RENO COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Reno County are investigating two suspect in connection with grocery story robberies, according to a media release.

On October 12, an unknown suspect wearing a mask who escaped on a bicycle robbed the Dillon’s store located at 1321 North Main in Hutchinson.

On October 21, another unknown masked suspect, also robbed the Dillon’s store located at 725 E. 4th Street in Hutchinson.

The Hutchinson Police Department continues to investigate both robberies however two suspects have been identified.

Police arrested Majesty Devontae Luv Wade, 22, Topeka, on two counts of Robbery for both of the Dillon’s locations.

Police also arrested D’angelo Jerquishe Williams, 19, Manhattan for one count of Robbery in regards to the 4th Street Dillon’s robbery.

Both Wade and Williams are in the custody of the Reno County Sheriff.

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RENO COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Reno County are investigating two suspects in connection with two grocery store robberies.

Police arrested Majesty Wade for the robbery at the North Main Street Dillons in Hutchinson on October 17. Police say he entered the store wearing a Halloween mask, demanded money and attempted to flee on a bicycle.

Wade is also suspected of driving the vehicle for the robbery at the East 4th Street Dillons in Hutchinson on October 21.

Police say D’Angelo Williams, wearing a mask, was the suspect who entered the store in the October 21, robbery

Williams made a first appearance Thursday morning.

His bond was left at $10,000.

Wade’s bond is set at $20,000. He should appear in court Friday morning.

The concept of building a new Junction City high school without an increase in the property tax levy will have to be explained to the public. That’s a key point emerging from a JCHS Steering Committee,  which is studying the possibility of a new school.

Committee member Justin Hoover favors construction without an increase in the property tax levy. “The people that I talk to around town, they don’t really want their mill levy to rise again. And I think you can do it, and I think you can build a great school and not raise the mill levy.”

The option reviewed for the steering committee by architects Thursday evening included a possible $105 million high school for ninth through 12th grade students at a new location. It could include 38 general classrooms, a 900 seat auditorium, six computer labs, 14 science labs, two gyms, six locker rooms, an athletic complex, and two storm shelters in the building. That would not include a property tax increase.

At this point no final decisions have been made, however. Other options have been mentioned, some with a small property tax increase. A preliminary poll of committee members earlier in December showed that 97% favored a new school and 90% favored it at a new site.  A large majority of 57% supported a new school with no tax increase and 43% favored a school with up to a two mill increase.

After the discussion during the meeting Thursday evening, committee member Mark Edwards said he thought they were gaining a great understanding of how a new high school could be done without any mill increase. “And I think that’s so important that the public understand that there’s no mill levy contemplated as far as an increase to build this new school.”

The committee will meet again January 12th where they will hear a presentation that will be made at town hall meetings on January 17th and 28th. The committee is expected to make a recommendation to the USD 475 Board of Education in February. The Board would have to make a decision on the recommendation, and whether or not to pursue a bond issue election where public approval would be necessary for the district to receive the necessary state aid for any new school project.

Geary Community Hospital officials received the go-ahead from the Public Building Commission to continue work toward an agreement on a long-term partnership with Children’s Mercy Hospital.

Joe Stratton, Geary Community Hospital CEO, provided the update. “I had an opportunity to put forth the project and they agreed to it and made a motion to approve our continuation with the project so we could further our mission here with Children’s Mercy Hospital.”

Stratton said work is still being done on the lease agreement with Children’s Mercy Hospital. “I’m hoping by the end of January we’ll have things in order with that part of the operation and we’ll have some more specifics on what specialty clinics will be out here.”

Construction work and fundraising would have to be done before the project is complete; Stratton estimates “if everything goes right, it’ll be some time next year about this time we might be able to open.”

Officials with the Corps of Engineers at Milford Lake have announced that due to the cold weather and possible icing of the lake and marinas,  a controlled drawdown of the lake a couple weeks earlier than our Lake Level Management Plan indicates has begun.

This morning’s lake elevation was 1146.87 and they started making a release of 3000cfs today.

The Water Management forecast indicates reaching conservation pool, 1144.40 in about a week, and then another week to reach the target elevation of 1141.40, which is 3′ below normal. The lake will remain at this level until March 15th when a gradual increase to 1143.0 is planned.