Stolen Yule Trees Nothing to Sniff At

A rotten holiday season awaits anyone who steals an evergreen tree planted at parks in Hutchinson.

Workers this week were to begin spraying evergreens throughout the park system with a chemical retardant that puts off an odor similar to rotten eggs when exposed to temperatures above 50 degrees.

The nontoxic spray, primarily designed to ward off hungry rabbits and deer, has become an effective tool for the city in its battle to prevent evergreen tree thefts.