website from 2023 to 2025.

&nbsp;The website address is:&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAzMTUuNzMzOTg4MjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2FpcmthbnNhcy5rc2RvdC5nb3YvQWlyUGVyZkRhc2guaHRtbD91dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9Z292ZGVsaXZlcnkifQ.fMzpxZt6RFPUB6KJto8_WdiN03H6tKRVMg65Si9c8HQ/s/2129667343/br/156206047134-l" target="_blank">https://airkansas.ksdot.gov/AirPerfDash.html</a>

&nbsp;“With this combination of data for every airport, KDOT expects significant improvement in projects that deliver the most positive impact for the community as well as increased capacity to complete projects more efficiently,” Brock said.

&nbsp;The KDOT Aviation website includes information on how communities and airport operators can apply for grants, most notably through the Kansas Airport Improvement Program. For 22 years, KAIP grants have enabled communities to partner with KDOT on 820-plus airport improvement projects totaling nearly $200 million in value. In turn, these Kansas public-use airports support nearly 34,000 jobs and roughly $11 billion of on-airport economic impact within the state.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile 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; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643373407439.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA — A new website created by the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Division of Aviation, in collaboration with industry experts, provides a close-up look at all 140 public-use airports across the state and their impact on the communities they serve. Online dashboards provide the conditions of airport runways, economic impact data, future airport needs and more.According to the dashboard, the Hutchinson Airport as of 2022 has an economic output of $22,534,223, supports 155 jobs and $6,047,638 in wages. This is an extrapolation from a 2016 study conducted by Burns &amp; McDonnell.&nbsp;“Every airport serves a unique and important role for their community,” said Bob Brock, KDOT Director of Aviation. “It is this uniqueness that makes credible data on individual airports even more important to local, state and national decision-makers.”&nbsp;The Division of Aviation worked with aviation industry leaders to publish key airport performance data online. Two new tools on this website offer precise aviation economic impact data for each community as well as current information on the status of airport pavement health used to program long-term airport investments.The airport pavement health condition of the Hutchinson Airport is consistently below state averages for runways, taxiways, apron and taxilane. There are 13 total recommended projects for the airport on the website from 2023 to 2025.&nbsp;The website address is:&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAzMTUuNzMzOTg4MjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2FpcmthbnNhcy5rc2RvdC5nb3YvQWlyUGVyZkRhc2guaHRtbD91dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9Z292ZGVsaXZlcnkifQ.fMzpxZt6RFPUB6KJto8_WdiN03H6tKRVMg65Si9c8HQ/s/2129667343/br/156206047134-l" target="_blank">https://airkansas.ksdot.gov/AirPerfDash.html</a>&nbsp;“With this combination of data for every airport, KDOT expects significant improvement in projects that deliver the most positive impact for the community as well as increased capacity to complete projects more efficiently,” Brock said.&nbsp;The KDOT Aviation website includes information on how communities and airport operators can apply for grants, most notably through the Kansas Airport Improvement Program. For 22 years, KAIP grants have enabled communities to partner with KDOT on 820-plus airport improvement projects totaling nearly $200 million in value. In turn, these Kansas public-use airports support nearly 34,000 jobs and roughly $11 billion of on-airport economic impact within the state.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile 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; &nbsp;

Website gives airport impact stats, construction needs

HUTCHINSON — Hutchinson will be searching for a new police chief.&nbsp;

According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hutchgov.com/214/Police-Department">city's website</a>, Alan Stoecklein is the Interim Chief.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the city's website lists Alan Stoecklein as the Interim Chief of Police.

City Manager Kendal Francis told Hutch Post that the city does not comment on personnel matters, but Hutch Post personnel saw then Chief Jeff Hooper in uniform at the KLETC event Monday afternoon.

According to a screenshot of an email to police employees provided to Hutch Post, Hooper was terminated, effective immediately, on Tuesday.

Hooper was a longtime officer with the Riley County Police Department when he was named Hutchinson police chief in 2018.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591796149452.jpeg" alt="Jeff Hooper courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Jeff Hooper courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON — Hutchinson will be searching for a new police chief.&nbsp;According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hutchgov.com/214/Police-Department">city's website</a>, Alan Stoecklein is the Interim Chief.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678879871707.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>As of Tuesday afternoon, the city's website lists Alan Stoecklein as the Interim Chief of Police.City Manager Kendal Francis told Hutch Post that the city does not comment on personnel matters, but Hutch Post personnel saw then Chief Jeff Hooper in uniform at the KLETC event Monday afternoon.According to a screenshot of an email to police employees provided to Hutch Post, Hooper was terminated, effective immediately, on Tuesday.Hooper was a longtime officer with the Riley County Police Department when he was named Hutchinson police chief in 2018.

City of Hutchinson fires Police Chief Jeff Hooper 

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Sonoco Paper employees were laid off Monday morning at a meeting at the Hutchinson plant.

According to Tucky Allen from Kansas Workforce One, he received a WARN notice of the plant's closing on Monday. He told Hutch Post that the layoff will include 116 employees.

Sonoco has owned the paper mill since 2001, when it purchased the mill from&nbsp;Republic Group LLC.

Sonoco was the mill's largest customer at the time of their acquisition of the plant, purchasing paperboard for composite cans, primarily for refrigerated dough products, and for tubes.

More information coming on Hutch Post as it becomes available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678134569880.jpeg" alt="Photo by Daren Dunn" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Daren Dunn</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Sonoco Paper employees were laid off Monday morning at a meeting at the Hutchinson plant.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678133954167.jpeg" alt="Photo by Daren Dunn" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Daren Dunn</figcaption>
 </figure>According to Tucky Allen from Kansas Workforce One, he received a WARN notice of the plant's closing on Monday. He told Hutch Post that the layoff will include 116 employees.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678134027333.jpeg" alt="Photo by Daren Dunn" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Daren Dunn</figcaption>
 </figure>Sonoco has owned the paper mill since 2001, when it purchased the mill from&nbsp;Republic Group LLC.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678134063797.jpeg" alt="Photo by Daren Dunn" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Daren Dunn</figcaption>
 </figure>Sonoco was the mill's largest customer at the time of their acquisition of the plant, purchasing paperboard for composite cans, primarily for refrigerated dough products, and for tubes.More information coming on Hutch Post as it becomes available.

Sonoco Paper plant in Hutchinson closed, 116 laid off

BY NICK GOSNELL Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON — "HYPROV: Improv Under Hypnosis" is coming to the Fox in Hutchinson on Friday night.

The
 evening begins with hypnotist Asad Mecci welcoming 20 volunteers on 
stage to be hypnotized. The most receptive to hypnosis then join Colin 
Mochrie, improv comedian from TV's "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" to improvise 
the rest of the show, while hypnotized.

"It's a totally different 
experience," Mochrie said. "When I worked with the guys from Whose Line,
 even though we're making it up, I can usually tell what joke they are 
going to head for, what kind of ending they are going to head for in the
 scene. I don't have that with these people. They just immediately react
 to whatever is happening in the moment. They are all about the present,
 not about the future."

Friday's performance is the tour's only 
Kansas date and Mecci is excited about bringing the one of a kind style 
to the Sunflower State.

"How many more plays are you going to see?
 How many more musicals are you going to see?," Mecci said. "You will 
never, ever, and I guarantee this, see a show like Hyprov in your life, 
because it is completely unique. It is made up every single night. Our 
cast members are people from the audience, random volunteers from the 
audience who come up on stage, get hypnotized and then improvise with 
Colin Mochrie from Whose Line. It is like nothing you've ever seen 
before."

Being hypnotized is not the same for all who go under, but Mochrie and Mecci have ways of involving the subjects.

"We've
 tried to come up with games, that even the ones who may be under 
different types of hypnosis, sometimes they get very sluggish and their 
reactions are very slow," Mochrie said. "We've found ways that we can 
use everyone that ended up as part of the improv troupe, so everybody 
gets the chance to do something."

<a href="https://ci.ovationtix.com/35908/pr/1127661/pe/11102589?deepLink=true&amp;overlay=true">Tickets are still available and you can book online</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678142383592.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON — "HYPROV: Improv Under Hypnosis" is coming to the Fox in Hutchinson on Friday night.The
 evening begins with hypnotist Asad Mecci welcoming 20 volunteers on 
stage to be hypnotized. The most receptive to hypnosis then join Colin 
Mochrie, improv comedian from TV's "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" to improvise 
the rest of the show, while hypnotized."It's a totally different 
experience," Mochrie said. "When I worked with the guys from Whose Line,
 even though we're making it up, I can usually tell what joke they are 
going to head for, what kind of ending they are going to head for in the
 scene. I don't have that with these people. They just immediately react
 to whatever is happening in the moment. They are all about the present,
 not about the future."Friday's performance is the tour's only 
Kansas date and Mecci is excited about bringing the one of a kind style 
to the Sunflower State."How many more plays are you going to see?
 How many more musicals are you going to see?," Mecci said. "You will 
never, ever, and I guarantee this, see a show like Hyprov in your life, 
because it is completely unique. It is made up every single night. Our 
cast members are people from the audience, random volunteers from the 
audience who come up on stage, get hypnotized and then improvise with 
Colin Mochrie from Whose Line. It is like nothing you've ever seen 
before."Being hypnotized is not the same for all who go under, but Mochrie and Mecci have ways of involving the subjects."We've
 tried to come up with games, that even the ones who may be under 
different types of hypnosis, sometimes they get very sluggish and their 
reactions are very slow," Mochrie said. "We've found ways that we can 
use everyone that ended up as part of the improv troupe, so everybody 
gets the chance to do something."<a href="https://ci.ovationtix.com/35908/pr/1127661/pe/11102589?deepLink=true&amp;overlay=true">Tickets are still available and you can book online</a>.

Colin Mochrie and hypnotist head ot Hutch for Kansas show

HUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp;One year ago, five miles east of Hutchinson near 4th Ave., a smoldering fire, left unattended, was spread by the Kansas wind. That fire, now commonly called the Cottonwood Complex Fire, was responsible for burning 12,000 acres, killing one person,&nbsp;and destroying 36 homes, 92 outbuildings, and 110 vehicles.&nbsp;

Firefighters battled the fire for a week.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“That day we were under catastrophic fire conditions, winds were 30, 40 mile an hour sustained winds that day,” Doug Hanen, Hutchinson Fire Department Division Chief of Operations, said. ”On days like that you're sitting around, you're&nbsp;just waiting for the first one to come in, and you know that day is, if one gets going, it's going to be a major fire."&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hanen said Hutchinson Fire Department (HFD) knew this was going to be a major fire fairly early. &nbsp;

“As soon as the call came out, the smoke column was well developed and it was moving, I say probably when we first knew it was going to be a major fire was probably in the first 20 to 30 minutes when we went through the first wind shift,” Hanen said. “We went through three wind shift changes on that. It was initially southwest then it became west, then it eventually became northwest.&nbsp;

Hanen added the wind shifts made bringing the fire under control a task that required help from across south central Kansas.

HFD initially received the call at 12:37 p.m. The initial response was about 20 units, according to HFD&nbsp;Chief Steven Beer. The task force&nbsp;eventually grew to include units from McPherson, Rice, Harvey, and Sedgwick counties and the Kansas Forest Service. &nbsp;

HFD also had to activate their Task Force 5, their urban search and rescue group, to locate the one fatality that resulted from the fire. &nbsp;

HFD crews worked a constant rotation of 12-hour shifts from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for a week. &nbsp;

“I want to say the easy part is putting out the fire. The hard part is the mop up work after the main body of fire is put out,” Beer said. “It's the saw work, the trees that got to be cut, it's the stuff that's smoldering and burning for days that really were the legwork. The main body of fire, that was a heck of a firefight for a lot of these individuals, but all week it was a lot of tough work, physical work.” &nbsp;

Chief Beer commended what firefighters did that day. &nbsp;

“That's bad enough by having one fatality but there could easily have been many, many more and what these men and women did that day to save some of the lives and&nbsp;property, it's truly a testament of what they do day in and day out,” Beer said. “We did lose a brush truck in that fire and we did have two of our firefighters that were on that brush truck when the flames came over the back of the truck and the cab of&nbsp;the truck, and zero&nbsp;visibility and they were very fortunate to get out of that fire.” &nbsp;

The fire was intense enough to partially melt that truck. &nbsp;

The sudden wind changes during this wildfire made the fire look like its own storm, with the smoke resembling a thunderhead. &nbsp;

What Beer remembers most about the fire is how little was left. &nbsp;

“It's the people. Whether it's a structure fire or whether it's a wildfire, if there's any other type of disaster, a flood, even a tornado, usually you can find a picture or something,” Beer said. “Many of these people lost everything. Everything you own. Just think about that. Every picture you saved from the day, from your child, all the way up to any things that were handed down through generations from grandparents. Everything was gone for these individuals.” &nbsp;

The humanitarian efforts of the Reno County community over the past year are not unnoticed. &nbsp;

“I think we're so fortunate living in Reno County here where the United Way is, what they did stepping up and right away getting these people supplies, getting everything set up at the State Fairgrounds, and where people could come in if they needed a new bank card, a&nbsp;driver's license, medications,” Beer said. “The stuff we don't think about, they were trying to get these people back on their feet within the next day or two. I think that's just a tribute to Hutch in general and the citizens."&nbsp;

That support also helped the working firefighters, as they were provided with Chapstick, pallets of water, Gatorade, and other resources. &nbsp;

The effects of the Cottonwood Complex fire still continue to change the fire department a year later. &nbsp;

“I went to the City Council and I went to the county commissioners and requested some additional funding to give my firefighters the tools and equipment they need to do their job,” Beer said. “We were fortunate to be able to order some additional brush trucks, get us out of outdated gear, and get some better tools and equipment along with hose to battle these fires.” &nbsp;

Beer knows that his firefighters have to be ready every day for wildfires when conditions are dry.

“This is not a game with these wildfires, these brush fires, this is life and death, in our business here. I think we pride ourselves in Hutch with how far we have come in the wildland firefighting game through the knowledge and expertise that we have&nbsp;with the joint venture with the Kansas Forestry Service here in town.” &nbsp;

Beer called that partnership vital in mitigating future fires. &nbsp;

Hanen added on to what Beer said about the mental impact to the fire department from the fight they faced a year ago

"You don’t drive back through that area without reliving some of the things that you saw that day, like Chief [Beer] alluded to, there were some pretty heroic things that happened out there in the sun,” Hanen said. “People jumping into ponds to save their life and burying their heads in the sand and our guys going in and finding them and bringing them out. It’s&nbsp;what they do day in, day out. When you have a fire to this magnitude that does this much destruction in a very close proximity area with 36 homes, probably 90% of them were all within three roads of each other, that's something that doesn't leave your mind.”&nbsp;

While the stresses&nbsp;of the Cottonwood Complex fire were felt by the citizens whose property burned and that memory is&nbsp;still there today, the fire department is not immune to the mental trauma either. &nbsp;

“As a chief of the department, I do worry about these big calls like this, and being a young agency there is a long-term effect of some of this stuff,” Beer said. “The traumatic stress we see, we try to give people help when they need help if they need help and stuff like that. We try to take care of our people through our peer support programs and even going outside of the department too.”&nbsp;

Firefighters and first responders even have access to a program that gives people one-on-one counseling. &nbsp;

“We are not exempt from the realities of this world,” Beer said. “What my men and women see on a daily basis, and I want to repeat that, what my men and women see on a daily basis, the average citizen in Hutchinson has no clue and will never see that in their entire life and that does take a toll on an individual over the course of their career.” &nbsp;

While the investigation into the Cottonwood Complex fire is still ongoing, according to Chief Beer, criminal intent was ruled out immediately. &nbsp;

The Hutchinson Fire Department is also quick to thank all the additional agencies that helped them both before and after the flames were out.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Since it’s a wildfire, the fire department gets plugged pretty quick, but there was some big-time groups that stepped up, the United Way, <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/c52f7ec3-2106-4e92-bd06-9f52e4fc727a" target="_blank">VOAD,</a> those kinds of groups that helped all these families get back on their feet,” Hanen said. “This was a devastating fire.” &nbsp;

Other mutual aid departments helped that day, too. &nbsp;

“Reno County Sheriff’s Department, Reno County EMS, there’s so many supporting agencies that support us, that allow us to do what we do day in and day out,” Beer said. “The 911 center, huge players in the success of getting everything done, Reno County Emergency Management, Kansas Forestry Service, all great partners. We're all standing shoulder-to-shoulder in the command room over here, working like I said, shoulder to shoulder. That's how we mitigate these things, when all of these agencies are working together for the common goals.”&nbsp;

Chief Beer expressed pride in how well Reno County civil service agencies worked together, and credited their united efforts to keeping the citizens safe through the fire, even with as much damage as there turned out to be.

“With how devastating this one was, it could have been way worse, could have been 10 times worse,” Beer said. &nbsp;

Beer and Reno County Emergency Management staff have been asked to present to the Board of County Commissioners on their plans for the 2023 Fire Season on Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654951436825.jpeg" alt="Cottonwood Complex Fire-Photo by Rod Zook" />
 <figcaption>Cottonwood Complex Fire-Photo by Rod Zook</figcaption>
 </figure>JUDD WEIL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp;One year ago, five miles east of Hutchinson near 4th Ave., a smoldering fire, left unattended, was spread by the Kansas wind. That fire, now commonly called the Cottonwood Complex Fire, was responsible for burning 12,000 acres, killing one person,&nbsp;and destroying 36 homes, 92 outbuildings, and 110 vehicles.&nbsp;Firefighters battled the fire for a week.&nbsp;&nbsp;“That day we were under catastrophic fire conditions, winds were 30, 40 mile an hour sustained winds that day,” Doug Hanen, Hutchinson Fire Department Division Chief of Operations, said. ”On days like that you're sitting around, you're&nbsp;just waiting for the first one to come in, and you know that day is, if one gets going, it's going to be a major fire."&nbsp;&nbsp;Hanen said Hutchinson Fire Department (HFD) knew this was going to be a major fire fairly early. &nbsp;“As soon as the call came out, the smoke column was well developed and it was moving, I say probably when we first knew it was going to be a major fire was probably in the first 20 to 30 minutes when we went through the first wind shift,” Hanen said. “We went through three wind shift changes on that. It was initially southwest then it became west, then it eventually became northwest.&nbsp;Hanen added the wind shifts made bringing the fire under control a task that required help from across south central Kansas.HFD initially received the call at 12:37 p.m. The initial response was about 20 units, according to HFD&nbsp;Chief Steven Beer. The task force&nbsp;eventually grew to include units from McPherson, Rice, Harvey, and Sedgwick counties and the Kansas Forest Service. &nbsp;HFD also had to activate their Task Force 5, their urban search and rescue group, to locate the one fatality that resulted from the fire. &nbsp;HFD crews worked a constant rotation of 12-hour shifts from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for a week. &nbsp;“I want to say the easy part is putting out the fire. The hard part is the mop up work after the main body of fire is put out,” Beer said. “It's the saw work, the trees that got to be cut, it's the stuff that's smoldering and burning for days that really were the legwork. The main body of fire, that was a heck of a firefight for a lot of these individuals, but all week it was a lot of tough work, physical work.” &nbsp;Chief Beer commended what firefighters did that day. &nbsp;“That's bad enough by having one fatality but there could easily have been many, many more and what these men and women did that day to save some of the lives and&nbsp;property, it's truly a testament of what they do day in and day out,” Beer said. “We did lose a brush truck in that fire and we did have two of our firefighters that were on that brush truck when the flames came over the back of the truck and the cab of&nbsp;the truck, and zero&nbsp;visibility and they were very fortunate to get out of that fire.” &nbsp;The fire was intense enough to partially melt that truck. &nbsp;The sudden wind changes during this wildfire made the fire look like its own storm, with the smoke resembling a thunderhead. &nbsp;What Beer remembers most about the fire is how little was left. &nbsp;“It's the people. Whether it's a structure fire or whether it's a wildfire, if there's any other type of disaster, a flood, even a tornado, usually you can find a picture or something,” Beer said. “Many of these people lost everything. Everything you own. Just think about that. Every picture you saved from the day, from your child, all the way up to any things that were handed down through generations from grandparents. Everything was gone for these individuals.” &nbsp;The humanitarian efforts of the Reno County community over the past year are not unnoticed. &nbsp;“I think we're so fortunate living in Reno County here where the United Way is, what they did stepping up and right away getting these people supplies, getting everything set up at the State Fairgrounds, and where people could come in if they needed a new bank card, a&nbsp;driver's license, medications,” Beer said. “The stuff we don't think about, they were trying to get these people back on their feet within the next day or two. I think that's just a tribute to Hutch in general and the citizens."&nbsp;That support also helped the working firefighters, as they were provided with Chapstick, pallets of water, Gatorade, and other resources. &nbsp;The effects of the Cottonwood Complex fire still continue to change the fire department a year later. &nbsp;“I went to the City Council and I went to the county commissioners and requested some additional funding to give my firefighters the tools and equipment they need to do their job,” Beer said. “We were fortunate to be able to order some additional brush trucks, get us out of outdated gear, and get some better tools and equipment along with hose to battle these fires.” &nbsp;Beer knows that his firefighters have to be ready every day for wildfires when conditions are dry.“This is not a game with these wildfires, these brush fires, this is life and death, in our business here. I think we pride ourselves in Hutch with how far we have come in the wildland firefighting game through the knowledge and expertise that we have&nbsp;with the joint venture with the Kansas Forestry Service here in town.” &nbsp;Beer called that partnership vital in mitigating future fires. &nbsp;Hanen added on to what Beer said about the mental impact to the fire department from the fight they faced a year ago"You don’t drive back through that area without reliving some of the things that you saw that day, like Chief [Beer] alluded to, there were some pretty heroic things that happened out there in the sun,” Hanen said. “People jumping into ponds to save their life and burying their heads in the sand and our guys going in and finding them and bringing them out. It’s&nbsp;what they do day in, day out. When you have a fire to this magnitude that does this much destruction in a very close proximity area with 36 homes, probably 90% of them were all within three roads of each other, that's something that doesn't leave your mind.”&nbsp;While the stresses&nbsp;of the Cottonwood Complex fire were felt by the citizens whose property burned and that memory is&nbsp;still there today, the fire department is not immune to the mental trauma either. &nbsp;“As a chief of the department, I do worry about these big calls like this, and being a young agency there is a long-term effect of some of this stuff,” Beer said. “The traumatic stress we see, we try to give people help when they need help if they need help and stuff like that. We try to take care of our people through our peer support programs and even going outside of the department too.”&nbsp;Firefighters and first responders even have access to a program that gives people one-on-one counseling. &nbsp;“We are not exempt from the realities of this world,” Beer said. “What my men and women see on a daily basis, and I want to repeat that, what my men and women see on a daily basis, the average citizen in Hutchinson has no clue and will never see that in their entire life and that does take a toll on an individual over the course of their career.” &nbsp;While the investigation into the Cottonwood Complex fire is still ongoing, according to Chief Beer, criminal intent was ruled out immediately. &nbsp;The Hutchinson Fire Department is also quick to thank all the additional agencies that helped them both before and after the flames were out.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Since it’s a wildfire, the fire department gets plugged pretty quick, but there was some big-time groups that stepped up, the United Way, <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/c52f7ec3-2106-4e92-bd06-9f52e4fc727a" target="_blank">VOAD,</a> those kinds of groups that helped all these families get back on their feet,” Hanen said. “This was a devastating fire.” &nbsp;Other mutual aid departments helped that day, too. &nbsp;“Reno County Sheriff’s Department, Reno County EMS, there’s so many supporting agencies that support us, that allow us to do what we do day in and day out,” Beer said. “The 911 center, huge players in the success of getting everything done, Reno County Emergency Management, Kansas Forestry Service, all great partners. We're all standing shoulder-to-shoulder in the command room over here, working like I said, shoulder to shoulder. That's how we mitigate these things, when all of these agencies are working together for the common goals.”&nbsp;Chief Beer expressed pride in how well Reno County civil service agencies worked together, and credited their united efforts to keeping the citizens safe through the fire, even with as much damage as there turned out to be.“With how devastating this one was, it could have been way worse, could have been 10 times worse,” Beer said. &nbsp;Beer and Reno County Emergency Management staff have been asked to present to the Board of County Commissioners on their plans for the 2023 Fire Season on Tuesday.

Burned into memory: One year after deadly 12,000 acre Kansas fire

HUTCHINSON, Kan. —Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas notes that those filling up are seeing numbers go down in recent days.

"We have seen some relief, as gas prices have started to drift downward over the past week, which is always a good thing for drivers, when you go to fill up your tank," Steward said. "Here in Kansas, we're at $3.16 a gallon, on average, and that's down four cents from where we were a week ago."

Area county averages as of Thursday are as follows:

Kansas has the 10th cheapest gas in the United States this week and news last week from those that get the oil out of the ground appears to be having an effect.

"OPEC+ decided to maintain their current production levels and not make any additional cuts," Steward said. "That certainly helps with supply and keeps things relatively stable."

Supply is okay right now, but what demand will do, especially as the weather warms, is the unknown at this point.

"We saw last summer the record high gas prices both here in Kansas and nationally," Steward said. "In the middle of June, we had that peak. Will we reach those numbers again this summer? Time will tell."

Last summer, a lot of travelers chose to drive rather than fly for their summer trips. It remains to be seen how much trust in the airlines travelers will have in 2023.

NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. —Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas notes that those filling up are seeing numbers go down in recent days."We have seen some relief, as gas prices have started to drift downward over the past week, which is always a good thing for drivers, when you go to fill up your tank," Steward said. "Here in Kansas, we're at $3.16 a gallon, on average, and that's down four cents from where we were a week ago."Area county averages as of Thursday are as follows:Reno $3.11McPherson $3.11Harvey $3.12Sedgwick $3.03Kingman $3.16Pratt $3.29Stafford $3.22Rice $3.26Kansas has the 10th cheapest gas in the United States this week and news last week from those that get the oil out of the ground appears to be having an effect."OPEC+ decided to maintain their current production levels and not make any additional cuts," Steward said. "That certainly helps with supply and keeps things relatively stable."Supply is okay right now, but what demand will do, especially as the weather warms, is the unknown at this point."We saw last summer the record high gas prices both here in Kansas and nationally," Steward said. "In the middle of June, we had that peak. Will we reach those numbers again this summer? Time will tell."Last summer, a lot of travelers chose to drive rather than fly for their summer trips. It remains to be seen how much trust in the airlines travelers will have in 2023.

AAA: Kansas has 10th cheapest gas in the United States this week

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Creighton University economist Ernie Goss believes that the employment picture is going to be mixed going forward, especially in the Midwest.

"You look at the employment level for Kansas and the region, we're almost back to Feb. 2020, in terms of the employment. That's well below the national number. The national, U.S. economy is well above the Feb. 2020 number. Kansas is about at its 2020 number. We're not back to where we should be, absent the pandemic."

None the less the people Goss surveys aren't as concerned about hiring as he thought they might be.

"I still think we're going to see layoffs in some of the industry," Goss said. "The unemployment rate in Kansas is likely to rise, but not nearly what we thought. In other words, maybe the Federal Reserve is getting a soft landing. That is, a slowdown in growth moving toward zero and perhaps avoiding a negative number."

Our interview with Goss was prior to the Governor's announcement Thursday of a new semiconductor project in Wichita. However, that project still needs federal funding to get off of the ground.

NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Creighton University economist Ernie Goss believes that the employment picture is going to be mixed going forward, especially in the Midwest."You look at the employment level for Kansas and the region, we're almost back to Feb. 2020, in terms of the employment. That's well below the national number. The national, U.S. economy is well above the Feb. 2020 number. Kansas is about at its 2020 number. We're not back to where we should be, absent the pandemic."None the less the people Goss surveys aren't as concerned about hiring as he thought they might be."I still think we're going to see layoffs in some of the industry," Goss said. "The unemployment rate in Kansas is likely to rise, but not nearly what we thought. In other words, maybe the Federal Reserve is getting a soft landing. That is, a slowdown in growth moving toward zero and perhaps avoiding a negative number."Our interview with Goss was prior to the Governor's announcement Thursday of a new semiconductor project in Wichita. However, that project still needs federal funding to get off of the ground.

Economist: Employment likely to be mixed as we go through 2023

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas gas prices appear to be stabilizing.

"We're at $3.20 a gallon on average today," Shawn Steward with AAA said Friday. "That's the same as it was a week ago. We haven't really seen any fluctuations in the past week. After seeing some rises throughout January, we've seen a little bit of a stability here."

A month ago, we were at $2.83. One year ago, the Kansas average was $3.14. The national average is currently $3.49, down one cent from a week ago.

Kansas has the 7th&nbsp;lowest average price in the nation.

"We saw gas demand rise, but total domestic gas supply did, as well," Steward said. "Despite the rising demand and recently elevated crude oil prices, the growth in total supply in domestic gasoline stocks has helped limit those pump price increases, which we had seen throughout most of January."

Weather elsewhere in the country could have an impact on overall prices in the near term.

"We'll probably see some of that reflected in the report next week," Steward said. "We typically have a lag of a week or so in terms of demand reports. Whenever you get winter weather, that does temper demand somewhat. Overall, this winter we've had a pretty mild weather situation, especially in the eastern half of the U.S."&nbsp;

The National Weather Service says dangerous wind chills are likely this weekend in an area stretching from northern Pennsylvania to Maine.&nbsp;&nbsp;

NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas gas prices appear to be stabilizing."We're at $3.20 a gallon on average today," Shawn Steward with AAA said Friday. "That's the same as it was a week ago. We haven't really seen any fluctuations in the past week. After seeing some rises throughout January, we've seen a little bit of a stability here."A month ago, we were at $2.83. One year ago, the Kansas average was $3.14. The national average is currently $3.49, down one cent from a week ago.Kansas has the 7th&nbsp;lowest average price in the nation."We saw gas demand rise, but total domestic gas supply did, as well," Steward said. "Despite the rising demand and recently elevated crude oil prices, the growth in total supply in domestic gasoline stocks has helped limit those pump price increases, which we had seen throughout most of January."Weather elsewhere in the country could have an impact on overall prices in the near term."We'll probably see some of that reflected in the report next week," Steward said. "We typically have a lag of a week or so in terms of demand reports. Whenever you get winter weather, that does temper demand somewhat. Overall, this winter we've had a pretty mild weather situation, especially in the eastern half of the U.S."&nbsp;The National Weather Service says dangerous wind chills are likely this weekend in an area stretching from northern Pennsylvania to Maine.&nbsp;&nbsp;

AAA: Gas prices in Kansas are stable for now

BY JUDD WEIL and NICK GOSNELL Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A Reno County jury on Thursday found 37-year-old Kyle Hardwick guilty in the August 2021 deaths of 56-year-old Marion “Ed” Bates and 58-year-old Phillip Anstine both of Hutchinson.

Hardwick was convicted of two counts of intentional and premeditated murder in the first degree and&nbsp; one count of theft of property or services, valued at $1,500 to $25,000, along with one count of theft of property or services of a firearm with a value less than $25,000 and a count of solicitation of perjury; testify to material fact in felony proceeding.&nbsp;

On Sept. 1 of 2021, police arrested Hardwick in Maize after he was listed as a person of interest when authorities discovered the bodies of Bates and Anstine on a property in eastern Reno County.

The state called upon over 45 witnesses to testify in the case, as well as presented over 110 pieces of evidence. &nbsp;

Sentencing is set in the case for April 7. Hardwick remains in jail without bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1630432406794.png" alt="Hardwick-photo Reno County" />
 <figcaption>Hardwick-photo Reno County</figcaption>
 </figure>BY JUDD WEIL and NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — A Reno County jury on Thursday found 37-year-old Kyle Hardwick guilty in the August 2021 deaths of 56-year-old Marion “Ed” Bates and 58-year-old Phillip Anstine both of Hutchinson.Hardwick was convicted of two counts of intentional and premeditated murder in the first degree and&nbsp; one count of theft of property or services, valued at $1,500 to $25,000, along with one count of theft of property or services of a firearm with a value less than $25,000 and a count of solicitation of perjury; testify to material fact in felony proceeding.&nbsp;On Sept. 1 of 2021, police arrested Hardwick in Maize after he was listed as a person of interest when authorities discovered the bodies of Bates and Anstine on a property in eastern Reno County.The state called upon over 45 witnesses to testify in the case, as well as presented over 110 pieces of evidence. &nbsp;Sentencing is set in the case for April 7. Hardwick remains in jail without bond.

Jury finds Kansas man guilty of double-murder 

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — As the House side of Capitol Hill engages in a debt ceiling showdown with the Biden Administration, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall is watching with interest.

"Joe Biden has maxed his credit card," Marshall said. "With his accelerated, reckless spending, he's already hit the debt limit that Congress approved several years ago. The treasurer cannot print any more bonds, borrow more money, without Congress saying yes, you can do that. This is our opportunity to force him to balance a budget."

Even with a Democrat majority in the Senate, Marshall still feels it's important for Republican senators to engage on the issue.

"It's our opportunity to say, if you want us to blow through this debt ceiling, then we need to figure out how much money we're going to spend this year and we can't keep doing what we've been doing," Marshall said. "We spent $475 billion last year on interest. Our long term national debt, the interest we are paying is the greatest threat America faces to our long term national security. When we're paying this much in interest, you have no money left to build roads and bridges, to put in high speed internet, to build new hospitals, all those types of things. This is our opportunity to address the issue."

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is set to meet with the administration on Wednesday.

"He needs to know that the Senators have his back," Marshall said. "We will support him through this, that we are going to go to the mat with the President on this issue. We are willing to take on this problem now, because we think the long term consequences of this national debt to my grandchildren is worth having this fight today over. Why would we punt this down the road? I'm ready to take accountability and face the problem head on, right now."

The U.S. hit the current debt ceiling number almost two weeks ago

NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — As the House side of Capitol Hill engages in a debt ceiling showdown with the Biden Administration, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall is watching with interest."Joe Biden has maxed his credit card," Marshall said. "With his accelerated, reckless spending, he's already hit the debt limit that Congress approved several years ago. The treasurer cannot print any more bonds, borrow more money, without Congress saying yes, you can do that. This is our opportunity to force him to balance a budget."Even with a Democrat majority in the Senate, Marshall still feels it's important for Republican senators to engage on the issue."It's our opportunity to say, if you want us to blow through this debt ceiling, then we need to figure out how much money we're going to spend this year and we can't keep doing what we've been doing," Marshall said. "We spent $475 billion last year on interest. Our long term national debt, the interest we are paying is the greatest threat America faces to our long term national security. When we're paying this much in interest, you have no money left to build roads and bridges, to put in high speed internet, to build new hospitals, all those types of things. This is our opportunity to address the issue."House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is set to meet with the administration on Wednesday."He needs to know that the Senators have his back," Marshall said. "We will support him through this, that we are going to go to the mat with the President on this issue. We are willing to take on this problem now, because we think the long term consequences of this national debt to my grandchildren is worth having this fight today over. Why would we punt this down the road? I'm ready to take accountability and face the problem head on, right now."The U.S. hit the current debt ceiling number almost two weeks ago

Marshall: Debt ceiling fight is "opportunity" for fiscal restraint

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The jury was sworn in and the trial for the State v. Kyle Hardwick officially began in the courtroom of Judge Keith Schroeder on Jan. 25. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Kyle Hardwick, represented by Scott Loftis, an attorney from Ponca City, Oklahoma, is pleading not guilty to the charges of Two counts of intentional and premeditated murder in the first degree. &nbsp;&nbsp;

One count of theft of property or services, valued at $1,500 to $25,000.&nbsp; &nbsp;One count of theft of property or services of a firearm with a value less than $25,000.&nbsp; &nbsp;Two counts of solicitation perjury; testify to material fact in felony proceeding.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The charges stem from the murders of Marion “Ed” Bates, 56, Hutchinson, and&nbsp;Phillip Anstine, 58, Hutchinson, in August 2021. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In their opening statement, Loftis presented Hardwick’s defense. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Loftis told the jury that on Aug. 24, 2021, Hardwick had travelled with Phillip Anstine to the “compound.” &nbsp;&nbsp;

Described by the state in their opening statement, the "compound" is a property east of Hutchinson, where Marion Bates and Phillip Anstine would frequent. It had various other additions like buildings built on it, a camper, a dried-up pond, and burn pits. The two men would hang out there, shoot firearms, and overall hone their survival techniques. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Hardwick did not know Marion Bates, but had a prior association with Phillip Anstine through work that included building houses, akin to Habitat for Humanity. Anstine was said to have overseen much of the work, while Hardwick assisted with installation. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Hardwick called Anstine a friend and they were said to have a mutual interest in firearms. They were said to be close enough that they would travel to visit each other from time to time, but not frequently. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Hardwick’s last visit to see Anstine was said to be because of personal problems in his life. He wanted get out of Kansas City for a while. Hardwick was said to have taken a Greyhound bus from Kansas City, Missouri to Hutchinson, Kansas to visit Anstine.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Loftis told the jury that Anstine had dropped off Hardwick at the compound with a set of keys. Hardwick was said to have permission to drive Anstine’s truck and had those keys as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Anstine then returned shortly after with Little Caesar’s pizza and Samuel Adams beer. &nbsp;&nbsp;

“After drinking about half a beer and eating piece of pizza, Kyle starts to feel sick,” Loftis said. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Hardwick’s symptoms were described as&nbsp;stomach pains, light-headedness, and disorientation. Hardwick was said to have voiced his sudden illness to Anstine, and then went to the camper on the property where he passed out. Hardwick was said to not remember passing out in the camper. &nbsp;&nbsp;

According to Loftis, Hardwick woke up the next day, still disoriented, face down on a bed in the camper with his pants down, and a pain in his anus. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Hardwick is said to surmise he was raped.&nbsp;&nbsp;Upon leaving the camper to search for Anstine out of concern, Hardwick returned to the camper. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Anstine is said to have returned to the compound with a shotgun in his hands. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Hardwick is alleged to have tried to tell Anstine of his situation, but became suspicious when Anstine is said to have been dismissive. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Loftis said, when Hardwick then accused Anstine of raping him, Anstine cocked and aimed his shotgun at Hardwick. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Hardwick is said to have played to Anstine’s paranoia by looking over Anstine’s shoulder, forcing him to turn around. Hardwick was then said to have used this gambit to wrestle the shotgun out of Anstine’s hands. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Anstine was said to have then pulled a .380 semiautomatic pistol and pointed it at Hardwick, causing Hardwick to fatally shoot him with the shotgun. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Still disoriented from the prior drugging and rape, the defense said that Hardwick then made his way to the pump house, north of the camper, for water. &nbsp;&nbsp;Loftis described to the jury what happened next as, “one of the real tragedies of this case.” &nbsp;&nbsp;

Another man, unknown to Hardwick, appeared and shot at Hardwick. Hardwick shot back with the shotgun he had taken from Anstine, striking the second man. &nbsp;&nbsp;

After a while, determining the man is dead, Hardwick approached the body and searched the man and discovered his identity as Marion Bates. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Loftis said, more than likely Bates was not part of Hardwick’s alleged rape, and only came to aid his friend, Anstine. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The state, consisting of District Attorney (DA) Thomas Stanton and Deputy District Attorney Andrew Davidson, called a number of witnesses, including friends of the victims, who corroborated the state’s opening statement that accused Hardwick of killing the pair for different reasons.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Cathy Havel and Marion Bates had been close friends for around 11 years. Havel last spoke to Bates on Aug. 25, 2021, about a COVID-19 test she was going to take. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Bates said he could not talk at that moment, and had something to do at the compound. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Havel never heard back from Bates. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Havel said she texted and called Bates multiple times on Aug. 26, 2021, and that it was unusual for Bates to not answer his phone in a timely manner. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Evidence presented during the trial showed that Havel did try to reach Bates. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Corroborating each other’s&nbsp;testimonies as they took the stand separately, Havel and Dawnita Hartung eventually went to the compound to search for Bates and Anstine. &nbsp;&nbsp;

They noticed a red Ford pickup truck in the driveway. &nbsp;&nbsp;

It was there they met a man, unknown to them,&nbsp;who identified himself as ‘Kyle Birch.’ &nbsp;&nbsp;

Havel and Hartung pointed out Kyle Hardwick as the man who identified himself as ‘Kyle Birch.’ &nbsp;&nbsp;As ‘Birch,’ Hardwick told the two women that Bates and Anstine had gone to town to buy cigarettes about 40 minutes prior.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The women found this suspicious given how close the nearest gas station was.&nbsp;‘Birch’ had told the women his mother had kicked him out. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Hartung during her testimony, said ‘Kyle Birch’ was not someone Bates would hang out with. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Later when the women returned to the compound, they found that the red truck, and Hardwick as ‘Birch,’&nbsp;were gone. &nbsp;Havel and Hartung left notes in the driveway for Bates.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Joined by Jerry Bastion on Aug. 27, Havel and Hartung searched for Bates on the property. &nbsp;&nbsp;Kenneth Bates, the brother of Marion Bates, who was informed his brother was missing, gave Bastion permission to break into Marion Bates’ garage. &nbsp;&nbsp;

There they found Marion Bates unattended vehicle, with his wallet still inside.&nbsp; Shortly after, the authorities were called for a welfare check.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Reno County Sheriff’s Office responded and surveyed the property. Deputies located the body of Marion Bates that day.&nbsp; Bates was discovered in the dried up pond covered by&nbsp;tree limbs. Forensic evidence used to identify him revealed he had not been dead long and that his head was riddled with shotgun pellets. &nbsp;&nbsp;On Aug. 28, at 8 a.m., following the discovery of Bates, a search warrant was obtained for the rest of the property.&nbsp;&nbsp;

According to Reno County Sheriff’s deputy Matthew Mondragon, three feet from where Bates was found, Anstine was discovered in a burn&nbsp;pit. Most of his body had been incinerated by a fire in the pit. Forensic evidence used to identify Anstine showed he had been shot in the head as well. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Mondragon identified other pieces of evidence found on the property, including combustible materials, and items belonging to Hardwick. &nbsp;&nbsp;

These items included two debit cards, one with Hardwick’s name, a social security card, also with Hardwick’s name, and a bus ticket with the name ‘Kyle Hardhack.’&nbsp;&nbsp;

The defense did not cross-examine many witnesses, but they did Mondragon. Mondragon was asked to recall zip-ties found on the property and if they could be used to restrain somebody, which he confirmed. &nbsp;&nbsp;

A drone was deployed by Reno County Sheriff Jeremy VanWey to gather another view of the crime scene.&nbsp;

Some of the evidence collected from the scene included .12 gauge shotgun shells, gas cans, campfire fuel, the barrel of a shotgun from the burn pit Anstine was found in,&nbsp;a pair of gloves, two empty bottles of Kentucky Deluxe bourbon, two&nbsp;empty bottles of vodka, a Dollar General receipt,&nbsp;and soil samples with biomaterial.&nbsp;&nbsp;

During his testimony, Daniel Nowlan, Reno County Death Investigator, noted for Anstine’s body to burn the way it did, the fire would have to been man-maintained for a time. &nbsp;&nbsp;

During cross-examination by the defense, Nowlan did confirm that Phillip Anstine did not die by burning alive, and cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head. The same cause of death determined for Marion Bates. He also said that Hardwick acted in self-defense could not be ruled out. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Following Daniel Nowlan, the jury was dismissed for the first day. &nbsp;

On day two, Sedgwick County Forensic Center DNA analyst Therese Gibler testified that through her analysis, a sample she tested was almost certainly that of a child of Marion Bates' mother, Betty and a separate sample was almost certainly that of a child of Phillip Anstine's father, Duane. This was intended to establish that the victims were Marion Bates and Phillip Anstine.&nbsp;

Sedgwick County Forensic Center's Dr. Scott Kipper performed the autopsies on Bates and Anstine and confirmed that the shotgun wound killed Bates. Anstine's body was significantly burned, but Kipper was still able to determine that a shotgun wound also killed Anstine. Kipper could not rule out the possibility that the shots were in self-defense.&nbsp;

Several law enforcement witnesses were then called, including members of the Reno County Sheriff's Office and Maize Police, to establish the security of the crime scene and the circumstances under which Kyle Hardwick was found and arrested in Maize on Sept. 1.&nbsp;

The prosecution also attempted to establish through law enforcement testimony that electronic devices, including what they believe to be a cell phone, were found in a fire pit on the property. In addition, they went over the circumstances in which Phillip Anstine's truck was found elsewhere in the county in October.&nbsp;

Also, Anstine's friend Paul Jorgenson testified by Zoom from Wyoming to establish that Anstine told him he had both silver and gold on the property at the compound where the murders occurred.&nbsp;

The majority of day three of the State v. Kyle Hardwick, saw testimonies from officials with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI). &nbsp;

During the corroborating testimony of the KBI, regarding the inventory and investigation of the items found in the truck, established to belong to Phillip Anstine, day three saw the most evidence admitted by the state. Including:&nbsp;

A Motorola blue cellphone; mesh covering; a beer bottle; two ghillie suits; a red bag containing ammunition; a pellet rifle; a total of six guns between five rifle cases; a camo duffle bag; metal siding that when removed, revealed seven ammunition boxes containing mostly 22 caliber ammunition; .12 gauge ammunition; a metal tool box; a vitamin container labeled ‘char-claw;’ two action cameras; jeep keys; as well as three empty packages of Marlboro Black 100s cigarettes. &nbsp;

The same brand of cigarettes had previously been found in the camper located at the compound and the abandoned grain silo where Hardwick was arrested. &nbsp;

The inventory of the truck was delivered in testimony by Chris Engle-Tjaden with the KBI.&nbsp;

During cross-examination, the defense confirmed the existence of the .380 ammunition. &nbsp;

Under defense examination, Engle-Tjaden said the only correlation to the mesh covering, was that it was found in the truck. &nbsp;

Forensic testing revealed Hardwick’s DNA was found on a lot of the items. Latent prints belonging to Hardwick were found on a food container and soda bottles. A latent print of Hardwick’s palm was also found on the truck. &nbsp;

Day three closed with people known to Hardwick taking the stand, Chase Mattingly and Sherry Reed. &nbsp;

During his testimony, Mattingly, the boyfriend of Sherry Reed’s daughter, said he had overheard part of a phone conversation between Hardwick and Reed on Aug. 31,&nbsp;2021. &nbsp;

He only understood part of the conversation, and said he had heard Hardwick tell Reed he had messed up. &nbsp;

During cross-examination by the defense, Mattingly said he did not know what Hardwick was referring to at the time. &nbsp;

The state then called key witness, Sherry Reed. &nbsp;

Reed said she has known Hardwick since high school. &nbsp;

Reed, of Lawrence, Kansas, said she believed she still has a friendship with Hardwick. Hardwick had previously lived with Reed. &nbsp;

Hardwick’s&nbsp;additional count of solicitation to commit perjury stems from&nbsp;a FaceTime call between the defendant and Reed.&nbsp;

The FaceTime call had been played in court prior when Hardwick was bound over in June 2022, and was played again on Jan. 27. &nbsp;

In the recorded FaceTime conversation, Hardwick repeatedly tells Reed not to show up for the hearing and, if she did testify, to tell the court she was mentally unstable and on drugs. At one time he said, “Please don’t come,” and repeatedly said, “you don’t have to show up.”&nbsp;

Hardwick was also noted as telling Reed to “just tell the truth.” &nbsp;

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/07b4a825-c01a-4caf-9b40-ceac29173d6b" target="_blank">Much like her last reported appearance in court,</a> Reed&nbsp;seemed very confused. &nbsp;

She could not remember much about phone calls she got from Hardwick or her meetings with the Reno County Sheriff’s Office, nor&nbsp;whether she drove him from Lawrence to a bus station in Kansas City.&nbsp;

During her testimony, Reed implied numerous times her confusion with her activities with the Reno County Sheriff’s Office, conversations with Hardwick, and whether she dropped him off at a bus stop were due to her not having her ‘calendar’ or her ‘notes.’ &nbsp;

In effort to help Reed remember, courtesy of the state, she was presented with copies of her prior testimony to aid her in current testimony.&nbsp;

When asked, after taking a moment to review her prior testimony, Reed said she took Hardwick to a bus station in Kansas City in the morning of August 2021. &nbsp;

When asked if she remembered telling the Reno County Sheriff’s Office, she was given $600 out of $1,200 from Hardwick, Reed said she only remembered having $600. &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1630432406794.png" alt="Hardwock photo Reno Co." />
 <figcaption>Hardwock photo Reno Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BY JUDD WEIL and NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — The jury was sworn in and the trial for the State v. Kyle Hardwick officially began in the courtroom of Judge Keith Schroeder on Jan. 25. &nbsp;&nbsp;The state called upon over 45 witnesses to testify in the case, as well as presented over 110 pieces of evidence. &nbsp;Kyle Hardwick, represented by Scott Loftis, an attorney from Ponca City, Oklahoma, is pleading not guilty to the charges of Two counts of intentional and premeditated murder in the first degree. &nbsp;&nbsp;One count of theft of property or services, valued at $1,500 to $25,000.&nbsp; &nbsp;One count of theft of property or services of a firearm with a value less than $25,000.&nbsp; &nbsp;Two counts of solicitation perjury; testify to material fact in felony proceeding.&nbsp;&nbsp;The charges stem from the murders of Marion “Ed” Bates, 56, Hutchinson, and&nbsp;Phillip Anstine, 58, Hutchinson, in August 2021. &nbsp;&nbsp;In their opening statement, Loftis presented Hardwick’s defense. &nbsp;&nbsp;Loftis told the jury that on Aug. 24, 2021, Hardwick had travelled with Phillip Anstine to the “compound.” &nbsp;&nbsp;Described by the state in their opening statement, the "compound" is a property east of Hutchinson, where Marion Bates and Phillip Anstine would frequent. It had various other additions like buildings built on it, a camper, a dried-up pond, and burn pits. The two men would hang out there, shoot firearms, and overall hone their survival techniques. &nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick did not know Marion Bates, but had a prior association with Phillip Anstine through work that included building houses, akin to Habitat for Humanity. Anstine was said to have overseen much of the work, while Hardwick assisted with installation. &nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick called Anstine a friend and they were said to have a mutual interest in firearms. They were said to be close enough that they would travel to visit each other from time to time, but not frequently. &nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick’s last visit to see Anstine was said to be because of personal problems in his life. He wanted get out of Kansas City for a while. Hardwick was said to have taken a Greyhound bus from Kansas City, Missouri to Hutchinson, Kansas to visit Anstine.&nbsp;&nbsp;Loftis told the jury that Anstine had dropped off Hardwick at the compound with a set of keys. Hardwick was said to have permission to drive Anstine’s truck and had those keys as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Anstine then returned shortly after with Little Caesar’s pizza and Samuel Adams beer. &nbsp;&nbsp;“After drinking about half a beer and eating piece of pizza, Kyle starts to feel sick,” Loftis said. &nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick’s symptoms were described as&nbsp;stomach pains, light-headedness, and disorientation. Hardwick was said to have voiced his sudden illness to Anstine, and then went to the camper on the property where he passed out. Hardwick was said to not remember passing out in the camper. &nbsp;&nbsp;According to Loftis, Hardwick woke up the next day, still disoriented, face down on a bed in the camper with his pants down, and a pain in his anus. &nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick is said to surmise he was raped.&nbsp;&nbsp;Upon leaving the camper to search for Anstine out of concern, Hardwick returned to the camper. &nbsp;&nbsp;Anstine is said to have returned to the compound with a shotgun in his hands. &nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick is alleged to have tried to tell Anstine of his situation, but became suspicious when Anstine is said to have been dismissive. &nbsp;&nbsp;Loftis said, when Hardwick then accused Anstine of raping him, Anstine cocked and aimed his shotgun at Hardwick. &nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick is said to have played to Anstine’s paranoia by looking over Anstine’s shoulder, forcing him to turn around. Hardwick was then said to have used this gambit to wrestle the shotgun out of Anstine’s hands. &nbsp;&nbsp;Anstine was said to have then pulled a .380 semiautomatic pistol and pointed it at Hardwick, causing Hardwick to fatally shoot him with the shotgun. &nbsp;&nbsp;Still disoriented from the prior drugging and rape, the defense said that Hardwick then made his way to the pump house, north of the camper, for water. &nbsp;&nbsp;Loftis described to the jury what happened next as, “one of the real tragedies of this case.” &nbsp;&nbsp;Another man, unknown to Hardwick, appeared and shot at Hardwick. Hardwick shot back with the shotgun he had taken from Anstine, striking the second man. &nbsp;&nbsp;After a while, determining the man is dead, Hardwick approached the body and searched the man and discovered his identity as Marion Bates. &nbsp;&nbsp;Loftis said, more than likely Bates was not part of Hardwick’s alleged rape, and only came to aid his friend, Anstine. &nbsp;&nbsp;The state, consisting of District Attorney (DA) Thomas Stanton and Deputy District Attorney Andrew Davidson, called a number of witnesses, including friends of the victims, who corroborated the state’s opening statement that accused Hardwick of killing the pair for different reasons.&nbsp; &nbsp;Cathy Havel and Marion Bates had been close friends for around 11 years. Havel last spoke to Bates on Aug. 25, 2021, about a COVID-19 test she was going to take. &nbsp;&nbsp;Bates said he could not talk at that moment, and had something to do at the compound. &nbsp;&nbsp;Havel never heard back from Bates. &nbsp;&nbsp;Havel said she texted and called Bates multiple times on Aug. 26, 2021, and that it was unusual for Bates to not answer his phone in a timely manner. &nbsp;&nbsp;Evidence presented during the trial showed that Havel did try to reach Bates. &nbsp;&nbsp;Corroborating each other’s&nbsp;testimonies as they took the stand separately, Havel and Dawnita Hartung eventually went to the compound to search for Bates and Anstine. &nbsp;&nbsp;They noticed a red Ford pickup truck in the driveway. &nbsp;&nbsp;It was there they met a man, unknown to them,&nbsp;who identified himself as ‘Kyle Birch.’ &nbsp;&nbsp;Havel and Hartung pointed out Kyle Hardwick as the man who identified himself as ‘Kyle Birch.’ &nbsp;&nbsp;As ‘Birch,’ Hardwick told the two women that Bates and Anstine had gone to town to buy cigarettes about 40 minutes prior.&nbsp;&nbsp;The women found this suspicious given how close the nearest gas station was.&nbsp;‘Birch’ had told the women his mother had kicked him out. &nbsp;&nbsp;Hartung during her testimony, said ‘Kyle Birch’ was not someone Bates would hang out with. &nbsp;&nbsp;Later when the women returned to the compound, they found that the red truck, and Hardwick as ‘Birch,’&nbsp;were gone. &nbsp;Havel and Hartung left notes in the driveway for Bates.&nbsp;&nbsp;Joined by Jerry Bastion on Aug. 27, Havel and Hartung searched for Bates on the property. &nbsp;&nbsp;Kenneth Bates, the brother of Marion Bates, who was informed his brother was missing, gave Bastion permission to break into Marion Bates’ garage. &nbsp;&nbsp;There they found Marion Bates unattended vehicle, with his wallet still inside.&nbsp; Shortly after, the authorities were called for a welfare check.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Reno County Sheriff’s Office responded and surveyed the property. Deputies located the body of Marion Bates that day.&nbsp; Bates was discovered in the dried up pond covered by&nbsp;tree limbs. Forensic evidence used to identify him revealed he had not been dead long and that his head was riddled with shotgun pellets. &nbsp;&nbsp;On Aug. 28, at 8 a.m., following the discovery of Bates, a search warrant was obtained for the rest of the property.&nbsp;&nbsp;According to Reno County Sheriff’s deputy Matthew Mondragon, three feet from where Bates was found, Anstine was discovered in a burn&nbsp;pit. Most of his body had been incinerated by a fire in the pit. Forensic evidence used to identify Anstine showed he had been shot in the head as well. &nbsp;&nbsp;Mondragon identified other pieces of evidence found on the property, including combustible materials, and items belonging to Hardwick. &nbsp;&nbsp;These items included two debit cards, one with Hardwick’s name, a social security card, also with Hardwick’s name, and a bus ticket with the name ‘Kyle Hardhack.’&nbsp;&nbsp;The defense did not cross-examine many witnesses, but they did Mondragon. Mondragon was asked to recall zip-ties found on the property and if they could be used to restrain somebody, which he confirmed. &nbsp;&nbsp;A drone was deployed by Reno County Sheriff Jeremy VanWey to gather another view of the crime scene.&nbsp;Some of the evidence collected from the scene included .12 gauge shotgun shells, gas cans, campfire fuel, the barrel of a shotgun from the burn pit Anstine was found in,&nbsp;a pair of gloves, two empty bottles of Kentucky Deluxe bourbon, two&nbsp;empty bottles of vodka, a Dollar General receipt,&nbsp;and soil samples with biomaterial.&nbsp;&nbsp;During his testimony, Daniel Nowlan, Reno County Death Investigator, noted for Anstine’s body to burn the way it did, the fire would have to been man-maintained for a time. &nbsp;&nbsp;During cross-examination by the defense, Nowlan did confirm that Phillip Anstine did not die by burning alive, and cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head. The same cause of death determined for Marion Bates. He also said that Hardwick acted in self-defense could not be ruled out. &nbsp;&nbsp;Following Daniel Nowlan, the jury was dismissed for the first day. &nbsp;On day two, Sedgwick County Forensic Center DNA analyst Therese Gibler testified that through her analysis, a sample she tested was almost certainly that of a child of Marion Bates' mother, Betty and a separate sample was almost certainly that of a child of Phillip Anstine's father, Duane. This was intended to establish that the victims were Marion Bates and Phillip Anstine.&nbsp;Sedgwick County Forensic Center's Dr. Scott Kipper performed the autopsies on Bates and Anstine and confirmed that the shotgun wound killed Bates. Anstine's body was significantly burned, but Kipper was still able to determine that a shotgun wound also killed Anstine. Kipper could not rule out the possibility that the shots were in self-defense.&nbsp;Several law enforcement witnesses were then called, including members of the Reno County Sheriff's Office and Maize Police, to establish the security of the crime scene and the circumstances under which Kyle Hardwick was found and arrested in Maize on Sept. 1.&nbsp;The prosecution also attempted to establish through law enforcement testimony that electronic devices, including what they believe to be a cell phone, were found in a fire pit on the property. In addition, they went over the circumstances in which Phillip Anstine's truck was found elsewhere in the county in October.&nbsp;Also, Anstine's friend Paul Jorgenson testified by Zoom from Wyoming to establish that Anstine told him he had both silver and gold on the property at the compound where the murders occurred.&nbsp;The majority of day three of the State v. Kyle Hardwick, saw testimonies from officials with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI). &nbsp;During the corroborating testimony of the KBI, regarding the inventory and investigation of the items found in the truck, established to belong to Phillip Anstine, day three saw the most evidence admitted by the state. Including:&nbsp;A Motorola blue cellphone; mesh covering; a beer bottle; two ghillie suits; a red bag containing ammunition; a pellet rifle; a total of six guns between five rifle cases; a camo duffle bag; metal siding that when removed, revealed seven ammunition boxes containing mostly 22 caliber ammunition; .12 gauge ammunition; a metal tool box; a vitamin container labeled ‘char-claw;’ two action cameras; jeep keys; as well as three empty packages of Marlboro Black 100s cigarettes. &nbsp;The same brand of cigarettes had previously been found in the camper located at the compound and the abandoned grain silo where Hardwick was arrested. &nbsp;The inventory of the truck was delivered in testimony by Chris Engle-Tjaden with the KBI.&nbsp;During cross-examination, the defense confirmed the existence of the .380 ammunition. &nbsp;Under defense examination, Engle-Tjaden said the only correlation to the mesh covering, was that it was found in the truck. &nbsp;Forensic testing revealed Hardwick’s DNA was found on a lot of the items. Latent prints belonging to Hardwick were found on a food container and soda bottles. A latent print of Hardwick’s palm was also found on the truck. &nbsp;Day three closed with people known to Hardwick taking the stand, Chase Mattingly and Sherry Reed. &nbsp;During his testimony, Mattingly, the boyfriend of Sherry Reed’s daughter, said he had overheard part of a phone conversation between Hardwick and Reed on Aug. 31,&nbsp;2021. &nbsp;He only understood part of the conversation, and said he had heard Hardwick tell Reed he had messed up. &nbsp;During cross-examination by the defense, Mattingly said he did not know what Hardwick was referring to at the time. &nbsp;The state then called key witness, Sherry Reed. &nbsp;Reed said she has known Hardwick since high school. &nbsp;Reed, of Lawrence, Kansas, said she believed she still has a friendship with Hardwick. Hardwick had previously lived with Reed. &nbsp;Hardwick’s&nbsp;additional count of solicitation to commit perjury stems from&nbsp;a FaceTime call between the defendant and Reed.&nbsp;The FaceTime call had been played in court prior when Hardwick was bound over in June 2022, and was played again on Jan. 27. &nbsp;In the recorded FaceTime conversation, Hardwick repeatedly tells Reed not to show up for the hearing and, if she did testify, to tell the court she was mentally unstable and on drugs. At one time he said, “Please don’t come,” and repeatedly said, “you don’t have to show up.”&nbsp;Hardwick was also noted as telling Reed to “just tell the truth.” &nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/07b4a825-c01a-4caf-9b40-ceac29173d6b" target="_blank">Much like her last reported appearance in court,</a> Reed&nbsp;seemed very confused. &nbsp;She could not remember much about phone calls she got from Hardwick or her meetings with the Reno County Sheriff’s Office, nor&nbsp;whether she drove him from Lawrence to a bus station in Kansas City.&nbsp;During her testimony, Reed implied numerous times her confusion with her activities with the Reno County Sheriff’s Office, conversations with Hardwick, and whether she dropped him off at a bus stop were due to her not having her ‘calendar’ or her ‘notes.’ &nbsp;In effort to help Reed remember, courtesy of the state, she was presented with copies of her prior testimony to aid her in current testimony.&nbsp;When asked, after taking a moment to review her prior testimony, Reed said she took Hardwick to a bus station in Kansas City in the morning of August 2021. &nbsp;When asked if she remembered telling the Reno County Sheriff’s Office, she was given $600 out of $1,200 from Hardwick, Reed said she only remembered having $600. &nbsp;Reed said she remembered giving a lot of evidence to the Reno County Sheriff’s Office, including a Dollar General receipt for a cell phone. &nbsp;Despite the aid of having a copy of her prior testimony, Reed’s memory issues persisted. &nbsp;The state and Judge Schroeder suggested Reed retrieve the notes she claimed to have, if they would aid with her testimony. However, Reed said they were in her car. &nbsp;Reed said she knew Hardwick was coming to Hutchinson via bus when she dropped him off in Kansas City. &nbsp;When presented with state evidence of an iPhone, Reed said she remembered providing the phone to the Reno County Sheriff’s Office. &nbsp;The state yielded their time with Reed to cross-examination with the defense. &nbsp;Reed told the defense, she does get a prescription for anxiety, as well as a prescription for Adderall. &nbsp;The first witness of day four of the trial, was Scott Anstine, the brother of Phillip Anstine. &nbsp;Scott Anstine said his brother usually stored his weapons in his house, and never just left them in his truck. He confirmed the firearms found in the truck in prior testimony were his brother’s. &nbsp;Scott Anstine said Phillip Anstine did not store his ammunition on the compound. &nbsp;Scott Anstine told the court, he is the heir to his brother’s estate. &nbsp;According to Scott Anstine, his brother kept his truck clean. &nbsp;During cross-examination and redirection, Scott Anstine did confirm that Phillip Anstine carried a pistol matching the description in the defense’s opening statement. &nbsp;The testimony of Det. Matt Franklin with the Reno County Sheriff’s Office, the lead investigator of the murders of Marion Bates and Phillip Anstine, recalled to the court the events of the case. &nbsp;According to Det. Franklin, no gold or silver had been found on the compound. &nbsp;Only Phillip Anstine will know where the boxes of silver and gold others say he had are buried on the property.&nbsp;During his testimony, it was established via state and defense that Kyle Hardwick and Phillip Anstine had a friendly relationship. &nbsp;Det. Franklin was able to recall that through interviews with Sherry Reed and her submission of case-related items from August 2021 to October 2021, Hardwick was able to be taken into custody. &nbsp;It was also established that it was unclear what started the fire used to burn Anstine’s body. &nbsp;During Sherry Reed’s second testimony during the trial, she told the court she remained in contact with Hardwick post-arrest. &nbsp;Following Det. Franklin's testimony, Reed had a much better memory, and even supplied more intimate details about Hardwick, including his work history.&nbsp;The state rested their case on Jan. 30.&nbsp; The defense will continue presenting its evidence on Tuesday, Jan. 31.