America's Most Boring Towns: 10

Local ASS: 16th Jun 2007 - 15:46 GMT

Hey, Hutchinson is growing! With old folks homes and fat women having worthless children. READ THE HUTCHINSON NEW ASSHOLE. LAST YEAR THE JOB GROWTH IN THIS TOWN WAS 1 JOB!!! WOW it is growing!

And yes, Hutchinson is growing with OLD RETIRED ASSHOLES who want to play golf! And Drive slow. Why would anyone move to hutchinson? I don't see any places for good employment, no large plants for people to work at.

Also maybe you need to give this a thought... Maybe the old retired asses from Hutchinson are moving from their old houses to new!

I know that I am personally from out of a town, and I am going to be moving out of town again.

ALso Every town is growing because people are havhing children!!! Look at the facts, there are no good jobs in this town, also if you want facts go to www.census.gov and look at the unemployment rates in Hutchinson. If you factor in all of the retired, retarded and disabled people in this town you will see that 38% of this town does not have a job or cannot have a job!

Also, would you care the guess who that largest employer is in Hutchinson? THE CITY!!!

It sounds to me that "Local" thinks he/she is doing well. GO TO ANY MAJOR CITY AND COMPARE YOUR LIFE AND INCOME LEVEL TO THOSE CITIES. OPEN YOUR EYES DUMBASS!

Local ASS: 16th Jun 2007 - 16:35 GMT

I know that theirs plenty of pathetic places to live. Ever day I deal with Hutchinson Kansas, I never got lucky and got out. Hutch is a trash hole,infested with lazy non-working money sucking users. Ask any clerk in a grocery store, they see the lazy money sucking over fed (obese) moms,dads, and children. These state@gov. thieves know how to work the system. they eat,our money up,while we are watching our budget. For our population we have dead people driving around. (to old to drive) . the small percent of hard working people,lucky enough to find a job. The rampant percent 78% of our drug dealers. Our lovely city is a breeding ground for drug dealers. PEOPLE WAKE UP...... our town is a joke!!!!!!!. Why is the drug traffic so big, and we keep putting more police, detectives, etc out on the street.maybe something is not on the level,or someone. It is known in other states ,that hutch has plenty of meth. I just got a positive thought!!!!. I think I'll stay in hutch go on food stamps,eat like a king,and make meth!!!!!. Also I can get doctors for free , when I need diet pills, or my teeth rot out from all the drugs I used. WELCOME TO HUTCHINSON,,,, COME SHARE OUR SPACE

local : 18th Jun 2007 - 16:15 GMT

Point made. Get the tissue and wipe those eyes.

local: 20th Jun 2007 - 14:49 GMT

I know Hutchinson is a dumpster.. There ain't Much in Hutch...

I don't know why are speak highly of this place... I am retarded

salt: 26th Jun 2007 - 01:02 GMT

Take a moment and notice how many people who hate Hutch kant rite so good and think the town is soooooo boringk. Can you guess why they were/are so bored/boring?

Now, go take a walk in the Dillon's Nature Center.
Or visit the old folks--who really do know a lot--at the Delos Smith Center. Have you heard of Delos Smith? Check him out at imdb.com.
Or take a walk through Carey Park. Yeah, I've read Mysterious Skin. Have you? Scott Heim writes fiction. He's honest. Hutch is still okay.
Read a William Stafford poem about Hutchinson? Have you read William Stafford?
Watch a full moon rise over the State Fair. Yeah, the photo shows the grounds closed. You think every theater on Broadway is always open?
Man, go have a coffee at Metropolitan Coffee and listen to a band. It's like Austin. Have you been to Austin?
Talk to a Mennonite. They're really cool and they like to take care of people who need care. Yeah, that's boring. Have you heard of Darfur?
Okay, enough already. You didn't notice that cottonwoods are beautiful?
Did you ever read PrairyErth?
Ever read a poem by Steven Hind?
Ever listen to the wind?
I know. It's all crap. It's boring. Life. You. Me.
Or.
Maybe not?

proud2serve: 26th Jun 2007 - 19:42 GMT

What about Hutchinson is boring? I really am interested in your thoughts and how we can make it better. What would make it exciting? I know that most young people think that about Hutch but I can't figure out what it is that they would like to do - I like living here and I work for the City of Hutchinson but would really like to pass on to city officials how we can improve it. I would like more nightlife here and there isn't much shopping to do - the mall is fading fast. I do agree there are not many job opportunities and we need more big businesses here but hopefully with Dave Kerr on board with the Chamber - we will see some growth.

confused: 27th Jun 2007 - 14:03 GMT

The City of Hutchinson is boring for several reasons, 1. NO ECONOMY, NO GOOD attractions. There is plenty of Night Life in Hutchinson, but most of that involves drinking. It has been made very clear that the Hutchinson Police have nothing better to do than wait outside of Bars "nightlife" and get new DUI cases. Not to mention that every bar I have been in and I mean EVERY bar is full a people high on meth! or Cocaine or some type of "energy supplement" (you can see it in their eyes.)

Hutchinson is also unsafe! I read every single day about businesses getting ripped off all over Hutchinson. Stolen cars, motor fuel.... the list goes on.

These are the facts.

1. Hutchinson Has no job base, this drives the scum of this town to steal.

2. Hutchinson has a small population, this keeps big business out.

3. Hutchinson has a large population of people who simply choose not to work. (get on social services) This also keep big business out because of the lack of educated workforce.

4. Hutchinson has no major interstate running into the city, and Never will... This also keeps the town from growing (look at Mcpherson, Wichita, Newton, Salina, Manhattan, Emporia or any other city along the interstate. Then compare those cities to Hutchinson foremost, Kingman, Pratt... These cities have no major interstates running into them, and they are shrinking.

5. Hutchinson has refused in the past to accept large businesses and refused to give these business a reason to move to Hutchinson. Case in Point: I personally know of several large companies that have wanted to move into to Hutchinson, but the city refused to give them tax discounts if they moved in. This has put Hutchinson on a black list, these business know not to mess with Hutchinson because the people here a stubborn and will not work with them.

Hutchinson has made it's own destiny. It is to late and the world and nation has passed it by.

Kansas as a whole is not doing well.

philly_jawn: 27th Jun 2007 - 16:16 GMT

you couldn't pay me to live in a shit-hole like Hutchinton, Kansas

returned_farmboy: 29th Jun 2007 - 19:18 GMT

I was going to go to all the trouble to refute some claims about Hutchinson made in this post, but then I cam to the realization that: 1) If the author was doing a serious listing of the most boring towns in America, Norman, OK wouldn't have been higher than Hutchinson, and 2) there are plenty of dull towns not in the geographic center of the country. My only guess is that the author isn't as well-travelled as some would think.
Honestly, I will agree that Hutchinson isn't the most exciting place in the world, but compared to the major metropolitan area I worked in prior to moving back to Hutch (where I was tired of the daylight murders down the street from my previous employer), it's a worthwhile tradeoff.
It's interesting that the worse a person's grammer/spelling is, the less they like their hometown/former hometown. Honestly, I used to think Hutchinson was a crummy town also, but compared to what many people call home (Gary Indiana, Flint Michigan, Camden New Jersey come to mind, as well as most inner cities) it's not really that bad. Finally, any one I've come across that couldn't find a respectable job here were limited more by their personal "attributes" (lazy, slow, etc.) than by their geographic locale.
While Hutchinson may have gained only 1 job last year, that's still better than most Plains communities that are off the Interstate system & under 45,000 people. I guess it's all a matter of perspective.

Wannabe-Farmboy: 29th Jun 2007 - 22:27 GMT

I always love it when someone makes remarks about grammer/spelling. This is a cheap comeback or stab. But maybe you don't have enough common since to think that it may have been a typo.. Not a direct reflection of the persons ability to speak or spell.

Yes, it is true that other towns may have the same problem, not a single person here has stated that Hutchinson was the ONLY town like this.

My personal dislike for Hutchinson comes not from it's geological location, but it's stubborn community of upper class scum that run this town. They always have.

Also the one poster that talked about other town's located in this area and comparing them to Hutchinson was correct. Hutchinson is not as progressive or aggressive in attracting new business, They want to think of Hutchinson as a retirement community/vacation Destination. This does not build a good economic base either, it makes a transient community with low paying jobs. Also who wants to visit Kansas for Vacation?

Hutchinson is failing, it has been for years. Despite the supermen and women that are trying to save this town, no one else cares. They are leaving.

I get the feeling that Farmboy is an employee for the city. Maybe he is retired. Who cares about how well traveled anyone is? What does this have to do with anything? Facts are Facts. Even the mighty farmboy cannot dispute the facts that have been posted! You can see the proof in the near by towns and cities. (ie. mcpherson, salina etc..)

Jersey: 30th Jun 2007 - 14:39 GMT

You compared Camden, NJ to Hutchinson. Yes they are both crummy towns, atleast camden NJ has an economy.

Mr Low Income: 2nd Jul 2007 - 21:55 GMT

Well here we are, 8 homeless/Low income housing projects in Hutchinson now. 1. The Clusters 2. The apartments on 11th and Porter 3. Commerce Gardens 4. The Apartments behind K-mart (off 33rd St). 5. Hidden Villages 6.The Duplexes behind and to the west of Hamilton Lagreca. 7. The Revonvated/defunct Hotel in downtown (off of 1st or 2nd street). AND DRUM ROLL PLEASE! NUMBER 8! NEW CONSTRUCTION HAS BEGUN ON AVENUE A, IN THE FORMER LOCATION OF NEW BEGINNINGS!

WOW what a success, we are sure doing a good job of burning tax payer money on people who want to have children and not work! GO HUTCH!! NO WONDER TAXES IN HUTCHINSON ARE SO HIGH!! YEA!!

realworldgirl9: 4th Jul 2007 - 01:10 GMT

You know, the reason our entire country is in a shit hole right now is because of the lousy attitudes of people today. I have lived in many places in my life, for instance: Derby ks. kingman ks. Savannah Ga. Korea, San Antonio Tx. so, I feel I have experience enough to make some comments about living here in Hutchinson ks. "There is no night life" Your right, if you are so ignorant that you can't find anything to do but go drink or screw around. Call me crazy, but going to the HISTORICAL fox theatre. taking a walk with my sweetheart, going to friends houses for get togethers to spend some good quality time with people I like and love before they are gone, going to the salt mines,(where the origanl film gone with the wind is stored), going to the farmers market, taking a cruise with the top down on a cool evening, or God forbid spend some time with my family, and ride bikes or play with my children etc. etc. I could go on for an hour. Until you have lived in a big city, or a different country, where you go to bed wondering if you or your nieghbor are going to be awakened by a knife to your throat, or a bullet in your chest in the middle of the night, you really shouldn't talk so much smack. I'm not saying it cant happen here, but i garantee you don't go to bed every night in this town, wondering if you are going to be next. I can understand wanting more. More, seems to be the only thing everyone wants anymore. I think most of the: I am not happy, I need to be entertained, I want more attitudes, come from people who eighther had everything handed to them from mommy and daddy their entire lives, or from someone who wants to bitch about how bad everything is, but is to stupid or lazy to change it or pack their belongings and get the hell out of here. If you don't like it here, get a pair, and change it or Kick Rocks. After working double shifts, and paying my way through college, I joined the military as a Helicopter crew chief. I got the hell out of my little pissy town, and after everything, came back and found that some of the silence, boring days, and small town B>S> was refreshing compared to what I've experienced. I have seen more good, bad, and ugly in my young life than some see in thier entire lives. Most of you making these comments need to grab ahold of your lives and make them what you want them to be, instead of blaming a town for your own lack of desire to make a change for yourself, or your surroundings. And, for Gods sake, read people. not just Bullshit magazines, read a newspaper, read some books from authors that can be documented in our history. Read and educate yourselves about more than tabloid B.S. "Knowledge IS power", and you get real knowledge from educating yourselves and . . . wait for it, wait for it, TALKING TO "OLD" PEOPLE. Hutch has a Plethera of "old" people who are willing to talk to you and open your eyes to some truths onlythey can tell. Hear those stories before they are lost forever. So, all you Hutch Haters, Fish, or cut bait. Good Intentions to all who read this!

Hutch1: 6th Jul 2007 - 23:15 GMT

To the original poster of the photos.

You took photos of only the worst of the town. What state has a year round State Fair? The old hospital is not across from a highway. I do agree it is ugly and needs done away with. The apartment complex had an out of state owner who died before completing it and it is now tied up in estate problems.

Very easy to point out the worst problem areas. Every place and person has problems.

I have traveled all over the world and every town/city has a run down section, homeless and just plain lazy. Your worst town choices show you haven't been anywhere to speak of.

Just an sad little man crying about what he doesn't like but doesn't understand.

Hutch is a dying town. Like many across our country. The population is old. There are few good jobs. This is a sign of our times and not unusual for small midwest towns.

If you don't like it change it or move on.

Not everyone is looking for a good time. The drug problems exist everywhere. You sure seem to be able to find them. Maybe you are looking in the wrong places and finding just what you want to see.

Hutch-2: 7th Jul 2007 - 13:09 GMT

Yes there are alot of problems in the United States with small towns. But you say they are all dying, then let me ask you this question.

WHY IN THE HELL IS MCPHERSON, SALINA AND OTHER TOWNS IN KANSAS GROWING WITH JOBS AND COMMERCE??? I think you are a stubborn ass just like the majority of Hutchinson. THIS is why Hutchinson is dead. Hutchinson has NO good large employers. It has no factories, manufacturing jobs or anything else. Just some fast food dumps and other low paying jobs.

HUTCHINSON SUCKS. I have moved on, you are not smart enough to do so.

HUTCHPD: 14th Jul 2007 - 14:48 GMT

Hutchinson is a crime infested shit hole. The police do nothing but take reports and do nothing.

from there: 18th Jul 2007 - 03:09 GMT

Hutch does suck, and is full of drugs, It is a C.I.P.O.S.(crime,invested,peace,of,shit) That is why I left all those years ago.

papergirl17: 18th Jul 2007 - 22:42 GMT

Hutch may not have all the ammenities the larger towns have, but here are the "10 Specific Things That Make It Better" for you losers who don't have anything better to do than to rag on probably the first place you lived.

1. The Cosmosphere (since there are only like 2 or 3 in the whole United States)

2. State Fair is here

3. Several different schools to put your kids in

4. Renovation of downtown

5. The help that goes towards the less fortunate (like housing)

6. Carey Emerson

7. Two cities in one (Hutch and South Hutch)

8. VFC program at the local Health Department (does YOUR Health Dept have that?)

9. Several car dealerships

10. The murder rate is lower here than most every other place (One murder in the last 23 years)

Yeah, there are drugs here, but there are drugs everywhere. Maybe instead of complaining about it you should help clean it up you mamma's boy. If you don't like it here, go somewhere else and shut up.

Me: 19th Jul 2007 - 12:23 GMT

Well, I for one moved back here after being gone for 23 years in a place that was so dang expensive(California) rent 1,400 a month. Median home prices 600,000 and that would get you something with maybe 2 bedrooms and 1 bath. I saw million dollar homes that sat on the ocean that was comparable to houses in the south end of town ( no offense, because I grew up in the south end), but there are worse places to live. Try living in South Central Los Angeles where you have to wear protective gear just to go outside of your home. My nephew and cousin visited there in the 80s and was shot at just returning to the aunt's home! No rhyme or reason for it. Yes, it is hard to get a job here, but I am lucky that my job is in on the internet and it came with me. (Medical Field). My daughter tried to work at the hospital and clinics, after working in those fields in California and they would not hire her. But, there are worse places to live other than Hutchinson

Bass Girl: 19th Jul 2007 - 13:41 GMT

I moved here from a town of 2500 people about 7 years ago, and I've watched this town die around me. Many businesses have come and gone, major industrial places for large employment have closed, or are tetering on keeping their doors open or not. I think there was more to do & more opportunity in my hometown of 2500 than there is here. Yeah, there is the Cosmosphere, free water parks, the college, etc., but after 1 or 2 trips to the "sites" here and you've seen enough. I won't take my kids to the free water parks anymore because the quality of people that frequent those places has diminished greatly. I don't like the thought of my kids playing in someone else's bath water. The property taxes are outrageous here as well. My husband moved here from Salina about 8 or 9 years ago, and when he had to renew his tags in Reno county, his fees doubled. I'm guessing our taxes are so high here so that the "attractions" of Hutchinson can be funded. I could go on and on about how the "old money" keeps its control over this city.... It was sad to hear that a development company designed to investigate how to grow communities came to spend 5 years researching on how to grow Hutchinson, but after 1 year they packed up and said that there was no hope. Now the county is offering you $100 per person that you can get to move into Reno County from out-of-state. That's sad. I wonder when the city commissioners will realize it's going to take more than dressing up the delapitated downtown area to get people to want to stay here / spend money here? People can't afford to go out when the jobs pay so lousy around here - IF there are jobs available..... Things just don't sound promising and that makes everyone's attitudes dwindle.

Bass Girl: 19th Jul 2007 - 14:47 GMT

Oh my gosh PAPERGIRL17....do you live in the salt mine hundreds of feet under Hutch or something? Lets try coming to the surface and having a cup of reality....

1. The Cosmosphere (since there are only like 2 or 3 in the whole United States)

Woo frickin' Hoo. Once you've visited there a couple of times, it's a done deal. And how many of us saw that same stuff when we were in grade school? I don't know about other residents here, but I find that the Russian space program is intensely boring to read about.

2. State Fair is here

Once a year for 2 weeks. That leaves 50 weeks of nothing going on around here. Unless you count Hutch Fest, which is yet another feeble attempt at coolness.

3. Several different schools to put your kids in

And this is supposed to be unique in some way?

4. Renovation of downtown

So now we can sit on a chair and look at the empty and/or rundown buildings. Maybe others can sit there and get even larger eating the junk food they bought with their Vision Card because they don't have a job to go to (or because they don't WANT to work).

5. The help that goes towards the less fortunate (like housing)

They are less fortunate because they either A)Can't find a job, or B)Don't want to find a job because they are catered to as it is and aren't given any motivation to work. How does this benefit those here that are working and willing???

6. Carey Emerson

Are you serious???? The guy is dead. I don't see how he is making an impact on the community NOW...except for a park for all the "less fortunate" to make their drug deals and have sex.

7. Two cities in one (Hutch and South Hutch)

That's like having 2 boobs in 1 side of your bra. It's all one big boob when you step back and look at it.

8. VFC program at the local Health Department (does YOUR Health Dept have that?)
Google "VFC program" and the list of cities that provide that service goes on and on.

9. Several car dealerships

This is the real reason why anyone would want to move to Hutch. All those car dealerships! LOL Too bad the jobs don't pay what most other cities have their standards set for the same types of jobs, or that there aren't more jobs available for those who need them. Then maybe more residents could afford to spend their money at ALL OF THESE AMAZING DEALERSHIPS.

10. The murder rate is lower here than most every other place (One murder in the last 23 years)

They just haven't found the bodies of the people who supposedly "moved away." Maybe other dogs will start digging them up like the one that drug that dead newborn up in the yard of that family. Remember? It was the one where that girl didn't get CONVICTED of murder because of legal red tape. I think you forgot about the guy that shot another other guy over losing a poker game too. Or the woman they found dead in her house over a bad drug deal.....

So, despite your desperate attempt to make Hutchinson so like such an amazing place to live, that list just doesn't provide VALID reasons. Good try though.

John Humperdink: 19th Jul 2007 - 16:42 GMT

What's that smell? oh, it's the living sewer town of hutchinson, with all the people drowning in their own scum.

Papergirl, you are living in your own little dream world...I think you are smoking some good stuff to be that disillusioned. Don't you read the paper? And who cares if we have car dealerships? You make it sound like a convenience...like a grocery store or something. Oh, it's Friday again, time to go buy a car. Which place should I go to? Also, the renovation of the downtown was like dressing up a turd. There's nothing anymore to go see, most of the stores are closed anyway and the one that are there are nothing but junk stores.

Bass girl, you rock! You hit that nail on the head.

John Humperdink: 19th Jul 2007 - 16:55 GMT

Sally, tell us about the "active" area's of hutchinson, We'd all love to know since they aren't obvious. I think the most active place is the highway out of town. Usually trailer trash doesn't know they are trash cuz they are dumb and living better than most of us on welfare.

Aubie, is that the best you can do? Why would having the cosmosphere and a catchy them be reason to live in hutchinson and raise a family. I don't want a kid that can tell me everything that's in one space museum because that's all there was to do. Besides, it's mostly Russion space stuff anyway. Who Cares to see that more than a couple of times? And if it's so popular, why is the lot always empty and they struggle to pay staff?

Hutchinson is dead: 19th Jul 2007 - 18:11 GMT

John, You hit it right on the head. I don't know why these idiots have to get on here and prop hutchinson up. Do they work for the City? Why do they love Hutchinson?

Hutchinson is dead and will not come back from the grave.

Reply to me: 20th Jul 2007 - 01:19 GMT

Me, There is more and more bad things happening in Hutch. IT is no mayberry. Plus cities have plenty of jobs, Hutchinson and other towns like it are not good places to make money or advance yourself.

Do the Hutchinson.: 20th Jul 2007 - 15:57 GMT

I would like everyone in Hutchinson to think of the 70's hit "do the hustle". Replace Hustle with Hutchinson and you have "Do the Hutchinson". This what I think about everytime I am behind someone at Walmart or Dillons using a vision card or driving extremely slow or wandering down the street on their gov't bought electric wheelchairs.

Hutch sucks. Why does anyone try to prop it up? That is truly a loosing battle.

Bass Girl: 20th Jul 2007 - 20:30 GMT

LOL @ "Do the Hutchinson"!! I have seen the dude who cruises around in his electric wheelchair pulling another electric wheelchair behind him! It's attached with a bungy cord, no less. LOL!!! And for all you Hutch Fans - no, he's not pulling it as to give someone "a friendly tow."

Do the Hutchinson.: 21st Jul 2007 - 15:46 GMT

Yes, it is a great adaptation to that great 70's hit. EVERYTIME I drive I get behind some old fossil who is driving 10 to 15 Mph under the legal posted limit and randomly hitting their breaks. And to keep from getting road rage I start thinking of "Do the Hutchinson" as I pass these old fools.

I also use it everytime I see some old/retard/non job wanting person driving around on a $10,000 electric wheelchair. THEY ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE, Like Flies! And the thing that really pisses me off is the fact that I am paying for this shit as a taxpayer!

Also, a previous poster brought up the 8 low income housing projects in this GREAT town of 35,000 people. I would like to bring notice to another! I think that I have spotted another free housing area! 1200 Block of west 11th, these look like gov't housing projects to me!

Also I have thought of another way to spend more tax money(that we don't have), that will make this town more inhabitable. Instead of taking out stopsigns and stop lights, Just put mini over passes on every intersection! This will allow the huge community of old/retarded drivers in this town that don't know how to operate car/electric wheelchair at an intersection to pass freely instead of clogging the intersections.

new at Hustle Hutchinson: 22nd Jul 2007 - 21:59 GMT

Does any-one know of some jobs around Hustle Hutchinson? I know I will need three part time jobs to make ends meet. I am new here,and I was told to get on this site to search for a job. I have found out how much employees get paid. I am thinking I screwed up moving here, HELP!!!!!

I hate Hutchinson: 25th Jul 2007 - 04:12 GMT

Hutchinson is full of thieves, drug heads, drunks and general losers. All the people with any promise move from this town and get a life. I was happy to see this website,
Exposing the nasty truth! If you have any property in Hutchinson you had better keep tight hands on it. Go to www.hutchpd.info and just take a look for yourself, Major thefts are an everyday happening in this shit hole.

Also the Hutchinson channel is a JOKE! The producers of this channel should be sued for false advertising and false representation.

Angela Watkins~ Harris: 6th Aug 2007 - 03:24 GMT

I was born in Hutchinson, Kansas back in 1960 and I lived there for a while I did 1/2 of 9th grade at Sherman Junior High School and then attended 10th & 11th at Hutch High 1977 & 1978 and then graduated in 1979 from Elmira Free Academy in 1979 in Elmira, New York after graduating. I moved back to Hutchinson, Kansas and live there until returning back to Elmira, New York in 1986 I have to say I love Hutchinson, Kansas I had good jobs while living there my grandparents taught me well my grandfater retired from Cargill Salt Company and grandmother from Wiley's Department Store I owe everything to my grandparent's may they R.I.P. because from 1986 I have a job on going and wouldn't know how it would fill to be layed off I made good money in Hutchinson, Kansas I now work in a Business Office at a Hospital and the last 17 years and enjoying it thats what my grandparents taught me how to work and thanks to them for allowing me to live with them because I wouldn't be where I'm at today if it wasn't for them I cannot know Hutchinson, Kansas was just there last year for The Emancipation Day and it was lovely its not the town its how you live in it yourself I know back then I hanged out at Page 1 & Page 2 I use to go to the NJCAA Tournaments and I use to throw parties at the Knights Of Columbus and other buildings its what you make it if you want to sit around and not work or do anything you will become bored but that wasn't my problem I will be going back to visit relatives again in 2010 if the good lord is willing so don't bash Hutchinson, Kansas it sure was good to me

Angela
From Elmira, New York

Hutchinson=Poor Town USA: 6th Aug 2007 - 21:52 GMT

Angela, You must have not had a good english teacher. Your grammer is very bad. I am glad to hear that you are doing so well in New York. I live in New Jersey and moved from Hutchinson at a young age.

Hutchinson is a dead town and it is not getting any better. I have not lived in that hell hole for 9 years and still to this day it gives me a bad feeling.

If your thing is drugs, drinking or unemployment it is a town for you. Hutchinson has a wide variety of extremes. Either Drug users, drunks or Super Religious fanatics. From one extreme to the other. One thing I can say about Hutchinson, if you want to be lazy and fat, sit on your ass and do nothing then it is great!

BelRoC: 6th Aug 2007 - 22:33 GMT

The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchinson has the 2nd largest collection of US space memorabilia anywhere and the largest collection of Russian space memorabilia outside the former Soviet Union..
Also has an Amtrak station on E. 3rd Ave.. & N. Walnut St.
Plus alot of train activity near S. Whiteside St. & Ave D.
Thats what I heard..........

Hutchinson Kansas=Poor Town USA: 7th Aug 2007 - 13:28 GMT

Belroc, Who cares about the things you stated. Does the Cosmosphere employ large amounts of people? NO!! And I have never ever seen an amtrack train in Hutchinson.

Newton Kansas Has alot of train activity also. Alot more than Hutchinson does...

Your comments make no sence..... That's what I read..

serlingrod: 7th Aug 2007 - 14:47 GMT

we should all take a virtual field trip to Hutchinson, via Google Maps. Once they get their Street Views covering the whole nation I say we take a group tour to each of the several car dealerships.

Bass Girl: 7th Aug 2007 - 15:00 GMT

I have yet to see someone come up with a valid reason why Hutch is a prospering community with anything to offer....

Hutchinson=Poor Town USA: 7th Aug 2007 - 16:38 GMT

Bass Girl. I know it is just like Hutchinson. People live in dream world and think they are the ONLY ones that are right!

Kristen from Hutchinson: 7th Aug 2007 - 19:13 GMT

"I always love it when someone makes remarks about grammer/spelling. This is a cheap comeback or stab. But maybe you don't have enough common since to think that it may have been a typo.. Not a direct reflection of the persons ability to speak or spell."

Just cause you asked for it...it's SENSE, NOT SINCE.

And the people that said that building is not near the highway are correct...it's off Monroe Street.

The people who say their aren't many jobs are right---there aren't. But you know what, Hutch really isn't that bad! I know of and have been to many "cities" that are much, much worse.Kr

Kansan: 7th Aug 2007 - 20:27 GMT

I just want to say I have a great job in Hutchinson. Anyone who has been to Hutch knows these photos are not all there is to the town. I don't think Hutch deserves this ranking, but then again, this list is questionable anyway. The comments on this site are very entertaining, though!

cbdi: 7th Aug 2007 - 20:36 GMT

proud2serve: if you think dave kerr and the chamber will get anything done you are in for a surprise. what did kerr do for reno county when he was a state senator representing reno county for 20 years. he gets a nice state pension, a check for being president of the chamber, and is building a multi-million dollar ethanol plant in rice county. get past the "spin" they try to spoon feed you and start doing some research on kerr's record re; reno county, the "real" facts about ethanol and subsidies and you may have the same questions that the chamber and it's execs are not wanting to talk about. who needs them! this town will never be what they are trying to promote. any one with any sense that has been anywhere around the country laugh at the feeble attempts these leaders come up with. there is not enough space or time to rant on about this town, it has been left in the dust and will never be what it once was.

Dojo: 7th Aug 2007 - 21:13 GMT

With all due respect to the above posters, I'm also from Hutchinson, and I couldn't agree more that its a shithole infested with worthless humans following pointless lives. I just can't wait to turn 18 and move out of here! Literally, I'm gone the second midnight of my 18th birthday comes. And it can't come soon enough.

DITTO: 7th Aug 2007 - 22:07 GMT

Has anyone paid attention to the people in this town? FAT mega beasts setting around eating pizza a Cici's Pizza or one of the other major buffets in town. I noticed that someone has posted about the large amount of low income housing projects in town. I would like to bring light to the large amount of nursing homes! MY GOD! They keep builing more and more.

To all of you posters that are Pro-Hutchinson. You must have nothing better to do than sit around and prop Hutchinson Kansas up. Because your life is meaningless and you have been left behind just like Hutchinson.

cowgirl82: 8th Aug 2007 - 05:31 GMT

Yes Hutch can be very boring. But we do have a few things to do. And the person that said the Hidden village was low income housing...not even...I used to live there and I am paying less to live in a four bedroom house now. We do need a lot more things to do. For one we need to have somewhere for young people to hang out that will actually stay in business. But we need more big companies first. Unfortunantly that will probably never happen due to the facdt that people here are so stubborn. There are good points and bad points to every city or town. Some people just choose to look over the bad if they are truly happy in that place. Others move on and find somewhere they can be happy. And they could have shown a few more pics. The ones here are all in residential neighborhoods...never to exciting.

blah is good: 9th Aug 2007 - 03:35 GMT

Drugs, drinking, crime, unemployment - doesn't sound boring to me. Boring is under-rated.

City Council's Fault: 10th Aug 2007 - 00:52 GMT

The City Council in Hutchinson will NOT do anything that the citizens want done. Hundreds of people can complain about fireworks in the city limits, stop lights being taken down around the busy post office, vandalism, and so much more. This town does not cater to the residents who live here, our opinions mean nothing!! The City does what they want to do, not what is good for the citizens of Hutchinson. Until they pull their heads out of their asses and realize the citizens have good ideas for change, nothing will ever change. Let's throw the people in charge, out of charge.

Not from Hutch anymore: 12th Aug 2007 - 03:18 GMT

I would like to say that I do not live in Hutchinson anymore. I have, however, lived all over the country since I left. This includes New York, San Francisco, LA, San Diego, Seattle, Florida, Texas, Arizona, and Colorado to name a few. Let me tell you, if most of you had experienced life in other parts of the country, and reading a few of your comments I would say most of you are under the age of 25 and dying to get out of the city, you would not be so quick to mark down Hutchinson. While it is in the Midwest, which I would say is entirely being affected by the flight to larger cities, there are many qualities that I respect. Hutchinson provides a stable living environment for families and others, a respectable school system (I am a graduate student so I turned out ok),public and school activities, good public recreation and recreational systems, cheap (yes, I say CHEAP! Move to CA if you have a complaint about housing) housing. Don't complain about the drug problem until you REALLY know what a drug infested city is (LA). To be boring, as you mature, you realize means safe, secure and a stable environment. You make your life as "exciting" as you want it to, it doesn't matter where you live. Life on the streets of New York City can be just as boring as life in Hutch. Trust me, I know. The question is, is your life what you want it to be? The town doesn't matter, you will always find fault with where you are, it is your attitude that counts. And no, I don't live in Hutch anymore and realize there are many problems, but make your life what you can, regardless where you are. In retrospect, Hutch is a pretty good place to be.

Hutch=LOW INCOME: 12th Aug 2007 - 14:39 GMT

I question people like you who list these many cities they have lived in. You must travel alot, because if you lived in that vast number of cities you must stay for less than a year at a time. This tells me that you would have a hard to getting to know the city before you left.

All you have to do is look at Hutchinson like this. Compare it to Mcpherson, Salina, Manhattan, Newton, Kansas City, Springfield MO and Joplin MO. These cities offer a safe living area, things to do and the most important of all JOBS! Hutchinson has job but they are low paying. Manufacturing jobs and other jobs that produce $18.00 per hour or more do not exist in Hutchinson. If you want to work in a nursing home or Mcdonalds then every thing is great.

I am a business owner and a pretty successful one. However if I counted on Hutchinson for my revenue I would be screwed. Hutchinson's residence cannot spend money they do not have. The majority of the residence in Hutchinson are just making it, affording luxuries is not something they can do. Plus there is a large large part of this town that survives off gov't paychecks.

A few things that make Hutch special: 12th Aug 2007 - 19:51 GMT

Let's see, we have the Hutchinson Salt Museum (the only one in the Western hemisphere), Senior's Open and the Women's Open (famous golf tournaments if you didn't know), NJCAA (basketball tournament again, if you didn't know what that is), Kansas Cosmosphere, Kansas State Fair, car racing, Fun Valley Sports Complex (many baseball/softball/fast pitch teams visit each year), Hutchinson High School football team has won the state champanionship three years in a row (doesn't sound like they're bored), Fox Theater (brings in plays from all over the country), Children's Flag Theater, Grand Prairie Splashdown (indoor water park), Salt City Spash and the YMCA. Guess if you don't like doing any of these things, maybe it would be boring. You challenged someone to find 5 things that make Hutch "special", well, we found around 15 things we feel make Hutch special, which isn't bad for a small town. As other's have posted, you can take pictures of the worst part of any town and project the image you have of it but there is so much more to it than what you projected. As I've always said, if you're bored, your the one not looking for something to do. Anyway, this is only my opnion.

Hutch=LOW INCOME: 12th Aug 2007 - 22:42 GMT

The person that posted the "special" things about Hutchinson. Let me ask you a question. DO ANY OF THESE THINGS BRING EMPLOYMENT ON A LARGE SCALE BASIS THAT PAYS OVER MINIMUM WAGE??? NO!!! AND ALSO I SUPPOSE THAT NO OTHER TOWN THE SIZE OF HUTCHINSON HAS MUSEUMS AND WATER PARKS? THAT IS WHAT MAKES THIS TOWN A SHIT HOLE IS PEOPLE LIKE YOU!

You are to stuck up and ignorant to see that we can have all the little attractions in the world and it will not cause this city to grow! People will come and see the stupid attractions ONCE and never come back!

Look at Sturgis South Dakota, it has one of the most well known attractions in the world and it is not growing. People come in spend some money and leave! But this is on a much larger scale then Hutchinson's great attactions. Yet still the town does not grow.

Now look at Kansas City. This town has made an attempt to bring in large business and has done well. It is growing and people are spending money. In HUTCHINSON THEY ARE NOT, unless you count wal-mart. The vast majority of this town is financial broke and cannot afford to leave that is the only reason they stay. I personally know more people that have had to leave Hutchinson because they could not find a job that pays well, they are forced to leave before they lose everything!

THE POINT IS, you have have all the State Fairs, Underground salt shit and space museums. This does not pay the bills. Hutchinson has a poor economy if you compare it to any town that has industry that supports employees. Keep in mind when I am speaking of employment I am not speaking of Mcdonalds, Arbys, Walmart, officemax or the cosmosphere.

Plains of Despair: 20th Aug 2007 - 19:21 GMT

Hutchinson Kansas Sucks=Plains of Despair

Western Kansan: 20th Aug 2007 - 20:14 GMT

If you think Hutch is bad, you should come to western Kansas. Take your pick of Garden City, Liberal, or Dodge City; they are all being taken over by the Mexicans, many of whom are probably illegal immigrants.

After visiting any or all of these cities, Hutch will be very attractive to you!

Plains of Despair: 21st Aug 2007 - 13:23 GMT

Go watch The Factor some more. I can refute your comments. With this statement. HUTCHINSON KANSAS IS SHRINKING. YOU ARE AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY OR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. IT IS YOUR JOB TO PROTECT THIS SEWER OF A CITY.

Why is it that you cannot understand, you said yourself that Hutchinson has a huge population of people living at the poverty line or BELOW! This is enough to make our point and it came from your sphincter of a mouth.

I encourage you, just go people watch. You will see all the Meth heads, crack heads, drunks and losers that make up this great town.

We can all tell that you are an uptight asshole who had to settle for his current position in life. When all else fails move to Hutchinson and that is what you did. You did not have enough talent to land a job outside of Hutchinson.

And as far as opinions.. You have done nothing but spout your own opinion. You have not addressed the problems that curse Hutchinson. You live in make believe land where everything is peaches and cream. THAT IS YOUR OPINION.

The jobs that you listed do not put a dent in the problems in this town. Any town in America and say the same thing. "well we have jobs".

THESE ARE THE FACTS:
1. Hutchinson is a retirement community, which does not accelerate growth.
2. Hutchinson is a substandard town, because of years of mismanagement.
3. Hutchinson has no major interstate and NEVER WILL!
4. Hutchinson is full of drugs.
5. The idiots that run this towm (much like yourself) only do it so they can look special in everyone's eyes.
6. Hutchinson has a substandard Justice system, which has has been full or corruption for hears (i.e sheriff Leslie and other scandals.)
7. Hutchinson has a large population of handicap persons (they cannot hold down a job).
8. Anyone that does get an education in this town, leaves as soon as they get the chance!
9. There is not a large community of educated people to fill any jobs that are highly technical or highly paid.

These are not opinions, These are facts.

You sir are just a puppet in a circus of idiots, doing what he is told to get a paycheck.

one more comment: 22nd Aug 2007 - 22:36 GMT

ok, i got to this site by accident but it caught my attention so I continued to read. I should have gotten out the dictionary to make sure I spell everything right so you dont slam me also. Both sides have valid remarks. I used to hate the town also but that when i was getting in trouble with the law, cheating on my spouse, screwing up at my job and looking for every reason i could to try to get out of here. Funny though - i went to prison for awhile and Hutchinson looked really good when I came home. Ok, so there you go- maybe it is good place for an ex-convict! But now that i dont use drugs, or do anything illegal i have started taking time to enjoy the things that the town has to offer ( not a whole lot) but it is really where i know i will be the rest of my life so i have learned to not try to "escape" to the other side. just deal with it fools! oh, but the idiot that made the remarks about the Mexicans-he must be jealous cuz all they do is work the jobs the white boys wont take because they can draw the welfare check. And.. the Mexicans are paying in taxes and they dont file tax returns so where do the white folks get all the tax money to cover their welfare checks? Right, the illegal immigrants support our welfare system so girls can have babies or drug addicts dont have to work and they can sit back and receive the welfare money ...it is all how you look at it. And fyi- no i am not a Mexican.

one more comment: 22nd Aug 2007 - 22:42 GMT

not that I am sticking up for Hutch because i do know that it has a lot of "respected citizens" that are running most of the government here, and almost all of the boards of directors have the same people on them, the "people with money" and they control almost everything. But i dont think it is probably worse than lots of other towns. the rich people run them too, there are just more of them. so either pack up and leave if you have the education and money to re-locate or put the crack pipe down and get a minimum wage job here in Hutch and enjoy it. Funny though, the druggies in the town think there isnt enough dope here!

John Doe Jr.: 23rd Aug 2007 - 13:31 GMT

That is some of the problem. the PRISON! Hutchinson is a great place for convicts.

Miss Positive.: 23rd Aug 2007 - 14:52 GMT

Those who live in Hutch need to help change Hutch.
What can you do to make Hutchinson a better place? Can you volunteer to plant flowers on a street corner? Can you volunteer to arrange a group to pick up street trash?
Can you get a Christian group to help paint someone's worn down home?
One person can start a program to make Hutchinson a better looking place to live.

Miss LALA LAND: 23rd Aug 2007 - 18:06 GMT

Hutchinson has plenty of people that want to plant flowers and join church groups. That has nothing to do with the bad economy. That is the biggest problem this town has.

How about a christian group to attract a large employer? Or a Christian Group to get people off their asses and stop sucking of hard working tax payers.

saltbake: 24th Aug 2007 - 06:10 GMT

I´m afraid to say that this town is the worst place I´ve ever lived. I grew up in a really small town in South Dakota, and I can say that Hutchinson does not even have the charm of my hometown, which was likewise terrible (about 1200 people).

I´ve lived in Europe for 4 years of my life, and I´ve lived around the United States as well. The Middle West of the United States is one of the dumpiest places in the civilized world, though nobody could have predicted it would turn out that way. And it gets worse when you go south, and Kansas is where that starts.

The problem with Hutchinson, at the bottom of things, is not economy like so many folks are suggesting. The problem is that like the rest of this wasteland, everything was built according to profitable principles. This includes making ugly, crummy buildings. This includes the American concept of excess with space as well... the design of the city cripples social interaction. But this is no different than so many American towns. I can tell you, there are some poor cities out there in the world that are excellent places to live, for example Sevilla, Spain.

I read alot of posts, and I´d like to respond to the fellow that mentioned LA. That guy has no frame of reference, because to compare Hutchinson, Kansas to Los Angeles, California, is like comparing two big pieces of shit.

I´m really sorry, and I mean this from the bottom of my heart, for all the people who grow up here and never leave to see how beautiful life can be, to get to know other cultures, to participate in the vast exchange of ideas and cultures that is taking place all over the world. I´m really sorry that people here probably don´t realize the possibilities in front of them. I´m just really sorry for everyone, including myself, that has to be here.

I´m sorry if I offend anyone. Please, if I offend you, let go of your pride and think past the city limits. Nobody can save this city. It started going wrong long before it was built.

La: 24th Aug 2007 - 15:51 GMT

I happen to love Hutchinson.It may not be the prettiest, but the photos you show are from the very worst building in town. Yes we have attractions, a world renowned space museum, the underground salt museum, the Kansas State Fair and on. I am proud to live here and raise my children. I happen to make a very nice living here and live in a nice neighborhood. Maybe you need to get out of the south side for a change and experience some of the good things.

John Doe Jr.: 25th Aug 2007 - 01:01 GMT

Saltbake you had some good points. Hutchinson is a sad place.

John Doe Jr.: 25th Aug 2007 - 01:03 GMT

LA. Hutchinson is a good place to race childem (ok?)AND who cares about that? We are talking about the economy here. Raising children has nothing to do with it. What is someone wants to do something beside raise kids. What would you say then?

John Doe Jr.: 25th Aug 2007 - 01:32 GMT

HEHE... Peter... I am glad to see Hutchinson is not enough of a concern for a CAPITOL "H"

Look here Mr. Fact: 25th Aug 2007 - 15:47 GMT

www.hutchnews.com/Editorials/location Yet something else that we have been saying is true! Hutchinson is falling apart.

Amanda: 28th Aug 2007 - 00:00 GMT

yes hutch maybe lonley and desolant in those photos but hutch has the state fair cosmosphere and lots of other fun things to do and you dont know what hutch is like till youve lived there for 8 yrs...or more!!!!!!!!

mike hawk: 28th Aug 2007 - 21:38 GMT

"FUCK YOURSELF YOU FUCKING NOTHING PUDDLE OF FUCKDEW. YOU DRIPPING STICKY BLEACH SMELLING MASS OF EXTREME UBER-MENTAL RETARDATION. SOUR JIZZ FUCKASSFACE. EAT MY FUCK WITH AN EXTRA SIDE OF FUCK FRIES.
YOU FUCKHOLE."

What Amanda ?: 29th Aug 2007 - 14:40 GMT

That post is a complete explanation of a big majority of the residents of Hutch. You bring up Hutch has "lots of other fun things" FUN DOES NOT PAY BILLS!!!!!!! I have lived here more than 8 yrs. It has gotten so much worse every 8 yrs of living here !!!!!!. I know other places are in trouble also, but if you have worked hard your whole life in this shit hole, you have seen our city officials, ( the complete spectrum of all city employees screw with our money. You start to see the games they play while abusing their place they have been appointed..... Again FUN DOES NOT PAY BILLS. By the way. I am stuck here in this shit hole. yes I have a job, I am on a budget . So I can support the looser people that need to live off us so they can have FUN. OH! this Mike hawk dude that wrote the very colorful and creative post using a certain word starting with the letter [F]: must be a resident of hutchinson ks.; He is just going through a level of frustration, depression, to his braking point. I hope he can hold on.. What your reading is a victim of the city of Hutchinson . He has fallen into the hostage of hutchinson crisis.. And its not FUN!!!!!!......

Bass Girl: 30th Aug 2007 - 15:12 GMT

LOL @ all of the comments made since I last stopped by. I can't help but shake my head when I see people hanging on to the "but we have the Cosmosphere, the free water parks, the museum, the...the..." mindset. Like I've said before, those are attractions that you visit once, and then you've seen it. No need to revisit and revisit, unless you like to stab yourself in the eye with a fork repeatedly too. Besides, you have to have extra money to do a lot of those things anyway, and who has that with the crappy salaries the few jobs here have to offer??

I am in my early 30's, raising a family of 3 in a middle class home, and hoping that my kids don't fall to the entertainment of drugs because of a lack of things to do. It is definitely hard to keep your head up and stay positive after a trip outside of the house. Even my family has noticed a decline in the quality of people here when they visit from out-of-town and go to local businesses. They say our Wal-Mart reflects a pathetic example of what Hutchinson is made up of compared to other cities (like Manhattan, Salina, Emporia).

I could go on and on, but it's really futile to do so. The experts agreed when they came here to stay for 5 years and come up with a plan to grow Hutch......they left after 1 year saying there was no hope.

Bass Girl: 30th Aug 2007 - 20:28 GMT

P.S. Has anyone mentioned the sky high property taxes in this county? I was in the courthouse renewing my car tags, and there was a college-aged guy renewing his tags at the neighboring station. When the clerk told him his total, he looked at the check he was holding and said, "How much again?" She told him again and I heard her say that the taxes in Reno County were a little bit 'different' than the taxes in McPherson County. Apparently his mother had written a check for the total stated on his renewal form.....for McPherson County. He said he would have to come back to take care of his tags and taxes because he did not have enough. How much more did he owe compared to what he would have had to pay in McPherson County??? I heard the clerk figure up that he owed 75 more bucks. My husband had a similar shock when he moved here from Saline County. His car tags/taxes almost doubled. Now why is it that we pay more, yet appear to have less?? Hmmmmmmmm......

Former Salt Hawk: 3rd Sep 2007 - 17:23 GMT

I read this multitude of comments with bemusement, shock and sorrow. I was born and grew up in Hutchinson, Kansas, and, like the old familiar Neil Young lyric, "All my memories are there". It is true that Hutch has a drug problem, but what town in America does not? The standard of living also appears to be declining, but that also is probably a State-wide problem and endemic to the agriculture-based states. It is also true that there is not very much to do in Hutch, exept for what I would consider to be more wholesome types of entertainment. But what Hutch has to offer is not found in the variety of entertainment resources. Hutchinson, Kansas is about the people who live there; and I'm not talking about all the losers who have been posting to this response column. I know that sounds harsh, but anyone who professes hate for the community and still lives there can be decribed in no other way. The people in Hutchinson, who make up the backbone of that community, are some of the finest, most decent, and creative people in the world. They have intuited that life is far more meaningful than constant engagement in leisurely distractions such as going to the concerts of big name entertainers. These peple know that the most precious and rewarding aspect of life is casual conversation and daily involvement with people that you love and respect; and they have found the rich bounty of the rewards that come from human interaction. In my view, there is no one more creative than the person who does not need to be entertained. So I am shocked to see how many people from Hutchinson have posted to this response column with nothing but anger an venom in their spirits that has somehow become directed toward the community. And I am saddened to see the place where I grew up, a place where many people that I love and respect still live, to become the focus of such ridicule.

Yahoo!: 3rd Sep 2007 - 23:14 GMT

Hutchinson Kansas is a bad place period. Again Hutchinson has lost more chances for employment. It will not change. Hutch may have some good people in it. But it has far MORE SHIT.

observer: 6th Sep 2007 - 19:30 GMT

leaving Hutchinson, Kansas about 20 years ago was a decision i've never regretted.The mindset of the business community is that you OWE them for a minimum wage existence.GOOD jobs are hard to find and unless your'e related by blood or politics --you will not advance in any meaningful way.Don't make the mistake of giving this town your youthful and best years. Get out while you can! The economy is not set up for the working average Joe. Everything seems to be slanted to keep the "old order" of things firmly fixed. There is a wide boundry between "UPPER CLASS" and "lower class". The "middle class" element is very small and continues to diminish. Wal-Mart,nursing homes,liquor stores,the medical community, pawn shops,pay-day loan firms, credit collection agencies and the like appear to be prospering. Fast food joints are in abundance. Granted -Hutchinson has some good qualities; but unless you are "born and bred" here you will not-"fit in" Enough said.If you enjoy golf you will find a wealth of it-also a wealth of politicl B.S. that you will also enjoy!Hindsight is always 20-20.Let the "city fathers" have it!!!

HushUp: 6th Sep 2007 - 23:39 GMT

Is all the messages a person tries to leave show up as spam?

HushUp: 7th Sep 2007 - 00:11 GMT

Ok apparently not. So here we go (I guess because of my first post I used copy and paste so it didn't go through) Sooooo, I will type it all out, just because I want to prove a point.

I wasn't born in this city. I moved here for the first time in 1990 and left after 2 years of pure hell. I have lived in Phoenix, LA, Dallas, Kansas City and Europe (5 years). I moved back here because my husband is originally from here and all of his family is here. I wasn't in the least bit thrilled about moving back here, just for the record, but it was based on a previous bad experience that I didn't want to feel like I was going to have to relive over and over. I agreed to come back here, only because of a certain situation. Prior to moving back here, I was living in Kansas City. Now for the person that compared Hutchinson to Kansas City, just so you know, Kansas City (on the Missouri side) is without a doubt the most drug infested and gang infested place I have ever been to, next to LA. The reason I left Kansas City? My son, 16 at the time, his best friend was shot by gang members. Although they were gang members, they went looking for my son and his friend because some kids at school didn't like them, so they told these gang members that my son and his friend called the cops on them, which wasn't true. So my son's friend is dead. You better believe we left and left quickly, it was enough to have SWAT at our apartment complex on a weekly basis, and that is without exaggeration. The drugs up there are worse than Hutchinson could ever think of being. At least here all you have are 'gang wannabees'; which if they were to go to Kansas City, I'm relatively sure they would be killed inside of a month. Sure it's nice in Kansas City if you live in one of the richest counties in America, which happens to be where Olathe and Overland Park are, good luck affording the cost of living though, on a medium income. Otherwise you are stuck in the area's that I described above, whether you like it or not. I'm well educated and had an incredible job as a Regional Manager, so you aren't talking to someone who is in the least bit interested in hearing all of the 'uneducated' guesses at what a city should or shouldn't do, if they aren't willing to stand up and do something about it. You want to do something about the problems, GREAT DO IT!! If not, then you have absolutely no right to be an armchair politician and voice your opinion and spread hatred. No I'm not some rich person, My husband makes average wages around here, and currently I'm unemployed (my choice). For all the armchair politicians out there though, I took the liberty of putting together a list JUST FOR YOU (although i'm not sure why i'm wasting my time); this is a list of all the companies in this city and the number of employee's they have here as of last year; the list does NOT include companies that have LESS than 150 employees.

Hutchinson Hospital - 1536
Dillons Companies - 1,098
Hutchinson Public Schools - 939
Hutchinson Clinic - 610
Tyson Prepared Foods (omg a manufacturing company??) 536
Hutchinson Correctional Facility - 508
Reno County - 420
Wal-Mart SuperCenter - 420
City of Hutchinson - 398 (as you can see they are not largest employer in Hutchinson)
Hutchinson Community College - 340
Lowen Corporation (oh no not ANOTHER MANUFACTURER) 330
Collins Industries (WOW ANOTHER MANUFACTURER?) 300
Eaton Corporation (I just cannot believe it; another manufacturer - well what do you know?) 300
Wesley Towers - Health Care/Retirement 260
Data Center - 240
Mega Manufacturing (Metal Fabrication MANUFACTURER) - 225
Mennonite Manor - 219
The Medical Center - 190
Krause Corporation (yes you guessed it; another manufacturer) - 171
TECH - Education & Training for Special needs; although you guys like to refer to the people that need these services as retards, the majority of their students are brought from out of town because of the program TECH has to offer them; I hope you never have a family member that needs their help since you seem to hate them so much. - 169 employees
Kroger Convenience Stores Division (Corporate office) 168
Portfolio Recovery Associates (i would bet this bothers some of you because i'm sure they have had occasion to call you to collect money from you and that is why you're so upset; get over it, they are needed for thieves and dead beats) - 165
APAC-Kansas Inc. Commerical Contractors- 156
First National Bank of Hutchinson - 150

Ok, so am I making my point yet? What the hell will make you happy? To see an entire list of MANUFACTURING COMPANIES on here that will bring people to this city and we wind up like Wichita? Where the crime rate is so high for such a small city; Is that what you people want? Or do you want to suck it up and realize that there is more out there than what you realize, but it's people like you that are purposely making things worse, because we don't fit into YOUR idea of what A PERFECT city should be. Friend of your idea of a perfect city is Kansas City, HAVE A NICE LIFE AND I WILL TAKE HUTCHINSON ANYTIME. By the way, although I have a college education, my husband doesn't, and neither do any of my kids, but they don't seem to have a problem finding a job here that pays enough for them to live comfortably. You people are just too greedy, that's all your problem is.
Have a nice day, and either do something about it, or hush up.

HushUp: 7th Sep 2007 - 00:35 GMT

Oh, and by the way, that list was only about 25 companies; and of those 25 they are employing over 10,000 people around here. Excuse me, they aren't all manufacturing companies, but I happen to be ok with that, and apparently at least 10 thousand others do too. And just for the correction, I had written about my son and his friend; I put in there they were gang members, that was a typo (please forgive my lack of education and lack of editing skills) - but no they were NOT gang members.

I'm not saying this town is perfect, I'm not saying we don't need more business in here, but what I am saying, is you have a right to vote, you have a right to help make changes, no matter how corrupt you think (and I think) this city is; we all know who runs this city, there is no doubt about that, but instead of looking at what we are lacking, and how bad it is how about people start getting off the backs of the elderly and the handicapp, and put heads together to see what can be done. I would love to see this city grow as well, but within reason, I certainly would hate to see this city get as big as Wichita, because like others around here, I enjoy being able to walk out to my car without fear, and sleep at night without constant sirens going off from police cars.

I think it would behoove the city to offer better tax cuts for businesses wanting to move in, although I know no city likes doing that but if they did it they could still reap the rewards by boosting the economy either way they would get tax money (and Lord knows we all know the taxes are incredibly high here).
The cost of living here is about 80% of the national average, which I think is too high for a city this small as well for no more than they have to offer.
I was watching the city council last summer, talk to a group of individuals who didn't want their taxes raised in order for new development next to their property. One of the City Councilmen (which i won't say his name) - told them they can say what they want, but he already had his mind made up, so it didn't matter. The only reason why they were allowing the people in that neighborhood to speak was because of protocol. I would highly suggest getting individuals off of the City Council that have that mindset, it hurts the city more than help it.
Our country has always had a majority rules society. There is always a loophole for most anything, and that includes getting people off of the council if they are not performing their jobs in the capacity that they were hired to do. You can start with petitions or I'm sure there are plenty of avenues to go.

With that, I'll shut up now, just some things to consider and think about. Thanks for your time.

Re. Hush up: 8th Sep 2007 - 02:42 GMT

If you delt with the economic conditions of this town (LIKE I DO) on an everyday basis you would see the truth. Hutchinson is a low income area! PERIOD!

Why do you demand attention, you know you are fighting an up hill battle. Hutchinson is not the worst place in the world, but it is not the best. You must have nothing better to do than defend Hutchinson.

By the way, Did you read the artical in the Hutch news about why the petrochemical company overlooked Hutchinson??? No interstate highway and other factors.

I live in Brooklyn NY now, I bet you think this is a dangerous city. I walk down the street every night from work. Never had a problem. You are like the majority of people in the US, making up stories and taking things out of context to suit your needs. Also generating fears that should not exist about large cities. Perhaps the deal with your son and his buddy is not what you see.. 16 year olds and stretch the truth to suit their needs also. Perhaps you did not hear the side of the ¨gang member

why not: 8th Sep 2007 - 15:50 GMT

Why not place a large meat-processing plant in Hutchinson? It would create lots of decent paying jobs and enlarge the tax base as well.Empty apartments would be a thing of the past and overall business would most certainly increase.Thanks for listening.

Big Momma Becky: 10th Sep 2007 - 17:38 GMT

I am going to straddle the fence,so to speak,about my hometown,which happens to be Hutch. I am a middle aged woman,so someone younger might not have my same opinion,which is understandable. I have lived here my entire 53 years,so I know what I am talking about. Yes Hutch is dying. Anyone who disagrees just needs to go out to the mall and see how many empty spaces there are. The mall used to be so festive and fun,especially at christmas,with all the decorations,and Chris Moose. What the hell happened to Chris Moose? He even left Hutch,for petes sake!!! Downtown is and has been dead for years. I remember when a person would have to drive around the block over and over again to find a parking space,you dont see that anymore. Look at how our phone book is shrinking,that in its self tells you all you need to know. If you cant remember how big our phone books used to be,go to the library,upstairs,in the Kansas room,and compare what the phone books looked like 10,20,30 years ago. Yes,Hutch is dying. I really do not know what has kept me here all these years. I guess I am afraid of change. Plus I do like the big beautiful trees here, the Antique district is pretty cool,Hutch does have some good restaurants for a town this size,we do have a fun and entertaining coffee shop,some pretty cool bars,if that is your thing. Plus many beautiful churches to choose from to attend,if that is your thing. I really do not know what this town has to offer for our younger folks,that has always been a problem. The skate park and Salt City Splash is only a seasonal thing,so what are our pre-teens and teens supposed to do? I ran into that problem years ago myself,nothing to do. So I got high. Honestly,if there would have been something around this town to keep me occupied,I probably would have chose a different recreation, but there was none. I think thats why drugs and alcohol are such a problem in Hutch,there is nothing to offer our youth here. Hutch has its good points and its bad points.I love the Houston Whiteside area, Hutch has some grand homes. Its fun to walk around and look at the beautiful older homes,but again,something like this would probably not be fun for a younger person. I have been a single mother most of the time I raised my daughters,I have been able to buy a modest home and a new car on my income,and my income alone, I have just recently sent my 17 year old to Hutch Jucco as a full time student,she evidently got a good education here because she was through with High School and enrolled at Jucco at 16 and now attending at 17. And you know what??? I have made my living working in Nursing homes and no where else. Yes nursing homes. I am not a nurse making big bucks, I am a CNA-CMA and have made a halfway decent living off of it for over 20 years. I really have rambled on enough. I guess my point is,is that Hutch has its good with its bad,like all places do.

Big Momma Becky: 10th Sep 2007 - 17:46 GMT

Oh I almost forgot. Our new slogan should be "Come to Hutch,its a BLAST" or "Come to Hutch,its a GAS" I know this is a cheap shot,sorry.

Born in Hutchinson: 11th Sep 2007 - 04:36 GMT

That weird church/apartment building you describe used to be called St. Elizabeth's Mercy Hospital. I was born there.
I lived for several years about three blocks east of that building, in a very nice neighborhood. I have very wonderful memories of that town, but also very dark memories as well.
I left Hutchinson in 1978 and I've been back only three times. It now feels flat and baked, almost shrunken.
The downtown is a pathetic shell of what it used to be, but I have memories going back to the late 60's, when there were still department stores downtown and a Woolworth lunch counter. For a kid who didn't know anything else, it was exciting to go downtown.
But like everyone else I yearned for the big city and I got out, living in various big cities like San Francisco and New York.
I learned that these places can be shitholes, too.
Life is what you make of it. There are no boring towns...only boring people.
Here are some pictures...St. Lizzies in her heyday and the Wiley building, ca. 1930's.

Bass Girl: 12th Sep 2007 - 15:41 GMT

I love those old photos above! It's good to see Hutch had a good start. I wonder what happened?

I had an interesting visit with a neighbor who has been trying to get something wonderful started for kids and teens. He has been working on this project for about 5 years. In that coversation, it was mentioned how hard it is for change and "new" to come into Hutch. Since the city won't budge on giving new developments a tax break (can you blame them for asking since Reno Co. is the 2nd highest in the state?), we've missed out on quite a few new job ops. Dell wanted to put a call center here, but the city wouldn't work with them. Hospira, now located in McPherson, was originally wanting to locate here, but the city wouldn't budge for them either. Many years ago, when Hutch was asked if they'd rather have a State Fair, or a State College, look at what they chose. What the ???? And Eaton.... still clinging to life here after weeks of begging them to stay....

Sure, as mentioned above, there are 10,000 jobs occupied in major companies in Hutch right now. What about the other 30,000 people living here? Granted, some of that population includes children, but given the average age of habitants is 40+ here, they probably don't make up very much of that 30,000. Some of those people are working the random lower salaried jobs (most likely floating around min. wage), which forces them to depend on the state (our tax dollars) to provide the gap between what they make and what it takes to live above poverty level here. Employers (mostly owned by deep-rooted money) are not willing to pay more when they aren't given any incentive too - such as new comapanies with the same type of jobs that are willing to pay more and put a little competition in the market.

I've noticed there is a new group starting - the Young Professionals Association. I could not make it to their initial meeting, but if they are about making Hutchinson an improved city, and not a dieing one, then I am all for it. I just hope the "old money" and City Council are willing to go along with fresh ideas. Historically, they have not. I wonder if any of them read this post?????? Maybe someone should email them the link so they can see what residents REALLY think, and then take that to heart.....

HushUp: 12th Sep 2007 - 19:46 GMT

For the person who thinks that someone should ask the side of the 'Gang Member' on why they shot and killed my son's friend - It's obvious you have no clue what it's like to live in a City that suffers - so I think anything further you have to say from this point on is irrelevant. Maybe you didn't understand what I was saying, so let me say it again, I never said that Hutchinson wasn't a dying city (learn to read), what I said was it doesn't have to have or be over run with Large Manufacturing Companies in order to survive. There are other avenues to go. No, I'm not defending Hutchinson, but I'm not willing to sit back and watch low lifes make their pathetic posts about this city in which they DON'T LIVE - I'm not sure why you would want to try and condemn this city over and over and over. You must be the one that posted those ridiculous pictures about Hutch as well at the begining of this thread. Go back to your city, and let the people of this city try and do something about it. Your anger and frustration does no good to anyone to try and help solve any problems.

As for the others that posted in this thread - I think it would be a great idea to send a copy of this link to the City Council, they need to know what a small handful of people think of how they handle themselves around here. I was watching them on t.v. the other day talk about some woman and her daycare, and how it is she didn't 'care' to show up at the City Council Meeting, and how they would never send their kids to her daycare because she doesn't care. I think them voicing their personal opinions in a public forum like that, instead of just moving on with their next agenda should be cause for City Council Members to be removed from their seats. It was a statement that was uncalled for. I know a person who know's the woman that was trying to open that Daycare Center up, she said the reason the woman didn't go was because the City Council had already denied her the license because of no off street parking, the City denied her AFTER the City Engineer said it would be fine - seem's to me the City works against itself instead of working together. So why would the woman show up in front of the City Council Meeting? What? So they can tell her to her face 'NO'? It's rediculous - I wouldn't have gone either. Apparently they told her she had to have a significant plan for parking before they would change their mind about her permit.

The problems with this City, start with the City Council, and it's time for a drastic change. People are right, it is a dying city, but it can be stopped if the right people are in place.

Yes we lost out on another company due to lack of Interstate Access, that's to be expected by large Companies. The City has been taking steps, such as expanding 96 Hwy out like they have, and their plans for 61hwy to McPherson.

As for the companies that I listed - and talking about the 10,000 people that are employed, the only point was, that was only 25 companies here in Hutchinson that are employing more than 150 people - that doesn't include all of the other companies that we have in town that employ less than 150, but I understand your concern, and your right, there are a lot of people that are unemployed.
Just by chance (and not because I get into the middle of anything) I know a little bit of the revitalizing of downtown, and am excited about what they are wanting to do down there. Although it's not enough to bring in jobs, it is a start.

I don't see Hutchinson as having any other problems as any other major city - they all have attractions that you visit once and then your done, or they have seasonal type entertainment for our kids. Growing up in L.A. and Phoenix (for me), it was no different there either, except if they did have more to do it was too expensive for our family to really enjoy (like a majority of the population there as well).

My kids aren't into drugs or anything like that here (and yes I have one left at home that is a teenager). He seems to find things to do with his friends that quite frankly I think are creative, and don't always involve the computer, t.v., or video games. Seriously, think about it, what did you use to do when you were a teenager? Ride bikes, hang out with friends, go to parties, go to the mall, go to the park (winter is always a cause for cabin fever, not just with adults; lol).. I just don't see that much difference. Although I don't have my head in the sand either, I do know there is a huge drug problem here as well. My son and I both try hard to show kids that they can have fun without drugs and alcohol. He makes pacts with other kids not to smoke dope and do drugs or they beat eachother up if they do, that kind of thing (that was suppose to be a joke).

Anyway, it is good to see others from Hutch posting on here (and trying to be positive without ignoring the truth).

As for those who don't live here, who want to bash this city. If you are so concerned about it, how about giving some idea's. You seem to be really good with your words and bashing, lets see how good you are with your words in a positive note, ok? Just an idea.

Have fun :)

Re : Hushup: 12th Sep 2007 - 23:04 GMT

First of all I live in Hutchinson. I do not bring up points that are pointless or stabbing. I am only trying to show this town has many problems. It is not the happy little haven of prosperity that you try and convey.

It is a drug infested, crime infested, low income, low education town that THINKS it is something it is not! Every attempt that is made at getting this town on track is screwed off by people like yourself who try and ignore the REAL truth! You talk about people being ignorant... let me ask you a question... WHY ARE YOU IN HUTCHINSON? WHY DID YOU HAVE TO LEAVE LA AND OTHER GREAT CITIES!

BTW I currently reside in Hutchinson, I am a Network administrator for a major telecom firm. I only live in Hutchinson because it is a midway point between the East and West Coasts, Where the economy is!

Bulls**t: 13th Sep 2007 - 18:25 GMT

I live in Hutch, Wish I didn't. I keep praying for the day that I will be able to afford to leave this toilet skid mark. I am going to an online college so that I can get the hell out! I am hoping to land a job in KC or Springfield.

Mega mommas: 13th Sep 2007 - 20:08 GMT

I was looking around on the internet for women In Hutchinson. I noticed on all the the dating sites and bars (other places also) that the wide majority of the ladies are fat? Why is that? This is not a town for singles, that is unless you like fat ladies.

Big Momma Becky: 14th Sep 2007 - 00:43 GMT

There are other ways to find women here in Hutch. Join a singles group,join a church,walk around the mall or the park,etc. The women you meet in bars are probably drinking too much beer,thats why they are fat. I guess if you dont like fat women,you can always find you a skinney meth head woman,which everyone seems to think this town is full of.

jeeff: 14th Sep 2007 - 15:15 GMT

well, all you lovers and haters of hutch can be comforted by one thing at least. through citynoise, hutchinson has finally achieved some worldwide fame. this thread just keeps going and going and going...

Joe: 14th Sep 2007 - 18:01 GMT

I know it just show how bad this town really is.

Hutchinson Come share our space, because we have lots of it!

Hutchinson Sucks: 14th Sep 2007 - 18:09 GMT

Let me just restate what Donald Walters said above--

I challenge any Hutch resident to name me TEN particular, redeeming, specific traits about the town that make it "special". And not stuff like "it's a good town! the people are cool!" but real, specific things.

I find it very telling that with all the comments here, no one has been able (or willing) to do this. As a matter of fact, I live in Hitchinson, and can't even do it! This town really sucks that much.

Big Momma Becky: 15th Sep 2007 - 01:26 GMT

Got me there!!! I'm having a hard time comming up with 10 myself. Does suck when you think about it. Come on people, help us out. My 17 year old daughter is comming up with a few of the usuals,but she also is having a hard time comming up with 10.

Momma' Becky's daughter: 15th Sep 2007 - 02:10 GMT

Well, I actually Don't think that Hutchinson Is all THAT terrible... I mean, I know it's really not a whole lotta' fun, and there isn't much to do here... but the beauty of becoming an adult is, getting a job, and moving the heck away! You don't HAVE to be stuck here all your life. If you hate it so bad. THEN MOVE. Yes, indeed, Hutch is some-what a retirement community, a lot of old farts do live here, and yeah, there is a lot of nursing homes, but thank god for those nursing homes because a lot of people would otherwise be stuck with relatives that they couldn't possibly take care of themselves. It has it's good, and it's bad. Yeah, places like Wichita Kansas are a lot FUNNER, but also more drugs run through there (partly because it's a bigger city I suppose) More gangs are there, and much more violence. Yeah, I know this site is "Boring Hutchinson," But that isn't the same as "Terribly God-Awful Fuckinson Kansas." This place is my home. Yes drugs do run through here, But If you have a problem with it, don't associate your self with it, rise above the drugs, get a great job, and focus on something worth your time. A few of the things I PERSONALLY like about Hutchinson are:
1. The Kansas State Fair. We hold the state fair year after year, and it's one of the highlights of the year. Instead of turning to drugs to get my dopamine production up, I turn to "natural" highs. Mind blowing fair rides such as the TWISTER. Fun, fun, fun...
2. We have the Cosmos Fair,which has the 2nd largest collection of US space artifacts in the world, second only to the National Air and Space Museum. That's pretty cool. Take your kids to The Kansas cosmosphere and teach them something interesting! Kids Love to hear about space.
And while I can't come up with 10 GREAT things about Hutchinson, I can come up with many that I personally Enjoy. I Like Swimming, And we have the Salt City Splash here. It has fun slides, a Great Kiddy Pool and infant area, as well as a lap pool, and a low dive, high dive, and red "shoot" slide. Not to mention the best Stuffed pretzles and pickels ever. That's not boring, It's a whole lotta' fun in my opinion.
I Guess my point Is, while Our logo might Not Be "Hutchin-FUN" we aren't all that bad. We have things people like, and things people dislike, just like any other place!

Yoda: 16th Sep 2007 - 23:32 GMT

You are so wise for your age of 17. Your parents must be so proud. To bad all the points you have brought to light have been stated many times on this forum. Sure the Cosmosphere and the Fair... But really who cares?

Big Momma Becky: 17th Sep 2007 - 05:04 GMT

Bless her,but personally I cant stand the fair and all the traffic and dust and all the bullshit associated with it.

Limmpy: 18th Sep 2007 - 14:15 GMT

I tell you want, just go to walmart and see the quality of the Hutchinson People.

Also, I just read the Hutchnews about the housing market! I cannot believe what I was reading. Hutchinson is not having a problem in the housing market? It is not suffering as EVERY other city in the US is. If anything the reason that it has not be hurt is because it SUCKED to begin with!

average joe: 19th Sep 2007 - 07:15 GMT

it's fairly easy to make people believe that hutch is a shithole, well for one because it is,but yet you only show photos of a building on 20th and monroe. thats where the AA meetings are held at and lets face it no building where alcoholics go is going to be in good shape. Other than that i actually live in that neighborhood and its quite nice. if you were to show pictures of downtown past ave. A then you could have been more believable 'cause lets, well thats where all the meth head tweekers live and the never know how to keep shit nice. hutch is slowly trying to make it look better but i still don't think that will hell with the shitty ass crooked cops that are there. even the shelter where children who get taken from there home because they are victims of neglect by their parents get treated like shit by the staff, who might i add are a bunch cock suckers who abuse their power just like the police in hutch. it's like if your not ritch then your looked down on by everyone and if you ask me that just isn't right. So i guess in a sense i disagree with you about the looks and the boredum of hutch, but then again it's judicial system is what makes it so fucked up.

Choad: 19th Sep 2007 - 13:45 GMT

Thank GOD THE FAIR IS GONE!! What is joke! THE KANSAS STATE FAIR, FULL OF THE ELDERLY AND RETARDED! (also the unemployed)

defandum: 20th Sep 2007 - 15:34 GMT

regarding Hutchinson; Time will tell,and shit will smell!

Choad: 20th Sep 2007 - 20:10 GMT

What are you talking about, Hutchinson Already smells like white trash and shit.

observer: 21st Sep 2007 - 22:58 GMT

through the years i've known many great people in Hutchinson.Sadly, most of them are gone now but memories of them remain close. There also are people in Hutchinson whom I learned to loathe.You will not find a shortage of these small-minded,petty politically motivated individuals either.Some little people enjoy others hardship,struggles and failures. This is human nature. It has always been so.Hutchonians just seem to project an attitude of false superiority to other persons they deem "below their class" I am glad to be seperated from the depressive stress of this community.I left years ago.Good luck to all who are caught in this cycle of despair!

Big Momma Becky: 1st Oct 2007 - 04:12 GMT

This post is dying out,just like Hutchinson.

Choad: 1st Oct 2007 - 16:31 GMT

Yes, it is much like Hutchinson. Nothing but nothing. Hutchinson KANSAS sucks, now that I think of it, Hutchinson AND Kansas Sucks.

Yeah I live in Hutch, so what.: 3rd Oct 2007 - 17:57 GMT

Quoted earlier: I challenge any Hutch resident to name me TEN particular, redeeming, specific traits about the town that make it "special".

I can't name ten traits about ANY town that make it special, but to name a few:

If you like space and aeronautical museums, the Kansas Cosmosphere is one of the best in the country. You can even see the actual Apollo 13 command module there. A new underground salt mine museum has also recently opened. The state fair is a big draw every September. People flock to the NJCAA tournament in March. Several softball, baseball, and basketball tournaments are held in Hutch throughout the year. Not too shabby for a "boring" town.

Personally speaking, I don't know what is so wrong with Hutch that isn't also wrong with Salina or Hays or Dodge City or Manhattan or Emporia or in towns of similar size in neighboring states. If there's anything that makes Hutch truly boring, its that there's nothing terribly exceptional, either good nor bad, about it.

Exactly what is it folks, that Hutch has that makes it "exceptionally boring", or needs to be "not boring"? I mean you can snap photos of abandoned buildings in most any locale.

Choad: 4th Oct 2007 - 14:39 GMT

Re: Yeah I live in Hutch: You have stated the same things that everyone else has. What makes Hutchinson boring to me is the lack of any good looking women. You go anywhere to meet women in Hutchinson and you will find obese women.. That or they are married. Let me ask you, would you go to the cosmosphere twice a week or more? Would it be a social event of any every week.

Also, all the NJCAA does it bring in old retired assholes in Hugh RV's. They don't stay here and even if they did they would just add to the fat old people that rot here already.

Mcpherson, Emporia, Salina and other towns In Kansas Either have Large businesses or a college or both. Hutchinson has very few large companies to speak of (salina has GE so don't compare Collins to Salina) and has a poor excuse for a Junior College.

Basically they way I see it is this, if you fail or are rejected by a larger more progressive city then you can always fall back on Hutchinson.

joe: 4th Oct 2007 - 19:59 GMT

I live in South Hutchinson-I am so poor, hungry, trying to find some more food but I can't get enough food nor emergency help, etc. Please don't move to Hutchinson, Kansas area. I was from Arizona State. I was born at Salina, Kansas. I moved to South Hutchinson. It is very high crime infested, too. Not enough help from Medicaid, etc. Please watch out before you make a big wrong decision. Many wishes.

Hutch Hater Too: 5th Oct 2007 - 03:02 GMT

I agree that Hutchinson is a hell hole. The writer who mentioned how those in charge are nothing but a bunch of snobs is right. Money grubbing, ignorant snobs at that. I'm not just talking city officials but county too! The city and county commissioners are lazy, ignorant, haughty, and out for themselves and no one else. The voters are all too drunk and stoned to even be able to pay attention and notice they are being ripped off. It is too much to ask that they get out and vote the crooks out of office. The few that do notice are quickly silenced by these crooks using taxpayer money. Yes, Hutch is shrinking. That is why the bozos decided to spend millions tearing up a perfectly good Main Street and put in wider sidewalks with benches and flowers that no one uses. It was supposed to draw people to downtown. But alas, they haven't noticed there are no people left to go downtown except the same crooks and snobs who are trying to draw people downtown. Take a drive and you will see taxpayer money being wasted everywhere! Every other street in town can't be driven down because they keep ripping them out and then leaving them tore up for months on end. They put in new street and then a few months later rip out the new street to put in pipe under it and leave it with a poor patch job that throws your car around when you drive over it. Just once I would like to see one so called, "road construction" job get finished before they start tearing the hell out of another street. The greed, incompetence, indifference, self-seeking, and just plain outright arrogance that prevails here is sickening. Yes Hutchinson is a stinking hell hole and the motto,"Come Share Our Space" is just to lure in unsuspecting new meat to prey upon.

defandum: 5th Oct 2007 - 12:17 GMT

The secret to sucess in Hutchinson is to devise a great con-game or lucrative Ponzi scheme.Many have done well with this approach over the years and are doing quite well presently.Research will bear this out. Greed is a driving motivator. There is an abundance of this commodity in Hutch! Good luck in your endeavors to rise socially and financially. Don't forget that in Hutch - money is'nt everything- it's the ONLY thing!

Hutch Hater: 5th Oct 2007 - 18:15 GMT

Hutchinson is a poor ass excuse for a city. What a joke.

hutch sucks: 6th Oct 2007 - 21:19 GMT

i happen to live in this shit hole, or the asshole of the united states. im always afraid im going to run over a crack head at night. im sorry for those who think its awsome but face it, its shit, never mind its better than dodge city, ks. at least it has that i guess

defandum: 7th Oct 2007 - 11:22 GMT

I enjoy the panhandlers in Hutchinson. They are so creative! Have you noticed the advanced works of graffiti taggers? How resouceful and uplifting!Which is it :high art or art when high? O.K. I'm convinced- "Let's go to Hutch motherFutch!

Country Club Snob: 10th Oct 2007 - 01:27 GMT

I have always said Hutch is the negative vortex of the world and having lived on both coast I speak with some knowledge of this. I was born & educated here, left for K-state and was gone for 12 years with marriage & travel. I returned in 1997 to raise my children near family. I will be moving the end of this year back to the west coast. The Hutch I grew up in is gone. I graduated in 1985 so I am not elderly in my recollections. Drugs, they are everywhere. unemployment? IF you want a job you can get one. Most people are to lazy to do a decent days work. The spend their days watching MTV and want to live like a Rock Star. I do see Hutch as a microcosm of the economy at large, a shrinking middle class. I do not pretend to have the answer and I am fortunate I can leave.

think about it: 10th Oct 2007 - 03:06 GMT

hell try living in miami,, go out at night to go to the store and not worrying about geting shot by a drive by,,i swear people,, i view your comments,and laugh, hutch is boring yes i know,, but i know im not going to get shot if i go for a walk at night,,i have lived here for a short time and i am grateful that i can let my kids go outside and play and not worry that they will be shot or abducted,,u can always drive some place around hutch if u are desiring fun,, i lived in dallas, miami, stlouis,, and to go and do anything,, u had to drive 30 min or and hour ,, just to get away from the cities,, how often do you really stay in your town to do anything fun,, think about it

Re: Think about it.: 11th Oct 2007 - 15:08 GMT

Okay, let me break this down for you. Look at www.hutchpd.info and you will see how many shooting that occur in Hutchinson. Not to mention stabbins, meth finds and other "big city" crimes. I live in Brooklyn NY. I walk from work every single night and have never been robbed, shot or even looked at wrong. In Hutchinson I have had cars stolen, houses broke into and meth heads stealing the air conditioning coils from a rental property I own in HutchiSuck...

Also, why did you move from Miami?? Let me guess, You could not afford it! I may be wrong, but it sounds to me like you are a mother or father with 50 kids, who lives on social assistance (which is abundant in Kansas) and moved to Hutchinson to raise your kids.

Noneya: 13th Oct 2007 - 11:24 GMT

Hutch is truly a crime-infested, drug-ridden hell hole. Hutch PD has not the man-power nor the finance to rid this city of its problems. I can speak from experience that Hutch PD has some crooked-ass cops on the payroll. Some cops have been accused of using steroids, others have been accused of dealing drugs while off duty. Whether any of it is true, I don't know... but I will say that the facts do not lie. If you want to clean up this shit-hole of a "city", then start with the police force. That's where it all begins.

Choad: 15th Oct 2007 - 00:54 GMT

Wow, This website is sure getting alot of press. I wonder if any of the city fathers have seen this website.

I think that Hutchinson is full a problems and to all you people trying to defend Hutchinson Just stop it is not worth your time.

flyby: 16th Oct 2007 - 14:54 GMT

Hutch just lost another opportunity ! Air ambulance maintenance went to Newton instead.Greed was probably a factor. Oh well...

Choad: 17th Oct 2007 - 01:34 GMT

livin it up:

All of your thoughts were great! WOW. Hutchinson is shinking. LOOK AT www.census.gov and look at the FACTS. Hutchinson has shunk 2.2 percent in population. Not to mention it has shunk even more in job growth.

Big Momma: 17th Oct 2007 - 05:46 GMT

The new underground salt museum is allready in trouble. Not making any money. This town needs some serious help. Whats the answer?

Tex: 19th Oct 2007 - 17:42 GMT

I was born in Hutchinson, Ks. (in fact it was at the Grace Hospital, which is the second picture from the top). Back in the 70's Hutch was a going jessy, vibrant downtown, lots of people, things to do. It's sad to say about my birthplace, but I have to agree with most of the negative comments that I've seen on this board. The city is nothing like it was 30 years ago. I moved out after college and went to Texas, better paying jobs, more friendly and beautiful women, I couldn't be happier. The first thing the people in Hutch need to do is to fire or vote out of office everyone that is in city and county govt. and the chamber of commerce. They have failed the community miserably, by promoting their own pet projects, and failing to bring industry and jobs to the town. (and I'm talking about jobs that pay better than min. wage!) The city is now basically a city for the elderly, unemployed and parolees and most of the jobs are centered around taking care of those three groups. My advice for those who live there is to get out, things are much better elsewhere and it's past time that you found out!

Tex: 19th Oct 2007 - 18:34 GMT

And while I'm on my soapbox, It looks like to me that a lot of crime that is committed in Hutchinson is done by the 'elite' members of society.
Here is an example of two of Hutchinson's finest representatives and what they got caught doing:
"Max Ary, former Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center President was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for his role in stealing and selling space artifacts from the his museum."
"Witness the jailing of former Reno County Sheriff Larry Leslie for accepting $284,000 in payments from a private firm that used to operate a jail annex."
I think the feds are going to be the only ones that can clean
Hutchinson up.

Re: TEX: 19th Oct 2007 - 20:27 GMT

You hit it right on the head. Hutchinson a sad place. It is truly full of the elderly, handicapped and prisoners!

Bill Johnston: 19th Oct 2007 - 21:25 GMT

Very funny that so many people would spend so much time commenting on something being boring. You all must have nothing else to do! I'm out of here this discussion is boring.

ILiVeHerE2: 20th Oct 2007 - 00:17 GMT

Hutch is like living on "Fantasy Island". Don't you know? I love this town. I wouldn't live anywhere else. This place is truly an amazing place to live. The people are great. Kind of like you people posting on here. Gut-wrenching Love. :)

lila22: 24th Oct 2007 - 16:38 GMT

Hutch was a nice town to have my baby, but my husband and I can't wait to leave this town and move back to a real city,
CHICAGO!!!! Here we come!

Hutchinson Stain: 25th Oct 2007 - 14:47 GMT

Hutchinson not maybe the most boring town in the USA. However it is one of the poorest. With low incomes and lots of retards.

Another Former Salt Hawk: 27th Oct 2007 - 04:39 GMT

As someone who grew up in Hutchinson (HHS Class of 1970), it saddens me to see how the town has changed over the years. Unfortunately, there is no denying the town has gone downhill. However, is it really any different than most any other town or city in America? Don't you think there are people from all the towns and cities across America who could express the same dissatisfaction regarding the problems and changes that have taken place in their communities over the years as is being expressed on this forum? Change is an inevitable fact of life. How we deal with it is what matters. I think most people on this forum are bemoaning the fact that Hutchinson just isn't the same town it once was and are frustrated, even angry, that this is the case. What can be done about it? I don't know. I wish I did. But I do know this: I remember Hutchinson as a wonderful town to grow up in. I have many fond memories of my youth growing up there and reflect often on them and my "Home Town". I'm thankful that I can say I knew Hutch back when it was a great place to live. I just wish all of you who seem to "hate it" as you do could know the town as I used to know it.

Been there,done that: 27th Oct 2007 - 04:59 GMT

Yes, Hutch used to be a fun and wonderful place to grow up in. But the key word here is "used to be." The only good thing going for this pathetic town as far as progress goes,is the new Lowens building. It sure looks nice and too damn bad their isnt more places like it. The Salt Museum???? What the hell is going on there anyway??? You can hardly tell from the outside what it is. Only a little sign outside, thats barely noticeable. Nothing to draw or attract anyone to the inside. I am frankly embarresed by the way it looks on the outside. I havent been inside yet,so I guess I have no room to talk, but nothing is drawing me to go inside. I suppose our new Gowens stadium is pretty nice also,it looks good. But thats all I can think of now.

Another Former Salt Hawk: 27th Oct 2007 - 16:12 GMT

IMO, if most of the feelings and opinions expressed on this forum are representative of most of the people who live in Hutchinson it is safe to say that Hutchinson will never be the town it once was, nor will it ever be the town you all want it to be, or seem to expect it to be. Let's be honest, there are no perfect towns. None. Life is what each one of us makes of it, not what someone else makes of it for us; and the town we all choose to live in is what each one of us makes of it as well, not what the City Council makes of it for us. If you are waiting for the Hutchinson City Council to make Hutchinson into a "better" town you are setting yourself up for major disappointment. It ain't gonna happen. It is up to each one of us individually to make our surroundings (towns) better, not someone else. Besides, who knows better than ourselves what each one of us wants. Certainly not the City Council. So get out there and make it happen and quit bellyaching that someone else isn't making your life and town better for you. Let the flames begin!

mr. pINk: 28th Oct 2007 - 04:09 GMT

since i live here i feel a great sense of isolation and every time i see a plane overhead i feel jealous of the people who are finally leaving this hell-hole. and the new highway project is another one of this city's "baby step" improvements. it seems like every 20 years hutch gets so little improvements.

mr. pINk: 28th Oct 2007 - 04:11 GMT

this town would be a perfect setting for a zombie movie all they have to do is make it look isolated....wait it already does.

mr. pINk: 28th Oct 2007 - 04:20 GMT

there is absolutley nothing to do here except all those ignorant "city leaders" that do nothing to better this place as a whole. and why do they want to waste billions on some pointless salt mine? the mall used to have great stores now its all crappy b-stores. cant wait to leave this pathetic town.

mr. pINk: 29th Oct 2007 - 16:09 GMT

i heard this rumour that GE wanted to make their world headquarters here.. except the mayor objected to it said it would be bad for the area.

mr. pINk: 29th Oct 2007 - 18:01 GMT

the salt museum is a waste of money time... who the hell wants to learn about salt??! i dont. this boring ass town is so pathetic. full of meth trailer trash and they keep tearing up streets and wasting cash on crap.
for economic failure and a drug problem come to hutch the town most likely to get eaten by a homeless man with a taste for crack.

Tex: 29th Oct 2007 - 18:37 GMT

The idea that attractions will help bring people to a city to live and work is absolutely stupid. Which would make you think that someone is making money on all those Hutchinson pet projects and it's not the taxpayer. Jobs are what people move for. I live and work in the Texas gulf coast region. If I wanted to move to Dallas and be closer to Texas Stadium or Six Flags, you can bet the first thing I'm going to find is a job in that area that pays what I want, or I won't be moving. In this day and age if a city can't produce jobs for 20 to 50 year olds who can make at least 50,000 a year, that town is in deep trouble. And, it's only going to be those leaders in city and county govt. that can make the deals to get companies to move to Hutchinson. The ordinary citizen can't do anything, except maybe vote out of office everyone in city and county govt. which would be the first step in taking your town back.

Another Carlot: 31st Oct 2007 - 12:54 GMT

Wow Hutchinson has added another attractions. Some jerk has opened a trash carlot on 4th street by Burger King. He has such junk on the lot, it really added more charm to Hutchinson.

ladyGal: 1st Nov 2007 - 15:23 GMT

I saw that too. For your information that is the place the used to be "auto select" another defunct Hutchinson business. Who ever took over this sure has a lot a trash on this carlot. It looks like the complete opposite of what the out of business carlot had. I think we should file complaints about how trashy his lot looks.

me: 4th Nov 2007 - 08:17 GMT

This town still has potential. Let's all stop our Bitchin and do something about it. Any suggestions?

Resident of Hutch: 14th Nov 2007 - 23:34 GMT

Okay, I like how the person only takes pictures from one part of town. This fact makes this article worthless. They fail to take pictures of the area around 23rd and Waldron. Hutchinson has a very booming medical business, and if it is shrinking then why is my house becoming surrounded by businesses standing where houses once were? Hutchinson has plenty of potential and great people. I can also find something to do any night I want to, so this man has no Idea what he is talking about. Before you start challenging what I say and claiming I am not well traveled and don't know of cities outside of Hutcinson, I would like to state this. I have lived in the same house in Hutchinson for 14 years (all of my life). Neither of my parents have ever been without a job in this time. I have been out of Hutchinson. I have traveled to Colorado, Wyoming, Missouri, and even spent 20 days this summer in Australia and New Zealand

...just lookin for a job, lookin for a job...: 16th Nov 2007 - 17:58 GMT

OMG! I thought I lived in a pretty good place until I stumbled onto this site while surfing for nursing jobs in this area. I've been HappyInHutch for 30+ years and known about all the problems mentioned here and chuckled about them. It's never occurred (ocurred? occured?..oh well) to me to be bitter about them. I've heard my kids complain and belly ache about some of the same things belly ached about on this site. I've had a good job that I really love at Hutchinson Hospital. I said something stupid and thoughtless (but not INTENDED to be hateful for mean) and now I'm looking for a job. I have also been owner of a successful very small business.
Hutch has been good to me and I really do love Hutch. As a nurse, I've taken care of every kind of person in the town. Some of the highest class people have been some of the least classy; some of the lowest class people have been very classy; and any combination of that you might come up with. I've noticed that many of the old people of Hutch who gained their wealth and power right here in Hutch, care very deeply about this town and 'give back' to the town in BIG ways; they have been giving back long before that term was coined. They have quiet, sophisticated class and treat those around them with quiet respect. I have also encountered the adult children of these people and they don't seem to have inherited that instinct or knowledge of how to treat those around them. Their parents make the people serving them feel important. The children make it plain to the people serving them that expect to be served. Their parents worked hard to make something good in Hutch; I really doubt if they complained of 'nothing to do in Hutch' while they were working at building a City! All of these people in this thread who are complaining about how bad Hutch is can make it a better place by doing just one thing to make it better. One person can't change a town or a country, but one person can change the three feet around himself. Pull out a couple of pencil stubs and a scrap of paper and play tic-tac-to with someone or with yourself; it's so corny, it will probably make somebody laugh! Get somebody to sit with you at one of those little tables on main street and drink a coke and play checkers; it's Mayberry, but I'll bet somebody will get a chuckle out of seeing it. Pick up some rusty horseshoes (or buy a set) and set it up at one of the parks around town and start pitching; I bet one of the city old folks, retards, or bums will stop by to watch and you can invite them to play, too. If you are one of the people on public assistance at tax payers expense, bend over and pick up a piece of trash or two just one time a day and put it in the trash bin; if we have as many people on public assistance as this sight makes it sound like, this whole town will be spic and span within a couple of weeks! Smile at somebody or say 'Howdy' --that should make somebody chuckle, for sure. If you are the recipient of a 'howdy', pass it on! Remember 'pass it on'? Buy somebody a cuppacoffee or a cold-drink; if you are a smoker, move twenty feet from the entrance to light up; if you are a meth head, skip a hit and take a long walk or jog. If you are a pusher, hide out from your customers for one day a week. Rediculous? I just wanted you to know that I'm not a PollyAnna; it's my sarcasm that's got me into enough trouble that I have to start job-hunting. But seriously, have you heard this: "World Peace --let it begin with me." I can't wait to see what this post is going to trigger!

Resident of Hutch: 17th Nov 2007 - 22:54 GMT

I know I know very little about the actual problems. Hutchinson has lots of problems. This has been a eye opener!

me: 18th Nov 2007 - 06:40 GMT

We have problems due to the fact that a certain family of wealth many years ago prevented other businesses from coming to this city that wanted to pay decent wages,because then this certain family of wealth and their business would have to pay higher wages also,which they did not want to do. This family has controlled this town for years!

...just lookin for a job, lookin for a job...: 18th Nov 2007 - 17:02 GMT

Which family?

me: 19th Nov 2007 - 06:13 GMT

I am not going to mention which family,to do so would be slanderous, but anyone who has lived here for many years,will know who I am talking about. I have heard this for years, from my parents who are in their 70's, from many of their friends, and also from Hutchinson "officials". A sad situation,because look what it has done to this town now.

Yo Hoe: 19th Nov 2007 - 22:47 GMT

Hutchinson Kansas is a sewer plugged with fat ass welfare pigs!

me: 20th Nov 2007 - 00:21 GMT

Because their is not that many well paying jobs here, which this post is mainly about. The question now is,what can be done about this.

Penelope: 20th Nov 2007 - 19:55 GMT

I live in Hutchinson and think its a great place! Our 6A high school football team is going to win state again this year, which makes it a 4-peat! Yeah Baby! Go Salthawks!
We also have the Underground Salt Museum, Cosmosphere, and Lots of Fun people.

McArthur: 20th Nov 2007 - 20:54 GMT

Dear Rest of the World,

I would like to point out that Penelope's opinion (stated directly above this comment) is typical of about 99% of Hutchinsonians, and is a major part of the "problem" facing our Town -- the fact that people would rather ooh-and-aah about irrelevant superficialities like high school football, the Salt Museum (Honestly -- a museum for salt mines?) and most laughably, "Lots of Fun people" than address the plain and simple FACTS.

I know (as all of us Hutchinsonians do) that the above photographs don't best represent what Hutch looks like, but this discussion-thread has obviously grown far beyond commentary on the mere, limited scope of the photos.

Anyway, my point is to say that before another gung-ho Hutchinson resident makes a further ass of himself (and our town) by yet again failing to address prescient, realistic problems (like crime, local political corruption, drugs, unemployment) and instead starts yammering about superficial attractions, let me urge future home-town folks to address the facts.

Let's get a dialog going on here! Come on, folks!

We all know about the Salt Museum and Cosmosphere -- they've both been mentioned in this thread a hundred times already!

The time has come, Hutchinson! Stand up!!!

Peter: 20th Nov 2007 - 21:37 GMT

although im a new yorker, i agree with mcarthur. ive watched this post for over a year and though its taught me a lot about a place ive never been (and about some of the general public opinion about the place), i must admit that i chuckle at the constant repeat comments on the salt museum and whatnot, while genuinely thought-provoking issues like employment (to pick one that has appeared a number of times) are repeatedly ignored. its a classic example of not being able to see the forest for all of the trees... or at least it seems that way to me, as an outsider whos complete perception of hutchinson is shaped entirely by what ive read in this thread. i had never even heard of the place before this thread.

i would like to see a meatier dialog here, too, not simply to have more content to read, but because i think theres potential to actually see an impetus for positive change and awareness here; weve established that hutchinson has some problems (trust me, we do here in nyc, too, ha). weve also more than established that some people like the place, and some do not, just like every other town in the world. im sure it can be boring (anywhere can) and weve been made aware of the attractions ad nauseum.

two seconds spent googling hutchinson kansas pointed me to these sites:

www.hutchgov.com/egov/apps/directory/list.exe
www.hutchchamber.com/chamber/staff.htm
hsn.live.mediaspanonline.com/contactUs

perhaps anyone feeling down on hutch should consider voicing their opinions beyond merely bickering on a website. email your politicians and city council. think a politican is corrupt? call them and confront them about it. write a letter, leave a voicemail... maybe if enough local people put in a few moments each, yall might get the ball rolling on bringing about some change? or at least raising public awareness about topics more pressing than the cosmosphere? i mean, thats what i would do, at least. it sure beats pointless grumbling and circuitous dialog.

if any of you do, or get any results, or find any factual information about problems/solutions, share them with us here. because, as the view-count on this post indicates, a lot of people are reading about your town, and im sure most of them are chuckling about the same things i am...

...and just imagine how different things could be if every one of the almost 100,000 people that have read this post called the mayor of hutchinson (ron sellers, 620-662-8331) to voice their concerns for the city and support some positive change. its a slow process, but it is possible, you know.

I agree: 20th Nov 2007 - 21:54 GMT

Mcarthur, that is the problem. People would rather brag about wastes of money like the football team or the SALT museum which has to be bailed out by the tax payers to stay open!

Also, has anyone noticed that HUGE amount of welfare momma's and worthless fathers of the children in this town? I work with a credit company that specializes in Bad credit lending, WE ARE CONSTANTLY PACKED FULL of women that live in one of the many low income housing projects in this town. It is the same ol' story, These women go out and get knocked up by substandard men who can't even support themselves. They in turn produce more of the same and the welfare rolls just keep growing!

The problem just keeps getting worse. People in this town love to be superficial and take glory in museums and High school football teams. While ignoring the dark facts of this town.

McArthur: 21st Nov 2007 - 05:02 GMT

Peter-- Right on!!

I Agree-- see, you're another person who's pointing out flaws and then digressing into a rant. What are YOU doing to change the "problem"? Complaining online? I was with you for your first and last paragraph, but then you just digressed into a rant about credit, housing projects, "substandard men" (whatever that means) and whatnot. It makes you come off as sounding classist.

Some people are poor, and some people make bad life-decisions. If the problem indeed "just keeps getting worse", what are you doing about it? Bilking them at a bad-credit-lender company and complaining about them online?! Please!

When was the last time you volunteered to help these people change their sad (but very realistic) living situation? What do you do for your community?

HUTCHINSON, STAND UP!

NOBODY YOU KNOW: 21st Nov 2007 - 06:20 GMT

I just called the office of Mayor Sellers at (620) 662-8331 and gave him the what for. I advise all of us Hutchinson residents to do so also. You know, I never realized how easy it was and how good it felt to call up the Mayor (who I voted for, by the way) and chew him out for letting our city down.

Go Hutch!

GD: 21st Nov 2007 - 18:37 GMT

Wow i have never seen so many negative people in my life in one place i to have seen alot of the good & bad things in hutch but then again i try to be active meber of the community.i go to city counsil meeting and ill bet if you people here were to be honest ive never seen any of you there trying to make changes or even state your opinion. when local elections come around how many of you people even vote to get a counsil member in that share your same views.the problem with all of america is that we have the ability to make changes we just choose to not use our abillitys. to make changes in a community it takes time and a passion for what you belive and not alot of people have the time to be passionate bout anything anymore. i know these things because im as much to blame as all of you in this forum.the lady that just called mayor sellers was that the 1 and only time you called are you going to follow up or are you just satified what you did was enough. do you see where im going with this people. UNITED WE STAND & DEVIDED WE FALL so with that said the reason hutchinson sucks is because you suck 1 person can make some changes but alot of people can make it alot easier on that 1 person who is trying to make some changes. so in closing if you want to be active in your community then you have the rite to bitch .i just forwarded this forum to all council members and the City manager so if you people want a voice then speek up or shut up

Hutch Ho: 24th Nov 2007 - 07:23 GMT

Hutch isn't all that bad. No worse than any other city. It has it's problems,but what town or city doesn't. The downtown renovation is nice,Ave.A park is nice,the antique district is totally cool, Smith's market is a wonderful place to shop,downtown has some good shops also. The high school is big and for the most part trouble free for a school it's size. The middle schools are nice, as is the college for a town this size. The new stadium is awesome,tax dollars were well spent there. Carey Park is well maintained and a wonderful place to hang out,weather permitting. Hutch has some excellent restaurants,many to choose from,excellent mexican food restaurants,Bar BQ,chinese,you name it. Oh my, I believe I have named at least 10 good things about Hutch. I could go on with more.

Re; hutch Ho: 25th Nov 2007 - 20:54 GMT

Same ol stuff, over again. Sure hutch is great :(

Young Hippy: 26th Nov 2007 - 02:06 GMT

Tax Money well spent on NEW STADIUM? What the hell are you talking about. WHAT has that done for this town to help it grow? You sir are a complete idiot.

Tex: 26th Nov 2007 - 18:11 GMT

Hutchinson is a safe place to live, better than most cities?, Yea right, you better check the facts.

According to the 2003 FBI crime statistics.

Arson = 2.89 times the national average (why?, people are setting their homes and businesses on fire to collect insurance because the economy is so bad.)

Forcible Rape = 2.16 times the national average

Burglary = 1.57 times the national average

Larceny or theft = 1.50 times the national average

Aggravated assault = 1.10 times the national average

Based on the above areas of crime, on the average you would be safer living in most other cities in the nation, then you would be in Hutchinson, Ks.

The areas that were less than the national average, were murder, robbery & car theft.

Source:
www.cityrating.com/citycrime.asp?city=Hutchinson&state=KS

2006 Crime info
According to city-data.com crime index for Hutchinson for 2006 was 427.5
The U.S. average was 157.3 (Higher index means more crime)

City-data.com also shows the number of law enforcement officers per 1,000 residents in Hutchinson in 2006 at 1.68. The U.S. average was 3.00 officers per 1,000 residents.

Source:
www.city-data.com/city/Hutchinson-Kansas.html

Johnson: 26th Nov 2007 - 22:07 GMT

Yes, Hutchinson is a shithole. Part of the problem with the crime in this town is that the police are so dedicated to shooting stray animals and petty traffic violations that theft and other crimes run rampant.

Hutchinson also has 3 prisons in it that parole people into the shity (i meant city) and they are lifetime criminals who refuse to change. This city is a heaven for them because of the lack of qualified law enforcement.

In this town any of tom dick or asshole can become a sheriff or police officer just by signing an piece of paper, having a GED and attending a couple weeks of classes. Mostly the only guys (with some exceptions) are just egotistical idiots who have nothing better to do than look powerful.

Most cities you have to have a College degree to drive a patrol car.

t-rex: 27th Nov 2007 - 03:02 GMT

to whomever said the following --

Hutch has some excellent restaurants,many to choose from,excellent mexican food restaurants,Bar BQ,chinese,you name it

you made me laugh. did you read any of this thread? no? and here you are, ignoring all of the horrible truths of living in this city, overlooking it ALL for "excellent restaurants". wtf?!? you, sir, are part of the PROBLEM.

Hutch Ho: 28th Nov 2007 - 03:16 GMT

Yes, I have read everyone of these posts. From way back somebody asked readers to list 10 good things about Hutch,which you would know about if you had read all the threads. Anyway,this thread originally started out about Hutch being boring,not about lack of jobs,which you would know that also if you would read the threads. And I am a woman,not a sir. But I do agree with a lot that has been posted,both the negative and the positive.

what now?: 1st Dec 2007 - 02:39 GMT

Has anyone noticed how the middle class has all but dissapeared in this town? You are either stinkin rich and control this town,or you are one of the many who live at or below poverty level. Does anyone agree with me? And speaking of crooks,it,s the lawyers in this town who are the most crooked.

Tex: 2nd Dec 2007 - 05:58 GMT

That's the way a corrupt system works

If you have corrupt lawyers and they become corrupt judges then you really have problems.

The working middle class who built this country, are usually the main ones that can hold the corrupt leadership accountable and keep it in check. So, once you get rid of the middle class, the poor are all that's left who have little power to change anything, since they're spending all of their time simply trying to survive.

And of those that resort to crime to survive, they have even less power to challenge or change anything, and thus corruption is allowed to run rampant in leadership.

Now yes, everyone has the ability to vote, but if decent jobs are not available then the poor will remain that way and thus will pose no threat to the corrupt leadership. Which is the way that those in power want it to be.

I Remember When: 2nd Dec 2007 - 08:24 GMT

Hutchinson used to be such a cool place to live during the 60,s and 70,s. It really was. I remember going to clubs and listening to a band from Kansas City called NATION, and they used to love to come to Hutch and play because Hutch was such a happening town back then. The guys in the band said Hutch had the most beautiful women they had ever seen. One of the band members married a local girl from here. Like I said, these guys were from Kansas City, and loved Hutchinson. I bet they wouldn't feel the same today. It's really sad to see our town become what it has become. I think Hutchinson is becoming another Picher,Oklahoma.

JOHNNY MOSS: 5th Dec 2007 - 10:33 GMT

I HAVE TRAVILED THE UNITED STATES QUITE A BIT AND HAVE LIVED IN SEVERAL DIFERANT CITIES AND STATES, AND CAN TESTIFY TO THE FACT THAT ANY TOWN THAT YOU GO TO HAS MORE THAN A FAIR SHARE OF BUMS, JUNKIES AND DRUNKS.BUT YOU CAN ALSO FIND A BETTER SIDE OF TOWN WITH AN RESECTIBLE WORKING CLASS THAT TAKES PRIDE IN THEIRSELVES,THEIR FAMILES AND THEIR TOWN, THIS IS ALSO TURE OF HUTCHINSON KANSAS,ESPECHILY THE NORTH SIDE OF TOWN HAS SOME BEUTIFUL HOMES WITH WELL TAKEN CARE OF LAWNS AND CLEAN STREETS, THE CITIZENS ARE USUALY CLEAN, WELL DRESSED, GO TO WORK EVERYDAY, AND ARE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A DECENT LIVES FOR THEMSELVES AND THIER FAMILYS.NOBODY HAS THE RIGHT TO CRITISISE THESE PEOPLE.UNFORTUNANTLY THEY ARE A MINORITY. THE AVERAGE HUTCHINSONITE IS MUCH TOO OFTON A RAGGDY DRESSED, WANNA BE TOUFH GUY, DRUNKEN, METHHEAD, WHOS VERY EXSISTANCE IS TO LIVE FROM DAY TO DAY LOOKING FOR THAT NEXT DRINK AND/OR PIPEFULL.YOU CAN DRIVE DOWN THE STREETS AND SEE THAT MOST OF THE HOMES ARE RUN DOWN DUMPS, AT ABOUT ANY GIVEN TIME YOU CAN OBSERVE SCANKY LOOKING SCUMBAGS WALKING 4TH STREET.POLICE PRESENCE IS HEAVY ALMOST IF NOT TO THE POINT OF HARASSMENT. BUT WHEN YOU CONSEDER THE TOWN, YOU MIGHT DEEM IT WARRENTED. JOBS ARE FEW ,WHILE WELFARE RESIPIENTS ARE MANY.A BETTER LIFE COULD BE FOUND ABOUT ANYWHERE...

Kate: 7th Dec 2007 - 14:17 GMT

I live here in Hutchinson and I know it has its boring parts, but the College is growing, downtown has its busy parts and there are a lot of community get-to-gethers. Like every town, Hutchinson has it good and its bad, You want to see boring, take a look at Windom Kansas, and if you drive by there, don't blink, you'll miss it..

Someone Who Made it Out: 7th Dec 2007 - 15:43 GMT

I lived in Hutchinson for the majority of my adolescent life. By the time I had reach the 8th grade at Sherman back in 1999-2000, I had already become a product of which Hutch has to offer. NOTHING!!!

That year I had learned how to roll my first joint, done my first line of cocaine(in the girls locker room) and had my share fair of fights and soon ended up like everyone else on community corrections with Susan Mayes.

Now don't think that just I was a bad egg. It seemed to be all of my class that year was like that. My 8th grade class we all seemed to encourage one another who could do the most outrageous fucked up thing. We were all really that bored, I looking back on it now have no idea why we were like that. But that is what we all did.

By the time I was 14, I was sent to options in Witchita KS for failing a U.A while still on corrections. Not to mention 5 other kids were there from Hutch with me 3 of them I had partied with and one had the same Correction officer as me. What are the odds of that I'm in rehab 1 hour away and my party buddies walk in the front door, just for the record back then the rehab didn't work.

I also forgot to mention,I had been taken out of my home on many occasions and sent to Bob Johnsons and the detention center. It really didn't do me any good because when I would get there most of my idiot friends would be there too. It is just a vicious circle. Finally when I was 16 still on corrections I had gotten a D.U.I WHAT IN THE HELL WAS I THINKING!

Just a product of Hutchinson I suppose.

The point is there weren't really any after school programs. Back then we had a teen center but they quickly shut that down because I think it was a mini bar for older boys to go and pick up younger girls I'm talkin about 17 going and chasing 11 and 12 year old girls with troubling back grounds. But that is just a product of Hutch. You know my 5th grade teacher was found guilty of molesting 2 girls, back then I had suspicion of his doings and no one took me serious enough, 8 years later they found out how nasty you really were Mr.Roberts you sick ass man.

There is just a bunch of sick perverts lurking in Hutch wanting for the moment to get their prey. Mr. Cottons our school police officer for my 8th grade year we all know he was dirty. Finally when I was 17 I was arrested for failing my U.A once again and sent to a group home in Topeka where there I found out I was pregnant.

I had become the product of that which Hutch has to offer.

I had never done drugs before my eighth grade year and never drank it seemed like only a hand full of the kids who I had hung out with has made it. Myself included I was in that group home for one year when I was let out I moved to Lenexa, Ks, where I have made a life for myself that was 6 years ago, I am now married have 2 kids I have not and do not or even touch drugs.

I am not on any kind of vision or foodstamp assistance or state help I am a hard worker and I have earned every bit of what I have. I do have one of my sisters that lives off of Hutch she is lazy, gets high off the money the state gives her and is waiting to get into commerce gardens free and clear living off of my tax dollar, so that she can keep poppin out kids, she is 22 working on her 3rd. No job,no car, no life but she can do it because she lives in the wonderful town of Hutchinson where no one takes responsibility of there actions.

To the woman who said she is proud to say she is raising her kids there be aware of their friends and what they are doing at all times I'm guessing I got away with what I did because at the end of the day I still came home with A's and B's everyone just thought I was going through a phase, it wasn't a phase I got lost and the only person who saved me happened to be my Community Correction Officer Susan Mayes not my parents, not the teachers, not the staff of Bob Johnson but the woman I thought I hated the most was the only one who stood up and put me in check.

Thank you Susan Mayes.

Commodinson: 7th Dec 2007 - 23:36 GMT

Wow, that is what I like to hear. THE TRUTH. This lady and her story are typical of Hutchinson. It is a place for FAILURES. Granted there are some good in the population, but this is blown away by the amount of scum.

Tex Re: Someone who made it out: 10th Dec 2007 - 18:49 GMT

That is really a very honest and telling story about the lives of a lot of youth in Hutchinson. You are to be commended on getting out of the situation and developing
a better life. In essence, there really seems to be a fundamental lack of concern
about the youth in Hutchinson, and instead of addressing the issues, the city just
builds more correctional facilities. It's like they expect the youth to be happy
to come home from school and watch Wheel of Fortune on T.V. and then go play bingo
at the local church and be happy with that.

Young Hippy: 14th Dec 2007 - 13:00 GMT

Hello Winter!!! As some of you may be aware, Hutchinson has the WORST DRIVERS.. I travel for a living and can attest that Hutchinson has the worst drivers I have seen in any country, city or state. IT IS TERRIBLE, setting when lights turn green, not using turn lanes and just stopping randomly. Every car should have signs on the back the says:

!!THIS CAR MAKES RANDOM STOPS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, DOES NOT USE TURN SIGNALS OR LANES AND DRIVES UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT FOR NO REASON. DRIVER MAY BE OVER 80 YEARS OLD AND CANNOT SEE PAST THEIR DASH. PROCEED WITH CAUTION!!

Bob: 17th Dec 2007 - 20:29 GMT

The Hutchinson, KS haters amuse me. I'm sure some of them have lived in other cities, some have attested to it in their diatribes. However it seems that they are either young or immature or both. When I was young and immature I also thought Hutchinson "sucked". I am not yet 40 but I can tell you it does not generally suck. It may suck if you are young and looking to "party". I would agree, the main law enforcement involves DUI arrests. Here is an idea, if you don't want a ticket don't party and drive.

As many people have stated, you will find the same levels of drugs and poverty in most towns you go to. I honestly don't see too much of the supposed drug culture, but maybe that is because I don't hang out in a group that has overlap with that group. I don't see much retardation and people "milking the system". I see people who honestly can't survive without help. So if compassion makes you suck than yes Hutchinson is the suckiest! Are there people working the system? Yep, just like every county in America, probably no more, no less.

There is little industry here, I had to work through almost 7 years to find another professional job. But I chose to stick it out because I think this is a good place to live. I didn't throw my hands up and say "There are no jobs here!" I didn't think I was going to be handed a job or that I was entitled to one.

But enough defense, here is some offense:

The top ten things for different people are going to be, well, different.

Sports fan?
NJCAA Basketball Tournament, every year, best 5 days of your life. No it isn't the NCAA, but you are in a small town, you don't have to pay $100 a game plus parking. Try it you'll like it.

Hutch High Football - best in the state for 4 straight years

Softball - One of the best facilities for playing an watching in the region.

Racing - If that does it for you, the fairgrounds offers various motor sports throughout the year.

Golf - Some very nice courses to frustrate you

Hunting - If you must, I am told the killing here is great fun!

Water sports, you are minutes away from a decent sized lake-like reservoir.

Like the Arts?
There are 3 theatre companies performing almost every weekend.

The Fox Theatre - brings in some very good shows, maybe it is geared to a mature audience but try it, good stuff is good stuff.

The Cosmosphere and Space Discovery - Just because you were drug there for every grade school field trip doesn't make it bad. You may not need to go every year but it does change from time to time, plus it is still really freaking cool to see that SR-71 over your head.

Reno County Museum - Learn about the place before you bash it, a cool place

Like to exercise or get outdoors?
Carey Park-It's not just for sex and drug deals any more! Have picnic, play golf, go to the zoo, ride a train, play disc golf, watch some baseball, feed the geese, go fishing.

Martinez Trail-I don't know the mileage but you can safely ride or walk the trail from Carey Park to Rice Park and back.

Dillon Nature Center - Hike, fish, check out the museum.

Like to party?
I have no idea, why don't you just get one of those nice empty buildings and throw a party for you friends? Just don't do it by me or I'm calling the lousy cops!

If you are a Hutch hater, copy this page to a file and save it to your computer. Read it again in 10 years and see if you feel the same way? If you do, you might just be bitter, and you are probably unhappy wherever you are.

Peace!

Hutchinson only sucks if you let it!
(That would make some kind of slogan. Maybe I'll email it to Dave Kerr!)

Joining the Whine: 17th Dec 2007 - 20:44 GMT

What a bunch of whiners. It seems like many of you have never visited, let alone lived anywhere else. Some of you certainly haven't taken a close look at the idyllic places you live in after escaping the Hutchinson gulag. Someone in this list said, "Life is what you make of it". This is one of those rare, throw-away phrases that is actually true. Life is not rosy in very many places these days due to shrinking middle-class, dwindling opportunities for upward mobility, and a ridiculous obsession with getting out of this "hell hole", wherever that hell hole might be. As someone who has lived in other places, I can say that Hutchinson has more to offer than most towns its size, let alone cities. Sure, Hutchinson has problems - the same ones you find anywhere. Instead of complaining, why don't you go do something about it? Someone isn't going to hand you happiness on a silver platter - take a class at the college, get involved in politics (I'd vote for some of you just for the laugh factor), join community theater. Hell, go to a city council meeting and tell those evil elites what you think...oh, wait, any of those things would involve effort rather than making anonymous whiny comments on teh internets.

Young Hippy: 18th Dec 2007 - 03:15 GMT

Bob, that is exactly it. It is a town for RETIRED PEOPLE, Or close to retirement. You are simply someone who has settled for what is around you. Maybe you should look at yourself, Hutchinson is made up of people like yourself who have settled for what life has given you.Have you traveled outside of Hutchinson, lived anywhere else? Judging by your statements I would say not. Just look around, Most every other town around Hutchinson is growing. Hutchinson is not. Also you pointed out the same boring things to do that every other mindless Hutchinsonite has.

Also you stated that many people just cannot make it without help.... WHY IS THAT ? Also have you looked at your taxes lately? They are among to HIGHEST in the country.
Who cares about the basketball, Football and other mindless activities you have pointed out. Can't you see that HCC brings in some of the stupidest people to play football just so they can get state and federal grants.

Have you looked at the price of gas in this town? Are you aware that Salina, KC, and Wichita are always around 10 cents cheaper per gallon, WHAT IS THAT? It is because of certain people in this town controlling the pricing.

So live in your land of fairy tail land. While the rest of us move on.

Young Hippy: 18th Dec 2007 - 03:22 GMT

Joining the Whine, Where have you lived? I would be interested to know. Since you are so wise and have the world by the horn.

Bob: 18th Dec 2007 - 14:31 GMT

I have lived in Lawrence, KS as well. I have traveled this great land of ours extensively (Driven through every state east of the rockies and south of New York)

I am not saying all those things make Hutchinson a great travel destination (that is why I travel) I am saying it makes it a nice place to live. It is the opposite of the saying "Nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there" People say that about big "exciting" cities all the time. Well the inverse is almost true here. I wouldn't necessarily visit here if I wasn't from here but I might want to live here.

I haven't settled for anything, I could have lived anywhere I wanted. I chose to live here. If I had been a few years younger when I was deciding where to live I might have chose differently. But I was mature enough to realize that home is what you make of it.

I make my own fun. I am involved in the community. I play music at those retirement communities you belittle so much (you may be fortunate to live long enough to live there someday). I act and direct in the local theatre scene. I have been in bands and played at some of the cool local coffee shops. I have played for the fun of it during downtown events. I volunteer when I can. I get out and try to entertain and be entertained every chance I get. If you need excitement served up to you, I don't fault you, I just feel bad for you.

Oh and the gas prices fluctuate, I have driven to Salina several times and didn't fill-up when I left because I always heard the fable about the gas prices. Guess what, about 80% of the time it is the same or higher in Salina. I have a friend that is a Hutch hater who moved here from Salina. He always talks about how much better it is there. He still lives here though. I honestly see no difference.

For the record, here are some "big" cities I have spent considerable time in:
Dallas
Tulsa
OKC
Nashville
DC
NY NY
Vegas
Chicago
Kansas City
Baltimore
Denver
Philadelphia
Toronto
St Louis
Little Rock
Indianapolis
Oddly enough Chicago is the one town out of these I would consider living in....

Peace!

Bob: 18th Dec 2007 - 14:37 GMT

Oh, and Young Hippy, concerning drivers....

Drive in Harvey County, especially Newton for the worst drivers. (just kidding, one bad generalization deserves another!)

Hutchinson is small. You can get anywhere from anywhere in 18 minutes. You should plan your trip better than to be in such a hurry. If you are so young and hip, try relaxing and taking your time getting to where you are going, give yourself an extra 7 minutes, you might enjoy the trip for once.

Peace!

Joining the Whine: 18th Dec 2007 - 15:32 GMT

Young Hippy - go and see the world. Travel. I saw some of it. I've traveled all over the U.S., the Caribbean, and Mexico. Hopefully soon I'll get to visit the Far East and Australia. I've lived in the sticks near Houston TX, Austin TX, Lawrence KS, Panama City FL, and NYC. Every single place I've been has crappy parts and great parts. You have chosen to see the bad parts of Hutchinson exclusively. I'm not going to change your mind, you'll have to go out in the world to see for yourself.

Oh, and while I'm not a hippy, I am young. I do look at my taxes and they are on the high side, but not by FAR the highest I've had to pay - try living in NY for awhile. Texas was cheaper because there's no state income tax and you got what you paid for in crappy schools.

The real problem for me with this whole discussion is that people seem to be so whiny about things rather than actively trying to change them - or leaving to find a place that makes them happier. It would also have been nice, and lent more credence to the initial argument, if Scott Sargent had a) taken pictures of more than one old building, b) gotten his facts straight, and c) been more honest about his motivations.

Young Hippie: 18th Dec 2007 - 18:13 GMT

You all assume that I live in Hutchinson. I have the misfortune of having family there. I live in Florida myself. I have since I graduated college. The Young Hippie name has nothing to do with me actually, it was just a stupid name I made up on the fly.

Joining the whine: What are you an ass backwards hick? If you are young, how young are you? How do you know what I have and have not done to change Hutchinson? Did you think that maybe some of us on this forum have just given up and left? Could it be that we are just putting this stuff online so as to show the truth to the world?

Padre Island: 18th Dec 2007 - 18:55 GMT

I graduated from HCC in the late 70's, back when Hutchinson still had somewhat of a
downtown. I remember our business law class one day invited the Pres. of the Hutch
Chamber to come speak. We asked him some very difficult and pointed questions about
the downward direction of the Hutch economy, and he side-stepped every issue and
basically just gave an unrealistic rosy picture, a lot like what you hear on this
website. There have been people speaking out to the leadership of Hutchinson for the
last 30 to 40 years about the bad economic conditions and the city leaders continue
to live in a fantasy world of denial.

We don't have state income taxes in Texas, nor do we have property taxes on vehicles, and our schools are crappy??. Yea, right. If you notice NASA is in Texas not Kansas, along with a lot of other headquarters for world organizations.

The reason why your taxes are so high, is to take care of those on the welfare roles and the babies of those on the welfare roles. But wait, you haven't seen anything yet. In another 10 to 20 years when the baby boomers (who haven't
saved anything for retirement like their parents did) start retiring and have nothing
to live on except social security, who do you think is going to foot the bill?
You!! the Reno County Taxpayer.

That's why you need industry, 20 to 50 year olds making good money to help put
money back into the economy. Softball, Basketball, NJCAA, golf, parks, theatres, get a clue people, that's not going to generate income worth jack squat for your economy.

And, I see today in the Hutch news that the Salt Museum is not doing well, surprise
surprise, and they are going before the city to get additional money. Yea, put more
of the taxpayers money into worthless ventures instead of bringing industry to town.
That makes a lot of sense. (And I'm qualified to complain about the taxes because I
still own property up there)

The solution: FIRE or VOTE OUT OF OFFICE everyone in city and county govt. and start
over, I don't know how you could go in any direction except up.

Young Hippie: 18th Dec 2007 - 20:43 GMT

Padre Island, Right on. These people all live in imagination land/Denial island. I am beginning to think the Pro-Hutchinson sect on this site are nothing more than Hutchinson employees who are enjoying a relaxing life which is being paid for by the Hutchinson Tax Payers. I could not imagine why anyone would have any other reason to be Pro-Hutchinson.

Joining the Whine: 18th Dec 2007 - 21:50 GMT

Hey Padre Island - Texas schools ARE crappy, at least the Houston ISD. JSC, NASA's location in Houston, has nothing to do with anything but the fact that NASA needed a way to transport very large equipment by water and they got the land donated. Large corporations = better public schools? No. Again, I'm not going to change any of your minds. We can all argue and whine until we're dead and still change nothing. I totally agree with your solution though which is more succinctly put than what I implied in my original post. Disgruntled Hutchinson residents should stop complaining and do something about it.

But all of you non-residents should look around your various paradises with a critical eye and tell me you don't see some of Hutchinson's flaws where you live.

Bob: 18th Dec 2007 - 22:46 GMT

I don't understand. Are all the welfare cases statewide in Hutchinson? Is that why our taxes are so high? Seriously if statistical data supports that we have a high percentage of welfare recipients, so be it. I just doubt it. To me there is the same level of poverty throughout the Midwest.

It is the same for all baby boomers as far as retirement savings go. Is there really data to support you insinuation that we will have a larger percentage of unprepared baby boomers in Hutchinson? Even so it won't make Reno County taxes much higher it will make federal and state taxes higher so it would affect more than reno county.

Taxes are a problem in Reno County but it seems more like government mismanagement than an overwhelming amount of poor folks. Your example of the salt museum with a handout is a prime example of that. The homeless shelters have been largely privately funded. More so than the schools and the museum-like organizations.

But as far as taxes go, I am able to live comfortably, and pay my taxes. Until one of those changes I pay my fair share without complaint, because I would move before I would complain.

...and no, I work in the private sector, not a government employee.

Padre Island: 18th Dec 2007 - 23:41 GMT

The elderly that are in their 80's and 90's today grew up during the great depression, WW1, WW2 and learned from a early age to save every penny for when
they would need it later on in life. These elderly would not consider themselves to be rich, but a lot of them have a good deal of financial savings put aside to get them through these retirement years. They have also learned how to live on very little. You can not deny that Hutchinson is made up of a lot of these individuals, they help keep the economy going. The medical community for example is booming. Why? The population is aging, dying, thus needing more medical care. But, once this older wealthier generation is gone, it is not going to be replaced by new elderly that have means to take care of themselves. Statistics show that this will be a problem nationwide. When that day arrives I predict a mass exodus of companies from Hutchinson who have built their businesses around taking care of these elderly. Do you think the fed govt. is going to raise the support level when this day happens, I doubt it. Your going to see more poverty, more crime which will be noticeable everywhere, but even more so in a city like Hutchinson which is down already economically.

Padre Island: 19th Dec 2007 - 05:17 GMT

As far as your tax dollars providing a good education in Hutchinson, let's do a reality check on the results. According to www.city-data.com/city/Hutchinson-Kansas.html

For population 25 years and over in Hutchinson

High school or higher: 82.3%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 17.2%
Graduate or professional degree: 5.8%

That means only 17.2% have a 4 yr college degree or better, leaving approx 83% having less than a 4 yr degree. In this day and age if you don't have a 4 yr degree, you're going to have a tough time making it anywhere, so either the education system isn't working in Hutchinson, or those getting educated are leaving town.

Padre Island: 19th Dec 2007 - 15:18 GMT

Check out this website, it's loaded with statistics about Hutch, quite an eyeopener

www.city-data.com/city/Hutchinson-Kansas.html

Here's an example:

Hutchinson compared to Kansas state average:

Median household income below state average.
Median house value significantly below state average.
Black race population percentage significantly below state average.
Foreign-born population percentage significantly below state average.
House age above state average.
Institutionalized population percentage significantly above state average.
Percentage of population with a bachelor's degree or higher below state average

Joining the Whine: 19th Dec 2007 - 20:36 GMT

OK, Padre Island, you win. I'm cornered by statistics. I won't quote Disraeli though, because I agree with a couple of them.

income below average = agreed, a problem. Hutch needs to do better attracting business in a big way
house value significantly below = can live in a bigger house if you have a job
black race pop. below average = average is low anywhere in Midwest, Hutch is %-wise a little lower
foreign-born pop. significantly below = so what
House age above avg. = again, so what. I like old houses, mine's 81
Institutionalized pop. sig. above = yes, there are prison facilities here, so what
% of pop. with 4 yrs. + education = agreed, this is not (necessarily) good

The points that matter are agreed - Hutch is bad at attracting/encouraging new business. The populace (of which I am a part) needs to change the leadership, especially at the county/city levels.

If your implication re: educational attainment is that only dumb people stay in Hutch, I very much disagree. If there's no job fitting your educational specialty, you move no matter how wonderful your town is. I would say that the schools here work quite well, the Chamber of Commerce does not.

Still, all of that is just noise and distraction. It all gets back to attracting more business.

So, Padre Island, et.al., I wish you peace and prosperity where ever you are. I will get back to doing something rather than griping on a message board.

Bob: 19th Dec 2007 - 22:40 GMT

Yes the statistics bear out that Hutchinson is poor and has many residents in retirement homes. The education level is not that low for the Midwest.

I do acquiesce on the level of poverty though, I was shocked that we were that much higher than average. I still say that it has no effect on my life here though, except that I need to be even more charitable locally.

The retirement home level is of no importance to me at all. Just more captive audiences to "entertain" (you will never have a more appreciative audience)

Peace!

Welcome to Hutch - Come Share our Space!

Padre Island: 20th Dec 2007 - 14:53 GMT

I am honestly not a Hutch hater, I was born there and grew up in that area. It just saddens me to see what the city was 30 to 40 years ago, and the situation now. And, I think the difference is more noticeable when a person lives somewhere else that is more vibrant and active with good paying jobs and properous economies.
Several years ago when my parents who lived there were faced with looking of having to go into a nursing home I made the choice to move back up there for a few years to take care of them so that they could stay at home with one another in the remaining years that they had left. The old folks are great, but unfortunately a lot of them are forgotten about, and they have such a sense of humor, stories, and wisdom to pass on to us. So, Bob you are to be commended for bringing joy into their lives, and I'm sure it's a joy to you too.

I appreciate your responses to my gripes and I respect all your opinions. And, now I'll wish you all a Merry Christmas!

Padre Island: 20th Dec 2007 - 15:43 GMT

P.S. One thing I really do miss from being up there is the snow. Here it is Dec. 20th and it's 70 degrees down here. DARN!!

Justanotherjoe: 20th Dec 2007 - 15:55 GMT

It is easy to understand why someone who likes Hutchinson may visit this site and take time to comment. What I can't fathom is why anyone expressing some much dislike for the town would even bother a site visit; unless they are hiding latent desires to return! If their memories of the town were so distasteful, what would be the draw to the WEB to look for anything "Hutchinson"; simple justice, guilty morals, to much mental vacuum?

Freddy Lurkury: 20th Dec 2007 - 16:15 GMT

Hey "Justanotherjoe" - Didja ever think that maybe frustrated Hutch residents browse online trying to find explanations for their town's woes or to find resources on who to contact to try to start some change? Thats how I found this thread.

And as far as "hiding latent desires to return", WTF are you talking about? I think its clear that many of us here- myself included- currently live in Hutch. So, I'm not sure I get what your point is in saying that, unless its a failed attempt to insult those of us who don't think Hutch is as rosy and great as you happen to think it is. Come to think of it, your mention of "mental vacuum" and so on makes me think that indeed you are just being insulting.

To me, you're just another one of those people on here that can't, for the life of them, express anything beyond "Hutch is great, and if you don't agree, something must be wrong with you!". And that means you're part of the problem, not part of the solution.

I've been lurking on this thread for ages, BTW, and have finally felt compelled to comment based on your superficial comment.

Kimberly: 28th Dec 2007 - 14:57 GMT

This town SUCKS!! I have lived here 40 years,been in the bar ,in the drugs, in a couple good jobs,currently in one of the top paying postion and still have nothing to show for any of it becouse this town sucks. Not to mention the court house: Judge Chambers, who the hell voted him in anyway? And Why? He's got that smerk on his fat face, I wish I had a pic of him, you would see for yourself. He wins reno county worst judge award.And judge Joe Mccarvle, another joke.This town is stupid, with stupid people in control of our kids and THEIR system who do not have a clue or just plain don't care.The people in this town are heart-less!!!!I've yet to see an act of kindness from the heart.Well unless its to better themselves or someone they know.I truly hate this place and plan to get out soon.

Former Kansas Resident: 28th Dec 2007 - 16:13 GMT

I won't elaborate with a story, but I know from first hand experience that the judicial system in Hutchinson does have corruption. The focus is on making money and not administrating justice. It's basically a 'good ole boy's' club where the lawyers and prosecutors become the judges, so there's no new blood from the outside.

Kimberly: 28th Dec 2007 - 20:40 GMT

I am happy to hear other people know the truth,I only wish someone with some pull would walk in & do something about it.But this town seems to cover their tracks very well.But if only that one person knew what is going on and had the common sense to yank alot of people out from their positions. This town could turn itself around and be rid of alot of misery they put into people lives for little or no reason.But the rich & heartless live ontop of the best people,I will be leaving soon,but I will have to leave my best behind.I hate to,but have to.Only becouse of the system & their B.S.

Johnson: 28th Dec 2007 - 23:14 GMT

Kimberly Hutchinson has many problems as it always has. This is just one of the many. Judge Macke Dick is not much better than Chambers. I think that the only good judge has retired. If you look at the statistics Hutchinson shrinking.

Michelle: 29th Dec 2007 - 03:47 GMT

it's not as bad as it seems. there are FARRR worse towns to live in. and it seems that the pictures are only taken from a certain part of town. i'm sure that there are worse things to be looking at. seriously not that bad. yea, it gets boring, but still...it could be way worse, seriously worse. it's not like people get murdered left and right.

Johnson: 29th Dec 2007 - 14:27 GMT

Michelle. Have you not been watching the news? There was just a killing last week. (a shooting) also have you not looked at the police log. www.hutchpd.info, You must have your head in the sand... Typical.

Evinrude: 29th Dec 2007 - 19:00 GMT

Hutchinson is truly a trash heap. However Kansas as a whole really sucks. People are are ass backward. Whatever the rest of the country is doing, Kansans do the opposite. This state as a whole is shrinking. Look at ever single state surrounding Kansas. Oklahoma, Growing. Nebraska, Growing, Colorado, Growing. Missouri, Growing. If you want proof, just take drive to KC and compare KC, KS and KC MO. The evidence in over whelming. Kansas has terrible taxes and government.

shirley willis: 30th Dec 2007 - 04:11 GMT

dec.29th, 2007

I am glad to hear how dreadful kansas is. I hope no one moves here. The skies are clear and the air smells good, and it is quiet. I live here and like it, and would discourage anyone else from ever moving to kansas.

Carrie: 31st Dec 2007 - 03:53 GMT

My Grandparents, Mom, Uncle and cousins all grew up in Hutch and loved it. I loved visiting. I live in Dallas, TX now. It is crazy, also. I enjoy going back to the slow pace of Hutchinson. A lot of you seem very young...get out and see what's out there. You just might go back to your hometown someday! :)

Evinrude: 31st Dec 2007 - 16:33 GMT

Isn't is great having a city employee driving a city truck drunk and on painkillers.

Kimberly: 31st Dec 2007 - 17:31 GMT

But he says "the accident would of happen even if he weren't on anything".Oh Yea, he shouldn't of mix the two (as if it's the first time). I like the way they printed his Innocence. Why ? Becouse Hutchinson News is just as corrupt as the rest of the town.

Kimberly: 31st Dec 2007 - 17:52 GMT

The sky maybe clear but I recall gas in air, burning, killing people, do you think its all gone? The great city helps everyone forget.

Re to Carrie: 1st Jan 2008 - 09:34 GMT

But of course your Grandparents,Mom,Uncles,Cousins all loved Hutch. Hutch used to be a great place to live many years ago. Thats no longer the case.

re carrie : 1st Jan 2008 - 14:14 GMT

ask them if they still love it, and your'e just a visitor

YESiam: 1st Jan 2008 - 19:57 GMT

"Isn't is great having a city employee driving a city truck drunk and on painkillers." No offense, but actually the city employee you're referring to is a county employee. Let's not get the city and county mixed up.

I found this thread and read through most of it. I personally like living in Hutchinson. I didn't grow up here, but was raised in a college town in the South. I wouldn't raise my kids anywhere else. OK... so Hutchinson isn't growing as fast as some folks would like, but I'd rather live here then face the hectic pace of Wichita or Kansas City. I personally make a habit of going to the Cosmosphere at least once a year and enjoy it everytime I go. I also enjoy not having to go to Wichita everytime I shop or want to eat out with my family.

For those that hate Hutchinson so much, why are you still here? Also, it seems as if those that are doing the most complaining are ones still living at home with Ma and Pa. Wait until you get a little older and then you will appreciate what Hutchinson offers.

Johnson: 2nd Jan 2008 - 02:22 GMT

RE: YESiam First off, who cares about you or your children! Second, I do not live with my parents. Nor do I live in Hutchinson. You are very typical of the attitude in Hutchinson. You must be employed by the state or something. That or you don't work. You have missed the entire point that we as a whole a trying to bring to light.

Hutchinson is made out to be a great place to live, when it is not.

Johnson: 2nd Jan 2008 - 02:25 GMT

Also you point about being older to appreciate what Hutchinson has to offer. YOU HIT IT RIGHT ON!! Hutchinson is a RETIREMENT COMMUNITY!!! A great place to drive slow, bitch about everything and eventually die!

Carrie : 2nd Jan 2008 - 04:02 GMT

Just curious...why are so many of you complaining and not doing anything to change your situation? I posted something to that effect the other day, but for some reason, it's been deleted. For change to happen, you've got to look in the mirror!

Re to Carrie: 2nd Jan 2008 - 08:21 GMT

What can you do when the rich families control this town ? How does your average citizen fight the money and power and control in this town, and get these crooks that stick together like super glue out of power?

Re to Carrie:: 2nd Jan 2008 - 18:52 GMT

That's right, you have some wealthy families with big buisnesses up there that have
kept companies from coming to town for years, so they wouldn't have competition and keep wages low. The city and chamber have been corrupt for years.

Hutch lovers: 3rd Jan 2008 - 03:39 GMT

Its a big circle when you think about it, when you look all the way around the town there's no one to turn too, they are all connected. You will never be able to get those that are corrupt out. They have always protected each others ass. When one of them is in trouble there's 3 or more behind picking up the peices. They do a really good job keeping the "Hutch folks" blind to their wickedness. As I have seen above. And thats why "the corrupt" get to stay and continue to cover up the B.S as they have for years. 40 years that I have lived in this hole. 25 years ON MY OWN, working, earning my own way to make a living, and have seen the stupid crap go on every since I can remember. You are missing the point,its not the grounds, its those with that typical Hutch attitude that walk on it! So keep your blinders on. It's your town.

YESiam: 3rd Jan 2008 - 04:58 GMT

To Johnson, yes... I am a government employee. Does that mean that I'm blind to some of the idiots that run this town... no, I am not. Am I rich or do I live on the north side of town... no, but I do appreciate what this town has to offer. I have lived here for over 20 years and there aren't many places that would think of living or, as I said before, raise my kids. Also, what kind of person would say that you don't care about my kids? That's the problem we have in society today... everyone seems to only care about themselves and let's screw the young people.

Johnson: 3rd Jan 2008 - 14:32 GMT

YESiam.. Just as I suspected. You work for the city, my hard earned (OVERPRICED) tax dollars fund your life. That is why you love it in Hutchinson so much. That is very typical of Hutchinsonians such as yourself, WORK FOR THE CITY OR COUNTY and have lots of kids... It is a sad state of affairs when the largest employer in this sewer is the city and the state. If you don't believe me then look at the WELFARE AND SOCIAL ASSISTANCE roles and people like you that work for the city! Nearly everyone in this town is or has been on social assistance.
This town is a broke dick town with no chances for employment so every runs to get a job with the city, county or state. This just raises taxes and makes people move out.

Yes, I truly do not care about your children, why should I? I did not ask you to have children. In fact I wish that you did not have children. This town is already full of people who cannot even afford the pay for the children they had. I think we need to have a new rule, you cannot have children until you have proof that you can pay for them.

Also, I have seen it over and over again, everyone has children, gets on social assistance. Then when those children grown up in a town like Hutchinson they think it is just fine to live off the government one way or the other. Thus raising taxes more and more on the people that choose to work.

Tex: 3rd Jan 2008 - 21:54 GMT

Here's an interesting statistic per

http://www.city-data.com/city/Hutchinson-Kansas.html

Median Household Income for 2005

Hutch residents: 33,300
Kansas residents: 42,920
Hutch govt. employees: 53,604 !!!

Johnson: 4th Jan 2008 - 02:46 GMT

That is very interesting, the City Employees make 20,000 more per year on average than the tax paying public!

Johnson: 4th Jan 2008 - 02:51 GMT

Also YesIAM I need to retract something I said. I and glad that you had your children, Also I wish you are them the best. But please don't force them on everyone and think they should care or have some feelings for them. I hope they grow up to be productive PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYED adults who do not live on tax payers!

Emily: 4th Jan 2008 - 19:49 GMT

I love hutchinson, it's a great place to raise a family and the pictures that they took are not the typical houses...yes there are some crummy places, but what towns don't have them? You can't judge a town by 5 pictures. Though if you 18-29 there aren't tons of place to go, but for a family we have water parks, a cute zoo, nice play parks throughout the town and most people walk around with a smile!!! em

Carrie : 5th Jan 2008 - 18:36 GMT

Ok everyone, I see you points, but let me tell you...corruption and political favors are EVERYWHERE, and in every city in America! Of COURSE, if you're in a position to keep a competitor out of your town, you're going to keep them out! It's just that in a small town, it's going to be much more transparent than a bigger city. Sorry to be a downer, but pick your poison! Keep in mind that you've also got more power to change other things that matter in a small town like Hutch than you do in say, Chicago, Dallas, or New York. Change the things you can...if you can't - pack up and get out, but quit complaining!

Former Hutchinsonite: 5th Jan 2008 - 18:59 GMT

I packed up and left years ago, moved to Dallas, job pays about twice as much as what I could earn in Hutchinson, no state income tax, no taxes on your vehicles, just pay for the tag which is about $60. Cost of living is lower, a lot more things to see and
do, especially beautiful women, (you ought to see the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders in person!!) Of course the city has some criminals, but I haven't personally seen any
violent acts or been a victim of a crime, I think if you behave yourself and not get involved in things you shouldn't be doing, you can probably live your entire life without being a victim of crime. Of, course you need to live in a city that doesn't have the poverty and drugs that Hutchinson has, which helps breed crime. But, I couldn't be happier and life is good!!! You'll should move down here!!

Just me: 7th Jan 2008 - 00:30 GMT

After reading every single one of these posts, I have formed my own opinion about the majority of the people expressing their views here. My gosh,their are some extremely intelligent people here in Hutch,you can tell by their comments,grammer,choice of words,etc. Seriously,I'm not saying this to be a smart ass. I honestly mean this. I wish some of these good people could somehow get things right in this town.

Hunter: 7th Jan 2008 - 00:35 GMT

I grew up in Hutchinson (HHS Class of '50), but have lived in California most of the time since. I visit friends there from time to time, and am fairly familiar with contemporary Hutchinson.

The photos are interesting. The first is certainly the gate at the fairgrounds. The second is presented as being "directly across the highway", but there is no highway next to the fairgrounds Most of the rest could be almost anywhere, perhaps even as represented, but number 6 I'm reasonably certain is not even in Hutchinson. It's a small place, and that photo is of a building(s) that I would remember. I think the photos are faked. If the author wants to be taken seriously he should identify locations by address.

Small towns are almost always bad places to live if you must work for a living and do not own a business. People in that situation should recognize that they must move to a metropolitan area where there are high-paying jobs if they expect to make more than a bare subsistence living.

The more outspoken of the town's critics are clearly the sort of ill-educated people that would have a tough time in any competitive environment. That is probably why they have elected to remain in Hutchinson and whine rather than move and succeed

Re: Hunter: 7th Jan 2008 - 14:46 GMT

The photos are not faked, except for the first one, they are all of the old St. Elizabeth hospital over on north Monroe street. The sixth photo is from a side
street looking towards the intersection of Monroe Street. The description the photographer use of "directly across the highway" may not appear to be correct since the building is along a street, not a highway. If you look about halfway down this thread, you will see some other pictures that someone posted of the same building as it was years ago. And, I believe you are correct about your comments of
if you expect to make more than a bare subsistence, you're going to have to move to a metropolitan area and have a good education.

Alfred: 8th Jan 2008 - 07:05 GMT

I live in Hutchinson, and I knew this article was pure propaganda right when I saw the photos. The first photo is of an entrance gate to the State Fairgrounds, which the author describes as "closed-off". What he doesn't tell you is that the two gates shown in the photo are closed off because they aren't usually used to enter the fairgrounds. If you look at the left-hand side of the photo, you will see that there is an open space where there isn't a chain blocking the entrance. That is the entrance people use to enter the fairgrounds when the actual fair is not taking place. If he would have moved his camera ten feet to the left, you would have seen a very different view. The other six photos shown are all of the same place, an old hospital that was closed in the 1970s when a newer, larger hospital was built in Hutchinson. That old hospital is in a very residential area, miles from any highway, and is not in any way "typical" of what the city looks like. It's probably the most creepy-looking building in the entire city. The fact that the author chose to highlight these two places in the city tells me he is full of it. If you were coming into Hutchinson from the highway, you would never get to these two locations without a lot of searching and driving the side streets in Hutchinson. So the photos are just propaganda and don't read anything into them.

I read through all the comments. I never thought I would see so much negativity about Hutchinson in one place. I don't agree with all the negativity, but I will agree with people who said Hutchinson lacks a lot of good-paying manufacturing jobs. This is a list of the top ten largest employers in Reno County, Kansas, taken from the Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce website (http://www.hutchecodevo.com/bus_employers.htm):

LEADING EMPLOYERS
COMPANY EMPLOYEES
Hutchinson Hospital 1,536
Dillons Companies 1,098
Hutchinson Public Schools 939
Hutchinson Clinic 610
Tyson Prepared Foods 536
Hutchinson Correctional Facility 508
Reno County 420
Wal-Mart SuperCenter 420
City of Hutchinson 398
Hutchinson Community College 340

Of these top ten, only two are manufacturing-related, Tyson and Dillons. It's also deceptive because the Dillons number includes those who work at the Dillons warehouse and as well as all those who work at the Dillons retail stores. So you really only have 1.5 of the top ten in manufacturing. That's bad because these service sector jobs don't pay as well as manufacturing jobs. Everyone knows manufacturing is in decline all over the U.S., so I don't know if it's the same or worse in other places.

There is a small white-collar professional class in this city that makes it livable. Almost everything this city has that makes it livable, like the Cosmosphere, Dillon Nature Center, Hutchinson Public Library, Radio Kansas, Hutchinson Art Center, the NJCAA tournament, Dillon Lecture Series, Fox Theatre, the Salt Museum, and Hutchinson Zoo, to name a few, was either created or is largely maintained by the professional class in this city.

Hey, that's 10 things right!

Evinrude: 8th Jan 2008 - 12:28 GMT

Alfred. Again you stated over again what has been brought up before. If you have looked through the site you will see that old bastards like yourself enjoy the same things, the comsmosphere, NJCAA, The the Dillon Lecture series the Fox Theatre and RADIO KANSAS?!?!?!? I bet you like setting at Mcdonalds and drinking coffee too.

The salt museum??? What a joke. You must like paying high taxes, great places like that are what makes this town.... No offerings for growth and HIGH TAXES! I think we need to add a few more low income housing projects in Hutchinson. Maybe we should just setup a office where you can go to get handouts from the city, so people can start more things that suck off the tax payers.

This still does not improve it in the eyes of anyone young. When I say young also I am not speaking of teenagers. I am talking of 20 to 30 something adults who currently set around at local bars and waste their lives away instead of building a life. Then they get old and the cycle starts again!

Alfred: 8th Jan 2008 - 17:42 GMT

"Old bastards" - I'm 26. Maybe young people in this city should learn to take enjoyment from simple things like taking a stroll at Dillon Nature Center or listening to non-commericial, uninterupted classical music on Radio Kansas. What do you want, 50 Cent to come and perform?

I don't mind paying high taxes because I believe in civil society. I think the salt museum should be taxpayer supported because it's a unique attraction that only Hutchinson has. Typical Hutchinson negativity to fail to see what that attraction could be if it was funded adequately or marketed properly. Currently, lack of funding limits it. You want to know something? Letting the free market dictate businesses/attractions in Hutchinson is why this city has changed for the worse over the last few decades. Most of the things of value in this city are either non-profit based and operate from donations, or they are government supported and operate from tax dollars. If you let the free-market dictate what Hutchinson looked like, it would be worse than it is now.

As for low-income housing, I said there's a lack of good jobs in Hutchinson and when that is the case, people are going to struggle. I happen to believe in supporting them rather than kicking them into the gutter. I doubt Hutchinson's taxes are that high compared to other cities/states anyway, especially states in the northeast and upper midwest. It's all about perspective.

All that said, honestly the best thing about Hutchinson is that it is a 45 minute drive from Wichita.

Alfred: 8th Jan 2008 - 18:03 GMT

By the way, if you want something to do, just read the Preview page in the Hutchinson News on Fridays. There are always a lot of events going on.

Evinrude: 8th Jan 2008 - 21:15 GMT

Alfred, people like you are the problem with this country. A socially ran country fails, do the research. Why don't you just join the communist party! Free market is what has built this country. If you don't like it get out. Taxes as far as income taxes are very high in this state, because we have so many idiots that think like you.

Do you even work? You are sounding more and more like a typical Hutchinsonite as you talk. Wanting to government to support everyone.

I am 24, I don't listen to classical music, I don't care about salt. I HATE live theater and don't want to be lectured by some old man or women about their life.

I want the following:

1. A good paying job in a career field that I choose.
2. Law taxes so that I may save more money.
3. A NON-SOCIALISTIC COUNTRY where I have control of my life and are not supporting every deadbeat on the street.
4. Women to meet that are not meth heads, no money having, crazy, drunks or ultra fat. (like the majority of women in the city of Hutchinson)

Perhaps you need to get out of Hutchinson, like I have and see the better things and places in life. If you want to lead a boring life where you have no opportunity then stay in Hutchinson.

P.S. I want a civil society also, I think however you don't understand the definition of Civil. I think you meant SOCIAL society.

jeeff: 8th Jan 2008 - 23:00 GMT

what?! income taxes in the US are high compared to which OECD countries as of 2007/2008? give me a break, the US has lower personal income tax and fewer govt services in general as compared to other OECD countries.

SF: 8th Jan 2008 - 23:33 GMT

Hate to change the subject on the negativity of Hutchinson...at least is in the US!!

I was born in Hutchinson KS at the hospital that used to go by the name Grace Hospital, it was 1964. I am searching my birth parents - my birth mother was full Japanese and her name was Mitsuko Nakajima, although I do not know if she would have used this name. The name on my birth certificate as father is Charles Harold Trotter - it is said he worked for an oil company. Does these people or names ring a bell for anyone out there???

Thanks for any input!!

Just me: 9th Jan 2008 - 01:00 GMT

He is not called Evinrude for nothing!!!! He does make some excellent points. He is one of the extremely intelligent ones that could make a difference in this town, I believe. We need young, intelligent people to try and make changes if this town is to be saved.

Evinrude: 9th Jan 2008 - 16:15 GMT

Jeeff, Income taxes are Higher in this state than many others. Infact, some states don't even have income tax. Please notice I said "STATE" when refer to income taxes. I was comparing Kansas to other states. Kansas as a whole is not a good place to build any type of business or life. As a whole Hutchinson seems to be the worst of the worst.

Kansas Taxes everything to the hilt. Why you ask? Simple, there is very little population in this state. Of this population very few pay taxes! This is because they are on some type of social assistance or already work for a state or municipal organization.

I challenge you. Sit down for 10 minutes and think. How many people do you know that work for the government? If you can't think of anyone than go set on main street in this fair town and look at all the city trucks, police cars, fire trucks, social workers, animal control, sewer workers, contractors, street workers, theaters and SALT MUSEUMS..... There are so many that I don't even have to time to type the entire list. This list goes on and on of state supported people and organizations that are funding solely by the tax payers.

In contrast, The list of "evil" for profit businesses in this town are shrinking. This is because of the mindset of idiots like Alfred. They are leaving and going to other cities with a better chance for commerce.

Just me: Thank You for your compliment. It is comforting to think there are a few people that have good sense.

Topic for discussion: 16th Jan 2008 - 18:45 GMT

This appeared in the Hutch News on 1/16/08. A routine traffic stop resulting in these charges:

"The officer then arrested him on suspicion of having a stolen Kansas license decal, possessing drug paraphernalia, obstruction, theft, not having liability insurance, driving with a suspended license and having an expired license plate, according to reports."

I wonder how many people are driving around Hutchinson right now, and if stopped
for some reason, would have the same charges as this guy had. I think it would be a lot more than what you could imagine.

The Grimm Girl: 17th Jan 2008 - 06:49 GMT

Our new motto should be "Come share our empty space" because there sure is a lot of it. Empty spaces downtown, empty spaces at the mall, empty spaces at the salt museum, empty spaces at the space museum, empty spaces in my head due to living here all my life.

Evinrude: 17th Jan 2008 - 17:19 GMT

Re: Topic for discussion. I have to agree. Drug use is very rampant in this fair town. I personally know some cops and he has stated that when he is assigned to patrol the Hutchinson area (he is a state trooper) he always can count on atleast one drug bust or several DUI. He says that people around here don't think they have to follow the rules.

Adding the extra law income in this town, You can see why these people don't renew tags, pay taxes or keep insurance.

When driving in Hutchinson you should be extra careful. There is a very good chance that the person driving is drunk, tweaking on meth or just has no insurance or a combo of all.

MJ: 19th Jan 2008 - 04:20 GMT

Wow. I mean really, wow. This topic has gone on for a long time. I have lived in Hutch for a good portion of my life. This is where most of my family (including my husband) were born and raised. None of us are trailer trash. I have a decent job and make ends meet quite well, actually. I know there are a lot of low income, fat, lazy slobs around here. It's sickening to walk through Wal-Mart and see these leeches with their 6 kids in tow. The fact of the matter is, some of those "fossils" are my family. I guess I'm not too worried about the night life since I'm usually at home with my husband our visiting friends or family. I know that almost no one is happy here. Everyone says this place sucks and they want to get out. I think that's a big part of the problem. Either way, as long as my family is here, I'll be here. If you don't like it, leave.

Evinrude: 19th Jan 2008 - 23:33 GMT

I have already left town, You did not have to convince me. This town is a joke.

an observer: 20th Jan 2008 - 00:23 GMT

Then you must be equally bored in your "new town" or you wouldn't be posting on this discussion board so often,Evinrude.

Just me: 20th Jan 2008 - 00:29 GMT

Dont pick on Evinrude. He has brought up some very truthful facts about Hutch. He has a right to say whats on his mind,and if he has lived here before,he knows what he is talking about.

texan lover: 20th Jan 2008 - 01:58 GMT

my dad has moved me from texas to hutchinson,kansas and yes kansas hate it. My school in texas was a very nice school. I am in the sixth grade and my sixth grade was not very bad well there were only about 2 fights in the whole year. but in hutch there were just 4 fights at recess last Friday .there are also kids that got suspended for a couple of days for drinking alcohol in school! I think that hutch is a very poor and crapy place to live and yea i really think that the drug problem is bad considering that there are KIDS in my grade drinking alchohol.and yea there might be drugs in other places but in hutch its really bad! so all of ya'll that think its a good place to live well its CRAPY!i am now living there and it is so SMALL. and want to move home if you were in my shoes how would you convice your Dad...Help me I really want out of here!!:(

Fred, The.: 20th Jan 2008 - 19:05 GMT

Good morning,

I can see that there are some misconceptions out there about this ridiculous mess of a town.. I've created a video response for you maniacs so that you can better understand the real situation.

The law enforcement officers, they're not as bad as some have
said that they are. They will put your dumb * down if you're a up and work with ou if you're not a complete **up. It is the very same in the Municipal Court here. The Judges are fair and will work with you if you take things seriously and they can see that you mean to make things right - Anyone who complains about the local LEOs or the Municipal Court is probably one of the scums they've taken off of the streets.

In short, the video says that in order to make gainful employment or run a business here you've got to bring your good old boy card. Incompetent maniacs are business owners here because old blood takes care of old blood. You're not borne of the right blood, not born into the right family, forget making it here.

Hutchinson is not as dangerous as you all think - the LEOs do their job, they do their job well. Someone has to control you stoners, able bodied welfare cases, druggies and college kids. Also, Hutchinson does have a couple of billionaires and many many millionaires- you normal people do not see them or know which ones they are because when they come to the downtown area they're driving automobiles just like yours.

http://thefredknows.com/_1_20080120_110406-hutchinson-the-real-story.wmv
http://thefredknows.com/_1_20080120_110406-hutchinson-the-real-story-pt.2.wmv

PS: I did not make these videos for the h* of it over here- these are made in order to give hope to those of you who are competent businessmen who cannot make it here and you're wondering why, these are made for the working man who is supporting a state which does nothing but STEAL and EXTORT and TAKE, for the hard working LEOs who catch alot of they shouldn't, and for the workers down there at TECH (?sp?) who seem to care MORE than ANYONE about BEING SOMETHING without SIMPLY COMPLAINING WHILE SITTING ON THEIR BUTTS even though normal people GIVE THEM ** FOR NO REASON.

The.

Fred, The.: 20th Jan 2008 - 19:16 GMT

Mr. Texan..

I also look forward to being in Texas. I did attend a grade school here in Hutch years ago but I had to quit when I was only twelve years old. I was surrounded by illiterates and pretty much finished high school befor I was 13.. I'm not uneducated, mind you, I just did not got to school.

Texas has alot of great towns where you can live more of an old style American way. Big V-8 automobiles, beautiful Angels, Big Juicy Steaks, Guns, Good Business, Good Card Games.. don't get me wrong, in Texas, business it is CUTTHROAT but at least one has a CHANCE and I LOVE competition...

Good luck on making it back home- maybe I'll see you down there.

The.
mmni99inc@yahoo.com

Kinda sorta like this city,sometimes: 20th Jan 2008 - 22:10 GMT

Hey,30th ave.is a cool place to be on weekend nights for bored teens.Good clean fun,Hastings is cool to hang out at,the new health and fitness club is also cool.

Chris: 21st Jan 2008 - 02:17 GMT

I just happened over this page while looking for something via Google, but I couldn't just let this go- I grew up in Hutch, but no longer living there. I moved to the West Coast several years ago. However, I just wanted to point out that you can make anything seem as dreary as you wish; it all depends on your perspective. There is a lot of hidden potential/power in that little town...

I'm not saying Hutch is a popular vacation destination by any means, but there are a lot of good people there. Good people with big hearts. There are also a lot of people that need help. As with any town, there is 'good' and 'bad' no matter where you go... keep that in mind, but I do have one gripe: I noticed several *current* residents complaining...talking never does anyone any good. So, why don't you fix the problems rather then let the town fall down, *forcing* people away in search of better jobs/opportunities?

Here is a start: Basic freedoms - Give people the *option* to buy alcohol on Sunday. After all, anyone who lives/lived there knows to stock up on Saturday; it's a 'wash'. Personally I don't drink, but I do believe it should be a personal choice rather than a local government decision!

As for the legalization of gambling, (I read Hutchnews.com - this is a big topic), how can you play bingo at the Catholic Church on Wednesday night, hit the bingo hall any day of the week, or buy a lottery ticket at any gas station, then vote NO to add casinos to the area to help fund schools??? What's the damn difference? There isn't a difference. Gambling is gambling- it should be all or nothing. I do applaud people who stand up for what they believe in, but not hypocrites.

Another idea: This would be a great time to get in on the "Home Grown" power movement. Kansas could 'bank' on land used for growing corn and solar/wind energy. Germany has a similar climate, so if you think it's too cold in KS to do that, think again! Besides, don't people in the MidWest live to see the MidEast go down? (Sorry, a sterotype got thrown in there), but think how you could 'stick it' to them by getting the US away from foreign oil? Think of what that could do!!!!

Those are just a few suggestions. Make Hutchinson more inviting. Not with "beautification projects", people need more than "fluff". Once changes are made people will come, then jobs will come, etc., etc., etc.

Get moving folks, you've got some big challenges/opportunities to tackle.

james: 21st Jan 2008 - 04:36 GMT

hutch has alot to offer like looking at the new sexy stop lights on main street. Huthinson is full of baby boomers who are living off thier parents hard work and think they are succesful. Hutch is full of big fat women wearing jami pants no bra 7kids by 7 diffrent dads they love wallmart

He He: 21st Jan 2008 - 08:05 GMT

James baby,you are right on and honest. I have to submit to a UA in order to get a job,shouldnt the welfare people have to submit to a UA before collecting a welfare check? I have to submit to prove I'm not on drugs,shouldn't welfare recipients take a pee test also to prove they are not on drugs? And also get spayed and nutered so no more kids can be born to these fat,lazy wall mart lovin folks? I'm not talking about the good people who really need public assistance, I'm talking about women who keep having babies to collect more assistance,and their husbands who use drugs. People who are both physically able and mentally able to go to work. I do not mind my tax money helping people who can not physically or mentally work. And you are so right about baby boomers thinking they are succesful, I am a boomer myself and went to school with a bunch of "livin off daddys money" boomers, who wouldnt be jack crap if it wasn't for daddy. Oh how painful the truth can be.

james: 21st Jan 2008 - 17:54 GMT

Hutch does have manufacturing jobs its called meth

Evinrude: 21st Jan 2008 - 18:33 GMT

Re: an observer. Yeah I must be the one that is bored. You know it takes some intelligence to create a posting that brings up facts. You however did not do this. So you must be one of the thousands of Hutchinsonites that have nothing better to do than comment about other people's statements.

So go collect your welfare check and gain some more weight on your ass.

Evinrude: 21st Jan 2008 - 18:55 GMT

The fred: You have an IQ of 160 huh? hmmm Don't see that. Also What kinda of business where you in.. And what makes you such a business man? What large enterprise have you had?

re: texan lover: 21st Jan 2008 - 21:11 GMT

Well,son if you want to try to convince your dad to move back to Texas, you first need to determine why he moved to hutch to begin with. Does he have family here?, or did his job bring him here. If it is job related, then you might check out monster.com to see if you can find him a job somewhere in Texas where you'all like to live. Good luck!

Fred, The.: 21st Jan 2008 - 21:22 GMT

I'll agree that there are still alot of good people here with good hearts beating in them and it is a shame that they're not more visible.. There sure are alot of able bodied welfare junkies, and, yes, I'd say that I absolutely agree that they should be made to submit to drug testing in order to benefit from these ridiculous country killing entitlements- not that it matters any more as we watch our worthless currency being exposed worldwide for what it is, but, it still make me sick down inside of my belly to see the government taking WHAT LITTLE THE WORKING MAN HAS LEFT just to turn around and give it to scums.

Mr. Evinrude, I sure use to have a high I.Q., maybe I've lost a few points because of all of the darned drinking I've done, yea? And Lord KNOWS I've done some stupid things I cannot even believe that I did. We're all a human being. If you think that my grammar or spelling is off: Please remember that I speak and write in Fred Talk which I make all of the rules for, and so, I cannot ever make a mistake.. see.

It probably IS difficult to see any intelligence in me when this forum/message board software took the "e" off when I wrote "before". When the software also cut out random words making a couple of my sentences look like broken English. Etc.

What kind of business "whas" in in, you ask, that's my business.. no offense, there, but I'm not as open as I use to be about such things.

HutchGrrl: 24th Jan 2008 - 16:05 GMT

I'm from Hutchinson and I can spell! I graduated from HHS in 2001. I don't know anyone from my graduating class who chose to stay in town. Hutchinson is adorable. Many people are scared to drive in Wichita because of the traffic. The cosmosphere is awesome and so is the Salt Museum (or so I've heard), as are Carey Park and Dillon Nature Center. The problem is, most Hutch residents will go to the cosmosphere once a year, tops. What are we suppposed to do the rest of the time? Yes, there is a creepy vibe in Hutch. Perhaps it will again exlpode with gas geysers? I remember when "Mister Bo Jangles'" trailer blew up last time Hutch released its burning flatulence. Hutchinsonians will know what I'm talking about. Wichita is creepier; it has produced more than its fair share of serial killers. Yes, Hutch is boring. When I was in high school our idea of fun was going to Wal-Mart, or renting 49 cent movies at Dillons. Good times. Hutch sucks. Hope ya'll make it out before you die.

Get it together Hutchinson people!: 26th Jan 2008 - 00:38 GMT

People of Hutch need to take pride in their community by painting their houses, picking up trash in and around their yards and wearing clean clothes!

Evinrude: 27th Jan 2008 - 16:06 GMT

LOL get it together. Actually why would you care to do that stuff. That is what some people would call "polishing a turd"

Korky the plunger: 3rd Feb 2008 - 18:33 GMT

I hate Hutchinson. Interesting to find this site. I was not aware that there are this many people that hate Hutchinson. I just cameback from the Marines. I went out the the bar (mcgraws) it really sucks in my opinion.

Achiever: 3rd Feb 2008 - 22:58 GMT

I like living in Hutchinson; however, it has shrunk. When my family moved here in 1980 there were more than 50,000 residents in the city, not the whole county. Because of our wonderful city government, who's philosophy has been passed from year to year to year, many of our large businesses left because of lack of support. By support I mean, they would not expand because of lack of cooperation from the city for tax deferrment, etc. Farmarco and Cessna had HUGE factories here - not now. One of the largest employers in town is a medical facility. Does that tell you anything? If you watch our local information channel our total county population is less than 45,000 people now, and it has been that way for more than 10 years. Our town is boring, we do have some good things going on, but I think the negative stigma that is here comes from the fact that our City and County comissioners are NOT in touch with what the people need; in fact, in The Hutch News on December 5, 2007, our mayor said our city should not be involved in funding any kind of social programs like Boys and Girls Club, The Children's Emergency Fund, Sexual Assualt and Domestic Violence Center, and several others. To me, that is way out of touch with what is needed here, and I think that is what turns so many people off to our town. If, however, there were a different government paradigm (mindset/thinking), I believe people would flock here because it is a good place to live. Heart of the country, not too hot, not too cold, not too much rain, not too much snow, not too windy, not stinky like NYC or LA (other big cities), not too much crime and racially deversified. I have traveled through 49 states and 7 provinces of Canada, parts of Mexico and the Caribbean, this really is a nice place (like others).

Tex: 4th Feb 2008 - 18:27 GMT

I see today in the Hutch paper that the city manager is going to get a raise to where his base salary is $ 121,517.00 !!!! You a'll up there need to vote in a law that city and county employees get paid the same as the average taxpaying Hutchinsonite, which is about $33,300. Maybe then your city leaders will have an incentive to bring industry into town and get wages up!

james: 6th Feb 2008 - 18:08 GMT

Tex that will never happen. Hutchinsons city leaders are all babyboomers living off daddys hard work. Boomers have contributed nothing for this city.

me again: 7th Feb 2008 - 05:29 GMT

Is it taking an extremely long time to remove these tree branches,or am I just being impatient? I swear,Greensburg got cleaned up faster.

ME: 8th Feb 2008 - 05:08 GMT

Hey to all of you who are saying Hutch is such a boring town...what makes you think that where you are living now is so much better? I mean after all, if you are all living in such "cool" places...then why are you wasting your time writing articles on the internet? It just goes to show that it's not the town that's boring it's the people!

ME: 8th Feb 2008 - 05:23 GMT

to me gain: I agree it is taking an awfully long time to clean up...but I'm sure they will all be gone before State Fair time!!

Tex Re: ME: 8th Feb 2008 - 14:31 GMT

That's pretty sad, the only way you can defend your town is to insult the people making the true statements, you must work for the city. We're not saying the town is boring, we're saying it SUCKS!!

Evinrude: 9th Feb 2008 - 01:10 GMT

Re: Tex. THANK YOU. that is the most standard response that you get.

anon (201.143.103.22.dsl.dyn.telnor.net): 9th Feb 2008 - 05:39 GMT

i lived in hick town near hutch 40 yrs ago and have lived in many exotic places since. people are generally the same thru out world. its what u make of it.i am perfectly happy in the most remote areas of baja mex. yet always busy because of my interests,ham radio, books, walking, offroad m/c, etc...i was unhappy in ks because of bad social and family environment as a kid, but when i got on my own i made my happiness whereever i lived.all of the world is a "Peyton Place"dont let it dictate your life.wally

zippitydoda: 9th Feb 2008 - 09:44 GMT

It's not so much the town you live in,it's your attitude towards it. One mans trash is another mans treasure so to speak. I have however,found many of these posts to be true,no matter how painful the truth might be. I have both agreed and disagreed to these comments left here. I personally do not find Hutch all that boring,but that's just my own personal opinion. Sounds like some pretty interesting events are in the making.

squid_town: 9th Feb 2008 - 20:00 GMT

Hello.Visited hutchinson twice,clean ciy compared to gloversville ny.have been offered three decent jobs.Will move there as soon as i dig up the money out of this shit hole in ny.

Hunter: 10th Feb 2008 - 20:03 GMT

After a month or so of reading the comments in this column (thread?) i am wondering what it is that the critics think is missing in Hutchinson. It can't be movies-Hutchinson has several: it can't be TV-that's universally available: it can't be a library: Hutchinson has the best library I've ever seen in a small town: It certainly isn't educational opportunities: the local community college is among the best of the genre: it probably isn't outdoor activities-amateur sports teams are continually recruiting participants and hunting/fishing opportunities abound.

Night life is probably a bit limited, but that has always been the case in small towns. Most small-town public bars usually are heavily populated by people who have trouble maintaining verticality and who have difficulty with the language. Actually, that might be an apt description of most of these critics, judging by their written comments.

I would be very interested to read some ideas of just what these critics think would be improvements in Hutchinson; specific ideas, mind you; not just generalized whining about how the town "sucks", whatever that might mean in english.

Also, as a further aid in judging what manner of people these critics are, it would be interesting to see a short list of small towns that do indeed qualify in their view as desirable places to live.

b girl: 11th Feb 2008 - 04:01 GMT

I think the main complaint is lack of good paying jobs.

Tex: 11th Feb 2008 - 14:52 GMT

Ok, lets start with the facts instead of people's 'opinions' about how great life is in Hutch.

city-data.com/city/Hutchinson-Kansas.html

Median Household Income for 2005

Hutch residents: 33,300
Kansas residents: 42,920
Hutch govt. employees: 53,604 !!!

Hutchinson compared to Kansas state average:

Median household income below state average.
Median house value significantly below state average.
House age above state average. (Which means people are to poor to build new housing)
Institutionalized population percentage significantly above state average.
Percentage of population with a bachelor's degree or higher below state average

For population 25 years and over in Hutchinson

High school or higher: 82.3%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 17.2%
Graduate or professional degree: 5.8%

Tex Re: Hunter: 11th Feb 2008 - 15:04 GMT

I'ts all about good paying jobs, its not about 'movies', or 'tv shows' or what kind of library you have. You have a lot of people living in Hutch who don't give a damn about the fact that your city doesn't have the industry to provide good paying jobs to most of its workforce.

Tex : 11th Feb 2008 - 20:50 GMT

Oh, But despite all of the above, Hutch is a nice safe place to live........NOT!!

According to the 2003 FBI crime statistics.

Arson = 2.89 times the national average (why?, people are setting their homes and businesses on fire to collect insurance because the economy is so bad.)

Forcible Rape = 2.16 times the national average

Burglary = 1.57 times the national average

Larceny or theft = 1.50 times the national average

Aggravated assault = 1.10 times the national average

Based on the above areas of crime, on the average you would be safer living in most other cities in the nation, then you would be in Hutchinson, Ks.

So come on Hunter, lets hear some more of your insults about those that speak the truth, so that I can give you some more facts about the town that you don't know anything about!

Hunter: 12th Feb 2008 - 05:21 GMT

I'd like to make two points at this time. First, it seems that most of the dissatisfaction with Hutchinson revolves around the lack of "good", i.e. well-paid jobs. As I mentioned earlier, there are no well-paid jobs in small towns in rural areas. A prospective employer looking for a place to build a manufacturing facility, the kind of business with many highly paid jobs, will select a place that has a deep reservoir of skilled, educated and highly trained people. The place will probably be near a major metropolitan center with good and diversified transportation, and in these times many such enterprises will try to be near one or more first-class universities with their attendant research and development resources. Hutchinson simply doesn't qualify, nor do most such small towns in rural areas.

This was true when I graduated from Hutchinson High School in 1950, so I left for California. It's still true, and I suggest that some of you should face up to "reality" and take appropriate action.

My second point is addressed to Tex and concerns those crime incidence figures. Tex, you are attempting to compare apples and oranges. On the one hand you look at Hutchinson, a town of 35000 people with a particular set of crime figures, and you attempt to compare those figures with "average" (mean?) figures for the whole of the US. The proper comparison here is Hutchinson's occurrence frequencies vs. the average figures for the set of similar-sized towns in the US.

To get some idea of the problem here, imagine that someone is criticizing a vehicle because its acceleration from 0 to 60 is 13.2 seconds, it gets only 8 miles per gallon, and its tires cost $180 each, and the average for motor vehicles is 9.8 seconds, 17 mpg, and $95 per tire. This sounds pretty bad until you find that the subject vehicle is a 2-ton truck, which we should be comparing to other such trucks, not to all vehicles. Statistics is a fascinating and powerful tool when properly used, Tex, but always be careful of unsuspected pitfalls.

I'm going to be out of pocket for a week or so, but I will be interested in comments on these thoughts.

Tex Re: Hunter: 12th Feb 2008 - 15:25 GMT

My crime statistics come from the F.B.I., and I would say that they probably have well qualified statisticians who know how to report said facts fairly with the proper comparisons, so that 'apples' are not compared to 'oranges'. Unless you have a degree in statistics, what are your qualifications to question the F.B.I.'s methodology of reporting crime? And if you don't think they're doing it right, you should be able to come up with a specific example or two of where they've messed up in the past, which will have nothing to do with cars ,trucks and mpg, and the cost of tires. I know you tried to use that as an example, but sometimes examples distract from the facts, especially if the facts aren't what you want to see and you know you don't have a valid argument against them.
Most of the positive posters on this board look at Hutchinson through 'rose colored glasses' in that they only see and manufacture those things that give them happy feelings about their town, ignoring all the negatives, and awful truths, because they can't handle it. And, what's worse, they don't want to do anything about solving the problems. Why, you can't even get them to admit there are any problems!!, because they're in such a state of denial. It's like a lot of the people that were on board the Titanic, even when the water was lapping at their ankles, they wouldn't believe the ship would sink.

Tex Re: Hunter: 12th Feb 2008 - 15:55 GMT

Hunter, I also noticed you didn't comment on these statistics:

Hutchinson compared to Kansas state average:

Since these statistics only involve Kansas cities and not the entire U.S. Don't you find it interesting that Hutchinson ranks so poorly even among it's own rural sister cities in Kansas?

noname: 13th Feb 2008 - 13:35 GMT

Tex, you have brought up very good points. Hutchinson is a poor example of a city even when compared to other towns in Kansas. Hutchinson has been on a steady down fall for years. People in Hutchinson are to ignorant to see the truth. Or they simply refuse to open their eyes. I have noticed that must the positive posters on this site indicate they are teenagers, retired or are raising huge families. The majority of teenagers see life through distorted vision and can change their mind quickly, they also have not developed a good view of the world because they have very little experiance. Retired people are looking for a place to slow down and climb into the grave. People that are looking to raise huge families and live off government assistance do well in a town like this because the cost a living in a tad bit lower and government housing runs rampant.

Hutchinson also have terrible crime. It is literally infested by ex-cons freshly released from on of the 3 prisons in the sanctuary of trash. We all know that once you turn to crime, it is very hard or impossible to turn back.

Most irritation of all to me is the large amount of people that live off the government in one form or the other in Hutchinson. Either they are employed by the City, state or simply don't work and collect welfare.

Ken: 14th Feb 2008 - 00:12 GMT

This town sure looks pretty crappy.,
I'm just glad I live in the worlds most exciting cities Montreal, Quebec, Canada

noname: 14th Feb 2008 - 16:40 GMT

I was driving to WORK this morning and saw something that truly pissed me off. I left my house to see 1 million plus dollar crane picking up Tree limbs! Along with this crane were 2 bob cats, 2 dump trucks and 2 Ford F450 Diesel trucks. ALL TO PICK UP LIMBS! These assholes are being paid to set on their asses and operate expensive equipment, they should have been out picking up the limbs THEMSELVES! It is very aggravating to see a 2 guys setting in trucks burning fuel and reading the news paper knowing they are being paid to set on their fat asses and read the news paper! Then to see 2 more city employees setting on their asses in dump trucks.

It is down right sickening to see these guys setting around doing essentially nothing in million dollar equipment. This town is a poor community, it cannot afford to have assholes setting around doing nothing and collecting nice pay checks. I know plenty of people that work in the private sector, 4 times as hard for less pay.

What is truly upsetting is the fact this is just a small portion of the waste this city. It just keeps getting worse everyday. Yet we cannot attract any business and the town keeps shrinking. As "Tex" pointed out most city or county employed slobs in this town make twice the average pay of someone privately employed here.

What they should do is lay half these over paid, lazy employees and sell the equipment (at a loss I am sure) and use that money to attract new industries.

People are always bringing up the point that this city will not give any financial incentives to being new business into town. WHY WOULD THEY? The largest employer is the city and to support that they keep raising the taxes and spending more money. A large portion of this county is employed by the state, city or county. There are no large corporations in town any longer and that will not change. The ridiculous attempts by the Chamber of commerce will never help. The national economy is in a down slide and it is to late. Large companies have already decided where they are going to be located and very few of them plan on expansion.

On a different note, I am amazed to see how many people in this town simply do not work. Yet they can drive around all day and burn gas and get fatter. I wonder who is paying for this? I will elaborate more on this next time.

Tex: Re: noname: 14th Feb 2008 - 17:53 GMT

Good points, It also makes one wonder if friends and relatives of city and county officials are being hired for city positions. They shouldn't be, but I would bet you have to be a member of some 'good ole boys' club to get a city job, because of how well those positions pay. Same situation with the Cosomosphere and Salt Museum, anything that is tax payer funded, ought to be scrutinized as to whether there are any inappropriate hiring preferences done.

Cody Heitschmidt: 16th Feb 2008 - 20:24 GMT

Why if you hated something, anything, so much would you devote so much of your time to it, to degrading it, to bashing it. Why if you had such a void in your life from the holes that Hutchinson Ks put you in, why would you take such a huge amount of time rekindling it in this thread.

I like Hutch, just my thoughts.

But because it has a given me a good place to try and run a business, it has given me a good place to raise a great family, it has given me a place to buy a decent home that was in my budget, it has given my Children a good recreation system and plenty of opportunities to get involved in things, it has given my children a great opportunity for a free education, because of all those things and alot of others, I don't have anymore time to waste in here, I need to get back to taking advantage of all the opportunities Hutchinson Ks gave me.

Re: Cody: 17th Feb 2008 - 05:38 GMT

Sounds like you're pretty self centered. As long as everything is fine for you and your family and business, that's all that counts isn't it? What about all the underprivileged people in your town, who have to suffer for lack of jobs and a mis-managed city? Who carries their voice? Obviously not you. Go look in the mirror, you'll see one person who helped get Hutchinson to the state it's in today.

Tex: 17th Feb 2008 - 06:31 GMT

Remember to your dying day, one of the most precious rights we have is Freedom Of Speech, which is guaranteed to each of us under the Constitution of the United States. Excercising this freedom helps to invoke thought, discussion and eventual change. Never, never, never, let anyone intimidate you to keep quiet, just because they don't want to hear what you have to say. Our founding fathers and many others fought and died for these rights, and we do them a disservice if we keep our mouths shut and not point out inequalites and injustices done against our fellow man.

Re: to all: 17th Feb 2008 - 06:54 GMT

This post amazes me. No one seems to want to hear any good about Hutch. There are good things about Hutch,but I don't dare tell about them on this post,or I will be made to feel like an alien or something. So I will keep my little happy memories to myself,thank you.

Re: to Tex: 17th Feb 2008 - 07:04 GMT

The Hutch Haters Club sure does have a right to voice their opinion,but the Hutch Lovers Club has the same right to do the same,without the former putting them down. This thread has completely gone off track from what it started out to be,but nonetheless,I have become addicted to this thread and find it very entertaining,maybe because I can't find anything else to entertain me???

Tex: Re: to Tex: 17th Feb 2008 - 14:44 GMT

"Why if you hated something, anything, so much would you devote so much of your time to it, to degrading it, to bashing it. Why if you had such a void in your life from the holes that Hutchinson Ks put you in, why would you take such a huge amount of time rekindling it in this thread" -- Oh!, If I'm not mistaken, this came from a pro Hutch person, and this isn't putting people down???? If you're going to come up with rules, try to abide by them yourself.

noname: 17th Feb 2008 - 19:09 GMT

I work in a business that allows me to see the finest of Hutchinson and surrounding areas. Hutchinson it's surrounding population consist of the following: Retirees, poor families, meth addicts, leeches. No more no less. Sure there are a few good people in this town. But those people are by far the minority. I would like to expand the view a bit. Have you taken to time to look at the towns the surround Hutchinson. Arlington? Nickerson? Sylvia, Plevna, Partridge?? These are all supreme examples of the Trash that infests this community. I was simply amazed at these areas. They are every stereotype that you can think of when thinking of hicks. I am embarrassed to even speak of these people.

Also Cody, I am proud of you for pointing out your name. Sounds to me like a good German name. Perhaps relation to the good ol' boys club? Perhaps that is the reason that you are so fond of Hutchinson? Why would you not be? You have been GIVEN every chance in life. I repeat GIVEN.

Hunter: 18th Feb 2008 - 01:13 GMT

I'm back again, and will comment again on Tex's "statistics". Tex your reply to my criticism of your use of crime statistics was simply to attribute the data to the FBI, but I did not question the accuracy of the quoted data. I agree that the FBI is probably quite capable of gathering dependable data. Your mistake(s) come in the use and interpretation of those data. You compare numbers and averages of various sorts for Hutchinson, a small town, with similar numbers for the entire state of Kansas, a different population with sub-populations consisting of towns/cities of various sizes. This is what I referred to when I said you were comparing apples and oranges. I suspected you might not immediately understand the point, and that was why I included the heuristic about vehicles. That example really is a valid one, and you ought to think about it a bit. The real sticking point here seems to be your failure to realize that "statistics" as a field is mostly about the study and analysis of data, not just their collection. Might I suggest that you have a look at Wikipedia's article on "statistics?

No, I don't have a degree in statistics (my degree is in physics/geophysics), but we really aren't talking about anything very complicated here. Statistics is a very complex subject if you get serious about it, but you don't really need a lot to avoid playing the fool. You would profit by reading a bit on the subject; perhaps just enough so you can explain the difference between a chi-square and a T-square, and no, that's not a joke.

With a bit of statistical analysis under your belt you will come to see that Hutchinson's low household income, low house values, high average age of housing, and probably several other anomalies that distress you can be explained as artifacts of the general loss of population and of small industries in American small towns. It's a pity, but that just seems to be the way it is. I now live in a small town in California, and it's the same situation here. The local kids who want to make more than a bare living must pick up and move to a metropolitan area.

A constantly recurring theme in these discussions is the complaint that there are no good jobs in the town, and I have a question for these complainers.

If I were to decide to open a business in Hutchinson, just what skills and attributes do you complainers possess that would persuade me to hire you for high pay? I would want somebody who was experienced as a machinist, electronics tech, design engineer, carpenter, secretary, programmer, or some similar skilled occupation. Do any of the complainers have any of these skills? I, and probably others, would genuinely like to know the answer to this question. It would help in deciding whether we are dealing with good people who are genuinely in distress or just a pack of whining ne'er-do-wells.

Former Hutchinsonite: 18th Feb 2008 - 16:17 GMT

Gosh Hunter, sounds like you're a hypocrite. If you thought the town was so great, why did you pack up and move out to California to find a job? And as far as the crime statistics that 'Tex' reported, I think they're probably right on as to what you actually see going on in this town on a day to day basis. I've seen numerous Hutch citizens go to prison for setting their businesses on fire to collect the insurance money. Not to mention all the drug crime and everything else. I think living out in California has kind of put you out of touch with the reality that is back here.

I challenge you , if you think life is so great here, why don't you move back and
prove it? Other wise you're a hypocrite.

noname: 18th Feb 2008 - 17:19 GMT

Re: Former Hutchinsonite. I have to agree. Seems odd to has some asshole in California commenting about a town that he does not inhabit. Hutchinson is truly the worst of the worst. These statistic that "tex" is speaking about are not made up. I think that Hunter needs to have a beef with the City-Data website, they are reporting these averages. Not Tex. Also being that he is not a statistics major he needs to shut his loud mouth. I am sure that City-Data does not just grab some physics/geophysics major and have them compute these statistics.

Furthermore, how are you Hunter to judge anyone! You claim to be so educated and intelligent. We have no proof. (also your education has nothing to do with the topic of this forum) For you to degrade these "complainers" and ask them what skills or education they have is asinine. You moved from this town, you left the problem. It is very easy for you to set on your high horse and mock these people. If it is so great then why did you leave?

Also you talk about this same thing happening across the country. The only difference between the rest of the country and Hutchinson is that this is not a new trend in Hutchinson. Hutchinson has been in a steady down fall for years, because of big headed city leaders that want to help themselves and the small group of people they call friends.

Mcpherson has seen steady growth for the last 10 years, Salina has also. Both of these near by towns have been adding industrial skilled labor jobs to it economy for years. i.e Phillips, Nations Pizza and Abbott Labs. Hutchinson has wasted money attracting a small group of tourist to see it's worthless attractions like the Cosmophere and the Tax payer supported Salt museum.

For you to state this is national problem is wrong. Hutchinson has been shrinking for years and will continue to do so.

I am sick and tired of seeing people like hunter getting on this forum and showing their ass. Simply for the act of self promotion.

Tex Re: Hunter: 18th Feb 2008 - 20:02 GMT

Hunter, I'm tired of you giving out false statements. As I said before, I did not come up with the crime statistics, they came from the F.B.I. You can review them at this website:

www.cityrating.com/citycrime.asp?city=Hutchinson&state=KS

I did not generate the data, I did not compile the data, nor did I do anything else with the data, and you can come up with all the lies that you want but the facts are still there, whether you want to believe the numbers or not. If you have a problem with the facts, then contact the Justice Dept that came up with them.

And, you're still on the kick of trying to personally find fault with the negative posters on this board. You want to make them out to be 'stupid' or 'dumb' or 'ignorant' so that you can dismiss everything that they say about what life
is like in Hutch.

Well, do you know what the FASB recommendations are going to be for future financial statement reporting in the next few years?. Can you tell me how Sarbanes-Oxley has affected current auditing procedures? If you can't then you must be an idiot, and you have nothing to say that has any importance to me. -- This is the way you reason isn't it? It's the way most of the 'elite' do-nothings in Hutch operate. Look big, act big, talk big, put other people down, and be made of very little substance and hope nobody sees it. It makes me sick, people can see you're phonies from a mile away.

And you still refuse to address the issue that I put to you about the comparison of Hutchinson to its sister cities in Kansas. Yes, small Ag towns are declining, but why is Hutchinson so much worse when compared to her fellow sister Ag cities in Kansas?

Hunter: 19th Feb 2008 - 01:03 GMT

My, my, you fellows (Tex, Noname, and former Hutchinsonite) have certainly grown suddenly very touchy. You raise so many points with so much overlap I'll try to answer by point, rather than address each correspondent in turn.

All three of you want to know why I left Hutchinson. I've posted four messages on this venue since 1/7/08, and I believe that in each of them I pointed out that small towns have no prospects for young people: thus, I left for greener pastures. If that is still not clear enough, just ask again and I will try to simplify the message even more.

Former Hutchinsonite also wants to know why I haven't moved back now. That's a fair question, and the answer is that I don't like the climate (read humidity) of the central USA, and I like living in the mountains. As I type this i am looking out at a range of snow-capped peaks (Sierra Nevada) that range up to 14,000 feet with lots of excellent hiking, backpacking, etc. easily available. I live in a town smaller than Hutchinson, but I'm now retired, so a job is not a problem. Except for those issues, I might well consider returning. I like the people, and after more than fifty years absence I still have many friends there.

Tex and Noname are still under the impression that I reject Tex's data set he gleaned from the FBI. I've said it before, but let me repeat:
I AM REASONABLY CONFIDENT THAT TEX'S DATA ARE CORRECT.
How's that? Clear enough this time?
My doubts concern Tex's use of the data sets, his statistical inferences using those data. In his posting of 2/11/08, Tex compared Hutchinson data with data drawn from statewide averages, and I Pointed out that this is an apples-oranges situation. For meaningful conclusions, one must compare Hutchinson to other similar small towns, not with the whole state lumped together. He professed to disagree with that, but I am somewhat encouraged to note that in his posting today (2/18/08) in the last paragraph Tex claims to have compared Hutchinson with its "sister cities in Kansas". He didn't do that, of course, but at least he seems to have recognized the desirability of that approach and claims to have done so. Perhaps all this typing isn't wasted effort after all and next week he will actually do it.

Both Tex and Noname seem to think I have labeled others as "stupid", "ignorant", "dumb", etc.. I would invite them to cite a single example of such boorish language on my part. On the contrary, I have been most careful to remain civil in all cases. I believe the strongest criticism I have leveled at anyone is "complainer", but this is simply an identifier: it's what they do, a way to distinguish them from the other people on this thread. For the most part I have just asked questions (I always have admired Socrates).

Noname makes the point that my educational background, degrees, etc. have nothing to do with this forum. I agree completely and direct Noname's attention to the fact that I made no mention of the subject until I was directly questioned by Tex, who wanted to know if I had a degree in statistics. I suggest that Noname take up this point of propriety with Tex, not with me.

Leaving off my defence for now, I have a question for Noname. You mention that McPherson and Salina have a recent period (ten years or so) of very healthy population growth and industrial development. Assuming that your data are accurate, this is a very interesting point, and one worth exploring. Both of these towns are indeed similar in size and apparent situation to Hutchinson. Do you (or anybody else) have any idea why these two towns have fared so much better than others apparently similar? This might be quite important if anyone is actually interested in improving Hutchinson.

A related question might be "if McPherson is doing so well, with good jobs and all those desirable qualities, why don't the people complaining about no jobs in Hutchinson, either move to McPherson, or just commute from Hutchinson? Guesses, anybody?

noname: 19th Feb 2008 - 16:16 GMT

Hunter, First off I am self employed. I have not needed to explore other towns. My complaint comes from the lack of people with money in this town. Thank God for the internet... I do twice as much business with out of town customers then Hutchinson residence. When I do business with Hutchinson residence they always want something for nothing. They have no money and expect you to give them what they want. Contrast that with customers of Wichita, Salina , KC etc and I see a vast difference in their financial state. The pay in full cash no questions asked.

As to your point about the growth of other towns surrounding Hutchinson. I have several reasons that come to mind for the downfall of the economy in Hutchinson.

1. The lack of interstate highway. (both Mcpherson and Salina are connected to I70 and 135.

2. The lack of good city management. Hutchinson has been ran since it's inception by people that THINK they are above everyone because of family relation or past businesses. There is alot of old money in this town that controls it.

3. The lack of a state college. Salina has a campus of KU and Mcpherson has a very strong community college.

4. Wasting of resources. This town seems to have spending money the wrong way to a fine art. i.e. salt museum, Cosmosphere and the sports department at the high school. They also are very good at investing in failed enterprises and tourist attractions.

5. Large welfare/SSI roles. Tex as pointed out the statistical data that Hutchinson has a wealth of people on SSI or some form of government support.

6. The State Prisons. Hutchinson has a high crime rate and low town income because of the parole of detainees from the two Hutchinson Correctional Facilities. This also fuels the large amount of unskilled and uneducated criminals the inhabit this city. Also helping support the welfare state here. People are released from prison and get on welfare.

I am sure if I sat down longer I could find many more reason. But I have work to do.

Tex: Re Hunter's request: 19th Feb 2008 - 16:57 GMT

"Both Tex and Noname seem to think I have labeled others as "stupid", "ignorant", "dumb", etc.. I would invite them to cite a single example of such boorish language on my part"

How about this statement you made?

"The more outspoken of the town's critics are clearly the sort of ill-educated people that would have a tough time in any competitive environment. That is probably why they have elected to remain in Hutchinson and whine rather than move and succeed"

Still in Hutchinson: 19th Feb 2008 - 17:56 GMT

McPherson is thriving with business because it is right off the interstate and that is what big business owners want. The cost of living in Hutch is less than most places around here, McPherson for example.
I have lived in the Hutch area for about 15 years now. I have lived in a lot of the small towns around Hutch and always end up coming back because of the cost of living. To accomodate for the lack of jobs we do not work in Hutch.
The Hutch schools are too big for me as I did grow up in a very small community so I also send my son to a smaller school district.
When we get bored with what little Hutch does have to offer we go to somewhere else or we just simply make our own entertainment. When you know just a few people that really isn't all that hard to do.
I too believe there are too many people who are on welfare that don't need it. They know exactly how to scam the system. That problem exists no matter where you go.
Some of you that did leave here obviously have nothing better to than gripe about where you used to live. Just a suggestion... If you can't find anything positive to say then don't say anything at all. Give it up already and move on with your lives.

Re to still in Hutch: 19th Feb 2008 - 19:01 GMT

I know what you are saying. Five years ago I was really checking Mcpherson out to buy a home there and work,as I allready had a job in Mac. My Gosh,the price of real estate was way,way to expensive for me. I even checked out rentals,and they too were out of my price range. So I bought a small little two bedroom bungalow home here,and here in Hutch is where I will continue to live. The cost of living in Mac is considerably higher,I don't know about Salina though because I never checked it out.

Tex: 19th Feb 2008 - 19:37 GMT

I think noname summed up the picture perfectly well!

GuRu: 20th Feb 2008 - 07:08 GMT

This town is like americas butthole. If there was something to actually do in town, maybe it wouldnt be so bad. LIke, say, reopen the teen center. That might cut down on the crime, and keep the kids in check. And another thing, why the hell do we have so many freakin mexican restraunts? I know its a lil brown here, but geez.
And for the record, the cosmosphere is lame, hastings is not a cool hang out, unless you're 13, and wal-mart is the hub of culture. that culture being white trash, illegal immigrants, fossils, and vison card members.

noname: 20th Feb 2008 - 13:39 GMT

Re: Still in Hutch. First off, if the only reason that you like Hellchinson is because of the low cost of living then you are just proving my points. You sound like a complaisant fool who does not want to improve your life. So your points to be a void to me.

noname: 20th Feb 2008 - 13:41 GMT

Also, the reason that Mcpherson may be more expensive is because the economy there can support high rent etc. BTW Taxes are higher in Hutchinson than Mcpherson.. Hutchinson has to be cheap because of the massive welfare state.

wowzer: 20th Feb 2008 - 21:11 GMT

I grew up in Hutch, and honestly the only thing I miss are my family, friends and my church. Everytime I go back it seems more dreary. The Hutch Haters and Hutch lovers all made good points. But can't we all just get along? lmao!

Hunter: 21st Feb 2008 - 00:27 GMT

Ouch!! Tex, you winged me good on that one. Since I wasn't addressing any specific person, I was careless of my language. I stand by my conclusions, but the language, especially that second sentence, was not in line with my claims. Point conceded.

Re to noname: 21st Feb 2008 - 01:12 GMT

I bought a small affordable home in Hutch,verses something more expensive,because I am hardly ever home and a single woman,I didn't want upkeep on something larger,I work in the medical field and happen to make decent money,so therefore my life doesn't really need improvement. What do you do for a living,I wonder? So your points to be a void to me also,whatever that means.

Fred, The.: 21st Feb 2008 - 04:05 GMT

The only good thing Hutchinson Kansas has to offer is reasonable and tough law enforcement and reno county court judges. Kansas does nothing but steal and waste as evidenced by, well, just about everything you see happening. Stupid blinking lights on halfwall things down main street, road construction we don't even need while other roads age past forty, and on and on and on. The idiots in Topeka are not only a pack of extortionists but they're confused, disorganized and destructive.

Those maniacs in Topeka have all but ruined me. It will soon be my absolute pleasure to take alot of money away from them, legally and honestly I will have the opportunity to save businesses from this hell and help take money out of this state for the good of better run states.

re: Fred: 21st Feb 2008 - 18:55 GMT

Reasonable law enforcement? I beg to differ. I called police on a child abuse situation,was told by the police to call SRS,I called SRS and was told to call the police. The police came back out to check out the situation and told me their was no abuse because the toddler had clean clothes on,the mothers house was clean,and the child had toys. It didn't matter that the mother cussed her toddler every day,calling her a little b----,a little mother------,the mother would scream to the child that she was going to kill her and throw her up against the wall. And this went on daily,I know because I was in the apartment right next door taking care of my mother on a daily basis. This child screamed and cried constantly,but wouldn't you if you were treated that way? Now listen to this!! I was threatned to be taken into custody because I became upset when this mother was not dealt with!! So I have to dissagree with you about our law enforcement. They saw a cute,little abusive mother and believed her over a middle aged heavy set woman who was and still is concerned for this child,wherever she may be now. The mother moved after I called the police.

Fred, The.: 22nd Feb 2008 - 05:38 GMT

MS. Lady.. I understand your concern for the little child... It makes me mad and angry like Al Capone when I see little children being abused. I believe in knocking the living **** out of a misbehaving child, but, not one as young as that one, and, not for pure amusement and I think that it's a low thing, that is, taking something out on the little child who didn't even do any thing.

It's sad, you know, these days you even see children who will act out just because they are so hungry for attention. They would rather take abusive attention than take no attention whatsoever.

In your situation the problem was simple to understand.. YOU saw her abuse the child THEY saw you acting upset while the woman put on her little act.

They have to go by what they see. Remember, they do not know the eithers of yas, so, what they find when they show up is what they'll tend to be able to believe.

You stand there upset, with your side,
She stands there calm, with her side,

A reasonable officer will probably have to believe the one of yous who appears to be calm and reasonable.. you know, because, she's surely standing there with "Officer, that lady just doesn't like me, she's just making things up."..
and what is their reason to believe otherwise?

re: Fred: 22nd Feb 2008 - 18:18 GMT

That makes sense what you said,what I couldn't understand about the situation was that while I was outside talking to the officers, the lady who lived on the other side of little miss abuser also told the officer about what she had seen and heard. And I had even knocked on this girls door more than once once when I heard her threatning to kill her baby,and told her if she just needed some time to calm herself down,I would watch her baby for her,or if she ever felt like she needed to talk to someone,I would be there for her,because I know how stressful it can be to be a single mother.She refused all offers of help. I then told her the next time I heard her abuse her baby,I would have to call the cops. But I shouldn't catagorize all cops,Hutch truly does have some wonderful officers.And good and fair Judges also,I have to agree.I loved Judge Macke-Dick. I have seen her in action in the past and think she was wonderful and fair.

Brittany: 25th Feb 2008 - 17:16 GMT

I live in Hutch and Judge Macke Dick married my husband and i. it's not that bad here, but i don't care what your opinions are it's not right to put people down just because of where they live, some people enjoy living here and thats ok.. i dont happen to be one of them though because we are moving this summer. still, the town is not just trailor trash, i know a LOT of hard working people that do very well for themselves. it's not fair to say that the whole town is stubborn also, you're the one thats stubborn for not letting others voice their opinions.

Brittany: 25th Feb 2008 - 23:27 GMT

Oh wow, you have such a good outlook on life. I personally don't care what you think. How about that? Hutchinson is a falling place. Sorry, facts are facts. Even if Macke-Dick Married you. How does that make her a good judge? Any judge can marry anyone. So What.

Samuei: 26th Feb 2008 - 05:00 GMT

Not to disrupt the discussion, but did anybody else notice that those photos (except the one picture of the Fair) are all of the same building? It's on 20th and Monroe, about a 5 minute drive from either highway. That part of town is residential. Go three blocks south and about twelve blocks east to Lorraine and 17th, where there's an active locally-owned coffee shop near an also-active Starbucks.

I hate Hutch, but you don't need to do stupid things to make it look terrible. It does that on its own.

re: samuei: 26th Feb 2008 - 05:58 GMT

the idiot who took the pics does not know a damn thing.that building is the old saint elizabeth hospital and was never located across from any highway.i love hutch and dont give a rats ass what anyone thinks.

re: samuel: 26th Feb 2008 - 15:04 GMT

Actually the run down st. elizabeth hospital is typical of a lot of run down buldings in hutch, he should of taken pictures of the ghost town which makes up downtown, that's why you have to look at Lorraine and 17th to find a business that's still around

noname: 26th Feb 2008 - 15:58 GMT

To the person who re: to Samuel. You are just a pure idiot if you love Hutchinson. Let me ask you a question.? Are you employed?

re: samuei: 27th Feb 2008 - 05:05 GMT

i am employed to the tune of 50 grand a year,noname,and i dont give a rats ass once again.

Tex: 28th Feb 2008 - 16:05 GMT

Hutch News today:

Reno County is undergoing a federal audit, with payroll, cell phone and tax data coming under scrutiny

Whooo doggies!!!, maybe the truth will now come out.

noname: 28th Feb 2008 - 16:20 GMT

Re: Tex, I hope the truth comes out, but I doubt it. This town is very very good about making shit disappear.

A Rapper: 28th Feb 2008 - 17:18 GMT

I love Hutch,Hutch loves me,I don't care if you disagree!

noname: 28th Feb 2008 - 18:37 GMT

Good, Keep loving Hutchinson. I can see how your retarded mind would just love Hutchinson.

GuRu: 29th Feb 2008 - 00:19 GMT

Anyone who loves this town is either old, or an ineffective middle manager making 10 bucks an hour and bossing around brown people. Wake up peeps! We have nazi cops, child molesters on every block, and mexicans running around in packs. Anyone who loves this town must be on anti-depressants also. And for the record, there is a lot of child abuse that goes on here and nothing happens.

Tex: 29th Feb 2008 - 22:08 GMT

This was in the Wichita Eagle, I don't think the Hutch News reported it, I wonder why

HUTCHINSON, Kan. - A Reno County jail deputy is accused of having consensual sex with a female inmate in a cell.

Yep, it looks like a lot of perverts are in love with Hutch.

S.S.: 1st Mar 2008 - 16:36 GMT

Tex must love and miss Hutchinson and Kansas in general,or he wouldn't keep up with whats going on in our town.

to:noname: 2nd Mar 2008 - 17:11 GMT

And you haven't insulted others on this posting? Calling people retards and idiots isn't insulting in your opinion? It sounds to me that you want to dish it out but you can't take it when someone gives it right back.But thats always the case when a persons brain is as small as their appendage.Ouch!!!!!

Loda: 2nd Mar 2008 - 23:55 GMT

Atleast Mr. noname brings up good points. That is more that I can say about the last poster saying that he can dish it but not take it.

re to loda: 3rd Mar 2008 - 06:07 GMT

and can you bring up any good points? i seriously doubt it.

Peter: 3rd Mar 2008 - 15:09 GMT

i find it funny that despite all the above critique re: the photos, etc... that no one else has posted any better ones of hutchinson... hmm. what are all you hutchinsonians hiding? heh.

Tex: 3rd Mar 2008 - 15:17 GMT

Yes I loved Hutch, I especially loved it when I was able to leave town and come down here to Texas and get a job that paid over twice as much as what I was making up there. Now I can afford to live in a nice new home, and drive a new car. And this is because the city of Hutch has no focus on bringing in good paying jobs!

Tex Re: Peter: 3rd Mar 2008 - 16:26 GMT

That's a good point, someone ought to take some pictures of the downtown area on a Sat. afternoon and some of McPherson's downtown and lets look at the difference.

Peter: 3rd Mar 2008 - 16:41 GMT

totally. i say go for it. because the back-and-forth bickering here is largely meaningless (and somewhat laughable, no offense) to us outsiders; perhaps some evidence of what everyone is saying might be worthwhile- i know it would paint a much more vivid, factual picture of hutchinson beyond people's dubiously motivated arguments and namecalling.

plus, as this post is pushing 100,000 views, im sure many of the other viewers would like to see a change in pace in this thread, and perhaps something to beef up all the spurious chatter...

noname: 3rd Mar 2008 - 17:03 GMT

Mcpherson's downtown has nothing to do with it's economy. If you tried to take that as a indication of economic growth you would not see anything. Downtowns are dieing as towns spread out. The fact is that Mcpherson has been more active in looking for new business. If you want to see some of their growth just drive down I35 and look at all the new businesses sprouting up. Then take a drive down K-61 or 96 when leaving Hutchinson. Look at the open fields and abandon buildings.

I think that is funny that anyone would look at downtown Hutchinson and consider it a busy place, most the businesses are closed or just plain dead.

As to the people posting comments about me. Your opinion means nothing to me. You can keep making your personal stabs at me. This just show to me how much of a Hutchinsonite asshole you truly are. And I could give a shit what you have to say. If you want to debate the facts then I will pay attention otherwise you can stick your head back up your fat ass and ignore the facts.

Peter: 3rd Mar 2008 - 17:15 GMT

so... perhaps we can get past all the pointless name-calling and someone who actually lives in hutchinson can post some photos that prove their point? otherwise, this thread is just becoming a big, endless argument between a small handful of very opinionated people.

i, for one, live in nyc and though i skip over every single argumentative/ranty comment on this thread, id definitely check out comments that contained something besides the same tired old arguments, you know, something with substance. so, id recommend that someone start doing that. not only would it save this thread, it would also show your town in a MUCH more positive light...

to noname: 3rd Mar 2008 - 17:42 GMT

you must be thinking of dieting,something your fatass must need to do.

Tex: 4th Mar 2008 - 17:33 GMT

Here's a sad example

In the Hutch news, was this story,

"Owner of Wiley building leaves tenants in the cold" "The coffee group can joke about it - but the tenants of the Wiley building aren't necessarily laughing.
They say they've been without heat - except that from space heaters -
for more than a month." "Depending on whom you ask, the building's boiler broke
one to two months ago." "For now, and apparently for the rest of the cold-weather season, glowing space heaters are strewn about the first floor of the Wiley building"

The Wiley building is one of the two largest buildings in downtown Hutchinson. A picture of it is in this thread, posted on 9/11/07, you can find it about halfway down the thread, there are 3 pictures and the Wiley bldg is the 8 or 9 story bldg in the bottom picture.(Once again, I'm not referring to the pictures at the top of the thread)

This bldg 30 to 40 yrs ago, used to be filled with tennants such as doctors, lawyers, dentists. The bottom several floors had a large dept. store sort of like Macy's that was called Wiley's. Now, the bldg is basically empty, except for some tennants on the bottom floor. In looking at the picture, just dwell on how vibrant and alive with activity this place used to be and now all that's left are a few people on the ground floor trying to heat themselves with space heaters.

Re to Tex: 4th Mar 2008 - 20:29 GMT

You are so right Tex. I love reading your comments because you are right about everything and know what you are talking about because you have lived here.You also are man enough to post your opinions without getting rude and hateful to other posters which does not solve anything,only shows that ignorant people really do live in this town.This whole thing has got out of hand with the children bickering back and forth with the name calling,so it has been so refreshing to read what you have to say in such an adult manner.Please keep on posting!You are very interesting!

oevre: 5th Mar 2008 - 20:57 GMT

Remember Hutchinson in mainly four images....swimming pool in Summer near the grain elevator...high school with brilliant turquoise colored panels, architect was Californian, people said...the old old deep red brick junior high where my parents went to high school and then I to junior high....the huge trees touching in the middle of the street high overhead on the old bungalow streets and with this image of the trees in August the sound of the cicadas in the fall, that gorgeous sound, everywhere you go...

noname: 5th Mar 2008 - 23:42 GMT

To the blank responder: I would like to argue points with you about hutchinson, but you are to good to even post a name. I am not going to respond to your comments about the typo. I could careless. You have not brought up one single point that contrasts our facts about this town. So keep it to yourself asshole. Unless you have something to say beside petty comments. I dare you, show proof to Tex or myself that we are wrong! I bet you can't.

blank responder: 6th Mar 2008 - 17:49 GMT

Don't put yourself in the same catagory as Tex. He has something worthwhile to say,while you dont. You just go around posting what other people have posted,then act like its you who is so smart,when it isnt.You need to devote more of your time to your failing business and not so much time to this thread.That said,I'm outta here for good.I have made my point.

Hutch Lovers: 7th Mar 2008 - 11:29 GMT

news briefs:This a fine x-ample of Hutchinson good ol boys and their families and when they get into trouble.Their charges don't hold up to the crime.And they print it and stupid Hutchinsons let it go.

Trial in Baby Jane case delayed againThe trial of Baby Jane's mother has been continued a third time after the defendant requested a continuance this week.

Sarah Farley was 16 when a baby, dubbed "Baby Jane," was found dead in the backyard of her stepfather's rural home in March 2006.

Farley's trial, scheduled for March 17 through 21, has been rescheduled for June 18 and 19. The trial was originally scheduled to begin last summer but was rescheduled for the fall, then again for this month.

DNA tests revealed Farley was the mother of the deceased infant, but health officials could not determine whether the child was born dead or alive.

Farley was arrested and charged with three counts of engaging in sexual activity while younger than 16, which is against the law in Kansas.

Discuss this story | E-mail this story to a friend

Tex: 7th Mar 2008 - 15:10 GMT

That's unbelievable, the prosecutors in that case ought to be criminally charged. The state or feds definitely need to step in and clean up that justice
system that they have running up there.

noname: 7th Mar 2008 - 16:29 GMT

Blank Responder. You are the king of petty comments. I could careless what you think or say. What I can't figure out is why Hutchinsonites like blank responder have to resort to name calling etc. I have brought up several points that I have been commended for in the past. No Matter what you say Hutchinson will continue to shrink. The only people that defend this town are the individuals stuck here.

Peter: 7th Mar 2008 - 22:44 GMT

i keep getting re, noname and blank responder confused. it must be those vague name choices. this thread has officially devolved.

for god's sake, cant anyone just post some better photos of hutchinson already?

Crystal: 12th Mar 2008 - 02:10 GMT

I agree that this town in boring but like another person pointed out You only took a picture of like ONE spot here. There are beautiful things here too not just an old hospital that they converted into apartments/halfway house for people just out of prison. I'm sorry you're experiences here where not that good but life is what you make of it if you're bored you're going to have a boring life...

optomystic: 12th Mar 2008 - 12:37 GMT

why,oh why,oh why can't folks realize that hutchinson is a wonderful town ? the opportunities in hutchinson are simply amazing. please move to hutchinson- you will just love it! can't you hear the bells ringing and the angels singing? please get here as quickly as you can. your destiny awaits in this pocket of prosperity.you are loved here-we need you- PLEASE HURRY !

Stuck in Hutchinson: 13th Mar 2008 - 11:20 GMT

I need some advice on getting out of this hell hole. I'm pretty lazy, like most of the people in this town, but I still have some hope that maybe I could make something out of myself. I know, I need to grow a pair and get the fuck out. This town is like a bad infection, once it's got a hold of you it's hard to shake.

The biggest problem I see with Hutchinson is this asshole complex everyone has. If you like the cost of living and the low crime rate, well, that's one thing, but to talk about how nice, and friendly the people are is laughable. I wouldn't trust the conservative christian next door to feed my dog.

noname: 13th Mar 2008 - 17:24 GMT

optomystic. You are sure that your name should have not been sarcastic?

Coming to Visit: 14th Mar 2008 - 13:25 GMT

Wow, I love Hutchinson already. All the crazy comments and opinions everyone has on this city have made me laugh for damn near 30 minutes.

I will be visiting for maybe a week in June that is if you can keep me entertained for that long!

Liketolivehere: 14th Mar 2008 - 18:42 GMT

Yes, Hutchinson does have some negative issues. Every place does. If you don't like it here, leave. To say that you are "stuck" is just plan lazy. Go to the big city & find the job and excitment you are looking for. Wichita is only 60 miles, if you don't have transportation, walk!

Tex: 15th Mar 2008 - 19:37 GMT

This was in the Hutch News on 3/15/08

"A Reno County man has been convicted a second time for having sex with a dog and could now face jail time."

Greg Benefiel, Reno County assistant district attorney said "If a judge finds it's a sexually motivated crime, he can be required to register as a sex offender,"

Good God!!!!, you'all need to import some women up there, or some of you gals need to quit playing hard to get!!!

Stuck also: 17th Mar 2008 - 17:04 GMT

Yep!! It sux. I have lived in Hutchinson for a long time and believe me it sux! There is an ass hole complex here. No diversitey at all. Your either a local wealthy or your nothing. What a looser town.

Sad for you: 18th Mar 2008 - 15:51 GMT

I feel sad for those that post such negative things about Hutch, its people, etc. Maybe if you’d get out there and be kind to others and do good deeds you wouldn’t have to sit at a computer and post negative things – take your meds and go get a life! OK – that was negative, let me rephrase that – become a foster parent (nope – again doesn’t work, you wouldn’t qualify). Get a job – (nope – your tattoos and crime records won’t get you anything past McDonalds). OK – I’ll try again, go to church (oops – forgot you are probably Atheist). Sigh….your negativism has seeped into me – see how you reap what you sow? I'll leave and find something more positive to do as you work on lash backs.

not so borimg to me: 18th Mar 2008 - 16:22 GMT

Hutch isnt so boring to me. Any weekend you can find some sort of entertainment going on somewhere. The sports arena,memorial hall,grand prairie,cosmophere,salt museum,numerous big screen movies,ball games,car races. For a town this size,there is a lot to do if you go look for something to do. But the posters here would rather complain.

Re to Tex: 18th Mar 2008 - 16:26 GMT

I guess that man had to resort to the dog, because we dont have the sheep here that ya all do in Texas.

optomystic: 19th Mar 2008 - 21:20 GMT

Hutchinson is an awesome town. Please move here and discover what you are missing. You will be AMAZED!

a person: 20th Mar 2008 - 04:24 GMT

The good folks of Hutchinson must care about their town one way or another,good or bad. This post keeps getting more and more input,the posts on Salina don't,nor does the Oklahoma post get very much input. I think Hutchinson has some wonderful people here,rich and poor alike.

Former Hutchinsonite: 20th Mar 2008 - 16:51 GMT

I was wrong, I'm sorry, life in Kansas certainly isn't boring.

This was in the Hutch news last week:

"Hospital detached toilet seat from woman, sheriff says"

WICHITA - Law enforcement officials planned to present their report to the Ness County attorney Wednesday to see if any charges should be filed against a 36-year-old boyfriend whose girlfriend had spent the last two years on a toilet seat.

"She was not glued. She was not tied. She was just physically stuck by her body. It is hard to imagine. ... I still have a hard time imagining it myself," Ness County Sheriff Bryan Whipple said in a telephone interview, adding that it appeared her body fat had grown attached to the seat"

optomystic: 24th Mar 2008 - 14:46 GMT

Why don't you open a new business at the Hutchinson mall? There are now a few open spaces available. Seize this opportunity while you can...

Tex: 24th Mar 2008 - 15:48 GMT

I actually had to journey up to the fair city of Hutch a couple of weeks ago.

I made a visit to your Hutchinson Mall. Do you remember the scenes from 'Dawn of the Dead' where the people are wandering around the big empty mall? That's how I felt, there were no people. Only the clerks running the stores were there. I counted a total of 15 customers the whole time I was there. I felt even sort of creepy and out of place with these stores being open and no customers anywhere.

So, I don't know what would possess someone to want to open up a business, just to watch it lose money and go broke. You have to have paying customers to make a business work. And without good paying jobs, there are no good paying customers. So until the powers to be up there, figure out how things are suppose to work, your mall will always be ghost town.

This note is for you: 24th Mar 2008 - 18:14 GMT

What lucky people in Hutchinson, Kansas, USA, to be able to have a place to live and call it "home".
Do you know how much a person earns in a "third world" country?, did you know that they do not get help from welfare checks if they are unemployed?, did you know they do have drugs and corruption problems too?
At least in USA you have the chance to change the situation for better if it really matter to you, while in those other places you couldn't not even have a voice on it?
Have you stop to think how blessed you are to have what you have?, there is always someone that has it worst than you do.
Have you thought about how far could you get ahead in life, if you really want to work for it?
Could you think of ONE step to give this town where you live, that could help it?
Could you stop for a minute to think, home is what you make of it, wherever it is!

You have just ONE life to live.
You are in life what you choose to be, so aim for that.
Blessings for you all.

Reply to This note: 24th Mar 2008 - 22:35 GMT

You said it well,now if all the complainers will just listen.

Tex: 26th Mar 2008 - 14:11 GMT

You are absolutely right, we should be thankful for what we have and the great country that we live in. We are very blessed and fortunate to live in a country where we have the liberties and freedoms that we enjoy.

However, make no mistake about it. What we enjoy today didn't come easily, we had to work for it, fight for it, because you can never expect for anything to be given to you. It just doesn't work that way. In life you either progress forward or you go backwards. The same is true for communities, they either grow or they die.

When a community starts to die, the first thing that sets in is denial. After that, it's rationalization. We look at our situation and rationalize that things aren't so bad, we could be somewhere else in a worse situation, we could be in a third world country, we could be unemployed without a welfare check, we could be starving and near death. Things aren't so bad (yet). By rationalizing we make ourselves feel better about a situation that we feel we have no control over.

Denial and rationalization. Two of the biggest problems that Hutchinson Kansas has. And it costs this city and you a lot.

You see it everywhere. Even in city govt. and the decisions that they make. For example: Memorial Hall convention center is a building that is near a century old. The building basically sets empty because of non-use and being out of date. But, the people of Hutchinson didn't want to see it torn down, because it represents the hey days of Hutchinson's past. So the city spends 2.2 million to fix it up. And what is the result? A building that still basically can't be used, because it doesn't even have air conditioning, (which would cost another 1 million) and can only seat about 2,000 people. Plus, you don't have concerts or other large events coming to the city because of the low population and poor economy, and the city knows and admits to this.

In the Hutch News on 2/9/08

"One question, however went unasked and unanswered: (at the city council meeting)
What will become of Memorial Hall once this last renovation is complete? (They want to spend another $190,000 to fix the roof) No one asked because no one knows the answer. There are only guesses. Mary Hemmings, who as the manager of the Fox Theatre is also contracted with the city to manage Memorial Hall, said the building sits mostly empty because Hutchinson isn't big enough to fill it."

So, what purpose does Memorial Hall serve? I'll tell you.

I'ts a gravestone to Hutchinson's past.

People can drive by it all day and look at it and remember the 'good ole days', the days when events happened there, and the days when life in Hutchinson was active and alive and bustling and the town was growing. It's denial in full operation. And, it's costing you big money. Dare not tear the building down!!
for that would bust our denial bubble and we'd have to face reality that our town is shrinking, and the good ole days are gone forever.

Now, I'm not for tearing Memorial Hall down. But, why can't the people of Hutchinson spend 2.2 million to educate their unemployed or unemployable in order to equip them to handle the jobs of today, and once having an educated work force, focus on bringing industry in to provide those jobs to those people?

To me, that would be a whole lot better use of taxpayer money then spending it on gravestones.

Hutchinsonian: 26th Mar 2008 - 15:19 GMT

You said it, Tex. I'm with you on that completely. I only wish the rest of our town's citizens were as pragmatic.

me: 27th Mar 2008 - 18:07 GMT

memorial hall was built in the horse and buggy days,so therefore it lacks proper parking for any sizeable event to take place there. If money was spent on parking, if money is to be spent on the place at all,maybe it would attract events. i personally think it should be a museum.overall,something needs to be done about our fair city,and it boils down to we need better paying jobs here,we need more companies and businesses here.that is the only way we will survive.but what does the average person do to help?really,i would like to know so i can quit my complaining also and help.but i wouldnt know where to begin.we all agree on one thing,bring in the jobs!!!!!!

hutch native: 28th Mar 2008 - 07:38 GMT

I can't believe this website. Absolutely amazing that so many people have taken the time to rant and rave about how terrible Hutch is. I grew up in Hutch, graduated from Hutch High in 1984 and went to Juco for 1 year. I, too, hated it and couldn't get out fast enough. I went to K-State, then moved to L.A. After living in L.A. for 17 years, I moved to Colorado. Although I do like Colorado, it is growing way too fast for my taste. At this point in my life I would welcome a little "boring", so I am now seriously considering moving back to Hutch. If I want to see some drive by shootings, or robberies, etc., I can always just drive over to Wichita for the day. I don't need that kind of excitement. I would welcome some open space, freedom for my kids, less people, traffic, smog. I am baffled as to why "city" equals "excitement" for so many people. I understand if you're under 25 and haven't lived anywhere else, but if you're older than that it's sort of hard to comprehend. I have had enough of the big city to last a lifetime. You think life is hard in Hutch? Try living in L.A. for awhile, where the difference between you and that homeless guy sleeping on the sidewalk is one paycheck. I know jobs are a problem in Hutch, but I am lucky enough to have a lucrative job that I can do online. I know there are an increasing number of jobs that can be done online now (although a lot of scams as well, so be careful!), but that would only be helpful if you actually wanted to stay in Hutch. I don't need to be entertained to be happy; I can find my own entertainment. I can drive to Wichita or Kansas City if I want to go shopping, or to a big name concert. If all of that stuff was available in Hutch, it would be just like any other big city. And all big cities are just cesspools of humanity; poverty, filth, and crime. The only way you can be shielded from all of that is if you're extremely wealthy. And how many of us are?

Re hutch native: 28th Mar 2008 - 16:21 GMT

Sounds like somebody that couldn't make it in the real world of work of the big cities, so they had to come back home to mommy and daddy at home.

hutch native: 28th Mar 2008 - 19:51 GMT

Good one - for your information, "Mommy and Daddy" are no longer on this earth and I've been supporting myself for the past 20 years. So are you saying that the "real world" only consists of big cities? Where does that leave all the people who don't live in big cities?

Re hutch native: 28th Mar 2008 - 21:07 GMT

If you want to make good money, you have to move to the bigger cities, and I've lived in several large cities and couldn't be happier. If Hutchinson is so great than why is the population shrinking and not growing??? I'ts shrinking because people are choosing to move to the larger cities for better jobs, so what you say isn't supported by the actual facts that you see. I'ts the poor and uneducated that can't leave for the larger cities that make up the bulk of Hutchinson's population.

me: 29th Mar 2008 - 04:00 GMT

Believe it or not,some people are actually content with living here. I make decent money,I am in nursing,I didn't have to relocate to a big city to make a living for myself and children. But I guess I'm fortunate to have been educated in a field I chose. I do agree that Hutch population is shrinking,that well paying jobs are few and far between,and the poor are outnumbering the middle class. But this is happening everywhere in the good old USA.

re: me: 29th Mar 2008 - 14:21 GMT

No it is not happening everywhere in the USA. I have lived in large cities for the last 20 years and my prosperty and job income has always been better in a larger town than living in a smaller city such as Hutchinson. Right now I make 72k, if I was in Hutch, i'd be around 35k. Sure, there are those like you doing well in Hutchinson, but we're talking about the majority of people, and the majority of people of Hutch are low income, poor and under educated. Yes, the economy as a whole has slid in the last few years, but the economy in Hutch has been in the tank for the last 50 years.

Born&RaisedHutch: 29th Mar 2008 - 17:16 GMT

HAHa.. I found this by searching Yahoo for "Meth Hutchinson,KS".. Last summer I visited and seen Meth Zombies walking the streets. Go to A street by R&B burgers.. you'll see it too. or drive on Reformatory street.. It's really went down hill in the last 15 yrs. I feel bad for my family for still living there..
IT SUCKS!, how do you think people stumbled on this site?? Becase they know!

me: 29th Mar 2008 - 17:49 GMT

The cost of living is much higher in larger cities compared to smaller cities in most cases,so a person has to make more money to cover the higher costs of housing,gas,groceries,etc. But hey,overall I agree with so much that has been posted here.

Poor side of town: 30th Mar 2008 - 01:11 GMT

I live in Hutch and I am poor. But I am proud. My complaint is this town is getting getto and trashy looking. Come on people,clean up your yards and pick up your trash. Bathe your kids and yourself. Go to Goodwill or yardsales and buy curtains for your house,don't hang up sheets or put in foil in your windows. Do not chain up your starving dogs outside. If you can't treat your dog better,why own one? How would you like to be chained all the time? And it looks trashy. Clean up the old cars and parts off your lawn. Take a garden hose and clean the outside of your house if you can not afford to paint it. Poor does not have to equal trash.

Ryan S.: 31st Mar 2008 - 00:04 GMT

Apparently these people haven't been to Hamilton, KS. Just 2 hours from Hutch is a speck of nothingness that contains barely 300 people. By 3 PM, no matter what day, mainstreet is dead without any cars driving on it. There are probably more goats than people here. It sucks.

UNSURE..: 31st Mar 2008 - 22:32 GMT

Well I have lived here most of my life. I have 3 kids and a X husband. I hate it here but can't get away from here either. I do not get welfare even though I am a single mom, nor child support as far as that goes. I hate it here my youngest is 10 years old and everyday I PRAY, that they get out of Hutchinson asap. I wish there was a life here and maybe there could of been but it is NO LIE, METH is all around. I know that 4sure because I started using it 8 years ago. I am not a bad person I swear I am not. Alot of people including the police think thet were all nothing ass trash. I wish I could afford some treatment that would work but I have tried many and meth always seems to win. So anyway thats what hutch is to me. A UNSURE PLACE WITH UNSURE LIFE. IF U HAVE NOT USED METH PLEASE DO NOT EVER, MY LIFE IS HELL AND I DONT KNOW HOW TO GET OUT....

To Unsure: 1st Apr 2008 - 00:50 GMT

You can start by going to meetings everyday. And I mean everyday. Change your crowd of friends. If you associate with meth users,you will never break away. If you hang out with dogs,you will get their fleas. Change is hard and scary but you can do it. It is easier to stay sick than to change,but for the sake of your kids and yourself,please try harder. I have lost many good friends to meth,I do not think you are a nothing ass trash. I think you are crying out for help and that makes you special. You are special and worth saving. You are one of Gods children. You are worth it. Please do not give up. Keep trying. YOU ARE WORTH SAVING!!!

Tex : Re Unsure: 1st Apr 2008 - 01:48 GMT

Don't give up, seek help, it's going to be tough, but you can do it. If you have friends and family members that are on it, you'll have to make a difficult decision to get away from them, otherwise they'll always drag you back into it.

Ess: 1st Apr 2008 - 02:24 GMT

To Unsure- I don't know about all the "God's children" stuff and the worn-out (and not-very-helpful) phrases like "don't give up, seek help", but I can say, as a recovered meth addict, you need to walk away from that shit. It's going to be the hardest thing that you will ever do, but if you don't, you will die sooner than later, and you have no reason to want to do that. You have a family that depends on you. Just stop doing it. I did. and let me tell you what. I about went crazy. I had the foresight to put the kids with their grandmother for a while and just went to the hospital Emergency Room and told them I was a meth addict and needed immediate help before I died or hurt my family or myself.

And they treated me right. With respect. They put me in touch with people that gave me free support and even emotional advice for when things got really hard. And now I got myself a job and life sucks really bad sometimes, I'll be perfectly honest, but I look around and see that I'm in control for once. I got my duplex paid and the rent is current, I have a car that runs, and I can feed my kids and be there for them, which they need, even if times are hard, I have bad days, or feel down about how tough life can be sometimes. Trust me- a tough life sober with you in control is better than any life at all with a screwed up head, watching your life quickly go down the toilet.

And getting healthy and getting my brain together enough to pull this off is the greatest thing I've done. And I'm so proud of myself, even when I'm broke or discouraged (shit still happens in life, even when the meth is long gone- it's important to keep that perspective so you don't get so stressed out with life that you go back to bad habits). It's like I won the lottery. I'm free, and I run my own life and support my kids.

You can do it. And don't be afraid or embarrassed to ask for help. You'll really need it, and you wont be able to do it yourself, at least in the beginning. And there are people out there that can really help you, for free, and they wont judge you. They've been right there where you are now, where I was two years ago myself, and know exactly what its like. They got out. They can show you the way out, too. Do it. Trust me. Don't waste any more time. Or your kid's time. You have it in you to be a great, healthy woman and mom. You just need to seek some help to find that woman who is- and always has been- deep inside of you.

SH*THOUSE: 1st Apr 2008 - 13:52 GMT

You need to move from Hutchinson. There are alot of meth users in this town. It is sickening. I have seen it before, you try to quit but there are some many people that use in this town that it is impossible. Alot of meth heads want to see you use so that it will bring you down to their level.

To Ess: 1st Apr 2008 - 16:44 GMT

As one who knows what they are talking about,you are the best to give advice,and your advice was the best. Bless you.

This note is for you: 2nd Apr 2008 - 14:51 GMT

To all who is not happy in Hutchinson: do something about it. Don't just "talk", if you think you are better off far away, then go far away; if you think there are problems, then give a solution for them, do something!
If you don't feel happy living in Hutchinson, you definitely are not making the people that lives with or around you, feel that way either.
You have just ONE LIFE. Don't waist it.
Blessings for all.

????: 3rd Apr 2008 - 05:10 GMT

Anyways, this town is like most of the midwest, going down the toilet fast.

what it is: 3rd Apr 2008 - 18:11 GMT

Boring is for the bored. No jobs are for those who are not looking. Happiness comes from within,your town can not make you happy. Are things great here? Absolutely not. But quit "yer bitchin" and do something about it if you do not like it here.

InternetGal: 5th Apr 2008 - 13:44 GMT

Wow, pretty sad commentaries. Just goes to show you can be happy where you are or unhappy where you are. It is all a matter of choice. I've lived in Arizona, Texas (Dallas area and the panhandle), Oklahoma (OKC and the panhandle), and Kansas (southwest and central) and can find something pleasant and something unpleasant about all of the places I've lived. It is unfortunate there are just so many unhappy people out there who have nothing better than to tear down the town rather than try to build it up. I work in Hutch every day and enjoy it and the people.

??: 6th Apr 2008 - 11:59 GMT

If Hutchinson is so great than why is the population shrinking rather than growing?

The facts are simple, cities grow that people want to live in, cities shrink when people want to leave them.

Try addressing the facts instead of fantasies

hell its hailing: 8th Apr 2008 - 07:07 GMT

This crazy weather! Hell, I suppose that is Hutchinsons fault also.

GuRu: 9th Apr 2008 - 02:13 GMT

Lets all quick playin grabazz and vote. if u think this town sucks, just reply yes. If u think this is a great place to live, just reply no. I vote yes. And if u vote no, your opinion doesnt really matter anyways because u are probably on the city council trying to kike people left and right.

GuRu: 9th Apr 2008 - 02:13 GMT

Sick of Kansas: 9th Apr 2008 - 03:11 GMT

Yes, good Lord, yes. This place is the suckiest place on the planet.

hello: 9th Apr 2008 - 16:53 GMT

Bad attitudes on bad people make a bad town. So just move and all will be better.

Yes: 10th Apr 2008 - 21:34 GMT

'So just move and all will be better'

So does that mean when everybody moves out and the town is empty, Hutchinson will be at its' best?

Sounds like that's what people are doing since the population is shrinking

hello: 11th Apr 2008 - 04:06 GMT

Hutchinson has a chance to be at it's best if all the complainers will move and leave the doers here to try and help this city. The complainers will never go to a city meeting and voice an opinion to try to help whats wrong with Hutchinson,that would be too much work for them. They would rather moan and groan and complain about everything than try and make the situation better. How many of you complainers have actually tried to do anything to help Hutch? If you do not want to attend city meetings,then write a letter,start a petition,do something to help whatever it is you are complaining about.

GuRu: 11th Apr 2008 - 07:15 GMT

The Do-ers are the ones wreckin the place! and i dont just mean the ones doin meth either. ever wonder why city council got thier butts audited? HHHMMMMMMMMM, i wonder????? Latest example is that dirty water treatment plant that just drove the property value down around 23rd. Not to mention the fact that kids play soccer not 50 yards away from a now industrial zone. Way to go peeps. and lets not forget the 1.6 million spent on the sign on k61 and 50 that says "welcome to hutch", or the 600k one on k61 and 50 north. or the other 600k spent on the roundabout, plus the 40k spent on the giant beercan on top. or the other 300k spent on the animal shelter which could have cost only 30k if the inmates at hcf had done it to begin with....

How about fixin up some streets? How about re-opening the teen center so kids got a safe place to be? How about fixin the southern part of town instead of trying to push north?
DDDDDDDDDUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRR!

Take a quarter and buy a clue chief.

SH*THOUSE: 11th Apr 2008 - 13:48 GMT

Well the animal shelter was meant to stop the killing of so many animals, however that fat pig running the place would rather kill than even think about adopting. They are building an information center, they should have expanded the shelter instead of spending more money on an information center. What a joke. What they need to do is just attract business like mcpherson does. Have you been down 35 and seen the construction?

Tex: 11th Apr 2008 - 13:50 GMT

The powers to be will never focus on building Hutchinson to be a city that provides for it's working middle class or enable people to get the education they have to have to get there.

Life is too short and there's too much to see and do to waste your lives away up there. Get out! If you don't have the job skills or education to find a good job outside of that area, then scrounge and save every dollar you can and spend it on classes so that you can qualify for a better job. Then look outside the state of Kansas for that job, and go for it. That's what I did and I've never regretted it since.

Zack: 11th Apr 2008 - 15:40 GMT

I had the good fortune to be in your city the first week of march and had the time of my life! I went to that space place,I went to a ultimate fight,I went to a salt museum underground, I had the best mexican food in a real cool place to eat,I cant remember the name of it but it was so good.I loved Hutch and hope to come back this summer to work and yes I will have a job.

Zack: 11th Apr 2008 - 15:47 GMT

Oh and I about forgot to mention that I also saw many good looking girls in Hutch.That really makes me want to move here.

SH*THOUSE: 11th Apr 2008 - 21:42 GMT

Zack: Where did you see these girls? I rarely see anything worth looking at.

Zack: 12th Apr 2008 - 05:19 GMT

At that ultimate fight I saw and met more than one babe and also at the mall I saw some cute girls tho there wasn,t a lot of people at the mall I still met hot girls. I can't wait to come back when school is done.

SH*THOUSE: 12th Apr 2008 - 14:40 GMT

Zack: You are insane, Hutchinson is not full of good looking girls. It is far from known for that. Most of the women in this town are pigs.

Zack: 12th Apr 2008 - 16:08 GMT

I'm glad YOU feel that way because it leaves more women for me when I move here in June. I met some very nice and HOT babes in Hutchinson,one I still am keeping in touch with since comming back home to N.D. I loved my visit in Hutch and I know my move here will be as exciting.

Born and Raised in NYC: 12th Apr 2008 - 23:50 GMT

honest to God I wish Boston where I live now was this dead sometimes ... the never ending traffic,rush hour and crush of people on the trains .... and I thought leaving NY I escaped it

Tex: 14th Apr 2008 - 01:16 GMT

Well, you can't have your cake and eat it too. If you want to make more money and have a wider choice of things to do, then the larger cities are the place to be. But, there will be more traffic, more people, faster pace. That just goes along with it. If you want a slower pace, not much to do, happy with lower wages to live on, then Hutchinson is for you.

SH*THOUSE: 14th Apr 2008 - 22:07 GMT

ZACK: That is insane my friend. I don't know what brought you here. But it is very misguided. You must think that overweight older women are hot. Perhaps you should take off the beer goggles?

SH*THOUSE: 14th Apr 2008 - 22:10 GMT

Born and Raised in NYC. Why would you move from one large city to another to escape big city life? I don't understand that. Could it be that you are making stuff up?

Tex: 15th Apr 2008 - 14:16 GMT

You know, none of the pro Hutch people have yet to answer my question as to why is the population shrinking in Hutchinson, if it is such a good place to live.

From P.a.: 15th Apr 2008 - 14:57 GMT

I have moved to hutch alittle over 3 years ago,and I wish I could return back to Pa. This town is not what all the other people keep bragging about. I have a 20 year old daughter whom just got back from Iraq and has told me several times she wants to go back over there. Now that is what I call bad for this place. I thought I was coming to a much better place than where I lived at in Pa,But to my surprise it depresses me. I waitress at a small cafe and I see the same people there everyday they come in at least a couple times a day,and just sit there for hours and drink coffee.That is boring. My work place would like to prosper but it can't they would like extend their hours on friday and saturday but are having a hard time because if they draw a bar crowd the police will be causing havoc. Yes I agree that there sure is alot of law enforcement in this town if murder rate is down and it is a nice little town there should be NO need for all the law enforcement. makes a person wonder.

From P.a.: 15th Apr 2008 - 14:58 GMT

SH*THOUSE: 15th Apr 2008 - 14:59 GMT

Tex, they can't answer. They know the truth but in true Hutchinson style they are in denial.

Tex: 15th Apr 2008 - 20:48 GMT

Statistics show the murder rate is almost nothing, but the non-violent crimes such as burglary, arson, theft, basically property crimes where people are looking to steal to get by, are higher than the national average. The facts show that Hutchinson is not a safe town to live in as the pro Hutch people would have you believe.

Me: 15th Apr 2008 - 22:27 GMT

To Tex,why do you keep posting on this site and why do you care who answers your questions,if you are so happy to escape Hutch,and you have such a better life and Job? I think you are bored with your new life in the big city or you could care less about what goes on here. The population is shrinking because thank God finally we are getting rid of stupid people like yourself. Home is where the heart is and evidently your heart is still here in hutch or you would go on with your life and not worry about the rest of us who like it here. So give it up,keep loving Texas which by the way I hated,my dad lived in Arlington Texas and the whole place sucks and stinks.

Tex Re: Me: 16th Apr 2008 - 16:13 GMT

I know people like you don't want to hear the truth, you're probably a crook or a drug dealer that enjoys the lifestyle that exists in Hutchinson since it caters to your lifestyle. But, I enjoy voicing the truth about Hutchinson, (which you would like to hide), so as to possibly motivate people to change their city and help improve their lives. So, I'm going to keep on posting and if you don't like it you can shove it up you @@@.

Me: 16th Apr 2008 - 23:09 GMT

Oh my!!! It sounds like the truth hurts YOU!!!! The truth for me is I make over 40 grand a year in nursing. I hate all drugs and what they do to people. My father lived in Texas and made tons of money working for I.B.E.W. He also made tons of money working here in Hutch,so my lifestyle is not what you would want it to be. Texas stinks,its full of dirty people and drugs,and more boring than Kansas,to me anyway. So keep posting with your opinion,thats your right,just as it is mine to post and say what I want.

WTF: 17th Apr 2008 - 11:37 GMT

How do you get out of here? I can't take a bus and there's no train depot anymore.Can I call a taxi? How do I get a train ticket? How do I get North or South since the train only goes East and West? This is really a chicken shit town!

Tex: 17th Apr 2008 - 14:25 GMT

Since Hutchinson is such a great and growing town (LOL), and no one really wants to go there, they lost their airport traffic years ago, then they lost the bus depot which is really a sad commentary since most most of the bus routes will stop in very small towns. I'ts really amazing that a town will focus on beefing up tourism and they don't even have a way to get people there. What a joke.

Outside observer: 18th Apr 2008 - 13:58 GMT

I had a chance to recently visit the fine city of Hutch for a job interview. I would say that the city faces many of the same issues that other cities face in the mid-west. I grew up in KS and understand the desire for greener pastures. I have come to realize that opportunity is something you make and not something that is given to you. Let alone provided by a city or job.
It was very clear to me as I drove around the city during my brief visit that it was a city that time forgot and that many of the residents are waiting for the good old days to return. I'm sorry to inform you, but that is not going to happen. So if you are wishing that it was California, its not, and the only way it will appear that way is to use the drugs that are discussed in depth on this board.
Here is some advice to the young people who are reading and feel some despair associated with living their. The world steps aside for those who know what they want. So the sooner you stop thinking about what Hutch doesn't have and start thinking about what you want, the sooner you will get there.
I'm still debating on whether I will accept an offer to relocate to Hutch, but my decision won't be based on what the city has to offer, it will be based on what I want and how much they will pay me.
Good luck to you all.

Me: 18th Apr 2008 - 18:15 GMT

Thank God this is not california,Outside observer,but you made some really good points,and I hope wherever you end up works out well for you.

ollie: 21st Apr 2008 - 18:30 GMT

Just a word. Worst mistake in the world is to take a job based on how much they will pay you. Do you want in your heart of hearts to live there?

Tex: 21st Apr 2008 - 22:11 GMT

I have to agree, I've moved to places because of the tremendous increase in pay, thinking that would make up for the shortcomings of the town where the job was located, and at first it works. But after a while if you don't actually enjoy where you're living and the surroundings, the pay won't be enough to compensate for your unhappiness.

Mark Salinas: 21st Apr 2008 - 23:49 GMT

I am disappointed that town of Salinas is so boring I always wanted to visit the town.:)

Mark Salinas, MN

Carrie: 22nd Apr 2008 - 22:13 GMT

HaHaHa...is this a joke? I just moved here from San Diego, Cali. There may not be alot to do out here....but It's a nice place to raze a family...My hubby has a good job and im a stay at home mom of two and with one on the way. We live in a nice house in a Beautiful naberhood. So...all you haters you need to find someting to do with all your free time!

Me: 23rd Apr 2008 - 05:03 GMT

I agree with you Carrie. All the boo-hooers want a town to make them happy,they want a job to make them happy,they want a slim chick to make them happy,when will they realize that happiness comes from yourself first,or nothing or no other place will?

Former Hutchinsonite Re: Me: 23rd Apr 2008 - 14:50 GMT

You need to get back to changing bed pans which is all there is to do in your fine city.

Meg from San Diego: 23rd Apr 2008 - 16:42 GMT

My boyfriend and I are going to spend the summer in Hutch. He's born and raised SD, I was born in Topeka and couldn't wait to get out of there as a teen. I have lived all over the US and have been in San Diego for several years. We are looking forward to getting away from the craziness for a while. I am hoping to hear a lot of thunder. I am looking forward to hearing the locusts at night. I miss a lot of things about Kansas that I never took the time to appreciate when I lived there. It will be interesting to find out how I feel at the end of the summer. I am very curious about how my boyfriend will like staying in a small town. It is a different world there. By the way, there are a lot of scary people in SD. Lots of drugs. There are people who will shoot you for no reason when you are driving on the freeway. I know 2 people personally who have been shot at by strangers in the last 4 years. There is good and bad everywhere. I think how you like a place has a lot to do with where you've been, what you enjoy and consider important for your life, and what phase of your life you are in. Right now a quiet, "boring town" sounds very nice. (for those of you who "put down" the elderly, just remember that is where we are all heading, yes, even you)

Meg from San Diego: 23rd Apr 2008 - 16:42 GMT

Me: 23rd Apr 2008 - 18:14 GMT

Meg,it is thundering now as I type this,the Kansas air smells heavenly and fresh,the trees which are numerous are in bloom,the flowers are in bloom,there is no smog,no driveby shootings,life is great here today in Hutch. For those who put down our elderly,what goes around comes around,sooner than one can imagine.You too will someday be using a bedpan and having someone clean you up afterwards. Trust me on this one. Life is so long and slow paced untill you reach 20,then before you know it,you are 40 and on your way to middle age and then old. Period.

Former Hutchinsonite Re: Me: 23rd Apr 2008 - 19:33 GMT

The only thunder you're going to hear in Hutch are the old farts tooting at night.

Former Hutchinsonite: 23rd Apr 2008 - 19:36 GMT

And,I wouldn't smell that air too much either, you'll liable to get high.

Me: 23rd Apr 2008 - 21:34 GMT

I do get high when I smell the air. It is smog free and fresh and clean. You only smell the drugs when you hang around with the druggies or do them yourself,and unfortunately,drugs are everywhere,in every small town and major city,all over the world.

former Hutch resident: 24th Apr 2008 - 19:42 GMT

I moved from Hutch about 25 years ago. I was born & rised there. Couldn't wait to get out. I lost both my parents 4 years ago & want to come 700 miles to decorate graves this memorial weekend. I can not find a room anywhere. (myself & one other adult) I understand a big truck convention is going on. I called the chamber of commerce to see if the had any ideas. One rude person. A town the size of Hutch can not accomodate 2 people for two nights. Now I know why I left. Rude arrogant people. No "Minnesota Nice" going on there. (I now live in MN). If that were to happen in my town ( a beautiful tourist area) people at the chamber would be happy to try to accomodate the people coming back home.......I have plenty of money to spend, which unfortunately Hutch doesn't want. Can't say I will go back unless for a funeral, which I probably couldn't get a room for either.....

optomystic: 25th Apr 2008 - 15:50 GMT

I simply LOVE this town. Why don't you move here and experience all the great things that are going on? If you can't rent a room ; you can always sleep in your car.I think you'll really enjoy the area at B avenue and main street.Excellent parking,wonderful Mexican food and the famous Antique District will inspire you.

Former Hutchinsonite: 25th Apr 2008 - 17:11 GMT

If you can find an empty parking stall, most of theme are probably full with people sleeping in their cars.

Former Hutchinsonite: 25th Apr 2008 - 18:23 GMT

Oh, I'm wrong, most of them will have lost their cars due to no jobs, so they'll just be sleeping on the street,

Me: 25th Apr 2008 - 23:44 GMT

Hmmm,I have lived in this town many years and have never seen anyone sleeping on the street or in their cars. Tell me exactly where to find them and I will give them a sandwich or something to help a little. I can afford to do a little to help,as I make a decent living here in Hutch.And no,I don't work for the city,nor am I rich.But please tell me which streets you see the people sleeping on and tell me where all these cars are parked that they are sleeping in so I can help.

Me: 26th Apr 2008 - 18:56 GMT

Didn't think you could come up with an answer, Former Hutchinsonite.

Former Hutchinsonite: 28th Apr 2008 - 13:31 GMT

They probably are at the salvation army, or died from neglect.

Former Hutchinsonite: 28th Apr 2008 - 13:33 GMT

Which brings up a very good question, where are the homeless people in Hutch? Are they 'gotton rid of'

Former Hutchinsonite: 28th Apr 2008 - 13:42 GMT

Oh, I forgot, you guys are big in prisons and reformatories, because of all the drugs, high crime rate and lack of jobs, the homeless are probably charged with trumped up charges, sent to prison, and you the taxpayer take care of them that way. So you don't have to worry about giving them that sandwich or a little something, I'm sure your great penal system is taking care of them

Former Hutchinsonite: 28th Apr 2008 - 13:48 GMT

Yea, that's what they mean by 'come share our space' - in a cell at the prison.

Hutchinson Hater,Now: 30th Apr 2008 - 21:28 GMT

I just looked in the Hutchinson News today and noticed that in todays paper Apr 30 2008 that Officer Mike Collins of the Hutchinson PD and his assisting thug Mr. Schofield beat a dog until it was dead. They hit the dog in the head with a baton and then with a shovel. This is my opinion shows how immature and uneducated most of the Hutch PD is. They took it upon themselves to injure to dog for no reason whatsoever. It is sicking to think these thugs are the ones patrolling our streets. I think we all need to let the city council see that these thugs need to be removed from the our police force by termination of their employment. We need people that act responsible. Not like abusive idiots.

Me: 30th Apr 2008 - 21:34 GMT

Then go to city council meetings and voice your concerns by all means. But people like yourself would rather hate and complain then do something to better this town because you are obviously to lazy to do anything. This question is for all you haters: how many city council meetings have you attended? Are you aware they are open to public?

Re: Me: 1st May 2008 - 15:18 GMT

If you bother to read this entire thread you'll see that people have gone to the city council meetings, only to be insulted and ignored.

Tex Re: Me: 1st May 2008 - 16:52 GMT

If you weren't so ignorant, you'd realize that once a group of people have power and control over a community, they won't give it up easily, no matter what the people say or think. Perfect example is our federal govt. and George Bush Jr.

Me: 1st May 2008 - 17:21 GMT

I have read the entire thread and only one person if I recall correctly complained about not being treated fair. And Tex,if you weren't so ignorant,you would find something better to do in Texas than waste your time on this post. And yes, Bush sucks.

Tex: 1st May 2008 - 19:23 GMT

Like I said the pro hutch people simply want to deny the facts and insult the ones telling the truth. And why don't you address why that one person wasn't treated fairly by the city council?? Because you don't want to address the issues, you simply want to ignore them. You know that if there's one person on here who had that experience, chances are there are a hundred others like her.

Tex: 1st May 2008 - 19:26 GMT

Here's a quote from an earlier post.
"I was watching the city council last summer, talk to a group of individuals who didn't want their taxes raised in order for new development next to their property. One of the City Councilmen (which i won't say his name) - told them they can say what they want, but he already had his mind made up, so it didn't matter. The only reason why they were allowing the people in that neighborhood to speak was because of protocol."

So, Me go ahead and keep wasting our time with your worthless posts.

solo: 1st May 2008 - 20:37 GMT

Thanks for showing the beautiful pictures of St. Elizabeth's Alcoholic's Anonymous. Inside that room and other rooms like it all over the world.... I have found the secret. (Love and Tolerance)

Me: 2nd May 2008 - 03:52 GMT

The grand old beautiful trees are in bloom in colors of pinks,white,purples and of course green in Hutchinson. The horrible ice storm could not kill,they came back strong.The haters can not kill this fair city either,Hutch is also to strong to kill.

Tex : 2nd May 2008 - 14:09 GMT

Look at that!!, change the subject and talk about trees and flat out ignore the issue of the city council brushing off a taxpayer. What a bunch of phonies, keep on posting, your own words speak volumes of your shallowness.

unhappy in hutch: 2nd May 2008 - 14:53 GMT

I have read the "hype" lingo from "me'. JUST GO TO CITY COUNSEL MEETINGS ..... and voice you complaints. You know its open to the public. "me" is a brainwashed numb-skull. YES I have gone to the city meetings. The citys leaders are all asleep!!!!. I'm sorry, some of them are mumbling brainwashed numb-skull gaw-gaw .And the professional atmosphere is not present, and the problem solvers do not exist. The power play is the machine that grinds against confused and unhappy tax payers True caring does not exist!!!!! Oh by the way, the Hutchinson tax payers pay do pay the council to sleep and ramble among them selves....

Me: 2nd May 2008 - 17:18 GMT

Then move to Texas like Tex did and you will be so blissfully happy that you will not have time to post here.

Tex : 2nd May 2008 - 18:21 GMT

Yes come on down, you'll are welcome! It's a little piece of heaven down here, I earn about twice as much (72k) as what I made up there, no state income tax, no taxes on your cars, just a $64 tag fee. The women are gorgeous, fit and trim and very friendly!! And, no the cost of living is not that much higher. For example, you can rent a newer 3 bedroom home, 2 car garage, 3 bath, with 2 living rooms, den, dining room, 2 blocks from the beach for $1100 per month. Elect last month ran $73, gas $24, of course being in the gulf coast region the temp. is usually warm all year round, but even in peak heat season the highest utility bill I've seen was $275. So, don't fall for that bullshit that just becuase wages are higher you're spending all of it on the cost of living, it's just not true. And, like I said before, if life in Hutch is so great, then why is the population shrinking and not growing?

unhappy in hutch: 2nd May 2008 - 23:11 GMT

I cant believe "me' gave such a lame response to a suggestion of going to public meetings. I did go and nothing positive came of it. So Mr."Me" Isnt in ironic you comment and have plenty of time to make your rude stupid statements. by posting here. Do you work? or do you get gov help. I work all of the time. Tex has some valuable info. And I know hes right. But if you are established and own a business, you are basically locked in. I want this city run with people that need to be there.Duh is that over your head "me"?

Me: 3rd May 2008 - 21:12 GMT

To Unhappy: If you want this city ran by people who will "be there",then vote for who you think is qualified to run this city right. Everyone complains,but does nothing to change things. For example,everyone complains about Bush, including me, but he ended up running this country for a long time because people voted for him. Go out and vote for city leaders who will do a better job. Thats your right. And yes, I work and work hard. I do not own a business. And I will quit being rude to Tex, because I do think he is truly a southern gentleman.

cityman: 6th May 2008 - 17:01 GMT

That sounds great but you only get to vote for city council members one in your district and one at large posistion. Council members do not get fair compensation for their duties.You get what you pay for!!!! All have other jobs or businesses to run. the council meetings are during the week at 9:00 am most working people cannot attend.This is how it works here and how it will always be this way. this town is ran by a few people with money and influence. they are not council members or the mayor.it is still the good ol boys

Vsmitty36: 6th May 2008 - 21:47 GMT

ok, so lets be truthful who ever took the pictures above obviously didn't live here. That building that you knew oh so much about is an old hospital and what exactly is the name of the highway?? Oh yea- that would be Monroe STREET!! And for whoever said that this town is full of white trash??? You lived here once ( or so you say) so what does that make you?? Point proven.

BigGaloot: 7th May 2008 - 10:57 GMT

Moved here to Hutch 11 yrs. ago for better job. Now job market is terrible here and no new industry moving in. Reminds me of Great Bend KS where all the old money wouldn't let any new buisness in to take a piece of thier financial pie. Seems to be the same here. Current employer constantly threatens thier employees with the loss of our jobs and goes out of thier way to remind us we can be easily replaced and how hard another job would be to find here.
Not alot to do here either, spend most of my weekends visiting friends out of town.
I don't have alot of faith in things gettng better. Alot of the problems are just the sign of the times with illegal imigration and slow economy but can't help but think this could be alot better town all around if some new industry would be allowed in.

optomystic: 7th May 2008 - 13:14 GMT

Why is everyone so upset? Just do what you are told and don't complain. Hutchinson is a wonderful place and don't you forget it!As a prisoner learns to love his cell- so will go your life here. Quit complaining and work hard for those in control.

Mrs.L: 7th May 2008 - 16:10 GMT

For all of the people who are down on Hutch; how old are you?? For the people who think this town is such an awful place, you must be young. I am still in my twentys, but I love this town for the most part. Sure the employment is small, and there is not alot for young people to do, but I find many things here that I couldn't find elsewhere. I recently moved from NM and I love being able to walk my son down the street and not worry about gangs, or drive-bys. I love to sit outside and work on my garden, or go to the mall and be in and out in no time(because yes..it is getting smaller) I love going to dinner and having the "long wait" on a friday night only be 5 minutes compared to 2 hours in a big town. When I want more shopping, or some activitiy, I can drive 35 minutues away and find it. But I am glad I can raise my son in a small town. Where you live is your choice...do what makes you happy and dont judge what others want.

67502 May 7, 2008: 7th May 2008 - 19:03 GMT

Hutch has not grown since I came here in 1978. It's a retirement town with lots of low income housing and those people DO NOT support our downtown or help us stay in business. No great jobs for our children to stay in town. No shopping downtown and the mall is dark and dead. Should have put the mall connecting to downtown. Good place to raise children but Hutch is a very clicky town. There are gangs here, don't kid yourself. Live here and drive to Wichita to eat and shop.

Me: 8th May 2008 - 11:20 GMT

I would rather stay in my hometown to eat and shop,because everyday you hear of a shooting or some other violent crime happening in Wichita.

omabradshaw: 8th May 2008 - 17:57 GMT

Hello-I was born at Grace Hospital(8th & Main);went to Central Grade School(it was on 5th Street by the Catholic Church);Faris grade school;Sherman Jr High;Hutchinson Sr. High School.I enjoyed my years growing up in Hutch.Of course,that was before everyone was preoccupied with pc's,electronic games,drugs,etc.It was a small community that respected the town and the citizens that we were a part of.I did leave in 1976 & have only been back to visit once.What it is now probably is a lot different than it was 20 yrs ago but it's the citizens that make it what it is.If you don't like it,change it- or leave.

omabradshaw: 8th May 2008 - 18:05 GMT

Does anyone have pics of the schools I listed? The old Central Grade school was on 5th street and was tore down around 1960-ish.The Catholic church took the land and used it for a playground for their students.

Andie: 9th May 2008 - 11:24 GMT

Cody,
I know you and your family personally. I grew up in Hutchinson and attended church with you. You are not representative of the average Hutchinsonian. Your mother is a hospital administrator and your father is the Chief of Police in Hutchinson. You also grew up in the affluent part of town. I am pretty sure that your success is due in large part to the financial means of your successful parents. Who gave you the money to start that business and buy that house? If you are typical of most Hutchinsonians you would not be able to afford starting a new business. Most Hutchinsonians do not work for the city, county, hospital, police department, or fire department. Most Hutchinsonians work in manufacturing or fast food. I know I was born in Hutchinson and I lived there for twenty five years.

Below the second part of Cody's reply is my retort to it:

As for the rest: Your children do not get a free education. Be factually honest. You pay the school fees, activities fees, books, lunches, etc. I hardly call that free. What exactly have you gotten involed in lately? Because when I knew you growing up I never remember you getting involved in either school or church. The vast recreational opportunities of Carey Park, Salt City Pools, softball and baseball diamonds, the dying Hutchinson Mall and downtown, and so on do not provide a means of living. Why don't you get back to all those activities you are involved in?

Here was my Hutchinson experience (not at all similiar to Cody's)
My parapalegic father who had a college degree in Economics could not find a job for years. When he initially left Hutchinson to attend Marymount College in Salina he was able to find a job as a bookkeeper. He returned to Hutchinson and the only place that would hire him was the fire department as an overnight dispatcher. He had to give that up to get custody of his children from an abusive, neglectful mother. Then he went decades without finding another employer who would hire him. A lot of employers in Hutchinson refused to hire him because he was in a wheelchair. Years later in the mid nineties he found a job with agency that helps the mentally and physically challenged live in the community outside of institutions. This was the only other employer who would hire him and it was not for lack of trying. My sibling and I were forced to live in poverty because of this. After receiving my high school education I left Hutchinson to persue my college education. Unfortunately I had to return due to personal circumstances but once I was able to I left again. I have never moved back. The last time I went back was the year my mother was sodomized, beaten and raped in her own home. This was only one month after my father passed away. What a nice town!

Hutchinson is drug infested, as a matter of fact Reno County which is the county where Hutchinson is located in, is the top meth producer in the United States.

All the statistics previously stated about Hutchinson are accurate. I have looked them up myself but if you do not believe me check them out in the Department of Labor and the Department of Education websites.

I agree Hutchinson is a ----hole!

omabradshaw: 10th May 2008 - 16:11 GMT

When I lived in Hutch, most of the people drove to Wichita to work.At that time there were a lot manufacturing businesses(Boeing Aircraft,etc).In Hutch the 2 main big businesses were Dillon's & Cessna Fluid Power.By the time I was out of high school, a lot of these businesses began having production profit problems & by 1976, the places started laying off & closing down.A city can't bring in new business if there is no incentives.And Hutch government has nothing to offer

DDWhitecotton: 12th May 2008 - 07:35 GMT

Hey Hutchinson, I also live in sunny San Diego. I was raised in Hutchinon until I was 17, Kweed was the deal then, dragging main and hanging out at the sonic and a & w rootbeer drive inns. You know there is some truth in a stale city. I left there 29 years ago, and I still have family in Hutch. I went back to Hutch 3 years ago for a funeral and came across 2 of my teen aged friends. They looked exactly the same, doing the same ol thing, "getting high" what a waisted life. It seems that those who could escape did and those that stayed behind are in a time warp. But anyway, I love coming back home to my child hood Hutchinson. Well, if anyone reading this blog recognises (?) my name ~ say hello @ hehearsmewhenicall@cox.net.

yep its me: 14th May 2008 - 13:57 GMT

Hutch may not be a metropolis--but thats what I like about it. Its just like anywhere you live it is what you make of it. If you have a shitty attitude about this town, go away, chances are that we don't want you here anyway. I have always managed to find a job when I need one, I guess the difference between me and those of you who think its a shithole is that I am not lazy.

Leftin1991: 14th May 2008 - 20:43 GMT

I left for college in '91 and have only been back to visit. Hutchinson is a retirement community and sports one of the largest populations of nursing homes per capita in the midwest. You can't drive 2 miles without seeing a nursing home or "retirement village". I wouldn't be surprised if the NJCAA moves the Basketball Tourney to another site.

Me: 16th May 2008 - 05:15 GMT

The NJCAA has and always will be held here. Good ole Hutch hangs on to it's traditions.

Miss_1989: 17th May 2008 - 05:50 GMT

I had lived in hutch for 12 years growing up as a child, but my family ended up moving due to my parents job transfers and also because Hutchinson (even in the middle class neighborhoods) were becoming crime infested. Now, I will agree that Hutch is nothing more than a mere ghost town. But what I do recall is that Hutchinson used to have "Picnic In The Park" that was put on by the First National Bank in downtown. Anybody on here ever recall this event too? It was put on during the summer in the early to mid 1980's. The bank used to have a band play in the park gazeebo and have a small conession stand with your choice of Mountain Dew or Pepsi. I do remember that Day care (as I knew them as the friendship units) would sometimes take us kids down here to listen to the music, get a soda and we all had to bring our own lunches. (I do believe this was once in the location where one of the free water parks now stands in the downtown area?) Growing up as a kid in Hutch had it's share of fun times and plenty to do. There was never a boring day in Hutch. Not only was there picnic in the park, but every so often there was also "The Main Street Event". I agree as there is a lot of unemployment in Hutch and it has been ruined by the crime and its too bad, but it finds its way to everywhere, no matter where a person lives. Also, does anybody on here recall two very old apartment buildings built pre- 1920's that used to be behind the Hutchinson Public Library in the very early 1980s ? These buildings would have been located directly behind the Hutch Public Library. One had been stuccoed white, and the other one right beside it near the street corner was brown stucco and both had mansard roof tops. I can't recall the street addresses to either of those demolished old apartment buildings seeing that it has been many, many years now since they were knocked to the ground. Maybe someone who has lived in Hutch all their lives would know what I'm trying to describe of those buildings from my memory. I do recall that the building my family and I lived in at that time had faulty (outdated) wiring, and there was a robbery that occuried in the white apartment building in broad daylight one floor above our apartment where we had lived. So, yes Hutch always was a bad place to live even from my earliest recollections growing up there as a child. And those pictures somebody took and posted on here aren't much. Before you go posting about abandon buildings with little to no information try to look up the history behind them, you might be surprised at what information you might come across. Thats all I have to say.- Miss_1989

Me: 28th May 2008 - 18:03 GMT

The crime in Hutch is nothing compared to other cities. Crime is everywhere,in every town or city and thats just the way the world is today. I still feel much safer living here than I would a lot of other places. Is Hutch perfect? Far from it. But name me one town or city that is.

New to Hutch: 28th May 2008 - 20:28 GMT

I just moved here a few months ago, and while I agree that Hutch is not the best town in the world. It's not the worst either. There's a lot of complaint about the city leaders, but I have a lot of faith in our fairly new City Manager, John Deardoff. I think Hutch is going to try and clean up. Lots of the City departments have new management and they're all looking to make Hutch a great city. Lets stop complaining and see what happens in the next 5 years.

Andie: 6th Jun 2008 - 17:07 GMT

Dear Yep its me,
There is a difference between a "job" and a "career where you can make a living and support your family on. Hutchinson offers plenty of the former and not the latter. This would explain why most of the jobs left in Hutchinson are manufacturing, retail and fast food. I left Hutchinson for Kansas City to find a "career" and now I am no longer struggling to get by paycheck-to-paycheck. I have a "career" in the pharmaceutical business as opposed to a "job" which is what you have. Most Hutchinsonians are either on assistance or are struggling to get by as I was. Take an honest look around Hutchinson and you will see that most of the major employers, such as fortune 500 companies, have left town. The only major employers there are Wal-Mart, Hutchinson Hospital, and the city. As for your statement that you are glad I left I must reply so I am I.

MrBrenzo: 7th Jun 2008 - 18:00 GMT

Hutchinson Kansas is a boring place, if you are a boring person. I lived in Hutch until I was 15 and remember it fondly. the state fair only happens once a year, but it was a good time and my folks lifted the normal curfew of 8 so that i could stay out really late with my freinds, and the rest of the year i just went to school and did the school things. alright enough with the childhood stuff. i am currently in the navy and have lived in japan as well as spain, and visited nearly every other place you can imagine. so i can give a good world perspective. despite it's problems, kansas is a beutifull place to be from, and hutch is in the heart of it. i am not even the only one to think so, recently i meet a women working as a protocol functionary at the U.N. in switzerland. she was from argentina, but went to hutch jucco as a foreign exchange student for a year. i spent an entire evening remeniscing about hutch with this woman and was surprised to find out we did not know each other, but had freinds in common. that would not happen in larger cities, and as big as the world truly is, i am surprised it happened at all. the beuty of it was that she gained an appriciation for the mellow, understated outlook on life that people from kansas are known for. and i find the cynisysm in previous comments do not become us. the other thing that foreingners like is the way we speak. where ever i go, people tell me they like the kansas way of speaking and appriciate the nuetrality of our accent. it is also very helpful when it comes to learning other languages. i understand there might be economic woes there at this time, but that is hardly unique to hutch or even the U.S. trust me i have seen worse and i cannot help but to feel hopeful, the u.s. as a whole and is still very strong economically. for tips on how to survive or even flourish in these current conditions, start talking to your grandfolks about the great depression and WW2, or to the mexican imigrants who came to hutch for work. they know how to make do with a little, and ultimately that is the problem we have to address. americans are used to getting everything they want all the time. it might be time to tighten our collective belts. best of luck to all of you and take care.

hugglez924: 8th Jun 2008 - 02:11 GMT

I have lived in Hutchinson nearly all my life and it is a wonderful place to live and raise a family. My children are grown and dont plan on moving to any other town. The pictures that were posted were of the old St Elizabeth Hospital, loooooooong after the new Hutchinson Hospital was built. It is NOT across from ANY highway. So is someone would lie about something so small, what more would they lie about? *ponders*. It is located on Monroe Street around 22nd street.
I find all the immature comments very funny. Only children would find a city "boring". If you are bored, then you would be bored no matter where you lived. Just ask teenagers and young adults in New York City, Miami Florida, or even Los Angeles California. I have. Depends on who you speak with.
As for no employment, get an education then maybe you will be in a position to give educated opinions?
Someone asked for a list of things Hutchinson Kansas has to offer besides the friendly people or that it is a nice place to live? Ok....Hutchinson does have the Space Discovery Center, an OmniMax theater, the Kansas State Fair, an excellent college, an indoor water park, clean and beautiful parks, salt mines that are open to the public (if you have never been down there..its awesome!), it is centrally located to alot of other great/historic places to visit (in all directions), health care facilities to rival bigger cities, and not to forget the annual NJCAA basketball tournament (if its good enough for the nation, it should be good enough for the residents). There are 10 things someone asked for.
Like a home, a homeTOWN is what you make it!

Andie: 9th Jun 2008 - 17:17 GMT

hugglez924,
I do have a degree as a matter of fact it is in Health Care Administration. Currently I am working towards a Masters in Health Care Administration and I still feel that the job opportunities in Hutchinson are quite poor. Your rosy view of Hutchinson is very optimistic but not quite accurate. If I may ask what exactly is your wonderful job opportunity and what is your educational degree in? Please fully read ALL the comments before meaking such broad assumptions about all the posters on here.

Tex : 9th Jun 2008 - 18:54 GMT

Yes, if you're a young person you really have to ask yourself what are the career options in Hutchinson. I just recently received a 12k raise with a 32k bonus for the year, which for the first time in my life put me over $100,000 earning per year. Could I have ever hoped to earn that kind of money in Hutchinson, hell no. My advice to the young people is to get your education and get the heck out of there.

Me: 9th Jun 2008 - 19:39 GMT

To Andie My goodness,you would have all kinds of career opportunities here in good ole Hutch if you have a degree in Health Care Administration. The health care field is booming here. So come on back to Hutch where the air is clean,the people friendly,the crime rate low,the trees are beautiful,the sunset is awesome. We need young professionals like you.

RN1980: 13th Jun 2008 - 06:16 GMT

My question to all you HATERS is: What makes your town/city so much better? Every community in this country as problems with drugs and poor "white trash" or "illegal immigrants". The photos posted ARE NOT a fair representation of this city. The grass isn't always greener on the other side. Maybe instead of sitting around BITCHING, ya'll could do something to make life better. You're bored? Open a new business or club. Be a doer instead of a complainer and then maybe, just maybe, you'll see the positives in life because boring or not, every community has its positives.

CS: 14th Jun 2008 - 22:15 GMT

Believe me there are a lot worse places to live than Hutchinson. To all of you who don't like Hutchinson, I sincerely hope that you are happy where you are living. Maybe Hutchinson just isn't "right" for you.

Ruth: 17th Jun 2008 - 00:24 GMT

So many bitter people. I grew up in Hutch and would not take the experience for anything in the world. I am sure it has gotten much worse in every town across the nation with drugs, more people, illegals, etc. Try to make it better instead of complaining.

oevre: 17th Jun 2008 - 17:42 GMT

Q: If you were driving down seventeenth and you realized you had a million dollars in your backpack, which you didn't realize you had, and you are seventeen years old, would you plan on spending your life in Hutchinson, Kansas?

Me: 18th Jun 2008 - 00:49 GMT

Re to oevre
If I had a million,I would travel and visit some really cool places,then I would settle down while I was still young and buy a really nice home here in good ole Hutch,and start up a business of some kind.

Tex: 18th Jun 2008 - 15:38 GMT

I don't drive down 17th, I drive to work in a brand new convertable down streets lined with palm trees and seagulls flying overhead. Because I live and work in a city that promotes good paying jobs and desires to make an effort to see that its citizens can work, make good money, and really enjoy life.

Tex: 18th Jun 2008 - 16:53 GMT

I saw today in the Hutch News where some poor 44 yr old guy shot himself in the head up there. I don't know his background, but he probably was poor and broke and couldn't see any future for his life. My advice again to the young up there is to get an education, and find a job that makes at least $50k a year. And, I don't believe that many jobs like that exist in Hutchinson, Ks. If you want to make a career at working at the local Kwik shop at $7.00 an hour, you will starve and die. The world is not going to get easier, it's going to get rougher and if you don't equip yourself, you're going to find it hard to survive. In this day and age, where you live and work is not an issue to be taken lightly, its a matter of life and death, just look at the suicide rates.

Me: 19th Jun 2008 - 18:37 GMT

Re to Tex

According to USA-TODAY.COM,depression and suicide rates by state list Texas at number 10 and Kansas at number 28,so it's obvious what state has the most depressed and suicidal residents. And it has nothing to do with Texas being the larger state.

Me: 19th Jun 2008 - 18:49 GMT

Re to Tex

And according to CNN-MONEY.COM,as of April 2008, unemployment rates state by state list Kansas at number 17 and Texas at number 19,so it sounds like we are not that far below Texas.

Tex: 19th Jun 2008 - 22:56 GMT

Well, I don't think it takes rocket science to see that there are more $50,000 a year plus jobs in Texas than there are in Hutchinson, Ks. Unemployment is everywhere, and if you don't have an education, you'll be just as unemployed in Texas as you will be in Kansas. And, there are a lot of places in Texas that I would not live, BUT the point is that there are a lot more opportunities in Texas than there are in Hutchinson, Ks. Besides the Health care field, prove to me that Hutchinson has opportunities for $50k plus jobs by naming the companies up there that would pay those kind of wages.

Tex: 19th Jun 2008 - 23:07 GMT

And according to CNN-Money, Texas has 102 Fortune 500 companies while Kansas has 5. So, tell me where the job opportunities are. Duh

Tex: 20th Jun 2008 - 13:39 GMT

The point is for most wage earners if you want to make good money, you won't be living in Hutchinson, Ks.

Peter: 20th Jun 2008 - 14:10 GMT

after watching this thread for almost two years, the inability to earn a good wage is the least of many reasons why id never live in hutchinson, hahaha...

Me: 20th Jun 2008 - 22:00 GMT

Re to Peter

Can't say I wouldn't blame you after reading so much negativity,but people like Tex who don't even live here but keep posting negative and slanderous comments,especially about the man who committed suicide,is enough to turn anyone away. But you know what I find ironic and even amusing? Tex obviously has strong ties and bonds and happy memories of Hutchinson, his hometown,or he wouldn't read our newspaper every day, or post on this site so much. What I can't understand is if Tex is so happy and contented in Texas, why doesn't he let go of his bad memories of Hutch,and move on with his life in Texas? The answer is obvious. Tex still has a strong bond with this fair city, or he would have moved on long ago. But Tex is right about one thing. An education is important to get ahead and to help attain a decent job,no matter where you live.

Peter: 21st Jun 2008 - 04:53 GMT

it seems like you fellas have managed to make this into a "you versus tex" argument, as opposed to a "hutch versus the rest of the world" thread, and i think the constant tit-for-tat bickering is pretty lame. surely you guys know that any impartial reader, if they care, will simply read this to get some viewpoints, research it themselves, and make their own conclusions.

as of now, this thread is like 50 pages of silly, subjective arguments. as i said about a year ago, its really a shame that none of you all have posted any more photos of hutch to show us all its other facets that you so voraciously claim werent shown in these photos.

Tex: 21st Jun 2008 - 15:16 GMT

They don't have any defense to my claims, they don't comment on specific issues I bring up, they don't engage in a meaningful discussion on the topics, because they know everything that I have said is the truth and they don't have any defense for the truth, except to try to insult me for telling it.

I find it rather humorous to read their comments, it brings a lot of laughter to my day, and that's why I post so much. Never in my life have I've seen such outlandish responses to my comments, and what's even more funnier is I bet they actually believe people can't see through their stupidity

Peter: 21st Jun 2008 - 15:28 GMT

so how about some photos? anyone in hutch got a camera or cameraphone, by any chance? it would be nice to actually see some of the town, as opposed to just reading endless blabber about it. this is (mostly) a photoblog, after all :)

Tex: 21st Jun 2008 - 16:06 GMT

I'll post a picture, this is Memorial Hall Convention Center.

This is the building that the city spent over 2.2 million to fix up and still can't be used because it can only seat 2,000 people and doesn't even have air conditioning. (Which would cost another 1 million) This is Me's tax dollars at work, producing a good return for the folks of Reno County.) (Or maybe that was a good return for the ones that did the work??)

Tex: 21st Jun 2008 - 16:17 GMT

Here's another one, this is the Kansas Cosmosphere, one of the recent winners in the "Wonders of Reno County". It was started my Max Ary, who stole space artifacts from his own museum and sold them for personal gain. He was later convicted and sentenced to 3 years in prison. Gosh, it's really a 'wonder' how all these bad things can go on in a nice little

town like Hutchinson

Peter: 21st Jun 2008 - 17:06 GMT

thats what im talking about, tex! thanks. see, to us outsiders that have no idea what these places/things are that you guys have been talking about forever, photos and descriptions really add impact to the conversation.

id love to see more. and its really great when people dont just slap up photos, but also take the time to explain what its a photo of, and give some of their views on it. sweet.

Me: 21st Jun 2008 - 21:57 GMT

Re to Tex and Peter

I would post pics here,but I do not know how.Maybe I can get my 17 year old to do it for me,but she is usually too busy,like many other folks here in Hutchinson,who are contented and happy.People are busy strolling through the beautiful Dillons nature center,patronizing our awesome two free water parks,or our well known indoor water park.Or perhaps everyone is at the Salt City Splash which draws one heck of a crowd,young and old alike.Or perhaps a lot of folks might be at one of our hip coffee shops which features bands for entertainment.Or just maybe people are at our well known antique district.Lets see,last week was the downtown art fair and the bike rally,I know that kept many people busy.Perhaps everyone is busy golfing at our exceptionally beautiful golf courses,one which is one of the best in the United States.Or perhaps folks are touring the Salt Mines which is an experience you will always remember.And yes,their is the Cosmophere,also nationally known and a great experience for many.On any given weekend,you can go to the Grand Prairie Convention Center,their is always some event going on.This coming weekend is going to be another event which also was held in March,and it drew a huge crowd,totally packed the center.You will also find many people busy at our race tracks,also at Fun Valley ball diamonds which Hutch is also known for.Or you just might find good people sitting under one of our thousands of beautiful shade trees drinking tea,try doing that under a palm tree!!!! So I guess people are too busy to post,or like me and don't know how,but I will see what I can do.And in the meantime,Tex,please come back home.It breaks my heart to hear you being so homesick for your hometown.

Hutchinson Escapee: 22nd Jun 2008 - 07:08 GMT

I'm not a religious person, but if there is a town in this county that truly is cursed, it's hutchinson, KS.

The corruption at the judicial level is staggering. The forces that be actually got the law changed FOR THE ENTIRE STATE that would have required a sitting Judge to retire at age 70. This was to keep the still sitting Judge Rome on the bench - lap dog for prominent lawyer and former Mayor of Hutchinson, Brad Dillon - heir to the Dillon family dynasty (The Dillon's Grocery Store chain, now owned by Kroger was founded in Hutchinson, KS).

At least one lawsuit so far this year was thrown out for having been decided behind closed doors in Judges chambers by Judge Rome and Brad Dillon without ever SERVING the defendant, much less was the case heard in open court.

Keep in mind: the law that was changes to let a geriatric Judge stay on the bench was changed to accommodate a Judge in HUTCHINSON! Not Topeka; not Kansas City, not Wichita - HUTCHINSON!

These are some very powerful people and the corruption isn't going away anytime soon - Brad Dillon is now running for the Reno County Commissioners spot (3rd District). Mmm-boy!

Add to that a disproportionate number of registered sex offenders and pedafiles (say, compared to a major metropolitan city), and you have got one of the most God forsaken cities I know.

Last year saw charges being filed against and the arrest of one of Hutchinson's finest (a Hutchinson police officer) for allegedly repeatedly sexually assaulting his 16 year old step daughter. I believe the trial is still going on...

You know, it's not that the big cities are "better" - you expect to see the worst in people there... but in small town America? It used to be that small towns were where you went to get away from the riffraff and corruption. Unless of course, that town is Hutchinson, KS.

Me: 22nd Jun 2008 - 08:26 GMT

Re to Hutchinson Escapee

Actually the Dillon Grocery Store chain was founded in the Sterling and Lyons area. As far as the judicial system being corrupt,show me one that isn't.The men who run this country are corrupt and always have been and always will be. Is it fair? Is it right? Hell no it isn't. Where can I research about the lawsuit that was thrown out? This interests me. I would like to know more about this. I do not recall the police officer incident,but I'm not saying it didn,t happen,just that I don,t recall. And Rome is a judge that is firm but fair,thats probably the reason he is still sitting. Brad Dillon? I don't know anything about him that you haven't allready mentioned,but I do know casually some of the other Dillon family members,and I can truthfully say they are the nicest people you could ever hope to meet.And I am a lower middle class citizen and have always been treated with nothing but respect from them. As far as sex offenders and pedafiles,I don,t know that we have more than any other town this size. But even one is one too many.

Hutchinson Escapee: 22nd Jun 2008 - 10:48 GMT

If a NYPD cop was charged and arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting (repeatedly) his 16 year old step daughter, it would be a national outrage and Nancy Grace would have a field day with it...

Not in Hutchinson! Ostrich-syndrome abounds! "I don't recall the police officer incident". Of course not!

Do yourself and every other Hutchinsonian a favor: vote for Brad Dillon in the August primary and then again in November for the general election. This way you are sure to continue to get more of the same.

Hutchinson Escapee: 22nd Jun 2008 - 11:41 GMT

Oops... seems Ryan Bloom wasn't a Hutch PD officer... no, he was a cop for a different city that LIVED IN AND COMMITTED his crime in Hutchinson, KS - and my mistake again - she wasn't 16 - she was 12.

I found this RENO COUNTY Classic while searching out the cop story:

Man on parole for animal crime, suspected in second

Author: Darcy Gray - The Hutchinson News - dgray@hutchnews.com
Date: February 21, 2008
Publication: Hutchinson News, The (KS)

A 20-year-old man on probation in Reno County for criminal sodomy of an animal was arrested Tuesday night in Wichita on suspicion of the same crime. Joshua Brian Coman, of Pretty Prairie, was arrested after Wichita police responded to a burglary at a residence, Police Lt. Sam Hanley said.

"The homeowner reported she saw him in the garage with her 4-year-old Rottweiler," Hanley said.

Officers suspect Coman broke into the garage before committing the crime.

Classic... a true dog lover.

Me: 22nd Jun 2008 - 18:07 GMT

Re to Hutchinson Escapee

That sick pervert lived in Pretty Prairie,as you stated,not Hutch,the sick pervert who sexually assulted and killed an elderly woman this past month also was from out of town,Mcpherson to be exact.They came into our city or county to commit their crimes.The cop thing is still not registering with me,but anyhow,I asked you if you could tell me more about the court closed door incident. I am very interested in knowing about that in detail.

Hutchinson Escapee: 22nd Jun 2008 - 18:17 GMT

Really? Why?

I have the case number - it's public record. You could go to the 4th floor of the courthouse and get a copy of the file (cost you about $2-$4.00). But why are you more interested in a dirty, geriatric judge and the slimy, blood sucking lawyer that owns him, than you are in a convicted child rapist cop that called Hutchinson 'home'?

Answer that question to my satisfaction first and I will post the case number here, lest I be guilty of throwing pearls before swine.

Me: 22nd Jun 2008 - 19:01 GMT

Re to Hutchinson Escapee

I will keep my reasons for wanting to know to myself,but thanks for the offer to post the case number anyway. But my oh my aren,t you an angry one. You probably had to escape Hutch because you went before Rome on some horrible crime,and I bet Dillon was your attorney who will not fight for slime bags,so you were probably going to prison,and that is why you escaped Hutch. I got you figured out.

Hutchinson Escapee: 22nd Jun 2008 - 19:25 GMT

That's it? That's all you got?

Knowing Hutchinson to be the seething cesspool of child rapists and pedifiles that it is, I am going to suggest in the strongest language possible that the Dateline NBC people do one of their "To Catch A Predator" episodes in Hutchinson. Seriously.

Forget mere doctors and teachers - just wait and see how many prominent members of the community show up with booze and condoms!!! I'll bet Hutchinson goes down in history as one of the most notorious towns Chris Hanson has ever visited...

Returnee: 24th Jun 2008 - 15:26 GMT

Just happened on this site and was amazed that so many "high Paid executives" would spend so much time bashing someplace. Is your glass half full or half empty? Don't bother to reply as I won't be wasting my time listening to your crying.

Me: 24th Jun 2008 - 18:01 GMT

Re to Returnee

What baffles me is that these so called "happy and better off since I left Hutchinson" people just keep posting their negativity on this site. If they are so much better off and so happy in their new city, why do they keep posting? I understand it is their right to do so, but wouldn't you think they have other things to do with their time? Why do they keep such a negative hold onto their past? Why don't they let their unhappy memories of Hutch go,and get on with their new lives? Could it be that they are not so happy? I don't know. And I don't understand why they get so negative and mad when something good is posted about Hutch. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. So to all of you who have left Hutch and hate it so much, leave your painful past behind you get on with your new life. The more you keep posting here,the more homesick I realize you really are.

Tex Re: Me: 24th Jun 2008 - 18:41 GMT

Nice try, but some of us have to be the voice of truth, because they sure won't hear it coming from some of you'all up there. How come you want to post so much on here Me? Don't you enjoy taking care of your patients? It would seem to me that if you enjoyed your job, you'd wouldn't be spending so much time on here arguing with us.

In fact who is taking care of your patients while your surfing here on the internet? I don't think I'd want to be up there in the hospital in Hutchinon Ks. knowing the nurses are down at the station typing up a storm on the internet while I'd be sitting on my wet bed pan!

Me: 24th Jun 2008 - 20:24 GMT

Re to Tex

I don't work at the hospital,and I work split shifts,different shifts during the week,so I post on off time. And what does Hutchinson matter to you anymore? Why does it matter if you post the voice of truth or not? You dont live here,so why do you care? Is it perhaps that you want things good in Hutchinson,when you return to live someday? Or is it as I suspect,you are truly homesick?

hmmm: 24th Jun 2008 - 21:17 GMT

You are sooooo far off on the idea that Hutchinson is the "most" drug infested area... I will quote Andie with the statement that Reno County is ranked in the top spot for the U.S....I'm raising the BS Flag....I can't stand when people spout out unsupported facts...so I am attaching a webpage that show the facts....http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/concern/map_lab_seizures.html here you will clearly see that Missouri is in much worse shape!

voice of reason: 24th Jun 2008 - 21:50 GMT

Everyone anywhere can either make the most or least out of any situation. The US medical care system is the worst of any advanced nation. You do not need to say your hospital is better than any others. I have been to 30 of 50 states and they all "suck". Get over yourselves and write your congress people. You elected trash so guess what? You get what you get. You want fewer drugs? Better health care? Better mental health? Cleaner inner cities? Quit playing "beat up on a red neck" and relay your thoughts to politicians who can seriously legislate change.

Tex Re: Me: 24th Jun 2008 - 23:02 GMT

I don't think things in Hutch will ever improve, I just enjoy being a thorn in you'all sides!! LOL!! A fly in the ointment that won't go away. I still own property up there, so I still have a vested interest in what goes on up there. But, would I move back?....nnnnnoooooooooooo wwwwaaaaaayyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!
I make too much money down here and have too many beautiful women to spend it on!!!
Life is goooooood!!!

Me: 25th Jun 2008 - 01:43 GMT

Re to Tex

I find it ironic that you brag about all the money you make,six figures to be exact,and I believe you do make that much, but why do you put down people in Hutch who make six figures or more? Are they not supposed to be happy with their success,only you out of staters? And you are certainly not a thorn in my side. I know you are homesick and I feel sorry that you miss Hutch so much.

voice of reason: 25th Jun 2008 - 02:08 GMT

If life is good then you would not be typing rhetorical crap in front a computer screen. On that note good bye and good luck. I am sure that you will find time to get away from all of the babes to have a comeback to every comment made about your pathetic existence. Loser;)

Me: 25th Jun 2008 - 03:12 GMT

Re to voice

You said it well. I wonder why Tex doesn,t sell his property and break completely away from Hutch,if he hates it so bad. If I hated something so bad,I would sever all ties. Get on with my life. Quit wasting so much time commenting on something I despise so much. But as I said,the poor fella is homesick and he won't admit it,or else he would break away totally free and clear of Hutch.

Devil's Advocate: 25th Jun 2008 - 03:35 GMT

Tex, maybe you're a part of the problem! Owning property and making an income from Hutchinson while not putting anything back into the town!

Tex: 25th Jun 2008 - 14:44 GMT

Actually my tennant lost his job about 10 years ago, and still hasn't been able to find employment due to health problems and also due to the fact there are no decent jobs to be found in Hutchinson for the working middle class.

So I let him live in my property for free. That's right I said rent free, for over 10 years now. Because I don't like seeing people having to live on the street. So, I actually lose money, in that I have to pay taxes on the property to a city and county govt. that is incompetent and wastes the taxpayers money on worthless ventures and at the same time has no emphasis on creating good paying jobs.

But, based on these responses, you'all deserve what you have. You don't need me to make yourselves look like a bunch of assess. You do a good job of it on your own.

Me: 25th Jun 2008 - 19:24 GMT

Re to Tex

Sorry,don't believe you,and I doubt any other posters do either.

Tex: 25th Jun 2008 - 20:40 GMT

That doesn't surprise me, the mentality of people like you doesn't support the concept of acts of kindness and compassion.

Peter: 25th Jun 2008 - 20:43 GMT

come on, you guys. this thread is getting argumentative and personal. are you guys going to go back and forth like this forever? i suggest doing one of the following: a) posting photos of hutch b) saying something new about hutch c) putting a sock in it.

no offense, but i have a feeling that i may be speaking for some of the other regulars on this site when i say were getting a little tired of this now-rhetorical argument...

Tex: 25th Jun 2008 - 21:18 GMT

Yes, the problem is that no one up there is capable or willing to post any photos, and if anyone wants to bring up topics for discussion, they are simply insulted to try to shut them up.

Me: 26th Jun 2008 - 01:10 GMT

Re to Peter

This thread is getting out of control and the topics are not even what this thread started out to be about. But I do not have to prove anything to any out of stater,and I wont waste my time,anymore time on Tex,I will not read anything he has to say anymore.All of his babes must have left him,he sure has a lot of time to be nosing around on what doesn,t even concern him anymore.I would be out spending my six figure salary and not giving a darn if I was him.But it's obvious he is not telling the truth about a lot of things. So keep on keeping on Mr Tex, I will not read another thing you post.And I don't have to prove anything to you,or post any pics for anybody. I am comfortable in my own skin,it's too bad and so sad that you are not.

Tex: 27th Jun 2008 - 04:08 GMT

Yes, what is getting out of control on this site is the truth about all the dirty little secrets of Hutchinson, Kansas, and there is nothing you nor anyone else can do to stop it. I'm glad 'Me' is no longer going to look or read my posts, some people just can't handle the truth, and I plan on posting more photos and more stories to go with them.

jb53: 27th Jun 2008 - 12:34 GMT

I have lived here for close to twenty years. I really think the people that can't find work are the ones that just plain don't want to work. I have never been without a job here or any place else. I have been adding to my retirement alot lately and even though I have my own opinions about Hutch that doesn't prevent me from working. It is your choice to live here and if you don't care for it MOVE but that won't happen cause somewhere down the line everyone else is paying your way here and why would anyone want to leave the nest that is feeding them!!!!!!

Tex: 27th Jun 2008 - 13:21 GMT

Yes, there are a lot of people up there that are unemployed for whatever reasons and are having to live with relatives, parents, etc., in order to stay there.
As far as them moving away, you have to have money to do that, money for gas, money for a car, money for a bus ticket, train ticket, whatever. And, they're so dirt poor, or spend their money on drugs, they can't even come up with the funds to do that, so they stay where they're at living off others. That's what amazes me that people find it unbelievable that I have a renter at my property living there rent free. As, long as he takes care of the property and doesn't tear things up, that's all I'm concerned about. Do you know how hard it is to find a good renter in Hutchinson, Ks? First you have to find someone who has a good job and can pay the rent, and who isn't on drugs, then you have to find someone that won't tear the place up. The worst renter that I've ever had was a registered nurse, who you think that you could trust, but nope, not in Hutchinson, Ks.

howardandros: 27th Jun 2008 - 14:11 GMT

I am from Hutch and although I live in the Bahamas, it is still nice to go back home. I love the seasons and the people are all nice, jobs are a pain almost anywhere.

surviving: 27th Jun 2008 - 15:12 GMT

All of the post I"ve been reading has some kind of validity to the experience and surviving in hutch. I will not capitalize the "h on hutchinson' so please don"t think I messed up. I knew this site was up, so I decided to hop on. If you have a chance look up the college definition "dead". Wow! I read all about hutchinson. I"m not copping an attitude I was reading. the def. of hutch!!!!. When I go out in the public I get my things I need and head home. Why? might you ask... Because it"s an ugly site here. I"m not talking about the little flowers and decor the city has wasted our money on. I"m talking of the pigs that devour our homes in the city. How can we have soooo many dirty, fat , sloppy, selfish leach pigs in such a small area?. They have NO excuse for being so repulsive. Being poor doesnt mean slopping around with a "you owe me" attitude. And being so dirty. I have worked 1 full time job plus 2 part-time job to raise my 2 boys. And I GOT NO GOV. ASSISTANCE I"m now in my 50"s and have survived. Please can any of you show the stats. of of reno co. gov. assistance, meaning welfare,food stamps,disabled,ssi, etc. I have lived her all my life. I do know their is people who need help from the gov. So don"t jump me for that. Go to Walmart or Aldi"s at the 1st. week of each month. You will see families with full to the brim ( 1 or 2 carts) of food,food and more food!!!!!! Then compare the hard working persons cart. How do you know they work?? They usually have to be pretty conservative with the budget. Now I have a question.. Does hutch breed this type of lazy person OR does hutch magnetize this using, loser that sucks the tax-paying working peoples pockets dry? It is very disgusting to know 1st hand of druggies frying themselves to brain-dead aphids and getting on disability.. I am not making this up. I do live in the real world and no I am not over the top. And we paid for these aphids during their druggies years and now us tax payers are paying for their ride again. I know hutch isn"t the only one with this problem, And I know the problem is bigger than hutch. But cant we make Reno co. MAKE THESE PEOPLE CLEAN UP THERE YARDS. They collect crap and have a ongoing garage(junk)sale. The city needs to set a time limit on these eye-sores. Welcome to hutchinson Yeh.

Tex: 27th Jun 2008 - 16:35 GMT

You have several different problems going on at the same time up there. You have people with a poor work ethic, who want to live on free handouts. But, you also have a city that has not done anything to promote good jobs, and people can't live on minimum wage, so they get fed up with working their assess off and still not able to get by, so they figure why try, and lets live off the govt. So, poverty, laziness runs rampant and the taxpayers foot the bill.

surviving: 27th Jun 2008 - 22:16 GMT

Tex I completely understand what your saying is true. Thanks for the imput. I have worked my ass off,and I had lived below poverty level. hutch was the same then at it is today. It is struggle in hutch. I guess I was brought up different, I get pissed when I know a good percent of these lazy people don't try. hutch had the same control when I was working and it sucks.... I saw on the national news that people on welfare are whining that groceries are going up ,so they can't buy as many groceries. They dont have enough money to feed their kids. Well these losers need to learn to BUDGET. Oh reno co. has a free class to learn to manage their money. And again we pay. I assume you work or have put in a life of hard work. So please understand my anger. I know the new thing is to hire part-time and get no benefits and that sucks. But do hutches workers employees get any different set-up? nope they dont. ( I'm not talking about employees that work for the city of hutch. They get great benefits, and to get hired onto the city you have to be friends with the right people. The lazy leaches know ho to work the system,why cant they put some of all that brain energy to a positive way of life. I was at Aldi"s one day. this gal had five kids She had 2 carts full steaks pop, roast, candy, and lots of junk food. I mentioned all the food in the carts,and the total was about 200.00 bucks. the employee said to me he sees her all the time. And this pig,( fat, dirty kids etc. was given 800.00bucks a month. I can"t spent that. Yes I have several things going on but I am trying to show both sides of the problems of hutch. I now have to start taking care of my parents here in hutch. So right now I am pretty stuck here. I cant stand this. town either . I have so much crap about this town it will make your head spin. so be patient with me. It's nice to have a site to let people know how ethically dirty this town is. later!!!!!

Me: 28th Jun 2008 - 04:32 GMT

Re to surviving

You go into any town or city,and you will find many women with a dozen kids,milking the system.Happens everywhere,all the time,not just in Hutchinson Kansas.But I understand how you feel.I have been upset myself when I was on a strict budget and buying hotdogs,beans,etc.,and seen women with a vision card buying non healthy frozen pizzas and chips and all kinds of trash for their children. Women too lazy to cook anything,just pop something into the microwave.No wonder so many kids are diabetic,autistic,overweight. But this milking of the system happens everywhere.

Me: 29th Jun 2008 - 07:30 GMT

Boy oh boy!!!Was Hutch boring this weekend???The answer is absolutely,positively,most certainly not!!!!!The Grand Prairie held the Warfare X ultimate fights,and talk about excitement and a fun time!!!!Hutch was awesome and the fighters incredible!!!!The Hutch Fest has been going on also,and it's been fun as well.I have had a blast in my hometown this weekend!!!!!Keep the entertainment coming Hutch!!!!!!

adr: 30th Jun 2008 - 02:35 GMT

im not gonna read any of these comments, all i know is that the pics were all of one area by the old hospital, not the church, i dont know what year, but now they are apts, and all the pics were taken from different views of the old hospital. why not take pics of 17th street, or 30th, or hwy 61? every state has like 1000 cities that dont have a major highway running through them, so you cant base your argument on that, there are 46,000 people here, and the jobs are more than min. wage jobs, i work for tyson foods and have for 5 years, i work 6 days a week, and make a helluva living.
as far as welfare have you ever been to new york? i lived there for 10 years and omg, scumbags everywhere, everyone is on some kind of welfare where i lived, liquor stores, and gun shops were the best money makers, and they took food stamps thankfully, major businesses could not survive, and the town (jamestown) was all but dead, but the 6 surrounding lake commuities kept it alive.
how are you struggling in hutch? everything is well below the national rent and morgage rates, and as far as the elderly and handicap, where do you live where there are nothing but young people?
it is not hutchinson, or kansas that makes people not wanna work or have 10 kids by lazy men who dont wanna work, its everywhere, so before you judge the city on some pics of the old hospital off the beaten path, like every city has!!!!, look aroud your own city and see how great you are

Jerrod the "Wildchild" Racerboy: 1st Jul 2008 - 06:17 GMT

Hutch Really isnt as bad as some make it out to be. Great paying jobs arent plentyfull but there are plenty of jobs out there if you REALLY want to work!! Most people in this town or any other that are not working DONT want to. There are alot of good people that live here also. The way I look at it is this, you can find things about everything in life that sux. But I promise the sun will come up in the east tomorrow and onother day in Hutchinson Kansas will be waiting for you!!

surviving: 2nd Jul 2008 - 17:27 GMT

hutch is safer than a lot of big cities, and the commute to work is not so bad,(hour wait traffic jams etc.) I have traveled and it"s not fun to set , and move 2 inches and stop. So I appreciate hutch on that note. Also the comment adr, and wildchild has proved my point,people can find jobs if they will get off their butts and get out of bed, make it on time, and work for a living. If any city will hire a person without a college degree it can be done around hutch. Oh ! One an employee looks for a positive attitude, and desire to earn their pay. I hope this my help the illiterate ( lack of culture, work ethics etc.) buy a alarm clock and apply for a job. I promise you all people that cant find a job or won"t work own p.c."s I would like your input,

living in Hutchinson: 3rd Jul 2008 - 03:41 GMT

Wow. Interesting website. I would like to comment too. I live in Hutchinson. I have been here my entire life. I moved to big cities in other states for a few years about 10 years ago. The big cities have some advantages yes, but these pictures do no justice to this town. It is much nicer than that! I will probably move away again but this isn't a bad place. I am 32 years old and I have a husband and two kids. We both have great jobs IN HUTCHISON and made almost 90000 per year. I only work part time and I made 55000 last year. I think that the rich are growing richer and the poor are growing poorer in this town. I was a real poor kid and grew up in a real poor neighborhood but I went to college and came back. This is my home for now. I think that if you really want a job you can get it. I am working hard to make sure that my kids don't end up being the ones on Meth and flucking out of school and trashing houses. Our city definitely needs something for kids to do. We need more programs that are affordable for kids to be involved in. We work our asses off trying to find activities for our kids to keep them occupied. It is expensive to do this. The only pool is way far away from where people that can afford to go there live. It costs too much money to get in. The cosmosphere is cool but really why should we pay 20$ to see a movie. I guess Hutch pisses me off too. I'll be out with in the next couple of years. Anyone want to buy a house for 165000? I need to sell it and get out of here! It's a retirement community and I have found that if you are young enough to have kids here and didn't grow up with the rich kids you don't fit in. It has nothing to do with money. We live in a nice house in a nice neighborhood and make enough money but still aren't accepted by the "group." The group is those that grew up with money. It is interesting to see those that grew up "rich" now. Most are not even close to being rich now. I want more for my kids so I work with what I have. I work for a big company here in town and I am not impressed with the way the employees are treated so I'm going to Wichita to work soon. We moved to a school district that I had heard was so great and then when it comes down to making our schools better the people that live in the district won't vote to give the schools extra money. It makes me sad that we can't invest in our future. The people that voted "no" probably don't have kids in the schools but what is going to happen when there are no more young families in this town? There won't be a Hutchinson anymore. I moved into my house last year and it is a dream come true but I am finding out about all of the ridiculous things that are going on in this town. It is sad but Hutchinson is going to lose a couple of great nurses soon and a couple of great kids. Who is going to take care you you then? I really do love my house but the town is not worth it now.

gotout: 3rd Jul 2008 - 04:06 GMT

i moved away more than 20yrs ago be honest hutch is boring. i come home at least once a year to visit family. things are getting pretty ratty there. the neighborhoods need to do like most city and have a home owners assoc. maybe that will help and if the people really care help those who cant afford to fix up their homes. i help the elderly on my block i live in a major city. i would prefer to be homeless than move back. but i will admit you have control of your life style there are jobs if you want to work. the cost of living is low but it is one of the most boring places on the planet earth and i know because i travel alot. and the drugs are out of control get that under control and maybe hutch can be the great town it was 20 or more years ago the police know who the dealers and addicts the know where the labs are shut them down. and to surviving you are supposed to enjoy life not survive it a little traffic is nothing when there are so many things to do that you could never see or do them all. the cosmosphere how abhout the air and space museum. have a nice day

Me: 3rd Jul 2008 - 07:27 GMT

Re to living in Hutchinson

You are bi-polar and I want to let you know there are medications for it.

gotout: 3rd Jul 2008 - 17:51 GMT

sorry surviving i must have misunderstood you, but one word of advise if you really want to leave do as i did pack everything in your auto and dont look back. visit once a year at the most for 3 days. even if you have to move to ict.

baffled: 4th Jul 2008 - 05:59 GMT

Pack your shit and get the hell out of town! have you heard the asying you are what you eat? good luck.

Mr. T: 4th Jul 2008 - 14:02 GMT

re: baffled, you sure are, your name matches you. what dumb -ass comment tells me what you eat!!!!!.

Editor: 4th Jul 2008 - 15:55 GMT

I think I speak for all of us when I say I'm sick of this tit for tat small-town school-yard squabble.

Comments closed.

Heaven: 13th May 2009 - 02:39 GMT

You know what i live in hutch and its the most fucking boring town ever......except for the fair and the church/apartment thing is the drum school it used to be the hospital

Sanzay: 13th May 2009 - 15:54 GMT

Look at the clean floor at the fifth picture. Where is the debris, whre is the mess intrinsic to abandoned buildings? Where is the graffiti?
This town is definitely undersaffed with hobos, vandals and graffiti artists.

grew up and ran away from hutch: 18th May 2009 - 02:23 GMT

shocked that there are this many comments about hutch.. i've lived all over the country.. made it through katrina.. when i was a kid i thought hutch was my doom.. hindsight i think it was a great place to raise kids.. i heard they were starting to really have trouble with drugs out there that concerns me now that i have kids of my own and want a safe place to let them run.. we live in a nice suburb in the outskirts of new orleans i pay a whole lot for private school.. kansas had pretty great schools.. i think the pictures were to show some desolate stretching of the truth.. the cosmosphere is pretty right on though.. the fair i remember with nostalgia.. i mean hutch is boring now don't get me wrong but it's a great place to raise kids.. (you'd have to work out of town though.. and your kids will be as bored crazy as we were... no matter how bad you think your crime rate is.. surely its more like a small town blog it's not infested with crime.. although you'd think that we'd have a more apt police department.. i remember when there were barely traffic lights and the library was the most interesting thing to do besides play at the parks (which there are a lot of) it's pretty family oriented out there.. you pay just as much to live in town as you do out of town.. if you think the crime is so bad move out farther to the country. mostly all of the same people i grew up with still live there (yes you are all still there.. complaining about how much you hate hutch.. but have nothing to base it off of.. it really limits your mind i suggest moving out into the world before moving back to hutch.. that may be the only way one could really appreciate all the little annoyances that make hutch home.) i kinda miss it.. maybe not the cold.. or the rude judgmental know it all's.. (they are all over 200 lbs.. and or bald hopefully, assuredly everyone gets the face they deserve when they are 30.)

Jon: 20th May 2009 - 06:32 GMT

Hutch is a decent place...i actually moved away got out of the black hole that is Hutchinson, KS...but i find myself missing it a lot...but I have a lot of history and friends still there....Hutchinson is a good place to raise a family...i couldnt agree more...lots of things for family to do...if you want to go out though that is a different story..you got vicks, clicks, and jacks....maybe Grandslam...but that bar is gay and has fat bartenders......Hutch is full of fat girls so...whats new? lol

oh another thing while im on my drunk rant.....isnt Hutchinson a black hole? It sucks you back in eventually...I moved FAR away and somehow I find myself back in Hutch ahahha...it is the center of history's most boring universe!

Ali: 27th May 2009 - 15:50 GMT

My husband and I moved to Hutchinson for a job and I would like to say that Hutch has been a great home for us. The people here are friendly, there are PLENTY of things to do - Hutch is doing a great job supporting the arts and have plenty of activities involving the arts. I think this a great place to live, the neighborhoods are clean overall and friendly. I realize that Hutch doesn't go without it's fair share of downfalls but thats the same with any community.

Mokc: 29th May 2009 - 15:37 GMT

Hutchinson Kansas has a huge population of non-working lazy welfare recipients. I have never seen a town so full of people on welfare or disability. If they are able to walk around, then they are able to work.

Hutchinson is a welfare state!

bogeysblows: 29th May 2009 - 21:47 GMT

i was born here and finally left at 18, but at age 26 was forced to comeback. its a hell hole and im pretty sure im stuck here till my parents croak.

FREEIRELAND: 31st May 2009 - 12:31 GMT

i stayed in hutchinson for the summer of 2002 and had the best time of my life!!! i cant believe some of these comments...if you all lived where i live you would realize that hutchinson is a great place! try living in a warzone where bombs and gunfire are the norm!! everyday another innosent victom!! hutchinson has made me a better person and everyone who lives there should take pride in that! PEACE

H-townWarrior: 2nd Jun 2009 - 23:30 GMT

I have lived in a lot of towns in the lower 48, and they are all the same: welfare, poverty, laziness, and horrible job markets..also all of them illegal immigrants that take our good jobs away...Hutchinson aint so bad...yeah, the jobs suck, there is not much to do, but it is a small town, there is not alot of crime, and no smog...oh yeah..no earthquakes...you can run from a tornado, you cant run from a quake.

LittleBigJ: 9th Jun 2009 - 00:46 GMT

I live in Wichita KS. with a population of about half a million. Its about 45 min. away from Hutchinson, and i know a few girls from there, and all the pretty females come to Wichita to go to Old Town & bars.--- The country girls and 1 nightclub (McGraws), is the only good thing I have ever heard good about Hutchinson. It is a great city for people ages 40 & up, & Hutchinson does provide most of the salt to the mid-west or maybe even the USA. If your not happy in Hutchinson, just move down the way to Wichita. WICHITA IS LIKE NYC TO HUTCHINSON!!

Peter: 9th Jun 2009 - 01:47 GMT

thats right, ladies and gentlemen... get on down to wichita, because all the pretty females come to wichita, which is like nyc to hutchinson!

Notta Salt-Hawk: 10th Jun 2009 - 19:47 GMT

Peter, are you still posting to this forum? I've taken pity on you, LOL!

Would someone PLEASE post a picture of the beautiful WPA mural in the Hutch post office for Peter? How about a picture of the fountain at Carey Park too? Are there still those big beautiful houses on Main Street? (I think the style is called American Foursquare -- Hope they're still there. I haven't been home in many years.) Would love to see photos.

Peter, here are some other architectural gems for you. As a child, I loved the Pactola Apartments building. Please check out the old Carnegie Library too.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3099/2867167610_2386c86c2f.jpg%3Fv%3D0&imgrefurl=http://flickr.com/photos/historian77/2867167610/&usg=__2H3an-9mL2r_LkRtfu_QrPvyOeo=&h=375&w=500&sz=129&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=8y5MA-TW3sOEKM:&tbnh=98&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3DKress%2Bhutchinson%2Bkansas%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

Notta Salt-Hawk: 10th Jun 2009 - 19:53 GMT

Here's the Pactola Apartments building. Isn't it wonderful?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/farmerjohn/3462742852/in/pool-hutchinsonks

Peter: 10th Jun 2009 - 20:18 GMT

yes, i still post to this forum from time to time. lol.

Notta Salt-Hawk: 10th Jun 2009 - 20:27 GMT

Didn't work, sorry.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mogeneal/wpa/hutchinsonmural1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mogeneal/wpa/hutchinson.htm&usg=__Jyu6-UdIVPiDeTJ7h7iS1t4rzWI=&h=221&w=475&sz=38&hl=en&start=9&tbnid=R21I43ECAR1-kM:&tbnh=60&tbnw=129&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dhutchinson%2Bpost%2Boffice%2Bmural%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DG

RWgirl: 12th Jun 2009 - 16:29 GMT

As for what Hutch could do to improve itself: work with what you have. Get rotating exhibits into the Cosmosphere. Plan some summer events. What about free concerts in the park? A Bite-type event: www.biteoforegon.com, I organized the first one for Eugene, Oregon and it was a massive success. Cycle events, Zombie walks, arts and crafts fairs, food carts (and no, I'm not talking about roach-coaches), drive ins (car festivals) are also ideas. Close down main street on a Sunday for a water fight. There's lots to work with, lots you can do on a shoe-string too.

RWgirl: 12th Jun 2009 - 20:51 GMT

My first post disappeared:(

Anyway, the person who says you can be happy wherever you live is 100% wrong. In no way is that true. Even though I was born and spent my childhood in Hutch, it's not the place I call home. Portland, Oregon is my hometown and always will be. I've lived in several places and some I've loved and some I've hated. Sure, every place has a unique quality, but not all are places I'd be happy living. I lived in San Juan, Puerto Rico for two years and hated it. It's entirely too crowded and the island is pretty darn small for all the people. I do have good memories and friends from there, but I could have never been happy living there. I wouldn't be happy living in San Antonio, there's nothing to do there but eat and buy stuff (that's only fun for so long). I can't breathe in LA, so I wouldn't be happy there. New York: no, just no. Now that I'm over the culture shock, Oslo is a place I could live (but it would never replace Portland). I could live in Berlin, the tourists are thankfully contained to the Reichstag and Checkpoint Charlie areas so there's lots of neat neighborhoods. I could live in Budapest despite the tourist hoardes, that city is a crown jewel. Couldn't live in Warsaw, just don't like the city's vibe. Could live in Kyiv, Ukraine in an instant, that city is nothing short of amazing (housing is way expensive though).

Just because someone is unhappy in one place, it doesn't mean they'll be unhappy everywhere. People are also underestimating how hard it really is to just pack up and leave. Moving costs money. Try finding a job in a city you don't live in, it's not that easy. After all that is said and done, it still takes time to establish yourself in a community. It's not impossible to move, but it's not exactly easy either.

RWgirl: 12th Jun 2009 - 21:27 GMT

Someone challenged people who didn't live in Hutch to come up with 10 great things about their city. I can do that for Portland.

1. Involved citizens- the people of this community care what happens to it. They show up at city council meetings. If the councilors don't listen they stage protests, sign petitions, start recalls. People in this city work to change this city (or keep it the same in some instances).

2. Magnet schools- All school systems are in trouble, but Portland has specialized K-12 schools with amazing programs. They have schools geared toward science and math, language immersion, the environment, medical/dental, arts and communication, biotech, business and marketing, and baccalaureate studies just to name a few. These are 100% free public schools that anyone can attend.

3. Powells City of Books: It's a bookstore that's a full city block and four stories tall. It's open very late for nightowls and has a good selection of used books shelved right next to the new books. We also have two fantastic comic book/gaming stores. These are also open late and are places to gather socially. People don't just buy their games and supplies there (the pen and paper and dice kind of games, not computer games), but they play there as well.

4. Nightlife that doesn't involve drinking- There's something for everyone at night in Portland. It doesn't matter what your interest is. You can catch a laser light show at OMSI, swing dance in a ballroom with a springy floor, listen to any number of free or cheap music performances, go to any number of live theatre performances, midnight bowling, alcohol-free dance clubs, night cycling, night sports, there's neighborhoods where the cafes are open late, there's always good street performers, you can race on Portland International Raceway for a nominal price, the list goes on and on. Seriously, anything you are into, you can find happening at night.

5. Neigborhoods- Portland has a neighborhood for everyone. Feel like living in a posh condo over fancy grocery stores and fancy restaurants? Live in the Pearl. Want to live in a young, hippy-ish and artsy neighborhood? Live on Hawthorne. There's a neighborhood for everyone. The neighborhoods all have their own events and their own flavor. It also fosters a community feeling.

6. Oregon Health Sciences University- Level 1 trauma center (one of two in Portland) with some of the best doctors in the country. If you don't have health insurance, they will assist you in paying for your treatment. Affordable and excellent.

7. OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) and the Portland Art Museum. OMSI has rotating exhibits along with favorite mainstays. It has an OMNIMAX theatre (bigger and better than an IMAX), and attractions for young and old. We had the set peice of the real Millenium Falcon and one point, Bodyworlds came through, dozens more did. With the changing of attractions, OMSI becomes at least an annual event whether or not you have kids. The Portland Art Museum has rotating collections too, but they also have their permanent collection with world famous artists and a few of the masters.

8. Random acts of wierdness- Things just run a little different in Portland. Depending on the day, you may see hundreds of Santas hurling fruitcake into the Willamette on a trebuchant, a naked foot race, a zombie walk, a pillowfight in Pioneer Courthouse Square, the world's smallest incorporated park (that's not really an event, but it bears mentioning), legally performed weddings at a doughnut shop (that has some of the oddest pastries you'll ever enounter), adults on childrens bikes bombing down an insanely steep hill. Again, that's just naming a few. Something fun and family-friendly is always happening in downtown. And really, how can you not smile when you see a flood of Santas parading through the streets and stopping for impromptu dance parties?

9. We are the second best cycling city in the world. Amsterdam is the only city in the world that is more bicylce friendly. Bike lanes, bike friendly businesses, bike lockers, bike paths all make biking a pleasant alternative to driving.

10. Nature, nature everywhere- and all quite accessible. Drive 40 minutes east or west and you'll run into it. Can't get out of the city? Go to Forest Park on public transportation. The park stretches for over 8 miles (over 5,000 acres), has 70 miles of trails and is one of the largest urban forest reserves in the US.

Dumpster: 14th Jun 2009 - 16:52 GMT

Hutchinson is a just a dump. Full of fat old or young fat and old cattle (people) that live on welfare or some type of gov't assistance.

Stupid American: 18th Jun 2009 - 20:19 GMT

So much for comments being closed nearly a year ago on this topic... I am so glad I could take a bit of time to read the nuggets of wisdom posted here! Of course, by "glad" I mean supremely sorry and by "nuggets of wisdom", I mean "biased BS" (on both sides of this pissing match). There are fat, self-involved idiots all over this country, so it only makes sense there are also some in Hutchinson.

Deep Depths of Hell: 19th Jun 2009 - 15:59 GMT

Moved here from oklahoma when i was three and even then i probably knew how big a mistake it was. Lived here for about 15 years and I am just waiting til I graduate to escape this boring craphole of a town. People try to say there are things to do BULL. Okay heres what you can do:
A. Go to a movie : WHO CAN'T you can go to one in any town whooohoo
B. Go bowling: after you've been twice it's no fun
C. Go to the cosmosphere: well if you have lived here and went to school here you have been at least 15 times ITS ALWAYS THE SAME
D. THERE IS NOTHING FREAKIN' LEFT TO DO, IF YOU HAVE THE MEANS, BRAINS OR OPPORTUNITY MOVE ASAP!

Crush: 23rd Jun 2009 - 11:34 GMT

Wow, I live in Kansas City, born and raised there. I have seen the bad sides of KC but nothing comes close to Hutchinson as far and people not working. I have to agree with past posters. I have never seen so many lazy unemployed people in my life. People just roaming the streets. I was only in Hutchinson for two weeks as a part of my job. I left with a very bad taste.

Things to do: 30th Jun 2009 - 02:20 GMT

There are many things to do in Hutchinson. 1. Watch paint dry. 2 Watch old people get older. 3. take a crap 4. Apply for disability 5. Apply for food stamps. 6. Watch meth heads do their crazy stuff. 7. Grow poorer. As you can see this is just a small sample of the activities you can do or participate in. Come on people! Just get a little creative!

hutch_78: 4th Jul 2009 - 22:04 GMT

So many opinions about a small Kansas town...did you think the same think about Greensburg, KS? You might want to talk to some of the people there that survived and have put so much time & energy in to rebuilding thier homes in a town that might have been described by you as "boring," "not growing," and didn't have any "special" attractions that you needed to go see more than once in your life...but isn't it amazing how they seem to find things to do and enjoy themselves more than most of those living in large metropolitian areas. I live in a much larger place now; however, I was born and raised in Hutchinson, KS for 21 years, and although there are a lot of "things to do" and "a great nightlife" where I am now...after a while even those things get boring (and expensive) if you don't have something with more substance that allows you to see the good in the little things like staying home and enjoying family, friends, and yourself! If Hutchinson is so terrible...move, and when you do I feel sorry for the town that will now have to put up with your negative attitudes!

RWgirl: 6th Jul 2009 - 18:51 GMT

There is a serious lack of opportunity in Hutch. I think my lucky stars every day that my mom moved us away when she did. I still have fond memories of the place, but that's because it was my childhood. I don't think I'd feel the same if I spent my teenage or adult years there. I know for a fact I wouldn't have the life I have today and that would be a shame.

Hutch Native: 14th Jul 2009 - 01:15 GMT

I moved away when I was 22 to Phoenix where I've been for 30 Yrs. I think its a great little town to grow up in. My brother and I lived and breathed basketball and they always had a good juco team and the Nationals. Wichita is close and if you like to drink, then you are in the right town. I was also born in St. Elizabeth's hospital. My brother still lives there and he is in his own little world, just like most people in Hutch. Not that there is anything wrong with that. Go Dragons

anon (207.160.66.129): 21st Jul 2009 - 18:24 GMT

Hey I went to Hutch Juco, I had a ball, nice friendly women in Hutch. Does anyone know Nicola Benbrook or some contact information on the Benbrook family? They use to livre on the outskirts of town. Dad was white and mom was black. Niki had a sister who was livivng in Witchata. If so shoot me an email at bjets2@hotmail.com

anon (205-237-134-2.kota.net): 21st Jul 2009 - 18:50 GMT

Any town can be what you make of it. I've lived in Chicago, St. Louis, Milwaukee and Tampa. I love the life I have built in Hutchinson and wouldn't trade it for the world.

Help i need information about wichita: 28th Jul 2009 - 10:14 GMT

hey i am an internationnal student and i am plannig to enter Wichita state university !! I am coming from lebanon to live at my aunt house .... so plz can anyone tell me about wichita city ... is it a good place to live as college student ?? and is it a good city ??... is there always smthn to do ??......Nightlife ...... etc.. thanks and plz contact me on the_undead_alfi@hotmail.com ..... thanks for the help

Blondie: 30th Jul 2009 - 18:42 GMT

I ran from Wichita after being kidnapped, robbed, and raped there all in broad daylight. I ran to Hutchinson where I felt I could be safe. I have had three children here and there never ceases to be things to do including the free city museum, the Kansas Kids museum in the mall, the Kansas Depot, the water parks, numerous city parks-including a walking/riding trail, Dillon Nature Center, FLAG theater, Cosmosphere, Farmer's market, close proximity to Yoder and Yoder days (old town FUN!), Salt Mine, just to name the majority (there is more.) The gangs are moving in and I know just like other towns we are facing tough times and violence but it will take a long time before it becomes like Wichita, Chicago, or as many have said San Diego. I have lived in or been to Chicago, San Diego, Hawaii, Guam (High murder rate much like New York City), South Dakota, North Dakota, Canada, Nebraska Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, Mexico, and New Mexico and found it always good to get back home in Hutchinson. Yes there is crime here but where can you live that there is not any crime?? There is no nirvana or utopia so get on with it! Don't like it here then leave. It will be happier place for those of us who do like it here with those that do not like it here gone. I am not an old person, I do not come from money/old money. I am a young person who chose to live here! Chao!!

Kansas4now: 31st Jul 2009 - 22:13 GMT

im moving back to kansas after being gone a short time; hutch specifically. i already had a bad feeling about going back...a hair raising bad feeling. after i finished reading all the posts on hutch my bad feelings are worse. ive been there before and the place sucks. there is nothing to do except drugs, not that i really mind, but i cant afford it...im sure there are other reasons...
anyway jobs that offer growth or opportunity seem scarce. plus my girlfriend's shit-headed parents live there. plus theres no homeless shelter in case i dont make it. yep, id say hutch is lookin bright in my sights as well as all those who come to hutch looking for opportunity from the bottom...

Redneck: 2nd Aug 2009 - 07:40 GMT

It looks like most of you want to hate that place!
To all who hate Hutchinson: You should move and also the town will not get any better complaining about it on the computer!
To anyone who has not been there: Don't speak about a place you haven't been to!
I am not from Hutchinson, but I have been there!

Good Luck!

Tex: 3rd Aug 2009 - 14:30 GMT

I was born and raised in Hutch, moved to Texas in my 30's and have never regretted it since. More better paying jobs, friendly beautiful women,
the grass is sometimes greener on the other side. So, if you're stuck up there, don't get discouraged, work and save what money that you can to get the heck out of there!

Tex: 3rd Aug 2009 - 16:55 GMT

I'd also like to comment on the crime rates in Hutchinson, according to the crime indexes, Hutch had a crime index of 453.6 in 2003,
468.5 in 2004, 401.7 in 2005 and 427.5 in 2006. The national average was 320.9 !! (higher index means more crime) So, stats show
it is not safer living in Hutch.

HutchNomad: 6th Aug 2009 - 16:46 GMT

The author of this is either disingenuous or stupid. I could go to Kansas City, or even New York City and cherry pick photos of "abandoned buildings" and empty alleys and streets and say, "Oh look, how booooring".

But, on the other hand, I'd much rather live in a boring town, than get mugged and shot at.

Peter: 6th Aug 2009 - 17:01 GMT

whats wrong with going to a town and only taking photos of the boring stuff to try to make a point that the town is boring? its no different than going to a town and taking photos of all the cool stuff to try to make the point that the place is awesome, right? and we have thousands of those kinds of posts here, and no one hates them, so... maybe its more that people just cant accept their town being called "boring", or that humans- by their very nature- love to complain.

also: assuming that any town that isnt boring is a town in which youll get shot or mugged is just ignorant.

Tex: 6th Aug 2009 - 18:01 GMT

I saw in the Hutch News today a Texan moved to Hutch, stayed a while, decided to go back to Texas, but since they don't have a bus station in Hutch he had to get a co-worker to give him a ride to Wichita, on the trip the co-worker pulled a knife on him and robbed him of all his belongings! Yea, Hutch is a nice safe town, right!

Redneck: 7th Aug 2009 - 00:37 GMT

It sounds like you better watch who you trust there!!

Redneck: 7th Aug 2009 - 01:01 GMT

There were some nice people when I was here, But there also were quite a few I wondered about!

Tex: 12th Aug 2009 - 13:30 GMT

Oh, Oh... If you move to Hutch, watch out where you buy your house, you may lose it later on.

This was in the Hutch News today.
"The potential of sinkholes in southeast Hutchinson is driving a proposal to acquire - through purchase or condemnation -
32 homes in Careyville" "VigIndustries plans to purchase 32 homes in Careyville" (this is due to brine wells causing sink holes in
the area)

Some people who have lived in their homes for 28 years are going to be losing them.

Words of wisdom............ J.C.: 13th Aug 2009 - 01:25 GMT

I'm starting to think that the people who are sticking up for this SHIT HOLE of a town are the ones cooking all of the METH in their bathtub and making all the money. I have only been living in Hutch for a couple of weeks because of my job for an oil company but if anyone really wants to know where this town is going should take a quick trip down to the "Hutchinson Mall" and for all the people wondering where that is here is the address......

1500 E 11th Ave, Hutchinson, KS 67501.......... The place is a ghost town!!!!

The only fun times have been down at vic's or McGraws. I cant believe how easy the girls are. LOL... What a bunch of little gold diggers. I've got to give them credit where it is due though....

Tex: 13th Aug 2009 - 18:58 GMT

Yes, you know your town mall has problems when it has a feature on www.deadmalls.com. LOL, I didn't know there was such a site.

When I worked in Hutch, my employer who was one of the major companies in the city, would tell new employees moving into town, to not live south of 20th street, due to the lower quality housing and crime. Well, if you look at a map, you'll see south of 20th street takes up over have the size of the town.

Oh, and yes Careyville does have run down properties, but half the town is like that. It's the only type of housing the poor can afford because of the lack of good jobs, etc. etc.

Galloping Greg: 13th Aug 2009 - 21:21 GMT

One thing is for sure. Your average hutch resident must have failed reading comprehension in school because they all seem to be saying the same, tired stuff without being smart enough to realize they are repeating the same pointless garbage that 50 other people have said in this thread. "Hutchgirl", for example. Sigh.

Hutchinson Sucks: 17th Aug 2009 - 17:16 GMT

This worst part about this town is all the Non Working pieces of shit wondering the streets. N/A Members are very abundant. All they do it set around a think about themselves and do drugs.

Redneck: 18th Aug 2009 - 02:15 GMT

There are lazy people everywhere, But it does seem like some places have more of them though! They should try to make themselves useful!

Amazed: : 20th Aug 2009 - 06:07 GMT

It is so amazing to me that everyone can comment on the good or bad of Hutchinson, KS, and the "fat," "lazy," "Meth-heads," "druggies," and other types of people who live here in Hutchinson are supposed to be. Yes, it is true that Hutchinson is a dying town, but no one has really given the true reason for this. The reason that Hutchinson is a dying town is because it runs on the "good old buddy" system! It has had for many years, the same "friends and family" members running it, who refuse to allow any new companies, or businesses come in that will not adhere to their "taxation" and rules. It also has people working in city offices who treat people as if all of you are like those who are in one of two categories: either the very wealthy, elite, "Catholics" who have the money to control the city or the very poor, welfare-supported people who are meth cooks, dealers, and users, who help keep our "Huge" SRS offices in good business! I am really sad to say that after being raised here, moving away to a couple of larger cities, and then moving back, that I don't see Hutchinson improving, because it seems we can't get rid of the "buddy" system that controls this town. So sorry! I would hope that someday it could change, but I truly do not see that happening!

Tex: 20th Aug 2009 - 14:03 GMT

Yes, it seems to me that things started going downhill in the 70's, you would think that after 34 years though, with people dying off, you would have a new generation with new blood, new progressive ideas, but apparently not.

Outoftowner: 22nd Aug 2009 - 18:31 GMT

I have lived all over the country. Came into town working for a pipeline (outside of town). Out of all the places that I have been in this country I have never see such a backward, lazy town in my life. Hutchinson is simply amazing. I was amazed by the amount unemployed and just plain lazy people. We tried to hire people like we normally do for temp help, which pays very well BTW. We would not find anyone that we could depend on or even wanted to work. I was also shocked by this website. I have never seen anything like it! There is alot of people that must hate this town.

barbara: 22nd Aug 2009 - 20:22 GMT

Any place is boring when you want it to be. Hutch is a good town with lots of history and interesting people. Please do not be so judgemental. Maybe you are the boring one

Born in Hutch: 25th Aug 2009 - 21:38 GMT

I was born in Hutchinson. I have known many people who grew up there then moved away and a short time later moved back because they lacked the social skills to be liked by other people in different areas. When I moved away eight years ago and I learned the hard way to change my backwords,lazy, poverty minded ways.I blame this on the school system, because when you know better you do better, but my last name was not associated with money. I agree with "Amazed" who explained the "BUDDY SYSTEM" very well.

Born in Hutch: 25th Aug 2009 - 21:53 GMT

Here are some words of wisdom to the guy named "WORDS OF WISDOM" who commented on how easy the girls are in Hutch. Genital herpes and genital warts run rampid in that town, so keep your pants up!

Redneck: 26th Aug 2009 - 03:55 GMT

This place has alot of attention, Good, bad or anything in between!
There are way more posts and views on here than any other page I looked at on here!

Jennifer Voth: 5th Sep 2009 - 07:10 GMT

This post makes no sense. Scott, I give you an F for research.

Mildred Sharp: 5th Sep 2009 - 07:29 GMT

I know Scott Sargent, the author of this article. He once lived, or lives, in Hutchinson, on 11th street. He is a meth head and has as a wife who is a stripper and a meth head.I have seen him in action. He's a looser.

Concerned Father: 8th Sep 2009 - 01:29 GMT

Wow, after reading all the bad things that people have posted about Hutch, it sounds like a terrible place to live. My company wanted to transfer me to that area but I might have to decline the offer. I want to stay in an area that is mostly drug free. Is this place really that bad? Don't employers test employees? Is noone on parole or probation getting tested? I know drugs are everywhere but I don't want my children exposed to that culture except to show them how not to be!

Concerned mother: 8th Sep 2009 - 03:46 GMT

Hi mildred, I agree with you, but "looser" is spelled "loser". For concerned father, I just relocated back to Alaska and for good reason! Hutch is not the place you would want to raise your children if you are looking to instill culture. I am ex military and have been all over, and loved every minute of it! I have learned so much from all types of people and all walks of life and I continue to learn. There isn't much to really look forward to in Hutch, there are a few places to take them that are very interesting and lessons to be learned. The sad thing is like so many others have mentioned in previous comments, Hutch refuses to grow by letting others businesses come in and expand. I could go on and on but the bottom line is, better think real hard and if feasible, take a weekend off, or if possible, a week and feel it out for yourself. You know the old saying, "different strokes for different folks". You may like it, you may not, just be honest with your feelings, talk to people, check out the stores, just check for yourself. We can't shelter out children from all the bad in the world, it isn't possible, we can teach, them and love them. I will not move back to Hutch, I feel it is a dying town, I was born there and have left for years, returned and it had gotten worse, I feel total despair when I'm in that town, seemed to suck the life out of me. I love life and people and learning to much to just wither away. If you have ALOT of money, I guess you can see Hutch through "rose colored" glasses and all will be well, as I said before, feel it out for yourself.


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Let's look inside. It's abandoned Which seems to be the case for most of this town Chairs with no one to sit in them Which seems to be the running theme for Hutchinson, Kansas as a whole. This article has been viewed 122541 times in the last 3 years Peter: 29th Jun 2006 - 14:49 GMT hutchinson, at first glance, looks about as boring as all the other towns, but when i got to the last few photos, it started looking downright creepy... t@ngent: 29th Jun 2006 - 15:16 GMT i like how there's no people in any of these photogravures. Susannah : 30th Jun 2006 - 13:25 GMT I think Belleville seems to be by far the most desolate on the list....is everyone related in these towns? TheHutchinsonCityzen: 8th Jul 2006 - 01:20 GMT Eh, the last photo is the AA hall. It comes alive with people at night, cuz all we have to do here is drink and recover.... Or on days like today, we get to host a thousand rich folks who like to watch golf. A truly telling photo essay. Alexa: wow i live there and umm....its not that bad Chavo: 7th Dec 2006 - 19:32 GMT This is a pretty bad place to live it sucks to live here... If u r suggesting on living here dont. There nuttin to do here. Jerri Lee KlonDYKE: 20th Dec 2006 - 23:39 GMT This town does suck, no changes for employment unless you want to work at arbys, mcdonalds or an old folks home. The police do not do there job and METH is all over the place. Hutchinson is Nothing but DRUGS DRUGS DRUGS and unemployed lazy VERY FAT "MAS GORDO en español" people. tt: 11th Jan 2007 - 15:07 GMT "This odd church/apartment building was situated directly across the highway" It was originally a Hospital, my younger brother was born there... At one time it had a baseball card shop in it. Joan of Ark: 12th Jan 2007 - 21:16 GMT I used to live in Hutchinson Kansas. It is truly just full of trailor trash. Also unemployment in very high. What a pitiful town. Kane: 22nd Mar 2007 - 02:00 GMT yeah those old apartments arent across from the highway.....i live in kansas iman: well there's a reason why people abandon places. Cobi Cipoopbutt: yes, hutch is a POS town. sbfskillz: 4th May 2007 - 02:23 GMT How can you judge a town by a few bad pictures and comments from losers who think that living anywhere else will make them happy or better than anyone else. You dont have drugs in your town? That seems to be a nationwide epidemic that has spread acrooss the US like wildfire. It probably started in your city! Don't be so pathetic to judge when your city is probably full of the same CRAP!! aubie: 4th May 2007 - 03:27 GMT Hutchinson, Kansas is a wonderful place to live the theme is "come share our space" I think it's because we have the Kansas Cosmosphere Space Center located on 11th & Plum. The college is a great place to learn and this is a pErfect place to raise children and the job I obtained is the best one ever~! I make more than ever in my past. I'm not mad because people are hating on Hutch I just want my opinion to be heard speaking from Hutch. Take care and "Come share our Space!" Sally: 4th May 2007 - 19:14 GMT You can go to any town in the USA and shoot photos like this. Part of my family lives there and they are far from trailer trash. We always find something to do and manage to have fun. Why don't you show pictures of the active areas of Hutch? Yo!: 4th May 2007 - 20:56 GMT Hutch is boring! I lived there for over 3 years and it was lame. I wouldn't raise my family there. It is a shrinking town. The high school went from the biggest class to the one right below that. So you tell me if the photos show the real Hutchinson or not. Me: 8th May 2007 - 22:02 GMT Who is this Scott Sargent anyway? There is more in this town than the one building he photographed. CartLegger: 9th May 2007 - 10:37 GMT Scott: Maybe you should incorporate the innovation of Google mapping so we can all know just where all this spatial boredom is located. William Metz: 16th May 2007 - 17:28 GMT Who are these people who are promoting Hutchinson. I have lived here my entire life and it sucks. Plus it is shrinking. Donald Walters: 16th May 2007 - 18:08 GMT I agree. I lived in Hutch until I was twenty two and moved away the split-second that I had saved enough money to do so. Best decision of my life. All you folks here that are getting your undies in a bunch because some other person called our town boring need to open your eyes and realize that the person who posted this makes a very good point. You are all just partial and stubborn. Get out and see the world a little and you'll no doubt agree with me that Hutch is really nothing special. sbfskillz: 17th May 2007 - 16:51 GMT Hutchinson is not a POS town. I have seen the world and lived in many different locations on the globe. To say that Hutch is really nothing special is shallow, and indifferent. I guess everyone has their own opinion. But I still say that, no matter where you live, you can find peace and happiness. .....Hutch is shrinking? Your just being negative. Show me the statistics! Donald Walters: 17th May 2007 - 17:43 GMT I challenge any Hutch resident to name me TEN particular, redeeming, specific traits about the town that make it "special". And not stuff like "it's a good town! the people are cool!" but real, specific things. William Bordden: 25th May 2007 - 02:51 GMT If you want stats, go to the hutch news. Look up that job growth stats for last year... It was published in the hutchinson news. Plus if the population of hutch is growing, It must be retards and elderly people. ihatehutch: i live there. it is so freakin boring. Lady Fualk: 6th Jun 2007 - 15:42 GMT Hutchinson is a joke. I wonder why there are so many people posting on this site? I had to search for Hutchinson Kansas Sucks on google to find it.... People must a tired of it. Also I no criminal, but I feel like I am living Nazi Germany with all the police presence in this town. I can drive down the street any time and see unmarked police cars, sheriff and city police. Why is that??? Is this a crime infested sesspool? local : 14th Jun 2007 - 22:28 GMT If the recurring theme is Hutchinson is shrinking then why has there been so much devolpment? From 11th and Hendricks to east 30th ave and everywhere in between. It occurs to me that those who are unhappy with the town will make themselves miserable whatever their location, eyes watering and feeling sorry for themselves in the process. Local ASS: 16th Jun 2007 - 15:46 GMT Hey, Hutchinson is growing! With old folks homes and fat women having worthless children. READ THE HUTCHINSON NEW ASSHOLE. LAST YEAR THE JOB GROWTH IN THIS TOWN WAS 1 JOB!!! WOW it is growing! And yes, Hutchinson is growing with OLD RETIRED ASSHOLES who want to play golf! And Drive slow. Why would anyone move to hutchinson? I don't see any places for good employment, no large plants for people to work at. Also maybe you need to give this a thought... Maybe the old retired asses from Hutchinson are moving from their old houses to new! I know that I am personally from out of a town, and I am going to be moving out of town again. ALso Every town is growing because people are havhing children!!! Look at the facts, there are no good jobs in this town, also if you want facts go to www.census.gov and look at the unemployment rates in Hutchinson. If you factor in all of the retired, retarded and disabled people in this town you will see that 38% of this town does not have a job or cannot have a job! Also, would you care the guess who that largest employer is in Hutchinson? THE CITY!!! It sounds to me that "Local" thinks he/she is doing well. GO TO ANY MAJOR CITY AND COMPARE YOUR LIFE AND INCOME LEVEL TO THOSE CITIES. OPEN YOUR EYES DUMBASS! Local ASS: 16th Jun 2007 - 16:35 GMT I know that theirs plenty of pathetic places to live. Ever day I deal with Hutchinson Kansas, I never got lucky and got out. Hutch is a trash hole,infested with lazy non-working money sucking users. Ask any clerk in a grocery store, they see the lazy money sucking over fed (obese) moms,dads, and children. These state@gov. thieves know how to work the system. they eat,our money up,while we are watching our budget. For our population we have dead people driving around. (to old to drive) . the small percent of hard working people,lucky enough to find a job. The rampant percent 78% of our drug dealers. Our lovely city is a breeding ground for drug dealers. PEOPLE WAKE UP...... our town is a joke!!!!!!!. Why is the drug traffic so big, and we keep putting more police, detectives, etc out on the street.maybe something is not on the level,or someone. It is known in other states ,that hutch has plenty of meth. I just got a positive thought!!!!. I think I'll stay in hutch go on food stamps,eat like a king,and make meth!!!!!. Also I can get doctors for free , when I need diet pills, or my teeth rot out from all the drugs I used. WELCOME TO HUTCHINSON,,,, COME SHARE OUR SPACE local : 18th Jun 2007 - 16:15 GMT Point made. Get the tissue and wipe those eyes. local: 20th Jun 2007 - 14:49 GMT I know Hutchinson is a dumpster.. There ain't Much in Hutch... I don't know why are speak highly of this place... I am retarded salt: 26th Jun 2007 - 01:02 GMT Take a moment and notice how many people who hate Hutch kant rite so good and think the town is soooooo boringk. Can you guess why they were/are so bored/boring? Now, go take a walk in the Dillon's Nature Center. Or visit the old folks--who really do know a lot--at the Delos Smith Center. Have you heard of Delos Smith? Check him out at imdb.com. Or take a walk through Carey Park. Yeah, I've read Mysterious Skin. Have you? Scott Heim writes fiction. He's honest. Hutch is still okay. Read a William Stafford poem about Hutchinson? Have you read William Stafford? Watch a full moon rise over the State Fair. Yeah, the photo shows the grounds closed. You think every theater on Broadway is always open? Man, go have a coffee at Metropolitan Coffee and listen to a band. It's like Austin. Have you been to Austin? Talk to a Mennonite. They're really cool and they like to take care of people who need care. Yeah, that's boring. Have you heard of Darfur? Okay, enough already. You didn't notice that cottonwoods are beautiful? Did you ever read PrairyErth? Ever read a poem by Steven Hind? Ever listen to the wind? I know. It's all crap. It's boring. Life. You. Me. Or. Maybe not? proud2serve: 26th Jun 2007 - 19:42 GMT What about Hutchinson is boring? I really am interested in your thoughts and how we can make it better. What would make it exciting? I know that most young people think that about Hutch but I can't figure out what it is that they would like to do - I like living here and I work for the City of Hutchinson but would really like to pass on to city officials how we can improve it. I would like more nightlife here and there isn't much shopping to do - the mall is fading fast. I do agree there are not many job opportunities and we need more big businesses here but hopefully with Dave Kerr on board with the Chamber - we will see some growth. confused: 27th Jun 2007 - 14:03 GMT The City of Hutchinson is boring for several reasons, 1. NO ECONOMY, NO GOOD attractions. There is plenty of Night Life in Hutchinson, but most of that involves drinking. It has been made very clear that the Hutchinson Police have nothing better to do than wait outside of Bars "nightlife" and get new DUI cases. Not to mention that every bar I have been in and I mean EVERY bar is full a people high on meth! or Cocaine or some type of "energy supplement" (you can see it in their eyes.) Hutchinson is also unsafe! I read every single day about businesses getting ripped off all over Hutchinson. Stolen cars, motor fuel.... the list goes on. These are the facts. 1. Hutchinson Has no job base, this drives the scum of this town to steal. 2. Hutchinson has a small population, this keeps big business out. 3. Hutchinson has a large population of people who simply choose not to work. (get on social services) This also keep big business out because of the lack of educated workforce. 4. Hutchinson has no major interstate running into the city, and Never will... This also keeps the town from growing (look at Mcpherson, Wichita, Newton, Salina, Manhattan, Emporia or any other city along the interstate. Then compare those cities to Hutchinson foremost, Kingman, Pratt... These cities have no major interstates running into them, and they are shrinking. 5. Hutchinson has refused in the past to accept large businesses and refused to give these business a reason to move to Hutchinson. Case in Point: I personally know of several large companies that have wanted to move into to Hutchinson, but the city refused to give them tax discounts if they moved in. This has put Hutchinson on a black list, these business know not to mess with Hutchinson because the people here a stubborn and will not work with them. Hutchinson has made it's own destiny. It is to late and the world and nation has passed it by. Kansas as a whole is not doing well. philly_jawn: 27th Jun 2007 - 16:16 GMT you couldn't pay me to live in a shit-hole like Hutchinton, Kansas returned_farmboy: 29th Jun 2007 - 19:18 GMT I was going to go to all the trouble to refute some claims about Hutchinson made in this post, but then I cam to the realization that: 1) If the author was doing a serious listing of the most boring towns in America, Norman, OK wouldn't have been higher than Hutchinson, and 2) there are plenty of dull towns not in the geographic center of the country. My only guess is that the author isn't as well-travelled as some would think. Honestly, I will agree that Hutchinson isn't the most exciting place in the world, but compared to the major metropolitan area I worked in prior to moving back to Hutch (where I was tired of the daylight murders down the street from my previous employer), it's a worthwhile tradeoff. It's interesting that the worse a person's grammer/spelling is, the less they like their hometown/former hometown. Honestly, I used to think Hutchinson was a crummy town also, but compared to what many people call home (Gary Indiana, Flint Michigan, Camden New Jersey come to mind, as well as most inner cities) it's not really that bad. Finally, any one I've come across that couldn't find a respectable job here were limited more by their personal "attributes" (lazy, slow, etc.) than by their geographic locale. While Hutchinson may have gained only 1 job last year, that's still better than most Plains communities that are off the Interstate system & under 45,000 people. I guess it's all a matter of perspective. Wannabe-Farmboy: 29th Jun 2007 - 22:27 GMT I always love it when someone makes remarks about grammer/spelling. This is a cheap comeback or stab. But maybe you don't have enough common since to think that it may have been a typo.. Not a direct reflection of the persons ability to speak or spell. Yes, it is true that other towns may have the same problem, not a single person here has stated that Hutchinson was the ONLY town like this. My personal dislike for Hutchinson comes not from it's geological location, but it's stubborn community of upper class scum that run this town. They always have. Also the one poster that talked about other town's located in this area and comparing them to Hutchinson was correct. Hutchinson is not as progressive or aggressive in attracting new business, They want to think of Hutchinson as a retirement community/vacation Destination. This does not build a good economic base either, it makes a transient community with low paying jobs. Also who wants to visit Kansas for Vacation? Hutchinson is failing, it has been for years. Despite the supermen and women that are trying to save this town, no one else cares. They are leaving. I get the feeling that Farmboy is an employee for the city. Maybe he is retired. Who cares about how well traveled anyone is? What does this have to do with anything? Facts are Facts. Even the mighty farmboy cannot dispute the facts that have been posted! You can see the proof in the near by towns and cities. (ie. mcpherson, salina etc..) Jersey: 30th Jun 2007 - 14:39 GMT You compared Camden, NJ to Hutchinson. Yes they are both crummy towns, atleast camden NJ has an economy. nothingtown: Hutch Sucks. Get over it. Mr Low Income: 2nd Jul 2007 - 21:55 GMT Well here we are, 8 homeless/Low income housing projects in Hutchinson now. 1. The Clusters 2. The apartments on 11th and Porter 3. Commerce Gardens 4. The Apartments behind K-mart (off 33rd St). 5. Hidden Villages 6.The Duplexes behind and to the west of Hamilton Lagreca. 7. The Revonvated/defunct Hotel in downtown (off of 1st or 2nd street). AND DRUM ROLL PLEASE! NUMBER 8! NEW CONSTRUCTION HAS BEGUN ON AVENUE A, IN THE FORMER LOCATION OF NEW BEGINNINGS! WOW what a success, we are sure doing a good job of burning tax payer money on people who want to have children and not work! GO HUTCH!! NO WONDER TAXES IN HUTCHINSON ARE SO HIGH!! YEA!! realworldgirl9: 4th Jul 2007 - 01:10 GMT You know, the reason our entire country is in a shit hole right now is because of the lousy attitudes of people today. I have lived in many places in my life, for instance: Derby ks. kingman ks. Savannah Ga. Korea, San Antonio Tx. so, I feel I have experience enough to make some comments about living here in Hutchinson ks. "There is no night life" Your right, if you are so ignorant that you can't find anything to do but go drink or screw around. Call me crazy, but going to the HISTORICAL fox theatre. taking a walk with my sweetheart, going to friends houses for get togethers to spend some good quality time with people I like and love before they are gone, going to the salt mines,(where the origanl film gone with the wind is stored), going to the farmers market, taking a cruise with the top down on a cool evening, or God forbid spend some time with my family, and ride bikes or play with my children etc. etc. I could go on for an hour. Until you have lived in a big city, or a different country, where you go to bed wondering if you or your nieghbor are going to be awakened by a knife to your throat, or a bullet in your chest in the middle of the night, you really shouldn't talk so much smack. I'm not saying it cant happen here, but i garantee you don't go to bed every night in this town, wondering if you are going to be next. I can understand wanting more. More, seems to be the only thing everyone wants anymore. I think most of the: I am not happy, I need to be entertained, I want more attitudes, come from people who eighther had everything handed to them from mommy and daddy their entire lives, or from someone who wants to bitch about how bad everything is, but is to stupid or lazy to change it or pack their belongings and get the hell out of here. If you don't like it here, get a pair, and change it or Kick Rocks. After working double shifts, and paying my way through college, I joined the military as a Helicopter crew chief. I got the hell out of my little pissy town, and after everything, came back and found that some of the silence, boring days, and small town B>S> was refreshing compared to what I've experienced. I have seen more good, bad, and ugly in my young life than some see in thier entire lives. Most of you making these comments need to grab ahold of your lives and make them what you want them to be, instead of blaming a town for your own lack of desire to make a change for yourself, or your surroundings. And, for Gods sake, read people. not just Bullshit magazines, read a newspaper, read some books from authors that can be documented in our history. Read and educate yourselves about more than tabloid B.S. "Knowledge IS power", and you get real knowledge from educating yourselves and . . . wait for it, wait for it, TALKING TO "OLD" PEOPLE. Hutch has a Plethera of "old" people who are willing to talk to you and open your eyes to some truths onlythey can tell. Hear those stories before they are lost forever. So, all you Hutch Haters, Fish, or cut bait. Good Intentions to all who read this! Hutch1: 6th Jul 2007 - 23:15 GMT To the original poster of the photos. You took photos of only the worst of the town. What state has a year round State Fair? The old hospital is not across from a highway. I do agree it is ugly and needs done away with. The apartment complex had an out of state owner who died before completing it and it is now tied up in estate problems. Very easy to point out the worst problem areas. Every place and person has problems. I have traveled all over the world and every town/city has a run down section, homeless and just plain lazy. Your worst town choices show you haven't been anywhere to speak of. Just an sad little man crying about what he doesn't like but doesn't understand. Hutch is a dying town. Like many across our country. The population is old. There are few good jobs. This is a sign of our times and not unusual for small midwest towns. If you don't like it change it or move on. Not everyone is looking for a good time. The drug problems exist everywhere. You sure seem to be able to find them. Maybe you are looking in the wrong places and finding just what you want to see. Hutch-2: 7th Jul 2007 - 13:09 GMT Yes there are alot of problems in the United States with small towns. But you say they are all dying, then let me ask you this question. WHY IN THE HELL IS MCPHERSON, SALINA AND OTHER TOWNS IN KANSAS GROWING WITH JOBS AND COMMERCE??? I think you are a stubborn ass just like the majority of Hutchinson. THIS is why Hutchinson is dead. Hutchinson has NO good large employers. It has no factories, manufacturing jobs or anything else. Just some fast food dumps and other low paying jobs. HUTCHINSON SUCKS. I have moved on, you are not smart enough to do so. HUTCHPD: 14th Jul 2007 - 14:48 GMT Hutchinson is a crime infested shit hole. The police do nothing but take reports and do nothing. from there: 18th Jul 2007 - 03:09 GMT Hutch does suck, and is full of drugs, It is a C.I.P.O.S.(crime,invested,peace,of,shit) That is why I left all those years ago. papergirl17: 18th Jul 2007 - 22:42 GMT Hutch may not have all the ammenities the larger towns have, but here are the "10 Specific Things That Make It Better" for you losers who don't have anything better to do than to rag on probably the first place you lived. 1. The Cosmosphere (since there are only like 2 or 3 in the whole United States) 2. State Fair is here 3. Several different schools to put your kids in 4. Renovation of downtown 5. The help that goes towards the less fortunate (like housing) 6. Carey Emerson 7. Two cities in one (Hutch and South Hutch) 8. VFC program at the local Health Department (does YOUR Health Dept have that?) 9. Several car dealerships 10. The murder rate is lower here than most every other place (One murder in the last 23 years) Yeah, there are drugs here, but there are drugs everywhere. Maybe instead of complaining about it you should help clean it up you mamma's boy. If you don't like it here, go somewhere else and shut up. Me: 19th Jul 2007 - 12:23 GMT Well, I for one moved back here after being gone for 23 years in a place that was so dang expensive(California) rent 1,400 a month. Median home prices 600,000 and that would get you something with maybe 2 bedrooms and 1 bath. I saw million dollar homes that sat on the ocean that was comparable to houses in the south end of town ( no offense, because I grew up in the south end), but there are worse places to live. Try living in South Central Los Angeles where you have to wear protective gear just to go outside of your home. My nephew and cousin visited there in the 80s and was shot at just returning to the aunt's home! No rhyme or reason for it. Yes, it is hard to get a job here, but I am lucky that my job is in on the internet and it came with me. (Medical Field). My daughter tried to work at the hospital and clinics, after working in those fields in California and they would not hire her. But, there are worse places to live other than Hutchinson Bass Girl: 19th Jul 2007 - 13:41 GMT I moved here from a town of 2500 people about 7 years ago, and I've watched this town die around me. Many businesses have come and gone, major industrial places for large employment have closed, or are tetering on keeping their doors open or not. I think there was more to do & more opportunity in my hometown of 2500 than there is here. Yeah, there is the Cosmosphere, free water parks, the college, etc., but after 1 or 2 trips to the "sites" here and you've seen enough. I won't take my kids to the free water parks anymore because the quality of people that frequent those places has diminished greatly. I don't like the thought of my kids playing in someone else's bath water. The property taxes are outrageous here as well. My husband moved here from Salina about 8 or 9 years ago, and when he had to renew his tags in Reno county, his fees doubled. I'm guessing our taxes are so high here so that the "attractions" of Hutchinson can be funded. I could go on and on about how the "old money" keeps its control over this city.... It was sad to hear that a development company designed to investigate how to grow communities came to spend 5 years researching on how to grow Hutchinson, but after 1 year they packed up and said that there was no hope. Now the county is offering you $100 per person that you can get to move into Reno County from out-of-state. That's sad. I wonder when the city commissioners will realize it's going to take more than dressing up the delapitated downtown area to get people to want to stay here / spend money here? People can't afford to go out when the jobs pay so lousy around here - IF there are jobs available..... Things just don't sound promising and that makes everyone's attitudes dwindle. Bass Girl: 19th Jul 2007 - 14:47 GMT Oh my gosh PAPERGIRL17....do you live in the salt mine hundreds of feet under Hutch or something? Lets try coming to the surface and having a cup of reality.... 1. The Cosmosphere (since there are only like 2 or 3 in the whole United States) Woo frickin' Hoo. Once you've visited there a couple of times, it's a done deal. And how many of us saw that same stuff when we were in grade school? I don't know about other residents here, but I find that the Russian space program is intensely boring to read about. 2. State Fair is here Once a year for 2 weeks. That leaves 50 weeks of nothing going on around here. Unless you count Hutch Fest, which is yet another feeble attempt at coolness. 3. Several different schools to put your kids in And this is supposed to be unique in some way? 4. Renovation of downtown So now we can sit on a chair and look at the empty and/or rundown buildings. Maybe others can sit there and get even larger eating the junk food they bought with their Vision Card because they don't have a job to go to (or because they don't WANT to work). 5. The help that goes towards the less fortunate (like housing) They are less fortunate because they either A)Can't find a job, or B)Don't want to find a job because they are catered to as it is and aren't given any motivation to work. How does this benefit those here that are working and willing??? 6. Carey Emerson Are you serious???? The guy is dead. I don't see how he is making an impact on the community NOW...except for a park for all the "less fortunate" to make their drug deals and have sex. 7. Two cities in one (Hutch and South Hutch) That's like having 2 boobs in 1 side of your bra. It's all one big boob when you step back and look at it. 8. VFC program at the local Health Department (does YOUR Health Dept have that?) Google "VFC program" and the list of cities that provide that service goes on and on. 9. Several car dealerships This is the real reason why anyone would want to move to Hutch. All those car dealerships! LOL Too bad the jobs don't pay what most other cities have their standards set for the same types of jobs, or that there aren't more jobs available for those who need them. Then maybe more residents could afford to spend their money at ALL OF THESE AMAZING DEALERSHIPS. 10. The murder rate is lower here than most every other place (One murder in the last 23 years) They just haven't found the bodies of the people who supposedly "moved away." Maybe other dogs will start digging them up like the one that drug that dead newborn up in the yard of that family. Remember? It was the one where that girl didn't get CONVICTED of murder because of legal red tape. I think you forgot about the guy that shot another other guy over losing a poker game too. Or the woman they found dead in her house over a bad drug deal..... So, despite your desperate attempt to make Hutchinson so like such an amazing place to live, that list just doesn't provide VALID reasons. Good try though. CE: Ha! "Several car dealerships" That's classic! John Humperdink: 19th Jul 2007 - 16:42 GMT What's that smell? oh, it's the living sewer town of hutchinson, with all the people drowning in their own scum. Papergirl, you are living in your own little dream world...I think you are smoking some good stuff to be that disillusioned. Don't you read the paper? And who cares if we have car dealerships? You make it sound like a convenience...like a grocery store or something. Oh, it's Friday again, time to go buy a car. Which place should I go to? Also, the renovation of the downtown was like dressing up a turd. There's nothing anymore to go see, most of the stores are closed anyway and the one that are there are nothing but junk stores. Bass girl, you rock! You hit that nail on the head. John Humperdink: 19th Jul 2007 - 16:55 GMT Sally, tell us about the "active" area's of hutchinson, We'd all love to know since they aren't obvious. I think the most active place is the highway out of town. Usually trailer trash doesn't know they are trash cuz they are dumb and living better than most of us on welfare. Aubie, is that the best you can do? Why would having the cosmosphere and a catchy them be reason to live in hutchinson and raise a family. I don't want a kid that can tell me everything that's in one space museum because that's all there was to do. Besides, it's mostly Russion space stuff anyway. Who Cares to see that more than a couple of times? And if it's so popular, why is the lot always empty and they struggle to pay staff? Hutchinson is dead: 19th Jul 2007 - 18:11 GMT John, You hit it right on the head. I don't know why these idiots have to get on here and prop hutchinson up. Do they work for the City? Why do they love Hutchinson? Hutchinson is dead and will not come back from the grave. Reply to me: 20th Jul 2007 - 01:19 GMT Me, There is more and more bad things happening in Hutch. IT is no mayberry. Plus cities have plenty of jobs, Hutchinson and other towns like it are not good places to make money or advance yourself. Do the Hutchinson.: 20th Jul 2007 - 15:57 GMT I would like everyone in Hutchinson to think of the 70's hit "do the hustle". Replace Hustle with Hutchinson and you have "Do the Hutchinson". This what I think about everytime I am behind someone at Walmart or Dillons using a vision card or driving extremely slow or wandering down the street on their gov't bought electric wheelchairs. Hutch sucks. Why does anyone try to prop it up? That is truly a loosing battle. Bass Girl: 20th Jul 2007 - 20:30 GMT LOL @ "Do the Hutchinson"!! I have seen the dude who cruises around in his electric wheelchair pulling another electric wheelchair behind him! It's attached with a bungy cord, no less. LOL!!! And for all you Hutch Fans - no, he's not pulling it as to give someone "a friendly tow." Do the Hutchinson.: 21st Jul 2007 - 15:46 GMT Yes, it is a great adaptation to that great 70's hit. EVERYTIME I drive I get behind some old fossil who is driving 10 to 15 Mph under the legal posted limit and randomly hitting their breaks. And to keep from getting road rage I start thinking of "Do the Hutchinson" as I pass these old fools. I also use it everytime I see some old/retard/non job wanting person driving around on a $10,000 electric wheelchair. THEY ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE, Like Flies! And the thing that really pisses me off is the fact that I am paying for this shit as a taxpayer! Also, a previous poster brought up the 8 low income housing projects in this GREAT town of 35,000 people. I would like to bring notice to another! I think that I have spotted another free housing area! 1200 Block of west 11th, these look like gov't housing projects to me! Also I have thought of another way to spend more tax money(that we don't have), that will make this town more inhabitable. Instead of taking out stopsigns and stop lights, Just put mini over passes on every intersection! This will allow the huge community of old/retarded drivers in this town that don't know how to operate car/electric wheelchair at an intersection to pass freely instead of clogging the intersections. new at Hustle Hutchinson: 22nd Jul 2007 - 21:59 GMT Does any-one know of some jobs around Hustle Hutchinson? I know I will need three part time jobs to make ends meet. I am new here,and I was told to get on this site to search for a job. I have found out how much employees get paid. I am thinking I screwed up moving here, HELP!!!!! I hate Hutchinson: 25th Jul 2007 - 04:12 GMT Hutchinson is full of thieves, drug heads, drunks and general losers. All the people with any promise move from this town and get a life. I was happy to see this website, Exposing the nasty truth! If you have any property in Hutchinson you had better keep tight hands on it. Go to www.hutchpd.info and just take a look for yourself, Major thefts are an everyday happening in this shit hole. Also the Hutchinson channel is a JOKE! The producers of this channel should be sued for false advertising and false representation. Angela Watkins~ Harris: 6th Aug 2007 - 03:24 GMT I was born in Hutchinson, Kansas back in 1960 and I lived there for a while I did 1/2 of 9th grade at Sherman Junior High School and then attended 10th & 11th at Hutch High 1977 & 1978 and then graduated in 1979 from Elmira Free Academy in 1979 in Elmira, New York after graduating. I moved back to Hutchinson, Kansas and live there until returning back to Elmira, New York in 1986 I have to say I love Hutchinson, Kansas I had good jobs while living there my grandparents taught me well my grandfater retired from Cargill Salt Company and grandmother from Wiley's Department Store I owe everything to my grandparent's may they R.I.P. because from 1986 I have a job on going and wouldn't know how it would fill to be layed off I made good money in Hutchinson, Kansas I now work in a Business Office at a Hospital and the last 17 years and enjoying it thats what my grandparents taught me how to work and thanks to them for allowing me to live with them because I wouldn't be where I'm at today if it wasn't for them I cannot know Hutchinson, Kansas was just there last year for The Emancipation Day and it was lovely its not the town its how you live in it yourself I know back then I hanged out at Page 1 & Page 2 I use to go to the NJCAA Tournaments and I use to throw parties at the Knights Of Columbus and other buildings its what you make it if you want to sit around and not work or do anything you will become bored but that wasn't my problem I will be going back to visit relatives again in 2010 if the good lord is willing so don't bash Hutchinson, Kansas it sure was good to me Angela From Elmira, New York Hutchinson=Poor Town USA: 6th Aug 2007 - 21:52 GMT Angela, You must have not had a good english teacher. Your grammer is very bad. I am glad to hear that you are doing so well in New York. I live in New Jersey and moved from Hutchinson at a young age. Hutchinson is a dead town and it is not getting any better. I have not lived in that hell hole for 9 years and still to this day it gives me a bad feeling. If your thing is drugs, drinking or unemployment it is a town for you. Hutchinson has a wide variety of extremes. Either Drug users, drunks or Super Religious fanatics. From one extreme to the other. One thing I can say about Hutchinson, if you want to be lazy and fat, sit on your ass and do nothing then it is great! BelRoC: 6th Aug 2007 - 22:33 GMT The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchinson has the 2nd largest collection of US space memorabilia anywhere and the largest collection of Russian space memorabilia outside the former Soviet Union.. Also has an Amtrak station on E. 3rd Ave.. & N. Walnut St. Plus alot of train activity near S. Whiteside St. & Ave D. Thats what I heard.......... Hutchinson Kansas=Poor Town USA: 7th Aug 2007 - 13:28 GMT Belroc, Who cares about the things you stated. Does the Cosmosphere employ large amounts of people? NO!! And I have never ever seen an amtrack train in Hutchinson. Newton Kansas Has alot of train activity also. Alot more than Hutchinson does... Your comments make no sence..... That's what I read.. Forehead: Who cares about Hutchinson. serlingrod: 7th Aug 2007 - 14:47 GMT we should all take a virtual field trip to Hutchinson, via Google Maps. Once they get their Street Views covering the whole nation I say we take a group tour to each of the several car dealerships. Bass Girl: 7th Aug 2007 - 15:00 GMT I have yet to see someone come up with a valid reason why Hutch is a prospering community with anything to offer.... Hutchinson=Poor Town USA: 7th Aug 2007 - 16:38 GMT Bass Girl. I know it is just like Hutchinson. People live in dream world and think they are the ONLY ones that are right! jeeff: "Your grammer is very bad." lolz! Kristen from Hutchinson: 7th Aug 2007 - 19:13 GMT "I always love it when someone makes remarks about grammer/spelling. This is a cheap comeback or stab. But maybe you don't have enough common since to think that it may have been a typo.. Not a direct reflection of the persons ability to speak or spell." Just cause you asked for it...it's SENSE, NOT SINCE. And the people that said that building is not near the highway are correct...it's off Monroe Street. The people who say their aren't many jobs are right---there aren't. But you know what, Hutch really isn't that bad! I know of and have been to many "cities" that are much, much worse.Kr Kansan: 7th Aug 2007 - 20:27 GMT I just want to say I have a great job in Hutchinson. Anyone who has been to Hutch knows these photos are not all there is to the town. I don't think Hutch deserves this ranking, but then again, this list is questionable anyway. The comments on this site are very entertaining, though! cbdi: 7th Aug 2007 - 20:36 GMT proud2serve: if you think dave kerr and the chamber will get anything done you are in for a surprise. what did kerr do for reno county when he was a state senator representing reno county for 20 years. he gets a nice state pension, a check for being president of the chamber, and is building a multi-million dollar ethanol plant in rice county. get past the "spin" they try to spoon feed you and start doing some research on kerr's record re; reno county, the "real" facts about ethanol and subsidies and you may have the same questions that the chamber and it's execs are not wanting to talk about. who needs them! this town will never be what they are trying to promote. any one with any sense that has been anywhere around the country laugh at the feeble attempts these leaders come up with. there is not enough space or time to rant on about this town, it has been left in the dust and will never be what it once was. Dojo: 7th Aug 2007 - 21:13 GMT With all due respect to the above posters, I'm also from Hutchinson, and I couldn't agree more that its a shithole infested with worthless humans following pointless lives. I just can't wait to turn 18 and move out of here! Literally, I'm gone the second midnight of my 18th birthday comes. And it can't come soon enough. DITTO: 7th Aug 2007 - 22:07 GMT Has anyone paid attention to the people in this town? FAT mega beasts setting around eating pizza a Cici's Pizza or one of the other major buffets in town. I noticed that someone has posted about the large amount of low income housing projects in town. I would like to bring light to the large amount of nursing homes! MY GOD! They keep builing more and more. To all of you posters that are Pro-Hutchinson. You must have nothing better to do than sit around and prop Hutchinson Kansas up. Because your life is meaningless and you have been left behind just like Hutchinson. cowgirl82: 8th Aug 2007 - 05:31 GMT Yes Hutch can be very boring. But we do have a few things to do. And the person that said the Hidden village was low income housing...not even...I used to live there and I am paying less to live in a four bedroom house now. We do need a lot more things to do. For one we need to have somewhere for young people to hang out that will actually stay in business. But we need more big companies first. Unfortunantly that will probably never happen due to the facdt that people here are so stubborn. There are good points and bad points to every city or town. Some people just choose to look over the bad if they are truly happy in that place. Others move on and find somewhere they can be happy. And they could have shown a few more pics. The ones here are all in residential neighborhoods...never to exciting. PimplePuss: LOL Hutchinson..... blah is good: 9th Aug 2007 - 03:35 GMT Drugs, drinking, crime, unemployment - doesn't sound boring to me. Boring is under-rated. City Council's Fault: 10th Aug 2007 - 00:52 GMT The City Council in Hutchinson will NOT do anything that the citizens want done. Hundreds of people can complain about fireworks in the city limits, stop lights being taken down around the busy post office, vandalism, and so much more. This town does not cater to the residents who live here, our opinions mean nothing!! The City does what they want to do, not what is good for the citizens of Hutchinson. Until they pull their heads out of their asses and realize the citizens have good ideas for change, nothing will ever change. Let's throw the people in charge, out of charge. Not from Hutch anymore: 12th Aug 2007 - 03:18 GMT I would like to say that I do not live in Hutchinson anymore. I have, however, lived all over the country since I left. This includes New York, San Francisco, LA, San Diego, Seattle, Florida, Texas, Arizona, and Colorado to name a few. Let me tell you, if most of you had experienced life in other parts of the country, and reading a few of your comments I would say most of you are under the age of 25 and dying to get out of the city, you would not be so quick to mark down Hutchinson. While it is in the Midwest, which I would say is entirely being affected by the flight to larger cities, there are many qualities that I respect. Hutchinson provides a stable living environment for families and others, a respectable school system (I am a graduate student so I turned out ok),public and school activities, good public recreation and recreational systems, cheap (yes, I say CHEAP! Move to CA if you have a complaint about housing) housing. Don't complain about the drug problem until you REALLY know what a drug infested city is (LA). To be boring, as you mature, you realize means safe, secure and a stable environment. You make your life as "exciting" as you want it to, it doesn't matter where you live. Life on the streets of New York City can be just as boring as life in Hutch. Trust me, I know. The question is, is your life what you want it to be? The town doesn't matter, you will always find fault with where you are, it is your attitude that counts. And no, I don't live in Hutch anymore and realize there are many problems, but make your life what you can, regardless where you are. In retrospect, Hutch is a pretty good place to be. Hutch=LOW INCOME: 12th Aug 2007 - 14:39 GMT I question people like you who list these many cities they have lived in. You must travel alot, because if you lived in that vast number of cities you must stay for less than a year at a time. This tells me that you would have a hard to getting to know the city before you left. All you have to do is look at Hutchinson like this. Compare it to Mcpherson, Salina, Manhattan, Newton, Kansas City, Springfield MO and Joplin MO. These cities offer a safe living area, things to do and the most important of all JOBS! Hutchinson has job but they are low paying. Manufacturing jobs and other jobs that produce $18.00 per hour or more do not exist in Hutchinson. If you want to work in a nursing home or Mcdonalds then every thing is great. I am a business owner and a pretty successful one. However if I counted on Hutchinson for my revenue I would be screwed. Hutchinson's residence cannot spend money they do not have. The majority of the residence in Hutchinson are just making it, affording luxuries is not something they can do. Plus there is a large large part of this town that survives off gov't paychecks. A few things that make Hutch special: 12th Aug 2007 - 19:51 GMT Let's see, we have the Hutchinson Salt Museum (the only one in the Western hemisphere), Senior's Open and the Women's Open (famous golf tournaments if you didn't know), NJCAA (basketball tournament again, if you didn't know what that is), Kansas Cosmosphere, Kansas State Fair, car racing, Fun Valley Sports Complex (many baseball/softball/fast pitch teams visit each year), Hutchinson High School football team has won the state champanionship three years in a row (doesn't sound like they're bored), Fox Theater (brings in plays from all over the country), Children's Flag Theater, Grand Prairie Splashdown (indoor water park), Salt City Spash and the YMCA. Guess if you don't like doing any of these things, maybe it would be boring. You challenged someone to find 5 things that make Hutch "special", well, we found around 15 things we feel make Hutch special, which isn't bad for a small town. As other's have posted, you can take pictures of the worst part of any town and project the image you have of it but there is so much more to it than what you projected. As I've always said, if you're bored, your the one not looking for something to do. Anyway, this is only my opnion. Hutch=LOW INCOME: 12th Aug 2007 - 22:42 GMT The person that posted the "special" things about Hutchinson. Let me ask you a question. DO ANY OF THESE THINGS BRING EMPLOYMENT ON A LARGE SCALE BASIS THAT PAYS OVER MINIMUM WAGE??? NO!!! AND ALSO I SUPPOSE THAT NO OTHER TOWN THE SIZE OF HUTCHINSON HAS MUSEUMS AND WATER PARKS? THAT IS WHAT MAKES THIS TOWN A SHIT HOLE IS PEOPLE LIKE YOU! You are to stuck up and ignorant to see that we can have all the little attractions in the world and it will not cause this city to grow! People will come and see the stupid attractions ONCE and never come back! Look at Sturgis South Dakota, it has one of the most well known attractions in the world and it is not growing. People come in spend some money and leave! But this is on a much larger scale then Hutchinson's great attactions. Yet still the town does not grow. Now look at Kansas City. This town has made an attempt to bring in large business and has done well. It is growing and people are spending money. In HUTCHINSON THEY ARE NOT, unless you count wal-mart. The vast majority of this town is financial broke and cannot afford to leave that is the only reason they stay. I personally know more people that have had to leave Hutchinson because they could not find a job that pays well, they are forced to leave before they lose everything! THE POINT IS, you have have all the State Fairs, Underground salt shit and space museums. This does not pay the bills. Hutchinson has a poor economy if you compare it to any town that has industry that supports employees. Keep in mind when I am speaking of employment I am not speaking of Mcdonalds, Arbys, Walmart, officemax or the cosmosphere. Plains of Despair: 20th Aug 2007 - 19:21 GMT Hutchinson Kansas Sucks=Plains of Despair Western Kansan: 20th Aug 2007 - 20:14 GMT If you think Hutch is bad, you should come to western Kansas. Take your pick of Garden City, Liberal, or Dodge City; they are all being taken over by the Mexicans, many of whom are probably illegal immigrants. After visiting any or all of these cities, Hutch will be very attractive to you! Plains of despair: Western Kansas Has always sucked. Plains of Despair: 21st Aug 2007 - 13:23 GMT Go watch The Factor some more. I can refute your comments. With this statement. HUTCHINSON KANSAS IS SHRINKING. YOU ARE AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY OR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. IT IS YOUR JOB TO PROTECT THIS SEWER OF A CITY. Why is it that you cannot understand, you said yourself that Hutchinson has a huge population of people living at the poverty line or BELOW! This is enough to make our point and it came from your sphincter of a mouth. I encourage you, just go people watch. You will see all the Meth heads, crack heads, drunks and losers that make up this great town. We can all tell that you are an uptight asshole who had to settle for his current position in life. When all else fails move to Hutchinson and that is what you did. You did not have enough talent to land a job outside of Hutchinson. And as far as opinions.. You have done nothing but spout your own opinion. You have not addressed the problems that curse Hutchinson. You live in make believe land where everything is peaches and cream. THAT IS YOUR OPINION. The jobs that you listed do not put a dent in the problems in this town. Any town in America and say the same thing. "well we have jobs". THESE ARE THE FACTS: 1. Hutchinson is a retirement community, which does not accelerate growth. 2. Hutchinson is a substandard town, because of years of mismanagement. 3. Hutchinson has no major interstate and NEVER WILL! 4. Hutchinson is full of drugs. 5. The idiots that run this towm (much like yourself) only do it so they can look special in everyone's eyes. 6. Hutchinson has a substandard Justice system, which has has been full or corruption for hears (i.e sheriff Leslie and other scandals.) 7. Hutchinson has a large population of handicap persons (they cannot hold down a job). 8. Anyone that does get an education in this town, leaves as soon as they get the chance! 9. There is not a large community of educated people to fill any jobs that are highly technical or highly paid. These are not opinions, These are facts. You sir are just a puppet in a circus of idiots, doing what he is told to get a paycheck. one more comment: 22nd Aug 2007 - 22:36 GMT ok, i got to this site by accident but it caught my attention so I continued to read. I should have gotten out the dictionary to make sure I spell everything right so you dont slam me also. Both sides have valid remarks. I used to hate the town also but that when i was getting in trouble with the law, cheating on my spouse, screwing up at my job and looking for every reason i could to try to get out of here. Funny though - i went to prison for awhile and Hutchinson looked really good when I came home. Ok, so there you go- maybe it is good place for an ex-convict! But now that i dont use drugs, or do anything illegal i have started taking time to enjoy the things that the town has to offer ( not a whole lot) but it is really where i know i will be the rest of my life so i have learned to not try to "escape" to the other side. just deal with it fools! oh, but the idiot that made the remarks about the Mexicans-he must be jealous cuz all they do is work the jobs the white boys wont take because they can draw the welfare check. And.. the Mexicans are paying in taxes and they dont file tax returns so where do the white folks get all the tax money to cover their welfare checks? Right, the illegal immigrants support our welfare system so girls can have babies or drug addicts dont have to work and they can sit back and receive the welfare money ...it is all how you look at it. And fyi- no i am not a Mexican. one more comment: 22nd Aug 2007 - 22:42 GMT not that I am sticking up for Hutch because i do know that it has a lot of "respected citizens" that are running most of the government here, and almost all of the boards of directors have the same people on them, the "people with money" and they control almost everything. But i dont think it is probably worse than lots of other towns. the rich people run them too, there are just more of them. so either pack up and leave if you have the education and money to re-locate or put the crack pipe down and get a minimum wage job here in Hutch and enjoy it. Funny though, the druggies in the town think there isnt enough dope here! John Doe Jr.: 23rd Aug 2007 - 13:31 GMT That is some of the problem. the PRISON! Hutchinson is a great place for convicts. Miss Positive.: 23rd Aug 2007 - 14:52 GMT Those who live in Hutch need to help change Hutch. What can you do to make Hutchinson a better place? Can you volunteer to plant flowers on a street corner? Can you volunteer to arrange a group to pick up street trash? Can you get a Christian group to help paint someone's worn down home? One person can start a program to make Hutchinson a better looking place to live. Miss LALA LAND: 23rd Aug 2007 - 18:06 GMT Hutchinson has plenty of people that want to plant flowers and join church groups. That has nothing to do with the bad economy. That is the biggest problem this town has. How about a christian group to attract a large employer? Or a Christian Group to get people off their asses and stop sucking of hard working tax payers. saltbake: 24th Aug 2007 - 06:10 GMT I´m afraid to say that this town is the worst place I´ve ever lived. I grew up in a really small town in South Dakota, and I can say that Hutchinson does not even have the charm of my hometown, which was likewise terrible (about 1200 people). I´ve lived in Europe for 4 years of my life, and I´ve lived around the United States as well. The Middle West of the United States is one of the dumpiest places in the civilized world, though nobody could have predicted it would turn out that way. And it gets worse when you go south, and Kansas is where that starts. The problem with Hutchinson, at the bottom of things, is not economy like so many folks are suggesting. The problem is that like the rest of this wasteland, everything was built according to profitable principles. This includes making ugly, crummy buildings. This includes the American concept of excess with space as well... the design of the city cripples social interaction. But this is no different than so many American towns. I can tell you, there are some poor cities out there in the world that are excellent places to live, for example Sevilla, Spain. I read alot of posts, and I´d like to respond to the fellow that mentioned LA. That guy has no frame of reference, because to compare Hutchinson, Kansas to Los Angeles, California, is like comparing two big pieces of shit. I´m really sorry, and I mean this from the bottom of my heart, for all the people who grow up here and never leave to see how beautiful life can be, to get to know other cultures, to participate in the vast exchange of ideas and cultures that is taking place all over the world. I´m really sorry that people here probably don´t realize the possibilities in front of them. I´m just really sorry for everyone, including myself, that has to be here. I´m sorry if I offend anyone. Please, if I offend you, let go of your pride and think past the city limits. Nobody can save this city. It started going wrong long before it was built. La: 24th Aug 2007 - 15:51 GMT I happen to love Hutchinson.It may not be the prettiest, but the photos you show are from the very worst building in town. Yes we have attractions, a world renowned space museum, the underground salt museum, the Kansas State Fair and on. I am proud to live here and raise my children. I happen to make a very nice living here and live in a nice neighborhood. Maybe you need to get out of the south side for a change and experience some of the good things. John Doe Jr.: 25th Aug 2007 - 01:01 GMT Saltbake you had some good points. Hutchinson is a sad place. John Doe Jr.: 25th Aug 2007 - 01:03 GMT LA. Hutchinson is a good place to race childem (ok?)AND who cares about that? We are talking about the economy here. Raising children has nothing to do with it. What is someone wants to do something beside raise kids. What would you say then? Peter: hutchinson, kansas... home of "racing childem". John Doe Jr.: 25th Aug 2007 - 01:32 GMT HEHE... Peter... I am glad to see Hutchinson is not enough of a concern for a CAPITOL "H" Look here Mr. Fact: 25th Aug 2007 - 15:47 GMT www.hutchnews.com/Editorials/location Yet something else that we have been saying is true! Hutchinson is falling apart. Amanda: 28th Aug 2007 - 00:00 GMT yes hutch maybe lonley and desolant in those photos but hutch has the state fair cosmosphere and lots of other fun things to do and you dont know what hutch is like till youve lived there for 8 yrs...or more!!!!!!!! mike hawk: gay .... yep real gay mike hawk: 28th Aug 2007 - 21:38 GMT "FUCK YOURSELF YOU FUCKING NOTHING PUDDLE OF FUCKDEW. YOU DRIPPING STICKY BLEACH SMELLING MASS OF EXTREME UBER-MENTAL RETARDATION. SOUR JIZZ FUCKASSFACE. EAT MY FUCK WITH AN EXTRA SIDE OF FUCK FRIES. YOU FUCKHOLE." What Amanda ?: 29th Aug 2007 - 14:40 GMT That post is a complete explanation of a big majority of the residents of Hutch. You bring up Hutch has "lots of other fun things" FUN DOES NOT PAY BILLS!!!!!!! I have lived here more than 8 yrs. It has gotten so much worse every 8 yrs of living here !!!!!!. I know other places are in trouble also, but if you have worked hard your whole life in this shit hole, you have seen our city officials, ( the complete spectrum of all city employees screw with our money. You start to see the games they play while abusing their place they have been appointed..... Again FUN DOES NOT PAY BILLS. By the way. I am stuck here in this shit hole. yes I have a job, I am on a budget . So I can support the looser people that need to live off us so they can have FUN. OH! this Mike hawk dude that wrote the very colorful and creative post using a certain word starting with the letter [F]: must be a resident of hutchinson ks.; He is just going through a level of frustration, depression, to his braking point. I hope he can hold on.. What your reading is a victim of the city of Hutchinson . He has fallen into the hostage of hutchinson crisis.. And its not FUN!!!!!!...... Bass Girl: 30th Aug 2007 - 15:12 GMT LOL @ all of the comments made since I last stopped by. I can't help but shake my head when I see people hanging on to the "but we have the Cosmosphere, the free water parks, the museum, the...the..." mindset. Like I've said before, those are attractions that you visit once, and then you've seen it. No need to revisit and revisit, unless you like to stab yourself in the eye with a fork repeatedly too. Besides, you have to have extra money to do a lot of those things anyway, and who has that with the crappy salaries the few jobs here have to offer?? I am in my early 30's, raising a family of 3 in a middle class home, and hoping that my kids don't fall to the entertainment of drugs because of a lack of things to do. It is definitely hard to keep your head up and stay positive after a trip outside of the house. Even my family has noticed a decline in the quality of people here when they visit from out-of-town and go to local businesses. They say our Wal-Mart reflects a pathetic example of what Hutchinson is made up of compared to other cities (like Manhattan, Salina, Emporia). I could go on and on, but it's really futile to do so. The experts agreed when they came here to stay for 5 years and come up with a plan to grow Hutch......they left after 1 year saying there was no hope. Bass Girl: 30th Aug 2007 - 20:28 GMT P.S. Has anyone mentioned the sky high property taxes in this county? I was in the courthouse renewing my car tags, and there was a college-aged guy renewing his tags at the neighboring station. When the clerk told him his total, he looked at the check he was holding and said, "How much again?" She told him again and I heard her say that the taxes in Reno County were a little bit 'different' than the taxes in McPherson County. Apparently his mother had written a check for the total stated on his renewal form.....for McPherson County. He said he would have to come back to take care of his tags and taxes because he did not have enough. How much more did he owe compared to what he would have had to pay in McPherson County??? I heard the clerk figure up that he owed 75 more bucks. My husband had a similar shock when he moved here from Saline County. His car tags/taxes almost doubled. Now why is it that we pay more, yet appear to have less?? Hmmmmmmmm...... Former Salt Hawk: 3rd Sep 2007 - 17:23 GMT I read this multitude of comments with bemusement, shock and sorrow. I was born and grew up in Hutchinson, Kansas, and, like the old familiar Neil Young lyric, "All my memories are there". It is true that Hutch has a drug problem, but what town in America does not? The standard of living also appears to be declining, but that also is probably a State-wide problem and endemic to the agriculture-based states. It is also true that there is not very much to do in Hutch, exept for what I would consider to be more wholesome types of entertainment. But what Hutch has to offer is not found in the variety of entertainment resources. Hutchinson, Kansas is about the people who live there; and I'm not talking about all the losers who have been posting to this response column. I know that sounds harsh, but anyone who professes hate for the community and still lives there can be decribed in no other way. The people in Hutchinson, who make up the backbone of that community, are some of the finest, most decent, and creative people in the world. They have intuited that life is far more meaningful than constant engagement in leisurely distractions such as going to the concerts of big name entertainers. These peple know that the most precious and rewarding aspect of life is casual conversation and daily involvement with people that you love and respect; and they have found the rich bounty of the rewards that come from human interaction. In my view, there is no one more creative than the person who does not need to be entertained. So I am shocked to see how many people from Hutchinson have posted to this response column with nothing but anger an venom in their spirits that has somehow become directed toward the community. And I am saddened to see the place where I grew up, a place where many people that I love and respect still live, to become the focus of such ridicule. Yahoo!: 3rd Sep 2007 - 23:14 GMT Hutchinson Kansas is a bad place period. Again Hutchinson has lost more chances for employment. It will not change. Hutch may have some good people in it. But it has far MORE SHIT. observer: 6th Sep 2007 - 19:30 GMT leaving Hutchinson, Kansas about 20 years ago was a decision i've never regretted.The mindset of the business community is that you OWE them for a minimum wage existence.GOOD jobs are hard to find and unless your'e related by blood or politics --you will not advance in any meaningful way.Don't make the mistake of giving this town your youthful and best years. Get out while you can! The economy is not set up for the working average Joe. Everything seems to be slanted to keep the "old order" of things firmly fixed. There is a wide boundry between "UPPER CLASS" and "lower class". The "middle class" element is very small and continues to diminish. Wal-Mart,nursing homes,liquor stores,the medical community, pawn shops,pay-day loan firms, credit collection agencies and the like appear to be prospering. Fast food joints are in abundance. Granted -Hutchinson has some good qualities; but unless you are "born and bred" here you will not-"fit in" Enough said.If you enjoy golf you will find a wealth of it-also a wealth of politicl B.S. that you will also enjoy!Hindsight is always 20-20.Let the "city fathers" have it!!! HushUp: 6th Sep 2007 - 23:39 GMT Is all the messages a person tries to leave show up as spam? HushUp: 7th Sep 2007 - 00:11 GMT Ok apparently not. So here we go (I guess because of my first post I used copy and paste so it didn't go through) Sooooo, I will type it all out, just because I want to prove a point. I wasn't born in this city. I moved here for the first time in 1990 and left after 2 years of pure hell. I have lived in Phoenix, LA, Dallas, Kansas City and Europe (5 years). I moved back here because my husband is originally from here and all of his family is here. I wasn't in the least bit thrilled about moving back here, just for the record, but it was based on a previous bad experience that I didn't want to feel like I was going to have to relive over and over. I agreed to come back here, only because of a certain situation. Prior to moving back here, I was living in Kansas City. Now for the person that compared Hutchinson to Kansas City, just so you know, Kansas City (on the Missouri side) is without a doubt the most drug infested and gang infested place I have ever been to, next to LA. The reason I left Kansas City? My son, 16 at the time, his best friend was shot by gang members. Although they were gang members, they went looking for my son and his friend because some kids at school didn't like them, so they told these gang members that my son and his friend called the cops on them, which wasn't true. So my son's friend is dead. You better believe we left and left quickly, it was enough to have SWAT at our apartment complex on a weekly basis, and that is without exaggeration. The drugs up there are worse than Hutchinson could ever think of being. At least here all you have are 'gang wannabees'; which if they were to go to Kansas City, I'm relatively sure they would be killed inside of a month. Sure it's nice in Kansas City if you live in one of the richest counties in America, which happens to be where Olathe and Overland Park are, good luck affording the cost of living though, on a medium income. Otherwise you are stuck in the area's that I described above, whether you like it or not. I'm well educated and had an incredible job as a Regional Manager, so you aren't talking to someone who is in the least bit interested in hearing all of the 'uneducated' guesses at what a city should or shouldn't do, if they aren't willing to stand up and do something about it. You want to do something about the problems, GREAT DO IT!! If not, then you have absolutely no right to be an armchair politician and voice your opinion and spread hatred. No I'm not some rich person, My husband makes average wages around here, and currently I'm unemployed (my choice). For all the armchair politicians out there though, I took the liberty of putting together a list JUST FOR YOU (although i'm not sure why i'm wasting my time); this is a list of all the companies in this city and the number of employee's they have here as of last year; the list does NOT include companies that have LESS than 150 employees. Hutchinson Hospital - 1536 Dillons Companies - 1,098 Hutchinson Public Schools - 939 Hutchinson Clinic - 610 Tyson Prepared Foods (omg a manufacturing company??) 536 Hutchinson Correctional Facility - 508 Reno County - 420 Wal-Mart SuperCenter - 420 City of Hutchinson - 398 (as you can see they are not largest employer in Hutchinson) Hutchinson Community College - 340 Lowen Corporation (oh no not ANOTHER MANUFACTURER) 330 Collins Industries (WOW ANOTHER MANUFACTURER?) 300 Eaton Corporation (I just cannot believe it; another manufacturer - well what do you know?) 300 Wesley Towers - Health Care/Retirement 260 Data Center - 240 Mega Manufacturing (Metal Fabrication MANUFACTURER) - 225 Mennonite Manor - 219 The Medical Center - 190 Krause Corporation (yes you guessed it; another manufacturer) - 171 TECH - Education & Training for Special needs; although you guys like to refer to the people that need these services as retards, the majority of their students are brought from out of town because of the program TECH has to offer them; I hope you never have a family member that needs their help since you seem to hate them so much. - 169 employees Kroger Convenience Stores Division (Corporate office) 168 Portfolio Recovery Associates (i would bet this bothers some of you because i'm sure they have had occasion to call you to collect money from you and that is why you're so upset; get over it, they are needed for thieves and dead beats) - 165 APAC-Kansas Inc. Commerical Contractors- 156 First National Bank of Hutchinson - 150 Ok, so am I making my point yet? What the hell will make you happy? To see an entire list of MANUFACTURING COMPANIES on here that will bring people to this city and we wind up like Wichita? Where the crime rate is so high for such a small city; Is that what you people want? Or do you want to suck it up and realize that there is more out there than what you realize, but it's people like you that are purposely making things worse, because we don't fit into YOUR idea of what A PERFECT city should be. Friend of your idea of a perfect city is Kansas City, HAVE A NICE LIFE AND I WILL TAKE HUTCHINSON ANYTIME. By the way, although I have a college education, my husband doesn't, and neither do any of my kids, but they don't seem to have a problem finding a job here that pays enough for them to live comfortably. You people are just too greedy, that's all your problem is. Have a nice day, and either do something about it, or hush up. HushUp: 7th Sep 2007 - 00:35 GMT Oh, and by the way, that list was only about 25 companies; and of those 25 they are employing over 10,000 people around here. Excuse me, they aren't all manufacturing companies, but I happen to be ok with that, and apparently at least 10 thousand others do too. And just for the correction, I had written about my son and his friend; I put in there they were gang members, that was a typo (please forgive my lack of education and lack of editing skills) - but no they were NOT gang members. I'm not saying this town is perfect, I'm not saying we don't need more business in here, but what I am saying, is you have a right to vote, you have a right to help make changes, no matter how corrupt you think (and I think) this city is; we all know who runs this city, there is no doubt about that, but instead of looking at what we are lacking, and how bad it is how about people start getting off the backs of the elderly and the handicapp, and put heads together to see what can be done. I would love to see this city grow as well, but within reason, I certainly would hate to see this city get as big as Wichita, because like others around here, I enjoy being able to walk out to my car without fear, and sleep at night without constant sirens going off from police cars. I think it would behoove the city to offer better tax cuts for businesses wanting to move in, although I know no city likes doing that but if they did it they could still reap the rewards by boosting the economy either way they would get tax money (and Lord knows we all know the taxes are incredibly high here). The cost of living here is about 80% of the national average, which I think is too high for a city this small as well for no more than they have to offer. I was watching the city council last summer, talk to a group of individuals who didn't want their taxes raised in order for new development next to their property. One of the City Councilmen (which i won't say his name) - told them they can say what they want, but he already had his mind made up, so it didn't matter. The only reason why they were allowing the people in that neighborhood to speak was because of protocol. I would highly suggest getting individuals off of the City Council that have that mindset, it hurts the city more than help it. Our country has always had a majority rules society. There is always a loophole for most anything, and that includes getting people off of the council if they are not performing their jobs in the capacity that they were hired to do. You can start with petitions or I'm sure there are plenty of avenues to go. With that, I'll shut up now, just some things to consider and think about. Thanks for your time. Re. Hush up: 8th Sep 2007 - 02:42 GMT If you delt with the economic conditions of this town (LIKE I DO) on an everyday basis you would see the truth. Hutchinson is a low income area! PERIOD! Why do you demand attention, you know you are fighting an up hill battle. Hutchinson is not the worst place in the world, but it is not the best. You must have nothing better to do than defend Hutchinson. By the way, Did you read the artical in the Hutch news about why the petrochemical company overlooked Hutchinson??? No interstate highway and other factors. I live in Brooklyn NY now, I bet you think this is a dangerous city. I walk down the street every night from work. Never had a problem. You are like the majority of people in the US, making up stories and taking things out of context to suit your needs. Also generating fears that should not exist about large cities. Perhaps the deal with your son and his buddy is not what you see.. 16 year olds and stretch the truth to suit their needs also. Perhaps you did not hear the side of the ¨gang member why not: 8th Sep 2007 - 15:50 GMT Why not place a large meat-processing plant in Hutchinson? It would create lots of decent paying jobs and enlarge the tax base as well.Empty apartments would be a thing of the past and overall business would most certainly increase.Thanks for listening. Big Momma Becky: 10th Sep 2007 - 17:38 GMT I am going to straddle the fence,so to speak,about my hometown,which happens to be Hutch. I am a middle aged woman,so someone younger might not have my same opinion,which is understandable. I have lived here my entire 53 years,so I know what I am talking about. Yes Hutch is dying. Anyone who disagrees just needs to go out to the mall and see how many empty spaces there are. The mall used to be so festive and fun,especially at christmas,with all the decorations,and Chris Moose. What the hell happened to Chris Moose? He even left Hutch,for petes sake!!! Downtown is and has been dead for years. I remember when a person would have to drive around the block over and over again to find a parking space,you dont see that anymore. Look at how our phone book is shrinking,that in its self tells you all you need to know. If you cant remember how big our phone books used to be,go to the library,upstairs,in the Kansas room,and compare what the phone books looked like 10,20,30 years ago. Yes,Hutch is dying. I really do not know what has kept me here all these years. I guess I am afraid of change. Plus I do like the big beautiful trees here, the Antique district is pretty cool,Hutch does have some good restaurants for a town this size,we do have a fun and entertaining coffee shop,some pretty cool bars,if that is your thing. Plus many beautiful churches to choose from to attend,if that is your thing. I really do not know what this town has to offer for our younger folks,that has always been a problem. The skate park and Salt City Splash is only a seasonal thing,so what are our pre-teens and teens supposed to do? I ran into that problem years ago myself,nothing to do. So I got high. Honestly,if there would have been something around this town to keep me occupied,I probably would have chose a different recreation, but there was none. I think thats why drugs and alcohol are such a problem in Hutch,there is nothing to offer our youth here. Hutch has its good points and its bad points.I love the Houston Whiteside area, Hutch has some grand homes. Its fun to walk around and look at the beautiful older homes,but again,something like this would probably not be fun for a younger person. I have been a single mother most of the time I raised my daughters,I have been able to buy a modest home and a new car on my income,and my income alone, I have just recently sent my 17 year old to Hutch Jucco as a full time student,she evidently got a good education here because she was through with High School and enrolled at Jucco at 16 and now attending at 17. And you know what??? I have made my living working in Nursing homes and no where else. Yes nursing homes. I am not a nurse making big bucks, I am a CNA-CMA and have made a halfway decent living off of it for over 20 years. I really have rambled on enough. I guess my point is,is that Hutch has its good with its bad,like all places do. Big Momma Becky: 10th Sep 2007 - 17:46 GMT Oh I almost forgot. Our new slogan should be "Come to Hutch,its a BLAST" or "Come to Hutch,its a GAS" I know this is a cheap shot,sorry. Born in Hutchinson: 11th Sep 2007 - 04:36 GMT That weird church/apartment building you describe used to be called St. Elizabeth's Mercy Hospital. I was born there. I lived for several years about three blocks east of that building, in a very nice neighborhood. I have very wonderful memories of that town, but also very dark memories as well. I left Hutchinson in 1978 and I've been back only three times. It now feels flat and baked, almost shrunken. The downtown is a pathetic shell of what it used to be, but I have memories going back to the late 60's, when there were still department stores downtown and a Woolworth lunch counter. For a kid who didn't know anything else, it was exciting to go downtown. But like everyone else I yearned for the big city and I got out, living in various big cities like San Francisco and New York. I learned that these places can be shitholes, too. Life is what you make of it. There are no boring towns...only boring people. Here are some pictures...St. Lizzies in her heyday and the Wiley building, ca. 1930's. Bass Girl: 12th Sep 2007 - 15:41 GMT I love those old photos above! It's good to see Hutch had a good start. I wonder what happened? I had an interesting visit with a neighbor who has been trying to get something wonderful started for kids and teens. He has been working on this project for about 5 years. In that coversation, it was mentioned how hard it is for change and "new" to come into Hutch. Since the city won't budge on giving new developments a tax break (can you blame them for asking since Reno Co. is the 2nd highest in the state?), we've missed out on quite a few new job ops. Dell wanted to put a call center here, but the city wouldn't work with them. Hospira, now located in McPherson, was originally wanting to locate here, but the city wouldn't budge for them either. Many years ago, when Hutch was asked if they'd rather have a State Fair, or a State College, look at what they chose. What the ???? And Eaton.... still clinging to life here after weeks of begging them to stay.... Sure, as mentioned above, there are 10,000 jobs occupied in major companies in Hutch right now. What about the other 30,000 people living here? Granted, some of that population includes children, but given the average age of habitants is 40+ here, they probably don't make up very much of that 30,000. Some of those people are working the random lower salaried jobs (most likely floating around min. wage), which forces them to depend on the state (our tax dollars) to provide the gap between what they make and what it takes to live above poverty level here. Employers (mostly owned by deep-rooted money) are not willing to pay more when they aren't given any incentive too - such as new comapanies with the same type of jobs that are willing to pay more and put a little competition in the market. I've noticed there is a new group starting - the Young Professionals Association. I could not make it to their initial meeting, but if they are about making Hutchinson an improved city, and not a dieing one, then I am all for it. I just hope the "old money" and City Council are willing to go along with fresh ideas. Historically, they have not. I wonder if any of them read this post?????? Maybe someone should email them the link so they can see what residents REALLY think, and then take that to heart..... HushUp: 12th Sep 2007 - 19:46 GMT For the person who thinks that someone should ask the side of the 'Gang Member' on why they shot and killed my son's friend - It's obvious you have no clue what it's like to live in a City that suffers - so I think anything further you have to say from this point on is irrelevant. Maybe you didn't understand what I was saying, so let me say it again, I never said that Hutchinson wasn't a dying city (learn to read), what I said was it doesn't have to have or be over run with Large Manufacturing Companies in order to survive. There are other avenues to go. No, I'm not defending Hutchinson, but I'm not willing to sit back and watch low lifes make their pathetic posts about this city in which they DON'T LIVE - I'm not sure why you would want to try and condemn this city over and over and over. You must be the one that posted those ridiculous pictures about Hutch as well at the begining of this thread. Go back to your city, and let the people of this city try and do something about it. Your anger and frustration does no good to anyone to try and help solve any problems. As for the others that posted in this thread - I think it would be a great idea to send a copy of this link to the City Council, they need to know what a small handful of people think of how they handle themselves around here. I was watching them on t.v. the other day talk about some woman and her daycare, and how it is she didn't 'care' to show up at the City Council Meeting, and how they would never send their kids to her daycare because she doesn't care. I think them voicing their personal opinions in a public forum like that, instead of just moving on with their next agenda should be cause for City Council Members to be removed from their seats. It was a statement that was uncalled for. I know a person who know's the woman that was trying to open that Daycare Center up, she said the reason the woman didn't go was because the City Council had already denied her the license because of no off street parking, the City denied her AFTER the City Engineer said it would be fine - seem's to me the City works against itself instead of working together. So why would the woman show up in front of the City Council Meeting? What? So they can tell her to her face 'NO'? It's rediculous - I wouldn't have gone either. Apparently they told her she had to have a significant plan for parking before they would change their mind about her permit. The problems with this City, start with the City Council, and it's time for a drastic change. People are right, it is a dying city, but it can be stopped if the right people are in place. Yes we lost out on another company due to lack of Interstate Access, that's to be expected by large Companies. The City has been taking steps, such as expanding 96 Hwy out like they have, and their plans for 61hwy to McPherson. As for the companies that I listed - and talking about the 10,000 people that are employed, the only point was, that was only 25 companies here in Hutchinson that are employing more than 150 people - that doesn't include all of the other companies that we have in town that employ less than 150, but I understand your concern, and your right, there are a lot of people that are unemployed. Just by chance (and not because I get into the middle of anything) I know a little bit of the revitalizing of downtown, and am excited about what they are wanting to do down there. Although it's not enough to bring in jobs, it is a start. I don't see Hutchinson as having any other problems as any other major city - they all have attractions that you visit once and then your done, or they have seasonal type entertainment for our kids. Growing up in L.A. and Phoenix (for me), it was no different there either, except if they did have more to do it was too expensive for our family to really enjoy (like a majority of the population there as well). My kids aren't into drugs or anything like that here (and yes I have one left at home that is a teenager). He seems to find things to do with his friends that quite frankly I think are creative, and don't always involve the computer, t.v., or video games. Seriously, think about it, what did you use to do when you were a teenager? Ride bikes, hang out with friends, go to parties, go to the mall, go to the park (winter is always a cause for cabin fever, not just with adults; lol).. I just don't see that much difference. Although I don't have my head in the sand either, I do know there is a huge drug problem here as well. My son and I both try hard to show kids that they can have fun without drugs and alcohol. He makes pacts with other kids not to smoke dope and do drugs or they beat eachother up if they do, that kind of thing (that was suppose to be a joke). Anyway, it is good to see others from Hutch posting on here (and trying to be positive without ignoring the truth). As for those who don't live here, who want to bash this city. If you are so concerned about it, how about giving some idea's. You seem to be really good with your words and bashing, lets see how good you are with your words in a positive note, ok? Just an idea. Have fun :) Re : Hushup: 12th Sep 2007 - 23:04 GMT First of all I live in Hutchinson. I do not bring up points that are pointless or stabbing. I am only trying to show this town has many problems. It is not the happy little haven of prosperity that you try and convey. It is a drug infested, crime infested, low income, low education town that THINKS it is something it is not! Every attempt that is made at getting this town on track is screwed off by people like yourself who try and ignore the REAL truth! You talk about people being ignorant... let me ask you a question... WHY ARE YOU IN HUTCHINSON? WHY DID YOU HAVE TO LEAVE LA AND OTHER GREAT CITIES! BTW I currently reside in Hutchinson, I am a Network administrator for a major telecom firm. I only live in Hutchinson because it is a midway point between the East and West Coasts, Where the economy is! Bullst: 13th Sep 2007 - 18:25 GMT I live in Hutch, Wish I didn't. I keep praying for the day that I will be able to afford to leave this toilet skid mark. I am going to an online college so that I can get the hell out! I am hoping to land a job in KC or Springfield. Mega mommas: 13th Sep 2007 - 20:08 GMT I was looking around on the internet for women In Hutchinson. I noticed on all the the dating sites and bars (other places also) that the wide majority of the ladies are fat? Why is that? This is not a town for singles, that is unless you like fat ladies. Big Momma Becky: 14th Sep 2007 - 00:43 GMT There are other ways to find women here in Hutch. Join a singles group,join a church,walk around the mall or the park,etc. The women you meet in bars are probably drinking too much beer,thats why they are fat. I guess if you dont like fat women,you can always find you a skinney meth head woman,which everyone seems to think this town is full of. jeeff: 14th Sep 2007 - 15:15 GMT well, all you lovers and haters of hutch can be comforted by one thing at least. through citynoise, hutchinson has finally achieved some worldwide fame. this thread just keeps going and going and going... Joe: 14th Sep 2007 - 18:01 GMT I know it just show how bad this town really is. Hutchinson Come share our space, because we have lots of it! Hutchinson Sucks: 14th Sep 2007 - 18:09 GMT Let me just restate what Donald Walters said above-- I challenge any Hutch resident to name me TEN particular, redeeming, specific traits about the town that make it "special". And not stuff like "it's a good town! the people are cool!" but real, specific things. I find it very telling that with all the comments here, no one has been able (or willing) to do this. As a matter of fact, I live in Hitchinson, and can't even do it! This town really sucks that much. Big Momma Becky: 15th Sep 2007 - 01:26 GMT Got me there!!! I'm having a hard time comming up with 10 myself. Does suck when you think about it. Come on people, help us out. My 17 year old daughter is comming up with a few of the usuals,but she also is having a hard time comming up with 10. Momma' Becky's daughter: 15th Sep 2007 - 02:10 GMT Well, I actually Don't think that Hutchinson Is all THAT terrible... I mean, I know it's really not a whole lotta' fun, and there isn't much to do here... but the beauty of becoming an adult is, getting a job, and moving the heck away! You don't HAVE to be stuck here all your life. If you hate it so bad. THEN MOVE. Yes, indeed, Hutch is some-what a retirement community, a lot of old farts do live here, and yeah, there is a lot of nursing homes, but thank god for those nursing homes because a lot of people would otherwise be stuck with relatives that they couldn't possibly take care of themselves. It has it's good, and it's bad. Yeah, places like Wichita Kansas are a lot FUNNER, but also more drugs run through there (partly because it's a bigger city I suppose) More gangs are there, and much more violence. Yeah, I know this site is "Boring Hutchinson," But that isn't the same as "Terribly God-Awful Fuckinson Kansas." This place is my home. Yes drugs do run through here, But If you have a problem with it, don't associate your self with it, rise above the drugs, get a great job, and focus on something worth your time. A few of the things I PERSONALLY like about Hutchinson are: 1. The Kansas State Fair. We hold the state fair year after year, and it's one of the highlights of the year. Instead of turning to drugs to get my dopamine production up, I turn to "natural" highs. Mind blowing fair rides such as the TWISTER. Fun, fun, fun... 2. We have the Cosmos Fair,which has the 2nd largest collection of US space artifacts in the world, second only to the National Air and Space Museum. That's pretty cool. Take your kids to The Kansas cosmosphere and teach them something interesting! Kids Love to hear about space. And while I can't come up with 10 GREAT things about Hutchinson, I can come up with many that I personally Enjoy. I Like Swimming, And we have the Salt City Splash here. It has fun slides, a Great Kiddy Pool and infant area, as well as a lap pool, and a low dive, high dive, and red "shoot" slide. Not to mention the best Stuffed pretzles and pickels ever. That's not boring, It's a whole lotta' fun in my opinion. I Guess my point Is, while Our logo might Not Be "Hutchin-FUN" we aren't all that bad. We have things people like, and things people dislike, just like any other place! Yoda: 16th Sep 2007 - 23:32 GMT You are so wise for your age of 17. Your parents must be so proud. To bad all the points you have brought to light have been stated many times on this forum. Sure the Cosmosphere and the Fair... But really who cares? Big Momma Becky: 17th Sep 2007 - 05:04 GMT Bless her,but personally I cant stand the fair and all the traffic and dust and all the bullshit associated with it. Limmpy: 18th Sep 2007 - 14:15 GMT I tell you want, just go to walmart and see the quality of the Hutchinson People. Also, I just read the Hutchnews about the housing market! I cannot believe what I was reading. Hutchinson is not having a problem in the housing market? It is not suffering as EVERY other city in the US is. If anything the reason that it has not be hurt is because it SUCKED to begin with! average joe: 19th Sep 2007 - 07:15 GMT it's fairly easy to make people believe that hutch is a shithole, well for one because it is,but yet you only show photos of a building on 20th and monroe. thats where the AA meetings are held at and lets face it no building where alcoholics go is going to be in good shape. Other than that i actually live in that neighborhood and its quite nice. if you were to show pictures of downtown past ave. A then you could have been more believable 'cause lets, well thats where all the meth head tweekers live and the never know how to keep shit nice. hutch is slowly trying to make it look better but i still don't think that will hell with the shitty ass crooked cops that are there. even the shelter where children who get taken from there home because they are victims of neglect by their parents get treated like shit by the staff, who might i add are a bunch cock suckers who abuse their power just like the police in hutch. it's like if your not ritch then your looked down on by everyone and if you ask me that just isn't right. So i guess in a sense i disagree with you about the looks and the boredum of hutch, but then again it's judicial system is what makes it so fucked up. Choad: 19th Sep 2007 - 13:45 GMT Thank GOD THE FAIR IS GONE!! What is joke! THE KANSAS STATE FAIR, FULL OF THE ELDERLY AND RETARDED! (also the unemployed) defandum: 20th Sep 2007 - 15:34 GMT regarding Hutchinson; Time will tell,and shit will smell! Choad: 20th Sep 2007 - 20:10 GMT What are you talking about, Hutchinson Already smells like white trash and shit. observer: 21st Sep 2007 - 22:58 GMT through the years i've known many great people in Hutchinson.Sadly, most of them are gone now but memories of them remain close. There also are people in Hutchinson whom I learned to loathe.You will not find a shortage of these small-minded,petty politically motivated individuals either.Some little people enjoy others hardship,struggles and failures. This is human nature. It has always been so.Hutchonians just seem to project an attitude of false superiority to other persons they deem "below their class" I am glad to be seperated from the depressive stress of this community.I left years ago.Good luck to all who are caught in this cycle of despair! Big Momma Becky: 1st Oct 2007 - 04:12 GMT This post is dying out,just like Hutchinson. Choad: 1st Oct 2007 - 16:31 GMT Yes, it is much like Hutchinson. Nothing but nothing. Hutchinson KANSAS sucks, now that I think of it, Hutchinson AND Kansas Sucks. Yeah I live in Hutch, so what.: 3rd Oct 2007 - 17:57 GMT Quoted earlier: I challenge any Hutch resident to name me TEN particular, redeeming, specific traits about the town that make it "special". I can't name ten traits about ANY town that make it special, but to name a few: If you like space and aeronautical museums, the Kansas Cosmosphere is one of the best in the country. You can even see the actual Apollo 13 command module there. A new underground salt mine museum has also recently opened. The state fair is a big draw every September. People flock to the NJCAA tournament in March. Several softball, baseball, and basketball tournaments are held in Hutch throughout the year. Not too shabby for a "boring" town. Personally speaking, I don't know what is so wrong with Hutch that isn't also wrong with Salina or Hays or Dodge City or Manhattan or Emporia or in towns of similar size in neighboring states. If there's anything that makes Hutch truly boring, its that there's nothing terribly exceptional, either good nor bad, about it. Exactly what is it folks, that Hutch has that makes it "exceptionally boring", or needs to be "not boring"? I mean you can snap photos of abandoned buildings in most any locale. Choad: 4th Oct 2007 - 14:39 GMT Re: Yeah I live in Hutch: You have stated the same things that everyone else has. What makes Hutchinson boring to me is the lack of any good looking women. You go anywhere to meet women in Hutchinson and you will find obese women.. That or they are married. Let me ask you, would you go to the cosmosphere twice a week or more? Would it be a social event of any every week. Also, all the NJCAA does it bring in old retired assholes in Hugh RV's. They don't stay here and even if they did they would just add to the fat old people that rot here already. Mcpherson, Emporia, Salina and other towns In Kansas Either have Large businesses or a college or both. Hutchinson has very few large companies to speak of (salina has GE so don't compare Collins to Salina) and has a poor excuse for a Junior College. Basically they way I see it is this, if you fail or are rejected by a larger more progressive city then you can always fall back on Hutchinson. joe: 4th Oct 2007 - 19:59 GMT I live in South Hutchinson-I am so poor, hungry, trying to find some more food but I can't get enough food nor emergency help, etc. Please don't move to Hutchinson, Kansas area. I was from Arizona State. I was born at Salina, Kansas. I moved to South Hutchinson. It is very high crime infested, too. Not enough help from Medicaid, etc. Please watch out before you make a big wrong decision. Many wishes. Hutch Hater Too: 5th Oct 2007 - 03:02 GMT I agree that Hutchinson is a hell hole. The writer who mentioned how those in charge are nothing but a bunch of snobs is right. Money grubbing, ignorant snobs at that. I'm not just talking city officials but county too! The city and county commissioners are lazy, ignorant, haughty, and out for themselves and no one else. The voters are all too drunk and stoned to even be able to pay attention and notice they are being ripped off. It is too much to ask that they get out and vote the crooks out of office. The few that do notice are quickly silenced by these crooks using taxpayer money. Yes, Hutch is shrinking. That is why the bozos decided to spend millions tearing up a perfectly good Main Street and put in wider sidewalks with benches and flowers that no one uses. It was supposed to draw people to downtown. But alas, they haven't noticed there are no people left to go downtown except the same crooks and snobs who are trying to draw people downtown. Take a drive and you will see taxpayer money being wasted everywhere! Every other street in town can't be driven down because they keep ripping them out and then leaving them tore up for months on end. They put in new street and then a few months later rip out the new street to put in pipe under it and leave it with a poor patch job that throws your car around when you drive over it. Just once I would like to see one so called, "road construction" job get finished before they start tearing the hell out of another street. The greed, incompetence, indifference, self-seeking, and just plain outright arrogance that prevails here is sickening. Yes Hutchinson is a stinking hell hole and the motto,"Come Share Our Space" is just to lure in unsuspecting new meat to prey upon. defandum: 5th Oct 2007 - 12:17 GMT The secret to sucess in Hutchinson is to devise a great con-game or lucrative Ponzi scheme.Many have done well with this approach over the years and are doing quite well presently.Research will bear this out. Greed is a driving motivator. There is an abundance of this commodity in Hutch! Good luck in your endeavors to rise socially and financially. Don't forget that in Hutch - money is'nt everything- it's the ONLY thing! Hutch Hater: 5th Oct 2007 - 18:15 GMT Hutchinson is a poor ass excuse for a city. What a joke. hutch sucks: 6th Oct 2007 - 21:19 GMT i happen to live in this shit hole, or the asshole of the united states. im always afraid im going to run over a crack head at night. im sorry for those who think its awsome but face it, its shit, never mind its better than dodge city, ks. at least it has that i guess fuck Ks : fuck Hutch defandum: 7th Oct 2007 - 11:22 GMT I enjoy the panhandlers in Hutchinson. They are so creative! Have you noticed the advanced works of graffiti taggers? How resouceful and uplifting!Which is it :high art or art when high? O.K. I'm convinced- "Let's go to Hutch motherFutch! Country Club Snob: 10th Oct 2007 - 01:27 GMT I have always said Hutch is the negative vortex of the world and having lived on both coast I speak with some knowledge of this. I was born & educated here, left for K-state and was gone for 12 years with marriage & travel. I returned in 1997 to raise my children near family. I will be moving the end of this year back to the west coast. The Hutch I grew up in is gone. I graduated in 1985 so I am not elderly in my recollections. Drugs, they are everywhere. unemployment? IF you want a job you can get one. Most people are to lazy to do a decent days work. The spend their days watching MTV and want to live like a Rock Star. I do see Hutch as a microcosm of the economy at large, a shrinking middle class. I do not pretend to have the answer and I am fortunate I can leave. think about it: 10th Oct 2007 - 03:06 GMT hell try living in miami,, go out at night to go to the store and not worrying about geting shot by a drive by,,i swear people,, i view your comments,and laugh, hutch is boring yes i know,, but i know im not going to get shot if i go for a walk at night,,i have lived here for a short time and i am grateful that i can let my kids go outside and play and not worry that they will be shot or abducted,,u can always drive some place around hutch if u are desiring fun,, i lived in dallas, miami, stlouis,, and to go and do anything,, u had to drive 30 min or and hour ,, just to get away from the cities,, how often do you really stay in your town to do anything fun,, think about it Re: Think about it.: 11th Oct 2007 - 15:08 GMT Okay, let me break this down for you. Look at www.hutchpd.info and you will see how many shooting that occur in Hutchinson. Not to mention stabbins, meth finds and other "big city" crimes. I live in Brooklyn NY. I walk from work every single night and have never been robbed, shot or even looked at wrong. In Hutchinson I have had cars stolen, houses broke into and meth heads stealing the air conditioning coils from a rental property I own in HutchiSuck... Also, why did you move from Miami?? Let me guess, You could not afford it! I may be wrong, but it sounds to me like you are a mother or father with 50 kids, who lives on social assistance (which is abundant in Kansas) and moved to Hutchinson to raise your kids. Noneya: 13th Oct 2007 - 11:24 GMT Hutch is truly a crime-infested, drug-ridden hell hole. Hutch PD has not the man-power nor the finance to rid this city of its problems. I can speak from experience that Hutch PD has some crooked-ass cops on the payroll. Some cops have been accused of using steroids, others have been accused of dealing drugs while off duty. Whether any of it is true, I don't know... but I will say that the facts do not lie. If you want to clean up this shit-hole of a "city", then start with the police force. That's where it all begins. Choad: 15th Oct 2007 - 00:54 GMT Wow, This website is sure getting alot of press. I wonder if any of the city fathers have seen this website. I think that Hutchinson is full a problems and to all you people trying to defend Hutchinson Just stop it is not worth your time. flyby: 16th Oct 2007 - 14:54 GMT Hutch just lost another opportunity ! Air ambulance maintenance went to Newton instead.Greed was probably a factor. Oh well... Choad: 17th Oct 2007 - 01:34 GMT livin it up: All of your thoughts were great! WOW. Hutchinson is shinking. LOOK AT www.census.gov and look at the FACTS. Hutchinson has shunk 2.2 percent in population. Not to mention it has shunk even more in job growth. Big Momma: 17th Oct 2007 - 05:46 GMT The new underground salt museum is allready in trouble. Not making any money. This town needs some serious help. Whats the answer? Tex: 19th Oct 2007 - 17:42 GMT I was born in Hutchinson, Ks. (in fact it was at the Grace Hospital, which is the second picture from the top). Back in the 70's Hutch was a going jessy, vibrant downtown, lots of people, things to do. It's sad to say about my birthplace, but I have to agree with most of the negative comments that I've seen on this board. The city is nothing like it was 30 years ago. I moved out after college and went to Texas, better paying jobs, more friendly and beautiful women, I couldn't be happier. The first thing the people in Hutch need to do is to fire or vote out of office everyone that is in city and county govt. and the chamber of commerce. They have failed the community miserably, by promoting their own pet projects, and failing to bring industry and jobs to the town. (and I'm talking about jobs that pay better than min. wage!) The city is now basically a city for the elderly, unemployed and parolees and most of the jobs are centered around taking care of those three groups. My advice for those who live there is to get out, things are much better elsewhere and it's past time that you found out! Tex: 19th Oct 2007 - 18:34 GMT And while I'm on my soapbox, It looks like to me that a lot of crime that is committed in Hutchinson is done by the 'elite' members of society. Here is an example of two of Hutchinson's finest representatives and what they got caught doing: "Max Ary, former Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center President was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for his role in stealing and selling space artifacts from the his museum." "Witness the jailing of former Reno County Sheriff Larry Leslie for accepting $284,000 in payments from a private firm that used to operate a jail annex." I think the feds are going to be the only ones that can clean Hutchinson up. Re: TEX: 19th Oct 2007 - 20:27 GMT You hit it right on the head. Hutchinson a sad place. It is truly full of the elderly, handicapped and prisoners! Bill Johnston: 19th Oct 2007 - 21:25 GMT Very funny that so many people would spend so much time commenting on something being boring. You all must have nothing else to do! I'm out of here this discussion is boring. ILiVeHerE2: 20th Oct 2007 - 00:17 GMT Hutch is like living on "Fantasy Island". Don't you know? I love this town. I wouldn't live anywhere else. This place is truly an amazing place to live. The people are great. Kind of like you people posting on here. Gut-wrenching Love. :) lila22: 24th Oct 2007 - 16:38 GMT Hutch was a nice town to have my baby, but my husband and I can't wait to leave this town and move back to a real city, CHICAGO!!!! Here we come! Hutchinson Stain: 25th Oct 2007 - 14:47 GMT Hutchinson not maybe the most boring town in the USA. However it is one of the poorest. With low incomes and lots of retards. Another Former Salt Hawk: 27th Oct 2007 - 04:39 GMT As someone who grew up in Hutchinson (HHS Class of 1970), it saddens me to see how the town has changed over the years. Unfortunately, there is no denying the town has gone downhill. However, is it really any different than most any other town or city in America? Don't you think there are people from all the towns and cities across America who could express the same dissatisfaction regarding the problems and changes that have taken place in their communities over the years as is being expressed on this forum? Change is an inevitable fact of life. How we deal with it is what matters. I think most people on this forum are bemoaning the fact that Hutchinson just isn't the same town it once was and are frustrated, even angry, that this is the case. What can be done about it? I don't know. I wish I did. But I do know this: I remember Hutchinson as a wonderful town to grow up in. I have many fond memories of my youth growing up there and reflect often on them and my "Home Town". I'm thankful that I can say I knew Hutch back when it was a great place to live. I just wish all of you who seem to "hate it" as you do could know the town as I used to know it. Been there,done that: 27th Oct 2007 - 04:59 GMT Yes, Hutch used to be a fun and wonderful place to grow up in. But the key word here is "used to be." The only good thing going for this pathetic town as far as progress goes,is the new Lowens building. It sure looks nice and too damn bad their isnt more places like it. The Salt Museum???? What the hell is going on there anyway??? You can hardly tell from the outside what it is. Only a little sign outside, thats barely noticeable. Nothing to draw or attract anyone to the inside. I am frankly embarresed by the way it looks on the outside. I havent been inside yet,so I guess I have no room to talk, but nothing is drawing me to go inside. I suppose our new Gowens stadium is pretty nice also,it looks good. But thats all I can think of now. Another Former Salt Hawk: 27th Oct 2007 - 16:12 GMT IMO, if most of the feelings and opinions expressed on this forum are representative of most of the people who live in Hutchinson it is safe to say that Hutchinson will never be the town it once was, nor will it ever be the town you all want it to be, or seem to expect it to be. Let's be honest, there are no perfect towns. None. Life is what each one of us makes of it, not what someone else makes of it for us; and the town we all choose to live in is what each one of us makes of it as well, not what the City Council makes of it for us. If you are waiting for the Hutchinson City Council to make Hutchinson into a "better" town you are setting yourself up for major disappointment. It ain't gonna happen. It is up to each one of us individually to make our surroundings (towns) better, not someone else. Besides, who knows better than ourselves what each one of us wants. Certainly not the City Council. So get out there and make it happen and quit bellyaching that someone else isn't making your life and town better for you. Let the flames begin! mr. pINk: salt hawks suck mr. pINk: 28th Oct 2007 - 04:09 GMT since i live here i feel a great sense of isolation and every time i see a plane overhead i feel jealous of the people who are finally leaving this hell-hole. and the new highway project is another one of this city's "baby step" improvements. it seems like every 20 years hutch gets so little improvements. mr. pINk: 28th Oct 2007 - 04:11 GMT this town would be a perfect setting for a zombie movie all they have to do is make it look isolated....wait it already does. mr. pINk: 28th Oct 2007 - 04:20 GMT there is absolutley nothing to do here except all those ignorant "city leaders" that do nothing to better this place as a whole. and why do they want to waste billions on some pointless salt mine? the mall used to have great stores now its all crappy b-stores. cant wait to leave this pathetic town. mr. pINk: 29th Oct 2007 - 16:09 GMT i heard this rumour that GE wanted to make their world headquarters here.. except the mayor objected to it said it would be bad for the area. mr. pINk: 29th Oct 2007 - 18:01 GMT the salt museum is a waste of money time... who the hell wants to learn about salt??! i dont. this boring ass town is so pathetic. full of meth trailer trash and they keep tearing up streets and wasting cash on crap. for economic failure and a drug problem come to hutch the town most likely to get eaten by a homeless man with a taste for crack. Tex: 29th Oct 2007 - 18:37 GMT The idea that attractions will help bring people to a city to live and work is absolutely stupid. Which would make you think that someone is making money on all those Hutchinson pet projects and it's not the taxpayer. Jobs are what people move for. I live and work in the Texas gulf coast region. If I wanted to move to Dallas and be closer to Texas Stadium or Six Flags, you can bet the first thing I'm going to find is a job in that area that pays what I want, or I won't be moving. In this day and age if a city can't produce jobs for 20 to 50 year olds who can make at least 50,000 a year, that town is in deep trouble. And, it's only going to be those leaders in city and county govt. that can make the deals to get companies to move to Hutchinson. The ordinary citizen can't do anything, except maybe vote out of office everyone in city and county govt. which would be the first step in taking your town back. Another Carlot: 31st Oct 2007 - 12:54 GMT Wow Hutchinson has added another attractions. Some jerk has opened a trash carlot on 4th street by Burger King. He has such junk on the lot, it really added more charm to Hutchinson. ladyGal: 1st Nov 2007 - 15:23 GMT I saw that too. For your information that is the place the used to be "auto select" another defunct Hutchinson business. Who ever took over this sure has a lot a trash on this carlot. It looks like the complete opposite of what the out of business carlot had. I think we should file complaints about how trashy his lot looks. me: 4th Nov 2007 - 08:17 GMT This town still has potential. Let's all stop our Bitchin and do something about it. Any suggestions? Resident of Hutch: 14th Nov 2007 - 23:34 GMT Okay, I like how the person only takes pictures from one part of town. This fact makes this article worthless. They fail to take pictures of the area around 23rd and Waldron. Hutchinson has a very booming medical business, and if it is shrinking then why is my house becoming surrounded by businesses standing where houses once were? Hutchinson has plenty of potential and great people. I can also find something to do any night I want to, so this man has no Idea what he is talking about. Before you start challenging what I say and claiming I am not well traveled and don't know of cities outside of Hutcinson, I would like to state this. I have lived in the same house in Hutchinson for 14 years (all of my life). Neither of my parents have ever been without a job in this time. I have been out of Hutchinson. I have traveled to Colorado, Wyoming, Missouri, and even spent 20 days this summer in Australia and New Zealand ...just lookin for a job, lookin for a job...: 16th Nov 2007 - 17:58 GMT OMG! I thought I lived in a pretty good place until I stumbled onto this site while surfing for nursing jobs in this area. I've been HappyInHutch for 30+ years and known about all the problems mentioned here and chuckled about them. It's never occurred (ocurred? occured?..oh well) to me to be bitter about them. I've heard my kids complain and belly ache about some of the same things belly ached about on this site. I've had a good job that I really love at Hutchinson Hospital. I said something stupid and thoughtless (but not INTENDED to be hateful for mean) and now I'm looking for a job. I have also been owner of a successful very small business. Hutch has been good to me and I really do love Hutch. As a nurse, I've taken care of every kind of person in the town. Some of the highest class people have been some of the least classy; some of the lowest class people have been very classy; and any combination of that you might come up with. I've noticed that many of the old people of Hutch who gained their wealth and power right here in Hutch, care very deeply about this town and 'give back' to the town in BIG ways; they have been giving back long before that term was coined. They have quiet, sophisticated class and treat those around them with quiet respect. I have also encountered the adult children of these people and they don't seem to have inherited that instinct or knowledge of how to treat those around them. Their parents make the people serving them feel important. The children make it plain to the people serving them that expect to be served. Their parents worked hard to make something good in Hutch; I really doubt if they complained of 'nothing to do in Hutch' while they were working at building a City! All of these people in this thread who are complaining about how bad Hutch is can make it a better place by doing just one thing to make it better. One person can't change a town or a country, but one person can change the three feet around himself. Pull out a couple of pencil stubs and a scrap of paper and play tic-tac-to with someone or with yourself; it's so corny, it will probably make somebody laugh! Get somebody to sit with you at one of those little tables on main street and drink a coke and play checkers; it's Mayberry, but I'll bet somebody will get a chuckle out of seeing it. Pick up some rusty horseshoes (or buy a set) and set it up at one of the parks around town and start pitching; I bet one of the city old folks, retards, or bums will stop by to watch and you can invite them to play, too. If you are one of the people on public assistance at tax payers expense, bend over and pick up a piece of trash or two just one time a day and put it in the trash bin; if we have as many people on public assistance as this sight makes it sound like, this whole town will be spic and span within a couple of weeks! Smile at somebody or say 'Howdy' --that should make somebody chuckle, for sure. If you are the recipient of a 'howdy', pass it on! Remember 'pass it on'? Buy somebody a cuppacoffee or a cold-drink; if you are a smoker, move twenty feet from the entrance to light up; if you are a meth head, skip a hit and take a long walk or jog. If you are a pusher, hide out from your customers for one day a week. Rediculous? I just wanted you to know that I'm not a PollyAnna; it's my sarcasm that's got me into enough trouble that I have to start job-hunting. But seriously, have you heard this: "World Peace --let it begin with me." I can't wait to see what this post is going to trigger! Resident of Hutch: 17th Nov 2007 - 22:54 GMT I know I know very little about the actual problems. Hutchinson has lots of problems. This has been a eye opener! me: 18th Nov 2007 - 06:40 GMT We have problems due to the fact that a certain family of wealth many years ago prevented other businesses from coming to this city that wanted to pay decent wages,because then this certain family of wealth and their business would have to pay higher wages also,which they did not want to do. This family has controlled this town for years! ...just lookin for a job, lookin for a job...: 18th Nov 2007 - 17:02 GMT Which family? Re: to Me:** The Dillons family. me: 19th Nov 2007 - 06:13 GMT I am not going to mention which family,to do so would be slanderous, but anyone who has lived here for many years,will know who I am talking about. I have heard this for years, from my parents who are in their 70's, from many of their friends, and also from Hutchinson "officials". A sad situation,because look what it has done to this town now. Yo Hoe: 19th Nov 2007 - 22:47 GMT Hutchinson Kansas is a sewer plugged with fat ass welfare pigs! me: 20th Nov 2007 - 00:21 GMT Because their is not that many well paying jobs here, which this post is mainly about. The question now is,what can be done about this. Penelope: 20th Nov 2007 - 19:55 GMT I live in Hutchinson and think its a great place! Our 6A high school football team is going to win state again this year, which makes it a 4-peat! Yeah Baby! Go Salthawks! We also have the Underground Salt Museum, Cosmosphere, and Lots of Fun people. McArthur: 20th Nov 2007 - 20:54 GMT Dear Rest of the World, I would like to point out that Penelope's opinion (stated directly above this comment) is typical of about 99% of Hutchinsonians, and is a major part of the "problem" facing our Town -- the fact that people would rather ooh-and-aah about irrelevant superficialities like high school football, the Salt Museum (Honestly -- a museum for salt mines?) and most laughably, "Lots of Fun people" than address the plain and simple FACTS. I know (as all of us Hutchinsonians do) that the above photographs don't best represent what Hutch looks like, but this discussion-thread has obviously grown far beyond commentary on the mere, limited scope of the photos. Anyway, my point is to say that before another gung-ho Hutchinson resident makes a further ass of himself (and our town) by yet again failing to address prescient, realistic problems (like crime, local political corruption, drugs, unemployment) and instead starts yammering about superficial attractions, let me urge future home-town folks to address the facts. Let's get a dialog going on here! Come on, folks! We all know about the Salt Museum and Cosmosphere -- they've both been mentioned in this thread a hundred times already! The time has come, Hutchinson! Stand up!!! Peter: 20th Nov 2007 - 21:37 GMT although im a new yorker, i agree with mcarthur. ive watched this post for over a year and though its taught me a lot about a place ive never been (and about some of the general public opinion about the place), i must admit that i chuckle at the constant repeat comments on the salt museum and whatnot, while genuinely thought-provoking issues like employment (to pick one that has appeared a number of times) are repeatedly ignored. its a classic example of not being able to see the forest for all of the trees... or at least it seems that way to me, as an outsider whos complete perception of hutchinson is shaped entirely by what ive read in this thread. i had never even heard of the place before this thread. i would like to see a meatier dialog here, too, not simply to have more content to read, but because i think theres potential to actually see an impetus for positive change and awareness here; weve established that hutchinson has some problems (trust me, we do here in nyc, too, ha). weve also more than established that some people like the place, and some do not, just like every other town in the world. im sure it can be boring (anywhere can) and weve been made aware of the attractions ad nauseum. two seconds spent googling hutchinson kansas pointed me to these sites: www.hutchgov.com/egov/apps/directory/list.exe www.hutchchamber.com/chamber/staff.htm hsn.live.mediaspanonline.com/contactUs perhaps anyone feeling down on hutch should consider voicing their opinions beyond merely bickering on a website. email your politicians and city council. think a politican is corrupt? call them and confront them about it. write a letter, leave a voicemail... maybe if enough local people put in a few moments each, yall might get the ball rolling on bringing about some change? or at least raising public awareness about topics more pressing than the cosmosphere? i mean, thats what i would do, at least. it sure beats pointless grumbling and circuitous dialog. if any of you do, or get any results, or find any factual information about problems/solutions, share them with us here. because, as the view-count on this post indicates, a lot of people are reading about your town, and im sure most of them are chuckling about the same things i am... ...and just imagine how different things could be if every one of the almost 100,000 people that have read this post called the mayor of hutchinson (ron sellers, 620-662-8331) to voice their concerns for the city and support some positive change. its a slow process, but it is possible, you know. I agree: 20th Nov 2007 - 21:54 GMT Mcarthur, that is the problem. People would rather brag about wastes of money like the football team or the SALT museum which has to be bailed out by the tax payers to stay open! Also, has anyone noticed that HUGE amount of welfare momma's and worthless fathers of the children in this town? I work with a credit company that specializes in Bad credit lending, WE ARE CONSTANTLY PACKED FULL of women that live in one of the many low income housing projects in this town. It is the same ol' story, These women go out and get knocked up by substandard men who can't even support themselves. They in turn produce more of the same and the welfare rolls just keep growing! The problem just keeps getting worse. People in this town love to be superficial and take glory in museums and High school football teams. While ignoring the dark facts of this town. McArthur: 21st Nov 2007 - 05:02 GMT Peter-- Right on!! I Agree-- see, you're another person who's pointing out flaws and then digressing into a rant. What are YOU doing to change the "problem"? Complaining online? I was with you for your first and last paragraph, but then you just digressed into a rant about credit, housing projects, "substandard men" (whatever that means) and whatnot. It makes you come off as sounding classist. Some people are poor, and some people make bad life-decisions. If the problem indeed "just keeps getting worse", what are you doing about it? Bilking them at a bad-credit-lender company and complaining about them online?! Please! When was the last time you volunteered to help these people change their sad (but very realistic) living situation? What do you do for your community? HUTCHINSON, STAND UP! NOBODY YOU KNOW: 21st Nov 2007 - 06:20 GMT I just called the office of Mayor Sellers at (620) 662-8331 and gave him the what for. I advise all of us Hutchinson residents to do so also. You know, I never realized how easy it was and how good it felt to call up the Mayor (who I voted for, by the way) and chew him out for letting our city down. Go Hutch! GD: 21st Nov 2007 - 18:37 GMT Wow i have never seen so many negative people in my life in one place i to have seen alot of the good & bad things in hutch but then again i try to be active meber of the community.i go to city counsil meeting and ill bet if you people here were to be honest ive never seen any of you there trying to make changes or even state your opinion. when local elections come around how many of you people even vote to get a counsil member in that share your same views.the problem with all of america is that we have the ability to make changes we just choose to not use our abillitys. to make changes in a community it takes time and a passion for what you belive and not alot of people have the time to be passionate bout anything anymore. i know these things because im as much to blame as all of you in this forum.the lady that just called mayor sellers was that the 1 and only time you called are you going to follow up or are you just satified what you did was enough. do you see where im going with this people. UNITED WE STAND & DEVIDED WE FALL so with that said the reason hutchinson sucks is because you suck 1 person can make some changes but alot of people can make it alot easier on that 1 person who is trying to make some changes. so in closing if you want to be active in your community then you have the rite to bitch .i just forwarded this forum to all council members and the City manager so if you people want a voice then speek up or shut up Hutch Ho: 24th Nov 2007 - 07:23 GMT Hutch isn't all that bad. No worse than any other city. It has it's problems,but what town or city doesn't. The downtown renovation is nice,Ave.A park is nice,the antique district is totally cool, Smith's market is a wonderful place to shop,downtown has some good shops also. The high school is big and for the most part trouble free for a school it's size. The middle schools are nice, as is the college for a town this size. The new stadium is awesome,tax dollars were well spent there. Carey Park is well maintained and a wonderful place to hang out,weather permitting. Hutch has some excellent restaurants,many to choose from,excellent mexican food restaurants,Bar BQ,chinese,you name it. Oh my, I believe I have named at least 10 good things about Hutch. I could go on with more. Re; hutch Ho: 25th Nov 2007 - 20:54 GMT Same ol stuff, over again. Sure hutch is great :( Young Hippy: 26th Nov 2007 - 02:06 GMT Tax Money well spent on NEW STADIUM? What the hell are you talking about. WHAT has that done for this town to help it grow? You sir are a complete idiot. Tex: 26th Nov 2007 - 18:11 GMT Hutchinson is a safe place to live, better than most cities?, Yea right, you better check the facts. According to the 2003 FBI crime statistics. Arson = 2.89 times the national average (why?, people are setting their homes and businesses on fire to collect insurance because the economy is so bad.) Forcible Rape = 2.16 times the national average Burglary = 1.57 times the national average Larceny or theft = 1.50 times the national average Aggravated assault = 1.10 times the national average Based on the above areas of crime, on the average you would be safer living in most other cities in the nation, then you would be in Hutchinson, Ks. The areas that were less than the national average, were murder, robbery & car theft. Source: www.cityrating.com/citycrime.asp?city=Hutchinson&state=KS 2006 Crime info According to city-data.com crime index for Hutchinson for 2006 was 427.5 The U.S. average was 157.3 (Higher index means more crime) City-data.com also shows the number of law enforcement officers per 1,000 residents in Hutchinson in 2006 at 1.68. The U.S. average was 3.00 officers per 1,000 residents. Source: www.city-data.com/city/Hutchinson-Kansas.html Johnson: 26th Nov 2007 - 22:07 GMT Yes, Hutchinson is a shithole. Part of the problem with the crime in this town is that the police are so dedicated to shooting stray animals and petty traffic violations that theft and other crimes run rampant. Hutchinson also has 3 prisons in it that parole people into the shity (i meant city) and they are lifetime criminals who refuse to change. This city is a heaven for them because of the lack of qualified law enforcement. In this town any of tom dick or asshole can become a sheriff or police officer just by signing an piece of paper, having a GED and attending a couple weeks of classes. Mostly the only guys (with some exceptions) are just egotistical idiots who have nothing better to do than look powerful. Most cities you have to have a College degree to drive a patrol car. t-rex: 27th Nov 2007 - 03:02 GMT to whomever said the following -- Hutch has some excellent restaurants,many to choose from,excellent mexican food restaurants,Bar BQ,chinese,you name it you made me laugh. did you read any of this thread? no? and here you are, ignoring all of the horrible truths of living in this city, overlooking it ALL for "excellent restaurants". wtf?!? you, sir, are part of the PROBLEM. Hutch Ho: 28th Nov 2007 - 03:16 GMT Yes, I have read everyone of these posts. From way back somebody asked readers to list 10 good things about Hutch,which you would know about if you had read all the threads. Anyway,this thread originally started out about Hutch being boring,not about lack of jobs,which you would know that also if you would read the threads. And I am a woman,not a sir. But I do agree with a lot that has been posted,both the negative and the positive. what now?: 1st Dec 2007 - 02:39 GMT Has anyone noticed how the middle class has all but dissapeared in this town? You are either stinkin rich and control this town,or you are one of the many who live at or below poverty level. Does anyone agree with me? And speaking of crooks,it,s the lawyers in this town who are the most crooked. Tex: 2nd Dec 2007 - 05:58 GMT That's the way a corrupt system works If you have corrupt lawyers and they become corrupt judges then you really have problems. The working middle class who built this country, are usually the main ones that can hold the corrupt leadership accountable and keep it in check. So, once you get rid of the middle class, the poor are all that's left who have little power to change anything, since they're spending all of their time simply trying to survive. And of those that resort to crime to survive, they have even less power to challenge or change anything, and thus corruption is allowed to run rampant in leadership. Now yes, everyone has the ability to vote, but if decent jobs are not available then the poor will remain that way and thus will pose no threat to the corrupt leadership. Which is the way that those in power want it to be. I Remember When: 2nd Dec 2007 - 08:24 GMT Hutchinson used to be such a cool place to live during the 60,s and 70,s. It really was. I remember going to clubs and listening to a band from Kansas City called NATION, and they used to love to come to Hutch and play because Hutch was such a happening town back then. The guys in the band said Hutch had the most beautiful women they had ever seen. One of the band members married a local girl from here. Like I said, these guys were from Kansas City, and loved Hutchinson. I bet they wouldn't feel the same today. It's really sad to see our town become what it has become. I think Hutchinson is becoming another Picher,Oklahoma. JOHNNY MOSS: 5th Dec 2007 - 10:33 GMT I HAVE TRAVILED THE UNITED STATES QUITE A BIT AND HAVE LIVED IN SEVERAL DIFERANT CITIES AND STATES, AND CAN TESTIFY TO THE FACT THAT ANY TOWN THAT YOU GO TO HAS MORE THAN A FAIR SHARE OF BUMS, JUNKIES AND DRUNKS.BUT YOU CAN ALSO FIND A BETTER SIDE OF TOWN WITH AN RESECTIBLE WORKING CLASS THAT TAKES PRIDE IN THEIRSELVES,THEIR FAMILES AND THEIR TOWN, THIS IS ALSO TURE OF HUTCHINSON KANSAS,ESPECHILY THE NORTH SIDE OF TOWN HAS SOME BEUTIFUL HOMES WITH WELL TAKEN CARE OF LAWNS AND CLEAN STREETS, THE CITIZENS ARE USUALY CLEAN, WELL DRESSED, GO TO WORK EVERYDAY, AND ARE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A DECENT LIVES FOR THEMSELVES AND THIER FAMILYS.NOBODY HAS THE RIGHT TO CRITISISE THESE PEOPLE.UNFORTUNANTLY THEY ARE A MINORITY. THE AVERAGE HUTCHINSONITE IS MUCH TOO OFTON A RAGGDY DRESSED, WANNA BE TOUFH GUY, DRUNKEN, METHHEAD, WHOS VERY EXSISTANCE IS TO LIVE FROM DAY TO DAY LOOKING FOR THAT NEXT DRINK AND/OR PIPEFULL.YOU CAN DRIVE DOWN THE STREETS AND SEE THAT MOST OF THE HOMES ARE RUN DOWN DUMPS, AT ABOUT ANY GIVEN TIME YOU CAN OBSERVE SCANKY LOOKING SCUMBAGS WALKING 4TH STREET.POLICE PRESENCE IS HEAVY ALMOST IF NOT TO THE POINT OF HARASSMENT. BUT WHEN YOU CONSEDER THE TOWN, YOU MIGHT DEEM IT WARRENTED. JOBS ARE FEW ,WHILE WELFARE RESIPIENTS ARE MANY.A BETTER LIFE COULD BE FOUND ABOUT ANYWHERE... Kate: 7th Dec 2007 - 14:17 GMT I live here in Hutchinson and I know it has its boring parts, but the College is growing, downtown has its busy parts and there are a lot of community get-to-gethers. Like every town, Hutchinson has it good and its bad, You want to see boring, take a look at Windom Kansas, and if you drive by there, don't blink, you'll miss it.. Someone Who Made it Out: 7th Dec 2007 - 15:43 GMT I lived in Hutchinson for the majority of my adolescent life. By the time I had reach the 8th grade at Sherman back in 1999-2000, I had already become a product of which Hutch has to offer. NOTHING!!! That year I had learned how to roll my first joint, done my first line of cocaine(in the girls locker room) and had my share fair of fights and soon ended up like everyone else on community corrections with Susan Mayes. Now don't think that just I was a bad egg. It seemed to be all of my class that year was like that. My 8th grade class we all seemed to encourage one another who could do the most outrageous fucked up thing. We were all really that bored, I looking back on it now have no idea why we were like that. But that is what we all did. By the time I was 14, I was sent to options in Witchita KS for failing a U.A while still on corrections. Not to mention 5 other kids were there from Hutch with me 3 of them I had partied with and one had the same Correction officer as me. What are the odds of that I'm in rehab 1 hour away and my party buddies walk in the front door, just for the record back then the rehab didn't work. I also forgot to mention,I had been taken out of my home on many occasions and sent to Bob Johnsons and the detention center. It really didn't do me any good because when I would get there most of my idiot friends would be there too. It is just a vicious circle. Finally when I was 16 still on corrections I had gotten a D.U.I WHAT IN THE HELL WAS I THINKING! Just a product of Hutchinson I suppose. The point is there weren't really any after school programs. Back then we had a teen center but they quickly shut that down because I think it was a mini bar for older boys to go and pick up younger girls I'm talkin about 17 going and chasing 11 and 12 year old girls with troubling back grounds. But that is just a product of Hutch. You know my 5th grade teacher was found guilty of molesting 2 girls, back then I had suspicion of his doings and no one took me serious enough, 8 years later they found out how nasty you really were Mr.Roberts you sick ass man. There is just a bunch of sick perverts lurking in Hutch wanting for the moment to get their prey. Mr. Cottons our school police officer for my 8th grade year we all know he was dirty. Finally when I was 17 I was arrested for failing my U.A once again and sent to a group home in Topeka where there I found out I was pregnant. I had become the product of that which Hutch has to offer. I had never done drugs before my eighth grade year and never drank it seemed like only a hand full of the kids who I had hung out with has made it. Myself included I was in that group home for one year when I was let out I moved to Lenexa, Ks, where I have made a life for myself that was 6 years ago, I am now married have 2 kids I have not and do not or even touch drugs. I am not on any kind of vision or foodstamp assistance or state help I am a hard worker and I have earned every bit of what I have. I do have one of my sisters that lives off of Hutch she is lazy, gets high off the money the state gives her and is waiting to get into commerce gardens free and clear living off of my tax dollar, so that she can keep poppin out kids, she is 22 working on her 3rd. No job,no car, no life but she can do it because she lives in the wonderful town of Hutchinson where no one takes responsibility of there actions. To the woman who said she is proud to say she is raising her kids there be aware of their friends and what they are doing at all times I'm guessing I got away with what I did because at the end of the day I still came home with A's and B's everyone just thought I was going through a phase, it wasn't a phase I got lost and the only person who saved me happened to be my Community Correction Officer Susan Mayes not my parents, not the teachers, not the staff of Bob Johnson but the woman I thought I hated the most was the only one who stood up and put me in check. Thank you Susan Mayes. Commodinson: 7th Dec 2007 - 23:36 GMT Wow, that is what I like to hear. THE TRUTH. This lady and her story are typical of Hutchinson. It is a place for FAILURES. Granted there are some good in the population, but this is blown away by the amount of scum. Tex Re: Someone who made it out: 10th Dec 2007 - 18:49 GMT That is really a very honest and telling story about the lives of a lot of youth in Hutchinson. You are to be commended on getting out of the situation and developing a better life. In essence, there really seems to be a fundamental lack of concern about the youth in Hutchinson, and instead of addressing the issues, the city just builds more correctional facilities. It's like they expect the youth to be happy to come home from school and watch Wheel of Fortune on T.V. and then go play bingo at the local church and be happy with that. Young Hippy: 14th Dec 2007 - 13:00 GMT Hello Winter!!! As some of you may be aware, Hutchinson has the WORST DRIVERS.. I travel for a living and can attest that Hutchinson has the worst drivers I have seen in any country, city or state. IT IS TERRIBLE, setting when lights turn green, not using turn lanes and just stopping randomly. Every car should have signs on the back the says: !!THIS CAR MAKES RANDOM STOPS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, DOES NOT USE TURN SIGNALS OR LANES AND DRIVES UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT FOR NO REASON. DRIVER MAY BE OVER 80 YEARS OLD AND CANNOT SEE PAST THEIR DASH. PROCEED WITH CAUTION!! Bob: 17th Dec 2007 - 20:29 GMT The Hutchinson, KS haters amuse me. I'm sure some of them have lived in other cities, some have attested to it in their diatribes. However it seems that they are either young or immature or both. When I was young and immature I also thought Hutchinson "sucked". I am not yet 40 but I can tell you it does not generally suck. It may suck if you are young and looking to "party". I would agree, the main law enforcement involves DUI arrests. Here is an idea, if you don't want a ticket don't party and drive. As many people have stated, you will find the same levels of drugs and poverty in most towns you go to. I honestly don't see too much of the supposed drug culture, but maybe that is because I don't hang out in a group that has overlap with that group. I don't see much retardation and people "milking the system". I see people who honestly can't survive without help. So if compassion makes you suck than yes Hutchinson is the suckiest! Are there people working the system? Yep, just like every county in America, probably no more, no less. There is little industry here, I had to work through almost 7 years to find another professional job. But I chose to stick it out because I think this is a good place to live. I didn't throw my hands up and say "There are no jobs here!" I didn't think I was going to be handed a job or that I was entitled to one. But enough defense, here is some offense: The top ten things for different people are going to be, well, different. Sports fan? NJCAA Basketball Tournament, every year, best 5 days of your life. No it isn't the NCAA, but you are in a small town, you don't have to pay $100 a game plus parking. Try it you'll like it. Hutch High Football - best in the state for 4 straight years Softball - One of the best facilities for playing an watching in the region. Racing - If that does it for you, the fairgrounds offers various motor sports throughout the year. Golf - Some very nice courses to frustrate you Hunting - If you must, I am told the killing here is great fun! Water sports, you are minutes away from a decent sized lake-like reservoir. Like the Arts? There are 3 theatre companies performing almost every weekend. The Fox Theatre - brings in some very good shows, maybe it is geared to a mature audience but try it, good stuff is good stuff. The Cosmosphere and Space Discovery - Just because you were drug there for every grade school field trip doesn't make it bad. You may not need to go every year but it does change from time to time, plus it is still really freaking cool to see that SR-71 over your head. Reno County Museum - Learn about the place before you bash it, a cool place Like to exercise or get outdoors? Carey Park-It's not just for sex and drug deals any more! Have picnic, play golf, go to the zoo, ride a train, play disc golf, watch some baseball, feed the geese, go fishing. Martinez Trail-I don't know the mileage but you can safely ride or walk the trail from Carey Park to Rice Park and back. Dillon Nature Center - Hike, fish, check out the museum. Like to party? I have no idea, why don't you just get one of those nice empty buildings and throw a party for you friends? Just don't do it by me or I'm calling the lousy cops! If you are a Hutch hater, copy this page to a file and save it to your computer. Read it again in 10 years and see if you feel the same way? If you do, you might just be bitter, and you are probably unhappy wherever you are. Peace! Hutchinson only sucks if you let it! (That would make some kind of slogan. Maybe I'll email it to Dave Kerr!) Joining the Whine: 17th Dec 2007 - 20:44 GMT What a bunch of whiners. It seems like many of you have never visited, let alone lived anywhere else. Some of you certainly haven't taken a close look at the idyllic places you live in after escaping the Hutchinson gulag. Someone in this list said, "Life is what you make of it". This is one of those rare, throw-away phrases that is actually true. Life is not rosy in very many places these days due to shrinking middle-class, dwindling opportunities for upward mobility, and a ridiculous obsession with getting out of this "hell hole", wherever that hell hole might be. As someone who has lived in other places, I can say that Hutchinson has more to offer than most towns its size, let alone cities. Sure, Hutchinson has problems - the same ones you find anywhere. Instead of complaining, why don't you go do something about it? Someone isn't going to hand you happiness on a silver platter - take a class at the college, get involved in politics (I'd vote for some of you just for the laugh factor), join community theater. Hell, go to a city council meeting and tell those evil elites what you think...oh, wait, any of those things would involve effort rather than making anonymous whiny comments on teh internets. Young Hippy: 18th Dec 2007 - 03:15 GMT Bob, that is exactly it. It is a town for RETIRED PEOPLE, Or close to retirement. You are simply someone who has settled for what is around you. Maybe you should look at yourself, Hutchinson is made up of people like yourself who have settled for what life has given you.Have you traveled outside of Hutchinson, lived anywhere else? Judging by your statements I would say not. Just look around, Most every other town around Hutchinson is growing. Hutchinson is not. Also you pointed out the same boring things to do that every other mindless Hutchinsonite has. Also you stated that many people just cannot make it without help.... WHY IS THAT ? Also have you looked at your taxes lately? They are among to HIGHEST in the country. Who cares about the basketball, Football and other mindless activities you have pointed out. Can't you see that HCC brings in some of the stupidest people to play football just so they can get state and federal grants. Have you looked at the price of gas in this town? Are you aware that Salina, KC, and Wichita are always around 10 cents cheaper per gallon, WHAT IS THAT? It is because of certain people in this town controlling the pricing. So live in your land of fairy tail land. While the rest of us move on. Young Hippy: 18th Dec 2007 - 03:22 GMT Joining the Whine, Where have you lived? I would be interested to know. Since you are so wise and have the world by the horn. Bob: 18th Dec 2007 - 14:31 GMT I have lived in Lawrence, KS as well. I have traveled this great land of ours extensively (Driven through every state east of the rockies and south of New York) I am not saying all those things make Hutchinson a great travel destination (that is why I travel) I am saying it makes it a nice place to live. It is the opposite of the saying "Nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there" People say that about big "exciting" cities all the time. Well the inverse is almost true here. I wouldn't necessarily visit here if I wasn't from here but I might want to live here. I haven't settled for anything, I could have lived anywhere I wanted. I chose to live here. If I had been a few years younger when I was deciding where to live I might have chose differently. But I was mature enough to realize that home is what you make of it. I make my own fun. I am involved in the community. I play music at those retirement communities you belittle so much (you may be fortunate to live long enough to live there someday). I act and direct in the local theatre scene. I have been in bands and played at some of the cool local coffee shops. I have played for the fun of it during downtown events. I volunteer when I can. I get out and try to entertain and be entertained every chance I get. If you need excitement served up to you, I don't fault you, I just feel bad for you. Oh and the gas prices fluctuate, I have driven to Salina several times and didn't fill-up when I left because I always heard the fable about the gas prices. Guess what, about 80% of the time it is the same or higher in Salina. I have a friend that is a Hutch hater who moved here from Salina. He always talks about how much better it is there. He still lives here though. I honestly see no difference. For the record, here are some "big" cities I have spent considerable time in: Dallas Tulsa OKC Nashville DC NY NY Vegas Chicago Kansas City Baltimore Denver Philadelphia Toronto St Louis Little Rock Indianapolis Oddly enough Chicago is the one town out of these I would consider living in.... Peace! Bob: 18th Dec 2007 - 14:37 GMT Oh, and Young Hippy, concerning drivers.... Drive in Harvey County, especially Newton for the worst drivers. (just kidding, one bad generalization deserves another!) Hutchinson is small. You can get anywhere from anywhere in 18 minutes. You should plan your trip better than to be in such a hurry. If you are so young and hip, try relaxing and taking your time getting to where you are going, give yourself an extra 7 minutes, you might enjoy the trip for once. Peace! Joining the Whine: 18th Dec 2007 - 15:32 GMT Young Hippy - go and see the world. Travel. I saw some of it. I've traveled all over the U.S., the Caribbean, and Mexico. Hopefully soon I'll get to visit the Far East and Australia. I've lived in the sticks near Houston TX, Austin TX, Lawrence KS, Panama City FL, and NYC. Every single place I've been has crappy parts and great parts. You have chosen to see the bad parts of Hutchinson exclusively. I'm not going to change your mind, you'll have to go out in the world to see for yourself. Oh, and while I'm not a hippy, I am young. I do look at my taxes and they are on the high side, but not by FAR the highest I've had to pay - try living in NY for awhile. Texas was cheaper because there's no state income tax and you got what you paid for in crappy schools. The real problem for me with this whole discussion is that people seem to be so whiny about things rather than actively trying to change them - or leaving to find a place that makes them happier. It would also have been nice, and lent more credence to the initial argument, if Scott Sargent had a) taken pictures of more than one old building, b) gotten his facts straight, and c) been more honest about his motivations. Young Hippie: 18th Dec 2007 - 18:13 GMT You all assume that I live in Hutchinson. I have the misfortune of having family there. I live in Florida myself. I have since I graduated college. The Young Hippie name has nothing to do with me actually, it was just a stupid name I made up on the fly. Joining the whine: What are you an ass backwards hick? If you are young, how young are you? How do you know what I have and have not done to change Hutchinson? Did you think that maybe some of us on this forum have just given up and left? Could it be that we are just putting this stuff online so as to show the truth to the world? Padre Island: 18th Dec 2007 - 18:55 GMT I graduated from HCC in the late 70's, back when Hutchinson still had somewhat of a downtown. I remember our business law class one day invited the Pres. of the Hutch Chamber to come speak. We asked him some very difficult and pointed questions about the downward direction of the Hutch economy, and he side-stepped every issue and basically just gave an unrealistic rosy picture, a lot like what you hear on this website. There have been people speaking out to the leadership of Hutchinson for the last 30 to 40 years about the bad economic conditions and the city leaders continue to live in a fantasy world of denial. We don't have state income taxes in Texas, nor do we have property taxes on vehicles, and our schools are crappy??. Yea, right. If you notice NASA is in Texas not Kansas, along with a lot of other headquarters for world organizations. The reason why your taxes are so high, is to take care of those on the welfare roles and the babies of those on the welfare roles. But wait, you haven't seen anything yet. In another 10 to 20 years when the baby boomers (who haven't saved anything for retirement like their parents did) start retiring and have nothing to live on except social security, who do you think is going to foot the bill? You!! the Reno County Taxpayer. That's why you need industry, 20 to 50 year olds making good money to help put money back into the economy. Softball, Basketball, NJCAA, golf, parks, theatres, get a clue people, that's not going to generate income worth jack squat for your economy. And, I see today in the Hutch news that the Salt Museum is not doing well, surprise surprise, and they are going before the city to get additional money. Yea, put more of the taxpayers money into worthless ventures instead of bringing industry to town. That makes a lot of sense. (And I'm qualified to complain about the taxes because I still own property up there) The solution: FIRE or VOTE OUT OF OFFICE everyone in city and county govt. and start over, I don't know how you could go in any direction except up. Young Hippie: 18th Dec 2007 - 20:43 GMT Padre Island, Right on. These people all live in imagination land/Denial island. I am beginning to think the Pro-Hutchinson sect on this site are nothing more than Hutchinson employees who are enjoying a relaxing life which is being paid for by the Hutchinson Tax Payers. I could not imagine why anyone would have any other reason to be Pro-Hutchinson. Joining the Whine: 18th Dec 2007 - 21:50 GMT Hey Padre Island - Texas schools ARE crappy, at least the Houston ISD. JSC, NASA's location in Houston, has nothing to do with anything but the fact that NASA needed a way to transport very large equipment by water and they got the land donated. Large corporations = better public schools? No. Again, I'm not going to change any of your minds. We can all argue and whine until we're dead and still change nothing. I totally agree with your solution though which is more succinctly put than what I implied in my original post. Disgruntled Hutchinson residents should stop complaining and do something about it. But all of you non-residents should look around your various paradises with a critical eye and tell me you don't see some of Hutchinson's flaws where you live. Bob: 18th Dec 2007 - 22:46 GMT I don't understand. Are all the welfare cases statewide in Hutchinson? Is that why our taxes are so high? Seriously if statistical data supports that we have a high percentage of welfare recipients, so be it. I just doubt it. To me there is the same level of poverty throughout the Midwest. It is the same for all baby boomers as far as retirement savings go. Is there really data to support you insinuation that we will have a larger percentage of unprepared baby boomers in Hutchinson? Even so it won't make Reno County taxes much higher it will make federal and state taxes higher so it would affect more than reno county. Taxes are a problem in Reno County but it seems more like government mismanagement than an overwhelming amount of poor folks. Your example of the salt museum with a handout is a prime example of that. The homeless shelters have been largely privately funded. More so than the schools and the museum-like organizations. But as far as taxes go, I am able to live comfortably, and pay my taxes. Until one of those changes I pay my fair share without complaint, because I would move before I would complain. ...and no, I work in the private sector, not a government employee. Padre Island: 18th Dec 2007 - 23:41 GMT The elderly that are in their 80's and 90's today grew up during the great depression, WW1, WW2 and learned from a early age to save every penny for when they would need it later on in life. These elderly would not consider themselves to be rich, but a lot of them have a good deal of financial savings put aside to get them through these retirement years. They have also learned how to live on very little. You can not deny that Hutchinson is made up of a lot of these individuals, they help keep the economy going. The medical community for example is booming. Why? The population is aging, dying, thus needing more medical care. But, once this older wealthier generation is gone, it is not going to be replaced by new elderly that have means to take care of themselves. Statistics show that this will be a problem nationwide. When that day arrives I predict a mass exodus of companies from Hutchinson who have built their businesses around taking care of these elderly. Do you think the fed govt. is going to raise the support level when this day happens, I doubt it. Your going to see more poverty, more crime which will be noticeable everywhere, but even more so in a city like Hutchinson which is down already economically. Padre Island: 19th Dec 2007 - 05:17 GMT As far as your tax dollars providing a good education in Hutchinson, let's do a reality check on the results. According to www.city-data.com/city/Hutchinson-Kansas.html For population 25 years and over in Hutchinson High school or higher: 82.3% Bachelor's degree or higher: 17.2% Graduate or professional degree: 5.8% That means only 17.2% have a 4 yr college degree or better, leaving approx 83% having less than a 4 yr degree. In this day and age if you don't have a 4 yr degree, you're going to have a tough time making it anywhere, so either the education system isn't working in Hutchinson, or those getting educated are leaving town. Padre Island: 19th Dec 2007 - 15:18 GMT Check out this website, it's loaded with statistics about Hutch, quite an eyeopener www.city-data.com/city/Hutchinson-Kansas.html Here's an example: Hutchinson compared to Kansas state average: Median household income below state average. Median house value significantly below state average. Black race population percentage significantly below state average. Foreign-born population percentage significantly below state average. House age above state average. Institutionalized population percentage significantly above state average. Percentage of population with a bachelor's degree or higher below state average Joining the Whine: 19th Dec 2007 - 20:36 GMT OK, Padre Island, you win. I'm cornered by statistics. I won't quote Disraeli though, because I agree with a couple of them. income below average = agreed, a problem. Hutch needs to do better attracting business in a big way house value significantly below = can live in a bigger house if you have a job black race pop. below average = average is low anywhere in Midwest, Hutch is %-wise a little lower foreign-born pop. significantly below = so what House age above avg. = again, so what. I like old houses, mine's 81 Institutionalized pop. sig. above = yes, there are prison facilities here, so what % of pop. with 4 yrs. + education = agreed, this is not (necessarily) good The points that matter are agreed - Hutch is bad at attracting/encouraging new business. The populace (of which I am a part) needs to change the leadership, especially at the county/city levels. If your implication re: educational attainment is that only dumb people stay in Hutch, I very much disagree. If there's no job fitting your educational specialty, you move no matter how wonderful your town is. I would say that the schools here work quite well, the Chamber of Commerce does not. Still, all of that is just noise and distraction. It all gets back to attracting more business. So, Padre Island, et.al., I wish you peace and prosperity where ever you are. I will get back to doing something rather than griping on a message board. Bob: 19th Dec 2007 - 22:40 GMT Yes the statistics bear out that Hutchinson is poor and has many residents in retirement homes. The education level is not that low for the Midwest. I do acquiesce on the level of poverty though, I was shocked that we were that much higher than average. I still say that it has no effect on my life here though, except that I need to be even more charitable locally. The retirement home level is of no importance to me at all. Just more captive audiences to "entertain" (you will never have a more appreciative audience) Peace! Welcome to Hutch - Come Share our Space! Padre Island: 20th Dec 2007 - 14:53 GMT I am honestly not a Hutch hater, I was born there and grew up in that area. It just saddens me to see what the city was 30 to 40 years ago, and the situation now. And, I think the difference is more noticeable when a person lives somewhere else that is more vibrant and active with good paying jobs and properous economies. Several years ago when my parents who lived there were faced with looking of having to go into a nursing home I made the choice to move back up there for a few years to take care of them so that they could stay at home with one another in the remaining years that they had left. The old folks are great, but unfortunately a lot of them are forgotten about, and they have such a sense of humor, stories, and wisdom to pass on to us. So, Bob you are to be commended for bringing joy into their lives, and I'm sure it's a joy to you too. I appreciate your responses to my gripes and I respect all your opinions. And, now I'll wish you all a Merry Christmas! Padre Island: 20th Dec 2007 - 15:43 GMT P.S. One thing I really do miss from being up there is the snow. Here it is Dec. 20th and it's 70 degrees down here. DARN!! Justanotherjoe: 20th Dec 2007 - 15:55 GMT It is easy to understand why someone who likes Hutchinson may visit this site and take time to comment. What I can't fathom is why anyone expressing some much dislike for the town would even bother a site visit; unless they are hiding latent desires to return! If their memories of the town were so distasteful, what would be the draw to the WEB to look for anything "Hutchinson"; simple justice, guilty morals, to much mental vacuum? Freddy Lurkury: 20th Dec 2007 - 16:15 GMT Hey "Justanotherjoe" - Didja ever think that maybe frustrated Hutch residents browse online trying to find explanations for their town's woes or to find resources on who to contact to try to start some change? Thats how I found this thread. And as far as "hiding latent desires to return", WTF are you talking about? I think its clear that many of us here- myself included- currently live in Hutch. So, I'm not sure I get what your point is in saying that, unless its a failed attempt to insult those of us who don't think Hutch is as rosy and great as you happen to think it is. Come to think of it, your mention of "mental vacuum" and so on makes me think that indeed you are just being insulting. To me, you're just another one of those people on here that can't, for the life of them, express anything beyond "Hutch is great, and if you don't agree, something must be wrong with you!". And that means you're part of the problem, not part of the solution. I've been lurking on this thread for ages, BTW, and have finally felt compelled to comment based on your superficial comment. Kimberly: 28th Dec 2007 - 14:57 GMT This town SUCKS!! I have lived here 40 years,been in the bar ,in the drugs, in a couple good jobs,currently in one of the top paying postion and still have nothing to show for any of it becouse this town sucks. Not to mention the court house: Judge Chambers, who the hell voted him in anyway? And Why? He's got that smerk on his fat face, I wish I had a pic of him, you would see for yourself. He wins reno county worst judge award.And judge Joe Mccarvle, another joke.This town is stupid, with stupid people in control of our kids and THEIR system who do not have a clue or just plain don't care.The people in this town are heart-less!!!!I've yet to see an act of kindness from the heart.Well unless its to better themselves or someone they know.I truly hate this place and plan to get out soon. Former Kansas Resident: 28th Dec 2007 - 16:13 GMT I won't elaborate with a story, but I know from first hand experience that the judicial system in Hutchinson does have corruption. The focus is on making money and not administrating justice. It's basically a 'good ole boy's' club where the lawyers and prosecutors become the judges, so there's no new blood from the outside. Kimberly: 28th Dec 2007 - 20:40 GMT I am happy to hear other people know the truth,I only wish someone with some pull would walk in & do something about it.But this town seems to cover their tracks very well.But if only that one person knew what is going on and had the common sense to yank alot of people out from their positions. This town could turn itself around and be rid of alot of misery they put into people lives for little or no reason.But the rich & heartless live ontop of the best people,I will be leaving soon,but I will have to leave my best behind.I hate to,but have to.Only becouse of the system & their B.S. Johnson: 28th Dec 2007 - 23:14 GMT Kimberly Hutchinson has many problems as it always has. This is just one of the many. Judge Macke Dick is not much better than Chambers. I think that the only good judge has retired. If you look at the statistics Hutchinson shrinking. Michelle: 29th Dec 2007 - 03:47 GMT it's not as bad as it seems. there are FARRR worse towns to live in. and it seems that the pictures are only taken from a certain part of town. i'm sure that there are worse things to be looking at. seriously not that bad. yea, it gets boring, but still...it could be way worse, seriously worse. it's not like people get murdered left and right. Johnson: 29th Dec 2007 - 14:27 GMT Michelle. Have you not been watching the news? There was just a killing last week. (a shooting) also have you not looked at the police log. www.hutchpd.info, You must have your head in the sand... Typical. Evinrude: 29th Dec 2007 - 19:00 GMT Hutchinson is truly a trash heap. However Kansas as a whole really sucks. People are are ass backward. Whatever the rest of the country is doing, Kansans do the opposite. This state as a whole is shrinking. Look at ever single state surrounding Kansas. Oklahoma, Growing. Nebraska, Growing, Colorado, Growing. Missouri, Growing. If you want proof, just take drive to KC and compare KC, KS and KC MO. The evidence in over whelming. Kansas has terrible taxes and government. shirley willis: 30th Dec 2007 - 04:11 GMT dec.29th, 2007 I am glad to hear how dreadful kansas is. I hope no one moves here. The skies are clear and the air smells good, and it is quiet. I live here and like it, and would discourage anyone else from ever moving to kansas. Carrie: 31st Dec 2007 - 03:53 GMT My Grandparents, Mom, Uncle and cousins all grew up in Hutch and loved it. I loved visiting. I live in Dallas, TX now. It is crazy, also. I enjoy going back to the slow pace of Hutchinson. A lot of you seem very young...get out and see what's out there. You just might go back to your hometown someday! :) Evinrude: 31st Dec 2007 - 16:33 GMT Isn't is great having a city employee driving a city truck drunk and on painkillers. Kimberly: 31st Dec 2007 - 17:31 GMT But he says "the accident would of happen even if he weren't on anything".Oh Yea, he shouldn't of mix the two (as if it's the first time). I like the way they printed his Innocence. Why ? Becouse Hutchinson News is just as corrupt as the rest of the town. Kimberly: 31st Dec 2007 - 17:52 GMT The sky maybe clear but I recall gas in air, burning, killing people, do you think its all gone? The great city helps everyone forget. Re to Carrie: 1st Jan 2008 - 09:34 GMT But of course your Grandparents,Mom,Uncles,Cousins all loved Hutch. Hutch used to be a great place to live many years ago. Thats no longer the case. re carrie : 1st Jan 2008 - 14:14 GMT ask them if they still love it, and your'e just a visitor YESiam: 1st Jan 2008 - 19:57 GMT "Isn't is great having a city employee driving a city truck drunk and on painkillers." No offense, but actually the city employee you're referring to is a county employee. Let's not get the city and county mixed up. I found this thread and read through most of it. I personally like living in Hutchinson. I didn't grow up here, but was raised in a college town in the South. I wouldn't raise my kids anywhere else. OK... so Hutchinson isn't growing as fast as some folks would like, but I'd rather live here then face the hectic pace of Wichita or Kansas City. I personally make a habit of going to the Cosmosphere at least once a year and enjoy it everytime I go. I also enjoy not having to go to Wichita everytime I shop or want to eat out with my family. For those that hate Hutchinson so much, why are you still here? Also, it seems as if those that are doing the most complaining are ones still living at home with Ma and Pa. Wait until you get a little older and then you will appreciate what Hutchinson offers. Johnson: 2nd Jan 2008 - 02:22 GMT RE: YESiam First off, who cares about you or your children! Second, I do not live with my parents. Nor do I live in Hutchinson. You are very typical of the attitude in Hutchinson. You must be employed by the state or something. That or you don't work. You have missed the entire point that we as a whole a trying to bring to light. Hutchinson is made out to be a great place to live, when it is not. Johnson: 2nd Jan 2008 - 02:25 GMT Also you point about being older to appreciate what Hutchinson has to offer. YOU HIT IT RIGHT ON!! Hutchinson is a RETIREMENT COMMUNITY!!! A great place to drive slow, bitch about everything and eventually die! Carrie : 2nd Jan 2008 - 04:02 GMT Just curious...why are so many of you complaining and not doing anything to change your situation? I posted something to that effect the other day, but for some reason, it's been deleted. For change to happen, you've got to look in the mirror! Re to Carrie: 2nd Jan 2008 - 08:21 GMT What can you do when the rich families control this town ? How does your average citizen fight the money and power and control in this town, and get these crooks that stick together like super glue out of power? Re to Carrie:: 2nd Jan 2008 - 18:52 GMT That's right, you have some wealthy families with big buisnesses up there that have kept companies from coming to town for years, so they wouldn't have competition and keep wages low. The city and chamber have been corrupt for years. Hutch lovers: 3rd Jan 2008 - 03:39 GMT Its a big circle when you think about it, when you look all the way around the town there's no one to turn too, they are all connected. You will never be able to get those that are corrupt out. They have always protected each others ass. When one of them is in trouble there's 3 or more behind picking up the peices. They do a really good job keeping the "Hutch folks" blind to their wickedness. As I have seen above. And thats why "the corrupt" get to stay and continue to cover up the B.S as they have for years. 40 years that I have lived in this hole. 25 years ON MY OWN, working, earning my own way to make a living, and have seen the stupid crap go on every since I can remember. You are missing the point,its not the grounds, its those with that typical Hutch attitude that walk on it! So keep your blinders on. It's your town. YESiam: 3rd Jan 2008 - 04:58 GMT To Johnson, yes... I am a government employee. Does that mean that I'm blind to some of the idiots that run this town... no, I am not. Am I rich or do I live on the north side of town... no, but I do appreciate what this town has to offer. I have lived here for over 20 years and there aren't many places that would think of living or, as I said before, raise my kids. Also, what kind of person would say that you don't care about my kids? That's the problem we have in society today... everyone seems to only care about themselves and let's screw the young people. Johnson: 3rd Jan 2008 - 14:32 GMT YESiam.. Just as I suspected. You work for the city, my hard earned (OVERPRICED) tax dollars fund your life. That is why you love it in Hutchinson so much. That is very typical of Hutchinsonians such as yourself, WORK FOR THE CITY OR COUNTY and have lots of kids... It is a sad state of affairs when the largest employer in this sewer is the city and the state. If you don't believe me then look at the WELFARE AND SOCIAL ASSISTANCE roles and people like you that work for the city! Nearly everyone in this town is or has been on social assistance. This town is a broke dick town with no chances for employment so every runs to get a job with the city, county or state. This just raises taxes and makes people move out. Yes, I truly do not care about your children, why should I? I did not ask you to have children. In fact I wish that you did not have children. This town is already full of people who cannot even afford the pay for the children they had. I think we need to have a new rule, you cannot have children until you have proof that you can pay for them. Also, I have seen it over and over again, everyone has children, gets on social assistance. Then when those children grown up in a town like Hutchinson they think it is just fine to live off the government one way or the other. Thus raising taxes more and more on the people that choose to work. Tex: 3rd Jan 2008 - 21:54 GMT Here's an interesting statistic per http://www.city-data.com/city/Hutchinson-Kansas.html Median Household Income for 2005 Hutch residents: 33,300 Kansas residents: 42,920 Hutch govt. employees: 53,604 !!! Johnson: 4th Jan 2008 - 02:46 GMT That is very interesting, the City Employees make 20,000 more per year on average than the tax paying public! Johnson: 4th Jan 2008 - 02:51 GMT Also YesIAM I need to retract something I said. I and glad that you had your children, Also I wish you are them the best. But please don't force them on everyone and think they should care or have some feelings for them. I hope they grow up to be productive PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYED adults who do not live on tax payers! Emily: 4th Jan 2008 - 19:49 GMT I love hutchinson, it's a great place to raise a family and the pictures that they took are not the typical houses...yes there are some crummy places, but what towns don't have them? You can't judge a town by 5 pictures. Though if you 18-29 there aren't tons of place to go, but for a family we have water parks, a cute zoo, nice play parks throughout the town and most people walk around with a smile!!! em Carrie : 5th Jan 2008 - 18:36 GMT Ok everyone, I see you points, but let me tell you...corruption and political favors are EVERYWHERE, and in every city in America! Of COURSE, if you're in a position to keep a competitor out of your town, you're going to keep them out! It's just that in a small town, it's going to be much more transparent than a bigger city. Sorry to be a downer, but pick your poison! Keep in mind that you've also got more power to change other things that matter in a small town like Hutch than you do in say, Chicago, Dallas, or New York. Change the things you can...if you can't - pack up and get out, but quit complaining! Former Hutchinsonite: 5th Jan 2008 - 18:59 GMT I packed up and left years ago, moved to Dallas, job pays about twice as much as what I could earn in Hutchinson, no state income tax, no taxes on your vehicles, just pay for the tag which is about $60. Cost of living is lower, a lot more things to see and do, especially beautiful women, (you ought to see the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders in person!!) Of course the city has some criminals, but I haven't personally seen any violent acts or been a victim of a crime, I think if you behave yourself and not get involved in things you shouldn't be doing, you can probably live your entire life without being a victim of crime. Of, course you need to live in a city that doesn't have the poverty and drugs that Hutchinson has, which helps breed crime. But, I couldn't be happier and life is good!!! You'll should move down here!! Just me: 7th Jan 2008 - 00:30 GMT After reading every single one of these posts, I have formed my own opinion about the majority of the people expressing their views here. My gosh,their are some extremely intelligent people here in Hutch,you can tell by their comments,grammer,choice of words,etc. Seriously,I'm not saying this to be a smart ass. I honestly mean this. I wish some of these good people could somehow get things right in this town. Hunter: 7th Jan 2008 - 00:35 GMT I grew up in Hutchinson (HHS Class of '50), but have lived in California most of the time since. I visit friends there from time to time, and am fairly familiar with contemporary Hutchinson. The photos are interesting. The first is certainly the gate at the fairgrounds. The second is presented as being "directly across the highway", but there is no highway next to the fairgrounds Most of the rest could be almost anywhere, perhaps even as represented, but number 6 I'm reasonably certain is not even in Hutchinson. It's a small place, and that photo is of a building(s) that I would remember. I think the photos are faked. If the author wants to be taken seriously he should identify locations by address. Small towns are almost always bad places to live if you must work for a living and do not own a business. People in that situation should recognize that they must move to a metropolitan area where there are high-paying jobs if they expect to make more than a bare subsistence living. The more outspoken of the town's critics are clearly the sort of ill-educated people that would have a tough time in any competitive environment. That is probably why they have elected to remain in Hutchinson and whine rather than move and succeed Re: Hunter: 7th Jan 2008 - 14:46 GMT The photos are not faked, except for the first one, they are all of the old St. Elizabeth hospital over on north Monroe street. The sixth photo is from a side street looking towards the intersection of Monroe Street. The description the photographer use of "directly across the highway" may not appear to be correct since the building is along a street, not a highway. If you look about halfway down this thread, you will see some other pictures that someone posted of the same building as it was years ago. And, I believe you are correct about your comments of if you expect to make more than a bare subsistence, you're going to have to move to a metropolitan area and have a good education. Alfred: 8th Jan 2008 - 07:05 GMT I live in Hutchinson, and I knew this article was pure propaganda right when I saw the photos. The first photo is of an entrance gate to the State Fairgrounds, which the author describes as "closed-off". What he doesn't tell you is that the two gates shown in the photo are closed off because they aren't usually used to enter the fairgrounds. If you look at the left-hand side of the photo, you will see that there is an open space where there isn't a chain blocking the entrance. That is the entrance people use to enter the fairgrounds when the actual fair is not taking place. If he would have moved his camera ten feet to the left, you would have seen a very different view. The other six photos shown are all of the same place, an old hospital that was closed in the 1970s when a newer, larger hospital was built in Hutchinson. That old hospital is in a very residential area, miles from any highway, and is not in any way "typical" of what the city looks like. It's probably the most creepy-looking building in the entire city. The fact that the author chose to highlight these two places in the city tells me he is full of it. If you were coming into Hutchinson from the highway, you would never get to these two locations without a lot of searching and driving the side streets in Hutchinson. So the photos are just propaganda and don't read anything into them. I read through all the comments. I never thought I would see so much negativity about Hutchinson in one place. I don't agree with all the negativity, but I will agree with people who said Hutchinson lacks a lot of good-paying manufacturing jobs. This is a list of the top ten largest employers in Reno County, Kansas, taken from the Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce website (http://www.hutchecodevo.com/bus_employers.htm): LEADING EMPLOYERS COMPANY EMPLOYEES Hutchinson Hospital 1,536 Dillons Companies 1,098 Hutchinson Public Schools 939 Hutchinson Clinic 610 Tyson Prepared Foods 536 Hutchinson Correctional Facility 508 Reno County 420 Wal-Mart SuperCenter 420 City of Hutchinson 398 Hutchinson Community College 340 Of these top ten, only two are manufacturing-related, Tyson and Dillons. It's also deceptive because the Dillons number includes those who work at the Dillons warehouse and as well as all those who work at the Dillons retail stores. So you really only have 1.5 of the top ten in manufacturing. That's bad because these service sector jobs don't pay as well as manufacturing jobs. Everyone knows manufacturing is in decline all over the U.S., so I don't know if it's the same or worse in other places. There is a small white-collar professional class in this city that makes it livable. Almost everything this city has that makes it livable, like the Cosmosphere, Dillon Nature Center, Hutchinson Public Library, Radio Kansas, Hutchinson Art Center, the NJCAA tournament, Dillon Lecture Series, Fox Theatre, the Salt Museum, and Hutchinson Zoo, to name a few, was either created or is largely maintained by the professional class in this city. Hey, that's 10 things right! Evinrude: 8th Jan 2008 - 12:28 GMT Alfred. Again you stated over again what has been brought up before. If you have looked through the site you will see that old bastards like yourself enjoy the same things, the comsmosphere, NJCAA, The the Dillon Lecture series the Fox Theatre and RADIO KANSAS?!?!?!? I bet you like setting at Mcdonalds and drinking coffee too. The salt museum??? What a joke. You must like paying high taxes, great places like that are what makes this town.... No offerings for growth and HIGH TAXES! I think we need to add a few more low income housing projects in Hutchinson. Maybe we should just setup a office where you can go to get handouts from the city, so people can start more things that suck off the tax payers. This still does not improve it in the eyes of anyone young. When I say young also I am not speaking of teenagers. I am talking of 20 to 30 something adults who currently set around at local bars and waste their lives away instead of building a life. Then they get old and the cycle starts again! Alfred: 8th Jan 2008 - 17:42 GMT "Old bastards" - I'm 26. Maybe young people in this city should learn to take enjoyment from simple things like taking a stroll at Dillon Nature Center or listening to non-commericial, uninterupted classical music on Radio Kansas. What do you want, 50 Cent to come and perform? I don't mind paying high taxes because I believe in civil society. I think the salt museum should be taxpayer supported because it's a unique attraction that only Hutchinson has. Typical Hutchinson negativity to fail to see what that attraction could be if it was funded adequately or marketed properly. Currently, lack of funding limits it. You want to know something? Letting the free market dictate businesses/attractions in Hutchinson is why this city has changed for the worse over the last few decades. Most of the things of value in this city are either non-profit based and operate from donations, or they are government supported and operate from tax dollars. If you let the free-market dictate what Hutchinson looked like, it would be worse than it is now. As for low-income housing, I said there's a lack of good jobs in Hutchinson and when that is the case, people are going to struggle. I happen to believe in supporting them rather than kicking them into the gutter. I doubt Hutchinson's taxes are that high compared to other cities/states anyway, especially states in the northeast and upper midwest. It's all about perspective. All that said, honestly the best thing about Hutchinson is that it is a 45 minute drive from Wichita. Alfred: 8th Jan 2008 - 18:03 GMT By the way, if you want something to do, just read the Preview page in the Hutchinson News on Fridays. There are always a lot of events going on. Evinrude: 8th Jan 2008 - 21:15 GMT Alfred, people like you are the problem with this country. A socially ran country fails, do the research. Why don't you just join the communist party! Free market is what has built this country. If you don't like it get out. Taxes as far as income taxes are very high in this state, because we have so many idiots that think like you. Do you even work? You are sounding more and more like a typical Hutchinsonite as you talk. Wanting to government to support everyone. I am 24, I don't listen to classical music, I don't care about salt. I HATE live theater and don't want to be lectured by some old man or women about their life. I want the following: 1. A good paying job in a career field that I choose. 2. Law taxes so that I may save more money. 3. A NON-SOCIALISTIC COUNTRY where I have control of my life and are not supporting every deadbeat on the street. 4. Women to meet that are not meth heads, no money having, crazy, drunks or ultra fat. (like the majority of women in the city of Hutchinson) Perhaps you need to get out of Hutchinson, like I have and see the better things and places in life. If you want to lead a boring life where you have no opportunity then stay in Hutchinson. P.S. I want a civil society also, I think however you don't understand the definition of Civil. I think you meant SOCIAL society. jeeff: 8th Jan 2008 - 23:00 GMT what?! income taxes in the US are high compared to which OECD countries as of 2007/2008? give me a break, the US has lower personal income tax and fewer govt services in general as compared to other OECD countries. SF: 8th Jan 2008 - 23:33 GMT Hate to change the subject on the negativity of Hutchinson...at least is in the US!! I was born in Hutchinson KS at the hospital that used to go by the name Grace Hospital, it was 1964. I am searching my birth parents - my birth mother was full Japanese and her name was Mitsuko Nakajima, although I do not know if she would have used this name. The name on my birth certificate as father is Charles Harold Trotter - it is said he worked for an oil company. Does these people or names ring a bell for anyone out there??? Thanks for any input!! Just me: 9th Jan 2008 - 01:00 GMT He is not called Evinrude for nothing!!!! He does make some excellent points. He is one of the extremely intelligent ones that could make a difference in this town, I believe. We need young, intelligent people to try and make changes if this town is to be saved. Evinrude: 9th Jan 2008 - 16:15 GMT Jeeff, Income taxes are Higher in this state than many others. Infact, some states don't even have income tax. Please notice I said "STATE" when refer to income taxes. I was comparing Kansas to other states. Kansas as a whole is not a good place to build any type of business or life. As a whole Hutchinson seems to be the worst of the worst. Kansas Taxes everything to the hilt. Why you ask? Simple, there is very little population in this state. Of this population very few pay taxes! This is because they are on some type of social assistance or already work for a state or municipal organization. I challenge you. Sit down for 10 minutes and think. How many people do you know that work for the government? If you can't think of anyone than go set on main street in this fair town and look at all the city trucks, police cars, fire trucks, social workers, animal control, sewer workers, contractors, street workers, theaters and SALT MUSEUMS..... There are so many that I don't even have to time to type the entire list. This list goes on and on of state supported people and organizations that are funding solely by the tax payers. In contrast, The list of "evil" for profit businesses in this town are shrinking. This is because of the mindset of idiots like Alfred. They are leaving and going to other cities with a better chance for commerce. Just me: Thank You for your compliment. It is comforting to think there are a few people that have good sense. Topic for discussion: 16th Jan 2008 - 18:45 GMT This appeared in the Hutch News on 1/16/08. A routine traffic stop resulting in these charges: "The officer then arrested him on suspicion of having a stolen Kansas license decal, possessing drug paraphernalia, obstruction, theft, not having liability insurance, driving with a suspended license and having an expired license plate, according to reports." I wonder how many people are driving around Hutchinson right now, and if stopped for some reason, would have the same charges as this guy had. I think it would be a lot more than what you could imagine. The Grimm Girl: 17th Jan 2008 - 06:49 GMT Our new motto should be "Come share our empty space" because there sure is a lot of it. Empty spaces downtown, empty spaces at the mall, empty spaces at the salt museum, empty spaces at the space museum, empty spaces in my head due to living here all my life. Evinrude: 17th Jan 2008 - 17:19 GMT Re: Topic for discussion. I have to agree. Drug use is very rampant in this fair town. I personally know some cops and he has stated that when he is assigned to patrol the Hutchinson area (he is a state trooper) he always can count on atleast one drug bust or several DUI. He says that people around here don't think they have to follow the rules. Adding the extra law income in this town, You can see why these people don't renew tags, pay taxes or keep insurance. When driving in Hutchinson you should be extra careful. There is a very good chance that the person driving is drunk, tweaking on meth or just has no insurance or a combo of all. MJ: 19th Jan 2008 - 04:20 GMT Wow. I mean really, wow. This topic has gone on for a long time. I have lived in Hutch for a good portion of my life. This is where most of my family (including my husband) were born and raised. None of us are trailer trash. I have a decent job and make ends meet quite well, actually. I know there are a lot of low income, fat, lazy slobs around here. It's sickening to walk through Wal-Mart and see these leeches with their 6 kids in tow. The fact of the matter is, some of those "fossils" are my family. I guess I'm not too worried about the night life since I'm usually at home with my husband our visiting friends or family. I know that almost no one is happy here. Everyone says this place sucks and they want to get out. I think that's a big part of the problem. Either way, as long as my family is here, I'll be here. If you don't like it, leave. Evinrude: 19th Jan 2008 - 23:33 GMT I have already left town, You did not have to convince me. This town is a joke. an observer: 20th Jan 2008 - 00:23 GMT Then you must be equally bored in your "new town" or you wouldn't be posting on this discussion board so often,Evinrude. Just me: 20th Jan 2008 - 00:29 GMT Dont pick on Evinrude. He has brought up some very truthful facts about Hutch. He has a right to say whats on his mind,and if he has lived here before,he knows what he is talking about. texan lover: 20th Jan 2008 - 01:58 GMT my dad has moved me from texas to hutchinson,kansas and yes kansas hate it. My school in texas was a very nice school. I am in the sixth grade and my sixth grade was not very bad well there were only about 2 fights in the whole year. but in hutch there were just 4 fights at recess last Friday .there are also kids that got suspended for a couple of days for drinking alcohol in school! I think that hutch is a very poor and crapy place to live and yea i really think that the drug problem is bad considering that there are KIDS in my grade drinking alchohol.and yea there might be drugs in other places but in hutch its really bad! so all of ya'll that think its a good place to live well its CRAPY!i am now living there and it is so SMALL. and want to move home if you were in my shoes how would you convice your Dad...Help me I really want out of here!!:( zack : kansas is fun to play tag in the wheat fields Fred, The.: 20th Jan 2008 - 19:05 GMT Good morning, I can see that there are some misconceptions out there about this ridiculous mess of a town.. I've created a video response for you maniacs so that you can better understand the real situation. The law enforcement officers, they're not as bad as some have said that they are. They will put your dumb * down if you're a up and work with ou if you're not a complete *up. It is the very same in the Municipal Court here. The Judges are fair and will work with you if you take things seriously and they can see that you mean to make things right - Anyone who complains about the local LEOs or the Municipal Court is probably one of the scums they've taken off of the streets. In short, the video says that in order to make gainful employment or run a business here you've got to bring your good old boy card. Incompetent maniacs are business owners here because old blood takes care of old blood. You're not borne of the right blood, not born into the right family, forget making it here. Hutchinson is not as dangerous as you all think - the LEOs do their job, they do their job well. Someone has to control you stoners, able bodied welfare cases, druggies and college kids. Also, Hutchinson does have a couple of billionaires and many many millionaires- you normal people do not see them or know which ones they are because when they come to the downtown area they're driving automobiles just like yours. http://thefredknows.com/_1_20080120_110406-hutchinson-the-real-story.wmv http://thefredknows.com/_1_20080120_110406-hutchinson-the-real-story-pt.2.wmv PS: I did not make these videos for the h of it over here- these are made in order to give hope to those of you who are competent businessmen who cannot make it here and you're wondering why, these are made for the working man who is supporting a state which does nothing but STEAL and EXTORT and TAKE, for the hard working LEOs who catch alot of they shouldn't, and for the workers down there at TECH (?sp?) who seem to care MORE than ANYONE about BEING SOMETHING without SIMPLY COMPLAINING WHILE SITTING ON THEIR BUTTS even though normal people GIVE THEM ** FOR NO REASON. The. Fred, The.: 20th Jan 2008 - 19:16 GMT Mr. Texan.. I also look forward to being in Texas. I did attend a grade school here in Hutch years ago but I had to quit when I was only twelve years old. I was surrounded by illiterates and pretty much finished high school befor I was 13.. I'm not uneducated, mind you, I just did not got to school. Texas has alot of great towns where you can live more of an old style American way. Big V-8 automobiles, beautiful Angels, Big Juicy Steaks, Guns, Good Business, Good Card Games.. don't get me wrong, in Texas, business it is CUTTHROAT but at least one has a CHANCE and I LOVE competition... Good luck on making it back home- maybe I'll see you down there. The. mmni99inc@yahoo.com Kinda sorta like this city,sometimes: 20th Jan 2008 - 22:10 GMT Hey,30th ave.is a cool place to be on weekend nights for bored teens.Good clean fun,Hastings is cool to hang out at,the new health and fitness club is also cool. Chris: 21st Jan 2008 - 02:17 GMT I just happened over this page while looking for something via Google, but I couldn't just let this go- I grew up in Hutch, but no longer living there. I moved to the West Coast several years ago. However, I just wanted to point out that you can make anything seem as dreary as you wish; it all depends on your perspective. There is a lot of hidden potential/power in that little town... I'm not saying Hutch is a popular vacation destination by any means, but there are a lot of good people there. Good people with big hearts. There are also a lot of people that need help. As with any town, there is 'good' and 'bad' no matter where you go... keep that in mind, but I do have one gripe: I noticed several current residents complaining...talking never does anyone any good. So, why don't you fix the problems rather then let the town fall down, forcing people away in search of better jobs/opportunities? Here is a start: Basic freedoms - Give people the option to buy alcohol on Sunday. After all, anyone who lives/lived there knows to stock up on Saturday; it's a 'wash'. Personally I don't drink, but I do believe it should be a personal choice rather than a local government decision! As for the legalization of gambling, (I read Hutchnews.com - this is a big topic), how can you play bingo at the Catholic Church on Wednesday night, hit the bingo hall any day of the week, or buy a lottery ticket at any gas station, then vote NO to add casinos to the area to help fund schools??? What's the damn difference? There isn't a difference. Gambling is gambling- it should be all or nothing. I do applaud people who stand up for what they believe in, but not hypocrites. Another idea: This would be a great time to get in on the "Home Grown" power movement. Kansas could 'bank' on land used for growing corn and solar/wind energy. Germany has a similar climate, so if you think it's too cold in KS to do that, think again! Besides, don't people in the MidWest live to see the MidEast go down? (Sorry, a sterotype got thrown in there), but think how you could 'stick it' to them by getting the US away from foreign oil? Think of what that could do!!!! Those are just a few suggestions. Make Hutchinson more inviting. Not with "beautification projects", people need more than "fluff". Once changes are made people will come, then jobs will come, etc., etc., etc. Get moving folks, you've got some big challenges/opportunities to tackle. james: 21st Jan 2008 - 04:36 GMT hutch has alot to offer like looking at the new sexy stop lights on main street. Huthinson is full of baby boomers who are living off thier parents hard work and think they are succesful. Hutch is full of big fat women wearing jami pants no bra 7kids by 7 diffrent dads they love wallmart He He: 21st Jan 2008 - 08:05 GMT James baby,you are right on and honest. I have to submit to a UA in order to get a job,shouldnt the welfare people have to submit to a UA before collecting a welfare check? I have to submit to prove I'm not on drugs,shouldn't welfare recipients take a pee test also to prove they are not on drugs? And also get spayed and nutered so no more kids can be born to these fat,lazy wall mart lovin folks? I'm not talking about the good people who really need public assistance, I'm talking about women who keep having babies to collect more assistance,and their husbands who use drugs. People who are both physically able and mentally able to go to work. I do not mind my tax money helping people who can not physically or mentally work. And you are so right about baby boomers thinking they are succesful, I am a boomer myself and went to school with a bunch of "livin off daddys money" boomers, who wouldnt be jack crap if it wasn't for daddy. Oh how painful the truth can be. james: 21st Jan 2008 - 17:54 GMT Hutch does have manufacturing jobs its called meth Evinrude: 21st Jan 2008 - 18:33 GMT Re: an observer. Yeah I must be the one that is bored. You know it takes some intelligence to create a posting that brings up facts. You however did not do this. So you must be one of the thousands of Hutchinsonites that have nothing better to do than comment about other people's statements. So go collect your welfare check and gain some more weight on your ass. Evinrude: 21st Jan 2008 - 18:55 GMT The fred: You have an IQ of 160 huh? hmmm Don't see that. Also What kinda of business where you in.. And what makes you such a business man? What large enterprise have you had? re: texan lover: 21st Jan 2008 - 21:11 GMT Well,son if you want to try to convince your dad to move back to Texas, you first need to determine why he moved to hutch to begin with. Does he have family here?, or did his job bring him here. If it is job related, then you might check out monster.com to see if you can find him a job somewhere in Texas where you'all like to live. Good luck! Fred, The.: 21st Jan 2008 - 21:22 GMT I'll agree that there are still alot of good people here with good hearts beating in them and it is a shame that they're not more visible.. There sure are alot of able bodied welfare junkies, and, yes, I'd say that I absolutely agree that they should be made to submit to drug testing in order to benefit from these ridiculous country killing entitlements- not that it matters any more as we watch our worthless currency being exposed worldwide for what it is, but, it still make me sick down inside of my belly to see the government taking WHAT LITTLE THE WORKING MAN HAS LEFT just to turn around and give it to scums. Mr. Evinrude, I sure use to have a high I.Q., maybe I've lost a few points because of all of the darned drinking I've done, yea? And Lord KNOWS I've done some stupid things I cannot even believe that I did. We're all a human being. If you think that my grammar or spelling is off: Please remember that I speak and write in Fred Talk which I make all of the rules for, and so, I cannot ever make a mistake.. see. It probably IS difficult to see any intelligence in me when this forum/message board software took the "e" off when I wrote "before". When the software also cut out random words making a couple of my sentences look like broken English. Etc. What kind of business "whas" in in, you ask, that's my business.. no offense, there, but I'm not as open as I use to be about such things. HutchGrrl: 24th Jan 2008 - 16:05 GMT I'm from Hutchinson and I can spell! I graduated from HHS in 2001. I don't know anyone from my graduating class who chose to stay in town. Hutchinson is adorable. Many people are scared to drive in Wichita because of the traffic. The cosmosphere is awesome and so is the Salt Museum (or so I've heard), as are Carey Park and Dillon Nature Center. The problem is, most Hutch residents will go to the cosmosphere once a year, tops. What are we suppposed to do the rest of the time? Yes, there is a creepy vibe in Hutch. Perhaps it will again exlpode with gas geysers? I remember when "Mister Bo Jangles'" trailer blew up last time Hutch released its burning flatulence. Hutchinsonians will know what I'm talking about. Wichita is creepier; it has produced more than its fair share of serial killers. Yes, Hutch is boring. When I was in high school our idea of fun was going to Wal-Mart, or renting 49 cent movies at Dillons. Good times. Hutch sucks. Hope ya'll make it out before you die. Get it together Hutchinson people!: 26th Jan 2008 - 00:38 GMT People of Hutch need to take pride in their community by painting their houses, picking up trash in and around their yards and wearing clean clothes! Evinrude: 27th Jan 2008 - 16:06 GMT LOL get it together. Actually why would you care to do that stuff. That is what some people would call "polishing a turd" Richard: Great place to live. Korky the plunger: 3rd Feb 2008 - 18:33 GMT I hate Hutchinson. Interesting to find this site. I was not aware that there are this many people that hate Hutchinson. I just cameback from the Marines. I went out the the bar (mcgraws) it really sucks in my opinion. Achiever: 3rd Feb 2008 - 22:58 GMT I like living in Hutchinson; however, it has shrunk. When my family moved here in 1980 there were more than 50,000 residents in the city, not the whole county. Because of our wonderful city government, who's philosophy has been passed from year to year to year, many of our large businesses left because of lack of support. By support I mean, they would not expand because of lack of cooperation from the city for tax deferrment, etc. Farmarco and Cessna had HUGE factories here - not now. One of the largest employers in town is a medical facility. Does that tell you anything? If you watch our local information channel our total county population is less than 45,000 people now, and it has been that way for more than 10 years. Our town is boring, we do have some good things going on, but I think the negative stigma that is here comes from the fact that our City and County comissioners are NOT in touch with what the people need; in fact, in The Hutch News on December 5, 2007, our mayor said our city should not be involved in funding any kind of social programs like Boys and Girls Club, The Children's Emergency Fund, Sexual Assualt and Domestic Violence Center, and several others. To me, that is way out of touch with what is needed here, and I think that is what turns so many people off to our town. If, however, there were a different government paradigm (mindset/thinking), I believe people would flock here because it is a good place to live. Heart of the country, not too hot, not too cold, not too much rain, not too much snow, not too windy, not stinky like NYC or LA (other big cities), not too much crime and racially deversified. I have traveled through 49 states and 7 provinces of Canada, parts of Mexico and the Caribbean, this really is a nice place (like others). Tex: 4th Feb 2008 - 18:27 GMT I see today in the Hutch paper that the city manager is going to get a raise to where his base salary is $ 121,517.00 !!!! You a'll up there need to vote in a law that city and county employees get paid the same as the average taxpaying Hutchinsonite, which is about $33,300. Maybe then your city leaders will have an incentive to bring industry into town and get wages up! red: ...lousy place to live... james: 6th Feb 2008 - 18:08 GMT Tex that will never happen. Hutchinsons city leaders are all babyboomers living off daddys hard work. Boomers have contributed nothing for this city. me again: 7th Feb 2008 - 05:29 GMT Is it taking an extremely long time to remove these tree branches,or am I just being impatient? I swear,Greensburg got cleaned up faster. ME: 8th Feb 2008 - 05:08 GMT Hey to all of you who are saying Hutch is such a boring town...what makes you think that where you are living now is so much better? I mean after all, if you are all living in such "cool" places...then why are you wasting your time writing articles on the internet? It just goes to show that it's not the town that's boring it's the people! ME: 8th Feb 2008 - 05:23 GMT to me gain: I agree it is taking an awfully long time to clean up...but I'm sure they will all be gone before State Fair time!! Tex Re: ME: 8th Feb 2008 - 14:31 GMT That's pretty sad, the only way you can defend your town is to insult the people making the true statements, you must work for the city. We're not saying the town is boring, we're saying it SUCKS!! Evinrude: 9th Feb 2008 - 01:10 GMT Re: Tex. THANK YOU. that is the most standard response that you get. anon (201.143.103.22.dsl.dyn.telnor.net): 9th Feb 2008 - 05:39 GMT i lived in hick town near hutch 40 yrs ago and have lived in many exotic places since. people are generally the same thru out world. its what u make of it.i am perfectly happy in the most remote areas of baja mex. yet always busy because of my interests,ham radio, books, walking, offroad m/c, etc...i was unhappy in ks because of bad social and family environment as a kid, but when i got on my own i made my happiness whereever i lived.all of the world is a "Peyton Place"dont let it dictate your life.wally zippitydoda: 9th Feb 2008 - 09:44 GMT It's not so much the town you live in,it's your attitude towards it. One mans trash is another mans treasure so to speak. I have however,found many of these posts to be true,no matter how painful the truth might be. I have both agreed and disagreed to these comments left here. I personally do not find Hutch all that boring,but that's just my own personal opinion. Sounds like some pretty interesting events are in the making. squid_town: 9th Feb 2008 - 20:00 GMT Hello.Visited hutchinson twice,clean ciy compared to gloversville ny.have been offered three decent jobs.Will move there as soon as i dig up the money out of this shit hole in ny. Hunter: 10th Feb 2008 - 20:03 GMT After a month or so of reading the comments in this column (thread?) i am wondering what it is that the critics think is missing in Hutchinson. It can't be movies-Hutchinson has several: it can't be TV-that's universally available: it can't be a library: Hutchinson has the best library I've ever seen in a small town: It certainly isn't educational opportunities: the local community college is among the best of the genre: it probably isn't outdoor activities-amateur sports teams are continually recruiting participants and hunting/fishing opportunities abound. Night life is probably a bit limited, but that has always been the case in small towns. Most small-town public bars usually are heavily populated by people who have trouble maintaining verticality and who have difficulty with the language. Actually, that might be an apt description of most of these critics, judging by their written comments. I would be very interested to read some ideas of just what these critics think would be improvements in Hutchinson; specific ideas, mind you; not just generalized whining about how the town "sucks", whatever that might mean in english. Also, as a further aid in judging what manner of people these critics are, it would be interesting to see a short list of small towns that do indeed qualify in their view as desirable places to live. b girl: 11th Feb 2008 - 04:01 GMT I think the main complaint is lack of good paying jobs. Tex: 11th Feb 2008 - 14:52 GMT Ok, lets start with the facts instead of people's 'opinions' about how great life is in Hutch. city-data.com/city/Hutchinson-Kansas.html Median Household Income for 2005 Hutch residents: 33,300 Kansas residents: 42,920 Hutch govt. employees: 53,604 !!! Hutchinson compared to Kansas state average: Median household income below state average. Median house value significantly below state average. House age above state average. (Which means people are to poor to build new housing) Institutionalized population percentage significantly above state average. Percentage of population with a bachelor's degree or higher below state average For population 25 years and over in Hutchinson High school or higher: 82.3% Bachelor's degree or higher: 17.2% Graduate or professional degree: 5.8% That means only 17.2% have a 4 yr college degree or better, leaving approx 83% having less than a 4 yr degree. In this day and age if you don't have a 4 yr degree, you're going to have a tough time making it anywhere, so either the education system isn't working in Hutchinson, or those getting educated are leaving town. Tex Re: Hunter: 11th Feb 2008 - 15:04 GMT I'ts all about good paying jobs, its not about 'movies', or 'tv shows' or what kind of library you have. You have a lot of people living in Hutch who don't give a damn about the fact that your city doesn't have the industry to provide good paying jobs to most of its workforce. Tex : 11th Feb 2008 - 20:50 GMT Oh, But despite all of the above, Hutch is a nice safe place to live........NOT!! According to the 2003 FBI crime statistics. Arson = 2.89 times the national average (why?, people are setting their homes and businesses on fire to collect insurance because the economy is so bad.) Forcible Rape = 2.16 times the national average Burglary = 1.57 times the national average Larceny or theft = 1.50 times the national average Aggravated assault = 1.10 times the national average Based on the above areas of crime, on the average you would be safer living in most other cities in the nation, then you would be in Hutchinson, Ks. So come on Hunter, lets hear some more of your insults about those that speak the truth, so that I can give you some more facts about the town that you don't know anything about! Hunter: 12th Feb 2008 - 05:21 GMT I'd like to make two points at this time. First, it seems that most of the dissatisfaction with Hutchinson revolves around the lack of "good", i.e. well-paid jobs. As I mentioned earlier, there are no well-paid jobs in small towns in rural areas. A prospective employer looking for a place to build a manufacturing facility, the kind of business with many highly paid jobs, will select a place that has a deep reservoir of skilled, educated and highly trained people. The place will probably be near a major metropolitan center with good and diversified transportation, and in these times many such enterprises will try to be near one or more first-class universities with their attendant research and development resources. Hutchinson simply doesn't qualify, nor do most such small towns in rural areas. This was true when I graduated from Hutchinson High School in 1950, so I left for California. It's still true, and I suggest that some of you should face up to "reality" and take appropriate action. My second point is addressed to Tex and concerns those crime incidence figures. Tex, you are attempting to compare apples and oranges. On the one hand you look at Hutchinson, a town of 35000 people with a particular set of crime figures, and you attempt to compare those figures with "average" (mean?) figures for the whole of the US. The proper comparison here is Hutchinson's occurrence frequencies vs. the average figures for the set of similar-sized towns in the US. To get some idea of the problem here, imagine that someone is criticizing a vehicle because its acceleration from 0 to 60 is 13.2 seconds, it gets only 8 miles per gallon, and its tires cost $180 each, and the average for motor vehicles is 9.8 seconds, 17 mpg, and $95 per tire. This sounds pretty bad until you find that the subject vehicle is a 2-ton truck, which we should be comparing to other such trucks, not to all vehicles. Statistics is a fascinating and powerful tool when properly used, Tex, but always be careful of unsuspected pitfalls. I'm going to be out of pocket for a week or so, but I will be interested in comments on these thoughts. Tex Re: Hunter: 12th Feb 2008 - 15:25 GMT My crime statistics come from the F.B.I., and I would say that they probably have well qualified statisticians who know how to report said facts fairly with the proper comparisons, so that 'apples' are not compared to 'oranges'. Unless you have a degree in statistics, what are your qualifications to question the F.B.I.'s methodology of reporting crime? And if you don't think they're doing it right, you should be able to come up with a specific example or two of where they've messed up in the past, which will have nothing to do with cars ,trucks and mpg, and the cost of tires. I know you tried to use that as an example, but sometimes examples distract from the facts, especially if the facts aren't what you want to see and you know you don't have a valid argument against them. Most of the positive posters on this board look at Hutchinson through 'rose colored glasses' in that they only see and manufacture those things that give them happy feelings about their town, ignoring all the negatives, and awful truths, because they can't handle it. And, what's worse, they don't want to do anything about solving the problems. Why, you can't even get them to admit there are any problems!!, because they're in such a state of denial. It's like a lot of the people that were on board the Titanic, even when the water was lapping at their ankles, they wouldn't believe the ship would sink. Tex Re: Hunter: 12th Feb 2008 - 15:55 GMT Hunter, I also noticed you didn't comment on these statistics: Hutchinson compared to Kansas state average: Median household income below state average. Median house value significantly below state average. House age above state average. (Which means people are to poor to build new housing) Institutionalized population percentage significantly above state average. Percentage of population with a bachelor's degree or higher below state average Since these statistics only involve Kansas cities and not the entire U.S. Don't you find it interesting that Hutchinson ranks so poorly even among it's own rural sister cities in Kansas? noname: 13th Feb 2008 - 13:35 GMT Tex, you have brought up very good points. Hutchinson is a poor example of a city even when compared to other towns in Kansas. Hutchinson has been on a steady down fall for years. People in Hutchinson are to ignorant to see the truth. Or they simply refuse to open their eyes. I have noticed that must the positive posters on this site indicate they are teenagers, retired or are raising huge families. The majority of teenagers see life through distorted vision and can change their mind quickly, they also have not developed a good view of the world because they have very little experiance. Retired people are looking for a place to slow down and climb into the grave. People that are looking to raise huge families and live off government assistance do well in a town like this because the cost a living in a tad bit lower and government housing runs rampant. Hutchinson also have terrible crime. It is literally infested by ex-cons freshly released from on of the 3 prisons in the sanctuary of trash. We all know that once you turn to crime, it is very hard or impossible to turn back. Most irritation of all to me is the large amount of people that live off the government in one form or the other in Hutchinson. Either they are employed by the City, state or simply don't work and collect welfare. Ken: 14th Feb 2008 - 00:12 GMT This town sure looks pretty crappy., I'm just glad I live in the worlds most exciting cities Montreal, Quebec, Canada noname: 14th Feb 2008 - 16:40 GMT I was driving to WORK this morning and saw something that truly pissed me off. I left my house to see 1 million plus dollar crane picking up Tree limbs! Along with this crane were 2 bob cats, 2 dump trucks and 2 Ford F450 Diesel trucks. ALL TO PICK UP LIMBS! These assholes are being paid to set on their asses and operate expensive equipment, they should have been out picking up the limbs THEMSELVES! It is very aggravating to see a 2 guys setting in trucks burning fuel and reading the news paper knowing they are being paid to set on their fat asses and read the news paper! Then to see 2 more city employees setting on their asses in dump trucks. It is down right sickening to see these guys setting around doing essentially nothing in million dollar equipment. This town is a poor community, it cannot afford to have assholes setting around doing nothing and collecting nice pay checks. I know plenty of people that work in the private sector, 4 times as hard for less pay. What is truly upsetting is the fact this is just a small portion of the waste this city. It just keeps getting worse everyday. Yet we cannot attract any business and the town keeps shrinking. As "Tex" pointed out most city or county employed slobs in this town make twice the average pay of someone privately employed here. What they should do is lay half these over paid, lazy employees and sell the equipment (at a loss I am sure) and use that money to attract new industries. People are always bringing up the point that this city will not give any financial incentives to being new business into town. WHY WOULD THEY? The largest employer is the city and to support that they keep raising the taxes and spending more money. A large portion of this county is employed by the state, city or county. There are no large corporations in town any longer and that will not change. The ridiculous attempts by the Chamber of commerce will never help. The national economy is in a down slide and it is to late. Large companies have already decided where they are going to be located and very few of them plan on expansion. On a different note, I am amazed to see how many people in this town simply do not work. Yet they can drive around all day and burn gas and get fatter. I wonder who is paying for this? I will elaborate more on this next time. Tex: Re: noname: 14th Feb 2008 - 17:53 GMT Good points, It also makes one wonder if friends and relatives of city and county officials are being hired for city positions. They shouldn't be, but I would bet you have to be a member of some 'good ole boys' club to get a city job, because of how well those positions pay. Same situation with the Cosomosphere and Salt Museum, anything that is tax payer funded, ought to be scrutinized as to whether there are any inappropriate hiring preferences done. Cody Heitschmidt: 16th Feb 2008 - 20:24 GMT Why if you hated something, anything, so much would you devote so much of your time to it, to degrading it, to bashing it. Why if you had such a void in your life from the holes that Hutchinson Ks put you in, why would you take such a huge amount of time rekindling it in this thread. I like Hutch, just my thoughts. But because it has a given me a good place to try and run a business, it has given me a good place to raise a great family, it has given me a place to buy a decent home that was in my budget, it has given my Children a good recreation system and plenty of opportunities to get involved in things, it has given my children a great opportunity for a free education, because of all those things and alot of others, I don't have anymore time to waste in here, I need to get back to taking advantage of all the opportunities Hutchinson Ks gave me. Re: Cody: 17th Feb 2008 - 05:38 GMT Sounds like you're pretty self centered. As long as everything is fine for you and your family and business, that's all that counts isn't it? What about all the underprivileged people in your town, who have to suffer for lack of jobs and a mis-managed city? Who carries their voice? Obviously not you. Go look in the mirror, you'll see one person who helped get Hutchinson to the state it's in today. Tex: 17th Feb 2008 - 06:31 GMT Remember to your dying day, one of the most precious rights we have is Freedom Of Speech, which is guaranteed to each of us under the Constitution of the United States. Excercising this freedom helps to invoke thought, discussion and eventual change. Never, never, never, let anyone intimidate you to keep quiet, just because they don't want to hear what you have to say. Our founding fathers and many others fought and died for these rights, and we do them a disservice if we keep our mouths shut and not point out inequalites and injustices done against our fellow man. Re: to all: 17th Feb 2008 - 06:54 GMT This post amazes me. No one seems to want to hear any good about Hutch. There are good things about Hutch,but I don't dare tell about them on this post,or I will be made to feel like an alien or something. So I will keep my little happy memories to myself,thank you. Re: to Tex: 17th Feb 2008 - 07:04 GMT The Hutch Haters Club sure does have a right to voice their opinion,but the Hutch Lovers Club has the same right to do the same,without the former putting them down. This thread has completely gone off track from what it started out to be,but nonetheless,I have become addicted to this thread and find it very entertaining,maybe because I can't find anything else to entertain me??? Tex: Re: to Tex: 17th Feb 2008 - 14:44 GMT "Why if you hated something, anything, so much would you devote so much of your time to it, to degrading it, to bashing it. Why if you had such a void in your life from the holes that Hutchinson Ks put you in, why would you take such a huge amount of time rekindling it in this thread" -- Oh!, If I'm not mistaken, this came from a pro Hutch person, and this isn't putting people down???? If you're going to come up with rules, try to abide by them yourself. noname: 17th Feb 2008 - 19:09 GMT I work in a business that allows me to see the finest of Hutchinson and surrounding areas. Hutchinson it's surrounding population consist of the following: Retirees, poor families, meth addicts, leeches. No more no less. Sure there are a few good people in this town. But those people are by far the minority. I would like to expand the view a bit. Have you taken to time to look at the towns the surround Hutchinson. Arlington? Nickerson? Sylvia, Plevna, Partridge?? These are all supreme examples of the Trash that infests this community. I was simply amazed at these areas. They are every stereotype that you can think of when thinking of hicks. I am embarrassed to even speak of these people. Also Cody, I am proud of you for pointing out your name. Sounds to me like a good German name. Perhaps relation to the good ol' boys club? Perhaps that is the reason that you are so fond of Hutchinson? Why would you not be? You have been GIVEN every chance in life. I repeat GIVEN. Hunter: 18th Feb 2008 - 01:13 GMT I'm back again, and will comment again on Tex's "statistics". Tex your reply to my criticism of your use of crime statistics was simply to attribute the data to the FBI, but I did not question the accuracy of the quoted data. I agree that the FBI is probably quite capable of gathering dependable data. Your mistake(s) come in the use and interpretation of those data. You compare numbers and averages of various sorts for Hutchinson, a small town, with similar numbers for the entire state of Kansas, a different population with sub-populations consisting of towns/cities of various sizes. This is what I referred to when I said you were comparing apples and oranges. I suspected you might not immediately understand the point, and that was why I included the heuristic about vehicles. That example really is a valid one, and you ought to think about it a bit. The real sticking point here seems to be your failure to realize that "statistics" as a field is mostly about the study and analysis of data, not just their collection. Might I suggest that you have a look at Wikipedia's article on "statistics? No, I don't have a degree in statistics (my degree is in physics/geophysics), but we really aren't talking about anything very complicated here. Statistics is a very complex subject if you get serious about it, but you don't really need a lot to avoid playing the fool. You would profit by reading a bit on the subject; perhaps just enough so you can explain the difference between a chi-square and a T-square, and no, that's not a joke. With a bit of statistical analysis under your belt you will come to see that Hutchinson's low household income, low house values, high average age of housing, and probably several other anomalies that distress you can be explained as artifacts of the general loss of population and of small industries in American small towns. It's a pity, but that just seems to be the way it is. I now live in a small town in California, and it's the same situation here. The local kids who want to make more than a bare living must pick up and move to a metropolitan area. A constantly recurring theme in these discussions is the complaint that there are no good jobs in the town, and I have a question for these complainers. If I were to decide to open a business in Hutchinson, just what skills and attributes do you complainers possess that would persuade me to hire you for high pay? I would want somebody who was experienced as a machinist, electronics tech, design engineer, carpenter, secretary, programmer, or some similar skilled occupation. Do any of the complainers have any of these skills? I, and probably others, would genuinely like to know the answer to this question. It would help in deciding whether we are dealing with good people who are genuinely in distress or just a pack of whining ne'er-do-wells. Former Hutchinsonite: 18th Feb 2008 - 16:17 GMT Gosh Hunter, sounds like you're a hypocrite. If you thought the town was so great, why did you pack up and move out to California to find a job? And as far as the crime statistics that 'Tex' reported, I think they're probably right on as to what you actually see going on in this town on a day to day basis. I've seen numerous Hutch citizens go to prison for setting their businesses on fire to collect the insurance money. Not to mention all the drug crime and everything else. I think living out in California has kind of put you out of touch with the reality that is back here. I challenge you , if you think life is so great here, why don't you move back and prove it? Other wise you're a hypocrite. noname: 18th Feb 2008 - 17:19 GMT Re: Former Hutchinsonite. I have to agree. Seems odd to has some asshole in California commenting about a town that he does not inhabit. Hutchinson is truly the worst of the worst. These statistic that "tex" is speaking about are not made up. I think that Hunter needs to have a beef with the City-Data website, they are reporting these averages. Not Tex. Also being that he is not a statistics major he needs to shut his loud mouth. I am sure that City-Data does not just grab some physics/geophysics major and have them compute these statistics. Furthermore, how are you Hunter to judge anyone! You claim to be so educated and intelligent. We have no proof. (also your education has nothing to do with the topic of this forum) For you to degrade these "complainers" and ask them what skills or education they have is asinine. You moved from this town, you left the problem. It is very easy for you to set on your high horse and mock these people. If it is so great then why did you leave? Also you talk about this same thing happening across the country. The only difference between the rest of the country and Hutchinson is that this is not a new trend in Hutchinson. Hutchinson has been in a steady down fall for years, because of big headed city leaders that want to help themselves and the small group of people they call friends. Mcpherson has seen steady growth for the last 10 years, Salina has also. Both of these near by towns have been adding industrial skilled labor jobs to it economy for years. i.e Phillips, Nations Pizza and Abbott Labs. Hutchinson has wasted money attracting a small group of tourist to see it's worthless attractions like the Cosmophere and the Tax payer supported Salt museum. For you to state this is national problem is wrong. Hutchinson has been shrinking for years and will continue to do so. I am sick and tired of seeing people like hunter getting on this forum and showing their ass. Simply for the act of self promotion. Tex Re: Hunter: 18th Feb 2008 - 20:02 GMT Hunter, I'm tired of you giving out false statements. As I said before, I did not come up with the crime statistics, they came from the F.B.I. You can review them at this website: www.cityrating.com/citycrime.asp?city=Hutchinson&state=KS I did not generate the data, I did not compile the data, nor did I do anything else with the data, and you can come up with all the lies that you want but the facts are still there, whether you want to believe the numbers or not. If you have a problem with the facts, then contact the Justice Dept that came up with them. And, you're still on the kick of trying to personally find fault with the negative posters on this board. You want to make them out to be 'stupid' or 'dumb' or 'ignorant' so that you can dismiss everything that they say about what life is like in Hutch. Well, do you know what the FASB recommendations are going to be for future financial statement reporting in the next few years?. Can you tell me how Sarbanes-Oxley has affected current auditing procedures? If you can't then you must be an idiot, and you have nothing to say that has any importance to me. -- This is the way you reason isn't it? It's the way most of the 'elite' do-nothings in Hutch operate. Look big, act big, talk big, put other people down, and be made of very little substance and hope nobody sees it. It makes me sick, people can see you're phonies from a mile away. And you still refuse to address the issue that I put to you about the comparison of Hutchinson to its sister cities in Kansas. Yes, small Ag towns are declining, but why is Hutchinson so much worse when compared to her fellow sister Ag cities in Kansas? Hunter: 19th Feb 2008 - 01:03 GMT My, my, you fellows (Tex, Noname, and former Hutchinsonite) have certainly grown suddenly very touchy. You raise so many points with so much overlap I'll try to answer by point, rather than address each correspondent in turn. All three of you want to know why I left Hutchinson. I've posted four messages on this venue since 1/7/08, and I believe that in each of them I pointed out that small towns have no prospects for young people: thus, I left for greener pastures. If that is still not clear enough, just ask again and I will try to simplify the message even more. Former Hutchinsonite also wants to know why I haven't moved back now. That's a fair question, and the answer is that I don't like the climate (read humidity) of the central USA, and I like living in the mountains. As I type this i am looking out at a range of snow-capped peaks (Sierra Nevada) that range up to 14,000 feet with lots of excellent hiking, backpacking, etc. easily available. I live in a town smaller than Hutchinson, but I'm now retired, so a job is not a problem. Except for those issues, I might well consider returning. I like the people, and after more than fifty years absence I still have many friends there. Tex and Noname are still under the impression that I reject Tex's data set he gleaned from the FBI. I've said it before, but let me repeat: I AM REASONABLY CONFIDENT THAT TEX'S DATA ARE CORRECT. How's that? Clear enough this time? My doubts concern Tex's use of the data sets, his statistical inferences using those data. In his posting of 2/11/08, Tex compared Hutchinson data with data drawn from statewide averages, and I Pointed out that this is an apples-oranges situation. For meaningful conclusions, one must compare Hutchinson to other similar small towns, not with the whole state lumped together. He professed to disagree with that, but I am somewhat encouraged to note that in his posting today (2/18/08) in the last paragraph Tex claims to have compared Hutchinson with its "sister cities in Kansas". He didn't do that, of course, but at least he seems to have recognized the desirability of that approach and claims to have done so. Perhaps all this typing isn't wasted effort after all and next week he will actually do it. Both Tex and Noname seem to think I have labeled others as "stupid", "ignorant", "dumb", etc.. I would invite them to cite a single example of such boorish language on my part. On the contrary, I have been most careful to remain civil in all cases. I believe the strongest criticism I have leveled at anyone is "complainer", but this is simply an identifier: it's what they do, a way to distinguish them from the other people on this thread. For the most part I have just asked questions (I always have admired Socrates). Noname makes the point that my educational background, degrees, etc. have nothing to do with this forum. I agree completely and direct Noname's attention to the fact that I made no mention of the subject until I was directly questioned by Tex, who wanted to know if I had a degree in statistics. I suggest that Noname take up this point of propriety with Tex, not with me. Leaving off my defence for now, I have a question for Noname. You mention that McPherson and Salina have a recent period (ten years or so) of very healthy population growth and industrial development. Assuming that your data are accurate, this is a very interesting point, and one worth exploring. Both of these towns are indeed similar in size and apparent situation to Hutchinson. Do you (or anybody else) have any idea why these two towns have fared so much better than others apparently similar? This might be quite important if anyone is actually interested in improving Hutchinson. A related question might be "if McPherson is doing so well, with good jobs and all those desirable qualities, why don't the people complaining about no jobs in Hutchinson, either move to McPherson, or just commute from Hutchinson? Guesses, anybody? noname: 19th Feb 2008 - 16:16 GMT Hunter, First off I am self employed. I have not needed to explore other towns. My complaint comes from the lack of people with money in this town. Thank God for the internet... I do twice as much business with out of town customers then Hutchinson residence. When I do business with Hutchinson residence they always want something for nothing. They have no money and expect you to give them what they want. Contrast that with customers of Wichita, Salina , KC etc and I see a vast difference in their financial state. The pay in full cash no questions asked. As to your point about the growth of other towns surrounding Hutchinson. I have several reasons that come to mind for the downfall of the economy in Hutchinson. 1. The lack of interstate highway. (both Mcpherson and Salina are connected to I70 and 135. 2. The lack of good city management. Hutchinson has been ran since it's inception by people that THINK they are above everyone because of family relation or past businesses. There is alot of old money in this town that controls it. 3. The lack of a state college. Salina has a campus of KU and Mcpherson has a very strong community college. 4. Wasting of resources. This town seems to have spending money the wrong way to a fine art. i.e. salt museum, Cosmosphere and the sports department at the high school. They also are very good at investing in failed enterprises and tourist attractions. 5. Large welfare/SSI roles. Tex as pointed out the statistical data that Hutchinson has a wealth of people on SSI or some form of government support. 6. The State Prisons. Hutchinson has a high crime rate and low town income because of the parole of detainees from the two Hutchinson Correctional Facilities. This also fuels the large amount of unskilled and uneducated criminals the inhabit this city. Also helping support the welfare state here. People are released from prison and get on welfare. I am sure if I sat down longer I could find many more reason. But I have work to do. Tex: Re Hunter's request: 19th Feb 2008 - 16:57 GMT "Both Tex and Noname seem to think I have labeled others as "stupid", "ignorant", "dumb", etc.. I would invite them to cite a single example of such boorish language on my part" How about this statement you made? "The more outspoken of the town's critics are clearly the sort of ill-educated people that would have a tough time in any competitive environment. That is probably why they have elected to remain in Hutchinson and whine rather than move and succeed" Still in Hutchinson: 19th Feb 2008 - 17:56 GMT McPherson is thriving with business because it is right off the interstate and that is what big business owners want. The cost of living in Hutch is less than most places around here, McPherson for example. I have lived in the Hutch area for about 15 years now. I have lived in a lot of the small towns around Hutch and always end up coming back because of the cost of living. To accomodate for the lack of jobs we do not work in Hutch. The Hutch schools are too big for me as I did grow up in a very small community so I also send my son to a smaller school district. When we get bored with what little Hutch does have to offer we go to somewhere else or we just simply make our own entertainment. When you know just a few people that really isn't all that hard to do. I too believe there are too many people who are on welfare that don't need it. They know exactly how to scam the system. That problem exists no matter where you go. Some of you that did leave here obviously have nothing better to than gripe about where you used to live. Just a suggestion... If you can't find anything positive to say then don't say anything at all. Give it up already and move on with your lives. Re to still in Hutch: 19th Feb 2008 - 19:01 GMT I know what you are saying. Five years ago I was really checking Mcpherson out to buy a home there and work,as I allready had a job in Mac. My Gosh,the price of real estate was way,way to expensive for me. I even checked out rentals,and they too were out of my price range. So I bought a small little two bedroom bungalow home here,and here in Hutch is where I will continue to live. The cost of living in Mac is considerably higher,I don't know about Salina though because I never checked it out. Tex: 19th Feb 2008 - 19:37 GMT I think noname summed up the picture perfectly well! GuRu: 20th Feb 2008 - 07:08 GMT This town is like americas butthole. If there was something to actually do in town, maybe it wouldnt be so bad. LIke, say, reopen the teen center. That might cut down on the crime, and keep the kids in check. And another thing, why the hell do we have so many freakin mexican restraunts? I know its a lil brown here, but geez. And for the record, the cosmosphere is lame, hastings is not a cool hang out, unless you're 13, and wal-mart is the hub of culture. that culture being white trash, illegal immigrants, fossils, and vison card members. noname: 20th Feb 2008 - 13:39 GMT Re: Still in Hutch. First off, if the only reason that you like Hellchinson is because of the low cost of living then you are just proving my points. You sound like a complaisant fool who does not want to improve your life. So your points to be a void to me. noname: 20th Feb 2008 - 13:41 GMT Also, the reason that Mcpherson may be more expensive is because the economy there can support high rent etc. BTW Taxes are higher in Hutchinson than Mcpherson.. Hutchinson has to be cheap because of the massive welfare state. wowzer: 20th Feb 2008 - 21:11 GMT I grew up in Hutch, and honestly the only thing I miss are my family, friends and my church. Everytime I go back it seems more dreary. The Hutch Haters and Hutch lovers all made good points. But can't we all just get along? lmao! Hunter: 21st Feb 2008 - 00:27 GMT Ouch!! Tex, you winged me good on that one. Since I wasn't addressing any specific person, I was careless of my language. I stand by my conclusions, but the language, especially that second sentence, was not in line with my claims. Point conceded. Re to noname: 21st Feb 2008 - 01:12 GMT I bought a small affordable home in Hutch,verses something more expensive,because I am hardly ever home and a single woman,I didn't want upkeep on something larger,I work in the medical field and happen to make decent money,so therefore my life doesn't really need improvement. What do you do for a living,I wonder? So your points to be a void to me also,whatever that means. Fred, The.: 21st Feb 2008 - 04:05 GMT The only good thing Hutchinson Kansas has to offer is reasonable and tough law enforcement and reno county court judges. Kansas does nothing but steal and waste as evidenced by, well, just about everything you see happening. Stupid blinking lights on halfwall things down main street, road construction we don't even need while other roads age past forty, and on and on and on. The idiots in Topeka are not only a pack of extortionists but they're confused, disorganized and destructive. Those maniacs in Topeka have all but ruined me. It will soon be my absolute pleasure to take alot of money away from them, legally and honestly I will have the opportunity to save businesses from this hell and help take money out of this state for the good of better run states. re: Fred: 21st Feb 2008 - 18:55 GMT Reasonable law enforcement? I beg to differ. I called police on a child abuse situation,was told by the police to call SRS,I called SRS and was told to call the police. The police came back out to check out the situation and told me their was no abuse because the toddler had clean clothes on,the mothers house was clean,and the child had toys. It didn't matter that the mother cussed her toddler every day,calling her a little b----,a little mother------,the mother would scream to the child that she was going to kill her and throw her up against the wall. And this went on daily,I know because I was in the apartment right next door taking care of my mother on a daily basis. This child screamed and cried constantly,but wouldn't you if you were treated that way? Now listen to this!! I was threatned to be taken into custody because I became upset when this mother was not dealt with!! So I have to dissagree with you about our law enforcement. They saw a cute,little abusive mother and believed her over a middle aged heavy set woman who was and still is concerned for this child,wherever she may be now. The mother moved after I called the police. Fred, The.: 22nd Feb 2008 - 05:38 GMT MS. Lady.. I understand your concern for the little child... It makes me mad and angry like Al Capone when I see little children being abused. I believe in knocking the living ** out of a misbehaving child, but, not one as young as that one, and, not for pure amusement and I think that it's a low thing, that is, taking something out on the little child who didn't even do any thing. It's sad, you know, these days you even see children who will act out just because they are so hungry for attention. They would rather take abusive attention than take no attention whatsoever. In your situation the problem was simple to understand.. YOU saw her abuse the child THEY saw you acting upset while the woman put on her little act. They have to go by what they see. Remember, they do not know the eithers of yas, so, what they find when they show up is what they'll tend to be able to believe. You stand there upset, with your side, She stands there calm, with her side, A reasonable officer will probably have to believe the one of yous who appears to be calm and reasonable.. you know, because, she's surely standing there with "Officer, that lady just doesn't like me, she's just making things up.".. and what is their reason to believe otherwise? re: Fred: 22nd Feb 2008 - 18:18 GMT That makes sense what you said,what I couldn't understand about the situation was that while I was outside talking to the officers, the lady who lived on the other side of little miss abuser also told the officer about what she had seen and heard. And I had even knocked on this girls door more than once once when I heard her threatning to kill her baby,and told her if she just needed some time to calm herself down,I would watch her baby for her,or if she ever felt like she needed to talk to someone,I would be there for her,because I know how stressful it can be to be a single mother.She refused all offers of help. I then told her the next time I heard her abuse her baby,I would have to call the cops. But I shouldn't catagorize all cops,Hutch truly does have some wonderful officers.And good and fair Judges also,I have to agree.I loved Judge Macke-Dick. I have seen her in action in the past and think she was wonderful and fair. noname: Judge Macke-Dick is friendly to CERTAIN PEOPLE Brittany: 25th Feb 2008 - 17:16 GMT I live in Hutch and Judge Macke Dick married my husband and i. it's not that bad here, but i don't care what your opinions are it's not right to put people down just because of where they live, some people enjoy living here and thats ok.. i dont happen to be one of them though because we are moving this summer. still, the town is not just trailor trash, i know a LOT of hard working people that do very well for themselves. it's not fair to say that the whole town is stubborn also, you're the one thats stubborn for not letting others voice their opinions. Brittany: 25th Feb 2008 - 23:27 GMT Oh wow, you have such a good outlook on life. I personally don't care what you think. How about that? Hutchinson is a falling place. Sorry, facts are facts. Even if Macke-Dick Married you. How does that make her a good judge? Any judge can marry anyone. So What. Samuei: 26th Feb 2008 - 05:00 GMT Not to disrupt the discussion, but did anybody else notice that those photos (except the one picture of the Fair) are all of the same building? It's on 20th and Monroe, about a 5 minute drive from either highway. That part of town is residential. Go three blocks south and about twelve blocks east to Lorraine and 17th, where there's an active locally-owned coffee shop near an also-active Starbucks. I hate Hutch, but you don't need to do stupid things to make it look terrible. It does that on its own. re: samuei: 26th Feb 2008 - 05:58 GMT the idiot who took the pics does not know a damn thing.that building is the old saint elizabeth hospital and was never located across from any highway.i love hutch and dont give a rats ass what anyone thinks. re: samuel: 26th Feb 2008 - 15:04 GMT Actually the run down st. elizabeth hospital is typical of a lot of run down buldings in hutch, he should of taken pictures of the ghost town which makes up downtown, that's why you have to look at Lorraine and 17th to find a business that's still around noname: 26th Feb 2008 - 15:58 GMT To the person who re: to Samuel. You are just a pure idiot if you love Hutchinson. Let me ask you a question.? Are you employed? re: samuei: 27th Feb 2008 - 05:05 GMT i am employed to the tune of 50 grand a year,noname,and i dont give a rats ass once again. noname: Samuei, Sure I believe you.... Tex: 28th Feb 2008 - 16:05 GMT Hutch News today: Reno County is undergoing a federal audit, with payroll, cell phone and tax data coming under scrutiny Whooo doggies!!!, maybe the truth will now come out. noname: 28th Feb 2008 - 16:20 GMT Re: Tex, I hope the truth comes out, but I doubt it. This town is very very good about making shit disappear. A Rapper: 28th Feb 2008 - 17:18 GMT I love Hutch,Hutch loves me,I don't care if you disagree! noname: 28th Feb 2008 - 18:37 GMT Good, Keep loving Hutchinson. I can see how your retarded mind would just love Hutchinson. GuRu: 29th Feb 2008 - 00:19 GMT Anyone who loves this town is either old, or an ineffective middle manager making 10 bucks an hour and bossing around brown people. Wake up peeps! We have nazi cops, child molesters on every block, and mexicans running around in packs. Anyone who loves this town must be on anti-depressants also. And for the record, there is a lot of child abuse that goes on here and nothing happens. Tex: 29th Feb 2008 - 22:08 GMT This was in the Wichita Eagle, I don't think the Hutch News reported it, I wonder why HUTCHINSON, Kan. - A Reno County jail deputy is accused of having consensual sex with a female inmate in a cell. Yep, it looks like a lot of perverts are in love with Hutch. S.S.: 1st Mar 2008 - 16:36 GMT Tex must love and miss Hutchinson and Kansas in general,or he wouldn't keep up with whats going on in our town. to:noname: 2nd Mar 2008 - 17:11 GMT And you haven't insulted others on this posting? Calling people retards and idiots isn't insulting in your opinion? It sounds to me that you want to dish it out but you can't take it when someone gives it right back.But thats always the case when a persons brain is as small as their appendage.Ouch!!!!! Loda: 2nd Mar 2008 - 23:55 GMT Atleast Mr. noname brings up good points. That is more that I can say about the last poster saying that he can dish it but not take it. re to loda: 3rd Mar 2008 - 06:07 GMT and can you bring up any good points? i seriously doubt it. Peter: 3rd Mar 2008 - 15:09 GMT i find it funny that despite all the above critique re: the photos, etc... that no one else has posted any better ones of hutchinson... hmm. what are all you hutchinsonians hiding? heh. Tex: 3rd Mar 2008 - 15:17 GMT Yes I loved Hutch, I especially loved it when I was able to leave town and come down here to Texas and get a job that paid over twice as much as what I was making up there. Now I can afford to live in a nice new home, and drive a new car. And this is because the city of Hutch has no focus on bringing in good paying jobs! Tex Re: Peter: 3rd Mar 2008 - 16:26 GMT That's a good point, someone ought to take some pictures of the downtown area on a Sat. afternoon and some of McPherson's downtown and lets look at the difference. Peter: 3rd Mar 2008 - 16:41 GMT totally. i say go for it. because the back-and-forth bickering here is largely meaningless (and somewhat laughable, no offense) to us outsiders; perhaps some evidence of what everyone is saying might be worthwhile- i know it would paint a much more vivid, factual picture of hutchinson beyond people's dubiously motivated arguments and namecalling. plus, as this post is pushing 100,000 views, im sure many of the other viewers would like to see a change in pace in this thread, and perhaps something to beef up all the spurious chatter... noname: 3rd Mar 2008 - 17:03 GMT Mcpherson's downtown has nothing to do with it's economy. If you tried to take that as a indication of economic growth you would not see anything. Downtowns are dieing as towns spread out. The fact is that Mcpherson has been more active in looking for new business. If you want to see some of their growth just drive down I35 and look at all the new businesses sprouting up. Then take a drive down K-61 or 96 when leaving Hutchinson. Look at the open fields and abandon buildings. I think that is funny that anyone would look at downtown Hutchinson and consider it a busy place, most the businesses are closed or just plain dead. As to the people posting comments about me. Your opinion means nothing to me. You can keep making your personal stabs at me. This just show to me how much of a Hutchinsonite asshole you truly are. And I could give a shit what you have to say. If you want to debate the facts then I will pay attention otherwise you can stick your head back up your fat ass and ignore the facts. Peter: 3rd Mar 2008 - 17:15 GMT so... perhaps we can get past all the pointless name-calling and someone who actually lives in hutchinson can post some photos that prove their point? otherwise, this thread is just becoming a big, endless argument between a small handful of very opinionated people. i, for one, live in nyc and though i skip over every single argumentative/ranty comment on this thread, id definitely check out comments that contained something besides the same tired old arguments, you know, something with substance. so, id recommend that someone start doing that. not only would it save this thread, it would also show your town in a MUCH more positive light... to noname: its dying,not dieing,dumbass. to noname: 3rd Mar 2008 - 17:42 GMT you must be thinking of dieting,something your fatass must need to do. Tex: 4th Mar 2008 - 17:33 GMT Here's a sad example In the Hutch news, was this story, "Owner of Wiley building leaves tenants in the cold" "The coffee group can joke about it - but the tenants of the Wiley building aren't necessarily laughing. They say they've been without heat - except that from space heaters - for more than a month." "Depending on whom you ask, the building's boiler broke one to two months ago." "For now, and apparently for the rest of the cold-weather season, glowing space heaters are strewn about the first floor of the Wiley building" The Wiley building is one of the two largest buildings in downtown Hutchinson. A picture of it is in this thread, posted on 9/11/07, you can find it about halfway down the thread, there are 3 pictures and the Wiley bldg is the 8 or 9 story bldg in the bottom picture.(Once again, I'm not referring to the pictures at the top of the thread) This bldg 30 to 40 yrs ago, used to be filled with tennants such as doctors, lawyers, dentists. The bottom several floors had a large dept. store sort of like Macy's that was called Wiley's. Now, the bldg is basically empty, except for some tennants on the bottom floor. In looking at the picture, just dwell on how vibrant and alive with activity this place used to be and now all that's left are a few people on the ground floor trying to heat themselves with space heaters. Re to Tex: 4th Mar 2008 - 20:29 GMT You are so right Tex. I love reading your comments because you are right about everything and know what you are talking about because you have lived here.You also are man enough to post your opinions without getting rude and hateful to other posters which does not solve anything,only shows that ignorant people really do live in this town.This whole thing has got out of hand with the children bickering back and forth with the name calling,so it has been so refreshing to read what you have to say in such an adult manner.Please keep on posting!You are very interesting! oevre: 5th Mar 2008 - 20:57 GMT Remember Hutchinson in mainly four images....swimming pool in Summer near the grain elevator...high school with brilliant turquoise colored panels, architect was Californian, people said...the old old deep red brick junior high where my parents went to high school and then I to junior high....the huge trees touching in the middle of the street high overhead on the old bungalow streets and with this image of the trees in August the sound of the cicadas in the fall, that gorgeous sound, everywhere you go... noname: 5th Mar 2008 - 23:42 GMT To the blank responder: I would like to argue points with you about hutchinson, but you are to good to even post a name. I am not going to respond to your comments about the typo. I could careless. You have not brought up one single point that contrasts our facts about this town. So keep it to yourself asshole. Unless you have something to say beside petty comments. I dare you, show proof to Tex or myself that we are wrong! I bet you can't. blank responder: 6th Mar 2008 - 17:49 GMT Don't put yourself in the same catagory as Tex. He has something worthwhile to say,while you dont. You just go around posting what other people have posted,then act like its you who is so smart,when it isnt.You need to devote more of your time to your failing business and not so much time to this thread.That said,I'm outta here for good.I have made my point. Hutch Lovers: 7th Mar 2008 - 11:29 GMT news briefs:This a fine x-ample of Hutchinson good ol boys and their families and when they get into trouble.Their charges don't hold up to the crime.And they print it and stupid Hutchinsons let it go. Trial in Baby Jane case delayed againThe trial of Baby Jane's mother has been continued a third time after the defendant requested a continuance this week. Sarah Farley was 16 when a baby, dubbed "Baby Jane," was found dead in the backyard of her stepfather's rural home in March 2006. Farley's trial, scheduled for March 17 through 21, has been rescheduled for June 18 and 19. The trial was originally scheduled to begin last summer but was rescheduled for the fall, then again for this month. DNA tests revealed Farley was the mother of the deceased infant, but health officials could not determine whether the child was born dead or alive. Farley was arrested and charged with three counts of engaging in sexual activity while younger than 16, which is against the law in Kansas. Discuss this story \| E-mail this story to a friend Tex: 7th Mar 2008 - 15:10 GMT That's unbelievable, the prosecutors in that case ought to be criminally charged. The state or feds definitely need to step in and clean up that justice system that they have running up there. noname: 7th Mar 2008 - 16:29 GMT Blank Responder. You are the king of petty comments. I could careless what you think or say. What I can't figure out is why Hutchinsonites like blank responder have to resort to name calling etc. I have brought up several points that I have been commended for in the past. No Matter what you say Hutchinson will continue to shrink. The only people that defend this town are the individuals stuck here. Peter: 7th Mar 2008 - 22:44 GMT i keep getting re, noname and blank responder confused. it must be those vague name choices. this thread has officially devolved. for god's sake, cant anyone just post some better photos of hutchinson already? Crystal: 12th Mar 2008 - 02:10 GMT I agree that this town in boring but like another person pointed out You only took a picture of like ONE spot here. There are beautiful things here too not just an old hospital that they converted into apartments/halfway house for people just out of prison. I'm sorry you're experiences here where not that good but life is what you make of it if you're bored you're going to have a boring life... optomystic: 12th Mar 2008 - 12:37 GMT why,oh why,oh why can't folks realize that hutchinson is a wonderful town ? the opportunities in hutchinson are simply amazing. please move to hutchinson- you will just love it! can't you hear the bells ringing and the angels singing? please get here as quickly as you can. your destiny awaits in this pocket of prosperity.you are loved here-we need you- PLEASE HURRY ! Stuck in Hutchinson: 13th Mar 2008 - 11:20 GMT I need some advice on getting out of this hell hole. I'm pretty lazy, like most of the people in this town, but I still have some hope that maybe I could make something out of myself. I know, I need to grow a pair and get the fuck out. This town is like a bad infection, once it's got a hold of you it's hard to shake. The biggest problem I see with Hutchinson is this asshole complex everyone has. If you like the cost of living and the low crime rate, well, that's one thing, but to talk about how nice, and friendly the people are is laughable. I wouldn't trust the conservative christian next door to feed my dog. noname: 13th Mar 2008 - 17:24 GMT optomystic. You are sure that your name should have not been sarcastic? Coming to Visit: 14th Mar 2008 - 13:25 GMT Wow, I love Hutchinson already. All the crazy comments and opinions everyone has on this city have made me laugh for damn near 30 minutes. I will be visiting for maybe a week in June that is if you can keep me entertained for that long! Liketolivehere: 14th Mar 2008 - 18:42 GMT Yes, Hutchinson does have some negative issues. Every place does. If you don't like it here, leave. To say that you are "stuck" is just plan lazy. Go to the big city & find the job and excitment you are looking for. Wichita is only 60 miles, if you don't have transportation, walk! Tex: 15th Mar 2008 - 19:37 GMT This was in the Hutch News on 3/15/08 "A Reno County man has been convicted a second time for having sex with a dog and could now face jail time." Greg Benefiel, Reno County assistant district attorney said "If a judge finds it's a sexually motivated crime, he can be required to register as a sex offender," Good God!!!!, you'all need to import some women up there, or some of you gals need to quit playing hard to get!!! Stuck also: 17th Mar 2008 - 17:04 GMT Yep!! It sux. I have lived in Hutchinson for a long time and believe me it sux! There is an ass hole complex here. No diversitey at all. Your either a local wealthy or your nothing. What a looser town. Sad for you: 18th Mar 2008 - 15:51 GMT I feel sad for those that post such negative things about Hutch, its people, etc. Maybe if you’d get out there and be kind to others and do good deeds you wouldn’t have to sit at a computer and post negative things – take your meds and go get a life! OK – that was negative, let me rephrase that – become a foster parent (nope – again doesn’t work, you wouldn’t qualify). Get a job – (nope – your tattoos and crime records won’t get you anything past McDonalds). OK – I’ll try again, go to church (oops – forgot you are probably Atheist). Sigh….your negativism has seeped into me – see how you reap what you sow? I'll leave and find something more positive to do as you work on lash backs. not so borimg to me: 18th Mar 2008 - 16:22 GMT Hutch isnt so boring to me. Any weekend you can find some sort of entertainment going on somewhere. The sports arena,memorial hall,grand prairie,cosmophere,salt museum,numerous big screen movies,ball games,car races. For a town this size,there is a lot to do if you go look for something to do. But the posters here would rather complain. Re to Tex: 18th Mar 2008 - 16:26 GMT I guess that man had to resort to the dog, because we dont have the sheep here that ya all do in Texas. optomystic: 19th Mar 2008 - 21:20 GMT Hutchinson is an awesome town. Please move here and discover what you are missing. You will be AMAZED! a person: 20th Mar 2008 - 04:24 GMT The good folks of Hutchinson must care about their town one way or another,good or bad. This post keeps getting more and more input,the posts on Salina don't,nor does the Oklahoma post get very much input. I think Hutchinson has some wonderful people here,rich and poor alike. Former Hutchinsonite: 20th Mar 2008 - 16:51 GMT I was wrong, I'm sorry, life in Kansas certainly isn't boring. This was in the Hutch news last week: "Hospital detached toilet seat from woman, sheriff says" WICHITA - Law enforcement officials planned to present their report to the Ness County attorney Wednesday to see if any charges should be filed against a 36-year-old boyfriend whose girlfriend had spent the last two years on a toilet seat. "She was not glued. She was not tied. She was just physically stuck by her body. It is hard to imagine. ... I still have a hard time imagining it myself," Ness County Sheriff Bryan Whipple said in a telephone interview, adding that it appeared her body fat had grown attached to the seat" optomystic: 24th Mar 2008 - 14:46 GMT Why don't you open a new business at the Hutchinson mall? There are now a few open spaces available. Seize this opportunity while you can... Tex: 24th Mar 2008 - 15:48 GMT I actually had to journey up to the fair city of Hutch a couple of weeks ago. I made a visit to your Hutchinson Mall. Do you remember the scenes from 'Dawn of the Dead' where the people are wandering around the big empty mall? That's how I felt, there were no people. Only the clerks running the stores were there. I counted a total of 15 customers the whole time I was there. I felt even sort of creepy and out of place with these stores being open and no customers anywhere. So, I don't know what would possess someone to want to open up a business, just to watch it lose money and go broke. You have to have paying customers to make a business work. And without good paying jobs, there are no good paying customers. So until the powers to be up there, figure out how things are suppose to work, your mall will always be ghost town. This note is for you: 24th Mar 2008 - 18:14 GMT What lucky people in Hutchinson, Kansas, USA, to be able to have a place to live and call it "home". Do you know how much a person earns in a "third world" country?, did you know that they do not get help from welfare checks if they are unemployed?, did you know they do have drugs and corruption problems too? At least in USA you have the chance to change the situation for better if it really matter to you, while in those other places you couldn't not even have a voice on it? Have you stop to think how blessed you are to have what you have?, there is always someone that has it worst than you do. Have you thought about how far could you get ahead in life, if you really want to work for it? Could you think of ONE step to give this town where you live, that could help it? Could you stop for a minute to think, home is what you make of it, wherever it is! You have just ONE life to live. You are in life what you choose to be, so aim for that. Blessings for you all. Reply to This note: 24th Mar 2008 - 22:35 GMT You said it well,now if all the complainers will just listen. Tex: 26th Mar 2008 - 14:11 GMT You are absolutely right, we should be thankful for what we have and the great country that we live in. We are very blessed and fortunate to live in a country where we have the liberties and freedoms that we enjoy. However, make no mistake about it. What we enjoy today didn't come easily, we had to work for it, fight for it, because you can never expect for anything to be given to you. It just doesn't work that way. In life you either progress forward or you go backwards. The same is true for communities, they either grow or they die. When a community starts to die, the first thing that sets in is denial. After that, it's rationalization. We look at our situation and rationalize that things aren't so bad, we could be somewhere else in a worse situation, we could be in a third world country, we could be unemployed without a welfare check, we could be starving and near death. Things aren't so bad (yet). By rationalizing we make ourselves feel better about a situation that we feel we have no control over. Denial and rationalization. Two of the biggest problems that Hutchinson Kansas has. And it costs this city and you a lot. You see it everywhere. Even in city govt. and the decisions that they make. For example: Memorial Hall convention center is a building that is near a century old. The building basically sets empty because of non-use and being out of date. But, the people of Hutchinson didn't want to see it torn down, because it represents the hey days of Hutchinson's past. So the city spends 2.2 million to fix it up. And what is the result? A building that still basically can't be used, because it doesn't even have air conditioning, (which would cost another 1 million) and can only seat about 2,000 people. Plus, you don't have concerts or other large events coming to the city because of the low population and poor economy, and the city knows and admits to this. In the Hutch News on 2/9/08 "One question, however went unasked and unanswered: (at the city council meeting) What will become of Memorial Hall once this last renovation is complete? (They want to spend another $190,000 to fix the roof) No one asked because no one knows the answer. There are only guesses. Mary Hemmings, who as the manager of the Fox Theatre is also contracted with the city to manage Memorial Hall, said the building sits mostly empty because Hutchinson isn't big enough to fill it." So, what purpose does Memorial Hall serve? I'll tell you. I'ts a gravestone to Hutchinson's past. People can drive by it all day and look at it and remember the 'good ole days', the days when events happened there, and the days when life in Hutchinson was active and alive and bustling and the town was growing. It's denial in full operation. And, it's costing you big money. Dare not tear the building down!! for that would bust our denial bubble and we'd have to face reality that our town is shrinking, and the good ole days are gone forever. Now, I'm not for tearing Memorial Hall down. But, why can't the people of Hutchinson spend 2.2 million to educate their unemployed or unemployable in order to equip them to handle the jobs of today, and once having an educated work force, focus on bringing industry in to provide those jobs to those people? To me, that would be a whole lot better use of taxpayer money then spending it on gravestones. Hutchinsonian: 26th Mar 2008 - 15:19 GMT You said it, Tex. I'm with you on that completely. I only wish the rest of our town's citizens were as pragmatic. me: 27th Mar 2008 - 18:07 GMT memorial hall was built in the horse and buggy days,so therefore it lacks proper parking for any sizeable event to take place there. If money was spent on parking, if money is to be spent on the place at all,maybe it would attract events. i personally think it should be a museum.overall,something needs to be done about our fair city,and it boils down to we need better paying jobs here,we need more companies and businesses here.that is the only way we will survive.but what does the average person do to help?really,i would like to know so i can quit my complaining also and help.but i wouldnt know where to begin.we all agree on one thing,bring in the jobs!!!!!! hutch native: 28th Mar 2008 - 07:38 GMT I can't believe this website. Absolutely amazing that so many people have taken the time to rant and rave about how terrible Hutch is. I grew up in Hutch, graduated from Hutch High in 1984 and went to Juco for 1 year. I, too, hated it and couldn't get out fast enough. I went to K-State, then moved to L.A. After living in L.A. for 17 years, I moved to Colorado. Although I do like Colorado, it is growing way too fast for my taste. At this point in my life I would welcome a little "boring", so I am now seriously considering moving back to Hutch. If I want to see some drive by shootings, or robberies, etc., I can always just drive over to Wichita for the day. I don't need that kind of excitement. I would welcome some open space, freedom for my kids, less people, traffic, smog. I am baffled as to why "city" equals "excitement" for so many people. I understand if you're under 25 and haven't lived anywhere else, but if you're older than that it's sort of hard to comprehend. I have had enough of the big city to last a lifetime. You think life is hard in Hutch? Try living in L.A. for awhile, where the difference between you and that homeless guy sleeping on the sidewalk is one paycheck. I know jobs are a problem in Hutch, but I am lucky enough to have a lucrative job that I can do online. I know there are an increasing number of jobs that can be done online now (although a lot of scams as well, so be careful!), but that would only be helpful if you actually wanted to stay in Hutch. I don't need to be entertained to be happy; I can find my own entertainment. I can drive to Wichita or Kansas City if I want to go shopping, or to a big name concert. If all of that stuff was available in Hutch, it would be just like any other big city. And all big cities are just cesspools of humanity; poverty, filth, and crime. The only way you can be shielded from all of that is if you're extremely wealthy. And how many of us are? Re hutch native: 28th Mar 2008 - 16:21 GMT Sounds like somebody that couldn't make it in the real world of work of the big cities, so they had to come back home to mommy and daddy at home. hutch native: 28th Mar 2008 - 19:51 GMT Good one - for your information, "Mommy and Daddy" are no longer on this earth and I've been supporting myself for the past 20 years. So are you saying that the "real world" only consists of big cities? Where does that leave all the people who don't live in big cities? Re hutch native: 28th Mar 2008 - 21:07 GMT If you want to make good money, you have to move to the bigger cities, and I've lived in several large cities and couldn't be happier. If Hutchinson is so great than why is the population shrinking and not growing??? I'ts shrinking because people are choosing to move to the larger cities for better jobs, so what you say isn't supported by the actual facts that you see. I'ts the poor and uneducated that can't leave for the larger cities that make up the bulk of Hutchinson's population. me: 29th Mar 2008 - 04:00 GMT Believe it or not,some people are actually content with living here. I make decent money,I am in nursing,I didn't have to relocate to a big city to make a living for myself and children. But I guess I'm fortunate to have been educated in a field I chose. I do agree that Hutch population is shrinking,that well paying jobs are few and far between,and the poor are outnumbering the middle class. But this is happening everywhere in the good old USA. re: me: 29th Mar 2008 - 14:21 GMT No it is not happening everywhere in the USA. I have lived in large cities for the last 20 years and my prosperty and job income has always been better in a larger town than living in a smaller city such as Hutchinson. Right now I make 72k, if I was in Hutch, i'd be around 35k. Sure, there are those like you doing well in Hutchinson, but we're talking about the majority of people, and the majority of people of Hutch are low income, poor and under educated. Yes, the economy as a whole has slid in the last few years, but the economy in Hutch has been in the tank for the last 50 years. Born&RaisedHutch: 29th Mar 2008 - 17:16 GMT HAHa.. I found this by searching Yahoo for "Meth Hutchinson,KS".. Last summer I visited and seen Meth Zombies walking the streets. Go to A street by R&B burgers.. you'll see it too. or drive on Reformatory street.. It's really went down hill in the last 15 yrs. I feel bad for my family for still living there.. IT SUCKS!, how do you think people stumbled on this site?? Becase they know! me: 29th Mar 2008 - 17:49 GMT The cost of living is much higher in larger cities compared to smaller cities in most cases,so a person has to make more money to cover the higher costs of housing,gas,groceries,etc. But hey,overall I agree with so much that has been posted here. Poor side of town: 30th Mar 2008 - 01:11 GMT I live in Hutch and I am poor. But I am proud. My complaint is this town is getting getto and trashy looking. Come on people,clean up your yards and pick up your trash. Bathe your kids and yourself. Go to Goodwill or yardsales and buy curtains for your house,don't hang up sheets or put in foil in your windows. Do not chain up your starving dogs outside. If you can't treat your dog better,why own one? How would you like to be chained all the time? And it looks trashy. Clean up the old cars and parts off your lawn. Take a garden hose and clean the outside of your house if you can not afford to paint it. Poor does not have to equal trash. Ryan S.: 31st Mar 2008 - 00:04 GMT Apparently these people haven't been to Hamilton, KS. Just 2 hours from Hutch is a speck of nothingness that contains barely 300 people. By 3 PM, no matter what day, mainstreet is dead without any cars driving on it. There are probably more goats than people here. It sucks. Yes:** In another 30 years, Hutch will be that way UNSURE..: 31st Mar 2008 - 22:32 GMT Well I have lived here most of my life. I have 3 kids and a X husband. I hate it here but can't get away from here either. I do not get welfare even though I am a single mom, nor child support as far as that goes. I hate it here my youngest is 10 years old and everyday I PRAY, that they get out of Hutchinson asap. I wish there was a life here and maybe there could of been but it is NO LIE, METH is all around. I know that 4sure because I started using it 8 years ago. I am not a bad person I swear I am not. Alot of people including the police think thet were all nothing ass trash. I wish I could afford some treatment that would work but I have tried many and meth always seems to win. So anyway thats what hutch is to me. A UNSURE PLACE WITH UNSURE LIFE. IF U HAVE NOT USED METH PLEASE DO NOT EVER, MY LIFE IS HELL AND I DONT KNOW HOW TO GET OUT.... To Unsure: 1st Apr 2008 - 00:50 GMT You can start by going to meetings everyday. And I mean everyday. Change your crowd of friends. If you associate with meth users,you will never break away. If you hang out with dogs,you will get their fleas. Change is hard and scary but you can do it. It is easier to stay sick than to change,but for the sake of your kids and yourself,please try harder. I have lost many good friends to meth,I do not think you are a nothing ass trash. I think you are crying out for help and that makes you special. You are special and worth saving. You are one of Gods children. You are worth it. Please do not give up. Keep trying. YOU ARE WORTH SAVING!!! Tex : Re Unsure: 1st Apr 2008 - 01:48 GMT Don't give up, seek help, it's going to be tough, but you can do it. If you have friends and family members that are on it, you'll have to make a difficult decision to get away from them, otherwise they'll always drag you back into it. Ess: 1st Apr 2008 - 02:24 GMT To Unsure- I don't know about all the "God's children" stuff and the worn-out (and not-very-helpful) phrases like "don't give up, seek help", but I can say, as a recovered meth addict, you need to walk away from that shit. It's going to be the hardest thing that you will ever do, but if you don't, you will die sooner than later, and you have no reason to want to do that. You have a family that depends on you. Just stop doing it. I did. and let me tell you what. I about went crazy. I had the foresight to put the kids with their grandmother for a while and just went to the hospital Emergency Room and told them I was a meth addict and needed immediate help before I died or hurt my family or myself. And they treated me right. With respect. They put me in touch with people that gave me free support and even emotional advice for when things got really hard. And now I got myself a job and life sucks really bad sometimes, I'll be perfectly honest, but I look around and see that I'm in control for once. I got my duplex paid and the rent is current, I have a car that runs, and I can feed my kids and be there for them, which they need, even if times are hard, I have bad days, or feel down about how tough life can be sometimes. Trust me- a tough life sober with you in control is better than any life at all with a screwed up head, watching your life quickly go down the toilet. And getting healthy and getting my brain together enough to pull this off is the greatest thing I've done. And I'm so proud of myself, even when I'm broke or discouraged (shit still happens in life, even when the meth is long gone- it's important to keep that perspective so you don't get so stressed out with life that you go back to bad habits). It's like I won the lottery. I'm free, and I run my own life and support my kids. You can do it. And don't be afraid or embarrassed to ask for help. You'll really need it, and you wont be able to do it yourself, at least in the beginning. And there are people out there that can really help you, for free, and they wont judge you. They've been right there where you are now, where I was two years ago myself, and know exactly what its like. They got out. They can show you the way out, too. Do it. Trust me. Don't waste any more time. Or your kid's time. You have it in you to be a great, healthy woman and mom. You just need to seek some help to find that woman who is- and always has been- deep inside of you. SHTHOUSE: 1st Apr 2008 - 13:52 GMT You need to move from Hutchinson. There are alot of meth users in this town. It is sickening. I have seen it before, you try to quit but there are some many people that use in this town that it is impossible. Alot of meth heads want to see you use so that it will bring you down to their level. To Ess: 1st Apr 2008 - 16:44 GMT As one who knows what they are talking about,you are the best to give advice,and your advice was the best. Bless you. This note is for you: 2nd Apr 2008 - 14:51 GMT To all who is not happy in Hutchinson: do something about it. Don't just "talk", if you think you are better off far away, then go far away; if you think there are problems, then give a solution for them, do something! If you don't feel happy living in Hutchinson, you definitely are not making the people that lives with or around you, feel that way either. You have just ONE LIFE. Don't waist it. Blessings for all. ????: 3rd Apr 2008 - 05:10 GMT Anyways, this town is like most of the midwest, going down the toilet fast. what it is: 3rd Apr 2008 - 18:11 GMT Boring is for the bored. No jobs are for those who are not looking. Happiness comes from within,your town can not make you happy. Are things great here? Absolutely not. But quit "yer bitchin" and do something about it if you do not like it here. hutch native:* Could not agree with you more! InternetGal: 5th Apr 2008 - 13:44 GMT Wow, pretty sad commentaries. Just goes to show you can be happy where you are or unhappy where you are. It is all a matter of choice. I've lived in Arizona, Texas (Dallas area and the panhandle), Oklahoma (OKC and the panhandle), and Kansas (southwest and central) and can find something pleasant and something unpleasant about all of the places I've lived. It is unfortunate there are just so many unhappy people out there who have nothing better than to tear down the town rather than try to build it up. I work in Hutch every day and enjoy it and the people. ??: 6th Apr 2008 - 11:59 GMT If Hutchinson is so great than why is the population shrinking rather than growing? The facts are simple, cities grow that people want to live in, cities shrink when people want to leave them. Try addressing the facts instead of fantasies hell its hailing: 8th Apr 2008 - 07:07 GMT This crazy weather! Hell, I suppose that is Hutchinsons fault also. GuRu: 9th Apr 2008 - 02:13 GMT Lets all quick playin grabazz and vote. if u think this town sucks, just reply yes. If u think this is a great place to live, just reply no. I vote yes. And if u vote no, your opinion doesnt really matter anyways because u are probably on the city council trying to kike people left and right. GuRu: 9th Apr 2008 - 02:13 GMT Lets all quick playin grabazz and vote. if u think this town sucks, just reply yes. If u think this is a great place to live, just reply no. I vote yes. And if u vote no, your opinion doesnt really matter anyways because u are probably on the city council trying to kike people left and right. Sick of Kansas: 9th Apr 2008 - 03:11 GMT Yes, good Lord, yes. This place is the suckiest place on the planet. hello: 9th Apr 2008 - 16:53 GMT Bad attitudes on bad people make a bad town. So just move and all will be better. Yes: 10th Apr 2008 - 21:34 GMT 'So just move and all will be better' So does that mean when everybody moves out and the town is empty, Hutchinson will be at its' best? Sounds like that's what people are doing since the population is shrinking hello: 11th Apr 2008 - 04:06 GMT Hutchinson has a chance to be at it's best if all the complainers will move and leave the doers here to try and help this city. The complainers will never go to a city meeting and voice an opinion to try to help whats wrong with Hutchinson,that would be too much work for them. They would rather moan and groan and complain about everything than try and make the situation better. How many of you complainers have actually tried to do anything to help Hutch? If you do not want to attend city meetings,then write a letter,start a petition,do something to help whatever it is you are complaining about. GuRu: 11th Apr 2008 - 07:15 GMT The Do-ers are the ones wreckin the place! and i dont just mean the ones doin meth either. ever wonder why city council got thier butts audited? HHHMMMMMMMMM, i wonder????? Latest example is that dirty water treatment plant that just drove the property value down around 23rd. Not to mention the fact that kids play soccer not 50 yards away from a now industrial zone. Way to go peeps. and lets not forget the 1.6 million spent on the sign on k61 and 50 that says "welcome to hutch", or the 600k one on k61 and 50 north. or the other 600k spent on the roundabout, plus the 40k spent on the giant beercan on top. or the other 300k spent on the animal shelter which could have cost only 30k if the inmates at hcf had done it to begin with.... How about fixin up some streets? How about re-opening the teen center so kids got a safe place to be? How about fixin the southern part of town instead of trying to push north? DDDDDDDDDUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRR! Take a quarter and buy a clue chief. SHTHOUSE: 11th Apr 2008 - 13:48 GMT Well the animal shelter was meant to stop the killing of so many animals, however that fat pig running the place would rather kill than even think about adopting. They are building an information center, they should have expanded the shelter instead of spending more money on an information center. What a joke. What they need to do is just attract business like mcpherson does. Have you been down 35 and seen the construction? Tex: 11th Apr 2008 - 13:50 GMT The powers to be will never focus on building Hutchinson to be a city that provides for it's working middle class or enable people to get the education they have to have to get there. Life is too short and there's too much to see and do to waste your lives away up there. Get out! If you don't have the job skills or education to find a good job outside of that area, then scrounge and save every dollar you can and spend it on classes so that you can qualify for a better job. Then look outside the state of Kansas for that job, and go for it. That's what I did and I've never regretted it since. Zack: 11th Apr 2008 - 15:40 GMT I had the good fortune to be in your city the first week of march and had the time of my life! I went to that space place,I went to a ultimate fight,I went to a salt museum underground, I had the best mexican food in a real cool place to eat,I cant remember the name of it but it was so good.I loved Hutch and hope to come back this summer to work and yes I will have a job. Zack: 11th Apr 2008 - 15:47 GMT Oh and I about forgot to mention that I also saw many good looking girls in Hutch.That really makes me want to move here. SHTHOUSE: 11th Apr 2008 - 21:42 GMT Zack: Where did you see these girls? I rarely see anything worth looking at. Zack: 12th Apr 2008 - 05:19 GMT At that ultimate fight I saw and met more than one babe and also at the mall I saw some cute girls tho there wasn,t a lot of people at the mall I still met hot girls. I can't wait to come back when school is done. SHTHOUSE: 12th Apr 2008 - 14:40 GMT Zack: You are insane, Hutchinson is not full of good looking girls. It is far from known for that. Most of the women in this town are pigs. Zack: 12th Apr 2008 - 16:08 GMT I'm glad YOU feel that way because it leaves more women for me when I move here in June. I met some very nice and HOT babes in Hutchinson,one I still am keeping in touch with since comming back home to N.D. I loved my visit in Hutch and I know my move here will be as exciting. Born and Raised in NYC: 12th Apr 2008 - 23:50 GMT honest to God I wish Boston where I live now was this dead sometimes ... the never ending traffic,rush hour and crush of people on the trains .... and I thought leaving NY I escaped it Tex: 14th Apr 2008 - 01:16 GMT Well, you can't have your cake and eat it too. If you want to make more money and have a wider choice of things to do, then the larger cities are the place to be. But, there will be more traffic, more people, faster pace. That just goes along with it. If you want a slower pace, not much to do, happy with lower wages to live on, then Hutchinson is for you. SHTHOUSE: 14th Apr 2008 - 22:07 GMT ZACK: That is insane my friend. I don't know what brought you here. But it is very misguided. You must think that overweight older women are hot. Perhaps you should take off the beer goggles? SHTHOUSE: 14th Apr 2008 - 22:10 GMT Born and Raised in NYC. Why would you move from one large city to another to escape big city life? I don't understand that. Could it be that you are making stuff up? Tex: 15th Apr 2008 - 14:16 GMT You know, none of the pro Hutch people have yet to answer my question as to why is the population shrinking in Hutchinson, if it is such a good place to live. From P.a.: 15th Apr 2008 - 14:57 GMT I have moved to hutch alittle over 3 years ago,and I wish I could return back to Pa. This town is not what all the other people keep bragging about. I have a 20 year old daughter whom just got back from Iraq and has told me several times she wants to go back over there. Now that is what I call bad for this place. I thought I was coming to a much better place than where I lived at in Pa,But to my surprise it depresses me. I waitress at a small cafe and I see the same people there everyday they come in at least a couple times a day,and just sit there for hours and drink coffee.That is boring. My work place would like to prosper but it can't they would like extend their hours on friday and saturday but are having a hard time because if they draw a bar crowd the police will be causing havoc. Yes I agree that there sure is alot of law enforcement in this town if murder rate is down and it is a nice little town there should be NO need for all the law enforcement. makes a person wonder. From P.a.: 15th Apr 2008 - 14:58 GMT I have moved to hutch alittle over 3 years ago,and I wish I could return back to Pa. This town is not what all the other people keep bragging about. I have a 20 year old daughter whom just got back from Iraq and has told me several times she wants to go back over there. Now that is what I call bad for this place. I thought I was coming to a much better place than where I lived at in Pa,But to my surprise it depresses me. I waitress at a small cafe and I see the same people there everyday they come in at least a couple times a day,and just sit there for hours and drink coffee.That is boring. My work place would like to prosper but it can't they would like extend their hours on friday and saturday but are having a hard time because if they draw a bar crowd the police will be causing havoc. Yes I agree that there sure is alot of law enforcement in this town if murder rate is down and it is a nice little town there should be NO need for all the law enforcement. makes a person wonder. SHTHOUSE: 15th Apr 2008 - 14:59 GMT Tex, they can't answer. They know the truth but in true Hutchinson style they are in denial. Tex: 15th Apr 2008 - 20:48 GMT Statistics show the murder rate is almost nothing, but the non-violent crimes such as burglary, arson, theft, basically property crimes where people are looking to steal to get by, are higher than the national average. The facts show that Hutchinson is not a safe town to live in as the pro Hutch people would have you believe. Me: 15th Apr 2008 - 22:27 GMT To Tex,why do you keep posting on this site and why do you care who answers your questions,if you are so happy to escape Hutch,and you have such a better life and Job? I think you are bored with your new life in the big city or you could care less about what goes on here. The population is shrinking because thank God finally we are getting rid of stupid people like yourself. Home is where the heart is and evidently your heart is still here in hutch or you would go on with your life and not worry about the rest of us who like it here. So give it up,keep loving Texas which by the way I hated,my dad lived in Arlington Texas and the whole place sucks and stinks. Tex Re: Me: 16th Apr 2008 - 16:13 GMT I know people like you don't want to hear the truth, you're probably a crook or a drug dealer that enjoys the lifestyle that exists in Hutchinson since it caters to your lifestyle. But, I enjoy voicing the truth about Hutchinson, (which you would like to hide), so as to possibly motivate people to change their city and help improve their lives. So, I'm going to keep on posting and if you don't like it you can shove it up you @@@. Me: 16th Apr 2008 - 23:09 GMT Oh my!!! It sounds like the truth hurts YOU!!!! The truth for me is I make over 40 grand a year in nursing. I hate all drugs and what they do to people. My father lived in Texas and made tons of money working for I.B.E.W. He also made tons of money working here in Hutch,so my lifestyle is not what you would want it to be. Texas stinks,its full of dirty people and drugs,and more boring than Kansas,to me anyway. So keep posting with your opinion,thats your right,just as it is mine to post and say what I want. WTF: 17th Apr 2008 - 11:37 GMT How do you get out of here? I can't take a bus and there's no train depot anymore.Can I call a taxi? How do I get a train ticket? How do I get North or South since the train only goes East and West? This is really a chicken shit town! Tex: 17th Apr 2008 - 14:25 GMT Since Hutchinson is such a great and growing town (LOL), and no one really wants to go there, they lost their airport traffic years ago, then they lost the bus depot which is really a sad commentary since most most of the bus routes will stop in very small towns. I'ts really amazing that a town will focus on beefing up tourism and they don't even have a way to get people there. What a joke. Outside observer: 18th Apr 2008 - 13:58 GMT I had a chance to recently visit the fine city of Hutch for a job interview. I would say that the city faces many of the same issues that other cities face in the mid-west. I grew up in KS and understand the desire for greener pastures. I have come to realize that opportunity is something you make and not something that is given to you. Let alone provided by a city or job. It was very clear to me as I drove around the city during my brief visit that it was a city that time forgot and that many of the residents are waiting for the good old days to return. I'm sorry to inform you, but that is not going to happen. So if you are wishing that it was California, its not, and the only way it will appear that way is to use the drugs that are discussed in depth on this board. Here is some advice to the young people who are reading and feel some despair associated with living their. The world steps aside for those who know what they want. So the sooner you stop thinking about what Hutch doesn't have and start thinking about what you want, the sooner you will get there. I'm still debating on whether I will accept an offer to relocate to Hutch, but my decision won't be based on what the city has to offer, it will be based on what I want and how much they will pay me. Good luck to you all. Me: 18th Apr 2008 - 18:15 GMT Thank God this is not california,Outside observer,but you made some really good points,and I hope wherever you end up works out well for you. ollie: 21st Apr 2008 - 18:30 GMT Just a word. Worst mistake in the world is to take a job based on how much they will pay you. Do you want in your heart of hearts to live there? Tex: 21st Apr 2008 - 22:11 GMT I have to agree, I've moved to places because of the tremendous increase in pay, thinking that would make up for the shortcomings of the town where the job was located, and at first it works. But after a while if you don't actually enjoy where you're living and the surroundings, the pay won't be enough to compensate for your unhappiness. Mark Salinas: 21st Apr 2008 - 23:49 GMT I am disappointed that town of Salinas is so boring I always wanted to visit the town.:) Mark Salinas, MN Carrie: 22nd Apr 2008 - 22:13 GMT HaHaHa...is this a joke? I just moved here from San Diego, Cali. There may not be alot to do out here....but It's a nice place to raze a family...My hubby has a good job and im a stay at home mom of two and with one on the way. We live in a nice house in a Beautiful naberhood. So...all you haters you need to find someting to do with all your free time! Me: 23rd Apr 2008 - 05:03 GMT I agree with you Carrie. All the boo-hooers want a town to make them happy,they want a job to make them happy,they want a slim chick to make them happy,when will they realize that happiness comes from yourself first,or nothing or no other place will? Former Hutchinsonite Re: Me: 23rd Apr 2008 - 14:50 GMT You need to get back to changing bed pans which is all there is to do in your fine city. Meg from San Diego: 23rd Apr 2008 - 16:42 GMT My boyfriend and I are going to spend the summer in Hutch. He's born and raised SD, I was born in Topeka and couldn't wait to get out of there as a teen. I have lived all over the US and have been in San Diego for several years. We are looking forward to getting away from the craziness for a while. I am hoping to hear a lot of thunder. I am looking forward to hearing the locusts at night. I miss a lot of things about Kansas that I never took the time to appreciate when I lived there. It will be interesting to find out how I feel at the end of the summer. I am very curious about how my boyfriend will like staying in a small town. It is a different world there. By the way, there are a lot of scary people in SD. Lots of drugs. There are people who will shoot you for no reason when you are driving on the freeway. I know 2 people personally who have been shot at by strangers in the last 4 years. There is good and bad everywhere. I think how you like a place has a lot to do with where you've been, what you enjoy and consider important for your life, and what phase of your life you are in. Right now a quiet, "boring town" sounds very nice. (for those of you who "put down" the elderly, just remember that is where we are all heading, yes, even you) Meg from San Diego: 23rd Apr 2008 - 16:42 GMT My boyfriend and I are going to spend the summer in Hutch. He's born and raised SD, I was born in Topeka and couldn't wait to get out of there as a teen. I have lived all over the US and have been in San Diego for several years. We are looking forward to getting away from the craziness for a while. I am hoping to hear a lot of thunder. I am looking forward to hearing the locusts at night. I miss a lot of things about Kansas that I never took the time to appreciate when I lived there. It will be interesting to find out how I feel at the end of the summer. I am very curious about how my boyfriend will like staying in a small town. It is a different world there. By the way, there are a lot of scary people in SD. Lots of drugs. There are people who will shoot you for no reason when you are driving on the freeway. I know 2 people personally who have been shot at by strangers in the last 4 years. There is good and bad everywhere. I think how you like a place has a lot to do with where you've been, what you enjoy and consider important for your life, and what phase of your life you are in. Right now a quiet, "boring town" sounds very nice. (for those of you who "put down" the elderly, just remember that is where we are all heading, yes, even you) Me: 23rd Apr 2008 - 18:14 GMT Meg,it is thundering now as I type this,the Kansas air smells heavenly and fresh,the trees which are numerous are in bloom,the flowers are in bloom,there is no smog,no driveby shootings,life is great here today in Hutch. For those who put down our elderly,what goes around comes around,sooner than one can imagine.You too will someday be using a bedpan and having someone clean you up afterwards. Trust me on this one. Life is so long and slow paced untill you reach 20,then before you know it,you are 40 and on your way to middle age and then old. Period. Former Hutchinsonite Re: Me: 23rd Apr 2008 - 19:33 GMT The only thunder you're going to hear in Hutch are the old farts tooting at night. Former Hutchinsonite: 23rd Apr 2008 - 19:36 GMT And,I wouldn't smell that air too much either, you'll liable to get high. Me: 23rd Apr 2008 - 21:34 GMT I do get high when I smell the air. It is smog free and fresh and clean. You only smell the drugs when you hang around with the druggies or do them yourself,and unfortunately,drugs are everywhere,in every small town and major city,all over the world. former Hutch resident: 24th Apr 2008 - 19:42 GMT I moved from Hutch about 25 years ago. I was born & rised there. Couldn't wait to get out. I lost both my parents 4 years ago & want to come 700 miles to decorate graves this memorial weekend. I can not find a room anywhere. (myself & one other adult) I understand a big truck convention is going on. I called the chamber of commerce to see if the had any ideas. One rude person. A town the size of Hutch can not accomodate 2 people for two nights. Now I know why I left. Rude arrogant people. No "Minnesota Nice" going on there. (I now live in MN). If that were to happen in my town ( a beautiful tourist area) people at the chamber would be happy to try to accomodate the people coming back home.......I have plenty of money to spend, which unfortunately Hutch doesn't want. Can't say I will go back unless for a funeral, which I probably couldn't get a room for either..... optomystic: 25th Apr 2008 - 15:50 GMT I simply LOVE this town. Why don't you move here and experience all the great things that are going on? If you can't rent a room ; you can always sleep in your car.I think you'll really enjoy the area at B avenue and main street.Excellent parking,wonderful Mexican food and the famous Antique District will inspire you. Former Hutchinsonite: 25th Apr 2008 - 17:11 GMT If you can find an empty parking stall, most of theme are probably full with people sleeping in their cars. Former Hutchinsonite: 25th Apr 2008 - 18:23 GMT Oh, I'm wrong, most of them will have lost their cars due to no jobs, so they'll just be sleeping on the street, Me: 25th Apr 2008 - 23:44 GMT Hmmm,I have lived in this town many years and have never seen anyone sleeping on the street or in their cars. Tell me exactly where to find them and I will give them a sandwich or something to help a little. I can afford to do a little to help,as I make a decent living here in Hutch.And no,I don't work for the city,nor am I rich.But please tell me which streets you see the people sleeping on and tell me where all these cars are parked that they are sleeping in so I can help. Me: 26th Apr 2008 - 18:56 GMT Didn't think you could come up with an answer, Former Hutchinsonite. Former Hutchinsonite: 28th Apr 2008 - 13:31 GMT They probably are at the salvation army, or died from neglect. Former Hutchinsonite: 28th Apr 2008 - 13:33 GMT Which brings up a very good question, where are the homeless people in Hutch? Are they 'gotton rid of' Former Hutchinsonite: 28th Apr 2008 - 13:42 GMT Oh, I forgot, you guys are big in prisons and reformatories, because of all the drugs, high crime rate and lack of jobs, the homeless are probably charged with trumped up charges, sent to prison, and you the taxpayer take care of them that way. So you don't have to worry about giving them that sandwich or a little something, I'm sure your great penal system is taking care of them Former Hutchinsonite: 28th Apr 2008 - 13:48 GMT Yea, that's what they mean by 'come share our space' - in a cell at the prison. WTF: Dont'cha just love the politics of this town? Hutchinson Hater,Now: 30th Apr 2008 - 21:28 GMT I just looked in the Hutchinson News today and noticed that in todays paper Apr 30 2008 that Officer Mike Collins of the Hutchinson PD and his assisting thug Mr. Schofield beat a dog until it was dead. They hit the dog in the head with a baton and then with a shovel. This is my opinion shows how immature and uneducated most of the Hutch PD is. They took it upon themselves to injure to dog for no reason whatsoever. It is sicking to think these thugs are the ones patrolling our streets. I think we all need to let the city council see that these thugs need to be removed from the our police force by termination of their employment. We need people that act responsible. Not like abusive idiots. Me: 30th Apr 2008 - 21:34 GMT Then go to city council meetings and voice your concerns by all means. But people like yourself would rather hate and complain then do something to better this town because you are obviously to lazy to do anything. This question is for all you haters: how many city council meetings have you attended? Are you aware they are open to public? Re: Me: 1st May 2008 - 15:18 GMT If you bother to read this entire thread you'll see that people have gone to the city council meetings, only to be insulted and ignored. Tex Re: Me: 1st May 2008 - 16:52 GMT If you weren't so ignorant, you'd realize that once a group of people have power and control over a community, they won't give it up easily, no matter what the people say or think. Perfect example is our federal govt. and George Bush Jr. Me: 1st May 2008 - 17:21 GMT I have read the entire thread and only one person if I recall correctly complained about not being treated fair. And Tex,if you weren't so ignorant,you would find something better to do in Texas than waste your time on this post. And yes, Bush sucks. Tex: 1st May 2008 - 19:23 GMT Like I said the pro hutch people simply want to deny the facts and insult the ones telling the truth. And why don't you address why that one person wasn't treated fairly by the city council?? Because you don't want to address the issues, you simply want to ignore them. You know that if there's one person on here who had that experience, chances are there are a hundred others like her. Tex: 1st May 2008 - 19:26 GMT Here's a quote from an earlier post. "I was watching the city council last summer, talk to a group of individuals who didn't want their taxes raised in order for new development next to their property. One of the City Councilmen (which i won't say his name) - told them they can say what they want, but he already had his mind made up, so it didn't matter. The only reason why they were allowing the people in that neighborhood to speak was because of protocol." So, Me go ahead and keep wasting our time with your worthless posts. solo: 1st May 2008 - 20:37 GMT Thanks for showing the beautiful pictures of St. Elizabeth's Alcoholic's Anonymous. Inside that room and other rooms like it all over the world.... I have found the secret. (Love and Tolerance) Me: 2nd May 2008 - 03:52 GMT The grand old beautiful trees are in bloom in colors of pinks,white,purples and of course green in Hutchinson. The horrible ice storm could not kill,they came back strong.The haters can not kill this fair city either,Hutch is also to strong to kill. Tex : 2nd May 2008 - 14:09 GMT Look at that!!, change the subject and talk about trees and flat out ignore the issue of the city council brushing off a taxpayer. What a bunch of phonies, keep on posting, your own words speak volumes of your shallowness. unhappy in hutch: 2nd May 2008 - 14:53 GMT I have read the "hype" lingo from "me'. JUST GO TO CITY COUNSEL MEETINGS ..... and voice you complaints. You know its open to the public. "me" is a brainwashed numb-skull. YES I have gone to the city meetings. The citys leaders are all asleep!!!!. I'm sorry, some of them are mumbling brainwashed numb-skull gaw-gaw .And the professional atmosphere is not present, and the problem solvers do not exist. The power play is the machine that grinds against confused and unhappy tax payers True caring does not exist!!!!! Oh by the way, the Hutchinson tax payers pay do pay the council to sleep and ramble among them selves.... Me: 2nd May 2008 - 17:18 GMT Then move to Texas like Tex did and you will be so blissfully happy that you will not have time to post here. Tex : 2nd May 2008 - 18:21 GMT Yes come on down, you'll are welcome! It's a little piece of heaven down here, I earn about twice as much (72k) as what I made up there, no state income tax, no taxes on your cars, just a $64 tag fee. The women are gorgeous, fit and trim and very friendly!! And, no the cost of living is not that much higher. For example, you can rent a newer 3 bedroom home, 2 car garage, 3 bath, with 2 living rooms, den, dining room, 2 blocks from the beach for $1100 per month. Elect last month ran $73, gas $24, of course being in the gulf coast region the temp. is usually warm all year round, but even in peak heat season the highest utility bill I've seen was $275. So, don't fall for that bullshit that just becuase wages are higher you're spending all of it on the cost of living, it's just not true. And, like I said before, if life in Hutch is so great, then why is the population shrinking and not growing? unhappy in hutch: 2nd May 2008 - 23:11 GMT I cant believe "me' gave such a lame response to a suggestion of going to public meetings. I did go and nothing positive came of it. So Mr."Me" Isnt in ironic you comment and have plenty of time to make your rude stupid statements. by posting here. Do you work? or do you get gov help. I work all of the time. Tex has some valuable info. And I know hes right. But if you are established and own a business, you are basically locked in. I want this city run with people that need to be there.Duh is that over your head "me"? Me: 3rd May 2008 - 21:12 GMT To Unhappy: If you want this city ran by people who will "be there",then vote for who you think is qualified to run this city right. Everyone complains,but does nothing to change things. For example,everyone complains about Bush, including me, but he ended up running this country for a long time because people voted for him. Go out and vote for city leaders who will do a better job. Thats your right. And yes, I work and work hard. I do not own a business. And I will quit being rude to Tex, because I do think he is truly a southern gentleman. cityman: 6th May 2008 - 17:01 GMT That sounds great but you only get to vote for city council members one in your district and one at large posistion. Council members do not get fair compensation for their duties.You get what you pay for!!!! All have other jobs or businesses to run. the council meetings are during the week at 9:00 am most working people cannot attend.This is how it works here and how it will always be this way. this town is ran by a few people with money and influence. they are not council members or the mayor.it is still the good ol boys Vsmitty36: 6th May 2008 - 21:47 GMT ok, so lets be truthful who ever took the pictures above obviously didn't live here. That building that you knew oh so much about is an old hospital and what exactly is the name of the highway?? Oh yea- that would be Monroe STREET!! And for whoever said that this town is full of white trash??? You lived here once ( or so you say) so what does that make you?? Point proven. BigGaloot: 7th May 2008 - 10:57 GMT Moved here to Hutch 11 yrs. ago for better job. Now job market is terrible here and no new industry moving in. Reminds me of Great Bend KS where all the old money wouldn't let any new buisness in to take a piece of thier financial pie. Seems to be the same here. Current employer constantly threatens thier employees with the loss of our jobs and goes out of thier way to remind us we can be easily replaced and how hard another job would be to find here. Not alot to do here either, spend most of my weekends visiting friends out of town. I don't have alot of faith in things gettng better. Alot of the problems are just the sign of the times with illegal imigration and slow economy but can't help but think this could be alot better town all around if some new industry would be allowed in. optomystic: 7th May 2008 - 13:14 GMT Why is everyone so upset? Just do what you are told and don't complain. Hutchinson is a wonderful place and don't you forget it!As a prisoner learns to love his cell- so will go your life here. Quit complaining and work hard for those in control. Mrs.L: 7th May 2008 - 16:10 GMT For all of the people who are down on Hutch; how old are you?? For the people who think this town is such an awful place, you must be young. I am still in my twentys, but I love this town for the most part. Sure the employment is small, and there is not alot for young people to do, but I find many things here that I couldn't find elsewhere. I recently moved from NM and I love being able to walk my son down the street and not worry about gangs, or drive-bys. I love to sit outside and work on my garden, or go to the mall and be in and out in no time(because yes..it is getting smaller) I love going to dinner and having the "long wait" on a friday night only be 5 minutes compared to 2 hours in a big town. When I want more shopping, or some activitiy, I can drive 35 minutues away and find it. But I am glad I can raise my son in a small town. Where you live is your choice...do what makes you happy and dont judge what others want. 67502 May 7, 2008: 7th May 2008 - 19:03 GMT Hutch has not grown since I came here in 1978. It's a retirement town with lots of low income housing and those people DO NOT support our downtown or help us stay in business. No great jobs for our children to stay in town. No shopping downtown and the mall is dark and dead. Should have put the mall connecting to downtown. Good place to raise children but Hutch is a very clicky town. There are gangs here, don't kid yourself. Live here and drive to Wichita to eat and shop. Me: 8th May 2008 - 11:20 GMT I would rather stay in my hometown to eat and shop,because everyday you hear of a shooting or some other violent crime happening in Wichita. omabradshaw: 8th May 2008 - 17:57 GMT Hello-I was born at Grace Hospital(8th & Main);went to Central Grade School(it was on 5th Street by the Catholic Church);Faris grade school;Sherman Jr High;Hutchinson Sr. High School.I enjoyed my years growing up in Hutch.Of course,that was before everyone was preoccupied with pc's,electronic games,drugs,etc.It was a small community that respected the town and the citizens that we were a part of.I did leave in 1976 & have only been back to visit once.What it is now probably is a lot different than it was 20 yrs ago but it's the citizens that make it what it is.If you don't like it,change it- or leave. omabradshaw: 8th May 2008 - 18:05 GMT Does anyone have pics of the schools I listed? The old Central Grade school was on 5th street and was tore down around 1960-ish.The Catholic church took the land and used it for a playground for their students. Andie: 9th May 2008 - 11:24 GMT Cody, I know you and your family personally. I grew up in Hutchinson and attended church with you. You are not representative of the average Hutchinsonian. Your mother is a hospital administrator and your father is the Chief of Police in Hutchinson. You also grew up in the affluent part of town. I am pretty sure that your success is due in large part to the financial means of your successful parents. Who gave you the money to start that business and buy that house? If you are typical of most Hutchinsonians you would not be able to afford starting a new business. Most Hutchinsonians do not work for the city, county, hospital, police department, or fire department. Most Hutchinsonians work in manufacturing or fast food. I know I was born in Hutchinson and I lived there for twenty five years. Below the second part of Cody's reply is my retort to it: But because it has a given me a good place to try and run a business, it has given me a good place to raise a great family, it has given me a place to buy a decent home that was in my budget, it has given my Children a good recreation system and plenty of opportunities to get involved in things, it has given my children a great opportunity for a free education, because of all those things and alot of others, I don't have anymore time to waste in here, I need to get back to taking advantage of all the opportunities Hutchinson Ks gave me. As for the rest: Your children do not get a free education. Be factually honest. You pay the school fees, activities fees, books, lunches, etc. I hardly call that free. What exactly have you gotten involed in lately? Because when I knew you growing up I never remember you getting involved in either school or church. The vast recreational opportunities of Carey Park, Salt City Pools, softball and baseball diamonds, the dying Hutchinson Mall and downtown, and so on do not provide a means of living. Why don't you get back to all those activities you are involved in? Here was my Hutchinson experience (not at all similiar to Cody's) My parapalegic father who had a college degree in Economics could not find a job for years. When he initially left Hutchinson to attend Marymount College in Salina he was able to find a job as a bookkeeper. He returned to Hutchinson and the only place that would hire him was the fire department as an overnight dispatcher. He had to give that up to get custody of his children from an abusive, neglectful mother. Then he went decades without finding another employer who would hire him. A lot of employers in Hutchinson refused to hire him because he was in a wheelchair. Years later in the mid nineties he found a job with agency that helps the mentally and physically challenged live in the community outside of institutions. This was the only other employer who would hire him and it was not for lack of trying. My sibling and I were forced to live in poverty because of this. After receiving my high school education I left Hutchinson to persue my college education. Unfortunately I had to return due to personal circumstances but once I was able to I left again. I have never moved back. The last time I went back was the year my mother was sodomized, beaten and raped in her own home. This was only one month after my father passed away. What a nice town! Hutchinson is drug infested, as a matter of fact Reno County which is the county where Hutchinson is located in, is the top meth producer in the United States. All the statistics previously stated about Hutchinson are accurate. I have looked them up myself but if you do not believe me check them out in the Department of Labor and the Department of Education websites. I agree Hutchinson is a ----hole! observer: AMEN! omabradshaw: 10th May 2008 - 16:11 GMT When I lived in Hutch, most of the people drove to Wichita to work.At that time there were a lot manufacturing businesses(Boeing Aircraft,etc).In Hutch the 2 main big businesses were Dillon's & Cessna Fluid Power.By the time I was out of high school, a lot of these businesses began having production profit problems & by 1976, the places started laying off & closing down.A city can't bring in new business if there is no incentives.And Hutch government has nothing to offer DDWhitecotton: 12th May 2008 - 07:35 GMT Hey Hutchinson, I also live in sunny San Diego. I was raised in Hutchinon until I was 17, Kweed was the deal then, dragging main and hanging out at the sonic and a & w rootbeer drive inns. You know there is some truth in a stale city. I left there 29 years ago, and I still have family in Hutch. I went back to Hutch 3 years ago for a funeral and came across 2 of my teen aged friends. They looked exactly the same, doing the same ol thing, "getting high" what a waisted life. It seems that those who could escape did and those that stayed behind are in a time warp. But anyway, I love coming back home to my child hood Hutchinson. Well, if anyone reading this blog recognises (?) my name ~ say hello @ hehearsmewhenicall@cox.net. yep its me: 14th May 2008 - 13:57 GMT Hutch may not be a metropolis--but thats what I like about it. Its just like anywhere you live it is what you make of it. If you have a shitty attitude about this town, go away, chances are that we don't want you here anyway. I have always managed to find a job when I need one, I guess the difference between me and those of you who think its a shithole is that I am not lazy. Leftin1991: 14th May 2008 - 20:43 GMT I left for college in '91 and have only been back to visit. Hutchinson is a retirement community and sports one of the largest populations of nursing homes per capita in the midwest. You can't drive 2 miles without seeing a nursing home or "retirement village". I wouldn't be surprised if the NJCAA moves the Basketball Tourney to another site. Me: 16th May 2008 - 05:15 GMT The NJCAA has and always will be held here. Good ole Hutch hangs on to it's traditions. Miss_1989: 17th May 2008 - 05:50 GMT I had lived in hutch for 12 years growing up as a child, but my family ended up moving due to my parents job transfers and also because Hutchinson (even in the middle class neighborhoods) were becoming crime infested. Now, I will agree that Hutch is nothing more than a mere ghost town. But what I do recall is that Hutchinson used to have "Picnic In The Park" that was put on by the First National Bank in downtown. Anybody on here ever recall this event too? It was put on during the summer in the early to mid 1980's. The bank used to have a band play in the park gazeebo and have a small conession stand with your choice of Mountain Dew or Pepsi. I do remember that Day care (as I knew them as the friendship units) would sometimes take us kids down here to listen to the music, get a soda and we all had to bring our own lunches. (I do believe this was once in the location where one of the free water parks now stands in the downtown area?) Growing up as a kid in Hutch had it's share of fun times and plenty to do. There was never a boring day in Hutch. Not only was there picnic in the park, but every so often there was also "The Main Street Event". I agree as there is a lot of unemployment in Hutch and it has been ruined by the crime and its too bad, but it finds its way to everywhere, no matter where a person lives. Also, does anybody on here recall two very old apartment buildings built pre- 1920's that used to be behind the Hutchinson Public Library in the very early 1980s ? These buildings would have been located directly behind the Hutch Public Library. One had been stuccoed white, and the other one right beside it near the street corner was brown stucco and both had mansard roof tops. I can't recall the street addresses to either of those demolished old apartment buildings seeing that it has been many, many years now since they were knocked to the ground. Maybe someone who has lived in Hutch all their lives would know what I'm trying to describe of those buildings from my memory. I do recall that the building my family and I lived in at that time had faulty (outdated) wiring, and there was a robbery that occuried in the white apartment building in broad daylight one floor above our apartment where we had lived. So, yes Hutch always was a bad place to live even from my earliest recollections growing up there as a child. And those pictures somebody took and posted on here aren't much. Before you go posting about abandon buildings with little to no information try to look up the history behind them, you might be surprised at what information you might come across. Thats all I have to say.- Miss_1989 Me: 28th May 2008 - 18:03 GMT The crime in Hutch is nothing compared to other cities. Crime is everywhere,in every town or city and thats just the way the world is today. I still feel much safer living here than I would a lot of other places. Is Hutch perfect? Far from it. But name me one town or city that is. New to Hutch: 28th May 2008 - 20:28 GMT I just moved here a few months ago, and while I agree that Hutch is not the best town in the world. It's not the worst either. There's a lot of complaint about the city leaders, but I have a lot of faith in our fairly new City Manager, John Deardoff. I think Hutch is going to try and clean up. Lots of the City departments have new management and they're all looking to make Hutch a great city. Lets stop complaining and see what happens in the next 5 years. Andie: 6th Jun 2008 - 17:07 GMT Dear Yep its me, There is a difference between a "job" and a "career where you can make a living and support your family on. Hutchinson offers plenty of the former and not the latter. This would explain why most of the jobs left in Hutchinson are manufacturing, retail and fast food. I left Hutchinson for Kansas City to find a "career" and now I am no longer struggling to get by paycheck-to-paycheck. I have a "career" in the pharmaceutical business as opposed to a "job" which is what you have. Most Hutchinsonians are either on assistance or are struggling to get by as I was. Take an honest look around Hutchinson and you will see that most of the major employers, such as fortune 500 companies, have left town. The only major employers there are Wal-Mart, Hutchinson Hospital, and the city. As for your statement that you are glad I left I must reply so I am I. MrBrenzo: 7th Jun 2008 - 18:00 GMT Hutchinson Kansas is a boring place, if you are a boring person. I lived in Hutch until I was 15 and remember it fondly. the state fair only happens once a year, but it was a good time and my folks lifted the normal curfew of 8 so that i could stay out really late with my freinds, and the rest of the year i just went to school and did the school things. alright enough with the childhood stuff. i am currently in the navy and have lived in japan as well as spain, and visited nearly every other place you can imagine. so i can give a good world perspective. despite it's problems, kansas is a beutifull place to be from, and hutch is in the heart of it. i am not even the only one to think so, recently i meet a women working as a protocol functionary at the U.N. in switzerland. she was from argentina, but went to hutch jucco as a foreign exchange student for a year. i spent an entire evening remeniscing about hutch with this woman and was surprised to find out we did not know each other, but had freinds in common. that would not happen in larger cities, and as big as the world truly is, i am surprised it happened at all. the beuty of it was that she gained an appriciation for the mellow, understated outlook on life that people from kansas are known for. and i find the cynisysm in previous comments do not become us. the other thing that foreingners like is the way we speak. where ever i go, people tell me they like the kansas way of speaking and appriciate the nuetrality of our accent. it is also very helpful when it comes to learning other languages. i understand there might be economic woes there at this time, but that is hardly unique to hutch or even the U.S. trust me i have seen worse and i cannot help but to feel hopeful, the u.s. as a whole and is still very strong economically. for tips on how to survive or even flourish in these current conditions, start talking to your grandfolks about the great depression and WW2, or to the mexican imigrants who came to hutch for work. they know how to make do with a little, and ultimately that is the problem we have to address. americans are used to getting everything they want all the time. it might be time to tighten our collective belts. best of luck to all of you and take care. hugglez924: 8th Jun 2008 - 02:11 GMT I have lived in Hutchinson nearly all my life and it is a wonderful place to live and raise a family. My children are grown and dont plan on moving to any other town. The pictures that were posted were of the old St Elizabeth Hospital, loooooooong after the new Hutchinson Hospital was built. It is NOT across from ANY highway. So is someone would lie about something so small, what more would they lie about? ponders. It is located on Monroe Street around 22nd street. I find all the immature comments very funny. Only children would find a city "boring". If you are bored, then you would be bored no matter where you lived. Just ask teenagers and young adults in New York City, Miami Florida, or even Los Angeles California. I have. Depends on who you speak with. As for no employment, get an education then maybe you will be in a position to give educated opinions? Someone asked for a list of things Hutchinson Kansas has to offer besides the friendly people or that it is a nice place to live? Ok....Hutchinson does have the Space Discovery Center, an OmniMax theater, the Kansas State Fair, an excellent college, an indoor water park, clean and beautiful parks, salt mines that are open to the public (if you have never been down there..its awesome!), it is centrally located to alot of other great/historic places to visit (in all directions), health care facilities to rival bigger cities, and not to forget the annual NJCAA basketball tournament (if its good enough for the nation, it should be good enough for the residents). There are 10 things someone asked for. Like a home, a homeTOWN is what you make it! Andie: 9th Jun 2008 - 17:17 GMT hugglez924, I do have a degree as a matter of fact it is in Health Care Administration. Currently I am working towards a Masters in Health Care Administration and I still feel that the job opportunities in Hutchinson are quite poor. Your rosy view of Hutchinson is very optimistic but not quite accurate. If I may ask what exactly is your wonderful job opportunity and what is your educational degree in? Please fully read ALL the comments before meaking such broad assumptions about all the posters on here. Tex : 9th Jun 2008 - 18:54 GMT Yes, if you're a young person you really have to ask yourself what are the career options in Hutchinson. I just recently received a 12k raise with a 32k bonus for the year, which for the first time in my life put me over $100,000 earning per year. Could I have ever hoped to earn that kind of money in Hutchinson, hell no. My advice to the young people is to get your education and get the heck out of there. Me: 9th Jun 2008 - 19:39 GMT To Andie My goodness,you would have all kinds of career opportunities here in good ole Hutch if you have a degree in Health Care Administration. The health care field is booming here. So come on back to Hutch where the air is clean,the people friendly,the crime rate low,the trees are beautiful,the sunset is awesome. We need young professionals like you. RN1980: 13th Jun 2008 - 06:16 GMT My question to all you HATERS is: What makes your town/city so much better? Every community in this country as problems with drugs and poor "white trash" or "illegal immigrants". The photos posted ARE NOT a fair representation of this city. The grass isn't always greener on the other side. Maybe instead of sitting around BITCHING, ya'll could do something to make life better. You're bored? Open a new business or club. Be a doer instead of a complainer and then maybe, just maybe, you'll see the positives in life because boring or not, every community has its positives. CS: 14th Jun 2008 - 22:15 GMT Believe me there are a lot worse places to live than Hutchinson. To all of you who don't like Hutchinson, I sincerely hope that you are happy where you are living. Maybe Hutchinson just isn't "right" for you. Ruth: 17th Jun 2008 - 00:24 GMT So many bitter people. I grew up in Hutch and would not take the experience for anything in the world. I am sure it has gotten much worse in every town across the nation with drugs, more people, illegals, etc. Try to make it better instead of complaining. oevre: 17th Jun 2008 - 17:42 GMT Q: If you were driving down seventeenth and you realized you had a million dollars in your backpack, which you didn't realize you had, and you are seventeen years old, would you plan on spending your life in Hutchinson, Kansas? Me: 18th Jun 2008 - 00:49 GMT Re to oevre If I had a million,I would travel and visit some really cool places,then I would settle down while I was still young and buy a really nice home here in good ole Hutch,and start up a business of some kind. Tex: 18th Jun 2008 - 15:38 GMT I don't drive down 17th, I drive to work in a brand new convertable down streets lined with palm trees and seagulls flying overhead. Because I live and work in a city that promotes good paying jobs and desires to make an effort to see that its citizens can work, make good money, and really enjoy life. Tex: 18th Jun 2008 - 16:53 GMT I saw today in the Hutch News where some poor 44 yr old guy shot himself in the head up there. I don't know his background, but he probably was poor and broke and couldn't see any future for his life. My advice again to the young up there is to get an education, and find a job that makes at least $50k a year. And, I don't believe that many jobs like that exist in Hutchinson, Ks. If you want to make a career at working at the local Kwik shop at $7.00 an hour, you will starve and die. The world is not going to get easier, it's going to get rougher and if you don't equip yourself, you're going to find it hard to survive. In this day and age, where you live and work is not an issue to be taken lightly, its a matter of life and death, just look at the suicide rates. Me: 19th Jun 2008 - 18:37 GMT Re to Tex According to USA-TODAY.COM,depression and suicide rates by state list Texas at number 10 and Kansas at number 28,so it's obvious what state has the most depressed and suicidal residents. And it has nothing to do with Texas being the larger state. Me: 19th Jun 2008 - 18:49 GMT Re to Tex And according to CNN-MONEY.COM,as of April 2008, unemployment rates state by state list Kansas at number 17 and Texas at number 19,so it sounds like we are not that far below Texas. Tex: 19th Jun 2008 - 22:56 GMT Well, I don't think it takes rocket science to see that there are more $50,000 a year plus jobs in Texas than there are in Hutchinson, Ks. Unemployment is everywhere, and if you don't have an education, you'll be just as unemployed in Texas as you will be in Kansas. And, there are a lot of places in Texas that I would not live, BUT the point is that there are a lot more opportunities in Texas than there are in Hutchinson, Ks. Besides the Health care field, prove to me that Hutchinson has opportunities for $50k plus jobs by naming the companies up there that would pay those kind of wages. Tex: 19th Jun 2008 - 23:07 GMT And according to CNN-Money, Texas has 102 Fortune 500 companies while Kansas has 5. So, tell me where the job opportunities are. Duh Me: Re to Tex And your point is? Tex: 20th Jun 2008 - 13:39 GMT The point is for most wage earners if you want to make good money, you won't be living in Hutchinson, Ks. Peter: 20th Jun 2008 - 14:10 GMT after watching this thread for almost two years, the inability to earn a good wage is the least of many reasons why id never live in hutchinson, hahaha... Me: 20th Jun 2008 - 22:00 GMT Re to Peter Can't say I wouldn't blame you after reading so much negativity,but people like Tex who don't even live here but keep posting negative and slanderous comments,especially about the man who committed suicide,is enough to turn anyone away. But you know what I find ironic and even amusing? Tex obviously has strong ties and bonds and happy memories of Hutchinson, his hometown,or he wouldn't read our newspaper every day, or post on this site so much. What I can't understand is if Tex is so happy and contented in Texas, why doesn't he let go of his bad memories of Hutch,and move on with his life in Texas? The answer is obvious. Tex still has a strong bond with this fair city, or he would have moved on long ago. But Tex is right about one thing. An education is important to get ahead and to help attain a decent job,no matter where you live. Peter: 21st Jun 2008 - 04:53 GMT it seems like you fellas have managed to make this into a "you versus tex" argument, as opposed to a "hutch versus the rest of the world" thread, and i think the constant tit-for-tat bickering is pretty lame. surely you guys know that any impartial reader, if they care, will simply read this to get some viewpoints, research it themselves, and make their own conclusions. as of now, this thread is like 50 pages of silly, subjective arguments. as i said about a year ago, its really a shame that none of you all have posted any more photos of hutch to show us all its other facets that you so voraciously claim werent shown in these photos. Tex: 21st Jun 2008 - 15:16 GMT They don't have any defense to my claims, they don't comment on specific issues I bring up, they don't engage in a meaningful discussion on the topics, because they know everything that I have said is the truth and they don't have any defense for the truth, except to try to insult me for telling it. I find it rather humorous to read their comments, it brings a lot of laughter to my day, and that's why I post so much. Never in my life have I've seen such outlandish responses to my comments, and what's even more funnier is I bet they actually believe people can't see through their stupidity Peter: 21st Jun 2008 - 15:28 GMT so how about some photos? anyone in hutch got a camera or cameraphone, by any chance? it would be nice to actually see some of the town, as opposed to just reading endless blabber about it. this is (mostly) a photoblog, after all :) Tex: 21st Jun 2008 - 16:06 GMT I'll post a picture, this is Memorial Hall Convention Center. This is the building that the city spent over 2.2 million to fix up and still can't be used because it can only seat 2,000 people and doesn't even have air conditioning. (Which would cost another 1 million) This is Me's tax dollars at work, producing a good return for the folks of Reno County.) (Or maybe that was a good return for the ones that did the work??) Tex: 21st Jun 2008 - 16:17 GMT Here's another one, this is the Kansas Cosmosphere, one of the recent winners in the "Wonders of Reno County". It was started my Max Ary, who stole space artifacts from his own museum and sold them for personal gain. He was later convicted and sentenced to 3 years in prison. Gosh, it's really a 'wonder' how all these bad things can go on in a nice little town like Hutchinson Peter: 21st Jun 2008 - 17:06 GMT thats what im talking about, tex! thanks. see, to us outsiders that have no idea what these places/things are that you guys have been talking about forever, photos and descriptions really add impact to the conversation. id love to see more. and its really great when people dont just slap up photos, but also take the time to explain what its a photo of, and give some of their views on it. sweet. Me: 21st Jun 2008 - 21:57 GMT Re to Tex and Peter I would post pics here,but I do not know how.Maybe I can get my 17 year old to do it for me,but she is usually too busy,like many other folks here in Hutchinson,who are contented and happy.People are busy strolling through the beautiful Dillons nature center,patronizing our awesome two free water parks,or our well known indoor water park.Or perhaps everyone is at the Salt City Splash which draws one heck of a crowd,young and old alike.Or perhaps a lot of folks might be at one of our hip coffee shops which features bands for entertainment.Or just maybe people are at our well known antique district.Lets see,last week was the downtown art fair and the bike rally,I know that kept many people busy.Perhaps everyone is busy golfing at our exceptionally beautiful golf courses,one which is one of the best in the United States.Or perhaps folks are touring the Salt Mines which is an experience you will always remember.And yes,their is the Cosmophere,also nationally known and a great experience for many.On any given weekend,you can go to the Grand Prairie Convention Center,their is always some event going on.This coming weekend is going to be another event which also was held in March,and it drew a huge crowd,totally packed the center.You will also find many people busy at our race tracks,also at Fun Valley ball diamonds which Hutch is also known for.Or you just might find good people sitting under one of our thousands of beautiful shade trees drinking tea,try doing that under a palm tree!!!! So I guess people are too busy to post,or like me and don't know how,but I will see what I can do.And in the meantime,Tex,please come back home.It breaks my heart to hear you being so homesick for your hometown. Hutchinson Escapee: 22nd Jun 2008 - 07:08 GMT I'm not a religious person, but if there is a town in this county that truly is cursed, it's hutchinson, KS. The corruption at the judicial level is staggering. The forces that be actually got the law changed FOR THE ENTIRE STATE that would have required a sitting Judge to retire at age 70. This was to keep the still sitting Judge Rome on the bench - lap dog for prominent lawyer and former Mayor of Hutchinson, Brad Dillon - heir to the Dillon family dynasty (The Dillon's Grocery Store chain, now owned by Kroger was founded in Hutchinson, KS). At least one lawsuit so far this year was thrown out for having been decided behind closed doors in Judges chambers by Judge Rome and Brad Dillon without ever SERVING the defendant, much less was the case heard in open court. Keep in mind: the law that was changes to let a geriatric Judge stay on the bench was changed to accommodate a Judge in HUTCHINSON! Not Topeka; not Kansas City, not Wichita - HUTCHINSON! These are some very powerful people and the corruption isn't going away anytime soon - Brad Dillon is now running for the Reno County Commissioners spot (3rd District). Mmm-boy! Add to that a disproportionate number of registered sex offenders and pedafiles (say, compared to a major metropolitan city), and you have got one of the most God forsaken cities I know. Last year saw charges being filed against and the arrest of one of Hutchinson's finest (a Hutchinson police officer) for allegedly repeatedly sexually assaulting his 16 year old step daughter. I believe the trial is still going on... You know, it's not that the big cities are "better" - you expect to see the worst in people there... but in small town America? It used to be that small towns were where you went to get away from the riffraff and corruption. Unless of course, that town is Hutchinson, KS. Me: 22nd Jun 2008 - 08:26 GMT Re to Hutchinson Escapee Actually the Dillon Grocery Store chain was founded in the Sterling and Lyons area. As far as the judicial system being corrupt,show me one that isn't.The men who run this country are corrupt and always have been and always will be. Is it fair? Is it right? Hell no it isn't. Where can I research about the lawsuit that was thrown out? This interests me. I would like to know more about this. I do not recall the police officer incident,but I'm not saying it didn,t happen,just that I don,t recall. And Rome is a judge that is firm but fair,thats probably the reason he is still sitting. Brad Dillon? I don't know anything about him that you haven't allready mentioned,but I do know casually some of the other Dillon family members,and I can truthfully say they are the nicest people you could ever hope to meet.And I am a lower middle class citizen and have always been treated with nothing but respect from them. As far as sex offenders and pedafiles,I don,t know that we have more than any other town this size. But even one is one too many. Hutchinson Escapee: 22nd Jun 2008 - 10:48 GMT If a NYPD cop was charged and arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting (repeatedly) his 16 year old step daughter, it would be a national outrage and Nancy Grace would have a field day with it... Not in Hutchinson! Ostrich-syndrome abounds! "I don't recall the police officer incident". Of course not! Do yourself and every other Hutchinsonian a favor: vote for Brad Dillon in the August primary and then again in November for the general election. This way you are sure to continue to get more of the same. Hutchinson Escapee: 22nd Jun 2008 - 11:41 GMT Oops... seems Ryan Bloom wasn't a Hutch PD officer... no, he was a cop for a different city that LIVED IN AND COMMITTED his crime in Hutchinson, KS - and my mistake again - she wasn't 16 - she was 12. I found this RENO COUNTY Classic while searching out the cop story: Man on parole for animal crime, suspected in second Author: Darcy Gray - The Hutchinson News - dgray@hutchnews.com Date: February 21, 2008 Publication: Hutchinson News, The (KS) A 20-year-old man on probation in Reno County for criminal sodomy of an animal was arrested Tuesday night in Wichita on suspicion of the same crime. Joshua Brian Coman, of Pretty Prairie, was arrested after Wichita police responded to a burglary at a residence, Police Lt. Sam Hanley said. "The homeowner reported she saw him in the garage with her 4-year-old Rottweiler," Hanley said. Officers suspect Coman broke into the garage before committing the crime. Classic... a true dog lover. Me: 22nd Jun 2008 - 18:07 GMT Re to Hutchinson Escapee That sick pervert lived in Pretty Prairie,as you stated,not Hutch,the sick pervert who sexually assulted and killed an elderly woman this past month also was from out of town,Mcpherson to be exact.They came into our city or county to commit their crimes.The cop thing is still not registering with me,but anyhow,I asked you if you could tell me more about the court closed door incident. I am very interested in knowing about that in detail. Hutchinson Escapee: 22nd Jun 2008 - 18:17 GMT Really? Why? I have the case number - it's public record. You could go to the 4th floor of the courthouse and get a copy of the file (cost you about $2-$4.00). But why are you more interested in a dirty, geriatric judge and the slimy, blood sucking lawyer that owns him, than you are in a convicted child rapist cop that called Hutchinson 'home'? Answer that question to my satisfaction first and I will post the case number here, lest I be guilty of throwing pearls before swine. Me: 22nd Jun 2008 - 19:01 GMT Re to Hutchinson Escapee I will keep my reasons for wanting to know to myself,but thanks for the offer to post the case number anyway. But my oh my aren,t you an angry one. You probably had to escape Hutch because you went before Rome on some horrible crime,and I bet Dillon was your attorney who will not fight for slime bags,so you were probably going to prison,and that is why you escaped Hutch. I got you figured out. Hutchinson Escapee: 22nd Jun 2008 - 19:25 GMT That's it? That's all you got? Knowing Hutchinson to be the seething cesspool of child rapists and pedifiles that it is, I am going to suggest in the strongest language possible that the Dateline NBC people do one of their "To Catch A Predator" episodes in Hutchinson. Seriously. Forget mere doctors and teachers - just wait and see how many prominent members of the community show up with booze and condoms!!! I'll bet Hutchinson goes down in history as one of the most notorious towns Chris Hanson has ever visited... Returnee: 24th Jun 2008 - 15:26 GMT Just happened on this site and was amazed that so many "high Paid executives" would spend so much time bashing someplace. Is your glass half full or half empty? Don't bother to reply as I won't be wasting my time listening to your crying. Me: 24th Jun 2008 - 18:01 GMT Re to Returnee What baffles me is that these so called "happy and better off since I left Hutchinson" people just keep posting their negativity on this site. If they are so much better off and so happy in their new city, why do they keep posting? I understand it is their right to do so, but wouldn't you think they have other things to do with their time? Why do they keep such a negative hold onto their past? Why don't they let their unhappy memories of Hutch go,and get on with their new lives? Could it be that they are not so happy? I don't know. And I don't understand why they get so negative and mad when something good is posted about Hutch. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. So to all of you who have left Hutch and hate it so much, leave your painful past behind you get on with your new life. The more you keep posting here,the more homesick I realize you really are. Tex Re: Me: 24th Jun 2008 - 18:41 GMT Nice try, but some of us have to be the voice of truth, because they sure won't hear it coming from some of you'all up there. How come you want to post so much on here Me? Don't you enjoy taking care of your patients? It would seem to me that if you enjoyed your job, you'd wouldn't be spending so much time on here arguing with us. In fact who is taking care of your patients while your surfing here on the internet? I don't think I'd want to be up there in the hospital in Hutchinon Ks. knowing the nurses are down at the station typing up a storm on the internet while I'd be sitting on my wet bed pan! Me: 24th Jun 2008 - 20:24 GMT Re to Tex I don't work at the hospital,and I work split shifts,different shifts during the week,so I post on off time. And what does Hutchinson matter to you anymore? Why does it matter if you post the voice of truth or not? You dont live here,so why do you care? Is it perhaps that you want things good in Hutchinson,when you return to live someday? Or is it as I suspect,you are truly homesick? hmmm: 24th Jun 2008 - 21:17 GMT You are sooooo far off on the idea that Hutchinson is the "most" drug infested area... I will quote Andie with the statement that Reno County is ranked in the top spot for the U.S....I'm raising the BS Flag....I can't stand when people spout out unsupported facts...so I am attaching a webpage that show the facts....http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/concern/map_lab_seizures.html here you will clearly see that Missouri is in much worse shape! voice of reason: 24th Jun 2008 - 21:50 GMT Everyone anywhere can either make the most or least out of any situation. The US medical care system is the worst of any advanced nation. You do not need to say your hospital is better than any others. I have been to 30 of 50 states and they all "suck". Get over yourselves and write your congress people. You elected trash so guess what? You get what you get. You want fewer drugs? Better health care? Better mental health? Cleaner inner cities? Quit playing "beat up on a red neck" and relay your thoughts to politicians who can seriously legislate change. Tex Re: Me: 24th Jun 2008 - 23:02 GMT I don't think things in Hutch will ever improve, I just enjoy being a thorn in you'all sides!! LOL!! A fly in the ointment that won't go away. I still own property up there, so I still have a vested interest in what goes on up there. But, would I move back?....nnnnnoooooooooooo wwwwaaaaaayyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!! I make too much money down here and have too many beautiful women to spend it on!!! Life is goooooood!!! Me: 25th Jun 2008 - 01:43 GMT Re to Tex I find it ironic that you brag about all the money you make,six figures to be exact,and I believe you do make that much, but why do you put down people in Hutch who make six figures or more? Are they not supposed to be happy with their success,only you out of staters? And you are certainly not a thorn in my side. I know you are homesick and I feel sorry that you miss Hutch so much. voice of reason: 25th Jun 2008 - 02:08 GMT If life is good then you would not be typing rhetorical crap in front a computer screen. On that note good bye and good luck. I am sure that you will find time to get away from all of the babes to have a comeback to every comment made about your pathetic existence. Loser;) Me: 25th Jun 2008 - 03:12 GMT Re to voice You said it well. I wonder why Tex doesn,t sell his property and break completely away from Hutch,if he hates it so bad. If I hated something so bad,I would sever all ties. Get on with my life. Quit wasting so much time commenting on something I despise so much. But as I said,the poor fella is homesick and he won't admit it,or else he would break away totally free and clear of Hutch. Devil's Advocate: 25th Jun 2008 - 03:35 GMT Tex, maybe you're a part of the problem! Owning property and making an income from Hutchinson while not putting anything back into the town! Tex: 25th Jun 2008 - 14:44 GMT Actually my tennant lost his job about 10 years ago, and still hasn't been able to find employment due to health problems and also due to the fact there are no decent jobs to be found in Hutchinson for the working middle class. So I let him live in my property for free. That's right I said rent free, for over 10 years now. Because I don't like seeing people having to live on the street. So, I actually lose money, in that I have to pay taxes on the property to a city and county govt. that is incompetent and wastes the taxpayers money on worthless ventures and at the same time has no emphasis on creating good paying jobs. But, based on these responses, you'all deserve what you have. You don't need me to make yourselves look like a bunch of assess. You do a good job of it on your own. Me: 25th Jun 2008 - 19:24 GMT Re to Tex Sorry,don't believe you,and I doubt any other posters do either. Tex: 25th Jun 2008 - 20:40 GMT That doesn't surprise me, the mentality of people like you doesn't support the concept of acts of kindness and compassion. Peter: 25th Jun 2008 - 20:43 GMT come on, you guys. this thread is getting argumentative and personal. are you guys going to go back and forth like this forever? i suggest doing one of the following: a) posting photos of hutch b) saying something new about hutch c) putting a sock in it. no offense, but i have a feeling that i may be speaking for some of the other regulars on this site when i say were getting a little tired of this now-rhetorical argument... Tex: 25th Jun 2008 - 21:18 GMT Yes, the problem is that no one up there is capable or willing to post any photos, and if anyone wants to bring up topics for discussion, they are simply insulted to try to shut them up. Me: 26th Jun 2008 - 01:10 GMT Re to Peter This thread is getting out of control and the topics are not even what this thread started out to be about. But I do not have to prove anything to any out of stater,and I wont waste my time,anymore time on Tex,I will not read anything he has to say anymore.All of his babes must have left him,he sure has a lot of time to be nosing around on what doesn,t even concern him anymore.I would be out spending my six figure salary and not giving a darn if I was him.But it's obvious he is not telling the truth about a lot of things. So keep on keeping on Mr Tex, I will not read another thing you post.And I don't have to prove anything to you,or post any pics for anybody. I am comfortable in my own skin,it's too bad and so sad that you are not. Tex: 27th Jun 2008 - 04:08 GMT Yes, what is getting out of control on this site is the truth about all the dirty little secrets of Hutchinson, Kansas, and there is nothing you nor anyone else can do to stop it. I'm glad 'Me' is no longer going to look or read my posts, some people just can't handle the truth, and I plan on posting more photos and more stories to go with them. jb53: 27th Jun 2008 - 12:34 GMT I have lived here for close to twenty years. I really think the people that can't find work are the ones that just plain don't want to work. I have never been without a job here or any place else. I have been adding to my retirement alot lately and even though I have my own opinions about Hutch that doesn't prevent me from working. It is your choice to live here and if you don't care for it MOVE but that won't happen cause somewhere down the line everyone else is paying your way here and why would anyone want to leave the nest that is feeding them!!!!!! Tex: 27th Jun 2008 - 13:21 GMT Yes, there are a lot of people up there that are unemployed for whatever reasons and are having to live with relatives, parents, etc., in order to stay there. As far as them moving away, you have to have money to do that, money for gas, money for a car, money for a bus ticket, train ticket, whatever. And, they're so dirt poor, or spend their money on drugs, they can't even come up with the funds to do that, so they stay where they're at living off others. That's what amazes me that people find it unbelievable that I have a renter at my property living there rent free. As, long as he takes care of the property and doesn't tear things up, that's all I'm concerned about. Do you know how hard it is to find a good renter in Hutchinson, Ks? First you have to find someone who has a good job and can pay the rent, and who isn't on drugs, then you have to find someone that won't tear the place up. The worst renter that I've ever had was a registered nurse, who you think that you could trust, but nope, not in Hutchinson, Ks. howardandros: 27th Jun 2008 - 14:11 GMT I am from Hutch and although I live in the Bahamas, it is still nice to go back home. I love the seasons and the people are all nice, jobs are a pain almost anywhere. surviving: 27th Jun 2008 - 15:12 GMT All of the post I"ve been reading has some kind of validity to the experience and surviving in hutch. I will not capitalize the "h on hutchinson' so please don"t think I messed up. I knew this site was up, so I decided to hop on. If you have a chance look up the college definition "dead". Wow! I read all about hutchinson. I"m not copping an attitude I was reading. the def. of hutch!!!!. When I go out in the public I get my things I need and head home. Why? might you ask... Because it"s an ugly site here. I"m not talking about the little flowers and decor the city has wasted our money on. I"m talking of the pigs that devour our homes in the city. How can we have soooo many dirty, fat , sloppy, selfish leach pigs in such a small area?. They have NO excuse for being so repulsive. Being poor doesnt mean slopping around with a "you owe me" attitude. And being so dirty. I have worked 1 full time job plus 2 part-time job to raise my 2 boys. And I GOT NO GOV. ASSISTANCE I"m now in my 50"s and have survived. Please can any of you show the stats. of of reno co. gov. assistance, meaning welfare,food stamps,disabled,ssi, etc. I have lived her all my life. I do know their is people who need help from the gov. So don"t jump me for that. Go to Walmart or Aldi"s at the 1st. week of each month. You will see families with full to the brim ( 1 or 2 carts) of food,food and more food!!!!!! Then compare the hard working persons cart. How do you know they work?? They usually have to be pretty conservative with the budget. Now I have a question.. Does hutch breed this type of lazy person OR does hutch magnetize this using, loser that sucks the tax-paying working peoples pockets dry? It is very disgusting to know 1st hand of druggies frying themselves to brain-dead aphids and getting on disability.. I am not making this up. I do live in the real world and no I am not over the top. And we paid for these aphids during their druggies years and now us tax payers are paying for their ride again. I know hutch isn"t the only one with this problem, And I know the problem is bigger than hutch. But cant we make Reno co. MAKE THESE PEOPLE CLEAN UP THERE YARDS. They collect crap and have a ongoing garage(junk)sale. The city needs to set a time limit on these eye-sores. Welcome to hutchinson Yeh. Tex: 27th Jun 2008 - 16:35 GMT You have several different problems going on at the same time up there. You have people with a poor work ethic, who want to live on free handouts. But, you also have a city that has not done anything to promote good jobs, and people can't live on minimum wage, so they get fed up with working their assess off and still not able to get by, so they figure why try, and lets live off the govt. So, poverty, laziness runs rampant and the taxpayers foot the bill. surviving: 27th Jun 2008 - 22:16 GMT Tex I completely understand what your saying is true. Thanks for the imput. I have worked my ass off,and I had lived below poverty level. hutch was the same then at it is today. It is struggle in hutch. I guess I was brought up different, I get pissed when I know a good percent of these lazy people don't try. hutch had the same control when I was working and it sucks.... I saw on the national news that people on welfare are whining that groceries are going up ,so they can't buy as many groceries. They dont have enough money to feed their kids. Well these losers need to learn to BUDGET. Oh reno co. has a free class to learn to manage their money. And again we pay. I assume you work or have put in a life of hard work. So please understand my anger. I know the new thing is to hire part-time and get no benefits and that sucks. But do hutches workers employees get any different set-up? nope they dont. ( I'm not talking about employees that work for the city of hutch. They get great benefits, and to get hired onto the city you have to be friends with the right people. The lazy leaches know ho to work the system,why cant they put some of all that brain energy to a positive way of life. I was at Aldi"s one day. this gal had five kids She had 2 carts full steaks pop, roast, candy, and lots of junk food. I mentioned all the food in the carts,and the total was about 200.00 bucks. the employee said to me he sees her all the time. And this pig,( fat, dirty kids etc. was given 800.00bucks a month. I can"t spent that. Yes I have several things going on but I am trying to show both sides of the problems of hutch. I now have to start taking care of my parents here in hutch. So right now I am pretty stuck here. I cant stand this. town either . I have so much crap about this town it will make your head spin. so be patient with me. It's nice to have a site to let people know how ethically dirty this town is. later!!!!! Me: 28th Jun 2008 - 04:32 GMT Re to surviving You go into any town or city,and you will find many women with a dozen kids,milking the system.Happens everywhere,all the time,not just in Hutchinson Kansas.But I understand how you feel.I have been upset myself when I was on a strict budget and buying hotdogs,beans,etc.,and seen women with a vision card buying non healthy frozen pizzas and chips and all kinds of trash for their children. Women too lazy to cook anything,just pop something into the microwave.No wonder so many kids are diabetic,autistic,overweight. But this milking of the system happens everywhere. Me: 29th Jun 2008 - 07:30 GMT Boy oh boy!!!Was Hutch boring this weekend???The answer is absolutely,positively,most certainly not!!!!!The Grand Prairie held the Warfare X ultimate fights,and talk about excitement and a fun time!!!!Hutch was awesome and the fighters incredible!!!!The Hutch Fest has been going on also,and it's been fun as well.I have had a blast in my hometown this weekend!!!!!Keep the entertainment coming Hutch!!!!!! adr: 30th Jun 2008 - 02:35 GMT im not gonna read any of these comments, all i know is that the pics were all of one area by the old hospital, not the church, i dont know what year, but now they are apts, and all the pics were taken from different views of the old hospital. why not take pics of 17th street, or 30th, or hwy 61? every state has like 1000 cities that dont have a major highway running through them, so you cant base your argument on that, there are 46,000 people here, and the jobs are more than min. wage jobs, i work for tyson foods and have for 5 years, i work 6 days a week, and make a helluva living. as far as welfare have you ever been to new york? i lived there for 10 years and omg, scumbags everywhere, everyone is on some kind of welfare where i lived, liquor stores, and gun shops were the best money makers, and they took food stamps thankfully, major businesses could not survive, and the town (jamestown) was all but dead, but the 6 surrounding lake commuities kept it alive. how are you struggling in hutch? everything is well below the national rent and morgage rates, and as far as the elderly and handicap, where do you live where there are nothing but young people? it is not hutchinson, or kansas that makes people not wanna work or have 10 kids by lazy men who dont wanna work, its everywhere, so before you judge the city on some pics of the old hospital off the beaten path, like every city has!!!!, look aroud your own city and see how great you are Jerrod the "Wildchild" Racerboy: 1st Jul 2008 - 06:17 GMT Hutch Really isnt as bad as some make it out to be. Great paying jobs arent plentyfull but there are plenty of jobs out there if you REALLY want to work!! Most people in this town or any other that are not working DONT want to. There are alot of good people that live here also. The way I look at it is this, you can find things about everything in life that sux. But I promise the sun will come up in the east tomorrow and onother day in Hutchinson Kansas will be waiting for you!! surviving: 2nd Jul 2008 - 17:27 GMT hutch is safer than a lot of big cities, and the commute to work is not so bad,(hour wait traffic jams etc.) I have traveled and it"s not fun to set , and move 2 inches and stop. So I appreciate hutch on that note. Also the comment adr, and wildchild has proved my point,people can find jobs if they will get off their butts and get out of bed, make it on time, and work for a living. If any city will hire a person without a college degree it can be done around hutch. Oh ! One an employee looks for a positive attitude, and desire to earn their pay. I hope this my help the illiterate ( lack of culture, work ethics etc.) buy a alarm clock and apply for a job. I promise you all people that cant find a job or won"t work own p.c."s I would like your input, living in Hutchinson: 3rd Jul 2008 - 03:41 GMT Wow. Interesting website. I would like to comment too. I live in Hutchinson. I have been here my entire life. I moved to big cities in other states for a few years about 10 years ago. The big cities have some advantages yes, but these pictures do no justice to this town. It is much nicer than that! I will probably move away again but this isn't a bad place. I am 32 years old and I have a husband and two kids. We both have great jobs IN HUTCHISON and made almost 90000 per year. I only work part time and I made 55000 last year. I think that the rich are growing richer and the poor are growing poorer in this town. I was a real poor kid and grew up in a real poor neighborhood but I went to college and came back. This is my home for now. I think that if you really want a job you can get it. I am working hard to make sure that my kids don't end up being the ones on Meth and flucking out of school and trashing houses. Our city definitely needs something for kids to do. We need more programs that are affordable for kids to be involved in. We work our asses off trying to find activities for our kids to keep them occupied. It is expensive to do this. The only pool is way far away from where people that can afford to go there live. It costs too much money to get in. The cosmosphere is cool but really why should we pay 20$ to see a movie. I guess Hutch pisses me off too. I'll be out with in the next couple of years. Anyone want to buy a house for 165000? I need to sell it and get out of here! It's a retirement community and I have found that if you are young enough to have kids here and didn't grow up with the rich kids you don't fit in. It has nothing to do with money. We live in a nice house in a nice neighborhood and make enough money but still aren't accepted by the "group." The group is those that grew up with money. It is interesting to see those that grew up "rich" now. Most are not even close to being rich now. I want more for my kids so I work with what I have. I work for a big company here in town and I am not impressed with the way the employees are treated so I'm going to Wichita to work soon. We moved to a school district that I had heard was so great and then when it comes down to making our schools better the people that live in the district won't vote to give the schools extra money. It makes me sad that we can't invest in our future. The people that voted "no" probably don't have kids in the schools but what is going to happen when there are no more young families in this town? There won't be a Hutchinson anymore. I moved into my house last year and it is a dream come true but I am finding out about all of the ridiculous things that are going on in this town. It is sad but Hutchinson is going to lose a couple of great nurses soon and a couple of great kids. Who is going to take care you you then? I really do love my house but the town is not worth it now. gotout: 3rd Jul 2008 - 04:06 GMT i moved away more than 20yrs ago be honest hutch is boring. i come home at least once a year to visit family. things are getting pretty ratty there. the neighborhoods need to do like most city and have a home owners assoc. maybe that will help and if the people really care help those who cant afford to fix up their homes. i help the elderly on my block i live in a major city. i would prefer to be homeless than move back. but i will admit you have control of your life style there are jobs if you want to work. the cost of living is low but it is one of the most boring places on the planet earth and i know because i travel alot. and the drugs are out of control get that under control and maybe hutch can be the great town it was 20 or more years ago the police know who the dealers and addicts the know where the labs are shut them down. and to surviving you are supposed to enjoy life not survive it a little traffic is nothing when there are so many things to do that you could never see or do them all. the cosmosphere how abhout the air and space museum. have a nice day Me: 3rd Jul 2008 - 07:27 GMT Re to living in Hutchinson You are bi-polar and I want to let you know there are medications for it. gotout: 3rd Jul 2008 - 17:51 GMT sorry surviving i must have misunderstood you, but one word of advise if you really want to leave do as i did pack everything in your auto and dont look back. visit once a year at the most for 3 days. even if you have to move to ict. baffled: 4th Jul 2008 - 05:59 GMT Pack your shit and get the hell out of town! have you heard the asying you are what you eat? good luck. Mr. T: 4th Jul 2008 - 14:02 GMT re: baffled, you sure are, your name matches you. what dumb -ass comment tells me what you eat!!!!!. Editor: 4th Jul 2008 - 15:55 GMT I think I speak for all of us when I say I'm sick of this tit for tat small-town school-yard squabble. Comments closed. Heaven: 13th May 2009 - 02:39 GMT You know what i live in hutch and its the most fucking boring town ever......except for the fair and the church/apartment thing is the drum school it used to be the hospital Sanzay: 13th May 2009 - 15:54 GMT Look at the clean floor at the fifth picture. Where is the debris, whre is the mess intrinsic to abandoned buildings? Where is the graffiti? This town is definitely undersaffed with hobos, vandals and graffiti artists. grew up and ran away from hutch: 18th May 2009 - 02:23 GMT shocked that there are this many comments about hutch.. i've lived all over the country.. made it through katrina.. when i was a kid i thought hutch was my doom.. hindsight i think it was a great place to raise kids.. i heard they were starting to really have trouble with drugs out there that concerns me now that i have kids of my own and want a safe place to let them run.. we live in a nice suburb in the outskirts of new orleans i pay a whole lot for private school.. kansas had pretty great schools.. i think the pictures were to show some desolate stretching of the truth.. the cosmosphere is pretty right on though.. the fair i remember with nostalgia.. i mean hutch is boring now don't get me wrong but it's a great place to raise kids.. (you'd have to work out of town though.. and your kids will be as bored crazy as we were... no matter how bad you think your crime rate is.. surely its more like a small town blog it's not infested with crime.. although you'd think that we'd have a more apt police department.. i remember when there were barely traffic lights and the library was the most interesting thing to do besides play at the parks (which there are a lot of) it's pretty family oriented out there.. you pay just as much to live in town as you do out of town.. if you think the crime is so bad move out farther to the country. mostly all of the same people i grew up with still live there (yes you are all still there.. complaining about how much you hate hutch.. but have nothing to base it off of.. it really limits your mind i suggest moving out into the world before moving back to hutch.. that may be the only way one could really appreciate all the little annoyances that make hutch home.) i kinda miss it.. maybe not the cold.. or the rude judgmental know it all's.. (they are all over 200 lbs.. and or bald hopefully, assuredly everyone gets the face they deserve when they are 30.) Jon: 20th May 2009 - 06:32 GMT Hutch is a decent place...i actually moved away got out of the black hole that is Hutchinson, KS...but i find myself missing it a lot...but I have a lot of history and friends still there....Hutchinson is a good place to raise a family...i couldnt agree more...lots of things for family to do...if you want to go out though that is a different story..you got vicks, clicks, and jacks....maybe Grandslam...but that bar is gay and has fat bartenders......Hutch is full of fat girls so...whats new? lol oh another thing while im on my drunk rant.....isnt Hutchinson a black hole? It sucks you back in eventually...I moved FAR away and somehow I find myself back in Hutch ahahha...it is the center of history's most boring universe! Ali: 27th May 2009 - 15:50 GMT My husband and I moved to Hutchinson for a job and I would like to say that Hutch has been a great home for us. The people here are friendly, there are PLENTY of things to do - Hutch is doing a great job supporting the arts and have plenty of activities involving the arts. I think this a great place to live, the neighborhoods are clean overall and friendly. I realize that Hutch doesn't go without it's fair share of downfalls but thats the same with any community. Mokc: 29th May 2009 - 15:37 GMT Hutchinson Kansas has a huge population of non-working lazy welfare recipients. I have never seen a town so full of people on welfare or disability. If they are able to walk around, then they are able to work. Hutchinson is a welfare state! bogeysblows: 29th May 2009 - 21:47 GMT i was born here and finally left at 18, but at age 26 was forced to comeback. its a hell hole and im pretty sure im stuck here till my parents croak. FREEIRELAND: 31st May 2009 - 12:31 GMT i stayed in hutchinson for the summer of 2002 and had the best time of my life!!! i cant believe some of these comments...if you all lived where i live you would realize that hutchinson is a great place! try living in a warzone where bombs and gunfire are the norm!! everyday another innosent victom!! hutchinson has made me a better person and everyone who lives there should take pride in that! PEACE H-townWarrior: 2nd Jun 2009 - 23:30 GMT I have lived in a lot of towns in the lower 48, and they are all the same: welfare, poverty, laziness, and horrible job markets..also all of them illegal immigrants that take our good jobs away...Hutchinson aint so bad...yeah, the jobs suck, there is not much to do, but it is a small town, there is not alot of crime, and no smog...oh yeah..no earthquakes...you can run from a tornado, you cant run from a quake. LittleBigJ: 9th Jun 2009 - 00:46 GMT I live in Wichita KS. with a population of about half a million. Its about 45 min. away from Hutchinson, and i know a few girls from there, and all the pretty females come to Wichita to go to Old Town & bars.--- The country girls and 1 nightclub (McGraws), is the only good thing I have ever heard good about Hutchinson. It is a great city for people ages 40 & up, & Hutchinson does provide most of the salt to the mid-west or maybe even the USA. If your not happy in Hutchinson, just move down the way to Wichita. WICHITA IS LIKE NYC TO HUTCHINSON!! Peter: 9th Jun 2009 - 01:47 GMT thats right, ladies and gentlemen... get on down to wichita, because all the pretty females come to wichita, which is like nyc to hutchinson! Notta Salt-Hawk: 10th Jun 2009 - 19:47 GMT Peter, are you still posting to this forum? I've taken pity on you, LOL! Would someone PLEASE post a picture of the beautiful WPA mural in the Hutch post office for Peter? How about a picture of the fountain at Carey Park too? Are there still those big beautiful houses on Main Street? (I think the style is called American Foursquare -- Hope they're still there. I haven't been home in many years.) Would love to see photos. Peter, here are some other architectural gems for you. As a child, I loved the Pactola Apartments building. Please check out the old Carnegie Library too. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3099/2867167610_2386c86c2f.jpg%3Fv%3D0&imgrefurl=http://flickr.com/photos/historian77/2867167610/&usg=__2H3an-9mL2r_LkRtfu_QrPvyOeo=&h=375&w=500&sz=129&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=8y5MA-TW3sOEKM:&tbnh=98&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3DKress%2Bhutchinson%2Bkansas%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG Notta Salt-Hawk: 10th Jun 2009 - 19:53 GMT Here's the Pactola Apartments building. Isn't it wonderful? http://www.flickr.com/photos/farmerjohn/3462742852/in/pool-hutchinsonks Peter: 10th Jun 2009 - 20:18 GMT yes, i still post to this forum from time to time. lol. Notta Salt-Hawk: 10th Jun 2009 - 20:27 GMT Didn't work, sorry. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mogeneal/wpa/hutchinsonmural1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mogeneal/wpa/hutchinson.htm&usg=__Jyu6-UdIVPiDeTJ7h7iS1t4rzWI=&h=221&w=475&sz=38&hl=en&start=9&tbnid=R21I43ECAR1-kM:&tbnh=60&tbnw=129&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dhutchinson%2Bpost%2Boffice%2Bmural%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DG RWgirl: 12th Jun 2009 - 16:29 GMT As for what Hutch could do to improve itself: work with what you have. Get rotating exhibits into the Cosmosphere. Plan some summer events. What about free concerts in the park? A Bite-type event: www.biteoforegon.com, I organized the first one for Eugene, Oregon and it was a massive success. Cycle events, Zombie walks, arts and crafts fairs, food carts (and no, I'm not talking about roach-coaches), drive ins (car festivals) are also ideas. Close down main street on a Sunday for a water fight. There's lots to work with, lots you can do on a shoe-string too. RWgirl: 12th Jun 2009 - 20:51 GMT My first post disappeared:( Anyway, the person who says you can be happy wherever you live is 100% wrong. In no way is that true. Even though I was born and spent my childhood in Hutch, it's not the place I call home. Portland, Oregon is my hometown and always will be. I've lived in several places and some I've loved and some I've hated. Sure, every place has a unique quality, but not all are places I'd be happy living. I lived in San Juan, Puerto Rico for two years and hated it. It's entirely too crowded and the island is pretty darn small for all the people. I do have good memories and friends from there, but I could have never been happy living there. I wouldn't be happy living in San Antonio, there's nothing to do there but eat and buy stuff (that's only fun for so long). I can't breathe in LA, so I wouldn't be happy there. New York: no, just no. Now that I'm over the culture shock, Oslo is a place I could live (but it would never replace Portland). I could live in Berlin, the tourists are thankfully contained to the Reichstag and Checkpoint Charlie areas so there's lots of neat neighborhoods. I could live in Budapest despite the tourist hoardes, that city is a crown jewel. Couldn't live in Warsaw, just don't like the city's vibe. Could live in Kyiv, Ukraine in an instant, that city is nothing short of amazing (housing is way expensive though). Just because someone is unhappy in one place, it doesn't mean they'll be unhappy everywhere. People are also underestimating how hard it really is to just pack up and leave. Moving costs money. Try finding a job in a city you don't live in, it's not that easy. After all that is said and done, it still takes time to establish yourself in a community. It's not impossible to move, but it's not exactly easy either. RWgirl: 12th Jun 2009 - 21:27 GMT Someone challenged people who didn't live in Hutch to come up with 10 great things about their city. I can do that for Portland. 1. Involved citizens- the people of this community care what happens to it. They show up at city council meetings. If the councilors don't listen they stage protests, sign petitions, start recalls. People in this city work to change this city (or keep it the same in some instances). 2. Magnet schools- All school systems are in trouble, but Portland has specialized K-12 schools with amazing programs. They have schools geared toward science and math, language immersion, the environment, medical/dental, arts and communication, biotech, business and marketing, and baccalaureate studies just to name a few. These are 100% free public schools that anyone can attend. 3. Powells City of Books: It's a bookstore that's a full city block and four stories tall. It's open very late for nightowls and has a good selection of used books shelved right next to the new books. We also have two fantastic comic book/gaming stores. These are also open late and are places to gather socially. People don't just buy their games and supplies there (the pen and paper and dice kind of games, not computer games), but they play there as well. 4. Nightlife that doesn't involve drinking- There's something for everyone at night in Portland. It doesn't matter what your interest is. You can catch a laser light show at OMSI, swing dance in a ballroom with a springy floor, listen to any number of free or cheap music performances, go to any number of live theatre performances, midnight bowling, alcohol-free dance clubs, night cycling, night sports, there's neighborhoods where the cafes are open late, there's always good street performers, you can race on Portland International Raceway for a nominal price, the list goes on and on. Seriously, anything you are into, you can find happening at night. 5. Neigborhoods- Portland has a neighborhood for everyone. Feel like living in a posh condo over fancy grocery stores and fancy restaurants? Live in the Pearl. Want to live in a young, hippy-ish and artsy neighborhood? Live on Hawthorne. There's a neighborhood for everyone. The neighborhoods all have their own events and their own flavor. It also fosters a community feeling. 6. Oregon Health Sciences University- Level 1 trauma center (one of two in Portland) with some of the best doctors in the country. If you don't have health insurance, they will assist you in paying for your treatment. Affordable and excellent. 7. OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) and the Portland Art Museum. OMSI has rotating exhibits along with favorite mainstays. It has an OMNIMAX theatre (bigger and better than an IMAX), and attractions for young and old. We had the set peice of the real Millenium Falcon and one point, Bodyworlds came through, dozens more did. With the changing of attractions, OMSI becomes at least an annual event whether or not you have kids. The Portland Art Museum has rotating collections too, but they also have their permanent collection with world famous artists and a few of the masters. 8. Random acts of wierdness- Things just run a little different in Portland. Depending on the day, you may see hundreds of Santas hurling fruitcake into the Willamette on a trebuchant, a naked foot race, a zombie walk, a pillowfight in Pioneer Courthouse Square, the world's smallest incorporated park (that's not really an event, but it bears mentioning), legally performed weddings at a doughnut shop (that has some of the oddest pastries you'll ever enounter), adults on childrens bikes bombing down an insanely steep hill. Again, that's just naming a few. Something fun and family-friendly is always happening in downtown. And really, how can you not smile when you see a flood of Santas parading through the streets and stopping for impromptu dance parties? 9. We are the second best cycling city in the world. Amsterdam is the only city in the world that is more bicylce friendly. Bike lanes, bike friendly businesses, bike lockers, bike paths all make biking a pleasant alternative to driving. 10. Nature, nature everywhere- and all quite accessible. Drive 40 minutes east or west and you'll run into it. Can't get out of the city? Go to Forest Park on public transportation. The park stretches for over 8 miles (over 5,000 acres), has 70 miles of trails and is one of the largest urban forest reserves in the US. Dumpster: 14th Jun 2009 - 16:52 GMT Hutchinson is a just a dump. Full of fat old or young fat and old cattle (people) that live on welfare or some type of gov't assistance. Stupid American: 18th Jun 2009 - 20:19 GMT So much for comments being closed nearly a year ago on this topic... I am so glad I could take a bit of time to read the nuggets of wisdom posted here! Of course, by "glad" I mean supremely sorry and by "nuggets of wisdom", I mean "biased BS" (on both sides of this pissing match). There are fat, self-involved idiots all over this country, so it only makes sense there are also some in Hutchinson. Deep Depths of Hell: 19th Jun 2009 - 15:59 GMT Moved here from oklahoma when i was three and even then i probably knew how big a mistake it was. Lived here for about 15 years and I am just waiting til I graduate to escape this boring craphole of a town. People try to say there are things to do BULL. Okay heres what you can do: A. Go to a movie : WHO CAN'T you can go to one in any town whooohoo B. Go bowling: after you've been twice it's no fun C. Go to the cosmosphere: well if you have lived here and went to school here you have been at least 15 times ITS ALWAYS THE SAME D. THERE IS NOTHING FREAKIN' LEFT TO DO, IF YOU HAVE THE MEANS, BRAINS OR OPPORTUNITY MOVE ASAP! Crush: 23rd Jun 2009 - 11:34 GMT Wow, I live in Kansas City, born and raised there. I have seen the bad sides of KC but nothing comes close to Hutchinson as far and people not working. I have to agree with past posters. I have never seen so many lazy unemployed people in my life. People just roaming the streets. I was only in Hutchinson for two weeks as a part of my job. I left with a very bad taste. Things to do: 30th Jun 2009 - 02:20 GMT There are many things to do in Hutchinson. 1. Watch paint dry. 2 Watch old people get older. 3. take a crap 4. Apply for disability 5. Apply for food stamps. 6. Watch meth heads do their crazy stuff. 7. Grow poorer. As you can see this is just a small sample of the activities you can do or participate in. Come on people! Just get a little creative! hutch_78: 4th Jul 2009 - 22:04 GMT So many opinions about a small Kansas town...did you think the same think about Greensburg, KS? You might want to talk to some of the people there that survived and have put so much time & energy in to rebuilding thier homes in a town that might have been described by you as "boring," "not growing," and didn't have any "special" attractions that you needed to go see more than once in your life...but isn't it amazing how they seem to find things to do and enjoy themselves more than most of those living in large metropolitian areas. I live in a much larger place now; however, I was born and raised in Hutchinson, KS for 21 years, and although there are a lot of "things to do" and "a great nightlife" where I am now...after a while even those things get boring (and expensive) if you don't have something with more substance that allows you to see the good in the little things like staying home and enjoying family, friends, and yourself! If Hutchinson is so terrible...move, and when you do I feel sorry for the town that will now have to put up with your negative attitudes! RWgirl: 6th Jul 2009 - 18:51 GMT There is a serious lack of opportunity in Hutch. I think my lucky stars every day that my mom moved us away when she did. I still have fond memories of the place, but that's because it was my childhood. I don't think I'd feel the same if I spent my teenage or adult years there. I know for a fact I wouldn't have the life I have today and that would be a shame. Hutch Native: 14th Jul 2009 - 01:15 GMT I moved away when I was 22 to Phoenix where I've been for 30 Yrs. I think its a great little town to grow up in. My brother and I lived and breathed basketball and they always had a good juco team and the Nationals. Wichita is close and if you like to drink, then you are in the right town. I was also born in St. Elizabeth's hospital. My brother still lives there and he is in his own little world, just like most people in Hutch. Not that there is anything wrong with that. Go Dragons anon (207.160.66.129): 21st Jul 2009 - 18:24 GMT Hey I went to Hutch Juco, I had a ball, nice friendly women in Hutch. Does anyone know Nicola Benbrook or some contact information on the Benbrook family? They use to livre on the outskirts of town. Dad was white and mom was black. Niki had a sister who was livivng in Witchata. If so shoot me an email at bjets2@hotmail.com anon (205-237-134-2.kota.net): 21st Jul 2009 - 18:50 GMT Any town can be what you make of it. I've lived in Chicago, St. Louis, Milwaukee and Tampa. I love the life I have built in Hutchinson and wouldn't trade it for the world. Help i need information about wichita: 28th Jul 2009 - 10:14 GMT hey i am an internationnal student and i am plannig to enter Wichita state university !! I am coming from lebanon to live at my aunt house .... so plz can anyone tell me about wichita city ... is it a good place to live as college student ?? and is it a good city ??... is there always smthn to do ??......Nightlife ...... etc.. thanks and plz contact me on the_undead_alfi@hotmail.com ..... thanks for the help Blondie: 30th Jul 2009 - 18:42 GMT I ran from Wichita after being kidnapped, robbed, and raped there all in broad daylight. I ran to Hutchinson where I felt I could be safe. I have had three children here and there never ceases to be things to do including the free city museum, the Kansas Kids museum in the mall, the Kansas Depot, the water parks, numerous city parks-including a walking/riding trail, Dillon Nature Center, FLAG theater, Cosmosphere, Farmer's market, close proximity to Yoder and Yoder days (old town FUN!), Salt Mine, just to name the majority (there is more.) The gangs are moving in and I know just like other towns we are facing tough times and violence but it will take a long time before it becomes like Wichita, Chicago, or as many have said San Diego. I have lived in or been to Chicago, San Diego, Hawaii, Guam (High murder rate much like New York City), South Dakota, North Dakota, Canada, Nebraska Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, Mexico, and New Mexico and found it always good to get back home in Hutchinson. Yes there is crime here but where can you live that there is not any crime?? There is no nirvana or utopia so get on with it! Don't like it here then leave. It will be happier place for those of us who do like it here with those that do not like it here gone. I am not an old person, I do not come from money/old money. I am a young person who chose to live here! Chao!! Kansas4now: 31st Jul 2009 - 22:13 GMT im moving back to kansas after being gone a short time; hutch specifically. i already had a bad feeling about going back...a hair raising bad feeling. after i finished reading all the posts on hutch my bad feelings are worse. ive been there before and the place sucks. there is nothing to do except drugs, not that i really mind, but i cant afford it...im sure there are other reasons... anyway jobs that offer growth or opportunity seem scarce. plus my girlfriend's shit-headed parents live there. plus theres no homeless shelter in case i dont make it. yep, id say hutch is lookin bright in my sights as well as all those who come to hutch looking for opportunity from the bottom... Redneck: 2nd Aug 2009 - 07:40 GMT It looks like most of you want to hate that place! To all who hate Hutchinson: You should move and also the town will not get any better complaining about it on the computer! To anyone who has not been there: Don't speak about a place you haven't been to! I am not from Hutchinson, but I have been there! Good Luck! Tex: 3rd Aug 2009 - 14:30 GMT I was born and raised in Hutch, moved to Texas in my 30's and have never regretted it since. More better paying jobs, friendly beautiful women, the grass is sometimes greener on the other side. So, if you're stuck up there, don't get discouraged, work and save what money that you can to get the heck out of there! Tex: 3rd Aug 2009 - 16:55 GMT I'd also like to comment on the crime rates in Hutchinson, according to the crime indexes, Hutch had a crime index of 453.6 in 2003, 468.5 in 2004, 401.7 in 2005 and 427.5 in 2006. The national average was 320.9 !! (higher index means more crime) So, stats show it is not safer living in Hutch. HutchNomad: 6th Aug 2009 - 16:46 GMT The author of this is either disingenuous or stupid. I could go to Kansas City, or even New York City and cherry pick photos of "abandoned buildings" and empty alleys and streets and say, "Oh look, how booooring". But, on the other hand, I'd much rather live in a boring town, than get mugged and shot at. Peter: 6th Aug 2009 - 17:01 GMT whats wrong with going to a town and only taking photos of the boring stuff to try to make a point that the town is boring? its no different than going to a town and taking photos of all the cool stuff to try to make the point that the place is awesome, right? and we have thousands of those kinds of posts here, and no one hates them, so... maybe its more that people just cant accept their town being called "boring", or that humans- by their very nature- love to complain. also: assuming that any town that isnt boring is a town in which youll get shot or mugged is just ignorant. Tex: 6th Aug 2009 - 18:01 GMT I saw in the Hutch News today a Texan moved to Hutch, stayed a while, decided to go back to Texas, but since they don't have a bus station in Hutch he had to get a co-worker to give him a ride to Wichita, on the trip the co-worker pulled a knife on him and robbed him of all his belongings! Yea, Hutch is a nice safe town, right! Redneck: 7th Aug 2009 - 00:37 GMT It sounds like you better watch who you trust there!! Redneck: 7th Aug 2009 - 01:01 GMT There were some nice people when I was here, But there also were quite a few I wondered about! Tex: 12th Aug 2009 - 13:30 GMT Oh, Oh... If you move to Hutch, watch out where you buy your house, you may lose it later on. This was in the Hutch News today. "The potential of sinkholes in southeast Hutchinson is driving a proposal to acquire - through purchase or condemnation - 32 homes in Careyville" "VigIndustries plans to purchase 32 homes in Careyville" (this is due to brine wells causing sink holes in the area) Some people who have lived in their homes for 28 years are going to be losing them. Words of wisdom............ J.C.: 13th Aug 2009 - 01:25 GMT I'm starting to think that the people who are sticking up for this SHIT HOLE of a town are the ones cooking all of the METH in their bathtub and making all the money. I have only been living in Hutch for a couple of weeks because of my job for an oil company but if anyone really wants to know where this town is going should take a quick trip down to the "Hutchinson Mall" and for all the people wondering where that is here is the address...... 1500 E 11th Ave, Hutchinson, KS 67501.......... The place is a ghost town!!!! The only fun times have been down at vic's or McGraws. I cant believe how easy the girls are. LOL... What a bunch of little gold diggers. I've got to give them credit where it is due though.... Tex: 13th Aug 2009 - 18:58 GMT Yes, you know your town mall has problems when it has a feature on www.deadmalls.com. LOL, I didn't know there was such a site. When I worked in Hutch, my employer who was one of the major companies in the city, would tell new employees moving into town, to not live south of 20th street, due to the lower quality housing and crime. Well, if you look at a map, you'll see south of 20th street takes up over have the size of the town. Oh, and yes Careyville does have run down properties, but half the town is like that. It's the only type of housing the poor can afford because of the lack of good jobs, etc. etc. Galloping Greg: 13th Aug 2009 - 21:21 GMT One thing is for sure. Your average hutch resident must have failed reading comprehension in school because they all seem to be saying the same, tired stuff without being smart enough to realize they are repeating the same pointless garbage that 50 other people have said in this thread. "Hutchgirl", for example. Sigh. Hutchinson Sucks: 17th Aug 2009 - 17:16 GMT This worst part about this town is all the Non Working pieces of shit wondering the streets. N/A Members are very abundant. All they do it set around a think about themselves and do drugs. Redneck: 18th Aug 2009 - 02:15 GMT There are lazy people everywhere, But it does seem like some places have more of them though! They should try to make themselves useful! Amazed: : 20th Aug 2009 - 06:07 GMT It is so amazing to me that everyone can comment on the good or bad of Hutchinson, KS, and the "fat," "lazy," "Meth-heads," "druggies," and other types of people who live here in Hutchinson are supposed to be. Yes, it is true that Hutchinson is a dying town, but no one has really given the true reason for this. The reason that Hutchinson is a dying town is because it runs on the "good old buddy" system! It has had for many years, the same "friends and family" members running it, who refuse to allow any new companies, or businesses come in that will not adhere to their "taxation" and rules. It also has people working in city offices who treat people as if all of you are like those who are in one of two categories: either the very wealthy, elite, "Catholics" who have the money to control the city or the very poor, welfare-supported people who are meth cooks, dealers, and users, who help keep our "Huge" SRS offices in good business! I am really sad to say that after being raised here, moving away to a couple of larger cities, and then moving back, that I don't see Hutchinson improving, because it seems we can't get rid of the "buddy" system that controls this town. So sorry! I would hope that someday it could change, but I truly do not see that happening! Tex: 20th Aug 2009 - 14:03 GMT Yes, it seems to me that things started going downhill in the 70's, you would think that after 34 years though, with people dying off, you would have a new generation with new blood, new progressive ideas, but apparently not. Outoftowner: 22nd Aug 2009 - 18:31 GMT I have lived all over the country. Came into town working for a pipeline (outside of town). Out of all the places that I have been in this country I have never see such a backward, lazy town in my life. Hutchinson is simply amazing. I was amazed by the amount unemployed and just plain lazy people. We tried to hire people like we normally do for temp help, which pays very well BTW. We would not find anyone that we could depend on or even wanted to work. I was also shocked by this website. I have never seen anything like it! There is alot of people that must hate this town. barbara: 22nd Aug 2009 - 20:22 GMT Any place is boring when you want it to be. Hutch is a good town with lots of history and interesting people. Please do not be so judgemental. Maybe you are the boring one Born in Hutch: 25th Aug 2009 - 21:38 GMT I was born in Hutchinson. I have known many people who grew up there then moved away and a short time later moved back because they lacked the social skills to be liked by other people in different areas. When I moved away eight years ago and I learned the hard way to change my backwords,lazy, poverty minded ways.I blame this on the school system, because when you know better you do better, but my last name was not associated with money. I agree with "Amazed" who explained the "BUDDY SYSTEM" very well. Born in Hutch: 25th Aug 2009 - 21:53 GMT Here are some words of wisdom to the guy named "WORDS OF WISDOM" who commented on how easy the girls are in Hutch. Genital herpes and genital warts run rampid in that town, so keep your pants up! Redneck: 26th Aug 2009 - 03:55 GMT This place has alot of attention, Good, bad or anything in between! There are way more posts and views on here than any other page I looked at on here! Jennifer Voth: 5th Sep 2009 - 07:10 GMT This post makes no sense. Scott, I give you an F for research. Mildred Sharp: 5th Sep 2009 - 07:29 GMT I know Scott Sargent, the author of this article. He once lived, or lives, in Hutchinson, on 11th street. He is a meth head and has as a wife who is a stripper and a meth head.I have seen him in action. He's a looser. Concerned Father: 8th Sep 2009 - 01:29 GMT Wow, after reading all the bad things that people have posted about Hutch, it sounds like a terrible place to live. My company wanted to transfer me to that area but I might have to decline the offer. I want to stay in an area that is mostly drug free. Is this place really that bad? Don't employers test employees? Is noone on parole or probation getting tested? I know drugs are everywhere but I don't want my children exposed to that culture except to show them how not to be! Concerned mother: 8th Sep 2009 - 03:46 GMT Hi mildred, I agree with you, but "looser" is spelled "loser". For concerned father, I just relocated back to Alaska and for good reason! Hutch is not the place you would want to raise your children if you are looking to instill culture. I am ex military and have been all over, and loved every minute of it! I have learned so much from all types of people and all walks of life and I continue to learn. There isn't much to really look forward to in Hutch, there are a few places to take them that are very interesting and lessons to be learned. The sad thing is like so many others have mentioned in previous comments, Hutch refuses to grow by letting others businesses come in and expand. I could go on and on but the bottom line is, better think real hard and if feasible, take a weekend off, or if possible, a week and feel it out for yourself. You know the old saying, "different strokes for different folks". You may like it, you may not, just be honest with your feelings, talk to people, check out the stores, just check for yourself. We can't shelter out children from all the bad in the world, it isn't possible, we can teach, them and love them. I will not move back to Hutch, I feel it is a dying town, I was born there and have left for years, returned and it had gotten worse, I feel total despair when I'm in that town, seemed to suck the life out of me. I love life and people and learning to much to just wither away. If you have ALOT of money, I guess you can see Hutch through "rose colored" glasses and all will be well, as I said before, feel it out for yourself. Drug testing re: concerned father: 8th Sep 2009 - 20:48 GMT I think companies that are involved in DOT related activity, (transportation), are required to do drug testing, but for most businesses, they don't have too. I think a lot of employers really don't care to find out if their employees are doing drugs. As far as those on parole, I knew one person who was on probation for a drug charge and he was tested every so often, but they pretty much expected that a drug offender would test positive, so there seems to be a tolerance level before they would send them to jail, which I think is rather high, like not working and committing more crimes to support your habit. Close Call: 13th Sep 2009 - 05:58 GMT I'm currently a resident in Hutchinson right now. I moved here from McPherson to attend college and graduated. I've landed a pretty good job here and was about to purchase a house but as the years have gone on, I've slowly developed an eerie sense of the place. I've always felt that this down just seems run-down. Having come from McPherson (A lot of old money) Hutch seemed like an ugly step sister. So, I'm saving my money and I'd love to move out of hutch, I just can't figure out where I want to move. My family are all in McPherson so I'd like to stay within roughly a 2 hour radios if possible. Any suggestions? Tex: 15th Sep 2009 - 15:45 GMT I've always focused on the job first and foremost, location second. If you make good money you can always travel to spend time with loved ones, but you have to make the time. I had the same situation, family was in Hutch, but the jobs weren't, so I decided to move out of state, seemed to be a lot better selection, better pay, more chances for advancement. But, if you have a good job in Hutch and it's secure, and you think it will be around for years to come, plus has room for advancement, then staying in that area close to family might work fine for you. Commuting is a drag and gets expensive, unless your job pays well, you're wear your car out in no time, not to mention what will happen if gas prices soar again. Also, I remember the Kansas winters where ice on the highways just stressed me out to no end, flat out dangerous too. ouch: 29th Sep 2009 - 22:17 GMT anybody that says the cosmosphere is a great place to spend time is wrong. after you watch 1 imax movie and browse the same space crap that been sitting in there for decades your done with the place....did i forget to mention the owner of the place got busted for selling government astronaut stuff on ebay. its true the article was in the Hutchinson News but got hidden away before it got spread on the net. ouch: 29th Sep 2009 - 22:34 GMT link to the president selling cosmosphere space artifacts http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-110603a.html Tex: 1st Oct 2009 - 17:34 GMT Yes, that is mentioned previously with a pic, up the thread about June 21, 2008 Robboooo: 8th Oct 2009 - 19:57 GMT I live in hutch and you people dont know what your talking about. Bunch of stuck up city people high on your horse. anon (124.118.124.24.cm.sunflower.com): 13th Oct 2009 - 00:25 GMT I'm offended by your lack of effort to prove your point. I lived in Hutch until I graduated highschool and moved away for college. Yes, it's nothing special, but it could be a lot worse! Most of the problems people are posting about Hutch are problems that every town has. Drugs, unemployment, STD's. And these pictures (one entrance to the State Fair, an old hospital that isn't even by the highway, and abandoned building, a side street, and some lawn chairs) are not indicative of how boring a town of 50,000 is. Those were all taken in the same area of town too. If you really want to prove how boring Hutchinson is try a little harder so that I can actually refer people to this website when I want them to see how bad Hutch really is. anon : 13th Oct 2009 - 00:35 GMT The funny thing is, all the boring towns that this guy has posted are either in Kansas or Oklahoma and one is in Colorado. If you are going to do an "America's Most Boring Towns" analysis you should at least be well-traveled in the U.S. and give the reader some variety. The title of the articles should really be "My Subjective List of Boring Towns in Oklahoma and Kansas because I have some long held bitterness for this area of the country". I have gas.: 13th Oct 2009 - 17:53 GMT I am always amazed by the trash car lots in this town, I got ripped of big time at this place called Classic Gas. PEW my deal was terrible. Becky: 15th Oct 2009 - 04:21 GMT There is still a lot of room for improvement in this town but I do see it slowly making a come back to it's former self !! It has improved in the past few years, but still has a way to go to be like it was in the 50's,60's and 70's !! I do not feel drugs are any worse here than they are any where else !! Drugs are a nation wide problem !! Re Becky: 16th Oct 2009 - 11:52 GMT I agree that drugs are a nationwide problem. But this town has thousands of people that use meth and other drugs and have not have a job for YEARS. The problem with this town is that no one wants to work! Being a drug user has become a profession of its own. People just walking streets: 20th Oct 2009 - 11:46 GMT I am amazed by the sheer amount of low or no income housing in this sh**ter of a town. Fat slobs just wandering in walmart and on the streets. Now I know why taxes are so high in this hell hol.e mayowncoomb: 21st Oct 2009 - 14:28 GMT I have Bookmarked this Blog.My friend recommended the blog to me This is so Nice TomTrucker: 27th Oct 2009 - 11:42 GMT On our last vacation I stopped with the kids and went on a nature trail along the cow creek. I found this vary troubling. They had a wedding at a city park, Cary Park ? Becky: 1st Nov 2009 - 02:36 GMT God bless this couple and I hope they have many years of happiness together !!!!! Comment on this article.. 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Donald Walters: 17th May 2007 - 17:43 GMT

William Bordden: 25th May 2007 - 02:51 GMT

Lady Fualk: 6th Jun 2007 - 15:42 GMT

local : 14th Jun 2007 - 22:28 GMT

Local ASS: 16th Jun 2007 - 15:46 GMT

Local ASS: 16th Jun 2007 - 16:35 GMT

local : 18th Jun 2007 - 16:15 GMT

local: 20th Jun 2007 - 14:49 GMT

salt: 26th Jun 2007 - 01:02 GMT

proud2serve: 26th Jun 2007 - 19:42 GMT

confused: 27th Jun 2007 - 14:03 GMT

philly_jawn: 27th Jun 2007 - 16:16 GMT

returned_farmboy: 29th Jun 2007 - 19:18 GMT

Wannabe-Farmboy: 29th Jun 2007 - 22:27 GMT

Jersey: 30th Jun 2007 - 14:39 GMT

Mr Low Income: 2nd Jul 2007 - 21:55 GMT

realworldgirl9: 4th Jul 2007 - 01:10 GMT

Hutch1: 6th Jul 2007 - 23:15 GMT

Hutch-2: 7th Jul 2007 - 13:09 GMT

HUTCHPD: 14th Jul 2007 - 14:48 GMT

from there: 18th Jul 2007 - 03:09 GMT

papergirl17: 18th Jul 2007 - 22:42 GMT

Me: 19th Jul 2007 - 12:23 GMT

Bass Girl: 19th Jul 2007 - 13:41 GMT

Bass Girl: 19th Jul 2007 - 14:47 GMT

John Humperdink: 19th Jul 2007 - 16:42 GMT

John Humperdink: 19th Jul 2007 - 16:55 GMT

Hutchinson is dead: 19th Jul 2007 - 18:11 GMT

Reply to me: 20th Jul 2007 - 01:19 GMT

Do the Hutchinson.: 20th Jul 2007 - 15:57 GMT

Bass Girl: 20th Jul 2007 - 20:30 GMT

Do the Hutchinson.: 21st Jul 2007 - 15:46 GMT

new at Hustle Hutchinson: 22nd Jul 2007 - 21:59 GMT

I hate Hutchinson: 25th Jul 2007 - 04:12 GMT

Angela Watkins~ Harris: 6th Aug 2007 - 03:24 GMT

Hutchinson=Poor Town USA: 6th Aug 2007 - 21:52 GMT

BelRoC: 6th Aug 2007 - 22:33 GMT

Hutchinson Kansas=Poor Town USA: 7th Aug 2007 - 13:28 GMT

serlingrod: 7th Aug 2007 - 14:47 GMT

Bass Girl: 7th Aug 2007 - 15:00 GMT

Hutchinson=Poor Town USA: 7th Aug 2007 - 16:38 GMT

Kristen from Hutchinson: 7th Aug 2007 - 19:13 GMT

Kansan: 7th Aug 2007 - 20:27 GMT

cbdi: 7th Aug 2007 - 20:36 GMT

Dojo: 7th Aug 2007 - 21:13 GMT

DITTO: 7th Aug 2007 - 22:07 GMT

cowgirl82: 8th Aug 2007 - 05:31 GMT

blah is good: 9th Aug 2007 - 03:35 GMT

City Council's Fault: 10th Aug 2007 - 00:52 GMT

Not from Hutch anymore: 12th Aug 2007 - 03:18 GMT

Hutch=LOW INCOME: 12th Aug 2007 - 14:39 GMT

A few things that make Hutch special: 12th Aug 2007 - 19:51 GMT

Hutch=LOW INCOME: 12th Aug 2007 - 22:42 GMT

Plains of Despair: 20th Aug 2007 - 19:21 GMT

Western Kansan: 20th Aug 2007 - 20:14 GMT