Hutchinson local news summary
Week of August 23 2025
New Draft Floodplain Maps Portend Major Impact for Hutchinson Property Owners
Hutchinson to Seek Private Manager for Memorial Hall
Woodie Seat Project on Track Despite Subcontractor Change
Hutchinson Officials Detail Efforts to Manage Issues at Avenue A Park
Kansas WorkforceONE Details Expanded 79-County Service Area
New Draft Floodplain Maps Portend Major Impact for Hutchinson Property Owners
HUTCHINSON - City Engineer Evan Patterson briefed the council on new draft floodplain maps from the state that would add many properties to the 100-year floodplain. Homeowners with mortgages in newly mapped areas will likely be required to carry flood insurance, and new construction would need special permits and possibly elevated building pads. Officials stressed the mapping process is state/federal-led; the earliest the maps could take effect is 2027 while the city validates the models and pursues mitigation funding.
Hutchinson to Seek Private Manager for Memorial Hall
HUTCHINSON - Council approved issuing an RFP for full facility management of Memorial Hall, aiming to bring professional operations ahead of planned renovations. The selected firm would handle booking, marketing, ticketing, food service, and maintenance and enter a 10-year management agreement; the city also wants the manager engaged in renovation design.
Woodie Seat Project on Track Despite Subcontractor Change
HUTCHINSON - The major Woodie Seat Freeway Phase II effort—removing the Avenue A & B bridges, bringing the roadway to grade, and building a new roundabout—remains on track despite a subcontractor swap. Construction Manager Justin Karam told council the general contractor, Dondlinger & Sons Construction Co., Inc., will bring in a new dirt contractor and add resources to recover about two weeks of delay. Current reporting projects completion around March 2026; the city is prioritizing reopening the Avenue A corridor.
Hutchinson Officials Detail Efforts to Manage Issues at Avenue A Park
HUTCHINSON - Responding to concerns about loitering/homelessness at Avenue A Park, Councilmember Greg Fast highlighted actions taken: installed cameras, reduced park hours to 11 p.m.–6 a.m., stepped-up daily cleanup, and increased police patrols. Staff said they’ll continue monitoring the space and coordinating with outreach partners.
Kansas WorkforceONE Details Expanded 79-County Service Area
HUTCHINSON - The Commission renewed its agreement with Kansas WorkforceONE, which—following a merger—now serves 79 counties. Executive Director Deb Scheibler described local efforts, including a pre-apprenticeship program with Hutchinson Community College and a layoff-aversion project with Siemens Gamesa that kept 70 employees working during a production gap. She also referenced the $8.4 million statewide Kansas Youth Transition Network grant supporting youth with disabilities, with local rollout planned as implementation proceeds.
Greg Loving
Sponsors (click me!)
Found a mistake? Have a news tip or feedback to share? Contact our newsroom using the button below:
citizen journal offers three flagship products: a daily national news summary, a daily Kansas news summary, and local news and school board summaries from 12 cities across Kansas. Each issue contains 5 paragraph-length stories that are made to be read in 5 minutes. Use the links in the header to navigate to national, kansas, and local coverage. Subscribe to each, some, or all to get an email when new issues are published for FREE!
